Friday
Caleb had recovered from his encounter with Batman. However, he still wasn't in a very good mood. He had been bested by a human. A well trained, and well prepared human, but nonetheless it was still a human. Caleb was seething in rage as he slammed his fist into the wall, putting a hole in it.
"Come here." He ordered one of the Bringers in the room. As it neared him he violently snapped its neck. He sighed at the dead demon on the floor
"Damn it! Even that didn't make me feel any better!" Caleb said in anger, as the Bringer fell dead to the floor.
"Then perhaps this will."
"That you Lord?" Caleb asked.
The Bringer's head snapped back to life as it sat up and was set ablaze.
"Do you prefer this?"
Caleb smirked, "Speaking to a burning Bringer. I like that. Why have you graced me with your presence oh Lord?"
"I have a job for you Caleb. You will kill the two Slayers and the Potential Slayers, despite the presence of Adam Warlock or Thanos."
"How so?" Caleb asked, as he sat in front of the burning Bringer.
"I'm onto Warlock's little plan now. He can't use the Gauntlet lest it destroy any future plans of his. Furthermore, he and Thanos will be very occupied tomorrow, similarly entranced, using their own strength to keep the Slayers safe on the astral plane. During this time the Slayers will be vulnerable. You will enter the house and kill them."
"How did you figure this out?" Caleb asked puzzled.
"I have my…sources."
"If Thanos or Warlock wake up though…"
"Yes, yes, you will die. I know. You're going to die when I destroy this world anyway, so it doesn't really matter does it?" the First said to him.
"I suppose not, Lord. But I do still have a question. I know I'm strong but I also know they've been gathering forces for a while now. A few Bringers and myself probably wouldn't be able to defeat them all." Caleb explained.
"That's why I left a few Turok-Han untouched beneath the Seal."
"How many is a few?" Caleb asked.
"Five hundred or so."
Caleb whistled, "That's a lot Lord. But the Seal needs blood to open it. Where do I get enough blood to let them out?"
The burning Bringer's head turned to the other Bringers in the room and smiled beneath the flame. Caleb likewise smiled.
"I like the way you think, Lord." Caleb smirked.
Gamora stood above the fallen Buffy, the only Slayer still left conscious. Gamora walked up to her and sighed. Buffy was holding her ribs in pain, whimpering. Gamora rolled her eyes.
"I'll give you credit. This is the longest you've stayed with me, but if you think you're anywhere near ready to take on the First then you're sadly mistaken." Gamora said walking up to the cowering Buffy, "Now what do you have to say about that?"
Buffy stopped whimpering and smirked in Gamora's face, "Two words: Drama Class."
As Gamora pondered these words, Buffy's hands flew up, throwing the sand into her eyes. Gamora stumbled back as Buffy rolled to the side and to her feet, kicking Gamora's leg at the knee. The Emerald Amazon's knife dropped to the ground. Gamora went down to one knee and reached for her knife. She then felt something sharp cut into her back.
Faith was back behind her stabbing away with Gamora's own knife, "Good thing you got a healing factor huh Greenie? Oh yeah and I was faking it to, just to make you feel like you were doing a good job. Doesn't make you less of a woman."
"What is it with you and stabbing people?" Buffy asked as she picked up the millstone in front of the back step.
"I just like it!" Faith said still stabbing Gamora in the back, "Let's out….all…my….AGRESSION!"
Buffy smirked and smashed the slab of rock over Gamora's head. Gamora rolled to her back and looked up slightly confused as Buffy and Faith stood over her.
"Time?" Buffy asked.
"Ten minutes, seventeen seconds." Andrew replied.
"So we ready yet?" Faith asked fallen woman.
Gamora scowled in anger, then began to laugh uncontrollably, "I love you girls. Best students I ever had."
Later in the evening, Buffy sat on her roof and looked out over the landscape. Angel walked down and sat beside her. He looked over at her.
"It's been a long road hasn't it?" Angel asked, "Seven long years."
"Feels like a hundred." Buffy replied to her former lover.
"Think you can pull it off?" Angel asked.
"I don't want to talk about it." Buffy said, quietly. She then looked over, "What are you doing up here anyway?"
