Nyx and Logan
Nyx flipped the electric generator switch and a deep humming started to resonate through the concrete room. She nodded in satisfaction as the lights and appliances of the hollowed out mountain came to life. She strutted over to Logan and flung her arms around him. "Well, let's start getting everyone settled in." They walked up to the surface and Nyx quickly operated a keypad to open the doors. Gleaming layers of steel and dull lead slid into their recesses and the pair stood in the middle of the immense door. Nyx waved the trucks inside, all of them packed with the belongings of everyone at the mansion, and the cars behind filled with the students and what members of their famialies and friends they'd managed to convince. Nyx was glad she'd settled for the whole mountain. There were a lot of them, plus all the animals and plants, plus other people they'd managed to convince of what was coming.
Soon, all the people were gathered in the central room and Nyx clapped her hands sharply to gain their attention. "Welcome!" The buzz died down as people looked at her. "This is Felidae Haven. All are welcome here. Mutants, aliens, humans and those of us who are other then natural." She grinned at some of the demons she'd managed to convince. They nodded back. "No fighting! No name calling! We are all in this together! And believe me, I'll kick anyone else's ass if they make another being feel bad. We are here to survive. We can only do that together. Now, everyone should have recieved a map with where they're staying outlined in red, and a keycard. The keycard is also bespelled to work only for the user, so no stealing is allowed. Any thieves will meet with appropriate punishment."
"There are the gardens and the wildlife habitats as well. They're open to the public, but please. No teasing of the animals. Most of them could kill you." Logan grinned.
"So, welcome!" Nyx spread her arms. "Anyone have a problem, they can see me, Xavier, Logan or any of the X-Men down here. Go and get settled in, sentinent beings!" The milling crowd split up and retrieved their belongings before going to their rooms.
Mutants - Trev
Rahne looked around the room she was in. It was quite comfortable. There was that muchroom in the mountian for one or two to a room. But because Dani, Sally, Rusty & Sam hadn't returned from their roadtrip, Xi'an & Johan were still in Australia & Doug was helping on the space station. And, because of her auntie's research on Muir Island, the place is a potential threat, so Rahne had to stay here. She was not happy about it. Monet, Allison, a few others got to go home but not her. So now Rahne had to share a room with someone she didn't know. She turned to look at the door as her new roommate entered.
"Hi" she said, with a wave, "I'm Bethany. It seems we're roomies!"
While this was going on Angelica was frantically trying to contact Xavier's School.
"Shit!" she yelled as she slammed the phone down.
"What?" Wanda asked, rushing over to see what was wrong.
"No one's answering. I need to know if everyone is okay!" she said, tears starting to dwell up in her eyes.
"Don't worry" Emma Frost's voice said from behind the two young women, "I've contact Mr Xavier. Everything is just fine. Thye will be safe" she stated calmly.
"Will we?" Wanda asked.
"Of course!" she said reassuringly, "I've taken the nessesary pre- cautions. Now, go to your rooms. Everything will be just fine."
Wanda walked away as Angelica said watching Emma's facial expression. She didn't trust her one bit & Emma knew that, but sadly, Angelica had to trust her. She let out a sigh & walked off to her room feeling defeated.
"You didn't contact him did you Ms Frost?" a voice said telepathically into Emma's mind.
"Of course not Manuel" she calmly stated back "But she doesn't know that. Now go to your room please"
Back at Felidae Haven, Bethany was trying to get some details about Rahne out of her. But Rahne was too shy to start talking about herself. She just gave Bethany short answers as she put posters on her side of the room.
"So..." Bethany said, trying to think of something else to say, "What's your favourite band?"
Rahne turned around & pointed at the poster she had just put on the wall. It was a poster of Slipknot.
"Oh" Bethany said uneasily.
"You don't like?" Rahne said moving towards Bethany. This was the first moment she felt interested in anything the older girl had to say. Rahne was a huge Slipknot fan & was ready to argue her view if she disagreed.
"Oh no, I love them! I just figured, after looking at your skateboard, you'd be more of a punk chick. My fave band is Tool!" Bethany said, standing up & starting to open one of her bags. She pulled out three Tool albums.
"I love Tool!" Rahne said happily, running over to Bethany to look at the CD's. Rahne only had their songs on MP3.
"Y'know what Rahne, I think you & me are gonna get along just fine!" Bethany said with a grin.
The Mavericks, X-men, Wesley and Priss
Mordred dumped his bag down on the bed and grinned at Gwen. "Nice digs, hey?" He was just glad he could talk again.
~*~*~*~
Spike led Vortigern into their room, and the blonde haired boy smiled at him. "This place looks great. Nyx really outdid herself."
"Yeah, the cat can do things right when she wants." Spike kissed Vortigern tenderly, his hands tangling in Vortigern's long hair. Vortigern's own arms went up around Spike's neck, and the vampire kicked back to close the door as he manouevered them to the bed.
~*~*~*~
Jonothon looked at Angelo and Sergei as they entered their room. Well, it's big.
"Da, Jono." Sergei sprawled out on a bed and Angelo laughed. "Laugh it up, tovarisch. We can get drunk later. To christen our new lodgings."
