Chapter 8: Going Rogue - Part 1

[Black Eye Guy]

The Jet had landed out the back of the compound, all the pilot had been told was he was flying to Nepal, he would be given further details on Takeoff.

The jet was a simple one, it had 7 chairs in the back compartment, each could turn sideways to a desk or a computer.

Xander was the first to arrive and was on the phone making plans for their arrival, as he was speaking 3 slayers entered the room, Lisa, an 18 year old slayer from England, Rachel and Emily were both 17 and from the states, they had been asked to attend this mission with the others by Willow, to provide backup if it was needed.

[GATEGOD]

Faith finally got to the jet. When she boarded she spotted Xander sitting on the left, with 3 slayers behind him. 'Oh great, even more people.' Faith couldn't believe they were taking so many people but she would let it go, for now. 'If they're needed, they're needed, if they just sit there and look pretty, well that's fine too.'

She passed Xander with a cocky smile and rubbed his fluffy little head. "What's up Z? Still crying a river?" she said taking the furthest seat back.

Placing the scythe in the over head she waited for Xander to reply. Sadly, he was too busy talking to who knows who on the phone. She sighed and reclined the chair. Leaning back she stretched her arms and loosened herself up. She was still a bit sore but even more then that she was tired.

'I can't go to sleep, I can't. We have to plan out the mission...' She willed herself to keep her eyes open but all she could think about was how tired she was and how she'd wake if she was needed. 'It's not like they'll listen to you anyway.' The voice inside kept saying over and over. Finally she slowly let herself close her eyes and she drifted off waiting for the others to arrive. She would wake up if they ever started planing out the op, but until then she was going to catch some z's.

[palabravampiress]

[Jet - passenger cabin]

:: Just as Xander finished telling the abbot that they would need beds for seven people (if you could call Spike a “person” in the strictest sense of the word – and Xander couldn’t), three new slayers hopped on board. ::

:: Xander waved to the girls and then asked the abbot about room for three more, but it seemed there was no room at the inn. ::

:: He shrugged and assured the abbot that the arrangements were fine. ::

We’ll work and sleep in shifts. Complete down time for the entire group? Well, that has proven to be of the bad.

It seemed like every time they had any sort of down time, Ansara showed up with a doozy of an offense. She struck when they were vulnerable. So let’s not be vulnerable this time.

:: Faith boarded while Xander was working out the particulars of the landing site and time. If all went according to plan, they would arrive just after dusk. You’re welcome, Spike. ::

She passed Xander with a cocky smile and rubbed his fluffy little head. "What's up Z? Still crying a river?" she said taking the furthest seat back.

:: As he said his most polite thank-yous to the abbot, Xander used his free hand to flip Faith off. ::

What was her deal? Xander didn’t get it. Why was Faith being so openly hostile? Xander tried to be all… well, if not exactly super friendly, at least polite and professional and faux-British about things. They’d never really gotten along after that tiny little incident in which – what? Oh yeah – she’d tried to kill him. But she was on the team now and everyone swore that she’d changed. So he had accepted her. He had fought alongside her. He had trusted her to help him rather than to attempt a fun little homicidal romp. Recently, he’d even hacked up a demon for her and defended her when that newbie electro-girl started in on her in the middle of a meeting. Did she really wanna play nice with the scoobies and help with their whole saving-the-world gig, or was she just looking to punish herself in a place that was lacking in guards and bars and all the other little luxuries of home?

Of course, it could be the kiss thing, his brain spoke up even as he tried to shove that thought away. It was true. Faith had been acting all wonky ever since that stupid kiss in the hall. But what the who? She had started that, not him. It was her – Faith with her towel and her verbal insinuations and her… towel. How could she be all bronzed off about that?

Oooh! I know! It’s the demon! He had hacked to pieces a demon that had kicked her ass all over the kitchen. Maybe that was what made her go all let’s-prove-my-dominance. Of course, he’d only been able to do that because of the Anya thing. It was a dark moment. Brief, but dark. And only Dawnie knew why.

And that’s how it’s going to stay.

There was no need to go broadcasting his personal trauma to everyone at Slayer Central. But one thing was for sure: there’d be no forthcoming apology for the Riley remark, either. He’d meant to, but then the smoke demons had attacked and the whole thing now seemed… trivial.

:: After finalizing the gang’s travel itinerary and saying his goodbyes, Xander hung up and faced his fellow scoobies. It took some effort, but he managed to make eye contact with everyone – even Faith. ::

Well, if the demon hunting doesn’t work out, at least I know I’ve got a promising backup career as a travel agent.

To Faith and slayers: (Cheerily) “Okay. So the good news is that we’ve got a place to land and a place to stay. The bad news is that we’ve got to spend fifteen hours together in a cramped plane.”

:: He looked around the cabin. ::

Group: “Looks like we’re short a few bodies. Anybody seen our commando buddies or Dawn?”

:: A peculiar – yet familiar – warm-and-tingly feeling rose in his belly at the thought of Dawn. Xander was not amused. Great. When did *that* happen? Things would have been so much easier if she had just stayed a kid for, like, ever. ::

Of course, there was one thought that could always be counted on to tone down any sort of warm-and-tinglies – in Xander, anyway.

:: Beat ::

Spike.

Group: “Okay – or the great walking hairstyle?”

[Mesektet Ra]

Spike sighed loudly as he walked down the last few steps to the common room, the big picture window revealing the private jet somehow finagled for this mission. Well, they bloody well got everything else, he thought wryly for a moment, stopping to light a cigarette. He shifted the leather duffel bag onto his other shoulder, folding his arms a moment. One-Eyed Alex was running around like a sodding chicken with its head cut off, trying to be the fearless leader and all that. It amused him, to say the least.

Luckily for him, it was night. No need of the sodding blanket. Hmph. Small favors. He was still going on a mission with Cardboard and his G.I. Barbie, with Sparrow there tagging along for the ride. He had the Bit to worry about, and Faith...was Faith. She seemed to do much of her own looking after.

He pushed the door open and strolled out onto the landing pad, hand hooked leisurely in the strap of his bag. The cigarette dangled from his mouth precariously as he approached Xander.

"Okay - or the great walking hairstyle?"

Spike scoffed loudly. "The poofter's on a mission with the Slayer, you wanker," he bit off. Stealing my best stuff, he grumbled internally. Oh, this was going to be oh-so-very fun. "Stay the sodding hell out of my way, yea? Wouldn't want you losing the other eye. Slayer'd have my arse."

Without another word, he boarded the jet and flopped down in the nearest available seat. He folded his arms over his stomach and reclined the seat a bit, anxious to get on with this already.

[GATEGOD]

"What?!?! What?!?!" Faith groaned awakening from her dream. Looking around slowly she spotted Xander who was talking again. 'Yawn' was the word that flashed in her mind and then she doubled back over and fell in an out of consciousness. Moments later he said something else and Faith woke again. She rubbed her eyes with her hands to ease them back to life but they felt dead and dried up. She needed some serious z's and if Xander didn't shut up she'd never get a moments rest.

Just now she pieced together what he had said while she rubbed her eyes again then stared blankly at him. "Z!! please, please, please, give it a rest." She begged. "I know you may have gotten all the z's you needed last night but some of us on the other hand didn't. Meaning me. So can you please, please! keep it down." She was tempted to say something else but her head started to hurt and she felt a head ache coming on. "Please, for me, just this once." she tried to sound sincere, she was after all being sincere but nobody ever cared. She could become a nun and they'd think she had an alteria motive, they didn't care to look past the out, so why let them.

Xander said something Faith tried to make out, but her head was starting to pound and a few moments later she reclined back and passed out. She was going to be down and out for at least a half dozen hours, which was a good thing. She would need her strength for the mission at hand.

[palabravampiress]

[Jet]

Xander had wanted to figure out the mission on the plane, but the team was completely and utterly wiped. Faith was asleep – and judging by her oh-so-very-kind request for him to zip his trap, she wasn’t in any mood to wake up and get some work done. Spike wasn’t asleep, but he wasn’t exactly big strategy guy, either. The Finns, the new slayers, and even Dawnie all joined the sleepier-than-thou club as soon as the scoobies reached cruising altitude.

:: Defeated, Xander sighed and strapped in for the ride. ::

That’s fine. Shut eye is of the good. We can plan the mission later – like after we’re attacked on the tarmac, as per usual with you punch first, ask later types.

:: Xander reclined and settled against the head rest. ::

Don’t drool. Don’t snore. Don’t drool. Don’t snore.

:: Of course, it wasn’t really drooling or snoring that he had to worry about. It was talking. Anya had always said he talked in his sleep. And there were things he just didn’t want the people on board to know. ::


[Dream]
This time, in this dream, Anya was a stewardess. She stood in the front of the plane in blue eye shadow and that tight stewardess uniform she’d worn for him a few nights before the wedding that wasn’t. She forced a too-wide smile and a falsely chipper tone to her voice, lifted the safety instruction pamphlet, and then she spoke into a little intercom device thingie that seemed to materialize out of nowhere.


Anya:
Xander: "Okay. Let’s get started. All eyes to the front. Well, if that’s a plural for you. For some people, it isn’t. So I guess that means all readily available and currently socketed eyes to the front. Important government regulations demand that you pay your utmost attention to me. That means you, beady eye. If you fail to comply, I shall be forced to politely but forcefully remove your eyelids. Also, tipping is not customary, but it is advisable."

:: Xander smiled. ::

:: Casting him a sultry stare, Anya pulled a seatbelt out of thin air and demonstrated. ::

Xander: "Tab A into slot B. It’s not rocket science. What’s the point of having these interlocking little doohickeys if we don’t interlock?"

:: Dream Xander got sweaty palms, but he did as he was told and obediently strapped himself in. ::

:: Anya beamed. ::

Xander: "Good. I see that you accept my authority as granted by the airline and have agreed to comply with my orders. That is very wise. Next, we move onto the gas mask portion of the presentation."

:: The mask failed to materialize. ::

Xander: "Oh well. Let’s skip that part. If we crash, the mask probably won’t help you, anyway. Flotation devices are much more practical."

:: Xander had to admit that Anya had very nice flotation devices. ::


Xander:
Before he could further explore all of the different ways that he and Anya could find to make airplane talk sound dirty, the plane hit some turbulence. The gas masks came down. Then, suddenly, they weren’t on the plane anymore. They were on a different kind of aisle altogether: the wedding aisle. Still in her sexy stewardess getup, Anya waited at the end and beckoned.

Xander stood still, his feet tied in place in a tangle of gas masks and seat belts. The wedding march played. People began to gasp. Buffy juggled… were those geese? Demons and people got all WWF on each other and threw chairs. D’Hoffryn and Uncle Rory were in a cage match on the other side of the room. Halle and his mom were sticking pins into a Dad shaped voodoo doll. Back in the middle, the aisle got longer and longer.

No, Anya. Not again! Let’s go back to the flotation devices and the lips as red as rubies and your firm, yet supple….

This part of the dream was always the same. By the time he got his feet free of the cords and belts, which had suddenly turned into snakes, he couldn’t see the end of the aisle.

:: He ran anyway, brushing past Samuel L. Jackson on his way. ::

When he arrived, Anya was in her wedding dress, but she was also in demon form. This was when she typically killed him in some horribly emasculating and completely fitting way and he woke up in a sweat.

Tonight, his psyche had switched up the scenario a little bit. Tonight, she wasn’t just demon Anya, she was puss-dripping smoke demon Anya. And they weren’t in the chapel anymore, they were in his bedroom at the compound. The plane/wedding chapel walls just sort of melted. Her clothes melted too, along with her rosey, alive-like complexion.


Anya:
Xander: “It’s all your fault! If you had married me like you promised you would, everything would have been different!”


Xander:
:: Xander dropped her wrists – wrists that it appeared he had been holding. ::

Just like the real smoke demon Anya, this smoke demon Anya had a knife.

