"Well I'm sorry!"
"I'm afraid sorry isn't good enough, Buffy. You're just going to have to try harder."
"Giles! It's not like I can just suddenly fear some place. I mean, Snyder's office got blown up. Angel's mansion isn't scary in the least. I still refuse to go to that skeezy bowling alley Xander keeps trying to take me to, but I don't think anybody can rightfully call that a holy place."
"You only say that because you keep not going," Xander said.
"I don't know why you won't go, Buffy," said Willow. "We went there all the time as kids. It's lots of fun. Oz and I go sometimes, it's great."
"Hey, where is Oz?" Riley asked. "Shouldn't he. . . you know, be here?"
"Locked up," Xander said. "Werewolves are actually active on the full moon, tomorrow, and the two nights immediately surrounding it. He's out of action for a while, but we knew that when we found out about this guy. We'll be all right."
"If we could get back to the matter at hand. . ."
"Right," Buffy said. "Okay, where am I afraid of?"
Riley's radio crackled to life. "I'll take this outside," he said, getting up.
Faith noticeably watched his retreating form, and turned back to a look from Xander.
"What?" she asked.
"Nothing," Xander said smiling. "It's just you-"
"We got trouble!" Riley said, bursting through the door. "Some kind of hostile took out a couple of my men."
"What kind of 'hostile'?" Xander asked.
Riley glanced over at Willow, then lowered his voice. "The reports say a wild dog. . . about six feet tall, long claws, sharp teeth. . . walks upright."
Willow gasped. "Oz!"
"Okay," said Buffy. "Willow, Xander, you go check out the crypt where Oz is normally locked up. Faith, you and I hunt."
"Remember, Kane said werewolves are attracted to places with a lot of body heat, and er. . . sexual energy," Giles said.
"Right. Bronze and Lover's Lane," Buffy said. "Xander, we'll hit the Bronze."
"We'll scope out Lover's Lane after we check the crypt," Xander said, putting the sword away.
"I'll have my guys check the campus. Frat parties and stuff like that," said Riley.
"Buffy don't. . ." Willow started.
"I know, Will," Buffy said, as she caught the tranquilizer gun Giles threw to her. "Human, 28 days of the month. We'll be careful."
"What?" Riley asked.
"Werewolves are people, just like you and me, for most of the month," Xander said. "And for most of them, it's not their fault they're werewolves, and they have no control while they're changed. Tell your boys to set phasers for stun."
"Okay. Capture, not kill. Got it."
"Giles, I need some way to put it down without killing it," Xander said.
"Oh, yes, of course," Giles said. "It's just. . . I only have the one gun. . ."
"Do you have spare darts?" Willow asked.
"A few, yes."
"We'll take those," she said. "I've been practicing telekinesis."
"Let's go, people," Buffy said.
They moved.
* * * * *
"I've just got a really bad feeling about it," Willow said as she and Xander. "I mean, you heard Riley's description."
"I did, and I admit that it sounded very werewolfy, but that doesn't mean it's Oz. There are other werewolves out there, and this is the Hellmouth. It attracts supernatural stuff like moths to a flame. Also, that cage is really strong."
"Right up here," Willow said, pointing to a crypt.
Xander moved in front of her and opened the door.
"Shit," he said as Willow shoved past him to see the inside of the crypt.
"Oh, God, Oz!" she cried, surveying the damage. "But, we tested it before. He couldn't get out. It was solid, he couldn't. . ."
"He didn't," Xander said, pointing. "Look, the door is knocked inwards, there are scratches, claw marks on the floor outside of it. Will, Oz didn't break out. Something let him out."
* * * * *
"What are our chances of finding it?" Riley asked, following Buffy and Faith around the town.
"Pretty good, I think," Buffy said. "We've had success in the past. They usually show at the Bronze. Dancing teens, smoke, heat. . . it'll show."
"Okay," Riley said. "So what's the plan?"
"We go, we fight, we subdue," Faith said. "Kinda obvious there, tiger."
"How are you going to fight with that gun?" Riley asked.
"That's a good point," Buffy said, shoving it into Riley's hands. "You're more experienced with guns. We'll fight, you'll shoot, it'll drop."
