The Doctor dropped her arms, her expression once again weirdly sad at Roka's sight. Only for a moment though, before the grin reappeared. "Come on, I looked a lot worse already."
Roka took in a deep breath. "You look good, really. It's just... I had no idea."
"Yeeeah, I know!" she exclaimed. "Such amazing hair and they are still not ginger! Can you imagine?"
"I think," the Master tossed in, giving Roka an amused smirk, "she means that you're a woman."
"Oh, that!" The Doctor's face lit up like a candle. "Yeah, had an upgrade." She stuck out her breasts and poked her fingers at both. "Hey, what do you think. Roka? Bit small, aren't they? But more comfortable with all the running." She reached a hand up to her head, as if to compare their heights. "The size is more bothersome. So unfamiliar." Her lips pursed. "Ah well, I'm still taller than you."
"That's not very hard," Roka grumbled, still trying to wrap her head around the sight. "So... regeneration also can change your gender?"
"Yeaaah," the Doctor drawled, "doesn't happen too often. Sometimes. First time for me, actually. New cycle, maybe it's that. Maybe coincidence."
"Maybe you always skipped classes and have no idea how to control your regenerations?" the Master offered with a sweet, teasing smile.
"Oi! It's a lot more fun like this! You never know what you'll end up with. Isn't that exciting?" The last words were directed at Roka.
"Eh..." She blinked, still a little confused, or rather unnerved. Her eyes darted towards the Master. "Probably."
Luckily the other Time Lord had himself a little better under control and remembered why they had actually been searching for the Doctor. His smile dropped to a no-nonsense expression as he took a step forward and... knocked the Doctor out with a quick blow against her head.
Roka yelped in surprise and rushed forwards, but the Master had already grabbed the unconscious woman at one arm and was dragging her over his shoulder.
"What the...?"
He grinned. "Here's the plan: Drop her somewhere, tie her up, steal the TARDIS. What do you think?"
Roka sighed deeply. "I bet she would have helped had we just asked."
"Yeeeah, I knoooow!" he whined. "Wouldn't that be boring? So, where might this stupid blue box be hidden?"
"Maybe you should have asked at least that before," Roka groaned. Then she suddenly chuckled, earning herself a questioning look. "Is this the usual way you two meet? First getting emotional, then playing games?"
The Master snorted. "I have not the slightest idea what the hell came over her. It was definitely not the usual meeting. Usually," he went on happily, "it's me having some huge advantage and presenting some nice challenge."
"To then get beaten in the final end." Roka snickered at his dark scowl. "Okay, but where do you want to look for the TARDIS?"
Maybe she should be concerned about what he had just done to the Doctor, but so far she was basically unharmed.
"Actually... no idea. No, wait. Easy." He stopped in his tracks and sat the Doctor down, leaned her against a wall - luckily no one was around to witness the scene - and then started to rummage through her pockets until he produced a key. "There we are. Should bring us right to... mhmm... odd..."
"What is it?" Roka immediately was curious when she saw his concerned expression.
"It's not glowing. Every TARDIS key is supposed to lead the way." His brows furrowed.
"Then why did you rely on me to get the location, when you had me as prisoner?" Roka mused, thinking back at how he had hypnotized her, back then, to not only get her key, but also the location of the Doctor's TARDIS.
"It was hidden. Besides..." he smirked up at her, "I had too much fun."
Roka chuckled. It was so him.
"So, it is hidden again?"
"Probably." The Master, still on his haunches, frowned at the unconscious Time Lord and sighed deeply.
Slowly a smile spread over the Doctor's face and her eyes crept open. It seemed as if she had overheard a good portion of their conversation. The Master noticed it, but made no attempt to knock her out once again. Instead he only smirked and wriggled his fingers in a mock-greeting.
"Last few times we met I was far too nice with you. Thought you might need a reminder."
The Doctor groaned and held her head. "That you can be a true dick sometimes?"
