"It is never going to finish". Benny put one more book on the table, and the pile collected there threatened to fall. "Do they know what clock is?"
"Maybe time goes differently here". Keira was sitting on the floor and drawing, and Johnny-Jimmy was lying on his tummy opposite to her, curiously watching her movements. He appeared to be a very well-mannered and patient child, though so small. You can't find such ones often.
"Differently! It goes with the same low speed when you are waiting. Won't be surprised if the arms of this world's clock are glued to its face... Hey, Johnny-Jimmy!"
The baby turned his head to Benny, gladly giggling upon the sound of his name.
"Can you come here on two, not on all fours, kiddo? I don't know your age, but you seem to be able to do it". Johnny-Jimmy hurriedly crawled to him - there will be holes on the knees of his onesie if he's so active, thought Benny upon observing it. "Of course the Doctor chose the colour", he sighed, when a blur of dark blue cloth and blond hair took its place next to him. But it was rest for eyes after all those red shades. "Or does the fashion for the colour of blue exist among brainy beloved?"
"You mean Mr. Holmes's blue scarf?" chuckled Keira. "Or the fact that your favourite book is in cover of blue? Exactly of the colour of the TARDIS. Coincidence?"
"Nothing mystic in it, sis", replied Benny, having raised Johnny-Jimmy so that the little one was standing on his feet now - the "big brother" was holding him around his ribcage for support. "That's it, JJ boy. Now..."
Benny quickly caught Johnny-Jimmy's chubby hands - if it were not for his developed reaction the baby would just plump onto the floor. Now Johnny-Jimmy was struggling to keep balanced on his tiny feet. But the battle with gravitation and natural lack of strength in child's legs soon was lost.
"They usually walk with feet, not with soft zone", laughed Benny, watching Johnny-Jimmy who was now sitting on the floor, most puzzled expression on his face. "Come on, some day you will have to stand and walk".
"But not now, and it refers to all of you", sounded the familiar voice. The door creaked, and Sherlock Holmes and the Doctor (this time "tenth" - and fine, it was more... suitable or whatever) entered. "I said we will show you the root of the problem - and now we have to prepare a bit. First: the money-habitats - we call them so - can be everywhere in the place we are leading to, and they literally smell human, so we'll have to do a thing to you".
"What will it be?" Keira's voice shook a bit, and Johnny-Jimmy oohed.
"That's not painful. We will help you, you will help us. We need your energy - the way will be long. And you will change for a while, but that's only temporary". Sherlock Holmes pulled a bunch of threads out of his pocket. "Don't be scared, kids, this will transfer energy only from your covers. Simply saying, you will look somehow greyish and besides money-habitats won't smell you, but all your abilities, physical and mental, will stay the same. All we have to do is to wear this. - He raised the threads, and the siblings saw there were animal sharp fangs on it. "Doctor, your turn!"
Thr Doctor, who was holding a bundle of clothes, unwrapped it - those revealed to be "Addams family", as Benny called them in his thoughts, outfits: one consisted of black tuxedo suit, cylinder hat and shiny lacquer shoes, the other was dark blue (here Keira cunningly winked at her brother) dress with white apron, high-heeled black shoes and stripy black-and-white stockings. Having shook it, Benny revealed there was one more outfit - some kind of blood-red armor, much tinier and softer than normal.
"If we are in Red Queen's castle and this world's gone nuts, we should go nuts ourselves. Theme's the same. Get dressed, now! You, Benny, will be Mad Hatter... or maybe Lucky Hatter?" grinned Sherlock Holmes. "You, Keira, will be grown-up Alice, so don't be afraid... and our Johnny-Jimmy will be Red Pawn. This tin thing will give him ability to walk - it will simply rule his moves, no hurting... Why are you waiting?! Get dressed, now! Okay, we'll come out".
Benny quickly pulled unknown suit on - it was totally his size, though he was feeling weird. And Keira looked perfect, no flatter - her dark hair and green eyes eerily responded to innocent but nevertheless threatening outfit. But when Benny looked at Johnny-Jimmy he couldn't help laughing at the baby's fish-like expression: the child was wondering how he was standing now without any help.
"Madness retuuuuuurns!" howled Sherlock Holmes, showing himself from the door - Keira and Benny bounced up. But Johnny-Jimmy behaved purely like an optimistic child:
"Wooooooooooooooo!" It sounded as if he was parodying Sherlock Holmes. But the object of this "parody" wasn't offended at all - he went on explaining:
"Now there's something in your pockets. Take it out".
Keira was quicker to obey - now her face had the most stunned expression: she was holding a long wooden stuff with sharp-edged ice crystal on its top.