:: He looked at her – looked past the smoke demon gore and black eyes and really looked at her. He tried to see Anya in there somewhere. She was beautiful. Even with all those cuts and the rotting flesh thing, she was still beautiful. Too pretty for a putz like him. ::

Anya: “If you kill me now, will it be different?”

:: Anya just looked at him. ::


Anya:
Xander: “You can’t help me, Xander.”

Her voice sounded sad and soulful.


Xander:
Soulful. Does Anya even have a soul now?


Anya:
:: Anya pulled back the knife. She spoke to him as though he was a first grader and she was an annoyed teacher.

Xander: “Yes, Xander. Of course I have a soul. It’s not my body that went to Hell... although, technically, I guess it was chopped in two and then sucked down into the Hellmouth. So in theory, it is possible that my body still exists and is rotting in a hell dimension of some sort rather than in a hole under Sunnydale.”


[Jet]
:: Xander awoke with a scream just as she plunged the knife into his chest. ::

He was on a plane – one without stewardesses or Anya or wedding chapels. Faith was there. So were Spike and Dawnie and the Finns – and a couple of new slayers, too.

Great. Witnesses to the patheticness that is Xander. I’m having nightmares like a little… nightmare having person. Only not the cool spell kind; the real, lame kind.

:: Xander yawned and stretched. He tried to be all cool and nonchalant-like as he unbuckled his seat belt and headed for the lav. Once the door was shut behind him, he leaned over and lost what had been a brunch of doughnutty goodness. ::

:: He cleaned up and came back out. ::

Group: “Turbulence.”

:: Xander shrugged and, as he sat down and buckled back up, he tried to tell himself it really had been turbulence. ::

Group: “Anybody got a Mountain Dew?”

He needed caffeine, happy wonder drug of wakefulness that it was. No more sleep tonight.

Group: “So. How about this mission? Everybody catch enough Z’s?”

Right. Be one-with-the-mission, Xander. Be mission guy.

:: He looked at Spike, cocked a brow, and asked with genuine curiosity: ::

Spike: “Are you really gonna be up for sending Dru to Hell? Cuz I’m thinkin’ that’s probably on the travel itinerary.”

[GATEGOD]

Faith yawned and stretched out her arms. Eyes still closed she tried to wake up, but all she felt like doing was drifting off back into her dreams. For some reason her once clear as day fantasy was now mixed and mingled with a hundred different pieces and all were colliding in her head, not making any bit of sense. The dream was slipping away and there was no way of getting back to it. 'Damn'

Seconds later she heard someone walking the isle and addressing the group. Sounded like child, when she opened her eyes she saw it was Xander going on about something with Spike. The light from the plane was hurting her eyes so she closed them, and again began to rub them back awake. Before she decided to open them again etched out her back and stretched again. A sigh of comfort as the pleasure flowed through her body and into all her extremities came from her mouth.

Her eyes still didn't feel up to the light but she opened them anyway and had a look around. Xander and Spike were still yapping at something, and the others were either sleeping or playing dead, or Faith was just seeing things. She couldn't tell. She was still slumped down in the chair. Her feet were somehow on top of the chair infront of her and her own chair was reclined so far it hit the back of the wall behind her.

She didn't want to interrupt the boys boyscout meeting so she flipped around the small table with the computer on it and plugged in a pair of headphones. After placing the headphones into her ears she scratched her head and looked for something to listen to. 'Now where would I be if I was one of the greatest bands eve..' 'Ah! Found it!'

She flipped on the greatest hits of the Stone Roses and turned the volume through the roof. There were still hours to go before they landed and she sure as hell didn't want to talk to Xander for that long, or for the Riley's for that matter. She leaned back, closed her eyes, and began singing the lyrics to the Stone Roses songs in her head.

[palabravampiress]

[Jet]

Spike didn’t seem up to answering.

And why would he want to answer an emotionally draining and completely intrusive sort of question? It’s not like it’s vital to the mission or any – oh wait, yes it is. It is vital to the mission. It’s just that no one else gives a rat’s ass about the mission but me.

:: Xander turned to Faith. ::

She was awake. He knew it. He had just caught her fiddling with her headphones.

:: He tapped her on the shoulder and then he looked away kind of nervously. ::

Was I always this fidgety?

It was the dreams. The nightmares. They were getting to him. Making him tap his feet or click his fingernails or just do something all the time just to make sure he stayed awake. He wished Buffy was around. She’d understand – at least a little.

Yeah, but her people always come *back* from Hell.

But the nightmares: those, she’d get. She’d been pretty wigged after she’d had to go all d’Artagnan on dead boy’s butt. He kinda got that whole pissy mood she’d been in now.

Hey, better late than never.

:: Xander shrugged and turned reluctantly toward Faith. There was something he’d been meaning to say. ::

Faith: “About the thing – you know, in the kitchen. The one with the, uhh – ”

:: He jerked his head in the direction of the sleeping Finns. ::

Faith: “Things went all Sunnydale there for a while. I never got the chance to, you know, do that thing where I say I am Xander, King of Cretins and you agree.”

:: Xander looked at his feet, and then he brought his eye up to, well, not one of hers, exactly, but at least to the bridge of her nose. ::

Faith: “I shouldn’t have brought it up. It was a crappy thing for me to say. It was just –”

For a second, he considered telling Faith why he’d said it. It wasn’t really like he thought she’d care. That was the thing. Maybe it was just the whole nearly killing him incident skewing his opinion of his near-murderess, but he was pretty sure she didn’t give a damn about him or anyone else. The fact that she wouldn’t care sort of made it seem safe to tell her – at least for Xander who, let’s face it, had a history of trusting demons, of all “people.”

Then again, it also makes it pointless, cuz she’ll just tell me to leave her to her edgy, hip music and rebel-without-a-cause attitude in peace.

:: Xander tapped his fingernails against the arm rest and looked away. ::

Faith: “Eh, forget it. It was just me being Mr. Foot-in-the-Mouth, like always. Anyway, I just wanted to make sure we’re all square before we touch down. You know – for the mission.”

:: While he waited for Faith to respond – if she would respond, his gaze fell on Dawn. ::

She was sleeping across the aisle, all curled up in her chair. She sat between Spike and Riley, probably trying to keep the peace, knowing her. She snored a little bit, but other than that, she looked all peaceful and… young.

It was weird. She seemed to spend just about every single minute of every single day trying to tell Xander and Buffy and everyone else that she wasn’t a little kid anymore, but the little bit of babyfat still clinging to her cheeks said something different. She looked so innocent. So sweet. And when she smiled, well, he’d never seen a smile so big or so bright. She was like the Gwen Stacy to his Peter Parker – beautiful and popular and pretty and talented and every other good thing. But look how that had turned out.

He knew – boy did he know – that Dawn wanted him to feel something illicit when he looked at her. And yeah, sometimes, it worked. Cuz damn, Daddy did like. He could admit that – to himself, anyway. But mostly, when he looked at her, he just felt the urge to protect her. They were so much alike, with their non-super, non-special, sorta geeky selves. He didn’t want five years to go by and find Dawnie sitting where he sat: all piratey and old and having nightmares of the creepy-long-suffering-ex-demon-dead-lover variety. It wasn’t what Dawn wanted him to want for or from her, but Xander thought it was better. Being with him, well, it was a death sentence. Plus, not very sanitary, what with the not-so-funny syphilis.

But then again, that had been fixed. Thank God for antibiotics.

If Xander had to get an STD from a pissed off Indian tribe, he was glad it had been one of the curable kinds.

:: He looked back and forth between Dawn and Faith. One looked sleepy and innocent and the other looked, as always, bored and annoyed. ::

Not that I’ll be getting laid anytime soon... or possibly ever again.

[GATEGOD]

Drowned in the sound of the Stone Roses Faith felt a vibration on her chair and squinted to see Xander turning away and gazing at Dawn. He looked ready to jump her bones she thought but the thought quickly passed as she closed her eyes again. Her favorite song just flipped on and she could care less about Xander's affection for Buffy's little sis, it was disgusting, but that's Xander for ya. Before Xander could annoy her she turned the volume all the way up and relaxed. She could sense someone was saying or doing something but she tuned them out as her favorite part came on. She was tempted to start bobbing her head but Xander was still lurking around so she contained herself, mostly.

As the song ended, before the new one began, she thought she heard Xander saying something so she sighed and took the ear piece out of her left ear and slowly opened her eyes. Xander was again awkwardly staring at Dawn. Faith rolled her eyes and put the ear piece back in and closed her eyes. A few moments later she felt another tap on her chair and she glanced at Xander who was now gazing at her. 'Oh great' rolled through her mind as she took the headphones off and placed them on the table.

"Did you say something?" she asked awkwardly trying to read him. He looked upset, but then again five seconds ago he was smiling. That stupid eye patch of his was distorting her perception of him. She was sure he went off on a tangent and made some great speech aimed at her but with her headphones at full blast she didn't catch any of it, nor cared to.

Staring into his eye she waited and waited and waited for him to say something. Now he seemed perturbed and uneasy. Faith's boredom level felt like it was about to hit bottom as he kept staring at her not saying anything. 'Oh my god! Say something... I'm waiting, you're killing me!! "KILL HIM" So bored... so bored... yawn.... Say..' "Say something, It's not like I have anything better to do." ending sarcastically she looked back towards her headphones.

[palabravampiress]

[Jet]

Faith took a long time to respond. When she finally looked up and noticed him, she seemed vaguely disgusted.

Yup. Apologizing is definitely of the good.

She asked him if he said anything.

Great. I hafta apologize not once, but twice. Humiliation with a side of easy-to-ignore. Just what I always wanted.

:: He stared at the bridge of Faith's nose and nervously tapped his feet. ::

Faith: "I just wanted to apologize -- you know, for the Riley thing. It was a -- I was kind of a jerk. I kind of have this tendency to open foot and insert mouth. Foot-in-mouth disease. I think it's genetic. It's nothing personal against you or anything."

:: Xander sighed and looked up at her. ::

Faith: "Just wanna make sure we're all square before we do this whole taking out Dru and Ansara thing."

There was an awkward silence.

Faith: "Seriously."

:: Feeling a little more confident, he smiled at her. ::

Faith: "I'd invite you to rake me over the coals in retaliation, but you did that in the meeting already."

[GATEGOD]

When Xander finally finished, yes... his speech, Faith smiled and punched him in the shoulder. "We're five by five Z. No hard feelings."

She laughed as he began to rub his shoulder. "Sorry..." She kept forgetting her own strength, 'must be the exhaustion.'

She looked back towards her headphones and was tempted to pick them up, but made herself ask the question.

"So" she began "How long til we hit Nepal?" 'Can't be too long, can it?' she asked herself in tangent.

After Xander responded she stretched back her arms and moaned 'ahh' She loved stretching out, it never felt bad.

'Shouldn't we have... discussed the mission...' swept through her head as she turned to Xander.

"We even have a plan..." she asked, rolling her eyes at everyone else lying in there seats.

[palabravampiress]

[Jet]

Fourteen hours in, and someone finally wanted to discuss the plan!

Xander almost jumped for joy – not that there was anywhere to jump to on this itty bitty jet.

Faith: “Well, no. The team’s sort of in sleep mode, which I figure is deserved since we’re all pretty zonked after the smoke demon fight. It looks like the scooby meeting will have to wait until we're back on solid ground.”

:: Xander frowned at the thought of the smoke demons – of Anya, really – but then he brightened a bit. He didn’t smile, but he didn’t frown, either. He had some good news, after all. ::

Faith: “Found us a place to stay, though. The Lhundrup Monastery in Boudhanath. And yes, I am sure I mangled that pronunciation like Oz with a chew toy. Anyway, it’s a little ways away from Kathmandu. It’s not the Hilton, but it’s off the radar; with a little luck, Dru and Ansara won’t see us coming. The abbot’s meeting us at the landing strip and taking us straight to the monastery.”

:: Xander cocked his head to the side and thought for a moment. ::

What is the best way to surprise a vampire vampire slayer and nutso psychic?

