Ethan Rayne was not a happy person at the moment. Oh, sure business was going great, but then it would have to be after he had made certain that his would be the only operating costume shop this year, but he wasn't putting up with a bunch of brats to make money. No what was making Ethan miserable was the fact that it was the day before Halloween and he hadn't found someone for his special costume, and with out someone wearing it tonight his greatest plans would come to naught.
He briefly considered simply forcing it onto the next person that walked through the door, but quickly dismissed it. If the wrong person wore that costume they wouldn't be able to keep the memories, memories that needed to be preserved. He gave a slightly mournful sigh before heading towards the area where he last saw the Slayer. Perhaps getting her to where a vampire costume would cheer him up, the chaos that would come from having the Slayer essence and a vampire's demon inhabiting the same body would be delightful.
As Ethan approached he saw the Slayer fawning over the Lady dress. While not his first choice having the Slayer helpless for the night was better than nothing at all. As he was about to make his sails pitch Ethan stopped when he heard the young man speak.
"I don't know Buff, I prefer my women in tights."
At this the young red head rolled her eyes, with the knowledge of someone who has heard the coming argument before and has grown weary of it. "Come on Xander this isn't the time to go into one of your 'Super heroes really existed in world war two.'"
"Willow, I'm shocked we still have to go through this. Didn't your grandma tell us about how she was rescued by The Specter from the Nazi death camp? And why would they have written all those articles and built that statue in Metropolis if Superman wasn't real."
"The Specter was probably just some kind of ghost, if he really existed. Really Xander you can't believe in Superman. Those articles clamed that he was from another planet and everyone knows there aren't really aliens."
At this the dark haired youth, Xander simply raised an eyebrow. "Would this be the same everyone that knows that vampires don't exist?"
Ethan was delighted, a quick scan of this Xanders aura reveled that he had all the qualities for the special costume. He decided to make his entrance when he heard the Slayer complain that it would be too expensive for her.
"Excuse me I couldn't help overhearing your conversation and I believe I can help you both out. My name is Ethan and this is my store, I would be willing to rent that costume to you at a remarkably cheaper price if you tell everyone where you got it from. After all a costume shop depends on word of mouth as much as other advertising. Do we have a deal?"
The Slayer, Buffy if he remembered correctly looked taken aback for a moment before agreeing and taking the costume to the cashier. Turning slightly Ethan couldn't help a slight smile when he began to talk to the young boy.
"Now as to you young man I believe I have the perfect costume for you if you would just follow me for a moment." Ethan gave a full grin as he heard Xander fallow him. He didn't think something like this would happen when his father died and pass on his prized possession on to him. Ethan was ecstatic to have it, but to put it to good use seemed impractical until he came across the spell he would use to night. His grin lessened when with the knowledge that he wouldn't be receiving the memories but reminded himself once again what kind of person he was and what kind of person the item in question had belonged to, they were simply incompatible. Though who knows perhaps this young man will write a book when he gets older and tell the world of the memories he will receive this night.
As they entered the back room Ethan began to speak once again. "This is a very special costume for me I pulled out all the stops creating it. I biased the design on my fathers' old scrap book collection; he was just as much a fan as you seem to be. Ever since I opened my shop I've been looking for just the right person to bring him to life, to make him live again, even if it's only for one night. You dear child are that person, and you came just in time too. I will take what ever you were going to spend in my store to put in my books but what I truly want for payment is for you to carry yourself in such a way that you will create the same aw that he did."
Ethan looked on as Xander took in the costume, reverently touching it as if it was the real thing. Ethan smiled when he took an extra long time on the cape, cape was the key, and the cape was once worn by the very being he would dress as. As Xander traced the S on the chest Ethan whispered one last thing to make sure the young man was hooked.
"Tonight I want you to make Superman fly once again."
Willow was nervous, how she let Buffy talk her into doing this she will never know. All she could think about while Buffy was applying the dark make up to her eyes was that this wasn't her. Willows weren't meant to were tight wispy clothes, not even on Halloween. Ghosts were supposed to be cute, like Casper, not sexy.
"Now for the last part. I can't believe that the store keeper had this necklace to go with the costume. It looks Irish or something, and the best part is you can were it after Halloween."
Fortunately Willow was saved by a knock at the door that Buffy went to answer. Oh, that's Xanders voice! One quick look at his costume before he saw hers wouldn't hurt.
Tights! He's wearing tights that show off yummy Xander muscles! Can't let him see this costume, sexy on a Willow leads to laughter. Don't ever want Xander laughter especially not when he is wearing tights! Thank goodness for a nice old fashioned ghost costume, nope nothing to laugh at there. One moment and all sexiness are gone, plus this costume easily hides tights induced blush.
