A Restless Revival
Authors: lirpa - liroa15yahoo.ca
shana -
Dedication: To all those who have inspired us.
Distribution: Our site, if you want it just ask.
Disclaimer: They belong to Joss and Titan Entertainment, not to us. If they really did this wouldn't be on the internet.
A.N: This fic just needed to be written, or at least we thought that it did. For those who are just tired of always running into Willow fics, and not much else. Also, Faith never went evil in out little world, k? Set after the end of the third season.
Shana
A Restless Revival Chapter One
By lirpa and shana
It was Faith who replied for both of them. "Doing what exactly?" Even as she spoke, Faith started walking up the hill, to what she perceived was the woman's, well, mansion. Buffy brought up the rear.
"Well, it's obvious that you two can fight," Linda began.
Faith snorted but Buffy said nothing, remaining alert to the surroundings in case there were more vampires hiding in the darkness.
"So what do you want us to do? Protect someone?" Faith demanded. "Because we aren't bodyguards, lady."
"Faith," Buffy hissed, hand reaching for the stake tucked into her waistband.
"Yeah, B?"
"Do you feel it?"
Faith, less adept at using her Slayer powers, closed her eyes and reached out. Just as quickly her eyes snapped open and she cursed virulently.
"What's happening?" Linda demanded.
"Don't ask questions. Just run when we tell you," Buffy replied tensely.
"How many, B?"
"More than a dozen."
"Shit! Why would they be hunting up here. Rich people are missed. There's publicity that goes with their deaths."
"I don't know," Buffy replied tersely. "They might be fledglings."
Faith grinned. "Fledglings are easy to kill." She pulled out a stake of her own.
Both Slayers were quiet then, listening to the night, and searching for sounds of enemy movement.
Linda perhaps sensing the tension, remained as quiet as her young rescuers seemed to become more feral by the moment.
Suddenly both Slayers moved. "Run!" Buffy yelled, and Linda took off just as quickly as she could. Still, one of the creatures, Linda still had trouble accepting the reality of vampires, caught her with inhuman speed.
Before he could do anything though, his body crumbled into dust and a stake clattered to the ground. Linda stood, rooted to the ground as the two young woman finished off their remaining foes.
"That's enough vamps for me, tonight," Faith panted.
Buffy nodded in agreement, and they continued to escort the very confused Linda McMahon up the hill to her house on Conley's Farm.
Both Slayers stopped at the gate. "It's private property, B," Faith observed.
"So?"
"She should be pretty safe."
"The only time she'll be safe is when she gets in the house. Angelus used to watch me through my bedroom window all the time."
"So we take her to the door?"
"We take her to the door," Buffy agreed. Linda stood, a little stunned, by their conversation. It was like she wasn't even there.
Buffy broke off from them,, a moment later. When Linda expressed her surprise, Faith merely laughed.
"B, will jump the fence." She explained.
"But it's at least twelve feet high," Linda protested.
"Yeah," Faith agreed. "But Buffy's jumped higher. I think she wants to check out your grounds."
"But the security system," Linda protested.
"Won't even notice she's there. We're not exactly human Linda. Just like the things we hunt."
They stopped at the gatehouse, and Faith waited for Linda to punch in her security code, keeping a respectful distance and her Slayer senses turned out onto the night.
"Is there anything out there?" Linda asked, a bit breathlessly.
"Not that I can feel."
"Oh." And the gate swung open.
While they walked up the manicured drive, Faith observed the equally manicured lawn in front of the house. "You must be pretty rich," she offered.
"My husband owns the WWE."
"WWE?"
Linda sighed. "It used to be the WWF, if that helps any."
"Wrestling?"
"Yes."
"But isn't that all fake anyway?"
They came in to view of the front steps, where Buffy was sitting calmly, buffing her nails on her shirt.
"B."
"Faith."
"Anything out there?"
"Nothing."
Faith turned to Linda. "Well, this is where we sat good bye, I guess. You sure made tonight interesting, at least."
"Come in," Linda invited impetuously. "You haven't decided on my proposal anyway."
"B?" Faith queried. "Are we likely to get any more vamps tonight?"
Buffy frowned at the lightening sky. "No, it's nearly dawn. They'll all be going to ground by now."
Faith smiled at Linda. "Then we accept. C'mon, B."
Reluctantly the smaller Slayer entered the house with the other two. "We shouldn't be here, Faith."
"C'mon, B. You said yourself, we're not likely to get any more tonight."
"But..."
