Alone again.
That's how he felt once he had entered the old, blue, yet ever reliable police box. Everyone had returned home.
But he had no home to go back to.
Could be worse, he supposed. He could be suffering another one of those nasty Dalek lasers. Maybe shock from the Ood, or some dominator of televisions. Maybe even empty children chasing him around asking that same question: 'Are you my mummy?' with that trademark, nothing-short-of-terrifying gas mask.
But nah, he didn't care… never really cared about himself. It was always the others…
He grimaced as his hand rested on a lever, staring at it with soft, worn eyes as he remembered back at least an hour ago.
Daleks. Davros. Donna. Sarah. Warp star. Jack. Martha. Nuclear warheads. Rose. Doctor Donna…
It was a grand old adventure. Fighting Daleks? Extremely nostalgic, extremely. And Davros… well, reunions couldn't get any better, he guessed. The whole gang was there, and it was one brilliant party (sadly without bananas). And Rose… oh, Rose, she was as brilliant as ever. Everyone was brilliant. And Donna, too, as modest as she was…
Frowning, the man looked down, closing his eyes as he let go of the lever, his hand falling to his side. He recalled what he had had to do to Donna… as much as he had hated doing it to her, he had to, for her own safety…
Making his way towards the door, and strolling quite slowly and almost sluggishly, he contemplated how differently things could have turned out if he had gotten there faster… how many more lives would have been saved on that planet… Perhaps Donna wouldn't have had to do what she did… perhaps…
But fate was as unavoidable as breathing oxygen. Donna Noble, the most important woman in the universe…
He stopped at the door, putting his hand on the handle before glancing back at his domain.
At least he saw Rose again…
But things were always too good to be true for him…
Immortality: the curse of the timelords… and that normally meant you got complimentary plate of loneliness on the side.
He was okay with it. Really.
Same old tune… I'll live.
The door was opened once again, and the Doctor stepped out onto soft, lush grass. He was stood on a ledge, the TARDIS settled next to a cement path to his left.
Pulling a key out of his brown, coat pocket, he inserted the object into the lock, turning it and ensuring only he could enter as he put the key away again.
Rubbing his neck, he examined his surroundings, then paused. He heard voices…
"C'mon, buddy-boy! Just one more?"
"I'm not your 'buddy'—so don't get mushy with me, Faker, because I won't put up with it. I've already raced you twenty times now."
"Yeah, but they're all TIES. One of us has gotta' win, you know, buddy!"
There was a low growl of annoyance. "Did you mishear me?"
"Nooooope! I just chose not to listen to that bit," the other voice remarked snarkily. "Now, we gonna' leg it to grass and beyond, or what?"
"Yes. Just hurry up and—…"
"…? Huh? What's up, old pal?"
"Old," the voice grouched. He then answered, hesitantly, "…I feel something."
"Oh, uh, really? Maybe it was a satanic demon from another timeline. Oooooooo!" Ghost noises were made.
"No. It's different…"
"I don't feel anything."
"You're not sensitive to energy like I am. This is something big…"
The Doctor blinked at this, and he eyed his old friend.
Well, either someone's got a technological leak or someone is extremely perceptive…
Walking to the edge of the ledge, the Doctor peered down. Two anthropomorphic creatures were stood below. There was one the colour of cobalt, stretching; it seemed to be a hedgehog. Once he looked close enough, both were hedgehogs, if the spines weren't an obvious giveaway. The Doctor would be a fool to miss those.
The other… the other was looking around, avoiding the gaze of the other—or blatantly ignoring him and his sets of dialogue.
"Maybe it's nothing, Shadow. I mean, I don't see any evil plans made by Eggmen and Metal Sonics and genies and wizards or anything. And trust me, hehe, I see those a MILLLLEEE away."
The other was definitely ignoring him, seemingly intent on finding the source of what he was detecting. His black and red colour-scheme blurred ever so slightly as his head darted around the area, red eyes scanning almost eternally. Then… he looked up.
Oh, boy, did the Doctor feel awkward.
"…You…" 'Shadow' muttered.
"Yep, it's me," the man responded in a chipper tone, waving at the hedgehog. "Anthropomorphs, eh? Seen your species quite a bit, ever so interesting, especially the genetical bits. By the way, I'm the Doctor!"
The blue hedgehog blinked, then glanced at Shadow.
"Bravo. You detected a medical service: certified sign you need help!"
"…" The black hedgehog glared at his rival. "Shut it. I felt it, and I still feel it now."
"Sorry, couldn't help overhearing, feel what, exactly?" the Doctor asked, peering over.
"Nothing of your concern, human."
"Ohhhh, human?" the Doctor gave an awkward grin. "Wellllll, isn't this awkward…"
"What's awkward?"
The man almost jumped; miraculously, the blue hedgehog was in front of him, and not a single bit out of breath! Although he did feel an almost instant breeze.
"…Oooh… Look at that speed…" the Doctor gasped in fascination. "OOHHHH, you're brilliant, you are!"
