#God Manton is fascinating

[artbyblastweave]

Hi! You seem to know a lot about Worm and I haven't read it in too long. You posted a thing I liked about Siberian and it reminded me of a question I had that I may's well ask you.

If I remember correctly, in the interlude where Siberian tries to recruit Bitch, they can communicate, right? Like, isn't there something in there about Siberian having body language stuff going on so that is as easy as talking to a dog? Do you know why that is? It makes sense at the time and then we find out Siberian is a projection and suddenly I'm not sure why Manson should have any idea how to do that.

Honestly? No idea. Two theories off the top of my head, which I think would have some thematic resonance-

He really was following her for weeks, observing her interactions, mannerisms and body language, and as one of the world's foremost experts on parahumans and how powers can modify the host he came up with an educated guess about how to best conduct himself with her. Thematically resonant because it means that the first interaction Bitch has in the entire book that feels natural to her, is in fact the result of weeks of premediated observation and preparation for the encounter, coming from someone whose entire pitch is a life free of bullshitters.

Two, for reasons completely unrelated to Bitch, Manton actively cultivated the "natural predator" mannerisms as part of his overall commitment to the bit, and his alignment with Bitch's preferred mode of engagement is some combination of an accident and why he thought they'd get along in the first place. Also thematically relevant because a major element of Bitch's POV in this chapter is her confusion and uncertainty about... basically everything. Her own motivations, her level of loyalty to her teammates, how her own power works, who she should trust. The way she lives her life isn't as much of a considered lifestyle choice as what she ultimately winds up with in Gimel; it's just who she is, and what she's dealing with. But it's what Siberian actively wants to be and has to actively cultivate- even if he's authentically after it, it would rankle Bitch for sure to know how much he as to work at being "free" when, again, the pitch is a life where you don't have to pay attention to expectations or roles.

Just my best guesses, though. It's also possible his vial modified his psyche in the same way it did hers. Who knows

[thelittlesttimelord]

The Littlest Timelord: The Death of the Doctor Chapter 20

TITLE: The Littlest Timelord: The Death of the Doctor Chapter 20 PAIRING: No Pairing RATING: T CHAPTER: 20/? SUMMARY: The Doctor’s death is looming on the horizon and Elise is growing every day. What the Doctor doesn’t know is that he has 200 years to teach Elise all he knows. Amy, Rory, and River let Elise in on their secret, because River knows she will keep it. What will Elise do when he’s gone?

River walked down the corridor of Stormcage dressed in Regency era clothing as alarms went off around her. She picked up the guard’s phone. “Oh, turn it off. I'm breaking in, not out. This is River Song, back in her cell.”

The alarms stopped going off.

“Oh, and I'll take breakfast at the usual time. Thank you.”

She hung up and saw two figures standing there.

One was smaller and the other was dressed like a Roman.

“Oh, are you boys dressing up as Romans now? I thought nobody read my memos,” River said.

They stepped out of the shadows.

It was Rory and Elise.

“Doctor Song. It's Rory. Sorry, have we met yet?” he asked, “Time streams. I'm not quite sure where we are.”

“Yes. Yes, we've met. Hello, Rory. Hello, Ellie.”

Elise had grown once again in her absence.

“What's wrong?” Rory asked.

River let out a shuddering breath. “It's my birthday. The Doctor took me ice skating on the River Thames in 1814, the last of the great Frost Fairs. He got Stevie Wonder to sing for me under London Bridge. And of course you were there, little star.”

“Stevie Wonder sang in 1814?”

“Yes, he did. But you must never tell him.”

“We've come from the Doctor too.”

“Yes, but at a different point in time.”

“Unless there's two of them.”

River smirked. “Now, that's a whole different birthday.” She pulled out her diary as Rory said, “He needs you.”

River found the entry she was looking for. “Demon's Run.”

“How…how did you know?” Rory asked.

“I'm from his future. I always know. Why on Earth are you wearing that?” “The Doctor's idea.”

“Of course. His rules of engagement. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.”

“…Look ridiculous.”

“Have you considered heels?”

“They've taken Amy. And our baby. The Doctor's getting some people together. We're going after her, but he needs you, too.”

“I can't. Not yet, anyway.”

“I'm sorry?”

“This is the Battle of Demon's Run. The Doctor's darkest hour. He'll rise higher than ever before and then fall so much further, and I can't be with him till the very end.”

