Chapter 2: The Bells of Saint John
Kirito and Asuna's home / Amy and Rory's home…
Jared hasn't seen the Ponds in forever and he has been reading Doctor Who fan fiction, oh, the beauties of the multiverse.
One of the stories he has been reading involves someone that changes history almost all the time and is married to the Doctor.
Yes, it's one of those stories. But the character in there, well, she's related to the Ponds. If you've been on Fanfiction.net, then you know who he's talking about.
That fan fiction series is an oldie but a goodie that has been going on for years. The ally of justice doesn't want to mess up that story's history. Because it's like a fairy tale, and those inspire him.
Jared is lying down on one of Kirito and Asuna's couches in their log cabin, on the 22nd floor of Aincrad. And the place is cozy.
He decided to use the Sword Art Online user interface to call Amy and Rory, just because he can. The fanboy knows he could always visit them, unlike the Doctor who doesn't, but he didn't feel like it today.
"Amy! Rory!" Jared said, sipping on a cup of tea. "How have you guys been?"
"Pretty good." Amy said. "ALFheim Online?"
"Yes. This place is cozy. Out in the woods and stuff."
"We've been fine." Rory said. "How have you been?"
"Oh. You know. This and that. Saved New York a couple months ago. Chitauri."
"The Chitauri? That feels like decades ago. You were with the Avengers and Symphogear."
"I had to be very careful. Not running into us." Jared said, smiling. "I miss you two."
"You should come and visit us." Amy said. "When is it for you?"
"It's 1207. In the real world, the Doctor and I are dressed as monks."
"Monks? You and the Doctor?"
"We're looking for my girlfriend. Clara Oswin Oswald."
"Oswin?" Rory asked. "The girl from the Dalek Asylum? Didn't she die? Amy, we have to continue decorating baby Anthony's room. Talk to you later, Jared."
Rory ended the call and Jared loaded up ALFheim Online's user interface and he logged off.
Room…
Jared removed the AmuSphere off his head and placed it inside his pocket, happy to get the internet so far back in time.
"Ahem. I'm sorry to intrude, but the bells of Saint John are ringing." Abbott said.
"We're going to need horses." The Doctor said.
"Horses are faster than motorcycles after all." Jared said, smiling.
There is a portrait on an easel.
"Is that her?" A monk asked.
"The woman twice dead, and her final message. They were drawn to this place of peace and solitude that he might divine her meaning. If they truly are mad, then this is their madness." Abbott said.
The message on the portrait is, of course, Run you clever boys and remember.
Maitland home…
The present day version of the portrait is on her phone.
"Angie? Is the internet working? Trying to phone the helpline, they won't answer." Clara said.
"It's working for me." Angie said.
"Can I use it when you're finished?" Clara asked.
"More than one person can use the internet at a time, Clara."
"You done your homework?"
"Shut up, you're not my mum." Angie said, annoyed.
"And I'm not trying to be, okay?" Clara asked.
The father enters with his son, who hands him the car keys.
"Right. Yes. Angie's probably fine on her own. You can probably have the night off." George said.
"I'm okay. I'll be upstairs when I figure out my computer." Clara said.
"Anyway, the adverts are in, so hopefully we'll find someone."
"I'm here as long as you need me."
"Good. Right, come along, Artie. Time to go." George said.
Clara takes the book Artie is holding. Summer Falls by Amelia Williams.
"What chapter are you on?" Clara asked.
"Ten." Artie said.
"Eleven is the best. You'll cry your eyes out."
"Artie!" The father said, his voice nearby.
Artie leaves.
Clara returns to her phone, "Oh, come on! Just answer. Pick it up. Pick it up. Pick it up."
She goes upstairs to her room, which is converted attic space. Clara stabs at her laptop to get the available wifi list up. Just two - Maitland_Family and the weird symbols.
Cavern…
A telephone is ringing in the woods. The Doctor and Jared's escorts have brought them to a stone built entrance to an underground cavern. The Tardis is here.
"That is not supposed to happen." The Doctor said.
"Let me take this, Doctor." Jared said, opening the little door next to the St John Ambulance symbol and answering the phone. "Hello?"
Clara's room…
"Ah, hello. I can't find the internet." Clara said.
Cavern…
"What?" Jared asked.
"It's gone, the internet." Clara said, her voice over the phone.
Clara's room…
"Can't find it anywhere. Where is it?" Clara asked.
Cavern…
"The internet?" Jared asked. "Isn't the internet super available right now?"
"Yes, the internet. I don't know why it is since I don't have it." Clara said, her voice over the phone.
Clara's room…
"Why don't I have the internet?" Clara asked.
Cavern…
"It's twelve oh seven." Jared said, leaning against the TARDIS.
Clara's room…
"I've got half past three. Am I phoning a different time zone?" Clara asked.
Cavern…
"Yeah. You kinda are." Jared said, smiling.
"Will it show up on the bill?" Clara asked, her voice over the phone.
"Yes. It's like international calling. Without data roaming. So, where did you get this number?" Jared asked.
Jared has been standing next to the Doctor so the Time Lord can hear the phone conversation since it's important. For his future and the Doctor's.
"The woman in the shop wrote it down." Clara said, her voice over the phone.
Clara's room…
"It's a help line, isn't it? She said it's the best help line out there." Clara said.
Cavern…
"In the universe, she said." Clara said, her voice over the phone.
"What woman? Who was she?" Jared asked.
