Disclaimer: All characters are the respective property of their owners and no attempt to profit is being made with the creation of this document.
A\N: This story is a crossover between David Tennant's Doctor with Rose as a companion and the PS3 game Journey. The timeline is any point after Rose becomes the Bad Wolf for the first time.
The Doctor's Journey
The tepid wind blew across the vast desert, causing the dunes to slowly ripple in an almost serpentine manner as the brilliant and harsh sun shone overhead, creating ripples in the air. Off in the distance, uncountable miles away, sat an impossibly high and lonely mountain, its peak cleft in twain from which emitted a powerful beam of light that stretched into the stratosphere, the sight catching the eye of any who could see. The lone figure stood silently atop the small dune, its eyes intent on the colossal landmark that seemed to call to it. Nearby, a duo of tattered and dusty flags attached to a pair of stone markers fluttered ceaselessly in the ever-present wind. Glancing back at them for a brief moment of consideration, the cloaked traveler leapt forward, its lean but powerful legs allowing it to slide down the sand dune with ease, cutting a shallow trough in the sand until it reached the bottom with a smooth glide. Before its eyes stood a large field of markers similar to the ones atop the dune. Each one a slim rectangular slab of grey stone inscribed with vertical glyphs. The top of each marker was wedged on both corners with a six-sided hole cut from the center. The figure slowly made its way through the somber field filled with dozens of such stones, many leaning slightly though they managed to stay upright. At the end of the field there stood a tall platform easily 12 feet high with a broken staircase in front of it. Ascending the stairs with nimble leaps the figure came upon a statue that fanned from the broken top to its bottom as if the point of a triangle had been snapped off near its highest point. Above the statue floated several small and rectangular pieces of cloth that drifted in lazy circles, seemingly unaffected by the desert breeze, each one the same blood red color as the figure's cloak and inscribed with various glyphs. Before the statue floated a glowing ball of golden light that seemed to spin and writhe slowly. Peering closer at the strange sight, the figure noticed the light seemed to form a glyph within it similar to the ones presented on the markers behind him and the pieces of cloth above. The figure slowly walked towards the ball when suddenly it flared. Small bolts of light streamed from it, circling about the figure and causing it to be surrounded by the brilliant motes. Surprised but strangely unafraid, it turned its head to see what the light was doing behind it. Suddenly the motes coalesced around the rear edge of the traveler's hood at its neck and knitted itself together into a small rectangle. The glow began to fade as energy transformed into matter leaving behind a small scarf attached to the edge of the traveler's hood. The scarf was the same color as the cloak and covered with several small glyphs of silvery white between a pair of gold bars that edged the material.
Puzzled by this strange behavior on the part of the energy ball but unable to determine the reason for its incorporation into the cloak, the figure moved closer to the spinning pieces of cloth. Though they swirled around the cloaked figure briefly they soon returned to their original positions. Shrugging, the figure leapt off the edge of the high structure. Spreading its cloak wide, it glided gently towards the sand, landing with barely a sound as its legs cushioned the impact. Standing from its crouch the traveler continued to make its way through the barren landscape, dotted by more markers. The strange and slightly macabre pathway soon gave way to a large depression several hundred feet wide within which stood several large structures with a platform in the center. Its curiosity sparked, the traveler began to slide down the steep side of the depression at a brisk pace, leaving a trail behind it.
Several hundred meters away, near the sunken remains of another building, a strange grinding noise was heard. Wind swirled around the source of the unnatural sound as a strange blue box with a glowing lantern on the top materialized into existence with a solid thud. The pair of doors on the front of the box opened a moment later revealing a man and a young woman. The pale young man appeared to be in his mid-thirties and was dressed in a light blue button down shirt with a dark blue tie over which he wore a striped brown jacket and matching pants. Over his shoulder he held a dark brown long coat and on his feet were a pair of trainers. His face was rounded and his brown hair spikey and wild. His face was expressive and almost child-like though his eyes paradoxically held deep and ancient wisdom. His companion was perhaps ten years younger with long blonde hair, a heart-shaped face and soft eyes. Her figure was slim but athletic and well-proportioned. She wore a white blouse and a pair of slim blue jeans with trainers as well. The man gazed up at the hot sun, covering his eyes with his hand before turning to his companion with a smile on his face as they stepped out of the box, shutting the doors behind them.
