Chapter Nine:
The energy built up in the creature's mouth until the final moment when it opened fire. The ball of energy, which seemed to have doubled in strength since the beast absorbed it, flew towards the motley crew of the time travellers.
The T.A.R.D.I.S' shields held up under the assault but all three of them were knocked down and Jack was harshly burned since he was only half covered by the vessel's protection. The T-Doctor instantly pulled Jack towards the ship, as his skin was healing back into place, while The H-Doctor stared at the weapon; it was out of power and useless.
"That should have worked!" he gasped. He checked the small screen he'd fitted in the back and checked its readings. "And the crystals burnt out…that was our last shot."
Suddenly the sound of the T.A.R.D.I.S sliced through the air. The two Doctors looked at each other while Jack struggled to his feet; finally healing himself; his clothes were torn, singed and bloodied but he himself was okay.
The beast turned its head to see a flashing light appearing in the air. Slowly, moving in time with the engine's wheezing, the T.A.R.D.I.S began to materialise.
"How's that possible?" Jack gasped.
"Oh it's us," The T-Doctor replied. "Anything is possible!"
The 'thunk' of the ship boomed outwards and the blue box took full solidity; the doors swung open and green light washed onto the planet's surface. Two shadows were mid-kiss but they suddenly broke it off and exited.
A man in Victorian styled attire staggered out with a cane in one hand and a bow and arrow in the other; behind him was woman dressed in 21st Century clothing, both of them were covered in blood, sweat and grime.
"Gentleman," he grimaced, doffing his top hat, as he staggered over.
"That's you?" Jack gasped, shocked.
The beast roared at him and the man just turned his head and held his finger to his lips; the dried blood adding affect to the moment. "Shh you, I'm busy."
"Clearly," The H-Doctor smirked, only he had the true audacity to silence a beast like that.
"He's hot!" Jack smirked.
"Time and a place," The T-Doctor sighed.
The man clicked his fingers and the other blue boxes' doors swung shut; cutting off the warm green light. He limped over, wincing with every step, he was bleeding out rapidly. "Sorry I don't have time to chat but time is of the essence," the man began.
"Hello Doctor," Scarlett waved, recognising the man in the blue tuxedo with the grey beard; he didn't recognise her back.
"Shh Scarlett, the universe is at stake here," The Doctor told her. "This beast is immune to any attacks; it can absorb practically anything apart from photon particles. That's why the portals are full of them; it's a defence mechanism to block it, it's also why it had to keep making portals as it's this time and date that the photon particles are at their weakest and he can pass through." The man held out the bow and arrow, "This is an arrow made of pure photon particles, forced into solidity, and you can use this to kill the beast but first it needs to be weakened."
The H-Doctor took the weapons; after all having an offensive weapon was second nature to him. "How can we distract it?"
The Oldest Doctor sighed, "I'm bleeding out and am going to die. I'm going to be absorbed by the beast and begin to regenerate. The energy should stun it, enough for you to kill it. Hopefully I should come out a new man but worse comes to worse; the creature's death will kill me."
Scarlett instantly spun him around, trying not to hurt him, "You're dying?"
"I'm sorry…" he began. "I knew this was going to happen but I didn't want to say." He pulled on his gloves, "I'm really sorry but I'm going to change…again."
"But you can't, not after what just happened," Scarlett stuttered, tears welling up in her eyes.
"I'm really sorry but it has to be this way," The Doctor stepped closer to her and wiped a single tear of her cheek. "Be strong for me; be strong and beautiful for me."
He leaned in and kissed her again. He embraced her and ran his hands down her back and then up to her hair. He stroked the back of her head; emotions rocketed between them. A leather gloved hand clamped onto his shoulder and The H-Doctor pulled them apart, "Not trying to ruin the moment but we have the universe to save."
They all looked up to see the beast staring at them with rage filled eyes. The Oldest Doctor sighed and turned from his companion, "Quite right." He looked at his past selves, "In case I die; look after her for me."
"Of course Doctor," the two of the past Time Lord's replied; they felt the emotion as much as Scarlett who was beginning to cry, they were about to watch themself sacrifice themself for the sake of the universe. It was one of the hardest things they would ever see.
The Elder Doctor adjusted his top hat and turned to the beast; putting on a brave face. "I suppose it's time," he made his way towards it. "It's been fun being The Doctor and I'm glad I'm going out with a bang!"
The beast seemed confused as The Doctor walked straight up to him and smashed him in the leg with his cane. His skin began to glow. It was happening, he was regenerating!
"Rawwwr!" bellowed the beast as it bent down and swallowed The Doctor whole.
