Fictions Mentioned:
Arc 1: The vi Britannias
Episode 1
Insert Song: Start
Dies irae - Animation OST: Ewige Wiederkunft
There was once a child that had been wronged throughout all of his life.
A royal by blood belonging to an empire that has stretched too far beyond the natural borders. Little by little, this empire, deeming itself the superior race and the epitome of greatness among mankind, committed to putting Charles Darwin's theory to the test, made sway its influence across the world.
He saw his mother die while he sees his sister traumatized to the point where she lost her sight somehow. He saw his father disown him, and suffered through such lack of concern for him. He was forced into exile alongside his sister to an island nation called Japan, also known as the Land of the Rising Sun, an archipelago, or string of islands, on the eastern edge of Asia. There are four main islands: Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. There are also nearly 4,000 smaller islands. Its nearest mainland neighbors are the Siberian region of Russia in the north and Korea and China farther south.
From there, this young man and his sister were forced to live with a group of people who weren't so welcoming to them because of their origin and because of understandable suspicions. One of them, Suzaku Kururugi, son of the Prime Minister, disliked them on principle because they were outsiders and possible threats to their nation. Not helping the matter was that this empire - the Holy Britannian Empire - was a superpower with dreams of conquering the world and uniting them all in one banner, but at the cost of Britannian culture and life is at the center of everyday life and the rest of the "lesser" cultures purged from the face of the earth.
Little by little, some of the locals and the royals managed to get along. Suzaku, once hostile, now became friendly towards them. It seems that the royal siblings can at least experience some semblance of peace in spite of their lot.
But the peace wasn't made to last, unfortunately.
One day, the Holy Britannian Empire declared war on Japan and attacked in full force. Knightmare Frames, state-of-the-art autonomous humanoid war machines, were unveiled for all to see and experience. The Japanese military tried to fight back but to no avail. Many had died, both soldiers and civilians. Families are torn apart, landmarks destroyed, towns pillaged and burned, and the empire did not hold any form of mercy or leniency.
The aftermath was chilling. The royal siblings have experienced a terrible lot alongside the Japanese. And thus came the vow of vengeance from the royal exiled prince born out of everything that culminated to the sufferings of the mother up to the sufferings of the nation that his own.
"I will destroy Britannia!"
The Doctor.
Known by many faces and lifetimes, was bearing witness to an important event in human history—CG Earth-Prime—the culmination of life's ambition present for all to see as if one were to see the finest plays of the great William Shakespeare. And the Doctor can tell since he had met the man, several of them from different configurations.
He was here, a bystander in the crowd, a nobody worth paying attention to. A short Scottish man, mid-forties in terms of an approximate physical appearance, brown hair and blue eyes that can penetrate deep into your soul, wearing a wrinkled cream-colored linen suit, with a glistening silk shirt worn with a green silk cravat, and paisley banded white fedora. Worn on his lapel was a Smiley Face pin badge.
His seventh face. He already has six faces before. This was the latest model.
He was bearing witness to a figure of tragedy, a man who is considered the evilest person in the world, becoming the scapegoat for crimes that could silence hearts. This almost seems to be a lesser version of the Crucifixion story. The difference is that the Son of God was not a revolutionary while this young man was. Nevertheless, both are martyrs of their cause, albeit the difference between the highest mountain and the lowest hill is more apparent for the average layman to bear.
Why exactly is he here?
He was simply watching decisions unfold. And this decision would influence future prospects and dreams to come. He should know. He'd seen it. He'd travel far into the future and see it with more than the three-dimensional view of a human being. But he was not human. He was not a man. He was a Complex Space-Time Event (CSTE). And he was observing this event with a grim expression on his face.
Every great decision creates ripples, like a huge boulder dropped in a lake. The ripples merge and rebound off the banks in unforeseeable ways. The heavier the decision, the larger the waves, the more uncertain the consequences.
"Decisions, decisions, always a constant no matter where and when I go," he muttered softly.
