Catfish and Shrimp

Summary: The Doctor & Rose visit a special, beautiful planet filled with coral and strange creatures. A trip to the 9th Planet of Earth's solar system, 3,000 years into the future. Many questions need to be answered though, like why does the catfish have a Northern accent? And have the Internationl Astronomical Union made up it's mind about the fate of the planet's title?

Notes: The stuff about Pluto is actually based on fact! I've been watching the Science Channel lately, and they had this thing on Pluto – about whether or not Pluto should really be considered a planet. The Pluto Underground, and International Astronomical Union is actually a real thing.

This originally started as a 100 word drabble for dw100. I have about 5 pages written so far, so more chapters to come soon. Please let me know what you make of it? I was really excited to write a story that'd be an all around Doctor Who adventure, staying true to the show and characters. So I hope I've done that, and of course to be sure that I did, you guys need to tell me. :)

Slightly revised. Thanks for your helpful review, Angels. :)

Spoiler Warning: For the end of the series 2 episode, "Age of Steel".

Disclaimer: BBC owns Doctor Who... And I only wish I could be as clever as RTD.

"Where we going now?" Rose asked, like she'd often asked before, but this time cheerfulness was missing. Little time had passed since Mickey stayed behind & she missed him. Would take more than a cup of tea to fix things.

"You'll see." The Doctor grinned mischievously and moments later they landed. With a bounce in his step, he made his way over to the door. "After you?"

Rose stepped outside, glancing at him - a sparkle reappearing in her eyes.

It was the most beautiful world. Dazzling, blue water surrounded them, accompanied by a faint, mysterious glow. Two layers of thick glass windows and reinforced flat, steel beams was all that kept the massive body of water from crashing in. There was no sunlight, yet the bottom surface was bright and bustling with activity. Then there was the coral. In various shades of pink and blue, large and small, it decorated almost every acre of the ocean floor.

"Catfish. Fish with cat heads!" Rose pointed at the mutant fish. It had a golden body, long and covered in a mixed pattern of tabby and black spots. The ends of the furry coat dangled loosely in the water, slowly swishing back and forth as it swam. Despite the feline head... In every aspect, it looked like a fish with gills and dorsel fins minus the scales.

"You should see the shrimp." He mumbled while closing the TARDIS doors. He surveyed the large circular room, taking note of where his ship was parked. "Quite strange. And bigger than those catfish there. Catfish – ironic really."

A blue grey, miniature dolphin-like creature appeared from behind a big piece of coral. The mammal blended in well with its surroundings, pink like the coral it came out from. Once out in the open, it became crystal clear like Queen Victoria's diamond. The creature was barely visible now, if at all.

Rose ran up to the glass, leaning with her hands against the glass like a curious and excited child. She exclaimed, "This is amazing, Doctor!"

"Knew you'd like it." He nodded and smiled approvingly of himself. This is just what his companion needed.

"What's this place called?" Rose continued watching the mini dolphin swim about.

"If my memory serves me correctly, this would be the Underwater Museum of Planet Pluto."

"Planet Pluto. We're on the Pluto? I thought it was all covered in ice. What year are have we gone to?"

He continued talking; not even hearing her words, so lost in his own train of thought. "Or maybe not planet Pluto," he scratched his head, squinting his eyes. "Just Pluto? Hmm. Could be that the International Astronomical Union haven't made up their minds yet. And of course they can't do that until they figure out what the definition of a planet really is."

"Doctor, what are you on about?" Rose asked.

"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking." He cleared his throat. Moving on. "This is Pluto 3,000 years into the future. The one planet in Earth's solar system to have it's own activist organization. The Pluto Underground. There was this ongoing debate about whether or not Pluto should actually be called a planet. All because it was discovered to be within an asteroid belt. Some museums don't even feature the planet in their exhibits."

"So we're on Pluto in the future and this," Rose raised her eyebrows. "is a museum..."

"Yeeaah, right in the core of it."

"So technically this place is an aquarium." She walked several feet to the right, her hand gliding noisely across the glass causing the Doctor to flinch.

"Well... Yeah. They built this place about a hundred feet below the planet's surface. Suppose it's NASA's way of making up for ignoring it so long. We're not even that far down. Pluto's a tiny tiny tiny planet, so tiny it's even -"

"Smaller than the United States." She smiled up at him, amused by the surprised expression. And maybe even a little proud that'd she finished his sentence.

"How'd you know about that?"

"Oh c'mon Doctor. It's PLUTO!" She exclaimed. "It's everybody's favorite planet. Don't you think I haven't been following up on what's been going on down there," she pointed downward as if pointing at the Earth. "I remember hearing about this exhibit in NYC, some head man way up there decided to leave Pluto out of the exhibit and tons of people freaked out. 'Specially the kids."

"Ah yes. Forgot how fond you humans were of your tiny little planet." The Doctor grinned. "Just didn't know you were one of those too."

"One of what?"

"A Pluto lover." He grinned and they began their exploration, walking down a glass tunnel.