A/N Hello again. So for you Americans out there, how your Martin Luther King Day celebration? And the non-Americans, how was Monday? Thank you for those who are followed, reviewed, and maybe, just read. I'm new to this. So, I'm excited.
Disclaimer: I do not own BBC, Doctor Who, David Tennant, Catherine Tate and The Fray. I wish though. I would rule the world. MUAHAHAHAHAHA...*Coughs* Sorry got carried away there.
Anyway, enjoy.
'Italics'- thoughts/telepathy
"Ancient Rome!" the Doctor exclaimed as we departed from the TARDIS doors. "Well, not to them right now. For intents and purposes this brand new Rome."
I snort and bitterly laugh under my breath.
So many people dying...
My musings are cut short when I hear of Donna's complaints about being in Epcot or something or other.
I walked over to them and then stood in between. "No, no, no, no, no. Donna, that's the TARDIS translating for you. She just makes it look like English, the speech of a person as well. You're speaking Latin right now," I explained and grinned.
"Seriously?" she returned the grin.
I hummed with an enigmatic smile.
"I said 'seriously' in Latin?"
"Oh, yeah," I laughed and we continued to walk down the alleyway.
"So what if I say something in actual Latin? Like 'veni, vidi, vici.' My dad came home one day, he said 'veni, vidi, vici' after a football match. What would it sound like?" she inquired.
'Welsh,' I grinned and looked to the Doctor.
He just looked at me stunned, then replied quickly to Donna's question.
"I-I don't know. You like to think of the difficult questions, don't you?" the Doctor answered.
"I'm gonna try it," then she walked to the nearest vendor.
I finally noticed the Doctor was still staring at me stunned.
I frowned in concern. "What? Did I do something wrong?" I said confused.
"No, its just…I haven't heard or talked to someone like that in a very long time," he said softly.
"Oh...I'll stop, if you're uncomfortable with it," I said as I shifted uneasily.
He gave a soft smile. 'It's fine. Really. I missed this,' he thought softly.
I gave a hestitant one back. 'Okay,' I acknowledged.
"What does he mean by Celtic?" Donna interrupting our 'heart-to-heart moment.'
I turned to Donna in with a pensive frown. "He means Welsh," I responded after a few seconds. "You sound Welsh...The more you know I guess."
We turned and began to walk down another cobblestone path.
I briefly glanced back, to see Scary Pond lurking next to the wall.
It's weird seeing her without Rory right next to her. I wonder if they're at all related, I mean Amy did like the Romans. Although, I don't think Amy had the hankering for killing "blasphemers."
After walking for what seemed like an eternity and Scary Pond following us around Pompeii, Donna finally asked the fated question.
"Not an expert, but aren't there seven hills in Rome? How come they only have one?" she said looking at Vesuvius.
"Because we aren't in Rome, Donna," I said solemnly.
"What do you mean by that?"
As if on cue, the ground began to shake and anything within its vicinity. The vendors and the shoppers hunker down from the shaking, not even batting an eye. The realization finally hits them.
"Wait a minute, one mountain with smoke coming out of it? Which makes this-"the Doctor cuts her off.
"Pompeii!" he exclaimed, horrified. "We're in Pompeii and it's volcano day."
Running through the streets of Pompeii seemed almost surreal, the amount of devastation and the lives that are going to be lost because of one horrific event.
And also on a side note, I'm running faster than I've ran ever before and I'm not even close to tired yet. I really should do this more often.
I was first to where we had left the TARDIS. "FUCK!" I angrily exclaimed, causing a few passersby to stare and be wary of me.
"Oi! Language. What was that for, eh?" the Doctor was second to arrive. I just merely pointed in exasperation. "Oh."
"Yeah," I said as I ran my hands through my hair in aggravation and disbelief.
"Oh you're kidding! You're not telling me the TARDIS is gone?" Donna muttered in annoyance, a little out of breath.
The Doctor and I exchanged a glance of trepidation. "Okay," he and I said in unison.
Donna looked at us in impatience. "So where is it?" she asked.
I winced. "Well, you told us not to tell you," I mumbled meekly.
"Oi, don't get clever in Latin, Timegirl," she snapped.
I grinned sheepishly at her and she rolled her eyes in fond exasperation. I remembered the vendor that Donna talked to and he was the one to sell our transport.
'Although, who sells a blue box?!' I thought in irritation. I felt an agreeing amusement in the back of my head, who can only be the Doctor.
I glared at the stall owner in vexation. "Excuse me! Excuse me! Who was the guy YOU sold OUR big, blue, wooden box to?" I asked aggressively. I might have I growled the last sentence and got in his face, which might have scared him a bit/a lot because he answered quickly. "Where the hell is he?"
His eyes widened in fear and took an involuntary step back. "F-F-Foss S-S-Street. He lives on Foss Street. B-Big Villa, can't miss it," he managed to stammer out.
"Why would he want a big, blue, wooden box for?" I snarled and started towards the frightened man.
"I-I don't know," he said backing into his fruit stand.
"Jamie…" the Doctor warned and put a hand on my shoulder.
My eyes narrowed in clear anger. "Fine. If I see that man again…" I trailed with an undertone of malice. Though I didn't understand why I was so angry, and later I would put it down to something odd or maybe something I ate. Unfortunately, that was the wrong assumption.