Is that all you ever think of? Jonothon said almost fondly as he put his guitar down on a different bed. Sergei grinned.
"Well, that and sex."
"Which would make you just like most other teenage guys, amico." Angelo smiled as he put his clothes away in a cupboard.
~*~*~*~
Wesley looked around at his room and smiled. He put his clothes away and started to put his books up on the many shelves Nyx had thoughtfully provided.
~*~*~*~
Andrew looked around. "Wow, this is like some souped up version of the Bat Cave, you know, where Bruce Wayne stored all his Bat equipment." One of the Slayers with him rolled her eyes. "Hey, what do you think, Anya?"
~*~*~*~
Octavian put away his things in a cupboard, then sat down at the computer and started moving some of his stocks.
~*~*~*~
Demetria put away her clothes and then laid down on her bed to read a book.
~*~*~*~
Priss squeezed Giles's arm gently as she looked around at the refuge Nyx had created, mostly on her own. "My sister has done a good job, has she not, my love?"
Gwen and Anya
Gwen nodded and put her own bag down on the ground. She grinned at Mordred.
"Nice... for a mountain. Well, actually nice. The cats really go all out."
***
Anya ruffled Andrew's hair affectionately. "No one cares, you little monkey."
She pointed. "This is all very strange. Shall we find our room?"
Morderd and Andrew
"Good idea," Andrew agreed with Anya. "And, the girls should be able to find theirs as well. Has everyone got their keycards? You know this is so cool." He held his up and grinned. "It's like a sci-fi movie come to life."
~*~*~*~
"They did, didn't they?" Mordred smiled back at her before walking over to her and cupping her face to kiss her. "I love you."
Gwen
Gwen kissed Mordred back and hugged him tightly.
"Well if the world is going to end, I'm glad I'm staying with you."
***
"Ok, well, let's go find our room."
Anya led Andrew down the hallway, and found their room. She opened the door and tossed her bags onto one of the beds.
"So we'll unpack and then what? I wonder where Xander is."
Andrew and Mordred
"Same here, love, same here. Did I mention how glad I can tell you that I love you again? Thought I was never going to get my voice back." Mordred looked saddened for a moment, then brightened. "Do ya want to pack our things away then go take a look around?"
~*~*~*~
"You know, this is so cool. We're like roomies," Andrew babbled as he started to unpack one of his bags. "We can unpack, then go see who else is here. You know, I'm sure I saw demons. I think I actually saw Clem. That would be cool. And I know I saw Spike."
Gwen
Gwen kissed Mordred's cheek.
"I love you, and I love hearing you say it. I'm glad you're ok now. And yes, we'll unpack and we'll do some exploring."
***
Anya threw a pair of socks at Andrew's head and giggled as they hit him.
"We should thank the cat's for the generous life saving. Unless of course the mountain caves in and we die anyway."
Mordred, Andrew, X-men and Nyx
Mordred kissed her again, then turned to his stuff. "Nice to see that Nyx gets the whole couple thing. The professor's a bit...not."
~*~*~*~
"You know, that is not a good thought." Andrew looked worried. "Do you really think the roof will cave in? Because that would be a really painful death. But it beats the almost certain death from radiation poisoning if we stayed outside, right?"
~*~*~*~
Chelsea dumped her stuff and sighed. Still in quarantine. It as just well...bunnying fantastic.
~*~*~*~
Nathan tapped his way to his room, black bandage over his eyes ensuring most people got out of his way.
~*~*~*~
Nyx was being harried as she tried to help people get settled. Logan fixed most frivolous problems with a raised eyebrow and a snarl. People went packing after that.
Gwen
Gwen nodded her approval and started to unpack one of her many bags. She'd managed to get back to LA and pack most of her things.
"Yeah, good thing we're sharing."
***
Anya shrugged.
"Maybe. If the roof caves in, I'm using you as a human shield. And yeah, I suppose it is better than staying outside. But oh well. Anyway, I'm almost done. How about you, monkey?"
Davyd, Mordred and Andrew
Mordred nodded as he started to unpack one of his bags. "Me and Vort didn't manage to convince our Mam, but I got Mary to get bags ready for her and Siobhan. I'll be bringing them here tonight, and giving Mam one last chance to come." He looked sad. "I wont bring her if she doesn't want to come, I can't make her. But I'm not leaving the girls to die."
~*~*~*~
"Yeah, I'm done." Andrew arranged some of his collector action figures on a shelf and sighed happily. "You know how much they are going to be worth when this is over?"
~*~*~*~
Amadeo gently punched his cousin on a shoulder as they headed to their rooms. "So, whadda ya think?"
"It's great, Deo." Davyd looked around. "What did you help do?"
"Well, I worked on most of the fittins and stuff like that," Amadeo drawled. "So, do I get to meet ya boyfriend?"
"Yeah, yeah." Davyd smiled as he thought about Mikey. "I'm just glad we got to finish the show before this started."
"You were really great in that." Davyd shrugged, and Amadeo turned his cousin to face him. "You *were* really great in that."
