Greece - again.
The search for Orpheus was not going well. In fact, Xena had begun to beleive the worst--that somehow, Bacchus had managed torid himself of Orpheus permanently. However, their search had led the travellers closer to "bacchae central," as Joxer had dubbed the series of caves they were currently approaching. None of them knew for certain where Bacchus was hiding, but it was becoming easier to extrapolate his possible whereabouts by following the trail of decimated villages and bloodless bodies. Xena had made certain that the trio were well supplied with Dryad bones, but each successive night spent exposed in the woods was becoming more and more stressful. They had discovered that it was necessary to stake and behead the dead bodies they found; otherwise the corpses rose at night as bacchae.
It was this stress that caused Xena to almost decapitate Autolycus, the King of Thieves, as he came into their camp one night.
"What. Are. You. Doing. Here." Xena forced her words through clenched teeth, and took her foot off the back of the prone thief. Autolycus sat up slowly, fingers tracing the shallow cut made by Xena's sword before she had realized her mistake.
"Boy, are you ever on edge," he finally managed. "I'd heard you were looking for Bacchus and I thought I could help."
Gabrielle's derisive snort forced an indignant, "I did, too!" from Autolycus. "Oh right," said the bard, "Autolycus the philanthropist, just passing through bacchae territory, decides to do his good deed for the day and help rid the world of blood-sucking bacchae."
"Gabrielle," Xena chided, "let him finish." At Autolycus' smile she continued, "This could be good for a laugh." The King of Thieves scowled at Xena, and decided to come clean.
"Okay, okay. I'm not in this for the personal satisfaction. That grape stomping creep took something from me--something that I went to considerable pains to get. I want it back."
"What is it this time, Autolycus? Ambrosia? The Golden Fleece? The head of the Gorgon?" Xena lifted a quizzical brow at Autolycus as she spoke, noting his increasing discomfort with satisfaction.
"Ooh, yeah, I hear that powdered Gorgon's head is a powerful aphrodesiac," blurted Joxer, "um, not that I've ever needed anything like that or anything."
Xena, Autolycus, and Gabrielle tried to ignore Joxer, and Gabreille turned her attention to Autolycus. "Well, out with it, man! Time's a wastin'!"
"It's the chronos stone, okay? Look, before you start yelling at me, last time I had it I was under duress! I didn't know what it could do, so I sort of botched the job, then Hercules got involved, and then there was this whole big golden hind thing, and..."
"Golden hind....golden hind." Xena looked puzzled, on the verge of remembering something important. "Now I remember--Ares was obessed with her, because.....Hind's blood! That's it!" Xena began pacing restlessly back and forth. "With hind's blood, Bacchus would be able to destroy any god who came after him. Obviously, Bacchus did not get a reprieve from Hades."
"Wait, Xena. If Bacchus needs hind's blood, why does he need the chronos stone?" Now Gabrielle looked puzzled.
Autolycus sighed. "Long story short, blondie. The last hind is dead. It was a plot by Ares. He got the hind's blood. In order for Bacchus to get it, he'd either have to fight Ares--no fun, because our friendly neighborhood war god fights dirty--or go back in time BEFORE Ares kills the hind and get the blood himself,"
"Which would also prevent Ares from having a weapon against Bacchus." finished Gabrielle.
"And, since you're much easier prey than Ares," began Joxer, looking pointedly at Autolycus.
"Hold on there, collander head. I might not be the god of war, but I've got a few tricks up my sleeve."
Xena stepped between the two posturing men. "That's enough. We've got to try and stop Bacchus before he uses the chronos stone."
"But Xena, if Bacchus is still a god, why would he even need the stone? Can't they just, you know, zap themselves around? And what about Orpheus?" asked Joxer.
"I don't know what's going on, but there's no time, Joxer. We need to move now. I don't like going in without all the information, but it's safe to assume that *someone* is going to use the chronos stone, and they need stopping." Xena turned to Autolycus. "I don't suppose you 'volunteered' any operating instructions on the chronos stone, did you, Autolycus?"
The thief looked smug. "Nothing that would actually be helpful," he stated. "After all, I am a master of misdirection. Even," here he paused for effect, "when my life is on the line!"
Xena's silent glare caused the thief to straighten and clear his throat. "Yes, well, where were we? I guess you'd like to know where Bacchus is hiding?"
"That would be helpful," came the sarcastic reply as the warrior princess stepped closer to Autolycus. The thief gulped. "THIS WEEK, Autolycus."
"Okay, follow me. It's not too far from here, but I think we should stay hidden until daylight. The bacchae go dormant then. That's how I was able to escape."
As the group gathered their belongings and fell in behind Autolycus, Gabrielle drew Xena aside. "Xena? What do you think Bacchus wants, really? What's gotten into him?"
"I don't know, Gabrielle," replied the warrior, "but we're going to find out, and we're going to stop him."
