[buffywantswillow] FIC: K is for Kult ... K is for Karma (1/)

[Jessica Cioffi <cioffi@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Author: JDC
Disclaimer: Joss created the Scoobs, I just play with them. (I usually
play nice, too). Kali isn't mine either -- she's a misrepresented,
misunderstood Hindu deity. I hope she doesn' t mind my taking her name
out for a spin.
Spoilers: None -- of which I am aware.
Summary: A cult is formed and starts doing bad things in the name of
Kali -- and she doesn't like it. The Scoobs get involved early on and
get caught up in the mess ...
Rating: PG-13, for smootchies *mwah*
Notes: This is to get my creative juices flowing -- The Last Death has
been gathering cyber-dust while my hectic life has pushed all creative
works to the back burner. Hopefully this'll fuel me up again ... Also,
this is not really .... good. LOL. It's okay -- which I why I sent it,
but ... it's not structured very well. I just wanted to get the idea
out there so I could go back to my other story. (I hate pesty ideas
that won't leave you alone till you let them out).
Feedback: YES! How will I learn if you don't teach me?
Archives: I was at Nocturnal Lullaby -- which is down now. So, if you
want me, you got me. Just tell me where and when. (Ohhh, how many ways
that can be misconstrued ... don't tell the g/f!)

K is for Kult ... K is for Karma

"Elective number one ... " Buffy threw small peices of paper in the
air. Grabbing the first one that landed, she said, " ... and the winner
is ... comparative religions of the east!"

"Are you seriously going to choose your classes like that?" Willow's
eyes were wide with shock.

"You got a better way? " Buffy said, tossing her electives into the
air for a second choice. "Women's Studies." Buffy gathered the papers,
tossed them in the trash, and walked over to Willow. "All done."

"Are you interested in either of those classes?" Willow asked in a
tone that reminded Buffy of her mother.

"Of course. So, what electives are you taking?" Buffy leaned over
Willow's shoulder to steal a peek at her proposed schedule.

"I don't know. I have that humanities GE looming over my head."
Willow was thumbing through the undergraduate catalog.

"Religion is a humanity."

"It beats ... " Willow read from the class listings, "Sociology 214,
Canine and Man: Master and Friend. Comparative Religion it is ..."
____________________________________________________________________________________

"Welcome class, I am Dr. Jai" the small indian man shouted above the
clammering in the room. "If you are not in Religion 135, then you do not
belong here. This is Comparative Religions of the East. In this class,
we will take an intensive look at both Hindu and Buddhist deities, or
non-deities, and compare them with those you are more familiar with in
the western world."

"We will delve into mythology, break down the stereotypes that
hinder our understanding of other worlds and, hopefully, emerge better
people in the end."

"Will this be on the test?" a young man in a taxi-driver hat shouted
from the back.

"No sir. But, if you cannot remember that, you might want to leave
now. This class requires a desire to learn and understand that which is
foreign ... that which is misunderstood. For example, what do you know
of Hinduism?"

After no one offered a response, Dr. Jai raised his class roster.
"Will you force me to choose? We have not yet gotten to the chapter on
inaction being action ... if no one volunteers, I will volunteer you."

Buffy raised her hand, much to Willow's surprise. "Hindus believe in
a lot of gods."

"Thank you ... "

"Buffy ..." she watched his eyes scroll down the list of names "
... Summers."

"Good one Buffy," Willow whispered through a smile that showed Buffy
how impressed the red-head was.

"Ah, there you are. Don't worry, I'll get your names eventually."
Dr. Jai looked directly at Buffy and smiled. "Thank you Ms. Summers.
However, that is, mostly, incorrect. There are 3,333,000 deities in the
Hindu tradition, but only one true God-force. Hindus believe in one god,
but use the incarnations and images of others to help them understand
that one god." The small man grabbed a stack of papers from his lecturn
and walked to the first row. "Please pass this around."

"This, class, is your syllabus. Every week we will learn about a
one of the many deities in this tradition. We will not, however, learn
of each and every one. I have chosen those which are the backbone of
the tradition as well as my personal favorite, and the most
misunderstood goddess, Kali."

As he said the name KALI, he pointed to a poster hanging in the back
of the small classroom. The being on the poster was dark. Her hair was
matted and stuck out like the snakes in Medusa's hair. Her tongue was
sticking out of a large grin and she was dancing on the body of a fallen
man. Around her neck hung a garland of skulls. Her eyes were wild and
bright against the dark skin of her face.

"This is only a 50 minute class. We cannot go over everything I
would like to. So, please, if you have questions, ask them, for I may
not cover it in class. Tutoring is available upon request, but I doubt
anyone will need it. To pass this class, I only ask that you pay
attention and open your mind. "

With that, Dr. Jai ended the first class session early.
____________________________________________________________________________________

Back in the dorm room, Buffy was sprawled out across her bed.
Willow sat at her computer desk looking over the syllabi for her
classes.

"Cool stuff, this Hinduism ... " Buffy mumbled as she flipped
through the text book. "I'd love to keep reading this as intensely as I
was ... but it's sacred duty time."

