Greetings, all. I got about 200 hits in the last two days, and two reviews.... Tut tut tut. You guys really must not have liked it. Sorry. I'll try to do better. And for some strange reason, chapter eleven has about forty more hits than any other chapter. Why is that?
Fyre: I liked your idea for Birdie, but I didn't totally understand the vampire part. The thing is, I don't want her to in any way have expected to be called as a Slayer. So it would be hard for her to tell that story. Once I figure out some other plot stuff, I'll try to work it in, really.
At long last: A bad guy!
~Star Mouse
@ @ @
Buffy went out patrolling that night, with Dawn watching worriedly from the doorway. Buffy's movements were kind of jerky, like she hadn't been getting enough sleep. Or enough food. But she had insisted on going out, and Dawn had called Spike to meet her and keep and eye on her.
Dawn didn't pretend to know the whole story on what was going on with her sister, but she knew enough. Something was seriously wrong with Buffy. Her personality had been getting gradually darker since their mother's death. This latest angst was just a catalyst. A multiplier of problems already there. However Spike fit into it this time, she didn't really want to know. More sordid goings on between her sister and her big brother were not conducive to happiness. And Dawn, above all else, wanted them both to be happy.
She watched Buffy disappear into the darkness.
@ @ @
Willow walked into her living room, where Marion was sitting, reading a book. Just a little study date. Except there was nothing to study.
...And it wasn't a date.
"Marion, we have a problem." She stopped. That wasn't really a good way to start. "Uh, possibly. You know that protection spell we did with Dawn?"
Marion put down the book. "Yes."
Willow tried to sound casual. Waved a nail~picking hand vaguely.
"Um, what color would you say it turned? Cerulean, or more sort of
denim~ish? Out of curiosity?"
The young Watcher's face took on a slightly panicked look. "What's the right answer?"
"Just, which."
[With the expression of a person given a choice between two buttons, very aware that one is attached to the anvil suspended above her] "....I suppose....Cerulean?"
"Shit."
"Shit? Why shit? What did we do?!"
"I dunno. This always happens to me. S-somehow, our protection spell turned into a summoning spell."
"Willow. Summoning what, exactly?"
"heheheh."
@ @ @
Spike saw her. And instantly realized something was wrong. She looked like she barely had the energy to stand. His vampiric sight detected a slight jerk in her walk, too, like she was overtired. He felt a pang when he realized she was showing symptoms of serious depression.
Now why would she be depressed?
When he had thrown her out of the crypt-- it had been a moment of panic. A panic because he had felt something. Not love. But something close enough to it to scare him out of his mind. Scared he was going out of his mind.
No matter how he felt about her, --not that he knew, anymore-- he couldn't let her patrol alone like this. Dawn hadn't been exaggerating.
Stupid--. She could get herself killed.
But then she fell. Her legs buckled underneath her and she collapsed in a pile of Buffy and was still.
He started to run out to her, but he heard her crying. She was crying like volume was the important thing, and like tears could make everything better.
He could make everything better.
But he couldn't. And he backed into the shadows once again, and watched her until the sobs lessened and died, and then he watched her stand and walk wearily away, still stiff and uncoordinated, like her body wasn't her own. Like her mind was fighting something else inside her. Her heart, perhaps?
He'd follow her as far as the main street, then get back to the crypt. It felt ...weird. Watching her, stalking her. The last time he'd done this sort of thing, he'd been insane with love. Now, apparently, he was just insane.
@ @ @
Buffy lurched forward. Like a stick~shift in the hands of a sixteen~year~old. Really lurched. It was like she couldn't control her body. Exactly like that. Like something else was trying to, on top of her.
She pulled her cell phone out of her purse, and a shaking finger pressed and held 'one.' Collapsed against the wall of the building next to her.
Giles answered on the second ring. "*ghm* Hello?"
"Gi--iles. I--. I--. Something's wroOOong. I can't--. ...Help me. I can't--" Frustration. Tears. She knew what she wanted to say, but the words wouldn't form. She was shaking, and she couldn't control her mouth.
"Buffy? Buffy, where are you?"
