Disclaimer and copyright: Buffy belongs to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy
Inc., and Warner Bros.
Logan/Wolverine belongs to Marvel.
Kai belongs to Kaylee, and you don't mess with her.
No one is making any money, so don't sue, please.

Ok, that's out of the way.  This is my first and was written for fun,
not accuracy, so please be kind.  This would not be possible without the
collaborative efforts of Kaylee and Shera.
Much credit goes to them.

If you happen to like it, let me know.  Please do not archive without my
permission, though.
If you don't happen to like it, have a nice day and read something
else.  :-)

_________________________________

X-Slayer
Chapter 6

The three adventurers made good time throughout the rest of the day, as
it was quite quiet compared to the morning.   By evening they had found
a nice glade backed up against thick woods and decided to call it a
night.

As they all quickly unpacked and put up their tents, Kai never stopped
sneaking looks at Buffy and Logan.  Both still had silly little grins on
their faces, and would snicker every now and then.  She would swear they
were staring at her, but when she would spin to look, they would be
attentively staring at something else.  She didn't care that her and
Buffy had already done the same to Logan this very morning, it was her
this time.  As besides, Logan deserved it.  That thought at least
brought a smile to her face.

Buffy put her tent up much more quickly than last night.  She barely
even noticed the sword on her back.  Indeed, she felt more comfortable
having it on.  She truly wasn't sure what had happened today, but she
felt good, and she knew it was the pool that had saved her life.  There
was an old magic there, that much she knew.  Part of that magic was on
her back.  She knew she was supposed to have it, and that there was a
reason.  She just didn't know what that reason was.  'All in its time,'
she thought, and then realized she had changed a bit since this
morning.  She knew that was good, and smiled.

Kai saw the smile and again just _knew_ Buffy was smiling about her.
"I'm not paranoid," she accidentally said out loud, unbeknownst to her.
Both Logan and Buffy turned toward her.

"Never said you were," Logan said.

"What?" asked Kai.

"You said you weren't paranoid.  I was just responding."

With hands on hips Kai responded, "I said no such thing."  She looked to
Buffy and Buffy nodded her head.  Throwing up her hands she said, "I am
outnumbered and very confused, but not paranoid."

"Like I said, 'never said you were'," Logan said, smiling as he crossed
his arms, waiting to see what she could do to embarrass herself further.

"Men!" she yelled, and looking at Buffy continued, "and vampire
slayers!"

Settling that in her mind, she began dinner.  Although it was comedic to
see her harried actions and quiet monologue against men and slayers,
Logan and Buffy with a glance at each other felt it was best to let her
be.  She would work this out herself, they hoped.

They noticed the quick dinner was ready, and arranged themselves on logs
by her now roaring fire.  It hadn't taken her long to drag in several
rather large branches, more like trees, and get them lit.  There was
plenty left over for tonight, although Logan knew that wasn't her
intentions.  Nervous energy and frustration, he figured.  Logan sat down
by her, expecting her to scoot away.  She didn't, but wouldn't look at
him.

The food wasn't gourmet, but the steak was good.  There was just
something about the great outdoors and a good steak.  At least she
hadn't burned it.  Of course, Logan wasn't about to voice this last
thought.

"Very good," said Buffy.  "I wish I could cook a bit better.  Never seem
to have much time to worry about it, though."

Kai looked at Buffy as she worked on her dinner.  "Thanks, but I am not
Julia Childs."

"Don't worry," said Buffy with a mouthful, "you do fine."

Looking at Logan shoveling food into his mouth, Kai figured he
concurred.

The three finished up their plates, cleaned up, and sat to watch the
fire.  Buffy sat up suddenly and ran to her tent.  Logan and Kai watched
her with concern until they saw her walk back out to the fire, with
something silvery in her hands.  Looking rather sheepish, Buffy handed
each of them a foil packet.  "I'll take care of dessert.  Never tried it
before, but the freeze-dried ice cream just screamed for me to buy it.
Hope you like strawberry."  Laughing, she ripped open her packet and
watched the other two do the same.  Both were giggling like children as
they opened their packets and took a bite.

For no particular reason, all three burst into laughter at what they
were eating.  Logan bobbed a piece in the air with one hand like it was
floating and then grabbed at it with his mouth, looking like a lizard
having lunch.  This was enough to bring tears to all their eyes.  Buffy
fell back off her log and Logan and Kai were holding their stomachs they
were laughing so hard.

Into this scene walked a well-dressed man that looked like an
old-fashioned butler.  Buffy crawled back up onto her seat, and all
three stared up at him, snickering.

He looked at them, a bit confused.  Clearing his throat, he said, "My
Lord Beavis asks for your attendance at the castle this evening."

The three looked into each other’s eyes and started their laugh-fest
anew, each now ending up on the ground, tears rolling down their faces.

The man didn't quite know what to say.  Clearing his throat again, he
said, "May I have an answer, if you please?"

Logan made it up on his feet first, slowly getting his breath.  "Yea,
tell him we are comin’."  At this the man silently turned and left.

Kai and Buffy were now standing by Logan.  "Smarty-pants," Kai said.

"What," responded Logan, pointing to his chest.  "Me?"

"You idiot, you didn't ask where Lord Beavis lives."

Upon the mention of the Lord's name, all three started to laugh and
stumbled down the faint trail the visitor appeared to have taken.

Walking about one hundred yards down the trail, it opened up into a
clearing that exposed what could only be taken as a large castle.  No
moat, but it did have a drawbridge, which was down.

"Behold castle Beavis," said Kai with a snicker as they proceeded
inside.