Buffy is drooling over Xander! Stop that, this is to be a Buffy drool free area. Willow drool expectable because of ghost costume, but NOT Buffy drool! Must use intelligence to make Buffy drool stop. Ooh, brilliant plan, here it goes.
"Um, boo."
"Um, boo."
"That's a great 'boo' you got there Will." Inwardly Xander released a large sigh. It had looked like he might have had a shot with Buffy there for a while before Willow broke the spell. Oh well no use mourning when there was candy to be had, mourning would come after the candy.
Holding out a hand to each friend Xander said in his best hero voice, "My Lady, my Ghost. Let us commence in the grabbing of sweets and warping of impressionable minds." This got the desired response of giggles from both women and close contact with Buffy as she hooked her arm around his.
As they were walking to the school Xander couldn't help but enjoy the costume, especially the cape. He had been slightly worried that the cape wouldn't look right and subtract from the coolness of the costume. Instead in lightly moved with the cool night breeze giving the impression that he could fly at any moment. What was more, the cape felt right, almost as if it was a part of himself that he didn't know was missing until he put it on.
He smiled at some of the looks he got on the way to school. People who had ignored him or put him down his entire life were looking at him with new eyes. The girls were looking at his body honed from fighting vampires and running from bullies. The men took stock at the pride he had in his steps, giving the illusion that he really was invulnerable to harm. The most surprising reaction he got though was from Mr. Bitterman. The most unfeeling old grouch in Sunnydale had a small tear in his eye when he saw Xander.
Soon enough it was time to split up and find their groups. Be fore he did that Xander decided to look around at the other costume. Jonathan was wearing an old wooden mask and a suit. Larry was wearing a pirate costume, very unoriginal, and Cordy seemed to be a cat goddess of some kind. Interestingly enough most costumes worn both by the students and the children seemed to be something out of Lovecraft's nightmares with few exceptions.
Pulled from his thoughts by a kick to the shins by one of his pack of mons, er, his charges Xander began his prepared speech. "Okay, on sleazing candy tears are key. You can try the old 'You missed me' routine, but it risky only go there for chocolate. Now let's get some candy!" With a cheer Xander let his group outside with a thought that maybe this night wouldn't be that bad after all.
"I call upon the ancient forces of chaos to grant me power. This night where order demands peace and safety let us bring destruction and danger. Grant me your power so that tonight Chaos will rule!" With that the bust of Janis began to glow and a magical wave spread out and covered Sunnydale.
Walking to a table that held a globe with the same design as Willows necklace running across the bottom Ethan sat down. "Now old hero," he spoke to the air, "now we will see if you truly as good as the stories my father told me. For the sake of this town let them pray that you are." With that he let his gaze wander to a magical window so that he could watch what he had done, with a smile on his lips.
Screams, as much as he hated to admit it they were a part of his life. In his dreams he hears the screams of his dead world or the deaths that he couldn't prevent in the war. Every morning when he woke up he hears people screaming for his help, screams that sometimes went unanswered.
These thoughts went through his head in the fraction of a second before his eyes opened to view a living nightmare. All around him were creatures that could only spring from the most perverse mans imagination.
Stop. Limit your senses to those who are in the most trouble and that you can help. The old woman that is being attacked by monsters, she is the one that needs the most help at the moment.
Quicker than any other creature he moved across the street making sure not to touch anyone while at these speeds. Quickly, carefully he through the monsters off of the woman even as he heard her pulse begins to slow from blood loss. As he slowed the monsters began to grab at him, and surprisingly they left small scratches in his arm.
No, can't think about that the woman needs help and there is only one creature to go. Just as he grabs he creature it sinks its claws in and delivers a killing blow. Even as he sees the life fade from the once kind eyes he hears a piercing shriek that cut through him and opened a door a crack.
<Luthors body being sucked into his latest death trap in an ironic twist. A bomb half completed across the room that may save the world.>
Memories? If so of what and why would he forget? Puzzles to think upon later at the moment there are others that need him. There seems to be a girl in white makeup and wispy clothing running towards him, but why is she calling him Xander?
"Xander thank goodness I found you! Listen something strange is going on here all the children are real monsters now! And now I'm all ghosty and I screamed for no reason, I couldn't help it. We need to find Buffy! Buffy can figure out what's happening and then slay whatever is causing it. Why are you just standing there we need to move now."
"Miss, you must have me confused with someone else, even though it's hard for me to think of how. I'm not this Xander person, people call me Superman."
"Oh no, not you too. Listen you are Xander Harris not Superman! Now we need to find Buffy and find out what is happening."
