* * *
Spike was tying to come up with a good way to stay alive for a few more moments when Sonja stopped. He looked around her to See Buffy standing with her hand gripping Sonja's Shoulder.
Sonja blinked at the woman standing behind her then abruptly pushed Buffy's hand away.
"I said get lost cheerleader" She put more effort into her sending this time.
"I heard you the first time, I just wondered if that's all you got …Jedi mind tricks and hokey crap"
"Look I don't want to have an argument with you, but if you don't back off…"
"Yeah…yeah, whatever everyone has already told me about the great Sonja Blue. Me, I just think you're a punk with a stripper's name …or a cheap whore."
Sonja's hand came up lightning fast and gathered he front of Buffy's jacket in her hand.
"I was never cheap" She hissed her blood teeth falling into place.
"Good, then you'll be able to afford the world of hurt I will put you in, if you don't back the hell away from Spike and start explaining yourself."
Sonja slowly lowered her sunglasses down her nose revealing two blood red eyes. The pupils looked like red shoe buttons against the pale expanse of her face. "I'm sorry, am I supposed to find Bodyguard Barbie intimidating? Because just between us it's not happening."
"…And you might want to turn my jacket loose before I break that arm off." Buffy continued as though Sonja had not spoken.
Sonja loosened her grip on Buffy's jacket and backed away. Buffy only had a moment to register the smile before the backhand was swinging her way. The Slayer bobbed her head low to avoid the arm, then came up grabbing at the arm with one hand while the other rammed into the joint at the elbow.
Spike heard the crack and watched as Sonja's eyes went wide behind her sunglasses. Then she snarled and unleashed a lethal jab into Buffy's stomach.
The two fighters backed off then, circling each other. The two traded blows for a moment, each were getting the measure of the other.
Then Sonja shot out her fist. Buffy stepped around the oncoming blow intending to knee Sonja in the stomach until the Blue Woman snaked her head forward and conked Buffy with a vicious head butt.
The blow staggered Buffy. Sonja stepped forward and nailed the young girl with a flurry of body blows that sent the nineteen-year-old back against a wall. Sonja rushed in to finish her off; and ran right in to a sole of Buffy's foot that had been coming around in a roundhouse kick. The blow sent the vampire spinning backward slamming on to the floor with a gross thud. She rolled clear and Buffy came off the wall.
"Let me guess" Said Sonja, the pain of the blows Buffy had landed clearly showing. "The much feared Slayer, I was looking forward to meeting you but I wasn't expecting a valley girl with a Power Ranger fetish"
"I wasn't expecting a rock groupie, street punk wannabe." Buffy declared sarcastically. She too was heaving from blows that were stronger then any she had felt before. She took a chance on a frontal attack going for the roundhouse kick again. This time the vampire was ready, She grabbed both Buffy's leg and body, picked her up off the ground, and hurled her across the room into the bar.
Buffy grunted as the pain shot through her body and cleared her punch-drunk mind. She saw Sonja swiftly cross the room toward her. She flipped her body up over the bar and didn't hear the smash as Sonja's fist took out he empty bar space that had been occupied by the teen slayer milliseconds previously.
The Blue Woman leapt on top of the bar. Buffy skipped to a shelf running the length of the bar. The two kicked and punched their way down the length of the bar. Sonja briefly lost her footing on the beer-slicked surface. Buff tried to take advantage and threw a punch at her. Sonja gripped her fist and started squeezing.
"It will take more then dry wit and a bad attitude to beat me" Sonja hissed at Buffy as she hauled her closer.
Buffy searched around the bar area and found what she needed. "Funny you should mention dry…" Kicking her foot out she caught hold of the bar snake behind the counter. "Just like a hake-sack" she thought. She foot tossed the bar snake into the air. She snatched it out of the air and shoved he dispenser into Sonja's face depressing the buttons on the top.
