It had taken a bit of planning, but the three schools in Cleveland had arranged a dinner party of sorts for all the staff. Nothing fancy, just a way for all the staff and faculty to get to know each other before they attempted to introduce a bunch of teenagers. It was in the banquet all of the Watcher Academy, and there was music and food. No alcohol, of course, because nobody wanted to offend the Order.
"You don't need to keep hiding in the corner," Kate Connor told Maura. "They're Paladins and Watchers, they all know about pixies."
"Just a little nervous, I guess," she said. "So many people."
"I think Tygeth is more nervous than you," Kate pointed out. "He's not used to being inside. Willow had to doo a spell, to make carpeting appear under his hooves. They kepts slipping and scuffing on the floor."
Eron XIII and Helen
Eron XIII, his wife, Helen, a number of the school staff, and a selected few other members of their Order arrived at the dinner party. There was a young blacksmith, Ethan, and Eron was rather surprised to find that his brother Barak, the "true paladin" was coming. Eron would have figured that Barak would have seen attending the party as going against his vow of industry, but as it turned out, Barak had decided that it was an opportunity to meet people he may be able to learn things from. Barak was always open to learning new things, although some topics tended to go over his head.
"There are certainly a number of different creatures here," Helen observed. "I didn't expect to see so much variety. Why Eron! Is he the centaur you were telling me about?"
Eron smiled.
"Yes, my dear. Tygeth."
"He looks a little uncomfortable in here. Come, you must introduce me."
"Certainly, my dear," and he escorted his wife over to Tygeth.
Tygeth
"Eron," Tygeth said. "Nice to see you again. Is this your wife?"
Eron XIII, Helen, Ethan and Melaina
"Yes," Eron said. "Tygeth, this is my wife, Helen. Helen, this is Tygeth."
"It is a pleasure to meet you," she said.
Meanwhile, Ethan was mingling with everyone. The young blacksmith felt a little out of place here. Just as he was beginning to feel really fidgety (and wishing he was back at his anvil), he spotted a young lady who looked like she was feeling out of place too. Getting his nerve, he approached her.
"Good evening," he said. "I'm Ethan, and you are?"
"Melaina," she replied, turning to smile at him.
"That's a very pretty name."
"Thank you. Are you from the Paladin school?"
"Well, I'm from the Order of Light anyway. I'm a blacksmith."
"Oh? That must be interesting. I'm a slayer, but I also teach domestic science."
"Really?"
And the two continued their conversation.
John and Kate
John and Kate were making sure to meet all the Paladin School staff, but John was particularly interested in meeting the warriors. Barak was pointed out to him, so he decided to say hello.
"Hello, I'm John Connor," he said, holding out his hand to the older man.
Barak
"Barak Hart," Barak replied, shaking his hand. "And what do you do here?"
Barak was not one for idle chit chat.
Willow
"I teach combat training, military training, and mechanics," John said. "I'm in charge of the less 'traditional' weapons training," he said with a chuckle. "How about you?"
Meanwhile, Willow saw Tygeth talking to Eron and Helen, and decided to join them.
"So, everybody making new friends?" she asked cheerfully.
Barak, Eron XIII and Helen
"I'm a Paladin," Barak replied. "Combat training, you say? Would you care to spar sometime? I'm always interested in improving my skills."
"Oh yes," Eron smiled. "Willow, this is my wife, Helen. Helen, this is Willow - she's co-runs the slayer school."
"Really?" Helen inquired. "Oh, I say, may I have a word with you in private?"
Willow
"Well, I mainly teach the girls how to defeat androids, cyborgs, and evil soldiers, but sure. If you're really up to a challenge, I'd suggest sparring with one of our older girls, Darcy, or Friday. Friday is half Dathrian, so she's stronger, and Darcy has been trainig since she was about 8," John said.
*****
"Sure," Willow said, as she and Helen moved to a more quiet corner. "What did you want to talk to me about, ma'am?"
Barak and Helen
"Dathrian blood makes your slayers stronger?" Barak inquired. "And what's this about androids and cyborgs, if you don't mind my asking? I have taken one down - as I believe my brother Eron mentioned - we seem to be building a collection the last few months or so."
***********
"Please, Helen will do," Helen said. "There is a young cleric, Gwyneth - she's just over there..."
Helen pointed out a brown-haired girl.
