The Archer
Willow, Buffy, and Cordelia were sitting outside the school around a week later. The two Slayers were having a sit-up competition while Willow was working on levitating a pencil.
"How do you do that," asked Buffy.
"Yeah," said Cordelia, "I have enough trouble using a pencil, much less levitating it."
"It's all about mental control," said Willow, "Along with magic, of course."
"How did the locator spell go," said Buffy.
"Which one," asked Willow.
"The one on that evil lady that trained Xander," said Cordelia.
"Oh, Dominique," said Willow, "We finished it, but…"
"It came up a blank," said Cordelia.
"Yeah," sighed Willow, "It really ticks me off that we couldn't find her, especially after all she did to Xander."
"We can tell," said Buffy, with a slight frown.
"What," asked Willow.
Cordelia pointed to the pencil. Willow looked at it. The piece of wood with led in the middle of it was spinning like there was a rocket on the end of it. Willow gasped and lost focus, and the thing went flying. It embedded itself into a tree.
"Mental control," said Cordelia.
"It's a work in progress," said Willow with a slight frown.
Xander kicked in the door to the apartment, his bow ready. He quickly scanned the room for his target. No one was inside the small apartment, but there was a note on the living room table. He walked over to it and loosened his hold on his bow. He placed his weapons down on the ground and opened the letter. It read:
'Better luck next time, soldier. Maybe you could have caught me if you weren't so busy with your whore.
Dom.'
Xander growled, his game-face showing, and he ground the paper up. He slammed his foot into the table, shattering it. Then, he took a deep, calming breath to steady his nerves. He shifted back into his regular face, then walked out the door.
"Amy," she called.
Amy Madison turned around and looked at the girl known as Anya Jenkins.
"Amy Madison," she asked.
"Yeah," said Amy, "What is it?"
"Would you mind giving me some help? I kind of need some…magical aid."
"Cost you seventeen bucks an hour," said Amy.
"Seventeen," growled Anya, "…Alright. Meet me tomorrow in the quad. We'll talk then."
Xander walked into the Bronze that afternoon. He was there to ask Oz if he wanted to meditate tonight, before the full moon in a few weeks. When he got there, Oz was practicing with his guitar. No one else was there.
"Hey, Oz," said Xander.
Oz nodded to his friend.
"Do you have a gig tonight?"
Oz nodded.
"Then where are the rest of the Dingoes?"
"Devon's in LA this week," said Oz, "The other two are…somewhere."
"So, you have no band tonight."
"That's about right."
"What are you going to do?"
"Don't know. Might have to give it up tonight."
"Can I help?"
"…You might. What songs do you know?"
"Well, you did give me a few copies of your music to play. Plus, I know some of the basics: Metallica, some Black Sabbath, a few Eagles songs, and some of The Who."
"Well, that's good. So, if you join up, we have two guitarists. Now, all we need's a drummer and someone who can sing."
"That's not me," said Xander as he sat down next to the werewolf, "But, Faith can play the drums pretty well."
"Can she read music?"
"Yeah."
"Can she come by?"
"She's picking me up after her stop from the bank. Turns out Dom didn't do anything to either of our accounts."
"Good. How are you adjusting?"
"It's a change, but…it works. Now, who can sing?"
Both sat and pondered about who they knew that could sing. Then…
"I know someone," said Xander, "But, he might not want to."
"Who?"
"…Giles."
"Giles can sing?"
"Yeah. He used to be in a band before."
"…Eh. I'm desperate. Might as well. I'll give him a call while you wait for Faith. If she says yes, teach her some of our songs. We got three hours before eight, and that's when we go on."
"Not a problem, Oz."
"Great. Thanks, man. I owe you one."
Oz walked into the library, but didn't see that elusive Watcher. He looked around the front of the library, then into the office window. He wasn't there.
"Giles," he called out.
"Hello," said the Watcher as he leapt up from behind the counter.
Oz didn't jump or anything, though he hadn't been expecting him.
"Oz," said Giles in surprise, "What can I do for you?"
"That depends," said Oz.
"On what?"
"Can you sing?"
"Fairly well, I think. Why do you ask?"
"Our singer's in LA, and we need one for tonight. Can you fill in?"
