Title: Manifest Darkness
Episode 13
Authors: Sovereign and Elizafan568
Rating: R - things get dark fast.
Notes: This story starts half way through season five of Angel in the episode "Damage". It goes AU from there with some cannon parts to it.
Summary: The Project begins a plan that begins the end game for all, and just the end for others.
Feedback: Sovereign - xsovereignx@yahoo.com and Elizafan - elizfan568@yahoo.com
Faith walked out from the meeting and quietly turned around the corner. There was so much going on, but she could not think on it. She was still here, and her new acquisitions, the living suit, the new powers seemed to not belong to her, only just there to be used, as if borrowed. She looked at her arm, seeing no evidence of the Scythe, but yet still knowing it was there. The suit seemed to move slightly, almost as if reacting to her mood. A suit made of pure human suffering, wanting only vengeance on that which had caused it. A slight breeze blew her hair and she was able to see the blue streak in it. The result of having her life saved by the God King Illyria. Now it was part of her as well, and of course there was the Slayer, the entity that made her what she was.
All that meant nothing to her right now, all the power and abilities on the planet would not push her past that place, that one moment in time when the person she had looked up to, and seemed would never die, had taken her last breath. Her mind replayed the moment, and her heart broke every time. Tears threatened to erupt at any moment, and was why she was here now, looking down through the fire and smoke at the camp of the other worldly soldiers. She could have watched them struggle to put out fires and regain their balance, but instead she was looking at the building, and finally letting the tears fall ever so silently.
Illyria slowly walked up behind Faith, taking note of her body language and mannerism, how they were completely different than the Faith from before. "Why do you cry, Faith? What purpose does it truly serve?" Illyria asked, tilting her head. The aura coming off of Faith was something unlike anything Illyria had ever felt before. The God King feared nothing, except that which was unknown to her, and while she could speculates as to what had happened to Faith, nothing was certain at this point.
Faith looked over her shoulder. "Maybe you should ask why you don't." she said simply. She then turned her gaze back to the scene below.
Faith's response was the last thing Illyria had expected. She thought about it for a second, not sure how to respond to it. "I...do not know. It seems humans cry when they are sad...when they feel sorrow, and I....think I may feel this, in some for but.....it is just all so confusing to me. I just don't find any reason for it." Illyria responded, for once at a loss. She despised that Faith could have such an impact on her, but at the same time, is still intrigued her to no end and made her interest and, in a way, respect for Faith grow all the more.
"It's not like you don't have a reason to." Faith said, wiping at her eyes. Your people, the world you knew, its all gone. You gotta miss being the God King of some super race." She turned to look at Illyria, tilting her head a bit in thought. "When you think about that time, that place, and all those Old Ones looking at you in awe. When you remember your rightful place in the world, and then realize that it has all been ripped away from you with no compassion or care, and left you behind with all that power and nothing you can use to bring it back.... that's why I cry.. and why I wonder how come you don't."
Illyria stared at Faith's face to a moment, illuminated from behind by the fires that raged down below, and took everything she said, all the raw emotion that was emanating from her, to heart. "You are the most intriguing creature I have ever known in my entire existence. To make me think in the way you do....to make me feel the way you do, its just..." Illyria's voice started to break along with her usually cold and calm demeanor, much to Faith's surprise. Tears, of a fashion, did begin to well up in Illyria's eyes. As quickly as they did, however, Illyria shook them off, returning to her usual demeanor, that Faith new was hiding the truth. "You are correct, but I feel now is not that time for such things. We need to determine what we should do...and what exactly has happened to you."
Illyria walked up to Faith, looking her over with an inquisitive eyed, inspecting every inch of her body. Touching her, sniffing there, Faith began to feel very uncomfortable at the attention she was getting for the former God King. "Tell me exactly what occurred."
"I saw Buffy die, and I fell into some kind of emotional coma I guess. I was angry and hurt and sad and scared and everything all at once. She turned and looked at me and began to threaten and she.. oh my God, it was me." she paused, looking down at the ground in shock. Then the Scythe it, it fused with my hand, then sank into it. Blood, from all the dead Initiative soldiers, Slayers, Renegades, and Buffy's too. It came rushing at me in little rivers from all over. It climbed on me and made this." she gestured at the suit. "And the Scythe became this." She reached her hand out and the Scythe, both blades showing emerged into her hand as if growing from her wrist, complete with what seemed to be the same vein and artery like structures that covered Faith's body.
