“Heir”
Feat. Nova Spark, Prince Amadeus , Princess Star Chime
Amadeus’ coronation has Prince Novis thinking about his own impending crowning.
He can’t shake that something just feels...wrong.
Previous: “Pressure”,
~Destinyverse Archive~
Story Under The Cut!
Dresses and coats pass Prince Novis as dozens of ponies and creatures mingle and meander about Canterlot Castle's massive Great Hall. In the background, elegant ballroom music drifts about from a professional ensemble, passionately playing their instruments at one corner of the room. Louder than the music is a constant rumble of pleasant conversation and laughter from the celebration's guests. Novis himself, however, chooses to stand off to one side of the room, taking small, periodic sips from his cup of sparkling cider.
His foreleg bounces as he watches a newly crowned Prince Amadeus warmly welcome distant dignitaries at the center of the room. Flanking Amadeus' sides are his mother and younger sister - Princess Luna and Star Chime - both mares respectfully dipping their heads in greeting at each approaching visitor but being sure to give the stallion the figurative spotlight.
The coronation ceremony had come to a close a few hours ago. Once the afterparty had commenced, Novis found himself and his mother Twilight not only separated from the lunar family as ponies lined up to offer their congratulations, but the two of them were quickly surrounded by other attendees wishing to converse with Equestrian royalty.
It was only when his cheeks began to feel numb after an hour and a half of consistent smiling (a new record, for sure) that his merciful mother gently nudged him to walk around and mingle with everyone. He graciously and swiftly took the exit, and to be fair, he tried to carry out his royal duty of entertaining their subjects. But three near-identical, boastful conversations later, Novis' mind had become too fatigued to handle one sentence more.
'If one more person goes off about how they shook Amadeus' wing once, I'm going to lose my mind.'
Novis isn't sure what's worse; the mindless idle conversation, the citizens gushing over members of the royal family, or the noble ponies' and their not-so-subtle gloating as they take the opportunity of a grandiose event to discuss business propositions with one another. Each kind of exchange meets his ears in a rise and fall of voices from where he stands.
What Novis really wants - what he's waiting for - is one chance to just say hello to his best friend. They hadn't spoken in months due to the preparation and rehearsal the stallion's coronation required. And Amadeus had been too occupied pre-coronation for Novis to sneak in a word. Now Amadeus is preoccupied with aristocrats and leaders of other lands alike, and an opportunity to have a second of his time seems unlikely.
Novis' blue eyes refocus, noticing a group of strangers waving enthusiastically a few yards away. By instinct, a smile too bright to match his inner discomfort stretches across his muzzle and he waves back. Just smile and wave; the basics of royal etiquette.
Immediately his smile falls once the ponies have looked away, and he ducks his head to take one long sip, as if that'd be enough to avoid any more social contact. It's then that he feels a rumble in his stomach and he remembers he hasn't eaten since he and his mother arrived in Canterlot.
As he maps out a route to the nearest snack table, one with the widest berth around groups of partygoers, a familiar voice reaches his ears. Novis immediately has to fight that urge - the temptation to pretend you didn't just hear someone call out to you, but the voice in question is too close for them to be addressing anyone else so unless you want to feign hearing loss, ignoring the voice would be impractical-
"There's Prince Novis! We've been looking for you!" A young male unicorn - one of the many noble children he's been forced to converse with, so who-in-Equestria-knows what his name is because Novis certainly doesn't - and two unfamiliar unicorns approach.
'Oh my God, leave me alone.'
"Friend! It's good to see you!" Novis's fake grin and saccharine voice greet them. In Novis' mind, there's no way his forced friendliness is convincing. But people are too self-absorbed and eager to hear themselves talk, so he's proven wrong every time, watching the male unicorn proudly raise his head high.
"Good to see you too, friend!" The unicorn preens, tossing his head and his coiffed mane with it. Novis hears the two ponies accompanying the other stallion exchange impressed whispers and giggles, and even someone as oblivious as himself can read the situation and recognize a pony flexing his connections. Novis feels distaste form on his own tongue. "What a gorgeous coronation that was! Truly worthy of everyone's envy!" The unicorn leans in with a smirk. "Even your own~?"
'...what kind of arbitrary-ass question-"
"No, no, never!" Novis isn't sure whether to take it as a joke or a jab, so he settles on a weak laugh. "Amadeus is my bro- brother. My brother at heart. Why be jealous when I can be proud? He's come so far and worked hard for this."
"Does that mean your coronation will be even grander, Prince Novis?" One of the other unicorns pipes in curiously.
Novis barely conceals a flinch.
His voice gets stuck in his throat, his eyes darting between each pony's expectant face.
"Um-"
"Prince Novis," his savior speaks in the form of a butler, whose magic hovers a tray in front of them. They dip their head respectfully, tilting the tray in his direction and revealing miniature orange cakes with soft, cloud-like white icing. At the sight, Novis perks up. "As requested by your mother, we've arranged your favorite carrot cake treats. Please, enjoy yourself."
A sense of delight fills the young prince's chest, his belly feeling that much more hollow while breathing in the sweet scent of carrot and cream cheese icing. Just as he intends to push his magic forward and pick up a delicate treat, he doesn't miss the chuckle from the stallion next to him.
"I'd say to watch your figure, but I suppose you won't have to worry about your coronation for another few years."
Novis glances at his company, only to find their eyes boring into him. Despite wearing his formal attire he feels a shiver run across his pelt, causing hairs even under his dress wear to rise. The other unicorn just smiles back.
"Don't mind us, your highness. Go on! You can probably afford it."
That's when Novis catches the unconcealed movement of each of their eyes, darting between his face and his body, and his stomach churns in realization.
The sickening feeling crawls under his skin, making even tailored clothes feel tight around him, making him feel exposed enough to take a step back from the platter and say, unthinkingly;
"Thanks, but I'm not hungry."
