So this is the day you turn 19 – well, it’s the day over there anyway. I’ve been preparing for this for a while (and by a while, I mean since April 19th). I tried to tone it down with the gifts, but I just ended up making a bunch of gifs instead. So this year, you have three things to look forward to: a fanfic, some sprite animation based on said fanfic and a GMV. I’ve conveniently put them into three spoilers for you, but you might want to scroll down and look at what’s underneath all those spoilers. Have fun, nub~ Just a side note: these gifts are public so anyone can enjoy them, but there may be a bunch of things that you don't understand or will just plain make you cringe (especially in the fanfic). Enjoy at your own risk and/or leisure. Spoiler: Fanfic "Come on! Run!" The three of them pushed on, moving as fast as their legs would carry them. The dull grey halls seemed to go on forever, melding into an endless corridor that they'd never escape from. It all seemed so familiar, yet she felt it was... hopeless. It was strange, but that was the way these things worked. The hair, the head and the heart: together, the three of them were inseparable. The steady rhythm of their feet drowned out the frantic pounding of their hearts. But they couldn't keep it up much longer. They turned the corner and found an open door. "Get in!" Once they'd all gotten inside, he sealed the door and pulled out his sonic to try and keep it that way. "Doctor... we can't... keep running." She struggled to speak between breaths. Both girls were nearly gasping for air, their bodies exhausted in every sense of the word. He ran his hand over his face and began to think. There had to be something, anything. And then it hit him. He tensed up and his expression became as hopeless as the situation. "What's wrong?" She straightened herself, managing to remain steady. He closed his eyes and leant up against the door. "Doctor?" "I'm sorry... but you have to go without me." "What!?" Both of them chimed in, now feeling rested enough to protest the notion. "Don't be stupid. When has splitting up EVER been a good idea?" A banging came from the door and shook the Doctor as he pressed himself back against it. "Kathy, we don't have time to argue. The sooner you both get out of here, the further this will be from a close call. If you leave now, you can come back and get me before they have a chance." They looked at each other, acknowledging that this, unfortunately, was the best plan. "Just don't die before I get back." He looked at the other girl and winked. "I wouldn't dream of it, Cat." She put her hand out and Kathy grabbed it. They both closed their eyes and Cat thought of that familiar blue box, trying her hardest to drown out the muffled screams. Their bodies began to tingle, as if every ounce of their being was somehow shifted. At first it was odd, and Kathy still wasn't used to it, but for Cat it never got old. As the goosebumps subsided on their skin, they began to look around. But something was different. The interior had become brighter -- more colorful -- and the familiar pillars of coral-ish stuff had disappeared. "What the hell," Cat thought, wondering why, despite the different appearance, things didn't feel that different at all. "Cat, where exactly did you bring us?" "The TARDIS... I think." "You 'think'?" "Oh come on, Kathy. Those things were getting pretty loud, and you know I'm not good at ignoring something so f-" Suddenly they heard a clang come from down the hall. A man in a tweed jacket, jeans and a blue bow tie fumbled in his pockets for something as he clumsily fell into their line of sight, seeming to disregard the metal pot that hung on his head. When he leant forward it covered his eyes, and he simply pushed the handle so it would spin around. "Aha!" He managed to find something that looked an awful lot like a sonic screwdriver, but with a bunch of, er, claws attached to the end. He pointed it at them and pressed the button, but the green sonic-y end was facing him and the claws opened up right on his hand. "Ow!" He flipped it right side up and put it back in his jacket, deciding not to try his crap luck again, and the two girls couldn't stop laughing. He straightened himself and walked over to them, only to have the pot get in his face again. As the laughing grew louder and less restrained, he grabbed it off his head, tossed it to the side and fixed his droopy hair before crossing his arms. "And what's so funny?" He stopped. Now that he had a good look at them, he was sure of who they were. It couldn't be possible, but there was no mistaking it. "Oh Cat,” he whined. “What have I told you about all the timey-wimey? Honestly..." He sighed and they both managed to compose themselves. "What are you talking about," she asked. "I don't know you." He stared her down, the white jacket contrasting with her black graphic tee and jeans, before coming to a realization. "Oh, so that's it..." He backed off, spun around and fixed his bowtie before leaning up against the railing that circled them. "Well, I don't know exactly when you're from, and this may come as a bit of a shock, but... I'm the Doctor." They both chuckled just a bit before regaining their composure again. "What," he asked them, almost pouting in protest. "Sorry," Kathy started. "It's just that you don't seem like... Doctor material." "Aww, come on, Kathy. I'm sure your dad has told you all about me. I mean, didn't you ever hear about my fifth? I wore celery and stripey pants!" "Yeah, well, I'm still not convinced." Cat spoke up, still skeptical of the whole situation. "The TARDIS does feel the same, but if you want to prove it... tell me something only the Doctor would know." He grinned, almost pleased with her disbelief. "Alright," he started as he walked over to her. She walked toward him as well. "When you first met me in this universe, we were fighting the Daleks and the Cybermen. But you weren't scared of either. No, you were more afraid of what happened to your universe, and whether that might happen to this one." He grabbed her hand and they looked each other in the eyes. "And when