"I can't believe that Snyder did that!" griped Alexander Harris as he and his friends walked out of school that afternoon. "Where does he get off, press-ganging us into taking a bunch of kids out trick-or-treating when we could be at the house binging on junk food and horror movies?!" Xander ranted for a while longer at the injustice done to him, Buffy Summers, and Willow Rosenburg.
Willow just shook her head. "At least Mr. Giles said that Halloween's a quiet night for things that go bump in the night, right?"
Buffy nodded. "It sucks having to escort the elementary kids, but at least we don't have to worry too much about the nightlife. Well, let's go and get our costumes. I hear there's this new costume shop that just opened; they've got a sale going on so it shouldn't be too pricey."
An hour later the trio entered Ethan's Costumes and set about looking for something to wear. Buffy immediately went to a rack of dresses marked '17th-Century' and started talking to Willow about how it would impress her boyfriend Angel. Xander snorted and looked away. He'd had a crush on Buffy since the first day he'd met her, but she only had eyes for Deadboy. He knew that Willow would get her usual ghost costume; she'd gone as a ghost for Halloween every year since Kindergarten.
Xander planned on trying to find a cheap plastic rifle to go with the surplus BDU's he had at home, a cheap costume since what little money he'd managed to keep away from his alcoholic parents didn't amount to much. But Xander's plans went out the window when he saw the last rifle walk off in the hands of a child who'd beaten him to the bin. "Darnit..." he whined as he tried to think of some other costume he could make or buy and not empty his wallet.
"I take it you had designs on that rifle, young man?" asked a cultured British voice from right behind Xander. Xander let out a stifled cry of surprise and whirled to face the middle-aged man who'd snuck up on him.
"Gods, man, don't do that. I think you took a couple years off my life," said Xander. "Who are you, by the way?"
The man smirked a little. "My apologies. My name is Ethan Rayne; I'm the owner and proprietor of this humble establishment. I just happened to notice you seemed a little put-out over that young lad buying the last toy rifle I had in stock. Perhaps I could help?"
Xander pondered for a moment. "Xander Harris. I was planning on just getting the rifle and wearing a set of old Army fatigues I've got at the house, but that plan's shot now. I don't know what I'll go as; I'm not exactly drowning in money at the moment. Oh, and by the way, you remind me of somebody. You've got the same exact accent as Giles."
Rayne's eyebrow lifted. "Giles? Rupert Giles?" Xander nodded. "I know him. We go back, Rupert and I. Way back. I tell you what; I've got a costume that I hadn't put on display yet; I doubt any of these uncultured Americans would appreciate it much, but you strike me as someone with an appreciation for history. Why don't you take a look at it, and if you like it, we could perhaps work out a deal for you to hire the costume for the night. A rental, as you Americans say."
"Sure. I'll take a look at it," said Xander. He followed Ethan back to the back of the store and into a room marked 'Storage'. There were boxes scattered around with pieces of costumes hanging out of them, and in the back was a mannequin. It was this that Rayne pointed to and told Xander to inspect.
The mannequin was dressed in Roman armor. Xander knew immediately what each piece was. He'd always had a fascination with Rome, and unbeknownst to Willow or anyone else, had read and learned much about the Romans. There were hobnailed sandals, caligae, on the feet and laced up over the ankles; greaves of steel on the shins. A leather belt, a cingulum militare, circled around the waist, with strips of leather covered in metal disks hanging down to protect the groin. The helmet was steel, with the signature broad cheekpieces and flared neck-guard, but no crest, marking it as a common soldier's helm, and not a centurion's. Xander instantly recognized it as the Imperial-Gallic pattern helmet.
And covering the mannequin's torso was the armor that everyone immediately associated with Roman legions. The lorica segmentata. It was a vest made from overlapping bands of steel, which looked like a vest made of barrel-hoops. Over the shoulders were shoulder-guards of the same make. On the belt hung a pugio dagger, and slung on a baldric and hanging on the mannequin's right side was the weapon that conquered the world. A plain and unadorned gladius hispaniensis. leaning against the wall, half-hidden by the mannequin, were the rectangular scutum shield and what looked like a pair of pila, javelins.
"Well, my boy, what do you think? Can we make a deal?" asked Ethan from the door to the room. Xander turned, his head hung low.
"I'd love to rent it, Mr. Rayne, but I couldn't. This has to be the most expensive costume in the whole store, and I've only got twenty dollars to my name. I can't afford to even rent it."
Ethan Rayne looked from Xander to the costume and back. As he did, he heard a voice whisper in the back of his mind, "Give the armor to him, my Son. There's another one who has plans for him, but he must have that armor." Rayne thought back a 'Yes, Father', and smiled before walking over to the mannequin.