Jared doesn't know if it's Missy or one of the Magical Girls that works in shops in Kamihama City, Japan. And he thought that maybe one of them flew over to London for a visit.
"I don't know. The woman in the shop. So…" Clara said, her voice over the phone.
Clara's room…
"Why isn't there internet? Shouldn't it sort of…" Clara said.
Cavern…
"...be there?" Clara asked, her voice over the phone.
"Great. Me taking the place of my younger brother as technical support. Have you clicked on the WiFi Button? The small radar symbol." Jared said, smiling.
Clara's room…
"Hang on. Wifi." Clara said, looking at her computer screen.
"Click on the WiFi button. It's the one with the radar. When you click on it, you'll see a bunch of WiFi networks or personal cellular hotspots. See any you recognize? You'll need to enter a password if it has one." Jared said, his voice over the phone.
"It's asking me for a password." Clara said.
"Is it okay if I go and see Nina? You can call her mum." Angie said, popping her head into the room.
"Sure. What's the password for the internet?"
"RYCBAR123."
"How am I supposed to remember that?"
Cavern…
"Is it an evil spirit?" The monk asked.
"A woman." The Doctor said.
The monk crosses himself.
"Hang on." Clara said, her voice over the phone.
Clara's room…
"A mo. Run you clever boys and remember one two three…" Clara said.
Cavern…
The Doctor and Jared do remember.
"What did you say?" The Doctor asked.
Clara's room…
"Don't shout. I didn't know you had a friend nearby. Now he's made me type it wrong. It's thrown me out again. What do I do? How do I get back in?" Clara asked, clicking on the symbols wifi, and lots more pop up.
The local red line whizzes up the road.
Somewhere…
"It's just a thing to remember the password, run you clever boys and remember. Hang on." Clara said, on screen.
Clara leaves her screen amongst the masses of frantic people.
(Jared's POV)
Maitland home…
"Hello? Yes, I hear you." Clara said.
Someone is frantically hammering on the door and ringing the bell.
Mami decided to stay inside the TARDIS kitchen to bake some sweets for me and the rest of the Holy Quintet later.
Kyoko is in the entertainment room of the TARDIS with Sayaka to watch some movies together.
"Yep. Ah ha." Clara said, and she opened the door to the Doctor, Madoka, Homura, and I. "Hello."
"Was this how you two met?" I asked, telepathically.
"Which version of us?" Homura asked, telepathically.
"Was it when Homura was all moe? Or when I was?" Madoka asked, telepathically.
"You." I said, telepathically.
"Right. Homura was so cool. Or she became that."
"I had to protect you." Homura said, telepathically.
"Which is what I'll do with Clara." I said, telepathically. "I can't lose her."
"And you won't. Not with a fiber of your being."
"Yup. Clara's mine. And Madoka is yours."
"Could I what?" Clara asked.
"Could you just ask me that question again?" The Doctor asked.
"Doctor who?"
"Okay, just once more."
"Doctor who?"
"Ooo, yeah. Ooo. Do you know, I never realised how much I enjoy hearing that said out loud. Thank you."
"Okay." Clara said, shutting the door on the Doctor, Madoka, Homura, and I.
"Hey, no, Clara, please. Clara, I need to talk to you. Listen. Please."
Outside the Maitland home / TARDIS kitchen…
I took out my phone and immediately called Mami Tomoe, me getting a bit bored,
"Mami?" I asked.
Mami was busy baking a red velvet cake for me, knowing it's one of my favorite flavors, "Yes. How is it going with Clara?"
"She doesn't know me or the Doctor."
"Of course she doesn't." Kyoko said, entering the kitchen. "Red velvet? Seriously?"
"I like cocoa powder, vinegar, and buttermilk."
"You really want the red color, huh." Sayaka said, standing behind Kyoko. "I was watching Gawr Gura play BanG Dream. She's amazing with rhythm games."
"I know, right?" I asked. "What else were you watching with Kyoko?"
"Oh, the PowerPuff Girls."
"Which one?"
"Don't worry. It's not the live action one."
"The PowerPuff Girls and live action doesn't mix." Kyoko said, placing a Pocky in her mouth.
"Tell me about it. The original version was the best."
"PowerPuff Girls Z was also good." Madoka said, happily. "The ending!"
"Where Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup get their powers back."
"Too bad it ended on a cliffhanger." Kyoko said. "Things would have been simple if it was like that."
"I agree. Our story doesn't have a happy ending." Homura said.
Maitland home…
"Clara, we need to speak with you." I said, on screen.
Clara turns on the door intercom.
"Why are the four of you still here? Why are you here at all?" Clara asked.
"Clara, you phoned us. You were looking for the internet." I said, on screen.
"That was you?"
Outside the Maitland home…
"Yeah, that was me. I love helping people, okay?" I asked, grabbing Madoka's hand.
"How did the four of you get here so fast?" Clara asked, her voice over the comms.
Maitland home…
"Well, we happen to be in the neighborhood, on his mobile phone." I said, looking over at the TARDIS.
"When you say mobile phone, why do you point at that blue box?" Clara asked.
"It's a surprisingly accurate description. I swear to god, my life is impossible and like a fairy tale sometimes." I said, on screen.
"Okay, we're finished now." Clara said.
"Oi, no, don't." The Doctor said, his voice nearby.
There is the creak of a floorboard then a door closing upstairs.
"Angie? Angie, you upstairs? Angie, you still here?" Clara asked, while a young girl walks down the stairs. The young girl from the cover of the book. "Hello."
"Hello." The girl said.