How far to trust her? If she can find out what is happening it can end this madness with less deaths. But she can't even tell him apart from this Xander person so she may have become delusional.
"I'll help you find this Buffy person as well as figure out what is going on. You will have to help me because I don't know what she looks like."
"Well she is blond a little shorter than you, and wearing an old fashioned dress. And there she is!"
And sure enough there was a girl that matched the description of this Buffy person except for the blond hair. She didn't seem like she could be much help to anyone though, then again appearances can be deceiving.
When they both approached Buffy the person who would make scene of this all she promptly fainted at the sight of a man hovering six inches above the ground ready to fly away at any moment.
As Lady Elisabeth awoke she found herself gazing at the most gentle brown eyes she had ever seen. Soon her memory came to her and she remembered why she had fainted. In all honesty she was overjoyed to find that the flying man was a gentleman as well. As she gazed upon his face for what felt like an eternity she had to the question that was foremost in her mind.
"Tell me kind sir; are you an angel sent to deliver me from this wicked place?"
His smile, so full of love, warmed her very soul. It reminded her of the court minister, surly a sine that she was correct. "No madam, I'm just a man doing the best I can."
"Prey, tell me, what kind of man can fly?"
"Buffy are you nuts, Xander can't fly! I don't think that the spell is strong enough to let him either," said a new voice.
Lady Elisabeth looked towards the sound of the new voice to find what appeared to be some kind of lady of the night, an Irish one as well judging by her necklace. At last a situation that a Lady of her stature knew how to handle.
"Watch your mouth you Irish strumpet! I know not who this Buffy person is but my name is Lady Elisabeth and you shall address me as such, lest my father the Lord lock you away in the dungeon."
"There is no need for that Lady, I was under the impression that you two were friends," said the brightly clothed man.
"Do you think me as low as to associate with lowborn Irish filth such as this?" screeched Lady Elisabeth. "I have much better class than that."
The eyes of the Irishwoman narrowed into small slits and she began to stalk towards Lady Elisabeth. "Lowborn filth am I, come a little closer and let's talk about this."
Lady Elisabeth cowered behind the brightly dressed man, trusting him to protect her from this woman's barbarous wrath. "We don't have time for you two to argue," said the man while holding a hand in front of the Irishwoman. "We need to find somewhere safe to put the people who aren't affected by this spell you mentioned. I don't know this town and I don't believe that Lady Elisabeth will either so it's up to you to tell us where to go."
"Me?! Um, okay, Buffy lives in that house there, but it can't hold a lot of people. The Bronze is about a three miles down the road but I don't know how safe it is," said the Irishwoman in a remarkably civilized manner of speech considering the kind of upbringing she must have had.
"I'll take you both to the house and help barricade it, but then I have to leave, there are others that need my help tonight," said the obviously superior man. But wait, he couldn't mean.
"You can't mean to leave me alone with her can you? Who will protect me should these creatures decided to attack? This wench may be use to the drunken brawls that are common for her kind but she will be little use against these creatures," said Lady Elisabeth.
"You are so going to owe me if we live through this," said the Irishwoman in what must have been a moment of drunken stupidity. After all why would a Lady like herself owe anything to a strumpet like her?
"You will be safe here," said the man as he moved around the strange domicile in a blur, fortifying doors and windows all the while. "There aren't any other heart beets in here so there isn't anything to worry about. Just to be sure I'll fly by every chance I get."
The Irishwoman opened her mouth, probably more drunken ramblings, and let out a terrible shriek, just before the world went black.
The Lady seemed to be satisfied and the house was boarded up, as safe as he could make it. He was just about to leave when the red haired woman began to scream again, opening the door another crack.
<Connecting the final piece to the bomb just as the rest of the JSA shows up. Quickly whispering my plans to the Flash as super speed and rushing towards the anomaly so fast the cape comes loose, first time that has ever happened. The Flash is running an intercept course trying to stop what must happen.>
"Jay, Diana, what?" No, there will be time later to figure it out, right now there are too many people screaming, that means, "I have to go."
Staggering up the stairs, only at the speed of a normal mans sprint, the red haired girl close behind.
"Xander, where are you going? You boarded up everything downstairs and I don't think a demon can come in up here so what are you doing. Xander get away from that window! You aren't Superman you CAN'T….fly?"
Now in flight Superman has precious moments to think before he reaches his destination. The red haired woman mentioned a spell, and that means magic. That would explain the scratches on his arm considering it was one of his weaknesses. They should have been deeper though so maybe he was in the body of someone else. If this is Xanders body his natural immunity to magic seems give some protection against the magical creatures. That's good because tonight every little bit will be needed to save lives.
