Fictions Mentioned: Doctor Who/Faction Paradox, A Certain Magical Index, Case Closed/Magic Kaito, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Re:Creators, Code Geass, Shinza Bansho, The Works of Ryukishi07, SCP Foundation, Marvel, DC, Star Wars, Courage the Cowardly Dog
Episode 19 - The Lord of Time and the Hammer of Witches
"For the last time, Anna, no," said the Doctor, sporting a firm expression as if he stood by his decision, all the while carrying a black colored speaker from one side.
"Che," pouted one Lady Rusalka Schwagerin, seemingly foiled once again as she was carrying the black colored speaker from the other side.
Apparently at this period of time, the Doctor was just doing some simple housecleaning by himself, already fixed up a bunch of the TARDIS rooms and was now simply fixing up the next room which was the musical room, placing all of the current belongings and equipment back in order. Normally the Doctor was just fine and peachy for doing this by himself just as always, with no one else around, with his second sons being busy and going about their lives while he stays in the TARDIS all by himself, but apparently for some reason, his old (sort of) friend and acquaintance, Lord Karl Ernst Krafft, had made a sudden visit to the TARDIS, one that raised his eyebrows a bit as TARDIS School isn't at full session at this point, and had decided to seemingly pull some sort of prank on him.
By dumping Lady Anna Maria "Rusalka" Schwagerin in his very own lap. Quite literally in fact.
When asked in a curious inquiry upon why was she here when the last time he had heard, she was busy with something important back in SCP Foundation Containment Facility - Site 45 - Serpentine Universe, he simply said.
"Even a Lord of Time such as yourself would need the company of a fine woman from time to time," said Lord Suigin, sporting a subtle smile, with Rusalka just smiling innocently (?) from the background.
The Doctor could only looked on in disbelief, eventually pinching his eyes in exasperation. "(Sigh). Really now, Karl, after all these years that you've known me by, surely you should know that I'm not really interested in that kind of stuff."
"Oh but quite the contraire, for I have only need to make mention of the wonderful Song that grace your presence since your escapades in the Library," said Lord Suigin, still sporting a subtle smile.
"..." the man could only remain silent, sporting a distant but sad expression, muttering. "Of course you would know about that," recalling of a time when he and Donna Noble had once visited upon a Library, the Lux Foundation Library to be precise. He could never really forget that part of his life even if he tried. Meeting someone from his own relative future. He felt it. The timelines that would forever shift at the ever present moment of eternity. Even when he didn't truly knew her, there was some part in him that did for some reason. A reverberation of his own personal timeline occurred the moment he met her. Meeting her a few dozens times in the past, and yet was not so. For his timeline was ever changing, ever in flux, for the future of his own relative lifetime, his very last life, remains to be seen, forever to remain untouched by him until the right moment when the clock would strike.
It was one that he could only recall in silent dread as he recalls his very own mortality in place of his immortality. Something that he and the Hammer of Witches had as a common ground. For both try to find a way to keep on going, and yet the methods behind the two of them would remain to differ as their relative past speaks for itself.
"(Sigh). Few relative years (or so many millennial years of my current life) too late for this, Karl," muttered the Doctor before speaking once in clear tone. "Alright fine, you win, Karl, just as always when it comes to the intricate delicacies of women," said the Doctor, seemingly exasperated and resigned, and yet was more than glad to have some form of company.
Plus, on the bright side, at least it wasn't someone like Wilhelm Ehrenburg or Wolfgang Schreiber to whom he had some amount of sadness and misgivings. Well, in Wilhelm's case, at least he had a wonderful woman by the name of Claudia Jerusalem to keep him company. Really, even he was boggled as to how on Rassilon's name did Wilhelm got together with someone like her when they are completely different in terms of demeanor and vibrations of the mystical spectrum, with the former being the night while the latter being the day. One of the weirdest moments in the history of the Masadaverse that he had the exasperated but seemingly delightful pleasure of observing during his days as the unknown chess master and shadow player.
Ah, love, he thought that one time, one of the few mysteries that was a constant no matter where and when he goes, one of the few mysteries that he could never really solve all at once and would take so much time to ponder.
But still, he asked to himself, why Rusalka? Why not with Beatrice Kircheisen or Riza Brenner? Both to whom he has some important form of long time friendship and cordial relations, both of which would relate for more than half the part to his second daughters, to Kei Sakurai and to Rea Himuro. That and their common ground in terms of pranking Valerian Trifa from the side when he wasn't looking.
But despite these silent questions, even it that were truly the case, he never really refused his old friend's request; for one, owing him much as he was part of the main reason he got to encounter three significant children, to whom he would take under his wing, and these same children have now grown up, with him going on a form of subtle nostalgia and reminiscence, thinking on how they grew up so very fast; for two, thinking that if he would send one of his subordinates here, it must be somewhat important. Or is it just a form of entertainment that he get's out of at this point. One could not tell. Well, he can but that's only because he's known of the old master of near perfect Shakespearean dialect for so long that it might as well be a side of routine. As far as this goes, this is pretty tame in terms of the normalcy of his multi-millennial life.
In any case, with acceptance comes part of the usual shtick when it comes to handling someone like Rusalka. For as far as he knows and understood, Rusalka Schwagerin would sometimes use the skills of flirtation to her seeming advantage. Well, in this case, the Doctor would seemingly take it in stride, always used to the antics of Rusalka ever since he had met her all those lifetimes ago.
If he didn't know any better, and he does for most of the time, it would appear that even now, he tended to notice certain amounts of feelings that come to the fore as far as Rusalka was concerned. Certain feelings that may stem from something that seemed impossible for most, but the more that the Doctor looked at it, there really was no denying it.
Rusalka was always the clingy type when it comes to him in particular, having met her for so many amount of times as much whether in the relative past or future, if one counts all the permitted times he officially and unofficially visited the Masadaverse, being the unknown player and the chronicler of history. Even when she was known as Tenma Numahime back in the day. Even during the inconsistent years of the Time War.
Even now, she was one of the few constant women in his long relative life that ended getting smitten by him for one reason or another. Something that boggles the mind of everyone that was involved.
At the present moment, the Doctor and Rusalka had finally managed to place the last of the speakers back to its proper place, thereby finally accomplishing his task of TARDIS spring cleaning as it were.
"There, all done," the Doctor smiled in satisfaction, rubbing his hands in a gesture of a job well done. Then he looked back to Rusalka, noticing that she was sporting that smile on her face, on that he was quite familiar with.
"Hmhmhm," Lady Rusalka made a soft laugh. "I must say, you have quite the mess that you've gotten yourself into, my Lord Doctor," she spoke as she slowly draws near, with both hands on her back, humming in a tune as if she was singing a song. A familiar tune that the Doctor was well aware of, having heard of the different versions of it in the German tongue. "Speaking of which," she titled, sporting a lady-like smile that could melt the hearts of almost anyone. "I was wondering on whether one such as yourself would be doing all this time while I and the rest of the L.D.O. are currently going about their daily business as usual. Mind letting a lady a hand?"
Insert Song: Start
Dies irae: The Animation 『Amantes amentes』
The Doctor hesitated. He sported a subtle expression. One that seemed blank. And yet, hidden right there was a darkness that no one could see, except to a certain few that truly knew of him. Rusalka knew this. She knew just how much darkness that this man truly carried. One that was subtle and yet was truly terrifying to behold. What the Doctor lack in power, he gains with insight. What the Doctor lacks in ability, he gains with subtlety. A manipulator par excellence who could topple down entire armies with nothing but simple words that were as subtle as they are deadly in their tenacity. A man who had killed and sentenced countless numbers of unknown gods, monsters, and demons to death or far worse fates.
Such a man is stained with so much blood. More so than even Rusalka and the rest of the L.D.O. combined if one were to see his endless archives of records. One that gave a prose of praise to both the Golden Beast and the Mercury.
No power was needed. Only the intellect.
A seemingly talentless bloke who makes up such talents through the journey of experience.
He was a man that Rusalka Schwagerin had wanted to catch up with all this time. A man that she had met for so many random coincidences than she could count with her own five fingers.
It all started back to the moment when the Doctor wore a very different face.
Before her descent as the Hammering Witch, he was there. During the moment of the Witch Trial, he was simply there, sporting that subtle disgusted look on his face as he saw what her fellow villagers had done to her, branding her as something that she was not, before eventually making himself scarce as he shakes his head, almost as if God was abandoning the village to its predetermined fate that would no doubt be taking place. More encounters, ones where Rusalka tries to tail him, try as she might to get him to come to her shadow, only for it to somehow fail spectacularly, drawing miracles out of his panama hat as if he were a master magician. More encounters, one where Rusalka, who would eventually become known by the alias Malleus Maleficarum, learned of the man's seeming connection to Lord Karl Kraft, being in the guise of a journalist of England who goes by the name of John Smith, coming in as the one who would like to conduct and interview for all the L.D.O. Members, to which was given approval by Lord Reinhard Heydrich himself.
He was there during the Fall of Berlin, witnessing first hand of what had taken place, with subtle dread and awe in his eyes, all the while recording everything from afar, all as he silently watches the mass suicide of more than three million people. No one was spared. No man. No woman. No child.
He was there. All this time. The man that she wanted to catch up too. The only one that ever really treated her kindly even in spite of everything that she had done. This man was such an enigma. Such a mystery. One that completely has Rusalka scratch her head in both irritation and exasperation. The only one from her past besides Lord Karl Krafft who truly knew her.
She never knew who he truly was until much later down the line through the confirming voice of one Lord Reinhard Heydrich, when eventually by the 21st Century, when the curtains would finally lift for the Dies Irae (Day of Wrath), then he would show, but only through indirect machinations as always.
When she would eventually find out who he truly was, many questions come to her mind.
A man from beyond time. A man who was never human. A man who came from far away, all as if it were a fairytale. A man who was as elusive as a shadow, just as he was as brilliant as the stars in the sky. A man who was of a mysterious race that holds absolute dominion over the entirety of not just time, but in all that concerns the nature of science of multitudes, of rationality of enlightenment, of beings of great power that holds policies of non-intervention as one of their primary tenets.
All this would boggle her mind to this day, despite everything that had happened to her.
It would explain why he didn't age much, appearing as the same man of simple medium stature, carrying that same jolly old smile that holds something that seemed too dark and terrible to ponder and behold. A mystery; an enigma; someone who was an irritation, an annoyance, and one who makes her head scratch furiously. And yet, one that she had grown fond of as the years draw by.
For he was the only man besides a certain few that knew who she was, what she truly desired, a desire to never be left behind which is diluted in the waters of dragging others along with her in the mud, only for it to clear the moment her death would arrive that would open the sixth Swastika, only for it to see him one last time as he simply kneels and waits by her side until her time came. All with a kind smile on his face.
"Rest now, Anna. I'll take care of everything else for the time being until you return."
And take care of things, he did. A man who had made the unofficial fifth route. A man of impossibility. A man of both light and dark. A man who even now intrigued her to no end.
And now, she was asking a simple question of subtlety. One that was subtle but genuine. The look on his brown eyes would speak of it all. A hidden shame that he wanted to bury. A hidden shame that he may have foreseen out of the sense of loneliness.
Truth be told, there were a few circulating rumors that have been muttered throughout the SCP Foundation lately. One that concerns a certain event that dealt with a fixed point in time back in the multiverse setting of the Doctor - the Whoniverse.
One that concerned the death of one Captain Adelaide Brooke, Ph.D.
Those same rumors would eventually reach the ears of one Rusalka Schwagerin as she was simply minding her own business, doing her usual magical experiments in Site 45 when a clone shock trooper knocked on her front door, simply reporting the rumor surrounding the event in question, to which she simply stop for but a moment, before eventually speaking. "Thank you for the report, trooper. Dismiss," to which said clone shock trooper saluted and exited her laboratory just as quick as he went in.
If she were to recall, there were only a few times when Rusalka Schwagerin would be as it were, worried sick about the Doctor. And those times were as rare as the summer breeze of the north. This was one of those few times. And it was one of those few times when she was actually grateful, despite her hidden consternation, towards the Mercury for bringing her here, and scoring the bonus with the rather slight blush, surprise, and exasperation on the Doctor's face due to seemingly landing near his lap while he was busy spring cleaning.
But then comes the part when she only asked a simple question, one that was genuine despite such subtlety that edges the question. It was one that had the Doctor swaying, flashing a smile, one that was clearly faking and yet was still subtle enough for most not to notice.
"Oh nothing much," the Doctor said, swaying back and forth as he puts his hands to his pockets. "Simply doing some travelling here and there with nothing but the clothes and the wit on my back."
"All alone?," asked Lady Rusalka, raising an eyebrow while still picturing her picture perfect smile.
The Doctor was slightly hesitating, before eventually answering while maintaining a smile, all with a cheery tone. "Yep. Figured some time travelling alone would do me some good for a change."
"How much time?," Lady Rusalka continued her subtle interrogation all the while slowly moving forward, with both hands behind her back, still maintaining that picture perfect smile.
"What do you mean?," the Doctor slightly look to the left, with sadness subtly seeping through, one that Rusalka noticed with the blink of her eye.
"How much time?," Lady Rusalka persisted in her question with emphasis, not letting the Time Lord out of her sight for one minute, not letting him get the chance to dodge her question.
It was an honest question. Why was he dodging it? How much time really did pass by between him and her? Between all that time, it couldn't have been that long for her or for the rest of the L.D.O. Or for anyone else for that matter. But what about him. How long did time pass for him? Considering how he lives his life travelling through space and time like it wasn't going out of style, it wouldn't be surprising that the man she is currently interrogating with was far older than the last time that she saw him.
And the Doctor only responded with a silence that was seemingly eerie. One that had him clamp shut. Only sporting that look of coldness on his face. One that was not directed at Rusalka. But rather, one that was directed upon himself due to what he had foreseen. For a revelation had been given to him through his piecing of the complexity of the timelines. For an event that involve one in particular that had the name of Time Lord Victorious. One that had him subtly screaming in defiance from his innermost soul.