"…I don't know, Oz. It's been years since I've actually performed. Who else is there?"
"Xander is my other guitarist for tonight, and Faith is the drummer. Come on, Giles."
"How desperate are you?"
"I came to you."
Giles just glared at him.
"Attempt at humor."
"Poor," said the British man.
"Sorry. Please?"
"…I'll do it. Lord, with as much as I bail you children out, I may as well be your father."
"You are," said Oz with complete seriousness, "In all but blood."
"Alright, let's get this over with," said Giles as he and Oz entered the Bronze.
"Hey, G-man," said Xander, "Good to see you."
"Hey, G," said Faith from behind the drums.
"Hello," said Giles, "And don't call me that…or else, I won't help out."
"Don't call him that," said Oz.
"Deal," said Xander, "I managed to teach Faith five of your songs. She's got three of them down pat, but needs to work on the other two."
"Who gave you the right to criticize me," asked Faith.
"The lead guitarist," said Xander with a smile.
"It seems like we're off on the right foot," said Oz, "Now, all we need to know is whether Giles can sing. Now, we have two hours before we go on. Think you can learn around ten songs by then?"
"Sure," said Giles, "I've done more in less."
Oz nodded, then walked over to Xander. He was playing a few chords with Faith.
"How did you teach her that in just one hour," asked Oz.
"Meditation," said Faith, "In Xander's realm, time goes differently. It took me three days worth of practice in his realm, but here, only an hour went by."
Oz nodded, then let his mind ponder over a thought.
"Xander," he said, "If you taught Faith all that in just one hour, do you think you could get me and Giles in your realm and let's all practice there?"
"It's…possible. Giles, do you have any meditation experience?"
"Some," said Giles, "Though, not much as of late."
"Oz," asked Xander.
"A little," the werewolf admitted.
"…You know what? I'm feeling daring tonight, so let's give it a shot."
Xander got out a blanket and laid it down in the backroom. He sat down Indian-style and the rest followed suit. They joined hands and focused.
"Giles," called Cordelia later that night.
She, Buffy, and Willow were outside the closed library. Giles was, uncharacteristically, nowhere to be seen.
"Where is he," groaned Cordelia, "It's mine and Buffy's turn to patrol, and he's not even here to outfit me."
"…What," said Willow.
"With weaponry," said Buffy, "I don't know where he is."
"Maybe he's at the Bronze," suggested Willow, "Oz and the Dingoes are playing there tonight."
"I doubt it," said Buffy.
"Wait," said Cordelia, "No Watcher equals no one telling us what to do. We go to the Bronze, stake a few vamps, then walk the graveyards to our houses. That way, we have fun and do our duty at the same time."
"…Why not," said Buffy, "But, while we're in the graveyards, be careful. And we don't separate until we get out of the graveyards. Got it?"
"Got it."
Willow, Buffy, and Cordelia sat together at their own table that night. The band's equipment was already set up, but none of the players were out yet.
"Did you say hi to Oz," asked Cordelia.
"Yeah," said Willow, "He was really…relaxed."
"What," asked Buffy, "How could he be even more relaxed?"
"I don't know," said Willow, "But, it was almost as though nothing could ever be wrong with the world again for him. It was…weird."
"Did he say anything," asked Cordelia.
"Yeah," said Willow, "He said that there was a special surprise for us tonight."
"Ooh," said Buffy and Cordelia at the same time, "What kind of surprise?"
"He said we'd know."
Giles took a deep, calming breath as he and the other three went out on stage. It had been a long time since he had performed anywhere, and after that bit of meditation with Xander, he thought he'd never be nervous again. But, here he was. Sighing, he calmed himself as the group got ready.
The lights dimmed around the stage, and then the back lights came on. Giles could see all those faces looking upon him. Then, he found Cordelia's, Willow's, and Buffy's faces. Now, those were priceless. Giles smiled to himself, realizing that that alone had been payment enough for his service here. He took a breath, then let the music take hold.
He sang
Feeling I've been lost for yearsYou can never understand me
Unless you've seen those tears
But you never get to slee-ee-eep
When I'm away
I don't mind
The deeper that you lay
Out of time
Pain, I can't sleep
A/N: Pain lyrics accredited to Four Star Mary. Rocking band!