*******
Pandora opened her eyes and sat up slowly. She was in Buffy's room. They must have caught up with her and brought her here. She heard a snore and saw it was Xander. She smiled weakly; her head throbbed softly from her fall. She looked around to see if anyone else was there. She realised Xander must have been put in charge of telling Buffy or Rachel when she awoke. Pandora grinned as she decided not to wake her bodyguard. Then something caught her eye- a letter sat on the windowsill. She got out of bed, paused for a second, trying to stop the world from spinning, snitched the letter and returned to the comfort of the bed sheets. She turned on the lamp next to her, hoping the increased light wouldn't wake Xander. He continued to snore.
Pandora was written on the envelope. She pulled out the letter and read it.
My Chosen,
I wanted to follow you but with the Slayer there I knew you would be safe from the other vampires. She really has no respect for you. I do not understand why she cannot sense the power in you that I do. I believe perhaps your Watcher understands but not enough to allow you to grow, as you should. But then again all you see me as a tool for your confusion. Do you not sense it too? The Fates choose us to be together. I will not leave you Pandora. Take that as a threat or a promise, I do not care. I will continue to watch you until you see the light of the night.
Love,
CalebPandora threw the letter across the room in anger. That action woke up Xander.
"Pandora? How are you feeling?" he asked, trying to shake himself awake.
"As if I fell on my head." She snapped. Xander gave her a wounded look, as if he truly cared. Pandora figured that he probably did but she didn't want that love. She was guilty and no better than Caleb. Her head throbbed and her heart hurt. Xander smiled and went to get Buffy. Pandora stood up, trying to ignore the dizziness. She put a hand on her necklace, pretending her parents could give her power. Buffy walked in and sat on her bed. Buffy said nothing for a moment, "Pandora," she paused, "Let's start over. Let's pretend the first couple of days that you were here didn't happen. Start anew."
*******
Weeks passed since Pandora promised Buffy they were begin over. Pandora had been good. She hadn't snuck out or hid from the other potentials. She trained with them and even helped them improve. Much had happened since she made her promise. Spike had since discovered that he was being used as a puppet for the First but since then he and Principal Woods had fought, Spike lost his chip and was back to his old self- no one's puppet or as Xander once put it "butt monkey!" Andrew, one of Warren's friends who killed Tara, had been captured and is now a hostage in the house. Giles, Buffy's Watcher came back. During one weird moment they thought Giles was the First but it turned out that he, besides Rachel, was the only surviving Watcher. The rest of the Council was killed. No one was overly upset about that. Ubervamps became a real scary threat. At first it kicked Buffy's ass and everyone, including Pandora, thought that the Ubervamp was too much for her and that the First was going to win. But Buffy proved herself by dusting the Ubervamp in front of the potentials. Most of the potentials knew that Buffy was the real thing and it wasn't going to be all-bad if they followed her leadership. Principal Wood revealed himself to be a son of a Slayer and offered to help the group destroy the First. It was revealed that his mother was one of the Slayers that Spike had murdered and that caused major tension between the two. Anya was also back into the house. The latest thing that happened was Faith, the other Slayer in Sunnydale and had joined the ever growing house of Buffy and Dawn Summers.
Even normal things had been happening within the house. Willow began to date Kennedy. Rachel and Giles became instant best friends. Everyone in the original Scooby gang thought that was an awesome thing for the old Watcher. Pandora had made friends with Spike, which was the last thing everyone thought would happen. They were preparing and they were becoming ready for the fight against the First.
*******
Pandora walked downstairs. It was the area of peace away from all those potentials. Spike was sleeping on his cot. She sat down on the cement and listened to the dryer hum.
"Pandora?" Spike mumbled. She turned around.
"Sorry. Did I awake you up?" she smirked. They were friends but it was often a sarcastic teasing friendship.
"Nah. Are you spying on me, pet?" he asked. Pandora rolled her eyes.
"Please. I believe there are hotter guys in this prison." She replied.
"Andrew then?"
"Ew," She stood up, "Time to make nice with others." She began up the stairs.
"Why did you come down here?" Spike asked, his voice no longer teasing.
"To think." Both knew whom she was talking about but neither said anything.
*******
"I'll take some out to hunt." Faith volunteered.
"I don't think they are ready yet." Buffy countered.
"Then they will learn, B." Faith shrugged. Pandora liked Faith more than Buffy. Even through both promised to "forget" the incidents when Pandora first came she never fully trusted Buffy again. Buffy felt the same way about Pandora. She didn't know if she would go after the Second on her own or not.
"Agreeing with Faith here. Some of us would like to stake some real vamps." Pandora said. Amanda and Molly silently agreed. Rona was dead against it and the others just went along with whatever Buffy said. Buffy sighed.
