Yami To Boushi to Hon no Tabibito: Ever After
The Doctor
After they left the alternate Mars, they found themselves on another world, where clanking metal men tried to kill them. Thankfully, Hazuki's sword made short work of them. She was a bit disturbed to realize they were once human, but...
"How did you DO that?" the brown haired man demanded, being trailed by a good looking redhead and weirdly a robot dog.
"Magic sword," Hazuki answered, then blinked as she saw Lilith GLARING at the man, who also looked less than pleased.
"Lilith," he said flatly.
"Doctor," Lilith growled out.
"Doctor Who?" Quill wondered reasonably.
"Yes, I'm called that," he admitted.
"You two know each other?" Hazuki had to ask.
"You could say that," Lilith said grimly. "He ended up invading the Library, somehow... made a big mess too."
"Really," Hazuki gave the Doctor a thoughtful look.
"That wasn't my fault!" the Doctor complained. He scowled at Lilith, "Besides, you paid me back, eventually."
"Oh?" Quill had to ask.
The Doctor pointed at Lilith as he crossly said, "She SEDUCED my granddaughter, Susan!"
The woman with him shook her head. "As much as I'm entertained by this, and it IS entertaining, we need to get out of here before more Cybermen arrive," she noted.
"Right, Leela," the Doctor conceded. "We need to get back to the Tardis."
"Hazuki, I don't sense Eve here," Lilith pouted, "can we go?"
Hazuki was tempted to stay if only to find out how Lilith had slept with this Susan, but... She looked over at Quill, "What does your device say?"
Quill extended Cadeus, which also drew the Doctor's attention. "VERY faint traces," she agreed, "I think we've fallen farther behind Eve, honestly."
"That's fascinating," the Doctor noted as he tossed his long scarf back, "does it use a tesseract effect, or merely molecular compression?"
"Doctor," the robot dog noted, "more Cybermen are coming."
"Yes, it seems we must be going," the Doctor said reluctantly. "Could I offer you a lift?" He paused, "Other than Lilith, of course."
"Why you...," Lilith growled.
"Do not think about it," Leela said warningly, drawing a knife and putting herself between her and the Doctor.
Hazuki held Lilith back as she addressed the Doctor, "I think we'll be fine."
He held out a pouch for her, "Jelly Belly? No? Well then, we're off."
"How is that blue box going to help them...," Quill started when it made a odd 'Whumpa whumpa' sound and promptly disappeared.
"How...?" Hazuki blinked.
"It's a spaceship, sort of," Lilith said impatiently. She waved them together, then calmly magicked them out again.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
The group had landed in Arisugawa's Locket, again. They had visited it twice before, following Eve's trail. Quill theorized that the bar's odd time/space nexus qualities had drawn Eve to it, lind of like a magnet and iron.
"I think she just likes the scenery," Lilith noted as she admiringly watched a girl in a extremely sexy version of a sailor uniform walk by.
Hazuki sighed tiredly. It had been a rough few days, after all. "Can we order some food?" she asked. "The rations are good, but..."
"But it;s nice to have some prepared food," Quill agreed as they waved down a waitress and ordered. "So, you slept with his granddaughter?" Quill had to ask Lilith.
Lilith sighed dramatically, "It's not as bad as you think. He's a lot older than he looks, and his granddaughter was a adult when I met her."
"What happened?" Hazuki asked curiously.
"She was in a book set in the future," Lilith shrugged, "her husband was away, we hit it off and... one thing lead to another."
"Huh," Quill nodded thoughtfully. Before she could say something else the waitress arrived with some food.
"Ah, Lilith," Yuri noted, the black haired space cop wearing her usual battle bikini. "Been awhile. When are you coming back to play with Kei and I?"
The expression on Lilith's face was priceless. Clearly it either hadn't happened for her yet, or there was something else embarassing about it. "Uhm, I..." she started.
Yuri blinked, "Oh, time difference, Sorry, forget I said anything."
"That's going to be tough," Lilith murmured, getting a admiring smile from Yuri.
"You worry me at times," Hazuki sighed as they dug into the meal.
"A woman has needs," Lilith shrugged, "and it's not like you're volunteering to help out."
Hazuki blushed charmingly then shut up.
Quill looked amused as she ate "You two should get a room and resolve your sexual tension," she noted, "they even rent rooms here to serve that purpose."