"You know what, Alexander? I assume that that's what 'Xander' is short for; good name, Alexander, by the way. Greek, 'Defender of Man'. I've decided that, since you're a friend of Rupert, and since you seem so enamored of this armor that I know I'll never sell, that I'm going to make the deal of a lifetime with you. I'll let you have the armor and all associated kit for the simple price of telling everyone where you got it. It's never too early to advertise for next Halloween, and you're the friend of a friend. What do you say?" Rayne extended his hand as if to shake.
Xander was dumbfounded, but if there was one thing he'd learned growing up, it was how to take 'yes' for an answer. Xander smiled broadly and shook Rayne's hand. "We have a deal, Mr. Rayne."
"Good, good. Come, let's get the gear bagged up so you can get it home." The two quickly had the armor and weapons packed into two duffle bags, and the shield wrapped in a leather cover that they found rolled up behind it. Xander stepped out of the back and saw that Buffy and Willow had already left. He shouldered the bags and headed home himself to get ready.
That evening, Xander knocked on the Summers' door wearing the tunic and padding that went under the armor, the greaves, and the caligae. He had the rest of the armor and kit still in the bags. When Joyce, Buffy's mom, answered the door, she started for a moment. "Good evening, Xander. Buffy and Willow are still getting ready; why don't you come in and we'll wait in the kitchen for them. I've got some cookies about to come out of the oven, and while we snack maybe you can tell me what your costume is."
"Oh, about that, my costume, I mean. This isn't all of it, but I need some help getting into the rest of it. Mind lending me a hand, Mrs. S? Trust me, you'll like the whole costume once it's on." Xander smiled and Joyce led the way into the kitchen. Xander set his bags down and opened them, revealing the armor. While he explained how he'd come by the armor, Joyce helped him shrug into the lorica and fasten the buckles that closed it at the front. Then Xander put on the belt and dagger, and slung the baldric and sword so that it hung at his right hip. The cover came off the shield, and the two pila came out of the duffle bag. Xander leaned the shield against his side and the javelins against the table, and put on the helmet. Then he thumped his chest with his right fist. "Ave, Domina Aestates."
Joyce was stunned at the transformation. Where before Xander had looked like any other teenager, now he looked like he'd be right at home on the field with Ceasar or Scipio or Varus. In fact, Joyce admitted to herself, he looked more natural in that armor than he did in his usual jeans and Hawaiian shirts. "And what does that mean, Xander? I didn't know you knew Latin."
Xander dropped his fist and smiled again. "Promise not to tell Buffy or Willow?" Joyce swore not to tell and Xander went on. "I've always had kind of a fascination with Rome. I read as much as I could about it; the culture, the military, the history, the myth. Everything I could get my hands on. I even learned how to speak and read Latin. When I saluted you, I said 'Hail, Lady Summers'. I kept the whole Latin fascination thing a secret from Wills because she's so used to being the brains of the two of us. I didn't want to hurt her by being smarter about something than her, you know?"
Joyce just nodded. "I understand, but I'm still surprised that you kept it a secret. You should've let Willow know; maybe she likes Roman history as much as you do." Joyce checked the clock on the wall. "Well, it's almost time for you to go." She picked up the scutum from where it leaned against the table. As she held it out to him, she smirked with an expression that wouldn't have been out of place on her daughter's face, and said to him, "Epistrofí̱ me af̱tí̱ aspída , í̱ apó to."
"Huh?" Xander was somewhat confused.
Joyce laughed. "Alexander's a Greek name, so I figured it was appropriate to wish you well in Greek. 'Return with this shield, or upon it'. It's how Spartan women wished their men well when they left for battle. You're not the only history buff around, Xander." She paused when she heard footsteps on the stairs and the smirk came back. "That's probably Buffy. Wait here until I call you and we'll surprise her. Okay?" Xander nodded enthusiastically and picked up his pila and made ready.
Mrs. Summers stepped out of the kitchen and saw Buffy on the stairs. "Mom, is Xander here? It's almost time to leave and I hadn't heard from him."
Joyce nodded. "Give me a second; he's in the kitchen." Joyce had left the door open so Xander could see out and hear the conversation. Joyce stepped to one side, her back to Buffy, and barked out, "Legionario milite Gaius Alexandrus, ab fronte et centrum!"
Buffy's jaw dropped when Xander marched out of the kitchen, his back ramrod straight, in full Roman armor. He came to a halt, executed a drill-field-perfect right-face, and came to attention, his shield at his side. "Reporting for duty, Ma'am!" he barked right back. Then he smirked and looked up at Buffy. "Wow..." He saluted Buffy with his fist over his heart. "Hail, Lady Buffy, Duchess of Buffonia. I take it all back; I completely renounce spandex."