we got through it all... when I said goodbye to her..." he paused, forcing himself to hold back the emotion. “You were the one who kept me going. Because you knew how-" he stopped. Cat was holding him just as she had that day. This was the same man, it had to be. No fake would've paused in fear of choking up. He hugged her back and they awkwardly let go, remembering that Kathy was there too. After having seen Cat’s reaction, she was plenty convinced. He walked over to her and pulled them both in. "I've missed you two." The TARDIS almost seemed to hum with excitement, overjoyed to see them all together again. "And just how long has it been?" He let them go and grinned, looking at Kathy in her familiar red jumper. "That," he started, pointing at no one in particular. "Is an excellent question." He moved over to the console and began pressing buttons and pulling levers, just as he always had. "It's been, oh, a few decades since I saw you. Well, actually, I say a few, but..." his old sexy began to wheeze and vworp, signaling their movement through time and space. He sighed lightly, still smiling goofily. "And Cat. It hasn't even been a week." The two girls looked at each other for a moment and then glanced back at the Doctor. Before either could even think of another question, he strode over to them and put his index fingers on their lips. "Ah ah ah... spoilers." He walked back to a monitor that hung above his head and pulled it down to eye level. As he pressed buttons and stared at the unintelligible circles, he spoke. "So, where are you two? I doubt you stopped by on purpose." Cat took a step forward and replied. "Well, we were running from these... bird things. We hid in a closet and I was going to head to our TARDIS and wait until I could get you out." He dropped his hands, appearing to be done with whatever tinkering he'd been up to and walked past them to the door. They followed suit, tailing him straight out onto the street. "Where exactly are we, Doctor?" They kept on, maneuvering past pedestrians, and gradually their pace slowed to a walk. "California," he replied before licking his finger and holding it up in the air. "Nineteen... ninety six. Or is it ninety five?" He looked around and tasted the air again. "No, ninety four. Definitely ninety four." "And why are we here exactly?" He turned and looked at Cat, brows raised and smile wide. "Why not?" He turned back around and led them over to a park bench, plopping himself down in the middle and patting either side for them to do the same. They did just that and he put his arms around them. "We haven't been together in a while. I thought we might catch up, maybe get some records or buy some hats? I do love a good hat." He looked at both of them and they couldn't help but grin. He might be more childish, but he was still the same man. "Eh, that's the spirit. Besides, waiting is just so dull. Now, what do you want to do?" "AHEM." Their moment was interrupted by an officer, no less than six feet and towering over them. He was muscular and intimidating, even in his stereotypical uniform -- which included the cliché hat -- though that didn't dishearten the Time Lord. "I'm sorry, is there a problem, officer?" "Yes, actually," he responded. "This part of town has been having some trouble, and we don't want anyone under eighteen wandering around. I hope you understand." He looked straight at Cat, and she kept as straight a face as ever, hardly fazed by a single cop on the street. The Doctor stood up and so did they. "That's alright. We'll just be on our way." They began to walk off but he grabbed Cat by the arm. "Hey!" As he tugged her toward him, the others stopped in their tracks. "I'll get her home safely, if it's not too much trouble. After all, we wouldn't want anyone to get hurt." She didn't bother hiding her discontent, but as the Doctor glanced at her with the "are you sure" face, she nodded calmly and did the same with Kathy. He faked his sincerity well and replied curtly. "Of course, thank you.” He looked back at her and simply said, “I'll see you back home." With that, they went back to the TARDIS to wait. * * * "Something's wrong." She couldn't help but speak up. It had been an hour and Cat still hadn't popped up. She'd tried fiddling with her vortex manipulator, but she had no clue where to start looking. "If she were alright, she would've been here a while ago." The Doctor, anxious about the whole situation, stood up from his chair and plopped himself in front of the monitor. Kathy was close behind him, hoping she might be able to make some sense of the situation. He turned a few dials on the edge of the screen and watched a bunch of fluctuations. "No... this is all wrong." She observed all the numbers and waves until it hit her. "Something's blocking the TARDIS." He dashed to the other end of the console and began fiddling. "But that's impossible. Huon particles can always trace each other. What the hell could-" "Could you pull the wibbly lever?" "What?" "The wibbly lever. It's two steps to your right, the big blue one." Despite being taken aback, she did what he asked and the whole room shook around them. Sparks flew above their heads and alarms began to sound. Suddenly, the lights shut off and the bright, colorful interior became grim and gloomy. "What was that?" He walked into her line of sight and flipped a switch on the console, causing a single light to come from the screen. "I had to trick the firewall. Unless we get a stronger signal, we can't track her." He slid towards the screen and glanced at it. The fluctuations had disappeared for the most part, and only two wavelengths were left, playing a dangerous game of cat and mouse -- or rather, Cat and not-Cat. He smiled but before he could touch anything the lines converged and a set of numbers, presumably time-space coordinates, appeared beneath them. He was puzzled until he looked over at Kathy, who’d finally been successful in using her vortex manipulator. They looked at each other and grinned, knowing what would happen next. As they bolted towards the door, they prepared themselves for whatever they might find