Buffy Summers, Champion of Grayskull
Episode 11: Questions, questions, and more questions

See chapter 1 for disclaimer!


"Her name is Catherin Evelyn Powers-Madison," Riley said, looking at the small file he had assembled. "Age 38, divorced. She works as a freelance cosmetics saleswoman. No police record, always pays her taxes on time, not even a parking ticket. One daughter, Amy Madison, age 16. Ex-husband Derek Madison left her for another woman 4 years ago, died in a car accident three months later."

Faith snorted. "Anyone willing to take a bet that her unfaithful hubby's car crash was not exactly an accident?"

"No takers," Buffy replied, studying the image of the captured witch on the small screen before her. She was still somewhat amazed how quickly her Guard had set this place up when the need for housing a prisoner had unexpectedly come up. Well, they would have needed a bigger place anyway, she figured. Giles' cover as school librarian might work for him, but explaining the frequent presence of four additional adults in the library would have been a tad more difficult.

Thankfully they had been in luck on that front. Eternia Spring's only night club, Point Dread, had been thoroughly trashed her first night here due to an attack by the Beast-Man. Apparently the owner, who had already been thinking about retirement for a while, had taken that as a sign and sold the place off at a bargain. The Eternal Council had purchased it through a middle man and had quickly converted several of the back rooms into an impromptu headquarters and living space for the Guard. Point Dread would remain open, of course, which gave Buffy and her friends a good excuse to hang out there frequently without raising too many suspicions.

"Has she said anything yet?" Buffy asked.

"Just a wild assortment of threats and quite innovative curse words, I fear," Giles said, stepping up beside her. Her Man-at-Arms was still heavily bandaged and sported a large number of bruises, but thankfully he had recovered nicely from that energy blast he had taken while saving her life. He would definitely need a new set of armor, though. The old one had been fried extra-crispy.

"There was also that time when she first regained consciousness and pretended to be a harmless woman, doing a whole spiel about us violating her rights as an American citizen," Faith added. "I totally bought that, didn't you?"

"Harmless, right," Buffy said grimly. That witch had hurt both her Man-at-Arms and Zoar. The temptation to simply put the Sword of Grayskull to her neck and be done with it had been quite large. Well, at least she was helpless for the moment. The orb staff she had used to focus her magic was destroyed and Madison-Powers herself was bound with special chains that suppressed magic. She was not going anywhere for the moment.

And speaking of Zoar, Buffy was planning on having a few words with the guardian spirit of Grayskull. Twice now the falcon woman had invaded her head to warn her of impending danger, but otherwise kept herself hidden and incommunicado. Well, no more of that. Buffy had quite a few questions that needed answering. How come she could transform her wolfy pal Paladin using the power of Grayskull? Would it work for others as well? How exactly had Skeletor survived their first encounter? How had he become even more powerful? And what about fish men and weaponized zombies? The list was quite extensive by now and Zoar better have at least some answers. This working relationship was terribly one-sided at the moment.

Plus there was one other item which was very much at the top of her list. Xander and Willow had told her about their encounter with Jesse. Something was obviously wrong with that boy and both of her friends seemed convinced that it was something unnatural. Buffy herself hadn't seen the boy since he had gotten hurt at the hands of the Beast-Man (and hadn't really known him well beforehand), so for the moment she was willing to take their word for it. Sadly Jesse remained hard to find. Apparently his parents had reported him missing yesterday, after he hadn't come home the second day in a row.

She sighed. So much to do, not to mention school and somehow squeezing in some kind of private life as well. Not for the first time she cursed the day Merrick had first given her that damned sword. Well, nothing to it. First order of business was to check in at home. Her mom had gotten the week off after the craziness in the woods with the demon wolves and Buffy wanted to make sure she really was all right, or as all right as one could be after almost being eaten by demon wolves.

"Let me know if you get anything of importance from her," she said as she was leaving.

"Will do, my queen," Faith called after her. Buffy didn't react, knowing full well that Faith was only doing it to get a rise out of her. She hated being called that, though.


Marlena was flipping through an old photo album, looking for a particular picture she was sure had to be in here somewhere. Ever since that night up in the Sierras she had tried to convince herself that she had just been seeing things, that the woman riding the giant wolf (and boy, she would really like to believe she had imagined that part as well) was not who she thought it was. It was impossible, of course, but for some reason she couldn't simply let it go, either.

