AUTHOR'S NOTES: So here end-ith this story, the second of its name. I am working on a third edition, but i just cant find the motivation nor the time to finish it. If any who read this wish to help me with either the motivation or the fan fic, please feel free to voice yourself. I thank all who have read and supported this fic and its predecessor, even those who read but chose not to voice their opinions. The support and kindness of the fellow Buffy and Angel fan's is what started this adventure, and I aim to see that the final fic of this series does the show, genre and fandom justice!
Lastly and by God's grace never least, I want to send a special shout out to two people in particular. Invalid reality is one half of the duo that convinced me to finally write and publish my own ideas. Next, a shout out to the woman who first brought my ideas of OSNE 1 to life. Without her, none of this would be possible.
Love you everyone, be good.
Operation Slayers and Non Essentials, the Second Coming:
Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer:"My victory is inevitable and every being who has ever faced me knows it. Why do you think I chose to exist as the manifestation of evil instead of love since the beginning of creation? There will never be a balance between the two, evil will always tip the scale so long as humans and demons exist on this plane….Look all around you," The First told Buffy while pointing in any direction while moving around for Buffy to see all. "Even as your warriors of good fight my army, they feel hate and anger. Although they fight for the simple reason to survive, their acts and desire to kill fuels my existence without them even knowing it." The First re-stepped right in front of Buffy once more as it continued. "This fighting is pointless and will cost both our sides many lives. My minions I could use to service my strong and your race to live in servitude instead of dying horribly. Why throw the sheep to the lions when you could tame both?"
Buffy was furious now. Not because of the taunting the First was performing, but the sad truth that the First wasn't actually taunting, but stating fact. Just before Buffy was about to reply to the First, the First beat her to it and made her an offer. "Join me Buffy Summers. Fight for my cause and you will be rewarded handsomely, along with those closest to you. You will be my right hand, amongst your tittle you will be given untold power and property. Even in death I will make you almighty. Buffy Summers, how would you like to be queen of the world?"
To say Buffy was completely shocked would be an understatement which would earn the speaker a kick right to the gonads. 'Queen….of the world?...' Buffy thought with wide eyes before tilting her gaze to the floor. 'No more fighting, no more watching my friends and family suffer. We could all live and die with anything and everything.'
"What say you Buffy Summers? All I ask is to stay out of my way and aid me only when called upon, in return I will give you and yours the world and eternity…-"
Buffy then lifted her head to look at her friends and family while the First kept going on with its 'Lord of the Rings' speech. Buffy Summers, the most legendary champion that mankind had ever had to honor of knowing….started to actually consider the source of all evil's offer. Buffy Looked on, looked at all of the men and women she have come to know and adore, fighting for their lives and unselfishly for the lives of others they have never seen before. 'Is this really worth it? When it's all said and done, will fighting and dying in hopes that others will continue to fight this everlasting war be worth it? I can end the eternal struggle now and rule the world. I can stop all the bloodshed and broken families forever. I can ensure both humans and demons stop the rape, the violence and the unfair tragedies. I can do so much good if I say yes.'….And so, Buffy Summers came to her decision. Her closest loved ones may hate her for it, even try to kill her to stop her, but Buffy knew with great power she could try to make this world better.
Buffy looked at the mirror image of herself still talking right in her eyes, and opened her mouth with tears forming around her own eyes to give the First her answer….Or she was about to, for when Buffy Summers was about to bend the knee to the first and original evil, a white and warming light formed behind her. Buffy knew something was going on, and that the First had no idea anything was occurring with the way it continued to speak in her voice. Yet Buffy couldn't care less, she was warm, she was happy, she was content. Buffy Summer's couldn't remember any time she felt so good…until a glowing hand was gently felt on her Kevlar clad shoulder.
It happened, suddenly but absolutely, it happened. Buffy Summers, with wide eyes, quickly recalled the one time she ever felt so complete and satisfied…..heaven. While standing still completely in shock, a glowing figure stepped from behind Buffy and stood beside the First.
'…..Mom?'Buffy mentally asked herself, to choked up to form words.