on the other side. He pushed it open, and they found themselves in a cold, damp hallway. The old lights gave it a slightly blue glow, and a musty odor hung in the air. The Doctor pulled out his sonic, now facing the right direction, and scanned the surrounding area. "This isn't good," Kathy stated. "No, it's not. In fact..." the Doctor replied, examining the sonic's results. "This is a transdimensional road trip from good." He looked up and inched forward, taking care not to make too much noise, before motioning for Kathy to follow him. "I don't suppose that vortex manipulator is working." "No. We used it to get close to the, er..." "Nocturds." "What?" "They're called 'Nocturds'." "You're... joking, right?" "Nope. It sounds a lot better in Enochian, mind you, but-" They stopped. He put his finger up, silently asking for quiet, and looked around. Kathy could faintly hear some sort of static. It seemed almost like white noise: there but... not there. The Doctor heard it too, only it was much louder for him. He took out a black leather wallet and opened it up to look at a sheet of paper through a plastic cover. He stared at it for a moment and ran forward a few feet, pushing up against the wall on their left. Kathy followed close behind. "Why're you doing that?" He looked at her quickly and glanced back down at the paper. "See for yourself..." He tossed her the wallet and kept knocking frantically. She opened it up and, to her surprise, there was a message inside that almost looked handwritten. It was scribbled furiously and then vanished in a never-ending loop, almost like a gif. It constantly read "There’s a trick door a few feet ahead. On the left... I don't wanna die here. Help." She couldn't help but stare. The gravity of the situation started to hit home. 'Die?' Was it really that bad? No, it couldn't be. After all the stories she'd heard, after everything they'd been through... it was unthinkable. "Aha!" She looked up, the hissing of the metal door's hydraulics bringing her back to the situation at hand. It was better that she didn't dwell on it too much, and if she could still send a psychic message, it meant that she wasn't dead yet. She tucked the psychic paper into her pocket and pressed on with the Doctor. They both pushed forward as fast as they could, keeping close to the pipes as if they were a lifeline. After what seemed like an eternity, they came to the end. An opening in the back wall took them into a round room, much taller than any of the corridors they'd passed through. There seemed to be pod-like cylinders circling them, each appeared to be empty and long since abandoned. The faint pitter of some small creature could be heard, echoes magnifying the most miniscule of sounds. The patter grew into footsteps, which they both assumed were human. But this was a dead end. Where else could anyone be? "I... I can't believe it." Their heads flew up. It was impossible to tell where the voice came from, but they would recognize it anywhere. "You really came for me." "'Course we came for you, Cat. Have a little faith!" The Doctor shouted nowhere in particular, trying to lift her spirits a bit. Even now he was hardly any good, and yet it worked like a charm. She chuckled softly and a grinding of gears started up. The two turned toward one of the pods, noticing a familiar figure descend from a platform higher above. The glass was fogged and scratched, but it was clear. "I never figured you'd be so gullible." There was something sinister in her voice now, as if this weren't the same person. "Cat, what's going on?" Kathy shouted at the enigma. This wasn't her. It might have been a duplicate, an evil clone, maybe. But this was not the girl she knew. "Where are you?!" The pod finally opened and the cop they'd encountered earlier stepped out, his face as emotionless as humanly possible. "Relax. There's no need to get so wound up. She's safe and sound... for now, that is." The officer stepped forward, his whole body rigid. There was only one thing the Doctor had fought that could do this. He started slow clapping, gradually turning to look at the whole room. "Bravo! You've taken my friend and now you're trying to use her against me. I won't give you points for originality, but it seems just a bit out of the Cybermen's league." "Oh, but Doctor." The officer chimed in, his voice more than making up for his mannerisms. He seemed to be smiling now, feigning amusement fairly well given his current 'condition.' He took off his hat, revealing an oddly shaped piece of metal. When he bowed, his bald head revealed that it was long and interconnected, running from where his hairline would be down past the back of his neck, which was covered by the collar on his uniform. "We've learned to adapt since last time. So long as we can attach to certain nerves, the exact placement of our... headpiece doesn't matter." He straightened himself and walked over to another pod, the light on his attachment changing from white to red. They heard another platform lower and prepared themselves. "After all, if humans can adapt, why can't we?" "Because you believe in perfection and equality," the Doctor responded. "Evolution is inferior to you." "Ha ha, funny." She started up again, that same sinister tone in her voice. "But you know what? It won't be so funny when we change our history." Kathy and the Doctor looked at each other, realizing just what this was all about. The bottom of the platform was in view and as it inched closer to the ground the cop walked behind them, blocking off the only clear exit. "For too long you've ruined us. If evolution is the best step for humanity, then we can sacrifice our “pride.” Just imagine it: every plan you’ve ever thwarted proceeding just as we had intended!" The fogged up glass kept them from the harsh truth for just a bit longer. Neither of them wanted to face it, but it was inevitable, and they had to if there was any chance of everyone walking out intact. "Well, it sounds like you're getting a bit emotional," Kathy blurted. She had a plan. She knew Cat nearly as well as the Doctor, maybe even better at this point, and