DOCTOR WHO AND THE DICLONIUS
by Isaac "Izzy" Raimi and Mary Vitals
PART TWO
Everything eventually flushed out, returning to the real world; it seemed that the Diclonius had gotten a grip on her Instinct, fighting it back and locking away the killer, despite the shouting and taunting remaining afterwards. Such bitter and hateful words for a childish apparition. Dahlia eyes sharpened and then squinted, steadying herself on two feet— but as she did, the man she had just saved had already stumbled and shambled out of the room.
"D-Doctor!"
Lucy run after him, noticing the fragile state in which was he was in, not sure at all how to assist— all she knew was that the Instinct had taken a toll on his sanity, and he NEEDED help, NOW. A hand reached to check that his heart— rather, hearts, were beating. Panting and looking around in dire need, the beast stuttered and shouted incoherent things, looking for any source of help through the tears of guilt.
—K-9! She had forgotten about the robotronic, and was now harping and yelling for him.
"K-9! HELP! HELP! PLEASE HELP!"
Her pleads were that of her youthful past, not the hollow shell that she usually was— and was this all due to the fact that somebody she trusted was in harm's way?
There was plenty of blame upon herself behind it all, knowing that a fragment of herself had caused all of it, while she could barely do anything about it.
K-9 was making his rounds from the console room to Lucy's room, keeping guard in case something were to happen. He had left the console room about a few minutes after the Doctor did. As he rolled down the corridor, he heard shouting from a short distance.
"Mistress?"
He then accelerated, increasing his speed before coming upon Lucy and the collapsed Doctor.
"Mistress?" He asked. K-9 then rolled next to the Doctor. "Master?"
His ears swiveled, detecting that indeed, something was wrong with the Time Lord.
"Danger!" the dog said. "Possible mental health emergency. Synaptic overload has been detected in the Doctor's brain." His ears swiveled a bit more before stopping. "Neurological scans indicate that the Doctor is currently in a healing coma. It is near impossible to wake him."
He then rolled in front of Lucy and the Doctor as his ears swiveled again. "The Doctor spoke of a room that contains healing properties exclusive to Gallifreyans." K-9 said. "It has been located from my memory banks. Please, carry the Doctor. I shall escort you, Mistress."
With that, K-9 rolled ahead of the two, making for the special room in the TARDIS he mentioned.
Almost immediately, Lucy allowed all four of her vectors to reach down and carefully bring the Doctor up enough to be carried; she harbored enough discipline within the appendages that they could be used to move stuff, and not destroy the living cells that they touched. She followed the robotronic canine as quickly as she could, the sound of her heart thumping in the back of the Diclonius' mind.
I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let you done that.
"Should I do anything else?" The woman's voice shook, as if she were a child once more, naive and scared, not sure as to what was going on. If it were in fact possible to bring the scarved one out of this coma-like state, Lucy would be more than thankful. And from what it looked like, this room that K-9 had described earlier would probably do the trick.
Upon arrival, Lucy glanced down, awaiting direction.
"Negative, Mistress." K-9 responded. "There is nothing that we can do at this current time. The Doctor needs to recuperate, and we must make sure he is nursed to full health."
The robot's ears swiveled before stopping at a fork in the corridor. "This way, Mistress." The dog said before turning left. "The Doctor-Master uploaded an architectural configuration map of the TARDIS to my neural net some time before he activated me. I should be able to locate the room he mentioned without any trouble." They rounded another corner as they made the long journey to the room.
"He has referred to this room simply as the Zero Room." K-9 would explain. "Aside from its name, I possess insufficient data about its actual properties."
"Zero Room… Right," the Diclonius breathed, doing her best to calm her nerves. As the two spoke, she could practically feel the Instinct breathing down her neck, wishing to claw out and finish the job she had started. Those mangled limbs and eager teeth bearing— it was all unnerving.
Eyes glanced down, taking a look at the unmoving body of the Doctor; another sigh, and her vision returned forward, doing her best to not look at the uncomfortable, yet distantly damage expression on his face.
"—What exactly is going to happen once we drop him in there?"
K-9 continued to lead the Diclonius and his fallen master down the near infinite corridors leading to the Zero Room.
"Unsure at the moment, Mistress." K-9 responded promptly. "Too many variables are accounted for in this situation. It is uncertain the probability of the Doctor's healing and what properties the Zero Room will bestow upon him. However, we know one objective that must be completed. We must take him there for him to heal."
He stopped and swiveled his ears. "This way, Mistress." K-9 chirped, propelling forward again.
About a few minutes in, K-9 and Lucy found themselves in a large, open area of the TARDIS, with what appeared to be columns populating the room. Behind one of the columns lay a hidden set of doors.
Though, they weren't so hidden as K-9 detected them right off the bat.
"Through here, Mistress." K-9 said as he lead the Diclonius to the hidden entrance. "The Zero Room lies just beyond these doors."
A solemn nod as she passed through the doors, her vectors still keeping a grip on the unconscious man Lucy gulped softly, not sure what she was about to step into— but it was necessary, and the safety of her companion was the priority at this moment.
—A wide, odd room; the Diclonius had absolutely no idea what she was expecting, though it was evident that she had imagined it to be more, technical? It was barren! Light pink in appearance, with plenty of space for somebody, or several people, to fit in comfortably.
Glancing to and fro, she simply awaited for something, ANYTHING to trigger— her shoulder's sharpened, heart palpitating due to being nervous, along with the anxiety of the entire situation to fail in some way.
"Well, here's to it…"
K-9 rolled into the room with Lucy as she closed the doors behind her, her vectors still keeping a grip on the Doctor, as if he were levitating on an invisible gurney. The Zero Room was very quiet, almost deathly silent. The Doctor was sat down by Lucy, on the hard ground of the Zero Room. Many minutes had passed, in what seemed like an eternity, the Doctor still lying comatose, completely unmoving.
Until a familiar voice rang through the vast empty room.
"Dear goodness, this floor is hard. Far too uncomfortable."
The Doctor's body then began to levitate, his body elevating inches above the ground, until he had reached Lucy's chest and held the levitation there.
"There we are. Much better."
It was the Doctor's voice. As if he were projecting himself on a loudspeaker system, his calm baritone voice rang through the emptiness of the Zero Room.
"I see that K-9 was able to escort you to the Zero Room without any trouble. Good job, K-9."
"Affirmative." K-9 said, his wire tail wagging.
"Now, don't be alarmed Lucy." The Time Lord projected. "You are indeed hearing my voice. The Zero Room is able to enhance my telepathy beyond simple mind to mind communication. Hence why you can hear me plain as day in here. And yes, I am still comatose. But thankfully you and K-9 got me here just in time, so I still have a bit of energy to talk while I rest and recuperate."
The Doctor paused, as if trying to sense Lucy's emotions. "First thing is first, Lucy." He said. "Are you alright?"
A voice! A recognizable one, the DOCTOR's to be exact. It had felt like hours since the last time that Lucy heard that tone, though it had only been briefly— in fact, far less than that. However, through the panic and disturbance, this entire fiasco's timespan was unknown.
Dahlia eyes flickered around, trying to track down the source of the disembodied voice, only to realized that it simply echoed through the room.
"I—-"
Biting her lip gently, the beast inhaled, exhaled, and inhaled once more, trying to keep her emotions in check; it was similar to appearing upset in front of a family member. You never wished to do so, for they would share that same feeling.
Not to mention the guilt that still hung heavy in the air around Lucy.
"I'm alright, don't be concerned about me," she mutters, a frown apparent on the young woman's features, "are you alright…?"
"Since you got me to the Zero Room just in time, I will be." Said the Doctor. "Had you not got me here, there's no telling how long I would be comatose. I just need to remain here until my dendrites heal."
This entire time, the mutation was scolding herself mentally; how could she POSSIBLY have lost a grip for so long on the Instinct?! She was usually able to hold it back for a while— was she becoming stronger and more prominent?
It was terrifying.
And once again, it whispered softly in that disgusting voice.
I'm always here…
The Time Lord's body remained still as he levitated, his face as peaceful as if he were sleeping. "My brain must have experienced a synaptic overload after that torturous episode with that… whoever that was. A Time Lord's brain functions a lot different from a human's. Even yours, Lucy. Our thought processes end up being quicker, which equals to more signals firing off. That truly did feel like an overload. After you saw what had happened to me, my own "psuedo-death" may have what triggered this healing coma. In any case, I should be back up after a certain amount of time."
The Doctor paused as he sensed Lucy's emotions fluctuating. "Please be upfront with me, Lucy." He projected. "What was that I encountered in your mind?"
The beast stepped back slightly, a hand slipping up to press against the side of her head; Lucy's brows furrowed, knowing very well just how malicious the Instinct could become whenever she was in a fragile situation as this. It was dire that the Diclonius prevented any sort of damage at this moment—
"It was her," she breathed, starting the explanation through clenched teeth. For a brief moment, several inhales and deep exhales followed before Lucy could stabilize herself enough to converse safely. The mutters and mumbles of the voice's psychotic desires, always threatening to rear, were gradually being watered down, "the being I spoke about, my Instinct… She has been there since I was a young child, and she was the one who brought forth my power for the first time."
"Lucy. Lucy, please. Calm yourself." The Doctor projected. "It's alright. Don't push yourself any further. I can see that this 'Instinct' can cause you mental trauma the longer you speak about it. Please, take a deep breath and calm down."
The Doctor paused as he waited for Lucy to calm down and stabilize. No wonder she had those murderous emotions. This voice, this construct, this… 'Instinct' is what implants those feelings of bloodlust into her. Judging by her flashbacks, if this was what she endured since her childhood, then there's no telling what would happen if this beast were unleashed.
After it seemed that Lucy calmed herself, the Doctor spoke again. "This will not be easy, Lucy. For the both of us. I've overcome challenges and obstacles in the past, but never when it involved the mental safety of my friends. You are strong, though, Lucy. Please believe me. You are not a monster. You never were. I've seen monsters during my time, and I've vanquished them when they refused to turn away from their ways of evil. I know that you can get through this. Even you can overcome this 'Instinct' that has plagued your mind."
The Doctor's body continued to float as his mind projected from the walls of the Zero Room "This 'Instinct' is the epitome of evil. I don't know what I'm going to do, but I'm going to help you. You'll have to trust me, though, Lucy. I know it's hasn't been easy for you to do so all of your life. But, if it will cost me a regeneration, or even my life, then so be it."
He emphasized the next part.
"I will help you, Lucy. But you'll have to trust me."
It was a cocktail of emotion and judgment— how she LONGED to trust this man before her— but how could she entrust another, when Lucy was incapable of controlling herself?Here she stood, only fractions of time had separated the Doctor from a fatality within her psyche. Had she not pushed herself in enough time—
Had she been unable to combat that devilish intent within—
The beast did not want to over think that.
Hands gripped the sides of her head firmly, inhaling and exhaling like that of a panic attack victim. He was determined to make sure that Lucy did not believe herself to be a monster. Dead and DETERMINED to live to tell the tale of a Diclonius purifying her inner evil.
"—How can I ever allow myself to be around you, knowing that at any moment I will lose control, sinking into turmoil, and possibly killing you?! That encounter— that last encounter— it was only within my head! What would you do if it had been manifested here!"
Lucy's guilt was immense indeed.
And yet— yet as she wailed and cried, she could not completely lose hope in the possibility of a turn around…
Her eyes unfocused, lidding and staring at nothing.
Even if humanity had been different… Still… I would not be able to prevent myself from shedding blood…
As these thoughts flashed in her head, Lucy spoke up again, "It might be smart to let you rest here for a while— I need to set my mind straight— I should go back to my room."
"I may be inclined to agree with you, Lucy." The Doctor projected. "Your mind is far too fragile right now. It would be wise if you clear it during my healing time." After a pause, he spoke again. "However, I'm not going to let you be alone. You've been alone for far too long. You need a friend. And K-9 is good enough for the task."
K-9's head perked up. "What is it you require, Master?" The dog asked.
"K-9, escort Lucy back to her room, and keep her company." Said the Doctor. "If she needs to take her mind off further, show her the Library and the Swimming Pool. She needs to alleviate stress and get her mind off of that 'Instinct'."
"Affirmative." K-9 responded.
"One last thing, K-9." He said. "Please talk to Lucy. Make conversation with her as best you can, without sounding dreary and boring. She doesn't need to hear about the formation of a neutron star."
"Affirmative."
"Now go, Lucy. Get dressed and clear your mind. I still must heal. And believe me... Everything will be alright." He tried his best to project happiness in his voice, to show Lucy that he wasn't out of it.
Lucy would make her way back to her room, finding herself standing before the vanity that was provided. The mirror allowed the Diclonius to stare into her core— and though only the outer shell of her psyche, her very being, was visible, all Lucy could think of was the hatred that had been fueled for so long.
—The violence gurgling within her stomach.
Each and every whisper and giggle coming from that horrid, horrid Instinct.
Dead eyes simple remained as dainty fingers began to grab at clothing, slipping it over her shoulders.
Ribbons were slowly tied around ivory horns.
All of it was accompanied by an unsettling silence, before Lucy eventually spoke up to herself— or whoever else would listen in within the solitude of her room.
"If one day… If one day, I were given the opportunity to be reborn… To try life over, with a second chance, I would be a good girl… I wouldn't hurt anybody… And then, maybe people would like me. I might look a little different, but I didn't want to hurt anybody…"
Where a parent would come in and wipe away the tears from her eyes, Lucy tended to her own emotional wounds.
— Suddenly, she remembered that she was accompanied by the canine mechanism. Lucy turned, looking down at the artificial being.
"… Thank you for keeping me company."
K-9 looked up at Lucy, his red optics matching her downward gaze. "No thanks are necessary, Mistress." He said. "You are a companion of the Doctor-Master, and he has tasked me to watch over you for your own well-being." K-9's optics blinked. "My sensors indicate that you have high blood pressure, and past readouts indicated you were suffering from a heightened form of anxiety in the Zero Room. Are you functioning within normal perimeters, Mistress?"
Just thinking about high blood pressure reminded the Diclonius of the trivial tests and check-ups that the island scientists would conduct; they were routine, in order to make sure that the 'Queen' was in prime condition for research. It took Lucy just a brief moment to brush that thought off. K-9 was simply informing her of the current state, and that was all.
"It happens," she uttered lightly, exhaling through her nose. "I will be fine. The important matter is awaiting to see the condition of the Doctor. Ironic, how the one labeled with such a name is the one tending to wounds." Eyelashes blinked lightly, her vision eventually returning to normal, her mental state relaxing.
"It may come to a surprise to you, Mistress, but the Doctor-Master has been known for putting himself in harm's way many times beforehand. I possess his memory from his past incarnations, and you have not been the first he has been wounded over in order to protect."
K-9 rolled up to Lucy, as if he were trying to nuzzle her leg, moving his head up and down. The robot had knowledge as to how dogs acted to humans, and his computer thinking deduced that this would hopefully alleviate Lucy's stress.
