Disclaimer: I do not own Buffyverse or anything else you may recognize
Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed or reviewed this fic so far.
And finally, 100 chapters!
Oh! And Critics United responded to what I said in last chapter in their echo chamber. Most of it was the same thing repeated over and over but here are some highlights-
"Are you really using the "I have _ friends" defense? Are there people that actually fall for this nonsense. And here I thought you were actually intelligent."
Compared to you, definitely. Also, my autistic friends are friends with your supposed 'bully of an autist' and know what he has done. My friend didn't bully them for being autistic or anything else for the matter. My friend called them out for defending a Troll and also for lying that one of your lot said autistic people can't write, because even I know CU won't say that.
Plus, they apparently don't give a crap about plagiarized stories, since, and I paraphrase, "it has nothing to do with the fact that you broke the rules here and also, given both the person you're alleging did the plagiarizing and your friend are both trolls it is reasonable to stay away from you drama llamas and just report and email."
Changing names does not make something 'not plagiarism'. That's almost as stupid as saying changing third person to first person or vice-versa makes it 'not plagiarism', since I've seen that happen too. Plus, do you see me having dropped a butthurt review on their fic over it? I don't think so. I simply reported.
Also, you claim I lie about your evidence, so what's this? "IT should be noted that this author is also tied up with known trolls who like to pick on autistic people so this could likely be a report only situation unless someone else feels up trying their hand at reviewing."
And bottom line, they accused me of playing the victim card, when I hang out with a known troll and attack an autistic person and get butthurt like a child when other trolls come at me and that I deflect the real issues, since I broke the rules with my fic.
When did I attack the autistic person? Making stuff up, eh? I thought I was the filthy liar here.
"Wow, so now we get to them actually address the real issue while also trying to cover it up. You do realize that having a story pulled and told with one reason isn't mutually exclusive or absolves you of breaking other rules right? I know this is a strange concept for a small minded fool like you to grasp but you can be told about one rule while still being guilty of breaking another.
It's also kinda hard to miss in the rules where it lists MST's are being not allowed. Unless you're one of those idiots that haven't read the rules here. I really do think this dumbass doesn't understand what an MST is and actually believes its for song lyrics despite song lyrics never being mentioned to them. Maybe they need a copy of hooked on phonics to help them learn how to actually read.
Or they're a liar and it's already been shown that is what they are so take your pick."
Awww, look at little Critic Jr. Gonna cry? My sweet summer child, here are some definitions of MST from a Google search, which FYI, I've done in the past too-
"MSTing is a type of sporking or mocking of badfic. It is inspired by the TV show Mystery Science Theater 3000, which was often abbreviated as MST3K. The characters on MST3K would watch and make fun of bad movies; in fan-written MSTs, characters make fun of excerpted badfic by another author."
"The MST is a specific variety of story commentary based around the format of Mystery Science Theatre 3000: three or four characters "watch" the fic unfold, and make snarky and/or constructive comments on it."
"MST. MSTs, also known as MSTings and sometimes called MiSTings, are commentaries on fan fiction stories, written in the style of the television show Mystery"
"MSTs, also known as MSTings and sometimes called MiSTings, are commentaries on fan fiction stories, written in the style of the television show Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K). In MST3K, a man and some homemade robots trapped on a spaceship watch bad movies and make humorous comments about them. For written MSTings, bad fan fiction is used."
So, either the actual show/movie looks like a fanfiction to you or you're one of those ultra-legends who uses the Bing search engine, in which case I bow down to you oh great user of Bing.
"CU got a tip, saw it was an MST when we looked at your writing and told you as much. Just because you don't know what an MST is doesn't mean others don't as well you dumbass.
But hey, play that victim card when you are sitting back while your pals are trolling the site and bugging other people that have nothing to do with whatever game you're playing."
What game? Last time I played any game was a month ago, which would be the 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' game, nice nostalgia trip BTW. And one pal or many pals, make up your mind. Singular and plural are different. Plus, we've already established what a MST means so no point going over it again.
"Oh well, if this fic goes again, or if anything happens to my account, you know who to blame."
"There you go - the final push by you to incite a bully mob to come after CU. So much for you having a spine with your big bad troll buddies. I guess the saying is true: stand up to a bully and they fold faster than superman on wash day.
and that's it. Lots of whining and the playing of several cards to try and cover up that they are in the wrong and are too dumb to realize how to fix it."
The one who's ranting about me in their echo chamber calls me out over a lack of spine. Oh my! The irony!