"She's a mutant - hydrokinesis. But she's developed some new powers recently that are neither mutant, nor cleric. And they're not demonic in nature either. I was hoping you might have an idea? Or perhaps you may know someone who could tell us?"
Willow
"Well," John said. "According to the Slayer legends, at the dawning of the world, a bunch of 'holy men' took a little girl and chained her to the earth. Then they cursed her, not blessed- cursed, her with super strength and preternatural senses, and forced her to fight the demons for them. Then as our own history tells us, humans began to mutate, and aliens joined us on earth. These different species cross-bred, and we have hybrids, right? Well, we originally thought that slayer potential was passed only through the human lines. But Willow did some sort of magical test on Friday Black, and it seems that because she is of two origins, she recieved two 'helpings' of Slayer powers, if that makes any sense," John said. "None of this really makes any sense to me. Kate tried to explain it, but it still all flies over my head. And as for the cyborgs and androids, that's my specialty. You didn't by any chance happen to the remains of the one destoryed, did you?' JOhn asked eagerly. "I'm trying to reprogram as many as I can find, but unfortunately, taking them down seems to damage their processors. If we can break the codes, we can program them to take each other down," John explained. "Well, that's what I'm hoping."
****
Willow only needed a cursory look at Gwyneth to know what she was, and had to chuckle.
"Do you think you could introduce me? We've never had a Slayer Cleric before," Willow said to Helen, with an excited smile.
*****
Jesse Tuck was mingling the best he could, when an old man came up to him quite upset.
"No, it's not possible," he said. "It's not possible."
"Pardon?" Jesse asked, quite confused. The old man drew out a dagger, and held it at Jesse's throat.
"Explain to me how you haven't aged in 80 years?"
Gwyn
Barak nodded.
"I don't recall who took down the first one, but they brough the remains to the Order. Since then, everyone who has managed to take one down has brought back what pieces remained. They're so destructive - we've been trying to figure out how to deal with these creatures. We can't let them continue this rampage," Barak pounded his fist into his hand, feeling very passionate about the subject.
**********
"Certainly," Helen said. "A slayer you say? That certainly explains things."
Helen escorted Willow over to where Gwyn was standing awkwardly.
"Gwyn?" she said. "This is Willow, co-head of the slayer school. Willow, this is Gwyneth, one of our youngest Clerics."
**********
"Alfred!" Ethan exclaimed. "What are you doing?"
Melaina looked up, but not in alarm for Jesse's safety, knowing he couldn't be hurt.
Gwyn and Willow
"Their goal is to wipe out the human race," John said. "What's going on over there?" he wondered, seeing an old man holding a dagger at Jesse's throat.
*****
"Hello," Gwyn said, curtseying.
"Hello," Willow said. "Helen was telling me you've recently developed some unexpected new powers?"
"Yes," Gwyn said shyly.
"Well, you have the aura of a Slayer. I'd bet that because you've been surrounded by the Order, nobody was able to recognize you as a Potential, so you recieved your powers last year when I activated all the potentials."
"That explains a lot, huh," Gwyn said to Helen.
****
"I asked you a question," Alfred said. "My eyesight may not be what it was, but I recognize you. You obviously do not recognize me. Let me refresh your memory," the old man said. "1924, Boston. You were posing as a Sunday School teacher."
"Alfie?" Jesse said, as recognition dawned on him. "Little Alfie? I remember you now. You were seven, and loved to put frogs in the girls' desks."
"I ask again. What are you?"
Barak, Helen and Ethan
Barak moved to the ready. He had known Alfred a long time, and respected the man. Nonetheless, he would not let Alfred hurt the boy without due cause - like if he turned out to be undead or something. Although, Barak could sense he wasn't undead, or demon. But he was... something.
**********
"It certainly does," Helen agreed. "Well, I must say it is a weight off my mind to know... Would you like to be enrolled in this school, Gwyn? You're at the stage where Clerics may start adventuring with Knights and Paladins, so you won't be missing anything - of course, the Church will always be open to you either way."
**********
Ethan looked confused, uncertain was to what to do. The tension in the air was drawing thick.
Willow and Gwyn
"It seems that that man was one of Jesse's students," John said. "Jesse's Immortal, he doesn't age."
*******
"We'd be welcome to have you," Willow said. ""How old are you?"
"Nineteen."
"Have you finished high school?"
