There's No Place We Can't Be

[ILLYRIAN]

Re-Written from an existing fan fic by me.
As the final episode ends at the end of season 7, this piece of fan fiction begins, it includes a previous fan fiction and the film Serenity.

THERE’S NO PLACE WE CAN’T BE - 1


Dawn desperately looked from the rear windows of the big yellow bus, trying to catch a glimpse of her sister. At that point she would even have called Buffy her big sister. Taking a quick glance at the others on the bus. Once or twice she had even thought she had seen her sister running
on the roof tops but she dismissed that notion Dawn expected to see a car following them.

Beginning to feel less than hopeful Dawn kept watch from the windows. Faith and Willow wandered back along the aisle of the bus to sit beside her, they tried to console her but they were ultimately unsuccessful. Faith stood up but just as she started to make her way to the front of the bus something hit the roof then bounced. Faith turned to Dawn, and smiled,

“I can feel her, it is Buffy."

Dawn allowed a smile to adorn her face, she began to relax. Dawn went to help Vi helping the injured. The bus had now begun to move away from the town. Xander looked behind the bus he could see that the town of Sunnydale had fallen into a chasm. Andrew just sat and stared straight ahead, he constantly shook his head, asking himself,

"I'm still alive, how?"

Giles kept talking to Robin, he wanted Robin to try to keep his mind active so that he would concentrate on the driving and not on his wounds.
Xander watched the scratch on the window as it moved in relation to the side of the road, as he lurched forward he realised that the bus was slowing down.
Buffy jumped down from the roof of the school bus, still clutching the scythe. It was as if the scythe was a reminder of that what had just happened that it had just happened, that they had won against the evil, though Buffy didn't understand how. Slowly at first her friends alighted from the bus. Dawn ran to be with her, seeing what was before her she still hugged her sister.

"I don't remember that being there."
"It wasn't there yesterday," replied Buffy.
"I don't understand," said Giles failing to comprehend the enormity of what he was seeing, “what did this."

Buffy looked at the hole as a Welcome to Sunnydale sign fell from their sight.

"Spike did, or maybe it was the amulet that he wore," said Buffy.
"Where did Liz Taylor's sparkler came from?" asked Faith.
"I think Angel said that it came from that Wolfram and Hart place," replied Buffy.
"That doesn't sound right Buffy, why would that evil place give us something that would destroy the evil?" asked Faith.
"Good question Faith, I'll put it on my list of things to ask Angel."
"So where are we going now Buffy?" asked Dawn.
"I hear there's another hellmouth in Cleveland," said Giles.

Everyone on the bus faced Giles.

"Did he just smile?" asked Willow.
"It wouldn't surprise me if he did," commented Dawn.
"Right then, everyone back on the bus, let's see where the road takes us," stated Giles.

As they began to file onto the bus, not far in front of them a light began to form on the road, the light grew in intensity then it slowly faded leaving four figures visible to them.

"Who are they?" asked Giles.

Buffy got off the bus.

"I'll tell you in a minute," said Buffy.

She started to walk towards them then stopped, she noticed that Faith and Willow were beside her then Dawn was with them.

"I'm not letting you out of my sight again," said Dawn.

Buffy kissed her sister on the forehead,

"I missed you as well."
"Buffy, Faith, Willow, Dawn, I'm pleased to meet you."

Buffy stared at the figure that had just spoken to them.

“Why are you glowing?" asked Buffy.

The glowing woman smiled to Buffy,

“These you see with me are Molly, Pitts and Graves, I am the Goddess Medsera. Right now we all need to be somewhere else."

Giles stared at where the road once was.

"What just happened? Where are they from, where did they go?" asked Vi.
“More to the point where are we?” asked Faith.

The eight of them stood on a light brown dusty soil. The view in front had changed, the road had gone, even the type of plants had changed. Dawn stared at the massive metal bird behind them.

"What is that behind us?" asked Dawn.

They all turned and looked, Buffy looked at a stranger near her,

"Who are you?"

The young woman smiled to Faith and Buffy.

