Through it all

Hong Kong-Buffy

Buffy groaned and turned, hissing in pain she forced her eyes open and stared in shock at her surroundings. Instead of the annoyingly familiar cell she had become accustomed too she was lying on a soft bed in what looked like…heaven?

The large elaborate ceilings and rich colors of the room suggested obvious wealth. Sitting up she realized the pain she had felt a moment ago was gone, looking down she saw that the shackles around her wrists were gone as well as the open wounds that had become an ever present part of her life.

Turning she studied the room carefully, looking for any possible route of escape. There were large drapes that hung over darkly tinted windows and past the drapes she could make out the shape of large metal shutters. Whatever lived here didn’t like the outside…sniffing softly she felt her heart speed up when she smelled vampire. But what was odd and out of place was that this didn’t smell like her everyday vamp.

“Oh good…your awake.” Mursas said pleasantly.

Buffy whirled and snarled at the demon, eyes widening in shock when she realized that she had actually snarled. Like an animal.

“What did you do to me?” Buffy asked, standing shakily she realized she was naked and quickly grabbed the sheet and covered herself. Blinking at just how fast she had moved…shed never been able to move that fast before.

“Fulfilled the prophecy…which bodes well for me…you however…not so much.” Mursas smiled again this time pulling a small wooden box from behind his back.

Buffy stiffened and backed away from the demon and box. She hated small packages because honestly they were often worse than the big hulking things that she had fought.

“Now now Chosen. No need to be worried. However I am curious…are you hungry?” Mursas smiled again…Buffy snarled at the annoying demon.

“Go to hell.”

“It never stops being so ironic that you keep saying that. When will you learn…I AM Hell.” Mursas deftly flipped open the lid of the box and pulled out a small intricate silver bracelet; Buffy could see the impression of its twin in the velvet of the box.

“Now…be a good little slayer and put this on and ill feed you.”

Buffy swallowed hard, pushing down the sharp intense spikes of hunger that seared her throat. If he was holding a bracelet as leverage for food…shed rather go hungry.

Growling again she knelt and lunged for the nearest tinted window, closing her eyes on impact she felt the glass give away and as she fell she heard Mursas shriek in pain. Gasping in shock when the sunlight hit her bare skin as the sheet fell away she looked down onto the street far below her and realized her skin burned.

Why would it burn? Then the more imminent problem of the fast approaching street overrode the painful sting of the sunlight. Buffy turned and flailed helplessly a moment before she felt some sort of cloak envelope her into darkness and strong arms wrap themselves around her waist a moment before the thump of feet meeting ground told her she was safely not going to smash into blood and guts.

As soon as the shock of that wore off she began to struggle and fight whatever had an iron grip around her, taking a deep breathe she was suddenly assailed by something that smelled insanely delicious to her, struggling now blindly to reach whatever it was that smelled so good she didn’t notice when her captor placed something that smelled sickly sweet across her nose, flailing dizzily she felt the world go dark.

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St. Louis-Faith

Faith smiled across the training gym as Ilsa deftly flipped and dodged every move her four assailants approached her with. According to Kennedy these slayers were the best and her demon was making mince meat of them.

Turning when she felt the fissure of her slayer sense go off she looked as Noah entered the room, again she was surprised that she could feel the girl just like she used to with B. Then again it was probably just that Noah was Buffy’s daughter.

Looking one last time to make sure Ilsa wasn’t getting carried away she walked over to stand beside Noah and was surprised to see tears in the girl’s eyes.

“What’s wrong kid?” Faith asked, surprised at the amount of concern she felt for the young blonde.

“Aunt Willow says Moms essence is lost.” Noah turned away and hugged herself.

Faith frowned in confusion before looking over to where Ilsa stood; having sensed her master’s sudden rise in emotion the demon had ceased all attacks and was waiting for any orders.

Shaking her head no Faith stepped forward and wrapped an arm around Noah’s shoulder and gently guided the girl out of the gym. Choking back nauseous she led the young slayer to her room. Shutting the door behind her Faith watched as Noah sat in one of the chairs and stared blankly at the wall.