Flipping through the pictures, she found her thoughts wandering. God, so much time had passed. So much had changed. The woman in those pictures looked so different from the one she saw in the mirror these days. Not that she had been all wide-eyed optimism and laughter even then. She'd just returned from her stint in the Gulf, after all, and seen quite a few things she would have preferred not to have seen. She had known it was a hard, brutal world out there, but tragedy hadn't struck her on a personal level yet. That was still several months in the future at that point.

Then, finally, there was the picture she had been looking for. She could still remember the day it had been taken. She and Randolph had been married for... what, half a year at that point? They had met in the Gulf and tied the knot only a short time after returning stateside. Quite a few of her friends had told her she was rushing things, but she and Randolph had been so in love, so certain… Shaking those thoughts away, she focused on the picture again. It showed two women with their arms around each other standing in front of a café on a sunny day. Marlena Glenn-Summers, wearing a summer dress that almost managed to hide the slight swell of her belly and smiling brightly. And beside her the woman who had stepped into her life only a few days earlier, but had quickly become her best friend before vanishing again a few weeks later, never to be seen again.

Until a few nights ago.

"Adora," she whispered, her finger tracing the face of the woman. The face that hadn't changed one bit in seventeen years. "How is this possible?"

The sound of the door started her and she quickly put the photo album down. A moment later Buffy came into the living room, smiling at her.

"Hi mom! How are you feeling?"

She gave an exasperated sigh, pushing away the feelings of confusion and bitter remembrance. "Like I told you about a dozen times by now, Buffy, I am fine. If it were up to me I'd already be flying again."

Buffy gave her a stern look. "Now, mom, you know what the doctor said. You had a big shock-y thing and that means no flying for a week. Your boss said the same thing. So you just rest up and enjoy getting paid for vegging out on the couch!"

Sighing again, Marlena let herself drop back into the cushions. "Yes, ma'am! As you command, ma'am!"

She wasn't sure, but she thought she heard Buffy mumble something like "ma'am sounds no better than queen". What was that all about?


"You sure this is going to work?" Willow asked.

"It better, or I'm going to be very annoyed!" Buffy replied.

The two girls along with Xander were camped out on the grass just outside town and looking up at the majestic vista of the Sierra Nevada. Buffy had taken the Sword of Grayskull from her spine sheath and planted it into the ground before her. Paladin – or Mr. P as she liked to refer to him when he was in his natural body – was lying on his back beside her and was very busy getting his belly scratched. Willow and Xander had been a bit hesitant for a moment – one didn't live in this region one's entire life without being a bit weary of the local wildlife – but after getting her face licked Willow had quickly thawed toward the wolf and Xander hadn't been far behind.

For the last ten minutes Buffy had done her best to project her thoughts, both in the general direction of Castle Grayskull, as well as towards the town behind her, seeing as she still wasn't sure where the reclusive and occasionally falcon-shaped guardian spirit was hanging out. She had received no answer so far, though.

ZOAR! she mentally shouted. I swear, bird lady, if you make me hike all the way up to Castle Grayskull to find you, you're going to have one very cranky Champion on your hand! I want to talk to you and I'm not taking no for an answer! And not silence, either!

"Maybe she's busy cleaning," Xander proposed jokingly. "You did say the Castle was pretty much a dump, right? Maybe she's embarrassed about getting visitors until she's got the place cleaned up."

Buffy just scowled and hoped her scowl transmitted across whatever mental link Zoar had formed with her. "I'm going to throw a party in the Castle if she doesn't show up soon. I'll book a heavy metal band, I'll put up signs saying 'this way to Despondos', I'll..."

The piercing cry of a falcon rang through the air and interrupted her list of things she could do in Castle Grayskull in order to annoy Zoar. A moment later she spotted the fiery shape of Zoar's falcon form as it came swooping down from the sky. The falcon opened its wings and flapped to stop its descent, coming to a halt just inches off the ground. Settling down, it gave her a rather annoyed glare, which was pretty impressive coming from a bird.

"About time," Buffy said. "Willow, Xander, Mr. P, that's Zoar. Zoar, this is the gang!"

Champion, I can't say I approve of you dragging these children into...

"I don't really care what you approve of right now," Buffy interrupted her. "And we're speaking out loud here, got it? Now don't get me wrong, I appreciate you playing the whole early warning system and letting me know when the evil guys are up to something around here. But that's not good enough. A couple of things happened and this Champion here needs more information if she's gonna do the Champion bit. So let's get on it, Zoar! Sharing power with Paladin, blue guy getting a reverse face lift, something wrong with Jesse. Take your pick, but start with something!"

