Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who that goes to the BBC
On a street in the 1980s, it was a windy day in the Autumn. A man with light skin, brown hair and eyes, wearing a suit, named Dave Oswald was strolling down the road, trying to read a map as the wind blew it around in his hands. The Doctor peered over his coming book titled 'The Beano Summer Special, 1981' with Rose sitting next to him, reading a history book titled 'The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich' by William L. Shirer with both Gallifreyans having their glasses over their eyes with the Doctor wearing a grey coloured waistcoat with a fob watch attached to its third button as they watched Dave from a bus stop across the street.
Dave walked along the sidewalk, looking around to get his bearings. A red coloured leaf suddenly blew loose from a tree and covered his face, causing him to stagger into the road in front of an oncoming car. He dropped his map and grunted as he pulled the leaf from his face with his right hand and turned around to see the car, causing him to freeze. A woman with light skin, mid-length brown hair and eyes, wearing a denim jacket, black skirt and leggings named Ellie Ravenwood suddenly pulled him out of the way of the car and back onto the street.
"Oh, my stars!" Ellie said with disbelief in her voice, "Are you all right?"
"Yeah. I'm fine," Dave answered.
Dave smiled at Ellie, who nervously pushed a strand of hair behind her right ear with her right hand as the Doctor and Rose watched from the bus stop across the street.
On a street at night, Dave and Ellie both huddled and laughed together under an umbrella with Dave now wearing a white polo shirt with a jacket that had a tartan material on the inside, while she wore a leather jacket as well as thunder rumbled as they ran up the stairs to her house.
"So I've got something for you," Dave told her.
"What?" Ellie asked him before Dave pulled the leaf out from his pocket with his right hand and held it up, "You kept it?"
"Of course I kept it," Dave confirmed.
"Why?" Ellie asked him.
"Because this exact leaf had to grow in that exact way in that exact place so that precise wind could tear it from that precise branch and make it fly into this exact face at that exact moment," Dave explained, "And if just one of those tiny little things had never happened, I'd never have met you. Which makes this the most important leaf in human history."
They then kissed each other as unbeknownst to them, across the street in the rain, the Doctor and Rose both watched with their glasses removed and back inside their jackets' inside pockets before they walked away.
In a nursery, Ellie opened the nursery's door and looked in on Dave, who was wearing a grey layered shirt with white and blue horizontal lines across it and sitting on a chair, holding their sleeping baby girl, who was none other than Clara when she was a baby.
A year or so later, Dave and Ellie played with Clara in their house's parlour.
In the house's bedroom, a few months or so later, Ellie was showing Clara her favourite book '101 Places to See' as they sat on the bed as she held a sippy cup in her right hand and had its lid placed in Clara's mouth as she pointed at the book with her right hand's index finger.
"There!" Young Clara muttered.
"There," Ellie said, agreeing with her.
In the hall of the house, Ellie swung a little Clara in her arms and had her kick a small purple plastic ball.
In a park, the Doctor was hit in the head with a ball as he walked by the family with Rose and Sydney, causing him to fall to the ground as Rose and Sydney went to help him up.
"Oh, my stars!" Ellie said as she ran over to the Gallifreyan family, "Are you all right, sir?"
As Rose and Sydney helped the Doctor up, he quickly held his hands in front of him as if to fight off all-comers, martial arts-style. He lowered his hands when he saw the family as Dave walked over with Clara.
"Fine. Marvellous! Refulgent!" The Doctor answered as he walked over to her with Rose and Sydney following him.
"My husband should've been looking where we were walking," Rose told the woman.
"Definitely," Sydney said, agreeing with her, "My father really should have seen where he was walking."
"Indeed," the Doctor muttered, agreeing with his wife and son, "And possibly a touch embarrassed. That's not dangerous, is it?"
"What's not?" Ellie asked him.
"Embarrassment," the Doctor answered in a whisper-sounding tone.
"Not usually," Ellie answered, "Not to my knowledge."
"Good! Hey? phew!" the Doctor replied.
"Mate, I'm so sorry," Dave told the Time Lord as he chuckled, "She wants to be Bryan Robson."
"No worries, my fault," the Doctor assured him, "No harm done."
"Absolutely," Rose said, agreeing with her husband, "Embarrassment isn't usually dangerous, just a bit uncomfortable. But you handled it well, love."
"Indeed," Sydney told his father, "You handled that well, Dad."
"Hello, there," the Doctor greeted Clara as he bent down towards her.
"Clara," Ellie said, introducing her daughter to the Gallifreyan family.
"Ah," the Doctor muttered to himself, "Hello there, Clara."
In a cemetery, teenage Clara was holding the '101 Places to See' with her name and years written in it. She looked at one of the book's pages, which revealed that it belonged to her mother first, Ellie Ravenwood. A tear fell from her right hand and landed on the words 'Property of 'Ellie Ravenwood Aged 11' and fell down the page.
She closed the book and stood next to a man with light skin, blue eyes and light brown hair at her mother's graveside. Its gravestone read 'Ellie Oswald - Beloved Wife and Mother – Born 11th September 1960 – died 5th March 2005.' Leaning against a tree some distance from the grave, the Doctor, Rose and Sydney all watched before turning and walking away.
The Doctor, Rose and Sydney soon entered the TARDIS with the door closing behind them as the Doctor leaned on the console and pulled over one of the scanners and looked at it, which had a picture of Victorian Clara on it.
"She's just a girl," the Doctor stated, "How can she be?" The picture on the monitor then changed to that of Oswin and her credentials for the 'Alaska,' "She can't be!" The scanner then changed yet again to show Clara in a graduation gown, throwing her cap into the air with her left hand, "She is! She can't be!" He then pushed the scanner away with his left hand and turned around, "She's not possible!"
