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.
*****
The next morning brought a plethora of suppressed emotions to the surface in the house. News of Spike's betrayal had come around five in the morning, when Angel had come in to discover Buffy weeping in the basement, expecting to only fine Spike, and endure waiting out the day with him. To say the eldest vampire among those called the Scourge of Europe was upset was to say the surface of the sun was slightly warm. It was only the approaching Dawn that kept him from tearing out of the house to rip apart Sunnydale until he had discovered Spike and eviscerated him.
The reactions of the others were not much better. Giles, Faith and Wood all looked on coldly furious as Dawn and Willow surrounded the still silently crying Buffy on the couch. The blonde Slayer herself was spending her time looking at the floor in shame, occasionally whispering that she was sorry for trusting the bleached idiot, after she had recounted what had happened. The Sit'S were showing varying degrees of fear, anger, and worry at events. Kagura and Jaken both seemed relatively neutral to everything, but it was obvious there were warily eyeing the last Scooby.
One would expect Xander, an emotive person by nature, to be seething and railing, looking to run through the streets in a fury, using the Kaze no Kizu to level entire city blocks until he had found the vampire. Instead, he had gone totally cold. His eyes and face were eerily reminiscent of Sesshomaru, as he stood still in the room. To the others it was like watching a nuclear bomb drop in the middle of the room and waiting for it to detonate. "Buffy. It wasn't your fault. The son of a bitch made his choice. He played us. He'll get his in return. For now, we need to concentrate on the First." the White Knight said, his voice emotionless.
"Xander I...god, how can you be so calm?" the Slayer asked piteously.
"Calm? I'm so furious, I'd probably snap without the Tetsusaiga right now. I want to call Riley to get him to drop a nuke on the accursed town just to fry the bastard. That doesn't change the fact that the FE is the main priority. We need to plan for it. I need to stay calm, no matter how much I don't want to." he answered in a dead tone.
Angel's voice had grown equally cold as he added, "And the fact that Spike is working for the First, and will be there when we go after it makes it easier to concentrate."
"Exactly." the hanyou replied with a nod. "So, other than properly arming ourselves against the first's foot attacks, what do we have so far?" he then asked the room.
"The key to the region seems to be the Hellmouth seal. That's where the First is getting its Turok-hahn for this theater. He likely has them stockpiled there as shock troops." Jaken said from where he sat on what the house now called 'Jaken's story chair'.
"So we can take out the Firsts army there, and end this?" Buffy asked as she began to compose herself.
"Perhaps. But we'd need time to prepare, and a good plan." Giles commented with a thoughtful nod.
"It wouldn't be the whole army anyway, Giles. Just an advance force, at best. Remember, my dad is fighting armies that include uber vamps, too. The first has more than one way to access them." Xander replied.
"Indeed." Giles answered in deep thought.
"I might have an idea, if Willow can run with it. It came to me last night after Spike took off..." Buffy said, raising her hand tentatively.
*****
Spike paced back and for angrily inside the new warehouse the First had insisted they relocate to. He was seething at Buffy's rejection and, in his twisted perception, betrayal. It didn't help that the FE was scolding like a five year old wearing Buffy's face.
"How could you be so careless? For love of all that's unholy, William, she has a heartbeat and a scent. You're a vampire. You should have smelled her coming, even with the smoke! And if you couldn't, you should have kept your mouth shut! You're just luck we managed to still plant the idea in her mind." the FE raged.
"Now wait just a damned minute! This isn't my fault! How the bloody 'ell was I supposed to know she'd trust Droopy like that? She's ignored the sod for as long as I've known them!" he yelled back angrily.
"She's always trusted him, she was just afraid for him you idiot! And what was that about him siding with someone who would attack her sister? Even she wouldn't fall for that?" the FE screeched.
"I was playin' her emotions! She's got blinders for Dawn, and I never said the damned delivery boy was plottin against her, just that that demon bitch couldn't be trusted! I was trying to make her sent the fan girl off and make 'em all upset with each other! It's worked before!" he shouted back.
"And you never thought to check how she got along with Dawn first before telling your tall tales?" the First asked in a deadpan, crossing her arms. "Much less that the hanyou would let anyone near the child that would willingly hurt her that /he/ brought here? You went too far without any facts to back it up, Spike. Fortunately I doubt it will cost us anything." it added evenly.
"Alright then. So, when do I get the power up to make me a match for Angelus and the dog faced boy?" he sniffed huffily, still upset at being scolded.
"Right now." FE Buffy said with an evil smile, as she literally leapt into the vampire's body, causing him to scream out in pain until he fell to the floor in agony.
