Chapter 23
Just a Side Trip to Boston.
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"Giles, I remember telling you like less than two weeks ago that I didn't want to be dealing with the rest of your precious fucking council again, now explain to me why in the name of all that is good and holy in the god damned universe I am in fucking Boston on a payphone racking up a bill on Jenny's credit card when we should be getting back on our fucking plane. And so help me, make it good."
There is a sigh on the other end of the line. "You are aware, of course, that Kendra has died. You didn't explicitly make that clear when last we spoke, but it was implied."
Alex nods absently. "Yes, I was there. About two feet away. Had to throw away those panties."
There is a slight pause and Giles continues. "Yes. Well, when she passed on another slayer was called. This slayer is in Boston and is working with a watcher named Diana Dormer. Faith was discovered at the age of fifteen, and if the missive I received last week from her watcher and guardian of six months is to be believed, the now sixteen-year-old came from circumstances the likes of which the term 'broken home' cannot do justice."
Alex is getting irritated at this point, even more so than she was. "What does any of this have to do with me!"
There is silence again for a few moments. "Alex, The council's standard under such circumstances is to offer minimal assistance. Dormer isn't even a trained field watcher, she is a research specialist. Frankly, my superiors are setting the child up to fail and Diana to die. She knows this but thought there might be a fighting chance until she determined that there was a master vampire in the area gunning for them. She requested assistance from the only person that she thought might care, the one who sent an unbelievably powerful magical weapon to the last Slayer for no reason anybody can determine. She just didn't know that it wasn't me. Frankly, I think she is desperate enough to be trusted. But even if she wasn't, I somehow doubt you are the type that could abandon someone in such need."
Alex leans against the wall and slowly slides to the floor. Kendra's face darkens in hate as she is able to overhear both sides of the conversation easily. Jenny just looks confused and a bit strung out. Between the travel and what has happened to her former clan, she has been mentally battered quite thoroughly.
"Can we just move her to Sunnydale? Instead of flying, we could load them up and carpool them over for a couple of days? I don't really have any desire to try to take on a master vampire outside of our home turf."
"Alex, I did a bit of research into this particular master myself. If you leave him there, he will follow. And he will cut a swath of blood and pain across the land when he does, slowly building a horde to take Sunnydale with when he arrives. His name is Kakistos. Which translates roughly to 'worst of the worst.' He is not a creature of subtlety."
Alex glares into the phone. "I hate you, Giles. I hate you so much right now I need a new word for the amount I hate you. It's like, super extra special hyper hate or something. Give me the address and phone number. Tell them we're coming."
Alex doesn't bother hanging up the phone, instead throwing the headset which causes the thing to careen wildly at the end of its metal-plated cord, then come back and knock her on the head.
"Ow. Damn it. Jenny, can we rent a car for a few days, please? I think we are staying for a bit."
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An hour later they are slowly making their way through the city as the afternoon light gives way to evening. Jenny, having finally exhausted all of the factual questions she has about the earlier phone call, is now moving on to the more personal ones. "Alex, are you going to be okay with this? Giles seems to be making some big assumptions here."
There is silence for a few moments. "Probably. I mean, assuming he isn't telling me any lies and I don't think he is. My biggest problem with him is that he continues to work for these assholes, but honestly, at this point? I think he does it more or less because it is the best way he can think of to protect Buffy. So it's hard to come down too hard on him for that. Not that I won't anyway. He owes me big time for this crap. Just saying."
Kendra and Jenny offer smiles, though in both cases it is fairly strained. To say that it has been a tough couple of weeks would be putting it lightly. Jenny finally pulls up to the curb in front of a narrow, two-story brick townhouse that looks as though the basement is a separate apartment from the ground and second floors.
Kendra looks at it from the backseat. "This is it?"
Jenny nods. "Yeah. The above-ground floors. Shall we go knock?"
Alex thinks about it. "I don't think so. We know where they are, there's a hotel like three blocks from here. We'll get a room and then we can send Skite out to take a peek at things. But real quick, Kendra? I know I gave it to you, but if you don't mind passing it along, think you could hit their front door with your old sword? You can't really make good use of it anyway. Awkward as hell with your actual size and stuff."
