A positive attitude may not solve all
your problems, but it will annoy enough
people to make it worth the effort.
Herm Albright
Chapter 2 Destinations Unknown
Xander smirked slightly as he heard the final bell sound, signaling the end of classes for the day, and the week. A week of glares from those he once counted as friends, but he had decided that it was time to leave, but he couldn't yet, he still had to make sure of a few things, a trip would do him good, and he had the cash to do it, the business of monster hunting had turned to be far more profitable than he'd imagined.
His hand brushed the stone he was wearing all the time now, the book had told him what it was, the last of the dragon spirits, the soul of the divine dragon, the power to change him into a dragoon. He wasn't exactly sure as to why the spirit had come to him, but he knew that it had for a reason, and he wasn't going to just stand by and do nothing.
An angry glare from one or the other girls still annoyed him, but he ignored it, preferring to look happier than he had before, his sleep was better than it had been at the very least. One of the cool things he had learned since his first transformation let him conceal his blade at all times, not even metal detectors could locate them as they were held by the power of the dragon spirit combined with the void power that fueled it, he could draw it from it's sheath at a moments notice, the sheath only becoming visible the instant he drew the weapon, it made him feel safer around his ex-friends.
When he began losing his normal clothing in favor of black leather, he'd been left alone, but not in a bad way. The "cool" kids left him be without a word as he walked calmly and confidently down the halls with a poker face, betraying nothing, a mask to hide his emotion behind.
The transformation had dealt with his anger, his sorrow, and his loneliness, the dragon's spirit was connected to him now. It was a part of him, a power all of his own, something that made him special. But he knew one thing, it was something that he shouldn't start spreading around.
Once more, he was the loner, one of those that held their own ground, before it was three and then it was the Scoobies, but now, he was on his own, and something within him loved that, but another part needed others, not allies, real friends, ones that trusted him with themselves and he with them. Willow and Jessie had been like that with him, but with Jessie dead and Willow trying to become some sort of super witch, he had been abandoned, Buffy had just viewed him as the stupid little sidekick, not even at a Robin level, but now, now he would prove his worth. He was a Dragoon, and he would not fail.
Walking from the school, he took in a deep breath and released it slowly as the dragon's spirit analyzed it, he knew everything about the currents, thermals, and everything else that would be helpful for his Dragoon form. He'd also been sensing something, something powerful. It wasn't hostile, but it felt familiar to him.
Shaking his head slightly, he ignored it as he couldn't locate the source, but it felt damn well familiar, but he still couldn't figure out who or what it was coming from. With a shrug he turned to his bike and adjusted the straps of his backpack, he was leaving in the morning, but this was still his home, a place he'd miss and would eventually have to return to.
John Connor grimaced slightly at the memory of the last time he had been in Sunnydale. It had been right before he got stuck in foster care and his mom ended up in a sanitarium for trying to blow up Cyberdyne. But, it was the place where he still had a relative that he could still talk to.
He'd gotten letters through the Salcedas from him, even though his aunt and uncle hadn't wanted anything to do with him. Only two of his relatives acknowledged him, and considering the fact that Kyle Reese, his father, had come from the future, it wasn't overly horrid.
He stopped the bike in front of the school and watched, his aunt and uncle didn't know where he was living, only that he was still in town. The smirk he'd given them after hearing that had gotten tossed out of the house, but it was worth it in the end.
To him, it was a new beginning, the future wasn't set, Sarah had lived long enough to see the change in their destiny.
"No fate but what we make for ourselves," he whispered to himself.
He smiled as he spotted the person he was looking for and moved to follow him.
A shadow passed the streets below, a rustle of leathery wings in the sky as the sky slowly darkened with the appearance of black clouds.
The armored figure glanced down at the city below and his mind wandered through the past several days. A light flash of light signaled the disappearance of the Dragoon Armor, leaving a far more heavily armored figure standing on the rooftop.
The dark man had brought him here, to this world, a place where he did not belong. This world felt more peaceful than his own, but the darkness was still there, far more dangerous than that of his own universe. He had received the spirit of the dragon when he was sent here, he was sent to deal with the dark man's enemies, it wasn't an option, deal with them or be trapped here for the rest of his life with no way of getting home.
The bolt rifle he carried was slung over his shoulder as he watched the distance through his helmets magnification scanners. He would soon be forced to deal with his foes.
Xander heard footsteps behind him and ducked into an alley, hiding behind the edge as he waited. The calming weight of the katana materialized in his hand as he gripped the hilt with one hand and the sheath in the other.
The footsteps came closer, but slower and far more cautious; he knew the person was following him.
He took in a slow, deep breath and moved, the dragon spirit giving him a preternatural grace.
A flash of movement and he ended up in a Mexican standoff, his blade to his pursuers throat, but a pistol to the forehead and heart.
"John," he stammered.
"Xander," John Connor responded, "It's been a while."
Both of them lowered their weapons, Xander's sheathed and vanished, John's slipped into his coat.
"Almost to long," Xander answered, "Haven't seen you since, what, sixth grade?"
"Fourth, when your dad told mom to stay the hell away from his family and called her a nut job."
"How is she, anyway?"
