No matter how innocuous a choice may be, it always has consequences. Whether they be far reaching ripples on the water, or the subtle shift of a molecule. All choices are actions, and have reactions. In one dimension, the teenager referred to by friends as Xander Harris, chose to wear army fatigues for Halloween one year.
This isn't that dimension.
This is the story of how a rock was dropped. This is the story of how far it's ripples reached.
The costume shop known as Ethan's was fairly well filled when Xander arrived. Doing his best not to step on any of the kids who were around he made his way to the bargain area of the store where the less expensive props were. He had intended to go with the Army fatigues he had and just get a toy gun to go with them, but when he was digging out the fatigues he had found something that set his imagination into gear, now he just needed a nice comedic prop to go with it.
Looking through he found what he wanted, roughly two and a half feet long, it was perfect… for his price range. He would have preferred to find something far more realistic but he doubted he could afford it on the off-chance they did have it. Going with what he found he went up and paid for his item. On his way out he was spotted by Willow.
"Hey, Xander!" The redhead said, catching Xander's attention to her and Buffy's location. Stepping over and through the crowd he got up to them for Willow to ask, "What'd you get?"
Reaching into his bag he pulled out a small trident, under whelming his audience with it's small and simplistic nature.
With a brief look to Buffy, Xander turned his attention back to Willow. "I have the rest of the costume at home, just found the get- up in an old trunk and it'll work great. Call me the Two-Dollar Costume King, baby." He gave, and received a smile for this.
"Hey, look, Xander…" Buffy started, and Xander turned to her as she was speaking, making a slight stabbing motion at her with the trident. "I'm… really sorry about this morning."
"Do you mind Buffy? I'm trying to repress."
"Okay, then I promise, from now on I'll let you get pummeled," Buffy said putting her chin on his shoulder and pouting at him.
Xander rolled his eyes before smiling, "Thank you." And then with another stabbing motion of his trident he remarked, "But if it's brought up again I may kebab you. Okay? Anyway, I think I could've tak…" Xander trailed off as Buffy walked away, not hearing him. "Hello, you're missing our touching reconciliation moment here!"
Buffy continued walking, over to a frilly billowing red Eighteenth- century gown. She stood admiring it a moment, "I'm sorry, it's just… Look at this."
Willow also was admiring the gown and commented, "It's amazing."
Taking a look himself Xander's expression was far less impressed than the girls'. "Too bulky," he said, "I prefer my women in spandex."
Before Buffy could retort the store's proprietor came over and took the gown of the mannequin. "Oh, it's…" Buffy started.
"Magnificent. Yes, I know. There," he said as he held the dress up in front of her in the mirror. "My. Meet the hidden princess. I think we found a match, don't you?" He asked, his accent somehow only encouraging it all.
Buffy looked sadly at the man, "Oh, uh, I-I'm sorry. There's no way I could ever afford this." The gown would have been perfect, she decided, but she couldn't swing it.
"Oh nonsense. I feel quite moved to make you a deal you can't refuse," he said smiling. Buffy's desire to please Angel completely overwhelming the eeriness of what the man said.
Taking another look in the mirror, Buffy was sold on the idea. Images of her and Angel crowding inside her head.
Xander stood outside the Summers household and rang the doorbell. He doubted Buffy would recognize his costume, but Willow might. She'd read those comic books with him before. She wasn't as fond of them as he was, of course. But this character had always stuck out in his mind.
He hadn't been at the door long when Buffy opened the door. Touching his temple with his trident he smiled as Buffy got a look at his costume.
"Occult extraordinaire and son of…" Xander started but was quickly distracted by Buffy's gown. "Buffy! Lady of Buffdom, Duchess of Buffonia, I am in awe! I completely renounce spandex!"
With a smile Buffy curtsied, "Thank you, kind sir." Xander took a bow as Buffy continued, "But wait 'til you see…" Buffy stopped as they both looked at the stairs to see Willow coming down the stairs in a classic sheet ghost costume.
"Hi."
"… Casper." Buffy finished disappointedly.
"It's okay Buff, that's kind of her standard costume. No one does a ghost quite like Wills," Xander said smiling, he figured Buffy had tried to get Willow into something else and met the same resistance he had met before.
"True. So, who're you supposed to be Xander?" Buffy asked, taking in his brown full length trench coat, dark red suit underneath and the trident in his hands.
"Well, let's see if Willow can recognize me first. I mean, I even went through the problem of putting on the birthmark, which I hope will wash off. Though no one will see it, I felt I must be authentic. So Wills, who am I?" Xander said, ending a ramble before it could begin.
"Um," Willow said, racking her brain for who he looked like. "Oh! Constantine?"
"Close, but survey says no. I just won't tell you, it'll come to you eventually. Now ladies, may I escort you to the school?" Xander asked, offering his arms. The his friends taking his arms, they left out for the school.
Much later, in the backroom of Ethan's Costume Shop, the proprietor knelt before a small statue and anointed himself before beginning his spell. "Janus, evoco vestram animam. Exaudi meam causam. Carpe noctem pro consilio vestro. Veni, appare et nobis monstra quod est infinita potestas. Persona se corpum et sanguium commutandum est. Vestra sancta praesentia concrescet viscera. Janus! Sume noctem!" He raises his head and smiles. "Showtime."
Xander Harris was looking around the street as he could hear parents and children alike yelling. Trying to find a source for the chaos he was blindsided as something overcame him. And where Xander Harris once stood, a new man now was. He looked like Xander, but his hair was now a deep red, his teeth had become sharper and his ears now tapered to points, while the cheap plastic trident had become larger and golden colored. With a cynical eye, the man looked around at the chaos and the small demons that were once children.
"My, someone is having fun tonight."
Willow Rosenberg looked down at where her body lay and stifled the panic that was coming to the surface, expressing it simply and audibly. "Ohmygod, I'm a real ghost!"
Before any more panic could take hold she heard screaming not far off from where she was, turning quickly she ran to the sport to find her best friend holding a golden trident and looking at the seemingly unconscious body of a small demon.
"Xander?" She asked coming up to him, getting no response she tried again. "Xander!" She shouted, trying to get his attention. This succeeded as he turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow. "It's me, Willow."
"I'm afraid I don't know you, I'd remember knowing a ghost named Willow. Though I'm sure Xander would know you, but he's not here at the moment," Her Xander-shaped friend said tapping his forehead.
