Untitled Nano 2017 fic by voracity

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Author's Chapter Notes:

Redoes the last sentence in the last chapter.

She also had his planning abilities and his ability to throw knives.

"I'm sure they can't keep up with me," Buffy complained.

"I'm sure we kicked real warrior's asses," Cygyn quipped with a grin. "We did train with academies of them, Miss Buffy." She smirked at her. "I beat a lot of real warriors of a few realms." Xander cleared his throat. "I know, boasting is for idiot teenage boys, Dad. It's not boasting if it's true." She went into the bedroom. "Eww." She stomped. "Dad, we have bugs."

He looked then at her. "Those are from a controlling species, girls. They're using them to spy on us."

"We all learned what Raid was for," Daisy quipped. "It's for guys like that and for making flame throwers if you need one." All the bugs in the apartment suddenly ran for the door. "Thanks!" She smiled and waved at their backs. "We appreciate that because we *are* girls who hate bugs. Hate to ruin your minions."

"Ruining minions is fun," Atlina complained, pouting at her older sister. "I had a lot of fun with it."

"These aren't those sort of minions," Daisy reminded her patiently. "These aren't smart enough to be made to trip themselves up."

"Point. Dad, do we have any minions we can play with?"

"Not yet. We'll see, girls. Laundry?"

"Few more," Daisy sighed, going down there to switch things around and make sure nothing got stolen. They only had a few outfits each, they didn't want to lose them.

Xander shrugged but grinned at Buffy. "The last ones who snatched them dressed them. They were elves."

Buffy had an eye twitch. She just discovered that. "That explains the skirty thing they have going." Xander gave her outfit a pointed look. "Not the same. I can fight in mine. Theirs look tight."

"We outgrew them last month," Mercada said with a shrug. "It happens to growing young women." She went back to her bed now that it was free of bugs. "We'll be down there in a few months. We have to get things set up for our own safety and schooling first."

"Yup, you do," Xander quipped, grinning at the girls trying to protect him. "I don't want a GED owner if we can help it." They groaned but went to get their school books to do something. They only had a few books between them at the moment. He grinned at his former friends. "We've been pantsing it but we'll figure it out tomorrow. We're still tired from getting home from Asgard."

Buffy slumped, staring at him. "They're really your daughters?"

"Yeah. I checked to make sure when I rescued them." He shrugged but smiled. "I made pretty baby girls. That's why I'm such an asshole when boys get near them. Before I have to become Grandpa Asshole."

Buffy shuddered. "That's a bad thought, Xander. Yuck." She rubbed her forehead. "We'll see them when you come home. Willow, let's go tell the others."

"We have to fix this!" she said with a point. "They can't be his! Mermaid taint." She glared at Xander. "They lied to you."

"I doubt the mystical and the regular tests I had done both lied," he said dryly. "And no, they were created before then. I found the original portal behind Ethan's shop a few days after Halloween. It sucks you away for eight years on that side and eight hours on this one. Then it sends you back out." Willow made a whining noise. He stared at her. "I learned a lot over there. When I learned about them, I pulled it out of the storage area I hid it in."

He uncrossed his legs and sat up to stare at her. "And if you hurt my daughters, I'll make another batch of witch soup." He stared at her until she slunk behind Buffy's back. "Good." He smiled. "It'll probably be about a month. I've got to get some things translated. Like the bracelet I got given in reward for taking out the space pirates who wanted to be my son-in-laws." Buffy shuddered.

"I left them alive but unhappy since I won their ship at poker." He smirked. "I also have to find a way around a prophecy that said I basically have to take over Asgard, get married to one of the old lines, and then possibly die to give it back to Odin. Which I'm not going to do." He grinned again. "Then we'll be back there."

Buffy just nodded. "Sure. Call or whatever. Let us go tell Giles."

"I sent him an email during the ten minutes I had been sent back last time. He's even got pictures."

"Why didn't he tell us?" Buffy demanded.

He stared at her. "So I didn't have to chop anyone who was going to hurt my daughters into itty bitty pieces." He looked over her shoulder then at her again. "But we'll see you guys in about a month." She nodded, nudging Willow so they could leave. Xander sighed and leaned back, looking at Mercada since she was back in the doorway. "I have no clue," he admitted.

"At least Odin decided he was going to make one of his kids marry you and kill you."

"Eww!" She grinned but went back to bed. He laid down out there until the last one got back with the laundry. Then he'd hit his bed. His lonely, empty bed.

***

Xander looked at the girls coming out of the stores the next day, staring at the outfits. There were a lot of tighter bra and/or crop top styles over skirts that mostly would allow you to fight in them. A few of the skirts were split up the sides. A few were shorter but covered by a lace overskirt that went below the knee. A few of the girls had overshirts they were pulling over their crop tops. He cleared his throat. "Pants?" he suggested patiently. "In about a month it'll be winter. Which means a lot of snow, ladies."

He sipped his drink. "We need pants. A lot of pants." He stared at the girl in the split skirt. It looked like something a belly dancer would wear but in basic black. "You'll freeze your ass off. Then your nipples since that top is so short. And doesn't fit with the way you hang out of it." She pouted. "Don't care, Daisy." He grinned at her. "Remember, we're back on Earth. You have to wear Earth clothes, not Asgard clothes. Though the bodysuit thing you had going was all right enough, just put a skirt over it."

He took another drink and smiled. "Pants," he repeated and pointed. "And shoes and boots please." They sighed as a group and went to find pants. He didn't follow because he didn't shop. Buffy had cured him of that affliction forever with her shopping by dragging him problem. The girls could match clothes well enough without his help. They just needed pants. And maybe a few shirts that had sleeves and shoulders and covered their stomachs.

He finished his drink, going to check on his girls. They could be rebellious little teenagers at times. The shop girls helping them look all stared at him oddly. "They're my daughters," he complained. "They just need pants. And shirts. I know winter's coming." The shop girls all nodded and got them various types of pants to try on. He handed one a shirt that looked a bit more victorian. It was three-quarter length sleeves with a subtle scoop neckline and little ties at the waist to make the bottom flare out. The oatmeal color would go for most of them since they all switched clothes when they got bored with things.

One of the girls came out modeling her brightly colored tights under her all black outfit. He stared at it then sighed. "That may work for now, but you'll freeze your ass off when we start to get snow." She grinned, going to change the black tanktop looking top to a shorter one. He stared at her. She picked up a plaid overshirt that went with the tights. It was basically just a plaid shirt that was wrap-style at the waist. He sighed but nodded. The others got handed things like cardigans to go over their crop tops. That way there wouldn't have to be any shopping for a bit. "Shoes?" he asked hopefully. "Real ones that'll last for months?" The shop girls got them some to try on. Xander let them pay then took back his credit card. He walked them off. "Do we want to get a snack, go see the Sorcerer guy, or go walk through the park again for PT today?"

"Snack, go see the Sorcerer guy, then walk home?" Ophelia suggested.

Mercada was adjusting her overshirt but nodded. "We could use a snack, Dad."

