To say that Xander Harris was bored would have been an under statement.
To say that he was bored out of his mind bored would have been better.
Whatever made him think that it would be ok for Xander to come along with Buffy and Willow costume shopping was obviously part of a much larger plan of the Hellmouth to slowly drive him out of what little mind he had left. It had to be, why else would he be punished like this?
With a reluctant sight, Xander wondered around aimlessly through the newest shop in town. Besides the fact the story was brand new, it was wall to wall packed. People were running around scrambling to get outfits at the last minute for whatever party they were going to. Unlike Xander, who was stuck with some kids all thanks to Snyder. He briefly toyed with the idea to go as a soldier or something along those lines. The only draw back to that little plan was that the things he needed to dress up was taken already.
"Why me," Xander asked himself for the hundredth time. He looked around a little and caught sight of Willow and Buffy were in aw of a Victorian era styled dress.
No doubt something that she was wearing for Dead Boy. Rolling his eyes, he spotted something at the far corner of the store in a glass case.. As he got closer, his suspicions were confirmed.
Standing there, on a dummy, was the VERY same outfit worn by the main character from 'Devil May Cry' wore.
The outfit of Dante Sparta. The outfit was an exact match for it too. It was a pair of deep red pants with black boots over them that came right up to his calf. Around the right leg was two black belt straps on it. Next came a red vest over a black long sleeve shirt with a pair of black gloves. On the dummy's head, to finish off the costume was a white hair wing. At its sides were Dante's famous gunns, Ebony and Ivory. The only thing that was missing from it was a large sword. Other then that, the outfit was an exact copy.
"May I help you so," a voice from behind him said.
Xander considered himself manly, though the girlish shrike he admitted was FAR from it. After a brief flailing of his arms, Xander turned around with his eyes wide. Behind him stood a man, about Giles' age, give or take a year. He had a look about him that made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.
"Yeah," Xander replied slowly, "though I doubt I can afford this Mr..."
Smiling, the man chuckled and replied, "Rayne. Ethan Rayne. And as for the costume, you in luck. We're having a sale today.
Looking behind him, Xander glanced over the outfit then back at the older man.
"Alright, I'll bite. How much for it?"
"How much do you hace?"
Things were getting weirder and weirder. Then again it was Sunnydale. Reaching inot his pocket, Xander brought out what little money he had. Much to his suprise, Ethean took the money and even tossed in a wooden Japanese Bokken sword to replace the missing sword that was suppose to come with the outfit. With it wrapped up he handed it back to Xander with that smile of his.
Things where getting MUCH weirder.
Xander had everything set out and already for tonight.
Everything, save for one important thing. The costume was still missing a sword, and the bokken was yet to be made into a Dante worthy sword.
What most people don't know about him, was that Xander loved working iwth his hands. He often made the stakes that the Scooby's used against vampires.
Tonight it was time for him to make something for fun. With a deep breath Xander looked over the wooden sword. It was three times the size of a normal katana bokken, making it a, if he remembered correctly, a O No Dachi. The blade was long and with a deep curve, roughly about thirty-nine inches long. With some black quick drying paint he made the wooden sword seem a little more demonic. Next came the plastic guard and the part jsut above hte sword, the habiki.
Filling the sides of the guard and glueing two prongs to the front and back of it. He looked it over and smiled, the guard now hard a Euro-Japanese look to it.
He set it aside and took some clay and a lil tin foil, and started to shape a open mouth demon head which he set to were the habiki was. It placed the guard back on as well and looked over the near finished sword. He left the handle alone, but the pommel needed a little work. Again shaping some tin foil and clay he added a European styled pommel to it.
Now it was finished. A sword Dante might use if he ever had the chance. A few seconds later he took the sheath of hte bokken, which he made in only a few moments, and slide the wooden blade into it.
"...And I shall call thee...Dhylec, The Soul Taker,"
Xander chuckled to himself. He looked over at the clock and realized he was going ot be late. In a flash he got dressed and ran out the door as quickly as his legs would carry him to the Summer homestead.