Screams erupted from around the corner, and all three took off running. They rounded the corner to see a small group of people being chased by a couple of vampires.
"God, we do not need this tonight," Buffy muttered as she and Faith moved up to engage the vamps.
"I got your back, B," Faith said.
They rushed up and launched simultaneous jump-kicks at the vampires. Faith's landed, Buffy's didn't. Faith landed and spun, whipping a stake out from her pocket, and slammed it home into the downed vamp's chest. Buffy steadied herself on her feet and turned to face the vamp, just in time to be tackled by it. Buffy rolled with the blow and levered the vamp off her with all her leg strength. The vamp flew through the air and got impaled on a fence, missing the heart but holding it in place. Buffy got up, dusted herself off and stabbed it.
"How come your kick landed and mine didn't?" she asked Faith.
"What can I say, B? The boys say I'm fast."
"But they don't usually mean like the wind."
"I'll take it how I want to."
Buffy grinned at her fellow Slayer.
"Wow," Riley said. "That was. . . wow. I've never seen them taken out so fast."
"What that?" Faith asked. "That was nothin'. Back in the day, me and Blondie here could tag team like nobody's business. Chosen Two, ain't that right?"
"Yup," Buffy said. "But no time to lollygag, we have a werewolf to hunt. If it's not Oz, this wolf is going to rue the day it came to my town."
Buffy, Riley and Faith started walking, Faith shaking her head.
"Rue the day?" she said. "Who talks like that?"
* * * * *
Xander and Willow split up and searched Lover's Lane for signs of a werewolf. Neither being particularly adept at tracking things in the wilderness, they pretty much had to resort to walking around and hoping to hear a growl. As luck would have it, they heard a scream instead. It worked just as well.
Willow ran towards the sound, and came upon the wolf already fighting with Xander. She watched as Xander's shield absorbed blow after blow from the wolf. Xander wasn't fighting - he didn't want Oz to get hurt - but he was blocking. This still took a toll on his shield, and as Willow watched, the Oz-wolf actually punctured the shield, having worn it down significantly from the amount of damage he dealt it.
"Xander!" Willow yelled "Drop!"
Xander fell quickly to the ground as a tranquilizer dart shot out from Willow's hand and imbedded itself in the wolf. The wolf whipped around quickly, then whimpered as it fell to the ground, unconscious.
"So is it?" Xander asked as he stood and wiped himself off and watched the cut on his arm close up. "Is it Oz?"
Willow walked up to the wolf and leaned over. "Yeah," she said, petting its fur lovingly. "It's him. I can tell by the coloration in his fur."
"You people spend far too much time roaming around in forests," said a voice from the woods. Anya stepped out of the woods, brushing her arms off. "You should be off somewhere, having sex with your significant others, not fighting in forests, and certainly not bothering me."
"Bothering you, Anya?" Xander asked. "I apologize if I knocked you down in my haste to save your life. Remind me not to be so quick next time."
"It's not that I'm not grateful," Anya said. "I am. Lord knows without you people this world would be gone many times over, but things like this seem to happen around you, and I was very close to having the sex."
"The sex?" Willow asked.
"Yes, you know, fornication. You see, when a man and -"
"I know, Anya. I know what 'the sex' is."
"I probably shouldn't be asking this," Xander said. "But who with? Who would come out to the middle of some monster infested woods. . . sans car. . . to have sex?"
"Oh man, what was that thin. . . oh, you guys," said the young man who walked out of the woods with a cut on his forehead. "Every time you're around, something crazy happens."
"Jonathan," Xander said. "Nice to see you, too."
"What is this thing?" Jonathon asked.
"Wild dog," Xander said. "Nasty type. Here, let me see your forehead."
"Oh," said Jonathan as Xander took a look at his cut. "So how come you guys are taking care of it."
"I work for animal control now. Willow was just along for the ride. You guys run along now, we have to take O. . . this animal in." Xander placed his hand on Jonathan's forehead for a second and concentrated. His hand flashed white and Jonathan's cut was repaired. "There. All better."
"You're a white knight!" Anya exclaimed.
Xander and Willow looked shocked. "You've heard of them?" Willow asked.