"Sure. We can feed you." He took them to get food. His card nearly declined but it went through after a long pause and him texting someone about that problem. The girls ate their subs on the walk to the Sorcerer's house. They had to arrange for him to get his stuff out of Africa. It'd help them set up easier. Plus the stuff he had on him from his trip. They ran into an agent who just stared until Xander glared at him. "Eyes right, dude," he warned. "Don't come near my girls." The agent hurried off calling someone. "Huh." They all smirked at him. "You can only befuddle them, not touch them. I'd hate to have to get you shots to protect you from their sort of bugs. Daisy, you're closer, run ahead." She jogged off.

"I was closer," Atlina pouted at him.

"You'd fall out of your top if you ran," he said, giving her a pointed look. "Trade that off with one of the others tonight." She sighed but nodded. "Thanks. Not something I need to see from you, daughter."

"Yes, Dad," she complained. "I got ones that are better for things like battles."

"Good! Though I hope you girls don't have to help with any. This isn't Asgard so there won't be as many battles I hope." They made it to the sorcerer's house and smiled at the waiting daughter and helper guy. "Hey, Wong."

"Master Harris," he said with a smile. "The sorcerer is waiting on you. The girls, your slayers?"

"My daughters. Most of them anyway." He grinned.

"We had not heard such news." Xander winked and walked the girls inside.

The sorcerer stood up, staring at him. "Daughters?" he demanded dryly, smirking at Xander. "How did that happen?"

"A trio of witches that wanted to sacrifice us," Mercada said then shrugged. "The moms were cranked before Dad made witch soup."

"I see." He sat down and the girls settled behind their father. "They're pretty," he said.

Xander smiled and nodded. "I've had them training with warriors and assassins because they are pretty. It's up to them if they want to go for watcher training when they're eighteen."

"That makes much sense," he agreed. "We hate that so many children are exposed to such matters."

"Yeah but sometimes you can't help it," Xander reminded him. He shifted and pulled out a letter, a traditional one instead of a scroll. "From Asgard's main magical school." He handed it over. "I have one back in my things for your former trainer too if she's still alive."

"She is not unfortunately." Xander nodded. "I'll get that one in the next few days."

"That's fine. I doubt it's something more than an invitation for tea. That's what he said it was."

"Interesting." He opened the letter to stare at. "There's a prophecy stating you'll take over ruling of Asgard?" he demanded, staring at the younger man.

"Yeah." He grimaced. "It's freaking Odin out greatly. He's decided I can fight Thor for that honor." He shrugged slightly. "Not my thing. I don't want a realm."

"Good. It may throw many things into chaos. More than you usually do anyway." He went back to reading.

"No, that may be me having to do something with the ship I won from the pirates who wanted to be a son-in-law."

Dr. Strange shook his head quickly. "Not my field of interest thankfully."

"No but I figured the huge crystal thing that's not in the engine might be." The sorcerer stared at him. Xander pulled out his phone to show him a picture. "I figured out it was a cocoon. I don't know for what."

"That's...interesting. Is it local?"

"Coming here in a few days." He grinned slightly. "Should I invite you?"

"Indeed." He went back to reading. "They're scrying your friend?"

"Constantly. They take two-hour turns so she's never unwatched. Though Loki did knock her into a sleep spell," Mercada quipped. The sorcerer looked at her. "I'm Mercada. I'm like Dad's clone."

"He doesn't dress as well as you have, dear." He went back to the letter, smiling slightly. Then a knife whizzed past his head to hit something hiding against the wall. He looked and nodded. "I had wondered what that was." He went back to reading. "Ah!" He looked at Xander. "How magical?"

He grinned. "Very. It almost made Loki purr." Strange glared. He grinned. "And it *likes* me." He waved a hand and the staff appeared in it. "This is half of it." He summoned the top half and put the full staff back together again. It had a golden glowing ball of gem/power underneath a spear tip. The staff part was decorated with carvings that glowed gold in the sunlight. The end had a ball of black gem that seemed to suck in some of the light. He put it onto the desk. "Thankfully you have wards so *she* can't see it."

He ran a finger down the staff part, shivering. "That is definitely an Artifact, Xander." He stared at him. "Where did you find this?"

"A dragon flying overhead dropped it on my head in Kenya."

"You had it before you went back?"

"Yup. It helped a lot. It gets along well and reblessed my axe too."

Dr. Strange ran a finger along it again. "It is very powerful."

"I realized that. It blew up a fire giant when I got frustrated at how hard it was to kill it. I wasn't even holding it then. Raisa was holding it for me."

The sorcerer stared at him. "I have no idea who it is consecrated to but it was to an Original Power."

"Like the one over the slayers?" Daisy asked.

"No. Higher beings than the Powers That Be," he told her. "Have you had any visions of upcoming battles?"

Xander stared at him. "Six or so. Including that Odin didn't listen that Hela was getting free soon. And that her boyfriend, Thanos, was going to follow her panties like a dog."

"Oh, dear."

"Yeah, and he's the guy who made Loki's staff. I asked why he looked so pale when I mentioned that name." He shifted to cross his feet. "There's a *stone* in it."

"Was," he corrected.

"Half," Xander corrected back then grinned. "It got broken when it was put into the staff."

"Oh..." He said something in another language, making all the girls giggle. "It's nice they speak other things."

"I taught them to speak Latin and they learned All Speak on Asgard."

"I thought only Odin's kin had that gift."

"Or you can learn it," Xander quipped. "They all have a slight tainting of my hellmouth taint. They asked the magic school that wanted to look at the taint if they could do the spell to learn All Speak. The mages didn't think they could so let them attempt it to see if they had any gifts. Boy were they wrong."

"Hellmouth energy is just energy."

"Yes, but I'm beloved of many chaos gods," Xander said dryly. "Apparently one of them thought it'd be *neat*." The girls giggled again and nodded. Mercada looked outside then grabbed the staff and went to beat the idiot magic stealing demon to death. "My job," he called after her, going to get his staff back and beat the demon himself. "You are sixteen-years-old, Mercada Harris. It's not your job yet!"

"Dad...."

"No!" He pointed. "In the damn building!" She huffed but pouted her way inside. The demon was giving him a scared look. He grinned and pulled his axe off the hidden holder on his back. "Yup, my little girl." He beheaded the demon and took the weapons from it. Two got taken from him by Wong as he walked in. "Magic sucking?" he guessed with a grin. "Figures with their type." He presented all but one of the ones left to the sorcerer. The other was a grenade and his future baby.

"Thank you for giving me these interesting things. I'll research them later and let the Council have them back if they're mostly harmless but can be useful."

Xander looked and pointed. "Will trap a witch," he said. Then he grinned. The sorcerer shuddered but nodded he understood how useful that could be. "Ladies, let's go scare the local community since that one wanted to cry about Mercada being my daughter." He stood up and walked off, taking his staff and axe with him.

"You could leave the staff," he called after him.

"No I can't. You don't want the visitors that would come for it." He shot Wong a wink before he followed the girls out. He got them all to the local community meeting place, walking in first. "I'm back, people." They all stared at him and a few looked awed. "And with me are my *daughters*. Ladies?" They all walked in. "These six of my *seven* are Ophelia, Cygyn, Daisy, Mercada - my mini me, Sophia, Atlina - my quiet, shy one. Just to clear up any misunderstandings about me having a harem. My *daughters* are also underage for anyone but someone *very* patient and willing to wait at least three years until they're legal." He grinned at the head of the local council. "I thought I'd fix some misconceptions."

