Masks
Disclaimer: Anything you recognise isn't mine .This is my first Buffy Story and my first story for a few years. I could do with a beta if anyone is interested ??? Please pretty please .
Finding out that magic was real ad that the monsters under the bed existed was not the shock it should have been. Why? Lots of reasons I suppose but mainly due to masks, not the plastic kind that people wear at Halloween or even ancient tribal masks but the kind of masks people wear every day and the power they contain.
Look at the group of people who protect our hometown.
First, the mask of the warrior portraying: strength, courage and protection. A mystical soldier destined to fight the forces of evil, in reality a scared, lost and selfish little girl who wants everything her own way.
Next the sorceress: powerful, magical, and clever, a sheep with brains desperate to belong, who uses her cleverness to fit in, manipulating those around her, clever yet no wisdom, a tragedy waiting to happen.
The scholar: wise, learned, an observer of humanity and an encyclopaedia on dangers mystical, an oracle using ancient prophecy to warn of eldritch evil.
And lastly the fool: irrelevant, impetuous and overlooked. The fool or jester was once a position of power. A person discounted who people talked freely in front of yet one who had the ear of the king. A spy, a protector, a wild card in this hand of tarot our home has been dealt.
So who am I you ask, well you could say I am an observer, a watcher even but that title has been taken. Instead let me tell you a story…
He walked into the library and stopped, the gang sat around the table yet no books where piled up, no pages being turned instead there was silence. An oppressive weight that slumped his shoulders and for an instant bowed his head and slipped his mask into place.
"Hey guys, what's up?"
"Kick his ass!"
The barely suppressed fury in her voice made the words a hiss between her clenched teeth.
"Huh?"
"You told me Willow said to kick his ass!"
"Yeah Xand, what's the matter didn't you trust me or Buffy, did you think we were as useless as you? Or are you just jealous? Willow added.
"Yeah that's right Xander! Did you think that with Angel gone you would stand a chance? As if I, would go out with someone as pathetic as you!"
"You can't fight with us any more Xander we can't trust you and besides you can't even stop your parents from hitting you never mind defeat a vampire!"
Up till that point their arguments had simply washed over him as he had expected their tirade at some point, but the final declaration by Willow his supposed best friend, broke him. Keeping his mask of non concern in place he turned and walked from the library without a word.
Willow turned from the slowly closing library door towards Giles and Buffy, the latter looking satisfied the former looking aghast.
"Willow just how long have you known that Xander's parents physically abuse him?"
His words were slightly more irate than usual but the ice in his eyes scared the witch more than any demon that they had ever faced. Realising that her remark about his parents had been too much Willow started to panic.
"I…I…I…"
She looked at Buffy the pleading look I her eyes impelling the slayer to come to her friends defence.
"Giles, leave her alone! There is no need to scare Willow just because he is too useless to defend himself!"
"Get out."
The words barely above a whisper contained a suppressed torrent of fury.
"I don't believe this you're telling us to get out! You're taking his side over mine!"
The whine in he Slayer's voice was the final straw.
"Get out, NOW!"
The last word escaped with a roar that startled the two girls and had them stare in shock. Buffy was the first to recover and let loose with her anger.
"If that's you attitude I want a new watcher one I can trust."
Walking towards the door Giles grabbed his jacket and whispered a soft reply before entering the night.
"As you wish."
Across town in the shadows, three figures met.
"Well?
"It is as was foretold Master, the first segment of the prophecy has been fulfilled."
The third figure stepped towards the speaker and placed a hand of comfort on his shoulder.
"The time is at hand, soon the portal will open. We must prepare."
With that all three melted into the shadows leaving no trace of their meeting nor clue to their purpose.
It had taken a few weeks for Buffy and Willow to first notice something was wrong. After trying to turn Xander into a social leper, by spreading certain rumours about him, the girls had started to notice that they where being ignored. While never in the same league as Cordellia and her sheep in the popularity stakes, in general most of the student body would smile or offer a quick 'Hi' in passing. Buffy pulled Willow to one side.
"Is it just me or does everyone seem to be ignoring us?"
"Maybe it's a spell!" the witch replied.
"Maybe we are invisible!"
"Giles?"
"Giles," The slayer confirmed as the two rushed to the library for answers.
"Giles! Something weird is …"
Buffy stopped mid rant as she fully entered the library and saw that her watcher was not alone. Sat around the table where three people, her watcher and two strangers, one male and one female.
The strangers stood as she entered, both looked relaxed yet at the same time ready to flow into action. The male walked over to her and held out his hand. Buffy sized him up as she shook his hand. He was around six foot tall with shoulder length dirty blonde hair and an impressive athletic build considering he was near Giles' age.
The Stranger smiled as he watched the slayer look him over, "Miss Summers, my name is Ken Masters and I will be your new watcher."
"What? Giles what's he talking about?"
