Subject: [OTL]: (Buffy/X-folk) Summerswind Book 2 Chapter 5/? (PG-15) Date: Sat, 31 May 2003 13:40:35 -0700 (PDT) From: Phil Hartman will1@earthling.net Summerswind Book 2 Chapter 5 by Phil Hartman DISCLAIMER: They're all either Marvel's or Joss Whedon's. No money is being made off of this. Please don't sue. -------------------------------------------------------- 1/29/2003: Downtown Salem Center, NY: 19:05 hrs EDT: -------------------------------------------------------- #OK. This practically redefines badness ...# Buffy knelt beside the still-dazed Angel, watching as Madelyne floated far above them with a maniacal grin. #And lots of green energy, which looks rather chaotic in nature,# Buffy thought, shivering even with her thick winter coat. #Maddie's never been this powerful ...# ~She's never been more unstable, either !~ a familiar voice rang in Buffy's head. ~BUFFY, GET DOWN !~ "Jean ? I'm trying to help you -" Madelyne began - - before a black-clad figure slammed into her, and grappled with her. "You knocked out Rachel and Giles, nearly burned out my mind, and gave Scott a migraine !" Jean Summers shouted over the noise of conflicting telekinetic energies. "How is THAT helping !?" "I can find - OWW ! - Sinister !" Madelyne demanded, fighting her way free of Jean's grip. "I'm -" "Hkthaethtyh malegraekvichi chuouren ..." Madelyne began to scream, as the greenish glow around her vanished. Her eyes returned to normal, and she fell before Jean could catch her. And landed in the waiting arms of Angelus. "WITCH," the smoldering and bloodied arch-vampire snarled, shifting to his demonic form. "No one plays pincushion with me and lives !" "But - I felt you - HOW ?" Angel demanded, struggling to his feet as Buffy tensed. "I was shielding my mind from her telepathic assault," Angelus hissed at his "brother." "Back off, or I turn her into one of mine. Better yet -" Time seemed to freeze. #This can't happen. This CAN'T happen,# Buffy thought, praying as she bolted. Angelus' jaws widened, and he leaned, in slow motion, for Madelyne's throat. Jean was screaming something, as if through a long tunnel. Ruby light lit up the evening and slammed into Angelus' back, while a desperate British voice called out Madelyne's name - - and she fell, unharmed, while Scott's optic blast threw Angelus across the road into the woods. "Madelyne ! Oh thank God - Buffy, please, get me my bag," Giles said, running up to check Madelyne's vitals. Scott, Rachel and Jean ran over or landed, while Buffy found Giles' bag laying in the snow near his van. "How - what happened ?" Buffy asked, kneeling beside Giles. "She was channeling some kind of entropic energy to amplify her powers, or perhaps to harm Angelus more directly," Giles said absently as he examined Madelyne with a crystal. "Oh no ... Madelyne, please ..." Madelyne's eyes shot open, and she gasped for air. "G-Giles - Jean, take Rachel and get away from here," she pleaded, gripping her template's forearms in an iron grasp. "Madelyne, what - oh my God," Jean prayed, going ashen. She closed her eyes, then placed a hand on Rachel's forehead, before grabbing the red-haired girl in a telekinetic grip and starting to float away. "Mom, what're you doing !? I - you cut my psi-link with Madelyne !? What's going on !?" Rachel pleaded, starting to tear up. "This is all my fault. I never should have allowed you to examine my library," Giles said, his voice thickening, as Madelyne caressed his face. "It was my choice. Rupert, forgive me - and Jean, also," Madelyne whispered, going limp. "I just wanted to end Angelus' reign of ..." Scott's jaw worked silently, as Rachel sobbed and leaned into her mother's arms. Angel gripped Buffy's shoulders from behind, as Giles closed Madelyne's eyes. "Madelyne tapped into primal chaos energy to amplify her already-considerable psionic gifts. Not having proper mystick training, however, she burned out her lifeforce channeling the energies," Giles rasped, looking away. Buffy shuddered, sobbing, and let Angel hug her. -------------------------------------------------------- 1/31/2003: Annandale-on-Hudson, NY: Martin's Yard: 13:04 hrs EDT: -------------------------------------------------------- "Oh, Buffy ..." "Thanks, Will," Buffy sniffed, leaning on Willow as they walked away from the fresh grave. The Scoobies had gotten time off from school to attend Madelyne's funeral with Buffy, Scott, Jean, Rachel, Giles and Jean's surviving family. "This totally sucks. Maddie tries to do the right thing, then fries herself while Angelus walks off," Xander snorted, scowling while he put an arm around Cordelia's shoulders. He glanced at his girlfriend, whose eyes had widened. "There are a lot of ghosts here," Cordelia breathed, leaning into Xander. "I can see them easily ..." "Just as long as Madelyne isn't one of them," Oz said, shaking his head and hugging Willow. "You OK ?" "Yeah ... it's just so ... sad," Willow said, leaning against Oz. They stopped beneath a bare tree, and she looked at her red-haired boyfriend. "What about you ? I mean, it's ... you know," Willow asked softly. "My training with Jack Russell's helped. Besides, it's not time yet," Oz said, smiling weakly at the thought of his monthly lycanthropic concern. It had been some time since Oz had gone on a rampage in his werewolf form. In fact, after befriending the other Scoobies, he had been able to find Jack Russell, the famous "Werewolf by Night," for advice on controlling his transformations. #I'm not even monster-wolf anymore. When I do change, I look like a timberwolf. And I've got a lot more intellect than I used to,# Oz pondered, walking with Willow towards the waiting limousines. #Just wish I could track down Angelus ...# -------------------------------------------------------- 2/2/2003: Salem Center Sewers: 20:00 hrs EDT: -------------------------------------------------------- "I hate this. The olfactory experience is completely ... lacking ... in joie de vrie." "Look, luv, it's not my favorite thing either. But until we find out what the bloody Slayer's up to, we can't go up top," Spike muttered at Dru. The vampire couple had found a small maintenance room off of one of the main tunnels, and had furnished it, albeit primitively, after fleeing Angelus' headquarters during Madelyne's assault. #Nothing down here but whining Dru and bloody rats,# Spike thought, turning up his nose at the cage full of potential nourishment. #This is no way for someone who bloody well took down two Slayers to be spending undeath.# Dru hugged Spike from behind, dangling a rat by its tail before him. "Join me," she purred, nuzzling his neck. "That's IT !" Spike snarled, pushing Dru away. "Have your rat. I'm getting me some Slayer and putting a bloody end to this farce !" -------------------------------------------------------- NEXT: Spike's plan; Buffy's mixed day; Willow's unpleasant surprise; Cordelia meets an elf; and Angelus' VERY bad break ... --------------------------------------------------------