Foamy soda goodness shot out of the dispenser and caught the vampire in the face. Blinded, Sonja snarled and reached for the bar snake. Buffy kicked out again this time at Sonja's leg. The lady vamp lost her balance again. Buffy wrapped the bar snake around her throat.
Choking, Sonja clawed at the metal coil around her neck trying to pull air into her lungs that where screaming for sweet air. Reaching out with her foot she braced it against the edge of the bar top than with all the strength she cold muster she pumped hard. The force of the leap carried her up in the air and behind Buffy, breaking her grip on the bar snake. Sonja punched her hard in the side. Then she tangled her fingers in Buffy's hair; the vampire thrust the girl's head into the pressboard wall behind the bar. The impact dazed Buffy. She felt the woman pulling her backward for another blow. This time she was ready to brace her hands and soften the blow when her head hit the wall. She sank her fingers into the soft material, Thus braced, she kicked backwards hard, and the impact caught Sonja in her stomach. The blow finally caused Sonja to slip on the bar and crash to its surface. She rolled over and saw Buffy raising her leg high to kick downwards she took the force of the blow so that she could grab Buffy's leg. Then tossing her own legs high she wrapped them around Buffy's head and pulled hard. The two women went crashing to the floor.
Spike watched open mouthed, as the two fighters climbed to their feet. He had never thought this thing would go the distance.
Sonja did a quick catalogue of her bruised and broken body parts. This kid was no slouch, even with the damage she had done to her; the Slayer was still on her feet. She was stronger then any pretender Sonja had ever faced.
Buffy was reeling the only thing keeping her on her feet was the knowledge that She had to stop Sonja. If she could not beat the information she needed out of Spike, Sonja would eventually find the rest of the Scoobies. Then she got an image of Sonja going after Angel. No this fight would end here.
"If you think I'm letting you run wild in my town you are severely dreaming." She spat
Sonja heard her words and felt The Other stir in her back brain. Yes, the idea would work and it might save her life since the kid was obviously not going down through physical means. She feinted; Buffy rushed her with renewed vigor. The two clashed together and Sonja lashed out her mind. She grabbed a hold of Buffy and psychically dragged her down into a dark whirlpool. She had done this before with Chazz and that awful Catherine Wheele woman. Therefore, she was not surprised that she heard laughing. What surprised her, as she fell into the darkness was that the laughing was coming from something inside Buffy's mind. Something dark, primitive, and very pissed off.
Spike watched the two women fall to the floor. He checked both bodies. He realized that the fight had moved to a much more dangerous local. Looking around he found an unbroken telephone. Dialing Giles' number he danced from foot to foot hoping they were staying by the telephone. He heard a click and then the tired tones of Giles on the telephone the man was still obviously studying hard.
"Hello"
"Rupert we have big trouble in River City"
"Spike what are you talking about."
"You always seem to knew what Harris is saying"
"No I don't I just have more patience with him, anyway what is it, where is Buffy?"
"Sonja and Buffy are having a timeout right now"
"What!"
"Thy met each other and started beating the crap out each other"
"Is Buffy ok, Were you able to help her?"
"Well, if by helping, you mean getting out of their way and marveling how much punishment your slayer is capable of dishing out and taking, yes I helped a lot."
"You cowardly bastard"
"No time for bitching Rupert this is a serious call"
"What do you mean?"
"Sonja and Buffy are in the Place between Worlds."
"Oh God!"
"Considering their condition when they went in regardless of who is winning they are going to need our help getting out again.
"You have to get them both back here."
"Both of them, are you nuts"
"No, we need the both of them. I know who has the knife
"Antonio a manipulative psychopath who fancies himself a Warlock…yeah, Sonja mentioned."
Giles then told him why Antonio wanted the Ashanti Blade.
Spike looked at the two women on the floor. Their Faces twitching as they locked in dream combat. "Darkness about to engulf the world, The only two people who can stop it are trying to kill each other and the only hope is The Big Bad". Spike exhaled yanked out a cigarette, lit it, and took an awesome pull. "Bout time the Powers that Be left it to the Professionals."
***