ÒRevelations, Repercussions and Robots Oh MyÓ By Ryley Breen AKA Shadow Master
email: rybreen@theberries.ns.ca
Note: I apolagize in advance for any puzzling signs you see when you read this. Somehow when I upload this document to Fanfiction.net all the quotation marks change into some weird symbol. While most people will notice this and make the appropriate adjustments this notice is for those who are still troubled. Also to all those who love this fanfic and are upset that it took so long to update I whole heartedly apolagize and hope that this will not cause you to dislike either me or this fanfic. I too get upset when certain fanfic authors take too long to post the next chapter of their fanfics but in the end as long as they do eventually update I can usually forgive them. I promise to try harder to update my fanfics more often. Thank you for your understanding.
Capsule Corps, 7:30p.m
ÒWell now, where should I begin?Ó The magical hologram that looked like Watcher One asked as he stroked his short ÔSean ConneryÕ beard.
ÒHow about with why Buffy, Faith and Dawn have turned into Saiya-jins?Ó Xander asked and the rest of the people in the room nodded in agreement.
Well everyone except Vegita who did nothing but scowl at the hologram with a look in his eyes that seemed to suggest he was expecting a specific answer and was just waiting to see if he was right. Only Goku noticed this but decided to say nothing as he predicted that his rival would speak up sooner or later about what was going on in his head.
ÒWell the simple answer to that one is that the restraining spell that was placed on them at birth has been broken.Ó , Watcher One replied, ÒWith that gone it was only a matter of time until they reverted back into their natural selves.Ó
ÒÕ*Natural selves*Õ?!?Ó Giles exclaimed as it seemed that his head was about to explode.
ÒYes. Genetically when a Slayer is ÔbornÕ they are pure blooded Saiya-jins.Ó , Watcher One went on to explain, ÒIt is only after the birthing process that the spell is placed on them and most of their peoplesÕ natural characteristics are suppressed.Ó
ÒThat canÕt be, Slayers canÕt be Saiya-jins!! The WatchersÕ archives clearly state that the Slayer was of this world and had been around since the beginning!!Ó Giles declared as he tried to come to grips with what was being laid out for him.
This was not easy for him at all, everything he had been taught and thought that he knew seemed to be disintegrating right before his very eyes. To say that he was beginning to question his very existence was not very far from what was actually happening. Basic truths that he had taken to heart were being exposed as lies or at the very least not completely true. For a brief moment he just wanted to destroy the box and everything in it rather than listen to another word of this shocking information. However the rational part of him wanted to wait and hear more in the hopes of claiming some sort of understanding of the past he apparently knew so little about. In the end he chose simply to wait, to listen to the story that was unfolding before him and accept the changes that were occurring before him.
ÒIÕm afraid Rupert that the history of the Slayer that most Watchers of your class are given is something of a fabrication.Ó , Watcher One stated with sympathy in his voice, ÒThe truth is known only to the members of the ruling inner circle of the Watchers Council and each member is forebidden to tell anyone outside the circle under pain of hellfire.Ó
ÒÕPain of hellfireÕ?Ó Willow asked with a curiousity that made it clear that she was having an easier time accepting this than Giles.
ÒEssentially if you tell anyone outside the Inner Circle you will be banished to a hell dimension for eternity and as your friend Angel could attest it is not pleasant for mortal creaturesÓ Watcher One replied with an approving grin.
Willow blushed a bit but said nothing as she wanted him to continue with his story.
ÒAnyway, getting back to the answer to RupertÕs question, the truth of the matter is that Slayers have only been around for about seventy-five hundred years.Ó Watcher One stated before pausing on purpose for dramatic effect apparently.
Unfortunately most of the people in this room made it clear with their glares that they did not share his appreciation for drama.
ÒHmph, yes .. well, in order to understand this in its full context you must understand the time period in question. It was just after the last battle with the final true demon to leave our dimension and the beginning of the reign of the human race.Ó , Watcher One explained carefully, ÒIt had been a terrible war but in the end the mortal humans and other creatures on the side of good had managaed to achieve victory. It did not come without a price though as only a third of the army of good had survived and many were weary of war.Ó
Watcher One didnÕt even have to look around the room to tell that he had the attention of everyone in earshot. They listened with the rapt attention of a child listening to their grandparent telling them of something that happened long ago. Even some of the more obtuse ones seemed to be fixed on him but this was not entirely unexpected since very little was known about the war between the mortal humans and the demons. The ravages of the passage of time had wiped away almost all record of the event and those tablets or scrolls that survived were incomplete in their telling of the story. Only the Watchers Council knew the whole story but even among the Watchers few could translate the ancient texts much less understand them. Still it was nice to have such an attentive audience since most young folk these days cared so very little about the past.
