The Gift
AN – So here is the fourth chapter! This brings me up to date with what I've written so far, so there may be a bit of a wait for the next chapter but only because I like to write a block at a time. I hope you enjoy this!
Disclaimer – I don't own Buffy or Star Wars
Chapter Four – The Boss
Buffy lay on her back, looking up through the ceiling of the bubble room at the fish floating lazily above. Dawn was right, she thought abstractly. It was soothing. It gave her a way to try to sort through her thoughts in relative peace and quiet.
With a sigh she rolled over and looked at her sleeping sister. Dawn had somehow cocooned herself in the blanket she was covered with, only the top of her head poking free at the end of it. Well, the top of her head at one end and her toes at the other. Buffy shook her head, bemoaning again that she was the shortest in her family. God, the monks made Dawn out of her, so why wasn't Dawn short too?
Flopping back onto her back and staring up at the fish again, Buffy thought about the events of the night before. She vaguely remembered thinking that she might be in hell, or at least a form of hell dimension that contained weird frog demons. It was even more surreal to find out that they weren't actually demons at all but rather aliens. And the way Dawn said it, as though that made everything better.
Why was Dawn with her in the first place? Buffy had jumped into the portal, sure that it would kill her. She was convinced that was the only way for the ritual to be complete and for the portal to close. At first she had been worried that it was still open, that Sunnydale was being ripped apart, but Dawn told her it did close. Dawn saw it closing and then right at the end there was a flash of light and they woke up in a forest. Well, Dawn woke in a forest. Buffy was all about the Sleeping Beauty.
It took a lot of reassurance and holding Dawn so close that Buffy could hear her heart beat to convince the slayer that neither she nor Dawn weren't dead. Surprisingly, it took far less time to accept that the frog things were aliens, they just didn't give off demon vibes. In fact, nothing much here did, which was really strange in itself. She hadn't realised how much she'd been living with so much demon energy around, she'd actually begun to just ignore it. Now that she was free from it, she was relishing in the soothing feel of nothing crawling against her skin, just a peace washing over her. And it was peaceful, the water muffled all noise and there was nothing but the sound of Buffy's own breathing and Dawn's soft snores.
Now there was just the question of how they were going to get home. Dawn seemed perfectly happy to stay here indefinitely, but Buffy had responsibilities back home and couldn't just ignore them. Dawn had said something about trying to find an answer with the Naboo, but that would be ages away. Buffy wasn't sure she could wait that long.
Buffy eventually sat up and swung her legs around to be sitting on the edge of the bed. It must be sometime in the morning, probably very early as no one had come in to wake them yet. Apparently Dawn was helping out the healers while learning about this place, being taught to read again. Buffy wasn't sure what they would ask her to do, but she guessed not healing. She'd never really tried to understand it, given that with her slayer healing most wounds didn't need more than a basic dressing. Buffy looked down at her own smooth arms. Apparently when they arrived she had been covered in small cuts and burns but these were long since healed. She rolled her head, cracking her neck and looked for the clothes that the head healer person had given her last night.
Buffy was less than amused to find that she was wearing a robe thing like the healer instead of the tunic and trousers Dawn had been given to wear. Yet again another downside to being so short. She dropped the hem of the robe down and crinkled her nose when she saw it pooling on the floor by her feet. After searching for shoes and finding none she decided to explore a little. She crept out of the first room that she and Dawn were sleeping in, into a connected room that seemed to be some form of sitting room.
"Yousa need to go to Naboo and get da human clothes." The quiet, deep voice made her jump, she spun around to see one of the tall, thin gunguns standing in the room, holding a bowl of something. "Mesa sees you up," the new arrival told her as he held out the bowl. "Mesa Captain Tarpals, bring yousa to Otoh Gunga from da forest."
"Um, hi," Buffy started awkwardly. "I'm Buffy. Dawn's sister. But… you brought us from the forest so you already know that."
The gungun nodded. "Come, wesa go for a walk so nots to wake Dawnee." He gestured out of the bubble that acted as their quarters. Buffy considered for a moment before passing him and ducking out of the door.
