Yamato the Vampire Slayer
Maths Lessons and Useless Demonology
By the Empress of the Eclipse
Disclaimer - Nope. I don't own any Digimon or Buffy. Not ever.
The teacher was droning on and on and on. Tai blinked, struggling to stay awake. Why did anyone care? What good would Maths do for him?
He felt his head nodding and jerked himself up quickly. Looking round, he saw that most students were in the same state of torpor.
His eyes instinctively went to Matt's desk. Matt had given in and was asleep. Tai wondered briefly about trying to wake him up, then shrugged. He was too far away from Matt to do anything anyway.
The teacher's drone continued. Tai sighed and rubbed his eyes irritably. Something dragged his eyes back to Matt.
Matt was shaking slightly in his sleep. As Tai watched, Matt frowned, stirring slightly.
"No..."
It was a very quiet whisper but Tai heard it. He looked at Matt anxiously. Was Matt having a nightmare?
"No," Matt whimpered again "No."
The teacher suddenly seemed to become aware that something was wrong in the classroom. He looked over and Matt.
"Mr Ishida," he said "Mr Ishida."
It didn't work. Matt was obviously fast asleep and tightly in the grip of his nightmare.
"NO!" he screamed suddenly "NO, NO, NO! TAI! TAICHI!"
He was thrashing around now and it was a miracle that he was still on his seat. Tai leapt over and shook him.
"Matt! Matt!"
Matt jerked awake, lashing out at him blindly. He caught Tai on the side of the head, sending Tai down like a nine-pin. There was an utter silence in the classroom.
"Mr Yagami, are you all right?" the teacher asked.
Tai nodded, rubbing the side of his head.
"Just a fractured skull," he said.
Matt was looking confused he noticed, like he wasn't sure what had happened.
"Matt, should you go to the nurses office?" he asked.
"Yeah," Matt said "Yeah, maybe I should."
He stood up looking slightly dizzy.
"Should I take him?" Tai asked.
"Yes," the teacher said.
Tai slowly led Matt out of the room. Matt was walking more like a sleepwalker than anything. He looked sick.
"Are you okay?" Tai asked.
"Yeah," Matt said "Just...just over-tired."
He seemed reluctant to say more. Tai knew why.
"Matt," he said carefully "Were you dreaming about...something bad?"
"Like vampires?" Matt said caustically "Yes actually. I was."
Tai swallowed. Matt supposed that Tai had handled everything by denying it.
"Matt, maybe you should tell somebody," he said "About these...dreams."
"So that's how you've handled it?" Matt said bitterly "You think I'm just having crazy dreams?"
"No!" Tai said "Well...not exactly."
"You think that I'm delusional?" Matt said savagely.
"Maybe!" Tai exploded. He quietened his voice slightly "Matt, I don't know okay? But I think maybe...maybe something bad has happened to you and this is how you're dealing with it. Do you see what I mean?"
Matt stared at him.
"That actually makes sense," he said "For a wonder. God, isn't it amazing how the mind tries to rationalise things? You'd never have thought of something that intelligent if it wasn't for the fact that I'm offering you something that you can't accept."
"Of course I can't accept it!" Tai snapped "It's crazy! Matt, I think you should talk to someone..."
"No!" Matt said "I'm not talking to anyone! I. Am. Not. Crazy. All right? Now leave me alone. Go back to class. Go back to your rational world. Leave me to mine."
Tai looked at him for a long moment. Then he turned and walked off. Matt stared silently after him.
So this was how his life was going to be. He'd grow up lonely with no friends. He'd live alone probably, unless he lived with Ms Fuyutsuki. No family. No friends. No job unless he could get more schoolwork in than he was now. No interesting job anyway. He'd be the mad old hermit in the apartment building. Kids would be scared of him. He'd grow old and die and nobody would notice his death for weeks until the smell got so bad that people would have to notice.
Matt gave a strangled sob. A tear ran down his face.
Welcome to your life Matt Ishida. Enjoy being a miserable hermit.
* * * *
"Yamato," Ms Fuyutsuki said "I have a task for you."
Matt looked up from the book he was studying.
"Thank God," he said "If I have to read one more word, I'll scream. Who cares about Tyack Demons anyway? They seem pretty harmless to me."
Ms Fuyutsuki had to agree but she didn't say anything.
