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Chapter 30: Chaos Bleeds pt. 2
"Nice to see you all again." Titan said, standing by a man I had seen before. He was older...English and scarily unscary. It was Ethan Rayne. Giles' old friend from his 'Ripper' days, " This is Ethan Rayne and I have a bit of a wager going on. His team vs. mine. In this 'game' you will have to find the missing parts of a Ms. Cassandra Rayne before the other team.
"So, you kidnapped us to play a game? For what, pixie sticks?" Doug groaned.
Ethan smiled, " No, for something of equal or greater value." he said simply.
We al looked at each other.
"And that would be?" Kelly asked.
"The barrier between worlds." Rayne smirked.
"So, if we lose, L.A.'s going to Hell?" I asked.
"The world goes to hell...and every other dimension." Titan said direly.
"Why am I here?" Kelly asked.
"You are a substitute. I originally intended on using the demon, but since he is unable to participate, I had to find another." Titan answered.
"What if we don't fight?" I asked.
"Then we forfeit and the barrier between worlds breaks down." Titan replied.
I nodded, " Oh. Nevermind." I said cautiously.
"We shall leave you. You have have five minutes to talk amonst yourselves. When the clock strikes twelve, the game begins." Titan said, walking away with Rayne.
Before Rayne totally left, he turned and winked, saying, " It is a pleasure seeing you again, Slayer." he smiled, leaving.
I turned to the team, " Creepy. So, Team Slayer's a go?" I asked.
"Ok." Oz said, looking around, " This is just weird."
"You're telling me. Do you know how dirty this place is?" Kelly asked.
I grinned and said, " You weren't worried about it when you were rolling in the..."
"....Okay. So, wait...this is crazy." Kelly said, walking to me, " What are we doing?"
"Saving the world." I answered.
"Oh. Okay then." Kelly sighed.
"I think there's a real chance that one or more of us won't be coming back." Doug said softly.
We all looked at each other.
"Been nice knowing you all." Kelly said sadly.
I shook my head, " It doesn't end here." I said, causing everyone to look at me, " It starts here. Titan brought us here to play the game, so let's play it and after we get out of here, we're going to kick some ass." I smirked.
"I'm with you." Oz said.
I put my hand out, " Team 'Slay the creepy and wicked'!".
They all put their hands in, " TEAM SLAY...ER!" they shouted as we turned to see Titan walk through the door.
"Are you ready?" Titan asked.
"Just a question." Connor said.
"Yes?" Titan asked.
"What are you going to be doing while we're out there?" Connor asked.
"Watching." Titan answered .
"IS that all?" Kelly growled.
Titan swept out of the Magic Shop just as quickly as he entered.
Connor came to me, " Look, if I don't make it back, I love you." he said quickly.
I leaned in to kiss him, but before we could, I was spinning and when I opened my eyes, I saw myself in Sunnydale High.
"Okay. On a list of places where I don't want to be again..." I said, looking around.
"Oh, come on," A voice said. I turned to see Buffy standing in the hallway, " It's not that bad. I survived it for three years.
I stared at her in awe.
Connor looked around, finding himself in broad daylight. He was across a canyon from a huge mansion. On the bridge on the other side, he saw Gunn and Fred. They waved as they ran inside the Mansion on the hill. Connor looked around, trying to find a good way across. he saw a rush of vampires rushing across the bridge, then he saw them coming out of the door to the tool shed. He walked towards it, then stopped as he sensed something was off. He turned to see a few vampires walking in the daylight.
"Uh oh." Connor said, bracing himself to fight.
"Looks like you have no weapon." a vampire said.
Connor looked aroud and saw a broken wooden crate sitting beside the shed and ran to it, picking it up and sliding it into one of the vamps. The other two took no time in trying to rush him. They rushed him, but Connor jumped over one of them with ease, staking him and footswept the other, jamming the stake through his heart.
"That was easy...so, do I get my prize." Connor asked, getting no reply, " Okay, mansion." he said, running into the shed. He looked around and saw that there was a hole behind the shelf. He moved the shelf and saw a tunnel, then moved into it. As he got further, he met a zombie. He immediately decapitated it and snuck past a demon dog and stopped at a vat of blood. He walked to the edge and looked in. As he did, a hand reached out of the blood and suddenly there were tens upon tens of hands! He took a deep breath and jumped over the vat, trying to open the door on the other side! It would not open, so he looked around and suddenly he looked up! He saw an escape and crawled up the drainpipe and into an upstairs room. He shoved the bookcase over the hole and moved into the hallway of the mansion. He walked to the stairs, where Gunn and Fred stood.
