June 12, 2001
15 Minutes Until Sunrise
Everyone gathers around Whistler waiting for their trip to begin, with Angel being the most anxious of the bunch since the return of his humanity is so close to him.
"Alright everyone gather around." Announces the balance demon. "Before anyone has anything restored or we go on our little field trip I have presents to give out."
"Cool presents" says Dawn as she walks over toward Whistler. "Hope mine is a new CD."
"Sorry little one but no CD's" the demon tells Dawn.
"Man I really wanted a CD" Dawn tells everyone. She then looks at Whistler walks over to him lefts him off the ground and says, "But if you call me little one again I will personally knock out all your teeth grind them to powder and make you drink it down with some of my sister's lemonade, and believe me you do not want to taste her lemonade."
The scene of the young girl lifting and threatening the balance demon gets laughs from everyone that is until Buffy realizes the crack about her lemonade and yells, "Hay there is nothing wrong with my lemonade, especially nothing bad enough to have it used as a threat."
"Are you kidding?" asks Anya in shock. "You can peel paint with that stuff." Anya's statement brings out more laughs from the group which just makes Buffy angrier.
"Can not," says an indignant blond slayer. "Xander likes my lemonade. Right?" Xander abruptly stops laughing and looks at his girlfriend. The look on Xander's face makes the smile on Angel's face grow more every second.
"Um…well your lemonade is very…how can I say…" Xander states trying to find the answer that will give him the best chance of not getting hit.
"Is very what Xander?" Buffy questions as her eyes narrow.
"Strong" the young man answers hopefully. Observing the look his answer gets from the slayer Xander quickly decides to change the subject. "Dawn put the nice demon down so that we can get our presents."
"Oh yeah I forgot about that," says the youngest Summer woman sheepishly. She then places Whistler back down on the ground.
Whistler straightens his jacket as soon as Dawn let him go saying sarcastically, "It's good to know that I'm so memorable that you can forget that you're holding up in the air."
"I wouldn't talk if I were you, which thank God I'm not, because she could always pick you up again and throw you in the trash somewhere," replies Cordelia. Her statement causes Dawn to smile and Whistler frown.
"Well then lets get to the presents," says the balance demon. Turning around and walking to a corner of the old library Whistler starts to look around trying to find the gifts. "I told them to put them here. How hard is it to put some boxes in one place anyway. Here we go." The demon announces as he drags a series of boxes to the gang. "Gather round folks Christmas has come early this year."
"What did you get us?" asks Cordelia.
"The PTB sent down some clothes for you guys," answers Whistler.
"Clothes? Really?" questions Dawn. "What's the catch?"
"No catch," replies Whistler shaking his head at those surrounding him. "The truth is that all of you need something new since you old clothes just won't do anymore."
"Hey I have great taste in clothes," yells all the females, except Faith and Tara who really didn't care about what other people think of their clothes. The common outburst causes the women to look at each other, and those that didn't yell to snicker a little.
"I wasn't talking about your taste in clothes," says the demon annoyed. "Even though you could all benefit from a talk from my tailor, the point is that the clothes that you have on now won't survive once the fighting begins." He then starts to hand out two boxes to everyone. "Each of you will get a set of fighting clothes designed to be resistant to you element and still allow you the freedom of motion to fight at your hardest. Watcher Junior, Reds, Slayer Number One, and Goofy over there all get clothing that resists being burned." As Whistler says this Wesley, Willow, Buffy and Xander narrow there eyes at the demon as they remove their clothing from their boxes. The clothes that Wesley, Willow, and Buffy, and Xander pull out include a blue undershirt, sash, wristbands, and boots. The first three however also have an orange shirt and pants, with Xander receiving a white shirt and pants. "You well notice that the coloring helps to represent your element."
"Question," interrupts Dawn.
"What?" asks Whistler very annoyed.
"I get Buffy, Wesley and Willow's clothes being hard to burn since they have fire, but why does Xander's not burn? I mean he's lightning right?" asks the youngest member of the group.
