I claim no ownership in this chapter for the BTVS, Supernatural, Walker Texas Ranger, or Highlander characters used in this chapter.
Night had come to San Antonio and Buffy was standing on a tall building looking down into the streets below. She could see the Alamo, a handful of various churches, various hotels, and other buildings. The kind of places that she simply didnt make any promises about the exact location, he could give her a rough idea on the location of where the Immortal Hunter was going to be. She knew that the old shaman was playing a dangerous game by working with her. His people seemed to be very anti her. She looked up as a large dog like creature stepped forward. A hellhound, not Crowleym a Rider, I can sense my targets." Buffy questioned, as she looked at the large creature. While it wasns favorite it was still a lot bigger than the ones that she had killed on her prom night. Maybe those were the lap hellhound versions and these were the hunting hellhound type. Either that, or those hadnt think that old Scratch was going to give me that much leeway in the use of his Rider did ya?" He asked her mockingly. "I know that you still think like a human for the most part, but do try and keep up here and there." He requested of her arrogantly.
Buffy glared at the demon seriously tempted to just knock his head off. It would be a fairly easy thing to do as well. The demon implying that she wasn't human anymore touched a sensitive spot on her that she'd had ever since becoming the Slayer. She noticed Crowley may be a powerful demon, but he obviously didnt underestimate this target of yours either, het realize that the figure before him was considering whether or not it would be worth it to kill him and be done with him. "He's had years to train himself in the use of that sword of his. Even more than you with all your little nightly adventures managed to acquire, and that doesn't even bring in the mystical aspect of his." He warned her.
"Awe you almost sound like you care." She mocked the demon bemusedly.
"More like I'd rather not have to look for somebody else to do the job if you can't do it." Crowley shot back sourly. "Renting your skills out wasn't exactly cheap. So try not to screw it up." He ordered.
"We'll just have to see." Buffy returned to the Crossroad Demon. She turned away from him and looked down at the Hellhound. "You ready to go find Timmy, Lassie?" The Hellhound growled at the Rider in response before it leaped off the side of a building. "Later Crowley don't wait up." Buffy called out to the demon before jumping after the beast.
Crowley rolled his eyes at the defiant Slayer. This was why he actually preferred to deal with Hellhounds when it came collection time. Anyone else would just be an annoyance to him. Still he supposed that there were worst things that could be happening. Besides after this he wouldn't have to deal with her again and by the time that he decided that he needed another favor from Scratch, it was likely that there would be some new idiot that was thinking that they were capable. He might as well find go and find his seat though this promised to be a most interesting night and he could hardly wait to see just how the girl decided to confront the Immortal. It should also allow him to him to see just what it was that made some people thinks that this girl was such a special being.
Methos and Duncan had decided to come back to the River Walk at night, when there were a handful fewer mortals around the place. If this Immortal wished to fight with them they hoped that they could make it easier if they needed to vanish to conduct their business. Hopefully he wasn't going to be the violent type and they could all leave without causing problems. The pair noticed that many of the tourist appeared to have opted against coming out tonight. Considering the place no longer had the quaint atmosphere that it had once had that was a relief. There were still many of the shops open tonight making it seem as if they were merely out for a stroll. The fact that they were actually searching for an Immortal wasn't one that they were going to worry about. Normally they would leave this Immortal alone, but the fact that this one had been systematically killing anyone and anything that got close to his secret made the pair cautious. It could be he was simply an Immortal that was easily spooked into acting and wasn't some monster that they needed to deal with. It could even be that the disappearances were the result of another group that thought that they were protecting him. They had seen it all before, and there was no telling just what it was that they were walking into. As they walked they could sense the Immortal's power. It seemed that he was waiting for them. The pair had reached the walkway and paused at what they saw.
There was a man in full spanish finery in his hand was a drawn broadsword. He looked the pair over as if judging them. The two Immortals saw that the area was quickly becoming vacant, as if people could sense what was coming. The only people that didn't seem interested in leaving was a mixed group of Native Americans and Hispanics. Each group was dressed in rather simplistic clothes as they began taking positions to watch.
"I'm not so sure that I like where this is going Highlander. Methos observed, as his eyes scanned the area looking for a way to slip out. Everywhere he looked though there was someone else moving into position. Even behind them there was a crowd forming up.
"I'm beginning to think that we were expected." Duncan dryly noted, as he looked at the crowd with worry.
"Whatever might give you that idea?" Methos snapped out waspishly. "Could it be the small army that he has that's come to watch the show of him killing us?" He caustically asked his companion, while waving at the crowd that had them surrounded.
"Most likely." Duncan admitted to him, as his eyes scanned the people surrounding them hoping to find someone that would at the very least listen to them. Instead, it seemed that everyone here was rather intent on what they were doing. The men were surprised when they saw that a bound Joe was being forced through the crowd.
"So, what's the game here then?" Methos questioned the Immortal before them curiously ignoring the mortals even as Joe was pushed in with them. "Is there something you want to tell us?" He demanded of the Immortal Leader. "Because I'd hate to think that I took your head before you got the chance to gloat or whatever it is that you do." He told the figure with an annoyed air.