"Yes, we can see that. Let's just find Foss Street and get the hell out of here," he said in placating manner, wrapping an arm across my shoulder to guide myself away from the man. And then we were off to find the man himself.
As the Doctor and I met back with Donna, things were going from bad to worse.
"Ha! We've got it! Foss Street, this way!" he exclaimed with an excited grin, as we stopped in front of Donna.
"No, I've found this big sort of amphitheater I think. We can start there. We can get everyone together. Then maybe they've got a great, big bell or something we could ring. Have they invented bells yet?" she responded.
The Doctor looked puzzled. "What do you want a bell for?" he asked.
I groaned silently. "She wants to evacuate everyone out of Pompeii," I said in an overly calm tone. She didn't catch the undertone of exasperation.
Donna nodded. "Yeah!" she exclaimed.
The Doctor frowned at her. "What?" he was still at a loss and actually looked like a lost puppy.
"To warn everyone! To start the evacuation! What time does Vesuvius erupt? When's it due?" Donna asks still not getting it.
I sighed. "It's 79 AD, 23 of August, which makes Volcano Day tomorrow," I said.
"Plenty of time, then. We can get everyone out easy."
The Doctor frowned deeper, finally understanding her motives. "Except we're not going to," he said and tried to pull Donna away. But she won't budge.
Donna stared at him in consternation. "But that's what you do. You're the Doctor. You save people," she reasoned.
I made an inarticulate sound of annoyance in my throat. "But he can't this time. Pompeii's a fixed point in history. Whatever happens here has to happen. And we can't stop it," I countered, trying to pull her as well.
She narrowed her eyes. "Says who?" Donna snapped.
"Says us," the Doctor retorted right back.
"What, and you two 're in charge?" she said indignant.
"TARDIS, Time Lords...yeah!" I snapped back, forgetting for a moment that I was human once. I blinked in confusion, I looked towards Donna, who was getting pretty red. I opened my mouth to apologize but she interrupted me.
"Donna, human...no! I don't need your permission. I'll tell them myself!" she yelled.
I breath through my nose explosively. I know that Donna just wants to help, but I can only think of the decision that shouldn't have been ours in the first place and deflate.
'Damn it all,' I thought savagely.
The Doctor has angry look on his face. "You stand in the marketplace and announce the end of the world, they'll just think you're a mad old soothsayer. Now, come on. TARDIS, we are getting out of here," the Doctor ground out.
I tried to placate the Doctor and Donna but he just pulls my hand to storm off to find his ship. I barely remembered Scary Pond was still following our every move and almost jumped out of my skin when I saw her. She looked at me, well, creepily.
Donna huffed striding after us. "Well, I just might have something to say about that, Spaceman and Timegirl!" she retorted and finally following.
"Oh, I bet you will!" the Doctor shouted back over his shoulder. I sighed in a resigned manner and moved faster to keep pace with the taller man.
When we arrived, the ground shook once more which made the furniture in the home we've sort of gate-crashed, rattle ominously.
"Whoa!" The Doctor exclaimed and caught the bust that was about to crash onto the floor. Then turned to Caecilius with his cheesiest grin. "There you go."
I stared slightly. I had forgotten that this was the Doctor's new face in a future regeneration. Though the face had less lines, the hair a bit darker, and there isn't a dark shadow in his eyes.
"Thank you, kind sir. I'm afraid business is closed for the day," Caecilius informed us politely. I grin to myself, looking like an idiot staring at the man. "I'm waiting for a visitor."
The Doctor deliberately misinterpreted his excuse. "Oh, that's me!" he exclaimed and shook the man's hand. "I'm a visitor. Hello."
The man in question frowned. "Who are you?" Caecilius asks, wary of us.
The Doctor looked a little panicked. "I am...Spartacus," he lied awfully with a grimace.
"And so am I," Donna recovered from all the running.
I rolled my eyes at their dull creativity. "I'm Julia Draco," I replied with a small wave of my hand, having enough sense to make up a better name.
He raised a brow. "I see. Mr. and Mrs. Spartacus?" Caecilius looks between Donna and the Doctor
"Oh no, we're not married," the Doctor says quickly.
"Not together," Donna says at the same time.
"Oh, then brother and sister? Yes, of course. You look very much alike," Caecilius oblivious. I just snort with laughter next to them.
"Really?" Donna and the Doctor ask in unison ignoring me.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not open for trade," Caecilius says tries to shoo us away.
"And that trade would be?" the Doctor asks, unswayed. The man is ballsy I'll give him that.
The man puffed up. "Marble. Lucius Caecilius. Mining, polishing, and design thereof. If you want marble, I'm your man," he proudly declared.
"That's good. That's good, 'cause I'm the marble inspector," he said as he walked past Caecilius and towards the TARDIS.
"By the gods of commerce, an inspection!" Metella exclaims. "I'm sorry, sir. I do apologize for my son." Then proceeds to throw Quintus' wine into the pool.
"Oi!" the son exclaims. Probably not a fan of his mother right now as he scowls at her.
"This is my good wife, Metella. I-I must confess, we're not prepared for a-" Caecilius stammers out but I cut him off.
"Nothing to worry about. I-I'm sure you've got nothing to hide. Although, frankly, that..." I said and pointed towards the TARDIS. "…object...rather looks like wood to me."
"I told you to get rid of it!" Metella hissed to her husband.
He puts up his hands in a placating gesture. "I only bought it today," Caecilius tells me defensively.
