Drinks in Ravenclaw ((Rory and the Master))

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

When exactly meeting up for drinks with the Master had become a regular thing, Rory wasn't sure. But it helped, having one other person around who understood things. Even if that one person was a megalomaniacal alien.

They were in the Ravenclaw bar, because the drinks in Ravenclaw had substantially less chance of causing anything embarrassing to happen, like getting into fights or long involved discussions of root vegetables. And Rory was experimenting with the iSieve. From the device, a little voice proclaimed "Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence..."

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[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

"So the cool head goes back that far," the Master commented, paying more attention to the memories shown than the device. Its successor was coming along nicely, after all.

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

"Well, I was pretty freaked out by the giant floating alien eyeballs. Not gonna lie." He shook his head, watching the memory-Rory watch the man with the dog. "Just didn't think I'd need a photo of them."

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

"It is rather an ostentatious look," the Master said with a snort of derisive laughter. "Ooooo, I'm so scary, I'm the huge eye in the sky!"

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I got the impression they were not big on subtlety. What with threatening to incinerate the planet. Kind of overkill." He frowned down at the screen. "At least you'd hope it was. No one ever said what Prisoner Zero was in prison for."

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

"Who knows? From what I can see, it was pretty much dormant until the Atraxi came after it. Maybe it was a political dissident. There tend to be a lot of those on planets that use eyes as a scare tactic."

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

"Thaaat would make sense." And as unpleasant a thought as that was, part of him hoped it had been something like that. Something that made it a bit less horrible that Zero had been living in Amy's house all that time...

"The thing is, though..." He brought up another memory. Walking through Leadworth on an ordinary day. Reading a text from Amy. Watching the ducks in the duckpond. "None of that ever happened. That's what I still can't get over."

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

"In a way it did. In a way it didn't. It's a paradox, and those are always complicated." He grabbed a bottle from behind the unguarded bar. "It happened and it didn't at the same time, in alternate universes almost close enough to touch. To put it simply. And for a while, you were in both of them."

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

"Well, when you put it like that it makes perfect sense... no, I get it. I do. Using this helps, actually, so thank you, for that." He sighed, running a hand back through his hair. "I know I keep going on about it. It's just... I've had three lives already. And then what am I going to remember from here, when I leave?"

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

"I'm the wrong person to ask for sympathy on the having many lives part," he pointed out. "It's innate biology for me." And the Doctor, he was sure Rory would mentally fill in. "I don't know any more than you do about leaving this place. You making plans?"

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

He nodded, acknowledging the point. "Fair enough. And no, I'm not making plans. That's the thing, there's nothing to plan for, I'll just - eventually go pop."

He hesitated for a moment. "What is it like, regenerating? If you don't mind talking about it. And if you can explain."

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

The Master paused, filling a glass, pondering whether to answer Rory's question, and how. "It depends on what kills you, of course," he said lightly. "Most Time Lords regenerated peacefully. They were an indolent people." There was a harshness in his tone as he discussed his race in the past tense. "If it's from a traumatic death, it's more difficult. And while your body is dying, your psyche dissolves. Like the blankness of deep meditation, or a potent dose of a psychedelic. Your body and brain recompose themselves, and you're a new man. Period of disorientation as your body settles in and your personality shapes itself."

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

Rory hadn't really expected that much of an answer. He wasn't sure what to say.

"...and I thought waking up as a Roman was disturbing. Er, no offence. I just...don't know how you deal with it."

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

"On Gallifrey, it was treated with the most gentleness. Even TARDISes were equipped with Zero Rooms, a peaceful environment in which to meditate while your mind re-forms and your personality reshapes itself. Of course, that's not always an option for a couple of old rogues." He grinned sourly. "And Gallifrey's gone." He took a deep drink from his glass. "No, it's nothing so luxurious as just waking up as something. Some of us have more control over it than others. The Doctor never had much, and he usually finds himself regenerating under stress. It's a wonder he's held together as well as he has."

