Neon Genesis Goddess: Fate of the Chosen

The door to the office opened, admitting a man in his late 90s. He walked slowly into the room, passing bookcases filled with many ancient tomes, framed photos, and relics of adventures past, moving towards the great desk that sat centered in front of a large window.

Sitting in the large overstuffed leather chair, the man let out a soft sigh, then turned the chair to gaze for a moment out the window with his one good eye.

In the yard below he could make out a small group of girls following the movements of a young woman. The old man immediately recognized the movements as Tai chi.

He watched for a moment more, then turned back to his desk. He opened the top drawer of the desk, reached his hand in, and frowned.

"Cam!" he called out, "Where….?"

"Bottom drawer." Came a female voice in reply.

Closing the top drawer, the man reached down to open the lowest and pulled out a small stack of notebooks and a small audio recorder.

Each notebook was marked with a name. He paused as he came across one name. With a small smile, he slowly traced the letters of the name. He then opened the notebook and spent several minutes reading through it. Reaching a particular section, he set the open notebook on his desktop and went back to the others. Soon several of the notebooks lay open on the desktop, each opened to a particular entry. The old man then lifted the recorder and activated it.

"To fully understand the reasoning, right or wrong, behind the activation of all the Slayers," he began softly, "We must first revisit the events that led up to this singular point. Many believe it was the arrival of the 'Dark' Slayer in Sunnydale that began to set things in motion. This is untrue, as events had already been in motion for some time before Faith's arrival. The 'true' beginning started several years before, in a long buried church, when the Slayer Summers died at the hands of the Master, only to be saved by the 'White Knight' and the Vampire with a soul." The old man paused a moment and shook his head. "The events of that time are of course recorded in the earlier records. However this record is of the activation of the Slayers, and thus the previous history will not be repeated here."

The man settled back in his chair.

"While unknown to us, the beginnings of the activation occurred in mid-October of 2002…"

Chapter 1

Season 7 Episode 4 'Help'

Buffy sighed as she sat in the teacher's lounge. She'd just come from Principal Wood's office where she had informed him about how Cassie Newton was expecting to die that Friday.

Unfortunately, he hadn't been as helpful as she would've liked.

Then she'd spilt coffee on herself, ruining her shirt.

Just as Cassie had predicted.

Having been the Slayer for a little over eight years, Buffy had seen (and done) a lot of strange things. Someone that could see the future wasn't that much of a stretch for her to believe in.

But it was what Cassie believed would happen on Friday that bothered her.

Buffy let out another sigh.

How could she help someone who seemed to have pretty much accepted her fate? It was frustrating!

"Who councils the councilor?" came a voice.

Buffy turned to see a woman maybe a few years older then her standing just behind her. The woman had cold grey eyes and dark brown hair, but had a smile on her face.

"Sorry." The woman said, "But you just looked so lost there."

"Who are you?" Buffy asked.

"I'm Sayoko Aida. Librarian" The woman answered as she sat beside Buffy. "And you are Buffy Summers, our recently hired Councilor."

Buffy blinked. "Was there a memo that went out or something?"

"Newsletter." Sayoko replied, "I think they used your High School yearbook photo."

"Ew!" Buffy shivered, "I figured it was lost when we….when the old school had that gas leak."

Sayoko leaned closer to Buffy.

"I've found that the least flattering photos are always the ones to surface when we least expect them." She then smirked. "Kinda like ex-boyfriends."

"You have no idea." Buffy murmured.

"So what's the case Councilor?" Sayoko asked.

Buffy was quiet for a moment. She supposed there was Councilor student confidentiality in effect or something, but then she had told Principal Wood. As the one in authority he was the one with the power to do something, but then he had pretty much blown it off.

"Suppose you know that something could happen to someone," Buffy began, "you want to stop it, but the person doesn't want help."

"Well," Sayoko said, "I suppose it would help in knowing if this was a good something or a bad."

"Bad." Buffy stated, "Very bad."

"Obviously I would do everything I could to stop it then." Sayoko answered. "Even so far as to enlist the authorities."

"Suppose you passed this on to an authoritve figure who blew you off?" Buffy asked.

"Well….." Sayoko thought for a moment, "in that case, I'd do everything within my power to help the someone."

"But she won't open up to me to let me help her." Buffy stated.

"Then find someone she might." Sayoko replied, "Someone…..more her age."

Buffy sat up straight.