"Wow, Xander. You look downright deadly in that armor. Greek?"
"Roman, actually, Buff. Ethan, the guy at the store, told me that since he and Giles are old friends, and since he didn't expect to sell it, he'd give it to me in exchange for telling folks where I got it from."
Buffy laughed. "You've got some of the oddest luck sometimes, Xander. But wait'll you see-" Willow stepped out, in her customary ghost costume. "-Casper." Xander heard a note of disappointment in her voice.
"Nice costume, Wills. Got your 'boo' ready for tonight?"
"Uh-huh, Xan... Wow, is that real Roman armor? You look so coolanditmusthavecostyouafor tuneandhowdidyougetit-"
"Breathe, Willow," said Xander. He quickly explained how he'd come by the costume, and they set out together to do their un-wished-for duty and escort the elementary-schoolers around the town so they could hit people up for candy. As they left, Xander picked up the hastily-constructed wooden T-pole and leather satchel he'd cobbled together for a marching pack.
They arrived at the school soon after they left the Summers house, and Snyder quickly assigned them their groups. Xander looked at his bunch o' munchkins and smiled. "Evening, kids. My name is Gaius Alexandrus Aleo, and I'm your escort for tonight. Everybody here ready? Before we leave, a couple tips for you, for mooching more candy. First, tears are great for getting more; nobody likes to see a kid crying. Second, the old 'you missed me' trick is a classic, but it helps if you don't stand out from the rest of the group too much, or else they'll know you're running a con on them..."
Meanwhile, at Ethan's, the Englishman in question was dressed in ceremonial robes, kneeling before a bust of a two-faced man, chanting a spell. "Janus, hear my plea. Take this as your own. Show us your truth, the mask made flesh. Janus, this night is yours!" There was a blinding flash of green light, and a wave of magic rolled across the length and breadth of Sunnydale, California. As the magic reached each person who'd worn a costume from Ethan's, they changed, becoming whatever they'd dressed as. Xander Harris felt the wave hit him and the world went black...
Gaius Alexandrus Aleo stood and looked at the chaos around him. Where in all the gods was he? The last he remembered, he'd been fighting Gauls at Alesia. Now he found himself in the middle of a street, cobbled with some unknown type of black stone, surrounded by buildings of unknown make, and ringed about by creatures out of a campfire tale. The Roman hefted his scutum and drew his gladius, ready to ward the creatures off if need be. Several of the monsters did attack, and he dispatched them swiftly with hard blows with his shield's boss, or with darting thrusts of his gladius."Ad minimum bonum Romanus ferro adhuc interficit has creaturas, aut essem ego in tribulatione mea. Sed ubi sum? Hoc non est Alesiam, quod suus 'quoque calidusque in Gallia ..." The legionary made his way down the street, and turned a corner onto another.
Gaius's musing was interrupted by someone shouting from just behind him. He whirled and his sword shot out in a thrust, only to go through the spectral woman before him. He noted with confusion that the spirit was dressed in a most revealing outfit. Then he focused his attention on the spirit's words. She was speaking rapidly to him in a foreign tongue, and the only word he caught was 'Xander', which sounded like a corruption of his nomen, or clan name, 'Alexandrus'. "Latine loqui Spiritus, dicens: Nescio quid dicas quod barbara lingua!" he snapped and the ghost went silent, mumbled something to herself that he still couldn't understand, and spoke in halting Latin.
"Postulo ... succurrite. Magicam in oppidum. Populus exterat larvis ... conversus in personis inductis. Ego habitu ... Spíritus ... factus spiritum. Vos amicus meus ... habitu ... miles ... factus miles. alter amicus ... habitu ... nobilis mulieris. Postulo ... inveniet ... amicus. Postulo ... aspiret ... magicae. "
Gaius looked around and found a pool of water where he could see his reflection. The face staring back at him under the brows of his helmet stunned him to silence, for the face he saw was not his own. He took a deep breath and went back to where the spirit stood. He addressed the spirit, speaking slowly because obviously this ghost was a barbarian who didn't know much Latin. "Ego adiuvi te, et si redeam ad legionis meae. Mea nomen est Gaius Alexandrus Aleo, Legio Quinta Gallica, sub Gaius Julius Ceasar multas. Quid est nomen tuum, Spiritum?"
The spirit smiled a little and responded, "Gratias tibi ago. Nomen meum ... Willow. Amice tibi ... circumdatio ... nomen ... Alexander. Alij amicus ... nomen ... Buffy. Nos postulo ... invenient eam." She started to say something else when a female scream pierced the chaotic night. "Buffy!" the spirit yelled, and started running toward the source of the scream with Gaius on her translucent heels.