And so the Last Son of Krypton flew into the night following the screams.
Superman flew across the night sky, looking down on the town of statues. The town wasn't really full of statues, that is simply what the people and monsters appeared to be when he used his super speed. Using this talent he could asses the situation in a heart beat, and find those that needed him now and those that could wait while he helped someone else.
Soon enough he found a situation that couldn't wait. One of the demon children already lay dead on the ground and three bullets were inching towards another. Heat vision took care of the bullets, vaporizing them before they pierced the child's skin. The next part was trickier; he had to use his breath to encase the kid in ice before anyone got hurt, like the man who fired the gun.
Filling his lungs full of compressed air Superman slowed down until he was almost moving in normal time. Being careful to time it just right he let out a stream of air and opened up a gland at the roof of his mouth. The gland contained a super cold chemical that would expand and freeze when it came into contact with the air, encasing everything it touched in ice, the hard part was directing it to touch what he wanted it to touch.
Once the child was encased in ice Superman felt more drained then he should have. Whoever this Xander was he probably didn't spend much time in the sun, making him weaker than normal. Unfortunately he didn't have much time to think when he heard the gun being cocked behind his back.
"I don't know who you are but the last man that wore that uniform would never try to save a monsters life instead of a humans. You have five seconds to explain your self before we see if you are bulletproof as well."
With a sight Superman rose to face a somewhat familiar man that appeared to be somewhere in his eighties pointing a gun at him. "They aren't monsters, they are just kids. Someone has turned everyone into their costumes so most of the monsters that you see tonight are just kids who have no control over what they are doing."
"Then you are just the kid I saw earlier dressed as Superman?"
"It's the body of a boy named Xander apparently, but as you can see I have all of my powers and memories. So pleas don't shoot any more of the demons, they don't have any more control as the person who owns this body."
"I still may shoot them if they get too close, but I won't kill them. I owe you that much after you saved me and my shipmates in the war."
Suddenly Superman realized just who this man was, and just how long he must have been gone. "Seaman Grouchman from the Endeavor wasn't it? Thanks for your cooperation, its all I can really ask for. Now if you will excuse me there are others in need of assistance."
With those words Superman left in a blur of red and blue. Grouchman simply shook is head, a small smile crossing his lips. "Whoever decided to bring him back is in for one large surprise."
Angel didn't know what to think. He was looking for weapons in the basement, so he would be better armed when he found Buffy, when this red and blue blur streaks along the walls. Quicker than Angel could blink all the windows were boarded up, making it almost imposable to get in.
Angel could still remember the rumors that were circling around in the 40's about a being of huge power living in Metropolis. It was said that Masters would personally dust any vamp that would even mention going to that town, all because they were afraid of alerting the Superman to their presence. They all believed that if Superman found out just how many vampires there were in the world he would hunt down every one until there was nothing left but dust.
The only other being that was given so much fear was the Batman over in Gotham. Rumored to be everything from a fallen angel to a vampire form the time of Atlantis the only thing every one knew for shore was that Gotham was an immediate death sentence.
Waiting until he heard Willow come down and say that Xander had flown away to make his entrance, Angel slowly crept out of the basement. The first thing he noticed was that Buffy wasn't being herself at all; the second was that Willow didn't have a scent.
"What is going on here?" asked Angel once he decided that, yes Superman was really gone.
"Oh kind sir, pleas rescue me from this lowly Irish trash. She is quite drunk at the moment and insists that I am the person in these portraits. While there is a bit of resemblance some of these portraits show I in low born clothes almost as bad as the Irishwoman is wearing."
Before Angel could remark on Buffys new attitude towards Ireland Willow explained that she was possessed by her costume.
"Could you watch Buffy while I go and find Giles and Xander? Giles can figure out how to end this nightmare and Xander needs to be kept out of trouble. I mean, yeah the spell lets him fly, but what good will that really do him?"
"I could come with you, make sure you don't get hurt."
"Oh, forgot, the spell made me ghosty so nothing can hurt me. Besides if I don't get away from Buffy soon I'm going to scream."
"What's wrong with screaming, it may help you to think."
"Well people have acted funny when ever I screamed today. I even made Xander black out a bit and have decided that a screaming Willow isn't of the good today," and before Angel could say anything else Willow ran through the door.
Turning around Angel saw Buffy giving him a strange stare. "While you may not be the brightly clothed man, I believe you will be an acceptable guardian. After all you were able to make that Irish slattern leave, a true feat."
Angel simply let out a sigh. He was now stuck guarding an old fashioned lady that hated the Irish. This was going to be one of the longest nights in his life.