"Ah, well. Caveat Emptor," the Doctor says absently.
"Oh, you're Celtic. There's lovely," he said still wary of us.
"I'm sure it's fine but I might have to take it off your hands for a proper inspection," the Doctor responds more intently.
"Although, while we're here, wouldn't you recommend a holiday, Spartacus and Julia?" Donna asks offhandedly with a supposed 'innocent' look.
"Oh, no. You are not dragging me into this woman," I snapped in hushed tones.
"I don't know what you mean, Spartacus," the Doctor annoyed by her insistence.
"Oh, this lovely family, mother and father and son... Don't you think they should get out of town?" she pushed more.
"Why should we do that?" Caecilius asked confused.
"Well, the volcano for starters," she said.
"What?"
"Volcano," she tried again.
"What-ano?" Caecilius asked, not understanding..
"That great big volcano right on your doorstep," she insisted.
"Oh, Spartacus, for shame. We haven't even greeted the household gods yet," the Doctor said and pulled her away toward the shrine, to which I follow them. And then whispered to Donna. "They don't know what it is. Vesuvius is just a mountain to them. The top hasn't blown off yet. The Romans haven't even got a word for volcano. Not until tomorrow."
"Oh great. They can learn a new word...when they die," she remarks sarcastically.
"Donna, stop it," the Doctor ground out.
"Listen, I don't know what sort of kids you've been flyin' around with in outer space, but you're not telling me to shut up. That boy… How old is he, sixteen? And tomorrow he burns to death," Donna snapped.
"And that's our fault?" I remarked incredulously. I then looked at her in confusion. I had no idea why I was being so defensive and a tiny bit angry. I really should be siding with Donna. Why am I even angry in the first place. Donna cuts through my inner turmoil.
"Right now, yes!"
"Oh for the love of-" my rant is cut off by the servant.
"Announcing, Lucius Petrus Dextrus, Chief Augur of the city government," the man announced.
"Lucius, my pleasure as always," Caecilius greeted with a smile and a hand shake.
"Quintus, stand up," Metella hissed to her son. Quintus just rolled his eyes and stood.
"A rare and great honour, sir, for you to come to my house," Caecilius puffed out his chest in what I think was pride to Lucius.
"The birds are flying north...and the wind is in the west," Lucius just said ignoring the handshake with a stoic frown on his face. I look at him intently, knowing he was hiding a stone arm beneath that cloak.
"Right. Absolutely. That's good, is it?" Caecilius said having no idea of the man was talking about, he looked at unsure of what else to say.
"Only the grain of wheat knows where it will grow," Lucius continued, looking like he either didn't care that his audience had no idea what he was saying or just said it to be ominous.
Caecilius and his wife exchanged a bewildered glance, not understanding the meaning behind the message. "There now, Metella, have you ever heard such wisdom?"
"Never. It's an honour," Metella says equally dumbfounded.
"Pardon me, sir, I have guests. This is Spartacus, and, uh, Spartacus, and Julia," Caecilius apologized. Poor man.
"A name is but a cloud upon a summer wind," Lucius began as his eyes sharpened to eye us suspiciously. Probably wondering at the foreign garb we're wearing.
"But the wind is felt most keenly in the dark," the Doctor retorted.
"Oh, look, a pissing contest. I bet we know who has the bigger socks," I whispered to Donna.
"Who?" She whispered back, trying to stifle a giggle.
"Chief Blowhard over there. I mean, who wouldn't want some. Of. That!" She snorted. Loudly. Completely, missing the 'contest' and receiving a glare from said blowhard.
"Ssh!" the Doctor reprimanded and glared at the both of us. "We'll be off in a minute."
He then took Donna's by shoulders and guides her towards the TARDIS to which I follow, damn I was just getting started.
"I'm not going," she snapped above barely a whisper at the Doctor trying to get her into the TARDIS.
"You've got to," he pleaded.
"Well I'm not," she cried petulantly.
"The moment of revelation. And here it is..." Caecilius in pride.
I look back to get a glimpse of what looked like a circuit board on marble. Ugh. Just wanted a nice day out. And what do I get? Rock people hell bent on making Earth their new home. By force.
"Exactly as you specified. It pleases you, sir?"
"As the rain pleases the soil," Lucius vaguely replied.
The Doctor catches the unveiling. "Oh now that's...different. Who designed that then?" the Doctor rejoining them.
"Bloody hell, Doctor. Make up your mind," I hissed under my breath.
"My lord, Lucius, was very specific," Caecilius who preened at the compliment.
"Where'd you get the pattern?" the Doctor queried, inspecting the marble circuit.
"On the rain and mist and wind," Lucius said offhandedly.
"Well that looks like a circuit," Donna offered softly.
"Made of stone," the Doctor said in hushed tones.
"Do you mean you just dreamt that up?" she scoffed.
"That is my job...as City Augur," Lucius stated, well, stonily. Pardon the pun.
"What's that then, like the mayor?" she snapped none too politely.
"Oh, ah, you must excuse our friend. She's from...Barcelona," the Doctor quickly lied, then we ushered Donna to the side.
"This is an age of superstition...of official superstition. The augur is paid by the city to tell the future. 'The wind will blow from the west.' That's the equivalent of the 10:00 news," I replied quickly and animatedly.
The Doctor looked shocked and impressed.
"What? History, government, and psychology were my favorite subjects in school."
