"Now as then, now as then, now as then!"
Buffy opened one eye, the eyebrow above it raised with disdain in time to view Drusilla's little clap and dance around in a circle in sudden elation.
"No, you're kidding. That's actually supposed to work?" the former slayer asked in irritation at having had her time wasted. "You know, I've got better things to do in my first moments of being the 'vampire slain vampire'. I'm outta here."
As she stood to exit from the mausoleum that the crazier vampire had brought her to, she noticed that there was no longer the distinct 'above ground' look, complete with ragged, red curtains over the windows surrounding them.
~1902 - London Sewers~
Now there were just dirt and mould clusters making up the walls all about her. The floor too was obviously no longer made of concrete. Buffy spun around to glare at Drusilla who had not moved but to stare at her with intensely, glowing eyes of the insane.
"Alright, what is this?" Buffy asked, placing her hands on her hips and making her stance. She wanted answers and she wanted them now.
"It's your coming out party, and all the old friends are invited," Drusilla murmured, extending a thin arm outwards so that her attention was drawn behind her.
On second thought, this place did look strangely familiar, Buffy realized silently, deliberately ignoring Drusilla's continuing presence with her. She had died in a place like this. But no, not died, because that had been above ground, in the vampire Spike's arms. Then how could..?
It came back to her with the suddenness of a stolen breath, if indeed she had needed to breath in her newest form.
"Why Drusilla, the transcendent, dark princess returns. And with what here? A present for us?"
Buffy only just held back from her initial reaction, which was to lash out at this new, completely bald and dried up looking vampire.
"Now now, child of mine," Drusilla held her back saying, "Old enemies are enemies no more. New vampires are best to remember the old rules."
With something that sounded like a mild 'tut tut', Drusilla started off at a floating stride towards the Master vampire and the two other vampires who stood to either side of him; one female blonde and the other a man with odd, sticking up brown hair.
"My Master," Drusilla crooned, kneeling in front of him. "I bring to you a present from the future. She is a threat to us no more."
The blonde and brunette vampires glanced up at Buffy with new interest. Buffy stared back at them obstinately, refusing to be the first to back down. The brown haired vampire looked strangely familiar to her, as though he had meant something to her at some time before, but surely that was insane. And certainly, there was no recognition in his gaze as he stared into her. The blonde only looked her up and down almost insultingly.
"What present?" she asked scathingly. "Another mouth to feed, to cause us to give ourselves away in this time when we should be more careful than ever? Well hunted, Dru."
Drusilla whimpered a little at the harsh put down, while the Master vampire put a gentle hand over the waves of brown hair that cascaded down over the bend vampire's shoulders.
"Now Darla, surely there is no reason to be so hurtful. We are all allies here," he told, before his hands tightened around a clump of hair that he lifted Drusilla's head up with. "Now, tell us more about this 'present from the future'," he commanded of her.
"A slayer," Drusilla murmured softly. "The girl. . . was a slayer. . ."
"Bloody hell, Dru. You've brought a slayer in to us? What do you think she's going to do now? Tear us all apart, now that she knows exactly where we are hiding. You've given us cause to hide even longer now!" A new, starkly blonde male came into the group. He came down right next to Drusilla and spoke low to her. "I thought you wanted to get out above ground, luv, but all you seem to have done is made us stay underground longer."
Drusilla shook her head vehemently, looking at both the blonde vampire male who stroked her cheek almost caressingly, and at the Master vampire who still held her hair in a tight fist.
"No. Not a slayer anymore. One of us," she hissed, her eyes alight. "She will hunt with us now, not for us."
Getting over the shock of seeing the blonde male vampire, Buffy slowly recognized the expressions going around the room of vampires that she had been brought in to. Suddenly they all gazed at her as though she were something amazing; scarcely to be believed. But she was more interested in this blonde one who seemed even more familiar than even the brunette male. Almost as though he too had had something to do with her being here, like this.
"Can it be?" the vampire the Master had called 'Darla' spoke on a breath.
"Well, she wouldn't say it otherwise," the brunette male told her in a bad Irish accent. He stepped forward for a better look at the former slayer. "So, slayer. One of us that you have always hunted now. How does it feel?"