Also, when I did ever act like I'm one click from losing everything? I said 'play God', not 'you are a God'. My policy is usually 'live and let live' for 99% of the time, I've never enticed anyone to attack you before, even when I first heard of your group, because I had no beef with you. But if you're gonna come after me, then I'm not taking it lying down.
Anyhow, as you can all see, call out these 'professional critics' and they start calling you a dumbass and filthy liar and bully, while making up lies themselves. Were trying to teach me the meaning of a MST, instead I had to teach them.
You CU people can continue to rant, its what you do.
This is the end of it from my side, if they wanna rant about it again in their echo chamber, let them, I'm not interested anymore. Trolls, Critics United, I'm done with all this shit, all these controversies are only giving me mental health issues at a time I don't want them. If anyone wants to drag me into anymore controversies, I'll be dragging myself out of it just as quickly because I'm tired of this crap.
Now I'm just gonna carry on doing what I do which is write and post and talk to friends and reply to reviews and favorite and follow and review other fanfics *cracks neck* if this site decides to be a piece of shit again, I'm gonna drop it mostly and use it for only reviewing, favoriting and following, there are better sites for writing where my stuff gets even more attention (of the good kind) than here, and I don't have to worry about Trolls or whiny 'Critics' there.
Chapter 100- Release
"Remember, Faith was brought in to deal with Angelus, not Beast, and she'll do just that", Summers said to the past people.
"Let's see", Buffy said as she turned the recording on.
Wesley and Faith entered his apartment as blood dripped off her and splattered on the floor, Wesley returning with ice wrapped in a towel as he pressed it to her split lip, and she held it while he checked for other wounds, deciding to get bandages but she just needed a shower, so Wesley let it drop and she walked to the bathroom as he asked if she was okay and she said she was a little sticky as she handed him the compress and went to the bathroom.
"Slayer healing?" Xander asked and got a nod.
"Though after a beating that bad, even I'd take some bandages", Buffy sighed.
"She is pissed", Rosenberg said. "She lost the fight against the Beast, and feels she failed Angel after what he did for her."
"So she wants to be alone", Willow realized and got a nod from her future self.
"I don't think she'll let it get to her", Tara said.
"She will for a few seconds before coming back up stronger", Maclay assured.
Faith stepped into the bathroom and stared at her beaten and bloody reflection in the mirror, then took her clothes off slowly and painfully. Her entire body was one big bruise. Scrapes and cuts covered her from her feet to her head. She opened the shower door, stepped in and turned on the water. It sluiced down her body, washing away the blood, turning into a crimson swirl as it circled the drain. She stared straight forward, her face an emotionless mask, then suddenly her icy calm broke and she punched the shower wall, shattering the tile. Her rage flooded out of her like a breaking dam and she pounded the wall with a primal scream, her fists crashing through the sheetrock. Then she got herself under control and her practiced calm and emotional detachment descended once again. She put her head under the water and washed the blood from her face.
"Faith….." Buffy trailed off, rarely having seen her this vulnerable, and the same was true for the rest.
"She took out her failure on the wall", Summers sighed sadly. "But now she is back up stronger."
The rest just didn't comment, seeing Faith's vulnerability and brokenness once more on full display.
At the bar, Demons and Vampires took drinks as Angelus narrated his recent exploits, a Vampire waitress giving him a glass of blood which a female Vamp had bought for him, and she and Angelus waved at each other as he told them of the incident with Faith and the Beast, saying she'd been slapped like a bloody, whimpering bunny.
"And still managed to shoo you away", Dawnster said as all chuckled and nodded, knowing that was true.
"Yeah, funny how he left that out", Dawn smirked.
Angelus boasted of killing the Beast as a horned Demon called him 'soul boy' and said he'd brought the sun back, making Angelus walk to him as he went back to his drink and pretended to be surprised when Angelus was behind him. After a little threatening, Angelus grabbed him by the neck and started squeezing when a disembodied voice called out to him, deep and resonant. "Hello Angelus, it's time we had that talk."
"The Beast Master", Giles said in realization.
"Cordy", Xander muttered.
"Yeah, the Master is speaking to him now", Harris nodded.
"Not gonna be pleasant", Willow sighed.
Angelus dropped the Demon and looked around, talking to the voice which said he'd killed its favorite pet, to which Angelus replied that got its attention. Angelus then walked into a backroom where Vamps lounged in drug induced stupor alongside human prey as a junkie girl wrapped her arms around Angelus, smiling dreamily, only for him to push her aside as he walked to a Vamp feeding on a willing young girl, making him get out, which he did as his food followed.
