Three Slayers 11A - Earshot
"Ken, are you sure you're alright to patrol?"
Kendra smiled up at Xander's worried face. Even at the depths of her despair over Finch's death she'd been able to garner comfort from Xander's concern for her. "'Tis my duty Xander," she replied softly, "Mr. Giles says I'm ready. Xander," Kendra swallowed. "What happens if I kill someone again."
"Ken," she felt Xander's arm snake around her shoulders, "remember what Giles said. Council records go back in fourteen centuries. And in that time you're only the sixth Slayer to have an accident. It isn't going to happen again. "Besides.." her boyfriend's voice trailed off.
Kendra looked up at her love's face. "Besides what?"
"Besides, they're definitely not human." Kendra's eyes widened as she saw two demons in the park's picnic area. Drawing her axe she hurried over to the demons, a pair of ugly flesh-coloured monsters with no mouths.
"Hi guys!" she said brightly as she launched herself into the air, her feet smashing into the nearest demon's chest staggering it. Landing on her side, she rolled up instantly to her feet.
The second demon grabbed her around the neck, Kendra's hands flew up to snatch hold of the beast's forearm and threw it into the swing set pole. Both demons bounded up and charged her.
Kendra caught the first demon with a swift kick to the stomach, grabbed the monster and threw it over her shoulder onto a picnic table, shattering the table under the impact. While the demon laid stunned Kendra brought her axe down separating the beast's head from its shoulders, its blood splashing up, some of it catching on her hand. Kendra spun round to kill the other demon but it had gone. "Damn it," Xander took a breath before speaking again. "Why didn't you wait?"
"Xander, I had to do it on my own."
Xander nodded in reluctant understanding. "Do you feel better?"
Kendra grimaced as Finch's face flashed before her. "Not really, but I will. Let's go home."
* * *
"Giles can I speak to you?"
Giles looked up at the second Slayer and smiled. "But of course Kendra," he gestured to the other chair in his office. "Please take a seat."
"Thank you," Kendra hesitated, "I've got an itch."
An itch? Giles felt Ripper ripple to the surface, if that little bugger had given his girl a STD he'd castrate him. Forcing a comforting smile he nodded. "Don't worry about it dear they're most discreet at those sort of clinics." Oh yes, Xander had most definitely best move dimensions.
Kendra looked confused. "Clinics? But how could clinics help me with an itch caused by demon blood?"
Demon blood? Giles felt his cheeks flame. "Ah, quite right. I heard a rumour about an infection sweeping the school," he lied smoothly, "but you being a Slayer you'd be more immune than most." Deciding a change of subject was most definitely in order, he glanced distastefully at the computer perched on his desk. When Jonathan had joined the 'Scooby Gang', one of the first things he'd done was write a comprehensive database of demon species and famous vampires. No scanning of-course, they'd learnt their lesson with Moloch. "Could you give me that description again please?" he asked as he turned the computer on.
"Is this it?" Kendra nodded at the photo he'd printed off, Giles grimaced at the accompanying text, oh dear. "Here it says they can infect the host."
Kendra's eyes widened. "Infect? Infect?" Giles continued to read. "GILES! INFECT?!"
He looked up reprovingly. "Kendra, shouting does not get the answers any quicker." When the Slayer fell into a pouty silence he continued to read. "Oh um, infect the host with an aspect of the demon. That's all it says."
Kendra gulped. "An aspect of the demon? You mean like a part of it?"
"Calm down," Giles soothed. "There could be any number of explanations for your hand. A new fabric softener can cause irritation. In any case, I would advise not attempting to track the one that got away. Let's minimize your exposure."
"It's a bit late for that!" Kendra had gone a grayish colour. "I'm going to end up looking like that. WITHOUT A MOUTH!"
Giles winced at the Slayer's screech. "And wouldn't that be a shame," he muttered.
* * *
Kendra hurried through the corridor a beaming smile on her face. She'd awoken this morning to find her itch gone, problem solved. "Look at the ass on Kendra, what I'd like to do to tha-."