"That I can and will play with you whenever I'm in the mood," he explained sweetly. "Tell me, Doctor," he continued in a tone that sounded as if he had spoken those words a thousand times already, "Where's your TARDIS?"
Her smile was back, giving Roka the instant feeling that the woman was about to reveal something the Master wouldn't like. At all.
"Yours took off, didn't it?" she asked with a way too happy smirk.
"What do you know about that?!" the Master growled, all playfulness vanishing from his face as the Doctor heaved herself off the ground and rolled her shoulders. "Did you conspire with this River person?" he spat.
The Doctor froze, her surprised gaze wandering to Roka, awaiting her confirming nod. "She was with you?" she breathed and her eyes closed for a few moments as if she revelled in a memory. Seldom had Roka seen the Doctor so sad and wondered what this was about, as she continued, "No. No... I haven't seen her in forever. But I was following a weird signal, Reeeally weird. Is because I left the fam at home. Better that way. Safer. Anyway..." She gestured about with her hands. "As soon as I landed and went out, my TARDIS dematerialized."
The Master groaned, rubbed a hand over his face. "You've got to be kidding me," he begged, almost whined, then suddenly shouted, "Come on, Doctor, tell me you're fucking with me!"
She didn't even wince, her lips only jerking upwards a little as she gave him a look of almost pity. "Would never do that. Well, didn't since... you know... especially not..." her eyes darted to Roka and she coughed slightly, then winced as if someone had hit her. "Oh, wait! You didn't mean... oooohhh... ah, ehem. No, I'm serious. Bet your TARDIS did the same. Must be the same interference."
"Great!" the Master howled, ignoring the ramblings otherwise. He pointed accusingly at the Doctor. "Are you telling me, we're trapped now? With you here?!"
The blond shrugged and smiled widely. "Seems quite so."
oOo~-̶̰͕͑̐ ̵̡͔̕~̷̴̱̤̖͍̆͋̈́̂̽͘.̴̯̦̹͛ ̶͍̎͌#̷̷̡̳̟̲͆̇̋̑-̸̧͙͂ ̶͕̜̆̐̿~̵̵̡̛̳͖̣͂̃̊̓̄.̷͇̺́̏ ̷̞̑͐#̶̴̢͈̦̰͌̃̐͠-̸̝́ ̵̛̱͉~̸̴̫̙̈̎̇̿̄.̵̧͙̻̓͛̓ ̵̦̠̈́̿#̵̷̳͎̯͓̩̞̀̑̉̑͑-̴̮̞̕ ̸̢̭̪̊~̷̵͔͇̞̙̬̈́̓͝.̶̶̰̘̯̝̏͐̿͛͘#̷̶̪̼̆́̎̾͋-̸̨́ ̴͙̹̪͆͊~̵̶̛͓͎͍̗̓̔͐.̷̀̎ͅ ̴̳̬͆͝#̵̶͉̻̭͈̗̩̓̑̂̈́-̷̢̛̙͆͐ ̶̙̐~̶̵̬͓͓̎̈̄.̶̹̪̆͝͝ͅ ̵̥̑̀̈́#̵̷̭͚̤͔͂̔̈́͜-̷̥̗̈ ̵̝̀͆͘~̶̸̺̣̓̿̈́͜.̴̜͗̅ ̴̿͜#̷̴̡͈͉̠̋̒̾ͅ-̵̡̯̤̒̕ ̸̺͋͂~̸̸̦̗͚̭̝̾͋̕.̸̢͖̻̅̇͝ ̴̨̬͗#̵̴̺͍̮͖̫̂̈́ͅ~oOo
"And even if we can calibrate the lombjard-catalyst, it's no guarantee it won't blow us up in the process!" the Master protested in exasperation. "Doctor, is there at least one idea in your daft mind that won't kill us all?"
"At least I do have some!" she retorted frowning. "How long are two here now? I bet I could have gotten away in half a day!"