“Are these the Vampire Slayers I once knew, with Pitts and Graves we will protect all Vampire Slayers as long as it is Gods will,” said Molly.
“Did she just say if it is Gods will?” asked Dawn.
“She did, it isn’t the sort of thing you expect a vampire to do is it?” asked Molly.

Willow was almost beyond her comprehension of where they were and what was happening. She turned to face the big metal bird behind them. Hearing someone singing the words,

TAKE MY LOVE, TAKE MY LAND,
TAKE ME WHERE I CANNOT STAND,
I DON'T CARE, I'M STILL FREE,

YOU CAN'T TAKE THE SKY FROM ME.

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BLACK,
TELL THEM I AIN'T COMING BACK,
BURN THE LAND AND BOIL THE SEA,
YOU CAN'T TAKE THE SKY FROM ME,
THERE'S NO PLACE I CAN'T BE,
SINCE I'VE FOUND SERENITY.

YOU CAN’T TAKE THE SKY FROM ME.

To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

There’s No Place We Can’t Be - 2

In the cargo storage area River turned to Mal and breathed in heavily she looked to the outside.

"They are here," said River.

Mal was surprised to hear River’s voice, she had been so quiet recently.

"What's she on about now?" asked Jayne.

Kaylee faced River and smiled.

"Who's here Sweetie?" asked Kaylee.
"Two vampires, a demon hunter, a witch, a Goddess, Dawn and two like me."
"You said she was better doc, what happened?" asked Jayne.
"I agree, what do you say to that doc?" asked Mal.
"Who is like you River?" asked Simon.

River looked to her friends as if they had lost their minds.

"Buffy and Faith are like me, yet as they are from five hundred years ago, so maybe it is me who is like them," said River.

Jayne looked to River,

“So who is the oldest of them? Five hundred years indeed.”

A figure appeared at the bottom of the ramp.

“That would be me though I am not five hundred years old.”
“Thought not,” replied Jayne
"I am many thousands of years old."

Jayne looked to the woman.

"Nah! Really?" asked Jayne.

A dome rose from the ground beneath her until the woman’s whole body had begun to be covered in the glow,

“I am the Goddess Medsera.”

River glanced at Inara, she looked to her as if she thought Jayne had turned up for an intellectual game of marbles, without his marbles. Inara returned the look visually agreeing with River, she burst into hysterics. River walked to the woman who glowed, then she knelt to her.
The woman thanked River then said, "Stand up River."
Jayne looked to Mal

"I didn't say what her name is Mal, I didn't tell her," said Jayne.

Faith looked to River.

"Buffy, I can feel her, she is like us."

River faced her brother,

“Those Alliance men knew I was different but they couldn’t comprehend what it meant to be a slayer.”
"In this time, River is the Chosen One," said the Goddess.

Molly moved forward, then knelt to River.

“It is an honour to meet you,” said Molly.
"Why is she doing that?" asked Wash.
"From what I heard I think Molly is a demon hunter, a protector of the Vampire Slayer but she is from the time of the Goddess, thousands of years before us,” said Mal.
“Did I hear her right she said she is a rider of the winged white unicorn. Does she have one here and if she does have one here then it must be invisible, how will we know if she begins to ride it?"

The Goddess Medsera faced Inara.

"Her clothes will change to that of the battle dress," said the Goddess.

Inara looked about.

“Is she the only one and what will those clothes look like?" asked Inara.

Molly looked to the Goddess then asked her,

"Do they need to know?"
"When the reason we are here begins, they should all know and accept us,” said the Goddess.
"So why are you all here?" asked Zoe.
"To help you make this place your home, to help you begin the fight against those you call the Alliance, and to win the battle," replied the Goddess Medsera.
"But there are so many of them,” said Jayne.

The Goddess faced Molly.

“To avoid the surprise they should be told, and so making them understand what will be, might be something else.”

Buffy turned to the Goddess.

"Does anyone from our time know anyone from their time?” Buffy asked her friends.
"I am a bit unsure, though Molly does seem quite familiar," said Willow.

And so Molly smiled,

"I used to live in Buffy’s house in Sunnydale, I was one of the potentials that Giles took to Buffy from England.”