Without saying a word, a divinely glowing Mrs. Summers closed the gap between herself and her daughter. Slowly the dead woman dipped her head downwards until she placed a tender kiss on her eldest daughter's forehead. Buffy in turn, was absolutely moved. Not one second did go by before tears streamed down Buffy's face….yet, the blonde was smiling. Buffy Summers was just standing there with her arms at her side, being tenderly kissed by her dead angelic mother with a smile, as tears streamed down her closed eyed face. For one brief moment in time Buffy felt it once more as a white and warming light shone in front of her before imploding and then vanishing, the love and contentment that all of heaven has to offer.
"…..And the world will be orderly and ruled by the strong, no more civil wars and pointless death and destruction for both human and demon kind alike." Buffy's own voice began to fill her ears as reality came rushing back. "So, what say you Buffy Summers? Power and immortality, what more could you want?" The First in Buffy clothing asked the real Buffy while noticing Buffy's tears a while ago, thinking all along that it already knows Buffy Summers answer.
Opening her eyes to look at an evilly grinning reflection of herself, tears still pooled and flowed down Buffy's face. "I want…you…"
The fake Buffy suddenly stopped smiling, looked upon the real Slayer wide eyed in completely shock and actually started to back step as it remember those familiar words that the Slayer of legend uttered back in Sunnydale. The real Buffy Summers didn't even care, nor notice that the First was taken back as she spoke with honesty and passion. The Slayer started to walk towards herself, the wind caused by her strides flinging her tears off of her face. While looking directly ahead and at the First, Buffy Summers' foot somehow found its way right under the shaft of the Slayer Scythe that was dropped during the blast. Without even hesitating for a fraction of a second Buffy simply lifted her foot upwards, while after continuing to walk, with enough force to send the weapon rocketing upwards and to the right.
Walking past the air born Slayer Scythe, it looked as if Buffy was going walk towards the carnage ahead while unarmed. But of course, Buffy is Buffy and enough said. With the blonde Slayer's body past the mid-air axe, Buffy suddenly struck her right arm out behind her and caught her weapon by the shaft. The First didn't like where this was going, not one bit. For an incorporeal ultimate evil to be back stepping away from a mere mortal is unheard of, a feat that would make the lowliest parasite demon laugh…yet it did. The First in Buffy clothing continued to back step while looking on at a walking Buffy, head down with Slayer Scythe in hand.
Finally, even though this all happened in mere seconds although it indeed felt much longer, when the First was but a few feet in front of the battle being waged Buffy slowly looked up and showed her tear stained face at mankind's worst enemy. Right there, right at that very instant that Buffy gave the First that look once again, the First had its answer and was about to lash out in rage. However, Buffy beat the First to the punch as she gave evil incarnate her answer.
"….TO GET OUT OF MY FACE!"
Chapter 21
With rage fueled eyes the First watched Buffy twirl her weapon in her hands, just as she did before delivering the death blow to the First's right hand in Caleb. Feeling so much anger and hate for the Slayer, the First changed its appearance to that of the form it took when it tried to get Angel to kill himself and lunged at the Slayer with a roar that somehow created a gust of wind to blow Buffy's hair back. However Buffy Summers did not falter, just as evil incarnate roared it's ugly face to the Slayer, she girt her teeth and snarled; the bridge of Buffy's nose rippling like a wolf while letting loose a war cry which all heard and looked for.
"RRAAAAAAAH!" Buffy screamed at the top of her lungs, with half a womanish shriek and half the demonic side of the Slayer roaring. While letting out her call to arms, Buffy swung her Slayer Scythe through the ghostly visage of the First which sent armored Turokan flying backwards as she sliced through a line of them.
And there it was, the ability to turn heads and the ability to fuel your comrades with the adrenaline and confidence they need to survive. No sooner did Buffy let loose her booming roar, did all heads both demonic and human, turn to see the source of the sonic disruption. However, with both good and evil looking towards the champion of mankind in all her glory, only the side of good plaster a predatorial smile upon its many faces before continuing the battle.
"Dawn! I found the pages!" Olivia shouted as she jogged towards the youngest Summer's woman.
"Good! I managed to save some of the powder!" Dawn hollered back over the cries of battle, both women standing next to the mouth of Hell. "Olivia, hold out the sheets so I can read them!" Dawn screamed. Luckily, Olivia heard the woman and held out the pages of the ritual Dawn needed to continue the spell with. Taking a wild guess, Dawn recited the ritual's spellbinding words from the beginning until she reached the last sentence she left off at. "It is the skin that is cut from your flesh!" After finishing where she left off, the electric energy sealing the Hellmouth started to crackle violently back to life.
