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Out of Africa
by spikeNdru
Genre: Gen; Action/Adventure
Pairings: Xander and Ensemble; no pairings yet.
Rating: PG-13
Timeline: Two years post-Chosen
Disclaimers: The characters belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and 20th Century Fox; they aren't currently using
them so I'm borrowing them for awhile.
Chapter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30
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Chapter Eighteen
The trip and the excitement of the day had tired Bernard more than he cared to admit, but deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, he retired to his room immediately after luncheon.Bernard gratefully stretched out on the freshly made bed, but his thoughts were so tumultuous that sleep eluded him. In all of his ninety-nine years and nine months of life, he had never found himself in a group such as this. He hadn't believed it possible. He'd met the last two members of the team right before he retired. Krevlorneswath was a truly fascinating individual. His aura was currently the deep royal-purple of sadness—he carried a heavy load his soul was never meant to bear. But occasional tiny bursts of lavender showed hints of the joyous, irrepressible spirit he was once, and hopefully would be again.
The boy—Connor—however, was the most intriguing of all. His aura occasionally shifted between two distinct palettes of color, as if he'd lived two separate lives within the same body. Serene shades of blue predominated, occasionally switching to dark burgundy with red spikes. Bernard had never seen anything like it and had no way to explain it. He'd seen multiple personalities, and it wasn't at all like the auras of those tortured, shattered souls. It wasn't any form of possession, either. The only explanation he could think of was as if the nice, healthy, well-adjusted young man carried the memories of a previous life of pain, fear, abuse and rage locked within his conscious mind. Yes, Bernard decided, he'd definitely like to spend some private time with Connor to see what he could See.
For now, however, Bernard cleared his mind so he could rest. He had a feeling that things were going to become very hectic, very soon.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Willow found a toolbox in a closet, so immediately after lunch, Xander accompanied Connor to the basement laundry room.They installed new light bulbs to replace the many that had burned out, and with the gloom banished, Xander was able to get several more machines to function. Xander and Connor worked with assembly line precision and soon had the remainder of the bedding washed and dried. They then began to transform the hotel's supply of yellowed, mildewed towels and washcloths into usable items. The sun was setting by the time they finished, and Willow and Dawn grabbed arm-loads of the fluffy, sweet-smelling towels to pass out to the hotel “guests”.
Harmony was expected soon, and the first War Council involving the whole group could begin. As Willow and Dawn knocked on doors and handed out towels, they spread the word to meet in the lobby in half an hour.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Giles asked Althenea if she would be so good as to escort Bernard down the stairs and then quickly gathered the others close.“I just wanted to make you all aware that Bernard does this . . . thing with his eyes when he's Seeing.” He removed his glasses and began to polish them. “His cataracts seem to . . . disappear, and his eyes revert to their original dark brown color. It can be a bit . . . disconcerting when viewed for the first time, and only lasts for the duration of his visions. Er, I wanted to appraise you all of the situation so that—”
“Hey, Bernie!” Dawn called as, from her vantage point, she observed Althenea and Bernard making their way down the stairs.
A delighted grin nearly split Bernard's face in two. “Bernie! I quite like that. No one has ever called me 'Bernie', even when I was a lad in short pants, but I would be honored if you would all adopt that diminutive immediately.”
“I really don't think—” Giles began.
“Or at least those of you who aren't dyed in the wool sticks-in-the-mud like Rupert,” Bernie clarified, but his grin remained and his eyes twinkled.
The young people laughed and immediately acquiesced, but Bernard allowed as since Giles had known him as 'Bernard' for many years, he would be more comfortable continuing to refer to him as such.
An additional long-standing habit came to the fore, as the original Sunnydale crew automatically looked to Giles to lead the meeting. Faith had no argument with Giles' leadership, and Connor figured that although he had been designated the leader during the actual mission, he'd be a fool not to take advantage of the Watcher's experience and planning skills.
“Yes, well, then . . .” Giles began, “I see three separate points of discussion. Getting into Quor-Toth, finding the missing, er . . .”
“Fang gang,” Faith supplied, and everyone laughed.
“And getting everyone back safely,” Giles continued. “Let's discuss each point individually. Comments, suggestions or ideas regarding entering Quor-Toth?”
Connor spoke first. “There've been two tears into Quor-Toth right in our immediate vicinity—the lobby right here, and the alley out back. I suggest the alley 'cause that's where they disappeared. I'm pretty sure I can find the spot, but I don't know about getting the whole team in. Dawn said she might be able to do it.”