That's enough to dismiss the butler, who bows one more time before wandering away. The three other young unicorns pick up their laughter and chatter, but Novis hears none of it. The quiet bitterness simmering at his core brings him to block out their noise, yet simultaneously, his royal training puts him on autopilot. Not that it takes much effort to converse with nobility so self-absorbed, they'll put others down in every subtle way they can just to bask in a sense of superiority. He just has to be pleasant; smile and nod, laugh when everyone else does, 'ooh' and 'aah' as the other party boasts-
Rinse and repeat. A robotic loop for...the rest of his life, Novis supposes. The aristocracy is a crowd Equestrian royalty has always strived to maintain a cordial relationship with, being collaborative partners and descendants of long-gone, highly esteemed wizards who once aided the crown.
'This is just the company I'll have to keep.'
With his mind lost to a dull buzz of trivial exchanges, Novis would have missed the movement in his periphery had he not noticed the shift in the murmurs around him, now light and filled with reverence. Halfway across the room, Amadeus gracefully strolls away from his family, approaching a table of refreshments on the sidelines. The male Alicorn smiles and dips his head to the groupings of ponies he passes, who eagerly bow and curtsy in return.
Novis sees his chance.
"Uuh- excuse me, you three, I just remembered there are important matters I need to address, good day-" Novis quickly echoes what he remembers reading from his mother's list of "Common Phrases for an Eloquent Exit", the riveting sequel to her initial gift, "Helpful Responses and Phrases for Pleasant Conversation." Novis doesn't bother waiting for an answer, throwing common courtesy to the wind in favor of making a beeline for his friend.
It takes a moment of weaving and excusing himself, but Novis' eyes stay locked on that starry mane of blues and purples. A tinge of nervousness settles in him at the idea of not reaching the older prince in time, but to his own relief, the purple stallion finds his hooves past the crowd.
Novis lets out a heavy sigh he's been holding in for far too long, and it's loud enough to catch the ear of the larger stallion. When Amadeus' lavender eyes fall on his smaller form, the other prince's whole expression brightens.
"Ammy!" Novis greets first, grinning toothily and closing the last few steps between them. Amadeus surprises him by placing a hoof over his own chest and bowing deeply.
"Novis, my friend! How wonderful it is to see you in good health!" He proclaims, standing up straight with a polite smile. Novis' face crinkles at the odd greeting, only for realization to hit him when he very much sees the mischievous twinkle in his friend's eye.
The noise Novis releases is a sophisticated mix between a scoff and a laugh. "Hey, hey, hey! Don't you use your formal voice on me!"
Amadeus' polite smile immediately splits into a cheeky grin. Horn glowing a similar shade to his eyes, the blue-splotched Alicorn levitates and tips his newly earned black and white crown at the purple stallion. "Mmmmm-m'lord~"
This time unrestrained laughter bursts out of Novis, and he shakes his head vigorously. Oh, he missed him. "My Gods you're so stupid, come here."
Amadeus is squeezed into a hug before another cursed phrase can leave his muzzle, and the silver-pelted prince chuckles low, surely aware of this. Novis feels the weight of one of Amadeus' shimmering wings return his hug (two wings would smother him, good thing his friend is thoughtful). Upon pulling away, Amadeus' face practically glows as much as his hair does in the night.
"I made it, Nov..."
"'Course you did." Novis' mouth quicks up in one corner. He lightly thumps the back of his hoof against the Alicorn's chest. "Like me or anyone ever doubted you, man. Congrats."
"Thank you..." Amadeus sighs out. Novis can see a few tired lines under his friend's eyes, but he also sees relief in his relaxed features. A weight has been lifted; irrational fears and insecurities Novis knows the stallion has been holding onto, ever since...
'Your dad would be proud', he doesn't say. Novis can imagine the dozens of times Amadeus has to have heard that exact phrase within the hour alone. But meeting his friend's gaze, Novis sees warmth emanate from Amadeus', and the young stallion knows the sentiment is understood.
"Sooo..." Novis rocks back and forth on his hooves, the awkward and mushy silence beginning to make him antsy. "What was your coronated name again? 'Amadeus Sirius Altair'?" He exaggerates a thoughtful hum. "Pretty cool, but uh....maybe leave some star names fooor, I dunno, Star Chime?"
Amadeus laughs heartily, easily breaking away from the heavy atmosphere. "Sister has plenty to choose from. And she has as many years as you do to choose her new name. You're both up next, after all."
It happens again.
Like a sack of rocks being forced down his throat to weigh in his chest cavity, Novis feels like he's physically recoiling away from the topic despite standing completely still. The sheer agitation catches even him off guard.
'It's just a coronation. You get through a big fancy ceremony, you're given a gaudy crown, then it's over. You move on with your life.'
...he knows it's not that simple.
"That reminds me!" Novis puts every shred of energy into a completely natural topic change. "Now that your coronation is over, we should have a game night this week! It'll be a celebration between us! It's been WAY too long."
Novis' hopeful smile falters upon hearing a nervous laugh tumble out of the Alicorn. "Oh yeah...sorry Nov, I wish I could, but it sounds like I'm going to be busier than ever now that I'm crowned. Mother informed me that there'll be responsibilities I'll be officially taking over, full-time. But!" Amadeus perks up. "But once things settle down in a few months' time, I can probably schedule something in!"
A few months.
Novis isn't sure what shifts in his own expression, but whatever it is, Amadeus catches it. The older prince's eyes soften, and he offers an assuring smile. Leaning down, Amadeus nudges the top of Novis' head with his nose.
"Hey, it won't always be like this, Nova. Don't worry. We'll make time, I promise."
"Yeah..." he returns in a weak attempt to agree. Novis tries to find the faintest bit of assurance in his friend's words, but the unease in his chest weighs heavier.