"Are you a friend of Angie's?" Clara asked.
"I'm a friend of Angie's."
"What were you doing upstairs?"
"I was upstairs."
"I know you, don't I?"
"You know me, don't you."
Clara remembers, then the girl starts to turn her head. It goes around 180 degrees to reveal a concave metallic back to her skull. And it's a spoonhead.
Tardis…
"Right. Don't be monks. Monks are not cool." The Doctor said, going to the cabinets below the time rotor and starting throwing garments around.
I took out a spray from my pocket and pressed it on my clothes to turn it from the monk clothes to wearing a red hoodie and a pair of jeans.
"Hey." Kyoko said, walking up to me. "What did I miss?"
"Clara locked us out." I said, happily. "Contemporary clothing. Yours works best."
"Like hell. Looking like Oriru. Come on, Jared, Mami. Let's go to Clara's."
Mami is standing behind me carrying a bag filled with desserts. The Doctor finds his fez, then changes into a white shirt and knee length coat. The bow tie is in a wooden box.
Outside the Maitland home…
"Ah ha! Clara! Clara?" The Doctor asked.
"Hello?" Clara asked, her voice nearby.
"Ah, see? Look, it's me and Jared. De-monked. Sensible clothes. Can we come in now?" The Doctor asked.
"I don't understand."
"Clara, open the door." I said, grabbing Kyoko's hand.
"I don't know."
Maitland home…
"Of course you can." I said, happily.
Outside the Maitland home…
"Where I am. I don't know where I am. Where am I? Please tell me where I am. I don't know where I am." Clara said, her voice nearby.
The Doctor sonicks his way in with Mami, Kyoko, and I behind him.
Maitland home…
"I don't know where I am. I don't know where I am!" Clara said, her voice nearby.
"The hell?!" Kyoko exclaimed, looking down at Clara's body.
Clara is lying unconscious on the floor.
"Why can we still hear her?" Mami asked.
"Clara? Clara?" The Doctor asked.
"I don't know where I am. I don't know where I am. I don't understand. I don't know where I am! I don't understand. I don't know where I am." Clara said, as she is visible in the spoonhead's dish. "Where am I? I don't know where I am."
"Doctor, sonic it! Hurry!" I said, looking over at the Doctor.
The Doctor raises his sonic screwdriver.
"62%. Thank goodness!" I said, happily. "We still have time."
Under the sonic onslaught, the girl turns into a metal robot.
"Walking base station. Walking wifi base station. Hoovering up data. Hoovering up people." The Doctor said.
Clara's room…
I ran upstairs to Clara's room, I closed her laptop and took it with me.
"Oh no, you don't. I didn't want a combination of this." I said, squeezing Clara's laptop from breaking.
Maitland home…
Downstairs, I type in rapid commands.
"Oh no, you don't. Not like this! Where it's Magical Girls who made a contract with the Incubators. Along with being stuck on Sword Art Online." I said, looking over at Mami and Kyoko.
"Why would someone do that?" Mami asked.
"Because they can."
"So, I hate being a Magical Girl." Kyoko said, angrily.
"I know." I said, sadly. "Which is why I'm trying to save Clara from having the same fate. Right now, her body is dead. Oh, no, no, no, no, no. Not this time, Clara, you're not gonna end up like Magical Girls and the SAO survivors, traumatized and filled with survivor's guilt, I promise."
The battle of the gibberish continues.
"You must really love her." Mami said, looking at me.
"I do. And done." I said, while a stream of energy from the mobile base station goes into Clara's head and she wakes up. "Okay. It's okay, it's okay. You're fine. You're back. Yes, you are. Oh yes, you are."
(Open POV)
Kizlet's office…
Night. Miss Kizlet is pacing when Mahler enters.
"Well?" Kizlet asked.
"Our hacker sent a message." Mahler said, bringing it up on the big wall screen. UNDER OUR PROTECTION - The Doctor and Jared. "I assume they're talking about the girl."
"Get out. I have to speak to the client." Kizlet said, as Mahler leaves. Miss Kizlet changes channels on the screen. "Sir. The people you told me about, they're here. The Doctor and Jared are here."
Outside the Maitland home…
While Clara sleeps, Jared Doctor puts a glass and jug of water on her bedside table, then some flowers in a mug. No water for them.
And finally, the Doctor puts an entire packet of jammy dodgers. He takes a bite out of one of them, and savours it.
Jared places a slice of Mami's cake along with a cup of tea for Clara to drink on Clara's bedside table too.
"Man, I love traveling." Jared said, smiling. "Soon, you'll be able to do it too, my Impossible Girl. My Clara."
Then the Doctor and Jared spot an old book - 101 Places To See - which she has had since she was 9 years old. She is now at least 24. Inside the first page is a pressed maple leaf.
"She will be your girlfriend." Sayaka said, entering the room. "Gross! Don't do that, Doctor!"
The Doctor tastes the leaf, then puts it and the book back and leaves the room with Jared and Sayaka.
"Come on, Sayaka! Let's sit down and relax." Jared said, happily.
Clara wakes, sees the half eaten biscuit and sits up. She looks out of the little attic window, down to where the Doctor, Jared, and Sayaka have set up chairs and tables outside the Tardis, and the Doctor is using her laptop.
"With Clara by your side, you could become like me again." Sayaka said, telepathically.
The Doctor has what is either a gizmo or partly disassembled spoonhead in front of him.
"I know. I know. But then again, Pit has taken my place. Mostly. Well, for now. I'll have your place again." Jared said, telepathically.