"Do you have any idea where we are?" She asked curiously, her face a picture of amusement.
"Not a clue Rose!" The man replied happily. "What say we find out?"
"And how do we do that Doctor?" She asked, raising a slim eyebrow and looking around. "Not much here except sand, sand, and more sand."
"That looks like a good place to start." The Doctor suggested, pointing towards the mostly covered building nearby. "Shall we?"
"Something tells me I'll need bottle of SPF 5000 sunblock to keep from burning alive." Rose mused as they marched towards the building.
"Not a bad idea, actually, considering the amount of radiation that sun's giving off." The Doctor remarked causally. "Not that I need it but it would do you some good. Why not slather some on and come back in a bit while I check out the building?"
"Try not to get in trouble while I'm gone, yeah?" She suggested.
The Doctor looked at her with a slightly hurt expression. "It's only been a minute or two!"
"New record for you." She teased, sticking the tip of her tongue out at the Doctor before skipping back to the TARDIS, leaving the Doctor to fume briefly before shaking his head in amusement. Turning back to the red and brown building nearby he quickly crossed the sand to step through a large hole in the side of the building. Taking a moment to enjoy the slightly cooler shade the building provided he quickly looked around. The right side of the room was filled with sand to the ceiling and before him sat a curiously square blank patch of wall surrounded by a tiered stone frame. On either side of the blank area stood a pair of stone markers. The far left of the rectangular room opened to the desert. Withdrawing his sonic screwdriver from his pocket the Doctor crouched next to one of the markers, examining the glyphs with a puzzled frown.
"Interesting!" He murmured as he tapped the stone block with a finger before scrapping a bit off with his fingernail and stuck it in his mouth.
"Not any type of stone I'm familiar with and I'm very familiar with lots of them." He muttered to himself.
His curiosity peaked he activated the screwdriver before running it over the face of the marker. Switching to a few different frequencies he proceeded to scan them more in-depth before suddenly the hole at the top of the marker began to glow faintly. Blinking in surprise, the Doctor grinned in excitement before adjusting the settings on the device further. The buzzing changed in pitch and frequency several times and while the marker seemed to glow a bit brighter it did not change dramatically. Finally the Doctor stood, scratching his head in puzzlement as he gazed at the offending marker that dared to withhold secrets from him.
"What exactly are you?" He murmured softly, his gaze boring holes into the object.
Suddenly his ears picked up the sound of sand being scuffed nearby. Smiling a bit he continued to ponder the mystery before him before a familiar voice spoke up behind him.
"Only you would find a blank wall fascinating." Rose teased.
The Doctor smiled at the gentle jab before tapping the blank area. "It's not blank, or at least it's not supposed to be. This area was carved into the stone of this building and frame around it. These stones below it were placed there specifically for a purpose. One of them started glowing when I used my screwdriver on it. That's a lot of work for a purposeless blank wall. No…this wall means something if I can just figure out what." He drawled as his gaze travelled across the expanse.
Rose knelt down next to the slightly glowing stone and rested a hand on it. "So what is this thing anyway?" She asked.
Suddenly the marker began to glow brighter and the hole in the center became filled with a softly glowing glyph.
Rose gasped in surprise and quickly removed her hand, causing the light and the glyph to fade.
The Doctor quickly knelt down next to her, his eyes flicking over the stone's surface as he ran the head of his screwdriver quickly over the face of it.
"Amazing! This stone was emitting some kind of exotic energy!" He exclaimed. "I couldn't get enough of a reading to figure out what, though." He admitted ruefully. "What did you do?" He asked Rose.
Rose shrugged. "All I did was put my hand on it. Maybe I pressed a hidden button or something."
The Doctor quickly ran his hands over the surface and sides of the marker. "Nooo….nothing hidden." He mused. "Still…"
Suddenly the marker began to glow gently again.
