We're getting ever closer to the finale. It's a bit of a bummer, since I haven't had this much fun writing a story in ages. I might not have been able to finish TDE3, but I'm determined to get this one done. Come on, the Doctor and Deadpool teaming up? How much cooler does it get?
And it's gonna be one hell of a finale. But first, here's the next part.
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The guards surrounding Rodolphus and his daughters gestured for them to move towards the rest of the newly-established prisoners in the middle of the throne room. Deadpool, Rose, the Doctor, Rodolphus, Lyrsa, and Nereena were now all standing together, their hands up.
"Their auras," Lyrsa said in a quiet voice. "They're both red as can be."
"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that you managed to solve the mystery," Lowin told the group, particularly the three who primarily stood in his way: Deadpool, the Doctor, and Rose. Then he looked at the Doctor. "After all, given the levels of intelligence some of you brought to this, my operation was likely doomed to be discovered from the very beginning."
"Normally, I would take that as a compliment," the Doctor said. "But from you? Just leaves bitterness."
Deadpool looked at Morvilo. "You know, when I found out earlier that Baldie over here was your secret partner, the first thing I thought was 'OMG, I figured it out before the Doctor did'. My second thought was 'Of course, this scumbag would be working with another scumbag'."
Lowin shrugged. "I suppose that's how it is for us Torfarrites. The planet of Torfarrin has a long history of producing fine people like myself. People who know how to maintain control of half the universe if they wish, and destroy the other half. I'm glad I kept those skills."
Everyone looked at the Doctor for an explanation. "He's basically an intergalactic warlord/con man," he said.
"To sum it up, yes. But I WAS raised here on Astaria. Before my parents were shot down by an enemy species, they put me into an escape pod and sent me off elsewhere. My pod landed here, and I was raised among the Astarian people."
"Normally, that's the origin story for heroes," Deadpool pointed out. "Usually not baddies."
"But I never forgot who I was. Nor did I neglect my talents, which I used to manipulate this planet's people for years, including my own adoptive parents."
"But are your own lusts for power really worth destroying an entire planet?" Rose asked Morvilo and Lowin.
"To be honest, that wasn't my goal," Morvilo explained. "Lowin told me that if it came to the point where there was no way to win otherwise, destroying Astaria would be a small price to pay."
"But not to worry, we'll send the alarm for the planet to evacuate," Lowin added. "Well, eventually. Or at least when the people we WANT alive are already out of harm's way."
"Lowin, you treacherous fool!" Rodolphus exclaimed. "Are you willing to risk the lives of half the planet just for revenge?"
"Is your ego really worth genocide?" Lyrsa asked.
"My dear, I've already thrown the Doomsday serum into the core," Lowin told her. "The answer to that question should've been obvious. Oh my, and YOU'RE supposed to be the next ruler of Astaria? What a joke."
Hearing this, a furious Rodolphus and Deadpool both tried breaking through the guard to get to Lowin. "She'll be a far better ruler than you could hope to be!" Deadpool shouted. Unfortunately, without his weapons, he couldn't do much, and was forced back in with the rest of the prisoners along with Rodolphus.
"There's always that one person that would rather watch his people suffer than make peace," the Doctor added. "Happens on every planet. Even if the planet's ruler is doing their best to maintain peace, there is always that one megalomaniac threatening war."
Lowin gave a small smile. Deadpool realized what he was going to say. "Hey, don't you dare! You guys know about my friends, so you likely know way more than that. But don't you dare say what I think you're gonna say!"
"Well, I am hardly the only person in this room who knows a thing or two about 'war', now am I, Doctor?" Lowin asked with satisfaction.
Deadpool sighed. "And he went there."
The Doctor immediately froze, staring right at Lowin in fury. He didn't say anything, but everyone stepped back to give him some distance. After all, it was this state of emotions in which the Doctor is at his most dangerous.
"Didn't like that, huh?" Lowin asked. "But to be perfectly honest, us Torfarrites have the capacity to know quite a bit about a single person. We learn the name of someone, and immediately know their past, hence why Morvilo already knows about Deadpool's friends back home."
"And if you even think of touching them, I'll shove you into the core myself," Deadpool threatened.
Lowin laughed. "But what can you all do? You have no weapons. We have the Doctor's screwdriver. And we've already taken the steps necessary to ensure this planet falls, and you all along with it."
Right then, a small tremor from underground shook the palace. It only lasted about five seconds, but everyone felt it.