"Quit messing around, this is no time for jokes… Wait, how'd you know I was a ghost? What's going on around here?" Willow asked, her panic coming back up.
"Someone's been misbehaving is all. I doubt it will last long. A simple, but powerful, casting. People have become the costumes they wore. It's rather interesting, how you show your soul by the image you choose to portray," he said with a smirk. "Though I must be going along now, I would like to attend to some business while I can."
"Well, who are you then, I couldn't figure out his costume. You're good though, right?" Willow asked, trying to remember what character Xander was. Thinking now perhaps he'd gone as Johnny Blaze.
"I like to think of myself as the lesser of many evils, I guess that'll have to be good enough. Now excuse me," he said as he began to walk away.
"Wait, now, you can't go. We need find Buffy." Willow spotted the missing Slayer and went to her. "Buffy, are you okay?" Before she could answer, a roar sounded behind them and Buffy promptly fainted. With barely a look Xander aimed his trident and fire struck the creature.
"Hey, don't kill them, they're kids under there!" Willow said angrily, afraid of how many might get hurt before the night was through.
"So? I didn't kill it at any rate, just singed it's soul. The kid will wake up later with a headache. Now, we've found your friend, I'll be going." Xander said, again going to walk away.
Willow jumped in front of him. "Oh no you aren't Mister. You might not be Xander but when the spell is done he's going to come back to his body and I don't want him to find out his body could have helped our friend when she needed and it didn't because you were in it, so you're going to help me get her home right now."
The-Not-Xander simply laughed in her face then shook his head. "You really have no idea what you're doing child. Very well, I'll take her where you wish." Xander said, going back to the now reawakening Buffy. "But I'd suggest someplace more secure. These new demons aren't bound by the rules of the real ones. So would you like to rethink where to take her?"
Willow started at that, she hadn't thought about these new demons as being exempt from the rules. "Um, the library then. Giles will be there, he'll know what to do. Um, this way." Willow said, leading him along.
"If we must," he said, taking Buffy's arm and guiding the mute girl who must have been in shock.
A few minutes later, and several instances of Xander repeatedly telling Buffy to shut up or he'd shut her up later, the group were happened upon by Angel.
"I was just heading to your house to find you, are you okay Buffy? It's total chaos out here," Angel said, moving toward his girlfriend.
"You noticed did you, vampire? My my, and it looks like you were the recipient of some pissed-off Romany magic. Nasty fuckers them, beware their clauses they're a killer," without missing a beat he turned to Willow. "Seems we've found another of your friends, I'll let him take care of you."
"What's going on?" Angel asked.
"Xander you can't go, you know something about this and can help Giles stop it," Willow pleaded, afraid for her friend.
"You can't leave me with that ruffian. He's wearing silk like those odd men who come to town from the docks. I simply won't go, I'm staying with you," Buffy said, grasping Xander's arm tightly.
"That's it," Xander said. He moved away and then threw a powerful right fist to Buffy's jaw, knocking her unconscious instantly and eliciting a gasp from Willow and a growl from an advancing Angel. Moving his trident to poke the vampire in the chest he spoke, "I had warned her repeatedly that she was grating on my nerve. You seem to like her, no clue why. You help her, I'm off to take care of some business. Now go." With a slight shove from Xander's trident Angel jumped back and held his chest in pain, a shocked look on his face as Xander turned away and seemed to disappear into the shadows.
"We really need to get to the library, I can't touch anything Angel, can you carry her? We need to fix whatever's happened, 'cause Xander definitely isn't Xander."
"No," Angel said, rubbing his chest that still burnt. "He certainly isn't."
The man who would be Xander was walking down the middle of the street watching as the human-demons ran around causing general havoc. No one had really been hurt yet as things seemed to have been mostly even. Though Xander still fired upon a few of the demons when they were attacking, or just annoying, him or others.
As he continued to survey the chaos with an amused eye, he came upon two vampires leading a gang mixed of vampires and the newly created demons. The lead vampire, a blonde man in a black trench coat smiled when he caught sight of Xander. "Well look Dru, it's the Slayer's little lapdog that your *precious* daddy tried to feed to me," the blonde man spoke with a cockney accent. "Doesn't look like anyone's here to save you this time boy, I think I'll drop your head off for the Slayer to have. Let her know what's coming."
"Miss Edith doesn't like the dark man. He's going to hurt my Spikey. He's all dark and evil I can taste it. So sweet, but he doesn't want to play with me," Drusilla said pouting, before continuing in a singsong voice. "I want to dance with him in the pale moonlight."
"You should listen to your crazy little seer there, because if you don't turn around and go back to your little lair I'll hurt you. Oh, who am I kidding, I'm going to hurt you either way," Xander said, firing flame out of his trident at Spike.
The screams of the blonde vampire could be heard all throughout Sunnydale as fire licked through every fiber of his being, burning from the inside out. A searing pain upon his demon soul, causing him to curl into a ball to try and protect himself. Drusilla knelt beside the screaming form of the vampire she sired and whimpered. The demons and vampires that had accompanied them fled quickly, leaving only those two.
Spike would later swear that he had been tortured for days, and would also be amazed that there were no physical marks from what he had endured. In reality, it was only a minute that the flames caressed him before Xander pulled the trident back, pulling the flames from him.
"You have style, I must admit. It'd be a pity to destroy that. So few have any style. Just go on home and don't cause any trouble tonight." With that Xander continued on as he had been, ignoring the two sobbing vampires behind him.
Rupert Giles was working late at the Sunnydale library doing something he rarely needed to do. Fulfill his obligations as that of librarian. Since Halloween was historically such a slow night he thought he'd use it as the perfect time to work on the card catalogue. This was what he was doing when Willow walked through the doors of the library, startling the Watcher speechless for a moment. He regained his wits as, just after Willow, the doors opened and Angel came in carrying an unconscious Buffy.
"Oh my, what's happened? Is Buffy okay, Willow how were you able…" Giles began, only to be cut off by Willow.
"Buffy's fine, Xander just knocked her unconscious and I've become my costume. Everyone out there has become their costume," Willow said.
"It's chaotic out there. Children have become demons and are attacking people. Most weren't serious, but it could get very bad." Angel said, placing Buffy in a chair.
"Oh, and your costume was… was some sort of intangible streetwalker?" Giles asked as he'd taken his glasses off and begun cleaning them.