He accidentally intervened. On one fixed point event that involved the first space explorations of mankind. He couldn't save Adelaide Brooke, but he managed to save at least two surviving crew members, Yuri Kerenski and Mia Bennett.
He never spoke a word to them. Only carrying a subtle sadness that is felt by them in particular. For he dropped them somewhere off in a Space Operations Command Base somewhere in Colorado, with the authorities being able to verify the Doctor via ID from U.N.I.T., to which he would eventually bid farewell in silence, hopping through the TARDIS as he reflects back on everything that had happened. All as the cloister bells were rung, a premonition that signals a coming death sometime in his relative future. One that he has been running away from for so long, for so many multi-millennial years. A very long time had passed so much for him. Much to the unawareness of most.
But then...
"But Susie, my granddaughter. The person she's supposed to become might never exist now."
Certain flows of events stem from the back of his complicated mind. One that was seemingly scripted. One that he never followed was being watched from his very own foresight.
"Nah! Captain Adelaide can inspire her face to face. Different details, but the story's the same."
He sees it. He sees himself. Or rather, one of many probabilities that came to be. And it was someone who was no longer the Doctor. Not in his eyes nor in the eyes of his other selves.
"You can't know that. And if my family changes, the whole of history could change. The future of the human race. No-one should have that much power."
She was right. No one should have that much power. That was why there were laws. Certain laws that governed the natural order of things. It had always been that way. No one should be allowed to change it as if you were in charge of it. For time is an entirely different beast if left rather cruelly.
"Tough."
"You should have left us there."
"Adelaide, I've done this sort of thing before. In small ways, saved some little people, but never someone as important as you. Oh, I'm good."
Little people!, he thought vehemently with such anger and disgust at the sight of his other self's newfound arrogance, an eerie reminder of how his old friend and enemy, the Master, would say. For this was never something that he would truly say. A mockery of everything that he truly was.
"Little people? What, like Mia and Yuri? Who decides they're so unimportant? You?"
"For a long time now, I thought I was just a survivor, but I'm not. I'm the winner. That's who I am. The Time Lord Victorious."
That was the final straw. One that made him broke every single mirror throughout the TARDIS main console and other rooms nearby.
One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten.
A continuous punch. Not stopping. Not faltering. All in spite of his knuckles that were bleeding out of blood. All when he cried so hard as he sees his other self and the causes of death and destruction that would come in his wake.
Winner of the Last Great Time War! Preposterous! Ridiculous! Not worth entertaining! Not worth remembering! There was no glory in that conflict! There was nothing to boast about! There was nothing to be proud about!
Everything he had lost was recalled back into his mind, all as he smashes the mirrors, one by one, in continuous fashion for the past few relative hours, in spite of the bleeding of his own two hands, in spite of the TARDIS's protests who could not bear at the sight of her beloved pilot who was now hurting himself senselessly.
Timelines come and go. Timelines that he could recall. Timelines that he could not just unsee were present to his mind.
Wilfred Mott dies. Becoming Emperor of the Universe. The Kottoruh Crisis.
Time War. Time War. Time War.
Why?! Why?! Why?!
Such an event. The Kottoruh Crisis. All unknown events surrounding the Time Lord Victorious.
Why can't he just be rid of it?! Why can't he just be left in peace?!
Why?! Why?! Why?!
"OUT OF ANY GOOD DONE MUST ALSO COME SOMETHING EVIL." said one damaged Dalek Drone who was left adrift through the vastness of space before finally repairing itself, sending a message to a Dalek Emperor, one who would eventually found a faction from the ashes of the Dalek Civil War, known as the Restoration Empire. An empire that shouldn't exist.
A message that warns of the other self. The Time Lord Victorious.
One that has him now smash the mirrors as he sees the past and future coming back to haunt him. For he had seen this, back then during the time of war, during the inconsistent day of his life where nothing was peace, but only war, only Hell.
The Doctor slowly close his eyes as he recalls all this with a sad face, turning away from Rusalka as he sighs heavily, looking distantly from his left, as if a subtle weight was present on his shoulders.
Rusalka noticed it. The heavyweight that was on his shoulders. The darkness that was there, hidden as it were, and yet was so clear for one such as her who had already witnessed it. A darkness that made her of all people tremble in fear, if only because she might have set up a ticking time bomb that might explode if the fuse was lit right enough.
So it was true, just as I and Krafft had suspected, Rusalka thought in silence, with a thin sad smile that accompanies it.
No wonder why Lord Karl Krafft would suddenly drop her here in order to see the Doctor, the man that she had certain feelings for. There was something else. He needs someone. For the man that is standing right before her has been alone for so many uncountable millennia. So many millennia had pass since he last saw her. The same would apply to the others as well. No wonder he was in this state the moment she found him, for she had certain suspicions brewing into her mind.
The messy surroundings. The random dodging of topics. The disheveled appearances. Something was amiss. Something was truly wrong.
She had no doubt that this man who is standing right before her had been alone for so long, imposed in self exile in his very own TARDIS, probably doing his usual job in overtime of saving people and yet, was always alone in the end, with no one to celebrate his victories and mourn in his defeats.
He was alone. Something that made her concerned.
She walks slowly, with both hands now leaving her back as she carefully weighs her footsteps.
Slowly. Slowly. Slowly.
Then...
She hugs him. Contrary to her appearances of public and private nature. Contrary to her attitude that is common to all. She hugs him. One that surprised the man as he looks at the petite woman who was now embracing him gently with shaking shoulders.
How out of character for someone like her, the Doctor thought with raised eyebrows, but wasn't complaining in the slightest as it has been a while since he last had contact with anyone that he truly knew. For more than several millennial cycles of meta-time had pass, having travelled through the deep past, present, and future, somewhere far away as he visits places that would normally no longer be visited, times that were no longer deemed accessible in normal fashion, in other words, travelling through the timeline of the timelines, being alone in self-imposed exile, all in a moment of self reflection that would come about of his relative future, of his eventual relative death.
For all would die eventually. He was no exception despite his nearly uncountable advance age of near immortality. For that was why he needed to have some time for self reflection. Alone. With no one to see him in the state where and when he was now. But he knew that some would be watching from afar. Lord Karl Krafft being one example. Perhaps this was a simple gesture of kindness on his part. How thoughtful of him, he thought while shaking his head.
The Doctor returns the embrace with an embrace of his own, all as he feels a warmth that he hadn't had for so very long since his self-imposed exile.
And the two continued their embrace up to the next relative hour when they would eventually part, with a new adventure coming the Doctor's way.
And this time, he wasn't alone. Not anymore. At least for now. One of the only times where he was thankful to his old (sort of) friend for at least providing this opportunity.
Insert Song: End
OP Song:
Dies irae Pantheon OP - Fanatiker
Somewhere in the main console room, there was the Doctor, all tidy up and ready, with a white shirt, with a black bow tie and tuxedo suit, with dark Converse All Stars trainers for footwear. He was simply operating the main console, pressing a few switches here and there, piloting the TARDIS across the ever present Space-Time Vortex, sporting a majestic kaleidoscopic appearance, all the while as everyone's favorite ship sets sail and surfs across the never ending corridors that leads to a multitude of destinations and planes of existence.
As the Doctor operates the console in a concentrated like fashion, walking slowly in a stealth like fashion was a beautiful woman with red hair, with her height not being her usual petite stature but rather of the same beautifully carved adult body that she had before joining the L.D.O., to which she normally wouldn't use but would make this one of the few time certain exceptions to the rule due to the fact that it is reserved only for the eyes of one man who was now working through the console in concentrated fashion, wearing a red formal dress instead of her usual SS uniform, red formal slippers instead of the usual SS boots.
She begins to step inside the main console room, presenting a simple subtle smile, with one hand to her right waist, all while watching the Doctor work in concentration as he presses a few levers and uses a hammer, hitting it towards a part of the main console as it produces a couple of sparks.
As the Doctor works through the console, he begins to immediately notice the woman who was simply watching him work with a smile. He notices the appearance of this woman. This wasn't how the woman normally looked. She was usually of very petite stature, but she was no less beautiful. A woman who had a very dark past which was pushed through as part of a script that had been given the proper editing that it deserved by him in indirect fashion and by his second son and now one of, if not the most powerful of the Hegemony Gods to date due to the defensive capabilities that could be applied in his power to control and stop time - the Law of Stagnancy.
Lord Ren Fuji - Lord Tenma Yato - Lord Setsuna - Also Sprach Zarathustra, editing the script in direct fashion, having achieved his potential to a much larger degree, with the circumstances surrounding such were recorded in the archives of the TARDIS, the SCP Foundation [REDACTED] Library, and other secret archives of importance.
Such an achievement he could only look back with a smile, proud of the son that he raised and was now using his power as he was meant to be. A nostalgic trip down to memory lane indeed.
But where was he? Oh right!
Rusalka's usual appearance. How strange for her to change her body back to her Pre-L.D.O. days, back when she was the simple complying housewife of a simple German village.
Sometimes, the Doctor wondered as to why would humans have to be cruel sometimes. He knew of course, having experienced all types of cruelty. Humanity wasn't really special in the cruelty department to begin with. But still, he couldn't help but sport a sad smile as he looks at Rusalka.
She didn't deserved that, he thought as he looked back at the day when he witnessed the infamous Witch trial surrounding her case. All due to petty jealousy. All due to such beauty that makes all the other villagers feeling as if they were insignificant. One by one, her so called friends and relations, even her own husband, abandoned her to the trials of a witch. The cruel irony of this is that she wasn't a witch at that point, only driven through that path by circumstances that was outside her control. It was one that had the Doctor really felt helpless, knowing that he could not intervene in such an event due to his agreements with Lord Karl Krafft, his divine foresight of a Time Lord that allows him to see and sift through the probabilities, his status as a complex space-time event par excellence among his other Time Lord brethren, other factors of the higher spheres, seeing Rusalka become an important individual that would leave a profound mark upon the script of history, playing a major role in the upcoming Dies Irae (Day of Wrath), and many other things of the unknown that only he and a few others would know and ponder.
But still, he couldn't help but feel like there could have been another way. That Rusalka didn't had to suffer her fate as a witch. That she could be able to live her life without getting involved in what was to come. He could only just punch himself as he thinks of this, how utterly naive of him to think of it when he sees literally everything, not unlike a certain parahuman by the name of Contessa, but even more so than her as he and the Time Lord race in general have the ability to look through the inner and outer complexities of the timelines, no matter what universe or multiverse, being complex space-time events that could be subtle but precise in their profound influence. An alien who has it all and yet is quite powerless when face with things that even he can't control.
A sad smile was simply etched unto the Doctor's face, one that Rusalka would notice as she immediately knew as to why he would have such a sad expression when there was a beautiful woman standing in front of him.
Guilt. Anger. Sadness. Other negative vibrations of the emotional spectrum were laid bare as she notices how the Doctor would tend to look at her. Someone who was so much more. Someone who acknowledges her worth even in spite of not seemingly catching up, but not to his eyes. Someone who doesn't see her as an ant but as a giant who stands tall, being someone who could accomplish much if given the right encouragement and pointed in the right direction. Many other complex feelings, all leaning towards a subtle positivity and approval to those who knew of him. And Rusalka was one of the few who knew who the Doctor truly was due to encountering him through his seventh, eighth, war, ninth, and now tenth and present face that he wore.
Really, she thought in an exasperated smile. How the hell are you always this kind to me even when I try to kill you all those times? Why are you always looking at me with that kind of face? What did I do to deserve that much?
Despite her crimes. Despite her past. Despite everything. He still refuses to turn her away, always carrying that sad smile of guilt that would forever plague her for the rest of her days. That smile. That same smile that was just so sad to look at. No form of anger. No form of hate. Nothing negative to the bone of extremity. Just sadness. Just guilt. A guilt that is connected to certain days of long ago.
He was always kind to a fault. That was the kind of man that the Doctor truly was. Always the ever forgiving savior. His love might as well rival with that with Lord Reinhard Heydrich, with the only difference between them being the kind of love that they showered.
When it comes to Lord Reinhard Heydrich, he loved everyone without measure, almost like a king who loves his subjects, and wanted to make him a part of himself in his ever present Dies Irae (Day of Wrath) that would last for all eternity, being part of the endless halls of Valhalla, being engaged to the glories of battle and war, with neither good nor evil to fill the equation. For Lord Reinhard Heydrich was simply WAR. Plain and simple. A man of sheer charisma. A warrior of great prowess who leads an army of the dead. Unstoppable. Unshakeable. For his power his endless, a variety of uses that were a part of his Legion. Taikyoku Levels being of the high end scale, with his combat prowess only being surpassed by the likes of Lord Hajun and Lord Muzan in particular.
With the Doctor however, his love was totally different in nature. For despite being lower in rank. For despite his level and status that is between gods and mortals. There was something that sets him completely apart from Lord Reinhard Heydrich. For his was a love that was forged through the fires of tribulation, one that had him look at both the great and the small alike with such an equal level of balance and perspective. One that forever made him as the ever forgiving bloke that never could turn away from the sufferings of others, as he knew of what suffering truly was, experiencing it in many shapes and forms. But he could also be quite terrible to behold if one were to truly force his hand.
How many had he sentenced with a divine verdict? How many indeed?
The Family of Blood. SCP-106 - The Old Man. The Dalek Inquisitor General. Other high ranking Daleks. SCP-4666 - The Yule Man. The Empress of the Racnoss (Doctor Who - The Runaway Bride (TV story)). Binbōgami (Supernatural). Other so called Random Omnipotent Beings (ROBs). Many countless gods, monsters, and demons. Many others that could not be counted at this point.
A unique kind of love. Kind but terrible to behold when it turns to divine anger. One that ends everything to dust and ashes in a single swoop if pushed too far. One that had Rusalka intrigued as she ponders it over the many countless years of her long multi-millennial life as of this very point of the present time.
"Why are you looking me with that face, my Lord Doctor?," asked Lady Rusalka, flashing her usual winning smile as she walks towards the Doctor, reaching him as her hands were on her waist, all the while showing her surprisingly modest formal dress of red colors, all with a monocle worn to the right, one that she hadn't wore for so long. "Aren't you going to say something about me in particular?"
