Chapter 11
 
“Spike!” Buffy called, alarmed. For no good reason the vampire had collapsed to the ground.

Spike returned to the present, every part of his being sang with the knowledge that Buffy was alive and well and right here before him. “Buffy, where’s Dawn, have you seen her?”

“Dawn’s fine- well, she’s safe, she’s back at home, in Sunnydale.”

At this point Auron re-entered the room and began arguing with Cid.Buffy turned to cast an anxious glance at the two of them.

“Don’t worry.” Spike reassured her, standing up. “They’ll be fine.”

Buffy turned around, back to Spike and put the full force of her gaze on him. “You would know, wouldn’t you? It is your game, right, the one I saw back in your crypt?”

Spike nodded. “Seems to be.”

“Okay, I’m only going to ask you this once, did you put me here.”

Spike looked as though he’d been slapped. “No. Buffy, I didn’t..”

“Okay, Spike, I’ll believe you.”

Spike frowned, that was funny, usually she’d just punch him in the nose and ask again. And when she’d seen him, when she said ‘Spike’, it wasn’t in a voice full of fury, disgust or any of the other emotions that she usually said his name in, it was as though she was relieved to see him.

He shook his head, it was crazy, he was still holding on to a thread of hope, a tiny chance that one day she might see past what he was and give a damn about who he was.

“Okay, we need to find Yuna, do you know where she is?”

“Uh, let me think for a sec, I only just worked out when in the game we are. Yuna..” He sucked his cheeks in, in concentration. Buffy looked away, not because he was a vampire, not because he was a fiend, but because a brief thought had flashed across her mind in that moment- wow, look how blue his eyes are.

“Oh!” Spike said, interrupting Buffy’s attempts to squish her thoughts. “Bevelle, the Guado, they stole Yuna and took her to Bevelle where she was forced to marry Seymour!”

Buffy frowned. “But.. Seymour’s dead?”

“Yeah..” He looked as though he was about to explain but she shook her head, she killed plenty of things that were dead, they’d killed Seymour, they could kill him again.

She shook her head. “We’re wasting time, so.. Yuna’s in Beville?”

“Bevelle.”

“I have to tell the others..”

“Whoa.” Spike grabbed her arm. “What, are you a guardian now?”

She raised burning green eyes to his blue ones. “Yes, I am, and I need to help Yuna.”

Spike was taken aback, his slayer, a guardian? It was a funny thought and somehow it all fit. She went to tell Rikku and he stopped her again.

“Wait, Slayer, you can’t just tell them you know where she is, they’ll think you’re in league with those bleedin’ Guado.”
Buffy chewed her lip. “But..”

“I’m not gonna let any Yevon laws or harebrained teachings send my little niece to her death!” Cid announced, up until now Buffy had been ignoring the argument but she turned as he said this.

“What.. Niece?” Buffy frowned, that explained a lot.

Spike nodded. “Yuna’s mother was Cid’s sister.”

“Oh, well.. I have to tell them..”

“Vydran, e vuiht ran!”

“Huh?”

“They found her.” Spike said.

“Yuna?” Buffy ran over to the sphere, she saw Yuna, her hair pulled up a lot like Buffy’s and Rikku’s, she was dressed in a backless, white dress, small white wings on her back and feathers lining the bottom part of her dress as it parted, in the centre, just above her knees, sitting on the ground like a cloak as she walked. She was covered in a shimmering, see through veil and Buffy glared as a blue haired being she had come to hate came into view.

The scene disappeared leaving a room full of shocked faces.

“Where was that!?” Tidus asked, hotly.

“The Palace of St Bevelle, heart of Yevon.”

Spike snorted in contempt as Lulu said this. Yevon? He shook his head and began searching his clothes for smokes, he knew all about Yevon.

Tidus pumped his fist in the air. “Gramps, let’s move.”

“Easy, kiddo.” Cid said. “Bevelle’s defences are top notch.

“Oh we can kick all their asses.” Buffy said, coming to stand beside him.

“Yeah, Yuna’s there, so we go get her, and that’s all.” Tidus added.

Cid looked like he was about to agree when Rikku stepped forward, shaking her head. “What’s Seymour doing alive, didn’t we take care of him in Macalania.”

“He’s dead.” Auron answered, shifting his weight. “ His attachment to this world has kept him here.”

Buffy had an urge to ask him. ‘Like you?’ She didn’t though and contented herself with giving Auron a knowing look.
“Okay, full speed ahead!” Cid called.

“So.” Buffy turned to Spike. “What have you been doing since we got here?”

“See this ship?” Spike asked, waving his hands around. “Getting it ready to go.”

“Okay, how come you know how to speak Al Behd?”

“I know how to speak lots of languages.” He frowned. “Damn, I left them at Home.”

“Left what?”

“Nothing. Well, languages.. I can speak all sorts, French, Latin, Ancient Sumerian, several demon dialects, oh, and I can speak English, which is more than I can say for you bloody Americans.”

Buffy looked shocked, Spike let out a soft chuckle.

“Whoa!” Brother called.

“What?” Buffy answered.

“Look.” Wakka pointed.

Buffy looked out of the window, something large was flying beside them, with a lizard shaped body and translucent wings, it was obviously a dragon.

“The great Wyrm Evrae, guardian of Bevelle.” Lulu explained.

“That’s it, all they have to guard the place is a worm?” Buffy stared out of the window.

Auron stepped forward. “It is not the dragon king- still, do not underestimate it’s power.”

“Get up on deck, we’re gonna fight that thing.” Cid called.

“Buffy, c’mon.” Rikku called, stopping in the doorway and waving.

Buffy turned to Spike, half bowing as she left, at loss for anything to say.

“Wait, Buffy, I’m coming!” Spike called.

“Hold your chocobos, son.” Cid called to Spike.

“I have no time.” Buffy answered, turning before she left.

“What?” Spike turned to Cid, annoyance clearly showing in his sapphire eyes.

Cid looked fierce as he stared at Spike, then his face visibly softened. “You look after my girls, look after yourself as well. I’m proud to call you an Al Behd, and, uh..” He cleared his throat. “If you ever decide you want to stay, I’d be glad to call you my son as well.”

Spike didn’t know what to say, a few months back, before he got this sodding chip he would have ripped Cid’s throat out as soon as talk to him. At that moment he realised something, everything had changed, forever. He was never going to be the same again, nothing was. It wasn’t the chip, it wasn’t Buffy, it wasn’t his sudden trip to Spira that no-one could have predicted, it went deeper than any one thing. It was a culmination of everything that had happened, the roller coaster of events and emotions that he’d been travelling for months and now he had gotten off the roller coaster to find he was nowhere near where he had started and he never wanted to be there again.

“Watcha standin’ around for, get on up there and fight that worm!” Cid roared.

Spike stepped sedately out of the door, into the hall and, suddenly, he found himself running, towards so much, running towards the battle, running towards Buffy, running towards the future.

“Hey!” He called as the hatch opened and everyone piled onto the lift. He raced, jumping up onto it.

“Wait! Spike, it’s sunlight up there..”

“Don’t worry, luv.”

“But, Spike.”

“The sun here is the nice, non-lethal type, you’ll see.”
 
“Hey.” Cid called through the loudspeaker as they arrived on deck, wind buffeting their faces, blowing their clothes around and whipping their hair over their faces.

“This is the quickest thing in the air, so if you want me to move it just gimme a yell and I’m right on it.”

Spike ran over to the edge of the deck as the giant creature noticed them and flew over to where they were standing. It arched its’ long, muscled neck aver the deck, noxious breath and sharp teeth hanging over the lot of them.

