Faith The Series

FIC: Faith: The Series S1 Ep 8 (8/???)

“HEY GUYS! I just saw two zebras doing it in their enclosure! It was like watching animal porn!”

Xander glanced at his companions before regarding the excitedly jumping Slayer with a combination of amusement and desire. “Calm down Faith,” he grinned. “I mean it’s a day off school but still, no big. Anyone would think you’d never been to the zoo before.”

The Bostonian shrugged. “Haven’t, Boston inner city schools aren’t big on zoo trips. But this is way cool!”

“Oh,” Xander winced. Put his foot in it again. He opened his mouth to apologise only to notice the brunette was looking past them, her eyes hardening. Turning, he saw a bunch of kids hassling one of the school geeks. “Kyle,” he muttered.

“That asshole!” Faith spat. “He needs teaching a lesson!”

The supernatural warrior strode forward, but he grabbed her arm as she passed him. “Hold up Faith,” he muttered in his friend’s ear. “He’s not exactly demony is he?”

“You got a blood test that proves otherwise?” the Slayer snarled.

Xander ignored that. ”Let us handle him, Slaying him probably won’t go down too well will it?” he glanced at Jesse and Jonathan. “Come on guys!”

* * *

“Hey Lance!” Kyle dragged the wimp to the edge of the enclosure, loving both the sound of his gang egging him on and the geek’s begging. “You think hyenas like raw wuss?”

“I don’t know Kyle.” He stopped at the voice behind him. “Maybe we should throw you in and find out?”

* * *

“I think maybe we should help them out?” Faith muttered as she watched her three buds disappeared into the hyena house. She had to admit her motivation in following her friends wasn’t wholly about protecting them. In her first week in Sunnydale, Kyle had overheard the loud comment ‘who do we thank for letting hookers into the school and how much do they charge?’. She’d pinned the asshole to the wall and warned him to stay out of her face but him and his gang often sniggered or made muttered comments when she walked by. If the prick gave her a reason….

“Oh my Jesse can look after himself,” soothed Cordelia.

“They’re doomed,” was the rather more realistic comment from Willow.

Faith nodded. “Let’s go.”

* * *

“Harris,” Kyle shoved Lance away from him. The geek ran for the doorway. “You think you and Nerds United can take us on?”

Harris smiled at him. There was something unnerving about the changes in Harris and his gang. Before this year they’d been so anonymous his gang had never bothered to hassle it, but now, they had a confidence that meant they needed reminding of their place in the food chain. “Look Harris,” he went to poke the geek in the chest only to scream in pain when the nerd grabbed his wrist and twisted it back.

“I’ve got sick of you and your gang. It’s time you started to behave like a proper human being,” Xander warned. “I see you picking on anyone again and there’ll be trouble, now get out.”

* * *

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Faith turned from the shadowy entrance of the hyena house to the skinny, balding man behind them. Her nose wrinkled in disgust at the tell-tale smell coming off the guy. Had to be a zoo-keeper. “See the hyenas,” she explained with a casual thumb over her shoulder and a flick of her hair.

“Tsk,” the zoo-keeper shook his head even as he shooed them away from the hyena house. “Hyenas are dangerous beasts. The Masai tribesmen told me that hyenas are capable of understanding human speech. They follow humans around by day, learning
their names. At night, when the campfire dies, they call out to a person. Once they separate him, the pack devours them. Far too dangerous for three little ladies like you, at least until they passed quarantine.”

* * *

Xander hid a grin as Kyle and his cronies ran out, he’d enjoyed that. People like Kyle were pretty much scum in his eyes and the way they picked on people and got away with it because their parents had money made his blood boil. Hearing the sound of the hyenas growling, he turned towards the enclosure, saw a pair of glowing eyes and grinned as something hit him, engulfing him in a wave of power. He turned to his friends and grinned. “We’re going to have fun.”

* * *

“Sire,” the Master looked up at his oldest childe’s entry. “The Three are here!”

“Excellent,” the Master smiled. The Three were a trio of four hundred year vampires, brothers, who unlike most demons their age had no interest in the accumulation of power but merely in the thrill of the kill. The more challenging the better. “Gentlemen,” he smiled at the three mail-shirted vampires. “I have an especially troublesome Slayer.”