"There's been a number of mysterious abductions lately," she said "Children vanishing. No bodies have been recovered and no ransom notes have been sent."
"So we're looking for a demon that eats children whole?" Matt said.
"Perhaps. Or perhaps we're looking for something that abducts children with a particular aim in mind."
"Okay," Matt said "Where'd I start looking?"
Ms Fuyutsuki gave him an area.
"Ken lives around there," Matt said.
He wished he hadn't. Just mentioning one of his old friends made him feel sick inside, like he'd eaten something bad.
"Ichijouji Ken? Child genius?" Ms Fuyutsuki said.
Matt nodded.
"We're....we were friends," he said.
Ms Fuyutsuki smiled.
"I like your choice in friends," she said.
Matt wondered what she'd say if she knew that Ken Ichijouji had been an evil Digimon Emperor, the reason that the new Digidestined had been called in the first place. He had a feeling she'd blow her top.
"So I look tonight," he said "Great fun."
* * * *
"You don't have to see me home," Ken said for the umpteenth time.
"I don't have to but I like to," Davis said firmly "You know I do."
Ken smiled at his friend. Davis always insisted on babying him. Ken always pretended to moan but really he liked it.
"So got any ideas for tomorrow," Davis asked.
Ken shook his head.
"I have a French Test," he said.
Davis gave him an incredulous look.
"You learn French?"
Ken nodded.
"Man," Davis said "And I though I was hard done by learning English!"
Ken shrugged.
"I don't mind," he said. Teasingly, he switched into French "Besides, it means I can do this and really piss you off!"
"Stop that!" Davis said "I don't speak French!"
"I know," Ken said, switching to English "Let's see if you even know that this isn't French."
"Stop it!" Davis wailed "I don't know any French!"
Ken rolled his eyes.
"That was English!" he said "Don't you pay any attention in class?"
"No," Davis said cheerfully "When will I ever need those things?"
Ken rolled his eyes again. They he stiffened.
"Did you hear something then?" he asked.
"No," Davis said.
Ken shrugged.
"Oh."
They kept walking. When the strange noise came again, they both heard it.
"Ken," Davis said softly "I think there's someone following us."
"Let's speed up slightly," Ken suggested.
They began moving faster. The noises continued. It was a sort of dragging noise. Ken found himself thinking about people dragging dead bodies around and shivered.
"Davis..."
Davis glanced behind him. Ken saw his face lose all it's colour. Turning, he started.
Something was staring at them. It was human shaped but strange tentacles hung from it and dragged on the floor. It was covered in those tentacles. It stared at them flatly out of emotionless black eyes.
"Oh God..." Ken said softly.
"Ken," Davis said shakily "Let's run."
"Let's," Ken agreed.
"Stop!" the creature ordered. It spoke quite flatly but Ken found his feet rooted to the spot.
"Davis," he whimpered, feeling terrified.
Davis said nothing. He clutched at Ken's hand as the thing came nearer.
"You will be my slaves," the creature said "I will use you to bring up my spawn. And when the time is right, when you are just broken shells, they will devour you."
"Davis!" Ken said "Davis, do something!"
Davis said nothing, just continued to stare. He was more deeply under the creatures spell than Ken.
"Davis!" Ken said again.
"Come," the creature ordered, it's voice more effective than any Dark Rings. Ken could feel his legs beginning to move.
"I think not actually," a voice said from the shadows.
The creature turned, in time to see someone spring at it.
"Freeze!" the creature snarled.
Ken felt himself stop obediently but the figure didn't. It slammed into the creature, knocking it back. The figure whipped something out of a pocket that shone in the street lamp. A long bladed knife. The creature screamed as it pierced one of its tentacles.
"Davis!" Ken sobbed "Davis, please wake up!"
The creature threw the figure into the white light. Then Ken saw who it was.
"Matt?"
Matt threw him a glance.
"Run!" he yelled "Ken, Davis, get out of here!"
"We can't!" Ken cried "We can't move and Davis won't talk to me!"
Matt swore. The creature lashed its tentacles at him. Matt managed to duck with a muffled curse.
"Matt?" Davis murmured softly.
Ken looked at him.
"Davis, we have to get out of here!" he said desperately "Davis, please!"