If there was one thing he learned, was that being late to the Summer's was NOT a god thing.
Joyce was truly wondering if the bleach her daughter was using on her hair was starting to soak into her brain. The costume Buffy had chosen was nice enough, but for some weird reason she ws wearing it for that young man, Angel. A young man who was older then her daughter. To be honest, joyce was hopping that one day Buffy would see her friend, Xander, in a different light. Then again that was as likely as Buffy admitting her real hair color.
Chuckling she went to answer the knock at the door. Much to her own surprise, the object of her thoughts was right there in front of her. "If only I was a few years younger," she thought to herself as she looked Xander over.
"My Lay Summer, Dante Sparta at your service," Xander said as he winked at her, bringing about a girlish blush to her cheeks. He had to admit, something about this costume made him feel more confident
Regaining some of her self control, she smiled back at him, "Xander, please come in. Buffy and Willow are almost ready."
"Actually, mom I'm already ready."
They both looked up to see Buffy dressed in the same Victorian styled dress that she was looking at.
Xander had to admit it though, it did look very attractive on her. Almost like it was made for her.
"Wow, Buff...looking VERY nice," he said in his usual friendly way, "but whre's Willow?"
At first, Buffy was a little surprised at how Xander looked. A small part of her mind was starting to wonder if she made the right choice in going with Angel. She quickly brushed the thought aside as she smiled at him/
"She should be down soon. Your going to love this,"
she said stepping aside, "I Present Willow...the friendly ghost?"
The outfit Willow had on was now covered with a white sheet with 'boo' written on it. It wasn't exactly what they were expecting.
"Nice outfit Wills. Really."
Willow, oddly enough, blushed at the comment. Xander sounded like he really meant what he said. Then again if he told her the world was flat, Willow would believe it.
So, with a waving hand, Joyce saw off the three kids. She wasn't sure, but she knew that Buffy was hiding something from her. At the same time she had a feeling that her daughter was being helped by good people. Especially by Xander, though. She only hopped that Buffy wouldn't do anything stupid to push him away.
((AN: Here are Ebony and Ivory: http://www.poseidon.co.jp/3F/E&I/01.jpg and here is the Dhylec Sword: http://www.mediaminer.org/fanart/view.php/174587 ))
His head was killing him.
As he slowly opened his eyes, the throbbing pain started to slowly wear off. To be honest he felt like it was a hang over. Then again his demonic blood made it VERY hard for him to get them. It did happen every once and a while though. Today was one of those days for Dante Sparta.
Getting up, he looked around slowly and corrected himself. It was night, and from the looks of things (mostly people running around scared with little things running after them) he was knee deep in it.
From the style of houses and neighborhood, he guessed that he was somewhere in the US and in the suburbs of all places. Not exactly the kind of place he was known to hang out.
Then again the little demons and things running around wasn't all the odd to him. Though the size of them was just a little odd. With a sigh, he looked himself over finding his weapons in place. As usual his two gals, Ebony and Ivory, were with him. He slowly drew them and looked them over. Smiling and twirling them around he put them away. He reached over his shoulder and grabbed the handle of his sword. Now things were starting to get weird....even for him.
The sword wasn't his. For one thing it was in a sheath, and he usually had them without one. Another thing it was in the shape of a large katana. Still, it didn't mean he wouldn't take it. The katana styled sword wasn't what he would normally use, but it still looked wicked. The open mouth demon at the end of the blade made it look sick. Not to mention the black blade. For some odd reason the name of the sword just came to him.
"Dhylec, huh," Dante asked himself. "Not bad...not bad at all."
He sheathed the sword back into its sheath on his back and drew his guns. He smiled to himself as he turned around and aimed the guns on a small group of little demons that were trying to jump him from behind.
"Now, now boys. You should know better then to try to get the drop on ol' Dante like that," he said aiming the guns at them, "Lets rock, baby!"
"Xander, no don't shoot them!"