"No!" Scarlett screamed as collapsed to her knees; weeping and balling. Jack dropped down and comforted her, slowly stroking her back. He'd only just met that version of The Doctor, he hoped he'd see him again (time travel was complicated), but even he felt the pain of his death.
The H-Doctor wiped a tear from his eye and adopted a wide stance. He docked the arrow into the bow, pulled back the string and waited. He was ready to slay the beast and possibly kill himself in the process, "For the universe!" he proclaimed.
"For the Universe," The T-Doctor confirmed, placing a hand on his shoulder. There was no need for more words; they all were thinking the same thing.
The demon's purple scales began to glow a bright orange; the light started at its stomach and began to cover its whole body. Light poured off it like fire and the beast staggered about, screaming; partly from pain and partly for confusion about what was happening.
The H-Doctor tensed the bowstring and let the arrow fly. The arrow began to glow as it sliced through the air and headed for the beast. The H-Doctor was the perfect shot, it was in that bodies' blood, and he always hit his target.
The glowing arrow struck the beast and it cried out. Slowly, bit by bit, the beast began to crumble and fall apart. Scales dissolved into energy and sparked outwards into the air. The creature dissolved; turning into pure energy. Smoke moved from the ground, covering their view completely. It began to clear and Scarlett looked upwards with tear stricken eyes.
"Where is he?" she gasped. The gasped turned to a scream, "Where is he?"
The smoke began to clear and the two Time Lords noticed a shadow kneeling on the ground. "Wait a second," The T-Doctor told her in a hushed tone.
The smoked moved completely and kneeling on the ground was The Doctor but he had changed. Slowly the man rose to his feet, revealing his skinny limbs and impressive height. His legs were like jelly at first but he managed to get a grip on them as he walked towards them. As he got closer they saw how badly at the clothes fit him and how they didn't suit him at all! But the main attraction to his new form was his bright green hair!
"Doctor?" Scarlett asked as she rose to her feet, wiping tears from her red and puffy eyes.
"Yes my dear," The Doctor replied with a smile, flashing his dazzlingly white teeth, he stared at her and she noticed his irises were purple; he had purple eyes and green hair!
"Is that you?" she asked walking towards him.
"Of course," The Doctor smirked as he held out his hand; the regeneration had torn holes in the gloves. Scarlett took his hand, "Who else could pull of this look."
He pulled her in closer and Scarlett giggled, "I don't think it ever did really."
"I know that," The Doctor replied. "I think I'll need to change in a minute." He leaned in and kissed her again; regeneration energy cackled from his lips and skin and onto hers.
T-Doctor coughed and the two broke off the kiss, "Don't mean to interrupt but are you okay?"
"Yes I'm fine," The Doctor replied. He coughed and regeneration energy poured out of his mouth and moved upwards into the air. "Just the normal regeneration process."
"Well I think we should all get going now," The H-Doctor replied, he held up the bow, "Mind if I keep this?"
"No of course keep it," The Doctor replied, "Keep it for this moment actually."
"So you gave the bow to yourself?" Scarlett asked.
"Yep," The Doctor replied with a tooth grin.
"Come on guys," Jack told them all. "We should get back to where we were before the universe explodes or something."
"Okay," The Doctor replied, taking Scarlett by the hand, "Let's go. It was lovely to meet me."
"Likewise," The T-Doctor replied, turning around. "It's been…terrifying."
"When is it not?" Jack joked, wrapping his arm around both Doctors who had turned around and were walking back into the T.A.R.D.I.S.
"I don't know," The H-Doctor replied as they all walked in; he stayed in the doorway and watched as The Doctor and Scarlett walked back the T.A.R.D.I.S, holding hands, and looking happy. He'd been alone and angry for so long that seeing the two of them together gave him hope; maybe he'd find someone and maybe they'd be as special to him as Scarlett was to the future Doctor.
As soon as they entered the T.A.R.D.I.S together; The H-Doctor closed the door and walked into the console room where T-Doctor was adjusting the controls. "Time to get you back to your T.A.R.D.I.S," T-Doctor smiled as he slammed down and lever and the ship began to fly. "So what about you Jack? Return to the base or stick around with me?"
"The base sounds tempting," the American began as the T.A.R.D.I.S engines began to whine and the glass time rotor rose and fell. "But all of time and space sounds better!"
"Good, good," T-Doctor smiled. "Well I'm glad this has ended so well. It could have gone horribly wrong."
"Well let's not dwell on that," The H-Doctor replied, adjusting a control to help the T-Doctor pilot the ship. "I've done enough dwelling for a while; for now I live!"