"Oohh! What do we have here?" The Doctor said encouragingly as he examined the glyph in the middle of the hole as it appeared. "Some form of language obviously. Can't quite make it out though." He said, frowning a bit. "TARDIS translator can't get it quite right, like a thought on the tip of the tongue. Still! It's a start!"
"Start of what?" Rose asked.
"Adventure, Rose Tyler! Adventure!" The Doctor cried, springing to his feet, making the girl step back a pace or two. "Now, let's see if we can make these others behave as well! You talk to the stones and give 'em a nice rub down while I take a few readings! Lovely time for all!"
Rose laughed at the absurdity of the Doctor's comments before moving to one of the other markers. "I can't say I've ever talked nicely to a rock before, never mind given one a massage."
"Doesn't mean you shouldn't!" The Doctor remarked with a grin and he ran his screwdriver over the glowing stone. "Never know what might happen!"
Rose rolled her eyes at the thought before running her palms over the next marker. "Will you be a good little rock and glow for me?" She asked it with a smile.
As if on command the stone began to glow with gentle white light, a new glyph appearing in the central hole.
"Oy! What do you know, it works!" Rose called over to the Doctor.
"Didn't I tell you?" He grinned back at her before examining his own marker. "Funny this…It's not normal electromagnetic radiation even though it emits visible light. Seems to be coming from the glyph rather than the stone itself…"
Rose had managed to convince two of the other markers to light up before coming to the third. "If I'd know I could make rocks glow just by talking to them I would have done it a long time ago." She joked.
The Doctor smirked. "Makes you want to take one home doesn't it?"
Rose snickered as she rested her hands on the last marker. "Miles better than a normal pet rock I have to say."
"Think I had one of those once." The Doctor remarked with a twinkle in his eye. "Poor thing up and died on me."
Rose laughed as the last marker lit up with another glyph in the center. Suddenly the blank wall above them blazed with golden light.
"Oh ho! Now we're getting somewhere!" The Doctor exclaimed happily as they both stood back.
The square in the center of the frame glowed brightly before fading away, revealing a mural beneath it as the light from the markers faded.
"Rose, see if you can make the stones glow again while I look at this." He suggested as he moved close to the scene displayed in stone.
The wall before him now displayed a grid of what appeared to be wedge shaped figures in white lying on their sides with stones that looks remarkably like the markers sitting upright next to their heads. Above each figure was inscribed a unique glyph.
The Doctor ran his fingers lightly over the carvings as he gazed up at them. "So that's what you are." He murmured. "Remembrance."
"Doctor, I can't get them to light up again." Rose told him.
The Doctor glanced over at her before waving a hand negligently. "Doesn't matter. We found what their purpose was." He stated, his voice somewhat sober.
"What is it?" Rose asked, looking at him in concern.
"A memorial for the dead." The Doctor stated with a hint of sadness on his face. "Whoever made this wall didn't want it to fade in time. They knew the desert would erode it away so they made it like this to keep it fresh centuries or even millennia later. The stones seem to be power sources and activators to uncover it but only if someone took the time to examine them carefully, most likely. They wanted to make sure these people's memories were preserved for history."
"So these glyphs…" Rose started.
"Names." The Doctor stated. "And very complicated ones I'd say, since the TARDIS translator can't make it intelligible."
"There's lot of those markers outside." Rose mentioned uneasily. "Does that mean…"
The Doctor nodded soberly. "We're in the middle of a graveyard."
The traveler slowly wandered around the edge of the depression, a circle of buildings surrounding it. The tall structures were colored in rust red and tan with stylized metal grilles covering the windows. In front of each of the buildings, above a pair of steps partially covered by sand, stood massive grills acting as a barrier with no obvious means of unlocking them. Unperturbed, the cloaked traveler continued to examine its surroundings. Moving towards the center of the area, smaller cock-eyed pillars stood, some containing more cloth pieces in a kind of ironwork cage while on top of another sat another glowing ball with a glyph in its center. Moving closer to the pillar with the ball of light, the cloaked traveler instinctively leapt towards the top. Suddenly the glyphs on its scarf light up brightly and the traveler felt an unseen force lift it higher into the air. Surprised and quite excited at this discovery the figure landed adroitly on top of the pillar. Glancing back at the scarf, he noted that some of the symbols had gone from silvery white to dull red, almost perfectly blending in with the color of the scarf itself. Making a mental note of this change, it turned to face the symbol of light floating before it. Like the one before it, light flashed from the orb, encircling the traveler with golden motes that attached to the rear of its scarf, this time increasing the overall length slightly and turning the red symbols back into silvery white. Pondering this new development for a moment, the figure then turned to the larger and partially broken large platform in the center nearby.