"Those are all our Timelord's tricks. Pockets on this clothing are larger inside than outside", noticed Sherlock Holmes, and the Doctor smirked. "This refers to your pockets too, Benny boy. Let's see what is stuffed there".
Benny pushed his fists into his pants' pockets and almost immediately pulled his right hand out: a very sharp thing inside pricked it. Cautiously Benny took out a handful of star-like metal crosses with pointed endings.
"Jacks-o'-death, that's what we call it, - commented Sherlock Holmes. "And Icewand for you, Keira. It's not excluded we will have to use weapons... A small lesson. Benny, throw your Jacks... hmm... into thing you don't need".
Benny momentarily threw "Jacks" into one of the pillows on the floor - it was too huge and uncomfortable - and stepped back: the metal thingies tore it to pieces in a millisecond.
"Imagine what it does to living things... Turn away if you don't like violence", went on Sherlock Holmes. "Keira, take Icewand with both hands and turn them in opposite directions, as if you're squeezing wet clothes. But aim first. At those remains, okay?"
Keira did what was ordered, and feathers and ripped cloth vanished in icy storm that went out of "Icewand". Johnny-Jimmy giggled, though it wasn't heard too well from under his red helmet.
"Nice, now hide it. And take your fangs, I'll tell you when to take them on. Doctor, help me with this chatterbox". Sherlock Holmes pointed at curiously blinking Johnny-Jimmy.
The Doctor crouched in from of the baby, put his hands onto Johnny-Jimmy's shoulders (it was such contrast - grown-up's hands seemed so large) and gazed into the kid's eyes, just as he had done to Lyle. Judging by the fact that Johnny-Jimmy got silent and didn't turn away, he understood what was demanded from him.
"Little children are the most sensitive of you humans. They even can get our communicative signals", explained Sherlock Holmes. "Is it over? Off we go!"
Show no emotions. Show no emotions. Be tired and indifferent. Be hopeless. But nevertheless...
Da-bum.
Benny was desperate to keep necessary feelings - bitterness and loneliness - on his face which got greyish and exhausted (of course, only outside) when he hung the fang onto his neck. Keira looked like a sorrowful ghost, she was better actress - or Benny thought so. Even Johnny-Jimmy was walking like a diminished zombie: the Doctor's "communication" with him did work. And Benny felt uneasy while they were walking to the needed place. His heart was pounding like a gong.
Da-bum.
It must be horrible to be the last one of your species in the universe. All alone, even unable to have permanent best friend... Benny's face transformed into a stiff mask upon those thoughts.
Da-bum.
Damn those radical philosophers and theory makers. Lifetime. Boredom and all. Benny was sure: if you love somebody it may become cooler but can't be blown out. Never. Even if this love is directed to "non-existent". Like these "ficts". Alive because somebody might have kept memories about them.
Da-bum.
"Everything is not as bad as I supposed", thought Benny. "I have Keira and Norata, we care about each other. Dang-gum, I love them... And what about Johnny-Jimmy? With such parents he hardly has anyone who can care for him... I don't know. My judgement is rotten".
One or two times Benny tried to recognize grey-faced "ficts" walking out nearby, but with no success. Their features were similar to half-rubbed away pencil drawings. Actually everything in this world wasn't exact, even time. For how long have they been walking? For an hour? For longer period? Benny couldn't tell.
"Kiddos, close your eyes..." Sherlock Holmes's voice was heard very weakly - he was hardly moving his lips. "Eyes never tell lies. And they will tell you're a human if you don't make them silent... I'll give you a sign when you can open them".
Benny, Keira and Johnny-Jimmy obeyed though it was tough for all three of them to keep trembling inside. Thank goodness they were reassured by the fact that they were not alone and could trust somebody here.
Soon the ground literally went away from under Benny's feet, but it came out there were simply stairs leading down. This must be a spacious place - echo from their steps was deafening, as if a mob was walking though there were definitely only five of them there. Benny was deadly surprised that no other sounds were breaking the silence: normal baby would scream at the top of his or her lungs, but Johnny-Jimmy whose tiny warm hand was in his own was silent though his armour didn't block his "speech".
Long thin and ice cold fingers clang at Benny's elbow, and there was a whisper:
"Now. We are alone, don't panic".
Benny slowly opened his right eye, not without a bit of fear. They appeared to be in a square room with four doors - each in a different wall, and absolutely empty if not to count two tables with horribly looking gears on them.
"Where are we?" quietly asked Keira. Johnny-Jimmy's fingers tightened in Benny's palm.
"Loop", replied Sherlock Holmes. "This place is called Loop. It is very easy to get lost or insane here. Tia must be somewhere around, she's waiting for us".