“Why not?”

“Because this is it. This is the day he finds out who I am.”

“Come on, Elise. She’s obviously not going to help.”

Rory stalked off, back to the TARDIS.

“I’m sorry,” River told Elise.

“Happy birthday, mum.”

“Thank you, little star.”

Elise ran after Rory.

“Was that Rory I saw?” a voice asked.

River turned to face the redhead. “Yes, it was. What are you doing here?”

“You didn’t think I wasn’t going to visit you on your birthday? I’m hurt.”

River laughed and hugged the redhead.

They sat down on River’s bed.

“Now, tell me what’s been happening.”

“Well, it all started when…”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The TARDIS landed and they split up.

“Elise, go with Vastra and Jenny,” the Doctor told her.

Elise had been rather fascinated with Vastra, even though her first interaction with the Silurians had been less than pleasant.

They made their way to the control room and surprised the two men at the controls.

“Go on, resist. I am ever so hungry,” Vastra threatened.

“Now, dear. Which button controls the lights?” Jenny asked.

One of the men pointed and Jenny pressed that button, causing all the lights to go out. They gave the Doctor enough time to execute his plan, then turned the lights back on. Vastra and Jenny tied up the two men.

“Clever, isn't he?” Jenny asked as they watched the soldiers and the Headless Monks kill each other.

“And rather attractive,” Vastra added.

“You do realize he's a man, don't you, ma'am?”

“Mammals. They all look alike.”

“Oh, thank you.”

Elise laughed. They were just like River and her father. She hoped she found someone she could banter with like that one day.

“Was I being insensitive again, dear? I don't know why you put up with me,” Vastra said.

“Vastra!” Elise yelled, seeing one of the soldiers going for the door lock.

Vastra spun around and stung him with her tongue like Alaya had done to Mac.

“Stop. Wait. Listen to me,” the commander said, “I am disarming my weapon pack. Monks, I do this in good faith. I am now unarmed. All of you, discharge your weapon packs. The Doctor is trying to make fools of us. We are soldiers of God. We are not fools. We are not fools. We are not fools. We are not fools.”

The soldiers and him repeated the phrase over and over again.

“Colonel Manton is regaining control,” Vastra said.

“Where's the Doctor gone?” Jenny asked.

Strax appeared next to Manton. “This base is now under our command.”

“I have a fleet out there. If Demon's Run goes down, there's an automatic distress call.”

“Not if we knock out your communications array. And you've got incoming…” the Doctor said.

“Danny Boy to the Doctor. Danny Boy to the Doctor.”

It was the Spitfires!

“Give 'em hell, Danny Boy.”

“Target destroyed.”

“Yes!” Elise cheered, clapping.

Vastra smiled at the small Timelord. Elise was beaming from ear to ear and her eyes were sparkling.

The Doctor joined them in the control room. “What did you think?”

“That was amazing!” Elise praised him.

The two high-fived.

The Doctor sat in the chair while they waited for Colonel Manton. He was marched in by Strax at gunpoint.

“All airlocks sealed. Resistance neutralized.”

“Sorry, Colonel Manton. I lied. Three minutes forty two seconds,” the Doctor said.

“Colonel Manton, you will give the order for your men to withdraw,” Strax ordered.

“No. Colonel Manton, I want you to tell your men to run away.”

“You what?”

“Those words. Run away. I want you to be famous for those exact words. I want people to call you Colonel Run Away. I want children laughing outside your door, because they've found the house of Colonel Run Away.” The Doctor stood up and got in his face. “And, when people come to you, and ask if trying to get to me through the people I love…is in any way a good idea, I want you to tell them your name. Oh, look, I'm angry. That's new. I'm really not sure what's going to happen now.”

A woman’s voice spoke. “The anger of a good man is not a problem. Good men have too many rules.”

The Doctor turned.

It was the eye-patch lady Amy spoke about.

“Good men don't need rules. Today is not the day to find out why I have so many,” the Doctor said.

“Give the order. Give the order, Colonel Run Away,” the woman told him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

When they came to the room where Amy was being held, they found Amy and Rory kissing while crying.

“Ew, kissing and crying. I'll…I'll be back in a bit,” the Doctor said.

Elise agreed. They turned to leave when Rory said, “Oi, you two. Get in here, now.” They came down steps and walked over to Amy, Rory, and their baby.

“My daughter. What do you think?” Rory asked.

