Coldspring, Texas
186
Brian and Sarah were about to accept a foster daughter. They said she was a bit...well that she'd been through trauma. They were ready to welcome her with love.
The social worker left them in the lobby. She returned ten minutes later, a teenager walking behind her. The girl had her eyes down on a flip phone, texting away. Her black hair fell over her face.
"Mr and Mrs Henry, let me introduce-"
"M-" The girl paused, lifted her face away from the phone. Her amber eyes shimmered. "Mar- Marinette Jones."
"Marinette. It's good to meet you." Sarah came forward. She offered a hand.
Marinette considered it, staring at the hand like she expected something else. Sarah's heart broke for her. Marinette still shook it.
"Ready to go home?" Sarah asked. "Or, to our home?"
She smiled, thin and like she wasn't happy about it at all. "You have no idea."
==MGCB==
She wanted to say life was better. That's a lie, actually. Life tends to go that way. Some things get better, yes. They also find new ways to get worse. Like getting a headache from a well earned ice cream cone. Or an earache from turning your headphones up too loud.
She went to new places. She got hurt in new ways. Enemies fought and won battles against her, giving her new hurts. New friends came and went, loving and caring and hurting as they did. She let them go easy. Holding on never did anyone good.
She held onto one. Held on so tight she sprained her wrist.
She always knew she'd let Darcy down one day...
==MGCB==
Kent Military School, Child's Play
191
Darcy acted strange all week. She lashed out more, more furious than her sister ever wanted to see. Terra understood the rage, letting it happen because...well honestly because she was too scared to calm Darcy down.
They were trying to save Andy Barclay from Chucky.
Darcy spent all the time killing random people around the military school.
Terra spent it covering up Darcy's killing spree.
In the end, they both failed to protect anyone. Darcy raged at Terra for the failures, for pinning all of it on Darcy all the time. Terra had no idea what Darcy was talking about- she literally spent the past week making sure nothing got pinned on Darcy.
But Darcy got angry.
Everyone knows what Darcy does when angry. And what she does to the person she's angry at.
==MGCB==
Terra grieved. She cried. She tried to move on, to live without her family. It didn't work. Maybe they were codependent, maybe they needed time apart, but she never wanted it to come from hurting Darcy. She'd known Darcy for forty years by that point. Her death tore her apart.
She wanted a better life. A happier life. A pretty, simplistic, 'problem of the week' life. Not that she deserved it.
One day, it dragged her in. Kicking and screaming against it. A life so good- too good, for someone that did so much bad- but it forced her into it. Made her feel all that love and care, selflessly and unendingly.
Magical cartoon ponies couldn't be anything less.
==MGCB==
Crystal Palace, Frozen North, Equestria, My Little Pony
192
Magical sunlight streamed in from windows. All the sunlight in this universe came from magic, so calling it 'magic sunlight' wasn't incorrect. When an alicorn spends every morning and night for a thousand years grabbing the sun with her magic, that leaves a trace. Her friendly, outgoing trait that always wanted to be seen and helpful.
Sunlight never liked me. Strange, because the alicorn controlling it seemed to find me amusing. Or entertaining. Either way I have no way of telling if it's intentional that I always wake up to sunlight shining directly in my eyes.
I rotated in my hospital bed. The sun continued to beam down on me. I usually let it slide, for obvious reasons. Celestia fired those sunrays with intent for me, and me specifically, so I begrudgingly let it continue.
Her sister was way cooler. And Celestia loved when I said that- when I was nice to her unloved sister, whenever Luna and I hung out like friends.
I'd prefer to hang out with Luna right now than staying in this fucking hospital wing. Yes, my stay here was completely my fault but why must I suffer the consequences? Generating a massive forcefield powered by my own internal capacity for love, and my reward is exhaustion and a hospital stay.
If the magical ponies were really my friends, they'd let me out. Or let me have guests that weren't awful.
"Hello sweetheart."
See? Terrible, awful guests. I want her gone. She's a bother.
