A/N #1: Sorry guys this was supposed to be the last chapter in this arc. If I continued, I think it could have gone up to over twenty thousand words and I thought that was kinda ridiculous for a chapter. Instead, this arc will be finishing in the next chapter.
A/N #2: Quick answer to Kenn Davis. No, I won't be having a Connor in the Prime Universe. As for Darla, I think its canon that her ghost was sent by the PTB during that one season of Angel to not kill someone.. I don't remember which one though. I think the Ancients place Stargates on planets that have an atmosphere for human life to thrive. Of course there are some like the original Tollan home world that was unstable, but if I remember correctly, that was because the planet suffered from a natural catastrophe that left the environment unfit for human life. As for the galaxies being hidden from the Ori? It's canon in season ten that the Ancients were the ones who hid the Milky Way, and presumably Pegasus, from the Ori. At least until our favourite archaeologist made his journey to the Ori galaxy with Vala.
Unknown Alleyway, somewhere in Sunnydale, 1800 hours.
The First had taken the form of Buffy as it materialised in an alleyway in a location close to the now deserted downtown area. Smiling at itself, the First walked with its arms across its chest as it smiled while walking through a distortion, and appearing inside a room. Looking around, she saw a door on the other end and approached it just as a bald man who was seated on a couch looked at the First and stood up in outrage.
"Hey!" shouted the old man, "wait your turn, I've been waiting for an hour."
"Oh" said the First as it looked at the man before turning around and walking towards the door, "he'll see me first."
"Hey!" shouted the man as the First walked through the door. It was then that the man gulped before he sat back down on the couch to wait for his turn.
The First found itself in another room where there lay a bed on one side, and numerous pillows and other magical paraphernalia around the walls, on the floor and on the bed. Walking closer, the First changed its form to that of Willow as it stopped next to a man who had his eyes closed with a grin on his face. Looking towards the far end of the room, the First saw a blonde young woman who seemed to be in a magic high as she opened her eyes, looked at the First, and then laughed before lying down again.
"Oh, Rack" said the First coyly as it remained in Willow's skin and looked back down at the man, "wakey, wakey."
"Ummm… Strawberry" smiled Rack as he opened his eyes before slowly getting up. He then brought his palms together while reddish energy jumped from one palm to another while looking at the First, "my sweet strawberry, looks like the reports of your death were exaggerated."
"Oh, I died" said the First as Rack's hand went through the Firsts chest, it was then that Rack looked up and opened his eyes wide, "oh yea… you know who I am, right? Rack, sweetie?"
"The First" said the black magic dealer as he took a few steps back before he turned around and walked over to the blonde girl. He then kneeled down and placed his hand on her chest before releasing some magical energy, "Amy here is one of my regulars, her craving for the dark is just… so sensual. Just like my strawberry."
"Oh, come off it, Rack" said the First, "I'm here to give you a present. Me."
"I'd like that, your highness" said Rack as he gave an exaggerated bow after he stood back up, "but my strawberry's dead. That darkness… it's taste.. ummmm…. I miss it."
"What if I told you that another me came here" said the First as the look on Rack's face changed, "see, I knew you'd like that. She's from another reality… she could be your new strawberry. Ummm? Just like I was… what do you say?"
"Oh really" said Rack with a grin as he looked at Amy who was writhing on the floor, "maybe I'll bring the rat with me. Where is she?"
"The Slayer's house" said the First, "bring Warren with you too, I'm sure he has his methods of wanting vengeance. I'm sure he's tired of living in his own basement hiding from the Slayer; especially with you and Amy helping to keep him cloaked from Tara's magic. They kinda gave up on him now. My acolyte stays with me, I'll give you all a chance to beat them in one go… just… just keep Buffy for me, I think Caleb wants Faith and some of the girls… he gets so into his preaching sometimes. Oh… keep Tara too, my Turok-han's gonna love her blood."
The First just simply vanished, leaving Rack grinning from ear to ear before he turned around and kicked Amy awake.
The Summers Residence, 1800 hours.
Everyone was still in shock at what just happened; not only had a Willow from what she claimed to be an alternate reality told off the First Evil, she also claimed that Joyce Summer was on another planet. As Giles looked on while Buffy and Dawn were hugging the redhead, he couldn't help but be cautious on one hand, and be relieved that Joyce was still alive somewhere on the other hand. It was the second part that made him shed a tear while the others all looked on. A few seconds later, he told Willow that most of the city was empty, and that they could try for pizza but with their luck so far, everything would be shut down.
"We do have some macaroni and cheese" said the former Watcher as Willow gave him a small smile and nodded. He then told a still stunned Kennedy and Amanda to start heating a bowl. He saw that they were about to complain, so he interrupted them and stood up straight before repeating himself. He then saw them trudge out to the dining room before heading for the kitchen. Once they had gone, Giles turned back to look at Willow as she pulled herself out of the hug and held onto the shoulders of both Dawn and Buffy; Giles could see that there was something different in the way she acted, in the way that she spoke. Very different than his own Willow.
He then remembered his reaction upon getting news that Willow died; he was in his apartment reading a book with a glass of scotch in his hand. The previous night had seen Buffy go up against a trio of young men who called themselves the Nerd Trio. They had committed various crimes such as robbery and murder led by one, Warren Mears. Buffy had singlehandedly stopped their latest crime spree, to steal money from an armoured car that went disastrously downhill initially for the Slayer. Warren had gotten super-strength from a pair of mystical spheres and was on the verge of killing Buffy when, acting on intelligence from one of the Trio who was afraid that they had gone too far, broke the spheres and took away his power. She would have defeated Warren completely if not for his escaping her through the use of a rocket backpack. However, she did manage to capture one of their current allies, Andrew, and Jonathan who was later killed on orders of the First. That was the end of Buffy's report to him; Andrew and Jonathan were in jail, and after intensive questioning at Willie's Bar, it seemed to Buffy as if Warren was in the wind. On the day of the tragedy itself, Giles put the book down on his coffee table and got up to get the ringing phone with the glass of scotch still on his hand. He took a sip of the brown liquid before picking up the phone and putting it to his ear.
Almost immediately he knew something happened, something very, very bad. It was Buffy who told him that Xander was shot in the arm, but it was the next few words that made the old man drop the glass of scotch.
"Willow's gone, Giles" said a sobbing Buffy as she struggled to speak, "she… she's gone."
Just as the glass smashed onto the floor, Giles stumbled back onto a nearby chair and then dropped the phone onto the floor. He looked at straight ahead stunned as Buffy's sobbing voice broke through the receiver, asking for Giles to pick up the phone. It was a few seconds later that Giles heard a soft voice before he wiped his eyes and bent down to pick up the phone.
"Tara" said Giles as his voice broke, "I am… I am… I.. I don't know what to say."
"Please come, Mr. Giles" said Tara softly as Giles sensed she was trying to keep her voice steady, "we.. we.. we're at Sunnydale Mercy… pl… please?"
"I'll be right there" said Giles as she closed the connection before looking at the phone in his hand. As he looked at the phone, his face twisted in rage and despair as he threw it against the far wall; smashing the communication device into pieces.
That was one and a half years ago; he left Sunnydale shortly after that when the Council had reached out to him about certain events taking place all over the world, certain portents for the end of days beginning with the elimination of the Slayer Line. Back in the present day, he stood in the Summers living room looking at an alternate version of their Willow. Shaking his head, he took a few steps forward as Willow looked up at him.
"Wi… Willow" said Giles as he fiddled with the glasses that were on his face, "may I speak with you outside?"
