Title: Dawn of Prophecy
Author: Oracleholly
For: The Good/Evil LJ Community
Characters: Good Dawn / Evil Master
Month: April
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: BtVS S1 "Prophecy Girl"
Summary: What if Buffy wasn't the "prophecy girl" destined to release the Master? What if the Master needed someone else instead?
Disclaimer: Joss owns all the cool characters.


A/N: A reworking of "P. G." from the perspective that Dawn really was present in Season One. Dialogue excerpts from "Prophecy Girl."

*********************

The quake rocked the lair and the Master welcomed it. He looked over at Collin and asked, "Whadaya think? 5.1?"

Collin shook his head with indecision. He had learned that while he might be the Anointed One, sometimes it paid to placate the Master.

Two minions quickly entered the lair and bowed before the Master and the Anointed One.

"Is it done?" Nest asked.

"Yes, Master," they answered in unison.

"Just as I asked?"

"Yes, Master. The souled one has not noticed the switch, and the Watcher has it in his possession now."

"Excellent. You both have served me well. You may go. Join the others at the school." Without evening bothering to dismiss them, Nest began pacing in his mystical prison. "The Watcher and the Slayer will soon be distracted and the Prophecy will come to pass. Poor little Slayer." Grinning at Collin, he said, "She won't know what happened until it's too late."

*************

"Mom!!!! Buffy is locked up in her room and won't let me in," Dawn whined.

"Oh, pumpkin belly, don't bother your sister," Joyce said, not paying any real attention to her ten-year old daughter as she massaging her throbbing temples.

"But, mom! She keeps playing the same song over and over again. You gotta make her stop before my head explodes," Dawn pouted, trying to pull out every Summers trick in the book.

Joyce patted Dawn's head and said, "I'll go talk to her. Now, go on back to your room and finish your homework. And don't tell me it's done, because you know I know better than that."

Dawn's eyes widened in alarm. Her mom was so smart. How'd she know? With an "eep" Dawn flew up the stairs, feet stomping on every stair.

**************

Taking a page from Harriet the Spy, Dawn the Super Sleuth snuck back across the hall and tried Buffy's doorknob as soon as she heard her mother go back downstairs. She was more than concerned. She'd just heard the weirdest conversation ever between mom and her sis, and she needed to know, for some strange reason, that her sister was okay.

Dawn breathed a sigh of relief when she felt the knob turn easily in her hand. Mom hadn't locked it back and neither had Buffy.

"Mom, I said I was fine," Buffy said, before looking up and seeing Dawn. "What do you want?"

Dawn didn't care that her sister's eyes were narrowed. Her sis didn't scare her. Besides she'd just run to mom.

As she entered the room, Dawn noticed the dress Buffy was picking at. "Is that for the dance?"

"Yeah," Buffy said sadly.

"You're not going? I thought Angel…"

"Don't talk to me about him right now, Dawnie."

"Oh, so he's being Mister Jerk again. What did he do this time?" Dawn asked. She really didn't like him. Angel never treated her like anything but something he had to occasionally tolerate. He never even seemed to think of her as a person. She'd even be okay with him thinking only of her as Buffy's kid sis, but even that apparently was too much for the hulk.

"Dawnie, I don't wanna talk about, 'kay?"

Buffy's sad eyes started to well up again, and Dawn threw herself across the room and hugged her sister tightly. "It'll be okay, Buffy. You'll see. It always is."

Sniffing Buffy smiled into Dawn's hair, noticing Dawn had been stealing her shampoo again. But this time, she decided she would let it pass. "How come you're so wise, Dawnie?"

"Remember I'm an old soul," Dawn sighed into her sister's arms. They never hugged like this much. They used to, but then Buffy went to high school and everything.

"Yeah, Grandma always said you were." Buffy ran her fingers through her sister's hair. "Thanks, Dawnie."

Dawn released the hug and watched as Buffy wiped her eyes and became like steel in front of her again. Sighing, she realized that she couldn't ask why she'd kept mumbling about Giles earlier. Wasn't Giles the librarian? Ewww. Was Buffy crushing on an old man? Suddenly homework didn't sound like a bad idea, so she quietly exited the room.

*******************

The minions watched as the Slayer left her house and started walking towards the high school. She would be such an easy target tonight, but the Master was very strict. They would not touch her. They had another purpose.