Actually, tired of being paraded on show, Buffy thought inwardly, and wondered if those thoughts were visible on her face as the vampire stared into her. She guessed that she had her answer when he stepped back a little with a crowing laugh.
"Oh, she's got spirit, she has. Hm, I wonder if all slayers would turn out this hungry to be one of us." He laughed again, but Buffy had the idea that with the cruelty of the tone, it wasn't 'with' her that he was laughing, so much as 'at' her. "So Dru, where did you get this one?"
"Sunnydale," Drusilla answered with a secretive smile.
"Sunnydale?" Darla questioned, her face becoming tinged with annoyance again. "Impossible, Dru. Southern California? We have never lowered ourselves by going that far into the new world!"
"Shut up for a change, Darla," the blonde male bade her without looking around to face her. He was too busy watching closely to Drusilla's changing expressions. "I think our baby's got something for us here. Don't listen to her, luv. You just listen to me. What did the stars help you to do this time?"
"Pst pst pst," Drusilla replied, shaking her head at him. "It's a secret. Can't tell just anybody your secrets, you know."
"Come on Dru!" the brunette male growled, impatience tingeing his tone. "We don't have time for your fun and games right now."
Drusilla narrowed her eyes dangerously at the other vampire, but then with a swiftness that was almost scary in its own right, her face became smiling and gentle again.
"Daddy gets impatient. Grandmother worries that power is changing hands. While William, my William, you don't even know that you were the one who caused all of this. I was only the one to bring her back to us. Are you jealous, Daddy, jealous that my William was able to do what you never could?"
"What the hell are you on about now, Dru?" Now it was obvious that the brunette male was fit to be tied. "Spike, what is she talking about; this is your business? Why in all the hells would I be jealous? I've never seen this slayer in my life!"
"Angelus, it is time now to be calm," the Master cautioned. "I believe our little princess could be getting onto something here."
"She's never been quite right," Darla seethed quietly at Angelus. "Ever since you insisted on all those foolish games with her mind when she still lived. I told you it would never do to turn her into one of us. Now see what you have brought upon us with your 'fun'!"
"Quiet Darla. This is not the time for it," Angelus told her in no uncertain tones, having not taken his eyes off Drusilla yet.
Side by side, the two of them were quite fearful in appearance. By contrast, William appeared quite calm and interested in the outcome of this little drama. Depending on how long they had been cooped up in this dank underground, Buffy could hardly blame the blonde vampire. Nothing all that interesting could occur under here, so any uproar should be cause for immediate interest.
"We need to go back to Sunnydale," Drusilla whimpered up to the Master, wanton appeal in her eyes. "The Hellmouth calls to me. It says that so many wonderful things are just waiting to happen there. And think of how many wondrous things we could make happen there!"
"Ah, Sunnydale. The Hellmouth, no less. A beautiful idea," the Master crooned, "Though how do you propose that we get there?" he added a little harshly. "Fly?"
"Oh no," Drusilla murmured, "Certainly not, when there are so many helpful boats just waiting for us."
"You have got to be kidding!" Darla dismissed in disgust.
"Drusilla, luv, you know I admire your vision," William began, "But this is just too insane. Even for you."
Drusilla twitched, but held her head upright as she strode away from the group of vampires.
"You will not help me. Naughty, naughty family. I shall just have to take my slayer and make her my daughter and family somewhere else then. Come," she summoned of Buffy, who was still in a state of awe by the sudden culmination of the gathering.
"About time," Darla huffed, as though glad that no more of her oh-so- precious time was to be wasted in this manner. "Now we can get onto more important discussions on where we ought head next."
"Wait!" Buffy said, stopping Drusilla a little way on. "Why didn't you make them do what you wanted them to? You managed to time travel with a stupid line of three words repeated by three. You are obviously much more powerful than any of them!"
"Sad it is, but they will come to learn in time," Drusilla murmured, sparing an angry glance at them. "It will not be pretty, but we shall get to watch as they all come to learn in time. You do want to watch it, don't you? It will be so very pretty to see. Let me show you it. We will get our family soon enough."