The Doctor and Rose slowly made their way towards the large basin filled with ancient buildings.
"Who do you think these people were Doctor?" Rose asked idly.
"Not a clue." He admitted casually, his hands in his pockets. "The Time Lords didn't keep track of every single planet in the universe. Just the important ones to make sure that history didn't get all gnarled up when the various races discovered time travel. Maybe—"
"Hey! Look!" Rose cried, pointing to the large platform in the middle of the basin.
Squinting against the sun's glare, the Doctor could see a small figure in red climbing the broken sections that made a crude form of staircase to the top where four tapestries waved in the breeze.
"Splendid!" The Doctor grinned. "Come on Rose, let's go say hello!"
"We're not going to get arrested again are we?" She asked plaintively as they began to quickly make their way down into the hole.
"Oh come on Rose!" The Doctor chided gently. "Look around! These buildings have been abandoned for centuries! There's no one living here!"
"Except him." She pointed out pragmatically.
"Well…maybe he just wandered in here and got lost?" He suggested.
"Right, and I don't have sand in unmentionable places." She grumbled lightly.
"Well that's lucky for you 'cause I do." The Doctor jibbed back. "Ruddy sand'll take a week to get out. Still, no worries! That's what pools are for!"
Rose chuckled as they reached the bottom and quickly made their way towards the center.
"Oy, you notice the pretty flying things?" She asked, gesturing off to the side where, above a smaller column, a small group of cloth pieces circled lazily.
"Yup and don't ask me what they are cause I don't have a clue. Yet!" The Doctor stated with a fierce grin. "Fancy looking things though. Wonder how they stay like that? Maybe our new friend will be able to tell us?" He suggested as they began climbing the crude staircase.
The Doctor quickly reached the top. In the center of the platform was a large square area covered with a metal grill under which a flock of cloths moved about. At each corner of the square sat a dusty and wrinkled tapestry blowing in the breeze with something under the grill holding them in place. At the end of the platform sat the broken remains of a stone bridge that appeared to connect the platform to a large landing ahead of them, upon which rested a statue along with several more markers. In front of him stood the figure they had spied with its back turned to them.
"Hallo!" The Doctor called out.
The cloaked figure before him spun around seemingly shocked at his appearance as Rose made her way to the top as well. Walking over to the Doctor, the girl blinked at the figure's strange appearance. The person seemed to be humanoid and covered in a blood red cloak with gold trim that ran from the top of its head to half way down its legs. The top of the creature's hood terminated in two points making it appear as though it possessed feline-like ears beneath it and its face was covered in a black, expressionless mask. A single gold band ran across its forehead and its eyes were pure white and glowing softly. Upon what appeared to be its chest shone a glyph of white light. The figure's legs were slim but muscular and ended in small points. Overall, the figure looked like it was wearing a stylish burka robe and face mask.
The creature looked back and forth between them before suddenly emitting a series of soft chirping sounds. To Rose it was as if the creature were playing notes using an invisible flute, the chirps sounding melodic in nature as they flitted up and down the musical scale.
The Doctor gazed at the figure in surprise before grinning. "Oh that's marvelous! Really marvelous! What a beautiful voice you have! I wish I could sing like that! Oh, sorry, forgot to introduce myself! I'm the Doctor and this is Rose!" He said, gesturing first to himself and then Rose.
The creature cocked its head, seemingly in confusion before emitting another series of chirps.
Rose looked at the Doctor in confusion. "I don't think it understands you. I certainly can't understand it."
