Ranma 1/2 / BTVS
Ranma The Vampire Slayer
Book 1
Changes in the World
By Felix Webster (Felix Warstar)
Chapter 6
- - - -
Disclaimers
All original Ranma 1/2 Characters Copyright Rumiko Takahashi (first published by Shogakugan in Japan and brought over to North America by Viz Communications), and are used without permission.
Buffy, Giles, and the other characters that have appeared on 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy and what ever company they are working at, be it Warner Bros., Twentieth Century Fox, or any others that pick it up as it goes along. They are used with out permission and I'm making NO money off them and no one else except those listed above should either. Please don't sue me cause I have no money.
Any character I create are mine, ALL MINE! Wahahahahahahaha. . *Cough couch* oops sorry. They are always ready to jump into other people's stories just let me know.
- - - -
- Semantics -
Spike looked at the Vampire sitting over the book and was starting to get very impatient. Yanking the man's head back by the hair he looked straight into the smaller man's eyes, "Well, Scribe?"
"I. . . it's not hard to read the script but finding the spell from within the madness of words is a slow process," the Scribe Vampire replied looking to be in complete terror of the dyed blonde Vampire.
"Well get back to it then!" Spike threw the man's head forward as he turned away and walked off, not caring that the scribe was rubbing his forehead from the impact with the table.
"Not long now Luv," Spike said in a careful tone full of care to the woman sitting and rocking slowly near bye. "Once we have the spell you'll be whole again."
"Spells, spells. . . I can't see the spells," Drusilla replied staring off in space, then a shudder hit her body and she fell to her knees.
Spike was beside her the moment she touched the floor and stopped her from completely hitting the ground with her whole body, "are you all right, Dru? What happened?"
"A Dragon. . . A Dragon neither male or female, A Dragon having killed a Phoenix has come for us," Drusilla said quietly as she slowly recovered from the episode.
"Dragons, phoenixes? What kinda freak is she?" asked another Vampire who had just walked in. "Share the drugs girl."
Before he could register the movement he was against the wall with Spikes hand to his throat. Spike's face went into his most feral and he gave the teen a glare before correcting the mistake that had been done, "SHE. IS. NOT. A. FREAK! She has visions of the future! They may sound strange but they always have meaning, and they should be listened to. IS. THAT. CLEAR?"
"Um, yeah Spike. . . You're the boss and all," the deceased boy said as he rubbed his sore neck after being released.
"Where were you and you're friends tonight? You were supposed to be at the School to distract the Slayer," Spike asked as he sat down on the antique high backed chair he had found and liked.
"We ran into the Slayer near the Bronze when we stopped to get a bite, I'm the only one that got away from her and her little pet demon," the boy stated looking proud of his escape.
"Oh, you ran into the Slayer near the Bronze huh? How would that be possible SINCE I WAS WATCHING THE SLAYER THE ENTIRE NIGHT!?!" Spike screamed into the teen's face as he once again had him by the throat and lifted him off his feet a good foot and a half. "And for the record, the Slayer doesn't have a pet. . . demon?"
Spike dropped the boy and put a hand on the boy's shoulder as he smiled, "Tell me about this demon?"
"Um, I. . . I don't remember much about it except it was small and hopping on a wooden cane or somethin', struck it in Lenny's chest and poof, dust," the boy stuttered now really fearing for his existence. "The Slayer on the other hand was a small oriental red head, incredibility good looking, if ya know what I mean," he continued as he cupped hi hands under his chest and did a few bouncing motions upwards.
"First, there can only be ONE Slayer at a time. It's in the bloody rules!" Spike said showing his fangs again and moved behind the boy. "Second, the current Slayer is a blonde named Buffy Summers and not a short little Asian dye job!"
"And third?" the boy asked nervously as he started to turn his head to follow Spike's movements.
"Third? Third, DON'T. EVER. CALL. DRU. A. FREAK!" Spike shouted as he grabbed the teen's neck and twisted it to snap then released the corpse before it turned to dust.
"Dru luv, could this little girl be the Dragon in your vision?" He asked calmly as he walked back to support her leaning body. Looking up he noticed the Scribe staring at him wide eyed and decided to state the ways of the world again, "Get back to work, I want Dru cured before the week's out!"
- - - -
"So Spike has the book, huh?" Angel asked as he looked over at a very fuming Slayer.
"It has to be Spike, nobody else would really need that book," Buffy replied still sitting with her arms crossed and giving the world a 'don't screw with me' glare that would have been very scary if there was anyone there other than Angel.
"Well, I'll start asking around about his new lair later, but right now I'd like to know who caused this to you?" Angel said the a look of compassion.
"There's a new Slayer," Buffy huffed as if that explained everything.
"A new Slayer? But. . Um, How? You're still alive," Angel seemed as confused about this as Buffy was mad.
"Giles thinks it's from either when I became a Vampire in the dream world or when I almost drowned," Buffy explained bluntly not changing her expression.
"That's, um that's incredible," Angel replied still not sure why Buffy was mad. "I'd think you'd be happy about having some more real help in fighting evil."
"She says I'm as bad as the creatures I kill!" Buffy said loudly as she stood in anger. "Where does that little red haired tramp get off saying anything about killing things! She did it herself!"
"What? Wait, go back. What do you mean she said you're as bad as those you slay?" Angel asked not sure what was going on.
