DISCLAIMER: No infringement of copyright is intended. You know the drill, anyone appearing on or mentioned on BtVS are ME's. New characters introduced here are mine.
EXTRA WARNINGS and or SPOILERS: Language, angst, violence, general wackiness.
Doppelgängland War
by Eris © 2005 — All rights reserved.
Chapter Five: Into Place
The time of the full moon had arrived once again and as the sun descended Oz readied himself for the long night. Going down to the sub-level, he paused in front of Rue's cell. Last moon time she was completely out of it. “Hey,” he called, “you ready for tonight?”
She looked at him questioningly.
He furrowed his brow, “Tonight's First Night. You're awfully calm.”
She remained silent.
“Me, I'm crawling in my skin, as you can see.” He was somewhat disappointed by the no response to his little joke but continued, “Hope you don't mind a roommate, I’ll be just down the hall.” He tossed a small pouch in the air and moved to leave then paused. “I don't know how I’ll react if I smell you here, and I can't promise my roars will be dull, but I’ll try and keep it down. Good luck,” and he turned and headed on down the cellblock.
Reaching his destination, he put down the pouch and began to disrobe. Removing a vial of salts and an herb mixture, he began pouring a barrier line in front of the cell. When finished he knelt next to the pouch removing a medallion. Holding it up he spoke a few words then placed it about his neck. Reaching into the bag again, he took out a small box and placed it on the floor. Opening the top, he pulled out a smaller jar. Uncorking the top, he scooped out some of its precious contents slathering it ritualistically on his skin beginning a quiet chant. Returning the jar to the box, and the box to the bag, he then rose and neatly stacked his clothes and the pouch safely against a far wall. Pausing for a moment his thoughts wandered back down the hall to the girl in the other cell only his time was up. Moving to the line of minerals and herbs, he breathed deep then stepped behind the half circle and into the cell locking the door behind him.
Rue held onto the bars and craned her neck, pushing her face against the metal to try to see down the hallway. She felt it before she heard it, the moany, groany, growling howl. The feeling unnerved her more than the sounds of the manic frenzied goings on. She moved back to her cot and flopped down listening to the repeated bangs and clangs. Troubled, she swiped her hands over her face then pulled her knees up tight under her chin. Holding out a hand, palm down, she focused on it and bit her lip concentrating hard. After a few moments, she expelled her breath and sucked in air anew. Trying again, she gritted her teeth, yet nothing, nothing happened. Nothing changed. Rue jerked about frustrated, balled up her fist and struck the cot repeatedly. It was gone. Her power was gone. Even the feel of the lunar pull was all gone. She couldn't change anymore.
Suddenly she stood the hair on her neck and arms rising at the sound of mocking laughter as it floated in the air of the cell. Frantically she looked about but to her bewilderment she was alone.
* * * * * * * * * *
Giles sat barricaded in his office attentively attempting to compose the first entry in his new diary, but with the advent of the full moon, the complex was on high alert, obstructing his creative flow, and niggling his last nerve. He rubbed his temple and picked up his pen once more dragging it across the page. With the academic testing of Rue now in progress he was eager to initiate phase two of her resocialization and integrate her into the complex. The drug appeared stable keeping her even and incapable of shifting. That, however, did not mean she wasn't dangerous anymore. Far from it. While the scholastics were giving him insight into her psyche, he was completely clueless as to what she was truly capable of physically, in this restrained condition, or even at full strength for that matter. Most ancient tomes and compendiums were sketchy at best as to the true abilities of shapeshifters and theriomorphs, and the myths were always more concerned with the pomp and mysticism aspects rather than actual circumstance and factuals.
So, as with the other demons under his supervision at the complex, he would begin a serious case study, recording his findings and musings of her physical, if not currently hampered state, to be compared to future evaluations of her unrestrained self for comparison. He deemed this research an invaluable teaching tool for imminent encounters with other individuals of the not-so-amicable kind. He paused in mid sentence and threw the pen down again. If only he could just get a proper start to it.