Buffy and Auron jumped towards its’ head from either side, both stabbing towards it’s neck. Buffy felt a feeling of satisfaction as her sword plunged into its’ flesh, claws and tail flailing.

As she pulled back, however, she realised that it was an Aeon, the blood that fell from its’ neck wounds shimmered as it hit the deck, disappearing into twinkly light.

The dragon began to writhe around, lashing out with it’s long claws and breathing poisonous breath all over them.

As Buffy swept her sword at it’s side it lashed out with a claw, slashing Lulu open completely.

“Lulu!” Buffy screamed, racing over to where the black mage lay, motionless on the deck. She was stopped as Evrae swept it’s tail towards her, nearly knocking her off her feet. “Lulu!”
She jumped to her feet but Kimahri got there first, he reached into his pocket, pulling out what appeared to be a shimmering feather. She frowned as he dropped the feather over Lulu, it floated down and she was, suddenly, engulfed in a blinding, white light.

Evrae chose this moment to try to bite Buffy’s head off, she ducked, plunging upwards with her sword.

“Buffy, get down.” After fighting demons with Spike Buffy knew better than to question him when he said this, she hit the deck as a spray of bullets shot over her head, filling the great Wyrm with lead.

Buffy jumped up, looking at Spike, up until this moment he’d been delivering kicks and punches to it. She was distracted as she saw Lulu stepping forward to deliver the finishing stroke, a shard of ice that severed its’ head from it’s body.

“Lulu.. But, how?” Buffy stared at her as she casually dusted herself off, everything about her- even her dress- intact.

“But..”

“Pheonix down.” Spike told her, staring at the pyrelfies as they filled the sky.

“You haven’t had to use it yet? What about potions?”

“Um, I don’t think so..” Buffy thought about the shining, healing light that they occasionally created. “Maybe.. So ‘pheonix down’ brings people..”

“Back from the dead? Yeah.”

“So, why don’t they use it on everyone in Spira?”

Auron stepped forward. “Pheonix down only works on those who have just died, and only if they were killed fighting for a just cause.”

“So.. Why didn’t someone use one on you, I mean, I assume you were fighting for a just cause?”

Auron was quite visibly taken aback, he stared at the Slayer as though she had grown horns, this reaction very quickly vanished and he took her arm, leading her away from the others, though Spike followed.

“You knew?”

“Oh, come on, ‘why are you still here, Sir’ Seymour speaks shit a lot of the time but.. obvious much? If Tidus wasn’t so blonde he’d know too.”

“I would..” Auron cleared his throat. “I would prefer if this remained confidential..”

“Yeah, I know, no biggie, you’re not the only dead guy around here.”

Buffy looked past him at Spike, the sun shone through the clouds, playing on his white blonde curls, his blue eyes exposed his soul to the world- thoughts, Buffy mentally corrected herself, it exposed his thoughts, she felt a wave of sadness as she thought this, she had forgotten that he had no soul. But as she watched a look played across his face and she recognised it, she’d last seen this look in Guadosalam, on the Farplane. It was the look of a poet, a dreamer, a man in love and any of the other many things that made up William.


Chapter 12
 
“Buffy?” Spike looked at her, concerned.
 
“Spike..” Buffy shook her head, she couldn’t- wouldn’t think anything like that about Spike, even if he wasn’t a vampire, she worked with him, there would be all kinds of weird and bad in that situation. She tried to shut off her thoughts, it was almost impossible.
 
“Bevelle’s in sight!” Cid announced, “We can’t land so we’re gonna have to try for something a little more fun.”
 
Moments later buffy was holding a thick piece of cable, she stared at it. “Fun?”
 
“In the game they had to slide down on their feet.” Spike said, trying to offer some comfort. Buffy only groaned more.
 
She felt a shudder through the ship as Cid shot two, six inch thick cables towards the bridge, far below. Buffy watched as Auron jumped from the edge of the ship.
 
“It’s alright for him.” Buffy pouted.
 
“C’mon, slayer, you’re not scared?” Spike said, a mocking look on his face.
 
She groaned again, walking over to the edge.
 
“If I die I’m haunting you .” She said, jumping off, as she fell towards the cable below she flipped her own piece of cable over it, hanging on as she slid downwards. Half way down it became fun, she leapt off as she approached the ground.
 
She turned to run up the stairs to where Yuna stood, only to find fifteen guns pointed at her face.
 
“Uh, great.”
 
They battled their way towards the top of the stairs where a fat guy in a yellow dress waved his arms, yelling. “This has gone far enough.”
 
Yuna pulled a staff from behind her dress, holding it in front of her.
 
“You would play at marriage for the chance to send me, your resolve is admirable, perfect to make you my lovely wife.”
 
Yuna glared at him, beginning the sending.
 
“Stop.” An old, withered looking man hobbled over to them. “Do you not value your friends lives, your actions determine their fate, protect them or throw them away. The choice is yours.”
Buffy would have yelled at her just to send him but guns were pointed at her from all angles and they were all reaching the point of exhaustion.
 
Yuna dropped her staff, it clattered down the steps to land at Tidus’ feet.
 
Seymour stepped forward, placing both hands on Yuna’s shoulders, he leant down, kissing her. Buffy looked around, Tidus was glaring at the Maester, Rikku was waving her hands around, making squeaking noises, Buffy watched as Yuna’s hands tightened into fists. Seymour stood up, pulling Yuna towards him, with a sneer on his already ugly face he spoke. “Kill them.”
Yuna gasped, breaking free of his grip. “Stop!” Everyone looked up at her. Let them go, or else.” She stepped backwards towards the edge of the building.
 
Seymour waved his hands and the guns were taken off them. They raced up the stairs.
Yuna stepped back again. “Leave now, please. Don’t worry, go.”
 
Seymour stepped forward. “This is foolish, if you fall you’ll die.’
 
Yuna looked straight past the ugly Guado-man, straight at Tidus. “Don’t worry, I can fly. Believe.” She then turned and jumped off the building, Everyone stared over the edge, she was surrounded by symbols and light, she lifted her arms and out of the sky a shape shot towards her. She landed softly on the upturned stomach of Valefor as feathers floated through the air.
Rikku suddenly yelled. “Cover your eyes.” Buffy and the others did and Rikku threw something onto the ground, as all the guards and guests moaned they raced down the stairs.
 
“What was that?” Wakka asked.
 
“An Al Behd flashbomb.” Rikku answered.
 
Tidus growled in Kimahri’s grip. “Lemme go, I have to go help Yuna.”
 
“Yuna said go- we go.” Kimahri growled back.
 
“Where’d Yunie go?” Rikku asked.
 
“I think she flew away.” Buffy said, searching the sky for any sign of the summoner.
 
“Bevelle palace temple, Yuna go to one place only.” Kimahri said.
 
“The chamber of the Fayth.” Tidus said.
 
“Bloody brilliant bunch, the lot of them.” Spike commented sarcastically about the guardians- excepting Kimahri.
 
 ‘Ieyui nobomeno
Renimiri yojuyogo
Hasate kanae
Kutamae ’
 
They could hear the singing as they entered the chamber of the fayth. Tidus ran over to the heavy stone door, shaped like an inverted teardrop, trying to lift it from the bottom.
 
Buffy looked at Kimahri, something passed between them and they grabbed the door from either side, lifting it with relative ease. As they stepped inside crystal fans pulled away, allowing them through into the chamber.
 
Tidus and Buffy stared at the strange, translucent boy as he floated above what appeared to be a large, amber floor.
 
“What is that?” Tidus said.
 
“That is the fayth.” Auron came through behind them as Kimahri waited outside. “Imprisoned in stone long ago by Yevon rites. The dead should be allowed to rest.”
 
