The Feast of Fools
Chapter Two: Town Square
By Lumendea
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any spinoff material, and I gain no income from this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.
AN: Thank you for your wonderful comments on the first chapter. I really enjoyed reading them. And welcome to the new folks who recently started reading the series and made it this far. I am impressed at your willingness to get through 1.7 million words.
…
When the TARDIS landed with a soft thump, Rose looked around the console room carefully and struggled to catch her breath. A sick feeling lingered in her stomach, and Rose felt strangely cold. It was quiet. While she had landed, the TARDIS's hum was still very low, and the lights were dim. She was working, but also not all there. Like the Doctor. Rose found no trace of the mysterious figure and allowed herself to exhale in relief. Whatever it was, they'd slipped away from where it was trying to get in out of the Time Vortex.
Still, an odd feeling nagged at Rose as if she was forgetting something. Or was supposed to know something that she didn't. There was a slight tremble in her hands, and her eyes were heavy from exhaustion. She just wasn't sure and couldn't be certain if the odd feeling was important or just the result of how tired and worn down she was. All she wanted was to check on the Doctor again and maybe go to their room for a nap. But there were things to do, things to worry about.
Rose taped the screen. It didn't change. There was no view of the outside or readout of their location. She double-checked the coordinates that she'd used and sighed. They should be on Earth, but Rose wasn't sure when they were. Inching towards the door, Rose debated just staying inside and waiting for the Doctor to wake up or checking to make sure that all was well.
Then she heard Jack running down the corridor. Without the TARDIS to arrange things for them, the distances in the ship were longer than normal. Rose moved away from the door and returned to the control as Jack came dashing in.
"Rose," Jack sounded a touch out of breath. "What happened? Why did you land us?"
She needed a moment to gather her thoughts and figure out how to explain it. "I saw something in the TARDIS, Jack. Something that looked like it was trying to… overlay, I think. A bit like what I've seen the Black and White Guardians do in the past." Rose exhaled and shook herself. "Figured landing someplace would get us away from that. We just need to sit tight and give the Doctor some time to rest."
"You saw something in the TARDIS," Jack repeated. When Rose nodded, he exhaled with worry flickering across his face. "Alright, I can see why you wanted to leave the Time Vortex. I suppose that we didn't take the time when we left UNIT to make sure that it wasn't damaged." Jack appeared ill for a moment. "Really glad that the Doctor was able to navigate us on his tour safely, but going to that many companions… I suppose that something could have found the TARDIS."
His words were reassuring in that they did suggest that Rose wasn't crazy, but they were worrying that it meant they might have had someone following them and trying to break in. That brought back too many thoughts about the Family of Blood and hiding the Doctor from them for months.
Jack must have seen something in her face because he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. Closing her eyes, Rose leaned against Jack and took his familiar smell. As tired as she was, Rose Tyler was never too exhausted for a hug and brought her arms up.
"It'll be alright," Jack said gently. "We'll sort it out."
Jack wasn't the most optimistic person, so Rose appreciated the reassurance from him. He was probably right, they were in the TARDIS, and the Doctor was resting. Then Jack kissed the crown of her head and released her. He stepped towards the door and glanced around the console room quickly.
"Better make sure that we've landed someplace safe."
"Should be on Earth," Rose said. "But I think I might have gotten the time wrong."
Jack grinned at her. "What Bannerman Road in the time of the dinosaurs?"
"Hahahaha," Rose groaned. Still, she smiled a little at the joke. "Come on, let's make sure that we're safe. TARDIS viewer isn't working."
"I'll check first." Jack's voice didn't leave room for argument, but Rose rolled her eyes. In theory, she was supposed to be the boss, the highest authority in the universe, and all that, but you'd never know it. "Stay behind him."
Rose still crept forward as Jack opened the door. Nothing immediately bad happened, and the sound of cheerful music immediately filled the TARDIS console room. Rose caught the smell of baked goods, sweat, and a strange blend of other scents that she couldn't make sense of. Jack had placed himself to block most of the open doorway but swung it open a little wider, letting Rose catch flashes of colour.
"I think we'll be alright," Jack laughed. He stepped outside and turned back to Rose with a smile.
Rose stepped outside with a hint of caution. Music and voices were blending around them in a mess of noise. Looking around carefully, Rose took in the buildings and sounds surrounding them. They were in a town, human by the looks of it. Stone and thatch buildings surrounded a large open cobblestone square that was full of people with a wooden stage assembled on the far side. Stands with food were arranged at the edge of the square, and brightly coloured tents and streamers created a festive atmosphere. She'd managed to park the TARDIS next to a building in the shade beside a pile of barrels and crates.
