Iron Gear
Warren Meers sat at the small desk he had commandeered from the recent vampiric tenants of the firehouse and went over his notes carefully. The information the Monk had finally given him was incredibly interesting, the dimensional energy of this 'Key' could possibly offer him a grand chance to change the world. His Lex Luthor persona had done quite a lot of research into the alternate reality and split dimension theory and if this could open up a portal to a higher plane of existence then the power generation would be incredible.
Lex had theorized that the energy requirement for alternate reality portals was greater than the Galactic Core Generation, more energy output than tens of thousands of stars. To open portals to alternate dimensions would take more energy than entire galaxies could produce, but to open a portal to a higher energy state, even one tier greater would require more energy than was generated at the zero point energy explosion that started the whole thing.
In other words, greater than the Big Bang itself.
To have that much energy encapsulated in a single stabilized form was, in all honesty, truly scary for the young man for the first time since his experience on Halloween.
Leaning back in his chair, Warren stared at the hovering torture ball he had created and wondered if it was truly worthwhile to go after such an energy source for his own use. He would of course be going after it anyway to keep it away from others, but he really was worried about the effects using such an energy source could have. Not the least of which was a sudden 'Bang' and the incredible heat death of the universe.
For a moment Warren had a twisted idea of shoving the 'Key' through the Hellmouth and detonating it on the other side before filing that away under plan B and moving on. While the Key would have to be protected, it was something that he was unprepared to handle at the current moment.
Next up was a Micro-Fission plant a secret government agency calling itself the 'Demon Research Initiative' had been working on. While it had promise, Warren would have to get a closer inspection before he could determine if it was of use to him or not.
(Scene Break)
Running through the street in his new armor, Xander took a moment to check the alleys for potential targets before moving on. He was halfway through a rather boring patrol when his luck changed with a sharp impact to the side of his helmet that sent him tumbling to the ground, slightly stunned.
Rolling up to his feet, Xander turned on the large yellow demon in kakhi cargo pants and a bright Hawaiian print shirt that had struck him. It then smiled as it gently rubbed its multitude of knuckles with its off hand.
"Hellfires little human, that actually hurt. What in the name of the frozen flames are you made out of?" The demon asked in a surprisingly British accent before checking its knuckles for damage.
Blinking under his helmet at the comment, Xander considered his responses before squaring off with his opponent, "Snips and snails, and puppy dog tails?"
Growling at the comment for a moment, the demon stopped with a surprised look on his face. "Actually, now that I think about that, it sounds pretty good. I might have to make that for the next family reunion," he said before reaching into one of his pockets and pulling out a spiral bound notepad and started to scribble some stuff down. "Do you think that would work better as a soup or casserole?" he asked earnestly before looking back down at the notepad. "I mean, if I go casserole, I need a base to put in it and that leads to the whole 'noodle or rice' argument, but if it's a soup I would need a good broth for it. I don't think chicken would work."
Watching him for a moment, Xander looked around for possible ambushes or at least cameras before focusing back on the demon. "Umm… Well, admittedly the casserole is more traditional for family gatherings, but I- if you throw in some mushrooms or peppers you could possibly do a stir fry," Xander offered and jumped slightly as the demon snapped and quickly scribbled down some more stuff before flipping the page and continuing. All the while it commented on ratios and portions as well as salt content interfering with the escargot preparation. Xander cleared his throat once or twice to get the demon's attention and waved when it looked up.
Blushing a slight orange color, the demon slid the book back into its pocket and refocused on the issue at hand. "Sorry about that, I get a bit excited about cooking and that really was a good idea. My name's Hugo. Do you mind telling me who you are so I can name it after you once you're dead?" Hugo asked leadingly before sighing as Xander shook his head slowly from side to side. "Figured as much and I am sorry about your upcoming demise, but your head should be enough to cover the down payment on my restaurant," Hugo explained as he moved forward far quicker than his seven foot frame would lead one to assume was possible.
Blinking, Xander dodged back before holding up his hands placatingly even as his Mike-cannon tracked the demon's movements. "Hold up there, big fella, you don't want to do that," Xander said as the demon spun and lashed out with another blow that Xander just barely managed to avoid.
Chasing after his chosen pray Hugo watched the human's movements and began to try to predict the next move his foe was going to make. "Actually, I do. While the food service industry is killer, I think I could make a real go of it," He said before launching a kick at the Iron Gear's head and smiling as the human ducked and shifted exactly as he had expected. In another couple of moves he should have the human's responses plotted completely and then he could kill him.
Skipping back to open up some room, Xander hit a button on his right hand and launched a trio of dazzlers into the demon's face before sidestepping to the right and around. "Actually I was talking about the killing me part," Xander said as he moved away from the blind swinging of the demon and prepared to kill him should diplomacy fail. Thankfully, Tony Stark was well versed in business deals with people that wanted him dead. Of course, most of those didn't happen while they were actively working towards that end, but the logic was the same. "I happen to know a couple of civic minded individuals that will help you get a loan. I actually know one particular lady that is magical with finances and the like that could probably give you some pointers on starting your own business," Xander offered and waited nervously as Hugo stopped rubbing his eyes and turned towards him with a look.
