This Is Not The Way.
"In the world of bodily changers, there's two terms you usually see," Giles instructed to the teens in front of him. "You see them called shape changers and you see them called shape shifters. They don't really mean different things however."
"Wrong," Willow said. "Unfortunately wrong. Shape changers have all the things the thing they change into all the time. Shape shifters only shift external forms."
Giles blinked at her. "Excuse me?"
"Our former friend Jesse was a shape changer," Xander agreed. "Shape changers are whatever animal, through and through. So the dragon ones have a tail even though they're in human form. It may be hidden but it's there.
"They have mixed blood systems with dragon and human blood. Shape shifters are external only changes. His mom explained that to us when we were about seven, eight, something like that. Jesse started to partially shift and freaked Willow out." He shrugged but smirked at Oz. "Sorry."
"Not a problem," Oz said and shrugged back.
Giles stared at them. "So they can manifest a partial transformation?" he demanded.
"Yup." Xander nodded. "Jesse used to be able to manifest his fur on his neck and chest to feel more manly since he had no chest hair."
"I've never seen that."
"According to his mom, it's fairly well known," Willow said, looking at Xander, who nodded. She looked at him. "The watchers don't know that?"
"I'm wondering if the stupid pelt hunters do," Buffy complained, looking at Oz, who shook his head. "Huh." She looked at Giles. "The kid books that they used to read us in grade school so we wouldn't freak out told us that kid changers often have one arm or something change before everything else."
"Jesse's first one was his ears," Xander told her. "He got really hairy ears one day when he was frustrated with the stupid in math class. The teacher freaked out and screamed so they had to have a talk with us."
Giles blinked a few times. "I've never heard of such and the books don't say that."
"Then maybe the books are wrong," Buffy said. "Or it's just a Sunnydale thing?"
Xander shook his head. "Jesse had an older cousin who could do the same thing. Her antlers came out all the time."
"Jesse was a stag changer," Willow added with a grin for her best friend.
Xander nodded. "He had a really thin set of antlers that he hated to manifest because they always broke in a strong wind."
"Dietary?" Oz guessed.
"Age," Xander said.
"That's something that I guess all the types of changers have to go through," Willow added. She looked at Giles. "You can ask others. There's groups to help support the changers. Even here in town there's one somewhere at one of the colleges. They probably won't want to talk about virus werewolves since they're not their type but you can say you're doing a paper on the stereotypes and movie tropes versus reality."
"I don't think we need to go that far," Giles admitted, staring at Oz. Then at Xander and Willow. "Did your friend have problem with moon shifts?"
"Stags don't moon shift," Xander reminded him. "Deer are deer all the time." He looked at Willow. "We only have one changer in the school right now that I know of."
"Yeah, that ninth grader." She considered it. "I'm hoping that something's not taking them out on purpose. By population we shouldn't have more than five or six."
"I can ask Angel if he knows if they eat changers more often." Buffy looked at Oz. "So we have to guard you when you change." He nodded. "We can figure that out." She looked at Xander. "What do wolf changers do during the full moon?"
"The same thing they do most of the time since they don't depend on the moon to change, Buffster. You can ask Cordelia. One of her cousins married a wolf changer."
"Huh. I can do that later." She looked at Giles again. "So how do we help guard the Ozwolf?"
"We use the book cage for now," he decided. "We'll need to get some tranquilizers in case he breaks out but we should be able to handle such things ourselves."
"I can do some of the guarding," Willow said. "I have no idea how to use a tranquilizer needle though."
Xander coughed. "The zoo uses an air rifle." She stared at him, looking horrified. "It doesn't really hurt, the air gun won't let it go in too far." He stared at her. "It doesn't hurt them. You've seen them sedating something in the past." She nodded that was true. "So we can probably find one of those easily enough." He looked at Giles, who nodded, going to call someone at the Council to get one. He looked at Oz. "I'll help guard you, Oz. I'm used to being up all night." Oz smirked but nodded his thanks.
"I'll do what I can," Buffy said. "When I'm not on patrol. We'll make a schedule."
"Like a chore chart," Willow agreed, smiling at her boyfriend. She pulled over some paper to make out a schedule and looked up all the future full moons.
***
Giles looked at Xander that night. "The Council believes that most changers are magically based."
Xander stared at him. "Giles, changers got started by someone fucking the creature." Giles flinched back. "Usually a magical version, but no it's not some magical gift they give each other. It's not spell based. Though I've heard that dragon changers can have some limited magic.
"Some of that was from a pretty correct fantasy series but they got a lot of other things right. The lady on the edge of town was one, and she was hella scary and always right as a seer. I'm pretty sure she had magic because when she died we had a sudden, huge storm that nearly wrecked the grade school she used to work in."
Giles took off his glasses to stare at him. "When was this?"
"About six months before you got here." He smirked a tiny bit. "Old Lady Marple as the principal called her but she was Miss Maison. She was the head of the cleaning department in the elementary school." He walked off. "We can deal with stuff. And they can buy books made in this century."
"I'll look into her," he decided, going to look up more modern books on shape changers. There was a lot of academic works he had never heard about. He noted on his report back about how they were wrong about changers. Including that there were still some dragon changers around apparently.
He got a 'prove it' back but he looked up their council in LA to send them their address. A specifically dragon changer council it seemed. Plus the other changers had their own groups in LA it seemed so he sent that as well. He had no idea an idiot would try to cause problems but they were easily removed according to the news a few days later.
***
Xander shook his head when he caught Buffy and Willow talking about changers again, this time at the picnic table they ate at during lunches outside. He sat down, looking at them. "There's a support council in LA for them, Buffy. They've got an all changer Council and individual ones. They put out a benefit every year for a kid's hospital. There's a local telethon and all that."
"I didn't see that when I was in LA."
"Did you actually watch something beyond entertainment shows?"
"Yes! That's mean, Xander!"
"Uh-huh. You haven't watched the news, the educational channels, or anything but entertainment things in months, Buffy. Which is how you forgot you had a paper due on children's television tomorrow." She winced but nodded.
"I can help her with that," Willow complained, hitting him on the arm.
"Willow, you write like your mother talks," he reminded her. "They'll realize it when they see that sort of theory stuff."
"Oh, yeah, I do kinda do that." She grimaced. "I had mine done already anyway. It was on kid's science shows."
"Did you do more than one?" he asked. "The teacher earlier was complaining that we didn't use enough sources."
"There's more than one?"
"Yeah. There's like two major and a few minor ones that're more geared toward older kids." He stared at her. "Plus it shows up in other types of shows too." She groaned but pulled out her paper to go over it again. He looked at Buffy. "Your mother will kill you if you flunk."
"I know." She slumped with a pouty look. "What about yours?"
"I handed it in earlier, that's why he was complaining about not enough sources when I only used three. Mine was on art shows." He shrugged but got up to walk off, leaving them with their miseries. He went to talk to that teacher. "Are you really going to be mad that I could only get three shows?"
"No. Knowing your family I'm happy you managed to get any tv time."
"I rented from the library and remembered a lot from grade school art class. That's how they did ours." He shrugged. "Am I that low?"
"No, Harris. You did fine."