*****
The room looked at Buffy silently as they digested her suggestion.
"It's a unique idea." Wood commented evenly
"It's insane." Dawn said.
"But it could work." Willow added thoughtfully.
"I'm inclined to agree with Dawn on this, Buffy. It sounds..." Giles interjected before trailing off unsure how describe what he felt about her plan.
"That's the beauty of it Giles. I mean, who said it has to be only one slayer? A bunch of old men that wanted to control her? This way we have an army to attack full force." she replied with look of determination.
"I kind of agree with both sides here." Xander said, drawing the attention of the room. "Having a few dozen slayers here on the Hellmouth is of the good, assuming the girls agree to it. But activating all the potentials worldwide...it sounds too good to be true." he said.
"But Xander, if we do this we would..." Willow cut in getting excited at the prospect of such a noble endeavor.
"Be taking away their choices. I was always grateful to Dad and the others that they let me /choose/ whether or not I wanted to awaken my demon powers, even though it was like letting me sentence myself to a quick death by human lifespan in their eyes. This...we'd be taking away their lives, and forcing a destiny on them. Not to mention the logistical problems with it. I mean, do we have any idea how many unclaimed SiT's there are? Could we rally the resources to find and train them one they all became slayers? Sure, with my Dad's help and what's left of the Council we might pull it off, but it's iffy." he said.
"Xander, this could be the blow to end the war!" Buffy replied hotly.
He looked at Buffy sadly and asked, "And what about the one's that have bad lives? Without any guidance they'll make Faith's trip to the darkside look tame. No offense Faith."
"Hey, it happened, Boytoy. I'm here trying to make up for it." the Dark Slayer replied with a shrug.
Xander nodded in thanks before continuing. "Or, what about the young potentials? Will this spell affect them? How do we explain to a little girl that hugged mommy as tight as she could around the neck to show how much she loves her why mommy's head popped off? Or the grade school tomboy who gets into a fight and suddenly breaks some boy in half without meaning to? It's just too much for us to be ready to deal with, Buff. I'm not saying it's a total wash as an idea. I'm just saying it needs a little revision. Maybe we can revise a spell to only activate the potentials here on a volunteer basis? That way we can split the difference." he suggested.
Buffy had gone from pale, to green as Xander laid out potential long term flaws to her idea. "Ok, point taken. Excuse me while I go think about what I just tried to do and throw up." she said weakly.
Giles looked on with sympathy as he said, "It wasn't a bad idea itself, Buffy. It just needed to be scaled back. That's probably why the Powers waited until child bearing age, what was considered adulthood until a century ago, to activate the Slayer essence in the first Slayer. TO avoid problems like Xander described." The watcher voice took on a defensive and irritated tone as he added, "And for the record, the bunch of old men, who I'll assume you referring to the Watchers, did not exist at the time of the first Slayer, much less create her. That was a force well beyond and before the Council."
"Sorry Giles." Buffy added sheepishly.
"Ok, so we're agreed then? We try to activate the girls here only on a volunteer basis, then launch a preemptive strike on the FE's advanced force at the Hellmouth?" Xander asked the room, and getting nods from all assembled. "Then all that remains is to plan the actual assault. Turok- hahn are extremely flammable and stupid, so I was thinking of a spearhead starting with me using the Tetsusaiga's Kaze no Kizu attack, coupled with some SM and napalm satchel charge cover, while those that test best with the MP-5s take out any bringers..."
*****
Meanwhile, the First, who had been watching the proceedings without the Scoobies knowing was raging to itself in a near tantrum.
"DAMN THAT HANYOU TO THE LOWEST PITS OF HELL!!! He's managed to screw up all my plans in a matter of /days/! I swear I'll have that filthy meddling pup's head on a pike when this is all over with!" the FE cried in frustration.
"Easy there, pet. I'll take care of Droopy for you. He's messed with us for the last time, I promise you", Spike said from behind her.
As the First, who still wore Buffy's form, turned to him she smiled cruelly. "I know we will. Do you like the second half of your present?" she asked impishly.
"I love it." Spike answered as his looked over the broadsword with the ebony colored blade he held in his hands. The whites of his eyes had gone a dark, blood red from his empowerment from the First, and he seemed to exude a level of power and menace that would send most demons, including the half dozen Turok-hahn around him, scurrying back in terror. "Be sure to thank that Naraku bloke for it. I'll enjoy gutting the little doggy and bint with /this/." he added as tiny arcs of red lightning danced across the blade.
"I know you will." FEBuffy replied wit a knowing grin.
*****
END CHAPTER 16
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.
