#they're still there. they'll always be part of the Doctor and their companions will always be part of the story

[lurking-latinist]

if you know me At All or have even seen my icon you know which bit I am specifically screaming about

[partywithponies]

BEGGING U TO ELABORATE ABOUT THE WHIFFERDILLS

OKAY OKAY listen. listen. I'll give you the brief version.

Whifferdills, originally from the Doctor Who comics, where things can get already get really weird and conceptual, are one of the most alien alien species in the Whoniverse, even by comics standards. They're shapeshifters, right? Nothing new or strange in sci-fi. Except usually when a shapshifting character or species is plot relevant and lore-important, the writer will write in some kind of limitation to their powers. Some kind of set of rules. But when it came to Whifferdills, they just... didn't.

Whifferdills can be anything. Literally. They can be inanimate objects. They can be puddles of liquid. They can be microbes. They can be the size of mountains. They don't seem to have one set default form that they revert back to, they're supposed to be always changing. Frobisher staying in one form most of the time is established to be him just being a little freak by his own species's standards, and even then, the form he stays in is. A penguin. Because he just likes penguins. Whifferdills don't age, at least not physically, unless they actively choose to, because they have conscious control over what their own bodies do at all times. They are functionally immortal. They are almost impossible to kill. Try to throw them off a cliff and they'll shapeshift instantly into something that can fly. Try to drown them and they'll shapeshift into something with gills. Throw them into a vacuum and they'll shapeshift into something that doesn't need to breathe at all. They don't inherently need to breathe at all. Shoot them or stab them and they'll just shapeshift the wound closed. In his first story Frobisher shapeshifts into a burger and survives someone literally eating part of him and is entirely unaffected outside of being mildly annoyed.

All this to say, Whifferdills are weird as hell and OP as shit. There is literally no reason to assume they reproduce sexually or organically. Why would they even? How would pregnancy even work, in a being whose body is by design supposed to be ever-changing? And how can you spend half your existence living as insects or cash registers and still have a concept of gender? Again, why would they even?

And to bring up just a few specific moments: in one comic, Frobisher (in penguin form) mistakenly believes he's laid an egg, and The Doctor (with the air of someone who's had to explain this before) tells Frobisher that this is impossible, because he's a male penguin, and Frobisher still seems a little confused by this. And to be clear, Frobisher is supposed to be highly intelligent. Frobisher is a notorious wanted criminal. Frobisher is a professional private detective. The Doctor sees Frobisher more as an equal and a partner than a companion. Frobisher plays chess against the TARDIS for fun. And Frobisher struggles to remember the difference between male and female penguins, the species he has a vaguely autistic special interest in.

And in the Big Finish audio The Maltese Penguin, Frobisher makes an offhand comment about he finds the humanoid form particularly tricky, because they have all these "odd dangly bits" that he can't see the purpose of.

I put it to you that Whifferdills do not even have a concept of biological sex or gender, because it's just so far outside of their perception of life and the universe. The TARDIS just translates Frobisher as "he" and Francine as "she" for the benefit of us the audience and the benefit of people like Peri, who in return could not even begin to fully comprehend the lived reality of a Whifferdill.

[pagerunner-j]

Still jumping around a bit randomly through old DW episodes. Tonight I watched the double-header of The Impossible Planet and The Satan Pit. I always liked these episodes, in large part because they go for some pretty intense deep space horror, centered around a doozy of a villain this time, because what the hell (no pun intended): we've had evil mannequins and farting aliens and evil lunch ladies so far, so why not raise the stakes about as high as they'll go for some contrast and put everybody up against the actual Devil?

When this show decides to go balls to the wall, it really goddamn goes for it.

I also appreciate, really, that these episodes had the nerve to (albeit very, very carefully) touch on matters of religion and faith, because it's pretty hard not to when you're dealing with this topic. Ultimately, though, it's mostly concerned with people, both the good and the bad: equating hell with the evil men do, and coming down squarely on the side of the most powerful belief being faith in each other to do what's right instead. And of course Rose is right smack in that column. She gets the classic companion role here of bonding with the episode's guest cast and getting the best out of them at every turn she can. Meanwhile, the Doctor's solution to the biggest conflict at the end depends entirely on faith in her, which of course pays off.