He sees the tragic figure—Lelouch vi Britannia—fall to the ground, and for the Doctor, it seems like it lasted for microseconds as decisions and consequences fly by, seeing things normal humans from below can only hope to unsee before going mad with the revelation of being such tiny fickle creatures whose marks were likened to the paws of little dinosaurs for the higher races to examine.
"Onii-sama! I love you!"
The Doctor watches the grieving Nunnally vi Britannia, realizing too late what her brother had done in order to give her want she wanted. The old saying "Be careful what you wish for." runs true when taking the concept of decisions seriously. It was a simple and complex topic that made the Doctor reflect from time to time in his private study. But his twofold hearts go to the vi Britannia siblings.
Does he have the right? Can he change this event?
Recently from his perspective, he had been to a multiverse much more complex than this, trapped in an eternal time loop and played chess with a mad god that wanted his dear Lady of France, also the Doctor's daughter because of her being the soulmate of his adopted son, to take her rightful place on the Throne as his chosen successor, allowing him to finally end his life after spending Nayuta (なゆた). Afterward, he managed to succeed through a bittersweet conclusion.
"Zero! Zero! Zero! Zero! Zero!"
He could already hear the crowds cheering for the death of a tyrant.
Perhaps not yet, he thought. He would need to think of a specific plan for these individuals. Until then, he must not interfere. And yet, he could not help but shed a tear in light of what has happened now.
A hero to a few and a villain to many.
Lelouch vi Britannia.
Everything revolved around him in this particular universe, from beginning to end. Stories would be told. Historians in the future will try to examine his life and how he became what he was. Today, he is known as a dictator. Tomorrow is another story.
They were just children, he thought. But another voice echoed in his mind. Aren't they all, he also thought, referring to his many companions throughout the years. They were all children to them. What makes them different?
What indeed.
The Doctor takes off his fedora hat and places it on the chest, the only one who even gave a form of respect for the passing of someone that he considered to be a heroic and tragic figure that would go down throughout the ages. And he utters a form of prayer from the heart, despite not being a religious man himself.
"Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, Et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescant in pace. Amen."
Vworp Vworp Vworp
The TARDIS, everyone's favorite police box, materializes on a street. But the streets were in ruins. And so was the rest of what was once known as Tokyo. The Doctor steps out of the TARDIS, opening the door.
A new face. Much different than the last time.
He was Scottish, tall and slim frame, finely boned hands and face, thick brown hair, pale skin scattered with freckles, and large, dark brown eyes that stare deep into your soul. Much older despite looking younger. One that had a lot more baggage than his seventh face. Oh, so much more. He was wearing a blue suit with red pinstripes, accompanied by a light brown Duster-type overcoat.
His face became grim as he waved his sonic screwdriver for a bit before putting it back to his coat.
"Oh dear..." He muttered softly.
He sees the ruins of what was once Tokyo. No one was here but dead bodies and abandoned property, the scars of civilization and culture that had lost all of their rights and were now about to be treated less than human. He was worried as he turned back to the TARDIS and sees two children stepping out a few meters away and walking toward him. One of them had already closed the door behind them. They were somewhere in the age of elementary. Both of them were seen carrying backpacks.
There was a young boy with spiky hair and black eyes, wearing an orange shirt, dark blue shorts, and white sneakers.
Touma Kamijou.
There was a young boy with dark brown hair and blue eyes, wearing a blue shirt with white long sleeves, light brown shorts, and black shoes.
Shinichi Kudo.
These young boys were both confused and concerned due to seeing the Doctor's obviously worried expression.
"Doctor? What is it?" Shinichi asked.
The Doctor was silent for a few moments. Before he could say anything though, he and the others begin to hear something. It was the sound of a wooden cart. They turn to the right and find two people. One boy seems to be of the same age as Touma and Shinichi. The other was a young girl, but her eyes were not seen and were closed. Both appeared to have a very rough day in the heat of the sun. The boy was dirtier and bruised in appearance. Probably the result of a fight that had to involve him defending the girl, his younger sister.