"And I am", was the reply, and the siblings noticed there was one more person in the room. It was a girl of seventeen or such years old in a sport uniform, but it wasn't clear what kind of sport it was for. It was black with green number 4, like football uniform, but skin-tight like gymnastics one, covering all her body so only head with chin-length snow-white hair was free. Benny couldn't recognize what she "didn't need" - she was moving perfectly fine. "That's the matter where not-wished transformation from white to black can come in handy". She examined Benny, Keira and Johnny-Jimmy with her look, then pulled the hood of her jersey over her head, having become almost invisible in this dusky place. "Quite persuading. Let's go".
"Tia's from the Snow Kids team", informed Sherlock Holmes. "She was pushed to the dark side by fans of all black and bad. But only outside. You know, balance is important in such situations when you have to be double agent".
Turn left. Turn right. All neighbour rooms were almost absolutely the same if not to take gears on tables to attention. At first Benny was trying to memorize the way but then gave up - it was too twisted. How could this Tia know it? The answer was literally pushed into his hand, written on a piece of paper: "THOSE TECHNICAL HORRORS ON THE TABLES GIVE DARKERS SIGNALS POINTING AT THEIR DESTINATION. DARKERS ARE THE WHITE-SIDE ONES WHO WERE PRESSED AND TURNED INTO BLACK-SIDE FICTS BESIDES THEIR WILL, BUT IN MOST CASES IT'S ONLY OUTSIDE TRANSFORMATION. MONEY-HABITATS ARE TOTALLY OTHER".
Finally the one-typed rooms were over - this place was more like some hi-tech lab. Windows were absent, there were some kind of illuminators with swimming anatomy-like silhouettes in them. As if this place belonged to some scientist too fond of biology, physics and technologies. If not worse. Benny recalled his first reading Wells's "The Island of Doctor Moreau" - very similar, at least for him. No wonder if here animals are changed into people with the help of surgery... Benny shook from head to toes. No-no-no-no-no-no. Imagination is too powerful here, calm down, Benny, calm down...
"Where is it, Tia?" hissed Sherlock Holmes. "You know this place better".
Tia nodded at metal boxes attached to walls - the total number of them was nearly impossible to be told because they all were alike and surrounded with web of wires which made eyes wander around without noticing, but there were definitely more than twenty. Then she went closer to them and listened to something only she could hear.
"What is she doing?" whispered Keira.
"Searching for the main ones", replied Sherlock Holmes. "Our Doctor would explain it better, but, alas..." he shrugged a bit. "All worlds are giant alive bodies, like yours. And what does the body need to live? Physically, I mean. Come on, smart kiddos".
"Heart and brain", answered Keira.
"Definitely. Now we are in the most fragile place of our world, where all engines are concentrated. That's long to explain..." Sherlock Holmes stopped talking when Tia's face went dark:
"I just knew it. Come here, human kids".
She opened one of those boxes, and Benny saw there was human heart inside, but it was greyish, like everything in this world, and standing though it was to beat, judging by all those wires coming inside and outside its box.
"Lack of energy coming from human world influenced not only behaviour". Tia closed the "fullmetal cover" and opened another one. "Oh dear. Money-habitats reversed all system. They live on people's sins. Particularly on greed, envy and pride, and for ones who were loved - and for all our world - it's poison. But money-habitats don't understand that destroying our world they will exterminate themselves. Ooooh... My goodness, it can be even worse! We can't do anything to bring... what we didn't need... back... Oh dear, I'm sorry".
"But for some reason you brought us here", mentioned Keira. "You needed us".
"We were stupid". Tia leaned against the wall. "We were naive. Thought that human children could reboot our world. But neither of us knows how to do it and if it's possible at all".
"Oh my sweet girlie, you are right to regret..."
Everyone in the room started - this voice sounded from nowhere and filled the whole place. Benny and Keira didn't remember how they appeared in the centre of the place again. Familiar voice. Deep. Teasing. And full of sweetened violence.
"My poor darkie Tia, you thought being turned into a black-sided was enough?"
"Stop buttering her up, James!" roared Sherlock Holmes. James... Yes, yes. James Moriarty. But where is he?
Tongue clicking.
"Hey, Sherly boy, didn't you think you may be stuck in some of your beloved puzzles? You could have guessed something is wrong here in the Loop. And you, Doctor... Your inhumane intellect didn't tell you about possible ending. And don't even try to perform your death-cheating trick - I know you won't be able to. Ciao, kiddos!"
Johnny-Jimmy, who was clinging to the Doctor's knees during Moriarty's speech, wept bitterly.
"How touching..."
Benny felt he couldn't breathe normally - as if all of them were in giant bubble with restricted amount of air. And it proved: Keira pulled out her Icewand and made a circle in the air with it, but the freezing wave hung in the air above them, as if it struck invisible walls. Next moment it crashed and fell to their feet - the "bubble" was getting smaller. Benny hurriedly pushed his hand into the pocket to get Jacks, but Sherlock Holmes stopped him:
"Don't do that! If you throw them, they will rip us as we are the only alive creatures here! Try to break it with your wish!"