"The reason is because Xander's element is lightning," Whistler starts to explain as if talking to a five year old. "You see the air around a bolt of lightning is five times hotter then the surface of the sun, which is very hot, and if his clothes can't stand that type of heat then he's going to have to fight in his birthday suit, and incase you don't knew what that is it means he'll have to fight naked." Whistler's comment causes everyone to blush red, except for Angel being a vampire and everything. "Now let me finish with the giving of clothes and information, and then everyone can get changed. Now for Angel and the Prom Queen the material your clothes are made of are water proof so that they won't soak and slow you guys down when in the water. Also there the same color as Goofy's only the colors have been switched. For Slayer Number Two the material is resistant to high speed winds, and the color is black and green with the shirt and pants being green. For Watcher Senior, and Key Girl your fighting attire is made to survive poundings and not even wrinkle. The colors are a light silver shirt and pants with the rest being black. For those of you who don't have an element your clothing has been design to act as a form of armor so that makes them a bit thicker then the rest. The one with the most armor is Tara, since she'll be our healer and we want to keep her safe. Your guys colors are white pants and shirt with the rest being black."
"What no stupid nickname for Tara?" asks Anya. Whistler raises his eyebrow to the ex-demon then looks at Tara.
"Why would I want to make fun of her?" questions the demon honestly confused. "She's so nice." Tara just smiles as Willow nods her head in agreement. "Now why don't you nice people get changed so we can begin your training on time."
"Looking around the ruins of the high school Willow asks, "Where are we supposed to change?"
"Just find somewhere private," answer Whistler shrugging his shoulders.
"You're just full of helpful suggestions aren't you," states an annoyed Dawn before going to look for a good place to change. This signals everyone else to try and find at least a semi-private place to change. After everyone finally found a half decent place to change they put on their new fighting clothes. As the gang stepped back into the area where Whistler waited for them Angel suddenly dropped to his knees grabbing his chest.
"Angel!" cries out Cordelia as she runs to him. "What's wrong?"
"My heart," he responds looking up into Cordelia's face smiling, "it's beating." Angel's skin starts to darken slowly as blood is once again being pumped throughout his body. As Cordy helps Angel to his feet she can feel the warmth starting to come back to his body, and tears start to flow from her eyes. Then a sliver of sunlight goes across Angel's face as he stands causing him to blink several times. "I'm human again."
"I now," Cordelia says in a soft voice as she bends her head to kiss her love. "And this mean no more teasing."
The once souled vampire gives a short laugh and says, "I can't wait."
"I take it someone forget to check his watch," states Whistler smiling. "Congrats amigo you deserve it." The entire gang gives Angel their congratulations, even Xander shakes his hand. "Now if you can all follow me, we have a lot to do." As the balance demon interrupts the moment a portal opens up in front of him. The gang slowly follows Whistler through the portal.
*********
Same Time
Warehouse a Few Miles Outside of Sunnydale
Riley and Graham are on the floor with a bloody lips and a few bruises on their face. Standing over them are Jenny, Tony and Victor. Tony bends down and looks at each of them before standing up turning around and starting to walk away.
He then stops and says, "You both embarrassed us yesterday and I for one do not like to be embarrassed."
"Oh really?" questions Riley as he gets up. "And how exactly did we embarrass you?"
Tony doesn't move and answers the question with his back facing the two former soldiers, "Well lets see here. First you Riley lose you're cool while you were with the slayer and everyone sensed your power level."
"Hey I know I lost my cool, but how does you being able to sense what I can do embarrass you?" Riley cuts in.
"Apparently you don't listen well either do you?" replies Tony as he finally turns around to face them. "I didn't say 'I sensed your power level,' I believe my exact words were, 'everyone sensed your power level.' Everyone includes the slayer and her lackeys."
"That's not possible," Graham says entering the argument. "They haven't been trained to sense anyone's power."
"I don't care what you think is possible," states Tony angrily while looking at Graham. "The fact of the matter is they did. When Riley lost it their attention shifted to the back with ours and that cause the one called Xander to take us seriously. Then he handed you your ass Graham. I would describe those events as embarrassing." Grahams meets Tony's eyes as they stare at each other neither one backing down.
"Like to have see you do…" starts Graham before he's lifted off the ground by Tony whose hand is across Grahams throat.
