My Mad Cat Man with a Box
Disclaimer: I, sadly, do not own the Doctor. Nor do I own anything affiliated with Doctor Who.
Chapter 1: It came from the Catacombs beneath St Peter's.
'I'd run if I were you'.
That was the first thing he ever said to me and I took his advice. He followed as I ran through the winding labyrinth of tunnels I didn't even know existed mere hours ago, fleeing from some impossible being. After what seemed an eternity, we reached the blinding light of day.
'Are you alright?' He asked with an English accent laced with concern.
'I'm fine,' I replied, 'But what the hell just happened?'
'Er... hard to explain.'
My eyes finally adjusted to the sunlight and I looked at him properly for the first time. Masses of curly blonde hair, clear blue eyes, and a coat that was outdone only by Joseph's with a cat badge on the lapel. He was the most eccentric man I had ever laid eyes upon yet so captivating and – in an odd way – sort of handsome. 'Try!' I demanded.
'Well there was something down there that shouldn't have been. Besides from you, of course' He gave me a reprimanding look causing me to redden slightly. 'Something that doesn't belong on this planet'.
My heart sunk. His appearance did suggest it, but here was the definitive proof that I was talking to a mad man. 'An alien?' I asked sceptically.
'I believe so,' He said, ignoring my scepticism. 'I'll have to return to see what I'm up against'.
'You can't go back down there! I don't know what it was but it'll kill you!' I exclaimed. He smiled at me and disappeared back the way we'd come. I sighed and followed him, hardly knowing why. After all, I didn't even know the name of this mad man...
'You really shouldn't have followed me, you know. It might be dangerous and I have no desire to look after you'.
'I can look after myself, thank you,' I scowled. 'Who are you, anyway?'
'I'm the Doctor. Who are you?'
'That's not a name'
'Nonetheless, that is who I am. And you didn't answer my question'
'Rosaline'
'Were you looking for Verona when you stumbled upon these catacombs?'
'Very funny. You shouldn't be here either'
'Oh I often go to places that I shouldn't. All part of the fun you... shh I think I hear it!'
I stayed silent as he pushed me closer to the wall and slowly edged towards the corner, nearing his supposed alien.
'But that's impossible!' He declared loudly, startling me. 'You should be on Peladon hundreds of years from now' I heard growling that was definitely getting closer. Suddenly a beast rounded the corner and the Doctor pushed me behind him. 'Come now, old fellow, don't you remember me?' The creature growled more and moved closer to us. The Doctor backed away a few paces, keeping me behind him. 'Oh dear, I suppose I have changed since we last met, you don't recognise me'. I could see him fumbling in his many pockets trying to find something and finally pulling out a golden pocket watch. He began singing a beautiful song whilst swinging the pocket watch, lulling the beast into a slumber. 'Venusian lullaby,' he replied to my unasked question. 'An old favourite of Aggedor's here'.
'Is that a... a Minotaur?' I asked timidly.
He turned to face me and smiled. 'It's an Aggedor. Native of the planet Peladon. He won't harm you now, I've hypnotised him, have a look'. He moved aside and I slowly stepped towards the beast. It was grunting softly but I did not feel as fearful as perhaps others would. He looked like a cross between a bear and a boar.
'Can I stroke him?' I asked.
'Stroke him?' The Doctor repeated, incredulous. 'I suppose so, if you want to'. I reached out a nervous hand and stroked his head. It was almost like petting a dog and I let out a small laugh. 'Come on, I should get him back to Peladon before he wakes up'.
'But he's not really an alien. I mean, he can't be! Aliens don't just appear in Rome!'
'Indeed? What is it then?' He asked whilst untying his cravat and putting it around Aggedor's neck as a makeshift leash.
'I don't know, a cross-breed of some kind, I guess'.
'Cross-breed? Ridiculous' He started to drag the animal back towards the entrance and reluctantly, I followed.
'Well what else? How would an alien get here? And how are you so knowledgeable about it?'
'I don't know how it got here,' He admitted, 'But I intend to find out'.
I realised that questioning him further was pointless so elected to walk in silence for the remainder of the journey. Lost in my thoughts, it took me a long while to realise that we had been walking for too long. 'This isn't the way, where are you taking us?' I demanded.
'Er yes, I appear to have forgotten the way. Nothing to worry about, we'll be out soon'.
I sighed and took the lead, taking care to nudge past him in the process. 'Men and directions...' I muttered.
'Nobody knows these tunnels, it's easy to get lost!' He defended himself. Within five minutes I had found the correct path again. A further five and we were back at the entrance. 'Well, I had begun to get us on track again...'
I rolled my eyes. 'If this creature really is an alien, how do you propose to get him back to his home planet?'
'Never you mind,'
I rounded on him. 'Never mind? If it wasn't for me, you'd still be wandering those tunnels! I think I have the right to know'.