"That must be the core, and it didn't like its meal." Lowin pointed out. "I say we all have a few hours before Astaria ceases to be. Definitely enough time to evacuate the planet. After all, every house has its own escape pod. Astaria spent a lot of time preparing for the worst. It's a shame most will be so woefully unprepared when they get the warning too late."
He looked at the guards. "Take this lot to the dungeons. Let them wait out their final moments before their destiny in solitude."
One of the guards nodded, then looked at the prisoners. "Any attempts to escape, and you all die where you stand." He led the other guards and the prisoners out of the throne room.
"Wait," Morvilo said. "Nereena stays."
Lyrsa looked back in horror. "Get away from her!"
Lowin looked at Morvilo. "Why?"
"If she alone survives while the rest of the royal family perishes, she will be monarch. But as she's but a kid, we can control her like our little puppet. Maybe even convince her to give the throne to me."
"I can hear you," Nereena said.
Morvilo grinned. "We know. We just don't think you can do anything about it."
Nereena could only watch as her sister and the other prisoners were pushed and shoved out of the room and into the hallways.
"And this couldn't have been done by you, Lowin," Morvilo told his comrade. "Thanks to you, the Astarian throne will be mine. I trust you've ensured that the only survivors will be the ones supporting me. Astaria will soon know an actual golden age, one of glorious battle. Our victory is close at hand."
"Indeed it is," Lowin claimed. 'For one of us, anyway.'
(In the dungeons…)
The prisoners had all been locked up into their own individual cells, each containing a simple bed, sink, and toilet. They mainly sat in silence. At least, as silent as it could get with Deadpool playing the harmonica.
"Where did he even get that thing?" Rodolphus asked.
"Don't ask me," Rose replied. "He just does it. Calls it a 'magic satchel'."
"Even I don't get it," the Doctor admitted. "Where's the satchel?"
"I'm surprised at how good he is with that thing though." Lyrsa said.
And so, everyone kept listening to Deadpool's harmonica playing. Until…
"Alright, now it's annoying," Rose said. "Deadpool, cut it out!"
(Meanwhile…)
Nereena turned her head to look inside Morvilo's room. Okay, he didn't seem to be in there at the moment. Good. Quietly, she snuck inside and tiptoed over to the bookcase.
'Okay, how did Deadpool do it earlier?'
She looked at the books. Maybe there was a secret switch behind one of them. Deciding it was better than nothing, she began pulling each of the books off the shelves and throwing them to the side. Eventually, she reached for a book and found she couldn't pull it out. Instead, she moved it by the corner and the switch, clicked, moving the bookcase to the side.
Next, she carefully walked into the secret room and, after making sure nobody was in there either, began to examine the shelves and desk. 'They said a set of keys were here. Any chance the dungeon keys might be in here too?'
Unfortunately, the secret room seemed to be devoid of anything even remotely key related. Nereena was starting to give up when she spotted something else sitting on top of the desk. Wait, was that it?
She picked it up. Yes! It was the so-called "sonic screwdriver" the Doctor carried with him.
It wasn't a key, but it was better than nothing. Besides, the Doctor knew about this thing's capabilities better than she did.
"Tell me I can't do anything," she whispered as she ran out the door and down the hallway.
(In the dungeons…)
"So, anyone here got a favorite color?" Deadpool asked.
Everyone groaned.
"Hey! If we're all gonna die here, in this dark dungeon full of spiders, we might as well break the ice. So, favorite color? Mine's red. Obviously. Plus, wearing it helps since no one can see me bleed."
Lyrsa said, "I don't know. I suppose I've always been partial to emerald green?"
Rose nodded. "Hot pink."
"I'm partial to sunset orange myself," Rodolphus added.
"I think it's maroon right now," the Doctor said. "It was violet a few times in my life. Blue in others. Can't remember the rest. I'll have to check later."
"Dude, you have to tell me what the First Doctor's favorite color was," Deadpool told him.
"Yeah, not likely."
The group continued to either engage in small talk or remain silent, but Deadpool noticed something else. Other than a few remarks, the Doctor hadn't actually said much since they were all locked up. 'Was it what Lowin said?' Having watched the show, Deadpool already knew about the kind of stuff the Doctor had gone through. Luckily, it just so happened that Deadpool's cell was adjacent to the Doctor's. He leaned against the wall and whispered to get his attention.
"Pssst. Hey, Doc. Pssst."
It was a few seconds before he got a response. "Yeah?"
"Are you alright?"
"Why do you ask?"
"It's just…"
Then came a few moments of silence before the Doctor's response.
"You're thinking about what Lowin said earlier?"
