Okay, I had been thinking about this and the past few chapters didn't go the way I wanted. So, I am completely rewriting the past two chapters and redoing the future storyline. The play involving Buffy's life will go on but as a separate story.
It's a Puppet's Life
Part Eight
By Marie Nomad
The sun shone in England at the Deeper Well entrance. "Ah." Persephone said as she walked through the portal. "That dimension was nice." She took off her sunglasses and called out, "Droygn! Droygn, your goddess is back! Be ready to do some serious worshipping" She paused as she waited. "That's odd."
She walked into the tree and into the cave. On a stone slab with his hands crossed over his chest was the battered remains of Droygn. "Droygn!" She ran up to the warrior's body and stared at it. His death was that of a massive beating, blood drunk from him like a vampire, and a snapped neck. "Hades, give him movement so he may speak one last time." The goddess chanted. A faint glowed covered the corpse and he sat up.
Droygn coughed as fresh air filled his decaying lungs. "Forgive me, my goddess, I had failed you. The God King Illyria was released and the man responsible had slain me."
"The God King Illyria! This is bad. Who had slain you in battle, my guardian?"
"Angel, he is a vampire with a soul who had been here before. The God King Illyria had lost most of her power. She could not do what she had done before. The shell she inhabits is too fragile." Droygn said as he gazed at her.
"I see. Thank you, Drogyn the Truth Sayer. Rest in the Eternal Fields. You had earned your reward." The goddess reached up and kissed Drogyn on the forehead. The body turned to dust and Persephone put away her bags.
"Someone this powerful to take down Drogyn, must be some vampire. I will find you, Angel." She vanished into her portal.
XXX
Rain fell on the Academy for Gifted Girls as Buffy and the other faculty members sat around the meeting room. Just a couple of hours ago, the Slaywarts gang discovered something horrible. Darth Vader, the man who had terrorized the faculty and the students, was revealed to be Wesley Wydham Pryce, former watcher, former champion, and maybe former friend.
"I can't believe it." Gunn muttered, "Wes is Darth Vader. Are you sure he's not some copy or an imposter?"
"Not that I can see. Whatever he is, he has Wesley's soul." Willow shook her head. "He must have been a product of high level soul transference magic."
"I never heard of a soul being grafted on a machine." Emma said as she looked at some notes. "It's too complicated of a process. I thought he was dead. How could he do this to his own family? Wesley is not the type to do this."
"He's just confused. He'll find his way out." Gunn supported as he took her hand. "I know English."
"So do I." Angel added. "This is serious. We have to find out as much as we can about Wesley and how he ended up as Darth Vader. He's dead, I cremated the body myself."
"I agree." Buffy started writing out instructions. "We have to find out everything we can about Wesley. Everything else goes onto the back burner."
All of a sudden, Illyria stood up and looked at the door. A woman dressed in a long Ancient Roman robe. She had long brown hair, golden earrings, and a long scarf. "Greetings, I'm here for Angel."
Angel ducked under the table and Buffy asked, "Why?"
"I am his betrothed."
There was a moment of silence and finally Buffy sighed. "Okay, this is a priority. Who are you? And what do you mean betrothed?"
"He is my mate won by death." The woman said as she walked up to Spike. "Not bad… a bit leaner than I expected but I love your eyes. Nice and blue, what I expect of a vampire named 'Angel'."
"Whoa! I'm not Angel, I'm Spike! He may have been my Grandsire but we don't look a thing alike." Spike held up his hands.
"Spike?" The woman frowned. "Oh right. The other vampire with the soul who is annoying. I have watched the reels." She looked at Illyria. "You should have gone back to the Deeper Well."
"I am amused by this place." Illyria replied.
"Guys!" Buffy yelled as she marched up to the strange woman. "Who are you and why are you betrothed to Angel?"
"Ah… I am Persephone, the Goddess of the Deeper Well and Angel killed Droygn making him my betrothed. So, just point me to him and we can start right away!" Persephone looked around eagerly as Angel crawled into the vents.
"Start what?" Gunn asked as he gawked at her.
"What do you think?" Persephone gasped, "I haven't had any in a year and I'm ready! Where is he?"
"He's… not here." Buffy fibbed as she took Persephone and sat her down. "We are in a middle of a crisis so can you just wait, take a tour of the academy or the city?"
"No way! I can't do anything until I get my newest consort. I am going to get him." Persephone ran out of the room. "Angel! Angel, you can run but you can't hide!"
"Oh no you don't." Buffy marched out after the goddess.
Headmaster Wood rubbed his head as he tried to understand what just happened. Spike spoke up. "Looks like Buffy and Angel are going to be busy for a while."
"Great. All right, we'll go and find out more about Wes Vader."
XXX
"Things have changed." Wesley said as he sat at a table with several pictures around him. "They know who I am."
"That makes things more interesting." A figure said in the shadows. "You are doing the right thing, Wesley."
"That is why I am eating the apple, metaphorically speaking." Wesley said as he studied the symbols. "You know that you could very well cease to exist if this does not work."
"I don't care."
XXX
"Oh, Angel." The goddess pranced as she ran through the hallways. "You can run but you can't hide…" She sang as she poked her head into a class room.
Angel heard everything as he crawled through the air vents. For once, he was thankful for his small size. He didn't want to deal with Persephone. He went out into his office where Buff was waiting.
"Buffy!" He exclaimed.
"What is going on?" Buffy fumed as she towered over him. "Who was this Droygn guy? Someone Angelus killed?"
"No…" Angel shifted. "Well, it's when I was going to fight against the Circle of the Black Thorn. I was not exactly thinking right back then but… part of my plan to take down the Circle of the Black Thorn involves me having to pretend that I'm evil and… well… I… kinda dragged Droygn in because I had to convince everyone that I was evil so I… hired an assassin to kill him and make him come to LA where he convinced my friends that I was evil and then Hamilton grabbed him so I had no choice but come in and kill him in front of the Circle. I made sure his body went back to the Deeper Well and given a decent burial. I had no idea he had… a wife."
