8: Dealing with the opposition.

"We need to act now." The powers that be hardly ever took direct action in mortal affairs, but things were spiralling out of control.

First a dark warrior appears out of nowhere in Sunnydale where he takes an interest in the Slayer. The powers had expected him to kill her but instead he'd faked his own death, gone to Los Angeles and destroyed Wolfram and Heart. Now he'd disappeared and left a horde of monsters that couldn't be killed roaming the worlds dark corners.

Which was why they were assembled in their own non-corporeal realm, trying to decide on the best course of action.

"If we don't find a way to destroy them now, who knows what damage they could do." continued the speaker.

"Agreed" said another power. "These dark creatures are more deadly than anything. I fear that the end may be near."

"You think you understand." that was not a power that be. There was something else there with them. Something vast and dark. "But you understand nothing."

"Hello Red." Willow jumped up at the voice. She was dazed and confused. She'd been in the factory. There was a fight, the Slayer and her Puppy, they'd freed the humans. She looked around. She was still in the factory, but it was...different somehow. All the vampires and humans were gone. No, there was one person there with her, someone she recognised.

"I know you. You were with Cordilia."

"Yep. It's me."

Willow smiled at him. He may have been human but he had a killer streak that could be fun for a while. "Wanna play?" she asked "You can kill more of Cordilia's friends."

"Oh, all in good time. But not with you dear."

Willow stopped smiling. "You're no fun." she began to walk away but Darkside had appeared in front of her.

"Can't let you do that. See, the Slayer doesn't know that I'm evil, or that I'm alive for that matter. So, here's the deal. You can leave and do whatever you want." Before Willow could react Darkside had shot out his arm and grabbed her buy the throat. She choked slightly as he lifted her off the ground.

"But if you so much as breath a word about me. I'll make you wish you could die." He didn't sound threatening but somehow, Willow believed what he was telling her. She nodded to show she understood.

"Good." he dropped her. After getting her breath back Willow tried to leave again. This time Darkside didn't get in her way, he stayed where she was. Willow didn't look back, she just kept walking. The more distance she put between herself and him, the better.

Buffy arrived home late. That night hadn't been a very active patrol, few vamps, no daemons and no Darkside. As she entered she noticed the kitchen light was on. A quick investigation revealed that it was her mother, making a late night sandwich.

"Hi mom." Joyce looked up at her.

"Hello Buffy. Did you have a, err, nice night?" she asked. Despite knowing about her daughter being the slayer, Joyce still had a hard time dealing with some of the things that went on in Sunnydale.

"Mah, pretty quiet." responded Buffy.

"But..." Joyce could tell that there was something on her daughters mind.

Buffy wriggled uncomfortably. "It's just that...Darkside wasn't at the graveyard tonight. That's a week now that he hasn't shown up and..."

"You're worried about him."

"Yeah."

Buffy had told Joyce about Darkside shortly after her first encounter with him. Joyce had never met him herself but from what she'd been told that was probably for the best.

"Buffy, you and Faith beat him every time, right?"

"Yeah."

"And he always came back?"

"Yeah. Bight and chipper the next night."

"Well, if he has the strength to come back after losing every time, I don't think you have to worry about him."

Buffy started to smile as she thought about what her mother said. "Thanks mom." Buffy headed upstairs to get ready for bed. It seemed that no matter what happened, her mother always made things better. 'Darkside's fine' she told herself 'he'll be at the graveyard tomorrow with the same lame jokes.'

Riley Finn was in trouble. He was currently hiding behind some fallen debris in the Initiatives base. He still wasn't sure what had happened. One moment all was well then the next there were these black creatures on the loose inside the base, wiping out anything that moved.

To make matters worse, none of the Initiatives weapons, no matter how advanced, had any effect on the creatures whatsoever.

Riley peered out over the rubble. There was someone moving among the creatures. From where he was Riley could just about hear what he was saying.

"I want a floor-by-floor search. Go through every vent, every room, every cupboard. Once you've got everyone, attack the reactor core. Blow this whole place to hell. Go, go, go."

Riley watched as the creatures obeyed the boys orders without so much as a question. He needed to get out of this base, to warn his superiors.

"Hello Riley."

Riley spun round, aiming his weapon. The boy had somehow gotten behind him.

"Really, an assault rifle. You really think that will work?"

"One way to find out." Riley squeezed the trigger. He'd barley let off a few rounds when the gun was ripped from his hands. The boy had moved with unnatural speed and was now right next to Riley, holding his gun.

