Summary: Ten Years Gone...
Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the Buffyverse except what I have created in original characters.
Feedback: Rean of the Coilm
Pre-fic Comments:
I'm surprised no one has commented on the messed up Feedback line :)
I highly recommend the band quoted -- extremely good rock.
It's sooo hard to resist the temptation to bring in another few dozen crossovers >_* * *
"A pale, haunted man walks through this crowded land,
he holds his stomach like a girl.
Teared down this last stand, choking on spit and lead.
He wants his women to scream."
- 'Six Gun Sucker Punch', Karma To Burn.
* * *
Buffy put her hand on Giles' shoulder, forcing him to stay in his lazy boy. "Giles, you shouldn't be getting up, or excited like this. It's bad for you."
Xander moved over to Giles, stepping on Buffy's left foot and forcing her back bodily. "Oh, sorry, were you there? It's somewhat hard for me to see people sometimes."
"Xander," Willow began, "you knew very well that Buffy was there."
The one eyed man in the Beerfest tshirt looked at the redhaired witch. "No, I didn't. I haven't been thinking of you guys for ten years, why should I start?"
Willow's face darkened, but she remained silent.
"Boytoy," Faith said, "Giles is sick."
Giles took the opportunity to get out of the lazy boy armchair while Xander was bodily defending him from Buffy. "I'm sick, not dead, and will carry on living as if I am alive until I am dead. Do I make myself clear?"
Willow sighed. "Yes. I'm not your mother. But I do think you should stay sitting down."
Xander and Giles escaped to Giles' small library room (the second bedroom, for the rest of the houses in the street.) The old Watcher locked the door behind him.
"You're more in danger of being smothered than from dying of natural causes," Xander observed. "Still, better than neglect."
Giles snorted. "I'm sure."
Laying his satchel out on the table, Xander pulled out a large notebook and opened it to a map.
"G-man, I've found the location of the temple of the Dragon Lords. The main temple is in one of the Lost Cities of Antarctica. Luckily for us, I've got a map of the cities location."
"Don't call me that," the old man said absently.
Giles' finger traced over the map. His mind worked over logistics furiously... "Xander, I believe that we could prepare a small expedition to this City. If this is true, then the ramifications!"
The former scooby nodded. "Yeah. Would you be able to back it financially?"
Ripper stood up, and grinned. "Don't worry about that, let /me/ do the organising."
* * *
Buffy, Faith and Willow were sitting in the living room, discussing the changes in their old friend. They weren't bothering to try and eavesdrop on the two, as Giles had immediately soundproofed the house when he had moved in. The Watcher despised being interrupted during research or study.
"What happened to him?," Willow said. "He doesn't like us, for some reason."
"We tried to shield him from the Slayage," Faith thought out loud, "and went too far."
Buffy shrugged. "He wasn't able to do much compared to the Slayers, you gotta admit."
Faith frowned. "Boytoy was hell on wheels if you got in his way, B."
"He's sure got Giles worked up," Willow complained.
"Didn't he say something about Atlantis?," Buffy said. "I think Xander lost it when he lost his eye."
"He could be onto something," Faith mused. "I mean, we've seen a lotta wack stuff over the years."
"The question is, do we let Giles go off on some trip?," Willow said.
"We can't stop him," Buffy admitted.
"Yeah," Faith shivered. "Ripper is wicked scary."
* * *
Inside the library, the younger man was laying out timetables with Giles' assistance.
"See? I think we could do it in the time I've got before I have to go back to lecture," Xander said.
"Yes," Giles said. "There's a expedition leaving early next week -- if I start ringing people now, then we should be able to travel with them as far as the Ross ice shelf."
"Okay," Xander said. "Now, people."
"I know some students of the Council that show promise," Giles said. "Shall I bring some?"
"Three," Xander decided. "There are some students back in New Zealand that would get a lot out of this, and we'd be able to pick them up on the way down."
"Buffy, Willow, and Faith are /not/ coming unless they promise to leave me alone for the duration of the trip," the old Watcher said.
"And promise to shut up the whole time," Xander muttered.
"If I may, what caused you to break off relationships with them?," Rupert asked.
"G-man, ever feel alone in a crowded room?"
* * *
Post-Fic Comments:
I'm thinking of bringing in the Mazoku...