What they found was a brunette girl in a pink dress, cowering in fear of some glowing-eyed creature. Before anyone could say anything, Gaius sheathed his gladius and cast one of his pila. The javelin flew straight and true, piercing the beast's skin with a metallic sound. The light went out of the creature's eyes. Gaius held his second pila and his shield, and carefully poked the creature. "Puto mortuus est. Quale est hoc animal Willow?"
The spirit tried speaking, rapidly running out of Latin to try and explain, until finally, the noblewoman spoke up."Spiritus est dicit creatura occidistis non est creatura omnino, sed nonnullus typus of magicales raeda. Vocavit eam a 'Toyota'." Her Latin was flawless, if a little stilted. "Nolo eam. Ego Domina Elizabeth Summers et dabit te patrem meum ad haec portenta me salvum fortis miles."
Gaius responded as he gestured for the spirit to lead them someplace safe. He pulled his pilum out of the wound in the 'Toyota' and spoke to Lady Summers as the trio moved. "Mihi opus est Interrogabo vos aliquid, gratiam, Domina Summers. Spiritus erant 'sequens non loquitur multa Latina. Potes verterim ad mihi, sic EGO can denique instar sicco quis hic aguntur? Mea nomen est Gaius Alexandrus Aleo , per viam. "
"Si is mos succurro nos finire quidquid foeditas adduxit nos huc, tunc sic, Sir Gaius, ego interpretari vobis." The noblewoman was shaking with fright, but Gaius could see her try to firm up. They soon arrived at a small, multi-story villa that the Willow the spirit, through Lady Summers, said would be safe for them to hole up in until she could get help, apparently from some wiseman named 'Giles'.
Gaius rooted around until he found a heavy-enough object, and set about trying to straighten the bent shaft of the pilum he'd thrown earlier. Lady Summers was staring at the portraits on the wall and remarking to herself in the same language as the ghost. The legionary bolted upright, however, when from outside came a cry of alarm. Gaius exited the door in time to see a huge hairy beast chasing a girl dressed, of all things, in a very revealing cat costume. Gaius threw the pilum in his hand, and the half-straightened javelin flipped over one time in the air, and cracked butt-first into the side of the beast's head. The girl ran past him into the house as Gaius went and retrieved his spear. Just as he was about to enter the villa, everything went black again.
Willow had gone to Giles, after watching Xander collapse, and after a quick explanation of what had happened, Giles had a fairly good idea of who was to blame. He sent Willow back to the others, and he himself went to Ethan's store. A short discussion and some skinned knuckles later, a bloodier Ethan Rayne told Giles to break the bust of Janus if he wanted to break the spell. Giles kicked Ethan in the head to knock him out, and swept the bust of Janus off its pedestal to smash on the ground. Another wave of magic had burst forth, and the changes were reversed. Most woke up immediately from the curse. One, however, did not. But this was not because of any lingering traces of possession, no. This man was having a conversation...
Here's a translation (via Google Translate; I apologize if it's not the best) of the Latin used in the chapter, with notes as to who's speaking:
Joyce-"Legionary soldier Gaius Alexandrus, front and center!"
And the conversation after the spell hits:
Xander-"Speak Latin, Spirit; I can't understand what you're saying in that barbarian tongue!"
Willow-"Need... help. Magic on town. People wear masks... turn into masks. I dress... ghost... become ghost. You my friend... dress... soldier... become soldier. Other friend... dress... noblewoman. Need... find... friend. Need... break... magic."
Xander-"I will help you, if it will let me return to my legion. My name is Gaius Alexandrus Aleo, of the Fifth Gaulish Legion, under Gaius Julius Ceasar. What is your name, Spirit?"
Willow-"Thank you. My name...Willow. Friend you... wearing... name... Alexander. Other friend... name... Buffy. We need...find her."
Xander-"I think that it's dead. What manner of beast is this thing, Willow?"
Buffy-"The spirit is says the creature you slew is not a creature at all, but some type of magical carriage. She called it a 'Toyota'."
Buffy-"I do not believe her. I am Lady Elizabeth Summers, and my father will pay you well to keep me safe from these monsters, brave knight."
Xander-"I need to ask you something, a favor, Lady Summers. The spirit we're following doesn't speak much Latin. Can you translate for me, so I can finally figure out what is happening here? My name is Gaius Alexandrus Aleo, by the way."
Buffy-"If it will help us end whatever foulness brought us here, then yes, Sir Gaius, I will interpret for you."
Well, that's it for the first chapter of 'Fortunate Son'. Let me know how I'm doing, folks. I appreciate the views and reviews. They're what help me keep writing. Later-later, y'all!