Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or WordGirl.

Note: This is Paul McGann's (Eighth) Doctor (you know, mister 'half-human-on-my-mother's-side?').

WordGirl (and Doctor Who) in...

A QUESTION FOR THE AGES, PART 1!

Narrator: Our first round of featured words has 'Locate' and 'History!'

It's a very exciting day in the city! Professor Robert Tubing is unveiling his newest invention for the benefit of the city...

Before a large crowd, the Mayor, Professor Tubing (his assistant Bosco on his shoulder) and a few of the Mayor's aides were standing around a large object, hidden from view by the large brown cloth that covered it.

"So, Professor Tubing," the Mayor asked the wheelchair-bound scientist: "What brilliant invention do you have for us today? And will you be giving a demonstration?"

"Well," Professor Tubing began, as he wheeled himself over to the hidden object, "technically I still have to locate some rare element that the device needs before it can actually work...but other than that, it's complete enough to show off."

"And so," he said as, with a gesture, he silently told the mayor's aides to lift the cloth cover off the invention; "without further ado, I give this Fair City...Humanity's very first Time machine!"

Just then, the cloth cover came off, and the people finally got a chance to see the professor's work: A large glass globe standing on an elaborate golden base, which contained a fluffy red chair and several multicolored levers. On top of the whole setup was a large circular clock, with two more mounted on golden bars that were attached to the sides of the contraption, in a manner resembling wings. And of course, the machine had a door: the front could apparently open up, forming a ramp of glass to the inside.

Wow...that's...does it really work, Professor Tubing?

"It will, once I install the Impossiblium crystals! Then, every question history has left us shall be answered! No more limits on our knowledge: That is my gift to mankind!"

As the crowd cheered for Professor Tubing, one lone, masked onlooker with a red question-marked vest thought to herself:

"Did you really give us that...or did you give me the chance to get rid of WordGirl once and for all?"

After the presentation, Professor Tubing retired to his laboratory...

"Oh Bosco, those people have so much hope...but I have no idea where to get the Impossiblium I need!" bemoaned the Professor to his monkey as he looked at his beautiful glass globe, just one part short of being a time machine...

...when suddenly his door opened behind him! He spun his wheelchair around, asking: "Who goes there?"

"Would you believe," said the hooded figure in his doorway, with a female voice: "the one here to deliver your Impossiblium?"

The professor didn't have time to be confused, before the strange woman pulled five green, glittering crystals out of her cloak!

He was of course shocked, but relieved at the same time, leading to him saying: "Wha-bu-...how did...?"

"...I locate the Impossiblium? How would it sound if I said that, when you said you needed it, everyone who had some asked me to take it to you?"

"...Oh, of course!" exclaimed the professor: "If they wanted a time machine, they'd definitely do what they can to help the inventor! Why didn't I think of that?"

"And why are you asking it now," the stranger said as she walked towards Professor Tubing, "when you could be completing your time machine?"

"...Oh, right! Good point...here, hand me the crystals..."

The stranger did...but just before Professor Tubing took the Impossiblium, he asked: "Oh, and what would you be asking for in return for your services?"

"How about...a favor, after you complete the machine?"

To this the professor agreed, at which point he took the crystals and began working...while the stranger snickered to herself, her eyes glowing as she did...

...and outside, the building's security guards were lying on the floor, asking themselves 'Who am I?', 'Why am I here?', 'What's my purpose in life?', and 'What do I mean by 'Who am I?'?', among other things.

Meanwhile, at Woodview Elementary, Becky Botsford and her classmates are in the middle of a History lesson...

"In Ancient Greece, the center of culture and learning in the Classical period was the city-state of Athens. In contrast with the other city-states of Sparta, Corinth, and Thebes, back then Athens held the highest standards of Art, Science, Philosophy, you name it..."

As the history teacher, Mr. Jackson, rambled on, everyone struggled to keep from falling asleep except Becky, the only one listening intently...

...When suddenly, her super-hearing picked up: "HEEEELLLP! Ms. Question has stolen the Impossiblium the city wanted to give to Professor Tubing!"

"Oh no! And he was just getting to the good part!" she suddenly exclaimed – drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

"I'm sorry, what?" asked Mr. Jackson.