"Father still didn't..."
"Yer Paw is a stuck up old coot who wouldn't know what love is if it came up and bit him on the ass. Now, let's go look at our rooms."
Dawn, Clark, X-men
Dawn and Clarke wandered around. "Nyx, this place is amazing!" Dawn said. "And it seems Ducky and Warren are enjoying it as well," she giggled. The room was big enough that Ducky and Warren were flying up near the ceiling, going around in circles and playhing a game of tag, of sorts.
"Nyx, that. . . thing over there, tried to eat the WIll O' The Wisps!" Theresa said, running up to Nyx in a bit of a panick. She pointed to a red-skinned demon who was smiling sheepishly. If you could call that a smile.
Giles
"Absolutely," Giles answered. "Although I am a bit unsure of having humans and demons in the same place."
Michael
Mikey came up to his boyfriend and threw his arms around him, kissing him sloppily on the cheek.
"Hi, Babe," he said, all starry-eyed and romantic-like. Then he looked at Amadeo.
"You must be Amadeo. I'm Michael Pitt," He said, holding out his right hand.
Nyx
Nyx entered into a discussion with the demon, growling and spitting. She looked back over with Theresa. "He says he didn't mean to, but they look like something from his home dimension that are good to eat. He'll tell the other demons not to eat them."
Priss
"Hast thee ever been to Caritas? The place has an antidemon violence spell on it. I am sure Nyx will not have neglected to put such a thing on Felidae Haven." Priss looked around calmly. "Besides, most of the demons she has invited are if not on the side of good, are planteaters. Although, there are some vampires. Oh, and a few trolls. And I think I saw an Onean. And where you get one Onean, there are usually about ten more around somewhere. I hope Nyx has stored enough food."
Davyd
"Amadeo Stagg," Amadeo said, shaking Mikey's hand. "Treat Davvy right and we won't have no problems a'tall, no suh." Davyd blushed, and Amadeo grinned. "Well, you're the only family member who's still speaking to me. I have to look after you."
"S'pose." Davyd ducked his head. "I just wish..."
"Does it look like it worry me none? I'd have to say that's a hell no. They don't want to talk to me cos of my choice in partners, I don't want to talk to them none either. It's an old argument between the two of us," Amadeo said offhandedly to Mikey. "Davvy gets so protective it's cute. So, what do you think about Felida Haven?"
Giles
"That is a good thing, Darling. Though I will have a hard time stopping my Slayers from killing them," he confessed.
"And I am sure that there is more than enough food," he declared.
Theresa
Theresa relaxed. "Oh, okay. Good. They were getting really scared."
Michael
"I'd have to say that Nyx has truly outdone herself," he declared. "And don't worry about me hurting Davie, it'll never happen," he promised, giving his boyfriend a peck on the cheek. "Speaking of boyfriends, I have somebody I want to introduce you to, Amadeo."
Davyd
Amadeo raised an eyebrow. "Y'all working purty fast there. Who says I want to be set up?"
Davyd laughed. "Don't worry, Deo. I'll make sure Mikey behaves himself." He looked at his boyfriend fondly.
Prisso
"No, no. They won't be able to. Watch." Priss went to hit Giles, her claws slicing through the air. A shimmer of light sprang up between her claws and his face. Priss's hand rebounded and she let her claws slide back into hiding. "It's a good spell. No hunting or fighting allowed. Name calling is the most anyone will be able to accomplish."
Gwen and Anya
Gwen nodded. She finished packing away the last of her things and tossed the bag into the corner of the room.
"Good idea."
***
Anya strode over and picked up a Star Wars action figure. She flipped it in her hands.
"I guess playing with them is out of the question?"
Mordred and Andrew
"Yeah...I just wish we could get her to come." Mordred packed away some of his shirts. "Even after everything that's happened, she's still my Mam. You know?"
~*~*~*~
Andrew gasped in horror. "Please, put that down Anya." He took the collectible carefully out of her hands and placed the figure back on the shelf. "No, you may not play with them. That's the point." He adjusted the pose slightly. "You're just meant to kinda...look at them."
Gwen and Anya
Gwen nodded and went over and rubbed his back gently.
"I spose you can't force her. I personally don't give a crap if my parents are out there. I hope they get bombed," Gwen said with a smirk to cover her frown that was threatening to form across her lips.
***
Anya stepped back.
"Right. It's a plastic thing. I bet it would melt really well in the microwave. I will never understand you and your human ways of just wanting to look at those things. They are all extremely small and toy shaped. Which should mean that we play with them."
Mordred and Andrew
Mordred chuckled slightly, and moved to cup her face. "You're a bautiful, wonderful person and they're the poorer for not having known ya. That's the worst punishment they could have."
~*~*~*~
Andrew gaped at Anya, before moving protectively in front of his action figures. "Don't listen to her! She doesn't know what she's saying." He gave her an almost pitying glance. "I will protect you, Darth Vader, Darth Maul. You will not be melted in the microwave. I can sense a disturbance in the Force!"
Gwen and Anya
Gwen kissed Mordred sweetly.
"So, shall we find the others?"
***
Anya stared at Andrew.