"Dead, a month ago down in Mexico."
"I'm sorry, you two were some of the few relatives I could stand to be around."
"Speaking of relatives, I hear that you've moved out."
"What can I say, living with drunks got to the point of tedium and I decided to move on."
"So I see," John chuckled, "But I need your help, concerning mom's theory."
"Robot's from the future that tried to kill her?"
"Yes."
"Well, with everything else that happens here, that's the most normal thing I've had to deal with in weeks."
"Same sense of humor I see."
"It's survived things that have scared mankind for millennia."
The two warriors both chuckled slightly.
"Care to explain that remark?"
"At my place, and a first hand demonstration later."
"Yeah, and you have to fill me in on everyone."
"Wills is gonna be happy that her hacker friend is back, but Jess, well, he's not among the living."
"Damn, when did that happen?"
"A while ago, I just hope that we don't lose any more friends."
"Yeah, now you need to fill me in on what's been happening."
"You as well, last thing I had heard from you mentioned that you lost an 'Uncle Bob' and I don't have an Uncle Bob and from what you and Aunt Sarah explained, you shouldn't have relatives popping up from that side."
"True, but I'll explain that as well."
They both turned to leave as a fluttering noise instinctively had Xander draw steel.
"Well, well, well," a sneer reached them as Xander's eyes snapped wide in shock, the speaker wore dragoon armor, "A target isolated, perhaps this will help me get home as he promised."
"John, get back, I'll try to deal with this one," Xander hissed as he closed his hand around the spirit on his neck.
"So you're the other one," the Dragoon chuckled, "I am called Cassius, and what is your name?"
"Alexander," Xander replied just before the stones glow flared around him as he shot vertically, armor encasing him and the wings appearing, "And for your information, Red Eye Dragoon, I am the bearer of the Divine Dragon Spirit, I'm sure the Dragon will inform you about my capabilities!"
"We'll see, your name, Alexander, it does mean 'Protector of Man' doesn't it?" Cassius snorted as he spun his blade in a lazy figure eight, "Let us dance the dance of death now, and perhaps I will spare your friends."
"Then let's get this on with, but not here nor now, it is not the time nor the place, far to much collateral damage here."
"Agreed, tonight, midnight in the park, and may the Emperor have mercy upon your souls if you do not come!"
Cassius was far too much of a Marine to allow others to die in this, innocents couldn't suffer for this, even if it did cost him some of the advantages he held here. He still carried the Primarch's gene seed, and he would not betray his battle brothers in such a dishonor as to eliminate those who remained uncorrupted.
"So be it, a duel of the blades," Xander responded, his face impassive, "I will see you then!"
Herm Albright
Chapter 2 Destinations Unknown
Xander smirked slightly as he heard the final bell sound, signaling the end of classes for the day, and the week. A week of glares from those he once counted as friends, but he had decided that it was time to leave, but he couldn't yet, he still had to make sure of a few things, a trip would do him good, and he had the cash to do it, the business of monster hunting had turned to be far more profitable than he'd imagined.
His hand brushed the stone he was wearing all the time now, the book had told him what it was, the last of the dragon spirits, the soul of the divine dragon, the power to change him into a dragoon. He wasn't exactly sure as to why the spirit had come to him, but he knew that it had for a reason, and he wasn't going to just stand by and do nothing.
An angry glare from one or the other girls still annoyed him, but he ignored it, preferring to look happier than he had before, his sleep was better than it had been at the very least. One of the cool things he had learned since his first transformation let him conceal his blade at all times, not even metal detectors could locate them as they were held by the power of the dragon spirit combined with the void power that fueled it, he could draw it from it's sheath at a moments notice, the sheath only becoming visible the instant he drew the weapon, it made him feel safer around his ex-friends.
When he began losing his normal clothing in favor of black leather, he'd been left alone, but not in a bad way. The "cool" kids left him be without a word as he walked calmly and confidently down the halls with a poker face, betraying nothing, a mask to hide his emotion behind.
The transformation had dealt with his anger, his sorrow, and his loneliness, the dragon's spirit was connected to him now. It was a part of him, a power all of his own, something that made him special. But he knew one thing, it was something that he shouldn't start spreading around.
Once more, he was the loner, one of those that held their own ground, before it was three and then it was the Scoobies, but now, he was on his own, and something within him loved that, but another part needed others, not allies, real friends, ones that trusted him with themselves and he with them. Willow and Jessie had been like that with him, but with Jessie dead and Willow trying to become some sort of super witch, he had been abandoned, Buffy had just viewed him as the stupid little sidekick, not even at a Robin level, but now, now he would prove his worth. He was a Dragoon, and he would not fail.
Walking from the school, he took in a deep breath and released it slowly as the dragon's spirit analyzed it, he knew everything about the currents, thermals, and everything else that would be helpful for his Dragoon form. He'd also been sensing something, something powerful. It wasn't hostile, but it felt familiar to him.
Shaking his head slightly, he ignored it as he couldn't locate the source, but it felt damn well familiar, but he still couldn't figure out who or what it was coming from. With a shrug he turned to his bike and adjusted the straps of his backpack, he was leaving in the morning, but this was still his home, a place he'd miss and would eventually have to return to.
