Journey Amongst the Stars

By Lumendea

Chapter Fifty: The Toymaker's Challenge: A New Old Friend

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: I'm posting this early because my Saturday is going to be utterly insane. Enjoy!

…

Jack was not having a good day. It had started just fine but had taken a serious turn for the worst. Yes, he was warm now, but he was no closer to finding the others. The sight of the TARDIS had been wonderful for the first few seconds until he'd realized that he was alone. It hadn't been the Doctor who brought him back here, which meant that he had the Toymaker to thank for saving him from the frozen tundra.

"Seriously," Jack grumbled. "I beat my game first? Really, Doctor, are you losing your touch?"

Jack kept glancing around the large space, trying to think of something he could do to distract the Toymaker. There were games, and he was tempted to start playing with them, or smash them to get the Toymaker's attention, but…. Well, he'd been brought back to the TARDIS. He couldn't leave, but so far, the Toymaker did seem to be following some kind of rules. If Jack made him mad, he might not be the one that the Toymaker turned that anger on.

Pacing in front of the TARDIS, Jack tapped the wood with his knuckles each time he walked past. He'd been trusted with the key, and right now, he still couldn't get it. That was more than disappointing. His eyes dropped to his vortex manipulator. The blasted thing wouldn't even turn on. None the less, he stopped pacing and tried to activate the system. Nothing happened. The tiny display screen remained blank. It couldn't even tell him where and when they were.

Jack was a Time Agent. He'd been trained to handle all kinds of strange things. He'd learned about many of the strange beings of the universe who could time travel and even a few who lived in the Time Vortex. They'd gone over the Weeping Angels and other creatures that consumed temporal energy. He'd trained to adapt and survive all across human history without changing events. While the Time Agents might occasionally give off an air of recklessness, the training took over a decade.

Yet, all that training, all those years of study, had not prepared him for things he was dealing with now. The Time Lords had been just a legend, a topic briefly touched upon, and the Time War was one of the myths that agents learned about as a cautionary tale. Eternals, and whatever the hell the Toymaker was had not been on the final exam.

Jack sank into one of the ornate chairs with a sigh. It was nice to be warm again, but right now, he'd go back to that snowy arena if it meant that he knew how Rose and the Doctor were. Turning his attention to the tables of games, Jack began to review everything that the Toymaker had left here, just in case there were any clues. It was a long shot, but there was nothing else he could do. Picking up the toys one by one, he did his best to ignore the creepiness of his situation and let him mind work.

…..

Mist was rolling in amongst the trees. Rose could see less and less of the world as it became fuzzier and fuzzier in the distance. Again, she couldn't help but think of the Trickster's empty white void. Only a few feet ahead of Rose, her wolf guide trotted along and occasionally looked back to make sure she was there.

"This has never happened before," Rose muttered. "Bad Wolf words that do something!"

But that wasn't completely true. Something had happened in New York against Fenric that had to do with the words Bad Wolf, but Rose didn't know the details. She didn't remember anything after seeing the words. The Doctor had assured her that everything was okay, but it stuck out in her memory.

And now, the words had called a guide it seemed. Or maybe this was something else. Maybe someone else. After all, this was the Toymaker's world, and maybe the words Bad Wolf had given someone a way to break in. She needed to be careful. But then again, the words had long been her ally. The Doctor had assured her time and time again that they were safe.

She just didn't know what to think right now. Nothing seemed safe, and she didn't trust her senses. The Toymaker had too much control here for Rose to believe anything. Beneath her feet, the soil had slight give, and the air seemed fresh, but this was all either an illusion or a temporary creation. It was rather like an Eternal, Rose thought again before sighing in frustration. They went down a sloping hillside covered with trees, and despite the fog growing thicker and thicker, the wolf seemed to know where it was going.

"Is this fog from the Toymaker or you?" Rose asked the wolf.

It didn't answer. She hadn't really expected it to, but some information would have been nice. The ground evened out a little in a small valley between the hills. Rose couldn't see very far, but a dark spot quickly caught her attention. It was an opening in the side of the hill, surrounded by smooth stones and thick moss growth.

The wolf paused in front of the cave entrance and turned to look back at Rose with expectant eyes. Rose stopped and eyed the cave nervously. It looked dark, and given what had happened with the other wolf creature, Rose wasn't sure that she wanted to go into a confined space. A distant, distorted howl made her tense. Looking over her shoulder, she searched the trees for any sign of the creature that had attacked her earlier.