"That's disturbing. You are emotionally scarred and will end up badly."
Mordred and Andrew
"Yeah. I'm done." Mordred smiled at Gwen and wondered how he'd got so lucky. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. "I love you, mo cariad."
~*~*~*~
Andrew looked sheepish and shuffled his feet. "Well...maybe. But can you promise you won't melt them? Pleeeeeaaasseeeee?"
Gwen and Anya
Gwen nodded and blushed.
"I love you too."
***
Anya grinned and looked at the action figures.
"I'll try my hardest."
She glanced around the room.
"Hey, Red Riding Hood, did you bring Dungeons and Dragons?"
Mordred and Andrew
"Let's go have a look round then, angel." Mordred smiled at Gwen.
~*~*~*~
"I resent that remark about my cloak, but yes, I did bring it." Andrew stuck his hands in his pockets. "You know, it is becoming sort of a tradition. Apocalypse tomorrow, therefore bring out the Dungeons & Dragons. Do you tihink Giles and Xander would want to play again? I bet that we could find some new people to play as well."
Gwen and Anya
Gwen took Mordred's hand as they left their room.
"How big is this place anyway?"
***
Anya grinned.
"That game is boring and stupid and I have no use for any of it. Besides, we'll survive. Or most likely live long enough to watch most of our friends die first. And then we'll die."
Andrew and Mordred
"It *is* a moutain. I know of five levels. The bottom one where the water supply and generators are. Wildlife and general garden area. Farm and supply level, with everything we could need put away in little boxes. Residential, with everyone's rooms and stuff, and rec areas. And then there's the top level with Nyx's goodies to keep everything working," Mordred said as they started walking. "It's as big as a small city. Maybe bigger."
~*~*~*~
"You are really...depressing at times, you know that, Anya?" Andrew said slowly. "And Dungeons and Dragons is not boring and stupid. It is a test of one's mental abilities."
Gwen and Anya
Gwen nodded. "Heavy."
She followed Mordred through the corridors. "This is weird. Being here, I'm grateful, don't get me wrong. It's just... weird that the world is ending tomorrow."
***
Anya sighed. "Oh that's right, you humans and your sensitivity about death." She shook her head. "So... mental abilities. Means you have to be smart. Is this why you always lose?"
Mordred and Andrew
"I thought you'd be used to it by now, what with all the prophecies and stuff," Mordred teased. "What's that thing Dawn always says? Apocalypse, must be Tuesday?"
~*~*~*~
"Hey, I resent that!" Andrew looked put out. "My skills just happen to be a little subtler, that's all. So, are we going to look around or what? I want to use my key card." He looked at the piece of plastic admiringly.
Gwen and Anya
Gwen smiled.
"Yeah, just seems weird. Usually the prophecies and apocalypses are sorta mystical. But this time... it's not."
***
Anya playfully ruffled Andrew's hair.
"Come on then, you little monkey. We should probably find our cannon fodder anyway."
Mordred and Andrew
"Yeah, this time it's just humans doing what humans do best. Screwing up. Doesn't it make you glad not to be a normal person?" Mordred asked her halfseriously.
~*~*~*~
"You know, you probably shouldn't call them cannon fodder," Andrew said slightly reprovingly. "I don't think they like it much. We should see how they settled in anyway. Then we should probably see if we can find Giles and Xander."
Gwen and Anya
Gwen smiled.
"Yeah, it does... it's just human nature, I suppose. I mean, mankind is stupid and if we forget, they will remind us, time after time."
***
Anya rolled her eyes. "I don't call them that to their faces. What am I, insensitive?"
She paused.
"Xander? I'm suddenly finding myself sweaty and weak-kneed. Which I wouldn't normally be, if not for a certain awkward discussion he and I recently had immediately following some exciting and unexpected breakup sex."
Andrew and Mordred
"Oh god yes," Mordred said ververently. "Anyway, what say we go have us a bit of a look see round? Weren't all the lovely members of Angel Investigations coming here as well?" He made a face that showed his opinion of that.
~*~*~*~
Andrew blushed and a small squeak sound came out of his mouth.
Gwen and Anya
Gwen shrugged.
"Yeah I think so. Angel mentioned something vaguely."
***
Anya grabbed Andrew's arm and pulled him from the room.
"Come on. We'll go find our kids. Well, not our kids. But the kids we watch. And train. Because we are now Watchers."
Mordred and Andrew
"Well, as long as crossbow weilding psycho keeps his nasty pointed sticks to himself, I should be fine." Mordred pressed a quick kiss to Gwen's forehead. "Angel, Wesley, Cordy and Fred I didn't mind so much." He fumbled in his pocket for a cigarette before thankfully inhaling on the death stick.
~*~*~*~
"Yeah, and isn't that cool? We're like... the Oracle from the Matrix. All wise and all knowing. Or maybe like Morpheus." Andrew grinned. "Can I get a coat like Neo's?" He asked as he followed Anya out the door. "Beacuse that coat is seriously cool."
Gwen and Anya
Gwen grabbed the cigarette from Mordred's mouth and took a puff. She handed it back to him.
