(Yes the title is a play on existential crisis.)

Tom's Perspective

After Gygjar had settled down in her usual nest, I sat with her and watched as she ripped through the pounds of cooked meat that she had been provided. The huge beast was living in luxury, getting anything that made her happy. She even had a little radio near her nest that played calming music for her. Tord had pointed out other things too, like how she likes to play with bowling balls like they're marbles. Of course, there were also disadvantages to being herself. She had to be monitored by the scientists, and they often drew her blood to observe her DNA amongst other things. However, she was fairly happy in her nest. It was very large, bigger than a two semi's in circumference. It was shaped like a large half-pipe, where she could easily climb in. It was very padded and cushioned, and her enclosure was the entire property.

At least a hundred acres of field, forest, and mountain for her to make her home in. To think that I would live here too in a different universe made me huffy. I wanted to know the full story about everything, but Tord didn't seem to like talking about it much. Whenever I asked, he would avoid my gaze or change the topic. Instead of waiting or impatiently nagging, I took the time to get to know my mother more. Or, well, at least attempt to. I changed into my monster form and was careful not to squish Tord as I nestled up close to my mother in her nest. She excitedly cooed and nuzzled me, giving me as much affection as she could in her form. She groomed my fur and snuggled up to me, as if welcoming me into her nest again. It felt nice to be accepted as I was, by my mother nonetheless.

Eventually she settled down and had me buried under her fur, comfortably warmed by her embrace. I felt like a baby kitten under his mama, but much bigger. I heard Tord's voice comment below on the edge of the nest where he was sitting. "Are you two quite done yet? You've all but tossed me off!" The Norski shouted, drawing my attention to his dangling body. I snickered at the sight and leaned closer to him, picking him up by a claw and helping him sit on the rim again. I could hear him shouting angrily, but I ignored him and settled back down in my mother's loving embrace. She cooed to me warmly and held me protectively, like the most precious thing in the world. I sleepily blinked and closed my large monstrous eye. In this form, I had a perfectly good cyclops eye. No need for a stupid visor, and I can hear just fine without any bothersome hearing aids. Just me, tucked comfortably under my loving mama.

I heard Tord call out to me and I looked down at him. "You don't have to work for me, you can just stay here with your mother if you want. I uhh... Have some important news to share about her, that may make you want to stay with her for a long time." He shouted and I hesitantly wriggled out from under my caring mother, changing back into a human and sitting next to Tord. "What news?" I asked and stared at him worriedly. There are so many bad things that he could be needing to tell me. Tord stared back and nervously swallowed. "Well.. As of late, our scientists assigned to her have of course been searching for another of her species. We've determined that unless there are others of your kind out there hiding as humans, you and your mother are the only ones left.

Your siblings died off long before you, and there aren't any other creatures compatible to your species as far as we know." He told me with a straight face and held out his hand to me, to comfort me in some small way. My species... Is almost extinct. I am one of the only creatures of my kind on this planet. My mother is possibly the last of my own kind that I will ever see again. I'll be alone after that, doomed to be the last of my species. I felt indescribably out of breath. I couldn't move or think of anything else. All of my senses were oblivious at this point, numb as my depressing thoughts overwhelmed me. I was only partially brought back from my dive into terrible thoughts by Tord continuing while slowly rubbing my shaking hand.

"Of course there is always the unethical thing to do, but I really doubt that you want to do anything like that." He reminded me. What does he mean? What unethical thing? Does he mean continuing the species through me and my mother? I cringed at the thought, but it was a very practical thing to do. I understand why he would bring it up to me, but he was also right that I would never want to do something like that. Now that I thought about it more and more, I really didn't think it was that bad of an idea. Yes, I know, "incest", but I doubt most people care about that when the other option is complete extinction. It's something to ponder. "Now, if you were to do something like that at all, it wouldn't be any sort of physical thing together like that. Just vitro fertilization, which is much safer in this instance, as well as more successful." Tord continued and looked up at Gygjar.

