Nexus. Question Square. Time Lord Christmas Part 2

[dens_extra_pups]

Continued from here.

((Warning: Doctor embarrassment.))



Spoilers: *buzzes the Doctor*

Doctor: *startled sound*

Professor Song: *snerk, hand over her mouth to hide her grin*

Spoilers: *strafing run with no strafe!*

Cow: *snort*

Professor Song: *behind her hand* If your children are anything like the one Spoilers is playing with...

Blackout: *glances over, and shows a clip of Dreadnought singing 'Let it Go'*

Professor Song: ... *facepalm*

Blackout: *Sparta punted and running back to taunt some more* *Hormah speaking Newfoundland English very fast as she wrestles with an orange raptor wearing a tire* *Requiem and Sparky fighting Tyraborg* *Pink showing her pinkers from Kid's back* *Sheol sitting and reading to Oscar* *Mouse cooking organic cookies as Steve the black bio-viper helps* *Apoleia taping Toyrt-Mow to the wall* *Deherree in dragon mode blow torching someone* *Whiteout kissing some poor Ultra Magnus stupid* *Nemesis polishing the bar with a rag while holding her son on her shoulder with the other hand* *Mini-Constructicons Doozering out down in a side canyon*

Professor Song: *quietly* Your family is a big one...

Doctor: *where he's now hanging onto Cow's tusk and is upside down to avoid Spoilers* Any siblings?

Blackout: *looks down* What?

Doctor: You've quite a few children. Do you have any siblings?

Blackout: *snort* You think that because I collect brats I must have come from a big batch?

Doctor: Siblings aren't always the ones you share parents with.

Blackout: There were no parents when I was built. But Jetfire's my brother. *nods toward the harbour* That's him singing.

Doctor: *looks that way* Huh. I fancied it was a pub.

Professor Song: ... He sounds like he's from London in the twentieth century.

Blackout: He just liked the dialect. He's older than I am.

Professor Song: ... *snerk*

Doctor: *Look for Professor Song* Oh, don't even.

Blackout: *gives them both a quizzical scowl from that beautiful and alien face*

Professor Song: Even with this being his newest regeneration, he's still older than me. *gives the Doctor a smirk*

Doctor: *grumpy now*

Blackout: *another snort* My new husband's a few vorns younger than me. And he's still older than Earth.

Professor Song: ... *brows up* Oh?

Blackout: Yup. *checks on Whirl*

Whirl: *curled around belly in her blanket* *sleeping quietly, and starting to drool*

Blackout: *pokes her so she knows she's not alone, then looks back down at the Professor*

Professor Song: *clearly just starting to realize just how long-lived Cybertronians can be*

Blackout: *sees this and snerks. Then tells the woman how old Jetfire is in Earth years, and how old she herself is*

Professor Song: *very surprised!*

Doctor: ...That's *very big number* times as old as I am.

Spoilers: *enthusiastically* Yes yes yes yes yes!

Blackout: *amusement* And you were telling me and Jazz how to reconnoitre.

Doctor: And I feel foolish for it.

Blackout: *still amused as she glances toward the TARDIS, which just popped out of the ground and is sitting pretty*

Doctor: *attention going that way, very soft scoff*

Blackout: The Backwater likes to be tidy. *voice holds slightly mocking amusement*

Spoilers: Yes!

Doctor: A little warning next time would be nice.

Blackout: In your dreams, old man. *pauses slightly* Someone wants to talk to you.

Doctor: *confused frown* About what?

Blackout: *hands him an Ocular Rift* Ask him yourself.

Doctor: *as he moves to put the device on his head* Why do you have one of these?

Blackout: I just made it. Why? Don't like that model?

Spoilers: *sits on his master's head*

Doctor: Goodness, no. I was just wondering. *lowering the device so he can look to see who wanted to talk to him* *curious sound as he finds himself in a straggling hamlet made from bits and scraps*

dog: *German Shepherd in body armour, with a bright and intelligent face* *will stop and bark at the stranger from where he'd been loitering on the doorstep of one of the houses*

Doctor: *slight start, looks around to assess his surroundings*

area: *deserty. Hamlet is surrounded by a wall of broken, rusted cars and spiny bushes. To one side five men and women are giving him quizzical looks from a patch overrun with gigantic pumpkin vines and bush-like nightshade plants*

dog: *barks again*

voice: *man calls from inside the house* Here now, Dog, what've you found now? Hey?

