Chapter 5: Shadowplay
The Doctor and Derpy were frozen as they saw the renegade Time Lord standing before them. The brown stallion's eyes narrowed as he looked at the Master. His appearance was just as he last saw him. His short brown hair rested on his head and his clothing was exactly the same. This only added to his fear.
"It took me all this time to find you, Doctor," the Master was the first to break the silence, "Never thought that you would be on this planet, or take that form. Then again, you were always one to visit the lower species, were you not?"
The Doctor was hesitant to response. In fact, he was hoping it was all a bad dream that he couldn't wake up from. But that would be too convenient. The Doctor knew that this was his enemy, it was the Master.
Derpy stood behind the Doctor, she quivered in fear. She could tell that if this being could strike fear into the Doctor, she had every right to be fearful herself. "Doctor, who his this?" she asked innocently.
"This is….this is another Time Lord who calls himself the Master," the stallion explained aloud, "Let's just say, we have a history. Be to be honest, I have no idea how he's even here."
The Master felt no need to explain himself. Instead, he had a little banter, "Don't tell me you've settled down? I must admit that I enjoy our game of cat and mouse, and if you don't run, I can't pursue."
"What do you want, Master?" The Doctor was in no mood for games.
"No time for a chat? Or a cup of tea? At least Sarah Jane would pause for a cup of tea. Well, if you are going to be acting in such a way, I'll get straight to the point. You see, I am growing weary of our chase. So this is what I will do. I will pull out this staser, point it to your head, fire at point-blank range, and you will fail to regenerate. I'll also shoot your friend as well, and we'll call it a day. How does that sound?" The Master pulled out a small handheld weapon from his jacket, pointing it up to the sky.
The Doctor gritted his teeth, "That is not going to happen, and you know it."
"Oh? So you want me to shoot her first? You do seem to be used to losing companions, am I right?" a sinister smile came across the Time Lord's face.
"Shut your mouth, you monster!" The Doctor's voice was full of anger.
"Temper, my friend, temper. There is a lady present," the Master made a gesture towards the grey pegasus.
"Doctor?" a meek female voice spoke.
The Doctor turned around and saw Derpy's face was both frightened and worried. Taking a quick moment to inhale, the Doctor began to talk, "Derpy, I want you to get to the TARDIS and stay in there, understood?"
"But Doctor, I want to help," Derpy said in a worried tone.
"No. You get to the TARDIS. Do not open the door for anypony. Understand?" the Doctor placed his hooves on her front limbs reassuringly.
"No." the pegasus replied
"What? What don't you understand?"
"Leaving you. I'm not going to leave you, Doctor."
The Doctor sighed and then a smile came across his face, "You are as stubborn as Donna. And I love it."
"Enough of this! I will end this now, Doctor!" The Master's patience was growing thin. He fired the staser at the ponies.
"Look out, Derpy!" The Doctor called out using his front limbs to shield himself. To his surprise, Derpy had taken off with her wings and she was carrying him by his front limbs. The Doctor laughed, "Ha ha! Just like the time against the Daleks!"
"Yup!" Derpy shared a smile with the Doctor as she avoided the continuing fire from the Master.
"Derpy, I have an idea. Listen closely," the Doctor said, keeping his voice in a hushed tone.
Meanwhile, the Master was still on the ground. He cursed himself as he began to chase after the two ponies. To his surprise, the pegasus dropped at the edge of the meadow near a number of dead trees. Closing in, the Master gave an evil smile, "So she's leaving?"
The Doctor looked up to see that the blonde mare was flying away from the two Time Lords, "Yes, I ordered her back to the TARDIS, once and for all. We will settle this here and now."
"How noble of you. Even as a renegade Time Lord, you have at least one of your hearts," the Master's staser was pointed at the brown stallion.
"Said the fellow renegade," the Doctor added.
The Master chuckled, "You know the phrase, no honor among thieves. And as much as it saddens me to see such a worthy adversary die, it will bring me much pleasure." His finger was on the trigger of the weapon.
"Well, hate to tell you that you are going to have to work for it!" The Doctor lunged himself at the Master, tackling him to the ground. The Doctor then bit his arm causing the staser to be dropped.
A struggle between the two Time Lords ensued. Both struck each other with all of their strength, not giving in. However, after a moments, the Master gained the upper hand. Grabbing the ponified Doctor by the neck, he slammed him against one of the large, dead trees.
"I was just going to shoot you, Doctor, but now I realize it will be far more satisfying to destroy you with my own two hands." The Master's smile was gone. Solely rage fueled him.
Struggling to make a noise, the Doctor gasped for breath. He made a number of different sounds before the Master spoke again.
"I'm sorry, would you like a last word? I can at least give you that much, dear friend."
Finally able to speak, the Doctor shouted, "Derpy, now!"
Before the Master could understand what was going on, a loud thud was heard by all. Then another. The Master finally realized what was going on, but it was too late. The very tree that he held his enemy against was falling down on to the Master. As it fell, both of the Time Lords were caught underneath in the path of the tree and pinned beneath it. After it fell, the only figure standing was Derpy who had apparently bucked the tree down.
"Doctor?" the pegasus called out.
The Master stood up, shoving the tree off of him. He made grunts of pain. Looking towards the Doctor and then to Derpy, he said, "Don't think this is the end, Doctor. I will find you again, and it you won't be so lucky. As for you, you pony, I hope the Daleks enjoy wiping your entire planet out." Struggling to walk, the Master made his TARDIS visible. It was in the form of a shrub to blend in on Equestria. The large bush opened up and the Master entered. The TARDIS then disappeared from the planet.
Derpy then turned to see the Doctor. She rushed to his side and looked down at him, "Doctor, can you hear me? Are you alright?"
Opening his eyes, the brown stallion gave a smile to his derpy eyed companion, "I'm always all rig-" The Doctor's statement was cut off by a stinging pain throughout his body. He looked raised his hooves to his line of sight. He was glowing.
The Doctor was beginning to regenerate.