Chapter Seven
The Meeting of the Gods
Beyond Reality
There is a place, where every law of physics does not exist, and yet is the basis for them. It is beyond comprehension, and yet can be understood by the simplest of people. It exists in plains beyond mortal's reach, and yet exists within every fiber of their being.
The lands of the gods.
For, as a former Watcher told one of her employees, everything man has believed throughout the millions of years, every god that they had come up with to explain nature and events beyond their understanding, was unknowingly based on fact. The gods, ascended beings of unimaginable power, did exist. Created by the Creator, the one humanity would call God, Allah, or a slew of different names to identify the same being, they are charged with the running of the great beast that is Creation.
Unlike the Creator, who was truly everything mortals say him to be, the lesser gods were not omniscient. They were not everywhere. They had very real forms, very real personalities. And very real desires.
But, like the various kinds of species and life forms that would invariably crop up, they were not perfect. They were not of one mind. For ten cycles of Creation, as each multiverse ended and restarted by the Creator's will, the Gods sometimes argued, bickered, even waged war against one another.
So, in the tenth cycle of Creation, the Balance came up with a new group of beings. One that had never existed before. A human who would possess powers rivaling the gods. They would be called Guardians.
In the First Realm, a young girl was selected to be the First. Young Alania, after many challenges, ascended to the lofty position of being the first of her kind. From her, an entire civilization was formed.
The Guardian's tasks were twofold; they were to safeguard creation from those who would to destroy it, and they would keep the gods in line, help them understand both one another, and those they served.
And, since Alania's ascension, they did just that. The Pantheon, as they now called themselves, achieved a level of peace that it had not known in previous cycles. Though there were still disputes, they were now mediated where they once fought. And almost every god enjoyed it.
But even in the tenth cycle, there were those who would meddle in mortal's affairs. Ominpotents who poked and prodded various species, trying to help them rise up the evolutionary ladder a miniscule peg, to gods who would seek the destruction of life itself. Sometimes, mortal civilization actually became a threat to the gods themselves.
A textbook example of this third category was now being debated. And, lo and behold, mortals were now in attendance.
Terra Brandford was understandably confused, and worried because of it.
She had been in Mobliz, enjoying yet another day of peace with her 'kids,' as she called the orphans living there, and her friends (the ones who helped her defeat Kefka the first time.) All was peaceful, and she was hoping it would stay that way.
And then, quite predictably, her hopes were predictably dashed when she felt a familiar tingle on the top of her head. The Goddess was calling her, which was never a good sign. That meant there was a problem that required her help.
About two years ago, Terra joined a group of warriors from others universes in an inter-dimensional war, fighting on the side of Cosmos, the Goddess of Harmony. They faced their greatest enemies for what she was hoping for the final time, finally breaking the cycle of destruction. This culminated in a penultimate battle with Chaos, dark God of Discord. Afterward, they had been sent back to their respective worlds, under the impression that they were no longer needed.
So what the hell was going on here? Why was she walking through the hallways of what she heard being called the Pantheon, towards a meeting of the gods?
As she passed lesser gods, she was joined by another of Cosmos's chosen; a man she had formed a particularly strong bond with. Cloud Strife, the warrior who wielded a massive sword that was second only to Garland's. They had become very good friends, and had been on the cusp of something more. If only they had had more time, and better circumstances…
"What do you think this is about?" she asked, forcibly pushing away from a very awkward topic. "Chaos can't be back for another round, could he?"
"If he is, it isn't to do battle," Cloud replied, who was equally mystified. "Sephiroth hasn't paid me another visit yet, which means he's still dead. But whatever it is, it's bad. She's called everybody, even Golbez and Jecht."
Now she knew something was up, and it wasn't anything good thing. Golbez and Jecht were both former members of Chaos' group, though they secretly helped Cosmos bring about the end of the war. In doing so, they were granted a full pardon by the Goddess of Harmony, and allowed to rejoin their family.
Golbez had been asked after a few months to try and find Cosmos' ultimate champion, the one they called Faith. And Terra wholeheartedly agreed with the choice, considering what little she knew of the woman. This was the one to whom even the Gods protected, and she had no idea why.
Jecht had been left alone, to try and mend fences with his son. To call upon them now… meant that things were definitely dire.
Terra knew that they would soon find out what the emergency was. They were at the meeting place. Soon, she would have all of her questions answered.
She hoped she would, anyway.
Ten minutes later, she wished she had still been ignorant.
The Pantheons were in an uproar as images of death and destruction cycled before them. An Earth in their Nineteenth Century had been decimated, the realm forcing it out like it was a piece of garbage before it could alter destiny irrevocably. A young woman's entire world, completely destroyed in the blink of an eye.
"Cosmos, you have to bring an end to this!" a nameless god deep within the chamber shouted. "They strike at all corners of the Guardian Protectorate, without fear of consequence!"
"Now they dare to attack a Princess of Purity!" Thor, Norse god of thunder bellowed, smacking his fist against the side of the podium, ignoring his father's glare. "If they are not stopped, we will be next!"
"We could reach out to them!" Aphrodite suggested. "An accommodation could be arranged! A truce!"
"No!"
A delicate fist slammed down onto an armrest, sending a shock wave through the Pantheon, silencing everyone in an instant. And there was only one Goddess who could do that to an entire room.
Terra shuddered. This was by far, the angriest she had ever seen her, and that was saying something.
A delicate Goddess rose from her seat within the center of the room. She stood about five feet, four inches, with flowing blond hair that reached down her back. She wore a simple flowing green dress with a gossamer veil that wrapped around her arms. Gold ornaments were connected to the bodice, complete with matching arm and wrist bracelets. Her eyes seemed to hold hidden knowledge that was hers and hers alone to know. But other than that, she didn't seem to be that threatening.
But the other gods gave her their undivided attention, as well as with the respect that she had earned. For she was Cosmos, Goddess of Harmony and one of the two points of the Balance itself. She was the youngest of them all, but also the most powerful. Only the Creator himself was stronger.
She was also the most mysterious. From what Terra knew, she was tenth in a line of Goddesses, all named the same. No one knew for certain if she was created by the Creator, of if she was a survivor of the last cycle. For all she knew, the Goddess of Harmony was her. All they knew for certain was that she appeared at the beginning of the First Realm's creation, and that was it.
They also knew her to be a calm, benevolent soul, who always had good cheer towards others, who did everything she could to help those who were beneath her. Almost every single omnipotent in Existence loved her.
That Goddess wasn't present now. Instead, in her place was an all powerful entity that was more than ready to descend down from the heavens, grasp these monsters by the proverbial throat, and strangle them with their own sins.
"The Caelaer created them, however unintentionally," she snarled lowly, glaring at everyone and no one, "and they return this love with…. defiance!" Power leaked from her fists as she clenched them, trying to control herself. "There shall be no truce with the Borg!"