"Of course. The white knights are a very chivalrous bunch. Which powers are yours?"
"Umm. . . fighting, weapons, healing, some speed, some strength, and the shield."
"You got the shield? Lancelot didn't even get the shield!"
"It's special?"
"Only one other of your kind has had it, so far as I know. Hallie told me about him, he was even before my time."
"Must've been a long time ago," Xander said.
"Is that a joke about my age?"
"You're over a thousand years old!"
"But you don't have to be mean about it!"
"I. . . never mind. What do you know?"
"The shield is only given to those warriors who will face the harshest of challenges," Anya said.
They waited.
"Is that all?" Willow asked.
"Isn't that enough?" asked Anya.
"Yeah, Ahn. Thanks. Now you kids run along, and we'll do what needs doing."
"Why are you in such a rush?" Anya asked. "I mean, it's not like the world is ending."
Xander shot her a look.
"Oh my God! Why did I even bother to come back?" she yelled.
"I think you said it was to 'copulate,'" Xander said.
"I know! And you wouldn't let me do that, and then you interrupt me and Jonathan when we are about to, and now you tell me the world's going to end."
"I didn't interrupt you, the werewolf did!" Xander said.
"I thought it was a wild dog. . ." Jonathan said.
"We lied," Willow said.
"And the world. . ."
"Will end," Xander said. "Unless Buffy and I do something about it."
"Well then go!" Anya yelled. "What are you doing here, go save the world!"
"This is very disturbing," said Jonathan.
"Xander, you have to save the world. I haven't had the pleasure moment!"
"There's a good reason, isn't it Will?" Xander said. "Save the world so Anya and Jonathan can make like bunnies."
Anya gasped and smacked him.
"How dare you! Bunnies! Of all things! Come on, Jonathan, we're leaving!"
Willow and Xander stood there, shocked. Willow shook her head as they started walking Oz back to Giles's apartment.
Willow looked at Xander. "She is the strangest girl."
* * * * *
Buffy, Faith and Riley approached the Bronze at a good pace, which quickened as they got closer and took note of the people running quickly away from it. Buffy and Faith rushed in through the door and took in the damage. Chairs and tables were strewn about, some broken, others merely scratched up.
"Looks like we've got the right place," Riley said.
"Seems that way," said Faith. "What do you think, B?"
"We search."
"Right. I'll take backstage, you check upstairs?"
"Sounds good," said Buffy. "Riley, go with her."
"I can handle myself," Faith said.
"Wolf's more likely to be there," said Buffy. "That's where Oz was last time. . . when I didn't catch him. . ."
"Oh," said Faith. "Well. . . okay."
"Don't I get to. . ." Riley started.
"No," Buffy and Faith said simultaneously.
Buffy made her way slowly up the stairs as Riley and Faith headed backstage. Buffy looked around the upstairs portion of the Bronze and saw more ruined tables and a window that was broken, spilling the glass inwards onto the floor.
Faith and Riley slowly worked their way behind the stage, moving cautiously. As they moved through the hanging beads that lead to the backmost area of the building, Riley raised the tranquilizer gun to his shoulder. They moved into farther and saw light streaming onto the floor. Riley lowered the gun.
"Looks like it left here," he said, walking over to the busted door at the back of the building. He looked both ways out in the alley but saw no evidence of anything supernatural.
"Gone?" Faith asked as they walked toward the main room of the Bronze.
"With the wind," he replied.
"Came in upstairs," Buffy said, returning downstairs. "And I take by your lack of wolf-prisoner it wasn't back there either."
"Looks like we've come up empty for the night," Riley said, checking his watch. "It's almost 5 a.m. and if memory serves, sunrise is in about a half hour. They do change back when the sun comes up, right?"
"Yes," Buffy said. "Which means we have a full day ahead of us. Apocalypse demon and werewolf hunting. Oh, the fun of it all."
"Back home?" Faith asked.
"Home, huh?" asked Buffy.
"Yeah, well," said Faith. "For now, anyway. Not like I got a way to support myself right now anyway. Jeeves is cool like that."
"Yeah," Buffy said. "But I wouldn't wanna live with him. Blech, not after he and my mom. . .." She shuddered. "Let's go"
----------
End Chapter 26
"I'm afraid sorry isn't good enough, Buffy. You're just going to have to try harder."