"She said killing is wrong. I know killing is wrong! That's why I stop those that kill people! But nooo that isn't right according to the little sexually confused new Slayer! They're people too! Can't kill the Vampires and Demons just because they are minions of evil! Or you're as bad as they are!" Buffy ranted as she stomped around the room then she turned towards Angel and stormed towards him. "Then she has the audacity to say that Vampires still have SOULS!?! Why? Cause she can see them!"
Angel watched the display slightly amused, slightly worried, Buffy hadn't been this worked up in along while. He took a moment so she could calm down enough to listen before adding anything, "What she's seeing is a life force. Everything that moves and thinks has one. Vampires drink the blood of the living to refuel ours so we can continue existing."
"So she's wrong!" Buffy looked up victorious.
"No, not completely. The Asians call what she sees Ki and the physical manifestation of it Chi, they tend to believe it's related to one's soul. . . so to her it is a soul," Angel corrected then regretted it as Buffy sat down crest fallen onto the couch. "I should meet her sometime. You did tell her about me, right?"
"Oh, yeah, you were DEFINITELY a topic that came up," Buffy replied sarcastically rolling her eyes up.
"What did she say about me?" Angel asked dreading the answer.
"She said that just because you had your FULL soul back didn't make you one of the good guys," Buffy said looking angry again.
"It doesn't," Angel agreed calmly causing Buffy to bolt upright.
"But you are one of the good guys!"
"Yes, but that was by personal choice, not from getting my soul back," Angel replied. "Buffy. . . I was a bastard when I was mortal. I didn't care about anyone but myself, and my enjoyment. I wasn't taken against my will, I agreed to become a Vampire."
"But. . but. . "Buffy looked more confused.
"When the Gypsies gave me back my soul it could've backfired and had me still kill them all, but for a moment I had enough spark of humanity to realize the pain I had caused. I could have chosen to retreat from the world and wallow in self pity at either what I had lost or what I had done," Angel explained as he got up and paced himself. ". Buffy, I had to choose to redeem myself, redemption didn't come with the soul."
"But. . but. . she said I should kill you because. . . because you killed a lot of people before," Buffy said in a little girl's type of voice sounding more like she was asking her father to tell her Santa Claus was real and not fake like Suzy Miller told her.
"Did she really say you should kill me?" Angel asked leaning his head to one side and giving her a small smile. "That doesn't sound right coming from someone who doesn't like to kill anyone."
"Well. . . She said that by the Slay. . . my definitions of who should be slain. . . that I would have to slay you too," Buffy replied turning her head away sad and embarrassed.
"Buffy, - sigh â€" She's right," Angel stated and got the response he expected of her spinning around and gaping at him like a fish. "You believe any creature who has killed innocent people should be slain. I've killed a lot of people in my time, and I'm not a human anymore no matter what I look like. So by what you've been taught I should be slain."
"But. . but. . You're not evil!" Buffy countered weakly as she jumped up and hugged him out of desperation.
"Yes, but I could be. You could be, even Xander. . . okay maybe not Xander, but a soul doesn't make that decision for us. . . it just helps," Angel said softly as he held Buffy hearing her sob into his shirt, this was effecting her more than he would ever expect it would.
- - - -
Ranma-chan look at the surrounding graveyard in distaste, she really didn't like it here but she was waiting. She had been here for almost an hour waiting and she was getting very impatient. Finally a movement to her left caused her to move. Leaping into the air she landed behind the person who was trying to sneak up on her as lightly as she could, then took a relaxed stance with her head to one side and her arms crossed under her breasts, "Took you long enough."
Buffy spun around with a stake out ready to fight who ever was behind her but relaxed slightly when she realized who it was, "Don't give people heart attacks like that! I could of hurt you!"
"You were sneaking up on me," Ranma-chan replied coldly. "Besides you couldn't hurt me if you tried. You're too slow."
"WHAT!?!" Buffy shouted in anger. "I didn't even want to be here! But Giles said I was to meet you and show you how to patrol! Now I have to put up with your insults? I don't think so!"
"Um, look. . . Sorry about that too slow thing, okay?" Ranma-chan put her head down sadly. "I don't like this Slayer thing, and when I don't like things I kinda lash out verbally with things like insults."
Buffy looked at the girl and could tell she was being sincere about the apology, evidently hiding her true emotions was something Ranma-chan didn't do well. "You won't make friends like that you know."
"I know. It caused a lot of problems between me and my fiance, Akane," Ranma-chan stated with a sad shrug. "Akane was as bad as me, just. . . more violent."
"Wow, you're engaged? What's he like?" Buffy asked looking a little shocked.
"SHE is very violent, tends to hit me every time I stick my foot in my mouth. . . hard!" Ranma-chan replied with a small smile then turned serious again. "But technically she isn't my fiance any more."
"Oh? Had a falling out?" Buffy asked concerned thinking this might be why Ranma-chan was being such a pain earlier.
Ranma-chan gave her a look then started walking back to where she was originally sitting, "It was an arranged marriage. Neither one of us wanted it much and finally after I got chosen to be the NEW Slayer my Mother let us out of the agreement."
"Ouch, they still do arranged marriages there. . . how medieval of them," Buffy replied as she sat on the other side of the fresh grave.
