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From: owner-buffyfic@lists.xmission.com (Buffyfic-digest) To: buffyfic-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: Buffyfic-digest V2 #20 Reply-To: buffyfic@xmission.com Sender: owner-buffyfic@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-buffyfic@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk Buffyfic-digest Friday, January 30 1998 Volume 02 : Number 020 In this issue: BUFFYFIC: "One Vampire's Headache..." (11/?) by Ingrid BUFFYFIC: The First Loss (1/?) BUFFYFIC: The First Loss (2/?) Re: BUFFYFIC: DISCUSS: Beta readers wanted BUFFYFIC: The First Loss (3/?) RE: BUFFYFIC: The First Loss (3/?) See the end of the digest for information on subscribing to the buffyfic or buffyfic-digest mailing lists and on how to retrieve back issues. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 29 Jan 1998 23:17:08 -0500 From: ingrid29@juno.com (Ingrid E Stanton) Subject: BUFFYFIC: "One Vampire's Headache..." (11/?) by Ingrid Here we go again... DISCLAIMER: Characters from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" are not mine, and I am borrowing them without permission. SUMMARY: Continues where part 9 left off with Buffy and Angel. Library discussion ensues. Have fun, kiddies! Voila... *** "One Vampire's Headache..." Parth the Eleventh *** "Angel!" Buffy flung herself to the ground where he lay, quickly turning his body over. She sighed with relief when she felt his warm breath on her hand. "Angel." He moved his head ever so slightly. What was that? It felt as if he was being ripped apart from the inside. But he *was* still breathing, and the sun still shone with almost blinding intensity. He was still there, alive, beneath it. "Buffy." "Angel, are you okay?" "I donÆt know. I feel so weak." "Can you get up?" "I think so." She helped him up as best she could, letting his arm rest on her shoulder for support. "Come on. WeÆre going to see Giles." ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Buffy and Angel snuck into the library as quietly as possible, considering their situation. Giles looked up in surprise as soon as they entered. "Buffy?" "Giles, get those books out or something, æcause weÆre in trouble." "Oh! So it is accurate that vampires can withstand the sunlight. Today *is* the Day of Weakness. I was sure that my calculations were precise. IÆll have to tell Jenny-" "Giles!" "Oh! Sorry! What happened?" "We were outside. Angel collapsed on the lawn-" Angel filled in. "It was like something was reacting inside me. And then I couldnÆt breathe-" "You couldnÆt what?" "Oh," said Buffy, "thereÆs the breathing thingie." "And the mirror," Angel added. "YouÆre saying that Angel breathes, and you saw him in the mirror? This is unprecedented. The book said vampires could survive in the daylight, but nothing to the extent of what youÆre experiencing." A girlsÆ voice interrupted him from the door. "Maybe thatÆs because thereÆs never been a vampire with a soul before." Willow waddled up the stairs to meet the group on the balcony. "Willow could be right," Giles said to Angel. "The demon is supposed to become weak to the point of imperceptibility." Giles paced. "Now in normal vampires, if youÆll pardon the expression, this makes them weak because there is nothing else that keeps them alive. Ifà if we are to believe that AngelÆs soul is constantly battling the demon inside him, however, then The Day of Weakness could give his soul the advantage it needsà" Willow perked up. "I know this one. To defeat the demon?" "Quite possibly, yes." Buffy and Angel looked at one another and clasped hands. Giles had trouble deciding who looked more surprisedà or anxious. Buffy was swinging her feet in her chair repeatedly, and Angel was tapping the desk with one finger. He looked up at Giles. "So how can we find out?" "Well, let me seeà ThereÆs the obvious. Can you feel the demon? Do you have the urge to feed?" He answered without hesitation. "No. But I felt the same way *before* I collapsed." "Well, thereÆs always tonightà" "What happens tonight," Angel asked, as ignorant as the rest of them for once. "Tonight, the demon within becomes twice as strong. Should yours still exist, weÆll know." "Yeah, and youÆll also be killed. How do I know that I can control the demon when itÆs so strong?" "WeÆll have to make that assumption," declared Giles a bit nervously. "Besides Angel, what if you arenÆt a vampire anymore? It wonÆt be safe out there for you," Buffy added. He laughed sarcastically. "I never thought IÆd hear you say that one." "What if," Willow began, and they all turned to look at her. "What if we lock him up or something?" Angel looked at her. "No offense," she shrunk back. "No. ThatÆs not a bad idea, Willow," defended Giles. This time, both Buffy and Angel looked at Giles as if he were insane. "Before sundown, we can put him in that cage over there. ItÆs been reinforced since the old demon broke it down. The only thing we need now are some crosses and a packet of blood." "I can take care of that," answered Willow, smiling sweetly. All eyes were on her in an instant. She looked back incredulously. "What!? CanÆt a girl be able to get a packet of blood without being a blood sucking demon?" "Never mind," answered Buffy, "I wonÆt *even* ask." "hmph!" Willow