"Exactly, yes. Look, I watch the show. And I know it's none of my business, but…just call it concern, I guess. And a healthy dose of being nosey."
"Healthy?"
"Shut it. You know what I mean."
More silence.
"Don't worry, he's not the first person to attack my character over my past," the Doctor reassured. "And he won't be the last. You know, I spent much time not trusting you because you're a mercenary who kills for money. But how does that make you any worse than myself? Now that I think of it, I probably have more blood on my hands than you do."
"Yeah, but here's the thing. Being a mercenary is something I enjoy. I don't always enjoy killing. But when I do, I REALLY enjoy it. And it's led to me being alienated by so many people. Most of the X-Men, gods, even my own family. Even Thanos, though that's mainly because we keep fighting over the physical manifestation of Death herself."
"Wait, seriously?"
"What? Death's hot. And Thanos' obsession with her was so great that it's the reason they give in the comics for why he snaps half the universe out of existence. I think a simple planet couldn't compare to half the universe. Yeah, that's cold comfort. I know."
Deadpool could hear the Doctor tapping his fingers. "We both have our own burdens to bear, Deadpool. Everyone does. It's life. And whether someone's burdens seem bigger than others, everyone still has that weight on their shoulders. What we do in the past doesn't dictate our future. The future is never truly set in stone. Believe me, I know. It's more like-"
"A great, big ball of wibbly, wobbly, timey-wimey stuff?" Deadpool asked.
"Oi, don't steal my material."
"Can't help it. Big fan. Here I am, part of a Doctor Who adventure that nobody knows about. This thing will never make the show or anything."
"I wouldn't know. I'm not allowed to watch it anyway."
Deadpool nodded. "That makes sense. Avoid spoilers."
"Correct," the Doctor said. "Though it's a bit more complicated than that. None of my inarnations, past or future, are allowed to follow the franchise. Neither are our companions. We have to figure out what happens the hard way."
(Author's Note: As this is the Tenth Doctor that's hanging with Deadpool in this story, it's important to note that at this point in his life, the Doctor believes he committed a certain act that he feels immense guilt for, but he'll one day realize he didn't do the way he thought. I won't say anything more about it, just watch the show.)
"But don't worry. Lowin didn't tell me anything I haven't heard before. Sometimes, we just have to push everything else aside so we can take care of what's happening right now. And what's happening now is a mad man bent on killing millions just for revenge. Right now, stopping him is far more important than worrying about ourselves."
Deadpool gave a small laugh and stated, "Not to mention finding a way out of here. I think that's pretty important."
"Oh yes, that too."
"At least the prospect of our impending deaths means I don't have to be the voice of reason between you guys anymore," Rose quipped.
"How have you managed being in their combined presence?" Lyrsa asked.
""Patience. And lots of it. You build it up quickly when traveling with the Doctor."
Just then, they heard a noise coming from the stairs at the end of the hallway.
"Hello? Lyrsa?"
Lyrsa gasped. "Nereena!"
Everyone stuck their heads through the cell bars to see Nereena running towards them.
"Nereena, what are you doing down here?" Rodolphus asked. "If Lowin and Morvilo see you…"
"My love for Astaria far outweighs my fear of them, as they should for you and Lyrsa," Nereena told her father. "I just couldn't stay away when those monsters are threatening our people. I saw a way I could help, and I took it."
"Did you take the dungeon keys?" Rose asked.
"No, I couldn't find them. But I did take this." With a satisfied look, Nereena held up the sonic screwdriver. "I thought it might help."
Upon seeing his precious multi-tool gadget, the Doctor's face lit up. "Quick, toss it here!"
Nereena tossed the screwdriver to the Doctor, and he caught it before pressing it against his cell lock. The door opened within seconds, letting him walk out, and he gave a small cheer of celebration. "Nereena, you're bloody brilliant!" he exclaimed before beginning the process again with the rest of the cells.
"I might've also sent out the alert for everyone on the planet to evacuate," Nereena added, sounding like an afterthought.
Lyrsa's jaw dropped, impressed, at her sister's words. "I've never been more proud of her," she told the Doctor, who was currently unlocking Rose's cell door.
"That means everyone's evacuating the planet now," Rodolphus said hopefully. "It's still pretty early on since Lowin said he dumped the Doomsday serum into the core. I think everyone should have the time to escape before the core collapses."
The Doctor, having just finished Lyrsa's cell and was now on Deadpool's, shook his head. "Which means Lowin and Morvilo will have the chance to escape as well."
"But all that matters is that our people are safe," Lyrsa said.