At this the blonde woman stepped forward ,a few inches taller than Buffy with long blonde braids and blue eyes. A few years younger than Masters, she too had that athletes body and moved like a shark, graceful yet deadly.
"Slayer Summers, my name is Camilla Masters. Mr Giles has relinquished his role as your watcher at your request, my husband and I are here to take over. We will meet you here after school for patrol. Now, I believe you have science in a few minutes goodbye."
With that she ushered the two of them out of door and returned to the table.
"Well Ripper how was that?"
Giles smiled as two old friends. "In all seriousness, Buffy is a capable slayer with a good ability. She just needs to grow up and realise she is not the only warrior against the darkness and that her status makes her no better than anybody else."
"Don't worry Ripper, we will take good care of her, it's not as if we're getting rid of you."
"I know my dear, I know."
Sitting against a tree in the quad Xander ate his lunch thinking about the past few weeks. Since the split things at school had been strange. He'd noticed the isolation of his former friends by his fellow students but thought little of it, after all it was none of his concern. In fact he thought with a smile, he had only two concerns at the moment home and hunting, as his battered face and body could attest to his parents had gone into overdrive recently with beatings being a more frequent and much more brutal. As for the vampires...
"Hey Doofus!"
"Hi Queen C. where is your heard, sorry entourage this fine day?"
Clipping his shoulder with their hand Cordelia caught the wince from the light blow and sat down next to him. Xander watched her eyes as she sat, in them there was no ridicule nor scorn, no sympathy or pity. Only concern this he decided that the true Cordy, not the mask, she wore in public.
"Xander what's wrong? Is it a Bitchy and Witchy did she hit you? Did you know they have gone round badmouthing you, that is why everybody is ignoring them? You may not be the most popular, but you are liked."
"No Cordy, it's not them I am fine."
With that he stood up and walked towards the school. Watching him leave, Cordelia stood up with their mask back in place and headed for class.
The dark figure watched from the shadows as the slayer, witch and two unknowns stomped around the cemetery. The figure observed the two newcomers closely, both moved with the fluid grace of a predator, both warriors alert, ready yet seemingly relaxed and nonchalant. The figure scouted for the watcher, but with no sign of him moved closer for a more thorough observation.
The unknown female tensed ever so slightly and suddenly signalled her partner. They were being watched. As the dark figure was about to withdraw, seven vampires surrounded the group.
Palming a stake, as she taunted the group Buffy let fly her weapon with an underhand throw dusting their leader.
Looking in disbelief from their leader to their would-be victim, the other six decided on easier targets and ran with a snarl for the newcomers. The other two Vampires circling like vultures.
Splitting up to gain more room to move the male engaged his opponent's first. Waiting for the right hook the monster was telegraphing the man ducked under the swing and using the flex in his knees delivered an uppercut that drove to demon into the air above him. Jumping the man performed a twisting roundhouse and kicked the second vamp catching it in the head, stunning it before the initial vamp landed on it in a heap. Landing in a crouch the man fell into a forward role during which he pulled two stakes and plunged them into his assailants, producing one huge dust pile.
The female waited until the last possible second before dropping to her hands and sweeping the legs of her first vampire than pushing up in two a handstand catching the second under the chin before flipping to her feet and calmly dusting her two.
The last two vampires stopped to look at each other and then ran in opposite directions. One ran directly towards the dark observer. He waited until the vampire had just passed and then with a look of disgust flicked his fingers at the fleeing daemon causing it to explode into dust, realising the need to report the dark figure melted back into the shadows.
Buffy and her group at the shock of seeing a vampire dust spontaneously decided to regroup back at base.
"Wow did you see that, Buffautomatic poof?"Willow added in shock.
"Yeah, but more importantly, did you see the moves on them two, almost as good as me. Well, for a pair of normal humans."
Behind the two girls, Ken Masters smirked to himself, while as wife checked out the site of the spontaneous dusting.
Checking the grass for any sign of a trail near the dust pile Camilla could find nothing, sifting through the dust of the deceased daemon also obtained of nothing of importance. Yet next the pile was an old rusty pin. Like one used to hold buttonhole flower in place. Was it a clue or just dropped by a visitor. Camilla didn't know, but as she had nothing else to go on, she took it as she exited the graveyard and returned to the library.
Back at the library, things were not going Buffy's way.
"Well Miss Summers, not a very impressive display. Super mystical warrior one, normal old humans four. It seems to me, you need a lot more training, you have strength and skill at but no feel for your techniques which you would have if you have mastered them. You will need more training than I thought. So see you at 7 a.m. then?"
"Listen, Ken you and Barbie have been here five minutes. I am slayer, you know the one girl, blah blah blah. I've survived so far on the hellmouth without your extra trading. So, I don't think so, I'm the slayer, I slay, you're the watcher so... go read a book a something, tell Giles I'll see him tomorrow after school."
As she stormed out of the library with Willow in tow, Giles exited his office.