"Please note that I am here to assist you in any way possible, Mistress. I may only be a computer, but I will do what I can to make sure that you are in higher spirits." He rolled back, looking up at Lucy. "It is what the Doctor-Master would want, after all."
Delicate fingertips lightly tap the top of the metallic surface of K-9's head, a smile eventually creeping onto her facial features; reminded of her old canine companion— one without a name, but still held dear to the beast's heart. In a way, it helped her feel human. To be able to share normal, caring emotion.
K-9 assisted in simulating this sensation once again.
"…Thank you very much. That makes me feel much better," Lucy mused with a nod, allowing that bit of information to digest. So the Doctor was notorious for getting himself banged up for the sake of protecting a companion? One did not find many humanoid beings such as that with a genuine personality. And she had the privilege to be assisted by him.
"—I've a few questions though. He mentioned that he was from… A place called Gallifrey? What exactly is… 'Gallifrey'? Are there others like him?"
K-9 nodded to Lucy's question. "Affirmative. The Doctor is a part of a race of aliens that are known as the Time Lords. He is one of many others that reside on the planet Gallifrey."
His ears swiveled, accessing his data banks in retrieving information on the Doctor's homeworld. "Gallifrey is the home planet of the Time Lords, as well as other Gallifreyans, located in the constellation of Kasterborous. It's galactic coordinates are located at 10-00-11-00-00 by 00-02 from Galactic Zero Center. It is unknown as to how far the planet is located from your homeworld of Earth, Mistress, but Gallifrey is anywhere between 30,000 light years to 250 million light years away from Earth.
"—-Alien. And yet he appears just as human as any single one of the damned race walking this earth. Is this an ability that he harbors in order to blend in and work? Or are Gallifreyans simply humanoid by nature? And how exactly did they manage to figure out time travel— and— all of this…? It's puzzling… Very puzzling."
Lucy reclined to her stomach, laying on the unmade bed, an arm hanging off the side near K-9's head. Relaxing in this manner was something that she herself had not had the chance to do since being brought into this WHIRLWIND of a situation.
"They are simply the latter, Mistress." K-9 said. "Because they have lived for thousands and thousands of years, the Time Lords have existed long before humans have. It is simply a coincidence involving their genetic make up, Mistress."
His ears swiveled, as he was cross-referencing information regarding Gallifreyan time travel. "Time Travel by the Time Lords was created for use of exploration, as well as management of planets and events. However, the Time Lords have always followed the most important law of not becoming involved with important events. Interference is a rule that is punishable in the most extreme cases, Mistress."
He lowered his head down. "Unfortunately, it is what the Doctor-Master is known for, and has landed him in the most troubling situations, even on his home planet of Gallifrey."
—Why would a man with positive intention be punished for doing so? Of course, as a child, the Diclonius learned of certain government structure in which nations chose to not assist in wars and such in order to prevent making the situation even more heated. Could that be compared to the interference of the Doctor when it came to even her OWN scenario?
Lucy bites the tip of her tongue in thought, making an attempt at pursuing her proceeding comment, "If that is the case, then why continue? Does he truly hold a purpose of mending the broken around him? That is considered… Good… Why is it frowned upon…?"
It could very well give her a headache; one society scolds her for being inhumane and maiming those nearby, and the Gallifreyans wish not for the Time Lords to mettle with the affairs of others.
The dog's ears swiveled again to Lucy's question. "Insufficient Data, Mistress. The Doctor-Master is a being a free will, and I cannot formulate a response to your question. The Time Lords themselves, however, choose not to interfere because it would damage the current flow of time. It is how their society has always operated"
He looked up at Lucy, who was still lying on the bed, her eyes lidded as they set upon K-9. "Those questions would be best suited for the Doctor-Master, once he awakens, Mistress. I am certain that he would be happy in answering any inquiries that are about his values and ethics."
"…I see," she contends, fingertips lazily drumming against the steel exterior of the robotic companion; on that notion, Lucy would retain further questions of that nature for when the Doctor has experienced a full recovery. Shifting onto her elbows, strands of pink fall over her shoulders, "well, thank you for what you were able to provide."
For a brief moment, Lucy chuckled to herself in response to K-9's behavior; it seemed even his vast database did not harbor each and every answer to the pinkette's plethora of questions. Artificial intelligence has just as many limits as living, breathing individuals, she supposed.
K-9 nodded. "Affirmative." He responded. "I am here to assist, Mistress."
Back in the Zero Room, hours had passed since the Doctor's initial encounter with Lucy's Instinct. He was still resting as he could feel that his brain was starting to work in proper order. The Zero Room was always good in getting a good meditative spell, injury or no injury. Many thoughts raced through his head as he ran through the encounter with the Instinct.
The Instinct caught a glimpse into his mind. How was that even possible? There were times that a human would be only able to see the Doctor's memories, but not manifest them in an attempt to drive one insane. She hand picked the Daleks, Davros and the Master, trying to drive him into the ground mentally. It was an evil act, bringing up past enemies for one's own agenda to gain the upper hand.
The question was, did Lucy experience those awful apparitions, too? No doubt she must have heard their voices. How could the Instinct do that to Lucy's mind? She had enough trouble as it was with her current situation, she didn't need to harbor the Doctor's own demons as well.
With a small sigh, the Doctor de-levitated himself, feeling his back make contact with the hard floor. Shooting his eyes open, he sat up.
"Lucy." he said to himself. "I hope she's okay..."
Without a second thought, he picked himself up, and walked out of the Zero Room, closing the door behind him.
It would be awkward to a degree, the immediate encounter post-tragedy. There were literally none who had ever crossed paths with the wicked Diclonius Instinct, and lived to tell the tale. The practically indestructible materials used to construct Lucy's enclosure on Kakuzawa Island even became twisted and obliterated upon contact from fully functional vectors.
Had the Doctor been incapable of regenerating, the dahlia eyed beast would be hovering over yet another bludgeoned victim. Not under her own free will, no! No… But it was still debatable, whether or not it was Lucy, or the beastly Instinct, that formed first within the psyche. Who truly held title to the body? How startling it was, that something lurking within the mental chambers had the capability of bringing forth powerful hallucinations of the visual and auditory—- even when itself was not occupying the mind that it had manipulated. A complication of split personas and psychosis posed as a problem as well.
What sort of gruesome outcome could come about had Lucy not intervened at the last moment?
Minute groans escape her lips in a sigh, propped up by elbows. All of these thoughts frothed to-and-fro as the Diclonius tried to come up with a reasoning for this. The Doctor had already forgiven her— but it would take quite some time before she forgave herself.
—Herself?! She was not even the one to dictate and perform those horrid actions! But at the same time, she was unable to prevent them— and for this reason, Lucy felt weak. Incapable.
"Damn it all."
Picking up pace, the Doctor made a beeline straight for Lucy's room, picking up his scarf ends so as to not trip him in his rush. The Zero Room was already quite a distance away from Lucy's room and the console room. He was surprised that Lucy was able to find her way without a hitch.
Then he remembered. K-9 escorted her. Pity how post-healing thoughts seemed a bit scattered.
After a bit of frantic searching, he came across Lucy's door. Thinking for a bit, he wondered if she was still alright after their last encounter. She seemed a bit frail, mentally, at least. But there was only one way to make sure.
Knocking a few times, he opened the door, poking his head in. Clearing his throat, he flashed a toothy grin at the Diclonius.
"Do you mind if I come in?" He asked.
Similar to the behavior of an animal, her head lifts the moment a voice came and went through her ears; shifting from her stomach, Lucy sits up, her feet pressing onto the ground, hands keeping the Diclonius upright. It would take a brief second, but her mind would register that the voice belonged to the Doctor. And quickly following, she would process the question.
A quick nod— but the proceeding action would baffle ANY of the scientists who had spend several years studying the hateful nature that Diclonius bore towards humans.
Lucy stepped forward, skipping a few steps with a long stride and immediately, without a thought, exchanged a hug with the scarved one, with the attitude belong to that of a needy, exhausted child.
The Doctor laughed as Lucy lunged at him with a hug, her embrace almost squeezing the air out of him. His arms lifted after her attacking embrace, but found themselves embracing the young Diclonius.
"I take it you missed me, Lucy?" He mused, keeping the embrace as she held on tight. "How are you feeling? I hope K-9 provided you with adequate company."
A thick silence followed suit, the humanoid's grip tightening, and then completely falling limp, tears stinging the corners of her eyes once more. She would not allow them to fall, rather, she inhales sharply and shakes it off.
"That entire situation was close," Lucy reminded gently, her expression placid, "one moment longer, and you might not have made it out alive. But…" she exhales, "I'm relieved that you were able to make a full recovery. I believe that I owe you an explanation."
The Doctor put his hands on Lucy's shoulders as her grip loosened. "Come on, Lucy." He said. "Let's sit down."
Going over to the bed, Lucy seated herself on the bed, with the Doctor sitting in front of her on the small sofa. "Please be mindful, Lucy." He said. "I know talking about the Instinct brings about great stress on your mind and emotions. Are you sure you want to do this?"
Seating herself, her hands gently placed themselves into her lap, "… Had I not been able to push through the mental wall, you would be permanently damaged right now. It is my duty to explain all of this to you…"
Lucy glances over, beginning to speak slowly, "The Diclonii are all born with these Instinctual voices— but before I explain that, I must tell you the difference between myself, and the others… I'm what you would consider… The Original. Any other one of my kind walking the earth right now, came after me. Not directly FROM me, but because my vectors infected the bloodstream of humans that they had come into contact with. Any human who touches my vectors, will produce a Diclonius child, called a 'Silpelit'. They are sterile, and cannot produce on their own… But they still have the Instinct. It can first communicate with us as early as three years old… Many Silpelits claim the lives of their parents first."
Reaching over, the Lilium music box is picked up once more, giving Lucy something to look at while talking. Her social skills were still impaired, and so unless she had a subject to stare at, her sentences would become awkward.
"… As for me, I heard her for the first time when I was six. As you may have seen. She's always been there… Dormant."
The Doctor listened closely as she explained further about the Diclonii and the Instinct. They were each born with a voice like that, and no doubt drives them to murder. It certainly explained a lot, especially judging from Lucy's memories alone.
She even mentioned the virus that K-9 detected from her vectors. Anyone who made contact bred a Diclonius child. Someone must have used her vectors to carry that out with a much greater purpose.
"This Instinct. It's obviously your driving force to murder." He said. "I can see that you never wanted to, but it told you otherwise. It made you love it, and it tried to make you heartless. I know that you are not that, despite what it had told me earlier."
The Doctor thought for a moment, before looking into Lucy's eyes again. "Lucy. That Instinct..." He gripped on end of his scarf. "It saw my memories. It manifested clear images of my enemies from the past. It... it tried to use that to break me." He close his eyes. "They were horrible, horrible people, Lucy. Individuals, and even alien races that have committed murder on a planetary scale."
He opened his eyes again. "Did you hear them, Lucy? Did the Instinct make you hear what they were saying to me?"
Seeing the Doctor is such a state was surprising, even to the Diclonius. He was usually carrying a carefree, harmonious disposition, and to witness him so troubled— well, it bothered Lucy. A solemn nod in response to his question.
"The entire time that you were able to probe into my memory, I had the ability to watch, but from a distance… Sort of similar to an out of body experience. I existed on that dreamlike plane that you saw when first coming across the Instinctual Voice. That is how I met her as well… When you began to combat her verbally, and the hallucinations were under her command, she fed off of my own energy in order to do so, hence my inability to intervene right then and there. Only when they vanished could I rear myself to step in and make an attempt at cutting her down."
A sigh.
"… I am terribly sorry, that you had to experience all of that… The prolonged isolation from society that I went through in the facility only strengthened her anger."
The Doctor leaned over and put a hand on her shoulder. "Please, Lucy. Don't think it was your fault. It was partially mine for getting involved in that incident. I should have pulled out of your mind the moment things took a turn for a worse." He chuckled a bit. "My curiosity always seems to land me into trouble."
"Curiosity did maim the cat," Lucy commented lightly to herself, not realized how humorous it would end up coming out, a sheepish smile flashing for a moment when she was comforted by his hand on her shoulder. It was almost as the beast had turned human for a moment.
He leaned back on the sofa, looking downward. "Perhaps I should give an explanation, as well. You deserve to know who those people were that the Instinct brought up."
"—Yes, that was my next question… Davros, Daleks, the Master, Gallifrey— all of this is so confusing to me, and K-9 could only provide so much in terms of information. I have a lot that I want to know, so that I am not wandering around ignorant to the situations at hand."
The Doctor nodded. "K-9 must have told you about Gallifrey, then." He said. "True, he holds a wealth of information, but I think it would be best if it was I who told you everything." He messed about with the curls of his hair, pushing his bangs back. "Where to begin?" He asked himself, sighing.
Looking downward, his eyes trailed back up to Lucy. "I'll start with the Daleks and Davros." He said, leaning forward and weaving his fingers together.
"That awful cylindrical organism that you saw is called a Dalek. They originated from the planet Skaro, and have been the worst threat that I have ever come across. They are a xenophobic race, and very dangerous. They've exterminated many planets, and conquered many galaxies. Whatever is not a Dalek, they hate. If it is not a Dalek, it will die."
He closed his eyes. "The man in the wheelchair that you saw was Davros. Davros was the creator of the Daleks, and I had the "pleasure" of meeting him. I was placed on Skaro by the Time Lords and tasked with bringing an end to the Daleks before they were even created, and witnessed Davros's devilish creation first hand." He sighed. "The first thing they did was wipe out the native Kaled race on Skaro, to make way for their own "superior" race."
He opened his eyes, recounting his adventure on Skaro years ago. He would never forget that moment, and it still haunted him. "There was an opportunity for me to completely erase the Daleks from history. To wipe them out for good. But..." He put his hands on his face, covering his eyes.
"I couldn't do it." He said softly. "I couldn't kill them."
He then told Lucy about the moment that changed everything. The moment that could have very well spelled victory.
"Well!?" Sarah Jane shouted. "What are you waiting for?
The Doctor stared at the two wires that he held. The wires that could change history forever. "Just touch these two wires..." He said. "And the Daleks are finished." His breathing was ragged. "Have I that right...?"
"To destroy the Daleks?" Sarah Jane asked. "You can't doubt it!"
"But I do!" The Doctor protested. "You see, some things could be better with the Daleks. Many future worlds will become allies just because of their fear of the Daleks!"
Sarah Jane tried to coax him into it. "B-But it isn't like that-"
"But the final responsibility is mine. And mine alone." He stared at the two wires, struggling to carry out with the task the Time Lords sent him for in the first place. "Listen." He said. "If someone who knew the future pointed out a child to you, and told you that that child would grow up totally evil, to be a ruthless dictator who would destroy millions of lives..." He turned to Sarah. "Could you then kill that child?
Sarah Jane only shook her head frantically. "We're talking about the Daleks, the most evil creatures ever invented. You must destroy them." She pressed. "You must complete your mission for the Time Lords."
"Do I have the right?" He asked, showing the wires to Sarah. "Simply touch one wire against the other and that's it. The Daleks cease to exist. Hundreds of millions of people, thousands of generations can live without fear, in peace, and never even know the word Dalek."
