The See'ers of the Watchers Council.

The Calling.

Written by Buffy fan Dave Disco

The phone rings in the office of Watcher Andy Clement. He decides to ignore the call and mutters "Go away Heath". Andy is busy reading a paper, he is happening upon the obituaries to document the deaths and then check reports of the coroners. His phone rings again "Hello?" Andy answering his phone. "Is that Mr Clement?" a voice sounds in Andy's ear "Of what concern is my name to you?" Andy asks "Sorry to disturb you Mr Clement, my name is Doo'be I am a see'er" "Oh Doo'be my friend I apologise for my annoyance, my phone hasn't stopped since 5pm and I wasn't really in the mood to talk, how can I help?" Andy apologetically says. The phone goes dead with, Andy slightly relieved that the phone was dead, no one on the end of the line to disturb his macabre job of reading about the deaths of the population of London.

Andy continues reading about the deaths and mutters to himself once again "12 deaths not attributed with disease, so 12 possible Vampire bites, 12 god damning bodies to investigate…..Oh I really hope for my girl to activate" His girl is a potential Slayer, her name is Karen van Niekirk, she is 16 and lives with Andy in London, in fact they live in Enfield, North London. Andy starts to feel guilty as he realises he has just wished for the death of a slayer "Oh God, please forgive me, you have produced evil in my life and I have asked for death of an innocent one, please forgive me lord?" All of a sudden his phone once again rings and makes him fall of his chair all flustered he answers his phone "Hello, Andy Clement" "Mr Clement?, your see'er is dead and you and your Slayer wannabe are next" and evil voice says. Andy, his face white and his eyes just stare, what seems like an age he awakes from the trance and dials out "C'mon pick up, COME ON PICK UP…oh Mrs Giles?, Mrs Edna Giles? It's Mr Clement, sorry I mean Andy" "Andy? PAH! Nah mate I'm not Mrs Edna Giles" the voice mocks on the other end of the phone. "Oh sorry, have I dialled the wrong number? Andy asks "Nah mate she is here but she is in her office" the voice obnoxiously announces "Oh well thank you, but would you possibly disturb her for me, tell her it's of the utmost urgency" Andy asks "Utmost urgency! what a ponce… look mate just stay there" the voice says, after what Andy realised was 4 minutes 25 seconds another more friendlier voice came onto the phone "Hello, Andy? What on earth is the matter?" "Edna? Edna is that you?" Andy asks looking for confirmation "Yes, I'm Edna, why the worry in your voice Andy?" "I received a call today from a see'er, then later after the call was cut short I got another call saying my see'er was dead and myself and Karen were next" Andy explains. "Andy…stay there myself and my son Edmund will be straight over" Edna worryingly says "Yes of course, Karen is in bed so I shall not disturb her and will get a pot of tea ready for you arrival" "Yes quite!" Edna responds knowingly.

""

Knock knock! "Andy, you there my friend, it is Edna and Edmond" Edna shouting through the letter box ofa beautifully looking semidetached, with Ivy over growing around the front of the house. "Password?" a voice retorts from inside the house "Karen? It is Edna" Edna repeats "So you say, what is the password?" Karen repeats "Oh sorry my dear it is hellmouth have no fury like a slayer scorned" Edna says whilst chuckling to herself at the humorous apparent play on words the watchers seem to have. Edna placing her ear close to the letterbox and whispers can be heard "Is that correct Andy?" Karen asks. Andy whilst laughing responds "YES! Oh that is so funny, let them in" "I do not get your humour, you are a strange person Andy Clement, and you, you…who are you?" Karen says whilst unlocking the door. "My dear, I am Edna Giles, I am a member of the watchers council and this is my son Edmond Giles, he too is a member." "Where is your potential?" Karen asks brashly "Enough Karen, continue with whatever you were doing" Andy shouts. Karen hisses at Andy and walks away. "Sorry about that, I have yet to inform her of your slayers death" Andy says whilst shaking the hand of Edna "Good to see you old boy" Edmond speaks with a well-spoken voice. "Edmond, less of the boy, surely if I am old as you claim then by nature I must be a man?" Andy asks rhetorically "Ha ha, Andy my friend, you do know how to make me chuckle" Edmond says "Now now boys…..men we must get to work, Andy you say your See'er has been killed?" Edna says "I cannot confirm this yet, as I stated during our conversation on the phone I received a call claiming such an act, with the added threat of mine and Karen's life" Andy says softly as to make sure no one else would hear. "Yes quite, well we must contact Merl, she will know how to get another see'er to talk to us" Edna says "Edmond, where is Rupert?" Andy asks "Andy, I have given up on that boy, he won't acknowledge being called Rupert, only Ripper and he just will not listen to me, his friend Ethan Rayne is nothing but bad news, I am sure I heard him chanting from the scrolls of Tscart" "Oh my goodness you, perhaps we can help, or perhaps let Rip..Err Rupert learn from his mistakes" "Yes quite, but I spoke with Randall the head of the gang that Rupert has aligned himself with and he mentioned they planned something big to help the Watcher Council"