Nothing. The forest was a silent wall of mist now. Rose didn't want to stay out here, unable to see if the monster returned. She dug into her bag and pulled out her phone. Rose gave into hope and tried to call the TARDIS only for the screen to remain blank. Whatever the Toymaker was, he did indeed have near-total control over what happened in his toybox.

"I just hope that this isn't a part of his game," Rose muttered.

She followed the wolf into the cave, turning on the flash of her phone to serve as a torch. The walls were smooth and covered with watermarks and lines of deposited sediment. A rich earthy smell surrounded Rose that was so sharp and real that for an instant, she was dizzy. The wolf was waiting a few feet away, but much to Rose's shock, it had begun to glow a soft golden color. The gentle light illuminated the walls much better than Rose's phone could. Seeing that she was following, the wolf resumed its trek deeper into the cave.

Rose went slowly, careful of her footing in the cave. Every so often, she heard the sound of dripping water and was worried about finding a slick spot. Geology had never been her thing, not compared to everything else there was to learn, but she did remember some of the basics of how caves worked. Long stalagmites and stalactites surrounded her, creating disjointed shadows as her wolf guide's glow moved ahead of her. It was creepy.

Then the tunnel opened into a massive cavern room. At the center was a strange pedestal made from one of the stone pillars that had been sliced off. On the top of the pedestal was an elaborately decorated earthen jar that was sealed at the top. It took Rose a moment to realize that the light in this room was much more even. The light was coming from the walls, not her wolf guide.

"Let me guess," Rose said to the wolf. "I'm supposed to open the jar."

The wolf didn't respond with words, but it looked at her expectantly making its view very clear. Rose sighed. This was what her life had come to. She's signed up for time and space travel, but this… this was something else, and Rose wasn't sure that she liked it.

Rose stepped closer to the pedestal and examined the sides of the jar. There didn't seem to be any words or clear images on it. Instead, the dark lines that contrasted with the pale color of the pot seemed to be elaborate geometric designs. Nothing gave her any clues about was in the jar. The top was sealed with a massive metallic stopper that shimmered oddly. Narrowing her eyes at the metal, Rose stepped back.

"Is that chronosteel? Or whatever it's called?"

The wolf gave her clues this time. It just stared at her with that same expectant look. Another sigh escaped Rose, and she summoned her sword. But she didn't swing. She stared at the jar, well aware that this could be a trap. It could be a trick by the Toymaker to get her to free something she shouldn't. Her stomach turned with indecision.

…..

The Toymaker was worried. The Doctor made another move, capturing a bishop with a knight. So far, the chess game was going far too well for him. He couldn't see the makings of any traps on the board, and the Toymaker seemed genuinely upset with every capture. The being across from him was almost fidgeting.

"Does she ever frighten you?" the Toymaker asked, breaking the silence.

"Who?"

"Rose Tyler, of course." The Toymaker fixed his dark eyes on the Doctor. "Who else would I be asking about?" Impatience colored his voice.

The Toymaker was losing it. His next move put his last bishop straight into the Doctor's sights. With a quick move of a rook, the Doctor took it and smirked when the Toymaker couldn't return the attack. Forcing down his pleasure, the Doctor focused on the Toymaker's question and the issue at hand.

"Not in the sense you mean," the Doctor answered. "I try not to make her mad at me, but no, I don't fear her. I can understand why you might, though. Rose doesn't take kindly to people who try to trap her." He weighed his next words for a moment. "If you're so concerned, concede now and let us leave."

"I can't." The words were solemn. There was no glee, no taunting in them. "Not this time, Doctor." The Toymaker shook his head and moved his queen. "That is not an option."

"Why not?"

"The Toybox is failing." The Toymaker shrugged. "The Time War did far more damage than even you know." The Toymaker looked up at the crumbling ceiling above them that the Doctor had been trying to ignore. "It shattered important metaphysical aspects of the universe. I am not a being of this universe, and thus I have keenly felt the effects."

"And what does that have to do with us?"

"Everything," the Toymaker answered. His jaw tightened, and his trembled as he reached for a chess piece. "It isn't anything personal, Doctor. You're remain here to entertain me."

"And Rose."

The Toymaker moved his piece and didn't answer. The Doctor gripped the edge of the table. He couldn't afford to get angry right now. This body hummed with anger, with barely contained rage. It had been from the moment he'd been born in the fire of Gallifrey's death. The illusions around him were sights that he had never seen in these eyes.

"Is the Eternals you're working for?" the Doctor pressed in a tightly controlled voice.

"Yes." The Toymaker straightened up. "It is your move, Doctor."

….