Now what happened next shocked the shit out of Olivia, God knows how that's even possible considering the shit that woman has seen. Yet as Dawn finished reciting the word 'flesh' with gusto, gusts of wind along with a sonic wave shot out of the Hellmouth; sending both Olivia and the magical dust and ritual pages flying in all directions, including on top of the Hellmouth. Meanwhile, Dawn was skidding backwards in the sand, her two feet planted firmly with the knee's bent for leverage. This wasn't the part which shocked Slayer Central's doctor. What did leave the Olivia in awe was when a bolt of electric energy arched up towards Dawn and caught her right in the center of her chest, right where Dawn's metallic 'Dawn' necklace would hang. Olivia tried to get to her feet as fast as possible to do something…anything, even though she knew within the next second Dawn would be destroyed….only she wasn't.
After being quite literally 'ac/dc's thunda struck', Dawn was cringing with both fists closed, head down and eyes closed. Second's past as Dawn cringed in pain, the same energy that struck her now crackling over her body with yellowish tint.
"DAWN!" Buffy called out, turning to see what was happening to her baby sister after Olivia managed to get the blonde Slayer's attention.
"Buffy! Go!" Giles yelled as he took his Slayer's place in the battle, backed up by Faith to his right. Sure Giles was a watcher and should be in the back ranks shooting any demon that moves, but the ripper in Giles made the man fight hand to hand. Luckily, Giles had Slayers and a back line of range support to help him, as the man didn't quite have the moves he used to.
Running as best she could with the wounds she had, Buffy managed to get within a few feet of Dawn before the impossible happened. Dawn, in all her former mystical keyness glory, suddenly opened her glossed over eyes. A feat the young Summers woman performed when the spirit that followed Buffy from the grave briefly possessed her and caused Dawn to breathe fire. The Brunette Slayer's body was covered with yellow energy swirling around her instead of crackling as she spoke, violent winds and sonic waves emanating from Dawn strong enough stop Buffy's advance. "I cast you out with every prayer from every god that walked the Earth and crawled beneath!" Somehow, the swirling vortex of craziness that Dawn was the center of started to become even more violent after she continued the ritual by memory.
Now if Dawn's tornado of sonic waves, whirling winds and glowing yellow energy radiating off her wasn't bad enough…it really didn't help that the orangey-red electric energy web covering the Hellmouth started to repeatedly shoot bolts of energy at her, changing the energy's color from orangey-red to yellowish-gold once it hit Dawn. Yet with Dawn being on the receiving end of a magical assault, she somehow managed to think and speak. The once mystical key to mankind's destruction tried desperately to arch her back backwards and pull her bent arms upwards with all her might, as if trying to liberate herself from invisible chains that held her by the wrists. However all of Dawn's efforts to escape grew futile; which of course mixed with the pain from the electric bolts jabbing at her, caused the Slayer within to become enraged and wet with the lust to go on the offensive. In brief flash of thought, Dawn remembered the stance Andrew uses when he uses magical attacks. Whether the Slayer inside suddenly took control or not, the brunette Slayer then tried a 'what the hell, why not?' Hail Mary play. With a quick forwards thrust of her arms, Dawn Summers hoped to somehow shoot the blasts of energy back to the Hell from whist it came….and God knows how, she did. "I cast you out with every prayer from every god that walked the Earth and crawled beneath!" Dawn screamed with incredible malice as she was shooting the orangey-red energy emanating from the Hellmouth back into the hole in Hell, Dawn's own magical beams of energy the color of bright gold.
"What the-"
"BUFFY!" Giles screamed, looking back at his charge while barely being able to hold his parry with an enemy long sword in front of him. With a snarl and a growl, the Tuorkan attacking Giles closed the distance between the two, stuck his armored foot behind Giles' ankle, and pushed the man to the dirt. As the older man looked up, he witnessed his enemy's long sword over its demonic head. Closing his eyes to wince at the incoming clank of swords as Giles very weakly raised his weapon to meet steel, he hoped to high Heaven that the Turokan wouldn't break right through both metal and flesh.