ÒThe bulk of those who remained were charged with guarding the surviving human civilians as well as those who were of some importance where fighting the demons were concerned.Ó , Watcher One explained as he continued with his tale, ÒNeedless to say things were stretched rather thin and the human race had barely enough resources to tend to itÕs own needs much less deal with the demons in anything more than defensive measure.Ó
ÒThey had hoped that after the banishing of the last pure blooded demon from this plain of existence that they would be allowed something of a breather. A chance to lick their wounds, regain some of what they had lost in the war such as homes and peace of mind. Unfortunately the Fates had something else in mind for them as only a few months later a massive ball of flame descended from the sky and crashed a few days journey from the largest human settlement.Ó
ÒWhat was it?Ó Willow asked with all the attention of a little girl listening to a tale being told by a grandfather.
ÒThe mages and warriors of the ruling council feared that it was a sign that one of the demons that they had banished had somehow returned.Ó , Watcher One replied in answer to the redheadÕs question, ÒThis was supported by the fact that the mages sensed great power coming from the place where the ball of flame had touched down. So in the hope of stopping the evil before it had a chance to spread a small army of the strongest mages and warriors the human race had to offer was sent to investigate.
Inside FaithÕs Dreams
Talk about dŽjˆ vu. Faith thought to herself as she looked around the large room as well as the ÔRoad WarriorÕ rejects that sat around her in coliseum type bleachers.
Being something of a rebel both before and after she had become a Slayer the raven-haired teen was no stranger to a courtroom and that was definitely what this looked like to her. From the jury being off to one side of the room and the judge looming over her from his raised position it all reminded her of the times she had been tried and sent to juvy. Needless to say she was beginning to miss that cranky old lady judge who had been in charge of the courtroom more often than not. Mostly because this guy in front of her seemed the type to take a little too much pleasure in sentencing the criminals to a slow and painful death. That and the fact that there quite a few riled up spectators in this court that seemed all too willing to volunteer for that particular job. Her mind was slightly fuzzy about where she was and how she got here but she was something of a quick study and knew that this was not good.
ÒPrince Verdune! You are charged with plotting to assassinate the King and mating with a low caste soldier, the evidence of which is standing beside you!Ó , declared a tall man standing below and to the right of the judge, ÒEither crime is sufficient to merit the most painful punishment this court is capable of delivering. Do you have anything to say in your defense?Ó
ÒOnly that I wish that I had gone through with the assassination before that traitor Nacra had caught on to my plan!Ó , Verdune said with a cocky grin that showed no remorse or guilt, ÒWe Saiyans have lived by a code since the dawn of our civilization, the strong survive and the weak perish. If my father was truly fit to lead he would not be afraid to fight me for possession of the throne instead of resorting to this mockery of a court. This all but confirms my suspicions that my fatherÕs only true power is his ability to dupe the rest of you into following him!Ó
This only fed the crowdÕs anger and made them yell even louder but this only made Prince Verdune smile even more arrogantly. Faith instantly began to like this guy since he seemed to like authority about as much as she did and wasnÕt afraid of showing it. True she was usually a bit more tactful about when she did give people some sass but for some reason she was not afraid of the people around her. In fact she felt compelled to follow the PrinceÕs lead and tell this court exactly what she thought of it but stopped as the ÔbalifÕ walked up to Verdune and punched him across the face. Verdune didnÕt even move, from head to toe he had stayed perfectly in place as if nothing at all had happened to him. Once the balif had removed his fist a slight smudge of blood could be seen at the corner of VerduneÕs mouth bit that was all as far as an external sign of the blow went as far as anyone could tell. This seemed to momentarily unnerve the balif but he quickly regained his composure and returned to his position to the right of the judge.
ÒWe will take this as an admission of your guilt and hereby sentence you to life imprisonment at the end of which you will be tortured to death.Ó , the judge stated in a failed attempt to intimidate Verdune, ÒAs for the low caste woman and your offspring-Ò
Before the judge could complete his deliberations the tall steel doorways of the courtroom opened and a procession of royal soldiers marched in and immediately moved to strategically premium spots. For awhile it seemed as though the line of soldiers would never end or explain their reason for interrupting these proceedings but then the reason quickly became apparent. For after all the guards arrived at their positions three figures strode into the room and immediately silence filled the room. The first and most easily recognizable was the king of the Saiyan race himself King Verax, a tall man with a long beard draped over his royal armor who walked with fearless pride and power. Next to him strode Braia, Queen of the Saiyan people and wife to Verax, a woman slightly shorter than her husband but no less impressive in terms of physical condition. Lastly came the head of the royal guard Trex who was clearly dedicated to his work as he was constantly scanning the room for potential threats to his king. They were the most important people on the planet and when they attended any sort of gathering everyone knew something big was going to happen.