Davis looked at him. As he did, the creature lashed out a tentacle at them. It struck Ken straight in the chest.
White hot pain shot through Ken's body. He gave a shuddering cry, then dropped unconscious to the floor.
* * * *
"KEN!" Matt screamed "Ken, no!"
His friend lay huddled, obviously unconscious. Matt felt rage surging over him.
"You...you thing!" he screamed at the demon.
"Ken!" he heard Davis crying "Ken, Ken!"
Obviously the enchantment was broken. Matt didn't pay any attention to it, concentrated on avoiding the tentacles that were trying to whip him.
Then the demon screamed. Glancing up, Matt saw Angel attacking it with an axe. He spotted Spike lunging too. The demon flung out its tentacles, trying to protect itself. Matt lifted his knife and threw it into the centre of the demon with deadly accuracy. The demon gave one long howling scream, then collapsed to the floor. As they watched, it disintegrated into fine white powder.
Matt ran over to Ken and Davis. Davis had Ken in his arms and was crying. Ken looked utterly white and drained.
"Ken!" Matt said "Ken! Ken, say something!"
Nothing. Ken didn't even flicker. Matt felt for a pulse praying.
"He's alive!"
He heard Angel and Spike coming up behind them.
"Ken," Davis said "Ken, I'm sorry, I should have protected you! Ken, please wake up!"
"We need to get him inside," Angel said softly.
Matt swallowed. He carefully lifted Ken in his arms. Ken stirred.
"Ken!" Davis said "Ken?"
Ken's eyes opened.
"D-Davis?" he said "It hurts..."
Davis clutched at him and started crying again. Ken hugged Davis as best he could, still shivering.
"Matt?" he said.
"Hey Ken," Matt said gently.
"What was that thing?" Ken said "What was it? What happened?"
"It doesn't matter," Matt said "Come on. Let's get you home."
* * * *
They all sat round in Ken's bedroom. Ken was in bed. Davis was sprawled on it too, gently stroking Ken's hair, reluctant to let him go. He'd phoned his parents and said he was staying at Ken's. He didn't want to go out again. Matt sat at the computer chair and Angel and Spike just stood around.
"What was that thing Matt?" Davis demanded "What did it do? You were fighting it!"
"I know," Matt said "It's...it's very complicated."
"No you don't," Ken said "You're going to tell us, you're not fobbing us off! You were fighting that thing!"
"I don't know what it was," Matt said at last.
"It was a Slydor demon," Angel spoke up quietly "A particularly nasty breed. They kidnap human children and use magic to attach them to their own offspring. The offspring grow, draining the children's energy until the Slydor offspring are adults. Then they eat the remaining empty husk of the child. Quite charmless."
"Excuse me," Davis said. He leaped off the bed and ran out of the room.
"I think you made him sick," Ken said.
Angel looked guilty.
"Angel knows all the fun facts," Spike said happily.
"We need to find its nest and rescue those children," Matt said.
"We'll do that," Angel said quickly "Don't worry about it."
Matt gave him a smile. Angel quickly looked away, unable to miss the look in Matt's eyes. Davis came back in, wiping his mouth.
"Sorry," he said dully.
"It's okay," Matt said "I did that when I first staked a vampire."
"Wuss!" Spike said.
The next thing he knew, he was on the floor, Matt standing over him.
"You said something?" Matt said, smiling politely.
"Er...no," Spike said "Definitely not, nope, nuh uh."
"Good," Matt said. He stepped back. Spike flashed Angel a look which Angel knew meant 'If I didn't have my chip, I'd take him down!'
"Vampire?" Davis said.
Matt sighed.
"I'm a vampire Slayer," he said "It's a very long story but...there have been vampires and demons on this world long before there were humans. Now there's more humans than vampires and demons. And as long as humans and demons have coexisted, there has been a slayer. One gi - person in the world chosen with the strength and skill to hunt and kill vampires. And that's me."
He looked at Ken and Davis. They were staring at him.
"Wow," Ken said at last.
"You mean there are more...things like that?" Davis asked shakily.
"Lots of 'em," Spike said brightly "Worse ones."
"Great," Davis said.
"I need to sit down," Ken said.
"You're already lying in bed," Angel said.
"Oh yes," Ken said shakily.
"So...you have to kill them?" Davis said slowly "All of them?"
Matt nodded.
