Title: Networking, part 1: Death
Author: Am-Chau Yarkona
E-mail: grant@hagden169.fsnet.co.uk
Summary: The family are together again. All hell breaks loose, as normal.
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Giles/Spike, Buffy/Clem, etc.
Spoilers: For most of seasons 3 and 6.
Warnings: original character death
Author Notes: My Mary-Sue gets even more unusual, possibly passing out of the realms of Mary-Suehood.
Story Notes: None.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Just playing in Joss' sandpit. With Buffy. And Spike and Giles on the swings. Get it? I'm dreaming!
Giles:
What's that? Someone singing? Yes, it's William. He's in the shower. Heaven only knows why he sings in the shower, but he does.
"William, shut up!" I yell, trying to roll my face out of the pillow so that he stands a chance of hearing me. There is a green demon with small red horns looking at me.
"Don't be so wound up, book guy," the apparition says. I think it's that chap Anya was with at Willow's party. What was his name?
"The name's Lorne," it tells me. "Your boyfriend has a great voice. You should be encourging him, not."
"Telling me to shut up?" William asks. He's apperntly finished his shower and come back into the bedroom, still blatently {beautifully} naked.
"Yeah, something like that," Lorne replies.
"Oh, I know he doesn't mean it. What are you doing here, anyway, green guy?"
"Oh, just stopped by. The door was open, so."
"So you can get out again."
"I suppose I could. Do you want me to?"
"Yes. You're with Anya, aren't you?"
"That's right. She wanted to stop by, see how Cordelia was. I don't know what's going on there, by the way. I think Angel and Cordelia were almost a couple, but then Anya wants to come and see Cordy, and I start getting all these vibes off her."
"You mean you think Cordy and Anya might be 'together'? There's a thought."
"Don't I just know it? Hey- when you were talking about Angel at that party in Sunnyhell, you started to get all, grr."
What's my William doing still standing around naked? I don't like it. "William?" I say. "Cuddle?"
He slips into bed beside me, but goes on talking to Lorne. "You've got a crush on my Sire, haven't you? Perhaps you could make up a foursome."
"I can't see Angel going along with that, sweetpea. nice pisture, though."
"I dunno about Angel, but Angelus liked it. Me, Dru, Darla, him. We were a right fearsome fangy foursome. And try saying that when you're drunk."
"I'm sure you've tried it," I tell William.
"That I have."
I run my hands up his body, under the bedclothes, hoping he'll get the message- quality time required here!
If he gets it, he doesn't have time to respond. Lorne gets the message. "Well, I'll leave you two happy campers alone, then." He leaves. Thank goodness!
"What something, pet?" William asks. I nearly answer, but then decide that pulling his face down into a firm kiss is proably a better method of telling him, Anya-style- sex! Now! Who says retired librarians can't have appitites?
William:
Someone wakes me from my post-cotial doze with a gentle knock on the door. I manage to escape Rupert's embrace without him stirring, and go to answer, to find that the damned blue-skin has woken me.
"My mistress requires- nay, she said she requests- the presence of all the members of the Order, directly."
I stifle a groan, but nod. "I'll come."
The messenger pauses, looking at me. "Um, sir, my lady also mentioned something about a group photograph. I wouldn't wager she wasn't joking."
Moments of perfect happiness must slow my brain, because it's a couple of seconds before I realise that he means I might want to get dressed.
"Oh. Um, yeah, I'll be along in a moment. Where's she want us?"
"The ballroom, sir. I shall inform her you are on ou way."
"Good. Thanks."
I shut the door and set about dressing as quietly as possible. Not the suit Rupert likes- too slow. Casual cotton trouser, not jeans but nearly- they'll do. T-shirt over my head, red silk shirt because it feels good, and I'm ready.
I put a note for Rupert when he does wake up, and hurry along the corridor.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ///////////////////////////////////////////////
The ballroom looks quite full, though there can't be more than six people in it. When all of them are vampires, it only takes three, sometimes only two, to make a whole town crakle with tension.
"Hey," I say, and they all look round at me, Alice from her bed, the rest from chairs pulled up to form a circle around her. I look right back. Of all this lot, most of them souled now, I'm the only one who got his soul of his own free will. That has to count for something in the big stakes.
"Ah, William. I think we're all here now. Rangy, you may leave." He bows and does so. Alice continues, "I think we most know who everyone is, but it would be as well to check before we move on to the main business of the day. Even I'm getting a little confused."
General nods, especially from the Master- Heinriech. I think it's probably time I dropped some of the old speech patterns.