"Oh, mother is waving me back over. I suppose I have more leaders to meet." Amadeus chuckles softly. Before Novis can look up, a single glimmering feather gently flicks his nose, startling him. The offended look he shoots the other stallion earns him a delighted laugh. Novis' suppressed smile betrays his feigned annoyance. But boy, Amadeus is lucky they're in public. It's like he forgets that lightning magic and pretty, manicured galaxy manes don't exactly go well together-
"Cheer up, okay? We'll go all out and stay up as long as we want the next time we get together. And then you can tell me about all the progress you've made on your game! Believe me, I'm looking forward to it!"
Right.
His game.
Novis presses his mouth into a tight line, but he manages a smile and a small salute when Amadeus glances back at him. "Yeah, yeah. Go get'em, prince."
Amadeus reciprocates with a playful salute of his wing before striding back in the direction of his family and a cluster of attendees. With his back turned, Novis feels his smile vanish.
'Right...I'm next', he thinks, in a room full of carefree partygoers all gathered to celebrate the inauguration of their beloved lunar prince. A coronation is a joyous occasion, for the royal family and their subjects alike. Novis tries to imagine his own.
The weight in his chest remains.
--------------------------------
'Where did she go?'
Novis travels down another hallway, nearly identical to the one before it. Were it not for the years he spent exploring the castle during his and his mother's frequent visits, Amadeus acting as his tour guide, he would have absolutely gotten lost in the maze that is Canterlot Castle. Thankfully, he has a decent map of the layout in his head.
It's been an hour since Amadeus' afterparty ended, and Novis was surprised by how fast everyone had scattered. One minute his mother and Princess Celestia were conversing in one corner of the Great Hall, and the next, they were both gone. His mother most likely assumed he would have rather stayed behind to see his "friends" off, as opposed to the reality of him ducking behind the snack tables to sneak his way behind the crowd with the precision of someone who's played one too many stealth games.
Novis originally opted to retire to his guestroom for the night. But the discomfort he'd felt during the party had failed to leave him.
He can't shake it. He can't pull his mind away from the reminder that in three years' time, he'll be faced with the finality that is his crowning. And the fact that this is his knee-jerk reaction to the mere thought has made it obvious that something is very wrong.
He knows he won't be able to rest, not until he tries talking it out with her. And the only place his mother and Celestia would head off to would be...
Beyond him to his left, Novis sees the large, open doors of the pillared corridor that leads straight to the throne room. When he turns to walk through the colossal doorway, he expects his eyes to lock onto the set of double doors on the far end of the hall. Instead, his deep blue orbs flicker toward a figure, standing off to the side.
Princess Twilight Sparkle, framed by the towering windows and panels of stained glass lining both walls of the corridor, is gazing up towards one of the artistic glass panels. The light beyond it shines through, reflecting colors off of her tranquil face. Novis approaches wordlessly. If he's honest, he rarely pays any mind to the stained glass windows in this hallway, always shrugging them off as relics portraying events from far in the past. But as he slows to a stop beside his mother, the young stallion tilts his head back, eyes wide as he fully takes in the regal majesty that is his mother's stained glass portrait. The glowing, immortalized image of his mother on her coronation day, powerful wings outstretched, smiles elegantly back at him.
"Amadeus will have his own panel built tomorrow. It'll be constructed next to Lumina's."
Novis turns towards the sound of his mother's voice, now noticing that she's smiling warmly at him. He peeks past her and further down the corridor. Where there once was a panel that depicted the defeat of Lord Discord by the royal sisters now resided a more promising display; Princess Lumina in all her Celestia-like grace, with brilliant gold and orange glass illuminating the space around her half-Alicorn, half-Draconequus form.
"And if I'm right," Twilight continues, a tinge of excitement in her voice. Her wing wraps around him and pulls him into her side. She gestures her hoof towards one of the normal windows next to her glass portrait. "Celestia plans on assembling yours right beside mine!"
"A-ah..." he struggles out. "That's...great, mom."
His mother's wing squeezes his side at the same time she grins down at him. "I'm beyond proud of Amadeus. But I have to admit, today has made it impossible to stop thinking about your coronation!"
"S-same here." A painfully stilted laugh shakes his shoulders. "Actually, um, mom...that's what I came here to ask about, if-"
Novis cuts himself off, because Twilight's eyes practically shine at the prospect of questions. She pulls her wing back and straightens her posture, taking on the stance of a wise, experienced teacher.
"Ask away, Novie~" she answers with an almost sing-song cadence. A smile threatens to tug at his muzzle. He takes in a deep breath instead.
"Well...today it's come to my attention that I'll most likely have less time to myself once my coronation has passed. There's..." He pauses because no way in Tartarus will he suggest to the Friendship Princess that the Friendship Prince has been spending his spare time and resources developing a video game. As if just bringing up the subject to his "friends" has ever ended positively. He's had quite enough of being subtly ridiculed. "...there's a project I'm trying to work on- not an invention, just for fun. It's a lot of meticulous work and I'm honestly worried I won't have time in the future to give any projects like it the attention they need. Am I wrong?"
Law amendments, passing legislation, working with representatives and leaders; meetings, paperwork, hosting festivities, bringing ponies together and spreading the values of friendship; a long-winded list that barely scrapes the iceberg of duties Novis knows will be completely his one day. Novis' studies on those subjects and the times he's shadowed his mother alone have left him with only small windows of time to himself. And half of that free time is usually spent on everyone's long-awaited magi-tech research. It's not unlike the free time his mother sets aside to aid Sunset Shimmer in the mare's magi-tech pursuits.