As they watched the boy flew towards flying inside her. She collapsed to the ground.
“Yuna!” Tidus ran over to her, cradling her in his arms. “Yuna..”
 
He picked her up, the white tail of her dress hanging down to the ground.
 
“Don’t come out here!” Rikku called as they stepped through the door.
 
“It’s a little late now, don’t you think?” Buffy said.
 
The room was full of people with guns, Maester Kinoc, the man in the flowy dress smiled smugly.
 
“You are to stand trial.” He announced.
 
Auron let out a small, dry laugh. “I expect it will be a fair trial?”
 
“Of course it will.” Kinoc said with a smile as sweet as arsenic.
 
They were herded off into a huge courtroom, Seymour stood high up on a balcony to one side, Kinoc on another, A large Ronso stood before them.
 
Seymour seemed to look directly at Buffy, an unpleasant smile playing across his face.
“The high court of Yevon is now in session, The sacred offices of this court seek nothing but absolute truth in Yevons name. To those on trial, believe in Yevon and speak only the truth.”
Lulu turned to Tidus and Buffy. “Maester Kelk Ronso.”
 
The Ronso kept talking. “Summoner Yuna. You have sworn to protect the people of Yevon, true?”
 
Yuna stood by herdelf on a tiny platform in the centre of the room. “Yes.”
 
“Then, consider: You have inflicted dire injury upon Maester Seymour Guado…”
 
Buffy couldn’t suppress an Auron-like ‘hmph’ at this, the Ronso either didn’t hear her or ignored her.
 
“..conspired with the Al Behd and joined in their insurrection.  These are traitorous and unforgivable crimes that disturb the order of Yevon. Tell this court what possessed you to participate in such violence.”
 
“Your Grace… The real traitor is Maester Seymour! He killed his father Jyscal with his own hands!”
 
Kelk looked like he had actually been hit, he stepped back. “What is this!”
 
Seymour offered him a sugary smile, then, with a sickly sweetness he answered. “Hmm? Hadn’t you heard?”
 
Buffy was shocked, he didn’t even protest his innocence.
 
Yuna continued. “Not only that… Maester Seymour is already dead!”
 
Lulu held her hands out. “It is a summoners sacred duty to send the souls of the departed to the Farplane! Yuna was only doing her job as a summoner!”
 
“Grand Maester Mika… Please, send Seymour now!” Yuna pleaded.
 
Mika stepped forward, Kelk standing back. “Send the unsent to where they belong?”
 
“Yes.”
 
Mika let out an unpleasant laugh and Buffy had a sinking feeling.
 
“Maester?” Yuna asked.
 
“Send the dead… hmm? You would have to send me, too.”
 
Wakka blanched. “What!”
 
Seymour turned to them. “Grand Maester Mika is an invaluable leader, even in death he is invaluable to Spira.”
 
“Enlightened rule by the dead is favourable to the misguided failures of the living.” Kinoc added. Buffy frowned, was there anyone left in Spira with a pulse?
 
“Life is but a passing dream but the death that follows is eternal.” Seymour said.
 
“Men die. Beasts Die. Trees die. Even continents perish. Only the power of death truly commands in Spira. Resisting it’s power is futile.” Mika said in a croaking voice.
 
“But what of Sin? I am a summoner, my lord, like my father before me! I am on a pilgrimage to stop the death that Sin brings. Are you… Are you telling me that, too is futile? Grand Maester Mika, I am not alone! All the people who have opposed Sin… Their battles, their sacrafices—were they all in vain?”
 
“ Not in vain. No matter how many summoners give their lives Sin cannot be truly defeated. The rebirth cannot be stopped.Yet the courage of those who fight gives the people hope. There is nothing futile in the life and death of a summoner.” Mika spoke as though this little speech was rehearsed.
 
Auron shifted his weight. “Never futile.. but never ending.”
 
“Indeed that is the essence of Yevon”.
 
“Lord Mika!” Yuna said, shocked.
 
Mika ignored her, droning on. “Yevon is embodied by eternal, unchanging continuity, summoner.”
 
“No, that can’t be right!”
 
“Those who question these truths-- they are traitors!”
 
“Lord Mika!” She repeated as they were suddenly seized.
 
Buffy was bored, she was swinging, alone in a large cage, suspended by chain from the ceiling. Yuna was also in a cage by herself. Kimahri and Spike were locked in together as were Rikku and Tidus. Wakka was locked by himself while Auron and Lulu sat in silence.
 
Tidus let out a ridiculously long groaning noise, his voice echoing around the room. Buffy felt acute sympathy for those with greater than human hearing, both of whom were suspended metres away from her, a little further down.
 
“Buffy?” Spike called up.
 
“Spike. I’m gonna kill that Seymour again, and I really hope he comes back ‘cause I wanna kill him a third time as well.” Buffy smashed her fist into the side of the cage.
 
“It’s alright, pet, they’re going to drop us into a big hallway full of fiends, I think we’re supposed to wither up and die or somethin’.”
 
“But..”
 
“Don’t worry.” Spike reassured her.
 
“Get me outta here, I want out now, you hear me?” Tidus’ voice was really getting irritating.
Auron spoke from a nearby cage. “You waste your breath.”
 
Tidus sank to the ground, his voice quieter, though Auron could still hear him. “Man, I hope Yuna’s okay.”
 
“She’s strong, she’ll make it.”
 
“She’ll make it? What, so she can die?” His voice rose so that Buffy, once again, could hear him. “Why is it, everything in Spira seems to revolve around people dying?”
 
“Ahh, the spiral of death.” Auron answered.
 
Buffy thought this was a stupid answer and the two of them continued talking so that Buffy couldn’t hear them.
 
She sat by the side of the cage nearest Spike, to her surprise the vampire spoke.
 
“So, what do you reckon your watcher would do?”
 
“Huh?”
 
“Now, here in Bevelle, what do you think he would have done? Or.. Oh, Red, what would she have done?”
 
“Oh, she probly would have turned them all into newts or something, she’s getting pretty good with the magicks, you know. She’s pretty close to getting Amy fixed up”
 
 “Amy?”
 
“Oh, Amy the rat, she used to be kind of a friend of ours, she turned herself into a rat when Will, me and her were being burnt at the stake by Hansel and Gretel.”
 
Spikes eyebrows shot up and Buffy grinned. Spike shook his head.
 
“Sunnydale, you never can guess what the bloody Hellmouth’s gonna spit out at you next.”
 
“Hey, it’s like a slogan, we can do an advertisy thing on T.V and that can be our slogan.”
 
Footsteps interrupted them, they turned to the bridge below, Kinoc walked in front of the cages and stopped.
 
“Come out, your sentences have been decided.”
 
“Sentence? Don’t you mean execution?” Auron asked.
 
Buffy’s eyes widened. “Execution?”
 
“Really, now, what person would execute a dear friend?”
 
Very levelly and without any hesitation Auron answered. “You would.”
 
Kinoc chuckled, waving his hands as people began hauling the cages to the bridge and unloading the occupants at gun point.
 
Buffy stared as everyone was unloaded and the men with guns began to herd them off.
“Buffy.” Spike called, trying to break free. “Buffy!!”
 
“Relax, Al Behd, Seymour has spared her alone, it was decided that she was led astray, under the influence of Sin’s toxin.
 
“NO! Buffy!”
 
He turned, ramming his fist into one of their noses, waiting for the sharp stab of pain in his head, nothing. He grinned, kneeing the guard in the stomach. The other guards turned and took aim, they shot one bullet straight through his right ribcage and one into his stomach. He doubled over in pain and they shot him with a tazer to be sure, they then dragged him along the bridge, out of Buffy’s sight.
 