"Those", Buffy growled, remembering Riley's incident with the Vamp whores.
"Yeah, just more proof about how stupid Riley was", Summers shook her head at the whole thing.
"He really thought this would make you like him?" Dawnster asked.
"He thought it'd make him all dark like Spike or Angel", Buffy shrugged.
"Stupid Riley", Dawn scoffed.
Angelus wanted a face-to-face as the voice assured they'd meet, and Cordelia sat in her room in the Hyperion, her eyes a milky, cataract white as she talked to Angelus using a glowing red charm in her hand, but her voice was normal on her side. Angelus said it had done a lot to get him out, but Cordelia said sometimes destruction was its own reward. Angelus knew the idea to take his soul was its, but the team thought it'd been theirs. Cordelia finally said. "I have wonderful plans for you, my sweet boy." Angelus wasn't interested, calling it a big, scary voice as he used his own to tell it to kiss his Vampire ass. During that time, Cordelia closed her hand over the charm as Connor entered with a blanket, Cordelia feigning fatigue.
"From super evil to helpless", Willow quipped.
"Yeah, it knows how to go back and forth", Rosenberg shrugged.
"Everyone else none the wiser", Xander quipped.
Cordelia said the bolt to her thigh or baby might be making her tired. Angelus said in the bar he'd a lot more to do and didn't get a response as a drugged Vampire told him he'd give him the girl for a gram but Angelus ignored him and walked off.
"Guess even he's not interested in something that pathetic", Dawnster commented.
"Evil with standards", Dawn said as they chuckled.
Cordelia and Connor talked on bed, Cordelia commenting they'd done the right thing by bringing Angelus as he'd killed the Beast, as that had made the world a little safer for their family. Connor assured he wouldn't let anything hurt either of them as Cordelia didn't want to tell the others yet due to how fast their baby was growing, but they'd know soon.
"Damn!" Xander commented.
"I think at that point, they will finally start looking into this", Tara noted.
"Yeah, that is going to tip them off too", Maclay confirmed.
"First Angelus, then her", Willow realized.
Gunn handed trank pistols to Fred and Lorne, as the former ended up aiming it at Connor when he arrived before lowering it as he commented he'd thought of her as a tazer girl.
"For you, who wouldn't be?" Harris asked as some chuckles followed.
Connor stopped Fred from going up to Cordelia before going off to make hot soup, Lorne unable to get a good read on him and Cordelia as Gunn said Connor was best off playing nursemaid now, as they didn't want Angel dusted. Fred pointed out Faith had been demolished and was their best chance at getting Angel back, but may not be up to it.
"After that, she is", Rosenberg shrugged.
"I do not think she would want to fail her savior again", Giles agreed.
"Nope, she is gonna try even harder now", Willow said, remembering the events when she'd arrived once more.
"Let's see", Buffy sighed as they watched.
Wesley had a medical briefcase with syringes and vials as Faith arrived, apologizing for the bathroom but he didn't mind, though he wanted to know if Faith was in the game all the way. "Five by five, boss", Faith said as she got her stuff, then turned and walked out, Wesley watching her.
"You may not believe it, but she is", Summers said to Wesley.
"Guess she has a plan", Buffy noted.
"Yup, risky one", Maclay confirmed.
Fred was working and talking to herself when Angelus appeared, though she told him of the Sanctuary spell. Angelus took out a golden pendant, saying this would negate that. Fred didn't believe him as Angelus took her book and slammed it inches from her head into the wall with enough force to shake the building. Angelus then asked about the Beast master but she refused to tell, so he took away all of her books, diagrams and research. Fred taunted that the Beast master would make him its bitch too, only to notice the inscription 'Made in China' on Angelus' charm, so she smashed a pitcher on his head, sending him reeling backwards.
"Wow, he even thought that through", Dawnster commented as all watched grimly.
"Yeah, he knew about the sanctuary spell, so he had a feeling they tried it", Rosenberg nodded.
"But at least he didn't have the real deal", Xander pointed out.
"Still, too late", Buffy pointed out.
Angelus dropped his charm and she fired from her trank gun but he ducked as it hit the LA map behind him while he ran out. Lorne walked in as Angelus arrived as Fred fired again but it hit Lorne's chest instead as he went down. Angelus leapt from the floor to balcony, using the book as a shield as Fred fired her last dart, her gun now empty.
