Greetings and salutations. It's me again. Thank you to all the reviewers of Slayer's Knight. There is more coming. I'm glad people like the team up.

This is the continuation of Phoenix Rising, as promised. Pleas review, I beg of you. I'd say review or I won't post anymore, but I'd be lying (hahahahaha). Thank you Aaron for the review. No plans for any of those character's yet, but with my twisted mind…

In reference to X-Man, read Phoenix Rising for his older, alternate self, Nathan Summers, the time lost Cable. Will that do for now?

I forgot the disclaimers. Oops! Oh well. Faith is Joss Whedon's, Zealot and Grifter belong to Wildstorm, and the DBZ guys belong to Funimation. Melody's mine. Ask permission if you want to use her. This chapter: the big bad…kind of.

Faith and Melody were sparring. Of all the girls, she was the only one that could keep up with the Slayer. Faith knew what that meant. It was why she insisted they take her to her parents.

"We have done what you promised." Zealot had said. "Let her parents come and fetch her."

"Zee, we can't just leave her. You've seen how she fights you know what she is. If we leave her here, the Watchers Council's gonna get to her first. I'm not gonna let that happen. She still has a chance to live a normal life, and I'm gonna see that happen, with or without your help." Zealot had shaken her head and grinned.

"Very well." She had finally agreed.

Which is how they got to where they were now, half way to Australia on Zealot's private yacht.

"Not bad." Grifter said. He turned to Melody. "You keep leading with your chin, though. Your gonna end up spoiling that pretty face of yours if you keep that up." Melody nodded as she wiped the sweat of her face. Faith had been pushing her harder than ever. And the mercenary Wildcat still didn't understand why. He had decided to tag along (much to the chagrin of Zealot and Faith) to 'watch there backs', and had been met with vague, dead end answers when he broached the subject (or, in the case of Faith, threats of grievous bodily harm). In the end, he gave up, and settled with helping to train her.

He watched the two girls as they headed to the showers then headed to the decks for a smoke.

"You can come on deck." He said as he lit up. "No one's watching." He watched as the figure floated in from the shadows along the side of the boat.

"How long have you known?" Piccolo asked.

"Since London." Cole said. "Mind telling me why you're following us?"

"My reasons are none of your concern." The Namek said sternly. "Just keep your mouth shut." Cole grunted.

"You wouldn't happen to be a relation of Deathblow's, would you?" Piccolo shook his head.

"Your mouth's going to get you in a lot of trouble." He said, and then leapt off the deck. Cole listened for the splash, but heard none. He looked over the side of the deck.

Nothing.

What the hell are you, he thought.

Piccolo watched from above the ship. Bloody humans, he thought. To nosey for his own good. He sighed. Better do a quick patrol. Good thing I don't need too much sleep.

Faith flopped on her bed. "Why do you push her so much?"

"Why do you push me?" She asked. Zealot mumbled a reply. "I'm worried, that's all. Whether the Council finds her or not, chances are, she's still going to find her way into that world. I just want to prepare her as much as possible, that's all." She shook her head. "Better than I was." Zealot took a seat. Faith looked out the window.

"I met my first vamp when I was three. Had no idea what it was, only that it was dangerous. A feeling, a pain. Mom took me upstairs, figured I needed a nap. Dad had already invited it in." She bowed her head. "The first sign there was something wrong was when dad screamed in pain. Mom rushed down the stairs, holding me tight in her arms. When we got there, it…was too late." She shuddered. "I was barely a toddler, and I can still remember. The blood, the sound of mom crying. It…" Zealot sat there. She had guessed that Faith had had a hard childhood, but this was horrifying. To have seen such a picture… "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything." She said. She turned briefly, and Zealot could see tears in her eyes.

"It's all right." She said. "If you want to…"

"I don't." Faith said. "I…can I be alone for a minute?" Zealot nodded and headed out the door. As she closed it behind her, she heard her student sob softly, and she found herself wishing she could find a way to stop it from ever happening.

He watched as the ship passed the island. The target was on board. There were also witnesses. He'd just have to whack them too. He grinned, and hoped they would put up a fight.

Cole leaned on the side of the ship puffing on his cigarette. He was still thinking of his meeting with the green guy.

"Still poisoning yourself, I see?" Zealot said as she walked form Faiths room.

"Well, unless you want to finish what you started."

"Don't tempt me." She said through clenched teeth. He watched as she walked past.

"Where'd it go wrong, Zee?" He asked. She stopped momentarily.

"Given our differences," She said. "and the differences between what we know as right, how could we have expected it to go any other way?" She continued to walk towards her cabin. Cole looked at the cigarette in his hand, then flicked it over the side of the ship. How indeed?

Zealot closed the door hurriedly behind her. Goddess take the man, why did he have to make her feel this way? She suddenly became aware of another presence it the room. She reached calmly for the knife hidden behind her back, wishing she had been carrying her swords.

Before she could reach the knife, a hand grabbed her arm roughly and drove her against the door.

"Are you going to scream for me, girl?" A voice whispered.

"I think not." Zealot growled using her knees to push her self back from the door. She catapulted herself and her assailant back through the wall and into the next room, which was empty.

"Not bad, for a human." The man (or at least, it looked like a man) chuckled. "I'm impressed."

"Who said I was human?" Zealot growled. She launched herself forward.

"Doesn't matter what you are." He said. He plucked her out of the air, slamming her out on deck. "'cause in a couple of minutes, you'll be dead."

Faith was startled out of her reverie by a noise outside. She walked over and opened the door. What she saw was beyond description.

Zealot was down, battered and broken. Standing above her was a brute of a man who looked like he belonged either in a wrestling or a zoo.

"Back off, Kong." She said, sounding more confident than she thought possible. The man looked at her and grinned.

"Well, well, well, looky here. I just found my target." Target?

"You're one of Wolfram & Harts bounty hunters." She said. Her rage bubbled below the surface. "Why attack Zealot?"

"No witnesses, no evidence." He said. He backhanded her before she could do anything else, and chuckled as she hit the floor. "Now stay down while I finish with your friend." Faith looked up.

"No." She whispered, and suddenly, it wasn't just Zealot. It was Buffy and Logan and Dawn and everyone else she called friend. "No." Her rage boiled over and she couldn't contain it anymore. "NO!" She screamed in ecstasy and pain as the power flew out in a beam of energy, sending her attacker flying across the water. "Zee?" She whispered, then she fell to her knees.

Next: training begins. Review, please.

Doc.