REPOST; Let The Games Begin (1/3)

["JDMeans" <Jim_D_Means@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Disclaimers;
Buffy and crew belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy, and trust me, Joss, Buffy's much happier here than she would have been with ol' Beefstick Finn.No money is changing hands here. If you take pleasure in my efforts, that's my reward.

Author's Notes;
Props to me mate Tony McD for creating the marvelous Terra Australis Incognito, from whence this little effort of mine springs. And thanks for the information and input, Tony. You're a top bloke.

Cathy Freeman, who puts in an appearance in the following, is a real personand one worthy of praise. The first aboriginal Australian to win Olympic Gold in an individual event, she has become a celebrity in her homeland and deservedly so. To her, 
I dedicate my story.

Archives; You got Terra? Go for it.

Feedback; Yes please. Jim_D_Means@xxxxxxxxxxx

Rating; PG-13

Summary;
Buffy and her extended family are in Sydney for the 2000 Summer Olympics. But so is a rather nasty vampire, who is wreaking havoc in the Olympic village.


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Terra Australis Incognito:
Let The Games Begin
Written By Kirayoshi
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Chapter 1
The Land Down Under

"Broke bread with a man in Brussels
Who was six foot four and full of muscle.
I said, do you speak my language,
And he just smiled and gave me a vegamite sandwich.

He said, I come from the land down under,
Where women glow and men plunder.
Can't you hear, can't you hear that thunder?
You'd better run, you'd better take cover."

--Men At Work
"Land Down Under"

"This is your captain speaking," a friendly voice with just a trace of Australian inflection announced over the intercom. Buffy, Giles and Joyce piqued their ears at the announcement. "We're making our final descent into Sydney International Airport. At this time we ask that you put up your tray tables and return your seats to their upright position. We thank you for flying United Airlines Flight 922, and welcome you to Sydney, Australia, home ofthe 2000 Olympic Games."
Buffy didn't need an empathic link to sense the excitement in her flying companions. The minute that she presented her mom and Giles with the airline tickets(first class all the way!) to Australia and the passes to the SydneyOlympics, it was practically all that Joyce could talk about. Joyce wasn'tsure that she'd be able to take the time away from her job at the Sunnydale Museum of Antiquities, but her boss was surprisingly amenible to her vacation. It didn't hurt that Buffy dropped a large hint that Albert, their associate in Australia, wanted to speak to Joyce Summers about bringing samples of aboriginal artifacts to American museums. With visions of Joyce landing a lucrative account for the museum dancing in his head, Joyce's boss was more than glad to let her attend the games. And Giles was equally excited about the games, even if he maintained his stoic reserve at all times. Don'tever change, Giles, Buffy thought, smiling to herself.

Buffy herself was thrilled, not only to see the events herself, but to be reunited with her 'soul family'. That's how she learned to think of Willow Rosenberg and Xander Harris. She had always been attracted to Willow, although it had taken several years for those feelings to blossom into love between them. She also considered Xander to be one of her closest friends. But then David McWray led them in a dreamtime ritual to prepare them for the WarOf The Six, the final battle with the demon Murg Dor. The dreamtime experience revealed that the three of them, Buffy, Willow and Xander, were bondedas soulmates. The ritual furthered that bond by creating a strong empathiclink that bordered on telepathy betweent the three of them, as well as spiritually implanting Willow with Buffy's and Xander's genetic material. Willow was now pregnant, and the child would have three parents. Three parents who loved each other, and their child, deeply.

As her happiness at the thought of seeing Willow and Xander increased, she could feel that same happiness eminating from her two soulmates. Willow, Xander and Albert had arrived at Sydney International Airport, and were now waiting at Gate 17 for Buffy's flight. Knowing that they wouldn't have long to wait now, their restless moods had given way to pleasant anticipation, which Buffy also felt and shared with them.

Within the half-hour, the plane had hit the runway, slowed to a coasting speed, and taxied to the loading bay. Soon Buffy, Joyce and Giles were out ofthe gate, and in the concourse.

Almost as soon as Buffy had cleared the gate, she was swept up in an enourmous group hug by her two loves, and she relished the physical contact with them, hugging and kissing them both madly. Finally, she signaled that they should let go, saying, "Uh, guys, oxygen becoming an issue."