Returning their attention to the house across the street, Vincent said, "Okay, get the Anointed One. Tell him we're ready for him. Do we have the back up in place?"

Jason pulled forth the young morsel of a girl recently vamped. Vincent thought the girl looked too hungry and a little too eager for this. He hated when plans involved turning one so young. It was cruel. But of course, he couldn't voice that opinion, not with the Anointed One being what he was.

"This one is friends with the kid, aren't ya?" Jason prodded the girl.

"Yeah, Dawnie's my friend, but I just wanna eat her."

"They'll be no eating, tasting, biting, or touching of the kid. Do you understand, girl?" Vincent commanded. "If I so much as think you'll try it, I'll make your dusting as painful as possible."

The young vamp trembled in fear. He was her Sire. She had to listen to him. Lowering her eyes, she nodded. "But I'm so hungry, Sire."

"Jason!" Vincent growled.

Scraping a fingernail across his wrist, Jason offered it to the girl. "Here, drink some. Not a lot."

****************

Dawn heard the doorbell ring and raced to the door. Her curiosity demanded that she know who would be at their door at this time. She really hoped it was Angel, so she could give him a piece of her mind.

Instead as she opened the door, Dawn saw a little brown-haired boy. He looked lost and alone. What was he doing out here after dark?

"Can you help me?" the boy asked.

"I'll try. What's your name?"

"Collin. You're pretty."

Dawn blushed. Everyone thought Buffy was the pretty one. She was the smart one.

"Collin, what's happened? Why are you by yourself at night?" Something Buffy used to say to her nudged her thoughts, but she pushed them aside, trying to concentrate on the boy.

"I was in the park and there was this guy and he was scary and weird and so I ran and I saw your house and will you walk me home?" Collin sputtered in almost one breath.

"Sure, let me tell my mom," Dawn hollered back into the house that she was going to help Collin home. She didn't know that Joyce hadn't heard her, as she was in the shower.

Dawn had barely managed to step onto the front porch when she saw four ugly, huge guys out there too. Starting to freak, she opened her mouth to scream, when suddenly her world went black.

************

Buffy walked into the library as Giles and Ms. Calendar were theorizing about the prophecy.

Giles recited Isaiah 11:6 - : 'The wolf shall live with the lamb; the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf, the lion and the fatling together, and the little child to lead them.'

"That's kinda warm and fuzzy for a message of doom," Ms. Calendar said.

Giles proffered, "Well, that depends where he's leading them to. Aurelius wrote of the Anointed One, 'The Slayer will not know him, and he will lead her into Hell.'"

"So Luca thinks the Anointed is a kid?"

"If the vampire that Buffy killed was in fact not the Anointed, then it may well be," Giles replied.

"Well, then we need to warn her," she said.

Giles shook his head. "I don't intend involving her at all."

"What do you mean?"

"Buffy's not going to face the Master. I am."

Buffy spoke up for the first time, "No, you're not." As she approached them, she asked, "So I'm looking for a kid, huh? And he'll lead me to the Master?"

Giles stammered, "Buffy, I'm not going to send you out there to die. Now, you were right. I-I've waded around in these old books for so long, I've forgotten what the real world is like. I-it's time I found out."

Just then an earthquake shook Sunnydale, and the floor in the center of the library started to crack.

******************
(Earlier)

Dawn awoke smelling the worst smells she'd ever imagined. Wherever she was reeked of dirt, mildew, and really, really bad B.O. Her allergies were going to flare up and Mom would be so pissed.

As she opened her eyes, realization of what had happened overcame her. She sat up suddenly and instantly regretted it. Her head felt like it was twice its size. She wondered if she looked like Wily E. Coyote after falling off a cliff and having the Road Runner kick an anvil on top of him. Yep, she bet she did.

"Oh, delightful, you're awake."

The voice seemed to come from everywhere at once, like surround sound, and it freaked Dawn out. Then something inside her grew strong and somehow knew her sister would totally get her out of this - whatever it was - if only she could buy some time. So, she did the one thing she knew she was really good at…

"You know, whoever you are, you're going to be in big trouble. Let's see, kidnapping, assault…oh, and messing up my allergies. Seriously, you've got some major water damage down here, wherever here is. My mother and sister don't like me getting sick. I'm a whiner." As Buffy always said, 'Annoyance, thy name is Dawnie.' Dawn placed her hands on her hips after standing and jutted her chin out in the classic stance of one pissed off brat.

