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Present Childe by Ariel Dawn
 
Troll man and Willowy goodness
 
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Disclaimer: Joss made ‘em, I’m just playing.

Author’s note: Some Dialogue from ‘Dopplegangland.’ Beta’d by the excellent Bloodytearsoflife.
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Chapter 18: Troll man and Willowy goodness

Buffy stared at Principal Snyder, stunned for a moment as the little Troll man walked towards her.

“Are you suddenly deaf? Class. Be there, now.“ he ordered.

With a shocked look at Giles Buffy headed out of the library and towards her first period class unsure as to why she was walking to a class that she was certain that she was never going to return to.

Buffy entered the class and sat at her desk, while the other students eyed her with varying degrees of contempt or fear. There was one friendly face a few desks away. Amy Madison was smiling at her happily, like her only friend in the world had returned. Giving Amy a smile back, Buffy turned her attention to what the teacher had been droning on about.
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Buffy stood up as the bell rung, glad to be free again. She was still perplexed as to why she’d even gone to class after Snyder told her to.

“Buffy?” came Amy’s voice from behind her.

Buffy turned to see the witch behind her, hugging her books tightly and looking very nervous. The students around them scurried out of the room, as if they were afraid to be in the same room with the two girls. Buffy raised an eyebrow as people pushed past her.

“They’ve been like that since MOO,” explained Amy. “Anyone whose got an iota of supernatural powers are picked on, bullied. Sunnydale High isn’t as fun as it once was, if you catch my drift.”

“Drifting on the same raft here. Why?”

Amy shrugged her shoulders. “I’m glad you are back though. It’s been a nasty two weeks. You made things better here.”

Buffy smiled at the witch.

“Willow said that you aren’t staying, is that true?” Amy continued. “Please stay.”

“I don’t belong here anymore,” admitted Buffy. “I’m not a student type. I’m a creature of the night type.”

Amy nodded in understanding. “Most of the student population is afraid of you anyway.”

Amy and Buffy parted ways in front of Buffy’s locker. With a sigh Buffy opened the metal door and looked at the things she had to pack up. Around her students were rushing by to get to the second class of the day. She watched them for a moment before turning back to her locker and putting things into the bag she carried with her.

“Summers!” barked Principal Snyder behind her. “Have you got a problem with not getting to class on time?”

Buffy turned to face her principal, this time ready for whatever he was going to yell at her. She was dropping out whether he liked it or not.

“Are you stalking me?” she asked.

“I’m the Principal, these halls are my own personal police state. The mayor wouldn’t like his new favourite Sunnydale High student to fail Chemistry.”

Buffy had classic ‘huh?’ face. “The Mayor? Huh? This is the colour of confusion.”

“It’s got me all perplexed about it too. Get. To. Class.”

Buffy stood and stared at Snyder for a moment.

“Now!” he bellowed.

Buffy slammed her locker door and took off to class.
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Buffy plopped down in Chemistry beside Willow, earning her a confused look from her friend.

“I thought you were leaving?” asked the witch.

“I thought so too, but every time I get close to packing up, Synder shows up. It’s like he knows what I’m doing and he’s been told to keep me here. He said that I’m the Mayor’s favourite student. How majorly weird is that?”

“Very. Your grades aren’t the greatest. How come you are the favourite?” whined Willow.

“Hey! I didn’t ask for this. I’ll gladly give up the fame, glory and stalkage. I just wish I knew why. Maybe it’s cause I’m all with the fangs? Do you think he knows?”

“Buffy, everyone knows,” interjected Cordelia.

Buffy turned to face Cordelia Chase with a sneer. “Just exactly what do you think you know Cordelia?”

“That you’re a... grr arrgh,” said Cordelia making the motion of claws with her fingers.

“That’s helpful,” muttered Willow.

“It’s true! And now I must stop talking to you or my reputation that wasn’t completely marred by the momentary lapse of judgement by dating Xander Harris will be ruined.”

Buffy rolled her eyes at Cordelia and turned back to Willow.

“So when are you leaving?” asked Willow. “Don’t leave without saying good bye, ‘k? I’m meeting Anya, you know, Cordelia’s friend for a spell later. But after, I’m all with the extended goodbye with hugs and stuff.”

“Cool. Anya’s taking up residence in the former den of the blood sucking fiends. I’ve got to hire some cleaners and pack up the rest of my stuff into the Desoto before I take off.”

“Why is Anya living in the mansion?” asked Willow perplexed. “Shouldn’t she be living with her parents?”

“Oh, Wills, Anya’s a former demon.”

“What!” squeaked Willow drawing the attention of the other people in the class and the teacher. She blushes and offered a weak smile to them before they turned back around.

“Relax! She’s not a flesh eater or anything, I don’t think. I like her. She’s nice, in a kooky way.”

