The Doctor frowned.
Yes, okay, time was a wibbly wobbly thing, from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint at least. Everyone knew that, or at least anyone worth their stuff did, but this was something new to him. Space, space was strange, sure, space did some pretty weird things, but space wasn't meant to be all…wibbly. Space was a little bit more stable, probably to make up for all the messing about in time. But one day, suddenly, there was this…this pressure, the Doctor wasn't sure how else one would describe it, this intergalactic, in fact universal pressure. Universal pressure, as in a pressure on the entire universe, from both sides, if a universe can be said to have sides, which it most definitely cannot, which makes this whole description kind of bunk, really…
Forget about all of that pressure stuff.
The main bit of importance was that something was wrong.
Universes, or dimensions, or whatever it was you wanted to call them- dimensions seemed to make more sense, really, how could there be anything besides the universe, ignoring that time he went outside the universe, anyway- were being pressed up against each other. He had an inkling that were he to get in the TARDIS and send himself and his companions barreling in insert-direction-here, he'd send himself spinning into an alternate dimension.
Which wasn't how they were supposed to work. Different dimensions were not supposed to be pressed against each other like bloody donuts in a box, they were supposed to overlap. Why? he wondered. Why now? The only reason, the only inkling of a reason I have is that separating dimensions this way would allow ease of access between them…I wonder-
The letter provided some answers.
Not enough answers. And it certainly raised more questions. But it was a start.
Welcome to the first annual Fandom Games!
In order to settle the wars in our home dimension, 2 tributes- one male and one female, with certain exceptions- will be taken from each of our most favored alternate dimensions.
These tributes, 24 in total, will be brought to our home dimension, treated with great honor and care, and then placed in a fight to the death that only one can survive.
A Reaping will take place on a specific location in each dimension. In dimensions where it is relevant, time has been altered so that all possible tributes can exist in one location at one time.
Tributes can be up to any age from a minimum of twelve in human years.
Only mortals will be eligible for reaping. Any powers that might result in an unfair advantage against your average human will be removed by our Arena.
Representatives from our dimension will arrive to carry out the Reapings shortly.
Failure to comply will result in the permanent destruction of your dimension.
Do not attempt to fight us.
Have a happy Fandom Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!
~The Capitol
And with that, a smaller piece of paper, clearly personalized-
THE WHONIVERSE: District 1
EXCLUDED FROM THE REAPING: The Doctor, Jack Harkness
The more the Doctor stared at these pieces of paper, the more questions he had. Like, who? What? Why, why was a good one. How as well- how were any people so powerful that they could threaten the destruction of other dimensions, that they could move them about at will like this? More importantly-
What was he going to do?
What was anybody going to do…?
There was only one thing he knew for certain. They were coming.