Caecilius' daughter appeared then appeared out of the hallway. She looked like death warmed over. "They're laughing at us. Those three, they use words like tricksters. They're mocking us," Evelina accused.
"No, no. I meant no offence," I quickly defended myself.
Metella moved towards her daughter to reprimand her. "I'm sorry. My daughter's been consuming the vapors," Metella apologized.
"By the gods, Mother! What have you been doing to her?" Quintus accused. The Hollocaust survivor look was probably not in style any era.
Evelina's father gave a sharp look to his son. "Not now, Quintus," Caecilius hissed.
"But she's sick. Just look at her," he implored concerned by his sister's appearance. I would be too if my sister looked like that.
"I gather I have a rival in this household," Lucius sneered. "Another with the...gift."
I raised a brow in disdain at the misogynist.
"Oh, she's been promised to the Sibylline Sisterhood," Metella proudly replied. "They say she has remarkable visions."
"The prophecies of women are limited and dull," Lucius arrogantly asserted. "Only the men folk have the capacity for true perception."
I sighed at the asshole, thinking about his assumptions
"I'll tell you where the wind's blowing right now, mate," Donna muttered mutinously.
The ground shook beneath us, as if in retaliation.
'Though those were getting more and more frequent,' I thought in alarm.
"The mountain god marks your words. I'd be careful if I were you," Lucius warned with a glare at Donna's disrespect.
"Consuming the vapors, you say?" the Doctor queried to girl.
"They give me strength," Evelina responded, looking very drained.
The Doctor eyed her posture and countenance. "It doesn't look like it to me," he refuted.
"Is that your opinion...as a doctor?" Evelina looked to him sharply.
"I beg your pardon?" the Doctor eyebrows knitted in confusion as to how this girl knows.
"Doctor," she stated simply. "That's your name."
"How did you know that?" he demanded with wide eyes.
The girl ignored him and looked towards Donna and I. "And you, you call yourself noble," she looked at Donna, then me. "And you the Guardian."
The Doctor took in a sharp breath at that.
"Now then Evelina, don't be rude," her mother scolded her.
"No, no, no," I told her mother. "Let the girl speak."
"You three come from so far away," Evelina said dreamily. The look wouldn't be out of place on Luna Lovegood's face.
"A female soothsayer in inclined to invent all sorts of vagaries," Lucius scoffed.
"Oh, not this time, Lucius. I reckon you've been out-soothsaid," the Doctor retorted with a smirk.
"Is that so...man from Gallifrey?" Lucius mocked with a smirk of his own.
"What?" the Doctor taken aback.
"Strangest of images… You and the Guardian's home were lost in fire, was it not?" Lucius confirmed. The Doctor's face became impassive at my 'name.'
"Doctor, Jamie. What are they doing?" Donna panic evident in her voice.
"And you, daughter of...London," Lucius looked at Donna.
"How does he know that?" she asked softly, clearly shaken.
"Donna, it's okay. He can't hurt you," I said, holding her left hand and rubbing circles on it.
"This is the gift of Pompeii," he stated. "Every single oracle tells the truth."
"But that's impossible," Donna said disbelievingly.
"Doctor, she is returning."
"Who is?" the Doctor demanded angrily. "Who's she?"
"And you, Daughter of London...you have something on your back," Lucius taunted with a smirk.
"What's that mean?" Donna stepped closer to me, as I glared at Lucius.
"Guardian, you will choose. For you must be and must do what has to done," Lucius prophesied. I blink at the super vague prediction. I turned myself and move slightly in front of Donna.
"What do you mean?" I snarled starting towards him, but Donna pulls me back as if I'm her one security.
As I looked into his eyes, an underlying fear was present staring back at me. I smirked sardonically.
"Even the word 'Doctor' is false. Your real name is hidden. It burns in the stars of the cascade of Medusa herself. You are a lord, sir. As the Guardian is lady. A lord and lady...of time," Evelina prophesied, exhausting herself to the point of fainting.
"Evelina!" Metella shouted in alarm and rushed to her aid as well as the Doctor.
"She didn't mean to be rude. She's ever such a good girl. But when the gods speak through her..." Metella defended her daughter.
"It's alright. What happened happened," I said stepping closer trying to console her. "I just hope she hadn't overexerted herself."
"What's wrong with her arm?" Donna asked from a distance, while Metella is unwrapping her daughter's stone forearm.
"An irritation of the skin. She never complains, bless her. We bathe it in olive oil every night," Metella praised while going through what seems to be a routine for them.
"What is it?" Donna asked, walking closer towards where I was.
"Evelina said you both come from far away. Please, have you ever seen anything like it?" her eyes begging for an answer.
I touched the arm and licked my fingers of the dust. "It's looks like a form petrifold regression. Although, there is some tweaks in the molecular structure that allows the cells to operate in such a way that goes beyond the disease… It's converting her cells from the inside out, until there's nothing left of her but a shell…" I trailed and noticed Donna just staring in bewilderment.
"Hello?" I waved at her awkwardly.
"Um…it's just…you almost sounded like the Doctor and even a mannerism when you were explaining that thing you said and you didn't sound human," she said shaking her head.
"Well, technically Donna, I'm not. And yeah, I kind of surprised myself. It's like I'm remembering a memory, but that can't be right…I've been getting them… I-I don't know anymore…" I shake my head in frustration.
"So what is it, in simple human terms? What's happening to Evelina?" Donna asked looking concerned.
