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.
*****
"Now Buffy, I just explained this to Dawn. But since you're friend, and since you're hot, and well, since it will piss off Deadboy and I'm strong enough he can't hurt me now, I guess it's a fair trade. What are you going to trade for me to touch in return?", Xander replied, wagging his eyebrows an exaggerated way.
Buffy merely laughed as she replied, "Nice try, perv. I remember what goes on in your head from when I could read minds. Sell it elsewhere, mister." As she spoke, Buffy sat down opposite the hanyou, Angel standing behind her. Strangely, there was a small smile on the vampire's lips.
"I hate to admit it, Xander, but I think I actually missed your mouth.", he said ruefully.
"Aww, that's Sweet, overbite. But if you think of breaking out your leather pants in any context other than being evil, I swear I'll dust you.", Xander replied cheekily.
It was Kagura that next spoke up, as she said, "Well, if your going from warnings to trades, Xander-sama, I'm sure we can work /something/ out later." as she ran her right hand delicately over his left ear. IT was clear to the whole room that Xander was fighting to hold back a reaction from her touch.
"Damn K-girl. How'd you do that? He looks ready to melt with one finger stroke.", Faith commented, her voice impressed.
"I've spent alot of years around inu youkai, inu hanyou, and their mates. It's amazing how many inu youkai women in Sesshomaru's court like to brag about how to tease their men. Girl talk among youkai can always be...informative.", the wind sorceress replied her eyes twinkling with amusement as she stroked the other ear, making Xander go red in the face, before stepping back to her previous position.
Xander coughed, trying to regain his composure as the assembled men looked on with sympathy, and the women all either smiled wickedly, or giggled. "Uh, yeah, so anyway. Now that I've been made a public spectacle of..."
"Some things never change." Angel said, interrupting him.
Xander scowled at the vampire and replied "Like your choice in clothes, Brooderella." He turned his attention back to the table at large as he said, "Now, captain cryptic here brought us a doo dad of questionable origin and unspecified ability that was _given_ to him by his enemies, along with the LA offices of an evil LA law firm. I think the table's open to discuss this before we should decide on what to do with it. Angel, tell what you know so far..."
"When did Xander get all take charge and leadery", Buffy asked, looking at Willow directly.
"I think it started the summer after Acathla." the wicca mused idly.
"Uh, ladies, amulet? Possible trap. Can we discuss my ability to organize stuff later? Besides, it was part post Acathla, and part Grad war planning, along with a few lessons from my dad, and some recommended reading from him. 'The Art of War' by Sun Tzu had alot of interesting tidbit we could have used from time to time."
"Wow. Research boy comes through with the knowledge again.", Buffy joked, making Kagura scowl at the girl.
The wind youkai much preferred Faith to Buffy. Over the last years Faith had only tried to kill him once, while under extreme mental duress, which was nothing more than Willow had done. Buffy, on the other hand, had treated him poorly on several occasions Kagura knew of from Sesshomaru's network of spies and informants. In her opinion, the elder Slayer was severely lacking and had no right to mock her Lord's son.
Thankfully for the flow of the conversation, Buffy missed the scowl directed at her because she was looking at Willow, and Kagura schooled her features back to a neutral state before she looked Xander's way again. The same could not be said for Angel, but he thought it prudent to discuss it later with Xander, and possibly Kagura herself. The amulet _was_ an important issue they had to address.
Xander flushed again with mild embarrassment, looking to the table self consciously, as Buffy and Willow broke out into light laughter. Willow hugged him affectionately as she said, "Aww, you know we're just kidding you Xander."
It was finally Giles who got the room back on track as he cleared his throat. "Yes, now, this is all very well and good, but could we please get to the amulet in question, and save the friendly banter for a more appropriate moment?", he asked, bringing three automatic "Sorry Giles"s from the three friends in unison. From there, Angel proceeded to explain what he knew of the medallion, and set the file on it he had brought from Wolfram and Hart, and placed it on the table. Once that was done, discussions over the amulet began in earnest.
*****
"So, let me get this straight. You have a few thousand super uglies under the ol' Hellmouth that you want loose, plus, more importantly, you want to convince Buffy to make /all/ potentials into Slayers with her new toy. What's the part 'm I missin 'ere? Cause it sounds to me like givin her a whole new army of Slayers works against you, love.", Spike said as he lit a cigarette.
"Oh, Spike, you never were a big picture guy. You always live in the here and now. Truthfully, it's one of the reasons I always liked you. I have others to think long term. You're the best to deal with things that pop up unexpectedly.", the FE replied, fluffing the bleached vampires ego as much as possible. It once again wore Buffy's form, now dressed in a tight string bikini. This frustrated and excited the vampire equally because of the FE incorporeal nature.
"I know I'm good, pet. I'm the Big Bad here, after all.", he responded cockily. "That still doesn't explain why you want an army of Slayers walkin' around."