She swallowed and nodded her eye stalks. "They're beautiful eggs, Harris." He grinned. "How if we may ask? That way we can fix other misconceptions?"

Ophelia stepped forward and bowed to her. "There were a trio of witches who wanted to create a sacrifice for power. When Dad found that portal doorway, they took some of his sperm without his knowing. When Dad found out, he found out about the sacrifice at the same time so he made some witch soup."

The head of the council nodded quickly. "That's good of him to take care of you."

"Our aunt wanted to raise us but then there was a disgusting warlord wannabe that wanted us as his harem," Mercada said, grimacing. "Pity about his people but not what I wanted. As the slayers say, eww, not into that."

The head of the council smiled at her. "That's always a good thing. They're beautiful young women, Hunter Harris." He grinned and nodded. "I wish you many weapons to defend them from men who would want to claim them."

"Oh, no, we don't call Dad about them," Ophelia assured her with a grin. "We handle those and save Dad for *real* threats. Boys?" She snorted and waved a hand. "I can handle a guy trying to grope. Dad can come save him from me."

The head of the council smiled at her. "That is even better to know, Ophelia. It's strong women that will make a difference in this world." She smiled at Xander again. "We will pass this news. Do the Council know?"

"Giles has an email about them, with pictures of them at that age," he admitted. "Including the one that's still on Asgard." She shook her head quickly. "Yup. Willow and Buffy met them last night." A few of the demons in there shuddered. "We got our point through that it's up to them if they want to become watchers when they're of age." The girls all nodded. "Even if Mercada will jump in sometimes."

"You were my age," she defended.

He looked back at his mini me of a daughter. "Learn from my mistakes and finish growing up happy."

"Fine."

"Thanks. Before I have an ulcer and have to eat unicorn cheese again to cure it." He looked at the staring demons. "When I went to rescue them." A few sighed. He grinned. "Also, the visions I've had? I've put them onto the D'Korata site, people. You need to read them today," he said, staring at the head of the council. She blinked but someone was already pulling out their phone to find that site and log in. He got the girls back to the park for a long walk on their way home. That would help a lot. And they could tell the hero sorts.

"I can go tell the blond one," Ophelia offered. "Their tower's neat to climb."

"We can do it the traditional way, daughter. We can summon a lot of them to a meeting soon." The girls nodded. "And no hitting on anyone over the age of legal to marry."

"Yes, sir," they all sighed. They liked to be flirty. And to make guys blush by being flirty.

***

Thor looked up as a young woman walked up to where he was waiting on a battle to begin. "Your father will have a fit," he warned.

She waved a hand and snorted. "Dad's put his recent visions up on the D'Korata site, Thor. Including one that has you taking over Asgard thanks to Hela."

He blinked a few times, turning to stare at her. "Excuse me?"

"Yeah. Dad has visions. Real, painful, full on visions. Not wrong yet." She gave him a pointed look. "We told the local demon council yesterday. He was going to let the news spread and tell you if you didn't hear from them but he had one this morning that showed your hammer being destroyed." He moaned, hugging his hammer to his chest. "By her."

He grimaced. "Thank thee for the warning, Mercada. I will look at those after this battle." She smiled. "It is run by demons?"

"Yes. A demon assassins guild. They run a service to rent mercenaries for necessary battles so Dad uses their site." The villain of the moment landed. She snorted. "Not even bad enough to get Dad's attention." She looked at Thor again. "Have fun playing with him. Dad and us are all going upstate for some reason tomorrow then we'll be going to Cleveland in six days." She grimaced. "Unless the hellmouth opens to hug him again." She walked off, waving at the others. "Have fun with the weenie. He can't be very bad if he's not even drooling on my cute butt."

Thor shook his head as he looked at his battle mates. "Apparently there are bad things coming. We must look at these visions."

"How right can he be?" Stark demanded.

"He's not wrong," Thor admitted. "A few have been changed after his vision thanks to it but not much."

Stark shuddered. "I'm looking up that site now. We'll look after this fight." They all looked at the villain, who was staring at them. "Yeah, that was one of Xander Harris' daughters."

"He was an interesting warrior when he was fighting things in Africa," the villain said. Then he smiled. "It's good to know why he left for a few weeks." He had to yelp as an arrow hit his upper left back shoulder. "Hawkeye," he sneered, looking around.

Ophelia smiled and waved. "Fuck no. I'm being Daddy's daughter since he's napping off the migraine. He *did* have us trained by warriors for a reason beyond beating up boys." She fired another at him and he ran. "Have fun since there's a massing of cannibalistic demons on the next block, guys." She ran off.

"Natasha," Steve said.

"On him," she agreed. She chased after their bad guy.

"Let's go see what these cannibalistic demons are," Steve ordered. They found them massing outside a daycare center.

"Not like we'd let that happen," Sam Wilson complained. He took the first shot and the demons tried to flee but they had them surrounded. Thor got the entry to the daycare to make sure nothing got near the building. Police showed up but Thor let them inside to help move the children and workers.

Xander walked up behind the group and swung his axe, hitting one of the demons. "Really? You do this when I have a headache?" he asked calmly and quietly. "I'm about to pull out what I did in Sanifia." The demons ran from him. He smirked and waved at their backs. "Run, little pussies, run for your lives," he called after them. "Daughters!" he bellowed. "You're all fucking grounded! Home, now!" He pointed. The three girls ran that way. He sighed, walking off shaking his head. "They're so much like me. I've got to have that common sense talk that never worked on me."

"Hold on," Stark yelled, landing in front of him. "Visions? Like foresight?"

"Yeah. Hurts like a bitch too. We've seen three for Asgard before we have one here from a major thing. I only see apocalypse battles. But you'll be happy to know that Thanos is immortal but not undefeatable." He stared at him. "I put all that I saw on the site, Mr. Stark. If you have questions, can it wait until I don't have a headache from the inner mind movie preview?"

"Yeah, kid. Call us tomorrow." Xander nodded, following his daughters back to their temporary apartment. He looked at the others. "I found the site. He's got nine listed under his name."

"Nine apocalypse battles?" Steve asked, wincing. "That's going to be bad." The others nodded. He looked at a staring officer. "Tell us if they come back and we'll handle it?"

"We have a slayer locally but she's out of town this week, Captain. Something about someone's wedding."

"Let us know if she needs more help. There's no reason for one young woman to do things when there's a lot of guys willing to help her."

"I can tell her that." He grinned. "The kids are all safe."

"Thankfully. Let us go home." He walked off, going back to their transport. Natasha was there with her captured target. So was someone else. "Hi," he told that demon.

"Captain, we much marvel at your efficiency, but to warn you there is a remembrance tomorrow night that will have many demons but we will be peaceful."

"I'd never want to bother anything peaceful," he assured him, smiling at him. "Especially not something as important as a remembrance. If whoever lets us know, we can show up if we have to keep people off you."

The demon smiled back. "I will tell the local Council that. The slayer would be but her sister is marrying this week." He jogged off.