"Don't push," Lilith noted dryly. She drank a bit, "Besides, I've seen you sneak admiring looks at Hazuki too."
Thankfully, Hazuki didn't catch that.
"You!" a angry woman's voice called. Making Hazuki grab for her sword.
'Crap, I left it at the bar,' Hazuki realized just as the woman reached the table.
The tall woman was brown haired and slightly gangly in the way a tall woman could get. She wore a black leather trench coat over a sleekly tailored blue suit, and in her hand was a oddly glowing electronic stick of some sort.
"Doctor?" Lilith gaped.
The female incarnation of the Doctor nodded tersely. "I see you did escape from the Cybermwn, then?" she asked as a attractive redhead hurried up.
"Don't charge off like that, Doctor," she chided.
"Sorry, Chase," the Doctor addressed the woman apologetically.
"We did, yes," Hazuki said, looking confused. "How are you...?" she started then trailed off.
"She's a Time Lord from Gallifrey," Lilith explained impatiently, "they can change genders, as part of a regeneration ability they have." She looked at the Doctor coldly, "What do YOU want this time?"
The Doctor scowled, but her expression softened slightly. "To apologize," she said VERY reluctantly, "I talked to Susan after our last meeting, and she explained the circumstances. I shouldn't have been so angry with you."
Lilith looked slightly sheepish as she said, "Apology acepted."
"Better savor it, because you'll probably not get another one from her," Chase teased as she got a wounded look from the Doctor.
Hazuki smiled slightly, "Thank you, anyway."
"If you like," the Doctor ffered, "we could try to calibrate the Tardis' sensors to help you find your missing companion."
Lilith looked skeptical, "Have you managed to fix the jumping in time randomly problem?"
Chase answered promptly, "No."
"Yes," the Doctor said at the same time. As Chase gave her a look the Doctor conceded, "There ARE still a few bugs, yes."
"Thanks for the offer," Hazuki said diplomatically, "but I think we'll pass."
To be continued...
Notes: Yes, a Doctor Who crossover. The Doctor in the beginning is Tom Baker, the Fourth Doctor, while the Arisugawa's Locket Doctor is a OC of mine, somewhere past the Twelth.
Yami To Boushi to Hon no Tabibito: Ever After
SHERLOCK
The officers tried to bar Hazuki, who scowled in annoyance. Lilith hung back a bit, while Quill observed. They were close to where Eve had travelled to on this world, but unlike most they couldn't just bull their way through. They were in a modern city, with modern law and order, and a woman carrying a katana caused problems.
Drawn to the ruckus a tall man strode up to them, his black hair slightly curly and cut close to his head. He wasn't handsome, in a traditional sense, but was quite striking. He studied the three of them, his expression thoughtful as he waved the cops back. "You are from somewhere else," he noted, "in fact I think from another Earth."
"How..." Quill blinked
"There are scents on you even I don't recognize. Also observe this plant matter," he plucked it from Lilith's bosom, "see the structures here? I am a expert, and I have never seen the like. Unless you are somehow developing new species of plants..." He shrugged eloquently.
"Damn it Sherlock, stop running off like that," the shorter, slightly sandy brown haired man growled as he hurried over.
"Sherlock?" Hazuki blinked then asked, "Sherlock Holmes?"
"Indeed, and this is my colleague, John Watson," he nodded to the other man. Looking at Hazuki he asked, "Have we met?"
"Ah.. I've heard of your work," Hazuki lied.
"That damn blog of yours strikes again," Sherlock addressed Watson dryly, though something in his voice indicated he didn't believe her.
"Or your criminology site," Watson offered.
Lilith looked over to the building that was surrounded by cops and police tape. She could feel traces of Eve's passing, and it was recent too. Looking at Sherlock she said, "I take it you are investigating a disappearance. Young woman on her birthday, blond hair, odd red eyes?"
"Indeed," Sherlock conceded thoughtfully.
"I believe I and my companions can be of help," Lilith said firmly.
John looked bewildered, "Sherlock..."
"I will talk to the police," Sherlock made up his mind almost instantly as he ordered, "please wait here." With that, he strode off.
"Damn it, wait a moment," Watson hurried after him.
Waiting until they were gone Quill looked at Hazuki and Lilith and asked, "What was so unusual about him?"
"He's a character in a novel in the world I come from," Hazuki explained quietly. "I read them when I was younger." She looked at Lilith, "How is this...?"