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I mean, if he was running around saving the planet and eating fish custard and everything right after that..." He'd thought this already, but now he understood more it seemed even more extraordinary. "He did say it'd been a long day."

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

"Oh yes, he always pushed himself." The Master would have been horrified to realize the fondness in his voice. "Never expected to see this regeneration again, though."

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

"It's weird, seeing him so..." So much older - no, younger. Rory shook his head, settling for "...different. I sort of recognise the fashion sense, though."

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

"He was a bit of a hothead then," the Master said, sipping his drink. "The Time Lords exiled him to Earth. That's when he got mixed up with UNIT. As for the fashion sense, he's always had a flamboyant streak. This isn't it at its worst, at least."

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

"Do I want to know what the worst looked like?" He looked over the bar, examining the selection of drinks. "I can't imagine him having to stick to the one planet - well, I can imagine it, but it must have driven him mental."

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," the Master snorted in amusement. "And I tried to keep him distracted, but I don't think he appreciated it."

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

"I ...don't suppose he would have, no." He rubbed his forehead, not really conscious of doing it. Even without the psychic headbutt, he could probably have guessed what distraction might involve. "...wait, is that why the TARDIS didn't sound right when he arrived? Because there's something keeping it on Earth?"

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

"The Time Lords didn't just damage the TARDIS's circuitry," the Master told him grimly. "They interfered with the Doctor's mind to keep him from repairing it. I don't know that he ever really recovered."

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

Rory stared at him in horror.

"They what."

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

"Couldn't have your exiled prisoner working his way free, could you? Oh, not that he didn't try." He shook his head. "Did you think we were a kindly race?"

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

"No, I didn't, but that's -" He waved his hands, searching for words. "-that's just wrong. Why would - what were they even punishing him for?"

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

"For interfering with 'developing races'. I suspect you've seen plenty of the 'interference' he favors. I can only imagine stranding him on Earth was an equivalent of rubbing a dog's nose in its mess."

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

"I'm ...pretty familiar with it, yeah." He retrieved another bottle from behind the bar. "But still."

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

"Not that it does anything for his guilt. Of course, his younger self doesn't know what's to come."

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

"Yeah..." Rory poured himself a drink. "I'm worried I'm going to give something away. I mean, he's not even supposed to have met me yet."

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

"Given his current situation, his reaction would be bound to be... interesting," the Master pondered aloud. "Sort of like a game, isn't it? How long can we go without leaking any secrets. He'll probably try to get information from you if I remember him correctly."

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

"He did want to check you hadn't been hypnotising me," Rory admitted. "Which, to be fair, you did actually do once."

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

"It is a useful skill," the Master pointed out. "And a lot less violent than some things I could be doing."

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

"Less violent, yeah. Not necessarily better."

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

"You make it sound like I've been busily taking over the entire school," the Master said with a trace of a pout.

Well, he might have, if he hadn't had to get his mind in proper working order. And by now it was almost comfortable here.

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

"Okay... fair enough, you have not tried to take over the school. And I... appreciate that."

Sometimes Rory heard himself saying these things and was once again reminded of how weird his life was.

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

The Master chuckled and raised his glass to Rory, and took a sip. "I'm not sure it wouldn't be an improvement. Chaotic place, this."

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

"I suspect you wouldn't get away with it for long." He took a drink from his own glass. "Not that I'm doubting your abilities, here."

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

Probably not, the Master thought, but he wasn't about to admit it. "It would be a matter of finding the right allies," he said thoughtfully.

Because he'd had such luck with that in the past.

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

"O-kay, you sound like you're taking that as a challenge. ...please don't take that as a challenge."

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

"Oh, but you set it up so nicely." He chuckled, finishing off his drink. "For now I'm amused to let someone make assumptions."

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

"He seemed to think you might be running the school already," Rory remembered.

He still had about half his drink left. It wasn't wise to try to keep up.

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

"Flattering, isn't it?" The Master smiled wistfully. "I didn't realize he had such faith in me."