"He wouldn't talk to me," Natasha told them. "He said his people do not talk to women of any species."

"Gender segregation isn't unheard of," Stark admitted. "I've looked over some of the information the Council put out." They got onto the jet and took the villain back to the tower to have him be arrested by agents.

***

Stark pulled up that site once everyone was cleaned up and calmed down from the short battle. "This is the site the daughter mentioned." He let them see the list under Xander's log-in name. "Most of them have comments about 'it was handled' and how." He let them see the various threads on the discussion board. "One older one wasn't noted but it was in Africa." He looked at Natasha, who was looking that up and nodding. "Handled?"

"He got artillery from somewhere and blew that slight invasion up," she announced, looking up from her tablet. "It's not mentioned from where or how he got artillery. It was mentioned that the local slayer was only nine so he took on that battle for her with the local military. Who were not pleased that demons were invading. There was a note made as a post-edit that mentions that slayer being moved for her own safety." She slid the tablet down. Stark looked it over and added to that thread. They got into the newer ones. Thor was frowning at them. "I know there's a few for Asgard."

"That was Loki's attempt to take over but it mentions things I was not aware of." He stared at it. "The next is the alignment that led the Dark Elves to invade London and the palace." Natasha patted him on the arm. "Thank thee, Natasha." Stark handed him the keyboard so he could type responses to those visions. One popped up from Xander that one was prompted. He asked him how and he wrote a single line in Norse. Thor winced but nodded and typed in a response then went to the next one. He paused. "That is Hela," he said. "Oh, dear."

"Who's Hela?" Clint asked.

"The Goddess of Death," Thor told him. "A great enemy and a great war to come." He pushed his hair back then sighed. "We will have to handle it as best as we can. I hope my father is aware of this." He sent Xander an email at the one registered to the site. He didn't get back an immediate answer but that happened sometimes. "After ours, there's two slayer ones, then Thanos, who is even worse news. I've only heard myths of him."

"So we're going to have a hell of a war coming," Steve decided. He leaned his arms on the table to read the site closer. "There's a new note on that one?" Stark took the laser mouse to reload it. That one mentioned something that was a part name. Stark was glaring at it. "Yours?"

"Early prototype that supposedly disappeared into the aether. I'll have to ask Harris how he found it."

"Harris does things like that by his files," Clint said. "He dates people who can do things like that too." He looked at Natasha, who nodded that was true. "We've seen him date a few warlords who were tough enough to make us have to seriously evaluate how to take them down but he turned them into pouty boyfriend sorts. Who killed anyone who caught them pouting at Xander having to leave for one of the girls."

Natasha cleared her throat. "He does not tend to attract people who are ...nice. Or decent beings. If we ask the Prince, he may know more as Xander was acting in Africa for years."

Stark took the keyboard to send him a message then handed it back to Thor. "How do we handle Thanos?" he asked Thor.

"I know not yet," he admitted. "I will ask others to send information." They all nodded. "And warn them of Hela appearing. I'm hoping my father listened."

"Nope, not likely," Clint said dryly. "Or he would've noted that like he did when he warned others." He took the laser mouse to point at one. "Here, he noted he warned the locals."

Thor nodded once. "Then I need to warn others." He got up, going to talk to Jane about sending a message to Asgard. He smiled slightly at Darcy when she turned at his entrance. "Darcy, I need to send a critical message to Asgard."

"Jane's asleep under a machine," she said with a point. "The portal making one isn't fully done yet, Thor. She was saying at least a few more days. Though...." She pulled up a site. "Is there any truth to this rite?" she asked. "Jane had me looking up any mystical rites that would call someone on Asgard without the bridge."

He looked at it, then smiled. "That may work. Thank you, Darcy. Have Jane talk to me when she wakes?"

"It'll probably be tomorrow. She's having happy puppy dreams under there."

"That's fine. We have that much time to wait." He patted her on the head then went to the balcony to do that small summoning. It brought Sif to him. "We have many problems coming up."

"Beyond your honor duel for the seat?" she guessed. "And how am I here, Thor?"

"I summoned so you can tell others that there's visions of Hela appearing."

She snorted, shaking her head. "Odin said that was not right and when asked, none of ours with Sight foresaw it."

"Harris has not been wrong yet," he corrected. She gasped. "And he had one that showed Hela destroying Mjolnir last night. Then Thanos down here."

She winced. "Odin will not like that."

"I care not as long as Asgard and most of her people survive," he said.

She nodded. "As I would want as well." She punched him on the arm. "He insists that you must take that honor duel up there and if not, then one of those in the line for the throne must marry him and then kill him."

"The one who did would be killed by his daughters," Thor said dryly. "They are much like him."

"I've seen. I thought them adorable but fierce." He grinned. "Raisa is very fierce and has all-but killed Odin for her father twice. Both times she was stopped before more than injuries occurred. I would proudly claim that daughter." He smirked. "I'm not in line for the throne and I would not want to kill him after a night in bed. Even if he were bad at it, he could be trained." She smirked and waved at the man leaning out. "Stark." She looked at Thor again. "How am I to tell others when I'm down here?" He reversed it and sent her home. She walked into the palace. "Heimdall," she called. "You must appear as well." She walked into the throne room, freeing Riasa and her wife. "Thor has wished felicitations on your nuptials, girls." They smirked and ran off. Heimdall stomped in. "Why did he not call for me to come down the normal way?"

"He knew the bridge is currently blocked from that side. I saw what you talked of. He's right, Xander is a true seer." Odin sat up and stared at them. He looked at his king. "He has been since his were awakened. Hela returns soon, Odin."

She nodded. "He had a further vision that showed her destroying Mjolnir, All Father." She stared at him. "Perhaps our seers are blocked."

"They are," Loki said from his corner seat where he was kept tied up. "They have noticed and two expired from the visions they had when it was cleared. Hela comes soon."

"We must have things straightened out by then," Odin declared.

"What matters who sits in the throne if we all die?" Sif asked him. He glared at her. "He wouldn't want the seat anyway, Odin. He's said so repeatedly. That prophecy seems self-fulfilling."

"It is," Heimdall agreed. "Very few of ours could marry him anyway because they would have to be helpful for the slayers. They need him to aid their battles." Odin made a grumpy noise then cleared his throat. "I would nominate one of them but we would never understand how they speak, even with All Speak." She looked at Loki. "He had ones of Thanos?" Loki nodded. "You knew of them?"

"He left copies for us." He nodded his head at the scrolls on a table. She walked over to look them over. "It's a pity that Asgard will have less than a tenth of our people left when she appears." He looked at his adoptive father. "Your ego being bashed has nothing on that. Does it?" He stood up and his guards took him back to his cell. If they wanted his help, they'd ask. Or demand more likely but somehow he'd hear.

Sif looked at Heimdall. Who nodded he'd be helping fight this battle. "Do let me know?"

"We may send you with people that need to be safe," he said. "You could protect them from the others."

"True. Thank you." She patted him on the arm. "Let me know what part I am to play this time." She walked off. "Let me counsel Raisa on her temper."

Heimdall looked at Odin, who glared back. "You do not scare me, Odin. Hela does." He walked off, going back to his post to think about how to handle things. He would be seeing the battles start before any others.