'I would have gotten out eventually, I just lost myself for a moment. Now away with you, I'm a busy man!'
'No, I'm not leaving without answers!'
'Alright! You may come to Peladon with me but I'm taking you straight back here afterwards, no buts, understood?'
I hesitated. Was it safe for me to follow this unhinged man who truly believed he was about to travel to another planet? I decided to humour him. 'Understood'. He stopped outside an old English police telephone box and fumbled around his pockets again. He then produced a key, unlocked the box, and gestured for me to enter. 'Why would I go in there?' I asked with raised eyebrows.
'I thought you wanted to go to Peladon?'
'Yes, but what does a police telephone box have to do with it? Are you playing tricks on me?'
'Suit yourself,' He shrugged and entered the box with Aggedor in tow.
'I'm going to regret this' I thought to myself as I followed them in. What I saw actually made me stumble backwards slightly. I was no longer in a telephone box but some kind of console room with the futuristic, impossible console in the centre. The Doctor was watching me with a smarmy smile on his face. 'What... how?' I managed to get out.
'Welcome to my TARDIS,' The Doctor said. 'Time and Relative Dimension in Space,' Seeing my blank face he added: '...my spaceship'.
'But it's... it's... it's bigger on the inside!' I exclaimed with some trouble. 'How is that possible?'
'I'm not going to go through that all now, we'll be here all day. Off to Peladon we go!' He pressed an assortment of buttons and pushed random levers and the room jolted.
'I need to sit down!'
The Doctor glanced at me. 'Yes, you do look rather pale. Come'. He put a comforting arm around me and led me through a door into a bedroom. I sat on the edge of the bed and put my head in my hands. 'I did try to warn you...'
'Who are you?' I muttered, without moving.
'The Doctor, I told you that already'.
'What are you?'
'I'm a Timelord from the planet Gallifrey. I travel through space and time. Would you like some water?'
I removed my head from my hands to see that he was crouched next to the bed, at eye level. 'So... you're not human?' He shook his head. 'I knew aliens had to exist in such a vast universe but I... I don't know, I guess I thought we'd know if they were on Earth. I could be friends with aliens without even knowing!'
'There aren't aliens just running around Earth, you know. Well, most of the time... but the planet hasn't been invaded'. There was a massive crash coming from outside the bedroom and the Doctor stood up. 'What was that?'
'It's your ship, you should know!' I retorted. There was another crash and a growl. 'Erm... I think Aggedor might have woken up'. We glanced at each other and ran for the door. 'That isn't a good thing, is it?' I asked, knowing the answer.
'Not as such, no. But if I can just get to him, I can hypnotise him again. Stay here!' He ran off towards the console room. After a moment's pause, I followed and waited at the door. 'Hello, old chap, did I wake you?' Aggedor growled menacingly and the Doctor backed away from him. The Doctor fumbled in his coat again for his pocket watch, seemingly unaware that Aggedor looked ready to pounce. I ran in and caught Aggedor's attention so that he went for me instead. 'What are you doing Rosaline!' The Doctor exclaimed as Aggedor raised a claw ready to swipe at me. The Doctor put himself between us and sang that beautiful song again, lulling Aggedor back to sleep. Then he turned on me. 'I thought I told you to stay put? I will not be held responsible for you!'
'He was about to attack you! If it wasn't for me you'd be dead!' I cried, angry at his ungratefulness.
'And if it wasn't for me, you would be dead!' He replied, just as angry.
'Well then,' I said more calmly, 'It's a good thing we were both here'. I smiled and stroked Aggedor. The Doctor glowered and announced that we had reached Peladon. 'You mean we're actually on a different planet? Is it safe, I mean, is there oxygen? Is there gravity?'
The Doctor's gaze softened. 'You'll find the atmosphere similar to Earth's. Ready to step out onto a different planet?' I wasn't convinced that I was ready but I slowly nodded anyway. The Doctor held out a hand which I gladly accepted and grabbed his cravat with the other so as to bring Aggedor with us. We left the TARDIS and I found myself in some kind of throne room. 'Welcome to Peladon' The Doctor said with a squeeze of my hand.
'Halt!' I turned my head towards the sound to be greeted by three guards aiming guns at us.
'Wait!' The Doctor demanded. 'We're looking for the monarch. I'm the Doctor and this is Rosaline, we mean you no harm!'
'The Doctor?' One of the guards questioned. 'That name has been passed down through Peladonian legend. You are not he. He was much older than you, and although his garb was just as unusual, it was not the same as yours. He travelled with a woman named Jo the first time he came here then Sarah Jane. Never a Rosaline. Seize them!'
'I am the Doctor I tell you. The very man who helped Peladon into the Galactic Federation and later released Peladon from the chains of the Ice Warriors! I have changed my appearance, certainly, but I am the same man!'