* * * * * * * * * *
Tara sat cross-legged atop a stack of mats tying a threaded bracelet and watching Amanda go through her drills with the heavy bag. She still had plenty to do before her time outside and the light was running short.
“So what's wrong with everyone lately?” Amanda asked pausing briefly. “Everyone's all catlike skittery and cheesed off about something.” She threw a few punches at the bag. “I mean, I knew things were gonna be bad when the bounty went up on Faith, but now...” she backed up and kicked the bag then stopped and leaned into it looking to the older girl, “this Sharpe dude is making every demon's tail twitch. It's gonna get worse isn't it?”
“No. It's not,” Tara replied calmly, not looking up from her knot work.
Amanda returned to attacking the bag and casually tossed out, “And you, you're never around any more...”
This made Tara look up from her craft and frown. “I'm sorry, Stick, I haven't been ditching you. It's just...” she sought for the right words to come up with, “complicated.”
Amanda averted her eyes smacking the bag again and innocently let slip, “What's complicated about it? You did something with the prisoner you weren't supposed to and got punished.”
Tara suddenly straightened at the words. “Did something—?!”
Amanda began backpedaling, “It's okay. I mean—”
Tara stood up and came at her. “No, it's not. Amanda, what do you mean by did something?”
The tall slayer suddenly felt anything but. “It's not like it's a secret or anything, this is a small place and stuff—”
“Amanda!” she barked, eyes burning with intensity.
“You slept with that girl and then let her out,” she blurted out.
Tara's jaw fell open and her mind searched, “I-I did no such thing.” She glared at her and asked in an accusatory tone, “Who's been saying that?”
“Everyone,” the young slayer shrugged.
“Everyone? Who's everyone? Or do I need to ask?” She scowled and looked her straight in the eye, “Amanda, is that what Faith has been telling people?”
“I guess so. Yeah. I-I-I mean I don't know. It's what she told me,” she stammered.
Tara's blood began to boil. “It's all lies,” she growled tossing the bracelet to the floor and pacing in anger. “Where does she get off?”
“She likes to stir things up,” the young slayer offered, “at least that's what you tell me when she's whumping my ass for no good reason.”
Tara looked at her then averted her eyes and expelled a big calming breath. Amanda was just being honest with her, which it seemed not many people were doing lately, and she was right. Faith loved to make people crazy, it was a sport for her. Unfortunately, Tara was bad at sports and usually ended up being sucked right into the middle of Faith's mind games as an unwilling participant. She remained silent and retrieved the bracelet from the floor focusing on it once more.
Amanda fidgeted not sure of what to do next.
Finishing the last few knots, she agitatedly threw the armband on the pile and looked up at the slayer once more trying to think of things to take her mind off of Faith. “How about some one on one?” and she crossed over to the weapons wall.
Amanda nodded apprehensively yet moved to the balance beam near the wall and jumped up onto it using her arms to steady herself.
Tara paused fingering a few of the weapons then took aim and began whipping knives in the other girl's direction.
“Hey your aim is getting better,” Amanda complimented as she dodged them systematically.
“Not really, I was going for you're head,” she joked continuing to toss them at her.
Amanda did a back flip eluding another blade, “How's the daylight spell going?”
Tara sighed, “No real progress. I just can't seem to get any proper power into it to make it more permanent.”
“Maybe if we scare you?”
Tara giggled, “It's not like the hiccups, Stick.” She paused in her throwing, “I can just see that catastrophe now. Boo. Scream. Burst into flames.” She waved her hands about spastically before throwing another blade.
Amanda performed a split on the bar bending backwards to avoid it. “Yeah, but it'd be bright enough to see by though,” she joked.
“You're bad,” she smiled then reached for the Chinese throwing stars.
“And you could always stand next to Faith while going all flamey.”
“Can we stop talking about Faith please?” she said and motioned with her hands. Effortlessly the Chinese stars flew across the room as if possessed. They clipped Amanda in several spots propelling her from the bar and sticking her to the wall.
