The Feast of Fools

Chapter Four: Guardian Visit

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: A very happy New Year to all of you. Hopefully 2023 will bring you lots of sleep, good news, and great times.

….

Taking a step towards Jack, Rose noted the paleness in his face and how shaken he seemed. It was a state that she'd seen only once or twice before. She reached for him, and Jack reached for her gratefully. His skin was cold to the touch, and he exhaled in relief as she took his hand. Rose brought her free hand up to touch his face.

"You look awful."

"Oh, don't break my heart, Rosie," Jack sighed. It lacked the usual flirty tone.

"What happened?"

"Well, I saw your clown." Jack exhaled and shook his head. "So, it is definitely real. Others were backing away from it. There is a presence around it, warns you off like it's a predator."

Rose nodded. "Yeah, I felt that too."

"But it focused on me almost immediately," Jack said. He was frowning now, and Rose tightened her grip on his hand. "It approached me. I tried to talk with it…." He shuddered and looked past Rose, not focusing on her. "It grabbed me. Rose, it was like I was in the shadow of that beast the Eternals summoned on Karn. Everything was begin pulled out of me."

Rose gasped. She hadn't really witnessed that event. She's been with the Sisterhood, but she'd felt it. There had been a sharp pain and a sudden awareness that Jack had been gone. It wasn't a good memory on what had already been a difficult and strange day.

"So… it drained your life force," Rose said slowly. She dropped her eyes away from Jack and looked at the closed door behind him. "That would explain why it's after us. You're full of life force, and the Doctor just regenerated. He's probably bursting with energy still."

"But it isn't going after anyone outside." Jack paused and considered his own words. "But why go after basic life force if you have a shot at tasty Guardian life energy." Rose shuddered at the description. "Sorry, Rose."

"No, you're probably right." Rose licked her lips. "The issue is if it can't get into the TARDIS now and at us, will it attack the people outside? Any one of them could be a historical figure or the ancestor of one. This could be a very fragile situation."

"Yeah…." Jack shook his head, and Rose could see him trying to pull himself back together. "That's definitely a concern. Any idea what it might be?" Rose blinked at him with wide and confused eyes. "Uh, I was hoping that the Guardian of Life might be able to shed some light on that."

"Sadly, no." Rose groaned and rubbed her head. "I don't know what I'm doing." Her eyes stung with tears that she fought back. "And it just nearly got me killed, got you killed, and got the Doctor killed."

"Hey!" Jack wrapped his arms around her tightly. "None of that. You're a baby Guardian. Just starting out. There's gotta be a huge learning curve to that."

"I refused to go with Black and White." Rose bit her lip to keep from crying, but it was hard. Her eyes went to the door of the TARDIS. "If I had-"

"Then you would have been separated from the natural flow of living." Jack kept holding her in a warm hug that Rose really wanted to melt into. "That doesn't sound like the right path either."

That was what she had thought too. Rose hadn't wanted to be hidden away in the Hall of the Universe and just watch others live. She wanted to explore, learn, and love. She hadn't wanted to leave the Doctor or Jack. It still felt like the right decision, but doubts were creeping in a little too easily for Rose's peace of mind.

"Maybe," was all she said. Rose didn't know how to explain it otherwise.

She was following instinct and her own desires more than anything else. Not very rational or wise, but it seemed right for Life and Possibility. Of course, Rose knew that could easily be her justifying things to herself. Suddenly, she wondered if her future disappearance was an accident with her abilities. Would her lack of training and knowledge throw her across the universe and time, separate from the Doctor? It seemed felt like all too real a possibility.

Pulling back from Jack, Rose cleared her throat. "Well, the Doctor is comfortable and still resting in the Zero Room."

"Comfortable?" Jack asked with a teasing smile. Rose was oddly glad to see it. "What did you do, Rosie?"