Doctor: *surprised sound*

ginger-haired man: *out onto the step and glances at the dog, then turns his attention to what the animal's looking at* *frown* ...Doctor? Have you done it again?

Doctor: *very surprised now* Brigadier General.

Brigadier Steward: *looks much younger than when the Doctor last saw him, but the shrewed eyes are the same, as is the gruff smile* Don't just stand there, man. Come in and have a seat. Don't mind the dog.

dog: *quizzical sound*

Brigadier Stewart: *already turning to go back into the house* Heel, Dogmeat.

Dogmeat: *Hokay!*

Doctor: *can't help but headshake at that, will move to follow the Brigadier General* Who named the dog?

Brigadier Stewart: Whoever originally made the video game that this simulation is based on. *nods toward a hide and metal chair even as he flops into a second one hung with a black sheep skin*

Dogmeat: *flops down by master feets and rests his chin on his own legs* *then lifts one eyebrow and the other*

Doctor: I see. *will move to sit in the offered chair*

Brigadier Stewart: *studies him for a moment, those shrewed eyes thoughtful* So you've met the Warlady.

Doctor: Several times, though this is the first time I've seen her as she should be.

Brigadier Stewart: As she should be?

Doctor: The first time I met her, she was human.

Brigadier Stewart: *slight frown* Was that a virtual meeting?

Doctor: *headshake* No, it was during the Easter Uprising.

Brigadier Stewart: *sits up slightly, his puzzled and interested frown increasing* I knew she wasn't human, but I'd been under the impression that she wasn't from the old reality.

Doctor: She can travel between realities, it seems. *yes, he asked about that once*

Brigadier Stewart: Ah. *absently reaches down to smooth the pointed ears that just rose up past the arm of his chair* I'm not surprised. *shakes his head slightly and gives a slight snort* But what about you? How many times have you done this since I remember last meeting you? *gestures, and then returns his hand to the dog's head*

Doctor: Counting this face... It's been about nine times, now.

Brigadier Stewart: *shakes his head, gruff compassion showing on this younger face* Do you ever get tired?

Doctor: *seriously* Don't you?

Brigadier Stewart: *quietly* My battle's over.

Doctor: I wouldn't call this over, Brigadier General.

Brigadier Stewart: *snorts and leans back* Brigadier General Lethbridge Stewart is dead. I'm just the leftover memories found in the skull of a Cyberman. I'll never affect the living world again.

Doctor: *quietly* You're not dead. Even if there's only a shred of memory left that lives on, then no, you are not dead, Brigadier General Lethbridge Stewart.

Brigadier Stewart: *snort*

Dogmeat: *quizzical look for Master*

Doctor: *seriously* I have seen things that should not be possible, I have fought battles you can't even begin to imagine...

Brigadier Stewart: You'd be surprised what I can imagine. *gestures to their surroundings* This isn't the only world that we inhabit. And this isn't the first lifetime that I've spent since the Warlady put us here.

Doctor: *quietly* At least she gave you a place to call home.

Brigadier Stewart: *quiet chuckle* This is my hunting camp. It must be force of habit that we need to eat, but for all the inhospitality of this area, it's swarming with eatable big game. *glances at the window as fire whooshes past and raises his voice slightly* Codsworth, leave those flies alone.

Dogmeat: *wants to woof, but won't*

Codsworth: *snappy and snarky reply*

Brigadier Stewart: *stern snap* You heard me! Stand down!

Codsworth: *grumbling fades away*

Brigadier Stewart: *turns back to the Doctor* Blasted machine.

Doctor: Well, that makes two of us who have acquaintances who are temperamental...

Brigadier Stewart: *snort* He's just full of himself.

Doctor: And the TARDIS has a mind of her own.

Brigadier Stewart: *snort turns to a chuckle* Women usually do.

Doctor: I've learned that the hard way.

Brigadier Stewart: *interested perk* Have you?

Doctor: *nods and moves to sit comfortably* Oh, the stories I could tell you...

Brigadier Stewart: *quiet chuckle* *tone sounds like he's reminiscing* Do you have time?

Codsworth: *zips past the window* Oh my goodness, I'm corroding as I fly!

Doctor: ... I'm not even going to ask.

Brigadier Stewart: I've told him to leave the peppers alone.

Doctor: *amused headshake* And I suppose you're the great white hunter?

Brigadier Stewart: *blinks, and then laughs* No. This place might be arid and inhospitable, but there's more food here than there is in most of these worlds. I'm a supplier.