"Yeah, Connor's an arsebag."
***
Anya shook her head.
"Silly, silly man."
They walked out into the corridor and Anya looked around.
"Right, where are the girls?"
Mordred and Andrew
"He pointed a crossbow at my twin. Can I kill him, love? Promise you can watch." Mordred grinned wolfishly. He took his cigarette back for a few quick puffs. "You can even play, if there's anything left after Spike gets through with him."
~*~*~*~
"Um, they should be right along...here." Andrew looked at his map, then pointed to his left. "I think we have like this whole corridor to ourselves. There's a training room, gym and rec room with facilities down further."
Gwen and Anya
Gwen grinned.
"Fun. Nah, probably shouldn't. Angel has this thing where he thinks killing people is... you know, wrong."
***
Anya nodded.
"So we assemble them and make them beat each other to bloody pulps and we will take notes?"
Mordred and Andrew
"No, really?" Mordred dead panned. "Spike doesn't have a problem with killing people, and he has a soul. Angel...bah. Angel needs to remove the stake from his arse."
~*~*~*~
"Ummm, I think we're meant to make them stop before they beat each other ino bloody pulps," Andrew said slowly. "But we are meant to take notes. And advise them on how to fight better."
Gwen and Anya
Gwen shrugged.
"Hey, I don't know, I just work there."
She squeezed Mordred's hand and took his cigarette from him again and puffed on it.
***
Anya nodded.
"Alright, well then we'll let them train. And we'll watch. Do you think there are wheelchairs here? And if so, I would very much like to have another wheelchair fight."
Mordred and Andrew
"Well, let's go have a look around anyway," Mordred suggested as he stole his smoke back off her. "I want to see what Nyx has done with the place."
~*~*~*~
Andrew smiled gleefully. "Yes! That was so much fun. I bet Nyx would have bought some. We'd just have to find 'em. Oh, that would be seriously cool." He grinned at Anya and bounced slightly. "Let's do that."
Gwen and Anya
Gwen stubbornly stole the smoke back from him.
"Man, I wish I'd brought some. Oh well, I'm content to have yours. And yes, let's explore."
***
Anya grinned back at Andrew, a mischievious twinkle in her eye. She looked up to see Kennedy prowling out of her room.
"Hello Kennedy."
Kennedy looked up. "Oh hey."
"Can we get you to assemble to cannon fo- uh, the other girls? Andrew and I thought you might like to do some training."
Mordred and Andrew
"Yeah, well, you would be. I hope Nyx stocked a lot of cigarettes. I can think of at least one vampire who's gonna be unhappy if he runs out of smokes and JD." Mordred grinned, then got a new cigarette out of his pocket. "I'm sure it didn't slip her mind though."
~*~*~*~
"I thought you said you weren't going to call them that!" Andrew hissed at Anya before smiling weakly at Kennedy. "Yeah. We just wanted to make sure you all knew your moves. It's not going to be pretty when we go back up there. Think...Reign of Fire or something."
Gwen and Anya
Gwen smiled charmingly.
"Well, if you're going to get all snarky, I'll move in with someone else."
She wrapped her arm around Mordred's waist.
"No, I couldn't do that."
***
Anya smiled cheerfully as they stopped outside thew bathroom.
"Yes, many of you will die. But you can watch the girls. You're tough. Imminent death doesn't bother you."
Kennedy looked at Andrew in confusion. "I'll go get the girls." She paused. "It's going to be bad... are you scared?"
"Are you nuts? Of course I am. Observe my-my bitter ranting. Hear the shrill edge of hysteria in my voice."
"Um... yeah, I'll go get the girls."
"Fine, go. Leave me here with Andrew, to stew in my impotent rage. I'm also wanting to pee, so you should both probably go."
Mordred and Andrew
"Like ya would leave me. If I can stay with you through PMS, you can stay with me through withdrawal." Mordred grinned at her. "And that happens once a month."
~*~*~*~
"Uh, yeah, we'll kinda go." Andrew and Kennedy beat a hasty retreat. "It's probably not going to be as bad as she says," he said weakly to Kennedy.
"Yeah, cos that was real reassuring back there."
"That's just Anya. She...tends to think about death a lot. You'll get used to it." He gathered the Potentials together and used his keycard to open the door to the training room. "Voila." He opened the large double doors, then literally gaped at the state of the art gym and weapons training facility that lay in front of him. "Ok, this is beyond cool. This is beyond even the Matrix Reloaded."
Gwen and Anya
Gwen stuck her tongue out.
"You're lucky I love you."
She pinched a cigarette from his pocket and lit it up. She stuck her tongue out again.
"Filthy habit, smoking," she grinned.
***
Anya sauntered into the training room and whistled.
"This room is large and filled with lots of dangerous equipment. But you all have fun with it."
She went over to inspect the weapons.
"Hey Andrew, you looking to learn how to use a sword?"
Mordred and Andrew
"Yeah, filthy disgusting habit." Mordred grinned back at her. "Aren't we nasty to have such a disgusting habit?"
