Replacing the Zippo

[Blacksheep]

You decided to focus on keeping your ear to the ground and spending time at the bar. Marcie continued to be a wonderful back up for that. You were considering whether or not you should introduce her. They wouldn't be put off by the fact that she was invisible, it was a chance for her to socialize more with others outside of your group. They also might try to kill or eat her though, that was something you still had to keep into consideration.

You knew that you were tolerated because the bar was a neutral space and you took care to never let your guard drop among the predators. They might like your spunk and enjoy telling you gossip, but they could also decide that you were a particularly tasty snack at any moment. Especially with the constant mix of new people passing through.

Spike it seemed had made a complete menace of himself after taking apart the local court and driving any vampires he could find into serving Drusilla while he kept working on a cure. Interestingly enough you also got to hear news about some of the local demon cults around Sunnydale and their plans for various rituals. The fertility ritual was one that you could have done without hearing about it in quite such explicit detail, but the one where it was just a case of offering a hunted animal to their demonic overlord wasn't so bad. The news about the fraternity that would be offering their usual girls to continue their wealth came up, with plenty of teasing about how humans tended to offer things that were so valuable for the most ridiculous things.

[ ]Suggest a group disrupt the offering of the girls to watch the humans scramble for fun
[ ]Tell Giles and Buffy what you found out
[ ]Focus on the vampires
[ ]Write-in

[ ]Reveal Marcie to the bar
[ ]Marcie stays hidden

 

[Blacksheep]

Marcie was unsure when you asked her if she wanted to be introduced to the others at the bar. It was easy to understand. She was invisible because of people purposely choosing to turn away from her. If she didn't reach out, she didn't have to be rejected. You didn't know if it was best to let her wait on this or try to encourage her. You weren't in her situation after all. You could do with less attention at times, and you had friends you could rely on.

You found a chance to talk to Giles and Buffy about the cult at the university preparing sacrifices. Buffy was quick to grab onto the invitation with Cordelia to a frat party to get in and start looking around. It was slightly stressful to have Buffy come back out with a drugged Cordelia. Funnily enough this was a good sign, as it meant Buffy had gotten to Cordelia before she woke up to the demon trying to eat her, but seeing Cordelia so helpless did make your heart squeeze in distress.

[ ]Take the group out for ice cream to unwind
[ ]Watch over Cordelia to make sure she's alright
[ ]Pretend everything's fine: this is typical for Sunnydale, no big deal
[ ]Write-in

Halloween was coming up. And not just any Halloween. The Halloween when Ethan turned everyone into their costumes. You could use this.

[ ]Avoid the enchanted costumes, you don't want to test your luck
[ ]Pick out a costume: what do you want to be?
[ ]Help friends pick out costumes

 

[Blacksheep]

Your suggestion this time for going out for ice cream went down a lot better. Everyone talked and relaxed, and when you split up it was a good hour later with the tension of the day cleared away. You had successfully helped the group unwind and feel safe after the crazy cult incident. It wasn't perfect, but the success buoyed you up the entire way back home.

With Halloween coming up you found yourself doing your best to make plans. Whatever costume you put together had to be as cheap as possible with your funds. Most of your friends thankfully had better funds than you did. Buffy was currently completely mooning over Angel, which had you shifting uncomfortably. Angel being further integrated into the group helped, but the vampire still pinged you as a threat to keep a close eye on. Angel revealed that he planned to spend Halloween out of the way, which immediately had Buffy wanting to also take the night off. Giles was agreeable with that, as Halloween was supposed to be quiet supernatural wise. Of course, this was the Hellmouth. Rules were bent or outright broken here.

You went as a group down to Ethan's costume shop and started browsing through it all. Buffy was of course drawn to the more elegant gowns, clearly dreaming of impressing Angel with her outfit. You dug around for a while before you found a couple cheap pieces you could use for a detective costume. You would have loved to go as Batman, but you just couldn't afford anything Batman. There were pieces you could maybe use for a Batman mask, but you were afraid the magic might be keyed to a different character you didn't know. At least a magnifying glass and Sherlock style hat was relatively cheap, just five bucks. More than you had wanted to spend, but it would be worth it if you got the skills you wanted.