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Harkness," Rose scolded, though she was smiling now. "I just changed him into pyjamas so he'll hopefully wake up more comfortable and… I guess neutral without his old clothing on him." She shrugged. "I've spoken with other companions, but there isn't exactly a manual for this."

"The Doctor's safe, and so far, that thing doesn't seem to be able to get into the TARDIS since we're out of the Time Vortex," Jack said, shifting back to the matter at hand. "So, we might be safe while we're in the TARDIS."

"But it's surrounded by a city full of people that it might be able to drain." Rose nodded. "We need to figure something out and fast." She went back to the screen and desperately tapped at it, trying to reset it. "Come on, Gorgeous. I know that you're a mess with him down, but if you can help at all, we really need it!"

The screen flickered, and Rose held her breath. She could tell that the TARDIS was trying, but the telepathic and maybe empathic link between her and the Doctor was critical. Brushing her fingers over the counsel, Rose did her best to project her understanding and acceptance. There was a faint hum in return.

"I don't think she can help us much right now," Rose admitted a moment later. "With the Doctor out of sorts, she's out of sorts."

"And I doubt that thing trying to board her did her any favours," Jack added gently. "Okay, so we know that it has the ability to survive in the Time Vortex and drains away life. I really feel that should be something very distinct. I guess the question is, do we risk spending time in the library or try to trap it."

"If I get close enough to it-"

"No," Jack said firmly.

"I have a Star Knight sword."

"Which we don't know if it will affect that thing or not." Jack paused. "We don't even know if there is only one or if there are more." He couldn't contain his shudder. "Your sword isn't able to stop everything, Rose."

That was true. Rose hated it. The Star Knight blade did well against Eternals, Netherweres, and mortal creatures, but she'd gotten herself into trouble years ago against a Chronovore. A sigh escaped her, and she could see the relief in Jack's features that he wouldn't need to fight her over this. Honestly, she wasn't that bad. At least, she hoped not. Jeopardy friendly, yes; stupid, no.

"White Guardian," Rose called. "Black Guardian! If you can hear me, I could use some advice and a report on the status of the universe."

"Do you think that will…" Jack trailed off, looking at a point beyond Rose's shoulder.

She turned eagerly, hoping for something good to happen but also dreading the appearance of the clown again. It was with no small level of relief that Rose smiled as the White Guardian appeared flickering inside of the TARDIS. She knew that the Doctor would be grumbling about the Guardian just projecting into his TARDIS, but Rose was grateful to see a friendly face who might know what was going on. When this was over, Rose probably wouldn't be thrilled that they could just project into the TARDIS.

"White," Rose greeted with a tiny smile. She couldn't muster a full smile. Her body was still too sore, and she was too worried.

"Gold." She didn't tense up at the greeting. "How are you?" White's image finally solidified, and he peered at her with concerned eyes. It was the most worried about her that Rose had ever seen and confirmed that he definitely knew what had just occurred with Rassilon. "Are you alright?"

"I'm sore," Rose admitted. "But I don't think any permanent damage was done."

Movement in the corner of her eye made Rose tense, only to relax a moment later. It wasn't the clown. Instead, the dark silhouette of the Black Guardian was coming into view. Jack stayed close to Rose, hovering close by even as he kept glancing back at the door of the TARDIS. A moment later, the Black Guardian appeared, though he too seemed more like a projection than a physical form. Rose was grateful for that. She wanted information and help but wasn't sure that she had the energy to deal with the pair of them.

"How damaged are you?" Black demanded. His gaze was heavy on Rose, like he was trying to examine every bruise she might have.

"I'm sore." Rose managed a small smile and shrugged. "The Doctor got in the way when Rassilon tried… well, he tried to harvest my power too. The Doctor took the worst of Rassilon's attack after the initial…" Rose trailed off. "He's regenerated."

"He's good for something then," Black sneered.

"Not now, Black," Rose sighed. She narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm not in the mood."

