This piece of fanfic contains scenes of violence-possibly graphic-depending on your interpretation of the word...so I've given it a...
Rating:R (uk 15)...please respect the conventions behind such ratings...they are there for a reason!
Title:Transition-Part 1.
Author:Emily First.
Feedback:Yes please.(be kind?..be gentle?..be sweet?)
Timeline:Divergent (from "Doppelgangland"-after VampWillow arrives in Sunnydale).This is turning into post season 5.(Buffy was never gone!).
Note:Thanx,Xita...hope I got it right.
Disclaimer:All characters belong to the owners of the TVshow-we only borrowed them to play with.
WARNING!...If you are in any way likely to be offended stop reading now!
#
Transition--by Emily First.
Part 1.
In a place far,far away-just nearby,"So...it begins."
***
It was a beautiful evening;there was no moon,the sky was clear and Tara could see for millions of years.
It had been very quiet Demony wise for a couple of weeks in Sunnydale,so this was more a stroll round the usual places than an active patrol.Willow and Buffy were discussing fashion,which for some reason seemed to involve a lot of giggling and posturing like catwalk models.
There was a crash from a nearby alleyway and Tara turned to see a pair of legs sticking out from a dumpster as whomever was trapped tried to regain their balance and wriggle back out.
Tara started to giggle as Spike finally managed to get back onto his feet."You...you looked just like a rolled over tortoise waving it's legs in the air."
"Well,thanks very much,missus.I'm glad you were amused."
Buffy and Willow had turned round as well and just stood and watched Spike as he tried to regain his composure in front of an attentive audience.
"Watcha doin' Spike?"
"Nothin' to concern yourself with Slayer.I was just looking for some new gear.For some reason the shops in Sunnydale seem to close before sundown."
Buffy was about to respond to this piece of cheek,when suddenly...
"Thwreeeeep! Thwreeeeep! Thwreeeeep!"
"What's that?"
"Women! That,Slayer,was an old fashioned cry for help.I think climbers still use it in the mountains when they get into trouble.It came from over there."
"Well come on then! Lets go see."
"Me!..?"
"C'mon Spike,do you want to live forever?"
"Yes,I bloody well do!..Been kind of boring lately though."
"Guys,you hang back till we see what we're dealing with.Lets go."
Buffy and Spike moved to the fore as they headed down the alley towards the abandoned factory where the whistle had come from.
As they got closer they could hear the clash and screeech of steel on steel,and cries of fear from several voices.
"Okay,Spike you take the left and I'll go right.Willow,Tara,don't crowd too close,and we could probably use some more light if you could manage it."
"No probs,Buffy,we're ready."
As Buffy and Spike entered the factory door,Willow uttered a small cantrip,and a pale light began to appear as if from a source overhead.
Thus revealed,the scene before them was enough to give even the Slayer pause.
On the far wall a portal had been created.Through this they could make out a wooded valley down which a stream of women and children was running.Inside the factory more people were moving as quickly as possible towards the opening; the women and older children trying to comfort the youngsters they were carrying.
Attacking from all sides were figures clothed in shadow; wielding blades almost as long as themselves.
Arrayed against them,defending the women and children with swords of their own were a mere handful of people who were rapidly losing the fight as the encroaching darkness crept closer.
Even as they watched in horror,another of the defenders was sundered into two pieces which collapsed to either side as his attacker moved into the breach created by his fall.As it raised its sword to slice through the last few women and children left on this side of the portal, a figure stepped forward and raised a staff high overhead, and, speaking a word, slammed the length of wood into the factory floor.The sword which had been intended for the helpless ones seemed to veer of its own accord and sliced towards and through the staff; and lodged in the chest of the figure standing upright before the portal.As the attacker struggled to dislodge the sword held fast in the body of the woman,she moved along the blade until she was near enough to spit in its face.With a cry of agony it fell to the floor clawing with its limbs at a face which began to glow with a bright blue light.The light rapidly spread over the body and with a final flash the figure collapsed into a smoking heap of noxious smells.