"Hey! No, I'm a ghost."
"Oh, of course. Ghost of what exactly?" Giles asked curiously.
"This wasn't my costume, this is what was under my costume. Besides the point, people are becoming their costumes." Willow said, covering her midriff with her arms.
"Wait…" Giles said, everything sinking in. "Did you say that Xander knocked Buffy out?" Seeing the looks on the faces of the vampire and the witch he had his answer. "Dear me, what was his costume?"
"I don't know, it's a comic book character but I can't remember which one. Other than Spiderman, who Xander is obviously not, his favorites are those he calls shades-of-grey characters. He always liked those along the lines of the 'Hearts of Darkness' and 'Dark Design' things, like Wolverine, Punisher and Ghost Rider. Wait, maybe he did go as Johnny Blaze. It'd explain the reddish hair." Willow said, babbling.
"Whatever he was, it wasn't good. It was powerful and could be very evil, it had my demon afraid before it even saw him and Angelus was never one to be afraid." Angel said gravely.
"This most definitely isn't good. I must… We must research this, it must be stopped before someone is hurt." Giles said, as he went to the shelves to get the appropriate books.
Coming to a stop in the middle of the street, Xander decided it was time. He had seen enough of this small town. It had taken him only a moment upon taking this body to realize he was near a Hellmouth, and curiosity drove him to see what kind of town could exist on one. The town, he decided, was pathetically small but obviously well run despite tonight's new crop of demons.
He had just raised his trident when he heard a scream of a woman to his right. Turning he saw a highly attractive young woman wearing a cat-suit come running along the road, being chased by some other victims of their own costume. When the young lady saw him she increased her speed and headed straight toward him.
"Xander! Xander help me!" She yelled as she literally ran into him, then spun around to put him between the creatures and herself.
"Very well," he said as he slid his trident around in a lazy arc toward the costume created demons. Fire leapt from his trident creating a small wall between them and the demons, the fire in fact scaring them off quickly.
"Thanks. Wait, when did you get powers, you're geekboy. Did someone forget to inform me, I mean, hello, I live here too," Cordelia said as she moved to stand beside him revealing a voluptuous figure in the skintight cat-suit, as well as a bleeding cut on her cheek and a freely bleeding gash on her arm.
Taking a moment to obviously assess the cheerleader's body, and ignoring the mixed look of embarrassment and anger at him doing it, Xander smiled. "You're a cat."
"Gee, way to state the obvious. What gave it away, the tail?" Cordelia bit at him, not understanding why he wasn't acting how he usually did.
"You're a lovely cat, you in heat? I have some time to kill," Xander asked, shooting a lewd grin at the cheerleader. Cordelia was actually shocked for a moment, before her hand shot out to slap his face. Again she didn't get the reaction she expected as he just smiled. "I'll take that as a no then. Okay. I need to be going, good luck now."
"Wait! You can't leave me here they might come back! I tried at Buffy's and couldn't get in and I've been running and I'm bleeding and I broke my nails and I'd just gotten them done. I demand you take me to the others where I'll be safe," Cordelia demanded, her hands on her hips and a fire in her eyes.
Shaking his head and laughing at the girl, and disregarding the venomous look she gave him for it, he turned back around. "Fine then, girl, tell me where you want to go and I'll take you there, maybe it'll keep you quite and spare some poor demon your wrath."
"Just take me wherever it is you and your loser friends are meeting up. I'm sure Buffy and Giles can fix this mess. In fact it's probably all their fault. Ever since I got involved with all of you geeks everything's been happening to me." Cordelia said spitefully.
"I know where they are, I'll drop you off on the way." Xander raised his trident then and suddenly a new start was burning in the sky. The cheerleader stood there stunned, as it grew closer and she could see that there seemed to be fire on it.
When it landed in front of her she passed out.
Xander and Cordelia landed a moment later outside of Sunnydale High School. Cordelia was still unconscious and being held up by Xander. Once he had her on solid ground he gently slapped the side of her face to wake her up. When he finally had her attention he smiled. "Your chariot has delivered you. Now you can go in and be safe."
Looking fearfully at the chariot she choked out: "What are they?"
"Them? Oh, that's Hecate, Agnon and Set. Old pals, the help me out when I need to travel a bit further than I can manage on my own. Well, let me fix you up before you go to your friends. I doubt knocking that annoying bitch unconscious earlier earned me any points with them. So hold still." Placing his hand over the gash in her arm, he concentrated a second and Cordelia could feel the pain stop completely. His hand then moved to the cut on her forehead and the same thing happened again.
Still in shock from how she had traveled here Cordelia Chase did something she rarely ever did. She let out a genuine smile, and said "Thank you."
"You're welcome. And do stay safe, I can tell that the person whose body this really is has a liking for you. I doubt he'd like to find something had happened to you. Goodbye," and with those words Xander returned to his chariot and flew into the sky, only to disappear.
"There is simply nothing in these texts that could explain what is happening out there." Giles said as he took his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Could this just be, you know, something Hellmouthy gone wrong and it's affecting everyone?" Willow asked as she walked back and forth through the table.
"I've never heard of any demons able to do anything like this before. But I didn't spend time around Hellmouths until recently either," Angel said, pushing aside a book.
"It could simply be the excess Hellmouth energies leaking out, however, Willow didn't you mention Xander said there was spell work used?" Giles asked the redhead.
"He did, but I'm not sure if he'd really know or not."
It was then that the tattered and torn form of Cordelia came into the library with blood still on her forehead and arm. Seeing her Giles quickly went to the girl. "Are you all right?"
"Do I look all right? This costume is ruined and Partytown will charge me for that, my deposit is so gone, I've broken a nail, I've been chased by Jo-Jo the dog-faced boy and then loserboy dares to hit on me and then he flies me here on that deathtrap and heals me, so no, I'm not all right thank you," Cordelia said.
Three people asked three questions simultaneously. Giles asked, "Did you say Xander healed you?" Angel said, "He flew you?" Willow said, "He hit on you!?"
"I don't think I stuttered, yes that's what happened. I mean, hello, do you think I'd lie to you? You're not important enough." Cordelia replied, ignoring the looks Willow was shooting at her.
"Be that as it may, how did he heal you?" Giles asked, the problem of finding out what had happened to everyone pushed back for the moment.