"Yea" said Willow as she smiled at Buffy and Dawn who were wiping their eyes before looking at each other. She told them that Joyce seemed to be safe, and that should they succeed here, then she'll have her friends bring her back to Earth. She saw Buffy and Dawn hug each other as she looked up and saw Faith, who looked back at the redhead before turning around and walking away. Tara had seen what Faith just did and could see from her aura that the dark haired Slayer had a mixture of emotions from anger, disappointment to jealousy. Tara then looked back at Willow who gave her a small smile before the redhead went to meet up with Giles; while the blonde witch saw Faith walk out the front door. Tara then made a conscious decision to follow Faith out the front door and onto the front porch.
In the meantime, Willow walked towards Giles when Oz walked past the man and came up to her, along with Spike.
"Willow" said Oz as he poked her shoulder, "you alright?"
"Oh you know" said Willow with a small smile, "stuck in another reality, again; helped saved some friends from evil mechanical bugs, again…. Gotta say that so far I think I'm doing alright. At least I have a way home now. How about you?"
"I was in Tibet when I got a call that you died… I mean my Willow died" said Oz, "been here ever since."
"So" said Spike, "Clone?"
"Your scent, plus Cordelia's visions, made us believe that you really were a demon" said Oz as Willow furrowed her eyebrows before asking Oz, Spike and Giles since when did Cordelia start receiving any kind of visions.
"It's been for some time now" said Giles before a blonde young man she would later learn was Andrew put up his hand.
"So how were you cloned?" asked Andrew, "why were you cloned? Are you even alive?"
"I'm alive" said Willow before she felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning around she saw a one eyed Xander looking back at her before he pulled her in for a hug, "hey Xan, I'm so sorry about your Willow."
"Tara told us that she ascended" said Xander as he continued to hug Willow, "we…. we thought it was Mayor level ascension and…"
"I'll explain everything later, Xan" said Willow as she pulled away from the hug and looked at her friend, "I promise, alright?"
"Ok" said Xander as Willow looked back and nodded at Giles before he and Willow walked past everyone and through the backdoor, down the stairs and onto the grass. Willow was behind Giles who had his back to her while he took off his glasses and wiped his eyes. She then saw him put the glasses back onto his face before turning around and giving her a hug.
"Sorry, Giles" said Willow as she held on to the man, "I'm so sorry that you lost your Willow, but trust me when I tell you that she's in an amazing place right now. And if she's anything like me, she's always been watching over you guys."
"Tara told us" said Giles as he nodded his head and motioned towards Willow for her to take a seat on one of the lawn chairs, "so it's true, that there's another type of ascension."
"I can explain what it is later" said Willow as she nodded towards the house, "it's better to tell everyone together. But just think about it like this, demonic ascension is mainly a means to gain power for the sake of power; but true ascension? Giles, imagine gaining enough knowledge and power to last you for all eternity."
"Is that possible?" asked Giles.
"Yes" said Willow, "but as with anything, there is a price for misuse of that power. That's why I'm here. In my reality, the entire galaxy is at war…. I'll tell you the who, how and why later… but the cliffnotes version is that we found a way to take out two of three enemies at one swift go. A weapon that would annihilate these beings we are at war with in one go, and a way to defeat their leader."
"Willow, I've got so many…." said Giles as the redhead interrupted him.
"I ascended, Giles" said Willow as Giles looked on surprised, "I ascended to kill the leader of the army that was being sent into the Milky Way to enslave all of us. When the process began, I felt it all… the heart beat of the galaxy, every single life that's out there… the knowledge. Giles the knowledge that's out there is just amazing, and the power. I knew that I could atomize the leader…. Spread her atoms into the air, but that's what I feared the most. Losing control of my power while being ascended. So instead of doing what I wanted initially, I took control of myself and broke every bone in her body and shot a hole through her chest. I did all that while I was mid-way between mortality and ascension. I knew that the Others, I'll explain who they are later, the Others couldn't do anything to me then; but they will take action once I fully ascended. And they did, they sent me here, stripped me off my ascended knowledge and powers as punishment for interfering in the lower plains of existence."
"I see" said Giles softly as he looked at the grass, "reminds me of the Powers that Be, except that they do guide the champions of good and…."
"I wasn't one of them" said Willow just as Amanda walked through the back door and gave Willow a blue coloured bowl before they went back into the house.
The Front Porch, Summers Residence, a few minutes earlier.
Faith closed the door behind her after the witnessed a doppelganger from another reality, her doppelganger, appearing before them and talking with the alternate Willow. She, like the others, couldn't believe what they were seeing. The dark haired Slayer who some of the other Potentials feared, while others respected, reached into her back pocket and took out a box of cigarettes. Taking out a stick, she lit it up before she hopped onto the wooden railing on the porch and leaned back on the beam it was attached to before taking a drag from the cigarette and blowing out the smoke.
'Married' thought Faith to herself as she brought her knee up and placed her arm on it, 'never would have thought that day would come; especially with Willow. At least not after everything that happened with me.'
As she took another drag of the cigarette, she thought back to the day she heard the news. She was taken out of her cell at the Los Angeles Women's Penitentiary to see a visitor. Surprised, she got out of her cell and followed the guard down several hallways and secured gates before they reached the area where she could talk to whomever it was that came to visit. As she walked to the glass partitioned booth where her visitor was waiting, she was surprised to find Angel sitting down on the chair on the other side of the glass partition while holding up the phone they'd use to talk to each other. Almost immediately, Faith knew that something was wrong as Angel looked even more broody than he usually was.
"Faith" said Angel after the Slayer had sat down and brought the phone on her side to her ear.
"Mr. Broody" said Faith, "how's it hangin'?"
"I'm going to Sunnydale for a.." said Angel when Faith interrupted him.
"Visiting the Princess are we?" asked Faith with a smirk, "I'm glad you decided to ask but…"
"Willow died" said Angel as Faith just closed her mouth and looked at Angel for any signs of deception, "her.. her girlfriend, Tara called an hour ago and…"
"How?" asked Faith as she lifted her hand off the desk in front of her and placed it on her thigh as she rolled it into a fist, "Why? And Who?"
"She was shot through the heart" said Angel, "the target was Buffy. Someone called Warren was responsible and he got away, and.. and I'll be going down to help her look for him. He's the one who wanted to kill Buffy for something she did.. Tara didn't say, but he shot at Buffy in revenge. Xander took the shot after pushing her away, but Warren fired wildly as he ran off. One of the bullets went through a window and through Willow's heart. I… I.. know you told me about your.."
"I'll see you later" said Faith softly as she put the phone down before turning around as Angel just looked on. Faith was numb once Angel gave her the details of what happened; she always thought that doing what they did, being Slayers with friends and connections, there was always a chance that people would die. But to die unknowingly, to die just like the way Willow had never came to Faith's mind. She recalled how she had taken her knife to Willow's throat when she worked for the Mayor and remembered that one side of her would kill the redhead just for interfering in the Ascension when they faced the Scoobies, but the other part of her was hoping that the others would save the redhead from her. She knew that at the end of the day, despite everything that Willow called her; the Slayer still had a soft spot for the redhead.
Once she was back in her cell, all Faith could do was stand in the middle of the small room with both of her hands rolled into fists. It would have been so easy for her to break out of her cell; break out and then vanish before heading to Sunnydale. But instead, she sat down on her bed with her head hung hoping that Angel and the others would find Warren and pay him back for what he did.
'They never found him' thought Faith to herself as she sat on the railing, 'and the other two jokers escaped from jail and ran to Mexico before coming back. Andrew killed Jonathan on the orders of the First in disguise as his brother, and now here we are. One big happy, almost extinct, family.'