As soon as she did so, she found herself in a corridor made up of several smaller bubbles merged together. The walkway was a curving path with no handrails, although it was easy enough to follow. Buffy gazed around her, still unable to believe what was in front of her eyes. "Yousa like?" Captain Tarpals asked her in his gruff voice.
"It's…wow." Buffy replied, still gazing around. "How do you build this?"
"It is grown," the captain replied. "Wesa grow da bubbles."
"Grown? Really?" Buffy reached out to touch. The exterior, amazed by the cool and smooth texture. "How do you grow rooms?"
Captain Tarpals shrugged. "Mesa not know details, mesa Captain."
Buffy nodded again, then turned to the Captain. "Dawn said you found us and brought us here. Thank you, for looking after Dawn."
The gungun smiled at her. "Mesa like Dawnee. Shesa not like da Naboo humans, dey think dat wesa not clever because wesa no do art and culture like dey do. But wesa has our own things."
"That you do," Buffy replied. By now they had reached the end of the corridor and they were walking past a series of larger bubbles that seemed to house people. Some were opaque while some weren't, and Buffy looked inside any that she could curiously.
"Here," Captain Tarpals said, thrusting the bowl he had been carrying the whole time under Buffy's nose as he guided her towards a curved bench along the outside of one of the bubbles. "Is food," he told her helpfully when she still looked confused. "Is good for mornings."
Buffy wasn't convinced but took the offered bowl, seeing some strange mush in there. She gave it a tentative sniff, it smelt savoury but the smell of food had her realising quite how hungry she was. She nearly tore a spoon-like device out of the captain's hands when he held it out for her and began wolfing it down. It was strange tasting, fishy and salty but with a hint of sweetness, but in her hungry state she really didn't care.
When she finished, she sheepishly held out the bowl. "That was good," she told Captain Tarpals. "Where can I put this?"
He chuckled at her. "Wesa go to the city big space," he told her. "Wesa take bowl back dere. Also, Big Boss wanting to sees yousa when yousa wakes. Is good chance to gets it over with."
"Big Boss," Buffy gulped, suddenly feeling very nervous. She thought she remembered Dawn saying something about having to talk to the boss or something, Buffy wished that she had paid more attention but there had been just so much information and she had been trying not to freak out at the time.
"Come, isa dis way." Captain Tarpals said, standing and gesturing onwards. Buffy nodded and silently stood and began to follow him. "No needs to be afraid," Tarpals reassured her. "Mesa gives advice – tell truths and yousa be fine."
"It's alright for you to say," Buffy grumbled. "I've been unconscious for days, and the minute I wake up I have to go and explain myself. It feels like I'm being sent to the Principal's office."
The captain looked back with a frown on his face. "Is ok? Mesa forgets yousa been hurts. Yousa seem ok now. Could do later?"
Buffy sighed. "No, let's get it over with. I am ok, yay for slayer healing." The last bit was muttered under her breath sarcastically, but judging from the captain's confused expression he had heard it anyway. She made a mental note that the gunguns had good hearing.
But then they entered the city big space and Buffy forgot her nerves in the face of her amazement. It was one huge bubble structure, with criss-crossing walkways and rooms. Tarpals gave her a moment or two to take it all in, before strolling across the open plaza in the middle of it. Buffy hurried to follow, noticing that while it was still so early that few gunguns were around, those that were gave Buffy and Tarpals a wide berth.
"Your people don't seem to like me very much," she said in a loud whisper, watching one of the gunguns duck behind a cart of some kind as she looked its way.
Tarpals nodded solemnly. "Wesa not have many outsiders here. Yousa look like da Naboo, but yousa friendly. Dey are nervous, but interested. Dawnee has been workin with da healers, dey coming to know she is not a threat." He glanced sideways at Buffy. "Boss Nass like to pretend dat he stupid, but Dawnee helping healers is one of da best ways for da gungun to accept her."
"Pretends to be dumb but actually smart," Buffy thought out loud. She flashed Tarpals one of her best valley girl smiles. "I can work with that!" The dour captain, not for the first time that morning, chuckled at her antics before leading her across the plaza.
