Twisting her sonic screwdriver around in her hands, Missy stepped out of the Tardis, her sharp eyes scanning the surroundings as Nardole followed her, stumbling over the thick plant roots that covered the floor.

Rolling her eyes, she glanced back to make sure he was still on his feet before taking off into the almost Earth like undergrowth. The major distinguishing feature being the luminescence of the fauna.

"Where are we?" Nardole asked curiously, the reluctant empathy he had gained for Missy putting him far more at ease than on their last outing.

"Hmm?" Missy turned her head to him idly, before frowning slightly, "Does the Doctor truly enjoy having to explain every little thing any time he goes anywhere?"

Be nice.

"I was being nice." She muttered sulkily before sighing, "We're in the Andromeda Galaxy, on a planet called Katleb, it's quite similar to Earth really, humanoid natives, similar genetic make-up of the plant life."

Nardole nodded along, looking interestedly at the large leaves that were towering over them, seemingly growing straight out of the ground, "How do you know where you're going?" He asked curiously, having not missed how confidently Missy was striding in the direction of where the sun was slowly setting.

"You and the Doctor are both the same, forgetting that my entire life doesn't revolve around him." Missy shook her head in mock disappointment, double checking her screwdriver to ensure they were still heading towards the origin point of the distress signal.

Freezing, Nardole looked at her seriously, "Have you conquered this planet in the past? Are they going to end up killing us because of you?"

Smirking wickedly, baring pearly white teeth, Missy turned and took a step closer to him, "Are you scared, do you want to go running back to the Tardis?"

Swallowing determinedly, Nardole drew himself up to his full height and moved towards her until they were practically nose to nose, "Of course not, just want to know whether I'm going to be pulling you out of danger on this trip."

Missy felt the Doctor's amusement echoing through their link, he had decided to drop the running commentary that he had maintained last time, not needing to monitor using tech when the link between himself and Missy had never been stronger. Although she knew that he had also given Nardole means to communicate with him in an emergency, the Doctor may trust her to an extent but he wasn't stupid, it was far better to be prepared for anything when it came to the Mistress.

For a moment, she considered knocking the Doctor out of her head and just strangling Nardole for even insinuating that she would need rescuing, but after a deep breath in she deliberately set aside that thought, knowing it was coming from years of habit and not a genuine desire to actually do it anymore.

"Don't worry," She told Nardole, relishing in the feeling of the Doctor's pride at her for keeping herself level, "Last time I was here I was a man, it's a little beyond their comprehension to imagine that I would have changed to the extent I have. And I didn't even conquer them that much, just a little bit. Besides, I'm not the Master today remember, I'm Doctor Who." Missy nodded to herself happily as she started walking again, ignoring the frustration coming from the Doctor at her continued addition of the word who to the end of his name.

"I wasn't aware that conquering a planet was something that you could do in degrees." Nardole muttered snarkily, "I figured it was a more, all or nothing affair."

Missy chuckled, pushing through the leaves easily but allowing them to twang back and hit Nardole, uncaring that his grumbling was sounding increasingly annoyed. "I didn't kill anyone to take this planet, and I left once I had gotten what I wanted, which took barely a week by Earth standards. In comparison to other worlds, they got off very lightly."

"I'm sure that was very comforting to them." Nardole remarked.

Frowning, Missy glanced at him, "Regardless of what you may think of me I was, am, insane, not stupid. Sometimes the easiest way to get what you want is to pretend you're something you're not. I'm very good at it, it's why the Doctor is constantly worrying that at any moment the other shoe will drop and I'll reveal that I've just been working towards another scheme. Not every planet I visited lived in fear of me, it all depended on my mood really now that I think about it."

Nardole fell silent, considering what she had said as he walked along beside her.

Is that true? She felt the Doctor ask, with genuine curiosity.

Humming under her breath, she responded to him reluctantly. Does it make a difference if it is? The fact that I didn't always destroy things to get what I wanted doesn't make me a good person. Just because I didn't always take out all the wrongs I felt the universe had done to me just because I could.

I thought you enjoyed wanton destruction.

When I hurt the worst, I made others feel it so I didn't have to. Missy admitted softly, But sometimes, very rarely, but sometimes there was a lull, when I almost felt what others must call peace. And when it was quiet I didn't want to make it loud again before it had to be.

The Doctor was quiet for a long moment, and Missy almost thought he wouldn't reply at all until she felt his whispered words echoing back to her, I hate that this is a part of you I can't truly understand. I can empathise and I can imagine, but I can't really understand this thing that must eat at you every day. And because I can't understand it, I don't know how to help you, and that kills me.

You do help Theta.

Then it was Missy who was quiet, walking along in silence as she pushed through the forest, she felt the Doctor in the back of her mind pressing for more, but held back, unsure what to say.

You help me. She repeated eventually, More than you know. When I'm alone I get so lost, you give me something to focus on. I still feel the same, still want to hurt people, still want to do things that are…bad. But you give me the strength to choose not to, it's a choice that I didn't realise I even wanted the ability to be able to make.

When Missy had finished, she sent him a clear message on a wave of emotion, that she was done talking about it for the time being and to leave it well enough alone. Which he respected, fading back to watch what would happen next.

Missy and Nardole broke through the tree line and came to a stop at the edge of a long stretch of glowing blue grass, that led down to a small village.

"Well that's why there is a distress signal." Nardole remarked as they took in the sight in front of them.

"Indeed." Missy hummed as she counted the number of Sontaran's, "I doubt the locals are very happy with their new overlords."

A/N: This is going to be a multi chapter adventure, probably between three and five. Also, what do people think of our thirteenth Doctor? I've already gotten into about three arguments about it haha. It's a big change but I'm looking forward to seeing what happens. It has the potential to be a really good direction for the show to go in if they do it right.