As Faith was taking another drag from her cigarette, she heard the main door open. Glancing back over her shoulder, she saw Tara walking out of the house and towards her. Looking back out at the street, Faith blew the smoke through her nostrils before she flicked the cigarette butt away and turned around.
"Hey, T" said Faith as she stood up on the porch while Tara sat next to her on the railing, "you doing alright with all this? Can't imagine what you must be feeling about the whole circus that's going on inside."
"I… I know she's not my… I mean our, Willow" said Tara softly as she glanced at Faith and then looking at the floor again, "bu… but knowing that she's not in love with me… it's different."
"Imagine how I feel" said Faith as she walked to the stairs and leaned on one of the pillars before she looked out to the street, "I just saw myself…. A me that's from another reality who's married to her, and apparently not a Slayer anymore."
"I was…. I mean… that night we got back together" said Tara as Faith looked up at Tara, "I.. I was going to…. I mean…. I wanted to.."
"Propose?" asked Faith as Tara shook her head.
"No" said Tara, "I wanted to talk about the future, that we needed to…. To…. Goddess I should have said something earlier."
"You didn't know what was gonna happen" said Faith as she looked out at the empty houses across the street before she mumbled to herself, "but it does explain some things."
"Like?" asked Tara as she looked at Faith.
"Huh?" asked Faith when she looked back at Tara before she shook her head and told her that it was nothing important. There was no way that she was going to tell Tara that Willow, even though it wasn't their Willow, had kissed her the previous night. Faith didn't want to upset Tara anymore that she already seemed to be, although Faith knew that Tara would try not to show it to anyone; particularly since she just found out that her dead girlfriend from another reality is married to an alternate version of the dark haired Slayer, "oh, nothing…. I was just talking to myself."
"Uh huh" said Tara as she raised an eyebrow before the main door opened to reveal Oz who asked Tara if she was doing alright.
"I'm alright, too… just so you know" said Faith as Oz looked back at her and nodded his head.
"I was going to ask you too" replied Oz as Faith nodded her head. He then told the both of them that they were needed in the living room, "come on."
Living Room, Summers Residence, 1815 hours.
Once Tara, oz and Faith and come back into the living room, they saw Willow standing in the middle as she asked for more information about the First. Giles told her about the records that the Council had until the organization was destroyed by agents of the First, that all their writings said that the First existed before any form of written history; that it was as old as time itself. It was Buffy and Faith who told the redhead that the First wanted to get rid of all the Potential Slayers, and then the two Slayers, to destroy the Slayer line once and for all. After the Scoobies and the Potentials had said their peace, Willow told then that she didn't believe the First. She said that she believed that yes, the First was old, but Willow believed that the First lied about exactly how old.
She went on to tell them about the Alterra, and all she had learned about them; she talked about the schism between the Alterra and the Ori, however she didn't want to go into detail; she talked about the Alterra reaching the Milky Way, and colonizing thousands of planets with Earth as the center. She told them about the Stargates and how the Alterra used it to travel instantaneously from one planet to another; a fact that made Xander and Andrew sit up straight. Willow told them about the plague that hit and almost wiped them all out. She remembered Giles' face when she told him about how the mystical sect of the Furlings tricked the Alterra into opening the Hellmouth so that they could gain more energy to power their variation of magic.
Willow told the stunned audience back in the house about what they had found from the records in the Sunnydale Outpost in her own reality, she told them about the power spikes that occurred after all the Alterra had gone; after they recreated life after destroying it. It was Anya who figured out what Willow was talking about; the first demons that came through to this dimension, the Old Ones, monsters, and every type of nightmare possible.
"Everything came through" said Andrew as his eyes went wide open.
"And kept coming through" said Willow, "for the next thousands of years, we've read massive power-spikes from the doorway. But that's where my theory about the First Evil comes into play. Like I said, the Alterra were the most advanced humans in the galaxy for millions of years.. and if the First is as old as it claims to be, then how can't it know about them? Think about it. How? Even if its lying about the Alterra, how could it know the Furlings. Knowing one but not the other doesn't make a lot of sense. The Asgard existed in another galaxy and the First didn't even know about them, and that makes me guess that the name it calls itself, the First Evil, doesn't refer it to being the creator of Evil. I mean yea, when there's no one to say that you're not the first in the universe, it's easy to claim that you are just by virtue of there being no witnesses to contradict you. My theory is that the First Evil is just the first thing that came in through the doorway to Earth. The first demon, the oldest demon of them all."
"But…" said Anya who seemed much more curious than anyone else, "but…"
"Anya, Giles" said Willow, "you told me that the Council had some information on the First, right? Giles, you stole some of the books, and stuff? Was it written down that the First existed before any written records?"
"Yes" said Giles.
"The Alterra were light years ahead of us" said Willow, "but even they don't have any records of the First. And if anyone knew that something like the First existed, it would be them. Look, they left their entire history, their entire knowledge base on various planets as their legacy. Everything about them in more than fifty million years of history and knowledge; and I downloaded the entire library into my mind."
"That's not possible" said Tara as she looked at Oz, "that amount of information would kill anyone."
"For extended periods, yes it would" said Willow as she looked at Tara, "but I just needed to access it to help the Asgard with two weapons to beat an enemy. At the same time I searched for any information on the First while I was using their computers to build the weapon, until they removed the knowledge."
"What did you find?" asked Dawn before Willow told her that she didn't find anything on them.
"But that could mean that they weren't smart enough to know about the First, or magic" said Rona.
"True" said Willow, "but the First knowing about the Furlings, and not the Alterra? Sorry, maybe I didn't speak loudly, the Alterra were even more advanced than the Furlings. The First focusing on one group, but not on the other doesn't make sense. My theory is that the First encountered the Furlings when they returned to Earth millions of years later after the recreation of life, and after the demons came through and walked the Earth. They taught magic to the early humans and drove back, and killed many of the demons and the Old Ones."
"Mortals drove the Old Ones back into their dimension" said Giles softly as he looked around at the surprised faces. He then took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose before looking at Willow, "But we've found out from a very reliable source that claimed the First existed before the universe was born. Anya was there too, she heard the same thing."
"The Beljoxa's Eye said that" said Anya as she nodded her head and pointed at Giles, "and that it would be there at the end. It said that an instability in the Slayer line caused by Buffy's resurrection caused the First to make a move against the Slayer line. To destroy it."
"And that didn't bring up any questions?" asked Willow as she looked around, "seriously? A being that claims it existed before the universe was formed would be stuck on Earth and hindered by the Slayer line? No one questioned that? I'm not saying that maybe the creation of the Slayer line didn't cause something to happen to it; but to say that a being that supposedly existed at the beginning of the universe would get stuck by something like the Slayer Line would be an extremely stupid being. Especially when there are other planets out there… other galaxies with life."
Willow asked them to think about something else that the Beljoxa's Eye may have meant; that the Slayer exists in her own universe, with her own threats and this was the biggest threat to that universe. She also asked them to imagine that the demonic universe in this plane of existence started ten million years ago, and the First was literally the first to arrive in this dimensional plane before all the others.
"Look" said Kennedy, "you can say all of this.. the Alterra, the First… I mean… there's no proof of any of it. I mean.. come on. You just told off the First for the same things that you're doing."
"You're right" said Willow as she looked at Kennedy, "all I have are theories about the First; but theories based on facts that I know to be true. I downloaded the library into my mind, we know about the history of the Alterra, the Asgard came here and encountered demons after the Hellmouth was open… you can either believe me or not. But, you know what, I choose not to fear the First."