Cheeks flaming Kendra spun round. "Who said that!" Whoever it was they were going to get a pounding. Suddenly Kendra realised that nobody in the busy hall was talking. Puzzled she turned and bumped into a teacher. "Oh sorry Mr. Beech."
The teacher, a short balding man in his late forties waggled a finger at her, a friendly smile splitting his bespectacled face. " Ooo, whoa there. You watch where you're going now young lady."
Kendra smiled in apology. "I'm sorry Mr. Beech, I will."
"Good girl." Mr. Beech walked away. Suddenly Kendra was assaulted by Beech's voice in her head. "Students. I don't know why we bother, we should cut out the middle man and send them straight to juvenile hall."
"Oh boy," suddenly Kendra knew what the aspect of the demon was - she could read minds.
"Do you mind?" Harmony Kendall brushed past her, the blonde's thoughts entering her head. "Students shouldn't be allowed unless they wear fashion labels!"
Kendra smiled. Good to know Harmony was really as shallow as she appeared. Realising she had to tell Giles about this development she hurried to the library.
* * *
"Astounding, that's why they didn't have mouths," Giles stared at her in disbelief. "God I hope she doesn't read my mind and find out I thought Xander had given her that itch through other means - oh bollocks."
Other means? Kendra's mouth dropped open as she realised what Giles meant. "Giles!"
Her Watcher paled at her anger. "Um, the point is this power has fantastic potential," the middle-aged librarian hurriedly interrupted. "Imagine being able to predict your opponent's moves," the Englishman babbled. Inside her head she heard Giles' panicked gabble. "Oh god, change the subject."
Kendra grinned both at her surrogate father's discomfort and the point he had raised. "Good point." Imagine the advantages come exam time.
* * *
Kendra sat in Xander's arms, a pained grimace on her face as the thoughts of all those in the busy cafeteria assaulted her. Her new power wasn't quite the boon she'd thought it had been. Things were great at first, she'd aced an English test. But the thoughts of some of her classmates and some of the teachers were disturbing - what was it with the principal and 'Jive Talkin'? And the others were very uncomfortable around her, with only Giles, Xander, and Jonathan bearing to be around her.
Still, a smile creased her face. At least she no longer had any doubts about her and Xander. He really, really loved her. Although he did have a disturbing tendency to mentally check out any pretty girl who walked past him. She'd have to ask Faith's advice about how to re-train him, her best friend was a wealth of helpful if eye-opening information about such things, better than any teen magazine agony aunt.
Her planning was interrupted by a new voice exploding in her head. "Kill them. Kill them all. Every single one of them!" The voice pounded inside her head, rocking her with the intensity of the hatred contained within it. This was no idle threat. Ignoring Xander's concerned questions she stood and hurried into the centre of the cafeteria, desperately searching for the source of the anger-filled voice. Kendra's distress grew as not only could she not find the voice owner's but the clamour in her head grew until she thought her head would explode. The last thing she saw was Xander's concerned face and then the world went black.
* * *
"Kendra!" Xander grabbed Kendra's limp body as she fell to the ground, his heart thumping with terror. Realising it must have something to with the demon infection, he lifted his girlfriend's slender form into his arms and decided to take her to Giles, his cold eyes backing an approaching Snyder off.
* * *
"Giles!"
Giles spun around from his cataloguing at Xander's tension-filled cry, his heart dropping and his mouth drying at the sight of the youth carrying one of his Slayers in his arms. The expensive first editions he'd been examining fell to the floor through nerveless fingers as he rushed over to assist the younger man in putting his precious passenger down on the coach. "Good lord Xander what happened?"
The anguish in the male Scooby's eyes only added to his pain. "I don't know Giles, one second she walking through the cafeteria babbling about having to find him. And then she collapsed."
"Find who Xander-."
"The killer," they turned to see Kendra gingerly sitting up on the couch. Xander made to push the girl back down on the couch but she resisted his attempt. "Giles, there's a killer out there. Someone who really wants to kill the other students. Everyone in the school. I have to find him -."
