Hi there! This is my first time posting a fic to the FFML, so hopefully I did it right. The first two chapters of this story were originally sent to the RAAC, but the one thing I need (and the FFML has it in abundance) is C+C. Either reply on the list or to the e-mail addresses below. Just remember, *constructive* criticism, not flames. If I suck, tell me why.
Note: This is a continuing series, so let me know what you'd like to see more or less of. TKS ^__^
AKANE THE VAMPIRE SLAYER/KYUUKETSUKI SATSUJINSHA NO AKANE
A Ranma 1/2-Buffy The Vampire Slayer Crossover
By: The Leaping Gnome
Disclaimer: The Ranma 1/2 and Buffy Characters are copyright
their respective owners and are used here without permission but
with great admiration.
Note: Events in this story take place after the third season
finale of Buffy, but before the beginning of season four.
IN EVERY GENERATION, THERE IS A CHOSEN ONE...
Buffy sighed, twirled Mr. Pointy, her good-luck stake. The
misty graveyard got pretty cold at night, even at the end of
June, making her shoulder-length blonde hair cling to the back of
her neck. Absent-mindedly brushing her bangs back over her ears,
she sighed. She'd been nearing the end of her nightly patrol, and
had stopped to make one last pass through Sunnydale Memorial
Cemetery, her favorite spot. The spot where she and Angel used to
meet every night for a little necking. She smiled to herself.
When your ex was a vampire, "Necking" could take on a whole new
meaning if you weren't careful... She'd been so lonely since he'd
left, and all her other friends were leaving, too. Willow was
going next week to a cram-camp in preparation for college in
September, Oz's band was going on tour, Xander was leaving to go
on his "Quasi-Kerouac" cross-country trip. Even Cordelia was
gone. She'd left for L.A. yesterday, leaving Buffy alone to make
what she could of summer. Sunnydale was pretty boring in the
summertime. Nothing much seemed to happen, aside from the nightly
vampire attacks that is. Giles had taken a hands-off approach
ever since they'd foiled the Mayor's Ascension, leaving Buffy to
patrol by herself.
"Bored now... bored bored bo-red..."
Behind her, she heard the now-familiar tearing sound of a
vampire digging his way out of the earth. Buffy smiled, letting
the undead creature creep up until she felt it directly behind
her.
"Finally! I thought you'd never wake up, sleepy!"
The vampire growled in surprise as Buffy spun sideways,
sweeping her leg out and connecting with the nascent vampire's
ankles, sending him sprawling to the ground. He spat the dirt
angrily from his fanged mouth, finding his feet a little
unsteadily. Buffy, intent on her target, didn't hear the second
vampire rising up behind her. A swift lunge forward with the
stake impaled the first vampire, rapid disintegration setting in
the instant the wooden shaft withdrew. The second, unseen vampire
leapt at Buffy's exposed back.
"Look out!!!"
Buffy whirled in time to see the second vampire slammed to
the ground by a powerful flying side-kick delivered by a
short-haired Asian girl wearing a white karate outfit. With a
blur of motion, the girl slapped a strip of paper inscribed with
oriental writing onto the vampire's forehead. With a scream of
pain, the vampire convulsed, and exploded into dust. Dusting
herself off, the Asian girl turned to face Buffy, gave her a
small smile and a quick bow.
"You should go home, miss." The girl said in heavily
accented, halting english. "Is not too safe in such places, yes?"
"Uh... yeah... who *are* you, anyway?"
"Veddy... ahem, *very* sorry. I am Tendou Akane, Youma
Slayer. Forgive please, I must go now..."
Akane ran off into the night, leaving a stunned Buffy in her
wake.
"Slayer...?"
* * *
"Giles! Wake up, Giles! I know you're in there! Put some
clothes on and get your British fanny out here!" Buffy hammered
on the door of Giles' apartment with a closed fist. She stopped
when she heard the sound of the lock being turned. The door
opened, and a very flustered and fully dressed Rupert Giles
appeared in the doorway.