"And an Impossible girl," Rose added, "She's everywhere and everywhen, just like us. But the question is, how is this possible?"
"You're right, Mum," Sydney said, agreeing with his mother, "She's just as impossible as we are. But that's what makes this universe so fascinating, isn't it? There's always a new mystery to solve."
In 2013, Clara sat on the stairs, holding the book, '101 Places to See,' close to her chest. She was wearing a blue and black fishtail shirtdress, black tight, black boots, a red satchel around her right shoulder with a necklace and a black leather jacket. Her left hand's fingers nervously tapped the book's spine. She suddenly heard the TARDIS and smiled to herself before the house's bell rang and ran for the door.
"So we're moving through actual time?" Clara asked all three Gallifreyans as they stood inside the TARDIS as the Doctor, Rose and Sydney stood by the console, smiling as the Doctor and Rose had their arms crossed before they lowered their arms as both older Gallifreyans began to set the TARDIS' controls as the nanny walked up to them, "So what's it made of, time? If you both can just rotor through it, it must be made of stuff, like jam's made of strawberries, so what's it made of?"
"Well, not strawberries, no," the Doctor told her, "No, no, no. That would be unacceptable."
"And ridiculous for that matter," Rose added as the Doctor walked around one side of the console as Clara rushed around the other side.
"And we can go anywhere?" Clara asked the Doctor.
"Within reason," the Doctor answered, "Well, I say reason…"
"Yes, within reason," Rose said, agreeing with her husband as she gave her a meaningful look, "But it's important to remember that there are some points in time we can't take you to. Time is a delicate thing, and there are fixed points that we mustn't interfere with. It's not just about where we can go, but also when we can go."
"So, we could go backwards in time," Clara realised.
"And space, yes," the Doctor confirmed.
"And forwards in time," Clara added.
"And space, totally," the Doctor told her.
"And remember, the universe is vast and full of wonders," Sydney added with a smile on his face.
"So, where do you want to go, hey?" The Doctor asked Clara as he hurried to the other side of the console and met Clara there, "What do you want to see?"
"Like he said, what do you want to see, Clara?" Rose said, agreeing with her husband.
"I don't know," Clara answered after a few seconds of silence, "You know when someone asks you your favourite book and you forget every book you've read?"
"No, totally not," the Doctor told her.
"Yeah, I have," Rose replied at the same time.
"Well, that's a thing that happens," Clara told the Time Lord.
"And?" The Doctor asked the nanny, "Back to the question."
"Okay, so... So... So…" Clara began to say as she hurried over to the doors, "So, I'd like to see... I would like to see... What I would like to see is…" She then turned back around to face the three Gallifreyans, "something awesome."
The Doctor put his hands in the air and snapped his fingers before he and Rose put the TARDIS in motion as Clara and Sydney watched.
A while later, the Doctor opened the TARDIS door with Rose and Sydney following him out as he brought Clara outside as he held her left arm with his own left hand as she had her eyes closed.
"Can you feel the light on your eyelids?" The Doctor asked Clara as he closed the TARDIS' door behind him.
"Mmm-hmm," Clara answered.
"That's the light of an alien sun," the Doctor explained as he positioned her with Rose and Sydney following him, "Forward a couple of steps. Okay. Are you ready?"
"Yes," Clara answered, "No! Yes."
"Go on, Clara," Rose urged the nanny, "Open your eyes. There's a whole new world waiting for you to explore."
"Yeah, Clara," Sydney said, agreeing with his mother, "Trust us, it's going to be amazing."
Clara then slowly reopened her eyes with wonder as the three Gallifreyans smiled at her.
"Welcome to the Rings of Akhaten," the Doctor told Clara.
They were standing on a large chunk of rock that was possibly an asteroid that was part of a set of rings circling a large reddish-orange sun. One of the asteroids was larger and looked to have been settled with what looks like a city.
"It's…" Clara began to say.
"Amazing, isn't it?" Rose asked her with a smile on her face.
"Ooh! Yeah, it is," the Doctor said, agreeing with them, "It so completely is. But wait! There's more, Clara."
"More what?" Clara asked him.
"Just wait," Sydney told her as he crossed his arms.
"Indeed, just wait any second," Rose said, agreeing with her son.
"Wait, wait, wait," the Doctor muttered, agreeing with his family before he checked his watch as they began stepping forward a bit, "In about five, four, three, two…"
The asteroids then passed and on one of them there was a large pyramid that shone as the light from the sun hit it.
"What is it?" Clara asked them with awe in her voice.
"The Pyramid of the Rings of Akhaten," the Doctor explained, "It's a holy site for the Sun-singers of Akhet."
"The who of what?" Clara said with confusion in her voice.
"Seven worlds orbiting the same star, all of them sharing a belief that life in the universe originated here, on that planet," the Doctor explained.
"All life?" Clara asked him.
"In the universe," the Doctor explained.
"Did it?" Clara asked him.
"Well… it's what they believe," the Doctor explained, "It's a nice story."
"Indeed," Rose said, agreeing with her husband, "It's a beautiful belief, but the universe is vast and ancient. There are beings out there that claim to be older than the universe itself. So, while it's a nice story, it's unlikely to be the whole truth. But that's the beauty of the universe, isn't it? There's always more to discover."
"Exactly, Mum," Sydney stated, agreeing with her, "And many of these ancient beings are referred to as the 'Great Old Ones.' Beings like the Great Intelligence and others we've encountered. They're entities that exist outside the normal understanding of time and space. But it's important to remember, we haven't crossed paths with every single one of them."