And those two spend both episodes acting so blatantly in love with each other that it's r i d i c u l o u s and apparently after seventeen years my heart has still not yet recovered from this.

I mean: the mortgage conversation, and nervously stumbling over the idea of living together somewhere? The way Rose kisses his helmet? The hugs, plural? Rose's attempt at reaching him over the comms, and desperately trying to stay behind for him even while the crew's trying to drag her to safety? That wistful conversation between Ida and the Doctor as they're both preparing for probable death, he's slowly disconnecting his cables over the chasm, and he can't get out the words for what to tell Rose, except for, "Oh, she knows"? (Fourteen would say it. Fourteen would say every damn word. Ten just kept breaking our hearts about it for multiple seasons in a row.) And then there's the foreshadowing but they're in denial about it and they don't know what they're in for in four episodes' time and he won't be able to get the truth out then either and she'll cry and break everyone's hearts and he'll cry and break mine and goddammit I have a problem.

Anyway. Have I ever mentioned I'm one part exhausted cynic and one part hopeless romantic sap? Because the latter is winning out here, kids.

Footnote about something I enjoyed at the time: Shaun Parkes, one of the key guest cast members in this, also co-starred with David Tennant in Casanova on the BBC (also written by RTD). I haven't watched that in a long damn time either, but I recall it as being entertaining, which, well, I mean: it's David Tennant as Casanova. Think that one through for a second and then go find it somewhere and see for yourself. (I'm pretty sure it's kicking around the Tube that is You unofficially, but you didn't hear that from me.)

[outoutdamnspark]

Omegaverse Pt. 2: Heat/Rut Cycles (SFW)

Second installment of my a/b/o headcanon series, for @smallestapplin​~

<- Part 1: Biology (sfw)

(cw: none. purposefully made to not be gross. under cut for length.)

Ω Presenting usually happens anywhere between 13-16. An omega's first heat and an alpha's first rut are considered one of, if not the roughest they'll ever go through. It's puberty cranked up to 11 and, in a sense, all at once - which means their body is now rapidly trying to readjust itself and it's Not a Good Time™️. Betas usually get the (slightly) better end of the deal, since they only go through about a week's worth of what feels like the worst case of allergies they've ever had... with the added bonus of being able to smell everything. After that, however, they're pretty much home free. 

Ω Heat and rut cycles are biyearly, meaning a person will typically have one heat or rut every six months, two total in a year. Less isn’t entirely unheard of, though not all that common if someone isn’t taking suppressants. More is... well, it’s not immediately concerning, but speaking to a doctor is still advised, just to make sure everything’s alright.

Ω For the first few years after presenting, up until roughly the age of 20 or so, an alpha/omega's body will still be going through a bit of a transitional period - thus their cycles are completely separate from any sort of typical puberty hormones. At this stage, heats are mostly just like a bad fever, skin sensitivity, and heightened senses to the point of being almost unbearable. Ruts, on the other hand, are more akin to a bad ADHD episode, with loss of focus, directionless overabundance of energy, and a weird mix of both under and overstimulation. The instinct to find a heat/rut partner is completely absent until physical adulthood to allow the body ample time to acclimate. It is not uncommon for individuals to experience a physical revulsion to the idea of a heat/rut partner until that threshold of adulthood is reached; this is the body’s natural defense against unwanted attention.

Ω (I.e. No. Underage. Anything!)

Ω Nestmates, and heat/rut partners are not the same thing. Heat/rut partners are pretty self-explanitory, but nestmates are nonsexual partners (oftentimes family, close friends, or other packmates) that act as a companion during a heat or a rut. Sometimes, especially in the case of siblings or parents with very young children, nestmates will share a communal nest for most of the year up to a certain age, with a secondary nest being made specifically for heats and ruts. This promotes pack bonds and later allows newly-presented adolescents to practice building their own nests as needed.