she knew exactly which buttons to press -- now almost literally. The glass slid open and the two girls stared each other down. It was almost... no, it was unnatural, to see her with such a crooked grin on her face. This wasn't her, but it wasn't exactly a Cyberman either. Nothing made any sense. "Don’t try to be clever. Or would you rather have your pet become road kill?" She turned to look at the Doctor, as angry as he'd ever been, and it was clear: the Oncoming Storm had been provoked; there was no stopping him now. "Doctor, you're always gallivanting around time and space, picking out insignificant souls and playing with them to your hearts' content. But it doesn't matter how long they last: eventually, they all get old and you throw them away." "You have no right to talk about people that way." He nearly screamed, his rage almost tangible around them. "At least human beings have free will. You’d just control them like they were characters in a game!" She laughed at a bone-chilling pitch, which was frightening no matter how you looked at the situation. "Oh no, you can't play white knight with me." She, or rather it, crossed her arms. "We've been inside your head, remember?" He stepped forward, replying almost immediately. "Fine, let's suppose that you had used me before. Why wouldn't you just take me again? She’s not nearly as clever as I am." It scoffed. "Isn't it obvious? You're too much trouble. Humans don't have such stubborn defenses; we can waltz right up their synapses and take them without a problem." She took a step forward, and so did he. Meanwhile, Kathy felt that white noise from before start up again. She turned slightly and pulled out the psychic paper. "Dammit," it read. "This is too much. You have to get inside my head, or we don't stand a chance." She glanced at her, not knowing whether to trust the message. It seemed way too good to be true. She felt a change and looked back down. "I can't hold on much longer. My head feels like it's gonna break. Please..." "Help." Both the Doctor and Kathy looked at her in shock. What she'd just said... for the first time since they'd arrived, it really sounded like her. "What was that, Cat?" He couldn't help but question her. The anger in his face slowly faded, and he knew that she'd exceeded his expectations, as his compa... as his friends always did. "Dammit!" She began to twitch. Her whole body shifted into odd positions a few times, until finally she just clutched her head and chuckled. "Did I stutter, you ass?" She kept her tone lighthearted, despite the growing pain beneath her skull. As her brain pulsed and pounded in protest, she fell to her knees and began to gasp for breath; the two of them got down to eye level, watching her closely. "Kathy... please. It's the only way." She groaned, beads of sweat forming around the circuitry as its light flashed a bright blue. "What's she talking about?" He looked at her, holding Cat by her arm. He ran his other hand over her back and the metal felt like it went about halfway down her spine. It began to burn up, probably to force her to black out. There wasn't much time. "On the psychic paper. It said I had to get inside her head." He looked at both of them, the concern plain on his face. "Doctor, what does that mean?" "A... psychic connection." Cat chimed in, partially to remind them of how urgent this was and partially to reassure them that it was the only way at this point. "If there's more than one consciousness in her head," he started. "It’d be too much for the Cyberman to handle. The trouble is that getting you out won't be as easy as sending you in." "That's riiiight." She lifted her head up, that evil look back on her face. "Even for you, it wouldn't be easy. Then again, she doesn't know anything about your daddy." The psychotic laugh morphed into an agonizing scream, and it was clear that they'd have to decide now. "Send me in." "Are you sure?" She took one look at her friend, fighting such a terrible influence up to the point of losing consciousness, and nodded. "You won't come back," the police man added. "And even if you do, it might be with a bit of me mixed in. No matter how you play this game, we'll win." Kathy turned around and looked at him. "Well, you clearly haven’t counted the margin of error." They all smiled, save for the Cyberman, and the Doctor moved his hands behind the girls' heads. "Ready?" Before either could respond he slammed their skulls together with all the strength he had. They both cried out in pain, but he held them together just a bit longer; neither had the psychic ability for this, so he had to act as the intermediary. He felt their thoughts rush together until they coalesced in Cat's head and separated them when he was sure it was safe. Before their seemingly lifeless bodies could pile up into a heap, he took their arms and dragged them until they were sitting up against one of the pods. Now he would just have to wait, but so long as the "Cybersoldier" was content, he could tell. All he had to do was look over towards the other victim. He sat down in front of the pod adjacent to them, eyeing everyone closely, and swore to himself that they'd all stop this beast. ~ "Ow!" Kathy grabbed her forehead, the sharp pain slicing through the sudden silence... where was she anyway? "Now THAT is an excellent question." She turned around and saw it sitting on top of the TARDIS. But now it looked... different. The metal piece had moved to the side of her face, the dark blue light pulsing constantly. It pushed off of its perch and the mirage of the police box dissolved, but not in the usual manner. Instead, it broke up into tiny particles, though not before the door could open, and out stepped too familiar a face. "Oh, this is too much. You even dream about the thing together!" The Cyber-freak looked at both of them, one in front and one behind it, and chuckled. "I should be the first to welcome you to your collective unconscious, but formalities were never my strong suit... were they, me?" It looked straight at Cat, giving her a Joker grin: just as heartless, just as psychotic and equally as