"See that asteroid over there?" Rose asked Clara as she pointed towards the asteroid with her left hand's index finger, "That's known as Tiaanamat. It's one of the many wonders of this system."
"Can we see it?" Clara asked them, "Up close?"
The Doctor, Rose and Sydney all smiled as the Time Lord held out his right hand before Clara put her left hand in his right hand as he pulled her towards the TARDIS with Rose and Sydney following them as they reentered the ship.
The TARDIS materialised hidden behind some stalls off a main avenue of a marketplace on Tiaanamat. The Doctor hurried out with Clara's hand still in his with Rose and Sydney following them. The three Gallifreyans were smiling with glee before the nanny stopped short when she saw all the alien races. She walked a little ahead of the Doctor, Rose and Sydney, eyes darting around in wonder and giggled. The Doctor was waylaid by vendors with Rose and Sydney.
"Where are they from?" Clara asked the three Gallifreyans as she walked back over to them.
"Oh, you know, the local system, mostly," the Doctor answered.
"And as you can see, many of them appear very alien to us. But you'll also notice that many look quite similar to us," Rose added, It's a fascinating fact that many species in the universe have a form similar to humans. It's a fascinating fact that many species in the universe have a form similar to humans. But remember, 'similar' doesn't necessarily mean 'identical.' These species have evolved independently, yet they share similar physical characteristics with us. It's one of the great mysteries of the cosmos."
"Well, if we're being technical, they look more Time Lord than human," Sydney joked, causing the Doctor and Rose to chuckle, "We Gallifreyans, after all, were around long before humans. But don't let appearances fool you. We Gallifreyans have a few tricks up our sleeves that humans don't. Like as we established on that plane after you met us, we have two hearts for example or even able to stand in cooler temperatures for far longer."
"What do I call them?" Clara asked them.
"Well, let's see," the Doctor said before he pointed at some aliens with his right hand's index finger, "Ah, there go some Pan-Babylonians. A Lugal-Irra-Kush. Uh… some Eukanians. A Hooloovoo." They then approached an alien that looked like it was wearing a type of hood over its head and armour over its body, "Ah!" They then conversed in its own dialect, causing Rose and Sydney to chuckle as the Time Lord held out his right hand with the alien doing the same with its own right hand and shared a greeting before it walked away from them, "That chap's a Terraberserker of the Cadonion Belt. You don't see many of them around anymore."
"Indeed, we don't, love," Rose stated, agreeing with him.
"Ho-ho!" The Doctor said, excitedly as he rushed towards an alien that looked like it was wearing a type of metallic armour over its body, "That's an Ultramancer!" He then walked back towards his wife, son and Clara, "You know, I forget how much I like it here, we should come here more often."
"You've been here before?" Clara asked him.
"Yes, yes, yes," the Doctor confirmed, "I came here a long time ago with our granddaughter."
"And I remember when I was just a Time Tot, and later when I was 200 years old," Rose muttered to herself as the Doctor headed off, "I've always wanted to visit the Rings of Akhaten. If things had been different, I would've been here much sooner. It's a bit like fulfilling a childhood dream, isn't it?" She then remembered her own granddaughter back when they lived on Gallifrey as her voice softened, "And of course, our dear Susan. I miss her every day. She had the same sense of adventure that we have. I also considered her more like my own daughter than granddaughter. She would have loved to see all of this again."
"And I wish I had a chance to meet and know her," Sydney stated with a hint of regret in his voice as he thought of his niece as Rose followed her husband, "From all the stories you've told, she sounded like an incredible person. If she did survive the war, I hope one day I'll get to meet her." He then followed his parents.
"Hang on!" Clara called out to the three Gallifreyans as she ran after them before she bumped into a tall alien and stared at it before continuing on with the alien merely shaking its head.
Further along the marketplace, Clara soon found the Doctor, Rose and Sydney standing at a booth where the Time Lord was beaming over glowing blue spheres in a bowl that he was holding in his right hand.
"Mmm!" The Doctor muttered as he grabbed one of the glowing blue spheres with his right hand as he, Rose and Sydney walked away from the booth towards Clara, "Exotic fruit of some description." He then pulled out his sonic screwdriver with his right hand and activated it as he scanned the glowing blue spheres with it as Clara grabbed one of them with her hands before he shook his screwdriver open and looked at its readings, "All right, non-toxic, non-hallucinogenic, high in free radicals and low in other stuff, I shouldn't wonder." Clara then took a bite and shook her head, "No?"
"So, why's everyone here?" Clara asked them as the Doctor closed his screwdriver and placed it back inside his jacket's inside pocket.
"Ah! For the Festival of Offerings," the Doctor answered as he put his left arm around Clara's back and onto her left shoulder as he, Rose and Sydney walked with her, "Takes place every 1,000 or so, when the rings align. It's quite a big thing, locally. Like Pancake Tuesday."
"The Festival of Offerings isn't just about the alignment of the rings, Clara," Rose stated, "It's a deeply spiritual event for the people here. They believe that the alignment of the rings opens a pathway to their ancestors, allowing them to send their prayers and offerings directly to them."
"This Festival of Offerings, it's like a mix of Earth's Thanksgiving, New Year's Eve, and a bit of Easter Egg Hunt thrown in for the fun of finding the perfect offering," Sydney added with a smile on his face.
The Doctor, Rose and Sydney then went ahead again as Clara turned back around to come face-to-face with an alien that seems to have pale skin and a dog-like face.
"Oh!" Clara muttered before it barked and snarled at her before she leaned back, "Um, Doctor? Rose? Sydney?" The Doctor, Rose and Sydney suddenly arrived before the Time Lord barked at the alien, "What's happening? Why's it angry?"