"It's not common," Ranma-chan answered then looked concerned about something. "Why did Giles and Miyabi want us to watch this grave? It's the girl who died yesterday in the alley isn't it? Do they expect someone to mess with it or something?"
Buffy looked at the girl confused then realized no one had explained anything to her, "The girl was killed by a Vampire, and we're here incase she turns and becomes one herself. We. . . have to stake her before she has the chance to kill someone. . . oh great. . . you don't kill things that haven't killed anyone yet. . ."
Ranma-chan gave Buffy a hard stare before looking back at the grave, "If she rises I'll stake her."
"Had a change of heart?" Buffy asked hopefully getting another nasty look from the red head.
"It's my DUTY, and I always do what is required of me," Ranma-chan replied coldly. "No matter how much I don't like it."
Buffy suddenly noticed the night got a LOT colder, almost as if it was responding to Ranma-chan's mood. She was about to mention this but the grave dirt started to shift. Before she could even move Ranma-chan shoved a stake into the ground and pulled out her hand still clean, a slight bulging in the earth showed she had hit her mark.
"Usually we let them get out of the grave before dusting them," Buffy said with a sly smile tying to make a joke out of a very disturbed action she'd just witnessed.
"Why? To torture them?," Ranma-chan asked sarcastically as she got up and stretched. "Hello world, I'm alive again oops no I'm not."
"Hey!" Buffy replied standing up looking put off by the statement.
"So, what now?" Ranma-chan asked as she leaned against a tall head stone looking very serious.
"Huh? What do you mean 'what now'?"
"Miyabi said I was to do a full night of patrolling, so what do we do now?" Ranma-chan replied.
"I guess we can see if there are any other Vampires rising tonight, here or at any of the other three Graveyards," Buffy said looking unhappy about spending more time with Ranma-chan.
"How about info on the book that was stolen? When do you think your friend will have anything to tell us?" Ranma-chan asked as she hopped on top of the head stone with ease to take a look around.
"Angel will have something soon, he always does, but it's only been an hour since I talked to him so give him sometime," Buffy stated as she walked over to the head stone looking up at the distance the red head just jumped.
"He also mentioned that you were mixing up souls with. . . oh what was it again. . . Key, he said they are similar but not the same thing," Buffy explained with a small smile.
"It is the same thing. Ki is your life force, so is your soul. Vampires may have had theirs altered by the change but there is still a sliver of brightness behind the darkness and that means that there is a soul attached to the being,"
Ranma-chan stated remaining calm. "If they didn't have that sliver of brightness I would agree with your friend and say it was nothing but the remaining energies waiting to disperse."
"Brightness? Look I don't understand," Buffy said looking confused.
Ranma-chan hopped down lightly and looked like she was thinking of how to explain before turning to Buffy, "Ki is a brightness around you that shows you are alive and healthy. You need it to produce a battle aura."
"Battle aura?" Buffy asked still not getting it.
"Yeah. . . You haven't seen a battle aura? You've got the level of training to be able too, plus the 'Gift' just enhances that ability several times," Ranma-chan said in disbelief that Buffy didn't know what she was talking about.
"Just a second, I'll generate one to be visible," Ranma-chan offered as she started to concentrate. With in moments a fiery energy engulfed the red head in a colour similar to her hair causing Buffy to gasp.
"H. . how?" Buffy finally asked as Ranma-chan calmed herself and the aura disappeared.
"Concentration," Ranma-chan replied with a smile. "You already generate a powerful battle aura but you just don't know how to use it yet. I can teach you if ya want."
"I. . I don't know. . it looks a little too weird for me," Buffy said before she turned to the sound of a large booming sound.
Ranma-chan and Buffy were moving before either really thought about it, towards where the sound came from as another boom came. Both stopped as they saw what had caused the noise. . . a small hoard of Vampires around a green skinned creature surrounding a barely dresses girl about their age on an altar.
"I only count about twenty, want half?" Ranma-chan asked with a smile as Buffy started her own count.
"Half sounds good," Buffy replied as she came to the same figure that Ranma- chan stated upon arrival. "But if you need help call me!"
"Ha, this should be easy, barely half of them have any combat skills," Ranma-chan said as she leaped towards the crowd landing on the head of one of the larger ones.
Buffy wasn't too far behind her as she lashed out against these creatures.
- - - -
"The meeting will begin," Tomarr stated as the last of the gathering arrived, he gave the young girl on the altar he had dragged in an evil smile.
"What was that?" one of the lesser minions asked as a large flash of red came from an area near by. The light ended as quickly as it had started but it had distracted Tomarr long enough as to not kill the girl with his long knife.
"I have no idea, but it matters not! Start the drums!" Tomarr shouted dismissing the Vampire as the two musicians started to pound the drums at the same moment causing a large booming sound only to repeated again.
As Tomarr was about to slice his knife across the belly of the girl one of his minion yanked on his robe's sleeve causing him to miss. Tomarr turned on the creature and hissed, "WHAT IS IT!? Can't you see I'm busy?"
The Vampire just pointed towards two more young girls coming into the clearing within the graveyard. Tomarr smiled as he saw them as it would just give him and his minion something to play with when he was done. That thought went away when he watch the shorter one leap onto the head of a minion and snap his neck by twisting her foot. . . that wasn't good.