Willow and Xander let go of Buffy, who glanced over her shoulder, and saw the bemused but accepting expression on her mother's face. Buffy had not been wholly successful in explaining her new relationship with Willow and Xander to her mother over the week, but Joyce had accepted that her daughter had found happiness, which is all that mattered to her. Seeing her now with her two closest friends, Joyce knew that her daugther was doing what was best for herself and the others. The three of them were blessed to have found each other, and both Joyce and Giles could see that plain as day.

Willow went over to hug Giles, who, despite his reserved British exterior, returned the hug warmly, accepting a handshake from Albert at the same time. "Hey, Mrs Summers," Xander greeted Joyce. "Need some help with your bags?" Without further preamble, he took her rolling case from her, as well as Buffy's carry-on bag, and he and Willow escorted the others to the baggage carousel.

"Welcome, pals and gals," Xander announced as they gathered their bags, "tothe biggest party of 2000!" Xander wasn't understating the event. The Summer Olympics of 2000 had created a celebratory atmosphere throughout Australia, and Sydney, where the games were held, had become the epicenter of celebration. Every restaurant, every club, every bar and hotel were expected tobe booked solid for the games.

Fortunately, Albert had prepared for that eventuality when he made arrangements for Buffy and her extended family to see the games. Two well-appointedsuites at a nearby hotel had been reserved and paid for the duration of the games, one for Joyce and Giles and one for Buffy, Willow and Xander. Eachsuite had two small bedrooms and a sitting room, both stocked with complimentary wet bars. Of course, since Willow was pregnant, the suite she was sharing with Buffy and Xander would be serving non-alcoholic drinks only. 

As they walked out of the airport into the bright sunlit walkway, Xander turned to Buffy and announced, "We got a surprise, Buff. A little gift from the Slayer's Council." Willow grinned knowingly, as Buffy looked cautiously at Xander. "Just wait here, I'll bring the van along." He left the others and headed for the parking lot. A few minutes later, a red Subaru Outback pulled up in front of the curb, Xander at the wheel. Exiting the vehicle, Xander announced, "A gift from HMAS Creswell. Toss the bags in the back, gang."

"Is this ours?" Buffy asked, admiring the minivan.

"All paid for," Xander announced happily. "And check this out!" He pointed to the airbrushed writing on the passenger side door; "The Mystery Machine". Buffy smiled broadly at the sight. Perfect, she thought. She was going tohave to take driving lessons now anyway. Albert looked puzzled at the words, and Willow promised that she'd explain the significance of the phrase later.

"Okay, gang," Xander announced as they loaded the Outback and he pulled away from the curb. "Welcome to Sydney!"

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Four hours later, Buffy was standing in the main hallway of Captain's Cottage at HMAS Creswell. She glanced at the high beamed ceilings, and gaped. "Oh my," she breathed as she took her first look at her new home.

Two days after Buffy had returned to Sunnydale, Willow had called her. The Australian Anti-Vampire squad, which Buffy, Willow and Xander were taking over after David McWray's death, had offered them use of Captain's Cottage, the commanding officer's residence on the base. Buffy wasn't exactly overjoyed, having had negative experiences with military personnel in the past(Riley Finn, the Initiative). Willow had exacted a promise from Buffy to consider living at Captain's Cottage. She also e-mailed Buffy at her mother's place, uploading exterior and interior shots of the famous residence. Buffy warmed to the images, especially when Willow commented on the size of their bedroom, and the possibilities therein.

Now, having seen the beautiful exterior of Captain's Cottage, surrounded bythe incredible beauty of Creswell around them(not to mention coming face to face with a heard of kangaroos that hopped alongside their vehicle at onepoint), Buffy was blown away. "My God," she breathed as the Mystery Machine pulled up to the front door. "Stevenson Hall wasn't this big!"

Once they had arrived and brought their luggage in, Xander and Willow offered Buffy, Giles and Joyce the fifty-cent tour. The ground floor was the formal dining and reception area, designed for the captain to entertain visiting VIPs. Buffy gawked at the red cedar interior of the dining room, and theenormous windows that displayed the College, with the Captain's Beach and Jervis Bay beyond. 