Willow just smiled. She knew Buffy wasn't interested in how
Hinduism started or the Indus Valley traditions. She really took the
class because she heard that there was talk of demons in certain texts
... and the whole paper throwing thing, of course. Willow, on the other
hand, thought there might be a hint of magic in the history of
Hinduism. Neither girl knew how right she was.

"I'm coming. Hey, did you look over the syllabus?"

"I got to the first assignment and stopped. This way, if I don't
read something later, I can honestly say I didn't know it was due,"
Buffy said as she winked at her friend. "Why?"

"The midterm is a 10 page paper, presented to the class by a group
of 2 or more ... on anything we want. It has to be centered in Eastern
traditions, but other than that, it can be about anything."

"Well, we know who the group is, right partner?"

"Yeah, but we don't know the topic."

"It's a little early to worry about that. It's only the first
Monday of the semester."

Buffy grabbed her backpack. Without emptying it, she shoved a few
stakes into the bag and zipped it closed. She flung it over her
shoulder and placed her hand on the doorknob. "That poster was kinda ...
icky, doncha think?"

"That's like saying that Anya 'likes' sex -- majorly understating
the situation. That Kali is one creepy goddess. I think one would do
well to stay on her good side ... not that I am sure she has one, of
course."
____________________________________________________________________________________

Jharad walked with a purpose to his room. His door was slightly
open and he kicked it back far enough so he could enter, all the while
glaring at his roommate.

"Do you have to leave the door open?" His eyes hadn't left the
blonde boy sitting with his back to him.

"Huh? Oh, hey Jharad. What's up?" Whit, who was a sweet boy, but
not usually all there, asked.

"The door. You left it open again."

"Oh, hey man. I'm sorry. I was about to go back out but I got
caught up in my mail. Turns out my girlfriend is coming for that visit
after all." Whit gave a sheepish grin. "I might not be around during
that week. So you won't have to worry about the door."

"Just don't do it when you leave. If anything gets stolen, I'll
blame you." Jharad's dark eyes squinted with the threat.

"Chill. I'm outta here." Whit grabbed his backpack. "You need to
relax man. No one wants your crap anyway."

Jharad watched the boy leave their room. He bit his upper lip,
trying not to let his anger get the best of him. Standing in front of
the mirror, Jharad looked at himself. He was tall and had a nice
build. He wasn't bulky, but no one would mess with him either. He
looked like he could take care of himself. His jet black hair was
combed perfectly and held perfectly in place with a generous amount of
gel. His dark skin was perfect except a small crescent shaped scar that
cut into his upper lip.

He moved closer to the mirror and started to reach behind it.
Remembering Whit, he walked to the dorm door and made sure it was
completely closed. When the lock clicked, he knew it was safe to return
to his business. He tapped the back of the mirror until he felt a
bulge. Jharad grabbed the bulge and ripped it from its taped position
on the mirror backing.

The small, plastic bag was black. The contents unseen. Jharad
moved like a tiger, watching his prey, to his bed while holding the bag
as though it were the most precious object in existence. His eyes
closed and he smiled slightly.

"Kali-ma."
____________________________________________________________________________________



"Uh, Buffy?"

"Yeah Wills?" Buffy asked, turning to her friend who stopped
aburuptly.

"Feet. Feet don't belong next to bushes. Bushes don't have feet.
There's feet, Buffy. Feet can't be good." Willow rambled, "I don't like
seeing feet. Feet are really bad in instances like this. No one
realizes how much of a danger feet are. Feet are scary sometimes. I
mean, there's FEET Buffy!"

Buffy held her hand up to quiet her shaken friend and motioned for
her to stay where she was. The blonde moved toward the bush, stopping
only to make sure she could easily grab the stake she stashed in her
backpack. She didn't want to have any vampire surprises popping up ...

"Very unvampy, Wills. Look." Buffy turned to the red-head only to
see her shaking her head vigorously.

"I'll take your word for it."

The body moved a little, making a slight groaning sound. The young
man with blonde hair started to wake. His eyelids pressed together,
like someone with a hangover who was just waking, knowing a headache
would follow. His long arm raised his shaking hand to the back of his
head. With sudden remembrance, fear and shock hit him -- as well as a
large dose of pain.

His eyes popped open and he quickly reached out for Buffy. The
slayer took a few steps back and squinted at him. She automoatically
fell into her battle-stance.

"Too much party-party?" Willow asked.

The boy shook his head furiously. Tears were streaming down his
face as he whimpered. He pointed towards the campus. Seeing that the
girls didn't understand, he became more excited. Not knowing what else
to do, he opened his mouth and pointed inside.

"You ate the berries?" Willow asked, really reaching for something.

Getting up to stand on shaky legs, the boy reached for Buffy's
face. Not sure why, she let him. He opened her mouth and softly
touched her tongue. "Tongue" she said and then it dawned on her that he
hadn't uttered a single word.

Opening his mouth, Buffy realized why.

END PART 1 --


(if the server lets me send more than one message per day, i'll send the
rest today. i don't know how many parts it is because i haven't chopped
up the long bit of it and edited it yet).