"He just put his hands on me," Cordelia started, not noticing the look from Willow, "and closed his eyes and the pain stopped. See?" She moved her arm so he could see where the gash had been.
Nodding Giles said, "Just a moment Cordelia." And went to his office.
"How did he fly you here?" Angel asked.
"Well I guess the geek flew me, those horses were flying when the landed in front of us with that flaming chariot on it."
"Flying horses?" Willow asked, a memory tugging behind her eyes.
"Yeah, three of them. Anyway, he must have flown us here." It was then that Giles returned with the first aide kit.
"This may hurt Cordelia, I just want to make sure you're okay." With this Giles began to clean where the wounds had been, only to find fresh unmarred skin beneath. No lines or scars, no evidence of injury. "Amazing."
"What? Oh no, he left a scar on my forehead didn't he, I bet he did it on purpose because I slapped him when he asked if I was in heat." Cordelia said fearfully.
"No Cordelia, you're fine. There isn't even a hint of a scar here. From the blood on your clothes there should be no way for you to not have a scar at all." Giles said.
"Can you tell us more about the flying horses?" Angel asked patiently.
"Flying horses?" Giles asked confused.
"Xander apparently flew them here on a flying horse drawn chariot." Willow said somewhat snarkily.
"Did the horses by any chance have names?" Giles asked, wondering if they were tied to some mythology.
"Actually they did," Cordelia began.
Hecate, Agnon and Set landed on a small rock landing area in a dark place cavernous place. Horrible smells, sights and sounds greeted anyone who would come to this place. To the being currently inhabiting Xander Harris, it was a comforting feeling of home.
Disembarking the chariot he walked towards an antechamber.
"Hecate, Agnon and Set are all well known names in mythology. In fact Hecate is often called upon for spells. I was hoping for something more recognizable as to what Xander may have become." Giles said sadly.
"Hey, I didn't know I was supposed to dig for details from him. I was just trying to stay alive and not get groped by him." Cordelia said plainly.
"Of course Cordelia, I understand that--" Giles started to say, when Willow interrupted him.
"Cordelia, did he do anything else? Did he use that trident he had with him?" Willow asked quickly.
"Yeah, he shot fire out of that pitchfork thing at demons that were chasing me. And he used it to summon those horses, he was going somewhere and using them for a long trip." Cordelia said.
With a gasp Willow went pale, "Oh no. That stuff, the fire, it has to be Hellfire."
Xander waked into the antechamber and walked past various guards. Nodding to the spidery figure in a black suit he stepped up to the large double doors made of skulls of various species.
With a grin he grabbed the handles and yanked both doors open and strode in.
"Hellfire? Only extremely powerful demons can summon Hellfire, and it seems that he was summoning it easily." Angel asked. The demon inside of him though, knew that they had come across the truth.
"I think I know what character he dressed up as. This is good though, his character was mostly a good guy. A little rash but he fought the good fight mostly, just harsher than most." Willow said, trying to remember more of the character.
With a smile on his face Xander approached a man on the throne of skulls. "Well, this certainly is a new way to see myself."
"I'd agree if I were seeing myself. But I can feel myself in you, so tell me what you are, and more importantly, who are you?" The man asked as he sat regally. A pale dark-haired woman came from a backroom to stand beside him.
"Oh, an odd little spell happened, I think I'll deal with the caster later. And this shell is that of a human named Xander Harris. For who I am? Why I'm you. I'm Daimon Hellstorm."
"I've never heard of a Daimon Hellstorm before, what kind of character is he?" Giles asked. A thought entered his head and he quickly said a curse to the existence of comic books anyway.
"He was born the Son of Satan, he fought evil and his father and sister sometimes. He was an exorcist and an occult scholar. He decided to fight to keep both Heaven and Hell from taking over the Earth." Willow said, remembering some of the rambles Xander had gone on about the merits of this character.
"If he's such a good guy then why's he been acting like he has?" Angel asked, casting a look toward Giles' office where the still unconscious slayer slept. Giles had decided, after listening to Willow describe Buffy's behavior that it might be a better idea to leave her unconscious.
"Well, he fights for good but he still has a Darksoul, it's where his powers come from being half demon… Oh no…" Willow said suddenly, the life that had returned to her face quickly disappearing.
"Oh great, what new problem did you remember?" Cordelia asked distractedly.
"I just remembered something else…"
"You know only one of us can rule," Daimon said as he stood from his throne.
"I know that, and I'm fine with that. I've got other plans," Xander said with an evil grin.
"What is it Willow?" Giles asked patiently, eying the now trembling ghost and wishing he could comfort her better.
"Daimon killed his father." Willow said quietly.
"Daimon killed Satan? Why does that have you upset?" Angel asked.
"Because when he killed his father he inherited the Dark Halo." Willow answered.
"I don't understand Willow, what's so upsetting about the Dark Halo?" Giles asked.
"Giles, the Dark Halo is what you get as Satan. Xander dressed up as Satan."
"Are you certain of this Willow?" Giles asked. Everyone's mood had darkened and a new fear was permeating them.
"Yes. Once I started talking about it I remembered more and more of the story. We have to do something Giles." Willow said frantically.
"Well what can he do as Satan? I mean, this spell couldn't really make him Satan could it?" Cordelia asked, a tremble evident in her voice.
"I really don't know, I have no idea what spell this could have been and?" Giles suddenly looked again at Cordelia. "You're a cat."
"Yes, and if this goes at all like it did earlier I am so going to press charges," Cordelia said with a glare.
"I think he means that you aren't your costume like everyone else is," Angel said from the side.
"Oh. Well I got mine at Partytown, I doubt that many were able to afford quality costumes. And the deposit is so gone on this," Cordelia whined.
"Oh. Oh! We all got ours at the same place! Xander got his little pitchfork and Buffy her gown and me my ghost costume, so it had to be that, and I saw some of the kids I was taking around at the store too before they became little monsters and?"
"Willow?" Giles said, interrupting the girl. "Where did you get the costumes?"
"This new shop, Ethan's."
"Ethan." Giles voice held such a note of fury that Angel shivered.
"And what are your other plans?" Daimon asked Xander as he moved nearer him, holding his newly made netheranium trident between them.
"The spell that made me will only last so much longer without one of us? altering it. But I think this body, this boy is of more use to us as the safeguard we had been thinking about," Xander said as he willed his own netheranium trident away.
"Really, and how will he be that once you've vacated him?"