"What did you do to me to save me Illyria? Am I an Old One now?" she grimaced. "Damn it. I'm only in my twenties. Early twenties"
"You are not an Old One. For a human to become an Old One, one must go through an Ascension, such as your father attempted to do. You are, however, part Old One now, and that is permanent. You could compare it to the demon power that makes you a Slayer, only more so. You could be referred to as a half breed of sorts, but I wouldn't call you as such. You are still a human...still a Slayer...only more so. There really is no precedent for this, so a real definition is hard to achieve." Illyria responded, still inspecting Faith's body and her recent changes.
Nothing seemed to happen until Illyria poked the suit. The small dent that was made attempted to grab her finger, and the Old One pulled away, looking at it curiously. "I'm a freak." Faith said not noticing the drama that had played out. Nor did she notice that suit seemed to shift on her body.
"Nothing I can do about that now." she huffed, wiping her eyes. "Buffy'd know what to do, well, probably not, but she always made you think she did and that was always a good feeling when you were scared to death."
"You're no more a freak than anyone else here. Every creature is a freak in some way, but this transformation is something I heard whispers of back in my time. Something I never took heed to because it seems to preposterous to believe, but you being here again proves me wrong. It seems that rumor is indeed a fact, at least now." Illyria said, taking a step back and taking Faith in from distance. "Simply an amazing being, you are."
"Tell me the rumor. I mean, cuz my life being held by the thread of something you and your buddies discussed at the Ancient One Café is what I've been hoping for." she menaced, then her expression softened, and she apologized. "The suit, its got emotional baggage, the blood of angry people does that when it makes a suit I guess."
Illyria took a deep sigh, thinking back to times long past, of things that seemed unimportant at the time, but now held weight. "From what I can recall, it was rumored that the power of loss....the emotion of sorrow and the need for revenge, was a powerful emotion, especially among the lower beings. Under the right conditions and with the right motivating factor, it was said that a being of the lower races could use those darker emotions and give them from, unknowingly at times, and that the souls of the slain could answer this call and use one of the living to achieve that which they most desired, in most cases revenge." Illyria paused, waiting for Faith's response.
"I'm wearing someone's Vengeance, and its what's changed the whole Faith the Vampire Slayer into Faith the Mutie Freak from Hell?" she shook her head slightly. Then she got very rigid. "Buffy's blood, it got to me first, it means.. she wants.." she turned her head back towards the other worlder's camp. The dots finally connecting in her head.
"It means that she wants this Other Worlder menace stopped...and she entrusts the task to you. One could assume that she trusted you and believed in you more than anyone knew, maybe even more than she herself would have admitted. I could sense the dark past between the two of you and at the same time, I could sense a deep mutual understanding and respect that neither of you seemed to be fully aware. Also, to an extent, I sensed something very alien to me...something I am unsure of how to express, but I believe you humans would term it, love of some sort, in some fashion. Does any of this mean anything to you, Faith?" Illyria asked, unsure if her words held any meaning to Faith.
As if only a blurry afterimage, Faith reached out and snatched the Ancient one in a fearsome grasp. Her hand clasped tight around the throat of the God King. Faith face became a brutal mask of unrestrained rage that seemed to have crossed that fragile line into insanity. Her voice regained its quadrupled buzzing as she lifted the surprised Illyria up and then brutally tossed her down. "Never..say...that." she hissed psychotically. Then again, a pained expression, and an instant apology on her face.
"I.. I'm sorry.. I .. " she looked at her hands as if they were alien artifacts that she could not recognize. She then looked back at Illyria, then at her hands, opening and closing them as if that would reveal an answer.
