Sophie, Heath and Samantha
Sophie dusted two vamps and glanced around for her friends. Heath had just dusted one vampire and Samantha was carefully writing down the details of tonight's patrol in a black leatherbound book. Sophie rolled her eyes. Who wanted a Watcher? Not her. But Sammy was just setting herself up as one...
"Prongs! Heads up!" Heath shouted and Sophie whirled and scythed through the head of a demon with her sword. "Great." He leant on the handle of his battle axe and wiped his forehead. "Can we move this along? I'm knackered."
Samantha looked up. "We have one more cemetary to cover before we head in. And then Soph should do one more swing along the streets."
"Ok, Moony," Heath agreed. Samantha rolled her eyes.
"Don't call me that. Not everybody has you fascination with those detestable books."
"Just because *you* like those wussy Arthur novels..." The three friends set off, bickering amicably.
"I agree with Snuffles though. She shouldn't have killed off Sirius," Sophie said.
"Too bloody right mate!" Heath said vehemently. "Sirius should have lived till the final battle with You-Know-Who!"
"Oh, please..." Samantha sighed. Heath droppped the axe and started to tickle her. "Noooooo!" She squealed, and then ran laughing. He chased her and jumped, tackling her to the ground. Sophie picked up his axe and her book, smiling fondly. "Ok, ok! Sirius is a god!"
"Too right I am," Heath said smugly and she kicked out. He rolled off her, moaning and cupping himself.
"Wanker."
"Maybe." They both sat up and then got to their feet. Sophie handed them back their things and the three started to patrol once more. "So. How much longer until we can go get a coffee? Oh, vamps up ahead, and they look like they've got someone!" They ran towards the disturbance.
Faith
Faith grinned as the vampires closed in on her. She pulled out a stake and dusted one, then turned on the others. She roundhouse kicked and knocked two to the ground in one go, then pulled one up and sent him flying with a powerful right hook. She dusted the vampire getting to it's feet, then ducked as she sensed one behind her. One knocked her to the ground and got on top of her, and she kicked, and rolled over so she was on top.
"Don't usually get so friendly with people I've just met," she grinned, and sent her stake to the target. She stood up and dusted her hands off, sticking the stake back into her pocket. Then she notcied three people.
"Oh... hi."
Sophie, Heath and Samantha
"Hey, we were coming to save you and all, but you seem to be handling that pretty well," Sophie said. "Good work. C'mon guys." She turned and started to walk off.
"Demon!" Samantha shouted and scrambled for the cover of a tombstone as Sophie and Heath swung into action.
"Why don't these things ever just bleeding DIE?!" Heath yelled to Sophie as they whaled on the six foot high brownfurred demon. It growled, and swiped razorsharp claws at Heath. He backed off and Sophie leapt onto its back.
"They just have to make things difficult. Axe!" Heath tossed the axe to her and she raised it above her head before slamming it down and slicing its head in half. She somersaulted backwards, tossing the axe back to Heath. He caught it with a grunt.
"Were there any more deaths we had to watch for?" Heath asked Samantha.
"One. You know how amazing it is that people die of being stabbed in the neck by a barbeque fork?" Samantha scribbled in her book before closing it with a snap. "He's in this cemetary. We just have to find Mr Thomas Wilding, beloved of his wife, Eileen-"
"Eileen," Heath said, snickering.
"Quiet, Padfoot."
"Shove it up your arse, Moony."
"Quiet the two of you."
"Shut UP, Prongs!" The two of them both shouted, before the three of them started to laugh.
"I want a coffee. So, let's stake Mr Wilding and go on home," Sophie said.
"Whatever you say, oh most wise and benevolent leader." Heath rolled his eyes.
"Too right we do what I say," Sophie said. Samantha and Heath shared a look.
"Someone has gotten too big for her boots."
"Someone needs to remember that we are a team here."
Faith
Faith grinned. "You," she said, looking at Sophie. "Would be the Slayer I'm looking for."
