Title: Akoshta: Ulterior Battles

Author: Kaylorin

Beta Read by: RogueAngel

Synopsis: Buffy and Spike have been thrown through time and must prevent any changes in the past. Meanwhile, in Sunnydale a new Slayer arrives with an entourage and is slowly introduced to her new life.

Rating: R

Distribution: Fine with me, make sure it's the final edited copy, and let me know where it's going. My e-mail is bsdance@comcast.net

Disclaimer: BtVS and AtS are the property of other people. Some have lots of money. Lucky them. I however own the characters I have made up such as the sisters of Akoshta, Michelle, Christian and Richard. As well as Samantha the Vampire Slayer and Ashton the Vampire.

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Shock Treatment



Giles took slow steps down from the podium at the head of the commons. All of the families had gathered in what was to be an informal service for Faith. It had gone smoothly, but Giles, being the only one in the room who had the opportunity to know Faith, found himself truly musing at how he would miss her.



His eulogy, which he had planned on being a mere five minutes long, turned into a long, drawn out, but entertaining, description of the rarity to be the first Watcher with two Slayers, both so talented, yet so different, under his charge. Even if his term with both had been short.

Before he was finished, he had teared up more than once. Remembering Buffy's brief jealousy of the new and strangely different Slayer. Then how the tables had turned, how they thought Faith would be lost forever, and how she had turned around just a short time ago.

"And we have all been better for having known her. We have each, in some way, been touched by her life. We will always remember you," he had finished, and saw the nods of agreement in the room of scattered faces.

Afterward, several of the people formed groups, sitting randomly in the chairs dispersed throughout the area. People walked up to him one at a time, giving him sympathetic looks, and telling him how interesting the girl sounded. He'd smile, nod and walk on to the next face. Some adults, some children. Some asked how the children were fairing in the states.

Of course, they all knew what was happening with Buffy. Many of the Watchers had been researching possibilities. Very few had the slightest idea what to look for, but they were trying.



Giles had his own plans. A certain ex-Head had left merely weeks ago and had not been seen or heard from since. Giles knew that Quentin was responsible for his Slayer's situation. For that is what she would always be. His Slayer. The one for whom he took responsibility. The one that would, in many ways, always fill a gap left vacant for so long. He would always be her father, and she would always be his daughter, regardless of blood ties.



So searching for Quentin, and answers, began. The people involved with this particular assignment were the ones he knew he could trust to look for the former mentor of most people in these walls. The children. Joel, Haden and Anthony. They were above ground scavenging the streets of London looking for any sign of Mr. Travers.

They had strict instructions only to locate him. Then Giles would attempt to get information from him himself.



In his thoughts, a young man walked up to him.



"Mr. Giles?" Nathan asked.

Rupert realized he was being addressed and looked for the source. The young man only smiled politely. "I didn't mean to intrude on your thoughts sir, but I believe I am getting close to an answer. I was wondering if you could help me out on a few details that I cannot explain with my research." He gave the reason for his interruption honestly.

"Ah. Well yes, of course." Giles smiled at the young man again. "You believe you have found something of importance then?"



"I believe so. Yes. Audrey's program to mark the stars has shown me three separate occasions the ritual I am using as a base point could have been done. The others it came up with couldn't be what I am looking for. Of those three times, one I have discounted. It was too long ago. Another seems to be one noted in the folder as a past event."

"So you believe you know the time of the ritual your Watcher's Slayer was trying to prevent?" Giles inquired, while nodding politely at a few people as they walked by.

"Yes. The year I believe is right would have Katarina as the Vampire Slayer. But another mate of mine is using her Diary at the moment," Nathan explained.

"Ah, I see. You wish to see her Watcher's Diary then?" Giles surmised. The Slayer's Diaries were assessable to anyone who wished to see them, but the Watcher's Diaries were restricted to Watchers only. The children could not walk into the libraries and get one; they needed special permission and to be supervised at all times.

"I know it is an unusual request, and to ask the Head is not the way usually gone about it-"

Giles cut him off. "I see no reason to turn down the request," he said simply. "I always thought that was an archaic rule as it is. How else will you learn what is of importance in one's Diary unless you see one?"

Nathan nearly fell over. "Thank you, sir."