turned up her chin and left. Buffy squeezed Angel's hand hard, and Giles stepped into the musty vault. **** Well I know it's not Shakespeare, but let me know what you think! (Ingrid29@juno.com) _____________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] - - ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 29 Jan 1998 23:49:28 +0000 From: starstorm <bf18489@binghamton.edu> Subject: BUFFYFIC: The First Loss (1/?) =20 Ah, my very first buffy fic. In it I get to play with all kinds of fun questions, like how did the first vampires happen and the first slayers. Seeing as how there are rituals involving vampires translated from the Sumerian, it wouldn't be unprecedented to believe that vampires have been around at least as long. The Sumerians were an anceint people who invented the earliest system of writing, cuneiform, and a huge number of advances in military, sceintific, and political fields. They were first city based culture. In my opinion it would take a city to host a vampire.=20 That being said this story takes place after Phases. Angel is still being not at all nice, etc.=20 The flashback-like scenes happen a very long time ago, in a period about fifteen hundred years before the invention of the cuneiform system of writing gives any idea of the cultural structure. Everything that happens has a loose base in myth and archeology. But I really tried. Really. =20 Some of the violence is a bit nasty, though I try to avoid tastelessly graphic things. Just to be on the safe side, consider your limits.=20 The charcters and concepts you recognize belong to Joss and Co. I make no money off them, nor would I attempt to do so. Other characters and ideas are taken partly from Sumerian myth, partly from my fertile imagination.=20 This fic is incomplete at present. Do send feedback, it would delight me.= =20 =20 Glossary of Sumerian Words=20 Arrata =3D a city tentatively placed in the Black Sea region. A possible homeland of the Sumerians, who started to establish themselves in Mesopotamia sometime after 4500 BCE En =3D high priest Ensi =3D A king by right of consortship to Inanna Inanna =3D Major Sumerian Goddess of love and war, Queen of the Heavens, believed to confer the right of rulership Mashkim =3D lit. demons, spirits that are less than Gods, but powerful. They may be good or evil.=20 Nanna =3D the moon God, father of Inanna and Ute Sangasha =3D lit. priest, administrator=20 Ute =3D the sun God, Inanna's brother Ziggurat =3D step pyramid, commonly used as a temple Sunnydale, California 1998 The Slayer was hunting. She did it with increasing trepidation since her birthday. Since the day Angel had=85 changed. Become a soulless monster. One day she would be out on patrol, and she would meet him. And if she let him go again to kill again=85 her lover=85 But if she killed him=85 her lover=85 Her only hope was a cure, a curse like the one that had given him back his soul to begin with. It was a hope that seemed to fade a little more each day. And a part of her prayed they would never, never meet. At least not tonight. And for tonight, her wish was granted.=20 The vamp that came at her was tall, and dark. There was something oddly foreign about his features, even for a vamp, but she couldn't place it. What surprised her were the tattoos that curled their way across his face. They rippled as he changed from a normal human visage to the demon= mask. He made a strange guttural noise as he lunged at her. His strength was astonishing. The master might have rivaled him. Might. A hand reached for her throat, she avoided it by a finger's length. She kicked at him, but he barely flinched.=20 For the first time in a very long while the slayer was afraid. She thrust her stake forward, but he moved, catching it in the middle of his chest. No heart. "Not yet, girl," he whispered. "But soon." Then he turned and fled into the shadows. Definitely a moment to talk to Giles.=20 =20 Arrata, On the Black Sea (approximately 4500 BCE)=20 The reeds that had covered the roof of the dark little room at the top of the ziggurat had been pulled aside. The sky was moonless tonight, but strewn with stars shining like jewels. Incense drifted out as if to greet those stars.=20 The priest nodded to his acolyte and accepted the knife. It was an exquisite piece of artistry, made of incredibly rare black sky metal. It was decorated to match the tattoos that twisted around his face. But the fancy whorls and patterns didn't interest him. It held an edge much better than common copper. Sharp enough to sever a head. Or open a heart. "Don't do this, Apsu. If you do this nothing will ever be the same," his captive whispered hoarsely. She was well and truly caught, bound to the offering table with thick ropes. Not that she could have fought anymore, not after the torturers had finished. But her gray eyes were still clear, and her voice had once commanded armies. "Silence!" he hissed, not daring to meet her eyes. "You think they will make you immortal? Is that what you think?" she spat. "They're jealous, Apsu. Of us, of humanity. They'll lie, promise you anything, promise you everything--" His palm cracked across her face. Her weakened body couldn't bear the stress and she slipped into unconsciousness. "The bright stars are aligned, En Apsu. It's time," his acolyte whispered, chewing nervously on his lip. "Do we do right, Sangasha?" Apsu suddenly asked. "We must, En. If she lives the army will rally around her, and we are as good as dead."