ÒYour Highness! I was unaware that you had returned to the planet!Ó , the judge exclaimed as if his job had gotten quite a bit more complicated, ÒI w-was just about to finish pronouncing sentence on Prince Verdune and the others when you came in! He has quite eloquently confessed to the plot to assassinate you and genetic testing proves that he had the child Vera with the low caste warrior Barda.Ó
ÒI am quite aware of what has happened here today. I have been watching the proceeds since they started and have decided to deal with the matter myself.Ó King Verax said as he walked ahead of his group and came to a stop between the judge and the Prince.
This caused the whispers and murmering in the room to go up a decibel as everyone tried to determine what their King would do with his traitorous son. Most seemed confident that the King would condone the judgeÕs sentence and just make it a bit more personal with a few biting remarks. Others were concerned that the King might actually pardon his son and let him off the hook. This was unlikely they realized because the one thing that Verdune had nailed right on the head was that Saiyan society was ruled by power. Only the most powerful Saiyan was allowed to rule and if Verax showed mercy to his son here he would appear weak in the eyes of his people. That would inevitably lead to assassination attempts if not whole-hearted attempts to force him from the throne by the other nobles. Then there were a few people in the audience that were utterly clueless as to why the King was here and waited patiently for an explanation to be set before them. Everyone watched as the King stared down his son and looked over Vera and Barda as if he were evaluating them as well as deciding how they should be killed. Finally he walked up until he was standing practically nose-to-nose with his sun and both stared into the othersÕ eyes trying to intimidate the other into looking away.
ÒI must say that I was surprised when I heard what you had been up to my son.Ó , Verax said in a regal and superior tone, ÒNot that you were planning to assassinate me but rather that you actually trusted a kiss up like Nacra with that information. You should have kept the plans to yourself and waited for the right moment to present itself.Ó
ÒMaybe all this is just another part of my plan Father.Ó , Verdune proposed as a sinister grin appeared on his face, ÒMaybe I was just waiting for the right audience before I sprung my trap.Ó
ÒHA! That would be quite inventive wouldnÕt it and definitely in keeping with your own unique style.Ó , Verax said in amusement as he looked at his son with an identical grin, ÒStill I doubt you anticipated that I would bring my own personal guards along otherwise you would have ensured that a few of your own supporters were present.Ó
ÒWhoÕs to say that there arenÕt a few of my supporters in the crowd?Ó , Verdune retorted without losing an ounce of confidence, ÒPerhaps theyÕre just waiting for a signal from me before taking care of all of your pathetic soliders!Ó
This caused the King to gaze about the room in an effort to determine who in the crowd might be a warrior of VerduneÕs and who was just a spectator. In the end though Verax simply returned his gaze to his son as though he had detected nothing to support his sonÕs claim. It was then that King Verax of the Saiyan race did something that startled everyone present who didnÕt possess some kind of military discipline, he ordered his personal guard to leave. This was an unusual move since it seemed to only strengthen the confessed traitorÕs position and make the King more vulnerable. Fortunately the assembled Saiyans didnÕt have to wait long before everything was explained in blatantly obvious terms.
ÒI over heard your challenge earlier and IÕve decided to grant your request.Ó , King Verax stated, ÒYou and I will fight right here and right now. The winner will gain the throne of the Saiyan race and the loser will perish! Is this acceptable?Ó
Needless to say that this completely floored the other Saiyans present except for the two others who had accompanied the King. Many could not understand why the King was doing this traitor any favors regardless of the fact that Verdune was his son. Many thought that he should have simply allowed the trial to proceed and leave it at that but a few others were actually curious about who would win such a fight. Father and Son had not fought one another since the Great Games fifteen years ago and many were wondering who would win this time around.
ÒClear the courtroom!Ó , Verax commanded, ÒPlace guards at every exit though in case my son decides to run away once he realizes just how powerful I am.Ó
ÒHa! I wonÕt be the one that runs away in fear Father!Ó Verdune boasted as he ripped his cape from his shoulders and began to stretch.
ÒWe shall see.Ó Verax countered as he too removed his cape along with anything else that might interfere with his ability to fight.
Faith had been watching this entire exchange with Great fascination but the dŽjˆ vu feeling at the back of her mind coupled with the question of where she was kept her from completely enjoying the moment. She had never liked not being totally aware of what was going on around her and this situation had that in an abundance. At least back home in Sunnydale she knew why she was there and what she had to do each day but here she was completely in the dark. All she could do was watch and try to understand what was going on around her as best she could given the fogginess in her mind. In her mind fighting over who was going to be King, assassination attempts and the idea that only the strong should be allowed to live was wrong but at the same time a part of her agreed. It was like a tiny voice in the back of her mind that spit out the odd comment to her when important events appeared before her and helped explain certain things. It wasnÕt like telepathy, she had experienced that once or twice since becoming the Slayer, it was more like a part of her own mind that had been silent up until now was finally allowed to speak. The words themselves were whispers but the emotions that went along with them came through loud and clear making it easier to get the basic gist of what was being said at each given moment. Watching the scene developing before her she watched as the two combatants, father and son, went into their respective fighting stances.