"Damn it!" Xander snapped.
"Yeah, another round for Angelus", Harris sighed sadly.
"The longer he's out, the more dangerous he is", Summers told them.
Connor then arrived, trying to punch Angelus but the barrier deflected the blow, hurling Connor over the balcony as Angelus called that interesting.
"So it works on him too?" Dawnster asked in shock.
"He is human, but his parents were Demons", Dawn reminded.
"I don't think he's gonna take that well", Willow commented.
Angelus leapt down, tossing the dart at Fred's feet, then ran out where Wesley and Faith were returning. Wesley raised his rifle as Faith attacked but Angelus parried, then punched back, sending Faith into Wesley who dropped his rifle while Angelus used him as a shield, commenting how the spell didn't reach the sidewalk. Faith asked Angelus to let Wesley go as this was between them but he said Wesley would always be in the middle. Wesley wanted Faith to do it, as Angelus tightened the grip, taunting Faith who stood helplessly.
"Oh my God!" Buffy said in horror, realizing Angelus had Faith now, and in her place, Buffy would be just as helpless.
"Bastard", Harris snarled.
"Tell me about it", Xander sighed.
Angelus taunted Faith, asking where the killer was when Gunn tossed her a rifle while he raised a pistol. Angelus hurled Wesley at Gunn, sending them down as Faith fired but Angelus leapt over the outer wall and escaped. Faith helped Wesley up as Gunn ran to the street. Faith headed after Gunn but he revealed Angelus was gone as Faith wondered if she'd made the right decision.
"You chose to save your friend in the moment, everyone understands that", Tara assured Faith.
"Yeah, but she is still going to feel conflicted since Angelus has a way of getting under your skin", Maclay pointed out sadly.
"That he does", Buffy nodded with a groan.
"They have another chance", Summers assured.
Connor arrived in Cordelia's room, telling her that Angelus had been there and what had happened, wondering why he wanted everything they had, to which Cordelia said whatever he was up to, it wasn't good. Cordelia then asked if the Sanctuary spell had worked and Connor evasively said it had.
"On you as well", Dawn sighed.
"And he is up to figuring out what you're up to", Willow quipped.
"Yup, as bad as bringing in Angelus was, it did end up having advantages", Rosenberg nodded.
Lorne slept as Gunn told Fred to not blame herself, while Faith and Wesley sat at a distance, the latter drinking water. Fred also held up Angelus' fake trinket while Wesley cocked his shotgun, saying now he'd slow Angelus down with this, while giving Faith a trank pistol. He then said Gunn could watch over the hotel, and told Fred next time Angelus might have an actual charm, smiling tentatively at her before leaving with Faith.
"Time for some Angelus hunting then", Buffy quipped.
"Yeah, taking the fight to him", Harris confirmed.
"Let's hope that turns out well", Tara muttered.
"As well as it could", Willow said lamely to her.
Outside, Wesley reminded Faith of letting Angelus go and said he was right in that she should have gone for him. Wesley said the only way to kill a monster like Angelus was to be as vicious as him.
"Bullcrap", Buffy said. "That's your cynicism talking."
"Faith proved him wrong", Rosenberg shrugged.
"Things have changed", Willow commented.
"Yeah, not wrong there", Maclay agreed.
"For better and worse both", Summers sighed.
Angelus read the research in a shop with half-lens glasses but got annoyed, puncturing the shopkeeper's testicle as he cried out in agony, threatening to puncture the next one too.
Giles, Xander and Harris all cringed at that for obvious reasons.
Angelus ended up beating the shopkeeper a little before the Beast master spoke in his head again, threatening to punish him if he seeked them out again. Angelus was unintimidated and noted the shopkeeper was gone as the voice said they could be friends. Angelus was still uninterested, saying he wouldn't be friends with a voice inside his head to which it replied. "Like you're forced to live inside Angel's? Because you're the voice in there, aren't you? Just beneath the surface. Buried under all that goodness. Fully conscious, fully aware… but trapped. Unable to move or speak. Powerless to act on your desires. So thirsty, so helpless. It must be agony." Now Angelus turned to leave as the glass container with his soul appeared, but it was an illusion, though the voice said it had the real thing and would return his soul if he didn't behave. Angelus now agreed and called it 'master' as Cordelia sat on her bed, holding the jar with Angel's soul in her hands and smiling.
"Now she finally has Angelus working for her", Buffy said as all groaned in annoyance.
"Yeah, if Angelus is 10 steps, its 100 steps ahead", Dawn sighed.