"Hello?" Clara asked.
"Hi! Are you okay?" Jared asked, looking up at Clara.
"I'm in bed."
"Yup! You are."
"Don't remember going."
"Nope. You shouldn't."
"What did I miss?" Clara asked.
"Oh, quite a lot, actually. Angie called. She's going to stay over at Nina's. Apparently that's all completely fine and you shouldn't worry like you always do. For god's sake get off her back. Also, your dad phoned, mainly about the government. He seems very cross with them, I've got several pages on that. I said I'd look into it. I fixed that rattling noise in the washing machine, indexed the kitchen cupboards, optimised photosynthesis in the main flower bed and assembled a quadricycle." The Doctor said, reading through a lot of notes.
"Assembled a what?"
"I found a disassembled quadricycle in the garage."
"I don't think you did."
"I invented the quadricycle. Ha!"
"What happened to me?" Clara asked.
"What do you remember?" Jared asked.
"I was scared, really scared. Didn't know where I was."
"Do you know where you are now?"
"Yes."
"Well, you should get some sleep. You're safe now. You have a Doctor and two allies of justices protecting you, I promise. Goodnight, Clara." Jared said, grabbing Sayaka's hand.
"Are the three of you guarding me?" Clara asked.
"Yes, we are."
"Are you three seriously going to sit down there all night?"
"I promise we won't move from this spot."
"Well then, I'll have to come to the three of you."
"What?" Sayaka asked. "What does she mean by that?"
"Oh, more like Clara has entered our lives." Jared said, squeezing Sayaka's hand.
"You've said you knew Clara since this year, right?"
"Yeah. I have. She reminds me so much of Madoka. In the here and now."
Clara brings a chair out, and four mugs.
"I like your house." Sayaka said.
"It isn't mine. I'm a friend of the family." Clara said.
"You look after the kids. Aren't you a governess just like…" Jared said, thinking about Victorian Clara.
"Just like what?"
"Just like. I thought you would be…"
"Are one of you going to explain what happened to me?" Clara asked.
"There's something in the wifi." Sayaka said, sadly.
"Okay."
"This whole world is swimming in wifi. We're living in a wifi soup. Suppose something got inside it. Suppose there was something living in the wifi, harvesting human minds. Extracting them. Imagine that. Human souls trapped like flies in the world-wide web. Stuck forever, crying out for help." The Doctor said.
"Aren't those basically Magical Girls that have made contracts with the Incubators? Or basically Twitter?" Clara asked.
The Doctor clicks on her wifi list. All the sets of symbols pop up.
"How does she know about Magical Girls?" Sayaka asked, telepathically.
"What are those faces for?" Clara asked.
"A computer can hack another computer. A living, sentient computer, maybe that could hack people. Edit them. Re-write them." The Doctor said.
"Why would you say that?"
"A few hours ago, you didn't know anything about the internet. And you just made a joke about Twitter and Magical Girls. Magical Girls are kept hidden from the public eye, but they show up from time to time." Jared said, squeezing Sayaka's hand.
"Oh. Oh, that's weird. I know all about computers and the Magical Girl system now in my head. Where did all that come from?" Clara asked.
"I think you were uploaded for a while." Sayaka said.
"Wherever you were, you brought something extra back, which we very much doubt you'll be allowed to keep." The Doctor said.
There is a man standing very still by a lamp post across the road.
"The four of us inside that box, right now." Jared said, looking at the TARDIS.
"I'm sorry?" Clara asked.
"Look, just get inside, Clara."
"All of us?"
"Trust me. You'll understand what's going on once we're in there."
"I bet I will. What is that box, anyway? Why have you got a box? Is it like a snogging booth?"
"A what? No! It's not like that! Well, it was with the Ponds."
"Is that what the two of you do, bring a booth? There is such a thing as too keen." Clara said, smiling.
Bedroom lights start to go on in the street.
"Clara, look around you." Sayaka said, with Jared squeezing her hand.
"What's going on? What's happening? Is the wifi switching on the lights?" Clara asked.
"No, people are switching on the lights. The wifi is switching on the people."
The head on the man across the road turns around.
"Shit. A Spoonhead." Jared said, frowning.
"What is that thing?" Clara asked.
"A walking base station. You saw one earlier." The Doctor said.
"I saw a little girl."
"It must have taken an image from your subconscious, thrown it back at you. Ah! Active camouflage. They could be everywhere." The Doctor said.
"Doctor? Jared? Doctor. Jared." Clara said, as the lights behind the house are going out. "What's going on?"
"Damn. This is incredibly bad! I hate this part." Jared said, angrily.
"Our lights are on and everyone else's off. Why?" Clara asked.
A distant droning in the air.
"Some planes have wifi." Sayaka said, letting out a sigh. "Oh no."
"I'm sorry?" Clara asked.
"We must be one hell of a target right now." Jared said.
Lights appear in the sky, approaching rapidly.
"You, me, Jared, Sayaka, box, right now." The Doctor said.
(Jared's POV)
Tardis…
"Yes, it's a spaceship. Yes, it's bigger on the inside. Now, I don't have time to talk about it." The Doctor said, flicking switches on the TARDIS console.
"But, but, but, but it's…" Clara said, at a loss for words.
"Shut up, please. Short hops are difficult." The Doctor said.
"...bigger on the inside. Actually bigger."
"Yup, it is, Clara." I said, smiling. "Let's go, Clara, Sayaka!"
