FIC: Faith The Series Season 8 Episode 5

Faith doodled idly in her note book, feet up on the private investigator agency's desk as she did a stint working reception in-between lectures. She paused in mid-yawn as the agency's front door swung open and a tall, wide-shouldered man with thick arms and legs dressed in a tweed suit strode in. The man looked scholarly with coffee-coloured skin, a pair of horn-rimmed glasses sitting on a bulbous nose, and thick, pepper-grey hair. Faith swung her legs off the table and affected a cordial tone. "Hi, Watcher Securities. I'm Faith, how can I help ya?"

The man stopped at the desk and peered down at her, dark eyes inspecting her over his glasses. "Good day, young lady," the man's English had a touch ofCaribbeanlilt. "I'm Samuel Zabuto-."

Samuel Zabuto. Faith's eyes narrowed as she struggled to recall just where she'd heard the name before. Before she knew it she was on her feet, blood turning to molten larva. "Oh yeah," she grated. "I remember you." Her eyes shot arrows at the big man. "Kendra's Watcher, right? Remember how you treated her."

"Young lady-."

Faith barrelled right on over the middle-aged man. "You figure on to treatin' any of my gals like you treated her, turn right around and walk your ass right outta here, it'll save me givin' you the ass-kickin' Kendra shoulda done years ago." Before the man could answer or react, Faith turned and let out a yell. "G! 'Nother one of your Watcher buddies has turned up!"

"Come on!" Gunn sighed as he pushed his two 'friends' towards the bar. All day Xander and Pike had been niggling at one another, not about anything in particular, but the motivation was clear to anyone with eyes, or even one. Faith was a hell of a girl, but she could inflame a man's passions like no other.

Well tonight, the two of them were gonna sort it out one way or another.

The bar was a dark, dreary place with a low, wooden-beamed ceiling and a dirty probably Health Code violating floor, its patrons ranging from their age to the mid-fifties, and all staunchly working-class in their clothing. Thanks to a lack of air-conditioning, the bar was sweaty and smoky, and in the background its garishly coloured jukebox worked its way through a selection of classic rock, ranging from Aerosmith to Springstreen, and not much variety in-between. "Much as you might not like it, we're a team," Gunn lectured as he pushed the grumpy duo into a table at the bar's far end, "and not just a sports team or anything like that, if we lose or fail to work together, someone can get dead! And Mrs. Gunn's favourite little boy has no intention of meeting Baby Jesus for a few decades yet!"

"He started it!" snapped Xander.

"Like hell!" retorted Pike, eyes like flint and arms crossed.

Gunn shook his head and sighed. The pair of them were, thanks to the skills learnt and experiences under-gone demon-hunting, amongst the most dangerous men walking God's green earth, capable of enduring and doing things beyond most men. Unfortunately, they also had the maturity of squabbling ten year olds. "I'll get the drinks."

As the night went on, things only went from bad to worse. None of them were drinking, Xander didn't since his brush with alcoholism, and he thought it best that both he and Pike keep clear heads, and yet the bar's atmosphere in general grew ugly. At first it was just raised voices and ill-tempered looks, then it was shoves and curses, before Gunn knew it the place erupted into a full-scale riot, several groups brawling with one another, the sides seeming to change at random. "Come on!" Gunn rose and headed for the rear exit, ducking a thrown bottle and sidestepping a charging skin-head. "We need to get out of here."

"A bar brawl, Harris?" Faith glared at Xander as she stood over her boy-friend, hands on her waist. "Jesus, we're meant to be lookin' for a place together and you're gettin' in bar brawls!"

Xander rubbed at a swollen bottom lip and scowled. "It wasn't my fault, the whole thing just exploded-."

"And drinkin', Jesus!" Faith shook her head.

"HEY!" Xander scowled. "I wasn't drinking, none of us were-."

Faith leaned down until she was eye to eye with the sat man, a dangerous gleam entering her eyes. "There's only two reasons to go to a bar at night, first's drinkin', second's to pick up chicks," Faith leaned in closer. "If it ain't A, gotta B."

Xander gulped. "It was Gunn's idea, me and Pike had been arguing-."

"Oh for fuck's sake!" Faith threw her hands up and walked away. "I shoulda known! Forget it!"

"I must say Rupert," Zabuto smiled at his fellow Watcher, "I've been going over yours and Wesley's Watcher Diaries. While your methods are unorthodox, what with your treatment of your Slayer and the inclusion of her friends in Slaying, your results are undeniable. The amount, scale, and sheer variety of opponents you've overcome by one method or another is quite staggering."

"Well thank you," Giles basked briefly in the older man's praise.

"It's a shame," Zabuto's eyes shadowed, "that I made such a poor first impression on your Slayer."

"Well yes," Giles cleared his throat. "Faith has many admirable qualities, unfortunately restraint and temper aren't amongst them."

