This story is for anyone who needs cheering up.
DOCTOR WHO
Bubble's pop occasionally
Bubblegum. Not the chewy kind, the kind that walks down a school corridor full of teenagers from the planet Candycane.
Bubblegum
Bubblegum Vanilla is two hundred and seventy-four (which on Earth is eighteen). She is a pretty girl with a large group of friends. She has turquoise eyes, bright blue hair and she is very clever.
Bubblegum thought her life was nice and simple until now. She opened her locker and dumped her books, grabbed her bag and headed for the main door. Two very large, mean looking men strode through the school doors. Bubblegum didn't think anything of it until each of the men grabbed one of her arms. She fought kicking and screaming but they didn't let go.
Landing Practice
The TARDIS rasped into view and the Doctor stepped out, pulling his coat over his shoulders. He closed the door and walked around to get a good eyeful of this new planet he had just arrived on. He wondered around with his hands in his pockets. The Doctor –cheery as he was- smiled at everyone that passed on the bright pink streets of Candycane. The leaves on the trees were blue, the roads pink, the houses yellow, though there was the odd green one, and the school at the end of Strawberry crescent (witch the Doctor was on) was orange. He said a happy "hello," to an old lady passing by with her weekly shopping. The Doctor turned the corner onto Twirl Road, which was full of small shops. The first shop he came to was a colourful looking toy store, with all manner of bears and trains and dolls in the window. "Lovely," he said as he pushed the door open. There was no one behind the counter as he walked through the door, he poked and prodded at anything he could as he looked around. The Doctor spotted a ball with thick, short spikes sticking out in all places; he found a small red button on the strange ball and pressed it. The ball started to juggle and dance and the Doctor laughed in amusement. "This is amazing," he said.
"Ouch!! Dammit!" Someone suddenly said.
The Doctor spun on his heel, trying to determine where these words came from. "Ow! Ugh," the voice said again, this time he heard the direction it came from. He followed the voice until her came to a door marked private. The Doctor pushed open the door to find, a young girl, with bright blue hair, sitting on the floor inspecting her knee, which seemed to be bleeding. The room was empty apart from two large teddy bears in each corner of the small box room. "Talk about big," said the Doctor, the girl's head snapped up. "Sorry. Hi, I was looking for the owner, do you know where he is by any chance?"
"You mean he's not here?" The girl asked, eyes wide.
"It doesn't look like it," said the Doctor in response.
The girl got up from the floor and headed straight for the door the Doctor held open. He stepped out of the way so she could pass, but instead of passing right through the door, she bounced back a foot and landed on her bottom with a soft thud. The girl blinked twice –stunned- and got up. The Doctor passed through the door with ease and stepped back into the room, he pressed his hand to the wood as if checking its temperature. He looked back at the girl, who was now on her feet, she walked back to the door and raised her palm to the space inside the doorframe. "Well that's weird," she said to herself.
"I'm used to weird, you should try living with me," said the Doctor.
"And, who are you then?" The girl asked as if she'd just remembered he was there.
"I'm the Doctor," he said, jerking his chin out towards her.
"I take it you're not from this planet Doctor," she said inspecting his dark hair and eyes from a distance.
"And how do u know that Miss . . .?" he asked curiously.
"Bubblegum," she smiled. "Look at your clothes, there so . . .dull."
"Something wrong with brown?" The Doctor asked smoothing his suit down the front. He looked at what Bubblegum was wearing and it made him blink. She was wearing a tight mini dress that was patterned in the colours of the rainbow, with multi coloured converse shoes like the Doctor.
"Well," she said, "it's not very colourful, didn't you know it's the law? You must be colourful on this planet," Bubblegum said taking a pair of square purple-rimmed glasses and placing them on her nose. She stepped forwards and looked at the doorframe deep in thought, she knocked on the wood and pressed her ear to the frame.
"Some sort of force field? Kinda' weird, don't you think, mate?" She said turning to him. The Doctor stood gawking at her.