"Then why wait?" Sarah asked. "If it was a disease or some sort of bacteria you were destroying, you wouldn't hesitate."
"But if I kill, wipe out a whole intelligent life form, then I become like them." His eyes widened, as he continued to stare at the wires. "...I'd be no better than the Daleks!"
"Think of all the suffering there'll be if you don't do it." Sarah said.
The Doctor stared downward, after he finished his recount. "I never touched the two wires together. I had the perfect opportunity to wipe out the Daleks. But it was as I told Sarah. If I kill, I become no better than the monsters I've fought. And in not carrying out that task, I let the Daleks live, and they still continue to conquer many galaxies."
He closed his eyes. "I failed, Lucy." He said. "Most would consider me weak for not killing a monstrous creature, but if I did so, I would become that monster." The Time Lord sighed. "I still wondered if I had the right to do so..."
"…"
Listening to such a sorrowful tale being told, the Diclonius could not help but sympathize with her companion; he had a wide heart, and it was worn on his sleeve. And it was larger than that of most members of modern society. Anybody else she knew would blindly go and kill off that rising power, in the hopes of saving the lives of millions.
Was each life worth the same? Is a criminal valued just as a small child would be? Is this…
Is this the reason why she, the Queen of Diclonii, was looked upon with acceptance by a complete stranger?
That was the motive behind the Doctor reacting so strongly towards the claimed lives of those young children that Lucy had so ruthlessly taken. Instead of condemning her as a smudge upon society, she was embraced with open honesty, with the hopes of changing her for the better, knowing that deep inside, she held some sort of humanity within the chilled crypt of her heart.
She simulated the situation with her own, mentally. What if, in the past, the same exact conversation was held with Lucy's mother? What if he had been charged with killing the original Diclonius, in order to prevent all of the bloodshed and she and the Silpelits would cause in the future? Would he had shown the same mercy?
"… Just as you had said… When I had killed those young boys… You said that they could have grown into wonderful people… Perhaps, in the near future, those Daleks could somehow be brought to harmony with those around them; they could unite nations not just for the purpose of destroying them, but for the sake of something… Better… I understand what you mean now… Just because something is born with the purpose of bringing misfortune, does not mean that they are destined to keep such a path… Had you destroyed them, you may have altered the entire future as we know it… That is why you were unable to vanquish me as well… Upon crossing my path, you could have easily brought my life to an end… But you did not."
Lucy sighed thoughtfully, "I do not believe that you failed, Doctor… You did what was meant to happen… Instead of blindly eliminating something… Rather, you had hope… Maybe you did not realize that in the heat of the moment, but deep down, you believe that any living being can change for the better… Doing the right thing often does not reap benefitsimmediately… Hence why you felt that you had failed… But there will be a result due to your choice in the future."
The beast stared into nothing, as she began to think of her own brash actions— she killed Kanae and Kouta's father, because she only felt rage towards them. What would have been the result, had she spared those two lives?
The Doctor looked up as his melancholy look faded. His smile was faint, but it was there. It seemed that Lucy was starting to realize how precious life was, even when he spared the Daleks on Skaro. He then recalled to what he said to Sarah the moment they left Skaro and arrived on Space Station Nerva again.
"Failed? No, not really, Sarah. You see, I know that although the Daleks will create havoc and destruction for millions of years, I know also that out of their evil must come something good."
He had forgotten that he had said that, although he still carried the guilt of letting the Daleks live. But to think... Lucy, a girl who had previously only spilled bloodshed out of spite and rage, understood the Doctor's dilemma and brought forth rationality towards the actions he made those years ago.
She understood. That was the main thing. And it warmed both of his hearts that she could get it. She really wasn't heartless.
"That means a lot, Lucy. More than you know." The Doctor finally said, digesting the words of the Diclonius. "Oftentimes, I still wondered if it was the right thing to do. But you just reassured me." He bowed his head for a moment in respect, as a way of representing the Japanese culture where Lucy held from. "Thank you, Lucy."
Taking notice of the traditional gesture that he had performed earned a light chuckle from the throat of the beast. When was the last time that she had an honest laugh? One that was not twisted and driven by madness during a kill? Quite some time. As if she were gradually growing from a chrysalis, Lucy was beginning to notice changes within herself. And if it continued as so, perhaps… Perhaps the beast would be quelled.
"You have a bit to go before you are recognized at tea ceremonies, but the gesture is appreciated," Lucy mentioned with a casual smile. She had seen many a traveler make an attempt at Japanese custom, and each incident earned the Diclonius some sort of amusement.
—But most importantly, Lucy was relieved that, for the first time in her entire existence, she had left a dire situation without a permanent scar. She had been able to help fix the scenario, and not simply walk away with another casualty.
The Doctor could only smile as the both of them shared a small laugh with each other. After a bit of reflective silence, the Doctor leaned back and looked at her. "I suppose I should also tell you about the Master."
He exhausted a sigh. "Where to start with him?" He asked himself rhetorically. "The Master is a renegade Time Lord, much like myself. Unfortunately, he is the quintessence of evil, and has threatened Earth quite a few times during my third incarnation."
The Doctor looked to the side as he recounted the Master. "He and I have had a history together too. You could even say we were close friends at one point in time. However, something happened to turn him into this evil menace I know not what. But I've stopped him more times than I care to mention."
The Time Lord looked at Lucy. "Back in the early 1970s, when I was exiled on Earth, it seemed that the Master found me. Ever since then, he had attempted to wreak havoc on Earth and cause as much anarchy as possible. He was the instigator of at least two invasions back on Earth. The invasion of the Autons, and the Sea Devils, both at least a few years apart from each other."
He then thought of one of his returns to Gallifrey. "Not long after I had dropped off Sarah Jane when I received the call from the Time Lords, the Master struck again on Gallifrey. This time, assassinating the ruler of my planet, the Lord President, and framing me for it in the process."
He brushed his bangs back as he recalled that particular incident with the Deadly Assassin, former Time Lord Chancellor Goth. The Doctor recounted the events to Lucy from that particular time on Gallifrey. The physically taxing fights between Goth and the Doctor, the Doctor almost drowning in the swamp as they fought within the Matrix, and taking out the Master himself after so much destruction was caused at the Capitol, many lives being claimed in the process.
"The Master is very dangerous, Lucy." The Doctor said. "The fact that your Instinct brought him about in order to break me was a rather frightening scenario." He looked her in the eyes as he put a hand on her shoulder.
"He is the very definition of a monster. Lacking any sympathy for other people and other races, even his own. Believe me when I say that you are not a monster, Lucy. Especially since I've seen monsters long before meeting you."
Admittedly, it took a lot for the Diclonius to experience an inkling of unnerve or worry, but something about this 'Master' figure… Something did not settle correctly in her stomach. Lucy had crossed many humans that she deemed 'evil'. She has watched them slay one another, witnessed the sins that humanity had committed in the name of their own selfish needs— but as a collective, they always had looked upon the Diclonii as entities of absolute dread.
—The way that this man was spoken of, concerning his deception and thirst for chaos, the desire to wreck destruction and bring about a new order of existence— it left Lucy unsettled, because what she saw, was a paradox of her own actions. What made HER any different? She was a paragon, a symbol of relinquishing the power from humans, and handing it over to her own kind. Leaving behind Kouta and any sort of hope for being accepted, she had decided to create her OWN world.
What made her any less horrible than the Master?
However, hearing that this monarch of evil had some sort of personal vendetta on the Doctor only lead her to believe that he was a greedy, selfish individual bent on holding the universe in his own two hands. Brushing aside the comparisons, Lucy found herself intimidated by the thought of crossing paths with this man. Indeed, the Master sounded incredibly dangerous. Had HE found the Diclonius before the Doctor did…
Lucy would rather not imagine that.
"You have absolutely no idea as to what changed him so radically? It must have been something drastic— especially since you are painting him to be your arch-enemy… A REAL monster, as you put it… Do you believe he would ever change? Or is he a lost cause? There are plenty of people who may fall into that second category… Anybody who would frame an innocent person as a murderer is extremely low… Even I can see that."
The Doctor could only lie back on the sofa and shake his head. "I doubt he would ever change, Lucy." He said. "Unlike you, where you still have human qualities, the Master is a Time Lord. Time Lords, when realizing how much power that they have over lesser races, may tend to think themselves as something greater." He shrugged a bit. "Granted, I think of myself as quite marvelous, and have greater intelligence than you do, but I intend on using that for something good. Something constructive."
He gestured to Lucy. "You may have committed atrocities and murder, Lucy. I won't deny that. But you are starting to learn that life can be treasured, and that it truly can be precious. I can see that in your eyes. You were merely a lost child, who thought that she would find solace in a pool of blood. When that is not the case. You may not realize it, but you are changing."
He gazed downward. "Unfortunately, the Master is not like you. He can't see the good in all life as I can. He is a power-hungry megalomaniac, with no regard for anyone or anything, except for his own personal gain."
The Doctor then gazed back at Lucy. "And if the Master ever strikes again, I will stop him. You can count on that."
"He must be elusive, because I am sure that if he were easy to track down, you would have already dealt with the man, and gotten rid of him," Lucy suggested. At least, that is what she could deduce from what he was saying. Taking from the Doctor's usual actions, she doubted that he would allow such a dangerous individual wander the universe unattended if he had ANY sort of control over it.
"I have complete faith in those words, but will you be able to achieve that on your own…? You hold immense power, and have practically an entire universe at your disposal, would it not be wise to have others assist you in that goal…? Two Time Lords could practically cancel each other out if that was the case…Unless you have some sort of upper hand that you have not mentioned?"
The Doctor leaned forward as he thought about Lucy's question. How would he stop the Master? As Lucy said, he was very elusive, and unlike the Doctor, has a working chameleon circuit in his TARDIS. But his body was in a state of decay since the last time they met, and no doubt was still recuperating after that fall from their previous encounter on Gallifrey.
"An upper hand..." He said to himself, echoing Lucy's words. He only shook his head. "I was lucky to escape with my life on Gallifrey, Lucy. Against a human or other alien threat, I could deduce things rather quickly. The Master, however, is a whole other matter. He's unlike anything you would ever face. Not even the Daleks or Cybermen are as clever as him."
He sighed. "I don't know Lucy. When it comes to the Master, he is just about my equal. So I'm not sure how to answer that question." He shook his head. "I really don't know."
"Perhaps over thinking all of this is only making matters worse… It has been a long few days since we first met, and there's already been enough turmoil and controversy to last a decade," Lucy mentioned, brushing her thumbs against the edges of the music box in hand, eventually closing it shut.
She stood, stretching her arms lightly, "I am feeling a little claustrophobic, why don't we do something to get our minds off of all of this…? Surly it is welcome after all of this doom and gloom."
It was not often that Lucy even offered to participate in trivial, light-hearted things. But it was the least she could do, seeing that she almost got her companion killed. BOTH of them deserved some sort of down time.
The Doctor nodded absentmindedly, as Lucy mentioned the idea of doing something that didn't involve the talk of bloodshed, Instincts, and megalomaniacs. As a few seconds have passed, his eyebrows perked as he thought of something.
Looking up at the Diclonius, his lips formed a wide toothy grin. "Tell me, Lucy." He said. "Have you ever learned how to ride a bike?"
A memory crosses Lucy's mind.
"Why not? Can't you take Nyu with you to the grocery store, Yuka?" Kouta questioned, looking up from his chore of cleaning the floors of the inn.
"If I do, she'll have to ride on a second bicycle, I can't fit two people AND bags of groceries on one!"
"—Does Nyu even know how to ride one…?"
The next few hours, Kouta would attempt at teaching the childish one how to peddle and stay balanced on the wheeled contraption, but it did not yield any sort of results, aside from some banged up knees and a cut on Nyu's arm when she fell and crashed into the side of a tree. It was safe to assume that the wide-eyed crybaby would not want to make an attempt at riding a bike again.
—As for Lucy, she had tried a few times in her childhood, but never mastered the practice. Blinking, the Diclonius spoke up.
"Actually, I never have."
The Doctor's grin grew wider as he shot up from the sofa, as if there were no sadness within him prior. Taking the Diclonius's small hand into his, he tugged heralongside with him.
"Come on!" He said. "I know of something perfect that we can do!" With that, he rushed outside of Lucy's bedroom, the horned girl in tow as they both made for the console room.
K-9, who had been in the room for who knows how long, followed them as they rushed down the corridor.
—-! Whisked away, Lucy kept on her feet as she was pulled from her bedroom, assuming that they would probably be taken somewhere so that she could practice biking— however that would go. Admittedly, keeping balance was something that the Diclonius struggled with, especially in situations such as this. Hence, the reason why her vectors were so useful.
"I-I'm coming I'm coming!"
As they ran down the hall, the Doctor rammed himself into the door to the console room, swinging it open as he made a slight "Oof!" after hitting the door. Letting go of Lucy's hand, he immediately went to work on the console to input a destination on Earth.
"First... we need a good countryside. We can't go to Satoyama after last night, so we need something different. Let's see..." He then pulled up a map of the world on one of the monitors, and contemplated a destination. "Japan certainly has a few great countrysides, but..." He flashed a toothy grin. "I think you would love the Yorkshire countryside, Lucy. Lots of open spaces, and beautiful scenery to go with it."
The Doctor then input the coordinates to Yorkshire, England before flipping the lever, setting their destination. "Now, don't go anywhere and try not to touch anything, Lucy." He said, with his arms in front of him as he made for the hallway door. "I'll be right back. Stay there!"
With that, he ran off into the hallway, the scarf ends getting stuck in the door as it closed behind him. The tasseled ends then slipped into the other side of the door, with a muffled cough from the Doctor.
Standing in the room, with a nod, she obeyed the Doctor's orders to not touch anything— as if she would. Technology was never the Diclonius's strong suit, especially that of an alien individual. Knowing very well, she could accidentally launch herself years into the future, or past, by accident. Instead, she would keep busy by looking and studying at the map of the world.
—They never had one of these in the orphanage! Just a simple map out of Japan, and it's neighboring countries— which, she pointed out to herself with ease.
The world… It was so big! Japan, it was tiny to some of the other countries that she looked upon— and if the Earth was this large, what about the solar system? And the Milky Way— dare she imagine, the universe!
And the Doctor had traveled practically EVERYWHERE!
Lucy chewed on her own lip in thought, eyes gliding across the detailed map— maybe, she would have better luck, outside of her Japanese home. Maybe the rest of the world had better humans.
Walking down the hallway, the Doctor had produced two bicycles from one of the rooms in the TARDIS. Both of the bikes were cruisers, with one of them having a black paint-job, the other having a slight pink hue to it. The Doctor smiled to himself as he thought of his previous adventures with Sarah Jane, and the few bike rides that they got to go on during the few quiet times they traveled when they weren't fighting threats to the galaxy. They had a few nice cruises, and Sarah Jane even held on to the Doctor's scarf as they trekked on their bikes.