"Yes," Gwyn said.
"Well, considering your background, you're probably ahead of a lot of the other girls already," Willow said. "But I can help you to interpret the slayer dreams and memories."
"Is that what they are?" Gwyn asked, interested? "I've been having these dreams, or memories of sorts but they're not my memories."
"They're like race memories. They're supposed to help you hone your senses. And speaking of senses, why is one of your men threatening one of my teachers?" Willow asked.
*****
All the room's attention was on them.
"Almost 200 years ago, my family moved to America as settlers. We were travelling through the woods and we found a spring. It was the Spring of Eternal Life. BUt it wasn;t a blessing, it was a curse," Jesse explained. "I haven't aged since I was 17."
"Why should I believe you?" Alfred asked.
"Search your heart, Alfie. I was in the church, I wear a cross, I held the Bible, all these are signs I'm not a demon."
"He's telling the truth," Willow said over the room that had grown quiet. "The spring has been destroyed now, but he, his brother, his parents, and his horse are immortal." Alfred lowered his dagger.
"I am so sorry, Teacher," he said quietly.
Barak, Helen, Ethan and Melaina
Barak stood down.
"I see," he said. "Yes... that explains things."
And he turned back to John.
"So they want to destory the human race too?" he inquired. "It seems a common goal for undead and demons."
**********
Helen shook her head at the display, then turned to Gywn.
"I'll leave you to become aquainted," she said with a nod.
And Helen headed back to her husband.
**********
Ethan looked relieved.
"He couldn't have hurt Jesse," Melaina said mildly.
Gwyn and Willow
"Well," John said. "I guess they all seem to think they're better than us."
~*~*~
Gwyn and Willow talked a while longer, before Willow called for everybody's attention.
"All right, everybody, it's time for dinner, if everybody would be seated," she asked, gesturing towards the long table.
"We mixed everybody around, in an effort to get to know each other, so just look for your placecard."
Melaina
Everyone began moving to their places. Certainly the tables were all equally populated with Slayer, Watcher, and Paladin school personal.
Melaina was not at all disapointed to find out that she was across the table from Ethan.
Willow and Gwyn
Tygeth excused himself saying that he wanted to go check on the animals, but everyone knew he just didn't want to be inside anymore.
"How do you do?" Jamie Doyle said to Barak, who was on his right. "I'm James Doyle, but you can call me Jamie."
*****
"So Gwyn, why don't you tell me about yourself," Willow asked.
"Well, I'm a Cleric. I have the powers of Bless and I'm working on Dazzle. I'm also a hydrokinetic."
"That's very interesting. Can you Bless yourself?" Rosalind, who was across from Gwyn asked. "I'm a hydrokinetic as well."
"Yes," Gwyn said. "It comes in handy as I can make my own holy water."
"It will certainly come in handy," Willow said, "In fighting vampires and demons."
Barak, Helen and Kate C
"I am good, thank you," Barak replied. "My name is Barak Hart, but everyone calls me Barak. So.. Jamie, what do you do?"
**********
"So, when's the big day?" Helen asked, "if you don't mind my asking?"
"February," Kate replied, patting her belly. "It was totally unexpected, and it was also the reason why my husband and I decided to stop running. And, of course, Willow offered us jobs here, so..."
Helen nodded.
Jamie, John, Brennan and Braedon
"I'm a Watcher," Jamie answered, "And a teacher at the Watcher Academy. There are 36 members of my family currently involved in the school, mincluding both teacher and students. We all become Watchers, it was decided long ago. That's my eldest daughter," he said, gesturing to Ardara, "My parents run the school now, and my siblings and I teach."
~*~*~
"So, are you looking forward to the big day?" Brennan asked John.
"I can take down androids, cyborgs and demonjs without breaking a sweat. But the thaught of fatherhood scared me to death!"
"It's not that bad," Brennan said.
"Well, not all the time, at least," Braedon joked from a few spots down the table.
Barak, Susie and Ethan
Barak looked at who Jamie was pointing out and nodded.
"As I understand it, Watchers train and otherwise take care of slayers?" he questioned. "Brain to their brawn?"
**********
"Really?" Susie asked. "That's quite interesting."
Ethan nodded, the two entering a discussion of the faith of the Order of Light.