However looking through half closed eyes, Giles vision of the enemy with sword raised quickly vanished and was replaced by Buffy's mid-air backside; The Turokan's head piling into ash on the dirt floor a second later. Meanwhile, Dawn was somehow continuing to fight off the Hellmouth itself. However, as hard as she was giving, the energy around the Hellmouth was winning. Dawn started to feel her body weaken with every passing second she was continuing to hold her magical assault against the Hellmouth. Even the beam of energy Dawn was unleashing was being pushed back to her from the energy around the Hellmouth, as if the Hellmouth had a mind of its own and was fighting back with a magical attack of its own. All of Dawn's efforts were unfortunately going almost unnoticed as everyone else was trying to fight and survive, however one Slayer in particular seemed to sense a bright light radiating from behind her. As Buffy Summers turned quickly to see what else her baby sister had to fight, the blonde Slayer was baffled to see what happened next….but in a good way.
Standing behind a heavily straining Dawn stood the angelic figure of the late Joyce Summers, facing her daughter's back with a smile that could only be pride. Even Buffy herself managed to crack a half smile before performing a spinning roundhouse kick to a bringers face, sending the enemy flying right to the floor and into the jaws of Dante 'the Destroyer'. When Buffy looked back to her blood relatives, through teary eyes and a joy filled heart she witnessed something that she will never forget for the rest of her days and beyond. While Dawn looked to be on the losing end of the battle with the Hellmouth, Joyce Summers pressed her heavenly body to her baby's back, wrapped her shining arms around Dawn, rested her head on the top of Dawn's shoulder and blanketed the former key in a loving embrace; white smoke sizzling off of the two…or the one as far as Andrew could tell, wondering if Dawn was going to either combust or go super Saiyan. Looking on, Buffy wanted so badly to join them but the constant barrage of enemies beckoning to her forced the Slayer to head the call.
While Buffy was forced to turn and re-engage the enemy, Dawn was in intense muscular pain and severely fatigued from holding a beam of energy against the Hellmouth all this time. However, a sudden and queer feeling came over the young woman. Without reason, Dawn Summers suddenly felt a giant rush of adrenaline, energy and confidence as she continued to hold off the Hellmouth. While now being able to think somewhat clearly, the former mystical key to mankind's destruction decided to continue the sealing ritual. But just before Dawn spoke, Buffy again got a break from the front lines as her army was holding and turned once more to look at Dawn wrapped in her dead mother's loving embrace.
With a renewed sense of confidence and vigor, Dawn Summers and the image of her mother started to glow a divine bright white over Dawn's goldish aura after every word Dawn passionately screamed; tears that the youngest Summers woman was now shedding being blown back by the winds caused by the magic all around her. "I CAST YOU OUT WITH THE STRENGTH OF THOSE WHO LOVE ME!" As Dawn took in a deep breath to continue the spellbinding words, Joyce Summers slithered her hands to the top of her baby's shoulders, stood upright, and laid a lingering kiss on the top of Dawn Summers head. "I cast your out with the strength I have inside me!" Again Joyce Summers reacted, this time looking right into the eyes of her eldest daughter as the blonde looked on.
'Buffy'
Buffy's eyes widened in shock as she immediately knew the voice that spoke inside her head.
'Buffy I know you can hear me. I don't have much time, I'm not supposed to exist here. Buffy I am so proud of you, of you and of Dawn. Of everything both of you have become. I knew there was something between you and Faith all those years ago, but I didn't know what. Buffy I'm happy that both you and Dawn have someone to love, my only regret is not being alive to see it every day. But enough about that, time is a factor and I'm here to warn you. Buffy, this is nothing compared to what's to come. The cosmic scales are going to shift because of the events taking place now. There won't be a balance when this is all done, evil will be on the higher scale, and by a long shot. Buffy you're the only hope mankind has of survival after today. You, Faith and Angel and all of the world's armies combined will be needed for what's coming. It's bad Buffy but I need you to do something for me. No matter what, no matter who dies, no matter what happens Buffy…you have to carry on. There is a light at the end of the tunnel for you Buffy, I promise you, but you have to keep fighting until mankind can survive in this world without you."