Doctor: Of provisions?

Brigadier Stewart: *nods, and his face holds satisfaction. He's still the born leader, and he's taking care of people*

Doctor: *small nod* I'm glad. *and now he's frowning and reaching up to find out what's bouncing on his head*

Brigadier Stewart: *notices the gesture and sits forward again* What is it, Doctor?

Doctor: My wife's pet.

Brigadier Stewart: *gobsmacked stare* What?

Dogmeat: Rrrr?

Doctor: It's very complicated, and you'd need a flowchart to even try to make sense.

Brigadier Stewart: *confused harrumph* Wife. You!

Doctor: I know. I never thought I'd be married again.

Brigadier Stewart: *shakes his head* If she's setting her pet on you, you'd better get back. It's Christmas. *remembering the times he's seen small dogs set on his fellow generals*

Doctor: *quiet sigh* I suppose you're right.

Brigadier Stewart: *gruff smile* It was good to see you again, old man.

Doctor: We'll see each other again soon.

Brigadier Stewart: Will we?

Doctor: *amused* You should know by now, Brigadier General, that I don't like good byes.

Brigadier Stewart: *chuckles, and then puts out a hand to shake* Yes. I do remember that.

Doctor: *will reach to shake the Brigadier General's hand* Until next time, then?

Brigadier Stewart: I look forward to it. *ignores fire outside the window*

Doctor: *small nod, moves to stand so he can remove the Occulus Rift*

Mouse: *is big fingers holding a massive cookie right in front of his face*

Spoilers: *knocked off the Doctor's head by removal of the device* No no no!

Doctor: *surprised sound, steps back slightly so he can see the face of the person in front of him* Er, hello there.

Mouse: *russet eyes beam down at him gently* Guten Tag, herr Doktor.

Doctor: *smile* Guten Tag, Fraulein.

Mouse: Mousie make cookies.

Professor Song: Have some fruitcake, Doctor. *sounds muffled*

Doctor: Danke. *will reach for the offered cookie*

cookie: *is indeed as big as a cake. Also moist and studded with walnuts and with red and green fruit snacks*

Doctor: *much grin as he has a bite of the fruitcake*

Professor Song: *muffled* I want this recipe.

Mouse: *perks and looks toward the woman* Ja? Ist gut?

Professor Song: *finishes the bite she's working on* It's very good. *gentle smile for Mouse*

Mouse: Mousie make recipe. Want gut for humans. No gluten, no milk, no egg, no... Auch, Steve! *hand up to check on a movement on her shoulder*

Blackout: He's fine. Stop fussing.

Mouse: Yes, Blackout. *attention back to Professor Song*

Professor Song: I think it's a good recipe. I have a few friends who would love eating these, too.

Mouse: *offers piece of neatly digitally printed paper*

Professor Song: *once she's got the recipe in hand, she'll thank Mouse and begin reviewing the ingredients*

Blackout: *looks up* Took you long enough, Nightwish.

Nightwish: We worked as fast as we could. *pause* *voice takes on a slight hard edge* What did you do to her?

Blackout: Nothing. She got in a *beep* fight with the Doctor's mate.

Professor Song: *from where she's studying the recipe for the cookies* I wouldn't mind having another go when she's feeling better.

Nightwish: *molten eyes look down from her dusky face* You should've known better. *attention back to her hands as she carefully scoops Whirl up* Easy, Neb.

Nebulung: Is she alright?

Whirl: M'fine. Ugh. Drool. ...Whatever that smell is, I want it.

Mouse: *cookie!*

Whirl: *creative commentary of awe at cookie size*

Professor Song: Trust me, it tastes as good as it smells.

Whirl: *even muffled by nom, that reply's not printable*

Doctor: *moving to approach Blackout, holds up the Occulus Rift* May I keep this?

Blackout: *looks down and shrugs* Go ahead.

Nightwish: *also looks down* Wow, you look even quirkier in person.

Spoilers: *flies around the Doctor's head* Yes yes yes yes yes yes!

Doctor: *slight quirk of a grin* I've been called worse.

Nightwish: *studies his clothes, then looks at Professor Song's* *snerk* Been threatened by any bags lately?

Spoilers: *still orbiting* Yes yes yes!

Professor Song: *snerk*

Doctor: Bags?

Nightwish: *smirk* Oh, sorry. Spoilers.

Spoilers: *stops short* No!

