Fallen AngelsBy Kristi
A visit to the Oracle
@--Angel--@
We took the sewers to get here. However, for understandable reasons, the sewer access to Lorne’s club is blocked. I stand in the shadow of the Caritas alley while Buffy bangs on his door. I hear the door open and Buffy beckons to me. I run into Lorne’s with my duster pulled over my head.
Lorne is wearing his velvet and satin robe. He waves his hand in the air, trying to clear it of smoking vampire smell. “So, Angelcakes, what brings you and your lady love out in the very bright sunny middle of the afternoon?”
“We need to see the Oracles. We encountered some assassins last night. Buffy got hurt. I need to know if there’s something going on.” I get right to the point.
“Angelcakes, the Oracles kicked the proverbial bucket. I can’t help you.” Lorne says.
I grab him by the lapels of his robe and pull him up. “Then find someone who can. They must have been replaced by something.” I let him go with a growl. Buffy puts her hand on my arm.
“He doesn’t mean to be all grrr.” Buffy apologizes for me. And I think how wrong she is. I mean to be all “grrr” and more if it gets me answers in this case. Buffy has seen the things Angelus can do. She has no idea how dark I can be without him ever entering into the picture.
“Come back after the club closes tonight. I’ll ask around, read some people, and see what I turn up with. I’m not promising anything though.” Lorne says.
“Have something.” I snap and I turn on my heel to leave.
*
We spent the rest of the day and night hunting down every contact I have ever made in LA. I paid coerced and beat information out of every one I knew. No one knew anything. It was almost 2am and we were on our way back to Caritas. Buffy looked exhausted. She was favoring her side and she had slowed down remarkably since the day had begun.
“Buffy, why don’t I take you back to the hotel. You look tired and you’re injured. I can finish this up myself.” I suggested.“No. The last time you talked to the Oracles by yourself you took back being human, without consulting me. I’m going with you if you have to carry me.” Her tone was firm. It left no room for argument.
“I know it’s been a long day. I’m sorry. I just don’t want something sneaking up on us. I can’t lose you now, Buffy. If the End of Days are coming, I want to know. I want us to be prepared.”
She smiled tiredly at me. “I know. I do too. Besides the boy scout motto is a good way to go, Always be prepared.” She wrinkles her brow, “Maybe that’s the girl scout motto. It could be the Giles motto. I’m not really sure.”
I chuckle at her. It is amazing she can laugh and joke during a time like this. Buffy’s spirit has always been indestructible. It’s one of her greatest strengths. I take her hand tenderly, taking care not to hurt her. “Buffy, I love you.”
She smiles and I swear it is noon on the sunniest day of the year. She is the reason I don’t miss the sun anymore. “I love you too.”
Caritas is emptying out when we arrive. We wait until everyone has left. Lorne sits down at the bar with us and slides a bit of paper to me. “That’s your address.”
I raise an eyebrow at him. “Where did you find it?”
Lorne shakes his head. “Lawyer from Wolfram and Hart. I get different ones in here every now and then. This one is worried about his termination, and I don’t mean his job. Anyway I found that.”
“Thank you Lorne.” Buffy reaches out to put a bandaged hand over Lorne’s green one.
“Oh, anything for you Sweet cheeks.” Lorne promises.
I chuckle. Lorne is as smitten with her as I am. I have to admit. It’s hard not to be.
*
@--Buffy--@
I don’t know what I expected an Oracle to be. It wasn’t a little Irish man in a funny bowling shirt and a leather jacket, that’s for sure. He was waiting for us in front of the downtown Los Angeles library.
“Doyle?” Angel said. His face registered shock and surprise. He also looked happy to see the man. “You’re the new Oracle?”
“Nah, not really an oracle. Still just a lowly messenger. Powers that be heard you wanted to talk to someone, thought they’d send a familiar face this time ‘round.” The man said with a distinct Irish accent.
“So I guess bringing up the whole Day that Wasn’t with you won’t really do us any good.” I say.
“Sorry, Princess. I can’t help you there. Personally, I’m on your side.”
“Doyle, we ran into a group of Mohra demons, six of them. I need to know why.” Angel said. His voice sounded urgent and tired at the same time. I was aware he wasn’t the only exhausted one here.
“It’s kind of funny you should ask that. Someone heard that the two strongest of the Powers warriors were together. They thought maybe taking you two out at once would clear the playing field for when the final battle does come. Everyone else might have forgotten but they remember how strong the two of you together are. You’ve got a battle coming, but together you are strong.” Doyle says. “Angel, you gotta come with me. I’ve got something to show you.” Doyle holds out his hand.
I grab Angel’s bicep. “No! He’s not going anywhere without me.” I step in front of Angel and unconsciously take a fighting stance. I don’t know how hard it is to kill an Oracle but I will before I let anyone take Angel.
Doyle seems to consider the heavens a moment and then he looks at me with a charming grin. “Alright then, Darlin. This appears to be a trip for two.”
*
I take Doyle’s hand. My other hand is still around Angel’s bicep. There’s a flash and my stomach feels like I’m going down the first steep grade of a rollercoaster. I’m dizzy but everything solidifies after a moment and the world comes back into focus.
The room looks like a comfortable library, but cavernous. Doyle stands to one side. I didn’t know him in life, but he looks sad.
“Doyle, what is it?” Angel asks.
“You’ve got some trials to go through, Angel, to prove you are a worthy warrior.” Doyle says sadly.
“Trials? Our entire lives have been trials. He gave up humanity!” I scream.
“Yes, Darlin, but that was for love. They’re talking about bein a warrior here.”
“No, it’s not fair. He fights every day. If they actually paid attention to his life and got off their immortal asses they’d know that.” Doyle reminds me a little too much of Whistler. I hated him.
“He doesn’t really have a choice, Darlin, neither do you.” Doyle indicates Angel a few feet away. He didn’t move over there, I swear it. I was holding his hand just a moment ago. Two large reddish demons with spiked collars walk up to him and speak. I can not hear them only see their mouths moving.
“What are they doing to him?” I ask. I can hear the panic in my voice and my skin is starting itch.
“Preparin him for the trials.” Doyle says.
I watch as the demons take away Angel’s duster, his shirt, his boots and his socks. I run to him and hit an invisible barrier. “Angel!” I scream. He turns and looks at me. He smiles slightly at me and nods reassuringly. I hit the barrier with a fist, over and over.
“That won’t help, Princess, and you’re only hurtin yourself.” Doyle takes my wrist and leads me over to a comfortable wingback chair that wasn’t there a moment ago. My hand is bleeding again.
“Doyle, I have to know. What are they going to do to him?” I am fighting back tears.
“I don’t know. I’m just the messenger.” He hands me a bottle of cold water. I keep my eyes fixed on Angel.
“Here, Darlin, hold on to these. You can give them back to him when the trials are done.” Doyle hands me Angel’s shirt, boots with socks stuffed down in them and duster. I put the duster on and wrap it around me. It smells like Angel.
Angel is in a big empty room. A door in the wall opens and a man in dark clothes walks in. My heart stops beating. I know the man as well as I know Angel. It’s Angelus. “Oh, God.”