"You'll do no such thing young lady," Giles said firmly.
Kendra's mouth opened but whatever specious argument she was about to expunge was lost when the doors of the library crashed open, eliciting a wince from the obviously still-hurting girl, and Buffy and the others rushed in. "Kendra! What happened!" Buffy bellowed.
"Hush Buffy," he reproved gently. "It appears the voices are taking an unexpected toll on Kendra, Oz could you take her and Xander home in your van." The guitarist nodded. "Thank you, now Kendra could you tell the others about the voice in the cafeteria?"
Kendra talked for a few minutes, answering questions about the voice until Giles noted her speech beginning to slur. "Enough!" he ordered, his concern for his Slayer giving his voice a rough, almost animalistic quality. "Oz, Xander take her home, the rest of you search for the killer."
Jonathan raised a timid hand. He nodded towards the youth. "Yes Jonathan."
"Um, in Psych class we studied serial killers," Giles raised an eyebrow, the American Education system, bloody marvellous, "I've got a profiling questionnaire on my computer that police psychologists use to identify suspects in serial killer cases. We could use it."
"An excellent idea," Giles nodded his approval. "Now come on get to it!"
Ten minutes later and he was alone in the library. Hearing the doors open he looked up, expecting it to be one of the children with news. Instead it was the prat. "Why wasn't I informed of Kendra's condition?" Wesley demanded prissily.
In his fraught condition Giles thought of telling the twit the truth - that he simply couldn't be arsed. Deciding that the last thing he needed was another argument he settled on tact. "Somebody was sent," he lied. "Obviously they didn't find you."
"Oh," the other Watcher looked somewhat mollified, then his expression turned serious. "Mr. Giles, I've found some information on those demons, including a cure." Giles began to smile. "But also the fact if the cure isn't administered, Kendra will be driven insane and die within a matter of days."
Giles groaned. Oh no, not good. Not good at all.
"Ken, are you sure you're alright to patrol?"
Kendra smiled up at Xander's worried face. Even at the depths of her despair over Finch's death she'd been able to garner comfort from Xander's concern for her. "'Tis my duty Xander," she replied softly, "Mr. Giles says I'm ready. Xander," Kendra swallowed. "What happens if I kill someone again."
"Ken," she felt Xander's arm snake around her shoulders, "remember what Giles said. Council records go back in fourteen centuries. And in that time you're only the sixth Slayer to have an accident. It isn't going to happen again. "Besides.." her boyfriend's voice trailed off.
Kendra looked up at her love's face. "Besides what?"
"Besides, they're definitely not human." Kendra's eyes widened as she saw two demons in the park's picnic area. Drawing her axe she hurried over to the demons, a pair of ugly flesh-coloured monsters with no mouths.
"Hi guys!" she said brightly as she launched herself into the air, her feet smashing into the nearest demon's chest staggering it. Landing on her side, she rolled up instantly to her feet.
The second demon grabbed her around the neck, Kendra's hands flew up to snatch hold of the beast's forearm and threw it into the swing set pole. Both demons bounded up and charged her.
Kendra caught the first demon with a swift kick to the stomach, grabbed the monster and threw it over her shoulder onto a picnic table, shattering the table under the impact. While the demon laid stunned Kendra brought her axe down separating the beast's head from its shoulders, its blood splashing up, some of it catching on her hand. Kendra spun round to kill the other demon but it had gone. "Damn it," Xander took a breath before speaking again. "Why didn't you wait?"
"Xander, I had to do it on my own."
Xander nodded in reluctant understanding. "Do you feel better?"
Kendra grimaced as Finch's face flashed before her. "Not really, but I will. Let's go home."
* * *
"Giles can I speak to you?"
Giles looked up at the second Slayer and smiled. "But of course Kendra," he gestured to the other chair in his office. "Please take a seat."
"Thank you," Kendra hesitated, "I've got an itch."