* * *

Faith looked around the bustling, dimly-lit Bronze. Finally she saw the people she was looking for. After a quick sweep to check the place was vamp-free, she bought a coke and croissant, hurried over to her two friends, and dropped into the booth beside them. “Hiya gang.”

“Hi,” Cordelia mimed a staking action. At least she hoped it was, otherwise Cordy and Jess were way too intimate. “All done?”

“Patrolling done,” Faith glanced around. “Say, where are the guys?”

“They haven’t arrived yet-,” Cordy grinned. “Here they are!”

Faith glanced towards the entrance. She raised her hand to wave the trio over only for them to head straight for them. “Sorry we’re late, we just forgot that we were gonna be here.” Faith’s eyes widened when Xander tore a piece off her croissant and ate it. “What is this?”

“Well,” Faith didn’t bother to hide her disdain. “It *was* my buttery croissant.”

“Man,” Xander shook his head in disgust. “I need some food! Birds live on this! Let’s go guys.”

Seconds later, and Xander and the other two boys returned, each carrying a plate filled with cholesterol heavy bacon sandwiches. “What’s the sitch Xand?”

Xander shook his head. “Nothing up with me babe.”

“Babe?” Faith bristled. Nobody called her babe and kept their teeth. “X, what’s wrong with you?”

“Jonathan!” cried an outraged Willow. “Stop smelling my hair!”

Xander grinned at her. “Nothing,” Xander looked around. “This place is dead. Let’s go boys.”

“Jesse! We made arrangements!” C squawked.

“Later honey,” Jesse replied before turning and following Xander and Jonathan out of the Bronze. Faith shook her head. This was wicked strange. If Cordy said jump, Jesse was normally checking how high.

* * *

Xander grinned as he led his pack through the graveyard, its bleak darkness no obstacle to his newly improved vision. They’d eaten, marked their territory, the only thing that remained was a fight. He stopped as he heard a metallic clink and turned to his partners and grinned. “How many?”

“Three vampires,” Jonathan intoned.

Xander nodded. “Flank me.” Instruction given he set off to face the vampires, blood racing. The only way to prove his worthiness to a warrior woman like Faith was the quality of his kills. Realising that thanks to their armour staking wouldn’t work, he glanced at his companions. “Decapitation.” His two friends nodded and drew the hunting knives they’d stolen from the town’s sporting goods shop on the way to the Bronze.

The vampires stopped, a look of shared confusion on their faces. “What are you?” the centre one demanded.

Xander smiled. “Your death.” Covering the twelve feet separating him from his target in a single leap, his feet crashed into the demon’s stomach, knocking him to the ground, Xander on top. The demon threw a gauntleted fist that he blocked on his forearm even as he thrust his knife down into his rival’s left eye. The vampire screamed and writhed in pain, Xander pulled out his bloody blade and swiftly decapitated the demon. He brayed triumphantly as the vampire exploded into dust and glanced to his left and right to see his friends similarly victorious. They’d proved their worth, their chosen mates would be there’s.

* * *

“Damn it!” Faith scowled at her watch. She’d been so into training, she hadn’t realised she was late for class. She turned a corner to see a small pig running at her, several students in hot pursuit. Reacting instantly, she dived down and caught it.

“And that children is Herbert, our new mascot for the Sunnydale High Razorbacks!” Snyder glared at her as if suspecting her of allowing the animal to escape, despite her having gone in the opposite direction. ”And somebody,” the principal glared at her suspiciously. “Thought it would be funny to release Herbert from his cage.”

“Well,” she glared back at the midget dictator. “It wasn’t me!”

“Uh, uh,” the principal snatched the mascot off her and strode off without so much of a thank you. Faith shook her head before heading to class.

* * *

“Hey Harris,” Xander looked up to see it was just him, Kyle and his two buddies in the locker room. “You got lucky yesterday. I think you need a lesson in respect.”

Xander growled deeply in his throat as he dropped his bag and stepped away from his locker. “I don’t think so. Why don’t you just leave?”

“You see,” Kyle continued to approach. “I think hanging with some hotties like Faith and the others has given you some idea that you’re somebody, well it’s time you learnt about your place.”

