The Mind Reader – Part 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Daylight. In Faith's new apartment.

"Well, you win some, you lose some." The Mayor answered cheerfully to a depressed looking Faith. "From where I'm sitting, it's batting average that counts. So you lost some friends."

Faith grunted in disagreement, "I wouldn't exactly call them friends."

The Mayor grinned warmly. "Well, what are you worried about? Chin up! You don't see me looking disappointed. Heck, no. You know why? Because I know you'll always have me, Faith. I'm the best, the most important friend you'll ever have."

Faith smiled slightly, but then something came to her mind that brought her frown back. "Hey boss, did you send me some back-up last night? Because I might have killed it."

The Mayor looked confused before shaking his head. "What kind of back-up are you talking about, Faith?"

"Dragon." She answered

"A dragon! Well now little lady, you must have been mistaken, dragons have been dead for centuries."

"Well last night's is now." Faith answered.

The smiled before continuing in a fatherly tone. "Back to these Scoobies of Buffy. You know, once the Ascenscion starts, the 'in' crowd you're so concerned about? Whoo! They'll be lucky if there's enough left of them to fill a pothole. Promise." The Mayor said trying to make her smile. Seeing her frown was still firmly in place, he added, "Still unhappy? Okey doke. I've got two words that are going to make all the pain go away. Miniature golf."

Faith shakes her head and breaks into a big smile.

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Playground – Sunday Night – 2 days after first chapter

Xander ran looking over his shoulder to try to glimpse his pursuers, his blue hair obscuring his vision for a split second. He had been patrolling every night since Saturday. Now here he was, patrolling alone because Buffy and Willow felt he was too dangerous to hand out with anymore. As he was thinking this, he missed the root sticking out of the ground in front of him and fell to the floor.

'That hurt.' He said to himself.

Looking up, he saw his pursuers. Two demons with horn ridges on their heads, stumpy tails and no mouths with pale white skin, approached him, intent on doing some damage.

"Well, here goes nothing." Xander said to himself as he closed his eyes. He pictured the 'genes' as Giles had dubbed them and selected the gene with the sword in it. 'Force gene,' popped into his mind, like it had with the others as he had concentrated on them.

"Accession!"

Xander felt the familiar pain, but didn't fall to the ground as before. He looked up as the purple lightning struck him full force before creating the black sphere of energy. The demons stopped in their tracks to watch in fascination as they felt an ancient power be released.

Xander felt as his hands elongated and grew small claws. His face stayed the same and his green eyes were given more of a reptilian look. He felt and watched his skin change to a red color and stared ahead in time to watch his blue hair turn orange. He watched as his shirt disappeared to leave an athletic build behind and his pants changed to green gi pants. His shoes disappeared to reveal his reptilian feet with each toe sporting a claw, and a sixth toe extending from the back of each heel. Finally he felt two huge, purple, leathery wings rip from his shoulder blades and his tailbone extend to create his four-foot long tail.

Finally the energy sphere vanished to reveal Xander in his Warrior Dragon form. He opened his mouth to reveal his sharp teeth. "Now let's see who runs." He told the demons.

The first ran at him in hopes of overpowering him but Xander simply kicked it in the back of the knee and the spun in the air and tail whipped its head to the side. Knocking it to the floor.

"You demons can't resist a 'run and stumble', can you?" He asked while smiling, which looked frightening in his current form. Xander decided to try one of this dragon form's abilities. The list of attacks seemed to jump in his head. Finally he smiled and tried the first one he 'saw'.

"Gambit!" He shouted and a red energy surrounded his fist as he threw it towards the demon's head, his eyes closed.

Xander felt his fist shudder under the impact. He opened his eyes to find his fist buried in the ground. "Ah! Come on!" He complained, before his intended victim slashed at him with his claws, leaving a row of claw marks on his chest. Xander roared in pain as he ripped his fist out of the ground and slammed in into the demons chest, sending it flying into the swing-set nearby.