sickening. She couldn't help but scowl at this thing, shoving her hands into her jacket pockets to hide her rage. "Whoa, there’s no need to swear like a sailor." "Shut the hell up." She couldn't help but verbalize it. She had no privacy in her own mind, and it was reading her like an open book. She hated being violated like this. It turned back around, ignoring its host for the moment. "Ah, and there's our resident violator now. Tell me Kathy, what do you think of our humble abode?" She stared on, still trying to adjust to the situation. Even by their standards, this was just weird. "Screw that!" They looked over, but Cat was gone. Then again this was her head, so it made sense that she'd have some free reign. "Just tell me how I kill you." She reappeared right next to Kathy, and though it should've startled her, it didn't. It might've been the headache, or the fact that they were currently sharing a head, but it felt just as it always had: weirdly normal. The thing smiled at them both, almost amused at their determination. "Well, the best way would be to have a specialized weapon for fighting Cybermen. Unfortunately, 90's California doesn't seem to have that technology." It continued to grin, flaunting its precisely calculated 'victory.' The space around them began to change, as if it had finally adjusted to the abnormal situation. The same particles that the TARDIS had dissipated into began to surround them, though the space was clearly divided. The Cyber-psycho's half had a long, continuous stream of blue particles circling the whole area, while the 'human' side had orange particles that were less organized and more scattered, almost as if they had been forced apart by some sort of collision. "So, now that we're alone, I might as well drop a few time-breaking bombshells." Kathy looked to her left, but Cat was gone. "Oh, don't worry, she's still in here. You can't exactly kick out the owner." It turned its back to her. "Time Lord or human, you're nothing like your parents, and you never will be." She did her best to keep calm, but she understood why Cat had been so angry; who could ever stand having this in their head at all, let alone for so long? "You ran to this universe to try and save your own, but you also love the danger. In fact, you thrive on it. Secretly, you'd always wanted there to be some universe-breaking event that let you meet your daddy in his prime." "That's not true." "Oh, there's no need to lie to me. I can see your thoughts; anything that's ever crossed your mind is on display. But the same goes for you... both of your thoughts, your memories: right now they're all fair game. You two just refuse to take advantage." "Yeah, well, maybe it's because we respect the right to privacy." "No, actually. It's because of your useless morals. If either of you peeked into the other's head, he'd know. You both refuse to betray his trust, and you're giving up such an eye-opening experience." It turned its head slightly toward her and grinned, that cold look still in its eyes. "I know how you look at him, and every day you see dear old dad. It kills you, eats away at any semblance of sanity you've got left. But then there she is: usually the optimist, sometimes too frank but always dependable. Or is she?" It continued to walk away from her. "She had a friend once. When her universe was deleted, she never expected to see her again. And yet, years after trips with the parallel Doctor in the parallel universe, in a deserted, unnamed planet in the midst of the galaxy Nubuleria, she finds a ghost, or maybe just an echo. It wasn't obvious at first, mind you -- you're all too slow when you process data -- but after everything ran its course that day, you said something she hasn't dared to forget. It made her think back on times she occasionally wishes she could forget, and that's when she saw it: her close friend, who had actually traveled in the TARDIS for a while before deciding that she had bigger, less life-threatening responsibilities. Her close friend, who she never spoke to again, and only ever saw one more time. Her close, human friend, who you are exactly like; the mannerisms, the accent, the jokes you make at her expense: it's all just the same... it's all too perfect. And she wonders just how cruel a mistress the multiverse might be. Every day she convinces herself that this is a second chance, a way to relive the good old days, but every day she remembers that if you're from a universe that's still intact, this is just a limited time offer." She stood there, stunned by this revelation. "No," she protested. "You're lying!" Even it had stated that this was all too good to be true. "Oh, I wish I were," it replied, seeming to try and imitate their Doctor. "And I know you do too." It pointed to its right, Kathy's left, and sure enough Cat was there, looking down as she always did when she was hiding something. They could almost feel the rage bubbling up inside her, the shared emotions making it impossible to hide. "Aww, no need to be shy. Come here!" It spoke and in an instant she wasn't more than a meter from her almost doppelganger. It turned towards her, concealing the metal portion of its face as it stared down at its prey. "I'm going to rip you to shreds," Cat stated, looking it right in the eyes, and her fury almost matched the Doctor's on his worst days. "First chance I get, I'm gonna throw you into a goddamn supernova." "Ooh, I'm so scared. But you know… you are scaring someone else a bit." "Yeah, well, the Doctor isn't the only one who’s dangerous when provoked." They both grinned at each other and, for a split second, they almost appeared to be one in the same. "You care so much about your ethics, but answer me this, both of you: morally, who here is really evil?" It turned to Kathy, the smile shrinking on its face. If they didn't know better, they might've thought it was sincere. Cat scoffed. "You really think a question of ethics will change our minds?" "Maybe, maybe not, but you should still hear me out." It walked toward Kathy, the apparent evil diminishing with every step. "We just need your help to save our