Ω For heats, a nestmate will usually act as a cuddle-buddy and will generally offer support and comfort throughout the worst of the heat. For ruts, the role is very similar but can also include play-wrestling to help expend the alpha's excess energy. (Packmates unconsciously recognize the pheromone signature beneath the scent of heat/rut, and so the only instincts triggered are platonic, typically focused on protection.)

Ω For an adolescent omega in heat, let them build a nest in a nice dimly-lit, climate controlled room, with plenty of comfort snacks and their favorite soft things to snuggle with - preferably scented by someone they're close to, like a parent or other packmate. This will help them to feel secure whenever they have to be left alone for whatever reason. (Sometimes having another person nearby is too much for their senses to comfortably handle, and sometimes it's just not feasible to have someone there with them all the time.) It's also best to check in on them at least once a day to make sure they're alright. For an adolescent alpha in rut, the setup is mostly the same, though some form of external stimuli is highly recommended. Stress balls, stim toys, chewy foods like jerky, or anything tactile. (Things like handheld videogames can be used, but there's always a chance something might get handled too roughly, so proceed with caution.)

Ω Heat/rut drunk is a thing, but not quite what everyone assumes it is. The "drunk" state typically only happens either with a trusted heat/rut partner, and/or in an environment where the individual feels completely safe and secure - for example, a well-stocked, well-scented, nest in a locked apartment. Neither an omega nor an alpha are ever truly unaware of their surroundings - especially if they're spending their cycle alone. At no point will they be so far gone that they won't negatively react to any unwanted attention, such as an intruder in their nest or an unapproved would-be partner. (It’s all consensual here, folks!) In the event of such, preservation and/or territorial instincts will kick in, effectively overriding the heat/rut to make sure the alpha or omega is clear-minded enough to react accordingly. This can lead to what is known as a Botching.

Ω Botched heats and ruts are, sadly, exactly what it says on the tin: a heat or a rut that has been either interrupted due to unsafe conditions, or was doomed from the start by virtue of being stress-induced. Either way, it's a case of the person's body and instincts (and sometimes the environment itself) actively warring with each other. (Think of it like how your body produces adrenaline to cover up pain in order to get you out of danger; the pain and injury still exist, and you'll be even worse for wear once the adrenaline wears off, but until then you at least have a chance to get out of the situation.)

Ω While going through any sort of botching is utterly terrible, it can be argued that botched heats are the worse of the two experiences; an omega in heat is in a very vulnerable state, whereas an alpha in rut is already loaded with excess energy and stands a better chance of bouncing back more quickly.

Ω In a normal heat, an omega's instinct tells them to find a safe place to nest down; in a botched heat, survival mode kicks in to try and suppress the heat symptoms long enough to get to safety, but it's essentially a bandaid over a proverbial bullet wound. Paranoia and panic can set in, making it difficult to consider anyplace as a safe and suitable nesting site, and, in extreme cases, their instinct might be screaming at them that nowhere is safe - especially if moving to another location means leaving behind (or simply not having) any nesting materials, comfort items, or food and water. (Symptoms include fever, chills, abdominal pain or muscle spasms, extreme fatigue, extreme anxiety, body tremors, and insomnia.)

Ω Botched ruts tend to look more like an extreme hangover or a concussion. They come with sensitivity to light, sound, and scent, an aversion to touch, heightened irritability, insomnia, headache, and sometimes nausea. An alpha in a botched rut will have their instincts rattled, making them defensive and territorial. Just like in a botched heat, an alpha will find it difficult to trust anyone around them or find anywhere “safe,” as paranoia and anxiety override the typical rut symptoms in a bid to scare or fight off any perceived threat. 

