Disclaimer: I do not own WordGirl or Doctor Who.
Note: This is Patrick Troughton's (Second) Doctor.
Also note: All WG/DW stories published by me happen in the order they were published in (I note that because I'm making a series, one for each classic Doctor).
WordGirl (and Doctor Who) in...
ROBOTS OF THE CYBERMEN! (PART 1)
Narrator: Today's featured words are 'Mechanical,' and 'Perceive.'
We open our story on, surprise surprise, a crime in progress.
What would normally have been a tranquil day in the life of Reginald the Jeweler was interrupted when the expensive glass windows were smashed in quite suddenly. A glance on Reginald's part revealed the cause: Two men in gleaming silver suits with box-like helmets, which had blank featureless faces and bars on the sides of the head.
The brief shock in the aristocratic shop owner quickly gave way to resignation: "Oh, very well, if you're going to rob me, then please do be civilized about it and try not to break anything more."
While he was talking, the silver-costumed men had kept on walking towards the counter, and were right there when he finished...at which point they raised their hands, and destroyed the glass separating them from the jewels with swift blows.
Reginald gasped: "I said don't break anything!" he exclaimed, as the two robbers reached into the display cases, and pulled out all the diamonds one by one...and then putting them back right where they found them!
Eventually, one of them spoke in an electronic-sounding voice: "These diamonds are unsuitable for our purposes."
"Indeed. I perceive no possible value in them either. They are worthless." said the other one, with no traces of disappointment in its voice. Then, the two started walking out of the store empty-handed!
That was the last straw for Reginald: "Oh that does it! Ignoring my instructions and destroying my shop is one thing...but saying that my diamonds are worthless?" Taking an aggressive air, he stormed out from behind the counter, moving towards them as he exclaimed: "I will not stand for such disrespect towards-"
-Suddenly, before he could finish his sentence, one of the oddly-dressed robbers grabbed him, and lifted him up in the air! Reginald struggled briefly...before noticing that the hand felt almost metallic!
"A metal hand..." he thought aloud, before his attacker dropped him, and said:
"Do not oppose the Cybermen."
Leaving Reginald in a state of fear and confusion, the two walked on out of the store, and disappeared around the corner.
"Huh," thought Reginald to himself after the coast was clear, "I was held in a hand...that felt like a mechanical claw! Perhaps it's just me, but I perceive something particularly...odd about those two..."
Later that day, at the home of the Botsfords...
After she and Bob watched an episode of Pretty Princess, Becky was just ready to turn off the TV when the screen suddenly changed:
"We interrupt your regularly scheduled broadcast to bring you this exclusive news! About one-and-a-half hours ago, the 'Ye Olde Fancy Schmancy Jewelry Store' was broken into by what the owner, Reginald, believes to be mechanical men!"
Then, Reginald's face appeared on the screen: "They called themselves 'Cybermen'; they smashed my display cases...and then said they didn't want any of the diamonds! Said they were worthless! Of all the unappreciative..."
"Thank you, Reginald. Anyway, the search is on for these 'Cybermen'; here is a sketch produced from Reginald's description;" (a police sketch of the Cybermen, as Reginald described them, appeared on the screen) "So if anyone sees anything looking like this, they are advised to report it to the police, or WordGirl if she's around, as soon as possible. We now return you to your original program."
The TV returned to its original program, three seconds before Becky switched it off. A second afterwards, Bob screeched at her in a confused 'how did we miss this' manner.
"I know, Bob!" Becky replied. "Problem was, I was busy stopping one of Big Left Hand Guy's taxi-crimes an hour and a half ago, at the same time Reginald was being robbed!"
Then, Becky got up, and put her hand to her chin; "OK, so they used the word 'mechanical to describe the attackers. 'Mechanical' means 'of or relating to machines or tools.' If they were using that word correctly, then these Cybermen are very much like, or are, machines, even though they look like...Bob, that's it!"
After Bob screeched his confusion, Becky explained: "You know what else looks like a human, but is really mechanical? A robot! And who do we know who uses robots on a regular basis?"
