Chapter Sixty-Four: The New World

London, England – 19th Century

"Was that really necessary?"

"Yes! You saw what it was doing! Obliterating the wall was the only option!"

"No, it was not. You only provided it with a perfect escape route."

"Is it my fault that your feeble human legs are incapable of keeping up with a mere shadow?"

"My legs are not feeble!"

The bickering between Jenny Flint and Strax continued as the two walked along the path in Kensington Gardens that was illuminated by street lamps. Strax carried a large, chrome-plated Sontaran gun with a long barrel – his weapon of choice while confronting the "moving shadow" that he and Jenny had been hunting down for nearly a week. Their recent confrontation took place within Kensington Palace. Strax's military pride got the best of him and property damage was inflicted within the palace.

"You better hope the mess you caused doesn't lead back to us," Jenny warned.

Strax scoffed at her warning. "Stop your complaining, boy. That wall stood in the way of our objective. From the way I see it, it got what it had coming to it."

Jenny let out an aggravated sigh. "It would've been so much better if Madame Vastra joined with us on this hunt."

"It would've been better had I not been on this ridiculous hunt at all. This is supposed to be my weekend off. I should be having glorious battles in Glasgow right now, not chasing after shadows!" Strax complained. "What is the purpose of the Madame's absence tonight of all nights?"

"Have you been tampering with the memory worm again, Strax?"

Strax seemed a bit conflicted in answering her. "No…at least…I don't think so."

Jenny shook her head at his absent-minded nature. "She has business at the prison with Clarence DeMarco, who claims to have information she wants in exchange for sparring him of his death sentence, which I see as doubtful of happening."

"Oh." Strax uttered, as if suddenly remembering the aforementioned meeting. "Well, I strongly disagree. If anyone's more qualified for handling this mission, it would be the Doctor."

"And he is busy spending time with his 'ghost,'" said a disgruntled Jenny.

"Ah, yes. The nanny we encountered during the snowmen excursion, yet somehow returned during our investigation of Sweetville." Strax recalled. "Why did the Doctor not provide any sufficient evidence as to how that boy managed to return from the dead?"

Jenny shook her head. "He only said that it was 'complicated.'"

"Well, I certainly don't understand what's so 'complicated' in…"

The Sontaran was quickly cut off by a series of green flashing lights that came from the left side of the road they traveled on. After the flashes had ended, a boy suddenly fell out from nowhere and landed upon the road, right near Jenny and Strax. They quickly went to his aid, noting his attire, which had a design that was centuries before their era. The boy appeared to be fully conscious as Jenny and Strax helped him to his feet.

"Are you alright?" Jenny asked him.

The boy did not answer; he merely looked to Jenny in confusion but jumped in fright when he looked upon Strax.

"Are you injured, child?" The Sontaran inquired.

"N-No." The boy stammered, gawking at every inch of Strax's potato-shaped head. "Are you some type of…ogre?"

Strax exchanged a baffled look with Jenny over the boy's question. He seemed slightly offended as he answered, "I am not a 'troll.' I am a Sontaran."

His response was met with grief from the boy. "The Blue Fairy told me the magic bean would take me to a land without magic." He gestured to Strax and added, "But you're a magical creature, which proves the bean didn't help me."

The boy's talk of magic and blue fairies baffled Jenny and Strax. Jenny noticed that his accent sounded American, which meant that he was not from around there. He looked lost, scared, and sad all at once. Feeling sympathy for him, she did her best in giving him comfort. "Don't be frightened. We won't hurt you. What's your name?"

"Bae," the boy answered, seeming to feel somewhat reassured in Jenny's approach of his dilemma.

"My name's Jenny. And the 'troll' is Strax." The Sontaran grumbled at her playful new nickname for him. "Where do you come from, Bae?"

"Somewhere I never hope I'll ever return to." Bae remarked.

From this answer, Jenny suspected Bae to be a runaway child, which was more than enough of a reason to take him back to Paternoster Row with her and Strax. "Come with us. We'll help you sort out this 'magic' problem you have."

Bae reluctantly agreed to walk with them back into the city. Looking ahead, he saw a tower standing tall amongst a number of buildings in the distance; at the top of the tower was a large clock. He had never seen anything like it, yet he also never saw anyone like Strax before either. Whatever this new world he found himself in was, he certainly had many questions about it that he hoped to get answers to.