Robin briskly stepped back inside the TARDIS, closing the door behind him. "The charlatan!" he scorned as he walked up to the console in a slight rush.
"Robin what happened, is something wrong?" I asked concerned. From what I had seen it was unlike Robin to be angry or frustrated. Robin just went to the console, walking around it and doing something with the controls. "Let's see him steal from my TARDIS now!" Robin murmured.
"What are you doing?" I asked again.
"Activating ALL the TARDIS's defenses." He said plainly.
"I trust the meeting went well then?" I said sarcastically.
"Oh very well" Robin said whilst he worked the console.
"So where now then?" I continued.
"I guess it's time we met your friend Marceline" Robin smiled. Finally something positive.
It must have been hours when I eventually woke, I couldn't remember the last time I had slept so well. Robin had insisted we wait till I was rested before seeing Marceline. This morning my heart still ached but my sorrow was replaced with determination. Determination to save my world, save Marceline and everyone I'd ever met, would meet and would never meet. And then I would figure out Robin, he hid something, every gram of my existence said there was something more to him, but why would he lie to me? When I sat up I realized I was in bed. But not my bed. I was on the TARDIS. Looking around I noticed Robin's Psychic paper on the bench beside a bunch of flowers.
It read "Right, left, left, right, 200m on right and right again. See you there."
I admired the beautiful flowers, taking in their scent. I put the physic paper in my jacket pocket and headed out to find Robin, deciding I needed to know what was happening. After successfully navigating my way I found myself by a slow flowing river, full of lilies. Outdoors! I stood on a river bank blanketed with red grass, at the bottom of a steep ravine. Large boulders lay dotted around me and lots of beautiful silver leafed trees. Frustratingly from my vantage point I could not view the landscape which lay above.
"Robin, Robin? Where are you?" I called as I wandered around. And there I found him, he had fallen asleep under a tree in one of two deck chairs. I didn't want to wake Robin so I just lay in the chair beside him.
"Sleep well?" He asked to my surprise then turning to face me.
"Yes very well." I said as he pulled a tray with two glasses from seemingly nowhere.
"That's good to hear, you looked so peaceful." he said handing me a glass.
"I will not endeavour to question how you managed to move me." I smiled, taking a sip from the glass. "Mm this is exquisite, what is it?"
"Venusian mineral water, it is said the unusual mineral deposits unique to their planet give it this incredible strawberry flavour."
"Amazing." I said thinking how many times I had said that these past few days.
"Look..." he began "About the other day and when we... Kissed. I can't begin to explain how sorry I am for hurting you, it was never my intention to cause you any pain. I really am sorry"
"I don't pretend to understand you Robin, but I guess for the time being I'm not really one to argue. You are helping save my kingdom and its land after all so for that I am eternally grateful."
"Thank you, I hope we can always be friends, like this." He spoke, choosing his words carefully.
"I don't know if we can be one without the other. I don't think I could ever just see you as just a friend." I sighed "I have never met anyone like you."
"Anne falling in love with a Time Lord is just begging to get hurt. But really Anne..." He said gripping my hand "Your friendship means a lot to me." Robin stressed that point.
"Is that why you did it? Are you worried about hurting me? Robin I think I can make my own decisions…" I was cut off when he placed a finger over my lips.
"Anne, for now let's just enjoy each other's company." he said to my frustration. I stared up at the sky, watching clouds roll over.
"Well do you want to talk about something else? You were in quite a huff when you came back and have hardly said anything. So what happened in the meeting you had with, what did you call him...? It was either 'The Celestial Toymaker' or... 'The charlatan'."
"Ah, I wasn't in a particularly good mood was I?" Robin grinned taking a sip from his glass. "Sorry, I'm not really sure what you want me to tell you."
"Tell me everything" I smiled intently.
"Well you asked for it" Robin said resting back into his chair and placing the cool glass to his forehead. "I suppose I may as well tell you. I may be stuck here for a while. Essentially Anne, The Toymaker is one of a group of Guardians... They are one of the highest forces in all existence. Each have their own specific interest. The White and the Black Guardians personify and control Order and Chaos. 'The Celestial Toymaker' or as he's sometimes known; 'The Crystal Guardian', represents dreams and illusions. He's something of a mischief maker really. He once enjoyed trapping people in game worlds and setting them challenges. If the person lost they remained as one of the Toymakers amusements for eternity. In the rare occasion they won, the game world fell apart and the victor would perish with it. He's quite a bad loser. Luckily enough though, he now has a new interest."