A laugh drew Rose's attention to a little girl, and she relaxed at the sound. The girl was dressed in a colourful dress that Rose estimated to be from the early Middle Ages. Ribbons were tied up the girl's hair which was styled in half a dozen braids. The square was decorated with streamers, and dancers were performing in the centre of everything.
"Too bad we can't join the party," Jack said. He smiled down at Rose. "I'm assuming that you plan on staying with the Doctor."
Rose tried to think. Her mind felt slow and sluggish. She thought that she remembered the Doctor remarking on his regeneration. He said something along the lines that she'd left him in a room while she sorted things out. That meant that something was going to happen, that something was wrong, didn't it? She shifted her right hand nervously, ready to summon her sword.
"I was trying to take us to Bannerman Road," Rose said softly. "Not sure how we went so far off course."
"It'll be alright," Jack promised. His smile faded a little at her lack of happy response. "Seriously, Rose. We'll be fine. Look around. We're on Earth during a festival."
Rose really wanted to believe him. If something was wrong, then it was up to them to sort it out, or was the Doctor oversimplifying when he would tell her younger self that? She tugged at her damp braid and told herself to calm down without much luck. Careful, she told herself. She needed to be careful in thinking too much about what the future Doctor had said. One wrong step and things could be changed, or there might be things that he wasn't aware of about what happened, or he might not have warned her about something because of the timelines. She had to be careful.
"I think this is the Feast of Fools," Jack said. He was looking casually down at his Vortex Manipulator. "A festival that turned things on its head in theory with the powerful, like the clergy, being mocked. Sort of a release of tension for the masses for the new year."
"New Year?" Rose repeated. "It's way too warm to be January. Even in Italy, this is too warm."
Jack's lips quirked into a smile. "This is the 11th century, Rose." Jack gestured around and grinned in amusement. "Prior to the creation of the Gregorian Calendar in 1582, most European nations celebrated New Year's Day on March 25. It's springtime."
Rose shook her head as that familiar sense of wonder, and amusement took hold. "Sometimes I forget how new some of the things I take for granted are. I suppose I would have guessed something called the Feast of Fools to take place in April."
Jack laughed. "Well… I don't know a lot about this era, but I think the festival lasts a few days, which would take it into April. I'd guess that April Fool's Day is a remnant of this holiday tradition."
Looking around with that information, Rose noted the bright and odd costumes that some people were wearing. Some of them resembled clergy robes which, if Jack's remark about mocking power was true, made sense. A smile tugged at her lips. The atmosphere was light and fun, with an almost frantic undercurrent. That last part worried her a little.
Rose stepped back towards the TARDIS and patted the ship of the ship. "Do you think she'll be safe here?"
"I don't imagine we'll have a problem." Jack moved to join her. "After all, the square is decorated up, and there are performers and other oddities around. It might be the best she's ever blended in."
Gasping in mock horror on behalf of the TARDIS, Rose stroked the side of the ship. "Don't listen to him. He's jealous of how gorgeous you are."
Jack chuckled and pulled out his key. "Come on. I think everything is okay out here. You need rest, and I'll check on the Doctor."
Rose wanted to argue that she was fine, but it would do no good with Jack. And she could remember that brief moment of horror when he rushed in front of her to protect her. It hadn't changed anything, but she was impossibly grateful for her friend trying to keep her safe even if she hated it.
Then she caught sight of a painted face in the crowd. It was staring at her and smiling. Rose grimaced at the clown-like features, but after someone in the crowd moved, it was gone. She blinked. Rose wasn't sure if that was the same thing or just… Eying the decorations and the costumes, Rose couldn't be sure.
"Rose?"
"I thought I saw…."
Rose's eyes found the figure again, and her stomach turned. Staring at her was a man, or at least what looked like one, in ragged clown-like clothing. Their features were pale as if painted by white makeup, but some instinct told Rose that there was no dress-up at play here. The blood-red lips were pulled back in a horrible fierce grin, exposing too sharp to be human teeth. Rings of red surrounded both its mouth and the dark sunken eyes. Curly white hair did nothing to hide the small sores visible across the pale skin and an odd row of lumpy growths.
Every instinct screamed danger, and Rose took a slow step back, keeping her eyes on the figure. Around her, people were glancing towards it and, despite the festive nature of the event, moving away to give them space. It looked so much like a clown, but also not in all the wrong ways. Something straight out of a horror film that rattled something deep in Rose. People around it were drawing away from the figure, one woman eyeing it with disgust. Then it turned away and vanished into the sea of people and colour.
"Rose?"
"Jack, I think that something used the TARDIS to get here." The words spilt out of Rose's mouth as her stomach turned. "There's something here that shouldn't be! I hoped that we were getting away from it, but I think I only gave it a lift!"