Once again, the Doctor shook his head. "We can't take chances. There has to be a way to give the people on this planet even more time. Besides, if Lowin escapes, he'll just repeat the nightmare on another planet. There is no way I can just let some idiot do whatever he likes to the very thing I've sworn myself to protect. It goes against everything I stand for, from my history to even calling myself 'the Doctor'. I won't let Lowin get away with another planet's downfall. I'm going back down to that core to capture him, assuming that's where he is."
Rodolphus and his daughters nodded. "Bring Lowin and Morvilo to me, dead or alive. Godspeed, Doctor."
"Yeah, and I'm going with him," Rose said with an affirmative nod.
Before the Doctor could protest, Rose shushed him. "I don't want to hear it. You know I probably won't listen anyway. If I can find a way to help, I'll take it easily."
The Doctor smiled and nodded back, before looking at Deadpool. "You in? We could use someone who actually knows how to fight."
"You didn't even have to ask," Deadpool said. "This is what my Doctor Who adventure has been leading up to. A full-on team up to save an alien civilization. How could I possibly say no to this?" The two men shook hands.
"At least promise you three will come back alive," Nereena pleaded.
Hearing this, the Doctor took off his long coat and handed it to her. "Look after that, will you? We'll be back for it."
The princess nodded.
"Now you three better get going. You'll need to coordinate the evacuation, AND get out of here yourselves."
"Before you do, do you guys know where my weapons are?" Deadpool asked.
(Meanwhile…)
"It's gone!" Morvilo exclaimed, searching the secret room up and down for the sonic screwdriver. Lowin watched in silent fury.
"It seems we underestimated the second princess. But no matter. She's not our concern."
He stepped outside. "Come, Morvilo. They'll likely be headed for the core to slow down the collapse. We were too soft by simply locking them up. It's time to go for blood."
(A few minutes later…)
In a separate room just off the dungeons, Deadpool snuck right past the knock-out guards and grabbed his swords, then his guns and other weapons. Once they were all secured back on, he gave a thumbs-up. "Alright, I'm good."
Rodolphus nodded. "Good luck, you three. May the Astarian moons favor you."
He left, followed by Nereena, who gave a small smile. But before Lyrsa left, she stood up on her toes and gave Deadpool a kiss on the cheek.
"You be careful, you here?" she whispered.
"Doubt it," Deadpool said, looking at the princess as she walked off. Then he spotted a couple extra swords resting on the stands, Grabbing them both, he threw them at the Doctor and Rose, and they caught them.
Now the three were just standing together. "So are we ready to do this?" Rose asked.
Deadpool laughed. "I've never been more ready. These jerkwads threatened my friends AND this planet. And if I have anything to say about it, those guys will soon feel the sting of my foot against their face. Those guys are nothing any of us haven't seen before."
"But they WILL fight back," the Doctor pointed out. "And when they do, we'll be ready."
"Exactly. It's time to show these cowards what happens when you cross a feisty London woman, a centuries-old Time Lord, and a psychotic mercenary who can't keep his mouth shut. You two ready?"
Rose and the Doctor shouted in assent.
"Excellent." He put his hand in the middle between the three, and the other two put their hands on top of his. "On the count of three, we say 'chimichanga'. On three-"
"Hold on, if we're doing a team cheer, our battle cry should be 'allons-y'," the Doctor protested.
The mercenary looked at him. "Who says you get to decide the battle cry?"
"Me, when I decided to go down there and stall the core in the first place."
"Then why did you let Deadpool give the pre-battle speech?" Rose pointed out.
"Because he had already started before I could, and I didn't want to spoil his fun."
Deadpool growled. "My battle speech, my battle cry. And I say we're going with 'chimichanga'."
"Allons-y."
"Chimichanga."
"Allons-y!"
"Chimichanga!"
"Allons-y!"
"Chimichanga!"
"BLOODY ALLONS-Y!"
"FREAKING CHIMICHANGA!"
"OH, MY GOD, CAN'T WE JUST DO BOTH AND GET MOVING?!"
Deadpool and the Doctor looked at Rose, dumbstruck. After a few seconds, the two men squeaked out a separate "yes" each.
"Thank you." Once again, the three placed their hands in the middle space between them.
"Alright," Deadpool said. "On three. One, two, three…"
"ALLONS-Y CHIMICHANGA!"
(Author's Note: That is officially my favorite phrase I've ever come up with.)
(Across the planet…)
"By order of the King, everyone currently standing on the planet of Astaria must immediately evacuate using the escape pods in your homes. Our new destination's coordinates are already logged in. Please leave Astaria immediately!"