"Gunn? Fred?" Connor asked.
"Connor, we're so glady you made it." Fred said.
Gunn walked over to him and put his hands on Connor shoulder, " We need lunch." he said, vamping out.
Kelly looked around. A mall? This was the hard task? A mall. Kelly laughed as she walked on. She walked down the hal until she saw a man walking through the hall. She looked around, determining whether or not to go up to him. She decided that he looked normal enough.
The man held up a piece of cheese, " Cheese?" he asked.
"Um, no...do you know how to get out of here?" Kelly asked.
"No, I sure don't...cheese?" the man smiled.
"Look, I don't want your fuckin cheese!" Kelly growled.
"I didn't figure you would." the man said, transforming into Carlos.
Kelly stepped back, " Carlos?" she asked.
"Hey, Kel. How ya been?" he asked.
"Helpin Austin save the world. You?" she asked.
"Helpin Ethan end the world. I was drafted." he answered.
"Oh...any idea where a weird body part would be?" Kelly asked.
"Not supposed to tell." he said, walking towards her.
She looked around and noticed that there was no way out. The doors had disappeared. Everytime she wanted to leave, she felt something telling her not to. Carlos waved his hand and a ball of fire flew at her and singed her jacket!
"HEY! This jacket was $500!" Kelly shouted, running down the lobby past a window. She stopped at the window, looking in the store at a beautiful halter top. But she noticed that the mannequin looked odd...something was abnormal about it. But before she could think anymore, she ran again, trying to find somewhere to escape. Before she got too far, she tripped and fell. When she got up, she felt something wrap around her leg and she was pulled backwards.
"Where ya going? We were just catching up." Carlos asked. He was standing in front of the glass window and it clicked, then that the mannequin had what she needed.
"Ouch, dumbass!" Kelly said, kicking him into the glass window, which didn't break. He slid to the floor and she stood up and looked at the window, " Damn window!" she said to the glass.
"My turn." Carlos said as Kelly turned and he knocked her through the glass and she fell on the mannequin, grabbing the arm and disappearing.
Oz ran through the Zoo, trying to escape. He frantically ran trying to elude the predator. Even though he was running for his life, he couldn't help but find the 'Wolf Exhibit' ironic. He was afraid to wolf out. That would mean that he lose control, just for even a second, and that could cost lives. Maybe his own. He didn't imagine waking up somewhere else.
"OZ! OZ! Come out, wherever you are!" Fenrir growled throughout the Zoo.
Oz ran past the panthers and crocodiles and hid behind the monkeys. Oz felt Fenrir. He felt what Fenrir could do. Fenrir growled and howled and the monkeys went crazy. Oz let go. He figured that there was no one here to hurt and if there was, they deserved it. He felt it, the change. His skin pulled and his clothes ripped! He felt his fangs and all his hair grow!
"Oz..." Fenrir said, sniffing the air as he rounded the corner.
Oz growled, as did Fenrir. Then they charged each other, lashing out and clawing! Fenrir picked Oz up and swung him away! As Oz crashed through a cage, he realized that strength wasn't going to win this fight and he slipped away before Fenrir could find him. Fenrir stepped into the cage and noticed that all the wolves were gone. As he looked around, he noticed Oz was gone and he couldn't pinpoint the smell. There were too many smells to just pinpoint one. As he stalked across the cage, he heard paws against the ground. He turned to be ambushed by the pack of wolves, who tore at him while Oz tried to get away. As Oz tried to get away, Fenrir hit him from the side, causing him to fly into the wolves' den! Oz looked over and saw all the body parts on the ground. As he stumbed to his feet, he realized he was human now.
"Dead wolf walking." Fenrir growled with a wolfy smirk.
Oz looked down to see that one of the arms was different from the others. He dove on it just as Fenrir dove on him and suddenly he was gone.
Tara and Doug found each other in the giant warehouse. It was a warehouse that Tara knew to be the Bloodhouse. Vampire central back in the day. In recent years, it had been or was, just a regular warehouse.
"Are you okay?" Tara asked.
Doug looked at her, " What is this place?" he asked.
"I-I-It's an old vampire hangout." Tara stuttered, " Willow told me. I wasn't exactly big on big warehouses, but this looks like how she described it."
"So, where's the big bad? I mean, vampires can't be the big bad, right?" Doug asked eagerly.
"That'd be enough for me." Tara said, looking around, " I think we should be worried about finding the...do you feel that? The low hum?"
"Yeah. That's it, isn't it?" Doug asked.