Xander grinned. "Thanks!" He went to get something to do since he had study hall that afternoon. The teacher had been killed last week and there wasn't a substitute available. The principal sneered at his lunch choice. "It has peanuts."
"I hear you have a paper due tomorrow," he sneered, moving closer. "What's it on again?"
"He assigned the class random kids show types to evaluate why the learning worked." He stared at him as opened his snickers bar. "Since our *wonderful* school district uses art classes off PBS I could do the paper comparing those to more modern ones. They don't make people like Bob Ross anymore."
"I think I'll take over grading."
"I think that's overstepping and if you do, Willow's mother is going to turn you in to the school board again." Principal Snyder shuddered, stepping back. Xander ate another bite, catching sight of Buffy and Willow out of his side view. "Anything else this fine day? I need to go check out a book on tree symbolism for english class to write something about Ents."
"I doubt that you'd be able to read one," he sneered, walking off.
"And hey, look at that SAT score," Xander shot back with a grin and a wave. "Highest in this school this year." The principal went red in the face so he walked off to the library. "Giles, I need a book on why Ents are in the Lord of the Rings trilogy."
"I always thought they were some of his cohorts," Giles complained but got him a book that might explain it. "Have you read it yet?"
"Giles, I'm a teenage guy. Yes, I've read Lord of the Overblown Rings and the Mighty Quest they went on that was too many words about walking." He took the book to go check out and went to study hall. Snyder was in there so he settled in his seat to read.
"Why are you sitting there, Harris?" he demanded.
"Because the teacher made this my seat, Principal." He stared at him. "The seating chart is on the board." He pointed. He looked at the girl in the corner, who was shaking her head with a sigh.
"You two, switch places since you're so chummy!" he demanded.
"Sir, I need the wall," she said. "It's holding the bandages you won't let the nurse change for me in place so I don't bleed all over this school so you have to have a hazmat team come clean it up again." He choked and spluttered. She got up to move the sleeve of her shirt to show him the bloody bandage. "You ordered her not to help me change them, Principal Snyder. If they aren't changed I'll scab and it'll break the scabs when I have to move in any direction. Then I break out bleeding. Again." She moved her arm slightly and sure enough, blood started to drip. He reared back and fled the room gagging. "Great!"
"Got bandages?" Willow asked. "I can help you change them, Liz."
"Please, Rosenburg." She and Xander came over to help with that. She sighed in relief. "Thank you. I hate those scabs." Xander handed over his spare piece of candybar, getting a grin back. "Thanks, Harris. Snickers are always good for you. Plenty of peanuts for energy." She ate it quickly because they could hear the nurse complaining in the halls. She held up the bag with the dirty bandages in it. "Willow and Xander helped me change them, Nurse Patricia."
"That's good of them, though it's my job," she said, scowling at Willow.
"She started to bleed," Xander said. "Snyder made her move around too much."
"Then that's reasonable I suppose." She checked and nodded. "Nice enough job. Come see me tomorrow before lunch, Elizabeth." She took the dirty things to toss into the appropriate bag. The kids settled in to deal with study hall all afternoon. Liz got to nap. Xander read and made notes for his paper for english.
Willow pouted about her paper as she read it. The other kids played cards, read, or did something for homework. Snyder came back once but only the kid playing solitaire got yelled at this time and he had the excuse of not having homework since both of his classes so far today had study halls. Snyder glared again but stomped off.
Willow looked back at Xander. "Why are you reading that?" she demanded.
"Because I have to discuss why Ents are in Lord of the Rings," he said dryly. "Didn't you take the abusive relationship in Beauty and the Beast?" She groaned. "The english teacher isn't missing, she's at home with the flu." A few other kids muttered as they got into the english assignments.
Xander went back to his reading and making notes. He still didn't understand what the Ents were about but that was fine he guessed. At the end of the day he tucked his backpack into his locker and grabbed his after school needs. He locked it and made sure it was locked. He saw the principal sneering. "Don't want to lose it." He walked off like he wasn't peeved.
The principal screaming a few minutes later made him grin. "Yay, dye pack." Willow gave him a horrified look. He grinned. "He shouldn't break and enter. And that wasn't even me. That was Paulie last year. That was his locker and he left it hooked up. I even made a report to the maintenance staff so no one could claim it's mine." He grinned at her.
Snyder stomped their way. "I'll have you expelled for that, Harris. You damaged school property!"
"Not my dye pack. That was Paulie's locker last year. I reported that dye pack to maintenance guy Bob. He didn't want to deal with it."
"He did," the school nurse called from up the hallway. "Bob said he didn't want to deal with a dye pack and he wanted to see which idiot shook the lockers too much." She came out to look at him. "Oh. Well, I guess you shook the lockers too much?"
"The door sticks," Xander assured her with a grin. He looked at the principal. "You can blame me if you want and make me repaint the thing but I didn't put it in there. Or the one next to Buffy's locker or the one next to the science classroom that usually holds the skeleton so no one steals it this year." He shrugged. "Not my doing." He walked off.
He had copies of those reports he could hand over if Snyder got pissy and tried to charge him with anything or for anything. He went to talk to an officer that was watching the kids for the evils of pot and beer as they left the school. "Paulie's little gifts of dye packs went off," he said with a grin. "I inherited his locker and Snyder broke into it to steal my homework." They both looked at the principal.
The officer snickered, nodding. "Great."
Xander grinned at him. "I filed a report with Bob but he said he didn't want to deal with it." He shrugged again with another grin. "I've even got a copy of the report form."
"I'll make sure he doesn't try to charge you for it, Harris. Go do whatever freaky thing you do."
"I've got to hit the library to figure out what Ents represent." He went that way. He might as well reread the part with the Ents. See if they had any clues.
The officer strolled over, looking at the principal. "You're lucky that Paulie doesn't usually use long term dye packs like they do in banks. Those take two weeks to wear off." He walked off happier. A florescent green Snyder was a comical sight. He even took pictures and got the school's security tape to review it officially at the station.
Snyder was seething but he'd get that group tomorrow.
***
Xander got itchy the next day, grimacing as he scratched his arm. The PE teacher glared at him. Xander looked at his arm then sighed. "What did I run into?" he muttered.
Willow looked at it then raised her hand. "He has hives."
"He'll live," the teacher sneered.
"If it's chicken pox, we're all going to have to stay home for weeks," she said. She knew Xander had chicken pox when he was seven. The rest of the class knew Xander had chicken pox when he was seven. They had all been quarantined to make sure they didn't get it too. The teacher never paid any attention to anyone but the jocks so he had no idea what happened in the elementary school. She swatted Xander. "Quit scratching."
"Shut up," he complained. He grabbed his overshirt and tossed it back as he went to change. The teacher stormed after him so he coughed on him and the guy ran off again. Xander got changed and went to the nurse's office. He looked at the nurse when she stared at him. "I ran into something and Willow told the PE teacher I might have chicken pox." He let her see his arm.
"I think those are hives, Harris." She got him a cream, which made him break out in more hives. So she wiped that off with alcohol on a cotton ball and got him something to take. "Benadryl."
"Thanks." He swallowed it dry. "I've never had this until today."
"Allergies can pop up at any time," she said dryly. "Even at your age."