*****
The next morning brought a plethora of suppressed emotions to the surface in the house. News of Spike's betrayal had come around five in the morning, when Angel had come in to discover Buffy weeping in the basement, expecting to only fine Spike, and endure waiting out the day with him. To say the eldest vampire among those called the Scourge of Europe was upset was to say the surface of the sun was slightly warm. It was only the approaching Dawn that kept him from tearing out of the house to rip apart Sunnydale until he had discovered Spike and eviscerated him.
The reactions of the others were not much better. Giles, Faith and Wood all looked on coldly furious as Dawn and Willow surrounded the still silently crying Buffy on the couch. The blonde Slayer herself was spending her time looking at the floor in shame, occasionally whispering that she was sorry for trusting the bleached idiot, after she had recounted what had happened. The Sit'S were showing varying degrees of fear, anger, and worry at events. Kagura and Jaken both seemed relatively neutral to everything, but it was obvious there were warily eyeing the last Scooby.
One would expect Xander, an emotive person by nature, to be seething and railing, looking to run through the streets in a fury, using the Kaze no Kizu to level entire city blocks until he had found the vampire. Instead, he had gone totally cold. His eyes and face were eerily reminiscent of Sesshomaru, as he stood still in the room. To the others it was like watching a nuclear bomb drop in the middle of the room and waiting for it to detonate. "Buffy. It wasn't your fault. The son of a bitch made his choice. He played us. He'll get his in return. For now, we need to concentrate on the First." the White Knight said, his voice emotionless.
"Xander I...god, how can you be so calm?" the Slayer asked piteously.
"Calm? I'm so furious, I'd probably snap without the Tetsusaiga right now. I want to call Riley to get him to drop a nuke on the accursed town just to fry the bastard. That doesn't change the fact that the FE is the main priority. We need to plan for it. I need to stay calm, no matter how much I don't want to." he answered in a dead tone.
Angel's voice had grown equally cold as he added, "And the fact that Spike is working for the First, and will be there when we go after it makes it easier to concentrate."
"Exactly." the hanyou replied with a nod. "So, other than properly arming ourselves against the first's foot attacks, what do we have so far?" he then asked the room.
"The key to the region seems to be the Hellmouth seal. That's where the First is getting its Turok-hahn for this theater. He likely has them stockpiled there as shock troops." Jaken said from where he sat on what the house now called 'Jaken's story chair'.
"So we can take out the Firsts army there, and end this?" Buffy asked as she began to compose herself.
"Perhaps. But we'd need time to prepare, and a good plan." Giles commented with a thoughtful nod.
"It wouldn't be the whole army anyway, Giles. Just an advance force, at best. Remember, my dad is fighting armies that include uber vamps, too. The first has more than one way to access them." Xander replied.
"Indeed." Giles answered in deep thought.
"I might have an idea, if Willow can run with it. It came to me last night after Spike took off..." Buffy said, raising her hand tentatively.
*****
Spike paced back and for angrily inside the new warehouse the First had insisted they relocate to. He was seething at Buffy's rejection and, in his twisted perception, betrayal. It didn't help that the FE was scolding like a five year old wearing Buffy's face.
"How could you be so careless? For love of all that's unholy, William, she has a heartbeat and a scent. You're a vampire. You should have smelled her coming, even with the smoke! And if you couldn't, you should have kept your mouth shut! You're just luck we managed to still plant the idea in her mind." the FE raged.
"Now wait just a damned minute! This isn't my fault! How the bloody 'ell was I supposed to know she'd trust Droopy like that? She's ignored the sod for as long as I've known them!" he yelled back angrily.
"She's always trusted him, she was just afraid for him you idiot! And what was that about him siding with someone who would attack her sister? Even she wouldn't fall for that?" the FE screeched.
"I was playin' her emotions! She's got blinders for Dawn, and I never said the damned delivery boy was plottin against her, just that that demon bitch couldn't be trusted! I was trying to make her sent the fan girl off and make 'em all upset with each other! It's worked before!" he shouted back.
"And you never thought to check how she got along with Dawn first before telling your tall tales?" the First asked in a deadpan, crossing her arms. "Much less that the hanyou would let anyone near the child that would willingly hurt her that /he/ brought here? You went too far without any facts to back it up, Spike. Fortunately I doubt it will cost us anything." it added evenly.
"Alright then. So, when do I get the power up to make me a match for Angelus and the dog faced boy?" he sniffed huffily, still upset at being scolded.
"Right now." FE Buffy said with an evil smile, as she literally leapt into the vampire's body, causing him to scream out in pain until he fell to the floor in agony.