"When did you find out?" Ken asked.
"Some months ago," Matt said "It feels like forever."
"So that's why you've been so weird," Davis said.
Matt nodded. Davis dropped off the bed and came over. To Matt's surprise, Davis gave him a hug. Matt wanted to push him away but somehow he ended up pressed his face into Davis's spiky hair and snuffling pathetically. Angel stepped over and wrapped an arm round Spike's head, stopping him saying anything.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Davis asked.
"You'd never have believed me," Matt said.
"Of course we would," Davis said.
"Tai didn't," Matt said.
Davis drew back with a frown.
"You told him?"
Matt shook his head.
"He went through my room and read my diary," he said expressionlessly "He now thinks I'm a crazy loony."
Davis gave him a slightly shocked look. Matt sat on the computer chair again. Angel released Spike.
"What do we do?" Ken asked.
"Nothing," Matt said "At least, you two don't. Ms Fuyutsuki..."
"Who?"
"Ms Ishiko Fuyutsuki. She's my Watcher. The Watcher trains the Slayer up and makes sure that they survive," Matt said "Anyway, Ms Fuyutsuki told me that no one can ever know because you risk death."
"Rubbish!" Ken said "We're not leaving you to fight alone!"
"You don't have a choice," Matt said gently "I don't want you getting hurt."
"Nonsense!" Davis said "We're the Digidestined."
"The what?" Spike said.
"Shut it Spike," Angel hissed.
"These aren't Digimon," Matt said "You can't get involved. Vampires alone would probably slaughter you."
"You can handle them!" Davis said mulishly.
"Matt's different," Angel said gently, deciding to intervene "He's the Slayer. The Slayer has almost inhuman strength and powers that normal people don't have. He's built to kill vampires and demons. You aren't."
"Well I'm not just sitting back and watching Matt do everything!" Davis said angrily "I'm going to help!"
"What if I don't want you to?" Matt asked.
"You can't stop me," Davis said.
"Mistake," Spike said "Never tell a Slayer that they can't do something."
"Spike," Angel said.
He noticed the look Ken was giving him and scowled. Ken was giving him a 'I'm classifying you' look and Angel didn't like it much. Ken looked completely unabashed and just continued watching.
"Matt, I don't want you doing this alone!" Davis said.
"I'm okay," Matt said "Really."
Angel shook his head.
"Matt, maybe you should listen to them," he said "Listen, I was a friend to the last Slayer, Buffy."
"Just friends?" Spike said, raising an eyebrow.
"Shut up Spike," Angel said "She had friends to help her. And they were really important. She needed them. It's dangerous but Buffy's friends were a valuable asset to her. Maybe yours could be."
"I'd just like to point out that Buffy's friends were her age and older," Spike said "These two are only little sprogs."
"Who're you calling a little sprog?" Davis demanded.
"You," Spike said "And don't glare at me like that Goggle-Boy or I'll get pissed off and you won't like that."
Davis glared at him obstinately.
"Spike," Angel said warningly.
"Are you two dating? Or related?" Davis asked.
"Davis!" Ken and Matt both hissed at the same time.
"What?" Davis said.
"We're both," Spike said.
"Spike!" Angel hissed in fury "Shut up!"
"Cousins?" Ken asked.
Spike opened his mouth. Angel dived over and covered it.
"Spike if you don't shut up right now, I'm going to break into a church and make you eat the cross on the alter!" he hissed very quietly.
He moved back. Spike remained silent.
"Ignore him," Angel said "He talks bollocks."
"But you're dating?" Matt said. He looked crushed.
"No," Angel said firmly "Spike and I are not dating."
He felt a pang of guilt. It would probably have been better for Matt if he'd thought that they were dating. Then he wouldn't be getting his hopes up. Even Buffy hadn't been smitten so fast.
"Spike and I had better go," he said "We need to find that Slydor demon's nest."
"Do you need my help?" Matt asked.
"No, it's okay," Angel said.
He and Spike left.
"I'd better go home then," Matt said "Dad'll go nuclear if he finds out I'm not there."
He looked at Ken and Davis.
"Don't tell anyone," he said "Promise me."
"We promise," both boys said.
"Thanks," Matt said "Don't have nightmares. I'll see you tomorrow."
He walked out. Davis and Ken starting silently after him.
