Trick or Treat (Part One)

It began like any other Hallowe'en.. except of course, they had to explain the whole thing to Redy.. the dressing up and getting candies. Redy, being Redy, preferred the idea of nibbling on candles. Buffy thought this could lead to a whole lot of dark Jack O'Lanterns this year. "Dark" as it turned out, wasn't quite a strong enough word....

I. Somewhere a voice was chanting...

"The world that denies thee, thou inhabit, the peace that ignores me, thou corrupt, Chaos I remain as ever thy faithful degenerate son.... ...Come appear and show to us that which is infinite power, the mask transforms itself into flesh and blood... Janus take the day!"

II. Alice in Wonderland/Buffy ran out of the Magic Box, screaming her head off. The store was full of weapons. She ran down the street past hovering giant pumpkins, only to be confronted by another Buffy.... this one with green skin, dress in black, with a tall, pointed Witch's hat.

"You!" demanded Wicked Witch of the West/Buffy, "Bring me my shoes!" She recognized the other girl and thought maybe this was the elusive Dorothy.

Alice/Buffy backed off. "I don't have them!" she cried.

"Where did you put them?"

Kaezin, who had been observing the two Slayers, interrupted, "um...Buffy?"

Alice/Buffy turned to the friendly demon and asked, "Who's Buffy?"

Kaezin muttered a mild curse.

"I... I'm Alice ... and ... I don't know why I'm here," she turned to the Witch, "And I don't have your slippers."

"Alice. Of course," said Kaezin with a sudden understanding.

"Alice, eh?" Witch/Buffy struggled with her rage, "And your telling me that you didn't drop house on my sister?"

"No! I... I just fell asleep and woke up in this place... "

Witch/Buffy frowned and fumed inwardly.

"I just... I just want to find my sister and get out of here... wherever here is..." continued Alice/Buffy.

"I must find the girl who took my ruby slippers.." said Witch/Buffy, to no one in particular.

"Well... besides being red... what do they look like?" asked the girl.

"They are ruby red and never-you-mind! You just want them for yourself!" spat the Witch, a storm shaping in her eyes.

Alice/Buffy shook her head, "No! No I don't. I just figured I could help is all."

Kaezin felt obliged to add, "...and they're not my color."

III. The trio made their way through the cemetery. Despite the possession, the two Buffys had decided to join forces to find the Witch's ruby slippers and Alice's missing sister. Kaezin, fully aware of what was going on, joined them, and, as always, protecting and guiding.

Wicked Witch/Buffy paused and looked carefully at the path. "These bricks..they are the wrong color..." she said. They should be yellow, she thought.

"Yup," replied Kaezin. "Best watch your step too."

The three moved cautiously through the mist.

Alice/Buffy noticed the large metal structure ahead - the tower built by Glory's minions, "I know that place!"

Witch/Buffy squinted at the tower. "That place? Yes..." She felt a stirring of a memory too. The more she looked at the tower, the more she felt drawn towards it.

Alice/Buffy continued, "Well, you know... that thing. I've seen it before."

The group made their way across the broken and cracked ground to the base of the tower. After some deliberation they made a slow and uneasy ascent, until the two Buffys stood at the beginning of the platform that led to the place

Alice/Buffy spoke, "I... I don't like this."

Witch/Buffy said nothing but her mind was spinning. A house had dropped on her sister. The ruby slippers were stolen. But her sister, her sister was here.... drops of ruby red blood and this vortex had opened... the vortex whirled just off the edge of the platform. She was drawn even closer.

Kaezin interrupted, "Careful. There is water in that."

Witch/Buffy recoiled. "Water!!"

Kaezin continued, "Take you straight to the lake."

Witch/Buffy backed away.

Kaezin made a suggestion, "Let's look for your sister and the shoes someplace else."

The Buffys both nodded and the little group returned to the ground.

IV. Xena/Faith attacked the demonic floating pumpkin with vigor and aggression. Wicked Witch/Buffy stood by and watched. Despite the confines of the sewer tunnel, the warrior woman moved with innate skill and power, destroying the monster in a series of strategic blows. Witch/Buffy was impressed and found herself taking a liking to this one.

"What was that?" demanded Xena/Faith.

"It was a beastly spirit," explained Witch/Buffy.

"One of yours?" asked Xena/Faith.

"No, no," replied Witch/Buffy, "I prefer birds and monkeys."

Xena/Faith sheathed her sword. "Fair enough... so tell me what's going on around here... I should be somewhere else but I'm not."

