"Okay, so you got this image in your head from a big cosmic guy of a weapon that you need to take on this guy that ripped apart your town?"
"Yeah."
"And the big cosmic guy…from Star Trek…..put a map in your mind and told you that the weapon was in the Baxter Building, in Reed Richards's lab?"
"That pretty much sums it up."
"You're so nuts. I nearly caused the world to be overrun by Skrulls the last time I was at that place!" the young man sitting on the roof said
"I know, I have the issue." Xander laughed
"I AM NOT A COMIC BOOK CHARACTER!" the young man roared at Xander
"Then how do I know you're secretly Peter Parker, the Amazing Spider-Man?" Xander smirked, "Not to mention your feuds with the Green Goblin, Dr. Octopus, and my personal favorite, the Kingpin of Crime?"
Peter turned and looked at him.
"That does sound like a comic book huh?" Peter sighed
"Yeah. But hey, look at it this way. No clones." Xander replied
"What's so bad about clones?" Peter asked
"Don't ask." Xander warned
"So, how exactly are we supposed to get into the Baxter Building? I mean that place is a fortress and it's not like we can go say "Hello Mr. Richards, I have a guy here who claims to be from another universe. Can we look around you lab for the ultimate weapon" now can we?" Peter replied
"Well no but come on, we're two geeks! We'll think of something! We have brains, we'll use them!" Xander said waving his hands in the air
"Yeah like how you used them when you saw me on the street and yelled Spider-Man at me." Peter replied.
"Well jeez you're just an icon in my universe. I would have said the same thing if I saw Superman. I'm a fanboy." Xander replied
"And autistic. NIIIIIIIIIIICE cover story." Peter fumed
"Well you do better. All I know is I need that weapon to go back and help my alternate universe." Xander said again.
"Yeah, that sounds reasonable. How do I know you're not Dr. Doom?", Peter asked Xander, eyeing him.
"Hey, you want me to tell your Aunt May about your secret life?" Xander eyed Peter angrily
"Okay, so we're at an impasse." Peter responded
"I'll tell Mary Jane you're attracted to Gwen Stacey." Xander smirked
"Let's go get that weapon." Peter said, spraying a web-line.
"Cool, I get to go swinging!" Xander cheered
"How do I get myself into these messes? My life sucks." Peter sighed
"Hey, at least you aren't a clone." Xander laughed
"WHAT IS WITH THE CLONE JOKES?!" Peter asked frustrated
"I'll tell you later. Jeez, why couldn't I just get the mainstream Marvel Universe Spider-Man and not Ultimate Angsty Boy here??" Xander sighed.
Hercules and Buffy walked down the dirt road.
"So we almost there?" Buffy asked him
"Almost." Hercules responded.
"Okay good. So……what's it like here in Ancient Greece?" Buffy asked
"It's a struggle. What's it like in future…what did you call it? America?" Hercules asked
"A struggle. Especially when you have to fight monsters practically everyday. I swear I've fought something almost everyday for the last six years." Buffy rolled her eyes
"Done that for close to thirty here." Hercules said to her, putting things in perspective.
"Oh man. Have you ever died?" Buffy asked, suddenly thinking she sounded very stupid for asking such a question
"No. But I've had friends who have and then returned to life." Hercules smiled, knowing exactly what she meant.
Buffy laughed. She was beginning to like this guy.
"There it is." Hercules pointed.
Buffy looked to see Fort walls with archers on every side watching. They soon shouted to Hercules and opened the gates. Buffy walked in the fort with Hercules and looked around. There weren't just archers and soldiers here. There were families and children. She saw many people who looked very restless and tired
"Hey Herc." a short blonde man said, "Who's the girl?"
"Ioulus, this is Buffy. She's the one Q told us about." Hercules said.
Buffy's head spun.
"You talked to Q too?" Buffy asked the demigod
"Yes. He came to me and told me to retrieve the Creation Stone. It's a jewel that when the light of the sun passes through can bind any demon. He told me to retrieve it to fight my greatest enemy. The Hell Lord, Dahak." Hercules said grimly
"This Dahak guy got loose in Greece before. Heck, he used me to nearly destroy the world." Ioulus mentioned
"Long story. Q told us that Dahak would be sending his forces to retrieve the Stone, since he himself is still afraid of it. They arrived a short time after our ally Xena disappeared. Those things you fought were only a few of them. Q then told us he was preparing to send another to our reality to retrieve the Stone and kill Dahak. I imagine you're her." Hercules said.
"I guess so. So, where is the Stone?" Buffy asked
"Safe." Hercules responded
"So I guess you'll take me to it?" Buffy asked
"I honestly don't know." Hercules responded before walking away.