"Now with even him outwitted, they are going to need a lot more", Tara realized.
"They'll get something unexpected", Harris told her.
Gunn again assured Fred she wasn't to blame as he said if she did something wrong, she didn't have to do it again. Fred knew he was referring to Wesley and now knew she should have turned him away. Fred apologized, saying she missed Gunn, and then they kissed before he said he'd do a sweep, and went off with his rifle, uncertain about his feelings as she watched.
"After what happened, things can't go back to the way they were", Summers sighed.
"Yeah, and now it's final", Willow commented.
Faith slammed the horned Demon's head on the bar as a Vampire moved to her but Wesley pointed his shotgun point-blank at his head so he backed off. The horned Demon wasn't talking and noticed another Demon moving behind Wesley with a pool cue, and started taunting them, only for Wesley to shoot the Demon's head without even turning, nearly decapitating it as he noted it was a Storm Demon and face should grow back.
"You were saying?" Buffy asked, ignoring the use of guns.
"They are all brave until someone with a better skillset comes around", Rosenberg shrugged.
"So now he'll talk", Maclay nodded.
Wesley aimed his gun at the horned Demon who said Angelus was a jackass so he was on their side. After another head slam by Faith, he also revealed Angelus had started talking to himself before slipping into the back. Faith and Wesley walked through the backrooms, noting humans and Vamps in drug induced stupor as well as drugs lying around. A large hulking Vampire tumbled into them as Wesley went down while he grabbed Faith's throat but she punched him down next to Wesley who staked him.
"This place sucks", Dawnster said.
"And these people are so stupid", Buffy shook her head. "Just like Riley."
"Yeah, why any human thinks this is a good idea is beyond me", Summers agreed.
"They don't even have the insecurity excuse like Riley", Tara added.
"No kidding", Willow agreed.
Connor was checking for teeth in the Hyperion as Cordelia realized he'd been hit by the anti-Demon spell while trying to fight Angelus, as Cordelia said she was a Demon, to which Connor said she'd chosen it. Connor didn't even know what he was to which Cordelia said he was a daddy, and so they were special, and the baby would be too. Cordelia then kissed his lips and sent him back downstairs while her smile disappeared.
"Him checking for teeth was funny", Dawnster said.
"Tell me about it", Dawn muttered.
"The baby is…." Xander trailed off.
"The thing just needed him and Cordy for that is all", Summers scoffed, with everyone's anger and disgust increasing.
Faith tried to help a young blonde girl before Wesley held up some drugs she'd taken, revealing the girl had let the Vamps do it to her as the effects could be intoxicating for them both. Faith was disgusted as she slammed the girl to the wall, asking about Angelus, slamming her again and decking her but the girl didn't know a thing so Faith let go, telling Wesley of the same. Wesley nodded and rammed his knife through the girl's shoulder, making her scream in agony to Faith's horror, and asked how long the girl had been there, twisting his knife as the girl answered.
"Wes no!" Buffy screamed, now horrified.
"Stop it!" Dawnster said too. "This is too much!"
"He is doing what needs to be done", Giles said coldly.
"What?" Buffy asked him.
"If Faith does not want to torture anymore, that is fine, but Wesley will do it, he does what others cannot, for better or worse", Giles explained to them all. "Torturing others is part of it. I do the same. We learnt it all, used what works, discarded what doesn't."
"Counting out Justine, he likes it about as much as us", Rosenberg said.
"But it needed to be done", Summers finished.
"Still can't stand that", Buffy shook her head in horror.
"No one can, but it had to be done", Harris sighed.
"It damages him inside too", Tara noted.
"Right you are", Maclay nodded.
"Like it was said earlier, things change", Willow muttered.
Wesley asked about Angelus and on not getting answer, slammed her against the wall with a knife, so she finally revealed she'd heard him talking to himself about a rain of fire, strings and a soul. Wesley yanked the knife out and the girl fell down, sobbing as Faith bandaged the wound, asking Wesley if he'd lost it. Wesley said he'd avoided the main arteries so she'd live, if this was living and knew the Beast master had contacted Angelus, walking out with his shotgun. Faith followed, furious.
"Looks like she doesn't like it a lot either", Xander commented.
"Nope, and now you're gonna see just how much things have changed", Dawn told him.
"Both of them have changed, and now you'll see it", Rosenberg said.
