Seek and Go Hide (Part Three)

"Okay, let's start," said Angel [Duncan].

With the exception of the older Buffy, who had remained out on patrol, the gang had returned to the Magic Box. The younger Buffy had found the key in a pipe by the same abandoned building where she had found the grimoire.

"I bet we'll need a spell to open it," said Buffy [Kammy]. "A book this powerful probably won't open for just a key."

Redy took the key and tried to unlock the book with it and wondered why the key was warm.

"A warm key..." remarked Angel.

"What's that mean??" asked Buffy.

The book would not open. "Hmm, nothing happens."

"Are we sure that there is nothing locked in the key?" asked Angel.

"How can something be locked in a key??" said Buffy.

Redy stared at the key in her hands.

"It would be an answer why the key is warm," explained Angel.

Puzzled, Buffy wondered out loud, "Unless we need a spell, a spell to go with the key..."

"...or only the right one can use it." interrupted Redy. "Our elders told us stories about such things. Sometimes things are waiting for the right one to be used by it."

"How are we suppose to know who the right one is??" asked Buffy.

"Maybe you should try it out Buffy," suggested Angel.

"Me?? Why would it be me??"

"Uhm... Slayer? Chosen one?" smiled Redy.

"Oh.. right." Buffy carefully placed her hand on the key preparing for the heat. "It's cool." She was surprised. "It's not warm at all..."

"Try to open it," urged Angel.

Buffy put the key in the lock and tried to turn it. "It won't turn."

The younger Faith [Alexandria] then placed her hand over Buffy's and tried to help her.

"Good idea Faith," said Buffy, "Maybe both of us."

Buffy tried to turn the key with Faith's help. There was an audible *click* and the grimoire opened. The two Slayers looked at each other.

Buffy opened the book. "There's all sorts of spells here...shapeshifting spells. We can't let Pepper get ahold of this book. She could make herself invincible."

"Keep the grimoire here," said the older Faith [Alanna].

"But we need to hide it," said Buffy, "From what I understand....she can shape shift into a mix of more than one creature..."

"That would make her dangerous," added Angel, "We need a good place to hide it"

The group discussed a range of ideas.
"The library would be too obvious...."
"Hide it in the back room under the desk...."
"Maybe Willow could ..."
"We could hide it at my mansion...."
"She will find it, I`m sure...."
"What if the wrong Spike finds it?"

Then the small dragon spoke up. "I could take it. I can`t read it, so there won`t be danger."

"Okay Redy you take the book," said Buffy, "And hide it somewhere, somewhere Pepper would never find it."

"Separate it from the key," added the younger Faith.

"Yes, definitely," agreed Buffy, "I'll take the key."

"For some reason I don`t feel very safe now," said the dragon.

"What's wrong Redy??" asked Buffy.

"Just a feeling," Redy shrugged.

"Give it to Giles," said the older Faith.

"We make decoys,"suggested the younger Faith, "Pretend we never found it."

"I can keep it until I meet Giles again," said Redy, "or until Pepper is able to get me ..."

"She won't be able to open it up," said the younger Faith, "If it took us both the first time B - she can't get in it"

"True," said Buffy, "I'll take the key and hide it outside of Sunnydale...somewhere Pepper can't get her hands on it."

"Let's hope that will help," added Redy, "but .... she will be very angry. We are cheating her and I`m sure she doesn't like it."

"I'm sure she doesn't," said Buffy, "but what choice do we have."

[Thank you Redy for the content for this posting]

Seek and Go Hide (Part Two)

The stairs of the abandoned house creaked as the two younger Slayers and the small dragon climbed to the second floor.

"I found the book upstairs," explained the younger Buffy, "Redy and Faith check the right."

"Three rooms. Three superbeings," remarked the younger Faith.

"One is a toilet and I doubt it's in there."

Redy muttered something about dark and cold and really wanting to be at home again.