Gold flashed through the air and collided with the metal at the top of the jar. Rose grit her teeth. There was resistance. She'd never tried to destroy chronsteel before if that was what this was, and fear suddenly overtook her.

But the metal cracked. Rose's sword returned to bracelet form without her letting go of it, and she looked down in worry and confusion. The bracelet seemed intact, but the gold was duller than normal. She had to hope that it was temporary. Looking back at the jar, Rose waited for something to happen. A long moment passed with the jar remaining in its place. The seal was gone, and there was nothing.

"Uh, were you expecting something?" Rose turned to ask the wolf only to find it gone.

A flash of violet light threatened to blind Rose. Throwing her hands over her eyes, she stepped back, and all thoughts of the wolf were gone. When the light faded, Rose blinked and turned her attention back to the pedestal. Fragments of the jar were scattered across the floor of the cavern, but more importantly, was the figure standing before her.

It was a figure that Rose knew though she had not seen them for some time. They appeared female with soft violet skin and seemed darker than Rose remembered in the low light. Highlights of silver made her dark purple eyes seem all the more otherworldly, but Rose wasn't frightened. In place of human hair, black and silver frills grew out of their scalp. They were dressed in a simple long violet robe that barely allowed Rose to see their bare violet feet under the hem.

"Violet Guardian," Rose breathed. "The real Guardian of Dreams."

Her mind was spinning. She wasn't sure exactly what was going on yet, but at least she knew who this being was. The Violet Guardian had helped with her memories of other lives when the Nightman Man had turned them against her. But… but was she working with the Toymaker now? Rose wasn't sure, but she couldn't shake the notion that she'd just opened a prison.

"And you are Rose Tyler, are you not?" the Violet Guardian asked. Their eyes were fixed on Rose and gleaming with curiosity.

"You don't know me?" Rose asked in confusion.

"I know of you," the Violet Guardian answered. "But we have never met before." Her smile was soft and comforting.

"Right." Rose shook her head. "Right, you said that, when we first met, uh, to me." It wasn't often that Rose was tongued tied, but the relief was still the primary emotion she was feeling, and it was overwhelming. "You said that we are future friends."

"Then I am very pleased to meet you. Thank you for freeing me."

"Freeing you?" The last of Rose's fear evaporated. "You were a prisoner?"

"For a long time now, I fear." The Violet Guardian paused and closed their eyes. "Yes, it has been several thousand years. The Toymaker has been siphoning off my power to fuel his own."

"But you're a Guardian!"

"We are not indestructible," the Violet Guardian said. "We are no absolute, as much as we might wish that we were."

Sorrow and regret filled her voice, providing confirmation to Rose that something terrible had happened to a Guardian long ago, and she didn't think that Violet was thinking of herself. She'd gotten the same impression from time to time from White and even once from Black. Holding back a shiver, Rose tried to imagine who would want to try and destroy a Guardian given the potential consequences. She couldn't, and the thought made her fearful.

"So is the Toymaker venerable now?" Rose asked hopefully, eager to change the subject. "Can you stop him?"

The Violet Guardian smiled. "He is weaker, but do not think him vulnerable just yet. The Toymaker is a being of Chaos. He originated within the Pantheon of Discord, transdimensional beings spawned in the chaos before time. They force their way into our world, but the Toymaker had far better luck than the others at hooking himself into the fabric of reality."

"Through you?"

"Yes." The Violet Guardian lowered her eyes in shame. "Yes, I am afraid so."

"That's why he claimed to be a Guardian too," Rose said. "He's been siphoning off your power."

"Indeed."

The Violet Guardian moved closer to Rose, leaning forward to inspect her. Rose stayed still and tried not to show any discomfort. This was a being that would be in her mind, see her dreams and nightmares. Granted, under the circumstances, Rose hadn't had a lot of choice, but it had earned the Violet Guardian some trust.

"Oh," the Violet Guardian breathed. "Oh, yes, indeed. I see it now." Suddenly the Violet Guardian was smiling. "I apologize, but I wasn't sure."

"I thought you knew of me." Rose was getting confused now.

"Things are a bit complex when you are a Guardian," Violet answered patiently. "I apologize. I am trying to… synch my senses back with the universe as a whole. Being contained like that dulled them greatly."

Rose repressed a shudder. She imagined that it had been different for a being like the Violet Guardian, but the whole idea sounded horrible. Then the Violet Guardian closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. A faint violet light surrounded her. Rose stepped back from the Violet Guardian and bit her lower lip to hold back frantic laughter that was threatening to escape her. Yes, it was another weird day in the life of a time traveler.