The Wish: "Brand New Key"
Title: Brand New Key
Author: djin7
Episode: "The Wish" (Oh look! I did an AU of an AU! Cheeky.) For the dawn_all_along challenge.
Characters: The Master, Willow, Xander, Dawn, Angel.
Rating: PG for violence/language.
Word Count: 1800 +/-
Beta: Thank you, reddwarfer. ♥
Notes: You know, I've always wondered why the supposed 'favourite' of the Master wasn't in this Alternate universe episode…I mean, if Buffy had *never* come to Sunnydale, why wasn't she there? Scarier. Quotes are from "The Wish" S.3 E.9 and "Angel" S.1 E.7.
Cordelia: …I wish Buffy Summers had never come to Sunnydale.
Anyanka: "Done."
*~*~*~*
The Bronze was quiet, and dimly lit by candles only. Occasionally, the sound of groaning could be heard coming from one of the hanging cages, where the appetizers were trying to rest. Happy hour wouldn't begin for a short time, and the place was bereft of movement, save a figure at the bar, until the doors burst open.
Xander couldn't keep the smirk off his face as he swaggered up to the Master, who had sat down, and was drinking his hot cup-o-blood.
"The deed is done."
Willow walked in behind him, grinning.
His Master blew on his cappuccino cup before taking a sip. "You killed the girl that sought the Slayer?"
Xander grinned even more. "It was too easy." Willow joined in, slyly rubbing up against Xander.
"I felt cheap," she pouted.
"You are cheap."
Willow hissed as a sweet, whiny little voice came out of a dark corner, and the Master quickly put his cup down, jumping off his barstool.
"Has my favourite come back to me at last?" He turned to the slight figure sashaying out of the shadows to meet him.
"At long last, my prodigal daughter has returned to me! Just in time to witness one of my greatest achievements!" He held his arms out wide.
"Master," the figure breathed. Willow growled slightly, heard only by Xander. They watched as the lithe, little figure ran up to their Master and threw herself into his arms.
"Oh, Master-I've missed you so much!" Xander and Willow watched with barely contained jealousy as the brunette laughed uproariously while their Master spun her in circles, held in his arms.
They seemed to realise simultaneously that they were making a scene, and as one, they stopped, stepped out of each other's arms, and stood slightly apart. The Master could not contain his manic grin, however, as he turned to Willow and Xander.
Not even noticing their scowls, he swept his arm over in a flourish to the beautiful vampire beside him, and announced, "You remember my protégé and adopted daughter, my darkest star, Darl--" he stuttered, momentarily confused, and then continued, "Dawn? Dawn, you remember Willow and Xander, who have been my two most faithful minions since you left me to go find your lost sheep."
The girl turned to them as they schooled their faces out of their jealous grimaces, but they knew she hadn't been fooled. Her long, flowing brown hair was clipped on side with a small barrette, matching perfectly her young schoolgirl outfit. Then she smiled at them, a wide, hundred-watt California girl smile, but her wide blue eyes flashed dangerously. "So nice to see you again. Thank you for watching out for my Master while I have been…away."
They both smiled in return, nodding acceptance to her gratitude. The Master looked star struck, staring at Dawn as if she were the Devil herself, come to rain blood on the streets of Sunnydale. Which may not have been far from the truth. Willow didn't like the predatory lustful look Dawn was throwing Xander's way. She sidled a little closer to him.
After a moment of uncomfortable silence watching the Master worship and Dawn preen under his gaze, Willow spoke. "So. You're pleased with our latest mission, Master?"
He looked at her as if she'd suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Then he replied, "Ecstatic. The opening will commence as scheduled."
Willow hedged her bet slightly higher. Coyly, she asked, " Then... can I play with the puppy?"
The Master looked ready to give his permission, his eyes still stealing over to Dawn at every opportunity, when Dawn suddenly got a gleam in her eye. Turning towards him, she laid her little hand on his arm and inquired innocently, "Puppy?" The Master smiled indulgently at her.
Willow cursed to herself. Now she would never get to play with him! Damn that Dawn for coming back!
She watched, seething in jealousy, as the Master led Dawn away, arm in arm, his hand reaching into his pocket to give the keys over to his 'darkest star', Willow and Xander completely forgotten.
She growled as soon the Master was out of earshot.
"Aw, is my lil' Willow jealous of little Dawnie?" Xander nuzzled her ear. Willow pushed him away.
"Bored now." She wandered away. Xander sighed. "Wiiill…" he whined.
"Let's go outside to play. Find us some White Hats to eat."
Xander leered. "You're on."
*~*~*~*
Oz: "So Cordelia wished for something? Well, if it was a long, healthy life, she should get her money back."
Giles: "She said something about everything being different, that the... the world wasn't supposed to be like this. It was, um, better. Before."