She spun back to Jack, staring up at him with wide eyes that pleaded for him to believe her. Rose wasn't sure herself, not really, but the fear creeping over her body was very real.
"Okay." Jack reached over and gently touched Rose's arm. "I believe you, Rosie," he assured her gently. She breathed a little easier. Of course, Jack believed her. "Do you know what it is? What it looks like?"
That question made Rose grimace. "It, ah, it looks a lot like a clown," Rose answered. She held back a sigh, but Jack's expression didn't change. "But it looks faded out and decayed." Searching the mixture of feeling rolling around in her stomach, Rose tried to find something solid to grab onto, but it was almost impossible. "It doesn't feel right. Like it isn't fully there, but still has some sort of a physical presence."
"Is that what the Neverweres are like?"
"No." Rose shook her head. "Sorry, I'm doing a rubbish job of explaining."
"It's okay," Jack assured her. "So, it looks like a clown, but also messy and faded. That helps a little despite where we are." He straightened up, and Rose could see Jack shifting into Time Agent mode. His eyes glanced around the crowd. "Can you tell me anything else about it?"
Rose gave herself a moment to think about it. She felt like she should know what it was. It felt like the answer was right there on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't find it. A bit like when you overheard something once and pushed it to the side because the person hadn't been talking to you.
"No," Rose sighed. "Sorry. I know that isn't helpful, but I swear that there was something in the TARDIS, and then I saw it outside-"
Jack frowned at her. "I believe you," he rushed to reassure her. "I'm just not sure what we might be dealing with."
"It could be something playing with my mind," Rose said slowly. "Drawing on old memories of…" she trailed off and shook her head. "No, no, other people saw them, so it's not in my head."
"Well… I did hear some rumours while I was in the Time Agency." Jack frowned thoughtfully. "Something about clowns that came from the Time Vortex. They were always dismissed by the Agency."
"From the Time Vortex?"
"Yeah, some odd form of like that evolved there or the result of some kind of temporal experiments. Time Agents usually figured that if they were real, it was the second one. Early days of time travel amongst humans were… interesting, to say the least. Well, humans who weren't with the Doctor." He smiled a little, trying to cheer them both up.
Rose had the strongest feeling that she was forgetting something. That this was something she should know, but also that someone didn't want her to know. Could it be some odd form of Neverwere released by Rassilon's efforts to restore Gallifrey? It hadn't felt the same, but she hadn't been near it long. Still, it gave Rose a very distinct of being hunted. Maybe it had been in a prison dimension that finally snapped under the strain of the ripping universe.
"I don't know." Rose closed her eyes and shivered. "That might be it, or it could look like a clown to remind me of Spellman." Around them, the TARDIS hummed, and the lights flashed weakly. "I think… I think the TARDIS forced it out of herself to protect us, but she's weak with the Doctor out of sorts."
"Symbiotic pair indeed," Jack murmured.
"Yeah. If the TARDIS did push it out, then it's possible that the TARDIS is still its target." Holding back a shiver, Rose tried to put thoughts of Spellman out of her mind. Yes, in theory, he was locked up somewhere in the TARDIS' attic, but she didn't think that he'd chose a new form only to taunt her. "We need to be careful and try to be ready for an attack."
"You stay in the TARDIS," Jack said seriously. "I'll go out and check the festival. If there is something dangerous, then we don't want it doing damage. On the other hand, the Doctor is vulnerable right now, so I don't think we should leave him alone."
Rose didn't like the solution. She hated sending Jack out alone, but he was right that the Doctor would be a tempting target. They simply had no way to tell the origin of this thing yet, and with the TARDIS being quieter due to the Doctor's condition, they had limited options to try and find out.
"Alight," Rose said slowly. "Is your Vortex Manipulator working?"
"Scanner is, but not the jumping system." Jack cast a glance down at the device. "Doctor did something to the system when he was hijacking it." He didn't sound angry. "When he's better, please pout at him to fix it. He responds so much quicker to your pouts than mine."
"I will," Rose promised. "Try to get some scans, but please don't draw attention to yourself."
Jack nodded and gently pushed Rose closer to the TARDIS. "Inside, I think it'll be best to blend in for this. I'll get changed and-"
"We both will," Rose interrupted.
"You should stay with the Doctor," Jack argued.
"I will, but… I should be ready, just in case you need help."
Rose failed to ignore the rolling in her stomach. She unlocked the TARDIS doors but glanced around nervously. There was no sign of the clown creature, but it was there. Rose was certain of it. She'd brought something with them, and they didn't have the Doctor to help them.