ÒLast chance to back down son.Ó Verax said condescendingly.
ÒI was about to say the same thing to you father.Ó Verdune stated with a grin that reeked of confidence.
With that the battle was joined as both threw punches and kicks with amazing power and speed that was almost too fast for her to follow. What surprised her a little was that they werenÕt really paying any heed to the damage they were doing to the room or the people that got fried by a dodged energy blast. She knew that they would be fighting but she thought that it would be like her fights with Buffy, full contact but neither willing to do any serious harm to the other. This was more like an actual battle and she began to understand that the Saiyan culture was a lot like a pack of wolves or some other predatory animal. When a male challenged the Alpha it was a challenge to the death and if any of their number became to ill to keep up with the others they were left to die. It was harsh but it kept the race strong and strength was the one thing that Saiyans respected above all else.
The battle continued to rage on above them as one of them kicked the other into a wall then the other fired off a blast of energy that scorched the first. It was then that something occurred to Faith, they werenÕt really going all out with each other. It was difficult to really tell but when she examined their fighting closely enough she could tell that they were pulling their punches and missing with their blasts on purpose. It was then that the truth hit her, King Verax and Prince Verdune were just putting on a show for the audience around them. Reviewing the fight from the beginning she tried to put a name to the Saiyans who were fried by energy blasts or knocked senseless by a kick. She soon came to realize that each of them were among those who had called for VerduneÕs execution or had at one time questioned VeraxÕs decisions. Her jaw almost dropped with amazement as she realized that they were just using this battle as a cover so they could eliminate their perspective enemies. Neither of them had any intention of killing the other but they both seemed to know that they had to make it look good or the others would catch on to the deception. That only left her with trying to deduce the end goal that the both of them seemed to be working towards. Destroying their enemies was obviously not the end of it since that could have been done outside the trial itself but then what else could it be? Neither looked as though they intended to kill one another yet there was no other way that their individual interests could be served. If King Verax didnÕt kill Verdune than his position as ruler of the Saiyan race would be weakened significantly but if Verdune didnÕt kill his Father he would be forced to submit to whatever punishment was to be meted out to a traitor and his accomplices. It appeared to her that they were at an impasse but the voice within her said that it was confident that Verdune had something sneaky up his sleeve.
Then it happened, Verdune landed an especially powerful blow to Verax that sent him shooting straight through the courtroom wall and through several others from the sound of it. However instead of following up on that attack he whirled around and began to blast the guards blocking the window above him as well as those who were close enough to take their places. Once they were done he turned and gave a look to his wife Barda which the woman seemed to understand in an instant as she grabbed Faith by the wrist and immediately took to the sky following her husband. Once they were out Faith could see Verdune dispatching the guards that attempted to stop them while continuing to move towards what looked like a landing pad of some kind. It was then that Faith realized what was going on, they were all going to escape on a ship, take it into space and find someplace safe to live. There was already a ship there and she could see from the markings on it that it was the one Verax must have come in before heading to the courtroom. Getting there was going to be a problem since more and more guards seemed to appear for every group of five that Prince Verdune defeated. Suddenly a swell of impatience seemed to come up from within her and she felt compelled to fight alongside the Father of the girl whose body she was experiencing this through. Tugging her hand free of Barda she immediately began to tear into the guards that approached her, using techniques similar to the ones that Verdune was using.
She was doing pretty good and meter by meter they were getting closer to the ship that would be their only means of getting away in one piece. She felt exhilarated and at the same time insulted as the soldiers that attacked her seemed pathetically weak and far too easy to defeat. She wanted someone who was more of a challenge, someone who she could take pride in defeating and would cause her father to praise her skills. It was at that moment, when that thought passed through her mind, that she seemed to get her wish as she was slammed from behind by a particularly powerful energy blast. It took her a few moments to recover but once she did it didnÕt take her long to recognize the person who had attacked her and the motive behind the attack. It was Narya, NacraÕs second in command and one whom the voice in her head seemed especially hate as Faith fired a retaliatory strike back at her attacker. Images briefly flitted by her mindÕs eye and she saw the woman laughing at her cruely and then another with Faith apparently fighting Narya. The images went by so fast that she almost couldnÕt make sense of them but fate had decided not to give her time to examine them further as things were becoming increasingly more complicated. The size of the forces gathering against them was growing and they still had a little while to go before they reached the ship. Still it appeared that all three of the fugitives, herself included, had something of a stubborn streak in them as they continued fighting towards their target. In a testament to their skill and outright luck they eventually manage to make it to the entrance of the ship but the fight had taken their toll on all of them. Both Faith/Vera and Barda were bleeding badly and most of their armor had been blasted to pieces leaving only Verdune to deal with the more powerful among their pursuers. Taking up a guarding position Verdune motioned to Barda to take Vera/Faith aboard the ship and get it ready while he kept their attackers at bay.
