Who-fic

[tree_and_leaf]

Doctor Who double drabble for aervir, who challenged me to do it a while ago. Ten and Rose in Oxford, sometime in the eighties.

“Well,” said the Doctor, cheerfully. “That’s the Autons seen to. Again. You’d think they’d get a better plan than murderous shop dummies, at least after the first half dozen times.”

The Doctor and Rose were standing on the High in Oxford, surrounded by the shards of the window of Shepherd and Woodward, through which a series of Autons in academic dress had burst. The Doctor was casually leafing through a copy of the University Gazette, wherever that had come from.

“So, where to now?” said Rose, as the Doctor whistled in surprise.

“We’re getting changed and going to Encaenia, to see a dear old friend of mine.”

“Where’s that, then?”

***

Rose was fed up. The benches of the Sheldonian Theatre were unbelievably uncomfortable. Encaenia, apparently, was pointless processions and dull speeches. And the clothes…

“I feel like a schoolgirl” she hissed at the Doctor, before he dashed off to shake the hand of a military-looking bloke called something-Stewart, who had just been made doctor of international law. “At least you got to wear evening dress. And why do you get fancier robes than me?”

He spread wide arms clad in red and French grey. “Because, Rose, I’m the Doctor!”


EDIT:
Explanatory notes for those not familiar with Oxford: Shepherd and Woodward is one of the three academic outfitters. Ede and Ravenscroft, also on the high, is considerably posher, and for that reason would never have plastic manequins. Encaenia is the ceremony, held in the Sheldonian Theatre where honourary degrees are conferred upon a strange mixture of the academically and professionally distinguished. The Sheldonian's seats really are notoriously uncomfortable, to the point that you wonder if they're actually dangerous. Rose is unhappy because she has been forced to wear sub-fusc, explained here, where, as a bonus, there is also a photo of the Doctor of Philosophy gown, which the Doctor is wearing.

Comments

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

He spread wide arms clad in red and French grey. “Because, Rose, I’m the Doctor!”
::Bangs head against the wall:: But very amusing. I love the Autons in academic dress.

[tree_and_leaf]

I know, awful but irresistable...

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Actually, does Oxford allow holders of doctorates from other universities (except TCD and Cambridge) to wear their robes on Scarlet Days? I know Cambridge only changed a couple of years ago. Although goodness knows the Doctor's had time to tot up a couple of degrees from multiple institutions in his life...

[tree_and_leaf]

What makes you think the Doctor doesn't have a doctorate from Oxford? ;p

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Principally that it would have required considerable time, patience and persistence...

[tree_and_leaf]

True! Perhaps he had a long attention span in his younger days (or perhaps he's being naughty and appropriating a gown he's not really entitled to....)

[tree_and_leaf]

Or perhaps he got an honourary degree from Oxford, or Cambridge, or TCD at some stage during Three's sojourn on earth?

Oh dear. I think I've just been bitten by a plot bunny, involving Weird Shit ( (c) Spec-Ops) in the Bodeleian stacks...

[tree_and_leaf]

I love the Autons in academic dress

Isn't a lovely image? If only I could draw...

[mrstater.livejournal.com]

Recently discovered the wonderfulness that is Doctor Who. This fic made me smile. Ten in academic garb. (Ten in anything...) Yum...

And the mannequins (I've got an awful feeling I misspelled that) give me the creeps, no matter how old and silly that idea is.

[tree_and_leaf]

Thank you! Glad you liked it!

Actually, i think you have spelled mannequins right, and I spelled it wrong.... But yes, the autons are just plain creepy, even on their first appearance (back in Three's day), and they remain so.

[tree_and_leaf]

I wish I could draw - I'd love to see Ten in a D.Phil. gown. DT certainly looked good in the dj in 'Rise of the Cybermen' *is shallow*

[mrstater.livejournal.com]

Then count me in the shallow club, because I was thinking almost nothing but that the whole episode.

Actually DT looks exactly how I always pictured Remus before I saw POA. The D. Phil gown would look wizardly. ;)

Brill.

[wemyss.livejournal.com]

As always.

*bows*

[tree_and_leaf]

Thank you, kind sir.

[aervir.livejournal.com]

Oooh, that's excellent. Humour and just the right amount of local detail in 200 words.

And I can understand why Rose doesn't like sub-fusc -- it's hard not to look like an overgrown penguin in it. But she should be glad it isn't sub-fusc plus an undergrad gown because then you might usually resemble an overgrown penguin that has suddenly sprouted batwings.

The Doctor's robes are much prettier, but he's probably nicked them from some poor, unsuspecting fellow. ;)

[tree_and_leaf]

Subfusc for women was quite obviously thought up by some embittered, crusty old don who disapproved of women's degrees and hoped to frighten them off...

I suspect the doctor nicked them from the wreckage of Shepherd and Woodward. Unless the TARDIS' wardrobe room had them stashed away (and I wouldn't be a bit surprised...)

[tree_and_leaf]

And thank you for your kind words! Glad you enjoyed.

[gramarye1971]

*giggles and applauds* Excellent ficlet!

[tree_and_leaf]

Thanks! Glad people seem to have liked it. it was a lot of fun to write.

[dolabellae.livejournal.com]

I liked it too, a lot! (Though I actually like the MPhil & MSt gowns better than the full on DPhil colour riot...)

[tree_and_leaf]

DPhil gowns are a bit tasteless, and I prefer the good old plain MA to all of them. Mind you. that doesn't mean I don't want the option of a DPhil gown!