'Maybe I'm overthinking this...once studying is out of the picture, I'll have more time than I'm imagining to-'
"You're right that you'll have less time than you do now! You'll have plenty of fun work to occupy you, but that's the joy of making a schedule!" Twilight gushes, and oh, his mother speaks that single word like it's a holy phrase. "Once all of your duties for the day are organized nice and neat, you'll find yourself with at least an hour of downtime here and there, for any extra activities you want to fit in! Since your activities are just fun side projects, the work will be gradual, sure, but it'll simply be a matter of patience at that point."
Oh...
Novis really thought getting a straight answer would ease his gnawing anxiety. Instead, it feels more like his worst fears have been realized.
An hour "here and there" won't be enough. The feeling in his chest shouts this at him, at her. It's not enough time to dedicate his...his attention and passion to his work.
He doesn't want to just "fit it in", like a trivial hobby he'll drop the moment he's bored. He...
"Is something wrong, Novie?"
He's been quiet too long, he realizes. Twilight's looking at him, puzzled.
"...I don't know, I've been feeling kind of..."
Out of my mind. Restless.
Terrified.
"...nervous. Thinking about my coronation. I-it just feels like a lot, I guess." Novis bites his lip. "Almost like I'm...panicking inside."
His mind feels scattered. He thinks back to earlier in the day; the forced socializations, the hollow friendships, his fake laughter and royal courtesies. Everything he's played along with until now...everything that'll be a permanent part of his life once he takes to the throne-
And now he knows that the singular passion that gave him an escape will barely have a place anymore.
Twilight's awkward chuckle snaps him out of his spiraling thoughts. "Oh yeah, you...might have gotten that from me. I used to panic ALL the time."
Novis pauses, taking a solid moment to eye his mother. "...you still kind of do."
"Alright, you got me there. But my point is that I developed a far better grasp on it once I settled into my role! You're quick to adapt, Novie. It'll get easier for you too, I'm sure. I can even teach you the breathing techniques I use to calm down-"
Something crosses Twilight's face, as if she's been reminded of something. That eager shine returns to her violet eyes. "But fiiirst...I want to share something with you. I was planning on waiting a year or two, but maybe this will be an exciting source of encouragement!"
A spark of magenta magic manifests a black velvet box between them. Her horn alight with energy, his mother wastes no time in presenting it to him before opening its lid slowly.
Inside is a golden crown.
It's covered in intricate carvings and adorned with evenly spaced blue gemstones. His family's six-pointed star sits neatly at the front, carved out of a red jewel that glimmers under the light of the stained glass.
Novis feels an icy wave overtake his entire body.
"May I?" His mother asks. He numbly nods, despite himself. He feels the metal settle on his hair, and when the Alicorn before him stands back to take him in, her expression is soft and prideful. A small mirror sparks into existence, blocking out the sight of her and replacing it with his reflection.
He sees himself for the first time that day and sees creases under his wide eyes. The sight of that crown accompanying his face brings back the churning in his stomach.
"A perfect fit." His mother declares. "I decided to have this custom ordered early! Rarity helped with the design. She used the highest quality gemstones she could find."
She then playfully curtsies, dipping her head as an exaggerated fancy accent takes over her voice. "I'd say you look quite dashing, Prince Novis Noctis Spark."
-the name he settled on for his coronation.
Twilight lifts her head up to look at him, her expression expectant and playful. Novis tenses, his eyes flashing between her and his reflection. She's trying to get him to laugh. She's expecting a reaction.
"It's...good." The words come out strangled, but clear enough. He tries to smile. The mirror reveals a grimace. "It's like a...new me."
The mirror disappears in another spark of magenta magic. His mother's face is now clearer to him, and there, he sees a worried frown.
The weight of the crown leaves his head, and he watches her carefully angle it back into its box. A soft sigh leaves her as she teleports it away, back to her room or whatever pocket dimension her powerful magic pulls items from.
"Oh Novie..." she murmurs, catching him off guard. The tips of her feathers reach out and smooth back his hair. Novis meets her sympathetic gaze, feeling more vulnerable than ever before. A small sliver of hope manifests in him. Maybe his mother understands his fears better than he does-
His hopes are dashed.
"A coronation is a big change. You might feel like you're not ready for something that feels bigger than you. I've been there." Her feathers move to his cheek, holding his face there. "But I promise you, Novis; fulfilling your destiny is the most freeing experience. Soon you'll realize that there was never anything to be nervous about in the first place. You're more capable than you realize. You'll see."
The gentle caress of her feathers ends at his forehead. She shoots him one last, loving smile. "Hey. Celestia told me dinner would be ready soon. We should get going; I'll teach you those breathing techniques after."
Novis nods, because he isn't sure what else to do. With that, Twilight turns towards the archway exit of the hall, her regal white and blue gown flowing out behind her as she strides away. While he turns to follow, the young prince pauses in place. With a tilt of his head, Novis looks up one last time at the immense stained glass portrait. Celestia's fading sunlight illuminates her faithful student's panel from behind. The radiant purple and pink hues of his mother, in turn, fall on him in streams of colored light.
His shadow hides behind him.
A sharp pang hits his chest, and his ears pull back as his mother's words return to him.
Fulfilling your destiny is freeing.
Novis wonders, then, why he feels trapped.
________________________________________
Twi be out here like "It worked out for me, so it'll work out for you!"
She's trying, guys.
A bit of lore I ended up leaving out in this chapter, because it interrupted the flow: the "coronated name" is a tradition that started with the oldest of the royal children, Fleurence Valentina Heart of the Crystal Empire (AKA Flurry Heart). It continued onto Lumina Alice Solae, and then Amadeus Sirius Altair. As mentioned in his bio, the "Noctis" in the name Nova picked out is a nod to his soul brother and lunar prince, Amadeus. The tradition was intended to help each royal heir fully embody their ascension to the throne.