*(one scene transition later)*
"Tobey."
"W-w-w-WordGirl!" Tobey stuttered, surprised to find WordGirl and Captain Huggyface on his doorstep. Quickly, he regained his composure, put on (what he thought was) an attractive face, and asked: "What brings you here?"
"We're here to talk about the 'Cybermen' you sent to Reginald."
Tobey raised an eyebrow: "What Cybermen?"
"Don't try to play ignorant with me, Tobey. I checked the security tapes; it's clear to see how they're robotic." Captain Huggyface, at this point, produced a small little screen...on which played footage from Reginald's security tapes.
"Do not oppose the Cybermen," was heard coming from the screen.
"You're the only one around here who uses robots. It's not hard to perceive a connection between you and these things."
"Is that so?" asked Mrs. McCallister, who suddenly appeared behind Tobey.
Tobey's usual fear of his mother quickly arose...this time coupled with what seemed like confusion. "Wait, no, mom – these really aren't my robots!" he pleaded desperately, "I never built them! There's been some kind of mistake-"
"Forget it, mister;" Mrs. McCallister cut him off as she grabbed his ear, and dragged him into the house: "You're grounded!"
"No Mom! You've got it all wrong! NOOOOO-" Tobey's screaming denial was cut short by the door to his house slamming shut.
"Huh. That was easy." said WordGirl...before she shrugged, and then picked up Captain Huggyface for the flight back home.
…...
Back at home, she quickly changed back to Becky Botsford, and remembering that the door was locked, knocked on it... only to have a complete stranger answer the door! It was a man with mop-like black hair, a black cloth longcoat, a silly-looking pair of oversized checkerboard pants, and a blue polka-dot bowtie.
Becky backed away in surprise. He, however, grew an excited grin and said: "Oh, you must be Becky Botsford. Come on in, your parents were just serving some tea." as he walked out of the way.
"Umm..." Becky said as she walked in, "...T.J., who is this guy?"
"Oh, that's the Doctor!" said T.J., seated at the table with Mom and Dad.
"Sorry about the surprise;" said the man behind her, "I got here a few minutes ago, hoping to find WordGirl."
Instantly, Becky remembered two previous adventures with the 'Doctor' as WordGirl... fighting the Daleks and the Master...and how the Doctor wore two different faces! She looked at the man with a different kind of surprise on her face, as he waved to her.
Then, Becky realized she was staring, and thus stopped herself. Then, she asked (all while knowing the real answer): "OK...so who is this 'Doctor'?"
"Oh, nobody...except that he's alien called a Time Lord, has a time machine called a tardek ("TARDIS," corrected the Doctor), and a personal all-time friend and crime-fighting partner of WORDGIRL!"
"Indeed, T.J." said the Doctor as he walked in. "And I must say, I perceive your kindness towards friends of WordGirl to be quite enjoyable.
"Aw, it's nothing, Doc...except I have no idea what perceive means."
"Ah!" exclaimed the Doctor: "Well, since WordGirl is mysteriously absent, I guess I shall have to define it: To 'perceive' something, T.J., means 'to become aware of, and possibly even understand, something.' It can be as simple as seeing something, or understanding something that confused you before."
Becky stood there, trying to sort out everything in her head. Then, she asked if she could be excused upstairs to do her homework, to which her parents agreed. Bob however, judging that Captain Huggyface wasn't needed, decided to remain.
Mere seconds later, WordGirl flew in through the front door (causing T.J. to faint, and forcing Bob to catch him as he fell off his chair), and said: "Doctor? Is that really you?"
"Yes of course, WordGirl!" exclaimed the still-standing Doctor: "How nice to see you again!"
WordGirl shook his hand, and then said: "Of course, your being here brings up some questions, like: What's up with your face? You looked different last time."
"Oh, us Time Lords have the ability to change our appearance every now and then; I'd explain it in greater detail, but this story doesn't have the right featured words."
"Good point. Also, why are you in...the District Attorney's house?"