Kendra smirks and nods, rolls the window down, and then as though she was somehow launching a shot-putt somehow the sword is sunk halfway to the hilt in their front door, wobbling slightly back and forth with a belt and scabbard hanging haphazardly off the handle, having been looped through the guard. There is a loud cry of surprise at the sound, and Jenny chuckles as the three pull away.
An hour later they are settling into their hotel room.
"So, Kendra. I know you said you had done your time, and if you meant it and want to be done slaying I will totally respect that. But..." Alex waffles a bit as she kicks the roll of cloth that opens the portable workshop. "If you just meant that you are done working for the Watcher's council directly then I have some toys you are going to need tonight when you go out to give Faith a hand."
When the Red and Green Wrights fly out carrying a suit of leather armor for her in halfling size, she giggles. "Of course, I will help this new Slayer. You cannot imagine how much I would have liked to have received such help when I was first starting out."
Alex nods. "Okay then. The armor isn't anything fancy yet, just a real basic protection enhancement, so don't expect miracles. I did manage to put together a pair of basic 'True death' weapon crystals for your swords, so they should hit pretty hard. But don't get cocky, you'll still probably need a beheading or a heart shot to take them out and that won't be easy with weapons the size of an average stake, as I am sure you know. It'll be better when you're human-sized, but... Honestly, being halfling sized is your best chance at obscurity. The Council isn't looking for anybody three feet tall, and neither are the Tarakans, you know?"
Kendra nods, smiling brilliantly from her place down by the floor as she has reduced herself to her smaller stature to put on her armor.
"Also, Gimme your choker for a few minutes. I built an upgrade for it that should be pretty plug-and-play now that it is done. Won't be able to remove it from the item again, but, meh. Can't have everything."
Kendra looks a little disconcerted at that, but does so.
Alex takes the choker and pulls a new clasp out of a small velvet box that was handed to him by Red. With some caution, she lines it up perfectly with the original clasp, then squeezes the two together, causing a bright green light and a shock of static electricity to go through the room. Then she hands it back. From down in the pit, Jenny and Kendra can hear something ratcheting quickly. Sounding as if something is being switched out.
"A bit of an upgrade. Fortunately, like effects on the same item are cheaper." She offers a wide grin, then continues as Ravage leaps up out of the pit, now wearing not only his customary armor set but also a saddle of sorts. It sits on one side rather than astride his back and is offset, like saddlebags, by another small parcel. This one carries a pair of wooden stakes and a small jug of holy water, all of which are strapped in tight.
"Your choker now does 'enlarge' or 'reduce.' Now, seriously, reducing from there will have you about the size of a cat. A small cat. Good for stealth, hitching a ride on Ravage. Maybe flying in on something if I ever get around to making a good candidate for that. But I wouldn't try to fight in it. But since you might need to be sneaking around I put a rush on it. Thought you might need it. One other thing? The Homunculi like you, and they'll fight for you as best they can. But they're not stupid and they don't want to die. If the odds get really bad, you might want to consider retreat options because they will be. They'll listen, but, just... Do you get me? Don't die."
Kendra nods. "That is fair. I will wear my earpiece, and you can tell me when they have decided, enough is enough, yes?"
At Alex's nod, Kendra activates her choker.
The voice of an astounded eight-inch tall pixie floats up from the tiny form on the floor. "Oh my gosh, everything is huge! I need a bowl of ice cream!"
Alex laughs. "When you get back. Skite is on site. He can let us know when anything happens and you can be there in about three minutes. Unless you really need him, I'll probably keep Drop Waddle here as a personal bodyguard. Is that okay? The problem with a hotel room. They don't need an invite to get in. Knowing there's a master here? Yeah. Not thrilled."
Jenny glances over. "Why didn't we just see if we could stay with Faith and Diana then?"
