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madimpossibledreamer) wrote2024-07-15 01:26 pm
madimpossibledreamer) wrote2024-07-15 01:26 pm
Entry tags:
Beacon of Hope
Main Points:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer/SMT Devil Summoner Raidou Kuzunoha (Casts Shadows)
Summary: Giles and Angel gain an audience with Her Grace Buffy. It doesn't go the way they expect.
Word Count: 1290
Rating: Teen
As they approach, once they’re past the five or so guards stationed in a perimeter around the house, it turns out they’re not the only ones seeking an audience with Her Grace, because there’s a vampire knocking on the door.
“Angel. I’m surprised to see you knocking.” And Giles knows him, too, and doesn’t immediately draw his sword or warn Xander to prepare for an attack, so presumably he’s an ally. Raidou files that away.
“Giles, thank goodness. It’s chaos out there. Do you know if Buffy’s safe?” He does genuinely mean it, Xander notices. He does care, but it’s secondary to Buffy, because while the tone is honest he rushes though a bit to the end.
“I believe so, though I have yet to see in person,” Giles answers, not taking it personally.
“I’d been told she’s fine, too, but I need to know for sure—” And then he notices Xander, and he’s suddenly on edge. Hmm. “Xander. It’s...good to see you’re safe.”
He doesn’t fully mean it, but Raidou doesn’t take that to heart. After all, he’d gotten evidence he wasn’t exactly the best of people. Depending on the nature of the bad blood between them, it might actually be wholly his fault. He smiles in return, putting a hand on the brim as an acknowledgment. “I don’t know who you are, but I’m glad you’re okay, too.”
The man blinks—more evidence it’s on his end, unfortunately—and then continues on awkwardly like he’s not sure what to do with it so doesn’t even want to try. “I wouldn’t usually bother, but I was told it could be dangerous if I didn’t approach this properly, and with everything else going on…”
And then a voice calls out from inside. A now-familiar voice. “Password?”
“...Swordfish?” Angel responds hesitantly, and the door opens.
“Who’s unoriginal now?” he can’t help but taunt as he enters, as childish and unbecoming of a Raidou as that is, because come on, really? And then he raises an eyebrow at the ghost in the dining room chair, because for someone who very much didn’t want him to let the maimed catgirl inside, they seem to be getting along if all the giggling is any indication, and she’d been doing that before he’d made his little quip. Though she’s starting to look a little guilty now, and that hadn’t been the intention.
“Willow, is Buffy okay?” Angel asks—sounds like he might have a bit of a one-track mind, then.
“Her Grace is fine, but might throw a fit if you don’t call her Her Grace or Duchess,” Willow warns them seriously, dropping the guilt for now (which is good, because that does not need to be a tangent she’s on). “She’s been knighting people and taking oaths of allegiance for hours now.”
“Mostly using my sword, until someone found a spare in Her Grace’s bedroom, freeing me up to go patrol,” Xander adds helpfully, because both of them look skeptical.
“I’d say Her Grace does not like being talked about in third person, but it’s a normal part of the Duchess’ existence,” Duchess Buffy adds, dryly humorous, and Raidou bows deeply, Cordelia does some sort of probably slightly mocking imitation of a curtsey, and Willow’s attempt at a bow results in her practically slamming her face into and becoming one with the furniture, which would be worrisome if she wasn’t incorporeal at the moment. The Duchess looks over the newcomers carefully. “You’ll make a good noble advisor,” she decides, making Giles highly shifty. “Now, what news from the fields of battle?”
“Situation normal. More civilians, more demons, no leads, thankfully no sign of the Fiend as of yet. Apparently there’s a whole group of civilians in an art gallery that hasn’t noticed anything; we’ve got agents keeping an eye on things there under Captain Rogers’ orders.” He notices Willow’s wide-eyed stare at the name and subtly nods in her direction, happy to see her grin and readying himself for the interrogation later. Though he’s not sure if she’d find talking Doom Guy out of just taking out everything as funny as he does. Or if she’s a fan of Tony Stark at all.
“Excellent. I will take both of your oaths, and then we will see if we can’t find a better way to locate the source of this corruption.” The Duchess readies her sword, frowning when neither of the newcomers step up.
“If I might, I believe we might clear this whole thing up with one question for Willow—” Giles begins, only to be cowed by the sheer force of Her Grace’s glare. Not that Xander blames him, at all. It’s seriously intimidating.
“Everything in its time and place,” she snaps.
