Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

King Richard had refused her suggestion to take Tango down to the Labs.

She cared for Tango just as much as he did. He was a kind and thoughtful child. She only wanted what was best for him.

But he was also an extraordinary discovery.

A blazeborn that could survive the winter with barely any protection from the elements? It was unheard of!

The doctors down at the Labs would be thrilled to see what it was that made him so different.

Something needed to be done.

For better or for worse.

~*~

“Tango?” King Richard called as the blazeborn went to leave the dining table. Him and the young avians paused, all looking at the King with curiosity. “The rest of you can go, I just need to speak to Tango for a moment.”

Tango and the three shared a look before Grian shrugged and left the room. Pearl and Jimmy hesitated only a moment out of curiosity before following suit. Tango walked up to the King without reluctance before the two had even fully stepped out the door. Once Tango was standing beside King Richard’s chair he gently placed his hand on the blazeborn’s shoulder.

“Tango,” King Richard started, his voice kind and gentle. “You know how you like to run and hide when you get upset?”

“Yes,” Tango answered, his tail giving a curious flick behind him.

“Well, you really can’t do that anymore,” The King told him gently, understanding in his eyes.

“Why?” Tango asked, disappointed by the news.

There’d been a few problems with finding him, sure, but the hiding made Tango feel safer. Why would he need to stop?

He couldn’t hurt people if they couldn’t find him.

“I have reason to worry that… some people might be coming. We need to be able to easily find you, so that I know all of you are safe,” King Richard explained, hesitating as he thought over his words.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s nothing for you to worry about. Just make sure that you stay with your guards for a while, okay?” The King asked instead, pushing aside the question.

“Okay…” Tango responded, his tail hanging low behind him in his disappointment.

Part of him wanted to argue, especially since he saw his hiding as better for everyone, but the avian wouldn’t have brought it up without good reason. Tango didn’t understand the reasoning well, but he trusted King Richard and his judgment.

“That’s all. You can go play now, Tango,” The avian told him softly, giving a light ruffle to Tango’s firy hair before sending him off to catch up with his friends.

~*~

It happened almost a year after that. Enough time for Tango to forget about what the King had said.

What he had implied.

Everything had been fine that day. The only thing out of the ordinary was that Tango had gotten hurt while playing outside with the avians. He’d been very adamant that he was okay and wanted to continue playing, that it had only been a small tumble. But the fact that he could barely stand on his leg didn’t make his argument very convincing. The Caretaker hadn’t hesitated to send him down to visit the Doctor.

The Doctor had smiled at him kindly when he was brought in. She’d cleaned him up and checked him over without any trouble. All he needed was to drink a little healing potion and he was all better.

It was supposed to have been a quick in and out.

But when Tango and his two guards were about to go back, things took a turn.

The door to the infirmary had crashed open, with a panting guard coming through. They’d said something about there being an attack and that it was a top priority.

Tango’s guards hadn’t hesitated to follow, rushing out of the room to join the others.

“Is everything going to be okay?” Tango asked, turning to look up at the Doctor. By the sound of things it seemed like it was a bad situation. Were Jimmy, Grian, and Pearl going to be okay?

“Everything will be fine,” She answered, a bright smile on her face. “No need to worry.”

She walked around the room, seemingly looking for something. Tango just stood there, unsure of what he should do. Should he go back to the playroom or stay and wait for the guards to come back?

“It seems I need to go grab something,” The Doctor said, a smile still on her face as she turned to him. She crouched a little bit before speaking to Tango again. “Would you like to come with me and help?”

It wasn’t like there was much else for him to do. And he trusted the Doctor, she was kind to him, unlike so many people in the castle.

“Okay,” Tango agreed.

He was slightly surprised when she picked him up, holding him at her side.

“This will be quicker,” She told him as she opened the door, a smile still on her face.

But the moment she stepped out of the infirmary a strange seriousness overtook her bright smile, her face focused and determined. She walked quickly, quicker than necessary. Eventually she walked them through a small, hidden staff door, leading them outside.