“Well, I was pretty much created to open portals, so I'm betting there's something in my blood that can open the way—”
“Dawn, no!” Xander exclaimed. “Giles! Tell her 'no'! Didn't you say that the portal opens with her blood, but it only closes when she's dead?”
Giles removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. He did not want to relieve this. Not again. He could see the words he'd spoken to Buffy as if they were etched in the air in front of him right now. There was a catch in his voice as he quoted, “The blood flows and the portal opens. The portal closes when the blood flows no more. When Dawn is dead.”
“Not necessarily,” Althenea broke in, holding up what looked like a white piece of chalk with a rounded point on one end. “Styptic pencil. They were in common usage when men shaved with straight razors. I use them frequently in my veterinary practice. I'm fairly certain that if Connor can find the portal, and Dawn is willing to make a small cut on her palm—I'll give you my silver athame for that purpose, Dawn—once everyone is in who's going, the styptic pencil stops the bleeding so that the blood flows no more.”
“Dear lord!” Giles was abashed. “Can it really have been that simple? I . . . I never even considered a styptic pencil, although, of course, my father often used one.”
“It's worth a try,” Dawn said. “And yay for the not dying. Is there any way we can test it out? Like on some benign dimension first?”
“Perhaps the World of Shrimp?” Bernard suggested. “Even if some of the denizens of that world were to cross over into ours, there would be no danger. We're very close to the ocean—perhaps Dawn could try a very small cut whilst on a boat some yards from shore? She could open a minuscule portal and then try the styptic pencil to make sure it works. I believe Althenea and Willow could patch the hole, as it were, if the pencil is ineffective.”
“Yo, Bernie, that's a wicked cool idea,” Faith commented. “If there's a clam world and a lobster world, too, we could try them and have ourselves a party. I haven't had a good Boston clam bake in years, and us Southies know how to party! If we could get hold of some corn—anybody know if there's a corn world?”
Even Giles laughed as the haunted look in his eyes was dispelled. But he would long berate himself for not thinking of the styptic alternative before Buffy felt the need to sacrifice herself. How differently things would have gone for them all . . .
~*~*~*~*~*~
The approaching twilight brought with it a vision in a hot pink catsuit with a gold lamé cape unfurling behind her. The taxi driver had attempted to catch a glimpse of her in his rear-view mirror throughout the trip, even adjusting his mirror to the right and left, but was unsuccessful. Now that he was no longer required to keep at least a portion of his attention on the road, he appeared mesmerized by her appearance, as Harmony climbed out of the back seat and attempted to hand him a folded bill.“Oh, gee, I hope that's enough, with the tip and all,” she said. “It's all I brought 'cause I don't have any pockets in this suit—not that I'd put anything in them even if I did have them 'cause any bumps or lumps of pocket stuff would totally spoil the lines of my outfit. And it's not like I could carry a purse or anything, 'cause even Prada would look silly. I mean, seriously, have you ever seen Superman with a purse? Well, probably not, 'cause he's a guy and all, but who's a girl superhero? Catwoman? Wait! Is she a superhero or a bad guy? I could never keep that straight. But either way, you just know she's not about to spoil the lines of her outfit with pockets—or carry a purse, either. But if she did, it probably wouldn't be Prada. Her outfit's a lot trashier looking than mine, so if she did, it'd probably be Versace. But she doesn't. So I don't. So, um, is twenty dollars okay?”
Harmony tried to hand him the twenty-dollar bill again, which was difficult, as he was sitting motionless, staring at her with his mouth open.
“Um . . . okay . . . here!”
Not knowing what else to do, Harmony placed the folded bill in his open mouth and wiggled her fingers in farewell. “Bye!She turned and clattered up the walkway to the hotel in her knee-high hot pink boots with the four inch stiletto heels.
When the closing of the lobby door hid her from view, the taxi driver finally came out of his trance, removed the bill from his mouth and drove away. The guys at the cab company are never gonna believe this! No, siree. Not in a million years. Hooray for Hollywood!
“Hi, guys! I'm not late or anything, am I?” Harmony asked breathlessly. “I got here as soon as I could. Oh, wow! There's even more people here! Who are you?” Harmony asked as she noticed Althenea.
Althenea attempted to keep a straight face as she took Harmony's hand in hers. “You must be Harmony Kendall. I'm Althenea Trevayne. We spoke on the phone.”