"Sixth -nd MAAAAAAAAaaaAAAAAaaaAAAAin. I think there's something. *She struggled for control of her lungs. Pulled to inhale as something within her struggled to loose all the air from her. Won, for now.* Wrong. Hel--....."
"Buffy?! Buffy, stay right there. I'm sending Willow. She'll be closest. Hang on. I'll call you back after I get her. Hold on, Buffy."
Buffy tried to talk, but nothing came out. Her head nodded of her own accord. She turned the phone off, and dropped it.
She dropped to her knees on the pavement.
"Come on; this doesn't have to be so hard," and the voice was hers, but it wasn't her.
"Oh, God." That was her. "Oh, God, what's happening--?"
She grabbed the ground, like she'd fall off if she didn't gain purchase. Buffy closed her eyes in a long blink,
and then they opened.
But it wasn't Buffy who stood, and it wasn't Buffy who laughed, and it wasn't Buffy who jogged away, leaving her cell phone on the pavement.
@ @ @
Spike watched from the shadows. Looked like she'd had a fainting spell, or something. But she seemed okay, now. Strangely, the slight jerk from before was gone. She seemed back to normal.
Probably safe to quit with the stalker routine, then.
@ @ @
Giles rubbed his eyes. "It should be fine. Buffy is strong--"
"Not when she throws up after every meal."
Willow and Marion turned to look at Dawn, surprised.
Giles sighed. "Buffy is *not* bulimic, Dawn. And I frankly don't understand why you were permitted to come along."
"Oh, come on, Giles. It's not like this is my first demon bar."
Willow and Marion had called Dawn to tell her to lock Buffy up, and when they had gone to get Giles, she had tagged along.
The thought of conversing via cell phone never entered their heads. They had to be face to face. Some habits die hard.
"Buffy is so bulimic. I found her barfing into the toilet today."
Willow's eyes darted back and forth. "Maybe she was sick," she said.
"She told me not to tell anyone."
Marion swallowed worriedly. "That probably rules out the 'ill' theory, then, now doesn't it?"
"Incredibly, that is not the most important thing at this juncture." Giles picked up his jacket from behind the bar. "If you three really have summoned some ...demonic force, then Buffy --and all of us-- could be in serious danger. If she's wearing the charm, she'll be susceptible to its influences. We have to destroy that thing. It's the only way to break the link."
Marion coughed. "Er, not exactly."
Giles turned carefully. "Oh?"
"Er, no. That ...won't...do anything. She put it on. The initial link her body made with the demon can't be broken by destroying the charm. The only way to overcome it is for her to fight it within and of herself."
Willow nodded. "Hey, that's why it didn't happen immediately! Buffy's all strong 'cause of the Slayer~yness. Maybe she's still fighting it?"
Giles' brows knit. "I- I don't know. On the telephone, she sounded ...very weak. Like she was losing control. Could barely form sentences." He thought about it. "Actually, I don't think she did form a sentence."
"Do you think--"
"The demon's winning. We have to find her." He pulled his jacket on and started across the bar. Dawn held out a hand.
"We'll find her. You have to stay here and make sure no one raids the blood~fridge."
"Dawn, my Slayer is more important to me right now than watching after some demon bar."
Willow shook her head. "Nno. She's right. If you leave, there'll be a way big bar riot, or something. You have to stay here. Plus, hey, cell phones," she said, suddenly remembering. "We can keep in touch."
Marion gently pushed him back behind the bar.
"Sorry, Rippeh. 'S your duty to stay here and sehve drinks."
They left, leaving Giles to be comforted by the demons close enough to hear, and drunk enough not to be rushing off to take advantage of the Slayer's weakened state.
@ @ @
Dawn, Willow, and Marion piled into Willow's car, the witches cursing their
lack of supplies, Dawn bitching about the speed at which Willow was
driving/
About halfway to the intersection of sixth and main, a familiar figure loomed in the headlights.
"Will, Stop!"
The brakes screeched, and Dawn was out of the car before either of the other women could protest.
"Dawn, no! Don't--" Marion scrambled out after her.