"Oi…" Buffy collapsed into the chair. She heard of some of the things Angel did after he left Sunnydale but nothing like this. "So, in order for you to infiltrate the Circle you killed an innocent man who was a guardian of some place. Great… why didn't you tell me this before?"
"I was afraid that you would be mad at me." Angel said as he looked down in a cute sad puppet way.
"And you were hoping that this whole thing would just disappear on its own?" Buffy huffed. "I can't believe you never told me you did this. The next thing you would tell me is that you had some secret son hiding away somewhere. What are we going to do? I am not in the mood to have to fight some goddess again, especially if she's not planning to end the world."
"I'm sorry I didn't know this would happen. Maybe, I should just give up and talk to Persephone. Let her know that I have a girlfriend and that I can't be her consort." Angel said logically.
"Uh huh…" Buffy crossed her arms. "From my past experiences with goddesses, they don't take no for an answer. Although, maybe she won't be so interested when she finds out that her latest consort is a three foot tall felt puppet."
"Yeah."
"So, is there anything else you haven't told me?" Buffy asked coldly.
"Ehhh…" Angel looked down.
"Oh Angel!" Persephone gushed as her footsteps thumped through the halls.
"GAH!" He jumped back up into the vents and the goddess slammed the door open.
"There you-" Persephone looked around and pouted. "Oooh… why do men have to be so evasive! Coward!" She ran back out and started her prancing. She paused and wondered out loud, "Hmmm… how small he could be to fit into the vents? Oh well. As long as the right parts are the right size, I don't care." She laughed evilly as she ran off again.
Buffy thought of what Persephone said and shuddered. "Ew."
XXX
"Hmmm… uh huh. Yeah. I see. Thanks, sir." Gunn hung up and said, "Well, Arnold said that the people who made him haven't been in business for years."
"There goes that company." Emma said as she crossed off the list. "Say, Charles, you knew Wesley, why do you think he did this stuff to me?"
"You mean the burning down of the bar? No idea. He could be worried about you being around all those vamps."
Emma rolled her eyes. "But, that place was my home. Those vampires wouldn't hurt me. Not after the pact I made."
"What pact?" Gunn asked.
"It's nothing of your concern." Emma typed on the keyboard. "I can take care of myself."
The lawyer just looked away. "Yeah, but you better be careful."
"Good."
"Uh huh."
The two stared at each other and that moment was shattered by Persephone opening the door. "Is Angel here?" She asked.
"No." Gunn said as he glared at her. "Look, Angel's not exactly the right guy for you."
"Please, if he's strong enough to take down my Droygn, he's good enough for me." Persephone smiled as she twirled her hair. "As soon as I can find him. He's so fast." She ran off again.
"Any idea what to do about her?" Gunn asked Emma.
"Not a bloody clue."
XXX
"So, you know this Persephone goddess?" Spike asked as he and Illyria were looking through tomes on how souls can be attached to bodies.
"She was very young when I died." Illyria recalled, "She was irrational and impulsive. Hades took her into his cave to help her grow up. They became lovers."
"I thought that was a myth, on the other hand, so are vampires." Spike shrugged. "Is she the type to reek vengeance if she gets mad like Glory?"
Illyria tilted her head. "I do not know. She was considered to be meek who had shown mercy to weaker creatures but that was eons ago."
Spike glanced at Fred who was just staring out into space. "Hey, you okay, Fred?"
"I'm just doing mental equations to relax. I can't write in my noncorporeal form so I am doing it in my head."
"Still messed up about Wesley being alive?"
"Completely. I love you, Spike. You have really helped me and Illyria cope with all that is going on but I love Wesley too. I swore to myself I would go on for him but now it's like I betrayed him." Fred wrapped her hands around her body. "I saw the way Wesley looked at me. He was so hurt."
"Hey, you did nothing wrong. We made sure the body was destroyed. All that was left was ashes. There was no way that you could have known." Spike said in his comforting tone of voice.
"So was Darla."
"What?"
"Never mind." Fred shook her head. "Can we hold off on the relationship thing until I get my stuff straightened out? With me like this and Wesley out there…"
"Say no more. I've dealt with chits with 'issues' before and I know when to hold back. But, I will still be here for you if you need me." Spike took a deep breath. Ever since he started going out with Fred, some part of him was afraid that Wesley will show up and take her away. Now, Wes has become evil and Fred was getting ripped apart by the seams. He can't add on to the burden.
"Thanks."
XXX
"Oooh!" Persephone said as she sat down to take a small break. She had been running around the building for several hours and nothing. The mortals were giving off a mystical vibe which interfered with her senses and she can sense that Angel was running around in the air vents. "Isn't a goddess good enough for you!" She yelled.
Buffy watched from around the corner. "She looks mad." She reached into her recorder and said, "For the past few hours, Persephone has been chasing Angel causing chaos. The good news is that she has not sucked anyone's brains out yet. The bad news is that I can't hurt her unless she's a threat to everyone else. At least, that is what the others told me."
"Looks like I have to take drastic measures." Persephone said as she closed her eyes. Buffy watched anxiously. "Wind spirits heed my plea, find my mate to be…" Giggles came from the air and wind flew all around.
The vents opened up and Angel flew out and Persephone caught him. "Gotcha!" The goddess held Angel as he struggled to get out. "Huh? You're Angel but…" She held him up and studied him. "CUTE!" The goddess gushed as she hugged Angel to her bosom. "YOU'RE THE MOST ADORABLE LITTLE THING I HAD EVER SEEN. I'M TAKING YOU BACK TO MY CAVE WITH ME AND WE WILL HAVE SO MUCH FUN TOGETHER!" She gushed as she hugged him tightly.