“Oh, yeah! You're the witch who called me. I didn't know you were coming, too. And hey! You brought your Grandpa!” Harmony beamed at Bernard. “Or, wait! He's not your husband or anything, right? 'Cause, ohmigod—that would be so embarrassing! I mean, if you were like Anna Nicole Smithing it or something, but you totally don't seem the type. Although, he is just as cute as a button! At least, that's what my Great-Aunt Mildred used to say about me when I was little, although I never understood what that meant. Are buttons really that cute? I mean, does anyone go to button their blouse and say 'Wow, these are really cute buttons'? I don't think so! Anyway, I'm Harmony and I'm a superhero!”
“How do you do? It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I'm Bernie.”
“Hey, Bernie. It's nice to meet you, too.”
Harmony shook his hand and Bernard's head tilted up sharply as he looked at her in surprise. A faint tinge of pale pink surrounded her head and he Looked closer to be sure he hadn't imagined it.
“You're pink!” he exclaimed, although he really shouldn't have been surprised, after what he'd already Seen with this group.
“Well, duh! That's kinda my thing.”
“But you are a vampire, yes?”
“Well, yeah. But it's totally not my fault! I didn't ask to be a vampire—it just sort of happened during Graduation when the Mayor turned into a big snake and I didn't even really want to go! I tried to talk my parents into letting me skip Graduation and go to France early, once I found out about the big battle and all, but no-o-o! My parents really wanted to see me graduate, and then I got bit and I never did get to go to France for the summer, like I was supposed to, so it's really Buffy's fault that I'm a vampire! And, sure, Angel and Spikey are both really big with the all-black wardrobes, but black just makes me look sallow. It doesn't do a thing for my complexion and the whole Goth thing is so over—not that I was ever into Goth in the first place, 'cause eww! And, besides, I look really good in pink!”
~*~*~*~*~*~
Dawn and Xander made a quick run down to the donut shop and returned with large Styrofoam cups of tea for Giles, Bernard and Althenea, coffee for themselves, Willow and Faith, and hot chocolate for Connor, Lorne and Harmony. In addition, they bought a large box of two dozen assorted donuts. Xander had remembered to include one filled with raspberry jelly for Giles. Giles immediately claimed it with pleasure.The hot beverages and warm sugar worked their usual magic on the expanded Scoobies, and the meeting continued.
Connor summarized their previous discussion for Harmony and then turned to Giles. “So after we check out Dawn's ability, we'll know if we're good to go on the entering Quor-Toth or if we need to come up with an alternate plan. What's next on the agenda?”
“Locating Angel, Spike, et al, and returning them to the portal.”
“I believe I may be of some assistance in that, Rupert,” Bernie said excitedly. “Immediately prior to the team's entry, I can Look for them as I did when you visited me. I can then relay the information to young Connor, here. That should at least give the team an approximation regarding where to begin their search. Of course, with the time differential of the Quor-Toth, they may have traveled from where I locate them by the time our rescue team arrives at that spot, but I do believe that would be our best option.”
“Very good, Bernard. And the team's return to the portal?”
Althenea had a suggestion. “I could perform a link between one of the rescue party and one that remains here.”
“O-o-o-o! The Vulcan Mind Meld thingy! I've seen her do that.” Willow exclaimed.
“Sorry?” Giles was confused.
Xander explained Mr. Spock's mind meld technique to the members of the party who hadn't heard of it.
Althenea laughed. “Actually, it is rather like that. An open link is formed between two people, which can draw the one in Quor-Toth directly back to the portal when the mission is completed. But I need to make you aware that it can be quite dangerous, and rather . . . uncomfortable.”
“How so?” Giles asked.
“Both the danger and the discomfort are related to the nature of the link. Each person so linked becomes a part of the other for the duration of the link. All thoughts and feelings are shared, so it must be done by those who can tolerate having another person privy to their innermost secrets. Everything they are will be laid bare to another. The danger is that if one of the linked persons is injured, or killed, while linked . . .”
“The same fate will befall the other party to the link,” Giles concluded. “Well. We have much to think about, so I suggest we adjourn this meeting for tonight and continue our planning session tomorrow. If no one has anything further to add at this time . . . No? Meeting adjourned.”
“Uh, Harmony?” Xander said as everyone got up from their seats and began to mill around. “I found some frozen blood downstairs—it was probably Angel's. I can bring some up if you want. It's probably a few years old, though. Does blood go bad? No! Don't tell me—I don't think I want to know.” Xander shrugged. “Even if it's a little freezer burned or whatever, it's not like it's gonna kill you, right?”
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Continued in Chapter Nineteen
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