"Don't see a key anywhere," said the younger Buffy. As she continued looking Redy and Faith stepped out of the house for some fresh air. From across the field came the older Buffy and older Faith.

"Uhm uhm, Angel is here," Redy pointed out.

"Angel?" asked the older Faith, "Is he now?"

"Oh! Angel?" the older Buffy's [Javelin] face brightened up. "Angel, you're back..."

"Yes," answered Angel [Duncan].

"...anything new?"

"Not really," replied Angel, "I just cant the feeling outta my mind that something big is going on."

Buffy took a deep breath. "Yahh... we all feel that way right about now."

"Maybe I will have to ask some "old friends" about that," continued Angel.

Redy drew a bit closer.

"It's the deep breath before the plunge," remarked Faith.

"I say we go beat up Spike..." added Buffy cheerfully, "that always helps."

Redy interrupted, "Hey now he was very nice the last time."

"Besides," Buffy smiled,"we've come all this way... would be rude to leave without saying hello."

[Thank you Redy for the picture and content for this posting]

Seek and Go Hide (Part One)

"Why don't you two head over to the hospital and the Bronze and see if you can find this book," suggested the older Faith [Alanna].

The Slayers - two Buffys and two Faiths -and Redy, their dragon ally had been combing Sunnydale all day looking for the grimoire of shape shifting spells that Pepper had mentioned. If such a thing indeed existed it was important that they find it before she did.

"The hospital has books?" asked Redy.

"You never know," said the older Faith, This book is obviously owned by someone."

"Hmm, okay."

"Might wanna check Spike's crypt and the mansion Angel lives in too." she added.

"In other words - search everywhere for the book," remarked younger Faith [Alexandria], completing the thought.

Redy sighed.

"Yes but divide...two teams."

Redy wandered out of the Magic Box accompanied by the younger Faith, just as the younger Buffy rushed up.

"Yo. Just in time B," said the younger Faith.

"I got it!" Buffy [Kammy] cried.

"You...got the book?" asked Redy, both pleased and surprised.

"What?? Where?!" asked the younger Faith.

"And for all, from whom?" finished Redy.

The younger Buffy explained. "I was pulled away by some vamps in the sewers and I was able to get enough info out of them to find it in an old abandoned house."

"Oh, oh, oh!" Redy jumped up and down with excitement. Buffy passed the grimoire to the small dragon.

Back inside the Magic Box, Redy put the book upon the table. The cover was made of silver and was secured with a hasp.

"It's locked. Can we open it with something?" asked Redy

"Maybe there's a key there too," added the younger Buffy, "I didn't see one but..."

"I'll go back with you B," volunteered the younger Faith.

"I will come with you," said the dragon.

[Thank you Redy for the content for this posting]

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Web of Lies, Seeds of Doubt (Part Two)

Pepper had left the crypt. As the door swung shut, a cloud of dust stirred from the floor and played around Redy's tail.

"Redy..."

"Hmm?" asked Redy.

It was the young Buffy [Kammy]. "Spit it out. What was Pepper talking about? 'Once they realize what you really are.'"

"She is trying to drag me to her side. It's not the first time," Redy shrugged.

"But what.. are you?" asked Buffy.

"I'm a dragon," explained Redy."A baby at the moment, only 758 years old."

"And when you get older...bigger I mean..."

"Then I'm still a dragon, only older and bigger."

"You won't become evil will you?"

Redy smiled. "I only know of one who became evil so far... only one who came back from a trip to the universe and he was ill in mind...."

Buffy didn't reply. Instead she said,"We better find Faith."

Redy nodded.

The young dragon and the young Slayer entered the tunnels beneath Sunnydale through the passage in the rear of the crypt.

As they rejoined Faith [Alanna], suddenly Redy said, "But I know what she is trying."

"Oh??" asked Buffy.

"If she is able to make people afraid of me .... then I'm alone."

"She knows your too valuable to be with us 'cause she is afraid of you," added Faith with a laugh.