"HEY! Where are you going?" Buffy screamed
"Let him go." Ioulus said
"But, we need the Stone!" Buffy explained
"Yeah, but so do we. The only reason Dahak hasn't come here himself and wiped away this world, a world that he hates more than any other is because we have that Stone and he's afraid of it. It's what is keeping us alive. The whole world. You take that from us and you kill us all." Ioulus said to her
"Yeah and if I don't take it then a bunch of other worlds die. Weigh it." Buffy snapped
"I have and I agree with you. It's just that Hercules…..Herc is an idealist. He keeps hoping that there is another way. He doesn't want to see anymore people die anywhere. He just thinks there has to be another way." Ioulus said again
"I know where he's coming from but he's got to see that if he doesn't give me the Stone, then Dahak won't be stopped. You might even lose it as it is! If those forces Dahak has sent here are powerful enough, then they will try to attack this fort anytime." Buffy reasoned
"They have attacked us. We've held them back. Barely. The bulk of their forces are in the East battling the armies of Chin, warriors who use some type of energy to fight. Like the gods. Last we heard though, they were defeated and our enemies were on their way back here. Rome, Sparta, even Athens. They've all fallen. In all the world, only we have been able to hold them off. Because we have people willing to fight to the death and beyond to protect that Stone. We have people who remember Dahak's lies. I should know. I'm one of them who bought into them years back. But most of all, we're still alive because we have Hercules. No one else can help us. Not the Chin, not the gods, just him. I might agree with you in principle, but I can't go against the man who's saved my soul ten times over. I can't go against my best friend's wishes, no matter my beliefs." Ioulus explained
"He has to give us the Stone. He has to." Buffy said angrily
"He doesn't have to do anything. He's Hercules." Ioulus said to her.
Buffy just looked at Ioulus and walked away after Hercules. She intended to give him a piece of her mind. He entered a building and she followed. She was about to shout at him from across the room when she noticed that the room was full of children.
"It's Hercules!" one shouted
"Tell us a story Hercules!" a young girl said crawling into his lap as he sat down.
"Alright, how about the time I killed the Hydra?" Hercules smiled
"No, we've heard that one a lot. Tell us about how you saved the world from freezing!" another child said, sitting down
"Tell us about the time you squeezed the sea serpent's heart!"
"No! Tell us about the time you fought Ares!"
"Which time?" Hercules laughed.
Watching him, Buffy realized that she couldn't chew him out for his reluctance in front of the children. She would however chew him out. Not just yet. Buffy walked outside and sat down, looking at all these primitive people.
"Hello pretty lady, care for a little company?" a suave voice asked.
Buffy turned to its owner. He was a tall handsome, dark haired man with black hair, a mustache and a cocky grin.
"And you are? Ulysses? Achilles?" Buffy asked remembering Greek names
"No my dear girl, I am Autolycus, the King of Thieves. Perhaps you've heard of me. I've quite the reputation." Autolycus said stroking his mustache
"Nope." Buffy said turning from him
"Then let me bring you up to speed." Autolycus said sitting down beside her, growing very annoying. This wasn't going to be easy.
Things were not easy for Angel. The night was almost over and he was tied down in the middle of the desert. A few vampires, presided over by Mr. Trick were tormenting him.
"Ya know, it really would have been pretty damn easy just to join up with the Master. You'd have the run of the world, that fine chick Darla, and the chance to get rid of that pesky curse of yours once and for all. Really sucks that you're in this position." Trick laughed kicking Angel's side
"I'll tell you the same thing I told the Master, Trick. I'd rather burn." Angel growled showing his vampire features
"And you will once that sun comes up. Don't worry about us though. We have some shelter. The Master will be okay too you know. Once he and the others get to Los Angeles, they can just hide in the rubble and then when night falls, its party time. Pity you won't be a part of that." Trick smiled, "I'll take good care of Darla though. And your kid that she told me about. I'll make damn sure he has a good father figure. That is before I suck his little veins dry."
"Now I hate to hear that. So little love of family these days. Our morals seemed to disappear when Happy Days ended." came a booming voice.
Trick looked over and saw the Mayor coil up and look down on him.
"Mayor Wilkins?" Trick asked confused
"Yes. The Ascension went off with out a hitch Trick. Except, I died. Oh well. Who hasn't died at least once these days?" the huge snake hissed and laughed
"Well I guess all the crap came up out of the Hellmouth once it blew." Angel said to the Mayor. The Mayor's head moved down and looked at Angel tied to the stakes in the ground.
"Nice to see you too. How's your whore? Oh that's right. The Hellmouth exploded and took Sunnydale with it. Oh well, no more terms there." The Mayor growled
"So, what are you going to do Mr. Mayor?" Trick said somewhat nervous.
"Well, I have big plans. I'm thinking about becoming Mayor of L.A. Sound good boys?" the Mayor asked.
"Might be an improvement." Angel muttered.
"Well, we're with you sir." Trick said trying to marshal his vampires with him, out of pure fear at the gigantic creature in front of them.
"No. You see I heard from a little stitched together demon that you joined up with the Master. Switching sides, tsk tsk tsk. And it's not even time for elections. I'm afraid I'm a bit hungry Trick." The Mayor said striking at Trick and gulping him down whole so as not to leave that bad, dusty after taste.