The End of Part 4.
Maths Lessons and Useless Demonology
By the Empress of the Eclipse
Disclaimer - Nope. I don't own any Digimon or Buffy. Not ever.
The teacher was droning on and on and on. Tai blinked, struggling to stay awake. Why did anyone care? What good would Maths do for him?
He felt his head nodding and jerked himself up quickly. Looking round, he saw that most students were in the same state of torpor.
His eyes instinctively went to Matt's desk. Matt had given in and was asleep. Tai wondered briefly about trying to wake him up, then shrugged. He was too far away from Matt to do anything anyway.
The teacher's drone continued. Tai sighed and rubbed his eyes irritably. Something dragged his eyes back to Matt.
Matt was shaking slightly in his sleep. As Tai watched, Matt frowned, stirring slightly.
"No..."
It was a very quiet whisper but Tai heard it. He looked at Matt anxiously. Was Matt having a nightmare?
"No," Matt whimpered again "No."
The teacher suddenly seemed to become aware that something was wrong in the classroom. He looked over and Matt.
"Mr Ishida," he said "Mr Ishida."
It didn't work. Matt was obviously fast asleep and tightly in the grip of his nightmare.
"NO!" he screamed suddenly "NO, NO, NO! TAI! TAICHI!"
He was thrashing around now and it was a miracle that he was still on his seat. Tai leapt over and shook him.
"Matt! Matt!"
Matt jerked awake, lashing out at him blindly. He caught Tai on the side of the head, sending Tai down like a nine-pin. There was an utter silence in the classroom.
"Mr Yagami, are you all right?" the teacher asked.
Tai nodded, rubbing the side of his head.
"Just a fractured skull," he said.
Matt was looking confused he noticed, like he wasn't sure what had happened.
"Matt, should you go to the nurses office?" he asked.
"Yeah," Matt said "Yeah, maybe I should."
He stood up looking slightly dizzy.
"Should I take him?" Tai asked.
"Yes," the teacher said.
Tai slowly led Matt out of the room. Matt was walking more like a sleepwalker than anything. He looked sick.
"Are you okay?" Tai asked.
"Yeah," Matt said "Just...just over-tired."
He seemed reluctant to say more. Tai knew why.
"Matt," he said carefully "Were you dreaming about...something bad?"
"Like vampires?" Matt said caustically "Yes actually. I was."
Tai swallowed. Matt supposed that Tai had handled everything by denying it.
"Matt, maybe you should tell somebody," he said "About these...dreams."
"So that's how you've handled it?" Matt said bitterly "You think I'm just having crazy dreams?"
"No!" Tai said "Well...not exactly."
"You think that I'm delusional?" Matt said savagely.
"Maybe!" Tai exploded. He quietened his voice slightly "Matt, I don't know okay? But I think maybe...maybe something bad has happened to you and this is how you're dealing with it. Do you see what I mean?"
Matt stared at him.
"That actually makes sense," he said "For a wonder. God, isn't it amazing how the mind tries to rationalise things? You'd never have thought of something that intelligent if it wasn't for the fact that I'm offering you something that you can't accept."
"Of course I can't accept it!" Tai snapped "It's crazy! Matt, I think you should talk to someone..."
"No!" Matt said "I'm not talking to anyone! I. Am. Not. Crazy. All right? Now leave me alone. Go back to class. Go back to your rational world. Leave me to mine."
Tai looked at him for a long moment. Then he turned and walked off. Matt stared silently after him.
So this was how his life was going to be. He'd grow up lonely with no friends. He'd live alone probably, unless he lived with Ms Fuyutsuki. No family. No friends. No job unless he could get more schoolwork in than he was now. No interesting job anyway. He'd be the mad old hermit in the apartment building. Kids would be scared of him. He'd grow old and die and nobody would notice his death for weeks until the smell got so bad that people would have to notice.
Matt gave a strangled sob. A tear ran down his face.
Welcome to your life Matt Ishida. Enjoy being a miserable hermit.
* * * *
"Yamato," Ms Fuyutsuki said "I have a task for you."
Matt looked up from the book he was studying.
"Thank God," he said "If I have to read one more word, I'll scream. Who cares about Tyack Demons anyway? They seem pretty harmless to me."
Ms Fuyutsuki had to agree but she didn't say anything.