A flash of rage came over Illyria's face, but quickly went away when she realized that the act was not Faith's fault and was mostly beyond her control. "It seems I have stumbled upon the key to your transformation. It seems Buffy's death at the hands of your Alt. was the needed motivating factor, and the slaughter and chaos...the torrent of emotions that surround the act was what caused it. Do not worry, I will mention this to no one if you do not wish it, but I must ask, is what I felt true. Did you feel some sort of....love for Buffy? If so, I believe that is what enabled you to become the chosen vessel, for I feel Buffy's essence much above the others." Illyria asked, stretching her neck from the attack of Faith.
"I dunno. With all the regret and redemption and sorrow and anger that has involved the two of us, its hard to tell anymore." she replied. "It wasn't like I wanted to be her girlfriend. It was something else. It was, it was a deeper connection then some roll in the hay or some lesbian fantasy. I never knew what it was, but I wanted to. It just didn't turn out that way, and yeah, don't say nothing to no one. Some pains are private."
"I understand, Faith. I think I've learned that there is more to love than the physical attraction, and what I felt between you two was something very different and deep to the point that I couldn't begin to understand it. Love of kind, I believe it may have been, and deeper and more complicated than anything even I can fathom." Illyria paused, letting the air between them clear before continuing, knowing that she had touched on something that Faith had never admitted to or discussed with anyone before, perhaps not even herself.
"I believe I understand your side of things when it comes to the two of you, but will remain silent as I know its private and personal for you, and I will not speculate on Buffy's intentions, motivations, or anything else when it comes to your relationship or why her essence was so drawn to you, but there is one thing I am sure of that I believe you should know, if for no more than peace of mind." Illyria again paused, waiting to see if faith wanted to hear it.
"That is?" she asked, turning away for a moment then meeting eyes with Illyria.
Illyria took another deep breather before responding. "It's something I think she would want you to know and the only thing I am sure of. Faith. she did not hate you, she never really did. She may have said she did and told others as such. At times, she may have even convinced herself of it, but deep down, she never did." Illyria spoke, seeing her words were having an impact on Faith, as well as the suit.
If possible the suit looked less hostile, and seemed to contour around Faith's body even better. It seemed to 'hug' her a bit. Faith smiled, then looked at Illyria. "Maybe, but the only thing I know for sure is B asked me, in a way, to finish this, and this is the way its gotta be. Let's let everyone get their shit together, then we'll figure out what to do about them down there. They look pretty crippled and aint gonna be doing anything interesting for a while."
"Agreed. Lead the way." Illyria said, letting her know, in her own way, that Faith was indeed the one in charge. A slight smile crossed Illyria's face. She had never felt more in tune with another being than she did with Faith.
**
The Project base was in shambles as various petty officers ran back and forth doing their best to get things into some semblance of order. The Empress and Olvican where in the middle of a private meeting whilst the rest of the leadership waited outside, debating amongst themselves what their next move should be.
Cain, Kennedy, Amy Madison, Griffin, and Lt. Madison where all there, arguing about what should be done next, and each blaming the other for the negative turn of events that had befallen them since entering this world. The Empress' honor guard, or what was left of them, stood at attention, occasionally exchanging nervous looks with each other, fearing that this debate could escalating into a blood bath at any moment.
"None of this would have happened if that little brat Raven hadn't been allowed into the Project. I'm telling you all, this is her doing and if we leave her be, things are only going to get worse." Cain bellowed, only recently being restored to full working capacity.
"That's a load of crap. I personally saw her stop a contingent of those do gooders all by herself." Kennedy popped off. "It was a really good thing too, they were heading right for the Empress, all while you were away sleeping hero." she pointed a finger at Cain. "How bout you having a big old shoot out in the Empresses presence. Let's talk about that if we wanna talk about anything going wrong around here."
Cain growled in utter disgust and defiance. "I admit I lost my temper, but I couldn't take that little bitch's taunting anymore. She had it coming and she knows it. It is wasn't for the marshmallow not repairing me the way she should have, I never would have lost control." Cain let out another growl of anger before continuing. "She killed Colonel Miller. Can't you see she's going to pick us off one by one until the Empress is all alone. Is that what the rest of you want? To see Her Grace be destroyed by some little bitch you guys let have her way."