Eventually they reached an ornate doorway with a pair of gungun standing outside of it. One of them cocked their head at Tarpals, questioning him in a gruff voice. "Dis da other human?"
"Hi!" Buffy replied perkily. "My name's Buffy, I understand that Boss Nass wanted to see me when I woke up?" She checked with the captain as she spoke, making sure that she pronounced the name correctly and breathing a small sigh of relief when he nodded.
"Let mesa see if da council is ready," the guard told her sternly. "Is early." He disappeared into the room, the door closing behind him. Buffy could just about see into the interior through the bubble walls but not enough to make out any detail. Resigning herself, she waited while the guard was gone.
By the time he returned, Buffy was tapping her foot in impatience for the delay. "Yousa can go in now," he informed them both. With a nod of thanks, Buffy entered the chamber.
Once inside, Tarpals indicated that she should stand in the middle as Dawn had done a few days earlier. Buffy looked up at the council above her, five gunguns looking down at her from their lofty perches. The middle one tilted his head and clicked a few times.
"Yousa da sister of Dawnee."
He made it a statement, but Buffy felt it still needed a reply. "Yes, my name is Buffy."
There was a pause while the gungun watched her, his toad like features furrowed in thought. Buffy assumed that this must be the big boss, Boss Nass. Eventually he spoke, his voice booming around the room. "Dawnee tells usen dat you jump into portal to try to save her. Den you come here."
"Um yes, I guess so." Buffy looked around, the feeling of being watched by all the gunguns was unnerving. "I don't remember the part where we came here, I actually thought I needed to die to close the portal…"
There was a collective gasp that caused Buffy to stutter to a halt. "Yousa thought yousa going to die?" Boss Nass stated eventually.
"Yes…"
"Hmmm," he pulled out a pipe from somewhere within his voluminous sleeves and puffed on it a few times, a tendril of smoke drifting into the air. "So yousa brave. What other skills yousa have?"
Buffy panicked, she never had good scores on anything! What was she meant to say? "I can slay stuff?"
Buffy's bubbly voice and happy smile as she pronounced that seemed to confuse the Big Boss. "Yousa can…slay? Yousa?"
"Yep," she replied. She looked around at the gunguns who were watching her – as well as the five on the platform, Captain Tarpals stood with the two guards behind her. "I was a kind of warrior, back at home, called the Slayer. I am stronger than I look."
One of the gungun guards sniggered a laugh, Buffy ignored him as she watched Boss Nass. He had leant forwards and was watching her curiously. Eventually he nodded.
"Captain Tarpals."
"Yes Big Boss sir?" The gungun snapped to attention beside Buffy.
"Take Buffy and see if shesa is good as a warrior." He gazed at Buffy. "Yousa were prepared to die to save yousa sister, mesa thinks you is a warrior. If yousa is good, yousa can help to train da younglings. Dey needs some respect. Also, yousa learn da Basic with yousa sister, wesa needs to trade with da Naboo."
Training youngsters… Buffy could do that. "Sure, when do you want to test me?"
"Not today," Tarpals told her, scowling at her eagerness. "Yousa been injured, wesa waits til tomorrow."
Buffy tried not to sound too disappointed, it made sense. Still, she was itching to get back to training. "I guess that's fair. So what today?"
"Today, yousa see our training rooms," Boss Nass announced. "Yousa needs to find yousa way around Otoh Gunga." He frowned, peering at her. "And yousa needs to learn to swim."
Buffy's eyes went wide. "Swim?"
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Dawn was trying hard not to worry about Buffy. Her first thoughts that morning, when she'd woken in the small room alone for the first time with no sign of her older sister, had been blind panic. It was only talking to one of the healers in the corridor who reassured Dawn that he had seen Buffy with Captain Tarpals that calmed the girl down. She liked Captain Tarpals and knew that he would look after Buffy.
She then got on with her usual daily tasks, but not much was happening in the healing rooms of Otoh Gunga today. Eventually she sat down with a book of Basic that she thought was probably used to teach infants and started familiarising herself with the strange characters.
