Hellmouth Heroes

FIC: Hellmouth Heroes (5/?)

“They have been empowered,” Camulos reported.

“Yes,” Zeus tartly replied as he peered down at earth, “I know. I have eyes.”

”And now?” Ra asked.

“And now nothing.” He stilled the others’ protests with a shake of the head. “We cannot interfere too much. We will interfere once more towards the end, but for the most part what happens next is down to them and the fates.”

* * *

Xander shook his head as he hurried downstairs, grimacing as he realised he’d slept in after the previous night’s madness. He was gonna be late for school. Far worse, he was gonna miss ogling Faith’s goodies as she worked out.

“Alex!” Xander’s blood chilled as his dad’s bellow, recognising the angry tone and dreading what was to inevitably come. “In here!”

“Dad,” he tried, “I’m going to be -.”

”Don’t make me tell you again!”

Xander’s shoulders slumped. “Yes dad.”

The moment he was through the doorway, his dad was up and in his face, spittle dripping from his lips. “You were in late again last night, you seeing one of those bitches you hang around with boy? Which one was it? The kike? The rich bitch? The trailer trash?” His father’s face mottled still further. “Better not be that nigger? I won’t have a son of mine going with one of her kind!”

“Yeah because our family line’s something to be proud of,” Xander snapped, infuriated by the insults to his friends.

The moment the words left his mouth, his father swung a slap at him. “ Don’t you smart-mouth me -.”

“I don’t think so.” Xander caught the wrist inches from his face and twisted it outwards while at the same time kicking his father in the outer side of his opposite knee. His father gasped as he staggered forward, Xander twisting with the bigger man’s momentum to throw him over his shoulder and through the lounge door. Xander stepped through the wrecked doorway in time to kick his father’s hands away from him as he attempted to struggle to his feet. A follow-up foot to his father’s over-stuffed gut left the old man wheezing in a ball. “You lay a finger on me or mom again, and I will break you,” Xander stepped over the body, “and you better speak more respectfully to my friends in the future. Bye now.”

Xander stopped as he reached the front door, brow furrowing. How had he just done that? “Frank Castle,” he muttered, a grin tugging at his lips. He had to see Giles and fast.

* * *

”Giles! Giles! Giles!”

”Good lord,” he muttered as he looked up from his copy of ‘Morte D’ Arthur’, “I’m not even safe during class hours.” Forcing a smile he looked towards the excited young man rushing into his inner sanctum. “Yes, Xander, what is it?”

“We’ve retained our powers!” he stared blankly at the youth. “From last night!”

”That’s ridiculous,” he shook his head. “A spell of that magnitude-.”

“What am I thinking?” challenged the youth.

“I’d appreciate you didn’t have quite so pornographic dreams about my Slayer.” Giles blinked. “And Cordelia, and Alana, and Willow, oh god lord, do you think of anything else?” Giles gaped at the red-faced youth. “I read your mind. Or I peered into a sewer, but I’m reasonably sure I read your mind.”

”Damn,” muttered the youth, “I should have thought that one through.” The young man shook his head. “You might be able to do more. Professor Xavier’s powers didn’t just stop at mind reading.”

“Really?” Xavier stared at the youth, interested despite himself. “Do tell?”

“Okay,” Xander grinned. “Try and communicate with me telepathically.”

”Oh good lord,” he shuddered. That meant back into the sewer. “Did you do your homework last night?”

”No,” Xander grinned. “I heard your voice in my head.”

“Splendid,” he found himself grinning back at the youth. “What else?”

“Try to make the illusion of a glass of water appear on the table.”

Giles nodded and stared at the table. He gaped as a glass appeared. “Wonderful,” he chuckled as his hand passed through the illusion. He looked back at his companion. “Anything else?”

“Try to control my mind?” Xander looked a little nervous at that one.

“Bark like a dog.”

“I’m not doing that,” Xander shook his head. “That doesn’t work. Okay,” the boy licked his lips, “try and knock me out with a physic blast-.”

