Storm: Angel and Demon

Beast Below

Terry landed unceremoniously on her stomach, almost face-planting right into the ground. She barely managed to save herself by smacking her hands down in time to keep her face from becoming one with the cobbly pavement but that only meant her hands suffered where her face would have.

Wincing from the pain, she shook her head to clear it from the haze that had settled in post her regeneration. It was different from the first time she had regenerated, although she supposed that the regeneration process could be different for each incarnation.

For one, it seemed that this time she had managed to expel all of her energy while she jumped. She grimaced as she wondered where it could have gone (she would find out much later that a 'meteor shower' differentiated and characterized by gold flecks was reported on Earth at the exact same time every ten years over the course of two hundred years, giving rise to the myth of two lovers, torn apart by an untimely flying car accident in the year 2099, whose spirits would reunite in the heavens every ten years and celebrate with golden fireworks).

For another, Terry felt much calmer this time around than she had the first time she had regenerated. Perhaps because this time she had anticipated what was to come, or perhaps it was a reflection of her change in personality. Either way, she was gratified to find she wasn't willing to rattle off her gob even if her head ached and thoughts jumbled easily in her mind.

However, it seemed one thing did remain the same - she was feeling exhausted, and even without getting up Terry knew that if she attempted to get to her feet now she would probably fall right back over. Not the least of all because she was fairly certain she could feel her toes poking out of the holes in the front of her boots where the regeneration energy had blown its way out.

'Still, you are going to have to get up at some point so why not now?'

With a groan, Terry obeyed the rational voice in her head and she struggled up to her knees. Opening her eyes, she was puzzled by the strange dark curtain that blocked her vision before she realized it was her hair. Much longer and just a shade lighter than her previous incarnation, her hair fell in a tangled mess all over her face.

"Hey. Hey, are you okay?"

Pushing her messy hair out of her face, Terry looked up at the familiar Scottish voice and she smiled when she saw Amy Pond looking down at her in concern.

"Do you need any help?" Amy asked in concern, though she was giving Terry's outfit an odd look. Not that Terry blamed her in the slightest. "Oh my God, is that blood?"

"Amelia Pond." Terry mused, ignoring Amy's question as she silently listed off everything she could pick up from the redhead.

'Her face is rounder but it looks like it's because she's younger not pregnant, so probably early days. I don't see a ring on her finger, and she's wearing a nightgown and not sleeping lingerie - definitely no Rory around. Wait. Nightgown? Oh, I think I know when this is... and thankfully, that means Rory's not dead. Yet. Again. Oh wait, that's a spoiler. Better be careful not to say anything. Why's Amy looking at me like that?'

"How do you know my name?" Amy asked suspiciously, and Terry frowned before realization dawned on her.

"Right. You're surprised to see me. Conclusion: you've never met this me before." Terry murmured, speaking more to herself than Amy.

It made sense; if this was when Terry thought it was, there was no way Amy could have met her again. It just hadn't occurred to Terry before that Amy had no idea who she was, especially given Amy's willingness to help her up despite her rather tattered appearance. But then again, that probably just meant that Amy's lack of concern for strange appearances, as demonstrated when eight-year-old Amy had barely batted an eyelid at the Doctor's appearance when he had crash landed in her garden, hadn't changed in the last fifteen-ish years.