The woman,unable to stand upright without her attackers' support,collapsed to all fours.
The portal behind her slammed shut with a crash of sound.
The attackers,now frustrated in their efforts to catch the last of the refugees,turned their full fury on the two survivors left behind by the portals' collapse.
As Willow and Tara clasped hands to enhance their power,Buffy and Spike moved forward in unison; only stooping to pick up a discarded blade each.Moving together they came up behind the dark attackers.Choosing one each,they sliced along each figures' legs,causing it to collapse and receive the kiss of steel on the return sweep.With the sudden fall of two of their comrades the mob took note of the new element in the fight and turned to include Slayer and Vampire in their fury.
The last defender,her companions down and out of the fight ,having acquired a long sword from her last attacker, now moved forward into the fray.
Even as Buffy was trying to find an opening in her opponent's style of fighting,she was noticing the young female move forward with the grace of a dancer,her blade flickering before her,seeming to hypnotize her prey before she sliced through its neck,and moved on to another dark figure.She made not a sound.
Willow and Tara, now able to isolate attackers at the fringe of the fight let loose the power they had gathered.With her right hand,Willow pointed at each figure "Esse,Kellan!"
Even as the figures turned towards them,she could feel the power from Taras' source move through her body,joining with her own, to move down her arm and out through her hand and leap the distance to each patch of darkness she had pointed at.
With a "whumpf!" of displaced air they exploded into an expanding cloud of blood and gore.Willow and Tara covered their faces to avoid the worst of the spray.
Buffy had managed to draw her attackers' blade out of line enough to allow her an opening to finish the fight.As she turned to continue,she realised that there were no more opponents.Spike was leaning on the pommel of his blade looking round at what they had managed to achieve.Willow and Tara were holding each other close over by the door.Nobody appeared to be injured.
Looking round for the young female she had admired during the desperate fracas,she saw her, standing over by the woman who had collapsed at the wall.The sword was still lodged in her chest.All of them moving closer,it was obvious that there was nothing to be done.
"Thank you, friends,for coming to our aid.Your intervention was timely."
"That's okay.We're just sorry we couldn't be here earlier.Can we do anything for you?"
"No.As it is,I am using almost the last of my power to keep my spirit here in this body...Pardon me for asking but what realm is this that has a Slayer fighting side by side with a Vampire and two powerful witches?"
"...Realm? It's not exactly a realm,but we call it 'Merica.It's home."
"Ah,well,something for you to explore,Lucy." This to the young woman standing by her side."I cannot open another portal for you,so you will have to spend your remainder here, it would seem."
"Is there a place here for a female searching for the secret of steel?" She looked at Buffy and Spike,still holding the blade he had picked up.
Willow,choosing to misunderstand her question, spoke up into the silence."Yes,of course,you can stay with us.While you decide what you're going to do." Turning to Tara,"We've got those spare rooms we aren't using for anything,haven't we Tara?... Stopping the words now."
"Yes,you're welcome to come to our home."
"Sera,what about you?"
"Not to worry about me,my time is nearly done.Just a couple of things to do."
She turned to Buffy and Spike,"Will you help Lucy to gather the remains of my companions here by my side?"
Moving through the factory,Buffy and Spike helped the young woman collect the bodies and bits of bodies of her former companions and brought them to lie beside the woman at the wall.
Sera had turned to Willow and Tara."Here,kneel beside me...The Vampire,does he know?"
Willow and Tara exchanged a look."We don't know.Tara thinks that he does-but just won't admit it."
"Well,no never mind.Now,listen closely.I cannot give you my remaining power,that leaves with me,but I would like to pass on the knowledge I have gained in a lifetime of following my Path.It seems there may be a use for it in this world.The price is something you might be willing to consider.Let me explain..."
As Buffy came back to where the woman was lying all she heard was...
"Your partnership seems to be very stable,will you take the risk for the knowledge gained?"