"He'll have all of our knowledge, except for this conversation which you'll of course remove before we go home."
"Of course."
"As well as? other things that were bestowed by the spell. Plus I was thinking you might like to donate to his rather," a dry chuckle came from Xander's throat, "noble cause."
"What makes you think he's strong enough for all of this?" Daimon asked.
"What the fuck are you two being so goddamned cryptic about?" the pale punk girl asked.
"Nothing that concerns you Jaine," Daimon said to his lover.
"Fuck it don't. What concerns you concerns me," Jaine said coming up to stand away from both of them, but between them.
"She is fiery, isn't she. Maybe I'll find one like her myself, well, at least maybe the boy will," Xander said admiring Jaine. "Anyway, why don't you take a look at see if you think he's worthy. I know you will, afterall. The boy is fighting me as is, he's strong. He's strong enough for this."
"We'll see." With this, Daimon moved across and stood behind Xander. His hands came up to the sides of Xander's head and slowly his fingers sank into his skull.
"Angel, you stay here and keep them safe I'm going to go see about Ethan," Giles instructed, the name coming out with a slight growl.
"If this person is dangerous maybe I should go see him while you stay here," Angel said. It was only part of the reason though. Whoever this Ethan was, it seemed Giles knew him, Angel had the feeling that Ethan would have a better chance of surviving against himself than Giles.
"No Angel, if this is who I believe it to be then I'll have a better chance at stopping him." And with that, Giles left the library.
Daimon removed his fingers Xander's skull and stepped back toward his throne as Xander slumped down breathing heavily. "I guess we do have good taste, he'll be acceptable. And I agree he should be left with items to help ensure his survival. And since we recently took possession of the second gun?"
"That's what I was thinking. The gun and the Fur Bible should work. He doesn't know he has the talent yet, it was small before this but now?" Xander said, trailing off with a smile.
"Now he'll be one of the more powerful spell casters. And we're giving him a book that is in league with the Necronomicon, the Grimorium Verum, and the damned Darkhold. With what Loss has written in it this boy become a major threat to us." Daimon's voice held a note of humor at that.
Jaine growled low in her throat. "Are you both just going to ignore that I'm here?"
"Yes, we are," Xander said with a quick look her way before looking back at Daimon. "We wouldn't have it any other way for the boy, now would we?" Xander said, his face twisted in a smile.
Giles entered the costume shop and scanned it for occupants. When he didn't see anyone initially he called out asking if anyone was home. With the silence still pressing on, Giles noticed a curtain to the back room partially open. Going inside he saw a small statue with green glowing eyes. "Janus. Roman mythical god. Division of self, of course."
As he was looking at the statue the store's owner came out and smiled, "It is a lovely little game isn't it?"
Giles turned cold eyes on him, "Hello Ethan."
"Hello Ripper."
Angel and Willow we both pacing the library. Angel out of concern for Buffy, Giles and oddly enough Xander. Willow was pacing partly because of nerves, but mostly because she couldn't sit down as her ghost form would just fall through the chair. Cordelia Chase, however, was sitting at a library table doing her nails. Moments earlier when Willow had demanded to know how she could sit there so calmly, the cheerleader replied "Because so far your little loser group has managed to win, I guess you'll keep up that record. Besides, I'm not my costume." The first half of the reply eased Willow's tension a little, while the second had her thinking of how she'd haunt Cordelia through eternity if the spell wasn't fixed.
The virtual silence of the library was broken when Buffy woke up and screamed for some strong man to take her from this wretched place.
"I can feel the spell nearing its end," Xander said with a determined look.
"Very well, I'll destroy the memories of for you and leave the rest intact. Also," Daimon started, and looked to Jaine, "would you fetch the Fur Bible and the second Breathing Gun."
"What the fuck do I look like, your goddamn dog? Fetch it your fucking self," Jaine said with a glare.
"Well you are my favorite bitch," Daimon said, ignoring the look on Jaine's face. "Very well. I'll get them myself, but you Jaine, will be paying later." Moving beside Xander, Daimon smiled. "I do hope you're ready."
"Of course," he replied. Just after this he began screaming.
"What? No hug? Aren't you pleased to see your old mate, Rupert?" Ethan asked with a grin.
"I'm just surprised I didn't guess it was you. This Halloween stunt stinks of Ethan Rayne," came Giles reply.
"Yes, it does, doesn't it? Don't wish to blow my own trumpet, but it's genius. The very embodiment of 'be careful what you wish for'."
"It's sick, brutal, and it harms the innocent. Including one of my charges," Giles said, barely restraining himself.
"Oh, and we all know that you are the champion of innocents and all things pure and good, Rupert." Ethan's voice was thick with sarcasm. "It's quite a little act you've got going here, old man."
"It's no act. It's who I am."
Angel rushed to Giles office to try and reassure Buffy, Willow closely behind him. Cordelia walked over casually and watched Angel try and comfort the distraught Slayer. "What's her deal?"
"She thinks she's a 18th century noblewoman," Willow said without looking at Cordelia.
"So she's an annoyingly self-centered, sheltered bitch?" Cordelia asked.
"Sounds familiar doesn't?" Willow muttered under her breath.
Buffy then saw Willow and Cordelia standing in the doorway. She stood and walked over to them, her nose firmly in the air. "I will not have such harlots near me. You go peddle yourselves to the men at the docks or whatever bordello you cater from." Turning she then addressed Cordelia exclusively. "The shame, to wear such tight and revealing clothing, you look like some feline floozy. I will not have you in my presence. Be gone or I'll have this man escort you loose women away."
Willow was intangible, and unable to stop what she saw about to happen. Angel was still a few feet away and even his vampiric speed couldn't move him there fast enough. And Buffy, she simply didn't see it coming as the others did. Which is why she felt Cordelia's fist hit her chin just before she fell to the floor unconscious.
With a low growl Cordelia ripped off her cat ears and threw them on the unconscious Slayer. "I am never dressing as a cat again."
The screaming continued as Daimon's fingers probed inside of Xander's skull. Jaine stood back smiling, having not had the chance to see this quite before. She doubted she'd ever see it, but now to not only see it but see it done on someone who wished it. This might never happen again. So she stood there and watched as the screams echoed around the throne room.
"Who you are? The Watcher, sniveling, tweed-clad guardian of the Slayer and her kin? I think not. I know who you are, Rupert, and I know what you're capable of." Pausing as a thought came to him, Ethan then continued. "But they don't, do they? They have no idea where you come from."