"Buffy, I have guests, try to be a little more, er,
restrained in your choice of words, if you please."
"Oops. Sorry, Giles.." She whispered, abashed. "But I need
to talk to you. I just saw the weirdest thing at the graveyard!"
"Well, come in then. Do try to keep your voice down, please.
I have neighbors, you know.
Buffy made a face, and walked in. There were two asian girls
and an young, bespectacled asian man sitting in the living room.
"Hey! That's her, Giles! You know her?" The man and Akane
stood, dragging her sulky looking red-haired, pigtailed companion
to her feet as well. [A red-haired asian girl? Gotta be a
dye-job], Buffy thought to herself, her fashion instinct in full
gear.
"You've met? Yes, I see you have...er, this is Doctor Tofu,
a fellow Watcher from Japan, and his charge, Miss Akane Tendou.
The red-haired young lady is Ranma Saotome, Akane's er,
iinazuke... did I say that right?" All three japanese nodded.
"What's an in-suzuki?" Buffy asked, puzzled.
"I believe it means 'fiancee', or 'intended' Buffy, but my
japanese is not what it once was."
"Fiancee? [Wow. I'd always thought Japan was really
conservative...] Well, that's peachy, but what are they doing
here? Wait! Don't tell me. She's here to replace Faith, right?"
"Exactly. When Faith, er... died, last month, Akane was
activated as a Slayer. The Watchers Council arranged for her to
spend the summer here, so that you could take her under your
wing. Unfortunately, they neglected to inform *me*, so I haven't
made arrangements for their lodgings yet.
"Well, gee Giles, gimme a sec, I'll call Mom. Maybe we can
put them up at our house."
Akane and Ranma were talking to each other in rapid
japanese. Ranma kept shaking her head, until Akane yelled
something at her that sounded to Buffy like "Back-a". Ranma
scowled and pouted. Akane sighed, and turned to Buffy.
"Tenk you very much for your offer, Buffy-san. We would be
pleased to accept, if your mother agrees."
"What about Doctor Veggy-burger? Is he okay here Giles, or
am I putting him up too?"
"I will be staying here with Giles-san until I have secured
a flat of my own. Do not trouble yourself over me." Tofu answered
in excellent, if a little formal, english. "I must say, it is a
pleasure to meet the famed Buffy-sama at last." He bowed deeply
to her.
"Gee, uh, thanks!" She bowed back akwardly. "You're a lot
nicer than some other Watchers I've met... err, present company
excluded..." she finished, apologetically, to Giles. Akane
tittered. Ranma merely looked confused.
* * *
Buffy's mom had been surprisingly pleasant about having the
two japanese girls as guests, once she got over her annoyance at
having the idea sprung on her after midnight on a work-night.
Buffy cheerily walked the two girls home.
"So, uh, Akane... How are you finding Slayerhood?" Akane
smiled quietly.
"It is... not too bad so far, Buffy. I was already a
trained martial artist before Dr. Tofu awakened my powers, so it
was not a too great shock. I enjoy killing Kyuuketsuki, Oni and
Yoma, it is a good purpose. It *has* been hard on Ranma, I'm
afraid."
Ranma, hearing her name mentioned, looked over. [She really is
quite pretty,] Buffy thought. [It's no wonder Akane's attracted
to her. Too bad she's such a grouch.]
"How do you mean, hard on her?"
"Before my powers were awakened, Ranma was very proud of
having superior skill at the martial arts. Since I assumed my
duties, Ranma can no longer beat me."
"Oh. Little jealous?"
"Very jealous." Buffy smiled over at Ranma, who was
balancing, arms out, along the curb as she walked.
"Do you speak english?"
"Iie... no veddy much.. Paying no attention in class I am...
was." Ranma said, in her thick accent.
"So, uhh... You two are engaged? In-suzukis, right?"
"Iinazuke. Ee-nazu-kay. By parents choice, not ours..."
Ranma glared over at Akane, who glared right back.