Of course, everyone agreed with her on that. The Borg were as close to true evil as a civilization could be. They couldn't be reasoned with, bullied, threatened or frightened. They simply took what they wanted, and to hell with everything that makes life worthwhile. If the end of time were to begin, they wouldn't even bat an eye. It was only Aphrodite's nature to look for peace.
Terra felt Cloud's hand grip hers gently, and smiled lightly. She saw that the Warrior of Light was getting to rise, and understood why. As Cosmos' chief protector during the last cycle wars, he had earned the right to speak as an equal among the Gods.
"Finally, some rage from you."
Those words, however, did not originate from him. They came from the entrance, which was somewhat confusing. Terra had assumed that every omnipotent who was part of the Pantheon was in attendance.
She quickly discovered that she was right, but only to a point. Every omnipotent that was a part of the Pantheon was there. Just not every omnipotent. There was one who wasn't.
That very god slowly walked forward, making the half Esper doubt for a moment that he was really one. His hair was stringy and lifeless; his beard long and scraggly. His armor, which had once been as bright and shiny as any god's out there, was now in a state of advance decay, dull and ragged. He looked pale, sallow.
But his eyes… they glittered with malice, and a coldness that made her shiver. He was someone she hoped never to meet up close and personal.
This god continued until he was a few feet away from Cosmos, ignoring everyone but her. His eyes, like chips of ice, glared at her with a fearlessness that was absolutely terrifying. "How long has it been?" he asked somewhat weakly. "How long, since you have seen my face, Cosmos?"
It was obvious that Cosmos did remember this one, as her whole body tensed. "Hades," she growled. "How nice of you to join us, especially considering the last time you stood before me."
Terra's eyes widened. This was Hades? This was the Dark God of the Olympian Underworld? She turned towards Cloud, who nodded, obviously surprised as well.
Slowly, Hades dropped to one knee before the Goddess of Harmony, in a show of respect that he made look condescending. After a moment, he rose, his gaze never leaving her. "For countless eons, I have watched from the Underworld, and have seen your wrath, tempered with love. You, who are charged with the keeping of the Balance, have done so with compassion and integrity. You have given the mortals a chance to grow and evolve, which none of your predecessors were able to accomplish. And, when you had the chance to destroy Chaos, you refused. You showed his love when he had not deserved it." He managed not to sneer at her. "But you have loved life too well. The Borg have grown strong, stronger than even the Q have believed possible. And now I am forced to rise, because we are all threatened!"
One of the gods rose from his seat, armor glistening in the light. Terra immediately recognized him; Zeus, the Olympian Head of House and Hades' younger brother. He had also been the one to press charges against him for his actions in Argos, further cementing the hatred between them. It certainly didn't help matters that the family backed Zeus in that matter.
"What do you want, brother?" the powerful Olympian asked, his voice booming in the massive chamber. "A second chance? Because I believe that you have used up all of your chances with us."
"This threat is beyond any god's ability to defeat alone," Hades retorted immediately. "And there is no mortal powerful enough to challenge them."
"And we all know the reason for that, don't we Hades?"
Terra caught the level of anger in Cosmos' voice, and was curious as to why. What could Hades have done for Cosmos to hate him so? Could it be that Faith woman? Did he do something to her?
Hades, for his part, either didn't hear that anger, or simply ignored it. His voice and inflection remained unchanged. "I merely wish… a truce to be called between myself and the Pantheon for the duration of this emergency. I wish to join the battle against this enemy."
"And what makes thou think we would want your help?" Odin asked quietly.
"I do not fool myself into believing that this will help heal old wounds," Hades replied. "But we must all be united if we are to survive."
Hikari rose at once, almost readying himself for battle. And, in a sense, he was. Hades, while nowhere near as powerful as Chaos, was still a threat to them all. "My Lady, this one belongs in the Underworld, not here!" he declared firmly, ready to defend his Goddess from attack.
"You do not tell me where I belong, mortal!" Hades retorted immediately, before paying him no more attention. "The Borg are monstrous, Cosmos. You will need someone just as barbaric to defeat them. I am that person, and you know it."
Cosmos frowned at him, obviously thinking it through. At long last, she sighed. "We shall put it to a vote," she said, discovering that one could talk when one's teeth were gritted. "None can abstain from it. Organians?"
"Aye."
"Q?"
"Aye."
"Altareans?"
And so it went, each group of omnipotents and ascended beings casting their votes. And it was close, very close. There were times where Terra thought that it would be stopped. But, much to her surprise, the votes were in favor of Hades.
Cosmos nodded. "So be it." She focused on the Olympian. "Hades, you are to prepare whatever suitable defense you see fit to combat the Borg," she commanded, sounding as if she had a bitter taste in her mouth. "We shall utilize it if the Guardians fail to halt their advance. But know this, Lord of the Underworld, if you put even a fingernail out of line, there will be consequences."
Hades bowed to her, seemingly unafraid. "So shall it be," was all he said, before disappearing in a wave of black ash and soot.
Cosmos returned to her seat, sinking into it wearily. She didn't even have to say anything for everyone to know that the meeting was over. Bursts of light resounded throughout the massive room as they left, one after another. Terra presumed that they were to leave as well, and rose.
"Cloud, Terra, please stay for a moment."
She promptly stopped, looking at the Goddess in surprise. Her surprise grew when she saw Zeus standing there, obviously waiting for them to approach. Suddenly nervous as to what this might mean, she did so.
"You know we can't trust him," the Olympian stated, once the room was empty. "He has an ulterior motive for offering his services."
"I know," Cosmos replied sadly, rubbing her eyes. "Unfortunately, the Pantheon has spoken, and the law is absolute. I can take steps to insure that whatever he's planning doesn't come to fruition, but nothing more." She leaned forward. "Did our contact deliver the clue?"
Zeus nodded. "Tru Davies in now in Los Angeles. She will find Caroline easily enough, if left to her own devices."
"And Faith?"
"Still no sign of her. Angelus was certainly thorough when he created that sword of his. But we have had sightings of her in Japan, so it's possible that she made it to the Slayer's regional base of operations."
The Goddess accepted that, though she wasn't too happy about it. Even now, it would amaze the Pantheon how much Cosmos protected and looked after that one woman. It certainly amazed Terra, especially when she made Faith her Champion. She saw that Cloud was also thinking hard about it, wondering what was so special about her to warrant such attention.
"Terra, Cloud," Cosmos suddenly asked, getting their attention. "How would you two like to see Faith's world?"
That threw them for a loop, and they traded frankly surprised looks. "Uh… sure," Cloud got out, in a rare moment of shock.
"Good. I'm sending the two of you to Washington D.C.. There, I want you to seek out Daniel Perrin, a United States Senator. I've had records drawn up stating that you have just been hired to his personal staff, including an address." Two stacks of paper suddenly appeared before them, forcing them to grab hold of them before they fell. "Here is everything mandatory for your cover. Memorize it, and whatever you do, stay in cover. The last thing we need is for one of Hades' supporter finding out."
Both of them nodded, understanding what could happen to them should they be found out. "Anything else?" Terra asked.