*
Buffy opened one eye, the eyebrow above it raised with disdain in time to view Drusilla's little clap and dance around in a circle in sudden elation.
"No, you're kidding. That's actually supposed to work?" the former slayer asked in irritation at having had her time wasted. "You know, I've got better things to do in my first moments of being the 'vampire slain vampire'. I'm outta here."
As she stood to exit from the mausoleum that the crazier vampire had brought her to, she noticed that there was no longer the distinct 'above ground' look, complete with ragged, red curtains over the windows surrounding them.
~1902 - London Sewers~
Now there were just dirt and mould clusters making up the walls all about her. The floor too was obviously no longer made of concrete. Buffy spun around to glare at Drusilla who had not moved but to stare at her with intensely, glowing eyes of the insane.
"Alright, what is this?" Buffy asked, placing her hands on her hips and making her stance. She wanted answers and she wanted them now.
"It's your coming out party, and all the old friends are invited," Drusilla murmured, extending a thin arm outwards so that her attention was drawn behind her.
On second thought, this place did look strangely familiar, Buffy realized silently, deliberately ignoring Drusilla's continuing presence with her. She had died in a place like this. But no, not died, because that had been above ground, in the vampire Spike's arms. Then how could..?
It came back to her with the suddenness of a stolen breath, if indeed she had needed to breath in her newest form.
"Why Drusilla, the transcendent, dark princess returns. And with what here? A present for us?"
Buffy only just held back from her initial reaction, which was to lash out at this new, completely bald and dried up looking vampire.
"Now now, child of mine," Drusilla held her back saying, "Old enemies are enemies no more. New vampires are best to remember the old rules."
With something that sounded like a mild 'tut tut', Drusilla started off at a floating stride towards the Master vampire and the two other vampires who stood to either side of him; one female blonde and the other a man with odd, sticking up brown hair.
"My Master," Drusilla crooned, kneeling in front of him. "I bring to you a present from the future. She is a threat to us no more."
The blonde and brunette vampires glanced up at Buffy with new interest. Buffy stared back at them obstinately, refusing to be the first to back down. The brown haired vampire looked strangely familiar to her, as though he had meant something to her at some time before, but surely that was insane. And certainly, there was no recognition in his gaze as he stared into her. The blonde only looked her up and down almost insultingly.
"What present?" she asked scathingly. "Another mouth to feed, to cause us to give ourselves away in this time when we should be more careful than ever? Well hunted, Dru."
Drusilla whimpered a little at the harsh put down, while the Master vampire put a gentle hand over the waves of brown hair that cascaded down over the bend vampire's shoulders.
"Now Darla, surely there is no reason to be so hurtful. We are all allies here," he told, before his hands tightened around a clump of hair that he lifted Drusilla's head up with. "Now, tell us more about this 'present from the future'," he commanded of her.
"A slayer," Drusilla murmured softly. "The girl. . . was a slayer. . ."
"Bloody hell, Dru. You've brought a slayer in to us? What do you think she's going to do now? Tear us all apart, now that she knows exactly where we are hiding. You've given us cause to hide even longer now!" A new, starkly blonde male came into the group. He came down right next to Drusilla and spoke low to her. "I thought you wanted to get out above ground, luv, but all you seem to have done is made us stay underground longer."
Drusilla shook her head vehemently, looking at both the blonde vampire male who stroked her cheek almost caressingly, and at the Master vampire who still held her hair in a tight fist.
"No. Not a slayer anymore. One of us," she hissed, her eyes alight. "She will hunt with us now, not for us."
Getting over the shock of seeing the blonde male vampire, Buffy slowly recognized the expressions going around the room of vampires that she had been brought in to. Suddenly they all gazed at her as though she were something amazing; scarcely to be believed. But she was more interested in this blonde one who seemed even more familiar than even the brunette male. Almost as though he too had had something to do with her being here, like this.
"Can it be?" the vampire the Master had called 'Darla' spoke on a breath.
"Well, she wouldn't say it otherwise," the brunette male told her in a bad Irish accent. He stepped forward for a better look at the former slayer. "So, slayer. One of us that you have always hunted now. How does it feel?"