=20 "Of course=85 you're quite right." He nodded, finally closing off any other paths in his mind. He was Apsu, High Priest and Royal Prince of the great Sumerian people. He deserved to be immortal. Even if it meant killing his Queen. His mother. He screamed the words of the ritual into the cold sky. "I call you Mashkim! Demon kin! Children of the vanished dark! Screaming hoards of the salt sea, I will feed your hunger. Mashkim who dwell in darkness I offer you blood." The sky seemed to wrench out of its alignment into an unnatural disjointed mess. The stars winked and sputtered, as if they would go out. "I offer you blood, Mashkim! The blood of the Dragon Queen of Arrata. The still beating heart of Tiamat!"=20 With an agonized scream he plunged his black knife into his mother's chest and ripped out her heart. Hot blood spurted on his face. The stars winked a final time. He realized he was still screaming. His mother's body arched, as if it could overcome death.=20 =20 Her eyes opened. Yellow, inhuman eyes. She smiled.=20 A wide, wide smile, full of very white, pointed teeth. =20 "So, Apsu, my son. You want to be immortal?" she hissed. He didn't stop screaming for a very long time. Neither of them noticed when the young acolyte escaped into the city.=20 =20 *** A dark haired, gray-eyed young woman yawned heavily as she pulled the state robe off the throne and over her head. An elderly man in an intricately woven loincloth watched her nervously as she took her seat. =20 "Princess Ninurta, I'm sorry to wake you, but you said--" he began. She cut him off with a wave of her hand. "I know what I said, Enki. This man has news of my mother, you say?" her voice was rich, if rough with sleep.=20 "He does. But, Princess, he claims to be a Sangasha under the stewardship of your Lord Brother. Anything he says could be--"=20 "Anywhere from misleading to an outright trap. You needn't tell me what I already know. I'm not the Dragon Queen, but I'm not a fool, Enki." She glanced briefly at the polished copper mirror. Her hair was as close to order as was possible under the circumstances.=20 In many ways she was a living Goddess to her people, and bitter experience had taught her that they did not want to see her as anything less than perfect.=20 "Princess, if what he says is true, " the man paled and looked down at his feet, "if it's true, you may well be the Dragon Queen." "No=85 come on man, this is mother we're speaking of." She shook her head in rapid denial. "You're probably right. But I think you'd best speak with this man all the same, Princess," he whispered. She nodded tightly. "Of course. Have them bring him in."=20 "Princess=85 little Nin, I=85 that is, I--" Suddenly he found he couldn't continue, though she made no move to interrupt him. Greatly daring he laid a hand on royal blood as if she were still the little girl he'd watched play in the garden. "Mother's alive, Uncle Ki. She has to be." She tightened her fingers over his hand for a long moment. Then she smoothed her face into the serene image of a living deity and he left to order the young priest into her presence. =20 In the brief moment she was alone no one heard her whisper to herself. "I'll find her. Whatever has happened, however long it takes. I do so= swear." starstorm <bf18489@binghamton.edu> =20 - - ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 29 Jan 1998 23:49:37 +0000 From: starstorm <bf18489@binghamton.edu> Subject: BUFFYFIC: The First Loss (2/?) Comments and disclaimers in part 1. Feedback is nice please.=20 Glossary of Sumerian Words=20 Arrata =3D a city tentatively placed in the Black Sea region. A possible homeland of the Sumerians, who started to establish themselves in Mesopotamia sometime after 4500 BCE En =3D high priest Ensi =3D A king by right of consortship to Inanna Inanna =3D Major Sumerian Goddess of love and war, Queen of the Heavens, believed to confer the right of rulership Mashkim =3D lit. demons, spirits that are less than Gods, but powerful. They may be good or evil.=20 Nanna =3D the moon God, father of Inanna and Ute Sangasha =3D lit. priest, administrator=20 Ute =3D the sun God, Inanna's brother Ziggurat =3D step pyramid, commonly used as a temple Sunnydale, California 1998=20 =20 Giles blinked as he looked up from his book. =20 "Hello? Is there anyone here?" the voice called again. "Yes, yes, I'm coming," he cried back and pulled himself out of his seat and down the stairs.=20 A young woman smiled quizzically up at him. She was quite lovely, he noted, in his detached fashion. Smooth, dark hair pulled off a pale, oval face. Clear gray eyes. "Are you," she glanced down at a print out, "Mister Giles? The= librarian?" "Yes, I am," he replied, not sure what to say. "I'm new here. My name is Nina Tiamasdotter. Nin, actually. These are my classes." She handed him the printout and smiled expectantly. "Can I help you, Miss Tiamasdotter?" he began, glancing at the paper. "Oh, of course, you'll want books." He resisted the urge to hit himself and began to collect the necessary texts. "Yes, thank you. I've heard you have quite an amazing collection here in Sunnydale." She smiled again, and he noticed how sharp and white her teeth were. Daylight, no vampires, he reminded himself as he adjusted his glasses.