“Oh bloody hell,” Giles gaped as the youth crashed to the ground. He reached instinctively for the glass of water on the table only for his hand to once again pass through it. He glared at the glass. “Oh do bugger off.” The glass disappeared. Giles strode into his office and picked up his real glass of water before returning and pouring it on the youth’s face.

”Guuu,” Xander groaned as he awoke.

”Here’s a towel son,” he passed a towel over to the youth. “And what powers do you have?”

“Not powers as such,” Xander replied, “but I’m an experienced hand to hand fighter with four black belts -.”

“Oh and how did you discover this?”

The youth reddened. “That’s not important. What is, is that I’m also a parachutist, demolitions expert, knife fighter, marksman, and have the training skills of the SEALs, the Marines, the UDTs, and the SAS.”

“Quite a skills set,” Giles decided not to pry verbally or mentally into Xander’s embarrassment.

“Yeah,” the boy nodded. “Do you realise what this means?”

Giles grinned. “I do indeed. It means Faith is going to be the longest lived Slayer in history.” He paused in thought. “Xander, the others. I’ll write you some absence notes for them.” He paused. “And Ms. McClay too, Faith would doubtless insist on it. We need to get testing their abilities.” He placed a hand on the young man’s shoulder, somehow sensing the teen’s need for affirmation. “You did well bringing this to my attention, and given your status as resident comic book expert I’ll need your help testing the others. Now get the others.”

* * *

“Well,” Giles glanced at the clipboard and then at the hushed attendees. If only they were usually so bloody quiet. It had taken several hours, the entire day in fact, but they were finally finished. “The test results are interesting.” Almost as interesting as explaining to Tara what they did. Fortunately the young girl was so in awe of Faith, it had taken only a little time to convince her to join the tests and keep their secret. “Apparently Jenny,” he favoured his girl-friend with a smile, “can now make herself invisible, as well as being able to create a force field, and has picked up considerable unarmed combat skills. Unfortunately she can’t use her powers on anyone else, something that the comic Sue Storm apparently could.”

“Faith on the other hand, as had her physical abilities and senses increased even beyond Slayer levels,” he hid a smile at the Slayer’s pleased smirk. “Although her improvements aren’t quite to the level of the person who possessed her. She’s now as strong as perhaps ten men, with consummate improvements in speed, durability, and stamina. In addition, there are considerable improvements in all her senses,” he paused for a second, “except her common sense.” Faith gave him an approving thumbs up. “In addition, she can now fly and shoot ‘venom blasts’ capable of knocking an opponent out.”

”Thanks for volunteering me for that, by the way,” Xander muttered.

”You are the expert in these matters,” Giles replied before looking towards Gunn. “Charles now has superhuman strength, durability, and stamina, as well as increased healing. His strength is roughly seven times that of a normal human and two-thirds that of Faith’s now.”

“I thought Luke Cage was meant to be stronger than Spider-Woman?” objected Gunn.

“I’ll get to that in a moment,” Giles promised before looking towards Cordelia. “Miss Chase, your strength is also seven times that of a normal human male,” he hid a grin at Xander’s shudder, Mr. Harris had best watch his P’s and Q’s from now on, “your speed, durability, and stamina have all likewise improved. As to why Faith is stronger than both of you despite being possessed by a weaker character, I can only suggest that because she has already been supernaturally possessed before she’s more susceptible to possession.”

“Is he saying I’m easy?” Faith asked idly.

“An open target, and yet I’m resisting,” Xander muttered.

“Or the spell was specifically targeted at her,” Wesley added.

”Yes, also a possibility,” he nodded. “However we’re unlikely to know the answer until we find just who cast the spell.” Giles glanced around the room. “As for the rest, Jonathan, you have no sign of having your spine replaced by metal-.”

”Bummer,” Xander sympathised.

“Quite,” Giles continued with a shake of his head. Bloody Americans. “However, you have astonishing healing capabilities, beyond those of any of the others. In addition, your senses are improved to an unmatched level. It appears your reflexes, speed, stamina, endurance, and strength have all improved to slightly above Olympic level. And finally, you have a fluency in several languages especially Oriental, and appeared to have mastered a minimum of half a dozen martial arts.”