"Miller screwed up. You know it was going to happen anyway Cain." Amy replied. "You know how it works, the Empress was going to do him the same way she did for Adam, Angelus, oh and lets not forget the Glory incident huh? Cain has a point though. Raven Raines has risen a bit too fast for me."
"I don't think so." the newly promoted Captain Madison replied. "I mean, I can see what Cain is saying, but other then Cain, has anyone had a bad moment with her at all? I haven't. Neither has Major Griffin if I remember correctly." The dirty blonde haired soldier leaned forward on the chair. "I don't have a problem with her, but if you all do, then you had better go to the Empress with more then whining and boot stomping."
"Much as I hate to admit it, your right. I have no proof and without proof, going to Faith with my suspicions would only get me offed. For now, there's nothing I can do, in spite of how I feel." Cain grimaced, slumping his shoulders in a defeated manner.
"We need to concentrate on more important things right now, such as what the hell do we do now. No way to get reenforcements and no way to retreat back to the previous world. We're basically surrounded by the enemy...What the fuck are we gonna do?" Major Griffin asked, looking as disgruntled as ever.
"We must have hit them just as bad as they hit us." Kennedy replied. "If they had any force left at all, they'd have rained down on us already."
"I agree." Captain Madison replied. "We hit them hard and if not for that damned little counter assault, we'd be marching down their throats right now." she reached in her pocket and pulled loose a pack of jerky, contentedly biting down on a piece. No one asked where the meat had come from.
"My point is, they have to have ways to replenish their equipment and man power, we don't. That's probably all they're waiting on right now and I don't know if we can fend off another full on assault. The empress is powerful, but I don't know if she can take on a whole force like that alone. Hesitant to see her try, especially with that...thing running around. Whatever the hell it was. Anyone got any thoughts on that?" Griffin asked.
"Mutation." Amy replied. "I know it wasn't magic. I would have felt magic. There was no magic in that... place where it happened. I bet they have some kind of crazy government experiment running around up there. I mean...' she gestured at Cain. "We do.."
"Possibly, although its shoulders seemed a little too normal, too human for that to be the case. It could have been anything, at the very least its an unknown factor, and we know how the Empress feels about that." Cain said as he began pacing the room, unwilling to remain motionless for too long under the circumstances.
"It butchered 45 soldiers in that room. and it used a hand held weapon to do it. Bladed weapon, like an axe of machete." Captain Madison added. "Any of you think you could do that and not get shot up at least? We found no evidence of anything out of the ordinary." The lights died for a moment all around the camp, then came back online.
There was a single announcement over the hand held radios. "We now have partial auxiliary power back online. Further repairs being made."
"What about ammunition. guns, and the such?" Amy Madison asked, feeling a bit better with the new announcement.
"Whatever it was only used the bladed weapon. As far as our troops go, they were all armed but very few got shots off. The ones that did either missed or had no effect whatsoever on their target. The few shell casing recovered seem to indicate that they were caught and spit back out by, something. Trace analysis cannot determine what the residue on the bullets is exactly, although its partly blood. It doesn't, however, seemed to be from injuries sustained by the being." Cain announced, technical and to the letter as always.
"I think she meant our ammo, Cain? How is our ammo situation looking?" Griffin asked.
"Terribly, I'm afraid. Thanks to that counter attack, our ammo is next to nothing now." Cain replied, again feeling the weight of the situation.
"We got nearly no ammo, our forces are badly cut, we have little in the way of supplies and oh yeah, apparently the enemy has a secret weapon that can slap anything we got flat on its ass." Griffin groused. "Now anyone wanna tell me what chance we do have?"
"You have me." Came the voice of Raven Raines, her regal outfit now replaced by what looked like black S.W.A.T. team gear. The large Desert Eagle rode in a holster under her left arm for the right-handed draw, and now she was sporting a large sword on her right hip, as well as a scythe on her other hip. She had a horrendous cut on her forearm that looked as though a psychotic seamstress went through it blindfolded, and she limped slightly to the left.
"You all are not thinking on the right lines if you are thinking in terms of winning and losing." Raven said, pulling a chair across the way and turning it backwards before sitting on it, legs splayed around the sides, her odd eyes looking each person in the eyes.