Bored, Xander slammed a palm strike into Kyle’s chest, dropping the bully to his knees. Before Kyle’s companions had chance to react, Xander was at them, grabbing one of the boys by the scruff of his neck, he flung him over the top of the lockers. A grin on his face, he spun around to face the third youth.

And caught a clumsy right in his left hand. Still grinning, he squeezed his attacker’s knuckles until they cracked, while backhanding him repeatedly across the face. Dropping the screaming youth, he swaggered over to a now-standing Kyle and swept his legs from beneath him, his adversary’s head snapping against the locker on the way down. “Now, tell me,” he put his foot on the school bully’s chest. “My place.”

“Please,” the boy sobbed.

Xander smiled, his nose picking up the scent of his fear, and ears picking up the pounding of his rival’s heart. Crouching down, he moved his foot off Kyle’s neck. The moment the kid got up to his hands and knees, Xander swept his hands from beneath him. “This is fun!”

“Xander,” he looked up to see a grinning Jesse and Jonathan stood in the locker room doorway. “Fresh meat.”

Xander crouched down over Kyle. “Come at me again,” he whispered. “And I’ll kill you.” Standing he smiled at his pack-mates. “Lead the way.”

* * *

“Yo G!” Faith hollered as she entered the library, Cordelia and Willow in hot pursuit.

“I believe the usual greeting is, hello Giles, how are you?” the librarian walked out of the inner office. “Do you want to try again?”

“Haven’t got that time for that G!” Faith exclaimed. “Have you heard about Herbert?”

“Yes, I have. And this concerns you how?”

Faith hesitated, what Red had suggested was dumb. “X, Jess, and Jonathan have been acting weird, bullying people, and acting like assholes. We think they’ve been possessed.”

Giles snorted. “And on what do you base that?”

“Listen Tweedy!” Cordelia began jabbing the Englishman in the chest. “I know my boyfriend, and I know when there’s something up with him!”

“Do you think there will be anything left of Giles when Cordelia’s finished with him?” Willow muttered.

“Yeah,” Faith nodded. “I better step in, save things from getting messy. Yo C,” Faith pulled the cheerleader back before turning to the Watcher. “We think Xander and the others have been possessed by hyenas, they’ve been acting whack ever since they left the hyena house.”

“Uh,” Giles stared at the high school queen for a second before turning to her. “It’s unlikely, but,” the Englishman’s face brightened, “at the very least we can research.”

Faith groaned. “Oh joy.”

* * *

“Wow!” Faith’s eyes widened. “Says here Noah rejected the hyenas from the Ark because he thought they were an evil impure mixture of dogs and cats.”

“Hyenas aren't well liked,” Willow commented.

“Understatement much?” Cordelia commented. “They’re the louses of the animal kingdom.”

“Why couldn't they be possessed by a puppy or some ducks?” Willow whined.

“That's assuming 'possession' is the right word,” Cordelia put in.

Giles strode over from the cage. “Oh, I'll say it is. The Masai of the Serengeti have spoken of animal possession for, for generations. I should have remembered that.”

“Yeah you should,” Faith nodded wisely. She grinned briefly at Giles’ glare before turning serious. “How does it work?”

Giles rubbed at his glasses lens, a sure sign he was perplexed. “Apparently there's a sect of animal worshipers known as Primals. They believe that humanity is
a perversion, a dilution of spirit. To them the animal state is holy. They are able, through trans-possession, to draw the spirit of certain animals into themselves.

“Like hyenas?” Cordy queried.

Giles shrugged. “Only the most predatory of animals are of interest to the Primals so that would fit, yes.”

Faith scowled, this was not of the good. “Get to the point G,” she urged. “What happens to the person once the spirit's in them?”

“If it goes unchecked...” Giles showed them a picture of a man with blood dripping from his mouth, mutilated and savaged bodies surrounding him.

Faith swallowed. “I best go and find Xan and the others,” she turned to Will and Cordy, “you two best head home and don’t answer the door to any of them. G,” she turned to the librarian. “Any ideas how to get X and the others back?”

“I’ll have to -.”

“Research,” Faith winked. “I get the easy part.”

“Faith, be careful.”