She paused while she lifted her stake and stuck it under her arm and into the vampire behind her.
"I'm Faith, and I'm a Slayer too."
Sophie, Heath and Samantha
"Wow, there's an actual name for what I am? I'm impressed." Sophie grinned.
"We just figured she was a freak," Heath said. Samantha thwacked him over the head with her book. "Ow!"
"Be quiet." He gave her an injured look as he rubbed the back of his head. "Awwww, poor Snuffles. He's getting beat up by a sheila."
"Hush, woman!" Heath said imperiously. Samantha sighed. He looked slightly afraid. Sophie giggled.
"Ooh, you're in for it no-ow, farmer boy."
"Just because I come from Tamworth..." He said sadly. "No one looooves me!"
"We love you, Sirius. We just think you're an idiot," Sophie said cheerfully. He mock-growled at her and she laughed. "The name's Sophie."
"Heath."
"Samantha." The diminutive girl whirled and plunged a stake into the chest of a vampire. "So, a Slayer? Cool."
Faith
"Ah, I'm guessing no one managed to find you. So it's up to me to give you the very long and boring British speech."
Faith grinned and took a deep breath.
"Because into each generation a Slayer is born, one girl in all the world, a Chosen One, one born with the strength and skill to hunt the vampires, to stop the spread of their evil..."
She wavered a bit. "Actually... now it's not one girl in all the world, but that's a longer story. So... you're the girl I'm looking for the help me with the Hellmouth."
Sophie, Heath and Samantha
"Ah. Interesting. Talk to her, she's research girl." Sophie pointed at Samantha. "I just kill things with sharp pointy sticks, or occasionally a nice, sharp axe." Sophie rolled her shoulders. "I like axes."
"We know." Samantha rolled her eyes. "This British thing...it would be the Watcher's Council, wouldn't it?"
"You knew something, and didn't tell us? Shame on you, Moony," Heath said indignantly.
"Didn't seem to be much point. The place was blown up. I knew there was no one coming, or I thought there was no one coming." Samantha shrugged. "'Sides, Blackie, like you tell us all everything."
"That's different, not potentially bad things," Heath said.
"Bite me."
"Love to. Where?" Samantha gave him a irritated stare, then polished her glasses.
"Honestly..."
Faith
Faith nodded. "Sounds very much like me. Not into the Watcher thing, they tend to end up dead. No offence. Right, well," Faith turned to Sam. "Ok, well yes, the Watcher's Council was blown up, Sunnydale's Hellmouth, was closed... um, what else? Giles, Wesley, Anya, Andrew and Xander went around to try and find the other Slayers and potential Watchers. That's about it."
She adjusted her jacket.
"Anyway, I need probably all of your help. I need fighters to help me close this Hellmouth, and I'll need a book smart girl. Never much with the learning."
Faith pulled out the Jackal. "And axes are fun, but this is my weapon of choice. Crossbows are good too. Now, I'm assuming you know where the Hellmouth is? Because the Guardians, they aren't much with the normal talking."
Sophie, Heath and Samantha
"People's names who we don't know ain't apt to impress us much," Sophie informed Faith. "We're kinda cut off from whatever's being going on elsewhere. I just woke up one day, and wow, I'm stronger then I used to be. We kill things, hopefully before they do anything."
"But we don't have the resources to predict what is going to happen," Samantha said tiredly, rubbing her eyes before putting her glasses back on.
"We kinda stumble around trying to catch a break." Heath shrugged. "Anyway. Hellmouth. Under the school-"
"And directly underneath the library. It kinda makes sense, in a weird and twisted fashion."
"Hey, I like the library," Samantha protested mildly.
"No, I knew it was evil before I knew there was a Hellmouth under it," Sophie said firmly. "So. Closing the HEllmouth. Will this end in general destruction as well? Cos, I'm kinda thinking I like my town the way it is, even if it does have demons running around. I can keep them mostly under control."