"…Mom…" Buffy uttered, tears freely falling down her cheeks.
"I CAST YOU INTO THE VOID!" Dawn screamed with passion as the beam of energy she was unleashing upon the mouth of Hell started to gain ground and push the Hellmouth's energy back into it.
"Do this for me Buffy. Do this for you and Dawn and Faith and everyone you hold dear. Buffy, do this for the world."
"I CAST YOU INTO THE VOID!" Dawn repeated.
"I love you Buffy and I will always be with you until the end of time. Never forget that, nor what I told you." Joyce said before she suddenly started to fade.
"Mom!" Buffy screamed with an outstretched hand in Dawn's direction, a tentacle wrapping itself around the Blonde Slayer's waist from behind her.
"Buffy whenever you're in doubt and things get bad, all you need to do is never forget who you are. You are Buffy Summers, you are legend and will forever be the champion of mankind, my champion baby." Joyce said after her ghostly image flickered, a smile forming as a single tear drop started to slide down Joyce's cheek.
"I CAST YOU INTO THE VOID!" Dawn repeated for the third time.
"Mom no!...Please" Buffy begged uselessly, somewhere in the back of her mind knowing her mother couldn't possibly stay on this plane of existence.
"I love you"Joyce Summers told her daughter right before she permanently vanished, while a single tiny static shock of Dawn's magical attack arched and finally made contact with the mouth of Hell and the ground around it.
Still in shock, Buffy was oblivious to the bright energies mixing on and below the Scottish Hellmouth as well the demon pulling her by the waist to her doom. Racing through Buffy's mind was the words her mother told her, her words of affection even more so. While still being dragged backwards with her feet skimming against the sand, thoughts of her mother ran through her head while the mixing emotions of love and sorrow pumped through her heart. It wasn't until Buffy heard the familiar voice of her lover yelling out her name, did the blonde Slayer elite come back to reality; the feeling of love quickly diminishing as the feeling of pure and absolute rage from the current loss of her mother once again, filled the void. As the ugly snarling demon of God knows what began to open its jaws now that Buffy just out of a human's arm reach, things changed….oh lord did things change. In an instant, a literal instant, Buffy Summers 'warrior of the people' snapped her head to look at her attacker and transformed into Buffy Summers…the horsewoman of war and death combined. Before Faith was even half way to rescuing Buffy, the blonde lashed her hand out at the blubbery part of her attacker that could be labeled its neck; gripping flesh so hard her fingertip's disappeared within demonic flesh. After Faith parried a sword swing, angled a stab through the demon's mouth and performed a jumping spinning high knee to send the thing sailing head first to a rocky wall, the brunette Slayer witnessed the split second ending of Buffy separating the top of her attacker's head from body with the Slayer axe while her other hand was sunk into neck flesh.
Faith took one good look right into the eyes of her lover and instantly realized something…They won. In Faith's mind she knew the good guys would win this fight. Half snarling back at Faith, Buffy wore the same facial expressions she harbored right after she told the First where to go and sent a group of Turokan flying off the cliff with a hefty swing of the Slayers battle axe back in Sunnydale. While that rabid half human snarl told Faith that victory was imminent, the final nail in the coffin was the look in Buffy's eyes. Behind Buffy's hazel eyes Faith knew who was looking back at her at that moment, and she knew it wasn't Buffy but a familiar friend all the same. Looking back at her for those few precious seconds, Faith knew Buffy's conscious resided within her mind and that she was now looking at the soul of the Slayer in full control of Buffy's body. For a single moment in time, Faith THE Vampire Slayer felt an incredibly strong burning hum in the pit of her stomach which she knew only meant one thing…THE SLAYER wants to be reunited with a large fragmented part of her soul that usually remains dormant inside Buffy, otherwise allowed to weakly leak out only during sex or intense battle.