“Relax G.”

* * *

Faith winced as she inspected Herbert's mangled cage. “Shit,” she muttered. “They‘re wicked strong.” Swallowing slightly, she stepped towards the cage only for something to crunch underfoot. She looked down and winced. It was a rib. Standing, she heard the door behind open. Spinning around, she saw Xander. “X,” Faith tried for a steady tone, but her senses were screaming danger. “You need to come with me to see Giles.”

Her fellow teen tilted his head to one side and grinned. “Nah, I don’t think so.” Xander winked. “Giles wouldn’t approve of what we’re gonna do.”

“Oh yeah,” Faith felt her skin crawl at the way Xander was leering at her. It wasn’t right, Xander looking at her like that, not like her bud at all. “What’s that X?”

“This,” a fist from nowhere slammed into her jaw knocking her to the ground. In an instant Xander was on top of her, grinning down at her. “ You want danger, don't cha? You like your men dangerous. Like Luis Cruz. Well, guess who just got mean.”

Faith managed to keep her breathing under control and her voice steady. “This ain’t you X. You’re infected with some hyena thing, it's like a demonic possession!”

Xander ignored Faith’s comment. “Do you know how long?” Xander began lapping at her neck like a dog, making her whimper. “I've waited until you'd stop
pretending that we aren't attracted.”

Panic engulfing her, Faith slammed her palms into the possessed youth’s shoulders, knocking him off. In an instant she regained her feet, quickly followed by Xan who started to stalk her. “Look, Xan,” Faith swallowed. “I don't wanna hurt you...”

Suddenly, Xander had her by her shoulders and shoved her against the vending machine, his much heavier body pressing against her. “Now do you wanna hurt me?” he sneered. “Come on, Slayer. I like it when you're scared.” She struggled but was unable to break free. “The more frightened you are,” the teen sniffed her neck, “the better you smell.”

* * *

“Y..you think Giles will be able to help them?”

Cordelia sighed at the other girl’s question as they reached the car. Her life had gotten so much more complicated since meeting Faith, there were pluses of course, getting her first real friends, and the first decent boy-friend she’d had. But definitely more complicated. “I don’t know Willow,” she replied as she opened her purse to get her car keys out. “But Giles is smart.”

“You can help us just fine.”

* * *


Willow let out a frightened squeak at Jesse’s snarl behind them. Legs shaking, she turned to face her friend. Her stomach did a flip-flop when she saw Jesse and Jonathan eyeing her and Cordy. “Where’s Xander?”

Willow was surprised at the evenness in Cordelia’s tone. Jesse giggled. “He’s claiming his mate,” Jesse tilted his head to one side and grinned. “Just like us.”

Willow was surprised when Cordelia’s shoulders slumped. “Okay,” the cheerleader whispered. “Just don’t hurt me.”

Jesse grinned and glanced at Jonathan who was leering at her. “Can’t guarantee that, but it’ll go easier if you co-operate.” The possessed youths stepped towards them, suddenly Jesse screamed and stepped backwards. “My eyes!”

Distracted, Jonathan glanced across at his friend. Willow took her chance and slammed her purse into his head and a knee into his groin. The short teen croaked and fell to his knees. “Run!” Cordelia grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the car.

“What did you -.”

”I maced him!” Cordy glanced over her shoulder, her face paling. “They’re up already!”

Suddenly a car screeched to a halt in front of them and a door swung open. “Get in!” Amy shouted.

The two stopped looked at one another and dived in. “Thanks!” Cordelia shouted. “Now drive!”

“What happened?” Amy’s voice shook as she drove away. “Are Jesse and Jonathan vampires?”

“No, possessed,” Willow cast Cordelia a worried look. “W..who d…do you think Xander went after?”

“Faith.” Cordelia’s eyes widened. “Amy, get us to the school now!”

* * *

“X,” Faith hated herself for the tremble she heard in her voice. “Please, you don’t know what you’re doing.”

“Oh don’t beg Faith,” Xander’s breath was hot against her neck. “I picked you ‘cause of your strength, you’re a worthy mate. Show me your strength.”

