Authors Notes: I own nothing. Part Two in my Altered Destinies Saga. Five years ago, during the Summer between Season one and two, Xander and Willow discover their destinies.
Secrets mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm By Cobalite Ice
"You're going where?" Usagi gave him a cross look. "I just got here!"
"Ami and Setsuna want to disect me, and the only way I can leave Sunnydale unguarded is if you stay here to watch it." Angel closed the snaps on his suitcase. "Please, Usagi?"
"Fine. Is there anything to do in this town?"
"There's a club called the Bronze, and there's always plenty of vampires around." Angel ducked as a vase flew over his head.
"Bad joke. You should really give up trying. Have fun being scanned, poked, prodded, and experimented upon."
"Anything's better than spending the summer avoiding Buffy's friends on patrol."
Usagi put a stake through it's heart, and sighed. Angel had not been kidding about the 'lots of vampires' thing. She could hear voices behind her, and ducked into the shadows.
"I don't think this is the best idea we've ever had, Wills. Getting killed isn't on my agenda tonight."
"Shush. What if it's risen already." Willow almost tripped over the gravestone. "We're here."
"There's dust on the grave." Xander muttered. "Deadboy must still be in town."
They walked off, and Usagi continued to stare at the crystal. It had pulsed in their presence. Could it be true? Had the spell really worked, were Kaze and Ara really guarding the Hellmouth?
She went back to Angel's apartment, and cracked open his lock box. Two rings lay on red velvet. "Find them. Lead me to them." The rings disappeared.
I am fighting Zoicite, and loosing. I can sense Kaze coming for me, but know he will be too late. His crystal sword has found my heart, and I fall to the ground. I'm sure that at the outer rim, my sister hears my cry of pain. Zoicite salutes, and smiles at me. "Farewell, Lady Ara. You were truly a worthy opponent."
Kaze's footsteps have gotten closer, and my murdered leaves me to bleed to death. Only death can save me now. Kaze kneels beside me. "Ara."
"My love." I brush my fingers across his lips. "Don't worry. We'll be together again, someday."
"Please, don't leave me. We just lost Tranquility, don't die." He begs, and I kiss him to silence his sobs..
"Never forget what we shared. We weren't just lovers, we were best friends first, and warriors second." I see death approaching. She will be too late. "Kiss me once more, and say goodbye." The last thing I remember is the taste of his lips.
Willow wakes up screaming. She wipes the tears from her eyes, and notices the aquamarine ring on her finger. It won't come off.
She dies in my arms, and suddenly, death is there, seconds too late. "Lady Saturn."
Her voice is flat, empty, despite the rising sun at her back. "We have lost. I'm sorry, but, you must join the others quickly, or you will not be reborn on earth."
"Will it hurt?" I watch her draw her glaive, and think of Ara, and how soon I can see her again.
"No. You will remember nothing, until the time comes. All that is you shall be buried within the soul of another. It would be best if you don't watch." I obey, and close my eyes, as she calls out the phrase that ends the Silver Millennia. "Death Reborn Revolution!"
At the last second, I open my eyes. Something is wrong, Tranquility's bubble is falling faster than the others. Then the wave hits, and I realize what she meant. All that I am, does that mean my love to. My last thought is 'What if I forget?'
Xander crawled out of bed, and splashed water on his face. The golden ring on his finger is cold, but it won't come off.
"It's weird, isn't it, how we had almost the same dream?" Willow stirred her coffee, the only thing keeping her awake. She'd been afraid to go back to sleep.
"Weird, yeah." Xander's eyes focused on the blond sitting at a table across the room. "I'm gonna ask her to dance."
"You're gonna break your own record for getting shot down." Willow almost smiled as he walked off, but couldn't. She figured their dreams had to be slightly different. He hadn't mention the love the people in their dream had shared, maybe it was just a coincidence. But the rings…
"Hi, I'm Xander."
Usagi didn't look up. "I don't want to dance, I don't want to party, and if you hit on me I can guarantee you'll never have children."