"Immortals." The figure growled out angrily, his hand reaching out to grasp the sword that he was wearing. "What is it with your kind that you can never just die off already? Why can't you all just be good worms and die? How many of your kind do I have to destroy before you are all gone?"
"You do realize that you're being something of a hypocrite don't you?" Methos returned to him bemusedly. "I mean seriously, what are you going to do when there are no more Immortals for you to kill anyways?"
"I will return to my solitude, and destroy the demons that roam these lands." The figure returned to them coolly. "Such is my life's mission."
"Demons?" Duncan repeated somewhat dubiously. "You actually believe in such things as demons?"
"Just because you've never run across them before doesn't mean that they don't exist." Methos chided his companion knowingly. "Like Immortals, the creatures of the Supernatural have been around longer than you would believe, and live in between worlds." He explained knowingly as he thought of all of the various creatures that he had run across in his life. He wondered what Duncan would do if he ran across some of the creatures he knew. As a former member of the Four Horsemen, he had an easier in to some places than the noble highlanders did. Places where demons made a habit of living in. He did wonder how someone as old as Duncan had never run across the real supernatural. Then again, there were those that simply ignored, or denied the true existence of the supernatural no matter how much proof that they were confronted with. He hadn't thought Duncan was such a person, but maybe he was.
"Enough talk, which of you shall be first? Which of you shall be the first to die by my blade." The Immortal demanded of them.
"Duncan, I believe that this is where you give some sort of inspirational speech about why we don't need to do this and how we should all hold hands and trade friendship bracelets, or whatever method you want to try and talk him down with. Which will be when he tries to kill you and I have to figure some crazy way to save your hide from your noble stupidity." Methos offered with a grin while waving his comrade toward the figure.
"You do know how to make this appealing." Duncan returned to the man as he stepped forward. "I don't suppose that there's anyway that you might consider not doing this?" He asked idly, even as he drew his sword out.
Duncan used a white handled katana as his weapon of choice. The weapon had served him well for many years. The Hunter on the other hand used a large black flame bladed sword that followed the basic design of the Spada de lato. The two blades looked just as different as their wielders. Savagery vs Elegance.
"It is because of your kind that I became what I did." The Immortal snarled at him angrily. "I swore many years ago that I would destroy all of your kind no matter how long it took. I made deals with beings that would make you tremble if you knew who it was that I made deals with." With that said, the man lunged forward.
Duncan intercepted the incoming blade with his own. The two blades clashed together as the pair tested the strength of the muscles and blades against each other. Lighting like energy sparked between the two of them. Duncan broke the locked blades off with a frown. This Hunter as he called himself didn't appear overly strong yet when they had connected blades he had been surprisingly strong, in fact it had almost been as if his own strength had drained from him for a moment. "You're stronger than you look." He complimented, as he tried to learn anything about the strange fighter.
"No words you say will make me change you will die creature of darkness." The man returned to him. "All of your kind will fall to my blade, and I shall be freed from this life that you and your kind have forced me on."
"Are you not an Immortal yourself?" Duncan asked him.
The curse of your darkness has made me like this." The Hunter spat back at him angrily. "Once I have found all of your kind, I will at last be free from this living and I shall have my reward of heaven." He then performed several slashing strikes at Duncan that the Highlander batted away.
They exchanged a few blows and then Duncan managed to kick the swordsman away from him. "That is not how it works though." Duncan tried to explain. "You either are an Immortal, or you are not. Their is no in-between, and nothing that can make a normal human into one of us. Its simply not the way that it works."
"You think that I can be fooled by your lies monster? I was a hunter for many years before I was cursed, I know precisely what it is that you are, and the only chance I'll ever have of reuniting with those who are gone is to destroy you all. For you monsters there will be no gathering of yourselves for whatever reason I shall destroy you just as I have destroyed all of the various creatures before you." The man lunged forward again and the pair locked blades for a moment before breaking apart and watching each other cautiously.
"I don't think he's overly interested in what it is that you have to say." Methos pointed out to his friend as he circled by him.
"I've noticed." Duncan grumbled back as he eyed the other Immortal over warily. The two fighters suddenly went at each other again. Their swords clanging against each other.
Methos frowned as he watched the duel between the two taking place. There was something off about it, he just couldn't figure what it was though. The Highlander was struggling in this fight despite the fact that this Immortal didn't look nearly as strong as he was. His frown deepened as he watched his comrade barely step out of the way of a slash, as it was it left a small slice across his chest. He couldn't remember the last time that he had seen the Highlander struggle so much against an opponent. The oddest part was that most of the moves looked like they were rather easy to counter. At least from this angle. He supposed the man might have some sort of trick working for him. Considering how Duncan was weakening it might even be a poison of some kind. Although if that was the case then he had to wonder how it was delivered. He hadn't seen anything hit the man in anyway. He supposed that it could have been when they had been surrounded, but the Highlander was usually more aware than to be caught out so easily. Not to mention that he still felt fine.