The Doctor still sported a sad smile, one that irked Rusalka a little too much considering how close to home it related to her, wondering as to why does he still feel guilty after all this time when he wasn't even the one who condemned her as the witch that she now is today in the first place. He only spoke with a sad and reminiscent tone, one that was genuine but subtle in design, all the while still flashing that sad smile, speaking in the German tongue. "Sie sehen heute sehr hübsch aus (You look beautiful, today), Anna."
Lady Rusalka could only sport an expression of speechlessness, then after a few moments, a slight blush from the cheeks as she heard that, muttering in a soft but clear tone for him to hear. "Danke schön (Thank you kindly)," before eventually speaking in a simple inquiring tone. "I found this dress while looking through the wardrobes. I noticed how it was on display, with the signature note, "For my dearest Anna," written right over the right front side of the dress."
"That's probably the TARDIS preparing your dress, all with my copy-paste signature on it," said the Doctor, shaking his head, considering another potential troll that was in the form of his own favorite ship that takes him where and when he needs to be. "Well, in any case, considering how we are dressed in formal attires and what not, I'd figure that you were wondering on where are we supposed to go?"
"That's right, my Lord Doctor," Lady Rusalka would begin to grab unto the Doctor's right shoulder, all with that flirtatious smile that the Doctor was usually familiar with. "Why exactly are we dress for such an occasion?"
The Doctor would begin to divert his sadness, speaking in a manic tone that he was known for, all while flashing a winning smile as he and Anna begin to walk through the main console room in a circle. "Well, I'd figure that a woman like you would need some form of downtime from your usual busy schedule, and I think I know just the place for that."
"Oh," Lady Rusalka smiled with expectation. "Taking me on a date are you?"
"If you want to call it that," said the Doctor, all the while pressing a lever that sends the TARDIS at full immeasurable speeds as it reaches the current destination for travel.
Vworp Vworp Vworp
The TARDIS begins landing on one random corridor of a cruise liner space-time ship, somewhere near a street corner that has a few restaurants from the side, one that had many peoples and species from many different backgrounds simply going about their daily business as usual.
The Doctor opens the TARDIS doors, escorting Rusalka in a gentleman like fashion, before eventually closing the doors with a snap of his fingers, a technique that he had learned from River Song.
Rusalka notices the rather futuristic surroundings that she finds herself in. The many humans, humanoids, aliens, and other manner of creatures simply going about their business. Clone shock troopers were stationed from one place to another, simply fulfilling their duty just as always. There was no mistaking it on her part. For she was somewhere that was a well known infamous location that is one of the Top 20 in terms of tourist attractions.
"Anna, I bid you welcome to the RMS-A Titanic. A bigger on the inside cruise liner that houses entire cities and massive level floors. Built somewhere around the Iron Age of the 45th Century of the Nazarick Multiverse - Universe Cluster 3456/34%, this has become quite known infamously as the Ship of a Billion Cities, with a multitude of cultures and lifeforms that are as far as the eyes could see. Ones that could definitely rival the likes of the more infamously known cities of Coruscant and Chandrila. It would also be a ship infamously known for travelling through space-time through the use of hypergate functions built into it, sending the ship through a place that is known as the Hyperplane which is a dimensional plane that was not unlike the Time Vortex in a way, but more safe to use and much more limited in the legal terms of travel destinations. All destinations of travel through space and time would of course need to be approved among the higher ups of the Shambala Federation, all with advisory guidance from the SCP Foundation Advisers that are assigned to this particular multiverse cluster, all to ensure the safety of both the ones doing the touring, the tourists themselves, and to safeguard against any potential paradoxes that may ensue as a result of space-time travel," the Doctor explained, all in a tone of teacher to a student.
"Quite fascinating," said Lady Rusalka, paying attention while looking through the vast establishments, all with encouraging sign boards, all with peoples of happy demeanor, seeing so many go about their lives like not a care in the world. A world that seems to be at peace. No wars here. No battles. Just a simple daily routine of everyday life. She turns towards the Doctor with an inquiring tone. "I would assume you didn't bring me over here just so that we could indulge in a few sight seeing tours."
"Well no," the Doctor shakes his head, all the while pointing towards a rather large building. "Firstly, we're going to take our orders over there."
Rusalka looks towards where the Doctor was pointing at. A restaurant. A fancy one at that. One that has five stars written above the name of the establishment.
La Résistance.
Now that was ironic. She, a former Nazi, would now embark with her date towards a place that was named after the infamous French Resistance. Memories of World War II came to her mind. All the battles that she took part in. All the people she had murdered in brutal efficiency through the use of Elisabeth Báthory (Die Blutgräfin) - her own personal Ahnenerbe which speaks of the diary of a countess, soak in the blood of numerous young women, all for the price of immortality. All those memories keep coming back to her mind, all as she recalls the sheer irony that continues to plague her to this day.
Did she had any regrets? Once upon a time, she did not. However, after everything that has happened to her. Everything that had happened in the Last Great Time War. A conflict where and when war and death were taken to its utmost extreme. All the experiences she had accumulated. All the different varieties of souls that she managed to see for herself. All of the horror that was left in the wake of nearly everything. Maybe she had some amount of regret. Such would seem like a grain in the sand which was thrown into the vast deep ocean that is soaked in the blood that has the colors of crimson scarlet.
"HAIL TO THE SCARLET KING! HAIL TO THE SCARLET KING! HAIL TO THE SCARLET KING!"
Lady Rusalka begins to shake her head, not liking to recall of the accursed pests who serve the Red King, one that nearly ended the lives of the Hegemony Gods that includes the likes of Lord Reinhard Heydrich, a being that nearly destroyed the Throne, a being that nearly penetrated and consumed all the Kamukura, along with the meta-time scales of the relative balance between the different aeons of perspective. She would go on to sport an exasperated smile as she looks towards the man who was escorting her to the place of establishment, speaking in a tone of slight humor and concern. "My Lord Doctor. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you are someone who never seem to truly let go of the past that comes before you."
The Doctor shakes his head, realizing on what Rusalka was talking about. "No no, its nothing like that," he waved his left hand in reassurance. "Firstly, despite the name of this establishment, there are no connections to World War II that you could find here. As a matter of fact," he looks towards the left and the right, observing the many humans and humanoids who were simply going about their business. "Many of these people that you now see before you have never even experienced World War II, much less heard of it if only in the inter-universal history books. Despite popular belief that is no doubt spread through the likes of fiction, World War II, along with organizations such as the Nazis Party, was never really a common denominating event in the wider multiverse, with many multiverses never even experiencing World War II, or the Nazis Party, or anything related to such dreadful topics, in the many countless worlds that most of these people came from, different things have happened that led to a different route and outcome, ones were new players that were never even heard in our own history books were their version of the Nazis, or other things were peace lasted for quite a long time, more than up to a thousand years at best, or empires such as Imperial Russia never having collapsed in the first place due to the Bolsheviks never coming to be, thereby making the Russian Revolution rendered null and void as it never even happened in the first place."
"Oh, I see," said Lady Rusalka, slightly relieved that she wouldn't have to face another random karmic heartache for what amounts to the nth time. She knew of course that World War II and other events that had happened in her own given universe would not necessarily apply to other universes that are separated through the trans-multiverse boundaries, but it was still nice to be reassured at the very least. For she wasn't really ignorant of the nefarious machinations of World War II and of what her own country, once known as Nazis Germany, had done in the name of the Aryan ideal of supremacy and race. The many concentration camps that are recorded throughout history such as Auschwitz could only spring to mind. She was never directly involved in such operations that round up the Jews of many different countries, but she was no less guilty of not doing anything and simply didn't care. Cringing in hindsight, she simply tries to ignore the reflections of horror and shame and simply focus on what her date is now speaking about.
"Secondly, there is an old friend of mine who owns this sort of establishment. Chef Alfredo Giovanni. He's an accomplished chef who I have had the pleasure of meeting even back before I even met you, or Ren, or Karl, or anyone else that you know of for that matter," spoke the Doctor, recalling of a time before the war, a time when he was as carefree and as idealistic as ever. Oh how he truly miss those bygone days of old, wishing that things might stay the same. Oh look at him, now he sounds just like his second son Ren Fuji.
"An old friend you say," said Lady Rusalka, smirking with interest. "Well then, we don't want to keep him waiting then. Sollen wir gehen, Mein Herr Doktor (Shall we go, my Lord Doctor).
The Doctor smiled in kind. "Natürlich, meine Dame (Of course, my Lady).
And so, the Doctor and Rusalka went together, walking inside the five star establishment with a determined look on their faces.
"Ah, Monsieur Doctor!," said one Chef Alfredo Giovanni, all in a French accent, making his way towards the Doctor in order give him a big hug. "Its good to see you are here."
"Good to see you as well, Alfred," said the Doctor, smiling as he hugs Giovanni in turn, all the while Rusalka watches with a smile, pondering in curiosity as to what manner of old friend is this chef.
Giovanni could only pat the Doctor through the shoulders after a big hug, sporting a jolly old smile that accompanies the French moustache. Then he notices Rusalka from the left side of his viewpoint, someone who was at the Doctor's right side position. "Oho! And who is the beautiful mademoiselle who came with you?"
"Oh my! You flatter me good sir," said Lady Rusalka, sporting a bashful smile, with her right hand placed upon her face.
"Oh! I almost forgot," said the Doctor, sporting a look of epiphany. "Giovanni, I'd like you to meet Lady Rusalka Schwagerin, an old friend of mine. Rusalka," he turned towards Rusalka, while introducing to her his old friend. "This is Chef Alfredo Giovanni. A very old friend of mine."
"Old friend you say," said Giovanni, sporting a knowing look of humor as he looks back and forth between the Doctor and Rusalka. "I feel that this may not be the case this time around, Doctor."
"What do you mean by that?," asked the Doctor, raising his left eyebrow in curiosity and slight trepidation, all the while Rusalka was smirking on the inside, liking the old man already.
"Oh its nothing for you to worry about old friend," said Giovanni, waving his left hand as if to reassure the Doctor that it was no big deal. "In any case, Corbin!" he looks towards one of the attendants of the restaurant, calling for him to come, to which the attendant complied as he makes haste. "Show my friend and his beautiful acquaintance the finest seats of this establishment."
"It shall be done, Cuisinier Giovanni," spoke Corbin, all the while indicating to the Doctor and Rusalka on the direction of their designated table. "Right this way, Monsieur and Mademoiselle."
And so, the attendant lead them to their designated table, somewhere in the second floor where one could see the outside world from the balcony, a table that is now in tip top shape order, as expected of a fancy restaurant of five stars, with the utensils, glasses, plates, and other manner of delicate tableware prepared in full order. As of this moment, both the Doctor and Rusalka would begin to order their preferred orders. In the Doctor's case, it was the usual order, one that has things like the classic French beef stew that is known as the Boeuf Bourguignon, all the while ordering the finest Champagne for both himself and for Rusalka.
As the order begins to be given in short of about five minutes when it comes to beverages served first before the meal, Rusalka was simply smirking, with her right elbow place into the table in order to support her face as she leans on it, all the while observing the Doctor who was looking through the restaurant with a sense of childlike nostalgia. How cute of him, she thought with a giddy sense of pleasure.
"Just look at this place," muttered the Doctor, looking through the restaurant in childlike wonder. "This place hasn't changed one bit since the last time I was here."
"Interesting," said Lady Rusalka, letting her face leave her palm while looking straight at the Doctor, speaking in a tone of honest inquiry. "When was the last time that you've been to this restaurant with someone else besides me?"
The Doctor became silent, pondering the question that was given to him.
How long indeed? Last time he was here with someone else, it was when he had a different face, back in his eighth incarnation. Back when he was travelling with Lucie Miller.
"A very long time ago really," the Doctor sported a sad smile. "I came here with my companion, Lucie Miller, back when I had a different face, one that you might be quite familiar with."
"Ah, the hapless romantic incarnation I suspect," said Lady Rusalka, referring to the Eighth Doctor, the eight face of the Doctor.
"I'd prefer if it was hopeless romantic incarnation, but I guess that works quite well considering all of the trouble I ended up getting involved in, especially considering all of the amnesia bouts that was quite common in those days," said the Doctor, sporting a twitching exasperated face, sweatdropping as he recalled his rather huge track record of amnesia bouts that had happened when he was in his eighth incarnation, one that was made into an utter laughing stock throughout the Senate of the Temporal Powers Alliance (TPA). No doubt people like Lord Karl Krafft would hear of it as he recalled him making a sort of joke in the form of wax poetic with regards to his bouts of amnesia such as:
"Tis a day not goes by towards the eighth hour of the day so as the forgetfulness of my old friend forever wounds my heart; for it aches in full measure at the sight of such a spectacle of immeasurable length as the random coincide in case of bygone days."
"Ugh," the Doctor facepalms as he recalls it as clear as day, all the while Rusalka softly laughs in amusement as she also recalls how frequent his amnesia bouts were which have been quite amusing for the first hundred of times, all with different reasons that accompany it. "Now that I look back at it, it does seem completely ridiculous on how I always ended up in bouts of amnesia for what amounts to so many times, some of which were just downright embarrassing to recall to both my heavy hearts."
"Hmhmhm. Yes, I do recall on how amnesia tends to be your common ailment at that point of your life. I and most of the L.D.O. were also quite the comedians, sometimes speaking about the different factors that lead to your latest amnesia and placing bets on whether or not this was so."
"Oh of course you've been placing bets on me," the Doctor rolled his eyes out. "I'd figure that even Valerian would get in on the action as payback for the times that I managed to prank him in one shape or form."
"Quite the fact, my Lord Doctor, after all, you brought that one on yourself the moment you decided to oppose the Divine Vessel as an enemy," said Lady Rusalka, twirling her right index finger, smirking in amusement.
"Are we talking about Dies Irae (Day of Wrath) or in Temporal Powers Alliance (TPA) Meetings?," asked the Doctor, raising an eyebrow of inquiry.
