Cybermats! Zepheera silently cursed, turning to run away from the rat-sized mechanical extensions of the cybermen. They were scouts for the most part, but she knew firsthand that they had a bite to them. Her stomach turned at the memory.
A glance over her shoulder revealed there were four cybermats chasing her inside the walls, and she only had one electromagnetic charge that might not even work! She’d modeled it off a similar device she’d seen the humans use to fight off cybermen, but she hadn’t had time to test it out before the whole place had been overrun by the cyber-vermin in pursuit of her, separating her from the Doctor.
She had no need to worry about him, he always managed to find a clever way to escape certain death. She could only hope some of that luck had rubbed off on her, because being four and a half inches tall chased by four foot-long bitey machines, Zepheera was beginning to question her chances.
Rounding a sharp corner, she caught sight of a power outlet a few yards ahead. There! She just needed to make it to there. She risked one more look behind and picked up speed. The cybermats were gaining a little too close for her liking. The second she ducked past the wires connected to the outlet, she activated her charge and thrust it towards them. The miniscule device magnetized itself to the wires and blasted them with its power, creating a surge that effectively knocked out all four cybermats before they could chew their way through to Zepheera.
She allowed herself a triumphant “Woohoo!” before climbing her way into the room outside.
The place was empty, had long been evacuated. It was pitch dark, the boarded-up windows allowing in no light; evidently, her charge had knocked out the room’s power as well. She made a mental note to make more of those devices as she crept carefully toward the nearest door. She needed to find—
Before she could finish her thought, she was swept up in a tangle of limbs and giant fingers. She began to struggle immediately; the place had been full of humans before the ambush, and she was most definitely not in the mood for this.
“Get your over-sized mitts off me!” she demanded as the hands cupped around her, allowing her to reach the small knife kept hidden in her boot. Not nearly large enough to do any human real damage, but it was enough to sting, and sometimes that was all a borrower needed to stay alive.
She’d only just got her hand around the handle when her captor replied: “Easy there, pipsqueak, it’s just me!”
Looking up and seeing the Doctor’s familiar silhouette filled her with equal amounts of relief and annoyance. “I thought I told you not to call me that. Or sneak up on me and grab me when I’m not looking!”
“Well sor-ry for checking to make sure my friend didn’t get nibbled by cybermats!” Despite the sarcastic tone, there was actual apology in his eyes. “I was worried.”
Zepheera sighed, unable to stay mad at him for long. He wore his hearts on his sleeves, and she never once doubted that he truly cared about her. “Yeah, well I didn’t. See? All four limbs. Fine. No nibbles off me. Get us out of here, big fella, I’ll tell you all about it!”
“Oh! Hello, little fella,” the Doctor softly greeted the dark, pink-ribboned kitten who’d managed to climb onto his shoulder. It mewed timidly as it looked down from its precarious perch. “Yeah, I bet it does look high,” replied the Time Lord, “but don’t worry, I won’t let you fall.”
“Doctor, what is a cat doing in my spot?” Zepheera demanded, tired of being continuously ignored.
This time, the Doctor actually spared her an exasperated glance. “Don’t exaggerate, he’s a kitten not a cat. And it’s my shoulder.”
“Where I sit! A lot!”
Another mewling cry escaped the kitten as its balance wavered; it was trying to crawl down the slope of the Doctor’s raised elbow with some difficulty. Its paw slipped and the Doctor’s free hand swung in to catch it before it fell. “Ooh! Careful. See, what’d I tell ya. I’ve got you…” Using both hands to support the small feline, he cradled it close and turned to look down at Zepheera, whose back was pressed firmly against a junk-filled box on the nearby table.
Oblivious of her skeptical scowl, he smiled and said, “Come on, Zepheera, just say hello!”
The Doctor’s attention snapped from the kitten in his hands to the borrower putting a safe distance between herself and him. “What! I didn’t say anything!” His wide grin belied his indignation.