Faith asked. "So what— torturing humans part of the new makeover?" Wesley replied. "I did what I had to because you couldn't." Faith pointed out. "I hit her." Wesley asked. "You think that's something new to her?" Faith said. "You crossed it back there, Wes. What did—" Wesley now taunted. "Oh, you have a problem with a little torture now? I seem to recall a time when you rather enjoyed it." Faith told him. "Yeah, well, it's not me anymore. You know that." Wesley raised the shotgun. "Nice to have this along, though… just in case. I remember what you did to me, Faith. The broken glass, the shallow cuts… so I would remain conscious." Faith asked. "You think I'd hurt you again? Wesley now asked her. "This the part where you tell me you've turned a new leaf? Found god? Inner peace? We both know that isn't true. You haven't changed. You can't." Faith backed away but Wesley was relentless. "Wes, I-" "Because you're sick. "You've always been sick. It goes right down to the roots, rotting your soul. That's why your friends turned on you in Sunnydale, why the Watcher's Council tried to kill you. No one trusts you, Faith. You're a rabid dog who should have been put down years ago!"
"What the hell?!" Buffy said, outraged now.
"Yeah, that you shouldn't have done", Willow shook her head. If he had brought up her 'Dark Willow' phase like this to spring her into action, she would definitely not have appreciated that at all, even though part of her got what Wesley was trying to do.
"Trying to get her to release her anger, but Faith will prove him wrong", Maclay assured them.
Faith rounded on Wesley, enraged, and slammed him against the wall, her fist raised to strike. Wesley asked. "See? Wasn't so hard, was it? It's what you'll need to beat him." She lowered her arm and stepped back, shaking her head. "No." Wesley urged Faith. "You have to be willing to take it all the way, Faith." Faith declared. "I can't risk killing Angel. Not after what he's done for me. There's gotta be another way." She turned her back and walked out.
"Went a bit too far, Wesley", Summers agreed too. "Though he is frustrated over Angelus being lose so I can undertand."
"So now she doesn't torture and he does", Dawnster commented.
"Yeah, that's how much they have changed now", Rosenberg nodded.
"But perhaps they are now what they were always supposed to be", Giles suggested.
"What do you mean?" Buffy asked.
"Faith always wanted to be the moral Slayer like you, Buffy, and now she is becoming just that", Giles pointed out. "While Wesley is using the 'anything for the greater good' mentality of the Watchers, only it is more refined and efficient than theirs." [1]
"So they are what they should have been", Tara realized now.
"So, good thing or bad thing?" Xander asked.
"Depends on perspective", Maclay sighed.
Lorne was up as Fred apologized but he said it was his first good nap since the apocalypse. After some talking where Angelus' fake trinket was shown, Lorne said some Maury had been peddling these to tourists since LA had cable cars, and also told them he hung his horns down at a shop in Olive, so Gunn asked Fred to call Wesley.
"Now they know where he is", Dawn smirked.
"So, final showdown then?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah, at least between Faith and Angelus", Harris said.
Wesley and Faith entered a vast vaulted building. Multiple levels surrounded a central atrium with balconies looking out across the marbled floors. The place was under construction with scaffolding rising up from the floor to the upper levels. Faith followed Wesley up a wide staircase to an open area with office equipment arranged haphazardly around the room. "Even if he got the fake hoodoo from this Maury guy, why would Angelus hang around?" Wesley said. "He wouldn't. But this Maury that Lorne knows may be able to help us find where Angelus is hiding." They approached a desk scattered with occult trinkets only to find Maury lying on the floor on the other side, his throat ripped out. "No… but I can." They turned to find Angelus smiling wickedly at them from the shadows.
"Here it comes", Summers said as all watched, very tense.
"Please get through this, Faith", Buffy begged, remembering her own battle against Angelus and how he'd gotten under her skin.
With Faith, it could be even worse considering her past.
"She will", Willow assured.
Angelus smiled at Faith. "A little birdie in my head told me you'd be here." He shivered. "Exciting!" Faith strode forward and shot at him with the trank gun. He ducked aside and the shot missed, then kicked Faith backward into a stack of boxes as she reloaded. Wesley chambered a round in his shotgun and opened fire. Again, Angelus' demonic reflexes allowed him to evade the gunfire. "You gotta do better than that, Wes!" Wesley fired and missed again. "Come on! I'll give you one more." Wesley racked the shotgun but before he could fire, Angelus grabbed the barrel, knocking it upward and the shot went into the ceiling. "Strike three!" He wrenched the shotgun from Wesley's grasp and hurled him over the balcony and into the scaffolding. Wesley crashed down through the scaffolding to the level below where he landed unconscious among the debris.