"Do you have any idea how many potential Slayers elude both the Watcher's council, and me, since I can only find them with the spell the Watchers used? I'll tell you. Hundreds. Possibly thousands. Now, picture this...with that many Slayers, and no Watchers to guide them, I can corrupt and turn the majority of them to our cause. Those that I can't, will end up demon magnets without even knowing why, and will be killed off quickly. Not to mention the hysteria and fear that will pop up with the introduction of so many super powered women. With a little careful nudging, I can set off a whole new set of modern witch hunts, and thin out the wicca contingent for the forces of good as well. Best of all, it will go uncontested, because the Slayer and her little friends will think it was a victory until it's too late to stop." the FE explained.
"Alright, then. What about my grand poof? It'll be harder to talk her into things with Angelus sniffing 'round her skirts again.", Spike said, the jealousy of Angel tainting his voice practically tangible.
"Please, Spike. You know better than that. Just play the hurt puppy for her and she'll walk right into your arms. Then I'll taunt the little priss, and you go in for the kill. One little comment and she'll be all yours. Literally. Since after I win, I'll make sure you look like the big hero that sacrificed everything to save her, and came out alive." the FE responded with a patronizing grin.
"Now that's a plan I can get behind. Well, I'm off then", the cockney vampire said, as he headed for the exit to the factory.
"One thing Spike. Remember, there's someone to be careful of, now." The First called out to his back.
"I know Angel's there, pet. I won't let anythin' slip to tip the poofter off.", the vampire replied in exasperation, insulted at her insinuation of his stupidity.
"Not Angel. Xander. He's more than you know, and he brought friends. Don't push him, Spike. He might...see...through you if you do.", the First Evil said, her voice growing heated as she spat the word 'see'.
"You're worried about _Captain_ _Bricklayer_?", Spike crowed with a laugh. "That's hilarious. He's dead weight, pet. The biggest contribution Droopy ever made was getting doughnuts for the real fighters. He's just a...", Spike elaborated, until he was cit off by the First.
"A hanyou. An incredibly powerful Inu Hanyou carrying one of the most destructive personal youki based weapons in existence, who happens to be the /Prince/ of the western lands, and who could literally tear you apart as you are now without an effort. I'll take care of that later, but for now, tread lightly.", the false Buffy warned.
Spike rolled his eyes as he replied, "Fine. I'll ignore the wanker like any same woman in the world would, so he'll never notice I exist. Happy?" He then left before waiting for a response.
As he made his way to the Summers home, Spike muttered to himself. "Me, be afraid of the damned Pizza Boy? Not a bloody chance in Hell."
*****
The meeting about the amulet went on for about twenty minutes before it was decided not to use the thing. It came form too questionable a source, and wasn't worth the risk at that point in time. The groups had then broken up to various parts of the house. Kagura and Xander went to to make a perimeter sweep of the house and surrounding area. Well, Xander went to make the sweep. Kagura just went to keep the hanyou company. Giles went to have a conversation with Jaken, who he had to admit, had a plethora of knowledge about youkai and other eastern demons the likes of which the Watcher was never likely to find again. Wood and Faith retreated to the back yard to talk, having made some inroads into conversing on a regular basis since the FE tried to convince Faith to kill herself in the form of the Mayor.
As for Buffy, Willow, and Dawn, they went to Buffy room to talk about Xander. Well, they did after Dawn blistered her sister's ears for five minutes about how useful the weapons Xander brought were, how they'd be stupid to discard any advantage, and how short sighted the senior Slayer seemed to be acting recently.
"...all right, fine. I'll admit that demons would know alot more about how to fight each other than I would, and I should be happy they're willing to share. Okay?", Buffy finally said, her voice frustrated and a little sad.
"That's all I wanted to hear, Sis. Besides, Shippo was way too cute to refuse training from. I had no choice but to learn...eeep.", Dawn replied, suddenly concerned with the interested looks of the faces of the other two girls in the room.
"Shippo, eh? And who is this Shippo?", Buffy asked, her voice far too teasing for Dawn's taste.
"Uh, nobody. Now, weren't we supposed to be discussing Xander, here?", Dawn answered nervously.
"All in due time Dawnie. Now, does this Shippo have adorable ears you want to bother like Xander does?", Willow asked, her voice perky enough that one would think she had downed several mochaccinnos.
"NO! He's not a dog demon. He's a fox!", Dawn protested hotly, before blushing at how that sounded.
"Ooooh. /Now/ I'm really interested. Tell us more." Buffy teased.
"NO! I meant that literally, he's a kitsune, a fox youkai. And he doesn't have dog ears, he just has this adorable plush tail, not that I looked or anything. And not that I think he's really handsome, or anything. Well, he is, but I sooo wasn't dwelling on it. Besides, this isn't the point of being here, so can we please drop it?" Dawn babbled nervously.
"Awww, baby sister has her first real demon crush. Wait until I tell Xander. He'll be so PROUD! Our little Dawnie's growing up so fast.", Buffy said, cupping her hands to her heart to further embarrass her little sister.
"Aaack! You can't tell him! He and Shippo are friends, 'cause they're alot alike in personality, and besides, Xander'd go into big brother mode and chop him into fox bits, and he doesn't deserve that.", Dawn cried in outrage.
"Well, I don't know...what's our silence worth to you?", Willow asked with a mischievous smirk.
And so, the taunting of the youngest Summers girl went on like that for quite a while before she could get around to explaining what she could of Xander's situation and history, as the females of the Scoobies bonded long into the night.
*****
END CHAPTER 13