"Oh, um, sorry, Mr. Jackson...but may I please go use the restroom?"

To this, her teacher agreed. She thanked him, and hurried out the door.

Mr. Jackson returned to his lecture, completely unaware of the cry of "WOOORRRD UP!" just outside the door, and the yellow streak of light that shot past his window soon afterward.

*(one scene transition later)*

At the local top-security hazardous materials vault, WordGirl and Captain Huggyface listened to the guard's account of the attack:

"...and before we knew it, Ms. Question had used her power on us all! Then she tricked the chief of security into giving her the keys to the vault, and she made off with the Impossiblium before anyone could say a word!"

Meanwhile, in the background, the aforementioned chief of security roared: "It's an outrage! All the effort the city took to locate the Impossiblium, and it's all wasted because of her!"

As the chief of security punched the wall in anger (and, immediately afterward, leaving to soothe his bruised hand) Captain Huggyface screeched at WordGirl, to which she responed: "Locate is another word for Find!"

"And," said the guard, "I wish we could help you find, or 'locate', Ms. Question, but I can't remember where she flew off to after she stole the Impossiblium!"

"Don't worry, sir; you get back to your work!" WordGirl said, confidently: "I'm sure Ms. Question won't be hard to locate herself..."

"HEEEELLLP! Ms. Question has broken into the building where Professor Tubing's laboratory is!"

"...And that's why!" WordGirl commented before she zoomed off into the sky.

Meanwhile, at Professor Tubing's laboratory...

With a 'clang', Professor Tubing closed up the panel in his time machine. "There!" he exclaimed in triumph, "It's complete and ready to travel through time!"

"Really?" the cloaked stranger asked, "How does it work?"

"Well, one would just set the date they want on the dial," the professor said, looking at the year-selector on the left arm of the chair, "choose where you want to end up when you get there," he pointed to the glowing map next to the date selector, "And then you just set the time-throttle (that lever on the other arm of the chair) to whichever direction you want to go! Want to experience history, and go to the past, move it to the left; or if you want to see what the future has in store for us, pull it to the right!"

"Wow, how ingenious can you get?"

"Oh, thank you...now, you said something about a favor..."

"You're right...but what was it again? Oh...was it THIS?"

Suddenly, the stranger threw off her cloak, and yellow beams of question-mark shaped energy flew outwards from her chest, towards Professor Tubing's head, and Bosco as well!

As the professor wondered "Ooh, what just happened? Why am I so dizzy all of a sudden?", while Bosco fell to the ground in confusion, Ms. Question laughed as she pulled the door to the time machine open...

"...Stop right there, Ms. Question!" shouted WordGirl as she flew into the laboratory, with Captain Huggyface on her back. She readied herself for a super-speed strike...

"Careful WordGirl; you wouldn't want to damage the professor's machine, would you?" Ms. Question said tauntingly as she climbed inside the glass contraption. Out of respect for the professor's life's work, WordGirl and Captain Huggyface could only watch as their quarry sat at the controls...

"Hmm," Ms. Question thought to herself, "now where and when should I start...How about here?"

And with that, Ms. Question manipulated the date-selector and pressed a location on her map (obscured from WordGirl's view) and then pulled the time-throttle to the left.

Instantly, all the clocks mounted on the globe had their hands spin rapidly...and very soon the globe itself started twirling on its base, the hands of the side-mounted clocks behaving like propeller blades! It started spinning faster and faster, and glowing brighter and brighter...until, with one final flash, it vanished!

As WordGirl stared at the spot where her foe once was, Captain Huggyface set about to bringing the professor and Bosco around. After some screeching and slapping, both of them woke up...and quickly pieced together what just happened.

"Oh no!" Professor Tubing cried out; "Ms. Question just stole my time machine! She handed me the Impossiblium so I would let my guard down, and knew you wouldn't destroy my life's work in a fight!"

"Yes...but why? And more importantly, where is she?"

"Well...she could be anywhere! At any time! We have no way of following her into the ...wait, did she pull the lever to the right, or the left?"

WordGirl thought about it for a second...and then said that she pulled it to the left. "Right then," continued the professor, "We have no way of following her into the past! We live in the present, we can't take part in history!"