He wondered if there was something more to it though. The Hunter had seemed to be aware of the supernatural world, which could mean that he was capable of tricks that might not be so obvious at first. With a twist of the blade he managed to knock the Highlander's blade away from him. With a punch he then knocked the Highlander into a wall. The man twirled his sword a moment before turning to look at Methos and Joe. "Tonight is indeed a good night when I can destroy two of you creatures and one of historians."
"We're not done yet." Methos returned to him with a bravado he didn't really feel. He had always known that there was a chance that the Highlander would lead him to his death. He wondered briefly if there would be a way to escape the sword waving maniac while he was busy with the others.
They were interrupted as a large howl echoed through the area. It caused everyone to pause and turn in time to see a figure that was standing on the railing overhead. The person was female, short, blonde, dressed in biker leathers, and seemingly unimpressed by everything that was going on below her. "Okay, I really think that amateur hour is over and that its my turn now." The blonde noted lightly.
The Hunter didn't say anything, but he did reach into his jacket pocket and pulled out a pair of sunglasses and slip them on over his face. "Its not often that I see someone, or should say something that has a Hell Hound for a tracking dog." He noted with a smirk, as he focused on something off to the side.
The figure scowled slightly at the nonhuman comment. She took a deep breath and managed to get control of herself. "So did the spy glasses come in a box of cracker jack's?" She asked teasingly as she looked them over. She then turned to her side and looked down at a blank space. "Its not quiet a well Lassie, but I suppose that it'll have to do." She spoke to something that it seemed only she and the Hunter could see.
"Who are you?" The Hunter demanded of her. "You are not like any that I have seen before. Has Crowley decided to send a new type to the slaughter? Does he think that you can do what all those before you have not been able to do and collect the bounty on me?"
"What all of your friends in the tribes didn't tell you that the Rider was looking for you?" The girl asked curiously, as she looked down on the man. Her eyes darted over to look at the various people that had come to see the fight. "Huh, and to think that my sources told me that you were their favorite weapon or something like that. Then again some people aren't always all that good about working with their weapon." She added in knowingly.
The figure scowled and turned to glare at some of the people. "You knew that the Rider was here and didn't think to tell me?" He demanded of them angrily.
The various Indians looked annoyed by the presence of the Rider. "We were going to tell you, only you told us about the Immortals first, we know that the Immortals are your personal vice when it comes to hunting the darkness. Had we told you I doubt that you would have given much thought to it." One of the men explained to him gruffly. "We also thought that we had more time to prepare for it."
"The Rider coming after you is never anything to ignore." The Immortal returned to the mortal in annoyance. "The Rider is worse than all the Hellhounds in the world. Some say it is a force of nature that none can stop, and can rip the bonds between life and death itself." He turned his back on the Chief to look at the blonde. "I can't help but wonder what Crowley must have offered you to convince you to come after me. Did he get tired of sending the smaller demons out after me?" He taunted. "Has he finally sent something that is worth my time?"
"My boss made a deal with the guy holding your soul marker." The girl explained, as she reached behind her and pulled a strange axe like weapon out.
Everyone looking at the weapon could almost feel the power that the weapon seemed to exude from it. It made a person even more worried as there were few weapons that could actually do that. Methos had seen a few such weapons of power in his time. In Scotland he had known a wizard with a heavy broadsword that had done that, Samuel Colt's gun was a weapon of power even if it didn't look like much of a weapon. It made him wonder what was going to happen next.
The girl launched herself off of the ledge and landed perfectly. Had she been judged for that landing, she probably would have been given full marks for what she had just done. "So, how about you fight someone that knows who and what you are and where your power comes from?" The blonde asked him curiously.
"Interferences is not allowed." Duncan tried to remind everyone.
The blonde smirked at the guy who was obviously not used to having to be rescued. "I don't play by the rules very good, never have' doubt that I ever will." The Rider explained to ponytail, as she was mentally dubbing him. Ponytail with an accent, but still a ponytail.
"There are rules though that we must all follow." Duncan told her officiously, as if she was a part of their little club.
The Rider shook her head at the man. "Look, I realize that your not used to being the damsel and all, but get over it." She told him. "Also, if you had been paying attention then you would have noticed that I'm not a member of your club of freaks. I happen to be a member of an entirely different one." She explained to him.
Despite the seriousness of the situation Methos couldn't help but snort in amusement at the way that the girl talked down to the Highlander. That alone made this entire trip worth it. He only hoped that she hadn't gotten into a fight that she couldn't get out of later.
The Rider turned to look at the Hunter. "So, Crowley told me that its my job to deal with you.
"I don't know who you are girl, but your not the Rider. If you were the Rider then I would have already started feeding from your power."
"The joy of having a good dog and learning how to control your power." The blonde returned with a grin. "I suppose you want some sort of introduction though right. You guys are all big going I am such and such, of so and so, and I am whatever, and now it is time to fight." She mocked him.
Methos now had a craggy grin on his face. Whoever this woman was she sure had a lot of guts. Most of their kind found a certain bit of power by saying who they were and all that. For her to casually mock that, showed how little respect she had for it though. It was refreshing to hear. It was more along the lines of something that he would have thought that Amanda, another Immortal of their acquaintance would have performed to make one of the more snobbish immortals angry. He glanced over at Joe, and saw that even he was slightly amused by this sudden twist that had appeared out of seeming nowhere.