=20 Not that there weren't worse things then vampires, quite happy in the daylight, thank you, his mind babbled. "We're quite proud of ourselves. Not many of the students take advantage of our resources--" "Hey, G-man!" Xander Harris called as he barreled through the door followed by Buffy and Willow. Giles breathed an inward sigh of relief. "Hello, Xander. Buffy, Willow."=20 "I see at least some of your students value what's available," Nin's voice bubbled with supressed amusement.=20 Xander's eyes widened as they settled on her.=20 "Hi, I mean hello!" He gave his most charming smile. "You must be new here. I'm Xander Harris, semi-official greeter. Permit me to greet you. Maybe if you have time after third period I'll show you our fine prison, er school?" She grinned and took his offered hand. "Nina Tiamasdotter. Nin, if you please." "And I'm Willow Rosenberg." The red haired girl received an equally bright smile from Nin. "Xander, Cordelia wanted to see you after third period. Remember Cordelia?" Xander blushed and looked down at his feet. "It's as well. I seem to have a class then. Any of you have honors chemistry?" Nin glanced around. "I do," Willow couldn't resist smiling back. "Here, I'll show you where it is." She led Nin out of the room. "Weird," Buffy muttered as the door closed. "What's weird?" Giles pounced on the suggestion. "That girl. There is something way weird about her." She shuddered slightly. "Weird in what way, Buffy?" Xander recovered from his momentary embarrassment. "She's no vamp, obviously. Maybe she's a succubus?" he asked, hopefully. "What? Xander!" Buffy groaned. "Don't you think you're expressing these adolescent hormones of yours a bit much of late?" "Xander is right about one thing, Buffy. It entirely possibly that Miss Tiamasdotter is not who she appears to be, but unless we have something specific to go on=85" He shrugged. "Yeah, whatever," Buffy muttered gloomily.=20 "In the meantime we have another problem, one most definitely related to vampires," Giles continued. "Oh, joy and laughter," Xander said, from a seat on the circulation= desk. "My sentiments exactly. Is it about last night's critter, Giles?" Buffy looked at librarian slash watcher expectantly. "I'd say so. Do you know anything about the legend of Tiamat?" he asked. "Um, how many guesses do I get?" she replied. "Tiamat is an extremely old deity, Sumerian in origin, but adopted by the later Akkadians and Assyro-Babylonians. She was allegedly a deity of extreme chaos who was defeated along with her consort- son Apsu and carved into four pieces by her children to form the world." "Eekk. Nice little myth they have there." Xander whistled. "But what's it got to do with vamps?" Buffy added, practically. "Well, that's the interesting part. According to certain watcher sources, Tiamat was no Goddess at all, but one of the last warrior Queens of a city known as Arrata. She was sacrificed by her son, Apsu, to the Mashkim in order to gain immortality." "Excuse me, but what precisely might Mashkim be?" Buffy asked. "Sumerian term for demons, actually a bit broader than our understanding of the word, as these forces could be benevolent. But the upshot is as she was sacrificed the more malevolent group of Mashkim entered her body and she rose." He opened the volume he had been looking at, a hideous illustration of a vampire seemed to hiss from the pages. "You mean she became a vamp?" "The very first such creature, in fact. About 6500 years ago." He gave an abstracted smile. "It's really all very interesting. But the salient part is the marking on the vampire that escaped you the other night. Those tattoos have been recorded as belonging to Apsu, himself." "So he got his immortality." "If you can call it that, yes. But if Apsu is walking in Sunnydale then Tiamat may rise again." He shuddered dramatically. "What do you mean rise? This is vamp we're talking about?" Buffy leaned on her elbows and looked at her watcher expectantly. "Tiamat is no ordinary vampire. She is the first=85 most vampires are possessed by one demon, if the legends are true she contained thousands. They give her power beyond imagination." "So stakey time, then?" Xander asked from his corner. "I wish it were that simple. Not long after her creation Tiamat was attacked by four extremely powerful people. Her daughter Ninurta, later known as the Goddess Ninhursag, who was the first slayer to be chosen, Ninurta's consort, a priest by the name of Anu, and a man of learning Enki, the first watcher, and another priest whose name is not recorded."=20 "Obviously they failed."=20 "Not entirely. They did, in fact, slice Tiamat into four pieces, however=85" Arrata, 4500 BCE The priest finished his story and fell to his face before the Princess. "And you advocated this? Don't protest your innocence, Sangasha, I'm not a fool!" She resisted the urge to push herself off her throne and do him damage. "Do you believe this story, Princess?" Enki asked quietly. "I do. I'm not sure why, perhaps a God has whispered it to me?" She murmured. As long as she sat on this throne she was the Goddess, and as such she could not grieve.