"Let go of my puppet." Buffy growled as she tapped Persephone on the shoulder.
"No! He's mine!" Persephone said as she held Angel tightly. "He killed my Droygn and hence is mine."
"He's mine first!" Buffy yelled as she grabbed Angel by the arm.
"Mine!"
"Mine!" The two went into a tug of war. Angel screamed as he was being ripped by the combined strength of a slayer and a goddess.
"HELP!"
"Angel!" Buffy gasped as she let go and the puppet flew into Persephone's arms.
"Persephone…" Angel said hesitantly. "I… I'm so sorry about Droygn but I… I'm with Buffy and that I'm not much… I'm not the man that I was before."
"Let's just see." Persephone waved her hand and a portal appeared. She dragged Angel in and came out of another portal looking disheveled. Angel put on his pants. "Oh this is just great!" She scowled. "I can't be one with him like this! Oh well, I'll just ask Liber to do a little modifying…."
"Wait!" Buffy held up her hand. "Who's Liber?"
"God of Fertility. He's great with his hands."
"You can't do this. He… he belongs here." Buffy said as she glared at Persephone. Deep down, she wished that the goddess could go ahead and start threatening people so she can kill her.
"Look here, mortal. According to the unwritten laws of the Deeper Well, there is a guardian of the Deeper Well, that guardian is given eternal youth and will live until he is killed by another. When that happens that killer becomes the new guardian; that is the way things work." Persephone huffed as she tucked Angel under her arm.
"Please! He's a three foot tall felt puppet! He can't handle being in a cave. He can't even drive a car by himself." Buffy explained.
The goddess looked at Angel again. "True… but I can just ask Chronos to reverse time so he can make Angel into the vampire with a soul again."
"No! Wait." Buffy shook her head. "If you do that, Angel will be a danger to you. You see, Angel's curse has a loophole, if he ever experience a moment of perfect happiness, he will lose his soul and become totally evil. One time as Angelus, he tried to end the world by opening the Alcatha portal."
Persephone frowned again. "This is stupid! I never met a guy as complicated at you! You don't understand, I need a consort to keep the other sleeping gods in check or there will be chaos. Nothing like this has ever happened before. You guys are the most difficult group of mortals I had ever faced; Crusaders, Spartans, and even salesmen are less difficult than you. Whatever happened to the good old days when a goddess can make a request and the mortals would run around to satisfy her every whim?"
"That's the way it works, goddess." Buffy said as she crossed her arms. "These days, you have to be a pop star for people to worship you."
"A pop star?"
"Mortals who are paid to sing and look good."
"Any idiot can do that!"
"I know."
Angel looked at her. She reminded him of Cordelia back when she first arrived in LA but she seemed to care. He really didn't know what he was doing when he killed Droygn. "I'm really sorry about this. Wasn't there any unwritten rules about… say that guardian was killed by a woman, how do you find a new one?"
"Then, that woman gets to be my consort. I'm a bisexual goddess."
Angel fidgeted again. "Well, what if I help you find a new consort? I know a few potentials."
"Hmmm… that sounds reasonable. I am interested in talking with God King Illyria for a while and I can leave my domain alone for a while longer. If there any disturbances in the Deeper Well, I can get there in an instant."
"Great."
"But, I must remain with you at all times. I will not have you escape your responsibility."
"Great." Buffy said as she clenched her teeth in a fake Buffy smile.
XXX
Angel had faced many obstacles in the past. He had survived Hell literally, being at the bottom of the ocean for three months without blood; he had fought for the lives of others and even managed to survive several board room meetings. Now, he was going to face his greatest task; setting up blind dates.
"So, Persephone, what are you looking for in a man or woman?"
The goddess pondered. "I want someone strong and can handle himself in any situation. Someone who can fight. Demon blood is okay. He must be virile."
"Okay…" Angel typed on his laptop. "What about his personality?"
"A personality is nice."
The puppet stared at her and then sighed. "I mean, what is the idea man for you? Let's forget the guardian thing for a minute and just look for someone you would love."
"Love?"
"Love. Haven't you ever been in love before?"
"Hard to say. I had fallen for many gods and mortals. We gods have different standards of love than mortals. I was in love with Hades. Say what you will about him, he knows how to treat a woman. He was very… out of the box. He loves to defy others and fate itself. He was… amazing until that bitch Xena killed him."
"X-Xena! She was real? I thought she was a character in a TV show."
"Oh no, she was very real. In fact, she became my second consort for a while…" Persephone said as she frowned. "She wasn't that bad as a lover. Tell me, Angel. I know of things of this modern world but what is your concept of love?"
"Well…" Angel looked up. "I always think that love is something that you don't know you have until you feel it. You meet someone and there was a connected between you and you want to be with him or her forever. Sometimes, it takes a while for you to see that love."
"So, if I meet up with as many mortal champions as possible, I will know my next guardian!"
"Yeah. I suppose it's like that."
"Great!" Persephone put her fingers on Angel's forehead. "You're right, you know a bunch of potential champions! Let's get started." She picked up the puppet and disappeared into a portal.
XXX
Oz and Nina meditated as they stood at a mountain top. "Do not inhibit the wolf, become the wolf. The wolf is your ally and you can tame him." Oz said slowly.
"I see." Nina said as she closed her eyes.
"Go into a deep trance and focus within." Oz said as he closed his eyes.
Persephone appeared through a portal with Angel in tow. "Hi! I'm looking for a new guardian! Will you be my lover?"
Oz shook his head. "No thank you. My duty is to help the werewolves of the world."
"Awww…" Persephone pouted as Angel struggled to keep quiet the second he saw Nina there. "Okay, bye." She left.
Nina opened her eyes. "What was that?"
"Nothing. Just keep on focusing."
XXX
Conner was lugging his massive bookbag through the Harvard campus. Out of a portal, a woman appeared and said, "Greetings, I am Persephone. Will you be my champion?"
