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fandomweekly2017-01-20 01:44 am
but_can_i_be_trusted) wrote in fandomweekly2017-01-20 01:44 am
Entry tags:
[#029] The Old Switcheroo (Doctor Who)
Theme Prompt: #029: Bait and Switch
Title: 'The Old Switcheroo'
Fandom: Doctor Who
Rating/Warnings: G
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 813
Summary: "This doesn't exactly look like something the Master would want," she muttered.
Peri didn't care for the mirrored panels that lined the hallway. Try as she might, she couldn't shake the eerie feeling that she was being stared at. Chalking it up to the nonstop reflections, she turned her attention back to the Doctor.
"Now," he told her, pressing a strange object into her hands, "you must guard this with your life. It's of vital importance."
She stared at it, confused. "But what is it?"
The object in question looked like a clear plastic cube, amethyst-colored, standing on one end in a thin base. Every edge seemed to be beveled, with a vague iridescent sheen to them.
"This is the item that the Master has been looking for," the Doctor replied. "And it's just a remarkable stroke of luck that I found it before he did. Now," he added, gently grasping her shoulders and looking into her eyes, "get back to the TARDIS as quickly as you can. I'll join you as soon as I'm able to."
"Where are you going," Peri asked, afraid, as he turned away.
"It's usually me the Master comes after. I'm going to draw him off, in order to buy you time. Now, go on, Peri. And remember: It is absolutely crucial that the device you're holding does not fall into the Master's hands!"
With that, he vanished in a multicolored flare around the nearest corner.
"But, Doctor," Peri cried, staring after him in dismay. She sighed, staring at the item that had been entrusted to her. Turning it over in her hands, she pondered it. "This doesn't exactly look like something the Master would want," she muttered. "But what do I know? 'Guard it with your life, Peri!' That's all I get."
Well, there was nothing to be done, except what she'd been told to do. Taking one last hasty look around, Peri hurried off in the direction of the TARDIS.
Behind one of the reflective panels, a pair of icy blue eyes watched the human female go on her way.
A soft chuckle filled the air.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Rounding a bend, Peri stopped short, fighting back a startled shriek.
The TARDIS was only a stone's throw away. But the Master stood between it and her.
He smiled with a serpent's charm. "Ah. If it isn't the delightful Miss Perpugilliam Brown. I'm so pleased to see you again."
"It's too bad I can't say the same," she shot back, clutching the cube tightly.
"Such a pity. But I see that you have something quite valuable to me. If you'd be so kind as to hand it over..." The Master held one gloved hand out to her.
"Why should I," she demanded, backing away.
"Because then I would be forced to kill you, and deprive the Doctor of your charming company. Give me the cube, and you will come to no harm."
"No--the Doctor told me that it was too important for you to get your hands on! He trusted me! Do you really think I'm just going to give you what you want, and expect that you won't kill me as soon as you have it?"
Frowning, the Master strode forward, backing her further up the corridor. "I haven't the time to waste on persuasion, Miss Brown. I would strongly advise you to give me the cube, while you still live. Which is more important to you: The Doctor's trust, or your own existence?"
Panic set in, and Peri turned to flee, the cube still tightly clenched in both hands. "Doctor! Doctor, help me!"
Something struck her at the base of her skull, and she crumpled to the floor.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Peri? Peri, are you alright?"
Something was striking gently at her cheeks, not quite succeeding in distracting her from the throbbing in her skull. Blinking a few times, Peri came back to herself.
The Doctor hovered over her, cradling her head on his arm. "Oh, thank goodness," he breathed. "That was a nasty knock the Master gave you. You're lucky that he didn't kill you outright."
"The...the Master..." Gasping, Peri sat upright, swaying a bit as dizziness rocked her. "I couldn't stop him, Doctor. He's got the--"
But the Doctor pulled a purple-colored object from a pocket in his coat, holding it out for her. "You were saying, Peri?"
Dumbfounded, she stared at the cube in his hand. "You got it back? How--"
Smiling smugly, the Doctor set the cube aside, helping Peri to her feet. "I have to apologize. The cube I gave you was only a decoy. I knew that the Master would have his eyes on us the moment I saw all of the mirrors, and I acted accordingly." He scooped the cube up again and tossed it in the air a few times, its iridescent edges agleam with each move he made. "I believe that this is what you Earth people would call 'the old switcheroo'."