Redy and the two Slayers walked through the moss and puddles of water that had collected in the sewers since the flooding of Sunnydale.

"Redy, I trust you," Buffy remarked.

Redy sighed.

Buffy continued, "I was just asking because I don't know a lot about dragons."

Redy paused a moment. "Pepper knows that," she replied.

Soon the patrol drew to a close as Buffy went off on her own.

"Alright...go home Redy" said Faith turning to the small dragon.

"Home?" asked Redy.

"Not much more you can do here," continued Faith.

Redy pouted and then wandered off towards the Magic Box.

[Thank you Redy for submitting the content for this posting]

Web of Lies, Seeds of Doubt (Part One)

The smell of ozone lingered in the air. Threads of spider web on Redy and Faith [Alanna] slowly dissolved. Pepper's hair still smoldered from the lightning blasts the small dragon had blasted across Spike's crypt. Young Buffy [Kammy] stood by with her sword drawn.

Negotiations, however, were going well.

"It doesn't happen that you know something about a new vamp in town, do you?" asked Redy.

"Maybe," shrugged Pepper, "how much is that worth to you?"

"Aha! Maybe...." replied Redy.

Pepper had been out hunting in the form of the giant spider when the Slayers and the dragon had found her and the usual rage and fury had resulted. Then, during a pause in the fighting, Redy had offered Pepper a deal, an exchange of information, with free threats and insults of course. Pepper was never one to let an opportunity like that pass by.

"Okay, I'll tell you what I know....but in exchange I want something too," offered Pepper.

"What might that be?" asked Faith.

"A grimoire, a magic book of spells about shape shifting. I can naturally shift into a spider, because that is what I am. But I want more.. more forms... "

"We could wrap you in toilet paper," said Redy,"I'm sure it would make a great mummy."

Buffy smirked.

Pepper ignored the barb, "So, do we have a deal? A book for information?"

"I don't like the sound of that," said Buffy.

"Do you know where this grimoire is?" pressed Faith.

"No idea or I wouldn't ask you..." Pepper thought for a moment "Okay, tell you what....you keep an eye out for my book..."

"For your book?" interrupted Redy.

"...and as a gesture of good faith..." Pepper looked at Faith and cleared her throat, "I will give you this information for free."

Faith jumped at the offer. "Done.. it's a deal."

"Wait," cried Buffy, "What's a deal?"

Before Buffy could offer objections, Pepper started to tell them about the vampire returning to town and about what she knew about the demon god Genous. It didn't matter to Pepper that they knew. She owed nothing to any of these other demons. It was more important that she find out about the grimoire. It may not exist. It may be only a rumor but Pepper didn't have the resources these Slayers had to find such a thing. She didn't expect them to give her this book. However, if they found it, then she at least knew who she had to kill to get it.

When she had finished answering their questions, Pepper turned to the small dragon. "You are a feisty one..."

"Who me? 'Says the vamp,'" laughed Redy.

"I like your style. Are you sure you don't want to switch sides?"

"Don't like me too much," warned Redy, "It could kill you."

"You know, they will kill you when you get bigger...." Pepper said with a sly smile.

Redy laughed again.

"You will scare them you see," added Pepper.

"Be sure, they won't be alive then. None of you will be. Dragons are made for eternity and they grow slowly." offered Redy.

"They kill what they are afraid of," continued Pepper. "Once they realize what you really are...."

"Then they could kill you too, you know," countered Redy with a smile.

Pepper shrugged. "They try...only you made a difference."

Young Buffy interrupted, "What is she talking about Redy?"

"Well, I think I've said enough," finished Pepper.

Redy glared at Pepper.

Pepper looked at the dragon, "I will see you around Redy..."

"That's for sure."

Pepper nodded at Faith and Buffy. "Bye Slayers."

"Spidey," said Buffy.

Pepper walked out of the crypt. She didn't let it show, but it took all she had to turn her back on the dragon that had burned her.