Faith: “As far as a plan goes, well, you got any suggestions? Cuz I got a big, fat load of nothin’.”

Xander really did have something, but ever since Faith’s outburst, he’d figured he’d need to handle her with kid gloves. Do the “neck” thing from My Big Fat Greek Wedding – only reverse, as is only fitting in the backwards, bizzaro world that is my life.

Faith: “I’ve got nothing, like I said, but I am thinking that maybe we need to find out why Dru’s in Nepal and where she’s hiding. Spike probably has some idea of where Dru would go. As for what they’ve got….”

:: Xander opened his laptop and pulled up a file. Excitedly, he pointed to it and handed the laptop off to Faith.[/i]

Faith: “I’ve been looking over the records for the no-show slayers to see what they all have in common. And there is one thing. They all come from poor, rural backgrounds in secluded, close-knit communities. One’s even Amish, believe it or not. Likely to be superstitious – or religious, take your pick. Also likely to be used to roughing it and used to having a… let’s call it a team mentality with a side of brainwashing. Not big on the individuality, these girls.”

:: Xander looked away from the spreadsheet he’d made and over at Faith. ::

She looked like she might kill him if he didn’t shut his yap.

:: As discreetly as possible, he gulped. ::

Faith: “So, yeah. Whatever she’s doing, it looks like she wants ‘em malleable, but tough. The well-done hamburgers of slayerdom.”

Sorta like you, he thought, but he didn’t say it.

Faith: “That mean anything to you?”

Faith was about to respond, but then the pilot's voice sounded over the intercom.

Pilot: "We will be landing in about one hour, ladies and gentlemen. Just a status update: weather conditions are favorable and it looks like we'll have no problems with the landing."

[GATEGOD]

“Found us a place to stay, though. The Lhundrup Monastery in Boudhanath. And yes, I am sure I mangled that pronunciation like Oz with a chew toy. Anyway, it’s a little ways away from Kathmandu. It’s not the Hilton, but it’s off the radar; with a little luck, Dru and Ansara won’t see us coming. The abbot’s meeting us at the landing strip and taking us straight to the monastery.”



'Oh great... Why would anyone let Xander in charge of the accommodation's. We could be living like kings and instead he makes us live like peasants.' "Great Xander..." she said going for her headphones, but he continued which sadly stopped her.

“As far as a plan goes, well, you got any suggestions? Cuz I got a big, fat load of nothin’.”

'A plan... um....' "Yea, I got a plan." She scratched her head and tried to come up with something that would dazzle and impress, but that fell short when she blurted out "I'll take em out.... if I have to." she added refering to the slayers Ansara no doubt corrupted.

“I’ve got nothing, like I said, but I am thinking that maybe we need to find out why Dru’s in Nepal and where she’s hiding. Spike probably has some idea of where Dru would go. As for what they’ve got….”

:: Xander opened his laptop and pulled up a file. Excitedly, he pointed to it and handed the laptop off to Faith.

“I’ve been looking over the records for the no-show slayers to see what they all have in common. And there is one thing. They all come from poor, rural backgrounds in secluded, close-knit communities. One’s even Amish, believe it or not. Likely to be superstitious – or religious, take your pick. Also likely to be used to roughing it and used to having a… let’s call it a team mentality with a side of brainwashing. Not big on the individuality, these girls.”

"Everyone is big on individuality." she corrected and thought of her own past. How left out and abandoned she felt. How everyone seemed to do anything they could to disagree, or confront her. She didn't love being alone, but it was better then the alternative. She was beginning to feel sad and she sure as hell didn't want that. Faith was getting ready to go back to being alone to prove the point by grabbing her headphones but yet again Xander continued on.

“So, yeah. Whatever she’s doing, it looks like she wants ‘em malleable, but tough. The well-done hamburgers of slayerdom.”

“That mean anyth....


Xander didn't know when to stop talking. Leaning back, headphones back on and music full blast she closed her eyes again and waited for the plane to land. 'Whenever the hell that will be' The music had blocked out everything after anyth.. and Faith didn't mind, she knew where Xander was going with it. She couldn't even here herself think though with the headphones blasting at full volume, which she liked it. But she still felt she had to make her feelings clear. "YEA, YEA, I GET IT. THEY WILL PROBABLY BE DRONES. THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE WON'T BE TRYING TO HELP THEM. GOT IT."

[palabravampiress]

[Jet]

Xander probably should have been miffed when Faith shoved her headphones back on and ceased with the planning. Her plan? Kill ‘em if she has to. Help if she can. And these so-called “big guns” wondered why they needed a couple of actual brains on board along with the muscle.

So maybe he was a little miffed. But not so much. She looked sad for a minute there before she went and closed herself off.

“The mature solution is to spend your whole life telling stupid, pointless jokes so no one will notice you're just a scared, insecure little boy!”

:: Xander cringed as the memory came to him. ::

Anya's voice was always there – always saying what no one else had the guts to say. Always with the truth-telling.

:: Xander bristled and, without really meaning to, he scowled at Spike. ::

I shoulda dusted him, he thought for probably the millionth time.

:: Then, he looked back at Faith. ::

The music poured out of her headphones so loudly that he could even manage to make out some of the lyrics. Her eyes were closed, but no way was she sleeping with that kind of volume going on.

:: Xander shrugged and looked away. ::

He figured he knew a thing or two about coping. He had his upbeat chatter. She had her stony silence. It was more or less the same thing.

And hey! At least she’d not trying to destroy the world. Score one for team Scooby.

Besides, there wasn’t much point in getting mad at Faith. She’d just disappear again soon, anyway. She never did stick around long enough for anyone to get particularly attached.

:: Xander folded his arms over his chest and hunkered down in his seat, wishing he’d at least thought to bring a comic book or something to keep himself entertained. ::

Oh well. Just one more hour… hmm… I wonder if they’ve got Mountain Dew at the monastery.

He was dying for some green, gross, and synthetic energy-producing goodness.

[Wanabee-slayer]

:: As Dawn stepped foot on the plane she looked around awkwardly as she tried to make the all to hard decision of where to sit. She didn't really feel compelled to sit next to Mrs Finn, it was just to awkward with the whole your husband was in love with my sister thing. She did want to sit next to Xander but that too was kind of awkward. She felt a warm affection for him which continued to build with every word he spoke to her or about her. Deciding it was best to leave it alone for now Dawn finally settled into a seat between Riley and Spike. Both were like her brothers. She loved them both and missed them in turn when they left her behind. Plus it was probably safer for everyone if they had a mediator to keep the peace between them. Settling in for the trip Dawn smiled at Spike and Riley and slowly drifted off to sleep, her eyes finally resting on Xander before they finally closed. As sleep slowly took over Dawn's legs found their way onto the seat as she snuggled herself into Spike her head resting on his shoulder. It was as if some part of her subconciously knew that Spike would protect her, that she loved and trusted him more than almost anyone except for possibly Xander.::

[palabravampiress]

[Jet]

Xander:
The plane landed on a secluded airstrip in a secluded valley in a secluded stretch of the Himalayas. Apparently, these monk guys were big on privacy. That was definitely of the good, as far as Xander was concerned.

:: Xander was the first to exit. He left everyone else to file out behind him so that he could greet the abbot, which he did with a polite bow. ::

What ever happened to bowing? Nobody ever bows anymore back home – wherever that is. You never see monks, either. No wonder everyone wants to free Tibet. Even its refugees have more class than we do.

The abbot waited in front of two transport vehicles – old jeeps – driven by very young-looking boys. The man himself was short and old. He was sort of bent over and walked with a cane. His face was covered over in laugh lines and crinkled near the eyes. He wore very large plastic-rimmed glasses and, of course, a robe. He sort of looked like Clem – you know, if Clem was human and a monk.

Suddenly, it dawned on Xander that the nice man in the robe was waiting for him to say something.

Abbot: “Oh. Right. Sorry. Hold on just a – ”

:: He took out his phrase book and thumbed through it, trying desperately to find a greeting. ::

Fortunately, the abbot stopped him.


Abbot:
:: The abbot smiled serenely. ::

Xander: “It’s all right, Mister Harris. I speak English. It is very nice to meet you.”

:: He looked behind Xander. ::

Xander: “Is this the entire party?”

When Xander nodded, the abbot invited them all into the jeeps. Xander thought the jeeps would fall over the side of a cliff at least a dozen times, but an hour later, they somehow made it up the mountains and into the monastery alive.

:: The abbot left them near a small outbuilding that looked, like the jeeps, both ancient and also newly renovated. ::

:: He bowed to Xander and to the rest of the party. ::

Group: “Please enjoy your stay with us. As you requested, the other monks are unaware of your presence in the guest house, so please do try to come and go discreetly.”

:: He took the keys from the two boys and then passed them to Xander. ::

Xander: “It was a pleasure to meet you, Mister Harris. I will return from time to time to ensure that you are well cared for.”

:: So saying, the abbot gestured to the two young boys and walked with them along a narrow footpath that led further up the mountain – to the rest of the monastery, Xander assumed. ::


[Monastery – Guest House]

Xander:
:: Xander grabbed his bag and his laptop case and walked inside. ::

The outside of the guest house was sort of run-down, but the fine woodwork of the elaborately painted and carved paneling that he found inside gave his inner carpenter a happy. The main room was open and airy. Cushions lined the floor. Sleeping mats and extra linens were piled neatly in a corner. Despite the hum of the overhead electric lights, the main room gave off an ambience of peace and safety that Xander had never felt before.

Off to one side, there was a nook that contained a small, fairly modern kitchenette with a fridge and a camp stove and a low-to-the-ground tea table. Also, there were electrical outlets – two, to be exact, and seemingly the only two in the place. Next to the kitchen, there was a fairly modern bathroom containing a new looking commode and an old wooden tub with new plumbing fixtures sticking out of the delicately tiled wall above.

:: Xander rolled his eyes. ::

Great. Nine people. One bathroom. No mirror. I sense smelliness in our future.

On the other side of the main meditation room, there were three small guest chambers. Each contained two “beds” – or pallets, really with freshly laundered linens folded at the foot. Each room also contained a sink, (with running water, thank God) a night stand between the beds, and a small storage trunk at the bottom of each bed. The only available lighting in these rooms seemed to be from the candles that were laid out, along with a pack of matches, on the night stand in each room.

:: Xander turned and faced the group. He stood awkwardly, half disappointed in the rusticity of their accommodations and half enthralled by the carpentry. ::

Group: “Spartan. But really, would you just look at these wall panels?”

:: He pointed. ::

Group: “This is all hand crafted! That’s some quality wallmanship, right there.”

:: He beamed. ::

Of course, everyone else just sort of stared at him.

Xander (muttering under his breath): “Right. Cuz no one else spent seven years in Sunnydale rebuilding all of the walls you people kept knocking down."

:: Xander let his bags fall down onto one of the cushions. ::

Group: “So… who’s rooming with who… or is it whom? Man, where’s Giles when you need him?”

[GATEGOD]

With Scythe in one hand, laptop and headphones in the other, Faith made her way with the group into the guest house and quickly realized she wasn't going to like it. It looked worse then her old digs, and thats saying alot. She waited for Xander to stop talking. When he finally did she smiled and addressed the group.

"We'll be setting up camp here. You got twenty minutes to get settled in and then we'll be starting the meeting." She looked around at all there faces and then around the room. "Now I'll be rooming there." She pointed towards the door of one of the rooms. "You can all fight over the rest of the rooms and see which one of you lucky campers gets to room with me."

She smiled as a few of them rolled there eyes. "Alright, meet here in twenty, that's all." She motioned her hands as if greeting a king and laughed handing the floor back over to Xander as she walked away towards her room. Inside were two beds, separated by a tiny night stand. "Damn." she said closing the door behind her.

Walking over to the bed furthest from the door she threw the Scythe and laptop onto it and sat down. She could here the others still talking in the the next room. 'Probably debating who gets stuck with me' she thought, grabbing the Scythe and sticking it into a small chest that was stationed at the foot of her bed.