"There's been a number of mysterious abductions lately," she said "Children vanishing. No bodies have been recovered and no ransom notes have been sent."
"So we're looking for a demon that eats children whole?" Matt said.
"Perhaps. Or perhaps we're looking for something that abducts children with a particular aim in mind."
"Okay," Matt said "Where'd I start looking?"
Ms Fuyutsuki gave him an area.
"Ken lives around there," Matt said.
He wished he hadn't. Just mentioning one of his old friends made him feel sick inside, like he'd eaten something bad.
"Ichijouji Ken? Child genius?" Ms Fuyutsuki said.
Matt nodded.
"We're....we were friends," he said.
Ms Fuyutsuki smiled.
"I like your choice in friends," she said.
Matt wondered what she'd say if she knew that Ken Ichijouji had been an evil Digimon Emperor, the reason that the new Digidestined had been called in the first place. He had a feeling she'd blow her top.
"So I look tonight," he said "Great fun."
* * * *
"You don't have to see me home," Ken said for the umpteenth time.
"I don't have to but I like to," Davis said firmly "You know I do."
Ken smiled at his friend. Davis always insisted on babying him. Ken always pretended to moan but really he liked it.
"So got any ideas for tomorrow," Davis asked.
Ken shook his head.
"I have a French Test," he said.
Davis gave him an incredulous look.
"You learn French?"
Ken nodded.
"Man," Davis said "And I though I was hard done by learning English!"
Ken shrugged.
"I don't mind," he said. Teasingly, he switched into French "Besides, it means I can do this and really piss you off!"
"Stop that!" Davis said "I don't speak French!"
"I know," Ken said, switching to English "Let's see if you even know that this isn't French."
"Stop it!" Davis wailed "I don't know any French!"
Ken rolled his eyes.
"That was English!" he said "Don't you pay any attention in class?"
"No," Davis said cheerfully "When will I ever need those things?"
Ken rolled his eyes again. They he stiffened.
"Did you hear something then?" he asked.
"No," Davis said.
Ken shrugged.
"Oh."
They kept walking. When the strange noise came again, they both heard it.
"Ken," Davis said softly "I think there's someone following us."
"Let's speed up slightly," Ken suggested.
They began moving faster. The noises continued. It was a sort of dragging noise. Ken found himself thinking about people dragging dead bodies around and shivered.
"Davis..."
Davis glanced behind him. Ken saw his face lose all it's colour. Turning, he started.
Something was staring at them. It was human shaped but strange tentacles hung from it and dragged on the floor. It was covered in those tentacles. It stared at them flatly out of emotionless black eyes.
"Oh God..." Ken said softly.
"Ken," Davis said shakily "Let's run."
"Let's," Ken agreed.
"Stop!" the creature ordered. It spoke quite flatly but Ken found his feet rooted to the spot.
"Davis," he whimpered, feeling terrified.
Davis said nothing. He clutched at Ken's hand as the thing came nearer.
"You will be my slaves," the creature said "I will use you to bring up my spawn. And when the time is right, when you are just broken shells, they will devour you."
"Davis!" Ken said "Davis, do something!"
Davis said nothing, just continued to stare. He was more deeply under the creatures spell than Ken.
"Davis!" Ken said again.
"Come," the creature ordered, it's voice more effective than any Dark Rings. Ken could feel his legs beginning to move.
"I think not actually," a voice said from the shadows.
The creature turned, in time to see someone spring at it.
"Freeze!" the creature snarled.
Ken felt himself stop obediently but the figure didn't. It slammed into the creature, knocking it back. The figure whipped something out of a pocket that shone in the street lamp. A long bladed knife. The creature screamed as it pierced one of its tentacles.
"Davis!" Ken sobbed "Davis, please wake up!"
The creature threw the figure into the white light. Then Ken saw who it was.
"Matt?"
Matt threw him a glance.
"Run!" he yelled "Ken, Davis, get out of here!"
"We can't!" Ken cried "We can't move and Davis won't talk to me!"
Matt swore. The creature lashed its tentacles at him. Matt managed to duck with a muffled curse.
"Matt?" Davis murmured softly.
Ken looked at him.
"Davis, we have to get out of here!" he said desperately "Davis, please!"
Davis looked at him. As he did, the creature lashed out a tentacle at them. It struck Ken straight in the chest.
