#browniefox

When this happened to the Doctor's TARDIS, she was stuck into a woman called Idris. Barely anything is known about Idris before she became the TARDIS' vessel, so I use the name mainly for the TARDIS consciousness and TARDIS for the ship.

So the TARDIS shuts down because its matrix is gone and Idris is stuck in a too small body and the ability to form words. Tenses and linear time confuse greatly, to the point where even when alone she keeps speaking lines from conversations she will have later. There's also the issue of social norms.

Idris: You're my thief! Look at you! Goodbye-- no, not goodbye, what's the other one?

Doctor: Why am I a thief, what have I stolen?

Idris: Me, you're going to steal me, you have stolen me, you are stealing me-- Oh, tenses are difficult, aren't they?

Uncle: Just keep back from this one, she bites!

Idris: Do I? Excellent! (bites the Doctor)

Doctor: Ow! Owww!

Idris: Oh, biting's excellent! It's like kissing, only there's a winner!

Idris: It means the smell of dust after rain.

Rory: What does?

Idris: Petrichor.

Rory: But I didn't ask.

Idris: Not yet. But you will.

Things happen and it takes a while until the Doctor realizes that Idris is the TARDIS. And I've been trying for hours now to find the words but I genuinely think that I can only properly explain their dynamic by just showing it.

Suranne Jones did such a good job playing Idris. The whole episode is a delight, and then the ending hits. I have rewatched this episode at least 100 times now and I keep crying at that final scene. Like [gestures vaguely]. A madman and his box. They both stole each other and are each others' most faithful companions.

Amy: Look at you pair. It's always you and her, isn't it, long after the rest of us have gone.

Doctor: You say that as if it's a bad thing.

I basically just spoiled the whole episode but I genuinely cannot talk about why I love Idris without doing so. Taking what basically amounts to a plot device machine for the last 50 years and make her into her own character for one episode is genius.

"They're belittlin' 'im again!" Cait spat and started pacing. "Laughin' at 'im for caring! Shootin' 'im down at ev'ry turn! Even Palmer's--!" Suddenly the cat stumbled a step backward with a shocked expression, before it dissolved into actual growling. "An' now 'e shut me out!"

Palmer. Another executive mentioned by name. Red is starting to wonder just what position Reeve holds in the Shinra hierarchy. But he tucks that thought away for now, Cait Sith takes priority right now. The cat looks about ready to actually start throwing rocks.

"Does that happen often?" the beast man asks carefully. "The belittling?"

"Urban Development is the laughin' stock of th' entire company," Cait explains darkly. He is still pacing. "Why care for th' city when there's still land in Wutai? Why invest in security for the reactors when there's robots tae be built, materia tae be researched?! Why fix roads or build houses when they could always use more troopers instead!"

Red regrets asking, frowning as Cait talked himself into a frenzy. He sat down and watched as the cat kept clenching and unclenching his hands, nostrils flaring with each heavy breath Red knew Cait didn't actually need. Neither of them spoke for a while.

Finally Cait Sith sighed, his ears drooping and, mirroring Red, sat down heavily on the ground. The anger left him as fast as it had come. "...The wors' part is tha' 'e won't even let 'imself get mad," he muttered, his tail anxiously gripped in both of his hands and hunched over just a bit. "'e knows there would be consequences if he ever dared tae talk back. At best they would replace 'im wi' someone who cares jus' as little as they dae, at worst they would go after everyone under 'im instead.

"So 'e doesn't."

Red stared at the sad cat for a bit, his ears flicking and his tail lightly thumping against the ground in contemplation. Then he stood up again, walked over to Cait and curled up around him without comment. Cait glanced over at him in light surprise. "...do you miss him?" Red asked quietly.

Cait looked down at his hands, still gripping his tail. "...dae ye miss Cosmo Canyon?"

A bearded smile, a hand in his fur. "Nanaki—"

Red flinched and turned away. Silence for a minute.

"...o' course I miss 'im," Cait finally muttered in response. "Ev'ry day. I wish I was there tae cheer 'im up. I wish I was there tae bite their ankles for not listenin' to 'im. But..." The robot cat finally let go of his tail and leaned back, nestling into Red with a little smile, ears perked up again. "I wouldn't give 'is freedom up so easily either. Travelin' the world wi' a friend, not havin' tae be careful not tae be spotted by anyone, actually seein' th' stars ev'ry night!"

Red smiled at his compa-- his friend's returning enthusiasm and shifted his tail so it laid lightly over one of Cait's boots in response.

"An' ye never kno'," said friend continued with a pointed hand, "when we're finally in Upper Junon maybe I can pull some strings, get ye some honest to Odin stew after Reeve's sad attempt!"

"For someone who clearly doesn't cook all that often it wasn't that bad," Red defended with an amused huff, and they stayed on the ground for at least another hour, chatting over nothing but forgetting their problems for a while.

He still deeply missed his home, but Red figured that this was okay in the meantime.

------------------------------------------

"Heehee..."

"...?"

"'e apologized for cuttin' me off without warnin'."