TITLE: Episode 6-Face to Face
SERIES: Faith, Rogue Slayer
AUTHOR: elizafan568
EMAIL: elizfaith568@yahoo.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please.
ARCHIVE/DISTRIBUTION: This site. If you want to post
on on your site, just ask.
SUMMARY: Faith and co. go out for a night of fun that
ends with a first encounter with Zen.
SPOILERS: Buffy season 7 and Angel season 5
CONTENT/WARNINGS: Violence, Character Death
RATING: R
DISCLAIMER: All character are property of Joss Whedon,
Mutant Enemy, etc. I do not own them. Written for fun
not profit.
NOTE: Set post-"Not Fade Away".
Episode 6: Face to Face
Zen sat at his desk, contemplating his next move. It had been two and a half weeks since he had retrieved the scroll from the tomb of Zentai. In that time he had recovered his strength and was ready for his next move, he just wasn't sure what it should be. According to the prophecy, he'd need the blood of the second, which he knew to be Faith, however, the blood needed to be brought to the ritual site willingly by the Second.
Since his original plan of turning Faith to the dark side to join him and open the portal had failed, the next best plan was to capture one of her friends and lure her to the ritual site. That plan, however, depended on more luck than he cared for but time was running short. The people of his dimension were getting restless and were calling him to act. Zen didn't like it, but he had little choice. He had to move now. If Faith learned of the prophecy, all hope of getting her into place would surely be lost.
Ethan entered the chamber with a sour look on his face. Zen barely gave recognition of his presence as he spoke. "What is it you want, Ethan?"
"I want to know what exactly that prophecy of yours says and what you're planning on doing about it." Ethan said with arms crossed against his chest. He stood in front of Zen's desk, using his body language to urge a response.
"I told you before, you're on a need to know basis, and this is something you don't need to know. The more people aware of it, the more in danger my plans will become. Now leave me. I must prepare for battle. Tonight I act." Zen spit back as he got up from his desk and walked over to a shrine he had set up for Zentai. He kneeled in front of it and began to meditate, tuning out Ethan completely.
Ethan moved to continue his protest but thought better of it. There was no reaching Zen once he began his meditations. Ethan slinked away out of the room, plans of his own beginning to work in his mind. If Zen was going to keep him out of the loop, then he would just have to get something done on his own.
*******************
Things had become livelier around the hotel since Gwen had arrived. She had quickly gained the confidence and friendship of everyone in the Hyperion. Everyone except for Faith, who still had her reservations. It seemed like Gwen was working overdrive to drive her insane. Well, that might be going overboard, but something about her just rubbed Faith the wrong way. They were just too alike.
"Faith, how you doing?" Connor asked as he entered Faith's room. That old feeling of regret crept over her like it did every time he was around her. They still hadn't talked about the staking incident and it haunted Faith to no end. She turned from the window she had been looking out to face him.
"I'm alright, just thinking is all. Why, what's up?" Faith asked, avoiding direct eye contact.
"I realize you've been kinda avoiding me lately and I just want you to know I don't blame you for what happened that night. No hard feelings, I'm just glad you're okay." Connor asked in a voice of sincerity that Faith still hadn't gotten used to. She knew Connor had developed a thing for her and thought it was cute. What she hadn't counted on was the fact that she had developed feelings for him. She wasn't sure how or why, but they were there.
"Look, Connor, I'd rather just forget about that night and try to move on, ok? No need to dwell on it." Faith replied as she sat down on her bed, for the first time making full eye contact with him. She saw the honesty in his eyes. He was definitely Angel's son. Maybe that was it. The fact that Angel lived on in him was attracting her to him. That and the fact that she found him so darn cute.
Faith quickly shook those thoughts out of her head. Nothing could come of it. It would be bad for the both of them in the long run and she didn't wanna ruin what they already had. Her relationships seemed to always do that. "Whoa there Faith, "she thought to herself, "starting to sound a little too much like B there. Trying to kill something before it starts. Maybe I'll just see what happens."
Connor noticed that Faith seemed to be deep in thought and noticed the small grin on her face. Her whole vibe had changed after she had beat back those dreams. He was more enamored with her than ever. "So, what's the plan for the day? More brooding in your room?" Connor asked with a smirk.
"What? Me? No, no, no…That was your dad's game, not mine. I was thinking maybe we could all go out tonight. Get some good food, some dancing, just have a good old time, you know? Get out of this hotel for once." Faith said with a smile. She felt good…Better than she had in a long time. She still knew there were dark times ahead but she had finally made some peace with herself and her past and she wasn't gonna let it get her down. Whatever this guy had planned, she'd be ready.
"Sounds like a plan to me. I'll let everyone know." Connor replied as he headed toward the door.
"Oh, and Connor…" Faith stopped him.