~*~*~*~
"Wow, really? That would be so beyond cool, I mean," Andrew made an attempt to look nonchalant while the Potentials giggled, "uh, sure I guess."
Miguel and Michael
"Even so, he'll be a nice friend. He and I sorta kinda dated for about 2 days, and then realized that there was no chemistry between us. Wait here." He went over to Miguel and led the blue-skinned mutant over to the cousins.
"Miguel, this is my boyfriend Davyd, and this is his cousin Amadeo. This is Miguel Alvarez," he introduced. Then got a look on his face. "Four gay mutants in a bomb shelter, there has to be a polotical joke here somewhere," he mused.
Giles
"Yes, it is a very good spell," Giles declared. "But will it interfere with sparring and training?" he wondered.
Davyd
"Probably." Amadeo grinned. "Nice to meet y'all, Miguel."
"Same here," Davyd said.
Priss
"The question is intent, Giles. I really did mean to hit thee." Priss smiled slowly. "I am sure Nyx will not have neglected to release the training rooms from the spell. She is quite good at such things, sometimes better then I."
Giles and Orlando
Giles pondered this. "Well, she is the elder sister," he said. At then, Orlando walked up to them, carrying Ophelia.
"Miss Priss, do you know where the water is? My sister has just taken ill."
Michael? One of Joy's chars anyway...
"Hola. I am. . pleasing to meet you," he said, as he shook their hands.
Priss
"Age has nothing to do with it," Priss said with great dignity to Giles, then she turned to look at Orlando and Ophelia. "Nyx set up a maritime habitat, and several stream or river habitats. Thee would need the salt water one, verily?"
Davyd
"What do y'all think of Felidae Haven?" Amadeo asked with a grin on his face. Davyd laughed softly and hit him on the arm. "Hey! What was all that for?"
"Just because you want to show off..."
"Well, I did help build it. Nyx needed an architect. Building is what I do," Amadeo explained. "Of course, there's gonna be a lot of call for my talents when this is done, yes suh."
Orlando and Ophelia
"Yes, please, ma'am," Orlando said, as Ophelia curled up tighter in his arms, changing into her mer form without even noticing. He followed Priss to the sea habitat, which was filled with sea life and kelp, and many other things. Orlando placed his sister in the pool and she went down deep, and then floated up.ng fa
"Orli, I don't feel very well," she said. Melissa, who was at the other end of the compound, felt somebody in physical pain. She followed the feeling until it got stronger.
"Hello, I"m Melissa, and I'm a healer, could you use some help?" she asked Orlando.
"My sister, she's taken ill, suddenly," he said. Melissa went to her, and held her hands over Ophelia's chest, concentrating. Suddenly Ophelia smiled.
"Oh, I feel so much better, thank you!" ahe said, and she kissed Melissa's cheek and placed a blessing on her.
"Your life will be full of great treasures," she said to Melissa. "I can tell. You are an innately good person, I can sense it. And that is a rare gift indeed," Feelie said.
"I am Ophelia, you can call me Feelie. I think I've seen you around the school."
"Yeah, I've been there for a couple of weeks."
"Well, I think we have the potential to be great friends," Ophelia replied. "I'd like to get to know you better. Oh, and this is my brother, Orlando."
"Hello. Thank you so much for healing my sister."
"No problem. It's what I do."
Michael and Miguel
"According to mi hermana, my sister, there will be much need for your," he paused, "services. I have two sisters. They be twins. One sees the past, other sees the future," Miguel explained.
"And they are very beautiful," Michael said.
"It is funny, you saying that," Miguel said. "You are such a big queen!"
Mikey feigned shock. "Who me? Couldn't be!"
Gwen and Anya
Gwen simply batted her eyelashes innocently.
"Absolutely. Filthy. Really."
***
Anya smiled as she picked up a sword and tossed it over to Andrew, hoping he'd be alright to catch it.
"Right, well I'll see what I can do."
Priss
Priss smiled. "I think I needs must find my belongings and get settled in."
Davyd
Davyd chuckled and Amadeo just raised an eyebrow.
"Anyway, did y'all find your rooms alright?" Amadeo asked. "If ya can't find 'em, use your keycards. They have a map engraved on them, but Nyx put a finding spell on them too. Put her out for a day or so, bespelling all those keycards, yes suh. They'll help you find your way, so be careful not to lose 'em."
"Yes, Deo." Davyd rolled his eyes.
"Hey, I ain't the one who lost his-" Davyd clapped his hand over Amadeo's mouth. The Southerner grinned.
"We're not going into that." A deep blush stained Davyd's cheeks.
Mordred
"You're lucky I love you," Mordred said in a long suffering voice. "Ya bum me smokes and ya don't have any respect..."
~*~*~*~
Andrew yelped in surprise, then caught the sword hand awkwardly. He looked up and beamed. "Hey, I caught it! Wow." The Potentials giggled.
Gwen and Anya
Gwen grinned and kissed Mordred's nose. She reached into his pocket and nicked another cigarette, tucking it into her own pocket.
"Love you."
***
"Yes, you're a very big manly man, and all that. Now, attack me and I'll block it, and we'll see how you go."