She looked back at the laptop and leaned over picking it up with both hands. It was still playing, she must have accidentally flipped it on when she threw it on the bed so she turned it off and placed it on the nightstand. That's when she saw them! "Thank god!" she yelled for all to here. Next to the laptop was a pack of matches. She picked them up and grabbed a pack of smokes from her back pocket and took one out. She scrapped the match against the pack and a small flame sprung up. Faith placed the cigarette into her mouth, with her left hand she cupped the flame and brought it to the cigarette. After lighting it she shook her hand, extinguishing the flame with a few twists of her wrist. Blowing a few puffs she sighed with a relaxation she hadn't felt in a while. 'Maybe this mission wouldn't suck so bad after all'

[palabravampiress]

[Monastery Guest House]

With Scythe in one hand, laptop and headphones in the other, Faith made her way with the group into the guest house and quickly realized she wasn't going to like it. It looked worse then her old digs, and thats saying alot. She waited for Xander to stop talking. When he finally did she smiled and addressed the group.

"We'll be setting up camp here. You got twenty minutes to get settled in and then we'll be starting the meeting." She looked around at all there faces and then around the room. "Now I'll be rooming there." She pointed towards the door of one of the rooms. "You can all fight over the rest of the rooms and see which one of you lucky campers gets to room with me."

She smiled as a few of them rolled there eyes. "Alright, meet here in twenty, that's all." She motioned her hands as if greeting a king and laughed handing the floor back over to Xander as she walked away towards her room. Inside were two beds, separated by a tiny night stand. "Damn." she said closing the door behind her.

:: Xander stared after Faith. ::

Who peed in her Wheaties? he wondered.

Sure, she was Miss Meeting now, nevermind that in the jet she’d been too worried about her headphones to give a flying pig about the plan.

:: After a few seconds, he turned back to the group and pointed toward the door that had just slammed behind Faith. ::

He wasn’t mad, really. He just didn’t particularly want to spend the next God-knows-how-many days listening to Faith’s insults and loud music.

Group: “I call dibs – on not that room. I am sooo not sleeping with Faith.”

There was an uncomfortable pause.

Group: “Okay. That sounded not so mean in my head. I didn’t mean….”

Just forget it!

:: Xander surveyed his choices. ::

He figured the Finns would take one room for themselves. So that left him with Spike, Dawnie, or one of the new and oh-so-underage recruits.

Excellent choices, all – if you’re the kind of person who likes root canals and spinal taps.

:: An uncomfortable tingling feeling rose up his spine vertebra by vertebra. Like he was being watched or something. ::

Better not be Dawnie. Best not to encourage her. The way she’s been acting, I’d take *Spike* over Dawn, and that’s saying something.

In spite himself, Xander felt his cheeks grow a little hotter.

On second thought, Spike might not be the safest choice. Can’t vamps… you know, smell that stuff or something? Like mind reading, but grosser. They can smell pheromones and hear heart beats and tell which way the blood flows and whatnot.

:: Xander cast a nervous glance in Spike’s direction. ::

He might kill me! Heck, *I’d* kill me, if I weren’t me, and I am me.

Briefly, Xander considered taking one of the sleeping mats in the main room. With six beds and nine people, some would have to sleep on the floor. But sleeping on the floor? It wasn’t exactly all senior-staff-member-like. Besides, it would make more sense to put some of the better warriors by the doors – just in case. Ansara decided to surprise attack this base just like she had the others.

Xander looked lovingly at the walls. He was practically salivating.

Would be a shame, though. I sooo hope she doesn’t hurt these walls.

In the end, he chose the room with the best carpentry.

Group: “I claim this one.”

:: He stalked off to the room next to Faith’s. ::

Whoever wanted to room with him could. If it was Dawn, he’d deal. If it was Spike, well, he’d wear a really big cross and eat lots of garlic. If it was one of the newbies… if it was one of the newbies, he’d thank his lucky stars.

[Mesektet Ra]

Spike sat quietly throughout the plane ride, his hand in his duster pocket, fiddling with a stake. Faith was being Faith, and Xander kept yapping on and on and Spike had half a mind to knock the wanker unconscious. He pointedly ignored him regarding the Dru question - who the hell was he to ask him something like that? It wasn't any of his bloody business in the first place.

He noticed that when Dawn had boarded initially that she had taken the seat next to him. He'd barely noticed that Cardboard had taken the one opposite her, and Dawn was probably trying her best to keep whatever scat amount of peace the poor Bit was able to find on this excursion. He smiled a little down at her crown of brown hair as she snuggled into him, deep asleep.

"Bleeding hell," he murmured as the jet landed. "That was a merry ride through hell." He shouldered his bag and peeled himself out from under the Bit, all at once not wanting to wake her but knowing it probably would be a good idea. "Dawn, love," he murmured, gently shaking her shoulder. "We're here."

He jumped off the stairs leading out of the plane and immediately lit up a cigarette. The nicotine felt good going down. He hadn't smoked throughout the whole trip, mostly because he was lost in his own thoughts.

He followed Xander's prattling to the guest house. He stood with everyone else as Xander picked a room. In the silence that followed, he turned to the rest of the group. "Well, I'm not rooming with that wanker." He turned around and found an empty room to himself. Cardboard and Barbie would prolly get their own room - he was almost serene at that thought. He didn't much care who else roomed with him.

[palabravampiress]

[Monastery Guest House – Xander’s Room]

:: Xander stowed his gear in the trunk at the foot of his bed and then looked at his watch. ::

Twenty minutes. Faith had said twenty minutes. Why he was listening to Faith, he didn’t know. Maybe it was just because he was itching to get to the planning already.

:: He pulled out his cell phone and checked for a signal. ::

One bar.

Score. A signal! Move over, Theravada school; here comes Techno-vada Buddhism. These monk guys must be technologically enlightened, too.

The results were promising, but one bar would not a stable connection make.

:: Reaching into his trunk, Xander grabbed a stake and his trusty axe. ::

“Always carry protection.” Isn’t that what the health teacher always used to say? Of course, Mr. Turner had been talking about a whole other kind of protection. Both are equally vital to one’s health and well-being.

:: Xander shrugged. ::

Such was the life of a Scooby.

:: He walked out into the main room. ::

Everyone but Spike, who had apparently already chosen a room and gone off to smoke or drink or do whatever it was that Spike did when he was alone, was still trying to figure out living arrangements.

:: Xander held up his cell phone. ::

Group: “I’m gonna go see if I can’t find a signal. You know, check in with the others.”

He only spoke to them in passing. He didn’t figure anyone would want to join him on the oh-so-exciting mission of checking in. And besides, they were probably all sick of hearing him yap, anyway. Heck, he was sick of hearing himself yap. It was just, well… hearing his own voice was better than hearing Anya’s voice, and that’s all he heard lately whenever he closed his eyes. Anything was better than that.

:: Xander walked outside and looked around. ::

Up the mountain and through the trees, he could see the flickering lights of the not-too-distant main complex of the monastery. He even heard a weird noise amidst the, uhh, generally weird noises of nighttime in the Himalayas. At first, he thought it was a didgeridoo, but then he realized that it was actually the chanting of the monks.

It was hypnotic, Xander thought, and very peaceful, even if he did sound similar when he belched out the alphabet… not the he ever did that, of course.

:: He walked a few yards up the mountain path that the abbot and his two young… acolytes or whatever they were… had taken, then he looked down at his cell phone. ::

Two bars.

By three bars, he had crossed the tree line and passed out of sight of the guest house, even though he could still see its flickering lights through the forest.

By four bars, the chanting drowned out the rest of the forest noise.

And by five, well, that’s when things got interesting.

:: He dialed Buffy’s number first. Not that he thought he’d reach her. He just left a message letting her know that they’d landed safely and that Dawn was fine. He kept walking. He should have kept his eye on the path, but he didn’t. Instead, he looked at his cell phone as he dialed Will’s number… and then he stepped into a giant pile of…. ::

:: Xander’s left sneaker made a squishing sound as it sunk ankle deep into something… stinky. ::

Xander: “Crap! Awww, crap, it is crap!”

:: Xander pulled his leg up and looked cautiously around him. He lifted his axe. ::

The ginormous pile of grossness was still squishy and smelly. That meant it was fresh. Something huge had just been where Xander now stood… and it had forgotten to flush.

Okay, so not a tiger or one of those snow leopard things. Cats cover their poo. So what else? A bear? Are there bears in the Himalayas?

:: Quickly, he left a message with Willow stating that they’d landed safely and had cell phone service near the guest house, and then he used the light from his cell phone to look for paw prints. ::

He didn’t find any. The only prints he saw were his own and also some large barefooted, kinda human shaped prints – probably left by one monster of a monk.

Gross. Xander thought. What? Don’t Buddhists believe in bathrooms? Nevermind the Techno-vada thing. I take it back. Even the Bringers and Glory’s follower guys seemed to care about personal hygiene.

:: Xander sighed and, scraping his foot against every possible rock or branch along the way, stalked back to the guest house. ::

:: He took his shoes off at the entrance and then, holding the offending footwear at an arm’s length away, he hurried past the group and into his room. ::

Group: “Don’t ask.”

:: In his room, he held the soiled shoe under the faucet and scrubbed at it with an old sock. ::

Thankfully, he’d scraped most of the stuff off on the walk back to the guest house.

:: He yawned. ::

He was already exhausted by everything about this trip: the torturous plane ride, the “cozy” accommodations, (Hey, it’s not like I knew Willow was gonna add three extra slayers at the last minute!) the nasty monk guys, the complete lack of soda in the fridge, and… Faith’s increasingly irritating attitude. It was like band camp or something. The words “humiliation” and “tedium” didn’t even begin to cover it.

And here I thought those days ended when we turned my hometown into a crater.

[GATEGOD]

Faith leaned back and placed her head on the soft pillow behind her. Smoke now filled the air from the cigarette which hung between her two fingers. She let a cute sigh and closed her eyes. She had a good twenty minutes to just lay back in a comfortable bed. More comfortable then on the jet, where she couldn't even light up.

She wasn't good at the whole, ''do nothing'', well, unless she wanted to do nothing. Being lazy she reached over and slammed the play button on the laptop. She could here the music pounding out of the headphones but couldn't reach them without getting up, so she just listened to the beat. When the song changed she easily made out the song and quietly sang along with it, while letting herself still here the music from the headphones. 'been casing your joint for the best years of my'

"Ah, Crap!" she yelled stopping herself in mid song. The cigarette was about to fall to pieces and their was no ash tray in the whole freaking room. She jumped up looking around for something to use when she spotted the sink. She ran to it just as the ashes began to fall from the cigarette. Thankfully they landed in the sink. She sighed in relief and then stopped herself... 'why the hell do I care if I ruin the monks carpeting' "God! get a hold of yourself Faith."

She walked back over to the laptop and turned it off while flipping the screen down. 'Maybe I should have said five minutes' she thought to herself as she shook her head. 'Entertain yourself, entertain yourself, enter..' "Screw this." Taking a puff from her cigarette she walked over to the door.

[Wanabee-slayer]

:: As Spike pulled her out of a dreamless slumber, Dawn groaned slightly before sliding out of her seat and following the group off the plane and into the jeeps which were awaiting them. The trip to the monestary was short and spent mostly in silence as the large group attempted to take in their surroundings. As the jeeps finally came to a halt Dawn clambered from the car and followed the abbot and Xander into a slightly delapadated building. Sighing Dawn looked around dropping her bags to the floor. ::

Aloud: "Well at least it's till standing."

