Doctor Who: The Complete Fanverse Series

DOCTOR WHO S1E3: 'As If By Magic'

PROLOGUE:

"Roll up, roll up!" The Ringleader shouted to the crowd. "See the most amazing sights! Sights to astonish!"

A man with a very amazing moustache and large muscles lifts two women up in either hand.

"Sights to thrill!"

A man puts his head into a lion's mouth and winks at the crowd.

"Sights to mystify!"

Anna took another drag from her cigarette. She had been a magician's assistant at this goddamned travelling circus for a few weeks now, having joined them back in Massachusetts before they travelled back to the United Kingdom- she had never been to the UK before, she believed it would be full of glitz and glamour, but it wasn't. It was filled with rain and mud and crowds that smelled awful and threw peanuts at the animals. Although, that might have just been what life was like in the circus.

"Show in 5." Her manager said.

Anna nodded, flicked her cigarette onto the ground and stomped it out. She had thought about leaving it there and letting it start burning the grass, and then hopefully the whole circus.

She stepped back into the tent. She took off her robe and looked at herself in the mirror. She hated the small glittery red outfit they made her wear, it showed off more of her body then she felt comfortable showing. But she knew there was nothing she could do about it.

She walked over to the left wing of the stage, she took a deep breath and readied herself to step on. And then she did. She stepped on stage and stood in front of the audience- she could have sworn she heard one of the men wolf whistle.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," She said in a put-on higher pitched voice, she hated doing the voice, it was so stupid and made her sound like a child. "It is my great honour to present to you... Marvin the Magnificent!"

The audience cheered as Marvin stepped on, he was dressed in a black tuxedo with a top hat with a red ribbon wrapped just above the brim. In his hand, he held a black stick that was painted white at either end.

"Thank you, Anna." He smiled. "Now, Ladies, Gentlemen, are you ready to see the greatest show in the history of show business?"

The audience cheered.

"Well, how about we start the show off with a bang? Really justifying that absurd ticket price." He continued. The audience laughed at his joke. "Anna, how about we do a disappearing trick?"

"Yes, sir!" Anna said. She hated doing the voice, it made her pray that the Great War was still going on so she wouldn't have to be doing this. She went to get the 'magic' curtain that really contained no magic at all.

"No no, we have nothing to hide." Marvin said, stopping her.

"But that's how the-" She said, in her regular voice.

"You folks are going to get a sneak peek of a brand new trick!" Marvin told the audience. "Now, Anna, stay right there."

Anna stood, confused. She knew she shouldn't have joined this damn place, she should have stayed and became a housewife like her mother. Marvin raised his wand and waved it towards Anna. The audience watched closely as nothing happened.

"He's a fraud!" One audience member shouted.

"No, my friend." Marvin said. "Just watch."

Anna felt something in her stomach, like something was crawling up to her throat. She began gagging, she was going to throw up. She opened her mouth and... A dove flew out. The audience gasped.