Buffy slammed her fists against the side of the cage. “Let me out, let me out! Spike!”
 
Spike was dropped into a long, dark tunnel. He stared off through the hallways, each identical and unending, and smelling strongly of off fish. He ran his hand through his hair. What was going on, why had Seymour kept Buffy? Spike knew that it couldn’t be for any reason that was good.
 
He winced thinking about the things Seymour could be wanting her for, he shook his head, as soon as he got out of here he would rescue her.
 
As he walked he left a long trail of blood on the ground behind him. He often found himself at the entrance to the damper part of the Via Purifico but he preferred to stay dry. Fiends kept making the mistake of jumping out at him until they became quite comical- they jumped, he snapped their necks or ripped them open, glad for their presence, for the release of tension.
“Oh, hello.” He turned around, Lulu stood in a small alcove, waiting for Yuna to turn up.
He frowned. “You know, if you went looking you’d be more likely to find her.”
“Perhaps, but she is here now,, so we no longer have to bother ourselves with that.”
Spike turned and Yuna walked into the room.
 
“Lulu..”
 
Lulu placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “It’s alright.”
 
“Oh, Spike.. I am sorry about Buffy, maybe.. We can go back for her, after we escape. I could not.. I could not continue my pilgrimage until I knew she was safe.”
 
Spike was relieved, it obviously showed on his face. “And, you will be joining me too, yes? As my guardian. Cid sent you- didn’t he.”
 
“He cares about you a lot, pet. And I wanted to come, to protect Buffy.”
 
“You love her, don’t you?” Yuna said. “She cares about you as well.”
 
Lulu nodded. “After she saw your brother in Guadosalam, she’s been desperate to find you ever since.”

”My brother?” Spike frowned, he didn’t have a sodding brother, unless.. “My.. brother- William?”
 
“Yes, that was he, let us go find the others.” Lulu said.
 
Spike sniffed the air. “This way.”
 
Having found Kimahri and Auron they wandered around, eventually the soft, blue lights gave way to harsher red ones.
 
“Lady Yuna, so it is you.” Isaaru stepped out of the shadows as they entered a small room.
“Why are you here?” Yuna asked.
 
“We rode the airship to the Calm Lands, then came to Bevelle. Maester Kinoc summoned us and ordered us to ‘deal with the traitors’.”
 
“You will fight us?” Auron asked.
 
“The temples orders are law. Even if you are Lord Braksa’s flesh and blood… You’re a traitor!”
“His guardians.. I don’t see them.” Lulu stated.
 
“Maroda and Pacce are not here. I will do this unhappy deed myself. Forgive me, Lady Yuna.”
Isaaru summoned his Aeons, one by one, Ifrit, Valefor and finally the newest Aeon, the one Yuna herself had only just received, the dragon king, Bahamut.
 
Yuna had very firmly told her guardians ‘no’ when they asked to help, she summoned Shiva, the icy blue goddess, who dodged and struck, defeating Isaaru’s Aeons and knocking the summoner himself to the ground.
 
“Stay away!” Isaaru shouted as Yuna approached .
 
“Yuna, let’s go.” Lulu said, stepping forward.
 
“There’s a way to the surface, up ahead.” Isaaru said.
 
Yuna bowed deeply.
 
“Come on, pet, no need to bow to the backstabbing poofter, let’s get out of here and save Buffy. Who knows what Seymour’s doing to her.”
 
“He is correct, we should hurry.” Auron said.
 
As Spike left the room he heard Auron walk over to Isaaru and clearly say. “Your pilgrimage is over.”
 
He smirked, stupid treacherous ponce of a summoner..
 
“Yunie!” Rikku called as She pulled herself out of the water near the exit. “You’re alright? We were so worried, it’s good to have you back. Oh, Spike, you’re still here.”
 
“Oh, Spike will be staying with us, to Zanarkand.”
 
“Great to have you on board.” Rikku announced jubilantly.
 
Tidus was in the middle of working up to say something when they heard the footsteps. They turned, Seymour, Kinoc and several Guado guards approached.
 
When they were fairly close Seymour stopped, turning. Kinocs body slumped to the floor as the guard holding it let go.
 
“Kinoc!” Auron said.
 
“Why you.”
 
Spike frowned, didn’t they all hate him..? Ah well.
 
“What have you done with Buffy?” He yelled.
 
“Ahh, Buffy. That is her name? She is quite safe.”
 
“You.. You killed Kinoc.” Lulu was almost disbelieving.
 
“I have saved him.” Seymour answered cryptically. Spike vaguely recalled what came next. “He was a man who craved power and great power he had but he feared losing it. Trembling at unseen enemies he spent his days scheming petty schemes. Chased by his fears, never knowing rest. You see.. now he has no worries, he has been granted sleep eternal. Death is a sweet slumber all the pain of life is gently swept away, ahh, yes. So you see, if all life in Spira were to end all suffering would end, don’t you see?”
 
“You stupid, spineless, blue haired ponce. Do you actually listen to what you say?” Spike was mad for more reasons than one. “You open your mouth, crap falls out and you expect everyone to lap it up. ‘Death is a sweet slumber’ I’m not bloody sleeping, how about you? You’re worse than my bloody grandsire.”
 
“You do not understand.” Seymour answered Spike. “You are naught but a boy with his toys, you would never understand eternity. Pay no heed to him, Yuna, come with me to Zanarkand, the lost city of the dead, with death by our sides we can save Spira once and for all and for that.. I will take your strength from you, Yuna, your life and become the next sin. Together we will destroy Spira, we will save it.”
 
“I’m with Spike.” Tidus announced. “You’re totally nuts!”
 
Kimahri ran forward, plunging his long lance into Seymour’s chest, Seymour looked down at him.
 
“Unpleasant… Very well. I will give you your death, you seem to want it so.”
 
He raised his hand and the guards surrounding him and Maester Kinoc dissolved into pyreflies, filling Seymour’s body and making a big flash of light. When the light cleared Seymour had changed, he had become what seemed to be a great big, silver fairy. His dress had become blue, his hair had grown really long and turned into big stone wings either side of his body and some of it still hung like hair down past his ankles which floated above the ground.
 
Kimahri turned and yelled. “Run, protect Yuna.”
 
“Bloody hell I will.” Spike announced, running over to Kimahri’s side.
 
“Go.” Auron said to the others.
 
“No way, I’m fighting.” Tidus yelled, Aurons answer was to pull out his large and pointy sword, placing it at Tidus’ neck. “I said go.” Auron almost growled.
 
Spike suddenly heard a shout behind him. “Hey, Kimahri, leave some for us!” He turned to see Yuna and Tidus running towards them. Wakka soon followed, then Rikku. Auron and Lulu appeared to confer, Lulu running after them and Auron eventually following.
 
Seymour floated in the air, a gloating look on his face, a small creature floating before him. Without waiting for the others Spike leapt forwards, planting on the creature a kick strong enough to crush a ribcage or knock a mans head completely from his body. It seemed to writhe around, then it dug its’ long tail into Seymour and seemed to suck his energy, healing itself.
Lulu shot a spear of ice towards Seymour, impaling him through the chest, he grunted. “Do you think that is enough to stop me?”
 
“We’re gonna kill you, Seymour!”
 
“How about you fight more and talk less, boy.” Spike said, sick of Tidus’ constant noise.
They lashed at Seymour, Kimahri swinging his scythe with deadly accuracy, Auron hacking with his sword, Spike kicking, Yuna whacking him with her staff and Rikkku throwing the occasional grenade at him in between slashes of her ninja claws.
 
