The Discussion

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Library

"What happened to my hair?!" Xander yelled at the group. Then he noticed his eyes were a deep jade green. "Why the hell are my eyes green?! Is this permanent?"

"Yes, it is Xander. That what happens to every member of the blood line of Ryu." Giles answered cleaning his glasses.

"Bloodline of who?" Xander asked, confused.

"Ryu. One of the most renown of the Brood," Giles said, slipping into lecture mode. "defeated the Goddess Myria and her minions with the help of five comrades and..."

"What are Brood?" Willow interrupted looking first at Giles then Xander.

"The Brood were Dragons," Giles answered before adding, "or to be more precise, they were humans with the ability to transform into dragons with the aid of dragon genes. They had powers of strength, speed... "

Xander noticed that Buffy seemed a little mad that he had her beat in the power and agility department.

Giles cleared his throat. "If I could please be allowed to finish. The Brood were also incredibly intelligence, were talented magic users and had powerful magical defense..."

Willow's eyes widened at hearing that. She looked at Xander with something akin to competition in her eyes, thinking her position as spell caster of the group was in jeopardy.

"...and were somewhat invincible. They were said to have the power to destroy the world if they chose to. Xander, it appears, is one of them." Giles finished, unaware of Buffy's and Willow's thoughts.

The group was silent as they contemplated this. Buffy was looking at Xander with the same look usually reserved for something she was about to slay, while Willow was going through all the ways to improve her magic. Both were wondering how Xander, their 'helpless' best friend, could possibly have the power to rule the world.

Oz ended the silence by saying, "Cool."

"Yeah very cool," Xander said sarcastically, "I get new hair and eyes all in one day. And learn that I can destroy the world if I'm not careful. Woohoo."

"Not... to mention an... incredible power that... the Council will need... to hear about." Wesley wheezed as he crawled out of the office.

"Ignore him. What happened last night that caused you to transform into a Trygon. To achieve that would require you to have the three elemental genes already?"

"Yeah and almost kill Angel." Buffy added.

"Last night?" Xander asked as he thought, trying to ignore Buffy's words.. "I was walking down Main when I saw Angel and Faith. I told them Buffy was looking for them but Angel decided to slug me without holding back..."

"He was only acting, Xander." Buffy said calmly. "It was just and act."

"Yes, I feel so much better knowing that he broke my face in a good way. It's a good bruise." Xander said sarcastically before continuing. "Any ways, I was out cold, when I saw them. Five... was it genes G-man?"

Giles nodded while gritting his teeth at the nickname.

"Anyway, There was one with a sword, one with a shield, and the three elements that began glowing and made me go berserk had fire, ice and lightning in them."

Giles held up his hand, indicating that Xander should stop. He then stood and moved towards his office. He came out a minute later carrying a thick leather bound book under his arm.

"This," Giles said to the group holding up the book, "is the 'Legacy of the Brood'. It was written by a Guardian, a killer of the Brood, by the name Garr."

"Wait. There are things that are going to try to kill me now," Xander asked with a sick expression on his face.

"Things are always trying to kill you, geek-boy." Cordelia said.

"Yeah, but this is worse." Xander shot back.

"If you would please listen, Xander, you might learn something." Giles said as he continued. " The Guardians were manipulated to think that Dragons, or Brood, were evil by the Goddess Myria. In fact the Brood were a peaceful species who did not fight back against the Guardians and suffered death because of it.

"This book describes every dragon form that has ever been seen and a list of the genes use by the dragons. The genes that you have described, Xander, are the Force, Defender, Flame, Frost, and Thunder genes. Each contributes it's own powers and attributes to the splicing and helps to create a unique dragon, but each allows you the ability to restore your original form. However, the most you can splice are three, anymore could result in your death."

Xander paled. "That should have been the first thing you told me G-man!" he shouted.