White hot pain shot through Ken's body. He gave a shuddering cry, then dropped unconscious to the floor.
* * * *
"KEN!" Matt screamed "Ken, no!"
His friend lay huddled, obviously unconscious. Matt felt rage surging over him.
"You...you thing!" he screamed at the demon.
"Ken!" he heard Davis crying "Ken, Ken!"
Obviously the enchantment was broken. Matt didn't pay any attention to it, concentrated on avoiding the tentacles that were trying to whip him.
Then the demon screamed. Glancing up, Matt saw Angel attacking it with an axe. He spotted Spike lunging too. The demon flung out its tentacles, trying to protect itself. Matt lifted his knife and threw it into the centre of the demon with deadly accuracy. The demon gave one long howling scream, then collapsed to the floor. As they watched, it disintegrated into fine white powder.
Matt ran over to Ken and Davis. Davis had Ken in his arms and was crying. Ken looked utterly white and drained.
"Ken!" Matt said "Ken! Ken, say something!"
Nothing. Ken didn't even flicker. Matt felt for a pulse praying.
"He's alive!"
He heard Angel and Spike coming up behind them.
"Ken," Davis said "Ken, I'm sorry, I should have protected you! Ken, please wake up!"
"We need to get him inside," Angel said softly.
Matt swallowed. He carefully lifted Ken in his arms. Ken stirred.
"Ken!" Davis said "Ken?"
Ken's eyes opened.
"D-Davis?" he said "It hurts..."
Davis clutched at him and started crying again. Ken hugged Davis as best he could, still shivering.
"Matt?" he said.
"Hey Ken," Matt said gently.
"What was that thing?" Ken said "What was it? What happened?"
"It doesn't matter," Matt said "Come on. Let's get you home."
* * * *
They all sat round in Ken's bedroom. Ken was in bed. Davis was sprawled on it too, gently stroking Ken's hair, reluctant to let him go. He'd phoned his parents and said he was staying at Ken's. He didn't want to go out again. Matt sat at the computer chair and Angel and Spike just stood around.
"What was that thing Matt?" Davis demanded "What did it do? You were fighting it!"
"I know," Matt said "It's...it's very complicated."
"No you don't," Ken said "You're going to tell us, you're not fobbing us off! You were fighting that thing!"
"I don't know what it was," Matt said at last.
"It was a Slydor demon," Angel spoke up quietly "A particularly nasty breed. They kidnap human children and use magic to attach them to their own offspring. The offspring grow, draining the children's energy until the Slydor offspring are adults. Then they eat the remaining empty husk of the child. Quite charmless."
"Excuse me," Davis said. He leaped off the bed and ran out of the room.
"I think you made him sick," Ken said.
Angel looked guilty.
"Angel knows all the fun facts," Spike said happily.
"We need to find its nest and rescue those children," Matt said.
"We'll do that," Angel said quickly "Don't worry about it."
Matt gave him a smile. Angel quickly looked away, unable to miss the look in Matt's eyes. Davis came back in, wiping his mouth.
"Sorry," he said dully.
"It's okay," Matt said "I did that when I first staked a vampire."
"Wuss!" Spike said.
The next thing he knew, he was on the floor, Matt standing over him.
"You said something?" Matt said, smiling politely.
"Er...no," Spike said "Definitely not, nope, nuh uh."
"Good," Matt said. He stepped back. Spike flashed Angel a look which Angel knew meant 'If I didn't have my chip, I'd take him down!'
"Vampire?" Davis said.
Matt sighed.
"I'm a vampire Slayer," he said "It's a very long story but...there have been vampires and demons on this world long before there were humans. Now there's more humans than vampires and demons. And as long as humans and demons have coexisted, there has been a slayer. One gi - person in the world chosen with the strength and skill to hunt and kill vampires. And that's me."
He looked at Ken and Davis. They were staring at him.
"Wow," Ken said at last.
"You mean there are more...things like that?" Davis asked shakily.
"Lots of 'em," Spike said brightly "Worse ones."
"Great," Davis said.
"I need to sit down," Ken said.
"You're already lying in bed," Angel said.
"Oh yes," Ken said shakily.
"So...you have to kill them?" Davis said slowly "All of them?"
Matt nodded.
"When did you find out?" Ken asked.