She looked like a magnificent creature, aging beautifully as her fur grows out more and more. She looked like a gorgeous beast, and I was glad to be her son. I was proud even. "... Are you sure there's nothing else? Not even cloning?" I asked him desperately and stroked her soft mane fur. I didn't want to do anything like what Tord suggested, but I also didn't wish to go extinct all alone. "Ahh.. Not that we know so far. Of course, beasts of your kind can live for hundreds of years and stay as healthy as a fawn. I wouldn't be so worried that your mother will die, so don't feel stressed about her or your decision." He assured me and got up, getting out of the padded nest. I hesitantly followed him and stared at him with desperation. This felt like a crisis to me, a big one.

I sped up to catch up to him and walked next to the confident man, attempting to read his expression. He seemed serious and slightly aggressive as always. "I'm going to work Thomas, if you wish to join me then get yourself prepared and meet me in my office. If not, then go back to your mother." He told me sternly without giving me a glance, striding through the halls towards his office. "... Right, right." I responded before stopping in my tracks. Now I had to decide what to do, on my own. Not being dragged through life by Tord, just like these past few years. I needed to find Matt and Edd, but where to begin? It's not as though I can stop an officer and just ask them where Edd and Matt are being held. I also need to deal with my emotional crisis, but that could wait until a better time. Maybe the signs will lead me to a place where captives are held?

I walked through the halls aimlessly following signs that confused me, until ending up at a sign that said "overflow dungeon" which I'm supposing is where they keep prisoners if other locations are full. I bet that Edd and Matt were stuck in here, because they were prisoners to Tord. I quickly ran down the stairs which led to the said area, only to be stopped by a metal barred gate and four guards. They all stared at me like I was their next victim, because I was very out of place and suspicious. "Sir, I'll need your identification now." One of them demanded as the others closed in on me. I began to back away slowly, only to be grabbed and forced into an empty cell. I would have fought back, if not for the sedative that one of them was carrying openly. Surely if I resisted he would use that on me to keep me from transforming.

I hit the cold floor and winced, rubbing my spine. The soldiers laughed at me and locked the cell door, one of them staying to guard me with the sedative. I slowly got up while holding my possibly bruised back, looking out at the other cells to see if Matt and Edd were at least visible. "Edd!" I yelled out for a reply, listening closely. There was no response for a good minute, until I heard shifting and yawning. "Tom-?! Tom is that you?" The familiar Brit yelled in reply. I smiled slightly and yelled in the direction of the invisible young man. "Are you okay?!" I shouted and heard Edd laugh at the situation. "I'm okay Tom! Matt and I are just fine!" He responded loudly. I looked at the guard who was looking irritated at all the shouting. How could I get out of this situation?

I sat down on the ground and shivered, feeling the cold air set in on my skin. There was no heating down here whatsoever, and yet none of the guards jittered or faltered. I continued to stare at my assigned guard, who eventually noticed my staring and ignored it. "Hey, you." I prompted him to look at me and got up, walking towards him. "What is it, strange cyborg lowlife?" He responded in a grunt and glared at me. "Is the Red Army taking over the world? Not just England?" I asked and held onto the freezing steel bars. He chuckled lowly in response and stuffed his hands into his coat pockets. "Yes, of course we are. Our numbers have increased greatly, and our genius Red Leader is leading us to victory with his amazing devices." He told me with a smug expression and narrowed eyes.

"And I wouldn't bother trying to resist his reign, for he will destroy anything that stands against him and world domination." He added and turned away from me. I growled under my breath and shook my head. I am so stupid. I always get forgetful, forgetting how terrible Tord is whenever I talk to him. He acts like a decent guy, but he's a mass murderer. He's the next demon Hitler as far as I can tell, but even Hitler had a genre of people he believed should be saved. Tord will kill anybody and everybody. I need to get out of here, away from that man.