For a moment the falcon just glared and she wondered what she could do if Zoar just decided to up and fly away. She held the bird's gaze, though, and did her best to look queen-ly. Finally the falcon lowered its head a bit and settled down into what she assumed was a more comfortable position for a bird.

Very well, Champion. I do not know all the answers you seek, but I can tell you some of what you wish to know.

"Wow, did you hear her talking in your head, too?" Xander asked, gaping.

"That's so weird," Willow remarked. Mr. P just gave a growl for agreement.

I put some effort into finding out more about the creature calling itself Skeletor. When we first met him before the gates of Castle Grayskull he was merely a man, I believe, though his blue skin tone leads me to believe that he counts at least one of the Gar race among his ancestors.

"What are the Gar?" Buffy asked.

The Gar were a tribe of humans that, instead of joining King Grayskull in his quest to free Earth from Hordak, betrayed their own kind and sided with the Horde in return for power. It is said that their blue skin marks them as traitors and their blood carries the taint of the Horde as well. It was believed they had all died out eons ago, but apparently some survived.

"Great. But I assume they weren't all skull-faced, were they?"

The falcon shook its head, a human gesture that seemed very much out of place on a bird. No. I believe that the injuries he suffered in his battle against you led him to perform some kind of dark ritual, preserving his life and boosting his power. I do not know the specifics, but by their very nature such rituals carry a heavy price, the loss of his human features probably being the least of it. If he wasn't already damned before, he certainly is now.

"So the guy's a lich now, right?" Xander said, snapping his fingers.

"A lich?" Buffy asked, clueless.

"Xander, this isn't a Dungeons and Dragons game," Willow admonished him. "You really are a nerd sometimes, you know?"

"Says the one who instantly knew what I was talking about," Xander shot back. "Anyway, a lich is someone who basically turns himself into an undead creature in order to achieve immortality. Like a zombie, but still smart and all and with the sorcery power to boot."

An unorthodox, but fitting comparison, Zoar nodded. As I said, I do not know the specifics, but Skeletor is now vastly more powerful than before. He has almost certainly forfeited his soul in the process, but that is of little practical use to us.

"So if he's undead, can he still be killed?" Buffy asked. "He certainly wasn't keen on being stabbed or beheaded in our last fight."

There is very little the Sword of Grayskull cannot kill, Champion. But I doubt there are many other weapons capable of doing him harm.

Buffy sat back heavily, thinking. "Just great. Is this going to be a thing? Foes I think I defeated coming back more powerful? Because if so, it's a sucky thing!"
Be of heart, Champion. It seems that in return you have already gained a number of new allies as well. Especially your four-legged companion.

Buffy looked over at Mr. P and reached over to scratch his neck again. "Yeah, about that. How did that work? I mean, I'm glad it did and all, but from what Giles said there is no previous record of a Champion ever managing to transfer part of the power to someone else."

Falcons didn't snort derisively, but Zoar certainly managed to give the impression.

For all the valuable support work they do, the members of the Eternal Council don't know everything there is to know about Grayskull and his legacy. King Grayskull himself had a companion much like your wolf friend and a scattered few Champions throughout the ages have also shared the power with others. As to how exactly it works, I cannot tell you, but it is a fact that those Champions who did fight with such a companion by their side are among the greatest of their ilk.

Buffy sighed deeply, burying her hand deeper in Mr. P's fur. "Hear that, pal? We're destined for greatness. Lucky us, eh?"

Willow saw her chance to get a question in. "And what about Jesse? He's been acting really weird and Xander figures he's gotten a really fast super-growth-spurt and he has bigger teeth and a way deeper voice and he's all 'grrrrr' and 'leave me alone' to his best friends. Something must be going on with him."

Zoar seemed to consider her words. I am uncertain, Ms. Rosenberg. It is possible that Mr. McNally is under the influence of some dark force, but I will need to see him myself in order to learn more. Do you have any idea where he is right now?


"This isn't really getting us anywhere, is it?" Faith asked, leaning back in her chair. "I mean, I have learned some impressive new curse words, granted, but apart from that...?"

Giles nodded. "It seems mere verbal persuasion will not gain us any information from Mrs. Madison-Powers."

"Time to get out the thumb screws?" Faith asked, perking up.