"Faulty directions from the TARDIS. See, as soon as I figured out that I had randomly landed in your neighborhood, I decided to drop by...but instead of winding up at your super-secret spaceship hideout, the road map the TARDIS gave me led me here. Sometimes, the TARDIS seems like it's going through one mechanical failure after another..."
"Oh, what does it matter, Doc? You're here now, and I doubt you'd have it any other way!" exclaimed Mr. Botsford as he brought a steaming teapot to the table (with outlandish designs on it that drew everybody's attention).
The Doctor gave Mr. Botsford a thumbs-up, and he and WordGirl ventured over to the table themselves...and on the way, the Doctor whispered into WordGirl's ear: "Actually, I didn't consult the TARDIS for directions at all, Becky. I just wanted to see your family. Hope you don't mind the little white lie."
"Actually, you're better at it than me! And thanks for looking out for my secret identity!" WordGirl whispered back.
With one last wink, the Doctor sat down and gestured WordGirl to a chair next to him.
"So," the Doctor began (as he began pouring the tea), "WordGirl holds this family in apparently high esteem. Last time I saw her, she told me all about D.A. Sally Botsford, and her 'Number One fan,' T.J. I just wonder if you-"
"Wait a second, Doctor:" WordGirl interrupted suddenly, "I didn't talk about the Botsfords last time I saw you, you talked about...Imaginus, or some other kind of planet..."
"Ah yes, maybe you're right. However, what happened to you that day hasn't happened to me yet. It will, of course, someday, but it hasn't yet, with time travel the way it is." said the Doctor.
…..
"Ah;" The Doctor said, ending the awkward pause in the conversation. Then, he proceeded to explain what he meant: "Well, you see, I first met WordGirl when she was a teenager, and had already met me several times over her career. My time-traveling in my TARDIS has apparently caused our meetings to be completely out of order."
Then, he pulled a notebook and pen out of his pocket, and showed it to everybody as he continued: "See, if you all perceive time as a straight line," (drawing a straight line), "then my personal timeline interacts with WordGirl's like this:" (drawing a series of random squiggles around the straight line), "This may seem very difficult to understand, but it's pretty simple if you perceive time the way I do."
"And how do you perceive time, Doctor?" asked WordGirl.
"Basically, time is like a...big ball of wibbly-wobbly...timey-wimey...stuff."
"Ugh." WordGirl said as she placed her palm on her face, ashamed that he used such horrible grammar.
Just then, the Doctor changed the subject: "Speaking of time, why did it take you so long to get here? I almost expected you to come as soon as your super-hearing heard the TARDIS drop in!"
"Oh, well, I..wasn't really paying attention. I was sorta busy with Tobey a little while ago..."
At that very moment, across town, at U BUY GOLD...
The door to the gold store was suddenly smashed in, and two metal men walked over the toppled door.
The owner of the store jumped back in surprise, and then said: "Wait...you're those mechanical robbers that Reginald had a problem with!"
"We are the Cybermen."
"Yeah...look, just take some gold and leave me alone, OK?" And with that, the store owner tossed a gold chain to the Cybermen...
...and as soon as it landed on one of them, the Cyberman suddenly started behaving like it was frightened and in pain! Desperately, it pulled the gold chain off itself, and threw it on the ground.
As soon as it was over, the other Cyberman said: "No gold. Silver. Other metals. That is what we require."
"Oh..uh, sorry, but we just have gold here."
"Then we have no further need to be here." And with that, the Cybermen started to walk outside. Sighing in relief, the store owner sat down in his chair...
...which just happened to have the remote for the TV on it! As soon as he sat down, the TV turned on, and the news blurted out:
"... As of approximately half an hour ago, the eleven year old boy genius known as Theodore Tobey McCallister III is grounded."
"Since he is known for building giant robots all by himself, and using them to try to destroy the city, I'm sure many citizens breathe a sigh of relief at this news. From what we can tell, there will be no giant mechanical monsters for the next two weeks at least."
The owner of U BUY GOLD turned off the TV at this point, not wanting a distraction... but then he noticed the Cybermen were still there! "Um," he asked, "Why're you still here? I thought you guys didn't like gold."
