The Pinheaded Cenobite sat in the confines of the school's basement. He seemed to be praying, if you could say a creature as demonic as he could pray. It could be said he was praying, to his god, his father, the Hell Lord called Leviathan. He was praying that he would be successful in his quest. That he would be successful in pleasing Leviathan. He prayed that he would finally give Leviathan a suitable token of servitude. A gift, a world where the pain of its inhabitants, all its inhabitants, could be made limitless and eternal. A world like earth.
"Well, that's an interesting look you have going on there. You kids today'll pierce anything won't ya?", an incessantly happy voice rang out.
The large Cenobite opened his eyes and looked to where the voice had come from. It was a middle aged man, balding slightly on top, in a suit with what seemed to be a constant smile on his face. The Cenobite rose.
"Let me show you the glories of…"
"Blah blah blah blah blah.", the man said instantly changing to a voluptuous young woman in a red dress, "But since you said Glory sweet thing, here I am."
The Cenobite simply watched impassively then narrowed his eyes. From nowhere a chain with a hook at the end flew at the young woman, and simply passed through. If the large Cenobite was actually surprised he hid it. He did find voice again though.
"What are you?", he asked
"I'm a lot of things sweetie. I'm a lot of people. Hmmm, maybe I'll give you a form that you can more easily recognize.", the woman said turning to a handsome man of about six foot one with spiked black hair and clad in all black clothing.
The Cenobite's eyes opened wide in recognition, "The vampire with the soul."
"Yeah Pinhead, can I call you Pinhead? The vampire with a soul that you tortured for three hundred years in Hell, though only about what, three months went by here?", the creature that looked exactly like the heroic vampire Angel said.
"Your impetuousness should be punished.", Pinhead said in response to the insult, actually flinching in anger for a moment, before regaining his composure.
"Aren't we just the high and mighty thing?", the Not Angel said in return, "Good for you I kind of like that when it's used properly."
"What are you?", Pinhead asked again.
"What are you?", the Not Angel asked with a smirk, "I'll tell you what you are. You're a Cenobite, one of Hell's most elite torturers. Of course you weren't always."
"I have always been.", Pinhead responded with a growl.
The Not Angel simply turned into a gaunt man dressed in the uniform of a World War One British Colonel.
"You used to look like this.", the Colonel said in a British accent before returning to the form of Angel.
Pinhead seemed to get dizzy and lowered his head closing his eyes, "No…I have always been…"
"Lied to by Leviathan. Yes I know, but then again mind games have always been that child's forte. He gets a kick out of it, but then I guess most of us do.", the Not Angel said walking around Pinhead.
"What are you?", Pinhead asked again, sounding distant.
"Well let's put it this way. If you consider yourself to be Leviathan's "son", then you could call me "Grandpa".", Not Angel replied.
"Y-you are Leviathan's father?", Pinhead asked losing his cold, frozen features and taking on more human expressions.
"Well, not exactly. I made Leviathan. Made him what he is. And I've been pulling his strings, or hooks…whatever. Thing is though, since Leviathan is basically my action figure, and you're his….well you belong to me.", Not Angel said standing in front of Pinhead.
"I belong to Leviathan and Leviathan only.", Pinhead said in uncustomary rage.
"Be quiet little boy. Or I'll show you what I REALLY am and I guarantee than it would make even you scream like a little girl.", Not Angel said in rage. Pinhead backed away slowly. He was feeling something he hadn't felt in a long time. Fear.
"Now then, where was I? Oh yeah, you belong to me. Right. Anywho, I can't help but notice that you're here on MY Hellmouth. Also can't help but read those itty bitty thoughts of yours and know that you plan on having your little friend on the roof build a sort of dimensional oil rig. That you're going to use the Box to power it and then, wham. Earth gets a piece of Leviathan's little hell superimposed on top of it. That's what I call fun. Personally kiddo, I want you to do it. I'd love to see this world torn to bits, because its always been a pain in the old non-corporeal ass straight from the beginning. Fact is though, you'll never get the job done.", Not Angel said walking away smiling.
"Why not?", Pinhead asked.
"Because you need the Box, and the Slayer has it. In fact, the Slayer roughed up a few of your goons earlier today. They're healed though. Coming back here in fear of telling you they failed to get the Box. That Slayer, she's good.", Not Angel explained.
"I'll tear her soul apart.", Pinhead said matter of factly.
"Yeah, I've heard that one before. Every big monster or demon that has come through here has said that. They're either dead, have left, or are in love with her. Also, you really think you can just waltz up to her and tear her apart and take the Box? She's smart. She'd destroy it before she'd hand it over to you. Only reason she hasn't is because they're unsure if destroying it causes a dimensional rip. But when push comes to shove…", Not Angel told her.
"Then…what do I do?", Pinhead said almost childlike.
"That a boy. Asking your elders for advice. It's a good quality. Well, if there's one thing this Slayer I know is that brute force won't get it done. I'm sure you can think up something from there. Just don't go in all guns blazing and try to take the Box. It'll get smashed and you'll be trapped here forever. No Hell on earth, even if you do manage to kill the Slayer.", Not Angel explained.
"I…see. I have much to consider.", Pinhead said regaining his cold demeanor as he turned to leave.
"What do you say?", Not Angel smirked.
Pinhead turned, "Thank you."
The Not Angel kept smiling and held his hands out in a gesture that meant for Pinhead to add something.
"Thank you….master.", Pinhead replied as he turned.
The First smiled evilly as Pinhead walked away, "I love it when a plan comes together."
Kennedy screamed loudly and threw Tara from the bed. Poe leapt into the air and onto the nightstand squawking. Tara looked up at Kennedy surprised. Willow instantly leapt into the mix.