"I don't know about you guys" continued Willow as she looked around, "but I think good and evil always existed and that's something that only we can control. Human, demons or Vampires…. Being good or evil depends on each individual. There's no such thing as a being that created evil.. or a being that created good. It's your actions that make you good or evil."
It was after a few minutes of uncomfortable quiet that Principal Wood asked why there were two visions. Tara nodded her head before telling Willow what her Willow had told her about prophecies and that they had gone too far this time; that limited interference was authorized.
"What?" asked a confused Willow, "who did what? Who's gone too far? Tara, what did my alternate say exactly?"
"She said something about you coming here made a prophecy null and void" said Tara as Willow's eyes opened wide. Surprised at the redhead's reaction, Tara continued by telling her that what was supposed to happen won't happen, but there are certain parties who wanted to make sure that the previous prophecy happens. She continued by saying that this particular party would do anything to ensure what was supposed to happen takes place.
"Son of a bitch" said Willow as a surprised Tara looked on while the redhead put her hands on the top of her head as she paced the living room which had everyone looking on confused. Willow then turned back to face a surprised Tara who was standing up, "Tara, are you sure that's what my alternate said? Exactly those words?"
"Yeah" said a very confused Tara as Willow looked up and pointed at the sky.
"I know you can hear me you asses!" shouted Willow as Tara looked at the others who were equally confused at what was going on, "you and your bloody, fucking prophesies. You screwed me, and my alternate enough times already.. no more! You hear me?! Whatever was supposed to happen, will not happen! I dare you to directly interfere, you cowards! Powers that Be, my ass… go screw yourselves until you die from it! Bastards!"
"Willow?" asked Giles as the redhead looked back down, took in a deep breath and turned around to face the confused Giles before looking at Tara who was sharing nervous looks with Oz, and Faith, "what were you doing?"
"Tara" said Willow as she looked at the blonde witch after telling Giles to hold on for a second , that she needed to know some important information, "when I was zip tied back in the bedroom, you told Oz that Buffy had a vision, and Cordelia had a vision which contradicted it."
"Yea" said Tara, "but… but our Willow…"
"What were the two visions?" asked Willow as she looked at Tara, and then at Buffy.
"Cordelia saw a vision where Sunnydale was destroyed with some sort of yellow rain" said Giles, before the Watcher answered Willow's next question; that the visions that Cordelia receives comes from the Powers that Be. He continued to say that in that vision, Willow was overlooking the destruction of the city as if she was a demon.
"We had no reason to doubt that vision" said Giles as Buffy told him that he doubted her vision.
"Buffy" said Willow turning back to the Slayer, "what was your vision?"
"I was captured by the First who was using your skin… I mean my Willow's skin" said Buffy, "everyone was dead, but… but I saw you, or another you, in a white sleeveless dress holding a weapon. You then turned around and pointed at the sky as some yellow things appeared and destroyed the vampires and demons that came out of the open Hellmouth.. I mean… I really don't…"
"What weapon?" asked Willow stepping back stunned as she looked at everyone before looking at Buffy again, "what did the weapon I was holding look like?"
"A bladed weapon…. Looked like a fancy Scythe" said Buffy as she stopped speaking when she noticed Willow's hands trembling as she took another step back.
"Willow?" asked Xander walking towards the redhead, "you alright?"
"The.. the weapon" said Willow as she ignored Xander who had his hand on her shoulder, "it had a curved blade? Something like spikes that attached a metal shaft to a long stake?"
"Ye.. yea" said as a confused Buffy who took a step forward, "how did you know? What am I saying.. of course you'd know. You gave me the vision, or our Willow gave me the vision… right?"
"Oh my God" said Willow as she paced the living room again, "it's here? Could it be here? They took care of it or…"
"Willow?" said Oz.
"Look" said Willow as she looked at everyone, "we need to get that weapon, it… it was made by Athena."
"The goddess, Athena?" asked Tara.
"It… it's a long story" said Willow, "I've been searching for it in my reality and…. any idea where it may be?"
"Caleb" said Buffy as Willow looked around her when she heard an audible moan from the Potential Slayers. However, Willow looked back at Buffy as the blonde Slayer told her that Caleb, an agent of the First nearly killed a Potential last night. Buffy told Willow that he asked the Potential to give her a message; that he had something that belonged to her. She told Willow that they had followed one of the Bringers, a follower of the First, to the Vineyard where they found the redhead later the previous night.
Giles then told Willow that Caleb had singlehandedly beaten them, but they never found out what he was keeping from Buffy.
"We need to go back" said Willow as she looked at Buffy who gave the redhead a small smile, "it's…"
"Now you're being just as ridiculous as her" said Rona as she pointed her hand at Willow who looked back at the Potential, "you're risking all of our lives…."
"You're not coming" said Willow as she turned back towards Buffy, "would it be alright if I took lead; this concerns me as much as it does you, and Faith."
"Why me?" asked the dark haired Slayer.
"I'll explain when we get back, but you are a Slayer, Faith… this weapon concerns you too" said Willow before she looked back at Buffy, "Buff? I don't wanna step on your toes, or on Faith's… but I can help you."
"Willow" said Giles, "we lost two Potential Slayers last night, and we didn't even find out what he was keeping from Buffy. Caleb and the Bringers took on Buffy, Faith and seven other Potentials. And we still failed."
"Took me out too" said Xander as Willow looked at the one eyed man while Anya rubbed his back.
"I'll take a small team" said Willow, "Buffy, Spike and me. Faith, I need you to be in-charge here. Just in case these Bringer things attack. Tara, I need you to place a barrier spell around the house to keep out demons, can you do that?"
"Ye.. yes" said Tara as she nodded her head, "bu.. but… I mean I have the ingredients, but it'll take at least an hour."
"Anya" said Buffy, "help Tara with the spell?"
Anya nodded her head before looking at Tara. The both of them then went up the stairs so that Tara could get whatever ingredients she needed.
"Giles, Dawn and Xander" said Willow as she looked at the three of them, "I need you to stay here and watch over the Potentials."
"Willow" said Giles, "this is still dangerous and…"
"That's why it's a small team" said Willow as she looked at Buffy and Spike, before turning to look at Giles again, "and it's not like I'll be going in unarmed. I'll be heading to the desert to get a powerful weapon. Xander, I need you here to back up the others. If you're like my Xander, then you've seen enough combat experience to protect the Potentials. Giles, same deal as Xander…. You've got the combat experience, and experience with magic in case something comes for the Potentials. And Dawn, well… the Dawn I know is pretty much a master in using swords."
"I can help" said Dawn as she gave Willow a smile before looking at Buffy, "please?"
"Be careful" said Buffy as Dawn nodded her head. She then looked at Giles, silently telling him to look after Dawn before she looked away.
"What can I do?" asked Principal Wood as Willow looked at him, and then at Buffy. The blonde Slayer brought her up to speed on who Principal Wood was, and what he could do. Willow was impressed that he was the child of a Slayer, and that he had been trained by his mother's watcher to fight vampires. However, he re-iterated that he didn't have the speed and strength of a Slayer, but he could still take them out.
"And… and.. I'll keep up the morale?" asked Andrew as Willow narrowed her brows at him before she opened her eyes wide when she finally realized that she knew him, or at least an alternate version of him.
"I know, you" said Willow as she pointed at him, "I met you before in another reality. Had a nerd cave and all…. At least the one that I encountered tried to summon demons to escape from some friends of mine."
"Yea" said Buffy, "he does the same thing too, was part of the group that caused trouble for all of us."
"Then in that case" said Willow as he looked at Andrew, "if anything happens, summon some demons under your control and protect the Potentials."