"Well tell us then, oh wise one, how should we be thinking? Surely you must have some brilliant plan that'll lead us straight to victory, my dear dark princess." Cain remarked sarcastically, glaring at Raven and seething with hatred.
"It's over." she replied matter of factly. "We have sixty percent of our troops left. We have food for another week, water for maybe ten. We have ammunition that I had stashed because I knew this could happen so we're okay there for about two weeks in sustained fighting. Serena Trust was raised by a Army Engineer, and I thought they might pull this. We have no way back to the world you came from. She demolished it." she looked at Cain. "That means that if you have any baby toasters at home, you better have good memory because you are never.. NEVER...going to see them again. This I got from the Empress herself. Now who wants to hear what choice we do got?"
Griffin noticed Cain's rage building so he quickly tried redirecting things. "Yes, we're all well aware of that. No need to dwell on it. So tell us, what choice do we have. What can we do?" he asked.
"Survival. We get our stuff and get. I got an idea. It's dangerous, but it just might work." he looked at Cain. "It involves you, mostly you.. and you." she looked over at Amy. "And a theory that I have to tell you is very damned dangerous and could kill us all."
"Way I see things, we sit here, we're as good as dead anyways, so we might as well hear your plan. Anything is worth a shot at this point." Griffin responded, almost offhandedly.
"Guess I have to agree with that, much as I despise admitting it. What's this plan of yours that depends on me and Amy? Have us be a human shield while you high tail it out of here?" Cain spat, gritting his teeth and doing his best to detain his utter disdain for the odd-eyed girl.
"Yes. That's it exactly. How ever did you figure it out?" Raven gave him a big smile. "I'm so glad you're on my side. It's very comforting in these moments while I face my horrific death." She cut loose a roll of the eyes and turned to the others.
Captain Madison and Kennedy found it slightly amusing. The others had varying reactions. Raven continued. "Basic common sense shows that you guys used what I call Magitech to get here. Machines with magic, and it worked. Well, do it again, Cain is mostly a machine, and Amy has some strong mojo. Maybe one last gate, now it wont get us out of this dimension, but it will get us elsewhere, and we can go from there, a new beginning of sorts."
Stunned looks were exchanged between the group as they took in Raven's simple yet effective plan. Amy was mentally kicking herself for not already think as such while Cain still looked at Raven through untrusting, hate-filled eyes.
After a minute or so of silence, Griffin spoke up. "It makes sense that what you suggest is possible, but where do we go? And can we be sure they won't be able to track us? I've never been one for simply prolonging the inevitable."
"Yes, and I'm not so sure the Empress would be comfortable with the idea of, in essence, running away from a force who we should have been able to decimate completely under normal circumstances." Cain replied, doing his best to deflect any idea from Raven while at the same time, make his personal vendetta at least a little less evident.
"Just thought I'd suggest it." Raven said standing up, taking a bite of the Jerky from Captain Madison, and finding out it was dog. Only by sheer will was she able to withhold any evidence of her stomach's sudden protest. "Anyway, projection is that in three days time that force we were going to decimate is gonna come down that hill with planes, choppers, bombers, artillery and a force of about two hundred ans fifty thousand foot troopers and well, at least we'll still be comfortable with ourselves."
The others looked at each other, and as Griffin readied to ask how she knew, Raven picked up the small radio latched to her belt at the small of her back. "Got it off Samara St. John herself. I was listening to it when they said all that. Here, you try if you don't believe me."
"No, no, I believe, and I think your right. It seems to be the only real option open to us. I'm all for it. How about the rest of you?" Griffin asked the group.
"She's got a point Cain, and right now, it sounds like a damn good idea to me. I'm willing to give it a shot. Don't really have anything to lose." Amy said, looking pointedly at Cain.
Cain noticed that all attention was on him, and that the group as a whole seemed to be together on the idea. Open defiance now, he knew, would mean his end. "Alright, alright, I'm in. I agree, it's the best chance we have to make it out of here." Cain replied reluctantly, his brain screaming at him to retract but he remained silent, steady in his chosen course, at least for now.