Title: 'The Old Switcheroo'
Fandom: Doctor Who
Rating/Warnings: G
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 813
Summary: "This doesn't exactly look like something the Master would want," she muttered.
Peri didn't care for the mirrored panels that lined the hallway. Try as she might, she couldn't shake the eerie feeling that she was being stared at. Chalking it up to the nonstop reflections, she turned her attention back to the Doctor.
"Now," he told her, pressing a strange object into her hands, "you must guard this with your life. It's of vital importance."
She stared at it, confused. "But what is it?"
The object in question looked like a clear plastic cube, amethyst-colored, standing on one end in a thin base. Every edge seemed to be beveled, with a vague iridescent sheen to them.
"This is the item that the Master has been looking for," the Doctor replied. "And it's just a remarkable stroke of luck that I found it before he did. Now," he added, gently grasping her shoulders and looking into her eyes, "get back to the TARDIS as quickly as you can. I'll join you as soon as I'm able to."
"Where are you going," Peri asked, afraid, as he turned away.
"It's usually me the Master comes after. I'm going to draw him off, in order to buy you time. Now, go on, Peri. And remember: It is absolutely crucial that the device you're holding does not fall into the Master's hands!"
With that, he vanished in a multicolored flare around the nearest corner.
"But, Doctor," Peri cried, staring after him in dismay. She sighed, staring at the item that had been entrusted to her. Turning it over in her hands, she pondered it. "This doesn't exactly look like something the Master would want," she muttered. "But what do I know? 'Guard it with your life, Peri!' That's all I get."
Well, there was nothing to be done, except what she'd been told to do. Taking one last hasty look around, Peri hurried off in the direction of the TARDIS.
Behind one of the reflective panels, a pair of icy blue eyes watched the human female go on her way.
A soft chuckle filled the air.
Rounding a bend, Peri stopped short, fighting back a startled shriek.
The TARDIS was only a stone's throw away. But the Master stood between it and her.
He smiled with a serpent's charm. "Ah. If it isn't the delightful Miss Perpugilliam Brown. I'm so pleased to see you again."
"It's too bad I can't say the same," she shot back, clutching the cube tightly.
"Such a pity. But I see that you have something quite valuable to me. If you'd be so kind as to hand it over..." The Master held one gloved hand out to her.
"Why should I," she demanded, backing away.
"Because then I would be forced to kill you, and deprive the Doctor of your charming company. Give me the cube, and you will come to no harm."
"No--the Doctor told me that it was too important for you to get your hands on! He trusted me! Do you really think I'm just going to give you what you want, and expect that you won't kill me as soon as you have it?"
Frowning, the Master strode forward, backing her further up the corridor. "I haven't the time to waste on persuasion, Miss Brown. I would strongly advise you to give me the cube, while you still live. Which is more important to you: The Doctor's trust, or your own existence?"
Panic set in, and Peri turned to flee, the cube still tightly clenched in both hands. "Doctor! Doctor, help me!"
Something struck her at the base of her skull, and she crumpled to the floor.
"Peri? Peri, are you alright?"
Something was striking gently at her cheeks, not quite succeeding in distracting her from the throbbing in her skull. Blinking a few times, Peri came back to herself.
The Doctor hovered over her, cradling her head on his arm. "Oh, thank goodness," he breathed. "That was a nasty knock the Master gave you. You're lucky that he didn't kill you outright."
"The...the Master..." Gasping, Peri sat upright, swaying a bit as dizziness rocked her. "I couldn't stop him, Doctor. He's got the--"
But the Doctor pulled a purple-colored object from a pocket in his coat, holding it out for her. "You were saying, Peri?"
Dumbfounded, she stared at the cube in his hand. "You got it back? How--"
Smiling smugly, the Doctor set the cube aside, helping Peri to her feet. "I have to apologize. The cube I gave you was only a decoy. I knew that the Master would have his eyes on us the moment I saw all of the mirrors, and I acted accordingly." He scooped the cube up again and tossed it in the air a few times, its iridescent edges agleam with each move he made. "I believe that this is what you Earth people would call 'the old switcheroo'."
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Never written an April Fool's story before, but this year I think I'll need to.
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