"This isn't an it. It's a she," the Doctor corrected the nanny, "Dor'een, meet Clara. Clara, meet Dor'een."
"Dor'een?" The Doctor explained.
"Loose translation," the Doctor explained as he began tickling under Door'een's chin with both of his hands, causing Rose and Sydney to giggle, "She sounds a bit grumpy but she's a total love, actually. Aren't you? Yes, you are." Dor'een then purred as the Time Lord removed his hands from her chin, "She's just asking if we fancy renting a moped." He then mimicked a moped's humming sound.
Dor'een then backed out of the way to show the moped in question, which appeared to be more futuristic than ones that Clara had seen along with being able to carry at least four people rather than just one before Clara barked at her, causing Dor'een to bark back at her in return.
"So, how much does it cost?" Clara asked all three Gallifreyans.
"Well, Clara, let's just say that here, the cost of things isn't measured in the way you're used to," Rose told her with a knowing smile on her face, "It's not about coins and notes, but something… more personal."
"Rose is right, it's not money. Something valuable. Sentimental value. A photograph, love letter, something like that," the Doctor said, agreeing with his wife, "That's what's used for currency here." Clara then crossed her arms, "Psychometry. Objects psychically imprinted with their history. The more treasured they are, the more value they hold."
"That's horrible," Clara told them.
"Better than using bits of paper," the Doctor stated.
"It's a different way of looking at things, Clara," Sydney said, agreeing with his father, "But not necessarily horrible. It's just… different."
"And sometimes, those personal items, those memories, they can mean a lot more than any piece of paper or coin ever could," Rose added, agreeing with her husband and son.
"Then one of you pay," Clara urged them.
"With what?" The Doctor asked her.
"Indeed," Rose said, agreeing with her husband, "Pay her with what."
"You two are 1,000 years old and your son is 70 years old," Clara reminded them, "You both must have something you two care about." She then walked behind them as she looked around the area.
"Hmm…" The Doctor and Rose both muttered to themselves as the Doctor reached into his jacket's inside pocket, pulled out his sonic screwdriver with his right hand, while Rose pulled out what appeared to be an object that looked like to be multidimensional, but worn out from age with her right hand and as she looked at, her expression changed to a saddened one as the Doctor scoffed and shook his head as he put his screwdriver back inside his jacket's pocket.
"If only Mum was still here…" Rose muttered to herself with a hint of sadness on her face with her gaze being distant, her mind clearly elsewhere.
"Rose, what's that you're holding?" Clara asked the Time Lady as she looked at her, "And… who's your mum?"
"This is a piece of my past," Rose answered as she turned towards and looked at her with a small, nostalgic smile on her face, "But my mum… Persephone. But her story, well, that's a tale for another time."
As she spoke, Rose's mind drifted back to the time when she was just a Time Tot at seven years old and in her first incarnation on Gallifrey.
A long time ago on Gallifrey, far from the grandeur of the Citadel and the hustle and bustle of Time Lord Society, there was a quiet, secluded area. Nestled amidst the iconic red grass fields and silver-leafed trees, it was a place where Time Tots, still ordinary Gallifreyans, lived and played.
The house where Rose, or as she was known at the time, Arkytior grew up stood alone in this tranquil landscape. It was a modest dwelling by Time Lord standards, but it was warm and inviting. The house was built in traditional Gallifreyan style, with high ceilings and large windows that let in plenty of natural light. From the windows, one could see the vast expanse of red grass fields stretching out to the horizon, the silver-leafed trees swaying gently in the breeze, and the distant silhouette of the Citadel, a constant reminder of the society they were apart from.
Inside, the house was filled with love and memories. Arkytior's room was her sanctuary, a place where she could dream and explore her interests. Books that were written in Gallifreyan about history and archeology were stacked on the shelves, hinting at her future career as a historian. Pictures and mementos from her mother were displayed prominently, a testament to the bond between them.
Despite its distance from the citadel, the house was a place of learning and growth. It was here that Arkytior lived after spending a few years with her parents, and it was here that she prepared for her initiation into the Time Lord Academy.
Arkytior was a picture of youthful curiosity and intellect. She had brown hair, which was styled into a loose ponytail, a few stray curls framing her face. The Time Tot also had blue eyes, which sparkled with intelligence and a hint of mischief. She was dressed in a traditional Gallifreyan robe for Time Tots, its deep colour contrasting beautifully with her light skin. The robe was adorned with intricate patterns in a brighter shade of red, symbolising her impending initiation into the Time Lord Academy.
Despite her young age, there was a certain maturity about her, a seriousness that belied her years. Yet, there was also an undeniable sense of wonder and excitement in her eyes as she was engrossed in a book of Gallifreyan origin, a clear indication of her love for learning and her eagerness to explore the universe.
The book in question that Arkytior was reading was of an ancient Gallifreyan text, its pages worn and yellowed with age. The cover was a deep, lustrous gold, adorned with intricate patterns and symbols in High Gallifreyan. Despite its age, the book had been well cared for, its pages free of tears and stains. As she turned each page, the air was filled with the faint musty scent of old paper, a testament to the countless years of knowledge it held.
Just then, the door to her room opened, causing Arkytior to look up from the book that she was engrossed in and look at the door. She saw her mother, Persephone, standing in the doorway. She was a middle-aged woman with light skin, blue eyes and brown hair that had begun to grey, which was styled in a braided updo with a few loose tendrils framing her face. There was a warmth about her, a strength and kindness in her eyes that would remind Arkytior of someone she would come to know in the future, Jackie Tyler, her future stepmother.