The door wasn't even locked. That's a security issue. Worse yet, she's also in a pony body. A light brown pegasus, with a big head of ginger hair. She disgusts me. She snuck in as a nurse, which made me sick. Her dad earned that degree. River Song is only ever good at removing organs.
Other ponies stood behind her- probably actually nurses brought in from the capital city. Purple unicorns usually came from Canterlot anyway, and Cadence's staff were usually pegasi. This is a decent mix.
River Song in Equestria? It bothered me.
"You look ridiculous." Was the only greeting she got from me.
River rolled her eyes. She walked over to my bedside, checking over my vitals. The other ponies went about the room, checking over various other parts of the hospital wing. "Says the pink unicorn."
"That's dark pink." I corrected her. "My colors are unique. You're a pony version of you."
"Why change perfection?" River replied. Terrible. Absolute madwoman. Why did the Doctor love her so much? She's the worst. River turned to the other two ponies. "Her vitals are still stable. No longer at risk."
The pegasus sighed. "It only took her twelve hours and three infusions."
River hummed, delighted. "She never does things by halves." She leaned in. "Always all or nothing with you."
It did little to make me like her.
"Nurse Fox, Nurse Bunny, could you give me a minute with the patient?" River asked. The two ponies exchanged a look with River, then each other. After a final glance at me, they did exit the room. "Hello, Terra."
I raised a brow. "It's-"
"Not for this conversation." River replied. "I need Terra Johnson."
Wow, I thought, what a blast from the past. It's been, what, 8 years? Eight years since I thought about my son, Rebel, and my favorite pig. Reighley! That's a fun day. Martha! Oh that hurt, moving on. Freddie and Tuck- need to visit Danny Phantom again so he can be born. Donna! I miss Donna. She's always great. Hold on. It's been eight years exactly. Wow. Such convenient timing.
"Why now?" I asked her. Something about the timing of it didn't sit right with me. "If you're here, you know season 3 of this show just started. I don't like to leave at the start of seasons."
River raised a questioning brow. A 'I'm calling bullshit' brow, if you will. Her years with the Doctor perfected that skill.
"Not before all the plot stuff happens." I gestured a dark pink hoof to the nearby sun streaming window. "I think defeating a shadow demon in a kingdom that's been gone for a thousand years with a love shield counts as 'plot stuff'."
"You learned a valuable new spell." River replied. "A very potent new spell that could fix anything."
Now I'm worried. Like, genuinely worried. Remembering those five years came with a lot of fondness, but also a lot of grief. My last day there came with a heavy, painful thump in my chest.
"This magic works differently." I argued. "It won't work the same there. It'll be difficult."
"When has 'difficulty' ever stopped you?" River replied. "It's the perfect time to leave. You can take a medical leave of absence-"
"I can't." I replied.
"Yes you can. They won't-"
"River, I can't go."
"You will!"
"I won't!"
River leaned forward, rolling her eyes. "Oh come on. I know it's a hard day, but it's only-"
"I have a daughter."
River stopped. Just- completely stopped. Her blue eyes stared at me, like she hadn't expected me to say it. I didn't expect to say it. Still, my eyes watered in rage.
"She's five." I replied, talking through the wobbling of my lip. "I can't leave her. Not now- she's being watched by Princess Cadence and Shining Armor while I recover. They dragged her away, and she was crying. I can't leave my daughter after she cried about it. Of anyone, you should understand that."
River stepped away from me. But still, she lowered her hoof to hold mine. "So you know I wouldn't ask unless there wasn't any other choice."
I shook my head. "I'm not leaving her behind. Not for anything- not ever again. I'm gonna be a good mom."
"Saving the universe is a great parenting activity."
"Lilac is the universe, as far as I'm concerned." I replied. River made it easy to banter with. Her only banter partner for years was the Doctor. He set her up for failure against me. "I'll finish Turn Left when Lilac is older. Her teen years, maybe."
"It'll be too late then."
"You don't get to decide 'too late'."
