PROFESSION

By: StrugglingHero

DISCLAIMER: The Buffy franchise isn't mine. That goes for AtS too. The wicked-awesome (and sometimes frustrating) Joss Whedon owns them all and also the other lucky companies.

DISTRIBUTION: Only at Want it? Please ask first.

SPOILERS: Major on "Empty Places" and post said episode. Otherwise, a reference here and there.

RATING: PG-13. I'll warn you guys if it changes but I doubt it will.

FEEDBACK: Need I ask? Yes plz.

SUMMARY: Takes place after "Chosen". Buffy goes MIA instead of making nice with the Scoobies in the ep. "Empty Places" and becomes a pro mercenary for hire. Buffy-centric but the Scoobs get their fair amount of spotlight as well. This fanfic will also features Gwen from AtS.

PAIRING: Nor really the point of this story but there might be some.

AN: It's fair to say that this was inspired by Star Dragon Fire's "Emptiness Within". I doubt she (or maybe he) would go through the story so I made this. This idea has been lurking around my mind so it needs to come to the light now.

AN: ITALIC paragraphs are Buffy's narration.

CHAPTER 1: PROFESSION

The Slayer - she alone will stand against the forces of darkness yada yada yada. This phrase turned to pure crap a month ago. Thousands, maybe even hundreds of thousands, of Slayers exist today. That's hardly alone. To the best of my knowledge, I'm the one that ran the sentence face down into the stupid mud. Slayers are suppose to work alone but I chose to bond with others, make friends. Willow's spell was just the final nail in the coffin.

These friends help me fight the good fight against the bad guys. I'm the oldest living Slayer thanks to them. The things is, I don't care. I'm suppose to be resting in paradise but they had to bring me back to life. Bring me to this hell because they love me so much. Hahahahaha........love. What a funny word. Is it an act of love to kick someone out of your own house because I tried to take a step forward to stop an evil from slaughtering all of us?

Their little act of kindness shattered my foundation. My foundation built with friendship, trust, and.....love shattered because I tried to save the world. That foundation crumbled along with my identity.

Thankfully, I made a new identity for myself. An identity that I like.

There are many members in the Slayer Club now. I don't know my purpose anymore. I don't need to. My new (well not exactly new, been doing it for over a month now) job has no need for beliefs or morals. I just do what I'm told to do in exchange for luxury. End of subject.

---Rome----

Buffy walked through the illuminated hallway. Her high heels came to a halt as she reached the end. Before her stands a wood-paneled door on which she knocked firmly three times. A muffled 'enter' sounded from the other side. Gripping the bronze doorknob, she twisted it and entered the mundane portal. A normal office bathing in white fluorescent greeted her sight. Everything's normal except for the figure that is sitting in the padded chair, a human. At least on the outside part.

The blonde slayers' supernatural senses are going haywire just by being near his (more likely its) presence. It wasn't your everyday vampire; that much she can tell.

In the past, Buffy would never have subjected herself to follow orders from a thing but things change. She changed. Her beliefs aren't all honorable and righteous ever since she was 'evicted' from her house.

Her seven-year record and judgment was called into question because of one thing that went awry. It was as if the stuff they braved through were all a pack of lies. She didn't understand where they were coming from.

"You her?" a gentle voice filled the hollow room.

"Yeah. Joan Moonstrom at your service," she answered in the same gentle tone but firm also.

The reason behind her name change is obvious. She didn't want to tempt fate and let the Scoobs find out about her. In just a few weeks time, Joan's reputation of her workmanship quickly spilled through the supernatural world. Occasionally, she meets demons who knew her for her other rep, being a Slayer. In those cases, she just flat out ended their misery.

Everyone wanted to hire her services from stealing ancient mystical artifacts to the familiar lanes of killing a particular demon. She gave the clients she worked for a full four-star package including discretion if they requested so.

Joan was paid quite handsomely for her top-of-the-line services. She had more than enough money to buy a decent villa in a secluded with a nice view of the Mediterranean Ocean for herself. Of course she bought it under the name 'Joan'. She had to hire a pro forger at the beginning to put more substance into her new identity. It saved her the hassle for 'cheating' her way through every time she had to buy something that required personal information.

Buffy Summers is out of the building and Joan Moonstrom is in the house.

"You know, rumor has it the you're a Slayer. That would explain how you possess such skills required for your...profession," the man randomly said.

"WAS a Slayer is the right tense there. Just to warn you, I killed every demon that didn't like that fact," Joan warned.

"Trust me Miss Moonstrom, I have no qualms with whom you are at all," the figure rose to his feet. He slowly approached the blonde, indicating to her that his intentions are at the very least, non-hostile.

"That's nice, you have a job for me? As long as it doesn't involve killing humans, I'm cool with anything,"

"How intriguing. You know, being a professional mercenary calls for zero morals."

"It's my only moral. If you don't like it, hire someone else."

The man let out a cold chuckle, "Now, now, no need to get all testy. Besides I prefer skills over morals. You clearly have a fountain of the former. You'll need it."

"We are going to talk about the job in some point in time right?"

Joan watched the man's chest expand and let out a heavy sigh. "Youth today, always to the point. Anyway, you're job is to get me a recently discovered ancient scroll. I want it to add to my collections."

"What's it called?"

"Sweet Whispers from Death or at least that's what the English name for it."

"And the where?"

The man smirked at her for ignoring her curiosity. "Doesn't ask questions that she doesn't need... You really are a professional. Aren't you just a little intrigued by the name?"

"Fine. Does it have to do with an apocalypse?"

"No, nothing of that proportions. It's about the power. It's only fair to warn you that you will have some competetion in your hands. You were actually my second choice but Miss Raiden is already taken. Everyone who knows the scroll's potential is after it. Be the winner and bring the scroll to me and you'll get your just rewards."

For a brief moment, Joan wondered who Miss Raiden is. This guy decided to choose the girl over her which could only mean that she's more talented in this are of expertise. It also means that she's the competition to watch out for because she was already hired by someone else. Snapping out of her existential thoughts she replied, "Then I don't care with what you do with that power at all. How much?"

"Name your price and I'll thrown in a 'fancy' sword too."

"What's the where?"

"I only know the major location. It could be in London. Rumors are putting this scroll in many different places but they're all under England."

"England," her lips moved softly. She spoke the word as if it were sacred. To her, it's completely something else. She knew the place is where the new Watcher's council is being re-erected from the rubbles. It's where Giles resides.

She had been keeping a tab on her companions to better avoid them. There's nothing that she would hate more than suddenly bumping to anyone of them. If one of them found her, it would only take days before the others do too. She knew that they searched for her relentlessly for a full month after their battle with the First. But she didn't want to be found and they didn't. They will never as long as she can help it.

It seems Fate has decided to play with her threads of destiny today. She hoped that the exact location of the scroll isn't in London.

What is the difference between fate and destiny? Is destiny just a fancier word for it? I wish that I could believe that our destinies lies in the palm of our hands. That we could set the course of it with our actions. However, I know better than this with me being a Slayer and all. We're not the captain of U.S.S MY DESTINY. We're just mere passengers. You can jump ship into the ocean but you'll just drown and die. We can only sit back and wait for the cruise to come to an end. Hopefully my ship won't cruise by people's ship that I don't want to see. Hopefully.

TO BE CONTINUED (real soon).......

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What do you readers think so far? Hopefully you like this little intro. The good stuff comes in future chap.

Please REVIEW!!! I just want to know if you like this story or not. Don't care how short it is.