Just below the top floor of the seventy storey Shinra Building were several floor dedicated to what the conglomerate labelled 'Research & Development'. No one truly knew, or wanted to know what happened on these floor. Not even the board of Directors asked what experiments Professor Hojo undertook in the name of science. There were rumours of course, genetic manipulation and human experimentation were a couple of examples.
Aerith knew from experience how cruel Shinra and the Professor could be. Captured along with her mother when she was just a baby, the florist spent her early childhood years imprisoned in the building. Hojo's team hadn't conducted many experiments on her, to this day she wasn't sure if that was because someone had a conscience. More likely, because she was half-Cetra, Hojo preferred to experiment on her 'Pure Cetra' mother. Ultimately, the procedures cost her mother's life but not before the pair managed to escapte into the slums.
Now here she was, back in the sterile lab trapped in a clear, glass specimen cell with the object of her nightmares taunting her about how he dissected her mother's corpse. Her fists clenched tightly against her chair, staring ahead blanking at a spot just behind Hojo's head. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of reacting to his cruel words.
Her prayers to the Planet were answered when the lab doors swooshed opened. A couple of guards were leading the blonde haired woman who also gave up her freedom to the Tseng. To her surprise, the woman who called herself the Doctor had a broad grin on her face, "Oh hello there, is this my tube?" she pointed at Aerith's pod, "right, I'll have a wake up call at eight, some complementary Custard Creams and do you have the password to the Wi-fi?"
Aerith tried to hold her laughter in but the incredulous look on Hojo's face was so amusing to her that a snort escaped her lips. Over in the other specimen pod, a large lion-like creature with red fur raised their head. Aerith could've sworn a small smirk flashed across his muzzle, "What is she doing here," Hojo hissed in annoyance, "the third specimen pod isn't ready yet."
"Sorry, got bored waiting," the Doctor continued, "curious to meet the man in charge," Aerith watched as the blonde looked Hojo up and down, "First thoughts, do you use conditioner on your hair because you really should." Aerith really couldn't contain herself any longer, looking towards her boots, her shoulders twitched with silent laughter.
Her amusement wasn't helped by the two troopers, even they were struggling to keep a straight face. Flustered, Hojo barked at the nearest soldier, "Open the Ancient's pod, she can wait in there for a while."
"Hello again," the Doctor greeted the brunette, "what's the food like in here, any good recommendations?"
"I'd avoid the special," Aerith played along with the Time Lord, "really disagreed with me last time."
Hojo's face was turning a furious shade of red, he looked to be visibly shaking, "Enough, both of you," he roared, spittle striking the glass pod, "I have one of your people in my laboratory, I'd be very careful choosing your next words, Doctor," he spat the Time Lord's name with disgust.
Aerith watched the blonde, there was no visible change in her expression except behind her eyes. There was a hardness that she'd never seen in anyone before, like small storm clouds brewing, "Have you ever heard of the Time Lords, or Gallifrey?" she asked the Professor. Hearing those names stirred something in Aerith, long forgotten knowledge from the Lifestream. The Planet felt happy yet fearful at the same time.
"Enlighten me Doctor," Hojo replied evenly.
"That a no then?" the Time Lord spun and faced Hojo, "bit disappointing really, then again I'd expect it from a primitive planet that hasn't even gone into space." Catching her words, the Time Lord's gaze flicked between Aerith and the occupant of the other pod, "No offence intended, when I'm stressed I become a little rude, so I've been told."
"None taken," Aerith replied slowly. Keen to put one over Hojo, she began to recall the information provided by the Planet, "The Cetra must've dealt with the Time Lords because there is something in the Lifestream."
Hojo's hard gaze met her green eyes, "Impossible, everything we have on the Cetra doesn't suggest they met extra-terrestrials."
"I know your type Professor, met too many of them in my travels," the Doctor began slowly, "people who believe they're the smartest people in any room they walk into. It can't be good when someone knows something you don't," Aerith was surprised that Hojo didn't respond to the Time Lord. The dark-haired man merely glared daggers at the blonde, "Come on then, Aerith, what's the Planet telling you?"