"We're going to go back out there?" Clara asked.
"We moved from the suburbs. We're in a spaceship. We flew away." Sayaka said.
"Away from the plane?"
"Um. Not really. Sorry!" I said, grabbing Sayaka's hand.
Aeroplane…
On a downward trajectory.
"How did we get here?" Clara asked.
"It's a ship. Jared told you. It's all very sciency." The Doctor said, angrily.
"This is the plane? The actual plane? Are they all dead?"
"They're asleep. Their souls are separated from their bodies for the time being. The WiFi shut them off. Ignore them!" I said, squeezing Sayaka's hand.
The Doctor sonicks his way into the cockpit.
"What is going on? Is this real? Please, tell me what is happening!" Clara said, terrified.
"I'm the Doctor. I'm an alien from outer space. I'm a thousand years old, I've got two hearts and I can't fly a plane! Can you?" The Doctor asked, looking at Clara.
"No." Clara said.
"How about you, Sayaka?" I asked, looking at Sayaka.
"Nope." Sayaka said, sadly.
"Neither can I." I said, looking at Clara and Sayaka. "Okay. Let's do it together."
We manage to get the plane's nose up enough to skim over the roof tops and back up into the air.
"Phew. That was a close one." Sayaka said, telepathically.
The pilots start to wake.
"Yeah. They would have died. And it could have wiped Chiswick off the map." I said, telepathically.
"Whoo! Would a victory roll be too showy offy?" The Doctor asked.
"What the hell's going on?" A pilot asked.
"Well, I'm blocking your wifi so you're waking up, for a start. Tell you what, do you want to drive?"
"Come on, Clara!" I said, pulling Clara away from the cockpit. "Let them get to Heathrow Airport."
Tardis…
"Okay. When are you lot going to explain to me what the hell is going on?" Clara asked.
"Breakfast." I said, leaning against the TARDIS console.
"What? I ain't waiting till breakfast."
"It's a time machine. You never have to wait for breakfast."
South bank…
The Doctor, Clara, Sayaka, and I exit to a round of applause from passers by.
"Thank you, thank you. Yes, magic blue box." The Doctor said, holding out the fez. "All donations gratefully accepted. Roll up, give us your dosh. Pennies, pounds, anything you've got."
"What are we gonna do now?" Sayaka asked, telepathically.
"Sayaka, how do you feel about hopping from building to building in London?" I asked, telepathically.
The Doctor hands the fez over to Clara.
"Not that good to be honest." Sayaka said, telepathically.
"Keep collecting. We need enough for breakfast. Just popping back to the garage." The Doctor said.
"Garage?" Clara asked.
Tardis…
The Doctor grabs Clara's laptop and he heads off into the bowels of the Tardis with me.
"This way." The Doctor said.
South bank…
"So this is tomorrow, then. Tomorrow's come early." Clara said, as the Doctor comes out of the Tardis on a Triumph motorbike.
I'm wearing my necklace that has summoned my fairy wings from ALFheim online and I decided to carry Sayaka Miki from falling down to the ground. Well, the moment I flew up into the air, holding Sayaka strongly.
"No, it came at the usual time. We just took a short cut. Thank you, thank you. Tomorrow, a camel." The Doctor said, emptying the fez and puts it on a nearby head.
A Japanese tourist takes a photograph of his lady friend with the Tardis in the background.
"Flying through London." Sayaka said, telepathically.
"Yup." I said, telepathically. "You didn't want to do it the Magical Girl way. So, I thought…"
"You would do it the Avengers way."
Motorcycle…
The Doctor and Clara are wearing helmets suitable for the age of the bike. I'm flying in the sky and holding Sayaka's free hand, as she told me that she doesn't want to hop from building to building in London.
"If you've got a flying time machine, why are we on a motorbike? And why is Jared flying in the air carrying Sayaka?" Clara asked.
"The Doctor doesn't take the TARDIS into battle, it's too much of a risk." I said, happily.
"Because it's made of wood?"
"Because it's the most powerful ship in the universe and I don't want it falling into the wrong hands. Okay?" The Doctor asked.
"Sayaka? How does a coffee shop sound?" I asked, coming off of Westminster Bridge with the Doctor and Clara on the motorcycle below. "Doctor! Clara! Try and keep up with us!"
Rooftop terrace…
Lovely view of St Paul's Cathedral dome with Tower 42 just beyond it.
"So if we can travel anywhere in time and space, why did we travel to the morning. What's the point in that?" Clara asked.
"Whoever is after us spent the whole night looking for us. Are you tired?" Sayaka asked.
"Yes."
"What? Well, imagine how they feel, my Impossible Girl. They came the long way around. They spent around twelve hours without sleeping." I said, sipping on a cappuccino.
"They've got to be close. Definitely London going by the signal distribution. I can hack the lowest level of their operating system but I can't establish a physical location. The security's too good." The Doctor said, looking down at the laptop.
And there is the Shard over Clara and Sayaka's shoulder.
"So, Miss Miki, how's your lover?" I asked, telepathically.
"Kyoko or Kyosuke?" Sayaka asked, telepathically.
"Both."
"Haven't you watched my story? Kyosuke has Hitomi. And I love Kyoko."
"Wait, if you love Kyoko. Doesn't that mean…"
"That you cherish the Doctor? Well, yeah. It is kind of obvious."
"Obvious. How?" I asked, telepathically.
"Come on, you protect the Earth like you're the Doctor. You've been traveling with him for eight years. You literally spend a lot of time with him when he is in his bow tie incarnation." Sayaka said, telepathically.