"You're right!" She leaped to her feet and raced out of the Teacher's lounge.

"Thanks!" she called out over her shoulder as she barely avoided colliding with a one-eyed auburn haired teacher entering the lounge. The teacher paused a moment to watch the petite blond vanish into the student filled halls. She then looked to Sayoko.

"Was that a student?" she asked.

"Our new Councilor." Sayoko replied.

The Auburn haired woman blinked.

"Where was she going in such a hurry?"

"Off to the save the world." Sayoko replied. She then sighed, "Or at least a part of it."

[NGG:FotC]

"Are you alright?"

Buffy blinked and turned her head.

"What?"

Sayoko stood silently in the doorway.

"I heard about Miss Newton." She said softly. "I assume it was she who was 'the someone'."

Buffy took in a deep breath.

"Yeah." She said.

"You can't help them all." Sayoko said softly. "There will always be some that slip through."

"I know." Buffy replied, "But I have to try."

Sayoko gave a small smile.

"You'd be a sorry Councilor if you didn't. Now, if you'll excuse me, someone seems to have left a slight mess in my Library." Sayoko turned and left the office, leaving Buffy to stare wide-eyed at her back.

"Oops…"

[NGG:FotC]

"Do I smell bleach?"

Sayoko glanced up from her scrubbing as the auburn haired Teacher entered the library."

"Really not in the mood right now Mana." She grumbled as she resumed scrubbing the floor. She then stopped and looked up. "Why didn't you stop them?"

Mana shrugged. "Wanted to see her in action."

"And?"

"She was good."

"Not good enough in her eyes." Sayoko murmured.

Mana's eye softened. "You and I both know, there was nothing that could have been done."

"I know." Sayoko snapped, glaring at her friend. "But it doesn't mean I like it."

[NGG:FotC]

Season 7 Episode 7 'Conversations with Dead People'

Loki raised an eyebrow.

"You want me to do….what?" he asked. "You can't be serious."

The First in the form of Buffy smirked.

"Very."

"But it's just so…." Loki struggled a moment to find the word. "…tacky."

The First frowned.

"It's your chance to get out from here for a while."

Loki looked around the cave they were in and shrugged. "Good point."

[NGG:FotC]

8:32pm

The Summer's home

"I know you're there." Dawn whispered as she sat on the floor amongst spell ingredients. "I will cast you out. My Mother needs to speak with me."

An invisible Loki smirked from where he was watching in the corner. He waved his hand, causing a howl to fill the room. He then turned and with his other hand, sent the girl screaming across the floor and into the wall.

"I cast you from this place!" Dawn chanted, "It is your poison and your bane!" She tossed a handful of ingredients towards the howling noise.

In response, Loki flicked his hand, leaving a whip mark upon Dawn's face.

"It is the skin that is cut from your flesh!" Dawn continued.

The candles that had been illuminating the living room when out and a wind began to blow about the room.

Loki frowned. This wasn't his doing. He glanced at his hands and noticed some of the spell ingredients had landed on him, glowing a slight shade of green.

The windows in the living room shattered as the wind continued to pick up.

"I cast you out…." Dawn struggled to remain standing in the destroyed living room. The wind continued to howl. "….with every prayer…. From every god that walks the earth and crawls beneath!"

Loki growled as he felt his powers being invoked against his will. After all, he WAS a God…albeit a fallen one. He strode forward and backhanded the girl, sending her flying across the room once more.

"I cast you out…." Dawn shouted from the floor. "…..with the strength of those who love me! I cast you out with the strength I have inside me!" Dawn rose to her feet, holding the bowl of ingredients up. "And I cast you out into the void!" she exclaimed, tossing the bowl and it's contents towards the couch.

Unknowingly, also towards Loki.

Loki shouted in pain as the ingredients hit him. Almost immediately the ingredients began to react to him.

"That's right!" Dawn shouted out, "Die you basterd!"

Blood flew freely around the room as Loki flailed about in pain. His powers were seemingly out of control, making it seem as if he was about to burst.

Then he became visible.

Dawn gasped as the figure appeared before her.

Loki slowly struggled to his feet, pain still wracking his body.

"Little girl." He hissed as he slowly walked forward "You will pay for that…" He raised his hand again and started to backhand her. But before his hand could reach her face there was a flash of green and blue light.

"NO YOU WILL NOT!" came a voice from all around.

Loki's eyes widened and he quickly looked around the shattered living room for the source of the familiar voice.