"Wow. Lesbian arranged marriages. Japan really *is*
different... well, here we are!"
They arrived at the Summers home. The lights were on, so
Buffy went in the front door instead of climbing back in through
the window like she normally would. Joyce Summers met them at the
door.
"Hello, girls!" Joyce said, a little loudly and slower than
her usual speaking voice. "I'm Buffy's mother, Joyce. It's very
nice to meet you."
[Guy, Mom! They're japanese, not deaf.]
"It is very nice to meet you, Summers-san. I am Akane
Tendou, and this is Ranma Saotome. We are very honored to be your
guests." Akane bowed. Ranma, after a quick cuff from Akane,
followed suit.
"Oh, no, please... no need to bow on my account, come in!
Come in! Oh, Ranma, I love your clothes! Those are chinese,
aren't they?" Ranma smiled awkwardly, cast a questioning glance
over at Akane. Akane sighed, and translated. Nodding in
comprehension, she responded in halting english.
"Hai..Yes, I tavel in China veddy moch. Arigatou... Tenk
you."
"Your english is very good, Ranma! A lot better than my
japanese is, anyway." Joyce smiled at her pleased houseguest.
"Akane, Ranma, it's very late, so I'm going back to bed, but
Buffy can show you to the guest room, okay?" Akane nodded. "I
hope you don't mind sharing the bed, at least for tonight." Akane
blushed, looked over at Ranma, and translated. Ranma also looked
a little flushed. Joyce didn't notice, but Buffy saw the look
that passed between them. [Hmm. I thought they'd look forward to
that, what with being... Ahh, whatever. Not my business.] Joyce
headed back up the stairs.
"Goodnight, girls... Buffy?"
"Yeah, Mom?"
"I'll talk to *you* tomorrow, young lady."
"Uh oh...."
* * *
The first thing Buffy did after seeing the girls to their
room was to grab the phone and punch in Willow's number into the
mobile receiver.
[Please don't be on the internet, please don't be on the
internet...] The phone only rang once before Willow picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Wil!"
"Buffy! Hi! What's up? Sorry I couldn't come out on patrol
with you tonight. Oz and the band were playing at the Bronze,
so..."
"No probs, girl! Gotta spend all the time you can with him
before the tour, right? Listen... Guess who just showed up?!"
"Angel? He came back?! Oh, that's so great! I can't believe
how really great that is.... Oh, no... you're not saying anything
and that means I'm wrong and now you're gonna get really upset!
Please don't get upset...."
"Uh, no, Willow, and thanks ever so for bringing up that
name."
"Oh, Buffy, I'm sorry! I'm so stupid! Bad Willow! Bad!"
"You're forgiven, Wil. Try again, and this time, no ex
boyfriends."
"Oh. Gee. Well, my next guess was gonna be that Pike guy you
told us about, but, hmm... Okay, good someone or bad someone?"
"Definitely not bad... but I dunno about all the way
good..."
"I give up! C'mon, Buffy, spill!"
"The new Substitute Slayer."
"Oh, wow! I hope she's nicer than You-know-who..."
"No argument there. She seems really nice, but she's still
learning english, so I haven't been able to pump her for much
info. She's from Japan, and engaged, and she brought her fiancee
with her. That much I know."
"From Japan? Cool! Can't wait to meet her! Did you know I
can speak japanese?"
"No way!"
"Uh-huh... You know how my parents send me to computer camp
and summer school and things like that every summer? Well, the
year before you came to Sunnydale I met this really nice japanese
girl at cram-camp and she taught me japanese over the summer. I
never learned to read it, but I can understand it and speak it
pretty well! Did you say she's engaged? I thought you Slayer
types weren't encouraged to hook up like that..."
"Well, it's my understanding that it's an arranged marriage,
that her folks set it up before she became a Slayer... But that
isn't the strangest part. Her fiancee's a girl, can you believe
it?"
"Wow... Kim told me that same-sex couples were tolerated in
Japan, at least more than they are here, but I had no idea that
they could get married! Better not tell Xander..."