Looking right back at Faith while breathing heavily, adrenaline flowing and pupils dilating, Buffy gave Faith a brief fanged smile while pulling the muscles around the bridge of her nose taunt; forming a blood splattered opened mouthed smile, human and demonic blood dripping down the blonde Slayer's lips and then fangs. Without needing to say a word or perform a conscious action, Faith returned her lover's predatorial smile with one of her own. While realizing and feeling a large portion of herself finally gaining freedom, the Slayer inside Buffy looked up to the top of the hill from whist they came and spotted not a soul atop as the enemy was trying to get to the cave floor. Her other half standing next to her also looked up before sharing a knowing look with herself. As quick as a bunny Faith sheathed her twin Butterfly daggers within its scabbards at her thighs, while Buffy clipped the Slayer Scythe into place within its holder on her back. The two parts of the same Slayer soul then simultaneously bent their knees and suddenly leapt at the inside of the cliff that held their enemy in front of them.
Fellow white hats fighting on the cave floor couldn't help but look past their individual fallen opponent's and stare at the Chosen Two scaling the inside of the cliff until they reached the top. Buffy and Faith now stood back to back, each looking at a separate path which led to them. The two also noticed both sides of enemies halting their advances to head downwards, turn and then start to run upwards towards them. The Chosen two then looked back at each other with faces inches apart and shared that devious smile two lovers share before they know they're going to have fantastic hardcore sex. Following that look, both blonde and brunette quickly dipped their heads and shared a passionate and rough kiss while the enemy gained on them. Just before the enemy was pounding at their metaphorical gates, both Slayers pulled apart and faced the enemy with battle cries that could be heard and recognized from the cave floor. As the non-original Slayer's looked at the Chosen Two parrying and blocking the incoming attacks and then follow up with killing blows, they all felt something. Every single Slayer who wasn't currently fighting the Hellmouth itself, regardless how fatigued and hurt they all felt, now felt a sudden urge that screamed 'fuck everything! Death to all who oppose me!'; such is the influence a leader has on her people. Gazing back upon the recovered enemy, Kennedy licked her lips while Vi beside her was laughing like a mad woman and twirling her two Roman Gladius's in anticipation. On the other side of the line, Satsu was building up screams which got louder and louder the faster she spun her Katana and Ninjato simultaneously. Finally, seconds later the two sides clashed once more.
Meanwhile, while the Chosen Two were still sharing a look at the base of the cliff, Dawn's magical beam of energy was mere inches away from the mouth of Hell. "IN THE NAME OF CHARITY, HOPE AND LOVE! IN THE NAME OF THE LORD OUR FATHER AND ALL THE ANGELS AND SAINTS! I CAST YOU DOWN TO THE DEPTHS OF THE NINTH CIRCLE OF HELL TO SIT BESIDE JUDAS ISCARIOT! I SENTENCE YOU TO BE DEVOURED BY THE FALLEN ANGEL LUCIFER!" Dawn screamed as hard as she could, making up the words as she goes along in hopes that it will somehow aid her efforts. If she lived through this day, Dawn would most certainly get in touch with Father Gabriel and thank him for the boring sermon's Giles made the Slayers attend. Taking another deep breath after witnessing her attack advance another inch or so, with saliva flying from her open jaws Dawn made her last ditch effort. "IN THE NAME OF ALL MANKIND! WITH THE STRENGTH AND LOVE OF ALL MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS I CAST YOU INTO THE VOID!"
"BE!" *a string of saliva flies from Dawn's lower left K-nine.* "GONE!" *Another strand of Dawn's juices sails through the air off of the tip of her tongue.*"...FOORRRR-EEEEEEVER!"
With Dawn's final words, her magical attack fully connected with the mouth of Hell in a blinding crackling flash of changing colors. Seconds past as Dawn's beam of energy was causing chaos on top of the Hellmouth opened seal, but soon started to create a pitch which sounded just like the ear piercing screech a bomb makes before it goes off. Both Andrew and Willow, although having their magical power severely diminished, both heard the sounds the Hellmouth was making as they were both in the back support line.
"Andrew!" Willow yelled painfully as she was busy magically duplicating arrows one by one, sweat and strain covering her body like never before. "Dawn!" The witch warned Andrew as she pointed towards the woman who was like her baby step sister.