"Not Conner!" Angel argued.
"Who's this?" Conner asked almost unfazed.
"I'm Persephone, Goddess of the Deeper Well. I'm looking for a consort."
"I can't. I was in a relationship with another goddess who was sort of my daughter. I'd rather not go through that again. Besides, I have a boat load of schoolwork and a girlfriend."
"Awww… okay, if you change your mind." Persephone handed him a talisman. "Bye."
"Bye, son." Angel waved as Persephone walked into the portal.
"I hate it when that happens." Conner sighed as he walked down the path.
XXX
The Immortal sighed as he fingered his glass. "Another shot please."
A portal opened up and Persephone looked at him. "Adonis?"
"Persephone. How was the Deeper Well?"
"Okay, I'm looking for a consort."
"Ah." The Immortal downed another drink. Angel watched as the empty glasses piled on each other. He had never seen him look so pathetic.
"What happened to you?"
The Immortal sighed as he swigs his full drink around. "I used to be a feared man. Nothing could faze me. I had humiliated countless good and evil champions. I was powerful. I had hordes of demons at my feet. Then, I met Buffy. There was something about her that made me fall to my knees. The day she broke up with me, the world just falls apart."
"Oh yeah." Angel agreed and then closed his mouth.
"I must… be drinking too much." The Immortal laid his head on the table.
"I better go." Persephone walked backwards and then jumped into a portal.
XXX
"Let me get this straight. Angel has to be matchmaker to a goddess?" Gunn asked as he snickered.
"Oh yeah. Since the old puppet isn't 'qualified' to be Persephone's consort, she has to stick with him until he finds her a mate." Spike explained as he laughed.
"That would take a while."
"Oooh!" Persephone growled as she walked out of a portal with a dizzy Angel in her arms. "I never met so many men who are not interested in being my consort! In my time, there are men who would give their left hand just to be a goddess' consort!"
"These are modern times." Spike shrugged.
"Maybe, you're trying too hard." Angel said as he recovered. "You shouldn't tell everyone that you are a goddess. Maybe, you can go around meeting men the way modern women do."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Sooner or later, you should meet a man who meets your standards."
"And you are the expert of finding matches." Spike rolled his eyes. "Your method of finding a girl involves either her being in distress, her trying to kill you, or you trying to kill her."
"It's not like that!"
"Oh really… name one time when you found a girl not by any of those three methods."
There was a moment of silence as Angel thought. Finally, he said, "Anyway, we still have to find a man willing and able to be Persephone's consort. We have to get a guardian for that Deeper Well."
"Way to change the subject." Spike muttered.
"But… how do modern women find men?" Persephone asked. "In my time, marriages are often arranged by family members."
"Don't worry, we'll find the right guy for you. Let's try the Internet first." Angel suggested.
XXX
It was dark in the tunnels as Riley Finn, commando leader of a secret organization dedicated to protecting the world from the unseen supernatural, lurked around. The Initiative's allies, the Slaywarts Academy, asked him to find out what he could about a cyborg, since it was Buffy asking, how can he refuse?
All of a sudden, there was a transmission. "Finn speaking." Riley said as he tapped on his headset.
Sam, his wife was on. "Hello, Finn, have you made progress?"
"No, this place seems to be gutted." Riley paused as he shot a zombie. "Nothing here worth mentioning. What do you need, honey?"
"Oh, I was wondering if you can pick up some sardines, artichokes, peanut butter, and rocky road ice cream as soon as you're done with your mission?"
Riley moaned. "Dear, the transmitter is not a telephone. Can't you have someone get it for you?"
"I know, but I have these cravings to have them blended together."
Riley's face turned green. "All right, maybe we should have the baby scanned for demonic abnormalities."
"Very funny."
"Sir! We found something!" A fellow commando said as he ran up to Riley. "It's a holding bay."
"Excellent." Riley nodded, "Let's go."
XXX
Persephone's eyes widened as she gazed at the screen. "This Internet is quite a tool. If the Ancient Romans had something like this, it would have changed everything."
"Oh yeah, the last hundred years, technology really took off." Angel explained as he type on the keyboard. "Let's see… I type the words… men, consort, and warrior."
They waited for a minute and Persephone gasped. "I didn't know that the modern people are into that! To think that even after all this time, you mortals still indulge in those types of activities."
"Uhhh…" Angel tilted his head.
"You know, it's disturbing to see a puppet looking at Internet porn."
The two looked to see Buffy standing there with a very amused look in her eyes. "Buffy!" Angel fumbled with the keyboard before shutting the site down. "I swear, I didn't know it was there."
"Uh huh. So, how's the great husband search going? Find a guardian yet?" Buffy asked as she sat down in a chair.
"Not yet. The men in this era are… reluctant of committing an eternity of servitude to me." Persephone sighed.
"Ah, well, can you maybe help us since you're here? Taking up our time and keeping my boyfriend away from me?" Buffy said.
"I can only help so much. I must dedicate my energies to the Deeper Well." Persephone confessed.
"That's okay, I just need your years of experience." Buffy held out the ring. "Do you know what this is?"
The goddess gasped as she nearly fell from her chair. "Where did you get that! That was the Forbidden Ring of Despair!"
"We won it at a talent contest." Buffy fingered the ring. "So, spill it, what do you know about the ring?"
"Well, it is a sacred ring that Gods have used in rebellions. It was a dangerous weapon that can demystify any being. If that being is composed of magic or relies on magic to live, that being dies. In the last war, the beings you call 'The Powers that Be', made it so the Forbidden Ring of Despair is powerless. Unfortunately, there's a recipe written in the ring that enables any person to reactivate the ring or one that can make the person travel back into time. I don't know which."
"That's stupid. Why put so much power in a tiny ring?" Buffy asked, "And how come you don't know?"