As the demon attempts to stand, its brother decided to test its luck. It jumped on Xander's back, crushing his wings between them, and wrapped its arms around Xander's neck. Xander growled loudly as he grabbed it's arms and flipped it to the ground in front of him. He calmly kicked it into the air where it landed painfully on a picnic table. "Bye now." Xander spat out as he jammed his clawed left hand into its heart, killing it instantly.

He turns from the corpse and watches as the first demon bolted from the park. Xander was about to give chase when he suddenly felt the energy fueling him finally run out. He glowed a bright white before reverting back to normal Xander Harris. "One down, one gone..."

He breathes deeply, watching the demon escape, he never notices the silvery blotch of liquid that is quickly absorbed by his left hand.

Xander ignores the fleeing demon and turns to the dead one. "Hmm, now what to do with you?"

As he approached the corpse he felt a warmth seem to come from within him and the genes he could see in his mind began getting brighter with each step towards the demon's body. He was right in front of it when he felt the pull and his genes glowed brightly.

Looking at the demon's wound, Xander saw a purple crystal with a metallic sphere within it. He slowly reached out with his hand and touched it. He felt warmth wash over him and thousands of voices speaking on word.

"Eldritch."

"Eldritch."

"Eldritch."

"Eldritch."

Xander watched as the crystal seemed to be meld into his hands and finally vanish into his skin. Closing his eyes he visualized his genes and smiled when he saw a new one. This one was violet colored, square gem with a spiral staff-tip within. He could feel healing power and wisdom come from that one just as he felt power and agility come from the force gene.

"Giles should get a kick out of this." Xander chuckled before walking to the exit.

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Library - Next Morning.

The group of three in the library consisted of Xander, Giles and Oz. Buffy and Willow had not arrived yet. Oz was one of the few in the group, besides Giles, who treated Xander no different than before. They're friendship was back and the 'fluke' was forgotten.

"So the demon got away, is this correct?" Giles asked Xander intently. He had asked for Xander and Buffy to patrol separately due to the way Buffy seemed to be trying to avoid Xander since they discovered he was Brood.

"Scabby demon #1 got away... scabby demon #2 is now lying six feet under with a hole in its chest." Xander replied with a hint of amusement. "By the way, they weren't big on the whole roar."

Giles cleaned his glasses before saying, "That would be because they had no mouths, Xander."

"Well, no mouths mean no teeth." Oz said, using a surprisingly long sentence.

"Unless they have them somewhere else..." Xander said and immediately wished he hadn't as images of where the teeth might be. Xander shoo his head before he said, " Hey G-man, can you tell me what a demon would be doing with a dragon gene."

Giles seemed to stop in place, "Excuse me? What did you say?"

Before Xander could answer, Buffy and Willow entered the library, laughing and talking. Their talking seemed to die down when they noticed Xander.

Giles turned his attention to the girls. "Morning girls. Oz and myself have been researching the mayor's forthcoming ascension. And Xander was telling us of his patrol last night."

"It's pretty riveting stuff." Oz said monotonously

"Whatta we know?" Buffy asked, completely ignoring what Giles said about Xander.

"What *don't* they know." Xander said with a small grin. "Tell her Giles."

Giles sighed. "Based on the supposed date, graduation day, and the Mayor being impervious to harm, I've cross referenced..."

"He's a cross referencing fool." Xander joked.

Giles looked crossly at Xander before continuing. "*And* I've eliminated several possibilities. It's *not* the ritual flaying of the demon Azorath... nor, the, uh..." Giles paused, and then in a defeated voice he finished, "I don't know what's going to happen."

"That was kind of an anti-climax." Oz replied.

"We don't know anything? The whole Faith/Angel thing was for nothing?" Buffy asked with a hint of anger in her voice and a glare directed at Xander. She still was mad that he had almost burned her animated corpse of a boyfriend.