Cosmos smirked. "Have some fun," she replied. "Then tell me about it when you get back."
Terra barely stifled a groan at that. Was she playing matchmaker? Why was everyone trying to play matchmaker where she was concerned?
She decided that she didn't want to know.
Cleveland, Realm 1995
The first thing Kennedy became aware of when she awoke was the feeling of something soft brushing against her face.
It felt nice, somewhat arousing, so she didn't say anything about it. After all, her fiance was in the same bed as her, and she could get rather randy in the morning after a magic lesson.
But as she woke up a little more, she discovered two things. One; the softness of the digit that was stroking her was scaly. Two; it had a rattler on the end of it.
"Aluwyn!"
And so began a morning ritual that had been occurring for the better part of four years. It happened every morning, so the rest of the occupants didn't even bat an eye.
Willow woke up as Kennedy leaped from the bed, trying to capture that which had woken her. "I really wish those two would get along," she mumbled, slowly sitting up. Then again, her mentor was far more punctual than an alarm clock.
Her mentor, Aluwyn, also known as Saga Vasuki, was a snake witch goddess, a step below the actual gods and goddesses that Willow spoke to every once in a while. She was master of magic, and a pathological liar. Precisely the reason why Willow chose her to be her teacher.
Under normal circumstances, Aluwyn would have conducted the training within her realm, but she had met Faith years ago, before she had become a Slayer. Impressed beyond measure by Faith's skills and will, she had decided to teach Willow in Cleveland. And Kennedy, after Willow had told her all of this, had agreed to support her, even after learning what the cost was for each lesson.
The only downsides the Slayer could think of was the fact that the snake goddess saw fit to act as an alarm clock, every day at the same time, and that fact that she had the lower body of a rattlesnake, she still had a smoking hot torso.
Aluwyn laughed as Kennedy almost followed her into the hallway, before remembering that she was naked. "Come on, Kenny!" she taunted, her nude bosom jiggling from her laughter. "You want me. You gotta come and get me!"
Kennedy glared at her, trying to ignore the enticing image of naked breasts only a mere three inches in front of her, even if they were green. "I swear, once I get dressed, I'm going to nail your scaly hide to my office door!" With that, she slammed the door in Aluwyn's face. "Why do I put up with her?" she asked Willow.
"Because you love me," Willow replied, stretching out, the sheet dropping from her perky mounds. "And I really don't want my fiance and my instructor going at it. Kinda like you both."
"'Kinda like us both?'" The Slayer shook her head, turning away. "That's it. I don't wanna marry you anymore."
"Aww, come on…"
"No, I mean it! Two people who want to marry are supposed to be madly in love with one another. Attached at the hip. That sort of thing." She huffed in mock indignation. "I thought we had something special."
About ten seconds later, a pair of bare arms wrapped themselves around her waist a pair of nipples poking into her back. "Kennedy," a sweet voice cooed in her ear, making her shiver, "if I say I love you, can we get married?"
Kennedy turned around, looking at her wiccan love in mock contemplation. "I don't know," she mused, getting into the game they were playing. "You might need to sweeten the pot a little bit."
Willow's kiss was long, passionate, and just a hair short of being actually magical. It was still able to take Kennedy's breath away, even after all of these years.
"And then," Willow murmured, breaking the kiss, before going to the taller woman's shoulder, " I can lick you all over, nibble on your tits… oh, I can take you up he ass! You love it when I give it to up the ass, even though I only have fingers to do it. And- "
Kennedy initiated the kiss this time, cutting her off before the real ramble could begin. "Wedding's back on," she said, chuckling. "And as much as I would love for you to ravish me, and am impressed with the fact that you used the word 'tits' in a sentence, Annabelle's going to be here in five… four… three… two… one…"
As if on cue, someone knocked on the door. "You're right, boss lady," the eighteen year old slayer stated, "so get dressed. Satsu's going to be here shortly, and she would probably love it if you were dressed."
"Oh, that's right." Kennedy mentally smacked herself. Aluwyn's appearance had driven that little factoid from her mind. "She's hitching a ride with to L.A. "I'll be down in fifteen minutes."
"Make it thirty minutes. She doesn't need to smell sex on you."
"Tell her she's a bitch and a wuss."
"She knows. Last I heard, she's comfortable with it."
Willow laughed. "Come on love. We'll take a shower together. Have to start the day with a clear head."
The slayer shook her head at that. "You've really become a sex fiend, Will. No one else I know can have ten orgasms with Snake Girl, then have ten more with a slayer."
"You've been a bad influence on me."
"I thought I was a good influence."
"Nope, bad. And I wouldn't have it any other way."
Annabelle Stepford shook her head as she stepped away from the door. While she was forever happy for the two of them, she sometimes wished she didn't happy slayer hearing. The sounds of their lovemaking wreaked havoc on her sleeping.
She turned to Aluwyn, who was grinning happily. "Why do you do this?" she asked. "Why do you torment Kennedy so? And will you put a shirt on, please?"
Aluwyn shrugged, not even bothering with modesty. She traveled everywhere within the base Au natural, so it wasn't really a concern for her. "Because despite what Kennedy thinks, I really enjoy a good joke. I also make a mean alarm clock. As for the shirt…" she displayed her attributes, "why?"
"Because Satsu's going to be here in about thirty minutes, and if she sees you bare, she's gonna go all hari-kari on you. She was one of Faith's apprentices."
"She's not Faith, though. Faith's much more powerful, and a whole lot meaner."
"Ain't that the truth? Well, I'm off to school. You and the boss lady, try and behave for the rest of the day."
Aluwyn smirked. "No promises," she said, slithering away.
Shaking her head, the young slayer slung her back pack over her shoulder, heading for the stairs.
Kristie Weller was waiting for her in the lobby, shaking her head. Having fully recovered from her first vampiric experience, she was now studying o be a witch, as well as a psychologist. "Faster, stronger, and more focused than the average human," she said, "and I still am down here before you."
"You're one to talk," Annabelle retorted. "You haven't made it to a single magic lesson on time ever since we got here."
"I was primping."
"For the super hot warlock."
"Uh huh."
"Your teacher's gay, Kristie. He's dating Andrew, last I checked."
"Wrong super hot warlock."
Annabelle suddenly remembered that Kristie was three months into a relationship with one of the young seniors who was training to be a Watcher, and quickly figured out what she was talking about. "Okay, did not need that image," she grumbled. She really hated being single, while all of her peers were pairing up. Just hated it.
Leaving the building, the two of them walked across the training grounds, where older slayers were busy going through their exercises for the day. Four Watchers were observing them, having gotten used to the fact that they were equals now. No more being used as weapons. The slayers now enjoyed a real friendship with their support.
And there was Satsu Akiko, head of the Japanese branch, walking through towards them, armed with her ever present katana still strapped to her back. That weapon that had seen the end of many a vampire and demon alike.
And right next to her was…
Annabelle and Kristie both blinked in surprise, stopping as that surprise shifted to shock. It couldn't be… could it?