The two look at Alex expectantly. She looks at the ceiling. "Because if they can conclusively make a connection between Jenny, Giles girlfriend, myself, and this new pint-sized amazon Kirsten, how long do you really think it's gonna take for the Watcher's council to figure out their Slayer cheated death and try to put the yoke back on her? Personally, I think we are already taking far too many risks, no matter what Giles says about how desperate these people are. I am all about giving them a hand, but let's not shoot ourselves in the foot here, alright?"
Neither seems to have an adequate response to that, so a few minutes later when Skite reports that Faith and Diana have headed out for patrol, Kendra Hops into the saddlebag seat, buckles in, and her excited giggles are heard by the keen of ear for the five blocks it takes the two to catch up.
Faith is laughing as she steps along, flipping a stake in one hand and fingering absently the pommel of her shiny new sword with the other. Kendra can see Skite has taken up position in the trees and is mostly still though when he does move he makes it a point to scamper in a way that seems very squirrel-like unless you happen to see the black wings against something.
After a few minutes, Diana directs a scowling faith into a cemetery, one that even from here Kendra can see is still seeing some use. Creeping along behind them, it is obvious both from the way they are moving about and the snippets of conversation that Kendra hears that Diana is doing her level best to prepare Faith for what will be an encounter with a fledgling vampire from the grave they are circling. Faith is obviously bored and wants to be getting on with things. Kendra smiles a little. She remembers this point in her own training, though it occurred long before she was called as she was only seven at the time. But the attitude was very similar.
"Q to K, come in K."
Keying up her microphone, Kendra's eyes widen as a giggle escapes her minuscule lips. "K? Okay for now, but I need a better call sign than this. I expect better from my friend than regurgitating the first letter of my name."
There is a short laugh. "Everyone's a critic, I tell you what. Look, I assume they are waiting on a fledge, but you should know that Skite has eyes on a half dozen vamps incoming to your area from a mausoleum on the far side of the cemetery. Probably coming to welcome the new leech to the fold. You may wanna get combat-ready, just in case they haven't cleared out in time."
"Do you think I should introduce myself to them?" Kendra asks pointedly.
There is silence for a moment. "Really, K, that's your call. If it was up to me I would say stay out of sight, when they show up keep Dormer safe, probably do it while three feet tall if you can, they aren't gonna mistake you for a Slayer like that, and I'll have Ravage back up Faith. Once they're clear, get tiny, mount up, get hidden, go back into stalker mode and we can give them a call tomorrow."
Hopping out of her pouch and adjusting to her actual height, Kendra responds. "Okay Q. We'll try it your way."
Within a couple of minutes, there is a call from further in the cemetery and both Faith and Diana turn to face it.
"Hey Chickies! Did you two dolls come to play?"
This is spat out by a slightly overweight yet seemingly disgustingly cheerful vampire whose demeanor and clothing can be suitably reduced to 'Disco Good.' It may be the most horrifying thing Alex has seen all month. The more muscled and slightly more serious one next to him grunts slaps him once on the shoulder. "This looks like the Slayer. Like the Watcher, we have orders. To bring them before Kakistos.
As soon as that one says the name, the other five all chant, as though it is some kind of demented mantra: "For Kakistos we live! For Kakistos, we die!" Then they charge.
Faith is strong, but not experienced. At four to one odds things go south for her quickly, putting her entirely on the defensive and with her back to a tree, helpless as she sees the last two sneer as they close in on Diana. Who after narrowly missing the heart on her first shot is desperately trying to reload her crossbow.
And then there is laughter. The vampires are laughing. Looking up momentarily from her exertions she can see that a child wielding what almost has to be toy swords has stepped out from behind a tombstone to defend her. Tripping over her own tongue in her horror, Diana redoubles her efforts to load her crossbow and pleads to the child. "Run, get out of here, run as fast as you can!"
The child glances back once, smirks, and says: "Mr. Giles says hello, Miss Dormer."
Then she flings herself, screaming a battle cry at the unsuspecting vampires. A child-like creature that moves with the grace of a ballerina and the power of a runaway truck, wherever her blades meet vampiric flesh leaves long furrows of smoking, rotted, ruin. At the same time, she can look over at the once one-sided fight that Faith has gotten into and see that things have taken a turn for the better. There is some kind of... Of a mechanical dog. A robot dog, for lack of a better term. While it is not as effective as this tiny warrior maybe, it is at least as fleet of foot and when it hits, the wounds it leaves behind are just as crippling.
