Born on a Monday
Disclaimer: I own neither the characters from DC or Buffy, and I never will.
Summery: Our favorite chaos mage thought it would be a good idea to send an African mask to New York instead of Sunnydale. Fifth in the "Inheritance" series.
Author's notes: A special thanks goes out to all of those who responded to my request at the end of my last story. Because of your help I now have this entire series mapped out. While I won't be able to use all of the suggestions I got I hope that I can please the greater part of my readers.
Saturday October 3rd 1998
"I so needed this," said Xander as he sat down with Buffy, Willow, and Cordelia.
"Saving the world stressing you out Xander?" asked Buffy in a teasing tone.
"Saving the world is easy, convincing Mr. Needlemyre not to give me an F in English is what's stressing me," groaned Xander.
"You're failing English? Didn't your book just hit a best sellers list?" asked Cordelia.
"It just hit the top 100, but I think Needlemyre is more upset over the lawsuit," said Xander. "He somehow thinks it's my fault that he tried to publish the short story I wrote for class."
"Isn't there anything you can do to make him be nicer?" asked Willow.
"Sure, I can always talk to our kind and understanding Principal Snyder. I'm sure that he'll sympathize with me and tell Needlemyre to get over it," said Xander.
"More likely he'll help Needlemyre spike your soda with Kryptonite," muttered Buffy.
"Hence the sarcasm in my voice," said Xander with a smile. "It's not like it really matters, as long as I keep writing stuff that my publishers like it doesn't matter what grades I get."
While Willow looked shocked at her friends casual dismissal of his academic career Cordy simply looked curious and asked "Then why do you stay in school? You got a job, and you got emancipated from your parents so you can live on your own so why still go to school at all? I mean Willow's geeky enough to keep going just for fun, but you have marginally better social skills than that."
"Finishing High School was a condition of my emancipation," said Xander with a shrug. "The fact that going to school lets me keep an eye on the Hellmouth, and gives me an excuse to get out of monitor duty are just added bonuses."
"You make it sound like you don't think we can handle the Hellmouth, Mr. Big Shot Superhero," said Buffy in a teasing manner.
"Hey as far as I'm concerned you're the only Superhero in Sunnydale Buff," said Xander with a smile.
This seemed to satisfy the Slayer, and the group settled into a normal conversation until Angel and Oz came around. The two males were polite enough talk to the group for a while before taking half of the original group out onto the dance floor, leaving Xander alone with Cordelia.
"So I don't suppose you'd like to dance with me to pass the time?" asked Xander
"With you wearing those dorky glasses? Sorry, but some of us actually care about our reputation. Besides I'm not the one you'd like to dance with," said Cordelia.
"You're not?" asked a confused Xander.
"Nope you'd rather dance with Batgirl, we've all seen the way you look at her," said Cordelia with a dismissive wave of her hand.
"Cordy I'm an eighteen year old with superpowers that has to fight against the usual hormones on a daily basis so I don't use my x-ray vision to turn my life into a twenty four hour peep show. Trust me when I say that every female that is even slightly attractive is getting the same look that I'm giving Batgirl," said Xander.
"So you really don't use your x-ray vision to peek into the girls' locker room?" asked Cordelia.
"No, thanks to my dad's memories I have more control over my powers at this age than he did. It's something I'm grateful for, because I don't think his way of cooling off would work for me after going out into space," said Xander.
"Oh, and just what did Superdad do when his control slipped?" asked Cordelia with a cat-like smile.
"Long run to Alaska, and then a swim to Russia," said Xander with a smile. "At eighteen he could still get tired and cold, and that was his version of a cold shower combined with a long run."
"Nice story, but you still don't get to dance with me," said Cordelia with a brilliant smile.
"Dang, and people say that I can only be stopped with Kryptonite," said Xander as he snapped his fingers. He was actually enjoying some time alone with Cordelia; the end of the world must be just around the corner.
Sunday October 4th 1998
Ethan smiled as he saw the box he had sneaked onto the truck carried off into the museum. He had known that keeping an eye on those close to the Slayer and the new Superman would pay off, and after almost eight months of waiting he had been proven right.
While it was true that the mask would have caused a bit of chaos if it had been delivered to that art gallery in Sunnydale, New York was a much better destination. Sunnydale was a small town with a high casualty rate that had only been around of a hundred years or so, while New York had been built before the country had declared its independence and had the grave yards to prove it.
It wasn't just random brief chaos Ethan wanted though; he wanted something that would last. In fact he wanted a very specific something as his gaze turned to the direction of Slaughter Swamp.
Realizing that the mask would be on display tomorrow Ethan couldn't help but laugh and shout the first verse of an old nursery rhyme before he walked down the street.
Monday October 5th 1998
Kyle groaned as the alarm clock woke him up from a sound sleep. He had been up late the night before again, and if it was any other day he would have just turned the thing off. For better or worse today was different, his girlfriend had just gotten back in town, and there was nothing that would keep him from spending some time with her.