"Ya, Faith…" Connor looked back at her, starry eyed as always.
"Can't wait to see your moves tonight." Faith said in a low, raspy voice that reeked of sex.
Connor blushed and quickly headed out the door. Faith giggled to herself at the display and laid back onto the bed. She was going to get in one good night of fun before the shit hit the fan, whatever it was. She almost felt embarrassed to fell as giddy as a school girl being a woman of experience and all, but what the hell. Every woman deserves a little girly fun, don't they?
******************
Night had fallen by the time Zen had come out of his trance. Ethan and most of the vampire minions where out. He stood up and stretched. The time had come for him to make his move. Faith would learn the error of turning down his offer. Zen head out of the chamber, his mind on one thing: Battle.
*******************
"…and then there was this one time, me and Mr. Giles were in this nest of spider demons and…" Andrew went on, talking Lorne's ear off. They were sat at a table in the corner of the club. Lorne was ready to blow his brains out. The alcohol seemed to only make Andrew talk more so Lorne did his best to tune him out. He took another sip of his sea breeze and looked out onto the dance floor. He watched Gwen having the time of her life, dancing with several guys surrounding her. She had them eating out of the palm of her hand.
Meanwhile, Faith and Connor had a crowd of their own gathered around them. Faith was firing at the crowd with both barrels with the dance moves she was letting loose. All the guys and some of the girls had their eyes glued to her body as she moved with the music, Connor included. He couldn't take his eyes off of her as she seemed to melt into the music. Moving her body and hair in a dance of sex and power. She was a perfect goddess to him. Connor was doing his best just to not look horrible next to her.
Before Connor realized it, Faith had closed the distance between them as was pulling him into her private dance world. She turned her back to him and moved her body against his. It took everything he had to not loose himself in complete shock. He had never really danced with a girl before, much less like this. He decide to let go of his inhibitions for once and followed her lead. It was truly a sight for all those there.
Lorne watched from the other side of the room and smiled to himself. He was glad to see both Faith and Connor truly living for once, despite everything that had happened. He sensed the mutual care for each other it came off them in waves, especially now. He silently wished for things to work out between them. They both deserved it, although he knew they had a ways to go before either of them openly admitted how they felt. To themselves or each other.
"Wow, someone must be having a party outside too. All that noise, sounds like maybe a fight or something." Andrew said off-handedly to Lorne. Andrew's sudden choice of useful information snapped Lorne out of his daze.
"What?" Lorne exclaimed as he noticed the noise coming from the direction of the door that led into the back alley. "Oh man, sounds like trouble. Hate to ruin the party for everyone but I'm no fighter and, no offense Andrew, I don't fancy having to rescue you again."
"Whatever." Andrew replied, taking offense. "I'll show you guys one of these days just how useful I can be." He sipped his drink and sank back into what was quickly becoming a drunken stupor.
Lorne got up from his seat and rushed over to Faith and Connor. "Hey guys, sorry to interrupt, but looks like we got trouble out back." Lorne's sudden interjection snapped them out of their little world and back to reality.
"Thanks for the buzz kill, Lorne. You really know how to have a good time, ya know?" Faith said in a sarcastic tone. Connor simply tried to regain his senses as he came down from the heaven he had been in.
"Sorry princess, but duty calls." Lorne said apologetically. Hating himself for ruing their moment, but there wasn't much choice.
"Its cool, no big. Besides, I don't think boy wonder here could have taken much more anyways." Faith said with a smirk as she motioned toward Connor. He simply blushed in response. "Okay, Connor and I will check it out, you and Andrew find Gwen and meet us out back as soon as you can. If you can pry her off those guys that is." With that, she and Connor headed for the back door.
*******************
Zen finished the last of the men as he heard the door that went back into the club open. These men had thought they were coming to the aid of a damsel in distress. Instead, all they got was a quick and ugly death. Right along with the woman they had tried to save. Zen wiped the blood off his sword as he turned to face Faith and Connor as the exited they club. He knew the commotion would draw them out. The dark slayer seemed just as predictable as any other slayer. A hint of disappointment came over him. Still, they would have been great together.
Faith looked in horror at the bloody mess of the dark alley. Her heart sank in sorrow. She turned her attention to Zen and a burning rage overtook her. Her eyes burned with the fire's of hatred at this demon that stood before her. She recognized him. She could never forget that aura. He was the one who had plagued her thoughts and dreams.
"You bastard! You'll pay for this, whoever you are. And for what you tried to do to me." Faith spat at him as she took stance and zoned in on him. Connor took stance next to her.
"Is this the guy? The one who was haunting your dreams?" Connor asked, an edge to his voice.
"Ya, I could never forget this feeling. This seething darkness and power. Can't you feel it?" Faith asked, not taking her eyes off of Zen.