He wasn't sure why, but Dante took his eyes off the little demons and looked over his shoulder. Behind him was a cute red head, dressed up in a hot little number, showing off her smooth long legs. She looked like the kind of girl he usually saved and wanted to "thank" him for it later on.
"And you would be?"
"Xander, stop playing around, it's me Willow," she almost yelled at him. Dante raised his eye brow at het. Something about this girl was familiar to him.
Something deep down wanted him to protect her.
"Lady," he replied looking her over slowly, "I don't know who this 'Xander' is, but for you I'll be anyone you want."
The light blush on her cheeks was exactly what he was expection. And the scrunched up face a few seconds later just made her look cute.
"If you'll gimme a sec while I take care of out frineds, I'll be right with you," he said to her smiling and pointing 'Ebony' over his shoulder, ready to pull the trigger.
"No," the girl screamed in a panic, "they're just kids. Don't hurt them!"
For the second time since they've met, this girl, Willow, had made him, Dante Sparta, the greatest Devil Hunter that ever existed, stopped. Sighing, he looked at hte little demons who were hesitating in attacking him. He reached out with his senses and notcied something just then.
She was telling the truth.
"What the...," he let the statement trail off as he narrowed his eyes more. Dante could see the mystical energy coming off of them, even thought it was VERY weak, but also something else. Some kind of spell surrounding these little demons, and everything that was running around too.
"Aww man," and here, "he whined, " I really wanted to shoot something." Sighing, he aimed 'Ebony' just above the heads of the demons and fired off a few shots. The loud noise scared most of them away.
Dante turned back to the girl who was looking at him like he was the second coming. Chuckling, he smiled and moved over to the girl and was about to put his arm over her shoulder....and went right through it.
On instinct, he brought up both his gun at her, ready to fire. "Ok lady, what the FUCK is going on here and who the FUCK are you?"
As usual, Dante found himself in the middle of something VERY weird. The girl started to babble on with a speed that rivaled his Devil Triggered form.
All he really understood was something about costumes, something called a Hellmouth, and someone called Buffy.
"Ok, ok, slow it down babe," Dante said as he put his guns away. The action had its desired effect, calming the red head down. For someone who was suppose to be a ghost, this Willow sure got nervous a lot.
"Ok, umm....Willow was it," receiving a nod, Dante kept on talking, "Now from the top tell me what the hell is going on here."
"Alright," she began, "we need to find Buffy first. She can help us out."
"Right, got ya. Now who's Buffy?"
She looked at him like he had grown another head.
Then again he was use to that look. "Xander, you can stop kidding now," she said nervously, "you know Buffy....our friend...the slayer."
Dante raised his eye brow, and tried to recall any and all things that was even remotly close to what a 'Slayer' was. The only thing he could come up with was the metal rock band by the same name. "Umm...look lady like I said, I aint this Xander. The names Dante....Dante Sparta."
Willow's eyes got wider as she covered her mouth. Some how Xander was what he was dressed as. Which would explain why everyone was running around acting so weird and why she was a ghost. "We need to find Buffy," she said nervously, "before anything else goes nuts."
And, if by magic, they both heard a VERY loud scream. A scream that hurt Dante's ears and made Willow's eyes go wider with fear. "Come on," she screamed at him, "that was Buffy, she needs help!"
Before Dante could say anything, the girl took off like a bat out of hell. He looked up at the heavens for some answer or sign, but none came. Sighing, he ran after her, wondering what was it about woman and him.
They reached what looked like to be a woman dressed up in some weird outfit that looked like it was something out of one of the books Dante's father had in his library. If he remembered correctly, the style of the dress was one of the Victorian age. She was a little on the skinny side, yet still pretty.
"Let me guess," Dante said point at the girl, "Buffy right?"
Willow simply nodded, still looking a little shocked.