"Please tell me you don't actually have thumb screws, Captain Lehane!"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She wiggled her eye brows. "But I was actually thinking about letting Ampata take a crack. She... knows some tricks."

Giles looked down, stretching his aching muscles. "I am... not comfortable taking such a course of action quite yet. We will wait until Buffy returns. She was hoping to get answers from the guardian spirit of Castle Grayskull. Let us wait to see what she has learned, then we shall determine whether more extreme measures are necessary in regard with Mrs. Madison-Powers."

Faith understood Giles' reluctance. Despite her words, she was not a big fan of torture, either. But basically passing the buck to Buffy... it didn't sit well with her, either. The poor girl had enough riding on her shoulders, which was one of the reasons Faith had taken it upon herself to rib her a lot. Hopefully it was going to help her keep her feet on the ground while still carrying her burden. Elders, all of this had sounded so much easier when she had been back in Guard training.

"I'm going for a walk," she finally announced, rising from her chair. "Getting stir crazy in here."

"Keep an eye out," Giles told her. "While our foe has so far shown little regard for the fate of his underlings, he might change his mind when it comes to a powerful sorcerers like our guest here."

"Will do!"

Exiting the back rooms of Point Dread, she stepped out into the club proper. It was late in the afternoon and except for a few people getting a drink the place was almost empty. Wouldn't fill up until after sundown and even then it would probably remain rather civil, this being a week night and all. Faith figured it a good thing that the Eternal Council hadn't bought this place for the revenue. She didn't really understand how the previous owner had managed to make a profit with this thing. What did she know about running a business, though?

As she walked through the club, though, one person caught her eye. He was big, at least six foot six, and had the bulk to match. His face looked more like that of an adolescent, though. And the way he moved made it look like he was unaccustomed to his own body mass. Also, there was just something... wrong about him. Faith wasn't sure what it was, but the guy looked like bad news.

She slowly made her way over, keeping an eye on him. The guy was sitting down at the bar and the bar stool actually seemed to bend under him. Okay, that wasn't really normal, either. Something very fishy was going on here. Making sure she had her gun and her sword within reach under her jacket, she slowly walked closer.

"Give me a drink," the guy growled, actually growled.

"Eh, look pal," the bartender said, looking somewhat spooked. "I'm gonna need to see some ID here or..."

Moving pretty fast for someone with his bulk the guy reached out and snatched the bartender by the front of his shirt. A moment later they were face to face.

"Said I need a drink," another growl, sounding even more menacing than before.

"Do we have a problem here?" Faith asked, walking up to them as casually as she could manage. Her hand was already on the grip of her gun.

"Nothing but problems," the guy turned to look at her. Yep, his teeth didn't look that normal, either. "Need a drink, quiet down the voices!"

Voices? Okay, this sounded really bad. "Okay, buddy. How about you calm down a bit, I'll buy you a drink and then we can..."

He jumped from the stool, shoving the bartender away hard enough to send him flying. He advanced on Faith and... was he getting even bigger? This was not good. Also, had he been this hairy a minute ago?

"Calm down? CALM DOWN? Stupid bint, think I can with all this noise in my head? Howling, barking, growling, all in my head. I can't stop it. It's driving me bonkers, and you're telling me to CALM DOWN!?"

Yes, he was indeed getting bigger. And hairier. And the teeth were getting longer as well. Something seriously bad was happening to this guy and from the sounds of it he was a victim of something out of his control.

"I can help you, buddy," she said, inching back and hitting the panic button on the cell phone in her pocket. "Obviously something really bad is happening to you. We can help if you let us."

He crouched down, slouching like a big ape, and his face was rapidly being covered in orange fur. His clothes were ripping, too small for his bulk, and his fingers elongated into claws. Faith had always been a fan of the Hulk, so she wouldn't have been surprised if the guy had suddenly shouted something like "SMASH!", but the only thing coming out of his mouth was a big growl.

Followed immediately by a big leap toward her, clawed hands outstretched to rip her to shreds.

Somewhere else in town the creature now only known as Skeletor looked up from his work and stared off into the distance for a moment. A moment later he chuckled and the crimson glow in his eye sockets seemed to intensify.

"Ah, it seems an old friend will be returning to the fold soon."

The human beside him, busily reattaching a severed arm to a huge, hulking zombie with a mechanized lower jaw, looked over at him.

"What are you talking about, boss? Who is coming back?"

Skeletor merely laughed. "There must always be... a Beast-Man!"

End Chapter 11