Witch/Buffy proceeded to tell her about the missing slippers, Alice, and Kaezin the 'ogre smelling of barley and hops'.

Xena/Faith wondered out loud, "Who made those slippers... really good material... ruby .... must have been a creation of the god. But which one? Hephaestus? Seems like his work... god of arts and crafts."

"Can you call this god?" asked Witch/Buffy.

"Not from this area unless he is listening. He has a temple."

The pair could here sounds of fighting from the surface as another demon pumpkin attacked. Instinctively the two Slayers, possessed as they were, headed for the conflict.

V. After fighting a few more demon pumpkins, Xena/Faith and Witch/Buffy, now joined by a younger Faith, determined to discover the source of the chaos. Witch/Buffy had entered a trance and saw the image of a god with two faces. Eager to discover the name of this being, they went to the school library.

The doors of the library were open and in their path stood a man in tan clothes and a brown cloak. His manner projected both power and serenity.

"You in the library!" exclaimed the Witch, "Stand aside!"

Jedi Master/Xander Harris was undisturbed. "Sorry, I'm wondering what this place is."

Young Faith scoffed, "It's another kinda hell." Without a costume, this Faith was acting normally.

"Hell?" asked Jedi/Xander.

"Don't you know what hell is?" replied Young Faith .

Another Buffy entered the library from the book stacks. Without a costume, she too was free from possession. "Hey guys, what's up? Loving the costumes by the way"

"We are searching for the name of a god and I don't have time for trifles," declared Witch/Buffy. "I must consult the books..." And she headed into Giles' office.

Buffy eyed Witch/Buffy's shoes and held back a burst of laughter. She surveyed the rest of the group. "Whoah," she remarked, "Who's the Xander, but only much cooler-in an even geekier way look-alike?"

"Yes," said Jedi/Xander, "I am a Jedi knight and roam on a planet called Coruscant."

"Planet?" asked Xena/Faith

Young Faith rolled her eyes.

Xena/Faith took charge, "Okay...all...my guess is this is a time portal."

"Time portal? Hmm," pondered Jedi/Xander.

"Something....someone...a man put us here with a spell...I'm guessing dark magic?" Xena/Faith, a natural leader, looked around, "Yes? Agree anyone?"

"I smell magic here," confirmed Witch/Buffy having returned from the librarian's office, "All around."

"It's possible," added Jedi/Xander.

Young Faith looked at the Witch, "You can smell magic?"

"Dark magic?" asked Jedi/Xander.

"Yes... dark, light, beige...all kinds and colours."

"Do you guys hear that?" asked Young Faith."I heard another pumpkin."

The group moved out of the library just as a floating demon pumpkin crashed into the hallway. It's evil laugh flooded the school.

Patrol in Sunnydale

Buffy and Faith look at the body of the fallen werewolf killed by the other Faith only to find it is their friend Oz.

The vampires attack. Veruca and friend ransack the library looking for a magical spell book.

Merissa, the powerful Witch from the Order of Guardians, calls upon the Power of the Spider and transforms herself, in order to drive the giant spider demon into the sea.

Buffy and Buffy explore the crypts in Sunnydale hunting the recently turned.

Back to School

Lunch time at Sunnydale High

Back to School

-----

Buffy peaked her head into the classroom.

"Hello Casper," she called addressing the young man with his head buried in his book.

"Hello Buffy," he replied looking up briefly.

"Studying hard I see."

"Have to catch up," acknowledged Casper. "Been out a while."

"I see the early risers are here already," said a new voice. It was Miss Javelin the Fine Arts and English supply teacher. Buffy thought, she had an odd manner about her. They had seen her in the cafeteria the other day and she behaved like she had never seen human food before. Then again, the cafeteria food was questionable at best....

Miss Javelin eyed the book that Casper was reading.

Noticing her interest, Casper remarked, "Giles said it would help me get up to speed. I'm not sure this is the book he meant, but...its interesting."

The teacher walked up behind Casper and leaned over his shoulder "An interest in hieroglyphics? Peculiar."

"'Book of Night'... not sure what it has to do with English," said Casper in a puzzled voice.

Miss Javelin quivered as though feeling the presence of a familiar force.

Casper continued, "Some of it isn't even in English."

The teacher smirked awkwardly "Do enjoy your read... I look forward to seeing your book review."

"Um...cool," answered the student uneasily.

