'Sometimes we'll feel around and this dance instead can't be down,
All the sound of me on my own.
Any sound of me again it's time away surround around a friend,
I know where I know where no where to runaway.'
The spiral of stairs extended upward in a seemingly endless spiral. Buffy and Xander kept close to the wall, their hands balancing them against a potential fall as they followed the crumbling path. Hours passed as they climbed, sweat beading their foreheads as the stairs numbered five hundred, then seven hundred, then a thousand.
Xander huffed and puffed the entire way, his face beet red by the time they reached the door atop the stairs. He balanced beside the small platform that signaled the end of the stairway carefully, casting a dubious glance over his shoulder at the yawning black mouth below him, "Are you gonna open it?"
Buffy cast him a withering glare before returning her regard to the large metal door before her. Gingerly, she placed her hands on the cool iron, her hands running assiduously across the intricate carvings. When she'd finally satisfied herself that there was nothing abnormal about the door she wrapped her hand around the knob and turned it, watching as the door slipped open to reveal the dark chamber within.
Beside her Xander quakes as he stared into the darkness, "Not again."
Ignoring his distress Buffy entered the room slowly, her fingers wrapped around her knife. A low groan emitted from a dark lump on the floor and it turned towards the door. Buffy felt her heart drop as her mother's clouded eyes met hers, "B-Buffy?"
"Mom." Buffy rushed forward and gathered the older woman's head into her lap, "Oh my god." Her hands smoothed Joyce's hair back as she checked her mother over for any signs of injury. With the exception of a large lump on the side of her head the older woman seemed relatively fine. Buffy breathed a sigh of relief, "Do you think you can walk?"
Joyce nodded. Carefully Buffy helped the older woman to her feet, balancing her between Xander and herself. Slowly they began their trek across the vaulted room, pausing at the archway that rose before them before entering cautiously. A lithe form flashed past them and Buffy stilled, her hand once more on her dagger, "Come out."
The sound of rustling echoed through the chamber before Willow stepped forward, badly disheveled, a small rock in her hand, "Buffy?" The redhead took a few tentative steps forward before letting out the breath she'd been holding, "Thank God, I was beginning to think I'd be trapped here forever." Out of the shadows behind her, Oz stepped forward quietly, another chunk of stone in his hand, he nodded at them.
"Are you okay?"
They both nodded and joined the trio. Xander eyed them nastily, his brown eyes narrowing, as he took n their dirty but otherwise unharmed states, "How come I'm the only one who got beat into oblivion?"
"Karma?" Buffy volunteered eagerly, suppressing a small smile at Xander's scowl, "At least you guys armed yourselves."
"We didn't know what was going to happen. Things have been a little woozy down here," Willow gestured excitedly at the archway behind Buffy, "We didn't even realize that was there until you passed through it." Her excitement faded quickly though as she took in Buffy's unorthodox clothing. She reached her hand out and touched the soft white cloth tentatively, breathing in the herbal scents that she had become familiar with during her experiments into the darker arts, "Why are you dressed that way?"
Buffy shrugged uncomfortably, "I'm not sure. When I came to it was already done." She hesitated as if on the brink of volunteering more information before turning to look back at the arched doorway, "We better keep moving. No telling what's going on around here." They all nodded eagerly and crossed to the other side of the room, a long hall forming before them. They stood nervously at the threshold, Willow clutching her rock to her as her green eyes scanned the area.
As one they entered the hall and began scurrying quickly down it's expanse, their eyes sweeping across the vaulted ceiling with it's peeling murals and the rows of imposing doors. A heavy coating of dust covered everything and hung thick in the air, making it difficult to breathe. The sound of their feet was muffled by the thick carpet beneath their feet it's color now faded with age and anonymity. Stone gargoyles peeked down at them from the ceiling above, their empty eyes silently watching the Scoobies passage. A few torn paintings adorned the wall, the inhabitants of the frames silent a well, their eyes carefully guarded, their light smiles taunting the Scoobies. Each one held the globe and needle that Drusilla had been depicted with in the codex.