"Give me a break. I don't remember every single little artifact that I come across. It doesn't matter. Only an event of great improbability would cause the ring to reawaken."
"And that would be…"
"I'd rather not say. If I tell you, you might decide to attempt to do it and cause great chaos."
"But, we had done some pretty 'improbable' stuff. For all we know, me and my friends could have done something." Buffy said as she thought of her years since she was called as a Slayer.
"True…" Persephone nodded. "I have heard some pretty strange things happening in this world in the past decade. But, I can't risk it. I know how you mortals think, if someone superior says 'don't do this' you will just go off and try to do it!"
"Oh please! I had never done something the complete opposite of what my 'superiors' said." Buffy huffed.
"Errr…" Angel said as he meekly raised his hand and then dropped it. He will not remind Buffy about the time she 'gone rogue' from the Watcher's Council or the numerous times she snuck out of her mother's house or even those times Buffy and Spike had sex.
"What?" Buffy looked at her boyfriend.
"Never mind."
"Anyway, I just can't tell you guys what the keys are." Persephone nodded as she crossed her arms. She can't fully trust these mortals. They are rebellious; the types who had helped made her type of gods the minors they are today. One of them had killed her guardian and cannot replace him.
"What can we do to have to convince you to trust you? We're looking for your next 'consort' and letting you live in our Academy." Buffy said feeling frustrated. This goddess was a constant distraction to everyone. The rumors that the students whispered, the stares she attracts, and not to mention that she hogs Angel to herself.
Persephone sighed. "You guys were the ones who started the whole mess. I don't want you bothering me so much when I get my new consort. So, when I get my consort, I'll talk."
"Great. So, what are you trying to do?"
"We're looking for a way for Persephone to find a man in a normal modern woman way. Say, Buffy, how do you meet guys?"
"Well… outside of school which Persephone can't really go to. I really don't know. Most of the men in my life involve them saving me, me saving them, me trying to kill them, or them trying to kill me. But, I do know one place you can find a tough guy."
"Really?"
"Yup. A gym."
"A gym?" Angel repeated.
"A gym… oh! One of those training centers made for men who wish to make their bodies stronger. Their muscles would sweat out their glorious fluids and make them shine like Apollo's sun." Persephone moaned as she pictured herself surrounded by sweaty hot men.
"Persephone?" Angel said as he tugged on the goddess' sleeve.
"Oh. Forgive me, I am feeling most repressed. I need to release passion soon."
"Just not on Angel." Buffy warned.
"He is not physically capable of handling my needs."
Angel scowled. "I'm right here."
"It is the truth." Persephone sighed. "Very well, let us go to this gym and meet some men!"
"But, you need to dress first."
XXX
"I don't know if I should come with you." Angel said as Persephone teleported to an alley. The goddess was dressed in a white tank top with matching work out pants. In her white purse was the money she needed to pay for any dues and her long brown hair was tied up in a high ponytail.
"You must. I cannot let you out of my sight." The goddess said as she walked up to a gym that read 'Olympus Gym'. "Ah, a gym like this must be one that holds what I need."
Persephone walked into the gym and came up to a woman with blond hair and a very white smile. "Hi, welcome to the Olympus Gym, are you new?"
"Yes, I am. I am here seeking a strong man to be my consort."
"Oh! We got lots of those types of men. What's a consort? Anyway, would you like our trial membership of fifty dollars just for one day?"
"One day… that would be adequate." Persephone reached into her purse and got out fifty dollars. "Here." She walked passed the receptionist and then she felt someone grabbing her shoulder.
"Wait, you can't bring the doll with you. I'm sorry but that's the rules."
Persephone frowned. "He is my replacement consort; I cannot let him out of my sight."
"We'll hold him for you while you're in." The girl promised.
The goddess looked at the girl's nametag. "Helen… very well… I trust you to keep an eye on my consort while I go off to my mission but if he is not here when I return, I shall have my legions of the undead rip you to shreds and send your soul onto Charion's boat!"
Helen gulped as Persephone handed Angel to her. "Don't worry, your doll is safe."
The goddess nodded and moved off into the gym.
XXX
Xander did his final pushup as he heard something. He comes to this gym regularly so he could be among normal guys rather than the super strong teenagers he help so often. He had been on a somewhat leave of absence training a difficult slayer. He didn't get a chance to talk to his friends, except for once when Willow warned him about Wesley. There was a funny thing about Angel being forced to marry some goddess but he didn't pay much attention to that.
"Hey, sexy!" A huge brute was cornering a lovely woman who was scowling at him.
"Leave your hands off of me, you brute. Only the man who I will choose shall touch me like you wish to touch me." The woman growled as she put her hands up.
"You are a feisty little thing, aren't you?"
"Do not push me." She whispered as she backed even further into a corner.
Xander got up and walked to the two. The last thing he wanted to see was a pretty girl being hassled by a steroid using jerk. "You heard her, leave her alone." Xander said as he tapped on the guy's shoulder.
"Leave me alone, you wimp!" The jerk lashed at him. Xander dodged the blow and then flipped him over.
"I'm not a wimp."
"Is there a problem?" A security guard asked as he walked towards them.
"This man is bothering me." The woman said as she gestured to the jerk. "Send him away."
"Okay." The guard said as he came up and escorted the jerk away.
"Men like that shouldn't be around." Xander muttered before being hugged by the woman.
"You are most brave despite your slightly smaller size. You showed no fear."
"Oh well…" Xander had to blush. Over muscled men is not a problem to him. He had dealt with demons bigger than him. "I've dealt with worse. Oh, I'm Xander." He pulled away and held out his hand. He liked being hugged by the girl, she smelled like flowers, and she was pretty strong. But, with his luck, she might be a demon in disguise.
"I am Persephone." The goddess accepted his hand. "I wish to know you better." She touched his hand and felt something in him. His strength was that of a normal mortal but he had a strange inner strength that rivals Odysseus.