Molly smiled to Willow Buffy and Dawn.

“We wanted to see if you needed any help," said Molly.
"Oh but we did need some help," said Buffy.
"I know, that is why we sent you the amulet," said the Goddess.


To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

THERE'S NO PLACE WE CAN'T BE - 3 (Cameo performance by Echo of Dollhouse)


"River, that picture of that thing you drew for me. You said you saw it being held by her in your head, but you said you didn't know what it was," said a puzzled Kaylee.

River looked at Kaylee.

"Yes that,” said River.

She pointed at Buffy.

“Well that girl is still holding it!” exclaimed River.

Buffy looked down at what she is holding.

"I forgot I was still holding it," said Buffy.

She held up the scythe, in front of her.

"I've seen that thing before though I don’t know where," said Zoe.
"You have?" asked Jayne.
"I’m sure it was in a picture book of what was, from many eons ago, the tale was about a great battle that was fought. It was when the good was said to have fought the First and won.”

Zoe stared in amazement to Mal, surprised by her own memory,

“Oh my, now I remember, it was in a battle led by a girl.”

Zoe stared at Buffy.

“A battle led by that girl, Buffy the Vampire Slayer!"

Zoe looked at Mal.

"I thought that was something you made up," said Mal.
"So did I sir, I thought I had made it up, yet here she is - the proof. Maybe we can use that, if we can show that we have the scythe. The Alliance can be stopped."
"If it'll help, you can keep the scythe here, if we need it we'll get a message to Medsera," said Buffy.

"How? Until a few minutes ago we didn't know of her," said Faith.
"Molly was with us, so maybe some-one else is," said Buffy.
"There is some-one else, but she doesn't know it yet," said the Goddess Medsera.

Through the rest of the day Lenore's room was cleared of all the TV screens, they were put in one of the spare rooms. It was left to Mal to remove the last one, he carried it into what was the
spare parts room.

"What is River doing now?" asked Mal.
"I'm not sure, I haven't seen her do this before, though I think she is teaching herself electronics," said Simon.
"That'll help," responded Mal,
"I just wish there was more here who are like her." "There is. She is."

River looked about the room until she saw Mal.

"I need the signal, Mal," said River.
"Why?"
"So that these will work."
"No! they are broken, they won't work again," said Mal.

“Just give me the signal, all I need is the signal Mal,” said River.
"If I hadn't heard her say that, I'd swear it was Mr Universe," said Jayne.
"Oh hi, what you doin' in here," said Faith.

Mal looked at her.

"Hm it is you," said Mal.

River looked at Mal, her face said a thousand words, yet none of them were kind to Mal’s dignity.

"No Mal it's not her," said River

Mal looked at Faith.

"You are you, aren't you?"
"Yes I am, I am me."
"But I'm not," said Dawn.
"She isn't the her who will teach me more," said River.

Mal looked to Simon.

"She's getting bad again Doc."
"Just because you don't understand me now Mal, don't think you understand me better than you did then."
"How did she get here?" asked Dawn.

Simon faced Dawn.

"Who, what?" asked Simon.
"Faith, how did she get here before me?" asked Dawn again.
"We are staying here for now," said River.
"So, is that a problem?" asked Simon.

River looked skyward, eyes closed, shaking her head.

"She just took the screen from Serenity," announced River.
"She did!” Mal faced side to side, “Who did, when?" asked Mal.
"Not her, the other one that Dawn saw."

River looked at Mal then raised her eyebrows,

"She will be here soon," said River.
"Did you follow that doc?" asked Mal.
"Hi, you are Faith," said Simon.
"I knew that," said Mal.

"Why are they here, River?" asked Simon.
"Waiting, she won't be long," answered River.
"She won’t? Is she coming down soon?" asked Simon.
"Yes, with a screen, but a small one," said River.

"Oh great, another of them," stated Mal.
"No, not a small one like her, she is not like any here," said River.
"What, was that, who was or is that?" asked Mal.
"It could be De-ja vous," suggested a voice.

Faith was worried, worried it might be Echo.
Most of them turned to see the woman who's voice it was.