"Touch her arm."
"What?"
"Just do it, Donna."
She steps closer and touched Evelina's arm "Oh my, God. It's stone," she breathed and covered her mouth.
"Yeah, I know," I sighed rubbing my temple in agitation.
Leaning against one the corner pillars, I watched Donna and Evelina from the corner, I pondered what going to happen. Can we really kill 20,000 people? I remembered watching this episode, and feeling 'I could do that. Just down push the lever.' But now, I don't know anymore.
Travelling with the Doctor was very eye opening. The things we see, they're so beautiful. But some things aren't so black and white anymore.
In my heart—hearts I know what's going to happen. But for some reason I can't seem to stop the Time Lord in me. Like something is pushing me towards a different path, even though I know differently. Like I just can't seem to help myself anymore.
Donna then interrupted my thoughts, begging Evelina about listening to reason.
"Evelina, can you hear me? Listen," Donna implored.
"There is only one prophecy," Evelina cried.
"Donna, I'm warning you. Don't do this…" I warned Donna.
Completely ignoring me, she continued. "But everything I'm about to say to you is true. I swear. Just listen to me. Tomorrow, that mountain is going to explode. Evelina, please listen. The air is going to fill with ash and rocks…tons and tons of it and…this whole town is gonna get buried."
"Donna, stop. That's enough. You're just making it worse for them now stop it," I said, walking closer to them.
"That's not true," Evelina cried in disbelief and what looked to be fear.
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, but everyone's gonna die," Donna softly replied. "Even if you don't believe me, just tell your family to get out of town...just for one day, just for tomorrow. But you've got to get out! Just leave Pompeii!" Donna practically begs.
"This is false prophecy!" Evelina completely disbelieving.
The shaking starts again and we move outside.
The Earth bellowed underneath, shaking everything again, and we entered the main courtyard.
"What is it? What's that noise?" Metella asks looking around alarmed.
"Doesn't sound like Vesuvius," Caecilius declares.
"Caecilius! All of you, get out!" the Doctor shouts after running in.
"Doctor, what is it?" Donna slightly panicking.
"I think we're being followed," the Doctor quickly replied.
"And you bring the goddamn trouble here. Good job, there genius!" I sarcastically added and whack him on the back of his head.
"Oi!" he snapped and glared as rubbed the back of his head. I raise my eyebrows at him and he just grumbles.
"Okay, everyone just get out!" I commanded to everyone in the room. The hypocaust bursts and a giant rock monster emerges. A Pyrovile.
"The gods are with us," Evelina breathed with awe
"Water! We need water! Quintus, all of you, get water! Donna! Jamie!" the Doctor ordered.
"Blessed are we to see the gods," one the servants breathed and towards the Pyrovile foot soldier. To which the creature incinerated the person.
"Talk to me! That's all I want! Talk to me. Tell me who you are. Don't hurt these people," the Doctor implored the creature I.
As Donna and I were rushing to get a pail of water, rough hands grabbed us. As much as I like being roughly handled, I didn't mean like this!
I looked wide-eyed at my captors. I can easily get away from them, but Donna is my priority. I sigh, let myself be taken.
'DOCTOR!' I yelled in annoyance. I felt the metaphorical flinch from the other side of the connection.
'Good, the bastard deserves it,' I thought vindictively.
'Jamie, where are you and Donna? I told you to not wander off!' he reprimanded.
'Yeah, coz we just needed to get to Starbucks right now!' I snapped in anger at his tone.
'Okay, fine,' the man said in agitation. 'Where are you two?'
'The Sybiline Sisterhood took us. You know, creepy women in ominous red robes. Don't really feel like being stabbed here!'
'Be there in a few!'
'Oh, take your sweet ass time why don't you?!'
Lying on this alter, I wondered where it all went wrong. I should have just gone partying like everyone else. Now, I'm going to be Pyrovile kabab.
"You have got to be kidding me," exasperation evident in Donna's voice.
"Who the hell thinks this crap up? Do they go to like Murderers-R-Us?" I whispered to Donna
"The false prophets will surrender both their blood and her breath," the lead scary cult lady announced.
"Hey! Whoa, watch where you point that very sharp knife. You might hurt someone," I said squirming and stalling for the Doctor.
"But that's rather point," she smiled with a toothy smile. Ugh, puns. Oh the many expletives I can yell, but I'm going to lady-like…
"Oh fuck no! You crazy-ass bitch with daddy issues. Let. Us. The. Fuck. Go!" I growled. Okay, never mind about lady-like.
"You will be silent!" lead scary cult lady hissed.
"You might have eyes on the back of your hands but you'll have eyes in the back of your head by the time I finish with you! Let us...go!" Donna screamed.
"This prattling will cease...forever," she raised the knife to plunged into one of my hearts first.
"Oh, that'll be the day," the Doctor called from the furthest pillar.
"No man is allowed to enter the Temple of Sybil," lead scary cult lady gritted out with a fierce scowl.
"Oh, that's all right, just us girls," he said walking towards us. "Do you know, I met the Sibyl once. Hell of a woman. Blimey, she could dance a tarantella. Truth be told, I think she had a bit of a thing for me. I said it would never last. She said, "I know". Well, she would. You two all right there?"
"Oh, never better," Donna sarcastically remarked.
"Just peachy thank you. Took you long enough. What? Did you get lost again?" I snarked.