“Great! Now I’m worried. I’ll screw up the spell!”
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Buffy looked up from cleaning the bathroom that had been unused in the Crawford Street mansion to hear a frantic knock on the front door. Throwing her sponge down, Buffy headed to the door to see Xander huffing and puffing, like he had run the entire way there.

“Willow...turned...vampire...come, please,” he sputtered.

“No!” cried Buffy, hoping that she had understood her friend.

“I saw her at the Bronze. She’s all vampy, and wearing leather.”

“Right, cause wearing leather always means evil.”

“Will you come?” asked Xander.

Buffy nodded. “Cleaning is going to have to wait.”
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Buffy walked through the library doors to find a worried Giles trying to calm down a loud Faith.

“So you finally took off the gag huh? Interesting choice Giles,” commented Buffy.

“I couldn’t tell when she had to use the facilities and it made it difficult to feed her,” observed Giles.

Buffy nodded. “Willow? Vampy?” she asked trying to get Giles to understand the purpose of her visit.

“We are hoping that if she is, you can take her under your wing...”

“And make with the non evil. Gotcha,” Buffy concurred.

The idea that Willow was a vamp somewhere in Sunnydale made her mad. Willow was hers, she’d marked her. She was hers.

“I’ll find Willow and find the vamp that took my Willow,” muttered Buffy angrily turning away from her watcher and towards the door of the library.

“Buffy?” called out Giles. “Be careful,” he added as he attempted to ignore Faith’s mutterings.
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Buffy walked out into the night, her senses extended to feel out other vampires. The vampire population of Sunnydale had had a drastic turn for the worse since Spike had staked all the minions before they had left for LA; but with one Slayer turned and in LA and the other tied up in her watcher’s office and under constant guard until Giles decided what to do with her, the vampire numbers had begun to rise once again.

Nevertheless, Buffy wasn’t surprised that she ran into quite a few vampires as she walked the streets of Sunnydale. She didn’t actually run into Willow though, vampy or other wise.

Her senses being so extended, she enjoyed the sensation of being able to feel what Spike was feeling. He was missing her, true, but he was also dealing with a very obstinate something or other, and it was pissing him off. There was only so much she could get from the feelings she felt from her mate.

She sent him a couple of dirty thoughts as a distraction as she continued on her way down the street and towards the one place that she thought she might find a vampy Willow. The Bronze.

What she did find at the Bronze was not vampy Willow, but minions of a vampy Willow. That surprised her. There was no way that her Willow would have been able to acquire this many minions if she had just been turned. Something was up and she wasn’t liking it at all.

Oz was on stage, as the minions tried to subdued the crowd at the Bronze. Buffy gave the werewolf a smile as she advanced on the lead minion.

“Hey,” Buffy greeted, the minions. “So where’s your mistress?” asked Buffy. “I have some business to talk to her about.”

The lead minion scoffed. “Why the fuck should I tell you?” he asked. “You are just a fledge. You want into the clan?” he asked with a leer, his eyes raking over her body. Instinctively, Buffy felt Spike get jealous.

“Sadly, no. You see, I have this thing where I am the mistress of this town and this is my territory. I have a bone to pick with her. And I don’t deal with incompetent minions.”

The minion growled and lunged at Buffy, which she was ready for. She sidestepped the vampire and threw him to the wall. “Sunnydale is my town,” she added pulling a stake out of her jacket and plunging it into his back. “Anyone else want to enter into the debate?” she asked looking at the other vampires in the room. A few started to advance believing that they still had the advantage.

Buffy sighed sadly at their foolishness.

“You don’t seem to be getting it,” she continued, blocking their advance and the blows they rained down on her. “I’m not just some fledge.” Buffy staked another vamp and turned towards another who was advancing.

“I’m Elizabeth, Childe of Spike,” she said, her voice marred by the panting of her exertions fighting.

Suddenly, the fighting broke off. The minions parted and in walked Willow, clad in leather and looking rather nervous.

Buffy tried to keep her smiles to herself. This was her Willow. She hadn’t been turned, and Buffy’s mark still held true on Willow’s neck.

She could only think that Giles had sent Willow into the den of vamps to help get the civilians out, unharmed. Buffy didn’t really like that plan. She liked the fighting more. If Buffy could sense that Willow wasn’t vampy than the other vamps could sense it too. Willow, clearly nervous waved to the minions.

“Hi. I'm back,” she began.

Buffy stepped forward, a look of concern planted on her face. Suddenly, Buffy noticed Anya by her side, as if she had been waiting for Willow to show up.

“Did you find the girl?” asked one of the remaining minions.

“Yep. I did,” responded Willow, trying to sound all commanding.

Buffy turned to her ex demon houseguest, Anya, as she spoke. “Where is she?”