"Why not both, my Lord Doctor?," asked Rusalka, still sporting that smirk of amusement.
"Of course," the Doctor smiled, all the while lifting his champagne glass that is now full of yellow liquid champagne, courtesy of the attendant, planning to make a toast towards Rusalka. "Why don't we make a toast? You know, to start with the pleasantries of the meal that would no doubt be coming soon."
Rusalka smiled, simply raising her champagne glass that is also full, speaking in an amused tone. "I suppose so."
"A toast then," the Doctor spoke in a formal tone, all with a smile. "To friends and families, to all the L.D.O. Members, both former and current, who aren't currently here for the moment, and lastly, all praise and thanksgiving to a wonderful woman such as yourself."
"Seconded," spoke Lady Rusalka, all the while as she brought her champagne glass near towards the Doctor's making a sound of slightly touching glass that is heard among the two occupants of the table who were no doubt smiling and laughing softly in amusement and humor.
Yes, the Doctor thought to himself rather happily. It really has been a while since he did last saw her. Or anyone else really. Now he truly wonders on what his second sons would think of his self imposed exile. No doubt would cross his mind that his second son, a Hegemony God by the divine name of Lord Setsuna, would eventually make haste towards the TARDIS and come to him immediately in order to check if he was alright. Oh, he probably bring along his fellow main companions, his four girls that the Doctor would consider as second daughters, along with Shirou Yusa and Eri Honjou while he's at it. That would be quite fun indeed for it really has been a while since they last had a family outing. Really would have to plan for it eventually, he thought with a smile.
Insert Song: Start
Dies irae: The Animation 『Amantes amentes』
And while the soft laughter of amusement continues, the meals that were ordered have now been delivered on time, just as expected of a five star restaurant. The Doctor and Rusalka would then begin to take their meals with refinement, using the prepared tableware and utensils from the table. As they ate, Rusalka would tend to look towards the Doctor with subtle but less obvious loving eyes, all accompanied with a sad smile, all directed towards the Doctor who was simply enjoying his meal with a smile that was so very sad to look at, even after all this time, for as the times go by, Rusalka Schwagerin would be one of the few women who would tend to notice immediately on what's wrong.
As she looks at the Doctor, memories of a while ago begin to be recalled back to her mind.
The messy surroundings. The random dodging of topics. The disheveled appearances. Something was amiss. Something was truly wrong.
She checked the corridors of the TARDIS. One single corner at a time. One single room at a time. Its always been the same thing. No one was truly there. The entire ship feels like a ghost town. No one had been here for quite a while it seems. Dust and dirt seemed to be all over the place. It was quite obvious that TARDIS School wasn't at full session for a very long time. Even the faculty rooms remained untouched. All as she walks through the deserted faculty rooms, she eventually reaches her own table, one that had her own name plate "Anna Maria "Rusalka" Schwagerin - Malleus Maleficarum - Number VIII of the Longinus Dreizehn Orden's Obsidian Round Table." placed near the table.
She smiled. Memories of long ago up to the present time had occurred within her mind. Never in her wildest dreams would she be called to be a teacher of this wonderful establishment. For unlike the many peoples that she had encountered, for unlike the many men that she had encountered within her own universe, this school was always a place that felt like home. It was a place that was open for all, both the good and the bad alike. No discriminations. No needless fights. No conflicts that hurt the head and heart. Simply the bygone of school days and summer days that were present on the hallways of the once lively campus that is filled with heartwarming moments, harem clichés and romantic comedies.
What exactly happened here?, thought Rusalka sadly, all as she sees the abandoned faculty room that she is now currently in.
Suspicions crawled in the back of her mind. Something feels amiss. Something was terribly wrong.
She continues walking the endless hallways. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. It seem that there really was no one present. Then she noticed a cobweb, one that seem to have a large tarantula like spider making and spinning it with grace.
An Arcahnia, an alien species that look like the tarantulas of Earth, with this one standing before her sporting the color shades of blue, brown, and black, she thought with wonder and awe, all as she realizes that the Doctor was not quite as alone as she thought, for besides the TARDIS, it would seem that this Arcahnia was still here just as always.
Ruben. That was the name of the friendly neighborhood spider that grace the large octagon like hallway, for this was his territory, his home, one of the more likeable pets of TARDIS School.
"Ruben!," Lady Rusalka called out to him.
The aforementioned Ruben stop doing his usual routine and simply turned to face Rusalka with its eight large black eyes.
"My Lady Malleus?," the Arcahnia spoke in a tone of formality, tinge in surprise as he was not expecting her or any type of guest for quite a long time, one that was deeply noticed by Rusalka, one that added too much to her worries surrounding the man to whom she had certain feelings for. "Its been quite a while since you last came here?"
Lady Rusalka Schwagerin hesitated on what to say, with the feeling of a heavy shower of worry and anxiety spread through her entire body. Her heart palpitating with beats that seemed to signal the dreadful topic that has practically affected the surroundings of the TARDIS.
No one was here. That was the common answer that she could find.
"Ruben. When was the last time someone was in the TARDIS besides you?," asked Lady Rusalka, sporting an expression of concern.
The Arcahnia's eyes grew ever so sad, one that was noticed by Rusalka as some of her worst fears became realized the moment the spider had spoken the awaited but no less dreadful answer.
"I'm afraid that as of this moment in time, I am practically the only living being that is left in the TARDIS. Lord Doctor seems completely adamant on not having any of the students, staff, or anyone else in the TARDIS for the time being. The only reason I'm here is because I would sometimes get picked up by Lord Doctor from my home planet of Zhīzhū Centaury from time to time. However, between the times that he would pick me up, I tend to notice that he becomes much older and lonely than the last time I see him. As far as I could gather with my senses, I felt as if I was one of the only few that practically grace these hallowed halls. No one was here. Not men. Not women. Not children. Everyone was gone while I remain in respectful silence."
At that moment, Lady Rusalka would begin to think very carefully in a ponder-like fashion, with her signature movement which has her bite the nail of her thumb, all the while she begins to mull over the words that the alien spider had given to her.
"What about Lord Doctor? What do you feel when you are around him?"
She wanted to know. Very badly. For as the uncountable measure of time passes by, the ill bearing news and suspicions would seem to hold some form of weight.
"As for Lord Doctor in particular, I felt something surrounding his aura. It is likened to that of...," the Arcahnia hesitated for a moment.
"Likened to that of what?," asked Lady Rusalka, sporting an expression of extreme concern and anxiety.
The Arcahnia, after a short moment of hesitation, would begin to speak on what could be considered as the final blow to her heart.
"Likened to that of someone that is completely engulfed in the shadow of death."
That was it. The answer that completely shattered her heart. The one thing that she did not wish to truly hear. The thing that became her life goal of long ago to prevent at all costs.
Death.
She knew that the Doctor, being a Time Lord, would have the standard limited amount of regenerations, twelve to be precise, as ordered and limited as imposed under Gallifreyan law. She knows as much as anyone about that particular topic. The common standard regeneration of a Time Lord. Twelve in number.
But...
When applied to someone like the Doctor, it would seem that his life is now at the precipice of a countdown. One that had him commence his self imposed exile in order to find a moment of self reflection of what would eventually become the last most important moment of his life.
He is going to die. For the sands of time have now run its full course.
To most people, he was known as the Tenth Doctor, the tenth face of the Doctor. Officially that is. But people in the know such as Rusalka knew better. For there were at least two known regenerations that had happened that could not exactly be counted on official record. One would concern his war incarnation. That was a regeneration that would be the most familiar with to Rusalka. The other is something that is deemed classified for most people, with only a certain few that truly know of such knowledge. But Rusalka Schwagerin was unfortunately not one of those in the know. One that had her ponder in anxiety as she begins to recall the official report surrounding the reality bomb.
The Daleks stealing 27 planets. Using the Medusa Cascade as a base of operations in order to initiate a wave which would rip entire structures of matter and non-matter apart. A physical and metaphysical attack that would destroy more than half of the Whoniverse multiverse setting. In all that time, there was one particular moment that she would notice. That time when the Doctor was shot by a Dalek during that particular crisis event.
Everyone knows that. The Doctor begins to regenerate but ends up aborting it by aiming the regeneration energy through his cut off right hand, which in turn gave birth to the Meta-Crisis Doctor, later to be known as Corin. But what people don't know is that it was a confirmed regeneration, despite being aborted.
Rusalka tried to piece things together. Tried so very much. And yet would seemingly deny and reject the dreadful conclusion. For surely that wouldn't mean...
"As the clock strikes between the tenth and eleventh hour, there will be a moment of shadow; one that is merely delayed but no less counted. For as the probabilities shift and turn, so too would the coming grave would no less be little determined through nothing but war and the penultimate final death."
That was a quote that Lord Karl Krafft had spoken to her before sending her towards the Doctor. A hint. He was giving her a hint. One that she needed to accept in order to piece everything together.
But... But... But...
Little drops of tears would fall from the Hammer of Witches, one that was usually not the type to cry was now bursting into tears, all as a sudden realization comes upon her. That the man that she and a few women loved with all their heart. That the man that everyone considered under the names of father, brother, teacher, and friend. Is. Going. To. Die.
She couldn't take it. She couldn't accept it. All as her heart shatters as her mind begins to transmit its logical thoughts that come to the fore, all of which coincide with a dreadful cry of rejection.
No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!
She couldn't take it. She couldn't accept it. Surely this was a mistake. Surely this was one sick cosmic joke. Surely this was nothing more than a conjecture and a theory on her part. A twisted theory. A theory that she could not confirm.
No. She can confirm it. She just does not want to accept it.
The Doctor would not be defeated by the most powerful foe. The Doctor would be defeated through the natural way of life and death. Just as everyone else who would eventually face their own mortality.
In normal circumstances, this wouldn't be too much of a problem when the Time Lords were around. The High Council could remove such limitations and be granted additional regenerations. That would be so simple to do. But... There were no Time Lords. Not anymore. And thus, this would mark the official countdown that began from the Moment up to the very last incarnation. The one face that was present for the moment, the Tenth Doctor, the tenth face of the Doctor, was now in the in-between hours of ten and eleven.
No matter how much she tries to reject it, she could not escape from such information that would prove vital to the future of the unknown.
She recalls all this, all the while sporting a sad face as she looks at the man that she loved, with feelings of painful heartaches coming to the fore.
The Doctor was simply eating his meal to his sad heart's delight, all the while being in a self-reflective mood of subtlety that is no less seen by Rusalka. As he eats his meal, he would notice her. Her sad eyes. One that wasn't hidden. One that was out of character for someone like her. For he even sees what appear to be tears coming down from her beautiful cheeks.
The Doctor begins to immediately realize on why his date was acting this way. Ah, so she had found out, no doubt that Karl had told her in some way through the use of hints of enigmatic nature, he thought sadly. Truth be told, he had been doing painstaking effort to hide his actual number of the regeneration countdown from so many, including that of his second sons as he didn't want them to worry. His sands of time would eventually run out. Time would eventually catch up with him. Death would soon follow him.
Time is running out. Time is ticking. Time is catching up. The Tenth Doctor was at the present moment in time, actually the twelfth incarnation. The one incarnation that would eventually come after him would spell the final blow. His final incarnation. One last bow for the man who would eventually face his death sometime in the very distant relative future to come.
Rusalka's hands were trembling with subtlety. Rusalka slightly raises her right hand as she slowly, little by little, places it on top of the Doctor's left hand, all as it trembled in subtlety, all as a few tears graced her beautiful face, with trembling lips that seemed to be smiling but was actually crying from the inside.
The Doctor sighed. Sad eyes that were subtly covered were now brought to the fore. He relishes the skin contact from the rather delicate right hand that was now placed on top of his right hand. He faces her, with determined but no less saddened eyes, speaking in a tone of comfort. "Anna."
Rusalka trembled, with her lips trembling, with her entire body trembling with subtlety, all the while as she relish on the fact that he calls her by her first name.
The Doctor brings his right hand close to her right hand, with both hands now touching the trembling right hand, all in subtle comfort, all as the brown eyes of determination and warmth look back at the tearful green eyes.
"Who else knows?," asked Lady Rusalka, all with a trembling voice.
The Doctor takes the question with honesty, speaking the plain truth, for there was no use for lies. "A few. People like the O5 Council, the Administrator to name a few. Then there would be people like Karl, Lady Aurora, and some others to name a few who would no doubt know of it no matter how much I try to hide the secret."
"Why?," asked Lady Rusalka, all with a trembling voice.
The Doctor hesitated with the question. Eventually he begins to answer with honesty. "I didn't want anyone to worry for the time being. Too much of a distraction which would affect everyone's lives the moment they find out about it."
"But why couldn't you tell me?," asked Lady Rusalka, all with a trembling voice.
The Doctor hesitated once again. Not knowing what to answer her. All he could do is look down with sadness. "I... I didn't want you to worry."
"Didn't want me to worry?!," said Lady Rusalka, sporting a trembling expression of sadness and anger. "My Lord Doctor, you're about to die sometime soon. How can I not worry?!"
The Doctor hesitated. The look on his expression was ever so sad and so full of guilt, all as he gently comforts Lady Rusalka's right hand with his own two hands, placing them both together, with brown eyes looking towards the green teary eyes with contrition. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he meant it. Every word. A genuine apology that was no less straight from the hearts. For he truthfully didn't want her of all people to worry. He wanted her to have smiles of all sorts. Smiles that were denied her due to being branded as something she was not. He failed to save her from her predetermined fate. It was a guilt that never really went away even after the ending of the script of Dies Irae (Day of Wrath). It was a guilt that he had to live and relive with every single time he sees her. A wonderful and capable woman who could be so much more than what the script pave her out to be. A hidden potential for greatness. He had always admired her firm determination and resolve to reach high, with only feeling sadness at the rather diluted methods that she had to go about to achieve those goals.