“Why are we outside?” Tango couldn’t help but ask, giving the open area a brief glance.

“Shh, we’re just stopping out here for a bit, okay? To see a friend,” She told him gently, her smile back once again.

Tango looked around again, this time actually paying attention to their surroundings. The door had led them to what seemed like a drop off spot, with a dirt road that came in through some of the forest. But what really took Tango’s attention was the wagon that was standing still, turned away from them, like it was ready to leave at a moment’s notice, but at the same time it was like it was waiting for someone. Sitting in the driver's seat, turned around to look at them, was a man with wolf-like ears and an impatient expression.

The Doctor walked closer to the wagon before stopping by the driver’s seat. The man smirked at the sight of the two.

“So that’s him?” He asked. His voice made Tango’s skin crawl, though why he didn’t know.

“Yes.”

“Alright. Then hop in,” The Driver commanded, grabbing ahold of the reins.

“N-not yet,” The Doctor responded, sounding hesitant. The Driver looked at her with annoyance, but gave her his attention. “You have to promise no harm will come to him and that he’d be treated just like you would your own child.”

The way she was talking, the slight glaces she gave to the blazeborn in her arms… it was like she was talking about Tango.

But no, that didn’t make sense, why would she need to specify such things?

“Yes, yes,” The Driver answered, rolling his eyes. “We’ve already gone over this. Now get in, we don’t have much time.” The Doctor paused for a moment, before nodding her head, then walked over to the back of the wagon.

That was when Tango started trying to get down and out of her arms, having realized their intent on leaving.

“Tango, what are you doing?” The Doctor asked, sounding somewhat surprised as she struggled to keep him still.

“I don’t want to go,” Tango told her, still trying to wiggle his way out of her grasp. “I want to stay here.” The Doctor looked unsure for a moment as he squirmed, looking over to the Driver for some sort of assistance, but getting nothing more than an impatient sigh.

“Well, uh, we have to get on the wagon,” She told him, thinking for just a moment more before she continued. “Because of the attack.”

This gave Tango pause.

“But you said that everything would be okay?” Tango asked her, growing a bit worried. She said everything would be fine, had she not? What did she mean?

“Yes. Yes, I did,” She told him, giving him an apologetic look. “But I was wrong.”

“Yeah, little guy,” The Driver said, speaking up again with a smirk. “If we don’t go now they’ll take us as prisoners.”

Tango didn’t like the look on the man’s face. Let alone what he was saying. Tango wanted to ignore his words, he didn’t trust him at all, but he couldn’t help the bit of fear growing in his chest or the way his tail moved anxiously behind him in response.

The Doctor glared at the Driver for a short moment before turning back to Tango and continuing.

“We need to get on the wagon to stay safe,” She told him gently.

“But… What about Jimmy, Grian, and Pearl?” Tango asked, fear and worry leaking into his voice.

“They’ll meet us there,” The Doctor promised with a kind and reassuring smile. She opened her mouth to speak again, but was interrupted.

“I suggest wrapping this up,” The Driver piped up, looking back at the castle. Any teasing or twisted joy in his expression changed to an intense seriousness. “It seems like we’ve got some company.”

The Doctor looked over Tango’s shoulder, but when the little blazeborn tried to turn and see too, she blocked his view with her wings. Before he even knew it, she was climbing onto the wagon with him still in her arms.

Tango heard the Driver flick the reins before the wagon shot into motion. Behind them there were shouts, but the Doctor covered Tango’s ears before he could hear what was being said.

Fear had filled Tango by that point. His flames flickered fearfully and his tail had wrapped around the Doctor’s arm since he couldn’t hold it himself. The placement of it made his anxiousness only grow, but he needed something to hold onto as a form of comfort. The Doctor didn’t seem bothered by it thankfully.

It’s not like it would be the first time he’d burned her anyway.

Once they were far enough from whoever it was that had chased them the Doctor lifted her hands from his ears and began to make soothing motions as she held him closely, rudding his back and brushing her hand through his hair. She even made the occasional comforting chirp as well.

But it could only do so much to sooth his worries.