"She looks like me," said Faith.
"She is you, from a different time and place," said Medsera.
"A different place?" asked Dawn.
"Where female toys who aren't action figures live," said River.

"Do what?" asked Jayne.
"Don't do that," said Mal.
"Do what?" continued Jayne
"Make him ask technical questions."

"Why is she here?" asked Zoe.
"I wanted her to be here, to teach me how to get the signal,” said River.

"How was she trained?" asked Simon.
"No Simon, Echo was never trained she was programmed," said River.
"Oh no not another bot," exclaimed Dawn.

"Who is she then?" asked Simon.
"She doesn't know who she is, she is programmed to be who she is needed to be."
"Sounds like something the Alliance would do," said Inara.
"She is from before them, when the house had dolls live there.

"Even though you don't know it Mal, this is where it all starts," said the Goddess.
"Then has the scythe has just become important again," said Zoe.
"I'm going up against the Alliance again, will I win?" asked Mal.
"The scythe will be that which is the start, this is the place of the start, others will follow you, let the start begin."

"Surprised to see her he asked her how long she had been there?" asked Simon.
"Until they are ready to leave, when the first waves have been defeated," said River.
"You are right, River," said the Goddess, "but we should leave you now River. Now all that you can today, for tomorrow we will need the early warning system."
"I'll put the screen back in the morning, so that Serenity can deliver them," said the echo.
"What should we do?" asked Jayne.

"Prepare the ground defences, when they get the signal out we will need them," said Mal.
"Are we going to be attacked that quick?" asked Jayne.
"It's not for them, it's to give confidence to those who would join us," said Zoe.


TO BE CONTINUED

 

[ILLYRIAN]

There’s No Place We Can’t Be - 4 (introducing Fanty and Mingo)


"Zoe, can you come with us?”

Zoe turned about to see who ‘us’ would be but she saw no one.

“Who is us?” asked Zoe.
“Mal, Buffy, Faith and I," said Medsera.
"What is it we are to do?" asked Zoe.

"It'd be best if you and I do the airborne electronics and organize the satellites, we can leave Mal, Buffy and Faith to do the ground defences, first up there's the distance from base station at the mountain we're on. To the lookout from the top, maybe some observation decks on top of the hills around here, each one should be built with a 360 degree view. In each place we have a central table with a compass on it with a view of the horizon above each window at every side," said Medsera.

"Each of those places they should have a radio link," said Zoe.
"We could use the two shuttles for moving between the lookout posts. I don't like using more of our ground forces we don't have enough people here as it is," said Mal.

It went quiet as they thought of different scenarios.

"Sir, if the engines on Serenity are used to make deep, wide trenches. We would need to find where the soft ground is first though," said Zoe.
"That being so, by the time they come over the trenches we'll have had time to get to our places," said Faith.
"Just how many are we?" asked Mal.

Zoe counted those about her.

"I count up to sixteen all up sir."
"Of those that you can see, yes but then there are my guards only one of whom can be seen, and she is Molly,” said Medsera.

Mal looked at where their people were.

“What other guards do you have?" asked Mal.

Molly smiled to the Goddess.

“I’ll explain to Mal. The Goddess always has eight guards around her, they are all around her at all times, they are the Elite, they will became visible as will my charge, the winged white unicorn. We do have a few other advantages as the Elite and I are immortal,” said Molly.
Mal questioned her immortality. “Several times I’ve heard people say that but they never are.”

Molly told Mal the only way she could prove that was in battle.

“Though for me to be the Goddesses eighth guard I will always need to stay with the Medsera,” said Molly.
"And the others, who are they?” asked Inara.
"Hunters of they who are the enemies of the slayers, from the time when I am from,” said Medsera. “From a time after them are myself and Faith with our friends,” said Buffy.
"From this time are the crew of Serenity, even now our friends come from the black,” said Mal.

Medsera smiled to her.

“We were called to be here, on our travel through time to here we met with others, they had just battled the First. We had them join us in the battles against the Alliance,” said Medsera.
"So who is the one who called you from now?" asked Mal.
"Your friend River sent the call for help to defeat the enemy of the people, though her call was heard not only to now but to all of our kind, she is why we came here,” said Medsera.