"No.. no, no... Um, if nothing else Angel's charade has brought Faith's treachery into the open and help us to discover Xander's unique gifts." Giles began.

If looks could kill, Xander could have been dead a thousand times over already, as Buffy gave him her death glare.

'She still thinks that I'm trying to out show her.' Xander thought with a sigh.

"...And this information about the ascension will prove useful...eventually... I just need to put... it...together." Giles finished. Hiss eyes traveled to the opening doors and Wesley made his way noisily up to them and sidled up to their table with a superior grin on his face.

"Terribly sorry, I was detained. *Official* council business." Wesley said, "Mr. Giles, you were speaking?"

"I was just filling Buffy in on my progress regarding the research of the ascension." Giles answered in an irritated tone.

"Oh... and what took up the *rest* of the minute?" Wesley asked smugly.

Xander's growl made Wesley wipe that smug look off his face.

Giles paused, looking satisfied before speaking. "Touché."

He continued in a voice that said he really didn't care. "Of course my work is unofficial. I am sure, however, with the resources of the council at your disposal, you will have something to add?"

"Well... " Wesley aid with the smug look coming back. "I am pleased to state, with certainty, that the demon Azorath will not in any way be..."

Everyone, except for Giles, left the library without looking back.

"...Involved in the...I'm sure we'll find out more soon." Wesley finished, looking blankly at the empty seats.

Giles smirked. "The demon Azorath?"

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Hallway

Hogan and Percy walked down the halls getting praises for their winning the basketball game last week.

"Hogan! Great game, man!" a passing student yelled.

"Thanks." Hogan said, soaking up the praise like a sponge.

Xander sighed as he left the library. He could already feel the eye's of the students on him, whispering about his hair and eyes. "What a great way to spend my last year in this hellhole. Look like an escaped clown."

"Hey Xander. Nice hair." Hogan said as he passed him, smiling sarcastically.

"Yeah thanks." Xander answered back.

The story Cordy told him was made was that she had dyed his hair to get back at for the fluke while he slept in the library and that the stuff she used was permanent. As for his eyes, she just told everyone he had used brown colored contacts and that that was his natural color.

"Life just can't get worse." Xander sighed as he remembered he had to go back to he library any way. Nervously he scratched his itching hand.

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The Library

Giles was in full research mode while Xander examined his hand under a magnifying glass.

Giles rubbed his glasses furiously and asked, "You TOUCHED one of the demons?"

'He's gonna wear those out soon." Xander thought before answering. "More like I touched it when my claw tore through its heart. Ever since then my hands been itching like crazy. But on the plus side I found the Eldritch gene."

Giles plops a huge musty book in front of Xander before realizing what he said. "The Eldritch gene?"

Xander nodded.

Giles reached for the book he had shown Xander the night they had discovered what he was.

"Ah here it is." Giles answered excitedly. " The Eldritch gene grants a magical form and gives the strongest elemental magic to any elemental gene it is spliced with. It's powers are as follows: Remedy which can cures all status changes, poison and the like; Restore can heal heavy wounds on a single victim; and Vitalize can heal medium wounds on numerous victims."

"Ahh, magical abilities, gotcha." Xander said with a smirk. He noticed that Giles was turning the pages of the book before finding what he was looking for.

"Is this the demon in question?" He asked, pointing to the book.

"Yup, that's him."

"Hmmm." Giles said.

"Why don't I like that 'hmmm'?" Xander asked.

"It says they can infect the host." Giles said worriedly.

"Infect? What do you mean infect?!" Xander asked, hysterically.

Giles ignored him and continued reading.

"G-Man!" Xander yelled.

"Hmm?" Giles asked.

"Can we get back top the whole infect part!" Xander yelled.

"Oh, um... In-infect the host with an aspect of the demon. That's all it says." Giles said, looking up at Xander.

"Aspect of the demon?" Xander asked. "What does that mean?"

"It is rather terse, isn't it." Giles asked.