"Rider you have no business here." One of the Indians shouted, as he stepped forward as if to intimidate the blonde. "Your power means nothing to us."
"If you think that then you really are stupid." The blonde told the man casually, as she looked him up in down in boredom as if she was merely killing time than actually paying attention to him.
The man looked as if he had been slapped by her causal dismissal of them being an actual threat to her. He narrowed his eyes and was about to say something when he was cut off. "Why do you deny her to do her duty brother?" Another one asked. "This is the first time in several years that he has bothered to get off of his seat and do something. How many have we lost to various creatures while he had sat there and stared into his bottle? Our people have supported him for years and yet this is the first time in nearly a lifetime that he has done anything. These ones did nothing to anger or harm us, and yet we allowed this attack to happen if for no other reason than to see what would happen when the Hunter roused himself."
"It is our way." The other Indian defended. "This is what we have been waiting for, the thing to bring his fighting and hunting spirit back to the Hunter. With the destruction of these two Immortals we bring our warrior back to his true potential. Once this is done all of the dark creatures and spirits that have making a home of this area will once again be forced to hide as our chosen warrior retakes the land from them."
"He does not fight for duty, but for a promise of a revenge that may not even be there anymore." Another spoke up.
"It actually doesn't matter what you guys think." The Rider cut into the argument. "There is nothing that you could say or do that would make it to hard for me to take this guy out." She explained to them. "So, how about you get out of the way and let me do my thing?" She requested of them. "Trust me, I'm a lot more than you would like to think." She assured them while flashing a smile at them.
The leaders seemed to be thinking for a moment, as if deciding what it was that they could do.
"I am the Hunter, and I shall destroy you, and all of your kind creature." The Immortal growled, as he rushed towards the blonde.
Rather than meeting him head on the blonde rolled under his first attack. Turning he swung again only for her to sidestep that attack as well. What followed was a series of strikes as the Immortal tried to hack the Rider apart. The girl always managed to be just out of the way of blade though and would follow it up with a light jab or back kick that would send the Hunter stumbling away.
"Stand and fight." The Hunter demanded of her angrily. "Have you no honor?" He demanded of her.
"Says the guy using a demon sword designed to suck the mystical mojo right out of me and into you." The Rider returned bemusedly. "Why would I want to do that?" She questioned him.
The Immortal paused as she explained what his weapon did. It had always been one of his most closely guarded secrets. Now this girl had told several leaders of the area of one of his greatest secrets. "How did you come by this information?" He demanded of her. "None should know of this."
"Uh, I thought I made it pretty clear that I got this job from Crowley." The Rider returned to him, talking slowly as if to a young simpleton. "My job is to bring your self righteous ass in. Its time to do the whole pay the piper thing." She explained to him. "Hell, its actually past time, and I'm sure Crowley will deal with the matter of your late fees in his own way when he finally gets to you." She added with a shrug. "Because trying to gip a demon is really a bad idea." She explained to him.
"A devil blade?" One of the men asked suspiciously. "You're using a devil blade? Only the most foul of methods could arrange for someone to get their hands on such a weapon." He spat out in disgust.
"Silence fool, I have given more than you could ever imagine to the fight against demons, and until you have given even half as much you are not fit to judge me." The Hunter shot back in his defense.
"That explains you." Methos told Duncan, clapping him on the shoulder. "The guy was stealing your strength every time you got close. Wish I had something like that it would make some of my duels easier." He added wistfully as he looked the blade of the Hunter over longingly.
"Something tells me that the price isn't worth it." Joe pointed out. Not if the way that all of these people are acting is anything to go by." He noted nodding towards all of the people that were scowling at the Hunter. "Something tells me the cost of using that sword is more than even you want to pay."
"True, which is a shame." Methos returned, looking at the sword somewhat longingly.
"Besides, would you want someone like her coming after you when you refused to pay your debt?" Joe asked nodding towards the blonde. "Then again, it might mean I could get you to pay your tab." The Watcher suggested with a smirk.
They watched as the girl then did something none of them had been expecting, she formed a ball of flame and threw it at the figure. Despite his surprise, the Hunter was able to bring his weapon up to intercept the attack and they watched as the flames seemed to get sucked up by the blade. "Yes, it can feel your power creature. These powers that you possess are stronger than anything that I've ever faced, and thanks to this sword that power is mine. With the power of the Rider within me, nothing can stand in my way of destroying all of the dark ones that wander he Earth." The Immortal declared as it reveled in the power it had stolen. He swung his sword, and a stream of lighting and flames rushed at the girl.
The Rider ducked under the blast, letting the attack fly over her head and on next with one of the bridges destroying it. When she came back up the Immortal was there and he swung his sword. The two blades locked. As the blades were balanced against each other dark shadows ran from the blade into the Immortal.
What is this? The Hunter asked, as he felt something else, something unexpected. This was not the raw power of the Rider, it was dark and unknown.
Buffy smirked at her opponent. "You really shouldn't have tried to do that." She scolded knowingly. "Maybe it'll teach you not to eat things that you don't know what are." She mused at him.
