Child of the Hellmouth

Child of the Hellmouth
calikocat
word count: 2957
Yuyu Hakusho, Inuyasha and Buffy the Vampire Slayer do not belong to me.

XXX

Botan smiled before taking a sip of her tea, taking a moment to let it's warmth seep through her, Rupert always did keep the best blends. She waited patiently as he said goodbye to the pretty woman who had driven him home. He hadn't seen her yet and she didn't want to interrupt his stuttering. He was so cute when he was nervous. When he closed the door he paused, almost as if he could sense her. Who knows maybe he could, he had always been rather perceptive. Her Ripper was one of a kind.

“Konban wa.”

When he finally turned to face her, he gave a raised brow at how she was curled up in the armchair enjoying his tea. “Do make yourself at home.”

She gave him a cheeky grin. “I already have and we both know you don't mind. Tea?”

The corners of his mouth twitched in the beginning of an amused smile. “Please.”

As she set about fixing him a cup he put away his scarf and coat. By the time he made his way to her, she had his tea ready and handed it to him. He accepted it with a sigh and sat down on the sofa.

“No need to sound so depressed.”

“That depends, is this a social call?” Giles asked before blowing on the steaming liquid. “Or are you going to give me some sort of warning?”

Botan pouted at him. “It's a social call...mostly.”

“Mostly?”

She shrugged. “I'm on break and decided to visit you for a bit. Of course I didn't expect you to be out on a date. Congratulations by the way, she's very pretty.”

He snorted and choked on his tea a bit before answering her. “Nosy bugger.” He took another sip to ease his throat. “So, you're working Sunnydale tonight then?”

“Yep. I actually requested that Sunnydale be my responsibility, spirit wise anyway.”

He blinked at her curiously. “Why on earth would you request such an assignment? You'll be working every night in a town like this.”

She shrugged. “It's just simpler that way. Yusuke asked me to keep an eye on Xander, he wasn't exactly happy when he found out the world almost ended and his little brother was in the middle of it all.”

“None of us were exactly happy to be here at the time.” He smirked. “So in order to keep him informed you'll be stopping by often?”

“I may drop by once a week to catch up with you, and of course I'll keep a closer eye on Xander. But keeping watch over a hellmouth is a lot of work so I'm actually thinking of getting an apartment...or maybe a small house.”

“Really? What about Mukuro?”

Botan waved a hand as if to push the question away. “We weren't in it for the long haul.”

Giles chuckled at her. “You were, as the children say, dumped?”

“It's not funny.”

He cleared his throat, trying to keep his laughter at bay. “My apologies, you're right, it's not funny. Would you like something stronger than tea? To ease your broken heart of course.”

She glared at him. “It's tempting, but I really do need to make my rounds, and I need to swing by the high school.”

“But no one died, well not tonight at least.” He looked thoughtful. “Of course our forces were all on campus.”

“Which is why I need to make my regular rounds, and someone did die tonight at the school. Well technically anyway, Daryl Epps died...again.”

“You're going to escort him then? How exactly was his brother able to capture his soul in the first place?”

Botan grimaced. “It's embarrassing really, but my girls have trouble with hellmouths. The energy makes them nervous and clouds their senses.” At his frown she continued. “Almost all of them were human before they died Rupert. Humans who had a little spiritual energy, but never enough to attract anything violent.”

“And you are the exception?”

She grinned. “I never died, and I've never been human.”

His eyes widened. “Really?” It wasn't an answer he had been expecting. “So you do have some secrets left.”

“Yep.” She winked at him. “I've been top guide for more than a thousand years and my heritage...well that's a story for another time.” She finished her tea. “I'll fetch Daryl after I make my rounds.”

“Will you be back tonight? After escorting him?”

She shook her head. “Probably not tonight, after all I still have my quarters in Reikai.”

“If you decide to come back I have a spare room, well it's more of a study but the couch in there is a foldout.”

She looked at him closely, meeting his eyes, and for a moment they gazed at one another. The years seemed to slip away and they were twenty years younger, her eyes twinkled and he gulped. Twenty years ago had been a torrential time for him and she had been an anchor and a safe haven from everything wrong in his world. A lifetime ago he would have done anything for her, and she for him. The moment ended and they smiled fondly at memories they would always share.

“If you're serious I would appreciate it, that way I can get a head start on my search for a new home.”

“I'll leave the light on for you then. Have you eaten? I could whip something up?”

She smiled at him. “Only if you let me help.”

xxx

Xander peered around the corner of the main school building at what was left of the old science building. It was blackened and hollowed from the fire. He studied the empty building and the expansion of pavement in front of it. There was no one in sight, and no movement except the steam that still rose from the building's shell. He shuddered, Buffy was in so much trouble. The troll had been livid when he heard she had been involved, that was two burned buildings on her record now.

