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.
*****
Xander and Dawn had set up a makeshift firing range across three backyards in the currently all but totally vacant Sunnydale. They were currently training and testing all the potentials on the proper use of their weapons. It had been decided that the potentials would get instruction in weapons use before their power up transformation into full Slayers so that they would be that much more prepared when their vision and hand eye coordination were increased.
Buffy had proved conclusively that the power up did not necessarily translate into being a great shot with a pistol or an MP-5 in any case. Unlike the crossbow, firearms had to be handled with a level of calm technique that would be impossible for the blonde to maintain in combat. She was just too impatient and set in her ways. It was a unanimous decision, supported highly by Buffy herself, that she would rely on her archaic weapons and later, the scythe. Frankly, Xander couldn't understand how she was able to handle a rocket launcher, but was so...disturbing with a sub machine gun. He supposed it had to do with only needing to fire one shot, much like with a crossbow.
It was this fact that led Buffy to be sitting alone on the front porch of her home while the others continued to train. Even Willow, who would be providing primarily magic support, and therefore refused a gun, was busy researching and preparing her spell. The Slayer sighed in depressed boredom, her head constantly running through her mistakes over the last few...well...years, if she was being honest with herself. Current events had forced her to reevaluate her behavior, starting all the way back to when she had started college, and she found herself highly displeased with the results. It truly amazed her that her friends still even spoke to her, much less stood by her in all this.
"Well, don't you make a pretty picture sitting here feeling sorry for yourself." a caustic voice mocked to her right, from the front door of the house.
Buffy failed to hide her slight cringe as she responded to the voice. "Hi, Kagura. What brings you out here?"
The demoness chuckled behind her hand before she replied, "Oh, I just wanted to talk a little before we went to attack the First. Xander-sama thinks we'll be ready to attack by tomorrow. I felt we should...discuss some things before then."
Buffy contemplated the words of the red eyed beauty before she said, "Such as?"
"Oh, that idiot vampire you were bedding, the fact I will do all in my power to make certain we all come back alive, that everything Spike said about my opinion toward how you treated Xander are true." the wind sorceress listed airily in answer to the query.
Buffy's face went red at that, both from anger, and from shame. She knew the accusations, which she had got a proper recounting of from Angel, had a certain truth to them. That didn't mean she felt that Kagura had the right to call her on it.
"Spike is my problem, and I won't deny my screw up there, /Kag/." the Slayer spat venomously. "And I know I can trust you because if you hurt anyone, I know the rest of us would destroy you utterly, especially Xander. But as for the last part, that is wholly /NONE/ of your business."
Kagura gave Buffy a haughty look as she responded to that. "Oh, I think it /is/, little girl. You see, I've been watching over him in the shadows since he was placed here. I've watched him go from an adorable child that I could have only hoped to have one as sweet someday, to awkward but remarkable teen, to an amazing man that I have grown to care for. I've also gone from thinking you were the best thing to happen in his life, to restraining myself from reaching out and choking you through Lord Sesshomaru's scrying windows on more than one occasion over the last /several/ years. You went from a slightly flighty and selfish, but still basically nice girl, into a spoiled thickheaded, heartless brat." she chastised acidly.
Buffy had tears in her eyes that showed just how much those words stung even as she angrily replied, "I don't have to take this crap from some prissy demon with a Woody Allen complex toward one of my best friends. Where were /you/ in our lives when Xander needed you? Huh, miss high and mighty?"
Kagura's eyes narrowed dangerously, and the air began to whip around her as she answered, "I was /always/ near enough to help him if he needed me. Who do you think kept watch over him and protected him when he'd sleep outside, at /night/ on a _HELLMOUTH_ ever Christmas? Hmmm? Believe me Slayer, if he needed me, I would have been here. Don't mistake my letting him mature and grow into his own man, with your tearing him down, and forcibly /excluding/ him from his chosen path while you neglected him. I was forced and ordered to stay out of sight and not talk directly to him until Sesshomaru felt it safe. What was your excuse for ignoring him?"
Buffy was seeing a haze of red through her tears at that point. She had only one response to the emotional pain she was feeling at Kagura's hands. Violence. Her fist shot out toward the demoness as she let out an inarticulate bellow of rage, only to find herself tossed unceremoniously onto the front lawn, landing humiliatingly on her rear.
"I've had five centuries of life to learn to fight, Buffy Anne Summers. Many times it was against youkai that dwarfed my in size, speed, strength, or any combination of those. It would be stupid to thin I would only reply on my powers after all this time. I'm not Jaken, after all. I may not be the strongest youkai physically, but I'm not some ridiculous vampire that's going to let you lash out at me either." Kagura admonished severely.