ÒNo! I want to stay and help Dad fight!Ó She said in protest as she tried to get free from BardaÕs grasp.
ÒYour Father has everything under control Vera! Now help me get this ship working!Ó Barda said as she yanked Vera/Faith into a seat next to her own before getting to work on the console before her.
Looking once more at the hatch to the ship she aquiesed to her motherÕs command and began to work the console like she had known how to all her life. All about her screens began to light up and she could hear the sound of the shipÕs engines beginning to power up. In the background though she could hear the battle raging outside as Verdune struggled to buy them the time that they needed. However it was getting worse and it seemed for all intents and purposes that their little escape attempt would fail and all of them would wind up dead. Then from nowhere massive energy blasts came out of the nearby forest and took out a good chunk of the guards that were giving Verdune so much trouble. Vera/Faith tried to see through the cockpit window to see who was helping them to escape but whoever it was had hidden themselves well in the trees. Whatever the reason for this assistance it had given the Prince the opening that they needed as without hesitation Verdune threw himself into the ship and closed the hatch with his foot. Not waiting for a verbal command Barda immediately piloted the ship into the air and gunned the engines forcing Vera/Faith back into her seat. The engines screamed in protest as they were pushed to their limits and before too long the ship succeeded in escaping from the planetÕs gravitational field.
With everything seemingly alright Vera/Faith got out of her seat and ran back to check on Verdune. He was sitting propped up against the back wall of the ship with a grimace on his face that showed that he was in significant pain. Pausing for a moment Vera/Faith looked around the ship for the familiar shape of the med-kit and once found she quickly grabbed it before resuming her course for her father. Once she arrived the opened up the kit and immediately began to treat his wounds as she had been taught when she was younger. She winced slightly as her own wounds protested the excessive movement but she pushed it aside like her father had taught her to and continued with her task.
ÒYou did very well Vera, IÕm proud of you.Ó Verdune said with an uncharacteristically kind smile.
She smiled at Verdune before continuing with her work, the concern that had gripped her during battle evaporating into thin air. She now had no fear of what would come next because she was certain that they could handle it as long as they were together.
ÒWhat are we going to do now? TheyÕre bound to send pursuit ships after us.Ó Barda asked from the pilotÕs chair.
ÒWe canÕt hide within the empire, it would only be too easy for them to track us down that way.Ó , Verdune pondered as he considered their situation, ÒSet course zero-two-one-five mark six, best speed.Ó
ÒHuh? You mean to take us out into the Unknown Territories?Ó , Barda asked with concern, ÒNo oneÕs ever returned from that area of space.Ó
ÒExactly! Which means that it is unlikely that they will try to follow us in there if they have any sense.Ó , Verdune replied with a grimace as Vera/Faith touched a sore spot, ÒWe should be able to find at least one suitable world for us to settle down on.Ó
For a moment it seemed as though Barda might question her husbandÕs decision further but then she just shrugged and resumed her piloting of the craft. For better or worse they were set on the course laid out before them and the only thing they could do was try and ride it out.
Capsule Corps, 8:15p.mIt bugged Vegita to no end the feelings and impressions he got whenever he looked at the box the human Pierce had brought with him. He couldnÕt explain why he felt this way but he was certain that he remembered seeing that box before someplace when he was very young. He had automatically recognized his familyÕs crest that had been carved into the metal and that was what had originally piqued his interest but the more time went on the more he felt a nagging sensation at the back of his mind. It was as if a long forgotten memory was fighting to get to the surface of his mind and he was feeling the shockwaves of each blow it landed. It frustrated him to feel just as much in the dark as the rest of these fools, especially since the item of interest was from his own home world, but he was confident that all would become clear soon.
ÒThe group of warriors and mages traveled all through the night to reach their destination because each of them held the same fear that a Demon Lord had returned.Ó , explained the human known as Watcher One, ÒIt was four days later that they finally arrived at the point of impact where the ball of fire had landed but the beings they found were unlike anything they had ever encountered before.Ó
ÒThey looked, for the most part, human but the tails that came out of their backs and wrapped around their waists made it clear they were not. Clad in armor and wearing strange devices on the side of the heads they bore little resemblance to the demons they had fought in the past but all could feel the power they possessed. The other thing that the forces of man noticed was a strange metallic structure that lay nearby half buried in the ground. It was almost completely black as though it had been exposed to extreme heat and this confirmed for the warriors that this was indeed the ball of fire which had fallen from the sky.Ó
This immediately captivated the PrinceÕs attention as the ÔdemonsÕ described in the story were obviously Saiyan warriors but this bit of information also raised more questions within him. To his knowledge Kakarot and Raditz had been the first Saiyans to come to this world in any capacity. Before that time most of the systems in this region of space had been largely unknown to his people and when the Saiyan people had come under the dominion of Freeza and King Cold exploring those areas had become irrelevant. Still the fact that this tale involved his people definitely made matters better than they were before and he hoped that he would learn the names of these Saiyan warriors sooner or later.