"GET THEM!!!" He screamed in anger, inside his was panicking. . . one of them must be the Slayer.
- - - -
Ranma-chan landed on the head of the Vampire and gave him a look down smiling slightly, "Sooo, whatcha up to? What's with the girl?"
"Ha, silly girl! She's an offering for our master, as you shall be too!" he replied as he tried to grab Ranma-chan's foot still on his head.
Ranma-chan looked at the creature sadly then put pressure with her foot to the Vampire's neck then twisted until a snap was heard. She landed near another before the body hit the ground and put her fist into the man's stomach sending him flying backwards to land near the green creature. With a blur of action Ranma-chan dusted one Vampire after another no longer smiling.
- - - -
Buffy ran up to the first one she chose and belted him across the face causing the Vampire to tumble and stagger to his feet only to find a stake to his heart as he straightened. The next one was dusted before he knew he was fighting her.
She came to another and really had to step up the fight as he seemed to know how to counter punches well. She was backing off slightly until she heard Ranma-chan yell 'Switch!' then turned to find Ranma-chan trading blows with a female Vampire but she seemed be reluctant to really fight. They changed partners with easy and Buffy dusted the woman with some effort.
- - - -
Ranma-chan was doing well, almost all her targets were gone and was about to start on the head creature when she was tackled by one of the Vampires. As she stood up she was about to attack until she realized this one was a woman and her Pop's training took over. . .
She couldn't complete fight back, all she was doing was avoiding the girl and that wasn't helping because the girl seemed to know how to fight. Sensing Buffy behind her she got an idea and shouted 'Switch!' then traded places with her.
The male Vampire smiled when Ranma-chan faced him and that bothered Ranma- chan, hadn't he seen what she had done to the other Vampires? She struck out with the stake and he didn't even bother to move but the wood did nothing to him and belted her across the ground.
"Ha! Can't kill me that easily! I paid a lot for my heart to be moved and you won't find it before I kill you!" the Vampire boasted as he lifted Buffy off her feet and tossed her by Ranma-chan.
"He's mine" Ranma-chan growled as she stopped Buffy from getting up and running forward. Walking forward calmly she made sure nothing was going to interfere with this, but all the other Vampires were destroyed and the green creature had run off to who knew where so the only one left was this thing.
"Face it! You can't kill me, I had this steel collar permanently attached so you couldn't cut my neck either," the Vampire laughed as his knocked on the metal under the turtleneck causing it to ring. "I've got you beat!"
"Wanna bet?" Ranma-chan said with a nasty smile holding a stake in both hands then moved forward shouting, "Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken!"
In a blur of action the Vampire turned to dust as Ranma-chan turned and walked towards Buffy and the girl shaking her head in disbelief and disgust, "I can't believe that idiot put his heart in that leg!"
"Which one? The left or the right?" Buffy asked as the shock of the display of speed was washed away by the concern for the girl on the altar.
"The middle one," Ranma-chan stated was her mouth twisted in to a frown and she shuddered, "Actually, right behind the. . the. . I think I'm gonna be sick!"
Buffy gave a look of disgust as she ripped the ropes off of the girl, "It's too bad that the green thing got away."
Ranma-chan gave her a look that said 'thanks for reminding me' before leaping over a small mausoleum and disappeared from sight. A minute later a startled scream came from a very inhuman voice and died as suddenly as it started. Walking back Ranma-chan dusted herself off with a look of disgust as she approached the other girls, "I thought Vampires were the only ones who turned to dust when you killed them?"
"All demons die differently, I guess it's part of the union deal or something," Buffy shrugged as she started to lead the drugged girl off followed by Ranma-chan.
- - - -
"So how was your first night patrolling?" Cologne asked without turning as she heard Ranma-chan come into the room.
"Killed the girl in the grave. Killed twenty other Vampires with Summers. Killed a odd looking green demon who was about to kill a girl on an altar. That answer your question?" Ranma-chan stated sounding very angry as she walked over to the thermos waiting for her on the table. The change was long and drawn out and Ranma almost collapsed when it subsided but caught himself and forced his legs to work.
Cologne gave the boy a concerned look before passing him a cup of tea, "This should help you regain your strength but I still think you should stay in your girl form until we get that book."
"Can't. Registered as a boy at school. Have to go as a boy," Ranma said between sips of the horribly sweet liquid. As usual the old ghoul knew what she was talking about as the tea as indeed making Ranma feel better but also tired at the same time.
"Get some sleep, you look like you could use it," Cologne replied with a crooked old smile.
"Yeah, guess I'm more tired than I thought," Ranma said as he yawned then walked out the door towards his room.
Several minutes passed and the house was quiet until a scream of utter terror erupted from the upper floor, "C. C. CAT!!!!!!!!"
Cologne slapped her forehead and rushed out of the room fearing the worst.
- - - -
Authors Notes: Well another done and posted. Hope you people still like what you're reading as I've noticed less responses to my last couple posts. It's an ego boost when people review my work and makes me work faster on completing a new chapter (although I do have to get back to my other stories soon).
I am going to have to invest in a pre reader for this story soon as the last five times I've opened this to work on I've come across horrible errors and I'm sure I've missed others. . . but that's the penalty for working start on the computer and not on paper first where I can do my editing before inputting the chapter.
No hints as to the next chapters as I've come to realize that I change my mind too often to keep to what I say here about what's coming next.