He nodded. "But I'm not prone to that sort of thing. No one in my family is."
"Who knows." She patted him on the arm. The principal stomped into view and sneered. "He's allergic to something in the gym." She smiled at him. "The hives are disturbing to the other students." Xander let him see his arm when the principal glared.
"He can go back to gym class and be ready for it."
"I won't be able to walk back that way by the time the bell rings," Xander told him.
"You can go there for your next class."
"No I can't. Sorry, the science teacher would yell at you again." Snyder was glaring worse. Xander stared back. The bell rang. Xander looked at his arm. "Can I go to science class? We're doing mixtures."
She considered it. "No. Sit down, Harris. Read something." He sighed but nodded. "I'll send the teacher a note." The principal was glaring at her too. "What would the school board say if we have a student taken out in an ambulance?" He huffed and went to call someone. She looked at Xander. "What did you do right before those popped up?"
"We were on the bleachers listening to him complain about his mediocre team of jocks." Xander grimaced at her. "None of us were the jocks but apparently we're not *supportive* enough. Something about the girls not allowing themselves to be attacked and us fighting back against the bullies."
She nodded. "Figures." She got called to the office and called then grabbed a few things. "I need to go to the gym. Another kid got hit with whatever it is."
"Go for it. I'm good." She nodded and he shut the door most of the way. The school's secretary popped over. "She's in the gym." He showed his hives. "No idea what we ran into but I was in there last class."
"Principal Snyder is considering you a curse this week."
Xander grinned. "I think that's the sweetest thing he's ever called me." She walked off giggling, getting out of the way of the ambulance crew. The nurse got him and they took samples from his arm too. The kid who had the anaphylactic shock was taken off to the ER. A few other kids needed the little pink pill to handle their own hives. "Is there some way to figure out what it was? Was it dust from the heating system that's never used? Something from outside blowing in through that door that won't close?"
The nurse shook her head. "No idea, Harris. Not my field."
Xander looked back at the teachers coming their way. "Doctor Franks, is there some way to tell what sort of thing was sending us all into benadryl land? We're pretty sure it's a skin contact thing."
"What's happened?" the science teacher demanded. Xander showed his arm and pointed at the other kids. "And the ambulance?"
"One kid was more allergic and needed epi pens," Willow said. "Three of the four of them were wearing their overshirt for team picking. Xander had his over that shoulder but wasn't wearing it."
"Then let's start there," the science teacher said, going to confiscate those to test them for chemicals. He found it easily and took the powder to prevent bugs and fleas that was near it. He stared at it then pointed at the bottle. "This is not to be used on humans." He walked it off to hand to the nurse, who called poison control and the ER to let them know. He looked at Xander's arm. "You're lucky. That could give chemical burns."
"Is that why it's still itching?" Xander asked. The teacher nodded. "Can we baking powder or whatever paste them? Or vinegar?"
"Poison control said cool compresses after washing it off," the nurse said once she hung up. "Go clean whatever touched those team overshirts and if you can change shirts too." They nodded, going to the locker room to do that. They were all guys. She looked at the science teacher. "We're lucky they're not changers. That could've killed them."
"It's illegal to buy," he said dryly. He nodded at the principal, holding up the bottle. "Illegal to own, to buy, to use, especially since it causes chemical burns." He kept the man from taking it, staring at him. "No, I don't think so. I'll neutralize it and throw it out properly." He looked at the nurse. "Can it be washed from the fabric?"
"I'd probably wash them a few times in hot water with a strong soap. They could use them anyway since he never cleans them. I'm surprised we haven't had scabies or anything else from those jerseys. The health department would have a fit if they knew we didn't wash those regularly." The principal sneered. She stared at him. "That is *state* law, Principal Snyder. The health department can easily shut us down for that. They need to be thoroughly washed a few times until they're finally clean."
"It's been years," the english teacher said. "I've seen other kids who had skin infections thanks to that."
The nurse nodded. "So have I to administer medicines for it. And I'm required by law to report it."
"No you're not," Snyder ordered.
"That's *federal* law," she said firmly. "I'm not going to prison for that." He glared harder. "You can ask the mayor. He'd have to hear too." She picked up her desk phone to call the mayor's office herself. "It's Nurse Patricia at the high school. I have to report a few of our students got chemical exposures and one went to the emergency room due to her asthma being set off.
"No, the science teacher found that someone had sprayed the overshirt jerseys for team picking with an anti-bug mix that's to be used on barn floors but not on humans or animals. No, it's fully illegal to even buy in the US, Miss Havers. I have no idea where it came from but we've had six students with mild chemical burns and one that had anaphylactic shock.
"No, the principal didn't want to let him know, which is the law. It's been found and removed from the gym. The science teacher said he'd dispose of it properly once he neutralized it." She listened to the questions. "That's fine, and yes, they all appear to be all right. Just mild burns on the level of hives. Thank you. Should I write it up for the health department like state law says or can you tell them?" She smiled.
"That's kind of you, dear. Thank you." She hung up and looked at the principal. "There, legal duties are done with." She went to check on the boys. The PE teacher was sneering so she glared. "I'm sure the FBI will want to know where you got that since it's illegal to buy in the US." He stomped back to his office. "Boys, I said showers." They pointed at the teacher. "Deal with it." They went to do that. She went back to her office.
Snyder was stomping up the hall so she got out of his way. He still tried to run into her but he moved when she stared at him until he quit. She sighed, going back to her office. She had that bandage change to do soon too. Then she might think about going to visit her sister in the state's capitol for a long week. They did have a break coming up. She sent her an email and filled out the notification of taking a few extra days for vacation around break, sending that to the school board and the office.
"No," Snyder said. "You may not."
"Not your decision," she said firmly. "You can't change the break and I'm allowed to use my vacation days however I want. My sister's made a new quilt I wanted to see." She got back to her student notes on that incident. She blatantly locked it in her filing cabinet and went to fix her hair in the bathroom until he went away again. She got a call from the school board and settled in at her desk to talk to them about what had happened.
They didn't want to know how the FBI was going to find out about that chemical mix being bought and used. She did tell them that it was mandatory to report it to the health department, the school board, and the mayor as a courtesy. She had told the mayor's secretary and she could tell the health department. She also noted that she had a vacation in a few days for the days around the upcoming break. They agreed it'd be fine.
They didn't realize that the kids blogged and other things to tell others online about that stuff. Which the FBI did watch over casually. They showed up that night to talk to the PE teacher, and had found where he had ordered it. So he was in violation of the law for importing dangerous chemicals. The agents were pleased to tell him about the laws he had broke on his way to their own jail. They wouldn't use the Sunnydale one, they knew better.
The mayor heard and threw a fit at Snyder, who couldn't defend it. He hadn't approved of it or heard about it before the chemical exposures. The nurse was already off to visit her sister. The mayor's demon contacts wouldn't touch her, they were scared of her. They'd find a new nurse for the next year, she could retire for finding the plot and ending it.
Snyder went to find the curse on him and end it. That nurse couldn't use magic as far as he knew. Harris certainly couldn't. Rosenburg's magic was so blatant she'd never be able to curse him. He found it was an older student who had disappeared a few years earlier. So he got that vampire staked by Summers that night by luring him into a trap. No more curse.
