Part 1 of 4: "Scarlet Letter".
Welcome to another thrilling episode of…"Big Top"!
A booming male voice was ringing from up above somewhere. Red slowly opened her eyes. "Huh…?"
I am your host, the Ringmaster. And here are this week's performers!
Red squinted as a bright white spotlight shone down on her. She was lying on dirt, in an otherwise dark room. Around her, the Doctor, the Master, and Clara, also lying on the ground, were slowly coming to. "Where are we?" Clara muttered.
From the lost planet of Gallifrey, you know him as the Oncoming Storm, Merlin, and many other names. But he prefers the title the Doctor!
The Doctor rose to his feet. "Where are we? Who's there?"
Also from Gallifrey, he's wreaked havoc throughout the cosmos in the past, but nowadays he considers himself retired to a quiet life of domesticity on board the TARDIS with his husband. Audience, meet the Master!
"Who's domestic?! I'll show you domestic!" the Master growled.
Our third performer is an English teacher from the planet Earth. She likes baking, reading, and sword fighting. Standing at 5'2, Clara Oswald!
"Doctor, what is going on here?" Clara demanded.
"I don't know," said the Doctor, looking around.
And lastly, our fourth performer is a bit of a mystery to us all. She's ginger, she's portly, and she's quite the little livewire! Give it up for the Red Lady!
"Who the hell are you callin' portly, bub?!" Red snapped.
You will pass through the seven rings of the circus, facing challenges both physical and mental. If you survive, you'll be allowed to leave the circus safely. Are you ready, performers?
"No, we aren't! What's going on?!" shouted the Master.
Too bad! The show must go on. Good luck!
Trapdoors opened up beneath their feet. With cries of surprise, the four of them fell down into darkness.
"Doctor?"
"Master?"
"Clara!"
"Red Lady?"
The Doctor clicked on a flashlight he kept in his inner coat pocket. "Everyone alright?"
"Bit bruised, but no worse for wear," said the Red Lady, standing up and dusting herself off. "What the hell is going on?"
"I don't know," said the Doctor. "This all seems very familiar. Like I've been here before…"
"So what, we've been kidnapped and put on some reality game show?" Clara inquired.
"Would seem that way," said the Doctor. "Odd. Very familiar…"
"What's happened to the TARDIS?" said the Master.
"They must've taken it and hidden it somewhere. I reckon we'll find it at the end of the game."
"So we have to play, then," said Clara.
"Would seem so," the Doctor replied.
"'If we survive,'" the Master quoted the Ringmaster. "Remember?"
"What did he mean by 'challenges both physical and mental'?" Clara wondered.
"Good question," said Red, looking around. "Could we have some light on the subject?" Then, inexplicably, the lights in the chamber came up. "Ah. Thank…you."
The foursome was frozen in fear. They had been dropped into a room full of none other than Daleks.
The slumbering war machines were coming online. "A-LERT! A-LERT! IN-TRU-DERS! IN-TRU-DERS!" shouted one.
"TIME LORDS DE-TECT-ED!"
"EX-TER-MIN-ATE!"
"Get behind me!" Red shouted. She cast a force field in front of her as the other three cowered behind her. The Daleks' death rays rebounded off the field harmlessly.
"THIS FE-MALE HAS BI-O-LO-GI-CAL EN-HANCE-MENTS BE-YOND HER SPE-CIES!"
"MEM-OR-Y BANKS IN-DI-CATE PRE-VI-OUS EN-COUN-TERS WITH FE-MALE!"
"FE-MALE I-DEN-TI-FIED! IT IS THE RED LA-DY!"
"AN-NI-HIL-ESS OF OUR KINS-MEN!"
"EX-TER-MIN-ATE!"
"Duck!" Red screeched. The four of them got down as the Daleks fired. Red cast more force fields, deflecting the beams, but she couldn't keep it up forever.
"My sonic's not working!" the Doctor said, smacking it against his palm.
"Neither is my laser!" added the Master.
"Look, a door!" Clara said, pointing across the room.
It was a doorway big enough for them to fit through, but too small for a Dalek. It was their only way out. "If we can just make it through this field of Daleks, we'll be safe," said the Master.
"Okay. When I say run, run!" The Doctor led his team through the Daleks, jumping, weaving, and ducking death beams. They finally reached the other side of the room and made it through the door, panting, hearts pounding. The doorway closed behind them, and they were in a small, empty chamber with only a torch on the wall for light.
"There," sighed Red. "Wasn't so hard, was it?"
Clara looked at her. "Are you mad?"
"Little bit," admitted Red, nodding.
Congratulations! You passed the first ring! But that was only one level. They won't all be that easy.
"Easy?!" the Master repeated incredulously.
A door opened up before them. You now move onto the next ring. Please advance forward to face the next stage.
"And suppose we refuse?" said the Doctor.
Then you'll stay right here forever.
"Umm…anyone for advancing?" Red asked.
"I am," said Clara, raising her hand.
Reluctantly, the foursome moved forward into the next ring. The door closed behind them.