"Oh good, she likes to banter. How droll. But my child, your sister can't save you now," the voice said, laughing.

The hairs on Dawn's neck and arms stood up. That laughter was way spooky. Taking a deep breath, she kept on talking. "You know my sister? Why am I not surprised? Buffy always seems to know the weirdos."

"Little girl, do you not know who your sister is? This is too funny, isn't it, Collin?"

"Yes."

Dawn spun around and to her horror saw the little boy she'd been conned into helping. That little brat! Dawn started to lunge for the imp when suddenly his face changed into that of a monster. He reminded her of that little boy in The Lost Boys, but more Munster than actually scary. Swallowing her fear, she joked, "Oh aren't you this cutest little thing. Your parents must simply love you. All with the deformities and everything."

"Do not mock the Anointed One!" the eerie voice bellowed.

"The Annoying One? Hey, that's my title. He can't have it," Dawn replied.

"Leave us Collin. You know what to do."

Dawn carefully watched the way that Collin-the Anointed One-the demon boy exited. Her mind raced. Could she get to that entrance? Are there guards? How will Buffy find her? How does this guy, whoever he is, know Buffy and seems more scared of her than mom? Maybe he'd never seen Mom's angry face. That even scares Buffy.

Then her thoughts turned back to what she'd seen. Collin's face. She remembered Mom and Dad whispering about Buffy and taking her to the mental institution. She recalled finding some of her sister's hidden drawings of monsters - most of which depicted ugly people with fangs. She'd heard dad argue with mom over Buffy's sick imagination: 'She needs help, Joyce. She actually believes vampires are real.'

And now, she knew. Vampires. That's what that kid was. Oh God. Oh God. What did she need to do? What killed vampires? Think Dawnie, think. Holy water, stakes, fire….

Suddenly Dawn was grabbed from behind. She could see gnarly nails curled around her throat. His grip wasn't strong, so she chanced it. She pushed his arm away from her and ran.

She peeked at who or what had held her and was immediately sorry she did. He was fugly, as Janice would say. Janice knew all the cool, forbidden words. God, what was that stain around his mouth?

"You shouldn't touch me…that just adds child molestation, mister."

"Oh, you are a delightful little key, aren't you?" the Master chortled.

"Who are you? And I'm not a key…I'm Dawn," she said indignant.

"Of course you are. Forgive me for my rudeness, I am the Master." He spread his arms out like he was some Vegas magician.

"The Master of what? Punch bowl mouth?" Dawn couldn't help it; she laughed.

"You dare to mock me!" the Master exclaimed. Never before…no, Darla's childe, Angelus had dared to mock him as such. Angelus would be punished for his transgressions very soon.

"Come on, have you looked at yourself lately? Er…I guess you can't. Geez, doesn't anyone tell you how you really look?"

The Master ran his right hand over his bald head. "I am the Master of the Order of Aurelius. I am older than time and I follow the way of the Old Ones."

"Got a gang. Wow, aren't you special."

Dawn kept trying to talk and annoy him as she inched her way toward the exit. When the Master turned his head, she made a run for it. Suddenly, she felt like she was in a force field. She couldn't move. She was able to move her eyes to see the Master holding out his hand.

"It was noble of you to try to distract me from my purpose. The Slayer will not be able to stop the Prophecy. She believes it is about her. But prophecies are tricky creatures. They don't tell you everything." He laughed. "Well, the real one did, if her Watcher and Angelus hadn't been so blind."

Grabbing Dawn by the throat again with his right hand and securing her next to his body with his left arm, he leaned down and whispered in her ear, "You are the one that sets me free! You are the Key!"

Dawn could only think 'Slayer? Angelus, does he mean Angel? Watcher?' before she felt the twin incisors slice open her neck. It hurt…a lot. Try to stay awake. Try to stay awake. Her vision was becoming blurry.

The Master drank a few sips of Dawn's powerful blood and, knowing what she really was, took care to close the wounds before dropping her body. It wouldn't do him any good if those he could not control entered this dimension. Then the power surged through him.

"Oh, God! The power!"

He looked down as Dawn sank to her knees and then fell head first, hitting her head on the side of a small pool of water.

"And by the way, the Slayer is your sister. Guess who I am going to kill next!"

The Master walked over to the edge of his prison and forced his hand through. With a burst of green light and energy, the cage broke. He made his way out of his lair.