Everyone was already rushing off to their escape pods, trying to keep as calm as possible.
(In the lower levels…)
"We're already as far underground as they allow without permission," the Doctor said as he, Deadpool, and Rose ran towards the elevator.
"Nothing a little sonic can't fix," Deadpool pointed out.
"You know, usually we're running AWAY from the threat, not towards it," Rose added.
The Doctor laughed. "I know, right? This is a real treat."
"Tell me about it!" Deadpool explained.
The three rounded a corner. "There it is!" the Doctor exclaimed. However, before they could stop, the elevator doors opened to reveal Morvilo, looking at the three with a sneer.
"Well, well, well," he said. "We REALLY should've guessed that the Doctor would find a way out of the dungeons. But it doesn't matter. Now I remember why I don't take prisoners."
He drew his sword and pointed it at them. "Lowin's down there. If you want him, you'll have to get through me first. And I don't plan on making it easy for any of you."
Deadpool growled. "Hey, Muscles! You owe me major compensation for trying to kill me. And I want it paid back in full. In one-dollar bills. Which you WILL count, one at a time. And ONE bill every five seconds." He looked back at the others. "Is that as bad as counting gets?"
The others nodded. "Yeah I think you covered it," Rose said.
"I think I'd much rather finish the job," Morvilo seethed, before lunging. Deadpool took his swords out and blocked, locking them both in a sword struggle.
The mercenary looked at the Doctor and Lyrsa, while still maintaining the sword struggle. "You two go on ahead. I'll deal with this clown."
Rose nodded, then ran to the elevator and pushed the Down button. The Doctor moved, but before following Rose, he stopped right next to Deadpool.
"Good luck," he whispered.
Deadpool nodded. "Thanks, Doc."
He returned his gaze to Morvilo, then pushed him to the ground. He only glanced for a moment to see the Doctor and Rose enter the elevator and close the door.
Morvilo stood back up and pointed his sword back at Deadpool. "You should've tried to go with them. Now I can finish what I started back in the forest and put you down for good."
"Dream on, Ugly. It's payback time." Deadpool readied his own swords.
(Meanwhile…)
Rose and the Doctor, with their own borrowed swords, reached the lowest level of the bunkers. They stepped off the elevator (or "lift", if you were them) and began running towards the control room. On the first corner, they were forced to duck for cover upon spotting a squad of Lowin's guards standing patrol.
"They're seriously willing to stay on this planet and risk their lives just to stop us?" Rose asked.
"You have to admire their dedication. But Morvilo likely isn't the only one hungry for war, or these guards wouldn't be following him and Lowin blindly."
They looked around the corner at the guards. "Do you think we'll be able to fight through?" Rose asked.
The Doctor shook his head. "There's no time. We can't waste a second getting to Lowin. Besides, they deserve the chance to live just as much as the rest of the planet."
Rose nodded. "In that case, you go on ahead. I'll distract the guards."
"Are you sure you'll be alright?" the Doctor asked.
"You know me, Doctor. Have a little more faith than that."
After a brief hug, Rose stepped out from behind the corner and shouted, "Hey! Over here!" The guards, alerted to her presence, began running after her. With a final nod towards the Doctor, she ran down the hall and out of sight. Worried but with nothing else to do, the Doctor continued onward to the control room.
However, as he kept running, he began to hear a strange laugh from one of the other doors. He pointed his screwdriver at the door, and watched as Lowin came out.
"I was hoping at least one of you would make it here," Lowin said. "Hello, Doctor."
"You know, in the past few days since I've been here, I've been down here twice, and I have to admit. You were smart to use it as a hidden base to do your dirty work. But I ended up doing a bit of my own exploring just yesterday. And I have to tell you, this place is just odd. How did you get by knowing there's an entire room full of clocks?"
"Don't ask me. The King had them put there."
"Also, how come you never picked a room no one would ever enter, and just paint it a different color? Because this? Just utter drab, this is. But this IS a bunker, so…"
"Alright, where are you going with this?"
"Oh, just wanted to get in an overly long spheal to distract you while I did this!"
He pointed the sonic at the door Lowin just came through, and the door instantly smacked into Lowin's face.
"BYE!" the Doctor exclaimed as he ran off, leaving Lowin screaming in anger and pain.
(Meanwhile…)
Morvilo and Deadpool were still staring at each other, swords at the ready.
"You know, I couldn't be happier you decided to take me on by yourself," Morvilo said. "Oh, I relish just how much I'll be able to do without the Doctor here to save you."