"Yay for Prongs," Heath said, before she flashed him a glare. "Ok, shutting up now..."
Faith, Paige and Xander
Faith grinned. "Another Hellmouth under the library? My first Hellmouth, under the library. Books... evil."
Faith shrugged. "That's the bit I'm not sure of. It gets a bit hazy. The Guardians weren't too forthcoming with the information, all they told me was to sleep, and then this morning they told me to close the Hellmouth. So none too helpful. But I can get resources."
Faith sighed. "Paige, bring Xander."
Paige orbed in with Xander hanging onto her hand. He held an axe in his free hand, and had a bag slung over his shoulder. "Hey, you found the Hellmouth?"
Faith nodded. "And the Slayer."
"I'll get going then." Paige waved and orbed out again.
Xander handed the axe to Faith. "I have some stuff that Wes found, but none too specific. As always. Hi," he turned to the other three. "I'm Xander, Faith's Watcher."
Sophie, Heath and Samantha
Sophie screamed theatrically, and jumped into Heath's arms. "Watcher! Save me, oh you brave man, you!" Samnatha and Heath started to laugh while Sophie twined her legs around Heath's waist and pouted. "Oh, so not funny. Watchers, bad."
"Don't mind her, she's slightly mad," Samantha said, turning to Xander. "I'm Samantha. Pretending to be Sophie's Watcher. I write down all our patrols and stuff..."
"Oh no! She's been taken over!" Sophie shrieked. "Ahhh! Pod people! Sirius, save meeeee!"
"Just calm down, would you?" Heath said, wincing slightly. "Name's Heath. Friendly neighbourhood hero."
"Good boy." Sophie beamed. "Save me from the Watchers, and oh!" She threw a stake over his shoulder and he dusted. "That was Mr Wilderness, so, let's go have some coffee. And talk." She winced. "Talking...oooh boy..."
"Watch it, Soph, your antisocial tendecies are showing," Samantha said, smiling slightly. Sophie stuck out her tongue as she stepped back onto the ground.
"Like yours aren't."
"Well, probably not." Samantha tucked her pen behind her ear and stuck her book under her arm. "So, coffee. The refuge of the paranoid and apathetic."
"Moony, quit your yapping and let's walk."
"Quiet, Padfoot." Samantha fiddled with her glasses. "Don't mind Prongs, I'm sure she's going to be fine."
"No! Not fine! Bad, bad homework! Doesn't saving the world count as an extracurricular activity?" Sophie sighed.
"Unfortunately not. So. Quizzing on Egypt as we walk..." The three started to walk off. Samatha threw a look back over her shoulder. "C'mon. We'll get a coffee and talk."
"Pod people...all around me..." Sophie whispered, eyes comically round.
Faith and Xander
Faith and Xander followed behind them. Xander looked at Faith. "So we know what we're dealing with?"
"Not yet. I saw those Guardians you told me about."
"So, they exist. Go me."
"Yeah, you're a regular Giles with the researching."
"Just when I was changing my career... to a Seer or a Looker."
"Idiot."
"At least I graduated high school."
Faith rolled her eyes and smiled as they reached the coffee place and Faith looked up and saw the sign. "Angel's". She nudged Xander and he smiled at her. They followed the three in.
Sophie, Heath and Samantha
"Hey, Remiel, Michael," the three chorused as they entered the coffee shop. Two immense angel statues stood to either side of the doorway. Michael, as befit his role, was a stern and commanding prescence holding a sword in front of him with his hands clasped on the hilt. Remiel was a tall youth with a faint smile on his lips, bending down slightly with his hand outstretched to be touched and give someone a hand up.
"Thanks, Michael," Sophie whispered and touched the angel's sandaled foot. "Remy." She touched the palm of Remiel's outstretched hands. "Hey, Gabriella!" A blonde girl on the register looked up, and hopped the serving counter.