“Hey, watch out.” Wakka called, hurling a large, spiked ball at Seymours face, his answer to this was to hurl a lightning bolt at Lulu.
 
Lulu cried out, growing suddenly silent, a dark purple mist seemed to surround her and a wind blew her braids around. Small crackles of electricity shot from her and her red eyes seemed to shoot sparks. Spike stared at her for a second, then back to Seymour.
 
A wave of fire seemed to fall on the Guado and his little parasite, rolling and hissing until they were completely obscured, it raged for nearly a minute, fading away and leaving Lulu looking spent.
 
Seymour collapsed downwards, his feet nearly touching the ground, he raised his white, marble head and glared at the black mage.
 
Just as it seemed he was about to gloat his small parasitic friend reached up from the charcoal black ground, stabbing into Seymour with its’ tail. Seymour shuddered, falling to the ground.
“Run!” Auron announced.
 
“Come on, we will rescue Buffy after we escape.” Lulu told spike.
 
“Hey, if we hide in the city we can sneak back into the castle.” Rikku offered.
 
“It is a good idea, though impractical.” Lulu motioned to the city, far below the bridge. “It would undoubtedly be a fatal fall.”
 
“No problem.” Rikku answered, pulling out a small machina from the pouch on her belt. “Come on.” She quickly wrapped a hook around the balcony, jumping from the edge. “Grab it and hold on.” She yelled up as she began to fall.
 
Auron jumped over, grabbing the cable. They each leapt over, Spike went last and they fell towards the brightly lit city, red in the light of the setting sun.


Chapter 13
 
Seymour rose shakily to his feet, straightening his robe and fixing his hair. He stared across the bridge, they had escaped into Macalania by now.. He would catch up with them later, after he regained his strength and claimed his new Aeon.
 
…
 
From deep within the temple a constant metallic banging noise sounded. The source of which was locked in a small, metal room, her foot repetitively swinging into the metal wall. A large dint had been worn in it already, she didn’t stop as the door opened and Seymour stepped in.
“Please stop this noise my dear, your attempts are futile, the walls are far too thick, you will only hurt yourself.”
I’ve never been the self-harm type, first time for everything though.” Buffy answered, her foot still swinging.
“My dear..” Seymour took one step too many towards her. She spun around, her foot lashing out and pinning him against the wall by his throat.
“I don’t know what world you think you’re in but I would never be your ‘dear.’ My god could you be more disgusting. You are nothing but a thing.. I’ve worked something out, thanks to you. Alive or dead, souled or otherwise, it doesn’t matter, what matters is who you are, and you are a disgusting, slimy, self centred thing .”
Seymour  waved his hands. “I see, it is a pity, I thought you would be amiable after I spared you.”
Buffy removed her leg from his throat, planting a solid kick in his stomach before he left, still talking away to himself.
…
 
“You allowed them to escape?” Mika droned.
“Allowed was little part of it, they escaped by themselves.”
“What do you plan to do now?”
“With my new Aeon I shall seize the Summoner, Yuna at Mt Gagazet, take her to Zanarkand and defeat Sin.”
“As for the Fayth, is everything prepared?” Mika asked.
“The ceremony will begin at midnight.” Seymour smiled.
 
…
 
“He must be keeping her in the palace.” Spike ranted as they wandered through the streets. “We just need to find out where.”
“And then what, the High Bridge is the only way out for us.” Lulu pointed out.
“Whoa.” Wakka stopped.
“What is it?” Auron asked.
“That wasn’t here last time I was in Bevelle.” Wakka pointed to a large dome, newly built and shining in the lights of the city.
“It would appear to be a ‘chamber of the fayth’, though why, I cannot understand..” Lulu said
Spike stared at the dome as though it were a giant cross, bearing down on him.
“We have to get up there.” Spike said.
“You don’t think.. He wouldn’t try to make Buffy.. a fayth?” Yuna asked.
“Seymour do anything, worse it is- more likely he do.”
“You are probably correct.” Lulu said. “But how do we get up there.”
“More important, how do we get off there, unless we sprout sodding wings we can’t get from there to the High Bridge anyway.” Spike stared at the bridge.
“Oh!” Yuna held her hand in front of her mouth.
“What’s that, pet?”
“Wings, to fly? I can.. I could see..  Maybe I could do it.”
“You mean, summon?” Wakka asked.
“Yes.”
“Let’s do it.” Tidus said, pumping his fist into the air.
“It may work.” Lulu said.
“We’ll have to split into two groups. One on the High Bridge and one on the dome.” Rikku said.
“We can climb the cable back onto the High Bridge.” Wakka said.
“Yes, so, Yunie, Spike and I will climb to the top of the dome while you climb onto the bridge.” Rikku grinned with excitement. “Can you do it?”
“No problem!” Tidus said, jubilantly.
“Let’s get moving.” Auron said.
…
 
Buffy stared at the floor, she was soo bored. She almost wished she was at college, listening to one of Professor Welsh’s dead boring lectures.
She, suddenly, sat down, ashamed as she felt tears welling up in her eyes, she was the slayer, she was Yuna’s guardian, she wouldn’t cry.
Her mind began to go off on tangents and for once she didn’t stop it. When she killed Seymour.. She bit her bottom lip.
Execution? Auron had mentioned execution, that meant, they might be.. She shook her head, they couldn’t be dead, Spike said they would be fine.
Spike. She tried to shove away this feeling she was having, that she needed Spike there. Why? His strength, his humour, he was the last link she had to her home, none of it fit, it went deeper than that. She needed Spike there. “Because I love him.”
This thought popped into her head, surprising her and throwing her off guard. But she didn’t question it, she knew, whether it was a good thing or a bad thing she loved Spike and this revelation gave her strength, it gave her hope. She would see Spike again, and with him Yuna, Kimahri, Lulu and all the others.
 
…
 
“I have contacted the Watchers council, several covens, some demons, I even tried to find Spike, but it would appear that he, too, is missing.”
“He probably got sick of Sunnydale, every time he pops up his no good, ugly, silicon chipped head he gets it kicked in by the slayer. He probably packed himself up and moved.” Xander said.
“Well, Spike’s whereabouts notwithstanding, we do still have the problem of Buffy missing.”
The phone rang. “I’ll get it.” Dawn said, picking up the phone.
“Summers house.. Who? Really? What…? No, no that’s not true, you.. you…” Dawn tried to slam the phone back onto the receiver but she missed, running up the stairs. Willow picked up the phone.
“Um, who is this.”
 
“You’re kidding, maybe they made a mistake, or maybe Faith..”
“Faith is fine.” Giles said, tiredly.
“Another slayer. Like, a whole new slayer. Doesn’t that mean..” Tara looked searchingly at Willow.
“Well, it’s a mistake, Will said she wasn’t dead, right Will?”
Willows face perked up. “That’s right, I’ve done a worldwide ‘dead Buffy’ search and came up with nothing.”
“Well, the most likely possibility is still the other world theory.” Giles said.
 “I told you.” Anya said, between mouthfuls of cookies that she’d found in the pantry.
“That still leaves us with the problem of ‘which one’.” Willow said dismally.
…
 
Buffy looked up as the door creaked open. Several warrior monks filed into the room. She stood up as Seymour walked in.
“You will come with us now.” Seymour said.
“Thanks, but..”
As she spoke they threw a handful of dust at her, she coughed, trying to stand up straight, but she felt so sleepy..
 