"Well, then do you blasted thing and get my TARDIS back!"
They glared at each other for a few seconds, then the Doctor turned away and fumbled around with a small device. The Master growled and flopped down on the sofa with crossed arms and a look that could burn the sun itself.
They did have one advantage now. The Doctor's sonic screwdriver could be calibrated to contact River. In case they would be able to get it working with the tech the Master had put together over the past days. Which, as Roka had picked out, wasn't that easy and would require a few rare components and probably one or the other dangerous test.
She lightly touched his arm in assurance, but only caught a glance that was meant to burn her to a pile of ash.
"I know you'll manage," she still said.
His gaze softened and he reached for her hand, holding her finger-tips to his lips to press a light kiss to them. "I promised it, didn't I?"
Roka smiled warmly and cuddled herself to his side. His hand slipped over her back and underneath her hoodie, fingers spreading over her skin. A warm tingling emanated from him and there was a sudden tug on her mind, like a soft and hesitant knock.
Right. Skin contact.
The temples were the straightest path to another person's mind, one even a human could use. For a Time Lord, however, any kind of contact worked.
Roka closed her eyes and opened her mental shields to let him slip in, a warm flow of energy, sparkling with repressed rage and annoyance. He didn't talk, the connection too shallow for that. It was more like handholding, and Roka found she rather enjoyed it.
The Doctor looked up from her tinkering, blinking perplex in their direction, as if she could sense what they were doing. Could she? And if, what could it mean to her? There were so many things Roka still didn't understand about Time Lords. One of those things sitting right in front of her.
She simply had to ask.
The Master felt her unease before she could open her mouth, his thumb gently stroking her back. "What's bothering you, little crow?"
The Doctor glanced back to her work.
"Not... bothering, per se," Roka tried. "Just can't wrap my head around... her." She nodded towards the Doctor.
"Oi! Have done nothing!" the blond woman protested.
"I just didn't know Time Lords could switch gender so easily," Roka blurted out, feeling embarrassment creeping up her neck.
The Master shrugged, obviously not seeing a problem here. "If one doesn't skip classes," he tossed a look at the Doctor, "a Time Lord usually has some control over the outcome of any regeneration. But if it happens too sudden and leaves no time for mental preparation, or if regeneration is repressed for too long," again he shrugged, "unexpected things can happen."
"So..." Roka almost didn't dare to ask. "It can... happen to everyone?"
"Ohhhh yes!" the Doctor exclaimed happily. "We had this one girl in the academy, Sekra was her name. Got herself into some stupid initiation ritual for a gang and ended up being a bloke. Never went back. Only once and then she forced a new regeneration just to become male again."
"Phew, wow," Roka made astonished. "And there I thought Time Lords didn't care about gender."
"There's always exceptions to every rule." The Master grinned.
Roka glared at him, wanting to ask the obvious, although she already knew the answer. They had just given it to her. But still... her mind couldn't wrap around it. The Master didn't seem to notice, his eyes wandering somewhere into the past to dig out a few memories.
"Only happened once to me," he told. "Forth... no, sixth regeneration. My, that's long ago."
"What?!" the Doctor and Roka exclaimed together.
"You've been a woman tw... before? Why'd you never tell?" the blond whined.
Roka was completely baffled. "You..."
He blinked at her, obviously confused about what was so strange about it. He shrugged. "Honestly, didn't have the chance to get used to it. Was a... ehem... rough time. That body only lasted about three months or so."
"Oh Master," the Doctor sighed, "You always were so sloppy with your lives."
He chuckled and poked out his tongue at her. "No risk, no fun." His head turned to Roka. "That's weird to humans, isn't it?"
She nodded slowly.
"Ahhhhhhh! It woooorks!" The Doctor sprang up and shot towards them, holding up a weird circuit board with all sorts of extensions. "Look! I just have to press this... Ohh! Whoops..."
There was a zap, a short flash and then a thin line of smoke, accompanied by the smell of burned electricity.