For she wasn't being left behind. He was always there. Right by her side. Every step of the way. No matter how much time had pass throughout the script of Dies Irae (Day of Wrath). In his eyes, she was far more than just the Hammer of Witches. She was a woman who shines brightly without knowing it. She didn't need to catch up to others because she was already shining brightly in his eyes. She didn't need to prove anything to him for he acknowledges her as an equal.
As the ticking moments of time come to the fore, Rusalka notices the brown eyes of contrition was directed her way. Those same eyes. No matter how different the eye color was. It was still the same eyes that forever captivated her. Once during her childhood days, up to her adolescent and adult years, up to the times of her witchdom, up to the times of the L.D.O., up to the times between the moments of preparation for the upcoming return of Lord Reinhard Heydrich, up to the times of Dies Irae (Day of Wrath). Those same eyes were always there.
For Rusalka, it never mattered in the least on what face that the Doctor would wear for the next regeneration. No matter what face and body. Whether male or female. He would always be her Doctor. The man that she was captivated with. The man she wanted to catch up to. The man she wanted to be close to. The man she never wants to let go.
She could never remain mad at him even if she tried. And those brown eyes of his would further cement that fact. The same eyes of sadness and guilt that was always present. One that became heavier and heavier as the years go by. One that she and a few others would notice.
She could only relish the touch of his hands, one that was both warm and cold. Warm because of the genuine feelings that reside. Cold because of the bleak reminder of his eventual departure that has yet be predetermined.
She could only smile sadly, all she looks at the Doctor with a sadness that runs too deep, one that she kept hidden from others, but would be of no avail to hide from someone like him.
"Say, my Lord Doctor," she spoke with a saddened tone. "How long had it truly been since we last saw each other from your perspective?"
The Doctor couldn't help but remain honest at the sight of the trembling figure before him. "About a few millennial cycles at best or worst. In other words, this is the very first time in so many years since I saw you once again. And yes, that also includes all of the former and current members of the L.D.O., along with mostly everyone else," he sighed while he continued. "I've been doing some travelling all by myself lately for the past countless millennial cycles. In all that time, I've been travelling through the timeline of the timelines. Eras that should be time locked, I could access with ease. Times and places that were ordinarily off limits, I've managed to penetrate and travel too. All of the past, present, and future. Even the realms of life, death, and everything in between. In all that time, I've been saving people here and there, while I do some form of self reflection, meditation, and pondering on everything that had happened in my life. There was a thought that crossed my mind to prepare a confession dial in case I kick the bucket in some unexpected event, but decided against it at the last second as that seemed to be an unwise decision for that particular moment."
The Doctor looks towards the balcony, straight towards the outside world where hovering vehicles and ships grace the skies, all with an artificial sun that sets the tone of the rising sun that denotes that of the early morning.
"Even though I couldn't save Captain Adelaide Brooke and the rest of her crew, I managed to save at least two of them. Yuri Kerenski and Mia Bennett. They didn't survive originally. But because of my accidental blunder on my part, one that I had taken full responsibility for, I managed to at least save them, placing and leaving them at Space Delta 2 - Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, right in the safe hands of the authorities, safe and sound as ever. So as a consequence, they survive well into the future, eventually becoming well acquainted with Captain Adelaide Brooke's granddaughter, Susie Fontana Brooke, the woman who would eventually be the captain of the first lightspeed ship to Proxima Centauri, the very first extrasolar star that would be visited by the humanity of my universe, the very first beginnings of interstellar travel. Wonderful woman mind you," the Doctor said with a sad smile, all as he looks back towards Lady Rusalka who was listening to every word, capturing his face and remembering it deep within her mind for her to ponder in silence and sadness.
The Doctor continues with the same sad tone, one that was bleak and depressing as the topic that would now be spoken of. "But then, I saw it, Anna. I saw myself. But at the same time, it wasn't me. I could see the what ifs and what nots. All of it. I see myself breaking everything I ever believed in. Everything I ever stood for. A newfound arrogance. One that was unlike but even exceeded that of the Master. A Time Lord Victorious," the Doctor sported a saddened expression, one that was downright depressing to look at. The last line that was uttered is what sent Rusalka widening her eyes out due to the term that signified. One that had her concerned to the extreme.
Time Lord Victorious.
She heard of it before. Many others have. In the ever burning fields of the Time War. In the ever present inconsistent days when in some other timeline, a man who was once the Doctor would eventually sully the name and the code that he lived by, making him unworthy to carry the name. A twisted version of the kind and forgiving, but firm and determined man who has inspired hope for so many, including that of her own.
So was this it? This was the problem and the dilemma that the man that she loved is now facing. A dilemma of probability. One that is common to the path of those who walk the way of a hero.
You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain. He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.
A villain uses brutal tactics to impose his will. Should you battle that villain and destroy him, the brutality of battle stays with you into your future interactions. If you are not careful, you are likely to use that brutality to impose your own will. Thus becoming the villain.
Let's say a dragon is terrorizing a village for years. The dragon comes by night, wrecks havoc, and flies off with a young girl every time it visits. Finally, a brave warrior steps up and offers to set off to kill the dragon in its lair and return the young girls.
The brave warrior ventures into the wilderness to find the dragon, only to discover there are countless dragons in the the wilderness. He becomes proficient in battling dragons, which is brutal and devastating every time. He develops tactics and learns how to become vicious so that he survives, and can keep on with his mission. Finally, he reaches the dragons lair and does battle, eventually destroying the beast in a epic and bloody fight that leaves him scarred.
The brave warrior returns the young girls to the village where he promptly is made king and glorified by the people. He then constructs a wall around the village to keep out dragons, then he places all the young girls into a guarded tower where they can be protected from dragons. He imposes a curfew and posts senturies who make sure people aren't leaving the safety of the walls or walking out at night to be picked off by a dragon. It's not long before the villagers feel imprisoned and voice their concern. The brave warrior reminds them of the horrors the dragon caused and how his treatment of them is for their own safety. The villagers begin to resent the warrior. They rebel but are easily dispatched by the experienced dragon slaying warrior who again expresses to them he is only acting in their best interest. Eventually a brave young warrior from within the prison state emerges and goes to war with the tyrannical king, himself learning the brutality of war before emerging triumphant and scarred, intent on sparing his village from the mistakes of the past he establishes rules to impose on his village…
It is the endless death and rebirth of society, marked by the defeat of old enemies and the rise of new ones. The brave warriors who die fighting are spared the painful future of becoming the villain.
That was a problem that was constant in the long lasting life of the Doctor. One that became part of his shadow. One that he could not just forget because of the consequences.
Good men don't need rules. That was the point of the Doctor's code. If he as much as unleash his full blown darkness... She would shudder to think of what a bloodlusted Doctor could be capable of doing. No... She had seen it. During the burning inconsistent days of the Time War when a man like him was as unarmed as ever. However, it was merely a camouflage. A deception at best. For the man didn't need any weapons. All he needed was his mind. And that mind led to many countless deaths.
The Unarmed Man. The Bloodless One. He who has more blood on his hands than anyone that she knew. A man that she had loved. A man who had been with her since her childhood days up to the present moment of now. Forever captivated by him. Forever strive to run after him. Forever strive to be together with him.
As long as she could be with him, she would be satisfied. But then...
This happened. This bleak and terrible news that forever plagues her mind. The moment when the Doctor, the man that she loved, would eventually die somewhere or somewhen, to which no one would know, not even him as it wasn't the right time to know. Without his people, the Doctor is stuck in the limited regeneration cycle. His time is almost up as every relative nanosecond draws near. It was one that made her dread as her heart palpitates in an increasing length of anxiety.
Rusalka stands up from her seat, much to the Doctor's surprise, making her way towards him from the right, gently touching his hair and hugging him very tightly. In circumstances like this, those among the surroundings would begin to notice the rather public romantic spectacle. However, there was no one around the second floors. For it has been cleared quite a while ago under orders from Chef Alfredo Giovanni, asking the attendants to not let the Doctor and Rusalka be disturbed and that the second floor was off-limits for the time being, to which the attendants would willingly comply with the professionalism that comes with it.
So no one really saw them. They were all alone by themselves. And that made it all the more easy for Rusalka to embrace the Doctor, gently hugging him, afraid of what was to come for him as the bleak news was brought to the fore.
The Doctor embraced back, carrying a saddened expression, really wanting to punch himself for being this obvious when it comes to his problems. He never wanted anyone to worry. Least of all, Lady Anna Maria "Rusalka" Schwagerin. The woman that he failed to save in order to save someone else who would eventually become his second son. The choices that he would make would truly haunt him. Abandoning the village to the predestined outcome was one of the hardest of choices that he had to make. He couldn't bear the sight of it. He couldn't risk it. He couldn't undo it. Nothing could. All of that made him cry as he continues to embrace the woman that he failed to save. One of many. Oh so many. For how many lives had he ruin through inaction, he wondered? This was not so different. He hated following the script. He hated it. He wanted nothing more than to tear the script down with his own two hands. But sometimes, he could not do so.
He couldn't save Rusalka from her fate just as he couldn't save the other current and former members of the L.D.O. from their predetermined fates. He always felt guilty at that. He considers all of the L.D.O. members, both the former and current, to be wonderful people who had all had their ways lost in one form or another. An ever present sadness instead of anger rushes into his twofold hearts as he witnesses all of it, from the brutal murders, the people who have died, the roads that were paved in the blood of the endless chant of the guillotine. All of it and so much more made his twofold hearts break in sadness, as it grows less of fear and more of sadness, utterly helpless as time eternally emanates in an eternal loop, with the only one allowed to remember due to being a Lord of Time.
How many times, he wondered? How many loops had passed? How many routes? How many endings? How many beginnings? What seemed like an endless routine for some was a new road of misfortune for the Doctor, being the eternal silent watcher and passive spectator who plans in the shadows.
The Doctor couldn't help but cry softly, all as he embraces Rusalka, in reminder of the ever present guilt that was there. One of the main reasons why he decided to change and edit over the scripts of everyone, including that of his second sons. As much as it is possible, he'd rather not have to find another child suffer the same fate as what had happened in universes that have predetermined laws that could not be changed, such as fixed points and other written in stone events. As much as it is possible, he will try his utmost best to uphold the name of the Doctor, or die trying. He will not fall, for if he does, it would spit on the face of everyone he had loved, everyone he had saved. He doesn't want that. If he is going to die eventually, he might as well make his life the best thing he can make it out to be, by being the ever present father to those who have none, to be the caring teacher who teaches with such vigorous energy that would leave all of the class speechless and excited to learn more, to be the ever present friend who would be here in order to provide a comforting shoulder to those whose problems seem to bear the weight of entire universes and multiverses on their shoulders.
Yes. He will always be the Doctor. Even to his dying day. Even when he makes one last bow, likened to that of a magician who would eventually leave the stage after the magic trick is over. Yes. He will always be the Doctor. That is the promise that he made the moment he took that name and made it his very own. One that was forged at the heart of the Medusa Cascade. One that was a joy for all children as they could hear it sometimes, if their hearts are in the right place.
Yes. He will always be the Doctor. Even to his dying day. For he would eventually have to let go of this face and carry on into a new one. His last face. His thirteenth incarnation. The Eleventh Doctor. One that he would await with a smile and with a firm determination to never give up nor give in.
The Doctor thought of this with a smile, one that was so sad, all as he embraces Rusalka as gently as he could, with the Rusalka gently embracing him in turn as tears spilled from her beautiful face. Both were laughing and crying softly. Both were embracing one another as kindred souls who were there since the beginning of their first meeting. It was a memory that they would both cherish, one of many, and that was a memory that the Doctor would carry to his deathbed with a smile on his face. And as they embrace, the artificial sun, one that was the dawn that dispels the darkness, begins to shine on them, gracing down as if it were a moment of significance. A memory of tears and laughter. A memory that would be cherished by the both of them.
There was nothing but happiness and sadness. All feelings of commonality between the Lord of Time and the Hammer of Witches.
After eating at the La Résistance, bidding farewell to Chef Alfredo Giovanni, the Doctor takes Lady Anna Maria "Rusalka" Schwagerin with the right elbow of a gentleman as they went back to the TARDIS, with the intention of seeing so much more, for the RMS-A Titanic was merely the first stop.
Vworp Vworp Vworp
The TARDIS would dematerialize from the spot and enter the Time Vortex once more, sailing in the speeds of a graceful ship, taking off as it heads towards its next destination.
In all the moments of waiting, the Doctor was simply busy with the controls, pressing a few levers and switches, but not with the same energy that he normally used to, but was in a subtle tone of sobriety, carrying the weight of heaviness, sorrow, and resignation; carrying the weight of a professional, carrying the dignity of the Last of the Time Lords, the Last Child of Gallifrey, the Last Child of the House of Lungbarrow.
As the Doctor was busy with the controls, Rusalka was simply standing towards the side, simply content to observe the man that she loved, observing his movements with a delicate eye of a professional and talented individual. Feelings of admiration come and bloom upon the heart of a witch that was cruel to both friend and foe, but was in actuality rather completely sad in the darkened shadow of her background.
Feelings that bloom over her. Admiration. Respect. Love. Dare she say it. Dare she contemplate it. The last one which seemed completely out of character for someone like her.
She recalls fondly of all the seemingly random encounters that she had with the old man who was busy with the main controls.
The Seventh Doctor. The first version of the Doctor that she first met. He was a man of the chess. A man who saw the battle between good and evil as a game of chess or a stage play, and everyone around him as pawns in the game of fighting evil that he directed, though he hated himself for it, instead desiring a life of playing the spoons and acting as a children's entertainer with his magic tricks.
This was the first version. One that was there during the events of her own childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Always there to cheer her up during the downtrodden years. Always the one to chase away the bad guys. Always been there. Until... He suddenly wasn't there to defend her anymore. One that made her heart ache. But unbeknownst to her, the Doctor felt such heartache even more, myriad times over, witnessing the same event, happened the same, and yet... He was the one who diverts the paths with such subtlety, such eloquence that one such as him could pull off.
