Island of Time
by TC
Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own nothing...I wish I did though... wouldn't that be nice..
Spoilers: Nothing for now...
Author's Note: I am using the outline story of video game 'Prince of Persia: Sands of Time' and 'Prince of Persia: The Warrior Within' as a background of this series. I am not a gamer, I only read a summarized version of the two games, and got an inspiration to put our two heroines in the Island of Time. I'll be summarizing what I need from the both the games so that no one is lost. But, I'll be putting my own two cents for the rest so please don't try to correct me with game's actual facts, because I don't know it.
Feedback: Please...please....please.

"I have never been surer of anything in my life." Buffy whispered.

She immediately pulled out Buffy's top to spread her fingers directly on her smooth skin. Buffy sighed when she felt her bra leave her skin and fall on the floor. Her pants and every stitch of her clothing followed suit right after. The slayer closed her eyes, allowing her self to completely emerged in the sensation of the hand tracing up her leg. While caressing the blonde, she lowered her head and rubbed her tongue against each of the slayer's nipples, causing Buffy to groan. She then guided her to the floor so that the slayer was right underneath her.

At that moment Buffy wished for a wall so that she could raise her legs and rest them and she got it. A moment later, her legs were spread apart resting against a wall that had suddenly appeared, while her lover's tongue moved against her thigh. She drew the slayer against her mouth. The blonde beauty was wet and aching with desire. She teased her with spine-tingling sensual licks in her most sensitive spot until she cried out. Then she stopped for a moment so that Buffy would open her eyes. And Buffy did.

Buffy opened her eyes and looked right at her dark ones. She then protruded her tongue out and lowered into her heat. She let her tongue completely pierce inside of the blonde and moved it up and down inside of her, and moving her face to and fro in a synchronized rhythm of Buffy's body's desire. Buffy once again shut her eyes completely and rode the tongue that filled her with ecstasy to such an extent that her body arched in pain of want to explode and let go. Her nails dug into her palm as she readied to release. Then there was big bang and everything came to a sudden halt.

Buffy immediately opened her eyes and stood up. But before she realized who or what was happening, an arrow came flaring by her eyes and towards her lover. She grabbed it, and threw it right back at the attacker, who got hit on her arm and fell to the ground.

"Go…" Buffy said to her lover. "Now."

The woman spread her arms spun around disappearing into thin air. Buffy grabbed her clothes and held it so that most of her private areas were covered as she walked to the intruder who was still lying on the floor.

"Lights." Buffy commanded and the room lit up. "Faith." Buffy exclaimed in shock.

"The arrow was poisoned." Faith managed to say before she lost her conscious.

*****

After the hell mouth was closed every potential slayer lost their powers; leaving once again only the Chosen Two as the slayers. And with the collapse of Sunnydale Slayer line's destiny was fulfilled and they were not bound by the obligation to fight the evil. They were free to do as they wished.

But what would the two women who were snatched out of their any kind of normal life to be a slayer do when there was no slaying left to do. Unlike Willow who was a computer wiz and Xander who realized he was born to be a carpenter just like Jesus, there was not much skill either Buffy or Faith could fall back on. So they did what they did best. They enlisted themselves for the freelance help in the world of supernatural. And to their super surprise everyone needed help.

For every source of evil on earth, there was a good force designated for its elimination. But now that, there were two slayers extra on the side of the good, everyone wanted a little help from them. Resulting in Buffy and Faith working around the clock and around the world but never together. One slayer was always enough for any call for help they received so rendering them forever apart. That was until the night Giles had come knocking on their door. He needed both of them.

But as fate had it once again even though they were on the same mission, they somehow parted to opposite direction. And once again Buffy's hand had delivered the arrow that might take Faith's life.

*****

"FAITH." Buffy screamed trying to wake the fallen slayer, but it was in vain.

The arrow was poisoned and if Faith had poisoned it, then it meant that no force in that plane could bring Faith back. Hence Buffy had to leave. Her heart didn't want to leave but she had to save Faith.

She hurriedly put on her clothes, and looked around her for the last time as she closed her eyes. Tears rolled out when she opened them. Just as she had wished the plane shifted and they were back in the island, the Island of Time as it was called.

"Prince!" Buffy called out kneeling in front of the Faith's still body. She hoped she wasn't too late as she looked around for any sign of movement around them.

"What has ensued?" The Prince asked from behind as he approached the two women.

"She is hit. By the arrow." Buffy explained.

"By her own arrow?" The Prince questioned recognizing the arrow.

He kneeled down and poured a potion on Faith's arms, and removed the arrow.

"I was in the … Faith barged in and it was dark." Buffy tried to explain even though the Prince had not asked any question.

The Prince didn't need any explanation. "You have been seduced." He had already figured out what had transpired. "She cannot be your mate. She needs to be eliminated."