"Well, eheh, I try my best," the blue hedgehog replied with a look of arrogance, smirking.
"Don't inflate his ego," the deep voice snapped, owner earning a glare from the blue blur. The black hedgehog was now up the hill, looking at his other in annoyance. He decided to walk rather than show off.
Immediately, his expression changed, and his gaze shot to the police phone box at the side of the path.
"…"
I can still feel it… is it coming from in there…?
The Doctor watched him with an intrigued expression. Could he really feel it…? He certainly didn't seem to be looking at the TARDIS for nothing. Normally, anyone would dismiss it. That was mankind's routine with it, anyway. Humans didn't question it… but this hedgehog…
"So, uh, Doctor, right? What didja' mean by 'awkward'?"
"Ah, it's nothing, really. Just don't get the tag a lot."
"Really?" he asked, giving a deadpan expression. "Well, if not, I'd give up on Shadow, grumpy guts over here—"
The aforementioned Shadow glared at the hedgehog, expression that of disapproval and certainly unhappy.
"He'll give you that tag for eternity, literally. Unless he respects you. Like he respects me." The hedgehog snickered and flashed Shadow a playful grin.
"I respect you only in your racing ability, Faker. You're able to keep up with me," Shadow grumbled.
"More like the other way around."
"Hang on," the Doctor responded, squinting.
"Yeah?"
"Did you say eternity?"
"Oh! Uh, yeah! Shads here got the potential to be here longer than any of us. Something to do with his genetics or something…"
"I was created with immortality and an immunity to all forms of disease, if that's even important," Shadow grumbled, a bit bitter at his companion wailing out on all his secrets.
"What? What was that for?" the man asked, looking elsewhere with his eyes and in thought. "…Immortality for man? Curing a disease, maybe?"
"…"
"Faker doesn't like to talk about it," the blue hedgehog grumbled. "We just leave him be. He's had a bad time."
"Bad is an understatement," Shadow spat.
"Ohh…" the man stared at Shadow for a second. "…I've seen that look."
"…What look?" Shadow asked defensively, narrowing his eyes.
The Doctor's expression grew grim, his look one that spelled 'you know full well what I'm talking about'.
"But, let's not dwell on it!" the man was chipper again. "Your lot's lives been fun at all?"
"Yeah! Me and Shadow have been racing up and down here like no tomorrow!" the blue hedgehog grinned.
"Yes, and like a hyperactive five year old, he refuses to let it go…" Shadow grumbled, still eyeing the Doctor cautiously.
"…You and Shadow—hang on. What was your name again?"
"Didn't say," Sonic shrugged, then flashed a grin. "But I'm Sonic! Sonic the Hedgehog!"
"Sonic? Did you say Sonic? Really?"
"The one and only!" the famous hero smirked proudly.
"Ohhh, that's ironic… I've got a Sonic."
"…you haven't been travelling back in time and stealing classic versions of me, have you?" Sonic squinted suspiciously.
"Of course not!" the man responded, then he pulled something out of his pocket. It looked like a screw driver. "This. This, Sonic, is a Sonic."
"That isn't a Sonic. I'm a Sonic. And there's only one of me."
"Oh, but there's lots of these! …probably." He pocketed it. "And, it's most definitely, absolutely, a Sonic."
Sonic blinked, then shrugged.
Whatever…
"Hey, Doc? You said that was your name, right?"
"The Doctor, yes."
"…why the name?"
"Because it's cool. Next question: why has your friend gone so quiet? Annddd he's gone right near the TARDIS, hasn't he—?"
"…TARDIS?" Sonic asked in confusion. He looked at the police box. Shadow was eyeing it.
"It's in here… and since he named it…"
Shadow stared at the Doctor.
"What are you hiding?" he demanded. "There's—"
"Energy in there, I know. I won't lie to you. It's clear enough you see a bit more than the other people on this planet."
"What is it?" the black hedgehog stared at him with a wary expression.
"Well, it's the soul."
"The soul of what?"
"It's called the Heart of the TARDIS… lots of energy. Not meant to stare at it for too long."
"And why do YOU have something like that?"
"I'm very special."
"So am I."
"Great, let's have a Special Immortals anonymous meeting!"
"You're not funny."
"I usually am… but given what you've been through…"
Shadow was silent, but he was giving a warning glare to the man.
"Look, I'm sorry, Shadow. Whatever you've been through. I get it, really."
"Right," Shadow responded sarcastically. "Is this thing dangerous?"
"In the wrong hands? Yes. Yes, it is."
"Better not look now, then, cos it's gonna' be in the wrong hands!" Suddenly, Sonic rushed off.
"…What?"
"OH-HOHOHOHOHOHO!"
Suddenly, a claw shot down from the sky, wrapping its metal talons around the box and gripping it tightly.
"What?!"
The Doctor squinted at a round vehicle in the sky. It looked like a rather obese man… with a mustache…
Santa Claus?
"WHAT?!"