Willow then turned to face the Potentials and told them that they would be protected, but they were already in the deep end and they had to make a choice to stand or just lay down quietly. Giles then said that he and Faith will have the more experienced Potentials watch out for, and defend the less experienced ones should something happen while they were away.
"Buffy" said Willow, "I need my gear, all of it."
The blonde looked to Spike before nodding her head. It was a few minutes later that Spike retrieved her vest, BDU top and weapons before heading to the weapons chest and grabbing a crossbow and an axe for himself and Buffy respectively. Willow went to the dining room to put on the BDU top, before putting on the vest. She then put on her holsters and her combat knife, followed by her Zat and sidearm. She checked the vests to make sure that the two blocks of C-4 that she had on her was secure, she then checked the spare magazines. She then took her P90 and checked how many rounds she had left before clipping it onto her vest.
"You guys ready?" asked Willow as she walked back into the living room where Buffy and Spike nodded their heads before Buffy handed Spike a bag of arrows, "Buffy, I need to borrow your mom's car. Don't worry I'll make sure that you get it back in the same condition."
"You driving?" asked Buffy as Willow nodded her head. As Buffy went to get the keys, Willow turned to Faith and asked if she could talk to the dark haired Slayer alone. Faith nodded her head as she followed Willow to the dining room before the redhead turned and apologized to Faith.
"I'm sorry about…. You know… what happened at the vineyard" said Willow as Faith realized what she wanted to apologize for, and shook her head.
"You thought I was her" said the Slayer as Willow nodded her head.
"Yeah" replied Willow as she scratched her head nervously, "again, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you… any of you uncomfortable. Especially Tara."
"It's kinda hard on all of us" said Faith as she looked back towards the living room, before looking at Willow again and leaning forward, "you and me… I mean the other me… married?"
"Yep, married in Minnesota in my Commanding Officer's cabin" said Willow as Faith gave a small smile, "met up with her again a few years after I left Sunnydale and joined the Air Force. Started dating soon after and… well…. here we are."
"And you and her are, doing good?" asked Faith.
"Yea" said Willow as Faith nodded her head.
Faith nodded as Buffy came into the dining room with the keys and handed them to Willow. It was then that Tara and Anya walked down the stairs with the ingredients for the barrier spell. They turned to the dining room and put all the supplies on the table before the other Scoobies walked into the room.
"Guys" said Buffy, "be careful. Hopefully nothing's gonna happen, but if it does…"
"We'll fight" said Faith as Buffy nodded.
"Tara" said Willow, "that barrier's gonna be important. If you can't get the whole house covered, then at least the front and the backdoors. We'll return as soon as possible. Can you contact us through magic?"
"Yea" said Tara as she nodded her head.
"Then contact us if something happens?" asked Buffy as Tara nodded her head.
"Good luck" said Tara as Willow nodded before she, Buffy and Spike left the house to go into the garage. It wasn't long before Willow sped off down the street before Faith and Giles told everyone to get ready.
"T, Anya" said Faith as she looked at Tara, "we need that barrier. Robin, Giles… weapons for everyone. Potential guys, I know how you want to go out and take the stress off.. but for right now…. We gotta stay put. Hell, I'm sure these guys got some monopoly, or something, to kill the time."
"Please don't say 'kill'" said Principal Wood as Faith gave a little smirk.
"Andrew" said Giles, "get your pan-flute thing ready."
"It's in the basement" said Andres as Giles nodded his head. It was then the blonde young man got up quickly and ran down to the basement.
Sunnydale Dessert, surface of Sunnydale Outpost, 2000 hours.
It had taken almost an hour for Willow to drive the jeep from the Summers house to the Ancient Outpost. She was in the drivers seat, with Buffy next to her and Spike seated in the backseat. The three of them remained quiet, especially after all the revelations that were made earlier that day until the vampire realized where they were heading.
"This is the place you disappeared, right pet?" asked Spike as Willow looked at the rear view mirror and nodded her head.
"So" said Buffy, "you're taking us to meet aliens?"
"Nope" said Willow as she stopped the jeep near some boulders and told everyone to get out. She told Buffy and Spike that they have another ride before they leave for the vineyard. She noticed Buffy's worry that Joyce may be mad at her for leaving the Jeep all the way here; Willow reassured her again that she had a plan to get it back to her house safely, and that the only reason that she didn't ask anyone to drive them here was in case the house was attacked while they were gone.
"Everyone's needed back home" said Buffy as she locked the doors to the jeep to make sure that nothing, and no one, would get inside. Weapons in hand, the three of them headed to an empty spot away from the Jeep before they stopped.
"So" said Spike sarcastically, "you have an invisible ride?"
"You could say that" said Willow as she took out the Puddle Jumper remote and uncloaked the ship with the rear ramp lowering down.
"You're kidding me" said Buffy as she rushed into the alien ship while Spike looked at Willow with his mouth open. Smiling, the redhead then pulled the vampire as the lights in the Puddle Jumper's interior switched on when Buffy walked further into the ship. Once Willow and Spike walked in, the redhead pressed the button on the side as the ramp slowly came back up just as Buffy reached the cockpit, "this goes into space?"
"Yep" said Willow as she placed her P90 on the seat behind the pilot's seat and sat on the control chair as the console controls flickered on. Buffy and Spike watched as holographic screens popped up showing pictures of the ship, and words of a language that they didn't understand. They looked on as Willow looked through the screens when she stopped at one, and got up from the seat as the console lights, as well as the holographic HUD went offline.
"Willow?" said Spike as Willow opened a compartment and took out some crystals before opening a top panel. Buffy went up to Spike as the redhead took out some crystals and replaced them with the ones in her hand, "Willow? You understood that? Just looked like some fancy blocks."
"The language is called Ancient" said Willow as she looked at the crystals before looking at Buffy, "I need you to sit on the pilot's seat, and grab a hold of the controls."
"Me?" asked Buffy confused, "but…."
"If it works for the you in my reality, then I have to hope that this would work here too" said Willow as a confused Buffy sat on the pilots seat and grabbed the control as, to her surprise and Spike's, the console lit up. A confused Buffy let go of the controls and looked back at Willow before asking her what was going on, "Buffy, I need to get this in the air, and then I'll explain the basics."
Frowning, Buffy then turned back around and held on to the controls again. Willow asked her to think about the power supply. She could see that Spike was about to ask a question, but Willow interrupted them by saying that the ship's interface is advanced enough to know what they're thinking, and it would translate their needs to a language it understands. Still unsure, Buffy thought about the ship's power supply and opened her eyes wide when a HUD popped up that showed some sections of the ship in red, while most of it was in green.
"Ok" said Willow as she moved the crystals around while replacing two more just as the whole ship was coloured green on the HUD. Smiling, Willow then pushed the panel she was working on back up towards the top of the ship, until it clicked into place before walking over to Buffy and tapping on her shoulder. Buffy then took her hands off the console just as Spike sat on the co-pilot's seat while Buffy frowned at him. Smiling, Willow sat down on the control chair and held on to the controls as the ship slowly rose into the air.
"I'm not feeling anything" said Buffy as she looked around before looking at Willow while standing in between the pilot and Co-pilot seats. Willow then told the both of them that the shop had inertial dampening systems so that they don't feel anything, unless they get hit or rammed by something. As she flew the ship towards the vineyard, Willow told Buffy and Spike that the Alterrans who left Earth all those years ago arrived at a planet that they called Lantea. It was that planet that they used as their new home world until ten thousand years ago when they lost a war with a great enemy and returned to Earth. She told her captive audience of two, as they reached the Shadow Valley Vineyards and hovered over the main building while cloaked, that the Lanteans who returned found that, compared to the primitive people who lived on the planet that had once been their home, they were ancient.