:: Soon people were splitting up and going to their rooms, and Dawn had a decision to make. Spike, Faith and Xander had each claimed a room, Faith making it pretty clear she didn't want to share. Dawn was positive that Mr and Mrs Finn would take a room, and the same could be said about their slayer back up. This only left Dawn with two options, Spike or Xander? It was true she had been posed with this question many times before, but each time it became increasingly difficult. Xander had always been her little crush, but never had she thought that maybe he just might like her too. He'd been her safe haven, he always had been, but despite that still being there Dawn felt awkward around him. Spike on the other hand had changed from foe to friend, to foe and now he had the role of big brother. She wasn't sure it was a role he wanted to take but she was glad all the same to think of him as one. Finally making up her mind Dawn picked up her bag and walked awkwardly into Spike's room, knocking on the door. ::

Spike:"Hey, um, is it okay if I share with you, caue Faith kind of scares me."

[Mesektet Ra]

Spike had laid out on the bed, bag beside him on the bed. Cigarette smoke curled in the air as he lay there, for the moment lost in whatever Drusilla thoughts he'd managed to cook up in the five seconds he had for himself.

A gentle knock sounded, and Dawn opened the door; Spike sat up and crushed his cigarette immediately into the carpet without a second thought. "Of course, love," he said invitingly, secretly glad the Bit had chosen him over One-Eyed Alex. Spike wins again! "Make yourself at home."

[GATEGOD]

Exiting her newly acquired digs she saw the three remaining slayers aswell as Riley and Sam still standing there motionless. She had half a mind to tell them off but she had an itch she needed to scratch. She passed by the group barely giving them a second look and walked into the kitchen, if you could call it a kitchen. It was quite small but it had one advantage, a fridge. She wasn't expecting anything enjoyable within it but what she found was shocking. She loved it.

Smiling as the door slid open she gazed upon two six packs of beer, a 12 pack of pepsi, orange juice, apple juice, the whole shebang! 'Wicked!' she thought as she reached for a can of beer, removing it from the rest with ease and popping the top. There was the sweet sound of air rushing out as some of the liquid within splattered on her hand. She laughed and brought the can to her mouth. She could here it bubbling inside as she took a giant gulp before closing the door of the refrigerator behind her. Then, after shaking off the beer that dripped onto her hand, she walked back towards the group. "These monks sure got style, check the fridge" she said motioning her head back towards the kitchen.

They didn't seem as thrilled as she did, but that's there loss. In her other hand she brought the cigarette back to her mouth and took a puff. Smoke now filled the air infront of her. Beer in one hand, smoke in the other, 10 minutes before the meeting. 'Yay Faith' She placed the cigarette into her mouth so she could open the door to her room. Once inside she exhaled again and flicked the ashes into the sink. There wasn't much left of it so took one final puff then flicked it into the sink aswell. She still didn't have a roommate, she was pissed no one wanted to bunk with her, and yet she loved the fact that she had it all to herself for the time being, she new that probably wouldn't last, but she could dream. She hopped back onto the bed and placed the beer on the table next to her.

[palabravampiress]

[Monastery]

Xander:
:: Just as he heard the door to Faith’s room slam shut yet again, Xander looked at his watch. ::

Ten more minutes. His shoe would take longer than that to dry.

:: Barefoot, he left his room and walked toward the kitchen. Once there, he staked out some prime table real estate and set up his laptop. Then, he rifled through the fridge until, way in the back, he found what he was looking for. ::

Xander: “There is a God!”

:: Triumphant, he reached inside and pulled out a can of Pepsi. He couldn’t read anything printed on the label, of course, but that little dot thingie on the can was the universal language for caffeinated goodness.::

Voice: “That’s funny. I pegged you for an atheist.”

The harsh Cockney accent came from out of nowhere – well, that or Eastenders. It startled him and, even though he tried to cover with an “Aha!” and the timely grabbage of another Pepsi can, (these monks sure were light on the junk food) he hit his head on the way out of the fridge.

The speaker, Xander saw, was a slayer named Lisa. She wasn’t quite as young or as green as the other recruits. She’d seen some action. She’d seen Xander in action, actually. As per his duties as watcher man, he’d taught her a lot of her moves. He was glad it was her. They got along well together – a lot better than he got along with some of the more seasoned scoobies, that was for sure.


Lisa:
:: Lisa smiled and nervously ran one hand through her hair. This month, it was orange and spikey. She held out the other hand to Xander. ::

Xander: “’Zat for me?”

:: He muttered something inconsequential like “Uhh… sure” and handed her the can. ::

Their fingers touched for a moment. Lisa noticed, so to pretend that she didn’t notice, she looked down and focused on opening her can. That’s when she noticed something else: Xander wasn’t wearing any shoes.

:: She gestured toward his feet. ::

Xander: “S’very zen of you.”


Xander:
:: Lisa pointed at his feet and said something about them being “zen.” ::

Xander: “Umm… huh?”

:: He looked down and saw his bare toes. He wiggled them. ::

Lisa: “Oh yeah. Long story.”

:: She raised an eyebrow at him. ::

:: He blushed. ::

Lisa: “Okay, fine. It was feces. I stepped in a big pile of feces. Like, huge. Ankle deep.”

:: Still blushing, Xander added an eye roll to the mix. ::

Lisa: “All right. Let the pointing and laughing commence.”

Lisa didn’t point and laugh, though. Instead, she looked concerned. Either that, or she looked somewhat confused and slightly disgusted. Whatever one raised eyebrow meant, that’s how Lisa looked.

:: Xander held out his arms in a calming gesture that turned out anything but, considering his recent inability to be anything resembling calm. All of this sleeplessness was giving him the jitters. He blamed Ansara or Dru or whoever else had sicked that smoke demon on him. ::

Lisa: “Nothing to worry about. Nothing demony, at least. Probably just a tiger or a bear or a really nasty mon– ”

:: Just then, Xander was cut off. The door to the monastery, as well made as it was, practically exploded off its hinges. The door remained more or less intact, but the hinges were splinters in no time. ::

Awww! Not the door! Even the hinges have carvings on them!

:: Something big and cone-headed and covered in reddish brown fur and vaguely person-shaped barreled into the building. It looked kind of like a cross between the Jolly Green Giant and Cousin It – only minus the leafyness. Seemingly unfazed by the presence of the assembled scoobies, the thing headed straight for the bedrooms. In fact, it headed straight for Xander’s bedroom. ::

:: Xander dropped his precious soda can so that it cracked open and spilled all over the floor. Amazed, he cocked his head to the side and flopped his mouth open and shut. ::

Finally, he found some words in addition to the plain old “Gah!” that was floating around in his mind.

Lisa: “Or, you know, the abominable snowman.”

:: Xander blinked and shook his head. ::

When he looked back, the thing was still there.

:: This time, it threw Xander’s door off its hinges. ::

Lisa: “Have I entered the hallucinatory phase of sleep deprivation, or did a Yeti just break the door down?”

With a wickedly excited grin, Lisa assured him that he wasn’t hallucinating. Then, grabbing a knife from her back pocket, – (because *she* came to Scooby meetings prepared, unlike Xander who had dumped his axe in his room) – she sprang into action. With the confidence and grace of a slayer, she leaped through the air and charged the creature at full speed.

[Slayergal]

::Sam opened the door and walked into her and Riley's room and closed the door behind her. She took a look around. It wasn't much but it wasn't any worse than any other places her and Riley had stayed on any of their other missions. It would have been nicer if they had their own pivate bathroom instead they were stuck sharing the only bathroom with the other members of the mission team. Right now that didn't matter. She was alone now except for Riley. She could really use a shower but more than that she could use some sleep. She walked over and sat on the bed. Boy a nice hot shower sounded good right now. But knowing her luck she wouldn't be the only one wanting a shower and she wasn't about to fight any member of the group right now for first dibs on the bathroom right now. So she decided she would get a little sleep. She looked over at Riley. He seemed to be so distant as of late. She wondered what was on his mind.::

Riley: "You look like you could use a little sleep soldier?"

::Sam smiled and patted the bed indicating Riley to come join her as she laid down the bed getting comfortable. She wonder what the rest of the group was doing but frankly she didn't care at the moment. It had been an awkward and exhausting few days.::

[GATEGOD]

A few moments after Faith had plopped onto her nice firm bed she heard a loud explosion in the other room. 'What the' "What the f--- ??" Nothing had been out of place a minute ago when she grabbed herself a can of beer. 'What did Xander do this time.' flashed in her mind as she heard another, closer, and much louder explosion near Xander's room. Before she could react the beer had jumped off the table and splattered onto the carpet below. "Damnit" She cried out. She could care less about the carpet, what she cared about was the beer. She really wanted that beer.

Jumping up she raced to the door. After opening it, her draw nearly dropped. A yeti like creature stood nearly 8 feet tall with one of the slayers held between it's hands. Faith rushed back through her room and ripped open the chest and proceeded to pull out the Scythe. Buffy's scythe. 'My scythe.' Both hands fully grasped the handle as she ran through the door. Like a baseball bat she swung coming from the side slamming into the white beast's stomach spewing blood into the air. The slayer in his arms fell to the floor and the beast half dead stumbled forward. Faith still with her hands on the scythe ripped it out from the beasts gut.

It let out a huge roar and smacked Faith back into a wall. "Ahh" she moaned as pain tore through her back. It didn't last long and she was back on her feet twenty seconds later, but the beast was gone. It had bolted faster then one of her boyfriends. It's trail of blood lined the floor leading back out through the monastery.

"What the hell was that, and why was it trying to break into your room!?!?" Faith said heading towards Xander who standing there stunned.

[palabravampiress]

[Monastery – kitchen]

:: Hesitating, Xander stared after Lisa for a moment. Then, he looked at the rest of the scoobies. They all looked sort of stunned, too. ::

Group: “Guys! Bad guy at eleven o’clock.”

:: The gang just stared. ::

Group: “Let’s go get all Grrr on him.”

:: Crickets. ::

Group: “Argh!”

:: With that most articulate of musings, Xander raised his arms as if he couldn’t wait to choke something – or as if he was conducting an orchestra. What it resembled was up for debate. What it meant was, “Let’s go!” ::

:: When no one else reacted, Xander sighed, lowered his head, and went in. ::


[Xander’s room]
:: As soon as he entered, he was knocked back out of the room – this by the force of Lisa’s body as she was thrown through the air and into Xander. ::

:: He very graciously broke her fall. ::

:: Scrambling to their feet, they went back in to discover that the big man ape thing had taken possession of one of Xander’s shoes and then backed into a corner. Lisa attacked, but the creature got her between its hands and started to crush her with the strength of a heavy duty trash compactor (the industrial kind they used to have at the site, not the wimpy little home models). ::

:: Xander hung back and rifled through his bag. He needed a weapon. ::

Holy water. Disposable camera. Stake. Oz tranq. Gee, musta left the kill-a-yeti thingie at home.

:: That’s when Faith came in – Faith and the super duper slayer’s only scythe. She sent the baddie packing in a matter of moments, leaving only its blood behind. Unfortunately, she didn’t stop to take back the shoe. Or even notice it. ::

:: Xander looked down and wiggled his toes. ::

This is sooo going on the corporate account. Wonder where there’s a good shoe store in Kathmandu.

:: This thought process was interrupted by Faith who, predictably enough, seemed to have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed. Even more predictably, she blamed Xander. ::

"What the hell was that, and why was it trying to break into your room!?!?" Faith said heading towards Xander who standing there stunned.

:: Xander held up his arms and shrugged. ::

Faith: “Umm… the Abominable Snowman and because I’m a demon magnet?”

:: He paused and cocked his head to the side. ::

Faith: “On second thought, make that a snow woman.”

:: With his eye, Xander followed the trail of blood. It led outside and down the mountain. ::

Oooh – this must be what an idea feels like. A good one, I mean. With the little lightbulb and everything.

::Xander turned back to Faith. ::

Faith: “Faaaaaith. Look at you, you big, bad slayer girl. Takin’ on the great white wookie. Have I mentioned lately how much I love it when you save my life?”