Persephone was dressed in a deep burgundy tunic, a traditional Gallifreyan garment often worn by those who spent their days studying the past. The tunic was adorned with subtle pattes of silver and gold, as if carrying a piece of Gallifreyan history itself.
Her outfit was paired with durable trousers and sturdy boots, perfect for someone who was used to spending long hours on their feet. Around her waist, she wore a utility belt filled with various tools, each one looking well-used and cared for.
Despite the practicality of her outfit, there was undeniable elegance to it. The fabric of her shimmered under the light, and the intricate patterns seemed to dance and shift as she closed the door behind her with her right hand and entered the room.
As soon as Arkytior recognised her mother in the doorway, she set down her book, her hearts pounding with excitement. She jumped to her feet and ran towards Persephone, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
"Mum!" Arkytior cried out, her voice echoing in the quiet room as she threw her arms around Persephone, holding her tight as she began hugging her before whispering with her words being muffled by her mother's tunic, "I missed you."
Persephone bent down towards her daughter and wrapped her arms around Arkytior, holding her close.
"Oh, Arkya," the Time Lady murmured, using her affectionate nickname for Arkytior, "I've missed you too, more than you could ever know." She then pulled back slightly, her hands cupping her daughter's face, "Look at you." She then spoke softly, her eyes shining with pride and love, "You're growing up so fast."
"Mum," Arkytior said, her voice filled with anticipation as she pulled back from the embrace and looked up at her mother with eager eyes, "When do you think I'll be able to see Theta and Koschei again? I've missed them too."
"Hopefully, soon, Arkytior," Persephone assured her, gently as she gave her daughter a reassuring smile, "I know how much you miss them. And with your initiation and the viewing of the Untempered Schism coming up, it would be good to spend some time with your friends." She then paused with a distant look in her eyes, "You know, when I was your age, I felt the same about your father. We were inseparable, just like you, Theta, and Koschei. Those friendships… they're important, Arkytior. Cherish them."
"And where is father now, Mum?" Arkytior asked her with curiosity.
"Your father is at the Citadel, my dear," Persephone answered as she gave her a gentle smile, "He's quite busy with his duties. But I'm sure he's thinking of you and can't wait to see you soon." She then remembered something, "Oh, close your eyes, dear, I have something from one of my travels for you."
"Something from your travels?" Arkytior said with surprise in her voice before she closed her eyes.
"No, peeking, Arkya," Persephone urged her as she reached into her tunic's left pocket with her left pocket, "Now hold out your hands, dear." The Time Tot then did as she was instructed as her mother placed an object into her hands, "Now, you can open your eyes."
Arkytior slowly opened her eyes and looked down at the object in her hands. It was multidimensional, shifting and changing as she moved it around in her hands. Despite its age, it was in remarkably good condition. The artefact had a timeless quality to it, as if it had somehow managed to resist the ravages of time. Yet, upon closer inspection, there were subtle signs of age, a testament to its long history.
She didn't ask what it was just yet, instead choosing to take a moment to appreciate the artefact. She traced the intricate patterns on its surface with her fingers, a sense of wonder filling her hearts. The object, a piece of Time Lord history, was now hers to cherish.
"It's wonderful, isn't it, Arkytior?" Persephone asked her, softly as she noticed her daughter's reaction.
"Yes, Mum," Arkytior answered, her voice filled with wonder and her eyes still wide with awe, "It's the most wonderful thing I've ever seen." She then paused, her gaze returning to the artefact in her hands, "But… what is it?"
"I call it the Cronos Crystal," Persephone answered, "Its purpose has been lost to time. But it's the most important artefact ever discovered in Time Lord history."
"But why did you give it to me, Mum?" Arkytior asked her with confusion in her voice.
Persephone gently took Arkytior's hands in hers, the Cronos Crystal resting between them.
"Arkytior, I want you to have this," the Time Lady told her daughter, her voice soft yet firm, "Not just because it's an important artefact, but because it's a part of me. I want it to be a part of our family history." She then paused, her gaze meeting her daughter's, "When you attend the Time Lord Academy next year, I won't be able to see you for decades." She then gestured to the Chronos Crystal with her right hand, "But with this, a part of me will always be with you. I gave something similar to your older brothers, who are currently attending the Academy. And when your younger sister reaches your age, I'll do the same for her. It's a tradition in our family, a way for us to stay connected, even when we're apart."
As Persephone finished speaking, her words hanging in the air between them. There was a moment of silence as Arkytior took in everything her mother had said.
Then, slowly, Arkytior looked up at her mother, her blue eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"I love you, Mum," the Time Tot said, her voice choked with emotion as she clutched the Chronos Crystal tighter in her hands, as if trying to hold onto this moment forever when she was suddenly overcome with emotion and threw her arms around her mother in a tight hug.
Persephone then returned the hug, wrapping her arms around her daughter.
"I love you too, Arkytior," the Time Lady replied, her voice filled with warmth and affection before she gently brushed a stray curl from her daughter's face with her right hand before her hand lingered for a moment on Arkytior's cheek, "And remember, no matter what happens, keep this Chronos Crystal with you. It's not just an artefact, it's a symbol of our bond, a piece of me that will always be with you."
"I promise, Mum," Arkytior assured her with her voice filled with determination, "I'll keep the Chronos Crystal with me, always."
"Thank you, Arkytior," Persephone replied, her voice barely adobe a whisper as she smiled with relief washing over her before she leaned down and gently kissed her daughter's forehead.
At her mother's touch, a warm smile spread across Arkytior's face. It was a moment of pure love and connection, a memory that would stay with her for all of her lives to come.