"Oh dear, things are worse than I thought please don't be too harsh on her tomorrow."
"I am not the one to worry about, just wait till Cammy hears she called her Barbie."
"Oh dear!" Was Giles only reply as he started to frantically clean his glasses.
The dark figure had just finished his report to his master.
"Hmm it sounds like Ken and Cammy, excellent .They are two of Bison's old thralls, they will be able to help us when the time approaches. Give them this. They will know that I have sent you."
With that the master handed over what looked like a piece of white ribbon and started to laugh.
Xander listened to the radio as he got dressed for school.
"... And in other news, some joker has convinced the local paper that he has video footage of a man encased in ice in Sunnydale Park who then exploded into dust when the ice started to melt, some people huh? So Bob how is the weather looking for exploding snowmen?"
Quickly finishing up Xander had only one thought, Giles. Getting to the school early Xander made his way to the library trying to sneak in carefully to avoid Buffy. He skirted around the walls towards the office and was about to knock he had a voice from the stacks,
"Can I help you?"
Xander looked up at the blond haired man.
"I'm looking for Mr Giles, is he in?"
Hearing Xander's, Giles exited from the office.
"Xander how good to..."
"Mr Giles, this is not a social visit, I..."
Xander looked up at the stranger and gave Giles questioning glance. Interpreting the look, Giles quickly answered,
"Xander this is Mr Ken Masters, Buffy's new watcher. He's safe to talk in front of."
"Have you seen this morning's paper, there is a 10 photographs sequence of a human Popsicle turning to dust as the sun melted the ice. Not that it bothers me as I'm no longer allowed to fight but I thought you should know."
With that, he turned and walked out the door Ken turned towards Giles,
"Research?"
"I'll grab the books."
Chapter 2
Cordelia had had enough. She had thought about it all day, barely listening in class and she had finally come to a decision. Tonight, she was going to do something about Xander Harris.
Pulling up outside of his dilapidated house, Cordelia set herself for a battle and knocked on the door.
Xander's mum or from the door dressed in her waitress uniform, her hair a mess.
"Yeah, what do you want?" She asked in a drunken slur.
Putting on her best fake smile, Cordelia brightly answered.
"Is Xander there?"
"The fool is busy. He will see you in school tomorrow."
With that, she went to slam the door closed. Dropping the fake smile, Cordelia put her foot in the door and barged it open. Then, she stepped in front of Xander's mother.
"Listen, I don't know what your problem is bought in case you haven't noticed there's something wrong with your son..."
"I know that he's useless, the stupid lazy..."
Xander's mother stopped midsentence as Cordelia slapped her across the face.
"Don't you dare, get out of my way I'm here to help your son."
The shock and Xander's mothers face slowly slipped into a smile as she ushered the angry girl inside.
"You must be Cordelia, Alexander talks about you all the time, I can see why. Come in, come in."
Flustered by the turnaround in the woman's attitude and buy her now sober demeanour, Cordelia gingerly stepped inside.
Cordelia allowed herself to be ushered from the threadbare and dirty front room into an immaculate kitchen.
From the kitchen Cordelia was led down a flight of stairs into the cellar. Expecting a small dark, dank room, the cavernous brightly lit area confused her. Looking around, she could see weights, training dummies, mats, what looked like a huge jungle gym and various other apparatus she could not name.
Hearing the sounds of a fight to her left, she turned to see two figures fighting. The figures where poetry in motion, both punching and kicking striking like two whirlwinds, putting any display of the slayers to shame.
From behind her, Cordelia heard Xander's mother shout something in an unknown language. Suddenly, one of the fighters started to fumble, and it seemed to Cordelia, only managing to avoid being beaten to a pulp by sheer luck, as he tripped and stumbled out of harm's way.
The better fighter launched a rapid and deadly looking kicking combination which the second figure fell backwards to avoid. As he fell it for into the other's groin, caused him to topple pain. Then, as the second figure turned to get up, he accidentally kicked the fighter in the back of the head, ending the fight.
Startling Cordelia with their closeness, Xander's mother whispered in her ear.
"Drunken boxing, effective no?"
Something about the last fall and kick triggered a memory in Cordelia, as she remembered seeing a vampire fall victim to it.
"Xander Harris! You are in so much trouble mister!"
" Cordelia... I... "
"You, you jerk! All this time, you had me worried about you patrolling the slayer and possibly getting killed, and all this time you've been a... a... some kind of male slayer!"
The anger and worry in her voice caused Xander to smirk.
"You were worried about me?"
Cordelia stepped forward and slapped him on the back of the head.
"Yeah, but only a little bit you...you... what are you anyway?"
A rich male voice replied from behind Cordelia causing her to turn with a start.
"A shadow warrior, Miss Chase, a shinobi."
"So you're telling me you're some sort of demon?" Cordelia replied with a tremble in her voice.
"No Cordy, I'm a ninja."