“OH MY GOD! Amanda!” Tara screamed.
“Wow, that's what I call power,” she quipped somewhat dazed inspecting her injuries.
* * * * * * * * * *
Rue huffed and puffed lying on her back on the early morning training room floor. Her eyes drifted towards the door and the armed guards in possession of her shackles.
“Again please,” Giles, sounded drolly.
Rue shook her head exhausted form the exercise and the no sleep night, “I-I can't. It's too much.”
“Yes, you can,” he insisted. “The gap in that catwalk is a minimum length for someone with your abilities, you can traverse it easily. Again,” he ordered waving his clipboard about.
Painfully, Rue rose and climbed the ladder once more.
When she was in position he shouted, “Go,” and clicked the stopwatch timer.
Skillfully she made her way across the catwalk pausing but a moment at the ledge peering to the other side to gauge the distance. Leaping into the air, she flexed her body to get as much height as possible, however, this time she only managed to make it less than half way across before she plummeted to the floor below like a stone, again landing on her face.
Angered, Giles slammed his clipboard to the floor and cut the testing short leaving in a snit. Quickly the shackles went back on, and Kent and Brent dragged her back to her cell.
The girl was doing his bidding but still wasn't putting forth her best efforts. In fact, her test scores were seeming to backslide and he was utterly dissatisfied with her attitude. He walked the halls to clear his rage and re-find his center. Before long, he found himself in the old vehicle bay and made his way to the outside. It had been far too long since he just went outside in the sun, alone, and just did something not slayery, not concerning the safety and well-being of everyone within the complex, something for himself. He headed down the street putting everything, well, almost everything behind him. Mindfully he fingered a stake in his jacket pocket when he spotted the day patrol demons across the way, yet kept moving with purpose, disappearing down a side street.
* * * * * * * * * *
In the dining hall, the gang was loud and rowdy as usual. Oz sat quietly after his late night contemplating his cheese fries. “So, Larry man, do you think I've got a chance, or am I just chasing Amy here?”
Larry stopped chewing, mouth slightly ajar, furrowed his brow and blinked. Through his oversized burger bite he asked, “Amy? Amy's dead, man. I thought you liked that Rue chick?”
Oz raised an eyebrow, paused and glanced at him, “I do.”
Larry's expression remained unchanged, “But you just said Amy.”
“That's right.”
Larry began chewing again just long enough to swallow his bite then started to chuckle and leaned into his friend, “Dude, did you sneak a toke before getting out this morning?”
Oz looked at him sternly, “Shesh, dude, never mind.” He picked at his fries and shook his head, “Catch a flick once in a while.”
* * * * * * * * * *
Tara set Amanda's overfilled tray down on the table and began to unload and arrange the food items. She had selected some of the better rations stored in the back and usually saved for special occasions for her lunch today.
“Tara, you really don't have to do this, I'm fine. See.” She waved her arms and wiggled her fingers as she moved to sit.
“Still, you shouldn't exert yourself,” she said as she began to open her milk carton.
“Exert? It was just flesh wounds. I've done worse to myself in the shower shaving my legs, and Dixie almost kicking us both in the ass for waking her should have clued you in to the non life-threatening trivialness of them.”
“We can't be too careful,” she responded automatically.
Amanda glowered as she surveyed the bounty laid out in front of her, “If I'm not *careful* your guilt trip will cause me to gain ten pounds.” She then grabbed Tara by the wrist to stop her henning. “Tara, my slayer healing has it scabbing already.”
Tara met her gaze with guilt-ridden eyes. She fidgeted and grabbed at her head as she flopped down in the chair beside Amanda, “I'm sorry.”
Amanda leaned into her, “I know. We covered this all last night like fifty times and I forgive you. You didn't do it on purpose. Accidents happen when you train. I kinda usually end up hurting Mr. Giles like all the time.”