Tara looked at him, " No. That's...that's not...I..." she said, looking towards the door.
"Big bad?" Doug asked.
"Big bad." Tara answered.
Doug looked over to a door, hidden behind freighters. There was pulley and...it clicked. The control room. He'd have to get there.
"Hold on to something." Tara said, worriedly.
"Why?" Doug asked.
Before Tara could answer, the door burst into pieces and Willow walked in, then the door went back to the way it was. This wasn't cute, red-headed Willow, this was something else.
"Willow?" Tara asked.
Willow looked at her and Tara saw it. The veins, the dark hair, the black eyes, " Hey baby. What're you doing here?" she asked.
"She's the Big Bad?" Doug scoffed.
Tara looked at him, " You don't kn-kn-know?" she stuttered.
"I think I'll keep you as my pet." Willow smirked.
"Pet?" Doug asked.
"Listen, Willow...I need you to snap out of it." Tara said quickly.
Willow wiggled her finger, " No. No talking while I'm talking...Tara, you should...what's that?" she asked.
Tara had been chanting under her breath and creating an illusion of Doug while he crawled up the crates to the platform. He was almost there, but he could reach the platform.
Willow saw through the illusion, " Reveale!" she said and Doug's image skipped, " Tara...what are you doin?"
"Willow. I've seen this before, I watched before." Tara said, trying to talk Willow down.
"Live it." Willow said, swinging her hand and making Tara fly back into some nearby crates! Willow up to Doug, who was now running across the platform and flew up in front of him, " Where ya goin?" she smirked.
"Trying to save the world." Doug said, adding, " Uber Bitch." at the end.
"Tch, tch, tch," Willow said, " That's not nice."
"What can I say?" Doug shrugged, " Can you move, Glinda."
Willow raised her hand and tried a spell, but stopped when she saw someone hovering beside her. She looked over to see Tara.
"Wow, Tara..." Willow said.
"You'd be surprised what you'd learn when you die." Tara said, grabbing Willow and pulling her over the rail and to the crates below.
Doug ran into the control room and began pushing buttons. Finally, the crane moved the freighter and the path was clear. Doug ran down to the stairs, but they were cut off. He jumped down and ran to the door, but was cut off by an invisible forcefield.
"Sorry." Willow said, standing. She had cuts and splinters in her face, " But you're not getting through that door."
"Of course I am." Doug said.
"No." she said, running her hand over her face, " See, I'm all better and you are...dead."
"That's a relative term." Doug said, then he chanted and sent Willow flying!
Willow chuckled as she got up and walked back to him, " Good guys and their pride. I flayed a guy." she said.
"And the real you is working out her issues." Doug said, " But right now, I need those legs."
"Sorry, but I'm using them to walk." Willow smirked.
"Kureem!" Doug shouted, causing a wave of energy to wash over Willow, but she shook it off.
"That's all ya got?" she said moving closer. Finally she stood before him, " I need some juice. You got a lot of juice." she smirked again.
"How about a real drink." Tara said, plunging her hands into Dark Willow, " I'm so sorry, baby." she said as they both fell, " RUN!" she said to Doug.
"What?" Doug asked.
"I'm already dead. You and Austin and the rest of you have to save the world! I was chosen for this..." Tara smiled, " Now go!"
Doug nodded and ran. He stopped when he felt something coming. He turned and saw Willow release alot of energy from her body, but before it got to him, it stopped! He looked over and saw Tara smiling up at him and he turned and ran into the office, grabbing the legs just as Tara let go and the energy destroyed everything as he disappeared!
Connor punched Gunn and kicked Fred, then ran up the stairs and into the room the farthest to the left.
"I have to get out of here!" Connor said to himself.
"Connor, come out." Fred goaded, " It won't hurt..."
"That much." Gunn added.
Connor found a wrench sitting on a desk and also a pen. He took them both and ran into an attic-type space, then noticed a big, gaping hole in the floorboard. Connor looked through the hole and noticed that it was the kitchen below and the floor had succumbed to mold. Connor immediately had an idea! He dropped a pen down to the floor and it clanked. In no time, he saw Fred and Gunn underneathe him and he reared back, noticing a screw! And he took his wrench and unscrewed the screw, causing the chandelier, with him, to fall on them and into the floor!
"That was a great plan." he said, rolling off the chandelier and into water. He looked around and noticed that there was a river running and he followed it to find a torso laying on the ground.
"Knew you dom, baby." Darla smiled.
"Mom?" Connor asked.
"Yes, baby." Darla said, moving closer.
