Of Birds and Slayers

Shannah hadn’t come back for dinner and Kennedy was feeling anxious. She didn’t understand such a change of behavior. Faith had told her lately that the brunette had almost killed one of the students, and the Latino girl had found drops of blood in the bathroom.

‘What happened last night?’ Kennedy was wondering when she entered her bedroom. She stopped dead in her track when she saw her girlfriend. The bedroom was dark and Shannah was moving all around.

“Where have you been? I was very worried about you!” The Slayer exclaimed. Shannah didn’t answer, nor even looked at her, she was packing her stuff.

“Are you leaving?” Her voice was now shaking with anger and lack of understanding.

“Quite perceptive...” Shannah smirked.
“Okay, I can’t take it anymore! What the fuck is wrong with you?” The Latino girl exploded.

“You!” Shannah shouted. “I don’t wanna see your face again okay? I just can’t stand you!” She took her bag and tried to make her way to the door, but Kennedy stood between her and the exit.
Shannah could read the hatred and the despair in her eyes. Silent tears were running down her girlfriend’s cheeks.

‘What am I doing? No, it’s for the best...’

“Why are you doing that to us? We were great together! You don’t love me anymore?”

“It’s not that simple. And anyway, I have to leave. Let me go or I’ll hurt you.” Shannah threatened her with a calm voice. Kennedy stared into those black eyes, deeply, she could see nothing inside them, nothing but the void. Shannah was not there anymore. She looked down and stepped aside. The Phoenix left without saying anything, leaving a crying Kennedy behind her.

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(Kidney Thieves – Before I’m dead)

The streets looked all the same to Shannah: dark, cold, lifeless. Just like herself. She was walking, not really knowing where she could go. She had lost everything, her home, her friends, her love, herself.

‘They’re not safe with me. I killed a girl, and nearly killed another. It could have been any of them, Faith, Buffy...Kennedy.” She couldn’t get off her head the Latino Slayer. She loved her so much. It was a feeling she had never felt before, only because she had never been allowed to feel anything but hatred and loneliness. The young brunette spotted a bench several meters away. She sat and took her head between her hands.

“What have I become?” she whispered.

“Don’t know, little sis.” A voice answered next to her. Shannah stood up in a rush and stared dumbfounded at her brother.

“You’re dead.” She frowned and sat back. “What, am I hallucinating now?”

“No,” Zane chuckled “they just sent me there to guide you, you know? The Power-To-Be.” Shannah nodded.

“What’s the message?” Zane watched her and smiled.

“You know...” he started with a dramatic voice. “We’re both wild animals, beasts that can’t be tamed. Those guys, the Slayers, that’s what they’ve done to you. Or rather, tried to do. But we both know that the violence within you couldn’t be kept shut forever.”

“I’m not like you.” Shannah replied coldly.

“You think? What about that Slayer in the Lake? And the other one? You can’t control yourself! You did the good choice. If you’d have stayed in this place, they’d be all dead by now.”

The Phoenix tried to punch her brother, but there was nothing to hit, Zane was only air.

“See? Nothing but violence!”

“Leave me alone! I don’t need a fucking ghost spying on me!” She shouted and stood up to leave.

“I’ll be around,” Zane smiled while Shannah was running away. “watching you. Soon you’ll realize who you are...and then, you’ll be mine.”

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It was a huge cave, nicely decorated, though a little to crowded to Malaksh. He was a Kibonda demon, a race really good with the manipulations of the mind. For a sec, Malaksh thought he should have worn something else than a Hawaiian shirt and short pants. The other devoted demons were in long black dresses.

‘Nevermind! After all, I’m the one the Master called for that mission!’ Malaksh knelt in front of the altar and waited.

“There you are, maggot.” A dark voice said. “ You know it’s a bad thing to make The First’s offspring wait.” The voice changed and Zane appeared on the altar.

“I’m sorry Master, there was traffic on my way.” The Kibonda demon apologized.

“I don’t care! You’re here for one reason. I want you to change her memories.” The materialized spirit stood paced around the cave, his minions bowing in front of him. Then, the First’s offspring turned into Shannah. “I want her on our side, like her brother was. Bea’s sacrifice was only the first part of the plan. Now Shannah is doubting of herself, we must take advantage of it. And this is were Mind guy comes!” The young girl said with a sigh.

“You want me to twist her memories? You know this spell takes a while to work” Malaksh asked shyly.

“Not exactly. The witch’s spell helped us much. Without the mission, The Phoenix’s whole being is calling into question. What’s her end in itself? There are no sides, no Good, no Evil. For now, Shannah thinks she’s evil, but she’s still not sure of it. I want her to accept it, to change into a big bad, you understand?”

“What can she do to take this step?”

“She must kill everything that links her with her humanity.” The First’s offspring smiled sardonically.

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“It’s been two days since she went away...” Faith said sadly. She and Buffy were in their bed. The blonde’s head was leaning against the Rogue Slayer’s chest. Buffy liked being here, listening Faith’s heartbeat, feeling her soft skin. “And you know the worst part of it?” Buffy shook her head. “ I hear Kennedy crying all the time.”

“There’s nothing we can do. You’ve tried to find her, but we both know it’s impossible to look for a Phoenix. She can be anywhere, maybe in Europe, thanks to her wings.” Buffy sighed.

“No, I can feel her, I know she’s out there. She just doesn’t want me to find her.” Faith sat up straight and took her clothes. “I’m gonna go for a jog, need to figure things out.” The blond Slayer stared at her, understanding.

“You can talk to me you know? Don’t keep your feelings from me.”

“I’m just scared to lose her.”

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(Bree Sharp – The cheap and evil girl)

She hated this creepy motel, but it was the cheaper she could find. The brunette had to steal some tourists to pay a room.

‘Just like old times...’ she put her arms behind her head and stared at the ceiling. ‘Life’s a cycle...Happy, lost, wrecked, happy, lost, wrecked, on and on and on. That’s so fucked up.’

All of a sudden, a harsh pain struck her in the neck. She let out a cry and immediately put her hand on it. The pain was blinding, she fell on the floor and took a fetal position. She had flashes in her mind. The Scoobies chasing her, torturing her and finally slaughtering her like a beast.

‘No, this can’t be possible. Is that what’s happening? The Power-to-be...are they sending me those visions of the future?’

“I can’t! I can’t! I can’t!” Shannah started chanting to herself as a Kibonda symbol was carved into the flesh of her neck.

‘They wanna kill me, they will! No...I have to do it before they find me...I have to...’

“Kill them all...” Shannah murmured, a dark gaze crossing her face.

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