A half-second later, she was pushed to the floor, Xander on top of her. Panic fuelled her power, giving her added strength. Bringing her knee up into her assailant’s stomach she knocked him off her, stood, grabbed the steel cage, and brought it down on Xander’s head. The possessed youth yelped before attempting to rise, she brought the cage down on his head again. This time he slumped motionless to the ground. Faith raised the cage again for a final killing blow then stopped. Hands shaking, she threw the box across the room and into the wall, the force of its impact shattering the cage. “N…not his fault,” she gasped. After wiping quickly at her burning eyes, she lifted the youth’s limp body onto her shoulder.

* * *

“Good lord!” Giles’ mouth dropped open as Faith walked into the library, Xander slumped over her shoulder, and a slightly wide-eyed look on her face. “What happened?”

“X decided to get caveman fresh,” Faith explained with a nonchalant shrug that didn’t fool him at all. “Didn’t get anywhere.” His Slayer opened the books return cage and dumped the body inside before quickly locking it.

“Are you alright?”

The Slayer tensed for a half-second at his touch. She nodded. “I know he didn’t mean it and he didn’t get anywhere, but,” the Bostonian looked down at the ground. “Bad memories, you know?”

”Oh Faith,” he went to take his girl in his arms only to be interrupted by the library doors swinging open.

“Faith! Giles!” he turned to see a distraught Cordelia leading in an equally harassed looking Willow and Amy. “Be careful, Xander’s going to try to mate with you!”

“I know C,” he noticed his charge’s poker face was back in place. The east coast native turned to him. “Any idea what we do next?”

Giles grimaced. “I-I'm afraid I still don't have all the pieces. The accounts of the Primals and their methods are thin on the ground. There is some talk of a predatory act. The Malleus Maleficarum deals in particulars of demonic possession, which may apply. One should be able to transfer the spirits to another human.”

Faith scowled. “That’s a great help. Any volunteers?”

“Oh,” Giles winced. “Good point.”

“What we need,” Cordelia commented, “is to do is put the hyena back in the hyena.”

Giles blinked, sometimes the cheerleading snob came up with moments of inspiration. “But until we know more...”

“Betcha that zookeeper could tell us.” Faith commented. “Maybe he quarantined those hyenas because he knew there was something off about them.”

Giles nodded. “We should talk to him.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Faith grimaced. “Somebody's gotta watch Xander.”

“We’ll do it,” Cordelia commented.

After exchanging a quick glance with Faith, Giles dropped the cage keys into Cordelia’s palm. “Be careful.”

* * *

The zookeeper stared from her to G. “The students have been possessed by the hyenas?”

“Yes,” G replied. On the way here they’d decided that G would do the talking.

“Are you sure?” the zoologist pressed, a look of calm contemplation on his face.

“You don't seem enormously surprised by this,” the Englishman commented.

The zoo employee shrugged. “The zoo imported those hyenas from Africa. There was something strange about them from day one. I did some homework... That
particular breed is very rare. Historically they were worshipped by these guys...”

“Primals,” G commented. Faith resisted the urge to roll her eyes at her Watcher’s animation

“Yeah!” the animal carer nodded. “They had rituals for taking the hyena spirits, but I don't see how that could have happened to your kids.”

G shrugged. “We don't know exactly how the ritual works. We know that it involves a predatory act and some kind of symbol.”

“Fascinating,” the zookeeper looked thoughtful. “I think we may have enough information so that together we could pull off a reverse trans-possession.”

“Wicked,” Faith interruption, her impatience taking over. “What do we do?”

“We've gotta get those possessed students over to the hyena cage right away. I'll meet you there. We can begin the rituals.”

Faith scowled. “We can guarantee one of them, but there are two more, and we have no idea where they are.”

“I wouldn't worry about that,” the zookeeper replied. “The hyenas will track the missing member of their pack until they find him. They should come right to you.”

Faith’s eyes widened. “Oh fuck! G, set it up!” she ran out of the office and started back to the school.

* * *

After a worried glance to his receding daughter, Giles ducked under the tape and hurried into the hyena house. He cursed under his breath when he realised the zookeeper had disappeared. “Hello sir?” Hearing a door close he turns to see the zookeeper dressed in tribal wear. “Oh, of course, the Masai ceremonial garb. Yes... Very good. Are you, uh, otherwise prepared for the trans-possession?”