He was the one who played the part of a simpleton, a clown, and a fool that could not be taken seriously. And yet, hidden was a side that completely made her terrified to the point of a standstill. For his anger, when pushed, would be quite terrible to behold. Little did she know back then that at this very point in the life of the Doctor, this was the very first step towards the unleashing of the darkness that was always there since the very beginning. No longer was he the child who ran away from his home planet, escaping with his granddaughter through a broken down ship that set sail across the Time Vortex. No. He was no longer that person. He was now someone else at this very moment. One that made gods, monsters, and demons cower in fear. The very high point of his career.
The man that made her spark in complete interest as she grabs unto the offered power that was given to her, accepting her fate as the one who would drag others down from her shadow and reach the goal of godhood so that she will never be left behind again. She will be the star that shines brightly. She will be the only star that will look down upon those on the ground. She will be the eternally remembered star for all to see. And yet... The Doctor already considered her to be one even before her descent into the darkness.
Dies Irae (Day of Wrath) did no favors for him. At this very point, the Doctor was just so very tired, so very weary, so worn out as everything around him dies.
Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again.
So many tries. So many routes. Making the unofficial fifth route wasn't easy. There was a lot of hard work to be done. There was a lot more to do as he puts the chess pieces together. Observe. See. Plan. Non-Interference. Indirect offensive and defensive tactics.
Little did Rusalka knew back then that the man who took the role of someone who seemed weak due to having no powers, thereby having no amount of value, had actually been fighting for so very long as each cycle seems to take a pass from his own perspective of foreknowledge. He had been fighting for her. He had been fighting for both friend and foe alike. He had been fighting for his second sons and daughters. He had been fighting for all the peoples of the Masadaverse. That was why he couldn't give up. That was why he couldn't give in. He had to uphold his name. He had to uphold his promise. For this was his eternal promise. To be a Doctor.
All life was precious to him. The peoples of the Masadaverse were no single exception. So long as they could live free from the eternal reoccurrence of time, he would be satisfied with a smile of a job well done.
Who is he? Who is the Doctor? Why does he do what he does? What drives him to undergo even countless millennial cycles upon countless millennial cycles all so he could reach the unforeseen ending?
This and many more questions came to the fore as Rusalka ponders the ever present bloke who never seemingly goes away and keeps on smiling in spite of everything that has happened.
The Eighth Doctor. The second version of the Doctor that she had met. The version that had multiple bouts of amnesia that could not be counted. Someone with a seemingly carefree exterior, the romantic one at heart, was actually someone who was full of occasional feelings of self-doubt and weariness of his endless battles to maintain order, while maintaining a direct, sympathetic and emotionally accessible attitude for all. And yet, there was still the same darkness that came from time to time from the fore when pushed too far.
Each amnesia dealt a blow to the Doctor. For the more he couldn't remember, the more he wanted to reclaim who he truly was. Amnesia did nothing to stop him. Only reinvigorating him to do better. To always be the Doctor. To uphold the promise of the name.
As the passing of time came, so too would he become more dark and terrible, all as the oncoming storm of the Time War draws forever near. From a time of optimism and idealism, now beginning to plummet down into the depths of war and despair as everything burns around him. An incarnation that met a tragic end in the form of a woman who refused his salvation. Leading to the next regeneration.
The War Doctor. The third version of the Doctor that she had met. The one who began to reject being called the name of the Doctor. The one who's beginnings led to the destruction of more than quintillions upon quintillions of Dalek warships and other Axis Powers fleets. The Unarmed Man who lead entire armies and commanded entire legions to battles of space-time. The Strategist Par Excellence who would use both head and heart to do what must be done. He is the Doctor on the very impossible day to get everything right. Darkness unleashed. Subtle but effective. Grim but determined. Many lie dead in the wake of him as more blood was spilled upon the battlefields through his brilliant and ingenious tactics. All subsequent experiences of the past incarnations from one to eight were brought to his armory of foreknowledge and tactical insight. Die Omega Ewigkeit (The Eternal Mercurial Recurrence) was one of the many countless experiences that served him well and put to good use as the Last Great Time War rages for an uncountable myriad of eternity. The man who would eventually sentenced his entire civilization to complete and total extinction through the Moment, with him being the Last of the Prime Time Lords, along with a literal few Prime Time Lords that could be out there such as the Master, with only a literal few Time Lords of a paraward, alterward, and otherward nature such as Iris Wildthyme, being the only ones left.
The Ninth Doctor. The fourth version of the Doctor she had met. The one who tried to get back up and reclaim the name of the Doctor. The one who tried to pick up the pieces and the shards that were left in the wake of the Time War.
All alone and bereaved. Emotionally haunted due to the HELL that was left in the wake of it. A darker period arose once more in his life. A man who would now fight against his own resentment. A subtle rage that was made apparent if pushed too far. A darkness that was still there. Refined and sharpened like an experienced sword of countless battles and wars.
Behind his war-torn demeanour, however, he was one of the nobler incarnations, being nothing less than fantastic.
And now comes the tenth and current face. The Tenth Doctor. The one who is now operating the main console with the eyes of a professional.
He pulls a lever which made the movement of the TARDIS suddenly stop. It would be apparent to Rusalka that they have arrived somewhere as the engines seemingly grew silent. The Doctor turns towards her with a smile, one that was sad, one that made her heart flutter, all as he walks towards her and takes her by the hand, speaking in a tone of a mixture of happiness and sadness. "Close your eyes, Anna. Don't open it until I say so."
She obeyed. She waited. She stood still all the while as she holds the hand of the man that she loves.
"You can open your eyes now."
She obeyed. Then she sees it. Much to her surprise and wonder. For the walls of the main console room was no longer seen. Only the main console and the paths that lead to different rooms were visible. The rest is nothing but the endless variety of stars. But that wasn't all there was to it.
She sees them. Giant squid like creatures who grace the endless deep vastness of space. Shade of mint green colors for male. Bright purple for females.
Starmakers!, she thought with awe, immediately recognizing them, as they realize where they were. They were in the universe of one Courage the Cowardly Dog. An old friend of the Doctor's. She sees the endless horde of gigantic squids float through the vastness of space in tight formations, their movements filled with gentle grace and refinement as they swim with happiness and contentment.
In their swim across the sea of space, they begin to create stars one upon another. Many different types of stars. Stars that are as bright as the sun. Stars that sport the primary colors of red, blue, and yellow. Stars that sport the secondary colors of green, violet, and orange. Stars that are as large as a planet. Stars that become a red giant. Showers of stars that form into endless constellations, from the simple cupid with an arrow which shots its arrow of stars and creates more stars that fills the vastness of space, from a cowboy riding a horse, as the horse raises its feet like an actual horse, all in a balance of movements and grace, from the wide variety of circles that form a circumferential curve.
All this and more had one Lady Anna Maria "Rusalka" Schwagerin trembled with tears of joy, all as she sees the vastness and variety of stars. For she had always love the stars ever since she was young. Always wanted to reach out to them. Always wanted to draw ever near to them. Always wanted to see one up close and personal. And with this comes a wish come through as many little squids begin to come towards the quite visible control room, with the TARDIS letting them in, passing through the shields as they gather around Rusalka and the Doctor, all in a circular tight formation, sporting expressions of curiosity that seem quite natural to an extraterrestrial squid of space.
Rusalka turns towards the Doctor who was sporting a smile, saying. "Go on, touch them," he said with encouragement.
Rusalka in turn would begin to touch one of them, a little green squid, all in a slow like fashion, careful not to scare it off.
Slowly. Slowly. Slowly.
Then...
She touches it. And with that comes a purring sound that has the squid close its orange eyes, with the sound of bursting little harmless stars covering the TARDIS main console room. One that surprised Rusalka quite well, yelping in turn, surprised as stardust gathers around her. The squid would eventually come near towards her, touching her cheeks in and rubbing it in an affectionate manner, one that made her laugh with genuine joy and laughter as she embraces the squid in a gentle like manner. All of the little squids that had gathered begin to make way as they rub through Rusalka in an affectionate manner, all the while Rusalka was simply laughing and crying in genuine joy.
The Doctor was simply standing from afar, all as he watches the heartwarming scene with a smile, satisfied as he fulfills one of her wishes once again. The ability to literally touch the stars. What better way to do it than by looking at the actual creators of stars.
And as he observes the heartwarming scene with care and silence, many large squids also gathered as they also took the delight to observe their children gracing the Hammering Witch with affection. Smiles were present for all the large squids, all as they make endless little dancing stars pop out in large quantities from their siphons.
Feelings of indescribable nature go on in a mixture of endless positivity.
The witch smiles, laughing and crying as she embraces and plays with the little space squids. And as the times pass by, she looks back towards the man who made all this possible. She never thought for one second except to simply rush and give the man a hug, one of love and thankfulness, to which the man, once surprised at the sudden hug, would eventually begin to embrace in turn, all with a smile on his face, all as the extraterrestrial squids begin to make heart shaped constellations, with beating patterns in the form of blinking lights, all from their delicate siphons as they sport their equivalent of a smile.
Insert Song: End
Insert Song: Start
Dies irae - Animation OST: Krieg
Another trip. One right after the extraterrestrial space squids. This time somewhere very familiar. Somewhere that was the ever present landmark of one state of America. One that symbolize the symbol of the free world. One of true liberty.
The Statue of Liberty. Officially known as Liberty Enlightening the World.
The Doctor and Lady Anna Maria "Rusalka" Schwagerin were simply standing from the side of the street, watching the beautiful morning sun rise as it grace New York City, having arrived here by TARDIS at about 5:00 a.m., which would mean that they were exploring the entirety of the Statue of Liberty ever since for the past one hour, with the Doctor being the teacher as always, having to explain the Statue of Liberty and its history to her, to which Rusalka said a few times that she already knew this and didn't need any explanation, but the Doctor insisted with a defensive argument about the few slight differences between different universes which could prove to be vital in the future, to which Rusalka simply gave up, silently agreeing that the Doctor was right but that didn't change the fact that this would be totally boring in hindsight.
In all of that is happening, Rusalka was utterly stumped. Bewildered even. One that has her scratch her head as questions begin to arise. What the hell were they even doing in America in the first place? No, better question. One that was updated after listening in on the Doctor's lectures concerning the universe that they are now currently visiting. One that refers to the Marvel Prime Universe - Universe: Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes - True Earth 616. Why the hell are they on an Earth that is filled to the brim with the marvels of superheroes? One that has groups such as the Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and many countless groups of superheroes who have practically become more than half of the population of this Earth. Might as well be an Earth full of supers at this point.
The answer to that question came in the sound of a couple of advance helicopters, sporting the colors of yellow bumblebees, coming in as they surround them from all sides, with the turrets all aim at them. Multiple people, armed with advanced rifles, wearing beekeeper looking helmets and NBC suit uniforms, teleported towards them and surround them from all sides. Everyone had their guns trained on the Doctor and Rusalka.
"Doctor! By order of the Scientist Supreme, you and your TARDIS are to come with us immediately in the name of science!," said one A.I.M. scientist soldier, probably the commander of this group, as he and the rest of the A.I.M. scientist soldiers aim somewhere near their vital spots.
Rusalka couldn't help but raise an eyebrow of disbelief towards the Doctor, to which she noticed that he was sporting a subtle smile, one that would eventually grace her sight, all as he spoke in a tone of humor. "Well, what are you waiting for, Anna? Go nuts."
There was that tone. One that had Rusalka raised her eyebrows in disbelief. He wants her to fight these guys. These guys who seemed to be the classic wannabe villains that you could find on this particular Earth that would do crimes of all sorts in the name of science. The same guys who she would practically end in what amounts to more like less than a second.
Nevertheless, the Doctor continued to shrug his shoulders. "I'd figure that a woman like you deserve a good warm up exercise. What better way than to take your stress out on these wannabe scientists."
"Hey, who are you calling wannabe?!," said one A.I.M. scientist soldier, all in a tone of anger at being insulted and belittlement of his, in his opinion, wonderful job, to which in turn riled up his pride as he begins to aim at the Doctor's head as indicated by a red dot that was present.
The Doctor continued to speak to Rusalka in the same tone of humor. "Just make sure to try not to kill them. I'd rather not have to deal with the complaints of more than a few dozen superheroes that would no doubt be knocking at the SCP Foundation Sites located in this universe in order to file a couple of complaints as it were."
At that moment, Rusalka begins to smirk rather predatorily, speaking in a tone of a hunter. "No promises, my Lord Doctor," or so she would say, but the truth of the matter was that she has no intention to kill them. For one, these people aren't even worth the time. For two, she'd rather not get on the Doctor's bad side as that would completely sour the date. That and she wouldn't want the man that she love to hate her. For three, she would have to agree that the anticipated complaints would be a rather pain in the ass to deal with especially when it comes to universes like this that have a no kill rule. Well, there are certain exceptions to the no kill rule but better to be safe than sorry she suppose. It was actually a good thing in her opinion that her usual partner of the Dies Irae (Day of Wrath) past, Wilhelm Ehrenburg, isn't here. Unlike her, he's not the type to show any form of mercy to his enemies.
"But what about you though?," Rusalka asked in a curious and concerned tone.
"Oh, I'll just be here from the sides. I'll take out any stragglers while you take out the main course." said the Doctor, shrugging his shoulders as if it were no big deal.
Rusalka smirked at that, all the while speaking in a tone of agreement. "Sounds like a plan to me," she would eventually walk slowly for a few steps, one that had the A.I.M. scientist soldiers completely on edge, wondering as to who the hell is she and why does she not feel the least bit threatened when they have guns trained on her head, all the while praying and hoping that they were not dealing with yet another super.
"Listen up boys. I'm only going to say this once," Rusalka spoke, all the while placing both of her hands on her waist as she begins her introduction in a tone of formality, one that was spoken for more than an uncountable number of times at this point. "Number VIII of the Longinus Dreizehn Orden's Obsidian Round Table - Rusalka Schwagerin - Malleus Maleficarum. I'm going to give you boys to the count of ten to stand down before things end badly for you. Eins. Zwei. Drei. Vier. Fünf."