Black glared around disdainfully at the TARDIS console room until Rose caught his gaze and gave him a warning look. The Guardian stilled, and while he still looked unhappy, he stayed silent. Rose took a deep breath. She needed to focus. She might not fully understand her abilities yet, but Rose did feel the weight of the duty that she'd accepted on Karn.

"I am glad to see the two of you," Rose admitted. "Thank you for coming. How is the universe?"

It was a big question, but after what had happened with Rassilon, Rose had a lot of concerns. Part of her wondered if she was supposed to be helping patch things up, but in truth, she felt no compulsion to. Life and possibility were such strange areas of power that could mean a lot of different things.

"We've been able to mostly contain the damage done by Rassilon," the White Guardian admitted. He looked more tired and worn down than usual. "The rips that you haven't already closed in your past are naturally closing. You may come across a few more in the future, but we've limited the threat they pose. We believe that the damage will be healed within the next year."

"That long?"

"In cosmic terms, that is five minutes, Gold." White's lips quirked into a smile. "You'll come to understand the measures of time that we exist within. As you grow more into yourself."

"Alright then," Rose said. She didn't want to linger on those words just yet. Maybe later, after at least eight hours of sleep. "Thank you for the update, but I'm afraid that we have a pressing problem. I'm not sure if it is connected to Rassilon, but there is this clown-looking creature. It tried to break into the TARDIS while we were in the Time Vortex. It followed us here or was able to grab hold of the TARDIS or something, and when Jack investigated, it started draining his life force." She gestured towards Jack, who was staying close but silent. His back was straight, and he reminded Rose of the soldier that he'd originally claimed to be. "Do you know what it is?"

"Yes, we know what you're dealing with," the White Guardian said quickly. He looked uneasy and nodded. "Similar in appearance to a clown, but with hints of decay, and drains life energy."

"That's a decent summary," Jack replied. Rose noted that he still sounded shaken and uneasy. Then again, that might also be because the White and Black Guardians were present. He didn't have much experience with them. "It felt a lot like what happened to me back on Karn. I was able to get away and came back here to check on Rose."

"It is a Ravenous," the Black Guardian answered. "They consume regeneration energy, pure life energy."

He didn't share more than that. Rose had the odd sense that she was going to have to pry the information out of them.

"So…" Rose peered at her two fellow Guardians. "A creature that consumes regeneration energy?"

"Yes," Black replied. "The Ravenous, once the Kolstani. They were given a push in their evolution after Rassilon killed your predecessor."

"Given a push," Rose repeated. She raised an eyebrow. "Translation, you shifted them to be predators for Time Lords."

"That would be a correct summary of the situation." White brushed a speck of dust from his coat and straightened his tie.

"Why?"

They both blinked at the question. Rose stared at them, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

"The purpose was to provide some balance and order to the artificially long lifespan of Time Lords," the White Guardian answered carefully. "A counterbalance, if you will."

Rose wasn't sure if she believed that answer. Holding back a sigh, she turned her attention to the Black Guardian. Leaning on the console, Rose met his gaze and raised her eyebrow.

"I wanted revenge," was his gruff reply. Rose definitely believed his answer.

"Okay, fine. But that's a bit of a problem now as far as I'm concerned. You made a species that consumes Time Lord regeneration energy, but there's only one Time Lord left now."

The Black Guardian smiled at that. "Yes, there is."

Rose glared at him. "And my children in the future," Rose added sternly. Jack made a small gleeful squeal behind her but quickly contained himself. Black's expression shifted a little at that reminder. "Plus, given that the Time Lord regeneration energy comes from the Gold Guardian, that means that these things are also going to hunt my disciple and me as well."

It was wrong to draw amusement and satisfaction from the dawning looks of worry on the faces of Black and White, but Rose allowed herself a moment to enjoy them. Honestly, she was lucky that these things hadn't come sniffing around sooner. Rassilon's stunt had probably rattled them awake or something equally awful. And they'd found the TARDIS and started to slip inside of her. Rose, not knowing, what they were, had given them a lift to medieval Europe during an event that they actually managed to blend in a little.