Willow and Tara looked at each other before turning back to the woman before them."Yes."
"What's going on?"
"Buffy,Sera has offered us her lifetimes' knowledge,...but there's a price to be paid.We've agreed."
"Will,are you sure about this? Price to pay sounds ominous."
"Buffy,it's okay."
Turning back to the woman,Willow and Tara clasped hands and spoke the words together,"Of our own free will,we make this choice."
"Very well,come closer."
As Willow and Tara leaned forward the woman reached her hand into the wound carved into her body, and with the blood collected she drew a symbol on their foreheads.Touching each of them on the chest where their hearts were enclosed,she spoke,"With this,my heartsblood,let my will be done."She uttered another word quietly to herself and the symbol on their foreheads began to glow with a light of its own before extinguishing to leave no trace of its previous presence.Willow and Tara collapsed to the floor in a heap.
As Buffy moved forward,Sera raised her hand."Hold!..Slayer,they will awaken in but a moment.They are just resting,as the knowledge is stored ready for assimilation."
"They'd better!... They're my friends."
"Don't worry."
As Willow and Tara slowly came round they showed no evidence of harm;and seemed to be unaffected by their recent acquisition.They gazed into each others' eyes.
"Lucy?"
"That's everyone,Sera.It was worth the sacrifice-most of our people got away."
"I'm glad.Now,Lucy,move back.And... grand-daughter, make my memory proud."
"Your name will live as long as I do,Sera."
"Blessed be,Lucy."
As the others moved back,she clasped her hands in the air before her face.Speaking a Word,she drew them back to her chest and as they touched,there was a flare of light and all evidence of Sera and the bodies of her companions was gone from the factory floor.
"Wow.Lot of juice for an old broad."
"Spike!"
"What..?"
"Ohh..,never mind.Willow,Tara are you really okay?"
"Yes,Buffy we're fine.We'd better get out of here though,I don't fancy staying much longer."
"Erm...guys,can you do anything about these other remains?"
"I'll do it Willow,you rest.You used up much of your strength tonight...Do you guys want to take any of the weapons lying around?"
"I'll take one of these long swords for Giles;they're an interesting enough design,and he might like to have one.Spike?Lucy?"
"Not me,Slayer."
The young girl had strapped her own sword over her left shoulder,with another at her right hip.Hoisting a small pack to her back she picked up the long blade she had used during the fight,giving a few passes through the air to check balance and feel."I'm done.Let's go."
At the door to the factory they turned back,and Tara,lifting her hand made a gesture with her palm cupped towards the floor.The flare of light was more intense this time and when they could see again it was to discover that the whole of the floor and walls had been scoured clean of all evidence of the fighting.
Spike looked at Tara consideringly."Bloody hell,lot of juice for a young girl!"
Buffy,turning the vampire by a hand on his shoulder,pushed him through the door."Shut up Spike.We need to report to Giles,let him know what happened.I'm sure he'll want to talk to Lucy about tonight."
As they moved off ,Tara thought to herself ,"I wonder who whistled?"
**
When the light from Willows' spell had faded,shadows gathered;and seemed to rush to the wall where the portal had been.
A black rectangular structure appeared;a doorway-which opened to reveal...nothing.Absolute emptiness from which no light escaped.Two figures stepped through;one hunched over and cringing from the presence beside it.
That presence stood tall in it's regard of the empty factory floor.
"Well,Gralk,a new world to have fun in."
"Yes,mistress"-slap!-"Sorry...sorry,I meant to say M'Lady."
*****
End of part 1.Continues in Part 2..
Author:Emily First.
Title:Transition Part 2.
Feedback:Yes please.(be kind,be sweet,be gentle?).
Timeline:Divergent (from "Doppelgangland"-after VampWillow arrives in Sunnydale-to Present day).
Rating:PG-13.
Start.