Team Deathmatch

The Chalice of Juturna was restored and the waters that threatened to swallow Sunnydale were turned back. The eight responsible each received a magic sword as reward.

Having being defeated at the hands of Buffy and owners of two of these swords, Pepper is now in the process of reconstituting and is vowing revenge. Slayers and scoobies must try to stop her and her allies as she transforms and strengthens.

[from game guidelines by Zeno Baxton]

----
Pepper ran through the graveyard, her boney feet crushing the grass beneath her. Since her chance meeting with the two Buffys at Wolfram and Hart, she had kept moving. Despite her bravado she knew she was in no state to confront the Slayers on her own.

Suddenly, she came upon a dark figure standing confidently among the monuments. The pale moon illumined his face. Here was someone she knew. Here was the ally she needed.

"You...I know you," she stated "You serve the Master too."

The vampire, Xander Harris [Soara], turned to face the skeletal form before him. "Yes I do," he replied.

Pepper croaked, "That dragon and the Slayer.. they did this to me... burned me with that dragon breath." She held out her arms indicating her skinless state.

"And her scoobies I imagine," added Xander helpfully.

Her voice whistled through the bones of her body. It was filled with despair and rage. "I want them all to pay! I can feel myself returning... it's slower than it should be."

"Show them no mercy," directed Xander. He stopped and sniffed the air, "I smell company."

"Good, good," added Pepper with dark glee. "I want revenge. I can feel it in my bones."

----

Final score

Scoobies

Javelin Somerset (Buffy) - 5 kills
Kreng Jonson (Daniel) - 3 kills
Merissa Frostbyte - 0 kills
Redy9 Shepherd - 1 kill

Vampires/Demons

Kaezin Freng (joining game in progress) - 0 kills
Pepper Siamendes - 1 kill
Soara Jewell (Xander) - 1 kill

----

Pepper could take the defeat. She could take the bruising. Her normal body had finally reconstituted and she even managed to draw some blood today. What she couldn't stand though was the gloating from the victorious scoobies.

She tried to put a brave face on things, after all it was nice to have a face again. "Okay Slayer... you may have won this round...."

Merissa interrupted, "We're white hats. We always win."

"Tsk," said Buffy. "Save it, heard it all before... 'you may have won the match, but the war will be mine' yada yada yada..."

Merissa added, "How about 'I will have my revenge.'.... "

Daniel joined in, "When will the bad guys get new lines? Seriously, they're older than old!"

Merissa continued, "...or 'You will RUE the day you crossed me!'"

Pepper scowled. This was very frustrating. "Come on Xander...the Master will not be please..."

"Yah! Now THAT's original," fired Buffy.

"...but I'd rather face him than have to listen to this lot."

Restless Bones

"Pepper....."said the young Buffy [Kammy].

"That's Pepper?" asked the older Buffy [Zeno]. "I thought Redy dusted her."

Two Buffys stood examining the skeleton resting on the steel table. They were in the laboratory of the Wolfram and Hart building.

The younger Buffy covered her nose, "Eh, that smell. We did. I thought we did. "

"Like baked spider..." The older Buffy looked closely at the bones. she pointed, "You can see the fangs."

"Something about this isn't right...."

The older Buffy looked up, "Kaezin told me she might reconstitute... you know like orange juice."

"Reconstitute??"

The older Buffy continued, "She's half demon. The vamp in some ways is easy to kill..."

"But half demon.... not so much" The younger Buffy finished the sentence.

The skeleton twitched then quickly leaped from the table to the marble floor. A ghostly voice croaked, "Hello Ladies"

The young Buffy snapped, "Hey Pepper, you're looking rather boney."

Pepper gave a hoarse laugh.

"I knew you needed to lose weight but I think you took it a little far," continued Buffy.

"Yes, a little slender I will admit. Of course, no heart yet. It takes a while to grow back. So no heart...no fear of stakes."

"Yet assuming you are around long enough for it to grow back."

Pepper laughed. "Oh not to worry about that..."

