//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Drums // Story: Rosie and the Doctor adventures: The Truth?? // by Rosie and the Doctor //------------------------------// Rosie's P.O.V I could tell by the Doctor's face we had heard the same knock. But there was a certain expression in the Doctor's bright blue eyes. 'No... It couldn't be, could it?... Is that... Fear?' I had never seen the Doctor show any sort of fear in all my time with him. The fear vanished as quickly as it appeared. 'Maybe I'm just seeing things...' My attention was brought back to reality as we heard the same knock once again. I slowly stood from where I sat and made my way towards the TARDIS doors. I was about to open it when I glanced back at the Doctor. He was making a slicing sort of movement with his hoof in front of his throat, while wearing a whatever-you-do-don't-open-those-doors expression on his face. I only returned the look with a roll of my eyes and opened the door. When I opened the door I saw a stallion standing there with a slightly confused look on his face. He was a sky blue Earth pony with golden eyes and a yellow mane and tail. His forlocks were neatly combed to each side of his face. His cutie mark was similar to the Doctor's only it was a broken hourglass instead of a whole one like the Doctor's. Around his neck I noticed he wore a red bowtie. I never told the Doctor but I had a thing for stallions in fadoras and bowties. This stallion was handsome to say the least, scratch that, he was downright gorgeous! I blushed when I realized I had been staring for quite a while... He smirked when I blushed, "Good afternoon miss, I do hope I haven't interrupted anything important." He gave me a charming smile. I noticed he had the same Trottingham-like accent as the Doctor's. "Oh no, n-nothing important. C-can I help you w-with anything?" I flustered. I was trying my best not to stutter but it was of no use. I had never been the kind of mare to become flustered when around or even speaking to a handsome stallion. But there was just something about his gentlemanly charm that gave me butterflies. He chuckled a bit at my stuttered response,"Actually there is, I'm guessing you know the Doctor, correct. Of course I am. You'd have to since your in his TARDIS and all." "Yea I know the Doc- Wait. How do you know him? And how'd you know this was his TARDIS?" Well I certainly wasn't flustered anymore. 'That was the understatement of the day' I noticed he glanced past my shoulder slightly. He saw the Doctor and, with a very polite 'Pardon me', walked past me and stood near the table opposite to the Doctor. "Well Doctor that's quite rude of you to not mention me to your lovely companion. Honestly how he finds such beauties is beyond me." To say I blushed at him calling me lovely would've been the second biggest understatement of the day. "Rosie please shut the door and come sit by me please." The Doctor made it sound less like a suggestion and more like a command. "Yes Doctor." I responded politely, trying not to sound sarcastic mind you. As I made my way to the Doctor the other stallion spoke up. "Oh Doctor come now. Don't be so selfish. Come sit by me my dear." I looked at the Doctor for his approval (for some reason) and to my excitement he nodded ever so slightly. 'Almost hesitantly' I pushed that thought to the back of my head and sat next to this mystery stallion. He smiled ever so slightly,"That's more like it Doctor you need to learn to share your toys. Oh I see that look of worry. Don't you worry your sweet little head about a thing. I'll be gentle with her." He smirked when he noticed the Doctor blush . This made the Doctor fume though he'd never show his opponent, but I noticed. What I didn't notice, for a while, was that the other pony had wrapped his arm around me. Only did I notice when he used it to pull me closer to him. I blushed to say the least. The Doctor had had enough,"Master what are you doing here!?" The stallion, now revealed to be called 'Master' unwrapped his foreleg from around me, "Tsk tsk Doctor. We absolutely cannot begin with business without being properly introduced first! I simply refuse to. Don't you agree my dear?" He brushed the bottom of my chin ever so softly. I blushed ever more at the feel of his gentle hoof on my chin. "Y-yea." I managed to stuttered, a sheepish grin plastered on my face. The Doctor was having none of it and decided to play along. If only to get this over with. "Fine. Master. Rosie. Rosie. Master." He said pointing a hoof at each pony at the mention of their name. The Master turned to me and gently help my hoof in his,"It is a pleasure to be in the presence of such a radiant beauty such as yourself, Rosie." He gently pressed his lips to my hoof. I thought my heart was going to burst out of my chest! And the way he said my name! 