"So they called themselves the Ancients" said Willow as she activated a scan for any human and non-human life signs, "they eventually found out that there was no way for them to rebuild their former civilization, so some of them travelled to other planers… while others meditated and prepared for ascension, and others helped the locals. Eventually the Ancients interbred with early humans and passed down what we call the Ancient Technology Activation gene; basically a key to activate their most dangerous technology."
"And I have the gene?" asked Buffy as Willow looked back at her and nodded her head, "is that why I'm a Slayer?"
"No" said Willow, "that's something that we're not equipped to handle. Mystical forces and all. But I heard that it's what Tara and her team are working on finding at the BPRI."
"You mentioned that" asked Spike, "what's BPRI?"
"Bureau of Paranormal Research and Investigation" said Willow as she circled the area of the vineyard, "Buffy's the senior Slayer, with Kennedy her second in command. Two administrators run the whole thing, and the entire operation is overseen by a committee based out of a federal agency. The BPRI handles supernatural threats to the planet together with the Air Force, Marines and the Army."
"Can't imagine working with the government, or the military" mumbled Buffy.
"Yeah, well" said Willow as she looked at the screens which showed the entire surrounding area, "something happened; the you in my reality had your own organization called the Slayer Council that made some really bad decisions. You and the others went to jail…."
'What?" asked Buffy and Spike as they looked at Willow, and then at each other; before looking at Willow again, "what?"
"When you got out" said Willow, "you were required to join the organization as part of your parole. Your parole is already over, and you are still with the BPRI. You're leading your own team of Potential Slayers; the senior Potentials are well trained and have their own teams complete with back-up if needed. The other potentials who are too young for the field are in Sunnydale High, or in U. C. Sunnydale while they are being trained."
"Wow" said Buffy, "what happened to Faith?"
"Well" said Willow, "Faith works for the same organization as I do, Stargate Command."
"The SGC" said Buffy as she pointed at the redhead's shoulder patch.
"Uh huh" said Willow, "so she's basically returned from Slaying, and now... oh boy."
Willow, Buffy and Spike watched as more than thirty life signs appeared in the area around the stone building they were hovering over again. The redhead told Buffy and Spike that the unknown life signs were far enough that they could just go on and get whatever Caleb had. She told them, however, she was getting no life signs from inside the building.
"It's strange" said Spike as Willow nodded her head while Buffy pointed at all the non-human life signs that surrounded the building below them, "but I don't like it. Let's get whatever he's holding and get back; this feels just a bit too easy."
Once Willow landed the jumper, Buffy told Willow that she and Spike will head into the building and get whatever it is that Caleb is holding. Willow nodded her head and told them that she'll be up hovering and monitoring them on the scanners; and if she sees that the life signs are moving up on their position, she'll let them know.
"How?" asked Buffy.
"Oh, trust me" said Willow, "you'll know."
"Alright" said Buffy as Willow pressed a button near the console and opened the rear door. Once Buffy and Spike got out, she retracted the door and then flew back up when her worst feelings came through; the life signs were moving towards the building.
"Someone, or something must have tipped them off" said Willow to herself as she flew toward some of the non-human life signs while cloaked and checked her scanners as she got a live feed. Frowning at the creatures that Buffy called the Bringers, Willow de-cloaked her ship and buzzed overhead so that the Bringers would be surprised and look up in the sky at the strange ship. It was then that Willow came about and fired two drones at two separate site where the life signs weren't moving anymore. Willow looked out the front window and smiled as explosions occurred on the ground as life signs started to vanish. She then fired off another two drones which she controlled with her mind to hit the south, and the south eastern part of the vineyard as even more life signs were snuffed out.
It was then she saw one human, and one non-human life sign coming out of the building before Willow came about and landed in front of Buffy and Spike as they looked at the smoke in the distance. Once the ramp had hit the ground Willow cloaked the ship again and retracted the ramp. Willow then got off the seat and looked at a panting Buffy and Spike.
"So that's our warning signal?" asked Spike as he motioned at the smoke in the distance.
"Uh huh" said Willow as she looked surprised at what Buffy was holding; looking at the weapon, she immediately flashed back to the Sunnydale Outpost ten thousand years ago when she made two of the weapons for Sineya. She remembered that one of the weapons was destroyed and the other one given to the Guardians of the Ones for safe keeping. Willow then took one more step forward and asked Buffy if she could hold it.
"Ok" said Buffy as she handed the weapon to Willow, and looked at it longingly as the redhead examined the weapon. She couldn't get over this feeling that the weapon, that the Scythe belonged to her, as if it was calling her and that with it she felt whole.
"Can't believe it was in Sunnydale" said Willow softly as Spike looked at Buffy and then at Willow. It was then he noticed the redhead looking at the weapon as if she found a long lost relative.
"Red?" asked Spike, "you know what it is?"
"I have some idea" said Willow as she shook her head before looking at Spike, "the weapon was made a long time ago by Athena; I can give you the full story once we get back but.. but…"
Willow could see that Spike didn't believe her lie so she imperceptibly shook her head, silently begging him not to say anything. She then went back to examine the weapon before she looked up at Buffy and smiled. She then handed the weapon back to Buffy saying that the weapon was built by Athena for the Slayer. That it was a meant as a gift for something cruel that was done a long time ago.
"What cruel…" said Buffy when she touched the side of her head when she suddenly opened her eyes wide and looked at Willow, "we need to go back home! Caleb's at the house, and so is Warren, Rack and Amy."
"Rack?" asked Willow as she hurried to the pilot's seat and lifted the ship off into the air before heading towards the Summers home. It was then that Buffy and Spike told Willow about the abuse that their Willow had done in regards to the use of magic. That Rack was a dealer she found thanks to Amy, another witch. She told the redhead that Rack was a dealer in dark magic, and he supplied Willow with highs for days; but eventually something happened that made her get off the magic slowly.
"Tara broke up with her because she played with her memory" said Buffy as she looked at Spike, "with all of our memories."
"Sodding day, that" said Spike as they neared the house when Willow activated the scanners and saw human and non-human life signs moving all over the house, with a large blob of human life-signs in the basement. Willow removed all the HUDs and looked in shock at the chaos below them as an orange shield that covered the whole house flared as the Bringers tried to get in. She took a pass over the backyard as copies of a human male ran into the house from the backyard as Willow hovered over the grass and opened the ramp.
"Spike" said Buffy as she handed him the axe she originally brought with her. Nodding at the Slayer, and then at the redhead, Spike jumped out of the Puddle jumper behind one of the human copies who was fighting one of the more experienced potentials. He saw that the Potentials looked at him in surprise as he jumped out of thin air, and in that one moment of being distracted, she failed to notice that the human copy was ready to stab her with a sword. At that moment, as the other potentials were fighting around him, Spike ran and slashed the copy's back as, to his surprise, sparks flew from the slash site.
"Robots!" shouted Spike as the copy turned before falling onto the ground in a heap. It was then he recognized the face, it was that of Warren Mears.. the same one who had killed Willow. Spike helped some of the potentials defeat the robots when they heard screams from inside the house. Spike and three of the Potentials rushed in, while the others took care of the rest of the potentials, through the back door only to later see Faith being thrown into the sitting room from the living room. Spike caught a glance of Buffy fighting the Turok-Han, while Willow was shooting some of the Bringers as the barrier outside fell before he told the three Potentials to make sure that Faith was alright. He then saw Willow crouch down in two areas as she continued to fire her weapon at the Bringers. As the three Potentials rushed to a groaning Faith, Spike rushed into the living room were he saw some of the Potentials on the floor dead while a black eyed Caleb smiled at him as he held Tara's head in a vice like grip.