ÒThe group of strangers consisted of a man, a woman and a small girl who was perhaps no more than eight years old. The defenders of Earth had no time to further scrutinize their quarry as almost immediately the man of the group turned around and looked directly at them.Ó , Watcher One explained with the skill of an experienced storyteller, ÒYears of fighting the demon scourge had left many of the warriors and a few of the mages a bit jumpy and when their position had been compromised they immediately went on the attack. The warriors went in first with their swords and battle axes while the mages hung back a bit and began preparing their offensive spells.Ó
ÒThe battle was a fierce one with the human forcesÕ numbers being the only advantage working in their favor at the moment. The three strangers were powerful, capable of flight and firing great blasts of energy from their hands utterly destroying some warriors while tearing up the terrain when they missed. In the end only five warriors and four mages survived the battle against the strangers but they had emerged victorious as the man and the woman were dead. The only one to survive was the eight year old girl and she was seriously injured by the battle.Ó
Vegita frowned as he thought of two Saiyan warriors and presumably their daughter had been defeated by a small group of humans. If he had been in their place he would have been humiliated that such weaklings had managed to defeat him and welcomed death since to live with the shame would have been unbearable. Still this bit of information was helpful as it helped him in the search of his memories since the nagging feeling had only gotten worse had the story gone on. Trying to piece this together was like trying to remember what strategy he had used to complete a particular training scenario back when he was a child. He knew that he would eventually remember but it was time consuming indeed.
ÒIn other battles there had been no exceptions in terms of who could be killed and who could not and that extended to children as well.Ó , Watcher One stated much to the horror of the majority of his listeners, ÒHowever just as one of the warriors was about to deal the fatal blow to the child he was stopped by the highest ranking member of the group. This solider had just had a flash of insight and believed that the girl could be of far more use to them alive rather than dead. After a brief period of arguing the girl was securely bound by both magic and metal and carried back to the headquarters of the human forces.Ó
ÒUpon their arrival they were immediately escorted to the great hall where the leaders of the human race were waiting for their report. The prisoner was brought with them at the insistence of the leader of the returning group and once all were present the leader of the party explained to his leaders his idea. He proposed that instead of having countless human soldiers hunt down and deal with the remaining demons why not this one girl fight in their place. He described the power that this child had exhibited in battle as well as the difficulty they had in subduing the parents and this caused the council of leaders to look favorably upon his plan.Ó
This last portion of information caused just about everyone to listen with dread with the members of the Scoobies affected to a greater degree than the others. They had expected that they might hear some disturbing facts when they had been told that they would hear about the true origins of the Slayer line but this was more than they had expected. The First Slayer was actually a Saiyan and she had not decided to defend humanity of her own free will? This was almost too much to bear and they hoped that the remainder of the information that Watcher One had to divulge would help them come to terms with what had come beforehand. For the Z-Fighters, especially the Saiyans, they were angry that the ancestors of the Watchers Council had been a party to something like this even though Buffy, Faith and Dawn were their friends. Vegita in particular was doing his best to restrain the compulsion he had to locate the Watchers CouncilÕs HQ and blow it into atoms.
ÒYes I am afraid that the Watchers Council has more than a few amoral black marks on its record.Ó , Watcher One said with a tinge of guilt in his voice, ÒIn the months that followed the mages and the best warriors from around the world attempted to change the child into the protector of the human race they wanted her to be but they failed. The child was ferocious in her resistance, nothing they promised her with or threatened her with persuaded her to behave.Ó
ÒThey tried the more brutal methods of persuasion but it quickly became clear that this would not only fail but would prove dangerous to them. With every beating she received she became stronger once the wounds had healed and thus harder to contain. Another problem that presented itself was how long they would need their newest warrior and what would have to be done if the need exceeded her lifespan. In the end it was decided that a powerful magic would be needed to solve both problems and it wasnÕt long before a solution was found.Ó
ÒThe restraining spell you mentioned earlier?Ó Willow asked with a mixture of curiousity and horror.
ÒYes. That and another spell were used to meet their needs and solve their problems.Ó , Watcher One said with a nod as he continued with his tale, ÒThe restraining spell would make her appear more human and keep her power at a level that would make her easier to control without decreasing her fighting potential. It would also suppress the memories she had of her previous life which would leave her a blank slate for them to work with.Ó
ÒAs for the other spell it dealt specifically with the replication of living organisms, essentially an arcane version of cloning. A duplicate of the Slayer would be made and placed with a surrogate family allowing her to lead a relatively normal life and become attached to the people in her life. When the active Slayer died the duplicates powers would be activated and an agent of the council would arrive to inform her of her duties.Ó
ÒWhy did they decide to clone her? CouldnÕt they have simply let her do it the natural way?Ó Xander asked as he tried to wrap his head around the concepts he was being presented with every few moments.