"Who says I'll need him this time?" Deadpool asked. "So what do you got? Second-in-command to an intergalactic warlord/con man? All on the promise of winning the throne once you guys have won? God, you need a hobby."
"And you need to keep your mouth shut!"
Deadpool smiled. "Not happening. So whaddya say, Morvi-loser? Ready to end this?"
Morvilo grinned menacingly. "Lets."
"Fantastic." Then Deadpool looked at…*sigh* the fourth wall. "TheMasterKat, cue the music."
("Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" by Cyndi Lauper starts playing.)
"Hey! Wrong one!"
("Hold on, Spotify's having issues. Okay, I got it!")
("Immigrant Song" by Led Zeppelin starts playing.)
"Perfect!"
At that moment, both Deadpool and Morvilo lunged at each other, beginning their fight. Both parried each other, and dodged as well several times.
(In the bunker…)
Lowin chased the Doctor down several hallways, all while the Doctor kept heading his way to the control room. At one point, he ran into a room, then used the sonic to open all nearby doors at once before slamming them shut to confuse Lowin about the room choice. When Lowin got to the hallway in question, he had to guess which room the Doctor was in. Grinning, he chose one and walked in. Suddenly, he heard the door slam behind him and the lock clicking. He growled and tried to unlock it while the Doctor exited the correct room and continued on his way.
(Also in the bunker…)
Rose hid behind a crate while watching the guards pass by, looking for either her or the Doctor. Remembering Deadpool had given her a sword earlier, she took it and banged it on the crate several times to get their attention. By the time their focus was on the noise, she was already running for it.
(Deadpool…)
"Patti cake, patti cake, baker's man!" Deadpool chantet as his swords and Morvilo's frequently parried with each other. "Bake me a cake as fast as you can! And it better be chocolate!"
"I will mount your head on the hood of my escape pod when I get out of here!"
"Just as long as you can see my good side. Oh wait!"
Morvilo screamed in fury as they continued fighting.
(Rose…)
She hated to admit it, but Rose actually found a measure of fun out of constantly running from stuff. Not that there was a cause for it to be enjoyable now, since the planet was a bit of a ticking time bomb. As she ran, she passed by several crates. Hatching an idea, she pushed them so they toppled and blocked the guards' path.
Rose smiled, before doing the same with another pile of crates she passed by.
(Deadpool…)
"You know, while I have this chance, I have to ask," Deadpool said as the clash continued. "You think you're so powerful, nothing can stop you. An unstoppable warrior. So why do you feel the need to cheat and coat your sword with super-poison?"
Morvilo took another swipe at Deadpool, but he missed. "You peon! Using such tactics such as the Doomsday serum is necessary if one must achieve absolute victory."
"Cheater, cheater, pumpkin-eater!"
"Rrrrragh!"
Despite the current situation, Deadpool couldn't help but laugh. "Wow, we were right the other day in the forest. You just can't take it, can you?"
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!"
"I'm the Merc with the Mouth. Gotta maintain my reputation. Sorry!"
(The Doctor…)
Lowin stalked the hallways, searching for his target. "I know you're in here somewhere," he said, searching through the rooms. Soon, he arrived at a door next to a large crate. Lowin noticed that the crate was unsealed, but the door was locked.
"Clever, Doctor. Just like you to lock yourself in a room and then open the crate as a diversion to make me think you're in there."
Taking the keys he got from Morvilo, he unlocked the door. However, just like before, the door suddenly slammed and locked behind him, which startled him and made him drop the keys. To make matters worse for him, the lights in the room went out.
As Lowin screamed, the Doctor crawled out from inside the crate. With a smirk, he continued on his way.
(Rose…)
A female guard had found Rose and was currently chasing her down.
"How does anyone find their way down here?!" Rose asked. "This is a complete maze!"
She looked back at the guard. "And you! Is catching us REALLY more important than your own life?"
The guard stopped dead in her tracks. "To be honest, many of us have been so scared of Morvilo that we haven't dared disobey, even at our own risk."
"Yeah, that's sad. Deadpool's currently keeping Morvilo busy. You get out of here, and I'll spread the word to the rest of the guards."
Suddenly, the guard squeezed Rose in a bear hug. "Of course. Why didn't I see it? I was blinded by my fear. You, Rose, go help the other guards down here."
With that, the guard ran off to the elevator. Rose looked at her, surprised. Then she shrugged and continued on.
(The Doctor…)
Finally, the Doctor reached the control/viewing room. "How much did the Astarians spend to build this nightmare of a bunker system?" he asked.
