Chapter 25:
On a cold and windy planet, where only the noise of the breeze can be heard; There lays life on this planet but not the way any ordinary humans would believe. If it's aliens or robotic beings, they will believe but something that can look so harmless yet can be the ultimate predator is a surprise to one. That is the danger the Doctor and Team RWBY face as they continue their path to any underground spot that would lead them to the TARDIS. The complications just wouldn't stop for the time lord, and it was getting to him.
Blake: Doctor, wouldn't it be easier if we just dug a hole in a spot where these creatures aren't around? We've been walking for a while now!
The Doctor: That's the thing about humanity, they have a limit for patience. *Looks at Blake* Even if we are walking in a safe zone, there are still roots and vines beneath the ground. We dig and we come across them or hurt them, they'll come after us.
Weiss: Is the whole planet infested with these creatures? Khan?
Dalek Khan: 70% Percent of this planet is infested with them!
The Doctor: Which most likely means they were born on this planet rather than arriving and consuming it.
The Doctor stopped walking as everyone else bumped into each other. When they questioned why the Doctor stopped, they looked in front to see a beautiful garden filled with flowers compared to what they'd seen which was a plain view.
Ruby: Are we in Wonderland?
The Doctor: No, No. This is the same planet, just different organisms and evolved. Behind this garden is a dugout that leads underground. Considering there's no clear pathways, we must be very cautious unless you can fly or teleport.
The Doctor's explanation was cut short after Ruby used her semblance to transport to the other side and Dalek Khan used his levitation to fly to the other side, causing the Doctor and WBY to look unpleased.
Yang: No one likes a showoff, Ruby!
Weiss: Same goes for you Khan! She's becoming a hazard to you!
Ruby: We're just too fast!
Khan: DOCTOR! Come Across, the dugout is located, and the TARDIS signal is stronger.
The Doctor: Well Ladies, let's make a run for it.
The three nod together as they follow the Doctor and run into the garden hoping to make it without a scratch. As much as it was very beautiful, they knew the dangers and needed to be out of there soon. As they continued running, a painful yelp was heard as someone fell to the ground. The Doctor turns around to see Weiss on the ground with a vine of thorns on her leg and by the looks of it, it's trying to drag her down. Carefully and quickly removing the vines with his sonic screwdriver, he picks her up in a form of bridal style and continued running. The vines soon disappeared underground with Weiss's blood still on them.
Ruby: Weiss!
The Doctor: She got tangled with some vines.
Blake: Can she still walk?
Weiss: Of course I can! *Gets up but falls again* GAH!
The Doctor: No, you can't. Let me help you.
Weiss: Heh, finally you're doing something a normal Doctor would do.
The Doctor: This isn't normal. You'll see.
Dalek Khan: Doctor, DON'T!
Taking a deep breath, the Doctor puts his hand on Weiss's wounded leg and closes his eyes. Something shined from the Doctor's hand which shocked all four girls, Weiss's leg began to heal as yellow energy came out from the Doctor. In a matter of seconds, she was healed with no wound on her leg at all.
The Doctor: There we go.
Weiss got up as she could walk normally again. The girls all sighed in relief as Dalek Khan approached the young time lord.
Dalek Khan: That was too risky Doctor! You know the consequences of using your REGENERATION ENERGY!
The Doctor: What choice did I have Khan? I had to act immediately and that was the only way I could heal her since I don't know if these creatures also carry poison. Even if it meant taking a risk.
Yang: I hate to breakup this discussion but what exactly did Khan mean by regeneration?
Weiss: Well, Regeneration does mean when you have the ability to heal someone or yourself.
Blake: That wasn't what we saw in the nightmare world though. It was much more-
The Doctor: Not exactly, it goes more than just that. *Stands up and walks* Cmon, we shouldn't be far!
He couldn't tell them. He can't tell them. Knowing how they would react, it's something he doesn't want them to deal with. He knew that he needed to be very careful when on dangerous paths because one fatal wound could change everything. He already dealt with so much, and now more continues to pile up on him. He was getting stressed and tired, but something eased him for the moment when he felt his hand being grabbed by another.