The Cetra gaped for a moment, surprised to be called upon by the Doctor. Taking a breath to collect herself, she replied, "Just a few words that relate specifically to the Doctor, the Bringer of Darkness, the Valeyard, the Oncoming Storm," she looked towards the blonde woman, noting that she was staring at the floor, shuffling between feet, "the Destroyer of Worlds," she added. The Time Lord let out a small breath, turning her gaze towards the ceiling.
Hojo moved closer to the pod, Aerith shivered slightly at the probing leer of the man. After a few tense seconds, the Professor asked carefully, "What do you want?"
"Take me to whoever you've captured," the Doctor asked, "we'll discuss further terms after that."
Aerith watched Hojo appraise the Time Lord a little longer before turning slowly and shuffling towards the door. When the door closed, the Doctor leaned against the glass and slid down to the floor, "You make a lot of enemies when you're as old as I am," she said carefully, "I swear that's not the whole story."
"Oh, I know," Aerith replied brightly, "I picked out the ones I thought would get Hojo's attention."
A broad grin appeared once again on the blonde's face, "I knew I was going to like you from the moment I saw you." Aerith matched the Time Lord and carefully sat down in the pod near the Doctor, "Gonna be a bit nosey but what did the Planet say about me?"
"I could only get a few pieces here and there," Aerith answered, "the Planet is overjoyed that you're here but fearful at the same time." The brunette shook her head in an attempt to understand the feelings she was receiving, "It's like, you wouldn't be here if we weren't in danger."
"Yeah I tend to skip the boring days," the Doctor offered a small smile in return, "at least I'm not the Planet's number one enemy."
"Definitely not," the pod fell into silence for a few minutes. Neither Hojo or any of his assistants returned or showed any sign they were meeting the Doctor's request. Out the corner of her eye, she could see the blonde rummaging through the pockets of her coat, pulling out numerous small objects in the process, "Didn't they search you on the way in?" Aerith asked.
The Time Lord found a red bouncy ball that she threw against the pod, catching it with one hand on the way back, "They didn't look hard enough," was her reply which didn't really answer the Cetra's question. Next, the Doctor pulled out a paper bag and a large grin crossed her face, "Brilliant, I've been looking for these for centuries," she shook the bag and offered it to Aerith, "Jelly Baby?"
The brunette looked inside the bag and spotted some multi-coloured, sugar dusted sweets. Giving a small shrug of her shoulders, she plucked a green one from the bag, "Are all Time Lord's like you?" she asked whilst chewing the sweet, "the Planet paints your kind as great observers not confectioners."
The Doctor snorted, "Absolutely not, bit boring and stuffy for my liking," she slowly placed the bag of sweets into her pocket, "not that there's many of us left anymore," she added quietly whilst inspecting her growing pile of junk on the floor.
Aerith's heart ached for the blonde, she knew all too well the burden of being the last of her kind, "Can I ask, how did it happen?"
For a several moments, the Doctor didn't register Aerith's question and continued to sort through her collection. Fingering a small, wooden instrument carefully, she finally answered, "An old rival burned my planet to the ground," she practically whispered, "I never checked if anyone survived, too much of a coward." An uncomfortable silence fell on the room, Aerith didn't know how to respond, "Course, it's not the first time I thought my people and planet were gone," the Doctor continued, "maybe the universe is only destined to have a single Time Lord."
Aerith carefully reached over and gently grasped the Time Lord's hand, feeling the cool skin of the alien woman. The Doctor briefly flinched but didn't withdraw her hand, offering the Cetra a small smile in response, "Maybe this is a meeting of the endangered species club," the Doctor continued, looking over to the red-furred creature in the other pod, "You're one of the protectors of Cosmo Canyon, last time I checked there wasn't too many of you left."
Aerith hadn't seen the lion creature move during her time in the lab, the only movement was the occasional swish of his flame-tipped tail. The creature's flicked his one good eye in the Time Lord's direction, "Come on don't be shy," the Doctor continued, "I know you understand us."
To Aerith surprise, the creature snorted before replied with his deep, cultured voice, "I have found that you learn more by listening than by talking endlessly."
"Have I just been sassed by a lion?" the Doctor asked Aerith, "first time for everything," she added with a mock pout, "got a name over there Red?"
The creature's snout tilted upwards slightly, "Red will do for now," he began, "the writings of my people talk of one that wonders alone through time and space in a box of greater size that it appears."