"And what might that be" I asked.
"Me" Robin boasted "And your world."
"WHAT?" I said both surprised and concerned.
"Ha oh that's what I first said." Robin laughed. "He's been manipulating my timeline, ever since I became lost. He seemed positively overjoyed with the accomplishment."
"That is terrible. You think he is the reason you cannot get to your home universe?" I asked concernedly.
"Probably not. No, he takes more credit than he's due. And to be plain, traversing my way back is not easy. In a multiverse there are infinite possibilities. I am Time Lord, so for me dimension hopping is like being a fish out of water. It's like trying to sail across a foreign sea where you don't recognise any of the stars." Robin paused. "But anyway, now that I know what he's been doing I can look to avoid it. No more fun for him."
"See, I knew you would get around it" I smiled, however Robin still seemed gloomy and hung down. "Oh come on Robin cheer up."
"But that's not it, Anne. He likes your world. And that is not a good thing." Robin said seriously. "Guardians are not supposed to act directly so they operate by guise of 'agents', they could choose anyone but often settle on a Time Lord for the job. In this case, me." Robin sighed. "He wants me to rid your world of The Lich."
"But that is good, it is what you were doing anyway" I smiled "Robin, don't worry so much."
"If only it were so simple. This is The Celestial Toymaker we're talking about. Once I fix one problem he'll find another, just to entertain himself. Or maybe he'll torment me in one of his game worlds." Robin sighed, and sunk back into his chair.
I could see then his concerns appeared very real. I felt for his situation. I placed a hand to his shoulder supportively.
"I understand. I am sorry for you. What it must be like to have a god-like being after you. Maybe if you could run away, back to your own universe. Your own people would protect you." I suggested.
Robin buried his face in his hands "Not possible. The Toymaker took my gateway manipulator when the shields were down; it's the part of the TARDIS which allows it to hop between dimensions. I am stuck in your universe Anne." Robin explained.
"I could help you build a new one." I suggested, I had to find some way to help him.
"Unlikely, no offense but you don't have the resources Gallifrey had to offer. No I'll just have to outwit him... Or something. Maybe if I could find a Charged Vacuum Emboitment" Robin sighed again.
"A what?" I jumped to ask.
"A CVE, it's a... Oh never mind, It would never work. Let's just change subject can we? Again." Robin asked seemingly let down by his inability for an answer to his troubles.
"I understand." I smiled supportively taking his hand "I am with you in this Robin, we will find a way out." He seemed to brighten at that, hope showed in his eyes "Now how about you explain 'this'." I said waving to the sky above me.
"You really want me to explain?" he asked meeting my gaze with a grin.
"Yes. It is spectacular, truly remarkable, this room goes on forever. It is like you are a Prince of your own land." I smiled captivated by what I saw.
"Hm yes, Prince of everything and no one. Has a nice ring to it don't you think?" Robin smiled in a way that I, myself, couldn't help but smile too. "Mm how to explain... OH!" Robin grinned rising to his feet and leading me off by the hand "Explanations are overrated. How about I show you?!" Robin led me up a tight trail which nestled its way between trees, climbing its way up one side of the ravine. Robin energetically led me at a fast walk or perhaps run until we reached the top. Clearing the trees we could then see long rolling pastures of expansive red grass, silver leafed forests and a blazing rust coloured sky with two suns. On a mountain side in the distance I could see a magnificent citadel, held within a clear sphere as if it were safely housed away from harm inside a glass snow globe. Though I doubted very much it was glass. There I stood utterly lost for words. Robin had meanwhile sat, looking contemplatively across the world before him. I too sat, just beside him trying to think how to pose my next question.
"Robin" I begun wondering if I could be losing my mind "Is this your home? Is this Gallifrey?" I asked. The entire notion seemed entirely impossible and yet it was just as Robin had described it earlier.
"Hmm" He grinned, his eyes reddened with a happy and also sombre gleam. "No... And yes." I gazed at him, and in that one moment to be honest I really was speechless, without a clue of what to say. "It's a replica of Gallifrey, I built it."
"You built this?! Surely not by hand?" I asked.
"Of course not by hand!" Robin laughed. "With my own special blend of Block Transfer Computations and Quantum mnemonics. Think of it like matter replication on a massive scale, but it's nothing like that. Just for the time being, think matter replication." He smiled boyishly "I had all the parameters from the TARDIS data banks and some of it from memory. But it's all exact to the finest detail. All of it."