The little blazeborn could only hope that the avians and everyone else in the castle would be safe.

Chapter Text

They traveled for a long time.

So long, that the vibrant forests started to be filled with fog.

“We can take a shortcut through the mangrove,” The Driver said, speaking more to the Doctor than Tango. “Just have to pass the border to the Evermoore and we’ll practically be home free.”

The Doctor hummed in acknowledgement.

Tango stayed quiet. Too scared and worried to speak, no matter how much the Doctor had tried to cheer him up.

~*~

Soon enough the landscape became a foggy swamp.

Soon enough the were shouts again, surprising the adults and Tango.

All Tango got to hear were shouts he couldn’t yet make out the words to and the sounds of horses galloping after them before Tango’s ears were covered once more.

He could just barely hear the “Hold on!” that the Driver shouted before they took a sharp turn.

“Are you crazy!” Tango heard the Doctor shriek.

Out of curiosity Tango took a peek, finding only trees and thickening fog.

They were going inside the fog.

They were inside the fog.

Tango hadn’t known then just how dangerous the fog could be. He hadn’t known why the Doctor had looked so terrified.

He did now.

But they did lose their pursuers.

~*~

They didn’t slow until they’d existed the fog, coming out and driving through a spruce forest for a while before eventually coming to a stop. The sky above them was dark and filled with stars, giving the scenery an eerie sort of beauty. The Driver got out of his seat first, walking off without so much as a goodbye, while the Doctor situated Tango to lay down in the back of the wagon.

Tango didn’t know if he could sleep.

But the Doctor had been prepared for that it seemed, turning and pulling out a small vile from her pocket.

“Drink this, it’ll help,” She told Tango softly, handing it to him.

Tango didn’t have the energy to question it.

He drank it and fell asleep almost instantly.

~*~

When he woke up it wasn’t to anything familiar. Not even the forest he’d fallen asleep in.

He was laying on a small cot-like bed with white blankets. The walls were painted white and excessively tall, the floor was of white tile, and there was a metal door, also painted white. The only things that weren’t the overused color were Tango himself and a glass window. A window that was too high up for him to properly see through. Though he could tell that the other side wasn’t the outside.

Even Tango’s clothes were different, a white shirt and pants.

It was scary, but much more so confusing. But before he could get too lost in his confusion the door opened, revealing the Doctor, with a wide and very happy smile.

He was filled with relief at her familiar face.

“Tango, It’s good to see you awake,” The Doctor told him as the door shut behind her with a strange beep sound.

“Where are we?” Tango asked, looking around the almost void like room once more.

“We’re at the Redstone Labs!”

“...The what?” Tango asked, curious and somewhat confused. He’d never heard of the Redstone Labs before.

“It’s the most advanced redstone research facility in the world!” She told him excitedly. Her wings gave a light flutter behind her. “But they study more than just redstone! They study the mysteries of the world! Redstone is just the largest portion of the Labs.”

Tango may have never heard of the Labs before this, but the Doctor’s excitement and words had anticipation starting to grow in his chest. Tango loved learning and mysteries, to be in a place dedicated to that was incredible!

But his excitement quickly faded as he realized something.

“Where’s everybody else?” Tango asked, concern dripping from his voice as he looked around the room, as if they’d somehow appear. The Doctor’s bright smile turned to a frown at the question and she let out a small sigh a short moment after.

“It’s time for the truth,” She told him, sounding somewhat dejected at the change in topic. “There was no danger at the castle. And the royal family won't be meeting us anywhere.”

“What?” Tango questioned, confused and if he was being honest, feeling a bit betrayed.

Why would she have told him those things if they weren’t true?

Tango trusted the Doctor, why had she lied?

“Tango, you are so very special,” She started, earnestness dripping from her voice. “You’re a scientific wonder! But when I brought this up to the King…” She let out a disappointed sigh.

“Well, he wouldn’t even consider bringing you here,” She told him.

“Why?” Tango asked.

“That’s not important,” She quickly brushed off. “I just couldn’t sit around knowing that you were something special and not let the world learn from you. It goes against everything I stand for as a doctor and researcher.”

