Walking Outside - Chapter 13 (Patreon)

“Mr. Goodfellow?”

I turned at the question that came the moment I stepped through the front door of the school. The short jowly man smiled at me in a good natured but almost confused tone. If I remembered correctly this was the principle of the school from early in the series, he had seemed incompetent but well meaning and had died early on. I made a mental note to save his life since having Synder, the vice-principle, in charge would be extra annoying. I seemed to remember him being eaten alive, but I can’t remember exactly when. Not that being eaten was a particularly unique death here in Sunnydale.

I smiled as I turned to him, glancing at the clock through the office where the principle had been closing up. Yup, it’s almost six o’clock and there is absolutely no reason he should still be here, nor waiting for me.

“Yes, I’ve been called that...principle?” I asked, letting my voice slip away at the end like I was trying to remember his name. Since apparently I was supposed to know him and he definitely was expecting me.

“Flutie! Robert Flutie, but then, everyone calls me Bob.” he said, his hand leading the way for a handshake as he tucked his leather briefcase under his other arm.

“Ah, sorry, I’m terrible with remembering names. I’ll make an effort in the future Principle Flutie,” I said as I shook his hand. Turning with me, he started walking, gesturing with his now freed hand as he pointed down the hall.

“When the assistant librarian position opened up, I can tell you I was surprised! We’ve never had an assistant librarian before, but the school board members say the funds had been assigned and set aside for the position so it only made sense to take advantage of it. Now, Mr. Giles has assured me that you are just the person for the position and so I want to welcome you to the Sunnydale High family!” he said, talking quickly as he nearly marched us through the school until we stopped before the large oak double doors to the library.

“Well, Mr. Giles is working late, which I imagine is why he needed an assistant I’m sure, so I’ll let him handle getting the rest of your information and paperwork filled out. I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow, 8:00 am in my office. Goodnight!”

Standing there blinking in confusion, I watched as the principle deftly turned and marched away without me managing to get a word in edgewise. I couldn’t help but chuckle at how deftly the man had handed off all the work to Giles. His mannerisms screamed clueless, but that had been a seriously adroit manipulation.

Pushing through the double doors, I slowly looked around the hardwood and leather furnished room where the Slayer and her team sat hovering over a table of books. Mr. Giles was just exiting the secure book cage when I entered and it caused his steps to pause momentarily before he continued around to the back of the checkout desk to grab a folder as he approached.

Of course, that wasn’t what had grabbed my attention. I was distracted by a couple of other, more important details. Like the tendrils of magic which were latched onto everyone in the room and snaking into the floor. The grasping spiraling tendrils which were slowly moving toward my own head. Oh, and also the naked invisible girl that was curiously examining everyone with a sad and confused look. While the tendril was attached to her, she was also radiating a magical field around her, trying to fight off the tendril - to some minor success.

“So...Giles? I have a few questions. First, I’m apparently now your assistant librarian?” I asked while letting my eyes slowly pan over the room without hesitating as it passed over Marcie. The invisible girl that I had totally forgotten about that was still visible when Buffy started the school year but who would eventually go mad and try to kill the popular girls.

Adjusting his glasses, he drew himself up straight while facing me. “Yes, well, the council decided to grant your request for assistance and as part of that was identification and employment here where you can provide the assistance you previously offered,” he said as he handed over the folder.

Flipping the folder open, I checked the collection of papers which included fake old tax documents, school records – apparently I attended City College of San Francisco with a Master’s in Library Science – a social security card, driver’s license (John Brandon Goodfellow), and a few other odds and ends.

Glancing up after my quick perusal, he handed me another folder which I looked through then had to shut quickly since I would have lost myself to it and I had other things to deal with. Still, it contained an actual healing spell! I was so excited I was going to have to keep from squealing in happiness. It almost made up for my annoyance with Giles and the Council.

“Alright, ignoring the fact that the you and the Council just fucked things up for yourselves in ways you won’t discover for at least a few years,” I began, only for Giles to stop me with a raised hand.

“This is a high school and you are now under my authority and are an official within this school, you will need to refrain from profanity from now on.”

Xander couldn’t help from snickering, which fair, enough, it was fun to watch an adult get yanked around by an official leash. Especially when they’re someone that annoyed you before, which I definitely have.

