Buffy wasn’t sure what to make of any of the last 199 seconds. At first the entire thing looked much like any other challenge she’d seen. Good start for one, bad for the other. Some tricks and slip ups, and the last minute ‘strike what you can while you can’ that came from the realization that time was nearly up and there was no clear victor.
She had patiently kept count up until Spike pushed Parker off with a little more force then was needed. Then the air of the battle became electric and her focus zeroed in on the pair’s stances and the looks they were throwing each other. Parker was talking, probably trying to break Spike’s concentration. Apparently it worked.
Buffy was taken aback when Parker fully punched Spike across the jaw, sending the surprised male down in a heap. A moment later the bell rang over the eerily quiet crew.
Once again Spike found himself on his back, twisting his head back to see the red head’s half smile and almost sorrowful look as she set the metal striker aside before making her announcement. “Time’s up!”
Parker, still breathing hard, walked over to the downed man. “Have to say, I really thought you had me.” He said and held his hand out for the other man to use as he hauled himself up. Spike did and was struck with the thought that maybe Parker had just been using his strengths. Using his quick mouth to get what was wanted. In this case that was the upper hand.
He had to shake his head at how easily he’d fallen for the other man’s ploy. Spike hesitated, and glanced in the direction of the captain who was once again consulting with the bard before addressing the second man to defeat him today. “Would have if you’d kept your bloody mouth shut.” He said to Parker seriously, then fell back into an easy chuckle.
Parker grinned back with a look of camaraderie on his face and turned to see the captain approach.
Buffy walked up to the pair finally, shaking her head with a frown on her face. She eyed both men proudly wearing the matching set of black eyes, bloodied noses and other various bruises and scratches. Nothing major, but all together the damage was slowing the pair of fellas down for the rest of the day at least. Both were quite aware of that fact.
They took her frown as having to do with their matching states of disarray as they literally felt her looking them over.
“I hate to say this,” she began and shifted her gaze to the crew circling and waiting for the deciding call. “But I lost count.” She said with a bit of laughter covering her uneasiness.
Snickers ran over all who were top deck and they all began to compare counts. Unfortunately no 2 people came up with the same numbers. Even Devon had been too distracted by the aggression to be sure of his numbers.
Spike glanced over to Parker who shrugged, letting him know he wasn’t sure who had the greater number of blows either.
Now, there was one thing William had tried to be in his life, and that was fair. He’d seen too much unfairness in his youth and entrance into adulthood, that he’d made himself a promise to try and always be straight with people. So it was with an inward growl and a hesitant tongue that he spoke up. “Capt’n. He got me by one.” His voice mumbled and his head jerked to Parker in a swift motion. “29 to my 28.” He clarified.
Parker looked clearly stunned, but gave the man a nod for his efforts before looking back at Buffy for her decision.
For the first time since the storm, Elizabeth took an extra look, scrutinizing Spike, and still unsure of exactly what he was about. Who exactly he was. She gained some respect for him though. Declining to hide his count, and relieving her of what would have been a difficult decision. “Alright. The match goes to you then.” She nodded to Parker. “Well done, both of you.”
Parker had the good grace to pat Spike on the back and encourage the good show he put up. He was quite aware he’d lucked out.
“Well then.” Buffy addressed the crew glancing back at Spike who had hauled himself up, but looked a bit worse for wear. “Faith, take over the count.” The brunette stepped up and headed towards the helm, letting go of Woods’s arm. “I suspect Spike and Parker could use some of Willow’s healing now.” The red head came down the steps and escorted the bruised pair from the main deck to the steps leading down to the galley.
As they left the area, the two heard the next challenge called out. “Larry, Devon!” She went on as before, but her words muffled as they went along.
They disappeared to the lower level, turning into the galley, past the empty tables and into the empty cooking space. On the stove was an already boiling concoction that had a bitter odor filling the small space.
“Agh, Red, what you got cooking in there. Skunk arse?” He made no attempt to hiding his disgust.
She gave him a clearly annoyed look and took to stirring the concoction. “It’ll heal you up. You’re lucky, any thing more than cuts and bruises and you have to deal with actual healing time. As it is, the rest of the competition will have to hold until after the final meal.” She glanced at the deep cut across Spike’s eyebrow from one of his falls trying to deduce how long it would take for him to be up for the final competition. “Looks like it’ll be a lamplight affair.”