Weiss: *holds his hand and talks quietly* You don't have to say anything, but please tell me I shouldn't be worried.
The Doctor: *smiles lightly* Nah, besides I'm the Doctor. *winks*
Weiss gave a smile in return to the Doctor but deep down, she knew something was bothering him. She just didn't know how much. The moment was short and ended when his Sonic screwdriver alerted them. They arrived at the belly of the beast.
The Doctor: Here we are!
Dalek Khan: SCANNING! No life forms detected BUT signs of trespassing spotted.
Blake: It means there have been visitors here after all.
The Doctor: And these creatures didn't take them so well. Stick close and if anything strikes...fight back.
Everyone nods in agreement as they head underground slowly. As they entered though, they were all left with horror, shock, and disgust. Remains laid around the cave, some rotted to bones, but their horror was some attached to the ground like overgrown colony of lichens, mushrooms, and other organisms.
Blake: Oh my god...*holds mouth*
Yang: Ruby! Get behind me!
The Doctor: Khan, Scan how long these bodies have been in here.
Dalek Khan: Scan suggests approximately 2-5 years.
The Doctor: They came and crossed a terrible thing that resulted in their deaths. *thinks*
Blake: B-But why would they absorb their bodies like that?
The Doctor: Like all living beings, we all start somewhere small. And once we grow past our first phase-
Ruby: We evolve...
Yang: You're telling us that these THINGS are copying DNA from these dead bodies to become like them?!
The Doctor: It would seem that way which means we need to hurry and get into the TARDIS.
Dalek Khan: ALERT! Unidentified Organism approaching!
They all looked around for the organism to appear and possibly attack when multiple vines began to appear in front of them and tangle up together and growing.
The Doctor: Stand back!
Weiss: Doctor...those are the same vines my leg got trapped on...
The Doctor eyes widen now understanding the situation as the vines absorbed Weiss blood which means these vines were replicating her. The vines formed a cocoon like nest before blooming on the ground. Everyone's eyes were widened to see a young human figure in the center, a familiar figure as well.
Yang: That can't be...
The figure rose and looked at the group as it had all the looks and traits of Weiss Schnee. The only difference is she had some vines around her body that looked like tattoos and she wore a green asymmetrical hem dress covered with vines as well. She wanted to speak but nothing came out of her mouth, not a whisper either.
Blake: Doctor, what do we do?
The Doctor: I'm trying to figure something out.
Weiss wasted no time however, ignoring the Doctor calling her back and approaching her clone with calm and kindness with a soft smile.
Weiss: Hello, I'm Weiss Schnee.
Vine Weiss: H-Hello...
Weiss: There you go. If you're too nervous to speak, you can also wave your hand.
Vine Weiss: Who...am I?
Weiss: Oh...*thinks* I guess you are also Weiss.
The Vine Weiss looked at her duplicate then proceeded to look at the rest of her team and the Doctor which she felt her eyes bloom at the sight of him. It wasn't just the appearance the plant took of Weiss but also her emotions.
Weiss: We are trying to get back to our ship. Can you take us there?
Vine Weiss: Ship?
Blake: She doesn't know much does she?
The Doctor: When something evolves, it takes them a while to cope with the new phase. For these vines organisms to create a clone of Weiss, it's going to take a while to adjust everything.
Ruby: What do we do then? We can't just leave her lost like this!
The Doctor: She's a part of this planet. She was born here. She'll know, we must go though.
Weiss: No! *Stands up* Even if she's a clone of me created by the organisms of this place doesn't mean we leave her alone! She's like a lost puppy and doesn't know anything!
They noticed Vine Weiss standing up and giving a pouty look at the Doctor. It's beginning to look like the vine duplicate could feel Weiss's emotions and react in a similar way.
Weiss: Look, she can stay with us until she knows how to properly be around and protect herself.