"We'll use the old Sire-Childe naming pattern- but in English, I guess. I think some of you would be confused if we tried it in Latin, as it was written." She smiles a little, at some private joke or memory, and goes on, almost chanting, "My name is Alice, Childe of Aurelius, and in 1397 I turned Heinriech, my Favoured Childe."
Seemingly soothed by the chanting sound of her vioce, the wild-eyed Heiriech- who is, I notice, quite handsome now he's got rid of bat-face- contiues, "My name is Heinriech Joseph Nest, and in 1609 I turned Ruth, my Favoured Childe."
"My name is Darla, and in 1753 I tunred Angelus, my Favoured Childe."
"My name is Angel, and in 1860 I turned Drusilla, my Favoured Chjilde."
"My name is Dru, and in 1880 I turned Spike, my pretty baby."
"My name is William, and I'll take Harmony as my favoured." What on earth did you go and say that for? Idiot. Angelus was right about you- you're a fool, and idiot, and such like words, even in Gaelic. You only noticed that the girl was here a moment ago.
"My name is Harmony, and I'm so pleased my blondie bear'll have me!" She can't be worse than Dru, I guess.
The family- even Ice-Queen Darla- all smile at that. "Good," Alice says, and if she keeps smiling like that I may have to kill her. Thankfully, she decides it's time we got down to the main issue of the meeting.
"Now, I've called you here this afternoon because there are some important things we need to discuss, namely: one, why we are here; two, what we're going to do next; and three, how we're going to go about it. As I see it, I can mostly tell you the answers to one, where you don't know them already, because my visions have given me some idea what the Powers are after from us; I can help you discuss two, but three is for you to decide, pretty much without help. Is everyone happy with that?"
We nod. What else can we do?
"Good. My visions lead me to believe that you have all been brought here for a reason. All of us, by reason of souls, chips or simple strong will, are restrained from killing at least some beings. Am I right?"
I didn't know Harmony had any such impediment, but I see her nod along with the rest of us, so I guess she's decided not to eat people, or something. I don't see it lasting long.
"I feel that the Powers want the Order of Auelius to come to something. Not what my Sire intended, fires of Hell comfort him, but something powerful- something ultimatly good. The prophercies interweave, and they still stand."
"Even the tale of the Annotied One?" Heinreich asks.
"Yes. The Nyazine scrolls have been translated many times, but my study of them leads me to believe that the son mentioned there, killed by his father but surviving by miraclous means, is our new Annointed. We must, I think, put much of our energies into finding this one."
"The son mentioned in the Nyazinan scrolls?" Angel asks.
"Yes?"
"The child who will not be born by normal means?"
"Yes."
"I know- it's Connor."
"Who?"
"Steven- my son. Wesley thought that I was going to kill him, that's why he kidnapped him, but then Hotlz got him. and can I just ask- Darla, I thought you were dead?"
"I was. In this reality. But when Alice put out the Call, it called Heinriech and me from a parralel universe, created by Anyanka."
"Oh. Anyway, does this mean Steven is the Annointed one?"
"I think you're right- but the father in question must be Hotlz. Taking a baby to a hell dimension would count as killing him in the symbolic language of prophercy, and yet he has survived and come back to the land of the living, this reality. It does make sense."
"So what's our purpose here?"
"We've got to protect the Annointed One, and his counterpart, the Key. That's dawn Summers, for those of you who don't know, the Slayer's younger sister. When the time comes, both of them will be needed, and there are many forces out there who would want to attack and kill them. Our purpose- nay, your purpose, for my job is done when I've relayed this message- is to protect them both, aiding the Slayer, and forming a network which will be able to assist what we might as well refer to as the children, Dawn and Steven, in their tasks."
Speaking has made her out of breath, and now she lies back, eyes closed, panting slightly.
"So what do we do?" Darla asks.
"You must help. Take orders. Research. Use the visions." She folds her hands neatly on her breast, as if preparing to pray.
"What visions?" someone says. We are all leaning forward now to catch her faint voice.
"You'll see- stay calm. Childe, be good." her breathing slows, and for a moment I take it for a good sign. Then I notice that there is no heartbeat either. Dru leans against me.
"She's leaving us," she says, sadly. "Grandmum has just come, but now she's leaving again. So soon?"
I hold her to me, and can say nothing. Someone calls for Ranguger. All I can think is, "She's dead. Who can help me now, with Rupert, with everything?"
"She's gone," Ranguger says, softly. "She thought she might. Last night, she said something about now all the Childer were here she could finish her job." There are tears in his eyes. "You'd better tell the others. Even Wesley. We'll need help with the scrolls soon."
I see blackness in front of my eyes, and I slip into it.
