AN: I had to rewrite the whole story per chapter because, mysteriously enough, the original version of this story disappeared around the same time as my own personal demons. Funny that.
AN 2: I apologize for the false labelling of the chapters, the last chapter was actually supposed to be Chapter 2, not Chapter three. So, I am making THIS one the proper chapt 3. Hope that it doesn't make things too confusing for you guys who are keeping track!
Doctor Who: The Dummy Walks.
Chapter 3: Arrival at Planet Goosebumps.
When certain books or movies are created, they can be so immensely believed in that they start to form their own place in reality. Sometimes, even their own planet. They may NOT be found in our reality, but there is certainly somewhere in space and time where every famous book or movie or even game has made its own planet or home.
"So, that includes the Planet Goosebumps, then, Doctor?" Jarryd asked, still holding on for dear life inside the TARDIS as they zoomed through space/time heading for The Planet Goosebumps.
The Doctor nodded, happy that Jarryd had finally accepted the fact that he was the same Doctor that had helped him when he had been younger.
Jarryd stared at the dummy with hatred. "That thing is taking us there, you know. You shouldn't have bought it in here!"
"I wanted to see if there was any truth behind you're walking, talking dummy fright. I had to make sure it wasn't another Plastic Nightmare fiasco."
Jarryd snorted. "Yeah, like the one that was rumoured to have happened around the same time I got lost in Sydney. I heard that it was something that happened everywhere, but I don't believe it myself. Then again, you don't see as many mannequins these days."
The Doctor was silent at that, and Jarryd noticed he seemed upset.
"One thing I don't understand, Doctor, is if you have been around time and space so much, why would you do it alone? Surely you've done it with one or two companions?"
The Doctor merely shrugged and moved to another part of the TARDIS, without even worrying about how much it was shaking around.
"You know, if I was a time and space traveller, I'd get as much help as I could. You need help, Doctor, even if you think you don't." Jarryd commented slyly.
"I have had many companions. Too many to recount to you now, Jarryd. I have been too so many places and times; I have had to save so many lives. Sometimes I can save everyone, but there are times when not everything goes as planned."
Jarryd watched the Doctor, confused. "What are you saying, Doctor?"
Before The Doctor could reply, The TARDIS came to a sudden stop, sending Jarryd flying away from the panel and landing on some mattresses which, bizarrely enough, had been placed there long before hand for just such an occasion.
The Doctor, who had been smart enough to grab the railing next to the control panel and keep himself steady.
Certain the TARDIS had stopped, The Doctor flicked a switch, banged a button, turned some kind of wheel thing and then flicked his 'Sonic Screwdriver' back into his pocket. (Jarryd still referred to it as a scientific pen, because it was sort of shaped like a pen.)
Jarryd wasn't sure if they had landed himself, but the Doctor was absolutely certain, because he grabbed a warm jacket and threw it to Jarryd and then got one for himself.
"Right Jarryd. We're lucky to be on The Planet Goosebumps at this time of year, because while it is autumn in Australia, it is actually winter here. And winter on the Planet Goosebumps is the most calm time of the year."
Jarryd walked to the door slowly, not sure if he wanted to step onto the Planet Goosebumps now after the Slappy dummy had tried to kill him.
"Won't the inhabitants of the planet try and kill us?"
The Doctor smiled. "You've been watching too much of the TV Goosebumps. Remember, this is the PLANET Goosebumps, it's got the same characters and quite possibly the same named kids from the books, but it is not supposed to be PRECISELY what makes the books and TV shows so famous. However, the matter of our now very quiet and broken friend here is still yet to be discussed."
Jarryd shuddered when The Doctor referred to the Slappy dummy as 'friend' because how could some-one who tried to kill you be your friend?
The Doctor took hold of Jarryd firmly and looked at him. "Jarryd, you must be brave. This thing, whatever it is, feeds on children's fears. It knew you liked Goosebumps and I have the strange feeling it may have sent Slappy to your house in the first place. It could already be here on the planet, but I don't know. You have to promise me something while we are here."
"Anything, Doctor! After all, you DID get me out of that Asylum or Prison or whatever you want to call it."
The Doctor took another look at Slappy, still broken on the TARDIS control panel. "You must promise to be brave, Jarryd. I know you are a teenager, and teens generally try to be as brave as possible, and sometimes even boast they are braver than they really are, but you must be brave. If your fear was the thing that caused Slappy over there to try and kill you by himself, it may even turn the tide against us here and now. It all depends on YOU, Jarryd."
"..."
"Sorry?" He hated it when people got too stressed. Why did they always stress out when he was there to help?
"... I ... I said I promise."
The Doctor slapped Jarryd on the back. "Good lad. Now, if you ever get in trouble, here's a key to the TARDIS. Once you're in here, nothing can hurt you." He dropped a key into Jarryd's hands and smiled. "You should be honoured, Jarryd. It's not often a companion gets a key to the TARDIS on their first trip!"
Jarryd smiled half-heartedly and they exited the TARDIS together.
The strange thing about The Planet Goosebumps ... the thing that made it REALLY terrifying the moment they stepped out of the TARDIS... was the fact that there was not a soul to be seen for ages. All there was was snow for as far as they could see, and even that was eerily quiet.
The Doctor locked the TARDIS door and pointed ahead of him with his sonic screw-driver. The two of them walked forward in silence, Jarryd shivering every now and then.
"Doctor," Jarryd whispered.
"Hmm?"
"How is it that you're not shivering? I mean, I know we're both wearing warm Jackets, and I'm being brave and thinking warm thoughts, but..."
"WHO GOES THERE?" A fierce voice bellowed. Jarryd remembered just in time to not be afraid even though, right at that moment, a huge terrifying Snow-man rose from the snow and glared at them, waving a stick fist in their faces.
The Doctor, smiling gladly, stepped to the Snow-man and plucked out the leaves and sticks that made the snow-man's mouth.
Jarryd chuckled at this, and that made the snow-man back away a little.
The Doctor noted this and raised an eye-brow at Jarryd, which Jarryd didn't see.
"Now, you will listen to me, whatever you are. Know that neither myself nor my companion here," at that, Jarryd beamed. Surely The Doctor wouldn't already consider him a CONSTANT companion? That would be amazing! "Know that neither of us is even remotely afraid of what you or your ghastly, ghostly friends may throw our way. We have come here to solve a mystery. So, if you could please take us to whoever is your king or mayor, or whatever the case may be, RIGHT NOW, that would be much appreciated."
The Snow-man nodded fearfully and for the first time, Jarryd actually sensed some unexplained strength in the Doctor that confused him... It was almost like absolutely NOTHING could scare him.
If anything, it seemed to Jarryd as if The Doctor could scare other enemies away without even trying.
The Snow-man took them through the snow and The Doctor remained silent for the rest of the walk, staring straight ahead, as if at nothingness.
Meanwhile, back on The TARDIS, The Doctor had failed to close the door quick enough and something had gotten in. Something which, to most trained viewers of The 'Goosebumps' series, would recognize as the very green goo that seemed to cause most things to become alive and evil.
The TARDIS, sensing something evil was inside itself, decided to get rid of the goo AND Slappy the dummy.
That was a mistake.
As the dummy landed with a crunch in the snow, the goo splattered onto it and started to mould the dummy back together.
Slappy the dummy had been resurrected once more.