The Doctor only sighed and continued walking. Weiss offered her hand to her vine duplicate which she accepts as they walked side by side which freaked out the rest of Team RBY. After a good while, both Weiss's were interacting well while Vine Weiss was gaining the ability to create flowers around them which left the others in awe including the Doctor, but he continued his focus.
Weiss: I'm glad to know you're getting the hang of it.
Vine Weiss: It feels amazing!
Ruby: Not really the right place to say that kind of stuff.
Vine Weiss: I know by what you mean. However, these weren't our actions.
Blake: But you brought down our ship underground.
Vine Weiss: Yes, but we only attack and defend if provoked. Our species never kills. Sometimes we grow just to scare trespassers away. I apologize for bringing down your ship, it shouldn't be far from here.
Yang: So, what are those that killed the trespassers?
Vine Weiss: Oxlorthol. A different and very aggressive kind of plant species, the top predator of our chain. This planet was full of life with different species. Unfortunately, the Oxlorthol grew and evolved faster than any others here and has become the top predator of the food chain.
Ruby: That's why their bodies are attached with the grounds.
Vine Weiss: Most of the time they remain in their normal appearance when they hunt but if it's a bigger threat, they can change into anything that it has absorbed.
The Doctor: So then why are you here? *Turns around* You know so well about this killer species and can evolve just like them!
Weiss: Doctor, Stop!
The Doctor: We are not supposed to be here! We crashed and it's my fault because we were too close to the crack of the universe! Now the TARDIS is underground, and we are walking within the belly of the beast with someone who can be the enemy in disguise. Just because she looks like you doesn't mean-
SLAP
The Doctor fell a bit back holding his right cheek as he looks upon a pissed off Weiss. Everyone stayed quiet and motionless as they never seen the time lord and Schnee heiress get into an argument.
Weiss: Who do hell do you think you are to say that! Just because WE hang out with you doesn't mean that you know me entirely; you don't even know Team RWBY entirely. But here you are pushing away someone just because they look like me but isn't me. What ever happened to protecting all lives? You are becoming just like people in Remnant with how they see the Faunus. I'm sorry Blake.
Blake: N-No, it's okay.
Weiss: When you began, escaping Gallifrey, sailing off to help the universe, did you ever think you'd become this? The man who can turn an army of Grimm around at the mention of his name. Doctor. The word for healer and wise man throughout the universe. We get that word from you, you know. But if you carry on the way you are, what might that word come to mean? Doctor no more? The Oncoming Storm? The Timelord Victorious?
The Doctor: *marches to Weiss* Don't you dare say that! You think any of this is easy Weiss! Being the last of my own kind, lost in a different universe that I am just getting used to, dealing with the crack that could send monsters beyond your imagination, beyond your strength and mind! I AM SUPERIOR THAN ALL OF HUMANITY! I AM THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN STAND AGAINST THESE MONSTERS! I AM THE DOCTOR! AND THEY WILL OBEY ME!
Everyone was left startled and speechless except for Vine Weiss who looked at the Doctor with sadness and Dalek Khan who saw the Doctor as something he despised: A good Dalek. Tears of fear, pain, and sadness fell from Weiss as she tried to stand her ground and the Doctor noticed, he went too far.
Weiss: Are you even listening to yourself now? I may not know the original Doctor from your universe, but I am sure he wouldn't feel this way. Maybe he would feel the same emotions and thoughts, but he would have found a solution. I thought I knew you, trusted you, felt safe and comfortable, and that's why I fell in love with you. But now...I have my doubts...I wonder how this universe; our lives would be if you never came, I wonder...are you really the Doctor...or are you just someone pretending to be him...
His eyes were widened by this sudden truth bomb from Weiss, and he felt pain within his heart. He went too far and there was no way of going back to fix this. He let his trauma of the Time War get to him again, the crack, the Weeping Angels, and the prophecy given by the Elder Sylph. Weiss wipes her tears before removing the necklace he gave her and returned it to the Doctor which caused more pain in his heart as she passes by him without saying anything. Team RBY followed not because they feel the same way but because they did not know what to say to either of them. The Doctor looked at Vine Weiss and was about to apologize until she put her hand on his cheek.