"Oi! That only happened once. I got here didn't I?" the Doctor sniped back.
"It would be nice if, you know, I was less spread eagle over here!"
He rolled his eyes in exasperation. "I like the toga," the Doctor muttered to Donna.
"Thank you," Donna replied with a straight face.
"What do you think about ropes though?" I asked offhandedly.
"Eh, not so much," the Doctor replied sonicking the ropes off us.
"I know right. Not even quality ones. Now the handcuffs on Brotjafax was good," I said rubbing my wrists. Then blinked at the reference that I don't rightly know where it came from.
The Doctor looked at me sharply with narrowed eyes. He opened his mouth to, most likely, ask how in world I knew about the planet where the pirate theme never did die down from the Victorian age. I probably wouldn't be able to answer him, because I have no idea where that information, about a planet that I've never heard of, came from.
"What magic is this?" lead scary cult lady questioned in hushed awe.
He began walking around the temple with a frown on his face. "Let me tell you about the Sibyl...the founder of this religion. She would be ashamed of you. All her wisdom and insight turned sour. Is that how you spread the word, eh? On the blade of a knife?" he questioned the rest of the ladies.
"Yes...a knife that now welcomes you!" she countered in mad rush at the Doctor, trying stab him with the ritual knife.
"Seriously Doctor, you really need stop trying to get women to stab you," I calmly muttered to the Doctor
"Show me this man and woman," a voice behind us ordered.
"High Priestess, these strangers would defy us!" lead scary cult lady implored.
"Let me see. These two are different. They carry starlight in their wake," the High Priestess commanded.
"Ah, very perceptive. Where do these words of wisdom come from?" the Doctor questioned trying to look for a way out.
'The Pyrovile,' I told him.
'Seriously?' he answered back.
'Yes,' I answered solemnly.
"The gods whisper to me," the High Priestess continued.
"Oh, they've done far more than that. Ah, might I beg audience, look upon the High Priestess?" the Doctor took a step forward, the obscuring mesh curtains being pulled back to show a grotesque sight
"Oh my God! What's happened to you?" Donna gasped in concern, her humanity sometimes astounded me back my universe.
"The heavens have blessed me," the High Priestess remarked not in arrogance, but pride in her tone.
"If I might... Does it hurt?" the Doctor stepped closer to touch.
"It is necessary," the high priestess.
"Who told you that?"
"The voices."
"Is that what's happening to Evelina? Is this what's gonna happen to all of you?" Donna asked, horrified and turned to the others in askance.
"The blessings are manifold," lead scary cult lady said holding her arm out.
"They're stone," Donna gasped in horror. I inched towards Donna. This isn't going to be pretty.
"Exactly. The people of Pompeii are turning to stone before the volcano erupts. But why?" the Doctor
"This word...this image in your mind, this "volcano", what is that?"
"More to the point, why don't you know about it?" the Doctor asks, looking at the High Priestess in calculation. "Who are you?"
"High Priestess of the Sibyline."
"No, no, no, no. I'm talking to the creature inside you. The thing that's seeding itself into a human body; in the dust, in the lungs...taking over the flesh and turning it into...what?" the Doctor spat angrily.
"Your knowledge is impossible," the High Priestess gasped.
"Oh, but you can read my mind. You know it's not. I demand you tell me who you are!" he tried to command them.
"We...are...awakening!" in a voice that is not her own.
"The voice of the gods!" the lead scary cult lady breathed in awe.
"Words of wisdom, words of power. Words of wisdom, words of power," the rest of the women began chanting
"Name yourself! Planet of origin, galactic coordinates, species designation according to the universal ratification of the Shadow Proclamation," I shouted in desperation. I blinked in confusion. The Doctor looks at me again, eyes narrowed in suspicion, and I could look back with confusion and bit of fear.
'Where the hell did that come from?' I thought with a frown. 'Where did I get that?'
"We...are...rising!" the priestess' voice echoing in the temple.
"Tell me your name!" the Doctor yelled in anger.
"Pyrovile!" she/it/thing exclaimed with a rasping gasp.
'You were right.' the Doctor said.
'I'm always right.' I scoffed, and he gave me an equivalent of a mental grin.
"Pyrovile. Pyrovile," the sisters began chanting.
"W-What's a Pyrovile?" Donna mumble into my ear.
"Well, that's a Pyrovile...growing inside her. She's at the halfway stage and we need to the hell out before then," I answered, pulling her closer towards the Doctor.
"Well, and that turns into?"
"That thing in the villa, THAT was an adult Pyrovile."
"And the breath of a Pyrovile will incinerate you, Doctor and Guardian," the whatever/thing/lady threatened.
"I'm warning you...I'm armed." the Doctor threatened back with water pistol as he pulled it out of his suit jacket. "Donna, Jamie, get that grille open."
I raise brow at his audacity. "Come on, Donna," I tried pulling her towards the hypocaust.
"What are...?" Donna asked in confusion. He had a water pistol, the scene looked plenty ridiculous.
"Just…" he said indicating towards the hypocaust with a jerk of his head. Then turned back the alien that is inhabiting the woman. "What are the Pyrovile doing here?"
We got to work and I didn't even bother listening to the Doctor, probably because my main concerned was to escape incineration. Yeah, rather not have that on my resume.
"We got it!" I shouted to the Doctor.
"Now get down," he said moving closer to the hole with us.