He swallowed his pickup line. "My friend and I just thought you might like some company." Xander pointed at Willow, who was snoring. "Don't mind her. She's been having freaky dreams."
"Dreams you say?" Usagi's interest peaked. 'Could it be these two I heard in the cemetery?' She saw the ring on his finger. "Why not?"
As soon as Usagi sat down, Willow woke up with a shot, biting back a scream. "I'm never going to sleep again. I can't keep seeing myself die over and over again."
Usagi bit her lip. She hadn't meant for them to relive their deaths. 'I guess this is so they're easier to find.' She mentally cut the homing beacon. "Tsukino Usagi."
"Willow Rosenburg." She shakily returned the handshake. "Are you from Asia, cause you do that last name first thing?"
"Japan, Juban Ward, Tokyo." Usagi sat down, and began to assimilate herself into their lives.
Usagi had finally broken down and danced with him. Willow watched, for once not jealous. Usagi was practically married from the way she described it anyway, and it just seemed right. She wasn't seeing her death anymore, but the dreams hadn't stopped. She'd seen a dance much like this one in her dreams last night.
Angel walked into the Bronze, glad to be back where he now considered home. He was looking for Usagi, but saw Willow instead, sitting alone. "Where's your worse half?"
"Xander's dancing."
"Bug, demon, or mummy?" Angel joked.
"Probably an oni." Willow was surprised Angel was in such a good mood. "Where have you been?"
"Japan." Something occurred to him. "Oni, why would she be an oni?"
"That's a freaky coincidence, cause Usagi's from Japan, and that's who Xander's with."
"He's dancing with Usagi." Angel started laughing, and Willow was shocked. She'd never seen him really laugh. "I think I should go save him, don't you?"
"Save him from who?"
"Himself. He puts the moves on Usagi, and she'll break his arms." Angel tried to stop laughing as he tapped Xander on the shoulder. "May I cut in?"
Usagi threw her arms around him, and Angel went stiff, expecting pain, not remembering the wards until the last minute. "I'm so glad you're back. I have a wonderful surprise for you."
Xander swallowed. "You two know each other?"
"Uh-huh." Usagi grinned. "Angel, this is-"
"Xander Harris. We know each other, Usagi. He's one of Buffy's friends." Angel was taking great pleasure form Xander's unease.
"Oh." Usagi shrugged. "Guess that means I can stop editing all of my best stories."
How do you two know each other, Angel? Is she another crazy ex-girlfriend here to kill us all?" Now Xander was angry. Why did Angel get all the good ones?
"No." Angel sounded not only offended but also disgusted. "Wards again? This wasn't a good idea, Usagi-chan. What if you have to fight?"
"They're keyed to you, no-baka." Usage started walking back to the table. "You were right, Angel. Curado is here, in Sunnydale, hunting us. Now he has a double grudge."
"Who's Curado?" Xander was still tagging along.
"The European Auralius clan head. You know, the one sitting with Willow." Usagi did a double take. "He knows!"
"Knows what?"
"Who are you?" Xander turned to Angel. "And who are you? Just when I think I have you figured out, things change."
"I'm not what I appear to be." They were at the table. "Leave her alone, Curado. She's not your concern."
The man had golden hair, and looked about twenty. "Ah, Angelus, so good to see you again. You're right, she's not my concern, but she'd make a lovely snack."
"Leave her alone, and I'll give you the fight we all know you really want." Angel was standing her ground this time. "I left Japan to save my family, and you followed me. We finish this."
"Very well, Angelus. I can take your power and avenge my sire at the same time." Curado stood, and headed for the backdoor.
"Stay here." Angel said, knowing no one would listen to him. They all followed, just as he anticipated. Curado was already in full sorcerer garb when they arrived in the back alley. "You have no right of challenge, Curado."
"You are unfit for such power, weak and beaten. It will better serve the restoration of our Master. I will have what I am owed." He drew a sword from his robes. "No magic."
