Rainbow Chasing

Twisters, Rabbit Holes, and Other Odd Ways to Travel

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Friends, Romans, Countrymen, Lend Me Your Ears: ...It's Jessa's fault, really.

"Rose, on your left!" Jake shouted to his teammate, who spun around, gun drawn.

Rose fired at the blue blur that flew past her, but missed. She let out a growl as she tried to aim again. "Any year now, Mickey!"

Mickey shot at the blur, and it stopped just enough to let them see what it was. "Is that a...monkey?"

In the pause where Mickey just stared at the blue flying monkey, it regathered itself, growling at them, and aimed itself at Rose. Rose instinctively ducked, the creature just barely missing her. Jake got off two rounds, one missing and the other just grazing the flying monkey. It howled in pain, then took off away from them, though at least its path was taking it out of Cardiff.

Jake reloaded, glaring at its retreating figure. "Rose, you go that way. Mick, take the left, and I'll cover the right. Blue flying monkeys. Pfft." Rolling his eyes, he started running, the other two going in their own directions.

Rose could still just make out the blue blur up ahead, but as she ran it stayed just out of range. Gritting her teeth, she dodged around the few people either stupid or curious enough to get in the way. Torchwood was better known in this universe, but she sometimes wished it was less like a circus whenever they had to do something. Running around a car that decided to stop just in front of her, she didn't notice that the blue monkey wasn't there any more. By the time she did, she was in front of the Millennium Centre, feeling a strong sense of foreboding slip over her as she surveyed the area.

Then she turned around.

It was...glowing, that much she was aware of. But the more she tried to focus on it, the harder it was, her vision seeming to somehow slide off of it. It was glowing and...and...swirling? Yes, and was going faster! Rose started backing away, the swirling, glowing funnel-thing just...being there. And then it was moving. Towards her. Fast.

Rose felt her heartbeat speeding up. She spun around, running in the opposite direction, the thing just behind her. She clenched her eyes shut as she felt it get closer...closer...closer.... All at once, a feeling of numbness took over, a tingling, empty feeling. Then she hit something.

Opening her eyes, she saw it was the ground. Pushing herself up, ignoring the pain in her back, she dug her fingers into the dirt. And instantly knew something was wrong. She'd been in the city just a second ago, there wasn't any dirt in the area... Raising up onto her knees, she looked around, taking in the scene. "Oh, yeah, deffidently not in Cardiff anymore." The area around her was full of grass and trees, and notably no buildings or people. "Right."

Standing, she was suddenly aware she was not only missing her gun, but the outfit she'd been wearing was replaced with jeans and a blue top, and a pair of red coloured Converse, tied almost too tightly on her feet. Rose let out a sigh, dusting herself off, wondering what to do next.

"You start walking." A voice said from behind her. Rose turned to see a blonde woman in an ornate gold-and-white dress. "I would suggest that direction."

It took Rose a moment to place the voice and face. "Madame de Pompadour?"

"Close enough." She smiled at her, smoothing the skirt of her dress out. "Now, Rose, if you don't start walking now, you'll be late."

Rose frowned. "Late for what?"

"Now, my dear, that would ruin the surprise." And then the woman was gone. Rose blinked at the spot she had been, and jumped as the voice came from beside her. "The Wizard will tell you more when you get there."

"Who? What?" To say Rose was confused would be an understatement. "I don't understand."

"I know." Pompadour sighed, nodding. "But you will." And she was gone again. Rose waited for her to reappear, but there was nothing.

She shook her head, looking in the direction the noblewoman had pointed before. "And now I get to find the Wizard. Fantastic."

-- -- -- -- --

Rose wasn't walking for long before all the trees just...vanished. In their place was a huge field, overlooking a city below. In the middle of the feild was, disturbing in its normalicy, a scarecrow. Feeling somehow drawn to it, she walked towards it, stopping in front of it. Without really knowing why, she said, "Hello?"

And then its head turned to look at her.

Rose decided she was going crazy. "Did...did you just move?" When the scarecrow shook its head she had the feeling it was mocking her. "Oi!"

"Well, you try being nice with your arms tied to a stick." It said more than a bit rudely. "Speaking of which, would it be too much trouble to ask for help down?"

Rose was sure this was what going mad felt like. "Al-alright." After a few tugs on the ropes, he was down.

"Thank you. Now, it's been lovely, but I must be going." It started walking away.

"Where?" Rose blurted out.

The scarecrow sighed, turning back to her. "I don't exactly want to be stuck like this, and there's a chance the Wizard c-"

"That's where I'm going!" She proclaimed, smiling. "Maybe we could-"

"Travel together?" The scarecrow stared at her, and it's unblinking gaze was making her uncomfortable. "Very well. You may call me Jeremy." And he was walking away again.

She nodded. "My names Rose." And she followed after him.

"How much further is it?" Rose asked, not for the first time.

Jeremy would have glared at her if he was able. "We haven't even reached the forest yet, let alone the City."

"How long till the forest?" She asked.

"About a half hour, now hush." He grumbled, shaking his sack-looking head. "Follow me or find your own way."

Rose glared at the scarecrow and was quiet until they reached the edge of the forest. Once there, however, "Wow." It was one of the more polite words she could think of as she looked as far into the forest as the trees would let her, which wasn't that far. The trees were so closed to each other she wondered how they were going to be able to make it through. Before she could say this, the strange numb feeling swept over her again. When she looked around, Jeremy was frozen in the act of swiping at a branch.

Turning she saw Madame de Pompadour again. "You know the way through the forest, child. Just close your eyes....concentrate. See what you want in your mind. The path is open for you if you know how to look." And she was gone.

Rose turned back to the forest, the scarecrow swatting randomly at branches, and just stared at it. "Well, that was maddeningly unhelpful." She muttered to herself. "Concentrate, hm? Alright..." She shut her eyes, for a moment wondering what it was she should be thinking about. Then, suddenly, she was standing on a path in the forest, walking along behind the scarecrow.

Speaking of the scarecrow..."What the-"

Rose opened her eyes and stood staring as, where trees had been a moment ago, a trail was now clear. Blinking a few times, she decided just to grin. "Can we keep going now?"

Jeremy looked at her. "Did you do that?"

"I think so..." She was slightly unsure.

He kept staring at her. "Maybe you're not as powerless as I thought."

"Was that a compliment?" Rose asked as they continued on into the forest. She didn't expect an answer, and she didn't get one.

Friends, Romans, Countrymen, Lend Me Your Ears: Well, I actually had a plunny like this for a while, all it took was Jessa's little poll to get it nibbling my leg again. You should all go bother her. It's fun. :) Reveiw!!