"Nooo…" The Doctor mused, frowning slightly. "No, you can't can you…Strangely enough neither can I…"
Suddenly the figure crouched before crying out with a loud tone that sounded as if an entire orchestra had played a single powerful note in harmony with multiple instruments, the force of the shout enough to make it leap into the air and spin around. The pair of them staggered as the sound hit them with the force of a quick blast of wind.
"Doctor, what's going on? What was that?" Rose asked urgently as the Doctor pulled his sonic screwdriver from his pocket and began fiddling with it, causing various sounds began to emit from the tip of the screwdriver.
"I'm hazarding that's its way of saying hello, though I could be wrong." He said quickly. "This is going be tricky but I love a challenge!" The Doctor muttered intently. "Just hang on a tick!"
More sounds came from the screwdriver as the Doctor frowned in concentration, changing the various settings on the device. Finally he pulled the TARDIS key from his pocket and pressed it against the tip of the screwdriver. "This is a seriously primitive way of doing things and it's probably going to make us talk in gibberish but it's the best I can do at the moment." The Doctor muttered to the figure before them. "Let's see if this works."
Saying this, the Doctor activated the device. Unlike its usual buzzing noise the screwdriver began to send out a series of warbles and sounds like a faint string quartet. The TARDIS key in his hand began to glow with soft golden light as it resonated with the sound being produced. Suddenly the sounds became much more refined, becoming a simple flat musical chord.
"Hello, I'm the Doctor." The Time Lord smiled, making the chord change in pitch as he spoke. "Who might you be?"
The figure stared at them for another moment before letting loose another blast of sound like before. Suddenly Rose staggered not from the force of the sound but from the blast of information that suddenly filled her mind. She gasped in shock and awe as she felt understanding encompass her on a level she had never experienced before. As her knees threatened to give way from the overflow of information she felt the Doctor's hand steady her.
"Easy, easy." He muttered. "It's a lot to take in, I know, but you can manage it. Just let your brain do its thing instinctively. Don't try to pigeon-hole things. Just let the knowledge flow and find the right place to fit in."
Rose closed her eyes as she felt the vast amount of alien information slowly sift its way into her mind until she was finally able to open her eyes again. While her brain felt full she was no longer in danger of falling on her butt. Taking a cleansing breath she looked up at the Doctor who smiled at her.
"What was that?" She asked in amazement.
"That, Rose, was the soul of a soul." The Doctor said with a gently reverent tone. "All that noise, that's why the TARDIS couldn't translate it. It's not just a language, its identity at its most basic level. This charming individual just shared who it was in its entirety with us. Everything that makes it unique, everything that it is, it gave to us just now. We just couldn't grasp it."
"I still don't. Not really." Rose admitted, looking a bit shell-shocked. "I can feel it all in my head but it's…vague. Like emotions and ideas all swimming about in my head."
The Doctor nodded. "It's a bit clearer for me but the translator combined with the screwdriver can only do so much. It's like trying to listen and understand an orchestra through a tin can phone. Still, I think we can get simpler concepts more clearly."
He then turned to the creature that still stood there silently, watching the exchange. Keeping the active screwdriver pressed against the glowing key, he spoke. "We could only understand a little of that. We're not like you. We can't communicate so completely. Can you try using simpler concepts or ideas?"
The creature cocked its head again before letting out a series of simpler melodic chirps.
~[Understanding/comprehension] of my [speech/expressions], now?~A sexless and high-pitched voice asked, seemingly emanating in the air between them.
The Doctor grinned. "Oh yes we can understand you! Much better! I'm the Doctor and this is Rose."
~You are [strange/alien/unknown].~
The Doctor nodded, un-phased by the observation. "Well, not all of us can have such an amazing sense of fashion as you obviously do. Where did you find such a lovely cloak?"
~[Incomprehension/confusion]~ The traveler warbled as it cocked its head.
The Doctor shook his head in dismissal. "Never mind. So, do you live here?"
~I [exist/am] here. Just as you [exist/are] here.~ The traveler replied, sounding a bit confused.
The Doctor's face scrunched a bit in frustration. "Translator's really doing a number on us here. Either it can't translate nuances properly or our friend doesn't have any frame of reference for a place where you live regularly."