Ω Unfortunately, a botching usually lasts for at least a couple of days, as the body still has to flush out the last of the heat/rut that should have been - which means the poor soul going through it is going to be in pretty rough shape, both for the duration and for about a week afterwards. Post-botching, the alpha/omega with be exhausted, jittery, unfocused, possibly dehydrated, and sore - as though arthritic or anemic. They may experience depression for a month or more afterwards, as well as mild anxiety. The best remedy for a botched heat/rut - both during and after - is to give the individual a safe, secure place to hide and spend the remainder of their cycle. The presence of trusted nestmates is almost always immediately effected, with items scented by them at a close second; favorite nesting materials or personal items are also advised, as are small, dark, quiet, well-stocked (sometimes over-stocked, to alleviate any fear over lack of resources), well-fortified areas for new nests to be built. Closets with locks or a spare room in a packmate’s home are good examples. (The heat/rut itself can rarely be salvaged entirely, but the negative symptoms can be lessened or quelled with the introduction of familiar people, places, or things that typically bring the alpha/omega comfort or elicit thoughts of safety. As with many things, cuddles are often the best remedy.)

💥💥💥

Next up! Behaviors & Characteristics

[iaintyourbro]

The Unknown Journey Continues

Part 1

I know it's been a while... but I've been going down a rabbit hole with @starlight-samurai regarding time loops, Jenova, Minerva, and more fun. So I figured I'd try to put it into one post to get the insanity out of my head. Everything in here is based on things we've found by either going through more obscure Ultimanias, learning more about Dirge of Cerberus and trying to decipher what the hell Jenova is by putting together various sources - including other Square Enix games - and how they handled freakishly similar scenarios.

Did you know there is a companion mobile game for it that was out on the good old flip phones? Did you know there was an online mode in Dirge of Cerberus only available in Japan, but had story elements that were not in the main game?

The sad part is, there's still so much to go through...

(I've also had various discussions with @ourfinalheaven, Manu, who doesn't have Tumblr, so here is her Twitter. and Somebody's Nightmare (here is her Twitter). So I wanted to tag them here, as it's much more fun to discuss these ideas as a group, since it'll only help you build on and strengthen your own ideas.)

Please be aware, there will be Spoilers for FFVII - Almost all Compilation titles, Xenogears, and NieR Automata throughout this.

So let's go on a journey where we explore what actually already exists in the compilation - including the idea of the whispers and timeloops - how Minerva may play into everything, and what exactly Jenova is capable of doing.

I asked Sesi if he'd ever played any of the NieR games, because he'd said something that made me wonder if they were going to take a similar approach. As a very, very quick high level summary: NieR Automata deals with a time loop type of idea. The androids will be rebooted and repeat the same things over and over again. This is broken when 2B is killed by A2 because she becomes infected with a virus. That being said, you have the option after Ending E to either erase all of your data and end the cycle OR you can try again. The Pods have a discussion, and one asks, "But won't they just do the same thing again?" and the other replies with "Maybe. But it could also be different this time."

Here's Sesi's message back to me when I asked him about this (cleaned up a bit since we were having a casual conversation over Discord):

Maybe I could just guess based comparatively on the Dirge storyline, because that was sort of SE's first flirtation with “robots and androids” since they’re all programmed and locked behind like task managers and shit that can shut them down. The story of the online mode for DoC that came out in Japan, we never got to see it, you’re basically an Android OC and you have to get to “the end of the level” and then essentially die, and a new one takes its place. This keeps happening until Weiss is essentially freed from being able to be task managed by the guys who are suppose to be able to control them and I know from tons of years with Square games that they’re verrrrry bad at differentiating their narratives they tend to just keep “ripping themselves off” so is it anything close to that?

Cuz if so I think I kinda know what you’re saying and yeah, I agree, I think with CC bringing in its poetic symbolism and LOVELESS, and DoC bringing back the cyclic nature of the lore, whispers, premonitions and future visions, proto-Materia and the perversion of this next cycle since the planet can no longer cleanse and protect itself and its will is weakening lesser and lesser to the point where it’s fate is “in a true sense of jeopardy This time essentially it’s all tied in together and sort of played as though it's a fated track; a cycle of events and something has hitched it, thus the whispers manifesting and Sephiroth's higher implied control over his destiny. Of course, even all that is just their new red herring game, but it’s definitely a part of the lore they want to play with, in order to go back and reMAKE the OG with the comp inserted from inception. Also gut punch a lot.