-Sunnydale-
Willow and Tara were holding hands as they walked up the street towards their home.It was still early in the evening and they were moving in companionable silence as they thought of the events at the factory and the decision they had made.The promise they had made to Sera,the debt they were going to repay tonight.
Lucy followed them at discreet distance,looking round her in wonder at all the strange things she could see.The glowing orange lights on top of poles by the side of the path.The metal carriages that occasionally passed on the wider path seperated from them by a strip of grass.
She was not so distracted as to forget her training,and she was moving in time with the rustle of leaves on the trees nearby-agitated by a passing breeze.With the bark of a dog.A blast of loud music from a suddenly opened door at a nearby dwelling-all sounds that seemed normal in this environment.In fact she was being so quiet that Willow and Tara would turn round every now and then to check that she was still there.
Tara chuckled to herself.
"...What?
She turned to Willow,"I was just thinking of Xander hopping on one leg,pulling on his shorts and trying to cover his embarrassment at the same time.Talk about coitus interruptus,I think Anya actually growled at us."
"Huh.Serves them right,they shouldn't have been doing that in the shop anyway!"
"Why not? We've done it when nobody else was there."
"That's different!"
"I don't think so.You have to agree tho'-it was funny."
"Heh,heh.Especially the look on Buffys' face.I won't forget that in a while."
They waited at the gated entrance to their driveway for Lucy to join them."Lucy,put your hand on this symbol here on the wall." Lucy complied."House,this is Lucy,she has guest rights here.Lucy,say something so that House can recognise your voice."
"My name is Lucy Dark'n.I am the only member of the tribe of Karalin in this world."
The symbol,which Tara had carved into a block of stone on the wall began to glow softly,and a voice spoke from out of the air,"Accepted."
"Lucy,any time you leave the grounds,you must agree a recognition phrase beforehand with House,or she won't let you back in.I'll show you how to do that later."
Willow placed her hand on the symbol,"Boiled beef and cabbages."
There was a heavy 'clunk',and the gate swung open.
The girls moved forward into the driveway and,waiting for the gate to shut behind them,headed up to the entrance of the imposing building gradually being revealed through the trees.
"I wonder why Giles had to head off to San Francisco in a hurry?It's not a place I associate with him."
"Well,I can say this.When he returns we'll know why he went."
"Is that the truism for today?"
Willow smiled."Yep."
"Okay.Tomorrow you have to use a conjugation...with butterfly and nipple."
"Drat!"
As they approached the entrance,the door swung open.
"C'mon Lucy,I'll show you to your room and explain how the plumbing works,and we can all meet in the kitchen when we get cleaned up.That's down there,the last door on the left." She exchanged a look with Tara."We'd like to talk to you about what's going to happen overnight and in the future."
"Okay."
****
Interlude.To conform to posting guidelines,this part has been edited out by the author.
****
Start again.
Willow and Tara were sitting at the breakfast bar in the kitchen,having just come back downstairs from a quick shower and change of clothes.
"Lucy...did she seem cold to you? You know,her grandmother dying and everything and not a sign of anything showing."
"No,I think that's just the way she is.As I was coming back past her room,I could hear her sobbing to herself...Maybe she thinks she has to wear a mask,not let her feelings show,until she discovers what's going to happen now."
"Well,I'd like to get her to stay.I think we're going to need her.Not just with what's going to happen to ourselves after tonight,but to help Buffy as well.Did you see the way she was watching her?"
"I thought that was just admiring her fighting skills."
"That's what I meant...you vixen!"
They smiled at each other...and Willow leaned across to exchange a long and loving kiss with Tara.
"About tonight...are you disappointed it's going to be me?"
"No!..No way...I always kind of knew you'd be first anyway...I just took it as a given."
They both turned to the door as a figure moved into the opening.
"Lucy! Hi,come on in,join us.Do you want some food?,there's plenty of nibbles in the fridge-I don't feel like cooking tonight."
"Thanks,yes please.Just enough to let my stomach know I haven't forgotten about it."