The Cybermen completely ignored him. Then, one turned to the other, and said: "This human named 'Theodore Tobey McCallister III, obviously possesses a wide variety of mechanical skills."
"Indeed. I perceive multiple possible benefits of making him work for us."
"We must return to the Cyber-Leader, and give this report."
*(one scene transition later)*
"Tobey, eh?" the Doctor said, "I remember you mentioning him in our last meeting, (which of course you haven't had yet), but not going into much detail about him."
WordGirl nodded, and then said: "Perhaps the news has something about him?"as she flew over and grabbed the remote. Retaking her seat at the table, she turned the TV on...
"... As of approximately half an hour ago, the eleven year old boy genius known as Theodore Tobey McCallister III is grounded."
"Since he is known for building giant robots all by himself, and using them to try to destroy the city, I'm sure many citizens breathe a sigh of relief at this news. From what we can tell, there will be no giant mechanical monsters for the next two weeks at least."
"Oh, I see; he's one of those supervillains."
"Yeah, and a rather tough one at that. He's almost as smart as me, yet really awkward when it comes to doing things without giant robots."
The Doctor nodded...and then the news continued:
"From what we could gather, this most recent grounding is due to him being possibly associated with the 'Cybermen' that attacked Reginald's Jewelry store earlier today."
Suddenly, the Doctor shot out of the chair he was sitting in, and exclaimed: "Cybermen? Here? How can that be?"
Quickly, he ran towards the door, opened it, said: "Sorry I have to leave; I need to get something from the TARDIS so I can track the Cybermen down!"
And before anyone could ask what he was doing, the Doctor rushed out of the house. WordGirl (and Bob, who picked up his Captain Huggyface uniform when no one was looking,) quickly followed him.
As they ran, or in WordGirl's case, flew, down the sidewalk, WordGirl asked: "What's going on? Those were probably just more of Tobey's robots!"
"They're not robots, and they're most definitely not Tobey's! They're evil half-mechanical aliens from the planet Mondas, who want to take over the Milky Way Galaxy!"
WordGirl slowed down slightly, allowing Captain Huggyface to catch up to her, as the realization sunk in; "But...if they're not Tobey's...that means they're still out there!"
"Exactly! And where there's Cybermen, there's always trouble!"
*(one scene transition later)*
Tobey was busy sitting on the rocking chair in his room, talking to himself.
"Oh WordGirl, you think you have me all figured out do you? Well, for once, I am not responsible for today's mechanical mischief...but ah, once you perceive your mistake, and I know you will, you'll come crawling to me for forgiveness! And when you do, I shall grant it, but at a cost: a trip to the ice cream shop, where I shall impress you and woo you and win your love forever! Mwa-ha-ha-ha! Oh, things may look dark, but in the end, things can only be good for Theodore Tobey McCallis-"
His gloating monologue was suddenly interrupted by a Cyberman kicking in his bedroom door. It turned towards Tobey, and spoke: "You are Theodore Tobey McCallister III."
"Umm...yes?"
"Do not try to escape." And having said that, the Cyberman raised its arm...and then fired some kind of cord out of its arm at Tobey, tying him up!
"Your mechanical skills will be of use to the Cybermen. You will come with me to our base of operations, where you will begin serving us."
"Oh no you don't! Hands off my boy!" shouted Claire McCallister, who threw herself at the Cyberman...who caught her in its metallic arm, and threw her backwards, stunned!
She was forced to watch as her son was dragged away by a costumed stranger...
What are the Cybermen planning? Why does it need Tobey's mechanical skills? And can WordGirl, Captain Huggyface, and the Doctor put a stop to it, whatever it is?
If you cannot perceive any answer to those questions (I can, but then, I've read the script), then be sure to tune in to part two of this epic adventure of WORDGIRL!
...And Doctor Who!
WordGirl/Doctor Who: Robots of the Cybermen was made possible by positive reinforcement from REVIEWERS LIKE YOU.
THANK YOU.