Author: Am-Chau Yarkona
E-mail: grant@hagden169.fsnet.co.uk
Summary: The family are together again. All hell breaks loose, as normal.
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Giles/Spike, Buffy/Clem, etc.
Spoilers: For most of seasons 3 and 6.
Warnings: original character death
Author Notes: My Mary-Sue gets even more unusual, possibly passing out of the realms of Mary-Suehood.
Story Notes: None.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Just playing in Joss' sandpit. With Buffy. And Spike and Giles on the swings. Get it? I'm dreaming!
Giles:
What's that? Someone singing? Yes, it's William. He's in the shower. Heaven only knows why he sings in the shower, but he does.
"William, shut up!" I yell, trying to roll my face out of the pillow so that he stands a chance of hearing me. There is a green demon with small red horns looking at me.
"Don't be so wound up, book guy," the apparition says. I think it's that chap Anya was with at Willow's party. What was his name?
"The name's Lorne," it tells me. "Your boyfriend has a great voice. You should be encourging him, not."
"Telling me to shut up?" William asks. He's apperntly finished his shower and come back into the bedroom, still blatently {beautifully} naked.
"Yeah, something like that," Lorne replies.
"Oh, I know he doesn't mean it. What are you doing here, anyway, green guy?"
"Oh, just stopped by. The door was open, so."
"So you can get out again."
"I suppose I could. Do you want me to?"
"Yes. You're with Anya, aren't you?"
"That's right. She wanted to stop by, see how Cordelia was. I don't know what's going on there, by the way. I think Angel and Cordelia were almost a couple, but then Anya wants to come and see Cordy, and I start getting all these vibes off her."
"You mean you think Cordy and Anya might be 'together'? There's a thought."
"Don't I just know it? Hey- when you were talking about Angel at that party in Sunnyhell, you started to get all, grr."
What's my William doing still standing around naked? I don't like it. "William?" I say. "Cuddle?"
He slips into bed beside me, but goes on talking to Lorne. "You've got a crush on my Sire, haven't you? Perhaps you could make up a foursome."
"I can't see Angel going along with that, sweetpea. nice pisture, though."
"I dunno about Angel, but Angelus liked it. Me, Dru, Darla, him. We were a right fearsome fangy foursome. And try saying that when you're drunk."
"I'm sure you've tried it," I tell William.
"That I have."
I run my hands up his body, under the bedclothes, hoping he'll get the message- quality time required here!
If he gets it, he doesn't have time to respond. Lorne gets the message. "Well, I'll leave you two happy campers alone, then." He leaves. Thank goodness!
"What something, pet?" William asks. I nearly answer, but then decide that pulling his face down into a firm kiss is proably a better method of telling him, Anya-style- sex! Now! Who says retired librarians can't have appitites?
William:
Someone wakes me from my post-cotial doze with a gentle knock on the door. I manage to escape Rupert's embrace without him stirring, and go to answer, to find that the damned blue-skin has woken me.
"My mistress requires- nay, she said she requests- the presence of all the members of the Order, directly."
I stifle a groan, but nod. "I'll come."
The messenger pauses, looking at me. "Um, sir, my lady also mentioned something about a group photograph. I wouldn't wager she wasn't joking."
Moments of perfect happiness must slow my brain, because it's a couple of seconds before I realise that he means I might want to get dressed.
"Oh. Um, yeah, I'll be along in a moment. Where's she want us?"
"The ballroom, sir. I shall inform her you are on ou way."
"Good. Thanks."
I shut the door and set about dressing as quietly as possible. Not the suit Rupert likes- too slow. Casual cotton trouser, not jeans but nearly- they'll do. T-shirt over my head, red silk shirt because it feels good, and I'm ready.
I put a note for Rupert when he does wake up, and hurry along the corridor.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ///////////////////////////////////////////////
The ballroom looks quite full, though there can't be more than six people in it. When all of them are vampires, it only takes three, sometimes only two, to make a whole town crakle with tension.
"Hey," I say, and they all look round at me, Alice from her bed, the rest from chairs pulled up to form a circle around her. I look right back. Of all this lot, most of them souled now, I'm the only one who got his soul of his own free will. That has to count for something in the big stakes.
"Ah, William. I think we're all here now. Rangy, you may leave." He bows and does so. Alice continues, "I think we most know who everyone is, but it would be as well to check before we move on to the main business of the day. Even I'm getting a little confused."
General nods, especially from the Master- Heinriech. I think it's probably time I dropped some of the old speech patterns.
