Timeline: Technically Post-Chosen & Post-Continuum, but this story is set in season one of BtVS and early seasons of SG1.
Disclaimer: Nothing copyrighted belongs to yours truly.
Author's Note: Written for Day 6 of the 2023 August Fic-A-Day.
A/N: Sequel to 2021's A Symphony of Echoes and 2022's A Cascade of Echoes, but chronologically takes place between those two.
A/N 2: Meh.
Returning to Sunnydale ended up taking almost two months instead of a few weeks, as Buffy and Egeria had expected. Their business in Los Angeles had taken a few weeks, but then they'd had to return to Lykke to deal with a situation there, and it had just escalated from there, but they were finally back on Earth.
"So, if I have understood this right you are me, but from an alternate timeline. You traveled to another planet with a team from yet another timeline. One of them sent you and a member of that team called Cam to Egypt in 1929. You and Cam lived on Earth for a few years then traveled through an alien ring to yet another planet where you did import/export for a planet called Vollens before accidentally becoming host to an alien non-evil body-snatcher, except for a short trip to Earth in 1939 to kill an evil bodysnatcher, the two of you have been repopulating the galaxy with non-evil bodysnatchers..."
The alternate Buffy winced a little, and Egeria laughed in her head. Sighing and lowering her head as she closed her eyes, she told the symbiote, *Your turn.*
"Greetings, Buffy," The Tok'ra queen said calmly in her dual voice. The Buffy across from them was still startled despite having been warned in advance.
"Do not be afraid, we do not mean you any harm."
"I, ..um." Buffy stuttered a little before she reclaimed her voice and manners, "I mean, Hi. Uh, greetings."
Over the next several hours, Egeria explained both the alternate Buffy's history and a much more abridged version of her own and the Tok'ra's history. The time-traveling Buffy would occasionally make a few comments, but for the most part, the explanations were done by Egeria.
Afterward, Buffy was back in control. "Egeria is a lot better at the explain-y things, and as she said, I can't even explain things well to another version of myself." Both of them laughed at that because it was true. Some things just didn't change.
"I'm not with science, but isn't there something about two versions of the same person not being able to exist in the same reality or something?
"There is but we are not from different realities. I come from a timeline that was created for the express purpose of defeating Earth, and along with Cam we were able to undo that timeline to create this one. Except now there's two of us, and I just wanted to meet you and see how your life is different from what mine was at your age."
Her younger self frowned for a moment as she was trying to puzzle something out. "Does that mean there are two Cam's as well?"
"No," and she couldn't help but be sad. "Well, not anymore. If he had been alive he would've been close to 110. No, he died about two decades ago at the ripe old age of 92."
"Oh. I'm sorry for your loss."
"Thank you, but his other, alternate self is still alive and they will be more or less the same person when the timestream catches up with him in about 12 years. He lived a long, good life."
She was so tired of waiting for that to happen. 2008 couldn't happen fast enough so they wouldn't have to tip-toe around the timeline in fear they were going to mess something up badly. Hers and Egeria's children were also looking forward to making their mark on the galaxy, but mostly they wanted to meet their siblings, the Tok'ra, and that couldn't happen until Ba'al was truly dead.
"Are you expecting me to become a host to this timeline's Egeria or another Tokkra?"
"Tok'ra," Buffy corrected automatically before answering, "No, we're not expecting you to become a host. We've checked, and unless something's happened that we don't know about, then I am the host to this timeline's Egeria. Actually, we really don't want you to become a host at all. "
The whole timeline thing was confusing, but she had been in this timeline when she became a host so that meant there weren't any others. It had caused the Pangerans' timeline to diverge drastically, but there had been nothing they could do about it unless Buffy was willing to let the symbiote be essentially tortured for decades so a group of arrogant humans could temporarily have perfect health.
It was the younger Buffy's turn to frown, "Why not? You said it was a good thing."
"It is, but you are The Slayer. It means the Slayer Line runs through you, and we don't know if being a host would have a negative effect on that. It's better not to risk it."
That had been something else they'd had a great many debates about. There was also the question of how the other Buffy also becoming a host might affect the alternate Buffy's presence in this timeline. It had become quite complicated and convoluted.
"But you're me, so that means the Slayer Line also runs through you. When you die, another Slayer will be Chosen just like when I die another Slayer will be Chosen." Another taught occurred to her, "Have you died? Has another Slayer been Chosen without anyone telling me? You said you were in your 20s when you traveled back, and then it's been almost 70 years! You have to have been the longest-lived Slayer ever!"
Her eyes had gotten big and excited, and then she just deflated. "I'm sorry, that was rude and uncalled for."
"It's okay, I understand what you meant. And yes, I am the longest-lived Slayer, even if there's no record of me. At least, I don't think there is. For the most part, I have stayed away from Earth, only visiting occasionally to get coffee and to get my Slayage on, but otherwise, I have been very busy elsewhere."
They kept debating the topic for a while longer, but truthfully, she didn't know if a Slayer would be Chosen when she died or not, and she had no intention of trying to find out. It would either become a problem or it wouldn't, either way, it wouldn't concern her being dead and all.
"But before we leave, we have a few questions. How is it that you can't sense Egeria?"
The blonde looked a little uncomfortable. "I've had this conversation with Giles," at the other Buffy's questioning look she added, "He's my Watcher." She wanted to ask about Merrick, but let it be for the moment. "He complained about how I can't really sense when vampires are nearby, and I can't. Not usually. I mostly rely on their outdated fashion sense, because, obvious much?"
"It should be instinctual for you, especially after the training Merrick gave you and later on, this Giles person. You need to be able to do this." Thinking quickly as she could hear a car coming into the driveway, "I will give you lessons on how to learn and practically use your Slayer abilities, but for now you need to practice what Merrick told you. Okay?"
"Good. It's time for me to go since your mother is almost at the door. I'll be back when I can to start teaching you. Until then, take care."
Buffy left quietly through the back door she had left through the last time she'd been here. She didn't want to see Joyce Summers, it would hurt too much since the woman didn't know she was her mother also.