"Yeah, I'm sure. I didn't know how things would go down, but I knew that Rupert would have to be a big
|
"So you're sure that no one has gotten to Giles?",
Faith asked. She had followed Spike back to the last hideout Giles had been
at. The term 'hideout' was a little bit moot at this point, because everyone
knew where he was. They entered quietly. Giles could be seen in the other
room, studying his large volumes of old books as usual. It almost looked
like ordinary times. "Yeah, I'm sure. I didn't know how things would go down, but I knew that Rupert would have to be a big |
|
part of whatever it was, so I kind of kept watch over him, made sure
he was safe", Spike said. |
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"But, after a couple days of that, and a couple days
of you not showing up, he kind of stopped with that stuff and started
hitting the books real hard.", he added.
Faith felt bad that she hadn't come to visit Giles, in a weird way she felt she had let him down. "Have you spoken to him?", she asked Spike. "No, I haven't had a heart to heart with him, for fear that something would end up through my heart" "Do you know if he is still mine?", she asked. |
| "Not sure at all. Like I said, we haven't chatted" "Right", Faith said quietly, it was clear she was distracted. "Let me ask you something," Spike said, "If he is, will you set him free?" Faith didn't like this heavy conscious kind of stuff, so she avoided the question with some trademark cockiness, "First let's just find out if he's still a cardcarrying member of my fan club shall we?" |
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Spike rolled his eyes at her remark as she bounced
into the room Giles was studying in. "Hi Gi-Gi, did you miss me?", she said with a big 1000 watt smile. That grin was only a mask though, inside her stomach was a flutter with nervous butterflies. When Giles was under her power, it gave her a sort of comfort. It wasn't that she had a slave to serve her will, it was more that she had a father figure that loved her completely. Faith was scared of loosing that comfort. |
| Giles looked up. He remained silent, and gave no indication
of his emotions. "Faith", he said quietly. Faith didn't know what to say, but her bravado and cockiness had been stripped away. "How are you?", she asked, sincerely. Giles said nothing at first, it was as if he was thinking about what the best answer would be... "Confused", he said. |
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Faith said nothing, though she desperately wanted to just
blurt out, "Do you still love me?". Instead, she toned it down
a little and asked, "Are you mad at me?" Giles was taken back by the question. It was clear Faith was insecure, a trait she displayed no hint of in their last meeting. "I am not angry, no.", Giles said, "You should know that I am no longer under your spell though", he said sternly. |
| "I figured as much", Faith said quietly. Giles could see her pain, he always could, "Faith, I want you to know I care for you", he said in a very fatherly way. "That's cool", Faith said, trying to sound nonchalant. In truth, that meant more to her than anything anyone had ever said. She knew right then and there that she would gladly kill anyone who ever tried to hurt Rupert Giles. She could see why Buffy loved him so. |
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Again not wanting to wallow in an emotionally intense moment, Faith searched
for some brevity. She found it in the form of Xander Harris as he entered
the room, unaware that she and Spike had arrived. Xander stopped dead in his tracks. The sound of her voice alone sent chills up his spine. With Giles help, he |
| had spent the last few days trying to break free of her influence.