Vine Weiss: I already know. I am truly sorry for what you feel and what has caused you to be like this.
She left without saying anything else and caught up to Team RWBY. Before anyone suspected, the ground came to shake. Branches with thorns rose from everywhere separating everyone which wasn't what the Doctor wanted.
Vine Weiss: THE OXLORTHOL!
The Doctor: EVERYONE STAY CLOSE!
Unfortunately, his request was too late as everyone was separated and it was there, he knew that these species were very smart and were perhaps waiting for the right moment to strike. The trip to the TARDIS got a lot more difficult and everyone needed to find a way out. The Doctor was all alone, Weiss and Vine Weiss stayed together after being separated from the rest, Blake and Yang, and Ruby and Dalek Khan.
Weiss: RUBY! BLAKE! YANG! CAN YOU HEAR ME?
Silence. The wall of thorns was thick enough to prevent voices being heard by others. The worse part about this situation, dust doesn't work outside of Remnant which meant Team RWBY except for Yang would only be able to use their blades to face anything they go through. Fortunately for Weiss and Ruby, they had two aliens that could help. A plant creature and a Dalek.
Weiss: We were the ones in front which means if there aren't any walls ahead, we could reach the TARDIS and rescue the others.
Vine Weiss: From what I saw, everyone but one has a partner: The Doctor.
Weiss stayed quiet not knowing what to say or feel, she was still angry but at the same time worried, she has so much hatred for him but at the same time she wanted to get rid of that feeling.
Weiss: I-I'm sure he's fine, if he knows what he's doing then we shouldn't be worried.
Vine Weiss: He's still a young lad you know. Like you guys...It doesn't matter if he's a Time Lord with his blue box and could scare anyone or anything away...but he's still like all of you, young and naïve.
Vine Weiss walks to her counterpart and places her hand on her cheek as a sudden flash enters Weiss's mind. Opening her eyes, she was somewhere else, but she knew where. Ashes and smoke all around, people screaming and crying, corpses on the ground, destruction, death, and extinction. She was in Gallifrey.
Weiss: Gallifrey...
Vine Weiss: I went through his mind to see what is inside his head all the time. This is what is one of the concerns holding him. The trauma of the Last Great Time War.
Weiss knew what happened was horrible, but she never thought she would see it. The Time Lords fighting the Daleks, the Daleks exterminating innocent lives, the fall of Gallifrey and then she saw him: The Doctor. But not hers.
Weiss: The Doctor, the original one.
Vine Weiss: Not even he could escape this. What you said earlier about what the Doctor would do in this kind of struggle, here's an idea.
Weiss could see a broken soul in an old man fighting the Daleks, tired of this war, tired of everything. All of it stayed in her Doctor's mind and it was hurting him. It's making him become more broken and unhinged.
Vine Weiss: Imagine that feeling being the very last of his own kind. It's a scary and depressing feeling. He's trying to live up to the man he looked up to and was saved by but even The Doctor had his struggles and flaws. Here, he is no longer the Doctor, just a warrior.
The vision of Gallifrey disappeared as both Weiss's were back in the underground with Weiss having a sorrowful look on her face.
Weiss: *sniffs and breathes* Let's find the TARDIS and get the others. Safe and sound just like the Doctor hopes.
Vine Weiss nods in agreement as both continued walking not knowing they were being watched by a pair of yellow eyes before disappearing into the thorns. Back with the Doctor, he's trying to take a different route but most of them are dead ends except for one but he knew something was up. Taking the risk, he continued walking into a very pitch-black area of the cave until he heard laughter behind me but saw no one.
The Doctor: Play games with me all you want, it won't work. I've seen the chaos you cause. The bloodshed.
Oxlorthol King: Tell me what you have seen.
The Doctor: Life. Evolution. Death.
Oxlorthol King: How many victims have I killed? How many!
The Doctor: Too many. Some have already decomposed into the grounds of this planet.