“I didn’t know you were a researcher,” Tango said, getting a small laugh out of the avian.

“I visit the Labs to help with researching the wonders of the world,” She explained, sounding a bit prouder as she spoke before turning to a silly sounding whisper. “But it’s a secret.”

“Why?” Tango asked again. The Doctor hesitated at the question.

“The Kingdom that surrounds the Labs has a lot of… let's say, influence over what happens here,” She explained, dancing around the topic a bit. “The Avian Empire doesn’t trust them very much.”

“Why not?” Tango asked. From what he knew the Avian Empire was nice to everyone, why wouldn’t they trust this kingdom?

“It’s nothing to worry about right now,” The Doctor told him instead. “Would you like to help me and the other scientist with a study?”

It was a quick change. An obvious avoidance.

It made Tango worry.

But he still trusted the Doctor. She had only lied because she felt like it was important.

It was fine.

“Okay,” Tango answered, somewhat reluctantly.

~*~

They had him step into a strange glass tube that was inside a room filled with strange equipment. There were a lot of people in the room, mostly wolf origins, dressed in white lab coats. The tube was small but he fit inside it comfortably enough.

“It’ll be alright,” The Doctor said to him with a kind smile. “We just want to run a few tests.” Tango nodded his head timidly in response. The Doctor’s smile brightened once more before the glass door of the tube closed.

Some of the scientists pressed buttons and pulled a lever before some strange sounds started in the tube. Others prepared clipboards and pens, watching him diligently.

Tango wasn’t sure what exactly was happening, especially the longer he stood there with nothing happening. Just those odd sounds and a barely noticeable breeze.

It may have taken him longer than it should have to realize that the breeze was growing more potent.

Eventually he wrapped his arms around himself from the chill, an action that made the scientists quickly write down some notes. As more time passed Tango began to shiver. More notes were written.

“How are you feeling?” One of the scientists asked at one point, though he wasn’t sure which.

“Cold,” Tango answered timidly, grabbing his tail as his flames tried to compensate for the temperature change around him.

More notes were scribbled down.

It was cold.

It was scary too.

Sure, Tango was growing to love the winter, but he was bundled up and kept warm whenever the temperature reached a certain point. This was just cold without any form of protection.

Of course this was scary to him.

Low temperatures like these were dangerous to blazeborns after all.

“When will this be over?” Tango asked, barely keeping his teeth from chattering as he spoke.

He received no answer.

So he asked again. Only to receive the same silence.

They weren’t going to answer, he quickly realized.

Tango didn’t know when they’d stop.

If they’d stop

He couldn’t stop the few scared tears that started to slip down his face.

He was in a strange place filled with people he didn’t know, people who didn’t care how he felt, and it scared him.

It scared him more than the cold did.

All the stress from the night before didn’t help either

He didn’t like it. He wanted to go back home, where it was safe and warm.

There was suddenly someone telling the others to stop. The strange sounds and breeze came to a hult before the door to the tube slid open, letting in a bit of warmer air. It wasn’t enough to warm him up, but it felt luxurious regardless. Thankfully though, the Doctor came into view, holding a soft and fluffy looking blanket before wrapping him up in it and picking him up.

He had no complaints about being next to a warm body.

“You did wonderfully Tango,” She whispered to him, wiping the tears from his eyes.

The scientists gave some complaints about the intervention, but the Doctor said something about it being more than enough for a first test. When that didn’t seem to appease them she offered to give them her own notes from obscuring Tango over time.

Tango didn’t stop and think about what that meant.

He didn’t want to.

He knew it would hurt too much if he did.

Chapter Text

Grian didn’t fully understand what had happened. Apparently there had been a group of guards told that there was an attack, only for there to be nothing? Their guards were well trained, false alarms like that were extremely rare.

It had been a strange situation, but thankfully it hadn’t lasted long.

They learned it was a distraction when Tango’s guards went back for the young blazeborn, only for both him and the Doctor to be missing.