'I feel weak.' I managed to gain back, most of, my composure,"L-likewise." The Doctor simply rolled his eyes at this, I didn't notice though. "OK Master cut the crap. what the hell are you doing here and what do you want. Oh and you can stop with the whole gentleman shit, no one's buyin' it." Me and the Master both looked at the Doctor, shocked. I'd never heard him curse like that. 'OK once but that was Jack. But why would he be so rude to such a gentleman like the Master?' "Oh Doctor, I doubt you'll believe me but I'm a changed ma- Er stallion now. Besides a gentleman would never speak in such a way in front of a beautiful young lady." He said in a matter-of-fact tone in his voice. "Pfft." That was the last straw I was putting my hoof down. Right here, right now,"Doctor! Stop being so rude! Obviously you two had some sort of falling out in the past, but that was in the past! This is the now! If he's willingly coming to you saying he's changed then who are you to judge him before giving him a chance? What are you always telling me?" I stood up so quickly from my chair it fell backwards. Both stallions were shocked that I had raised my voice. Especially the Doctor, for I never spoke to him like that. "But.. Rosie-" "No! No 'buts'. Go on. What are you always saying about second chances?" "everyone deserves a second chance..." "What was that?" "Everyone deserves a second chance no matter what wrong they have done in the past." He looked down in his lap like a child who had just been reprimanded by his mother. He slowly looked up at me and continued,"But Rosie, the Master is different!" "How so? How is the Master different, in any way whatsoever, from the enemies we've faced before? Enemies that, might I remind you, were trying to destroy planets and civilizations, yet you felt they still deserved a second chance." Anypony with ears could have plainly heard the sarcasm in my voice. "...." "That's what I thought." I picked my chair up in my magic and set it back in it's rightful spot and sat back down. After awhile the Master finally shook the look of shock from his face and returned to reality. He turned to look at me, "Rosie, my dear, you are certainly an Angel! Thank you so much for talking some sense into that brute!" He was smiling from ear to ear as he hugged me. When he let go he gave me a peck on the cheek. I blushed. The Doctor pouted. I rubbed the cheek he kissed. 'I'm never washing this cheek ever again..,' "My pleasure." "May I ask you one question my dear? I'm quite curious." I was a bit surprised at first but I got over it,"Of what? "Your magic. How good are you at it?" The Doctor cut in. He acted like a doting father bragging about his child. It was embarrassing to say the least... "Good? Good!? She's bloody fantastic! Why I bet she'd be able to surpass Celestia herself if she put her mind to it. When I say the girl has talent you better believe she's got bloody talent! Just like her mother..." I never did hear what he mumbled at the end. But I can tell you this: whatever it was it made him get 'the look'. this was the look he got when he remembered something about his past that made him sad. "Well in that case," he slipped on a gas mask,"Your comin' with me. My 'partner' will be quite thrilled to meet you." Me and the Doctor were both quite confused but we had no time to question it. He pressed a button under his collar which made his bowtie spit out some sort of gas. I started coughing and noticed his gentleman facade had been just that, a facade. I started feeling weak and suddenly i noticed I was lying on the ground. 'I don't remember falling though.' I began to panic, I couldn't move anything, only my eyes would move. I couldn't even yell for help, my mouth felt numb. I couldn't hear much of anything either for my ears and other senses had begun to fade. Except sight, but it was blurry and fading quickly. I couldn't even use my magic. I saw the Doctor was fighting the gas as best he could. He got up and tried to attack the Master. But the gas was obviously starting to work for his movements were slow and he kept stumbling. The Master just cackled evilly while easily avoiding the Doctor's failed attacks. Before my sight had gone I saw the Doctor fall. He didn't get up so I assumed he blacked out. The last thing I saw was the Master's hooves. He raised one and i felt pressure on the back of my head. Then it all went black...