An itch? Giles felt Ripper ripple to the surface, if that little bugger had given his girl a STD he'd castrate him. Forcing a comforting smile he nodded. "Don't worry about it dear they're most discreet at those sort of clinics." Oh yes, Xander had most definitely best move dimensions.
Kendra looked confused. "Clinics? But how could clinics help me with an itch caused by demon blood?"
Demon blood? Giles felt his cheeks flame. "Ah, quite right. I heard a rumour about an infection sweeping the school," he lied smoothly, "but you being a Slayer you'd be more immune than most." Deciding a change of subject was most definitely in order, he glanced distastefully at the computer perched on his desk. When Jonathan had joined the 'Scooby Gang', one of the first things he'd done was write a comprehensive database of demon species and famous vampires. No scanning of-course, they'd learnt their lesson with Moloch. "Could you give me that description again please?" he asked as he turned the computer on.
"Is this it?" Kendra nodded at the photo he'd printed off, Giles grimaced at the accompanying text, oh dear. "Here it says they can infect the host."
Kendra's eyes widened. "Infect? Infect?" Giles continued to read. "GILES! INFECT?!"
He looked up reprovingly. "Kendra, shouting does not get the answers any quicker." When the Slayer fell into a pouty silence he continued to read. "Oh um, infect the host with an aspect of the demon. That's all it says."
Kendra gulped. "An aspect of the demon? You mean like a part of it?"
"Calm down," Giles soothed. "There could be any number of explanations for your hand. A new fabric softener can cause irritation. In any case, I would advise not attempting to track the one that got away. Let's minimize your exposure."
"It's a bit late for that!" Kendra had gone a grayish colour. "I'm going to end up looking like that. WITHOUT A MOUTH!"
Giles winced at the Slayer's screech. "And wouldn't that be a shame," he muttered.
* * *
Kendra hurried through the corridor a beaming smile on her face. She'd awoken this morning to find her itch gone, problem solved. "Look at the ass on Kendra, what I'd like to do to tha-."
Cheeks flaming Kendra spun round. "Who said that!" Whoever it was they were going to get a pounding. Suddenly Kendra realised that nobody in the busy hall was talking. Puzzled she turned and bumped into a teacher. "Oh sorry Mr. Beech."
The teacher, a short balding man in his late forties waggled a finger at her, a friendly smile splitting his bespectacled face. " Ooo, whoa there. You watch where you're going now young lady."
Kendra smiled in apology. "I'm sorry Mr. Beech, I will."
"Good girl." Mr. Beech walked away. Suddenly Kendra was assaulted by Beech's voice in her head. "Students. I don't know why we bother, we should cut out the middle man and send them straight to juvenile hall."
"Oh boy," suddenly Kendra knew what the aspect of the demon was - she could read minds.
"Do you mind?" Harmony Kendall brushed past her, the blonde's thoughts entering her head. "Students shouldn't be allowed unless they wear fashion labels!"
Kendra smiled. Good to know Harmony was really as shallow as she appeared. Realising she had to tell Giles about this development she hurried to the library.
* * *
"Astounding, that's why they didn't have mouths," Giles stared at her in disbelief. "God I hope she doesn't read my mind and find out I thought Xander had given her that itch through other means - oh bollocks."
Other means? Kendra's mouth dropped open as she realised what Giles meant. "Giles!"
Her Watcher paled at her anger. "Um, the point is this power has fantastic potential," the middle-aged librarian hurriedly interrupted. "Imagine being able to predict your opponent's moves," the Englishman babbled. Inside her head she heard Giles' panicked gabble. "Oh god, change the subject."
Kendra grinned both at her surrogate father's discomfort and the point he had raised. "Good point." Imagine the advantages come exam time.
* * *
Kendra sat in Xander's arms, a pained grimace on her face as the thoughts of all those in the busy cafeteria assaulted her. Her new power wasn't quite the boon she'd thought it had been. Things were great at first, she'd aced an English test. But the thoughts of some of her classmates and some of the teachers were disturbing - what was it with the principal and 'Jive Talkin'? And the others were very uncomfortable around her, with only Giles, Xander, and Jonathan bearing to be around her.