"Kennedy stop!", Willow ordered.
"No! I knew it! I just knew that she'd try to get her claws into you!", Kennedy said angrily.
"I d-didn't try to hurt you K-Kennedy…I-I", Tara stuttered. She knew with her new powers, she could easily defeat the Potential Slayer. Even if she was just plain old Tara, she could probably use some sort of magick to make it more even. But Tara was not a violent person by nature. She only used it if there were no other course of action. She hopped that this wasn't one of those times.
"Shut up!", Kennedy said trying to push past Willow to get to Tara.
"Kennedy I said stop!", Willow replied as she pushed out with her mind and pushed Kennedy back a little.
"Willow, she's trying to take advantage of your feelings!", Kennedy replied.
"Kennedy I wanted that kiss okay?", Willow said to her. Kennedy immediately stopped trying to push past Willow and just looked at her.
"Oh.". Kennedy managed to say, "Well……I'll just leave you two alone then!"
Kennedy rushed out of the room, tears already starting to sting her face.
"Kennedy!", Willow called out after her. She then turned back to Tara, "I'm sorry."
"No. I am. I shouldn't have kissed you, even though I wanted to. It was just, when I touched you all my memories of us came flooding back. I think I saw some of yours too.", Tara explained. Poe cawed as he flew down onto her shoulder. Tara looked at him then at Willow, "He said its one of my abilities. That I can see the memories of something or someone that has been in contact with something or someone close to me. That I can give them memories too. Let them see them."
Willow listened to Tara but couldn't take her mind off of Kennedy, who had run out the door. Tara saw this and reached out to her and touched her hand.
"Go. I think you need to go and find her. Then the three of us all need to have a long talk.", Tara said empathetically.
Willow looked at Tara, again amazed at the kindness and understanding of this girl.
"Alright. I'll go find her. Then we'll all talk.", Willow smiled at Tara. Then she went off out the door in search of Kennedy.
Tara frowned and softly said, "I love you.", as Willow left.
It was mid afternoon, which meant night would fall on the town in about three hours. Hellmouths had supernatural properties like that. Kennedy sighed and sat alone at the construction site. She was confused. On the one hand, she liked Willow a lot. She understood how much Willow had loved Tara; in fact she was threatened by it. She was Rebound Girl. Tara was Willow's one true love. She couldn't compete with that. She'd be damned if she gave Willow up without a fight though.
"Hey, thought I'd find you here.", Willow said sitting down beside her. This was the same site where Buffy had killed the Turok-Han Vampire in front of all the Potentials. In private, Kennedy had always expressed she felt safe here because of that fact. Even things that were overwhelming to you could be beaten here, Turok-Han or feelings.
Kennedy didn't respond. Willow sighed and looked out how pretty the day was before looking back to Kennedy, "I'm sorry for what happened."
Kennedy looked over, "No I'm sorry. I overreacted. I just, it was weird seeing you kiss another girl."
"Should've seen me when I used to make out with Xander. You'd be really freaked out then.", Willow said trying to raise a smile. It worked slightly.
"Ew. Xander?", Kennedy said smirking a little.
"Oh that boy can use his tongue.", Willow replied jokingly. Then she got serious again, "Look Kennedy. I think all three of us need to talk and figure out how we feel. I didn't expect Tara to ever come back, but she has. And I've always been honest with you, so I will now. I do have feelings for her. But I do for you too. We all just have to talk."
"Besides, she'll probably just go back to being dead after she kills who she came back for.", Kennedy said. She then inwardly kicked herself because that sounded REALLY insensitive. Willow however seemed to be thinking.
"You know, I don't think she even knows who she came back for. That's weird.", Willow replied.
More silence followed after that. Kennedy looked at Willow and kissed her cheek, "I'm appreciative that you came after me and all, but I think I just need to be alone and sort some things out."
"You sure? What about the Bringers?", Willow said in reference to the First's minions.
"I can run pretty fast Willow. Besides, I don't think I've ever seen them out in daylight. I think they like to move around in the dark.", Kennedy replied.
"Okay, but get home before dark.", Willow said hugging her. Kennedy hugged back and kissed her cheek. Willow then stood up, dusted off her pants, and walked off. Kennedy sat there for a moments taking in the beauty of the day. Then she heard Willow walking back.
"Forget something?", Kennedy said as she turned. She then screamed. There was Maker, the Cenobite standing behind her.
"Been sent here for materials all day. You'll do nicely.", Maker smiled underneath his bondage mask. Kennedy instantly sprang up and threw a punch. Maker caught it with ease and twisted her hand, forcing her to the ground. Kennedy screeched in pain, "Hurts doesn't it?"
An unseen force
pried Maker's hand from Kennedy's and a second later a bolt of lightning struck
the Cenobite sending him careening into a nearby wall. Willow
stood there with magick crackling off her, and her
eyes an ebon black.
"I dunno.
Does it?", Willow
said impersonating Buffy as best she could.
Maker stood and growled, "Whoever did that is going to get a lifetime of…"
He just stopped and stared at Willow. He watched her intently as Kennedy ran behind her. He was transfixed. He drifted back…..thinking….this was….familiar. Something like this had happened once…….something really similar. The thought finally hit Maker and it made him growl.
"You!", Maker growled loudly.
Willow was angry at the Cenobite, but also puzzled.
"Me what?", Willow growled back.
"YOU DID THIS TO ME!!!!", Maker roared tearing the bondage mask and barbed wire from his face. The mask hit the ground in a clump. Willow stared at the skinless ghoul in front of her.
"Oh my God…..Warren."