It wasn't the kind of homecoming date he would have liked, but after not seeing her for three weeks he would take what he could get. They were going to a museum so she could take some photos, and he could sketch. It was a far cry from a romantic evening, but Alex insisted it was the best way for her to unwind and get back into the swing of things.
After showering and grabbing a quick bite to eat Kyle stuffed his keys into his pocket. As he locked the door to his apartment he wondered if Alex would notice the emerald ring that was now on his right hand, if she didn't he could always show her tomorrow.
"Hey earth to Xander," said Buffy as she waved her hands in front his eyes.
"Huh, what?" said Xander as he snapped back to reality. "Sorry for zoning out like that Buff, is it time for our next class?"
"School's out, the final bell rang five minutes ago," said Buffy with more than a hint of worry in her voice. "Are you feeling all right? You're usually gone before I can blink so a Xander staring at a wall for five minutes gives a certain Slayer the wiggins."
"I'm okay Buffy; I just got this really weird feeling for a second," said Xander as he tried to physically shake off the feeling.
"Normal teenage weird, Slayage weird, or breaking out the red cape weird?" asked Buffy.
"None of the above," said Xander. "It's just a feeling and a really vivid daydream of fighting some demon with a stone face and glowing red eyes. I can't see or hear anything that indicates that it's more than a dream, so it's not of the big."
"Okay, so long as you aren't keeping superhero secrets or anything," said Buffy with a slight pout.
"I would never keep secrets from you Buff. Where's this coming from?" asked Xander in a shocked voice.
"It's just that I've been feeling cut off from the loop when it comes to the superhero stuff, and I don't like feeling loopless," said Buffy.
"I promise you that I'm not keeping you out of the loop, and neither is Giles. It's just that when things happen outside of Sunnydale we have to get there quickly so we can't always tell you when we're leaving," said Xander in a kind voice. "Listen if it'll make you feel better I can ask Stephanie if she wants to spar with you."
"Really?" asked Buffy as her inner slayer jumped at the chance of testing her skills against the best fighter the amazons had to offer.
"Yes really," said Xander. "Of course you both will have to abide by Watchtower rules."
"What rules?" asked Buffy.
"The rule that says that all sparing between slayers and other super powered females must be done in the Jell-O pit," said Xander as he waggled his eyebrows.
"You pervert!" laughed Buffy as she blushed and gave him a friendly slap on his arm. "I'll make sure to tell Stephanie about that."
"It's a good thing I can outrun her then," said Xander. "You see people think that the super speed is something I got from my dad, but it's something I developed on my own after years of running from angry women."
"Why are you running away from women this time?" asked Willow as she caught up to Buffy and Xander.
"Because he's a pervert," said Buffy.
"He isn't using his x-ray vision for evil is he?" asked Willow as she hugged her bag a bit closer to her body.
"Now I remember why dad never told anyone about that power until after he was married," muttered Xander. "Come on Willow, you know me better than that."
"You're right, but you're still a boy, with boy thoughts, and thinkingaboutitgetsmereallynervous," said Willow at a pace Xander doubted the Flash could match.
"I'm sorry Willow but there isn't anything I can do for you short of making you some lead undies, so I guess you'll have to trust me," said Xander before he realized that neither Buffy nor Willow was walking with him.
Turning around Xander saw Buffy trying to get Willow to breathe again because there was no way that shade of red was healthy.
"I think you broke her when you mentioned making her underwear," whispered Buffy as Willow started to breathe again.
"Mentioning Willow unmentionables causes stroke in best friend, got it," Xander whispered back as the trio entered the library.
"Oh hello," said Giles as he got up from where he had been meditating.
"Any luck?" asked Xander.
"No more than usual," said Giles as he worked out the kinks that had developed in his body.
"What about on the Sunnydale front, did you sense any big evil that I should look out for?" asked Buffy.
"No, just the usual Sunnydale evil. It would appear that we are lucky enough to have a quiet night for a change," said Giles just before the Justice League communicators he and Xander carried started to beep.
"I don't know what this is about, but I blame you for it Giles," said Xander as he activated his communicator.
"This is Wonder Woman from the Watchtower, I'm getting some strange reports from New York," said Stephanie.
"What kind of strange reports?" asked Xander.
"Reports of the dead rising from their graves. There haven't been too many so far, but they're increasing. The Watchtower won't have a visual for another twenty minutes so that makes you our best chance to find out exactly what's going on."
"I'll be there in five, but put the others on alert," said Xander already changed from four eyed geek into Superman.
"Already done," said the blond Amazon before she went back to monitoring the world for threats that would need their attention.
As Xander left in a blur of red and blue Giles began to shift under the glares he was receiving from the girls. He knew that he deserved it for breaking one of the major rules of living in Sunnydale, but that didn't mean he couldn't defend himself.
"Oh come now, it isn't as if I didn't ruin my own night as well. Jenny and I had plans for tonight, and I do believe that they will once again have to be put off to a later date," grumbled Giles.
"And why would they be put off this time Rupert?" asked the still unknown gypsy as she entered the library dressed for a night on the town.
Giles simply groaned as he saw that the girls were getting ready to lay the blame for what ever ills this night would produce on him. Jenny would happily participate in the friendly teasing, but if he had to cancel another one of their date's things would be strained when he returned to their apartment.