Within a minute, the once horribly one-sided fight against them has been handled, and thanks to the speed of the, and she cannot believe she is even thinking this, robot dog... None will even get away to tell their master what happened.
Diana Dormer isn't a field watcher, (though she did manage to get her crossbow reloaded thank you very much.) but she is a researcher. She is a very good researcher, in fact. She was working with a potential Slayer because she was trying to get a new classification of field personnel approved, the field researcher.
Simply because she was tired of only getting to see samples that were so old they were practically freeze-dried. As she is a very good researcher, she is also a fairly good scientist and has a grounding in all the basic knowledge that is taught at places like MIT. She won't be teaching classes anytime soon, but with some study, she could pass many, or even most of the introductory courses taught there and within a few very specific fields, many of the more advanced ones.
And that is why she knows that this robot dog is not a robot. She isn't certain what it is. Only what it is not, and it is not a robot.
As she stares at the robot dog and the small girl that is cleaning bits of gunk out of its joints with a stiff wire brush, Faith calls out from where she was leaning against a tree. A call that is part warning, part terror, part resignation. Then from directly behind Dormer, there is the unforgettable sound of a vampire collapsing into ash, and when she turns around, she can see that the one they were originally here for had risen and was somehow killed. She sees the child look into the sky and say, "I thought you were keeping him at the hotel?" There is a beat missed, and then. "Thanks."
Faith walks up to Diana, who is making her way to the small girl. Diana puts her hand out to shake. "Diana Dormer. This is my ward, Faith. Thank you for your help. You said Giles sent you?"
Kendra looks up at them. Looks at Faith, who seems confused, and maybe a little hurt.
"Kirsten." She says, shaking the older woman's hand gently. She pats the side of the dog affectionately.
"This is Ravage, and the eye in the sky that just nailed your fledgie is DW. Honestly, we just stopped by to drop off the sword, glad to see you're using it. Sorry about your door. All we knew about the area at the time was that we had twenty minutes to get under cover before the sun went down and a master vampire was wandering around. We figured you'd get over it. But since we were here for a few days, I figured we'd follow you on a patrol or three, help if you needed it. Really, all we ask is that you keep us out of your reports to the Watchers Council."
Diana doesn't like that stipulation much. "Why would you prefer that?"
Kendra shrugs as she decides how to answer this. She doesn't really want to lie to a Watcher, but... She can kind of see where Alexis is coming from. "Because we don't mind helping good people doing good things when it's our idea, but the council likes to tell other people what to do a lot. We've dealt with them before, and don't want to again. Giles says you need help and are good people, so here we are. It was kinda on our way anyway. But if we smell more watchers, we'll just assume you'd rather have them around and we'll leave."
And then so would the watchers, Diana realizes with the clarity that comes with knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are being screwed by your boss in ways that are never even kinda fun.
Kendra looks back at the two of them. "So, do you want us to give you a call tomorrow afternoon? Maybe we can try to figure out how to deal with this Kakistos?
Diana gives her a grateful nod and says they will be available anytime after two.
Faith isn't even sure what to make of all of this. She is grateful, of course. To be alive, to still have Diana. But she was supposed to be this one girl in the world, but instead, there are two? And now there's two and a shorty with a mechanical dog? And crossbow bolts from heaven? And some kind of extra backup at a hotel nearby?
What. The. Fuck? And how does she sign up? Because six to two odds where her back-up is Diana, though she loves her watcher and everything the woman has done for her... That isn't good, and while this was probably the worst it seems to be that odds like it are happening more and more.
And it's only been like a
week to get this bad
.
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Author's note:
If you haven't caught on yet, I tend to be a lot more interested in character development than I am in long, drawn-out descriptions of fight sequences. In the material that I am editing, the already finished stuff? There are maybe three or four fights, all told, that are more fleshed out than this one. In something like three hundred thousand more words. So... Hoping that works for you.
![Stick Out Tongue :p :p](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Thanks for reading!