"Break the spell, Ethan. Then leave this place and never come back." A dark note held within the voice.
"Why should I? What's in the bargain for me?"
"You get to live," was the simple reply from Giles.
Sarcastically, Ethan said: "Oh, Rupert, you're scaring me."
With quick moves, Giles threw a punch to Ethan's stomach, following up with a knee to his face.
Daimon swiftly withdrew his fingers from Xander's skull and stepped back as the boy fell face first to the floor. Daimon walked over to Jaine and pulled her into a hard kiss for a moment, then released before punching her. "You should have fetched."
"Fetch it yourself," she replied before scratching four long furrows in his cheek with the claws she brought forth to her fingers.
"I'm going to," Daimon said, waving his hand over his cut face making the blood and scratches disappear. This done he left his throne room.
Jaine looked down at the unconscious boy and grinned, "My, you're going to be a handsome one some day." Rolling him over with her foot she bent down and ran her hand down his chest to his crotch, "Handsome and big. I might have to look you up myself."
Beaten and laying on the floor, Ethan smiled painfully at Giles. "And you said the Ripper was long gone."
"Tell me how to stop the spell."
"Say 'pretty please,'" Ethan said, earning himself a hard kick in the kidney from Giles.
Daimon returned shortly carrying two plainly wrapped packages. Upon seeing Xander's body rolled on to his back and Jaine nearby he smiled. "Jaine, did you rape the poor boy while I was gone?"
"Wasn't enough time, but if you'd care to leave for a bit?" Jaine said, trailing off with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"I would, but I'm sure he'd enjoy your having your wicked way with him much more were he awake."
"Well then, let me wake him up."
"No, I have too much planned for this one to let you take his innocence away so early," Daimon said as he put a brown leather floor length trench coat on.
Jaine's lower lip stuck out, "But I could so go for a nice virgin. It's so fun to steer them around the curves and," Jaine licked her lips, "show them the ropes."
"Maybe you can introduce him to bondage later."
Ethan's body is shaken by another kick from Giles as he lays on the floor trying to breath. "Now tell me how to stop the spell."
Struggling to get it out, Ethan said, "Janus. Break it's statue."
Giles grabbed the statue and lifted it over his head and brought it down swiftly, smashing it on the floor.
Turning back around to further deal with his old friend, Giles found himself alone in the shop.
In the library, Willow, who was still pacing through a table, vanished at the same time a moan was heard from Giles office. Angel and Cordelia both looked confused for a moment before Buffy could be heard saying, "What the hell hit me?"
"I think the spell's worn off," Cordelia said looking nervously back toward Giles office.
"I guess so, I'll go check on Buffy," Angel said already moving.
To his back Cordelia asked quickly, "You don't think Buffy will be mad that I hit her do you?"
Daimon pulled Xander up from the floor and casually hoisted him over his shoulder before he left the throne room. Jaine fell in step beside him and asked "You're taking him back?"
"Yes. I want to see how he'll do if he's left alone, see how he'll handle the powers and responsibility he's being left with. See how he handles. everything that he'll have now," Daimon said moving toward his chariot.
"But why not just send him back, why take him back personally? If you stay we could have some fun."
"We'll have fun later. I want to make a proper impression on his friends and then I'm going to make contact with some of my father's former holdings in that dimension. Set things up to get updates on him."
"And what kind of impression are you planning to make on his friends?" Jaine asked with a knowing smile.
Before he left on the chariot, Daimon replied. "A lasting one."
Giles had returned to the library only moments before Willow had. Buffy had taken off her costume and changed into the spare set of clothes she kept in the library while Angel hovered a few feet away from her. Cordelia, meanwhile, was casting nervous glances at Buffy afraid she might still want to pay her back.
When Willow had opened the library doors Giles let out a sigh of relief. "I take it you were returned to your body when the spell was ended?"
Willow nodded, "Yeah, right back to the porch I was on, that's what took me so long to get back here." Taking a look over everyone she asked what others had asked, "Where's Xander?"
"I'm afraid Mr. Harris hasn't shown back up. And with him having summoned forth a. . . a means of traversing dimensional plains he could be anywhere I'm afraid," Giles said with a sad weary tone.
Willow walked to the table and sat heavily on a chair, her eyes on the spot Xander usually occupied. "You mean we may have lost him forever?"
"Yes."
Hecate, Agnon and Set landed gently outside of Sunnydale High School as their master surveyed the school. "A school on top of a Hellmouth. People seem to be even stupider in this dimension."
Setting Xander down inside the chariot Daimon removed his trench coat and lay it over the boy. Then he removed his shirt, tossing it on the floor of the chariot. Daimon's face changed then, from his more human appearance to one closer to the demonic appearance his Darksoul could show, the pentagram birthmark on his chest fully in view. Picking up the packages he wrapped them in the trench coat and held them under one arm as he put Xander over his shoulder with the other arm. With a quick look to see he had everything he sent the horses away before entering the school.
"There has to be something we could do Giles, if the spell wore off on him too he'd be defenseless in some dimension. We have to do---" Buffy was interrupted as the doors to the library opened and a demonic looking, bare-chested man came in with Xander over one of his shoulders.
"I believe I have someone that belongs to you?" Daimon said has he looked at the mix of faces and used the boys' memories to find the names to go with them. The older man named Giles seemed shocked, but he was quickly coming out of it. The brunette and redhead, Cordelia and Willow, both seemed frightened but an odd steel could be seen in their eyes that said they wouldn't be running. The vampire named Angel seemed to be fighting the urgings of his demon to show respect, he stood tall and met the gaze of Daimon, unknowingly earning himself a modicum of respect. Finally, the blonde, Buffy, had seemed to push her fear away quickly, covering it with anger as she charged him.
Buffy's attack was laughable, as Daimon casually kicked out striking the girl's stomach and sending her flying into the vampire. "I'm not here to fight with you, for which you should be eternally thankful to whichever deaf god you usually thank for such miracles. I'm simply returning this boy who came to my dimension. His mind is rather impressive, so I took pity on him and brought him back. He had, you could say, piqued my interest."
No one had spoken or moved since Daimon had kicked Buffy, at least they hadn't until he moved over to the table. Cordelia and Willow both moved away swiftly has Daimon set Xander on the table. Finally Willow spoke, "Is he going to be okay?"
