If the Doctor Could Fly: Season 2

by Kitty Midnight

How would episodes or scenes change if the Doctor could fly? It's only a collection of short sections of episodes, but through all the seasons a cohesive storyline emerges as the Doctor discovers more and more about the power of flight. This takes almost encyclopedic knowledge of each episode to appreciate it to its fullest, but that kind of knowledge isn't necessary to enjoy it.

2. Chapter 2: The Christmas Invasion

The Doctor paused, thinking. "Sorry, that's "The Lion King." But the point still stands. Leave them alone!"

"Or what?" the Sycorax leader taunted.

"Or . . ." The Doctor snatched a sword off a guard and jumped and flew through the air. He did a flip and landed in front of the TARDIS, holding his sword aloft. "I challenge you."

All the Sycorax burst out laughing.

"Oh, that struck a chord," the Doctor said, "Am I right that the sanctified rules of combat still apply? Plus one more rule. I won't fly over your head and use the unfair advantage of higher ground, so to speak."

The Sycorax Leader walked down the steps, unsheathing his sword. "You stand as this world's champion."

"Thank you. I've no idea who I am, but you just summed me up." The Doctor shrugged off his dressing gown and tossed it to Rose. "So . . . you accept my challenge? Or are you just a cranak pel casacree salvak?"

The Sycorax Leader hissed. They both kneeled by their swords.

"For the planet?" the Sycorax Leader questioned.

"For the planet," the Doctor answered.

They stood up and faced each other, holding their swords ready. They ran at each other and clashed swords. After only a moment, the Sycorax Leader threw the Doctor aside. The Sycorax Leader laughed. The Doctor straightened himself and resumed fighting. The Sycorax Leader swung his sword and the Doctor stumbled.

"Look out!" Rose shouted.

"Oh, yeah, that helped. Wouldn't have thought of that otherwise, thanks," the Doctor said sarcastically as he scrambled to his feet.

They continued the battle. Rose watched, terrified. The Doctor led the fight up the stairs.

"Bit of fresh air?" he said. He whacked a button and a door opened, leading to a platform on the outside of the spaceship.

They continued the fight outside. Rose, Mickey, Harriet, Alex, and a few of the Sycorax followed them. The swinging and dodging and clashing continued. The Sycorax Leader caught the Doctor on his nose. He groaned. Rose ran forward, but the Doctor raised a hand to stop her.

"Stay back! Invalidate the challenge and he wins the planet," he said. He wiped his nose.

He and the Sycorax Leader ran toward each other and clashed swords. The Sycorax Leader pushed the Doctor back toward the edge. The Doctor seemed oblivious. He was about to fall. Rose watched in horror as he stepped off the edge. He kept clashing his sword and backing farther away, standing on the air. The Sycorax Leader almost stepped off the edge too. He waved his arms and kept his balance.

He growled. "You said you wouldn't fly!"

"Now, now, that's not what I said. I said I wouldn't fly over your head or stand on higher ground. Right now I'm doing neither of those. I'm still on your level, so come and get me!" The Doctor spun his sword. He charged the Sycorax Leader and they continued clashing violently.