"Are you checking me out?" She asked raising an eyebrow.
"Me? No, not me," he said rubbing the back of his neck.
"So, why you locked in here then?" The Doctor asked walking around the room.
She snorted, "You tell me, one minute I'm walking down my school corridor and the next I'm being dragged out by the arms, by two burly blokes. I tell you, they've got it coming. They're gonna get a smack."
The Doctor thought about what she said for a moment,
"They got you from school? How old are you Bubblegum?" He asked. Bubblegum stared at him for a long moment, when she thought that he wasn't being rude she said,
"I'm two hundred and seventy-four. Why do you ask?"
The Doctor was deep in thought.
"So they carted you off and left you in here. How long have you been in this room? And besides they shouldn't have taken you out of school. What are the school years around here?" He asked, wondering what someone would want with this schoolgirl.
"Well you're supposed to go to school for a hundred and seventy years but I stayed through sixth form, I'm doing a course in art, science and technology and judo. And I've been in this room about a week, maybe two. It's easy to loose count when it's so boring in here, could even be a month," she said waving her hand in a dismissive tone. She looked up to see the Doctor staring straight into her eyes, immediately she dropped her gaze, embarrassed.
"So you're two hundred and seventy-four, hang on let me work it out." He tapped his fingers in the air as if using an invisible calculator, "ahh," he said. "You're eighteen."
Silly Boxes
Bubblegum looked up and tried to figure it out, "Where did that come from? I just told you I'm two hundred and seventy-four; I'm not some bratty little kid you know Doctor," she felt offended by the Doctor's comment, how dare he insinuate she was a child!
"No, no you see you're eighteen in Earth years, if I'm right this planet is almost exactly the same as Earth. The only difference is that every single person on this planet speaks the same language, everyone lives just a little longer and the fact that everyone has bright hair. So bright you need sunglasses," he added, pulling at his ear.
"Oh…Thanks!" Said Bubblegum, making sure the small bow on the top of her head was in place.
"Hang on a minute," her eyes widened in disbelief. "You've been to Earth?!"
The Doctor was now inspecting one of the giant bears,
"Oh, yeah." He said, "Loads of times."
He was sitting on the leg of one of the bears with his hands in his pockets.
"Wow! Really? Could you take me?" She walked over to him and waited for her answer.
The look on his face said it all; he was going to say no. "Why not? And anyway what planet are you from? Are you from Earth?" She said with her hands placed firmly on her hips.
"No, I kinda…live in a box,"
Bubblegum raised her eyebrow, "You live in a box?"
And then she burst out in fits of laughter, making the Doctor jump. Bubblegum managed to get out her sentence in between laughing, "that's…the…silliest…thing…I've…heard…all…year." She calmed down long enough to let him speak.
"I'll have you know my little blue box is very substantial," he said nodding his head.
"Whatever you say sir," she said while giving him a sarcastic salute, "Anywho, I'm getting out of here, so you gonna help me or not Mr. Skinny alien dude," Bubblegum said still giggling. The Doctor got up –rolling his eyes- and walked over to the doorway,
"Hmmm," he said. "Maybe it's fused to your genetic code, got to be in fact." The Doctor pulled out his glasses and put them on, Bubblegum looked up at him.
She took off her glasses and inspected them then, looked at his, she shrugged ignoring the similarities and put them back on.
"So, if this is fused to my 'genetic code' then we need to…vibrate the wood to stop the signal getting through, am I right?" She asked smirking.
The Doctor looked at her from the corner of his eye, "Yeah, you're right. But how do we do that? Any ideas?" He looked straight at her –though the height difference made him bend his neck a little more then usual-, though he already knew the answer. "Easy," she said stuffing her glasses in her pockets. "We need something sonic, with a good impact I may add," she grinned.
"Very good," he said sounding impressed. "I'm beginning to like you." He pulled out his sonic screwdriver from inside his jacket, and played with the settings.