"What, down there?" Donna asked incredulously, peering into the hot hypocaust.
"Yes, down there!" I snapped. "I don't know about you guys but I'm going NOW. GE-RON-IMO!" And I did, that was fun. Except for the imminent doom part. But, whatever. Beggars can be choosers.
After a few more second they landed next to me.
"You fought her off with a water pistol. I bloody love you," Donna exclaimed happily. The Doctor looked smug in my direction. I rolled my eyes at his stupidity.
'I don't even like her that way,' I thought with exasperation, not that I let it show.
"This way," I called instead with the Doctor right behind me.
"Where are we going now?" Donna said exasperatedly, following.
"Into the volcano."
"No way."
"Yes way. Appian way," the Doctor replied smugly at his joke.
I shook my head. "Doctor, no. Just no," I muttered, leading the way.
After a few minutes of walking in silence, Donna began. I just kept silent for the time being. He's going to be mad at me…
"But if it's aliens setting off the volcano, doesn't that make it all right? For you two stop it?" She implored, trying to give it another go.
"Still part of history," the Doctor answered tiredly with no small amount of annoyance.
"Well, I'm history too. You saved me in 2008. You saved us all. Why is that different?"
I sighed. "Because, Donna, some things are fixed, some things are in flux," I said, worn. "Pompeii is fixed and as much as I want to save the people, I can't. We can't."
"How do you two know which is which?" she demanded.
We both stopped and turned to her. "Because in the short time I arrived, that's how I now see it. That's how we see the universe. Every waking second, we can see what is, what was...what could be, and what must not. That's the burden of a Time Lord, Donna. We're the only ones left," I seethed, tears starting to form in my eyes. The Doctor took me into his arms and we began walking again. I wasn't crying because of not saving the people. It's the fact WE start Vesuvius, WE kill these people.
"How many people died?" she began again. I feel the guilt churning in my gut.
"Stop it!" the Doctor snapped.
"Doctor! Jamie!" we stop and look at her again. "How many people died?"
"Twenty thousand," the Doctor said with anger.
"Is that what you can see, Doctor, Jamie? All 20,000? And you think that's all right, do you?" she countered.
"Fuck you, Donna," I gritted through the tears and helplessly wiping them away.
"What?" she gasped.
"You heard me. Fuck. You." I ground out.
When she raised her arm and slapped me, I saw red. Before I can retaliate, the Doctor interjected and physically blocked us from each other.
"Now stop it! Just stop! We're supposed to be working each other, not against," the Doctor implored, a screeching gave him a way out the scene that was about to take place. He cursed under his breath.
"They know we're here! Come on," the Doctor pulling us closer to the heart of Vesuvius.
Scurrying along the chamber walls, I was still seething with anger, I have an idea where it came from. I've been slapped before in an argument, but I was never this angry. What was going on with me?
I almost collided with the Time Lord as stopped abruptly in my way.
"It's the heart of Vesuvius," He paused. "We're right inside the mountain."
The scene below show the many rock aliens lumbering about the place, doing something that couldn't be good.
"There's tons of 'em," Donna gasped in horrified fascination.
"What's that thing?" the Doctor asked looking at the weird cluster of rocks that looked like a pod.
Another screech alerted us at the oncoming Pyrovile that's going incinerate us.
"Well, you'd better hurry up and think of something. Rocky IV's on its way," Donna hissed, panicking.
The Doctor's forehead puckered in thought. "That's how they arrived...or what's left of it. Escape pod? Prison ship? Gene bank?" he elucidated, pondering the possibilities.
"But why do they need a volcano? Maybe...it erupts and they launch themselves back in space or something," Donna reasoned.
"Oh, Donna," I laughed bitterly. "No, it's worse than that."
"How can it be worse?" she looked at me still angry as well. "Doctor, Jamie, it's getting closer."
"Heathens! Defilers! They would desecrate your temple, my lord gods!" Lucius shouted at us from the ledge above. I snarl in impotent rage.
"Oh, shove it! Thou cockered fool-born maggot-pie!" I shouted back. I have no idea why, but a Shakespearean insult seemed fitting and I felt better. The Pyrovile seems to finally notice us in between the rocks and rubble.
"Come on!" the Doctor called pulling Donna and I towards the pod. Ugh, what is with the running while trying to pull out my arm from the sockets.
Donna looked panicked. "We can't go in!" Donna yelped.
I felt my bubble to the surface "Like we have a choice!" I snapped, then grimaced at my attitude. Another sharp look from the Doctor, this time with a defensiveness that has me on edge.
He turned to Donna again, after moment of hesitation. "We can't go back!" the Doctor agreed.
"Crush them! Burn them!" Lucius commanded in hysterics. "There is nowhere to run, Doctor, Guardian...and Daughter of London."
"Now then, Lucius. My lord Pyrovillian...don't get yourselves in a lava," the Doctor paused and looked at us. "In a lava...no?"
I just shake my head.
"No," Donna responded.
"No. But if I might beg the wisdom of the gods before we perish...once this new race of creatures is complete...then what?" the Doctor turned back to Lucius, a thoughtful frown marring his handsome face.
"My masters will follow the example of Rome itself, an almighty empire, bestriding the whole of civilization," Lucius prophesized.
"But if you've crashed...and you've got all this technology, why don't you just go home?" Donna tried follow the logic.
"The heaven of Pyrovillia is gone," Lucius responded stoically.