Pushing the door open with his foot, the Doctor wheeled the two bikes into the console room. "Well, looks like you'll learn how to ride a bike after all, Lucy." He said with a toothy grin.
She could not help but stifle a chuckle, giving a crooked, but amused smile. Oh, this would be rather interesting. Lucy herself had never been to Yorkshire, but, knowing the Doctor's taste, it was probably quite the sight to see. Not only that, getting away from Japan would be excellent. The stigma of the land would be nonexistent, and the Diclonius would be able to relax.
"It almost matches my hair," she voices quietly, amused by the shade of pink.
The Doctor looked at the bike and then at Lucy's hair. "You think so?" He asked. "I honestly have had this bike for quite a while." He then flipped the kickstands down on both of the bikes, as he heard a ding come from the Time Rotor as it stopped. The Doctor checked the scanner.
"Looks like we've landed in Yorkshire, Lucy." He said. "About 12:45 in the afternoon, it seems. We'll have plenty of time to cruise around." He then went over to the stand and grabbed his red frock coat and hat, adjusting his scarf over the coat. Setting the hat on his head, he went over to Lucy, inspecting the ribbons tied around her horns. "Looks like you should be fine, Lucy." He said. "There aren't a lot of people in the countryside of Yorkshire, so I doubt anyone would notice your horns unless they were up close and personal.
Smiling with relief, and in triumph, both hands reached up, removing the little blue ribbons off of her horns, allowing them to drift onto the ground forgotten. When was the last time Lucy had the privilege to walk around without covering up her head? More than likely, back when she was still among the other orphans, where the horns were simply thought to be the result of some sort of birth defect.
Flipping the door lever, the Doctor exposed the TARDIS's blue exterior doors. He turned to Lucy, his grin still persistent. "Shall we, Lucy?"
"Yes, we shall," Lucy hummed in a laid back tone.
The two filed out of the TARDIS, a gust of wind catching whisps of pink hair— the Doctor had been correct! Yorkshire was gorgeous; wide, sweeping, endless fields of ever-grand green. The clouds, themselves, were to the deep blue sky, as earrings would be to a woman: a lovely accessory to an already pleasing sight.
The Doctor rolled the two bikes out of the TARDIS, bringing them to a stop before closing both doors and locking. He turned away from the Police Box and brought in a deep breath.
It was a sight to behold. Yorkshire had perfect weather, and there were barely any bystanders. They were in one of the more rural, deserted areas, it seemed. The TARDIS just on the side of a narrow dirt road, most likely used for walking paths or even bikes. So it was prime for a place for Lucy to get some fresh air for her horns.
"You see, Lucy?" He asked, putting an arm around the Diclonius. "What did I tell you? Is this not the most beautiful scene that you've ever laid eyes on?" The Doctor smiled as he looked at Lucy. "Truly, you must be understanding why I like this planet so much."
Riding a bike was a talent that Lucy herself did not have on top of her accomplishments list, but, being able to participate in a fun-and-fancy-free activity made it easier for the Diclonius breath— to realize that not every single event would end in a dire, horrible result.
Looking at the murderer, you would never make the assumption that she had laid a single hand on other for the sake of harm. Her eyes fluttered shut, just to take in the noises that the natural environment around Lucy could hear. In fact, getting a look at the emotion on her face would be enough to mirror that of her childish past.
"Yeah…"
"WOW! IT'S SO COOL! I'VE NEVER SEEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEFORE!"
"... I've never seen a view so lovely."
The Doctor closed his eyes as well as he took in the beautiful sight of Yorkshire. He and Lucy just stood there in meditative silence as the both of them enjoyed the peace and quiet after the turmoil that they both experienced over a twenty four hour period.
Taking a deep breath, he walked away from Lucy, and stood next to the pink bike. "Well, what say we ride, eh?"
Nodding, Lucy alloted a brief 'hmmmmmm', taking a good look at the contraption known as a 'bicycle'. The best way to execute this would to sit on the bike seat, and keep herself balanced without that kick stand up— thought, she was almost certain that it would not work out that way, leaving herself on the ground if sitting in an incorrect fashion.
And so, nearly the very moment that the Diclonius mounted the pink bicycle, she sat there for a brief second, wobbling to and fro— prepared to fall, her eyes widened, biting her bottom lip— and then, nothing! To the naked eye, it would appear that Lucy was indeed balancing. Feet touching the pedals, gradually pushing them and sending herself at least three meters forward. It looked like she had the basic concept!
—-Upon further inspection, however, minute, barely visible hand prints could be seen in the dirt on either side of the bicycle, resulting from two vectors pressing into the ground.
A little cheater, she was.
The Doctor smiled as Lucy mounted the bike, as she was trying to balance herself on the vehicle. He noticed that she gingerly kicked the kickstand up, and took off at a ginger pace.
"That's it, Lucy!" The Doctor cheered. "You're doing very well for your first time!"
He followed the Diclonius as she peddled a little slower before coming to a stop. "That was wonderful, Lucy. I had no idea that you would be a natural. You know, I-" He then stopped as he looked down at his feet. A few inches from his feet were very distinct handprints. He saw a few more right next to Lucy as she stood on the bike.
Crouching down, he looked at Lucy, eyes widened. "Lucy..." He said, pointing to the hand print. "Don't lie. I know that this was you."
—-Busted!
A sheepish expression was exchanged from Lucy, a little too unsure on how to reply to that. Just as a young child would respond to being caught by a parental figure.
"… At least I didn't fall?"
With a pink face, the vector was used once more to help her get off of the bike, walking back over to the Doctor with the wheeled contraption.
"Alright— Let's try again… But this time, I will not cheat."
The Doctor stood in front of Lucy as she mounted her bike again. "Don't worry, Lucy." He said. "No one gets it right the first time."
He then went by her side, and held the handlebars with her. "You see, riding is one thing, but maintaining balance is another. You can't fight the bike. You have to work with it, and maintain a unity with its balance. The moment you learn that, then you'll just have to master speed."
"Balance isn't exactly my strong suit," she'd admit, keeping an eye on the Doctor's hands; Lucy's feet were planted firmly against the pedals, knees just shaky enough to give her the appearance of a nervous first timer.
The Time Lord smiled. "Come on. I'll help you maintain balance. Then I'll let you take off."
"So you're—- Just going to push me and hope for the best?" Lucy questioned with almost surprised eyes— oh WHY was she so nervous about such a tiny little bicycle ride?
"Don't worry, Lucy." The Doctor reassured her. "Just trust me. As soon as I let you go, start peddling."
As soon as Lucy mounted the bike seat, the Doctor began to slowly push her, and slowly gained speed. After a short run, he let go of Lucy's handlebars.
"Okay, Lucy! Peddle!"
Gulping, the Diclonius held onto the handle bars with an intense grip, swaying to the side in the lightest, then quickly straightening out. Looking up ahead, she would peddle— and peddle—- and peddle. And before she realized it, Lucy had managed to get ahead quite well!
"I-I did it! Ah! Ahah!"
Turning her head, Lucy went to call out and mention her success— but looking back would result in crashing into a tree.
A short lived success.
The Doctor's eyes widened as he witnessed Lucy crashing and burning at the tree. He then ran full speed, his scarf ends flowing in the wind, and reached the crash site.
Lucy was on the ground, feeling her rump as she grunted in pain. "Are you okay, Lucy?" He asked, crouching to her level. "That seemed rather painful." He couldn't help but chuckle, but failed to hold back a good laugh. "However..." He said, still chuckling. "I probably should have mentioned that it would be best to keep your eyes forward."
"For a moment there, I forgot that I had every damned ability to stop myself," Lucy muttered, rubbing the back of her neck— yes, the fact that her vectors could have easily prevented the crash had not crossed her mind at all, mostly due to wanting to NOT make this just another easy task.
"One more go, and this time." she starts, standing up and brushing the dirt off of her knees, "I don't plan on colliding with a piece of foliage."
Picking the bike up again, Lucy wobbled to get onto it the way a newborn calf struggles to walk.
"You'll get it, Lucy. It's quite easy. Just maintain your balance."
The Doctor helped Lucy mount her bike again, as she wobbled trying get her foot on one of the peddles. "Alright. Here we go!"
He then began to push Lucy with the handlebars as she started to peddle. After enough speed, he let go of the handlebars again. "Now start peddling Lucy! And keep your eyes forward!"
This trial would be different, and she made sure of it! Staring forward and pushing her elbows out to keep her core balanced, both feet began to move the pedals. Faster, faster, and faster— once let go, Lucy did not even notice that she had been pedaling by herself for some time!
With a wide grin, Lucy bolted forward, riding for a few meters before letting a vector snap out and stop her— she hadn't gotten used to the speed yet, nor the concept of stopping with a foot. But she did it! And without any medium of cheating.
The Doctor's smile became the widest he'd ever known as Lucy took to riding her bike by herself. Turning to his own bike, he mounted and took off pedaling after Lucy. After closing some distance between the two, he noticed that she had stopped herself, her feet still on the pedals.
That silly girl. She was using her vectors to balance again, wasn't she?
The Doctor only shook his head. "Aside from your impressive balancing act right now, you did fantastic! How do you feel about riding your first bike, Lucy?"
"If I put one of my feet down, I'd obviously fall," she touts in a defensive manner. Not one of annoyance— more so stating the only answer that she had to offer. After all, that was not the important part. What HAPPENED to be was that Lucy had managed to utilize an object that she viewed to be nearly impossible in her childhood!
"H-Hey! Wait up!" The little one watched several of her classmates walking to the opposite end of the playground, beginning to mount their bicycles. Kaede was one of the few children who had no talent when it came to cycling, and so it left her out of some of the most fun summertime activities.
"Kaede, if you can't ride your bike, then you have to go inside and wait until everybody else is done." An adult stated, patting the girl on the back of her head to signal her to turn around and leave.
"—-It was great," Lucy grins.
The Doctor returned the Diclonius's grin. "Good! Now that you've had a bit of experience, what say we take a ride around the country?"
He then stretched his hand out, presenting the scenery to Lucy. "There has been so much for you to discover, and you've only known the dark depths of the prison that you called your past. There are many great things out there, Lucy. Many worlds, and many experiences beyond your imagination. While you may have been in a dark place for so long, you've yet to realize that just around the corner..." He looked at Lucy, his teeth showing prominently. "...Your cure for hatred could very well be waiting for you."
He then pointed to Lucy's smile. "And I can see that you may have found it."
Scanning over the environment, Lucy took another look at the complex backdrop that they had been surrounded by— in a way, it reminded her of a much larger, open variant of her own home of Kamakura. The rolling hills, lush emerald trees— the tall grass and babbling sounds of rivers and creeks. Without the presence of humanity, Lucy had to admit that the world held a chaste sort of beauty— a similar appearance of a well dressed woman: elegant and fluid.
The words spoken by the Doctor were very true. An appreciation for the world was gradually growing within the gut of the Diclonius— gradually, but it was there.
The Doctor could see that Lucy was taking in the scenery once again. Where before, she looked upon the world with nothing but disgust and hatred.
Yet now, she had a new sense of wonder. Something one would not expect out of a mass murderer.
There was more for them to see. Lucy's journey has just begun.
The Doctor then rode ahead of the Diclonius. "Come on, Lucy!" He called out. "There's plenty more for us to discover, and the day is still young!"
With a surprised lurch, Lucy's vectors pulled back in order for the bicycle to move forward— no, they would not be utilized to propel herself, their purpose would only be for the sake of a kick stand.
But never mind that.
Jolting ahead, the Diclonius had called something out along the lines of 'Okay!', though the words would be lost among the rustling of foliage and natural echos of wildlife within the brush. She didn't feel up to turning this into a race, and so Lucy instead kept back by a few feet, following the Doctor as a duckling would it's siblings.
The Doctor slowed a bit so that Lucy could catch up to him. He didn't intend on leaving her in the dust. This was a leisurely ride, after all.
After a bit of time riding on the countryside rode, the Doctor stretched his arms out as he rode side by side with Lucy. "Now, this is the life, isn't it?" He said. "Wind in your hair, and the cool breeze hitting your brow. You certainly never got something like this, did you, Lucy?"
The Doctor then thought back to something fun he would do with Sarah on one or two rides. Using one hand to hold the handlebars, he uncoiled the scarf from his neck, and adjusted it so that one of the ends to didn't spill over and tangle into the front wheel. He then took the opposite end of the scarf and tossed it over Lucy's shoulders, the opposite tasseled end landing perfectly.
The Doctor flashed a toothy grin at his little game. "I use to do this with Sarah." He said, turning his head to keep his eyes forward. "I would always chain us together with my scarf during our rides. How does my scarf feel, Lucy?"
Once the two had managed to catch up and cycle next to each other, a quaint smile and nod followed suit from Lucy, "There were days that I would walk alone by myself along the hiking paths in Kamakura's mountains, especially when I did not feel up to staying inside when living at the orphanage. And I remember now, whenever I was surrounded by that natural environment, there was a sort of… Peace within me. Clouded and mucked with anger, I forgot about those times. But I'm happy to recall them now."
A few moments of quiet passed, before the sudden drop of fabric on her shoulders— hmh? What was the Doctor doing? Well, it was apparent now that he was sharing the object with her— the wind did chill her neck a bit, and the fabric felt warm and plush against her skin.
"That's very kind of you. It feels comfortable." the Diclonius commented calmly in thanks.
The Doctor's smile was persistent as Lucy's icy lairs began to melt, the human side of her starting to show. The poor girl probably had not smiled in some time, except when decimating a victim. It warmed the Doctor's hearts to see a genuine smile on her lips.
What took him by surprise, however, was that the rest of his scarf was lifted from the back of his neck. He could see that the end was now floating in the air, and the length was being rearranged around Lucy's shoulders. The next thing he saw, was that Lucy had coiled the scarf around her own neck, the ends being tossed over by what seemed to be her vectors over her shoulder. She was short, so she probably didn't want to trip.
The Doctor couldn't help but laugh at Lucy taking his scarf. But just as he chuckled, he felt his hat being taken off of his head, and floated inbetween himself and the Diclonius. Lucy then lightly smiled and used her vector to set the hat on top of her head. The hat, however, seemed like it was a size too big for her and sat lopsided on her pink head.
The Doctor flashed a toothy grin to Lucy. "Wonderful sense of style, Lucy." He quipped. "You look just like me!"
Being notably shorter than the Doctor meant that she would have to coil the lengthy scarf around her shoulders, making sure that the trailing fabric would not hit the ground and soil it's color. And in order to do that, her vectors would be required to accomplish that action. Adjusting and sitting up, Lucy snickered to herself, amused by the gargantuan size of the scarf compared to her own tiny frame. It reminded her of playing dress up in her childhood— trying on the clothing of the previous inhabitants of the houses that she would infiltrate.
Glancing up, Lucy decided to complete the look by snatching up the Doctor's hat, balancing it over top of her horns. It was a comical sight indeed!
"Do you think that I could pull off the look in public?" The Diclonius chuckled in a fancy-free manner, leaning back— nearly every move that she made resulted in the clothing to shift, and so she made sure not to do so too much.
