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"Dunno about that, Billy. Brings out your eyes. Besides, there's nothing wrong with some flaunting." The Doctor shrugged out of his coat now as he walked inside the TARDIS, throwing it over its usual place on one of the pillars and approaching the console. "Where do you want to go? Seems as if you need that tea."
He leaned on the console, looking up to watch Billy, one eyebrow cocked. "You're nervous. Very nervous. What is it, me knowing your secret? Don't worry about it, it's not your fault. It's very difficult to hide things from me. Believe me, I've tried before, but I always catch up to myself pretty fast."
He leaned on the console, looking up to watch Billy, one eyebrow cocked. "You're nervous. Very nervous. What is it, me knowing your secret? Don't worry about it, it's not your fault. It's very difficult to hide things from me. Believe me, I've tried before, but I always catch up to myself pretty fast."
"The Flying Monkey's a good one. On Rosethorn and 7th." That part's easy to say. He focused on the names for a moment, trying to find a way to calm his racing thoughts. He didn't just need to worry about what Zordon would do to him. The Doctor was a mystery too.
"...close, but not exactly," Billy finally said, easing his death grip on the rail. He didn't need to hurt the TARDIS on top of everything else. He never looked up from his white knuckles, though.
"It's the consequences of letting an outsider in that I have to worry about. We were warned that we'd be kicked off the team if we let anyone know what we were doing. He made an exception when my friends had to unmask me to save my life, but I'm not sure he'll be so forgiving this time."
He let out a weary breath. "It's not the easiest life, but protecting people is important to me. I'll miss it, as much as I'll miss the technology lessons."
"...close, but not exactly," Billy finally said, easing his death grip on the rail. He didn't need to hurt the TARDIS on top of everything else. He never looked up from his white knuckles, though.
"It's the consequences of letting an outsider in that I have to worry about. We were warned that we'd be kicked off the team if we let anyone know what we were doing. He made an exception when my friends had to unmask me to save my life, but I'm not sure he'll be so forgiving this time."
He let out a weary breath. "It's not the easiest life, but protecting people is important to me. I'll miss it, as much as I'll miss the technology lessons."
"Oh, but I'm not just an outsider. I'm way out. I'm so out, what I know or doesn't know really doesn't affect the inside." He. Who was this he? The Doctor went over what he did know, even as he walked around the console, getting them all set and headed to the right location. He'd better make sure to pick the right time, too.
"So where is he from? Your... mentor. All that technology and all those rules. Me, I've always loved rules. They bring out my creativity."
"So where is he from? Your... mentor. All that technology and all those rules. Me, I've always loved rules. They bring out my creativity."
Billy laughed, almost. The way this man dropped in and out of wherever he went, it shouldn't matter too much, right? He hoped it would be seen that way. But in the meantime, Billy had a lot to answer for.
"His name's Zordon, and he's a sorcerer from a planet called Eltar. He fought the source of the invasion, Rita Repulsa, in a battle thousands of years ago---but it was a draw. She was sealed in a dumpster on the moon and he was trapped in a dimensional warp. His only window into this dimension is his tube in the Command Center."
He rubbed at his arm, finally breathing a little easier. "Our astronauts accidentally broke Rita's seal during the last moonwalk, and she set out to conquer this planet. There were constant earthquakes the first day, everyone was terrified. Zordon had to act. But there's not much a head in a tube can do to fight her, so he summoned us."
"His name's Zordon, and he's a sorcerer from a planet called Eltar. He fought the source of the invasion, Rita Repulsa, in a battle thousands of years ago---but it was a draw. She was sealed in a dumpster on the moon and he was trapped in a dimensional warp. His only window into this dimension is his tube in the Command Center."
He rubbed at his arm, finally breathing a little easier. "Our astronauts accidentally broke Rita's seal during the last moonwalk, and she set out to conquer this planet. There were constant earthquakes the first day, everyone was terrified. Zordon had to act. But there's not much a head in a tube can do to fight her, so he summoned us."
