I am Illyria. Feared and woshipped long before mankind ever sullied the soil with their presence. Bound to this shell -Winifred Burkle- I am not as strong as I once was. Do not be mistaken, I can still destroy you before you can blink.
“When the world met me, it shuddered, groaned. It knelt at my feet.”
And I am the shell, only not as empty as she might hope me to be. Winifred Burkle, but call me Fred, everyone else does.
"I walk with heroes."
“U-um….okay?” She raised and eyebrow, starting to get back to the side of the road so a car wouldn’t hit her. Erica looked up to the girl then, shrugging her shoulders. “I could come, if you’d like. I really don’t mind. And plus, you probably have no idea where you’re going still.”
“It’s a lot to take in. —Just forget I said anything, okay?” she tried in a chipper tone of voice, her smile obviously forced as she looked over at the girl with wide, hopeful eyes. It would be so awful if she got locked up now that she was so close to getting home. “Really? I’d love that…It all looks very strange. I don’t recognize anything and I —You going with me would be great.”
Illyria listened to his theories, the wrongly made assumptions of her character, and her features hardened visibly the longer he continued to talk, but not because she was offended, rather that she did not wish to become subject to introspect. “I feel…” she trailed off, cocking her head slightly to the side as if only now noticing and finding the emotions odd. “Attraction.” She knew for a fact this hadn’t been the topic of conversation so she instantly dismissed it by turning her back on Wesley and watching out the window once more at the cockroaches below. “I am not defeated. I have experienced loss, Wesley, but not yet defeated. I can still matter in this world. I can explore and discover what I must so I can rule again. Defeat was not acceptable in my world.”
She turned back to look at him, staring into his eyes as she searched them for something she didn’t seem to find and then she merely turned away, dismissing his words of apology.
Wesley tried to pay attention, but he was far more concerned about what he thought Illyria was thinking to really listen to her. That aside, he did pick up a particular word, making him panic ever so slightly. He knew she had mentioned such a thing before, but he had always presumed she had been taunting him, not actually displaying her true feelings. “I see. I suppose we can’t help what we feel.” he hissed hurriedly,hoping to change the subject soon. He was worried she might sense something else, something he wouldn’t want her to know. After all, he was sure he felt something for her too, but he was confused about whether or not this was for Illyria alone, or if Fred had anything to do with it. Still, he tried his best to answer he next reply. “If that is what you truly think. If you believe you can still take control of this dimension. I won’t stand in your way, however I do think you’re being unrealistic about this. Earth isn’t your World. It never truly will be.” He did pity her in a way, but he didn’t wish to express this, he expected Illyria to see that as an insult. In fact Wesley would have seen it the same way, had he been in her position.
He silently stared back, he had no words, no more feelings to share, nothing else to say that could add to their conversation. So he stayed as he was, wondering what Illyria had wished to see.
“I suppose not.”
Perhaps his qualms about her character hadn’t been quite so incorrect before, seeing as how her concluding comment about taking over the world had mostly stemmed from pride. Illyria no longer had any intentions to conquer a world overrun by humans. Some specimens fascinated her, one such being Wesley, even though she still felt contempt for most of them. It still didn’t mean she would fade into the background. She was a being superior to them and her presence shouldn’t go unnoticed. “I can not go home, Wesley. Until I can, this is my world.”
There was an odd tension between them, some undefined current thrumming the longer he held her gaze, and Illyria’s softened slightly as she tried to put a name to the sensation.
Fred paused when she heard the door unlock, and looking back in its direction she saw a gorgeous blonde peek her head out. So that’s what Buffy looks like, she thought to herself, having to admit that Angel had pretty good taste. Not that she was interested in girls. She wasn’t! Right, there was a reason she came to Italy, and taking a deep breath, she walked the few steps back to Buffy’s door. “Um, are you still…the slayer? I mean, I know you are, because you only stop when you die, and then you can’t actually stop, you’re just dead.” Realizing she was rambling, Fred stopped herself and shot the girl a nervous grin. “We need help with some slayage? Um, in LA…”
Buffy nodded, opening the door all the way now. “Still the slayer, although not really the slayer.” She replied, pausing at the others mention of LA. “We? We as in you and-” She hadn’t said his name in awhile, although he’d never left her thoughts time had made things easier. “Angel?” He was one of the few connections she had in LA.
Fred sensed Buffy’s hesitation when she mentioned Angel, and in a hurry to make her more comfortable about the idea, she told her, “Yes, and Spike, and Wesley. And some other people…” That’s when she realized the girl had a history with Spike too and mentioning the supposedly dead vampire with a soul might not have been the best way to go. “Oh, um…Let’s see, there’s me. I’m Fred. And Charles, who’d been fighting vampires for years on the streets before Angel found him.” And she really wasn’t making things better here…
“Yeah , that’s the problem with you smart muffins brains,can never stop until the job is done , it’s alright to take a break too , you know princess? , but ei , I won’t repeat the previous speech ” he said raising one hand in front of himself and smiled. “Spike got zapped?, I’m guessing that brighten Angel’s day a little , no way those two will ever get along , huh sugar? , which is kind of sad , they have a lot a common it should bring you together not pull you apart , although of course the love for the same woman wouldn’t be much of a…happy common thing…”he never really said anything about it before , but the way he saw it Angel and Spike didn’t had to be enemies they have gone trough pretty much the same things ,and maybe that was the reason why they weren’t on the friend side of the thing,”Yeah , I’m sure you couldn’t sweetie , but that’s good you know , peaches? , put a little more into the things we like , that is of course if it’s not to let work take over lives.” He nodded “Oh , honey do you even have to ask?. Sounds like the perfect way to celebrate to me alright , kitten!”