Faith shifted her feet and leaned up against the wall. “When?”

“About an hour ago.” Noah whispered. Faith blinked back tears and struggled to keep composure.

“Are you sure? I mean…she…it doesn’t mean she’s dead.” Faith chocked out. Noah looked up, surprise written across her face.

“It…you really did love her?” Noah asked in shock. Faith glared down at the slayer.

“That’s none of your business.” Faith snapped, realizing who it was she was talking to she sighed. “But yea…more than life.” Faith sunk down to the ground she wrapped her arm around her knees.

“Faith…there’s something you should know…I’m…well you see. Umm…not telling you wasn’t my idea but I’m...” Noah was interrupted by a sharp knock on the door. Faith frowned and stood to open and tell whoever it was to go fuck themselves.

Faith whipped the door open and reeled back when she saw a dark cloaked figure standing before her, the unnatural pale skin and yellow eyes shocked her a moment before she snarled and flipped her arm out and gripped the throat of the vampire.

Pulling it into the room she flung it across the room where it landed against the far wall with a dull thump, looking down in confusion when she felt a strange itchiness on her wrist she frowned in confusion when she saw the thick ornate obsidian bracelet that now was fastened firmly around her wrist.

“FAITH!!” Noah screamed, Faith looked up and charged toward the vampire but a moment before she would have reached the leech it flung itself out the nearest window and straight into the afternoon sun. Skidding to a halt she watched as the demon disinagrated into ash, turning to Noah who simply shrugged.

“Think we should tell the council bout this?” Faith asked. Noah nodded frantically and turned to head out of the room to find Dawn. Faith followed absently pulling at the black bracelet.

*********************

Two hours later the Scoobs all sat around the large table that served there needs for many long research nights. Faith sighed as she watched Willow pour through some unknown impossibly old text for the answer behind her newest accessory. That it was magic wasn’t a question, what it did…THAT was the head scratcher she wanted to know.

Faith looked over to where Giles sat, Faith was shocked at how human he was, his hair was now pure white and she could see the fatigue clearly written on his face and Faith knew none of them wanted to be here, especially with the news about Buffy…and they had sent Dawn and Noah away before any of the serious research had even started because of that fact.

Sighing heavily she felt the grief she had been holding down resurface and she fought to push it back down. Looking to her left in surprise when she felt a hand touch her shoulder, Ilsa. Her demon was tied to her and could feel what she felt at all times. She was the only one that understood just how much her master needed to break free and run in the trees in her true form.

“HA…got it.” Willow exclaimed excitedly.

The only reason she had been able to suppress her worry and anxiety over what meant Buffy’s death was that the group never failed to keep her busy. “It’s the bracelet of Death…its one of two bracelets. Its twin is the bracelet of Life…the other one is silver but other than that matches it exactly. They’re Sumerian…it says here that the Bracelets tie there wearers so that if one is killed so is the other…and if they’re separated…same deal.” Willow looked over at Faiths wrist and swallowed hard.

“SO what…is the purpose of that?” Xander asked.

Everyone jumped when Ilsa squeaked and raised her arm enthusiastically. Taking a deep breath Faith looked to Ilsa “Yes…do you know something about these bracelets?”

“Yes…sure do Nona, when Ilsa was a little demon Mama tells me the pretty bracelets is how really really strong demony Gods kills enemies. Theys puts one on enemy and ones on a human and kills the human. That’s way it simple…theys also a prophecy.” Ilsa gushed, thrilled to know something that the pushy redheaded witch didn’t know.

“Of course there is…” Faith groaned and rubbed her face. “What is it?”

“That’s there wills be two great Chosens that’s will come to this world that will change the balance..theys will becomes the essence of life and death and when a child is born of there power and puts ons the bracelets the bracelets no kill no more theys become a symbol of the new Gods and all the evil ever done will be undone, but If the child dies then the ones that kills it will become ruler of the world and beyond.”

“So…apocalypse then?” Xander piped up helpfully. Ilsa nodded happily.

“Well…that’s nothing new…what I want to know is who has the other bracelet?” Faith asked.

TB C
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