"Sister, where are you?" the girl cried. Her only answer was the roar of the flames.

The girl coughed again, and fell to her knees.

"Sister, help me!"

Part of the walkway on the floor above collapsed as flames ate away at the supports. Even if she'd had the strength to run, she didn't have the courage to plunge through the blazing debris between her and the stairs.

"Help me, anyone!"

She shut her eyes and huddled down.

*Vwoorp* *Vwoorp*

The girl opened her eyes as she felt someone scoop her up. She saw the flames receding away from her and then a pair of blue wooden doors shutting. The man carrying her set her down and when she turned, she saw him frantically working controls around a hexagonal table. The sound of the fire outside suddenly vanished, and the man glanced back at her.

"Right then, give me a moment to get the scanner set up and then I'll have a look at you."

As he tapped at some buttons, she saw a flash of movement in the corner of her eye, and looked over at the chest of a second man in a sharply-tailored black suit.

"No, no, no, why are you using this setting? I'm not trying to fix a toaster here!" The man hit several more buttons seemingly at random. "I'm the Doctor, by the way. Who are you?"

The girl looked up as she spoke, catching a glimpse of the face of the man in the black suit.

"I'm-"

You should kill us all on sight

The girl's fist slammed through the suit and the flesh and bone beneath with ease.

"-Subaru Nakajima."

"Subaru, huh? Nice name, good name, aha! Cyborg. No wonder you were so heavy. Got a setting for that, here we go. Metal bits all good, lungs a bit smoky but nothing that won't sort itself out. Just have to get you home now."

Subaru sniffled, then gathered herself and said "Wait, my sister. We need to find Ginga."

"Okay, just hold on. I'll find her. Just stay calm." He whirled over to another side of the table. "Ah, here we go." He flipped a lever, and the room shook.

The Doctor rushed over and opened the door, revealing a smoky staircase and a girl struggling up it.

"Ginga! Over here!"

The girl started and turned. "Subaru?"

"Big sis, come on!"

Ginga stared blankly at them for a moment, then shook her head and ran through the doorway. She hugged Subaru tightly, then looked around.

"Um, this is bigger on the inside."

Subaru blinked in confusion.

"Is it? I hadn't noticed," the Doctor replied.

*Five Years Later*

"So you were saved by a man in a magic box that's bigger on the inside and travels through time and space who calls himself The Doctor, and that's why you're here?" Teana asked.

"Yep! He said he might come back to take us with him when we grow up, so I have to be ready."

Teana sighed. "Honestly. Weren't there better things to be doing with your life?"

Subaru laughed. "But if I did something else, I wouldn't have met you, Tea!"

Teana blushed furiously. "Wh- what about me!?" she stammered.

"Ah, Midchilda again. Wonder how those girls have been doing? Well, time to be off."

He stepped out confidently and stopped short abruptly.

"Ah."

"Hello Doctor. I'm Lieutenant Colonel Hayate Yagami with the Time-Space Administration Bureau, and I'd like to ask you a few questions."

The Doctor looked at the brown-haired woman, then at the dozens of other people in the plaza, then at the collection of swords, staffs, and guns in their hands. "And what would everyone else like?"

The tall pink-haired woman holding a sword replied, "We would like you to answer a few questions."

+++Ginga, come on, the Doctor's back!+++ Subaru sent telepathically.

+++Hold on, I need to finish packing+++ Ginga sent back. She had an "in case of Doctor" bag ready, but she was in the process of frantically packing spare parts for Blitz Caliber, plus an extra set for Mach Caliber because she knew perfectly well that Subaru had forgotten. She'd have just stuffed some clothing and Cartridges in a bag and rushed off as soon as Hayate contacted them. Ginga shoved the last set into her suitcase, then started zipping up her collection of a wide variety of civilian clothing. Wait…

+++Subaru, did you pack any street clothes or just several changes of your uniform?+++

+++Umm…+++

"That covers all our security concerns, thank you. However, we would like to send some people to accompany you for a while."

The Doctor frowned. "Sorry, no, I don't take soldiers along."

Hayate smiled. "Oh, I think you might make an exception in this case."

"Doctor!" Subaru yelled as she and Ginga skated into the plaza.

"Hm, yes, that is persuasive." The Doctor frowned at their gauntlets. "No weapons, though."

Subaru and Ginga looked at each other. "How about Intelligent Devices? They're non-lethal."

The Doctor looked them up and down. "Well, I suppose those are safer than your bare hands. Come on then."