He ran over to the controls, looking at the big window. Now he just needed to find a way to stall the collapse. Looking back and forth between the controls and the window, he remembered a key thing
'I daresay that if the core DOES collapse, the bunker itself will delay the process'.'
Then he thought about the window. It was definitely touted as tough and all that, but this room still needed a failsafe in case the window ever DID fail. Even the sonic screwdriver could probably shatter it with time.
Suddenly having a lightbulb moment, he looked across the panel until he found what he was looking for: a button for an emergency door beside the window! That thing would likely be way better than the window for blocking the collapse. He was elated with this realization, but made a mental note not to tell Deadpool about it. It was more than his life's worth to let Deadpool know he had failed a second spot check.
"I think I've been spending too much time with that guy. But I'll live."
But just as he was about to press the button, he suddenly dived to avoid the laser shot aimed directly at him. He avoided getting hit, but the controls were hit instead, damaging them.
"No!"
The Doctor looked to see Lowin standing in the doorway, looking absolutely furious as he pointed his gun at him. In response, the Doctor held up the sword Deadpool had given him earlier as a defense.
"Do you really think that little blade can stop this?" Lowin asked, pointing at his gun.
"Stranger things have happened," the Doctor said. "And no, that's not a joke."
Lowin laughed and pointed the laser gun, but the Doctor quickly activated the sonic, rendering the gun jammed. After several failed attempts to pull the trigger, Lowin threw the gun to the side and drew his own sword.
"So be it. I honestly prefer this to firearms anyway."
"Yeah, I can relate."
Lowin walked slowly to the Doctor, his sword pointed right at him, while the Doctor held his sword up simply to defend himself.
"I highly doubt you'll be able to make that kind of hit anyway," Lowin taunted.
"Want to find out?"
Lowin grinned, then lunged. The Doctor blocked, then moved to the side to throw Lowin off balance.
"I might not live for combat like Deadpool," the Doctor claimed. "But having lived as long as I, you learn a few things. Origami, baking a mean crème brûlée, swordfighting, etc."
"Well, I hope you've gotten everything you wanted in life, old man."
Lowin continued to attack, while the Doctor remained on the defensive, dodging and blocking as much as he could.
(Deadpool…)
After being walloped in their last fight, Deadpool was super-crazy determined to put Morvilo in his place this time. Otherwise, he realized, Morvilo would likely go after the Doctor, Rose, and all of his friends back on Earth. And no matter what, Deadpool wasn't gonna let that happen.
"I'll show you I'm a true warrior," Morvilo touted. "When I lead the surviving Astarians to military glory, our species shall become one of the most feared in the universe. No one will be able to stand up to our military might. Not even Daleks. I would've said Time Lords, but with your friend down there supposed to be the last one…"
"And you say I need to shut up? Wow. Hypocrite."
That sheer determination was working, as Deadpool had already been fighting Morvilo twice as long as he did last time. Not to mention he was much more careful than he usually was. He knew what was on the sword at this point, and he wasn't gonna let what happened before happen a second time.
"Compared to the kind of crap I've dealt with, you're actually pretty tame. Planet destroyers, cosmic beings, vampires, and the like. I was married to a succubus at one point, and I've been in an on-off relationship with the physical personification of Death. Currently going with a fellow mutant named Valentine. That, and my undying love for TheMasterKat, but let's not go there. And now that I think about it, YOU'RE supposed to impress me?"
Morvilo was getting angrier with every word. Deadpool could tell because he seemed to be hitting his swords like thunder. Deadpool hoped he would be able to get the drop on Morvilo, because there was no way he would win on strength alone.
(Meanwhile…)
"Half the planet has been evacuated," a servant informed Rodolphus. "But the core has not gone long."
The King nodded. "Go ahead and take the rest of the servants with you to the escape pods. We'll take it from here, then join you shorty."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
The servant left, leaving Rodolphus and his daughters. "We'll be going to the escape pod soon," Rodolphus stated. "Both of you, please remain calm."
Nereena nodded, before looking at her sister.
"Lyrsa?"
Apparently, Lyrsa had zoned out a little. But she nodded to her father.
As Rodolphus' attention was drawn elsewhere, Lyrsa kept looking at the door. She mostly remained silent, though Nereena noticed quickly. She looked at her sister with concern.
"Are you okay?"
More silence.
"It's Deadpool, isn't it?"
Indeed, Nereena had noticed a budding friendship between the mercenary and her sister. She didn't think it was infatuation or anything like that, but there was definitely some form of connection there. And Deadpool was currently risking his life to help save this planet's inhabitants, a people he had only just met. Yeah, he was nuts, but he had a heart. One he didn't show most people, making many people in Deadpool's home world believe, Lyrsa thought, that he didn't have one in the first place.