Rose shrugged. "Maybe it doesn't. It does look like a nomad after all. Maybe it's always travelling. Rather like us." She smiled.
The Doctor smiled at the comparison before addressing the creature again. "Do you have a simple name we can call you? We can't speak your full name properly, I'm afraid."
~[Fear/anxiety] is [unnecessary/irrelevant].~ The traveler chirped gently. ~You do not [offend/anger/frustrate] me. I am [DESTINY/FATE/PURPOSE-SEEKER].~ It chirped, putting more force behind its name as it spoke it.
"That's still a bit of a mouthful." Rose said. "Why don't we just call you Seeker instead?"
~That [soul/identity/glyph] is [acceptable/pleasing] [BLOOD-FLOWER/TIME-PREDATOR].~
Rose blinked at the designation given to her by the traveler. "Why did you call me that?"
~You are [BLOOD-FLOWER/TIME-PREDATOR].~ Seeker stated simply. ~Just as your [companion/friend] is [STORM-TRAVELER/TIME-HEALER].~
The Doctor glanced over at Rose in vague amusement. "I'd say Seeker got a bit more from our names that we expected."
"How did it know about Bad Wolf?" She asked quietly in concern.
"It's part of who you are, just like I'll always be the Oncoming Storm to the Daleks." The Doctor replied quietly. "Just like Seeker is searching for its destiny, whatever it is. It's a part of his identity, just like Bad Wolf defines you, at least partially."
"Is Seeker a 'him'?" Rose wondered. "Or a 'her'? I can't tell."
"I don't really think it matters." The Doctor replied simply. "Would it make any difference to you either way?"
"I guess not." Rose shrugged. "It's just weird not being able to use pronouns."
"You should know by now that not every species in the universe is designed for bi-morphism. I've seen—"
"Yeah, no thanks, I'd rather not know." Rose interrupted him hastily. "No squicky alien porn for me thanks!"
The Doctor gave her an offended look as Seeker merely warbled at them incomprehensively in confusion.
"Anyway, moving on!" The Doctor continued. "I take it there's something special about this platform we're on Seeker?" He asked.
~This [platform/container/cell] is [conspicuous/interesting] in its [prominence/centrality].~ Seeker stated. ~The [ribbons/tapestries] here and [under/beneath] the grill are [similar/alike] to my own [scarf/ribbon].~
Moving forward Seeker brushed its cloak against one of the cloths. Suddenly the hem of Seeker's cloak and the sigils on the scarf began to glow white. Golden motes of light appeared on the tapestry and a portion of it quickly repaired itself, changing from a damaged, dusty brown to vibrant red and gold. Letting out a larger chirp, Seeker's song cascaded over the tapestry, transforming it in an instant to a long and whole rectangular cloth with gold glyphs running down the center of it along with gold edging, both glowing with white light along with the hem of Seeker's cloak.
Rose walked forward and brushed her hand against the flapping cloth. "It's so soft." She murmured appreciatively. "Almost like silk but even better."
A moment later Rose stepped back in surprise as the cloth seemed to disintegrate before her eyes. The top edge of the cloth unraveled into golden motes that worked their way down the cloth until they vanished into the darkness below. Glancing over at Seeker she brushed her hand over the cloak the traveler wore. "Not quite the same but close." She mused.
Seeker looked at her in surprise at her touch but chose not to comment. While the Doctor worked to tie the key to his screwdriver to keep the primitive translator running, Seeker moved to the other ribbons, singing to them as well. Each of them revived at the song, repairing themselves and showing their true colors before vanishing beneath the grill in the same manner as the first. Suddenly the pedestal shook gently as a hidden mechanism inside slowly opened the metal grate in the center with a clatter of metal on metal. The flock of cloth ribbons burst from their confinement as if eager to be free, swirling around the three of them in a large sphere before settling in the center, moving about the air like a large school of fish.
"Are they…alive?" Rose asked tentatively.
The Doctor walked towards one and attempted to snatch one out of the air only to have it dodge away.
"Well, they're certainly not just inanimate pieces of cloth." He stated in slight puzzlement. "They seem to possess some kind of programming, at least enough intelligence to manage a working flight pattern and collision avoidance. You notice they all move about in the same area but don't bump into each other. That kind of situational awareness or positional networking in real time isn't something that's easily accomplished with a few lines of computer code."