"Yes, he'll probably have a headache. Having your mind wandered through can be pretty taxing, but he'll be fine for the most part. More so, actually," Daimon said, the smile on his face looking sinister thanks to the demonic face.
"What do you mean more so?" Giles asked as he moved over to look at Xander closer, keeping the table between himself and Daimon.
"The spell that was used will have different, long lasting affects on him than on others because of my nature. But I'm confident he'll handle things well, which is why I'm leaving him a couple of gifts," Daimon said as he placed the bundled trench coat on the table beside Xander. "Though if he can't handle things, I'll simply return and kill him."
The gasp from Willow and Cordelia was drown out as Buffy shrugged out of Angel's hold and moved quickly to stand in front of Daimon, looking up into his eyes. "You try and kill him and you'll have to go through me."
"I could go through you so easily Slayer that it wouldn't be worth the waste of my time to dispatch you. I'd simply walk through whatever pathetic attempt you tried, kill him and then leave. You may be a boogeyman to demons Slayer, but I am so far out of your league that you cannot comprehend it," Daimon said meeting the gaze of the Slayer. His eyes flashed quickly as their eyes were locked, and Buffy, in fear blinked and stepped back into the table.
"You'll have to get through more than just her," Angel said moving to stand beside his love. At this move Giles moved to stand beside Buffy also, followed by Willow and finally, in a move that surprised the others, Cordelia.
Daimon smiled for a moment, then with a wave of his hand Angel fell to the floor screaming for a few seconds before they cut off. Buffy tried to check on him, but it ended too quickly. Moving to again attack Daimon she was held back by Angel holding her wrist. Looking at them, still smiling, Daimon spoke, "You are truly remarkable, even if you are still so pathetically outmatched. At any rate, I returned the boy and now I'll depart. Oh, and I advise you not to touch what I left him, especially the book, without his permission. And when he wakes up, tell him that Patsy's favorite spell and a note for him are included in the back of the book."
The group did not even have a chance to reply as Daimon's right arm stretched out and his netheranium trident appeared in his hand. Putting the points down flames emerged over the exact spot of the Hellmouth, with a casualness that was hard to be believed by the others in the library, Daimon simply stepped inside the flames and disappeared.
In the offices of Wolfram & Hart. Holland Manners was frightened by the appearance of a man in his office. He could not clearly see the man as he was standing in shadows that did not exist, but he could feel that this man had to be among those known as the Senior Partners. Quickly composing himself he stood, "Hello Sir, I'm sorry for being startled I wasn't expecting anyone. Can I get you something Sir?" Holland said respectively.
The man in the shadows tossed a file folder onto Holland's desk. "In that folder is a list of names, addresses and information on how to contact me. I want everyone in that folder watched, discreetly. I want no actions at all to be taken against them without my express consent. You will contact me once a week to update me and you will have it arranged that should something happen to you one of your underlings will take over this task, but you are not to speak of this to anyone. Especially the other Senior Partners. Do you understand me?"
"Yes Sir."
"Good." With that, the man disappeared and Holland sat down at his desk and opened the folder.
Xander had awoken shortly after Daimon had disappeared to find several worried eyes upon him. Sitting up with a grunt Xander asked, "What hit me?"
"A spell," Giles said. "It turned you into the character you were dressed as. Completely so in fact, I'm still not sure how the fictional character you turned into was able to show up here."
"Different dimensions, his dimension is apparently accessed on a subconscious level by the people who wrote his books, or the books created a different dimension," Xander replied off-handedly before noting the looks. "I read a lot of comics. Plus, it seems right with. . . whoa."
"Are you okay, what's wrong?" Buffy asked from beside him, concern on her face.
"It seems I've got some knowledge shoved up in here," he said tapping his forehead.
"Do you remember what happened tonight?" Giles asked gently, as he helped Xander off the table and into a chair.
"Yeah, most of it. Which reminds me, um, sorry for punching you Buff. please don't pay me back for it." Buffy grinned at that and Xander knew he was safe from retribution. "And Cordelia, um." With a blush Xander looked at the cheerleader. "Sorry about what I said, and insinuated. It was him and?"
"Whatever loserboy, probably what you really thought knowing you. Just keep your eyes and comments to yourself or I'll knock you out like I did Buffy," Cordelia said with a glare. Buffy, at hearing this gave an outraged "Hey!"
"Wait, you knocked Buffy out too?" Xander asked, rather amazed.
"She was being more bitchy and annoying than usual, so I punched her. She went down easily, not that that's really surprising." Cordelia said, oblivious to the look of murder Buffy was shooting her.
"Excuse me," Giles said trying to rein in the conversation. "Could you tell us more about what you remember? Buffy has said that she barely recalls what went on during the time."
"Well, I remember dropping Cordy off and then going to Hell, I remember going into the throne room and seeing Hellstorm and then. I'm waking up here. But I can remember all the events of his life up until the spell, stuff that isn't in the comics. His memories are mine now like I lived them. It's. . . disturbing, I'm still me but I just remember this whole other life."
"Um.. That is to say." Giles stopped, took his glasses off, cleaned them and then put them back on. "That's amazing Xander, but are you really okay?"
"I'm fine, really." He said, to prove it he gave Willow, who was looking worried yet happy to see him a big hug, jarring her out of her silence as she held on tight and cried into his shoulder.
"Xander," Angel spoke, catching Xander's attention has he hadn't been speaking. "Hellstorm left something for you." Angel motioned toward the trench coat. "And he had a message for you, something about 'Patsy's favorite spell' being in the book along with the note for you."
"Well, let me see what's here," Xander said as he unraveled the trench coat. He took off the trench coat he himself had been wearing and put it over one of the chairs. Inside Daimon's trench coat there were two wrapped packages. Going for the larger one first he unwrapped it to find a leather book, it took him a moment to recognize and when he did he gasped.
"What is it?" Giles asked, peering at the book but not recognizing it immediately. Xander opened the book and when Giles saw inside, he made a rather shocked noise. "My lord, that's written in Angelic Scripture. Why would he give you something you couldn't possibly use?"
"Giles, I can read it," Xander said. The shocked look on Giles face was nearly enough to set Xander off laughing. "It's holdover from being him I guess, but I can read this as easily as I can read English. And this isn't just a book. . . this is the Fur Journal, or Fur Bible I guess."