"Our very own Marauders! How you three doing?" She rushed to them and enfolded them in hugs. She took Heath's axe and Sophie's sword, putting them behind the Michael statue. "Do much slayage?"
"Heaps. Lots of vamps. Got your cross?"
"What would a good Catholic girl do without her cross and rosary?" Gabriella grinned and patted her chest. "It's on me. Padre sent more holy water too."
"Your uncle is the best," Samantha smiled.
"I know. It's cos he's related to me. So, what can I get you folks tonight?" Gabriella slid back over the counter.
"Tall black," Sophie said.
"Hot chocolate," Heath ordered. "With-"
"Chocolate sprinkles and those little marshmallows. I know. Sammy? Latte decaf as usual?" Gabriella started to add it up.
"Ta." Samantha smiled as the three got out their wallets. "How's that assessment going?"
"Oh, soso. You heading to Sydney next week?"
"Hopefully. But you know...slayage don't wait."
"Oh, I know. Bad demons." Gabriella buzzed around the kitchen, a dervish of energy. "Here. That's $2 for the tall black, $2.30 for the hot chocolate and $1.85 for the latte. What can I get you folks?" Gabriella beamed at Faith and Xander as she counted out change.
Faith, Xander and the First
"Two mocha's thanks," Xander said to the woman.
"$5, thanks."
Xander handed her the money and smiled as he received his change. "Thanks." He picked up the drinks and gave one to Faith.
"Where'd you get the money?"
"Hey, I'm organised." Xander grinned and they went and all sat down. "Have anymore dreams?" he asked Faith.
"Yeah, had one last night. Telling me to find the Slayer. And I did, so my guess is, I'll - "
The First appeared in front of their table as Buffy. "Hello Faith."
"Hey B."
"Enjoying Australia? Never did get the chance to come here. Ah, this would be the Slayer at this Hellmouth?"
Sophie, Heath and Samantha
"Ok, can we kill it? I'm going for the slay first, ask questions later approach," Sophie said, hand gripping a stake.
Samatha drummed her fingers on the table. "I'm guessing this has some meaning to the two of you..."
"Very hot chick. Did we mention the hot? Even though you know, probably evil, obviously very hot..." The two girls of his group flashed Heath a glare and he shrank down in his seat slightly. "Ok. No sexist comments while in the prescence of a sheila who can kick my arse..."
Faith, Xander and the First
"I am The First Evil. Beyond sin, beyond - " The First started and Faith coughed.
"Yeah, we get it, you're evil. Geez, you just love to advertise it."
The First turned to Faith. "I advise you to be very quiet, or I will - "
"You'll what? Taunt me some more?" Faith looked at Sophie. "Can't take corporal form." She demonstarted by sticking her hand through The First's head.
"You know, some people think that's a bit rude."
Faith glared at The First. "And some people don't like puppies. What's your deal this time?"
The First ignored Faith and turned to Sophie. "Young, much like me when I started. I'm Buffy."
"No, you're simply wearing Buffy's body. The First can't take corporal form, as Faith said, but it can wear the guise of any dead person it wants," Xander explained.
"Sophie... are you sure you're ready for what is to come?"
Sophie, Heath and Samantha
"Well, let me think..." Sophie said thoughtfully, tapping the side of her chin with a finger. "Um. I think the answer would be..."
"A hell yes!" Heath snarled. "And stealing someone elses's body? Very rude. Your mum obviously never taught you no manners."
"Oh, how very fascinating," Samatha breathed, then she whipped out the pen from behind her ear and opened her black book. She started scribbling. Sophie tilted her head slightly.
"Why don't you mosey on back to whatever stone you crawled out from under, before I kick your ass so hard it knocks on your teeth?" Sophie hissed.
Faith and The First
"Tell her," The First said to Faith.
Faith looked confused. "Tell her what?"
"Tell her what I want."
"The whole wanting to end the Slayer line and taking over the world thing?"
"Faith."
"You want me?"
"Faith!"