"What d'you mean?"
"Lesbians and Xander are a dangerous mix..."
"Don't tell me Xander's prejudiced!"
"No... let's just say that he's a big lesbian fan. Go-o-o-o
Lesbians!"
"Hmm. Well, he'd better not act like a creep around them.
Akane and Ranma are nice..."
"Ranma? That's a boy's name, I think..."
"Huh. Well, maybe she's the butch, I don't know... Anyway,
you wanna talk to 'em? They're staying across the hall in the
spare room..."
"I dunno, Buffy, what if they're, y'know... busy?"
"Tsk. Let me check..."
"Buffy!"
"I'm just gonna listen at the door for a sec. If I hear
anything too happy, I won't disturb them."
"All right..."
"Nope, they're just talking. I'll go on in."
* * *
A few minutes earlier, after they had unpacked their things,
Akane and Ranma stared shyly across the bed at one another.
"< Boy, these Americans are pretty liberal, huh?>" Ranma
said in japanese.
"<What do you mean, Ranma?>"
"<Well, lettin' a couple sleep in the same bed an' all, when
they ain't even married yet...>"
"<Honestly Ranma! Don't be such a pervert! Besides, I
*understand* english pretty well, and Buffy didn't tell her
mother that we're engaged. Not that I plan on sleeping in the
same bed with you, anyway. You're taking the floor!>"
"<Geez, Akane, it wasn't as if I'd try anything anyway...
You know this engagement thing was our Pops' idea, not mine. I
don't go for violent tomboys like you....>"
"<Ranma, the only reason I don't beat you to a pulp right
now is that we are guests in Buffy's home. Now go to sleep,
already.>"
"<Grumble, grumble... Well, alright, but I get the bed
tomorrow night. Pass me the hot water bottle, willya? This
floor's too hard for me like this.>"
"<Here. Don't forget the cold water bottle if you have to
get up in the middle of the night.>"
"<You don't have to tell me twice."> She emptied the hot
water bottle over her head. "<No sense in giving these americans
any funny ideas...>"
* * *
Buffy knocked once on Ranma and Akane's room door and walked
in.
"Hey guys, a friend of mine'd love to speak..." She stopped
dead in her tracks as her eyes came to rest on the shirtless,
dripping wet, dark-haired boy sitting on the floor. Her hand
slackened and she dropped the phone to the floor. Willow's voice
from the earpiece echoed around the room.
"Buffy? What's the matter? Buffy? Hang on, Buffy, I'll be
right there!"
"Who.. what... is *he* doing here? Who *is* that?! Where's
Ranma?"
The dark haired boy looked panicked. He backed away,
babbling in japanese.
"Gomenasai, Buffy-san! Watashi-wa Saotome Ranma desu..!"
Akane's eyes rolled heavenward.
"Ranma! Eigo hanashite bakayo!"
She turned to Buffy, an apologetic look on her face as she
continued in english.
"Buffy-san, he *is* Ranma. This very long story..."
* * *
Willow ran out her front door, Slayerette
backpack over one shoulder. As she raced to save her best friend
from what was no doubt another Hellmouth-fueled demon or killer
zombie or shape-changing vegetable, she mentally ran over the
contents of her pack.
[Stakes? Check. Cross? Check. Holy Water? Check. Spellbook?
Check. Crossbow? Check. Okay, Willow, you're all set to kick some
booty... in a spiritual sense, of course... ]
Huffing and puffing, she sprinted up Buffy's block and
rounded the turn into the back yard. The spare key was still
where Buffy had told her it was. As quietly as she knew how,
Willow opened the door and snuck into the kitchen. She listened
hard. No screams, no punches being thrown... [I hope I'm not too
late!] She crept up the stairs, cross in one hand, holy water
vial in the other. She winced and froze as a stair creaked
underfoot, but nothing came out of the darkness to grab her.
Whew. So far so good, Willow... maybe now would be a good time to
go home and call in reinforcements...