ÒTrue it would have been easier but it would also have presented an unacceptable risk.Ó , Watcher One replied with a bit of surprise in his voice at the boyÕs question, ÒIf the first Slayer had been allowed to mate with a human in order to continue the line all those that followed her would be less powerful than she was as the Saiyan blood became diluted. Not only that but there was every chance that one or more of the SlayerÕs children would escape from the CouncilÕs sight and there would be no telling what that would bring about unchecked.Ó
ÒThe Council decided that it was for the best that they be in control of the Slayer line and who would become the next one.Ó
ÒHow could they do that? ItÕs not like they could stop her if she decided to É you know É with the person she loved.Ó Willow asked with a slight blush.
ÒAh but they could. In the past the Watcher assigned to each Slayer has been told to keep his or her charge focused on her job and do whatever was necessary to that end.Ó , explained Watcher One, ÒWith the exception of Rupert and a few others most Watchers were successful in preventing any intimate relationships from progressing to that point. In the event that it did happen a contraceptive of some kind was placed in the SlayerÕs food to prevent procreation.Ó
Needless to say this floored those listening and angered more than a few as they tried to comprehend how anyone to treat the Slayers like animals. After all many of the things they had done were being done to animals today from dogs to horses without even a second thought. For Giles it was nothing short of the destruction of his entire way of life for while he was not particularly fond of the Watchers CouncilÕs current administration he did believe that every Slayer should have a Watcher. He believed that it was necessary for the girl to have a guide into the world she would be entering and becoming a part of but now things were different. Knowing that such unspeakable acts were being committed since the founding of the Watchers Council and that were it not for his feelings for Buffy he might have done the same things was almost more than he could bear. As for the others they too were feeling more than a bit ill at the news and more determined than ever to do something about the Watchers Council.
ÒFor the next millennia the Slayer line continued this way with the Watchers Council monitoring and controlling it all from their headquarters.Ó , Watcher One said with some difficulty, ÒSoon however a problem arose that threatened to destroy their plans when the duplicates began to exhibit slight variations in their appearances and in some cases their personalities. I am sure that Ms. Rosenberg and Mr. Giles can guess why this was happening and how it could seriously undermine the plans of the Council.Ó
ÒDNA degradation?Ó Willow asked with a fair amount of confidence in her answer.
Giles nodded indicating that his answer was the same as the Wicca in training.
ÒYes. As is the case with cloning using modern scientific methods the more you replicate something the more distorted each copy becomes. It is like taking something and photocopying it and then photocopying the photocopy, eventually things begin to distort and change.Ó , Watcher One said with a satisfied grin, ÒWhile the arcane cloning process was a bit better in producing an copy of the original it too began to fail the mages of the Council. They tried numerous methods of correcting the problem but they met with little success and were soon forced by terrible circumstances to take drastic action.Ó
ÒWhat terrible circumstances?Ó Trunks asked with a bit of suspicion.
ÒThe destruction of Atlantis.Ó Replied Watcher One.
ÒWHAT!?Ó everyone exclaimed in surprise and disbelief.
ÒYes you heard correctly. Up until the time of its destruction the island of Atlantis was the primary base of operations for the entire Watchers Council. It contained almost all of the CouncilÕs most important artifacts and records going back almost to the very beginning of the war with the Ancient Ones.Ó , Watcher One explained carefully, ÒAs the legend goes in the space of a single night the island was destroyed and everything on it sank to the bottom of the sea. The idea that the Atlanteans brought about their own destruction was also not far from the truth if you look at it from a certain point of view.Ó
ÒIt happened when the Watchers Council decided to try and extend the length of time that the restraining spell on the Slayer would last. They felt that the age of twenty one was too short a time since it allowed for only six or seven years of service per Slayer and was thought to be a contributing factor of the DNA degradation. Tragically the plan failed and when the experimental Slayer reached the age of twenty-three she began to revert at a rapid pace back into a Saiyan. This left the young woman confused and more than a little upset as she tried to understand what was happening to her and getting no answers from the Watchers present. Determined to get some answers she traveled to Atlantis to confront the leaders of the Watchers Council in person.Ó
ÒThe Slayer destroyed Atlantis?!Ó Xander blurted out in the form of a question.
