Title: Awaken the Inu
Author: DhampyrX2
Genre: Crossover
Rating: PG-13
Timeframe: prologues are btw seasons 3 and 4. The rest starts season seven.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Poverty is my constant friend. Please don't sue. I make no money from this.
Note: Evil plot bunnies have invaded my brain again, and the demons of writer's block are spreading. Instead of Starting with a Buffy or Star Wars sequel, or adding to 'The One Who Sees", I feel compelled to work on this. Sorry. Blame the bunnies. Anya's right, they're EVIL. I also changed this from a season five idea, to a season seven idea. Just because I hate Caleb, and want Xander to have a bigger role in the proceedings.
Summary: Xander's father is not who he thought. His real father has decided to inform him of his heritage, leaving Xander with some tough choices.
*****
"Alright, Xander, so what's the deal.", Dawn asked, sitting up from her false slumber once Xander gave her the okay.
"Buff wants us out of the fight, for our own safety. You'll have to add your own sarcastic air quotes at that, since I'm driving. I'm letting her think we're agreeing. Here's the not she wrote you to 'explain'", Xander said calmly, handing her the note as they drove.
Dawn read the stupid brush off from Buffy, then mulled over everything for a while before she said, "Alright. This officially proves that Buffy can be declared legally stupid by any court in the land. Now that that's established, what's really going on?"
"The First's leading us into a trap, but Buff will never believe that without proof. She's to high on that axe-stake she insists on calling a scythe to listen to me without proof. Hell, even with it, she might ignore me. And since I don't even have everything fleshed out yet, much less proof of a trap on hand, the ancient mind control technique known as 'lying through my teeth' was needed to deal with Buffy.", he replied as they drove calmly out of SunnyD.
"Ok. A.) Duh to the trap thing, now that I think of it, and B.) how do I know you're not using your 'ancient mind control technique' on me, and C.) what are we doing?", the sister of the elder Slayer asked, making her air quotes on 'ancient mind control technique'. "And notice that I did include Cordy's patented air quotes."
"Well, you'll have to trust me on B.", he replied.
"I wouldn't be in the car thank to my acting skills if I didn't Xand.", Dawn interjected.
"I know.", he said, reassuring her. "And I'll need you're trust when I explain the next part. We're making a quick trip to handle some family business of mine, and pick up a magic weapon that makes Buffy's not-a-scythe look like a cheesy TV prop."
"Why do I get the feeling you aren't referring to either the drunks we're rapidly leaving in the 'Dale, or the mob when you say 'family'.", she asked suspiciously.
"Because you're as wise as you are beautiful. Easily eclipsing Buffy in every way...", Xander rambled before he was cut off.
"Now I /know/ you're hiding something. Spill. Or things get ugly.", she ordered, crossing her arms in determination.
Xander looked intently at the road as be began, "Well, you see..."
If one was on a road out of Sunnydale that night with only one car on it driving out of town, one might have heard an attractive you woman shriek "YOU'RE A WHAT?!?", cutting through the night.
*****
Kagura was waiting patiently, her arms held demurely in front of her as she waited at the nearest point to Sunnydale Xander could go to and be free of the Hellmouth's interference protection. Sesshomaru's personal steed, the two-headed dragon beast Ah-un waited with her beside the road, a chariot mounted to him. As she waited, Kagura attempted to sort her conflicting emotions. The excitement at Xander's arrival was warring with her worry over the circumstances. She also felt relief that it was Dawn coming with him and not any of the others. From what Lord Sesshomaru's spies reported, the youngest Summers was the most tolerable of the bunch now, with the Wicca running a close second. Still, even if she was just a ningen, Dawn would be the most readily accepting of Xander's heritage and responsibilities.
*****
"I still can't believe you never told us about this.", Dawn said, clearly pouting as they neared their destination. "Especially /ME/. I've always thought we trusted each other. And here I find out you're a demon..."