Anya lifted her sword, preparing herself for Andrew's attack.
Kennedy clapped her hands. "Right, girls, line up!"
Mordred
"Well, I'm glad to know that..." Mordred grinned. "You know, you could just ask."
~*~*~*~
Andrew hefted the sword amateurishly. "Um. You do know I really, really suck at this, don't you? Well, the actual physical aspects of it because I'm really good at Baldur's Gate, which I should let you play sometime. You'd like it, I think. It's like Dungeons and Dragons on the computer..."
Anya and Gwen
Gwen pouted.
"But asking is no fun."
She smiled sweetly and kissed him.
***
Anya deflected Andrew's first attack.
"Ok, next time, aim a little higher. That way you would be stabbing my heart. Which you won't be. But you would be if I was a demon. Again. An evil demon."
Kennedy looked at the girls now lined up in front of her. "Ok, do we remember? Punch block combo and a cross block kick. Ready? Go!"
She walked back and forth, watching them train. "Punch block combo! Now, cross block kick!"
Anya looked up from her training with Andrew. "Hey you... crazy little girl with the orange jumper. That was wrong. Drop and give us twenty."
"Twenty what?"
"Twenty dollars. I like money."
Kennedy scowled. "Twenty push ups, maggot!" She turned to Andrew and Anya and smiled. "Did you see that? I called her a maggot! I love this job!"
Mordred and Andrew
"You are one odd chit." Mordred smiled fondly, then opened a door with his keycard. "Ooh, megamovie theatre..."
~*~*~*~
"Um, that wasn't really nice..." Andrew said slowly, then yelped as Anya swung her sword down at him. He blocked it awkwardly. "Hey, I wasn't ready!"
Gwen and Anya
Gwen smiled as she looked into the room.
"Cool. And I'm not odd. Well I am, but it's what gives me my charm. Yup."
***
Anya grinned triumphantly.
"But you blocked it, didn't you?"
Kennedy clapped again. "Right, from the top!"
Mordred and Andrew
"What say we set up a movie? I worked in a movie theater once, this can't be that different, surely..." Mordred found a lightswitch and flicked on the lights.
~*~*~*~
"Yeah, I guess I did..." Andrew looked thoughtful, then beamed proudly. "I will be a Jedi Knight one day!"
Gwen and Anya
Gwen grinned and squinted in the sudden light. She walked in and looked around.
"Well, Nyx thought of everything."
***
"Yeah... use the force. Or whatever."
Anya put the sword down for a second. "It's instinctive, you see. When it comes to crunch time... you'll most likely die. But you'll die fighting."
Mordred and Andrew
"She's a smart kitty," Mordred agreed as he went up the back and rummaged around in the movie reels. "Well, she's well stocked, that's fer sure. What do ya want to watch? Cartoon, chick flick, action, sci-fi...?"
~*~*~*~
"That's...really not comforting," Andrew said weakly. "I'd really prefer not to die at all, thanks. I don't think you'd waste a restore spell on me, like Willow did for Buffy. And I've done ok so far. I haven't gotten a single scar."
Gwen, Anya and Kennedy
Gwen picked out a movie and Mordred put it on.
They watched it together in silence, holding hands the entire time.
***
Anya shrugged.
"I doubt you'll die. You have the brains and courage to run and hide when you need to. Plus, once I've taught you a few things, no one will mess with you."
Anya and Andrew continued to train with Kennedy and the other potentials for much of the night.
Giles
"Yes, I do agree, dear," Giles said. "Do you know where are room is?"
Michael
"Ooh, tell me, tell me!" Mikey begged, bouncing around. Then he looked at Amadeo. "Davie sure does blush a lot, doesn't he?"
Davyd
Amadeo removed Davyd's hand from his mouth. "It's one of those things that make all the girls cry when they realise he's gay."
"Shut *up*, Deo...should we start with when what the hell was her name again? The cheerleader with the biggest breasts I have ever seen started stripping cos you used your Charm on her?"
"Chrissie Belle?" Amadeo shrugged. "I still hadn't got the knack of it yet. She never lived it down though." He grinned. "Served her right, the shrill toungued bitch. And what she said about you."
Davyd shrugged uncomfortably. "Anyway. So, what's Nyx like?"
"Friendly enough, smart but dear God, don't let her drink coffee." Amadeo rolled his eyes.
Priss
Priss lifted her keycard and smiled gleefully. "Observe, Watcher. Priss and Giles's room, please." The keycard hummed in her hand and one side of it lit up with a blue glow. She turned the card around in her hand and the glow shifted so it was still facing the right direction. "And thou canst ask it directions to other rooms as well. Forsooth, training room, please." The glow shifted to the opposite side. "Giles's and Priss's room, please." It returned to the original edge.
Michael and Miguel
Mikey and Miguel shuddered. "Oh please Lord no!" Mikey said. "She's scary enough when she ISN'T bouncing off the walls!
They all laughed.
Giles
"That is really quite ingenious!" Giles said, amazed. "Your sister never fails to amaze me. And neither do you," he said, kissing her cheek.