Joyce eased herself off of her daughter and Xander midway through the hall, standing shakily on her two feet before giving her daughter a small smile, "We can go faster this way." The Slayer nodded and turned forward just in time to catch Willow's gasp. Up before them stood the half shadowed figure of a woman. She flashed them a wide smile, her teeth glowing brilliantly against the darkness, and took a step forward, "Well, if it isn't the mighty B. Slayer not enough for you? Gotta get more special memberships?"
"Faith," Buffy moved in front of her friends, her chin raised defiantly, fighting against the twinge of panic as she recognized Giles lying on the floor behind the other Slayer. A feral grin spread across her face as she let her gaze roll lazily back to the Watcher, "Dear old Dad's been keeping me company, B. It just gets so damn lonely down here."
"What are you doing this for Faith?" Buffy inched closer to the other Slayer slowly, "We barely know each other."
Faith snorted derisively as she eyed Buffy's ceremonial garb, "I don't have to know you to understand how it would be, Buff. You're a legend. It's all I ever hear about, the Great Buffy," she sneered, "Of course they always leave out your not so stellar fall from grace. But," she shrugged, "You know how it is with historians. They always have a purpose for the stories they remember."
Faith took a step forward, "This town could have been mine. You left. It was up for grabs. But then, you and your undead playmate just had to come back. There's not enough room for the two of us, B. Better to get rid of you sooner than later."
"Do you really think I'm going to let you beat me?"
Faith smiled, "I don't think you're going to want to let me, I think you're going to have to." With that she lunged at the blonde, their bodies colliding as they hit the floor. Buffy heaved Faith over her head and rolled up gracefully, prepared for the attack that came at her wildly as the younger girl sent a barrage of fists and feet her way. Buffy blocked them skillfully, taking only a few minor hits as she waited for the younger girl to tire. Finally, spotting an opening, Buffy brought her foot down hard against Faith's kidneys, sending the younger Slayer reeling backwards. Buffy launched her attack now, bringing the younger girl down to her knees.
Unwilling to let Buffy win, Faith grabbed her foot, bringing Buffy down on her knees before her. Buffy pushed forward, knocking them to the floor so that she straddled the girl and pinned her arms above her head. Faith smiled raunchily and rolled her hips, "Figures that you'd like it on top, B."
Buffy let out a low growl, "Think about it, Faith. What do you think you're going to get out of your arrangement with Drusilla? Power? Ha. Let me tell you something, Drusilla doesn't help others. She only helps herself. She owns you now."
Faith snorted, "I can leave whenever I want."
Buffy shook her head, "Can you?" Maneuvering both of Faith's hands into one of hers she used her free hand to brush th girl's hair away from the vicious bite marks on her neck, "She's claimed you for her own. There's no escaping her now."
"What do you know?" the other Slayer spat out defiantly, "Maybe I just don't want to leave. After all, the sex …"
"Euch," Buffy released the girl's head, "I know what I'm talking about Faith."
The younger Slayer narrowed her eyes angrily, "Liar!" She pushed Buffy off of her and stood shakily, watching as the other girl rose from the ground to stand before her. She brought her fingers shakily to the side of her neck, "Liar."
"Faith."
"Stop," Faith backed away from the blonde Slayer, her eyes roving around the hall frantically, "I'll show you. You're wrong!" She turned and started down the hallway at a run, disappearing into the shadows.
Buffy watched her go with a frown on her face, before letting out a sigh and turning to see the Scoobies crowded around Giles, who was slowly coming back to consciousness. She joined them, giving her Watcher a small smile, "You ok?"
He grimaced but managed a small no before his eyes widened and he exclaimed, "Good Lord!"
Buffy fidgeted nervously, "What?"
"What are you wearing?"
Buffy sighed and crossed her arms, "Don't ask me. One moment I'm unconscious and the next thing I know I'm the chosen one. Again"
Giles stood and removed his slightly bent glasses, "Pardon?"
"I'm Chosen," she said sardonically, gesturing at her garb, "Apparently there's some elaborate plan that involves dressing me up and setting me loose in here."
"And being able to read the freaky writing," Xander volunteered. At Giles' questioning look he shrugged, "She could read understand something written in a different language above one of the doors."
"Like that one?" They all turned at the sound of Oz's voice towards where he was pointing. Ahead of them a faintly glowing script was visible. Buffy moved towards it, stopping underneath it and the door it hung above.