"Wow…what is it?" Bubblegum asked bewildered.
"This is the something sonic that you need, now mind out." The Doctor shoved her out of his way and pressed the sonic to the wood, vreeeee.
"Right this better have worked," she headed for the door, but same as before it bounced her back three feet, this time she landed flat on the stomach.
" Well that went badly," said the Doctor, helping her up.
"I'll say, what is that then, looks like a random tube to me," she raised an eyebrow at him.
"It's a screwdriver," he said.
Bubblegum, slapped his hand, which was resting on her shoulder, he looked at her and removed it.
"Well that puny thing isn't gonna get me out of here is it," she said as she sat on the floor in between the giant bears. She sighed.
"I'll get you out, I just need something big and sonic," the Doctor looked down at his screwdriver and said, "bigger then you," he stuffed it back in his pocket.
There were the sound of footsteps outside the door, "someone's coming," he said.
Nice and Clever
The Doctor climbed behind one of the large bears and pointed at the door, he then poked his head round just enough to see what was going on, but not enough to be noticed. Bubblegum stood up as the door opened. In walked a man and a woman, both wearing bright orange cloaks. The man had deep red hair pulled back in a ponytail, and the woman had long lilac hair that reached her hips. This lady was very beautiful, she had her arms folded across her chest and her lips were pursed.
"This is the girl," said the man, who the Doctor assumed was the owner.
"I thought you said she was pretty," said the woman with a pompous tone.
"Oi watch it you," said Bubblegum.
"I think you better be a little nicer to me considering your fate," said the woman, squaring up to Bubblegum, it didn't help that Bubblegum was at least a foot taller then this stranger, as if they were sworn enemies.
"You know love, you really ought to invest in some heels," said Bubblegum staring the lady down.
"Now, now ladies calm down," said the man.
"And why are you here, you don't even deliver my food, you get the shop hand to do that so what do you want?" Asked Bubblegum almost furious.
"It's time for you to go."
"Go where?"
"You are going to fix our machine for us Miss Bubblegum, since your nice and clever!" Said then man cunningly.
"Call me Bg most people do, and I think you'll find I won't mate," said Bubblegum with her hands on her hips again.
He clicked his fingers and the woman grabbed Bubblegum round her waist and carted her towards the door, the man pressed a broach on his robe and the woman shuffled Bubblegum, though she was struggling madly, through the door and out of the shop. The Doctor climbed out from behind the bear and stared after her.
Fail?
The Doctor darted out of the shop door and stared down the street, searching for any clue, any sign of which way they took Bubblegum. An old lady passed by him.
"'Excuse me," he said. "Did you happen to see a young girl, with blue hair get taken off by two people in orange cloaks?"
The woman gave him a funny look, "No, young man," she said bewildered.
"A lot of strange things have been going off lately, you know I was in the coffee house the other day and-"
He didn't stop to find out what the rest of the story was. He shot off down the street shouting, "Bubblegum?!"
He got funny looks from the people that he passed as he ran round the corner at the end of the street. A few feet down the road there was a big purple van, and the doors on the back were wide open.
The Doctor spotted Bubblegum getting stuffed into the back and at that moment she caught his eye.
"Doctor!" She called, but it was to late to do anything.
The doors were locked and the driver was walking around the side of the van. The Doctor had a brain wave. He clicked his fingers and dug in his coat pockets, until he found what he was looking for.
He threw a small metal ball at the van and it stuck to the side as it drove away. He bolted down the street, until he reached the TARDIS. He ran inside and swept over the controls, like an eagle stalking it's pray from the forest. He tracked the van for miles and miles until he came to a halt outside a huge factory in the middle of a forest.
" Got to be hiding something, if they have to build a factory in the middle of," he consulted the screen. "Flake Forest," he said to himself. The Doctor stalked out of the door and dived behind a tree, the driver from the van was waiting by the heavy main doors of the factory. The man from the shop came out with a hefty guy stood by him.