"Oh and why is that?" The Immortal sneered at her as he tried to ignore the weird sensations that were slicing through his mind. "With your power within me I shall destroy you. Not even the so called Rider will be able to stand against me." He gloated at her.
"Well you see, I'm not just the Rider, I'm also one of the Slayers, one of the last Chosen Slayers, and the Slayer isn't a big fan of having other unallowed people trying to use her power." Buffy explained with a predatory grin. "Trust me I've seen her reaction when it was people that I liked, even so I had to vouch for them. There's no telling what it might do to someone that's trying to force the share when I don't like them." She warned the Immortal.
The Immortal gasped as he felt a new presence attacking his mind. The Immortal gaped in shock, as the pair of them seemed to be transported into a desert. The pair continued to fight, but they were now kicking up sand. In the corner of his vision, he could see a woman with wild hair, dressed in leather skins, and wearing war paint. She was pacing back and forth while watching the two of them as they moved around trying to kill each other.
"Who is she?" He demanded of his opponent.
"She is me and I am her." The Rider explained with a shrug of her shoulders. "We are one and separate, mother, daughter and sisters, First and Last, Beginning and End all at once. Or at least that's the way that she describes us." She explained carelessly. "Right now she's pissed more than anything else. She's really not a fan of intruders." She explained as she delivered a punch that sent the Immortal staggering.
"Stop talking in circles girl." The Immortal demanded, as he broke away from the blonde to swing his blade at the dark creature that easily dodged the hit and then kicked at him sending him flying back toward the blonde.
"The Rider may be the very nature of vengeance, but the Slayer is the warrior that hides in the shadows and kicks the ass of the evil ones like you." Buffy explained to him. "It can vanish and reappear as needed.
"A Slayer." Methos hissed nervously as he watched the fight. He had heard of the dangerous warrior women. There had been several in Greece over the years. The vampire Kakistos had reportedly killed one once. It was also reported that another Slayer had killed him in America a few years back. He wasn't sure if that was just a rumor or not. He had faked his death enough times that he was skeptical on that one. He had also run I to one as one of the Horsemen. The girl had cost them three, a dozen various retainers, and had managed to kill them all several times. Had she tried to take their heads she likely would have succeeded. Once they had recovered they had left the area for fear of running into others like her. It had taken a lot of searching to find out just what it was that had mowed through them so effortlessly.
"You've heard of them as well then?" Joe asked the other man in surprise.
When you've been around as long as I have you here about a lot of things." Methos explained.
"Only senior members of my branch of the Watchers Council are allowed to even know about the other side of the world." Joe explained to his comrades. Duncan stared at the two men in surprise, but kept his mouth shut as he realized that he was not the expert here.
Methos nodded, it made sense that Joe had been briefed since he was upper to middle management in the Watchers Council that dealt with the Slayer and the supernatural. In his years as a Watcher he had never seen the two branches coexist with each other often or very well. The Watchers that were brought in from the outside world were usually the ones that dealt with the Immortals, while those whose families had been in the business for a few generations usually worked in the supernatural branch. He did know that while his branch was supposed to be old and have sources like no one would believe they paled in comparison to that of the supernatural side.
"I will have your power." The Hunter declared, as he rushed at the girl. Seemingly unworried, the girl met him blow for blow no matter how many times that they crossed blades though the girl never seemed to lose any of her strength. If anything the girl seemed to be more and more amused the longer that the fight drew out. It was as if she was enjoying herself with the fight more than anything else. The pair of them were so wrapped up in their fight that it didn't seem as if they were even aware of the other people that were watching them fight.
"As fun as this is, its time to end this." The Slayer declared. "Preferably before I let my full power out."
"Power that shall soon be mine." The Immortal cried, as he swung his sword downward with both hands.
The Slayer rolled her eyes as she caught the heavy looking sword on the cross guard with one hand. The Immortal looked shocked and tried to pull the sword away from his opponent, but it might as well have been excalibur for all of the success that he was having with it. "Look, I thought to give you a chance, but quite frankly your annoying me." The Slayer explained, as she jerked the sword out of his hands and sent the blade skittering away. "You made a deal, and now its time to pay the piper. One super sword in exchange for your sword." She reminded him pointedly.
"If you kill me, who will guard this land. It is drenched with the blood of those that have had violent death." The Immortal shot back at the Slayer defiantly. "Will you be able to sleep at night knowing how many you have condemned?"
The Slayer smiled at the man even as she waved her weapon towards the assembled people gathered around them. "It is time for them to take their own protection in hand once again. You may have done some good, but this way it has to be. Not that it means much, but I am sorry that it came down to this." The blonde told him. "You should have tried to either get out of the deal, or find people to help you. Maybe even not making crazy deals like that in the first place." She suggested.
"Who are you to judge me." The Immortal spat at her defiantly. "What have you lost in the fight for world? I have been on this world longer than you could know and sacrificed more than you could imagine. How dare you judge me for what I have done. You are like all of the other so called heroes, that feel like you can judge me for what I have done."