Lilith shrugged, making her boobs bounce a bit. "There are a near infinite number of worlds... it's not impossible one is based off your fictions," she said. She looked thoughtful, "Though Eve like to think there was 'reality bleed' between books inspiring fictions in each other."
"Same as this?" Quill asked.
"Well, it wasn't set in modern London," Hazuki admitted.
A few moments later Sherlock returned. "Join us inside," he ordered and the group followed him into the building.
The house looked neat and orderly, except where the cops had been. The parents were there, standing off to one side crying. As Hazuki passed them she wondered a moment about her own home. Had her own parents reacted like that when she and Eve had disappeared? Were they worrying about her now that she was following another quest with Lilith? It was a disturbing thought, and one she didn't want to think about too much.
"Having some problems?" the woman officer mocked Sherlock.
"Not exactly, Officer Donovan. Just looking for confirmation," Sherlock admitted. He looked around, eyes assessing as he murmured, "This may be the first Locked Room mystery I can't solve."
"Locked Room?" Greg Lestrade asked.
"It's a common staple in fiction," Watson noted, "someone is killed or disappeared from a room with no way in or out. There's usually a twist to explain it."
"Sadly there seems to be no twist here. The young lady was here just short of midnight, then...," Sherlock looked annoyed, "gone."
"So what happened?" Greg asked grimly.
"No traces of break in, or of her leaving. No hidden rooms. No roof hatch that could be used to spirit her away," Sherlock said. He looked over at the women, "You said you had a insight?"
"I do," Lilith said, smiling winsomely. "Could we speak with Mr. Holmes on his own, please? It's something best discussed privately."
"What!" Donovan sqwalked as did the parents. John looked thoughtful while Greg appeared to consider the idea.
"Sherlock?" Greg looked at the consulting detective thoughtfully.
"Certainly," Sherlock agreed, "but I reserve the right to be discrete about what they reveal. Some answers aren't as helpful as you'd think."
With that Greg escorted the family and Donovan out, who was still complaining. "Hope we didn't get you in trouble," Hazuki noted.
"We loathe each other anyway," Sherlock waved it off.
Quill had her pendant out, which swiftly expanded into a staff. "Cadeus," she ordered, "scans please."
"Energy levels highest detected yet," the feminine voice noted. "Recording data for later analysis."
"Can I get one of those?" Sherlock asked, fascinated.
"Sorry," Quill apologized, "it's pretty much unique."
"Hmm," Sherlock nodded, taking in everything with a calm gaze. "I take it something unusual happened?" he asked.
"I'm a little busy," Lilith apologized as her hands glowed and she waved them purposely, "Hazuki, can you...?"
Hazuki sighed, "All right." She looked at Sherlock, "This is a bit of a long story..."
"I'm patent," Sherlock answered while keeping an eye on Lilith and Quill.
Hazuki puffed out a breath, then explained about Eve, her interest in humanity, and her jumping from universe to universe after experiencing life there. "This girl was also sixteen, correct?" Hazuki finished.
"I'll need more proof than your word that the missing girl is a incarnation of your Eve," Sherlock noted reasonably.
"I think we're getting closer," Lilith noted, "we might only be a few days behind her, relatively speaking."
"Oh well done," Hazuki grinned at her. A bit more subdued she pointed at Sherlock, "He doesn't believe me."
"Why not? It IS a completely fantastic story with no evidence," Quill smirked.
"Well, a lack of evidence of more rational means," Sherlock conceded.
Lilith sighed, her bosom bouncing noticeably, making Hazuki blush and look away. "Well, we have proof," she said, "Hazuki, Quill, get over here. Mr. Holmes, I'd suggest you step back."
"Why?" Sherlock asked, though he agreeably stepped back. No reason to take chances with strange women, after all.
"It's been interesting meeting you, sir," Hazuki added as the three women were engulfed in a bright green light.
Sherlock was blinded a moment, then once his vision cleared he blinked in astonishment. Like the missing girl, all three women had disappeared. He checked to see if there were any traces to explain it, but eventually sighed. How was he going to explain THIS one?
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"You can't say," Greg repeated flatly.
"I have a good idea of what happened," Sherlock said, "but I assure you, revealing it isn't going to help."
"Bloody useless," Donovan muttered.
Leaving the cops to talk to the bereaved family, he and Watson headed off. "I guess this isn't going on the blog?" Watson asked.
