The Girl in the Box (Doctor Who)

The Maddening Mist

~~~~ The Gemstone's POV ~~~~

I turned around to check up on the couple behind us when I saw the fog creeping up on them, trying to snatch the couple and invade their minds. I had never known the Forcuse Nerada to be intentionally violent, especially when they had enough resources to keep them content, someone was controlling them.

"Keep away from the fog," I warned the couple as they stared at the mist with more wonder than I would like. They slowly outstretched their hands towards the vapor, and before I could yank them out of their trance, they let the Forcuse Nerada dance on their palms and ambush their minds.

"Run," was all the Doctor did to snap me back into action, taking his arm from around my shoulder and grabbing my hand frantically. We sprinted into the TARDIS and slammed the doors, sliding down them together with heavy sighs.

"It's a shame," I moaned over the deaths of the couple we had saved moments ago, only leading them to their deaths.

"They had touched the fog long before we had gotten to them, that's why they were drawn to it," the Doctor tried comforting me by pointing out they were already dead. It didn't make me feel less guilty, but I wiped my emotions away and attempted to think of a plan.

"Cross blowing up anything off of your list," the Doctor reminded me and fiddled with my hand subconsciously.

"Light the upper atmosphere on fire, starving the Forcuse Nerada of condensation," I proposed and stared at our hands.

"Brilliant, but the humans moving in will be a big feast after a long fast for them. They'd live off of the pollution," the Doctor shot down my idea.

"Wait, Forcuse Nerada aren't hostile creatures, so someone's been controlling them. How about we find that someone and kindly ask them to stop, then accidentally blow them up or something," I smirked and skipped to the console, dropping the Doctor's hand from mine so I could work on scanning the life forms on Millew.

"Sounds like a plan," the Doctor rushed to help me with the scanner.

"Looks like there's someone underground, human. Fancy paying them a visit?" I started punching in the coordinates and balancing levers while holding down buttons. "Be a dear and help, would you?" I groaned as I stretched my hand across the console for a different button.

"No, I'm quite content," the Doctor stared at me with a mischievous smirk.

"Oi, eyes front," I scolded him and pushed the final button with my foot. "You could've helped," I whined and flicked the back of his head as punishment.

"I was preoccupied," he rubbed his head, careful not to mess up his hair.

"Not the time, Doctor," I laughed and opened the TARDIS doors a bit, peering out of them for any immediate danger. All was clear, we were in a seemingly empty cave.

"Knock knock," the Doctor murmured as he stepped out of the doorway.

"Who's there?" a booming voice reverberated throughout the cave.

"The Doctor and Gemstone," I answered, not liking the idea of playing with the voice.

"The Doctor and Gemstone who?" the voice played along with the game we weren't intent on playing.

"You see, that's the thing. You don't know who we are. Not yet, you don't. But when you do, you'll regret not knowing. Because the Gemstone and I, we'll stop you," the Doctor interrupted the joke and pulled me out of the TARDIS.

"I don't get it," the voice answered in a bemused tone.

"Okay, tell us your plan," I pleaded, hoping the voice would fall for it.