diff --git a/extra.lua b/extra.lua
index c0aa538..fb5982b 100755
--- a/extra.lua
+++ b/extra.lua
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+local insert = table.insert
+local pairs = pairs
+local rawget = rawget
+local sort = table.sort
+local tostring = tostring
+local type = type
+
 local function strpad(num, count, pad)
     num = tostring(num)
     return (pad:rep(count)..num):sub(#num)
@@ -18,9 +25,9 @@ end
 local function order_keys(t)
     local oi = {}
     for key in pairs(t) do
-        table.insert(oi, key)
+        insert(oi, key)
     end
-    table.sort(oi, mixed_sorter)
+    sort(oi, mixed_sorter)
     return oi
 end
 
@@ -33,7 +40,7 @@ local function opairs(t, cache)
     return function()
         i = i + 1
         local key = oi[i]
-        if key then return key, t[key] end
+        if key ~= nil then return key, t[key] end
     end
 end
 
diff --git a/pt.lua b/pt.lua
index 6fe9ef9..6eea391 100755
--- a/pt.lua
+++ b/pt.lua
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ local function copy(t)
     -- shallow copy
     if type(t) ~= 'table' then return end
     local new = {}
-    for key, value in pairs(t) do
-        new[key] = value
+    for k,v in pairs(t) do
+        new[k] = v
     end
     return new
 end
@@ -43,7 +43,10 @@ function pt.__call(pt, args)
     self.depth = args.depth or 16
     self.writer = args.writer or io.write
     self.skeleton = args.skeleton or false
+    self.outer = args.alt_order and self.outer_old or self.outer
+    self.indent = args.indent or ' '
     self.queued = {}
+    self.cache = {}
     self:inner('__root__', t, '')
     return self.seen
 end
@@ -61,7 +64,7 @@ function pt.safekey(k)
     return s:find('[^%w_]') and ('%q'):format(s) or s
 end
 
-function pt.safeval(v, indent)
+function pt.safeval(v, indentation, indent)
     if type(v) == 'function' then
         return 'f'..getaddr(v)
     end
@@ -69,25 +72,28 @@ function pt.safeval(v, indent)
     if type(v) == 'number' then
         return s
     end
-    s = s:find('[\r\n]') and ('\n'..s):gsub('[\r\n]', '\n'..indent..' ') or s
+    -- TODO: move newline/indentation handling to another function?
+    if s:find('[\r\n]') then
+        s = ('\n'..s):gsub('[\r\n]', '\n'..indentation..indent)
+    end
     --local safe = ('%q'):format(s)
     --return s == safe:sub(2, -2) and s or safe
     -- TODO: finish matching valid characters
     return s:find('[^%w_()[]{}.]') and ('%q'):format(s) or s
 end
 
-function pt:inner(k, v, indent)
+function pt:inner(k, v, indentation)
     if type(v) ~= 'table' then
         if self.skeleton then return end
-        self:write(indent, pt.safekey(k), ': ')
-        self:write(pt.safeval(v, indent), '\n')
+        self:write(indentation, pt.safekey(k), ': ')
+        self:write(pt.safeval(v, indentation, self.indent), '\n')
         return
     end
 
     local addr = getaddr(v)
-    self:write(indent, pt.safekey(k))
+    self:write(indentation, pt.safekey(k))
 
-    if #indent > self.depth or self.skipped[addr] then
+    if #indentation > self.depth or self.skipped[addr] then
         --self.skipped[addr] = true -- TODO: extra logics
         self:write(': #t', addr, '\n')
         return
@@ -101,12 +107,13 @@ function pt:inner(k, v, indent)
     self.seen[addr] = true
 
     self:write(': &t', addr, '\n')
-    self:outer(v, indent..' ')
+    self:outer(v, indentation..self.indent)
 end
 
-function pt:outer(t, indent)
+function pt:outer_old(t, indentation)
     if type(t) ~= "table" then
-        self:write(indent, pt.safeval(t, indent), '\n')
+        local s = pt.safeval(t, indentation, self.indent)
+        self:write(indentation, s, '\n')
         return
     end
 
@@ -116,29 +123,62 @@ function pt:outer(t, indent)
     for k,v in opairs(t) do
         if type(v) == 'table' then
             local addr = getaddr(v)
-            if not self.queued[addr] and not self.seen[addr] and not self.skipped[addr] then
+            if not (self.queued[addr] or self.seen[addr] or self.skipped[addr]) then
                 self.queued[addr] = true
                 ours[k] = v
             else
                 not_ours[k] = v
             end
         else
-            self:inner(k, v, indent)
+            self:inner(k, v, indentation)
         end
     end
 
     for k,v in opairs(not_ours) do
-        self:inner(k, v, indent)
+        self:inner(k, v, indentation)
     end
 
     for k,v in opairs(ours) do
         self.queued[getaddr(v)] = nil
-        self:inner(k, v, indent)
+        self:inner(k, v, indentation)
     end
 
     local mt = getmetatable(t)
     if mt ~= nil then
-        self:inner('__metatable', mt, indent)
+        self:inner('__metatable', mt, indentation)
+    end
+end
+
+function pt:outer(t, indentation)
+    if type(t) ~= "table" then
+        local s = pt.safeval(t, indentation, self.indent)
+        self:write(indentation, s, '\n')
+        return
+    end
+
+    local ours = {}
+
+    for k,v in opairs(t, self.cache) do
+        if type(v) == 'table' then
+            local addr = getaddr(v)
+            if not (self.queued[addr] or self.seen[addr] or self.skipped[addr]) then
+                self.queued[addr] = true
+                ours[k] = addr
+            end
+        end
+    end
+
+    local mt = getmetatable(t)
+    if mt ~= nil then
+        self:inner('__metatable', mt, indentation)
+    end
+
+    for k,v in opairs(t, self.cache) do
+        local addr = ours[k]
+        if addr then
+            self.queued[addr] = nil
+        end
+        self:inner(k, v, indentation)
     end
 end
 
diff --git a/run.lua b/run.lua
index 5468bcf..63f3c00 100755
--- a/run.lua
+++ b/run.lua
@@ -2,21 +2,22 @@
 local pt = require('pt')
 
 t = {
-    A = {
+    A = 'hello',
+    B = {
         a = 'beep',
         b = 'boop',
         c = 'burp',
     },
-    B = {
+    C = {
         a = 'nude',
         b = 'dude',
         c = 'lewd',
     },
-    C = 'hello',
+    D = 'goodbye',
 }
-t.A.d = t.B
-t.B.d = t.A
-t.D = t
+t.B.d = t.C
+t.C.d = t.B
+t.E = t
 
 function dump(t, fn, seen)
     if t == nil then return end