Oxlorthol King: My kind will grow more and evolve faster. Enough to bring an armada. Enough to make this planet ours.
The Doctor: What will happen when your race evolves completely and there's nothing to do?
Oxlorthol King: We will spread across planets and plague the lives of many to extinction.
The Doctor: You will not. This universe is protected by me.
Oxlorthol King: Yes. One boy, lost in time. Far from Home. The seed of our destruction is already planted. They will all die. My race will be superior, and you will do nothing to stop it, Time Lord.
A large shadowy figure soon came out from the depths of the shadows to reveal a tall, kingly appearance with his entire body being made from thorn branches, large and sharp claws, and horns around his head that resembles a crown.
The Doctor: Well, you are quite a so-called King.
Meanwhile, Ruby and Dalek Khan continued walking in hopes of either finding the TARDIS or reuniting with their friends. Being cautious and prepared for any attack, Dalek Khan stops for a moment to scan the following path.
Ruby: What do you got for us Khan?
Dalek Khan: No sign of life detected. We continue walking ahead, the TARDIS is not far!
Ruby: It won't be long til something does happen. It's never this quiet or peaceful, especially on another planet.
Dalek Khan: Then we must proceed faster!
The Huntress and Dalek march on forward not noticing a plant similar to a Venus flytrap begins to grow from the ground.
Ruby: Hey Khan. About the Doctor...has he ever had breakdowns like these?
Dalek Khan: *lowers eyestalk* He has when it came to the trauma of the Time War. He has been having more of these recently.
Ruby: Because of the crack and the Weeping Angels right?
Dalek Khan: Correct! But he has also been having them after meeting with a wise alien race known as the Sylphs. After saving them from a race of space pirates, the Doctor was taken to discuss with them about the crack in the universe.
Ruby: And what did they tell him?
Dalek Khan: I don't know. I remained in the TARDIS and when he came back, there was a change in him. He said he got his answer, but they also told him something else.
Ruby: *sighs* And that's what caused him to lose it. He has so much in his head that it's hurting him a lot. I have never seen the Doctor and Weiss ever argue and after seeing what happened...I hope they can make up.
Dalek Khan: Time will tell Ruby! ALERT!
Ruby: What happened?!
Dalek Khan: TARDIS NEARBY! LIFE HAS BEEN DETECTED!
Ruby: That's good and bad. *Takes out Crescent Rose* Fortunately, I can still use her even if Dust doesn't work here!
Dalek Khan: That reminds me! Open a small patch in the middle orb! I did something for you and the others!
Ruby was taken by surprise but follows her friend's direction and opens the middle orb in his armor to leave her gasping. Bullets that were glowing the same color as Dalek Khan energy blast.
Ruby: Khan! These are-
Dalek Khan: YES! They are energy bullets that can work for your weapons. They aren't the same energy I use in my gun, but it has the same strength and damage.
Ruby: Khan, you are a weapon savior. These will do! Let's keep going until we reach the TARDIS!
Dalek Khan: Affirmative!
Ruby places the energy bullets in Crescent Rose and continues walking only to be stopped by large Venus Flytrap like monsters appearing around them and blocking their way. They were huge and disgusting.
Ruby: Well, this is troubling...
Blake and Yang continue their path onto finding the others and the TARDIS while walking through a section filled with plants and flowers as Yang continues testing out her Ember Celica, but nothing would come out.
Yang: Well this is bad, I'm pretty much defenseless if my weapons don't work.
Blake: It's the same with Gambol Shroud, besides my sword of course. I think Dust only works back on Remnant, and this is our first time in space.
Yang: Not the kind of space trip I was hoping for. Especially with what happened.
Blake: I think the Doctor has too much right now to deal with. I mean he's acting like I was with the whole Roman situation. Thankfully, you helped me realize there were more important things and that I wasn't being careful either. However, the only person who could reach into the Doctor and calm him down would be Weiss, but we saw how that ended.
Yang: No kidding, seeing how they were when together, the thought of them having this big argument and her possibly cutting ties with him was near impossible.