It’s interesting watching their oaths; he hadn’t really bothered before, but given that he’ll probably be needed soon wandering off probably isn’t the best idea. Angel goes all old-fashioned with it with word choice and some of the accent, which seems to please Her Grace. Giles seems to phrase it as more of a renewal of an oath, which is fascinating but matches what Willow had said about him being Normal Buffy’s Watcher. Neither of them exactly know what they’re doing or are ready for the whole knighting business, but then, it’s not like he (or Willow, which had been odd enough though perhaps not surprising that it was possible, given that the sword had been supplied by the Yatagarasu) had experience, either. They’d both just figured out it was better to kneel much quicker.
“And now that you are both my servants, ask your question.” Her Grace seems a little amused. He gets the feeling she might’ve insisted on it just to amuse herself.
“Willow, from which store did you obtain your costumes?” Actually...that makes a lot of sense. Not only would it be a source that could affect such a wide variety of people, magically that also tracks. Symbolically, a costume would be worn to cover one’s identity, to become someone else, if only for a time, so casting a spell on one or even dozens would be simplicity itself.
“Ethan’s,” comes her answer, and Raidou does not need a Pagan Order demon to read Giles’ mind. He’s trying valiantly not to let on, and if not for his training as a Kuzunoha Xander might have been fooled.
“Well, I believe that’s all I needed to know. I don’t believe that’s a lead. Thank you—” Yep. He’s absolutely trying to slip away and deal with this all on his own. Fortunately, Xander doesn’t have to actually say anything, because it looks like the Duchess caught on, too.
“Nonsense,” she states with dignity, eyeing her sword and then handing it off to a slightly panicked-looking Angel for safekeeping, given that she doesn’t even have a belt. “It would not do to let one of my servants travel alone in such a dangerous territory before we have finished conquering it and making it safe for travel and commerce. We shall accompany you.”
Raidou smirks, double checking that the gun is fully loaded and offering to let Nix heal the cut on Angel’s hand, just in case that would get in the way of his being able to fight (he declines, looking just about as disturbed as Willow had).
“Have fun storming the castle!” one of the civilians calls from the other room, and if he’s not mistaken Cordelia hides a smile as she goes to the freezer and retrieves an ice cream. Which someone is no doubt going to be very unhappy about, but given that she looks like the type to be complaining about calories the next day, the consequences will almost certainly find her without his help.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer/SMT Devil Summoner Raidou Kuzunoha (Casts Shadows)
Summary: Giles and Angel gain an audience with Her Grace Buffy. It doesn't go the way they expect.
Word Count: 1290
Rating: Teen
As they approach, once they’re past the five or so guards stationed in a perimeter around the house, it turns out they’re not the only ones seeking an audience with Her Grace, because there’s a vampire knocking on the door.
“Angel. I’m surprised to see you knocking.” And Giles knows him, too, and doesn’t immediately draw his sword or warn Xander to prepare for an attack, so presumably he’s an ally. Raidou files that away.
“Giles, thank goodness. It’s chaos out there. Do you know if Buffy’s safe?” He does genuinely mean it, Xander notices. He does care, but it’s secondary to Buffy, because while the tone is honest he rushes though a bit to the end.
“I believe so, though I have yet to see in person,” Giles answers, not taking it personally.
“I’d been told she’s fine, too, but I need to know for sure—” And then he notices Xander, and he’s suddenly on edge. Hmm. “Xander. It’s...good to see you’re safe.”
He doesn’t fully mean it, but Raidou doesn’t take that to heart. After all, he’d gotten evidence he wasn’t exactly the best of people. Depending on the nature of the bad blood between them, it might actually be wholly his fault. He smiles in return, putting a hand on the brim as an acknowledgment. “I don’t know who you are, but I’m glad you’re okay, too.”
The man blinks—more evidence it’s on his end, unfortunately—and then continues on awkwardly like he’s not sure what to do with it so doesn’t even want to try. “I wouldn’t usually bother, but I was told it could be dangerous if I didn’t approach this properly, and with everything else going on…”
And then a voice calls out from inside. A now-familiar voice. “Password?”
“...Swordfish?” Angel responds hesitantly, and the door opens.
“Who’s unoriginal now?” he can’t help but taunt as he enters, as childish and unbecoming of a Raidou as that is, because come on, really? And then he raises an eyebrow at the ghost in the dining room chair, because for someone who very much didn’t want him to let the maimed catgirl inside, they seem to be getting along if all the giggling is any indication, and she’d been doing that before he’d made his little quip. Though she’s starting to look a little guilty now, and that hadn’t been the intention.