"You listen to me," threatens Tony. "Both of you. I am not on your pathetic little level." Tony starts to apply more pressure to Graham's neck. Riley moves to break them apart but is stop and knocked to the ground by Jenny who simply looks at him and wiggles her finger in a disapproving manner. Riley can do nothing but watch. "Don't ever think you are a match for me." Tony then drops a gasping Graham onto the ground. "But you're right, the people in the shop should not have been able to sense Riley let alone any one of them being able to take you out so easily especial that Xander. What I find interesting is that he didn't even need to power up at any point during you little scuffle."
"What you getting at boss?" asks Victor from his spot.
"They had to have acquired those skills recently," responds Tony rubbing his chin in thought. "Victor you and Jenny head back to Sunnydale. I want you two to go through the computer that freak show was at when I first got there. My guess is that any new information on our friends will be there. Jenny since you're the computer wiz you take care of that. Victor I want you to keep her covered, nothing disturbs her."
Jenny looks slightly annoyed at that and steps in saying, "I'm a big girl. I don't need a babysitter."
Tony smiles at her before responding by stating, "I know you don't, but I want you to go through everything on that system, and it would be easier on you to do that if you have no distractions." Jenny just huffs and Victor smiles at her annoyance. "Fine if you want I'll give you both permission to have some fun, once your job is done." That statement causes both Victor and Jenny to smile. "Remember not until you're finished." The two Black Fang members nod and head out.
*******
Heavily Forested Area Along a Shoreline
"All right folk here we are," announces Whistler as he motions toward the area. "Now before we get to the main event, the rules. First you stop fighting if your knocked unconscious and second you can give up at anytime. Okay now let's get this fight started." When no one begins to come to blows the balance demon becomes a bit annoyed. "Is there a problem?"
"The child," says Giles.
"What child?" questions Whistler confused causing Giles to sigh.
"The child the may be another Ka' Rok," clarifies Giles.
"Oh him," responds the balance demon.
"Yes him," says the Watcher.
"At least now we know the child is male," states Wesley to the others.
"Oh you know the child," announces the balance demon.
"We do?" questions Willow.
"Yup it's him," says Whistler as he points to Xander.
For his part Xander stiffens at the discovery and asks, "Me?"
"Do you see me pointing at anyone else, because if you do I think it's time to get your eyes checked," responds the demon.
"How?" asks Cordy.
"Yeah how?" cuts in Xander.
"Simply your mom was the slayer that the Black Fang impregnated and then killed," explains Whistler. "She was one Elizabeth Harris, sister to the lovely man you call dad," he continues saying the last part sarcastically.
"So that means Xander's mom is his dad's sister, and his dad is really his uncle. Right?" puts in Dawn a little confused with the situation. Xander can only look from the young woman to the demon with a confused expression on his face.
"Yes," answers Whistler.
"Wait one minute," interrupts Xander. "I can handle my mom being my dad's sister and my dad also being my uncle, which come to think of it is really, really not of the good. But does all that mean I'm still a Harris?"
"At least half of you," replies the demon.
"What about my other half?" asks Xander.
"Your other half is Price," answers Whistler keeping his smile under control. 'This should be good,' he thinks to himself. Wesley and Xander look at each other then back at Whistler and finally each other again. 'Here it comes.'
"No way in hell!" they both yell out at the same time. When they realized they responded with the same line and at the same time they just continue to look at each other. The gang for their part has been shocked to silence until a few giggles can be heard from Angel and Cordelia's direction. Wesley and Xander then turn to the duo and yell, "This is not funny." Which cause Faith and Anya to start laughing. The death glare the two send to the women immediately quiets their laughter.
"You have to admit you guys are acting sort of like twins," Willow breaks in.
"We are not," responds both men at the same time. Turning to each other they yell, "Stop doing that. Me! You're the one talking like me. I said stop it. Me! You stop it. Ah!" That was the last straw where Whistler was concern as he breaks up into a fit of laughter prompting the rest of the gang to laugh. "It's not funny!" That comment just cause everyone to laugh harder.
When Whistler was able to gain control of himself again he announces, "I was just having fun with you guys. You guys aren't related."
Wesley and Xander look at each other and say, "Thank God!"
"Your biological father is the reason you might be another Ka' Rok," states Whistler in a grime voice.
"I have a feeling that I'm not going to like what he has to say," Xander tells Buffy.
"Your father's Pa Tak," states the balance demon. "So we have
to find out if you're ready for the family reunion." Everyone is
silent due to this new piece of information.