* * *
Sunnydale - Night. Drusilla stood in the playground, absently rocking a doll as she hummed tunelessly. "Spike?" She turned at a noise behind her. "Oh, Angel, it's you."
"Hi, Dru. Nice night, isn't it? Feeling hungry?" Angelus stepped closer, cupping her face in his hand. "I know a place we can go to get a nice, hot meal, like we used to. It's cosy, it's intimate, the night shift works a skeleton crew -- we could make that literal....."
"Oh, no Angel. I'm not hungry, I'm listening to the stars." The male vampire stepped back, and looked inquisitively at Drusilla. He'd never had Spike's tolerance of her "episodes," but he realized that she was a valuable source of information. He spoke in his most soothing voice to Dru, "Hmmm, and what do they say?"
"Blood. Blood flowing like wine; the last will meet the first, and the old will be new again. It's a lovely song, I think. It's about the death of gods. I need to listen longer."
Angel slipped into the shadows as Drusilla resumed her humming. He had plans to make, and a Slayer to stalk.
The Library It wasn't an emergency or anything, but Willow was at the library with Buffy. They were poring over the same tome that had bored Buffy senseless earlier, but this time, the Slayer was actually managing to remain interested. Although as the life histories of all the Slayers before her became apparent, she was beginning to get more than a little depressed.
"Will? You had a good idea and everything, but there doesn't seem to be a surplus of crotchety old Slayers running around." Buffy sighed, and put her head down on the table. "Thanks for the thought, though. It was nice of you to try and cheer me up."
"But, wait! Here's something, Buffy! It seems that the very first Slayer was never killed by vamps. She didn't even have a Watcher, and she managed to survive to a ripe old age--or at least that's what this says. Of course, the rest is in Greek....." Willow trailed off, but smiled hopefully at Buffy. "See, Buffy? It's not hopeless. I'll work on translating this, and you can use this Slayer as your role model."
The current Slayer smiled at her friend. "Will, your methods are straight out of bizarro world, but you and Xander are the only people who seem to be able to make me smile."
"Yep, you'll get to spend a month at Club Slay yet." Willow was nodding emphatically as she spoke. "I have faith. Towel boys, pina coladas..."
"Joy, fun and seasons in the sun. Let me walk you home; I'm gonna make one sweep tonight and then turn in. Tomorrow's another fun-filled day on the hellmouth. A girl's gotta be rested." Buffy stood and stretched. Willow picked up the vampiric history book, and the two left the library.
Greece - again.
The search for Orpheus was not going well. In fact, Xena had begun to beleive the worst--that somehow, Bacchus had managed torid himself of Orpheus permanently. However, their search had led the travellers closer to "bacchae central," as Joxer had dubbed the series of caves they were currently approaching. None of them knew for certain where Bacchus was hiding, but it was becoming easier to extrapolate his possible whereabouts by following the trail of decimated villages and bloodless bodies. Xena had made certain that the trio were well supplied with Dryad bones, but each successive night spent exposed in the woods was becoming more and more stressful. They had discovered that it was necessary to stake and behead the dead bodies they found; otherwise the corpses rose at night as bacchae.
It was this stress that caused Xena to almost decapitate Autolycus, the King of Thieves, as he came into their camp one night.
"What. Are. You. Doing. Here." Xena forced her words through clenched teeth, and took her foot off the back of the prone thief. Autolycus sat up slowly, fingers tracing the shallow cut made by Xena's sword before she had realized her mistake.
"Boy, are you ever on edge," he finally managed. "I'd heard you were looking for Bacchus and I thought I could help."
Gabrielle's derisive snort forced an indignant, "I did, too!" from Autolycus. "Oh right," said the bard, "Autolycus the philanthropist, just passing through bacchae territory, decides to do his good deed for the day and help rid the world of blood-sucking bacchae."
"Gabrielle," Xena chided, "let him finish." At Autolycus' smile she continued, "This could be good for a laugh." The King of Thieves scowled at Xena, and decided to come clean.
"Okay, okay. I'm not in this for the personal satisfaction. That grape stomping creep took something from me--something that I went to considerable pains to get. I want it back."
"What is it this time, Autolycus? Ambrosia? The Golden Fleece? The head of the Gorgon?" Xena lifted a quizzical brow at Autolycus as she spoke, noting his increasing discomfort with satisfaction.
"Ooh, yeah, I hear that powdered Gorgon's head is a powerful aphrodesiac," blurted Joxer, "um, not that I've ever needed anything like that or anything."
Xena, Autolycus, and Gabrielle tried to ignore Joxer, and Gabreille turned her attention to Autolycus. "Well, out with it, man! Time's a wastin'!"
"It's the chronos stone, okay? Look, before you start yelling at me, last time I had it I was under duress! I didn't know what it could do, so I sort of botched the job, then Hercules got involved, and then there was this whole big golden hind thing, and..."