The vector reached up, removing the hat and placing it back on her companion's head.
The Doctor felt the hat return back to his head as Lucy laughed. "I think you may need some proper fitting, but I think you could pull off my style." He said.
Some time had passed as both of them shared a laugh. Looking ahead, he spoke to Lucy. "You know, I was hoping that your vectors would be used for something good, Lucy." He said. "You're starting to show that they can after that little display." He then looked at Lucy. "I think you really can put them to work as an extension of yourself, rather than those of weapons. They really can be used for something positive."
Was the Doctor subtly mentioning that Lucy should utilize her vectors for the sake of bettering society? Mixed emotions followed suit— now why in the world would any human wish to benefit from the Diclonius? Damn near all of them refused to even address her, let alone treat the horned one as an equal. Why assist them, if they never assisted her?
—Then again, the lesson that the scarved Time Lord was trying to convey, was that in order to truly understand life, one must make sacrifices, and try to look at the better side of people.
"Would they..." Lucy paused, looking over and speaking lightly, "...even want my help?"
The Doctor looked ahead as he matched Lucy's speed on his bike. "Not unless you outright say, 'Excuse me, my friend. Would you care if I murdered you in a bloody heap?' You must understand, Lucy, not all of humanity will outright look at you with disgust, simply because of your looks. Granted, the greater majority will outcast you because they fear what they don't understand."
He looked at her and raised an index finger, keeping his balance with one hand on the handlebars. "But if you show that you are willing to assist someone, then that same assistance will be reciprocated toward you."
The Doctor shook his head. "Not all humans are as bad as the ones you've experienced, Lucy. Sometimes, a helping hand is all that's required to let them know that you are a friend."
She had her doubts— of course she would, as anybody may when put into her shoes. Lucy sighs, shrugging her shoulders and looking around; was this an honest case of the nerves? Of some sort of shyness overcoming her? The idea of assisting the human out of pure wish to help was not her forte.
"Still though, how am I supposed to just approach a stranger, and offer a helping hand? Isn't that looked at as— well, odd? At least, that is how it is where I am from. The Japanese people take pride in their personal, every day work. Is that different in other countries?"
Lucy honestly had no idea. Seeing that she had never left the Japanese mainland, the Diclonius was not aware of the different customs around the globe.
The Doctor sighed. "Yes. It is different in other countries. True, as you say. The Japanese take pride in their work. A little too much pride, I think, since they don't really take kindly to others handling their problems for them. Sometimes, they don't understand that everyone needs help from time to time."
He slalomed a bit on his bike, making zig-zags on his bike. "Why do you think I've always saved different planets on certain occasions, Lucy? Sometimes, while someone may not think he or she may need assistance, they in fact, do need help. And trust me." He flashed a toothy grin to the Diclonius. "It's never odd to ask if they need help. Not in the slightest. In fact, it sends off a good impression of you."
"Then where do I even begin?" My, so many questions coming from the mouth of somebody who supposedly understood everything that the world had to offer— in a way, it frustrated Lucy. For so long, she had herself convinced that she, the ever so hateful horned one, knew each and every concept of the human-ruled society. It was similar to the way a pre-teen would get annoyed when told they were 'wrong'.
However, she took it with a grain of salt, sighing.
Lucy knew that her scarved companion knew what he was doing.
"Do I just approach the next person on the side of the road that I see, and ask if they need help carrying their bags? Or just saunter about and wait for somebody to fall over, and make sure they get to their feet?"
"Hold on, Lucy." The Doctor said, holding a hand up. "I didn't mean it quite like that. When helping somebody, it usually comes as very spontaneous as to what their problem is. You never quite expect it, but when it comes, it's usually up to you do decide what would be best for the person when being a good Samaritan." He then pointed a finger at Lucy. "It's not a matter of waiting, but rather-"
As the Doctor explained, they both heard a voice on the side of the path.
"Excuse me? Hello?" It was the voice of a young man, right next to a car. "Can you two help me?"
The Doctor flashed a toothy grin, as he pointed to the source of the sound as he finished his sentence. "-but rather a matter of opportunity. Come on!"
As they both braked to a stop next to the man, the Doctor tipped his hat. "How do you do, my young friend?" He asked. "Is there something we can help you with, per chance?"
The man sighed. "Oh, am I glad that you two were wondering about. This part of North Yorkshire's pretty empty around this time. Looks like everyone's taking a holiday, it seems."
"It is a beautiful day for one." he said, nudging Lucy. "What can we do to help you, my friend?"
"Well, you see, my car has a flat right now, and I've got a spare in the trunk. The only problem is I don't have a tire iron, or jacks. I know, it's a stupid thing to say, but this car used to be someone else's. I've no idea why they thought the tire iron and jack to be rubbish."
The Doctor nodded as he knealt down next to the car, inspecting the wheel. "Indeed." He turned and showed his toothy grin. "Nothing we can't help with, of course! Go and get your spare, and we'll switch it out."
The man's eyes lit up. "Oh, thanks a lot, mate!" He said.
"Not a problem." The Doctor replied. "What's your name?"
"Derrick." The man said. "You, mate?"
"I'm the Doctor." The Time Lord then pointed to the horned pinkette. "This is my dear friend, Lucy."
Was not that the most convenient opportunity? Awkwardly, the Diclonius steps back, trying not to draw any sort of attention on herself, simply allowing the two men to speak. Had she not known better, Lucy would assume that these two were old pals, from they way they spoke. Damned, the Doctor made it appear so simple and easy to get along with strangers! Then again, he was a pious, warm spirited individual. As for HER? —- Warm was just about as opposite as it got for the horned girl.
Listening in, spacing out occasionally, it seemed that this man's car was in need of some sort of repair. A flat tire, as they say. Now, Lucy had absolutely no knowledge of motorized vehicles. She had only just learned how to ride a bicycle! And ten minutes later, the Diclonius was expected to assist with an entirely different animal. At least she was not the only one involved, correct?
Lucy would be stirred to answer once introduced, "Ah—… Mhh. Hello."
Usually, this would be where two strangers would shake hands, and thus, she reached out slowly, offering her hand, and initiating said action. That was not so hard, was it?
—Right, and then you acknowledge the other.
"It is nice to meet you, Derrick," she speaks, monotone.
So far so good! The stranger had turned to go and retrieved his spare. With curious eyes, Lucy takes a look at the car; what interesting things, they are. While many people walked or took bikes back at home, the pinkette had only seen cars when wandering around the busier sections of Kamakura. Smooth colors and material to match, she reaches and brushes a hand across the window, against her own reflection. How—-
—-And then it hit her. Her horns were visible— VISIBLE! Visible to this STRANGER! Eyes widening, Lucy grew nervous anxiety quietly building in her stomach.
Derrick emitted a slight chuckle at Lucy's gesture. "Hello, Lucy." He said, smiling. "Thanks a lot for coming to help me. You and your friend are blessings, let me tell you, mate."
The Doctor then pulled out his Sonic Screwdriver, and went to work on the hub cap. "This won't take but a moment." He said. "I'll have to loosen up the bolts first."
"Do what you gotta do, mate." Derrick said, turning to the Time Lord. "I dunno how you're gonna get the hubcap and tire off without the tire iron."
"Oh, don't worry." He said, chuckling. "I've got my own methods." With that, he went to work, hovering the Screwdriver over the hubcap bolts.
Derrick shook his head. "Your friend's a odd duck, he is." He said. "I've been here for hours, and I didn't think anyone would come."
He looked down and saw the Doctor's scarf ends dangling on the ground from Lucy's small figure. "Your scarf's dragging, mate." He said, pointing to the tasseled ends.
—-Well, this was peculiar. Maybe the man was being courteous, and decided against bringing up the fact that this woman had a pair of horns sticking out of her head. It had happened before— at least, that is what Lucy could only assume. Any other time, and the strangers before her would either find them fascinating, or downright disturbing. Pursing her lips together, Lucy then became even MORE surprised as Derrick mentioned her FRIEND being the strange one— not her?
What exactly—?!
In fact, the Diclonius was caught speechless.
"Oi! I said your scarf's dragging."
"Oh— sorry," Lucy spoke up, cheeks pink from embarrassment. With haste, she adjusted the scarf, just to make sure that it would not be covered in dirt.
"What was that you were saying?"
"I said your friend is an odd duck. I've never seen anyone like him before."
"Strange? Oh, well— hmm, he's eccentric," the horned one spoke, not sure how else to describe the Doctor. Her mind was far too jumbled, trying to process the fact that a human being was being decent to her.
Derrick only nodded absentmindedly as he watched the Doctor loosen the hubcaps. "Weird that a Doctor comes along to help me." He shook his head in thought. "Doctor. What kind of a Doctor? And Doctor who?"
The Doctor laughed to himself as he overheard Derrick's thoughts when he spoke. 'Doctor who?' That was the question, indeed. This wasn't the first time he was asked that when meeting new people.
Derrick only sighed. "What's so funny, mate?" He asked the Doctor.
"Oh, nothing. Just thought of something amusing, is all." The Time Lord responded.
"Whatever, mate."
Derrick then looked over at the silent Diclonius. He noticed the protrusions on the side of his head, and wondered if those were normal to her.
"Sorry to ask, mate. But what's with those things on your head?" He asked. "Those seem like they must give you massive migraines. Is it a condition of sorts?"
Tch.
If she were an animal, her ears would perk up at the sudden questioning towards her horns— it was absolutely no surprise that eventually, the bony protrusions were brought up. Nobody else had horns, and they were undoubtedly different. Turning her head to the side, it took just about every nerve within her limp body to not at least shove Derrick where he stood; any other time, before coming across the Doctor, Lucy would have assaulted killed the man for his question.
At least, she would, if he were jeering them. Instead, he asked a simple question.
"… Sometimes," Lucy answers passively, trying not to sound aggravated, still looking at the vehicle in front of her, "sometimes they cause pain. Not right now, though. They are not bothering me right now…"
A hand reaches up to touch her right side horn, a habit that had been formed whenever they were the center of attention.
Derrick felt as if a strange, negative vibe reverberated from the pink haired girl. He scratched the top of his head.
"I'm, uh... I'm sorry for asking. I get curious sometimes. I..." He looked down, eyes averted. "Sorry."
The Doctor could feel the awkward vibe coming from the two as well. "Lucy, be nice." He said. "He was just curious."
"Yeah!" Derrick responded. "Uh... yeah. I didn't mean to offend."
The Doctor turned around, his grin showing. "I know you didn't!" He said, jovially. "You weren't making fun of her, were you?"
Derrick shook his head fervently. "No, no! Of course not!"
The Doctor looked at Lucy. "Told you." He said. "Now, play nice you two. I still need someone to help me get the tire on." He then went back to unscrewing the last hubcap bolt.
Damn it, of course she would flip the switch just as she was learning to act civil.
"Oh, no— it's fine, my apology," the Diclonius mentioned, waving a dismissive hand, "I'm just not accustom to people questioning about them. I usually have a hat on."
Fair enough save.
"You didn't offend," Lucy shook her head, crossing arms in a passive manner; when the Doctor mentioned that he needed assistance, the horned one once again spoke up. "I would help, but— I don't have the slightest idea or clue about anything concerning cars."
"Don't worry, Lucy." The Doctor said. "All I need are you special 'talents' to get the tire on. He doesn't have a jack after all."
Derrick tilted his head. "How the hell are you gonna do that, mate? I doubt you can lift the bloody thing."
The Doctor only grinned as he loosened the hubcap. "Oh, you'll see soon enough."
Derrick shook his head. "Your friend, mate. I dunno about him."
He looked at Lucy and her horns. "Sorry about asking, Lucy." He said. "I probably had the feeling you get teased about that a lot."
He then chuckled. "Your horns actually remind me of a funny story about my flatmate." Derrick scratched his ear. "Funny bit. We had a wasp nest on the outside of our flat, and he decided to be a hotshot and smack it down. He angered the lot, and actually got stung by two wasps in the head."
He pointed to one of the horns. "Actually got stung in the same place those things you have are. A few days later, it looked like he grew two large horns on the sides of his head. We called him Hellboy for weeks because of that."
Derrick laughed. "At least it was better than calling him our 'horny flatmate'. He probably would have killed the lot of us."
When was the last time that the Diclonius had participated in a casual conversation? —- A better question yet, is if whether or not she had EVER done so. Very vaguely, Lucy could recall a time where her naive alter self was in control of the body, walking along outside of Kouta and Yuka's university. They could go on and on and chatter with their fellow classmates as Nyu stood on the side, laughing and carrying on with them as well. Though, the words were not very intelligent, they were words. Now, had the more aggressive one been in charge, there would be little to nothing from her side of it all.
Sigh, how obnoxious.
You are supposed to laugh when amusing things are spoken of, correct? Hmh. Humans being stung by venomous insects was hilarious to the Diclonius— Lucy allotted a chuckle when Derrick told the story of his unfortunate friend, though she did not understand the 'Hellboy' reference.
"Maybe he'll learn not to meddle with wasps again, hmh?" Lucy mentions, a light smile on her visage.
"Alright, Lucy. I'm going to need your 'talents' now." The Doctor said. "Could you come over to the rear of the car, please?"
Going over, she pondered whether or not to just stand there and let the vectors do all the work, or… Wait! THERE she had an idea!
Bending to her knees, the Diclonius allowed her vectors to simply hover over her own arms; grabbing the back of the vehicle, she mimed the movement of lifting the back, but actually allowed the invisible super appendages to do the work. And there it was! Lucy had managed to keep the car up, allowing the Doctor go about his work.
The Doctor looked up as Lucy made the appearance of lifting the car, where it was pretty obvious that her vectors were being used for support.
He smiled. "Well, look at you, Lucy!" He said.
Derrick, however, widened his eyes. "How...? How the bloody hell are you doing that...?" He was aghast, to say the least. Who would have thought a petite looking girl like her could lift up the rear of a car?
As the Doctor chuckled, he looked back at Derrick. "We're almost done. I just need to detach this old tire. Go to the trunk and grab your spare."
Looking at the Doctor, dumbfounded, he nodded. "...Right." He then went over to Lucy and unlocked his trunk, pulling out a spare from the underside of the fabric. "You two sure are the most unusual people to ever help a bloke like me." Derrick smiled at Lucy. "But I'm grateful for what you are doing. I mean that."
The Doctor looked at Derrick and Lucy, as the civilian did his best to convey his gratitude, albeit in an awkward fashion. Was he making a pass at Lucy? Either case, he smiled as Lucy was processing his words.
Now was the moment for Lucy to try and explain just how managed to lift a two-ton hunk of steel— "Mhhhhh, I guess it is the right thing to do, helping out a stranger in need. That's what my mentor has taught me, at least," she mentions passively; most obviously, that was a reference to her scarved friend, standing there with her hands full, not even batting a lash or sweating in the least. Seeing a petite young woman able to handle something of that weight obviously was very much unheard of.