“What the fuck is this? Did you win the food lotto, Second Rate?” Faith barked strolling up to the table taking in the two girls and all the goodies, then picking up some for herself and shoving it into her flannel shirt pocket. Before Amanda could say anything she continued, “No... That's not it. Wait! I get it.” She moved to stand behind Tara's chair and put her hands on the blonde girl's shoulders. “This is for the guilty witch's conscious, right?”
“Faith,” Amanda protested.
“Faith, what?” she mocked. “You got no business opening that mouth if all thumbs Tara here actually pegged you.”
Amanda opened her mouth about to respond then stopped and closed it.
Faith eyed her. “Uh-huh, and you're supposed to succeed me? Riiiiight.” Then bent down and whispered into Tara's ear, “Gee, T, maybe you could injure me once in a while,” and gave her shoulders a good squeeze.
Tara squirmed from her grasp raising her hands to shoo the slayer away. “Get away from me Faith.”
“Mee-ow,” Faith goaded. “Or should I say bow-wow.”
Tara took the bait and jumped to her feet yelling, “Don't even go there. I know what you've been saying to everyone.”
Silence fell upon the great dining hall as all eyes were now upon the duo.
Faith peered about and grinned a wicked grin, “Okay, so you know. Prove it wrong. Tell everyone here the *real* truth.”
* * * * * * * * * *
Near dusk Giles returned to the complex. Wiping the blood from his hand with his hanky, he headed straight for his office and for his books. The outing had done him a world of good, cleared his head, and gotten him thinking anew. He had been continuing his research into conditioning and if he was correct, he finally had it figured out. The girl was going through a period of transference. She was broken by Willow to do her bidding, so it would only be natural for her to transfer that to another “alpha” female until the response could be completely eradicated. For whatever reasons, she seemed to have imprinted on Tara, and if he kept up his bluffs, he might just be able to manipulate her into getting better. But it wasn't going to be easy.
After a long think, he sent for Tara to have her talk to the girl and try to persuade her to improve before he actually had to put his bluff to the test.
“She's responsive to you,” he asserted. “You must tell her to obey to me.”
“Obey you?” Tara's jaw fell. “I can't tell her to do that. I *won’t* tell her to do that.”
Giles sighed and mopped his brow. “You know what I mean. She's holding back. She still doesn't trust us and I need her to open up and do this for us to move on.”
“She won't listen to me.”
How could he explain it to her? He couldn't tell her his findings, not just yet. “But she does listen to you. You're the only one here she seems to trust, so I need you to make her see reason, if she ever wishes to be released.”
* * * * * * * * * *
Reluctantly Tara found herself down on the sub-level. Giles had allowed her to visit Rue in her cell to try to coerce her into cooperating more fully. “Rue you gotta listen to Mister Giles, do what he says,” Tara argued.
“I am.” Rue fidgeted on her cot causing the shackles to make that annoying metally scrapey noise on the cement that unnerved Tara so.
Tara kneeled down in front of her to make it stop. “You want out of here don't you?”
Rue met her gaze then lowered her head and shook it no.
Tara's brow flew up in disbelief, “No? You mean you want to stay in this cell forever?”
She nodded melancholy.
“I don't believe that,” she professed rising to sit next to her on the cot.
Lifting her eyes Rue stared at her.
Tara felt the hurt spilling out like waves.
She stood and paced. Then agitated she spoke, “Willow's gone, turned to ash. I've got nothing, no one. My home is gone, burned to the ground. Just *where* am I going to go?”
“You can stay with me,” Tara blurted out automatically without thinking. “I m-mean...” she straightened up awkwardly attempting to backtrack her outburst when she realized how it came out, “you can stay here. In the complex here, if-if you want to.” She played with a tattered end of her shirt nervously, “I'm s-sure that's why, um, Mr. Giles brought you here.”
Rue shook her head and continued to pace, the sound of the dragging chains grating on Tara's already frayed nerves once again, “I don't have what he wants. I don't know anything. I've only known Willow. *Her* way. *Her* rules. She taught me to care for her and took care of me.” Rue stopped in mid stride and stood in front of Tara. “Who's going to take care of me now?” she beseeched then flopped down next to her on the cot.