“Fair enough. Still, remember this moment for the future. Hilarious from my perspective. Like shooting yourself in the foot while it’s still in your mouth.” And this would. I was now definitely on the Mayor’s agenda. I would need to get my protective spells working as soon as possible, move up my time line for the help I wanted to give, then get the hell out of this universe.

Which is when I let my next words drag out, “Anyway…”

“Question numero two-o,” I said, intentionally mangling the Spanish. Entertainingly enough, while Buffy looked momentarily annoyed and Willow looked like she wanted to jump forward and correct me. It was Xander’s little smirk that said he both knew what I was doing and was fine with it.

Apparently, my screwing with Giles was fine. He was all for equal opportunity schadenfreude.

“Why exactly are you standing around the Hellmouth without protection? Letting it manipulate your minds? I’m here swatting away its spell manipulations while everyone else is just letting it mess with them. Do you enjoy having brain parasites?”

Considering that none of these tendrils were there the last time I was here when first meeting the crew, this new direct action was concerning. The Hellmouth no longer seemed to be a mindless connection to another dimension. This was showing intent, direction, volition, and worse, tactics.

Looking closer at what the tendrils of demonic magic were doing explained so much about the Slayer and her friends. Buffy was being pushed towards believing she was powerful and didn’t need training or others to help her fight. Giles was being manipulated to think he understood the Slayer and didn’t need to learn about her or what her needs were. Willow was probably the worst abused by the magic; she was pushed to think herself knowledgeable, wise, and that she knew better than the others. Worse, she was also being subtly mentally undermined, made to think she was ugly, weak, and only accepted because of her mind further exacerbating the worst of the manipulations.

Xander was surprisingly resistant to being pushed, but his weaknesses were being hammered. Constantly being told he was a failure and weak.

Marcie was experiencing something like a magical allergic reaction. She was being pushed to see herself as forgotten and overlooked and her magic was trying to resist the manipulation, but most of her magical defense was being wasted making her invisible.

“The what now?” Xander asked, his body snapping from a lazy slump to a more upright and tense posture.

“I assure you. The Hellmouth is well contained. It has been sealed for centuries and while it has shown activity lately, we have it well handled,” Giles said with a condescending smile.

Buffy and Willow both relaxed at that, but Xander remained tense, which showed well his instincts. Marcie on the other hand was just standing silently near the stairs, leaning on the banister in obvious fascination. I was almost distracted by the naked teenager leaning over the railing, but I didn’t want to spook her, so I kept her in my line of sight but intentionally didn’t focus on her.

I couldn’t help but give an incredulous look at Giles before then turning my look on the teens.

“Riiiight,” I said, infusing as much disbelief in my tone as I could manage.

Holding out my hand to the man, I let my White mana play beneath my skin.

“Giles? Grab my hand for a moment so I can shove my magic inside you and help you clear your head.”

Such an obvious line was impossible for Xander to pass up and I was rewarded with his laughter. Giles was not nearly as amused.

“I’d rather not, thank you,” he said as he turned away, walking stiffly back to the tables before he turned back to face me.

Before he could say anything I raised a single finger, then pointed it at Willow.

“Willow! You’re smart. What are the effects of being near a Hellmouth, closed or not?” I asked her.

The budding witch couldn’t help but perk up, her smile spreading across her face. I could practically see the thought of how she could show herself to be smart playing behind her eyes.

“A Hellmouth, even when sealed, empowers the demonic. Specifically, vampires are stronger, faster, and more resistant. Other demons experience similar enhancements based on their species specific strengths,” she said, then practically wiggled in her chair like a happy puppy.

“Good!” I said, slowly moving forward to lean on the front desk, just so happening to cut off the closest escape for Marcie if she tried to run.

Then I leaned forward slightly as if I was trying to coax extra credit from the girl.

“...and how does it effect humans?”

She glanced at the others, ready to prove her brilliance before her eyes widened suddenly in surprise then her eyes snapped back to me. Her voice was suddenly much more tense.

“According to, um, the Books of Pherion, it, uh, it manipulates all who come close. Weakening the mind of defenders,” she began.

Giles turned on Willow in obvious annoyance, the tendril connected to his mind pulsing strongly.

“Willow! Those books are in the secure section. When did you access them?” He demanded, his anger pulsing along with the tendril in his mind.

