Chapter one: Me, myself and I
I´m displeased!
No, that doesn’t even nearly express my feelings at the moment. I´m furious, mad!
Honestly, this just can´t be true! How could it happen, that a handful of little girls beat my army? Can you explain that to me? Sheer luck, if you ask me – and balls, even though the image doesn´t exactly fit. They even destroyed my favourite hellmouth! Damn! They are so dead! They just don´t know it yet.
Excuse me! Did you just say stop sulking? That´s hardly the right word for the disappointment I´m going through at the moment. After eons of exile there is finally the chance of coming back to earth and they mess everything up. No, pouting doesn´t nearly fit!
But I agree, you are right, somehow. I need to go on. Don´t they say revenge is sweet, isn´t that a proverb of yours? And I will be revenged. Bet on that. But I will be so much more careful this time! Better plans and better allies and a better army! I admit that the thought of leaving this dimension might have gone to my head – metaphorically speaking. I don´t have a head of my own here either.
So back to square one. That at least didn´t change. The slayer Buffy – now I even have to name them further – is still living, isn´t she? Damn, I still can´t believe they turned all those potentials into real slayers. I bet you thought it was a clever idea, didn´t you? Yeah, it looked cunny at first sight, no doubt. Fortunately, I seem to know things you don´t – I guess that´s the way it goes with higher beings like me. You want to know, too? Well, I´ll tell you this much: There weren´t many slayers left, but those are definitely enough to tilt that fine balance between good and evil. Whether it is for their side or mine, we will still have to find out. Guess what I am working on. Humans ruled earth much too long. And I suppose your time is finally coming to an end. It isn´t for nothing that there is only one slayer born to every generation. One, not hundreds! How daft are you humans, anyway? Calling so many slayers, knowing that there being two of them was the beginning of your trouble in the first place? Are they trying to make things easier for me? One could guess so. Rather irritating.
I also thought it strange that the watcher agreed to the plan. Doesn´t he know of the consequences, either? Probably not, he is still one of you whiteheads. At least he should have thought the plan through but he was desperate, right, with Buffy turning away from him for the recent crappy decisions of his and all. He isn´t the sharpest crayon in the box, is he? And I really made things hot for the girls, didn´t I? Pressure is such a fine tool to drive you crazy. Personally, my favourite was the chic that I talked into suicide. Masterly, don´t you think? Dear Caleb wasn´t that bad himself, until he got himself killed by slayer Buffy, of course. I never should have told him about that axe. Won´t happen again!
No, I suppose they didn´t think this plan through. Their loss – my gain. One hellmouth down but there are others. Where they are? Please, didn´t I just tell you it won´t happen again? I can keep my secrets. Find it out yourself and good luck. Most books of the watcher library have burned. Well, at least my bringers are thorough.
Talking about allies… What are you thinking about those two vampires who changed sides? Vampires with souls?! One traitor even asked for his! That´s unheard of. What kind of world are you living in? It´s so time somebody cleaned up there. And I´m not talking about slayers, believe me! But there is so much more behind this treason! Without that damn amulet they never would have beaten me! And where did they get it from? Wolf, Ram and Hart! You might have noticed that I am familiar with this name. In my time they were insignificant entities that crawled to the feet of the powerful and tried not to be crushed. I shouldn´t be surprised they tried to prevent my coming back. No, I even understand it. But make no mistake, I won´t tolerate this behaviour. They are first on my list! And I do have an idea or two of how to mess things up for them. Now, where is that amulet again?
But before I start, a new beginning is in need, new cards, new players. Definitely a new right hand for me. I need someone with charisma, someone who can forge a lasting liaison with the demons walking your earth. Caleb was alright but he did lack that certain evilness that comes with a demon. Yes, I´m already planning the next battle. So? I will use my headstart to the best and win this time. But first things first. Angelus would have been a good choice, pity he isn´t available. But I think I have found someone else already. He already has a unique reputation among the good as well as the evil. Unfortunately, I must kind of resurrect him first. Well, nothing is ever for free.
I will leave the slayers in peace for the time being. Let them tend to their wounded. They will be watched but I think I already know what they will do. Los Angeles first and then they will spread and collect the new slayers. Fine with me. Let them do the work, I´ll pick them up for killing later. Why I´m so optimistic? Think please: the slayers didn´t defeat me. It was the amulet. Next time there will be no amulet and the battleground will be my choice!
You see, time is on my side. Until Buffy dies, you say? You didn´t pay attention in that battle, did you? Deadly wounded she was, and still she walked and fought again, not to mention that brilliant race across the roof of Sunnydale. Yes, I can acknowledge things like that, you didn´t know that. But with Buffy, something is definitely different. Did Willow´s mojo fire backwards again? I wish you could see my grin. Yes, I think I have all the time in the world.
Enough talk. Thanks for listening.
My mood is so much better already.
Author's Chapter Notes:
This is a bit different from what I usually read here. Why don´t you read and tell me whether it is worth gioing on?