A sudden movement in the parking lot caught his eye and he started to shrink back, thinking maybe Snyder was still around, pacing and plotting against Buffy. After a second glance he was relieved to see that the figure was taller than Snyder and he steeled his resolve for the reason he was here. Taking a breath, he cautiously moved from his hiding place and slowly approached the confused teen.

He hadn't been sure when he'd first seen the guy earlier, but there he was in all his glory. No scars in sight, Daryl Epps looked just like he had before his accident. Xander had first seen him as he and Willow were leaving the scene. One glance and he'd been shocked to see the former football star gazing around him, standing in the middle of the parking lot. He'd almost called out to the guy when a fireman had walked through him. His mouth had snapped shut and he had decided then and there to come back later.

So here he was, hoping to god and whoever was listening that Snyder was no longer on school grounds. With one more look around he walked till he was just a few feet from what was left of Daryl.

“Hey Daryl.” He kept his voice soft, just in case the guy was still a little loony.

Daryl's clouded gaze landed on him and cleared as their eyes locked.

“Do I know you?”

“Not personally. I'm in the same class as Cordelia though if that helps.”

Recognition flared in his eyes and Daryl nodded. “You're that goofball Harris. Right?”

“I tend to go by Xander, but yeah, that's me.”

“You can see me, well duh, you're talkin' to me...why?”

“Why am I talkin' to ya? Or why can I see you?”

“Both.”

Xander shrugged. “I have no idea why I can see you. You're the first ghost I've ever met/talked to/seen, whatever.”

“So I'm really dead then? For good this time?”

“I think so. I mean no one's gonna be able to reconstruct you this time...there wasn't much left.”

Daryl looked relieved to hear that. “And my brother?”

“Chris is gonna be in counseling for a long time...and Eric is going straight to Juvie.”

“He shouldn't have brought me back, but I get why he did. I just...I wish I could tell Cordelia that I'm sorry. I wasn't acting...like me.”

“Yeah well, it's to be expected. You died and were brought back, you wigged, it's totally understandable.”

Daryl gave him an odd look. “You never answered me Harris, why are you here?”

“Me? I'm just here to keep you company for a while until someone comes to pick you up.”

“Pick me up? You smokin' somethin' Harris? 'Cause I don't think people go around picking up ghosts...but hey you're here talking to me aren't ya.”

“Not that kind of pick up ya jerk.” Xander rolled his eyes. “This is what I get when I try to do the right thing. Look Daryl, I'm just hanging out with you for a while until one of the guides gets here.”

“Guides?”

“Spirit Guides, Ferry Girls, ya know...Grim Reapers?” Xander grinned as Daryl gulped. “Don't worry man, they're all cool, nothing scary about them...well Yusuke said Botan can be scary but she's been nothin' but nice to me. Anyway, one of her girls should be here soon, see when someone dies it's the guide that shows them the way to Reikai, which would be the Spirit Realm. And you can stop lookin' at me like I'm crazy any time now.”

“Sorry...but what makes you think any of that is real...not that I think you're psycho or anything...”

Xander shrugged. “I'm on a first name basis with one of the guides.”

Daryl snorted. “Right and I'm Pat Sajack.”

“Does that mean I'm Vanna White?”

Xander smirked at Daryl and pointed up, Daryl glanced up and stumbled back in shock. “She's flying!”

“Technically she's floating. Hey Botan.”

“Hello Xander.” She floated lower glancing at Daryl as she gently landed on her feet. “I'm Botan. Reikai's top guide and I'll be escorting you to your judgment.”

“Judgment?” Daryl's eyes were huge and he looked paler than before...which was weird because of the whole no blood thing. He glanced at Xander. “You were serious?”

“Uh, yeah.”

The former jock looked at Botan again, still pale, and shaking a little. “So...judgment huh.” He frowned. “I...I...”

Botan leaned towards him and gave his shoulder a comforting pat. “Don't worry, what you did after you were brought back is strictly off the record.”

A look of pure relief washed over his face. “Thanks...uh...Harris.” He winced as he addressed Xander. “About that lunch money a few years ago...”

“Forget about it. Just take some advice.”

“Sure, okay.”

“Don't let Koenma bully you.”

“Koenma?”

“The guy judging your soul.”

“You know him?”

“Eh, he and my brother are friends. Koenma went to his wedding and everything.”

“Holy shit!”

“Yeah, pretty much. Oh hey Botan, question for ya.”

“What is it?”

“Any idea why I can see ghosts now?”