Odin sat and made plans. He could not lose Asgard. Not in any manner.

***

One of the slayers ran into the office. "The hellmouth's crystal is glowing brighter and brighter," she said.

Faith looked at her. "Opening?" The younger girl shrugged. "Probably just Xander showing back up. Thanks for the warning." The younger one relaxed, going back to the main room, which had all the warning crystals on a pretty display shelf in the corner. She looked at the pouty girls next to her then at Giles. "Let me go answer the door." She walked off, smiling at the two girls who were getting out of the cab. "Just you two?" she asked patiently.

"No, Dad's with the others," one of them said with a grin. "You must be Faith. Dad described you pretty well. I'm Daisy and this is Cygyn."

Faith knew she looked confused. "Do I know your daddy?"

"Yeah. Daddy Xander said you knew him. Wasn't he right?" Cygyn asked with a tiny smirk at the older girl.

Faith blinked a few times. "I thought you guys would be younger. Not in the pretty years." They both grinned. The other cab pulled up and dispatched four more girls and their hunter. "Xander, why didn't you tell me the girls were pretty?"

"It's weird to think that my daughters are pretty. It's not a dad thing." He patted one on the back to calm down the bouncing. "So, we're here to check in." Faith smirked at him. "They still throwing a fit?"

"Down to sulking."

"Great," he mouthed. He pointed. "Let's go let you meet others I work with, girls." They sighed but went inside, one of them pulling Faith so she had someone to talk to. The slayers in residence were all staring at them but Xander grinned and waved. "A few witches off-realm made them for me. There's another one but she got married to her girlfriend." Faith moaned. "On Asgard," he quipped with a grin for her. "Odin caught them making out in his garden so had them married at sword point then told me about it. Raisa's not all that pleased but at least they're having a decent enough first year. Until the next apocalypse battle."

"Of course there's one coming soon," Faith said dryly.

Xander gave her an insane looking grin and nodded. "Yup. Hela's coming up there."

"Hela... Like the Goddess of Death?" Giles demanded, coming to his office doorway. "Oh, dear, they're older than I had hoped and very pretty."

"Giles, I'm their dad. I'm not supposed to think my girls are pretty. It's creepy of me."

"Good point I suppose." He smiled at the girls. "Which of you are which?" They sounded off. Xander patted one on the back. "I remember you doing much the same bouncing."

"Cygyn has all my patience but Daisy bounces like I used to. Mercada's my mini me about a lot of things. Atlina and Sophie are more like their mothers. Ophelia, Mercada, and Raisa are all my more warrior oriented daughters. Who I have to keep reminding of their ages."

Giles took off his glasses. "I know you've left it up to them if they want to opt into Watcher training once they're of legal age." Xander nodded, leaning on a wall. "That's fine. We can test them at that time. As long as they would've passed their educational needs."

"Oh, they have textbooks," Xander assured him with a grin. The girls all groaned but nodded. "They know I don't admit that my daughters could get a GED." They all nodded again. "And they know it's their choice."

"Good." He smiled. "Come, tell me what happened when he had to come rescue you ladies. May we have the office to ourselves please?" he ordered.

Willow looked at them. "I can take notes faster than you can. That way there's a chronicle."

Xander pulled something out to put onto the desk. "My journal." Willow groaned. "But I have to talk to him about a few visions. Thanos," he said, looking at the older watchers sitting in there for the meeting. One flinched. "He's coming within a year."

"Oh dear Christ," he mumbled, blinking at the young man. "Are you certain?"

"Yeah. Visions suck ass. Haven't been wrong yet." The watcher slumped. "You've got at least six months, but not over a year."

"I'll go pull research on him. What of his girlfriend?"

"Hela goes to Asgard soon," Xander said calmly and quietly. "I've warned Thor." The other watchers all nodded. "I haven't seen her helping him but ...." He shrugged with his arms up. "I don't know if she's fully defeated or not."

"I'll pull what we can on both of them," the head librarian assured them. "Are your girls coming for proper training?"

"My daughters will make the decision about watcher training when they're eighteen."

"They're not slayers?" one of them demanded.

"Nope," Mercada said with a grin. "Not in the least. No funny mole, no funny powers. Just...us. Being a lot like dad only with boobs."

"We have a copy of the rite our mothers had us created for," Daisy said, grinning at them. "But we made sure to stop it."

"At least she was good for you because you girls needed to be as innocent and happy as possible so they could reap the most power," Xander said. "So you got a happy childhood." They all nodded that was true. Buffy moaned. He grinned at her. "They're mostly good girls. Even if they are flirty." He looked at them. "And like skirts for some weird reason."

"Women wear skirts where we're from, Dad," Daisy sighed. "You know that."

"Yeah but you're on earth. You can wear jeans. Even cute jeans." They all rolled their eyes at him. "Fine. Tomorrow, pants." They all nodded they could do that. He grinned at the staring old farts from the old Council. "I have another one but she got found to be making out on Asgard so Odin had her married off to her girlfriend. Raisa's apparently doing all right up there." The head librarian spluttered. Xander grinned. "She's my girl too, yup." The old liners all stomped off to the library to talk about him having daughters. Xander closed the door after checking for various other Council people. "So, my girls, we gotta talk about the magical artifact I found in Kenya thanks to a dragon, and then I've got to figure out what I'm doing now." He flopped into a chair and got comfortable with a sigh of pleasure. "Plane seats still suck."

"Yes they do," Giles agreed, sitting behind his desk. "Ladies, go ahead and sit." He looked at Xander. "What artifact?" He pointed at Ophelia, who produced his staff with a hand flourish. "Is that ...." He got up to come look at it. "Oh...oh, dear, that's powerful." He looked at Xander. "A dragon?" he demanded.

"Dropped it as it flew overhead with a warrior of some sort. It helped by taking out some of the fire giants for me. I had been complaining like a slayer about how hard it was to kill them." He held out a hand and his daughter handed it over, making the staff glow in his hand. Giles touched it and shivered. "Yeah. Which is why I didn't want others to know." It disappeared into his pocket and Xander grinned at his mentor. "So...."

"I don't know who created that," he admitted. "What other artifacts have you found?"

"They're still in Africa. I was going to get someone to move it up here for me so I could liquidate a few things. That way I could afford my daughters shopping like a slayer."

The girls, as a group, all rolled their eyes.

Giles smiled at that. The girls were certainly quite a lot like their father. "I'd be interested in seeing what you've managed to find."

"If I could find someone I'd trust to pack up my storage area...." He shrugged. "If not, I'd have to go myself. And probably have to kick some ass to keep some less than nice people off my girls." The eye roll happened again. "I've got some dates down there, girls. Did you want them to flirt with you?"

"No thank you," Mercada quipped. "I'd like my first boyfriend to be just mine. I definitely learned not to share with my sisters."

Xander looked back at her, grinning some. "GOOD!" She huffed but grinned back. "So right now I'm debating how I'm going to get things back here so I can set up an apartment for us. Or if we're going back I've got to get a different vehicle. And they have to quit wearing cute skirts." Cygyn huffed. "They want you to be covered even though we're nearer to the equator and it's horribly hot." He looked at her. "No knees showing, no chest or stomach showing....some places you'd have to wear a hair veil." She slumped, pouting at him. Then he looked at Giles again. "I really should get them and get the girls out of the area for a bit. With the last few visions I'd want the young ones somewhere safer for a few weeks." He shifted to cross his feet. "I've been using that assassin's site to upload visions onto. Including updating which ones have happened."