I'm so happy with this art piece. Twilight's stained glass window from the MLP movie is one of my favorite MLP visuals of all time (I have a poster of the full version that includes her friends on my wall~), so getting to recreate it was such an honor. Also, you may notice that this illustration is an absolute parallel of a certain back shot of Twilight from the movie~ It was heavily referenced when making the background!
But yes, this chapter is more of a transitional one, meant to fully establish Nova's inner conflict. ; w ; Very important nonetheless.
21 notes
·
View notes
FC's Doctor Who Fic Masterlist
Pseudonyms: Laurawrzz, reddwarfaddict, fatelesschild
10Whump, H/C, TenxRose
(Image by @fritzmetzger)
Destinyverse
The Doctor's new life in "the adventure he thought he could never have" is in full swing, and it's nothing like what he thought it would be. With Rose and their children by his side and the support of Jack's Torchwood, Sarah Jane, UNIT, new friends and old friends alike, the Doctor faces some of the biggest challenges he's ever had in an increasingly hostile universe full of age-old enemies and dangerous new villains.
In this collection, the Doctor and Rose try to nurture a relationship and raise children in a Universe with other ideas. Facing amnesia, torture, imprisonment, childbirth, illness, corruption, war, hate, love, loss, plus all the trouble and fun in between, being "the Doctor in the TARDIS with Rose Tyler" was never going to be normal.
TenxRose A/U of post-Journey's End. All stories carry tags/warnings for 10Whump, H/C, graphic violence and emotional trauma, general dark themes, and some descriptive sex.
Mainline stories
1 Destiny (Novel, Explicit)
[TenxRose, Torchwood, Master]
﹂"I think he's from the future. This is a future me."
The Doctor and Rose are in a fledgling relationship travelling the stars, until one fateful day, the Doctor's tortured future self arrives in Torchwood, intent on breaking the laws of times and changing his own past.
2 Paroxysmic (Novel, Mature)
[TenxRose, Torchwood, UNIT]
﹂“That boy who died… He had what Leah has.”
The Doctor and Rose's two-year-old daughter suddenly falls ill and is taken to a UNIT hospital. But when unexplained deaths of children in the ward begin to occur, the Doctor must race to solve the mystery before it takes his girl away too.
3 The Debt (Novel, Explicit)
[TenxRose, Torchwood, Shadow Proclamation, Master]
﹂“Theta needs Koschei's help one last time.”
When his young daughter is put into mortal danger, and Rose is imprisoned by a corrupt Shadow Proclamation, the only one the Doctor can turn to for help is the Master, calling in a debt from their childhood. But he can't be trusted …. Can he?
4 Mother's Nature (Novel, Explicit)
[TenxRose, Torchwood, Ulysses, Penelope Gate]
﹂“… But what if she's not real?”
The Shadow Proclamation upgrade Earth to a Level 6 planet, endangering visiting species as humans turn hostile. Seeking refuge, some old family members of the Doctor turn up, but … haven't they been dead for hundreds of years?
5 Echoes (Novel, Mature)
[TenxRose, Torchwood, Shadow Proclamation, Braxiatel, UNIT, Master]
﹂“I want to remember. I sound so happy.”
After receiving a message from his future self and fleeing Torchwood in a hurry, the Doctor turns up on the Master’s doorstep three months later with utterly no memory of who he is, how he got there, or what happened to him and his family.
6 Time (Novel, Explicit)
[TenxRose, Torchwood, UNIT, Braxiatel]
﹂"He is very, very ill. I believe he has three months to live."
After twelve years of imprisonment in Volag-noc the Doctor is terminally ill, giving him and Rose three months to find a lost memory so he can regenerate into the same body. However, someone has been chasing the Doctor for a very long time ...
7 Mind Games (Short, Mature)
[TenxRose, Multiple Doctors + Companions, Master]
﹂“You need to go inside his mind, find him, and bring him out."
The Doctor has regenerated and become trapped within his own mind. Rose must enter to save what's left, battling riddles and games and searching his deepest, darkest memories to reach Ten and free him from his own mental prison.
8 Co-consciousness (Novel, Mature)
[TenxRose, Torchwood, Braxiatel]
﹂‘Tell him that I love him too. And also that I hate him.’
A freak accident has left Rose’s consciousness trapped inside the Doctor’s head, and the only solution is on the most criminal-infested planet in the Universe. With Jack's help, the Doctor has to find the cure before his brain shatters under the strain.
9 Insurgent (Novel, Explicit)
[TenxRose, Torchwood, UNIT, Braxiatel, Master]
﹂‘I love you, all of you. Don’t stop. Never stop.’
With UNIT having faked his death, the Doctor goes undercover to save Earth. But this time, his adversaries are out of his childhood nightmares, and his family are under severe threat from a xenophobic human race.
10 The Ten Keys of the Moirai (Novel, Mature)
[TenxRose, Torchwood, Braxiatel, Master]
﹂'I don’t believe in fate.'
Someone is finding the fabled Keys of the Moirai. The Doctor and his friends must embark on the greatest treasure hunt ever known, as the rumoured prize is to become the immortal ruler of the Universe, and who knows who's about to claim it?
11 Memento (Novel, Mature)
[TenxRose, Torchwood]
﹂'This isn't a story. This is your life, and you need to remember it.’
The Doctor wakes up with a damaged memory as a prisoner of an unknown entity. With him is someone who claims to be his friend. Time is apparently running out, and all the Doctor has to reconstruct his life are stories told by a man he can’t remember, and is not sure he can even trust.
12 Panacea (Novel, Mature)
[TenxRose, Torchwood, Millennia]
﹂You should've killed me.
On a mission to cure his paralysis, the Doctor heads with Jack to the most renowned clinic in the universe, where he meets a very old friend. But with infected Rose one step ahead, the threat to the Doctor and his family has never been so personal.