"Buffy," Willow's voice was small in the darkness, "What does it mean?"
"The Present."
The spiral of stairs extended upward in a seemingly endless spiral. Buffy and Xander kept close to the wall, their hands balancing them against a potential fall as they followed the crumbling path. Hours passed as they climbed, sweat beading their foreheads as the stairs numbered five hundred, then seven hundred, then a thousand.
Xander huffed and puffed the entire way, his face beet red by the time they reached the door atop the stairs. He balanced beside the small platform that signaled the end of the stairway carefully, casting a dubious glance over his shoulder at the yawning black mouth below him, "Are you gonna open it?"
Buffy cast him a withering glare before returning her regard to the large metal door before her. Gingerly, she placed her hands on the cool iron, her hands running assiduously across the intricate carvings. When she'd finally satisfied herself that there was nothing abnormal about the door she wrapped her hand around the knob and turned it, watching as the door slipped open to reveal the dark chamber within.
Beside her Xander quakes as he stared into the darkness, "Not again."
Ignoring his distress Buffy entered the room slowly, her fingers wrapped around her knife. A low groan emitted from a dark lump on the floor and it turned towards the door. Buffy felt her heart drop as her mother's clouded eyes met hers, "B-Buffy?"
"Mom." Buffy rushed forward and gathered the older woman's head into her lap, "Oh my god." Her hands smoothed Joyce's hair back as she checked her mother over for any signs of injury. With the exception of a large lump on the side of her head the older woman seemed relatively fine. Buffy breathed a sigh of relief, "Do you think you can walk?"
Joyce nodded. Carefully Buffy helped the older woman to her feet, balancing her between Xander and herself. Slowly they began their trek across the vaulted room, pausing at the archway that rose before them before entering cautiously. A lithe form flashed past them and Buffy stilled, her hand once more on her dagger, "Come out."
The sound of rustling echoed through the chamber before Willow stepped forward, badly disheveled, a small rock in her hand, "Buffy?" The redhead took a few tentative steps forward before letting out the breath she'd been holding, "Thank God, I was beginning to think I'd be trapped here forever." Out of the shadows behind her, Oz stepped forward quietly, another chunk of stone in his hand, he nodded at them.
"Are you okay?"
They both nodded and joined the trio. Xander eyed them nastily, his brown eyes narrowing, as he took n their dirty but otherwise unharmed states, "How come I'm the only one who got beat into oblivion?"
"Karma?" Buffy volunteered eagerly, suppressing a small smile at Xander's scowl, "At least you guys armed yourselves."
"We didn't know what was going to happen. Things have been a little woozy down here," Willow gestured excitedly at the archway behind Buffy, "We didn't even realize that was there until you passed through it." Her excitement faded quickly though as she took in Buffy's unorthodox clothing. She reached her hand out and touched the soft white cloth tentatively, breathing in the herbal scents that she had become familiar with during her experiments into the darker arts, "Why are you dressed that way?"
Buffy shrugged uncomfortably, "I'm not sure. When I came to it was already done." She hesitated as if on the brink of volunteering more information before turning to look back at the arched doorway, "We better keep moving. No telling what's going on around here." They all nodded eagerly and crossed to the other side of the room, a long hall forming before them. They stood nervously at the threshold, Willow clutching her rock to her as her green eyes scanned the area.
As one they entered the hall and began scurrying quickly down it's expanse, their eyes sweeping across the vaulted ceiling with it's peeling murals and the rows of imposing doors. A heavy coating of dust covered everything and hung thick in the air, making it difficult to breathe. The sound of their feet was muffled by the thick carpet beneath their feet it's color now faded with age and anonymity. Stone gargoyles peeked down at them from the ceiling above, their empty eyes silently watching the Scoobies passage. A few torn paintings adorned the wall, the inhabitants of the frames silent a well, their eyes carefully guarded, their light smiles taunting the Scoobies. Each one held the globe and needle that Drusilla had been depicted with in the codex.
Joyce eased herself off of her daughter and Xander midway through the hall, standing shakily on her two feet before giving her daughter a small smile, "We can go faster this way." The Slayer nodded and turned forward just in time to catch Willow's gasp. Up before them stood the half shadowed figure of a woman. She flashed them a wide smile, her teeth glowing brilliantly against the darkness, and took a step forward, "Well, if it isn't the mighty B. Slayer not enough for you? Gotta get more special memberships?"