Well, still a curse because his car was broken into and his radio was gone.
***
The next day, Snyder showed up for the class day, late because his shower had broken while he was in it and had flooded his bathroom. Then he had to wait on a cab because ten blocks was too far for him to walk. And he found no one there. He looked around. "Did someone kill them all to spare me?" he demanded loudly. Only a janitor stared at him oddly for that. "Where is everyone?"
"It's Saturday, Principal Snyder. I'd assume they were at home." He went back to his mopping so he could rewax the hallway. Snyder stomped off in a huff. The janitor shook his head but decided he'd spread this story later. It looked like Snyder was losing his marbles.
Outside, Snyder's car was in even worse shape than it had been last night. Now it looked like it had been set on fire and he had a ticket on it. He snatched that to look at; it was a ticket for littering and leaving his car in the parking lot all night. He stomped down to the station to yell at the officer who had dared to ticket him. He got funny looks but that night, a ticket for the public disturbance and bothering the officers was in his mailbox.
He had to end this curse! Somehow!
***
Willow had found a spell in a book. Buffy had agreed it was a good idea because it meant she could get an accurate count of how many vampires were in town. She did that for Buffy, which was a lot more than they thought. Then she thought back to wondering about why the town had so few shape changers born. She decided to do a searching.
It came up with four that had markers for it but may not be full changers. And a few who were but no one knew. Which was probably safer for them. One surprised her. Xander had the marker? How did he not know. Weren't all kids tested at birth? It was national law that they were.
She decided to ask him about that. He might not think he was more than latent. She went to join up with patrol that night since he was supposed to be there. She grinned when she ran into Buffy. "I did that searching. There's over three thousand vampires in town, Buffy." Buffy huffed. "Sorry, I searched out all the way to the college. There's a few really big areas but one's by Willie's so I'm guessing they're gathering for a night in the bar."
Buffy grimaced. "Great. I was hoping more like thirty or three hundred, not three thousand. That's way more than I can handle."
"So we'll handle them like you're whittling a stake into a stick," Xander offered. "Unless you want to look up how to make holy water grenades?"
She blinked at him. "Get back with me later about that, Xander. After we figure out if it's even doable for a high school kid to do."
"Yeah, they're not that hard. I've found a recipe for a garlic one that I can fill with holy water instead of the water they wanted to help it dissipate."
She blinked a few times. "Easily done?"
"Pipe bomb level. Not *too* hard. Less than chemistry or home ec levels really."
"Huh. Show me tomorrow?"
"Yeah I can do that." He looked at Willow. "You're bouncy. You found something else bad?" he guessed.
"I found some shape changers that may not know," she said dryly. "I thought it was mandatory to test."
"If they're born in a hospital," Xander quipped. "And if insurance will cover it, since it doesn't. It's like a four hundred dollar test."
Willow frowned. "It is?"
"Yeah, I've heard that rant a few times. So?" he guessed.
"Dragon," she said dryly. "Something that doesn't fly though."
"Great, landbound dragons." He nodded. "I wonder where that came from." He considered it as they walked. "Well, I knew I wasn't his," he decided. He shrugged. "Latent?"
"Probably. You have the markers."
He nodded. "I'll look into that sometime I guess." Buffy stared at him. "It might be why antibiotics don't work on me."
"They don't?"
"No, they never have," Willow admitted, looking at him. "I didn't even think about that. And if you have kids, that'll pass on."
He gave her an odd look. "I'm probably not having kids, Willow. With my luck it'll be Buffy reborn."
"Hey!" Buffy complained.
He smirked. "That means you wouldn't get to shop. At all. I'd never put up with a fashionable daughter like you and Cordy are."
She grimaced. "Eww. That'd be hateful of you, Xander."
"Or you could come back as a boy," Willow chirped.
Buffy stared at her. "No. Thank you anyway!" She walked off shaking her head. The other two followed her, ignoring her 'eww' fit and their prior topic. That was a Xander thing to worry about, not a Willow helping Xander figure it out thing.
***
Xander showed up in front of the Changer Council in LA that weekend, bowing to the priestess there. "Mistress, may I have a moment?"
She looked at him. "We don't see too many acolytes your age who don't have a clue."
"I didn't even know I was a changer until someone did a searching." He shifted. "I have no idea how to figure out what I need to do and if this is why things like antibiotics don't work on me?"
She considered it then nodded. "There's two different topics you need to study, young man. Changer things, because you're a full one not a latent. And the Seven Goddesses may call upon you."
He stared at her. "My after school job?" he asked dryly.
She blinked. "No clue?"
"I back up Slayer Summers. One little girl shouldn't save the world by herself," he said quietly.
She patted him on the cheek. "Do you harm those who aren't doing harm?"
"Not if I can help it. If they're doing harm to others, we do handle it. Vampires go whoosh no matter what though."
She tipped her head. "Not a bad answer and we all hate vampires. They're annoying. Why do you reek of magic?"
"Not sure since it usually goes weird around me, or so Willow says?"
She stared at him. "Let me get a few priestesses together to check you over, young man."
"I'm Xander. Xander Harris."
She blinked. "I've heard about you." She patted him on the cheek. "Go sit in the library and look at the children's books for young changers. It'll help you get through your first change." He nodded, going to do that while she prayed at her own Goddess and then got some other priestesses together. "We have Xander Harris here," she said. "Someone named Willow found out he is a changer, he hadn't known, and he's covered in magic."
"The one that helps that girl?" the priestess for the Sun Goddess said.
The one for Death nodded. "Yes, probably. He is charming from what I hear." They went to meet him and work on him. He was filled with weird magic and energy that was dangerous to normal beings. Plus mermaid taint that amused them when he admitted to it. That boy could drive a saint to drink.
***
Xander came back from LA for school on Monday, in more control. Not perfect control but he had good control. Enough to hide things like his scales that had come out randomly once they had talked him through his first change. He walked in and nodded at a teacher as he walked past her. She pulled him back to look at him. "What?"
"Where were you this weekend?"
He stared at her. "Why? I don't usually see you on the weekend."
"Your parents were harassing the neighborhood with a party about you dying."
"No, actually I was learning more about my changer heritage," he said dryly. Then he grinned. "I'll correct them later." She nodded, letting his arm go. "But thanks for the warning. I know you live like two blocks from us."
"Yes, I do. The police even showed up."
"Aww. That's sweet of them." He stared at the principal, who went pale and backed up. "Yeah, I went to talk to a priestess about something," he said dryly, making the man walk off shuddering. "I wonder if they'd be mad if I let my parents die of alcohol poisoning," he said as he walked off. The teacher grinned at his back. She knew he knew she was a demon in hiding and he didn't care but it was good he had found out. The priestesses had even straightened out some of the weird scents around him somehow.
At morning break, with two teachers missing for his next two classes, and the one after that being PE, he decided to head home. He walked in and slammed the door, getting a moan. He stared at his father when he got glared at for it. "I was learning how to change like I should've been taught when I was about seven or so."