"Nonsense. Come to the den tomorrow morning. We can go over what you have so far, and possibly solve the puzzle." Giles gave the young man's shoulder a pat.

"Yes, sir." Nathan beamed. "Tomorrow then." He nodded and backed away, still smiling and giving Rupert short nods before turning and nearly skipping away.

Giles had to smile at the young man who was excited about research. Strangely it reminded him of a redheaded American. Again he smiled then turned to join the other adults.



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Quentin stood still in the alley, noting the return of the vampire. He walked through the doors of the pub he had left only a short time ago.

Young Mr. Travers's eyes went back to the alley. He knew there was something back there. The entrance to the demon's pub, from what he'd noted in the past months. Although for some reason, no one without a supernatural quality to them could see it. The doorway was cloaked from humans; hence not even he could enter.



So still, he waited. He had research to do tomorrow. Heavy on what routes he could predict Samantha would take. Also he wished to do some research on the demons he had yet to get a good look at. Other than the fact that they were both fair haired, and he assumed, not vampires.



He settled back into his nook and flipped over the pages of his notations. The star charts, the copied words of other Watchers. Something he would not have gotten if not for his close relationship with the Head of the Council of Watchers. With this report, his future position as Head would be insured.



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In an abandoned factory, the vampire pulled a young girl towards the center of the grimy floor. The other demon at her side, tall, red and menacing with two lines of ridges going down the back of his bald head crouched down to the girl. "Don't worry little one. If you are pure, this won't hurt a bit."



He chuckled as he stood back up and grinned at the vampire beside him. "You ready?"

The short vampire nodded, causing his scraggly mop of brown hair to be flung about. "We're ready," he said and pulled the ornate dagger from its protective sheath at his hip. Next, he pulled out a crystal and laid it on the ground beside the crying blonde.

He made a final prayer, hoping this was the right girl. There were four brethren in the Tomar that knew the ritual to bind the stone with power of the pure. The other three attempts had failed miserably, ending in the death of the other three and their sacrifices.

They counted themselves lucky so far, though. For in the town the Slayer resided in, they had yet to be stopped. Even better, the energies that guided the order of the Tomar had awakened days ago. Something that had never happened before.

It was taken as a good omen, and a final attempt was going to be made. If the talisman could be made in time, a permanent passageway to any and all dimensions could be formed and used at their discretion.



The stone could only be made following the rituals known for centuries; but the power source had never been fully revealed to them. Only that it had to be pure. Over the centuries, finding someone pure became harder and harder. Not to mention acquiring the stones needed.

He looked again at the crystal and took the bag of previously mixed powders and herbs from his pocket then slowly he poured the concoction over the stone.

The demon at his side took a few steps back and joined the others in a circle surrounding the production. In the room were several species. Horned, hairy and scaled.

The vampire looked around at each before taking one of the girl's hands and looking again at her. "For both of our sakes," he stated and began to slice through the delicate skin covering her palm.



Relief washed over his face when the blood began dripping from the gash to the stone. It worked its way into the herbs, soon drowning the tiny particles. They dissolved in the moisture. Again the vampire breathed an unneeded breath, until the heat began. He looked back at the girl, who was crying more fiercely now. Her head and shoulders shook.



The vampire looked back down at the girl's hand and almost jumped back when he saw he was still holding it. Now aflame, both hands seemed fused together. The screams filling his head only made him more frantic when he realized they were not the girl's, but his own.

Before he had time to contemplate that fact, his entire body was engulfed with flames, along with the young girl's.

The demon who'd been talking to what was now one of the two piles of dust in the center of the room, looked about at his fellow compatriots. "Well that IS disappointing." He shook his head.



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"Ashton?!?" Dawn yelped.

Zeek spun and looked right at the shocked teen. "Yeah. You heard of him?"

"Oh, well, yeah," Xander began. "Everyone knows Ashton." He nudged Dawn.

Zeek twisted his face. "What?"

"Your grandfather's sister?" Michelle said, a thought beginning to creep into her head.

Zeek turned his head slightly to face the raven haired girl. "Yeah."

"And you know about the Council? Who they are?" Richard cut in.

Zeek nodded. "Yeah. It comes with knowing about the Slayer. I mean, they sort of go together. Big group of humans all intent on helping the Slayer."