"Batman's on the other side of the house. I was bringing him some dinner. He has to eat sometime." Angel explained.
"Ah. So you thought you'd waltz over and chat about old times?" Buffy asked.
"Partly. I wanted to see if you were okay."
"Am I ever okay?"
Angel smirked, "No, maybe not. I have faith in you though. I think you can do it."
"How so?" Buffy asked.
"Come on Buffy, there's never been another Slayer like you. There's never been one that's lived as long as you or fought the kinds of fights you've had. You've beaten so much in your time here. You're tough as nails, something I can attest to." Angel went on, "You'll win this. I know you will."
"I don't want to be tough as nails." Buffy said glumly, "All I've ever wanted is to be normal."
"I know. And it breaks my heart that you can't have that, but people like us have to carry the load. It's hard and it's so lonely and sometimes you just want to lie down and die. But you can't. You have to be strong and carry it all." Angel said.
"Does…does it ever get better?" Buffy asked the two hundred and fifty year old vampire.
"It gets easier with help from friends and family. But it doesn't go away. Not completely." Angel said truthfully.
Buffy reached over and hugged him, "Thank you."
"Just watching out for people I care about, even if we have gone in different directions." Angel smiled weakly, when inside it was hard to be around her and not being able to kiss her. He wasn't alone though, because Buffy felt the same way.
"So you're dating Cordelia?" Buffy asked as she pulled away.
"Yeah. Yeah I am." Angel said with a small laugh.
"I can see it. She always did kind of have a thing for you, even in high school." Buffy said.
"Believe me I know. It's just that I'm glad we finally got together. For something like two years there was all this tension." Angel said truthfully.
"Yeah. I know the feeling." Buffy said thinking of Spike.
"Do you love him?" Angel asked, as if he read her mind.
Buffy was quiet and just sat there.
Minutes later, she walked into the basement and saw Spike lying on his cot thumbing through a magazine.
"Can I come in?" she asked.
Spike looked up and smirked, "Sure."
Buffy smiled and sat at the end of his cot.
"Hey. Comfy?" she asked.
"Not really, but I've had worse. Come down to talk about the end of the world?" Spike asked.
"No. No I already got that out. Angel and I talked."
Spike felt the stabbing pain inside. Angel. Always Angel. God how he hated his Nancy boy poof of a grandsire.
"I bet he was up there giving her a big motivational speech and then let her cry on his shoulder. Bloody wanker." Spike growled inside his head.
"Oh?" Spike asked, acting like it hadn't bothered him.
"Yeah. We talked and then I figured I should come down here." Buffy explained, "This sounds like a line, but if I figure this is our last night on earth and…well…you know."
Spike was very, very quite for the longest time before he spoke up, "And why should we? What makes it different now than last year?"
"Because I love you."
Spike's face, which was at first a little defensive before she said those words. Then it melted to a look of wonder. The fearsome master vampire's eyes became glassy looking, as watery tears fell from each eye. Then a small smile crept up over his face as he stared at her.
"Do you have any idea how long I've waited to hear you say those words?" Spike said, deliriously happy.
Buffy looked at him and wrapped her arms around his neck, "Too long."
Spike kissed her for minutes on end before crushing her to himself and smelling the Herbal Essences in her hair, "I love you. God I love you so much."
"I love you Spike." Buffy said just happy that she could finally be open with him about her feelings.
"Say that again." Spike said. She was certain her was smirking.
"I love you Spike." She said laughing somewhat.
"I don't know if I'm convinced. I want to hear it again." Spike smirked.
"I love you." Buffy said with a large smile, "You done yet?"
"No. Wait a tick." Spike said as he bounded up the stairs and out of the basement. He gathered up everyone he could find and had them stand in the kitchen.
"What's this all about Spike?" Giles asked, a bit annoyed.
Spike looked at the assembled Scoobies and roared, "SHE LOVES ME! IN YOUR FACE ANGEL! UP YOURS RILEY! SHE LOVES ME! SPIKE! AHAHAHAHAHAH!"
Spike cackled like a maniac as he ran back downstairs. The Scoobies just looked at one another.
"Well that was interesting." Oz stated as he took a bite of a pop tart.