"And why is that?"

"Because I'm outa here." Pepper bolted for the stairs. Both Buffys hollered as the skeleton disappeared out of the building and into the night.

----

The fog rolled between the gravestone. Somewhere a dog howled.

The two Buffys met on the broken ground near the Wolfram and Hart building.

The younger of the two spoke first, "She got away...."

"She can't get far looking like that...she will have to hide."

"Yeah, especially with all the stray dogs," added young Buffy with a laugh.

The New Sword

"It's a lovely sword," remarked Laken, "and so unique."

"That's a serious looking sword," added Buffy [Zeno]. "What does that symbol at the end mean?"

"Buffy...the other Buffy, thought maybe the pummel was important," said Kaezin.

Buffy and Kaezin had come to the Wicca Adademy hoping to find some answers about the nature of Kaezin's new sword. He had received the weapon in a quest to restore the Chalice of Juturna, the Roman Goddess of Waters and in doing so helped turn back the sea water that had threatened to swallow Sunnydale. It had watered down his beer he said.

"Protection," explained Laken, one of the head witches in the local coven.

"Like a shield of some kind?" asked Buffy

There was a gentle knocking at the door. Redy, the small dragon slipped quietly into the room. Buffy and Kaezin greeted her with smiles.

Laken elaborated, "This sword will protect those who bare it." She then turned and warmly greeted the dragon. "Hello dear one."

"...and it makes a great bottle opener," added Kaezin.

Laken continued, "You're a fortunate demon Kaezin but you earned this gift all the same... a champions sword."

"It's shiny," acknowledged Kaezin

"Caution," warned Laken, "Protection is a neutral thing. The power you wield can be so dangerous in the wrong hands. The sword is yours but not bound to you ..if taken it will serve
that master."

Redy interjected "So it isn`t just a sword?"

"Great," said Kaezin, "So the Mayor may want this added to his collection."

"Yes," replied Laken, "I imagine he would."

Laken again turned to the small dragon. "Tea Redy?" she asked.

Redy looked at the sharp thingy and thought it would be only a toothpick for the older ones of her family. "Tea," she smiled at Laken, "Thank you."

The Abyss (Part Two)

A total of eight players completed the Abyss Quest.
These players are, in order:
1. Kaezin Freng - winner of a Roleplayer + membership
2. Hathor Ronas
3. Merissa Frostbite
4. Spike Warwillow
5. Alanna Vilotta
6. Soara Jewell
7. Redy9 Shepherd
8. Darth Chrome

Congratulations to all who participated!

Sunnydale swallowed by the ocean.

Daring to enter the Hellmouth.

The Guardian.

The end of the quest.

The Chalice of Juturna.

The Abyss

"The consequences of the time rift had began to show its age, the Scoobies thought they’d seen it all. But little did they know what the ‘new future’ holds for them. Ever since the beginning of the spatiotemporal crisis, our heroes had set course for a new journey into a multitude of parallel futures. One of these futures, was on course to hit Sunnydale with an aquatic force. This future belonged to a timeline where Good had lost the war against Evil, every last slayer defeated, and the Earth overrun by Evil itself.

"Many centuries ago, ‘The Guardians’, a pagan stronghold whom kept a close eye on the first Watchers, predicted this fate would one day come. As a desperate measure to defend the future Earth, they’d cursed Sunnydale with a spell that would submerge the city in water, and along with it, the Hellmouth. In order to do this, they had stolen the Chalice of Juturna (Roman Goddess of water), and shattered it, scattering its pieces far from the Hellmouth. However, The Guardians failed to foresee the reality that stands today… every generation living together and breathing the same space."

[from game guidelines by Javelin Somerset]

The new way of getting to class.

Hathor and Xander fighting a demon-ammonite.

[Congratulations to Kaezin Freng and Hathor Ronas the first two players to complete the quest: finding all sixteen pieces, solving the riddles and restoring the broken chalice to wholeness.