Dare she say that there was a sense of accomplishment within? It was such a trivial, every day thing for humans— being able to hold a conversation with somebody on the side of the road, assisting them when in need. To Lucy, all of this, it was all so alien and new, and such a challenge, that she couldn't help but feel some pride for the selfless deed.
Inside, the Doctor was swelling with joy. Here was Lucy, actually talking with a human, and not making a murderous action. Not one drop of blood was spilled. She was making progress!
Much like when Susan Foreman took her first steps during his original incarnation, the Doctor couldn't help but feel a fatherly pride in Lucy's actions. The fact that she was able to withhold her rage, and actually assist a human, a being that she thought was scum and far below her, was something of a sight to behold.
Needless to say, the Doctor couldn't be happier at this event.
Going back to the tire, he loosened the last bolt with the Sonic Screwdriver. "Okay, Derrick. Bring your spare over. Let's get this properly situated."
Blinking for a moment, Derrick looked at the Doctor. "Ah! Right." He then passed by Lucy and handed the Doctor the tire. "Here you are, mate."
With a nod, the Doctor slid the tire into the axle and proceeded to reattach the bolts with the screwdriver. "Shouldn't be too long, now." After a few tightening of bolts later, he looked at Lucy. "Okay, Lucy. You can let go. But set it down slowly."
"Hey! Come on! There's a lot of animals for us to see! We can't just hang out in one place."
The little horned girl was in awe, gasping and cheering as she looked at all of the large, unique animals at the zoo. Never before had she seen real life giraffes, elephants and reptiles! How charming and fascinating! And to know that she was here with her new friend, Kouta, it was lovely… It was a day that would never be copied and redone… Truly, this was the greatest day that young Kaede would ever have.
And the very next, would be the absolute worst.
"How— How could you do this?! I thought we were friends?!"
Looming over the bodies, Kaede uttered to the boy, "…What are you talking about? It's because we're friends that I didn't kill you…"
The memories whispering in the back of Lucy's mind as she went through the motions of assisting with the car, making sure to carefully lower it down to the ground.
'…Kouta and the others, they would be so happy to hear how well I am doing. I… I wonder if I ever cross their minds? But Kouta… He is so busy with University. Yuka, Nana, Mayu, I am utterly sure that they enjoy their care free lifestyle, without having to worry aboutsoldiersand doctors kicking down the door, looking for me. Kouta-kun… I'm helping out humans now, I'm trying to behave, I really am.'
The car the lowered with a slight bounce. "Good work, Lucy!" The Doctor said. With one final check, he made sure that the bolts were tightened on the wheel. With luck, they were.
The Doctor then rose up and flashed a toothy grin to Derrick. "There we are!" He said. "That should just about do it. Should last you until you replace it with a new tire. Is there an automobile repair shop nearby?"
Derrick shrugged and leaned on the car, next to the Doctor. "I reckon I could find one. I've got a few friends who know of some shops that they could refer me to." He then took the Doctor's hand and shook it. "Listen, thanks for your help, mate. I probably would be stranded the whole day if you two didn't turn up."
"No trouble at all, Derrick!" The Doctor said, taking out his bag of Jelly Babies. "I don't suppose you would care for a Jelly Baby?"
Derrick's face lit up. "Sure! I haven't had a Jelly Baby in a while." He then reached into the bag and poppeda green one into his mouth without a second thought.
"Do be careful while driving, Derrick." The Doctor advised, pocketing his sweets. "It would be wise if you found a shop as soon as possible, and not drive on your spare for too long."
"Don't worry, mate. My mum's isn't too far from here. I'll just give my friends a ring on her phone. My own mobile is dead. But thanks for the advice."
Derrick then went over to Lucy at the trunk of his car. "And thank you, mate. You were brilliant, you were." Derrick slightly blushed as he scratched the back of his head. "Listen. It's probably a long shot, but are you doing anything later? We could grab a bite to eat, if you want? I know this really good place."
The Doctor laughed as he put a hand on Derrick's shoulder. Quite amusing, it was, that a human was asking Lucy out on a date. She's probably not ready for that… yet.
"Terribly sorry, my dear fellow." The Doctor said. "Lucy and I have a previous engagement tonight."
He laughed as he looked at the Doctor. "Hard luck, eh?" He joked, before looking back to Lucy. "It was worth a shot, at least."
My, what did this remind the horned girl of?
"Kouta, you need to start cleaning, right away! It's already mid day!"
The raven haired male grumbles, rubbing the back of his head, standing and proceeding to collect his materials to begin the day's chores. Along with him were Mayu and Nana, washing the floor, putting the laundry on drying lines, and making sure that their dog, Wanta, was fed and cared for.
Yuka, the 'mother' of the house, was a strict one, and tough willed, but in the end, it was her confidence and push that kept the household clean and in tact— especially when it came to Kouta's lazy ways.
"And make sure Nyu doesn't get into anything," the woman reminds, "she knows her chores schedule by now!"
A cheerful, childish grin.
Nyu, a much more innocent side of Lucy that the family knew, and came to love.
"Nyyuuuu! I'll work very hard, Yuka-san. Promise!"
Smiling to herself, eyes lidded in thought, Lucy wondered how that small family was, if they kept up to date with the cleaning— and mostly, if they missed her.
—But, why would she think of that, now, of all times? This was a period for the horned one to fix herself, for the better! Having those back in Kamakura in the back of her mind would not assist in that. With a sigh, she brushes them aside once more, paying attention to Derrick and the Doctor. The stranded man was carrying on with her scarved companion, eating a Jelly Baby, thanking the duo for their help.
With a proper, traditional bow of respect, the Diclonius responded to Derrick's request, "Gomenasai, perhaps another time." She had copied the actions that were done whenever one of her own 'family' greeted or departed with another individual at the Maple Inn. Lucy herself was oblivious to the romantic notion, due to her mind being flooded with quite a bit of thought, memory, and conflict. However, she remained composed with a gentle smile on her face, behaving just as the Doctor would have wished her to do. And on that note, Lucy believed that she had done well.
"I do wish you luck with your vehicle," the horned one bid kindly.
Derrick nodded. "Thanks, Lucy. You were a lot of help." He turned to the scarved Time Lord. "And thank you, Doctor. I dunno how I can repay you."
"Who said you had to repay?" the Doctor said with a toothy grin. "Just as long as you don't get any more flats in the future, eh?"
"Will do, mate. I gotta get going."
He then closed the door of his trunk and went to his driver side, getting into his seat. As he started the car, he turned to Lucy.
"By the way! Love the horns, mate! Don't get rid of 'em, you hear?"
And with that, Derrick waved farewell to the duo and drove off into the distance, rounding the bend and disappearing into the distance.
'Love the horns, mate! Don't get rid of 'em, you hear?'
The very moment that statement processed, Lucy's eyes widened in a very visible manner.
'Don't get rid of 'em, you hear?'
"…"
"Wow! They're great! They're so great! I'm jealous…!"
There was absolutely nothing that could have prepared the killer for such a compliment. And from a complete stranger. In that moment, the Diclonius felt her heart lighten— it may only be a meager shift in weight, but it was significant no matter.
While exchanging an embrace with the Time Lord, Lucy speaks up quietly, "… To think… To think that fixing a car could lead to such joy… Despite how small of a light it may be… It's one of the only stars in my night sky."
With a warm smile, the Doctor turned to the Diclonius. "Well done, Lucy. You handled yourself wonderfully." He then hugged Lucy in a warm embrace. "I'm proud of you. I really am very proud of you."
As they part, her voice is risen once more, "You are the first person to ever be proud of me."
The Doctor smiled widely. "What reason do I have not to be?" He asked. "You're showing me exactly what I had said to you when we first met. That life can be treasured, and you still have a chance to change."
He pointed to her. "And what did you just show me? You just helped out a person that you, at one time, thought was nothing but scum, the very dirt below your feet, and you would've ripped his limbs off without a second thought. Am I right?"
The Doctor could see Lucy lightly nod, still with a smile on her face.
"And you didn't do that, did you?"
Lucy shook her head. "No. I guess I did not."
"I told you before, Lucy. Youare not a monster. You never were. You only believed that because of that pesky, murderous voice in your head." He said, pointed to her temple.
"You're more than that. You're a wonderful creature, and bloodshed should never be your solitude."
He was right… This was a dramatic turn in Lucy's character. Recalling a moment that she had with herself once upon a time, the Diclonius maintained a softened expression.
'My ideal self. I always said, that when I died, when I came back, I would be a good girl. I would behave, and live happily with humans. Maybe in my next life, I'll have a mother and father that will be delighted to call me 'daughter'. Maybe…'
"There is still a lot for me to do, before I can completely accept humans as a whole," Lucy admits, looking up at the Time Lord, "but… You think I've done well— and I think I've done well too. I guess… Everybody starts off somewhere."
Nodding once more, she steps aside, grabbing a hold of her bike, one hand on the left handle, "I have a lot to do before I can consider myself to not be a monster, but, convincing you is an accomplish in itself."
The Doctor went over to Lucy and uncoiled the scarf from her neck, recoiling it around his own, the ends flowing down to the ground. Going over to his own bike, he mounted his seat.
"You'll get better with time, Lucy." He said. "As you said, everyone starts somewhere. But you've made fantastic progress in changing yourself."
He then kicked up the kickstand and rode ahead of Lucy. "Now come on. There's plenty more for us to see!"
For a while, the duo would wind through the paths of Yorkshire, sharing the sights and enjoying lighthearted conversation. Lucy was in a rather laid back mood, one that she had not enjoyed in quite some time. And, for the first time ever, she was not worried about others noticing the bony horns upon her head. Neither did the concern of being captured ever cross her mind.
After about twenty minutes, Lucy would stop her bike; a small group of ducklings, following their mother, were crossing the dirt path, heading towards what appeared to be a pond.
Kicking his kickstand down, the Doctor dismounted and produced a small bag of bread crumbs from his pocket. "Never knew when I would use these again." He said, as he grabbed a handful of bread. The ducks would then waddle to the pond as they continued to swim in single file. He then tossed the crumbs into the water, and within a second, the ducks traced the source of the small splashes and became attracted to the new found food.
Swimming towards the bread, the mother duck and duckling began to scoop the bread into their beaks. The Doctor would then hand the bag of crumbs to the Diclonius.
"Care to feed the ducks, Lucy?" He asked with a toothy grin.
"Of course I want to feed the ducks," Lucy answered immediately, deserting her bicycle and grabbing a handful of the bread crumbs, kneeling down by the edge of the pond. Holding her hand out, one of the more curious ducklings approached, eating straight from the palm of the horned one. Smiling, she appeared serene and in a state of peace, as she communed with her environment.
Dahlia eyes look across the water; this view, it reminded her of the Enoshima shore.
"… There was a beautiful view of the ocean, when I stayed in Kamakura. We would always watch the sunset, whenever we came home from daily chores, or from running errands…" A melancholy smile appeared on her visage.
"I wonder… If they still do that?"
The Doctor knelt next to the Diclonius. "It sounds nice, Lucy." He said. "I've actually not been to Kamakura. It had been so long since I visited Japan, Satoyama was the first place in Japan I've been to. I usually wind up in the bigger cities, like Tokyo, Kyoto, or Osaka. Even Edo, if you want to go further back."
Taking some more breadcrumbs into his hand, he fed a few ducks that ate from his hand as well. "It sounds like you spent most of your life there, Lucy." He said. "What exactly is Kamakura like? Is there anyone that you know from there? You sound as if you just came from a family…"
Instantly, a distinctly sad smile was offered by Lucy, as she was asked that question.
The beast began to spin a tale.
"…Kamakura is a sea-side country town, for the most part. Only the inner part of the city has a heavy population. It is right at the foot of a mountain range, surrounded by the shore. There is a train station," she mentioned the very station where she had killed Kanae and Kouta's father, " … where you come into the city. My orphanage as a child was in the mountains, overlooking Kamakura."
A sigh.
"I… For a while, lived with that boy, that you saw in my memories, after I broke free. Kouta, and his cousin, Yuka. The two of them allowed me to stay in the house for a while, but that was before Kouta regained his memories. He suffered amnesia, because of—" a thick gulp, "… because of me, because of the death of his sister and father. For the longest time, he did not know it was me who was there— he simply thought I was an abandoned stranger."
That's right... She had never spoken of the underground labyrinth that she escaped from, nor the 'family' that once gave the horned one a home.
Lucy glanced over at the Time Lord, that same smile on her face, despite being deeply saddened, "Kouta will never forgive me for killing those two. And so, when his memories returned, he told me to leave his sight. It was for the best, so… I complied."
The Doctor noted the sadness in Lucy's voice, as she spoke of the boy she knew as Kouta. That same memory replayed through his own mind, the death of his little sister, and his father. It was no wonder he developed amnesia.
"Kouta suffered, what sounds to me, amnesia related to mental trauma." The Doctor said. "That's normal among humans witnessing a horrific tragedy like that. Even I would want to forget that, if something like that happened to a member of my own family."
He looked at Lucy, and put a hand on her shoulder to show support. "I know that it's not easy for you to hear, but it's more than likely Kouta will never forgive you. He has good reason not to. Humans never forget those that have wronged them, or have taken something so precious from them."
Lucy's face was still with a sad smile, as if she were trying to stay strong. "But, it sounds like you don't want his forgiveness. What you are wanting from him is absolution. Is that right?"
"I—-I know, that Kouta will never forgive me. He has told me, and never will that moment leave me— it's selfish, to feel sad about that… Because I have caused him so much hurt. All he has done is try to live a happy life, and because of my neediness— H-Had I just, left him alone, and not tried to go and see him at that festival—!" Lucy's voice cracked.
"—This would have never happened… He could have come back to visit me the next year… We could have gone back to the zoo… And eaten ice cream together… Maybe he would have let me meet his family… Maybe they would have liked my horns as well…"
A thick silence followed suit for a while; nothing could be said.
"… But I'll never know… I'll never be able to even imagine… Because that possibility slipped away, so… So… Long ago… A-and yet… Even if Kouta never forgives me… I feel better knowing that I feel this sadness, I know what I have done wrong— I just want my sins… To be pardoned…"
"Come here, Lucy."
With that, the Doctor drew Lucy into a hug, comforting the Diclonius much like he would with his own granddaughter when she was sad. There were times, back all of those years ago, that Susan would be scared stiff about humans not accepting her, that she would seem the odd person out with her vast intelligence. How the Doctor missed her, leaving her behind after the Dalek's previous invasion of Earth.
Much like Susan, the Doctor started to see Lucy as another daughter, of sorts. A child who was lost in the path of life, and committed atrocities that even she would wish she didn't commit.
Time has a way of catching up with you when you've had an effect like that.
A Time Lord, even more so.
"In the short time we've known each other, you've shown me a lot about your life, Lucy." He said, stroking the pink locks as his hands hit the horns. "I know you wish things to be different, and that you want a clean slate."
An idea popped into his mind. Drawing her away, he looked at her in her eyes. "What do you want to do, Lucy? Do you feel like this is the right thing you want?"
He lowered his head a bit, to make certain that Lucy was certain she wanted this. "Do you want to pay Kouta a visit?"
