flowsoffire: (Two)
flowsoffire ([personal profile] flowsoffire) wrote2014-01-15 08:36 pm

Fic: Old Soul Written New (classic!Who)

Title: Old soul written new
Author: flowsoffire
Fandom: Doctor Who (classic series)
Pairing/characters: Second Doctor, mentions of Ben, Polly and One’s companions.
Genre: character insight, I guess!
Rating: K
Word count: c. 450
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Summary: He knows all there is to know about regeneration. Knowledge does not cover the reality of it. In which a new man is born for the first time, and within himself, struggles to find the Doctor.
Author's note: My first Second Doctor fic, and my first regeneration fic as well, I believe. Short character study set at the very beginning of Power of the Daleks. For the record, that is all of Two I’ve seen thus far, so my characterization of him is really based on those first moments. Hopefully I’ve done him justice! Enjoy!



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Reborn, he stumbles.

There is a haze over his thoughts, keeping his head fogged at first. His hands are not his hands—a ring clattered to the floor, the Doctor’s. Once his, not anymore, he feels. There is no sense of ownership as he gazes at it; then again, there is very little left he can claim ownership on. Twin hearts hammer in his chest, the double pulse roaring, dizzying, in his temples; the frantic beat is a familiar one at least, but stronger somehow, the organs raw and new, maddened. His face has become another’s. Only his ship hums and vibrates around him in recognition—welcome.

An instinctive pull led him there, to safety—a haven to shelter the great alteration, his freefall into the unknown. He can recall the exhaustion, body heavy yet eerily light as it dwindled away, ready to fade or be consumed in a last blaze of energy. He felt alarm and adrenaline; he knew what was happening to him, of course, knew that death would grasp him like a new beginning of sorts, but could not quite wrap his impressive intellect around all of the implications. Surely that says enough about how very unsettling a change this is. The Doctor was—is—so very clever, after all. And so is he… oh yes, so is he.

So many things to be found around here, objects he tosses left and right as soon as his hands grasp them, careless, pondering. He pauses in his reflections to play a few notes on a recorder, and chuckles. That right there, that light-hearted wonder—it’s new.

It’s his.

The diary is not… and yet he remembers everything, with perfect clarity now. He remembers Barbara and Chatterton—no, Chesterton—stumbling into his ship; he remembers Susan, small and lost on the screen of his scanner as he offered her to have the life he could never have given her himself. Vicki, Steven, Katarina and her perfection, brave, strong Sara, and then Dodo—he can see them all in his mind’s eye. And then, Ben and Polly—frozen in the corner, just a minute ago, watching and whispering. Now, as he strides out, they will be following. Eventually.

For now, he focuses on the past, thumbing through pages feverishly. He can see it all, the way he lived it; he did, he did—but with old bones, and white hair, with tired hearts that had known too long a strain. Wearing thin, indeed. Plenty of time for a change, something a bit fresh. He is new now; he feels so entirely different, but most of all he feels alive. A man nearly nameless, experiencing a sharp drive to reach and taste the whole world for himself.

Blank pages.

All he has is knowledge. All he has is his mind, and the double pulse hammering against his ribs, anchoring him. Everything the Doctor knew, he knows.

He trusts his instincts, if not his identity.

He wanders about, watches, and draws conclusions.


[identity profile] honeynoir.livejournal.com 2014-01-15 10:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, this is amazing! The first regeneration and all new sensations, all new senses of self... And "It's his" summing up so much -- that thing where every incarnation is the Doctor, and yet they're all unique, in two words. I love the ring falling off... like Eleven dropping his tie.

[identity profile] flowsoffire.livejournal.com 2014-01-16 11:14 am (UTC)(link)
Eeee, thank you so much, dear ♥ So glad you liked it! And argh, the ring. I could have wept for the ring, exactly like the bowtie, indeed! It had been a lot less emphasized, of course, but it was so One and I just loved that ring!

(Oh, and lol, I got utterly confused with comments yesterday! I think you noticed, but I hadn't realized till today, lol. Basically I saw a comment on one of my classic!Who fics, and you mentioned companions [which I mentioned in that one too] plus a fic being freshly published and already recc'ed, so my mind went "Two fic" and refused to bulge for the whole exchange. Not even paying attention to the titles of my own fics, yes yes. That's me.)

[identity profile] honeynoir.livejournal.com 2014-01-18 09:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Maybe Twelve will wear a bunch of Time Lord-y rings...

(Hee! I guessed so at first, yeah, but then I just thought we were talking past one another. XD I'm so happy you've written enough classic!Who fics that we get comments about them confused!)

[identity profile] flowsoffire.livejournal.com 2014-01-18 09:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Heee! I'd love that.

Hahaha that's a great way of putting it! ♥

[identity profile] a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com 2014-01-16 12:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Ohhh, this is gorgeous!! How frightening and intense that first regeneration must have been!! But this...this is beautiful. Oh so beautiful and -

*HUGS*

[identity profile] flowsoffire.livejournal.com 2014-01-16 05:56 pm (UTC)(link)
:D :D :D So glad you liked it, honey!!! Thank you! *hugs tight*

[identity profile] avarill.livejournal.com 2014-01-18 07:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Wanted to let you know I really, really loved this. What a perfect insight into the Doctor's mind at such an important time.

[identity profile] flowsoffire.livejournal.com 2014-01-18 08:01 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you so much! :D I'm really happy to hear that! *hugs*
juliet316: Made for me by < lj user= alizarin-skies> as a result of bidding on her for the Support Stacie auction.  Not shareable (DW: Tardis)

[personal profile] juliet316 2014-01-24 03:54 am (UTC)(link)
Great take on the First Regeneration.

[identity profile] flowsoffire.livejournal.com 2014-01-24 10:36 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you! The feedback is really appreciated :)