All cringed at how painful that would have been as Giles sighed. "Faith is on her own now."
"Come on, come on", Buffy was begging.
Faith bolted for the stairs at a dead run but skidded to a halt when Angelus racked the shotgun and leveled it at her. "Uh-oh! Vampire with a gun." He opened fire repeatedly and Faith dove down the stairs, the buckshot barely missing her. "I see why he likes this thing!" Faith tumbled to a stop at the bottom of the grand staircase and looked up to find Angelus standing right over her, the shotgun's barrel inches from her face. "Wow… you really have gone soft, now haven't you? Hey, you remember that time you tried to get Angel to kill you because you felt all weepy over being such a bad little girl? Do you still feel that way? Do you still want to die?" Faith whispered. "No…" "What's that?" "No." "I can't hear you!" Faith screamed. "NO!"
"What did you want?" Dawnster asked.
"Either answer would please him", Maclay told her.
Angelus racked the gun and Faith winced, anticipating the killing blow. "Too bad… 'cause you're gonna." He racked the gun again and again, ejecting all the shells. "But not like this." Faith seized the opportunity and kicked her legs up, knocking the shotgun from his hands, then tried to sweep his feet from under him as he leapt and she was up, trying to kick as he grabbed her foot but she decked his face, sending him back, before punching him again. "Whoa! Looks like we got a live one…" He blocked her kick, then dodged some punches before wrenching her arm backwards, and punched her face, stunning her ".…for now."
"Come on", Buffy begged again.
"At least she didn't die", Tara said, the gun making her uncomfortable again as Willow grasped her hand, and it was the same case with their future selves.
"Kick his ass", Dawnster urged.
"Just wait and watch", Dawn told them.
Angelus punched her back, then spun around, throwing a roundhouse kick to Faith's head and she collapsed to the floor. "Little tired, sweetie? Want to take a break?" He yanked Faith to her feet and punched her in the gut, then pounded her to floor again, kicking her hard enough to send her skidding across the floor to the other side of the room. She lay on her back, gasping in pain. She rolled over and blood dripped from her mouth onto the floor. "Now this is disappointing. You never used to bleed so easy." Faith snarled. "Screw you." Angelus quipped. "Hmm… maybe after. I like my girls to lie still."
"You bastard", Summers snarled at Angelus, everyone disgusted by his clear reference to rape and his love for it.
The face made almost made it hard to tell that he and Angelus were different.
Almost!
As Faith held her broken ribs and struggled to her feet, Angelus looked up at the scaffolding where Wesley fell. Inside, lying among the shattered boards and paint cans, Wesley started to come around. "Hey, buddy! How's it going in there?" He turned to Wesley. "Good old Wes… you can always count on him to tackle a bad situation and make it worse. I mean, hey, look how you turned out. But then again, I guess he didn't really have much to work with, now." Faith laughed through the blood and the pain. "Save the head-trip, GQ. Wes told me you'd try to get under my skin, give me just what I need to scratch you out."
"So she's not letting him get under her skin", Buffy smirked, proud.
"Oh no, he messed with the wrong Slayer, again", Rosenberg shrugged.
"The more you try to get under a Slayer's skin, the more they fight back", Maclay smiled.
"Oh, don't tell me!" Angelus mocked. "The rousing stiff upper lip speech. Rah rah! Good over evil! Do what must be done! Hang in there, kitten, it's almost Friday! Is that what the scraggly little ponce armed you with to fight the big bad bogeyman?" "Yeah. And this." Faith slipped a dagger out from inside her jacket and whipped it at Angelus, impaling him through the chest. In an instant, she was on her feet, punching him many times, then blocking his punch and hitting him again. She ripped the knife out of him and send him back with a roundhouse, then slashed at him but he dodged and weaved, grabbing her hand, only to get decked, before dodging another swing as he grabbed her hand, then kicked the knife from her hand.
"Oh damn!" Xander said, the whole thing really intense. "The music increases the intensity."
"I know right?" Harris asked.