Larry: "Okay. The entire world sucks because some dead ditz made a wish? I just want it clear."
*~*~*~*
Dawn smiled as she perused the wall of torture devices. "These are so obvious . Willow's collection, I presume?"
The creature in the cell shuddered at the mention of the redhead's name. It made Dawn smile wider.
"My beloved, let's not waste our time here; instead I wish to tell you of my greatest achievement! Angelus can wait for another night."
Dawn looked down again, her smile now a little sad. "Do you think we could bring him back to us, Master? If we could convince him to join us, just imagine the havoc we could wreak!"
The Master paused, and followed her gaze. "He was the most vicious creature I ever met. I miss him."
At this, the figure on the ground finally stirred. "I could never join you." Angel croaked, collapsing back.
"Angel, Angel, Angel. But now I've come home. And there seems to be something afoot, something so right I can feel it." Dawn leaned down to the bars, inches away from Angel's face.
"I want to ease your suffering, my love. I want you to be free, so you can celebrate our Master's triumph. We shall work together to rid you of this horrible curse the gypsies gave you. Perhaps-" she looked at the Master, but continued to talk only to Angel, "you can have Willow to play with, once we succeed?"
It was more of question to the Master, and he looked at her for a moment, and saw the brief flash of hunger on Angelus' face, then his face split into a grin. "You see how we all work together for the common good? That's how a family is supposed to function! Come, Dawn, and I will tell you all about my plans that come to fruition tonight at my factory, and the beauty of the new age of vampirism, and you can tell me all about your travels. Did you ever find Spike and Dru?"
The two wandered off, arm in arm, chatting, and the figure slumped again to the cold floor. It was not long before he heard someone else coming. But this time, he could tell, this visitor was different. This one was human.
*~*~*~*
Giles: "Oh... Anyanka... I-I beseech thee…Um…In the name of all women scorned…Come before me."
Anyanka: "Do you have any idea what I do to a man who uses that spell to summon me?"
*~*~*~*
The Master: "Undeniably we are the world's superior race. Yet we have always been too parochial, too bound by the mindless routine of the predator. Hunt and kill, hunt and kill. Titillating? Yes. Practical? Hardly. Meanwhile, the humans, with their plebeian minds, have brought us a truly demonic concept: mass production!"
*~*~*~*
Dawn knew there was trouble the minute she saw the determined looking girl with the stake. The factory was in chaos, and she swore she had just seen Angelus helping those cattle out of the cage! She was furious. Quickly pushing her Master behind her, she got her game face on and jumped into the fray.
There was something about that girl, and Dawn couldn't keep her eyes off of her. As she threw off the human attackers that would try to stop her, she made her way towards the other young woman, who seemed to be wading her way through the Master's lesser vamps with as much ease. Or at least, with as much fun. They finally caught each other's eye, both tilting their head at one another in an alarmingly similar way. Intrigued, Dawn continued toward the girl like a magnet to steel, but her progress halted as she noticed a new enemy approach far too closely to her Master for comfort.
"Willow! Xander! Watch the Master's back!" She took off after Angel.
*~*~*~*
Giles: "Cordelia Chase. What did she wish for?"
Anyanka: " I had no idea her wish would be so exciting! Brave New World. I hope she likes it.""
*~*~*~*
Dawn's warning was too late, and Angelus dispatched Xander all too quickly. It seemed he had not lost any of his skills during his century of rat food. Then she saw Willow overcome by the locals. She swore under her breath and turned back around go after the dangerous looking girl, who seemed oddly familiar, her every fibre screaming at her to protect her Master. Then she gasped as she watched him began to battle her. Just then, she felt someone grab her violently from behind.
"Dawn." The voice said dangerously. Angelus had her at his mercy.
"What do you want?" She gasped.
He growled, "I want it finished!"
She struggled, her eyes still on the Master fighting that girl, "That's good. You're hurting me." She paused, "That's good, too."
Angel growled again, but she wriggled out of his grasp, and before she even knew what had happened, a piece of wood was stuck into his chest. She stared at him, uncomprehending, as he wrapped his hands around the stake, and with his last breath he gazed towards the terrible girl and said, "Buffy…"
Heartbroken, Dawn could only stand there, stunned, until she saw her Master break the familiar girl's neck. "Buffy…?" She murmured to herself, then suddenly, everything went white.
*~*~*~*
Cordelia: " I wish Buffy Summers had never come to Sunnydale."
Anya: "Done."
Cordelia: " That would be cool! No, wait. I wish Buffy Summers had never been born."
Anya: "Done!"
Cordelia: "And I wish that Xander Harris never again knows the touch of a woman. *And* that Willow wakes up tomorrow covered in monkey hair."
Anya:"Done!"