"AHHH, A DEMON," the girl yelled with her eyes wide in terror. On pure instinct, the former Sunnydale teen turned Devil Hunter, turned around fast and drew his guns up ready to kill the demon. It was quiet a sight to behold, Dante's red coat flapping around like a cape. Unfortunately, there was no demon to kill. In fact, there was nothing there, save for a car passing by.
"Buffy, that's a car," Willow said trying to calm down the distraught girl.
"Who are you people? Where am I? Where is my father?"
Chuckling to himself,. Dante found the girls mouth to be working just fin from the babbling. He put his guns away and picked up the girl, getting a better look at her. She was smaller then him by about a few inches, give or take. The only thing this 'Buffy' had going for her was a set of pretty green eyes.
"Ok lady," he said turning to Willow, "is there a safe place around here?"
"Yeah, Buffy's house. This way."
She lead the way, with the girl, Buffy, behind her, and Dante bringing up the rear. Willow seemed to know what was going on in this town. Dante was willing to follow her for now, though he could feel something, like it was tickling the back of his neck. These two girls seemed so familiar to him. Also, there was the feeling of protecting them.
Who was he to deny his feelings?
They reached the house a few minutes later, after a few yells of 'demons' that is. Much to Dante's surprise the door was unlocked. He went pass the two girls and quickly went inside to scan the house.
Everything looked normal for now. The house felt warm, cozy, and made him feel at peace. Something, Dante didn't feel to often.
"Anyone here," Dante asked Willow over his shoulder.
"No, I don't think so. I wish Giles was here though..."
Dante was about to ask something, only to hear another terrified scream. As usual, Dante reacted faster then light. He threw the door open again and jumped out, his demonic abilities giving him an extra boost.
Landing, he looked around and saw a girl, with some kind of cat outfit on, about to be mauled by some big, ugly, hairy thing. Dante was there in only a few steps, and grabbed the thing by the back of the back of its neck and tossed it aside easily. Normally, he would take the thing out, but the girl Willow had told him something about a spell. Usually, when a spelled was involved innocent people got hurt.
Brushing the thought aside, Dante picked up the fallen girl. The thing got back up, whimpered and ran for it. "Whimp," he said with a smile. He grabbed the girl and dragged her to the house, despite all the bitching she was doing. Once inside, Xander shut the door and sighed.
"Well, that was boring."
"Ok, what the hell is up with Jojo, the dog-faced boy"
the girl half asked and half yelled at everyone.
"Hmm....not bad...not bad at all"
Cordelia Chase, the most popular girl in school and one of the prettiest one, jsut looked at Xander like he had lost his mind. Then again since finding out about the underworld of Sunnydale, things like this should have been expected. To her further surprise, Xander took off his red long coat and offered it to her. She hesitated a little, but took the coat and put it on, covering her exposed flesh.
Dante chuckled at the light blush the girl got on her face. Willow turned to her and started to explain what was going on...to the best of her knowledge. As he walked pass a mirror, he stopped and noticed his reflection. This just proved that things were getting weird...even for him. He still had the white hair, a trademark of his father, but his face was younger and far different. Dante looked at the small table and saw a small picture. In it was the young 'ghost', the noble lady, and the kid who's face he now had.
"Ok," he said walking over the girls and handing over the picture to the noble lady, "this is getting odd...and NOT in a good way."
Lady Buffy took a few moments to look at the picture and looked up confused. "What is going on here? Who is this person?"
"From what I can tell, lady, she's you...and the kid in the picture is me. Looks like we're under some kind of spell. And a powerful one from the looks of it."
The young noble woman gasped and crossed herself. Unlike her, Dante knew not all magic was evil while at the same time not all good, just unpredictable. It did explain a lot though. Like how he suddenly had some kid's face and how he felt like he knew these girls.
: "Alright then," he said to himself and turned around, "another normal night for me. Hey girl," he said looking at Willow, "you know anyone who would have a clue on what's going on here?"
"Giles," she replied, looking at the Devil hunter.
"Go to him and tell him what's going on here ASAP.
The rest of us will stay here as long as we can."
