Work Text:
He stepped into the console room, shut the door behind him, turned around, and practically jumped a foot into the air.
There, lying face up on the ground next to the console and idly twiddling a couple controls with an outstretched hand, was a winged young girl dressed entirely in red garb. Her eyes were closed, and she was just… talking.
“So have you ever met another version of yourself?” she asks, to nobody in particular. “That happened pretty much all the time, but since their journey started I haven’t needed to rewind.”
The TARDIS makes a chiming series of noises in response, seemingly in the affirmative. The Doctor just stands there, watching.
“All doomed versions of me, of course. The framework of reality’s weak out there. You’re lucky to get your loops resolved all the time.” She sounds so neutral, even airy about it, speaking of doomed timelines and pulling apart the fabric of reality that keeps universes from imploding and stars from winking out. The TARDIS doesn’t respond.
“How did you end up so far out here? Almost a dimension between universes out here, it must’ve taken an immense amount of power for you to power through the gaps.” A couple lights blink and chimes sound in response, and she just nods as if listening to a voice only she can really hear. “Hmm. I just kind of… do it. No, I don’t have a matrix or any engines in me, not that I’m aware of. Paradox Space is pretty strange, yeah!”
Just as the Doctor is about to step forth to make his presence known, the alien girl opens her eyes. “Hi! I’m Aradia. Wow, you’re back soon.”
He raises an eyebrow in skepticism. “Soon? How did you get in here? We’re floating in an interdimensional vortex.”
Aradia jumps to her feet and flutters her wings. “Just a perk of the godhood, Doctor. I found your ship floating nearby and decided it would be nice to take a peek. Oh, and the frond nubs in the heat atrium needed some care, so I went ahead and watered them. Hope you don’t mind.” She smiles, which somehow clears up every last bit of confusion.
“I- I haven’t even introduced myself properly yet.”
“Oh, Sexy and I have been holding casual discourse for some time already.” Aradia replies, entirely straight-faced. “She told me all about you and your adventures. It’s nice to meet someone who isn’t here because of Sgrub.”
He doesn’t respond. Partially because he’s kind of mortified, and partially because he really doesn’t know what to even start asking about.
The TARDIS chirrs, a strange sequence of electronic noises that the Doctor has never actually heard before. Aradia smiles in response, and just heads for the door. “I’ll be seeing you around, Doctor!” She swings the door open and does a swan dive out, leaving a light trail of red shimmer-dust behind her.
The Doctor just stands there, a little dumbfounded. The TARDIS chirps almost happily.