Superman flew through the town just under the speed of sound looking for others that hadn't been changed. Using his x-ray vision he spotted a small girl hiding in a tree. Before the girl knew what had happened she was at the Bronze with the others he had found. It wasn't nearly ever one though; the people of this town appeared to be very good at hiding.
Hearing a disturbance in the park Superman increased his speed only to be met with a very strange sight when he arrived. A man with a large green head had apparently just dropped an anvil on some demonic creature and was beginning to talk to another man.
"Well sonny boy no hard feelings, put 'er there," said the man with the green head. The other man slowly put out his hand for the handshake. As soon as the hands touched smoke began to rise from the other man.
Just as Superman was about to intervene the face of the other man transformed into the demonic face of a vampire. Well it matched the description Kent had given him; he had never encountered a true vampire before.
"Sorry but this is a non smoking area, I'm going to have to put that out for you," said the man with the green head. Pulling a lever that wasn't there a moment ago causing water to come from nowhere and dissolve the vampire, acting like some kind of acid.
"Silly me, the label clearly stated not to use on undead minions of evil. Oh well, live and learn. So blue boy going to say something or just hang there catching flies."
Shaking his head at the bizarre way the man was acting Superman said, "Just be careful some of the monsters are just people being possessed by their costumes. If you keep acting like that you will murder an innocent person."
"Sticks and stones will break my bones, but that won't stop me from giving you a wedgie!"
Laughing at his own joke the man jumped into a hole in the ground just before it disappeared with a popping sound. Superman simply sighed, and to think Diana use to wonder why he hated magic so much.
Willow ran through the library doors, hoping that she was right. Letting out a sigh of relief when she saw Giles sitting at the table with his back to her while drinking something.
"GILES!" screamed Willow causing Giles to spill his hot tea on his lap.
Letting out a scream of his own Giles decided to stifle some of his more colorful curses when he saw Willow. "Willow what are you doing here? Other than giving me third degree burns that is."
"Giles we have big Hellmouth trouble here, complain later. Everyone has turned into their costumes, Buffy is some kind of English Lady that hates the Irish and Xander thinks he is Superman."
"Really? Tell me why weren't you effected, it may help us find a way to free the others," said Giles.
Willow simply responded by shoving her hand into the table and said, "Was Willow, now I'm Willow the friendly ghost who occasionally screams. Now we need to get to work, Xander and Buffy are in trouble."
"I thought you said that Xander dressed as Superman?"
"Well yeah, but how can he be safe dressing as someone the Daily Planet made up during World War Two? I mean yeah he can fly but what good will that do if a vampire grabs him?"
Giles simply gave Willow a strange look before saying, "If we survive this current crises we shall have a long talk about what your history books didn't tell you about that period of American history. At the moment though I'm more curious as to where you got your necklace."
"Giles this is a time for research, not fashion advice!"
"Please bear with me. That symbol is the mark of the banshee, did any of the other costume shops have it or just the one you went to?"
"None of the regular ones were open for some reason so I wouldn't know. I just got this at the new place, Ethan's."
For a moment Willow saw something very not Giles pass over the man in front of her. In fact this was so not Giles is was anti Giles.
"Take me to the store now Willow," said Giles in a low voice. "If I'm correct we may be dealing with a very dangerous person, it's imperative that you lead me to the store as quickly as possible."
Willow knew nothing could hurt her while she was a ghost but there was something about Giles that was beginning to truly frighten her. Deciding that doing what she was told would be the best option she silently lead Giles toward the store. She couldn't help feeling sorry for whoever Giles was mad at, no one deserved the pain that those eyes promised.
Superman was running on empty. He didn't know if the body he inhabited simply didn't get enough sun or that the body simply didn't store solar power before the incident but he was decidedly weaker then when he had started.
He no longer used his heat vision to deal with vampires and other monsters that hadn't once been human; instead he used a sharpened piece of wood. It wasn't that he couldn't invoke his heat vision; it was simply a matter of priorities. The stake could kill the monsters and he needed all the energy he could get for his x-ray vision to determine the difference between the monsters and people transformed into monsters.
His new close range battle plan had left him with a few more injuries though. As he landed to rescue a small girl from a group of vampires he was already suffering from several cuts, two of witch were deep, and a bruised, perhaps broken rib.
"Let her go," said Superman while letting a bit of heat vision to try and scare them off, it didn't work.
The vamps rushed him, and while they were fast Superman was still faster. He had already dusted one vamp when another got a lucky hit on his injured ribs. The moment of pain coast him as the four vampires began to beat on him. Just as he was about to use his heat vision he felt the warm rays of the setting sun.