"Alright." Faith turned to Sophie and smiled. "It wants me."
"FAITH!"
"What?!" Faith looked back at The First, who had an angry expression on Buffy's face.
Faith grinned. "Ah, there's the B we all know and love. Angry B."
"I have found a vessel. He will come to you, and she will fall to him." The First indicated to Sophie. "And you, Faith, you will fall too."
Faith nodded. "Hmm, well, seeing as you never took me down when you were alive, I somehow doubt you can do it when you're dead. She's not going to die, and neither am I. I'm going to live forever. And I'm going to learn how to fly." Faith grinned and leaned back in her seat.
"You joke at a time when you should be scared. I will come for you soon." The First disappeared and Faith turned back to Sophie.
"Well, you're a major player now. First only comes to people it thinks are important. So... show me the Hellmouth?"
Sophie, Heath and Samantha
"School'll be locked up...but Moony has her own winsome ways." Sophie grinned. Samanatha smiled and patted her bun.
"Hairchopsticks. One's a stake and the other's a lockpick. Never know what we have to do, and handy dandy concealed weapons."
Gabriella walked up, holding a plate of cakes. 'Hey. On the house. Dad was going to have to get rid of them tomorrow, anyway."
"Thanks, Gabby!" Heath called out after her retreating back. She waved and disappeared into the kitchen behind the front counter. "Oh yes. Gooooood food." He lifted a danish and stared eating. Sophie and Samantha both reached in for chocolate chip cookies.
"Eat something. Gabriella's dad is French, and he makes the best cakes," Samantha encouraged, swallowing hastily. The three teenagers stood and Heath and Sophie headed over to get their weapons.
Xander, Faith, Kalli and Zairre
Xander and Faith grabbed some food hastily and stood and followed the three teenagers. They broke into the school without much difficulty and were lead into the library.
Xander looked around and whistled. "Another one in the library?"
Faith nodded. "Looks like. It'd be..." She trailed off and clutched her stomach. "I think it's safe to say I'm here. Why does it hurt?"
Xander shrugged. "No idea. I just work here. But it does feel... different to our Hellmouth."
Ziarre and Kalli appeared in sparkling lights.
"Greetings Slayers, new and old,
Touch the ground, it won't be cold," Ziarre sang.
Faith bent down and felt the ground. "It's hot."
"Hot with fire, trouble stirs,
You must stop it before it occurs," Kalli said.
"Rhyming?" Xander asked Faith.
She looked up. "It's gotta be better than riddles."
"Listen carefully, hear them work,
In the darkness, they do lurk,
Millions of them, will you find,
There was one weapon, she left behind," Ziarre chanted.
"You will find it, embedded in stone,
It is not for him, but for you alone," Kalli joined in.
Sophie, Heath and Samantha
"Ok, creepy ladies." Sophie fingered the stake in her belt uneasily.
"Yes, most def way bizzaire," Samantha agreed. "Shall we?" The three shared a glance.
"Loads of fun." Heath nodded. "Maybe not others but ours."
"Aussie humour at its highest." Samantha rolled her eyes. "Right, mates, let's get this done then. How do we stay alive, and how do we win?"
"Gallipolli, no matter how the politicians pretty it up, was a terrible defeat," Sophie stated.
"So, can we not have a repeat? And how do we know we can trust the creepy ladies?" Heath asked.
Faith, Xander, Zairre and Kalli
"Ziarre and Kalli are we, Guardians of the Mouth of Hell, we be," Ziarre and Kalli said.
Faith nodded. "They're Goddesses. They... guard the Hellmouth, and make sure nothing too weird comes from it. At least, that's what I've managed to pick up from the rhymes."
"Watch the Slayers, rise and fall,
You'll delay the First, but hear it's call.
It will test your strength and skill,
Your birthright destiny to fill.
Find the weapon, embedded in stone,
Not for him, but for you alone.
When you find it, you will know,
The power you wield, and it will show,
You the way into Hell,
And you will see where she fell."