Connor stepped back, " Mom. Move." he said forcefully.
"What's wrong?" Darla asked, never losing her 'sweet' voice.
"I'm gonna have to...Move." he said quietly.
Darla vamped out, " Sorry, but no can do." she smirked, rushing him.
She jumped at him, but he swatted her out of the sky and she landed roughly. Connor cringed and turned from her quickly, trying to gather his wits. When he turned, she wasn't there. Connor looked around, then finally looked up and Darla landed on him. They both rolled into their stances and Darla attempted to kick Connor, but Connor caught her foot and slipped her! She landed on her feet and kicked him backwards. Before he could move, she jabbed something into him! Connor looked down to see that a piece of the roof of the cave stuck inside his gut. Darla smirked and licked her hand, savoring the taste. As soon as Darla lost focus, Connor pushed her back onto a piece of broken wood that was holding up the cave. As Darla turned to dust, she reached for him, but he ran in the opposite direction. The Cave began to fall down around Connor as he rushed for the torso. A big piece fell before he could reach it, but he grabbed it with all his strength and threw it behind him, then grabbed the torso!
"What's wrong? No quips?" Buffy asked.
I was silent as we stood across from each other. I watched as she smiled at me and I frowned at what I might to do. This was Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. And I was Austin, the Vampire Slayer. Who had the advantage? I did, or maybe she did. Experience, her. Confidence, her. Will, Tie. Who's gonna win? Me.
"None." I said slowly.
Buffy took a step forward, " the worlds bleeding into each other, reality lines blurring...it's all poetic, don't ya think?" she asked.
"I don't know, B, I find that realities blurring isn't always fun. I mean dead people coming back, the Master and so on." I stopped, " Met him. He's just awful."
"Feelin the slayer joy yet?" Buffy asked.
"Starting to." I smirked.
Buffy looked around, " Sunnydale. This is where it all ends. This is where it started and most likely, where it ends." she smiled.
"Only for one of us." i said.
"It's coming. The Rebirth." she said.
"I know." I said quietly.
"If you're here, who's guarding the world?" Buffy asked.
"In my world, we're all slayers." I smiled at my world's superiority.
Buffy frowned, " Enough talking. Show me what you got." she snapped.
"Took the words right out of my mouth." I said, looking around.
Buffy and I stood face to face. She swung and I blocked, then she kicked me in the stomach and I stumbled, but I caught her next one and swung her into the wall! Then I walked over and grabbed her, but she punched me in the face and I hit the wall and skidded down to the floor! I did a footsweep and then came around and kicked her in the face when she was on the ground. I raised to my feet and sprinted down the hall.
"If I were a head, where would I be?" I asked myself.
I stopped dead in my tracks and turned around to see it.
"Tara." I said, gazing up at her.
"Austin, we don't have much time. I need you to listen." Tara said.
"Wha..." I said.
"I died. Again. I was never really alive this time. I just came to help. I was picked to help and I was never going to return, and that's okay. Even though I died, life goes on. The fight goes on and you're meant to do some tremendous things. You will face worse and they won't be there...then they will. Buffy will need everyone, Willow will face her fears, Xander will have to break, Faith will find it, Angel...is, and all you will need is hope..." Tara smiled, then faded so that Buffy was face to face with me again.
"Tara?" Buffy asked, " Aww, are you sad now? Wanna cry?"
I punched her in thef ace and noticed where I was. I was right beside the basement door. That's it! That's where everything was, the basement! Buffy tried to kick me, but I moved and tackled her through the door and we tumbled down the stairs, finally hitting the bottom with a thud! We both jumped up immediately and I grabbed a shovel and pounded her head, but she picked up another shovel and we sparred. I swung and she ducked, then brought up hers over and tried to hit me, but I put up mine and blocked it, then kicked her in the knee and she stumbled and I hit her again.
"Come on, Buff," I smirked, " You're not as tough as my Buff."
I then ran as fast as I could and found myself not knowing where I was going until I ran upon a door. It felt as if I had been to this door before and when I opened it, I looked down and saw the seal of Danzalthar and it was opened. I looked back and jumped in. When I got to the bottom, I saw flashes. There was a fight going on. The potentials and the Turok-Han, battling and I knew what this was! It was the battle of the Hellmouth...duh, huh? But I walked on and stopped as I got hit with a fist! I stopped and noticed Buffy was there. I jumped to my feet.
"Ready to go to hell and back?" Buffy smirked.