"Fine. But only a couple- Kennedy, Molly, Amanda and Rona that's it." Buffy said. Pandora cleared her throat. There would be no way she just sit around. She was aching for some action. Buffy looked over to her.
"Not yet." She said simply and left the kitchen. Pandora clutched her first and punched the cabinet doors. Some of the potentials jumped back. Faith walked over.
"Buffy knows what she's doing. She probably doesn't like you are quite ready." Faith wasn't informed of the advents before. Pandora's anger got the better of her.
"Bullshit she doesn't! I'm almost as good as she is!" Faith cut her off.
"Please, you are still a potential. Don't worry. I'm sure your time is soon." Pandora punched the cabinet again.
"I'm going out tonight. I'm staking some vampires and I will not see him!" she cried and pushed her way back downstairs. A few moments later the crowd could hear her playing her guitar. Faith knew she was missing something.
She left the kitchen and found Buffy who was in her bedroom.
"B, what's the deal with Panda Bear?" Faith loved the nicknames.
"Pandora? Nothing. Just your average moody teenager."
"Don't think so. Let me in B." Buffy pushed her hand through her hair. She shook her head.
"No Faith. I know what I'm doing. You have been out of the group too long to demand things."
"Buffy, I changed. Told you once. Pandora is gonna snap if you don't let her breathe."
"If she goes out there will be trouble. I don't need to deal with her again! I have enough problems with Wood, Spike, Giles and all these potentials! Faith just let me lead!" Buffy exploded. Faith shrugged but before she left she added, "I'd watch Panda. She's going to blow soon." Faith shut the door on the way out.
*********
Princess Serenity sat in a cell. Darkness surrounded her. They had surrendered and then everything fell apart. Shimi, the leader of the group who had been attacking them for eighteen years, torn through the city, killing those who were still loyal to the Senshi and their Queen. Rini had hoped to at least see her mother but Shimi did not allow that. Now she was separated from her Senshi. She was alone. Rini had been tortured in order to reveal the location of the Crystal. She did not reveal it. At one point Shimi came in to speak with her.
"Serenity, tell me about your sister." He asked softly. Rini said nothing.
"I know there is a sister. Your mother mourns for her." Rini remained silent. Shimi promised Rini freedom, or freedom of her parents for information about her sister. Rini said nothing. Angry, Shimi beat Rini unconscious.
Now Rini was alone again. Her moon sign was glowing, a reminder of what it used to do in the past. Rini longed for her mother, for her father or any of her Senshi.
"Pluto, I know you think keeping my sister out of this is best but she is our only hope. Please send her here. Please let her save us…"
*********
Sailor Pluto blinked away tears. Everything she used to fight for was falling apart. Everything that made a Senshi special was disappearing. There was nothing left. All the Senshi were in prison. Jupiter was on the other side. Her queen was close to joining her. She heard Small Lady's cries for her sister. Pluto clutched her staff tighter. Not yet! Not yet! The child had to grow up a little more. She had to learn to control her temper and learn that some things weren't meant to happen. The child needed to be a full Slayer if she could help Crystal Tokyo.
*******
Pandora pulled on her coat and crawled out the basement window. She thought she heard someone come down the stairs as she finally escaped the basement but she ignored it. She ran away from the block. Finally she would have freedom.
She entered a graveyard.
"This time I'm taking it away, I've got a problem/ With me getting in the way, not by my side/ So I take my face and bash it into a mirror/ I won't have to see the pain." She sang softly. The quiet graveyard was sort of creepy. She continued to walk, searching for new graves. She searched for something to kill. She clutched her sword tightly. She heard a soft movement and she held her breath. Could it be Caleb? Ready to attack her? Turn her? She swallowed and scanned the graveyard. There in the corner were man with cloaks… no they were Bringers. Pandora broke into a run, putting some distance between the Bringers and herself. They chased her. They knew she was a potential. She stops and jumped on top of a gravestone, sword up. They continued to run towards her. She jumped down, impaling one with her sword. It fell to the ground. Three more to go. She looked around her; there was no time to retrieve her sword.
"Come on!" she called out, trying to taunt the blind Bringers. She kicked one in the stomach but the remaining two grabbed her arms. The one she kicked fell back. The one of her right pulled on his dagger and she could almost sense his joy. She struggled and managed to free her right arm. She slammed the back of her hand into his face and threw the left a few feet away. She grabbed her sword and ran.
She was breathing hard and the three were still chasing her. She wasn't a Slayer and she was getting tired. She wanted to rest before she had another go at the Bringers. She misjudged their distance and one slammed her to the ground. Her sword spun out of her hands. It sat on her back. She fought to get up but it was useless. She could imagine it pulling out his dagger, preparing to eliminate another potential Slayer. Then, all of a sudden, the weight was lifted. Pandora jumped to her feet and saw Spike.