"Y-you would do that for me?"
Taking a deep breath, Xander nodded, "We need to get a contract written up and you can't be killing any humans, but if all you want is to cook, who am I to stop you?" Xander explained.
The next half hour was spent helping a teary eyed Hugo prepare a business proposal and set up for his restaurant.
(Scene Break)
Setting the last piece of the newest gear suit onto its charging platform, Xander ran his hand over the Microweave he had managed to work out and smiled sadly. He had planned to build a set for Kendra to use for patrolling and demon hunting.
While he had wanted to build some for Buffy, Xander's original plan had been to shift Buffy out of the fight until she was able to have the life she dreamed of.
Sniffing back the tears that threatened to spill out at the memory of the lost slayer, Xander turned to a secondary project and observed the growth through a set of 'commandeered' and 'enhanced' microscopes. The micro-hooks were surprisingly similar in concept to Velcro on an amazingly smaller scale. The use of such a product should itheoretically/i allow him to scale walls when attached to his hands.
Not that climbing was his intent for these little beauties. Anything that he was likely to climb up had a high probability of simply ripping loose and sending him plummeting to the ground.
No, these would be attached to his knees and eventually worked into the soles of his armored boots. The Tony Stark memories were stored with plenty of times when the ability to actually grip the ground would have been of value, nothing was quiet so embarrassing as being stronger than an opponent only to be tossed around like a rag doll due to basic physics.
Careful magnetic management of a solution of saltwater allowed him to test the basic theory of micro-crystal manipulation before dedicating considerable time and energy into the more intensive crystal forms. While he had considered Metal or even a growth vat for Bio-matter to grow his gecko-skin material, the metal had proven annoyingly uncooperative in this work, continuously attempting to grow into straight lines along the magnetic center. He had no intention of working with the basic fundamentals of life anymore than was necessary because, once again, Stark's memories were filled with madmen that had started out on much the same path.
Double checking the readouts on the Gecko Growth System, Xander turned off the microscope and moved on. Research and projects filled the massive room, from metals and material that would armor him, to weapons that could put most militaries to shame. While Stark had sworn off the creation of weapons, Xander had no such compulsion. He understood Tony's point of view, but he was unwilling to forgo any tool that would help him protect the planet from demons.
After making sure everything was in order, Xander took one final look around the warehouse before turning in for the night.
(Scene Break)
Cordelia Chase tapped her foot impatiently as she sat in the small room and glared across the table at the stereotypical mirror that took up the entire side of the room and willed anyone or thing on the other side to either combust or break out in pimples and eczema.
The trip back had not been pleasant and Parker had whined until she detoured to the hospital where the idiot had told the staff the entire thing. Rather rapidly, the staff ordered a tox screen and the police became involved and they too suspected drugs and THAT made Cordelia get pulled in for 'questioning.'
Of course, she had already been trained in the appropriate response to a situation like this; sit up, lawyer up, shut up, and pay up.
The last time Cordelia had been in a police department had been on felony speeding charges and the family attorney had had her out before the receptionist's nails had time to dry. The fact that she had been sitting in this ugly room for ithree hours/i was not a situation she was willing to tolerate.
Finally the door opened and a rather greasy man in a suit stepped in with a smile and held out his hand, "Miss Chase, due to the nature of the situation you find yourself in, Hardmen and Klaus has decided to transfer the issue to my firm. My name is Lindsey McDonald and I will represent you on behalf of Wolfram and Hart."
Three hours later, Lindsey was back on a plane headed East, having given up on the law field entirely and Wolfram and Hart were reconsidering their movements into Sunnydale.
Hardmen and Klaus were once again representing the Chase interests and the Sunnydale political scene got very interesting as Cordelia sued the City for wrongful arrest and Constitutional violations. It would be settled out of court when the Mayor bought his daughter a new car, a beach house in Malibu and a lifetime membership to the Massage House International.
Continued employment for Detective Stein was NOT part of that agreement.
(Scene Break)
Slipping on The Gauntlet, Willow felt the surge of energy as her magic responded. Taking a deep breath, she started working, building a suit of armor and magic. The magic of The Gauntlet could enhance her own power greatly, it could also store a magical construct within it spell schema, allowing her to automatically recast a spell of far great intricacy without the fussy waving and chanting that was required.
What she was currently working on was a matter of transfiguration and Alchemy that would allow her to summon a magical suit of armor for protection. While many spell casters could use magic for protection, it required either constant focus or a rather clumsy anchor and usually worked like a bubble. Anything that got within the bubble could easily bypass the magical protection. This could be fixed with a spell that would radiate out from the skin of the spell caster, but there was no way to anchor it and it took some time to cast so it was of little use in combat. With the aid of the gauntlet though, Willow would be able to summon her protection immediately.