people. Every chance we've had to thrive, the Doctor has taken away. We're scavengers now, and I'll be the first to admit we've done some bad things, but it's all in the name of self-preservation." She had to admit, it did have a poi- "No." Cat spoke up, bringing that train of thought to a grinding halt. "Your entire existence has been for the sake of replacing humanity. You're not programmed for 'self-preservation.' You're programmed for decimation." It never took its eyes off of Kathy. It all seemed a bit surreal. "Do you know why I've been so full of emotion?" It turned back to Cat and pointed right at her. "Because she's the ruthless one. Our relationship has been symbiotic, what harm have I really done? And yet you would extinguish the last of my kind!" "Shut up! Kathy, can't you see what it's trying to do?" "Please." It turned back to her, nearly in tears now. "From one survivor to another." It grabbed her hand and pulled her close to whisper in her ear. "Don't trust anything you see or hear. This place is an-" before it finished, Cat yanked it by the hair and threw it to the ground before kicking it in the stomach. As it curled up, trying its hardest to hang on, she spoke up. "Any last words, rust bucket?" Kathy looked up at her, unable to comprehend what had just happened, and then she saw it; for a brief moment, she caught the metal piece on her head, seeming to run down her back. It seemed impossible, but... had that been why it suddenly felt like a role reversal? She quickly shifted her gaze to the 'bad guy,' as it managed to get on her knees and knuckles. She was wheezing, desperate for a deep breath, and looked up at her, the side of her face missing the attachment. She managed to speak a single word. "Illusion." The thing quickly punched her in the back of the head and at the moment of impact, everything changed. Kathy was suddenly on a beach. It seemed familiar, but she herself had never seen it before. "Figures we'd end up here." She turned to see Cat, or maybe not, walk out from behind a set of boulders. Kathy instinctively tensed up. "Bad Wolf Bay: one of my worst memories, but..." She walked slowly, hands in her pockets, as calm as she'd ever been. "Without this place, you wouldn't be here, right?" Kathy could recall a ‘Bad Wolf Bay’ from the old stories, particularly her mum's. She looked up, still unsure of exactly which girl was in front of her, and Cat sighed. "I can't say that I blame you for wanting more proof. Go on, ask me anything." She stopped a foot away from her friend, and Cat ran her hand over her head -- either to check for the machine or just because that habit of the Doctor's had rubbed off on her over the years. Kathy thought hard and finally decided on a few key questions. "Just how much do you know... about me?" "Honestly? Way more than I should." She responded immediately, not daring to hesitate. "It's all a little hard to believe, but we're sharing a head at the moment so I can't really doubt my source." She seemed sincere enough, but... "You said not to trust anything. Why?" "Well, technically, I said not to trust what you see or hear. I never said anything about not trusting your gut." She took a step forward and looked her right in the eyes. "You know me. If I feel, I don't know, wrong, then don't hesitate to doubt." Kathy took a moment to process everything. It was all still unbelievable. "Alright. Is that what the 'illusion' bit was about?" "Sort of. I mean, this thing has been in both our heads now; it thinks it knows how we'd act, but..." she looked down, closing her eyes, and smiled slightly. "What you said about error is actually really true." She looked back up, the grin still on her face. "Do you know how to lucid dream?" "Uh... no." "Well, being lucid is actually really cool. But it all starts with one question: am I dreaming?" She turned around and began to walk slowly in the other direction. "Your subconscious mind can't lie to you. If you ask and it turns out you are dreaming, it'll either hesitate, or flat out tell you. After that... well, all you've gotta do is think." She moved back towards the rock and Kathy began to run after her. "Cat, wait!" Even her fastest sprint wasn't fast enough. She slowed to a walk when she neared it, but when she looked Cat was nowhere to be found. She turned back around, and the scene had suddenly changed again. "You've got to be kidding," she thought. "No, I'm afraid not." That voice… she searched frantically for the source. She knew it all too well, having heard it every day for nineteen years. She felt a hand on her shoulder and couldn't help but smile. "It's been too long, Kathy." They put their arms around each other, enjoying this reunion. "It has, dad." She looked up, gray strands sprouting from the roots of his ruffled hair. He was absolutely the same man, right down to the worn blue suit. "I'm so proud of you." They let go and grinned. "I always knew you'd be brilliant." His eyes began to water, the pride obvious in his face. "And I know you'll do the right thing." She was a bit stunned. What did he mean? And then it hit her. "I'm dreaming, aren't I?" "Yeah, 'fraid so." Now what? She had no idea where to go from here. The echo of her father grabbed her arms. "Just think; that's all you have to do. Believe in yourself... and believe in your friend." She wondered if this was even her subconscious, because this sounded an awful lot like that 'Kingdom Hearts' game Cat always raved about. But then she just thought. Not of anyone in particular, just of her time in this universe: running from nothing, rushing towards everything and enjoying the in-between as best as she could. All the good times flooded her brain and in a split second she felt the warmth and joy rush around her. She felt a tingle on her skin and heard something in the distance. "So, where do you live, kiddo?" She recognized the voice, but couldn't quite place it. "Oh, not far from here." Cat. What the hell was going on? Even after everything, this was hitting a new level of weird. "Well, I'll still have to escort you." "Oh, no thanks. I can take care of myself." Kathy felt