"Sure, but I have one question. Are you a demon?" Xander asked as he checked a nearby mirror to see Persephone's reflection.
Persephone straightened up. Demons are lower than her. Why do so many mortals mistake her kind as demons? "I am most certainly am not!"
Xander grinned nervously. Persephone was telling the truth, he can sense it. "Sorry, I had to ask. I have this weird tendency to attract the wrong type of girl. You know, the dangerous type."
"I see. I am not the dangerous type. I seek men who are virile and strong, either by physical standards or more mental standards like you. Do you wish to have some coffee?" Persephone had asked Angel about what to ask men and he suggested coffee.
"I don't think this place has coffee but there is a juice bar right over there." Xander pointed to the juice bar.
"That will work."
XXX
"Hmmm…" Persephone moaned as she and Xander kissed passionately in the back seat of a car.
"Oh…" Xander gasped as he felt the goddess' skin. "Whoa!"
"Please, release me of these binds and let me loose!" The goddess reached out and placed her hand on the fog filled window.
"No! Wait!" Xander pulled away from her. He could feel every muscle tense. They were having a massive make out session and on the edge of sex but he couldn't do that.
"What is it? Do I not pleasure you?" Persephone glared at him as she fixed her hair.
"Yes, you did. You were very… very good." Xander adjusted his eyepatch. "I… I can't. I just can't."
"Why not?" Persephone asked as she crossed her arms. "Are you with another woman?"
"No, it's just… you're a great woman but I have to treat you with some respect." Xander sighed. "I'm sorry."
"No, don't be. You are a very attractive man with the cunning of Odysseus. You defy destiny like Icarus. I like that in a man." Persephone said as she smirked at him. "Please, join with me. Become my consort and know the full pleasure of me."
"But… but we just met."
"That does not matter. I need a man like you." Persephone whispered, "You make me feel so good." She hugged him and nibbled at his ear. "My heart pounds at the scent of you. I can feel your potential needed to be released. I am your destiny."
"Uhhh…" Xander shook his head and pulled himself away. "Persephone, are you sure that I am your type? I… have this nasty tendency of attracting the wrong type of people to me. I'm not normal."
"I know that is why I must have you. You are extraordinary. You are normal in body and yet you excelled yourself into something else." Persephone whispered as the scent of flowers become stronger. "You can smell my scent. Only a chosen few can smell that."
"I… I… why don't we just date again. Get to know each other better." Xander reached into his pocket and gave Persephone a card. "Here's my email and cell phone number. What's your number?"
"Oh. Wait." She wrote on a slip of paper and said, "Here is my temporary consort's cell number. You can call me, too. My mind is at ease after I meet you. Thank you, my hopeful guardian."
"Your welcome?" Xander said as Persephone got out of the car. "Wow… I need a cold shower." He glanced at the cell phone number. It looked somewhat familiar but he never had a good head for numbers. "Oh well, I went though my first date without my date trying to eat me in years, how bad could Persephone be?"
XXX
"About time you came for me." Angel said as Persephone carried him out of the gym.
"Forgive me. I had found my consort. It is a matter of time before he accepts me."
"That's great! What is he like?" Angel couldn't help but feel excited. Finally, Persephone will have her consort and she will leave him and Buffy alone.
"He… he has the persistence of Jason, the cunning of Odysseus, and the virility of Hercules."
Angel blinked. "Virility of Hercules?"
"He was the one who had sex with a hundred virgins." Persephone shivered. "If only he could complete me."
"Uhhh… does he know that you're a goddess yet?"
"No. He attracts me too much. I do not wish to lose him. He was very hesitant to finish me. He gave me his phone number and email address."
"I see." Angel tried to think of who would it be. "Say, what does he look like?"
"He is quite handsome in an human sort of way. He has a very pretty eye."
Angel nodded and then his jaw dropped. "Eye? He has only one eye?"
"Of course but he is not a cyclops."
Angel pondered. There was only one man that he knew of to have only one eye but he couldn't see him as a consort for a goddess. "Nah… he's not her type."
XXX
Xander sighed as he walked into the Academy in a daze. "Xander!"
The man woke up and saw Willow. "Will! I have great news! You would not believe what happened to me."
"You found Darth Wes and how to defeat him?" Willow asked hopefully.
"No. I met a girl and I think she really likes me." Xander said as he grinned broadly. "She's strong, she's beautiful, she smells really good, and best of all, she didn't try to kill me on our first date."
"That's wonderful." Willow hugged her best friend. It was no secret that Xander had been having trouble finding a girl after Anya. It felt like every time he met a girl, she turned out to be a vicious demon wanting to kill him. "So, what is she like?"
"Oh, she's great. She knows a bunch about mythology and all that and she didn't seem to know too much about Star Trek but she's anxious to learn. I think she really likes me too. I was this close to having sex with her. But, I had to be a gentleman. You know how sex is always a bad idea when it comes to people like us."
"Yeah. Does she know about what you.. do?"
"Not yet. I don't want to scare her off." Xander held out his hand.
"That's great. I hope she's a good person. You will not believe all the chaos that's been going on since you last been here. Like with Wesley being Darth Wes." She paused. "On the other hand, no one saw me becoming Dark Willow and tried to end the world." She looked down. "What was I thinking?"
"Relax, you're not evil any more. You're good goddess Willow with complete control over your powers."
"Right now."
"Yup and you will stay that way. I'm going to call her." Xander got out his cell phone and then he dialed the number.
XXX
The tune of 'copacana' rang through the air and Angel got out his cell phone. "That's for me." Persephone said as she snatched up the phone. "Hello? Oh! Your distinct ring said it was you! How are you? Are you ready to be my consort yet?"
Xander on the other line smiled hesitantly. "Not quite. We really should work through this one step at a time."
"But… we had started making out. The next logical step is being one with you and then you dedicating your life to me."