She nodded and quickly disappeared through a wall. Of course this just made 'Buffy' freak out all over again. He rolled his eyes as he cracked his neck form side to side. He just tell this was going to be one of those nights. Just then the door opened up and walked in a black clad tall man. He was pale with a slightly big forehead. His face looked like someone who did a little too much brooding. The girl, Cordelia, looked like she knew him, though something was wrong with him.
Just then, it hit Dante. This 'guy' was some kind of demon. A very low level demon. Hardly worth his time really. Then again, who was he to pass up kicking some ass?
Angel was worried. VERY worried.
Usually, the demonic world was quiet when Halloween came up. Something about a night off for them. Yet, tonight, he could see demos and monsters of every kind, and a few he never even seen before, running around causing mass chaos. He was lucky though, his stealth was able to keep him out of any fights. It was also able to get him to Buffy's house faster.
Angel opened the door and let himself in, thankful to Buffy for inviting him. He was happy to see Buffy there, but she looked and felt different. Much to his own surprise, Xander and Cordelia were there as well.
Cordy looked a little roughed up, with parts of her clothes ripped and showing a little skin.
...And then there was Xander.
Since meeting the young man, Angel never liked him.
The constant joking and teasing made him want to snap his neck. Though, lately he was wondering if he could honestly take him. When Xander had forced him into doing what needed to be done, Angel felt like dirt.
The look in the young man's eyes promised nothing but pain.
"Xander," he started to say, "the hell is ACK!!!"
Anything else he had to say was cut of by the hand around his neck. Angel was tossed up against the wall like he was nothing. He hit the wall hard....VERY hard, harder then anything in his undead life. The pure power behind it was like nothing he had ever felt before. Suddenly, a leather boot pinned him to the wall. The leather foot of Xander Harris.
Before, Angel could push Xander off, though he doubted he could, Xander drew a very large black colored gun and aimed it at him. Normally, a gun wouldn't bother Angel, yet the odd dark vibe he was getting off the gun and Xander made him scared.
"Alright, who are you and why shouldn't I waist your sorry ass," Xander grumbled out ready to pull the trigger.
Things were getting VERY weird.
"Well, I'm waiting."
Angel feared very few things in his long vampire life. The Master, Holtez, nto being forgiven for his sins, and disco.
Yet, here he was pinned to the wall by Xander of all people. He felt like his chest was about to cave in from the shear power behind it.
Whoever this person was in Xander, it wasn't him.
"Wait! Don't hurt him he's a good guy!"
Both men turned to see Cordelia there, pulling the coat around her tighter. She may have been scared, but she was mostly pissed off. As for Buffy, she was hiding behind her, scared at the out burst.
"Your kidding right," Dante asked. "This thing, whatever he...or it is, is a demon. A weak on yeah, but still a demon."
"I don't care! Put him down now!"
Sighing, Dante let the thing go, letting him slump to the ground. Angel's chest was killing him.
"Fine lady, but if he suddenly starts to look at your neck for a snack, don't come crying to me, got it?!"
Dante twirled the gun in his hand and put them away, with the grace that came from years of practice. He made his way over to a chair in the living room and sat down. He needed to think a few things out.
Where ever he was now, it was some kind of "Nexus" for demonic energy. Not as focused as some of the places he had been to, yet strong none the less. Also the demons he did sense were weak compared to the things he fought. Then again there were a lot of things in his world that wasn't here. Like Trish, his bike, and his collection of demons heads.
He missed them.
Getting bored, which was easy for him, Dante got up and stretched feeling his back pop a little. He looked over to where the thing and two girls were.
They were all looking at him like he was the devil himself. Then again, he probably was to them.
"Ok look, this is how things are going to go," he said taking charge. "You new guy, you and Lady Useless over here go secure the back door. Miss Kitty and I will check up stairs."
Angel just nodded and pulled Lady Useless with him to the kitchen gently, while she was whining that is.
