AN: Hi sorry, since I'm at my new college, updates will be a little irregular- but I'll do my best. Thanks as ever for all your reviews!
Last chap's quote was by Antoine de saint-exupery- well done LilyHale21- 2 points now! (Oh and by the way- I know, I lived in Aus for three years lol)
This chap's quote:
If I know what love is, it is because of you.
Last chap- The Doc and Amy ended up crashing into the Aussie Outback because of some sort of interference in the time vortex- which is a big problem. Unable to get off world they ended up in a town called Yulara near Uluru. They were walking happily enough down the street when there was a chorus of screams and an inexplicable black thundercloud twisted out of the sky. Unsurprisingly, the pair ran towards it.
We start a little earlier with a nine year old called Kaitlyn.
Enjoy!
Five minutes earlier…
Kaitlyn had been having a terrible day. First off- she'd lost her homework, and her teacher hadn't believed that she'd really done it. Then she'd found out she'd forgot to bring her cool bag- so her water was half down and way too hot to drink- which meant she was really thirsty. And on top of it all, she had a headache. All in all- life was getting tough on the nine year old- and in 38 degree heat, it was a bit too much.
Sighing, and swallowing drily, Kaitlyn sat on her bag on the veranda of the school building, keeping in the shade and kicking her feet in the dust whilst the other kids played outside- her wide brim hat flopping over her eyes. She glanced at her blue plastic dolphin watch and scrunched up her face as she tried to read it.
Three O'clock. So that meant…ten minutes to go. The teachers had said they could go home, because it was supposed to be getting hotter, but Kaitlyn's Mum had promised to come pick her up at ten past. Kaitlyn sighed again- more because she thought it sounded impressive than an actual need to, and continued kicking patterns in the dust.
Out of nowhere, an AFL ball slammed into the girl's chest, knocking the wind out of her and flinging her back onto the wood, causing her head to crack against the boards with a resounding SMACK.
Groaning, Kaitlyn pushed herself up, taking the ball in one hand and looking around for the culprit- trying not to cry.
Jackson Daniel- all red hair, blue eyes, freckles and smirks came over- laughing at Kaitlyn's shocked expression. He was eleven this year, and he'd been acting like a loser ever since. She narrowed her eyes, brushing some sandy hair out of her face.
"What'd you do that for Jackson?"
Jackson shrugged. "Me and Hayden thought we might be able t' bring ya back t' earth Kaity."
Kaitlyn narrowed her eyes. "What's that s'posed t' mean?"
By this point Hayden had come over- a lanky boy Jackson's age with tufts of black hair and narrow brown eyes. He snickered. "Cos you're a freak stupid."
Kaitlyn leapt to her feet. "I am NOT stupid, stupid!"
Jackson laughed, shoving her back. "Coulda fooled me freak-o."
Hayden clapped his hands, joining in as Kaitlyn shouted- pinching her and pulling her hair. "Oooh- look at me- I can talk to magic horses!"
Jackson roared with mirth, throwing the ball at the girl. It hit her in the head and she stumbled and fell onto the dirt.
"Yeah- magic horses which don't exist!"
Kaitlyn was crying now, but not because she was hurt. Instead she was shouting at the boys, even as they poked and punched and kicked her, "NO! No- don't! They'll hear you! They'll come and HURT you! STOP!"
X
The Doctor and Amy rounded the corner- passing the one house before Yulara primary school as the twisting black thunder cloud touched the red earth, and the children's screams reached a fever pitch.
Amy's eyes went wide- a small girl with dirty blonde hair was crouched in the dirt. Two boys- one a redhead and the other with random pieces of black hair sticking up at odd angles were standing over her menacingly.
Amy went to help when she noticed the girl was crying- the bizarre thundercloud momentarily forgotten. She didn't even realized the screams had stopped- that the children in the playground were staring in open mouthed astonishment at a point just behind the sandy haired girl.
The Doctor did notice, and grabbed Amy's arm- stopping her. When she whirled on him, he simply pointed, then got out his screwdriver and ran towards the children as an immense wind picked up from nowhere.
"STAY HERE!" He shouted as he ran.
Amy shook her head, her hat flying off and her hair whipping around her face as she rolled her eyes- sprinting after him.
"As if."
When the Doctor got to the children- the girl was still screaming. He frowned as he picked up her words over the wind now slamming against his body with a physical force. Behind her, a coal black column of cloud was boiling up into some sort of alien form.