"Stupid girl." He hissed at her. Pandora took the insult and fought another Bringer. Punch, kick, punch, kick to the stomach and finally broke his neck. Spike killed another. One left. It seemed to sense that he was now alone and turn to run. Pandora wouldn't let it.
"Don't be stupid!" Spike yelled. It wasn't her pride not letting this one get away but if it got away it may killed another potential- or Buffy or Faith. That couldn't happen. She knocked it to the ground and slammed it on its back.
"I'm sure I'll see you in Hell." She whispered and pummelled the Bringer's face. Spike waltzed over with her sword and Pandora moved. Spike cut its head off.
"What are you thinking? The Watchers are going insane. What about the good girl act?" he lectured her. Pandora snatched her sword back.
"I can't believe I'm hearing this from you! Of all people! Don't you understand?" Pandora retorted.
"Looks like thinking isn't enough."
"No! Training with weak potentials isn't enough."
"Don't look like you are too strong yourself."
"You didn't see anything." Pandora turned away, her face burning. Spike grabbed her arm.
"Don't play the super hero yet, pet." His voice was softer. She swallowed her anger.
"I'm sick of Buffy not trusting me. I'm not going to go look for him."
"But he's looking for you," Spike shrugged, "I've been out. I've heard stuff. Buffy wants to protect you. He is after you."
"So what? Keep me locked up? Let me fight him!"
"One evil at a time, love."
"Caleb may be a wee easier." They began to walk through the graveyard.
"That I'll give to you."
********
Pandora fell through the basement window. Spike landed next to her.
"I've been here all night." She said. Spike nodded and sat down on his cot. She flopped down next to him, her sword now lying on the floor. A thunder of steps down the stairs. Several potentials followed a pissed off Faith and an annoyed Buffy.
"Spike!" Buffy cried.
"Pandora!" Faith yelled, "Gees! You just ran away like nothing is happening! Where did you go?" Buffy glared at the pair.
"Go?" Pandora acted dumb, "Down here the whole time. Right here with Spike."
"Yup." Spike answered. Faith shook her head. Her anger transferred to Buffy. If she would only tell her what was up with Pandora then she could deal with the whole situation better.
"Faith, you said you sent Spike out." Buffy assumed that Faith lied to her.
"I did. Buffy, just tell why Pandora would leave then we will deal with the lovers over there."
"Hey!" Pandora and Spike cried. They were not romantically interested! Buffy shook her head and began upstairs, with Faith following. Pandora glanced over at Spike.
"Just go upstairs." He growled. She pushed her luck too far. Spike was still too loyal to Buffy to enjoy a laugh at the feuding Slayers. Pandora picked up her sword and went up the wooden stairs. 'Let the games continue…'
********
Morning came but the Princess of the White Moon had no idea. It was pure darkness in her cell. She was tired back would not sleep. There were too many rats and if she slept Shimi may come. He would ask her questions in hope of sleep answers. She would never give him information.
The wooden door opened again but instead of a guard entering it was Eternal Sailor Saturn. She sat down next to the Princess.
"Serenity, I have been freed." She said.
"How?" Rini's voice was raspy.
"Crystal Tokyo needs cleansing. I am the only one who can." Anger surged through Rini.
"You are betraying us?"
"Saturn has no real loyalties. Only to her powers."
"I am being tricked. I must be." Rini muttered, pushing herself closer to the corners of her cell. The real Saturn would never.
"This is no trick. Serenity, they will release you too if you reveal information about your sister. Uranus and Neptune are free. They both reported that your sister has the Crystal."
"And the others?"
"Mars is dead. Another Senshi wiped out because of her loyal to a dead queen.
"Mother… is dead?" Rini would not believe it. The Queen of the White Moon and Earth could not be dead. Her whole world shattered.
"Serena is as good as. As well as Endymion."
"And Mercury? She is still on our side?"
"Of course but not for much longer. They are draining her sanity as we speak. Perhaps some of her intelligence will come out too. No matter we will get information about Pluto from her.
"Serenity you are no loyalty to your sister, why protect her? Just tell us her name. Anything."
"She is the last hope of Crystal Tokyo. Saturn, Hotaru, you may have given up on the dream but I will never. They may starve me, present me with presents in exchange of information, have my friends tell me things about the ending but I will never tell you a single thing! Saturn! Get out!" Rini screamed. Eternal Sailor Saturn shrugged and left the cell, enclosing it in the unyielding darkness.
"That wasn't real," Rini whispered, "TELL ME MORE LIES! I will not allow you to know about the box."
Author's
Note: Is this better? Please review. I'm going to ask for five reviews before I
post again. Thanks to everyone who reviews before!