She reached the top of the stairs and saw Buffy's door was
open, her room empty. Steeling herself, she pushed the door of
the guest room open, cross in front of her.
"Okay, vampire! Freeze!" She peeked one eye open, took in
the scene.
Buffy was sitting on the bed with the japanese girl, and a
strange wet japanese boy was plunked down on the floor. All three
wore bemused expressions.
"Willow...?"
"Buffy...? What's going on?! I thought you were in
trouble..."
"Willow, this is Akane Tendou, and her fiancee Ranma
Saotome. I think..."
* * *
"<So.. let me get this straight... You fell into a cursed
spring and now everytime you're doused in cold water, you turn
into a girl? And hot water changes you back?>" Willow's japanese
had come back fast.
"<That's about the size of it. yeah.>" Ranma replied,
shrugging.
"What's he saying, Wil?"
"Hold on Buffy, this is neat.<So are you really a boy or a
girl?>
"<I'm a guy! Geez, why does everybody always ask that?>"
"<This is so cool, Akane! My boyfriend only turns into a
wolf!>"
"<Y-your boyfriend turns into a wolf?>"
"<Yeah. He got bit by a werewolf so now I keep him locked up
three nights of the month. But Ranma's way neater. You guys can
hang out and do fun girly-things and stuff. I'm kinda jealous!.>"
Buffy glanced uncomprehendingly back and forth between Akane and
Willow, looking for all the world like a spectator at a tennis
match. The rapid-fire japanese continued.
"Will somebody *please* speak english so I know what's going
on?"
"Oh, sorry, Buffy... Just a second. I think I have a spell
here for languages, just let me dig it out..."
"That's my little Sabrina!"
Willow pulled out her spellbook and scanned the pages.
"A-ha! Now, if only I brought some newt's toes... Here!" She
mumbled a few words in a strange, burbling language, and the
cellophane packet of newt's toes dissipated into a puff of smoke.
"How's that, everybody?"
"H-hey! I can understand you!" Ranma said in perfect
english.
"And I can understand you, Ranma!" Buffy exclaimed. "Good
stuff, Wil! You really *are* getting good at this..."
"It's a gift..." Willow answered, smiling proudly.
"So... What exactly is the story here, people? What's up
with the gender-bending?"
"Hey, I'd love to hear it again... don't mind me..." Willow
cheerfully piped.
Akane smiled, relief evident in her features.
"It's a little complicated, so bear with me, okay?
Ranma and his father were on a decade-long training journey in
China. Two years ago, they ended up in a place called Jusenkyo,
which means 'Training Ground of Cursed Springs'. There's over a
hundred springs there, and each one carries a terrible curse that
befalls anyone who happens to fall into the waters. Of course,
Ranma and his dimwit father had no idea exactly what they were
getting themselves into, 'cause neither of them can understand a
word of chinese..."
"Hold on a minute... you mean they went to China for ten
years and they didn't even bother to learn the lingo? Talk about
mondo stupidity..."
"Yeah, well..." Ranma interjected in a surly tone. "Nobody's
ever accused my Pop of bein' a rocket scientist or nothin'..."
"Do *you* want to tell the story, Ranma, or shall I?" Ranma
grunted non-comittally. "Fine. then keep it zipped." Akane
turned back to Buffy.
"So, anyway, there they are in Jusenkyo, and their local
guide is trying to warn them, but being the pig-headed idiots
they are, they don't listen. Sure enough, within ten seconds,
Ranma's father falls into the Spring of Drowned Panda, and he
pops back out again as a giant Panda, if you can believe it..."
"Spring of Drowned Panda?! So... the victim of the curse
turns into whatever critter drowned there in the first place?"
"Right in one, Buffy. Except this particular panda is also a
master of the Saotome School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts, so
next thing you know, Ranma here's taking a dip too."
"Lemme guess. Spring of Drowned Girl, right?"
"You catch on quick..."
