Greetings and Salutations. Some DD for you all. One chapter, but it's full of stuff.
Before we start, I am aware Chapter 10 for Slayer's Knight isn't working. I didn't like the way it posted, so I pulled it and tried to fix it. Problem was, it refused to work the way it should. If you're reading this, then this isn't doing the same thing, in which case I am slightly ticked. Ah well, life stinks. Enjoy.
"What the hell are you two doing back?" Faith demanded. She turned to Buffy. "You should be resting," She then turned on Xander. "And you should never have let her back here."
"Faith chill," Buffy said. "I'm on top of it. Besides, shouldn't you be patrolling?"
"Considering the Council believes you two powerless, I thought that we should suspend patrol for a week," Giles said. "Angel and Dru are covering for you," Buffy nodded.
"Knew those two were good for something," She muttered playfully. "And relax, sis. I got a crash course on 'Controlling Everyone's Anger 101' from Master Yoda, so it's cool," There were several thuds as jaws hit the floor.
"Yoda?" Joyce whispered. "How…?"
"Seems he's a lot stronger than anyone knew," Xander said with a grin, enjoying himself. "He managed to reach her from a place called Dagobah."
"Brought the stink with him," Buffy said, wrinkling her nose. "Swamp planet. Very accurate image too."
"Damn," Faith muttered. She walked up to her sister. "So…"
"It's all under control," Buffy said. A sly grin spread across her face. "That reminds me," She kicked Faith in the shin.
"Ow!"
"Stubborn ass," Buffy muttered, bringing a bout of laughter from all present.
"She's fine," Joyce said, walking up and wrapping her daughters in a hug. "I'm sorry I couldn't prepare you better."
"Don't sweat it, mom," Buffy said. "It's cool. Although, Master Yoda wants to question you about your training techniques," She cleared her throat before continuing falsetto, "Easy on you, she was. Better prepared, you should be. Lessons on training, your mother needs."
"Oh, Force help me, that even sounded like him," Joyce moaned.
"Mom's in the doghouse!" Faith crowed. "Never thought I'd say that."
"So, any progress on Operation: Watcher Meltdown?" Xander asked.
"Watcher Meltdown?" Giles asked. Xander looked over at him.
"What?" The teen said. "It was all I could think of."
"Yes, well, that's part of why Angel and Dru are taking patrol," Giles said. Buffy looked over at him.
"Please don't tell me they're doing recon," She begged.
"Sorry, sis," Faith said. "Got it in one."
"Who's screwball plan was this?" Buffy demanded. "Suppose they get caught? Then who covers for us when we head off."
"We'll just have to leave Faith and Willow here," Joyce said. The girls in question looked at her in shock.
"Sorry, mom," Buffy said. "Not an option. Master Yoda said all four of us have to hit the Empire."
"Woo- hoo!" Faith crowed. "I'm beginning to love that little guy," Joyce shot a sharp look at her daughter. "What?"
"I hope I can teach her some self restraint before she meets him," Joyce muttered.
"Good luck," Doyle told her. "I've been trying for years."
"Hey!"
One week later.
"Are we ready?" Giles asked. The group nodded, grimly.
"Already running through mom's exercise's," Buffy said, calmly.
"We'll be at the manor giving our girls all the support we can," Xander said.
"We'll be making sure they remain safe," Joyce said.
"While we make sure Buffy and Faith stay in one piece," Angel finished.
"And try to refrain from ripping that arrogant bastard to shreds," Dru added.
"That won't be necessary," Giles said. "If he follows protocol, Quentin should be here soon. I'll keep him busy. You'd better get going," The gang nodded and headed out. "Good luck."
"So this is it," Buffy said, looking up at the house. "Any luck?"
"I think so," Faith said. "I'm feeling a bit stronger. You?"
"It's wearing down," Buffy agreed. "But then there's the side effect," Faith grinned.
"Willow on a caffeine high."
"Only worse."
"I heard that," The red head in question sent.
"You saying it's not like that?" Faith sent.
"No," Willow admitted. "But you didn't have to say it out loud."
"Let's go," Buffy moved forward, Faith close behind. The second they entered the house, the door locked behind them. "Automated."
"I hear ya," Faith said. "Doubt they'd actually leave anyone in here." She added mentally.
"Besides the assassins above us," Buffy pointed out the disruption in the Force caused by the two live bodies above.
"And one psycho vamp," Faith added. "Looks like he's got help."
"Deal with that later, F. First…" She reached out with the Force, pulling the two assassins down to their level. "What are you guys doing here?" Buffy said, deadpan. The two men looked around, realised their guns were back in their 'nest' and decided to play dumb.
"This guy grabbed us off the street and tied us up there," One said, pointing to where they had been hiding. "If Johnny didn't have his pocket knife, we'd be screwed."
"That was so lame," Faith sent.
"I've used better stories to get away with late nights of non patrol," Buffy agreed. "Whatever. Just beat it. Our boyfriends'll be here in a minute, and we don't want to get in trouble with them. They get jealous."
"Is that one of the stories you used?" Xander asked innocently. "'Cause I gotta tell you, it's a close tie over whose story was lamer."
"Ha ha," Buffy muttered as the two men headed to the side of the house. "Emergency exit in the side. Get Angel and Dru to cover it, but tell them not to get caught."
