I don't know if I mentioned this before, but Batman doesn't exist in this storyline, neither does Gotham.
I was a bit disappointed with the lack of reviews in the last one. Oh well –shrugs-
Twice Lucky
Divergence
Chapter 7: Mistakes
… … … … … … … … … … … … …
"This suit is tough enough that it'll take punches from vampires." To prove the point, Willow had hung the suit up, with Angel standing next to it, she signalled and Angel lunged at it with a fist. The suit, the top anyway, ripped off the chain and slammed into the wall. Willow walked over to it and picked it up, holding it for Xander to see.
"It won't stand up to a hell god, or even a demon king, it also won't stand up against armour piercing bullets, but will against normal bullets." She handed it over, Xander took it from her and pulled it on, strapping it into place.
It felt good, strong and best of all light, not that it would matter given his strength and all. He let Angel throw a punch at him, slamming a fist into his chest plate, surprisingly he felt nothing. He looked at Willow.
"Magic, Ethan's been teaching me how to use magic to imbue certain properties into technology and even clothes. That's part of what I did to this, I can change the front to represent anything you want, to have a symbol if you need it.
… … … … … … … … … … … … …
Xander had found out that going into the sewers while chasing after a vampire was a bad idea; he thought that if he caught the critter quick enough he could dust him and then be out without a hitch. That was five minutes ago, now Xander was padding down the tunnel as fast as he could.
Xander had no weapons on him other than a stake in hand, which was his first mistake. The second was coming into unknown territory.
He rounded the corner and growled, there was no way out. He stopped and listened, hearing the footsteps of the vampires as they were running after him. He needed an advantage. Xander leapt over to the other side of the large stream that was running down the tunnel. He could swim for it, but again he didn't know where it led or what was in there, and besides he didn't really want to swim through someone else's crap.
He sighed and waited, at least the river was a sort of temporary advantage, Vampires were impatient and hopefully would make a stupid move. He stopped, when it went silent, listening to the noise above.
The twittering and screeching and fluttering of hundreds of bats, the creatures up there clasping to the ceiling. Xander smiled at them, all happy and comfortable, being disturbed.
The five vampires and demon rounded the corner, the big grey thing growled loudly and chuckled.
"What are you going to do now boy?"
Xander grinned viciously, spread out his arms and shouted, loudly. His roar echoed all the way across the tunnels, and all the way up to the surface. The bats were disturbed from their sleep, he had hoped that the ruckus would give him the ability to escape. He used the roar of flapping wings to attack the three vampires.
The bats swarmed around him as he laid punches into the demon, slamming fist after fist into him and while he knew it wouldn't hurt the demon long term, it meant that hopefully it would incapacitate him enough that he could get away.
When the blows stopped, the bats went back to their place in the ceiling, the grey skinned demon looked around stunned. The young man was gone.
Vanished…
On a trail of bats.
… … … … … … … … … … … … …
Word spread quickly around the underground, the demon talked to other demons that talked to vampires and then in turn to humans, and the humans talked among each other.
Soon enough, Sunnydale became a place to fear, three Slayers, a Demon Hell King working with them and to top it off, some sort of bat-man running around.
… … … … … … … … … … … … …
"You alright?"
When they found him, he was sitting quietly in a darkened room nursing several injuries that even the Hyena spirit was having trouble repairing. Willow had stopped and looked at his battered form and winced, Giles came in also and looked him up and down.
"What happened?"
"Got cocky."
Giles frowned and nodded.
"Thought I could handle it," he grimly held up his hands, which were bruised, battered and a dark shade of blue. "Guess lady fate decided it was time for a lesson."
Giles smiled, he knew that well, just when you thought you were on top of the world, and invincible something would come along and knock you off your perch.
Xander didn't say anything more and simply sat in silence, thinking about what had happened. Willow wanted to stay with him, comfort him, but with prompting from Giles, she left him brooding.
The next day Xander seemed better, his bruises were healing and his hands were better, but his heart didn't seem to be in it, his spirit seemed to be a little tarnished.
The next few months were spent acquiring gifts, he bought Buffy a nice long sword for her birthday, naturally using Ted to pay for it, he then got the machine to buy an assortment of other gifts for each girl, each gift unique to that person.
The girls all loved theirs, Angel liked his, as did Spike who for the first time in months actually smiled. The vampire looked his new jacket over and smiled approvingly.
"Y'never know, you might need a spare one day." Spike chuckled at Xander, nodded his appreciation and walked off.
Xander had smirked and nodded thoughtfully. He'd have to keep an eye on Spike, especially with the Initiative in town soon. It was funny, when he thought about it, they had never really known when the Army had actually taken up residence.
His plans were starting to come together for that one, Ethan had gotten him the Captain America suit as well as shield, although it wasn't invincible like the comics it was at least usable. He could just imagine what would happen when Riley's group gets attacked by the Fantastic Four, now that would send Maggy Walsh into a spastic attack.
He wanted to create the impression of many enemies, everywhere and all at the same time. He wanted them to be so confused that they came to them for help. He wanted to be practically begged into the operation, and then, when he was ready, bang he was going to hit them with everything he had.
Buffy's birthday went off without a hitch, Angel kept his distance as did Spike, but the girls all celebrated with lots of chocolate things and a party.
… … … … … … … … … … … … …
The car screeched around a corner, Angel in the driver's seat and Spike in the passenger's. It was a car that they had bought with the funds they had gathered over the centuries. In the back of the car were two other passengers, one who was wearing a hat, a red scarf and the clothing of the Shadow, the other was a terrified looking man by the name of Allan Finch.
The brown haired man who worked in the Mayors office was torn between his fear of the Mayor himself and what he could do, and his fear of being in the car at that moment, for in front were two of the most feared vampires in history.
His attention was torn from them as the Shadow chuckled darkly. The Shadow had appeared out of nowhere, saving Allen from a group of vampires who were pushing him around and were mocking him.
"Allen Finch, I have saved your life." Allen nodded as the car swerved, "Your life now belongs to me."
"But…"
The car began speeding up, "No buts," the Shadow stated. He held out his gloved palm and Allan looked down at it to see an emerald ring. He handed it to Allan, "You will wear this and become one of my operatives."
Finch looked at it and his hands trembled, the Shadow's hand gently took his and slipped the ring on his marriage finger. "When you hear an agent say 'The sun is shining. You will answer, 'But the ice is slippery.'"
"The sun is shining…"
"But the ice is slippery," the Shadow said after him. "We will take you to safety, away from the Mayor."
"But his plans…."
"Are not yours to worry about," Finch could see the smile underneath the scarf, the laughter in the eyes.
"How do you know what's going on?"
"The Shadow knows…" the man tilted his head back and burst into laughter, a deep laugh that seemed to fill his very soul, "The Shadow knows!"
