Butterflies and Revolutions - for alainn_aislinn

[thecricketer]

The Doctor was, very carefully, setting coordinates.

It wouldn't be so very difficult to travel to Arcateen 5 - the TARDIS had been there, and unless she inexplicably decided to go somewhere else, that would be the easy part. No, he was trying not to land them in the middle of opression or tyranny or war.

Arcateen 5 had remarkable changeover in regard to government. It remained, always, an advanced world, a beautiful one on the surface, but that simply made it more dangerous when corrupted by greed or bloodlust or fanaticism - more depressing, he knew from experience.

He wanted Aislinn to experience the planet at its best. He didn't even want to think about endangering her.

So he took his Time, as he waited for her, and tried his best to, for once, avoid conflict.

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[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

He acquiesced immediately, smile widening as they grew closer to the intricate, powerful gates.

"Whatever you'd like."

[alainn-aislinn.livejournal.com]

She wanted to touch everything, feel it all pulsing under her fingers. Find the power of the place and pull it in to herself with a sigh until she knew it, understood it.

But she kept hold of his hand instead, just looking.

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

He paused in front of the gates, tilting his head slightly as he regarded them. There was no one standing by to accept or deny entrance; no lock binding the gates; no way, he knew, to simply push them open.

"When I was last here," he began, "the gates responded to touch. I was told they allowed those with good intent inside, and stood against any others." He glanced at her.

"I told you the Butterfly People were psychic; all of their architecture is connected to them. Their cities are navigated through thought and intention."

[alainn-aislinn.livejournal.com]

Aislinn's eyes lit up and she smiled up at him brightly, wonder in her gaze. "Truly? We have some sort of similar things with wards, but not our whole city..."

Tentatively she reached out a hand and brushed it over the gates.

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

The Doctor imitated her, more confidently, because though he hadn't done this often the memories remained clear.

His other hand squeezed hers as something brushed over their minds, gently probing; this was not a search for specific thoughts, only their purpose, their will, good or bad.

After several long moments, the gates began to part, and move back to allow them passage. It was a smooth, sleek movement, and when he saw it he realised he'd opened his eyes again.

No, he still wasn't quite used to it.

[alainn-aislinn.livejournal.com]

Aislinn had, of course, tried to follow the gentle probe back to its source, curious and light, but there were so very many different energies in the place that it made her dizzy for a moment, followed by a pout that was there and gone very quickly.

As the gates opened, she moved for eagerly, looking around in breathless anticipation, slipping through as soon as they were open enough.

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

He was smiling again, easily allowing himself to be led as he, too, took in the sights around them.

There was no street, as such, simply a blank trail between two sides of houses and shops and offices, all made of that same alien crystal. The design varied, just as the people did.

He noticed the anxious looks shot at them, the wary glances, some outright glares, but ignored them for now, and his only response to the unnatural hush in the city was to lower his voice slightly.

"If you want to try some of the shops I managed to scavenge some relevant currency. They've things here no outsider could dream of." His smile bloomed again.

"Feats of genius are just trinkets."

[alainn-aislinn.livejournal.com]

Aislinn had never really been much of a shopper, but her eyes brightened again at that idea, shopping on a new world for things she had never seen.

"I can dream quite a bit," she said with a teasing smile, then tilted her head. "Genius?"

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

"Oh, yes." He gestured grandly with one hand; in the corner of his vision, people tensed.

"Objects that breathe, plants that never die, jewels the defy physics..."

[alainn-aislinn.livejournal.com]

The people's tension was working on her nerves a bit, and she shot a few glances around. How could they be tense when they lived in such a place? Were the two of them truly that odd?

She glanced up at him, but her worries eased as she latched on to one phrase, "Plants that never die? Truly?" Even in Faerie they died and were reborn.