"I'm not sure quite what to say." I said smiling happily "Thank you, for sharing this with me." I said squeezing his hand lightly.
"My honour." Robin smiled back. He continued to sit contemplatively, not that I could really blame him. Perched atop that windswept ravine I could have watched for hours.
"One thing I don't get, if you can create all this then why can you not create a new gateway manipulator much the same way?" I asked.
Robin met my gaze with a smile "You are clever" he said before turning his gaze back to the world around him. "Good idea but no. Landscapes, architecture, even trees and other plant life are all relatively simple... Well simple in comparison to creating significantly advanced technology like a Gateway manipulator or spacecraft or most forms of technology. The calculations for all this were hard enough. To create a new device with these methods would be harder than making it from scratch with raw materials."
I sighed. I'd really thought for a moment it may work. I leant to his shoulder comfortingly. "You will get home Robin... One day." He smiled back, though I wasn't sure if it was out of hope or simply because of me. I wanted to give him hope, without hope what did he have? I wondered what I could do to take his mind off the subject. My desire to see more of this world gave me an idea. I pulled Robin to his feet with me and headed for the citadel in the distance.
"Where are you taking us?" Robin asked surprised by my sudden energy "Robin, you couldn't bring me here and not give me a tour of a Time Lord city!" I smiled enthusiastically. He immediately halted, letting go my hand and backing away.
"No, I can never go there Anne." Robin exclaimed seriously.
"Why?" I asked perplexed by his sudden reaction.
"Because if I should ever walk back into that city then I shall do it for real. Not in this replica but for real." Robin explained. I immediately regretted leading him off to give me a tour.
"Oh. Of course, I understand. I'm sorry, it was insensitive of me." I said sympathetically.
"No, you weren't to know. Anne you are welcome to go and look for yourself, but I cannot go with you." Robin explained with a returning smile.
"Thank you, but another day." I said.
"Well I'm heading back now, you coming?" Robin asked. 'Back down that ravine?' I thought reluctantly. He then asked me to take his hands and close my eyes. Saying something about a 'shortcut'. The instant I opened them again we stood by the doorway where I had entered this outdoor place. Before I could ask how, Robin simply reminded me "The TARDIS is telepathic." I smiled as I remembered how I had heard her song earlier. I almost wished he had transported us straight back to the console room rather than make us walk down all these corridors. Still, I enjoyed our conversation as we walked. I couldn't help but consider how big the TARDIS really was.
"Wouldn't carrying so much around have ill effect on your TARDIS's performance?" I asked curiously.
"Actually size is irrelevant. Perhaps even beneficial." Robin explained "I would have thought you would be well versed on the concept?" Robin asked as we approached the console room.
"Ha how do you figure that?" I asked not really following his train of thought.
"The Earth scientist, 'Albert Einstein' coined the concept quite beautifully. Einstein did exist didn't he? In this reality I mean." Robin asked. 'Oh' I thought, then understanding his suggestion.
"E=mc2" I said in slight awe "Are you suggesting you can convert the TARDIS's matter into energy?"
"Precisely." Robin smiled "Prefer not to of course, but in a pinch, if other sources are drained or insufficient then portions of the TARDIS can be converted to pure energy. Great when stuck in a jam."
(Third Person)
"You sure you are up for this?" Robin asked Anne.
"Hm why wouldn't I be?" Anne replied containing her nervous excitement. The last time she had seen Marceline, Anne had watched her die. Anne had always figured Marceline to be the survivor, the one who would always escape harm. Till that point she'd been seemingly untouchable, so her death had come as heavy wakeup call and reminder of the seriousness of the trial which awaited them all. "Oh I am fine Robin." Anne assured him.
Robin turned to Anne a moment between plotting in some coordinates, "I know that look."
Anne slumped into a seat brushing aside the long hair from her eyes "I can't let her die again. She's my oldest friend, I just couldn't."
"It will be okay." Robin smiled warmly. "Have hope."
Anne gave a simple nod, meeting Robin's gaze a moment to see the assurance in his expression.
"Nearly there" Robin said as his TARDIS materialized in Marceline's living room.