The knife flew up through the air as Faith beat Angelus back, then snatched the knife out of the air as it came back down and raked the blade across Angelus' chest before hitting him. He hissed in pain as she tried to do a roundhouse but he kicked her backwards, then leapt straight up into the scaffolding 30 feet overhead. "That hurt, baby. Kinda liked it." He laughed. "How about you? There's my girl. I knew she was in there somewhere, dying to come out and play again." "Shut up." Faith walked among the metal gridwork in the atrium, scanning the upper levels for Angelus. His voice echoed throughout the marble building making it hard to pinpoint him. "I know how it feels. Forced to be someone you're not. Hurts to the bone. You try to bury the pain but you can't get the hole deep enough, can you? No matter how much you dig, it's still there. Broken shards stabbing every time you breathe, cutting you up inside. You know, there's only one way to make the pain stop… hurt someone else."
"Like you", Dawnster said.
"She had just that in mind", Maclay told her.
Faith spun, dagger raised to strike but Angelus seized her arm, stopping the blow. He brought her arm down on his leg, then kicked her violently and she flew up and onto one of the scaffolding grids, her dagger skittering away across the room. A moment later, Angelus leapt up next to her and attacked. She dodged him, using the metal latticework to avoid his blows while trying to land some of her own. They danced across the scaffolding, dodging and weaving, their movements a kind of obscene ballet. He kicked her off. Angelus jumped down and landed next to her as she kicked him down, then punched him down, and then used his back to leap up top. Faith then tried to go up but Angelus followed and hurled her down, leaping next to her. "Come on, Faith, you're not even trying."
"There's a reason for that, isn't there?" Tara asked Willow, noticing her look.
"She has a plan", Willow confirmed with a nod.
"Dangerous and risky, but all she has got", Summers sighed.
Angelus kicked Faith in the head, then blocked her punch and beat her down to the floor again. "Or is that why you really came back? Not enough to punish yourself in prison. Is that it? Still looking for someone to help beat the bad out of you?" He double punched her to the head. She staggered, stunned. "You know what the funny part is, darlin'? I could beat you to death and it wouldn't make a difference. Nothing will ever change who you are, Faith." He kicked her down. "You're a murderer…" Another vicious blow to the head. "…an animal…" He seized her by the hair and wrenched her head backward. "…and you enjoy it. Just like me!"
"No she doesn't, or she wouldn't have asked Angel to kill her", Buffy snarled.
"Oh he knows that, but he loves twisting it all", Dawn shrugged.
"Must be his specialty", Giles quipped.
With a strangled cry of rage, Faith leapt to her feet and delivers a stunning uppercut to Angelus' jaw, rocking him backward. He punched back but she followed with a roundhouse kick to his chest, before leaping and kneeing his chest, then pounded him, and roundhouse kicked him to the floor. Her fury was like a living thing now and she leapt on Angelus, rolled him over and pounded him, one devastating blow after another. His head snapped back, then forth, his eyes losing more focus with each shattering punch. But Faith suddenly caught herself, stopped, and backed away. "No!" She looked down at him, bleeding and panting with adrenaline. "You're wrong. I'm different now. I'm not like you."
"You're not", Buffy assured.
"As long as she knows that, no one can get to her", Willow smiled.
Angelus' feet shot out, sweeping her legs out from under her. He yanked her up by the hair and wrenched her head backward, exposing her neck. "You will be." His face shifted and the vampire within rose to the surface. A strangled cry escaped Faith's lips as Angelus sank his fangs into her neck and began to drink. The screen went black.
"NO!" Buffy screamed in horror.
"Oh my God!" Dawnster was now rubbing her head.
"Relax", Rosenberg said. "It's part of her plan."
"He's drinking her!" Xander snapped.
"Okay, relax a little, it's a risky plan, but it's her plan", Willow tried to calm them.
"What was it exactly?" Tara asked.
"Next recording shows it", Maclay said.
"Well, bummer, we need to eat before moving on to that", Xander pointed out.
"Yes, empty stomach won't be beneficial", Giles nodded.
"Don't worry, the recordings won't go anywhere, just a few minutes break, and we'll be back", Summers assured.
"Yup, so time to go", Dawn said.
"Come on", Harris said as they got up and moved away, but were still tense from that ending scene.
Welp, this was something to write, but hope the reactions were well done. And 100 chapters!
[1] The whole torture bit and the argument after that shows how much Wesley and Faith have changed, but thinking about it, now they are who they should have always been. Faith always wanted to be the moral Slayer that Buffy is, and now, she finally is becoming that. While Wesley was supposed to be the ruthless Watcher with 'anything for the greater good' mentality, and he is exactly that now, though he's much better than any other Watcher in the Universe, Giles included (you can't change my mind, though I do like Giles, I just like Wesley better). But that's what I got from all this.
Hope all enjoyed and see you next time with a break, then another batch of 4 episodes.