"Eltar, eh?" Alright, alright, he had heard that before. He'd have to consult the data base, but it definitely seemed familiar. Rita Repulsa. Catchy name. He was very sure that he'd heard that before.
"Never underestimate floating heads in a tube. You'd be surprised." The Face of Boe had certainly managed to surprise and impress him again and again. And if he was right, he would keep doing so. "I was a sorcerer once. Well, people thought I was and I didn't exactly protest. Merlin, you ever heard of him?"
He considered Billy for a moment, then shrugged. "I should probably talk to your Zordon. But tea first. And maybe a banana shake."
"Never underestimate floating heads in a tube. You'd be surprised." The Face of Boe had certainly managed to surprise and impress him again and again. And if he was right, he would keep doing so. "I was a sorcerer once. Well, people thought I was and I didn't exactly protest. Merlin, you ever heard of him?"
He considered Billy for a moment, then shrugged. "I should probably talk to your Zordon. But tea first. And maybe a banana shake."
"...Merlin? You have too much fun across the universe, don't you?"
Billy had a lot of questions, actually, but those could wait. He focused instead on getting to the shop and drinking his tea in one piece.
"If you want a shake, I'll have to get you one from Ernie's. Best around. But the atmosphere at the Flying Monkey's nice. No one should bother us."
He looked back up at the Doctor, that worried frown reappearing. "No one gets into his chamber without either a power coin or being accompanied by someone who has one---so I'd have to take you in. What do you need to talk to him about?"
Billy had a lot of questions, actually, but those could wait. He focused instead on getting to the shop and drinking his tea in one piece.
"If you want a shake, I'll have to get you one from Ernie's. Best around. But the atmosphere at the Flying Monkey's nice. No one should bother us."
He looked back up at the Doctor, that worried frown reappearing. "No one gets into his chamber without either a power coin or being accompanied by someone who has one---so I'd have to take you in. What do you need to talk to him about?"
The Doctor followed behind Billy, catching up enough to walk next to him. He did wonder whether the TARDIS might be able to get into this chamber, but if she could it might be better not to test the theory until it became necessary.
"Oh, you know. What wise old aliens talk to each other about when they catch up. Weather, sunspots, some jokes about UFOs, figure out our degrees of separation to Kevin Bacon. Mine is zero, by the way. I call him bacon bits. Nice bloke, really."
"Oh, you know. What wise old aliens talk to each other about when they catch up. Weather, sunspots, some jokes about UFOs, figure out our degrees of separation to Kevin Bacon. Mine is zero, by the way. I call him bacon bits. Nice bloke, really."
"...wise old aliens?" Billy stared openly for a moment, trying to reconcile the man before him with what he often pictured wise old aliens to look like. Zordon had a human face too, but...huh.
He slipped into the café and ordered---black tea, no frills, same as usual. "I have so many questions, Doctor, but...first, did you want a bite to eat too? The food's not bad."
He slipped into the café and ordered---black tea, no frills, same as usual. "I have so many questions, Doctor, but...first, did you want a bite to eat too? The food's not bad."
"Oh? Yeah, sorry, that's me. Well, you could debate the wisdom part." He ordered tea for himself as well, then he shrugged, but gave a nod after a second. "Food, sure. I love food. Well, depends on who's cooking. But then, I just ordered tea in America, so I won't pretend my standards are too high."
There might be a reason the TARDIS generally tended to land somewhere with much better tea.
There might be a reason the TARDIS generally tended to land somewhere with much better tea.
"England's more your cup of it, I'm guessing?"
Billy quickly settled on bread and dipping sauces. Nothing that could really be screwed up too badly. He glanced over at the Doctor for a moment in contemplation.
"I'm sorry. It's just that you don't look any more alien than your average Englishman. I guess the TARDIS and the stunning intellect it away, but..."
That last bit might've been a gentle joke. "Must be an amazing life."
Billy quickly settled on bread and dipping sauces. Nothing that could really be screwed up too badly. He glanced over at the Doctor for a moment in contemplation.
