Japan 1709 AD

The Doctor. He was called The Doctor. She didn`t know how she know how she knew his name but she did. Another thing that she knew was this; the stranger with the red haired girl was in trouble. Or would be soon.

Clara started to move toward the man but the square was packed and there was no way of slipping through and in any case he was heading towards the Emperor`s palace and after the incident with the tapestry and the tea... Let`s just say he wouldn't be inviting her in any time soon. Time for a different plan. Luckily she knew just who to call.

She walked purposefully toward one of the alleyways and slipped into the shadows. About halfway down she avoided some large barrels which were handily blocking a side street before climbing up some well disguised niches in the wall to the rooftops of the city.

No sooner had she stood up and brushed some stray dust off her dress has she knocked back over again. Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, she stood.

"Sorry Miss, didn`t see ya there".

"Really Akio? Just mow me down why don`t you!" Clara sighed.

The boy in front of her looked sheepish.

"Well, umm, Miss, you see Haru said a shipment had... so I..." He tailed off as he was met with Clara's furious glare.

"That can wait, follow me,"

Clara was already halfway across the next roof by the time Akio had worked out what she`d said.

After winding through a series of roofs, each looking the same as the last, the pair climbed down into an old two room house. The windows were boarded shut new ones had been made in the roof and sides which weren`t visible, giving the room a cosy light. The first room was clearly a living room for many but each section was neat and ordered. Clara remembered how it had looked when she'd first come to live with them. Nothing near the likes this by far.

She walked to her pile and pulled out one of the draws. Inside was a seemingly normal apron and cap. Putting them on she headed out of the house with Akio in tow.

A short walk later she reached the palace. Going round the side to the servants entrance, she marvelled at how easy it was though, to be honest, most people breaking in wouldn`t have access to the unique uniform of the palace staff.

No one stopped them as they made their way up to the hidden viewing gallery used by the guards when a dignitary or other important person was there, and for meetings with the public, you can never be too careful.

Fortunately, the guard post was empty so she had an uninterrupted view of the proceedings.

"Well, you see Amy last time I was here..." a voice floated up from below, the Doctors, Clara`s brain pointed out before she could even begin to identify it.

It didn't take long before things started to get more interesting, the Doctor and the Emperor were obviously having an argument over something. Though she couldn't work out what. The random words which she could make out didn't make much sense."Zygon", "inter-galactic", "psychic resonance". Nothing that sounded logical. Then the Emperor started coughing violently and red, wait, red, mucus was flying everywhere. Until suddenly it wasn't the Emperor sitting there. It was a thing. A big red, suckery thing. It looked a bit like the octopuses down at the fish market. If they had arms and legs, and a weird face shoved in. Then it lunged.

Clara didn't think. She pulled out one of the bows stashed in the alcove and fired. Then she ran. Big, red and suckery or not, she'd just shot the Emperor, there would be consequences. She hoped the Doctor and his companion would do the same or rather she whispered it involuntarily.

"Run you clever boy, and remember"

The Doctor and Amy didn`t see who had saved them from the Zygon pretending to be the Japanese Emperor, just a vague glimpse of dark hair as the glanced up to where the arrow had fallen from. Before hurriedly leaving the scene. After all the Emperor was dead but who knew how many other Zygons there were?

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