She felt more comfortable in the second and third floors, which were essentially the residential area. The second floor contained a spacious lounge, study, family dining room and entertainment rooms, while the third floor held the master bedroom, six bedrooms and three shared baths. Buffy noticed that Willow and Xander had already started to make themselves at home in their rooms; the study contained Willow's computer, while the master bedroom had her wiccan supplies, as well as Buffy's footlocker, where she kept her vampire slaying paraphenalia. Xander, of course, had unpacked his lava-lamp and collection of Babylon 5 collectable plates.

At the conclusion of the tour, Xander annouced, "If anyone wants a bath after your flight, help yourselves."

"Best offer I had all day," Joyce beamed at the offer. Giles wholeheartedlyagreed, while Buffy started to stretch her neck and back muscles. "Good call, Xander," she agreed. "I could do with a little loosening up. Even firstclass seats get tiring after twenty-two hours."

"How about we meet at the residential dining room in two hours," Albert suggested. "I'll have some dinner ready by then."

"Sounds good," Willow answered, "as long as Xander doesn't cook."

"I resemble that remark," Xander kidded the redhead. "I'm not that bad, am I?"

"Xander," Willow looked straight into Xander's eyes, her dreaded 'resolve face' in place, "You are a wonderful man, with many excellent qualities. Butculinary skill ain't one of them." She smiled at her soulmate and continued; "Trust me, Xander, there's no such thing as blackened lasagna." Buffy had to smile as she heard that.

"Okay, so I ain't Martha Stewart!" Xander protested. "Whom, I have it on good authority, after taping her show likes to sit down with a Hostess Ding Dong. I'm not kidding." Glancing at Buffy, he added, "At least I can remember to put sugar in my lemonade."

"Okay, it's settled," Buffy announced suddenly, breaking up the friendly feud and not wishing to relive the Lemonade Incident. "We bathe, rest up, andmeet for dinner at sixish." Giles and Joyce nodded, and left for their rooms. Buffy headed for the master bedroom, and located the ensuite bath. An enourmous sunken tub dominated the bathroom. Big enough for at least two, Buffy figured at first. She grinned at the thought. More likely three could fit in there easily if they got close. She turned on the water, allowing thetub to fill while she peeled her clothes off. Sitting for so long in the airline seat caused her shirt to stick to her back a little, and she was grateful for the opportunity to soak, and then put on some clean clothes.

Once the tub had filled, Buffy tested the water briefly with her toe. She lowered herself gently, allowing first her legs, then her torso, then finally her chest, back and shoulders to acclimate to the hot water. As she beganto relax herself, she could sense the presence of her two soulmates. "C'mon in, guys," she called out. Xander and Willow walked into the bathroom, admiring Buffy's bathing form. Buffy delighted in noticing that their gazes were filled with respect, love, and no small amount of sexual desire, but(especially in Xander's case, which surprised her no end) no adolescent ogling.

"I missed you guys, you know," Buffy said to her two soulmates. Willow smiled warmly, as Xander answered; "Yeah, Buffster. We missed you too."

"So, this is the new digs?" Buffy relaxed further in the tub. "I could so get used to it. Of course, how do we explain our living arrangement to the rest of the unit?"

"We be honest with them," Willow said simply. "They'll respect us more thatway."

"Or if that doesn't work," Xander chimed in, "I'll tell them I'm gay."

Willow dimpled at Xander's joke. "Just like 'Three's Company'!" This brought a groan from Buffy. "Please, Wills, don't bring that up! Sorry, but the male lead from that show always reminded me to much of Ted!"

"Sorry, Buffy," Xander and Willow snickered, "Couldn't resist."

"Oh yeah?" Buffy started. Willow suddenly caught a mischevious gleam in Buffy's eye, but it was too late for either of them. Buffy calmly said, "Neither can I." Then she cut through the water in front of her with a swift and powerful stroke of her hand. The resulting wave drenched her two soulmates thoroughly.

Before they could react to Buffy's waterfighting tactics, Buffy stood up inthe tub, revealing her nude body in all its splendor, the water glisteningon her breasts in an enticing manner. She took an astondished Willow in her left arm and kissed her completely, then wrapped her free arm around Xander's neck, bringing him into the group hug. "What say you guys slip out of those wet clothes and join me in the tub?" she purred into their ears.

Buffy, Willow and Xander just barely made the dinner call two hours later.