Gwyn
"That pretty well sums it up," Jamie said. "Some Watcher's take vows to protect certain things, such as the monks that guarded the Key, and some Watchers choose to fight. But mainly we thrive on knowledge. We read, and learn, and teach. Knowledge is what keeps us going, empassions us, and gives meaning to our lives. Knowledge and love. Of course," Jamie added, "physical relationships are forbidden between watcher's and slayers, but it is very common for watchers to intermarry, which is why there are so many complete families in the school"
*****
"Is it true that you are 200 years old?" Gwyn asked Jesse Tuck.
"Nearly," he replied. "And unfortunately. I tire of being 17 forever. My older brother, Miles, got so angry, after he lost his first wife and his children, never growing older- that he ran off, looking for wars to fight. He's fought in every one for the last 150 years."
Barak and Susie
"I see," Barak nodded. "What is the Key, if I'm not intruding?"
Common curtosy, one must be tactful without getting sucked into the riduclas depths of socal ettiqute.
**********
Susie was lapping up the information that Ethan gave her with great interest. Perhaps there was something in it that might help her end the curse on her life.
Gwyn
"Not so much a what, as a who," Jamie said. "The Key is energy. a Tesseract in pure form. The monks gave her a human body and turned the energy into a teenaged girl. I'm sure you will meet her at some point. She visits the Slayer school often, I'm told, as she has many friends there."
*****
"So, Melaina, what's it like being a Slayer?" Gwyn asked. "I'm a little apprehensive of starting more training."
Barak and Melaina
"And what is she the key to?" Barak asked.
**********
Melaina shrugged, then grinned.
"A real hassle when you have vampires knocking on your dorm door," she said. "I was at collage when my powers turned up. Believe me, trying to juggle slaying, slayer training and your career education at the same time? Now that's stress. Many is the time I got my watcher to do my homework for me."
Gwyn
"She is the Key," Jamie said. "There are other magical items and people who have to be protected, and occasionally a watcher or groups of watchers will take v ows, or swear an oath of protection. We then refer to them as monks, for they forsake everything but the protection of what they've sworn to. One of my brothers-in-law is brother to such a monk. He has vowed to protect a magical text with the power to raise the dead. Unfortunately, raising the dead always has consequences."
~*~*~*~
"Are the other girls nice?" Gwyn asked Melaina. She never had many friends, and non outside the Order. She was afraid the other slayers wouldn't like her.
Barak and Melaina
Barak nodded knowlingly.
"Yes," he said. "I have often needed to cull the work of some necromancer."
He decided not to comment on the fact that Jamie didn't answer his question.
**********
"Mostly," Melaina replied. "There are a few that stand out as being particularily bitchy, but you get that."
Jamie
Jamie hoped that Barak wouldn't be offended, but he couldn't r eveal anything about Dawn without her permission, it just wouldn't be right.
"It's a tricky business, eh?" Jamie said, "Raising the dead. I heard a story about a girl who was brought back to life, and her soul had been in heaven. SHe was ripped out, and put back in her body, and she hated her friends afterwards, because she felt like she was in hell on earth."
Barak
Barak raised an eyebrow.
"Why did they raise her in the first place? Frankly, I destest the raising of the dead in all forms. More trouble than it's worth, and it's certainly not fair on the soul in question - they should be allowed to rest. Although, if they went to hell they're doomed either way I suppose."
Willow
"Because she was a vampire Slayer, and at that point there were only two. The other opne was in prison at the time. Also, because they were foolish children," Jamie said.
"Yes, indeed," Willow said, joining in their conversation. "I was a foolish, selfish, vain, power-mad young witch. I learned a lesson that I never should have had to learn in the first place."
Jamie felt a little guilty, as he had forgotten that Willow was one of the people involved.
Barak
Barak glanced between Jamie and Willow and raised his eyebrows.
"I see," he said. "And is the slayer in question still with us? Or was she finally allowed to rest?"
Willow
"Buffy rests in peace now," Willow said. "She had long-forgiven us for childish mistakes."
*****
"What are you hoping for?" Ardara asked Kate. "Boy or girl?"
"Well, I know I'm supposed to say 'I just want him or her to be healthy,' but really, I'd like a girl." Kate admitted.
Barak
Barak nodded.
"Good," he said. "And I also see that the lack of slayer problem has been resolved."
Ending as written by Joy
The evening moved on, and the tables were soon full of empty plates, and people began saying their goodnights.