"Aren't we there?" I asked, punching her and ducking her left foot. she reared back and hit me so hard, I flew against the cave wall! I got up, angry and jumped in the air, kicking her on the way down! I jumped again and punched her to the ground, then I saw it. The head was across the hell canyon. I looked down at Buffy, then at the head. I started to run, but she tripped me and I fell and she jumped on top of me.
"Any last words?" Buffy said, ready to push the...dagger of hope. My dagger! Into me.
"That's mine!" I said, raising my feet and kicking her off me, then pushing her off the edge of the canyon, along with my dagger. I cried out for it, but now it was no use. I saw Turok-Han flashing in and out and immediately knew what that meant. They were coming, so I got up and stood against the wall of the cave, then ran and hoped to make it to the other side! As I was in air, I knew I wasn't going to make it, but something happened. I felt it and it gave me a boost and I flew to the other side, landing and grabbing the head just as the Turok fully materialized and I disappeared.
I appeared beside my friends in some sort of castle, I guessed. I looked around and saw Titan, Ethan Rayne, and Micah.
"We won." I said quickly.
My team cheered.
"Now we should go home." I frowned.
"Give us the pieces." Micah said, transforming into Cordelia.
"Why?" Kelly asked.
"Hey, I don't ask when you do stupi..."
"No, she's right." I said.
Oz and I looked at each other.
"Give it to us!" Ethan commanded.
I smirked, " Yeah, right." Is aid.
"Bringers!" Cordelia said, transforming into Glory.
The bringers ran in as swiftly as I had ever seen them move and began trying to hack us up and I lost sight of the other once the fighting began. I felt myself get lost in the fight as I punched and kicked, slicing through them with their own weapons! I jumped into the air, executing a flip and kicking a bringer off Kelly, who pulled a monkey flip of her own. I ran to the wall and grabbed an axe off the wall and tossed it to her. She smiled and immediately began to hack through them. I saw Oz being ambushed. I saw his struggle and I placed my hand on his shoulder. Without words, we communicated and before there could be words, Connor threw a bringer into the air and snapped us back into reality, where I ran to him, rolling over his back and kicking a bringer. I looked over to the corner and tried to fight my way to Doug, who was being ganged up on too. As I watched, Doug opened a portal underneath them and they disappeared. I looked around and noticed that this was my team. I watched as Kelly hacked away and I smiled more at the fact that we were growing up. We wer becoming the only thing between the world and evil and even though the scoobys were on Earth, it was us they chose. I took a minute to realize what were dealing with...The First. As I looked at Ethan, who had merged with The First! He was coming my way and he swatted me and I flew into a bunch of vases and they broke! I moved around and felt something underneath me. I looked down and smiled at what I saw. I had found the Dagger of Hope...again. Ethan had the pieces and the gang stood in front of him. I ran up to the curtain ropes and swung up behind him, kicking him in the back! The bringers and the group immediately began fighting again and Ethan turned to me.
"Foolish child..." Ethan said.
"What's wrong? Wicked get sticky?" I smirked to myself, punching him. Ethan punched back and I ducked it, then he kicked at me, but I ducked, then I kicked him in the nuts and stabbed him in the heart with the new Dagger of Hope. Identical to mine, but more powerful...I could feel it! As the dagger slid into him, he seperated from the First and I slid the dagger out as the first disappeared. The gang came up behind me and hugged me, but that all stopped when we noticed that the body parts were moving back together.
"Oh crap." Connor sighed.
The parts made Cassandra again and she smiled and nodded to us and turned to Ethan, " You shall be banished to the Dream Realm!" she shouted, disappearing with him.
As we watched, we were transported back to the hotel. We all looked around and sighed in relief.
"I need a shower." Oz said, sniffing himself.
"I need the nap of a lifetime." Connor said, " Wanna join?"
"Sure." I smirked.
"I need to do some shopping." Kelly smirked.
"Where's Groo?" Doug asked.
Kelly had walked to the counter and picked something up. A letter and she read it out loud, " Dear friends, it has truly been a wonderful experience being here, but I have to leave. Please do no find me, I wish to go back to my roots, to Pylea. I shall see you all soon." she read.
"Touching." Lindsey said at the door.
"What are you doing here?" Connor frowned.
"Calm down, puppy, I'm here to deliver a message." Lindsey smirked, " By the way, good job with the whole jail thing."
"My pleasure, what's the message?" I asked.
"Your grandparents, whom we represent, want you to have their home in Glowton...the Rebirth Project." Lindsey smirked.
"Oh." I said, dumbfounded.
Thank you for reading. If you have thoughts, suggestions, comments, just E-Mail me.