John Connor grimaced slightly at the memory of the last time he had been in Sunnydale. It had been right before he got stuck in foster care and his mom ended up in a sanitarium for trying to blow up Cyberdyne. But, it was the place where he still had a relative that he could still talk to.
He'd gotten letters through the Salcedas from him, even though his aunt and uncle hadn't wanted anything to do with him. Only two of his relatives acknowledged him, and considering the fact that Kyle Reese, his father, had come from the future, it wasn't overly horrid.
He stopped the bike in front of the school and watched, his aunt and uncle didn't know where he was living, only that he was still in town. The smirk he'd given them after hearing that had gotten tossed out of the house, but it was worth it in the end.
To him, it was a new beginning, the future wasn't set, Sarah had lived long enough to see the change in their destiny.
"No fate but what we make for ourselves," he whispered to himself.
He smiled as he spotted the person he was looking for and moved to follow him.
A shadow passed the streets below, a rustle of leathery wings in the sky as the sky slowly darkened with the appearance of black clouds.
The armored figure glanced down at the city below and his mind wandered through the past several days. A light flash of light signaled the disappearance of the Dragoon Armor, leaving a far more heavily armored figure standing on the rooftop.
The dark man had brought him here, to this world, a place where he did not belong. This world felt more peaceful than his own, but the darkness was still there, far more dangerous than that of his own universe. He had received the spirit of the dragon when he was sent here, he was sent to deal with the dark man's enemies, it wasn't an option, deal with them or be trapped here for the rest of his life with no way of getting home.
The bolt rifle he carried was slung over his shoulder as he watched the distance through his helmets magnification scanners. He would soon be forced to deal with his foes.
Xander heard footsteps behind him and ducked into an alley, hiding behind the edge as he waited. The calming weight of the katana materialized in his hand as he gripped the hilt with one hand and the sheath in the other.
The footsteps came closer, but slower and far more cautious; he knew the person was following him.
He took in a slow, deep breath and moved, the dragon spirit giving him a preternatural grace.
A flash of movement and he ended up in a Mexican standoff, his blade to his pursuers throat, but a pistol to the forehead and heart.
"John," he stammered.
"Xander," John Connor responded, "It's been a while."
Both of them lowered their weapons, Xander's sheathed and vanished, John's slipped into his coat.
"Almost to long," Xander answered, "Haven't seen you since, what, sixth grade?"
"Fourth, when your dad told mom to stay the hell away from his family and called her a nut job."
"How is she, anyway?"
"Dead, a month ago down in Mexico."
"I'm sorry, you two were some of the few relatives I could stand to be around."
"Speaking of relatives, I hear that you've moved out."
"What can I say, living with drunks got to the point of tedium and I decided to move on."
"So I see," John chuckled, "But I need your help, concerning mom's theory."
"Robot's from the future that tried to kill her?"
"Yes."
"Well, with everything else that happens here, that's the most normal thing I've had to deal with in weeks."
"Same sense of humor I see."
"It's survived things that have scared mankind for millennia."
The two warriors both chuckled slightly.
"Care to explain that remark?"
"At my place, and a first hand demonstration later."
"Yeah, and you have to fill me in on everyone."
"Wills is gonna be happy that her hacker friend is back, but Jess, well, he's not among the living."
"Damn, when did that happen?"
"A while ago, I just hope that we don't lose any more friends."
"Yeah, now you need to fill me in on what's been happening."
"You as well, last thing I had heard from you mentioned that you lost an 'Uncle Bob' and I don't have an Uncle Bob and from what you and Aunt Sarah explained, you shouldn't have relatives popping up from that side."
"True, but I'll explain that as well."
They both turned to leave as a fluttering noise instinctively had Xander draw steel.
"Well, well, well," a sneer reached them as Xander's eyes snapped wide in shock, the speaker wore dragoon armor, "A target isolated, perhaps this will help me get home as he promised."
"John, get back, I'll try to deal with this one," Xander hissed as he closed his hand around the spirit on his neck.
"So you're the other one," the Dragoon chuckled, "I am called Cassius, and what is your name?"
"Alexander," Xander replied just before the stones glow flared around him as he shot vertically, armor encasing him and the wings appearing, "And for your information, Red Eye Dragoon, I am the bearer of the Divine Dragon Spirit, I'm sure the Dragon will inform you about my capabilities!"
"We'll see, your name, Alexander, it does mean 'Protector of Man' doesn't it?" Cassius snorted as he spun his blade in a lazy figure eight, "Let us dance the dance of death now, and perhaps I will spare your friends."
"Then let's get this on with, but not here nor now, it is not the time nor the place, far to much collateral damage here."
"Agreed, tonight, midnight in the park, and may the Emperor have mercy upon your souls if you do not come!"
Cassius was far too much of a Marine to allow others to die in this, innocents couldn't suffer for this, even if it did cost him some of the advantages he held here. He still carried the Primarch's gene seed, and he would not betray his battle brothers in such a dishonor as to eliminate those who remained uncorrupted.
"So be it, a duel of the blades," Xander responded, his face impassive, "I will see you then!"