"Cain, I know you don't trust me and you really don't like me and that is fine, but right now none of us need your shit right now." She looked into his eyes. "You think it though, with all your being, of how to get rid of me, how that I must be planning to kill you and everyone else, over thrown the Empress, Kill Lord Olvican. You want to figure out how I am going to do it and when, but you can't and you wanna know why? Because I'm not going to. Even now as I struggle to find a way to save the Project, you fight me. Well I don't have the fucking time!" she screamed at him. "We get out or we die, and if given the choice, I'm sure the Empress will pick the former, not the latter. At any time you have problem with this, then sit on it."
She then turned away, but turned back around to finish. "When we're safe away, then I promise before any and everyone here, that I will not serve another single day as Princess until you and me have a fight.. to the death... and one of us, more than likely you, is flat on their back and sky staring at the big China Blue sky. Now then, is that deal enough for you?"
Cain thought for a moment and then an evil grin crossed his face. "Well, if you put it that way, then I will have no further objections. You have my support fully until we get away. Just be sure to keep your word." Cain said, then let the subject drop. "So, seeing as how this is your plan, I think you should be the one the tell the Empress about it while the rest of us prepare for departure. You can iron out the detail with her and our lord." Cain said confidently.
"Yeah, get things ready, if they say no, then at least we got all our stuff accounted for right?" she huffed and looked back at the group. "This will work, and then, we're gonna go a butcherin! Well, except Cain cuz I'm gonna do him first." she smiled a humorless evil smile and walked away. *God please see me through these next few days and I swear I will never EVER bother you again.* she thought on her way to the empresses chambers.
Before she got there she stopped in a closet and put the regal outfit back on. The Empress liked it more and said it had to be worn in front of Olvican. As she zipped up the back of the dress, she hoped the SWAT outfit didn't show, then gently knocked on the door and awaited to be allowed entrance.
"Who is it?" the Empress voice snarled from the other side, noticeably irrate at the intrusion with her "father-daughter" time.
"I'm sorry my Empress. Maybe I should come back later." Raven said, not wanting to get herself offed just for picking a bad time to visit.
Upon hear that it was Raven, the Empress' voice seemed to immediately soften, as much as an heartless, evil beings could anyways. "Oh, is that you, my dear princess. You may enter, we're just finishing up." she replied, opening the door. The Empress was dressed in her usual long, black robe that left little to the imagination of the nothing she seemed to wear underneath most of the time. Behind her she saw a man in an old style business suit sitting at a large, ornate table, sipping a glass of milk.
"Yes, please come in princess." he said.
"Are you-?" she cut herself off, only partially feigning surprise. She truly never thought she'd ever meet this being, but there he was. She turned to Faith with wide saucer shaped eyes. "Is that-?"
"Yes it is. Our lord and my father, Richard Wilkins. Or Olvican, if you wish." the Empress said, motioning Raven into the room and giving her a seat at the table next to her and across from Wilkins
Wilkins poured another glass of milk and slid it over to Raven. "Drink up. Gotta keep my girls favorite nice and healthy." He said with a warm smile that would fool anyone who didn't know better as to what he's true intentions where. "So, what brings you here? Do you have some news? Or did you just miss my little firecracker here?" he said, putting his hand on Faith's and giving her the same warm smile that she returned in kind, completely dumb-founding Raven.
"Uh. Um.. I mean , um yes." she stammered. She'd seen the Snake monster, but this wasn't it. This was a very odd but nice man. Faith seemed more human than the Empress had ever seen before, and Raven was thrown.
"I mean, Yes Sir I have news but its not very good." she took a drink of the milk. Cold and fresh, again a surprise. "Maybe I should come back and... firecracker sir?" she blundered out, taking a bit of time to regain her composure.
He let out a light laugh and smiled. "Yes, she's my little firecracker all right. All full of energy and she can't wait to use it." he said, shooting Faith yet another fatherly look.
"Now dad, you know how I hate it when you gush over me like that." Faith replied, giving him a mock elbow to the chest and smiling happily back. "So, what's this bad news you got? Can't be anything worse that what we're already dealing with." the Empress asked the continually stunned Raven.