The Time Lord stepped out the door taking a brief look around. From the corner of his eye he caught glimpse of her, she swung a blood red axe straight at him. Ducking, the axe missed its mark, instead landing with a heavy thud on the door of his TARDIS. Robin took a sigh of relief, noting there was not a scratch to his beloved TARDIS.
"What did my TARDIS ever do to you?" Robin said, for the moment not grasping much else of the situation. Marceline bared her fangs angrily, raising her axe again. "Whoa, how's about we take one moment to think this through shall we?" Robin said with a raised hand "I mean, no need to be rash."
"Get out of my palace, you thieving Door Lord."
"What's a 'Door Lord'?" Robin asked curiously, making Marceline angrier.
"Marcy" Anne called excitedly stepping out of the TARDIS. Marceline dropped the axe in surprise.
"Princess?" Marceline gasped.
"Robin is not a Door Lord silly" Anne explained, she ran straight to Marceline and wrapped her arms around the vampire, much to Marceline's great surprise.
"Never leave me, please? Promise you'll never leave me" Anne pleaded gripping onto Marceline. Robin meanwhile watched on with weary eyes, the Time Lord needed no explanation, he'd seen it all before.
"What? Did something happen?" Marceline replied very puzzled by Anne.
"Just promise me." Anne demanded.
"Fine, I promise." Marceline answered a little awkwardly, not pretending to understand Anne's odd behaviour for a second. Marceline turned her attention back to the unfamiliar in the room. "Now if he's not a Door Lord what is he?" Marceline asks gesturing to Robin.
Anne walked back to Robin and explained "Marceline, this is Robin, a Time Lord."
"A Time Lord... The ancient enemy?!" Marceline said in shock.
"Oi I'll have none of that! I have it on good authority I can trust you" Robin winked to Anne "So if you'd grant me the same courtesy I think we'll all get on just fine." Robin replied to Marceline.
Marceline turned a scowl to Anne "You expect me to trust a Time Lord? They once drove Vampires to the brink of extinction!"
"What is going on? You never said you were enemies in those legends you told me Marceline!" Anne said stepping between a soon to be all out argument.
Robin spoke up to clear the misunderstanding "Our people went to war over 10 billion years ago in what we call the 'Old Times' I have to admit I was surprised when I found out there were even any Vampires left."
Marceline replied "And I thought the Time Lords were extinct! At least that's what our legends say." Unknowingly landing an emotional blow to the Time Lord.
"Look I am not here to fight you. You are clearly not like The Great Vampires of Old, you can't single handily suck the life from an entire planet can you?" Robin asked bluntly.
"No" Marceline replied confused. "Why do you ask that, no Vampire has that sort of power?"
"The Great Vampires did; you see now why we had to stop them? They would have killed everything in existence. I admit, it was the fault of the Time Lords that vampires ever entered this plane of reality. It was back in the early times of the universe, our society was just developing and Rassilon was experimenting in interdimensional portals and accidentally let vampires through." Robin explained stepping back to his TARDIS. "So distantly, in some way or another all Vampires today are descended from those early days of the universe."
"Well thanks for the history lesson." Marceline said annoyed with crossed arms.
"Good, now I need your help to find a certain Mr Fisher King" Robin explained stepping through the TARDIS doors.
"You want to see the Fisher King?" Marceline asked.
"Yes" Robin called back.
"Come on Marceline." Anne led Marceline inside and walked to stand beside the console. Marceline however stopped just inside the doorway.
"Yoinks, okay guys anyone care to explain why it's bigger on the inside? ... No? Okay I'll just file this one under 'freak out about later'".
Robin was working the console and talking with Anne when Marceline came over.
"Look I'm sorry for trying to kill you, I thought you were a Door Lord, I, um... we have had some bad experiences with them lately" she gulped "and I didn't know all that stuff about Vampires once being a cosmic threat so I guess I, …. I guess if Anne says I should trust you then that is enough for me."
"What about the axe?" Robin asked "Swing it at everyone that comes by for tea?"
"It's a family heirloom, I could never throw it out so I turned it into a neat guitar, see?" Marceline explained. Haven't seen that before Robin meanwhile stated. "Plus it makes a pretty good weapon if I ever need protection. Like moments when strangers materialize in my palace chambers!" Marceline continued to explain.
"Okay you have a point there" Robin admitted putting his hand to the back of his neck instinctively.
"He does that." Anne said bluntly.
Marceline just laughed a little "Oh I'm sure."
"Now..." Robin spoke "What are Door Lords?" Marceline turned to Anne to answer.