Still, a smile creased her face. At least she no longer had any doubts about her and Xander. He really, really loved her. Although he did have a disturbing tendency to mentally check out any pretty girl who walked past him. She'd have to ask Faith's advice about how to re-train him, her best friend was a wealth of helpful if eye-opening information about such things, better than any teen magazine agony aunt.
Her planning was interrupted by a new voice exploding in her head. "Kill them. Kill them all. Every single one of them!" The voice pounded inside her head, rocking her with the intensity of the hatred contained within it. This was no idle threat. Ignoring Xander's concerned questions she stood and hurried into the centre of the cafeteria, desperately searching for the source of the anger-filled voice. Kendra's distress grew as not only could she not find the voice owner's but the clamour in her head grew until she thought her head would explode. The last thing she saw was Xander's concerned face and then the world went black.
* * *
"Kendra!" Xander grabbed Kendra's limp body as she fell to the ground, his heart thumping with terror. Realising it must have something to with the demon infection, he lifted his girlfriend's slender form into his arms and decided to take her to Giles, his cold eyes backing an approaching Snyder off.
* * *
"Giles!"
Giles spun around from his cataloguing at Xander's tension-filled cry, his heart dropping and his mouth drying at the sight of the youth carrying one of his Slayers in his arms. The expensive first editions he'd been examining fell to the floor through nerveless fingers as he rushed over to assist the younger man in putting his precious passenger down on the coach. "Good lord Xander what happened?"
The anguish in the male Scooby's eyes only added to his pain. "I don't know Giles, one second she walking through the cafeteria babbling about having to find him. And then she collapsed."
"Find who Xander-."
"The killer," they turned to see Kendra gingerly sitting up on the couch. Xander made to push the girl back down on the couch but she resisted his attempt. "Giles, there's a killer out there. Someone who really wants to kill the other students. Everyone in the school. I have to find him -."
"You'll do no such thing young lady," Giles said firmly.
Kendra's mouth opened but whatever specious argument she was about to expunge was lost when the doors of the library crashed open, eliciting a wince from the obviously still-hurting girl, and Buffy and the others rushed in. "Kendra! What happened!" Buffy bellowed.
"Hush Buffy," he reproved gently. "It appears the voices are taking an unexpected toll on Kendra, Oz could you take her and Xander home in your van." The guitarist nodded. "Thank you, now Kendra could you tell the others about the voice in the cafeteria?"
Kendra talked for a few minutes, answering questions about the voice until Giles noted her speech beginning to slur. "Enough!" he ordered, his concern for his Slayer giving his voice a rough, almost animalistic quality. "Oz, Xander take her home, the rest of you search for the killer."
Jonathan raised a timid hand. He nodded towards the youth. "Yes Jonathan."
"Um, in Psych class we studied serial killers," Giles raised an eyebrow, the American Education system, bloody marvellous, "I've got a profiling questionnaire on my computer that police psychologists use to identify suspects in serial killer cases. We could use it."
"An excellent idea," Giles nodded his approval. "Now come on get to it!"
Ten minutes later and he was alone in the library. Hearing the doors open he looked up, expecting it to be one of the children with news. Instead it was the prat. "Why wasn't I informed of Kendra's condition?" Wesley demanded prissily.
In his fraught condition Giles thought of telling the twit the truth - that he simply couldn't be arsed. Deciding that the last thing he needed was another argument he settled on tact. "Somebody was sent," he lied. "Obviously they didn't find you."
"Oh," the other Watcher looked somewhat mollified, then his expression turned serious. "Mr. Giles, I've found some information on those demons, including a cure." Giles began to smile. "But also the fact if the cure isn't administered, Kendra will be driven insane and die within a matter of days."
Giles groaned. Oh no, not good. Not good at all.