“I’ll try to next time,” she grinned, her smile turning more sheepish at the princess-remark. It was second nature to Lorne, and he didn’t really mean anything specific by it, but Fred always felt special and appreciated around her best friend, which he was to her, even if he might not know it himself. “Oh, there was a lot less brooding for over an hour.” She nodded in agreement to the comments about Spike and Angel, a small sigh escaping her. She loved both vampires so much, like they were family and it pained her to see how strained their relationship was. “Things will work out. They just have a lot to figure out.” Taking a hold of Lorne’s arm, she leaned into him, smiling up at him. “Self-knowledge is the beginning of all wisdom. Am I right?” She laughed melodically as she nodded, already having expected that answer.
It was almost like she was trapped in Pylea again, monsters cornering her from every side, and where she’d once been brave and strong, she now shuddered in fear, curling into herself as she listened to their approach. Fred was weak, disoriented after having been trapped in a darkness for worse than any hell dimension imaginable. Angel would save her. He’d come for her. But how? He didn’t even know she was alive. For all he knew, she was nothing, an empty shell that Illyria wore around proudly. Illyria…The name left a bitter taste in her mouth as she formed the word, but as she thought of the monster flu that struck her down, she also remembered her last moments with Wesley and she prayed he was okay. Wouldn’t he feel her at least? As a froglike monster appeared in her line of sight, she surprised herself as her mouth opened and she screamed louder than she had imagined possible, “Angel!”
It was a good thing he didn’t have a heartbeat, because if he did his heart would have froze in place. The woman that stood before him was one he never thought he’d see again. “Fred?” His voice was low, her name a whisper on his lips. Then a creature was between him and one of his dearest friends, even if she was a hallucination that wasn’t going to stop him from crushing the froglike monster like a bug. A few quick swings of a sword and it was over, he dropped his weapon and it clang to the ground with a loud sound. One that rang in his ears, but he was too busy to notice. Too busy pulling Fred into his arms.
In all honesty, she hadn’t expected to really see him there. He was her hero, always had been ever since Pylea, but there was so much going on that she doubted him making it to her in time, or even hearing her call for him. Fred didn’t hear his whispered mention of her name, but she did see the fight and her eyes widened at Angel’s appearance. A stunned expression kept her half-smile frozen on her face, until he dropped his sword and pulled her into his arms. Her own slender ones wrapped around him tightly, emotion choking her up too much to speak so she clung to him instead, before looking up at him with a distraught expression. Was he okay?
Although Charles did a good job at explaining, she still didn’t understand his motivations and so she silently stared at him, her head tilted to the side and only adding to the intensity with which she watched him. “Why? —Why these children?”
Gunn could tell Illyira was confused , maybe she didn’t understand , but then again she didn’t knew about his past , not unless she’d look into Fred’s memories. “Cause that’s where I come from , the streets . Angel got me out. This kids have no one , they’re out there gettin’ hurt and kill by the nasty things that live on this streets. They need help too. Ain’t our motto ‘Helpin’ the helpless?.”
Illyria would get more and more of Fred’s life seeping into her own memories, but usually those were triggered by a situation or something someone mentioned. Like now. It only took him mentioning being on the streets for some of those memories of her shell to seep into her own conscious mind and she conceded the matter. Humans were far too emotionally attached to remnants of their pasts. It was a conclusion she had made long ago, and Charles only strengthened that belief. “It isn’t mine, but I understand.”
“I’m good. Just finished up working on one of Angel’s trinkets, and I feel like celebrating now. —Well, if you want to…”
“Finally some play after the work I see!, that was exactly what I was talking you about the other day Miss.Work first muffin,” he smiled “I’m taken the project went well huh , sugar? . Well if you know me , you know I’m always up for a celebration princess!, anything in mind?.”
“I know, but it’s hard to let go. It’s my brain, it won’t stop trying to solve things and I wouldn’t have been much fun to be around…” she tried to explain, making an apologetic face that she hadn’t listened to him last time. Except for watching some cartoons, she hadn’t allowed herself to focus on anything but the projects she needed to complete. “Yes. Everything’s working great. Spike got zapped so it’s doing exactly what it should. I added a defensive aspect to the alarm, not that it’s my department, but it was all very interesting and —I couldn’t really help myself,” she rambled, chuckling softly at herself when she noticed she was just talking and talking again. “Drinks?”
Illyria didn’t understand how annoying their master could be their intended goal, nor did she understand how Nancy could let it go unpunished. “Their ability to obey does not excuse their behavior towards you. They should be punished,” Illyria stated, keeping a close eye on the filthy creatures, even if all they did was walk away.
Nancy quirked an eyebrow, turning her head back to look at Illyria. She studied her for a long moment then shrugged. “Oh, probably.” She turned her head back, seeing the demons had gone. “Somethin’ for me to do later. Make an example.” She thought about the time she’d taken over the demon clan. It had involved killing their leader and mounting his head in their den. Well, the head was still there, but maybe the example had worn off. “Probably need to again,” she went on, speaking more to herself than to the god. She continued to stare down the street, contemplating it.
Illyria didn’t offer any other wisdoms, even though she agreed with the conclusion the blonde vampire came to. Showing these creatures who had the power and that they were to be servants, not insolent filthy beings like the ones she’d seen should be Nancy’s primary concern. In truth, she thought the other should have done so sooner, but at least she had every intention of going through with it if the way she spoke to herself was anything to go by. The Demon Goddess didn’t move, just stared at the other, waiting for her to continue walking or attempt conversation once more —not that Illyria was interested in idle chit chat.