Professor Song: *mock sternness* Don't tease my pet.

Nightwish: *snorts and pulls something long and fluffy off her neck, then drops it on the ground/floor by Professor Song* Cuddles, buff.

Doctor: *can't help but snort at that. He has memories of Jazz telling some of the English soldiers "Buff this!" then shaking his butt at them*

Cuddles: *chirrups and scoots to strop on the soft peep*

Professor Song: *awks as she's nearly knocked off her feet*

Cow: *gentle tug on the end of Cuddles' tail*

Mouse: Auch, Cuddles be careful. *hovering worriedly*

Doctor: Do I need to step in? *curious*

Nightwish: *head is turned* I think the TARDIS just got hugmonsters.

Doctor: ... Hugmonsters?

Nightwish: Yup, and they brought glimmersprites. *amused*

Doctor: ... What are hugmonsters, and what are glimmersprites?

Nightwish: *amusement growing* TARDIS's Christmas presents.

Mouse: Dinos. Ist dinos.

Doctor: *perks at that* Oh?

TARDIS: *just started playing a Christmas carol*

Nightwish: Yeah. Hugmonsters are a specialized strain of domesticated raptor, and glimmersprites are a tiny wild species that's easily tamed. Both of 'em are symbiotic organisms.

Doctor: Do they do tricks?

Nightwish: *hand up to one of Nebulung's who is clinging tenaciously and grumpily to her arm* Hugmonsters only do tricks if they feel like it.

Copper: *gonna BITE the finger*

Cuddles: *STROP a little squishy peep!*

Doctor: Ah, so they'll get along well with the TARDIS, then.

Professor Song: *trying to gently push the stropping critter away from her so she doesn't fall*

Nightwish: *chuckles as the tune changes to something even more exuberant* *then looks at the people in her hands* Cuddles, heel.

Doctor: *as Professor Song fixes her hair* As long as they don't tear into her, and she's fine with them being there, I'm alright with them being there as well.

Nightwish: I don't see her complaining. *quick hug for Mouse once Cuddles is in place, and then steps back and teleports away with a swish and a slight flash*

Blackout: *snort* Go home, Mouse. I'll be back soon.

Mouse: Ja, Blackout. *carefully rises to her feet* Bye, Doktor. Bye, Song.

Doctor: Goodbye, Mouse.

Professor Song: Stay safe. Thank you for the recipe.

Mouse: *as she turns to walk away, shaking the floor/ground with the first step* Mousie alvays safe now. *another step that gently shakes the world, and then another*

Blackout: Your door's open.

Doctor: And you still have clementines.

Blackout: *snorts and tosses two through that open door*

Doctor: *laughs and moves to gently usher Professor Song into the TARDIS*

hugmonster: *strapping big reddish black male the size of a bronze turkey cock pauses and looks up from where he's standing and holding a clementine in each hand. Something tiny, yellow, and fuzzy cowers on his back*

Professor Song: *will carefully crouch to get a better look at the hugmonster* Well, hello there.

hugmonster: *cocks that big head and looks at her sideways, then hops back out of reach*

Spoilers: No! *flies off and vanishes into the depths of the TARDIS*

Doctor: ... There he goes.

Professor Song: *moving to try and coax the hugmonster into giving up the clementines* Now, don't be cheeky.

hugmonster: *soft, argumentative sound that contrasts with the soft singing that's coming from further inside. Draws his hands and the fruits closer to his chest*

fuzzy on his back: *peeks and then hides again*

Doctor: *trying to juggle his new tree, the Oculus Rift, and his cookie, can't help you, River!*

Professor Song: Now it's not nice to hog the treats.

hugmonster: *chirp chirp talk talk trill. Sounds like he's stated something and asked something*

Professor Song: *considering look, will begin looking through her purse*

Doctor: *scooting to find a good place for his tree*

TARDIS: *drops a pack of hugmonster food on Professor Song's head, and produces a large jar of water for that willow branch*

Doctor: Thank you, dear. *will make sure the willow branch is stable in its new home*

Professor Song: *bemused Look for the console* And I see you're still doing well. *will take the food pack and open it so she can try and coax the hugmonster into giving up the clementines* *brows up when she sees sausages a bit longer than hot dogs* So the pet food is bangers.

