Goblin

Previously in Sunnydale SL...

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"Did you see that?" asked Buffy with a frown. From where they stood in by the road, Buffy thought she saw a gray shape race behind the houses. It was too big to be a dog...

"Nope," answered Faith.

Suddenly there was a huge crash from Buffy's house.

"Did you hear that? from the house...." Buffy was off and running through the front door. She bolted through the house to the source of the sounds.

A skinny gray goblin clambered about the kitchen. It flung things from the cupboards and counter tops. Boxes of food spilled across the floor. The coffee maker crashed against the oven. Dishes broke against the wall.

"Hey!!" she yelled, "Scat!!BEAT IT!!"

The creature grabbed more items. Pots and pans tumbled to the ground. Joyce's favorite platter landed on the floor and broke in two.

"What happened?" Faith asked as she entered the room. "Whoa!"

The little gray beast rushed from the kitchen between the slayers and through the dining room leaving a path of destruction in it's wake.

"There!" cried Buffy.

"That is not a fricken' monkey," called Faith, "It's a menace! We goin' after it?"

"He trashed the house!!" raged Buffy, "I'm gonna kill him!!"

They could hear the voice of the goblin as it disappeared behind the high school.

"Too late, too late he he he...."

-----

Buffy picked up another small rock and threw it at the little beast. The goblin had led the slayers on a merry chase out to the frat house before doubling back. It moved with a blur and the rock sailed through a window on the school gym.

"Smashy crashy. someone breaky breaky," chattered the goblin.

"Evil monkey," cursed Faith.

The creature stopped and sniffed the air. "Oooooo...smell cats." and off it ran towards the Wiccan Academy.

Buffy fumed. "Get back here!" she shouted.

The slayers sprinted down the street. As they approached the old house that the Witches of Sunnydale called home, they saw the goblin hovering near the black cat sleeping by the steps of the Covenstead.

"It's okay pretty kitty," murmured the creature, "Iz friend. Sleepy sleepy."

The cat hardly stirred in the presence of the goblin. It had seen it all and was clearly not impressed.

"Hey! I wouldn't do that if I were you," warned Buffy.

"Find you own snack," grumbled the goblin, "I'm hungry."

Buffy grabbed a shovel from next to the house and walked slowly towards the creature.

"Hey goblin, goblin," she whispered.

The goblin hissed.

-----

It was quick. It was small and it proved to be an illusive target even for Faith and Buffy. The goblin's claws were strong and it seemed to have to power to quickly recover from any strike the slayers managed to land.

The creature fled into the Wiccan Academy.

Buffy rushed up the steps in pursuit. She slammed open the door and came to a halt, stunned by the vision before her.

"Willow!!" started Buffy.

"Buffy! that thing..."

"You're small!!"

Willow was still Willow, but now she looked like a child of about eight years old.

"yeah... I figured that part," answered Willow, "Remember that potion Amy left? The one who was a rat? Well, that thing you were chasing spilt it outta my hand. I think I must have swallowed some."

Buffy shook her head. She couldn't process what she saw.

"Buffy? say something!"

Buffy found her voice. "Wha...? you like drank potion...?"

Willow frowned. "I... I didn't mean to." she said with a pout.

"From here? Without knowing what it does?" Buffy had seen some of the potions that the Coven brewed here at the Wicca Academy. Foul smelling with questionable ingredients.

"Run run run...time for fun!" the creature sang as it fled from room to room.

"I was just smelling it to make sure it was the right one," explained Willow, "then that thing came in so fast, I was like 'WHOAH' and it was like 'Weesh', and the potion was like 'Sploosh'"

Buffy had no time to question Willow any further. The nasty little beast rushed into the room. Buffy swung her shovel. The goblin clawed at her madly.

"Knock knock boom," it said and lightning arced from the creature's hands.

Buffy saw a flash of white that faded to black. As she lost consciousness, she heard the goblin chatter, "Nasty shovel.."


-----

Buffy groaned as she shook herself out of her daze. She pushed her self up from the floor, the smell of ozone still in the air. "Where did it go?" she mumbled to herself.

In the distance she could here Willow call out, "Buffy help!"

Buffy held her head as she staggered out the door and down the steps.

Across the field in front of the hospital, she saw the goblin scampering after the small Willow.

"Yummy," it said, "Come back with my lunch."

"Went after the little cutey," Faith said with a harsh laugh.

"Stay back Willow," warned Buffy.

Willow panted, "Ghee, I may be small... but I still got my magic"

And indeed she had. Bolts of blue lightning crackled across the park from Willow's tiny finger tips striking the grey goblin.

"Ouch," it squealed, "Me know that trick. he he he"

The goblin waved his stick-like fingers and lightning shot back towards Willow.

"Watch out Willow!!" cried Buffy.

Willow shrugged off the attack."Good magic has no effect. He reflects it. Gonna have to try something different."

"Roasty, toasty," mocked the goblin.

Willow raised her arms and began to chant, "Hear me, Osiris. Keeper of Darkness... I command you, give me strength."

Instinctively, Buffy headed for cover. Once Willow started calling up ancient gods, things tended to get messy.