Both men suddenly interrupted by chanting from within the house, they both realised that their conversations had led them to forget what they were there for "Calling the one with power, the power of soil, the power of water, the power of fire, the power of air. Calling the one with connections to all, connections to soil, connections to water, connections to fire, connections to air. Please reveal yourself Merl. We seek Merl" Edna chants. The house shakes as if in an earthquake and from the darkness a figure dressed in nothing more than a toga type dress, holding a staff about 4ft tall. This figure continues to make themselves be seen by walking towards them, until the light reveals a female figure of African look "WHO DARE CALL UPON THE RITUAL OF THE PEOPLE OF ALL" this figure chants loudly. "Merl, it is me…Edna" "WHO DARE SPEAK…oh Edna love how are you, I was playing chess with a boy in Melbourne, Australia he is rather good." Merl replies. "Chess? Haven't you learnt your lesson at trying to play such games?" Edna responds but before Merl can answer she notices the 2 strangers standing behind Edna with their mouths open "Psst! Edna who are the fishermen?" Merl asks pointing to both Edmond and Andy. Both men promptly closed their mouths "Sorry Merl, I haven't seen a…..hmmmm what are you? Edmond says "Fisherman, I am Merl the everything, I am the last of my people. I am one of the original Watchmen that created the 1st girl to fight the demons, I was used to connect the Watchmen to all known power." "Right okay." Edmond says with a confused look on his face. Andy taps Edmond on the back in an appreciative manner then asks Edna "What can Merl do?" before Edna could answer Merl looks straight at him "You Watchman, it's you I have been called for, come…COME with me now." "Where too?" Andy responds "You tell me, it's your house" Merl responds sarcastically. Andy grabs the hand that Merl has offered and he takes her upstairs to his office.

""

Karen reappears from her room, walks downstairs calling for Andy, as she reaches the kitchen she spots Edna and Edmond drinking tea and delving in to what appears to research books. "What are you reading Edmo….Mr Giles?" Karen asks "Edmond is fine, we are the same, we are fighting the same fight. I am reading The Vampyr 1600sby Dalian Morris" "Dalian Morris? Who is he and why does he know about Vampires?" Karen asks. "Dalian Morris is an author he has written 5 books on Vampires, but more importantly he was once a watcher, before his death of old age in 1915 at the tender age of 87" Edmond smugly discloses. Before Karen could respond there was a huge crash from upstairs and as Karen was about to make a beeline to the source Edna looks up at her and gives her a look of leave him to it, he knows what he is doing, Karen sits down and grabs a book that has yet to be used by either watcher "Hmmm let me see here The Innards of a Banshee" what a weird book she thought, she continues to flick through the book until a picture catches her eye, she stares at the picture and turns the book around to figure out what the picture is meant to be all of a sudden "That is gross, that poor woman" "Poor woman, poor woman, I think my dear girl, you need to rephrase exactly what you said, 1 she certainly isn't poor and she is not a proper woman, she is a Banshee. That particular Banshee assuming you are on page 142 has killed many people with her cry, an old wives tale foretold of a Banshee cry would mean death of a family member or yourself to anyone who would hear the cry, but as I said it was an old wives tale. The truth is my dear that the cry would mean instant death of anyone who hears the cry, and the woman on page 142 killed the family of a good friend of mine, so I once again ask you to rephrase, do you think she is a poor woman?" Edna sternly informs Karen "I'm sorry, I meant no offence, but what are they doing to her?" Karen asks "The cry of a Banshee is a powerful weapon so she was rightly caught and killed, but the Council needed to harness her power and so has the cry comes from within her, they opened her up….Sadly it didn't work, the power is still only known by a select few, who all happen to be Banshees." Edmond informs. Once again before Karen could ask further questions and as she places the book as far away from her as possible another loud crash is heard, Karen this time doesn't flinch but out loud states "I hope he is okay?" neither Edna nor Edmond answer her but they both look up at the potential and give her a soothing smile.