:: In the background, a very shaken slayer stood and limped off toward the bathroom. ::

:: Excited and now free of slayer patch up duty, Xander held the tranq gun and the camera up to Faith and grinned. ::

Faith: “So howsabout I make it up to you? Wanna go get rich with me? I know this crypto-zoology website… one that I never, under any circumstances, post on under a geeky screen name, of course… that would pay a fortune for this thing.”

Xander was pretty sure that his eye sparkled.

A yeti just stole my sneaker!

His inner nerd (and, okay, his outer nerd, too) was totally loving this. The annoyed look on Faith’s face was just icing on the cake. No, not icing. Something sweeter. Sprinkles. Sprinkles made of pure sugar.

:: Raising his eyebrows and smiling eagerly at Faith, he held the tranq gun and the camera higher. ::

Faith: “Eh? Come on. You know you wanna.”

[GATEGOD]

Faith: “Umm… the Abominable Snowman and because I’m a demon magnet?”

:: He paused and cocked his head to the side. ::

Faith: “On second thought, make that a snow woman.”

'Xander isn't that bright' She stared blankly at him and shook her head, as the other slayer was getting back to her feet.

Faith: “Faaaaaith. Look at you, you big, bad slayer girl. Takin’ on the great white wookie. Have I mentioned lately how much I love it when you save my life?”

:: In the background, a very shaken slayer stood and limped off toward the bathroom. ::

"Have I mentioned lately that I don't care." She secretly did, but how the hell could Xander let this happen. 'How are we going to have a meeting if he wants to go makeout with a snow monster.'


:: Excited and now free of slayer patch up duty, Xander held the tranq gun and the camera up to Faith and grinned. ::

Faith: “So howsabout I make it up to you? Wanna go get rich with me? I know this crypto-zoology website… one that I never, under any circumstances, post on under a geeky screen name, of course… that would pay a fortune for this thing.”

She shook her head and ran her hand across her face then back through her hair. 'Did Xander already forget the fricken mission' "Are you on something?"

:: Raising his eyebrows and smiling eagerly at Faith, he held the tranq gun and the camera higher. ::

Faith: “Eh? Come on. You know you wanna.”

"You do? What I want is for you to shut up, put down the ....camera. And get this place cleaned up. Did you forget the mission? The whole save the world trip. We aren't going yeti hunting for money. We are going to be planning the mission to come. Can you handle that or would you like to go hunt the yeti, by yourself, alone, in the woods?"

She already new Xander's answer, but it was funny to see him willingly place his life at risk without realizing it. 'Anyway, we can always hunt the yeti afterwards' she grinned.

"So... life threating danger alone, or cleaning up the monastery for the meeting?"

'If anyone willingly volunteered to go with him, then they could both be killed, the mission was priority now. They had to see that.'

[palabravampiress]

[Monastery]

:: Xander listened to Faith’s rant kinda like he used to listen to his mom’s rants – or Willow’s mom’s rants – when he was a kid. ::

Just let it pass, he thought. In one ear, out the other. Hmm… at least I still have two ears. Faith’s chronic bad moodiness could be a real killjoy. And what wasn’t to love about a close encounter of the yeti kind – minus the danger aspect, of course?

Besides, as much as she tried to make with the bitchfest, he could tell she was secretly all ready and rarin’ to go. Her body sort of leaned toward the door. And that smile… she tried to hide it. But when he suggested that they go off on a yeti hunt, her first instinct was to smile. A new monster to fight; it made her adrenaline pump, same as his. Same as all of theirs, really. Scoobies were nothing if not danger junkies.

Faith’s tirade concluded, Xander finally had his chance to unleash a rant of his own. He was… well, he was angry. Hopping, jittering, stuttering angry. He had a legitimate point, damnit, and he was tired of being Faith’s whipping boy – figurative, verbal whipping, of course.

Faith: “Listen, lady, I was Mr. Mission back on the plane when all you wanted to do was listen to… the bust-your-eardrums band. And I’m still Mr. Mission. In case you didn’t notice, a mythical demon creature thingie just busted right into our top-secret hideout. And stole my shoe. That’s generally not of the good.”

:: Xander pointed off toward the busted door and the trail of blood. ::

Faith: “Who’s to say it’s not affiliated with our favorite big bads? Dru seems like just the type to keep a pet wookie. And even if it’s not working with them, it’s got our scent all over it. It’s out there advertising our scent wherever it goes, which I’m assuming isn’t to the monks’ pancake social. So unless we want more surprise visitors to waltz on through our busted door –”

:: He sighed and looked sadly at the beautifully carved door, which was now splintered in several places. ::

*Such* quality craftsmanship!

Faith: “Which *I* will have to fix because none of you know which end of a hammer points up – I suggest we go stop this thing before it advertises our whereabouts to every demon in the Himalayas.”

:: He crossed his arms and glared at Faith. ::

Faith: “So, no, I’m not up for the life-threatening danger alone option. But I’m also not up for the sitting duck special.”

[GATEGOD]

"Damn Z, you sure got something up your butt today. Fine, we'll go and track down your Yeti." She said as she walked over patted him on the back. Too hard maybe.

Faith motioned around at the three slayers and addressed them.

"Me and the great Xander Harris here, will be trekking out onto the vast unknown in search of a Yeti. You will sadly be stuck here, but no worries, I'm sure something exciting will happen" She lied and continued. " Take guard around the perimeter in case anything else decides to invest in Xander's room."

They nodded their heads in unison and headed out the doors to take up positions. Faith didn't want to leave, have a bunch of demons attack, and come back to find everyone dead.

"Sam, think you could take charge while I'm gone?" She smiled as Riley turned away embarrassed.

"Alright, It's settled, lets go Xander. Off to find the Yeti..." She rolled her eyes and shook her head as Xander headed out the front doors ahead of her. She knew this was a bad idea, but he could be right, the yeti, who can't seem to speak, could be part of Ansara's evil plans. 'Yea... right'

[palabravampiress]

[Mountain]

:: After grabbing his axe, his flashlight, and a fresh can of soda, Xander marched out ahead of Faith. He followed the blood trail haphazardly, struggling to find a comfortable way of carrying his gear while he hiked – somewhat gingerly, given his woefully half-shod state. ::

It was a good five minutes before he had his camera in his shirt pocket, the tranq gun in his belt, the axe and the flashlight in one hand, and the Pepsi in the other.

:: Desperate for another caffeine fix, he chugged the Pepsi like a frat boy with a can of cheap skunk. ::

Faith (Whispering): “You think Nepal has a fine for littering?”

:: He shrugged and stuffed the can into one of the pockets of his cargo pants. ::

Before long, they were deep into the forest. The moon shifted in and out of view through the trees. The blood trail – and sharp sticks and rocks (Ow!) became harder and harder to see. Eventually, they were obliged to make use of the flashlight.

Xander didn’t talk much. He was too focused on stepping gingerly. That, and he didn’t want to tip off their prey anymore than he had to. Oh, and talking to Faith was also becoming less fun by the hour. Not that talking to Faith was ever happy hour at the Bronze.

Why’d she want us come alone, anyway? Not like alone time with the Xan-man has ever been on the top of her event planner – or mine, minus that one day.

The blood trail ended, abruptly, at a tree.

:: Motioning for Faith to be quiet, Xander stopped and listened. ::

Half-blindness has its perks.

:: Then, picking up on a decidedly human sound, he looked straight up. ::

There, whimpering in the tree, was… a girl?

Okay. Not what I was expecting.

The girl, who looked like any other Nepali girl except for the long red hair and the nudity and the nasty-looking gash across her torso, cried out something in…

Nepali? Neplese? God, I wish Dawnie was here.

:: Xander looked at Faith and shrugged. ::

Yeti: “Don’t, uh, cry Ape Girl. We’re not gonna hurt you…”

:: He shook his head and added, quietly: ::

Yeti: “Any more than we already have, I mean.”

:: He cast a sympathetic look at Faith. ::

Something tells me Little Miss Changing Her Ways is not gonna take this little detour on the road to redemption very well.

In the tree, the girl cried out again and threw something at Xander’s head. It was soft and spongy and…

Xander: “Ow.”

:: He rubbed the back of his head. ::

His hand came away slick with blood. But it wasn’t his blood.

:: Confused – and mildly wigged – he shone his flashlight on the object, which had landed about a yard away. ::

Xander: “All right!”

:: He hopped over and, shaking the object off, stuck his foot into it. ::

It was his shoe. A little gore-i-fied, yeah, but still his shoe.

:: Xander looked at Faith and then pointed upward. ::

Faith: “Guess we know why no one ever caught a yeti. What do you suggest we do about Shapeshiftella up there?”

[GATEGOD]

[Mountain]

Faith (Whispering): “You think Nepal has a fine for littering?”


"Wha.. who cares." She said, still pissed Xander wanted to go hunt the yeti.

As if he actually cared that this thing could be linked to Dru.


:: He shrugged and stuffed the can into one of the pockets of his cargo pants. ::

Before long, they were deep into the forest. The moon shifted in and out of view through the trees. The blood trail – and sharp sticks and rocks (Ow!) became harder and harder to see. Eventually, they were obliged to make use of the flashlight.

Xander didn’t talk much. He was too focused on stepping gingerly. That, and he didn’t want to tip off their prey anymore than he had to. Oh, and talking to Faith was also becoming less fun by the hour. Not that talking to Faith was ever happy hour at the Bronze.

Why’d she want us come alone, anyway? Not like alone time with the Xan-man has ever been on the top of her event planner – or mine, minus that one day.

The blood trail ended, abruptly, at a tree.

Faith could see the blood trail ending up ahead but Xander nearly walked by it so she pointed to it.

"Stop." Xander obviously was visually impaired, she needed to give him all the help she could.


:: Motioning for Faith to be quiet, Xander stopped and listened. ::

Half-blindness has its perks.

:: Then, picking up on a decidedly human sound, he looked straight up. ::

There, whimpering in the tree, was… a girl?

'What?' She looked around to find out if she was being punked then back up at the girl. She seemed to be crying and holding onto her stomach.

"Are you .. alright?" She asked still clueless to what was going on.

The girl above was clearly a native of the Napali people and started screaming something fierce.


:: Xander looked at Faith and shrugged. ::

Yeti: “Don’t, uh, cry Ape Girl. We’re not gonna hurt you…”

:: He shook his head and added, quietly: ::

Yeti: “Any more than we already have, I mean.”

:: He cast a sympathetic look at Faith. ::

'Ass'

Just then the girl threw something covered in blood at Xander's head.

Faith nearly chuckled but then she saw it. What she had done, a deep gash lined the girls stomach and blood was slowly dripping to the ground.


Xander: “Ow.”

:: He rubbed the back of his head. ::

His hand came away slick with blood. But it wasn’t his blood.

:: Confused – and mildly wigged – he shone his flashlight on the object, which had landed about a yard away. ::

Xander: “All right!”

:: He hopped over and, shaking the object off, stuck his foot into it. ::

It was his shoe. A little gore-i-fied, yeah, but still his shoe.

:: Xander looked at Faith and then pointed upward. ::

Faith: “Guess we know why no one ever caught a yeti. What do you suggest we do about Shapeshiftella up there?”

She pushed Xander out of the way and with all his killing gear on he stumbled off and grabbed onto a tree. "Are .." 'Are you okay, of course she's not okay you idiot.'

"Come down, please... please... we can take you back to the..." Just then the girl turned towards her.

Then she tried to say something which Faith couldn't understand. Faith tossed her scythe over to Xander and started to scale the tree. She wasn't too high up.
"Come down, we won't hurt you."

'idiot' she thought of herself, how could I do this to .. a girl.

'Should have just let it kill Xander'

'Wait a minute... it did try to kill Xander.. oh my..' Suddenly she began to realize how stupid she was for tossing away her weapon.. "Crap"

[palabravampiress]

[Mountain – Forest]

Faith tossed the slayer scythe off to Xander – Fat lotta good that’ll do *me* – and climbed up the tree. Unarmed. Toward a frightened girl with claws the size of a Grizzly Bear’s.