You had talked Marcie into trying out a Fantastic Four costume, in the hopes that dressing as Invisible Girl would give her a measure of control over her abilities. It wasn't guaranteed, but it was something that allowed her to be included somewhat in your plans for trick or treating, and that was always something you tried to keep in mind. Willow was more tricky. Her shyness had her usually going as a bedsheet ghost, something simple that completely covered her up. Buffy would want to push for something more adventurous, but you knew that the best way to get Willow actually dressed was picking something that was still fairly modest.

You tried to encourage Willow by telling her all about how cool the Scarlet Witch was, and how she already had red hair for it. Buffy however shot it down as comic geek stuff, and Willow was swayed to go as a more classical witch. Well, it was still something magical, if not what you had hoped for. And there was a good chance that the costume would in fact help with Willow's powers.

>>>>

The detective immediately knew that something was wrong as he came into awareness of the world around him. People were screaming and fighting. His first impulse was to say that it was a celebration gone wrong. City wide celebrations occasionally deteriorated into riots after all. But there was something very wrong with the people around them. Something about their costumes that simply pinged the detective as not being right.

He watched for a couple minutes before he placed the difference. Somehow, in some way, some of the costumes were real. It looked like people had been celebrating Halloween, and somehow actual monsters had become mixed up with everything. He had no explanation for how such a thing was possible, but he at least could do his best to try and get the innocents out of the way.

The detective wasn't the only one doing so. There were others mixed in who were doing their best to fight back against the tide of monsters. And not all of the monsters were non human. The detective kept a close eye out as he brought a group to a house. A teen flickered out of invisibility and drove off a devil before creating some type of barriers that she used to drive fights apart. A witch cackled as she cursed others, adding to the chaos with her spells.

He was kept busy for hours this way, fighting through the monsters. He was surprised when what he had mistaken as a man grabbed him and turned out to in fact be a vampire. He did his best to hit weak points and escape, but it didn't work as he was dragged away. The detective watched with a calculating gaze as he was brought before a dark goth princess vampire. She smiled softly at him as she swayed in her dress. "Even clouded this one still sees," she murmured.

"A good gift for you then? Still not sure what you want with him," the vampire said.

"His dancing dodges blades, I want him to dance for us," she said.

"He will," the vampire promised. The detective thought he was going to be forced immediately, but the female vampire drew away her lover with a giggle. He started to work on escaping, waiting for an opening to run.

>>>>

You jolted as the night fell away. This was not supposed to happen. You had thought you were safe for Halloween. Vampires don't go out in it. Spike did try to go after Buffy, but that had been a rather half hearted attempt. You hadn't expected that it would turn to you. Drusilla beamed as she looked at you. "He's awake."

"Finally," Spike said. He grinned at you. "So, pet, you're going to help with whatever my lovely dark princess asks for. Got it?"

[ ]Write-in

 

[Blacksheep]

"Okay, so what can I do for you? I'm a squishy human, I can't do that much," you babbled.

"What do you want to do with him princess?" Spike asked Drusilla lovingly.

"Ask him how to get Daddy back," Drusilla said absently. Spike grimaced but looked at you expectantly.

"You didn't have to kidnap me for that," you admitted. "He's not taking as good care of his conscience as you'd hope."

"Daddy's a bad boy," Drusilla laughed.

"And we just need to sit pretty and wait for it?" Spike grinned. "And what about my love's health? How do I fix that?"

"I don't know," you admit. "I know it's something to do with Sire's blood, but you find a ritual for it in a book. I don't know what book."

Spike grinned. "So you're useful after all." Drusilla drifted towards you and you shuddered as her lips brushed over your neck. "I can get you something better than a twig like him, love." She turned and drifted back to him shifting to watch something no one else saw. "Your vision's pretty clear, pet. Thanks for the advice." Spike patted your cheek and stood up.