…..

Suddenly, WordGirl had an idea: "Not without our own time machine!" she exclaimed.

The professor began to say: "Yes, but the only time machine in existence-" but before he could finish, WordGirl interrupted by saying: "Don't worry, professor! Ms. Question won't escape justice for long! Come on, Huggy!"

Captain Huggyface, who was busy catching up with Bosco, hastily said goodbye and leaped into WordGirl's arms before she flew off.

As WordGirl soared through the sky, the narrator was forced to ask:

Um, mind explaining what is going on?

"No time! I don't know what Ms. Question wants with the professor's time machine, but it can't be good, so I need to stop it as soon as I can! Can't stop to talk!"

Oh, cmon... can't you at least give me a hint?

"Ugh, fine...mind catching the viewers up on my encounters with the Doctor, while I get everything ready?" And with that, WordGirl zoomed off towards her Super-Secret Spaceship Hideout.

…The Doctor? Oh, I get it now!

(Ahem) For those who don't already know, the Doctor is a fellow good guy, and good friend of WordGirl's. He's an alien called a Time Lord, who comes from the planet Gallifrey. He flies around the universe in a machine called a TARDIS, a part-spaceship, part-time machine disguised as a police telephone box. And throughout WordGirl's history, he has alternately changed his appearance, and helped WordGirl fight off various evil people, like the Daleks and the Cybermen.

When WordGirl last met the Doctor, he had given her a special device that allows her to contact him, wherever in time and space he is located...and from the situation in WordGirl's Spaceship Hideout, it looks like she's ready to use it!

WordGirl sat at the copilot's seat to her spaceship, the gift from the Doctor in her hand. With the other, she grabbed a cord from the console, and plugged it into the remote-like device. "There," she said, "Everything's ready. Fire up the ship's communicator, Captain Huggyface!"

Captain Huggyface obliged, pressing a series of buttons on his end of the console, at the pilot's seat.

Static appeared on the viewscreen, as WordGirl spoke: "This is WordGirl, calling the Doctor! Can you hear me, Doctor? This is WordGirl calling!"

…...

"Do you read me, Doctor?" said WordGirl, trying again; "This is WordGirl-"

"It's okay, I read you!" came a british-sounding voice from the speakers: "I just cant...seem to locate...your visual signal – Aha! There we go!"

Quickly, a picture formed on the main viewscreen: A boyish, yet nonetheless mature face with long locks of curly chestnut hair, standing in front of an elaborate background – not unlike a classic living-room of a Victorian household.

"Like my new face?" asked the man on the screen, clapping his hands to his cheeks playfully; "Of course, I'm still the Doctor, but still! Do I look alright?"

"Umm...you're OK, I guess..."

"Thank you! And I think the TARDIS's new look is an improvement as well!" beamed the Doctor in reply, "Now, to business! At the twelve-year-old point in your life, there can only be two reasons you would call me:"

"One, you would want to gather all of your friends and allies together for a large celebration; in which case I would gladly show up...I'd love to get a chance to meet Tobey again, ask about how you two are getting along..."

WordGirl desperately denied that this was the case.

"Really? Shame. Anyway," his face grew a much more serious tone as he went on, "That means there's only one reason you called me: you need my help with some alien or supervillain."

"Ms. Question's stolen a time machine, Doctor, and gone somewhere into the past. I was hoping you'd help me locate her."

"Got it. Just give me a second, and I'll be right there." And with that, the Doctor pressed something offscreen, and his image disappeared...

...but barely a second after it did, WordGirl and Captain Huggyface heard a familiar noise coming from behind them!

Vrooossssshh...Vrrrroooosshh...Vrrooooshhhh...CLUNK!

The two superheroic persons turned around, and saw: right next to the slide, was the familiar shape of the Doctor's TARDIS. And seconds later, dressed in green-themed Victorian clothing, the Doctor stepped out of the doors.

"Good to see you again, WordGirl!" the Doctor exclaimed as he opened his arms, beckoning WordGirl into a hug...which she happily accepted, as did Captain Huggyface.

They later broke the hug, and then headed into the TARDIS, closing the doors behind them. Then, once all three were inside, the TARDIS began to fade from view...