Action had quickly been taken, almost as if the guards had been prepared for this very scenario. There was a large search party in a matter of minutes.

They’d found her and Tango. But unfortunately, weren’t prepared enough to catch her.

The Doctor had the head start and her and Tango were quickly lost from sight.

Somehow Grian’s father knew where they were heading and contacted the Evermoore. But they’d yet to hear back any news.

Not many people were truly worried about the young blazeborn. But the young royal avians were filled with immense worry. Grian had tried to get involved, to help in some way, but had been told that the adults would handle it.

All he could really do was help comfort his siblings, who’d both been a mess since learning that Tango was missing, Jimmy especially.

Grian just wished there was more he could do…

~*~

When Grian fell asleep that night he wasn’t surprised to see the Watchers.

What he was surprised by was that they didn’t have a task for him, but instead a lesson.

Though it did make sense, he’d only been turned into a Watcher a bit ago. He had yet to learn even the basics of their magic.

He didn't know what he expected to learn.

But it shouldn’t have surprised him that it was to Watch.

It wasn’t all that hard either. He just simply used his Eyes and he could Watch practically anything.

It was as he was in the middle of this lesson that he realized he could use this new power to help in some way.

Looking for something specific was easier to do when you knew where to look, but at least Grian knew Tango’s magic. Tango didn’t do magic, he didn’t care much for it and it didn't come easily to him, but he did have magic.

Everyone had some sort of magic that surrounded them, it was something that wavered off and left a trail, like a scent. Watchers could See that magic and follow it. If they knew someone's magic, they could find them without too much trouble.

Finding someone that you didn’t know the location or magic of on the other hand, was much more difficult, like finding a needle in a haystack.

Thankfully, Grian was able to find Tango without too much trouble.

The blazeborn was in a spruce forest, sleeping soundly as the Doctor carried him into a strange building. It wasn’t like the beautiful architecture that was found throughout the world. No, it was boxy and white.

Grian quickly learned that much of the building was.

He Watched for as long as he could, following as the Doctor and some others took Tango into a strange room. She set him down on a small cot and then left him to rest.

There were only so many places that had spruce forests. Taking everything into consideration, there was only one place the Doctor could reach in the amount of time that had passed.

She’d taken Tango to Dogwarts, a kingdom known for its enchanting and hostility to those who didn’t fully align themselves with them.

~*~

When Grian woke up, he didn’t hesitate to find his father.

He told him everything he knew.

The King believed him, every single word.

But he’d been beyond confused.

“Grian, how do you know this?” His father had asked, sounding baffled.

The young avian had been unsure how to explain.

Thankfully though, King Richard forced himself to focus on the more concerning matter of the missing blazeborn, quickly going off to make arrangements.

The Avian Empire had some business to attend to with the Redstone Labs.

~*~

It had been two days. He’d participated in multiple tests, all of which being cold and uncomfortable.

They were even worse when it wasn’t the Doctor that got him.

She wasn’t there to stop things on those tests.

But she had asked him so nicely to help her. She was nice to him.

Most people weren’t.

She had asked so nicely for him to help and he didn’t want to make her upset by saying no.

So he went along with them, even when she wasn’t there.

Everytime he went to a test there was someone saying something about using as much time as possible and stalling.

This time was no different.

Tango and the Doctor were walking down one of the many white hallways, most of which being undecorated other than the occasional potted plant. The Doctor was once again holding Tango in her arms.

As she walked with him she muttered to herself about needing more time.

Eventually they stopped before a door, one that had a small waiting area outside of it. Just two simple couches facing each other. Standing at the door, about to go inside, was one of the many scientists, a creeper origin rather than a wolf, holding the hand of a child.

The kid was older than Tango from what he could tell, maybe a bit older than Grian too. He had a blank expression on his face and was covered in soft looking green fur, wearing the same outfit as Tango was.

He was a creeper origin too.

Or at least, that’s what he most resembled.

But there were a few odd things about him that just didn’t fit.

Firstly, he had goat-like horns sticking out of his head. Secondly, there was a pair of red butterfly-like wings sprouting from his back. And thirdly, one of the boy’s hands was made out of metal, with a light red glow coming off it.