"I'm sorry. It's just that you don't look any more alien than your average Englishman. I guess the TARDIS and the stunning intellect it away, but..."
That last bit might've been a gentle joke. "Must be an amazing life."
"Actually, we came first. Humans just look like us. More or less. There are some differences, but they're not immediately apparent." The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck and smiled at Billy as he ran his hand up through his hair. "Oi! Cheeky. I'll have you know that I'm considered a genius and where I come from we built spacecraft for show and tell. I drew lightning bolts on mine."
He used a finger to draw a bolt in the air now and then he smiled, just a bit wistful as he blinked and looked off to the side. "Oh, yeah. It's brilliant."
He used a finger to draw a bolt in the air now and then he smiled, just a bit wistful as he blinked and looked off to the side. "Oh, yeah. It's brilliant."
"Huh. Admittedly my contact with those from other planets is very limited, but I never would've guessed."
Billy pictured all those spaceships and laughed. "I've only gotten as far as building a flying car. Maybe it needs racing stripes."
There was also all the repair work he did for their Zords, but he wasn't sure that really counted. He stopped to note how crisp and fresh the bread was, mulling over everything he was learning.
"So...you have friends? More people traveling through time like you?"
Billy pictured all those spaceships and laughed. "I've only gotten as far as building a flying car. Maybe it needs racing stripes."
There was also all the repair work he did for their Zords, but he wasn't sure that really counted. He stopped to note how crisp and fresh the bread was, mulling over everything he was learning.
"So...you have friends? More people traveling through time like you?"
"Oh yeah, absolutely. Everything is faster with racing stripes, that's scientifically proven. More or less." The Doctor licked the bread before taking a bite, freezing mid-chew at the next question. He gave a slight shake of his head, using the fact that he hadn't swallowed yet as a way to bide his time. When he finally had a free mouth he shrugged, his eyes suddenly ever so serious.
"These days it's pretty much just me." He offered a slight smile. "I pick people up sometimes."
"These days it's pretty much just me." He offered a slight smile. "I pick people up sometimes."
Billy is good enough to follow the Doctor's cue.
"When you have the whole run of the universe as partners to choose from...I guess there's always something new to learn."
No matter how old and wise you are. Billy fell silent for a little while, thinking this over. He'd thought a lot about their one mission over the past year. He remembered the thrill of it, and he thought things through again and again, trying to think how he would've been a better help if he could do it over. Or even if there was more he could do.
But he pulled away from those thoughts with a thin smile. "So when you have all the time in the universe, grilling a random teenager you dragged along last year is something to do, huh? Hope I've been some help."
"When you have the whole run of the universe as partners to choose from...I guess there's always something new to learn."
No matter how old and wise you are. Billy fell silent for a little while, thinking this over. He'd thought a lot about their one mission over the past year. He remembered the thrill of it, and he thought things through again and again, trying to think how he would've been a better help if he could do it over. Or even if there was more he could do.
But he pulled away from those thoughts with a thin smile. "So when you have all the time in the universe, grilling a random teenager you dragged along last year is something to do, huh? Hope I've been some help."
The melancholy left, at least visibly, as fast as it had started. The Doctor was nothing if not good at burying his pain. Well, maybe not that good, but he certainly never stopped trying.
"Last year, was it? Oh. Sometimes time can slip away from me." That was a very clumsy metaphor, but since there were no pedantic Time Lords around to correct him, the Doctor didn't bother looking for a better one. "But yes, of course you were. You were brilliant. And that technology you're working with, as a twentieth century human? Billy Carston, let me tell you, if I wasn't in the room I'd be calling you a genius."
"Last year, was it? Oh. Sometimes time can slip away from me." That was a very clumsy metaphor, but since there were no pedantic Time Lords around to correct him, the Doctor didn't bother looking for a better one. "But yes, of course you were. You were brilliant. And that technology you're working with, as a twentieth century human? Billy Carston, let me tell you, if I wasn't in the room I'd be calling you a genius."