"Golden hind....golden hind." Xena looked puzzled, on the verge of remembering something important. "Now I remember--Ares was obessed with her, because.....Hind's blood! That's it!" Xena began pacing restlessly back and forth. "With hind's blood, Bacchus would be able to destroy any god who came after him. Obviously, Bacchus did not get a reprieve from Hades."
"Wait, Xena. If Bacchus needs hind's blood, why does he need the chronos stone?" Now Gabrielle looked puzzled.
Autolycus sighed. "Long story short, blondie. The last hind is dead. It was a plot by Ares. He got the hind's blood. In order for Bacchus to get it, he'd either have to fight Ares--no fun, because our friendly neighborhood war god fights dirty--or go back in time BEFORE Ares kills the hind and get the blood himself,"
"Which would also prevent Ares from having a weapon against Bacchus." finished Gabrielle.
"And, since you're much easier prey than Ares," began Joxer, looking pointedly at Autolycus.
"Hold on there, collander head. I might not be the god of war, but I've got a few tricks up my sleeve."
Xena stepped between the two posturing men. "That's enough. We've got to try and stop Bacchus before he uses the chronos stone."
"But Xena, if Bacchus is still a god, why would he even need the stone? Can't they just, you know, zap themselves around? And what about Orpheus?" asked Joxer.
"I don't know what's going on, but there's no time, Joxer. We need to move now. I don't like going in without all the information, but it's safe to assume that *someone* is going to use the chronos stone, and they need stopping." Xena turned to Autolycus. "I don't suppose you 'volunteered' any operating instructions on the chronos stone, did you, Autolycus?"
The thief looked smug. "Nothing that would actually be helpful," he stated. "After all, I am a master of misdirection. Even," here he paused for effect, "when my life is on the line!"
Xena's silent glare caused the thief to straighten and clear his throat. "Yes, well, where were we? I guess you'd like to know where Bacchus is hiding?"
"That would be helpful," came the sarcastic reply as the warrior princess stepped closer to Autolycus. The thief gulped. "THIS WEEK, Autolycus."
"Okay, follow me. It's not too far from here, but I think we should stay hidden until daylight. The bacchae go dormant then. That's how I was able to escape."
As the group gathered their belongings and fell in behind Autolycus, Gabrielle drew Xena aside. "Xena? What do you think Bacchus wants, really? What's gotten into him?"
"I don't know, Gabrielle," replied the warrior, "but we're going to find out, and we're going to stop him."
* * *
Sunnydale - Night. Drusilla stood in the playground, absently rocking a doll as she hummed tunelessly. "Spike?" She turned at a noise behind her. "Oh, Angel, it's you."
"Hi, Dru. Nice night, isn't it? Feeling hungry?" Angelus stepped closer, cupping her face in his hand. "I know a place we can go to get a nice, hot meal, like we used to. It's cosy, it's intimate, the night shift works a skeleton crew -- we could make that literal....."
"Oh, no Angel. I'm not hungry, I'm listening to the stars." The male vampire stepped back, and looked inquisitively at Drusilla. He'd never had Spike's tolerance of her "episodes," but he realized that she was a valuable source of information. He spoke in his most soothing voice to Dru, "Hmmm, and what do they say?"
"Blood. Blood flowing like wine; the last will meet the first, and the old will be new again. It's a lovely song, I think. It's about the death of gods. I need to listen longer."
Angel slipped into the shadows as Drusilla resumed her humming. He had plans to make, and a Slayer to stalk.
The Library It wasn't an emergency or anything, but Willow was at the library with Buffy. They were poring over the same tome that had bored Buffy senseless earlier, but this time, the Slayer was actually managing to remain interested. Although as the life histories of all the Slayers before her became apparent, she was beginning to get more than a little depressed.
"Will? You had a good idea and everything, but there doesn't seem to be a surplus of crotchety old Slayers running around." Buffy sighed, and put her head down on the table. "Thanks for the thought, though. It was nice of you to try and cheer me up."
"But, wait! Here's something, Buffy! It seems that the very first Slayer was never killed by vamps. She didn't even have a Watcher, and she managed to survive to a ripe old age--or at least that's what this says. Of course, the rest is in Greek....." Willow trailed off, but smiled hopefully at Buffy. "See, Buffy? It's not hopeless. I'll work on translating this, and you can use this Slayer as your role model."
The current Slayer smiled at her friend. "Will, your methods are straight out of bizarro world, but you and Xander are the only people who seem to be able to make me smile."
"Yep, you'll get to spend a month at Club Slay yet." Willow was nodding emphatically as she spoke. "I have faith. Towel boys, pina coladas..."
"Joy, fun and seasons in the sun. Let me walk you home; I'm gonna make one sweep tonight and then turn in. Tomorrow's another fun-filled day on the hellmouth. A girl's gotta be rested." Buffy stood and stretched. Willow picked up the vampiric history book, and the two left the library.
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