"Tara" said Spike as Giles, Xander, Dawn and Kennedy struggled to get up onto their feet. He could see that Caleb's arm was wrapped around Tara's neck and his other hand on the side of her head, ready to break it, "it's gonna be alright. Ok."
Spike saw past the red faced Tara as Buffy dusted more Turok-han while Willow killed some of the Bringers that were attacking them. He then saw Buffy glance at what was going on inside the house before she called for Willow, who then looked inside through the living room window. He saw the redhead than kick at another Bringer before shooting at it.
"You liar" said Caleb as Spike looked at him while Dawn and Kennedy held their sides and drew their swords. Giles then helped Xander to his feet before taking positions around the preacher. Caleb smiled as he looked at everyone whole holding on to Tara, "nothing will be alright. I am the First now, he have me his power… made me a god. Now I will kill this bitch and then…"
"Hey!" shouted Willow as she rushed into the living room with her Zat armed and pointed at Caleb, and her sidearm in her hands but hidden behind her back. HS e stood in between Giles and Xander who were wielding a mace and an axe respectively, "I've had enough of megalomaniacal false gods; let her go."
"The red witch" smiled Caleb as he looked at Willow as Tara gave a yelp when Caleb tightened his grip, "it will be so easy for me to snap her neck like a twig. Don't get me wrong, I will do it anyway… but some people want you. So… how about you put down your little hands and this bitch will live for a few seconds longer."
"Giles, Xander, Dawn, Kennedy" said Willow as she pointed the Zat at Caleb, "get down, now."
Xander was the one who noticed the sidearm that Willow had hidden before he told everyone to get down.
"Willow… but, Tara…" said Dawn as Spike pushed her down and lay on top of her while telling Kennedy to get down now.
"Tara" said Willow as she looked at a red faced Tara, "I need you to trust me, alright?"
"Al…. al… ah!" screamed Tara as Caleb moved her head just a little.
"This won't hurt" said Willow as she fired her Zat. The blue beam hit Tara as her body went limp and fell onto the floor after a surprised Caleb let her go when the energy started to crackle over her body.
"Willow!" shouted an outraged Dawn as she looked up while Spike pushed her head back down when Willow stepped forward and brought her sidearm from behind her back. He could feel Dawn's body twitch as Willow fired one shot after another into Caleb. After nine shots Spike looked up as Caleb stepped back with black coloured blood falling onto the carpet.
"You bitch" said Caleb as she rushed at Willow before picking her up by the vest and then giving her a hard throw out the window.
Willow felt the window shatter behind her before she was flying through the air and then landed hard on the grass outside near Buffy who was facing the last three Turok-han. Getting up slowly. Willow took a look at Oz and Principal Wood who were still unconscious but breathing; earlier she checked on their vitals when she was fighting the Bringers with Buffy and assumed that they must have tried to prevent Caleb from coming into the house and were knocked unconscious. But that could be figured out once this fight was over with.
The blonde slayer looked behind her as Willow struggled to get up as the redhead held on to her side as blood flowed down the side of her mouth. She looked in through the living room window as an angry Caleb singlehandedly fought Giles and Xander who was knocked back down. She saw Spike get caught and thrown out the window onto the porch as Kennedy pushed Dawn out of the living room. The blonde Slayer saw Caleb look at her and Willow, who was slowly standing up, before he started to walk towards the front door.
"Will!" shouted Buffy when she saw Caleb standing on the porch shouting that she and the other girls will burn in the pits of hell. Buffy was going to turn around and help Willow when she remembered the three Turok-han vampires behind her. It was then that she caught a glimpse of the Potentials fighting in the backyard with the copies of Warren, however there was one figure she noticed in the empty yard of the house behind hers who looked at the fight smugly. Buffy glanced back at Willow who was taunting Caleb's manhood before she limped as fast as possible toward the still invisible ship, but not before telling Buffy that she has a way to take care of Caleb; that the Slayer should take care of the vampires, and she'll take care of the false god.
Unsure about what Willow meant, Buffy trusted her enough to take care of the remaining Turok-han before running at full speed toward the Warren she assumed was the real one. However, Warren knew that he was found out when he saw Buffy running towards him and took off running. This time though, he wouldn't be able to escape Buffy's wrath.
IN the meantime, while Buffy ran after Warren, Dawn rushed back into the room and to Tara with tears falling from her eyes. Cursing Willow as she kneeled beside her, Dawn kissed Tara's forehead before Kennedy scrambled to her side and felt for a pulse. Feeling foolish that she didn't feel for a pulse, Dawn turned to Kennedy as the Potential Slayer closed her eyes and sighed.
"She's alive" said Kennedy looking at Dawn before she went to check on Giles and Xander who were moaning, "they're alive."
"Red knew what she was doing" said Spike as he looked through the window with cuts on his face before turning around and smiling at the Puddle Jumper decloaking in front of a screaming Caleb. The vampire then saw the ship run into Caleb before he rushed to the front lawn and looked up into the night sky as the ship vanished, "finish him, Red."
Willow was in the cockpit at she ran into Caleb who graced her with his presence while sprawled onto the front window. She immediately flew up into the air while listening to the expletives he was calling her through the ship's sensors.
"You know why you can't move?" asked Willow as she looked at the priest after she activated the external speakers and the cloak, "you better listen now because you won't hear anything in a few seconds. The G-Forces at this speed will hold you down, no matter how strong you are; and even if you could move, I don't care if you are a god since you still need to breathe. Every living thing needs to breathe. Now, we've got a few seconds until we reach the edge of space. Enjoy the view while you can. Oh when you see the devil in hell… give him my regards yeah?"
Willow could see the priest struggling to breathe as his black eyes slowly turned to their human form. The redhead just looked on coldly as the ship exited Earth's atmosphere and headed to the moon while remaining cloaked. Willow knew that no one would be able to see Caleb floating in space right now until he actually left the surface of the puddle jumper. Smiling at Caleb as she reduced speed so that Caleb could weakly knock on the front window, she watched him float off into space as she completely stopped the Puddle Jumper; Caleb floating away under his own inertia as he flailed his arms until he took his last breath.
"Now" said Willow as she flew the puddle jumper until she went past the floating Caleb and came about so that she could view the entire planet through her front window, "that's what I call a view. As for you, Caleb, you wanted me to cleanse my sins in fire? Well, you first."
Willow then accelerated the Puddle Jumper until the now dead Caleb was sprawled on her front window again. It was a few seconds later that Caleb's body started to burn up as the Puddle Jumper re-entered Earth's atmosphere.
"Goodbye" said Willow as Caleb's body was incinerated until nothing remained of the priest as the redhead slowed her descent and set a course for Buffy's house. It was soon that she hovered over the backyard where she saw Buffy walking through the back gate with a badly beaten Warren while she twisted his arm behind his back. Willow was glad that the backyard spot lights were on, so she knew where she could land her ship. The redhead then activated the speaker system and spoke as the surprised Potentials looked up as a voice came from nowhere, "umm…. Buffy? Need space to park."
"Guys" said Buffy as she looked back before pushing a badly beaten Warren to Spike who was at the back door with Giles, Xander and Faith, "move away from the grass."