The moment when Rusalka introduced herself to the scientist soldiers was also the moment those same scientist soldiers begin to sport expressions of extreme dread, with their bodies literally in an expression of a petrified standstill. For how can they not. For according to official records, Rusalka Schwagerin - Malleus Maleficarum was a member of the Longinus Dreizehn Orden's Obsidian Round Table. A group of former Nazi superhumans that are practically one man armies. Literal gods at this point in time. Unstoppable. Inescapable. Impenetrable. Nothing short of a nuke would even pierce through them. And even then, a nuke might not even be a guaranteed win, especially among their more powerful members. No scratch that, a nuke would practically be useless at this point, even with someone like her. Even the weapons and technology that they now carry is practically useless to someone like her. So many lie dead in their wake as the echoes of despair fall upon both ally and enemy alike. And at that moment, they knew that they just screwed themselves over big time for trying to capture the Doctor at the wrong place at the wrong time. How painfully ironic. All this as they trembled, with their rifles shaking along with their hands as their aim begins to waver, out of fear of what might happen next, just hoping that they get to come out of this alive even if it was extremely unlikely.
"Sechs. Sieben. Acht. Neun. Zehn."
At that moment, when the countdown reached its official conclusion, a couple of chains begin to be seen from the ground in automatic fashion.
"Wha-"
The scientist soldiers of A.I.M. that surrounded them were all chained by a couple chains produced through pink magic portals of complexity, perfectly subduing them with ease, all the while knocking them out, along with all the rifles in their hands which would now scatter from the stone floor.
"Oh shit!," said one of the A.I.M. helicopter pilots as he and his fellow pilots would now try to open fire upon the woman who had managed to knock out all of the A.I.M. soldiers on the ground. But they were stopped at the last second the moment when the Doctor begins to subtly use his sonic screwdriver, making the systems of the helicopters go haywire as they begin to make crash landing across the different parts of the area of Liberty Island.
Suddenly, a couple of A.I.M. scientist soldiers, with electric staffs on the ready, would begin to teleport towards his location as they try to capture the Doctor through the act of dogpiling him through sheer numbers. But the Doctor was faster. Knocking out each scientist solider with the graceful skill of Venusian aikido. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Through the use of backhanded and chop attacks, targeting the vital nerve points of each scientist soldier, knocking them out cold As he attacks with grace, he also dodges with grace. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. A flawless attack pattern. One that had the teleporting soldiers knocked out cold. One by one. Not a single one remain conscious just as the Doctor dealt only one blow towards the vital points of the nervous system.
Meanwhile, Rusalka was just having the epic time of her life across the surroundings of Liberty Island, using her shadows to grab a couple of scientist soldiers and send them hurling towards their comrades, knocking them out cold. And this was simply her holding back in less than 1% of her power. Laser shots were fired. All in perfect aim. Shooting and aiming at the vital spots which consist of the head, the right chest were the heart was located, the legs, and other vital parts for the freedom of movement. But the guns were quite ineffective against someone like her at this point. A woman soaked in the blood of many countless Allied soldiers of World War II. A woman soaked in the blood of countless monsters. A woman who by now was far more powerful than she once was since after the events of the script of Dies Irae (Day of Wrath). And in all that time, the woman that is now decimating and knocking out the various soldiers completely senseless, was simply having the time of her life.
The only difference between her past Dies Irae (Day of Wrath) self and her present self of today is that the former won't hold back and would not hesitate to kill these so called wannabe scientists, thinking that they could use science to take someone like her down. Not a chance in hell. The latter however was more restraint, as being older and more experienced in the ways of warfare and bloodshed, had grown rather tired at the sight of it, for the Last Great Time War was more than enough to last a lifetime of bloodlust and madness.
At that moment, as Rusalka was busy knocking out a few scientist soldiers from the side, three advance helicopters made their way towards her, opening fire in a continuous barrage of yellow colored laser fire, to which as expected didn't have any effect on her, to which Rusalka responded by simply using a spell to teleport all of the pilots towards the ground, right near to her in a meter measure of five, knocking them out with a couple of chains that was produced through a few magic circles, with the advance helicopters falling automatically as they hurl towards the nearby grass and explode.
A couple of scientist soldiers begin to teleport near towards their location, aiming at her vital spots, despite knowing how futile this truly was due to knowing of who she is, and its because of this that they begin to initiate one of their back up plans. By distracting her long enough so that they could get the Doctor and the TARDIS and deliver them just as scheduled to their Supreme Leader. But all this seems utterly futile once again as a certain circular shield that sported the infamous symbol of a white colored star, all with the colors of blue and red, begin to be seen to grace from above as the shield automatically destroys their advanced rifles, cutting them near perfectly in half. At that very moment, a man begins to be seen from high above, knocking out one of the scientist soldiers as he made landing, with the shield now returning towards him as he grabs the handle of the shield with his right hand, standing tall.
All of the scientist soldiers begin to tremble and cower in fear as they immediately recognize the enemy that they were now facing. For it was a man who wore a costume of patriotism that denotes the symbol of freedom. For aside from the island in question, the man who stands before them was also a symbol of true liberty. One that fought in the trenches of World War II and fought against the nefarious Nazis Party and the evil terrorist organization HYDRA.
Captain America.
"Its Captain America! Get him!," shouted one of the scientist soldiers as he and the rest of his squad all try to perform a dogpile on him, with electric staffs on the ready.
Only for said dogpile to fail spectacularly as Rusalka used a multitude of chains to knock all of the soldiers out unconscious, one that was noticed by Captain America as he immediately turned towards Rusalka, recognizing her immediately as he had seen the official files concerning her that was shared by the SCP Foundation in one of the few briefings concerning the L.D.O. in case of preventing any type of misunderstandings.
They both stare at each other. One warrior acknowledges another. In a former life, the two could be considered the exact opposite sides of the world. Captain America fights for the Allies while Rusalka was a part of the Nazis regime, or to be more specific, the L.D.O. While Captain America would not hesitatingly condemned what Rusalka and her group had done, justice had already been given its due to them. One in the form of his old friend that he had known since his young adult and World War II days. One that was his personal hero who would mostly remained unacknowledged by the rest of the world, but not to him. The Doctor. And with that comes the part of him knowing how this woman that is standing right before him, Lady Anna Maria "Rusalka" Schwagerin, was someone who was very important to his old friend, to which he would respect and to which he would trust said old friend to keep people like her in check.
The Captain could only make a nod of respect towards the woman, to which Rusalka responded in kind with a genuine smile as she made a nod of her own.
Then an explosion sounded. One that brought the both of them to look at the direction from the west. The direction where the TARDIS was located.
"Lord Doctor," muttered Rusalka, sporting an expression of worry as she immediately teleported towards the location where the explosion had happened, all with Captain America in tow.
As they instantly came to the place where the explosion happened, what they saw was utter destruction of many helicopters that were own by A.I.M., with many soldiers lying on the stone pavement who were all knocked out cold. In their observations, they now see a man who wore a red, gold color scheme armor of advance capabilities. Known infamously throughout this universe as one of the brightest minds on the planet. He was also a billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist. Well... Minus the playboy part due to the fact that he is now married to his secretary and a well earned superhero in her own right, Virginia "Pepper" Potts - Rescue.
Iron Man.
At that moment, he immediately noticed Captain America and Rusalka staring at him. His golden faceplate and the entirety of his helmet was automatically lifted, revealing the handsome face of one Anthony Edward "Tony" Stark who was simply smirking in amusement and humor.
"Hey Cap. Hey pretty lady. What took you all so very long?"
And while he was still speaking, the Doctor was just simply leaning towards the TARDIS doors, in a stand up position, with arms crossed, all the while smirking in amusement as he recognizes the subtle humor from anyone.
"Firstly Stark, flirting with my companion, really? Secondly, what if the wife finds out?," said the Doctor, all in a tone of humor and non-seriousness.
Tony could only shrug his shoulders as he spoke in a tone of humor towards his old friend. "Just a simple joke, Doctor. No harm no foul."
"Lord Doctor!," shouted Rusalka, concern etching from her voice, teleporting instantly towards his location in order to give the Doctor a hug, to which the Doctor responded in kind.
Meanwhile, as Captain America walks towards Iron Man, all the while smiling as watches the rather heartwarming scene between his mentor and Rusalka, Iron Man couldn't help but made a side comment. "And he calls me out on flirting," to which was responded with an elbow from Captain America, with the subsequent "Ow!" that comes from Iron Man, sporting a look that tells Iron Man on not to ruin the moment with his dry humor.
Insert Song: End
After the side incident on Liberty Island, S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, with advance armor and rifles, were now on the scene, courtesy of General Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury, all under the command of Agent Phil Coulson, as they now transport the A.I.M. scientist soldiers to the prisoner hovercraft transports, all with high tech cuffs that would prevent any of them from escaping.
"I gotta say, Doc. You must be pretty unlucky at this point if A.I.M. scientists tried to ruin your date by trying to get you and the TARDIS," said Iron Man, with crossed arms and a smirk of amusement.
"Or maybe it was A.I.M. that is considered to be unlucky this time around, Stark. Considering that aside from my beautiful companion who is right beside me," said the Doctor, all as he looks towards his left, with a slight smirk of humor and honestly. Rusalka, who was at the Doctor's left side, was simply smirking in amusement at the rather honest and bold compliment. The Doctor would eventually turn towards his right once more, with his right hand to his pocket in order to give something to Captain America. "I'd manage to do some side tinkering while you lot were busy stretching your muscles by scanning the entire planet for any available trace of A.I.M. bases, especially those need not to know bases that no one knows about," he brings out a hard drive containing all the necessary and vital information of particular A.I.M. bases. He would also begin to sport a serious expression, telling in a whisper while giving it in the hands of Captain America. "Tell and bring this to absolutely no one, except to General Nick Fury and Agent Phil Coulson. Tell only them that Code Alpha 12 is applicable in this grave situation."
"..." both Captain America and Iron Man sported serious expressions as they heard of the secret code that is only known among the higher ranks of the SCP Foundation. For it refers to a code that denotes the compromise of one or more groups of politicians that are secretly corrupt. In accordance and application with this situation, no doubt that A.I.M. scientists are being funded behind the scenes by some secretly corrupt politicians out there. Wouldn't be the first time this happened as it seems like a cliché at this point when it concerns True Earth 616. And as always, when it comes to the major problems of True Earth 616, the Doctor would always be there to make a house call one way or another.
"Alright, Doctor. We'll tell and send this to them right away," said Captain America, all with a confirming nod of seriousness and gratitude at what vital information that his old friend had provided them.
"Good," the Doctor nodded seriously, before eventually turning bright and seemingly happy once more. "Welp, its about time that me and my companion best be off. I'm sure that you lot can handle things here while we skedaddle to worlds apart."
"Hmph," Iron Man smirked in amusement. "Really Doctor? Skedaddle? Worlds apart? This isn't the eighties anymore Doctor."
"Well not to you maybe, but you forget," the Doctor snapped his fingers, automatically opening the TARDIS doorways. "I've got a time machine. Remember," he turns towards Rusalka, who simply smirked at him for being a complete show off. The Doctor would offer his left shoulder to her, all while saying his catchphrase that was usually of the French tongue "Allons-y", but would be modified for German use as it felt more suitable for this particular situation. "Lass uns gehen! (Lets go!)" to which Rusalka responded in kind, all with a giddy but subtle smile. "Natürlich, mein Herr Doktor (Of course, my Lord Doctor)"
And with that, the Doctor and Rusalka both begin their walk towards the TARDIS, and as they finally went inside, the Doctor and Rusalka turned back towards the door, with the Doctor snapping his fingers, and closes the TARDIS doors. The TARDIS would eventually begin to dematerialize automatically, with Captain America and Iron Man watching with smiles on their faces. Smirking in mirth and amusement in the case of Iron Man who was just shaking his head at this point as a moment of disbelief and unsurprising certainty on the rather subtle and obvious romantic attraction between the Doctor and Rusalka.
Vworp Vworp Vworp
By the time the TARDIS went away, Iron Man could only make a side comment in jest. "Sooo, the Doc and a former Nazi chick, huh?," he turns towards Captain America with a cheeky smile. "So, who's going to tell his kids and the others?"
By kids in this case, he meant the Doctor's second sons. Lord Ren Fuji - Lord Tenma Yato - Lord Setsuna. Agent Andrew William "Andy" Barclay. President John Connor. Agent Koichi Minamoto. Taki Tachibana. Touma Kamijou. Shinichi Kudo, now Conan Edogawa. Kyon. Sota Mizushino. Lelouch Lamperouge, secretly Lelouch vi Britannia.
By others in this case, he meant the other superheroes of Marvel, DC, and countless others.
"Tony," Captain America warned in a stern manner of humor.
"I'm just kidding, Cap," said Iron Man, all with a placating gesture of raising both his armored hands. "I'm not that cruel."
Insert Song: Start
Dies irae: The Animation 『Amantes amentes』
"I must say my Lord Doctor, you sure do know how to show a woman a good time," smirked Lady Rusalka, all as she holds onto the right shoulder of the Doctor, all as they walk on a circle as the Doctor drives the TARDIS across the Time Vortex, keeping it in a steady position likened to that of a ship in the calm sea.
"Well I try my best," said the Doctor, sporting a sad smile despite the positive compliment. A sad smile that was noticed by Rusalka, who was seemingly irritated at this point due to the fact that the man she loved keeps blaming himself for whatever happened in the past. Even more so when his time is almost running out as he had only one regeneration left remaining before the end. From the Tenth Doctor to the eventual Eleventh Doctor.
"Why do you keep punishing yourself this way?," said Lady Rusalka, in a tone of sadness and anger.
The Doctor knew what she meant. He wouldn't dodge that question. One that was tinge in justified sadness and anger, all with a concerned edge on her voice that would usually not be found for the happy go lucky type of woman such as her.
He could only slightly cast his eyes down, all with a shadow that covers his face, all as he gracefully pilots the TARDIS as he slowly walks shoulder in hand with the woman that he failed to save.
Try as he might, he could never really get over that particular part in his life.