"No one is coming for him," Drusilla said dreamily.

"Good," Spike said with a grin. He gave Drusilla a kiss that made her giggle in delight and headed out. Drusilla continued to watch nothing.

You were tied up for far too long. Spike came back with a girl and you watched Drusilla drain her even as she fought and struggled until she was limp and lifeless, brown eyes still staring at you with fear. The sun rose and Drusilla and Spike were far too happy to have sex only a few feet away from where you were sat. You learned far too much about the pair's kinks as they played. That might have been the most horrifying part of the whole experience, honestly. They seemed mostly happy to ignore you now that you'd given them some answers.

You jerked in shock when something touched you. You looked around wildly, but saw nothing there even as the ropes around you were untied. It took too long for it to click. "Marcie," you whispered.

"Come on, let's go," she whispered back. You followed after her, slipping out of the building and into the sun. You took a deep breath basking in the warmth that meant you were safe.

"How did you find me?"

"The group's been hitting every vampire nest we could find," Marcie replied. "It was luck I was the one to find you."

"The pair are freaky, I am so glad to be out of there before they started another sex marathon."

Getting reunited with everyone meant Willow crying on you. You were doing your best to push down on what happened and not think too much about it. What could Spike and Drusilla really do with what you'd told them? And...should you try to tell them?

[ ]Admit to knowing things
[ ]Say honestly what happened with Spike and Drusilla, but dance around what you know
[ ]Suppress what happened
[ ]Write-in

 

[Blacksheep]

"So, I might have something to confess," you said. You gave an appeasing smile.

"What is it?" Willow demanded. "Did you get really hurt?" Marcie flickered into visibility making you jump. You had hoped she'd gain that ability but it still caught you off guard to actually see her.

"They were really gross, but no. They...grabbed me because they think I'm like Drusilla. That I know stuff."

Giles straightened and gave you a sharp look. "And why would they think that?"

You gave the most casual shrug that you could. "Maybe because I've seen things that could possibly happen? I wouldn't say it's particularly reliable though."

"But it was enough to get their attention." Giles frowned. "Drusilla is an incredibly powerful seer, but that has always been clouded by her madness. If you have similar abilities that is a serious subject."

"It's really not reliable," you repeated. "I know some things that could possibly happen, but it doesn't adapt to changes. Marcie doesn't exist in any of them."

"Interesting. I will have to check my books." Giles turned to start doing research.

"So you're a magic guy now?" Buffy asked half seriously.

"A really bad one. It didn't let me save Jesse," you said quietly. Willow hugged you extra tightly.

"We're gonna figure this out," Willow promised. "We're not going to let them eat you." That was really good news, considering you didn't know how things were going to go now.

"So what are Spike and his crazy girl gonna do?" Buffy challenged.

"Try to use Angel to cure her," you said frankly.

Buffy immediately whirled around and grabbed onto Angel. You had to admit you were developing a dislike for Angel similar to the original Xander. The guy was not that useful to have around, and the little romance with Buffy was annoying.

"I can handle them," Angel assured Buffy. "They are my progeny, I taught them what they know."

Buffy continued to worry about Angel, but Giles was more interested in testing what kind of seer abilities you had. That was a touch discomfiting, you didn't like the idea of the Watchers Council getting involved with you because of your "seer" skills. They would not be nice to their human magic 8-ball. At least you had confirmation Marcie could turn visible again. Did anything happen to Willow?

[ ]Help Buffy with keeping Angel away from Spike and Drusilla
[ ]Try to cover how your 'seer' abilities work with Giles, hopefully in a way to make him not report you
[ ]Spend time with Marcie, it's awesome she's finally visible!
[ ]Ask Willow about her Halloween experiences
[ ]Write-in

 

[Blacksheep]

It was a good idea to spend some time with Willow and Marcie. Both of them had changed a lot with Halloween. It would be good to catch up with them and talk all about it.

