12950/Not a Witch hunt

Not a Witch hunt
Date of Scene:	03 April 2021
Location:	Masonic Cemetery, Sunnydale (TBD)
Synopsis:	Buffy meets Hellequin again and learns more of Slayer history
Cast of Characters:	Buffy Summers, Hellequin

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Buffy Summers has posed:
This is not a witch hunt. It *is* a hunt, however, for real threats. You know, vamps, demons and the like. Of course that distinction must be made clear because lately it seems the lines between good and evil have been quite blurred.

Soo Buffy is here, lurking in a creepy cemetary where numerous fresh graves have recently been dug and filled. She's always had a kind of sixth sense about these things though.

So etching tells her there will be new vampires rising tonight. And so she is ready, with the nifty new mace she had bought from the weird French antique store the other day.

Hellequin has posed:
Another sign that this will be a night of living-dead rising - and Buffy might recognize it - is the sound of the rumbling thunder in the distance, growing louder and approaching fast. Countrary to the other time she heard this rolling thunder, the Slayer can also notice the growling of what must be very large beasts - most likely dogs - approaching with the thunder.

The Hellequin is out hunting with his faitful mastiff dogs, for he too, can sense that this will be a good night. For him, anyway - not for the freshly made vampires.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers tenses as she awaits the hunt. But this is no hunt for sport or pleasure. It's really a job, a calling if you will, and when a group of vamps rise from freshly dug graves, she is ready for them, eager to try out her newest'toy'.

"Alright then kiddies, let's have some fun.." she grins, testing the balls on the end of the chain with a few swings through the air. The vamps, some six in total, seem up based, nor are they afraid of the Slayer. Seems they're still waking up, give em a second..

And then she hears the...What is that, hellhounds? She frowns, glancing around. "..The heck?"

Hellequin has posed:
Not the heck, the Hellequin! Emerging from a cloud, appears the ghostly figure on his ethereal horse. Hovering over the far end of the cemetery, in clear view of Buffy, the horseman slowly raises his large halberd. The Hunt is on.

For the ghostly figure, this is not a /job/. It is a nighly duty, to rid the world of evildoers of all kinds, including living-dead such a vampires.

By his side, two large Bordeaux mastiff dogs stand, ready for action. They might be as ethereal as their master, but their large jaws can break real bones with a snap. Hellequin slowly raises his hand, pointing at one of the fresh graves. Without a word from their master, the dogs pounce toward the grave, quickly taking hold of the arm that was making its way out of the grave. Pulling on the vampire, the dogs then take hold of its limbs, tearing it appart, then jumping at its throat, killing it in a few seconds. The mastiff are /that/ efficient, with their centuries of training.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Okay, the vamps are ready to fight a Slayer, but not a hell clown! They shriek in surprise and pain as the dogs drag em out of their graves, and they snarl, turning on their latest threat, making a feeble attempt at fending off their attackers. But for newly born vamps, the ghostly digs are too fast and strong and they're torn apart even before they realize what's happened.

It doesn't take long for Buffy to realize she's not alone, although she's got her hands full with the three other who swarm her. "Let's dance then.." she grins, spinning her spiked ball around, knocking them to the ground before staking them one by one.

She pauses only briefly to acknowledge Hellequin with a slight nod and wry smirk, "We meet again, Hell clown."she greets, before three more vamps pop out, two rushing at Hellequin, the other two swarming Buffy again.

Hellequin has posed:
The two vampires rushing at Hellequin really are full of intent... and the Hellequin rides away! Oh, is he scared? At a distance, the horse stops, turns around to faces the vampires. Slowly, the ethereal halberd is raised. Rearing up, the horse then charges towards the wampires.

"Most Merciful Jesus, lover of souls, I pray You,
To wash in Your Most Precious Blood,
The sinners of the world who are now in their agony,
And who will die today."

Reaching the vampires, the halberd is expertly swirled around, in a large semi-circular motion that quickly decapitates the two vampires, turning them into dust. The dogs, done with their first target, turn automatically to the vampires swarming Buffy, without attacking.

Done with /his/ vampires, Hellequin holds the horse, lookig at Buffy as she fights her opponents. "I am /not/ a clown!" comes the booming voice, with a hint of annoyance.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers is a bit bust with her vamps for a moment or two, although these#new norms are fairly easy prey, and so she takes her time to toy with her prey, having a little as she practically dances about the battlefield while keeping an eye on Hellequin.

Hmm, there are the prayers again, and the halberd. Those vamps don't stand a chance. She studies his fighting style, trying to figure out who trained him, where he's from, other little details.

The ones targeting her might think they have an advantage over her whiles she's distracted, though she quickly spins around, expertly wielding that mace as if she's used it all her life, then once she knocks em to their feet, feet's, she twirls the mace around, staking them one at a time with the sharp wooden end.

"And stay down!" she orders them as she wipes the dust from her clothes, then turns to face the hell clown. "So we meet again, not that I couldn't have handled them on my own but..."

Hellequin has posed:
The dogs growl lowly, as if frustrated that there are no more targets around for them. On returning by their master side, they stop a few feet away from Buffy, sitting, looking up at her. Yes, sitting, as if waiting to be petted! For some reason, the fierce ethereal mastiff do not fear the Slayer nor are they menacing towards her.

The Hellequin remains on his horse, reaching forward to pat the horse's neck. "I /knew/ you could kill the all," comes his voice, "Slayer, you fight well indeed. You inherited what was yours to possess. The knowledge and skills of all your predecessors."