He simply breathed a heavy sigh. He turns one lever which turns on the automatic flight mode. He turns to look at Rusalka, all with sad brown eyes. "Anna. There are many things in my life that I could never truly take back. Things that I would regret for as long as I draw the breath of a Time Lord. My failure to save you from your fate was one of the events of the past that I would always recall to myself in order to push me forward, to keep people from suffering the same fate as you have. Those villagers and your husband had no right to take your happiness away all because of things such as petty jealousy."
The look on the Doctor's face turns to an honest expression of conviction. "Its not about me punishing myself. Its me trying to keep to the mark. To keep moving forward while learning what I've been through in the past so that the same mistakes won't happen again. That's why I call myself the Doctor, Anna. I have to remind myself of what I've lost in order to never let me lose the mark, to never let me lose the point, to never let me lose sight of what is truly important."
Always one with the speeches, thought one Rusalka Schwagerin with a sad smile. She wasn't surprised at such an answer. That was so like him to answer it. Using all of the guilt to keep pushing on. To keep moving forward. To keep going. And never ever stop. Travelling from one place to another.
The Doctor was once in his younger years, a simple tourist who only help out from the side here and there. As he got older and wiser, so too would the innocence fade into the background as he battles endless horror upon endless horror. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. That was the life that he had led. So many obstacles forever lay on his path. Both blessed and cursed to be the Endless Wanderer who would always keep travelling from place to place, not staying for too long as he should. Such a man which would intrigue and irritate Rusalka to no end.
And it was one that made one Lady Anna Maria "Rusalka" Schwagerin spoke a request that would seem strange on the outside, but was actually surprisingly of the innocent kind. One that made the Doctor stop and turn to look at her with understanding eyes.
"Sleep beside me," she said with an honest tone.
Nothing of the mature nature of viewship had happened.
It was just the Doctor and Lady Anna Maria "Rusalka" Schwagerin simply lying down and comfortably resting in a large white mattress, with Rusalka simply embracing the Doctor tightly, almost as if she would never let go. The Doctor was simply patting Rusalka's hair in a gentle manner, all the while as his eyes looks straight, seemingly distant, lying down on a soft pillow, sporting a contemplative expression on his face.
How much time had pass, he wondered? For it had been about... Six hours at most since lying down comfortably on this bed. Staying in one of the rooms of the TARDIS for the past six hours. All the while as he contemplates upon everything that had happened to him.
A prophecy. One that spoke of the time when he would eventually die and regenerate.
"Your song is ending sir... It is returning. It is returning through the dark and then Doctor, oh, but then... He will knock four times."
That was something that the middle age woman, a psychic by the name of Carmen, had told him since after meeting Lady Christina de Souza and the incident with the 200 - an ordinary London double-decker bus that made an extraordinary detour through a wormhole to the planet San Helios in April 2009.
It was a prophecy that continued to haunt him. All as he recalls the blurring lines of probability. All as he sees it. The things that he might do to prevent such a prophecy from coming to be. All of them were too terrible to imagine. To terrible to ponder. One that had him once smash through many countless mirrors in the TARDIS. All as he was soaked in his own blood that was made from the shards of glass that fall to the ground.
To be a Lord of Time. It was one of heavy burdens and responsibilities. It was likened to that of self denial and taking up one's cross, carrying it like you mean it. For the ability to literally see everything. It was something that was both a blessing and a curse. For as he sees through the probabilities, as each time passes by, he grows more through wisdom and experience, compassion and understanding. Every mistake, potential or apparent. Every right and wrong choice. Every blur between the lines. All of this, he could see, but sometime would try to ignore it from time to time.
Sadness. Regret. Feelings of commonality that were present to both of his hearts.
There was simply silence. A silence that lasted for the past six hour relativity. All simply lying down in a comfortable mattress while enjoying the other's company in profound silence.
Oh, Anna. Why would you choose me?, the Doctor said silently to his mind, carrying a sad smile. For many men have been wooed by one Lady Anna Maria "Rusalka" Schwagerin for one reason or another. Many of those men would usually not be of the innocent kind. Her beautiful looks. Her rather bold personality. Her quite unnaturally sociopathic tendencies.
Oh how he cringed at the sight of a blood bath of endless reoccurrence when he'd seen one too many times. Myriads of uncountable lifetimes. Every single time he sees Rusalka kill someone, it just breaks his hearts even more. All the more so when it was his inaction that made her follow this path. Rusalka may have pulled the trigger, but it was his inaction that cause such things to happen. He had to let it happen. He had too. Too much was at stake. For both her and for all the peoples of the Masadaverse. A curse of an eternal reoccurring loop. Die Omega Ewigkeit (The Eternal Mercurial Recurrence) - The Fourth Heaven - The Fourth Kamukura.
Why? Why did it turned out this way? Why couldn't he at least just save her?
He had known of Lady Anna Maria "Rusalka" Schwagerin since her childhood. Always in the guise of a travelling magician who does magic tricks for her pleasure and entertainment whenever he passes through the simple but far from innocent German village, knowing of the terrible future to come.
That one day. That one terrible day that was once innocent in nature, but turned and twisted on its head. One that he could only watch from afar as he sees it all.
Why couldn't he just intervened? Why couldn't he just save her?
Oh he knew why. He just doesn't like it. He hates it. So very much.
He hated the script of Dies Irae (Day of Wrath) with a passion. He wanted nothing more than to tear everything down. Burn it all down. Smash its entirety. But he could not do it. For even a Time Lord such as himself have limits, despite all its high end feats of accomplishment. For he was a Being of Rationality. No magic of any inconsistency, no anomaly of any nonsense, no so called gods of the higher and lower realms, could ever match him, much less his entire race. But even then, there are some things that are quite limited. One that made him acknowledge in humility and fairness as time goes on in a reoccurring loop.
Every time. Every single time. It hurts every time whenever he had to see Rusalka again. From the past. From the present. From the future.
"Why?! Why didn't you come?! Why weren't you there for me when I needed you?!"
He could still remember. The times when Rusalka lashed out on him. The times when she cursed his very existence for abandoning her to her fate in the village. Why couldn't he just took her away and let her see and touch the stars? Oh he knew why. He just doesn't want to accept it.
Accused of being a witch. Being raped and abused. By her own villagers no less. Losing her innocence. Losing her purity. Losing her kindness. Eventually turning into something rotten to the core. A witch who would like to drown everything beneath her shadow.
He cringed. In sadness. In regret. Remembering it as the one of his greatest of failures even after the events of Dies Irae (Day of Wrath).
All the more reason why he is now shedding tears, saying in a tone of sorrow. "I'm sorry, Anna. I'm so sorry," to which Rusalka slightly turned her head towards him, simply saying in a honest tone, all with sad green eyes that were filled with their own little tears. "I know. And you don't have to feel sorry for anything anymore. I made my choices, Doctor. The faults and responsibilities are mine. And every time you say sorry, I would always say that it wasn't your fault. That the fault was always on me," she raised her right hand in order to wipe the tears off of the face of the man that she loved, still not liking the fact that he would still feel guilty after all this time. But then again, such is highly not surprising when she would ultimately realize on what the Doctor had done just that much for her.
For as she continues to harm others in a seemingly ignorant bliss of pleasure, the Doctor was just suffering in endless reoccurring loops upon loops. So many lives that she hadn't known, he knows. For the Doctor lived through them all. One could not imagine the pain and suffering that the Doctor went through. For all the myriad years that seemed to pass.
How does the Doctor carry on in spite of this? Why does he keep fighting? Doesn't he know how futile this struggle truly was? What was the point of fighting when there was literally no one around to celebrate his victory with?
He was always alone in the end. Always restless. Even after Dies Irae (Day of Wrath), he still continues on with new adventures. He was still there. Hidden in plain sight. With no one to pay attention to him due to how seemingly insignificant he truly was. And they were right. He was powerless. He was insignificant. And that ended up to be Lord Hajun's greatest mistake. All when the Doctor was in his eighth incarnation. An incarnation that had more histories of endless loops combined. Ones that were as mysterious to her as the brightest day and as the blackest night. Things such as the very first phases of the Last Great Time War, otherwise referred to as the War in Heaven. Ones that involve timelines and worldlines that never where. So many endless countless times. For even after Dies Irae (Day of Wrath), the Doctor is cursed with the misfortune of the myriad fates, having to hop from one meta-time to another meta-time in seemingly endless reoccurrence.
Many countless things of pain and suffering had happened to the Doctor during his eighth incarnation, the eighth hour of the day when everything was bleak because there was no sun to shine on the poor old bloke. Many things were left unrecorded due to the complexity of history and paradoxes surrounding the Eighth Doctor.
Perhaps that was why he caused the Imagine Point Event. When on that faithful day, he saved the young child that was known by the name of Touma Kamijou - The Imagine Breaker. Perhaps that's why Touma Kamijou was very close to the Doctor's hearts. Because he sees it. The same misfortune in the boy. His endless battles of the future. His desire for a normal life. The Infinite Hells of a Magic God. Perhaps that's why he intervened. One of the main reasons.
She hated it. Even with the joke about amnesia aside, misfortunes never really left the Doctor. It was something that was there throughout all his life. Even after Dies Irae (Day of Wrath), you would think that he'd given up and retired at this point. But he didn't. He couldn't. He just couldn't stay and lie down. He just had to travel again. Saving people. Seeing new worlds. Fighting monsters.
Really, she thought with vehement irritation, anger, and exasperation.
Why does he still keep doing this? Why? Why? Why?
So many questions came to her mind. The always forgiving bloke who never left her. Sometimes visiting her with that same smile. In between visits, ones that never lasted that long for Rusalka which only amounts to a day or a week was far more uncountable millennial cycles for the Doctor.
How does he keep moving forward in spite of what's happen?
The man that she loved was no ordinary person. A man who was supposed to go insane due to the sheer improbable events and misfortunes in his life was not letting insanity stand in his way. A man who had live for far too long. Never would she have imagine that his death would be right near the door of the hidden future of the unknown.
And that was why she hated this.
Why couldn't he just simply lie down in peace? Have a simple life. Let someone else take care of the Known and Unknown Multiverse. You've done more than enough. You fought in the Last Great Time War. You've saved people, worlds, civilizations, the universe, many countless multiverses, and so much more. You've done more than enough. Let someone else handle your problems for a change.
But that wasn't the Doctor. No. He was stubborn. He was determined. Suffering. He didn't care one bit. He shrugged it off by force and went on his merry way, going through adventure after adventure, misadventure after misadventure. Always the hero. Always the savior. Always the father. Always the brother. Always the friend.
Is it any wonder why she fell in love with him.
Why didn't he became her husband instead?
Rusalka cursed herself for having such worse tastes in men when one man who was far more worthy than all of them was simply right there, waiting for her to come back with open arms, all with that same sad and broken smile of contrition. So very kind. So very lonely. So alone with no one to celebrate his victory or defeat.
Why couldn't this last forever? Why now? Why does he have to die now?
Only one regeneration left. The final regeneration. The Eleventh Doctor. All because there were no Time Lords left.
Damn them! Damn those no good politicians! Damn the bastards who did this to him! Damn them for abandoning him when he needed them the most!
Rusalka Schwagerin cursed the now dead Time Lord politicians of the High Council.
The Ultimate and Final Sanction. They could take it and shove it. She thought with anger.
She cried. She cried as she embraced the Doctor. She cried in consideration of her myriads of past of long ago.
"Can I... Can I please stay with you for a while?"
That was a question. All as she cried softly. One that was heard by the Doctor. Brown eyes were looking at those teary green eyes with such understanding. All with that same sad smile.
"Of course you can. You're always welcome here, Anna. This is and will always be your home."
As the Doctor responded with a genuine tone of kindness, the Hammer of Witches - Lady Anna Maria "Rusalka" Schwagerin, could only smile, cry, and laugh, all as she embraces the Doctor with a sense of joy. For as long as she could stay with him for a little while longer, she would be satisfied. She would eventually have to part ways once again just as always. But until then, she would stay with him. Until the next official companion of the week. For she was in a time machine. Time and space is vast. The Known and Unknown Multiverse is vast. There are so many countless places that she hadn't gone too. A consequence of the seemingly no end in sight of the Known and Unknown Multiverse, one where each multiverse setting was far different in complexity than the last. Likened to that of so many buildings. Depends on which type she supposed.
And as she thought of it, she embraces the Doctor with a smile, with tears and sad laughter. A laughter that was based on her own past that is filled to the brim with the dead bones of many. A laughter that was sad as it realized the many countless mistakes of myriads that she may or may not have committed in some other lifetime all due to Die Omega Ewigkeit (The Eternal Mercurial Recurrence). A laughter that was sad because of the fact that in spite of everything, there was always someone waiting for her in the finish line, all with a sad smile that seemed to say welcome home, with no amount of anger, only one of constant regret.
And that was why she wanted to stay, if only for a while, in order to get the man she loved back on his own two feet.
For he and she would eventually have to part ways. But she would make every moment count. The Doctor deserved that much. For even though misfortune always stays with him, she would always make herself available for him whenever he needs her. And she will be there. Waiting. All with open arms and a smile of gratitude. One that spoke of thanks for letting her feel loved.
"Danke sehr, mein Herr Doktor (Thank you very much, my Lord Doctor)."
Insert Song: End
ED Song:
Sakakibara Yui - Einsatz ～zugabe～ (Dies irae ~Amantes amentes~ for Nintendo Switch OP)
Characters:
The Tenth Doctor - A: David Tennant
The Seventh Doctor - A: Sylvester Mccoy
Lady Anna Maria "Rusalka" Schwagerin - VA: Yuka Inokuchi
Lord Mercurius - VA: Kousuke Toriumi
Steve Rogers - Captain America - A: Brian Bloom
Anthony Edward "Tony" Stark - Iron Man - A: Robert Downey, Jr.
Agent Phillip J. "Phil" Coulson - A: Clark Gregg
Chef Alfredo Giovanni
Ruben, the Friendly Neighborhood Spider
Clone Shock Troopers (STARS) - A: Temuera Morrison