A Change in Plans

Theta Sigma had seen many things in his life. He had seen the king of the Abzorbaloffs, in all his gross and fat glory. He had seen a woman from the past with giant dragon wings on her back. He had even seen his alternate self, the Doctor, as a girl. Whatever it was, it was always one thing; normal. There were always explanations to the odd happenings. But what was occurring at the moment had the 33 year old thrown for a loop.

“Where in Rassilon's name are you going???”

Theta clung to the railing inside his TARDIS, trying his best to stay in one place so he wouldn't be tossed around like a rag doll till he was a vegetable. Conductor water from behind the glass floor and walls glowed brighter than it should have, almost blindingly. Coordinates he had entered to 42nd century Mars were all but forgotten by the Type 57 as it hurtled through the Time Vortex, green light from the double doors trailing behind it. Theta had checked, then checked twice, and yet a third time, but there was no explanation for this sudden change in direction except that his TARDIS just wanted to go somewhere, really badly.

In the 21st century, France, a black box slowly faded into view behind a pastry shop, like a picture slowly being enhanced on photoshop. With a 'woosh' it solidified, the black, obsidian-like exterior gleaming in the light from the sun overhead. Theta stumbled out as if he were drunk, leaning on the shop's brick wall then sliding down to the ground.

“J-just a second, while the Universe stops spinning...”

Medwyn had been aimlessly roaming around for weeks now.
It actually didn't matter too much, for she could always be back for work the morning after her departure.
She had spent the last two days in various locations of the 21st century, checking out special points she always wanted to see before they would get destroyed in the near future.
Even though the tenth Doctor had explained to her what she was, Medwyn held the same old doubts into her own abilities.
She still did not dare to travel without her Vortex Manipulator, she still did not dare to reach out for people's mind, and she was pretty sure that she would never be able change her appearance...

Walking through the streets of a little town in France Medwyn was about to enjoy the view over the idyllic little waterfront in front of her.
It was a warm and sunny day, and even though Medwyn did not even have the slightest little clue why she went here, (she simply had felt the urge to come here for no known reason at all) she enjoyed, what she saw, and leaned back on the wooden bench she had taken seat on.
Suddenly however she recognized some sort of a presence which felt faaar to familiar to Medwyn to ignore.
Jumping up she headed - almost ran - towards the source, already expecting to be witness of the next so-called Doctor-coincidence, for she particularly sensed another TARDIS-presence. This presence however felt different, and just when arrived at the little shop, she realized what the difference itself had been:
Other ones - New ones, ones, she had not met yet.

She instantly ran towards the man who appeared as if he was fighting this planet's gravity far too hard and and reached out for one of his arms.
"Slow down, before you stumble over your own feet, my dear!"
She said in a friendly tone and looked at the man.

Theta leaned on the stranger, trying his best to not just flop down from dizziness. He'd never noticed gravity on this planet was so strong.

"I'm sorry, I...just..." he straightened and stepped away from Medwyn's arms. Wobbling a bit, Theta glanced over at his TARDIS. The young Timelord quickly tried to make up an explanation that was half-way plausible "tripped over some things in that...shed?"

Nope, no way she would believe that, right? After all, sheds aren't made of black stone, nor do their doors glow. Oh well, he had already said it. If worst came to worst, she would blab to her human friends, which certainly wouldn't believe such a thing. Little did Theta know that Medwyn was not even close to being human.

Medwyn released a little sigh and gave him a sneaky grin.
"That's not a shed, and you really should not leave the doors open."
She looked at his TARDIS for a moment. very unique design. Medwyn liked it.
As she returned her attention to the man next to her she watched him how he tried to walk stable again.
She did not gab his arm for a second time, for she did not wish to make him feel like she though he was unable to do this alone.
If he needed more help walking, she still could assist him when he asked for it.
"What happened to you? Yo don't exactly look like you planned to end up here..."