Time to make the world his.

**********
(Library)

A green tentacle had begun forcing its way through the cracks. Buffy saw it first and began poking it with a bow. "A little help here!"

Willow and Xander had entered the library during the quake and were standing agog at the creature from below.

Xander pointed and said, "That doesn't look good."

Giles sighed in irritation at the boy and ran to get swords. Throwing one to Buffy, he declared, "I guess we've discovered the Hellmouth."

"Hellmouth!" Xander exclaimed. "You mean we've been researching over the mouth of Hell all this time!"

"Shut up and help us, Xander!" Ms. Calendar shouted.

Just as Xander was about to grab a weapon, something caught his eye. "Um, guys? Vampires in the stacks. Quick, Willow, help me."

With Xander's help, Willow pushed over a bookshelf leading to the stacks. Just then Cordelia Chase came running into the library at full speed and straight into the path of the tentacle. "Help me!!! Oh ewww! Not my Jimmy Choo's!" Cordelia began stomping on the tentacle.

"Cordelia, why did you run in here?" Giles asked while continuing to fight the creature.

"Vamps, lots of them…in the parking lot…in the hall," she replied, continuing her assault.

"Quickly, Buffy, the door!"

Buffy rushed the door just in time and pushed a copier in front of it. "What the hell is going on, Giles? Isn't this supposed to happen after the Master has risen?"

"Quite."

"Then…I don't get it. I didn't do anything!"

The words barely left her mouth when Buffy's slayer senses went on high alert…unlike ever before. Her senses were screaming at her to go to the roof. Looking up at the skylight, Buffy saw a figure shadowing the glass.

"The roof, Giles. Gotta get up there," Buffy cried out.

"Go, we'll fend them off. And Buffy, be careful. Remember the Prophecy."

"I think the Prophecy was wrong. 'Cause look at all this," Buffy replied.

Buffy grabbed her crossbow and headed for the roof access. Racing up the stairs, she tried to calm her nerves and slow her breathing down. She took a deep breath before opening the door to the roof. Stepping out she saw the leather incased figure from her nightmares…the Master.

"My world, my beautiful world," the Master said, clapping his hands in glee. Looking down from the skylight, he watched as the creature made its way out of the Hellmouth. "Yes. Come forth, my child. Come into my world."

"I don't think it's yours just yet," Buffy declared.

The Master turned in surprise. "Ah yes, the Slayer. Come to help me fulfill the Prophecy? Isn't that sweet. As you can see, I didn't need you. You were not the Key."

"No, I'm not some Key. I'm the Slayer and I'm damn pretty. Which is more than I can say for you."

The Master growled and reached out his arm to try his hypnosis on her. "You know your sister said almost the same thing. Come here!"

Grabbing Buffy by the throat, the Master whispered, "Did you really think you could best me?"

Buffy spun in his arms and said, "You have fruit punch mouth."

"What? Your sister is really like you."

"Why do you keep mentioning my sister? Shut up about my sister! She's got nothing to do with this," Buffy asked, confused and wary. Buffy swung a wide punch, connecting with the Master's mouth, and he fell.

Laughing, the Master slowly stood up and caught Buffy's swinging roundhouse kick and holds her foot. "Your sister is the Key! She was the prophesized one."

Horror etched into every fiber of her being, which was quickly replaced by an all-consuming deadly anger. She hopped on her other leg and swung it around, kicking him square in the jaw, forcing him to release his hold. She quickly followed up with several punches to his kidneys.

The Master feigned going left and threw his right, connecting with her temple. Buffy stumbled again a wall.

"What have you done with my sister!?"

"I have tasted her."

Launching herself at the Master, she berated him with a series of jabs to the stomach and chest. "You killed her!!! You bastard!!!"

Catching her wrists, the Master taunted, "If you wish. But actually I need her. Together we'll conquer worlds."

Something primal unleashed itself within Buffy. She turned her cold eyes on him and kneed him in the groin. "She will not be your vamp bride or your vamp chew toy!"

As the Master bent over from the pain in his abused appendage, Buffy saw that down below a table had been overturned and a huge spike stood directly below them.

"Go to Hell!" She lifted him up and threw him through the skylight. She watched coldly as he fell directly onto the spike and was impaled. She continued to watch as his ashes dissolved leaving a skeleton behind. Immediately, upon the Master's dusting, the creature disappeared through the floor and the vampires scattered. All except one.