Riley braced himself for the end but the boy just stood there, evaluating him.

"Elevators that way." he pointed towards the complexes main elevator. "It still has power and you won't get any trouble from the Heartless."

"Wait...you're letting me go?" Riley couldn't make sense of this. This kid had just annihilated a government base and was now letting one man go. "Why?"

"I dun no. Sense of responsibility I guess. Hmmm." He seemed to be deep in thought for a moment, then he returned to the present. "You still here? Go on. Tell the government, go to Tahiti and drink beers all day. Won't make a difference either way."

Riley walked away. The creatures watched him as he passed but they didn't get in his way. As he walked he committed all that had happened to memory. He was going to have a lot to explain in the de-briefing.

'Responsibility. Oh, what the hell was I thinking.'

After wiping out the Initiative before it could even really begin, Darkside was being plagued by his conscious, which probably would have been more helpful if it had appeared in time to save Harmony. He couldn't stop thinking about the effect he was having on this world. The people who wouldn't get saved, the people who wouldn't even live.

Spurred on by the new irritating voice in his head, Darkside had gone to Pylea, a small, rather boring (in his mind, anyway) hell dimension.

The people weren't exactly welcoming. Soon after arriving he'd been accosted by several guards who'd called him a "Filthy cow." Darkside had countered with an insult to the groups maternal ancestors. A couple of eviscerations, immolations and a rather nasty incident with a pitch fork later people suddenly became a lot more respectful.

After an hour or two of searching he'd found who he was looking for, in a cave not far from where he'd arrived.

"I'm really here aren't I?" Winifred's voice snapped Darkside out of his stroll down memory lane. "I'm, I'm not dreaming this?"

"Nope. It's real. Your back." he answered.

They'd materialised just outside and airport, he wasn't sure where exactly.

"Here." Darkside held out his hand to Fred. In his palm the was a large wad of bills. "Not sure how much it is but it should get you back home."

"Thanks." Fred was about to go to the waiting taxi rank when she stopped for a moment. "Thank you. For..you know, saving me. You never even told me your name."

"I don't remember my name Fred. And you shouldn't thank me."

That really confused Fred "Why not?"

"I'm going to destroy it. All of it. Every world, Pylea, Earth. Everything. I saved you because I didn't think you should spend your last days in hell."

Fred just stood there and stared at him. She had no idea how to begin processing this.

"Bye Winifred Burke." Darkside walked away, leaving Fred behind. 'One more stop' he thought 'then no more good deeds.'

It was just after eight o'clock at night and with all her chores done, Tara Maclay was getting ready for bed.

"Hey Tara." Tara jumped at the voice. There was someone in her bedroom. Standing in a corner to the left of the door was a young man dress predominantly in black with a weird red symbol on his shirt.

"W-who are you?" she asked nervously.

"Good question, but let's not make this about me. This is alllll about you hon'."

"Tara!" Tara recognised her father's voice calling from downstairs. "What's with all the racket up there!?"

Tara looked from the boy to the door. "Nothing Daddy. I just tripped over something."

"Brave decision." said Darkside. "Why do you do what your father tells you anyway. You have magic, you can leave at any time."

Tara was surprised that the boy knew so much about her. "How do...I can't leave...the magic. It's because...I'm."

"Part daemon." finished Darkside "And you'll turn into one as soon as you turn twenty but If you do what Daddy and Donnie say for the rest of your life, they'll still love you."

"What are you saying?" she asked.

"I'm saying they lied. There is no daemon in your family. It's made up."

"You mean...my whole life...no. No they wouldn't lie to me."

"You don't believe that Tara. Your too smart."

Tara was having a hard time dealing with this. How could her family lie to her? Could she trust this stranger she'd never met?

A black hole appeared to Darkside's left. Tara took a step back, afraid of the portal.

"Beyond that door is a small town called Sunnydale. You can go there and make you own life, or you can stay here and have your story written for you." Darkside headed for the bedroom door. "Limited time offer though. I'll let myself out."

Darkside left Tara alone. He heard a faint noise as the portal closed. 'That didn't take long'.

After descending the house's small flight of steps he found Tara's brother and Father in a main living room watching a football game together. Her brother, Donnie, was the first to see the intruder coming down the stairs. He jumped up off the sofa, getting into a fighting stance. Mr Maclay himself rose next. He drew himself up to full height and stood next to his son.