He hid a smile at the young man’s beaming smile. It did his heart good to see such a lacking-in-confidence youth get a boost like this. “As for Oz, your senses have also dramatically improved, with the exception of your eyes which remain normal. Your reflexes and balance are slightly above those of an Olympic level gymnast while you’re also a considerable martial artist.”

“Cool,” the impassive guitarist commented.

As always Oz gushed with excitement. Giles looked towards Wesley. “As for you, you also appear to have had your skills and physical abilities improved,” although one could hardly make Wesley worse. “You’re another Olympic level athlete with considerable martial arts and armed combat skills, in addition to a full knowledge of anti-terrorist tactics.”

Giles looked towards the only person in the room that he liked less than Wesley. “As for you Robin, your strength, endurance, durability, speed, and reflexes are all slightly better than Wes and Xander’s, and on a par with Jonathan’s. Your senses are also a match for his. In addition, your martial arts skills appear to have improved significantly.”

“Next,” he glanced towards his clip-board and then Alana, “is Alana.” He smiled reassuringly at the obviously nervous girl. “Her physical speed, reflexes, and strength have improved significantly, as have her martial skills. However, more exciting are her new powers,” he smiled again. “Apparently she can now create and channel lightning through her hands,” he glanced at the charred desk they’d experimented on.

”Sorry,” muttered the girl.

”I should have taken my lunch off first,” Giles soothed. “In addition she can create and control the wind, using it as a weapon.” He looked towards Amy and Tara. “Both you young ladies now are as fit and healthy as Olympic athletes with the apparent added bonuses of martial arts and espionage skills. And that is that.”

“As a result of all these changes, I feel training will have to change our training.” Giles looked towards Faith. “Faith, your enhancements have made it unsafe for us to train together-.”

“But Mr. Watcher,” the Slayer pouted, “I just loved grappling with you. You just know where to put your hands to make a girl feel safe.”

Giles coughed and reddened as every eye turned to him. That bloody girl. “That’s as maybe,” ground swallow him up now, “but you’re far too strong now for a human to spar with, besides, your martial arts abilities have improved beyond mine. From now on, you’ll train exclusively with Charles and Cordelia.” He looked towards the others. “As of now, Oz, Jonathan, Wesley, Xander, and Robin,” he saw Xander stifle a groan, “shall all train together. Jenny, you’ll train with Amy, Tara, and Alana. All you who have other powers should take any opportunity to exercise them.”

“Maybe,” Xander raised a hand, “we should get like a private place where we can train. I mean this place was okay when it was just Faith training, but now it’s everyone, it’s going to get crowded fast.”

Giles nodded. “Yes, I’ll look into it, Xander-,” his voice trailed off as he sensed a troubling thought. His gaze snapped towards Wood. “Robin, please join me in the inner office.” Without waiting to see if the man accepted his ‘invitation’, he spun on his heel and strode determinedly inside.

* * *

“What is it Gil-.”

The black man’s voice died as Giles spun and glared at him. “Tell me Robin, did you like wearing a nappy?” The black man stared blankly at him. “Only I could ensure that for the rest of your life, you wear nothing else. I could wipe your mind until you have the intellect of a six month old baby.” The black man continued to stare at him. “I picked up your stray thought in there. And you are not contacting the Council about this!”

”T…the C…Council-.”

“Have shown us precious little support, I’ve had more help from a group of under-age children than those stuffed shirts.” Giles snarled, Ripper bubbling up to the surface. “You do anything that puts Faith or any of these children or your potentials in jeopardy, and I’ll ensure you spend the next forty years wearing a nappy and a bib,” he bluffed, knowing that he didn’t appear to have the power to do that, but also knowing that Wood wouldn’t know it. “Are we clear?” His fellow Watcher nodded dazedly. “Good,” the tension oozed out of his shoulders, “then we’re clear. I want you to bring those potentials here later so we can test their powers 7pm?”

The black man nodded jerkily. “Yes, Giles.”

* * *

Jenny’s eyes narrowed as she noticed a forlorn-looking Willow sat away from the others. She strode over and sat beside the witch. “What’s wrong?” she softly asked.

”N..nothing,” the witch stuttered.