"Girls," Satsu said in greeting, grinning. "Continuing an education's a good sign."
"Hey there, Annabelle," the Ghost stated, grinning at their dumbfounded expressions. "And good to see that your friend's still lovin' sunlight." The two of them continued on their way, talking.
Annabelle was speechless for a moment. "She remembered my name," she whispered. "The Ghost remembered my name."
Kristie took a look at her watch, yelping. "We've gotta go, Annie! Otherwise, we'll be in detention for a month!" Grabbing her friend by the arm, she dragged her over to their ride.
Aluwyn finally managed to get a shirt on, chafing at the need to cover up her torso with anything. Humans with the modesty issues. She would never understand that part.
However, whenever they had visitors, she understood the need to dress down, so as to remove at least one question from a person's inevitable list. The fact that there was a creature that was made the same way as the depiction as the Gorgons, save for the hair and stone turning gaze, was enough to freak them out.
Of course, she had met the Gorgons… after Faith had beaten them to a pulp for both trying to kill Willow, and for another, far more grievous crime. They looked human enough. They were just as strong as a slayer, and far older.
Willow… she hadn't even thought of the possibility of falling in love with her young human charge. She had taken her on solely to ally herself with the most powerful witch of the age. She was to train Willow to more effectively control her abilities. And as Faith was a close friend and powerful ally, she had decided to do that in Cleveland.
She had to admit that the orgasms they gave one another wasn't bad either. That was her price for each lesson.
Tormenting Kennedy was fun, too, though not for the reasons the Hispanic slayer believed. She didn't hate Kennedy. In fact, she was beginning to think that she had begun falling in love with her as well, but that was a can of worms that she wasn't going to open on any day.
Slithering down the ramp that had been built for her, she made her way to the main lobby, curious to see if Satsu had arrived, and if she had brought anyone with her. Her curiosity was reward when she caught sight of her at the front desk, her ever present weapon strapped to her back. She was a warrior's warrior, to be ready for battle at any time. That was someone worthy of respect.
But the other woman… Aluwyn blinked, not sure if she was seeing this properly. She was here? The hell dimensions had frozen over at long last!
Faith, for her part, wasn't really paying attention to her surroundings, as she was ignoring the reverent looks everyone was giving her. This was something she knew she should be used to, but she wasn't. She never would be, probably because she spent so much time alone. Hatred, she could deal with. Mistrust, apathy, these were emotions that she was familiar with.
Awe and respect, they made her uncomfortable. She blamed her adopted parents for that.
Her discomfort disappeared almost immediately when she was tackled by a blur. The distinct, "I was wrong, I was wrong, I am so happy I was wrong," chanting in her ear gave her the identity of her 'attacker.'
She managed to extricate herself from Kennedy's grip, grinning widely. "I told you I'd be back for my bike," she said cheekily. "Sand's not good for that gears, ya know?"
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Speaking of which, your bike's running a little rich."
"That's cause you always fiddle with it," Satsu replied, shaking her head.
"I do not!"
Faith shook her head. "Kenn girl, the last time you fiddled with something, B lost her ride. I don't wanna have my bike blown up, just because you tinkered with it."
Satsu sighed. "Boss, the next time you need someone to look over your bike, call me."
"I'll remember that."
"And for the record, you bike isn't running rich," a new, familiar voice stated. "You missed Xander by ten minutes. He fixed it up."
Faith had about two seconds to think that Xander deserved a new X-Box game before she discovered her airways closed by a red haired witch. "Hey… Red," she gasped out. "Can't… breathe…"
"Oops! Sorry." Willow let go and stepped back, blushing like mad. "But… you're here!"
"Heard you two were finally tying the knot, and decided to crash the party. Hope ya don't mind."
"Nope. Crash all you like."
Grinning, the Dark Slayer took a look around, taking everything she could see in. And, as a result, she caught of Aluwyn heading their way, grinning like mad. Her own face split at the sight of the TOO SEXY FOR MY SHIRT logo on it. "Figures," she grumbled good naturedly. "So, Saga Vasuki, you have decided to train the grasshopper here, I see."
Aluwyn chuckled at the formal tone in Faith's voice. "Yeah, and it's Aluwyn to you," she replied. "Saga Vasuki's just a title. Kennedy allows it."
"Red ain't complaining."
Willow blushed again. "I don't," she muttered.
"No, normally, she screams really loudly," Rori added, grinning rather slyly. "We can hear her, even through the silencing charms. One per new spell learned. And that's not counting…"
"She doesn't need to know about that!" Kennedy cut in quickly, turning bright red as well. Aluwyn simply smirked, pleased with herself.
Faith decided not to pursue the subject for now, taking pity on her two friends. "Well, at least you're happy," she said. "Now, Kenn, can ya take me to my bike?"
"Sure thing." Kennedy caught sight of Willow's insistent gaze, and nodded. "By the way, I need to talk to you about something. It's important."
This was Kennedy in the spotlight; she wasn't prone to hyperbole. If she said she had something serious to talk to you about, she meant it.
Faith nodded. "Okay then, We talk as we walk."
The main American branch of the ISC was Kennedy's parent's summer home, located in the outer rim of the city. It was large enough to have a large garage, a guest house, and enough rooming for fifty people. After they had been converted to hold bunk beds, that number had been doubled. Not only that, it also had sprawling acres of land that meant that they could actually train outside.
Kennedy and Faith walked towards the garage, where all of the vehicles were stored., in silence. Faith was simply enjoying the peace, while Kennedy was trying to figure out how to explain things to her friend.
Faith finally turned to her. "Alright, Kenn, spill it," she urged. "What's got you so quiet?"
Kennedy sighed, knowing that she had to say it, but feeling awkward about the whole situation. "About eight months ago," she began, "I had an interesting conversation with a Harrison Davies."
"Harrison… I've never heard of him. What was it about?"
"Well, he's heard of you. Apparently, you're an interesting topic of conversation." The young slayer grinned. "And here is your ride, still in one piece. We even washed and waxed it for you."
Faith smiled as she laid eyes on her baby, stepping forward to run a hand along the handle bar. She loved this bike, one of the few things she had ever owned. It had served her well for two years, wherever she went. This was her baby, her partner through thick and thin.
"Kennedy," she began, her slang dropping away, "do you remember the day I got this?"
Kennedy nodded. "Like it was yesterday." She caught the change, but didn't say anything about it. This wasn't the first time such a modulation had occurred.
Faith said nothing more, didn't need to say anything more. She had already dived back into her memories concerning that day.
Concerning her…
April 7th, 2004
Sometimes, spring in Scotland could be just beautiful.
Faith had never really taken the time to simply enjoy this. Every day had been spent locked up in her cell, running, or more recently, training junior slayers and ending apocalypses. And Boston had little in the way of beauty… in her opinion at least. Too many bad memories, too many tragedies. She was never going to set foot there again if she could help it.