"Please, Faith, leave me alone!", Xander begged. "Shhh, baby, come to me", Faith said seductively, obviously playing with him. She motioned to him with her finger. He was clearly still entranced by her as he watched her finger so attentively, it seemed to drag him to her. "Faith", Giles said... as in 'cut it out' Faith |
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Faith thought this was funny, and harmless, so she ignored
Giles for the moment. "Tell me who you love baby", she purred. Xander still resisted, but easily cracked, "you- You, I love you Faith. I serve you", he said. "Damnit boy", Giles said quietly after watching hours and hours of deprogramming work go down the tubes in two seconds. "Faith", Spike intervened, "When you sought me out |
| you told me that you needed our help. Now I think we'd all
be able to help you more if we could all think clearly, and on our own,
don't you", he said, firmly. "Fine, I'll let him go. I know what you're getting at, are you sure you don't want to see him dance nude or something before I do?", she offered. "Very sure", Spike and Giles replied in unison. Faith then freed Xander of any remaining suggestions, and with that, the team to stop Mesmotto was formed! |
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"Thank you for seeing me Master", Buffy
said respectfully. "But of course my love, I will always make time for my queen", Mesmotto answered. Buffy's heart fluttered when he referred to her as 'his queen'. "Master, I have finished my meeting with your ladies", she told him. 'Ladies' was his preferred phrase for what was really his harem of hypnotized slaves, "I'd like to discuss it with you if you wish", she invited. |
| "Nothing would please me more than to hear your plan
to bring us to the ultimate glory", he said. Buffy smiled back like a school girl with a crush, she loved the way he spoke. She was momentarily dazed by the sparkle in his eyes. "Your plans, my love?", he reminded. "What? Oh, yes, sorry. So I spoke with your ladies. I informed them that you have selected me as your queen, and that they are now under my charge as well" |
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"And they all accepted that with out trouble?",
Mesmotto asked. "Well, not really, the two Haliwell witches had trouble with it. The power you shared with me helped me subdue them though. Which, by the way, is the first thing we need to discuss" "How so, my sweet?" "It is important that you do not share any more of your power, unless of course it is with me", Buffy winked. |
| "I do not understand. Do you not see it as a gift of
my love?" "Oh, of course I do Master, and I will only use it to bring you to further glory, that you can be sure of. The others though, they can be corrupted.... like your lady Cassandra. Plus, giving away your power makes you weak. It seems to dilute the potency of your spell. Before Willow rejuvenated you in the Netherworld, your powers were fading fast. We can't have that now, |
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can we?", Buffy asked. Mesmotto had not realized any of this on his own. "I also clarified the ultimate goals with your ladies Master.", she said "Such as?", he asked, amazed by her natural leadership. "To bring you the ultimate in luxury and wealth, while surrounding you with the most powerful, the most devoted women in the world" |
| Mesmotto had never really put his long term goals in such
a concise mission statement as that. He liked the sound of it though. "Wonderful", he said with delight. Buffy wasn't finished, "I also developed a short term strategy." "Please, enlighten me, my love", he said. "There are two sources of power that currently elude us. One is Faith, the other is Piper Haliwell." |
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"Cassandra gave us Pru, so that she may take Piper. Do
we really need to take her lover?", Mesmotto asked, showing his eternal
soft side for his 'ladies'. "Maybe not", Buffy said, "Piper is valuable because she is one of the the three Haliwell witches. Together, they harness the power of three... a power that is as potent as any I've heard of. However, wrestling Piper away from Cassandra will require quite a bit of effort and danger. Always ones to avoid danger, Willow and Tara |
| have innovated a way to harness the power of three, without
retaking Piper" "Please explain", Mesmotto asked. "Willow and Tara found a way to 'pirate' someone's 'life essence'. This will allow someone to absorb the power, and 'essence' of another person. For instance, if I was to use it on Aquaman, I'd be able to swim in the sea and communicate with whales and stuff" "Who is this Aquaman?", Mesmotto asked. |
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Buffy laughed, "It doesn't matter Master, he is a fictional
character. The point is you can take someone's power. They are left powerless
after, but that is no concern of ours. However, it takes quite a toll on
whoever absorbs the power, so the user must be very strong. Willow or Tara
would be killed by the overflow of energy, so I will take Piper's essence.
My slayer strength should be enough to protect me." "It sounds so dangerous, is it necessary?" |
| "When the transfer is complete, I will be able to join
with the Haliwell sisters to complete the power of three. With that kind
of energy, we can ensure your total safety." "The Haliwell sisters are understanding of this?", Mesmotto asked. "Well, they aren't in love with the idea. Like I said, they needed a little of my hypno-coaxing. They understand now that your pleasure is the greater good." |
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Mesmotto was overwhelmed by how she had commandeered and militarized
his harem in such a short time. "You will need strength for your adventures", he said, reaching out and touching her face, charging her with more of his power, though now cogniscient not to drain himself. Buffy was determined to make him proud. She was focused on being the queen of his kingdom, nothing or no one else mattered anymore. |