Blake: We may not know the Doctor very well like he doesn't know us all well too, but we know he's not a bad person.
Yang: I don't want to be Captain Obvious but he's doing this to himself by handling everything without help. I get that he wants to protect us but there are ways we can help. He may be much...much older than all of us but he's still a young person like us.
Blake: And he's still dealing with a lot, mostly the fall of Gallifrey.
Yang: I don't know about you Blake...but I get this weird feeling the Doctor is still out there!
Blake: I'm sure he's not far from us or the others. We just need to regroup, fight anything that gets in our way, and get the TARDIS back.
Yang: No, No. Not our Doctor. The original Doctor.
Blake: What makes you say that? He dies in the Time War destroying everything including the Daleks.
Yang: I know...maybe it's just me heavy wishing because I know he would be the one to help our Doctor.
One would hope. That's what Yang hoped after everything that happened so far, if Weiss couldn't help the Doctor then perhaps the original time lord could. But she knew he was dead, but one would hope.
Yang: Let's keep going Blake. *Looks around* Blake? Blake! Where you run off to!
Blake: Yang! Over here!
Yang heard her voice, but it was very faint. She kept hearing her partner til she looked down and her eyes bulged at an unfamiliar sight: Blake had shrunk to a small figure.
Yang: Blake?! W-What happened?!
Blake: TURN AROUND! WATCH OUT!
Yang: Huh? *Turns around*
Once she did, a spray of yellow mist hit Yang on the face by a strange looking flower. Trying to remove whatever was on her face, Yang began to feel weird and very light and the next thing she knew, she fell on the ground hard. She had also shrunk.
Blake: Yang! *Helps her up* We got distracted talking I didn't notice the flower.
Yang: WE'RE SMALL!
Blake: Yeah...this isn't good isn't it?
As lost and confused they were seeing the cave very much bugger, the ground began to shake as snake like vines appeared from the ground and charging towards them as Blake and Yang looked at each other panic.
Blake: Looks like we got no other choice now especially like this!
Yang: Ready!
Blake: NOW!
Instead of attacking due to their short size, the Bumbleby duo began to run away from the creatures while trying to continue going the same path, but things got much more complicated. Ruby and Dalek Khan fighting off flytrap creatures, Weiss and Vine Weiss trying to find the TARDIS, and the Doctor confronting the Oxthordol King.
Oxthordol King: You are curious. You have seen the universe, too. Light and Darkness. I can hear them tick inside you. But you are still locked in someone else's history and not yours. Still slavishly protecting Time. Willing to die rather than change a word of the future.
The Doctor: Like you're one to talk. You robbed those people of their lives, killed them and made them nothing more than a leftover for you and your little species.
Oxthordol King: Your friends will be interesting to devour and absorb. That white haired girl as well, seeing how a weak species was able to replicate her. She'll be the special course to me, and we shall save you very last.
The Doctor: YOU LEAVE BOTH WEISS'S ALONE!
Oxthordol King: Oh my, back to being the girl's guardian and accepting the weak copycat after everything that happened. We saw. We heard.
The Doctor: That's why you separated us. It was your scheme just waiting to hit the right moment. But it's going to go all wrong in the end, you never faced anyone like me, and you never faced any strong team like Team RWBY.
Oxthordol King: Hmm. Perhaps with them, they'll be a bit of a challenge. I never underestimate a new species that fights back but YOU! *chuckles* It's not my first time.
The Doctor: *looks at him confused* What do you mean?
Oxthordol King: A time lord from a planet known as Gallifrey. New grounds for you as well I imagine. Not all universe aresexact.
The Doctor: H-How...how do you know that? WHAT DO YOU KNOW?!
Oxthordol King: Oooo, I do love a feisty one. I would tell you many things, but I think it's best for you to figure it out. Just know this Doctor...
What the Doctor heard next he couldn't believe, he didn't want to believe it but how can the Oxthordol King know about him, the time lords, Gallifrey unless...
Oxthordol King: You. Are. Not. Alone.