"Well. Now." Willow muffled behind a slightly pursed mouth. She received a gentle smile from Tara, and the two almost giggled.



"Yes," Michelle said. "But they rarely take in new members. Only maybe twice in a century. On rare occasions, three." The idea had struck her for that reason. In some way, this man and she could be related. She could be related to a demon. She smiled and tried not to chuckle. Wait till she told Audrey.

Zeek shrugged. "Like I said, between the demon in-laws, and the vamp following them around for generations, they knew their stuff." He looked back at Dawn. "But I'd like to know how you guys know Ashton. I mean do you all know every vampire or something?"

"W-we read a-a lot." Tara said nervously and looked down at her hands, then back up to the young man.



"Oh for goodness sake," Anya interrupted and pushed herself into a position to look directly at Zeek. "I don't know why everyone is being so secretive. Michelle is the new Slayer, her family is new to the Council and I believe she suspects you may be related. Richard is her Watcher," Anya began and pointed out the individuals as she went. "Christian is a Watcher also, but he specializes in magic, not vampires," Anya concluded their introductions and moved onto the more familiar group. Zeek stood dumbfounded, but tried to listen as Anya continued her tirade.



"This is Willow, and that is her girlfriend Tara. They are Wiccans, even though Willow doesn't practice anymore, but you can feel her energy. It's positive now, though, so I don't worry," she said to Zeek, then nodded at Willow who seemed caught off guard by the statement. "You know I am an ex- demon, and Xander is human, and my husband." Anya took a breath and smiled at Xander quickly. Xander just nodded, wondering what Anya was doing.



"Dawn, that's Buffy's sister, is also human, and there is more." Dawn's eyes widened with worry about what Anya would blurt out next. "But it's not important here." A sigh of relief was heard, but Anya ignored it and went on. "And Buffy is missing, along with Spike. He was a vampire, but he helped us. Now he's human and Buffy's boyfriend, and he still helps her. The vortex that opened was made by a crystal and pulled both of them back in time. We think to a time when Ashton was with the Slayer of that time. Sometime in 1943 we think. Making it is what killed Faith, and we need to get Buffy and Spike back, but we aren't absolutely sure how to." Anya took a deep breath and smiled.



She looked around the room, ignoring the gaping mouths. "And I think that is all."

Zeek shook his head and blinked erratically for a few seconds. "Well then," he said and fell back into a chair. Then he flung one hand to his forehead. "I mean," he tried again. "Well then, what the hell?" He stopped and looked up at Michelle. "My great aunt. Her name was Marie."



Michelle nodded. "That was my grandmother's name." She gave him a shy smile.

"Alright then. Next." He looked at Tara and Willow. "Witches. Both of you?"

Tara looked at Willow, then back at Zeek. "Yes, but Willow hasn't practiced in a long time." She looked back at Willow. "Maybe it's time to start again?"



Willow crinkled her brow. "I'm still n-not. I don't know." She shook her head and looked at the floor.



Tara took one of Willow's hands and squeezed it. It was a talk that could wait for later.

The stranger to the group looked over the faces in the room again. Anya was familiar, and her husband, Xander. A human who, as Anya had worded herself, seemed to be attracted to demons. Then to the face of Dawn, the Slayer's sister. Or at least to one of the Slayers. It appeared he was related to the other. And then there were the Watchers.

One was Michelle's official Watcher it seemed. But the other was into magic. He didn't know that Watchers studied magic. But on second thought it made sense. It was needed for slaying. And not all Slayers would be gifted with a talent for spells.



Zeek found himself taking a few deep breaths as his mind soaked up all of the information. It was a lot.

"And Buffy went through the vortex we felt. But it didn't connect dimensions, just time?" He wanted to be sure of the information.

"Yes." Anya nodded. "We are having trouble bringing them back."

"But you managed to make a new talisman?" He asked, now confused once his brain focused on the information about the vortex. "And it killed Faith?"

"No!" Dawn let out the screech. "We didn't do it. Vampires did. They made it. Buffy was trying to stop them, and they threw the crystal in the vortex. Buffy just ran in after it." Dawn began to cry again. "And then Spike went in after her." Her shoulders shook and Christian wrapped his arms around her, letting her cry.