"Half-demon.", Xander interjected.
Dawn continued as if uninterrupted. "...and you've had this chance at having powers and all for /years/ and never mentioned it. Why, Xander?"
"Buffy needed to remember who she was fighting for. I kept her grounded as a human. Now, she doesn't see that anymore. And things are too dangerous to leave alone.", he said, his emotions seeming to close off as he spoke.
"Xander that's...THE DUMBEST THING I'VE EVER HEARD! You needed to be powerless to help Buffy? It's only dangerous now? And it wasn't dangerous before? You froob! How many times did you nearly die for my sister's sake? God you're feeble sometimes. You have nearly died more than once to satisfy your White Knight complex, and all this time you could have been like 100 times safer.", she scolded, glaring intently at the one-eyed carpenter.
Xander sighed heavily as he replied, "It had to be that way, Dawn. And you're not saying anything I haven't heard before from my Dad...or Kagura...or even Jaken. It was my call. Still is. Besides, I'm letting you in now. I could have just drugged you for real, and left you safe with my Dad to wait things out."
His counter softened her anger some as Dawn responded, "Fair enough. But you're still a big stupid dork for not telling me sooner. I would have supported you no matter what."
"I know.", he said, before gesturing ahead of them with his chin. "We're here.", he said, as he pulled the car off the road and just behind Ah-Un, placing it behind a bush to conceal it from the road.
Dawn studied the demon woman Xander had described as 'Kagura' on the way to their meeting as she got out of the car. The red eyed youkai was gorgeous, as most women around Xander were, and seemed to exude power and confidence. That was again, practically a Xander-girl trademark. She was dressed fashionably, in a functional pantsuit well suited to combat, with a Japanese fan in her right hand. Her black hair was in a complicated Japanese bun, bound by a single white feather. "Hi." Dawn said mildly by way of greeting.
*****
Kagura felt joy swell in her heart as she saw Xander's car approach, and felt his muted youki draw near. That joy turned to shock, and then to rage, as she saw his eye. "Xander-sama. It is good to see you. Did you happen to forget to mention something when you called?", she asked, clearly seething.
Xander shrugged as if the whole thing was unimportant as he replied, "Jackass minion of the First poked out my eye. Buffy killed him. Twice. We have more important things to deal with." He looked intently into the eyes of the wind sorceress as he asked, "Is everything arranged?"
"Hai, Xander-sama. Just as you asked. Your father will have everything ready upon our arrival."
"Good.", he said with a nod. His face and tone grew lighter as he said, "Kagura, allow me to introduce Dawn Summers. Dawnie, this is the wind sorceress Kagura, and my Dad's personal steed Ah-Un."
"Hello, Dawn-san. Forgive my rudeness. Xander's condition was a bit of a shock.", she said with a bow. Xander had called the girl 'family'. That meant politeness was a primary priority until they got to know one another. She didn't want to alienate Sesshomaru's heir by seeming rude to his little ningen friend.
"No problem. Sorry the big Oaf didn't warn you. He has this thing about no telling women things if they'll either upset them, or make him look good. All attempts to break him of the habit have failed.", Dawn replied with a grin.
Kagura smirked wickedly as she responded, "Believe me, I know what you mean. We'll have to keep working on him, I suppose."
Dawn matched Kagura's grin with one of her own at that.
*Wonderful, just what I need. Two of them on my case at once. They just had to like one another.*, Xander groused in his head, rolling his eye to the heavens. "You two ready to go?", he asked exasperatedly, as he headed for Ah-Un. "Or would you rather berate me for wanting to be modest and protective?"
"Can't we do both.", Dawn asked with an innocent expression as she headed for the chariot as well.
Kagura giggled behind her hand as she followed them. "Dawn-san, I think you an I will get along quite well.", she said as they took off into the air on the demon chariot, appearing to fade from sight as the concealment spell kicked in.
*****
End Chapter Two