The Slayer looked at him grimly, the sympathy in her eyes fading as she tossed him across the river and into the opposite wall. Nearly everyone winced as they saw him slam into the wall. The sound of bones breaking could be heard all the way across. The Rider leaped across the water and landed in a crouch next to him. "I've given everything to keep the world spinning, and unlike you I did it without the advantage of being Immortal or having a choice as well. To protect people I care for, I sold my freedom to become a bounty hunter, for a demon. So be careful what you say before you complain." She growled at him for the first time truly angry at him. "Its time for you to deal with what's to come now." She told him, as she pointed towards something.
The Immortal raised his head and swallowed as he heard a growling noise. He reached into his jacket and withdrew his sunglasses and put them on. He saw several Hellhounds staring at him menacingly. Their forms moving closer and closer. "You going to leave me here for them Slayer?" He asked her curiously.
"I don't exactly have a choice." The blonde returned to him. "Until my debt is paid off, I only have so much freedom. Besides, you were eager enough to kill people that hadn't done anything to you." She reminded him, nodding towards where the two Immortals that he had been preparing to kill were watching them. "You stopped playing for the good guys a long time ago. That's if you ever played for them to start with." She threw him toward the Hellhounds who all lunged at the man. She ignored the screaming and the sound of tearing flesh. Lighting erupted, and the strange energy went into the body of the Immortal she had dubbed as Ponytail. The lighting caused damage all over the place causing lights to explode and metal to become mangled. A moment later it was silent again.
"Well done." Crowley congratulated, as he appeared next to her. "I honestly wasn't sure if you were going to be able to do it. Without lots of damage." He admitted to her. "What's more, you managed to do it without really needing to use your Rider abilities." He sounded genuinely impressed with that feat. "I know I told you to do it that way, but I still had my doubts about you managing to do it. When your contract with Scratch is over you should come see me I might be able to find you something to do." He offered her.
"No offense, but I'm finding it hard enough as it is not to slice you up." Buffy returned to him in annoyance. "Your a slimy wannabe big bad minion, who thinks that your accent and stylish clothes are going to help you out. So, not interested in anything that you have to offer."
"You sure about that Slayer?" Crowley asked her, giving her his best cocky smirk.
Buffy glared at him before raising her scythe and pointing it at some of the hellhounds and releasing a stream of Hellfire that turned the pair into ashes. "That fix any doubts that you might have?" She demanded in annoyance. A demon telling her that he was impressed with her work was not the way for a good to go.
"Shame, we could have been something." A frowning Crowley told her before he disappeared.
Buffy rolled her eyes and made the scythe disappear. She took one of the bridges to cross back to the other side. She looked the two Immortals over curiously. "We going to have problems?" She asked curiously.
"No, you did what you had to." The hawkish looking replied with a shrug of his shoulders. "You also saved his life, so I think we're in the owing you one column."
"Good." Buffy told them. She smiled at the pair and offered her hand. "I'm Buffy."
The three men looked hesitant as they offered their own hands. I'm Joe Dawson and this here is Duncan MacLeod, and Adam Pierson.
Buffy nodded as she looked the pair of men over. Ponytail/Duncan was the tall and dark type similar to Angel. Adam on the other hand was more the mysterious type. There was something about Adam that made her skin itch. She knew that feeling, it was the same feeling she always got when she was around someone that had done more than their fair share of evil. She wondered briefly if his companions knew what kind of person that they were traveling with. It wasn't her concern, but it was still a curiosity. She would be glad to be away from the man, and she may have used a bit more strength than needed when shaking his hand as a warning. All things considered though that was pretty good. She turned to look at the people who were still standing about as if they were trying to decide on what it was that they should do next now that their Champion was gone. "What about you guys, are we going to have a problem?" She questioned the people with interest.
"You have taken our warrior from us Rider, for that you should pay." One of the old Indian men declared, as he withdrew a rattle like device and began shaking it and chanting. The other men also withdrew rattles and some pulled out leather bound drums.
"No good deed goes unpunished." Buffy muttered, as she watched sparkling walls go up. She reached out and touched one and got a zap to her hand. "You realize this won't hold me?" She asked them Idly as she shook feeling back into her hand.
"This is a binding ritual Rider, you will not pass." The old Indian explained to her.
Buffy rolled her eyes before closing them and letting the flames that she had kept bottled inside during the battle out. It had been hard not to let the monster that she housed out, particularly when she was having to bring something like that guy down. When you added in the feeling that surrounded the Adam guy, and it had been a real test of her self control. To think that she had thought for a minute there that she was going to manage to get out of town without having to burn her way put. Shows what happened when she let happy thoughts distract her. Flames whipped around her, burning her skin away leaving her as a flaming skeleton. The Slayer Rider was once more awake. With a snarl the being slammed its fists into the shield. The shield flared under the punch and a number of the ones holding the shield either gasped in pain or threw various items away as they burst into flames.
"I don't now about you two, but I'm thinking now would be a good time for us to make a run for it." Adam told the others as he helped Duncan to his feet. I'd rather not find out what that thing would do to us if it decided it was annoyed with us. He didn't mention the cold feeling that he had gotten when he had caught the eyes of the creature. This was a feeling of dread that was worse than any that he had ever felt. If this was the true form of that girl then he wanted to be as far away from it as possible.