Willow desperately fumbled at her seat belt. "Doesn't anybody have any regard for safety?" she muttered and hopped out of the driver's seat, leaving the keys in the wheel.
Dawn was facing off with a smirking Buffy, about halfway through the 'surely something within you must still love us' speech. 'Cause it had always worked so well on every other possession they had experienced.
And Buffy started laughing. And it was Buffy's laugh, right down to the occasional half~cackle.
She smiled winningly. "Dawn, shut up. I'm fine. I'm ....better than fine. Do you have any idea how good this feels?" She stretched, seemingly unconcerned about anything, least of all the teary~eyed girl in front of her. "I hope it never stops."
"Buffy! You're not Buffy..." Dawn shook her head, desperate for some real proof that this wasn't really her sister. That she wasn't really saying what she was saying. But she was just too much like her...
Buffy reached Dawn in three long strides and backhanded her across the face. With a squeak, Dawn tumbled to the ground. The witches rushed forward.
Buffy smirked again. That slightly~out~of~character~though~not~entirely~wrong~looking smirk. "Always were a little brat. Should have done that a lot sooner."
Marion came up, eyes flickering with electricity. Her hand jutted out, like she was clutching a rope leading from Buffy's neck.
"Vivacen Leo! Vivacen Leona! Vivacen Leonora!"
The woman shuddered, and her entire body slumped. All but her arm, which stayed rigid and outstretched.
A few yards away, Buffy grunted, and her body seemed to lean into an invisible pull.
Marion managed a few choked~off, gasping breaths, and then wrenched her hand away from thin air.
Buffy staggered, but stayed standing. Marion slumped to the ground beside a crying Dawn.
Willow narrowed her eyes. "Buffy?"
Buffy didn't answer. She rushed forward, at Dawn.
Her little sister squealed a panicked, "Get away from me!" crabbing backwards until she was up against a shopfront.
Buffy looked like she'd been slapped. "God, Dawn. I'm so sorry. It wasn't me. You're not a brat [much]. There's something, I don't know-- I feel so--" She started to fade, wavering on her feet.
Willow realized what Marion had done, and stretched her hand out the same way. "Vivacen! Vivacen! Vivacen! Vivacen!" She felt her own strength drain into Buffy. The real, human Buffy, fighting the demon in her head. The one too weakened to fight properly grew stronger, and the demon was pushed back under.
She swallowed. Looked at her friends, the weary witches helping Dawn to her feet. There was a red handprint forming on Dawn's cheek.
She swallowed again. Air.
"Uh guys? Can I get some food?"
@ @ @
Seven Powerbars and a stiff drink later...
"Can you still feel it?"
"Yeah. It's definitely there. It's trying to get control, but I think I'll be able to fight it. For now," she added quietly.
Spike watched her squirm, out of the corner of his eye. How ironic. The Slayer fighting her demon down, just like him...
"Do you think you'll be okay to go to the wedding next Saturday? Or will you turn into BitchBuffy and insult my guests? 'Cause if you are, then we need to find another bridesmaid your size." Anya looked thoughtful. She turned to Xander.
"Or take out one of the groomsmen. Can we get rid of that Jeff guy? Please?"
"Ahn, we can't disinvite him from the wedding party unless he makes a move on you, which I realize is a terrible idea to give you and don't dare try anything."
Anya snorted. "As if I really would. I'm just trying to plan ahead."
"Yes, well, it would be easier to plan if we actually *knew* anything about the demon summoned. Type, species, ...color! Anything at all." Giles cast an annoyed glare Willow and Marion, and another at Dawn, sitting across from them.
The Scoobies were all packed into a booth at Rupert's, filling each other in on the details and watching Buffy carefully. Giles had already destroyed the charm, just in case, but that hadn't had any apparent effect.
He took off his glasses and rubbed them on his apron. "But we don't. And until we do, there really isn't anything we can do to stop it." He looked at Buffy. For all practical purposes, his daughter. "It will get stronger. And unless you find some way to better fight it, it will take you over again. It's just a matter of time."
@ @ @
Finally. The bad guy has shone up. Hope everyone liked it. If you read this story, and didn't hate it, please review. ThanX.
~Star Mouse