"Oh I forgot. You were born a child of the TARDIS with a clear understanding of fixed points and timelines." River countered.
I clenched my teeth. Okay, River got in some good punches every now and then. "I'm giving Rory condoms as a wedding present."
"You'll need to finish season 4 to reach him." River countered. She let go of my hoof. With my eyes burning a hole in the back of her head, she walked to the exit. "I'll keep the ponies occupied while you're gone."
"I still haven't agreed to go!"
"Your daughter, was she born here? And her father-"
"She's adopted." I replied through clenched teeth. "If that's your point. Tossed away like garbage into my backyard. She's still my kid."
"She's from here. Born and raised. She's the reason you were able to make that shield at all." River reasoned. She glanced from over her shoulder. "In Equestria, they value friendship and goodness. Tell me, since you love her so much, when she finds out you picked her over a whole universe worth of people, will she ever forgive you?"
Damn it
Author fucking damn it
Screw condoms- I am knocking Rory out and giving him a vasectomy
I am feeding Amy punch dosed with birth control
I am going to unmake you, River Song
You're fucking right and I never want to see Lilac's disappointed face directed at me. I already lost Darcy, I can't lose Lilac. That'll kill me all over again.
"I hate you."
"I don't play by halves either." River opened the door. "You taught me too well. Until next time, sweetheart."
"Next time involves me shoving this hoof up your-"
She had her hoof on the door. River frowned. "And Terra, I'm sorry. But you have to go with Plan B."
I gasped. No...not Plan B...
==MGCB==
Shan-Shen, Doctor Who
The noises. I'd forgotten the noises of Shan Shen. A loud constant cacophony of noise.
Oh. That's not Shan Shen. Those are my heartbeats. Gah, that's weird. That's a weird feeling. They beat in sync which should make it easier but it only made them louder.
I took a deep breath- deeper than normal, oh bless Time Lord lung capacity. That's a thing I definitely missed-
Missed.
She missed.
As I got used to new heart rates and breathing, my eyes wandered the alleyway. Usually alleyway debris cluttered the space. A knife stuck out from the wall. A knife I recognized instantly, and threw me into a distant memory.
Her knife.
That's right. Her knife. We left it behind by accident. She'd thrown that, aiming at my shoulder.
I reached over my shoulder, gently tapping my shoulder blade. A mark sat there, now, under my dress. A mark on my shoulder. Eight years ago, I gave her a challenge.
Let it hit you, just once.
Throw better, and I might.
Years ago, I did. The mark on my shoulder proved it. She threw better. I let it stick. Just like she always wanted.
She wouldn't have wanted it like this.
She only missed because I made her close her eyes. Back then, I was embarrassed at what she'd say about my ginger face. When your middle name is Annie, you're ginger, and you like singing? You're doomed from the start. But I'd give anything to hear those jokes now.
I reached up. The knife had been set in the wall by her throw. If her eyes were open, it would've been thrown with more force. As for now, it's practically a push pin. A quick jerk brought the knife out. I examined it.
It wasn't one of her favorite knives. Maybe a loan from someone? There were people that she worked with- a team. Maybe one of them gave it to her?
I miss giving Darcy gifts. I miss seeing Darcy happy. I miss Darcy.
"Terra?" A familiar man called out.
I fought down a gasp. That's a voice I hadn't heard for a long time. The Doctor, the tenth Doctor of Gallifrey.
I looked down at my dress. Oh, the familiar pinks and blues warmed up my double hearts. The TARDIS key around my neck warmed up too.
He rushed around the corner. Seeing him nearly sent me sprawling back on the ground. He smiled too, with a scrunching of his eyebrows. Confusion, or delight? No, confusion.
"What's that?" He nodded at the blade in my hand.
Quickly, I tucked it away into my Bag. "Finders keepers."
He laughed. A small thing that made me nostalgic. He laughed at the dumbest jokes, at the stupidest things, but always in such a human way. "Get the old five finger discount?"