Miss Javelin walked up to the front desk briefly grabbing the side, but then flinched and immediately retracted her hand as a string of gum stretched thin between the bottom of the desk and her index finger.

"I... I..." she began. She paused rubbing the substance between her thumb and index finger. "Can I have a new table here please?"

"Oh! Okay...alright," Buffy was caught off guard. Quickly recovering she added, "I will have maintenance get on it."

The teacher nodded and smiled at Buffy, "Thank you very much." She picked up the duster and wiped the whiteboard clean, while Buffy slipped out of the classroom.

Deep Wounds

Three Weeks Ago...

Pepper dragged herself through the sewers. Her giant spider body oozing blood and bile from the deep cuts she received at the hands of the Buffy from the alternate universe (Buffy Falconer). She dare not shape shift back into her two legged form. She couldn't bare to see what the beating might have done to her.

What scared her more than the wounding however was what the long term consequences could be. This was twice now that she had been humiliated - once by the fiery breath of Redy the small dragon and now by one of the Buffys. Her mother, the demon lord Kailyn, was a conduit for the Senior Partners. What would they think about this failure?

What would they do to her?
------

[Doctor Siamendes, Xander, Redy, Buffy and Oz]

Now...

Internal Memorandum to the Sunnydale Chamber of Commerce

Concerned about the level of violence and delusional acting out among the youth of Sunnydale, the town elders have begun to sponsor the "Sunnydale Syndrome" Support Group. The activities of this group will be a combination of individual and group counselling along with organized recreational activities designed to encourage self esteem and sensible thinking, and to provide the young with the structures needed to develop into happy, healthy, well-adjusted adults.

The first meeting was held earlier this month. Seated on comfortable pillows on the second floor of the hospital, the attendees made their introduction and shared a little bit about themselves.

The support group is hosted by Dr. Pepper Siamendes. The doctor will soon become a familiar face to our community working both in the Sunnydale Hospital and Blood Bank and at the city morgue.

Dr. Siamendes reports, "Our streets and parks are full of young people crying out for needed attention. Delusional thinking is common. Such absurdities as the belief in the existence of vampires or that most people in Sunnydale have duplicate copies of themselves running around town points to the fragmented emotional condition of today's youth.

"Nevertheless, the young people who have attended our session have all taken the first step towards normalcy. If we can continue to reach out to these young people, and those like them, we can make a difference here in Sunnydale."

A Dragon's Tale

Redy, the little Dragon, was very concerned about Buffy. Since the Slayer saw her mothers ghost, she hasn't been the same. The weird insomnia Buffy had was not normal and had to stop. So Redy decided to walk to the hospital with hopes of finding something there which would help Buffy. The little Dragon rummaged in the sterile smelling closets and the different drawers she was able to reach on her tiptoes when she heard a familiar sound. She didn't believe what she just heard. It was a screech. Definitely a screech from another Dragon.

Carefully Redy peeked around the next door and froze. An ugly green kind of Dragon on two legs stood in front of the door to the hospital. He was much bigger than her and wrapped in iron. The small fierce yellow eyes glared at Jai and Andrew (Gabe). A heavy load of fire spit out of the Dragons (Kaezin) mouth and he ordered “Stay back, and no one gets hurt!”

He sniffed in the air and smelled what he was searching for. The ugly head was turning. “I want the Hatchie”

Redy still thought she is dreaming and looked carefully around the corner.

“What do you want here?” Redy asked. “And most of all, how did you get here?” The eyes of the small Dragon widened as she spoke, realizing if another Dragon was able to come to Sunnydale by will, there must be a way out too.

“I want you to come with me.”

Redy frowned again and took some steps back. “You aren't one of my race.”

“Oh … oh … yes I am” the ugly Dragon kneeled down and reached out a claw “I just want to take you home … your mommy sent me … she`s worried.”

Redy`s heart jumped. “You are a liar! My mom was the dragon who was killed by Angel!”

“Just get in the bag,” the stranger enticed.

The little Dragon sobbed, “she is dead …”

A fast claw came close to Redy's face as the bigger Dragon dived at her and tried to put her in his magical bag.

“Hey, watch it tough guy, or Andrew will show you what for!”Andrew took another step back, brandishing his knife “You better... go away, demon. I'm a mighty warrior”.

“Yeah, you show him, Andrew” Jai cheered. “He is mighty, you just brag. He doesn't need to talk tough, he is Andrew the Mighty!”

Andrew thought he looked mighty pale, at least.