Grrrrrrr…..Arggghhhh.
Author: djin7
Episode: "The Wish" (Oh look! I did an AU of an AU! Cheeky.) For the dawn_all_along challenge.
Characters: The Master, Willow, Xander, Dawn, Angel.
Rating: PG for violence/language.
Word Count: 1800 +/-
Beta: Thank you, reddwarfer. ♥
Notes: You know, I've always wondered why the supposed 'favourite' of the Master wasn't in this Alternate universe episode…I mean, if Buffy had *never* come to Sunnydale, why wasn't she there? Scarier. Quotes are from "The Wish" S.3 E.9 and "Angel" S.1 E.7.
Cordelia: …I wish Buffy Summers had never come to Sunnydale.
Anyanka: "Done."
*~*~*~*
The Bronze was quiet, and dimly lit by candles only. Occasionally, the sound of groaning could be heard coming from one of the hanging cages, where the appetizers were trying to rest. Happy hour wouldn't begin for a short time, and the place was bereft of movement, save a figure at the bar, until the doors burst open.
Xander couldn't keep the smirk off his face as he swaggered up to the Master, who had sat down, and was drinking his hot cup-o-blood.
"The deed is done."
Willow walked in behind him, grinning.
His Master blew on his cappuccino cup before taking a sip. "You killed the girl that sought the Slayer?"
Xander grinned even more. "It was too easy." Willow joined in, slyly rubbing up against Xander.
"I felt cheap," she pouted.
"You are cheap."
Willow hissed as a sweet, whiny little voice came out of a dark corner, and the Master quickly put his cup down, jumping off his barstool.
"Has my favourite come back to me at last?" He turned to the slight figure sashaying out of the shadows to meet him.
"At long last, my prodigal daughter has returned to me! Just in time to witness one of my greatest achievements!" He held his arms out wide.
"Master," the figure breathed. Willow growled slightly, heard only by Xander. They watched as the lithe, little figure ran up to their Master and threw herself into his arms.
"Oh, Master-I've missed you so much!" Xander and Willow watched with barely contained jealousy as the brunette laughed uproariously while their Master spun her in circles, held in his arms.
They seemed to realise simultaneously that they were making a scene, and as one, they stopped, stepped out of each other's arms, and stood slightly apart. The Master could not contain his manic grin, however, as he turned to Willow and Xander.
Not even noticing their scowls, he swept his arm over in a flourish to the beautiful vampire beside him, and announced, "You remember my protégé and adopted daughter, my darkest star, Darl--" he stuttered, momentarily confused, and then continued, "Dawn? Dawn, you remember Willow and Xander, who have been my two most faithful minions since you left me to go find your lost sheep."
The girl turned to them as they schooled their faces out of their jealous grimaces, but they knew she hadn't been fooled. Her long, flowing brown hair was clipped on side with a small barrette, matching perfectly her young schoolgirl outfit. Then she smiled at them, a wide, hundred-watt California girl smile, but her wide blue eyes flashed dangerously. "So nice to see you again. Thank you for watching out for my Master while I have been…away."
They both smiled in return, nodding acceptance to her gratitude. The Master looked star struck, staring at Dawn as if she were the Devil herself, come to rain blood on the streets of Sunnydale. Which may not have been far from the truth. Willow didn't like the predatory lustful look Dawn was throwing Xander's way. She sidled a little closer to him.
After a moment of uncomfortable silence watching the Master worship and Dawn preen under his gaze, Willow spoke. "So. You're pleased with our latest mission, Master?"
He looked at her as if she'd suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Then he replied, "Ecstatic. The opening will commence as scheduled."
Willow hedged her bet slightly higher. Coyly, she asked, " Then... can I play with the puppy?"
The Master looked ready to give his permission, his eyes still stealing over to Dawn at every opportunity, when Dawn suddenly got a gleam in her eye. Turning towards him, she laid her little hand on his arm and inquired innocently, "Puppy?" The Master smiled indulgently at her.
Willow cursed to herself. Now she would never get to play with him! Damn that Dawn for coming back!
She watched, seething in jealousy, as the Master led Dawn away, arm in arm, his hand reaching into his pocket to give the keys over to his 'darkest star', Willow and Xander completely forgotten.
She growled as soon the Master was out of earshot.
"Aw, is my lil' Willow jealous of little Dawnie?" Xander nuzzled her ear. Willow pushed him away.
"Bored now." She wandered away. Xander sighed. "Wiiill…" he whined.
"Let's go outside to play. Find us some White Hats to eat."
Xander leered. "You're on."
*~*~*~*
Oz: "So Cordelia wished for something? Well, if it was a long, healthy life, she should get her money back."
Giles: "She said something about everything being different, that the... the world wasn't supposed to be like this. It was, um, better. Before."