It had been a year since Sunnydale and the Hellmouth it had been on was destroyed, and already demons were multiplying like they were going out of style. She had been jumping all over the world, collecting newly activated slayers, and defeating those who would destroy mankind. She had stopped three such plots within the first three months alone, and that was before her mission down to England.
But now, she had a breathing period before another one rose up, and her two apprentices were ready for full term deployment. She would undoubtedly be sent to grab a few more slayers in a few days, but for now, she could enjoy the peace and quiet.
"Hey, Faith!"
Or she was going to get bowled over by a bubbly blond senior slayer who didn't seem to grasp the concept of no hugging. Or did she simply not care?
"B, what'd I say about invadin' my personal space?" she asked after a moment. "Not really big on the huggin', ya know?"
"I know, I know, but I'm so excited!" Buffy replied, not letting go even as she pulled back. "I mean, I've learned something new about you that I didn't think I would!"
"What, that I'm smokin' hot? That I've friends back in Boston? Been aware of that for years, B."
"No… though finding out the names of those friends is on my list."
"…You… have a list."
"Yep, and you can't change the subject. I mean, you can't do that on your birthday. It's like a law of nature."
Faith sighed at this little bit of news. Buffy, it seemed, had made it her lot in life to learn about every single nuance of Faith's life. Sometimes, like now, it was extremely annoying. But she put up with it, as part of the continuing building of trust between the two of them. Besides, no one had ever wanted to take the time and learn more about her. It was kind of sweet.
Of course, there was also the fact that she was head over heels in love with the girl, but she wasn't going to say anything about it. Buffy was definitely not into girls.
Speaking of said girl… she had managed to grab Faith's hand without her knowing it, wreaking havoc on her senses and ensuring that she couldn't get away. "So, I was thinking," she continued on, "we should celebrate it somehow. Birthday cake, night out in some town. You know, find the fun."
"Um… B…" Faith found herself being dragged towards the garage, "I don't really celebrate my birthday. Too many bad memories, ya know." And she did know now, which was probably part of the reason why she was being so nice. But did she have to be so perky?
"I do, which is why we're going to give you some good memories!" Buffy insisted, not slowing down in the slightest. "We even made you a birthday present!"
A birthday present. She hated those with a passion. They were tacky, and would never last more than a day with her. Even Addie, after the first and only attempt, had learned never to give her gifts. "B… you shouldn't have. Really, you shouldn't have."
The blond slayer didn't seem the least bit phased by Faith's reticence. "Well, I didn't really make it. Giles and Xander did most of the work. But I painted it with lots of pretty colors."
"Buffy, repeat. Giles built something?" She found that to be very interesting. She had had no idea Giles was a grease monkey as well. Would the surprises never stop? She had to admit, she was curious despite herself. "Okay, you've got my attention. What is it?"
"You'll see." Buffy quickly entered her access code, unlocking the heavy security door and pushing it open. "After you," she said, gesturing grandly. Rolling her eyes, Faith stepped right in.
"Surprise!"
She had dropped into a defensive stance, her knife out and being thrown before the first syllables had finished forming. Such was her training and her instinctive paranoia.
Kennedy barely managed to get out of the way as the weapon sailed past her, embedding itself in the wall. She breathed out in relief. "See? I told you a surprise party was a bad idea," she stated. "You two know how she handles surprises."
Willow grinned as she took in both Slayers surprised expressions. They all knew only too well. "But hey, that's why we had some space between all of us," she replied. "That's also why we didn't tell you, Buffy."
Faith looked at Buffy, who now looked indignant. "So… Buffy did not know that you were throwing a surprise party for me, and thus were taking your lives in your own hands. I must ask about your sanity on this endeavor."
Giles smiled as Faith's tone became far more regal, a curious bit that seemed to happen when she was truly curious about something. "Well, where you are concerned, Buffy can no longer seem to keep a secret," he explained.
"Hey, I can keep a secret!" Buffy protested, that pout that Faith loved so much appearing.
"Did you tell her that we had made a gift for her?"
"Well, yeah. But I didn't know that was a secret!"
Faith shook her head, trying to wrap her head around all of this. This was unprecedented for her. "You all, despite me wishes, or in spite of them… threw me a surprise birthday party. You even built something for me in an effort to spare yourselves some pain."
Xander shrugged. "It's what friends do… and I'm going to hide behind Willow now." He quickly did so, though it was kind of stupid. He stood a good foot taller than his red head best friend.
Kennedy snickered. "Wimp," she chortled.
"Faith's a powerful Slayer," Willow reminded her girlfriend gently, "not to mention the most powerful Old Religion sorceress in history."
"So?"
"She's a slayer alright," Buffy declared, not letting go for one second. "Now, how about we show Faith her present before cake?" She started dragging the Dark Slayer along, not even giving her the chance to dig her heels in. "Trust me, you'll love it."
"B, I really don't think…"
The rest of Faith's statement, indeed her ability to speak, died the moment she laid eyes on it. It was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen in her life. In fact, she was afraid to blink, just in case it was a mirage.
Finally, she turned around to look at Buffy. "You guys… rebuilt this?" she asked.
Giles nodded. It took a great deal of effort, considering the fact that it was little more than a rusted piece of metal. But we spoke to an officer Frank Rizzoli, and he showed us where it was."
"Have to have a word with him."
"Not today." Xander finally stepped out from behind Willow, now that the threat of impending doom had passed. "We just want our best friend to have a great birthday."
Faith's head snapped up at that, shock permeating her system. He didn't just say that… did he? "B… X-Man…"
Buffy smiled. "Faith, you've come so far since Sunnydale, helped so many slayers that I thought couldn't be saved. And you put up with me, which is something you didn't have to. So I would… like your opinions on things. Sleepovers and stuff.
"What Buffy is trying to say is 'Welcome to the Scoobies," Kennedy said, rolling her eyes. "Really, how difficult is that to say?"
Before Buffy could start pouting again, and everyone knew that it was going to start, Faith had disengaged her hand from the other slayer, only gather her up in a hug. She didn't even have to say anything. It was all there in the hug.
"I think she's happy," Xander stage whispered.
Kennedy grinned. "Duh," she retorted, smacking him on the arm, remembering not to use her full strength.
Faith smiled as that day flashed through her mind. After those who she was closest too in this day and age had given her gift to her, they all had a slice of the birthday cake Buffy had made. Correction; they had all had a bite of it before declaring it absolutely horrendous, and decided to go to Sand Francisco for a night on the town. And boy, what a night to remember! Buffy didn't leave her side for even a moment, almost sticking to her like glue. By the time they had returned, they had helped create some of the best memories in her life.
Of course, a year later, all of that would change...
Forcibly pushing those memories to the back of her mind, Faith turned her attention to Kennedy. "So, what does Davies want?" she asked. "And don't tell me he's a bounty hunter whose hoping to make a name for himself at my expense. I really don't wanna kill him."
Kennedy chuckled. "Don't worry, he's no bounty hunter. Actually, he says he's your brother, and that you have identical sisters. Two, in fact."