"So they're machines then?" Rose asked.
The Doctor shrugged. "Could be. Perhaps some kind of circuitry imbedded in the fabric along with sensors. That doesn't explain how they're able to maintain their positions, though. The wind should be blowing them about and yet they self-correct without any obvious means of propulsion unless they're just using the wind currents."
"Have you seen these cloth things before Seeker?" Rose asked.
~I have not.~ Seeker chirped, staring at them as they circled. ~But they [respond/accept] my [soul/glyph/voice].~
Saying this, Seeker let out another blast of sound. Immediately the cloth pieces began to glow and frantically swooped around Seeker, lifting the robed figure several yards into the air at great speed. Acting on instinct, the cloaked humanoid glided across the broken bridge to the large landing nearby.
Cupping his hands over his mouth the Doctor called out to the now distant figure. "Wait there! We'll be there in a moment!"
"That was amazing!" Rose breathed, staring at the cloth pieces which had returned to their previously lazy flight.
"Yeees, it was rather nifty." The Doctor drawled musingly, looking at them closely. "Rather surprising them being able to lift something as heavy as Seeker off the ground like that. I almost wonder if there's some kind of anti-gravity technology at work here. Very advanced for something that small."
"Shall we go and catch up before our new friend gets impatient?" Rose asked.
The Doctor focused on her and smiled. "Right-o! On to the other side!"
Saying this, the Time Lord quickly slid down the broken stairwell with Rose following after him. Landing on the soft sand, they quickly began walking to the other side of the basin.
"Very interesting architectural style!" The Doctor suggested as he looked around at the various buildings while they walked. "A kind of Oriental and Arabic hybrid with mixtures of both in the grillwork and the colors used, not the mention the stonework."
"Coincidence, probably. It's not like the people here would have known anything about either one." Rose commented.
"Possibly." Conceded the Doctor. "Or maybe this was another offshoot of humanity at one point. You lot did spread yourselves out quite far over the centuries. Might have been an outpost or new colony at one point!"
They soon reached the other side of the massive hole, the landing on which Seeker stood about 15 feet above them. Finding natural hand holds in the wall they quickly began to scale it, hauling themselves over the edge a few minutes later before dusting themselves off and standing up. They found Seeker staring at them from a few feet away.
~How did you [fly/ascend] without the [use/command] of the [cloths/ribbons]?~ The traveler asked.
Rose blinked in confusion, looking at the cloaked figure oddly. "We climbed up."
Seeker merely chirped in confusion.
Rose held out her hands. "We climbed up."
Seeker looked down at itself and flapped its cloak a few times. ~I [have/possess] not what you [have/possess].~
Rose looked at Seeker in confusion before walking over to the traveler, her hands reaching towards the hem of the cloak. "May I?" She asked a bit timidly.
Seeker nodded briefly and Rose took hold of the helm, pulling the cloak open gently below the spot where Seeker's glyph perpetually shown, seemingly acting as a clasp. The being before her was extremely thin and wrapped in a bodysuit of dull red cloth with no proportions suggesting a normal human male or female. More disturbing however, was the fact that while Seeker had slim shoulders, there were no arms attached to its body.
Rose looked up at Seeker with a hint of consternation on her face as she released the helm, letting the cloak settle back into place. Her hand unconsciously went to the blank mask covering Seeker's face. Her fingertips pressed gently against an unyielding substance like cloth with a stiff backing.
~Why do you [show/display] such a [reaction/emotion]?~ Seeker asked in concern. ~Have I [insulted/upset/angered] you?~
Rose flushed slightly, dropping her hand. "Oh! No!…No, I'm sorry…I…I just expected you to be…well…like us. You know, with arms." She stammered, holding her hands up in display.
Seeker looked down at her hands and then back to her. ~Why would I be [like/the same/identical] to you? You are [strange/alien/unknown].~ Seeker asked with innocent puzzlement in its high voice. ~Do not be [insulted/upset/angered]. This is my [form/shell/appearance].~
"And a very nice form it is too." The Doctor stated gently with a kind smile, putting an arm around Rose's shoulders.
