Buffy yawned, stretching luxuriously, she could hear a faint thumping in the
distance, like thunder. “Dawn…” She opened her eyes, disappointed to see the
strange inn. “Hey Kirrel, so much for this being a dream.” She walked over to
the small mirror, staring at her hair, bed hair and she had no brush.
The door open and Lulu came in. “I thought you were still asleep.” She noticed Buffy’s problem. “Here, let me.” With great expertise she pulled Buffy’s hair into a high ponytail, something like Rikku’s, leaving the fringe out, then upon procuring another chopstick, seemingly from nowhere she flicked the hair, sticking two chopsticks into it. Buffy looked in the mirror, her hair was in a messy bun, two chopsticks coming out of it.
“Er, thanks.”
“It is no matter, come, they are serving breakfast.”
Buffy came out to find Tidus, dressed and ready to go, shovelling food into his mouth, she wrinkled her nose up. “Eww.”
“He is somewhat uncouth.” Lulu replied.
He stopped eating to cough for a minute before continuing on.
Buffy was given a bowl of cereal and dry fruit, along with bread, jams and herbal tea. Buffy was happy to eat the cerial and bread but she steered around the herbal tea.
Yuna excused herself, coming back, moments later, in her normal clothing. Buffy pushed her chair back, heading to the bathroom. Her clothes, along with Lulu’s and Rikku’s were laid out, waiting. Gratefully Buffy pulled on her clothes, folding the others and taking them back out into the dining area.
Rikku came walking out, rubbing her eyes sleepily and yawning loudly. She saw Buffy and frowned, then proceeded to make some incomprehensible noises, sitting down at the table and beginning to pig out.
“Everyone, today we go to the Farplane.” Yuna announced.
Buffy frowned wasn’t that..
“Hey, isn’t that where the dead go?” Tidus asked, looking as confused as she was.
“Yes, here in Guadosalam we can visit those who have been sent to the farplane.”
“You mean, talking to the dead?” Buffy wasn’t sure about this, she talked to the dead too often as it was.
“Exactly.” Yuna nodded.
“Oh.” Buffy remembered the clothes. “Oh, who do I give these to?”
Yuna smiled. “Well, normally you would put them in your bag but as we are going to be here for a while today the Guado have offered to wash them for us.
“Wait, you own these?”
Rikku nodded. “Yeah, like, every inn sells them, we bought yours yesterday, brand new!”
Buffy was taken aback. “Oh.”
Yuna’s eyes widened. “If you don’t like them we can give them back…”
“Oh, no. No, they’re great- really. I just didn’t know..”
Auron came walking out into the room. “Are we going?”
“Don’t you eat?” Buffy asked, offering him a bowl of dried fruit.
“I woke up on time.” Was his gruff answer.
…
“Hey, hand me the spanner, no, not that one, the spanner shaped one.”
“Here you go.” Brother gave Spike the requested instrument and the vampire went back down the hatch.
“Okay.” Spike said. “Now try it.”
Brother sat at the control panel, pressing a group of buttons, the engine roared to life, the floor shaking beneath them.
“Ed fungc!” Brother proclaimed.
“Yes it does.” Spike answered, his other problems momentarily forgotten and his face covered in a childlike enthusiasm. “What say we go for drinks?”
…
The walk to the Farplane took about fifteen minutes, now Buffy stood on the steps that led up to what looked like something from Stargate.
“Coming?” Lulu asked, walking up the stairs.
“Uh, yeah.” Buffy shook her head, she may as well. Kirrel stayed with Rikku and Auron who had chosen to wait outside.
She stepped through the strange door onto a round section of rock, about the size of her house. She walked to the edge to look over and was shocked by what she saw, miles below ran fields of flowers, everywhere she looked the glowing orbs known as ‘pyreflies’ danced around. A gushing waterfall finished off the scenery, while a full moon glowed in the sky.
As Buffy watched Wakka walked to the edge and a boy, identical to Tidus with short, red hair appeared, wearing identical clothes to Wakka. Buffy frowned in thought, turning to see Kimahri standing guard.