Mal, Zoe, Buffy and Faith wandered to look at where the beginning of the battlefields would be.

"The trenches should be done so that access to here can only be from two places," said Buffy.
"It's possible, though I’m not too sure who'd be able to do that," said Mal.
"Then we need to get River here," said Faith.
"If Mall and Zoe plan the look-outs, then River does the trenches, when the satellites are in place, Faith and I will release the signal," said Buffy.
“What signal?" asked Zoe.

"Short and simple, a visual of River holding the Scythe, then the words 'This is the Scythe of the Vampire Slayer.”

Four days later the signal was sent. Soon a reply came, then soon after that the first visitors. Mal went to greet them, waiting till they came down from their craft.

"Fanty, Mingo, welcome to my home."
"So this is your new home is it?" asked Fanty.
"Yes Fanty and the Scythe of the Vampire Slayer is here with the current Vampire Slayer.”
"You have a current vampire slayer, who is she?”

River stood beside Mal, holding the Scythe.

"River sent a call to any who would help fight the Alliance, that call was heard through time and many have come through time to be here," said Zoe.
“The last one to wield the Scythe in anger gave it to be here

Buffy emerged, beside River.

"You! You are Buffy! No...that would make you...no-one lives that long," said Mingo.
"So who did you give it to?" asked Fanty.
"I gave it to the Goddess Medsera, she gave it to the present vampire slayer," said Buffy.

River appeared before them with the Scythe, it shimmered and emitted a high frequency whine.

"The Scythe will make the 'verse as it should be," said River.

The area around the Scythe glowed with a glorious light, then the guards of the Goddess began to appear. With them several hundred began to appear on winged white unicorns.


TO BE CONTINUED

 

[ILLYRIAN]

There’s no place we can't be, - 5

With all the satellites in place, as Mal and River flew Serenity back towards their base camp. When they flew over the mountains River asked what weapons would be positioned on them.

"On the top of each mountain a rail gun would be placed and about half way up a series of Gatling guns would be erected. At the base columns of the Elite would be ready to move but only if the Elite and the slayers needed them,” said Mal.

River continued her thoughts, suggesting to Medsera that Echo should set up a visual reader in each base camp and have the hill top camps checked by people in the shuttles.

"I like that idea,” said Mal. It would free up lots of people from climbing the mountains. Let’s hover above the base, see what we can see, unless an alert is sounded then they won't get to see us as soon as an alert is given all the base lights go off. All our satellite bins have sensors that will lock on to a spaceships engines or its life support system.”

"Good thinking, great, but you overlooked one thing, the base could then be hit by one of the falling spaceships," said Mal. "No, when we have a lock on any of their space ships we will have control of where it will go. If there is no one to control the direction of the beam, the spaceship is sent to a pre-set destination,” said Zoe.

Simon looked at them and happily shrugged. “Seven mountains meet up there in the middle of them they have formed a deep hole," said Simon.
"There's a floor in that plan, if the hole gets filled up?" He looks at Rivers expression to him.

"I've said something wrong haven’t I, I've said something without thinking? What is it River?"
"Keep a note on what goes in, we could have lots off spares for our future fleet," said River.

Mal looked to River and smiled, “Yeah naughty Simon.”

Back in the base camp Mal wander into the communications room. Faith noticed them as she was putting the last facia panel on a computer.

"You been having fun?" asked Faith, “Oh is that River you were with,” said Faith smiling knowingly at Mal. “Has he asked you to marry him River?" asked Faith. "Set the day did he?" asked Zoe.

Mal looked at each of them, unsure where the topic they had started had come from.

“Ahhhh Captain, that's lovely. I always knew you were just a big fluffy bunny really," said Kaylee.

Mal stared at Kaylee he was discombobulated as to where the subject of their jest had started.

"Enough! Stop it!"

A bell rang in the room. Inara smiled to River, “I bet he loves them now, “Saved by the bell,” said Inara.

They wandered into the entertainments room where they all found fun watching Jayne trying to get some form of understanding of 3D draughts, though he was being taught by River he began to realise that River still had a willingness to belittled him.