The silently moving butler appeared on their left as they entered a
large open area inside.  "This way.  Lord Beavis is waiting."  So
saying, he started across the cobblestone entrance and up a stone
staircase on the left.  The trio followed him up the stairs, through
several long halls, down some stairs, and into a large banquet hall.  A
large fire burned brightly on one end of the large hall in an oversized
fireplace, a table occupying most of the area between it and them.

A lone, dark figure was seated in shadow at the end of the table.  The
butler said, "May I present Lord Beavis."  This said he departed out the
way they had came in, and closed the huge double doors behind him.

The three turned to see the figure rise and they started toward him.  A
deep voice came from the dark figure.  "Welcome to my keep.  I have been
expecting you.  Please, come down here and be seated."  Saying this he
waved his hand over the table and invited them to be seated.

Nearing him, they noticed that he was of a very pale countenance.  He
was dressed immaculately in a dark green dinner jacket, which only
served to set off his deep green eyes.  The eyes were the windows to the
soul, some say.  If so, this man had a very dark soul, indeed.  And
maybe none, thought Buffy, looking at him with very experienced eyes.

"Young lady," the Lord said as he noticed what was on her back.  "I
don't believe you will be needing the sword in here.  I realize you must
have dressed for the castle, but I assure it is not necessary."  As he
spoke, one could sense years of culture and breeding.  Not that this
would carry any weight with this group.

"Thanks, but I'll keep it.  Don't want my back getting cold."  Buffy
pulled out a chair and sat down on the right two seats from the head of
the table where Lord Beavis was seated.  Kai and Logan sat across from
her, also leaving an empty chair between the Lord and them.

"I heard you had already had your dinner, so I hope some dessert is in
order."  The quiet butler reappeared carrying a tray of silver.  On it
was large, silver bowls of -- ice cream.

The three looked at the bowls, knowing that to look up would cause
another ripple of laughter.  Instead, they dug in.  Their host did not
join them.  He just watched, quietly, until they were done.

"I hope you enjoyed that.  It was home-made, like many of my things."
Looking at Buffy, he continued.  "Have you had occasion to use your
sword around here lately?"

She looked up at him, frowning.  "Not that I remember, and I think I
would remember."

"Yes.  I would expect so.  I was just curious.  In this case it appears
I have another guest who has yet to introduce himself.  I would so much
like to make his acquaintance.  Or hers, as the case may be."  As he
talked he had his fingers together like a pyramid in front of him, and
strummed the fingers together as he brought them to his lips.  "Similar
to the desire I had to meet you three."

He took the time to look as each of them individually.  "You have been
causing quite a stir among my serfs.  Not something that causes
endearment, you must understand."

Sensing this might be getting serious, Logan interjected a question.
"Excuse me, your highness, but just how didja' get the moniker
'Beavis'?"

They saw his fingers tighten before he spoke.    "My moniker, as you
call it, was bestowed upon me by myself.  I have recently realized that
I am much like one who lived many years ago, a great but unknown
scientist.  In finding out that I am so similar to this ancient wise
man, I changed my name. "

"Outgrew yer old one, didja?"  Logan seemed to be regressing his speech
patterns around the 'wise one'.

"One might say that.  Yes, one might."  He started drumming his fingers
together again, and peered past them.  "Thank you for that thought."

The butler again snuck up on them quietly and cleared their table.  As
he was leaving, Lord Beavis arose.

"Please, if you will, come with me and I will give you a tour of my
holdings.  I have some things of interest to show you."

They arose and followed him as he walked through a small doorway by the
fireplace.  Again, they went down.  Some hallways contained what had to
have been priceless antiques.  This had to be thought about since they
looked so much like they belonged.  The tapestries, hand carved chairs,
and assorted weaponry on the walls seemed to pull them back in time.
Buffy had absolutely no self-conscious feelings about carting a large
sword on her back while walking past maces and pikes.

After going down a large, curved staircase, the four stepped into a
lab-like room.  Cages could be seen down a long hall to their right, and
ahead was what appeared to be a lab, with a surgical operating room
fully fitted behind it.  Some of the instrumentation seemed more
futuristic than your typical lab.

"This is my office."  Lord Beavis said, sweeping his arm across the
expanse of the room.  As he did this, they actually saw a small smile.
"This is where my miracles happen."

Walking to their right, he approached the hallway.  "Come with me and I
will show you what I mean."  He walked through the doorway and the three
followed.

Logan and Kai looked and each other and took the lead, with Buffy
following silently.  Humor was gone from their faces now.  They could
feel fear in the air.  Cold, stark, naked fear.  The first set of cages
they came to showed them some of what they were sensing.

"Here are your normal timber wolves," explained Lord Beavis.  Putting
his arms behind his back he began to lecture them.  "Throughout time
legends have told us of mythical creatures, the creatures that tickle
our imagination and hold us in fear while we sleep.  As I believe you
are all aware, not all legends are myths.  Here in my lab I have worked
to bring back some of what has been lost over time."  Pointing to the
cage, he singled out one of the wolves cowering in the corner.  "That
one appears weak and submissive.  My experiments have shown how to
genetically mix the wolf and a human, to create one with no fear."

At this revelation the three heads turned to look at him more closely.
Kai was the first to speak.  "You mean our visitors in the woods today
were your creatures?"

"Yes.  My children wanted to play.  I was deeply saddened by what you
did to them.  They were some of my first and favorite children."

"Look, pal," Logan growled, "I don't think this is time to be funnin'
about those abortions you call children."

Smiling, Lord Beavis replied, "I was not having fun with you, sir.  But
I shall.  I shall indeed."  This said, he snapped his fingers twice and
more of his wolf-things materialized behind the three.  "Secure them,"
he stated in a commanding voice, and they immediately closed in.