Actually, tired of being paraded on show, Buffy thought inwardly, and wondered if those thoughts were visible on her face as the vampire stared into her. She guessed that she had her answer when he stepped back a little with a crowing laugh.
"Oh, she's got spirit, she has. Hm, I wonder if all slayers would turn out this hungry to be one of us." He laughed again, but Buffy had the idea that with the cruelty of the tone, it wasn't 'with' her that he was laughing, so much as 'at' her. "So Dru, where did you get this one?"
"Sunnydale," Drusilla answered with a secretive smile.
"Sunnydale?" Darla questioned, her face becoming tinged with annoyance again. "Impossible, Dru. Southern California? We have never lowered ourselves by going that far into the new world!"
"Shut up for a change, Darla," the blonde male bade her without looking around to face her. He was too busy watching closely to Drusilla's changing expressions. "I think our baby's got something for us here. Don't listen to her, luv. You just listen to me. What did the stars help you to do this time?"
"Pst pst pst," Drusilla replied, shaking her head at him. "It's a secret. Can't tell just anybody your secrets, you know."
"Come on Dru!" the brunette male growled, impatience tingeing his tone. "We don't have time for your fun and games right now."
Drusilla narrowed her eyes dangerously at the other vampire, but then with a swiftness that was almost scary in its own right, her face became smiling and gentle again.
"Daddy gets impatient. Grandmother worries that power is changing hands. While William, my William, you don't even know that you were the one who caused all of this. I was only the one to bring her back to us. Are you jealous, Daddy, jealous that my William was able to do what you never could?"
"What the hell are you on about now, Dru?" Now it was obvious that the brunette male was fit to be tied. "Spike, what is she talking about; this is your business? Why in all the hells would I be jealous? I've never seen this slayer in my life!"
"Angelus, it is time now to be calm," the Master cautioned. "I believe our little princess could be getting onto something here."
"She's never been quite right," Darla seethed quietly at Angelus. "Ever since you insisted on all those foolish games with her mind when she still lived. I told you it would never do to turn her into one of us. Now see what you have brought upon us with your 'fun'!"
"Quiet Darla. This is not the time for it," Angelus told her in no uncertain tones, having not taken his eyes off Drusilla yet.
Side by side, the two of them were quite fearful in appearance. By contrast, William appeared quite calm and interested in the outcome of this little drama. Depending on how long they had been cooped up in this dank underground, Buffy could hardly blame the blonde vampire. Nothing all that interesting could occur under here, so any uproar should be cause for immediate interest.
"We need to go back to Sunnydale," Drusilla whimpered up to the Master, wanton appeal in her eyes. "The Hellmouth calls to me. It says that so many wonderful things are just waiting to happen there. And think of how many wondrous things we could make happen there!"
"Ah, Sunnydale. The Hellmouth, no less. A beautiful idea," the Master crooned, "Though how do you propose that we get there?" he added a little harshly. "Fly?"
"Oh no," Drusilla murmured, "Certainly not, when there are so many helpful boats just waiting for us."
"You have got to be kidding!" Darla dismissed in disgust.
"Drusilla, luv, you know I admire your vision," William began, "But this is just too insane. Even for you."
Drusilla twitched, but held her head upright as she strode away from the group of vampires.
"You will not help me. Naughty, naughty family. I shall just have to take my slayer and make her my daughter and family somewhere else then. Come," she summoned of Buffy, who was still in a state of awe by the sudden culmination of the gathering.
"About time," Darla huffed, as though glad that no more of her oh-so- precious time was to be wasted in this manner. "Now we can get onto more important discussions on where we ought head next."
"Wait!" Buffy said, stopping Drusilla a little way on. "Why didn't you make them do what you wanted them to? You managed to time travel with a stupid line of three words repeated by three. You are obviously much more powerful than any of them!"
"Sad it is, but they will come to learn in time," Drusilla murmured, sparing an angry glance at them. "It will not be pretty, but we shall get to watch as they all come to learn in time. You do want to watch it, don't you? It will be so very pretty to see. Let me show you it. We will get our family soon enough."
*