"Giles! It's not like I can just suddenly fear some place. I mean, Snyder's office got blown up. Angel's mansion isn't scary in the least. I still refuse to go to that skeezy bowling alley Xander keeps trying to take me to, but I don't think anybody can rightfully call that a holy place."
"You only say that because you keep not going," Xander said.
"I don't know why you won't go, Buffy," said Willow. "We went there all the time as kids. It's lots of fun. Oz and I go sometimes, it's great."
"Hey, where is Oz?" Riley asked. "Shouldn't he. . . you know, be here?"
"Locked up," Xander said. "Werewolves are actually active on the full moon, tomorrow, and the two nights immediately surrounding it. He's out of action for a while, but we knew that when we found out about this guy. We'll be all right."
"If we could get back to the matter at hand. . ."
"Right," Buffy said. "Okay, where am I afraid of?"
Riley's radio crackled to life. "I'll take this outside," he said, getting up.
Faith noticeably watched his retreating form, and turned back to a look from Xander.
"What?" she asked.
"Nothing," Xander said smiling. "It's just you-"
"We got trouble!" Riley said, bursting through the door. "Some kind of hostile took out a couple of my men."
"What kind of 'hostile'?" Xander asked.
Riley glanced over at Willow, then lowered his voice. "The reports say a wild dog. . . about six feet tall, long claws, sharp teeth. . . walks upright."
Willow gasped. "Oz!"
"Okay," said Buffy. "Willow, Xander, you go check out the crypt where Oz is normally locked up. Faith, you and I hunt."
"Remember, Kane said werewolves are attracted to places with a lot of body heat, and er. . . sexual energy," Giles said.
"Right. Bronze and Lover's Lane," Buffy said. "Xander, we'll hit the Bronze."
"We'll scope out Lover's Lane after we check the crypt," Xander said, putting the sword away.
"I'll have my guys check the campus. Frat parties and stuff like that," said Riley.
"Buffy don't. . ." Willow started.
"I know, Will," Buffy said, as she caught the tranquilizer gun Giles threw to her. "Human, 28 days of the month. We'll be careful."
"What?" Riley asked.
"Werewolves are people, just like you and me, for most of the month," Xander said. "And for most of them, it's not their fault they're werewolves, and they have no control while they're changed. Tell your boys to set phasers for stun."
"Okay. Capture, not kill. Got it."
"Giles, I need some way to put it down without killing it," Xander said.
"Oh, yes, of course," Giles said. "It's just. . . I only have the one gun. . ."
"Do you have spare darts?" Willow asked.
"A few, yes."
"We'll take those," she said. "I've been practicing telekinesis."
"Let's go, people," Buffy said.
They moved.
* * * * *
"I've just got a really bad feeling about it," Willow said as she and Xander. "I mean, you heard Riley's description."
"I did, and I admit that it sounded very werewolfy, but that doesn't mean it's Oz. There are other werewolves out there, and this is the Hellmouth. It attracts supernatural stuff like moths to a flame. Also, that cage is really strong."
"Right up here," Willow said, pointing to a crypt.
Xander moved in front of her and opened the door.
"Shit," he said as Willow shoved past him to see the inside of the crypt.
"Oh, God, Oz!" she cried, surveying the damage. "But, we tested it before. He couldn't get out. It was solid, he couldn't. . ."
"He didn't," Xander said, pointing. "Look, the door is knocked inwards, there are scratches, claw marks on the floor outside of it. Will, Oz didn't break out. Something let him out."
* * * * *
"What are our chances of finding it?" Riley asked, following Buffy and Faith around the town.
"Pretty good, I think," Buffy said. "We've had success in the past. They usually show at the Bronze. Dancing teens, smoke, heat. . . it'll show."
"Okay," Riley said. "So what's the plan?"
"We go, we fight, we subdue," Faith said. "Kinda obvious there, tiger."
"How are you going to fight with that gun?" Riley asked.
"That's a good point," Buffy said, shoving it into Riley's hands. "You're more experienced with guns. We'll fight, you'll shoot, it'll drop."