She opened her eyes, life coming back to her foggy brain. She was lying in a shallow dish, about twice her height in diameter, on a pile of satin sheets, surrounded by ornate swords, she reached out to touch one and realised they were embedded in the stone floor.
She looked up as the fuzzy image of Seymour stepped into view. “How long to go?”
“Not long, my Lord.” A whiney voice answered.
…
 
“Have you got it?” Rikku asked.
“Hold on.” Spike answered, lifting one of the panels of stone from the domed roof, placing it next to him. He looked inside. Just as he had thought, Buffy lay, motionless in what appeared to be the area a fayth was encased in. He poked his head into the hole, trying to wake her, though he figured no-one could hear him over the chanting.
 
 
 
“Buffy!” Spike yelled.
“Spike?” Buffy said weakly, looking up into the ceiling of the chamber, one of the panels had been pulled aside and Spike stared down at her.
He leapt down into the shallow bowl, beside Buffy, the four guards rushed towards him, bayonets raised.
Spike ducked a blow, snapping the offending man’s neck in two. He then turned to another, tearing his throat out, grabbing the bayonet from the floor he impaled the other two, one after the other, through the heart.
“Leave this holy place, dark creature.” Mika intoned, waving a symbol of Yevon at Spike.
“I haven’t been called that in a good few days.” Spike commented, planting his foot in Seymour’s chin as he tried to drag the, now unconscious, Buffy out of the room.
“yna oui lusehk?” Rikku called down.
“Wicd y cal.” Spike called back.
“He’ll be here in a second.” Rikku translated for Yuna, waiting on the domed roof, shivering in the cool night air.
Spike planted another kick into Seymour’s chest, the Maester stumbled backwards, falling over. Spike pulled a small grenade from his pocket.
“Goodnight.” Spike commented, throwing it at Seymour and scooping Buffy up in his arms. He jumped through the opening in the roof, twelve feet from the floor.
“Whoa.” Rikku grabbed his arm as his balance wavered slightly.
“Are, are you okay?” Yuna asked as Spike appeared.
“I’m fine, let’s go.” He knew that as soon as the sleeping gas cleared the guards would be swarming all over the place like ants on a carcass.
Yuna clasped her hands together, a light shining around her. As Spike watched the clouds, high above, parted and an enormous dark shape shot out of them. The great dragon swooped past them as they stood there.
“Bahamut, king of Dragons, hear my prayer.” Yuna intoned.
“It’s coming back!” Rikku announced.
The dragon came to a stop in front of them, massive beats of it’s powerful wings keeping it in the air. Yuna held a hand out to it’s massive head and something passed between them.
“Come along.” Yuna said, climbing onto his broad shoulders.
Rikku leapt onto him, followed by Spike.
A massive disk spun over their heads, seemingly a part of him. He swept through the air, coming to land on the High Bridge, where they had fought Seymour.
Once they were all standing safely on the bridge Bahamut leapt into the air again, shooting back up through the clouds and out of sight.
As they raced along the bridge towards Macalania Woods Buffy opened her eyes.
“Spike..?”
“I’m here, pet, I’m always here.”
Buffy pulled herself closer to his chest, burying her head against him. “Spike.. I love you.”
Something pulled inside Spike, a sharp pain of longing and joy. Tears stung his eyes and he was full of words, full of so many things he wanted to say, to tell her forever. The poet within him sung with joy and the song reached through every part of his body. All these words inside him struggled with one another, desperate to be said first. He leant down, placing a kiss on the top of Buffy’s head, contenting himself with a few small words. “I love you too.”
 
Chapter 14 
 
“Spike.” Auron beckoned him over. “Do you know where Yuna’s gone.” Spike sniffed the air.
“That way.” He pointed. Auron walked over to where Tidus was standing. He said something to him and then pushed him towards the exit to their campsite.
“Spike.” Buffy sat on the leafy forest floor, she had finished her dinner and was redoing her hair.
“What’s wrong, luv?” Spike asked.
“Oh, nothing, its just, can we walk?”
“Sure, I think I know a place we can go.” He led her out of the campsite, turning right. The path was well lit, light from the moon and the stars shining on the crystal that littered the forest. They walked right past the exit from the woods to High Bridge, a guard had been posted there and was sleeping under a tree.
Scattered throughout the place were large, glowing orange orbs, like giant flowers, emitting a pulsing light.
The soft, blue glow of the forest took away the harshness that existed throughout the day and everything painful and confusing melted away, giving the place a dreamlike quality. Buffy held onto Spikes arm with both hands, her head leaning on him as she walked.
They came out on a ledge above the forest floor, the strange pathway/branches came up from the ledge. Buffy looked past the branch and stifled a gasp. A different kind of pathway shimmered in midair, reaching down to the ledge. It looked as though it had been woven from starlight, it flowed and sparkled, however when they stepped on it, it was perfectly solid.
They followed the path up through the trees, often it crossed directly above or below the other path, however it had no fiends on it. This high in the air the trees seemed to be made of crystal, the giant flower/orbs were larger and surrounded by delicate looking crystals. They followed the path high into the air as it came out over a wide, open part of the forest, the ground was a long way down and the view was spectacular.
“Just a little further, pet.” Spike assured her as she stopped to admire the landscape. They came to another giant flower and the shimmering path turned sharply downhill, they walked through the trees and Spike stopped in front of some branches, he ducked underneath them, Buffy following and led her into the most beautiful place she had ever seen. Spike stepped onto what had looked like a pool, interlaced with roots, however it was as solid as the ground, she walked over several more of these, coming out into a wide, open area. It was dotted with small crystals and a large crystal tree wove it’s way up from the back. Behind it a small, shimmering waterfall fell towards the solid surface which seemed to flow like water beneath the surface.
Buffy sat down on a low branch, Spike came to sit beside her, shivering slightly.
“You’re cold?” She asked, incredulous.
“It’s nothing.” Spike answered, seeking her lips with his, she was happy with this change of topic, but she pulled away a moment later.
“Spike, what is it?”
He sighed, toying with her hair. “Back in Home I was feeding off animal blood but since I left.. Something’s changed, Buffy, I can’t.. I can’t just feed off humans anymore, I know you’d hate it if I did.”
“Oh.” Buffy had all but forgotten that Spike was a vampire. “Spike, you’re stupid.”
Spike was taken aback, he looked slightly hurt.
“You should have said something….” Her face creased into a frown as she searched for a solution. There must be something they could do…all she knew was this vampire, this man meant the world to her, she would do anything for him, if she could. Then she realised she was pretty stupid to, of course there was something she could do… “You can feed off me.” She offered.
Spike was startled, blue eyes widened and he actually stood up. “Buffy..” His voice was filled with emotion. “I couldn’t, not that. I love you, Buffy and I never want to hurt you.”
“Oh, how much could it hurt, I’ve been hacked, slashed and shot at with a big gun, not to mention crispy fried by an Anima laser.” Her slight joking tone diminished, her voice becoming serious. “Spike, you need to do this, a vampire without blood is like.. A thing without.. another thing that the first thing needs or it won’t be a thing..” he shook her head, impatient with herself. “Oh, you know..”
She stood up, turning her face up to his. “Spike, do this.. for me.”
He battled within himself. More than anything he wanted to bite her, to feed off her, to feel her become truly part of him. His entire being ached with a longing to be closer to her, an inch away was too much and when they touched it was as though he was pouring himself into her, as though he would fade away to nothing becoming only Buffy, as though she was drinking him dry and he wanted her too. More than that, he needed her to.
“Buffy..” He realised he was sitting back on the branch.
“Spike, no more arguments. Okay.”
He felt his face change, sharp fangs touching his bottom lip.
 
As he leant towards her she seemed to ache, she realised that she wanted him to bite her, more than anything she wanted it, to feel his lips pressed against her neck, to feel herself falling into him, her heart pounded as though it was trying to escape.
 