To her eternal surprise, Faith let out a chuckle, straddling her bike. "So, he wasn't trying to get my hopes up," she murmured. "I'm not the only one."
"Uh... Faith."
Faith grinned. "Relax, I'll tell you." She looked about. "A few months after... well, you know, I met someone who had information concerning my family. Now, I didn't know I had a brother, but I did find out that I had two identical sisters and an older one. He wasn't sure if my biological mother was still alive, but he was dead certain about them." Her grin faded away. "We had to be separated at birth for our protection. I mean, remember that Shinnok character who appeared, the one who tried to kill me?"
Kennedy nodded. "I remember it fine." How could she forget? How could anyone who had been there forget? That was the day when everything truly started changing for them all. It had been a day of revelations, not only concerning Faith's past, her extraordinarily powerful magic, a kind of magic that was thought to be all but extinct. Of course, it made more sense when they learned who her birth parents were.
They also learned of her curse. As she had never died, she still had the strongest connection to the essence, a connection that almost doomed the world, and herself.
It had been only a few months after Sunnydale was destroyed, and they were still setting up their new organization, when Giles sent Faith undercover into the home of Guinevieve, an activated slayer that had been led astray by a warlock called Ronin. She had been told that she could have power beyond imagining if she simply killed the matriarch of the slayers herself, Buffy Summers. Neither of them could have guessed that in order for her to have a chance at that, she would have had to kill the Dark Slayer. And, as they later discovered, that would be far more difficult they could have imagined. Her sheer rage, coupled with the power she commanded... for everyone there, that was something they would never see again in their lifetimes. And when Shinnok, who they had once thought was just a video game character, arrived to destroy them all... it didn't end well for him. In fact, he had been lucky to get out of there with his hide intact.
On the other hand, it was also a time of healing, as Buffy and Faith both apologized to one another for their transgressions against the other. Not only that, but Faith managed to save everyone, even brought Genevieve to their side. As a certain time traveler hoped for whenever he was in a situation involving potential death, everybody lived.
"Well, he told me that I couldn't go looking for them, because of one very specific reason," Faith continued. "And, lo and behold, it's the same reason that saw to it that I lost my virginity, and what was left of my innocence, before I knew what virginity meant."
"Hades," Kennedy growled, her gaze narrowing in anger. Another revelation to them that day was of the dark Olympian god of the Underworld, and his vendetta against the Dark Slayer. His manipulations upon Faith, and to a lesser degree Buffy, had been the reason why they had been at each others throats. Faith even had suspicions that Hades had made sure that Kakistos had been in Boston the day she had become a Slayer.
"Yeah, him." Faith barely restrained a growl from emerging from her throat. Hades had been a thorn in her side for twenty three years, and she wished she could deal with that by strangling him with her own two hands. "However," she continued, calming down, "if one of the others were told about me, then they would be safe. Which means that whoever talked, knew what they were doing. by going to him."
Kennedy nodded, meaning exactly what she meant by that. Whoever it was had to be deity, and there were only two up there with enough guts to challenge Hades' designs. His brother Zeus, and Cosmos, the Goddess of Harmony and the one to whom Faith was Champion to. "So, what do you wanna do?" she asked.
"Does Harrison have any friends living in Cleveland? Because I want to know what I'm getting myself into."
Davis shut his computer down at long last, rubbing his eyes wearily. He had forgotten how hard it was to work alone, without any backup of any kind. He hoped Tru found her sisters soon, but he also hoped she would return quickly.
He could still remember that day, eight months ago, when that FBI agent arrived in the Morgue with everything they had on Faith. And it was a lot. She had done great evil in her past, but even greater good, saving the world over the course of many years, starting at the crater that once was Sunnydale, then across the globe. Because of that, and that alone, they didn't pursue her.
But eight months had come and gone after those revelations, and a slew of rewind days that seemed to come out of nowhere, they had come no closer to figuring her out. They had no idea who she was on the inside.
He was going to continue figuring that out when he went to get some lunch. Stretching out, he rose from his seat, grabbing his coat from the stand.
He was rewarded with a knock on the door. "Yes?" he called out.
A young brunette, one of Latino descent, opened the door, smiling slightly. "Henry Davis Lancaster?" she queried. "I'm Kennedy Adams."
The name was instantly familiar to him, though he couldn't immediately place it. "You're the one Harrison talked to," he said after a moment's contemplation.
She grinned outright, letting him know that he had guessed correctly. "You guessed it. Anyway, I have a friend here whose curious to learn more about Tru Davies and her family."
Now he became suspicious at this, though he nodded. He had to be, considering that Richard was very much aware of Tru's secret. And though he hadn't done anything to threaten that, the possibility hung over their heads... So it was with a shred of caution that he asked, "So, who is it? And if he or she was sent by her dad..."
""I would have to ask how that was possible," a new voice interjected, one so familiar in accent and inflection that he was stunned into silence. "Our Dad's dead. He's been dead for quite a while."
And, stepping through the front door, decked in leather pants that hugged her legs perfectly, stood one of Tru's sisters. And, judging by the swords that adorned her, it was a safe bet that this wasn't Caroline standing before him.
Kennedy stood a little more regally, as if she was introducing royalty. "Mister Lancaster, may I present Faith Guinevere Lehane, Sorceress Supreme and the most powerful Slayer in history. Our very own ghost."
Davis blinked for a moment, unable to believe it. He had thought that it would be impossible to locate the Nomad. And here she stood, having sought him out. He wasn't sure whether he should be honored or concerned.
"Well, it is certainly good to finally meet you" he said at long last, holding out his hand. "We've heard so much about you."
"I'll bet you have," she drawled, shaking his hand firmly. "What'd the Feds tell ya?"
"Only what they knew about your past, which was basically your criminal record. We figured out a bit on our own."
"Oh... okay.. I guess that's okay." She looked over at Kennedy, who just shrugged. "Anyway, I was wondering if Tru was here."
"Uh... I was just on my way to grab some lunch. You might as well tag along. I need to tell you where Tru is right now."
Faith observed Davis as they ate lunch at a local cafe, thinking about everything he had told them concerning Tru and her gift. If It had been an earlier time, like before Harmony's talk show fiasco, she would have thought he was pulling a fast one on her. But considering everything she had seen and done, this was no longer surprising. More to the point, it was expected.
One shall inherit the gifts of the Mother. That was what the Prophecy had stated... Reliving days was in fact the most advanced aspect of the Seer power, and one only the most powerful of born magic users could possess. It was an Old Religion ability, a magic that had been long thought to be extinct with the advent of Wicca. 'Boy, my family's sure put a kibosh on that,' she thought sardonically, knowing of her part in Fate's grand design.
Now there was the added detail of ancient gods to take in.
"In every universe, there is a representation of every pantheon known to exist," she explained. "These are lesser forms that are responsible for the day-to-day operations of that specific universe. If they do something that is not in the best interests of the Balance, then that Pantheon's Prime form will reabsorb that entity into his or herself."