Even as the vampires burst into flame, and then dust, Superman felt himself getting stronger. Not only stronger but his injuries were beginning to heal, as if he was absorbing hours of sunlight in these few moments. Too soon the light vanished and a figure immerged from the restored darkness.
"I despise these parasites, don't you?" said a woman with a cats head. She was wearing a golden breastplate with the image of a lion engraved on it, and not much else. Feeling the blood rushing to his face Superman averted his eyes from the inappropriate amount of skin she was showing around her midriff.
"Don't tell me you are shy young godling," said the woman a hint of amusement in her voice.
"Who are you," asked Superman while forcing himself to retain eye contact.
"I am Bast, and while it has been a while since I was worshiped as the Lion Goddess of the setting sun the power is not completely lost to me."
"Well it was nice meeting you but I need to get this girl to safety," said Superman.
"Stay," said Bast, and with a wave of her hand the girl vanished.
"What did you do with her," said Superman, preparing for a fight.
"I simply sent her to that club that you have put the other unaffected mortals in; she will be safe from the Gods meddling there."
"You know what is causing this?"
"A spell power by a Trickster God, or perhaps a Chaos God. I'm sorry I can not tell you more but my senses aren't nearly as sharp in this mortal flesh as they usually are."
"I would have to be a powerful god to trap a goddess," Superman reasoned aloud.
"Indeed it would, if I had come against my will. The spell simply alerted me to this girl. A quick look through her mind reveled that she had chosen this costume with a purpose.
"As I said I started out as a Goddess of the Sun, but I changed over time as all things do. I became the Goddess of pleasure, dancing, music, and joy. This girl took my image because of the joy she receives when she dances her own dance. Not the one she performs in front of the crowd, but the one she does alone in her room.
"Such intelligence deserves a reward, and so I decided to let her know that for one night she was a true goddess, and perhaps I can convince you to giver her more than that."
"I'm not sure if you are suggesting what I think you are suggesting but I think I will have to decline."
"Are you sure? As I said I am a goddess of pleasure, and I believe that we could give each other a great deal of pleasure before the night is through."
"I'm sure; there are a lot of people that need my help."
"Then go, and know that I bare no ill will towards you."
"Really? After some of the stories I have heard of Goddesses I find that a bit hard to believe."
"If both partners aren't willing it diminishes the pleasure. Know this though, for while I am Goddess I am also Cat. Hunting for you affections will give me pleasure before I do what you would deny this night. After all I am a wise enough goddess to know that a refusal tonight does not mean the same tomorrow night." With those words Bast slunk back into the night.
After a few moments of stunned silence Superman flew back into the sky, fervently hoping that his friend Bruce never found out about this. After all the jokes he had made about cats and bats Bruce would have no mercy if it came out that a cat goddess was infatuated with him.
Spike let out a truly evil grin as he saw the Slayer flee her house like a frightened school girl. A strange mixture of adrenaline and Slayer speed soon put her out of sight, witch was even better, her blood would be even sweeter after she was hunted for a bit.
Forcing a sight past his lips he called his new minions away from the house. He really wished he could leave a dozen or so to finish off the grandpoof but he didn't have the numbers. So help him if he found the bastard that kept putting the children in cages and blocks of ice he would rip his throat out.
He still would have left them if Drew wasn't wailing about some bleeding Star Child. She didn't make much since when she talked about him, just that he was talking to the naughty sun and would try to stop them.
Spike didn't even try to figure the sun part out but he decided that if some bloke was going to try to stop him from bagging his third Slayer it would be best to have some cannon fodder so he could get the job done and escape while the kiddies were being killed.
Pushing thoughts of the future out of his mind William the Bloody concentrated on the faint scent hanging in the air. The Slayer may be able to run but she couldn't hide, well at least not for long.
With a smile playing on his pale lips Spike lead his gang towards an alley way. All the time he was running he could taste the blood on his lips. This would be the best Halloween ever.
Giles squashed the guilt over how he had just treated Willow. He hadn't meant to let quite that much of his old self show but that had been the quickest way to get rid of her. After all there are simply some things children shouldn't see, and he planed to do quite a few of those things to Ethan.
Permitting himself a small smile Giles crept into the store, only to have his world explode in pain before everything went dark.
Ethan smiled as Giles woke up. He had hoped that his old mate would drop by but truth to tell he was a bit disappointed. This saggy pile of used flesh hardly resembled the man he knew, and the eyes only held the smallest spark of the inferno that was Ripper.
Shaking his head at how badly time had treated his friend Ethan decided to get his kicks in where he could. Besides if he poked the embers enough he may start up the old fire again. Honestly it was the least an old friend could do.