"Ja wohl, Herr commandant," Was Xander's reply.
"Let's move it," Faith said. "I'm getting' antsy."
"Antsy?"
"Blame Doyle," Faith sent as they moved towards the vampire. "Did they let this guy out? How many vamps has he got?"
"Doyle said they don't usually let the vamp in question out," Willow sent.
"Which means one of two things," Buffy said. "A; they've let him out to play or, b: they had more than one."
"Your forgetting one possibility, sis," Faith added darkly. "They've brought people in to be turned. The more vamps, the better chance to nail us."
"That better not be the case," Buffy said. "Xander, Wills, start the power up. We're gonna need it."
"All you need to do is ask," Xander said softly. "You going to be alright?"
"If I'm not, Travers is going to get haunted by one pissed off ghost," She told him.
"That's my girl."
"Mr Giles," Quentin walked in. "Are the Slayers…?"
"Sent to the house, as ordered," Giles said, trying not to give the game away. He could hardly wait to see Travers' face when they walked in. "Would you mind telling me what you have planned? I gather this is not the usual test."
"You should be happy, Rupert," Quentin said. "I've organised to get rid of those two delinquents. With luck, you'll get someone more obedient."
"What are you talking about?" Giles said, glad he'd left his communicator off. He had a feeling what he was about to hear was not good.
"There are about fifteen vampires in that house," Travers said with a grin. "Without their Slayer strength, there is no way they will survive. If, by some fluke, they do however, I've left two of my best men to ensure they don't walk out alive."
"So either way, they both die," Giles said evenly.
"Exactly," Travers was far too pleased with himself. "And we get a better suited Slayer, instead of these two," Giles did his best not to jump over the table and kill this smug bastard.
"So, when does the test start?" Travers looked at his watch.
"About ten minutes ago."
"Vamps aren't this sneaky," Faith sent to Buffy. The power travelling through her body was unbelievable, but she knew the exhaustion was going to be the real killer.
"Yeah," Buffy agreed. "They'd normally have jumped us by now," She noticed that Faith was nervous. "You alright?" She asked out loud.
"It's kinda…" Faith began, before switching back to 'silent'. "How long are we going to be able to last before the exhaustion starts effecting us?"
"Don't worry," Xanxder sent. "Me an' Wills'll take care of that. Can't have you two collapsing half way home."
"You sure?" Buffy asked. She knew the kind of exhaustion that would hit them when it was over. Adding in the amount of work they'd have to do…
"You've done it for me twice," Xander reminded her. "'Sides, I don't want to loose you."
"Would you two cut the mushiness?" Faith said jokingly. "We got work to do."
"Faith's right," Willow said. "Let's get to work."
"Two vamps in the room to the left," Buffy said. "The rest are downstairs," she and Faith moved to the door. She felt the familiar feeling as Xander's mind merged with her own, increasing her strength. She heard and felt everything he had experienced, as he did with her. This was the ultimate power of the Slayer and her Protector, and they both revelled in it.
For Willow and Faith, it was different. They were not as close as Buffy and Xander, the combination was less a joining of souls and more a joining of forces. A feral grin slid over Faith's face. "Let's rock," She said. Buffy nodded as the two Slayers moved in.
The door shattered under Faith's strength as she grabbed the first vampire, sending the once normal person back into the hallway, where Buffy waited. The vamp was dust two seconds later, followed by its partner half a second after that.
"We could get used to this," Faith said.
"Throttle down," Buffy warned. "You get too excited, you may not be able to separate."
"Roger that," Faith nodded. There was no attempt to keep things secret now. There was nothing short of First Circle demon that could stop the two Slayers, and they knew it. They moved towards the basement, dusting any vamps that came their way.
"An' we thought trainin' with Giles was easy," Faith/Willow joked.
"Does take the challenge out of it," Buffy/Xander agreed, dusting two more vamps, "Not that we're complaining," They made it to the basement, where the main vamp was waiting.
"Ah, the Slayers arrive," he saidh "Allow me to introduce myself."
"Nope," Faith said, charging and dusting in two seconds flat.
"Could've left some for us," Buffy/Xander complained.
"You snooze, you loose," Faith/Willow answered, "What now?"
"Travers," Buffy said, "After you and Wills separate."
"What about…"
"Me and Xand already have," Buffy explained, "And it was hard enough on him with the exhaustion. Hurry up and separate, then the two of us will deal with Travers. He's got a serious debt to pay," Faith nodded as she felt Willow pull away.
"Oh, wow," The red head sent tiredly.
"What rush!" Faith said. "I owe you, Wills."
"Don't mention it. Nightie night," Faith felt her Protector collapse into sleep.
"Sleep tight, pal," Faith muttered. "You deserve it."
"Tell that to Xander," Buffy muttered. "He doesn't believe you.
"I don't need sleep," Xander said.
"Whatever. Just don't do anything else. You've done enough," Buffy turned to Faith. "Let's motor."
"Now your getting' it, B," Faith said as they walked out the side exit.
Oh, bugger. Travers now has two, post Slayage Slayers, Jedi trained, coming to 'chat' with him. Good thing Buffy ain't sweatin'.
Stay tuned.
Doc.