Screams erupted from around the corner, and all three took off running. They rounded the corner to see a small group of people being chased by a couple of vampires.
"God, we do not need this tonight," Buffy muttered as she and Faith moved up to engage the vamps.
"I got your back, B," Faith said.
They rushed up and launched simultaneous jump-kicks at the vampires. Faith's landed, Buffy's didn't. Faith landed and spun, whipping a stake out from her pocket, and slammed it home into the downed vamp's chest. Buffy steadied herself on her feet and turned to face the vamp, just in time to be tackled by it. Buffy rolled with the blow and levered the vamp off her with all her leg strength. The vamp flew through the air and got impaled on a fence, missing the heart but holding it in place. Buffy got up, dusted herself off and stabbed it.
"How come your kick landed and mine didn't?" she asked Faith.
"What can I say, B? The boys say I'm fast."
"But they don't usually mean like the wind."
"I'll take it how I want to."
Buffy grinned at her fellow Slayer.
"Wow," Riley said. "That was. . . wow. I've never seen them taken out so fast."
"What that?" Faith asked. "That was nothin'. Back in the day, me and Blondie here could tag team like nobody's business. Chosen Two, ain't that right?"
"Yup," Buffy said. "But no time to lollygag, we have a werewolf to hunt. If it's not Oz, this wolf is going to rue the day it came to my town."
Buffy, Riley and Faith started walking, Faith shaking her head.
"Rue the day?" she said. "Who talks like that?"
* * * * *
Xander and Willow split up and searched Lover's Lane for signs of a werewolf. Neither being particularly adept at tracking things in the wilderness, they pretty much had to resort to walking around and hoping to hear a growl. As luck would have it, they heard a scream instead. It worked just as well.
Willow ran towards the sound, and came upon the wolf already fighting with Xander. She watched as Xander's shield absorbed blow after blow from the wolf. Xander wasn't fighting - he didn't want Oz to get hurt - but he was blocking. This still took a toll on his shield, and as Willow watched, the Oz-wolf actually punctured the shield, having worn it down significantly from the amount of damage he dealt it.
"Xander!" Willow yelled "Drop!"
Xander fell quickly to the ground as a tranquilizer dart shot out from Willow's hand and imbedded itself in the wolf. The wolf whipped around quickly, then whimpered as it fell to the ground, unconscious.
"So is it?" Xander asked as he stood and wiped himself off and watched the cut on his arm close up. "Is it Oz?"
Willow walked up to the wolf and leaned over. "Yeah," she said, petting its fur lovingly. "It's him. I can tell by the coloration in his fur."
"You people spend far too much time roaming around in forests," said a voice from the woods. Anya stepped out of the woods, brushing her arms off. "You should be off somewhere, having sex with your significant others, not fighting in forests, and certainly not bothering me."
"Bothering you, Anya?" Xander asked. "I apologize if I knocked you down in my haste to save your life. Remind me not to be so quick next time."
"It's not that I'm not grateful," Anya said. "I am. Lord knows without you people this world would be gone many times over, but things like this seem to happen around you, and I was very close to having the sex."
"The sex?" Willow asked.
"Yes, you know, fornication. You see, when a man and -"
"I know, Anya. I know what 'the sex' is."
"I probably shouldn't be asking this," Xander said. "But who with? Who would come out to the middle of some monster infested woods. . . sans car. . . to have sex?"
"Oh man, what was that thin. . . oh, you guys," said the young man who walked out of the woods with a cut on his forehead. "Every time you're around, something crazy happens."
"Jonathan," Xander said. "Nice to see you, too."
"What is this thing?" Jonathon asked.
"Wild dog," Xander said. "Nasty type. Here, let me see your forehead."
"Oh," said Jonathan as Xander took a look at his cut. "So how come you guys are taking care of it."
"I work for animal control now. Willow was just along for the ride. You guys run along now, we have to take O. . . this animal in." Xander placed his hand on Jonathan's forehead for a second and concentrated. His hand flashed white and Jonathan's cut was repaired. "There. All better."
"You're a white knight!" Anya exclaimed.
Xander and Willow looked shocked. "You've heard of them?" Willow asked.
"Of course. The white knights are a very chivalrous bunch. Which powers are yours?"