"So nice of you to rejoin the party Rupert," said Ethan with a bit of a sneer in his voice. "It is Rupert isn't it, or have you retreated so far into the role of a Watcher that you make people call you Mr. Giles?"
"You have to break the spell Ethan; thousands will be killed if you don't."
"So? If a few lambs get slaughtered I'm sure that this Venus flytrap of a town will replace them quickly enough. Don't get your little Watcher morals in an uproar though; according to my magical counter here my little banshee has only wailed twice tonight so only two humans have been killed."
Giles opened his mouth to reply but was seized by a coughing fit.
Ethan simply sighed and gave his one time friend a pitting look as he sipped his brandy. "Pathetic, simply pathetic Rupert. Honestly I wouldn't have minded if you put on a stone or two, perhaps using your mind a bit more than your fists, after all that is one of the joys of age, but this? You have become those stuffed shirt Watchers we used to torment when we were younger, not a single thought that doesn't come from a dusty book, and the nearest you get to a fight is being a punching bag for a Slayer. Honestly I doubt that you even know the reason the death count is so low."
"You sold a Superman costume, hardly that difficult to do they have millions of them down in Metropolis."
"Close but still so far off. That costume was my masterwork; I almost called the entire night off because I couldn't find the right person to give that costume to. While most people will simply be emotionally scared by their costumes one young man will be lucky enough to possess every memory of Superman."
Giles began to sputter as his mind raced to comprehend what he had been told. "Imposable! A spell like that would require something personal, perhaps an article of clothing."
"That is why I used Superman's real cape when I made the costume old boy."
Giles simply sat in shocked silence for a while before uttering a single word, "How?"
"You remember my dear father Oliver don't you? A Watcher like you are now, but from one of the lower families. He was brilliant but because of the family he was bourn into he was often ignored and pushed to the side. He was assigned to be the field Watcher for the American superheroes during the war because he was expendable.
"As time went by he began to edit his reports. He omitted weaknesses that were shown, dropped hints to who they really were under those masks. He was even present the day Superman was killed when he reported that he was unable to find the JSA that night because of interference by Dr. Fate. My father decided to keep the cape, and when he finally passed on a few years back it became part of my inheritance."
"Ethan please, stops this evil at once," pleaded Giles before dissolving into the largest coughing fit yet.
Ethan sighed as he realized that his friend Ripper was truly gone. Turing back to his magical window to continue watching the action Ethan decided to put his old friend out of his misery. Just as Ethan was deciding between poison or a dagger to the heart he was hit from behind.
As Ethan looked up he saw Giles standing over him. A fire that could burn down kingdoms raged in Giles eyes waiting to be unleashed on the man below him.
Smiling Ethan wiped the blood from his mouth and looked Giles in the eye. "'Lo there Ripper, glad you could make it. I'll have to remember the coughing trick to cover up the noise of working the locks next time won't I?"
"What makes you think there will be a next time Ethan?" asked Giles as he pulled a knife from his sleeve. Soon a new voice joined the screams of the night.
Drusilla laughed like a school girl as she and Spike cornered the Slayer in a warehouse. She hadn't seen her William so happy in ages; maybe he would let her keep the Slayers eyes in a jar. That way the nasty Slayer that was keeping daddy away could watch everything that she did until the stars fall from the sky like tears and shatter like glass when they hit the ground.
Just as her Spike was about to start playing with the nasty Star Child came flying in like a repulsive angel spoiling the party.
Oh how she hates the Star Child. It is a wicked thing that burns away Ms Edith's voice and blocks out her shining stars with the harsh evil sun. Now her William is fighting the Star Child because he doesn't think the Star Child has truly come back. Poor William, there was a reason no vampire went to the Sun City, he can burn us all.
As soon as her William shows his true face he will be dust, and without the stars to guide her she cant stop it.
She almost missed it when the Little Tree walked through the wall. The stars had told her about Little Trees singing voice and she needed a song.
"You are the Little Tree that sings all those nice death songs," said Drusilla as she walked towards her target. "Be good now and sing for mummy," she said as she snapped the neck of one of the children demons.
Superman was just about to use his heat vision when the ghost screamed again, and this time the door was blown completely open.
*The pressure was already becoming too great to bear. Doesn't matter; have to get to the epicenter before the gravity becomes too high. Ignore the pain of bones shattering and muscles turning to pulp.*
*Trigger the bomb now. The explosive force should be enough to counter act the implosive forces that are forming into a black hole, save the world one last time.*
*Lois, Joel, I'm so sorry I couldn't save you. Don't worry, we will be together soon.*
*"Not just yet," said a young boy with warm brown eyes. "I think we should talk before you wake up, don't you?"*
"I died," said Superman as he regained his senses. Shaking off any discomfort reliving his own death caused him Superman was about to rejoin the battle when he was suddenly tackled by Drusilla.