"I feel something, that's for sure. This guy is something else indeed." Connor replied, ending the conversation and readying himself for a fight.
"At last we meet, Dark Slayer Faith. I can tell you recognize me. My name is Zen but that's not important. I need you for something and since you have declined the easy way, the only way left is the hard way." Zen remarked. His voice, as always when in battle, lacking any and all emotion.
"The hard way suits me just fine. Now let's get this over with." Faith said through gritted teeth, ready to release this anger inside. She hated herself for letting the rage take over, but in this case, she didn't see anything wrong with it. This guy deserved it all and more.
Faith went to charge Zen but Connor beat her to it. He went at Zen with a left hook that hit air. Faith could swear Zen had not moved but the swing missed. Connor swung again and again, expertly aimed hits and still none landed. Faith couldn't understand how Connor was missing Zen completely when it seemed like Zen hadn't budged.
Suddenly Faith heard, but didn't see, a hit connect and Connor went flying backward into a trash heap at her side. Instantly, she charged Zen in an intense rage. She leapt into the air and went at him with a flying kick. As it was about to connect, Zen seemed to disappear and her kick missed completely. She landed and slide a bit to a stop. She spun around to find Zen standing in the same place, turned around to face her.
'What the hell?" Faith grunted to herself as a smirk crossed Zen's face. "This just isn't possible," she thought. "No one can be this fast and leave no trace of movement. But what else can it be." Connor started to get up as she went at Zen again with a flurry of punches and kicks with no better success than Connor had.
In mid thrust, she felt pressure on her left arm. Zen had grabbed it and was squeezing it tighter than she thought possible, and she had not even noticed it until she felt the pain. Zen lifted her in mid-air and gave her a solid kick to the stomach, knocking her against the alley wall and the wind out of her. As she got to her feet she noticed Connor sneaking up behind Zen. He grabbed Zen and held him tight, pinning his arms to himself.
Faith got to her feet and charged the seemingly helpless Zen. As her fist was about to connect with his face, a small portal appeared in front of her fist. As her fist entered it, a portal of equal size appeared next to Connor's face. Her fist came out of it and hit Connor, causing him to loose his grip. Zen reared back and jammed both elbows into Connor's stomach, causing him to double over in pain and stumble backwards.
"You gotta be fucking kidding me?" Faith exclaimed. She went to knee Zen in the groin as he was still off guard and again a small portal appeared. Once more Connor felt the fury of Faith's attack as he fell backwards, hitting the ground hard and knocking the wind out of him.
Before she could even register this, Faith found herself at the mercy of a barrage of attacks from Zen. She tried to defend herself, but every time she blocked an attack, she felt the pain of a separate attack hitting its mark at the same time. Her defenses soon faltered under the furry of his assault and she found herself face first on the ground. Blood was streaming from her lip and various cut on her face and body. The pain was intense, similar to what she felt like at the hands of the Beast.
"My dark wonder, it's a pity things had to go this way, but it was your choice after all." Zen remarked as he bent down, bringing his face to hers. He licked the blood from her lip and grinned. "You brought this on yourself."
"Get away from her you freak!" Connor screamed as he recovered and charged at Zen from behind. As he reached him, Zen spun around and caught Connor by the throat. He squeezed his neck to the near breaking point as he lifted him off the ground. Connor gasped and clawed at Zen's hand to get free, but to no avail. With a swift chop to the side of the head, Connor was out cold. Zen tossed him away like a rag doll.
As Zen turned back toward Faith, he sensed movement but couldn't react in time. Faith shot up from her position on the ground and hit Zen in the face with her right fist. Zen grabbed his face and stumbled backwards. It was the first time in years he had been struck. This fact and the fact that it caused him noticeable pain served to enrage him. He lost his composure, something he never did in battle, and kicked Faith in the stomach, sending her into the alley wall once again.
As he regained his composure, he looked up from Faith to find Lorne, Andrew, and Gwen exiting the club. He looked back down at Faith, who was still trying to get to her feet. He grabbed her by the hair and wretched her face up to his. "This isn't over, Faith. Not even close. You'll be hearing from me again real soon. Hope you liked my introduction." He pushed her face back down and opened a portal. As Gwen and the others moved toward him, he disappeared from sight.
"Jesus, what the hell happened?" Gwen asked to no one in particular as Lorne and Andrew rushed over to help Faith and Connor. "Looks like they got hit by a train."
"That must have been the guy whose been behind everything lately. He must be the big bad brewing that my contacts and the whole underworld has been buzzing about." Lorne said as he tried to help Faith up and check out her injuries. "And if what I got from him in that instant is even close to as bad as its gonna get, then, to quote Faith, I think the shit just hit the fan."
As they helped Faith and Connor to their feet, everyone felt the cloud of dread coming over them. This night was the last night of fun they were going to have in a while.
End of Episode.