"But it's one of these Primes that is the reason for you and your sisters being separated?" Davis asked. "And he's been manipulating your life so that you would be hurt at every opportunity? What punishment is there for that?"
"Hades was sentenced to four thousand years in purgatory for his crimes," Kennedy replied, stuffing a fry into her mouth. "For attacking Cosmos' champion, he was to be stripped of his godhood. As you can guess, he basically spat at them, then withdrew to the Underworld before they could stop him."
"He also almost killed his brothers in he process," Faith added. "Fuckin' bastard set off a cosmic blast on Mount Olympus that shattered Poseidon's let leg. The last I heard, he was using the Trident as a walking cane." She sighed. "For whatever the reason, he's hellbent on destroying me, and he doesn't care who he has to go through to accomplish it."
There was something else that had caught his attention, and it wasn't the conversation. Rather, it was her accent. It had begun with a somewhat sultry lilt to it, and her English was what you would have expected from someone who had learned to survive on the streets of any major city. But as the conversation continued, her tone became far more professional. More precise. Her wording spoke of great intelligence and authority. In fact, he could almost call it regal. What surprised him was how effortless it was for her. It was the same thing with Tru at times.
Faith caught his gaze, and smirked. "You're wondering about the change in inflection," she guessed, eyes twinkling. He nodded. "Keep on listening, and you may hear a bit of a British accent shortly."
Just as he thought. She was harder, edgier, but hers and Tru's voices oscillated the same way. Suppressed regality, almost royal like in its scope. It just took longer to reach it. F he didn't know better, he would have believed them to be royalty. "It's... interesting. Tru does the same thing."
"Well, it's something I've done my entire life, so I don't really pay attention to it. In fact, … a friend of mine mentioned it to me once, which is how I learned about it." Ah, there it was; that slight English accent showing through for a second. The really weird thing was that it sounded as natural as her Boston one, which was quite surprising. Again, just like Tru.
Kennedy grinned. "Buffy asked her," she explained. "She doesn't know why it does that."
"And I don't care, because we're falling off topic here." Faith leaned in, finishing off her shake. She had almost forgotten how good sweets tasted. Her life didn't hold time for anything less than what she could carry in a bag. "Now, I know who Tru is, but what about the other one?"
"Ah, Caroline Farrell." Davis was back on semi-comfortable territory. "She's a college graduate from Freemont in Los Angeles, with degrees in neuroscience and computer programming. From what we've read about her, she's an idealist, actively pursuing the end of war, and equal rights for all ethnic groups. At least, until two years ago. Suddenly, she went off the grid, with no explanation. Then, eight months ago, everything there was on her... disappeared.
That caught her attention perfectly. The remnants of her burger forgotten, she fixed him with the full power of her gaze. "She disappeared from the world wide web," she elaborated, a sinking sensation starting to form. "Do you have anything that can tell me why?"
"Well..." Davis managed not to stammer as he tried to avoid looking at her directly, "the only clue your sister got was the name 'Dollhouse.'"
Faith's gaze turned molten as Kennedy let out a hiss. She had hoped never to hear that name again, but it looked like her wish was not to be granted. "I know what her informant is talking about," she said, as the two slayers stood up. "And I know how to prove it."
Annabelle, who was normally quite attentive during class, was counting the minutes down in her head. She did so until the bell rang, signifying the end of another day. She was packed and out in the parking lot before the rest of them had even made it to their lockers. She wanted to get back as quickly as possible.
The ride back to headquarters was remarkably quiet, though there was good reason for that. Every young slayer was thrumming with barely contained excitement, and they doing everything they could to not gossip about the legend presently in their neck of the woods.
Kristie knew how they felt. The Ghost, the woman who had saved her life two years ago, was in Cleveland; the inspiration of courage and compassion. She was very curious as to who this woman was inside, as she had had the advantage of being unconscious during her first near death experience. She wasn't ready to jump her.
Annabelle was quiet for very different reasons. The night after she had met the Ghost, after she had accepted Kennedy's offer, was foremost on her mind. She had tried to learn everything she could about her; her name, her past, and why she worked alone when there was an entire organization that would ave given her their resources.
After two years, her name was all she had found out. Her history... well, none of the veterans who had fought alongside her were talking, and that was aggravating. They just said Faith's reasons for leaving were personal. As for her past... they were tight lipped.
The Slayer Diaries of old also held nothing about her. No mention of her childhood, where and who she received her training from, not even the name of her parents. The Scoobies didn't want any of them to know a single thing about her.
It was as if they were protecting her.
The sound of Kristie's cell phone doing its 'Black Parade' ring tone broke through her thoughts, and she focused one of her ears on the conversation that was now happening in the opposite seat.
"Yes, Miss Rosenberg," Kristie asked, her own thoughts of Faith being pushed back.
"Two things. One; how many times have I told you to call me Willow, under penalty of being turned into a newt. Two; how far are you from headquarters?"
"About twenty times, and I'm not going to stop just because you hate it. You're my boss, and you address bosses with titles. Two, we just pulled up to the main gate. Why, what's up?"
"Don't bother with homework just yet. We need your help hacking into the Rossum Corporation's computer system.'
Kristie blinked at that strange request. In the two years since the day everything changed for her and Annabelle, she had been asked to illegally access three different databases. But never had she been asked to breach Rossum. That meant something big was going on. "Miss... Willow," she began, remembering at the last moment to not say Rosenberg, "what's going on? I thought you said that we weren't going to work outside the law until 2015."
"We're helping Faith locate a member of her family," Willow replied. "Apparently, she is in a branch of the Dollhouse."
Kristie checked her watch. "I'll be there in about five minutes," she said, as Annabelle waved her security card into to the electronic lock. "We've just been cleared." Snapping the phone shut, she turned to Annabelle. "Faith has a sister."
"I heard," Annbelle replied, tapping her ear. "And we're going to help her locate her." She finally had her first real piece of information concerning the Lone Slayer.
She had the funny feeling that this was something the Lone Slayer had just discovered herself.
About three minutes later, Willow and Kristie were feverishly making their way through Rossum's defense level firewalls, staying barely ahead of their countermeasures. Never before had they come across such defenses.
Faith shook her head at this. "No matter how many times I watch this, I still get creeped out by how easy she makes that look," she whispered to Kennedy.
Kennedy shrugged. "It's Willow," she simply stated, which explained everything. And it did. It really did. She had managed to access Division's computers once. Rossum's were only slightly more difficult than that."
Davis, who had accompanied them at the end of his shift, shook his head in confusion. "I don't get it," he said. "Why does a corporation that is the head of medical research need military grade defense firewalls for their computer systems?"
"Those aren't military grade," Faith informed him. "These actually a whole lot better than that. Rossum utilizes a bio algorithim program of some sort, which will actually use countermeasures to fry that person's computer. It's so sophisticated that hackers usually think twice before trying to access their systems." She grinned. "We just have the advantage of having our systems augmented with magic from a powerful witch and a snake."
