"You aren't taking me anywhere, buddy. Don't even try," Buffy growled, and then bent down to rip off the dress' bottom, freeing her legs.
"What do you believe that you can do to stop me? I'm Prince Cel of the Old Blood; a royal Sidhe of the Unseelie Court," he announced proudly.
"I don't care how old your blood is, Count Chocula, still not gonna happen." Buffy stood with every muscle tense, ready for a fight.
Cel went to grab her and Buffy threw him over her shoulder. Everyone moved back, giving them room to fight; no one could interfere if it escalated into a challenge. Cel stood up with pure hatred marring his handsome face. He pulled his sword, unwilling to ignore the insult and accepted her challenge. Buffy back-flipped until she stood next to Barinthus, snatching his sword before racing back to Cel's side in a blur of speed, the sword was practically as tall as Buffy, yet she used it like it weighed nothing. Cel swung at her and Buffy met him blow for blow. Several minutes later, she caught his sword in a downward blow and knocked it from his hand. Buffy swept his feet from underneath him and pointed the blade at his throat. He called on his magic, gathering it around him and toward the blonde above him. The court screamed as they watched a bright blue light encompass Buffy's body. Cel screamed loudly thrashing on the floor while blood poured from marks on his body.
"What's happening to him? I didn't touch him," Buffy yelled over the screams.
Barinthus stepped forward, taking his sword from her. He glanced at Cel then back at Buffy, understanding lit his ocean-colored eyes. "You turned his power back on him." He led her away as Fflur rushed to aide the prince.
"Merry, escort that girl from my court, tonight," Andais ordered, leaving in a flourish of black.
Merry looked at the others. She not only had six men in her life, now she was responsible for this strange girl. "Buffy, I live in LA and would like to invite you to come home with me? Maybe, we can find some information for you."
"Look, if it gets me out of here, sounds good to me. Sorry, about the dress, Merry. When I get some money, I'll pay you back." She motioned to the ragged dress.
"I like the improvements you made. Maybe you should go into design," Rhys' blue eye twinkled with mischief.
"Don't worry about it, Buffy; it's an old dress." She gave Rhys a pointed look, daring him to say a word.
Buffy went over to Barinthus. "Will you be going to LA too?"
"No, Pixie, I must stay here to guard the queen. You'll be safe with Merry and the others." He looked down at her upturned face, admiring the golden specs in her eyes.
"Can I phone you then? You know just to talk."
Barinthus looked over at Merry. He didn't know how to respond to Buffy's question. "We'll see what we can arrange, Buffy. We should leave before Andais changes her mind about letting you go." Merry answered for her father's oldest friend, wondering if he's attracted to Buffy.
Buffy arrived in LA with Merry and her harem. They told her their story during the flight, and she thought it was creepy to sleep with all the men, trying to get pregnant. She didn't know how to tell them about her previous life. Dawn's face before she jumped into the portal still flashed in her mind's eye. Maybe if she learned more about the fey and this world, it would help to decide. They arrived at a beautiful bungalow situated behind some movie star's mansion, very elegant, but crowded. Buffy didn't see how they could all fit.
"Maybe, I should get a job and find my own place."
"We'll work out the mechanics. I might be able to get you a job where I work, at the Grey Agency. We do paranormal investigative work. Do you think you'd be interested?"
"I'm not sure Merry, maybe. Would you explain to me what the big deal about the Trains dude is?" Buffy asked seriously.
Rhys snorted in laughter and soon the others joined in. As if mentioning his name caused him to appear, they heard a voice from the bedroom. "Merry, are you there?"
They moved to a large mirror in the bedroom. Buffy saw an extremely handsome man with brilliant blonde hair and eyes that were three shades of iridescent blue. "I need some information from you, niece," he said, smiling brightly.
"Hello, Uncle, what do you need?" Merry dreaded his answer.
"The Seelie Court felt a disturbance, which we traced to the Mound. Do you possibly know what it was?" His glamour glowed even brighter as he hoped to influence his weak niece.
"Why would an incident on the Mound concern your court?" Merry queried, instantly wary of her uncle's motives.