He grinned and scaled up. His father whined at that. "So yeah, I was doing important things." He let the scales disappear. "Too bad your party was too soon." He grinned at his mother. "Thanks for the scales, Mom. The priestesses said I'm very good and learn very quickly." He walked out after getting a drink to go back to the school with.
He waved at a police officer when one drove past him. "They're dumb and drunk," he called without having to look because the officer had parked and gotten out of the car. "I was just in LA talking to someone." He looked back at the stunned look. "What?" he asked dryly.
"You've got a scale pattern on your neck."
Xander felt then sighed and put them back in then changed for a second then back. "Yeah, I do. For *some* reason the federally mandated searching going on for us didn't happen here. So I had to go learn." The officer winced. He grinned. "But thanks for worrying. If my parents are still worried they can drink themselves to death." He sipped his soda with a grin. "But I'm on my way back to a study hall."
"Yeah, I guess that's fine, Harris." He looked confused. Xander walked off again happier. He went to report that to his boss. Who had him killed for finding out. They were on the watch for someone to show up to find out why they weren't allowing the search.
When a priestess showed up, a high priestess to the Goddess of Death, the Mayor was not amused. Unable to do anything about her because he knew he'd be screwed. The Goddesses could seriously screw up his plans somehow. Though the ones with the changer genes were a good future sacrifice for him so that was nice of them to identify them for him.
They did make them leave the town for their own well being, so that sucked for the Mayor but oh well, he could cope with that. No one would be able to tell about anything going on up there. His spells made sure of it.
Too bad he forgot one of the Seven Goddesses was a Goddess of Magic.
What a bad omen.
***
"What good is changing shape if you can't breathe fire or fly," Buffy complained.
Xander stared at her oddly. "Because I can change shape. Only half of all dragon changers can breathe fire, Buffy." He walked off shaking his head with a sigh.
"Most of them have to be really angry too," Willow offered to make Buffy quit pouting. Buffy sighed but they went back on patrol. Xander had gotten a vampy vamp that popped up and was walking off again. "Xander, don't get too far ahead. You'll get hurt."
He rolled his eyes and sighed loudly. "Yup, sure, whatever." He felt something warm go over him and he had learned that was magic. He turned to stare at her. "Magic, really?" She blinked. He stared at her. "The Changers Council in LA has a few higher priestesses of the Seven Goddesses, Willow. Including one of magic." She went pale suddenly and wobbled. "They taught me what magic felt like. I just felt it. Is there a reason for that?"
"No," she squeaked. "Um...seven goddesses?"
He nodded. "Been around forever, Willow. Even we learned around here. There's a temple in town." He pointed. "Maybe you should learn. One is a Goddess of Magic."
"Um, yeah, I should probably." She backed up a step at his smirk. "I... Ooh, vampire!" He turned and staked it, a bit off center but he got it on the second attempt. Buffy snorted at that. Xander scowled at her and walked off again.
"Xander seems very confident," Buffy quipped. "And a bit pissy."
"Boys do so get PMS but they never admit it," Willow complained. She walked off pouting. She had to make Xander not be mad at her somehow. Or maybe she'd try that memory spell to make him forget everything he had learned from that weekend. When she went home that night she tried that spell once she found it in her books. It seemed to fizzle. She had no idea why or if that meant it worked.
At his house, Xander looked up as his protections went off. He kissed it and put it back against his skin. He did send the Priestess of Magic that had helped him a note about that stuff. She had wanted to talk to Willow. Maybe it'd be soon.
***
Rupert Giles looked up as a woman wearing a chiton walked into his library. And blanched. He recognized what sort of outfit that meant. "High Priestess," he said with a nod.
She smiled at him, patting him on the hand. "Relax, acolyte of the Goddess of Magic. I'm not here for you." He sighed at that. "We've found out a few weird things are going on here in your town."
"I'm not from here, High Priestess. Though I know someone who is born here. I can get him if he could help you. Or could I?"
She smiled. "Is his name Xander?" He went pale again and nodded slowly. "Yes, we met this last weekend to help him with his newly found changer things. We found out the local mayor has not had the searches done properly, as he should have by law. The Handmaiden for the Goddess of Death that showed up was not amused at this town. Though she was most amused by your girl, Mr. Giles."
"Did Xander tell you about me?"
"No." She smiled. "The temple in Devon told us about you when we asked about the boy's rumors and about that witch you have who has such issues." She tipped her head slightly then smiled again. "She's in a bit of a pickle, Mr. Giles. How can we help you with her?"
"What's she doing? I know she's learning basics."
"Is a memory spell or a love spell a basic?"
"No! Of course not!" He looked toward his books then sighed. "She's stolen books. The pile's smaller." He grimaced. "I think it'd be great if you could talk to the whole group. It would mean that she wouldn't be singled out particularly. She's...her parents aren't exactly....present at times."
"Yes, we looked into her through the Goddess of Magic. Who was highly not amused at her or her future doings." She stared at him. "While I myself help our Goddess of Life and Families, she falls under the oversight of a few of us. And she's done wrong. That Goddess said she was both a savior and a problem." He winced.
"But we can talk to the whole group so they understand. We also had that temple go talk to your Council people over their stupid about the changers, Rupert. They really are foul minded. Or had their minds fouled somehow." She looked over her shoulder, smiling at the woman standing there. "I came to make sure the library had things they're required to by law for the changers and the Seven Goddesses." The woman smiled at that but left them to talk.
"She's the English teacher, but the principal is a foul little man," he said quietly. "Who is in league with the mayor."
"That figures." She patted his hands again. "When will you be meeting as a group?"
"Probably lunch but that won't be for long probably," he admitted. He saw someone. "Willow!" he bellowed. She jumped and came back to the doorway, looking up the hallway then at him. "Meeting today, when's the first big time?"
"It shouldn't be more than an hour," the priestess said dryly, staring at her. "Miss Rosenburg." She went pale and shuddered. She smiled. "I'm the local High Priestess for the Goddess of Life and Family. Our cohorts in a temple in England have mentioned you." She smiled nicely at the girl, freaking her out. "When is a good time?"
"Um....lunch is only a half-hour. We've got a few subs today though. Oh, Principal Snyder." She kept her sneer inside for now.
"Why are you having this conversation in the hallway, Rosenburg?"
"Because I'm not going to possibly upset the priestess by my perfume being too strong," she lied. He looked and shuddered then stomped off. She looked at the older woman again. "Did you curse him?"
"I'm a priestess of Life and Family, dear. I don't curse anyone. I can curse at them, and my Goddess probably would as well." She smiled, handing Giles those books. "As required by law." She looked at her. "We were going to talk to the whole group about what the Handmaidens had Seen about this town coming up soon."
"Oh, visions," she said quietly then nodded. "Um... our last class is a study hall but if Snyder's on a warpath we won't be let out. So after school?"
"That would be fine, dear. Thank you." She walked over to pat her on the cheek with a smile and handed her something. "Here, something all magic users, no matter their path, need to be aware of. The Goddess of Magic is absolute as well, even if you worship a male one like Janus."
"I don't," she squeaked.
"Really? I sense chaos around you. Interesting. We'll talk." She nodded and scurried off before the priestess tried to talk to her again. She walked back to stare at him. "She's got magic poisoning, Mr. Giles."