The Doctor looked surprised to see them both before an urgency took over her face. She set the blazeborn down, and motioned for him to sit down, before approaching the Scientist. Tango didn’t care to learn about whatever the interruption was, he was just glad to have a break from the routine.

The two talked in tense whispers for a moment, before the Scientist let out an annoyed sound, and told the kid beside him to sit down as well. The smaller creeper gave a nod, and then the Scientist and the Doctor walked into the room, presumably to try and solve the problem.

The creeper quietly walked over and sat on the other couch. He sat there silently, looking down at his lap.

That just wouldn’t do. This was the first kid that Tango had seen in the past few days, he would not miss the opportunity to make a new friend!

“Your hand is made out of metal,” Tango pointed out, saying the first thing he could think of. The creeper looked up at Tango, seeming to be somewhat surprised he was speaking. “How?”

“Uh, a while ago the doctors gave it to me,” The creeper told him after a moment of hesitation. “They plan to take it all the way up my arm, but wanted to test to see how well just a hand replacement would do.” Tango looked at the kid and his hand with surprise and wonder.

“That’s so cool!” Tango told him excitedly, his blaze rods spinning in glee.

The creeper looked surprised by the display of enthusiasm.

Then he smiled.

“I’ve never considered it that way,” The creeper said, gazing down at his hand, as if looking at it with a new light. Tango smiled brightly as his tail swayed happily behind him.

It was the first time it had done that since he’d left the castle.

“My name is Tango,” The blazeborn told him, introducing himself. “What’s your name?”

“M77,” The creeper told him, responding so quickly it almost felt as unnatural as the name did. “I’m Monster #77 in the Monster Research Program.”

Tango… did not understand.

“That’s your name?” Tango asked, not wanting to come off as rude, but also baffled at the apparent ‘name’. The creeper shrugged, unbothered.

“That’s what everyone calls me,” The creeper explained.

Tango did not think the name was acceptable. It wasn’t even a real name! It was a letter and number!

“You deserve a better name,” Tango told him honestly. The creeper, because Tango refused to call him M77, looked at Tango curiously. He was waiting to see what the blazeborn would come up with.

“How about…” Tango started, thinking. He’d named plenty of things, but never a person. He wasn’t sure he could come up with a good one. “How about Doc?”

It wasn’t the best name. It wasn’t even a good one. But it was the best thing that Tango could come up with at that moment.

Besides, the Doctor had been the only nice person in this place. Might as well give him a name that held some joy behind it.

It still wasn’t a good one though.

“Sorry, I don’t really know what to name people,” Tango apologized quickly, feeling slightly embarrassed. “We can come up with something else if you’d like?”

“Doc…” The creeper whispered to himself, testing out the attempt at a name. After a moment the creeper gave him a small smile. “Doc. I like that.”

“Really?” Tango asked, just to be sure. The creeper, Doc, smiled a bit more as he nodded.

“You know, I’ve never seen you here before,” Doc said, looking at Tango curiously.

“I got here a few days ago,” Tango told him. Doc looked surprised at the words.

“I didn’t know they brought in kids from the outside,” Doc said, looking at Tango with even more curiosity.

“Yeah. Apparently I’m special,” The blazeborn told him. Tango couldn’t help but dim a bit as he said it. Being ‘special’ wasn’t as fun as one would think. “They want me to help them with research.”

Doc nodded in understanding, it all making perfect sense to him. He was more used to the Labs and its ways than Tango was.

“...I don’t like the tests,” Tango admitted quietly. His tail crawled its way up to his arm, not wrapping around it yet, but resting beside it. “They’re cold and they hurt.”

“Some tests are like that,” Doc explained gently. “I don’t really like them either.”

“I want to go home,” Tango confided, finally allowing himself to process just how much he didn’t want to be there. “I miss Jimmy, and Grian, and Pearl, and King Richard, and-”

Tango couldn’t stop the tears from falling. He rubbed at his face in hopes of getting them to stop, but it did nothing to help. His tail wrapped around his arm, keeping it close while also helping with the stress.