=20 "What shall we do?"=20 "I will sleep tonight in the ziggurat of the Goddess Inanna. Perhaps the Queen of Heaven will speak to her earthly incarnation." She nodded to herself, glad to have a plan. "Is that wise, Princess? One of the ziggurats has already been compromised," he cautioned. "The ziggurat of the Mashkim, you mean? Not the same at all. And if I cannot sleep safely in my own temple what good am I?" Her gray eyes clouded as they met her counselor's black.=20 "May I at least send your consort to you?" "Anu? Yes send, for him. We shall avenge this as we can." Her pale hand tightened into a fist. "And then?" "Then will be the time for weeping=85" *** =20 =20 Ninurta dreamed that night, as she lay in Anu's arms. She dreamed of human-like creatures that stole the blood and life of the living. Creatures possessed by the most vicious of Mashkim.=20 She dreamed of killing the monsters and watching them turn to dust. And Ninurta knew it was her duty to protect her people. To slay the vampires=85 because it was already too late to prevent thei= r spread. She woke up screaming. "Nin?" Anu murmured as he woke, "Hush, love, I'm here. Nothing to hurt you beneath the light of Ute, the sun." "I love you, Anu, no matter what happens, remember that, please. I love you." He wrapped his broad, strong arms around her and she wept into his shoulder. "And I love you, Nin. I always have. We'll face whatever comes together." He promised. "May it be so." They helped each other dress in armor and strap on weapons. Enki had studied the old lore, and suggested that wood might be most effective. During the night Tiamat and Apsu had descended on Arrata like a plague. The dead lay in the alleys. Newly made vampires hid in cellars and dark warehouses. The three of them followed Apsu's former acolyte to the ziggurat at the center of the carnage. The light had made the vampires in the temple itself torpid and weak.=20 But Tiamat was far from weak. "Hello, little daughter," the thing that had destroyed Ninurta's mother smiled as it spoke. "My mother is dead!" She screamed as she slashed at the creature with a wooden blade. "Are you so sure of that? Maybe I'm not. Or maybe there is some magic you can use to restore me. After all, you are Inanna on Earth, you should have great power!" Tiamat taunted. "Don't listen to her, Nin. You have no choice!" Anu gave a great battle cry as his blade tore through Tiamat's body while she was distracted with Ninurta. Enki sought out all the power in his old body and swung.=20 The acolyte took his blow. And with a scream terrible to hear, Ninurta finished her mother off. But the body did not change to dust like the others had. It rose into the air spinning, bathing the dark little room in a sickly glow. Faster and faster until piece by piece Tiamat vanished. "The mouth of the Abyss! The mouth of hell is open!" Apsu cried in glee as he fled the carnage. "My bastard brother is getting away," Ninurta called. "Come on!" But they were surrounded by several newly born vampires and Apsu escaped.=20 Ninurta kneeled down in her mother's demon blood and used it to paint the pattern for vengeance on her face. "Nin?" Anu kneeled beside her and Enki looked on worriedly. "She's gone. I'm not even sure she's dead and Apsu said something about mouths of hell. I have to find him," she told them, with a determined calm. "Princess, your people need you. With the damage done and the remaining vampires, Arrata is wide open to invasion. I believe we may well have to flee." Enki's voice held a deep exhaustion. "You can't know that!" Anu cried.=20 "Whatever happens, we need leadership, Princess," Enki continued. "Anu rules here," she stated calmly. Anu looked on in shock. "What? He can't!" Enki gasped. =20 "Why not?" she demanded. "Well for one, he's a man. How can he be Inanna come to Earth?" "He's the best choice. He rules as the Ensi, by right of consortship. Witness for me, Enki," she begged her counselor. "Anu rules the Sumerians as our Ensi. I will tell the court, if any are left," he whispered. "Don't I get say in this?" Anu asked. "No, I'm afraid not." Ninurta smiled softly. "If we do flee, you can find us in the land between the rivers. In Mesopotamia," Anu said. "I'll be there," she promised. "Come soon," he called after her retreating back. Sunnydale, California 1998 =20 "She never came, did she?" Buffy asked. "There are no records of it if she did. The duty of the slayer, however, was passed on. Some believe she died."=20 "If she didn't she'd be awfully wrinkly," Xander added. "The other theory suggests that she was given a form of immortality in order to complete her mission. Only when Apsu and Tiamat are dead or free can she ever have rest and reunion with her beloved Anu."=20 "So if that's true, would she be following Apsu? And what does it have to do with the mouth of hell?" Buffy demanded. "It is possibly that what fuels the hell mouth and its demon is nothing less then the monster Tiamat." "So if Tiamat is destroyed, then?" "The hellmouth will eventually dissipate. Though I'd imagine it would take a few decades to finish releasing all the energy stored here. It has been collecting power for a very long time." "So is this Ninurta still around somewhere?"