“Are you out of you’re little ‘ead there?” I can barely move. Feel the joints tightening up while I stand ‘ere.”
Parker gave him a warning elbow to the side which only aggravated both of the men’s wounds.
She turned and grinned. “You’re agitated. Just sit down out there. You too, shoo.” She motioned to Parker with a sideways nod, then watched to be sure the men were following her orders. “And don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.”
Spike huffed, but already knew to listen to the woman, so he turned following the other man out to the first empty bench and sat. His legs and back protested to what should have been a relaxing position. The grunt was quiet, but he knew she’d heard it.
Pain, agony, discomfort.
Ok, discomfort.
A few minutes passed, and he soon saw her come out with a bowl and several scraps of cloth. “Now, take off your shirt.”
He quirked a brow. “Excuse me?”
~~`~~
They were playing with each other. Buffy rolled her eyes at the pair.
She watched Faith swagger in a way only that woman could and spin before landing a well placed kick into her lover’s stomach.
Woods tried to block the move, a favorite of the girl’s, but came up short and found himself stumbling backwards trying to regain his center of gravity. With a slight scowl he took a few steps forward and decided on his next move.
“Those two, at it again.” Xander said as he stepped up to Buffy’s side with an apple ready to be eaten.
“Well it has been nearly a month since the last raid. Energy builds I guess.” She shrugged.
“Plus, I think she likes to aggravate him.” He added which was quickly followed by the crunch of his first bite.
“Hey, females as a species do not set out to aggravate men.” She clarified for him, and noticed his unbelieving look. “Well, just the ones we like.”
He shook his head as he downed the snack before talking. “Good thing they have equal standing on board. Be a shame if one of them actually lost rank because of a match.”
Buffy turned slowly and glared at him. “No one is loosing rank around here.”
“The rules say…”
“I assure you, I’m in top form.” She saw his wide grin. “ And you’re making jokes with me.” She finished blushing a bit because she’d let him take her along.
“Well… knocking your confidence down just a bit, Buffy. Spike’s already been downed twice today.” He paused for a moment. “And by Parker no less.” He pretended to shiver.
“I’ll endeavor to restrain my extreme proficiency.” Buffy announced to her first mate who looked at her curiously. “I’ll try not to beat him too badly.”
“Ah.” He nodded knowingly.
~~`~~
Spike blinked, and was glad he could accomplish the act.
Before leaving him, Willow had him lay down with bits of the poultice covering him mid waist to forehead. She’d prepared another concoction for both men’s eyes, and they’d bantered back and forth for a good twenty minutes before a sudden sleepiness quieted the bunkmates.
Spike lifted the cheesecloth holding the moist herbs that had somehow healed his swollen lids enough to allow him his normal sight. Better then normal for him it seemed, he took note when he realized he could pick out the smaller details in the wood that was the frame of his bunk with no need of his glasses. “Must be residuals off of Red’s handiwork.” He deduced.
He swung his legs over the side of the bed and carefully sat up waiting for the tug and pull of his bruised side, or an ache from his shoulders and neck, but none came. The poultice, now dried and crisp, flaked from him as he stood leaving a brownish black dust behind.
Testing his range of movement as he twisted and moved in the small area, he called out. “Well mate, I’ll have to hand it to Red there.” He praised and turned to see the empty bunk that Parker had once occupied. “And I’ll also have to talk to you another time, seeing as I’m apparently having quite a conversation with myself at the moment.”
Spike quickly examined his arms and torso for signs of his battles. They were there, but where angry purple and blue should have been he only saw the fading brown and yellow of nearly healed bruises, and his body wasn’t even tender. “Bloody amazing.” He sighed quite pleased with the outcome.
It was then he heard voices coming. “I’m sure he’s ready.” Willow was saying.
“Tell him he’s up next.” Andrew called to her.
Her footsteps were hurried so he wasn’t at all surprised to see her standing at his door seconds later. “Lo, Red.”
“Oh good, you’re up and out.” She looked over him, checking her handiwork. “No pain?”
“Good as new. Don’ feel like I’ve done a bit of hurt to myself.”
She sighed a happy smile before going into hyper Willow mode again. “Ok, get dressed and hurry. You’re the last ones and everyone’s kinda, well, anxious.” She gave him an off centered grin and hurried away.
He shrugged at her hyperactivity and threw on a clean shirt before heading up to the main deck.
