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Willow brought Buffy downstairs to Mesmotto. He allowed Willow to watch
from a far, but commanded Anya to go back upstairs. Mesmotto was absolutely delighted. In a few moments Buffy would be his forever. He had been dreaming |
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of recapturing the Slayer for the last 200 years (of transported
Netherworld time) and now the moment was finally in his grasp. He walked across the room, turned back to his prey, and whispered, "Awaken". Buffy blinked twice as she came back to consciousness. Where was she? What happened? Her mind raced back to the last thing she remembered, reading about |
| Faith's crazy heist scheme in her bedroom. She looked around
the room she was in now. It was adorned with candles like a shrine, but
it was definitely familiar... it was her mother's basement! She was back
at the Summers house... that meant... Buffy looked up and her heart sank. There was Mesmotto standing in front of her. He must have somehow recaptured her and got her here. Buffy was |
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overcome with so many emotions. She knew she had to pick one,
so she went with angry. "How did you do this?", Buffy demanded. "You know how", Mesmotto said confidently. He was right. Buffy remembered how much she loved the sound of his voice. "I'm leaving", she said defiantly "No you are not. You're arms and legs want to stay right here where they are" |
| Even though she knew the outcome, Buffy tried to move her
arms and legs anyhow. No luck. "What do you want from me?", she asked. "Buffy, why do you insist on asking these questions as if you don't know the answers, or if you don't remember what we had together" "What we had together? You make it sound like we had a romance", Buffy replied, still trying to sound tough and unaffected. |
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"Didn't we?", Mesmotto asked, as if it was obvious. "What? No! Well.... it wasn't .... No. No we didn't. You put thoughts and images in my head. You made me feel things, want things. It was not romance.", Buffy stated. "Where the desire originated is of no concern, what matters is the desire remains... does it not?", he asked. "What desire?" "The desire to be mine, to serve me, to be my queen" |
| "Your queen?", Buffy asked quietly. That caught
her off guard. "Yes Buffy, my queen. The one who serves me above all others. Is that what you desire Buffy?" Buffy paused. "If it is, I'm sure it is only because of a post hypnotic suggestion" "Again, I ask you, does the origin matter? Are your feelings and passions, and lusting for me not as real as any you've felt?" |
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"They are", Buffy admitted almost silently. "Other than your immobility, you are currently not under my hypnotic influence. Do you realize that?", Mesmotto asked. "I guess so, it's hard to tell anymore", Buffy said. She had given up the angry act. "I can assure you that you have your own free will at this moment. In fact, that is the whole reason you are here now." |
| "I don't understand" "I'm sure you remember how you struggled to break free of my influence during our first 'romance'....", Mesmotto explained, "I would guess that you were not even sure that you wanted to break free, yet you fought vigorously. You fought not because you wanted to separate from me, you fought because there was something to fight against, and by nature you are a fighter Buffy", he said as he moved closer to her. |
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"What are you going to do to me?",
she asked helplessly. "The question is what am I going to do FOR you my love", Mesmotto smiled, "And the answer is... I am going to remove the obstacle that keeps us apart." "How" "I am going to give you the chance to choose the path of the rest of your life right now. I am not going to force you into anything Buffy. All that comes after this |
| moment will be of your own accord.", he told her as he
reached out his hand to her. "Buffy, I am giving you a choice. I am giving you the option to kiss my ring. If you do so, you will be telling me, and yourself, that you choose to become my queen, and that you choose to allow me to mold and shape your mind as I see fit" Buffy slowly took his hand in her own. "Now, if you choose to deny yourself the ecstasy of |
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my power, you can simply release my hand and tell me you do not want this. The choice is yours Buffy. You must decide now", Mesmotto utlimated. Buffy looked down at Mesmotto's ring. One part of her just wanted to let go of it. Let go and walk out on him, free to fight for the forces of good once again. That was a small part of her though. Most of her wanted so bad to just give in, to choose openly and decisively that |
| she was his. Buffy started to rationalize all the reasons
that giving herself to him forever was the right way to go. She knew she
was forsaking a destiny as a protector against evil, but she didn't care.
After all, it was her destiny to forsake. "I will be your queen Master", she said just as her lips reached his ring. Mesmotto sighed with relief and pleasure. His plan had worked perfectly. |
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Mesmotto took Buffy's mind right there and then. When he was
certain he had secured her will, he took her body. Everything was falling back into place for the Netherworlder. He had learned from his previous failures though, this time he would allow no loose ends. |