"We'll use the old Sire-Childe naming pattern- but in English, I guess. I think some of you would be confused if we tried it in Latin, as it was written." She smiles a little, at some private joke or memory, and goes on, almost chanting, "My name is Alice, Childe of Aurelius, and in 1397 I turned Heinriech, my Favoured Childe."
Seemingly soothed by the chanting sound of her vioce, the wild-eyed Heiriech- who is, I notice, quite handsome now he's got rid of bat-face- contiues, "My name is Heinriech Joseph Nest, and in 1609 I turned Ruth, my Favoured Childe."
"My name is Darla, and in 1753 I tunred Angelus, my Favoured Childe."
"My name is Angel, and in 1860 I turned Drusilla, my Favoured Chjilde."
"My name is Dru, and in 1880 I turned Spike, my pretty baby."
"My name is William, and I'll take Harmony as my favoured." What on earth did you go and say that for? Idiot. Angelus was right about you- you're a fool, and idiot, and such like words, even in Gaelic. You only noticed that the girl was here a moment ago.
"My name is Harmony, and I'm so pleased my blondie bear'll have me!" She can't be worse than Dru, I guess.
The family- even Ice-Queen Darla- all smile at that. "Good," Alice says, and if she keeps smiling like that I may have to kill her. Thankfully, she decides it's time we got down to the main issue of the meeting.
"Now, I've called you here this afternoon because there are some important things we need to discuss, namely: one, why we are here; two, what we're going to do next; and three, how we're going to go about it. As I see it, I can mostly tell you the answers to one, where you don't know them already, because my visions have given me some idea what the Powers are after from us; I can help you discuss two, but three is for you to decide, pretty much without help. Is everyone happy with that?"
We nod. What else can we do?
"Good. My visions lead me to believe that you have all been brought here for a reason. All of us, by reason of souls, chips or simple strong will, are restrained from killing at least some beings. Am I right?"
I didn't know Harmony had any such impediment, but I see her nod along with the rest of us, so I guess she's decided not to eat people, or something. I don't see it lasting long.
"I feel that the Powers want the Order of Auelius to come to something. Not what my Sire intended, fires of Hell comfort him, but something powerful- something ultimatly good. The prophercies interweave, and they still stand."
"Even the tale of the Annotied One?" Heinreich asks.
"Yes. The Nyazine scrolls have been translated many times, but my study of them leads me to believe that the son mentioned there, killed by his father but surviving by miraclous means, is our new Annointed. We must, I think, put much of our energies into finding this one."
"The son mentioned in the Nyazinan scrolls?" Angel asks.
"Yes?"
"The child who will not be born by normal means?"
"Yes."
"I know- it's Connor."
"Who?"
"Steven- my son. Wesley thought that I was going to kill him, that's why he kidnapped him, but then Hotlz got him. and can I just ask- Darla, I thought you were dead?"
"I was. In this reality. But when Alice put out the Call, it called Heinriech and me from a parralel universe, created by Anyanka."
"Oh. Anyway, does this mean Steven is the Annointed one?"
"I think you're right- but the father in question must be Hotlz. Taking a baby to a hell dimension would count as killing him in the symbolic language of prophercy, and yet he has survived and come back to the land of the living, this reality. It does make sense."
"So what's our purpose here?"
"We've got to protect the Annointed One, and his counterpart, the Key. That's dawn Summers, for those of you who don't know, the Slayer's younger sister. When the time comes, both of them will be needed, and there are many forces out there who would want to attack and kill them. Our purpose- nay, your purpose, for my job is done when I've relayed this message- is to protect them both, aiding the Slayer, and forming a network which will be able to assist what we might as well refer to as the children, Dawn and Steven, in their tasks."
Speaking has made her out of breath, and now she lies back, eyes closed, panting slightly.
"So what do we do?" Darla asks.
"You must help. Take orders. Research. Use the visions." She folds her hands neatly on her breast, as if preparing to pray.
"What visions?" someone says. We are all leaning forward now to catch her faint voice.
"You'll see- stay calm. Childe, be good." her breathing slows, and for a moment I take it for a good sign. Then I notice that there is no heartbeat either. Dru leans against me.
"She's leaving us," she says, sadly. "Grandmum has just come, but now she's leaving again. So soon?"
I hold her to me, and can say nothing. Someone calls for Ranguger. All I can think is, "She's dead. Who can help me now, with Rupert, with everything?"
"She's gone," Ranguger says, softly. "She thought she might. Last night, she said something about now all the Childer were here she could finish her job." There are tears in his eyes. "You'd better tell the others. Even Wesley. We'll need help with the scrolls soon."
I see blackness in front of my eyes, and I slip into it.