"Please we can't kill her." Buffy begged.

"Golden slayer, do not overlook the fact that she is after me." The Prince reminded jerking Buffy hoping that some sense would set into her. "My debt to Dahaka is irreversible, but what had transpired every since is preventable if the release of the Sands is prevented."

"No, find another way." Buffy demanded as she yanked her self away from the Prince and walked away from the still unconscious Faith. "You cannot stop the release of Sands. Then I would never meet her. I love her Prince and I don't care about your debt. I don't have to loose love for your cause. I did that too many times for my own destiny. Which I already fulfilled, remember."

"B … NO." Faith who had only come to, screamed knowing what Buffy was about to do.

"I love her." Buffy declared before she spread her arms and spun, disappearing into the thin air.

"I love you." Faith made her own declaration as she ran to the very space that was now empty.

*****

<< Three months prior in Buffy's apartment >>

"The Prince cheated death and tampered with time itself." Giles explained looking at both the slayers. "You see Vizier had ordered the Prince to return the dragger, but he refused. And its direct consequence was the release of the sands from the hourglass because of which he was able to resist the claws of death. Death then incarnated in the form of Dahaka and has been chasing him for centuries."

"So, Dahaka or death needs help getting this Prince." Faith said casually jumping to conclusion. She had heard too many once upon a time stories to not get bored with Giles'.

"No." That was exactly opposite of why Giles had sought the help of his former charges. "Prince is not evil. Yes, he tampered with the balance of life and death but he is no more evil than Willow and Tara were when they brought back Buffy."

"So, what is the deal here?" Buffy asked equally saturated with once upon a time stories.

"In this century the Prince reached Babylon, where he came upon a wise old man who could see future. Even though Prince's future is sealed. He has to die, that is his debt to Dahaka. But he could prevent that debt from ever forming, if he can go back in time and stop the release of the Sands. The only one who can do so is the Empress of the Island of Time." Giles finished.

"So… we go and kidnap the Empress for our Prince charming." Faith asked still confused as in what they were supposed to do.

"The Prince is very powerful Faith. He has spent centuries wandering the Middle East taking parts in wars with enemies of his kingdom and learning fighting techniques under the tutelage of ancient masters from many countries. The Prince is also an excellent swordsman and efficient killer. But that doesn't mean he can take on the army of the Empress by himself."

"You kidding me. You want us to help the Prince." Buffy wasn't really sure she liked the idea of helping a man who cheated death.

"You have to help him, to reverse the presence of Dahaka. He has eliminated mass pollutions in search of the Prince. That is the only way to get rid of Dahaka. Prince has to confront the Empress and prevent the release of Sands." Giles insisted.

"Okay… whatever you say." Faith said getting up. She would rather be kicking butts than listen to reasons why.

"Okay so which country's Prince is this guy of?" Buffy echoed Faith's impatience.

"Persia. But not in this plane." Giles' words once again got full attention from the two slayers. "He is the Prince of Persia but his world is in different plane. A plane shifter contacted us to seek our help."

"We have done this whole different dimension thing before, right?" Buffy asked a little skeptic about where they were being sent.

"Not really B. I have never gone anywhere but this dimension and I have kicked butt from down under to here." Faith shared Buffy concern but not her experience.

"I have but only couple of times. But… wait I think that was traveling through time… not really a different plane by itself."

"You don't have to be scared; it is a different plane but the same world. You both will still have your powers and your strength, which you will never loose. But in that plane magic is a norm so you can easily buy, exchange, steal or even find numerous powers. That is not as important as to understand the Island by itself."

"What's the catch about the island?" Faith asked.

"The reason it is called the Island of Time is because there time has no value. You can easily jump from one time to another, from your past to present to future in a matter of seconds. The key is to learn to use the time, so that you can gain power of your present, but be careful you change too much, everything you did can be reversed. Different plane granted. Your past is here, in this plane, you don't want to reverse what you did here." Giles warned.

He took a moment to let the gravity sink into the two women before he continued.

"Also remember the fact that when we jump you to that plane, it is irreversible. The only way out of their plane is to have the Prince confront the Empress so that the Prince can go back to his past and prevent the release of the Sands. By doing that Dahaka will never incarnate, hence eliminating the need for your help, and you both will be back. Like you never even went there."

"I got it, save a whole world in a complete different dimension and then no one will even know that we did that." Faith commented at the irony of their objective of their mission.

"So, what else is new?" Buffy couldn't help but agree.

"Except this time when you come back even you two won't remember." Giles told them what was new.

The two remained quiet. That fact did not affect them. It was nothing of significance to them.

"So, the Prince is already in the Island of Time, we will directly send you two there." Giles said continuing. "Before that you might want to look at different weapons and powers you might be faced against there."

Giles opened up the book that had been lying in front of them from the moment Giles had walked in. He opened the book to the first page. It was a picture of a medallion.