Ranma The Vampire Slayer
Book 1
Changes in the World
By Felix Webster (Felix Warstar)
Chapter 6
- - - -
Disclaimers
All original Ranma 1/2 Characters Copyright Rumiko Takahashi (first published by Shogakugan in Japan and brought over to North America by Viz Communications), and are used without permission.
Buffy, Giles, and the other characters that have appeared on 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy and what ever company they are working at, be it Warner Bros., Twentieth Century Fox, or any others that pick it up as it goes along. They are used with out permission and I'm making NO money off them and no one else except those listed above should either. Please don't sue me cause I have no money.
Any character I create are mine, ALL MINE! Wahahahahahahaha. . *Cough couch* oops sorry. They are always ready to jump into other people's stories just let me know.
- - - -
- Semantics -
Spike looked at the Vampire sitting over the book and was starting to get very impatient. Yanking the man's head back by the hair he looked straight into the smaller man's eyes, "Well, Scribe?"
"I. . . it's not hard to read the script but finding the spell from within the madness of words is a slow process," the Scribe Vampire replied looking to be in complete terror of the dyed blonde Vampire.
"Well get back to it then!" Spike threw the man's head forward as he turned away and walked off, not caring that the scribe was rubbing his forehead from the impact with the table.
"Not long now Luv," Spike said in a careful tone full of care to the woman sitting and rocking slowly near bye. "Once we have the spell you'll be whole again."
"Spells, spells. . . I can't see the spells," Drusilla replied staring off in space, then a shudder hit her body and she fell to her knees.
Spike was beside her the moment she touched the floor and stopped her from completely hitting the ground with her whole body, "are you all right, Dru? What happened?"
"A Dragon. . . A Dragon neither male or female, A Dragon having killed a Phoenix has come for us," Drusilla said quietly as she slowly recovered from the episode.
"Dragons, phoenixes? What kinda freak is she?" asked another Vampire who had just walked in. "Share the drugs girl."
Before he could register the movement he was against the wall with Spikes hand to his throat. Spike's face went into his most feral and he gave the teen a glare before correcting the mistake that had been done, "SHE. IS. NOT. A. FREAK! She has visions of the future! They may sound strange but they always have meaning, and they should be listened to. IS. THAT. CLEAR?"
"Um, yeah Spike. . . You're the boss and all," the deceased boy said as he rubbed his sore neck after being released.
"Where were you and you're friends tonight? You were supposed to be at the School to distract the Slayer," Spike asked as he sat down on the antique high backed chair he had found and liked.
"We ran into the Slayer near the Bronze when we stopped to get a bite, I'm the only one that got away from her and her little pet demon," the boy stated looking proud of his escape.
"Oh, you ran into the Slayer near the Bronze huh? How would that be possible SINCE I WAS WATCHING THE SLAYER THE ENTIRE NIGHT!?!" Spike screamed into the teen's face as he once again had him by the throat and lifted him off his feet a good foot and a half. "And for the record, the Slayer doesn't have a pet. . . demon?"
Spike dropped the boy and put a hand on the boy's shoulder as he smiled, "Tell me about this demon?"
"Um, I. . . I don't remember much about it except it was small and hopping on a wooden cane or somethin', struck it in Lenny's chest and poof, dust," the boy stuttered now really fearing for his existence. "The Slayer on the other hand was a small oriental red head, incredibility good looking, if ya know what I mean," he continued as he cupped hi hands under his chest and did a few bouncing motions upwards.
"First, there can only be ONE Slayer at a time. It's in the bloody rules!" Spike said showing his fangs again and moved behind the boy. "Second, the current Slayer is a blonde named Buffy Summers and not a short little Asian dye job!"
"And third?" the boy asked nervously as he started to turn his head to follow Spike's movements.
"Third? Third, DON'T. EVER. CALL. DRU. A. FREAK!" Spike shouted as he grabbed the teen's neck and twisted it to snap then released the corpse before it turned to dust.
"Dru luv, could this little girl be the Dragon in your vision?" He asked calmly as he walked back to support her leaning body. Looking up he noticed the Scribe staring at him wide eyed and decided to state the ways of the world again, "Get back to work, I want Dru cured before the week's out!"
- - - -
"So Spike has the book, huh?" Angel asked as he looked over at a very fuming Slayer.
"It has to be Spike, nobody else would really need that book," Buffy replied still sitting with her arms crossed and giving the world a 'don't screw with me' glare that would have been very scary if there was anyone there other than Angel.
"Well, I'll start asking around about his new lair later, but right now I'd like to know who caused this to you?" Angel said the a look of compassion.
"There's a new Slayer," Buffy huffed as if that explained everything.
"A new Slayer? But. . Um, How? You're still alive," Angel seemed as confused about this as Buffy was mad.
"Giles thinks it's from either when I became a Vampire in the dream world or when I almost drowned," Buffy explained bluntly not changing her expression.
"That's, um that's incredible," Angel replied still not sure why Buffy was mad. "I'd think you'd be happy about having some more real help in fighting evil."
"She says I'm as bad as the creatures I kill!" Buffy said loudly as she stood in anger. "Where does that little red haired tramp get off saying anything about killing things! She did it herself!"
"What? Wait, go back. What do you mean she said you're as bad as those you slay?" Angel asked not sure what was going on.