Xander took a few steps to the crying teen and rubbed her back, joined by Michelle and Willow.

Xander turned from the girl to the man. "She's still scared. Hell we all are. We need that-" Xander stopped mid-sentence. "Wait, are you telling me that's the talisman needed to open the vortex for this convergence thing?"

"Yeah. Sounds like it"

Xander threw his head back and shook his head. "Of course." Then he looked back at the man. "We're trying to find it. Richard thought maybe it survived. It's only been 60 years. But Sam took it back to her Watcher?" Zeek nodded. "To be destroyed?"

"Yeah, man. So the doorway could never be formed again," Zeek explained. "The Slayer was barely able to stop it in time as it was."

Willow looked up this time. "What do you mean? There was nothing about Sam stopping the Tomar in her Diary."

"Sam?" Zeek asked. "Was that the Slayer with Ashton?"

"Yeah," Michelle said as Dawn gathered her emotions.

Dawn wiped her eyes and gave Christian a shy smile which he returned before they both listened again to the conversation.

"Then it was her, and she has the talisman. Or at least she did. She took it. I'm sure."

"That's it then," Dawn said. "We have to make another."

"No, Dawnie," Willow protested.

The brunette girl turned to the red head. "We have to make another. I think when it comes down to it, Willow, this one is my call," she said, not letting her words falter. "After all, I'm the one who has to worry."



Willow's resolve face began to fade and Xander saw as it did. "Willow. No, we can't let her. Buffy will kill both of us if she gets hurt." Xander looked pleadingly between the women, hoping another would speak up on his side. Not even Anya could do it, though.

Willow looked back at her best friend. "She's right. When it comes down to it, it's her decision." Then she looked back at Dawn. "But we don't until we're absolutely sure there is no other way. Got it?"

Dawn gave Willow a long look, then a quick nod. She'd won a small victory. But in all reality, she hoped they could find another way.



Zeek was sure something important had transpired, but he'd already imposed on their lives in a big way. There was only one other detail he wanted to understand. "Why didn't Buffy check out the arsons?"



"What arsons?" Tara asked.

"The ones in the factories. There have been three in the past year not related to vampires or old wiring. Even unofficially." He went on when no one seemed to understand why he was asking. "The attempts to make a talisman. It has to be constructed with a sacred crystal and energy of the pure. But if it's done improperly both the sacrifice and the one performing the casting are burned to death. I've been watching, since this is the year that the Tomar would try again, for indications of action."

"You mean the arsons," Willow said, and then a light seemed to turn on in her head. "No, I remember one. Spike and I checked out that factory about a week ago. When we were looking for Drusilla and Harmony. It had this, I dunno, vibe. Definitely magical, but it was so slight. I thought it was some kids trying to float pencils or something. Nothing like that."

"The magic invoked isn't that strong. It's only a binding spell. So the energy is trapped inside the crystal. But if it's wrong, the backfire factor is really bad."

"Wait," Richard said. "So the Tomar are here? Now?"

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When Ashton entered the Hook and Claw once again, it was with a renewed spirit. They had new information, and with a location, they had a very good chance of stopping the ritual before it could be completed. He strode up to the bar, seating himself comfortably beside Sam and was about to begin retelling what he'd learned, but the look on the faces of both the blonde visitors stopped him.

He glanced at Samantha. "What happened?"

"It seems things have become a bit more complicated," Sam said simply.

Ashton looked between the blondes again, then to the bartender. "Mike?"

The aged man was still unsure what to make of the words spoken. A Slayer would be killed. "I believe William should be the one to tell you."

So Ashton looked back to Spike, whose face was still ashen. "Spike? What is it?"

The former vampire seemed to come out of whatever daze had settled over him and stared at Ashton without emotion. "A Slayer is going to be killed before this is over. I'd never believed him, not until now. But he really may have done it."

Ashton first was unsure of the words. Then a fire began to burn in the pit of his stomach. "What did you say?"

"I never got it." Spike shook his head. "Had to be a lie, cuz she was alive." Spike rambled about his meeting with Sam. "She was alive, and human as any other."

He looked back at Buffy whose face was still twisted in a foray of emotions. "God, no."

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