something grip her arm tight. She looked down, even rubbed the spot, but nothing was there. "I'm afraid you don't have a choice." That tone of voice, that pitch: it was the officer who'd been taken over. She felt as though someone was pulling her hair as they covered her mouth. As soon as that was over, she almost swore there were bugs crawling up her arm until they stopped on her head. Just what was all of that? Was she still dreaming... or was this a memory? She looked out into the void, now a sea of thoughts and feelings, and saw it slow clapping. "Bravo." "Whatever you try," she started, trying not to be fazed by what she assumed were its tricks. "It won't work. It's over." The thing disappeared for a brief moment before showing up again right in her face. It looked her down, the metal on her head glistening. "Oh, don't be so sure. I'm wearing her down, byte by byte. Soon enough, all her resistance will have been for nothing." "Hey, Cyber-sham!" Cat, or rather a Cat, appeared to the fake's left, Kathy's right, and had her arms crossed. "Didn't you say you could, what was it, 'waltz up my synapses' and make me your bitch? I don't know about you, but I know I’m still coping." It snarled, upset that such a childish human could outdo one of the most brilliant commanders in what used to be the best fleet on this side of the galaxy. And then it began to smile. "Are you willing to die for escape?" "Huh?" "You're bluffing," Cat stated. "You said before that your goal is survival. How could you possibly change your history without me?" "Oh, we only need your body." It grinned. "The brain and heart can be revived with electrical impulses so long as they're intact, and we can cut out the middleman -- that's you, by the way -- with heat stroke, dehydration, electric shocks... take your pick." The girls tensed up, finally catching a glimpse of the monstrous machine's true nature. "But you never could. You're just the Doctor's pet, and you'll stay alive if only for his sake. Besides," it looked right at Kathy. "You wouldn't dare defy me while she's at risk." That evil grin spread across its copied face, as crooked and twisted as its grip on them. It turned back to Cat, who just stood there as it insulted her. "Sick bastard," was all Kathy could make of her muttering. "Humans: you're weak because you're aware. If you just let go, you'd see how good it feels to be free." "But how free is freedom," she started, a new fire blazing in her eyes. "When it's forced upon you?” She circled around the psycho, who was slightly amused by all of this. "Ah yes, I've seen all your little poems. You might want to consider counseling." They kept walking, around and around; the lion and the housecat getting ready to pounce. "You wouldn't kill me." "Oh, no?" "No, because I've been fighting this whole time to keep one thing hidden from you." Neither the clone nor Kathy knew what she meant. "I figured you'd try to blackmail me. Hell, I figured you'd want me for more than just my looks. I assumed you wanted to use me, but then I wondered: how good is a ship that you don't know how to pilot?" Suddenly they both understood. Kathy smiled while the Cyberplanner nearly popped a vein. "No. I've gone through all of your memories. That's... that's impossible!" She smiled, slightly amused by the anime-like reaction. "This whole time, you thought I was just fighting for control -- and sure, maybe I was for a while -- but all I needed was to keep that one secret confidential." It fell to its knees, the bombshell of failure making an impact. "Besides, there was no way you could peek into her head and cheat." She looked directly at her friend. "What?" Kathy retorted, both stunned and confused. "Well, who let you into my head? Who has the best psychic defenses out of any of us in his sleep? And who would be capable of, oh I don't know, fortifying your mind so we wouldn't come across spoilers?" "But... I saw you. You talked to me, told me about the illusion and lucid dreaming." "Did I? Well, it sounds like the proof is right there. 'Illusions?' 'Dreams?'" "It was in my head. Everything up 'til now... I dreamt it up?" "Seems like it. But now you're here. How do you think that worked?" "I don't know. I just sort of... thought, and ended up here." Cat smiled, and it all became clear to Kathy: she was part Time Lord. Time Lords had dormant psychic potential from birth, and it just took a headbutt-induced dream to awaken it for herself. If she was right, the real Cat didn't know about her past, so she just nodded in agreement. "You..." The fake growled, now angrier than ever. "Two glorified brats... how did this happen?" "You said it yourself," Kathy started. "Or at least the you in my dream said it: every chance you have to 'thrive,' the Doctor takes away." "Of course," Cat added. "Though that doesn't mean the sidekicks are incompetent." It trembled, the anger finally boiling over, and suddenly reached out to grab them by their necks. Just before it could, it was frozen in place. The girls looked at it, clearly surprised, and it quickly began to fade. Just as it disappeared completely, a ringing started up in their ears, growing louder with each passing second. They felt a familiar throbbing on their foreheads and closed their eyes simultaneously. They gasped, both girls jolting back to life to rub their future bruises. "Sorry." They groaned, still processing everything that had happened. "Had to be safe." The Doctor smiled, crouched down in front of them with some odd gauntlet on one hand and what appeared to be two broken Cyber-headpieces in the other. Cat looked at them and ran her hands over her head and down behind her neck. It was gone. She sighed, almost too loudly, and the Doctor and Kathy smiled at her. He stood himself up and tossed all the machinery to the side before holding his hands out to help them to their feet. Once they were both up, the three headed for the exit. They noticed the officer passed out on the floor and refrained from questioning the Doctor about it. "You know," he started, almost as if he knew they felt a bit weird. "This is all under the Hollywood