"Look at him Spike!" shrieked Drusilla as she raked her claws across Superman's face, drawing blood. "The mean sun is in his blood, and burns just like day! They told the children not to go to the Sun City so he wouldn't know the secrets the dark keeps, but now he is back and will burn us and scatter out ashes across the world if we don't leave!"
Spikes enhances eyesight caught the wisps of smoke coming from Drusilla where the boys blood touched her skin, and he suddenly understood. This was the bloke the Germans were afraid of during the War, the reason vampires were still afraid to go to Metropolis even after his death. As he watched the boy toss Drusilla like a doll Spike felt a twinge of true fear. That twinge grew into full panic as the boys eyes filled with a red fire that could ignite a sun.
Ethan was in more pain than he had experience in years, and he couldn't be happier about it. His old friend Ripper had come out to play again, all was right with the world.
"Tell me how to stop the spell Ethan," said Giles as he dropped a lit mach into the other Englishman's lap, bringing another scream to the otherwise silent room.
After he finished screaming Ethan forced his face into a grin before speaking. "Still thinking likes a Watcher mate, letting the books and prophecies do your thinking for you. Honestly back in the day you would have already figured it out."
Giles simple lit another mach and held it in front of Ethan's face for a couple of seconds before repeating his demand, "Tell me how to stop the spell Ethan."
Deciding that the game had been taken as far as it could be Ethan relented. "Break the statue in the other room."
Spike was vaguely aware that he was screaming for Drusilla to run even as he sprinted towards Lady Elisabeth. Maybe he could use the twit as leverage to escape; at the very least he would be able to bag his third Slayer if things went sour. Grabbing a fistful of hair Spike was surprised when it all came off with one good yank.
"Hi Honey, miss me?" quipped Buffy as she hit Spike with a right cross.
Seeing Drusilla had already made her escape, and that the boy was confused for the moment Spike decided to save this fight for a time he could win.
Buffy was about to follow when she felt a strong had on her shoulder. Turning around she was Xanders hand and not Angels.
"Let him go Buffy, you will have the chance to stake him later. Right now we need to make sure the kids get home safe, there is no telling how many real demons and vamps are still out there," said Xander.
Nodding in agreement Buffy helped Angel and Xander gather the children. Seeing that Willow wasn't with them anymore Buffy decided to take her group around the last place she remembered Willow being.
Xander was unusually quiet as he walked through the library the next day. This fact wasn't lost on Buffy, Willow or Cordelia, the latter of whom couldn't look him in the eyes without blushing. Oh no, this isn't complicated at all.
"I have call you here to help me ascertain any lasting side effects from last nights events," said Giles as he polished his glasses so hard Xander was surprised the lens didn't melt.
"Well I seem to have some leftover resentment of the English," commented Willow. Buffy had the decency to look guilty at Willows quiet reminder about Lady Elisabeth's attitude last night.
"I can now speak French and sew, does that count?" asked Buffy.
"I was looking for something a bit more substantial actually."
"Does this count?" asked Cordelia as she started to spring around the room showing more agility than any human had a right to possess.
"Before you get all freaked Bast just gave me a boost in agility, not her, other assets," said Cordelia with a blush.
"Well considering that you were possessed by an Egyptian Goddess I suppose that we can conceder ourselves lucky," said Giles after he found his voice again. "What about you Xander, were you given any special abilities from your possession?"
Xander sighed as he thought back to the conversation he had last night with the last son of Krypton. He knew that this question would be asked, he had just hoped that he would have more time.
"G-man I can honestly say that other than some new memories I don't have any powers that I didn't inherit from my parents."
Giles sighed in relief at this news. Closing his eyes he gave a silent prayer of thanks to what ever power had let Xander retain the right to choose. His eyes were still closed when Willow told him to open his eyes in a meek whisper.
Giles didn't want to open his eyes, because if he knew if he did nothing would be the same. He knew something had happened by the tone in Willows voice, but as long as he kept his eyes closed he could protect those he loved from ever changing.
Berating himself for having the foolish desires of the elderly Giles opened his eyes, and saw Xander hovering six feet in the air with his legs crossed.
"The thing is, the memories filled in some gaps of just who my parents really were," said Xander with a lopsided smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes.
The overwhelming silence that followed was only broken by the sound of Giles' glasses breaking as they hit the floor.