"Erm..." Theta glanced at Medwyn nervously, backing up to his TARDIS. But before he could go inside, the doors shut with a heavy bang, locking Theta out. He threw his arms up into the air in frustration, forgetting about the woman standing behind him for the moment and turning to face the Type 57.

"Oh come on! Why'd you do that? First you dump me off in Paris, and now you won't even let me go inside? Is there something you want me to do here? Cause there sure isn't any rift energy here for you to recharge on" as soon as he had finished speaking, a high pitched wheezing started from the box, and slowly, she faded out of view, leaving Theta staring dumbly at the spot she had been.

"Now isn't that just fantastic" he looked up into the air and began yelling to it like a madman "Look, I'm sorry! Ok! I-I'll take the fish to a vet! Just don't leave me here!"

Theta sighed, running a hand over his face when he got no reply. No TARDIS, stuck in 21st century France. Like he had said, fantastic.

That man was very emotional...
Staring at him as he yelled at his dematerialising TARDIS Medwyn rose an eyebrow.
What in the name of all good things was going on here?!
"Fantastic..." She repeated his last shout and did a step towards him.
"Either your TARDIS really doesn't like being here or you have something tricky to fulfill first..."
Staring into the same direction of the skies as he did Medwyn finally added.
"By the way, there is none around."
She put her hands into the pockets of her coat and walked some steps around him. "...I mean, no rift energy. But this appears to be some sort of an attractable point. I ended up here as well..."
She gave the man a diplomatic grin, until she realized what exactly happened to him right now.
"...Don't worry, I'm sure you'll see her again soon."

Theta sighed once more, turning around to look at Medwyn.

"Yeah, she sometimes does things like this, but this is way farther than she usually goes with making a point" he paused, catching Medwyn's earlier comment. He eyed the lady, unsure and cautious.

"I never mentioned that she was a TARDIS..." his eyes immediately darted down to her wrist, thinking maybe she had a vortex manipulator and was a Time Agent or something. He ran into them sometimes, though not that often. Sure enough, the little black band encircled her wrist.

"So who are you, then? Or who are you with? Torchwood? UNIT?"

Medwyn gave the man a puzzled look.
"I'm with... The law, I'd say..."
She saw no sense in telling him her whole life story now, for it very probably would have taken far too long, so she just made ist as short as possible.
"I'm... Well... Just another TARDIS, that's why I recognized yous."
She leaned against the shop's brick wall and grabbed her hands back into her pockets again while attentively watching the man.
"What's your name? I think haven't met you yet..."

Theta gaped like a fish, looking at Medwyn with wide eyes.

"You-you're a TARDIS??" he squeaked in a high pitched voice. But...she was a lady! A TARDIS inside a lady? Or disguised as one? But...but...she was a TARDIS!!

"Yeah, erm, I'm Theta Sigma...but you're a TARDIS! How?"

"Special type." She answered quickly, patting the man's shoulder and trying him to show everything was alright.
"...One of the latest types to be more specific.
Maybe even the last ones developed before the war came..."
She didn't remember the war. Of all shattered memory fragments there was nothing about this famous war after all.
She did not know whether this was a good or a bad sign yet.
Everyone told her how huge, important, and vital it must have been, but all she remembered were voices, placed, other worlds and something terribly gone wrong...
"I'm glad to meet you, Theta Sigma. I really like your name!"
She wondered whether this was his academy-nick or the sum of his marks...

Theta smiled, rocking back and forth on his heels, eyes alight with curiosity.

"So...what brings a TARDIS to..." he paused, thinking for a moment, then realized he didn't know where he was "where are we?"

Theta ran over to the corner and peeked around it. The sight of a bustling France city met him, complete with bikers and humans speaking french and pastry shops. And not just any city; Paris. He could see the Eiffel Tower in the distance, people milling about the base, relaxing in the shade of the gargantuan structure. He looked over his shoulder at Medwyn and grinned.

"Paris. So why're you in Paris?"