'I want… To see Kouta… Just one last time. I want to see him so badly. I know we will never be together, I have accepted that… And though he will never forgive me, and we will be worlds apart, I just want to have him as a friend… That's all I've wanted. A friend.'
As she was held and comforted, Lucy hesitatingly gave a nod in response to the Time Lord's question, "I do, even though I should not return. I bring about disaster wherever I go— and that family has already dealt with so much because of me."
"If… If I were to visit Kouta and the others, it would have to be brief. In and out. Just to see if I can have my absolution," the Diclonius mentioned. Slowly, but surly, the tears ceased to fall.
"Would you be able to, Doctor? Would you be able to let me see them just once more? It will help me let go— I will never be able to fully turn around, if I continue to hold onto this poisonous guilt. It would all be in vain."
The Doctor flashed a toothy grin to Lucy. "I have a TARDIS, remember? We can go anywhere you want." He then poked her nose. "Even if it means seeing Kouta."
He nodded. "I'll take you to see him. If you want, I'll be there with you, by your side. I know this is a very trying time for you. You have me for support."
The Time Lord brought her back in for another hug. "And always remember. I am your friend, Lucy. And so is K-9. You don't have to fret about not having one, anymore."
"R-Really?!"
A nervous thump is produced by her heart: She was going to see Kouta! She was going to see Kouta, Yuka, Mayu, Nana— all of them! Oh how on edge she abruptly became— Lucy was excited, and nervous, all at once. And it was a pleasant sensation! Just as a daughter would cling to her father, the Diclonius allowed the hug.
Oddly enough, it caused her to remember that soft-voiced little Silpelit, the way she would cling onto that one man…
"Papa! I'm so happy to see Papa! Are you proud of me?"
"… Doctor, you are the best friend I could ever wish for."
What could the Doctor say to that? If you were in his position, you wouldn't either. This girl who had thought herself a monster actually had a friend, and the Doctor was more than happy to hear that coming from the horned girl.
She had a friend, and that was all that had mattered. He brought light to an otherwise darkened sky, as was his forte.
Releasing the hug, he adjusted his hat. "We mustn't waste any time, then." He said. "Let's ride back to the TARDIS. I'm rather anxious to meet Kouta."
He walked over to his bike, and mounted it. "Shall we?"
"And I thought you had said that we had all the time in the world?" Lucy joked lightly, remounting her bicycle, "None the less, you're right… Let's go."
The duo wound through the paths, backtracking away from the pond, passing where they had assisted Derrick, zipping through the trees before eventually reaching the TARDIS where it stood.
"That's the trouble when you've traveled through time as long as I have." The Doctor joked back. "You think you have all the time in the world, then something interesting pops up. The trouble of doing everything you want to do, is that you never seem to find the time."
As they had backtracked their path, they wound up back to the TARDIS. Dismounting his bike, the Doctor unlocked the door, and wheeled his bike into the Console Room, Lucy following suit.
Closing the bigger double doors, he clapped his hands together, eyeing the controls. Once Lucy set her bike next to the Doctor's, he went to work on the coordinates.
The console room was about as mind-boggling as the rest of the TARDIS and it's immense amount of controls; by good fortune, Lucy need not to understand any of it.
"So, two things. First, do you know where Kouta resides?
"He resides at the Maple Inn, just four blocks away from Gokurakuji Train Station— there are a lot of traditional temples around the area… You have to climb a stone stairway to wind up reaching the location. It used to be a restaurant for a while, and then a small hotel, but then the owners leased it, hence why they have so much room," Lucy mused, recalling the setting as if it were just yesterday when she had watched the sunset on the ocean with everybody else, "I will be able to lead you."
As the Doctor entered the coordinates, he tried to decide to find a good landing place for the TARDIS. "Stairs, eh?" He asked. "Never really care much for those things if it involves climbing. I should be able to reach the top if we pop the TARDIS in just right. The Doctor said, inputting the coordinates. "Second, aside from what I've seen of his younger self, what is he like?"
Shaking her hair out a little, a hand brushes through the pink strands, eyes calm, "What is he…Like? Mhhh. Kouta can be dense at times, but, he means well, I suppose. He has a simple personality— sometimes it leaves him annoying, I will not lie."
Once the coordinates were entered, the flipped the lever, and the Time Rotor started to move. They were off to the Maple Inn in Kamakura. "So, Kouta is one of those people that isn't quite bright? I've dealt with a few humans quite like that. I swear, sometimes humans can have such limited little minds. I don't know why I like them so much."
He echoed the same thing he said to Sarah Jane just before coming across the Mandragora Helix, and remembered what Sarah had said.
"Because you have such good taste!"
That was true, indeed. He did have an affinity for humans, and they amused him to a degree. But never in a very misanthropic way. More of seeing a little kid trying to stumble about before trying to help them a bit.
"What about his cousin? Yuka, I think you said her name was?"
Shoulders shrug, "Average education, nothing that really stands out about his appearance— he and Yuka attend the same university nearby. It isn't a prestigious one, but the two of them keep their grades at a good level. They are hard workers, and often times invite people to stay with them if they come upon difficult living. That is exactly how I wound up crossing paths with Kouta after being separated for nearly nine years…"
Nerves tugged at bothered Lucy's stomach.
She had absolutely no clue what to expect when stepping through the doorway— the last time that there was dialogue between the two, it was not an easy one, not at all. Kouta's amnesia had finally been cured due to a rather unfortunate, gruesome display of violence that played out in front of him, thanks to Lucy's rage. Upon confronting the beast, it was clear that the once calm, collect boy, could barely contain his own anger; he had damned the Diclonius, telling her to get out of his sight, and that forgiveness would never be given. Despite the other members of the household making an attempt at calming Kouta down, Lucy decided against waiting— she vanished, claiming that she would never see each other again.
…Was Kouta serious when he said that he had never wanted to see her again?
Even more so, would he be more happy to see Lucy— or her soft, naive alter, Nyu? Lidding her eyes in thought, it would be convenient and simple if she allowed Nyu to take control in the meantime; everybody in the Maple Inn household preferred the childish personality.
But! The Doctor would EASILY call her bluff and figure out just what was going on.
No, she could not allow Nyu to take control of this situation. It was Lucy's life to fix. Not the others.
After a bit of time, the Time Rotor stopped moving, as the engines ground to a halt. "We've landed, Lucy." He said with a toothy grin. Activating the view screen, the Doctor could see a small gated building with a taller building just behind it. In front of it were some stairs, most likely the ones Lucy was talking about.
"Perfect landing, too! Looks like we've landed just in front of the main staircase Told you we wouldn't worry about any stairs."
Flipping the door lever open, he and Lucy walked to the blue exterior doors. As they both filed out of the TARDIS, the Doctor closed the door behind him, taking in the scenery.
It certainly was peaceful, to say the least. It was as if they were still in the Yorkshire countryside. No wonder Lucy mentioned they help people come stay with them. It almost seemed like a sanctuary.
Knowing Lucy, the fact she lived here for some time, she certainly needed one. At least, before she called the TARDIS her sanctuary.
Standing side by side, he took her hand and grasped it. "Are you sure you want to go through with this, Lucy?" He asked. "We can back out, if you like. I don't want to force you to do anything you're not comfortable with."
An incredible wave of nostalgia hit Lucy like a tidal wave the very moment they stepped out of the TARDIS; humming cicadas and talkative birds could be heard from every direction as the sakura blossoms lazily fell to the ground, a thin layer of the petals already littered across the concrete path. If one were to walk just a few paces south, they would be blessed with a beautiful view of Enoshima Beach. Traditional statues lined the path, along with bamboo stalks and trees that had been growing there for decades.
Closing her eyes, the Diclonius took in the sounds and scents, inhaling deeply, and then exhaling. This was it… At this point, there was no worth in turning back. She would never achieve her happy ending until the thick, toxic air that had been left behind by her sins was clear.
Nodding and squeezing her friend's hand, Lucy speaks lowly, "It is time… Let's go."
The kitchen was busy, full of bubbling pots and simmering pans of different foods that were all being prepared at once; the cook behind all of this was an amateur, and was not all too sure as to how to organize her work.
"Hnnnhhhh— Oh no, if I don't get all this stuff done, the others will think I'm lazy!" A horned girl whispers to herself nervously, frantically trying to keep the rice from boiling over, along with preventing her chicken from burning.
"Nana is so tired… Why did I make this much food?"
"Wanta, if you keep stopping like this, we'll never get home before lunch time!" A child's voice was then heard behind the two— the girl would come into view only seconds afterwards once Lucy turned her head to get a look. Bobbed black hair bounced up and down as the girl made her way up the winding steps, holding a make-shift dog leash that had been crafted from thin rope. Next to her ran a small, cream colored puppy, startlingly similar to the appearance of Lucy's when she was a child.
Red eyes widen— it was Mayu!
"Ma—!"
But before those words had come from the pinkette's mouth, the girl stops, equally surprised.
"…Nyu-san?… Nyu-san! Nyu-san is back!" She shouted with mirth, running forward and waving, tugging Wanta along, "Nyu-san! I didn't think I'd ever see you again!" The girl practically launched herself off of the last step, hugging onto Lucy as if she were an older sister.
Thrown off, the Diclonius stared down, awkwardly reaching one hand and patting Mayu on the top of her head, "H-Hello to you too…!"
Pausing, large brown eyes blink, looking at Lucy, and then to the Time Lord.
"—Are you Nyu-san's friend?"
The Doctor couldn't help but flash a toothy grin to the young girl that hugged Lucy, as if she had known her as a close family member.
"Last time I had checked, I believe I was!" The Doctor quipped. "How do you do, my dear?" He tipped his hat as he squat down to the girl's level. "My name's the Doctor. I'm a dear friend of Lucy's."
Wanta relished in all of the attention, rolling onto his back and playfully nipping at the Doctor's hand; his coat was clean, a sure sign of an owner who cared.
"T-The Doctor? You're a Doctor?" Mayu speaks up quizzically, her voice very much soft spoken, "Doctor who? Doctor sure is a strange first name…" The girl's voice trails off as she was caught daydreaming for a moment, before coming back to earth and waving both hands frantically, "I-I didn't mean to seem rude! I-I've just never met a Doctor before!"
Within a second, the dog then jumped into the Doctor's lap, and started licking his face. "Well, I can see that you are certainly friendly." He said to the dog, picking him up. "Who's a good dog? You are!" He then wiggled his nose against the dog's, the canine licking the Time Lord's nose.
"You don't have a collar..." He said, raising an eyebrow. "I wonder what your name is..." He then turned to the younger girl. "What about you, my young friend? What's your name?"
Smiling, the girl messed with the long sleeves of her bright yellow sweater, reaching and scooping up her puppy, "This is Wanta, my dog… And I'm Mayu! Nyu-san, I didn't know you had made friends," Mayu spoke up, openly surprised.
Sighing, the Diclonius rubs the back of her neck, "I'm about as surprised as you are…" A gulp followed her comment, "Is… Kouta home?"
Shaking her head, Mayu reached her hand out, grabbing Lucy's, "He and Yuka are still at school, but they should be home in an hour! How about you and your friend come in and eat— Nana's cooking in the kitchen!"
Before either of them could answer, Mayu was already dragging the Diclonius by the hand through the archway, pulling her shoes off and placing them on the front step of Maple Inn.
Rushing over to Lucy, he stopped short before kicking his boots off, and setting them on the front step as he walked in. He almost forgot it was an Asian custom to leave the shoes at the door. Setting his boots next to Lucy's and Mayu's, he strolled inside as Mayu let go of Lucy's hand and ran into what looked like the kitchen. As Lucy took in the sights of the peaceful interior of what was known as the Maple Inn, the Doctor walked next to her, surveying the scenery as well.
"Nyu?" The Doctor whispered to Lucy, so that Mayu couldn't hear them. "Why was she calling you Nyu, Lucy? Was it a nickname that you had when you were here?"
As she slipped out of her muddy sneakers, Lucy heard the Time Lord question as to why Mayu was addressing the Diclonius as 'Nyu'. Rather than diving into the rather long reason behind it, she simply answered, "It's sort of a long story, I will explain it to you later."
Across the inn, one could hear Mayu chatting with excitement towards the Silpelit cooking in the kitchen— and of course, Nana was already well aware of Lucy's presence, due to being able to sense one another.
"But why? Why is she here?" The little horned child speaks up with a great amount of confusion, "I thought she didn't want to be around here anymore!"
The human girl shrugs it off, picking Wanta back up off of the ground as the little dog barked for attention, "Who knows! But she brought a friend with her!"
Momentarily, Nana left the kitchen, skidding down the hallway barefoot, wearing a soft blue summer dress, stopping the very moment that she spotted the elder Diclonius and her scarved friend. It was true— the queen was here. Cherry-red eyes widen, the Silpelit's mouth agape.
"L-Lucy-sama…!'
The Doctor's eyes widened the moment he saw another pink haired girl skid across the wooden floor, looking at the two. She was a bit younger than Lucy, but something was different.
Much like his friend, this girl...! She, too, possessed the horns of the Diclonii!
Could it be possible? That the Doctor had found yet another Diclonius?
But yet, there was something else. She didn't have a violent disposition resonating from her. Not unlike the first night the Time Lord came across Lucy. Was she... a friendly Diclonius?
"She has the horns..." He said to himself quietly. Overcoming his state of shock, he cleared his throat and chuckled a bit, taking off his hat and stuffing it in his coat pocket.
"Terribly sorry, my friend." He said to the young horned girl, who seemed as shocked as he was. "I wasn't aware that there would be others home. I'm the Doctor, a friend of Lucy's. What do I call you?"
"The Doctor…?" Childish, naive eyes blink, "O-Oh no! Are you here because someone is sick?" Nana lifted a hand to her mouth, both cheeks blushing from the surprise, "Is Lucy-sama sick? I-I can make some hot tea i-if you'd like!"
Before either the Time Lord, elder Diclonius, or human child could speak up, Nana raced away, returning to the kitchen, the sound of pots clanging here and there as the kettle was filled with water and placed on the stove.
Mayu giggles to herself, "You two can come with me!"
They would be led to the resting room, open towards the garden in the back, a small koi pond decorated with the fallen sakura blossoms in view; it was nearly two, and so the sun could be visible in the shallow water.
"It appears that nothing much has changed around here," Lucy utters softly to herself, looking around.
"Nope! Not really, same schedule, same chores," Mayu chirps, Wanta following quickly at foot, "Here Lucy, lemme get you some clean clothes— erm, Doctor?" The girl pauses, "Could you go to the kitchen and make sure that Nana hasn't knocked anything over? She means well, but, she can be a little clumsy."
"Certainly." The Doctor said. "You behave now, Lucy. I'll be in the kitchen." He then wheeled around back into the Inn, and made his way into the kitchen. What he saw was a cavalcade of pots, pans, and a multitude of foods being prepared all at once. Eyes widened, he saw that the girl was trying to balance a huge stack of plates, trying to get everything set for dinner.
Without a second thought, he grabbed half of the plates that were wobbling about, almost falling over.