The bigger Dragon stood up. “You're coming or your pets start dying”

“Nuuuuuuuuuuu! Don`t hurt them!”

“Then” … big claws opened the magic bag on his side … “hop in”

“Redy over here” Faith whispered but the Baby turned around and shook her head.

The little Dragon looked into the yellow eyes and the thought about having friends here suddenly disappeared in her mind. She reached out to touch the bright light in the bag and the world went black around her.

Faith, Jai, Max and Andrew weren't sure what just happened. It was only sure Redy disappeared and the green big Dragon was laughing evilly. He bowed with a farcical gesture and walked away towards the sewers, mumbling something about “payday”.

In the last moment Faith realized he was making his way to the Hellmouth and she poked the others hard and started running after the Dragon who was just escaping with her little friend.
Half on the way to the sewers they were able to stop him for a bit, but the Dragon was too strong. He ran and jumped into the Hellmouth.

Redy in the meantime was dreaming about campfires and marshmellows and happy storytelling for her and her little brothers and sisters, wrapped up warm by a tail of one of her Elders.

[text by Redy9 Shepherd; picture courtesy Alexandria Panthar]

Sunnydale Syndrome

[The following is an except from an essay by Jai Raghilda, student, UC Sunnydale. The condition Ms. Raghilda describes is of great importance to anyone concerned with mental health issues and the youth of Sunnydale.]

Sunnydale Syndrome, the new Stockholm

Thesis: People subjected to prolonged periods of severe stress become susceptible to suggestibility.

Location: Sunnydale High School, Sunnydale SL (158, 157, 28)

Subjects: Underground Vigilante group self-nicknamed the "Scoobies"

Note: Scoobie is 1960's drug culture slang for marijuana which persists today and popularized by a mystery solving cartoon "Scooby-Doo"

"Hi I'm Buffy"


"...and me too."


These two "twins" claim to both be Buffy Summers, although one is supposedly from another dimension. One Buffy has a sister named Dawn, but the other Buffy does not.

I introduce myself as a local student attending the community college, which had some exposure to Sunnydale High School. I inform them that I am doing a paper on Stockholm syndrome and related stress related denial mentalities, referring to bystanders naturally. I sprinkle my dialogue with urban contemporary vernacular such as "Sunnydale is whack." They are mostly too self-involved to notice that I am not adept at street slang.

Someone named Redy and Faith and yet another Buffy questioned Pepper, who said that there is some sort of a war coming. Pepper is supposedly a vampire-demon hybrid whose mom is the Demon-God Kailyn, this made possible because her dad is a lawyer.

Pepper wants a Grimoire which will allow her to alter her shape. Four Slayers, two Faiths and two Buffys, and someone named Redy found it. I am unsure if the multitudes of the same person are a club designation or the submerging of personality bonding to an archetype.

A lot of chatter about the grimoire and a key that would unlock it. Mostly about motivations and idle speculation about the contents. Pepper wants to enhance herself before the coming "War of the Demon Gods".

The key is a 15th century renaissance piece which induced a different temperature sensation to different people. The Buffy’s and the Faiths all said it felt cool, Redy said it felt warm, but it burned Dawn's hand. Unsurprising, nobody likes Dawn.

Key Insight

"This is the key to the book that's causing all the fuss." Buffy put the old silver key upon the coffee table. The Summers sisters sat in the living room reviewing the events of another day in Sunnydale. Today was particularly difficult as Dawn had been attacked by the cat woman who appeared in town demanding the grimoire be given to her.

"Oh, you have it? You should like hide it," said Dawn.

"Yes ... younger Buffy gave it to slightly older Buffy who gave it to me." Buffy continued. "Redy said it felt warm. Buffy said it felt cool."

"The key?" asked Dawn.

"What do you feel?"

Dawn picked the key up from the table.

"It's ....Whoa" Dawn tossed it in the air. "It's way hot - like fire"

Dawn looked at her hand. "Look, it burned me!"

"Put your hand under water," Buffy said quickly.

Buffy pocketed the key as Dawn headed for the kitchen sink and put her hand under the running water.

"What is that?" asked Dawn. "It hurts."

"Redy wondered if something was living inside the key," replied Buffy.

Dawn took her hand out of the water. Buffy looked at it closely.

"How does it feel?"

"It hurts like hell"

"Do you want a cold compress on that?"

"Nah. Thanks though. I'm gonna go to bed I think."

"That's a good idea. It's been a long day." Buffy smiled.

"Night Buffy."

"Night Dawn."