"Sorry, I just got a bit flustered there." She murmured.
"Not every species has two arms and legs." He reminded her quietly. "Seeker looks vaguely human but he's obviously not. Well, I say 'he'…" He chuckled slightly. "Shame on me for labeling but the point is Seeker's obviously doing fine without arms. It's not like…it needs them. Flying seems to suit just fine. In fact, it reminds me of some of the more avian species I've seen in my time. That cloak might act as wings for all we know."
"I suppose." Rose replied, a hint of a smile on her face.
"Good, good!" The Doctor insisted, taking a quick step forward. "Now then let's see about these things shall we?" He asked them.
In front of them in the center of the landing stood a semi-circle of six markers in front of which sat a cream-colored stone statue. The figure appeared vaguely owl-like with a small head and squinty eyes set into a featureless face with a long triangular body. Inscribed upon the body of the figure were lines upon lines of small, faint hieroglyphs.
"See if those markers light up like the others Rose and I'll have a look at our stony friend here!" The Doctor suggested as he knelt in front of the statue and began examining the glyphs.
Rose rested her hands on one of the markers and began to murmur at it but the stone barely glowed in response. Looking over at her friend, the Doctor was slowly tracing lines up and down the glyphs with his finger, murmuring to himself. Finally he stood up and shook his head.
"Same glyph pattern as the others. Frustrating not being able to read them!" He huffed, glaring at the statue.
~Perhaps I should [speak/commune] with them?~ Seeker suggested.
"Excellent idea!" The Doctor said. "Give it a try!"
Seeker walked forwards until the traveler stood in the center of the semi-circle. Tensing up, Seeker released a burst of sound that seemed to encompass the entire landing like a group of violinists playing the same pure note at once. Immediately the markers began to glow brightly and the glyphs upon the stone began to fill with light as well. Suddenly motes of light began to stream from the markers to the center of the semi-circle, creating a perfectly round circle of light before the statue. Rose and the Doctor stepped into the circle at the same time as Seeker, the robed figure immediately sitting down with its legs crossed beneath its cloak. Shrugging, the pair did the same, one sitting on either side of their robed companion.
"So now what ha—" Rose asked only to break off as white light engulfed her.
The doctor blinked and looked around at the vast expanse around him. He stood in a blank white void with an immensely tall and cloaked figure in silhouette several yards ahead of him. Suddenly the figure let out a massive but gentle burst of sound that washed over him like a wave of water. Vision shifted and suddenly he saw what appeared to be a pictograph of a vast mountain with a cleft peak. Suddenly rays of white light burst from the mountain's cleft. Above it, innumerable glyphs began to form, mixing with stars in the night sky. As the scene moved to the right of the mountain, winged creatures like stylized pictures of birds began to appear, each with a glowing point of light in their center. Along what appeared to be the ground, plants also grew, each with their own light point. Finally, a series of robed figures in white appeared their appearance similar to that of Seeker but more ornamental, each with their own glyph. Lastly, a group of the white figures appeared to bow respectfully before a glowing figure lying upon the ground, above which sat a glyph. As the Doctor watched, the figure faded with a red ribbon taking its place that seemed to grow from the ground. Finally white light engulfed him once more before reality returned. He found himself still sitting in the circle of light that was rapidly vanishing along with the glyphs on the statue, Seeker and Rose next to him. Ahead of them with a grinding of metal, the massive portal grill that had blocked the entrance to a long corridor inside the building slid open of its own accord. The three of them slowly stood.
~Did both of you [share/experience/see] as I [shared/experienced/saw]?~ Seeker asked in quiet wonder.
"Possibly." The Doctor said quietly, his gaze focused. "What did you see?"
~I [shared/experienced/saw] the [creation/birth/emergence] of [ALL]!~ The cloaked traveler chirped softly in awe.
This is the first chapter of what I expect to be a short story compared to my main story. Please note that because this story takes place within Journey it will be more about exploration and learning rather than fighting and action, though there will be some tense scenes later on.
As always, please review!