13 The Things in the Dark (Novel, Explicit)
[TenxRose, Torchwood, Millennia, Daleks]
﹂‘Who says you’re imaginin’ anythin’?’
After being blinded by Rose's disease, the Doctor must prepare the TARDIS to navigate through one of the most hostile regions of space to save her, but old traumas die hard ...
14 Oblivion (Novel, Mature)
[TenxRose, Torchwood, Millennia, Eternals, Ravenous]
﹂‘Just … acknowledge what I said. I’m telling you what to do if I die.’
A blind Doctor, his six-year-old daughter, Jack Harkness, and Millennia embark on an Odyssean journey into an extremely hostile region of space in a race against time to find the cure for a diseased Rose Tyler. But their ticket may only be one way.
15 Twilight of the Innocents (Novel, Mature)
[TenxRose, Braxiatel, Master]
﹂‘Haven’t you learnt not to trust the villain yet, Doctor?’
To save Rose Tyler and free the Universe from a sentient disease's grip, the Doctor, the Master, and Irving Braxiatel must work together: forced to navigate the complexities of their relationships, face the depths of their fears, and consider the cost of their decisions. But can the last three Time Lords, so deeply divided by distrust, be trusted with the fate of the Universe?
Add-ons/spin-offs
22 Weeks (Oneshot, Explicit)
[Ten, Jack, The Master]
﹂'I'm Jack. I love you; I'm not going to hurt you.'
During the Year That Never Was, Jack struggles to take care of a brain-damaged Doctor over the course of one week following the Master's relentless assault.
Santa's Not Real (Oneshot, General)
[TenxRose]
﹂'Santa is real, Leah. He needs you to believe in him.’
The Doctor’s daughter doesn’t believe in Santa, but that might just be the undoing of Christmas for children all over the Earth.
Other Series
Weeds
A weed inside the TARDIS has buried itself so deeply in her heart that reality becomes an illusion. When Rose is poisoned by the weed, the Doctor has five hours to obtain the cure, fighting reality and unreality to save his companion.
1 Weeds (Two-part, Mature)
[Ten, Rose, TARDIS]
﹂“Help,” the Doctor whimpered, his eyes filling up with tears.
A destructive weed is inside the TARDIS and poisoned Rose. With five hours on the clock, an injured Doctor must find the cure, but to get it, he must venture into the very heart of his own beloved ship.
2 Pains (Two-part, Mature)
[Ten, Rose, TARDIS]
﹂"I am the emergency medical interference for this time capsule, TARDIS type 40, mark 3."
The weeds are still in the TARDIS, and the Doctor is lying useless in the infirmary. Rose takes it upon herself to kill the weeds, but straying too near the TARDIS Heart and its terrible effects may end up killing her.
3 Hearts (Two-part, Mature)
[Ten, Rose, TARDIS]
﹂"No, I don't want you to be my champion. I want you to be my slave."
The weeds are multiplying, and Rose and the Doctor are lying at the bottom of an access shaft, badly injured. The Heart of the TARDIS is screaming for help, but is there anyone left to answer?
4 Minds (Two-part, Mature)
[TenxRose, Jackie, TARDIS]
﹂“I've only… I've only ever been with you.”
The weed has taken the Doctor's mind, placing him in a made-up world with little memory of the TARDIS or the danger she and Rose are in. Rose can only communicate with him through his dreams, and who says he wants to leave his dream world anyway?
5 Bodies (Two-part, Mature)
[Ten, Rose, TARDIS]
﹂"Take me over, fry my brain, sacrifice me, I don't care. Whatever it takes. Just beat this weed. For the Doctor, okay? It's what he'd want."
It's the end of the line, and with the Doctor's body dead and his mind held captive, it's up to Rose and the TARDIS to kill the weed once and for all.
The DoctorRose Fic Marathon 2022
Collection of Ten and Rose-centric stories created for the 2022 Doctor Rose Fic Marathon, ranging through lovely fluff, absurd crack, genuine horror, and intense whump / H/C.
The Man in the Leather Jacket (Oneshot, Teen)
[Ten, Rose]
﹂'But you don't know where I'm going. You don't even know who I am.'
After five years of working listlessly in Henrik's, a very strange customer walks in looking for a new outfit and changes Rose Tyler's life forever.
The Bitter Pill (Oneshot, Teen)
[TenxRose]
﹂'Oh god, I took so long that you've had a stroke.'
A Gallifreyan biological curiosity causes a severe medical emergency for the Doctor, leaving Rose to pick up the pieces.
Tell Me What I'm Thinking (Oneshot, Teen)
[TenxRose]
﹂'Wait, that means I could use telepathy like you if I trained it, yeah?'
Over the course of two months, Rose tries to get the Doctor to teach her how to use telepathy.
Goodnight, Sleep Tight (Oneshot, General)
[Ten, Rose]
﹂'Oh my god, are you actually doin' this?'
Rose and the Doctor share a single bed for the night, and it’s not quite as romantic as Rose imagined.
Sale of the Century (Oneshot, General)
[Ten, Rose]
﹂'When you come through here every so often with fifty trolleys, you tend to stick in the mind.'
When the TARDIS food stocks run low on Earth supplies, the Doctor has to go on his centennial grocery shop. Unfortunately, this time Rose is along for the ride.
Bet Your Life? (Oneshot, Mature)
[Ten, Rose, Jack]
﹂'I'm tired, Jack, I'm s-so tired of w-watchin' him die …'
The Doctor's temporary death causes temporary chaos for Jack and Rose.
He May Surely Have Bad Dreams (Oneshot, Mature)
[TenxRose]
﹂'Stop. Please. Please. I'll do anything. Just let me wake up.'
Have you ever had a nightmare you couldn't wake up from?
School's Out (Oneshot, Teen)
[Ten, Rose]
﹂'I'm … from the future.'