The other vampires ran and the Mayor likewise devoured them. He then turned his attentions to Angel.
"Comfy?" The Mayor asked.
"A little." Angel replied keeping his composure.
"Good. I like my meals to be comfortable. Until I kill them that is." the Mayor grinned
"So…I guess you don't want to know about Faith then." Angel smiled
"FAITH?! Where is she?! Answer me!" the Mayor asked. His memories flooded back to the dark Slayer that had been like a daughter to him.
"Give me time to answer. She's in L.A. Course you don't know where. I do. I'll take you to her." Angel said
"You just want to stop the Master." the Mayor said
"So do you." Angel replied
"How do I know you aren't lying about Faith?" the Mayor reasoned
"I'm one of the good guys, remember? You want to find Faith or not?" Angel said.
The Mayor's tongue whipped out and destroyed Angel's bonds.
"Don't push your luck." The Mayor said
"I won't. Umm, I hate to ask this….but I need a place to kind of…stay. Sun coming up and all." Angel said standing up
The Mayor sighed and opened his mouth.
"Climb in. Just don't get any ideas." the Mayor said.
Angel just shuddered and climbed in.
Spike just ran and ducked for cover. Explosions darted the landscape behind him. He didn't know where he was. It was night, of that he was certain. It also seemed certain he wound up on a battlefield.
"Like bloody WWII!" he said before being thrown into the air by an explosion. He hit his head and was slightly dazed. He could still make out the red and blue flashes in the air above him. He thought he heard the roar of jets too. He looked up and saw two figures staring down at them. They were wearing some kind of armor and visors that glowed.
"So what's this thing?" one said
"Stupid flesh bag. Got caught in the crossfire." the other said kicking Spike in the ribs. Spike growled in pain and shot up with amazing speed revealing his vampiric face.
"Okay boys, I know how it is to hit someone when they're down. I kinda like it, but not when it's me!" Spike said punching one.
He immediately felt pain. At first he thought it was the chip. But then he realized it was his hand, not his head that hurt. He watched his opponent not even move.
"So the ugly fleshbag wants to play huh? Well let's play with him Frenzy!" the being swung his fist sending Spike flying.
"Yeah Rumble. Let's…what do they say? KICK HIS ASS!" the other cackled. Spike tried to stand up and was immediately beaten down again. Spike growled.
"Q sends me to a place where I can hit things, but I get my arse kicked. I don't think so!" Spike roared with a burst of adrenalin.
His sheer strength threw the two attackers off. They were surprised. Spike followed up by leaping into the air and kicking the one called Frenzy. The one called Rumble approached him, but Spike used his own momentum to throw him over. Frenzy leapt at Spike again but Spike avoided him with his superior speed. Then the earth shook. Rumble was up…and his arms had become pile drivers. Spike and Frenzy both began to stumble.
"Damn it Rumble! You're knocking me off balance!" Frenzy said falling.
He dropped something. It was a gun. Spike instantly dove for it and fired on Rumble. A red burst erupted from the barrel of the gun and Rumble slumped backwards. Spike then smirked and turned to the fallen Frenzy.
"You know what I said about kinda liking hitting people when they're down?" Spike smiled.
Frenzy slowly nodded.
"I lied." Spike smiled warmly.
Relief washed over Frenzy's face.
"I love it.", Spike laughed blasting Frenzy.
Spike then turned and began to run, but heard loud sounds. Like an elephant charging. Through the smoke of the battlefield he saw a large form approaching. It was huge, at least twenty feet tall. It was man shaped and was dark blue. Spike instinctively fired on it. It stopped briefly as it was struck by the blaster. It then just cocked its head and Spike fell in agony. Piercing sounds came everywhere. He didn't even have time to consider that the sounds were from the giant.
"Rumble. Frenzy. Arise." the giant said in a loud monotone voice. Rumble and Frenzy got up.
"Stupid flesh bag. It caught us off guard Soundwave. We swear." Rumble explained to the giant.
Soundwave seemed more interested in the fallen Spike. He carefully analyzed him with his visual receptors, mapping out entire systems of the vampire's fallen body.
"The being is dead, yet is alive." Soundwave said sounding puzzled, "Readouts indicate that the body contains a virus that in effect could alter the body chemistries of humans. Megatron may have use for this."
Soundwave bent over and scooped up the prone form of Spike.
"We have the Energon we came for. Fall back!" a jet seemingly said as it roared over head. Soundwave leapt into the air followed by the smaller forms of Rumble and Frenzy. On the ground where they had been, more mechanical giants fired on them. The largest of them seemed to groan at the escape. He waved off his soldiers from firing.
"Autobots withdraw." he said turning. Another large one approached.
"But Prime, they're getting away!" he yelled
"Hold on Ironhide. Our first obligation is to help the humans." the great Optimus Prime said pointing to the ruins of the small town near the electrical plant that the Decepticon raid had nearly destroyed.