"So what? He's my first Doctor. And my favorite incarnation of him."
"Lake Silencio and now Trenzalore. You're going the long way for both."
"Well, duh. I want to spend as much time with Team RWBY."
"Who you miss a lot."
"Yeah…" I said, telepathically.
"See them after Trenzalore. Especially if it's your first visit there. Who knows, they might be alive and well." Sayaka said, telepathically.
"Gimme." Clara said, grabbing the laptop.
I grabbed it back from Clara, "Sorry. What?"
"You need to know where they physically are. Their exact location." Clara said, looking at me.
"Yup. I can't remember everything, Clara." I said, gripping the laptop hard.
"I can do it."
"Wait, hang on. I need that!"
"The Doctor has hacked the lower operating system, yeah? I'll have their physical location in under five minutes. Pop off and get us a coffee with the Doctor." Clara said.
"If the Doctor can't find them, Clara. You definitely can't." I said, sadly.
"They uploaded me, remember? I've got computing stuff in my head."
"So do I."
"I have insane hacking skills."
"I'm from another universe and the future that went monster hunting with fairy tales back in the day."
"And I can find them in under five minutes plus photographs. Fairy tales?"
"Yup. They were amazing."
"Coffee, go get. Five minutes, I promise." Clara said, smiling.
"The security is an independent source and impenetrable." I said, frowning.
"It's never about the security, it's about the people." Clara said, while her fingers are a blur on the keyboard. "Why do you keep looking at me like that?"
"You saving people like that. Well, you're a nanny. Isn't that the Victorian way of doing things?"
"Victorian?"
"Clara, we're around the same age. Wouldn't you want to go to clubs and have drunk karaoke sessions?"
"You mean with you, for instance? Down, boy."
"No. No. I didn't. Shut up."
I decided to leave Sayaka with Clara as I felt like that was the safe solution for this part of the adventure. I don't want to lose my classical music Magical Girl and my Impossible Girl, not one bit.
Mostly because I adore Clara Oswald and I cherish Sayaka Miki. I may have known Sayaka in less time, but I've known Clara for much longer. Beauty of being a fanboy that watches the multiverse on and off.
(Open POV)
Coffee shop…
"Four more cappuccinos over there, please." The Doctor said.
"And can I have mine in white chocolate mocha sauce? If you have it."
"One moment, sir." The barista said, while there is a flicker of light offscreen. "You realise you haven't the slightest chance of saving your little friend."
"What? Can you repeat that?" Jared asked.
"One moment, sir. I said, there's not the slightest chance of saving your little friend. And don't annoy the old man. He isn't, in fact, speaking." The barista said.
Flicker of light.
"I'm speaking. Just using whatever's to hand." The waitress said.
Miss Kizlet's office…
"Oh, she's rather pretty, isn't she? Do you like her?" Kizlet asked.
Coffee shop…
"Make her like you, too, like the girl that loves classical music, if you want." The waitress said, flickering. "You all right, sir?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Come on, Spaceman!" Jared said, looking over at the Doctor.
The Doctor and Jared run back outside.
Rooftop terrace…
Clara is typing into a DOS box on her screen. Sayaka is looking at the view of London and is in awe of seeing it from this angle.
"Clara, are you okay?" Jared asked, looking at Clara.
"Sure." Clara said.
"How about you, Sayaka?"
"I'm fine." Sayaka said, fixated on the view of London.
"I'm setting up stuff. Need a user name." Clara said.
"You're learning how to hack fast. No need for an artificial intelligence like Yui." Jared said, happily.
"Clara Oswald for the win. Oswin!" Clara said, excitedly.
"You can always call me Oswin, seeing as that's my name." Clara said, her voice in my head.
Coffee shop…
"Now I want you to take a look around. Go on, have a little stroll." The waitress said.
Miss Kizlet's office…
"And see how impossible your situation is." Kizlet said.
Coffee shop…
"Go on, take a look. I do love showing off." The waitress said.
"Just let me show you what control of the wifi can do for you. Stop!" A girl said.
Everyone in the coffee shop freezes.
"We saw what you can do last night. This is like a modern version of a Witch's kiss. Like hypnosis." Jared said, looking at the girl.
"And clear." The girl said.
Everyone leaves the shop.
"We can hack anyone in the wifi once they've been exposed long enough." A woman said, on TV.
"So there's one of your walking base stations here, somewhere close." The Doctor said.
Miss Kizlet's office…
"There's always someone close. We've released thousands into the world." Kizlet said.
Coffee shop…
"They home in on the wifi like Magical Girls hunting Witches and Familiars." The woman said, on TV.
Office…
Some of the webcams perched on the screens flash.
"There's something up with the webcams." Alexei said.
Clara has grabbed photographs of the workers.
Coffee shop…
"I don't know who you are or why you're doing this. Why you decided to combine Sword Art Online and Magical Girls. People being trapped in a server as binary code and separated from their bodies like they've got Soul Gems. The people of this world will not be harmed. They will not be controlled. They will not be…" Jared said, walking up to the TV.
"The people of this world are…" The woman said, on TV.
Miss Kizlet's office…
"...in no danger whatsoever. My client requires a steady diet of living human minds. Healthy, free-range, human minds. He loves and cares for humanity. Like the Law of Cycles, like Madoka Kaname who became a goddess to protect humanity because she loves and cares about it. In fact, my client can't get enough of it." Kizlet said.
