Whips & Leather

Author: Tjin Ohiy Tur <krakin_13[at]yahoo.com>

Okay folks.

I originally wrote this as a one shot Death to a plot bunny story that refused to come to an end anytime soon.

Note: i don't own Xander, Cordy, Willow or anyone else here. Indiana Jones is owned By Lucas Films. Catwoman is owned by DC Comics.


Chapter 1

Xander glared at the small punk that had taken the last gun from the bin. //I can't be a soldier without a gun.// he thought in despair as he looked around the costume shop. //A Pirate?// he thought before he saw Larry walk out with one under his arm. //Nope, Batman? No way. Hmmm… a gunblade? Nope, nothing else to go with It.// growling in frustration he almost decided to dig up his camping funds and run to Partytown when he saw it.

Gently picking up the twelve feet of braided leather Xander grinned at the 'New' costume and rushed to the front to check out.

Ignoring the odd look the proprietor gave him as he bought the whip Xander still had the grin as he walked out, leaving Buffy and Willow to giggle over the dress they had found.

*****

Rupert 'Ripper' Giles was walking through his library when a sudden crack like a gunshot and a scream of pain echoed through the room. He threw himself flat, bad old memories resurfacing in an instant as he did. "What the hell!?"

"Ow! Ow! Ow!"

Rupert frowned, he knew that voice. The British watcher crawled quickly around a corner, lying prone in case he was dealing with a sniper from outside. When he stuck his head around the corner, his jaw dropped, literally hitting the floor as he was so close already.

Xander Harris was holding the side of his face, blood streaming down his cheek as he yelped.

"Bugger!" Giles muttered, scrambling across the room. "How bad are you hit, Xander?"

"Hit?" Xander winced, frowning at the librarian who was still half crouched on the floor. "What are you talking about?"

Giles frowned, noting for the first time what the young man was wearing. "Where did you get those clothes?"

"These?" Xander looked down, "I got them from home, my dad liked old detective movies so he had the hat and Uncle Rory had the jacket…" he got out before he was interrupted.

"Bugger all!" Giles suddenly yelled, noticing something else. "Were you playing with a bullwhip in my library!?"

"Umm..." Xander's eyes flitted around as he quickly stashed the bullwhip behind his back. "No?"

Giles got to his feet quickly, "Out."

"But..."

"Out!"

"Aw come on G..."

"OUT!" Giles thundered, pointing to the door.

Xander slowly slunk toward the door, leaving an extremely irate librarian behind him.

*****

Ethan Rayne was just moving to close the door as a brunet rushed in. "I'm sorry miss, I was just closing up for the evening and I can't stay open for just you to find a costume." He said looking her over. She had money, of that he was sure of. But as he did not open the store for money, he merely wanting to do the spell and enjoy the choas that insued.

And to do that he had to start the ceremony soon.

Cordelia shrugged as she marched through the costume store. "I already have a costume, I had it specially made three weeks ago, but one of the last item got lost in the mail and I need it tonight." She said in distaste as she picked up the last piece to her costume and walked back to pay for it before leaving to get ready.

Ethan Rayne sighed as he closed the door and turned towards the back. "I do hope you turn into something dreadful." He muttered as he prepared to start the spell.

*****

Xander glared at the back of the pirate for several seconds as he toyed with the thought of striking out at him before shrugging it off and turning around.

And nearly swallowing his tongue.

Cordelia was dressed in a tight black leather body suit, mask, heels and bullwhip as she stormed down the hall in a fury.

"What are you looking at Harris." She snarled as she saw him looking at her.

Immedietly Xander's mind ran through several scenarios. //Wow, it's Yin and Yang… a bitch dressed up as a cat? Nope that one wouln't work.// he realized as he saw how angry she was. "I would comment Cordy, but I think you'd hit me." He said before ducking under her swing and heading for the library.

Cordelia growled as Harris made his escape. She hated how he always managed to get under her skin like that. She hated it almost as much as she hated letting him get under her skin.

With a last glare at his back Cordelia turned and went to find her date for the night.

*****

As Ethan finished up the spell he felt the dark taint of evil spirits, the bright lights of good ones, the grey of the nuetrals and even a few animal spirits wash out to take control of thier new hosts.

*****

Indianna sat up with a groan as he held his head in pain. "Next time if the locals don't drink it, neither do I." he swore as he looked around the town in confusion before focusing on the small demons running around everywhere.

Groaning to himself he forced himself up and pulled the large whip from his belt. "Okay, an Evil Shaman I can get by with, power of God in a box I can accept," He muttered as he stared at the green skinned monsters in front of him. With a crack, a streak of blood appreared on the small demons face before it ran off screaming, the other two quickly decided to follow. "But Pigmy Demons in Hicksville USA, that just seems… wrong somehow." He muttered before looking around again.

He noticed the differince quickly. The cars looked bigger and different, the signs were newer and even the houses he saw looked fake, as if they had been mass produced like the liberty ships.

"XANDER!"

At the shout Indiana spun around expecting some huge monster or creature to be charging him.

Instead the sight was that of a girl dress like a Taiwanese hooker running towards him. "Sorry miss… who are you looking for?"

The girl stared at him for a second before responding. "Xander this is no time to play, we have problems." She said as she looked him up and down. "You're not Xander are you."

Shaking his head Indiana fliked the pistol towards one of the demons coming too close before the girl jumped in front of him.

"NO. Xan… I mean whoever you are you can't shoot them, those are little kids in costumes." She said before the demon lunged through her and into the fist he threw.

"Some costumes." He muttered looking at the unconscious micro-monster before him. "And who did you dress as Miss, Carmen Miranda turning tricks?"