Billy's gaze dropped to the table, a little bashful smile playing across his face.
"It's really not that much. But you asked me before where the wrist device came from...I built them myself. I thought it would help the team to be able to communicate across long distances. And then my wiring accidentally tapped into Zordon's dormant teleportation grid, so after some debugging they teleport anywhere on Earth too."
He twisted his wrist a little self-consciously.
"I couldn't learn everything from you of course, Doctor Genius, but I'm curious: aside from the spaceships, what was your best project?"
He badly wanted to learn from the Doctor, of course, but couldn't look too eager.
"It's really not that much. But you asked me before where the wrist device came from...I built them myself. I thought it would help the team to be able to communicate across long distances. And then my wiring accidentally tapped into Zordon's dormant teleportation grid, so after some debugging they teleport anywhere on Earth too."
He twisted his wrist a little self-consciously.
"I couldn't learn everything from you of course, Doctor Genius, but I'm curious: aside from the spaceships, what was your best project?"
He badly wanted to learn from the Doctor, of course, but couldn't look too eager.
"That's fascinating. And very impressive, I might add." The Doctor looked at the wrist device, the tip of his tongue peeking out between his lips as he inspected it, although he didn't reach out just yet. He could have a closer look later.
"My best project? Depends on your point of view. I tried mixing bananas and tomato juice recently and that turned out delicious, but I don't know how much of a scientific advancement that is going to be seen at. One time I used my name and a psychic network to make all of Earth save themselves. That was very impressive. You've got to love humanity, don't you?"
"My best project? Depends on your point of view. I tried mixing bananas and tomato juice recently and that turned out delicious, but I don't know how much of a scientific advancement that is going to be seen at. One time I used my name and a psychic network to make all of Earth save themselves. That was very impressive. You've got to love humanity, don't you?"
Billy laughed. "I don't touch food experiments. I've learned that it never ends well for me. But that...that's amazing. You save people without us knowing that we're ever in trouble?"
Why? He liked humanity and liked to help out, apparently, but it seemed there had to be more to it. Billy's reasons were similar, but he'd had the toys to play with as incentive too. The TARDIS had to be better than any toy, of course...
"I guess you never stick around long enough for the newspapers to notice you."
Why? He liked humanity and liked to help out, apparently, but it seemed there had to be more to it. Billy's reasons were similar, but he'd had the toys to play with as incentive too. The TARDIS had to be better than any toy, of course...
"I guess you never stick around long enough for the newspapers to notice you."
"You knew at the time. You just forgot afterwards. The year was erased. The year that never was." The Doctor shrugged, looking off to the side and lifting a hand to pinch his earlobe between two fingers. "Usually only some know. But some people know of the Doctor. If you get high enough, deep enough." He made a face. "It's usually better when they don't know."
For a moment he paused, then he continued. "They only tend to notice when I can't save everyone."
For a moment he paused, then he continued. "They only tend to notice when I can't save everyone."
Billy listened with a heavy heart. He'd never come close to fully understanding, but he could see loneliness when it was in front of him.
"Well...for what it's worth, Doctor, thank you. You probably don't hear that as much as you should."
And Billy knew, because one of the things about the secrecy oath was that no one could know just what he did every day. Sure, people thanked the Rangers, but in the public eye they were just masks and suits. He knew it was better that the press wasn't able to hound them, but it was a little lonely sometimes.
He shook himself out of his thoughts and frowned. "I can't imagine dealing with all that on your own. At least I'm on a team---when we fail, we fail together---but you..."
He lifted a hand as if to reach out, but had second thoughts. "I'm sorry, Doctor."
"Well...for what it's worth, Doctor, thank you. You probably don't hear that as much as you should."
And Billy knew, because one of the things about the secrecy oath was that no one could know just what he did every day. Sure, people thanked the Rangers, but in the public eye they were just masks and suits. He knew it was better that the press wasn't able to hound them, but it was a little lonely sometimes.