She blinked at him. “Couldn't you see them before?”

“Uh, that would be a big fat no.”

“Huh.” She shrugged. “Not a clue, maybe because you broke a prophecy? Koenma did warn you the Powers That Be get rather pissy when someone breaks their rules.”

Xander sighed and hung his head. “Great, my very own super power and it's something lame like seeing ghosts.”

“Hey!”

“No offense Daryl.”

xxx

Xander unlocked the front door and let himself in, careful to keep his entry as quiet as possible. Just because Tony wasn't around anymore didn't mean he wanted to disturb his mom. Not that he saw her much, between her job, her new love life and his nightlife, however she did manage to have dinner with him at least twice a week. He closed the door and locked it up tight behind him before wandering into the kitchen, she'd left the light above the stove on along with a note.

Xander,
I'm on call all night, but there's pizza in the fridge.

--Mom

“Cool.” He hauled the leftover pizza out of the fridge and tossed three slices on a plate before nuking them in the microwave.

He sat down to happily eat his dinner, cause yay pizza, when he noticed some kind of brochure on the table. It was glossy and there was a picture of a woman in a kimono serving tea. Picking it up he started to flip through it as he ate, it was about some sort of exchange program the school would be doing soon. Schools from other countries were sending their students to Sunnydale for two weeks. Crazy adults. As he flipped through the brochure a loose piece of paper slipped out. He caught it before it hit the floor, it was a letter of some sort.

To the Harris Family,

We'd like to thank you for your participation in our new Cultural Exchange program. The brochure that you have received gives an overview of many aspects of Japanese culture which we hope you will read thoroughly and enjoy. The other document is the information about the student you have volunteered to host. We hope this will be an enlightening experience for everyone. Please be sure to pick up your guest when their plane arrives at the Sunnydale airport.

Xander stared at the letter...how the heck had his mom forgotten to mention this? This was big! He couldn't have some cram school tourist tagging along and getting himself killed! He made a grab for the other pamphlet and froze when he saw the picture of the student Japan was sending him for two weeks.

“Holy crap.” He smiled and inhaled the rest of his pizza before going upstairs to grab his communicator and going back to the kitchen. Sitting back down at the table he put in a code and waited for the other end to connect. He had just put his translator in when a familiar girl appeared on the screen. She looked surprised to see him. “How's my favorite miko?”

“Xander? You better have a good reason for calling me during school.”

He blinked at her. “Sorry, I forgot about the time difference.”

She sighed. “No, it's okay, we have self study anyway. So what's going on?”

“When were you gonna tell me about this whole foreign exchange thing?”

“Eh?”

“You, coming to America, for two weeks.”

“How do you know about that?”

“Your picture is on my kitchen table.”

“Hmm. Mom didn't tell me the name of my host family, or where in America I was going.”

“That would be Harris. Which would be us. Which will actually just be me 'cause Mom's not home much.”

She grinned. “Well at least we already met over the summer. So, should I expect anything unique about your town?”

He gaped at her. “Uh...Kagome. You know how I told you that my hometown has a portal to a hell dimension?”

She blinked a few times before gasping. “I didn't think you were serious!”

“Well yeah. I wouldn't joke about the mouth of hell actually being under the high school library...okay maybe I would if there were no such things as hellmouths...and if I did joke about it I would say it would be under the principal's office, maybe the cafeteria, but not the library. But I totally wasn't joking. It kinda opened up a little during our little apocalypse at the end of last term.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah. So you wanna help patrol while you're here?”

She looked thoughtful. “I can't just pack my bow and arrows and hop on the plane. Customs looks down on that kind of thing.”

“But you have that spirit bow that's kind of like Kuwabara's sword.”

“It also uses up a lot more energy. Charging arrows is easier and is just as effective.”

“Hmm. We could by-pass the whole plane thing and have Botan bring you over.”

“Not a good idea. My Mom is going to see me off at the airport.”

“But she already knows about your miko gig.”

“Well yeah, but she doesn't know that I keep tabs on the demon population around here...or that I know a Grim Reaper.”

He shrugged. “You could just tell her you found some sort of mystical way of transportation. Say it's like that old well you told me about, but it just leads to Sunnydale instead of the past.”

“I guess...and it would be cheaper.”

Xander grinned at her. “And then you could totally bring your weapons. Giles might have some spare arrows.”

“You think I'll need them?”

“Don't know. We're getting more vamps now that school is back in session.”

“Really?” She glanced away for a second. “Oh, hey I gotta go. Self study ends soon.”

“Later Kagome. Tell Shippo I said hi.”

She waved and the screen went blank.

Xander snorted. “Ghosts and Mikos...what next?”

XXX