"We must get out of here... We must get out of here..." Benny and Keira (and Johnny-Jimmy - no doubt) were thinking at the top of their minds, but nothing happened - the solid invisible walls were going on shrinking. And Benny lost his temper.
"That's what you really are?! I thought you ficts could climb out of anything! Anything!"
Johnny-Jimmy screamed with horror.
"Now we will all vanish! All because of us! Naive kids and helpless ficts! Nobody will help! Don't tell me anything!.."
"Benny, the Doctor took us here because..." sheepishly began Keira, but Benny laughed - it was horrible hysterical laughter.
"Doctor?! You thought he knew?!.. Doctor..." Benny's face screwed with rage, and he yelled: "Doctor Who?!"
The Doctor's eyes, naturally round, became like huge buttons.
"Doctor Who?!" repeated Benny, shaking as if he were struck by electricity.
Breathing was harder and harder.
"DOCTOR WHO?!" screamed Benny and collapsed, catching the remains of air with his mouth.
Johnny-Jimmy was the first to come to normal condition - the armour had kept him safer. But now he was lying on a huge pillow, free from heavy "clothing": only a nappy was left on him. That was great because nothing prevented Johnny-Jimmy from moving freely.
The child rolled over onto his stomach and saw that he was not alone. His new friends who took care of him were also here. Sleeping on big big pillows on the floor, but why are they so white-faced? Johnny-Jimmy decided not to disturb them and hastily crawled to see two men who were with them. The one with black curls was still asleep, as well as his sitters and that strange white-haired girl, but the second man was lying with his eyes open. This man was strange. Johnny-Jimmy had seen that he had three different faces and bodies, but the smell from him was the same. Weird weird smell, but the child liked it. This time the "changeable" man was slick-haired and with that red thing on his neck.
Maybe he can sleep with his eyes open? He didn't move, even rarely blinked. But Johnny-Jimmy heard him breathing. Silence told the boy that he should be very very quiet because he will be in such trouble if they wake up!
Johnny-Jimmy hurriedly moved away, but hardly had he covered a meter when two large hands grabbed his chubby middle, and he was sitting on this changing man's lap. Oh no. He must have behaved wrongly, and big man is going to punish him... The child squinted and squirmed, waiting for being hit - it is definitely going to happen, the man raised his hand above him... It did land on his head, but it wasn't painful at all - on the contrary, the huge palm was gently stroking his blond locks. Johnny-Jimmy became less tense. Those hands didn't give any pain to him and didn't intend to. But those grown-ups can be very hypocritical. Johnny-Jimmy remembered how his parents pretended to be nice just to punish him for behaving wrongly, so the boy was to be careful.
Then those huge hands cupped his little face and the whisper followed:
"My poor, poor boy. I am not going to hurt you... you lost the ability to cry so early... horrible..." Silence. "I can talk. I am talking. What's happening?.. My tongue and lips move. So strange..." And really, Johnny-Jimmy didn't hear this man speaking before.
For some reason the little one recalled a scene. Very clear scene.
"I know that having a child can be extra with your plans... Maybe I could take care of him?"
Crash of breaking clay and yell:
"He is mine! Only mine! Gosh, one more who wants to grab my things!"
Johnny-Jimmy rolled himself in a ball with this picture in his head. No. He mustn't cry - it will make things even worse. Parents either paid no attention to his weeping or gave him a thunderous scream. No crying, no crying... But large tears formed in his eyes against his will. He will truly get a whack on the head.
And he didn't. Instead Johnny-Jimmy felt something very soft touching the top of his head and heard murmuring:
"It's okay, little soldier mine. Don't be scared, nobody will beat you. I know what terrible experience you had though you are so young..." Johnny-Jimmy was slightly moved away, and two so different faces were opposite to each other. "I promise you, Johnny-Jimmy: you will never be somebody's thing. You are a human child, and be proud of it".
A groan was heard; Keira raised on her elbows and muttered:
"How sentimental... Oh gosh, my head is going to crack in halves! What... oooooww..." she pressed her palm to her forehead. "Glad to see that Johnny-Jimmy's okay. As all of us".
"Of course he's okay. And so will you. Sleep".
"Fine..." It took Keira a minute to realize that she did hear the answer. Then she felt her hair moving, as if it was alive, and slowly sat up.
The Doctor, still with Johnny-Jimmy in his arms, winked at her and smiled with a mouthful of perfectly even teeth.
"Hello, I'm The Doctor".
A/N: More fictional universes!