"What do you mean "gone"? Where's it gone?" the Doctor asked puzzled.
"Think Lost Moon of Poosh, Doctor," I murmured.
"Oh," he murmured back, before I can respond Lucius interjected.
"It was taken. Pyrovillia is lost. But there is heat enough in this world for our new species to rise," Lucius continued to answered.
"Yeah, I should warn you, it's 70% water out there," he shouted.
"Water can boil and everything will burn, Doctor!" Lucius yelled with a mad glint in his eyes, it was too late to save him.
"Then the whole planet is at stake. Thank you, that's all I needed to know. Donna! Jamie!" he said pulling us into the pod.
"Could we be any more trapped?" Donna breathed shallowly, probably trying to stave off the anxiety she more probably, was feeling. "Little bit hot."
"Look here. See, the energy converted takes the lava, uses the power to create a fusion matrix which wields Pyrovile to human," he pointed the screen. "Now it's complete, they can convert millions."
"Well, can you two change it...with these controls?"
"'Course we can, but don't you see? That's why the soothsayers can't see the volcano. There is no volcano. Vesuvius is never going to erupt. The Pyrovile are stealing all its power. They're gonna use it to take over the world," he spat with venom.
"But both of you can change it back," Donna cried.
"Well, we can avert the system, so the volcano will blow them up, yes, but...that's the choice, Donna. It's Pompeii or the world," he paused and looked at me with the full force of the Oncoming Storm. I would have shrunk back in normal circumstances, but I was just as angry, maybe even more so.
"Oh my God," Donna gasped.
"But you! You knew this! You knew what was going to happen! Why didn't you say ANYTHING?" His voice of thunder.
"What would you have wanted me to say? That today Pompeii wasn't going to be buried by Mt. Vesuvius. This wasn't a choice I wanted to tell you. I wanted you to find out on your own. I wanted to be wrong, I wanted to be so wrong. And now, Time Lord Victorious, we'll slaughter thousands OURSELVES." I spat in frustration and anger.
He flinched at the moniker. "I-I…" the Doctor began.
I ran an agitated hand down my face. "Save it, Doctor. Just… just continue," I said in broken tone.
He swallowed in anxiety. "If Pompeii is destroyed, then it's not just history, it's me. I make it happen," he realized.
"But the Pyrovile are made of rock. Maybe they can't be blown up," Donna tried.
"Vesuvius explodes with the force of 24 nuclear bombs. Nothing can survive it," I said. I took her left hand into my right and looked into her eyes. "Certainly not us."
"Never mind us," she smiled lightly, wiping the tears that were forming under my eyes.
"Push this lever and it's all over. 20,000 people," the Doctor on the verge of tears himself. We looked at each other one last time and pushed. The pod shook heavily, as the force of the explosion catipulted us out of the mountain.
My head was smacked against the wall of the pod, I saw spots in my vision. I could feel the blood dripping down my neck.
'I don't feel so good,' I told the Doctor, he looked at me in concern but was jarred as we landed.
"It was an escape pod," he muttered to himself. Looking back, he grabbed both of our hands and ran to town, trying to get back to Caecilius' villa.
"Don't! Don't go to the beach! Don't go to the beach, go to the hills! Listen to me! Don't go to the beach, it's not safe! Listen to me...!" she screamed. She grabbed a little boy. "Come here."
"Give him to me!" a woman, assuming his mother, yelled.
"Donna, Come on," I said pulling her and grabbed a hold of the Doctor's hand.
The sun was gone. Everything was in chaos. Screaming, so much screaming.
We arrive at Caecilius' home. Huddled, like a bunch of trapped rats. So much fear in their eyes. I couldn't look at them for long and just ran into the TARDIS, Donna yelling my name. I sat on the jump seat, pulling my legs closer. Hoping to just get out of here. Anywhere, but here.
A few seconds later, the Doctor marches towards the console, starting the dematerialization sequence with Donna at his heels. I watch listlessly, no longer able to form tears. Just broken sobs.
"You can't just leave them!" Donna shouting.
"Don't you think I've done enough? History's back in place and everyone dies," the Doctor sneered, an ugly look twisting his visage.
"You've got to go back! Doctor, I am telling you, take this thing back!" she implored, then looked to me. As if I would be any help. "Jamie, say something! Do something!"
I just looked at her with a blank look on my face. I jumped out of my seat and just ran out to a room, any room. Someone was calling my name but I just couldn't…I couldn't go back.
After a few minutes, I slowed my pace to just a walk. My chest was heaving and my pulse still racing. I suddenly found myself in front of the zero room. Zero, because of the zero gravity.
"Are you trying to say something?" I asked exhausted creeping up on me. The adrenaline no longer helping me keep awake.
'This is the best way to collect your thoughts. And well, you didn't exactly look too great when you came in,' the TARDIS replied. I walk in to this giant white room.
"I don't suppose you can play the radio in here, would you?"
'Sure, I can. Where would you like to start?'
"How to Save a Life, The Fray."
'Are you sure?' a tone of concern in her "voice."
'Please. I just…I just need to hear it… And then…and then anything else," I begged her. I then just laid down and closed my eyes in the middle of the room.
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
How to save a life
How to save a life…
This was so depressing, I know. The next chapter won't be Planet of the Ood. I don't know what yet.
Please review what you think. I'll try to work it in as many ideas as I can.
Until next, time.
-HuonParticlesAreHarmless