When Xander reached New York he wasn't happy with what he saw to say the least. There were at least a thousand dead bodies walking the city and they were all converging on a building that was surrounded by a large green dome. He had hoped that the lantern had been destroyed, or at least found its way into the hands of a good man, but those hopes were quickly dying with all the similarities between this time and the last time the ring had been used.
"So what's with all the zombies?" Xander asked a costumed young man on the other side of the side of the green dome, even as he signaled for the rest of the League.
"How should I know!" asked the frightened young man as the dome wavered. "They just started attacking the museum for no reason, and I just barely got the shield up before they started to swarm the place."
"All right, just keep the shield up so they don't get to the people inside. I've already called for the rest of the League so you won't have to do this on your own," said Xander as he used his heat vision to incinerate a group of zombies while using his breath to create a wall of ice so the young man wouldn't get overwhelmed.
"Thanks," said the young man, and the dome visibly strengthened at the thought of help arriving.
"It's what we're here for," said the Flash as the young man plowed through the dead bodies.
"Fate, get inside and find out what's attracting all the zombies. Whatever is doing this is spreading, and I don't want it to reach Slaughter Swamp," said Xander as soon as he saw Giles and Wonder Woman appear.
"Don't tell me you're afraid that Solomon Grundy's going to get you," said the man as he let Giles past the construct.
Xander was about to answer he was hit by a large deathly white fist. Clutching his now broken nose Xander looked up and saw a giant, remarkably preserved zombie. The creature would have been able to look down on a bear while it was standing, and completely towered over Xander.
"Born on a Monday," growled the monster through yellow teeth right before it took a swing at Xander that would have decapitated any human, and quite a few or the tougher demons.
"Christened on a stark and stormy Tuesday," said Xander as he used his breath to encase the creature in ice. It held the behemoth for two seconds before it broke free and started to charge the still dazed Xander.
"Married on a gray and grisly Wednesday," said Batgirl as she pushed Xander out of the way.
"Ill on a mild and mellow Thursday," said Xander as he lifted himself and Batgirl out of the creatures reach. He was also pleased to note that all the other zombies were once again dead bodies that had no intention of moving unless someone else moved them.
"Worse on a bright and breezy Friday," said Wonder Woman as she attempted to hamstring the creature with her sword.
"Died on a gay and glorious Saturday," said the Flash as he Xander and Wonder Woman carried the creature outside the city limits in a matter of moments using their enhanced speed.
"Buried on a baking, blistering Sunday," said Xander as he used his strength to push the body of the creature a full mile underground.
"And that was the end of Solomon Grundy," intoned Wonder Woman in a solemn voice.
"At least until the next time," said Xander as he rubbed his bruised and swelling face.
"Um, I need to do homework, do you guys think you can handle clean up?" asked Flash.
Tuesday October 6th 1998
To say that Kyle Rayner was impressed with what he was seeing would be an understatement of monumental proportions. He was on the moon about to meet some of the most powerful people in existence, the only way he could be more astonished or more nervous would be if God himself came down for a visit.
"You really need to relax Kyle, it sounds like you're about to have a heart attack," said Superman who was still sporting a very large black eye from yesterdays fight.
"It would help if you would tell me why you invited me," said Kyle in a surprisingly steady voice.
"We just want to talk," said Superman with a shrug. "A bit about you sure, but also about the people who used the lantern before you."
"You mean the guy in World War Two?" asked Kyle as he and Superman entered the conference room where Batman, Dr. Fate, and Wonder Woman were waiting for them.
"Him and some others. The lantern is old, it was the driving force that created legends like Aladdin, and Jong Li the Dragon Lord," said Fate.
"Wait a second, are you telling me that Aladdin was real?" asked Kyle.
"Think about it for a second Kyle. In the original legend there was a genie of the lamp, and a genie of the ring," said Superman as he pointed to the emerald band on Kyle's right hand.
"There were probably more, but those are the only two we have absolute knowledge of. The others have most likely been forgotten, or their legends twisted so much that there is now no mention of a lantern or ring," said Fate.
"As for those that wielded the power more recently, I did not know any of them personally, but there was now doubt they were very strong willed individuals," said Wonder Woman.
"That's an understatement," said Superman with a very human snort. "None of those guys knew how to give up after they committed themselves to something. If someone cut off their heads they would use their last few seconds of life biting the ankles of the person who killed them."
"Thank you for that rather disturbing imagery," said Fate in what Kyle thought was a slight British accent.
"I'm just trying to give Kyle an accurate idea of the legacy he'd have to live up to if he decides to keep the ring," responded Superman.
"Wait, you're not going to try to take the ring from me?" asked Kyle.
"No Kyle, we're not going to try to take the ring from you," said Wonder Woman in a soothing voice. "While our last encounter with the ring you now wear wasn't a pleasant one, you acted admirably in New York and deserve the chance to continue acting if you so desire."
"So when can I start?" asked Kyle as his ring flashed, and a new light was born to shine over the darkest of evils.
The End