"Errr… Persephone, you're a nice girl but relationships like these take time to develop."
"But, I heard that many mortals slept together the first night they meet."
"Yeah, true but I'm not one of those types. I've had friends who had been through hell just because they slept the first chance it got legal. I don't want that to happen to you."
"Awww… that's sweet but I'll be fine and when we join you will feel great."
"Well… true but you don't have a clue about what kind of crazy stuff happens to me."
"I've seen a lot."
Xander sighed. Persephone must know the truth so that she won't get as hurt as the others in his life. "Not as much as me. Look, do you know where the Academy for Gifted Girls in Cleveland is at?"
"Of course. I'm there right now."
"Good now-" Xander stopped. "What?" He sprinted through the hallways until he saw Persephone with Angel in her lap holding a cell phone.
"Hi!" Persephone waved and Angel just slumped his head down. "The fates have been kind to have us meet again like this!"
XXX
"No way!" Xander said firmly as he walked away. "I can't marry you! You're… you're way above me. You're a goddess. Literally."
"Why not? You always have a thing for women stronger than you." Persephone moaned. "I need a consort, it's vital that I have one. You're strong, flexible, and you sent a man to hell!"
"Since-" Xander paused when he looked at Angel. "Oh. How did you know that?"
"You send a man to Hell?" Angel asked confused.
"I deal with the paperwork." Persephone said and then Xander rubbed his head.
"Don't tell anyone about this."
"About what?" Angel asked again.
"Nothing." Xander evaded. "Anyway, my history with women isn't stellar. You'll end up hurt or killed."
"But I'm a goddess. Nothing can kill me, except for weapons designed to kill gods. I'm not even a fighting type." Persephone insisted. "Why must mortals be so stubborn about minor facts like dedicating one's existence to a goddess?"
"Because… that's the way we are. Mortals these days like options. We don't like the idea of doing something for the rest of our lives without options."
"Options? But…" Persephone sighed. "Fine, fine. I'll find someone else. Why must men hate me so? I'm beautiful. I'm powerful. And I have eons of experience in the ways of sex. I'm the perfect woman."
"I'm sorry." Xander said feeling like a jerk. He was being hit on by a beautiful goddess who wants him for him and he was pushing her away. "Why do you need a consort anyway? You said it yourself that you're powerful."
"We gods can live for eons but that does not mean that we do not know the meaning of being lonely. My kind needs mortals to talk to, to be intimate with, and to… help us relate to the world around us. After the great massacre, it was so lonely at the cave. The others are so busy with their lives. Demons are okay but humans are the ones we are destined to relate to. There is nothing in this world that could harm a god except for the idea of being alone and forgotten in the world." Persephone sat down looking very sad.
Xander sat down beside her and patted her knee. "Hey, you can come here whenever you want."
"No, I can't." Persephone held on to Angel. "I have to be at my cave and away on other worlds. I have duties as Keeper of the Deeper Well and one of the Administrators of Heaven and Hell. I'm still sorting out that mess caused by this idiot who decided to rip one of our destined warriors out from Heaven and this multidimensional tear caused by another idiot trying to get into another dimension searching for his son. The only reason I'm here is because I need a consort to keep on going."
Angel glanced between the two. He couldn't help but feel guilty for the mess he caused. He had no idea how his killing Droygn would cause this goddess this much pain and suffering. He also didn't know how his antics to find Conner would affect anyone else.
"Can't you just do a trial run?" Xander asked. "You know, keep a mortal for a while and if things don't work out, then you go and find another one?"
"Hmmm… Well, I never had to do anything like this before. Maybe, I should try it out like that." Persephone was getting desperate. She had to get a consort soon so she can start working but no one seems to want to take the plunge. "Can you go for a trial run?"
"What!" Xander nearly fell over. He thought he was safe from the goddess' antics but he was dead wrong.
"Come on. You'll like it once you try it. It is your idea."
"Why me?" Xander got up and paced. "I'm just a carpenter and a watcher. I'm not that special."
"There are many ordinary men in the world but they have special gifts. Some are born to be powerful warriors, others great thinkers, you are destined to be a great lover."
"Me?" Xander yelped. He remembered back in high school how unpopular he was with the ladies except as a friend and the only ones attracted to him were demons and Cordelia.
"Yes, you! Just try it out. How about I become intimate with you for one hour? It you don't like it, I'll find someone else."
"Just an hour?" Xander said. He knew that she had not been deceitful but he didn't want to lose his life to a goddess."
"Just one hour, in this dimension."
"Okay. Fine, but if you don't like it or I don't like it, you find someone else."
"Agreed."
Persephone took Xander's hand and finally put down Angel. "I'll call you when I need you." She said as she picked the human up and a portal opened.
"Finally." Angel said as he got up and walked out of the room.
XXX
Xander stumbled into the room where Buffy and the others are waiting. "Xander!" Willow exclaimed as she ran up to him. "Are you okay?"
"I need a cigarette." The human said as he took several deep breaths. His clothes were torn, his hair was a mess, and he smelled like flowers.
"You don't smoke."
"Well… I'll need to start." Xander looked up. "We went to this cave in England and it was a pretty comfortable cave. Really nice and warm. That was one of the most intense hours I ever had." He grinned as he looked at the group who was gawking at him. "I won't say anything else but that hour just flew by."
"Xander, you've been gone all day." Buffy finally said. "In fact, we were getting ready to find and rescue you."
"What?" He looked at his watch as Persephone walked in by a portal. "What did you do to me? You said that we will be gone for one hour."
"I did but you enjoyed it so much that we kept on going." The goddess shrugged.
"Please, you sent me into a different dimension where time travels faster." Xander accused.
"It's not like that. We were in my cave which is on Earth. Check your watch, it can check the date."
Xander tapped on his watch and saw that his watch was the same as the others. "Oh boy. But, I was gone for only an hour."