“You KNOW how I feel about cats, Doctor!” Zepheera glared at the bundle of fur he held as it glanced around meekly. She wasn’t fazed, not even by the little pink bow around its neck. “I thought you hated cats.”
“Oh, don’t listen to ‘er, Jacks,” he cooed, lifting the kitten to his face. “She’s just being grumpy today.”
“No, don’t name it! You are NOT keeping them!”
Her protests went ignored as the Doctor looked fondly down at the other half-dozen kittens circling his feet, crying for his attention. The only solace Zepheera could find in the situation was that they were too young to jump onto the table she currently stood on; and even then, she kept as far from the edges as possible.
Beginning to feel desperate, Zepheera tried a different angle,
only slightly emboldened by the barrier of junk between them. “Doctor. If I wanted to bring a Dalek onto the TARDIS, let alone seven, you’d say no. Because the Daleks are predators and would be a threat to AT LEAST one of us!”
Still, the Doctor didn’t respond, lost in the fluffy cuteness that surrounded him.
And guess whose brain has been popping out plot bunnies for hours, too.
minor JJ spoilers under the cut
the Doctor and Zepheera landing in New York (probably to see a Broadway show or something nice and relaxing) but they run into Jessica or someone else who knows Kilgrave
the Doctor being confused for Kilgrave in any way, and then he has to be a part of some plot to lure him out of hiding (kinda like that one time in Classic Who, with Two and Salamander)
Jess whaling on the Doctor thinking he’s Kilgrave before realizing he’s not him and whisking him away, leaving Zepheera behind wherever Jess knocked the Doctor over
just Jess and Zepheera interacting in general makes me giggle morbidly
Or worse…
the Doctor needs to become human again for whatever reason, but something goes wrong while his biology is being rewritten, giving him mind control and a false history he believes shaped him into a psychotic sociopath
the ‘Kilgrave’ version of the Doctor doing what Kilgrave does while Zepheera watches helplessly from a safe distance
Zepheera following Kilgrave and Jessica and Reva as he makes Jessica dig up a strong box that contains a little yellow flash drive and an old fob watch
Zepheera approaching him after the bus crash, trying to get to the pocket watch when in a daze Kilgrave declares that she’s not real and orders her to go away
Zepheera finding Jessica after months of searching, only to become what Jess believes is an alcohol-induced hallucination
Currently–and by currently I mean ‘the rare moments when I don’t have writer’s block or homework to do’–episodes 1 and 2 are in a revision stage. Nothing major will change, just a few small but important interactions that I feel could’ve been done better. But regardless, it’s exciting to know they’re being enjoyed!
I wrote that Zepheera-vision a few days ago and was just going to keep it in my drafts for a rainy day, but then I hit 20 followers and didn’t know how else to celebrate. I’m glad you liked it!
John Smith is a hidden gem, and one that I’d like to work with more now that I think about it. The fact that he is entirely separate from the Doctor leaves his personality wide open.
In a modern-day scenario like in the ZV, Zepheera would take on a normal role as a borrower just as John Smith would become an everyday man with an everyday job. Depending on how far John’s work was, she might follow him just to make sure whatever it is they’re hiding from doesn’t find him. But if that’s too risky of a journey, she might call in a favor from a borrower in the area.
The ZV also depicts a situation that is taking a turn for the worse. Maybe their pursuers are on their trail and she needs to convince him to leave or come back with her to the TARDIS, but either way she has no choice but to reveal herself. Clearly John doesn’t take it very well at first, but he can’t help warming up to this strange little woman who thinks he’s some kind of doctor.
Though she disapproves when he calls her cute, she can’t stop him from thinking it almost constantly.
I wrote that Zepheera-vision a few days ago and was just going to keep it in my drafts for a rainy day, but then I hit 20 followers and didn’t know how else to celebrate. I’m glad you liked it!
Borrowed Time and Space 