Tango was surprised to feel a hand on his shoulder.

He looked up to see that Doc had gotten up and was standing beside him. His non-robotic hand was placed on Tango's shoulder. The creeper looked somewhat uncomfortable and unsure, but was trying to help anyway.

“Uh, since you’re from the outside, they’ll probably let you go home,” Doc told him, avoiding Tango’s eyes.

“What about you?” Tango asked through teary eyes. “Where are you from?”

“I live in the Labs,” Doc said as Tango tears slowed. The creeper hesitated for a moment before deciding to sit next to Tango on the couch, his hand moving to rest on the blazeborn’s back. “I’ve been in the Labs for as long as I can remember. My parents are here too, they’re scientists.”

“I’ve been outside a few times, but overall I just stay inside,” Doc explained. There was a look in his eyes, something like unwilling acceptance.

“That’s sad,” Tango told him, looking at the creeper with sympathy. “I love playing outside. It’s sad that you don’t get to.”

“Yeah,” Doc agreed, trying to look unbothered. “But I make my own fun.”

“Like what?”

“I learn. Mostly about redstone,” Doc told him, a small smile on his face. “My parents teach it to me sometimes. But I mostly learn it on my own.”

“Could you tell me about redstone?” Tango asked. “I don’t know much about it.”

~*~

After a while of talking, Tango had decided that redstone was awesome.

By the time that the two children were deep in their conversation though, the Doctor and Scientist came back. The Doctor smiled at Tango, making a ‘follow me’ gesture. Tango didn’t want to leave, but he could see that the Scientist beside her was already annoyed by whatever the outcome had been and Tango would rather not make it worse somehow.

So with a quick goodbye to Doc, Tango got out of his seat and joined her. The Scientist passed him, taking a seat beside Doc with a huff as they crossed their arms.

“What happened?” Tango asked as the Doctor guided him in.

“Oh, just an issue with scheduling. But we worked it out,” She told him with a smile, grabbing ahold of his hand in a gentle grip.

As they walked through a hall-like portion of the room, Tango could see the strange equipment the scientists used start to come into view. The sight of it made his smile drop.

He really didn’t want to do this.

So he stopped. Catching the Doctor by surprise.

“Tango?” She said, stopping as well. “What the matter?”

“I… I want to go home,” The blazeborn whispered, his tail wrapping around his wrist. She looked confused before the words were processed. Once they did, her eyes widened and she quickly crouched down in front of him, placing both hands on his shoulders.

“No, no, no, we can’t go home yet!” She told him, her voice frantic.

“When can we?” Tango asked, sadness clear in his voice. A guilty look overtook the Doctor’s face. She looked off to the side before she spoke.

“...Eventually,” She told him hesitantly.

“I don’t want to do anymore tests,” Tango told her, hoping that it would change things. That it could bring him home faster. “I don’t like them.”

“Oh Tango, I understand,” She told him gently, rubbing her thumbs on his shoulders. “They must not be much fun.”

“But Tango, if you do, you could help a lot of people,” She told him sweetly. “This research could be used to help other blazeborns get a better tolerance to the cold.”

Tango looked down at the ground. He wanted to help people, of course he did. But these tests… not only were they cold and could hurt, but they were also so scary. He may have had a better cold tolerance than any other blazeborn, but that didn’t mean he was immune to it.

How would he know if these scientists went too far?

How would he stop them?

“How about this,” The Doctor said after the silence stretched on. “If you do this test, I’ll show you all the cool redstone contraptions in the facility?” That’s what you and that kid were talking about, right?”

Tango took a moment to consider the offer.

He didn’t want to do the tests anymore.

But after all the things that Doc had told him, Tango’s curiosity for the Labs true namesake had grown exponentially…

“Okay…” Tango answered in a quiet and defeated voice, his shoulders slumped and blaze rods slow. But the Doctor smiled at him proudly regardless. Then She stood up and gently took Tango’s hand again, guiding him forward.

Well, at least he had something to look forward to this time…