As the memory faded, Rose found herself back in the present. She blinked, her eyes slightly moist. A single tear escaped, trailing down her right cheek, but she made no move to wipe it away. Instead, she reached up to touch the Cronos Crystal that still hung around her neck, its familiar weight a comforting reminder of her past.
A small smile tugged at the corners at the corners of her mouth, a mix of nostalgia and sadness. She remembered her mother's words, the promise she had made, and the love that had been shared. Despite the centuries that had passed and the many lives she had lived, that moment was as clear in her mind as if it had happened yesterday.
"Yes, Mum," the Time Lady whispered to the section of the marketplace she was standing in with her husband, son and Clara, her voice barely audible, "I've kept it with me, always."
The Doctor's gaze was soft, filled with understanding and a hint of sadness. He knew better than anyone the weight of the past, the burden of being a Time Lord. He reached out, his right hand hovering over his wife's left hand for a moment before he decided against it, pulling back and folding his hands in his lap.
Sydney watched his mother with a mixture of curiosity and concern. He was too young to fully understand the significance of the Time War at seventy years old, but he could sense its impact on his parents. He glanced at the Doctor seeking reassurance, before turning his attention back to Rose.
Clara, on the other hand, was a study in confusion. She was still new to all this, the time travel, the alien worlds, the complex history of the Time Lords. He watched Rose, her brow furrowed as she tried to make sense of it all.
Rose's fingers traced the surface of the Cronos Crystal, her mind still lingering on the memory of her mother.
"You never knew, did you, Mum?" Rose murmured to herself as a soft sigh escaped her lips as she placed her Cronos Crystal back inside her jacket's pocket, "You never knew that your little historian Arkya would be one of the only two Time Lords to survive the Time War." She then paused, her gaze distant, "Even if I was chameleon-arched during the entire war, even if I had forgotten who I was… I survived. I carried on. For you, for Dad, for Celestia, for Susan, for everyone we lost."
Clara shifted uncomfortably, glancing between the Doctor, Sydney, and Rose. Shad had travelled with them twice, once with the problem concerning the Wi-Fi, and here at the Rings at Akhaten, but from the short time she's known them, there had been moments when she felt like an outsider, unable to fully grasp the depth of their shared history and the burdens they carried.
"Is everything alright?" Clara asked Rose, her voice gentle as she looked at her, "You seem… upset."
"It's just… old memories," the Doctor explained, his voice softer than usual after they exchanged a glance and looked back at her, "Time Lord stuff, you know?"
"We've lived a long time, Clara," Rose added, "And sometimes, the past catches up with you."
"From my seventy years of life and what I know of them, Mum and Dad are right, Clara," Sydney said, agreeing with his parents, "The past does eventually catch up with you, especially when you're a Time Lord."
"Time Lords," Clara chuckled to herself with a hint of amusement in her voice as she turned around, "You're all a bunch of sentimental old things, aren't you?" The three Gallifreyans then walked away from Clara as the nanny continued laughing before she turned back around and saw that the Doctor, Rose and Sydney had vanished, "Doctor? Rose Sydney?" She then went looking for them, "Doctor? Rose? Sydney?"
As Clara continued looking for the Doctor, Rose and Sydney, she suddenly ran across a young girl with light skin, straight light brown hair and dark brown eyes with three horizontal markings around her cheeks and three vertical ones on her forehead, wearing an alien red robe and beige clothes of someone of high standing with her robe's hood over the left side of her head and almost ran into her with the girl being scared.
"Oh!" Clara muttered as she looked at her, "Hi. Are you okay?" The girl then ran past the nanny when two men dressed similarly to the girl and had the same horizontal lines on their cheeks and vertical ones forehead as the girl had with one of them having light skin and the other having tan skin and both of them having brown hair, walked around the corner towards her.
"Have you seen her?" The man with light skin asked her.
"Who?" Clara asked him with confusion in her voice.
"The Queen of Years," the man answered.
" Who?" Clara asked them with confusion in her voice.
The man with light skin then gestured to his companion with his left hand before the two men continued their search for the girl before Clara rushed down the marketplace and looked around and went to find the girl herself.
Clara soon entered a dark and cluttered warehouse cautiously as there was a type of liquid dripping around her.
"Hello?" Clara called out.
Clara then took a few steps toward the centre. She suddenly heard a crashing thud before she spun around with a gasp. The nanny continued on a few steps and gasped when the girl stepped out from behind some boxes.
"Hi," Clara greeted the girl, "Are you OK? Are you lost?"
Terrified, the girl ran away from her, causing Clara to look for her again. The girl soon hid behind some boxes and panted before she tried to run as Clara passed by her hiding place. She suddenly turned around towards the nanny and let out a scream as Clara turned around towards her as well. They looked at each other and began breathing heavily before Clara smiled and began to laugh with the girl joining in.
"You all right?" Clara asked her before the girl nodded her head, "What are you doing?"
"Hiding," the girl answered.
"Oh," Clara muttered to herself, "Why?"
"You don't know me?" The girl asked her with shock and disbelief in her voice.
"Sorry, actually not," Clara confirmed as she crossed her arms.
"So, why did you follow me?" The girl asked her.
"To help," Clara answered as she took a step closer towards her, "You looked lost."
"I don't believe you," the girl told her.
"I've got no idea who you might be," Clara whispered to her after looking behind her for a second, "I've never been here before. I've never even been anywhere like here before. I just saw a little girl who looked like she needed help."
"Really?" The girl asked her with surprise in her voice.
"Really, really," Clara answered.
"Can you help me?" the girl asked the nanny.