"Yes, quite right," Giles gave a small laugh of embarrassment. He shook it off and slipped back into lecture mode once again. "Anyway your Force gene grants the user a powerful form called a Warrior Dragon. The Warrior family of splicing begin here because by adding an elemental gene will give the Warrior elemental powers. Adding your Defender gene will add defensive powers.

The powers of a Warrior Dragon are: Gambit, which causes critical damage if enemy is hit; Aura, a holy attack that can damage one enemy and uses twice your normal power; and finally there's Focus, which doubles your power levels.

"Your Defender gene grants a defensive form. Any elemental gene may be spliced with it to create a normal "Dragon" form that reflects that element. Its abilities are as follows: Whelp Breath, a breath attack that all whelps are capable of; Blind, which is an attack that can induce blindness for a period of time; and Counter, which is an auto counter-attack when an enemy successfully attack the user.

"Your Flame gene grants flame properties and adds fire attack to the splicing. Its abilities, not counting Whelp Breath and Blind which are consistent in all whelp forms, are: Flame Breath, which is a fire breath attack; and Flame Claw, which is a slash attack using a burning set of claws.

"Your Frost gene grants frost properties and adds ice attack to the splicing. Its abilities are the same as the Flame's except that it uses Frost Breath and Frost Claw."

"Finally, your Thunder gene grants electric properties ands adds lightening attack to the splicing. It's abilities are the same as Flame's and Frost's except it uses Thundr Breath and Thunder Claw."

The group looked like they were ready to fall asleep in their chairs, all except Willow and surprisingly Xander.

"Well, that's the longest I've managed to stay awake during one of G-man's lectures." Xander said wide-eyed.

Wesley, who up till now had been leaning against the wall catching his breath and trying to get the pain in his groin to go away, managed to speak. "Mr. Harris, if you would please give us a demonstration of you abilities. So that we may have a fair judge of you abilities."

Xander looked to Giles who nodded his approval. "Okay. Just one thing."

"What is it?" Giles asked.

"How do I...uh transform?" Xander asked sheepishly. He could hear Buffy snort and Willow suppressing a giggle.

"Oh! Of course." Giles said as he returned to the book. "It says here that the Brood needs only to choose the genes they want to use and say 'Accession' to transform."

"But I didn't do that before." Xander said, confused.

"Well that was most likely a reflexive action due to you believing that Angelus had returned." Giles provided. "Your mind must have triggered a random gene combination and transformed you into a berserk Trygon."

"Uh, okay." Xander said and then closed his eyes. He saw the genes all neatly lined up in a row, waiting to be activated. 'Flame and Defender.' Xander calmly thought. His eyes snapped open and he shouted. "Accession!"

With a battle cry purple lightning struck his still form and he was enveloped once again in a sphere of black energy. As the Scoobies watched, the sphere slowly receded to reveal a red colored, seven foot tall, flame dragon with purple horns on its head and green fins running down it's back. The plain white claws on its paws and feet were sharp and glistened in the light from the lamps. Its eyes were a deep green, the same as Xander's new ones. In them the group could see human intelligence and knew Xander was in full control.

"Now Xander if you would please transform back." Giles asked, before realizing Xander may not know how. "Just think 'Restore Form'."

Slowly, the Dragon glowed a bright white before transforming into Xander.

"Shit! Do you know how much that hurts?" Xander said rubbing the sides of his arms.

"Yes, well that will be all, Xander." Giles said before he was interrupted by Wesley.

"No it will not. Mr. Harris, you will come here at exactly 6.00 AM to begin training in your powers. Mr. Giles and I will assist in your training."

Xander's eyes widened. "But tomorrow's Saturday! And I can't go home like this. My parents, if they even notice, will freak out!"

"We'll come up with something on the way home." Willow said, her tone stating it was strained.

"Oh! I got the perfect story." Cordelia said with an evil grin.

Xander slapped his forehead. 'This is going to be a long weekend.'

TO BE CONTINUED!

R&R soon.