”Please dear, credit me with some intelligence, I’m not a man.”

The red-head smiled slightly. “Everyone’s so powerful now. I…I wish I’d worn my costume.”

“If you had worn a costume what would have happened?” Willow stared at her. “It was only because of you not wearing your costume that we were able to break the spell, if not, we might still be under its influence.”

“I guess,” Willow whispered with a shrug of her shoulders. “But everyone’s got powers and I’m-.”

”You don’t realise your potential,” Jenny counselled. “You have the potential to be a magician of unimaginable ability, that’s enough power for anyone.”

”Really?” The red-head stared wide-eyed at her, hope shining in her emerald orbs.

“If you work hard enough,” Jenny smiled. “Now,” she stood and directed her voice to everyone in the library, “I think school’s out for the day. Does anyone want to join Willow and I for coffee?”

* * *

Giles slowed as he followed Robin out of his office. “Where’s everyone gone?” he asked the solitary occupant.

“For coffee,” Xander replied. “I thought we should talk.”

”Oh,” Giles started for the door, Xander beside him, “about what?”

“What if we’re not the only ones permanently affected?”

Giles missed a step as he looked towards the youth. “Ah,” he grimaced. “That’s a troubling thought. In all the excitement I hadn’t considered that, well done. We’ll just have to cross that bridge should it ever come up.

“Yeah.” The boy nodded. “It’s a shame there were only Marvel Comics costumes at the store,” Xander mused.

Giles glanced towards his companion. “What do you mean?”

The instant he asked the question, he regretted it. Unfortunately it was far too late to take it back. “I mean, can you imagine Faith with a Witchblade, she’d have a set of armour in a second, man I’d like to see a vampire face that! Or if you’d gone as Ozymandias of the Watchmen you’d have run circles around demons before they’d even decided to attack us. Or I could have gone as Luke Skywalker, ha! I’d love to see a vampire fight a jedi! Or there’s Superman of course. Or the Dark Knight-.”

“Who?” Giles idly asked.

The boy shot him a scornful look. “Batman of course.”

“Of course,” he muttered.

“Man, I’d have loved to have gone as The Crow, or Hellboy, Spawn would have kicked ass…..”

Giles stifled a groan as the boy continued. Dear god, he had to ask.

* * *

He looked around the darkened room. He’d asked the others to pass the word throughout school, but only a handful had come. “You all know why I called you here.” He paused. God, but he wished Owen would do the talking, but his morose friend had refused. “You know something happened to us last night. Something strange.”

“Sure,” Lance nodded. “We’re all different today.”

“What do you want to do about it, man?” Devon drawled.

“You all also know what Faith and her friends do.” He waited until the mutters died down. “It’s pretty much an open secret after Buffy died last year. I was thinking, now we have powers, we can help.”

“They seem to be pretty set up,” Michael broke the shocked silence that followed his pronouncement. “Maybe they won’t want help?”

“I was thinking we patrol on our own,” Scott pressed. “Away from them, just help people they miss.”

“A vampire nearly got me last month,” Theresa put in, “Xander and Gunn saved me. They didn’t realise it, they cut the vampire off as it was chasing me, never saw me. But I’d like to help them.”

Larry shrugged. “If it doesn’t interrupt with football practice, I’m in.”

* * *

“Oh yes,” he licked his lips as he leafed through his collection of photographs of Sunnydale High’s most beautiful female students, “so perfect, you will be mine.” He wouldn’t settle for one either, he’d have them all. His cackle echoed around him.

* * *

“Sorry son,” he stared scornfully at the teen stood over the counter from him, “I don’t sell to school kids.”

“Oh,” the kid had a heck of a creepy grin, “I wasn’t intending to buy a gun for myself.”

”That buying it for your dad line doesn’t work in either,” he replied.

”Oh,” he gasped as the youth hurdled over the table and punched him in his throat, crushing his larynx in one brutal movement. He crashed to the ground, blood dribbling out of his mouth as he wheezed for his air. “I wasn’t intending on buying weapons, just taking them. No good assassin ‘buys’ weapons.” The last thing he heard before death was the youngster’s maniacal giggling.