“Willow, is Buffy okay?” Angel asks—sounds like he might have a bit of a one-track mind, then.
“Her Grace is fine, but might throw a fit if you don’t call her Her Grace or Duchess,” Willow warns them seriously, dropping the guilt for now (which is good, because that does not need to be a tangent she’s on). “She’s been knighting people and taking oaths of allegiance for hours now.”
“Mostly using my sword, until someone found a spare in Her Grace’s bedroom, freeing me up to go patrol,” Xander adds helpfully, because both of them look skeptical.
“I’d say Her Grace does not like being talked about in third person, but it’s a normal part of the Duchess’ existence,” Duchess Buffy adds, dryly humorous, and Raidou bows deeply, Cordelia does some sort of probably slightly mocking imitation of a curtsey, and Willow’s attempt at a bow results in her practically slamming her face into and becoming one with the furniture, which would be worrisome if she wasn’t incorporeal at the moment. The Duchess looks over the newcomers carefully. “You’ll make a good noble advisor,” she decides, making Giles highly shifty. “Now, what news from the fields of battle?”
“Situation normal. More civilians, more demons, no leads, thankfully no sign of the Fiend as of yet. Apparently there’s a whole group of civilians in an art gallery that hasn’t noticed anything; we’ve got agents keeping an eye on things there under Captain Rogers’ orders.” He notices Willow’s wide-eyed stare at the name and subtly nods in her direction, happy to see her grin and readying himself for the interrogation later. Though he’s not sure if she’d find talking Doom Guy out of just taking out everything as funny as he does. Or if she’s a fan of Tony Stark at all.
“Excellent. I will take both of your oaths, and then we will see if we can’t find a better way to locate the source of this corruption.” The Duchess readies her sword, frowning when neither of the newcomers step up.
“If I might, I believe we might clear this whole thing up with one question for Willow—” Giles begins, only to be cowed by the sheer force of Her Grace’s glare. Not that Xander blames him, at all. It’s seriously intimidating.
“Everything in its time and place,” she snaps.
It’s interesting watching their oaths; he hadn’t really bothered before, but given that he’ll probably be needed soon wandering off probably isn’t the best idea. Angel goes all old-fashioned with it with word choice and some of the accent, which seems to please Her Grace. Giles seems to phrase it as more of a renewal of an oath, which is fascinating but matches what Willow had said about him being Normal Buffy’s Watcher. Neither of them exactly know what they’re doing or are ready for the whole knighting business, but then, it’s not like he (or Willow, which had been odd enough though perhaps not surprising that it was possible, given that the sword had been supplied by the Yatagarasu) had experience, either. They’d both just figured out it was better to kneel much quicker.
“And now that you are both my servants, ask your question.” Her Grace seems a little amused. He gets the feeling she might’ve insisted on it just to amuse herself.
“Willow, from which store did you obtain your costumes?” Actually...that makes a lot of sense. Not only would it be a source that could affect such a wide variety of people, magically that also tracks. Symbolically, a costume would be worn to cover one’s identity, to become someone else, if only for a time, so casting a spell on one or even dozens would be simplicity itself.
“Ethan’s,” comes her answer, and Raidou does not need a Pagan Order demon to read Giles’ mind. He’s trying valiantly not to let on, and if not for his training as a Kuzunoha Xander might have been fooled.
“Well, I believe that’s all I needed to know. I don’t believe that’s a lead. Thank you—” Yep. He’s absolutely trying to slip away and deal with this all on his own. Fortunately, Xander doesn’t have to actually say anything, because it looks like the Duchess caught on, too.
“Nonsense,” she states with dignity, eyeing her sword and then handing it off to a slightly panicked-looking Angel for safekeeping, given that she doesn’t even have a belt. “It would not do to let one of my servants travel alone in such a dangerous territory before we have finished conquering it and making it safe for travel and commerce. We shall accompany you.”
Raidou smirks, double checking that the gun is fully loaded and offering to let Nix heal the cut on Angel’s hand, just in case that would get in the way of his being able to fight (he declines, looking just about as disturbed as Willow had).
“Have fun storming the castle!” one of the civilians calls from the other room, and if he’s not mistaken Cordelia hides a smile as she goes to the freezer and retrieves an ice cream. Which someone is no doubt going to be very unhappy about, but given that she looks like the type to be complaining about calories the next day, the consequences will almost certainly find her without his help.