Couldn’t those shadow guys have included slayer smartness in there with the super strength? Just sayin’. Woulda been kinda nice.

:: Dropping the scythe, Xander pulled out the tranq gun and covered Faith. ::

Just in time, too. Faith was reaching out to the girl when she pulled an Oz and morphed into her mystic demon mojo form. Quite understandably, Ape Girl roared and sent a claw sailing out at the person who had split her belly open.

:: Xander gave her a moment to get a bit of her aggression out. Just a swipe. That’s all. Half the time, he wanted to do the same. ::

I’m a bad, bad man.

:: Xander rolled his eye and shot the tranq gun. ::

Oops. Dart in the neck. he thought with a snicker.

The yeti teetered; the girl fell down.

:: Xander knelt beside her and felt for a pulse. It was weak, but it was there. ::

:: He looked up at Faith, who was making her way down from the tree. ::

Faith: “You okay?”

:: Without waiting for an answer – she’s more okay than yeti girl, that’s for sure – Xander took off his shirt – the only thing he had handy – and used it to bandage the girl’s wound. The fact that he could tie his shirt around her torso wasn’t exactly a confidence booster, but it was handy. ::

:: Pretending not to shiver as the chilly air hit his too-bare-for-comfort skin, he turned his back to Faith and then lifted the girl. With his shoe squeaking with every icky, squishy step, he started back toward the monastery and wished he’d dressed in more layers. ::

:: He called over his shoulder to Faith. ::

Faith: “Anyone asks, I dropped her on the… oh, hey, wanna pick up the scythe?”

He wasn’t feeling particularly chivalrous or anything with the blame-taking. It was just… well, every time Faith started feeling all guilty, the closest non-super sort of man ended up on the receiving end of a whole lotta pain. For Xander, once was way more than enough. And besides, it was kinda his fault. He did track yeti scent into the monastery.

[GATEGOD]

"I'm fine" she answered jumping from the tree. "I could have taken her."

She walked back over and picked up the scythe Xander had decided to drop to the ground, getting it all dirty.

'What a shocker'

Next thing could be an actual shocker though. Xander doing the whole hero thing , he picked up the girl who was near death,or so Faith thought, and nearly toppled over himself. But he wouldn't let Faith do any heavy lifting, even after what he said about her 'that's all you're good for.'

'Ironic no?'

She walked back trying to wipe off the dirt from the Scythe while Xander leaded them back through the woods following the Yeti's blood trail. It wasn't the happiest of walks back. Xander barely spoke. And Faith wasn't offering anything up either.

'You'd think he'd be all gitty and snazed up now that he's with his prize'

It's all Xander's fault, that idiot! What the hell was he doing out here in the first place. He led it right to us. All those thoughts kept coursing through her mind as another thought sprung up louder then the rest.

'Making me do it. Making me!!' "Shut.." 'Shut up! You didn't know.'

The monastery was cold and broken, as they had left it when they headed out on their search. Thankfully no yeti clan had come and killed everyone. That was a possibility.

Bringing her here might not be the best idea, but they had to do something, it was there fault after all. They didn't understand these people, they didn't know any better. 'Hopefully the monks can do something'

"Here" Faith pointed towards the couch, then walked over to the kitchen and grabbed a white cloth from the counter. She wet it and walked back over to them. Xander was trying to prop up her head, and Faith nearly felt a tear form behind her eye. Thankfully it didn't. She needed to be strong. She was strong. "Get the monks, maybe they can help." she said stepping over a small table thing then kneeled down next to her and squeezed the wet cloth. She began to try to clean out the wound, but she didn't know what good it would do. The gash looked deep.

[palabravampiress]

[Monastery – Main Room]

:: Faith took over first aid duty while Xander just sort of uselessly hovered. ::

He wasn’t so sure this Faith helping thing was a good idea. He didn’t know how long a tranq dart could keep a yeti under. If Tall, White, and Hairy opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was the chick who’d planted a scythe into her gut, well, that seemed like the perfect invitation for a presto chango. And then they’d be right back at square one.

:: Xander shivered as a breeze wafted through the guest house. The monastery was still minus one door and he was still minus one shirt. Not a good combination. ::

Also, I’m not exactly pining to see which article of clothing I’ll lose next.

He wanted to duck out and change real quick, but, under the circumstances, that seemed kind of petty.

"Get the monks, maybe they can help." she said stepping over a small table thing then kneeled down next to her and squeezed the wet cloth. She began to try to clean out the wound, but she didn't know what good it would do. The gash looked deep.

:: Xander folded his arms across his chest. ::

Faith: “Actually, not so sure that logic is of the sound variety. I mean, monasteries are sort of the cryptozoologist’s treasure trove when it comes to beastly body parts – not that participate in any of that stuff, of course.”

:: Faith shot him a look of total non-comprehension. Or, at least, that’s what he thought it was. It could have been something meaner. It was hard to tell with her. ::

Faith: “Rrright. What I mean is that I’m guessing these monk guys and girly girl here aren’t the best of friends. Monk types like to display yeti scalps and hides and other snow man parts in the front foyer… plus the abbot said he didn’t want the other monks knowing we’re here. You know, the whole protect-our-cover thing.”

:: Xander looked up at those scoobies who were still assembled in the main room. ::

Group: “Anybody bring any super-strength restraints along? She wakes up, she could go all Donkey Kong on us again.”

Spike! If anybody’s into the super strength bondage, it’s… okay, I don’t like where that thought’s leading.

:: Still, he swallowed his pride and went over and knocked on Spike’s door. ::

Spike's Door: "Spike? Dawnie? We, ah, we got a situation out here. We could use some of your respective expertise."

Pride could wait. Wasn't like he had much of it, anyway. They had a situation. The sooner they figured out what to do, the sooner he could get crackin’ on repairing the doors.

Ah, carpentry… an essential Scooby skill and the one thing I actually know how to do.

[GATEGOD]

"Xander, what you don't seem to grasp is this little girl is going to die unless we get her help. See.." looking back down at the girl she continued. 'The work of a slayer, aint it grand' "So the bright thing to do would be to go tell the monks there's a hurt little girl in here and not a killer shape shifting yeti. Is that to much for you to do? Do you want her blood on your hands. It's already on mine. Now get me a god damn monk!" she yelled staring deep into Xander's eye then turning away to squeeze the blood soaked rag onto the floor.

'Who gives a shit if these monks want privacy, life and death takes the front seat. He knows this!'

'Lieing is easy, telling the truth is what's hard.'

[palabravampiress]

[Monastery]

:: Xander looked up from Spike’s door. Faith managed to catch his eye while she verbally excoriated him. ::

Do you want her blood on your hands?

What did that even mean? Her blood was already all over his hands. And his shoe. And the shirt that he’d wrapped around her as a bandage. And probably all over his skin, not that he wanted to check out the view in the nearest mirror. He never completely got that expression, blood on your hands. Never really clicked. Kinda like algebra class. It seemed to him that blood got there just as often when you tried to help as it did when you tried to hurt. It wasn’t symbolic; it was just in there, being all flowy and healy and stuff. And sometimes it came out – sometimes a whole lot of it came out, as for instance, Example A: yeti girl dyeing the monks’ nice beige couch a new shade of red.

:: He looked at the girl. ::

It was painful, looking at her with that huge diagonal gash cut across her belly. Two guesses who that reminded him of. And the first one doesn’t count.

:: He looked back toward Faith. Locked eyes – or, rather, eye – with her. ::

Faith was panicked and emotional, which translated to colder and bitchier than usual, but Xander got it. He hadn’t dated Queen C. and a vengeance demon for nothing. The madder they were, the more hurt and vulnerable they were.

In this particular moment, Faith was pretty darn mad. She cared about the girl, sure, but she’d said it herself with the bloody hands comment: mostly what mattered to her was keeping another notch off her body count belt. Is that what matters to me, too? Not that I’m particularly notched up, but still.

:: His jaw clenched. ::

Faith: “Ok. Fine. I’ll go get the abbot if you get Gorilla Girl restrained before the tranq wears off. Deal?”

Why was that so hard to understand? Awake, frightened, drugged up freakin’ Snow Monster = all kinds of dangerous and bad for the structural integrity of the building and possibly even deadly.

:: He trudged toward the door, and then he turned back to “survey the troops,” so to speak. ::

Riley, Sam, and the three slayers – one of whom was hurt – were still just standing around the main room. Dawn and Spike were still in their room – a situation he did not particularly want to ponder at the moment, although the repressed soldier boy in him wanted to order their asses back on the line like yesterday.

:: He rolled his eye. ::

Faith’s right… kinda. Sorta. God, I hate it when she’s right!

Group: “I’ll be back. I don’t care who does what, but I need somebody restraining that girl. Also, I need somebody guarding the perimeter in case her friends show up and nobody speaks yeti for “we come in peace.”

:: He pointed at Spike’s door. ::

Group: “And for the love of Buffy, could somebody – preferably somebody with enhanced olfactory senses and an eye for blood trails – please get to work making sure we’re not advertising our whereabouts to every demon from here to Kathmandu?”

:: With that, he grabbed his flashlight and marched – shirtless, eye-patched, covered in blood and wielding an axe – up the trail… to a monastery. Where they, like, pray and stuff. ::

Because this plan is good how? Oh, right: so I can blow our cover on the first night out – to save the life of the demon who crashed our hideout. *Now* it makes sense.

But she wasn’t a demon, at least not totally. Maybe half demon. Or possessed. Or a shapeshifter. Or something. And even with the mission in mind, Xander still couldn’t leave her to die.

[GATEGOD]

Faith trailed off in her own thoughts, while Xander marched towards the monastery to get help. The slayers around her were all moving about making sure the perimeter was still secure, while Faith continued to clean the wound. Xander wanted her to tie up the girl, but tie her up to what? The couch wasn't exactly hand cuff friendly and she didn't think moving her would be wise. To be blunt she didn't think she was all that dangerous.

She was so hurt and drugged out it would be quite astonishing if she could still go all yeti and kill everyone. Either way, Faith could handle her. She nearly cut her in half a half hour ago, and at that time the little girl wasn't mortally wounded and bleeding all over Faith's new sexy boots.

'Xander can be so ergghh!! sometimes!' She didn't know what was worse, the fact that Xander jeopardized the mission by leading this thing here, or the fact that he doesn't see it that way.

'He sees himself as god and all his mistakes are deflected because Faith's here. Is he right? '

'No.'

'He left the premises, he lead her here, he had the hinges of his door ripped off, and he planned their stay. And yet it's my fault in his eyes.'

She rubbed below her eye and blood spread across her cheek as she looked back down at the girls broken body. She could remember back, she could see each of there faces, mistakes, accidents, murder. Everything. She rubbed again and even more blood touched upon her face. The cloth she had which was once bright white was now cherry soaked red with not a spot of white left on it. She lifted herself up onto her feet and brought the cloth back over to the sink and threw it in. She turned on the water and let some of the red fade away, but it wouldn't vanish completely.

'It never does'

She reached up to a cubbard and found it empty, so she checked the next and the next until she found a clean rag and a small pan. She filled the pan with some water and walked it over to the girl and placed it on the floor next to the couch and kneeled back down. Xander still wasn't back, and she was only getting worse. Faith wet the rag and placed it on the girls head, after a few moments she removed it though and twisted it up then went back to cleaning out the wound. 'Where are they!'

"Damnit! Where the hell is he!? She's dieing here!!" she yelled at the others around her. There was nothing they could do but she was still upset! He should have been back by now. 'They better help her.'

[Slayergal]

Sam looked around the room before moving or speaking up. This was unlike a commando mission where her and Riley would be in command. She felt uncomfortable in Faith's presence. If what she had heard about Faith was true she sure didn't to be on her bad side. So she was sitting back letting Faith give all the orders. But somebody need to get the rest of the troops busy. Sam sighed, rolled up her sleeves, moved toward Faith and the dying girl.

Faith: "Here let me restrain her. It will make things easier for you."