Realizing he would have to tell her something, Taranis stated. "I'm invariably concerned about anything that could become a danger to my own court." It was an insult for Taranis to use his glamour on Merry, particularly when being evasive with answers.
Buffy stood back watching. She hoped to learn why the king was so interested in her. She could see through the glowing light surrounding him. It was like those pictures in the mall, if you didn't look at them but through them, you perceived what was hiding underneath. He had long blond hair and pale white skin. Buffy thought his eyes were pretty but he looked like a crazy vamp to her. Wonder if Merry knows her uncle needs to be on Prozac.
Doyle noticed Buffy looking at Taranis. He grew worried that she would be fairy struck and rushed her from the room. "Are you okay? Can you speak?" He asked, hoping for the best.
"Of course I can speak. What's wrong with you?" Buffy put her hands on her hips, glaring at the Queen's Darkness.
"You should never look at the fey when they're using their glamour. With an unprotected mind, you'll be fairy struck. You'll crave to be with the Sidhe, any Sidhe like an obsession. Please, look at me." Doyle was shocked by what he saw, her eyes were clear. Taranis' glamour hadn't affected her. "What are you?"
"Capricorn on the cusp of Aquarius." Buffy gave her patented quip with a slight smile.
"Why are you unaffected by his glamour?" Doyle tossed back at her, becoming suspicious of this unusual girl.
"Don't know. Cuz, really don't know what you're talking about. If you mean the glowy stuff around him?" She wrinkled her nose, trying to put the name with the effect. He nodded his head, observing her closely. She shrugged her shoulders slightly. "It was bright at first. The longer I watched all I saw was a man with long blonde hair. What's the big deal anyway?" Buffy couldn't understand his panic.
When the others exited the bedroom, they found Doyle and Buffy facing off. "What's going on here?" Merry inquired carefully approaching the pair.
"She looked into the mirror at Taranis in full glamour," he stated blandly.
Merry rushed over grabbing Buffy's face. She wondered what the effects would be, especially with all her consorts around. Buffy slapped Merry's hands away. "I'm starting to get pissed off. Someone had better start explaining fast or there's going to be a very cranky sl..., err, Buffy, here and you don't want that." Frost moved forward when Buffy slapped at Merry. She looked at him with the Slayer taking over her eyes. "Whoa there Silver, don't make me hurt you," Buffy warned in a hard cold voice.
"Everyone calm down. Frost, I touched her first. She's still learning about our ways and she's not Sidhe. There was no insult meant." Merry tried to soothe her lover and diffuse the situation. She turned back to Buffy and explained. "It's very unusual for someone who isn't Sidhe to be able to resist fey glamour. Taranis is the King of Light and Illusion of the Seelie Court. He can make his appearance so appealing you yearn for it. Yet, you were unaffected. We are just surprised. Even some of the older Sidhe have been unable to resist him. Therefore, for you, a human girl, to be able to do so is a mystery. Can we try an experiment with your permission?" Buffy looked at Merry closely, as if reading her heart and mind for any sign of danger. She nodded her head trusting some inner voice. "I'm going to ask someone to drop the glamour that hides their true self. Then I want you to tell me what you see?"
Doyle protested, "Princess, she really will be fairy struck."
Merry reprimanded him, "Trust me Doyle. Do you agree Buffy?" Merry hoped the experiment wouldn't go horribly wrong.
"Fire, whenever you're ready." She closed her eyes.
Merry looked at Doyle. Ever since they defeated the Nameless, he could vanish from plain sight. His black eyes lit with understanding. Merry turned looking at everyone else. They dropped their glamours, causing their skin and eyes to glow as only a Sidhe could.
Buffy opened her eyes and looked around the room. She smiled at Merry. "I like your eyes better this way that ugly brown so wasn't you." Walking over to the steps and ascending halfway up she sat down.
Merry looked concerned. Maybe I was wrong we've overloaded her mind. Then, she heard Buffy talking. "Were you a naughty boy and got sent to timeout?"
They watched as Doyle appeared beside her. "How could you see me?" he asked in mild surprise.
