Chapter Text
The first thing the Doctor noticed was her pounding headache. She immediately brought one hand to her forehead and the other to cover her eyes and let out a groan. A groan that, once she heard it, she quickly decided couldn’t have possibly come from her. But it did. She felt it. Then how was it that deep?
“Morning.” A voice chimed. Now that voice definitely should have come from her, it was her voice after all, but somehow it didn’t.
The Doctor pushed herself upright as fast as her pounding head would allow and came face to face with, well, herself.
She opened her mouth to speak but her look alike placed a finger over her lips. “Before you go off on one, I’m 99% sure we’ve switched bodies.”
The Doctor scrunched her face up and looked down.
Oh.
Oh no.
Those were definitely the Master’s clothes. The Doctor looked up again. “Master?” And that was definitely the Master’s voice.
Her imposter, the Master, waved her fingers with a smirk. “Hiya.” She stood up. “Get up.”
The Doctor did so. “Wha- but how? What?” he hissed as his headache voiced its objections to standing up. “Does your head not hurt?”
The Master bent down to pick up a pile of clothes and that’s when the Doctor noticed that she’d taken off the coat, suspenders and the rainbow top. Rude. “Oh, like a bitch.” She stood up again. “But I’ve spent my whole life ignoring migraines from those damn drums. As for how.” She shoved the pile of discarded clothes into the Doctor’s arms. “I haven’t the foggiest.”
“Do you know anything?” The Doctor asked, looking in his pocket for the Master’s TCE. Best keep that as far from her as possible.
“Looking for something?” The Master asked, swinging her TCE casually. “I’m not an idiot.” She said, stuffing the device into her pocket.
“Brave words from someone wearing my face.” The Doctor mumbled.
“As for what I know, well that’s such a long list, we’d be here all day.” She said, shit eating grin plastered on her face.
The Doctor raised an eyebrow.
The Master let out an exasperated sigh. “Fine, we’re in an alley on 21st century Earth, Sheffield to be exact, I’ve got a memory block and I’m assuming you do too, and your TARDIS is right behind you.”
The Doctor whipped around, relief flooding him at the sight of his beloved ship. He turned to face the Master with a look of suspicion. “And you didn’t try to run off?”
“She won’t let me in.” She gestured to him. “Besides, you’re in my body and I want to make sure I get it back in good condition.”
The Doctor narrowed his eyes at her before turning back to the TARDIS, unlocking it and stepping inside, the Master trailing behind him.
“First things first, we need to figure out what did this.” The Doctor said from his place against the console. “Like you said, we’ve both got memory blocks, so removing those seems like the best place to start, and where do you think you’re going.”
The Master turned on the top step. “Your wardrobe, obviously.” She said, continuing her journey into the depths of the TARDIS.
The Doctor turned back to the console. “If I can feel the memory block this easily, then it’s either really primitive or really strong. Though I think it’s pretty safe to assume that whoever created the memory block also switched me and the Master.” The TARDIS hummed in agreement. The Doctor started pacing the room. “So unfortunately, that means it’s a really strong block, strong enough to work on two Time Lords, one of which is the Master, so that means the technology used to switch us is incredibly strong and won’t be reversed without a fight.” He put his head in his hands and groaned. “So, we probably won’t be able to find out who did this unless we remove the memory block which has a good 98% chance of being too strong for us to remove on our own.”
He sank down against one of the pillars as the TARDIS beeped in reassurance and concern. “I don’t want to be stuck like this, Old Girl. In the body of the man who destroyed Gallifrey, who killed so many. All while she’s running around in my body!”
“Don’t get all morally righteous in my body.” The Master suddenly spoke, descending the steps wearing a deep maroon blouse with circular Gallifreyan stitched on in gold thread, black suit trousers and black ankle boots with a block heel. “It’s making me sick.” She said, pulling on a black suit jacket.
The Doctor pushed himself to his feet and strode over to the Master. “The Kasavin took you.”
The Master looked down at him, of course she’d pick a pair of shoes that gave her back her height over him. “They did.”
The Doctor kept his gaze level. “But you’re here.”
“I am.”
“How?”
