(Untitled)

[faithful_slayer]

The battle was a massacre - short, bloody, and utterly one-sided. At the end of it, the ground was soaked with demonic blood, the Senior Partners were locked up in a pocket dimension that would hold them for years, and none of the army of Slayers on the field had so much as a bruise

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[rebelheartalien]

Michael has a picture of Faith, acquired from Max. He has an idea of what he needs to do to Walk her, though he's never done it quite like this before. And he's ready to begin.

He sits on his bed in the palace, holding the photo. And he concentrates, until he sees the image ripple.

And then he's asleep.

[faithful_slayer]

She's waiting for him.

Hard to say why, or how she knew to be.

But she's there, in the middle of a field of dead bodies, perched on top of one of the corpses and using a machete to cut her hair.

She's also naked, and her eyes, when she looks at him, seem not to want to pick a color.

It's a little confused in her head right, say sorry.

[rebelheartalien]

He doesn't look at the corpses. He's keeping his eyes on her face. It's not difficult - her eyes are drawing his attention.

"Hey, Faith."

[faithful_slayer]

She raises her hand, briefly, in acknowledgement.

"Hey, Schmoopypants."

[rebelheartalien]

He stays standing, in the middle of the field.

"So."

[faithful_slayer]

"So."

Faith hops up, dropping both the machete and the hunk of curls she's just sheared off.

"Welcome to my coma."

A wry smile, and suddenly she's not naked anymore - she's wearing a dress, simple white cotton, and her eyes are temporarily her own.

"I broke my promise. I'm sorry."

[rebelheartalien]

"Sometimes there's nothing you can do", he says frankly. "Forgiven."

[faithful_slayer]

"You shouldn't be so quick to say that," she says, quietly, as all around them, other voices start to fill the air - Giles', mostly, and others he won't recognize.

A very dangerous ritual...channel all the Slayers...I want revenge, Giles...

And then, rising above them all, Faith's voice, low and even.

I know the price, and accept that it must be paid. I am the Slayer; my life is forfeit.

[rebelheartalien]

Michael listens, unflinching, until the end. And then he flinches, and there's pain in his voice when he next speaks.

"Faith... what did you do?"

[faithful_slayer]

"My duty."

Faith's voice is cool, hard, unyielding, and suddenly, inexplicably, tinged with a faint British accent.

And her eyes are no longer her own.

"The duty of all who are Chosen to share my fate. I knew the risks - no Slayer has ever survived performing this ritual, save for the poor lass who lived only long enough to go mad. But the foe was greater than I, and there was no choice."

[rebelheartalien]

Michael closes his eyes.

"Two questions. Did you win? And is there a way back from this?"

[faithful_slayer]

She grins.

Dark, feral.

"We slaughtered them," she says, and her voice trembles with fierce, bloodthirsty joy. "Our foes were slaughtered, and none were injured."

Then her expression changes, to a thoughtful, serious look, and her eyes start to darken, until they're nearly black. She doesn't speak aloud, but her voice echos anyway, in his head and in the air.

It is unlikely. Perhaps she will live - Our Vessel is strong - but it might be kinder did she not.

[rebelheartalien]

Michael flinches.

What will happen to her if she lives?

[faithful_slayer]

The Vessel - my Daughter - has been, in effect, possessed, by the spirits of tens of thousands of her Chosen sisters. Our powers are her powers, our knowledge is her knowledge. We are all a part of her, now, for all time. It is likely that she will drown in the sea of our voices. Even now, she struggles to break the surface - it is only your presence that allows her even the little self-awareness she currently posesses. Faith's image smiles, faintly. She loves you as deeply as she has ever loved any.

[rebelheartalien]

And I love her. Like a sister. Is there anything to be done, if I stay here?

[faithful_slayer]

You cannot stay.

But the smile widens, and Faith's image steps closer, holding out both her hands.

If you would speak to her, touch her. It will give her strength enough to take control, for a short time.