"Let me help you with that." The Doctor said. "Can't have you handling this by yourself. You're taking on too many things at once."
He and the younger Diclonius then set the plates down on the table, and ran back into the kitchen, putting lids on the bubbling pots to keep the heat contained.
"There we are!" He said. "Now, it looks like you jumbled a few things up a bit. Which foods did you cook first, Miss...?"
Her face lit up with an immensely embarrassed pink, reaching a hand out "Y-You didn't have to do that!" Nana spoke up— it was supposed to be a shout, but it only came out as a dull roar due to her small frame and stuttering voice. Pursing her lips into a small pout, the Silpelit shakes her head a little, bowing, "G-Gomen, I appreciate your help, Mister Doctor. I hope Lucy-sama gets better! We usually don't have them come to the house… O-Or a better question would be how you found her!"
Puffing her cheeks and then exhaling, the Silpelit released a vector to reach over and flip the cooking takoyaki balls on the griddle with a chopstick, allowing them to cook on the other sides— and yet another slipped over to fold the vinegar into her sushi rice. And even then, ANOTHER vector reached and turned one of the sections of the stove off once the kettle had whistled, "Tea on in a second!" The girl pipes up, pouring hot water into a small cup, walking herself over and using a physical hand to plop the tea bag in. Noticing a broken chopstick forgotten next to the stove, she picks it up, putting it in her mouth for the moment.
Turning, the Silpelit practically glowed with confidence, a small hop in her step "Gee, I'm glad I ended up making so much food…! Nana is happy to have so much company!" With a skip and a hum, the horned child began rambling, returning her attention on the plethora of cooking foods. "The takoyaki will be done in a minute… O-Oh! But the miso should be simmering over there! Where did I put the udon— oh no—-"
So, Nana was the younger Diclonius's name. Why was it that almost all of the Diclonii that the Doctor had come across so far, they all had lovely, cute names? Maybe it was deliberate they have names like that, if they ever became violent. Did it serve as a way to fool humans if a Diclonius ever wanted to kill?
Certainly not this one. She didn't seem like Lucy.
As Nana was having a frantic panic attack about her over abundance of food, the Doctor then rummaged around the pantries, and found some udon noodles to cook with the Miso soup. Bringing a hot, empty pan to the sink, he filled it with water, a billow of steam rising up to the ceiling. After filling it halfway, the Doctor quickly set it on the stove. He then noticed other ingredients were floating about the kitchen.
The Doctor couldn't help but smile.
"I see you're putting your vectors to good use, Nana." He said. "They certainly seem good enough in a pinch. But I do say you're biting off more than you can chew."
He then grabbed some pepper that Nana's vector had grasped next to his head, and seasoned the udon as they were softening. "Now, once things have settled down, I'd be happy to tell you how Lucy and I met, but one thing at a time, my dear."
He then grabbed the cooked takoyaki, and set them down on a platter with chop sticks. "And I believe you are mistaken. Lucy's not sick, and I'm not really a medical Doctor. It's more of an honorary title, you see."
The Doctor looked at the chaos happening on the stoves. "Now, what else do you need? With all of this food, certainly you must have something else that's in danger of overcooking..."
It was a rare occasion to have somebody willing to assist in the kitchen! Usually, Mayu was just as sloppy as the little Silpelit was; Yuka tended to be overly bossy, and Kouta always hurt himself. It wasn't until Nyu learned how to work the stove and cook rice that Nana had any sort of help— of course, though, that was before she had taken her leave.
A persnickety glow is present on the Silpelit's face, leaning her head to the side in an endearing, childish manner. It was not every day that somebody complimented the use of her vectors! Only her beloved 'Papa' ever did so.
"Y-You really think so? Aahhhh~!" Both physical fists pull up to her cheeks as Nana spins in her step; her little dress gave an amusing spin as it swayed with the movement, "Papa always said that I did a great job with them! E-Even if I don't have the best control— mhmm! He said that a lotta potential."
As expected, as the little one chirped with joy, the rice ended up boiling over.
"A-Ahhh ahh ahh ahh ahh!" Nana reaches forward, lifting the pot off of the stove. Shaking her short pink hair out, her lips push out into a pout; "Nana got distracted again…"
Racing around the kitchen, soon food was pulled off of the stove; somen noodles were placed in ice water to chill, takoyaki balls pulled off and placed on serving plates. Rice was put aside, the miso udon soup put on a simmer to remain warm.
"So… Lucy-sama isn't sick?… That's good to hear!" The girl sings, skipping forward to carry the grab more dishes out of their cabinets to serve the food— the Time Lord was in her way, and without warning, two of her vectors shifted up, grabbing him by the shoulders and scooting him aside, "'Scuse me!"
The Doctor was surprised when Nana picked him up with her vectors. He had forgotten how much strength they can possess, even with the slightest push.
"I could have helped you, you know." He said, as plates started to hover above Nana's head and then were sat down on the table. Looking at it, he saw a whole wealth of food that seemed to have been prepared for the whole day.
Yet... something was missing.
"That should be everything. Although..." He then sniffed the air, and then his eyes widened. "That smells like your chicken is done!"
He then went over to one of the pans, and lifted the lid. It smelled like chicken, except for one thing.
Nana was cooking it in a stir fry!
"Oh dear!" The Doctor cried out, hurredly turning off the stove and taking the pan off of the heat. He grabbed a wooden spoon and started stirring up the contents as fast as possible.
"Nana! Grab me a-" He then saw a serving plate floating in front of him. "...Yes, that'll work." The Doctor then started to pour the contents of the stir fry on the plate, as he was trying to salvage the dish as best he could. The plate then hovered over to the center of the table.
Turning back to face the disarrayed kitchen, he flashed a toothy grin to Nana, who was panting. "Well done, Nana! You did a fantastic job!"
Without a second thought, he produced his Jelly Babies and squat down to the younger Diclonius's level. "Here. Have a Jelly Baby."
Everything had been placed on the wide, traditional Japanese table in the dining room; Mayu had been finishing homework, thought she volunteered to move when the food was being brought out. The last time that she had tried to do math homework during dinner resulted in a gyoza falling onto the paper, leaving an unneeded grease stain.
Once each and every dish was set out, Nana grinned in glee, "Everything smells so yummy! Thank you for the help, Mister Doctor." The younger Diclonius was worlds different from Lucy: She was soft, happy, care free, and bright eyed. There as absolutely no difference between her, and a normal human girl her age, aside from the pink hair and horns.
Upon noticing the candy that had been summoned up, a finger is brought to Nana's lips, "Sugar before dinner …?! Shhh, don't tell the others," she whispers, taking the Jelly Baby and placing it in her mouth, chewing it up and swallowing with a satisfying 'gulp'. "Aaahhhhhh~! It's so sweet, it's so tasty! Thank you!"
The smallest things brought happiness and joy to Nana's fragile little heart, swelling with hope for the world— for the longest time, she had tried to get Lucy to see from her point of view, but alas, failed. Her arms and legs were the sacrifice for that attempt, in the end.
Speaking of Lucy— the elder Diclonius made another appearance; she had been wandering the gardens for a bit, checking to see if the sakura blossoms had grown any larger since her last visit. Stepping indoors, dahlia eyes blink.
"…This is quite a large amount of food…"
The Doctor turned to Lucy and scratched the tip of his nose. "Eh..." He chuckled. "Yes, it is quite a large amount. I never really expected for this little girl to make such a big feast. But fortunately, we set it right, at least."
He then squat down, and examined Nana. She looked almost like Lucy, when it came to the hair and, of course, the horns. But, her eyes... Her eyes seemed full of life. Moreso than that of Lucy's, which seemed very unusual. Being that Lucy was the only Diclonius the Doctor had ever encountered, he hadn't expected to really come across another one.
"Very interesting..." He said. "Compared to Lucy, you don't seem to radiate any violent tendencies." He tilted his head to Nana. "You are a Diclonius, yes?" With a bemused look, Nana had nodded. "Taking that into account, most Diclonii would be violent, if Lucy was any indication..." He brought a finger to his chin. "Being that there are more, there should have been at least a limb or two scattered about with the walls painted a new color. Tell me, Nana. And, please don't take this the wrong way, but have you had any violent outbursts before?"
The eldest took her own spot at the table, sitting upon her knees, hands placed in her lap in the polite style that was practice across the region. Dusky eyes examine the Doctor's interest and curiosity towards Nana; it was inevitable that he would find another Diclonius fascinating, especially one as benevolent as the young Silpelit.
Nana allots a gentle sigh, smiling in a relaxed content now that all of the food had been finished and set, "Yes sir, I-I am a Diclonius, not like Lucy though— nothing like Lucy-sama! Papa said that I'm a good girl. Y-You see sir, I have never had a chance to be violent…! I grew up in a facility, and the only reason that I'm walking around here now, is because Papa ask me to help him with something…" The young girl wished not to bring up the fact that the only time she was forced to be violent, was due to the fight with the older Diclonius.
Giggling, the little Silpelit poked her fingers together, "I don't like hurting people, even though all those scientists and soldiers told me that our kind would never get along with humans— I've made three whole friends! Isn't that great?" Nana's sunny disposition appeared to be a permanent, constant mood, "If I killed a whole bunch of people, I wouldn't be able to be their friend."
The Doctor shook his head, and flashed a toothy grin. "No, you wouldn't, if you did. That's great that you have friends." He said, patting Nana on the head. "I think that that is very wonderful. That makes me happy that there are Diclonii out there that don't exist merely for murderous intent."
He then got up, and sat on his knees next to Lucy at the table. The Time Lord grinned at Lucy. "I rather like Nana, Lucy." He said. "She's a very sweet girl, don't you agree?"
Lucy stares at Nana, raising both brows before speaking plainly, "Yes… We are on much better terms than how we once were."
The little Silpelit nodded a few times, reaching and poking at the upper part of her arm— upon closer inspection, there was a fine line circling the arm perfectly; Without hesitation, Nana tugged on her arm, and with a soft 'click' sound, the prosthetic was pulled off.
"Lucy-sama really didn't like me… We got into a bad fight, but, I forgave her," Nana admitted.
The Doctor's eyes widened. Nana was wearing prosthetics? How did she ever get those? An accident? Was she born with it? Or...
Wait... an accident... Did Lucy and Nana...?
"...Oh, no." The Doctor said worryingly. "Your arms?"
Nana nodded.
"...And your legs...?"
"Mmhm" Nana said. "She didn't like me at first. That's why I don't have arms or legs."
With a saddened look, he gazed down, and then glanced at the elder Diclonius. "...Why, Lucy?"
Lucy's back stiffened, immediately finding herself uncomfortable with the situation— blast, she knew that this situation would eventually be brought up into conversation! Yes— she could recall that gruesome fight clear as day.
"Your suffering. Does it hurt yet?"
"How about now?"
"Don't worry, I'll put you out of your misery…"
Just as the elder Diclonius was prepared to stand and leave the room, Nana frantically waves her hands, "N-No! No no no, don't be mad at her, it isn't all her fault, it's mine too!"
Leaning back with a sad pout, the Silpelit gave Lucy a look, just to make sure that she would not leave— not again.
"You see, I was sent to bring her back home, and she didn't want to, so the both of us started fighting— Lucy-sama was prepared to kill me back there," her voice remained soft, "… But I learned to forgive her! Had I completed the mission that Papa gave me, I woulda been put back into that cage and forgotten! Instead, I get to walk around the human world and eat crepes!"
Lucy's eyes never left Nana, unsure how to feel about that comment; Nana was not upset at her anymore? —-It was surprising, seeing that she had torn the child's limbs off, prepared to leave her to die.
The Doctor listened as Nana told what had happened. "You're very strong emotionally, Nana." He said. "Most people I had come across would still hold vengeance in their heart for that." He then put a hand on Lucy's shoulder. "I think you also misunderstand, Nana. I'm not mad at Lucy." He looked at her in the eyes. "I never was. It was... she never really told me about this. And..." His voice almost cracked, before looking to Nana and clearing his throat. "Hearing about a child going through that can have quite an effect on you."
Images of the three dead children from his first meeting with Lucy flashed in his mind.
Dabbing the duct of his eyes with his thumb, he cleared his throat again. "That shows great strength and fortitude, Nana." He said, smiling. "I'm happy that you've forgiven Lucy, even for something like that."
Nana had mentioned that her 'Papa' would lock her in a cage if she didn't bring Lucy back. Bring her back where? And who was this 'Papa'? Those would be questions for another time, he supposed.
He brought an arm around the Diclonius and brought her closer. "But I think you'll be proud to hear that Lucy has truly been changing for the better. And I can say that in true confidence."
Lucy chose not to bring her voice into this— she felt that if she were to make any sort of comment, it would be malicious or something not meant to be mentioned. Instead, she sat quietly, listening to the conversation between the Timelord and Silpelit.
'Don't you know? The more that little insect speaks, the more likely you will be looked upon with ill eyes. Nana is a good girl… isn't she? Yes. Nana behaves well. Everybody loves her. And nobody loves you, and never will. Don't you think it would be wise to kill her before she spoils your image?
Even though,
you already have done that on your own.'
Becoming lost once more in her thoughts, eyes glazed over, not paying attention to either of them at this point, though Nana continued to talk on and on.
"Really…? Lucy-sama has changed?" The child spoke as if she did not believe a thing that the Timelord had mentioned— skeptical, of course, towards the Queen deciding not to cause any more harm. That was impossible, wasn't it?
"Are you sure—-"
Her sentence was cut off at the sound of the inn's gate opening, chattering audible.
"At least you didn't drop anything this time," a female voice sighs, softly scolding her company.
"Come on Yuka, I'm not THAT clumsy."
Mayu steps into the room, speaking up, "Kouta and Yuka are home, is the table set with everything?"
K-Kouta…?!
Immediately, the elder Diclonius stands to her feet, automatically panicking before anything even happened. Only seconds later, Kouta would file into the room, "Hello everybody— …?!" The man stopped, dropping the bag of groceries onto the floor, dumbfounded and surprised.
'She's back…'
"Nyu!" Kouta rushes forward, taking no precautions towards the fact that the horned one could kill him at any moment. Hands grab her shoulders, speaking up again, "Y-You're back? What are you doing here?! I thought you had left for good!" His voice was not of scolding nature, but a mix of absolute taken aback nature, not even bothering to realize that there was a second guest in the house.
Even though,
you already have done that on your own.'
"A-AAUGGHH!" The Diclonius screams, hands swinging up and grabbing both sides of her head, keeling forward against the shocked Kouta, knees growing week.
'No. Not here. Not NOW! I can't grow dumb NOW…!'
The Doctor was just about to greet the boy before Lucy started shouting in pain. His eyes bulged out in alert.
"Lucy! Lucy, are you okay!?"
Something was wrong! Was it the Instinct!?
"Oh no!" The Doctor said. "Oh no, not now! Lucy!" The Time Lord shot up from the table. "Lucy!"
Lucy could only scream in pain, as her head began to throb mercilessly.
"AhhhhhAHHHHGGGH!"