When he got there, the scene was morose. Everyone stood in the same circle, but the silence was deafening to his ears as all eyes fell to him. “What is it?” He asked Xander when a space was made for him to walk into the center by the brunette.
“Fight with The Slayer is kind of a big deal around here.” He said simply, and gave Spike a quick pat on the shoulder. “Good luck.”
Spike ran his hand through his newly clipped locks as he finished the short stroll to the center, and looked up to the helm for Willow.
There she was, same grin, same metal striker.
He looked over the crew and saw the same faces he’d seen earlier. All waiting, but seemingly with more-. He wasn’t sure what to call it. Anticipation just wasn’t quite the word. Too strong? Not strong enough? He wasn’t positive, all he knew was it didn’t fit.
“Good luck.” Spike heard calling from above and saw Oz’s tuft of hair disappear back into the crows nest.
OK, now he knew he was in trouble. Oz had just taken a moment to speak not needed words.
This was going to be bad.
His quick observation of the people all in wait gave him no clue as to from which direction his foe would come. Not until the captain’s doors opened and she strode out deftly fastening the top silver button on a well tailored black vest. Her hair was tied back and the kerchief he recognized from the storm held any other stray hair from her face. “So, you ready for this Will?”
He blinked.
And just to make sure, he blinked it again.
His eyes were playing tricks on him, had to be. There was that glow, the one he’d confused with the shine of an angel’s aura during the storm. And all he could do was stand and stare at the familiar gleam that had caught his attention when her hair was floating in the puddle made from the liquid that had been falling from the angry clouds that first day. It was an odd clarity.
Only this time, it was dark and there was no hair for lightning as it was contained within the kerchief. And stars and moon were out but could not be causing the golden hue surrounding the woman.
She seemed to notice his odd glare while walking towards him. “What?”
He shook his head, and let his eyes fall shut once more in the hopes that the ethereal quality of his vision would leave and was glad when he looked back to see her lacking the distracting golden layer trailing. He tried to recover himself, collecting the demeanor he usually tried to hold up. “Nothing. Nothing at all. Just still have trouble associating you with the stories.”
This had her held in her tracks a few feet away from him. “Oh yeah? And why’s that?”
He gave her one good look over. “Just, not real sure how you’d take this craft from such as the likes of Ripper. You really dun look like much.”
She quirked an eyebrow with a look of pure surprise. “Oh really?”
Spike had yet another sign that this was going to be bad when he heard the snickers and murmurs from the crowd. He tried to play it off. “But same’s been said of me.”
She chuckled. “If I’m not mistaken, you didn’t accomplish much.” She grinned a vibrant smile with the stars shining above and behind her. The lamps that hung from various walls and posts lit the immediate area so the two wouldn’t be fighting blind in the late hour.
A spitfire she was, and he was soon becoming quite aware that she was annoying the hell out of him. “Caught off guard is all.” He gave her a very open and rude glare. “No underestimating this time.”
“We will see.” She sing songed at him and nodded to Willow who was waiting in place before turning back to Spike. “Fists all right with you?”
“S’fine.”
“I’d ask you to hold back…” She shrugged and gave him a pitying look then left the sentence hang and waited for the bell to ring.
“Hey!” *RING* “Oomph.”
From the view of the worn wood of the deck he was now sporting a close up of for the third time that day, Spike decided he was really quite tired of this entire procedure. He was also sure Xander was yelling something to him from the crowd, but so many people were spouting out advice and cheers to both of the combatants that he couldn’t pick out the simple warning to; “Watch your nose, Spike.”
After shaking off the unexpected blow Spike turned over and righted himself. “I suppose this means I can skip the bloody, ‘No hitting of ladies’ rule.” He said flatly before grinning and coming at her with a roundhouse followed by a one-two-three punch. All of which she blocked with ease.
“Oh no, by all means. I always wondered exactly how large of a gap I could gain over someone.” She said before swinging her weight sideways and directing a hit to his gut.
He caught her foot.
She stared at his hand gripping her ankle tightly, confused.
“You know,” He asked with her boot in hand. “I’m beginning to think the rule doesn’t apply.” He swung her leg away and spun low catching her other foot, causing her to flip up, and back straight to the ground in one smooth motion. “No ladies present.” He finished with a sneer.