And Lyrsa had seen it. They had both seen Deadpool's aura, but there was something more. Something only Lyrsa could see.
Lyrsa stood on, scared. 'He, the Doctor, and Rose are all risking their lives for us. And I'm standing here, waiting to escape. Is that what Mother would've done?'
Suddenly, Lyrsa turned. And she stepped forward and hugged her father and sister, tears in her eyes.
"Father…Nereena…I love you."
"Lyrsa?" Rodolphus asked. "What are you doing?"
"My duty, passed down to me by my mother!"
She grabbed the sword sitting on the wall-her mother's sword, as seen in the vision from earlier-and ran out the door, ignoring Rodolphus and Nereena attempting to call her back.
(Rose…)
"Better get him on the lift before he tries to attack again," Rose told the guard carrying his unconscious comrade; how he ended up in such a state, nobody knew except Rose.
Once the guards were safely away, she began to search for more guards, only for a violent tremor to shake the bunkers. She struggled to remain on her feet, resorting to holding a door until it stopped. They were happening more frequently now.
"Hurry, Doctor," she muttered.
(The Doctor…)
"What's wrong, Doctor?" Lowin taunted. "Aren't you gonna put up more of a fight?"
Indeed, the Doctor was still fighting defensively. What do you expect? He was never a big fan of violence. And yeah, he had been in sword fights before, but he didn't really want this one to drag on. Not when the planet's core was on the verge of collapsing.
Suddenly, Lowin got the upper hand, and with a fluid swish of the blade, disarmed the Doctor.
The Doctor looked as the sword he just had flew all the way to the window, smacking it and causing a tiny chip to appear.
"Uh oh."
"I couldn't agree more," Lowin said, ready to strike again.
However, the Doctor quickly pointed the sonic at Lowin's eyes, forming a laser point that blinded him, forcing him to stop his attack.
"You little-"
"Actually, while we're here, I want to know something," the Doctor said.
"Yeah? What? You'll be dead soon anyway, might as well get it over with."
"Do you think you'll get the chance to let Morvilo know he won't be leaving this planet?"
Lowin smiled. "You're sharper than I give you credit for, even for someone like you."
"Well, it comes from seeing a lot of these things happening. That, and I'm a super genius. I wonder if Morvilo will find out the truth. But since Deadpool's fighting him, he might not be able to. Which one is better for him? Do you know?"
Lowin suddenly began to laugh. "The planet has only a short time to live, and you're still willing to make remarks like that. Is this why you and Deadpool were at odds before?"
"That, and he owes me a hot dog."
Just then, they were hit by another violent tremor. And this one lasted even longer than the previous one. The Doctor held onto one of the emergency poles-dotted around the viewing section to hold on for dear life in case of failure-to remain upright, until it stopped.
"It's almost time," Lowin said with satisfaction.
(Deadpool…)
The same tremor was a lot harsher towards Deadpool, who was unable to grab anything to hold onto, and was thus knocked off his feet. Morvilo, not so easily shaken due to his size, took advantage by walking over and pointing his sword at Deadpool's heart.
(Rose…)
All Rose could find to hold on to was another door.
(Around the palace…)
And even after the tremor ended, the palace and bunkers continued to shake slightly, signaling the beginning of the collapse's final stage. And still, not everyone had escaped yet.
Not to mention Deadpool was nearing the losing end of a sword fight again, Rose was trying to get the remaining guards out, and the Doctor was still dealing with Lowin.
(Meanwhile…)
Lyrsa was still running through the halls. "Time to be brave," she muttered.
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I hate to make this chapter short and end it in the middle of an intense sequence, but I believe there are some instances where a cliffhanger is definitely necessary.
Next chapter will be the finale. And I have to say, holy cow! I am really happy to have seen what started as a simple idea, a "what if?", blossoming into the real world.
Oh yeah, and I know you're probably asking: Why doesn't Deadpool use his guns against Morvilo instead? Well, I imagine that because of his adoration for the Doctor, who is against guns, he makes an attempt to restrain himself. Yes, trigger-happy Deadpool is willing to cast his guns aside if it means he doesn't piss off the Doctor. And said Doctor is not someone you want to piss off.
Anyway, be sure to read and review, fave and follow, and check out my other stories.
And one more time…
ALLONS-Y CHIMICHANGA!
Sorry, I had to.
See you next time. TheMasterKat out!