"That's why I'm still here," Clara answered.
"Because I need to hide," the girl explained.
The girl then looked over her right shoulder towards the entrance. In a clear area, the air swirled black as three eerie figures materialised. They were dressed in matching black leather with masks over their faces.
"Merry," one of the creatures said in a distorted and whispery voice, "Where are you, Merry?"
"I know the perfect box," Clara told the girl as she held out her right hand.
"Merry!" the creature growled as Clara and the girl began walking away with them searching around the area, "Where are you, Merry? Merry! Merry!"
The creatures continued to move slowly yet menacingly after the girl and Clara as they began to leave the warehouse.
Clara and the girl made it outside the warehouse and into the marketplace to hide until the way was clear to the TARDIS. Clara saw someone coming and hid the girl behind her and whistled nonchalantly until the alien passed. They then continued on and approached the TARDIS.
"What's this?" The girl asked her as she looked at the TARDIS.
"A space-shippy thing, timey, spacey," Clara answered.
"It's teeny," the girl said with disbelief in her voice.
"Ha! You wait," Clara told her as she grabbed onto the TARDIS' door handles and pulled on them but it wouldn't open, "Oh, come on!"
"What's wrong?" The girl asked her.
"I don't know," Clara answered as she stepped back from the TARDIS, "I don't think it likes me." She then stepped back towards the TARDIS and knocked on the door before she pulled the door handles with both of her hands again, "Come on! Let me in!" The girl then snuck around to the back of the TARDIS without Clara seeing before the nanny saw that she was gone, "Hey!" She then looked around the side of the TARDIS, "Hey, little girl!"
"My name's Merry," the girl told her as she peered around from the back of the TARDIS before she ducked back behind the TARDIS with Clara following and she sat down beside the girl, resting her back against the TARDIS.
"So what's happening?" Clara asked her as she cleared her throat, "Is someone trying to hurt you?"
"No," Merry answered, "I'm just scared."
"Of what?" Clara asked her.
"Getting it wrong," Merry answered.
"Okay Can you pretend like I'm totally a space alien and explain?" Clara requested.
"I'm Merry Gejelh," Merry explained.
"I'm really not local, sorry," Clara apologised to her.
"The Queen of Years?" Merry explained, hoping to get some recognition from her, "They chose me when I was a baby, the day the last Queen of Years died."
"Okay," Clara replied.
"I'm the vessel of our history," Merry added, "I know every chronicle, every poem, every legend, every song."
"Every single one?" Clara said with disbelief in her voice, "Blimey, I hated history."
"And now I have to sing a song in front of everyone," Merry stated, "A special song, I have to sing it to a god. I'm really scared."
"Everyone's scared when they're little," Clara assured her, "I used to be terrified of getting lost. I used to have nightmares about it. And then, I got lost. Blackpool beach, Bank Holiday Monday. About 10 billion people. I was about six. My worst nightmare come true."
"What happened?" Merry asked her.
"My world ended, my heart broke and then my mum found me," Clara answered, "We had fish and chips and she drove me home and she tucked me up and she told me a story."
Back on Earth in the 80s when Clara was a little girl, she was tucked in bed as she held her book in her arms as she smiled with her mother sitting on the side of the bed.
"It doesn't matter where you are in the jungle or the desert or on the moon," Ellie told her, "However lost you may feel, you'll never really be lost, not really. Because I'll always be here. And I'll always come and find you. Every single time. Every single time."
"And you were never scared again?" Merry asked Clara as the nanny's memory of the event she was telling her about faded.
"Oh, I was scared lots of times, but never of being lost," Clara answered, "So, this special song, what are you scared of exactly?"
"Getting it wrong," Marry answered, "Making Grandfather angry."
"And do you think you'll get it wrong?" Clara asked her, "Because I don't. I don't think you'll get it wrong. I think you, Merry Gejelh, will get it very, very right."
Merry then smiled and hugged Clara before they left the safety of the TARDIS and headed back into the marketplace with Clara holding Merry's left hand with her right hand. The two men that were looking for Merry saw them and walked towards them. Merry began walking towards them as Clara crossed her arms before she looked at Clara, who smiled encouragingly. Merry then met the two men as the one with tan skin placed a flower necklace over her head before she left with them as the Doctor, Rose and Sydney arrived as they were eating three of the blue fruits.
"What have you been doing?" The Doctor asked Clara.
"We've been wondering where you've gotten to," Rose told her, "Where were you?"
"Indeed, we were just about to go and look for you," Sydney said, agreeing with his mother.
"Exploring," Clara answered before the Doctor shrugged his shoulders and walked away with Rose and Sydney following him, "Where are we going now?" She then followed the three Gallifreyans.
"Sleep, my precious, sleep," A priest sang within the pyramidic temple in the centre of the Rings of Akhaten as he kneeled in front of a dais as he was dressed in robes similar to the ones that Merry and the men that were searching for her earlier as a second priest came to relieve the first one.
"Lay down," the second priest muttered as he began to take over the first priest's role in singing the song, "My warrior. Now, my king."
On the dais, there was an alien creature known as a mummy with black skin that appeared to be rocky and dressed in robes sitting on a throne and was enclosed in glass.
"Rest now. My hero," the second priest continued to sing.
At an amphitheatre, which was facing the temple, two of the priests escorted Merry to a small pedestal in the centre along the ledge. As they walked back the way they came, the Doctor, Rose, Sydney and Clara rushed through as the Time Lord skidded to a stop.
"Shh! Shh!" The Doctor shushed himself as he climbed past others to their seats with Rose, Sydney and Clara following him, "Sorry, sorry. Excuse me, sorry, excuse me." He then sat down on one of the seats.