"I resemble only half that remark," Aluwyn muttered good naturedly. She had completely freaked Davis out, though not as much as she thought. The man had a backbone of iron to compensate for his still lacking social skills. Probably cultivated through his association with Tru Davies.
Davis, on the other hand, was looking at Faith, who simply shrugged. "Cause of my life, all I did was study and learn. Finished goin to college when I was seventeen, and left with six Masters Degrees. One of 'em was advanced computing."
"Oh."
"Learn something new every day," Kennedy quipped. Annabelle, who was also there, agreed wholeheartedly. She had just learned more about the Ghost than she had ever thought possible.
"Almost... got... it," Kristie grunted, tapping a final sequence of codes. "And... we're in."
Willow grinned. "Ladies and gentlemen, we give you the Rossum Corporation's Dollhouse records. And... what a surprise. Caroline Farrell is in the Los Angeles one."
"The only one I've never found. Go fucking figure."
Davis turned around in surprise. "Excuse me?" he asked.
Faith sighed. "The Dollhouse isn't just one place, but many," she explained. "They have about thirty such places, spread out across the continental United States. I've been to twenty nine of them over the years. Los Angeles is the only one because... well, I was in jail." She grinned. "Their bosses hate me as much as the demons do."
That didn't make any sense, but he wasn't going to pursue the subject. The less he knew, the better.
Faith observed Caroline's face for a moment, noting how they were identical, all the way down to that little lilt in the smile, though it looked as though her smile came a whole lot easier. And her eyes... there was an intensity to them that literally leaped off the screen. Just like her... if everyone telling her the same thing was right. But something was still off about this.
'Ah,' she thought. 'There's no pain in her eyes.' It was becoming clear that Caroline had had a good life, and a full one at that.
"Okay," she said after a good long moment of observation, "this is all of her information, including her Facebook page and her degrees. Is there anyone I can talk to, just so I have an idea as to where she is."
Kristie looked over everything on the screen. "I think I have someone," she said after a moment. "Doctor Bennett Halverson. She roomed with Caroline during Caroline's brief stint at Tuscon Tech."
"Where is she now?" Aluwyn asked curiously.
"Well, according to this, Washington D.C." the woman's eyes narrowed. "It says here that she's now Chief Programmer for the Dollhouse there."Now Faith's eyes narrowed quite dangerously as she looked at the screen. "I'm going to be late for the nupitals, Willow," she said, already making plans to head for the nation's capital.
After she made a few stops along the way. Starting with downtown Cleveland...
Richard was ready to leave for the day when the door to his office nearly slammed into his face.
Now, it should be noted that he was no where near the door when it opened. In fact, he had not even made a move to get out of his seat, meaning that he was in no position to get hit in the face via normal means.
So how, may you ask?
Why, it's quite simple, really. The door was kicked in two, torn off of its hinges, and sent hurtling towards him at breakneck speed which is not supposed to happen. It happened though, and with such effortless speed and power that, while it didn't hit him, it did slam into the wall behind him, putting a nice hole into it.
Looking at the thing that had almost cost him his life for a moment, Richard slowly turned to the entrance. He had to admit, he was concerned, but curious as to what managed to do that to a solid oak door.
The blood drained from his face as he took in the what. For there, decked in leather, and bearing a scowl that could make hardened criminals beg and plead and cry for mercy, was Tru. 'No,' he thought suddenly. 'Not Tru.' And he was willing to bet that it wasn't Caroline, either. Which left only...
"How dare you?" Faith growled as she stalked forward. "How dare you marry a woman, and then hire someone to kill her, right in front of Tru?"
'Definitely Faith.' Upon this realization, he understood that his his expectancy was in danger of becoming terminal really fast. He would have wondered where security was, but considering who he was dealing with, there was a good chance they had already been neutralized. And so, he said nothing.
Faith reached his desk, and walked around it, her eyes boring right into his soul. "Your actions were against the Great Design," she hissed quietly. "You were supposed to make sure that my mother saved only those who asked for it. Instead, you blocked her at every turn, ensured that most of them died, and even killed a few yourself when you had no other option. Because of that, we are closer to Armageddon than we have ever been before."
Now, during her little speech, Richard took not of how she held herself. She was a hard being, but she held herself as a leader should; straight back and proud. He had seen such a stance on Tru many times while she was growing up. Meredith also had a similar stance, especially when she was angry. "Now, look..." he began. "I have no idea what you're talking about..."
"Be quiet, Richard Davies."
The man promptly shut his mouth. She even had the commanding presence of a leader; the kind of leader that, if you didn't obey, she would serve you your own lungs.
The Dark Slayer grabbed him by the lapels of his coat, and dragged him from his seat, eyes glowing with mystical fire. "Now, I have one question for you, monster, and you had better answer me honestly, lest great evil is brought down upon you." She waited until he had nodded, before asking, "Where is Mother buried?"
Lake View Cemetery was located, quite fittingly, a spot that had a northern view of Lake Erie. It was home to the James Garfield Memorial, among other things.
It was, at this particular moment, the most important place on the Earth.
She walked along the rows of gravestones, gaze sweeping over each one until it settled on the one she wanted. It was on a hill overlooking the city, and it was the only one there. It was small, which seemed fitting for the woman buried underneath.
Faith stood before the grave of Elise Davies, head bowed respectfully. Her gaze, usually so intense, was subdued, as she thought of all the lost opportunities they, and how much time had been lost. And now... now there was a good chance that she would never get the chance. And all because of Hades.
'But, even now, there may be possibilities,' she thought as she smiled, bowing to the gravestone. 'At least, Cosmos willing, I'll finally get to meet my sisters. At last, perhaps peace is within my grasp.' She looked up to the sky, beyond the heavens. 'Are you watching, Father? Have I, at long last, made you proud? Will I make you proud of me?' She wished she could talk to him, but he was dead. Dead all these long years.
Making her way back to the street, she caught sight of Willow and Kennedy waiting for her, as they had since they had arrived. "Thanks for staying here, Red," she said. The witch had wanted to join her there, but she had asked for privacy.
Willow smiled. "What are friends for?" she asked, seeing the slight flicker of anger in Faith's eyes before it was masked, and knowing who it was for.
Hades, the Old Watcher's Council, would pay for what they did to her family. And they would pay in a way that they would remember for the rest of their days.
But, first things first, she had to find her family first.
Here is Chapter Seven, all ready for all you to read. I hope you like it. Chapter Eight will shift towards the Doctor (not the one from Chapter Six), and Caroline and Tru again, so please stay tuned.
Alright, I know I got a few of you with my last chapter concerning Alice, and there is a very good reason for it. And there are some elements to this story that are taken from the Season Eight comics of Buffy. But they will not be playing a major role in this story, except as a plot point. But I've still got a few twists and turns that I plan on throwing at you.
I finally got a new laptop, and it rocks. It loads faster than even the home computer, and it had wireless capability. (Now only if I can get that to actually work...) So I hope that will allow me to update my stories a little faster.