"You don't mean that I'm going to be growing horns or something like that. Because I already do that during patrol." Xander said.

"Th-there could be any number of explanations for your hand... ah, a new fabric softener can cause irritation." Giles explained. "I-I-In any case, I would advise to not to attempt to track the one that got away. Lets minimize your exposure."

"A part of the demon...,": Xander thought. His eyes widened when he remembered the whole discusion on where its teeth were. "I hope it's not the teeth."

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Courtyard

The Cheerleaders were cheering madly as player after player came out in front of them. "T-O-M! It's Tom! Goooooo! Tom!" the crowd goes wild as they see there team come out.

Amongst the crowd, Xander and Oz are sitting and talking on the right while Willow and Buffy sat on the right. The girls were talking about Faith and how Angel was.

Xander was admiring the cheerleaders while trying not to look at Cordelia. His blue hair was earning him pointing and the but of many jokes.

"They really are *very* good." Xander said watching the girl's legs shoot into the air and other parts of their anatomy.

"Their spelling's improved." Oz noted.

"You know Oz, I look at all this beauty, all these...'healthy' young women. And I wonder why I ever wasted my time on Cordelia..." Xander said, as he pointed her out in the squad. "I mean look at her, she's no better lookin' than the rest of 'em. "

"Well, none of them are really my..." Oz began before Xander almost jumped out of his chair. Oz turned to where Xander was staring saw Wesley walking up the stairs behind where the Cheerleaders are doing their cheer. He glances in Cordelia's direction, watching her jump up and down.

"Oh my God! He's lookin' at her! He's got his filthy, adult, 'Pierce Brosnan-y' eyes all over my Cordy!" Xander eyes flashed red for a moment before returning to their original jade.

Oz hadn't noticed as he turned from Wesley to Xander. "You're a very complex man, aren't ya?"

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Sunnydale High lounge area

"Could you believe it? Right at the buzzer! Three points for the win!" Willow babbled to her boyfriend.

Oz nodded his head in agreement. "It was intense."

"Yeah, for a minute there, I thought you were gonna make an expression." Xander joked with the werewolf.

Oz looked at him with a deadpanned expression. "I felt one coming on, I won't lie."

Willow, trying to get the conversation back to her, said. "Man, I've never seen anyone jump like Hogan Martin...they should call him...'the jumper'! "

"Or a name that *isn't* an article of women's clothing..." Xander added. "Hey! Remember when the..."

"Shhhhh!" Willow said suddenly as Buffy walked up to them.

Buffy walks into the lounge area and everyone goes totally silent.

"Hmmm. Quietness. We either lost, or we *won* and you don't want me to

feel bad." She said.

"Uh, yeah, it wasn't really a *good* game." Willow tried to cover-up her excitement.

"Yeah...tall hoops, but then tall guys.. What's the point, huh?' Xander added.

"Pretty dull." Oz said.

Cordelia was walking pass when she heard them and barged into their conversation. "Are you guys crazy?? It was an incredible game! I've never cheered so hard in my life! I *still* have knee-marks on my back!" She stopped as she though about what she said. "... from the pyramid?? Uhhh!!" she said before storming off to join the former Cordettes.

"Yeah, well, I still bet patrolling was way better 'cause, wow, *important!" Willow said, trying to boost Buffy's spirits.

"Well, I thought I saw a four legged demon... but... it was just a dog." Buffy said gloomily

Oz perked up and asked, "A were-dog?"

Buffy faced showed embarrassment before she said, "Regular."

"Tough luck." Xander said as his eyes drifted towards Cordelia talking to her friends. He was debating whether or not to go and talk to her when the voices started.

Stupid Hogan.

Damn those Cheerleader's were hot!

Nice hair. Not.

I really need to get that dress.

Students, if we could just get rid of all the students

When I'm a software jillionaire, and you're all flippin' burgers, who's the loser *then*?

'What the fuck?!' Xander thought.

TO BE CONTINUED!

R&R soon.