"She said killing is wrong. I know killing is wrong! That's why I stop those that kill people! But nooo that isn't right according to the little sexually confused new Slayer! They're people too! Can't kill the Vampires and Demons just because they are minions of evil! Or you're as bad as they are!" Buffy ranted as she stomped around the room then she turned towards Angel and stormed towards him. "Then she has the audacity to say that Vampires still have SOULS!?! Why? Cause she can see them!"
Angel watched the display slightly amused, slightly worried, Buffy hadn't been this worked up in along while. He took a moment so she could calm down enough to listen before adding anything, "What she's seeing is a life force. Everything that moves and thinks has one. Vampires drink the blood of the living to refuel ours so we can continue existing."
"So she's wrong!" Buffy looked up victorious.
"No, not completely. The Asians call what she sees Ki and the physical manifestation of it Chi, they tend to believe it's related to one's soul. . . so to her it is a soul," Angel corrected then regretted it as Buffy sat down crest fallen onto the couch. "I should meet her sometime. You did tell her about me, right?"
"Oh, yeah, you were DEFINITELY a topic that came up," Buffy replied sarcastically rolling her eyes up.
"What did she say about me?" Angel asked dreading the answer.
"She said that just because you had your FULL soul back didn't make you one of the good guys," Buffy said looking angry again.
"It doesn't," Angel agreed calmly causing Buffy to bolt upright.
"But you are one of the good guys!"
"Yes, but that was by personal choice, not from getting my soul back," Angel replied. "Buffy. . . I was a bastard when I was mortal. I didn't care about anyone but myself, and my enjoyment. I wasn't taken against my will, I agreed to become a Vampire."
"But. . but. . "Buffy looked more confused.
"When the Gypsies gave me back my soul it could've backfired and had me still kill them all, but for a moment I had enough spark of humanity to realize the pain I had caused. I could have chosen to retreat from the world and wallow in self pity at either what I had lost or what I had done," Angel explained as he got up and paced himself. ". Buffy, I had to choose to redeem myself, redemption didn't come with the soul."
"But. . but. . she said I should kill you because. . . because you killed a lot of people before," Buffy said in a little girl's type of voice sounding more like she was asking her father to tell her Santa Claus was real and not fake like Suzy Miller told her.
"Did she really say you should kill me?" Angel asked leaning his head to one side and giving her a small smile. "That doesn't sound right coming from someone who doesn't like to kill anyone."
"Well. . . She said that by the Slay. . . my definitions of who should be slain. . . that I would have to slay you too," Buffy replied turning her head away sad and embarrassed.
"Buffy, - sigh â€" She's right," Angel stated and got the response he expected of her spinning around and gaping at him like a fish. "You believe any creature who has killed innocent people should be slain. I've killed a lot of people in my time, and I'm not a human anymore no matter what I look like. So by what you've been taught I should be slain."
"But. . but. . You're not evil!" Buffy countered weakly as she jumped up and hugged him out of desperation.
"Yes, but I could be. You could be, even Xander. . . okay maybe not Xander, but a soul doesn't make that decision for us. . . it just helps," Angel said softly as he held Buffy hearing her sob into his shirt, this was effecting her more than he would ever expect it would.
- - - -
Ranma-chan look at the surrounding graveyard in distaste, she really didn't like it here but she was waiting. She had been here for almost an hour waiting and she was getting very impatient. Finally a movement to her left caused her to move. Leaping into the air she landed behind the person who was trying to sneak up on her as lightly as she could, then took a relaxed stance with her head to one side and her arms crossed under her breasts, "Took you long enough."
Buffy spun around with a stake out ready to fight who ever was behind her but relaxed slightly when she realized who it was, "Don't give people heart attacks like that! I could of hurt you!"
"You were sneaking up on me," Ranma-chan replied coldly. "Besides you couldn't hurt me if you tried. You're too slow."
"WHAT!?!" Buffy shouted in anger. "I didn't even want to be here! But Giles said I was to meet you and show you how to patrol! Now I have to put up with your insults? I don't think so!"
"Um, look. . . Sorry about that too slow thing, okay?" Ranma-chan put her head down sadly. "I don't like this Slayer thing, and when I don't like things I kinda lash out verbally with things like insults."
Buffy looked at the girl and could tell she was being sincere about the apology, evidently hiding her true emotions was something Ranma-chan didn't do well. "You won't make friends like that you know."
"I know. It caused a lot of problems between me and my fiance, Akane," Ranma-chan stated with a sad shrug. "Akane was as bad as me, just. . . more violent."
"Wow, you're engaged? What's he like?" Buffy asked looking a little shocked.
"SHE is very violent, tends to hit me every time I stick my foot in my mouth. . . hard!" Ranma-chan replied with a small smile then turned serious again. "But technically she isn't my fiance any more."
"Oh? Had a falling out?" Buffy asked concerned thinking this might be why Ranma-chan was being such a pain earlier.
Ranma-chan gave her a look then started walking back to where she was originally sitting, "It was an arranged marriage. Neither one of us wanted it much and finally after I got chosen to be the NEW Slayer my Mother let us out of the agreement."
"Ouch, they still do arranged marriages there. . . how medieval of them," Buffy replied as she sat on the other side of the fresh grave.
