Strawberry Fields Forever

Artik landed on his feet. "Right, chaps. At some point in a past that we forgot, we show up here."

Cyril took this in stride.

Makoto was still reading.

Artik glanced about at the strawberry crops all over the place, followed by a thick barrier of tall trees, "It's like the Hallucinogenic forests, but worse. An entire planet that uses your past and future to trap you and suck your life out with your own worst nightmares."

"Oooh sounds interesting. Makoto what are you reading?"

Makoto tossed the book about zombies to Cyril. "I have something I need to go do." Makoto silently walked into the forest.

Artik sighed, "Cyril. We need to keep an eye out for us."

"I will do that." Cyril said, hoping maybe the topic picked up pace soon and that Makoto would stop being so oblivious and aloof. Or something. I mean aloof is his character, but you know. Maybe invest himself in the topic instead of acting like he has business in the Strawberry Fields. I mean does that even make sense? Cyril hoped it at least made sense later. "Oooh, you meant actually watch around for ourselves. I thought you meant like, you know, take care of ourselves."

Artik looked at Cyril, "You've encountered a planet like this before." He didn't need confirmation, "Right. Tell me about it."

Makoto already found his past self. He had a memory of this encounter. It wasn't until now that he realized that he had been talking to his future self long ago.

"Well, it was less of a planet more of a huuugge life form." Cyril recalled. "It made a telepathic link to you so it could figure out where you felt safe, and then made you see it as that place while it killed you and digested your body."

Artik blinked, walking towards the forest, "Interesting. What forms did it take?"

Makoto didn't feel like hanging around the destined god children of the multiverse and listen to how important they were. He had a conversation with his past self.

"Well I was with Ryuzaki, so it made us see his Earth home for a moment before we broke the connection. It was all... organic I suppose is a nice word for it. Looked like the insides of someone." Cyril's tail flicked worriedly, "Is it safe to just go wandering around here?" Cyril considered this to be hostile territory and wasn't feeling great about just losing an ally for no reason.

Artik shrugged. "Listen for laughter." He was able to tell reality for now. "How did you escape 'Earth'?"

The two Makoto's stood in front of what appeared to be an unmarked grave and talked more.

"Well it melted into a puddle of matter and I called my ship before Ryuzaki died." Cyril said simply.

Artik spun around, terror on his face, "Shit!" He took several strwarberries and handed them to Cyril. "We've gotta go!"Artik grabbed Cyril and put them in the TARDIS. "Earth," he shouted. The TARDIS hummed. Artik yelled, "No! Just fucking do it!" The TARDIS silently materialized outside of Earth's atmosphere. Artik kicked the doors open. "Fucking hell!" He cursed loudly at the mass of goo. "See? The leech-planet didn't turn into molecular soup because the universe collapsed around it! It did it because it was mimicking Earth, and... dammit!" He clenched his fists in anger. "So much work put into keeping those bastards from harm...."

Makoto teleported in. "Then stop. No one is asking you to do it."

"Do you even have a moral compass?"

Artik sighed, "Well. So much for Earth!" Artik sighed heavily. The moon glided around the goo sadly. Artik mused how convenient that the TARDIS prevents violent transformations like the Oozaru. "Wait. The moon!" He laughed, "They're saved!"

Makoto looked at Cyril. "I do. I jut hate people whining about how "Oh wow is me! I'm detained to save the universe!" Jut do you damn job and shut up." Makoto grumbled.

"You're absolutely right, Makoto." Cyril's voice dripped with condescension. "Feeling any sort of grief or loss at the death of millions is absolutely ridiculous, and I should really just not feel anything at all because it isn't my problem that they all died possibly painful deaths. If I can't I should just bottle it all up until I can no longer express my emotions without going completely insane. Empathy is for losers right?" Cyril was interrupted by Artik's laugh. "What? How are they saved?"

Artik pointed, "The moon!" He grinned. "It's the moon!"

Makoto looked at Cyril. "I was talking about Artik whining that he is saving people. Grieving is fine. Whining cause you have to save people just makes you look like a douche."