"No buts, the least we can do is listen to the woman's proposal."
Clearly Faith was not giving up. "Fine," Buffy grumbled. "But that doesn't mean that we're going to accept."
"Okay," Faith agreed, sensing that she wasn't going to get any better out of Buffy for the time being.
Quickly, with the air of a competent businesswoman, Linda outlined exactly what she wanted them for.
"Wrestlers?" Buffy demanded.
"You already possess the natural athleticism, so I don't think learning the moves would be a problem for you."
"We can break the bones of a full grown man, easily. We'd kill your employees," Buffy frowned.
"Why?"
"Because we have extra speed and strength, used for hunting vampires. You might call it God's gift to make sure we last a couple of months."
"What?"
"Most Slayers don't live to see their eighteenth birthdays," Buffy interjected calmly.
Linda looked aghast. To her these young woman dying so young made no sense. They had such potential.
"Besides, Faith. We've got to keep moving," Buffy reminded her.
"The tour crisscrosses the country. We're in a different city almost every night," Linda countered.
"See?" Faith crowed triumphantly. "And we need the money, B," she added in a more serious tone.
Buffy sighed, clearly feeling backed into a corner. "I suppose that it's better than being a waitress or something like that," she grudgingly admitted.
"So?" Linda queried.
"We'll take the jobs," Buffy stated.
"Excellent. I'll have the contracts drawn up tomorrow." She handed them both business cards. "Drop by my office anytime. I'll tell them to expect you."
Six Weeks Later
Faith seemed completely in her element, Buffy had to admit. There was an innate sexuality to the women of this business that worked well with her. On their first paychecks they had gone out and bought whole new wardrobes. Faith's consisted mainly of leather.
They'd both stunned their trainers with their ability to pick up the moves, some of which were very similar to the martial arts moves Giles had taught to Buffy to help with the dispatching of vampires. Their endurance and ability to deal with, and work through, pain further impressed the trainers. So now they were waiting to speak to Linda again, their training completed.
Linda stepped out of her office and ushered them both in. "The reports from your trainers are astounding," she stated without preamble. "Normally we'd send you down to OVW to learn more, but the creative team has the perfect angle lined up for you. And until you get used to controlling your strength you won't have to wrestle, except maybe each other."
"Okay," Faith agreed. "So what are we doing."
"Have you been watching the program?" Linda queried.
"When we get the time," Buffy stated. "Which isn't all that often."
Linda nodded. "Completely understandable given your calling. Well, what we're going to do is debut you two as enemies. Buffy, your in-ring name will be Hope, and Faith will keep her name."
"Cool," Faith stated while Buffy grumbled.
"Buffy will debut as Hunter's sister, disgusted with his recent actions and siding with his former best friend, Shawn Michaels. Faith will debut as his girlfriend, to give Evolution a female presence."
"Okay," both Slayers responded cautiously, not exactly sure what Linda was talking about.
"Hunter's here in Stamford right now, if you want to meet him."
"Sure," Faith agreed before Buffy could disagree. "I mean we should at least know what he looks like before we have to go act like we've know him for a long time, right?"
Linda smiled at Faith and buzzed her secretary.
"Yes, Mrs. McMahon?"
"Could you send Hunter up here, please? I want him to meet some of the people who will be involved in his new angle."
"Right away, Mrs. McMahon." The woman left the room, and both Slayers settled back to wait. Linda tried to make small talk but Faith only replied distractedly, and Buffy did not reply at all.
"What's this about a new angle, Linda?" Hunter all but demanded as he entered the room without knocking.
"I'm sure that the creative team has been in touch with both you and Shawn, Hunter," Linda replied smoothly.
"They said they didn't have anyone to fill the roles, Linda," Hunter replied impatiently.
"Well, luckily enough about six week ago I happened to run into," the three woman shared a secret smile, "two incredible young talents. They needed a bit of polishing, which is why I held off, but the trainers have decided that they're more than ready now," she finished.
"Buffy, Faith, this is Hunter Hearst Helmsley, or Triple H. You'll be working more closely with Faith, Hunter, while Shawn works with your sister, Hope." She motioned to Buffy.
Both Slayers observed the man coolly, and Hunter met their stares levelly. There was a definite spark of interest in Faith's eyes which was no surprise to Buffy.
"When do we start?" Buffy asked Linda pleasantly.
"Next Monday, on Raw."
Buffy turned back to the staring Hunter and Faith. "It's going to be a long time until Monday," she sighed.
Fini Chapter One.