"It's not common," Ranma-chan answered then looked concerned about something. "Why did Giles and Miyabi want us to watch this grave? It's the girl who died yesterday in the alley isn't it? Do they expect someone to mess with it or something?"
Buffy looked at the girl confused then realized no one had explained anything to her, "The girl was killed by a Vampire, and we're here incase she turns and becomes one herself. We. . . have to stake her before she has the chance to kill someone. . . oh great. . . you don't kill things that haven't killed anyone yet. . ."
Ranma-chan gave Buffy a hard stare before looking back at the grave, "If she rises I'll stake her."
"Had a change of heart?" Buffy asked hopefully getting another nasty look from the red head.
"It's my DUTY, and I always do what is required of me," Ranma-chan replied coldly. "No matter how much I don't like it."
Buffy suddenly noticed the night got a LOT colder, almost as if it was responding to Ranma-chan's mood. She was about to mention this but the grave dirt started to shift. Before she could even move Ranma-chan shoved a stake into the ground and pulled out her hand still clean, a slight bulging in the earth showed she had hit her mark.
"Usually we let them get out of the grave before dusting them," Buffy said with a sly smile tying to make a joke out of a very disturbed action she'd just witnessed.
"Why? To torture them?," Ranma-chan asked sarcastically as she got up and stretched. "Hello world, I'm alive again oops no I'm not."
"Hey!" Buffy replied standing up looking put off by the statement.
"So, what now?" Ranma-chan asked as she leaned against a tall head stone looking very serious.
"Huh? What do you mean 'what now'?"
"Miyabi said I was to do a full night of patrolling, so what do we do now?" Ranma-chan replied.
"I guess we can see if there are any other Vampires rising tonight, here or at any of the other three Graveyards," Buffy said looking unhappy about spending more time with Ranma-chan.
"How about info on the book that was stolen? When do you think your friend will have anything to tell us?" Ranma-chan asked as she hopped on top of the head stone with ease to take a look around.
"Angel will have something soon, he always does, but it's only been an hour since I talked to him so give him sometime," Buffy stated as she walked over to the head stone looking up at the distance the red head just jumped.
"He also mentioned that you were mixing up souls with. . . oh what was it again. . . Key, he said they are similar but not the same thing," Buffy explained with a small smile.
"It is the same thing. Ki is your life force, so is your soul. Vampires may have had theirs altered by the change but there is still a sliver of brightness behind the darkness and that means that there is a soul attached to the being,"
Ranma-chan stated remaining calm. "If they didn't have that sliver of brightness I would agree with your friend and say it was nothing but the remaining energies waiting to disperse."
"Brightness? Look I don't understand," Buffy said looking confused.
Ranma-chan hopped down lightly and looked like she was thinking of how to explain before turning to Buffy, "Ki is a brightness around you that shows you are alive and healthy. You need it to produce a battle aura."
"Battle aura?" Buffy asked still not getting it.
"Yeah. . . You haven't seen a battle aura? You've got the level of training to be able too, plus the 'Gift' just enhances that ability several times," Ranma-chan said in disbelief that Buffy didn't know what she was talking about.
"Just a second, I'll generate one to be visible," Ranma-chan offered as she started to concentrate. With in moments a fiery energy engulfed the red head in a colour similar to her hair causing Buffy to gasp.
"H. . how?" Buffy finally asked as Ranma-chan calmed herself and the aura disappeared.
"Concentration," Ranma-chan replied with a smile. "You already generate a powerful battle aura but you just don't know how to use it yet. I can teach you if ya want."
"I. . I don't know. . it looks a little too weird for me," Buffy said before she turned to the sound of a large booming sound.
Ranma-chan and Buffy were moving before either really thought about it, towards where the sound came from as another boom came. Both stopped as they saw what had caused the noise. . . a small hoard of Vampires around a green skinned creature surrounding a barely dresses girl about their age on an altar.
"I only count about twenty, want half?" Ranma-chan asked with a smile as Buffy started her own count.
"Half sounds good," Buffy replied as she came to the same figure that Ranma- chan stated upon arrival. "But if you need help call me!"
"Ha, this should be easy, barely half of them have any combat skills," Ranma-chan said as she leaped towards the crowd landing on the head of one of the larger ones.
Buffy wasn't too far behind her as she lashed out against these creatures.
- - - -
"The meeting will begin," Tomarr stated as the last of the gathering arrived, he gave the young girl on the altar he had dragged in an evil smile.
"What was that?" one of the lesser minions asked as a large flash of red came from an area near by. The light ended as quickly as it had started but it had distracted Tomarr long enough as to not kill the girl with his long knife.
"I have no idea, but it matters not! Start the drums!" Tomarr shouted dismissing the Vampire as the two musicians started to pound the drums at the same moment causing a large booming sound only to repeated again.
As Tomarr was about to slice his knife across the belly of the girl one of his minion yanked on his robe's sleeve causing him to miss. Tomarr turned on the creature and hissed, "WHAT IS IT!? Can't you see I'm busy?"
The Vampire just pointed towards two more young girls coming into the clearing within the graveyard. Tomarr smiled as he saw them as it would just give him and his minion something to play with when he was done. That thought went away when he watch the shorter one leap onto the head of a minion and snap his neck by twisting her foot. . . that wasn't good.
"GET THEM!!!" He screamed in anger, inside his was panicking. . . one of them must be the Slayer.