"Good lord…" Giles said not wanting to accept the truth.
"Eh. Let them have their fun." Willow said patting him on the back.
"And don't look so disappointed Jeeves. She could choose worse. And don't feel so bad. I'm sure you'll get some lovin too sometime." Faith began, "In fact, I think after I'm done with Wood tonight, I'm coming for you."
Giles coughed loudly began to clean his glasses frantically and went on about dire consequences.
Spike practically leapt on Buffy as he reentered the basement, kissing her fiercely. He smiled down at her and put his hand through her hair.
"Now see, that wasn't so bad now, was it?" Spike smirked.
"Spike, it wasn't that I never felt anything for you. It's just that you still wanted to kill people at the time." Buffy said, the quietly, "Plus I was a bitch."
"That you were. But I still love you. Let's shag on the floor." Spike smiled evilly.
"What?!" Buffy said in shock.
"We'll put a blanket on the floor and shag. It'll be more comfortable that the cot." Spike said as he rolled onto the floor.
Buffy watched him them smirked, "Okay but I get to be on top."
"Wouldn't have it any other way, luv."
It was an interesting night altogether and one full of vicarious smoochies. Spike was with Buffy the whole time, never wanting to separate from her. They were one another's whole universe. Angel and Cordelia behaved much in the same manner. All across Sunnydale, the couplings continued. Xander and Anya played naughty nurse. Willow, Tara, and Kennedy all three made love. Riley and Sam were doing what husbands and wives do. Wesley shared a quick kiss with Fred. Gunn and Gwen had another moment like they had a few weeks previous, now that she had a device that prevented her from electrocuting whomever she touched. Connor came to Dawn and the two of them held to one another all night. And true to her word, Faith came to Giles after her time with Principal Wood, and a brief trip to Oz's van (hey, it's the end of the world). One would think that barring being gay, Andrew would have had a hell of a time with the Potential Slayers. While nothing sexual happened there, lets just say that he was tied down though the forced makeover was a bit much.
Neo TokyoEarly Saturday
"This bites." Zero said firing on the oncoming Baragon with all the energy he could spare.
"I know. But hey, we do what we have to." Plague added, firing as well, but also making light conversation.
"I just wish X were here to help us. His Omega Armor would be pretty damned useful right about now." Zero said with a grunt, "But no. He has to help his little Jurai princess, like she can't handle herself. Man needs his priorities straight.
"Wishful thinking doesn't get you anywhere Zero." Plague replied as the Baragon moved closer.
"I know. But we're outnumbered, overpowered, with those damned EVA's elsewhere and backed into a corner. I just wish we had some sort of diversion that could help us out here." Zero said again.
As if in response to his words, the harbor began to churn. There was also the sound of perhaps some large aircraft approaching at high speeds. But that sound was drowned out by an immense roar from something rising in the sea.
"KREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEONK!"
Plague looked to the harbor, "Will that do?"
The various Baragons and Gyaos looked to the harbor. A Gyaos cocked its head and exploded into a ball of flame. Blue flame additionally fired upon the Baragons on the ground. They roared in pain and fell back. You see, in Japanese mythology there is the legend of the Four Guardians, one for each point on the compass. These Guardians were additionally known as a giant turtle, dragon, phoenix, and tiger. They were said to awaken in a time of need and help to save the world.
The Baragons and Gyaos roared and shrieked at the new arrivals. Godzilla waded onshore, growling horribly as he fired his blue flame. King Seesar walked behind him, fangs bared. High above in the air, the turtle Gamera and the great pteranodon Rodan circled, ready to give aid. Godzilla roared and with it came the signal for attack!
Los AngelesThe First grimaced from his vantage point. The Four Guardians had awakened. Things could be thrown into disarray now. They could end the darkness. This could not be allowed. Energy flung from the First's fingertips into the darkness above. The power traveled through the darkened atmosphere on a collision course with Japan.
"There. That should awaken the proper deterrent for those dumb beasts." The First thought, "Their attack was unexpected."
Thunder rang throughout the area as lightning struck several skyscrapers. The First turned, "As was this one."
"Demon. We would have words with thee."
Thor's group had arrived.