"Fancy way of writing bigger on the inside," the Doctor smiled, "I'm rarely alone me, which reminds me," she pulled out a mobile telephone, "really should check if my friend made it out of Sector 7 fine."
"You don't sound worried, considering you saw the plate fall," Aerith raised an eyebrow. She remembered the sight from the helicopter, the flash of the explosion, the rumble and eventual crash of the plate smashing into the floor. She prayed to the Planet that Cloud and Tifa made it out safely as the structure fell and received reassure that they were fine. What she would remember for the rest of her life was the sudden rush of souls returning to the Planet.
"Blimey, thirteen missed calls from Yaz," the Doctor grimaced, "looks like she made it out fine, no signal in the lab though so can't call her back." She pocketed the phone, "She's back in the TARDIS though, the old girl will keep her safe."
Their conversation was cut short by the reappearance of Hojo, Aerith could also hear the specimen lift moving, "After considering your request Doctor I've decided to agree to your terms, the specimen will arrive shortly for your initial assessment."
"They have a name you know," the Doctor hissed.
"Do they," Hojo shrugged, "she has been unconscious the entire time, came crashing down in the wastelands north of the city a few weeks ago." The lift stopped moving and Aerith could see a hospital bed inside, "Scarlett, the head of weapons development was most disappointed that the craft was totally destroyed," Hojo continued, "the technology onboard could have advanced her weapons division forward by several decades by all accounts."
"My hearts are bleeding for you," Aerith noticed the Doctor's breathing rate increase, she was barely keeping a lid on her temper. When the bed arrived in front of the pod, she could see the body of a young woman roughly the same age as her. Her blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail that lay limply to one side. Her arms and face were covered in patches of pink skin, a sign that a recent injury had just healed. "Impossible," the Doctor shook her head in disbelief, "she shouldn't be here."
Hojo offered a small, toothy grin, "For once I agree with you," he began, "by all accounts the specimen should have died several times since her arrival. The crash of her craft alone would have killed a mere human but there she is, continuing to live."
Aerith noted the Doctor chewing furiously on her lower lip, trying everything in her power to stay in control, "What did you do to her?" the Time Lord asked with a dangerously low voice.
"Nothing designed to cause her serious harm," Hojo began, "some blood and tissue samples to begin with. The puncture marks healed within minutes which peaked my interest, most of what you see is from the initial crash. She's had difficulty maintaining her vitials so I've decided to hold off the main testing until-"
Aerith jumped when the Doctor banged her fist on the glass, "I'd recommend that you don't continue that sentence." Hojo glared back at the Doctor, refusing to show any signs of intimidation, "My terms then, I want full access to your notes so far, access to somewhere where I can conduct my own tests," she glanced Aerith's direction before adding, "oh, and I want Aerith to be my lab assistant."
The Cetra's eyes widened in surprise, "I can assure you Doctor, my team is more than capable of helping," Hojo tried to reassure the Time Lord.
"Small problem though, I don't trust you or your company," the Doctor replied sharply, "come on Professor, surely my terms are a small price to pay for the discovery of a lifetime."
Hojo grumbled, he couldn't find a reason to deny the Time Lord, "Fine, allow me some time to get everything ready." He pushed a button on a remote control and the pod opened. Once again, he turned and was about to leave the room until the Doctor added, "Oh and one more thing, in the park in Sector 6 near the Sector 7 gate, there's a blue police box. Can you arrange for that to be brought here too?" Hojo grumbled until his breath but he didn't answer and continued to shuffle out the room.
Aerith carefully stepped out the pod, wary that Hojo could have a nasty surprise waiting. The Doctor though wasn't waiting, she flashed passed Aerith to inspect the patient, "I am so sorry," she said, grasping the hand of the blonde in the bed, "if I'd known, I wouldn't have left you behind or I'd have searched for you."
"Friend of yours?" Aerith asked curiously, "you two look quite similar."
The Doctor grinned, "I know, we have the same hair colour this time around. She still looked more like my fifth incarnation though," Aerith wasn't sure what the Doctor was talking about and chose to nod slowly in acknowledgement, "Aerith, Red I'd like you to meet Jenny," she beamed at the fallen woman in the bed, "my daughter."