Coffee shop…
"That's horrible! It's awful! It's murder!" Jared said, angrily.
"It's life." The woman said, on TV.
Miss Kizlet's office…
"The farmer tends his flock like a loving parent." Kizlet said.
Coffee shop…
"The abattoir is not a contradiction." The woman said, on TV.
Miss Kizlet's office…
"No one loves cattle more than Burger King." Kizlet said.
Rooftop terrace / Coffee shop…
"Sayaka, how are things going over there?" Jared asked, telepathically.
"Pretty good." Sayaka said, telepathically.
"Is Clara done?"
Clara puts the images into Face Match.
"I think so. She went on social media." Sayaka said, telepathically. "And linked it to a website called Face Match."
Amy Pickwoad is on Facebook for a start.
"She also linked up Face Match to Bebo, MySpace, Abo." Sayaka said, telepathically.
Christina Tom identified, and Sam Price.
"Oh, look at that." Clara said, looking over at Sayaka. "They mentioned where they worked."
They work at The Shard.
"The Shard?" Sayaka asked, telepathically.
Clara and Sayaka look over their shoulders.
"Beautiful London landmark. Love it." Jared said, telepathically.
Coffee shop…
"This will end. We're going to end this today." Jared said, grabbing the Doctor's hand.
"How? You don't even know…" The woman said, on TV.
Miss Kizlet's office…
"...where we are." Kizlet said.
Coffee shop...
"Who's doing this? Who is your client? Hmm? Answer me." The Doctor said, angrily.
"Tell us. Please! I want to save Clara so bad!" Jared said, squeezing the Doctor's hand.
Rooftop terrace…
The Doctor comes out of the coffee shop without Jared. Sayaka went back to overlooking the view of London.
"I did it. I really did. I did it. I did it. I found them." Clara said.
"You found them." The Doctor said.
"The Shard. They're in the Shard. Floor sixty five."
"Floor sixty five."
"Are you listening to me, Doctor? I found them."
"I'm listening to you. You found them." The Doctor said, and his head turns around to reveal that he is actually a walking base station.
Clara gets uploaded properly this time.
"Jared, they fully uploaded Clara." Sayaka said, telepathically.
(Jared's POV)
Rooftop terrace…
"Clara? Clara?" I asked, looking down at Clara.
"Doctor? Jared? Doctor, Jared, help me. I, I don't know where I am. I don't understand. Doctor, Jared, help me, please. I don't know where I am. I don't know where I am! I don't know where I am. Doctor, Jared, please. Please help me. Please help me. I don't know where I am. I don't know where I am." Clara said, her voice nearby.
The Doctor brandishes his sonic screwdriver. I held out my right hand for me to see a rainbow light and for Mjolnir to be in my grasp. I assume that Thor:The Dark World is happening and I temporarily took the hammer from the God of Thunder for a bit.
"Clara, I'm doing this for the good of everyone. Sayaka, keep an eye on her." I said, looking at Sayaka.
"On it." Sayaka said, smiling. "Come back safe. For us."
"I promise."
"Let's hope that there aren't any Witches nearby."
London…
The Doctor is on his motorbike, and I am using the hammer to be my flying mechanism, as the two of us are speeding across a bridge, but not London Bridge, which would have been the quickest way from St Pauls. Instead, it is Westminster Bridge again. The people at the Sharx follow our progress via the cameras.
"Sayaka, we're almost there." I said, telepathically.
"Good. Clara's still sleeping." Sayaka said, telepathically.
Outside The Shard…
"Really, Doctor. A motorbike? Hardly seems like you. And Mjolnir? Really, Jared. Using the God of Thunder's weapon?" The man with chips asked.
"I rode this in the antigrav Olympics, 2074. I came last." The Doctor said.
"And I'm still getting used to using Mjolnir." I said, holding the hammer with dignity.
"The building is in lock-down. I'm afraid the two of you are not coming in." The man with chips said.
"Did you even hear the word, antigrav?" The Doctor asked, pressing a big red button on the fuel tank and roars away.
I used my thoughts to aim Mjolnir towards the Shard, out of love for Clara and to protect humanity as a whole from the Great Intelligence.
"Man, I love this hammer." I said, telepathically. "I won't need it after this."
"But it suits you!" Sayaka said, telepathically.
The Doctor and I are driving up the side of the glass building. The Time Lord gets out the screwdriver, and there is the sound of breaking glass.
"No, it suits Thor and Captain America." I said, telepathically. "I don't know how I'm worthy of Mjolnir."
"Maybe because it sees you for trying to protect the greater good. Even if you suffered a lot." Sayaka said, telepathically.
Miss Kizlet's office…
The motorbike is lying amongst broken glass, the Doctor has his feet up on Miss Kizlet's desk, and I'm leaning against the wall and Thor summoned Mjolnir, wherever he is and I lost the hammer for the time being.
"Do come in." Kizlet said.
"Download her." I said, looking at Kizlet.
"Sorry about the draught."
"Download her back into her body right now."
"I can't."
"Yes, you can."
"She's a fully integrated part of the data cloud, now. She can't be separated." Kizlet said.
"Then download the entire cloud. Everyone you've trapped in there."
"You realise what would happen?"
"Yes, those with bodies to go home to would be free. That's what happened in a similar situation on November 6th, 2022 to November 7th, 2024."
"A tiny number. Most would simply die." Kismet said, angrily.