Giles found that site bookmarked on his dreadful machine and got into it. He found Xander's thread easily enough. It was listed as 'visions by the Knight'. He looked them over, making a moaning noise once but he understood how things happened. "This other thread?" he asked finally, looking up.

"For the normals. People like Thor and his battle buddies."

Giles nodded once, going back to reading. "This has a list of what you've handled in Africa. Should I look?"

"Depends, how much heartburn did you want to have?" he shot back with a smirk. "Though I have talked to the girls and the one they were reporting as dead is not. She is at school near Watcher Carlis. I called him first and he assured me that the idiots who put that out there were the same ones that raided her village. That's one of the problems I need to handle when I go pack."

Giles shot him a look but went back to reading. He tipped his head at one entry then stared at Xander. "Would you like to explain why you were in Angora?"

"Um...I got summoned by a witch down there that's associated with the coven? Something was threatening her so she summoned me and I handled it before the senior witches got off their asses to help her, and then they sneered at me about that?"

"Oh, that incident. I've heard both sides. The young one that summoned you noted it. Though that was not what was mentioned."

Xander leaned over to look then shrugged. "Same day, different demon that showed up but the senior witch just screamed and fainted?" He grimaced. "I handled it while they whined."

"I see." He went back to reading. He paused then stared at the girls before looking at Xander again. "Nigeria?"

"Which time?" He leaned forward to look, shaking his head as he leaned back. "Not mine. They tried to discredit me. The generals in charge who weren't really against the idiot moron group with supposed religion who likes to take young woman as slaves started it to make sure I'm discredited. I've defended against it a few times and proved it once by making him confess to his problems in front of the press." He grinned slightly. "His people let him commit suicide instead of disgracing their military."

"That's harsh," Giles said.

Xander shrugged. "I didn't like being accused of the same things they were actually doing. Be damned if people think that about me."

"No, I wouldn't want that stigma from rumors either." He finished his reading and shut that site down, looking at him. "Are you going to bring them with you?"

"I should but passports would be necessary unless we took magical transport and you *know* the witches hate me."

"Still," Giles agreed dryly, smiling at him. "I still haven't figured out why yet."

"I'm guessing it was either how I helped or something Willow said." He shrugged. "Not my doing this time."

"True. I'll see what I can arrange. How would you get things back here?"

"We can use the spaceship, Dad," Cygyn said. "I'd like to learn how to fly it."

Giles cleared his throat. "Space...ship?"

Xander pointed at his girls. "I had to beat a few space pirates who wanted to become my sons-in-law. I won their ship at poker. Then I had to beat them nearly to death for trying to snatch them. Pity but yay."

Giles blinked at him. "Space pirates?" he demanded more loudly.

"They thought my girls were pretty. Which is why I glare at anyone who likes to flirt with my girls. Before I have to go beat someone else into a pulp for wanting them."

"Which is why we don't tell Dad when idiot boys flirt when we don't want them to," Mercada quipped. "We can handle those sort ourselves."

Xander turned to look at her. "Just call if they get too insistent or if it takes more than one of you." She sighed but nodded. So did the others. "Thanks." He looked at Giles again, grinning slightly. "I had them taught by warriors and assassins."

Giles nodded. "I can see why. Many men would become leches over them."

Xander nodded. "Yeah, not happening while I'm alive. If they find someone good...I'll accept it as long as they can protect each other. Otherwise, no. I know how to research sacrificial rituals for guys like that."

"We have whole books of them in the library in a few languages," Giles said sarcastically.

Xander grinned. "I know. One day I was reading over it to see what I wanted to do to Willow."

"There's been days when I would have understood that urge," Giles admitted. He stared at his might-as-well-be son. "So now what? Are you going to retire?"

"I'd need a more centralized job. A regional watcher job instead of my old traveling habits. We'd be safer down there but not totally. Though I could get used to beating problems up again."

Buffy stomped in. "How did you find them?" she demanded.

"When you heard that there were demons sniffing around Ethan's old shop, I went to look at them for Giles. I found a door sitting in the alleyway." He shifted to look at her better. "The doorway opened while I was trying to see if it was attached to anything. It turns out it's a portal that lets someone go somewhere for eight years wherever time and eight hours here." She slumped. "So I was there, handling a few things as I popped into a demon marketplace as a warlord showed up to kill everyone or take slaves.

"Thankfully I had my usual stuff for patrol on me and there was a warrior with a sword there that I could bum quickly. So I protected myself and the nun demons that I landed near." She frowned at him. "Yeah, nuns." He shrugged but grinned a bit. "They're the ones that knew about the portal and told me. So I took some lessons there with some warrior clans and got shot back into the alley after eight hours Sunnydale time. I took the portal to my storage area just in case it was needed for some reason. It was kind of instinctive.

"Then just after I got back from my not-a-real-roadtrip I got news from the demon network that I had daughters. Seven daughters and the witches that had made them for me without my input were going to sacrifice them. So back I went." The girls giggled. He grinned at them then at her. "They had an aunt that wanted to finish raising them since Sunnydale was so dangerous. The girls decided it'd be weird to come to Sunnydale so decided to with her when I gave them the option. I spent time with them and came home again.

"Then right before you got brought back, I had to go rescue them from the warlord wannabe idiot who thought my daughters were a harem for him. That took two trips to get them all. That realm's years were about six days here. I got six of the seven and got shoved back, waited the three hours that was mandatory for it to reset itself while gathering weapons, and went the fuck back. That guy is gone. Forever sort of gone.

"So are almost all his palaces. And most of his hench demons and minions. Then they got shoved to another realm that had elves." He rolled his eye. "They had summoned a warrior to help them with a huge problem that was ticklish and evil. The girls got it down and out after tying up most of the elven village until they could get someone to summon me. They were about thirteen then. We had to stay there for a bit because time ran slower for them but normally for us because we weren't attached or anchored to that realm.

"We ended up tripping into a backway onto Asgard. We trained with a few warrior academies, handled a few problems. Got the girls trained with the warriors and a few assassins we ran into so they could protect themselves from boys. We got sent to Asgard proper to handle a huge problem that the warriors were calling help for. They couldn't defeat the rather large demon that had an allergy to silver. The girls sat out and did bandaging and stuff while I helped the warriors with that. Which got us nagged by Odin, which set off a prophecy up there that he'd be losing his seat to a group of daughters and their father." Giles spluttered.

Xander nodded. "He's still trying to find a way around it and so am I because I don't want his seat. I'd get egotistical asshole cooties from it. His sons both did so I'm pretty sure the infection point is the throne itself." He looked at Buffy again. "Raisa, the missing daughter, got found to be necking with her one-night lover up there so he married them off then told me. Two days later. Raisa said they're happy and her girlfriend is pretty chill most of the time. And a warrior."