"We'll be talking to her later," he assured her. "I remember being on that path myself."
"Good." She patted him on the hand again. "We'll figure it out later, Mr. Giles. For now, let me go lurk and make people scared for their immortal souls. Because they deserve it." She walked off happier.
He sat down, feeling shaky. He hadn't seen many high priestesses in his life but he could tell the strength in her faith. Being here, he had forgotten all about the Seven Goddesses. Or why they were formed. It was odd but something was clouding him. And perhaps the Council as well.
***
Xander bowed to the priestess that afternoon. "Hi."
"Xander." She smiled, patting him on the cheek. "Hmm. Didn't you eat today?"
"I did. Lunch here was ...icky."
"Hmm. Well, eat later. Can't have you getting weak just before an apocalypse, dear." Buffy stiffened, staring at her. She smiled. "I'm the local High Priestess for the Temple to the Goddess of Life and Family, Miss Summers. I got sent to tell you about what's been *seen* since we met Xander last weekend."
She sat down with a nod. "That's good. We like visions. Did you manage to avoid the principal?"
She smiled. "No but he met me as well." She grinned at that. She sat down. "Earlier I gave Mr. Giles information that's required by law for changers and about our seven temples. That way you can look up what we've seen." They nodded. "Including the fact that the seven are *absolute* Goddesses. In every culture in every country the Seven are always represented.
"They may go by different names, and some may even have been seen to be male, but they're absolute. I myself serve the Goddess of Life and Family." She smiled at Willow then Xander then at Buffy. "But in LA we do have one that's over the Goddess of Death's temple, the actual handmaiden for the Goddess of Sun, and the higher level priestesses of the other five Goddesses.
"We had no idea about this town, mostly due to the spells on it. Once we did, we got hella mad about it." Xander cleared his throat to not laugh. "We found out that they're violating federal law. In multiple ways." Buffy winced at that. "We've gotten that looked at and fixed by telling others." She smiled at her.
"We found out about the hellmouth, and the Goddess of Magic was amused that this one is so verbal as she put it to her handmaiden. We video called." She looked at Willow then at Buffy again. "The Goddess of Death's handmaiden sent over her own hello and good work note." She handed it over. "But it was also noted that a few problems are brewing. Those who had visions had a number once we met Xander." She smiled at him, getting a grin back.
"They were really nice to me," he said happily. "And you had brownies."
"They were good brownies." She looked at Willow then at Buffy again. "It was *seen* that you'd have a huge apocalypse battle coming up. In all meanings of the word huge. The creature, because a giant snake was seen, was attacking a mass of students and their families.
"Not sure what it was but it was definitely some sort of high school event outside. We think perhaps a part of a graduation ceremony." Buffy sighed but nodded. "We saw that magic was going to both save people and be the apocalypse coming up. That it would solve as much as cause harm."
"On purpose?" Xander asked.
"We don't think so. We think it's a case of not thinking ahead. Mostly. One was rather on purpose but the Goddess of Death felt for her in that moment of her loss. She was stopped at that time but not a few others." Xander grimaced but nodded at that. Giles was making notes she noticed. She handed him her notes. "The vision statements, Mr. Giles."
He read them over, blinking a few times. "What is that?" He looked at her. "Snake like?"
"We don't know. The Goddess of Magic said she had seen it before but it was a foul way to gain power like hers."
"So power raising to become a God," Buffy said then sighed hard. "Great." She looked at Giles, who was wincing but they could figure that out. He let them see the others as he read them over. "Oh, that looks gross. But hey, big weapons again!" she said more happily.
Xander took that one to look at to see what he needed to find. "No, that's bombs. Gotta be a bomb." He handed them off to Willow. "And that's gotta be graduation. It's sunny, daytime, and later than our rainy spring. They noted sundresses and shorts." Buffy rubbed her forehead as she sat back. He looked at the priestess, taking the others to look over. "Fuck."
"Xander!"
He looked at him then held it up. Giles took it back and read it then winced. "Oh, Dear Lord," he muttered, nudging Buffy to make her read that one. She did and stared then at the priestess, who nodded. "Is that one mutable?" Giles asked.
"We're not sure how it got started. It was at the same time as a group that was torturing demons. We weren't sure if they were related or coincidentally at the same time."
Buffy stared at her. "I can have someone check her. There's people in LA who can take that vision and keep track of it, right?"
"We have a healer in town," Xander told her. "Ask them for a rec, Buffy."
"Point. Didn't think about that." She took a deep breath then nodded. "Was it me going off the deep end of grief?"
"No, though we saw you not lasting for long after that, and then somehow being back around later on."
"Like I died again and Angel did CPR again?"
"I have no idea, dear. That one was cloudy in the extreme." She let her see those. Giles took them from her to read then passed them to Xander. She and Giles both noticed it when Xander's face went hard and he glanced up at them before handing those on to Willow. "Some were quite clouded, which means they have the opportunity to be changed."
Willow was staring at a few of them, looking upset. She patted her on the hand, making her squeak. "The Goddess of Magic would welcome you coming to study in their library, Willow," she said gently. "There's many things you can learn."
"I may do that after I graduate. Some sort of summer trip." She looked at Giles then at her. "Can this one be changed? It looks not cloudy."
She shrugged. "Even the most certain can sometimes have a single or subtle change that can make things more reasonable. We've had ones we're waiting on that have went on for millennia. We think one's going to go off in about a decade or so finally so we're no longer waiting."
Giles cleared his throat. "Is that the one about the half of humanity?" he asked.
She nodded. "Yes but we don't believe your kind are involved." He sighed in relief and so did Buffy. "We believe that's actually something to do with people in heroic duties. And possibly some Asgardians."
Giles blinked a few times. "They still exist?"
"Oh, yes." She nodded with a smile. "They retreated to their own realm. Mostly. There's some down here in exile. Mostly hiding."
He sighed. "Is one in Regent?" he asked dryly.
She smiled but shook her head. "No, he's Celt, not Asgardian."
"Oh, dear Lord," he muttered, shaking his head with a sigh. "Great."
"Well, yes, but they're amusing at least. They're good stress relief." She smiled at him. "As is your former cohort many times." She looked at Willow. "The more you know, the more likely you are to find a reason and a path to more helpful activities. Magic isn't everything, dear."
Willow nodded, handing them back to Giles. "I get that. Sometimes it's easier."
"Easier isn't always *good* though. Even the Goddess of Magic wipes her own butt by hand as that handmaiden tells their acolytes." Buffy snickered at that. Xander just grinned at her for that point. She looked at Willow again. "We can gladly get you mentors so you figure out how you're going to walk the path with the Goddess of Magic, Willow. The same as the changers council was helping Xander figure out his path. And the Goddess of Death's people can help Miss Summers if she has doubts."
"They were like really firm grandmas when I was going through my first few changes," Xander said. "And this one made brownies."
Willow nodded. "Maybe this summer." The high priestess smiled at that, patting her hand again. "Was there anything *good* seen?"
"All of you at this table lived through the end of the town. When it got sucked into the hole we're sitting over." Buffy stiffened, staring at her. "In about four or so years. Something huge that went after the younger non-called girls, Miss Summers. They fell back to here and you all handled it."