"Great," the Master groaned and sunk together, head thrown back against the sofa. "You ruined it. Have you any idea how long it took me to get enough sheron-atoms?"
oOo~-̶̰͕͑̐ ̵̡͔̕~̷̴̱̤̖͍̆͋̈́̂̽͘.̴̯̦̹͛ ̶͍̎͌#̷̷̡̳̟̲͆̇̋̑-̸̧͙͂ ̶͕̜̆̐̿~̵̵̡̛̳͖̣͂̃̊̓̄.̷͇̺́̏ ̷̞̑͐#̶̴̢͈̦̰͌̃̐͠-̸̝́ ̵̛̱͉~̸̴̫̙̈̎̇̿̄.̵̧͙̻̓͛̓ ̵̦̠̈́̿#̵̷̳͎̯͓̩̞̀̑̉̑͑-̴̮̞̕ ̸̢̭̪̊~̷̵͔͇̞̙̬̈́̓͝.̶̶̰̘̯̝̏͐̿͛͘#̷̶̪̼̆́̎̾͋-̸̨́ ̴͙̹̪͆͊~̵̶̛͓͎͍̗̓̔͐.̷̀̎ͅ ̴̳̬͆͝#̵̶͉̻̭͈̗̩̓̑̂̈́-̷̢̛̙͆͐ ̶̙̐~̶̵̬͓͓̎̈̄.̶̹̪̆͝͝ͅ ̵̥̑̀̈́#̵̷̭͚̤͔͂̔̈́͜-̷̥̗̈ ̵̝̀͆͘~̶̸̺̣̓̿̈́͜.̴̜͗̅ ̴̿͜#̷̴̡͈͉̠̋̒̾ͅ-̵̡̯̤̒̕ ̸̺͋͂~̸̸̦̗͚̭̝̾͋̕.̸̢͖̻̅̇͝ ̴̨̬͗#̵̴̺͍̮͖̫̂̈́ͅ~oOo
"Is she the one who dropped you two?" Cassy asked Roka carefully as she handed her a bowl with crisps.
Roka shook her head. "Thanks. No, she's an old... friend. Of sorts."
"They're shouting pretty loud," Anna remarked, her face a little worried. Of course Cassy's friend had to come over this day to be witness of the current situation. She didn't seemed to mind, though, was a kind-hearted, calm person.
The Time Lords had vanished upstairs, arguing about how to get their TARDISes back. Both never liked the ideas of the other and the Doctor's newly found temperament didn't help with that much. Roka had decided to stay out of the way. It wasn't as if she had enough knowledge of their tech to be of help, anyway.
"Sorry, 'bout that," Roka mumbled. "I asked them to stay out, but those dunderheads just don't listen."
"Ah, it's okay. If she can really help getting you back home, it might be worth the ruckus." Cassy chuckled and flopped down on the sofa next to Anna.
"Can't wait to get rid of us again, eh?" Roka quipped. She sat opposite to them in a small armchair.
Cassy winked at her playfully. "And miss Matt's awesome cooking? As for me, you two can stay forever." She giggled.
They started to play some dice to pass the time, while the telly had some random soap operas running. Mostly to tune out the fighting Time Lords upstairs, but also because Anna loved them. The girls seemed to get along really well and, the more the evening progressed, the closer they sat together. Cassy told a joke and Anna burst out into a giggle, leaning at the other one's shoulder. Cassy then moved her hand, quite as if she wanted to stroke Anna's hair, but let it sink quickly.
Roka, meanwhile, was only partially observing and even less aware of their game. Too much was running through her head.
"Aaaaaw, and there you lost again, Roka. Sorry." Cassy giggled and collected all the dice. "You're so bad at this game, it's hard to believe."
Roka gave off some indistinct hum.
"What's bothering you?" Anna asked softly. "It's not them fighting, isn't it?"
Cassy cast a surprised glance sideways.