walk of fame!" The excitement was apparent in his voice as they strolled back the way they'd come. "So, um," Cat chimed in, wanting to avoid an awkward walk. "How exactly did you get that gauntlet... thing?" "Well, it was sort of like that scene from Iron Man. You know, where he gets out of the cave." "Really?" Her face lit up at the comparison. "No. Actually, it wasn't anything like Iron Man. I just thought you'd enjoy the reference." Kathy giggled at her disappointment and Cat just sighed. They told him about what they saw, Kathy's story missing the spoilers, of course. It was a good way to kill time, and they finished right as they approached the TARDIS. "So I'm angry enough to throw someone into an exploding star?" "Well, actually," the Doctor started before snapping his fingers to open the door. They all laughed, even Cat, and walked back inside. "So, I suppose this is goodbye." He said as he did his timey-wimey thing and the old girl's metallic wheeze began. "I'm sending you back to your TARDIS. No muss, no fuss." He flipped one last switch and looked up at them, the bittersweet reunion now at its end. Cat was the first to fade, possibly because of the way she resonated with his old sexy, but she had to go save their Doctor anyway. She smiled and waved before fading back to his past. "Kathy," he said with a grin on his face. "I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused. What you saw... I know it wasn't easy. But it does get better, I promise." She shook her head. "No, you don't have to apologize. It's not your fault. It never has been." He nearly reached out for a hug, but remembered that she had someplace else to be. Instead he replied. "Thanks. And don't worry, you'll never see another Nocturd again." He smiled, as did she, and he let her return to their place in his timeline. She saw the room morph around her, those odd coral pillars coming back into view, and sighed in relief. They'd made it. "Phew. I owe you one." "Again. Now does that make it 10 or 11?" She smiled, recognizing their voices from the other side of the console. The Doctor -- their present Doctor -- poked his head out from the side of the glass cylinder and grinned. Kathy walked over toward him so that she and Cat were on either side of the daft old man. He looked toward both of them and then at the console. "Well, I think we've had enough of that." He yanked the lever closest to them and hung on during the minor turbulence in their ship-to-space transition. When it was over, he let go and moved behind both of them. "So, where do you wanna go? I think we've earned a little vacation." Cat and Kathy looked at each other, their expressions a mixture of surprise and secrecy. "Anywhere that's NOT California." "Agreed." He was a bit confused by their decision, but obliged regardless. As he ran to the temporal randomizer on the other side of the controls, Kathy whispered to Cat. "I still don't know exactly what happened back there." "Well," Cat replied in a hushed tone. "I guess you could call it 'Illusion and Dream.'" Kathy rolled her eyes, really quite sick of her stupid jokes. Still, it made her appreciate just how goofy she was. "Never change, Cat," she thought to herself. It was good to have her back in one piece. "You dumb turd." They smiled and anticipated their next escapade, happy to know that there was a bright future ahead of them. Spoiler: Cat and Kathy sprites Spoiler: Cat Spoiler: Kathy Spoiler: GEE EMM VEEEEEE [ and please do read the description of the actual video, because there’s some heartfelt stuff in there (or maybe not, but you won’t know until you read) ]
This is a yearly thing for us. http://kh-vids.net/threads/enzy….133946/ http://kh-vids.net/threads/its-a-special-someones-birthday-on-the-18th.138477/ Don't be too alarmed by the inside jokes. We mean well.
JHLSHFGLIHJLKMBVSKNKBS.;FNK Thank you my darling! You are also one of my closest friends! And I love this, no matter what you say, this is all amazing and all the work you have done for this is glorious! Man, I need more explanation marks in this! xD but yes, I absolutely love the fanfiction and beautiful use of references. The adventures of Cat and Kathy will have to continue for a while yet >:3 This is always the best way to start my birthday :3 So thank you! You have always been so constant in my life and so lovely and I wish I could be more like that, always so supportive and the best person to have a laugh with xD Thank you for always being so understanding, on the days I don't come onto skype because I am doing something else or am ill or sleepy, I always felt like you should tell me to go away because I am being a terrible friend but you never do and I can't thank you enough for that :'D Now, end gushy stuff >:3 LOL PIZZA ROLLS! THANK YOU MY FELLOW SEXUAL MODERATOR LLAVE! : D This post is beautiful.
We are this kind of OTP Overly Tasty Pizzas but thank you both so much <3 <3 luv u 2 sbun always, bumf Well, I'm usually as supportive to people as they are to me, so that should tell you something. And don't say that you're a terrible friend. Ever. If anything, I should be feeling clingy or needy because I'm always the one asking for a Skype date (if you know what I mean). There's never a need to regret saying no, because everyone has their reasons, and yours are pretty legit -- "uhm, yea Cat I live 5 hours ahead of u and I need to wake up early so I can't b skypin at 11 @ nite, k thx bai."
Ooooowh. Well, thank you :'D We always need more skype date! I always just leave it to you because you are the one that asks :3 Any clinginess you have is good in my opinion! You easily make me feel loved even when I feel so low. Anyway, we have just hijacked our own thread xD
I have been informed by Skype that is is Enzy's birthday. I am therefore compelled to wish her many hippy birdies.
O But it's not hijacking if- well, nevermind, it's still hijacking, but this is the good kind. :3 I'm glad I can cheer you up, but you make me feel better too. Especially when you put up with my rants, my crappy puns and my self-esteem of around -900. We ARE the Cas and Dean of our friendship. c:
