The witches, the Nemesis and a bunch of Slayers.

When the Scoobies reached the Academy, Buffy gave her orders in a rush. Rona was badly injured and Kennedy had several deep wounds. The rest of them were hurt as well, but they would all survive.

“We can’t leave her there! We have to go back!” Hermione was screaming with panic at the Chosen Two.

“We’ll get her by day, when everyone is okay! We can’t go back now! We need more slayers, and have a strategy!” Buffy replied.

“But she’s my girlfriend!”

“Yeah, like you care...” Faith muttered and Hermione’s face turned from anger to shame and back to anger.

“You don’t even know us!”

“I reckon K and I have spent more time with your girlfriend than you did those past weeks...And you know what? I think we care more about her than you do!”

“How dare you speak to me like that?” Hermione pointed her wand to the rogue slayer. Buffy and Willow immediately intervened to separate them.

“Guys, calm down!” Buffy shouted.

“Hermione, come on! Let’s get some fresh air.” Willow put her hand on the girl’s shoulder, but Hermione jerked it away.

“Stay away from me! It’s all your fault!” She screamed as tears were falling down her cheeks. She began punching Willow’s chest as the redhead was trying to control the sobbing and shaking girl. “Oh God...Seena!” The young witch collapsed and broke down in Willow’s arms.

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When Seena opened her eyes, she was in a cell. Well, it wasn’t really a cell actually; it was more like a square made of magical energy supposed to stop her from escaping. But Seena wasn’t in the mood for more fighting. CPO Demon emerged from the darkness – ‘Such a cliché...’ – end approached the cell.

“Hello, Nemesis.” He spoke in a deep voice, very calm, even welcoming.

“Hey...”

“Sigma, but here they call me Mr S.”

“Egomaniac much?” Seena chuckled. “What do you want from me?” She went straight to the point.

“Oh me? Nothing! But I’ve figured we could be useful for you.” Seena frowned.

“What do you mean?” She was intrigued.

“I know a lot about you, and I think you’d be a lot more appreciated for your skills by my side.” Mr S. Sat on a chair next to her.

“Free me first and we’ll see!” The brunette said with a smirk. The demon nodded and to her surprise, the square disappeared and was replaced by a chair.

“I can give you more than those you fight for.”

“Like what?” Seena sat in front of him.

“Awareness, power, strength, there’s a long list...”

“I’m not interested in these things.” Seena answered and stared at him.

“Tell me what they can give you then?” The demon smiled and lit a cigar. The Nemesis was taken aback by the question. “Tell me what she can give you?” Seena’s eyes went black at the word.

“Yes, I know about it too. Well, I don’t think anyone missed the little performance she gave us there.”

“Shut up!” Seena stood up but somehow, she couldn’t find the strength to hit him.

“Calm down! Just listen to me...” The red-skinned demon said very quietly. “You don’t have your place there anymore. I give you complete freedom, you’ll be able to go wherever you want, do whatever you want-”

“But?”

“There ain’t no buts. All I want is you by my side when I need you. For protection, for advice. Because I need you!”

“Why me?” Seena raised an eyebrow. “Cause it all sounds like a fucking trap!”

“You’re right. I want you as the Nemesis, because you’re the most powerful being on Earth. And you know my shamans could have never captured you if you were in your full Nemesis costume. But they tamed you, Seena. They made you their slave. And you’re worth much more than that. You could be a goddess. I just think it’s a waste.” Seena listen carefully and looked down.

“I so need a cigarette right now...” She chuckled after a moment. As her wish was granted, a pack of her favorite brand appeared in front of her. She looked at Sigma and grinned. The room around them changed and turned into a beautiful bedroom, with every kind of new technology the world could offer.

“You can stay here as long as you want to take your decision. This door” He pointed a large black door on the right. “is your way out. If you pass it, it’s a refusal to my offer. But if you accept to join me, just say my name three times, clear and loud.” He stood up and was about to leave. “This ain’t a contract or anything. You can leave when you want. You’re free.”

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Seena was sitting on the bed, in the room Sigma had made for her. Her thoughts were confused and revolved inevitably around one and only person.

‘She betrayed me. She doesn’t love me anymore...No, she does! It was just a mistake!...But still, she kissed her...another girl!’ The image of Hermione and Willow’s kiss was running through her head over and over again.

‘How could she do this to us? To me? ...Like you’ve never done this before...Yeah wait! Maybe it’s just payback! Yeah, she did this to hurt me. Because of that one time I slept with that chick...’Seena sighed. “No it can’t be! It was four years ago!” The brunette exclaimed and kicked the chair, which crashed against the wall. She stood in front of a large mirror and leant her hands against the cupboard and stared at her own reflection, deep into those black orbs that were so familiar now.

‘Is this me? Is this what Sigma want?’ She shook her head and stared again. Her irises were brown, back to normal.

‘He’s right...They can’t give me anything. Hermione made her choice when she kissed that redhead bitch. We weren’t meant to be! It started a game, it doesn’t even make sense anymore. Why does it hurt so fucking bad then?’

“Cause that’s the way humans work...” she whispered. The Nemesis felt the anger building inside her, like liquid fire running through her veins and boiling under her skin. She watched the dark ink invade her eyes, and memories of the past came to her mind.

‘ Turning to the Evil side is like turning your back on your humanity. Your feelings are what make you human. ‘

“Sigma...” She whispered.

‘You are the Nemesis, not a normal student!’

‘You told me I should be more human!’

‘And look where it led!’

“Sigma...” This time it was louder.

‘Come on, you’re pure Evil! Why can’t you kill a little helpless witch?’

Seena closed her eyes, chasing away the faces and voices haunting her brain and shouted the demon’s name one last time.

“Sigma!”

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The apartment looked empty without her. She’d never realized how much her presence was the heart of this place. Her voice, her laughter, they were the colors in Hermione’s life. But she had screwed up. By joining the Academy. By spending all the time she had there instead of here. By letting Willow kiss her and kissing back. She regretted all those things, but above all, she regretted having left Seena in that hall.

‘I have to do something.’ Hermione was pacing, her eyes wet with tears. ‘I can save her all alone!’ She took a few potions from her stock, a crossbow from Seena’s and focused hard.

“Come on baby! Where are you?” She tried harder but after a few minutes, she was still in the living room of their apartment.

“Why?” Her tears were now pouring down again. “Why don’t you let me find you?” The young witch fell to her knees and closed her eyes.

“I can do it!” she stated and spent the last hours until dawn trying to reach Seena. When sleep was eventually too hard to fight, Hermione collapsed on the bed that still had the Nemesis’ smell.

After a few hours, she woke up with a jolt.

‘Oh my God!...It was just a nightmare...’ She rushed to the bathroom to take a shower and wash away the terrible images from her mind. The water seemed purifying and soothed her a little. The witch grabbed a towel and stepped in front of the sink mirror. The cuts and scratches from last night’s battle were healing slowly. She looked closer and suddenly jumped back with shock She shook her head with panic.

“No! It can’t be possible!” She thought she had dreamt, it couldn’t have happened. “ My mind’s just playing tricks...But...” it had seemed so real. For a second, the reflection in the mirror had looked back at her with dark, black eyes.

“I have to go back there with the slayers. We must get Seena back before it’s too late.”

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“We’ve abandonned her there, B!”

“What else did you want me to do? We were being defeated!” The blonde Slayer exclaimed. The Chosen Two were alone on the gym, it was late morning and the others were resting from the battle.

“Yeah maybe, but-”

“But I’m the one ine charge here!” Faith frowned and stared at her angrily.

“And that gives you the right to decide who’s expendable and who’s not?” The brunette walked backwards slowly towards the door. “What if it had been me? You would’ve left me behing as well?” Her voice was calm now, even sad. Buffy looked back at her with the same sadness. Faith sighed and shrugged.

“Look B, there’s nothing more I can do! I’m tired of waiting for you to make your choice. I’m giving up.” Before leaving the room, she added “I’m going back with volunteers tonight. Do what you want.”

The blonde slayer remained silent, watching her leave.

“I know what I want. I just wish I could show you.”

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Later that day, Hermione arrived at the Slayer Acedemy and headed for the conference room. Faith was there, talking with Kennedy, Xander and Dawn. And Willow. A knot formed in the young witch’s stomach and she mentally kicked herself.

‘Saving Seena, that’s what I’m here for!’ Hermione realized Willow was observing her, trying to make eye contact. The redhead looked annoyed. The room was soon filled with dozens of young teenage girls armed to the teeth.

“Okay girls, it’s a rescue-and-kill-them-all mission tonight. There’ll be losses on both sides. I’m asking for volunteers. Who’s with us?” Everyone raised their hands a,d Faith nodded with a smile. “Alright. The plan is simple then. We get in, kill them, save Seena and go back home...and get wasted. Sounds good?” A chorus of cheers answered her question. “Everybody in the trucks now!” The Slayers quickly headed for the garage, leaving Faith alone in the room.

“Nice speech...” She heard a familiar voice behind her. She turned around and Buffy was standing there, smiling at her, staked and sword ready for the battle. “ Can’t wait for the post-slaying H&H”

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more coming soon