" Is she asleep?" Asked the man from the shop.
"Out like a light, Kaleb, sir." Said the driver.
"Good," said the man named Kaleb. "I'm impressed with you Bellman. You get a pay rise."
Kaleb pointed towards the van and said to the bodyguard, "take her to a cell."
The bodyguard heaved the van door open, pulled an unconscious Bubblegum over his shoulder and walked off through the heavy doors. This Bubblegum seemed wrong to the Doctor. He imagined that she was a very bubbly person –hence the name- that talked too much and ran around a lot, but he didn't know her all that well so he could only assume. He waited until the van drove off into the distance before he made his way through the forest towards the factory.
The Doctor inspected the doors for a brief moment and then pulled out his sonic. Vreeeee. The lock popped open and he pushed the door out of the way. Everything in the reception area was a different shade of pink. The lady behind the desk was over weight and had seven chins. She looked up at the Doctor with confused eyes.
"May I help you sir?" she said in a voice that matched maybe a schoolteacher.
"Yes, I'm John Smith from Health and Safety. This is an inspection. May I go in?" He gestured towards the small door leading into the factory it's self.
"May I see some I.D?"
"Of course, " he grinned, as he pulled out his psychic paper and showed the lady.
"I'm not sure I'm allowed to let you in sir." Said the woman with an annoyed edge to her voice.
The Doctor read her nametag. Her name was Cherry.
"This is a surprise inspection Miss…Cherry. If you don't let me in I'm going to have to fail the factory," said the Doctor acting professionally.
"Alright, alright. Go on in sir."
"Thank you," he said. He flashed his most childish smile and wandered into the main factory.
Blue Hair And A Big Gob
This part of the factory was full of all different kinds of machinery, puffing technology. Great lumps of metal that spun, whirred, ripped and banged, as it made toys for children. The Doctor slid his glasses on his nose –to look professional- and inspected a machine that was making what looked like footballs, but bright red.
A sticker on the side of the machine said, 'Wicker 900', the Doctor raised his eyebrows.
"Wow this technology isn't available on Earth until the Forty-sixth century," he said looking up at the workman.
"Suppose I'll let it go…for now."
He walked off, wandering around for any sign of Bubblegum, when he heard raised voices behind a door that said 'Second Laboratory'. The Doctor pressed his ear to the door.
"I need THIS girl!" Said the first voice.
"Out of all the girls on this pathetic little planet, you pick the most annoying one! And why her anyway?" Said a second voice
" She has more spirit then the rest of the swats around here," said the first voice with enthusiasm.
"But she's ANNOYING!"
"Oh shut up Barkley, it's time to get her to the main laboratory, c'mon."
The Doctor hid behind a, small silver cart, as the men walked out of the room –both wearing white lab coats.
He climbed out, "Blimey, talk about squeezing your self into tight spots," he said and he straightened up and followed the men from a distance.
They walked through a large steel door and left it open.
"Shouldn't leave doors open, anyone could walk in," he whispered to himself and he shuffled in. He saw the men weren't very far into the room, as he pressed himself to the wall- in the shadows.
The two men unlocked a very small looking cell.
"If one of you two lemons doesn't tell me what's going on, I'm gonna start throwing punches." Rang Bubblegum's voice.
"Put a sock in it, blue." Said the second man as he grabbed one of her arms.
"My name is Bubblegum, you got that? Bub-ble-gum, are you having trouble with that, or are you just an idiot?" She said sounding more furious then ever before.
"Oh shut up and stop wriggling," said the first man as he passed the Doctor.
Bubblegum was being dragged backwards, with her feet scraping the floor. The Doctor stepped out in time for her to see him mouth, "I'll get you out."
She nodded once and disappeared through the door.
Sammie's Friend
The Doctor waited a few moments, just to be sure they'd gone, and stalked out of the door, going back the way he came, to the main room.
He stood in the middle of all the puffing machinery and thought for a moment.
"Where would I put a large laboratory," he asked himself.