His fingers gently brushed her exposed throat, he could smell her, more intoxicating than any alcohol, more addictive than any drug. He could hear her heart speed up, see the tiny movement of her neck, feel her love for him, speaking louder than any word s as it poured from her, consuming him. He gently brushed his fingers across her neck, dipping his head and gently biting. His teeth parted flesh and every sense he owned seemed to reach towards her. Sight, scents, he was deaf to anything that was not Buffy. As he pulled his fangs from her neck he latched on, lips pressed lightly onto her delicate flesh, tongue massaging gently.
 
She could have remained in that moment forever, she wanted to, everything she had ever known slipped away . S he was no longer the slayer, from Sunnydale, brought to Spira and protecting a summoner . S he was Buffy and she was Spike’s and the world dropped out from under them, leaving them suspended in a place without time that needed no reason, it just needed to go on.
 
“Buffy?” A noise broke through into her world, she looked up into Spike’s blue eyes, burning with emotion.
“Are you okay, luv?”
“I’m fine, I’m more than fine, I’m.. Spike, never, ever leave me- ever, okay?”
“I never want to leave you, pet.” He pulled the chopsticks from her hair, allowing it to fall freely down her shoulders. He ran his hands through her hair.
“Spike, I never want to go, I want to stay here, always.”
“Right here?
“I can’t get back, I know that, and.. It’s good, I’ve been the slayer, longer than anyone else has, there is nothing for me back home and I just want to be here with you. We could.. If you wanted.. could we.. build a house on the bank of the Moonflow. It’s really- pretty.”
“I know, Buffy. We can, I will. We can do it.”
Buffy suppressed a nervous giggle. “I almost don’t want to finish the pilgrimage in case something happens..”
“Hush, luv, nothing will happen, I promise. You’ll get your house on the Moonflow, you’ll get anything you want.”
Buffy smiled, running her fingers down his cheeks. “Right now.. I just want you, Spike.”
…
 
“Oh.” Yuna walked back into camp, hand in hand with Tidus. “Where are Buffy and Spike?”
“They.. went for a walk.” Lulu answered.
“Should we look for them, perhaps something happened.”
“I think we should give them some time alone.” Lulu answered, fixing Yuna with a pointed look as the summoner let go of Tidus’ hand.
“If they are not back by morning we will search for them then.”
 
As Spike and Buffy walked past the Bevelle entrance the guard was waking up, the sun was beginning to lighten the sky and Buffy could hear a strange chirping noise in the trees.
As they neared the campsite they heard the sounds of people waking up.
Auron, of course, was awake, surprisingly he didn’t give them a disapproving look as they walked in. Rikku was asleep in a tree high above and Tidus and Yuna were sleeping next to each other near a tree stump.
Buffy looked around, the chirping noise was here too. At this moment Lulu walked into the campsite, clothed and ready to go.
 
It didn’t take everyone else too much longer to awaken and get ready and in surprisingly little time they were nearing the end of the forest, which led to a place known as the ‘Calm Lands’.
Buffy frowned, finally stopping.
“Is anything wrong?” Lulu asked.
“I keep hearing this chirping noise. It almost sounds like..” Buffy shook her head, she’d lost Kirrel when they fell through the ice, it couldn’t be him.
“Almost sounds like what, pet?” Spike asked.
“Oh, it kinda sounds like this creature I picked up near the Moonflow, I named him Kirrel. But I lost him on the lake..”
At the sound of his name Kirrel chirped again, poking his little white nose out of the bushes. He gave a questioning chirp.
Buffy stared, surprised.
“Kirrel?”
He tentatively walked towards her, stopping to sniff her leg.
“I think it’s him.” Buffy said.
As Spike watched it finished sniffing her and raced up onto her shoulder.
“Can we go yet?” An impatient voice asked. Buffy looked up, startled. She realised they were waiting for her.
“It is a good sign.” Lulu said.
They reached a narrow, rocky ledge leading up to a hill, surrounded by rocks on both sides, they walked up the hill, coming to the top they looked around. A huge, green plain stretched out on both sides, the sea was visible off in the distance and rocks and cliffs jutted out into the sea.
“The calm lands.” Lulu explained. “long ago the high summoners fought Sin here. The road ends here, beyond there are no towns, no villages, only these plains.”
“many summoners stray from their path and lose their way here.” Auron added.
To Buffy’s surprise Yuna collapsed backwards onto the grass, long, flowy arm things spread out beside her, she stared up at the sky, breathing deeply.
“I’ve always known where to go.”
Tidus walked over to her, offering his hand to help her up. “I..  won’t let you die. I’ll find a way, somehow.”
She sat up, staring into his eyes, she took his hand, and he pulled her to her feet. They stared out across the plains, stretching for miles below them. Buffy realised that countless numbers of summoners must have walked these plains, must have stood here on this hill and looked down, realising that this was it. This is where it began and ended for them. Silently she swore that she, too would put an end to it for good. 
     Chapter 15 
They turned left, walking at a strangely leisurely pace; they walked down a hill for about half hour, finally getting to the bottom. Buffy turned around to face the Calm Lands and gasped.
A herd of giant chickens were running around. They had bright yellow feathers and huge beaks.
“Oh my god, what are they?” She gasped.
“Chocobos.” Lulu answered.
“Yum.” Buffy said.
Every single person in the group stopped and stared at her.
“What’s that you say again?” Wakka said, not believing his ears.
“Well, you do eat them, don’t you? Look at the drumsticks on them!”
Lulu coughed quietly, Yuna held her hand in front of her mouth, looking thoughtful as though trying to work out if Buffy was joking. Spike was stifling laughter. Kimahri was looking at the chocobo’s as though considering eating them.
The chocobo’s themselves were pecking in the grass, each of them about as tall as Auron. They looked up as though feeling the hungry stares coming from Buffy and the Ronso.
They made a funny ‘Kweh’ noise, picking up their giant legs and running away.
At around midday they saw a building, not far off. Between them and it was a large bowl shaped indent in the ground. As they walked down the saw a woman standing there. At first Buffy thought she was a pole. She was standing completely motionless, dressed in a long, green dress. As they approached, though, she looked up.
“Ah, summoner Yuna, quite the traitor these days.”
Yuna didn’t know what to say as the woman began to laugh quietly.
“Pay little heed to what the Maesters have to say, a summoners duty is to kill Sin, not to Yevon. Remember that.”
Yuna bowed deeply. “I will.”
“So, do you think you can do it?”
“I.. I don’t know, but.. I can try.”
“You have spirit. But it takes more than that to defeat Sin. How about an Aeon duel?”
Yuna chewed her bottom lip. “Okay.”
The guardians walked a little way back up the side of the bowl, sitting on the lush, green grass. As they watched the woman summoned Shiva, Yuna stepped back, summoning Ifrit. As Buffy watched they hurled icicles and fireballs at one another. Dodging and ducking, snapping and kicking until, finally Shiva fell to the ground. She seemed to turn into crystal, fading away.
The pole-woman held up her hand. “Stop, that is enough.”
Yuna bowed deeply, dismissing her Aeon and turning to the woman.
“Your power matches your resolve. I think you just may be able to defeat Sin. Farewell, Summoner Yuna, if you need to train any more find me at the hidden temple.”
Yuna watched as the woman walked out of the bowl. The guardians stood up, walking down to join Yuna.
“Let’s go.” Yuna said, walking towards the building.
 