hugmonster: *suddenly right over there with his big head on her knee*

something: *tiny, warm, and soft. AND GOING UP THE DOCTOR'S PANT LEG*

Doctor: *meeps*

Professor Song: *to the hugmonster* Oh, now you're playing nice. *looks up at the "meep"* ... *snerk*

hugmonster: *little begging sound as he drops the clementines into the lap of her skirt and takes his little friend off his back and into his arms. Bitty friend is hungry, is clearly what he's telling her*

something: *further up the pant leg. It's got tiny feets*

Professor Song: *attention back to the hugmonster and what has to be a glimmersprite* Well now, let's get you taken care of. *will offer the sausage she's got*

Doctor: *excuses himself to find out what is trying to co-habituate his pants*

yellow fuzzy: *tries to bite the sausage, but mouth is too little. Looks up and gives a begging peep*

something: *just reached the Doctor's shorts!*

Doctor: *once he's somewhere private, he'll shuck his pants* *blinks at the tiny, fuzzy, pink creature that's looking back at him with what is clearly an anxious expression* Oh, aren't you precious?

fuzzy: *shivers and peeps faintly, then tries to go under the nearest article of clothing*

Doctor: *startled whoop, will hop around a bit and try and coax the fuzzy into hiding inside his jacket instead of in his boonies*

fuzzy: *bit of frightened wiggling, but then a tiny muzzle is peeking out of his breast pocket*

Professor Song: *calling down the hallway* Are you alright?

hugmonster: *TARDIS blue and smaller than the guy in the other room. Just peered out of a vent and beeped with what is clearly laughter as it looked down at the Doctor in his jacket and shorts*

Doctor: *looks to the blue hugmonster* Oh, hush. *will move to try and put his pants back on*

hugmonster: *beeps again and starts bouncing*

TARDIS: *sounds mirthful*

Doctor: *as he works on putting his pants back on with one hand* Don't you start, either.

TARDIS: *just showed the Professor what happened to her husband*

Professor Song: *excuse her while she cracks up*

blue monster: *beeping and bouncing increases at the sound of laughter*

Doctor: *to Professor Song* I'm sure I could find something to tease you about if I dug deep enough!

Professor Song: *more laughter*

tarnished golden monster with black eye markings: *just hopped in and started beeping and bouncing herself*

Professor Song: *amusedly* Yes, my husband is an idiot.

Doctor: I heard that! *startles as something moves in his pant leg* Yii!

Professor Song: *laughing begins anew*

hugmonsters: *so much beeping and bouncing*

TARDIS: *gleeeee*

Doctor: You're all terrible and deserve coal in your stockings! *so embarrassed*

fuzzy in the pants: *going higher!*

TARDIS: *cheeky amusement*

hugmonsters: *just beep and bounce some more, and the guy with the Professor can clearly be heard doing the same*

Doctor: *has to shuck his pants again*

TARDIS: *pops out the avatar that she just bought and makes it snap a picture before vanishing*

Doctor: *startled squawk*

Professor Song: Do I want to know?

glimmersprite: *peeks tremulously out of his trousers, her pink eyes huge in her tiny white face*

Doctor: *to Professor Song* No, you don't. *will crouch and offer a hand to the tiny white glimmersprite* *gently* Hello there.

white one: *shivers and peeps softly*

pink one: *calling little trill as she hears her sissy*

Doctor: *will try and coax the white glimmersprite onto his hand so he can tuck the tiny thing into his jacket as well*

white one: *comes to him without hesitation. She seems relieved and grateful to go to the hand*

Doctor: *soft reassurances as he gently tucks the white one in with the pink one. Then he's working on getting his trousers back on*

TARDIS: *camera flash*

Doctor: *awks!*

Professor Song: *coming to see what's going on*

TARDIS: *avatar giggles before vanishing*

hugmonsters: *beep and scramble off into the ducts, taking the yellow glimmersprite with them*

Professor Song: ... *snickerfit. Has to duck out of the room to laugh herself silly*

Doctor: *frustrated sounds as he pulls his trousers on one-handed. He is SO not amused with either Professor Song or the TARDIS currently*

little sisters: *soft peeps and snuggles*

Doctor: *to the glimmersprites* At least you two are well-behaved.

little sisters: *peep?*

Doctor: *soft chuckle* And you're much cuter than my other companions.

little sisters: *snuggle cuddle* *love you, new host*

Doctor: *small smile, will softly hum an old, Gallifreyan lullaby as he moves to find a place for his new pet tree*

Professor Song: *soft chuckle, will turn her attention to bringing the TARDIS back to where they'd left the reality*

((Written with random_xtras))