Before the Doctor could work it out, he was grabbed from behind and shoved in a different direction.
"Oh, if you just asked me out, instead of dragging me out, I could have changed into a better suit!"
The captor did not speak the whole way –it was a long walk in the Doctors case. They arrived, and the Doctor was almost thrown into the room, nearly landing on Bubblegum.
"So much for a rescue mission," she said, helping the Doctor to his feet.
The woman from the shop was sitting in a chair in front of hundreds and thousands of buttons near a massive window at the front of the room; she side glanced the Doctor and got back to tapping buttons.
"Ahh Doctor, so nice of you to join us," said Kaleb who was sitting on an armchair at the back of the room, with a cup and saucer in his hand.
"Yes, well now maybe you can tell me what you want with an innocent schoolgirl?" said the Doctor, serious now.
"Well, since you're not going to live to stop me I may as well tell you my plan," said Kaleb with a mischievous smile.
"My plan is simple, Doctor. Your Miss Bubblegum here," –he gestured to Bubblegum who was standing next to the Doctor- "is going to make my technology work, so that I can make this planet mine. You see Doctor; I've always thought that this planet was too colourful. So I'm going to drain the planet of colour and make all these miserable little aliens my slaves. But my machinery stopped working a few weeks ago, and Bubblegum is going to help with that," He finished with a sip of his cup and a small smile directed to Bubblegum.
Bubblegum –who was still furious- looked at the Doctor and said, "hold me back."
She almost ran forwards, but the Doctor grabbed her arms, just in case she was thinking about punching Kaleb, which he knew she was.
"That doesn't solve anything, Bubblegum."
"I know, Doctor. I know. But it makes me feel better." She directed her attention at Kaleb.
"So, you're going to tear peoples lives apart, just for your own amusement. You evil, pathetic excuse for an alien!" Said Bubblegum getting worked up.
She turned to the Doctor, "It's okay, and I'm not going to do anything…. Yet. Could you let me go?"
The Doctor nodded once and let her go.
"Well, this has been fun hasn't it Bg, but I have to get to work so bear with me Kaleb," said the Doctor.
He shoved the chair with the lady from the shop out of the way.
She hissed at him but he ignored it.
"Now, now Sammie." Said Kaleb with a soothing tone. "I think it's time you showed the Doctor your pet."
"Ahh, my pet. My wonderful, bug. My loyal, friend. Doctor meet your death!"
The woman named Sammie stood up and clapped her hands in the air. A hatch opened in the roof on the laboratory and in flew…a gigantic black butterfly. Huge wings that spread fifty feet out.
Both the Doctor and Bubblegum's eyes widened with shock. And then Bubblegum had a thought.
"There's a chance." She said to her self.
"A chance for what, I have to get these controls switched. See if you can hold that off," he pointed at the descending monster.
"That's what I was doing before you, so rudely, interrupted. Give me your screwdriver." Bubblegum clicking her fingers in his face.
The Doctor fumbled with his pockets.
"Come ON! I don't have all day you know!"
He handed her the screwdriver and turned back to the controls.
"Watch out, death. Meet LIFE!" Yelled Bubblegum, as she nicked Kaleb's little coffee table. She placed it a few yards in front of the Doctor.
"Careful Bubblegum," he said as he worked over the controls, pressing buttons and twisting dials.
"Me? Don't know the meaning of careful me. Oh well, here goes."
Making That Leap
Kaleb and Sammie seemed to be amused by Bubblegum's attempt to save herself and the Doctor. They were both sitting next to each other; another chair had appeared from somewhere, rocking with laughter.
Bubblegum climbed on top of the table and got into a crouching position, she waited until the monstrous bug came close. The butterfly swooped over her in seconds. She launched herself from the table and grabbed its tail in mid air, dangling legs, flailing everywhere. She rocked herself back and forth, until she could climb onto the butterfly's back. She crawled up the length of its back and sat below its antenna. Bubblegum, winked at the Doctor and held the screwdriver in the air, she pressed the button. Vreeeee.