A new student appears at Jericho Street Comprehensive, just as schoolgirl Rose Tyler needs saving.
Her Last Goodbye (Oneshot, General)
[TenxRose]
﹂'I know it'll hurt. But remember. You gave me the best life. The best.'
After nearly three centuries of travelling with the Doctor, Rose Tyler dies. But she’s not quite done looking after him yet.
Standalone Novels/Shorts
Death in Paradox (Short, Mature) [paused]
[Ten, Martha, Rose]
﹂'If I’m going to die, I‘d like to see what finally killed me.’
After seeing a past version of himself shot dead by an unknown assailant, the Doctor, with the help of Rose and Martha, must embark on a murder mystery to solve his own killing before time corrects and his death catches up with him.
Xeno (Novel, Mature)
[Ten, Donna, Jack, Martha, UNIT]
﹂Why wasn’t Martha speaking the right language? Unless, of course, he was speaking the wrong one.
Donna is still looking for the Doctor when a UFO crash lands outside of Downing Street, containing the severely injured Time Lord. Trouble is, the human race is about to be the victim of genocide, and the Doctor can't speak English.
Russian translation available here
Jack (Novel, Mature)
[Ten, Rose, Jack]
﹂"I'm Cap'n Jack Harkness. Who the hell are you?"
The Doctor and Rose are forced by the TARDIS to the 52nd century, where they meet a Time Agent Jack in the middle of his two years of missing memories fighting a gruesome biological war.
Eli (Novel, Teen)
[Ten, Sarah Jane, Martha, Jack, Rose]
﹂'All grown-up humans need is sleep, food, something to amuse them, and some attention. Right? So you need that too. Just in smaller doses.'
In the wreckage of a crashed ship, the Doctor discovers a sole survivor - a small human boy in the tight grip of his dead mother. While finding him a home, the Doctor has to look after him. The problem is he has no idea how human children work.
Ordinary World (Novel, Mature) [edit pending]
[TenxRose, Jackie, Jack, Sarah]
﹂'Them aliens out there? They're s'posed to be the killers, yeah? The murderers? The monsters? Well they're not. The monsters are right here. It's us.'
A malfunctioning TARDIS has sent the Doctor, Jackie and Rose to an alternative version of Earth. Without the TARDIS, the Doctor, Rose and Jackie are forced onto separate sides of a gruesome alien vs. human war.
Reborn (Novel, Mature) [edit pending]
[Ten, TentooxRose, Jack, Martha, Sarah Jane, Multi-era, Koschei, Theta. Romana]
﹂'We have to stop the Darkness before it consumes everything.'
When the walls of reality begin to break down, the 10th Doctor and every person he has ever known assemble in one reality. The Darkness is coming, and not all of them will reach the light.
13 Woodcutter Road (Short, Teen)
[Ten, Donna]
﹂"Something's not right with this street, Donna. I think it's some kind of alien intervention, a front for some sort of operation…"
After a misadventure that needs the TARDIS to self-repair, the Doctor and Donna have to live in a temporary Earth house. But while Donna thinks he's going mad with boredom, the Doctor is convinced that something very strange is going on in Woodcutter Road.
One/twoshots
(Image by @fritzmetzger)
Time With Mother (Oneshot, Mature)
[Ten, Jackie, Rose]
﹂Somewhere over the course of the afternoon, he'd stopped being a stranger, and started being a member of the family.
The newly regenerated 10th Doctor finds himself trapped and injured with Jackie in the stairwell of a shopping centre on Boxing Day, where they find they've got more to talk about than the sales.
Happy Othersmas (Oneshot, Teen)
[TenxRose]
﹂'I know it's just some silly human holiday that doesn't make much sense, and it shouldn't feel so important, but it does.'
Rose’s plans for her first Christmas without her mum are scuppered by a highly contagious alien disease, and she and the Doctor are forced to spend 48 hours in TARDIS quarantine.
The Curse of the Time Lords (Oneshot, General)
[Nine, Ten, Rose, Martha, Donna, Multi-Doctor, Multi-Companion]
﹂'It's you …'
TARDIS ground rules: 1. Don't put posters up. 2. Don't be overly joyful before 10am. 3. Don't go into the attic.
The Monster's Ball (Oneshot, Teen)
[Ten, Rose, Jackie]
﹂'I now, officially, have utterly no idea what's going on or how I'm supposed to stop it.'
The Doctor and Rose accidentally visit Jackie on Halloween, just in time for the Powell Estate annual Halloween party.
Audiobook version available here
Dear Santa (Oneshot, General)
[TenxRose]
﹂WE WOOD LYK TO SAAAAY THAT YOOOU SHOOD NOT GET THE DOKTAH A PREZENT THIS YEEEEAR!!!
Documenting a series of "umails" from the Doctor and the Daleks to Santa, asking him not to get the other one presents.
Shipwrecked (Short, Teen) [edit pending]
[Ten, Multi-companion]
﹂"We're stuck in the void…"
The TARDIS has crashed, leaving the Doctor and eight companions trapped in the console room with only twenty minutes of oxygen.
Yet to be AO3'd
All below have yet to be AO3'd. Most are on FF.net.
Key:
- Rewrite probable
- Can't decide
- Let the internet swallow it into the abyss
Novels/Shorts (a-z)
Casperton Horror
Laura's description: Fun horror with blatant TenxRosexTentoo, even though it wasn't
Rewrite notes: Nice premise, deserves another outing
Dreams
Laura's description: James Bond, but it's the Doctor, and he can't stop being heroic. Plus helicopters
Rewrite notes: Has a special place in my heart, seems likely
It IS Halloween
Laura's description: Series of epic 10Whumps tenuously linked by Halloween subplot
Rewrite notes: ... Ahahahaha!