Vrooossssshh...Vrrrroooosshh...Vrrooooshhhh...

*(one scene transition later)*

In addition to the darkened Victorian living-room, WordGirl finally got a look at the new central column that was the TARDIS control console: surrounded by six pillars of criscrossed metal plates, it stood as the six-paneled base for a large glass column that extended all the way up to the ceiling. On it were several glowing devices, like levers and buttons and dials and more. And standing in front of the TV screen that dangled from the ceiling, was the Doctor.

Quickly, WordGirl reminded herself of the situation at hand, and asked the Doctor: "You got anything?"

"Yes, actually! This machine we're after is really noisy...only to be expected from an early model like that, nothing as advanced as my TARDIS..."

"Um, Doctor, you might want to stop there before you accidentally insult Professor Tubing's hard work. I mean, that is the first time machine in humanity's history!"

"Yeah, I suppose credit must be given where credit is due. Anyhow, since it's a really noisy, all I have to do is set the TARDIS to follow the noise..." he said as he dashed over to the control panel, hitting random buttons with functions only he knew...

...and finishing it off by pulling the lever marked 'BRAKE' into the 'open' position: "...and we should find ourselves at Ms. Question's destination."

…...

Spinning through the nameless space between times, the TARDIS instantly noticed the time-particles disturbed by Ms. Question's machine, and zoomed off along the trail.

…...

The Doctor continued pressing strange controls on the TARDIS console (with Captain Huggyface providing some assistance as per instructions), while he continued talking with WordGirl: "If I get this right, we should land maybe...a few hours after Ms. Question's landing, and up to a mile away from her current location."

"Right...and once we get there, we just find her and bring her back to the present!"

"Sounds simple enough, WordGirl...although I can't help but wonder, why exactly she'd want to go to an unspecified point in the past! I mean, there could be any number of reasons!"

"Like what, Doctor?"

"Well-" the Doctor began, but then the TARDIS suddenly gave a CLUNK, and all the movement stopped. The Doctor was the first to say it: "We've landed."

And before WordGirl could ask where, the Doctor looked at the TV screen again, pulling her over to it as well...and saw:

A city of brilliant marble, with ornate columns supporting massive white buildings and statues, which surrounded a large courtyard. In the courtyard, men of all sizes walked around in multicolored robes, while others sat at the edges with various wares (clothes, food, treasures) for sale around them.

WordGirl was awed by the sight...and then noticed the massive structure in the background, built on top of a small mountain! She instantly recognized it from various history books, and gasped.

Captain Huggyface, who couldn't see the screen, asked her to explain what she and the Doctor saw: "Huggy" WordGirl responded, "...that's...the Parthenon!"

"We're in Ancient Greece!" the Doctor exclaimed as well: "We've landed in Athens, smack in the middle of the Agora, the public space in the middle of the city they used for a marketplace – slash – events center!"

As he finished, he looked over at the control panel...and then said: "And we're in the year 410 BCE! In the middle of the Classical Age, when Athens was becoming the most important city in all Greece!"

At this point, Huggy decided he would skip the history lesson, and hopped towards the doors of the TARDIS...only to be stopped by WordGirl! "Wait," she said, "What will the Ancient Greeks say if they see a monkey in colorful costume walking around?"

"And that's saying nothing of how you would look to them, WordGirl!" the Doctor called from the other end of the massive main room, "You know, young girls in Ancient Greece were expected to stay at home and not wander around the city, let alone dressed like a Lexiconian astronaut!" He then pointed to a set of doors to the left of the main entrance, and said: "To locate the TARDIS wardrobe, take that hallway. First left, second right, third on the left, go straight ahead, under the stairs, past the bins, fifth door on your left. Can't miss it."

"Got it!" said WordGirl, as she and Huggy dashed towards the wardrobe (with a little help from WordGirl's super-speed).

A little bit later...

WordGirl walked in on the Doctor putting together some machinery in a small, red box-like device. "What do you think?" she asked, causing the Doctor to look at her and Huggy:

WordGirl was wearing a white toga that came down to her knees, while Bob was in his regular diaper.