"Sadly I'd have to say the fault was mostly my own," Zabuto shook his head. "While she rightly accused me of brain-washing Kendra, I'd have to plead that I, well we all, suffered more than a little indoctrination at the hands of the old Council."

"Something we all suffered from."

"Yes, but something some of us realised before others.." Zabuto sighed. "I loved Kendra and my time with her was the most precious of my entire life. But my training of her ranks as my greatest failure-."

Uncomfortable at the direction the conversation was taking, Giles was profoundly relieved when the office door open and Wesley hurried in, a perplexed expression on his face. "Giles, Mr. Zabuto," the younger Watcher nodded at each of the older men in turn. "I believe we might have a problem."

Giles exchanged a worried look with Zabuto before looking at Wes with eyebrow raised. "Oh?"

"I'm sure you recall the bar brawl the boys were involved in the night before last?" Wes queried.

Giles shook his head and sighed. "I was trying to forget it." Xander was a fine lad, but far from perfect and sometimes his flaws reared their hideous heads.

"Well, I've found evidence that it perhaps wasn't their fault," Wesley passed Giles the local paper. "Last night there were no less than three full scale riots in Sunnydale bars."

"That's certainly unusual given Sunnydale's size," Zabuto commented.

"Yes," Giles rubbed at his chin. "As per one ofWillow's suggestions I've entered all known prophecies onto a computer. I'm not aware of any auguries at the moment, and it would take a particularly nasty not to mention powerful demon to simultaneously create havoc in three different bars."

"A mage could perhaps do it, some sort of spell or potion," Zabuto suggested.

"I considered that angle," Wesley nodded. "And have done a little research. It appears that all three bars have begun getting their booze from a recently opened and local brewery, the beer called 'Dionysus' Delight'." Wesley smiled at Giles' muttered curse. "Yes, an ominous name."

"I think this brewery bears an at least cursory investigation," Giles smirked. "If nothing else we might manage some samples."

"Should you call Faith?" Zabuto suggested.

"I'll leave a message on her cell, but it's mid-afternoon on a Thursday, she's in lectures until six." Giles rose. "I'm sure three of us can manage this as long as we take a few precautions."

Zabuto nodded and rose. "Very well, I admit to anticipating my first taste of Sunnydale action."

"Huh." Faith's brow furrowed as she left her last lecture of the day and tried her cell only to find a message from her Watcher telling her he, Wes, and Zabuto had all headed up to a local brewery to investigate a possible magical infection of some sort. "Any excuse." Faith shook her head as she stopped by her motorbike and considered her options. Red was outta town on some errand or other, Gunn, Pike, Xander, and Illyria were probably at their handyman business, and the rest of the Slayers training under Rona's watchful eye.

Which left her.

Faith straddled her Harley and tucked her mane under her helmet. She supposed she should wait for Xan and the others or pick up the Slayers, but on the other hand, who knew what sorta mess G and the others had gotten themselves in without her guiding presence?

"Geeez," Faith drawled. "If it ain't one thing or another in this town. I'm like the world's busiest baby-sitter ever."

Faith pulled her motor bike to the side of the brewery just outside of town. It was a single-storey old stone building surrounded by a wire mesh fence, and strangely devoid of either the illumination or the outside security she'd expect. Shaking her head, Faith looked up at the eight foot high fence, bent her knees until her cute little butt was practically stroking tarmac then powered up through her thighs. Momentum and muscle power catapulted her up into the air, easily over the fence to land in a feet-apart, knees-bent stance at the other side of the fence.

Faith melted into the shadows then stalked her way to the suspiciously open doors of a darkened reception area. Hearing a mechanised pumping and levering towards the back, Faith crept through the ominously quiet office and into the back room, a vast, well lit brewery complete with industrial-sized pumps, and what seemed to be miles of pipes leading to six huge copper vaults set in three pairs filled with what smelt like bubbling yeast and malt.

"Hello dear." Faith looked up to see a statuesque blonde with piercing, ice-chips for blue eyes and dressed in a prim business suit yet somehow managing to look sluttier than a whole orgy of porn stars. "I seem to be getting a parade of guests today, perhaps I should run tours."

Faith temporarily ignored any reference to guests in favour of focusing all her senses on the 'woman'. Something was definitely off about her, the way she exuded carnality for one and her complete poise in the face of unexpected intruders for another. "You ain't a demon, but you ain't human neither," Faith decided. "What in the hell are you?"

"Aren't you the perceptive one?" The blonde flashed her a dazzling yet wholly insincere smile. "I'm a Maenad my little pretty one."

Ah shit. Faith's shoulders sagged. The beer's name made perfect sense now. According to her studies and Greek legend, Maenad were the female followers of Dionysus, Greek god of wine-making and wine, the most significant members of his retinue. The maenads were often inspired by their deity into a frenzied state through a combination of drinking and dancing. In this uncontrolled state they would lose all self-control, becoming noisy and engaging in uninhibited sex. Not that she had anythin' against uninhibited sex, but more ominously the Maenad would also hunt down and tear to pieces animals, and even sometimes children and men.