The Doctor smiled. “Hello. Hello, baby.”

Rory knelt down so Elise could see her.

“She’s so tiny!” Elise said.

“Melody,” Amy told them.

“Melody? Hello, Melody Pond,” the Doctor said.

“Melody Williams,” Rory corrected.

“…Is a geography teacher. Melody Pond is a superhero,” Amy said.

The Doctor sniffed Amy. “Well yes, I suppose she does smell nice. Never really sniffed her. Maybe I should give it a go. Amelia Pond, come here.”

The two of them hugged.

“Doctor.”

“I'm sorry we were so long.”

“It's okay. I knew you were coming. Both of you. My boys.”

“Oi!” Elise said.

Amy laughed. “And you, little miss.”

“It's okay. She's still all yours. And really, you should call her mummy, not big milk thing. And it’s Elise, not Blue Eyes.”

“Okay, what are you doing?” Amy asked.

“I speak Baby.”

“No, you don't.”

“I speak everything, don't I, Melody Pond?” The Doctor messed with his bowtie. “No, it's not. It’s cool.”

Amy laughed.

Vastra entered the room. “Doctor? Take a look. They're leaving. Demon's Run is ours without a drop of blood spilled. My friend, you have never risen higher.”

River’s words echoed in Rory and Elise’s head.

He'll rise higher than ever before and then fall so much further.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Doctor parked the TARDIS and Rory, Amy, and Melody immediately left.

Evidently, Melody didn’t like the TARDIS noise.

“Is Melody gonna travel with us?” Elise asked as the Doctor carried a wooden cot. She wouldn’t stop asking questions about Melody.

“Maybe not until she’s older.”

“So does this mean she’s like my cousin or something?”

“Well not technically.”

“So, just a friend then?”

“Open the other door, would you?”

Elise opened the other door and the Doctor carried the cot out.

“She's not hungry, she's tired. Sorry, Melody, they're just not listening,” he said.

“What's this? Melody?” Amy asked.

“Very pretty, according to your daughter.”

“It's a…it's a cot,” Rory said.

“No flies on the Roman. Give her here,” the Doctor said.

Amy handed Melody to the Doctor. “Hey, there we go.”

The Doctor placed her in the cot.

“But where would you get a cot?” Rory asked.

“It's old. Really old. Doctor, er, do you have children?” Amy asked, “Besides Elise.”

Elise was too old to have even slept in it.

“No.”

“Have you ever had children?”

The Doctor ignored the question. “No, it's real. It's my hair.”

“Who slept in here?”

“Doctor, we need you in the main control room,” Vastra said over the intercom.

“Be right there! Things to do. I've still got to work out what this base is for. We can't leave till we know.” He started to walk off, but Amy went after him.

“But this is where I was? The whole time I thought I was on the TARDIS, I was really here?” she asked.

“Er, Centurion, permission to hug?”

“Be aware, I do have a sword,” Rory said.

“At all times.”

They hugged.

“You were on the TARDIS, too. Your heart, your mind, your soul. But physically, yes, you were still in this place.”

“And when I saw that face looking through the hatch, that woman looking at me.”

“Reality bleeding through. They must have taken you quite a while back. Just before America.”

“That's probably enough hugging now,” Rory told him.

The Doctor pulled away.

“So her Flesh avatar was with us all that time. But that means they were projecting a control signal right into the TARDIS wherever we were in time and space,” Rory said.

“Yeah, they're very clever,” the Doctor said.

“Who are?” Amy asked.

“Whoever wants our baby,” Rory said.

“But why do they want her?”

“Exactly,” the Doctor said.

“Is there anything you're not telling us?” Rory asked, “You knew Amy wasn't real. You never said.”

“Well, I couldn't be sure they weren't listening.” The Doctor started to walk off.

“But you always hold out on us. Please, not this time. Doctor, it's our baby. Tell us something. One little thing,” Amy said.

“It's mine,” the Doctor told them.

“What is?” Rory asked.

“The cot. It's my cot. I slept in there.” He smiled and left them with their baby and Elise, who hadn’t taken her eyes off Melody.

“Oh, my God. It's the Doctor's first stars,” Amy said. Amy wiped Melody’s face with the prayer leaf Lorna had given her.

“Drop your weapons. State your rank and intent,” Strax said, “I found it listening at the door.”

It was the soldier from earlier.

Lorna.