"And," WordGirl added when she had the Doctor's attention, "I can still switch to my WordGirl costume, should the need arise!" And with that, she quickly demonstrated, switching to and from her Lexiconian costume in two successive flashes of yellow light.

"...Well, you look Greek enough to me!" said the Doctor, who got up, and beckoned her to him as he walked towards the doors...

"Wait," she asked, "Aren't you going to change too?"

"I changed my vest." he responded, pointing out that he was now wearing a new vest under his green longcoat; one that matched his coat's dark green color perfectly. Then, he held up the red box (which WordGirl could now see looked like a tape recorder with a telephone receiver and a bunch of other gear attatched to it) he was working on earlier, and said: "Besides, I was busy putting together a device that can help us locate Ms. Question! Well, her time machine at any rate..."

WordGirl asked what it was, and the Doctor said: "I don't really like it's full name, too many pointless big words; I call it...brace yourself, WordGirl... my 'timey-wimey detector.'"

WordGirl cringed slightly at the made-up words, but she got the point...sort of. "I know detect is another word for locate, but what about the 'timey-wimey' part?"

"Basically, this thingy 'dings' when it finds things involving time travel...like, for instance, time machines."

Huggy screeched something at that point, and WordGirl said: "Oh, right; so, with our clothes and your time machine locator, we're pretty much set! Shall we?"

To this, the Doctor agreed, saying: "Of course. Now remember, as far as anyone here's concerned, I'm your father, and Huggy's my pet. If we can keep up that appearance, we shouldn't run into too many delays. Also, don't worry about the language, the TARDIS will translate for you."

He then hung his timey-wimey detector around his shoulder by a strap, grabbed WordGirl's hand, and had Captain Huggyface leap onto his shoulder. And with that, the trio made their way to the imposing TARDIS doors...and opened them, stepping out onto the marble-paved Greek marketplace.

"WordGirl," the Doctor commented as they closed the TARDIS doors, "Welcome...to history!"

"Actually..."

"Come again?" said the Doctor, confused that WordGirl rejected his dramatic statement...

...until she explained: "...History is a word used to refer to events, recorded or otherwise, that happened in the past. True, normally Ancient Greece is history, but: since you took us back in time, the past is now the present, and this doesn't count as history anymore!"

"Oh, that's a good point! You're getting the hang of this fast, despite this being your first time-traveling journey!"

"Thanks, Doctor...I mean, Dad!" WordGirl giggled.

"You're welcome. Now, to find Ms. Question..."

Before the Doctor could say anything, or even move his hands towards his timey-wimey detector, WordGirl dashed towards a random bearded Greek in white robes, and said: "Um, excuse me, mister? My daddy and I are looking for someone named 'Ms. Question!'"

Quickly, the Doctor realized what she was doing, and followed her; he (pretended to) pull her away from the startled gentleman, and said: "Now now, child, mind your manners...but anyway, yes, I am looking for someone. She's got dark skin, red clothes with a question-mark theme, and always talks in questions; Have you seen someone like that?"

The Greek thought about it for a second, before saying: "Hmm, not really..."

"I have!" said another, earning a smile from the three time-traveling heroes...until he continued: "I saw her earlier today, asking where that Socrates fellow was!"

Suddenly, the Doctor gasped in horror! "She can't be...a supervillain talking to a famous person from long ago...no, no no NO!"

"What?" asked a confused WordGirl, as Captain Huggyface screeched something similar, "What's wrong?"

"When you were young, did you read a lot of the things Socrates said?" the Doctor asked as he knelt down to WordGirl's level...and his heart sank when she said 'yes.'

"No...Ms. Question wants to change history! That's why she traveled back in time to Ancient Greece!"

WordGirl gasped...and then, asked: "But...why?"

"Why else? So you will never become WordGirl! So WordGirl will never have existed!"

What diabolical plan does Ms. Question have for the future? Can WordGirl, Captain Huggyface, and the Doctor save history before WordGirl is erased from existence?

If you want to locate the answers, then tune in again soon for the second part of this epic adventure of WORDGIRL!

To Be Continued...

Sorry for the delay, readers! Summer tedium got to me, and I haven't been inspired for a little while... but I do intend on finishing this series!

So, to the few readers who still enjoy this, stay tuned!