'It couldn't be…' he thought.

Get out now. Came the voice of the First.

Loki growled one more time at Dawn, then vanished in a white flash.

Dawn looked around, expecting him to reappear when another figure appeared before her all in white.

"…M…Mom?" Dawn asked.

[NGG:FotC]

Loki hissed in pain and relief as he finally got the last of the spell ingredients off of his body.

"Aw….." came a voice he knew all to well. "Did you hurt yourself?"

Loki slowly turned to see the First had taken on the form of that infernal half-bred daughter of the Present's again.

"Want me to heal it and make it all better?" the First asked, smirking

"I told you never to use that form around me!" Loki growled in anger.

The First smirked, and then shifted back to the petite blond.

"You should know better then to get in the way of Wicca spells" It stated.

"Wicca had nothing to do with it." Loki grumbled. "The girl's own power fueled what hurt me." He then turned and looked off into the distance. "Along with something else….." he murmured.

[NGG:FotC]

"DAWN!" Came Buffy's voice from downstairs, waking a just fallen to sleep Dawn.

Dawn had been a wreck when Willow had found her, almost as bad as the living room. She told Willow about her Mom, and was stunned when Willow had told her it wasn't her Mom….well…maybe wasn't. She had been so shocked, Dawn had completely forgotten to mention the man that had appeared. The Witch had helped her upstairs to her room where she had hoped to finally get some rest.

Only now Buffy had come home.

"DAWN!" Buffy shouted again.

Dawn lifted her head and was about to answer when she heard Willow's soft voice from the hallway.

"Buffy, it's ok. She's ok. Not hurt, just exhausted. Finally fell off to sleep."

'Yeah right.' Dawn thought to herself as she lay back in the bed.

"What the hell happened?" Buffy's muffled voice came through the door, slightly softer. "Downstairs looks like…"

"Hell? Yeah." Willow interrupted, "This big evil that's been promising to devour us? Well I think it's started chomping."

The voices faded as the two walked away from Dawn's door.

Dawn lay on her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. She then turned her head to look at the photo of her mother that sat at her bedside.

"Was that you Mom?" she asked softly. "Please…..let it have been you."

Had Dawn looked beyond the photo to the mirror over her dresser, she might have seen, if only for the second or so it was there, the ghostly image of a dark brown haired woman with blue markings upon her forehead and cheeks looking down at her with bright blue eyes.

[NGG:FotC]

"We've missed a lot."

Sayoko looked up as Mana entered the library.

"There are other things going on here besides Loki." Mana continued.

Sayoko threw her hands up in the air.

"Why don't we just put you on the P.A. and announce it to the entire school!" She glared at her friend. "There could have been other people in here!" she hissed.

Mana looked around the room with her one eye, then looked back to the librarian.

"It's a library." Mana stated, "No one hangs out in here but nerds and you."

"I married a nerd." Sayoko snapped back.

"Again….my statement proves true." Mana smirked. "Only nerds and you."

Sayoko sighed and placed her head in her hands.

"Why me?"

"Worry about you later. There's a corpse in the basement."

"A what?"

"Corpse. You know, a dead guy?"

"I know what a corpse is." Sayoko hissed.

"And he was stabbed in the back." Mana sighed, "It was beautiful."

"You would find beauty in that." Sayoko grumbled.

"Anyway…" Mana continued, "I think we're missing some key things going on around here."

"Such as?"

"That worm thing ring any bells? The corpse I just found?" Mana then smirked, "Or even teenaged heart throbs in varsity jackets."

"Never mention that again." Sayoko hissed, "And you went after him too!"

"But I'm not married." Mana answered, "Anyway, it proves my point. This town attracts very bad things to it, all because of the Hellmouth. It's like crack to Demons. Even I'm getting a buzz off it. And we can't be everywhere. We need to know what's going on."

Sayoko sighed. Mana was right. There was simply too much going on in this town for them to continue to remain clueless.

"What did you have in mind?"

Mana smiled. "One for each faction. One dark, one light."

Sayoko frowned a moment, lost in thought. Then her eyes slowly began to widen.

"I know who we need."

[NGG:FotC]

Willy's bar.

Despite the daytime hour, the bar was fairly full. Several demons occupied stools at the bar alongside a few humans that were 'in the know'. A few vampires sat in booths back in the darker areas of the bar.

All talk soon faded to complete silence when a new figure entered the bar.