She was also working to weave the magic into an armored suit. Too many stories had told of some small weakness that allowed an attack through to just be creative license, so she was taking a page out of Xander's book once again and doubling up the protection. It made the magic even more precise and focused and it was a small price to pay for safety while demon hunting.
Focused on the mirror as the grey and black material started to take form, Willow didn't even notice the slight whisper in the back of her mind giving her advice on the design and spell ideas to integrate into the armor itself.
(Scene Break)
Stepping out of the dust covered room, Angel made a mental note to adjust several points of protection in his design. None of the cuts or slashes were critical for him, but they were definitely distracting and he needed to be fully focused on his foe.
Taking out a small notepad, he flipped it open and made several notations for upgrading the weapons The Polgara spike had proven effective in penetration tests, but it had shattered far too easily for any defensive use. Thankfully he had managed to get a lead on an interdimensional black market dealer that supposedly had access to a dragon's essence. If he could get a hold of that, he would be immune to fire and then he could really start on some interesting ideas.
Making his way back towards Sunnydale, Angel kept thinking about the tools he would need in his crusade.
(Scene Break)
Kendra stretched as she walked out of the cave the next morning before frowning at the gathered humans she had liberated the day before. She distinctly remembered telling them to run away and following her was pretty much the opposite of running. Her frown deepened slightly as she noticed Fred handing out her special breakfast burrito to the freed slaves. The dimensionally displaced slayer shuddered at the memory of her one attempt at eating the things and wondered if she should be mad at the quirky physicist for feeding them or happy that she was running them off.
Sighing in frustration, Kendra turned back to the cave for her gear. The disappearance of the slavers from the night before would draw attention from the nearest town so she anticipated a patrol of some sort within the day.
Gathering her equipment and the weapons she had scavenged from the slavers, Kendra made her way outside and tried to slip off unnoticed. She was a couple hundred yards from the cave entrance when she picked up the sound of running feet approaching and sighing, Kendra turned around and glared at the young man that was following her. "Go back to da cave," She ordered in her most commanding voice.
A voice that needed a bit more work as the young man simply smiled at her before shaking his head.
Glaring at the teenager for a moment, Kendra finally sighed before spinning around and continuing on her way. If she was lucky he would get bored and go away soon.
She was mildly surprised when an hour later the young man was not only keeping up with her, but didn't even look winded yet. Sighing in defeat, Kendra took a position hiding behind the rock she had scouted out earlier and really focused on the young man.
He was a bit taller than Xander, far more muscled with a more of a defined nose. Growling at him for his idiocy, Kendra peeked around the stone and frowned at the lack of movement in the now dead campsite. Making sure she had decent cover, Kendra settled down to wait, trying her best to ignore the persistent stares of the young male.
(Scene Break)
Two hours later Kendra finally looked back at the smiling young man and caved.
"My name is Kendra, "She allowed and groaned silently as the man broke into a smile that showed far too many straight teeth.
"I am Aleacks the bastard, son of Pomegranate," He introduced himself before nodding pleasantly. "I wish to thank you for the rescue last night. I was on my way to my inevitable death in the scum pits of Ur, a most unpleasant fate I am told," he explained as Kendra simply nodded in response and turned back to the deserted campsite to wait.
Five hours later, Kendra tensed slightly because something was finally happening, the sun was rapidly setting and a group of five demons in armor were finally approaching. Shifting backwards into the tall grass, Kendra was surprised to find the male had finally disappeared. Thanking whoever was responsible for such small favors, the slayer prepared for battle when one of the demons gave an unholy scream of pain and toppled to the ground holding its face. The grinning form of Aleacks was standing above his opponent with a small rock blade held easily in his hand.
Growling at losing the element of surprise, Kendra charged into the fight as the distracted demon warriors focused on the mad half-breed they had thought long gone.
As the man that was foretold as the Groosalug would later explain to the humans back at camp, it was a glorious battle.
(Scene Break)
Ducking under the Vampire's swing, Buffy brought her knee up in a rather painful strike to the crotch of the male Vampire before gripping its head tightly and giving it a vicious twist. As the corpse collapsed to the floor, Buffy turned her attention to the next Vampire. Reaching out, she grabbed the glass beer mug and brought it down on the second vampire's head, crushing it.
Stepping back Buffy dropped the blood and brain covered mug and for a moment she considered leaving it at that, but decided that she really needed to send a message.
Walking over to the bar, Buffy ignored the complaining rat masquerading as a bartender and grabbed a bottle from under the counter.
Walking back to the two unfortunate Vampires that had managed to draw her ire, she opened the bottle and upended it over the two and made sure they were well soaked with the alcohol. Swiping the lighter off the table, she ignored the pleas from the paralyzed vampire as she ignited the small device and took a moment to admire the small yellow flame it created before letting it fall.
A small section of Willy's bar was engulfed in blue flames and Buffy made sure she had the attention of the patrons before walking out.
She would not be so pleasant to the next demon that threatened her family.