“Why don’t you try calling someone.” Lulu asked, startling Buffy.
“Oh, I, I don’t know..”
“All you need to do is think of them and they will appear, come.” Lulu led Buffy to the edge, try it.”
Buffy thought of who she would call, maybe Kendra? She looked up, startled, to see Kendra appear before her, arms crossed in front of her chest.
“See.” Lulu said. “It’s easy.”
Thinking about Kendra led to thoughts of Drusilla and, suddenly, Buffy found herself thinking of Spike, to her surprise someone appeared in front of her.
Dressed in
Victorian style clothing, with the look of a dreamer and golden curls covering
his head, his eyes were a sparkling blue that went deeper than colour, it was as
though, by looking into them, you would see the heart, the soul of everything
and the poetry of life.
Buffy found herself staring in wonder at this apparition, then her eyes widened
with a sudden realisation. Under the golden curls and soft smile was a face that
Buffy recognised, high cheekbones gave way to hollow cheeks, stretched across
with skin that was usually ivory white.
“Spike!” She said, strangely she felt none of the emotions she had predicted she would in her daydreams of when she next saw him. Instead of bitter anger and loathing, instead of a lust for his death, a desperate need to see his ashes scattered on the wind, she felt a strong relief. Here was part of her normal, everyday life and she gratefully welcomed its’ presence.
The figure in front of her shifted uncomfortably. “Well, well, I suppose I am.”
“Huh?” Buffy had a blank look on her face.
“Oh, forgive me, my name is William, I am, in essence, he who you call Spike.”
“William? I don’t `get it, why are you here.”
“I wished to converse with you.”
“Uh, huh.. ‘Converse’ away.” Buffy waved her hand.
“You have been sent here against your will, have you not?”
“Well, yeah..”
“It is as I thought, Spike, too, has been. It is imperative that the two of you are reunited.”
“Wait! You’re saying Spike didn’t send me here?”
William shook
his head. “No, no. He was sent here just as you were, he believes both you and
Dawn to be imprisoned here as he is. In this he is mistaken, Dawn is safe, with
Mr Giles.”
Buffy looked relived, looking around at the scenery. ”You know, imprisoned is a
strong word, it’s more like a compulsory holiday..”
“I see, then what I have to tell you will carry no great weight.”
“Wait, you have something to tell me, about how to get home?” Her eyes lit up.
“Not a means so much as a course. You cannot return home unless you are reunited with Spike.”
“Wow, so if I find Spike, I can get home?”
“You will be on your way home. With Spike by your side you will be given the light to find the way, but only inside yourself will you find the path to follow.”
“Alright, so I find Spike and I can get home. Where is he? I haven’t exactly seen him around.”
“He is in a place called Bikanel.” William answered. “Though beyond that I cannot help you.”
“I see, well, thanks..”
“Yes, it would seem my time is running short.”
“Oh, okay, well, see ya.”
William seemed to fade, suddenly blinking back to reality. “One more thing, if I may, Buffy, there are times when it is better to follow that which you know inside yourself to be true, logic notwithstanding and regardless of that which those around you may deem to be untrue. To hold strong against those who mean the most to you requires more courage and strength than to stand against all the armies of hell.” With this he faded, leaving a surprised Buffy blinking into the air.
…
“So, you wanna take her for a test drive?” Spike asked Brother as they sat at the bar.
“I think we’re gonna have to.” An unfamiliar voice answered.
Spike turned around to see a warm and friendly face, head covered with yellow hair, standing behind him. Spike frowned.
“I’m Keyakku.” He said in answer to Spikes’ unspoken question.
Spike frowned, Keyakku, he knew that name, from where?
“Father says you helped fix the airship.”
“Yeah.” Spike said.
“So, do you want to come with us?”
“Where to?” Spike frowned.
“Macalania, some summoner is going through there soon, we’re going to save her as well.”
“Macalania? Why not.” Spike answered.