Methos. The creature hissed out at the Immortal in recognition.
"Can't argue with that." Joe agreed. Duncan nodded his agreement and three beat a hasty retreat. They really didn't want to find out what the creature would do to someone it obviously knew about.
The creature threw another punch as it watched another one of the guilty run away from it. The cage that held the Slayer Rider flashed as it tried to contain the being. With a flash of fire the shield shattered and all of the ones trying to hold the Slayer Rider were thrown back. Some merely fell to the ground others were knocked into the water and some through store fronts. The various chiefs and medicine men rose back to their feet weakly, as they prepared to continue their efforts to contain the creature that had taken their Champion.
"That's enough!" A voice barked out from above. Everyone turned to see Cordell Walker looking down on them. "I tried to stay out of this, I really did." He told them. "This is to much though." He gestured to the sky where everyone could see the large cloud of smoke that was rising. The combination of a Quickening and then the Rider unleashing its Hellfire had caused all sorts of damage.
The Slayer Rider snarled back in defiance of the lawman.
Walker fired a warning shot at the flaming figure, only to watch as it, then returned fire by hurling a ball of flame at the Texas Ranger. Walker managed to duck the fireball, but the building behind him was hit and there a small explosion as it tore through the building. The Ranger fired another round this one hitting the Slayer Rider in the shoulder.
The Slayer Rider barely even noticed the hit though, as it turned to look at the various men that had tried to capture it. It breathed out a cloud of fire that burned all of the plants in the area and set the water to boiling.
Walker frowned as he leaped down, and began rushing towards the flaming skeletal figure that looked like some type of Dia de Los Muertos artwork. It was hard to believe that this was the perky blonde girl that he had been speaking with a few hours ago. She didn't remind him of a guardian anymore. Instead she reminded him more of the very monster that she was supposed to fight against. He tried firing again, shooting round after round into its back until his clip was empty. It was as if nothing he did was enough. The Slayer Rider was ignoring him despite the fact that he had just filled its back with bullets.
"Washo." A voice called out in relief.
Walker nodded to the person calling him and caught the strange sword that it had thrown to him. His gun hadn't done anything to this thing, maybe the giant blade would. "Get everyone out of here now." He ordered, the man nodded, and began gesturing for people to start making their way out while helping those that were either unconscious or injured. The Texas Ranger twirled the blade a couple of times to get a feel for the blade before charging.
The Slayer Rider saw the attacker and brought forth an ax like weapon that intercepted the assault. The strange ax like weapon batted the sword to the side and Walker received a punch that sent him tumbling to the side. Walker shook his head he looked at the wall and saw that it had cracked, but all in all he didn't feel as bad as he should. That punch should have knocked him out, and hitting the wall should have broken several bones. Instead he was getting up again, feeling sore, but otherwise alright. He looked up to see that the Slayer Rider appeared angry about something. Whatever it was he had to stop it, or at the very least delay it long enough for people to evacuate. He could hear the howl of sirens, and realized he only needed to keep it busy for a few more minutes then backup would be here. Hopefully the San Antonio police department could stop this thing where he had not been able to. He just had to hope he could delay it long enough. He moved in again swinging his blade.
The Slayer Rider snarled, and blocked the series of quick strikes that were coming in at it, batting the attacks away as if they were nothing more than a nusiance. This human was becoming annoying, even if its attacks were becoming faster and stronger they were still nothing. To make it all the more annoying, this was a follower of the path of justice. It had done nothing to truly annoy the Slayer Rider other than to impose itself between it and its attackers.
"Come on now, you need to get control of yourself." Walker tried to reason with he creature that contained someone that he respected. He took a step back and glared at the figure. "You aren't going to get anything out of this by doing it like this. It has to stop." He pleaded.
"It never stops Ranger." The Rider Rasped out.
"Well I'm making it stop." Walker told her firmly.
"Don't follow." The Slayer Rider snarled, as it turned away from him, a motorcycle somehow pulling up alongside of it. It got on, revved the engine and then took off. Actually riding along the walls.
Walker cursed, as he realized what it was doing it was heading away from the part of the street and would appear someplace else where the cop cars weren't and gain a few seconds in which to disappear. Whether it was fear for itself, or fear of hurting his people he wasn't sure. He just knew that any chance that they had of stopping the Rider was gone. He figured within minutes he would be receiving word that the Rider would be out of town. He wondered how he was going to explain this. It was going to be a pain for the tourist industry as the River Walk was one of the main attractions.
"Good work Washo, you did right by keeping back until the Rider became active." Gray Wolf thanked the Texas Ranger. "Your noble spirit made you the least likely to be a target, the Rider has a reluctance to destroy those such as yourself."
"Yeah, and what do we do about the Rider now?" Walker asked in annoyance, as he could see flame tread marks along the wall where the Rider had somehow ridden up the wall as if it was a part of the street. "So what happens to the Rider?" He asked with concern as he thought of the blonde girl.