"CANNONBALL!" Shouted Bubblegum.
The butterfly curled up in a ball and dived, unconsciously, towards the floor. Everyone scattered, including Kaleb and Sammie. The butterfly hit the floor with a deafening CRASH! Splintering the coffee table into pieces. The Doctor laughed for a moment, before he realized that Bubblegum hadn't come out of the wreckage. He rushed over to the sleeping butterfly and lifted its wings carefully out of the way. Her head popped up. He suppressed a sigh of relief as he helped her off the butterfly's back.
"Yahoo! Can I do that again, Doctor?" She said with a giggle.
"Not now," he said laughing with her.
"Very impressive Miss Bubblegum. You really are quite something," said Kaleb coming back into view.
"Ahh, Kaleb-" said the Doctor putting his hands behind his back "- I think your attempt to kill me and my friend here, failed rather convincingly, don't you?"
"Well, Doctor you still will not leave here alive." Said Sammie with a certain tone to her voice.
"Is that so? Well I reckon we will," he said smiling.
"And how do you plan to do that?" Asked Kaleb.
"By doing this," the Doctor walked over to the controls again. He pressed a big green button and grabbed Bubblegum's hand. They ran out of the laboratory, past the huge guards.
"WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Yelled Kaleb, but they were already gone.
The Big Bang Theory
They ran out of the factory door and passed Cherry –the receptionist, who gave them a confused look. Bubblegum looked up the hill into that forest.
"Where now? We can't go in there. We'll get lost." She said, looking worried.
"Don't worry, I have a good plan."
"And that is?"
"Just follow me, Bg."
They ran through the forest, together. The Doctor led Bubblegum to the TARDIS and unlocked the door.
"Come on, go in. It doesn't bite you know."
She stared at him with questioning eyes.
"Doctor what did you-" The humongous explosion that boomed from the factory cut off Bubblegum. She let out a cry of terror.
"Did you kill all those people?" She demanded.
"No, I did not. They teleported, out. Didn't you see the teleportation devise? Every last one had gone apart from the reception lady and Kaleb, Sammie and their guards. I would not do that. Didn't you see the reception lady go either?"
"No. Sorry. I didn't know what to say when the factory went boom." She said sarcastically with an apologetic glance at the Doctor.
Bubblegum pushed the TARDIS' door out of the way.
"WOAH!!!" She squealed.
The Doctor laughed and stepped inside, Bubblegum had her head tilted back, looking at the ceiling with her mouth open.
"It's so…BIG!" She yelled walking around the console with a skip in her stride.
"Hold tight," said the Doctor, and she did as she was told.
He fiddled with the controls and the central column started to move.
Bubblegum stared. The TARDIS shock as it disappeared, with the turbulence of the void.
"Would you take me home Doctor, please?"
"Of coarse," he grinned.
Home Sweet Home, Literally
They landed on Toffee row, Bubblegum's street.
"Home!"
"Wow, Toffee row. There are some funny names around here." Said the Doctor eyeing Bubblegum.
She tutted at him and rolled her eyes.
"You're a fun guy, Doctor. Don't let anyone tell you different or they'll have me to answer to!" She said with a huge grin.
She hugged the Doctor, pecked him on the cheek and walked off.
"Wait, a minute!!" He shouted.
She spun around holding her hands up in front of her.
"What?"
He went into the TARDIS. He was back after a few seconds.
He pressed something into her hand.
"For emergencies. Bye Bubblegum it was fun knowing you,"
"Doctor, before you go may I say, you're extremely cute."
She rocked with laughter, as she ran in the front door to her house.
He stepped into the TARDIS and it disappeared out of sight, the sound of roaring laughter coming from within.
Bubblegum looked at what was in her hand.
A bright pink, sonic screwdriver!
She grinned, the hugest grin and went to greet her mother.
Hannah Fisher.