"Time flies when you're having fun."
"I bet." Xander ran his hand through his hair. "That… I can't believe it but I'm not tired."
"Think of it as exercise. Droygn and I could go on for weeks at a time when I have some free time."
"Weeks!" Angel's eyes bulged even more. "Spike and I only lasted for a few days at the most." Then everyone gawked at him and then Spike. "It's not like that. We were evil."
"Ew." Buffy said as she inched away.
"It was a competition to see who has the most stamina. Lots of vampires do it with their sires or grandsires." Spike tried to explain but Buffy held her hand up.
"Please, I have too much in my brain already. I don't want to think of you with Angel-"
"Angelus." Angel corrected.
"Angelus in any way possible."
"Anyway, what do you think, Xander? Are you in or out?" Persephone asked. "Remember, not only do you get to increase your lifelines by being intimate with me but you get brand new weapons, advanced healing, and your very own army of the undead."
"Army of the undead?"
"Yup."
"I don't want this to be permanent. I have my own duties as a watcher and to my friends." Xander said as he gestured around.
"I can give you the power to teleport here when you need to but your duties will be to me and the Deeper Well first."
"Xander, I think you should do it." Buffy said, "This could be your destiny. Besides, we need a goddess or two on our side."
"I… I need a walk." Xander said as he walked out.
"I thought he enjoyed it." Persephone pouted. "Wasn't I good enough for him?"
"He just needs time to think." Buffy supported. "Xander has bad luck with women. He misses Anya very much."
"I understand. Oh well, I hope he won't take too long. He was very good."
XXX
Xander sat at a park at the edge of a lake and watched a group of teenagers run by. He sighed as he remembered the good old days when he was just a normal nerdy teenager with a pair of best friends blissfully ignorant of Sunnydale's darkest secrets. Now, one of them had died as a vamp and the other is a super powerful witch and he had to decide if he wanted to be a consort to a real live goddess.
"Makes you wish you could turn back time."
The guy looked beside him to see Cordelia. "Cordy!"
"Surprise! How's it going? Love the pirate look. Makes you look machoy."
Xander's jaw dropped. "Weren't you dead?"
"I am and now I'm an Elder." Cordelia said as she lifted her hands to the sky.
"Wow, I knew you wanted to be a goddess but I never thought you would end up as one."
"Yup." Cordelia leaned back. "As much as I love Earth, I have to tell you that you gotta make up your mind about this consort thing. Because, there's going to be a major storm coming up and Slaywarts will be right in the eye." The Elder paused as Xander poked his eyepatch and said, "Oh, bad way to say it. Sorry."
"No, that's okay." Xander laughed and then stared at her. "You actually apologized. Wow, you really had changed."
"Better than the Queen C of high school?"
"You were nice."
"Please, I was a bitch and everyone knows it." Cordelia sighed, "Anyway, back to the subject. You must listen to your heart and actually go with your instincts."
"But… I don't want to…"
"Betray Anya? In case you didn't know but she's dead, finito, not coming back and don't even try to have Willow do anything either. She's trying to redeem herself for all the vengeance demon stuff she did over the past thousand years."
"Oh." Xander bowed his head. "Is she suffering?"
"Redemption is all about suffering, ask Angel some time."
"I don't want to make the wrong decision. The last time I made a decision this big… Anya raised hell."
"Yeah but you can have more than one 'soulmate'. Trust me on this. You just have to go with your gut. You're great at that. I better go. Elder duties."
"Wait!" Xander stood up. "What's it like in Heaven?"
"Kinda hard to say unless you've been there before." Cordelia replied and then she vanished in an orb of lights leaving Xander alone.
XXX
"Now, how does this go again?" Persephone asked as she fiddled with the controls.
"You attack the gorilla with the giant barrels." Illyria answered as she helped. "The gorilla is most annoying."
"I just don't understand the logic of this. What would a plumber be doing attacking gorillas with giant barrels?" Persephone said as she pressed the buttons again.
"I do not know."
"I'm back." Xander said as he walked back into the lobby. "Persephone, I… I thought about it a lot and okay, I'll be your consort."
Persephone's eyes lit up literally as she squealed and picked up Xander. "You have no idea how happy I am!" She screamed as she swung him around.
"So, what do I have to do? Is there a ceremony?"
"No. Not really. We just complete each other, I bind you to the cave… and give you the power you want." Persephone opened a portal and was about to carry Xander out when Buffy called out.
"Wait! What about the ring?"
"The ring? Oh!" Persephone turned around and smiled. "You have nothing to worry about. You see, the ring is bound to another artifact, the Gem of Amara."
"It's connected to that!" Spike yelped.
"You know of the gem?"
"I… ran into it a couple of times." Spike shrugged as he and the others remembered the ring.
"Well, only if the Gem of Amara was shattered by a vampire at sunset would the ring reactivate and that vampire must know what the Gem of Amara is. Only an idiot would do something like that."
Angel fidgeted from his chair as everyone looked at him and then sheepishly raised his hand.
"You didn't." Spike growled.
"He did." Buffy sighed.
"But… this is the Ring of Amara! The Holy Grail for vampires and you went off and destroyed it!" Spike ranted.
"Well, I didn't want any evil vampires to get it! Like the vampire who was torturing me for that info!"
"Oh well… that makes sense." The vampire shrugged.
"I do not believe this." Persephone said, "You mortals caused chaos and destruction wherever you go. I never met a more difficult band of mortals. How can you cause so much chaos in such short time?"
Buffy thought and replied, "It's a hobby."
XXX
Wesley smiled to himself as he finished the ingredients. He was not like the past villains that did something stupid like blab their plans out to others or attract attention by randomly killing people. He chanted a spell and gradually a gun formed. It looked like any other small handgun but it had runes all over it.
The cyborg picked up the gun and loaded it with glowing bullets.
"Time to start hunting."
To Be Continued…