"It's... nothing." Roka evaded. How in the universe could she explain it to them, anyway? "It's just weird to see the Doctor like... that."
"Have you not seen her in a while?" Anna continued to ask.
She was a curious person, but her questions somehow never felt intrusive and always honest. She really cared about others. Roka started to see why Cassy liked her so much. Well... liked. She risked a quick glance at their host. Maybe she would understand? If she phrased everything a little different...
"Last time I saw her..." Roka started and had trouble deciding whether or not to really open up. But then she decided to just risk it. "She looked... different. I mean... a lot. And I didn't know... I had no idea..."
"Hey, don't worry. We won't tell, right, Anna?"
"Right."
Roka sighed. "Last time I saw her she wasn't... a woman."
Four eyes widened in surprise. They surely hadn't awaited anything like that. Cassy the let out an appreciating whistle.
"Wow, she really nailed it. I've seen quite a few people transition, but she looks as if she had been a woman since birth! Sorry... I'm not helping, am I?"
Anna thought for a moment. "And now you're worried, Matt could... like her all of a sudden?"
Roka blinked, then snorted out a short laugh. "Noooo way in hell."
Although... something about the Doctor's ramblings before had... nope. Definitely nope. Roka didn't allow her mind to even linger in that corner.
"No," she repeated more calmly. "It's just that they are... how to explain... of the same... kind. In a way." How the hell could she hint at regeneration without mentioning it? But Cassy solved the problem already.
"And now you think, Matt wants to transition too, now that he saw how smoothly that can go?" She raised an eyebrow and smirked amused. "Wouldn't have thought of him as the type for that. But you never know, right?"
Yeah, you never know. Roka sighed.
"Would that be a problem for you?" Anna asked empathically.
"I'm sure he would still love you!" Cassy called out. "You two are way too cute together!"
Roka shrunk in her armchair, blushing a little. "He's not the problem," she mumbled. "But... I might be."
"What?! How?! Why?!" Cassy's shock was obvious.
Anna nudged her side. "Silly, not everyone's into women."
Cassy cast a quick, almost desperate look at her friend. There also was fear in it, uncertainty. Some puzzle pieces clicked together in Roka's mind when she saw this. The way those two interacted and everything. The Master had been right. It was obvious. Roka only had been too blind to notice. But maybe she could repay the kindness of her host and help.
"Are you?" she asked Anna, ignoring how Cassy winced at the question as if she wasn't sure whether or not she even wanted to know the answer.
Anna flushed a little and suddenly avoided looking at her friend. "I... uh... it took me a while. But yeah... I think I might... like both." She shrugged shyly, still looking away and therefore missing the sudden bright smile on Cassy's face.
Roka almost chuckled, if only her mind wouldn't be so troubled.
"Hey, listen," Cassy spoke up, sending a warm smile at Anna before she turned back to Roka. "I'm sure this isn't helpful at all... again. But, you do love him, don't you? I mean... really love him. Don't lie, it's super obvious." She poked out her tongue and giggled when Anna nudged her.
Once more she felt her face flush a little. If there was anything at all she could be certain of, then it was this. Through all her travels and all the misery she had endured, it had always been him to drag her out of the dark, to give her hope and warm her cold heart. She looked up at the two ordinary human women in front of her. They knew nothing... nothing about travelling time and space, unseen and unremembered, nothing but a ghost, a whispered tale about a crow, riven by loneliness. A hundred and fifty years... until she had met the Master again. And in that moment, even when she had fought against it with all she had, she had already decided to never leave him again. That she knew, now.
"Yes, I do," she breathed out, only now feeling the lump in her throat and the tears prickling her eyes. She swallowed, drove back the memories.
"Then I don't see a problem," Cassy announced. "You two will manage. I'm certain. You don't even know if he really considers it. And maybe he won't... for you."
Roka smiled lazily. Well, decision wasn't an option in this case. But that she couldn't tell of course.
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