Buffy reacted, by launching herself at the wind youkai again with a screech of anger, only to find herself on her butt once again after one move. Finally, after the fifth time she met with the front lawn, the now sobbing Buffy stayed down and screamed, "You think I don't know what I did? That I'm too stupid to see it? How I ostracized and took everyone for granted since I died the second time? Hell I've been bitchy to Xander in one way or another since he the start of Junior year! Are you happy now! I've been a rude, arrogant, selfish bitch, all right! Is that what you want me to say? Well, damn you, is it?!?"
"No, but now that you've got that out, you might be wee enough to survive tomorrow. Letting your mistakes eat you alive is useless to everyone, save the First. Besides, Dawn and Xander would be upset if you were to die. I don't want them upset." Kagura replied calmly.
Buffy stared incredulously at her as she said, "You mean this was all some pre-battle therapy? You embarrassed me, kicked my ass, and tore into the deepest fears and sorrows in my soul for that?"
"No. Everything I said is true, from where I stand. But the fact you realize it means you're strong enough to work on your mistakes and flaws, like the rest of us do. You just needed a kick in your ass to start the process. And like I said, You're sister and Xander-sama would want you to live. Not exist. Live. So do it, or I won't be as merciful next time." Kagura commanded regally, before turning and heading back into the house.
Buffy looked on in shocked confusion, an expression mirrored by the faces of the rest of the Scoobies and potentials, all of whom were attracted by the shouts, and saw the tail end if the argument.
After a few tense moments, it was Dawn who summed up the feelings of the group best. She walked up to her sister, pulled her up, and hugged her reassuringly. Ad she let go, she stepped back and said, "We're here for you Buffy, but she's right. You've finally gotten your head half way out of your ass. Now pull it out the rest of the way."
To that, Buffy could only let out a sound that was part laugh, and part sob, as she nodded, and hugged her little sister again.
Xander, who was watching from the furthest back, smiled briefly, before going in the house after Kagura.
*****
He found her in the kitchen, making herself a cup of Makai tea. Before he could say a word, though, she held up her had and said, "I know I overstepped my bounds and pushed things, Xander. But she was sitting there whimpering like a frightened child. She needed a wake up call, or she would have gotten herself killed, and possibly the rest of us with her. Still, I'll understand if you want me to leave." As she finished speaking she looked down at the counter she was standing at submissively, awaiting his decision.
Xander just stood there, arms crossed, with a stern look on his face. Finally, he stalked purposely up to Kagura and looked her over intensely, as if inspecting a condemned criminal before sending him off to the gallows. Finally, he spoke. "Kagura..." he said, his voice a tense whisper that made the wind youkai shiver. That shiver evolved into a huge, surprised grin as he kissed her gently on the top of the head, and wrapped his arms around her in a hug from behind. "Thank you. She needed to hear it, and I think she was feeling too much self pity and guilt for any of us to say it and not destroy her right now."
"Hai, Xander-sama." she replied, before sighing contentedly, and leaning into his embrace, a gentle smile many would think her incapable of adorning her lips.
"But, Kagura?" the hanyou asked from the embrace after a moment to revel in the contentment.
"Yes, Xander?" she responded.
"Next Buffy needs to be yelled at, just mock her need for violence instead of totally removing her dignity. It would probably work alot better. I speak from experience there. And besides, I think fighting makes her a little hot. Unless you're into that. Which is cool...if I can watch." the White Knight suggested with an exaggerated leer in his voice.
Kagura seemed to contemplate that for several moments, before she grinned wickedly, and turned in his embrace, reaching her arms around his neck to kiss him soundly on the lips. "Actually, I have a much more interesting partner in mind. If he'll have me. And you'll be doing much more than watching." she replied impishly.
"I was kind of hoping you'd say that. And not just because Buffy would find a way to kill me if you approached her for a threesome..." he joked before being interrupted.
"Xander-sama? Please shut up and kiss me?" she ordered.
"Ummm...ok." he replied with a grin.
From the door to the living room, Faith, Dawn and Kennedy were collecting money from Giles, Buffy, and Willow respectively. Well, Kennedy was getting a promise for something other than money, but the others were paying up in cash.
"I told you, G. It was a sucker bet. Pre-fight tension, a strong will, and a need to snap him up before the kiddies all get mystical and bold? Or decide they don't want to risk dyin' with their cherries? No way they'd wait until after the battle." Faith said with a grin.
"Besides, she's one woman who can keep up with him. Why should they risk waiting?" Dawn asked, rhetorically as she snapped her shiny new fifty dollar bill.
"From comforting sister to annoying extortionist in five seconds flat, that's got to be re record for you, Dawn." Buffy groused, still a little upset, but not nearly as morose.
"What can I say? I learned at the...paws...of the master." Dawn replied with a grin as she watched the kissing couple continue undaunted.
*****
END CHAPTER 17