Congratulations and thank you to Javelin Somerset who designed and developed this weekend-long puzzle game.]

The Slayer's Scythe (Part Three)

EPILOGUE

Buffy-bot stood quietly in the jail cell, her lost scythe now resting in her right hand. The voice that whispered in her head was silent now, as if it had completed it task and had no further reason to exist.

Officers Freng and Rosenberg had left the station house. The last thing Officer Freng had said was that "the Mayor will be informed." Buffy-bot wasn't sure why but she thought this was important.

The door of the police station hissed open.

"I don't understand this world..."

Buffy-bot looked up at the new voice. It was Glory.

"You have a nice toy and I want this toy..."

"I have found my scythe," announced Buffy-bot.

"..this Scythe in my bedroom. Perfect. Oh you are a robot. Sorry, you don't understand. Humans don't understand me."

Buffy-bot looked at Glory and stated, "You are Glory... you have lost your key."

"Yes Buffy-bot. My thing, it's my KEY. Have you information Buffy-bot?"

"I can't tell you. I must protect Dawn."

"No," replied Glory with a smile, "you must love me....you can tell me all."

The Slayer's Scythe (Part Two)

The sounds of battle filled the abandoned house - electrical discharges from the Tesla maces crackled and the clang of swords and axes.

Buffy-bot wandered calmly from room to room fixated on her task. She stopped and asked the small dragon who stood in the doorway. "Do you have my scythe?"

The dragon replied with a steady stream of crossbow bolts that hit Buffy-bot with series of thuds. Buffy-bot started swinging and didn't stop until the dragon stopped moving.

Buffy-bot kept looking until she suddenly came across it behind the old sofa.

"Oh, there is my scythe," she reported to no one in particular. "I found my scythe."

"Very good," said Officer Freng, "Let's get it back to the station."

Willow [Faith C] tried to argue with Buffy-bot. "It's Buffy Scythe, not yours."

"I must take it somewhere safe. I know.... I will take it to the police station."

"It was somewhere safe." cried Willow, "The police are evil, Buffy-bot. They are tricking you!"

"Office Freng... he is Sunnydale's Finest... he will know what to do," declared Buffy-bot.

"They are not the good guys," explained Willow.

"I will go there now," declared Buffy-bot.

"Nuuuuuuu!" cried Redy, the dragon.

"No you won't," said Willow.

----

Buffy-bot had walked some distance from the abandoned house when Willow caught up with her. Willow struck Buffy-bot and Buffy-bot struck her back. Their battle raged across the broken ground of the darkside of Sunnydale. They traded blows wordlessly, evenly matched until the police officers and Scoobies rushed to the scene.

"You are Willow...you are my friend...Willow I have to get my scythe to somewhere safe," Buffy-bot tried to explain.

A crowd had gathered around them - police officers, Buffy's friends, vampires and the dragon. Each one trying to be helpful.

"The Cops, are... not your friends.," said Willow

"Follow me back to the station," said Officer Rosenberg [Bellarata].

"Bring it to the dragon. It will keep it safe," whispered Redy.

Buffy-bot found this very confusing. She looked around and called out, "Spike..?" He would know what to do.

"Yes," answered Spike.

But then the voice that whispered in her head grew louder, and it drowned out all other voices. Buffy-bot turned to the police officer.

"You are Officer Freng... you are Sunnydale's Finest," she declared.

"Yes," replied the police officer, his eyes giving off a red demonic glow, "and you need to come back to the station with me."

"I need to come back to the station with you," Buffy-bot echoed.

"..or hand me the shiny scythe.."

Willow cried out, "No! Don't!"

Buffy-bot raised her arm slowly and she carefully handed the scythe to Officer Freng.

"No Buffy!" screamed Willow.

"Buffy!" said Spike.

"Nuuuuuuu!" cried Redy.

Then Officer Freng did something that Buffy-bot didn't understand at all. Officer Freng threw back his head and laughed.