"Okay,here you go.Sit there,we want to talk to you,anyway,about tonight.Do you know what we're going to do?"
"Well I know the stories and legends.Nobody's done it for generations that I've heard off."
"...Stories?.. Legends? But didn't Seras' mother do it?"
"Well,yes,I suppose she must have,but that was ages ago.None of my tribe could remember that far back."
"That far back? Surely there were older adults who could remember Seras' mother? I thought she was just your grandmother?"
"No.She was my Great,great,great many times grandmother.That's an awful mouthful to say every time I spoke about our family relationship,so we just shortened it to grandmother."
"Lucy...how old was your 'Grandmother'?"
"Last Samhain she celebrated her four thousand two hundred and eighth year."
Willow and Tara felt their jaws drop at this astounding news.Lucys' smirk turned into a full blown grin of glee at the expressions on their faces.There was something very familiar about that look.
When Willow could string together a coherent thought,she asked,"Lucy... how old are you?"
"Oh...don't worry.I only have fifteen years and barring accident,illness or dying in battle I won't last much more than two hundred."
This... was too much to take in at one sitting...and Willow decided to shelve the matter for later.
"Lucy,we want you to stay with us-for purely selfish reasons,I'll say that up front.If this works we're going to need help coping with the aftereffects."
"You don't have to decide right now-there's a lot of information you'll have to learn about this world,about Sunnydale and about what goes on here,but we want you to consider the possibility."
"Okay,I'll stay for a while and see what happens."
"Good."
"Right,we need to get ready.So we'll see you sometime tomorrow.Make yourself at home,and if you want to explore feel free;there's lots to find,and House will keep you amused if you get bored."
Taking Tara by the hand,Willow turned and led the way as they headed upstairs.
**
-Upstairs;somewhere in House-
Willow had showered again;using her favorite shampoo and a soap that Tara had made for her,she had produced a big fluffy lather which covered her from head to toe.Stepping under the stream of water heated to just the right temperature she visualized any negative influences accumulated during the day being scoured from her body and washed away down the drain of the shower.Called 'Flushing the Miasma of Stinkiness' by Tara,she also enjoyed it for the feeling of cleanliness it left behind.
After stepping into the drier for a couple of minutes,she moved to stand in front of the full length mirror she had uncovered on the east wall of the room.Standing at ease,facing her own reflection,she took a deep breathe...and tried to visualize herself as part of the universe-merging with it...inseparable from it.
As her vision expanded to encompass all things,she turned her gaze inwards;towards her source...
#
It was early morning,just at dawn.The air was still and the trees surrounding the small glade were quiescent.The only sound came from a small stream which burbled over the rocks lying along its length.
Willow,turning to face the rising Sun,raised her hands above her head and wriggled her toes into the grass and earth beneath her feet.As she stood there,she felt herself fill with...something,her body absorbing energy from whatever had come to dwell in this place she had created.
She turned to go back to herself,pausing only to wave to a distant figure standing on a nearby hilltop.
#
Gazing at herself,she could see the imago which had formed around her reflection;the short ruff of hair growing around her neck,the stripes following the lines of her ribs and down the muscles of her thighs.And the tip of her tail flickering back and forth behind her.
She turned to exit the room,a small smile playing on her lips;the cat with the cream.
As she moved out into the short corridor,Tara came out of the room opposite and they turned to her left and moved towards the opened doors at the end;their hands clasped together,fingers entwined.
"House,make sure Lucy doesn't get into any trouble while we're gone."
"By your command,oh mighty and puissant mistress."
Willow looked at Tara who was trying her best not to burst into giggles.
Focusing on a point just above her head,she gave the only possible response to this piece of sass-she stuck out her tongue.
The two figures,naked except for a ring and necklace they had exchanged,holding hands,moved through the entrance of the temple and disappeared into the darkness.The doors closed behind them.
A soft voice sounded out of the air of the corridor,"Blessed be,my children."
*****
End.
[This message has been edited by emily 'first' (edited October 23, 2001).]