Larry: "Okay. The entire world sucks because some dead ditz made a wish? I just want it clear."
*~*~*~*
Dawn smiled as she perused the wall of torture devices. "These are so obvious . Willow's collection, I presume?"
The creature in the cell shuddered at the mention of the redhead's name. It made Dawn smile wider.
"My beloved, let's not waste our time here; instead I wish to tell you of my greatest achievement! Angelus can wait for another night."
Dawn looked down again, her smile now a little sad. "Do you think we could bring him back to us, Master? If we could convince him to join us, just imagine the havoc we could wreak!"
The Master paused, and followed her gaze. "He was the most vicious creature I ever met. I miss him."
At this, the figure on the ground finally stirred. "I could never join you." Angel croaked, collapsing back.
"Angel, Angel, Angel. But now I've come home. And there seems to be something afoot, something so right I can feel it." Dawn leaned down to the bars, inches away from Angel's face.
"I want to ease your suffering, my love. I want you to be free, so you can celebrate our Master's triumph. We shall work together to rid you of this horrible curse the gypsies gave you. Perhaps-" she looked at the Master, but continued to talk only to Angel, "you can have Willow to play with, once we succeed?"
It was more of question to the Master, and he looked at her for a moment, and saw the brief flash of hunger on Angelus' face, then his face split into a grin. "You see how we all work together for the common good? That's how a family is supposed to function! Come, Dawn, and I will tell you all about my plans that come to fruition tonight at my factory, and the beauty of the new age of vampirism, and you can tell me all about your travels. Did you ever find Spike and Dru?"
The two wandered off, arm in arm, chatting, and the figure slumped again to the cold floor. It was not long before he heard someone else coming. But this time, he could tell, this visitor was different. This one was human.
*~*~*~*
Giles: "Oh... Anyanka... I-I beseech thee…Um…In the name of all women scorned…Come before me."
Anyanka: "Do you have any idea what I do to a man who uses that spell to summon me?"
*~*~*~*
The Master: "Undeniably we are the world's superior race. Yet we have always been too parochial, too bound by the mindless routine of the predator. Hunt and kill, hunt and kill. Titillating? Yes. Practical? Hardly. Meanwhile, the humans, with their plebeian minds, have brought us a truly demonic concept: mass production!"
*~*~*~*
Dawn knew there was trouble the minute she saw the determined looking girl with the stake. The factory was in chaos, and she swore she had just seen Angelus helping those cattle out of the cage! She was furious. Quickly pushing her Master behind her, she got her game face on and jumped into the fray.
There was something about that girl, and Dawn couldn't keep her eyes off of her. As she threw off the human attackers that would try to stop her, she made her way towards the other young woman, who seemed to be wading her way through the Master's lesser vamps with as much ease. Or at least, with as much fun. They finally caught each other's eye, both tilting their head at one another in an alarmingly similar way. Intrigued, Dawn continued toward the girl like a magnet to steel, but her progress halted as she noticed a new enemy approach far too closely to her Master for comfort.
"Willow! Xander! Watch the Master's back!" She took off after Angel.
*~*~*~*
Giles: "Cordelia Chase. What did she wish for?"
Anyanka: " I had no idea her wish would be so exciting! Brave New World. I hope she likes it.""
*~*~*~*
Dawn's warning was too late, and Angelus dispatched Xander all too quickly. It seemed he had not lost any of his skills during his century of rat food. Then she saw Willow overcome by the locals. She swore under her breath and turned back around go after the dangerous looking girl, who seemed oddly familiar, her every fibre screaming at her to protect her Master. Then she gasped as she watched him began to battle her. Just then, she felt someone grab her violently from behind.
"Dawn." The voice said dangerously. Angelus had her at his mercy.
"What do you want?" She gasped.
He growled, "I want it finished!"
She struggled, her eyes still on the Master fighting that girl, "That's good. You're hurting me." She paused, "That's good, too."
Angel growled again, but she wriggled out of his grasp, and before she even knew what had happened, a piece of wood was stuck into his chest. She stared at him, uncomprehending, as he wrapped his hands around the stake, and with his last breath he gazed towards the terrible girl and said, "Buffy…"
Heartbroken, Dawn could only stand there, stunned, until she saw her Master break the familiar girl's neck. "Buffy…?" She murmured to herself, then suddenly, everything went white.
*~*~*~*
Cordelia: " I wish Buffy Summers had never come to Sunnydale."
Anya: "Done."
Cordelia: " That would be cool! No, wait. I wish Buffy Summers had never been born."
Anya: "Done!"
Cordelia: "And I wish that Xander Harris never again knows the touch of a woman. *And* that Willow wakes up tomorrow covered in monkey hair."
Anya:"Done!"
Grrrrrrr…..Arggghhhh.