[ — truthfully? Will he be truthful? As much as he guards the parts of himself with any real depth beyond the surface level, the Doctor loves talking about his friends. And so, it's easy to admit — ]

Well, not always. Sometimes I need my friends to remind me. You get on a bit, things go fuzzy and dim. They turn the light back on.

[ After a while, everything is just stuff, he'd told Amy once. An ancient Time Lord, the last of, twirling and whirling about the stars, running away from endings towards the next beginning, then running again. And what does he do with all that running? Well, he forgets. Because he has seen so much and lost so much, and he knows the end of all things, but somewhere in the middle of all of that are his bright and beautiful, most precious friends; the envy of all the stars. ]

And I do happen to know a lot about a lot! [ Modest, as ever. ] You've adapted well so far, you're here exploring. The first step! Advice, though, you asked for it! Be kind, there's always hope, keep a spoon with you at all times, and don't wander off.

You've known others my age, have you?

[ It intrigues him, naturally, not having encountered that often. She doesn't really bat an eye. Who is she, this Julia. Fascinating, to say the least! ]

And tell me more about Fillory.