REVENGE! Good motive. Anything to screw over the Initative.

And why would Buffy and Giles think that Angel was the consort with his problem with uh...consorting.?

Author's Response: I guess because he's the only vampire she's ever consorted with. ;-) Thanks for reviewing!

Great chapter. I love the stubborn Spike! How good that Giles could manipulate him, I'm just hoping that Spike in time will be as protective of Buffy as Takeshi were of Kaede. I loved how worried you made him on th way to fight Orochi. Another great update! ~Nina

Author's Response: Thanks! I won't say that Spike and Buffy will end up exactly like Takeshi and Kaede (because you saw how that ended, and that's no good), but I will say that I'm playing with parallel construction for a reason. ;-)

Bringing in the revenge angle is very clever of Giles (and you!).

I love the structure of this story, with the ancient Japanese part of the story moving back in time while the modern part moves forward. It's very compelling.

Also, I just have to comment on the excellent Spike voice. In "In League with Serpents," your Spike is already in love with Buffy and far more than half-way to being a white hat. That is reflected in his voice. In the new story, the difference in voice is remarkable. You really capture the still unreformed, manipulative, angry vampire.

Author's Response: I love Spike in all his iterations, and a big part of the appeal that this idea held for me is that season 4 Spike is beast of a different color that season 6 Spike. I'm glad you don't think I'm dropping the ball with that. Thanks for the review!

You characterizations are amazing! Reading this chapter, it felt as if I were watching an episode of BtVS unfold. I already knew how great you were in Spike's head, but you have the Watcher down pat as well. Keep it coming!

Author's Response: I can't tell you how much that complement means to me. Thank you!

Fire had scoured the area bare of trees for miles around and the glow of the moon on the snow gave the plain an ethereal beauty. What a background for a story banner that sight would make... sadly my graphics skills are but in the infancy stage, but hopefully someone will make you a banner for this haunting story setting.

Being picky here, but:
... or spread far and wide to cover a city block., I'm not sure the parallel to a 'city block' works when you're in the Genroku period... how about a rice field or something more endemic?

Willow were having about as much luck with Buffy as Giles was having with him. should read, 'Willow was having...., I think?

I like this Rupert. He's not the bookish, indecisive lightweight that we were so often presented with in the show. Nor do you use the 'Ripper' personna like Superman to Giles' Clark Kent - which is so silly. Instead, you've given this Giles 'balls'. Suits him.

As always, I like your Spike.

And, Takeshi and Kaede's story intrigues and grows on me with every chapter. Again, there's inferrence to their marital relationship from them in past tense, and then you pile on the intrigue by having Takeshi aided by Ai, a priestess no less... so somewhere there, there is a meeting of good and evil... interesting.

Deliciously satisfying chapter, pet. Thank you.

*Chrissie goes off to learn a few chords on the koto... just for Weyr*




Author's Response: Bwahahaha! Sorry, I just had this amazingly hysterical flash of Giles stepping into a stereotypical red British phone booths, stripping off his tweed, and then leaping out in a black spandex outfit with a big "R" on the front. It's Ripper-man, to the rescue! Ahem. So yeah, tweaking away (but Edo was a huge city at the time). That's what I get for not having a beta. Sigh. Mmm, banner... That'd be the day. I'm glad you're still liking the story. Thanks for the feedback!

Oh, I'm loving this story. You're doing an amazing job with Spike, Buffy and Giles voices, they sound so true to the characters we saw on tv. I'm very glad that Spike accepted to help them and I can't wait to read more of this fantastic story. :D c

Author's Response: Thank you! I worry about getting the "voices" just right, so it's great to hear that I'm not completely mangling the characters.

Lovely battle scene with Kaede and Takeshi. And what's this? Angel might not be the vampire in question? Hee.

Author's Response: Yeah, who would have guessed? Oh wait... :-D Thanks for the review!

Great chapter!

Author's Response: Thank you!

Oh, this is going to be good!  Loving this story so far.  :)

Author's Response: I hope so. :-) Thanks for reviewing!

I must say I love the glimpses to the past very much too! Only the end is sad but it leads to our two bottle blondes. Hehe.. at last Giles knows now that Angel isn't the vampire he is looking for! This story is addicting. It always let me behind wanting more :) Till next chapter!

Author's Response: You don't need to see my identification. This is not the champion you are looking for... I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much. Thanks for reviewing!

"What now?" indeed...

I thought the battle Takeshi and Kaede fought against Orochi was beautifully depicted. It came across in an almost slow-mo Crouching Tiger-esque way. The silent slicing of the mystical blades, the state of zanshin Kaede reaches, the dark presence of her vampire mate... I was rather saddened therefore when, at the very end, Kaede turned to Takeshi... thinking of him as, ... the man who had been her husband. I suppose that is a reflection of the blinkered education of all Slayers throughout time. *sighs*

When you switched to 1999 Sunnydale, I was not uncomfortable with the three Scoobies you showed us. Buffy's introspective seemed like her to me. I did frown a little at the, "Just call me attento-girl from here on out.” Not sure if 'attento(?)-girl' is quite what I'd expect her to say, and I'm not sure if she'd expand the response to include, 'from here on in out'... I'm not a writer though, just being a picky reviewer trying to be helpful like my story author asked...

Nothing was really OOC though. It all flowed really nicely... and you put the cherry on top of this slice of cake with Spike's totally useless attempt to look all nonchalant and indifferent *smiles warmly at weyr's Spike*

More, I say... I want MORE!

Author's Response: Stupid watchers mucking everything up! Hmm, the dialog... I'm going to ponder on that line and maybe tweak it. Thanks for the input, because yeah, I find Buffy's head to be a strange and confusing place. Thanks also for the review! I'll be posting more soon.

It's really exciting can't wait to see what happens when they handle the swords.

Author's Response: Give me a few chapters. :-D I have to convince the reluctant couple that fighting together might be more fun that fighting each other. Thanks for the review!