So not exactly first on the party invite list.

"How nice for ya," Faith drawled. "And what brings ya to our quiet, unassuming town?"

"The Hellmouth gives such heavenly power," the Maenad tittered.

"Heavenly ain't 'xactly the word I'd use."

"And so, I intend to use the brew, fuelled by my kisses to drown the world in a booze-filled orgy to vanguard my master's return," the Maenad tittered, impressive chest rising and sinking, alabaster cheeks flushing with excitement.

"What a nice idea," Faith replied. "Only I can't let ya do anythin' of the sort."

"I don't see how you can stop me," the Maenad's eyes narrowed to slits. "Not with my fine boys to stop you, my kiss making them my slaves!"

Shit. Too late she sensed a presence behind her. Turning, she barely had time to duck under an expertly-thrown straight right, then come up, driving the top of her head into the underside of Giles' jaw. Her Watcher fell away with a curse, but Faith was forced to twist away from him when Zabuto launched himself at her, barely managing to sidestep an evilly-swung mace that threatened to smash her skull in.

Her hand shot out to grab the Watcher's arm at the wrist and hold it steady while driving her foot up and into the Watcher's crotch. The Watcher grunted, paling beneath his darkened skin as he crumpled and fell to the knees.

Faith's foot jammed back and down on Wes' shin as the third Watcher charged in behind, wielding a pair of knives. The Watcher cursed as he stumbled back, Faith's foot swinging up into a rear heel kick to the younger Englishman's midsection, the Englishman doubling up.

Still, Wes was either a tough or masochist bastard, cause two blows from a Slayer didn't put him down. The Watcher straightened and came in slashing, forcing Faith to dart in and out of his attempted strikes while seeking a moment to retaliate.

And then Giles hooked her arms from behind. "Kill her! Kill her!"

Ignoring the almost insane hatred in her father's voice, Faith drove her head back and into the Englishman's mouth while swinging her left foot up in an arc that knocked Wes' knives out of his hand before leaping forward, dropping to one knee and crashing home an uppercut between the Englishman's legs, Wes letting out a strangled croak before slumping quivering to the ground.

Faith looked up at the Maenad looming over her and leapt up, clearing the cat-walk and its railing in a single jump and landing on the steel grilling ten feet away from the creature. The monster snarled as it spun to face her, perfectly manicured nails morphing into hooked talons and dentist cleaned teeth sharpening into piranha-like incisors. "I take creatures brain-washing my pop real personal," Faith snarled before launching herself into a side-kick at the monster.

"Ahhh!" Faith howled as the monster swayed after from her attack and lashed out with one taloned hand, claws slashing down and through her denims, sharp enough to draw blood. Faith pulled back, warily eyeing the monster's talons and vicious smile.

"It's a shame my kiss won't work on a pretty little girl like you, I'll just have to kill you the traditional way." The Maenad leapt at her, forcing Faith to slide left and right in and out of the cleaving talons. The Maenad snarled as Faith caught her with a straight left jab, snapping her adversary's face back.

To her credit the Maenad kept on coming, all spittle and wild eyes, forcing Faith to feint left and go right, her foot snaking out to slam her heel into the outside of her rival's knee, forcing a stumble. The Maenad spun around to face her, hatred etched across her beauty pageant features.

Faith readied herself for the monster's charge then segued into a leaping thrust kick to the creature's ample chest, knocking it onto its back. Victory looming before her, Faith landed in a crouch beside her downed adversary then grunted when she caught a knee to her side, staggering her.

The Maenad took her second's respite to leap up and lunge at her. Faith waited 'til the last second then bent forward. Faith straightened the moment her rival was on her, throwing her over her shoulder and into the full, frothing vat behind them, the Maenad letting out a last gasp as she disappeared beneath the foaming surface. "Those ads are right," Faith mused as she looked down at the trio of downed Watchers, "drinkin' WILL damage your health."

Dana rocked back and forth, her arms clasped around her knees, her nightmares of monsters and women who fought them unimpeded by the industrial strength tranquilisers the men in white coats gave her. All her life she'd been afflicted with nightmares, but these were new, different and all the more vivid. Her strength was different too, she had the strength of five, perhaps more if the drugs would leave her system.

But the nightmares…

She stopped rocking as her room itself began to shake, shuddering as if the entire hospital had been struck by an earthquake. She looked up, her mouth drying as she suddenly sensed the approach of the woman that had been plaguing her dreams for the past month.

The door exploded off the hinges and a tiny figure with jet black hair, dark veins running across her elfin face, and even darker eyes was stood in the doorway. "Well Dana?" The woman smiled. "You're special. I like special. Come with me, I'll help you with the dreams."