"What's so important about this Forgernal thing?" Buffy asked.
"This. . . avatar, I guess would be the appropriate term. . . for the Assura, who run a Heaven dimension, spent nearly a hundred years searching out and destroying dangerous occult texts. But before he burnt them, he transcribed them into this journal. It's full of some of the most dangerous spells and magic that had ever been imagined," Xander explained as he leafed through the book. "What's more is that the book is made of the flesh of the first man."
That final statement elicited "Ewws" from Willow and Cordelia, looks of shock from Angel and Giles and a disbelieving look from Buffy. "This is made from Adam, you know, Adam and Eve?"
"No," Xander said offhandedly as he looked through the book for the note that Daimon had left him. "Adam was the first fully working man, first off the assembly line so to speak. This is the flesh from the first prototype." Pausing a moment, Xander digested what he had just said. "That's more stuff from Hellstorm. So please don't ask."
There were general nods around.
"As fun as this is, can we get a move on so I can go home? I want someone to at least escort me after tonight," Cordelia said plaintively.
"Just a second," Xander said as he read the note he finally found. His face paled slightly, the others noted, before he shook his head. "Okay, next package."
"Wait, what was the note?" Willow asked curiously.
"Just telling me how to properly use the book and a bit of an explanation on the other package," Xander said swiftly without meeting anyone's eye as he tore open the other package. Once open a slight hissing sound could be heard as Xander pulled an odd looking, but still recognizable for what it was, gun. It was notable as it seem the gun was actually breathing as it hissed. Checking the barrel Xander saw six bullets already loaded.
"A gun, Xander we don't use guns here people could get hurt," Buffy said as she moved to take it from him.
"I wouldn't mess with this gun Buffy. It's one of two Breathing Guns, it's one of the few weapons on Earth that can kill demons. It hisses when occult forces or danger are near. I think it's hissing so because Angel is near, but since there's no danger it's not louder. Plus it's bullets are apparently sentient," Xander said. Giles had again begun to clean his glasses as Angel stepped forward to look at the gun.
"Demons are easy enough to kill, a stake, beheading it's easy. So it's a gun, whatever put it away before you hurt someone Xander, now," Buffy said sternly.
"Buffy, you don't understand. I mean that it kills all demons, not just vampires but if a true demon were to appear one well-aimed shot from this can kill it. This can kill demons or angels, devils or gods." There was silence in the library, apart from the hissing of the gun, as everyone turned this over in their minds.
"Okay, well, we have big ammo now I guess. Just, give it here and we'll lock it up," Buffy said as she grabbed for the gun, the hissing increasing.
"No Buffy, leave it to Xander," Giles said, surprising Buffy and the others. "Hellstorm left it for Xander to use, he advised us not to touch these things without Xander's permission. Let it go Buffy." The stern look from Giles was enough to get Buffy to cease her actions.
"This has been a long night, why don't you all go home now and rest. We'll meet back up here tomorrow around noon and discuss things more then if need be," Giles said as the group began to disperse with Angel walking Cordelia home, before he'd head back to see Buffy, while Buffy walked Willow home. Xander stayed behind to get a ride home from Giles.
"Xander, find someplace safe to keep those items. They may be the difference in saving the world one day," Giles said as he picked up his keys.
"Don't worry Giles, I know. I know too much about that now really," Xander replied as he put on the trench coat Daimon had left him and put the book and gun in it's pockets. "I'll be very careful."
"Very good Xander, I trust you in this."
After getting as much sleep as he could, Giles went back to Ethan's shop to see if there was any sign of his old. . . acquaintance. Giles found the store to have been cleaned out, all that was left was a note. "Be seeing you."
The group met at the library of Sunnydale High School at noon on the first day of November to discuss the night's events. Everything was brought out, explained and worked through. No hard feelings for the punches or actions of others were left. Peace was made and the group that had saved the world was content with each other.
Later that day, in the early evening, Ethan Rayne was paid a visit by a mysterious man. Mysterious in the fact that it seems shadows bent to hide the man from being seen. Ethan immediately began to backpedal and apologize for whatever he may have done when the Mystery man spoke. "Your spell last night had consequences that have brought about my ire, my ire focused on Janus who is now going to focus it's anger upon you. If you do not do as I tell you."
"Janus would not attack me, he reveled in what I did," Ethan said in defense.
"He did, until I was angered. Now he's afraid and angry at you. So if you do as I tell you, you will live a nice long life I suspect. It's simple what you'll have to do for me." The man said.
"What do you want then?" Ethan said, he could feel the power from the man and he did not want to risk anything while he had the disadvantage.
"Simple," the man said tossing a folder at Ethan's feet. "Inside the folder are the names and contact information for the heads of the largest Satanic Cults and Churchs in the world. You're to contact each of them and bring them under one banner and with the guidelines I've prescribed for them. You will do this and you will contact me as prescribed in the folder. You do this and you'll live a nice life as well as have the courtesy of my protection. Should you try and flee I will hunt you down and make your death so horrible Vengeance demons will ask for tips on how I did it. Am I clear?"
"You're clear, but what makes you think this will work? These people are fools, and worse they'll need some kind of reason to do this."
"Simple. Tell them that Satan wishes them to do so," the man said.
"Yeah right, like." but Ethan stopped as he looked again at the man hidden in shadows. "You can't be."
"Can't I? Use your abilities to help convince them, if they need more than that let me know. But remind them I am not patient, and if they try my patience I will slaughter them all. Is that understood?"
"Yes," Ethan said, suddenly more frightened than he had ever been in his life.
"Good," the man said before he, and Ethan's vision, were engulfed in shadows.
Late that night found one Xander Harris in his home, standing in front of a mirror staring at his bare-chest. He looked at his reflection and saw that where he had made marks with a pen for the night before, there now was a birthmark etched in his chest. The pentagram that now adorned his flesh dwarfed the scars he already had on his chest and arms. He reread the note from Daimon Hellstorm and then again looked in the mirror. With a sigh, he recited the archaic words on the paper and watched his reflection as where there were once scars, there was now smooth flesh.
Walking out of the bathroom he had used for the spell, Xander moved to his bed and sat. With a sad sigh he lay back and looked at the ceiling and spoke what he felt was most damning from the note left to him. "Not all that was bestowed upon you by the spell will be removed. Learn to deal with what is left to you, or contact me to end your problems."