He grinned at Mercada then at Buffy again. "She was going to try to get Mercada and got Raisa instead. They're twins." Buffy moaned. "My only set of twins. That's why I have seven instead of six. Heimdall finally managed to get the bridge to work one way so we're back here now and I'm figuring out where I'm going to be a regional watcher instead of the guy that travels after everyone. That way they can go to school, make new friends, all that teenage girl stuff that you, Willow, and Cordy used to find important."

"Cordy, wasn't she the messenger girl with the tentacles?" Cygyn asked.

Xander grinned and nodded. "She's the messenger for the Powers That Be. The other is Whistler, the guy in the hat." He looked at Giles. "I've vowed I do not want his seat or his cooties that's infecting it. Right now he's torn between we'll have to fight an honor duel to determine if the prophecy is correct or he'll have to make one of his relatives marry me and then kill me so they can take the throne from me. He's swung back to honor duel the last I heard."

Giles shook his head quickly. "I'd hate to see that come to pass."

"Me too." He smirked at his mentor. "I don't want a throne. The girls would become the wrong sort of princesses." That got another mass eye roll. Which made Buffy giggle at them. "They're teenage girls and I know that." He looked at Giles again. "So, where do we need a regional person?"

"New York could use one," Buffy said. "That way they're in the US but away from the evil in LA. And the grunge guys still infecting Seattle. They tried to hit on a few of the younger slayers and the girls nearly thought they were cute. I had to institute a good taste lecture from Rona."

"So they won't date a vampire either?" Xander quipped.

"Shut up," she huffed. She frowned at the girls. "They don't look that fashionable."

"I made them wear real shirts today since they've been used to Asgard's sports top looking outfits."

Buffy shook her head. "You need massive muscles to wear those cutely."

"They managed it against my scowling," Xander said then shrugged but grinned at her. "They inherited fashion somewhere, or were cursed with it somehow." Buffy swatted him on the shoulder. "Giles?"

"New York isn't a bad idea," he agreed. "We could easily send you some of the younger girls."

"New York gets a lot of meta human problems," Xander reminded him. "Wouldn't that bother the girls too?"

"Quite possibly," he admitted, considering it. "There's Vancouver but you'd be close to Seattle and you'd have winter." Xander shrugged slightly. "I know you appreciated Africa's weather."

"Sometimes. I hated drought season. And the desert." Ophelia poked him on the shoulder. "My truck broke down six days from the nearest village," he told them. A few pouted. "Long hike in the desert, yeah." He looked at Giles again. "I still need to go pack but I can bring that vehicle I inherited for that." Giles nodded once. "Then I'll let you and the sorcerer guy up there look over them for anything too huge. I know there is because I took it on purpose from the group doing a self sacrificing ritual." He grimaced then sighed through his nose. "So sucky. Whole town of suicide cult to call back their Goddess to protect the others." Giles sat up straighter, staring at him. "I sent you that report. Did Willow get into them?" he guessed, grinning at him.

"One of the others does that since she started to edit reports on people," he admitted. "I would like to see that one." Xander nodded. "How soon do you think you can gather your things and come back?"

"Probably won't take me more than a few weeks. There's a few spots I need to hit. I have stuff stored near a few of the girls. Can we move most of them to somewhere safer?"

"I'll talk to Carlis in a few minutes," he assured him. "See if he can handle that." Xander nodded. "Do you want them to leave the continent?"

"For about the next six weeks? Yeah. That one vision is due to go off in five and it'll compromise a lot of native governments."

"Good point. Also, I saw about that ascension."

"I warned the local military so they were on hand. They had helicopter based weapons. The head went splat very quickly once they quit staring in horror at it."

Buffy choked and spluttered. "There was?" she demanded.

"Yeah. One of the mid-sized one," Xander said, looking over at her. "I got told two days before the eclipse. So I told a nice general I had met, who had threatened me if another demon thing ever happened in his country. He and two troops of people showed up to battle it. With higher weapons because I told him about how big it'd be and that the head had to come off. Missiles pretty." He grinned. "After that, he took a copy of the teaching manual I had and let me go over the basics for his people. That way they knew when it was an emergency or when it was just something gathering for a poker game. They have Carlis' number and the one for here if they need more immediate help and no one's nearby."

Giles nodded, taking off his glasses. "That's a wise thing. We've offered other governments that sort of help and information if they didn't want a slayer near their people." He looked at Buffy. Then at Xander. "It sounds like they could handle it."

"That next one is a Higher calling in all his debts to repower himself after a huge battle for status. Which he really has to win or we're all screwed. I know he's got debts in about six countries."

"I agree, that's a good reason to move the vulnerable minis down there," Giles decided. "I'll talk with Carlis."

"One's near him," Xander said. "But I've only heard about the one debt there. So he might have to go take the girls camping in the middle of the desert. Or to Madagascar, but they're having a plague going on." He crossed his feet. "I'd have them evacuate up to Turkey but I heard about that fit with their native girl." Giles grimaced but nodded. "I did put out an all points about that information before I heard they were in trouble. That way people were warned. Including to all the slayers, mini and not."

"That's wise," Giles agreed. "So now you go pack then take up New York? We'll work on sending you some girls to train up there?" Xander nodded that was fine with him. "Good. How soon before you can set up in New York?"

"Wouldn't that depend on finding a building?" he guessed. "Do we have a local house up there at all?"

"We do have a rental up there but it's rather small," he admitted, frowning as he looked that up. "We keep one for the girls to hover in before any larger than average problem that shows up."

Xander nodded at that. "How big?"

"Three bedrooms," Buffy said.

"We've shared before," Mercada admitted, looking at her sisters, who all shrugged. "But that wouldn't leave much room for girls to come up for training."

"True," Xander agreed. "Giles, want to look for us or want us to look?"

"I'll look around for you. It may be outside the city. Prices inside the city are astounding."

"That's fine. Less traffic and smog," Xander quipped. He stood up. "Let us go pack stuff. See you in a few weeks." He and the girls walked outside and got beamed onto their ship.

Buffy watched Willow have a seizure of some sort about that disappearance. "No idea what sort of magic that was?" she asked.

"No magic!" Willow squeaked. She stared at her. "That was purely tech!"

"Not possible. We don't have the technology for that yet," Buffy complained, walking off. "Giles, they just disappeared," she called as she walked past the office.

"Well, he said he had been to Asgard and they do have that level of technology," Andrew said when she walked into the kitchen, grinning at her. "We've seen all sorts of energy manifestations from the warriors they've managed to capture on film." She walked off groaning and shaking her head. "I've got to look at Xander's ship and see if I can figure out how to reverse engineer it," he told himself. "He'd probably let me." He went back to puttering over cleaning the kitchen before dinner.

***

Xander landed on his new back lawn, looking around the tiny house. He frowned. "It's really tiny," he said quietly but went in to make sure it was safe for the girls. He was known as an overprotective boob and he wasn't giving up that habit anytime soon. Apparently the house was a lot bigger inside than outside. He stepped outside to check. Yup, cute bungalow. Inside, marble floors and a large staircase. "Sure," he decided. He found a nice room to store stuff in for now. And another with better locks for the weapons. He called his daughter's cell. "It's fine. Come on down with stuff." They got everything sent down and then the mini slayers he had rescued from the idiots in supposed control of Uganda. They ran inside, going to look around. "Pick rooms," he called. "In pairs in case we don't have enough rooms."