He shook himself out of his thoughts and frowned. "I can't imagine dealing with all that on your own. At least I'm on a team---when we fail, we fail together---but you..."
He lifted a hand as if to reach out, but had second thoughts. "I'm sorry, Doctor."
After everything else he'd done, gallivanting off with strangers and blowing their cover, Billy figured he really didn't need to anger Zordon any further. So he was making sure to fully explain the situation before dragging a guest into the Command Center. Surprisingly, though, Zordon agreed right away. It sounded like an order, even.
Billy was starting to get the impression that there were important things he didn't know.
So he sighed, stepped up to the Doctor, and offered his arm. "Zordon insists on talking to you, Doctor. So if that's all right, I'll teleport you in and leave you two to it."
Billy was starting to get the impression that there were important things he didn't know.
So he sighed, stepped up to the Doctor, and offered his arm. "Zordon insists on talking to you, Doctor. So if that's all right, I'll teleport you in and leave you two to it."
"Leave us, eh?" The Doctor raised an eyebrow, considering the teleporter on Billy's wrist. Not quite his preferred method of travel, but it would do. The insistence was what worried him, although intrigued might have been a better word. He took Billy's arm as offered, rubbing his own shoulder as he kept his eyes on the teleporter.
"Giant head wanting to talk to me. I've had that before, strangely enough. Some things you never think could feel like a deja-vu."
"Giant head wanting to talk to me. I've had that before, strangely enough. Some things you never think could feel like a deja-vu."
"You must be popular," Billy joked, twisting the dial on the communicator for teleport mode. "Don't worry, it hasn't been known to cause motion sickness. Perfectly safe. Ready? We're going...now."
They disappeared in twin flashes of blue and white light, then re-emerged in a chamber that almost resembled a classic 90s laser tag arena. Neon lights glowed everywhere. The main hint of strangeness was the walls: there didn't seem to be any. Instead, it was a lit blue area in a black void, with twinkling stars in the distance.
And now they stood before the man himself. "Hello, Zordon," Billy greeted, his voice betraying some anxiety of his own.
They disappeared in twin flashes of blue and white light, then re-emerged in a chamber that almost resembled a classic 90s laser tag arena. Neon lights glowed everywhere. The main hint of strangeness was the walls: there didn't seem to be any. Instead, it was a lit blue area in a black void, with twinkling stars in the distance.
And now they stood before the man himself. "Hello, Zordon," Billy greeted, his voice betraying some anxiety of his own.
The big blue head answered, his voice booming across the little chamber.
"Billy, I am pleased to see you've returned safely. And I'm most interested in your new acquaintance," he continued, eyes locking on the Doctor. "You're the Doctor, I presume?"
The one who had a rumored history of dealings with Earth humans. With an interest in Billy, apparently. That was worrisome, though there were other questions on his mind.
"Billy, I am pleased to see you've returned safely. And I'm most interested in your new acquaintance," he continued, eyes locking on the Doctor. "You're the Doctor, I presume?"
The one who had a rumored history of dealings with Earth humans. With an interest in Billy, apparently. That was worrisome, though there were other questions on his mind.
The Doctor shook himself out as he let go of Billy, looking around himself critically. "Who's your interior designed? Vanilla Ice?" He didn't reply to Zordon right away, instead strolling around, one hand in his pocket, the other looking for buttons to press and dials to switch. "I don't like it," he finally declared, making a face before spinning on his heels and facing Zordon.
"Hey there! Yes, I'm the Doctor, nice to meet you. How's your..." He indicated him with a vague movement of his hand. "...head?" Was that rude? Probably. Ah, well. "No relation with the Face of Boe, right? Because that's complicated enough as it is. I think I owe him a birthday gift. Well. More like a billion or something."
"Hey there! Yes, I'm the Doctor, nice to meet you. How's your..." He indicated him with a vague movement of his hand. "...head?" Was that rude? Probably. Ah, well. "No relation with the Face of Boe, right? Because that's complicated enough as it is. I think I owe him a birthday gift. Well. More like a billion or something."
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