What was in the cart were a few discarded things such as toys, items, and other collectibles that the boy could at least sell in order to earn one's keep and get some needed food. But it was rather difficult. The hatred of the Japanese, now deemed Numbers as they are stripped even of their own name, hated them generally. The same could be said of the Britannians. It was one hard life for the young lad who had been doing everything he could in this post-war torn country.
"Wh-Who are you people?!" the young boy answered, noticing them immediately upon turning to their direction, having stopped the cart for quite some time and trying to move to the front in order to protect his sister who was trembling a bit. Both of his hands are wide open like a cross.
"...!"
The two young men looked at each other and at this scene with concerned and shocked expressions. They did not know what to answer. The Doctor however was a different story. He raised his hands as if trying to broker peace in order to defuse the unneeded tension and made an expression of reassurance.
"It's alright, it's alright, we're not here to harm you," he said. "I'm the Doctor and these are my travelling companions, Kamijou Touma and Kudo Shinichi. We're not from around here really so you don't have to worry about anything that you might be thinking of."
"And what's that that I'm thinking of right now?" the young boy asked.
"That you think that we're about to throw a couple of stones at you, right? It seems obvious based on the bruises," he said.
The Doctor tried to be as reassuring as possible to the young man that he very well recognizes from a single look. This young man was like a whirlpool to him, one that was making history turn in multiple directions based on every single decision that he makes. He knows who this person is and he needs to put the misplaced worries of the boy to rest since he knows that this point in the life of one Lelouch vi Britannia was a troublesome one.
The young Lelouch noticed something odd. There were two Japanese young boys who looked clean as if they were never affected by the more recent and fresh events of the war that have taken place. And these Japanese were with a foreigner.
"I'm not with Britannia in case you're wondering," the Doctor said, his eyes growing kinder and more empathetic.
"How do I know that you're telling the truth?!" Lelouch asked with an anxious and doubtful expression. It wasn't like his distrust isn't warranted. Ever since separating from Suzaku, he had experienced hatred on both sides and tried to find ways for him and his sister to survive.
"Look me in the eye and tell me if I am," the Doctor said. It was as if it was a challenge given to Lelouch, to see whether or not he could be trusted.
Lelouch tried to look at the Doctor's eyes. But...the more he stared at them, the more he realized something odd about him. His eyes were not so young compared to the rest of his body. It felt so out of place. It was like a deep abyss lost in many wonders. It was more of this person staring back at you than you are of him. And he was...old. Very old. Somehow, he feels that he can trust this man for some reason. It was an odd feeling because Lelouch vi Britannia does not put his trust in anyone lightly. Trust is to be earned and not just freely given.
And yet...
He felt as if he can trust him. And he didn't know why. For the first time since everything that had happened, Lelouch felt an inner peace that had been sorely lacking since his mother had died.
He lowered his arms bit by bit. The Doctor in turn lowered his and made his way towards the young lad very slowly and in the form of solemn footsteps, putting both of his hands in his pockets. He lowered himself towards Lelouch's height and made a paternal smile.
"There we go. Thank you for trusting me. Now, I've introduced myself and my companions, can you at least tell me who you and this lovely lady are?" the Doctor asked. He knew of course who these young children are based on historical facts and past observations, but nevertheless, he was more focused on the present moment. This was before all of that, before everything.
"Umm..." the lovely lady in the cart, no longer frightened but looking reassured and smiling, putting her hands to the side of the cart, said. "My name is Nunnally Lamperouge. Please to meet you, sir."
At that point, Lelouch begins to sigh heavily, thinking that he has no choice but to introduce himself now that his sister started talking.
"...Le...Lelouch...Lelouch Lamperouge, good sir," Lelouch introduced himself.
"Lelouch...Le-louch. Rolls on the tongue pretty well I should think, how brilliant," the Doctor smiled cheerfully.
"Are you making fun of me?" Lelouch asked, annoyed.
"Maybe, maybe not. But back on the topic at hand, it is nice to meet you, Lelouch Lamperouge," the Doctor smiled as he raised his right hand in order to try to shake his hand. Lelouch was hesitant for a bit before eventually relenting after being prodded by Nunnally who was urging him to do it. And the Doctor and Lelouch made a firm handshake, to which Lelouch took note mentally.