"Not much point," Sherlock agreed. As they walked he mused, "You know the saying, when you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbably, must be the truth?"
"I've heard it," Watson agreed.
"Well, it becomes harder to apply when your definition of impossible changes," Sherlock grumped, but refused to explain further.
To be continued...
YES I dumped Yamibo into the Sherlock verse. Dedicated to my friend Christine, who's having a rough time right now.
Yami To Boushi to Hon no Tabibito: Ever After
Interlude: Eve at the Locket
Eve stamped her foot in annoyance. "Oooh, she is so dumb!" she growled angrily, the pretty blond sitting at a table in Arisugawa's Locket. She liked stopping in at the bar between incarnations, and she could use her powers to make sure Hazuki and the others weren't there when she was.
In theory, Eve should disapprove of the Locket, and she did, kind of. The bar had the unique ability to travel between the 'books' of the Great Library. People doing so tended to be disruptive to the books in general, and Eve disliked that. On the other hand they kept the messes they made to a minimum, mostly, and the staff seemed aware of the possible dangers.
Besides, they served GREAT food & drinks.
Washu looked amused, the sometimes goddess hanging out with her. Her angular hair stuck up wildly as she noted, "Not dumb, just clueless."
"Okay, there is that," Eve conceded.
Both of them had been watching the journey Hazuki, Lilith and Quill had been taking across realities. It was fairly entertaining, especially considering their knack for getting into trouble. Eve was even thinking of putting it on the internet as a web series.
"And at least she isn't going to bed with all the other women throwing themselves at Hazuki," Washu pointed out.
"Ugh, yes," Eve sighed.
In almost EVERY world Eve saw them travel into, some attractive woman put the moves on Hazuki. She was practically a chick magnet! Understandably, of course. She was tall, dark and bishoujo, as they say, as well as aloof, which drew a certain kind of girl like flies. Like that Asuka woman, from the robot world. And Quill, of course. And the knight girl on Mundus Magicus...
"Whom Hazuki never even noticed," Washu pointed out.
"Fair enough," Eve sighed.
A familiar figure wandered over, drinking a cup tea. "Well, if it isn't Eve," the Doctor smiled at them faintly.
"Doctor," Eve sighed. "We aren't going to fight again, are we?"
The woman in the long, billowing coat sat down. "No, this is neutral territory," the Doctor admitted, "besides, I waned to talk to you."
"Oh?" Eve asked a bit warily.
"I encountered Lilith here not long ago, relatively speaking," the Doctor noted, "you are aware they are looking for you?"
Eve sighed, "It's a bit of a long story..."
With that she, along with various comments from Washu, explained the situation. As they did, the Doctor sat there with the oddest look on his face.
"What?" Washu asked.
"It sounds like the plot of some bad romantic comedy," the Doctor admitted.
Eve pouted, "At least say it would be a good romantic comedy."
Washu snickered while the Doctor rolled her eyes. "I have a question for you," the Doctor said.
Warilly Eve answered, "Uh huh."
"What is the definition of insanity?" the Doctor asked, sipping her tea.
"Huh?" Washu blinked, wondering where that was coming from.
"The first time you disappeared, Lilith and Hazuki chased you across realities while Lilith tried to shag Hazuki, and failed," the Doctor continued calmly.
"Shag?" Eve asked, looking amused.
"I spend a lot of time in England,"the Doctor shrugged, "have sex with etc etc."
"Carry on," Washu said thoughtfully.
"So your bright plan to get them together is to have Lilith and Hazuki chase you across realities... again," the Doctor said.
"Ugh," Eve grunted.
"One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, but expecting a different result," the Doctor said dryly, getting back to his original point.
"Oh dear," Eve sighed, resting her head on her arm.
"She DOES have a point," Washu admitted reluctantly.
The Doctor sipped her tea. "Not that I'm one to talk, considering..." she admitted.
No one brought up that the Doctor's only romantic success had been with River Song, whom most would agree was a little nuts. "So what do we DO?" Eve asked indignantly.
"Got me," The Doctor shrugged.
"Oh THAT's helpful," Washu sighed.
Eve sighed and decided to order another drink. Now if she could only manage to convince anyone she was of age and get them to give her some booze...
To be continued...
Notes: Short chapter is short. Sorry. Been nursing a sick relative. It occurred to me that someone should point out to Eve that just throwing Hazuki & Lilith together won't necessarily work...