"I really needed sleep," Rose grumbled. "Not this." Clapping her hands together, she looked back at the other Guardians. "Alright, you shifted them before. Can we shift them back and return them home? I've gotta be honest; I'm not thrilled with your interference in their existence like that." She shivered. "That feels wrong."

"In our defence," White said quickly. "In most timelines, they are altered by one force or another. We simply did the job in this branch of reality."

"You interfering with them directly probably rippled out into the other branches," Rose snapped. She wasn't sure where the words came from, but a radiating sense of correctness in her bones left her standing tall. "This is N-space. Normal space. The original universe from which divergent realities formed. One way or another, the alternatives often feel echoes, and direct action by a Guardian is gonna make a huge ripple."

The Black Guardian chuckled and eyed White. "She's catching on quickly, isn't she."

"So, back to the issue at hand," Rose said. That knowledge, that level of certainty, was deeply uncomfortable. "You created a species of hunters that are a clear and present threat not only to me but also to my family. What options do we have?"

"If we directly intervene, that will cause more ripples," White pointed out carefully. "And given the rips in the universe that are still healing, I recommend against that."

"Kill them all and be done with it," Black sneered. "The Star Knight sword can likely disrupt them. If I was there physically, I could kill them easily." He honestly appeared disappointed.

"Yes," White agreed. "I'm afraid that Black and I are still working on repairs, and our physical presence is still needed in the Hall of the Universe at this time. As for the Star Knight sword, I'd rather we didn't rely on that. It is a course of action that would require Gold to get very close to them. We needed a billion years to get a new Gold Guardian. I'd rather not risk it."

"Can we trap it somehow?" Jack asked. "Lure it in and contain it? Because if they can eat normal life energy, then it's only going to wait so long before it starts making the people outside into appetizers."

Both the White and Black Guardian looked at Jack. Black appeared irritated that Jack dared to speak with him, while White's expression was kinder. Rose was reminded that Black didn't have a disciple who carried part of his power. He didn't trust anyone. Rose glanced at White, remembering in a flash that the Shopkeeper who served him wasn't allowed to travel in time. She wondered if there was a story there or if the White Guardian regarded time travel as too disorderly.

"Jack has a point," Rose said. "This is Earth. My home planet. Something that this Ravenous could easily shift all of history. I'm English; it would be easy for me to have an ancestor out there somewhere with all the invasions and immigrations throughout British history."

"Guardians are not that fragile," White informed her.

"Then consider that the Guardian of Life doesn't want a creature that consumes it and is called the Ravenous, lose and destroying lives," Rose snapped. Her patience was fading, and she narrowed her gaze at both her fellow Guardians. "Ideas for how we contain it? What about what was done to the Silver Lord? Can we seal it up and put it back into the Time Vortex in a safe place?"

Black grumbled to himself. "If you're not willing to destroy the species, and yes, it is a species, and there's likely more than one here, then a prison in the Void or a prison dimension are our best options."

"Prison dimension," Rose repeated. She didn't like the sound of either of those options, but… well, it was hard to see how leaving these creatures in Normal Space with the way they'd been altered could be anything but awful. "That sounds like the best of bad options. How do we set something like that up?"

Now Black smiled, and Rose really didn't like his smile. "That part, Gold, is wonderful simple for us." Then he looked at Jack. "The more complicated part is luring them in, but thankfully we have something for that too."

"I'm so glad to be a part of this plan," Jack sighed. "Fine. What do we do?"

Rose hated how calm Jack sounded and wished she felt half as confident. Black was smirking, and White appeared worried. The Doctor was still sleeping, the TARDIS wasn't working properly, and they had a very limited amount of time to figure this out. She held back a sigh and straightened her shoulders, ready to do what it took to deal with the mess Black and White had made.