"I'm not trying to be rude, please excuse me if it sounds like that, but this is what the situation is. I spent the last hour and half looking at all the departments and talking with Cain and the crew." She took a deep breath. "We've lost forty percent of troop strength, we'll run out of water in ten days, food in seven. We have lost any ability to move between dimensions and our ammo, if used conservatively will be out in two weeks." she took a long drink of milk, thinking how she would need all the health she could get when she muttered the next words.
"With the enemy able to get reenforcements here by the end of two days and march on the third, we have, effectively and basically lost, and are going to have to do a runner."
The Empress expression hardened at those works and as she opened her mouth to respond, her father cut her off. "It's good to she some one else is of the same mind as I am." he said. "I have been thinking the same thing but have been hesitant to bring it to Faith's attention cause I know how she hates such things. Seeing as how both you and I feel its our best and only option, I don't see you fighting us on this, right Faith?" he asked, smiling as always.
Faith took a moment and looked at both of them before sighing. "Normally, I'd never run from a fight no matter what, especially from a bunch of softies like these guys, but if the both of you think it's the right thing to do, then I guess we'll have to. not up to fighting with both my dad and my little princess who is a firecracker of her own, in more ways than one." The Empress said coyly, giving Raven a sly grin that cause her to blush slightly and look down at her milk intently.
"Good, its settled then. That's what we'll do. I'm assuming you've got a plan as to how exactly we'll be doing this." Wilkins asked Raven, taking another sip of milk himself.
"I do, but it's not the best choice." Raven said "We're trapped down here with insufficient troops to break out, but we can use the magitech that brought you here to warp us elsewhere in the world using Cain and Amy in conjunction." she paused and looked at them both before finishing her glass of milk. "There's a problem, though. I had to tell a little lie to get Cain to agree, you see. I told him it would work and that's true, it will, but, I'm mostly sure that the use of his battery to open this warp gate for us all will kill him stone dead." she looked to the two, a milk mustache planted on her face. "This is deadly serious."
Wilkins laughed at the image of Raven before him and her utter seriousness. "I don't really see a problem with that. He has been growing increasingly unstable and if it's the only way to ensure my girls safety, then its of little consequence to me."
"Fine by me, he's been getting on my nerves ever since you got here. Just gives me a good excuse to get rid of him, but let's just not tell him that. No need to rock the boat." the Empress said, pulling her char right up to Raven's and wrapping her arms around her, pulling Raven into her lap, much to Raven's surprise, although she hid it well. "Besides, if anyone has a problem with MY girl, they shouldn't be here anyways." she said, licking the side of Raven's face.
"Now, Faith, you leave that sort of thing to when you two are in private. I don't like seeing it out in the open like that." Wilkins said in a reprimanding manner.
The Empress returned Raven to her seat, sulking slightly. "Yes dad."
"Sorry sir." Raven bowed her head apologetically. She then sheepishly pushed the empty milk glass forward. "Could I please have some more? I ate some of Captain Madison's jerky and it left a funny taste in my mouth. *Wow was that ever an honest statement.* she quietly thought.
"Forgot to warn you about that, did they?" Wilkins said, pouring her another glass and sending it back her way. "So, when can we put this plan of yours into full swing?"
"I got the leaders into full swing with the gearing up and everything. I figured that if the Empress didn't want to go, I'd waffle her on the head with a frying pan, toss her in anyway, and let her be really mad later. Being mad is better than being dead my dad used to say." She smiled and looked at the milk. "Thank you."
"Think nothing of it." Wilkins said turning to Faith. "It's nice to see my girls has found someone that truly cares about her well being like I do. I feel better knowing your looking out for her and that she's finally found herself someone. I know you won't let me down." he said, smiling warmly with a twinkle in his eyes. "Now, why don't you two run along and have some fun while the preparations are made. I have a few things I need to se to."
"Sure thing, pop. I'm sure we can find something to keep us...entertained." she said, shooting Raven another knowing look before getting up and heading towards the door. "Let's go, babe."
"Great." she smiled, giving Faith a alluring look, while inside bracing herself for nothing short of an assault. "Can't wait to find the.. uh.. entertainment as you said." she smiled and followed on, thankful that this could end in a just a short while and she could go home, if, that is, she could face them again.