Tara had never thought of that before and furrowed her brow lowering her eyes to the ground. “I...” she took a deep apprehensive breath, “I can try.” Slowly she reached out her hand and placed it over Rue's.
* * * * * * * * * *
Rue took a powerful hit to the side of the head rattling her teeth and causing her to take a few steps back to steady herself.
The purple demon was huge and powerful and the vapor emanating from the glands near his collarbones threatened to choke her. She ducked a wide roundhouse punch then closed in and kicked him in the chest with a big boot that should have sent him across the room, but the demon just looked at her and she gulped knowing she was in serious trouble.
“No no no,” Giles screamed, “don't just stand there!”
But the demon already had her by the leg and was pummeling her. He then grabbed her waist and hoisted her above his head.
“Anytime now!” Giles screamed.
“Oh my God! Giles!” Tara yelled covering her eyes as Rue was savagely pile driven to the floor.
“Damn it girl!” Giles fumed. “Stop! Stop.” He walked onto the floor disgusted that her performance still wasn't improving but seeming to be declining. “Thank you Ephram, you may take a break. Get a glass of something or other...” He turned to Rue and leaned over her, “What was that?”
Tara ran over and began tending her, “Rue, oh Rue.” Her face was cut up and beginning to swell.
“Tara get away from there. Rue get up,” Giles insisted.
“I-I need a minute,” she huffed.
“A minute? A minute for what?” he asked pulling off his glasses. “This is life and death. There are no time-outs.”
“Giles,” Tara scolded carefully applying pressure to the girl's face.
“What do you want from me?” she barked angrily sitting up.
“I want you to bloody well stop holding back. I know you can do better, I've seen it. We've all seen it.”
“That was then,” she muttered with a wince from Tara's attention.
“And this is now,” he affirmed, “so get up and we'll go again.”
“I'm sorry, can't,” she announced exhausted.
“You can and will,” he ordered. “Now pick your demon self up, NOW.”
“Giles!” Tara yelled, “That's enough.”
“I can't do what you ask,” she said voice rising. “Willow's gone. My powers are gone. Gone for good. I'm human again.”
Giles blinked at her. “Excuse me?”
Tara tilted her head, a strange look moving across her face. “What are you talking about?”
“Willow's powers, the ones she gave me,” she said painfully getting to her feet.
Giles furrowed his brow, and Tara looked to him confused pulling him far enough aside so Rue's enhanced hearing couldn't hear. “Does she not know about the drug? How can she not know about the drug?”
“I don't believe it's come up in our tea time conversations. How about yours?” he quipped partially serious.
Tara grimaced at his sarcasm.
“Well,” he countered, “it's not like anyone has asked her can we drug you to strip you of your shifting ability and make you controllable so you don't go and kill us all as we nap?”
Tara's dour expression was unchanged at his humor or lack thereof.
He expelled a quick impatient breath and offered her up an actual answer, “She was first dosed when we brought her in. Then Dixie mixed it in with the antibiotics and we've been mixing it in with her food ever since to ensure she takes it. There's never been any real way for her to know I guess.”
Tara turned to the girl again. “Rue,” she began, “Willow didn't give you any powers.”
“Yes, she did,” she maintained.
“No, she didn't,” Giles concurred. “Vampires don't have that ability. Even master vampires. They can only turn people into other vampires.”
Rue was confused. “But—”
“Mister Giles is right,” Tara interrupted with a nod.
Rue refused to believe, “No, you weren't there. You don't know. You don't!” she argued becoming visibly upset and tried to run from the training room, yet Brent barred her escape with his firearm so she was forced to flee to a far corner.
Giles rubbed the back of his neck and walked in a small circle, “Well, this is new but, not entirely unexpected.”
“I wonder what other lies Willow has told her?” Tara said quietly chewing on her fingernail with concern.
* * * * * * * * * *
To be continued in Chapter Six
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