"So, uh... how come he changed back? Did the curse just wear
off or something?"
"Huh. I *wish*." Ranma interrupted. "The way the curse works
is that everytime I get hit with cold water, I turn into a girl.
Hot water changes me back, but only until the next time..."
"Huh. Geez, you'd make a mint in showbiz, Ranma. Didja ever
consider the movies?"
"No thanks. S'bad enough I change, but as far as i'm
concerned, the fewer people know about this, the better. It's
embarrassing!"
"It's not so bad... At least you make a cute girl..."
"That's the worst part! I don't know how american high
school guys are, but japanese ones are animals! There's this one
jerk, Kuno, tries to jump my bones every time he sees me in
girl-form. I've been sexually harrassed, fondled, groped and
molested, not to mention becoming the favorite victim of a dirty
old panty-stealing man... I've even had nude pictures of me sold
to half the school! Believe me, It's a relief to get out of that
nuthouse... Even if it's only for the summer."
"What about you, Akane? Do you have to worry about cold
water too?"
"No, thank heavens. The only things I have to worry about
are vampires and assorted denizens of the underworld."
Buffy, Akane and Willow shared are giggle.
"So, how'd you guys end up engaged? No offense, but... you
seem a little young... not to mention the fact that you haven't
stopped arguing since I met you..."
"Long story made short, it was our fathers' idea. They used
to train under the same Sensei, so when they had kids, they
decided to combine our Schools and marry us off. Nobody asked us,
of course, but..." She shrugged. "We've kinda gotten used to the
idea by now, but that doesn't mean we like it."
"That really sucks, guys! Did you guys have, like, sweeties
of your own before this mess?"
"Ranma did."
"I did not!!!"
"What do you call Ukyo, then?!"
"That was Pop's idea... *again*..."
"Didn't see *you* complaining..."
Ranma stuck out his tongue, and gave evidence that the
raspberry is truly international. Akane ignored him, continuing
her story.
"I don't really care all that much for guys my own age...
they're all pretty dopey, present company included..." She
smirked. "But Ranma here's quite a casanova! At last count, he
had three, er... two other fiancees besides me!"
"Ranma!" Buffy and Willow looked scandalized.
"Hey, it's not my fault! My dad has a habit of selling me to
pay off bad debts. It's not as if I actually go after these
girls, it's just a new one seems to show up roughly every six
months, that's all."
"Your dad sounds like a total weenie..." Willow commented.
"Definitely."
"I think your dad and my dad should get together and go
bowling..." Buffy murmured.
Willow sat up straight as an idea hit her between the eyes.
"Hey, you guys! I bet I might be able to help you out! I
picked up a book yesterday at the occult shop all about water
spells... maybe it has a chapter on cursed springs!"
"I don't know, Willow..." Akane cautioned. "Dr. Tofu's done
some pretty intense research on the subject... I don't think
there *is* a permanent cure for Jusenkyo's curse."
"Not so fast, Akane!" Ranma interjected. "If Willow finds
something, i'm willing to try it..."
"Kewl!" Willow chirped. "I'll get right on it first thing
tomorrow... Hey, Ranma! If Buffy and Akane are patrolling
tomorrow night, d'you maybe wanna come with me and Xander to see
my boyfriend's band play at The Bronze? They're really good..."
"Uh, sure, I guess... If you don't mind, I think i'll go as
a girl. I've had my fill of jealous boyfriends..."
"Oh! Oz isn't like that at all, Ranma! Although, he *can* be
kinda territorial sometimes... I think it's a wolf-thing. Be
careful around Xander, though. He's nice, but he's a little bit
of a goofball, and he's got a thing for women who could beat him
up..."
"Terrific... Just what I need, another Kuno..."
Buffy stood, stretched her arms over her head.
"Well, Akane, Ranma... I guess you two are probably tired or
jet-lagged or something. I'll walk Willow home, so you guys can
turn in... Ranma, I think it'd be a good idea if you stayed as a
girl in the house. I think my mom would totally wig out if she
found out about your curse.