"No, I have ten fingers." I wiggled my fingers at him. "That means I get twice the discount."
"Twice the haul? Get anything for me?" The Doctor asked.
"No. I got the discount. You get to watch me thrive." Eight years, and the banter comes so naturally. I thought I would stumble and make mistakes, but it's just like old times.
I smiled, fond.
The Doctor paused, watching me. The confusion and the way he studied me instantly set me on alert.
"Did you lose Donna again?" I asked. Because I knew for a fact that he had.
The Doctor continued to stare at my face.
"You did." I clicked my tongue, sliding my hands to my hips while shaking my head. "You know you were on Donna watch."
That snapped him out of his state. "What? No! That's your job!"
"Me?"
"Yes! You keep the companions from wandering off!"
Not even eight years- hell not even a hundred years would convince me of that. "You're the one always complaining about it! So it's your job!"
"That's not how it works-"
"Donna would say that's how it works."
"She'd say she doesn't need minding!"
"Hey, you're the one that's worried about her wandering off."
The Doctor scoffed, then snorted. Loud. Hard. Hard enough that I briefly thought he broke his nose.
Then we heard her scream.
"And that's why!" The Doctor yelled, immediately going off on a run.
This is why I hate coming at the tail end of things. There's no build up to anything, and I'm diving headfirst into an Olympic sport.
==MGCB==
The scream came from nearby, thankfully. The tent still stood out amongst everything else around here. I could still hear the fortune teller yelling about Donna's power when we got close.
I threw open the curtain. Donna whirled around, spinning away from the giant dead bug. Oh my Author, Donna Noble looked so cool. Did Donna Noble always look so cool? I always thought she looked cool.
"We heard screaming!" I told her.
"Everything all right?" The Doctor asked.
Donna stumbled forward. "Oh, God." She threw her arms around us, pulling us in close.
Hugs usually bothered me. This hug bothered me, but not as much as it would've back then. Guess when you're used to random hugs from a five year old, you're better prepared for the awkward feelings you get from a hug.
"So everything's not alright?" I said.
Donna stepped away, a dazed look in her eyes that kept coming in and out of focus.
"What was that for?" The Doctor asked.
"I don't know." Donna replied. She glanced back at the dead beetle on the floor.
The Doctor walked over to it. He picked it up, moving it to a nearby stand. "Oh, oh dear. I think I know these."
"Yeah?" I gently guided Donna to a nearby set of cushions. Donna followed along without protest. "We all know what beetles are?" I leaned towards Donna. "I think he's finally lost it."
The Doctor poked it with a stick. Gosh, give a boy a dead thing and he'll just poke it with a stick.
"He did." Donna mumbled. "You both did."
My hand reached for her's, squeezing it. Donna squeezed back, and it's clear the action was a reflex. She stared at the bug, a far off look in her eyes.
"Both of you were gone." Donna kept on. She scrunched up her eyebrows, squinting at the creature. "You drowned on Christmas day. I hadn't- I took a right turn, instead. And you both were gone. It was awful."
I squeezed her hand again. Donna noticed it that time, staring down at our joined hands. She lifted her head to meet my eyes.
"We're right here. It didn't happen." I assured her. "See? You're holding my hand. You can't hold a dead girl's hand. Or, you could, it's just in poor taste. Did anything else happen? You screamed."
Donna blinked, but didn't let go of my hand. "I can't remember. It's slipping away. You know like when you try and think of a dream and it just sort of goes."
"Just got lucky, this thing." The Doctor poked the bug again. It wobbled, but stayed dead. Good or I was gonna shoot it. "It's one of the Trickster's Brigade. Changes a life in tiny little ways. Most times, the universe just compensates around it, but with you? Great big parallel world."
"Oh that's very you." I told Donna. "No wait, hold on. Aren't parallel world's sealed off?"
"They are." The Doctor confirmed. "But Donna had one created around her." He glanced at her. "Funny thing is, seems to be happening a lot to you."
"I did say it was very her." I agreed.
"How do you mean?" Donna asked.