Time Loops

I was somewhat surprised to find out that this concept is NOT new to FFVII's universe. It's discussed in Dirge of Cerberus... probably one of the least played and least understood of the compilation. (Trying to sell a third person shooter with terrible controls to a market of mostly people used to turn-based combat wasn't going to go well.)

On top of it, we didn't even get all of it, since online mode was never released outside of Japan, and the Dirge of Cerberus Lost Episode was on Amp'd Mobile and Verizon flip phones back in 2006. Were you around for the cell phones in 2006? I had the ones on the list, and how somebody could play a game on those blows my mind.

Square has a tendency to reuse themes from their other titles. Probably one of the most blatant is the similarities between Xenogears and Final Fantasy VII. They were both being developed at the same time and a lot of ideas that didn't make it into FFVII ended up in Xenogears.

NieR

So how does this work? In NieR (both Replicant and Automata), you play the same path multiple times. Each time, it's slightly different depending on what side quests you did your first and second playthrough, but there's also other subtle differences throughout the story. In Automata, you get to play as 2B your first playthrough and 9S for your second. They follow the same path, but you get it from his perspective the second time and it reveals a bit more of what is going on. However, even with some slight differences, the main plot points stay the same and the ending result it also the same.

Then on your third playthrough, you wake up in the Bunker, and you're getting ready to go on a new mission. This time, though, 2B is killed and shit hits the fan. Things get crazy, you play as a new character: A2. In the end, pretty much everyone "dies", but you can choose to "reboot" and try again. You also can say you are done and let them all rest and delete your save data (the game gives you the option for both Automata and Replicant, and with Replicant, it actually leads to a new ending).

The striking thing for me is... There are certain events that will always happen, no matter what.

Fixed Points in Time

It's been years since I've watched Doctor Who, but there was something that stuck with me, and that was the fixed points in time. You can read about all of them here, but here's the basics:

Now, of course Doctor Who goes into this with much more detail and it's a recurring theme. However, as you read through that page, you'll probably find many aspects that have been used in various JRPGs that you've played. And Doctor Who most likely pulled some of the idea from classic Science Fiction novels. Each story puts its own spin on it.

How does this relate to FFVII Remake? Well, when they say that the major plot points will stay the same, it reminds me of this. No matter what, Cloud must fall into the Sector 5 Church, the Sector 7 Plate must be dropped, Aerith and Zack both must die, and Meteor has to be summoned, to name a few. So, with a time loop, those things would still have to take place in order to prevent a complete collapse of reality (at least in how Doctor Who uses it).

Therefore, the Whispers are ensuring that the Will of the Planet is followed.

One of the major themes in FFVII is that of loss. People die and they do not come back. Yes, other FF games do allow this to happen (FFX, FFXIII, FFXV), but VII is not those games. It was written with that idea in mind, that once a person dies, they, just like in real life, are dead and cannot be brought back.

I've previously written that I think they'll make us believe we are able to change fate, but we will eventually be slammed with the reality that we can't. That is because the planet has determined that certain events are fixed points.

Xenogears

Xenogears takes a bit of a different approach to the loop idea. Instead of repeating the same time period over and over, it has the characters reincarnated, and the same outcome happens each time: Elly dies. However, each time it's different. After all, they're in various time periods, in some cases thousands of years apart.

In all of the lives of Fei (who will have a different name in each time period) and Elly (who is always Elly/Elhaym), Elly will end up dying trying to protect Fei and the others. In one life, she is a religious figure at a totally not Catholic church, in another she's the wife of a scientist who was working to create children from nanomachines due to mass infertility issues. But she is ALWAYS with Fei, even if his name changes.

In her Mother Elhaym time, this is when Lacan (Fei) finally snaps. Though he's not fully aware of his past lives, he becomes aware, the anger consumes him, and he becomes Grahf. Fei is then reborn into the time period you play the game in.