"They'd be released from a living hell. And in the future, it happened in a virtual reality game called Sword Art Online. For the here and now, you can make it less painless than that. It's the best you can do for them, so give the order." I said, thinking about Kirito, Asuna, Klein, Agil, Silica, Eiji, Yuna, and Lisbeth.
"And why would I do that?"
"Because I'm going to motivate you, any second now."
"You ridiculous men. Why did the both of you even come here? Whatever for?" Kizlet asked.
"I didn't. Only Jared did." The Doctor said.
"What?"
"I'm still in the cafe with Sayaka Miki."
Rooftop terrace...
"I'm finishing my coffee. Lovely spot." The Doctor said.
Miss Kizlet's office…
"You hack people, but me?" The base station asked.
Rooftop terrace…
"I'm old-fashioned like Kazuto Kirigaya." The Doctor said.
Miss Kizlet's office…
"We hack technology." The base station said.
Rooftop terrace…
"Here's your motivation." I said, on the laptop screen.
Miss Kizlet's office…
The base station removes the leather helmet and turns its head around.
Miss Kizlet cowers, "No, not me! Not me!"
A bright light flashes out from the Shard.
Office…
I opened the door and peeked my head into the office space that had all of the people uploaded to the server that's on this floor of the Shard.
"Put me back. Put me back! Download me at once! That is an order. That is an order!" Kizlet said, on screen.
"But she's fully integrated now. We'll have to download the entire cloud. We can't do that." Alexei said.
"No, we can't." Mahler said.
"Download me!" Kizlet said, on screen.
I re-entered Kizlet's office and closed the door to see the base station return its face to the front. I picked up Miss Kizlet's iPad and selected Mahlet's profile. I upped Mahler's obedience to maximum, as I wanted everyone uploaded to this floor's server to be reversed and saved by going back to their bodies. I'm not having Sword Art Online happen nine years early.
"Download me!" Kizlet said, on screen.
"Do what she says." Mahler said.
Alexei obeys, and the faces disappear from the small screens on the back wall. Around the world, the wifi changes from red to blue.
(Open POV)
Rooftop terrace…
Clara breathes deep in her sleep, "Doctor? Jared?"
The Doctor and Sayaka leave, and she wakes up.
"Doctor? Jared? Doctor! Jared!" Clara said.
London…
"Jared, you did it." Sayaka said, walking up to Jared for a hug. "Did you call UNIT?"
"No, I didn't." Jared said, as he didn't want to let go of Sayaka Miki. "Who did?"
"I did." Madoka said, telepathically. "I had to! I couldn't let those people not go back to their families."
"Madoka Kaname, you do remind me of Clara Oswald. All that sadness, your anger, and your kindness. No wonder Homura Akemi is clingy to you. Desperate at times."
"I heard that." Homura said, telepathically.
"I think he knows." Mami said, telepathically. "Which is why he said it."
"Yup." Jared said, as Sayaka lets him go.
"What will we do afterwards?" Kyoko asked, telepathically. "Are we gonna go straight home?"
"No. You're not. Not yet at least."
"How come?" Madoka asked, telepathically. "Don't you want us home?"
"After a day like today. Yes." Jared said, sadly.
"Then why aren't you?" Homura asked, telepathically.
"Because you guys are the closest I have to Team RWBY."
"Really? Is that all you got?" Kyoko asked.
"Yes!" Jared said, angrily.
"Geez! Don't shout!"
"Sorry. It's just that I miss them a lot. It's been months, Red Person."
"They could still be alive, right?" Sayaka asked, looking at Jared.
Tardis...
At the Maitland home, Clara sees the Tardis outside the window. She goes and knocks on the door. Jared decided to tell the Doctor to drop the Puella Magi Holy Quintet home, knowing that they still have Witches to hunt before him and the Doctor wanted to see Clara.
"Come in." Jared said, drinking some bubble tea.
"So, they come back, do they?" Clara asked.
"We do. I always come back, because I love my friends. My family. Anyway, you didn't answer my question."
"What question?"
"You don't seem like a nanny."
"I was going to travel. I came to stay for a week before I left, and during that week…" Clara said, sadly.
"She died, so you're returning the favour. You've got a hundred and one places to see, and you haven't been to any of them, have you? That's why you keep the book." The Doctor said.
"I keep the book because I'm still going."
"But you don't run out on the people you care about like what Jared does. Wish I was more like that."
"Clara, the thing about a time machine is that it's awesome. This is the best ship in the universe. You can run away all you like and still be home in time for tea. What do you say, my Impossible Girl?" Jared asked.
"Anywhere. All of time and space, right outside those doors." The Doctor said, looking at Clara.
"Does this work?" Clara asked.
"Eh?"
"Is this actually what the both of you do? Do you just crook your finger and people just jump in your snog box and fly away?"
"It is not a snog box." The Doctor said, angrily.
"I'll be the judge of that."
"Starting when?"
"Come back tomorrow. Ask me again." Clara said, happily.
"Why?" Jared asked. "Why should we do that?"
"Because tomorrow, I might say yes. Sometime after seven okay for you two?"
"It's a time machine. Any time is okay."
"See you then, Doctor, Jared." Clara said.
"Clara? In your book there was a leaf. Why?" The Doctor asked.
"That wasn't a leaf. That was page one." Clara said.
Clara leaves.
"This is where the adventure begins." Jared said, leaning against the TARDIS console.
"Right then, Clara Oswald. Time to find out who you are." The Doctor said, as he sets the time rotor going.
"And on the side, I have to help out Lady Palutena."
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