""

"Careful, that's the 2nd bookcase you have smashed they don't come cheap you know" Andy says to Merl "Listen fisherman, I am not the weak one, I just cannot lift like you men, I am a very old woman and bookcases are replaceable whilst a See'er isn't hmmm" Merl comically tells Andy. Andy mutters under his breath an apology but no response from Merl as she catches his eye she smiles and winks at him. "Sit! Merl states, so Andy sits and is quickly joined by Merl on the floor. "There are rules, rules that must not be broken. Please understand that this can only be performed once, if you break the rules then I will never find the answer for you. Do you understand fisherman?" "Yes, but what…." Before Andy could finish "Keep eye contact at all times, do not blink and do not speak. If you do need to make a noise, then don't." Merl continues "and please whatever you do, do not leave the circle, as this circle protects us from the magic performed, without this protection you will suffer agony that no man including fisherman has felt before." Merl says "Fisherman do you understand? We are about to start the finding of your see'er." Merl states "Merl what circle?" as soon as Andy had ask that Merl started to fling her arms slowly around her body, back and forth 6 times Merl then whispers "This circle, this is the protection barrier keep your body inside the glowy dust thingy." "Merl you are a woman of immense talent, yet glowy dust thingy doesn't sound magical whatsoever" Andy whispers back sarcastically. Merl smirks back but says nothing about it, she then grabs him by each hand her left to his right and vice versa "The cross seal thingamabob must not be broken" Merl jokingly says "Seriously fisherman do not let go, this is when I now ask you to look away until you are ready. By looking into my eyes will start the magic required for me to find your see'er, so whenever you are ready" Andy looks around the room and as he starts to see Merl in his peripheral vision closes his eyes, knowing he cannot break the cross he notices an itch on his nose and a wanting of scratching his eyes, he thinks to himself why always at the least appropriate time do I need to scratch my nose and eyes. He takes a deep breath opens his eye and looks straight into the eyes of Merl, everything stops, and there is no itching just a bright white light.

What appeared to Andy as an age, the white light fades into recognisable pictures, he realises he is watching a conversation between 2 people.

"Doo'be! Have you made contact?" says one of the people. Andy doesn't recognise that particular person, but the 2nd person he does, its Doo'be his see'er "Yes sir, contact has been made. My life he believes is in danger, he will find me...us and we will have him, Andy Clement will be ours" Doo'be says.

Andy cannot say anything but his head is spinning with expletives, he has been conned and let down by his own see'er, a see'er he classed as a friend, a confidant and on occasions someone he loaned money from. As Andy realised he thought that, he thought that was a weird thing to think about, why would I think about the money I have borrowed and paid back after he has done that to me, oh my dear friend, how have I made you my enemy? He thought. Andy then realised the 2 figures were becoming faint and the white had returned. "Break the spell Andy, look away" he hears. He blinks and looks up, he has returned to his room, Merl is still sitting opposite him and he notices her clearing up the circle.

"Well I have you answer Andy, the good news is that your see'er Doo'be is alive, how…." Before Merl can finish Andy responds with a sullen voice "I know I saw, I am totally devastated, I cannot believe he has done this to me." Andy is still attempting to get used to the colours of the room they are in, he pulls faces to get his eyes as much colour as possible "Andy! You saw what I saw?" Merl asks all aghast "Well yes, that was the magic right?" "No, you should just have a blank white canvass, you should see nor hear anything" "You did the spell wrong then Merl. For all I know he is dead, and what I saw was incorrect" Andy shouts. "Merl doesn't make mistakes, but I can tell you why you did see, what you saw and I don't think your gonna like what I am about to tell you." Andy can see the face on Merl, a face of guilt a face of having to do something that she doesn't want to do. "Merl I am sorry, but I do not understand all this, I am a humble watcher to a potential whose time is running out" "You're not...Andy you're not a watcher and Karen is not a potential" Merl reluctantly states, Merl continues to explain what happens "If you see what I see during the performing of magic's then you are part a small, select group of people, a group of people that you are friendly with. I fear you may have misunderstood what the 2 see'ers were saying to each other, they were not trying to trap you, but make you aware of who you are. Andy you are not a watcher as you in fact are a see'er. I presume Doo'be and his friend had foreseen this and tried to warn you, but they need to tell you in person, so they saw how this would turn out and then made the call." Merl grabs Andy's hand "Let's get a cup of tea inside of you, you look dreadful" Merl leads Andy out of the room.