"I TOLD YOU! THEY'RE GOING TO HURT YOU! PLEASE STOP!"
Finally losing their nerve, the two boys ran as an enormous stallion with burning coals for eyes reared up out of the cloud.
The Doctor stared, eyes wide and mouth open as the horse brayed, pounding the air with it's hoofs. The children started screaming again, and Amy ran through them, feeling like Moses parting the red sea as she made her way to the Doctor's side.
The wind began to settle down as the Doctor and Amy watched- though the horse remained, and the girl began to cry in earnest. But not from fear.
"Why did you do that Adonis? Now they're really going to think I'm a freak!"
Amy raised her eyebrows as the girl pounded her tiny fists against the forelegs of the nightmare stallion, still crying.
Leadworth- you thought I was bad…
Palms forwards- the Doctor slowly walked a little closer, nodding to the horse. "Hello…Adonis, and, ah- I didn't catch your name?"
He was within a foot of the unlikely pair, but seemed unwilling to go closer. Amy couldn't blame him as the thing's burning red eyes turned to him- particles of the coal shifting and rearranging like an iris moving to examine the stranger.
The girl sniffed, rubbing her face and standing up. "What's it to you mister?"
The Doctor shrugged. "I'm just curious I suppose- about you and your extraordinary.." he glanced at Adonis, and just for a second his eyes portrayed a measure of distrust, "friend."
Amy- not having missed this peculiar exchange, narrowed her eyes, at the same time as the girl did.
"Who did ya say you were again mister?"
The Doctor blinked, refocusing on the child. "Oh- I'm-"
"John Smith," Amy interrupted, punching the Doctor lightly in the arm. "And I'm Amy Pond."
The Doctor opened his mouth and Amy gave him a look- this girl was like she was, and she really didn't want to see a Doctor. The Doctor shut his mouth as realization dawned and Amy nodded, barely resisting rolling her eyes.
The red head thrust her hand towards the girl, smiling, and- warily the child took it, giving the woman a hesitant smile.
"I'm Kaitlyn." She beamed a little wider. "Nice t' meet ya."
X
"So, Kaitlyn- how did you meet…Adonis here?"
The Doctor asked casually as the four of them walked back. Kaitlyn had explained her mother was late for picking her up, and the Doctor and Amy had offered to walk her home. Adonis- like a calm, loyal pony, had remained tranquil, walking next to Kaity on the sidewalk.
The nine year old had one arm on his muscular neck- which Amy couldn't help comparing to an oil slick- it looked slimy, and she wasn't sure how the child could stand to touch it. But the pair seemed completely uperturbed by how bizarre they looked.
Kaitlyn shrugged in answer to the Doctor's question. "I've always known him." She smiled complacently, patting Adonis' neck. The stallion snorted appreciatively, swishing his tail.
The Doctor raised an eyebrow, glancing at Amy. She made a minute shrug in response.
"And- ah, what do your parents think about Adonis."
Consternation clouded Kaitlyn's features. "They don't think he exists."
The Time Lord blinked- his mouth opening slighty. "Really- he looks real enough to me..."
Kaitlyn shrugged again, trying not to look bothered. "Well- Adonis doesn't show up much- normally it's just the 'mares. He's here to protect me y'know."
The Doctor looked sidelong at the horse. "Yes. Yes- I think I understand that."
Kaity stopped, walking up to the somewhat aged door of a dilapidated bungalow. "Well- this is home." She patted Adonis again, tiptoeing to kiss his nose.
"Ok Adonis- I'm safe now. The 'mares can look after me here." She threw her arms around his neck. "Sorry for shouting at you- I know you just want to protect me."
Adonis whinnied, nodding his head, and then he turned- galloping up the street and into nothing. The Doctor watched silently- a tiny frown on his forehead, and then he turned back to Kaitlyn.
The little girl smiled widely. "Well- this is the firs' time I've had visitors for me that aren't Doctor's." She wrinkled her nose at the word and Amy sent the Doctor a knowing look.
He rolled his eyes, as if to say- alright already! A small hand grabbed the sleeve of his jacket, tugging on it as Amelia used to do- and the Doctor looked down, almost expecting to see the scot back to her seven year old self.
Instead Kaitlyn's bright blue eyes met his. "Wanna come in for a drink?"
Hmm- so why doesn't the Doc trust Adonis? And who are the 'mares?
Please do comment- I really appreciate it. Thanks as ever for reading,
Kat