The wind knocked out of her, Buffy sat up and tried to huff in enough oxygen to get up. In seconds she was fully upright and deciding on her next move. “Are you trying to imply that I, your captain, and may I remind you the one who holds your very life in her hands,” She paused and blocked two punches that came her way before throwing two of her own and then another kick to his gut. This time making contact, he oomphed again and stumbled back towards the crowd watching, listening and staying more silent as the seconds ticked away. “That I am not a lady?”
Spike gripped his side for a moment. That last kick he should have been expecting. These people talked too much. On the good side it gave him precious moments of recovery time.
“That would be it ducks.” And he went for the battle in earnest.
Buffy was taken off guard, not by his answer but by his quick movements. She was used to hard blows, and even well trained aim, but to have that combined with speed that quite frankly only she had gained from serious practice at the insistence of Ripper as she grew up among the ship full of men, was more than surprising. It was damn disconcerting.
All at once she was pulling up every moment of lessons and training she’d gained by the most proficient men aboard the old crew. Her youth’s crew.
Spins and blocks, jumps and flips that she’d only practiced alone on occasion to be sure her skilled never became lax were flying from her faster then her mind could process the move, but they came none the less like second nature.
The two were so engrossed in the fists and feet they had to control that they never heard the crowd’s cheers pick up nor the warning from above.
~~`~~
Willow fidgeted with the small metal bar that was in her care. She tapped it, she switched it from one hand to the other she even did something of a conductor’s movements for a little while. All the while she kept her count and it was driving her to distraction.
Or rather, the people’s yells and the muffled words from the battling duo were driver her to distraction. She tried very hard not to hear them. And For goodness sake, it’s only counting.
Counting! Jeez. No reason to stress out.
And even as those thoughts went through her head, she kept the numbers streaming methodically through her head..
At 100 she heard the blows speed up. At 146 they stopped for a moment before picking up again. At 156 she could have sworn she heard Oz yelling. At 182 she knew she heard him and peaked over her shoulder up at him to see him waving his arms, yelling, and then pointing to a faint light starboard. At 186 she rang that little bell for all it was worth.
The challenge came to an immediate halt with Spike not on his back, she was happy to note, but then remembered it didn’t count. Wouldn’t matter right now. Not when the call came again from above them all.
“Ship!!”
All eyes turned to the direction the red head high above them all was pointing and they scrambled to study the lights from the distance moving in their direction.
“Shhhhhit.” Buffy said under her breath. “Just what we need.” She spun and turned to climb up the rope nets.
Spike looked around to see what the others were doing, and trying to figure out exactly what he should do. He was at a loss. Were they supposed to get ready for a fight? Was this ship an enemy? How would they know?
~~`~~
Oz pulled the monocular away from his eye and nodded to Buffy as she swung a leg over the side of the crows nest.
The space inside could hold 5 people if it was really needed, although this was only a theory of hers. One Giles never would let her test out. But it wasn’t uncomfortable as long as you didn’t mind sitting or squatting most of the time. “What do we have?”
He handed the magnifying device to her and she quickly took a glance herself.
“Looks like The Initiative.”
“Finn.” Buffy pursed her lips. “No, I really didn’t need this right now.” She sighed and handed the man back his monocular before heading back down the net that lead between the spy sight and the main deck.
Her mind went over what she was going to do next. She soon came upon Spike, still standing among the mulling crew who all seemed to have the same question in their eyes as he did. What now?
“Xander, it’s just Finn. Let’s let him catch us. He won’t leave us be until he does anyway and I don’t want any more of a delay then we can possibly avoid.” She kept her true reasons for needing The Initiative to catch them to herself.
“Got it Cap.” He headed up to the helm, tossing out short orders to the men manning the sails along the way.
“Problem captain?” Spike asked and noticed he was not the only curious one.
Buffy shook her head and noticed the extra ears all waiting for her answer. “Not a problem. Just another boat full of pirates. But I know Finn. He’s not about to start trouble.”
“Hmph.”
Spike heard it. Willow was crossing her arms with a none too pleased look on her face. He was curious. Had this Finn somehow wronged the red head?
Again he reassessed the position of the approaching craft. It was going to be at their proverbial doorstep in no time.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Alright. posting today is all due to spikey, cordykitten, demona424 and NeomeBuffy who all gave such kind reviews and made me feel, yet again, a deep need to share more quickly.
Chapter End Notes:
Yes, we have a Riley Finn here to cause some trouble... or is he?? and what about Spike's standing on the ship??