London ~1830

[resurrected_b]

Oh my God, Cordy is so living in a dreamworld. She's got it all set in her mind that Angel and Giles and whoever else are going to come sweeping in at any moment and rescue us. I mean, yes, it's totally great that she thought of sending the letter, and if it got to them then I don't have to keep worrying about Dawnie freaking out that we're dead or

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[ace_jenkins]

Eww - I must have been crazy. Or desperate.

I'm going with crazy.

I push Torg away and decide that the vengenance demon approach is probably the best, given the circumstances.

"Look, Torg. This is all very nice and cosy, but we're in a bit of a hurry here - you know, places to go, wishes to grant, people to flay and all. Thing is, I'm in a bit of a bind here," I nod to Buffy, hoping she'll play along. "Bound by the power of the Wish, you know how it goes. She's the latest customer and you know what they say - the customer's always right," I laugh, trying to sound like I mean it. "Anyway, any information you might have to help her out would really, well, help me and I could, well, move on, which would be good, if you get my meaning."

I hope that was vague enough to be realistic, but I'm not sure going by the look on his face.

[resurrected_b]

Oh! Good plan, Anya! "Um, yeah, see I need vengeance big time..." I begin, looking at Torg's dubious face. How do I put time travel and vengeance together? "My uh, lover spurned me for a...the scullery maid, and that just is unacceptable. So I want to..." Think, Buffy, think! "Send him back in time! To before he met her. And then I can, um, dump him first." There, that almost made sense.

[ace_jenkins]

Okay, so next time - prep Buffy before asking her to come up with a believeabel story.

"You see now why I'm anxious to be rid of the girl - she can't even come up with a decent vengenace wish," I hiss, drawing him to one side.

"But, Anyanka, surely the power of the Wish covers time travel?" Torg asked, a little confused.

Great - if he's confused then he's buying the story. He never was the smartest cookie in the jar, as I remember.

"If only it did. Unfortunately, I seem to have hit a little, erm, snag. And you know what D'Hoffryn's like about failure..." I say, as if bringing him into my confidences. Hopefully that'll work - and impress him. "It's just a little favour and you always were such a mine of information.

I'm simpering. See what she's made me do? I knew this would turn out badly and yes - she's made me simper!

[resurrected_b]

Unbelievable. The guy is totally buying the story! I decide it's best to keep my mouth shut before any more idiocy comes blurting out.

Torg looks thoughtful. "Well, I do know this B'rachhi demon, he has a lair under London Bridge. He once told me about this orb...uh, the Orb of H'Asgradan that's supposed to allow the bearer to travel in time. Personally I think it's a myth, but you could check it out."

Ooh, a lead! I could just hug Torg...okay, maybe not, but I could hug Anya.

"So, is that worth a second date, Anyanka?" he asks, leering at her. Okay, thinking she's not gonna want a hug either.

[ace_jenkins]

Okay, I'm going to have to play along with that one. "Just let me get rid of the wet blanket here and I'll get back to you on that one, okay?" I say, thinking that now would be a good time to get out of here before he realises that I'm not Anyanka - which could led to some very bad things...

[resurrected_b]

I'm getting a kind of urgent nudge, nudge "let's get out of here" look from Anya now, so I start backing up toward the door. Hey, info without having to bust heads? Priceless.

"Thank you so much, Torg!" I say with a little wave. "Vengeance will be sweet." We burst back out into the alley, leaving Torg with his tongue hanging out...eww, how many times is it pierced?

[ace_jenkins]

"Well, since there are probably demons round here that can smell 'human' on me - I would recommend we leave right now!" I exclaim in a harsh whisper as we walk briskly down the street. "I assume we're going to London Bridge? We'll take a hanson cab this time," I wave down a cabbie and we climb aboard, lurching a little as the horse starts again.

[resurrected_b]

As soon as we get in the cab and I regain my seating, I turn on Anya. "Oh, you have to tell me how you happened to snare that guy! Quite the hottie!"

