Title: Half Knight (4/?)
Author: Cyclone
Feedback: Please be gentle.
Distribution: Gimme credit and a link.
Rating: I'm gonna go say PG-13.
Spoilers: For Ranma, anything goes, pun intended. For Buffy, starts at Halloween and continues on after.
Disclaimer: The characters depicted herein belong to the almighty Joss. I'm just borrowing them for a while.
Summary: Xander wears an anime-inspired costume on that fateful Halloween.
Author's Note: Let's see if I can continue this one, hmm? Oh, by the way, it may get confusing, as I will use female pronouns when talking about female Xander.
Buffy blinked when she saw the whirlwind of activity in the graveyard.
Poof.
Poof.
Poofpoofpoof.
Poofpoofpoofpoofpoofpoofpoofpoofpoof.
Her grip on her stake went slack as she stared. It took a very long moment for her to recognize the dust-covered redhead who had just single-handedly demolished over a dozen vampires.
"XANDER?!"
Blue eyes looked up.
"Ah, hi, Buff."
"What are you doing here?"
"Patrolling," the redhead replied innocently.
"Xander, why? This is dangerous. I'm the Slayer, and-..."
"...and I can kick your ass without breaking a sweat," Xander interrupted. "And that's in guy form. I'm a lot stronger and faster in this form, Buff. I alternate to keep this body in shape while I train my normal one."
Buffy's mouth moved, but words failed her.
"I've been thinking of training you and the gang," Xander said, resisting the urge to make comparisons with fish or fly traps.
"That's IT!" Buffy finally sputtered, poking a finger at him accusingly. "You! You're the reason some of the vampires don't believe I'm the Slayer!"
"Huh?"
"Are you certain this is the correct address?" Giles asked, frowning.
"Yeah, it looks kind of..." Willow eyed the warehouse uncertainly, "...dead."
Buffy checked the address, "Yeah, this is it. He said for me to meet him here for my special training. Let's check inside."
The Slayer pushed the door open and blinked in surprise. Rattlesnakes were scattered all over the floor, and Xander -- in his male form -- stood in the center, blindfolded.
"Xander!" Willow squealed as a rattler moved to strike. Xander suddenly... flowed out of the way. There was no other way to describe it. It was almost like he was made out of water.
"Oh, dear Lord..." Giles murmured, stunned.
These events repeated several more times. Xander suddenly turned toward them and moved.
Buffy squawked when she felt a weight suddenly settle itself on her head, and darkness covered her eyes.
"This is an intermediate level training method. With your Slayer powers, Buff, you're more than ready."
"WHAT?!"
She felt the weight leave her head and Xander -- it had to be Xander -- shove her in the back, sending her stumbling into the room.
"Remember, Buff, these snakes are deadly. I don't think even a Slayer can survive without antivenin. And don't try taking the blindfold off. Trust me on that."
She suddenly went very still.
"Xander, what are you doing?!" Giles hissed furiously as he grabbed the younger man by the shirt lapels and hauled him off the ground.
"Training her," Xander said flatly. "She's perfectly capable of handling this. You saw how I handled it, and I don't have Slayer powers. Besides, I got these rattlers from the zoo. They're not poisonous."
Giles blinked and lowered Xander, "Oh."
Xander looked at the two of them, "Now, you two could use some training too."
"Eep."
"Don't worry, Will," Xander smiled cheerfully. "You've got a long way to go before I put you through anything like that. I figure something like Aikido or Judo would come in handy. Maybe Tai Chi," he stroked his chin thoughtfully. "That'll be what'll come in handy when you're fighting vamps."
"Oof!" Xander blinked in surprise as he found himself flat on his back, the breath knocked out of him and Willow straddling him in a position that, had he been a vampire, would have left him ripe for a staking.
"OhmyGod,Xander!I'msosorry!Ididn'tmeantodothat!Areyouallright?!"
Xander looked at her and chuckled, "Relax, Will. It'll take more than that to hurt me, and it just shows you're learning. Besides, it's kinda comfy here."
Willow blinked and suddenly turned bright red. A moment later, Xander's face flushed as well as he realized what he'd said.
Baka, he thought. Just like with Ucchan! When am I gonna learn to control my mouth?
The fact that he was Xander Harris and not Ranma Saotome didn't even enter his mind.
"Ahem, I believe that will be enough for now," Giles broke in, much to their mutual relief.
Xander, Giles thought, resisting the urge to clean his glasses as the two of them scrambled to their feet, it appears you're still as blind as ever.
"I believe you offered me training as well, Xander?"
Giles grunted as the blow landed on his sternum. It didn't really have much power, but it was enough to knock the breath out of him and force him to step back.
"Not bad, Giles," Xander said with an approving nod. "Your Watcher training's showing, but it looks like they focused too much on weapon combat."
Author's Postscript:
I, ah, "borrowed" Xander's rattlesnake training technique from Jack Staik's Bet-style 'fic (I don't think it was an actual entry), Another Approach.