""

In the kitchen Edna and Karen are talking about the 1997 prophecy that Edna was told by her see'er, Edmond coughs for attention and all 3 stand up as they see Merl struggling to control Andy walking down the stairs "He is weak from the magic and well we have learnt more then what we were bargaining for" Merl states. "Andy, are you okay?" a worrying Karen asks "Karen dear, put the kettle on, but I will not join, so Karen, Andy and Edmond, it was nice to meet you...Edna my loving friend, we will speak soon, I'm sure we will have a gossip or 2 next time we meet" Merl says and then with 1 quick swoosh of her arm she disappears.

Karen heads towards the kettle, fills it full of water and places it on the stove, she turns to face the 3 watchers, Andy sitting down looking upset, Edna and Edmond ensuring he is okay. "Andy, do you want sugar?" Karen asks "Karen, please stop what you are doing, we need to talk. Please Edmond take over the tea duties of Karen." Andy asks. Karen and Edmond swap roles without fuss nor words, Andy then taps on the seat of a table chair and whispers to Karen to sit. "Karen, as your watcher I distance myself from you beyond our duties towards the council, I have bad news, I am not your watcher…sorry I'm not A watcher I'm a….oh god how ca I tell you this, you are such a sweet loving girl." "Andy, please tell me the matter, how are you not my watcher? We have trained together, have killed many a Vampire together even travelled to the Hellmouth of East London to help other potentials stop the rising of Sorbyark." "Please Andy I do not understand why we have to stop?" Karen says getting increasingly agitated.

Edmond places 4 cups of tea on that table and hand Andy his and states "4 sugars" Andy thanks him with a nod of acknowledgement, as he stops drinking and places the cup on the table he grabs Karen "My potential, I am not your watcher because I am not a watcher, and I am afraid you are not a slayer and never were. I am a see'er and despite your exceptional skills you are just an ordinary girl." Andy trying not to be harsh says. Tears flow down Karens face but she grabs Andy around the back of the neck pulls him towards her and gives him the biggest cuddle they both seem to have ever had. "I love you like an big brother Andy Clement" Edna at that very moment realising Andy has another calling and must start immediately "Andy my friend, what do you need from us?, how can we help?" "Edna, the council must be notified that they have lost an experienced watcher but have gained a new see'er and also a young girl who will I'm sure make a great watcher or researcher herself" Andy stands up and once again gives Karen a cuddle "Karen I urge you to continue with your training, but become a watcher. I have seen you work out tactics in your room, tactic I have never seen previously in any decent watcher, Edna? She would give you a run for your money." "Andy! I will, I will do as you wish and what my heart says, it currently aches for I know I am losing you but I know I will become a great servant to the Watchers council." Karen responds. Edmonds walks out of the room, kicks out at a door which is ajar from a corresponding room, but turns and states he would like to acquire a see'er for himself. He knows in his head he would choose Andy so he could keep in regular contact with his friend and continue with their social manly beer supping sessions they both enjoyed.

Andy closes his eyes, and his mind enters a trance which clears to show him the path he must take, Doo'be then appears and tells him he must leave immediately for him to fully learn the art and magic of becoming a successful see'er, but before the trance ends Doo'be warns "Andy, tell Edmond Ripper needs help with the mark of Eyghon" Doo'be then disappears and the mind trance ends. Andy opens his eyes with Karen looking straight at him "You were making weird noises! Why?" "Sorry! I believe I just had my 1st see'er trance, Edmond, Edna we mustn't waste time. Doo'be spoke to me, he has warned me about the mark of Eyghon and Ripper needing help" "Oh god" Edmond sounding worried. Edna calms everyone down by clapping like a school teacher in an unruly classroom "Listen, Andy you must leave now. Karen pack things for tonight you will stay with us, we shall return tomorrow to fetch the rest." This seemed to have gotten everyone into action and before they all realised Andy had packed a few things and was hugging them all and waving to them as he walked away from the house. "Karen, come quick we must leave now I will cook you a decent supper, and once we have our energy back we shall help Edmond with Ripper." Edna places her arm around Karen and together with a rather agitated Edmond leave the house in Enfield and make their way to the Giles Household.

The books: The Vampyr 1600s and The Innards of a Banshee are currently unavailable.