"That's the First Evil," Giles said quietly. "Oh, shit. I've got to call England tonight."
She smiled at him. "Do have fun. Maybe however they're clouded can be ended first?"
"If possible, yes. Is the Coven clouded?" She shrugged. "I'll have someone check."
"Go ask the orange guy with the purple spots at the poker hall," Xander said, looking serious. "He's got contacts all over and seems to know about magic since he's selling amulets and they're powered."
"I may if I can't find out," Giles said. "Thank you, Xander." He nodded at that. He looked at the priestess. "Is there other good or bad news?"
She smiled. "Yes. The last vision she had showed you leading all the slayers in another city. They were all looking up at you as you were crowned."
"Oh, hell no!" he complained. "I don't want to lead the Council!"
She smiled and shrugged. "Then change things, Mr. Giles." She stood up. "Let me get out of town before it leaks energy all over me and makes my trip home eventful." She patted all the kids before leaving.
Giles took off his glasses, getting up. "Let me call the Coven to talk to them about that clouding. You three, stay in here. No patrol yet." They nodded, going back over those visions for now. Xander put them into timeline order for Buffy. That helped her plan.
***
Giles went to LA to meet with Quentin Travers and the Council of the Council. "Gentlemen," he said with a nod as he was let into the hotel room. "Did the unclouding spell go off all right?"
"Yes," Travers said, staring at him. "Why, Mr. Giles?"
"Well, first, we knew that changers weren't the way you thought. And one of the children being one brought attention to Sunnydale. Our Mayor, who is apparently doing a rite to become a god-like being, was blocking them so they've told the federal government on them. It's made a lot of problems come into the light." Travers blinked a few times then opened his mouth. "He wasn't allowing the search. The changer we have that just found out told the Seven Goddesses' people."
"They're fussy, nosy women," one of the Council said with a nod. "Has that rite or whatever been stopped?"
"No. In fact, that telling brought on visions." He handed them to that one. He was an archivist. "We think that's explosives instead of artillery."
"Yes, an ascension you'd have to take off the head," he said, staring at him oddly. "How on earth?"
"Mayor Richard Wilkins, the third, supposedly. But we've never had an election." He waved a hand. "Keep going. It gets worse. Including the end scene of the last one." He looked at Travers. "Where all the remaining watchers and slayers were staring at me as I got crowned for some reason. It was a bit interpretive."
The archivist went through them, handing them on. "This group?"
"US Military. There's some in town. That's Buffy's mother." He sat down, watching him read.
"This...is that the hellmouth sucking...and the First Evil?" he demanded loudly. Giles nodded. "But...." He looked at Travers, who took that one and the one before it. "The raising?"
"Isn't why she set off the Temple of Propexia out on our cliffs in Sunnydale. The high priestess of the Life and Family goddess said that Buffy seemed to disappear and then show back up. She asked and it wasn't like Xander doing CPR when she was drowned."
"Is that how that happened?" the archivist demanded. Giles nodded once. "Interesting. Not unheard of." He went back to them, grimacing. "Oh, that's why. The First Evil went after all of us." He looked at Travers, handing that last one over. "Which means that you survived and led the Council."
Giles grimaced but nodded. "Apparently. She did say that Buffy and the remaining girls fought her off and that somehow sucked in Sunnydale to close the town for good."
Quentin Travers grimaced but read them all then handed them on. "How certain were they?"
"They didn't rate them but they were the higher priestesses and handmaidens as she noted." He adjusted his glasses. "So we have many problems coming up. Many of the involving you. Or caused by you." He gave Travers a pointed look. "My slayer has said she won't attack you if you wanted to mitigate some of your own problems, but if you came after her or her mother again she'd help the First Evil one go off sooner by letting Xander blow you all up for her."
Travers huffed but nodded once. "Perhaps we can make a truce. It appears she's going to need some support that you and Wesley can't provide."
"Wesley?"
"He's coming out tonight," the archivist said. "To take your place." He looked at the others. "Now that we're warned...."
"We really must change some things," another agreed. "I don't want to be killed. While I think Rupert will do good taking all our jobs, and changing things many of us have seen as problematic with the treatment of the girls, I'd hate to see the mess he'd make of everything by being in the library for days on end." He looked at him. "Rosenburg. Is she a problem?"
"I think she realizes that she was in a few of those. The high priestess noted that she was both a savior and a problem. They offered to let her come study in the Goddess of Magic's library so she could find a path. I know she's stolen some of my books and I had a long talk with her about how problematic that is or can become.
"I know she's tried to hex Xander a number of times and recently they've been failing as the changers council locally gave him a protection. She admitted it and I checked his protection then got him to find a second to add to it. He's safer from her now but he's apparently very important to the upcoming problems. And he's a mentor that the future slayers can look up to."
"It's a solo duty," Travers said firmly, glaring at him.
Giles stared back, looking bland. "Which is why those girls died so damn young. Mine's lasted years with helpers backing her up. Making it a team instead of a solo duty means that you have people who can help during bigger things. We've had yearly apocalypses and managed it because we had a team. One girl would've died incredibly fast otherwise." He smiled a bit. "We've proven it works well."
"Lehane?" he snorted.
"Yes, let's talk about how you lot didn't support her at all. After finding out she was living on the street, her former watcher Linda got her safely out of there. Then got killed in front of her. Did any of you help her get to us? Help her get the mental health care she clearly needed for seeing the only person who ever gave a damn about her dying in front of her due to torture?" Travers winced at that but huffed.
"If the Council was doing what it was formed to do, to support the slayers in their duty, then she wouldn't have had to travel by herself to get to help. Caridad wouldn't have come to the US on the airplane's wheel instead of in a proper seat. Which could've led to her death from hypothermia. It has others. The clouding and selfishness of the present Council means that the slayers are all going to be just like Buffy. The First Slayer remembers them all. She'll tell the later ones."
Travers grimaced at that. "I still don't like it."
"Oh well!" Giles smiled at him. "Supporting the slayers with their duty is why we were formed. It's in the charter, Quentin. I read it, we all read it in our third year. Though the translation is incorrect, as it has been."
The archivist nodded. "That's true. We've given a real, proper translation but the teacher refuses to use it. The next year, that teacher hands out the actual copy of it so they can know. Which is why many quit on us because they're not willing to be bad to the slayers." He didn't look at Travers. "Can we get around many of these?"
"Somewhat. She said some were cloudy. Some, we may not be able to. The military we can't really affect. Can we get someone who can? I don't know. It would get us good notice from the peaceful parts of the community that are being preyed on." Travers slapped the table. Giles stared at him.
"It is our decision that if they're peaceful and not doing anything wrong, it's not our business. There's plenty of other problems that we need to handle beyond someone looking a bit funny and coming from another realm. Why make enemies? For that matter, my girl has worked with a few vampires. Though all are unique and special category ones." He smiled. "Druscila did say hello for Spike by the way."
Travers shuddered. "They're here?"