Moving over to restrain the girl. She gave out orders to the others.

Riley: "Perimeter patrol soldier. It's an order."

She motioned to the 3 slayers.

Slayers: "One you go wake up Spike and Dawn. We need Spike to go cover the blood trail."

[GATEGOD]

As Sam came over and restrained the little girl Faith backed up and went to look out the doors to see what was taking Xander so long. The air was cold now and it swept across her face blowing her hair to all sides of her head, but it didn't phase her. In the distance she saw a small, round bald man wearing what looked to be a brown monks robe coming running towards the guest house. He didn't seem 'oh no the worlds going to end' he seemed at peace with himself. She didn't buy it. But who was she to judge.

The monk nearly out of breathe leaned against the pillar to the house and breathed deeply then regained himself as Faith stared at him, unblinking, with the wind at her eyes. He turned to stare at the ground then back up at her as he came up the steps and into the house. "Where's Xander?" she asked looking back off into the distance seeing no one else coming. 'Being offered up to some demon.' she thought cheerfully then shook it off as the monk disregarded her question.

"Is she still alive!?" he said shooting a look at her as he swept past her taking out something from his robe. He soon found his answer as he saw the bleeding girl tied up bleeding through the couch. "What have you done to her!" he demanded.

"Uh... she tied her up." Faith deflected pointing towards Sam, wondering why the monk was so concerned. Obviously the intelligent Xander Harris was wrong. They obviously didn't see the the creature as a threat. 'Did they?'

Faith couldn't tell and the Monk started to chant something and wave whatever he had in his hand over the girls body as he sprinkled something on her. She guessed he was trying to heal her. But she had no idea what he was doing. 'Not much for the explaining, this one.'

[palabravampiress]

[Main Monastery]

Xander:
:: Even at the possible expense of the mission, Xander couldn’t let a little yeti girl die, so he interrupted the creepy didgeridoo-like monk chanting with a loud knock. Then, he stepped back and waited. ::

Wow. Do I hope the monk who answers doesn’t have a heart condition, he thought. Something tells me it's not kosher to kill a monk.

He was no doctor, but it wasn’t a stretch to assume that the sudden appearance of a bloody, shirtless, eye-patched, axe-toting hooligan might scare the be-Buddha out of some kindhearted little monk man.


Abbot:
:: The abbot answered. ::

He looked a little taken aback, but then he motioned for the other monks to continue their chanting.

:: He stepped outside and joined Xander on the porch, his eyes wide behind his plastic rims. ::

Xander: “What has happened, Mr. Harris? Are you injured? Is the monastery under attack? Is it the Chinese?!”


Xander:
:: Xander held out his hands in what would have been a calming gesture if he wasn’t carrying a big axe. ::

:: The abbot jumped back. ::

Abbot: “You got a medic on this mountain? Or maybe a monk who can make with the magic healy mojo? We got a hurt girl back at the guest house.”

:: The abbot raised both eyebrows and stared. ::

Abbot: “Time? Kinda of the essence on this one. She’s dying. So unless you want her to reincarnate sometime within the next half-hour or so...”

:: He gestured to himself. ::

Abbot: “This is all her blood. Every pint.”


Abbot:
:: The abbot held up one finger, indicating that he wanted Xander to wait outside. He then disappeared into the monastery for what felt like a long time. The chanting never ceased. It made Xander sleepy. By the time the abbot came back, Xander was swaying on his feet. ::

:: The abbot, who held in his hands a small lump of… something Xander couldn’t see in the dark... passed Xander and walked swiftly toward the side of the building. ::

Abbot: “ Please follow me, Mr. Harris.”

:: His tone was unfailingly polite, but also urgent. ::


Xander:
:: Xander followed. ::

The abbot led him around the side of the monastery and into a cellar. Xander’s heart thumped a little faster and his swear glands got a workout, but the cellar turned out to be nothing more than what it seemed: a root cellar. Goods and supplies were stacked neatly every which way. A set of stairs led up… to a kitchen, he would assume.

Underneath the stairwell and against the wall, several crates were piled rather haphazardly.

Much to Xander’s surprise, the abbot moved these aside easily. The crates swung on hinges. The pile jumble wasn’t a jumble at all; it was really a door crafted to look like a pile of crates.

Abbot: “Wow. You guys really gotta introduce me to your carpenter.”

:: Xander paused to examine the handiwork. Then, with his axe raised a little higher and his palms a little sweatier, Xander followed the monk into the hidden room.

Abbot: “A meditation room? Why do you have a secret meditation room in the basement? What are you gonna do, pray me to death?”

The room looked almost exactly like the main room of the guest house. “Almost” being the key word. What was painted in the guest house was gilded here. The walls were lined with shelves. The shelves were lined with books and scrolls. And, also, there was a giant golden Buddha in the center. So, okay, not even close to the same room, but it was set up similarly, at least.


Abbot:
:: The abbot smiled serenely and handed the package – clothes, robes, to be more specific – to Xander and indicated a nearby door of the regular old non-secret variety. ::

Xander: “We are monks. We do not advocate the taking of the lives of sentient beings, Mr. Harris. Please, clean yourself up. Blood is very difficult to wash out of silk cushions.”

:: Before Xander could protest, the abbot held out a hand in a calming gesture. ::

Xander: “And do not worry; I have dispatched a healer to assist with the injured girl. But the injured girl is not the only one who needs our help. I believe I can help you find what you seek. You seek a wanderer who is far advanced on the path, yes? A pratyekabuddha: one who has put down the burden and transcended the samsaric realm? One who sees the world as it is rather than as it appears?”


Xander:
:: Xander squinted and cocked his head to the side. ::

Abbot: “If you mean a vampire with mush for brains and creepy future-reading abilities, then sure.”


Abbot:
:: As if amused by Xander’s simplistic description, the abbot nodded and allowed the corners of his mouth to turn slightly upward. ::

Xander: “I suppose that is one method of describing Pratyekabuddha-Drusilla.”


Xander:
Abbot: “Something tells me she’d like your description better. A little birdie told me Dru has a thing for poetic types.”

:: So saying, he stepped into the bathroom and, locking the door behind him, he started the bathwater. ::

As soon as he sat down in the tub, the water turned pink.

:: He looked around for shampoo. He found only soap. ::

Oh man! Congealed blood is hell to get out of hair. Maybe these monks are onto something with the Mr. Clean look... and yes, I have lived with too many women for too long.

:: He bathed quickly, but he kept the axe handy. Just in case. This guy knew about the little lunatic who could. That either meant that he would help the mission, or that he was one of Dru’s minions. Or, you know, both, since Buddhists are all one-with-the-paradox. Either way, it was best to be prepared.

[Wanabee-slayer]

:: Dawn exited ehr's and Spike's room to find the remnants left in the wake of what Dawn could only presume had been one heck of a fight. Having no possible idea of how she could have missed such a rucuss Dawn walked over to Sam and looked around at the damage the offending disaster had caused. Objects and furniture were broken and thrown across the floor, blood was pooling at their feet. ::

Sam: "Hey. What the hell happened here?'

:: Okay so that sentence could probably have gone without the hell but it helped to get the point across. ::

[Mesektet Ra]

Spike had situated himself again when the loud crashing of a fight echoed throughout the guest house. "What the bloody-" He took off, throwing the door open to find the common room in shambles and Faith and Xander heading after something.

He hung in the doorway for a few minutes, dumbfounded look on his face. Well...balls. Lately, it seemed he kept missing all the good action. He shrugged. Oh well.

He turned back around and threw his back into the closet on his side of the room, and lit up another cigarette. They'd no doubt be looking for him to help.

As if on cue, he herd the clomp of boots in the hallway. He slid his gaze over to the door and counted down silently. Five...four...three...

Sure enough, one of the wannabe-Slayers threw his door open. "Sam told me to come," she said by way of greeting. He could never remember her name. "She wants you to secure a blood trail for the thing that attacked us."

Spike stared at her for a quick second, almost contemplatively. What the hell else was he going to do? Sit in his arse all night with the newbs and One Eyed Alex? Not bloody likely. He did roll his eyes a bit, though, rising to stand. He strode over to the newb Slayer. "Tell her Highness that the job's good as done, yea?" He exhaled smoke in her face. She coughed.

He chuckled to himself and left the grounds of the guest house, striding through a broken picture window. He inhaled his cigarette and exhaled, taking a long breath. There.

[GATEGOD]

The monk continued his chant in a low and seemingly relaxed voice under his breathe.

Faith looked on, blood on her hands as well as her face. Splatter patterns lined her shirt and blood droplets had stained her boots.

She looked down and her fingers started to shake. No one caught it so she slipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes and the pack of matches she had taken from her room. With a flick of her wrist the match struck fire and she brought the flame up lighting the cigarette.

"So." she paused exhaling smoke through her mouth. "What's this mumbo jumbo crap you're spouting. Is she going to be alright?"

The monk turned, still chanting under his breathe then paused to answer her question. "My dear, it will be fine. Now let be get back to it, or things might not be." He gave a tiny head bow barely moving then turned back and began his chant.

'It? So he knows? And he isn't afraid.' Faith started pieceing things together as she backed up against the wall behind her. Leaning against it she continued to work on her cigarette, watching as the wound on the girls stomach slowly began to dissipate.

[Slayergal]

::Sam was holding down the injured girl as the monk continued to chant when Dawn came into the room inquiring what was going on.::

Dawn: "Faith and Xander they brought this girl/demon in from the woods. I guess they fought her. She's dying. Hopefully the monk can save her. So we can find out more about her or it and a what she's doing here and what she wants with us?"

::Sam took a breathe. Some how she had a feeling that whoever this girl was she was sent here for a for a reason. If it hadn't been for Xander and Faith they probably all would have been dead. Somebody besides the abbot and monks knew they were here. It wasn't a good feeling.::

[GATEGOD]

Faith leaned back taking everything in as smoke filled the air around her. Sam and Dawn were talking, but Faith wasn't listening, yet she still heard what they were saying. The monk did some fancy hand movement that got Faith's attention and then *poof* he blew the rest of the dust or sand or whatever it was (Faith didn't know) , onto the girls wound. A few seconds later the dust was gone and the wound was but a scar.

"Woah." Faith said from the wall. The monk had actually done it. "Damn he's better than Willow." she said moving in closer to get a better look.

The monk smiled and turned towards her. "Good as new, take a look." He then gestured towards the girls stomach with his hands.

"I can see, again Wow! You do know what she is though, don't you?" She asked trying not to make it too obvious if he didn't.

"Yes dear, I do." He said placing the piece of wood into his robe. "We have known about them for quite some time. They have roamed these parts for nearly three thousand years, and will probably roam them long after we are gone. They are what your friend Xander would call a 'Yeti'. They tend to stay away from the locals, in camps deep within the forest near the mountains."

"So you're like.. buddies with these things?" She asked with a confused look on her face wondering why they hadn't been informed.

"No" he chuckled "We are more like watchers. We have observed them for many years. They are mostly a peaceful race and usually remain in there human form unless frightened. I take it... you frightened it."

Faith hated watchers, she had very few good memories of them and didn't care on meeting any new ones. But that wasn't the point.

'What was it doing all the way up here then?' she thought, then realized Xander had been out right before it showed up. Most likely it followed him. She shook it off and smiled.

"Well thanks doc. So what now? Do we just leave her here?"

"My brothers can take care of her. We will take her back to her people tomorrow. For tonight we will have to bring her to the monastery and place her in a warm bed. May I?" He moved to pick her up.

"Uh.. yea sure. No prob. If you need help I could.."

"No no, that is quite alright. I can take her." he said as he lifted her into his arms.

"Alright..." There was an awkward few seconds then the monk was gone, heading back to the monastery with the girl in his arms.

"One crisis averted. Now onto the next." She said rolling her eyes at Dawn and Sam. Xander still wasn't back. It worried her.

[palabravampiress]

[Monastery – guest house]

:: Looking a little shell shocked, – from both his