"This medallion belongs to the Prince. He wears this all the time. It has the power to command brief increments of time. It can rewind and fast forward about couple of minute's worth of time. With years of practice, Prince has been known to use it in more versatile ways, but in case he lends it to you, that is all you'll be able to do."

He then flipped through other pages explaining in detail about weapons and potions that worked in that plane. In the second last page there was a picture of a short dark haired woman dressed in barely clad dark black armor.

"This is Shahdee, Empress' right hand. She leads the Island's army of sand creatures with cutting precision of a veteran commander and mercilessly whips the Empress' servants into shape. She possess, as much if not more powers than the Empress herself. And she has been known to defy the Empress at times, but don't be fooled by that. She is the commander of the army that is solely for the protection of time. More than the Empress herself, she is the one who will stop the Prince. She will kill the Prince or the Empress if she has to, just to prevent anyone from reversing the time."

Faith and Buffy both stared at the picture.

"Now Faith, I have to tell you one more thing about her. She is also known as a clever seductress. Don't give in to her charms." Giles warned.

"Why are you warning me?" Faith asked a little insulted.

"Because Willow told me that you… what was the word she used… oh yes, you swing both ways." Giles recalled.

"That's shit… Don't worry about me."

What the two failed to notice was Buffy who was still transfixed to the image.

"Buffy…" Giles said just in time or else Buffy would have drooled.

"Yeah…!" She said jerking back.

"I said that make sure you keep the Prince alive. He is not evil. He alone has protected his land and people for centuries. He has to stay alive."

*****

<<< Present Time --In the Island of Time >>>

"Shahdee…" Buffy was screaming as she ran through the long hallway of the palace.

She reached the end of it and threw the door open. Shahdee was there. She was dressing herself in the black armor that left most of her skin uncovered but it also allowed her to make the most use of her limbs for a fight.

"Where are you going?" Buffy asked watching her take out her sword and slide it on her side.

"It is time to end the existence of the Prince." Shahdee replied.

"Wait." Buffy said grabbing her hands. She pulled the Empress' commander to her self and stole a short but deep kiss. "I'll come with you."

"You'll help me eliminate the Prince. I was of the impression that you were here to save him." Shahdee said as though the kiss did not convince her otherwise.

"That was before I fell in love with you. I love you and I am on your side. The Prince needs to die." Buffy replied with no remorse as she handed Shahdee her sword and looked for one for her self.

*****

"Do not waste your tears. She is lost." Prince said keeping a keen eye on the sky that was turning darker. "Shahdee is the greatest seductress in any time or beyond. The golden one is now a prisoner of her charms."

"No…I can't let that be." Faith said with determination.

"Because you love her." The Prince stated Faith's reason.

In a moment of weakness Faith's true feelings had escaped. But that didn't mean that she was going to admit it aloud. So she remained silent.

"You are not proud of your love?" The Prince asked surprised that Faith's didn't concur with his reasoning.

"She doesn't love me," Faith answered truthfully.

"True love is the greatest strength of all." Prince's eyes were transfixed to the sky. He knew that something significant brewing. "Is your love true?" He asked.

"Yes."

He looked down from the sky and walked up to Faith who was staring at another part of the sky from a little further.

"Why do I get a feeling that something bad is going to happen?" Faith asked as she lowered her eyes.

The Prince threw a stone that was said to give them a glimpse of their enemy's plans. The stone stopped in the mid air and burst into pieces revealing a see through screen with a five second live feed of the Empress's palace. Both Prince and Faith watched Shahdee and Buffy identically dressed and armed addressing a vast army of sand creatures.

"She is going to attack us." Faith said as soon as the magical screen disappeared. "B is going to attack us." She repeated in panic. She did not want to fight Buffy. "Prince, I can't fight B. I won't fight B." Faith stood her ground like a stubborn kid.

"That is your discretion. This is my battle and I do not require aid." The Prince looked around carefully as he contemplated his battle plan. "True love can be your weapon." He said taking out his medallion. Though the Prince might be proud but he wasn't too prude not to acknowledge that the slayers had been of great help to him for the last six months, so he couldn't leave Faith at her fate. "Take this medallion. In the time fluxes that exist through out the Island, you can use the power of the medallion to travel to your past. Dahaka's debt prevents me to do so. But you can use it. When you are in your past, if your true love triumphs, she won't be lost here." He handed his medallion to the shocked slayer. "Be warned of the consequences of changing the past. It will have irreversible repercussions. Be faithful only to the goal at your heart. And also do not misconceive my action. For our present now she is lost. If I meet your mate in battle, I will eliminate her."

Prince got up and left Faith with the medallion. Faith wasn't sure if that was a boon or a bane, but she knew one thing for sure. It was chance for her to win Buffy and she was going to use it.

...to be continued...