*****
The room looked at Buffy silently as they digested her suggestion.
"It's a unique idea." Wood commented evenly
"It's insane." Dawn said.
"But it could work." Willow added thoughtfully.
"I'm inclined to agree with Dawn on this, Buffy. It sounds..." Giles interjected before trailing off unsure how describe what he felt about her plan.
"That's the beauty of it Giles. I mean, who said it has to be only one slayer? A bunch of old men that wanted to control her? This way we have an army to attack full force." she replied with look of determination.
"I kind of agree with both sides here." Xander said, drawing the attention of the room. "Having a few dozen slayers here on the Hellmouth is of the good, assuming the girls agree to it. But activating all the potentials worldwide...it sounds too good to be true." he said.
"But Xander, if we do this we would..." Willow cut in getting excited at the prospect of such a noble endeavor.
"Be taking away their choices. I was always grateful to Dad and the others that they let me /choose/ whether or not I wanted to awaken my demon powers, even though it was like letting me sentence myself to a quick death by human lifespan in their eyes. This...we'd be taking away their lives, and forcing a destiny on them. Not to mention the logistical problems with it. I mean, do we have any idea how many unclaimed SiT's there are? Could we rally the resources to find and train them one they all became slayers? Sure, with my Dad's help and what's left of the Council we might pull it off, but it's iffy." he said.
"Xander, this could be the blow to end the war!" Buffy replied hotly.
He looked at Buffy sadly and asked, "And what about the one's that have bad lives? Without any guidance they'll make Faith's trip to the darkside look tame. No offense Faith."
"Hey, it happened, Boytoy. I'm here trying to make up for it." the Dark Slayer replied with a shrug.
Xander nodded in thanks before continuing. "Or, what about the young potentials? Will this spell affect them? How do we explain to a little girl that hugged mommy as tight as she could around the neck to show how much she loves her why mommy's head popped off? Or the grade school tomboy who gets into a fight and suddenly breaks some boy in half without meaning to? It's just too much for us to be ready to deal with, Buff. I'm not saying it's a total wash as an idea. I'm just saying it needs a little revision. Maybe we can revise a spell to only activate the potentials here on a volunteer basis? That way we can split the difference." he suggested.
Buffy had gone from pale, to green as Xander laid out potential long term flaws to her idea. "Ok, point taken. Excuse me while I go think about what I just tried to do and throw up." she said weakly.
Giles looked on with sympathy as he said, "It wasn't a bad idea itself, Buffy. It just needed to be scaled back. That's probably why the Powers waited until child bearing age, what was considered adulthood until a century ago, to activate the Slayer essence in the first Slayer. TO avoid problems like Xander described." The watcher voice took on a defensive and irritated tone as he added, "And for the record, the bunch of old men, who I'll assume you referring to the Watchers, did not exist at the time of the first Slayer, much less create her. That was a force well beyond and before the Council."
"Sorry Giles." Buffy added sheepishly.
"Ok, so we're agreed then? We try to activate the girls here only on a volunteer basis, then launch a preemptive strike on the FE's advanced force at the Hellmouth?" Xander asked the room, and getting nods from all assembled. "Then all that remains is to plan the actual assault. Turok- hahn are extremely flammable and stupid, so I was thinking of a spearhead starting with me using the Tetsusaiga's Kaze no Kizu attack, coupled with some SM and napalm satchel charge cover, while those that test best with the MP-5s take out any bringers..."
*****
Meanwhile, the First, who had been watching the proceedings without the Scoobies knowing was raging to itself in a near tantrum.
"DAMN THAT HANYOU TO THE LOWEST PITS OF HELL!!! He's managed to screw up all my plans in a matter of /days/! I swear I'll have that filthy meddling pup's head on a pike when this is all over with!" the FE cried in frustration.
"Easy there, pet. I'll take care of Droopy for you. He's messed with us for the last time, I promise you", Spike said from behind her.
As the First, who still wore Buffy's form, turned to him she smiled cruelly. "I know we will. Do you like the second half of your present?" she asked impishly.
"I love it." Spike answered as his looked over the broadsword with the ebony colored blade he held in his hands. The whites of his eyes had gone a dark, blood red from his empowerment from the First, and he seemed to exude a level of power and menace that would send most demons, including the half dozen Turok-hahn around him, scurrying back in terror. "Be sure to thank that Naraku bloke for it. I'll enjoy gutting the little doggy and bint with /this/." he added as tiny arcs of red lightning danced across the blade.
"I know you will." FEBuffy replied wit a knowing grin.
*****
END CHAPTER 16