Medwyn looked at Theta.
She had hoped that he might have been the one to answer that question of hers...
"I'm not sure yet... I felt the need to come here - Maybe it was the gravity-effect again. Like, me sensing your presence and being deflected towards your position.
I'm trying to control it, but then again, this happens to me now and then..."
She did some steps towards Theta and looked around as well.
"I've been enjoying the city sight for half an hour before you two arrived.
It's nice to see something intact. This is one of the cities where time appears to stand still..."
Musing she looked at the skies, then - from one second to the other - back again at theta, wondering what might have brought him here...

"Huh" Theta scratched his chin curiously, glancing back out at the city "that sucks. Does this 'gravity-effect' happen a lot? I'd have to imagine it's annoying, wanting to go somewhere else then being pulled off course" he looked around, blue eyes darting back and forth, searching the crowds for anyone that stood out of place...well, aside from a few mimes "no offense, but is there someone with you? I've never met a humanoid TARDIS, so I don't really know if it's different with you, but usually TARDISes have a Timelord with them"

"I used to have one..." Medwyn answered thoughtfully.
Even though most of her memories still were fragmented like details of a fading dream after waking up, she at least was able to recognize a male voice inside herself.
"...I can't access what sort of accident happened, but he went... Missing..."
She bit her lower lip and looked into the skies again.
Not exactly the most pleasant topic to talk about, for her, for even if she wasn't able to remember a face or a name yet, she still felt, that their bond had not been parted.
It almost felt like a underlying pain to Medwyn.
She took a deep breath and decided not to think about his too much now, for there actually was someone in front of her who might need her assistance.
"This gravity-effect indeed is a little annoying. I guess it might be a side effect of me traveling alone. But then again, it made me see something most remarkable...
...Even after Gallifrey being made extinct, there's countless of Time Lords running around and living their lifes. This means, things go on..."
She gave him a little smile and put her hands into the pockets of her coat.
"So... Do you have any idea who or what might have brought you and your TARDIS here? Might be something very powerful if she decided to disappear without a warning..."

Theta shook his head.

"No, she's not a chicken at all. I think she was just trying to make a point, though on what, I'm not sure" he shrugged then grinned "Anyways, we're in Paris! Why are we standing in an alleyway? I'm sure she'll come back, but for now, we can just walk around and enjoy the place"

Theta stepped out of the alley and breathed in deeply. The smells of fresh bakery goods wafted through the air, along with the nice fresh smell you just got when you stepped outside. On the street, people rode on motorized scooters or on buses, and on the sidewalk various performers mimed things or played songs on guitars, hats on the ground next to them for money. Yep, Paris defiantly was amazing. Theta agreed with Medwyn when she said it didn't change much...well, brilliance wise. The only place that seemed to change less in that aspect was Greece or Rome.

Theta looked back at Medwyn, eying her worriedly.

"I would suggest a pastry shop since I've got extra cash, but can you eat food...?"

She nodded.
"Yes, I technically can. It just gets dematerialized and the atomic components are saved for later use."
She gave him a little smile as she walked along the street next to him.
"I don''t have to, but things like coffee for example turned out to be... Habit forming..."
Crossing her arms behind her back she enjoyed some of the warm sunlight.
It was pretty, warm and peaceful - It reminded her on a thunderstorm she had seen once.
It also reminded her on the eye of harmony. Both probably being the most beautiful things Medwyn had ever seen.
"...Don't worry, I did not mean to assume that your TARDIS was acting cowardly. But there are certain things that are far more dangerous for a TARDIS than for a humanoid life form.
I for example almost dies when I was dragged into an alternate reality once...
What I wanted to imply therefor rather was, that maybe you are the one to handle this and not your TARDIS."

Theta nodded, thinking on Medwyn's words while walking with the TARDIS down the sidewalk, absentmindedly looking in the shops as they passed. He never really believed that TARDISes could be hurt by anything, despite some lessons in the Academy. Judging by the happenings recently, though, they didn't seem so invincible any more.

But what in the Universe could make his TARDIS leave that fast like that? ...and why in the name of Rassilon was it in Paris??