Meanwhile, Dante started up the stairs with the girl trailing behind him. She was still looking at him with a little fear in her eyes. Something he was used to seeing in people he saved. Though he had a feeling that she was about to explode soon though.
"So," Dante said as he closed a window, "you know this Xander huh? What's he like?"
"A total dork. NO sense of style in his clothes," she replied tossing her hair over her shoulder, looking and sounding like the typical California girl.
((AN: to any females from Cal *gets on hands and knees* PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!!!))
He chuckled to himself as he turned to her. "Didn't ask what he is wearing...I'm asking what kind of person he is."
"He's....he's ok I guess," she said unsure of herself. "I mean when someone picks on him he does nothing, but when someone picks on his friends...well he's a little. He's still a dork though."
Dante looked at her closely. She was telling the truth of this Xander guy. He sounded like the kind of person Dante would like to meet. Also, from the way that guy down stairs acted when eh pushed him to the wall, he had a little of a mean streak in him when it comes to protecting his friends. His thoughts were confirmed when he had the other guy to the wall...a part of him wanted to not just to kill him, but to beat him up first.
His train of though was broken by a loud scream coming from down stairs. On instinct, Dante drew his twin guns and raced pass Cordelia, jumping form the top of the stairs down to the ground level. He landed easily and raced to the kitchen where the scream came form.
On the floor grappling another thing, was that guy, Angel. He was doing ok, though his skills left something to be desired for. Sighing, Dante grabbed the demon thing by the neck and lifted it easily and tossed him out the door. He made it look so easily.
Angel got up the floor, his eyes wide. He still couldn't get use to Xander being this strong. "Ok, what happen," said the person who wore Xander's face said. Angel noticed the twin guns. One, the one that was aimed at him before, was still giving off a dark aura, while the other one, the chrome one, was giving off a light one. No doubt those twin gusn could hurt him...if not kill him.
"Something attacked me," he replied quickly, "Buffy ran off when she got scared."
"Gee, wonder why," Dante said looking at Angel, putting his guns away. "We need to go after her now."
But, Buffy, "Cordelia started, "can take care of herself."
"Buffy could, but she isn't Buffy anymore," Angel said evenly.
Without a word, Dante stepped through the door, looking around. The others stepped behind him. He had to admit, the girl had guts, while the guy....well he just hated his guts.
"Ok people, we got a 17th century woman out there in a modern world with demons running around. Lets go get her back."
Hours later, Lady Elizabeth was running for her life.
She didn't know where she was or where her father was either. In one word, she was scared. The strange man with the pistols wasn't here to protect her from that other man with the demonic face.
"Hello there my pretty."
The voice sent chills up her spine. Right in front of her was a large man, a pirate, holding a sword in one hand and a bottle in the other. She had seen men like these before when her father went to the docks and brought her along. Usually, she had her fathers men with her to protect her, but now she was alone.
She let out a little whimper just as he was about to touch her, when suddenly the drunken man was pushed off her. She looked up to see the man in red standing in front of her, between her and the drunken sailor.
From behind her, came the two others that were with her in the house.
The young woman and the demon.
Again she let out a whimper as she hid behind Cordelia, holding on to her arm for dear life and screamed, "DEMON!"
"What's your damage," Cordelia asked looking at Buffy. To her EVERYTHING was a demon.
Meanwhile, Dante looked over the pirate with a raised eyebrow. Spell or not, this guy looked like a fool.
The only thing that even made him remotely scary looking was the sword. "She's mine by," he said.
Even from this distance, Dante could smell his drunken breath.
Dante smiled, looked behind him and simply shrugged at them. He turned back to the pirate and aimed 'Ivory' at him. The sound of the gun going off was like a cannon in the silent night. The pirate blinked and checked himself over and found no wound. His sword on the other hand was shattered. Before he could do or say anything else, Dante walked up to him and punched him out. The punch wasn't too hard, but not too soft either.
"Man, that felt good for some reason," Dante said as the pirate slumped to the ground.
"There you are! I been looking all over for you gusy!"