ÒQuick on the pick-up arenÕt you?Ó , Watcher One asked with amusement, ÒYes, the experimental Slayer was the cause of AtlantisÕ destruction. When they were confronted with her ever growing power the leaders of the Council disclosed everything they knew in a foolish attempt to save their lives.Ó
ÒHowever instead of satisfying the young warriorÕs curiosity it destroyed what control she had in her powers and her emotions. She became the embodiment of destruction as she began to destroy all that existed around her in a massive display of power. Everyone there ran in terror as they tried to escape the carnage and a few were coherent enough to try and save some of the artifacts stored on the island. In the end though the entire island was laid to waste with barely any members of the Council managing to get away in time. As for the Slayer she was destroyed as well, consumed by the power she wielded as it grew beyond her ability to control it.Ó
Looking around the room the sliver of a soul could see that everyone had just missed the turn on that one and were still trying to catch up with what he was telling them. He sympathized with them, after all to have all this information dumped on them in a matter of hours was a bit much to digest. Add that to the fact that the information was crucial to three of their best friends and comrades and it was a wonder they were handling things as well as they were at the moment. Still there was one more bombshell to be dropped and he had a feeling that it would be the hardest thing of all for them to accept.
ÒAfter that the survivors of the disaster never again attempted to lengthen the amount of time that they could restrain the Saiyan properties of their Slayers. Instead they took a far more permanent course of action that would ensure that nothing like Atlantis would happen again.Ó Watcher One explained as gently as he could.
Unfortunately the grown-ups in the group had already jumped ahead of him and were visibly angry at what was about to be divulged. The young ones though were still waiting to be told what the others knew although their reaction would likely be the same.
ÒAs most of you have no doubt been told the average life expectancy of a Slayer is twenty-one years of age. At that time most Slayers have either sacrificed themselves to save the world or gotten into a situation that they were unprepared to deal with and thus were killed in the altercation.Ó , Watcher One explained as he seemed to brace himself for what was to come next, ÒWhat you have not been told was that almost all of those deaths were arranged in advance by the Watchers Council. In each instance crucial bits of information were concealed from the Slayer by her Watcher or by the ruling council itself in order to ensure that she would not survive the battle ahead.Ó
ÒAfter the Atlantis disaster the Council was determined never to allow a Slayer to live past the age of twenty-one again. They were terrified that if they did not arrange for the SlayerÕs death she would revert to her Saiyan self and obliterate thousands of people as the experimental one had done. That, Rupert, was the real reason why you were removed as BuffyÕs Watcher when you interfered in the test. The Council believed that with your emotional attachment to her you would be unable to go through with her termination when the time came around. That is the true reason why all Watchers were instructed to remain detached from the Slayers in their custody.Ó
For the next few minutes the entire room was silent, not a word was said as everyone tried to come to grips with what they had been told. For the members of the Z-Team it was horrible to think that generations upon generations of young warriors had been bred, trained and then killed by one selfish group of people. Regardless of their situation no one from Bulma to Goku believed that the Council had been justified in what they had done to Saiyan girl and her family. If Buffy and the others were any indication of what the other Slayer girls were like than a great injustice had been done. Vegita in particular was furious that one of his people had been treated even worse than he, Raditz and Nappa had been treated by Freeza. At least they knew who and what they were when they came into the service of the powerful warlord but the Slayers had even their past stolen from them. For the Scoobie gang the crime was much more personal since the founding of their very group was brought about by Buffy. She was their leader but more than that she was their bestest and closest friend in the world. For Giles it was like learning that his daughter had been subjected to experiments without his knowledge and made even more painful by the fact that he had been a party to it all. It didnÕt matter that the important bits of information had been conveniently kept from him, the very fact that he had once been a part of their organization was enough to make him loathe himself. After about twenty minutes Giles returned his attention to Watcher One and decided to ask one more question of the shard of soul.
ÒWill Buffy and the others also lose control like the experimental Slayer did?Ó Giles asked as he almost had to force the words from his mouth.
ÒI do not believe so Rupert.Ó , Watcher One replied with a shake of his head, ÒUnlike the experimental Slayer Buffy, Faith and Dawn have you all to look to for support and comfort. The Slayer that destroyed Atlantis had no one to turn to when she began to undergo the changes, none that explain to her what was happening and even fewer who could help her endure them. In the end it was her isolation that caused her to go mad, her separation from society and from her own Watcher. As long as all of you are there to support her and guide her through this turning point in her life I believe that all will turn out alright.Ó
It was then, when the last word was spoken that, chaos chose to rear itÕs ugly head as the wall to right of them exploded inward in a storm of debris and fire. Those that could sense energy had felt it coming but only had enough time to place their bodies between the wall and their loved ones before it happened. There was coughing and choking aplenty as those in the room attempted to regain their senses and determine what had just happened but none of them expected the cause to come walking up to them. At first it was impossible to see anything through the smoke but as the figures got closer they became easier to see. There were six of them in total varying in shape, size and gender all the way across but there was no doubt that they were responsible as each of them had a glowing fist extended in front of them. Five of them stopped just outside the house but the female form in the center continued forward until her identity was clear to both the Z-fighters and the Scoobie gang.
ÒOh, I assure you, nobody is going to be alright by the time IÕm through with you!Ó declared Glory, the Beast, triumphantly as she stood smiling in the gaping hole in the living room wall.