“Almost.”

Giles’ eyes widened as he noticed some markings on the floor before the hyena enclosure. Curious, he crouched down.. “Oh, right! The sacred circle. Yes, you'd need that to... This would be here when... when the children first came. Why would you...” Oh bollocks, swallowing slightly he looked up. “How terribly frustrating for you, that a bunch of school children could accomplish what you could not.”

* * *

“It bothered me.” He glared down at the Englishman before slamming his staff into Giles’ head. “But the power will be mine.” Tossing the staff aside, he grabbed the Englishman’s wrists and dragged him into the shadows.

* * *

Amy screamed as the back window shattered and Jesse and Jonathan climbed in. Cordelia glanced at a wide-eyed Willow. “Run!” her and the red-head grabbed the witch by the elbows and dragged her out of the library and into the darkened corridor.

Suddenly a door at the far end of the shadowy passageway crashed open. Cordelia’s heart stopped. ”This way!”

Cordelia’s heart started beating again. Turning, the three of them raced towards Faith, the sound of the hyenas racing after them pounding in her ears. “Catch!” Faith flung her car keys to her. “I’ll meet you outside.”

* * *

The moment Cordelia and the others were past her, Faith tore the fire extinguisher off the wall and waited. God, her heart was pounding, but she couldn’t run, if she didn’t face Xander now, she’d never be able to.

The moment the hyenas were in range, she fired the extinguisher, filling the corridor with spray. Instantly she back-flipped out of range, waited until the blinded hyenas stumbled towards her and pulled the trophy cabinet down on top of them, sending the hyenas crashing to the floor. Instantly she turned and ran out to the car.

* * *


Willow led Cordy and a sobbing Amy into the eating area. “They're almost here! Giles! Giles!” she slowed to a stop at the sight of the hyena expert. “Where are the hyenas for the trans-possession?”

The zookeeper nodded behind him. “Come with me. They're right here in the feeding area.”

“Where's Giles?” demanded Cordelia.

The zookeeper looked nervous. “He's... laying in wait.”

“They're almost here.” Amy cried. “Shouldn't you bring the hyenas out?”

“I need you three inside, sort of bait,” the zookeeper explained. The three of them gulped. “Hurry!”

Suddenly Faith crashed through the entrance. “They're right behind me!”

The decision made for them, Willow and the others turned and rushed into the enclosure, following the man. Suddenly the zookeeper grabbed her and drew a knife. “What are you doing?” demanded Faith.

“The power should have been mine!” the zookeeper snarled. “But your friends had to get in my way. Well this time!” Willow’s mouth leapt into her heart as the hyenas charged in and bundled Faith to the ground, their combined power too much for her friend. The zookeeper began to chant. “YU BA YA SA NA!”

The pack looked up at the keeper. Willow’s heart froze at the keeper’s sudden growls. Suddenly the knife flew out of his hand and into his thigh. The keeper screamed, released his grip on her, and fell over the railing, into the hyena pit. Seconds later Willow heard the sound of snarling, screaming, and teeth tearing into flesh. Closing her ears to the sound. “H…how?”

“I..I did a spell,” a pale-faced Amy explained. “Took the knife out of his hand and stabbed him with it, I had to wait until he’d finished the ritual for them,” Willow glanced at Xander and the others. “He wasn’t meant to fall in the pit though,” suddenly the Wicca bent over and began to throw up. Willow stared at the Wicca, there was power, she’d have to learn that.

* * *

Hearing a knock at the door and knowing that G was out getting the groceries, Faith hurried down the spiral stairwell and flung the front door open. And then her heart stopped.

“Faith, I’m -.”

“X,” it was an effort but she managed to keep her voice and gaze steady. “You don’t need to say it, I know it wasn’t your fault or anything.” Seeing the man’s worried face settling into one of relief, she hurried on. “But I can’t be around you right now, you remind me of stuff. Please,” she looked down. Realising her hands were tightly clenched, she forced herself to relax. Just go.”

Xander’s face crumpled. “Faith please.”

“JUST GO!” Faith slammed the door shut before running back upstairs, tears streaming down her face. Why couldn’t she leave the past behind?