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"The Slayer's Council has been shaping up nicely," Giles stated over dinner, as the others tucked into generous plates of stir-fried shrimp and vegetables over rice. "They're looking into leasing some downtown property for their headquarters, and we've already begun the process of importing some of our codices and other texts to a makeshift library facility. Sam Zabuto's given me the names of some other Watchers who may be persuaded to leave the Watchers Council to join the Slayer's Council. And Buffy's input has been invaluable."

"Thanks, Giles," Buffy dimpled at the compliment. "One of the first things they did, guys, is abolish the Cruciamentum." This news was met with murmurs of approval all around; Buffy and her family remembered all too well how the Watchers Council had forced Buffy to undergo this barbaric 'rite of passage' on her eighteenth birthday. Giles had been ordered to inject Buffy with a muscle relaxant, weakening her to human-levels, while his superior Quentin Travers prepared to lock her in a room with an especially nasty vampire named Kralik. The test had gone wrong, and Kralik's rampage threatened Joyce, but Buffy prevailed, and Giles didn't protest his being fired from theCouncil. Indeed, his later research indicated that the Cruciamentum was designed not to test and strengthen Slayers, but to insure that they didn't survive long enough to reach their full potential. To Giles, who believed that the Slayers were the last line between humanity and Hell, such indifference to the Slayers well-being was abhorant, and something that the new Slayer's Council would not tolerate.

"And with the international backing the Slayer's Council is receiving," Giles added, "any action against us from the Watchers Council will be dealt with severely. I've even contacted Wesley Wyndam-Price in Los Angeles. He said he may be interested in joining us, but still wants to keep his ties withAngel Investigations."

"Please, Rupert," Joyce interrupted. "No talking shop at the dinner table. Willow, Xander, how have you been doing in Australia?"

"Pretty good, Mrs. Summers," Willow answered. "Getting settled here, and getting psyched for the games."

"Oh, and yesterday," Xander grinned as he spoke, and Buffy could feel Willow's chagrin; the redhead knew what was coming next, "Willow tried vegamite for the first time."

"Vega-what?" Joyce asked. Buffy tried valiantly(and failed miserably) to hide a smirk, as the red in Willow's face began to rival her hair.


"Vegamite," Albert explained, "is a paste made from vegetable yeast extractthat we Australians like on toast or bread. A bit of an acquired taste, very high in your B vitamins."

"Not to mention high in salt," Willow winced at the memory of the taste; very bitter and salty.

"Didn't exactly go with her morning sickness," Xander added. "She spent twenty minutes hugging the porcelain wishing well." Willow pretended to swat him, chuckling.

"Yes, well we natives do know to spread it thinly, Willow," Albert answered, "not the way you Yanks spread peanut butter. Actually, many pregnant women here tend to develop a craving for the stuff."

"Well," Willow answered, smilingly, "I'll stick to kosher pickles and rockyroad ice cream." The others laughed happily at her comment. Even in a world of vampires, monsters and demons, the fact that they were able to bond together in this way, as a true family, was immensely gratifying.

"Actually," Albert said with a sly pride, "she has taken to Australia far better than she lets on." Willow's face began to flush red as Albert continued to heap praise upon her. "She has taken to her lessons very well."

"Lessons, Willow?" Joyce asked.

"She has been studying the ways of aboriginal magic," Albert explained. "With her natural talent for magic, and her previous experience in entering the Dreamtime before, coupled with her innate goodness, she has proven herself quite adept."

"Hey," Xander leaned over to kiss Willow on the cheek, "that's my girl. Well, one of two." he added, smiling at Buffy.

"And tomorrow, before we head for Sydney for the games," Albert said to Joyce, "I would like to discuss some business with you."

"The aboriginal art exhibits," Joyce answered. "Yes, I look forward to it."

The six of them chatted merrily over dinner, and Xander couldn't help but notice a look that flashed between Joyce and Giles. Willow felt Xander's emotions brush lightly against her own, and smiled back at her lifelong friend. Buffy also felt the silent exchange, but was unsure what was going on between them. Willow simply gave Buffy a smile that said, "We'll explain later."

In his last message to Xander, David McWray had asked him to look after hisfather, Rupert Giles. He also broadly suggested that Giles displayed an attraction to Joyce Summers. While Buffy was gone for the last week, Xander and Willow spoke about David's observations, and decided that once Giles andJoyce were in Australia with them, a little judicious matchmaking was in order. All they had to do was let Buffy in on the scam.

All in all, they decided, it was going to be an interesting couple of weeks.