"You were sitting in plain sight, Points, not like I could miss you. You really aren't a blendy kind of guy." Rhys cracked up laughing and Galen soon joined him. Doyle gave the pair a cold stare.
"Come back and join us you two. Buffy, could you see Doyle on the stairs clearly?" Merry questioned, testing her theory.
"Yes! He was sitting right there. Merry, this is getting us nowhere." Buffy threw her hands up, marching toward the backdoor. Frost went to stop her, but she shoved him back. "Leave me alone, Silver, I need some time to think," Buffy grumbled, crankily.
"Merry needs to talk to you. We still need to discuss what Taranis wanted," Frost pleaded.
"Back off. I need some space or someone's going to get hurt and it won't be me." Buffy raced out the back door, taking off toward the woods.
"Doyle, can you follow her? Make sure she doesn't get hurt," Merry asked, not wanting Buffy injured or kidnapped. She then started to pace room.
Buffy ran while pictures flashed through her mind. Dawn, Mom, Angel and Giles, everything went by in a blur, like watching a film on a fast speed, too fast. She stopped to scream as loud as she could. "WHY!" She fell to her knees as tears slipped down her cheeks. "I did everything I could. Everything you expected me to do. Why am I here, in this strange place with nothing - no friends, no family, no home? What am I supposed to do?" She implored in a wounded voice.
"You're supposed to help save a race from dying away."
Buffy spun around; there stood Whistler, leaning against a tree in his awful clothes and dorky hat perched jauntily on his head. She stalked up to him, grabbing his throat and pinning him against the tree. "What the hell are you doing here? Why am I here? And, no cryptic crap this time." Buffy wouldn't mind taking her anger out on Whistler.
"Don't kill the messenger kid, literally. Uh, could you set me down? Can't talk too good this way," he asked in a choked voice. She dropped him, stepping back to stare at him coldly. "The Powers didn't see you jumping kid. They had other plans for you. Since you can't return, they chose to send you here." Whistler straightened his clothes while he explained.
"Is there a grocery list or something? Until it's complete, I have to keep being the slayer," Buffy growled out, not liking the explanation.
"You aren't the Slayer anymore that's another world, and another Slayer has already been called. The Powers only have so many outstanding champions. They keep them around for the big stuff, and you're at the top of the list," Whistler said, with a smile.
"You mean because I'm good, they want to keep me around like some kinda slave?"
"Uh, I wouldn't put it that way. Think of it as a new adventure, like being an astronaut or something. This is your world and you're going to have to get used to it. Listen kid, your jumping changed things, now you have to live with the consequences. The portal's power got absorbed into your body. With no other choice, the Powers felt they had to send you here so that the power could help this world."
Buffy blinked at this unexpected curveball. "What do you mean absorbed into me? What's in me? How do I get it out? They can get it out right?" Buffy asked in a panicked voice.
"Sorry kid, its power's your responsibility, now. You have to learn how to utilize it. The princess should be able to help you. You're good at finding the people to help you."
Whistler tried to move away before Buffy could grab him. "Oh no, Mr. Cryptic Midget, you're so not leaving me with no information, not this time. New world, new rules and you're going to explain this to me, right now. How did the portal change me? What did you mean about saving a race?" Buffy shook him for emphasis.
"Easy there, I may be a balance demon but I'm breakable. Fine, I realized that you're going to be a tough customer one day. Once you quit acting like Barbie, you do have some smarts, kid." Whistler grinned, enigmatically.
"You mean all I had to do was threaten you and you would've told me everything," Buffy growled out and then shook him harder.
"Okay, okay! Here's the scoop. You're immune to this world's magic. You can open a portal to any place you can picture in your mind, in this world kid. There's no going back, so don't ask. The portal's power is what allows you to repel any fey magic sent at you. Your Slayer powers are attuned to this world. Kid, the fey are fading as they call it. There've been few children born in the last few centuries. That's where you come into the picture."
"What! I'm not going to have babies for the Powers, no way!" Buffy squealed in shocked horror.
"Would you hold on? Yeesh. No, you won't be having their babies. You'll be helping people, chosen by the Powers, to have children. Your Slayer dreams will tell you whom to help. Bye kid." Whistler disappeared in a flash.