There's a lot to unpack with this, so I won't go into it. Grahf wants to destroy God (Deus) because he thinks if he does, then it'll stop the suffering (his suffering).

If you do want to read more about Grahf, you can do so here, but it probably won't make much sense unless you've played Xenogears up to that point... Since it's much later in the game that this is all explained.

Lacan's desire was to stop the cycle of Elly always sacrificing herself for his sake. Though Grahf is not a perfect existence - he's not fully "The Contact", he sacrifices himself in order to let Fei move forward, and hopefully stop the cycle, by destroying the Deus system. (Elly also tries to sacrifice herself here, but Fei goes after her and stops her.)

Now, some people may think I'm saying that Cloud or somebody is going to do this in order to save Aerith or Zack (or his village or mom), but in FFVII if they do the loop method, I don't think Cloud, Tifa, Barret, and the others are aware of it. Most likely, it's only 'Sephiroth' and Aerith who are aware of it.

How this Could Be used for Final Fantasy VII

I'm stressing could because there's so many different possibilities on how they use this (if they are using this), so please, don't take this as fact. This is based on speculation based on what we know.

A time loop is a great way to explain away the differences in the story that we've seen: Biggs being alive, Wedge living for longer than he should have, etc. Since these are not major plot changes, they can simply say that this time it'll be slightly different... but your fixed points (major plot points) will remain the same.

It's a way to pull in some of the more obscure themes from Dirge of Cerberus and also play with the LOVELESS lore.

It could all simply be a big red herring and it's really just a remake of OG, but with the compilation tied together nicely... since it works much better when it's combined and not in 50 different games, books, movies, etc.

I don't think it's a "sequel" per say, not in the way I generally perceive a sequel. It's more of a loop of the same thing. The question is, when is the loop started and what will cause it to end? When will the planet (if it even is the planet) determine that it's good enough to begin moving forward?

JENOVA, Sephiroth, Genesis, and Minerva - Oh My!

Let's be real... Genesis isn't exactly the most popular character in the FFVII Compilation... but what if they make him one of the most important to the story? //Ducks as various fruits and vegetable are thrown in my direction//

I think what Genesis is probably most known for is his love of LOVELESS. He has the entire thing memorized and randomly says lines from it throughout Crisis Core. LOVELESS lore is still something I'm trying to grasp, so I am not going to comment much on it. Once I understand it more, I'll update this.

...And then this happens. The secret ending for Dirge of Cerberus, where Genesis picks up Weiss. Weiss, who has now been introduced along with Nero in FFVII INTERmission and is an optional ridiculously hard boss in the Shinra battle simulator in chapter 17 of the main story. There is some lore associated with the battle sim - so if you don't plan on beating it or you just can't, you can look up the pre-battle and post-battle cut scenes on YouTube. They're very short, but interesting. (I beat this asshole last night - it's a hell of a fight.)

....To Be Continued because apparently Tumblr won't allow more than 10 images per post now.... Next will be more on JENOVA and Sephiroth along with Minerva.

[circular-time]

What are your expectations for the next episodes with 13? I just want some down time / Breather moments with the team

I really don't know, apart from what Jodie said in that interview I posted yesterday, which did suggest the New Year's special will be more lighthearted.

The one thing i'm afraid we won't get is too much of yaz and thirteen working together as a team, because for some reason chibnall seems allergic to letting the chemistry between Mandip and Jodie breathe (I'm not just talking about Thasmin; I think he's daft not to lean into the great friendship between the actors and use that as the core for their character interactions, in general.)

I'm not beating Chibnall up about this too much; I've telling various people at Big Finish something similar for five years, regarding Nyssa and Tegan.

I've reminded BF how well they worked together in Part I of Castrovalva, how the characters have said they're best friends yet seldom acted like it, how the friendship between Janet and Sarah informs their acting, and how central friendships between women are to women's experience in the real world yet how rare they are in SF, being practically nonexistent in Doctor Who. I've pointed out what a rare opportunity it is to have two adult female characters as part of the regular cast, an opportunity that shouldn't be squandered.