- - - -
Ranma-chan landed on the head of the Vampire and gave him a look down smiling slightly, "Sooo, whatcha up to? What's with the girl?"
"Ha, silly girl! She's an offering for our master, as you shall be too!" he replied as he tried to grab Ranma-chan's foot still on his head.
Ranma-chan looked at the creature sadly then put pressure with her foot to the Vampire's neck then twisted until a snap was heard. She landed near another before the body hit the ground and put her fist into the man's stomach sending him flying backwards to land near the green creature. With a blur of action Ranma-chan dusted one Vampire after another no longer smiling.
- - - -
Buffy ran up to the first one she chose and belted him across the face causing the Vampire to tumble and stagger to his feet only to find a stake to his heart as he straightened. The next one was dusted before he knew he was fighting her.
She came to another and really had to step up the fight as he seemed to know how to counter punches well. She was backing off slightly until she heard Ranma-chan yell 'Switch!' then turned to find Ranma-chan trading blows with a female Vampire but she seemed be reluctant to really fight. They changed partners with easy and Buffy dusted the woman with some effort.
- - - -
Ranma-chan was doing well, almost all her targets were gone and was about to start on the head creature when she was tackled by one of the Vampires. As she stood up she was about to attack until she realized this one was a woman and her Pop's training took over. . .
She couldn't complete fight back, all she was doing was avoiding the girl and that wasn't helping because the girl seemed to know how to fight. Sensing Buffy behind her she got an idea and shouted 'Switch!' then traded places with her.
The male Vampire smiled when Ranma-chan faced him and that bothered Ranma- chan, hadn't he seen what she had done to the other Vampires? She struck out with the stake and he didn't even bother to move but the wood did nothing to him and belted her across the ground.
"Ha! Can't kill me that easily! I paid a lot for my heart to be moved and you won't find it before I kill you!" the Vampire boasted as he lifted Buffy off her feet and tossed her by Ranma-chan.
"He's mine" Ranma-chan growled as she stopped Buffy from getting up and running forward. Walking forward calmly she made sure nothing was going to interfere with this, but all the other Vampires were destroyed and the green creature had run off to who knew where so the only one left was this thing.
"Face it! You can't kill me, I had this steel collar permanently attached so you couldn't cut my neck either," the Vampire laughed as his knocked on the metal under the turtleneck causing it to ring. "I've got you beat!"
"Wanna bet?" Ranma-chan said with a nasty smile holding a stake in both hands then moved forward shouting, "Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken!"
In a blur of action the Vampire turned to dust as Ranma-chan turned and walked towards Buffy and the girl shaking her head in disbelief and disgust, "I can't believe that idiot put his heart in that leg!"
"Which one? The left or the right?" Buffy asked as the shock of the display of speed was washed away by the concern for the girl on the altar.
"The middle one," Ranma-chan stated was her mouth twisted in to a frown and she shuddered, "Actually, right behind the. . the. . I think I'm gonna be sick!"
Buffy gave a look of disgust as she ripped the ropes off of the girl, "It's too bad that the green thing got away."
Ranma-chan gave her a look that said 'thanks for reminding me' before leaping over a small mausoleum and disappeared from sight. A minute later a startled scream came from a very inhuman voice and died as suddenly as it started. Walking back Ranma-chan dusted herself off with a look of disgust as she approached the other girls, "I thought Vampires were the only ones who turned to dust when you killed them?"
"All demons die differently, I guess it's part of the union deal or something," Buffy shrugged as she started to lead the drugged girl off followed by Ranma-chan.
- - - -
"So how was your first night patrolling?" Cologne asked without turning as she heard Ranma-chan come into the room.
"Killed the girl in the grave. Killed twenty other Vampires with Summers. Killed a odd looking green demon who was about to kill a girl on an altar. That answer your question?" Ranma-chan stated sounding very angry as she walked over to the thermos waiting for her on the table. The change was long and drawn out and Ranma almost collapsed when it subsided but caught himself and forced his legs to work.
Cologne gave the boy a concerned look before passing him a cup of tea, "This should help you regain your strength but I still think you should stay in your girl form until we get that book."
"Can't. Registered as a boy at school. Have to go as a boy," Ranma said between sips of the horribly sweet liquid. As usual the old ghoul knew what she was talking about as the tea as indeed making Ranma feel better but also tired at the same time.
"Get some sleep, you look like you could use it," Cologne replied with a crooked old smile.
"Yeah, guess I'm more tired than I thought," Ranma said as he yawned then walked out the door towards his room.
Several minutes passed and the house was quiet until a scream of utter terror erupted from the upper floor, "C. C. CAT!!!!!!!!"
Cologne slapped her forehead and rushed out of the room fearing the worst.
- - - -
Authors Notes: Well another done and posted. Hope you people still like what you're reading as I've noticed less responses to my last couple posts. It's an ego boost when people review my work and makes me work faster on completing a new chapter (although I do have to get back to my other stories soon).
I am going to have to invest in a pre reader for this story soon as the last five times I've opened this to work on I've come across horrible errors and I'm sure I've missed others. . . but that's the penalty for working start on the computer and not on paper first where I can do my editing before inputting the chapter.
No hints as to the next chapters as I've come to realize that I change my mind too often to keep to what I say here about what's coming next.