'Why do you come here?' The guard asked.
'To return a friend to you,' He pulled Aggedor towards the guards who recoiled. 'I found this fellow on Earth and captured him to bring him back. Let us go to the tunnels beneath this castle so we can release him'.
'On Earth? Impossible. You must have stolen him and we have caught you trying to escape! Seize them!'
'That's not true!' I interjected indignantly. 'We were returning him. What would we want with this creature?'
'Come now, we all know the value of Aggedor horn. You would have sold him on the black market'.
The Doctor groaned. 'See sense man! Take Aggedor back and let us leave, then everybody wins'.
The guard smiled coldly. 'The theft of Aggedor is punishable by death. I declare you guilty and shall permit your execution. There will be no appeal'.
The Doctor put his arm around me. 'But we haven't had a trial! You cannot condemn us to death so easily!' I exclaimed. The other guards grabbed the Doctor and I whilst the leader took Aggedor. They led us out of the throne room into a long corridor. All of a sudden, amongst our protests, I could hear a familiar growling sound. Aggedor had woken up again. He jumped up to attack the guard holding him causing the other two flee. The Doctor grabbed my arm and pulled me back to the throne room and into the TARDIS. He flew around the console flicking switches and pressing buttons and she jerked into life. 'Where are we going now?' I asked, breathless.
'Into the tunnels beneath the castle. We still haven't found out how Aggedor ended up in Rome'.
'You mean you want us to risk our lives just to assuage your curiosity?' I asked incredulously.
'I'd also rather like to get my cravat back'.
'You're insane!'
'There's a fine line between insanity and genius, my dear,' He said walking towards the doors. I sighed and followed him. I realised that I had no idea who this man really was but I would always follow him. 'Now then. There must be a clue somewhere' The Doctor frowned. 'Perhaps we should...'
'Shh!' I interrupted him. 'Footsteps,' I whispered before he could ask. I'd already come to notice that he had a very loud voice.
'...Let him get away?'
'Aggedor attacked me and my men fled. That was hardly my fault!'
'I know the Doctor, he won't have left Peladon. He'll want answers before he leaves. Have all of your men out searching for him! I want him brought to be alive'.
'Right away, sir'.
I turned to the Doctor, who looked surprised, and opened my mouth to speak but he covered it with his hand and pulled me in to the shadows just before the owner of the first voice walked past. It was hard to make him out in the darkness of the tunnels but I could see that he had dark, receding hair and a dark beard, and was dressed in all black.
'The Master,' The Doctor muttered to himself.
'You know him?'
'He, too, is a Timelord, Rosaline. But not like me. He is a renegade and a great enemy of mine'.
'So he must have planted Aggedor in Rome, knowing that you would find him and return him to Peladon where he would capture you. Well now that we know that I guess we can leave!' I turned to return to the TARDIS but he held me back.
'Not quite. The Master always has a greater goal. Maybe he needs me for something. Whatever it is, I must find out and stop him!'
'Must you play the hero?'
'If I'm right – and I always am – then the Master's plan will involve the loss of countless lives. I can't let that happen'.
'I suppose you're right'.
'As always'.
'What shall we do then?' I asked, ignoring his arrogant remark.
'I have a very important task for you. Find Aggedor and retrieve my cravat. Here is my pocket watch, do you remember the lullaby?'
'Yes. You're ridiculous, you do know that?'
'That cravat was a present from Louis XIII!'
'What? Oh never mind. What are are you going to be doing?'
'Finding out what the Master is up to, of course' He spun on his heel and walked the way the Master went.
'Now I know he's crazy. He's going to get killed and leave me here stranded if I miraculously escape from Aggedor unscathed. And I'm doing as he asked and going to the angry beast whilst talking to myself! I must be crazy too'. I wandered around the tunnels wondering why I was once again in a labyrinth that I shouldn't even know existed and how I would even find Aggedor. Every so often I would hear the footsteps of guards and I would melt into the shadows. They often appeared from dead ends and I couldn't figure out how that was possible. Eventually I managed to catch a couple pulling a torch off the wall to reveal a passageway. I followed suit and finally found myself back in the castle.
'Aggedor is still on the loose near the throne room. Nobody can control him. He's already killed Yortis and has critically injured Paelesh. I don't know how we're supposed to get him back to the tunnels'. I suddenly heard a guard say, just feet from me.
'Perhaps we should ask the Magister?' His companion suggested.