"Faith," Buffy moved in front of her friends, her chin raised defiantly, fighting against the twinge of panic as she recognized Giles lying on the floor behind the other Slayer. A feral grin spread across her face as she let her gaze roll lazily back to the Watcher, "Dear old Dad's been keeping me company, B. It just gets so damn lonely down here."
"What are you doing this for Faith?" Buffy inched closer to the other Slayer slowly, "We barely know each other."
Faith snorted derisively as she eyed Buffy's ceremonial garb, "I don't have to know you to understand how it would be, Buff. You're a legend. It's all I ever hear about, the Great Buffy," she sneered, "Of course they always leave out your not so stellar fall from grace. But," she shrugged, "You know how it is with historians. They always have a purpose for the stories they remember."
Faith took a step forward, "This town could have been mine. You left. It was up for grabs. But then, you and your undead playmate just had to come back. There's not enough room for the two of us, B. Better to get rid of you sooner than later."
"Do you really think I'm going to let you beat me?"
Faith smiled, "I don't think you're going to want to let me, I think you're going to have to." With that she lunged at the blonde, their bodies colliding as they hit the floor. Buffy heaved Faith over her head and rolled up gracefully, prepared for the attack that came at her wildly as the younger girl sent a barrage of fists and feet her way. Buffy blocked them skillfully, taking only a few minor hits as she waited for the younger girl to tire. Finally, spotting an opening, Buffy brought her foot down hard against Faith's kidneys, sending the younger Slayer reeling backwards. Buffy launched her attack now, bringing the younger girl down to her knees.
Unwilling to let Buffy win, Faith grabbed her foot, bringing Buffy down on her knees before her. Buffy pushed forward, knocking them to the floor so that she straddled the girl and pinned her arms above her head. Faith smiled raunchily and rolled her hips, "Figures that you'd like it on top, B."
Buffy let out a low growl, "Think about it, Faith. What do you think you're going to get out of your arrangement with Drusilla? Power? Ha. Let me tell you something, Drusilla doesn't help others. She only helps herself. She owns you now."
Faith snorted, "I can leave whenever I want."
Buffy shook her head, "Can you?" Maneuvering both of Faith's hands into one of hers she used her free hand to brush th girl's hair away from the vicious bite marks on her neck, "She's claimed you for her own. There's no escaping her now."
"What do you know?" the other Slayer spat out defiantly, "Maybe I just don't want to leave. After all, the sex …"
"Euch," Buffy released the girl's head, "I know what I'm talking about Faith."
The younger Slayer narrowed her eyes angrily, "Liar!" She pushed Buffy off of her and stood shakily, watching as the other girl rose from the ground to stand before her. She brought her fingers shakily to the side of her neck, "Liar."
"Faith."
"Stop," Faith backed away from the blonde Slayer, her eyes roving around the hall frantically, "I'll show you. You're wrong!" She turned and started down the hallway at a run, disappearing into the shadows.
Buffy watched her go with a frown on her face, before letting out a sigh and turning to see the Scoobies crowded around Giles, who was slowly coming back to consciousness. She joined them, giving her Watcher a small smile, "You ok?"
He grimaced but managed a small no before his eyes widened and he exclaimed, "Good Lord!"
Buffy fidgeted nervously, "What?"
"What are you wearing?"
Buffy sighed and crossed her arms, "Don't ask me. One moment I'm unconscious and the next thing I know I'm the chosen one. Again"
Giles stood and removed his slightly bent glasses, "Pardon?"
"I'm Chosen," she said sardonically, gesturing at her garb, "Apparently there's some elaborate plan that involves dressing me up and setting me loose in here."
"And being able to read the freaky writing," Xander volunteered. At Giles' questioning look he shrugged, "She could read understand something written in a different language above one of the doors."
"Like that one?" They all turned at the sound of Oz's voice towards where he was pointing. Ahead of them a faintly glowing script was visible. Buffy moved towards it, stopping underneath it and the door it hung above.
"Buffy," Willow's voice was small in the darkness, "What does it mean?"
"The Present."