Sound familiar?

Maddeningly, all the same arguments could be made for the Thirteenth Doctor and Yaz. Once again, they keep getting teamed up with (excellent) surrogate companions instead of each other. The Doctor, usually a guy and still acting like one to a certain extent, partners with a female guest character, while Yaz teams up with a guy. Not always, but ususlly.

Male showrunners and writers just don't seem to notice or understand the importance of friendships between women. I think I should really write all this up for one of the SF magazines— maybe, eventually, enough people will point out their blind spot in this regard that they'll let onboard some women writers and script editors to correct this oversight.

Sorry to go off on a tangent, but it's something I've wanted for years, and now tine is running out.

[mercy-of-the-ashes]

There was a girl who roamed the destroyed Towa City. She didn't look like much however, she tried-tried-and tried to help survivors. Few listened to her. Some attacked her cause they fell into dispare and into the thought she was with The Warriors of Hope. She wasn't a Warrior of Hope at all.

All this led was her running away at the sight of anyone. Anytime she was hurt and someone wanted to help they'd have to chase her only for her to get away. The few she saved turned up at the refuge and talked quietly among themselves about her. They maybe strangers to her but they still wanted her to feel safe, at least for a day.

She could be seen near the refuge but, like always, with a deer in the headlights look, she ran away.

It's a part of the grim reality she faces; funny huh? You get blamed for shit you didn't want to happen-you try to- why does she even help the ones who harm her? Is it cause she really cares?

All she wanted was to find her older brother before it was too late. Where is she now?

She was bleeding from a gash in her stomach made by her own sibling. She was too late; he fell into dispare and attempted to kill her with the same belief. The only reason she was alive now was his dog, Lilith.

"Graykuma where did you run off to." she told herself.

Her cat companion yowled at her.

"Quiet down Scout. They'll kill us if they're aware of us." The little girl said before looking at the gash.

"How long have we been doing for? I lost track when my body went numb. I don't even know if I can keep it up. Perhaps I'll die cause everyone seems to want me to. Hehe- it's so ironic that they blamed me for all this still. Can't... fault them." The girl said before noticing the iron doors.

"Would you look at that. It's the place hehe...-I don't think they're going to-" a thud echoes.

After a minute, extremely loud yowling came from the cat. It might be annoyance but it was the only way he knew to get someone- anyone who could probably help.

- @thelittleveterinarian

Haiji Towa had been tending to the survivors he and a group of people had rescued not too long ago. None of them had suffered severe injuries aside from a few, and for a long time, he swore that those with the serious cases were going to die. Hiroko was doing what she could with help from a doctor they thankfully had in the Resistance, but only fate would decide if they’d live or die.

Death. Haiji had witnessed it way too much in his life. The sight of corpses should have numbed him, but waves of nausea still got to him every time he noticed rotting bodies drenched in pools of blood. It had hardened him as a person, but at the cost of becoming a vengeful, bitter person in the process.

Those kids would pay for everything they’d done. Once there was a way out of this hell, he was going to give those demons a piece of his mind, including the one responsible for everything in the first place. But he didn’t wish to think about her right now. Just imagining Monaca and her angelic smile disgusted him. Maybe she had been an angel once, but Haiji no longer saw her as one.

Just as Haiji was mentally recovering from his shitty and stressful day, he flinched at the yowls of a...cat??? From outside?! What was a cat doing out there?

“Fucking hell, now what?” A newcomer, maybe? No, everyone just returned to the secret hideout. He made sure of it. Monokumas? Wait, but Monokumas didn’t hiss, and no brat could imitate a cat’s sounds that well.

Only one way to find out to ease his paranoia. Heading to the iron doors that he and his partner kept shut with a unique lock and a security keypad that was built specifically for this place, Haiji sighed. He typed into the keypad, then his silver finger turned into the key. He inserted it into the lock and turned it.

Click!

The iron doors began to open slowly but surely. Haiji would soon see what was on the other side, but he wouldn’t take any chances. He summoned his arm spear, ready to give the potential threat a rude awakening.