"Some months ago," Matt said "It feels like forever."
"So that's why you've been so weird," Davis said.
Matt nodded. Davis dropped off the bed and came over. To Matt's surprise, Davis gave him a hug. Matt wanted to push him away but somehow he ended up pressed his face into Davis's spiky hair and snuffling pathetically. Angel stepped over and wrapped an arm round Spike's head, stopping him saying anything.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Davis asked.
"You'd never have believed me," Matt said.
"Of course we would," Davis said.
"Tai didn't," Matt said.
Davis drew back with a frown.
"You told him?"
Matt shook his head.
"He went through my room and read my diary," he said expressionlessly "He now thinks I'm a crazy loony."
Davis gave him a slightly shocked look. Matt sat on the computer chair again. Angel released Spike.
"What do we do?" Ken asked.
"Nothing," Matt said "At least, you two don't. Ms Fuyutsuki..."
"Who?"
"Ms Ishiko Fuyutsuki. She's my Watcher. The Watcher trains the Slayer up and makes sure that they survive," Matt said "Anyway, Ms Fuyutsuki told me that no one can ever know because you risk death."
"Rubbish!" Ken said "We're not leaving you to fight alone!"
"You don't have a choice," Matt said gently "I don't want you getting hurt."
"Nonsense!" Davis said "We're the Digidestined."
"The what?" Spike said.
"Shut it Spike," Angel hissed.
"These aren't Digimon," Matt said "You can't get involved. Vampires alone would probably slaughter you."
"You can handle them!" Davis said mulishly.
"Matt's different," Angel said gently, deciding to intervene "He's the Slayer. The Slayer has almost inhuman strength and powers that normal people don't have. He's built to kill vampires and demons. You aren't."
"Well I'm not just sitting back and watching Matt do everything!" Davis said angrily "I'm going to help!"
"What if I don't want you to?" Matt asked.
"You can't stop me," Davis said.
"Mistake," Spike said "Never tell a Slayer that they can't do something."
"Spike," Angel said.
He noticed the look Ken was giving him and scowled. Ken was giving him a 'I'm classifying you' look and Angel didn't like it much. Ken looked completely unabashed and just continued watching.
"Matt, I don't want you doing this alone!" Davis said.
"I'm okay," Matt said "Really."
Angel shook his head.
"Matt, maybe you should listen to them," he said "Listen, I was a friend to the last Slayer, Buffy."
"Just friends?" Spike said, raising an eyebrow.
"Shut up Spike," Angel said "She had friends to help her. And they were really important. She needed them. It's dangerous but Buffy's friends were a valuable asset to her. Maybe yours could be."
"I'd just like to point out that Buffy's friends were her age and older," Spike said "These two are only little sprogs."
"Who're you calling a little sprog?" Davis demanded.
"You," Spike said "And don't glare at me like that Goggle-Boy or I'll get pissed off and you won't like that."
Davis glared at him obstinately.
"Spike," Angel said warningly.
"Are you two dating? Or related?" Davis asked.
"Davis!" Ken and Matt both hissed at the same time.
"What?" Davis said.
"We're both," Spike said.
"Spike!" Angel hissed in fury "Shut up!"
"Cousins?" Ken asked.
Spike opened his mouth. Angel dived over and covered it.
"Spike if you don't shut up right now, I'm going to break into a church and make you eat the cross on the alter!" he hissed very quietly.
He moved back. Spike remained silent.
"Ignore him," Angel said "He talks bollocks."
"But you're dating?" Matt said. He looked crushed.
"No," Angel said firmly "Spike and I are not dating."
He felt a pang of guilt. It would probably have been better for Matt if he'd thought that they were dating. Then he wouldn't be getting his hopes up. Even Buffy hadn't been smitten so fast.
"Spike and I had better go," he said "We need to find that Slydor demon's nest."
"Do you need my help?" Matt asked.
"No, it's okay," Angel said.
He and Spike left.
"I'd better go home then," Matt said "Dad'll go nuclear if he finds out I'm not there."
He looked at Ken and Davis.
"Don't tell anyone," he said "Promise me."
"We promise," both boys said.
"Thanks," Matt said "Don't have nightmares. I'll see you tomorrow."
He walked out. Davis and Ken starting silently after him.
The End of Part 4.