"Well, just in the Library. But this makes twice." I held up two fingers.
Donna shrugged, dismissive. "Just goes with the job, I suppose."
"Sometimes I think there's way too much coincidence around you, Donna." The Doctor mused. "We met you once, then we met your grandfather, then we met you again. In the whole wide universe, we met you for a second time. It's like something's binding us together."
Yeah it's a crazy Dalek that I want to kill
That's right! Dalek Caan tried to kill Martha. That's a big reason to hate him, honestly, right off the bat.
I mean, I also managed to avoid a genocide, and actually make some working independently minded Daleks, and Caan killed them off. That was rude too. But also the Martha thing.
"Don't be so daft. I'm nothing special." Donna replied, shrugging it off.
If it were anybody else, I would slap them in the face for being so disrespectful of Donna Noble. Except, this was said by Donna Noble so instead I wanted to hug her. Me, wanting to hug someone willingly. Being a mom has changed me.
Oh.
I'm already hugging her. I should've noticed that.
"What are you-"
"You're special." I mumbled into her arm. "And nice and kind and loud and amazing and really, really good. We'd've died without you."
"And you're brilliant." The Doctor added.
Donna tensed up. "She said that."
"You are brilliant, but I said-"
"No, no not you. The woman- I can't remember it."
I sat up.
"Well, she never existed now." The Doctor dismissed.
"Donna, did she say anything else?" I asked. Something in my head pinged. Briefly, I panicked. Then, I remembered Time Lord things. 'I'm busy!'
'It's just a dream-'
'A woman in a dream created by a magic beetle tells Donna something that we've told her time and time again? And then something happens that has Donna screaming and the person that did it running away, also screaming?'
'Oh.'
'Dummy.' "Donna?"
"She said the stars." Donna recalled. "She said the stars are going out."
"In the dream world?" I asked.
"No, she said it was all worlds. Every world. She said the darkness is coming even here." Donna sat up, more alert and concerned again.
I held her hand still, brushing the other hand on her arm. "What'd she look like?"
"She was blonde." Donna replied.
The Doctor tensed. "Donna, what was her name?"
"I don't know."
"Donna. Her name."
"But she told me to warn you." Donna said. "She said two words."
"What words?" I asked Donna. "Can you tell us? What'd the blonde tell you?"
"Bad Wolf."
The Doctor jumped out of his seat. He stormed out of the tent. I squeezed Donna once more before following after him.
The written word was always delayed for the translation circuit. It took a minute to catch up. Did I look, when I left, to see? That I can't remember. But these words, these two words, I would remember no matter how long it'd been. The days we lost Rose Tyler, the day Jack died for the first time and I was dragged away from him, those two words that ruined everything.
"Well, what does it mean?" Donna asked, finally joining us.
The words were everywhere. Written on every sign, every poster, every place where words could be written. Over and over again, repeating just like before.
Bad Wolf
Bad Wolf
Bad Wolf
Bad Wolf
"Terra, Doctor, what is it? What's Bad Wolf?" Donna asked.
"It's the end of the universe." The Doctor answered. He quickly reached back for my hand, grabbing it and dragging me along behind. I barely managed to grab Donna.
Time to save the world, again.
==MGCB==
AN: If you've read my My Little Pony series, you know all about Lilac and the Darcy thing. If not…uh…surprise! Terra has a child now. She'll appear a lot more in the 4.5 fic I'm working on, but for now she's just an offscreen character. Y'all are gonna love her, I swear.
It may be awhile before the Stolen Earth chapter comes out. I want to finish up the Martha episodes on Torchwood, and they've been giving me a hard time. Hopefully it'll be out before the end of the week. Or something like that. I'm going on vacation soon so I really need it done before then.
I added a chapter to Stories from the Haven about Freddie and Terra, if anybody wants to give it a read!
Happy to finally post this since AO3 isn't down. Truly, a terrible night for everybody.
Thanks to Lyncis Leonis Shaw-Black for favoriting and following