I sway as we turn a corner, sliding on the leather seats. "He did come through with a lead, though. See? My plan, not so crazy." Of course, we were charging off to look underneath Lonon Bridge for a demon in the middle of the night, so it might be a little crazy. "You have any clue what a Briachhi demon is?"

[ace_jenkins]

I let the first comment go with merely a glare. "A Briachhi demon - I have no idea, but I get the feeling we're about to find out," I say as we pull up at the start of London Bridge.

[resurrected_b]

I step out of the hansom cab and watch while Anya pays the driver...okay, when exactly did she and Cordelia get their hands on the cash? I've got squat. I step across the damp pavement to the support structure and look down. "Uh, he said underneath...I wonder which side he meant? 'Cause I really hope the demon isn't actually in the water."

I catch a whiff of what's blowing off the river and gag a little. Ugh, maybe it would be easier to just go home and wait for rescue. Cordy could have the right idea! Rescue sounds nice right about now.

[ace_jenkins]

I indicate the steps leading down to the river and start down them, holding my gown up out of the slime that covers them. "Why can't demons live in nice places? I would never have dreamed of living under a bridge when I was a Vengence Demon - but then I had taste and some, well, some think the old myths have some kind of drama to them. I just hope the tide is out, that's all."

[resurrected_b]

I follow close behind, trying not to think about what exactly my running shoes are squishing through, as we descend several flights to the bank of the Thames below. There's not a whole lot of light, but my eyes adjust to the darkness and I stop short just before tripping over some large granite blocks lying there. A flashlight would be nice right about now.

That's when I see a large hulking shadow against the little bit of light filtering in from the far side of the bridge. Um, it's pretty big, and I've got a sinking feeling it's our demon. I struggle to get the sword loose from my sash, and whisper to Anya, "Do you see it?"

[ace_jenkins]

"Trust me - the less we can see down here, the better," I declare, not wanting to know what I have just trodden in. Then I notice what she is looking at. "Great," I mumble. "Looks like we found our demon - and he doesn't look like the talkative type. How exactly are we meant to get him to tell us what we need to know?"

[resurrected_b]

I move forward a few steps and promptly bang my knee into another chunk of stone. I let out an involuntary "Ow!", and I hear a scuffling as the monster turns to look. Great, we have his attention. Wonder if bargaining will work?

I hear the thing snicker. "Ah, breakfast! Tired of fish."

I find when something wants to eat you, bargaining isn't usually an option. I toss back my cloak and raise the sword, as I see it stand up. So much for cutting off its head--I can probably reach its huge pot belly and not much higher.

[ace_jenkins]

I knew that this was going to end badly, but I haven't lived for over a thousand years to end up stuck in the wrong century under some bridge. It just doesn't seem right somehow. Not that I ever thought of my death when I was a demon - near imortality does have it's high points, after all - but I have to admit that the thought has preyed on my mind once or twice since I regained my long lost mortality. I just always imagined my death would have - well, have more meaning to it. To die here would seem an anticlimax.

So I have no intention of doing so.

Of course, there is the little matter of the 10ft plus tall demon in front of us.

"So, Buffy - are we going to try and talk to this, er, gentleman," I say, smiling nervously. "Or are you just going to kill him?" I add in a quieter voice - and I really do hope that that is an option.

[resurrected_b]

I move again, sideways, and bump into yet another pile of cut granite, this time smaller pieces that tumble all over. The demon is shuffling toward us, chuckling.

"Don't think talking's gonna do much good, and I'm not sure I can kill it," I say back. "But I think I have a plan."

I raise the sword over my head and launch myself at the demon, praying I don't trip over the stupid dress. I aim for one of the huge-ass feet and thrust down with all my strength, pinning it to the ground. Then I dance back, out of the way of the meaty hand that snatches toward me.

I grab one one of the smaller blocks and launch it at his head, hoping I can knock it out while it's stuck in place. It glances off the demon's ear. "Throw stuff at it!" I call to Anya, and grab a second block.