"The intruder alarms have been activated."
"I hope that is sign that there is an attack," said Mal.

“Doubtful that is the start of the prior warnings to make us get ready,” said Buffy.

Mal suggested to Jayne that as the warnings had started he should go to the central controls for the rail guns.
Buffy grinned to River, “I noticed that you dropped the key to operate those guns through the floor grate and into the water.”

"Hmm yes I may have done that but it should be okay in there,” said River. "What else is in the water little one?" "Just a bit of food, well it was a bit of food last week though it might not be described as food now though it does smell a bit that way. I dare say if you was to spend a few hours in the room it might smell a lot," said River, grinning quite happily.

"I hope Jayne can reach the key," said Mal. He slowly began to grin to River.

On a far side of the base Molly and Zoe had run to their posts, inside the structure Zoe beckoned Molly to her. “Why did the Alliance to pick River in the first place?"
"A test that everyone at the school was at was asked to complete the statements. All was well until the last answer to the last question was deciphered. River stated of girls who responded to the call of the scythe.”

Molly held out an arm for Zoe to stop. Molly knelt and bowed she said "Goddess."
Zoe stopped where she was, then saw the Goddess appear in front of her.

"I know you have questions Zoe! Now is the time that you should ask them."
Zoe thanked the Goddess. "Why River? What is so special for the Alliance or you to see about her?" "The Alliance saw her as different and as such she was a threat to them. We saw her as one of the line though the words are not mine she is a living weapon truth is a name of the vampire slayer."

An alarm began to sound again they continued to make sure all the controls were within reach."
The Goddess smiled to them “Make sure all is right that was not a false alarm."
“No, the attack is real, but you have an advantage, look." Medsera made a vision for Zoe to see. Zoe saw Buffy, Faith and Echo. They were standing still, making no sound. "What are they doing?" asked Zoe. "Echo is being re-programmed, she is being given the knowledge of the slayers battle against the first, when that was done Buffy and Faith left and I called upon them from our time to be with Echo and they will give her the knowledge of control."

"But how many do we face? We are only fourteen here!" exclaimed Zoe.
"Look again there are sixteen, against the three thousand,” stated Molly. That is the odds I like only three thousand of them, we can win."

The Goddess asked Zoe if she would like more of them to be there? Then the Goddess called to Molly, change! River! come here."

As River stood beside the Goddess, the scythe appeared in her hand. “Now is that how the slayer carried the scythe in the comics?" Zoe was unsure what was and what had been.

"It is now that the comics were printed for, for you to remember the now. Zoe, look to the gates."
"What the! Who are they?”

River put an arm about Zoe’s shoulders, “Those walking towards us the Riders, the Goddesses Elite soldiers, two vampire slayers. Feel better Zoe?"
"Goddess?"

When news of this battle spreads on the wave others will come to join, from the planets.

"So who will lead you?" asked Zoe.

Zoe was about to ask when her attention was drawn to the lookouts firing. She turned to see River walking towards her.

"River? are you alright?”

Zoe turned to see the alliance troops running towards their position.

"River? are you ready?" asked Goddess Medsera. River indicated she was. "Zoe! You've taken care of me, you and Simon, you've always taken care of me..............my turn!," declared River.
"River, be with the others."

Zoe watched as River disappeared towards the field. River stood with the others of her kind, they watched the Alliance run towards them. She waited until they ran into the trench, then she began to walk forward, as the first heads of the Alliance troops appeared.

"NOW! River screamed.

Two thousand of them ran screaming at the Alliance, even though they took heavy fire, the
injuries didn't stop them. As they ran their clothes changed to that of the battle dress, releasing the swords, raising them above their heads. Their cry faded to the troops of the Alliance, who all stood transfixed at the sight of the clothes changing, then the fear in them grew. The flashes of lights from the swords, as the girls ran into them, the blackness took them all.

"Are you injured?" "No,” she looked to each one of those with her, “not one of us," said Zoe,

River walked from the battlefield, with the blood of the alliance still dripping from her, she was still wearing the battle dress of the Goddess and carrying the Scythe of the slayer.


THE END