The TARDIS and Me

Old Friends Long Forgotten

Reyna and I had just outrun a band of angry storm spirits, or venti as Jason liked to call them. I was bent over, hands on my knees panting as Reyna came back to tell me she was off to get water up ahead. Her hair was messy and she looked tired. I told her to go right on ahead, that I'd catch up with her in a bit. As I wiped the sweat from my forehead I began to hear a strange whirring sound I looked around, and there wasn't anything in sight that could be making it. The sound was coming from the direction of the trees, and I seriously hoped it wasn't anymore venti. I slowly approached it, avoiding stones and silently searching for a large shadow to possibly escape in. I ventured further into the miniature forest and the sound intensified. I held up my black Stygian sword, ready to use it, but unsure it would do any good. The sound suddenly stopped, replaced by a quiet clicking of a lock. I spun around and found myself facing a tall blue box, and a curious looking man with unruly hair smirking in my direction. I was at lost for words and I stuttered back, "W-who are you?" I asked in amazement.
"Oh, I don't know if that really matters right now. The real question is who are you?"
"Me? What do you care?!"
He began to slowly approach me. "What is your name?"
He asked, but it sounded more like a command and I considered telling him my name.
"What are you?" I demanded of him.
He ruffled his hair, " Sounds like we aren't getting anywhere this way." He stuck out his left hand, "I'm the Doctor, quite clever if I do say so myself."
I grudgingly shook his hand, "Nico Di Angelo."
He started walking around me, looking me up and down, and inspecting me, as if I were an object.
"Cut that out will you?" I growled.
He held his hands up in a surrender, "No need to be so snappy," he signaled to the blue Police Box, " are you coming?"
"Coming where?"
"Oh, well wherever you'd like of course."
"What do you care about where I'd like to go?"
"Feisty one, huh?"
"Whatever, I don't care. I need to get back to Reyna." In truth I just needed to get away from him. I rarely talked this much and I was already tired from all the running, my head was beginning to hurt.
"Oh, I'm sure she's fine! in fact she could come with us if you'd like."
"Who said I was coming with you? "What are you anyways?"
"I told you, I'm the Doctor."
"No but what ARE you, like, are you a demigod, or a minor god, or are you an old hero? What are you?"
"Well..." He stretched out the word, as if trying to figure out a way to tell me without me freaking out, which I eventually did. "I'm an old friend," he smiled, "and I need to show you something, Nico Di Angelo."
He ran inside the Police Box, and peeked out the door a couple seconds later, "Come on in, I don't bite!"

His smile was hopeful but annoying, yet I couldn't help but feel the corners of my mouth tug upwards. I followed him inside.

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The Doctor was in his natural habitat, happily pulling strange levers and pushing colorful buttons, he seemed almost like a madman. I, meanwhile stood still with my mouth forming an 'o' as I took in my surroundings. The walls looked almost like honey combs, glowing an orange color. There were brown pillars made of metal that curved inwards and formed a circle above a round console device. I am no Leo Valdez, so I can't be sure what it was supposed to do exactly besides run this... what was this?

I stood awkwardly aside in the dark corner, but there was no denying the small grin on my face. For some unknown reason my eyes had begun to water. My face instantly grew hot and I became angry with myself. There was no reason to cry and I have no idea why I would be doing that, I hadn't cried since being in Tartarus. I shivered, and my smile was gone. 

"Oi boy, where did your brilliant smile go?" the Doctor asked, a grin plastered upon his face. His eyes met mine and his smile fell, he came closer and I turned away immediately ashamed. 

"Are you," The Doctor came in closer and gently took hold of my arm, "crying?" He didn't say it with any intention to make fun of me, yet I did not want any part of his concern

"I'm fine," I say quickly using the sleeve of my sweater to wipe away the unwelcomed tears. "This place," I say hotly signaling around me, "what is it? Where am I?"

"You don't remember?" he asked curiously.

"Why would I?" I'm deeply confused as to why he would even begin to think that I'd know of this, or even remember it. "I've never been here before in my life. Why didn't you answer my question?"

He looked taken aback and spoke slowly, "It's, ahh, the TARDIS, a brilliant space ship I guess you could call her, weeeeelll she isn't actually a space ship, but that works just as well for you to understand her. This beauty, " he patted the keypad, "travels through time and space. That's what her name stands for, Time and Relative Dimension in Space. We could go across the galaxy and back, then return to your friend, ahh what's her name again, oh yes! Reyna! We could return to her and arrive just as if you had never left."

His eyes shone with excitement, and it appealed to me as well. This man made me feel excited and actually hopeful about something. It was as if  he radiated hope. What a complex word, hope. A thing that had faded from my heart when my sister passed away. When I was in Tartarus, I shivered, I had managed to lose all hope. The seven other demi-gods knew very well of my severe lack of hope, and although we were fighting the greatest evil and I was to give it my all, I gave my hardest effort only for my few friends, not for the hope of a better tomorrow. But this man, just by looking into his eyes I could see he had lost a great much and yet, he still found a way to smile. He, out of all people, a complete stranger, gave me a sense of hope and happiness. 

"What do you say?" He was beaming with laughter which i feared would explode if I could not speak fast enough. 

I actually laughed, "Why not?"