=20 "It's possible. I doubt she'd announce herself if she were, of course." He sighed and pressed his forehead into his hands. "We'll see." "And Buffy," he added, "Apsu is incredibly old and equally dangerous. You and everyone close to you should be well on guard." =20 starstorm <bf18489@binghamton.edu> - - ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 29 Jan 1998 21:05:41 -0800 From: groovy@snowline.net (Gale Weathers (Rachel)) Subject: Re: BUFFYFIC: DISCUSS: Beta readers wanted >Hi all, >I need two or three brave souls willing to volunteer to read my story >and offer constructive criticicm, opinions, spot errors, etc. Please >e-mail me if you have the time and are interested. >Thanks! >Holly Hey! I'm brand new and I'd love to help ya out! Send it my way! - -Rachel "Listen to them...the children of the night...what sweet music they make" - - Dracula, Bram Stoker's Dracula - ----------------------------vampire--------------------------------- "Did Norman Bates have a motive? Did they ever figure out why Hannibal Lector like to eat people? DON'T THINK SO!" - -Billy Loomis 'Scream' - ---scream-----------------------------------------------scream 2---- "It can't rain all the time, the sky won't fall forever. And even though the night is long, your tears won't fall forever" -The Crow - -------------------------------------------------------------------- X-F: WLDD**SPCDD**DDSB**SDDL**GBLA**DDPOL**LODD**Teenage Davidites** **The X-Files Fan Fiction List**X-F Creative** ^Friend^ Shipper MY DD WEBSITE:Obsessed with David Duchovny http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Lot/4440/ XXXXXXXXXXXXTXHXEXXTXRXUXTXHXXIXSXXOXUXTXXTXHXEXRXEXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX If you believe, no proof is necessary. If you don't, no proof is sufficient. - - ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 30 Jan 1998 10:12:14 +0000 From: starstorm <bf18489@binghamton.edu> Subject: BUFFYFIC: The First Loss (3/?) Comments and disclaimers in part 1. Feedback is nice please. =20 "So, you're new here," Willow said, immediately feeling extremely intelligent. "Yeah. It's been a while since I spent any serious time in the states=85 = I miss it." Nin smiled softly. "Oh? You travel? That's really cool." She looked at the slender girl with renewed respect. "Do you think so? Well, it's been a ride anyway." Nin shrugged and looked away. "Ah, here we are, the wonders of the chemistry room, you have a few minutes before class. Anywhere else I can show you?" "Can you tell me, is it really as bad as they say?" Nin glanced at Willow speculatively. "What do you mean?" Willow stuttered. "You know, highest per capita instances of gang related violence and PCP use in the country. Last principal got eaten?" Nin continued. "Well, it's not that bad. We can take care of ourselves=85 Hey, look it'= s my- Oz!" Willow frantically waved the senior over to them. "Your Oz, huh?" Nin grinned widely and leaned back against the wall. "Yes, well, he is my friend who is a boy=85 except, well, he=85" Willow w= as saved from further speech by Oz's approach.=20 "Hi Will! Who's your--" He stopped as he got a good look at Nin, whose smile turned predatory. "Oz, this is Nin. She's new here. Nin, this is Oz." Willow was ignored. "You," Oz stated bitterly. "Surprised?" She stretched against the wall like a lean cat. "What do you want here?" he demanded. "Since when do I owe you an accounting?" she asked calmly. "Since you lied, Dear Aunt Nin. Since you ran right over everything without considering who got hurt. Did you even bother to tell them what you are?" he backed her into the wall. "Truth is so subjective, Oz. How much have you told them about your recent=85 changes?" She sniffed delicately at the air surrounding him. "Umm=85 guys, classes are like starting, so now would be a good time to, you know, finish arguing about whatever you're arguing about." Willow broke in, looking nervously from one to the other. Her suspicious gaze finally settled on Nin, who ignored it utterly and strode into the classroom. "Will. We're going to have to talk," Oz caught her arm gently. "Yeah=85 library, after school?" She asked. He nodded. Willow was not at all sure what could upset the unflappable Oz. And she wasn't at all sure she wanted to know.=20 ** =20 In their dark warehouse three vampires sat around a table. All of them were extremely nervous, though they couldn't have said why. "Angel? Spike? Did you hear that?" Druscilla raised her head into a listening pose. "Hear what, baby?" Spike asked from his chair. "The Hellmouth=85 it's laughing. Is it laughing at me?" she whispered. "If the Hellmouth is stirring it should be a good thing. For us anyway," Angel muttered. "Maybe. But there's something else=85 someone's coming. Someone made of light. Maybe she's already here," she whispered. "Maybe it's time to move on, Baby. The twisted streets of Europe beckon," Spike said. He drummed his fingers unconsciously against his thigh. "So follow the call, Spike. If you're not man enough to stay, just as the plot begins to thicken," Angel taunted. "I want to stay, Spike. Let's stay with Angel!" Druscilla clapped her hands, suddenly happy. She flung her arms around the dark haired vampire. "The lady seems to agree with me, Spike." Angel smirked. "Um, excuse