"Ah... Well, erm. They're a sort of group with rudimentary portal technology which they use to open 'doors' to places. Problem though, the technology is incredibly unstable, probably even harmful. It is causing them to change, maybe even causing them to evolve into something new." Anne explained.
"They are scavengers, love to pinch anything of worth. Most importantly they like to turn up unannounced. Like someone we know" Marceline scowled the last part.
"Okay I see your point. And anyway I am sorry, that war was billions of years before my time but I'm sorry for what happened. I am glad to know vampires aren't extinct, genocide is such a terrible thing. I see I misjudged you, perhaps we should start over?" Robin asked sympathetically. "Robin" he said reintroducing himself. Marceline ignored the offer of a handshake, instead choosing to hug him very tightly.
"Oh thank you." Marceline said letting him go. Robin eased his arm, sore from her super-strength hug. Marceline smirked "didn't think you'd get off that easily did you?"
"Hey watch it Vampire girl!" Robin waved his finger.
"Watch it Time boy!" Marceline replied with a smirk. The two had a mutual grin for one moment. "Don't mention it" Robin replied happily.
"You know I don't even drink blood! I never have, I get by on other things. Really I do." Marceline assured him.
"Well I am impressed" Robin replied genuinely pleased.
"Oh I am glad you two are getting on" Anne said stepping back into the conversation.
"Is something going on between you guys?" asked Marceline curiously, eyeing the two.
"No, what gave you that idea?" Robin said waving aside the suggestion, Anne gave a nervous glance.
"I can sense it. I am a vampire remember? There is uneasiness between you two." Marceline pointed out.
"Don't be ridiculous Marceline." Anne laughed the remark aside. Marceline stepped closer to Anne whilst Robin was busy at the console. She gave Anne a teasing look wanting to know more. "It's complicated" Anne mouthed.
"You kissed him didn't you?" Marceline continued.
"You two want a moment?" Robin interrupted noticing the two secretly talking. The two girls laughed, breaking their conversation. Really they were glad just to see one another again.
"So then, which number are you?" Marceline asked directing the question at Robin.
"That's bit of a personal question" Robin replied hesitating slightly "Well if you must know, this is my first form. And for the record I am only 200!" Robin answered a little uneasily. Marceline smirked at his reaction. "Oh he's just a school boy" Marceline said in a cutesy- wootsy voice while pinching Robin's cheek. He quickly pushed away her hand.
"What are you talking about? What do you mean just a school boy?" Anne asked very confused.
"I'll have you know I graduated Time Lord Academy, Marceline! But Marceline is right. I am very young for a Time Lord. You see we Time lords can change our bodies if we are too aged or mortally wounded, it's called regeneration. I guess you could think of it a bit like being reincarnated. I am still on my first, thanks to you Anne. If it wasn't for you I would have regenerated or died the night you found me. I should probably have explained all this to you sooner." Robin said apologetically.
"Whoa that's really something... Oh it is fine, I know you would have told me about all this sooner or later. Things have been full on lately." Anne said understandingly.
"Full on?" Marceline grinned.
"That is not what I meant Marceline!" Anne said annoyed.
"No I get it, you two are on some important mission and all. Oh and anyway what's a few hundred years between us near immortals?" Marceline joked. "I hope I didn't rock the boat you guys."
"No damage done" Robin replied.
"Yay that's great" Marceline spoke nonchalantly "Now anyone care to explain what the apparent emergency is?" she asked equally bluntly putting an arm around each of them.
Anne went on to explain everything that had happened these past few days, leaving out the part about Marceline's future-self dying.
"Okay so you think I can help you find the Fisher King?" Marceline asked once up to speed on the situation.
"Precisely" Robin budded in.
Marceline breathed a sigh, taking in the prospect of an impending cataclysm. "Cool."
Authors Note:
The Great Vampires were first seen in the episode "State of Decay" which was part of the 'E-Space Trilogy'. In that episode it was explained the Time Lords once had a war with Vampires so long and bloody it sickened the Time Lords of violence forever. For more info look up "Record of Rassilon".
One of the Doctor Who novels once offered an explanation that all vampires on Earth were descended from the Great Vampires of Old. I figured i'd make use of that connection here.
Thanks to my epic betas! You guys should go check out their stuff (list of betas ch 1).
Now let me know your thoughts on this chapter! So go type some stuff in that box!