"Again with the weapon. Does she mean the scythe? Because that was buried under the rubble with Buffy," Xander said.
"Could there be another one?" Faith asked.
"It could be possible. I'll look into it."
Sophie, Heath and Samantha
The three shared a glance. "I think I speak for all three of us when I say, huh?" Sophie said.
"And they haven't said *who* they're gaurding the Hellmouth for," Samantha pointed out quietly. "Kalli...sounds like Kali. Not a goddess to annoy, an Indian goddess of death."
"Really not trusting anyone here except for Moony and Prongs," Heath said. The three drew together and regarded the others in the room suspiciously. "We don't have any reason to believe you."
"And who's Buffy?" Samantha asked.
Faith, Zairre and Kalli
"Buffy was the Slayer before me. She died closing the Hellmouth in Sunnydale. Ok, look, I get that you're not big with the trusting of me, but I need your help. I don't know why, but I was told to find you," Faith explained.
Kalli and Ziarre floated slightly and hummed. "They will rise."
Faith looked over at them. "Um... ok?"
"The First will come, and we will help."
"Good. Because you seem powerful, and I could use some of that right now."
Sophie, Heath and Samantha
"Power is not all," Heath said softly. Samantha and Sophie looked at each other.
"Sibby dinsk?"
"Hal dehred usted." Sophie shrugged.
"Havaladad, jero." Samantha frowned.
"Dinksa, iven jerak derosadan," Sophie said slowly.
"Derada kaled dara ti." They nodded at each other.
"Ok, now the scary bestfriend secret language session is over, please explain to the country boy?" Heath sighed.
"We're trusting them. For now. But if I see a single sign that this is going to end up with the twon disappearing down a sinkhole, I'm gonna be very upset." Sophie crossed her arms.
Faith, Xander, Zairre and Kalli
Faith nodded. "I think that can be avoided. I'd like to not die to end it, so I think we're all in agreement here."
Xander grinned. "Ok, well..." He turned to Sophie. "Uh... you don't mind if the school gets blown up, do you? It tends to happen."
"No more that you can do tonight,
For now, you must wait for the light,
Tomorrow morn, we'll show you where,
The weapon is, we'll take you there,
You will take it from where it lies,
The vessel then will show it's guise." Ziarre and Kalli bowed their
heads and then shimmered out.
Faith sighed. "Right... so tomorrow I get a weapon and meet some person who will be strong because he is carrying the power of The First. Tomorrow sounds like a top day."
Xander bent down and touched the ground. "I think the opening is here. I'll give Wesley a heads up and see what he knows about the Guardians. They can open the Hellmouth when it is needed."
Sophie, Heath and Samantha
"What kid cares if the school gets blown high?" Sophie answered before Samantha could. The other girl shrugged sheepishly, smiling slightly.
"OPening...isn't that bad? Isn't that what we try to stop?" Heath asked.
"Something has to be open before it can be closed," Samantha said. "It's just going to have to happen."
"Ok. We can deal with this," Sophie said quietly.
"Marauders forver yeah!" Heath cheered. Sophie smiled at him.
"Thanks, Padfoot."
"Anytime, Prongs."
Faith, Xander and Paige
Xander nodded. "We'll have to open it and Faith will go in to fight."
Faith yawned. "Right, well if I'm going to be fulfilling destiny tomorrow, I want to go to sleep. In my own bed. Paige."
Paige orbed in, looking less than pleased. "Right. Let's go."
Faith turned to the other three. "Ok, I'll meet you here in two nights time? At... say... 8pm. I'll have the weapon by then, and I'll know who we're looking for. Night." Faith took Xander's hand and then Paige's and they orbed out.
Sophie, Heath and Samantha
"Well, interesting," Samatha said. Heath laughed shortly.
"I still don't trust them."
"Anyway, I want to do one more sweep before going to bed, so let's start walking." The three left their school, locking it behind them.