me, um, there's someone here," A vampire flunky tentatively peeked his head into the room. With a sudden yelp, he was shoved out of the doorway and on to the floor. A dark, tattooed vampire entered the room. "Who is master here?" he= hissed. "Who the hell are you?" Spike demanded. "I am Apsu. My lady is rising," he said. "Tiamat!" Druscilla smiled. "Tiamat is laughing and laughing=85 She is so pretty. All over dragon scales." She smiled, patting her own smooth skin. "What do you want from us?" Angel asked, leaning over the table. "You rule here?" Apsu demanded. "We do," Spike said. "There is a complication. A warrior of light has come to interrupt Tiamat's resurrection. She must be stopped." "And you expect us to do the stopping? We already have slayer problems, we don't need more." Spike turned away. "No. She has power beyond your comprehension. All I want you to do is capture someone close to her." Apsu pulled up a seat at the table. "Who?" Druscilla asked. She twisted her hair around her fingers. "She was involved with a mortal in this area about fifteen years ago. He is not currently available, but his son is. A boy by the name of Oz."=20 "No," Spike said. "We're not your flunkies, even if you are who you say you are. Capture this boy yourself." "As for this warrior of light, we'll deal with her as we see fit," Angel added. "You'll all regret this." Apsu rose and left the room. "Goodbye, Mister Snake tattoo man. Good luck raising the Goddess," Druscilla called after him. Then she got up and danced with Angel, because Spike couldn't dance in his horrid chair. =20 When dusk came Angel decided he was hunting warriors tonight. =20 ** (That night) Nin hummed to herself as she made her way to the place she'd rented. For better or for worse, everything would be over soon. She almost didn't notice a slight tingling in her senses. "Come out, come out, little vampire," she muttered under her breath. "Mama doesn't have all day." He appeared before her with a smooth human face, and a smoother smile. He was dark and beautiful. Real lady-killer. Hah. "Hi, you look lost," he said kindly. "Do I?" She smiled showing her teeth. "I suppose you'd like to escort me home?" He smiled nervously. "Or maybe you'd rather suck my blood?" She arched her neck invitingly. "Go ahead, demon. If it pleases you so." She stood perfectly still as teeth sunk into her neck. Counted to three. Like clockwork, he collapsed howling at her feet.=20 "Poor little Angelus," she whispered. "My blood is a bit strong for demons=85 but really, I guess you'd be better of without one, anyway. =20 "Be happy, Angel. I wish I could be." She turned and walked slowly home, to her cold bed. =20 After a while he sat up and looked in the direction she had gone. Then a realization struck him and he hurried off into the night. starstorm <bf18489@binghamton.edu> - - ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 30 Jan 1998 09:33:30 -0600 From: Andrea Halm <AndreaH@FirstEquipment.com> Subject: RE: BUFFYFIC: The First Loss (3/?) good story, keep it coming! I loved how she is stronger than even Angel, it taught him a lesson.... I liked it a lot! > -----Original Message----- > From: starstorm [SMTP:bf18489@binghamton.edu] > Sent: Friday, January 30, 1998 4:12 AM > To: buffyfic@xmission.com > Subject: BUFFYFIC: The First Loss (3/?) >=20 >=20 > Comments and disclaimers in part 1. Feedback is nice please. =20 >=20 >=20 >=20 >=20 > "So, you're new here," Willow said, immediately feeling extremely > intelligent. > "Yeah. It's been a while since I spent any serious time in the > states=85 I > miss it." Nin smiled softly. > "Oh? You travel? That's really cool." She looked at the slender > girl > with renewed respect. > "Do you think so? Well, it's been a ride anyway." Nin shrugged and > looked away. > "Ah, here we are, the wonders of the chemistry room, you have a = few > minutes before class. Anywhere else I can show you?" > "Can you tell me, is it really as bad as they say?" Nin glanced at > Willow speculatively. > "What do you mean?" Willow stuttered. > "You know, highest per capita instances of gang related violence > and PCP > use in the country. Last principal got eaten?" Nin continued. > "Well, it's not that bad. We can take care of ourselves=85 Hey, = look > it's > my- Oz!" Willow frantically waved the senior over to them. > "Your Oz, huh?" Nin grinned widely and leaned back against the > wall. > "Yes, well, he is my friend who is a boy=85 except, well, he=85" = Willow > was > saved from further speech by Oz's approach.=20 > "Hi Will! Who's your--" He stopped as he got a good look at Nin, > whose > smile turned predatory. > "Oz, this is Nin. She's new here. Nin, this is Oz." Willow was > ignored. > "You," Oz stated bitterly. > "Surprised?" She stretched against the wall like a lean cat. > "What do you want here?" he demanded. > "Since when do I owe you an accounting?" she asked calmly. > "Since you lied, Dear Aunt Nin. Since you ran right over = everything > without considering who got hurt. Did you even bother to tell them > what you > are?" he backed her into the wall. > "Truth is so subjective, Oz. How much have you told them about = your > recent=85 changes?" She sniffed delicately at the air surrounding = him. > "Umm=85 guys, classes are like starting, so now would be a good = time > to, > you know, finish arguing about whatever you're arguing about." Willow > broke > in, looking nervously from one to the other. Her suspicious gaze > finally > settled on Nin, who ignored it utterly and strode into the classroom. > "Will. We're going to have to talk," Oz caught her arm gently. > "Yeah=85 library, after school?" She asked. He nodded. Willow was > not at > all sure what could upset the unflappable Oz. And she wasn't at all > sure > she wanted to know.