Buffy made her way down the stairs, shock taking over her system. What was she going to say to mom? Oh God, Dawnie! Wait, could she be alive? Is that what he meant? Gotta find Dawnie!

Opening the door to the library, Buffy sensed something. To the bewilderment of the others, she raced across the room behind some stacks. She emerged with a kicking and screaming Collin.

"You!" Buffy hissed.

"Get off of me, Slayer!" Collin growled.

Willow, Xander, Giles, Cordelia and Ms. Calendar stood around the Master's remains.

Giles asked, "The vampires?"

"Gone," replied Cordelia.

"The Master?" asked Willow.

"Dead. The Hellmouth is closed. Buffy…Buffy? Who do you have there?"

"Oh, I think this was the Anointed One. And guess whose gonna tell me where my sister is?" Buffy held a dagger to the boy vamp's throat.

"Your sister?" said Giles.

"Dawnie?" cried Xander and Willow simultaneously.

"Yeah, your precious Prophecy wasn't about me, Giles. It was about my sister."

"I disagree, Buffy. The Prophecy clearly stated…"

Collin began laughing despite the threat of being beheaded. "The Master was right about you all!"

"What's that, squirt?" Xander boldly asked.

"He said the Watcher and Angelus would be too stupid to notice that they didn't have the real Codex. You got the one the Master wanted you to have," Collin smugly replied.

"Oh, dear Lord!" Giles exclaimed. "I'm so sorry, Buffy."

"Is Dawnie dead?" Willow asked.

"The Master hinted that she wasn't. So I'm hoping I don't have to end up staking my sister. 'Cause that would make me angry." She bent down to Collin's level. "And you've seen what I can do when I'm really angry." She nodded to the Master's remains.

Xander snickered. Everyone turned their eyes to him. "What? Buffy just went all Hulk on him. It was funny. Sorry."

"Now," she said, picking up the baby vamp by the throat, "you're going to lead us to my sister. And she better be okay."

********************
(Lair)

Xander and Buffy rushed to Dawn's side as soon as they found her prone, unconsciousness form near the pool. She'd been lucky in that she'd not fallen into the pool of water. She could have drowned.

"Xander, is she okay? God, please let her be okay," Buffy asked.

Xander felt for a pulse and found it. That time he'd fancied himself to be a lifeguard had come in handy. He remembered his First-Aid courses. Sighing with relief, Xander nodded. "She's got a pulse. It's a little weak. But I'm thinking it's from the blood loss." He lightly touched her head. "Dawnie's got a bad bump on her head. She's not gonna like looking in any mirrors anytime soon. I don't like it that she's all still like this."

Lightly slapping her sister's face, Buffy shouted, "Dawnie, wake up! Wake up, Dawn!"

No response. "Oh God, Xander, what if she never wakes up?"

From the other side of the lair, Giles coughed. "Let's get her to the hospital, Buffy. We need to call your mother and come up with a story."

Her brain on freeze mode - completely stuck on Dawn lying on the ground, bitten but alive - Buffy simply nodded. She lifted Dawn into her arms and made her way out of the lair. She stopped at Giles and Collin. Turning to Xander, she indicated for him to take Dawn. Xander did so.

"One last thing." Buffy whirled a stake from somewhere on her person and staked Collin. "Damn, that felt good."

Giles waved away the ashes. "Really Buffy, you could have waited until I was out of the way."

"Nope, that's for thinking I was going to die and almost getting my sister killed. Plus, you get to call my mom."

Giles immediately sobered. He had to call Joyce, and he thought he'd rather face his Slayer when he did.

*****************
(Hospital)

"So, I was like all, 'master of what? Punch bowl mouth?' and he was all, 'do not mock me!' I was so scared, but no one messes with a Summers woman, right Buffy?" Dawn asked from her hospital bed.

Dawn was glad Buffy was here even though Buffy hated hospitals. Ever since Celia. Still, she knew Buffy's secret now. Her sister was 'The Slayer.' Buffy had already threatened her with not telling mom.

Xander ruffled her hair. Xander is so cute, thought Dawn. I'm going to marry him someday.

"Dawnie, you sure showed him," Xander said.

"Right, Dawnie! No one messes with a Summers woman," Buffy agreed.

"So, Buffy, can I go on patrol?"

"A world of no!"


The End
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