"No magic." Angel placed his hand over his heart, and pulled a sword from it. A look of pain crossed his face. A clash of swords began, and as they fought, the sigil on Angel's forehead began to glow.
"Xander, look." Willow stared, and the sigil on her ring started to glow.
Xander's eyes grew wide. "Willow, did you have the dream where we swear an oath to a man with that sword?"
"To Tranquility. To serve…" Willow's eyes began to glow.
"And protect." They clasped hands, and were bathed in light.
Seconds later, two very different people stood there. "Araumi."
"Kazeno." Araumi lifted his faceplate. "You look so different."
He raised hers. "It's been far to long since I've been able to touch you."
Usagi cleared her throat. "I hate to interupt, but you were called back for a reason." She pointed at the fight. "We can't intervene until Curado cheats."
"Serenity in a fuko, do the wonders never cease?" Ara shook her head. "Tranquility told us about this guy, bad vibes." She drew her weapons, and twirled them experimentally. "Tell us about our hosts while we wait."
"Your name is Willow Rosenburg, his is Alexander Harris. You're both entering junior year, at Sunnydale High School."
Kaze let out a laugh. "A town, built on top of a Hellmouth, called Sunnydale? That's almost as funny as the time we stole-"
Ara belted him. "You and your sister's hijinxs have nothing to do with this. Speaking of our siblings.."
"Alive, well, and eager to meet you." Usagi turned an eye back to the fight.
Suddenly, Curado let loose a magical charge. Angel was blasted into a wall. "I win, Angelus. Your power shall be-" He paused, and looked at his chest. The silvery tip of Ara's trident was barely visable. "NO!" He crumbled to dust.
"A vampire." Kaze didn't seem surprised.
"How quaint." There's no place like the Hellmouth." Ara turned her attention back to Angel. "My prince, are you alright?"
"You…you're…" Angel continued to stammer as Kaze pulled him to his feet.
"Happy Birthday, Angel." Usagi smiled her most devious smile.
"And all I got you was a cellular phone." He stared at the two before him. "No offense, but who are you?"
"We're your warriors. How quickly one forgets." Kaze quiped.
Angel rolled his eyes. "Take off your helmets." Then he was what was behind the metal shells, and his eyes rolled again, to the back of his head. Angel dropped like a sack of potatoes. "Did we do something wrong?"
Afterwards, they let the armor fall. Angel looked at the two stunned teens, who were staring at each other as one does when they find something long lost. "I want to tell you two something. It's going to upset you."
Willow dragged her eyes away. "What's wrong? I mean, this is a good thing? Now we can fight!"
Angel sucked in an unnecessary breath. "She's not here. I've looked everywhere, but Terra didn't make it."
Xander looked stunned. "But, Buffy…? I just assumed that she was the other."
"No. That's why I have to stay away from her. The slayer is an embodiment of the crystal's power. She isn't completely human, so she can't be Terra." Angel strained against the blood tears that tried to fall.
Xander put his arm on Angel's shoulder, their strife forgotten. "Cheer up, Deadboy! Screw destiny, go for the girl!" He was oblivious to Willow's hurt look.
"We won't let her know anything has changed." Willow had her determined look, then looked frightened. "We're not gonna start getting super power thingies in our normal forms, are we?
Angel almost smiled, then steeled himself for the next thing he had to say. "I want to make a deal with you two. The inner Princes tend to be corrupted easily, because the planetary mass is relatively small. If it ever happens, I want you to get rid of me."
The two looked at him in horror. "Angel, we're your friends!" Willow hugged him.
"Swear it. You didn't see what befell the kings of heaven. If I hadn't managed to," Angel trailed of. "If Terra had lived, I would have had to fight her again."
With a sigh, Xander and Willow relented. "I, Kaze of Uranus, give my oath. Should you ever be turned to the dark side, I will end your life."
"I, Araumi of Neptune, give my oath. Should you ever be turned to the dark side, I will end your life, but only after all other options have been exhausted."
Angel rolled his eyes at Willow's corollary. "I, Tranquility of Luna, accept your oath."