"Who the hell are you, and what are you doing in my house!?" He demanded.

"Tara! Get down here!" yelled Donnie.

"She ain't coming Donno." said Darkside.

Mr Maclay looked furious "What have you done with my daughter!?"

"I did what her family failed to do. I told her the truth."

"What truth?" asked Donnie.

"That the whole 'there's daemon in our family' line is a bunch of bull. Just a story to keep the women in line. Right Billy Bob?"

Both Maclays were turning bright shades of purple. "How dare you..." began Mr Maclay. "You had no right to-"

"Right!" It was Darkside's turn to get angry now. "What gave you the right to lie to your wife and your daughter for all their lives. You convinced them that they were daemons just so you'd have control!"

"Where. Is. Tara?" asked Donnie.

"Gone. I gave her a way out. She's not the only one with some magic. She's way out of your reach now."

That was all Donnie could take. He charged at Darkside, fists raised. Darkside moved to the left and slammed his fist into Donnie's stomach. Donnie's momentum, combined with the force of the blow propelled him backwards to his starting position, next to his father. Only this time he was flat on the ground.

Mr Maclay bent down to pick up his son, who was still conscious somehow. "Get out of here you freak." he spat.

"Humph. You've lied to your family all your life. If I asked you if your wife's death was an accident, would you lie again?"

"What are you talking about?" groaned Donnie. "Mom died from an aneurism, right dad." Mr Maclay didn't answer, he looked off to one side, the colour draining form his face. "Dad?" now Donnie sounded less sure.

"I'll leave you two alone." Darkside left the two behind. He'd probably never find out what happened to them, and he quite frankly didn't care.

Betrayal. It's a very difficult emotion to feel. When a friend betrays you it's always hard to deal with, to know what to think. Part of you remembers the old them while the rest has to face the stark reality.

Buffy was having just such a problem. She was currently chained to a wall, listening to Faith, her fellow slayer and a friend, describe how she was going to torture her to death. As betrayals went, it ranked up there.

Angel was there to, playing the part of Angelus. The two of them had set this whole thing up to get Faith to tell them about the Mayor's plans. So far everything was going the way they planned it but that but that thought wasn't comforting Buffy right now.

"Why, Faith? What's in it for you?" she asked.

"What isn't? You know, I come to Sunnydale. I'm the Slayer. I do my job kicking ass better than anyone. What do I hear about everywhere I go? Buffy. So I slay, I behave, I do the good little
girl routine. And who's everybody thank? Buffy."

If any of them had bothered to look up right then they might have just seen Darkside who was hiding in the rafters, mouthing along to their conversation.

"It's not my fault." said Buffy.

Faith ignored her. "Everybody always asks, why can't you be more like Buffy? But did anyone ever ask if you could be more like me?"

"I know I didn't." said Angel.

"You get the Watcher. You get the mom. You get the little Scooby gang. You even get a stupid fan boy. What do I get? Jack squat. This is supposed to be my town!" Faith seemed to calm down slightly. "Well, maybe not the fan boy anymore."

Darkside stopped miming to the conversation.

"Faith, what did you do?" asked Buffy, dreading the answer.

Faith laughed slightly "I killed Darkside. It was easy really. He didn't even put up a fight, just kept saying 'you're not going to kill me'. Loser. Sort'a weirded me out when his body disappeared like that. Only useful thing he ever did."

Darkside let out a low snarl. He rolled over from where he was lying and aimed his palm at Faith's head, charging a dark bolt.

"Don't be foolish" he looked up to see Ansem standing on a rafter in front of him. "You have a plan, remember."

Darkside slowly closed his hand, cancelling the dark bolt. He looked away from Ansem to the group below.

Buffy and Angel had gotten all the information they needed from Faith and had dropped their charade. Buffy was now free, and having a standoff Faith in the centre of the room. Angel was closer to the main door. The rest of the scobbies had arrived and, unaware that Angel wasn't really evil, were fending him off with crosses and stakes.

Darkside continued to watch as Buffy and Faith exchanged more words, then Faith made her escape. After she'd gone he also left, warping away.

He reappeared in the middle of a desert. The first thing he did was use a fire spell to burn everything around him. He kept burning and burning until the land around his was one big conflagration.

"RRRRAGGGHH!" Darkside fired a dark bolt that shattered a nearby rock. "Faith Lahne. I was going to make your death quick but now...I 'm going to make you suffer."