“I don’t know.” The Master responded with a smug smile, although a hint of frustration flashed across her eyes. “Last thing I remember, I was sitting there, minding my own business, planning a way to get out of there and kill you, the usual, then boom!” She clapped her hands for emphasis. “I’m in you.” Her lips twitched in a childish grin.
The Doctor opened his mouth at the same time the TARDIS doors were opened by his fam bustling in.
“Two months later and you turn up in an alley?” Graham said, a laugh hiding in his voice.
The Doctor froze and turned to the Master who was grinning like a hyena. “Don’t you dare!” He whispered harshly.
The Master straightened her jacket and brushed past him. “Sorry fam! Had to deal with this one, had a shaky landing.” She pointed her thumb towards him.
The three humans froze when they saw the Doctor, the fear and anger in their eyes making his hearts ache.
Yaz walked up to the Master. “Doctor, what’s he doing here?”
The Master’s lips twitched into a smug grin at being called the Doctor. “He’s dangerous.” She looked the Doctor in the eyes. “The only safe place for him is the TARDIS.”
The Doctor narrowed his eyes. “Oh, do fuck off. Yaz, don’t listen to her.” He started towards her, but the Master grabbed him roughly, placing a hand over his mouth and using the other to press her TCE into his back.
“Don’t mind him, he’s delusional, the poor love.” She moved her hand from his mouth to his wrist and dragged him sharply behind the console, leaving the three humans to gather on the other side of the room and whisper anxiously.
The Doctor jerked his wrist out of her grasp. “Just what are you doing?”
The Master shifted so that her TCE was now pressed against his stomach and, subsequently, tucked nicely out of view from the humans on the other side of the room. “Having fun.” She adjusted her finger on the trigger. “And you’re going to play along or I’m going to play dollies with you and your pets.” She spat the last word.
The Doctor narrowed his eyes. “I thought you wanted your body back in good condition?”
“I’d like that, yes, but if push comes to shove,” She jabbed her TCE into his stomach. “At least I’m still in a perfectly good body. One that’s better than you realise.” A knowing smirk crossed her face, one that the Doctor knew invited no questions.
“Fine.” The Doctor spat.
“Good!” She adopted a bright, sunshine smile, tucked her TCE back into her pocket, turned on her heels and dragged him over the trio on the other side of the room.
“Sorry about that, fam. Now I know you’re probably thinking I’ve finally lost it but believe me when I say that he’s no going anywhere or doing anything without me knowing.” She looked to the Doctor with a devilish grin, tightening her grip on his wrist.
“Alright.” Yaz said cautiously, throwing an untrusting glance the Doctor’s way.
Graham cleared his throat after a few moments of awkward silence. “So, uh Doc, what’s with the new outfit?”
The Master pushed her jacket back to place her hands on her hips. “Thought I’d try something new.” She spun on her heel. “What do you think?”
Yaz’s eyes brightened. “I think you look gorgeous.”
The Doctor scoffed. If he had to stand there and watch his fam talk to the Master like she hadn’t just tried to kill them, then he could at least insult her outfit.
The Master wheeled on him. “Something you want to share with the class?”
“Compensating, are you?” He nodded towards her shoes. “Can’t stand being shorter than me?”
The Master promptly kicked him in the shin. “I actually prefer being the shorter one, makes that a bit easier.”
Graham placed a hand on the Master’s upper arm. “Alright, Doc, I know he’s a right bastard but try not to kill him, yeah?”
The Doctor pulled himself back upright, leaning his weight on his other leg.
Ryan cleared his throat, “Uh, I’m just gonna go…” He trailed off. Pointing awkwardly towards the stairs.
“I’ll join you.” Yaz said, shooting one last apprehensive glance towards the Doctor before following after Ryan.
“You two don’t burn the place down, now.” Graham called, following the other two.
The Doctor looked at the Master. “I hate you.”
She smirked. “Oh, I know.” She tugged his jacket off. “Now, go get changed before you ruin my self-image forever.” She grabbed his wrist and dragged him down the corridor.
The Doctor tugged his wrist out of her grip and fell into step beside her. The sooner they got this fixed, the better.