The Potentials backed away as Spike took Warren into the living room where he, Dawn and Kennedy tied him to a chair. Meanwhile, back at the backyard, Giles and Faith joined the other potentials and Buffy as the ship landed. As Willow got off the seat and turned around, she unclipped her P90 and kept it on her seat. On her way back to the house, she scanned a three mile area around the house and saw no human, or non-human life-signs so she knew that it was time to get some medical attention for herself and the others. She pressed the button to open the ramp before walking out of the ship as the ramp slowly went back up. She them walked up to the surprised Potentials, Xander, Faith and Giles who had just seen her walked out of this air.
"Hey gu….." said Willow before she suddenly felt herself flying through the air before she hit the grass hard as she screamed in pain. She hit the same spot on her body that she hit when Caleb threw her out the window earlier. She then heard more thuds and the sounds of crackling energy as she opened her eyes and saw a ripple in the air around her as a shaggy haired man, and a young blonde woman with black eyes walked out. Willow then felt herself being picked up as she saw the Potentials, Buffy, Xander, Giles and Faith all thrown against the house itself before they fell onto the ground. The redhead then found herself slammed with her back against the Puddle Jumper as the young woman turned when she heard voices from inside the house.
Willow could see Oz looking at her as he ran towards the backdoor which then shut itself when the young woman waved her hand. She then spread her arms out wide as all the windows also slammed shut before she turned to face Willow.
"Willow, Willow, Willow" said the young woman as she approached the redhead, "remember me?"
"Amy, Amy Madison. How could I forget.. the former rat… " said Willow as she felt her body being pressed against the ship while she could hear Oz, and the Dawn and other voices shouting from inside the house as they tried to knock the door down, "been a long time."
"Ummm" said Amy as she nodded her head and touched the redhead's hands as a spark of red energy skipped from Willow's hand to Amy's. Willow saw the blonde witch open her mouth as if she injected something that gave her a high.
"Rack" continued Amy as she turned and looked at the shaggy haired man, "her magical energy… it's still there."
'Hello Strawberry" said Rack as he reached for Willow's chest, "my Strawberry, so dark… so much power."
"You" said Willow as she looked at Rack, "you're the one who dosed my counterpart, right?"
"She loved it" said Rack as he touched Willows chest, "in exchange for letting me walk within her, she'd get magicks. Ah… there it is. And you said you don't use magicks."
"I don't" said Willow, "get away from me, or I will kill you."
"Ummm…" said Rack as he looked at Amy and then at Willow again, "right, it's not enough; the amount stored in your body proves it. My strawberry had more power than you. But you'll do. I can feel the darkness in you… the darkness in your magic. Umm… I can feel it."
"Can I have some?" asked Amy as she looked at Rack.
"Yes, my rat" said Rack he placed his hand on Willow's chest, "but first I want a taste, and a walk."
"No" said Willow as she screamed in pain when red energy from Rack's hand crackled over her body. Willow felt her mental defences break down as the dark sorcerer invaded the redhead's mind and was now privy to all of her secrets. He looked in amazement at the memories that Willow held; from the towers of Atlantis, to the fight with the Ori. Opening her eyes while still screaming in pain from the forced entry into her mind, she could see Faith, Xander and Giles slowly getting up before helping Buffy stand up as she held on tightly to the Scythe. It was then that Willow saw Rack place his hand on Amy's shoulder as he forcibly extracted what remained of Willow's magic as red and black coloured energy flowed from Rack, to Amy who waved her hand as Buffy and the others were slammed down onto the floor. Willow could feel her remaining magic, everything she had been practicing and gathering since high school and stopped once she entered the Academy, flowing out of her as she got progressively weaker and weaker.
Then suddenly Rack put both hands on Willow's chest as the transfer of power increased, while Amy singlehandedly used Willow's magic to keep the others down while laughing wildly. Rack grinned at the sensation that the magical energy from Willow was giving him as he increased the intake before leaning forward.
"Don't worry, Athena" whispered Rack, "after you, I'll take the powers from your sister; Hera. Umm…. She should be tasty as well. I wonder if…"
"You will stay away from her" said Willow as she glared at Rack as Buffy and Faith were the only ones slowly getting up despite Amy's onslaught, "if you go near her, I will kill you.. then give Buffy the scraps"
"Ummm" said Rack as the transfer of magic increased as Willow screamed again, "strawberries."
"You have a real unhealthy relationship with fruits" said a voice behind Rack as he turned around and was face to face with Buffy who gave the sorcerer a round house kick that threw him across the grass. As he landed, he saw that Amy was already knocked out with Faith standing over her as the others slowly got up. He saw that the doors and windows were already open as he realized that the power he gave to Amy had worn off, however he could feel the magical energy that he had taken from Willow as it coursed through his body. He grinned as Oz and the others ran out onto the backyard as the young man, and Buffy, helped Willow stand up. He then saw a concerned Tara run into the backyard, her arm around Kennedy's shoulder as the blonde witch used the Potential Slayer to keep her balance.
"It's over, Rack" said Spike as he stood in front of Dawn.
"No" smiled Rack, "it's not…."
Suddenly Rack stopped talking went he felt his mind go suddenly blank, before he started to feel confused. He then looked at Willow whose eyes and hair had turned deep black as she roughly pushed aside Buffy and Oz who stumbled backwards. It was then a sudden feeling of fear went through his body as he felt pure, unbridled rage from the former redhead as she walked towards him.
"You entered my mind" said Willow angrily as she mentally held everyone in place, "you entered my mind without permission and took all my secrets, all my hopes and dreams!"
"Willow!" shouted Tara as she tried to come up with a spell but found that she couldn't concentrate. She wanted to move but she couldn't even do that. She turned her head and looked at the concerned looks on the faces of the others before she felt a warmth go through her body. Looking inside the house, she saw her Willow; the one in the white dress smiling at her and shaking her head, silently telling her not to interfere. And then, just as she appeared, her Willow was gone and she turned to face the alternate Willow.
It was then she and the others found out that they could move as Willow, stopped and took a deep breath before her hair turned back to its bright red colour as she waved her hand and turned around as she slammed Rack back onto the grass.
"I won't kill him" said Willow, as she started to bleed from her nose and ear, while she looked at a concerned Tara, "it's too good for him."
"I… I'll tell" said Rack, "I know who you really are, I know where you're really from.. ummmm.. umm…."
"No more talking" said Willow as she panted while she mentally lifted Rack, and telekinetically froze his vocal chords. She found that in her anger, she was able to access her Ancient powers, but they were fading away as well and she had to make the most of it. She couldn't kill Rack in case the First got access to his memories of Atlantis, the Stargate or any of the highly advanced technologies that still remain on Earth. So she decided the next best thing to do would be to remove all of his memories, "you caused enough suffering. You took away whatever magic I had stored, you violated my mind, you threatened my friends… you took my secrets. Secrets that the First will never know about. Do you know what it's like to have you memories erased? Your mind peeked back as like an onion, and then destroyed?"
"No" said Rack as he looked at the Potentials and Scoobies behind him, "help, I… I… I.. cant.. why can't I? Spells… spell… why.. why can't I?"
"I took away your memories" said Willow, "every spell you ever learned is gone. Every memory you saw in my mind is gone… I will take everything from you."
"Willow" said Giles as the redhead saw him point to his nose, "enough."
Willow: "Rack, you wanted to know the power of an Ancient? The power of a Lantean. This is it."
Willow felt her power leaving her as she dropped a drooling, and babbling, mess onto the grass before she looked at the shocked faces in front of her. She then watched as Dawn ran through the backdoor and looked at the bleeding Willow. It was then that her body stiffened as a sharp pain went down her spine as she felt herself falling as Buffy and Oz ran towards her.
TBC.