Priss
"Thou art so sweet," Priss smiled. "Come. I want to see what else my sister has done." They retrieved their belongings and followed Priss's keycard to their room. Priss swi[ed the keycard carefully through the electronic lock and opened the door. "Oohhh," she sighed as she entered the room.
Davyd
"Ah." Davyd nodded. "Well, I want to see my room."
"You're all in the same part of the complex as the mansion people," Amadeo said. "Nyx thought it would be better to have mutants and humans in the same place. Just...watch out for some of the people who you might think are human. There's vampires here too."
"YOu're joking me, right?"
"Nuh suh. There's a whole section for just demons. I'll point out Luka, Rosemary and the rest. They...are a bit touchy sometimes."
Miguel and Michael
"There is nothing wrong with some demons," Miguel said. "My younger brother is half-brachen. His father was a man named Doyle."
"Oh," Mikey said, "I think Cordelia told me about him the last time I visited AI. He was a half-demon himself."
"Yes. And my younger sisters are half alien/half mutant. Enrique is half Brakken/half mutant, and I am all mutant. Our mother wasa working girl," he said, his eyes on the floor. She did what she needed to in order to support herself and her children.
Giles
"It is a beautiful room," Giles agreed. "Nyx, Amadeo, and the decorator all did wonderful jobs."
Sabre
Priss moved into the bedroom area, the rooms tastefully decorated in wooden furnishings and cream and ivory tones. She placed her bag on the fourposter bed and stroked the head of one of the cats twining up the bedposts. "I'd almost forgotten she had this..." Priss smiled in memory.
Davyd
Amadeo shrugged. "I'll let y'all in on a little secret. My mama was a chorus girl, working in the sinful pits of Joey's stripclub, until she was saved by the grace of God, allulia!" Davyd snickered.
"Just a little bit bitter today aren't ya?"
"I can mock my Paw if I so choose. After all, I'm gonna burn in hell." Amadeo rolled his eyes. "Unless I COME BACK TO THE LORD! REPENT, CHILDREN, REPENT of your sinful ways lest ye go down to the PIT! Ya want Satan to getcha? Cos, he's watching ya. You better obey the commandants of the Lord and be saved in the name of our sweet Jesus Christ, oh bless you, sister, bless you. Put some money in the basket to SAVE YOUR IMMORTAL SOULS!" Amadeo boomed out like a Missippi preacer, one of the hell and brimstone ones as he raised his hands above his head. Davyd was weak kneed with laughter. Amadeo smirked.
"YOur father rang again, didn't he?"
"Oh, lordy yes. I'm gonna burn in hell. No doubt about it. Because I love men like a man should love a woman. Bitter twisted old coot. But I havta say, if people like him are going to Heaven, I don't know if I wanna go there."
Giles
Giles grinned. "This bed is truly fitting of your family," he got an evil look on his face. "Care to try it out?"
Priss
"Hmm..." Priss smiled slowly, then bent over the bed to look behind the white pillows. She giggled. "Oh, it's *that* bed." She showed Giles the iron rings set into the bedhead, with a bit of a gleam in her eyes. "Should we let Ripper out to play?"
Giles
"Only for you, my dear," he said, and in a very catlike fashion, he pushed her back onto the bed and pounced on her.
Priss
Priss chuckled. "Chest. Bottom of the bed. Look in it. If I know Nyx..." Her words trailed off suggestively as she put her hands over her head. She smiled almsot demurely at Giles but the mischief dancing through her eyes ruined it.
Miguel
"I don't know what I believe," Miguel said, honestly. "I grew up in a Catholic enrionment, but mi madre fue working around demons, mutants, aliens, everything, always. Go we would sometimes to the demon bars. Met many strange 'people,' I did, Many of whom the Pope would say will be in Hell. But they took care of us after our mother died of AIDS." Mikey put an arm around the blue mutant reassuringly.
Amadeo
"People never get it's what on the inside that counts, not the outside. Who the hell cares if they're classified as demon? Doesn't mean they can't be good." Amadeo shrugged. "Sorry to hear about your mama, Miguel."
Miguel
Miguel smiled. "Gracias. And I'm sorry your parents are such culos."
Davyd
"It's their problem." Amadeo shrugged. "I'm happy not to speak to them. It's the threatening phonecalls I could do without."
Davyd looked uncomfortable, looking down. "Yeah..."
"Davvy. Look at me. The way your father acts is not your fault."
Davyd just shrugged.
Michael
"Yeah Baby," Mikey said, kissing him on the cheek. "Some people are just born stupid, there's nothing you can do about it. And if they can't accept you, then they must have been born stupid. Just know that I love you, and that's what matters."
Davyd
"I love you," Davyd told Mikey quietly, heart shining in his brown eyes.
"Darlin'. Just absolutely darlin'," Amadeo declared, winking at Miguel. Davyd without looking at Amadeo, reached out and punched him hard on the arm. "Now what y'all want to go and do that for?"
"You're being annoying."
"It's part of my job. To make you stop taking yourself too seriously. He broods," Amadeo told Mikey. "Y'all havta watch that."
"I do not."
"Do too."
"Now you're just being juvenile."