Willow stared at him for several seconds before shaking off the confusion."No look you're Xander, You're my best friend and you have been possesed by your Halloween costume and we need to find Buffy." She said before taking an uneeded breath.

Indy stared at the redhead for several seconds before sighing, "We are being attacked by little monsters, I'm not in my body, you're non-corporeal and you want us to go looking for your dog? Listen lady, things are kinda stressed right now so I think I'll just be going."

Any response was interupted by a screech he hadn't heard since Willy was in the cave of bugs. Turning he watched the Blonde running down the street with a stupid looking pirate following closely. "Why can't I ever just have a normal boring dig like other archeologists?" he muttered as he pulled the whip lose.

*****

Selina watched from the rooftop as the dog creature ran off after baying at her for a few minutes. //Well how on earth did THIS happen and who do I get to hurt for putting me in THIS body.// she fumed as she looked over her changed self. "Ooh well, I guess its time to make the best of a good situation." She muttered as she stretched "At least who ever this is keeps her body in shape."

Moving across the roof Selina mentally calculated the distance before taking a running start and leaping the distance to the nearby house. "My my my, seems who ever this is kept in better shape then I thought." She said with a smile. "Perhaps I should… thank her in some way."

She knew her new body was self centered, Egocentric, and prideful, but she also knew she had a core of strength that would keep her above all the other sheep. She felt a kinship with her new body… almost.

With a laugh, Selina slipped into one of the many upscale houses and started picking through the jewelry for the better items that would 'help' her host when she was gone. //And if I don't go it will make me a tidy nest egg that will be lost in the confusion tonight.//

*****

Indiana glared at the object that had betrayed him.

"See, you are Xander and she is Buffy." Willow said as she stood in the couch and watched her two friends stare at the mirror.

Indy glared at the blonde as she whined about someone protecting her. "Listen princess, right now I'm about three steps away from choosing a snake over your company." He said before leaning towards her. "And that's saying something for ME."

The blonde glared at him before turning on her heel and sweeping from the room with an indignant air.

Looking at the ghost, Indiana sighed. "Sweetheart follow the princess and make sure she doesn't get herself killed." He groaned

As Willow left to check on the slayer, a screech echoed through the house moments before the missing blond came rushing back into the room follow by a tall male.

"Thank god you're here, something really weird is going on out there." Angel said as he entered the room.

A sharp snap sounded and his lip was split down to his chin as he collapsed to the floor.

"XANDER, NO!" Willow yelled as the lady weighed down his arm as she bawled about the lack of 'Honorable' men.

"Sweetheart I don't know many things, but THIS joker was the exact same age in MY time." He muttered as he tried to free his arm again. "And I may not know much, but he was more of an annoying putz than you." He growled before leaning towards her. "And that's BEFORE I shot him." He said before his head was rocked by a slap.

"Sir, you are NO gentlmen." Buffy said with a huff before turning away.

Indy almost growled as he grabbed her and spun her around. "Listen LADY! I didn't sign on to be here, I didn't ask to for it and you can bet that in no way do I WANT to be here." He finished as he glared at the princess.

With a snort she jerked her arm free of his grip. "Then DON'T be here." She said with a glare before leaving again.

With a sigh Indy turned back to the ghost. "Go make sure 'Her Majesty' is fine."

As the ghost left Indiana growled before turning back to the rising man. "So… Liam, it's been what, three years?" he asked as the man stared at him in confusion. "Come on now Angel, the last time I saw you you where lying in some bar in egypt with a knife in your skull."

With a sudden rush of fear Angel looked from the bullwhip to the fedora. "Jones?" He asked in confusion as he looked closer at the boy in front of him. "Indiana?"

Indy couldn't resest smiling at that. "I cant believe someone didn't stake you out in the desert and wait for the sun before now."

*****

Selina quietly broke the latch on the window of the only house on the street that hadn't come off an assembly line.

She had just slipped into the house when a redhead walked 'Through' the wall and stopped in surprise.

"Cordellia? What are you doing here." The ghost asked as Selina cursed silently at this turn of events.

"Looking for somewhere safe." She lied quickly as the redhead looked around.

"Well, put some clothes on and help me find Buffy, she's run off and can't remember who she is." Willow said as she looked around the room before walking back through the wall in search of the slayer.

*****

Angel stared at the reincarnation of a dead friend. "Indy? You died fifty years ago." He whispered at the specter in disbelief. "You took one last job with the O'Connels and the four of you just… disapeared."

Indiana absently rubbed where the scar used to be as he tried to remember what had happened. "I remember Rick was trying to stay out of an argument Evie and I were having about Atlantis and what Plato meant in his writing when…" he paused as he tried to remember what had happened after that. "I don't remember."

Thinking about it for a moment a thought struck him. "Wait a minute. if I'm fifty years dead how the heck did this kid dress up as me for halloween." He demanded as Angel hung his head.

"You remember you told Walt Lucas some of your more… colorful exploits?" he said carefully as he tried to explain without making his old friend mad.

After he nodded Angel continued. "Well it seems he told some of your stories to his son… who made several major movies about them after your death."

Staring at the vampire as if he had gone insane Indiana sighed as he tried to remember some of the stories he had let George in on. "Please tell me he didn't do the search for Excalibur." He begged the ensouled vampire.

Luaghing at some of the memories from that journey, Angel shook his head. "Thankfully no… but he did use the story about the Ark of the Covenent, the Stones of Shiva and the Grail."

Winching in pain Indy rubbed his chest at the memory of the Shaman. "ohh lord… they told about the belly dancer that was more belly then dancer." He begged as Angel collapsed in laughter.

"No… not in that one, but I do think he used that story as a basis for a character in another movie."

The conversation was cut short at a crash from the kitchen.

TBC…