"Umm. . . fighting, weapons, healing, some speed, some strength, and the shield."
"You got the shield? Lancelot didn't even get the shield!"
"It's special?"
"Only one other of your kind has had it, so far as I know. Hallie told me about him, he was even before my time."
"Must've been a long time ago," Xander said.
"Is that a joke about my age?"
"You're over a thousand years old!"
"But you don't have to be mean about it!"
"I. . . never mind. What do you know?"
"The shield is only given to those warriors who will face the harshest of challenges," Anya said.
They waited.
"Is that all?" Willow asked.
"Isn't that enough?" asked Anya.
"Yeah, Ahn. Thanks. Now you kids run along, and we'll do what needs doing."
"Why are you in such a rush?" Anya asked. "I mean, it's not like the world is ending."
Xander shot her a look.
"Oh my God! Why did I even bother to come back?" she yelled.
"I think you said it was to 'copulate,'" Xander said.
"I know! And you wouldn't let me do that, and then you interrupt me and Jonathan when we are about to, and now you tell me the world's going to end."
"I didn't interrupt you, the werewolf did!" Xander said.
"I thought it was a wild dog. . ." Jonathan said.
"We lied," Willow said.
"And the world. . ."
"Will end," Xander said. "Unless Buffy and I do something about it."
"Well then go!" Anya yelled. "What are you doing here, go save the world!"
"This is very disturbing," said Jonathan.
"Xander, you have to save the world. I haven't had the pleasure moment!"
"There's a good reason, isn't it Will?" Xander said. "Save the world so Anya and Jonathan can make like bunnies."
Anya gasped and smacked him.
"How dare you! Bunnies! Of all things! Come on, Jonathan, we're leaving!"
Willow and Xander stood there, shocked. Willow shook her head as they started walking Oz back to Giles's apartment.
Willow looked at Xander. "She is the strangest girl."
* * * * *
Buffy, Faith and Riley approached the Bronze at a good pace, which quickened as they got closer and took note of the people running quickly away from it. Buffy and Faith rushed in through the door and took in the damage. Chairs and tables were strewn about, some broken, others merely scratched up.
"Looks like we've got the right place," Riley said.
"Seems that way," said Faith. "What do you think, B?"
"We search."
"Right. I'll take backstage, you check upstairs?"
"Sounds good," said Buffy. "Riley, go with her."
"I can handle myself," Faith said.
"Wolf's more likely to be there," said Buffy. "That's where Oz was last time. . . when I didn't catch him. . ."
"Oh," said Faith. "Well. . . okay."
"Don't I get to. . ." Riley started.
"No," Buffy and Faith said simultaneously.
Buffy made her way slowly up the stairs as Riley and Faith headed backstage. Buffy looked around the upstairs portion of the Bronze and saw more ruined tables and a window that was broken, spilling the glass inwards onto the floor.
Faith and Riley slowly worked their way behind the stage, moving cautiously. As they moved through the hanging beads that lead to the backmost area of the building, Riley raised the tranquilizer gun to his shoulder. They moved into farther and saw light streaming onto the floor. Riley lowered the gun.
"Looks like it left here," he said, walking over to the busted door at the back of the building. He looked both ways out in the alley but saw no evidence of anything supernatural.
"Gone?" Faith asked as they walked toward the main room of the Bronze.
"With the wind," he replied.
"Came in upstairs," Buffy said, returning downstairs. "And I take by your lack of wolf-prisoner it wasn't back there either."
"Looks like we've come up empty for the night," Riley said, checking his watch. "It's almost 5 a.m. and if memory serves, sunrise is in about a half hour. They do change back when the sun comes up, right?"
"Yes," Buffy said. "Which means we have a full day ahead of us. Apocalypse demon and werewolf hunting. Oh, the fun of it all."
"Back home?" Faith asked.
"Home, huh?" asked Buffy.
"Yeah, well," said Faith. "For now, anyway. Not like I got a way to support myself right now anyway. Jeeves is cool like that."
"Yeah," Buffy said. "But I wouldn't wanna live with him. Blech, not after he and my mom. . .." She shuddered. "Let's go"
----------
End Chapter 26