“I killed her,” Willow answered, a false bravery in her voice, as Buffy smelled the fear that was issuing off of her in waves. “And sucked her blood, as we vampires do.”

Buffy stifled a laugh. Willow had spent enough time with vampires to be able to fool a fledge or a minion, but there was no way that Willow was fooling her. Willow turned to the doorman.

“You know, I think maybe I heard something out there. Why don't you go check?” she half suggested, half ordered. With a smile Buffy watched the minion trudge outside only to hear the sound of stakeage in the alley. Buffy assumed that Giles and Xander were out there.

The doorman gone, Anya stepped up to Willow, her arms crossed. “H-how could you kill her? She was our best shot at getting your world back.”

Buffy raised an eyebrow curious as to what Anya meant. Whatever spell it was that Anya and Willow had done, it had obviously backfired and Buffy wanted to know how. Her first priority was of course the poor vulnerable civilians in the Bronze. And now Buffy was getting hungry.

Willow straightened her posture and walked past the former demon with purpose, getting cocky in her new situation. “I don't like that you dare question me. Maybe I'll have my minions take you out back and kill you horribly.”

Buffy resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Willow playing the part of a Master Vamp? She was taking it over the top now.

Anya followed Willow on to the dance floor, drawing the attention of the hostages and the remaining minions. Lifting her arms in annoyance, Anya started to rant. “Vampires. Always thinking with your teeth.”

“She bothered me. She's so weak and accommodating. She's always letting people walk all over her,” Willow turned to face the other girl, “and then she gets cranky with her friends for no reason. I just couldn't let her live.”

The remaining minions in the room started to shuffle their feet and the hostages started to make whimpering noises. Buffy felt that this situation was going to get worse a lot sooner than Willow thought it was going to.

“Well, boss, since that plan is out, why don't we get with the killing?” intoned a minion.

“I don't know if I feel like killing anymore,” answered Willow, losing some of her courage.

The expression on Anya’s face was priceless: in fact Buffy wished she had a camera, ‘cause she so wanted to taunt her houseguest with that expression for years to come. The whole room watched Willow circumnavigate the room pausing to run her fingers through some girl’s hair.

“I-it would be like shooting fish in a barrel. Where's the fun?” continued Willow.

“With all due respect, boss, the fun would be the eating,” piped up a minion.

Suddenly Willow paused, her expression brightened and she launched into a new topic as if it held new fascination. “Maybe we should let everyone go, and give them a thirty second head start.”

Buffy watched the look of realisation hit Anya’s face.

“Wait a minute...” started Anya.

Willow frowned. “No! I like my plan.”

Anya snickered. “Oh, nice try.”

“Okay,” interrupted Willow, her tone more desperate now than anything else. “Let's get to the killing. Why don't we start with her?” Willow indicated Anya.

“Why don't we start with you?” started Anya annoyed. “If she's a vampire, then I'm the creature from the black lagoon. I'm just so tired of being around human beings and all their baggage. I-I don't care if I ever get my powers back. I think he should eat you.” Anya pointed to a minion.

“This girl has a history of mental problems dating back to early childhood,” explained Willow to the crowd, desperate to keep the already advancing minions off her position. “I'm a blood-sucking fiend! Look at my outfit!”

The lead minion shook his head as if ashamed of himself. “ A human. I should have smelled it right away.”

“Ya, what’s up with that?” asked Anya annoyed.

Buffy rolled her eyes. “God! You are all morons!“ she exclaimed, turning her annoyance to the major parties concerned. “You!“ she turned to the minion closest to her. “Of course she’s human, yes you should have smelled it. Or how about the whole heart beating thing? ‘Cause that wasn’t obvious at all!“ She reached out and staked him. “Or how about why you aren’t munching on Anya here? Since when do you take orders or even suggestions from former demons that are now very clearly human?“ Buffy struck out again, dusting another minion.

The two minions left moved back from Buffy as she advanced on their position.

“And Willow, she’s mine. Even fledges should know that I’ve marked her. Mine! Do you get it?“ Buffy leapt through the air and tackled the minions now fleeing the scene and staked them. “That’s for thinking you could eat someone that’s mine!“ Buffy dusted off her hands and turned to the other two people involved in this fiasco.

“You are very lucky that they fell for your improv as long as they did,“ she chastised Willow. “And just what the hell did you bring back with your spell?“ Buffy questioned Anya.

The doors flew open as the crowd fled the scene. Against the flow of the mob entered Giles and Xander, brandishing stakes.

“Buffy, good you are here,” started Giles. “We have a rather interesting problem and we should get back to the library...”

The whole group looked up to see another Willow, clad in a fuzzy pink sweater and purple skirt step onto the stage.

“I don’t think we need to go back to the library, G man,” started Xander.

Buffy looked up at the vampire on the stage, the Willow vampire, letting her mouth hang open.
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tbc...




 
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