“Giles? Notice you’re ignoring Willow’s warning and instead getting strangely angry over her actions? Doesn’t it also seem odd that she would sneak into the secure section to read your books that I’m sure you warned her against? Rule following Willow? That Willow?” I said, gesturing to the now hunched over young woman.

Xander leaned over to rub his hand along Willow’s back, his concern perking her up – that, or his physical contact setting her brain a-flutter – while Giles paused again, his head tilting slightly back as he blinked in confusion. His clearly abnormal actions drawing attention from all, visible or not.

Gritting his teeth, Giles marched over to his desk within the unlocked security cage, yanked open the bottom drawer and began throwing files and folders out. He was getting more and more visibly angry while the tendril in his mind was whipping around in agitation.

Pulling a necklace with wooden beads and a prominent cross from the emptied drawer, he slipped the religious accessory over his neck than began to chant in ancient Sumerian. He repeated the prayer and supplication for mental protection and cleansing three times before he growled out the ending of his chant with a call to a spirit of wisdom. Strangely enough, the name he spoke was obscured; I watched his lips move, sounds were made, but I had no way of understanding them.

His efforts were rewarded with a violent retreat from the tendril that was lodged in his brain.

Giles’ anger drained from him, along with the initial look of success, followed by a growing look of horror.

“Yeah, really hits you in the face doesn’t you?” I asked. Everyone but Giles’ looked surprised when I continued, “So, what’s the plan to lock down the Hellmouth’s ability to manipulate people? Because, let me tell you. It’s neat learning how to mess with people’s minds, but I already learned that well enough from Buffy’s little ‘I’m weak and helpless’ magic trick that messes with vamps. Seeing those spell worms make Xander feel worthless, Buffy feel powerful and not need help, and you feel like you didn’t have to listen to the kid’s concerns? Not fun. Let’s not even talk about what it is doing to Willow.”

“What’s it doing to me!?” Willow squeaked.

Shrugging, I said, “Right now? Making you feel smarter than everyone else, like you know better than anyone. Also, it’s making you feel ugly, less confident, and jealous. Basically, for everyone here, if you have a weakness it’s hitting that and if you have a strength, it’s trying to wedge that open as well and turn it against you.”

Willow practically looked green. Buffy was clenching her teeth but didn’t say anything. Xander was obviously pissed, but I was betting it was not for what it was doing to him but what had been done to his friends. One of the great things about the big lug was how much he cared for his friends. If this was a 90’s cartoon, I would say he had the power of heart. He often managed to save the day with empathy and a few choice words whenever beating things to death wouldn’t work.

“Mental protections are not impossible to create and now that the need has been made clear, I will have something available for the others.” Giles said with an uncomfortable grimace.

Slapping my thighs, I stood straight, making a big production and drawing everyone’s eyes to me.

“Well, that’s that then. Still, I have one more question. The third one in fact,” I said as I reached for the first button of my shirt.

“Yes,” Giles asked but then he stepped back in front of the students when I continued unbuttoning my shirt.

“What are you doing!” Willow said, her face turning red.

Buffy shifted around the table to stand next to Giles – which had her blocking Xander who had been stepping up as well. It was subtle, but I could see his face flinch when Buffy moved to protect him. Raising her hands slightly, still clenched from the earlier anger she demanded, “Why do you keep taking off your shirt!”

Now that got everyone’s attention.

“When did he take off his shirt?” Asked Xander, then without waiting for an answer he turned back to me, “why do you keep taking off your shirt?”

Chuckling, I slipped it off then stepped wide around the cautiously watching group.

“Last time, I needed something to carry a pile of vampire dust. This time, I figured I would do the polite and gentlemanly thing,” I continued while not glancing toward Marcie who was transfixed with my actions.

“Naked in a library is not so much the gentlemanly thing,” Xander said, which was such a straight line that I couldn’t pass it up.

“Of course not. The naked invisible person in the library is a girl. which is why I’m offering her my shirt,” I said, as I held out my shirt toward Marcie.

Their was a pregnant pause where everyone processed my words then turned to the banister where I was looking and holding out my shirt. Marcie was suddenly looking at me, eye to eye, and made a very loud Willow-esq squeak.

That’s when things in the library got loud.