=20 > ** =20 >=20 > In their dark warehouse three vampires sat around a table. All of > them > were extremely nervous, though they couldn't have said why. > "Angel? Spike? Did you hear that?" Druscilla raised her head into = a > listening pose. > "Hear what, baby?" Spike asked from his chair. > "The Hellmouth=85 it's laughing. Is it laughing at me?" she > whispered. > "If the Hellmouth is stirring it should be a good thing. For us > anyway," > Angel muttered. > "Maybe. But there's something else=85 someone's coming. Someone = made > of > light. Maybe she's already here," she whispered. > "Maybe it's time to move on, Baby. The twisted streets of Europe > beckon," Spike said. He drummed his fingers unconsciously against his > thigh. > "So follow the call, Spike. If you're not man enough to stay, just > as > the plot begins to thicken," Angel taunted. > "I want to stay, Spike. Let's stay with Angel!" Druscilla clapped > her > hands, suddenly happy. She flung her arms around the dark haired > vampire. > "The lady seems to agree with me, Spike." Angel smirked. > "Um, excuse me, um, there's someone here," A vampire flunky > tentatively > peeked his head into the room. With a sudden yelp, he was shoved out > of the > doorway and on to the floor. > A dark, tattooed vampire entered the room. "Who is master here?" = he > hissed. > "Who the hell are you?" Spike demanded. > "I am Apsu. My lady is rising," he said. > "Tiamat!" Druscilla smiled. "Tiamat is laughing and laughing=85 = She > is so > pretty. All over dragon scales." She smiled, patting her own smooth > skin. > "What do you want from us?" Angel asked, leaning over the table. > "You rule here?" Apsu demanded. > "We do," Spike said. > "There is a complication. A warrior of light has come to interrupt > Tiamat's resurrection. She must be stopped." > "And you expect us to do the stopping? We already have slayer > problems, > we don't need more." Spike turned away. > "No. She has power beyond your comprehension. All I want you to do > is > capture someone close to her." Apsu pulled up a seat at the table. > "Who?" Druscilla asked. She twisted her hair around her fingers. > "She was involved with a mortal in this area about fifteen years > ago. He > is not currently available, but his son is. A boy by the name of Oz." = > "No," Spike said. "We're not your flunkies, even if you are who = you > say > you are. Capture this boy yourself." > "As for this warrior of light, we'll deal with her as we see fit," > Angel > added. > "You'll all regret this." Apsu rose and left the room. > "Goodbye, Mister Snake tattoo man. Good luck raising the Goddess," > Druscilla called after him. Then she got up and danced with Angel, > because > Spike couldn't dance in his horrid chair. =20 > When dusk came Angel decided he was hunting warriors tonight. =20 >=20 >=20 > ** > (That night) >=20 > Nin hummed to herself as she made her way to the place she'd > rented. For > better or for worse, everything would be over soon. She almost didn't > notice a slight tingling in her senses. > "Come out, come out, little vampire," she muttered under her = breath. > "Mama doesn't have all day." > He appeared before her with a smooth human face, and a smoother > smile. He > was dark and beautiful. Real lady-killer. Hah. > "Hi, you look lost," he said kindly. > "Do I?" She smiled showing her teeth. "I suppose you'd like to > escort me > home?" > He smiled nervously. > "Or maybe you'd rather suck my blood?" She arched her neck > invitingly. > "Go ahead, demon. If it pleases you so." > She stood perfectly still as teeth sunk into her neck. Counted to > three. > Like clockwork, he collapsed howling at her feet.=20 > "Poor little Angelus," she whispered. "My blood is a bit strong for > demons=85 but really, I guess you'd be better of without one, anyway. = =20 > "Be happy, Angel. I wish I could be." She turned and walked slowly > home, > to her cold bed. =20 > After a while he sat up and looked in the direction she had gone. > Then a > realization struck him and he hurried off into the night. >=20 >=20 > starstorm <bf18489@binghamton.edu> >=20 >=20 > - - - ------------------------------ End of Buffyfic-digest V2 #20 ***************************** To subscribe to buffyfic or buffyfic-digest, send the command subscribe buffyfic-digest or subscribe buffyfic to majordomo@xmission.com. You will need to go through a confirmation process, and the listowners have to manually approve your subscription request, so it may take some time. Back issues of this digest can be found at: ftp://ftp.xmission.com/pub/lists/buffyfic/archive/ Dalton Spence has also provided an index of the buffyfic archive at: http://www.hwcn.org/~ag775/BUFFYFIC.HTM For help, contact Jill Kirby (jtkirby@mcs.com) or sah (romana@mindspring.com)