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers arches a brow at the dogs and can't help herself. "Soo...now you got hell dogs too?" Nope, not gonna let them, they are hardly cute in any way. She saw how they tore apart those vamps. How easily they could tear apart her friends, or herself if she gets I. the way. Soooooo nope!

As for the compliment(?) she just gives him a casual shrug and grin. "What can I say? I'm the best at what I do!" she grins and winks, clearly she# hung out too much by a certain someone who coined that term first.

"But it seems you've got the slayer field covered pretty thoroughly too, Soo..,What's the deal? You never really answered my questions last time. You a ghost? Demon? Human with phased form? How did you get this way?"

Hellequin has posed:
With a slight movement of his hand, the dogs are called back to their master's side. The horseman leans down, to pat the on the head. "Good dogs." Then Hellequin dismisses them back to their ethereal backyard.

"I am who, and what, I am," he replies and, as usual, not answering direct questions. "I am not a Slayer like you," he says, "I am one in a way. A different way indeed. But I have fought along slayers before you." He then pauses, seemingly lost in thoughts for a moment, before adding, "May they rest in peace."

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers arches a brow at the dogs, "Sooo how many of them do ya have? Got other spooky pets too? Maybe, I dunno, a ghost hamster?" she smirks in amusement at the mere thought, because she can't imagine even a ghost hamster being spooky.

Though she frowns at the non answer. "Okaay, wait a minute. That's a whole bunch of mumbo jumbo. Cant you just gimme a straight answer?"

But of course the mention of other slayers causes her eyes to widen. "Really? Uh..How old did you say you were? And..This..Joan of Arc, did you fight alongside her too? Is she a slayer, is that why..?"

Hellequin has posed:
Hellequin considers Buffy for moment. If his facial features were clearly visible to her, she would see him frowning. Humour doesn't sit well with him.

"You are certainly a different kind of Slayer," he states after a moment. "You do not seem to posses the same humility that others had. And your ways are... something I have never witnessed before." As to if he likes it or not, that's another story.

At the mention of Joan of Arc, Hellequin seems to freeze for a moment, until his right hand slowly reaches his heart, upon which it rests as he speaks.

"Oh, Johanne la Pucelle," he says, his voice conveying some kind of emotion as he mentions her name, "She, who was a Slayer, and sacrificed her own life to save her country. Her holy death was horrible, crying, engulfed by the flames... and caused great pain to..." He hesitates, "To many good people. The Divine Providence has mysterious plans for everyone. And the plan He had for her, has been inherited by each Slayer since." So again, he is not answering directly, and it is unclear if Hellequin fought or not alongside Joan of Arc.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers shrugs, "What can I say, I like to work in a team and I have faith in my friends. I also find 'laugh so you don't cry' is a good way to live." she grins. "But..." she blinks, "Tell me more, what was passed down to each slayer? What am I missing?"

Hellequin has posed:
Hellequin nods in agreement to Buffy's take on life. "Joy, happiness and laughter are not sins," he states, "As long as they do not harm anyone intentionally."

That's when the horseman decides to dismount, the ethereal horse returning to its ethereal stable. The harlberd has been returned as well, and now that he walks on the ground as casually as a mortal would do, his large sword can be seen at his waist.

"Divine protection," he finally says, glancing at Buffy as he starts circling her, always casually, looking down at some graves as he passes them. "He let His Mother be the champion. She is the one providing the divine protection." He pauses, now standing still, as he reveals. "Slayers are the Holy Virgin's own, special warriors. While He judges and forgives, She protects the innocents from evil. And that is what you are doing, aren't you?" Well, to be frank, that is what the Hellequin understands about it, he's not really privy to God's deals.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers arches a brow as he climbs off his mount and really can't help it. "Wait, do t tell me, ghost horse has a ghost stable too? that's just...heheh.." she bites down on her, trying to be solemn but finding it very hard, so she does her best to cover up her chuckles with a pronounced cough.

"Ahem..,Sooo..Uh. Divine protection, you say? Well, isn't that interesting. I never thought of it that way. I mean..We have a special job, and I know many have been sacrificed through the ages. But, isn't it true a Slayer's real power comes from some sort of..Supernatural heart?"

Honestly that is a very disturbing thought..

Hellequin has posed:
Shaking his head, the Hellequin raises his hand, as if to stop Buffy from talking about such nonsense as a demon heart.

"Silence!" he says, not a happy customer, "Joan had no demon heart, no demonic nothing! It goes that you don't..." He pauses, walking towards Buffy, a hand resting on his sword. He then stops, feet away, staring at the Slayer, tilting his head as if to study the slayer more attentively.

"If you believe you have a demon heart, or anything demonic, then maybe you aren't a real slayer, but an illusion of the Malin to deceive me." And that would mean, most likely, a death sentence if it's true. At least, that is /his/ understanding of a Slayer, that nothing evil can inhabit them who are entrusted with a divine mission.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers frowns, "Well it's just one theory. I dunno for sure but I do hope it's just a myth. Maybe your right, a divine calling, fighting evil makes more sense you know? But I should do more research. one thing for sure, I am the real deal, I promise you."

Hellequin has posed:
Hellequin nods at that, and turns around, walking away, his form slowly vanishing like fog in the breeze.

"As long as your heart is clear, and your goal pure, you will be proteted." To be noted, he didn't say a pure heart. That is something else. As for the protection, he's not saying if that includes his own protection of the slayer.

That said, the Hellequin vanishes from view.