"They're in Sunnydale," he said dryly. "They helped when Angel lost his soul and went souless again. She's still a seer, though batty." Travers glared at him. He shrugged. "They're too crafty to fall into just any trap or be taken out any way but incidentally. Frankly, they're keeping down some of the vampire menace we have thanks to the mayor making deals and building it up to support his urge for power." He looked at the archivist. "Ascension you said?"
"Yes, it's called an Ascension. Turning into a pure demon. The head must come off. How long has he been in Sunnydale?"
"He helped found it." The archivist winced at that. "Is it going to be...extremely powerful?"
"Pure demons look like snakes, Rupert. Giant, cricket field sized snakes. Who eat people."
"Oh, then we really must handle that. Can it be sideswiped?"
"I have to look that up. I'll be doing that when I get back tonight. Can your girl handle that?"
"Apparently we can somehow. The vision noted explosions." He shrugged. "We'll figure it out. We usually do somehow."
"I'll look it up tonight. Let me research that being." He made himself notes. "By the way, they're probably immune to magic."
"I'll let Willow know." He looked at Travers. "Which is why I called to have a meeting with the High Council," he said at the continued glare. "Including that some of you probably need wills."
"Oh, we do," the archivist agreed dryly. "And to decentralize." He made that note as well. "Is anyone in favor of not kicking Travers out of his seat for someone with sense?" he asked the others. They all winced but shook their heads. "Good. Then let's nominate Schrieds."
"He's a rapist," Giles said dryly. "That's why I kicked his arse during our schooling. It's a shame he recovered." The others winced. "There's Spears. Or Corrian."
"He died last month," Travers complained. "Spears is too soft to do what's necessary."
"Yes, the necessary thing is supporting the slayers," the archivist said, staring at him. "Not treating them like they're disposable as the clouding spell made us do." He looked at Giles. "Though none of us like Spears."
"Which means he's going to be free of asskissing."
"Point." He looked at the others. Who all grimaced at that idea. "Tolbins?"
"You take it," the one taking notes said quietly. "You have knowledge and ideas, and sense. Take it temporarily until we can hold a good search."
"If I must," he sighed. "For no more than a year. If you saddle me with that duty for real, I'm letting the wife have you all."
"Agreed," the others said.
The secretary looked at Rupert. "Does your girl need much?"
"Sense. A lot of sense. She's a teenage girl." That got a nod and then a sigh. "They're talking about college admissions and the like. Plus shopping. She does like to shop. She had been a popular young woman with some social status in her former school before she was Chosen. She was clearly debutante material."
They all grimaced at that. "I have gotten Faith mental health and Buffy's mother has taken her in to fuss at her as well. We're hoping we can get her help enough that she won't be turned." He leaned on the table. "Buffy is still imbued with the slayer spirit but Faith alone calls a new one. And if we're talking Kennedy, I asked the high priestess later on if one of them stood out.
"Kennedy stood out as Willow's later girlfriend, but not the one that died. She held her steady after Sunnydale fell in. Though she wasn't a team leader or anything. The girls had set up in teams and groups after they had to reform. It gave them the support they needed and the young ones a big sister approach to talk to."
"They could use mentors now," the archivist said. "And a team to back them up. Would your children let those trained better handle it?"
"Probably but I'm not sure if Buffy would trust them. Or if Xander would not go hunting on his own. Vampires took out the one who was as close to him as a soulmate." He shrugged a bit. "They made a war with him according to him."
"So he's a hunter," the archivist said, staring at him.
He smiled and nodded. "Yes, he is. And stubborn. The girls kept telling him he was *normal* and pushing him away. He still did what he needed to do. Including saving their arses when we sent him away. They were handling the hellmouth opening and he stopped the zombie about to blow up the school around us. We had no idea for days."
"So he's a Hunter," Travers said grimly. "Oh, shit. How did you let that happen!"
"I had no idea that boy was the one that used to sit in his playpen with him. That was the night that they met Buffy. He demanded to go save his friend. And they didn't manage it. He ended up staking him by accident, his first one, but he was going to avenge that wrong. Then he realized that if he quit when that chore was handled, she'd be doing it alone."
"So he's a white knight too," the archivist said, fiddling with his pen. "Oh, that's charming in a personality." He considered it. "Is he in danger of falling?"
"You lot didn't let me train him. He's gotten one from a possession. He's incredibly blessed with dumb luck at times." He shrugged. "I'd love for him to retire for his own health and well being, or not being turned. If he is turned, well, I'm sure many would rue that day when he took them out. He'd turn into the next version of a Scourge and turn a few to become his new pack. Buffy wouldn't be one. Faith perhaps. Willow he might eat just to make her less volatile."
The others nodded at that. "We're sending out someone to back your girl up," the secretary said. "To help with her training and the training of the others. I'll set the Coven on your witch's bum as well. That way she has a nagging source of common sense."
Giles smiled. "I asked them and they refused." He waved a hand at Travers, who groaned. "She's apparently fairly powerful. She can handle the hellmouth's energy. She's closed it. She's the one that restuck Angelus' soul curse." They all winced. "The Coven thought she'd be fine."
"No," the archivist said happily. "No, I think she'll get a mentor as well." He swallowed some tea. "Any other good news?"
"At the moment, the vampire population is steady at forty percent of the town's population. They're keeping at replacement levels but it may have fallen down. We've taken the death rate down from over twenty percent to twelve." They all groaned at that. "We've done a lot but we'll never win."
"No, you won't," Travers agreed with a nod. "Twelve percent death and disappearance?"
"No. That's just deaths. Disappearance is about another fifteen to twenty percent. Most aren't turned. Some are eaten, some of those are turned. Our morgue makes up excuses that are preposterous. We have neck biting barbeque forks and rivers of PCP or wild animals roaming around everywhere apparently."
They shared a look then at him. "Why?" Travers demanded.
"That same mayor." He shrugged. "The whole city is dirty to him that we can see."
"We'll see what we can find on him," the archivist said. "Perhaps we can sideswipe his plots." He looked at him. "Any other news?"
"Not much. We need to warn those outside the town about that military issue." They nodded at that. "We have no idea about anything with it, or where it may be. Though I haven't truly asked, and I haven't asked Xander if he's asked since we found out. He's dealing with finding out he's a new changer."
"What type?" the archivist asked with a smile.
"Dragon. Landbound. The girls were most upset that he couldn't breathe fire."
A few sighed at that but nodded once. "Yes, that means he's going to be stubborn," one quipped. "For good." Giles smiled at him and nodded. "The one that showed you being in charge? What was that boy doing?"
"Finding the hidden ones." They all groaned. "To explain being a slayer to them." He smiled. "Because they had no idea beyond what anyone told them."
"That'll stop," Travers decided. Then huffed. "Thank you, Rupert. You've given many ulcers."
"I did my duty," he said dryly, staring at him. "As the charter commands." He stood up. "Do let us know if we can help with anything. Or if anyone else is coming our way. I'll mentor Wesley into being a capable watcher." He left them to complain.
The archivist looked around at the others. Then at Travers. "So, let's work on fixing the mistakes you made so we don't all die. Shall we?" He nodded with a grimace. They had a lot of work to do. Quickly.
The end?
Story notes:
Technically this isn't exactly a crossover. There's a mild cross into the main part of the series, meaning some unnamed priestesses and the like, but no other fandom.