They entered what appeared to be a motel. It was definitely Al Behd, there were a couple of buildings and a storefront. “Let’s stop here for the night.” Yuna said.
“But it is still daylight, do you not think we should continue while we can?” Auron said, more an order than a question.
Buffy turned on him. “What is this? ‘Let’s get Yuna dead as quick as possible?’ We got little or no sleep last night, all of us. And yes- I am aware that this was because you all came to rescue me but the point is- what difference does it make if we stop a couple of hours earlier and sleep in a room instead of on the ground. I’m soo over your ‘hurry up, let’s go’ crap. I understand that you want to defeat Sin but we’re not just playing some game.” She walked right up to him, hissing the words in his face.
“Yuna will probably die, none of us want her to but that is the reality, some or all of us may die as well, these are probably the last days of Yuna’s life, just because yours is over doesn’t mean you have to hurry up and end hers.”
Kimahri turned his head as she said this, everyone else was pretending to be somewhere else and they couldn’t hear her but Spike and Kimahri had brilliant hearing.
Buffy wondered why he hardly reacted, even he would normally have said something, she shook her head, giving Auron a fierce stare.
“Fine, I see no problem with us resting.” Auron said.
Everyone turned around, someone was coming up behind them. He appeared to be a Yevon monk. Buffy prepared herself for battle. Lulu stepped forwards. “Father Zuuk.”
Buffy frowned, Lulu knew him?
“Long time no see.” The monk answered. “You are Yuna?”
Yuna nodded.
“You don’t look like Maester Kinoc’s murderer.” Zuuk said.
“What you say?” Wakka asked outraged.
“That is the hugest load of bull…” Buffy began.
Yuna interrupted, stepping forward. “Please, tell us what has happened.”
“Maester Mika just issued a personal order, you know. It said you and your guardians murdered Maester Kinoc, desecrated part of the palace and fled. We are to kill you on sight, or so it says.”
“What of Bevelle?” Auron asked.
“Things are calm on the surface, but the depths are turbulent. After the death of Maester Kinoc, Kelk Ronso left Yevon.”
“Convenient.” Auron grunted. “Getting around will be easier with Yevon in disarray.”
 “But be careful my friends, you have been branded enemies of Yevon. You should avoid temples for the time being.”
“Thankyou Father Zuuk, for your warning.” Yuna bowed.
“Father, you came all the way here just to tell us this?” Lulu asked.
“To tell the truth I was a little curious to see this summoner you are guarding. I hope her pilgrimage goes well, for your sake too.”
“Thankyou, Father.” Lulu bowed her head.
“I must be off, I shall pray for all of you.” He said, performing the prayer.
“Who was that?” Tidus asked as the man walked away.
“Until half a year ago he was a summoner.” Lulu answered. “Wakka and I were his guardians.”
“It was kind of a short pilgrimage.” Wakka added.
“He gave up half way. Here, on this plain. Now he’s a monk at the Bevelle temple.”
Buffy looked around, at loss for anything to say. “Oh, hey, while we’re here we can get our clothes washed.” She offered.
“That’s a good idea.” Wakka said, giving her his bag. He took out his other clothes and walked off with them. Buffy looked down at the bag.
“Great, I’m clothes duty person.” She looked around. “Hey, everyone come get your other clothes.”
They rummaged in the bag, pulling out their things.
Spike gave her a funny look. “Other clothes? We have other clothes? Nobody bloody bothered to tell me that.”
Buffy scratched the side of her face, realising with shock that she’d accidentally picked that habit up from Rikku. “Um, you don’t have other clothes. Um, c’mon.” She walked over to the counter.
“Hi, do you have clothes, for him.” She turned to point at Spike and found he was right behind her.
“But nothing poofy.” Spike added. “No dresses, funny colours, poncey sleeves. Just.. normal clothes.”
The Al Behd went into the building behind her, coming out a few moments later with a crimson top, very much like a normal short sleeved button up shirt, however it only buttoned to about halfway down the chest and it didn’t have a collar, the material was light but looked very durable and black, leather pants.
Buffy smiled. “They’re good, I’ll take them.” She handed over some Gil she’d picked up along the way, handing the bundle to Spike.
“Go, get changed.”
 
Buffy bundled everyone’s clothes up, except Spike’s coat which he put back on, she handed them to the Al Behd who took them and walked off into the building.
“So, what to do now?” Buffy mused, everyone was off doing their own thing, Spike was talking to an Al Behd, he came walking back to where Tidus was. “Cid says to tell you that they’ve taken a salvage crew back to Home, they’re going to catch up with us when they’re done, and you’d better look after Yuna, or else.”
Tidus gulped, somehow the message was scarier coming from Spike than anyone else, he wandered off to look for the summoner in question.
“Buffy?” Spike came up behind her. She turned around.
“Spike, Do you.. let’s go for a walk.”
He looked around. “Where to?”
“I saw the sea from up there.” She pointed back at the mountain they’d come from. “Maybe we could go there.”
“Uh, well..” He looked regretful. “The sea’s at the bottom of a cliff. But there’s a nice view.”
“Oh, okay.” Buffy took his hand, it was silly, she knew, but she felt.. reborn, almost. She wanted to do cute things like swimming in the ocean, watching the sunset. Things she never would have wanted to do with Riley. It was as though every bad relationship she’d had over the years washed away and she was left without the usual wariness that usually came with the word ‘boyfriend’. “Let’s go sit and watch the sea.”
Spike looked down at Buffy, at the slayer, at his slayer. He would have gone anywhere with her, done anything. He planted a kiss on top of her head. “It sounds good to me, luv.”
…
 
Ethan gave a nasty smile to the assembled demons. Tyralla demons, usually shy, darting away the minute they saw someone. They fed off baby animals and scavenged the remains of other demons. Now they were his. With a little magick and a lot of persuasion he had them built into a small army, nearly thirty in total. They were to help him take over Sunnydale, then become his minions, serving him forever.
…
 
Giles frowned as he read the newspaper.
“What’s wrong, anything on..” Xander trailed off, casting a glance towards Dawn who sat in the kitchen, her back to them.
“No, no. Nothing like that…It’s just. Peculiar.”
“Okay, peculiar five heads and three tails or peculiar Mary-Kate and Ashley are coming to .Sunnydale?” He thought about this for a second. “Please let it be the second.”
“Um.. no, no. There are just, well it appears there have been some rather unusual incidents around town, they don’t appear to be related.” 
Xander looked over Giles’ shoulder. He frowned, they were some pretty strange headlines. ‘Backyard collapses’ ‘Sunnydale tyres on the missing list’ ‘Power shortages attributed to severed cables’- the list went on. Something caught Giles’ eye. ‘Monkey’s ransack administrative buildings’.
“Monkeys?” Xander asked.
“It certainly seems unusual.” Giles said. “Perhaps we could talk with some of the witnesses.”
 
“Yes, I saw the whole thing.” The lady said as they sat in her living room. “Coffee?”
“Um, no, thankyou. Ahem, could you describe these monkeys?” Giles asked.
“Well, they were about the size of a ten year old child. They had very large ears, kind of torn I thought. They had no tails which seemed odd but they hung from the building just like those ones on T.V. They had funny squashed up faces and their fur..” She trailed off, looking guilty.
“Yes, their fur?” Giles asked.
“Their fur was blue.”
 
“Here we go.” Xander said. “Tyralla demon.”
Giles looked at the book. “That can’t be correct, granted they fit the description but that someone would call forth a multitudinous number of these demons is unlikely.”
“Why?” Xander asked.
“Well, they are merely scavengers, it would explain the strange happenings around town, however their behaviour is unprecedented. They shy away from humans as much as possible.”
“But, they like the graffiti on walls, holes in your garden thing?” Xander asked.
“Well, yes, as a matter of fact, they do. They appreciate chaos, they are often called the soldiers of the chaos god..” Giles’ voice trailed off.
“G-man?”
“I believe I know who called them. And how many times do I have to ask you to please not call me that!”
tbc