"Like he said, sorry about that," Rose said, agreeing with her husband, "We didn't mean to disturb you. So, excuse us." She then sat next to her husband.
"Yeah, sorry about that," Sydney stated, agreeing with his parents as he sat next to his mother.
"Sorry. Sorry," Clara apologised to the aliens as she sat down next to the young Gallifreyan boy, "Are we even supposed to be here?"
"Shh," the three Gallifreyans shushed her.
"But are we?" Clara asked them.
"Shh!" The Doctor shushed her before he looked at the alien on the other side of Clara, "Sorry."
"Indeed, we didn't mean to disturb you," Rose said, agreeing with her husband.
"Like my parents said, don't mind us," Sydney assured the alien with a small smile on his face before the alien growled a response.
On the pedestal, Merry looked nervously over to the temple before she turned her head and saw Clara before she turned back towards the temple and took a deep breath.
"Akhaten…" Merry muttered as she began to sing.
Back at the temple, the door to the building slid upward as it slid open as the Priest continued to kneel.
"Lay down, my king," the priest continued to sing as he stood up and removed his hood, "Sleep now eternal." He then walked towards the door, "Sleep, my precious king." He then walked through the door and exited the temple to face the amphitheatre, "Lay down."
"O god of Akhaaaten," Merry sang from the amphitheatre with everyone watching as the Doctor and Rose both had their glasses on their eyes.
"Oh, look," the Doctor muttered as he and Rose looked at Merry as the Time Lord held a type of envelope in his hands, "They're singing to the mummy in the Temple. They call it the Old God. Sometimes Grandfather."
"Fascinating, isn't it?" Rose murmured, her eyes still watching the scene before them, "An entire system, offering their songs, their stories, their very souls to their Old God. It's a bit humbling, really, when you think about it."
"And from what I've heard, it's wonderful," Sydney added with a small smile on his face.
"O God of Akhaaaten," Merry continued to sing to the Old God.
"What are they singing?" Clara asked the three Gallifreyans.
"The Long Song," the Doctor answered, "A lullaby without end, to feed the Old God. Keep him asleep. It's been going for millions of years, Chorister handing over to Chorister. Generation after generation after generation."
"Akhaten," Merry continued to sing.
Clara looked around as the members of the audience all held out their right hands, each containing something valuable to them as Merry and the Priest continued singing.
"What are they doing?" Clara asked them.
"These are offerings," the Doctor explained, "As Rose said, gifts of value. Mementoes to feed the Old God."
Clara laughed with Rose and Sydney chuckling as the offerings were accepted and disappeared into small bits of golden light.
"O god of... O god of... O god of Akhaaaten," Merry continued to sing.
"Sleep, my precious king," the priest continued to sing from the temple.
Back at the amphitheatre, the audience joined in the song as Clara laughed.
"Lay…" The three Gallifreyans muttered as they tried joining in singing the song.
"Lay down…" Everyone aside from Clara sang.
"Akhaaaten," Merry continued to sing, "O god of... O god of... O god of... O god of Akhaten."
"Rest now your heart…" The priest finished singing when suddenly there was a low rumbling coming from inside the temple, causing his look of elation to change to one of fear.
Back at the amphitheatre, Merry realised something was wrong as she gasped and turned around to face the gathering as they all knew something wasn't right.
"Old God, protect us," the priest began to sing in the hope of putting the mummy back to sleep as he kneeled and placed his hood back over his head, "Old god, protect…"
As everyone looked around the amphitheatre, Merry was wrapped in a force field and lifted from the pedestal.
"Okay, what's happening?" Clara asked the three Gallifreyans as the Doctor and Rose removed their glasses from their eyes with their right hands and placed them back inside their jackets' inside pockets, "Is that supposed to happen?"
"Help!" Merry pleaded with everyone as she screamed and flailed.
"Excuse me, is somebody going to help her?" Clara asked everyone as Merry was pulled towards the temple as the Doctor, Rose and Sydney ran off before Clara chased after them.
Back in the marketplace, the Doctor, Rose and Sydney all hurried through the stalls with Clara following them.
"Why are we walking away?" Clara asked them, "We can't just walk away. This is my fault, I talked her into doing this."
"Listen, there's one thing you need to know about travelling with us," the Doctor told Clara as he, Rose and Sydney stopped walking and walked back towards her, "Well, one thing apart from the blue box and the two hearts for each of us. We don't walk away."
"He's right Clara," Rose said, her voice firm but kind, "We've faced countless dangers, countless threats, but we've never turned our backs. We face them head-on, together."
"And despite not being on as many adventures as Mum and Dad have been on, we always will. That's who we are," Sydney stated, agreeing with his parents, "So, don't worry, Clara. We're not walking away. Not now, not ever." They then continued on through the marketplace.
Please review.
Did any of you enjoy the flashback of Arkytior/Rose when she was seven and in her first incarnation back on Gallifrey? Also, the flashback scene featuring Rose and her mother, sparked an idea in me to delve deeper into their life along with the Doctor's on Gallifrey.
I'm now considering writing a prequel series that explores their early life, family dynamics, and the events leading up to Arkytior's first regeneration and her life on Earth. This potential series would be set in chronological order and would fill in many gaps in the Doctor Who lore. It would also delve into the past of the First Doctor, providing into his early life on Gallifrey, his relationships with Arkytior and Persephone, the Master, etc to just before he and Susan leaves Gallifrey after Arkytior's sudden disappearance.
I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into Rose/Arkytior's past, and I look forward to possibly exploring this storyline in the future. Your insights and opinions are invaluable to me.