It was a little while later that Dawn looked up as a loud crash echoed around the healing bubble. She ran out, ready to help, to find Jar Jar Binks sprawled on the floor looking up at three healer gunguns sheepishly.
"Mesa here to see Dawnee," he told them. "Mesa tink it is quiet, maybe Dawnee would like to see some city?"
Healer Burban sniffed at the prone figure of the clumsy gungun.
"Yousa needs to be more careful, Jar Jar! Dawnee can go wid yousa if she wants, but Shesa must learn da Basic too."
"Mesa can teach!" Jar Jar announced happily. "Mesa good with da letters. It da moving mesa have da problems with."
Healer Burban turned to Dawn. "Is quiet Dawnee, if yousa wants to go with Jar Jar is ok. Comes back for sundown."
Dawn weighed up her options. One the one hand she could stay here, try to learn Basic by herself and get bored waiting for Buffy to finally show up, whereas on the other… she looked down at Jar Jar Binks who gave her a beaming smile.
"I guess I'll go with Jar Jar," she shrugged. "Would be nice to see more of the city."
"Yes!" The young gungun pumped his fist happily. "Wesa go to da spawning rooms, da city bigspace, da eateries, da ancient city…" he carried on happily listing places as he scrambled up and all but dragged Dawn from the room, Dawn frantically mouthing 'help!' to the healers who laughed and waved her away.
Jar Jar Binks talked. A lot. He was also really clumsy and it was easy to see why he was always in the healing rooms. But he was a much better guide than Dawn expected, his enthusiasm infectious as they walked around Otoh Gunga.
One of their first stops had been the City Bigspace and some of the market stalls there. Jar Jar generously bought Dawn some crunchy sea food snacks, long since devoured, and a strange bubble drink. Dawn wasn't sure what it was but it was sweet, refreshing and had fun little bubble things that popped with flavour. These bubbles lasted ages so Dawn was able to take her time and savour it.
Jar Jar was busy telling Dawn about the school he had just left and some of his friends when she stopped him gently with a hand on his arm. Up ahead were two figures she actually recognised – Buffy and Captain Tarpals.
"Buffy!" She cried, waving energetically at her sister. "Where did you go?"
She was rewarded by both Buffy and the captain approaching them. "Did you know we have to learn how to swim?" Buffy asked as soon as she arrived.
"What, swim?" Dawn was confused. "No, no one has told me I need to swim." Her face dropped. "Wait, am I going to have to?"
"But yousa lives under da water!" Jar Jar stated. "Of course yousa learns to swim. How else yousa gets to surface?" He waved his hand theatrically to emphasise his point, forgetting that he was holding a cup of bubble drink.
Both sisters looked horrified, Dawn at the thought of swimming and Buffy because she was now covered in the remains of Jar Jar's bubble drink.
"But I don't know how to swim! We're from California!"
"Oh my god, what is that goo?"
Captain Tarpals chuckled, his deep voice rumbling throatily. He put one hand reassuringly on the shoulder of each girl. "Swimming is not hard, wesa teach yousa. Gets some more clothes too."
"Hmm," Buffy looked down at her outfit disdainfully. "Is there any chance we can visit the Naboo and get outfits sometime soon? I'm not cut out for the homeless vibe. And we really need to try to find a way home."
"When yousa can swim and read Basic," Tarpals told her solemnly. "Else how yousa see da prices?"
Even Buffy had to concede that point – how could she shop without knowing whether she was getting a bargain? But what currency did they even use? There was a lot to learn. God, she missed home – Hellmouth and all.
As though sensing her mood, Captain Tarpals turned to Jar Jar. "Jar Jar, mesa take Dawnee and Buffee back to dere room, dey gots lot to talks about."
"Okay-doke," Jar Jar nodded. "Can mesa come and visit tomorrow, Dawnee?"
"Um, sure," she replied, casting a glance at her sister. "Maybe you can show me more of the city?"
"Yes please! Bye bye for now," Jar Jar replied, waving as he disappeared across the City Bigspace. Tarpals shook his head fondly as he turned to the girls.
"Come on, lets get you home and some food, hmm?"