"No problem. I'm used to it..."
Willow gathered up her things, humming happily.
"Bye, guys! I'll see you tomorrow... Oh, and that language
spell's gonna last until the next full moon which is in..." She
ticked it off on her fingertips. "Fifteen days. So you should be
able to speak and understand english until then, okay?" The two
japanese nodded, understanding.
"Bye, Willow! It was very nice to meet you!" Akane said
"Yeah, Willow! Let me know about that spell, okay?" Ranma
added.
"Mmm-hmm!" Willow bopped on out, humming a happy tune.
The two american girls left, closing the door quietly behind
them. Akane turned to Ranma, speaking in japanese.
"<Buffy and Willow are so nice! I was worried you'd freak
them out...>"
"<Pshht! This is California, Akane. Nothing shocks these
people... So why didn't you tell them the truth about why we came
to America?>"
"<If Dr. Tofu didn't tell Giles-san, then I'm not about to
tell Buffy. Besides, it's just... too painful right now, Ranma...
We'll tell them soon, though, okay?>"
"<All right. It's just... I miss them, y'know? Especially
her...>"
"<Me too, Ranma. Me too...>"
* * *
Paulie'd seen a lot of players come and go over the past
three years. Sunnydale's vampire underworld seemed to have a sort
of revolving door leadership since The Slayer moved to town.
First the Master bit the dust, then Spike and his psychotic
squeeze Dru had breezed through town. Angelus, Mr. Twitch, and
finally, the Mayor. All dead or defeated at the hands of the
Slayer... Paulie had stayed alive (or undead, if you prefer,) by
keeping his head down and preying solely on the blood of winos
and derelicts, people nobody missed when they disappeared. Other
vamps, who preferred young, healthy victims laughed at him, but
where were they now? Slain, that's where. Paulie figured he'd be
hanging around the Hellmouth long after the whole damn town dried
up and blew away.
He'd been toying with the idea of bucking for leadership of
the city's anarchic vampire population since the Mayor bought the
big one last week. He'd made a few discreet inquiries, called up
a few favors... he might have a shot... At a hundred and
twenty-seven years, there weren't too many vampires left in
Sunnydale older than he was, and those that were tended to stay
out of sight.
He'd gathered together what few vamps he remembered from the
old days, when The Master was nominally in charge. Most of the
newer bloods were either dead or running with that bitch up at
the university, so it was a pretty old crowd tonight. Only one
vampire younger than fifty years was present. That's not to say
the group looked old, by any means. An innocent passerby would
probably think they were a group of about twenty young toughs out
looking for trouble. They met down at the waterfront, where the
fog and the canal provided plenty of escape routes should The
Slayer pay a visit...
"Awright, youse mooks! Listen up!" Paulie yelled. The motley
collection of vampires, zombies and assorted demons stopped
talking and turned to face the burly ex-longshoreman standing on
top of the wooden crates. Paulie had been a merchant marine
before his change, and he still carried the bulk around with him.
"Mosta youse guys know me, or hearda me. I'm Big Paulie, I work
the mission district and the soup kitchens..." A few nodded,
others snorted scornfully.
"Yeah, yeah... Well, I'm here to ask youse guys if ya wants
me as yer boss. Now hold on! I ain't all flash 'n trash like
Spike or Angelus, but I ain't never brought The Slayer down on my
buddies, neither. Think about it..." A murmur of agreement passed
through the crowd. Big Paulie had a rep as a stand-up guy, for a
vampire... Charlie Finster, a Chaos demon from the fifteenth
host of the Abyss, raised his hand.
"Ya gotta question, Charlie?"
"Yeah, Paulie... Whatcha gonna do 'bout the second Slayer?"
"Second Slayer? The Mayor's little chippie? Ain't she dead?"
"Naw, not her. The new one!"
"Yeesh! Dese broads are like roaches! They just keep
comin'... Okay, listen... Here's da deal... we keep outta sight,
only prey on the r