To all she seemed out of place. Petite, strawberry blonde, Willy briefly thought it was the Slayer, but then the blonde Slayer wasn't as endowed in the chest area as this one was. In fact, this woman seemed even larger then the dark Slayer. She turned her head from side to side, taking in the occupants of the bar through a pair of sunglasses.

All eyes followed her as she walked up to the bar and spoke to Willy.

"Hello," her voice had the slight hint of an English accent. "I'm looking for Willy. Might you be him?"

"Depends," Willy answered, "What do you need him for?"

"Information." The blonde replied.

"Sorry," Willy said, "I don't know anything."

An arm slowly slid over and around the woman's shoulder.

"What kind of information you lookn' for sugar." A vampire in game face asked as he moved in to smell her. "You an't from around here are ya?"

The blonde let out a soft sigh before reaching up with her right hand, grabbing the back of the vampire's head, and slamming him violently face first into the bar. She then lifted him back up and repeated the smashing twice more before the vampire vanished in an explosion of ash as its head was turned into pulp.

Willy gasped and started to back away before the blonde's left hand shot out and grabbed his shirt collar, pulling him almost over the bar towards her. The blonde pulled her sunglasses off with her right hand and glared around the bar at the other demons.

Those demons, who had started to rise to their feet for a fight, quickly sat back down as blood red eyes stared back at them. She then directed her gaze back towards Willy.

"Now," she said slowly and dangerously, "About that information you know nothing about….."

[NGG:FotC]

Somewhere in the United States.

Rupert Giles walked quickly up the front steps of the suburban home and reached his hand out to ring the bell. He paused when he realized that it would be unnecessary.

The front door was already open.

Carefully Giles pushed the door open and peered into the home.

It was a mess.

The battle that had been fought here had been brutal, yet hopeless. The two bodies on the floor could attest to that. Giles walked into the living room and knelt down beside the body of a man, obviously the Watcher.

From the bruises on the Watcher's hands, he had fought as well as anyone could have against the Bringers, until he had received the fatal knife wound to the back. It appeared he had tried to fight back in his last moments with the same Bringer Knife that had killed him.

Giles rose and walked slowly to the female body. Kneeling down, he gently rolled the girl over. To his surprise, his gaze fell not on the expected teenaged Potential Slayer, but of a woman in her mid to late twenties with dark brown hair. Her lifeless grey eyes stared back at him.

Giles frowned and rose to his feet, still staring at the woman. He knew a Potential Slayer had been lived here. The limited information he had, plus the devastation left by the Bringer attack had indicated it.

So where was the Potential?

Giles went quickly around the house, looking into all the rooms. While here was evidence of the Bringer intrusion, there was none of the Potential Slayer. Walking back into the living, Giles stared down at the two bodies, trying to seek the answer he needed from their lifeless forms. That was when he noticed the faint arcing scratch along the floor near the wall.

Kneeling down, Giles traced the scratch with his hand, following the arc from its end out towards the middle of the room, back to the wall. He stared at the wall, and then slowly ran his hand along it. There, he found what he was looking for, a faint line. Evidence of a hidden door.

Giles quickly moved back to the Watcher's body and grabbed the Bringer's knife. He then went back to the wall and found the line again. He jabbed the blade of the knife deep into the line and began to pry open the hidden door. The door moved a bit, then stopped, before finally swinging open with a loud crack of wood. Giles then turned and looked into the now revealed hidden room.

It appeared to have been a closet at one time, modified to become a hidden armory. Various weapons of the Slayer's trade hung from its walls.

But it was not these weapons that he took notice of.

It was the body of a teenaged, light purple haired girl, laying on the floor of the closet that held his attention. He quickly bent down to check her vitals, only for her to grab his hand before it had even reached her. The girl stared back at him with fearful eyes, a stake clutched tightly in the hand not holding his arm.

"It's alright." Giles said softly, "I won't hurt you. I'm here to help."

The girl stared at Giles, then looked past him towards the room.

"Are they gone?" She asked.

"Yes." Giles replied, "They're gone."

He helped her to her feet and led her out into the living room. The girl paused to stare at the bodies, her gaze holding longest on that of the woman's.

"I'm sorry about your Watcher." Giles said softly. "My name is Rupert Giles. What is yours?"

"Cayla." The girl answered.

"Come Cayla," Giles said, leading her from the room. "We need to get you to a safer place."

The two exited the house. Had they looked back, they might have noticed that the body of the woman was no longer there.