Both of them were happy to spend time together. Marcie was more withdrawn, with Willow babbling at a thousand words a minute. You had been worried about Willow, but it seemed she didn't remember much from her time as a witch. She did find it much easier to draw on magic, and was talking about bothering Ms Calendar about technomagic. Marcie just seemed to be relishing in not having to struggle to draw attention to herself. She kept looking down at herself like she was expecting it to wear off. It wasn't the problem you'd been expecting when you'd wanted to check in with them. You had thought Willow would be more worried about the experience. But she had always been rather quick to move on. Something that was important when nothing really stopped in Sunnydale. There wasn't time for mourning or dealing with the curve balls the Hellmouth kept throwing at everyone. Perhaps this was a good thing.

You were more concerned when you showed up to school to see that Buffy's old friend Ford had shown up. You knew he wanted to be turned to survive the cancer he had, and was more than willing to turn on Buffy to get that done. At least, that was how it went in canon. Would it change with what Spike and Drusilla knew now?

[ ]Try to find proof Ford is lying
[ ]Focus on self defense
[ ]Talk to Ms Calendar about magic and Willow
[ ]Write-in

 

[Blacksheep]

You were automatically going to start looking for evidence to prove Ford wasn't meant to be here, before you remembered. Your friends knew you knew things now. You didn't have to act like you didn't have knowledge. It was strange. It made so many more things possible than before, and yet at the same time you wanted to still tread with care in case things weren't like how they had been on the show. Things were changing!

So you approached Ford and pulled him off to a quiet hall. "Hey, I know you have cancer," you told him.

Ford paled. "What? What do you-how do you know that?"

"I know things." You shrugged. "Not all of it's useful, but...anyways, I know you can't have just come here to see Buffy. Not with that."

"You can't tell her," Ford told you. "She'll just stress about it."

"She deserves the truth. You should tell her, or I will."

"Alright, I'll let her know." You relaxed and let Ford walk away. That had been a mistake.

Buffy pinned you to a wall. "I get that you have issues Xander, but that doesn't give you the right to threaten my friend," she growled.

"Whoa, whoa! What are you talking about Buffy?"

"Ford told me that you told him to stop hanging around me, that you didn't think someone like him should be bothering with me. He's my friend Xander!"

"That's not what's going on!"

"It's not? So you're not jealous that another guy who knows about vampires turned up? You know I'm dating Angel!"

"That-that has nothing to do with this!" It was a terrible mistake, but it wasn't related to Ford.

"Yeah? Then why did you run him off?"

"I didn't! I just told him to tell you that he's dying!"

"He's what?" Buffy let go and you took a deep breath. Buffy could be rough when she was upset.

"He has cancer in his brain. He doesn't have long left. He didn't come to see you, he's looking for a fix," you said.

Buffy turned and left, not bothering to apologize. You were happy to just take the time to breath.

Maybe you shouldn't have gotten involved. You had helped Buffy, sure. She would handle the betrayal better this time. She sure hadn't thanked you for it though. You were bitter as you headed back to class. You'd just let them do what they wanted this time.

It was somewhat of a surprise when you did hear how things ended up playing out. Ford had traded Angel, not Buffy. Drusilla was healed, and Ford had been taken as a new toy for her to play with. Buffy had managed to rescue him but Ford had died from his injuries. Perhaps in some ways it was better. Buffy wasn't personally betrayed, though it was still a type of betrayal. Ford hadn't been turned into a vampire either, so Buffy hadn't been forced to kill him a second time.

You were worried about what a fully healed Drusilla would be seeking for now. Her madness made her deeply unpredictable. Knowing what she wanted didn't mean knowing how she would try to get it.

[ ]Focus on the demon that will be coming after Giles soon
[ ]Ask Willow about learning magic from Mrs Calendar: a proper teacher would be good for her
[ ]Spend time with Marcie
[ ]Focus on school
[ ]Write-in