"Damn, damn, damn you didn't explain to me how I'm expected to help them have babies. You slimy, bad dressing, still cryptic midget. I'll get you, just you wait."
Buffy turned to walk back to the house. "Pointy, it isn't nice to spy on people. Come out here so I can kick your ass."
Doyle appeared from the shadows, several yards away. "Who's that man? Where'd he go? I believed that you didn't know anyone here. You are a spy; I'll not allow you to hurt Merry." Doyle hurled Snick & Snack at Buffy.
She caught the twin daggers balancing them in her hands, testing their weight. "These are nice, but I'm a crossbow girl myself. They'll do in a pinch. Are you going to just stand there, or do you wanna dance?" Buffy raised an eyebrow. After everything that had happened today, she could use a nice fight to unwind.
Doyle observed her ready stance, his own daggers in her hands, clearly showing her experience as a warrior. He pulled Bainidhe Dub, Black Madness, from his back advancing on her. The black sword gleamed in the afternoon sun. Doyle knew his duty was to protect Merry at all cost; he wouldn't let this girl hurt her. When he slashed his sword downwards, Buffy caught it between the daggers. She held him there effortlessly and smiled, a real smile, for the first time. Doyle caught his breath. She's extremely beautiful, like Bodecia. Shoving him backward, Buffy moved in close when he struck at her again. She kicked his stomach before slipping down on one hand to shoot a foot up at his hands. The angle caught him just right, throwing the sword away from him. Doyle looked at her in surprise; he'd never been disarmed. His hands went numb from the kick's power, shaking it off, he went for the sword but Buffy beat him to it.
"I need a good work out. So, to make this more entertaining." She said casually flipping the daggers. Doyle expected her to send them at him; instead, they flew into a tree, yards away. As they stuck side-by-side, Buffy gave him a predatory smile. "How about this? If I beat you in a fair fight, you don't tell anyone about the magic midget. You win, and I tell you everything." He thought about it a moment, then gestured in agreement. "Okay, just you and me - no blades, no swords. Feet and fists, let's dance."
She surged into a spinning, scissor kick, smacking him against the head - hard, as her feet hit one after the other. Doyle barely caught himself from falling. By the Mound, are her feet made of stone? He turned in time to catch her foot in a high kick but wasn't prepared, for the other one. Buffy used his hold for balance, putting pressure behind the other foot, when he released her foot she flipped over, and stood ready for him. Doyle punched her jaw, causing her to fly back. Buffy went with the punch into a handstand, grabbing his head with her feet, drawing him down and applying her finger to his throat.
"Do you yield?" she snarled.
How could this happen? Staring into cool green eyes, Doyle responded coldly. "No." Arching his back to shove her off, he kicked her in the stomach.
"Didn't think you would." Buffy was enjoying herself. She sprang up to hit him full force to the chest.
Doyle flew back into a tree. He struck it so hard he barely remained responsive. "I yield," he muttered softly.
"Its okay, Pointy. I'll tell Merry everything as soon as I can wrap my head around it." Buffy walked over bending to pick up the black sword.
"Buffy," Doyle yelled in warning.
She grabbed the sword, trotting back over to him. "Are you okay? I didn't hurt you, did I?"
Doyle could clearly see she held the Black Madness held in her small hands with no ill effects. "Let me help you up. Oh, here's your sword."
Buffy easily pulled him up, sliding the black sword into its case. She put her arm around his waist to help him back to the house. Doyle felt shocked as they stopped to retrieve Snick & Snack and he saw the blades buried to the hilt. What is this girl? She's no mere human, or type of fairy that I know. He felt her once again wrap her arm around his waist to help him walk. Doyle didn't need the assistance, having already recovered from the fight. After everything that he had heard and seen, the man known as the Darkness, felt as if he stood in the dark with no idea of what was taking place.
"Pointy," softly unsure how to say it, Buffy asked.
"Doyle, my name's Doyle," he stated firmly.
Buffy grinned up at him. "Okay, Doyle, do you remember how to get back to the house?" He laughed, pointing the way home.