'Well it's better than getting our arms ripped off, let's go'. They walked off together leaving me with the knowledge of Aggedor's whereabouts but no clue how to get there. I walked around hoping to find the corridor outside the throne room again and at length heard a mighty growl coming from the direction I was heading. I picked up pace and, sure enough, discovered the strange creature outside the door of the throne room. I glanced around to make sure there were no guards nearby and crept towards him, holding the pocket watch ready. I started to swing it and sang the sweet lullaby, praying that it would work. My prayers were answered and the beast began to snooze. I took hold of the cravat and encouraged Aggedor to follow me through the corridors. To my great relief, I quickly found another secret entrance to the tunnels through a wall with a torch. I dragged Aggedor a little while away from the entrance and sighed in relief. I began to walk away then realised that I had forgotten the stupid cravat. I quickly returned and released the still sleeping beast and returned to the concealed entrance. Mission accomplished somehow. Now time to find – and probably save – the Doctor.
I could just walk up to a guard and they would take me to the Doctor but it would be as their prisoner and I needed to be free so as to help him escape. My best bet was probably to bring Aggedor with me to scare off any guards so I returned once more to the tunnels and coaxed him out. I used my belt as a leash, to save from the Doctor's reprimands. I remembered the direction the guards I had overheard were going so I set off for that way hoping it wouldn't be too hard to find my way afterwards. I turned what seemed my billionth corner and found a door with a man guarding it. I snuck up to him and told him quietly to let me in. He reached for his gun but faltered when he saw Aggedor and ran in the opposite direction. I opened the door slightly to peek in and saw the Doctor tied up, facing me, and the Master facing him and talking.
'… so you see Doctor, I do hate to ask you for help but I cannot bear to remain on this primitive planet any longer'.
'You know I'd never help you with this. You'd destroy the castle if you succeeded!'
'That is a price I am willing to pay. Help me, Doctor, or I shall kill every being on this planet. It's your choice: the castle or the planet?'
The Doctor opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted by that all familiar growl. Aggedor had once more woken up and he charged towards the Master, knocking him off his feet. I ran to the Doctor and untied his bounds. 'Hurry, we have to go!' I screamed.
'Help me, Doctor!' The Master begged.
The Doctor snatched the pocket watch out of my hand and hypnotised Aggedor a final time. 'Come with us. I can take you back to Gallifrey,' He said to the heavily bleeding Master. 'I can heal your wounds'
'Oh wouldn't you just delight in that, Doctor' the Master spat. 'I do not require your help. Leave me'.
'You'll die if you stay here!'
'I'll never die, Doctor. Not so long as you are still alive'.
The Doctor looked at the Master for a moment then turned away. 'Let's go Rosaline'. We took Aggedor back to the tunnels, took back my belt, and found the TARDIS in silence. Once inside, the Doctor started her up as usual.
'Why didn't you leave him to Aggedor?' I asked.
'Could you leave somebody to die?'
'But he'll die now. He's losing too much blood,'
'He won't die. He's escaped worse situations. He's right, he never dies. Now, it's time for you to go back to Rome'. I passed him his cravat, which he eagerly put on. 'That wasn't so hard, was it?'
'Why did the guards say that you couldn't be the Doctor because you didn't look like him? I thought it was just a ploy to have you arrested but he sounded sincere,' I asked.
'What were you doing in out of bounds catacombs in Rome? You're not even Italian,' He replied.
'I found the entrance by chance whilst on holiday and thought I'd explore. Your turn'.
'When Timelords are dying, every cell in our bodies regenerates. We change our appearance entirely and it affects our personality slightly too. I last came to Peladon a long time ago with a different face,' He explained.
'So that's why you're a bit mad!'
'Mad? I told you, there's a fine line between madness and genius and I am most certainly the latter! Mad indeed'.
'The Master will regenerate then. That's why he won't die'.
'No, he cannot regenerate. We have the ability to do so twelve times and he has already used up all of his cycles. A guard will find him and take him to a doctor before he bleeds out. Here we go, Rome. Perhaps we will meet again someday, but I highly doubt it'.
He opened the doors for me to leave and turned away. 'Is that it? I risk my life to get back a bit of cloth, save your life twice and you push me aside as if this were nothing?' I asked, grabbing him to make him look at me.
'You're not coming with me. I don't need the responsibility. My last companion... it was my fault. That's not going to happen again. From now on, I'm on my own. Good day!' He pushed me towards the doors but I resisted.
'I don't want to come with you. You're a mad man with a box and an affinity for danger. Count me out. I just want a proper goodbye and a little gratitude!'
He laughed, making his curly blonde hair jiggle, and bowed. 'Goodbye Rosaline, not of the House of Capulet. Thank you for retrieving my cravat. Goodbye. I won't forget you in a hurry'.
I curtsied. 'Goodbye, you strange, strange man'. I left the TARDIS and turned around in time to see it disappear. I thought I'd never see it again. How wrong I was.
A/N – First Doctor Who story so be gentle. Bit slow (much like the older episodes!) but pace will improve. Hope it was enjoyed! Please come back for more :)