Looking back at his love doing the sexiest 'kame-ha-me-ha' he has ever seen, Andrew saw the volatile chaos that the top of the Hellmouth was itching to release. Without saying a word, Andrew tossed his bow aside and sprinted to Dawn as fast as his mortally fatigued body could carry him. With every step the young watcher took, the sounds of the Hellmouth were getting louder and louder. Finally, Andrew was within two strides of his lover but his heart was suddenly sent right into his throat as the eerie sounds of the pre-detonating Hellmouth instantly stopped. With all his might Andrew leapt with hand stretched towards Dawn, but was too late as an unbelievably powerful blast of vertical energy shot out of the Hellmouth and went right through the same hole it made in the cave ceiling before. The blast was so fierce that it caused a hurricane-like shockwave which knocked Dawn right into 'air Andrew', sending the two flying back to Willow. Thankfully, Xander and the only demonic summon Andrew had left locked arms to catch watcher and Slayer and save them from sailing right into the enemy.
Obviously the Hellmouth going insane in the membrane caused both factions to stop fighting and observe what would happen next. Seconds past as both Slayers and demons hesitantly looked from enemy to Hellmouth to watch what was going to happen. Suddenly and unbeknown to all life in the Hellmouth cave, storm clouds appeared around the wall of vertical energy that was erect in the skies of Scotland. With a loud boom of thunder, an instant bolt of lightning struck down the center of the energy being emitted out of the mouth of Hell and struck the source. Not more than a few seconds passed after the lighting struck did the vertical wall of energy quickly implode on itself, followed by a giant wave of golden energy being shot out of the Hellmouth in all directions; the sound of metal filling the air as the Hellmouth's ancient seal quickly closed as the last of its magic crackled into thin air.
The golden wave just emitted by the now sealed Hellmouth traveled right through any one or thing it touched, leaving no trace of any change in anything or anyone it passed through….or almost anyone.
As the golden wave passed through Willow, both her mouth and eyes opened in shock. She could feel it, looking around at Olivia, Giles and Andrew trying to shake the cobwebs loose, Willow knew what just happened and then smiled from ear to ear…kind of evilly. With a renewed feeling of power returned to her, the witch started to hover into the air foot by foot. It wasn't until Willow reached a height where she could see all of both factions did the red headed goddess stop. With an evil grin, Willow's hands were suddenly a flame as her elbows were bent at the hip. "My Turn" Willow uttered just before she turned her blazing hands into two raging balls of inferno, every on looker still in complete shock. Then with a mighty grunt and roar Willow performed two fiery uppercuts and let loose two giant lines of fire, downwards at the center of both pathways filled with the enemy. For the demons, vampires and humans watching the imminent wall of flame about to descend upon them, it was like watching the beginning of the end in slow motion.
It wasn't until both lines of inferno landed, did the cave erupt with the sounds of battle again.
"Dawn!...Olivia! Please help her!" Andrew yelled over the screams, an unconscious and not breathing Dawn lying lifelessly in Andrew's arms.
"Andrew when I say now, tilt her chin back, plug her nostrils and breathe life into her!" Olivia screamed back, her fingers laced on top of each other over Dawn's chest.
And so the battle continued to wage on, evil running as fast they can out of the fire and right into either the Chosen Two or the Slayer army whiles the hero of the day was being brought back to life in desperate attempts. Finally, and for the heroes and heroines of mankind sakes…FINALLY, with Buffy decapitating the last Turokan and Faith stabbing the last bringer, the battle was won when a pile of dust and a lifeless body hit the floor.
"We….we did it?" Faith asked breathing heavily, still expecting another horde of evil to come out of nowhere.
Coming out of her fighting stance, Buffy surveyed her surroundings from atop the cave's hill and saw not one demon standing. Smiling back at Faith, Buffy confirmed. "We did it baby, we won."
"Oh Alleluia! Praise Jesus!" Faith hollered while looking to the ceiling, getting a small giggle out of her lover.
"Buffy!" Giles screamed from beside a lifeless Dawn.
Peering down from atop her hill, Buffy's smile instantly vanished as she saw Giles now pounding on her baby sister's chest with Andrew seemingly making out with the young Summers woman. But Buffy knew better, Buffy knew Dawn…was dead.
"B…." Faith started.
However Faith didn't get a chance to say another word as Buffy leapt off the dirt hill with axe in hand, barely giving a startled Willow a chance to put her hand up and magically catch Buffy just before the blonde Slayer landed.