"Now then..." the Doctor smiled, lowering his hand. "Since you lot seem to have gone through a lot of trouble, I have a proposition for you both. How about you come with us?"
"...Eh?" Lelouch and Nunnally made surprised expressions.
"Well, you two are obviously needing a bit of dry cleaning and new clothes to wear after all this time, maybe even a nice meal. Come on, the more the merrier, free of charge no take backs," the Doctor said.
Lelouch and Nunnally turn to each other with thoughtful expressions. It was true of what the Doctor had said. They haven't really had the best luck when it comes to surviving in the ruins along with people that hated them for their race which is understandable for Lelouch since he shares their hatred for the country that did this. They suffered from all sides, suffered more than enough. His growing anger for Britannia grew all the more for it. Or rather...his growing anger towards the man that he once called father.
As of now, he and his sister were being offered a place to stay. Lelouch never really hoped for such simple things. But this felt different for some reason.
"...Alright, we accept," Lelouch made a hesitant expression.
"Fantastic," the Doctor simply said with a smile, using his former incarnation's catchphrase for this particular occasion since he felt that it was appropriate. He turned to the two boys who were respectfully looking on in silence, letting the Doctor handle this situation. "Boys, I'd like you to meet your new friends."
Touma and Shinichi looked at each other for a moment before shrugging themselves, smiling. They begin to walk toward them and begin to formally introduce themselves. Touma, Shinichi, and Lelouch were all shaking their hands firmly.
"Hey, the name's Kamijou, Kamijou Touma," Touma introduced himself.
"And my name's Kudo Shinichi, an aspiring detective, pleased to meet y6u," Shinichi introduced himself.
"Lelouch Lamperouge, it's a pleasure to meet you both," Lelouch said. He raised his left hand to indicate his sister. "And this is my sister, Nunnally."
"Pleased to meet you both," Nunnally spoke with a smile.
And while the youngsters were discussing among themselves, the Doctor simply stepped back a few meters. While he was smiling, he was also in deep thought, recalling one specific incident in his life that related to the fires of Pompeii and the brilliant Donna Noble.
"That's just it. Don't you see, Donna? Can't you understand? If I could go back and save them, then I would. But I can't. I can never go back. I can't. I just can't, I can't."
The Doctor once said, distraught. One call tell that he was very conflicted on this manner. On the one hand, he wants everyone to live. On the other hand, he knew that there was the danger of changing a vital point in human history. The world would never be the same again. There are as many risks in the art of time travel, and many roads with good intentions are paved to end up burning upon the pyre.
"Just someone. Please. Not the whole town. Just save someone."
But Donna Noble insisted. She refused. She hoped against hope. If everyone couldn't be saved, then at least someone. Anyone. And her pleas were not unanswered and the Doctor eventually acquiesce to this request.
"("Oh Donna, you brilliant girl.")" the Doctor thought, thinking back at the companion that he had lost.
He fought the urge to not cry since he was with the kids. They didn't need to see an old man's tears. Not now.
Right now, he was changing history again just by being near a historical figure that lived through a life of trials and tragedies. It wasn't as bad as how he intervened in the life of the Imagine Breaker, but this was still a major event in human history.
Save someone. Anyone.
That was a request that continued to haunt him. It drives him to the point. Its why he choose his name.
The Doctor.
It was a promise. A mark. He made it his real name and he would keep it until his very last breath.
Insert Song: End
OP Song:
Steins;Gate Opening Theme - Hacking to the Gate (Full Version)
Incarnation(s)/Regeneration(s) of the Doctor:
The Tenth Doctor - A: David Tennant
The Seventh Doctor - A: Sylvester McCoy
Main Companion Protagonists:
Touma Kamijou - VA: Atsushi Abe
Shinichi Kudo - VA: Minami Takayama
Lelouch vi Britannia - VA: Jun Fukuyama
DW (TV/EU) Companion Characters:
Donna Noble - A: Catherine Tate
New Characters:
Nunnally vi Britannia - VA: Kaori Nazuka