Thanks for the encouraging feedback….
this one is a doozy since it hints at a crossover with something else later on.
Chapter 3: "Can you say "Armageddon"? – HAH, too late!" (imagine Mister Rogers on a very bad day)
"Would you believe another apocalypse?" The figure by the door said as the two men
whirled around to confront him. The
balance demon had to grin at the look of astonishment passing between the two. Spike, he knew well enough – but the one
beside him, he only heard about in passing. So this is the so-called "Cosmic Protector", he eyed the young man and
felt boundless waves of pure undiluted power emanating from him. He was even more surprised when the man was
suddenly in front of him without even him blinking and lifted him up with just one
hand, eyes glowing with white lightning.
"Who are you?" Todd asked; voice laced with a tinge of his
own brand of apocalyptic fury.
"Spike…." The demon screeched, his
surprise turning to fear at what the powerful young humanoid would do if he
gave him the wrong answer.
"Well," Spike began, "This little
fashion reject goes by the name of Whistler. He's what they call a balance demon, charged by the Powers That Be in
keeping this sorry little world in one piece by playing as the worst dressed
bearer of good and bad news. How are ya
doin' mate?"
"Really." Richard said, setting the demon down and releasing his chokehold
on him. "I'm not impressed. So what brings you here?"
"I came to offer Spike a chance to
fight for the good guys." Whistler
said, and then his gaze fell towards the prone form of the Slayer. "What the hell is she doing here? Ain't she supposed to be dead four months
ago?"
Upon closer inspection, Whistler got
another shock – the girl was breathing!! He looked back at the man beside Spike and stared. "How?" Was all he ever got out, voice lost in mute wonder and fear of the
man.
"Technically, she WAS dead." Richard explained, moving towards Buffy and
checked her pulse again to see if the mixture he gave already started working. "The way she closed the gate made sure she
was. But instead, all the energy she
absorbed that fried her mind and body also placed her in a higher state of
suspended animation and prevented her from being completely "DEAD"."
Realization crept into the balance
demon's face, "So to revive her, you
had to remove the energy that fried her into stasis and heal her."
"Yes."
"Then this changes the whole
picture. We might have a good chance at
this then." Whistler said, his mood
lightening up since his arrival. "Now
listen carefully, this involves everybody from here to Timbuktu – now with you
healing her, we may have a better chance of coming out of this alive with the
most minimal of fatalities……"
The night wore on as Whistler
outlined the dire events that would happen to the best of his knowledge, and
how to stop it. Spike wanted out, but
was surprised when Whistler said it involved him, too. It was nearly dawn when the demon left, and
each went their separate ways, scared enough of the Protector so as not to
telling the world their greatest Slayer was once again alive.
……………….
A few days later, Faith decided to
return to Sunnydale after helping Angel track down one of those disgusting
demons. Not even letting anybody know
she was back, she continued her patrol every night. She was outright bored out of her skull as this night proved to
be the exception, not a single vamp in sight. Ever since B died, the entire vamp population would boom. They were getting sneakier, smarter. With a sigh of not finding enough action for
the night, she decided to head home for a nightcap – cutting through the
park. Unfortunately, this was also the
night when seventy vamps decided to ambush her en masse.
The brunette Slayer's eyes widened,
throttling down her fear – being one with more action than words, said two
words that she knew might be her last: "Let's dance!"
She gave as good as she got, a
frantic swirling dervish of destruction turning into a graceful dance for the
reaper. Faith fought at her best this night,
despite the odds, she had done in more than half of them, but she was slowing –
tiring. Each thrust of the stake
getting slower, seeming heavier. She
wouldn't dare cry. Screw the whole
fucking world - she wouldn't DARE fall now. This is it, she felt it – and wonder of wonders, a laugh bubbled up her
throat – she found out that she could still pray. Falling and staggering up, she prepared herself to die.
Then the world went white and a sound
like a sonic boom filled the air, the vamps were halved again as some exploded
into dust after the noise. Faith and
the remaining vampires turned towards the rise and saw a figure holding a
hellish-looking sawed-off shotgun on his right hand and a glowing golden sword
in the other.
"Am I missing the party?" The figure asked, wading in. The vampires left Faith to collapse and
charged at the newcomer. She watched as
the stranger moved faster than humanly possible and made short work of the
remaining vamps. Not one to accept help
more than necessary, she got up and joined the fray – catching her second
wind. When the dust settled, the two
were eyeing each other as if each thought the other a new piece of odd amoeba.
"Name's Faith." She said.
"Max Quaylen." The stranger replied.
"Nice meeting you Q, not to be rude
but I got to go…." Faith took a step away and fainted.
Max Quaylen sighed, he was certain
the gutsy brunette didn't faint from seeing his handsome face.
"Sheesh!! Have I got a vain dude for a master!!" His sword said as he checked the unconscious Slayer, knowing what
was in Max's thoughts. The sword was
rewarded with a growl from Quaylen as he willed the sword back to the heavenly
armory where it rightfully belonged. That ought to shut you up, Max thought, hearing a faint gagging retort
from it as he banished his sword for safekeeping.
Noting that nothing was too much
amiss from the Slayer, though battered and bruised – he knew this one, like the
former Slayer, would survive. He gently
scooped her up and headed to his hotel room suite a block away. Since he didn't know where else to bring
her, he was glad he got a place with two rooms. He didn't want a stake up his ass if she ever woke up with him
lying asleep beside her. He glanced
down at the unconscious form and smiled, her name running off his mouth like
silk and laughed at the irony of it all. Time to call Giles and let him know he has their wayward Slayer.
He glanced heavenward and said, "Ah, Faith…."
…………
To Be Continued…..
Looks like things are gonna be
complicated from here on, what do you think?