"Andrew" *grunt*, "It's been far to-"
"STOP AND I'LL KILL YOU MYSELF! I'M NOT LOOSING HER!" Andrew threatened Giles with a desperately viscous roar that came from a side of the young man nobody knew existed; strands of saliva flying from the young watcher's mouth just before breathing another breathe of life into his love.
"Buffy." Kennedy spoke with tears threatening to form as the lead Slayer approached.
While kneeling next to Andrew, Buffy placed her axe aside and placed a firm yet gentle hand on the boy's shoulder. Looking softly into Andrew's watery eyes, Buffy gently tugged the boy aside and waddled herself closer to the side of Dawn's chest. Buffy then closed her eyes as tears ran freely down her face, and after a few moments of everyone wondering why Buffy was just sitting there, the blonde started to descend towards Dawn's face. As Buffy lowered her head to meet her sister's and unbeknown to all, a ghostly visage of Joyce Summers torso melded into Buffy's just before the Slayer's lips formed an air tight seal around her fallen sister. As Buffy's cheeks puffed out to deliver oxygen into Dawn's body, a small diamond shaped stone of bright white light began to glow from Buffy's throat, out through her lips and down Dawn's throat. Moments passed after white smoke evaporated from Buffy when she sat upright again, the bright light diminishing as it traveled down Dawn's body while the group of onlookers wondered what in God's holy name was happening.
After taking a deep breath and waiting a few seconds, Buffy opened her eyes to look at her sister's lifeless form. Moments passed as nothing happened. Not being able to take it any longer, Andrew grabbed a knife and was about to latch onto Willow and demand that she took anything she needed from his own body to resurrect the love of his life…just before a weak coughing fit stopped his attempt.
"….Hi Buffy" a weak and raspy Dawn greeted her elder sister through half shut eyes.
"I'm telling" Buffy replied with a smile, cupping her baby sister's cheek while sniffling.
"Dawn!" Andrew yelled before dropping his knife and rushing to his knees, wrapping his arms around Dawn's torso and planting an everlasting kiss on her forehead while rocking her.
"I love you to buuuuudddy" Dawn said after letting out a weak giggle, a gesture that was followed by a cave full of smiles and sighs.
*Clap*, *Clap*, *Clap*."Very good. I'm kicking myself for not bringing Andrew's camera, but very good." Dawn stated as she clapped and walked out of the shadows.
"No way! We just kicked your ass! You're seriously going to taunt us now?" Faith asked the First.
Materializing from Dawn and into Buffy, the First replied. "Well I much rather be tapping your ass lover, but I want to speak to…well me."
Buffy, the real Buffy Summers then got to her feet, slung her axe behind her back, strode right up to the First and crossed her arms. "Speak." Buffy told the First as the surviving white hats looked on.
"You could have had it all Buffy" the First started. "Power, immortality and the ability to rule this world any way you see fit. You keep winning your little battles when you face my armies so I know you're not stupid. But I have to know, why?" The First in Buffy clothing asked while tilting its head.
"Because it's wrong"
"That's it?" The First asked. "That's really the only reason?"
"That's it. No man or woman should rule over another and nobody should have to live with the darkness you and your kind bring…That's it."
"Well I can't say I'm not disappointed. But….no biggie, right now Hellmouth's all over the world are unleashing all of Hell onto earth. Because of you Buffy Summers, you doomed your race. You lead your people to suffering and slavery; you are responsible for this world's damnation. You-"
"No"
"Hmm? Did you say something?" The First asked Buffy.
"No, I'm saving my race. All of us-" Buffy stopped herself as she turned her lower back to wave a hand around the direction of HER army looking on in the distance, right before she looked back at the First wearing her skin. "All of us will save our race. We will lead our people to peace and salvation. Mankind will band together to fight and defeat you and everything you are for all of eternity, just as we have done in the past. I am one woman, one drop in an ocean of good, hope and love that will drown you against the rock of humanity for all of eternity." Buffy told the now wide eyed First while striding right up into its…or rather her face, mere inches separating the two beings. "I've died, been resurrected, died again and been brought back. You can't beat me, you can't beat humanity. You will…never…defeat me and you will…never…defeat mankind, even if I have to fight on this plane of existence and the next to make it so for all of eternity." Buffy finished, tilting her head to the side in a questioning way towards a First who was still in shock and obviously fuming.
"So, any questions?"
The End