Lector Manor
Laura's description: What you get if you mix Kingdom Hearts with Saw but still want it Saturday-night friendly
Rewrite notes: Always liked its vibe, I'd like another crack
Lure of the Sirens
Laura's description: If Lost had more sex, 10Whump, and bears, because every desert island has bears
Rewrite notes: Totally oversexed, but nice premise with a desert island survival vibe that could be more fun if I thought about it
Memories
Laura's description: A story to remind you that Laura likes medieval RPGs and plot duality
Rewrite notes: I always liked this one, it at least deserves a look at
Miss Doctor and Mr Rose
Laura's description: Bodyswap with author's blinding pubescent overtones
Rewrite notes: Noooooo. No. Nope.
My Darlin' Rosaline
Laura's description: If Doctor Who was a Western everyone would have Western names and talk about the Calaboose
Rewrite notes: Some very nice H/C but ... nah.
Ransom
Laura's description: Tentoo has a really bad time, like REALLY bad. Also, there's plot.
Rewrite notes: Always intended to repost
Shipwrecked
Laura's description: Time petals with canonical context.
Rewrite notes: Probably best left to the furnace
Ten Minus Five
Laura's description: An excuse for cute tiny Ten, validated by plot
Rewrite notes: It's the only deageing fic I've done, maybe it needs some love ...?
The Long Meaningful Rambles 1-4
Laura's description: If you read the Destinyverse, it's like that, but written by a child
Rewrite notes: Nice moments, but ultimately defunct
Unwanted Lodger
Laura's Description: MPreg, but it's not an MPreg, MPreg, but it's not an MPreg ...
Rewrite notes: Barely remember besides the obvious, need to review, but seems unlikely
Walking Dead
Laura's description: The dead Doctor wants to eat your face, Rose
Rewrite notes: Kooky idea with some cool moments, not a rewrite but a recycler
YinYang
Laura's description: A very long excuse to bury the Doctor alive
Rewrite notes: Has ultimately led to ideas for the Destinyverse. Defunct.
Oneshots/Twoshots/Other (a-z)
TARDIS Drabbles of Randomness
Laura's description: Intermittent brain splurges of varying quality
Rewrite notes: I like a lot of it, but not sure anyone else would 😂
A Christmas Story About Christmas (and a Wii)
Laura's description: If crack took a crack and married Mrs Crack who gave birth to a baby named Crack at Christmas
Rewrite notes: No, tah.
A Pound of Potatoes and a Broken Nose
Laura's description: What happened when a child Laura went to Sainsbury's and thought, 'how can I hurt the Doctor in here?'
Rewrite notes: Absolutely not.
A Year's Free Supply of Marmalade
Laura's description: Do you remember that time before Gen Z learnt to walk and the concept of babygirl didn't have a name? Yeah, it's that.
Rewrite notes: Not even a tiny bit of me wants to rewrite this but it's always available for posterity.
Beyond the Void
Laura's description: Something that began as an attempt to fix Doomsday but somehow made it even more traumatic
Rewrite notes: Not worth a rewrite, but the spirit lives on in pretty much everything since.
Chocolate Spread or Marmalade?
Laura's description: Laura can't grieve properly so had to turn Rose's loss into a small crackfic
Rewrite notes: Even if God commanded me, he couldn't make me redo this.
Circle of Life
Laura's description: A neat little oneshot that seemed real mature at the time.
Rewrite notes: It's a really interesting premise but has ultimately made its way into other fics in other forms.
Dear Mr Dalek
Laura's description: A confirmation that if Laura does naff poetry it needs to include naff whump.
Rewrite notes: Nope.
Help! I'm a Cat!
Laura's description: A short little ditty that turned the Doctor into cat (I think it was all the rage in noughties fics?)
Rewrite notes: Even my cat hates it. No.
Kiss of Death
Laura's description: Classic example of the inverse ratio between the size of the horror and the size of the teenage ability.
Rewrite notes: Yeah ... no.
Parallel Valentine
Laura's description: Excuse for a TenRose fest and no other reason.
Rewrite notes: It's actually not COMPLETELY terrible, but still pretty terrible.
Perils of Parenthood
Laura's description: A spin-off of Unwanted Lodger that I actually sort of like
Rewrite notes: Kind of funny, but ultimately has no place anymore.
Pranks
Laura's description: Crack, before I even knew what crack was
Rewrite notes: I think you'd like it in a strange endearing way, but it's going nowhere.
Sacrificial Time Lord
Laura's description: Yet more crack for (I think?) April Fool's, involving traumatising Rose
Rewrite notes: Never have I used the phrase 'lol' with more conviction
Sleepwalking
Laura's description: Even more crack, this time with things that kinda seemed cute at the time to my teenager self but with the hindsight of maturity was actually non-con
Rewrite notes: No thank you
Spin the Bottle Doctor/Donna
Laura's description: If Doctor Who was a 90's sitcom this is at least two episodes
Rewrite notes: It has absolutely nothing to bring to modern life but hey it was fun
The Day the Doctor Couldn't Save Her
Laura's description: Absolute whumpfest with no real plot
Rewrite notes: Lots of lovely whump but no story. Not worth reviving.
The Doctor GO!/The Doctor ACTION!
Laura's description: Yet more crack, this time with the help of Teen Titans
Rewrite notes: You've GOT to be kidding.
Timeout
Laura's description: Another April Fool's fic. Becoming apparent I was less April Fools and more 'let's completely fuck them all up, isn't that hilarious!' cos that's the kind of stellar girl I am
Rewrite notes: Rewrite? I should probably delete it.
Tomorrow Never Comes
Laura's description: A short actually written for my GCSEs in school that got full marks, marked by a teacher who I don't think had ever seen Groundhog Day.
Rewrite notes: Nice marker in my life, but not very noteworthy.
46 notes
·
View notes