They turned to see Willow running up to them, her eyes wide. Dante wondered why a ghost would be out of breath. Lady Useless was still looking at the Angel guy, scared with wide eyes. Cordelia was trying to calm her down while looking at Angel as well. The guy looked at them both a little on the sheepish side.
"So," Dante said looking at Willow, "what happen?"
"Giles went to Ethan's to break the spell. He told us to find a place and sit tight."
"Not what I usually do," Dante said with a smile, "but I guess he's right. Yo, new guy you take the rear, I got point."
He didn't wait for a response as he started walking, looking like he didn't care if they followed or not.
As he suspected though, they did follow him, with Willow giving him the evil eye.
Ethan often wondered if Chaos was the right way to go in life. Sure it was fun, but at this point he had second thoughts. Standing above him, looking rather calm, was his old friend Rupert Giles a.k.a. Ripper.
When he got here to Sunnydale, he thought that his old mate would be more librarian-ish. He was wrong.
"Now, Ethan, are you going to tell me how to break the spell?"
"You didn't say please," Ethan replied as a foot connected with his ribs, making him spit up blood.
'Ripper' looked at him with almost a dangerous glint in his eyes. Things were getting not only weird, but dangerous. Especially for him.
Dante just knew they were being followed.
He couldn't shoot at them, not wanting to risk hurting innocent people. What he did do was move everyone into a old empty were house. He and Angel quickly barricaded the large doors and moved back some more.
"Are you SURE I can't shoot anyone," Dante asked Willow for the millionth time.
"No you cant! Look we just have to wait for the spell to break," she replied. She hoped it was soon though.
Suddenly, the large doors were pushed open hard. A group of demons came in with one of them leading the way. Dante had to blink a few times to make sure he was seeing who he was saying. The one leading the demons...was Billy Idol.
"Wow, This is...unexpected."
"I'm afraid," Giles said as he cleaned his hands, "your ribs can't take much more of this. Now, how do I break the spell?"
"The bust of Janus," Ethan said through bloody lips, "Break the bust!"
Giles stepped over his old friend and grabbed the bust. He lifted it up into the air and smashed it on the ground, shattering it to pieces.
The energy that was let loose nearly knocked him over.
"Him you can shoot," Willow yelled as she spotted Spike.
That was all Dante needed to hear. He got up fast and lifted both his guns, aiming them at the blonde with a smile. Just as he was about to pull the trigger, a sudden wave of energy passed through all of them, knocking those who were effected down.
Xander opened his eyes, his head throbbing. He felt like his head was danced on by a vampire. He looked up to see Buffy handing Spike his sorry ass. As usual Spike made a run for it as soon as Angel was about to step into the fight.
He got up and looked around, noticing the little kids crying and looking scared. Willow had disappeared, returning to her body he hopped. Buffy was as usual, draping over Angel, and Angel just taking it in.
Cordelia looked on, jealousy clearly written all over her face.
"Come on guys," Buffy said, "lets get these kids to their parents and head home. I'm beat."
Xander kept quiet as they did so. He mostly hung back, avoiding thier gaze or questions. A few minutes later, Willow came by and Xander sighed in relief.
Though she was dressed a little differently. They broke up, each one heading home.
Moments later Xander shut the door to his room. It was a good thing his parents were passed out on the sofa, he didn't want to bother with them right now.
Suddenly Xander fell to the floor clenching hsi head. It felt like it was on fire. He struggled to hsi bed and sat down, slinging the sword off him and setting it on the bed.
Taking a few deep breaths the pain was slowly starting to leave him. He got up slowly and looked in the mirror. Xander had taken off the white wig hours ago so he looked like his old self. Moments later the pain was totally gone.
What wasn't gone were the memories of Dante Sparta.
What wasn't gone were the two guns, Ebony and Ivory, that were still VERY much real.
What wasn't gone was the sword, Dhylec.
What wasn't gone was the light redish tint in his eyes.
Part of him, Dante, was still in him.