"The Rider is bound to a darker power Washo, nothing that I know of can free it. Until the time that the Rider can figure how to free itself it is stuck performing the missions that its master has set for it. Pray that you never annoy it or cross paths with it again, if it were you would surely die. It is only thanks to the power that the cursed weapon lent you that you managed to survive as it is." He added, as he picked up the sword that Walker had been fighting with. The blade was red hot and looked like it would fall apart any moment now. "Without this, you surely would have died Washo. It is good to know that there are ways for our own to fight that which need to be fought. We don't have to depend on others anymore."
"Yeah, I just hope no one gets in the way of the Rider." Walker returned, as he looked at the damage again, his eyes drifting to the cracked wall where he had been thrown. All of this had been because the Rider had been breaking out of a prison that no one should have tried to put it in to begin with. He would hate to see what it would done had it been actively searching for someone. He sighed it looked like he was going to have a long night with all of this.
Duncan sighed as he looked Methos over. The Rider or Slayer or whatever it was that she called herself had done a real number on the oldest living immortal. That creature, had scared the man that had stood and watched empires rise and fall. No one had seen more of the world than he had. Still that creature had scared him more than he had ever seen him. By Methos own admittance he was alive because he knew when to fight and when to run. Unfortunately for him those instincts that had seen him live this long were telling him that now was the time to hide like he had never hidden before.
"We have to get out of here right now Highlander, there is no way that I want to be in the same time zone as that thing." Adam told the others. "I'm actually more inclined to be on different continents." He informed them.
"To late." Joe told them as they all turned to see what looked like an incoming ball of fire.
How did it find me? Adam demanded.
"Worry about that later, right now you need to run." Duncan told his friend, pushing him forward.
"And where am I going to run against that?" Adam snapped back as he drew his sword in anticipation for what was to come.
The fireball stopped in front of the group and the three men turned to look at the Slayer Rider. "Death." The creature snarled out as it looked at the Immortal.
"That's who he used to be." Duncan tried to interrupt.
"Sorry Highlander, but I don't think that he's all that interested in listening to what you have to say." The Old Man told the other Immortal.
The Slayer Rider moved faster than any of them had expected of her and reached down and grabbed Adam by his jacket. Flames flared from the skeletal limb. Adam scream in pain as he was struck by the Hellfire flames. The creature likely would have continued to inflict pain on the former Horseman but was distracted as several police cars following the flaming tire tracks appeared and began to bore down on them. Snarling in frustration the creature flung Adam away revved its engine and took off with the police cars following close behind.
Joe and Duncan rushed to the side if their friend to look him over. He had severe burns over half of his face and chest. To make it worse he didn't appear to be healing at his normal rate. Normally such damage would be accompanied by the sparking signs of quickening. While there were a few, for the most part it was as if his healing power had been slowed down.
"This isn't good." Joe mumbled as he wondered how he was going to manage with this. The fact that the Rider had managed to cancel out the healing power of the oldest was disturbing.
"We need to get him out of here now. Before that thing decides to come back and finish the job off." Duncan nodded and the men boarded a taxi and got out of there.
Buffy groaned as her consciousness finally took over as the Slayer Rider dodged through the highway streets. She willed her power back down into whatever place that it normally was. Her bike slowed before coming to a stop. She saw a sign that read. Now Leaving Missouri. It seemed that she had traveled for a bit before she had woken up. At least this time she hadn't woken up in some random alley though, so things were definitely looking up. She wondered briefly what had happened while she had been under. If she focused she could make out some sort of blurry image. She would work on that when she found a place to stop for the night, as she would rather not have whatever Rider memories she had to shock her. She hoped that the Rider hadn't hurt the guys that she had saved. It would be kind of counterproductive if it had decided to target those guys for whatever reason. Not that she would completly blame it since she recalled the feeling that she had gotten from one of them.
She was distracted from her positive thoughts as Mephistoles appeared on the street. If she had been moving she probably would have wiped out in front of him. "Well done." Scratch congratulated her. "You managed that mission very well. Even managed to do it with a bit of style." He added proudly. "Course, now that the easy jobs like those are over it'll soon be time to get to the real jobs." He warned her.
Buffy nodded her head in acceptance. "So where am I heading next?" She wondered to him.
"For now you can drift." Mephistoles told her. "When you come to a place where I think I'll need you I'll let you know." He informed her.
"In other words, whenever it'll be inconvenient for me you'll make yourself and my next job known." Buffy shot back at him dryly.
"Something like that." Scratch agreed with her assessment. "I did wonder what you thought of Crowley as well."
"He's a wannabe big bad that gives salesmen everywhere a bad name." Buffy returned to him with a shrug. "I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have taken the deal if he had been the one to come by my house that night. Must be why most of his clients are desperate."
Mephisto smirked at his Rider before he disappeared.
Buffy shook her head. Some demons just loved to pull the whole disappearing act trick that they had. Personally she thought that they abused the privilege, but it wasn't like there was anything that she could do about it. She didn't bother looking behind her, she was just traveling as fast and as far from Texas as she could. The sooner she was away from that place where the work of the Rider had started the better. She would head East, and see what she could find there. She had never been to some of the places there.
There had to be something interesting for someone like her to find and do. Besides, its not she would be able to resist when Scratch told her to transform and be his Bounty Hunter. She might as well enjoy the trip.