"Yup," one of the minis called back. "There's thirteen bedrooms and one's really huge."

"That's probably mine," he yelled back. "Because I'm the adult."

"Fine." The girls all giggled and found their own rooms. The daughters came jogging up a few minutes later and picked their own rooms. That mostly filled the house, leaving one spare and the rooms downstairs that didn't look like a bedroom but would probably do. He did lock them all out of the weapons once he got them all down there, which they'd pout about later.

Xander turned from locking the weapons room to find a sorcerer standing there. He smirked. "Don't I need to do an invitation spell for you?"

"Not hardly. I've been paying attention to this house once we heard it was going to be your new training area so I wasn't startled by the shaft of magic that flared up just now."

"There's another ten artifacts on the ship that I need to bring down. Wanna wait? I have no idea if the kitchen has running water yet or not."

"I can help haul them this time so I can make sure they're not dangerous."

"Probably only half of them." He got them beamed up then came down with the rest of the boxes. He hurried back up for his bags then came back once the ship was safely in orbit somewhere quiet. "There." He put his bags on the stairs and went to look over the artifacts. They were already being sorted out. Xander put two back into the nice things pile. "Necessary for the next few apocalypse battles."

Dr. Strange stared at him. "That was the nice things pile."

"No, we need most of these and two have to go to Thor to help him."

The sorcerer grimaced but nodded once. "Tell me what you think they are."

"Well, that one will open you up to your elemental powers," he said with a point at one he had just moved. Then he grinned. "Which he'll need by the most recent visions."

"Have you told him that yet?"

"I'm just barely back in the US, Doc."

"True. Fine." He sorted the rest with Xander's help. He wanted to securely store a few more of those but he could see how they could be useful to defeating higher demons.

Cygyn leaned in and grinned at the sorcerer. "The other stuff got sent, Dad."

"Cool. We can go look at those in a few. Is the water on?"

"Nope. Electric's probably magical or solar." Xander groaned. "We're looking up the local utilities for you."

"Thanks for saving me that work, Cygyn." She bounced off. "Let me know what else we need."

"Food," she called a minute later. "There's not a single bit of food."

"Shit, the minis will turn cannibal," he muttered, finding his phone. The sorcerer snatched it to look at, giving him an odd look. "I dropped it into an energy well," he quipped with a grin. "So no water damage at least. Even if it will make transdimensional calls." He took the list from Ophelia when she walked past him to start the calling around. After the first one denied that it was a proper address, he went to read it off the mailbox and the post office's 'you're moving' pack that automatically got sent whenever someone changed their addresses.

They still denied there was a house there. So Xander found the meter and read the number off it. She found it that way and they were set to be turned on in the morning because it was already one in the afternoon. The electric company was just as bad. By the time he got done with them he called Giles to make sure he didn't create the house out of thin air or had a demon create it. He also reported that he had all the minis that had been hiding in Uganda with him. The sewer people got paid their fee and they started that account, which fed off the water account so they didn't have to come out for that. The trash people got called and they agreed to bring a small dumpster because they decided a houseful of girls probably produced a ton of trash. He walked inside and looked at the sorcerer. "He didn't...create the house magically, right?"

"Not that I'm aware of. There is magic in it, as you can plainly tell."

"Yeah, someone's a Harry Potter fan," Xander quipped, looking around. "This is clearly the tent spell come to life in marble." Strange snorted but looked amused. Giles appeared with Willow, who got darted by one of the minis. Xander looked at the unconscious redhead then at the mini hiding on the stairs. "Nice shot," he said, smiling at her. "But Willow will throw a fit later. Hide really hard."

"Yes, Xander," she said quietly then ran up to her room to hide in the closet.

Xander shrugged. "She hates witches. Two tried to kill her for being a slayer."

"Ah." Giles nodded, taking off his glasses. "That's reasonable at least." Xander got her onto a bench to rest and they went to the artifact rooms.

"Dad, there's boys in the trees and they're trying to be perverts," Mercada called.

Xander sighed, grabbing his special axe to go out back. He grinned at the boys trying to hide in the trees. "Nice try but the girls are all about fifteen. I'm a really overprotective father and Council. I make some jailers seem really sweet with how strict I am with my girls." They fled to go home and spread that gossip. Xander went back inside. His axe went onto a countertop then quickly moved when it ate into the marble. "I thought I cleaned all that off. I'll figure out if I can fix that later." He went back to the artifacts. "Decide what I'm ordering for dinner," he called.

"There's no food?" Giles asked, looking confused.

"No food, water will be on tomorrow," he said. "The electric too." Giles moaned, rubbing his forehead. "It happens during long moves. Anyway, I was thinking this big, green thing here would do nicely for that upcoming hell god wannabe that's going to bother LA." He opened that one's containment case. Giles moaned and shut it carefully. Xander grinned. "I found it laying around in a temple that had captured one of the baby slayers for a sacrifice."

"Yes, that would suitably destroy that one but may take out many others, Xander."

"We can evacuate and throw it at them. It'd be attracted to the shiny. Most of them I've seen have been."

"How many hell gods have you seen?" Giles demanded.

"You didn't get those reports either?" Giles scowled. Xander pulled them up on his phone. Which got another long look, from Giles this time. "Fell into an energy well. So at least I didn't get water damage."

"You do incredibly weird things," Giles said sarcastically. He took the phone to read those reports. Once he swatted the boy and another got a glare at him but by the end Giles was groaning heavily. "Oh, dear. I'm not telling the others."

"Might be a great idea, yeah." Xander grinned. "And most of the minis in Africa are really mini so I did a lot with other help. Two of them might come back to the US to help, not sure yet."

"I...I'm not sure if that would be a bad thing or not," he admitted. "At least Buffy could flirt with the other warriors."

"No, they're together."

"Oh. Well, I suppose they'll find someone somehow who can put up with her changing clothes." He handed the phone back. "We can drain that energy for you."

"Why? It's making it so I don't have to recharge the battery and it might remove all the numbers from it."

"Good point I suppose." He went with Xander and the sorcerer to talk to the minis. He glanced at Willow then at Xander. "How long should that work?"

"It's lion strength so should last at least another three hours." He checked her pulse. "She's still alive." They went up to check on the girls. His had pulled out a board game to amuse the others. One bathroom had been designated as the outhouse for now so that was fine he guessed. They could switch to another one if it got too nasty. Though when he looked around there were only two bathrooms. He gave Giles a glance, getting a sigh back. "We'll handle it. Ladies, this is Giles; he's the head watcher."

"Hi, Mr. Tweedy in Charge," one of the minis quipped with a grin and a wave for him. "Watcher Cresida isn't very nice and he thought I needed to live in a mud hut again."

"I've had a talk with him since I heard him say that," Xander quipped. The guy was still probably trying to shit out the shoe he had stuck up his ass. "This is Doctor Strange. He's the sorcerer in charge of other sorcerers." The girls all stared at him and one smiled slightly. "Yeah, he's the one I had your cousin write letters to," he told her. "Before she turns into Willow again." He shook his head quickly.

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