Title: One Hell of a Halloween
Rating: R (I think it's PG-13 but I'd rather guess high.)
Author: Drake-Tepes
Summary: Xander's pick of a Halloween costume leads to one hell of a night.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters mentioned in this. The Buffy series characters belong to ME and all those people. All the other characters belong to Marvel. though after how they let that ****** Englehart retcon some great characters, they don't deserve them.
Spoilers: Buffy ep: Halloween and some comics that are Pre-1995.
Pairings: None here yet for Buffy. DH/JC for the non-Buffys' A/N: I've got another fic along very similar lines started that one day I will finished. I started it first, but with Halloween challenges going on and the proximity of Halloween I decided to do this first. Many special thanks go out to Mark aka Bastard Snow for beta'ing this and making sure it's close to being readable. Also, Xander, the real Xander, isn't in this a whole lot as he's possessed most of the time. This is sort of the starter fic to a series I'm going to write, but it'll be slow going as I have many others to do. I bet I'm forgetting something, if I remember I'll be sure to pass it along.
Feedback: Feedback is good, feedback is grand, feedback is better than my right ha. er, yeah let me not go there. ;) Feedback as you will.
No matter how innocuous a choice may be, it always has consequences. Whether they be far reaching ripples on the water, or the subtle shift of a molecule. All choices are actions, and have reactions. In one dimension, the teenager referred to by friends as Xander Harris, chose to wear army fatigues for Halloween one year.
This isn't that dimension.
This is the story of how a rock was dropped. This is the story of how far it's ripples did reach.
* * *
The costume shop known as Ethan's was fairly well filled when Xander arrived. Doing his best not to step on any of the kids who were around he made his way to the bargain area of the store where the less expensive props were. He had intended to go with the Army fatigues he had and just get a toy gun to go with them, but when he was digging out the fatigues he had found something that set his imagination into gear, now he just needed a nice comedic prop to go with it.
Looking through he found what he wanted, roughly two and a half feet long, it was perfect. for his price range. He would have preferred to find something far more realistic but he doubted he could afford it on the off- chance they did have it. Going with what he found he went up and paid for his item. On his way out he was spotted by Willow.
"Hey, Xander!" The redhead said, catching Xander's attention to her and Buffy's location. Stepping over and through the crowd he got up to them for Willow to ask, "What'd you get?"
Reaching into his bag he pulled out a small trident, under whelming his audience with it's small and simplistic nature.
With a brief look to Buffy, Xander turned his attention back to Willow. "I have the rest of the costume at home, just found the get-up in an old trunk and it'll work great. Call me the Two-Dollar Costume King, baby." He gave, and received a smile for this.
"Hey, look, Xander." Buffy started, and Xander turned to her as she was speaking, making a slight stabbing motion at her with the trident. "I'm. really sorry about this morning."
"Do you mind Buffy? I'm trying to repress."
"Okay, then I promise, from now on I'll let you get pummeled," Buffy said putting her chin on his shoulder and pouting at him.
Xander rolled his eyes before smiling, "Thank you." And then with another stabbing motion of his trident he remarked, "But if it's brought up again I may kebab you. Okay? Anyway, I think I could've tak." Xander trailed off as Buffy walked away, not hearing him. "Hello, you're missing our touching reconciliation moment here!"
Buffy continued walking, over to a frilly billowing red Eighteenth-century gown. She stood admiring it a moment, "I'm sorry, it's just. Look at this."
Willow also was admiring the gown and commented, "It's amazing."
Taking a look himself Xander's expression was far less impressed than the girls'. "Too bulky," he said, "I prefer my women in spandex."
Before Buffy could retort the store's proprietor came over and took the gown of the mannequin. "Oh, it's." Buffy started.
"Magnificent. Yes, I know. There," he said as he held the dress up in front of her in the mirror. "My. Meet the hidden princess. I think we found a match, don't you?" He asked, his accent somehow only encouraging it all.
Buffy looked sadly at the man, "Oh, uh, I-I'm sorry. There's no way I could ever afford this." The gown would have been perfect, she decided, but she couldn't swing it.
"Oh nonsense. I feel quite moved to make you a deal you can't refuse," he said smiling. Buffy's desire to please Angel completely overwhelming the eeriness of what the man said.
Taking another look in the mirror, Buffy was sold on the idea. Images of her and Angel crowding inside her head.
* * *
Xander stood outside the Summers household and rang the doorbell. He doubted Buffy would recognize his costume, but Willow might. She'd read those comic books with him before. She wasn't as fond of them as he was, of course. But this character had always stuck out in his mind.
He hadn't been at the door long when Buffy opened the door. Touching his temple with his trident he smiled as Buffy got a look at his costume.
"Occult extraordinaire and son of." Xander started but was quickly distracted by Buffy's gown. "Buffy! Lady of Buffdom, Duchess of Buffonia, I am in awe! I completely renounce spandex!"
With a smile Buffy curtsied, "Thank you, kind sir." Xander took a bow as Buffy continued, "But wait 'til you see." Buffy stopped as they both looked at the stairs to see Willow coming down the stairs in a classic sheet ghost costume.
"Hi."
". Casper." Buffy finished disappointedly.
"It's okay Buff, that's kind of her standard costume. No one does a ghost quite like Wills," Xander said smiling, he figured Buffy had tried to get Willow into something else and met the same resistance he had met before.
"True. So, who're you supposed to be Xander?" Buffy asked, taking in his brown full length trench coat, dark red suit underneath and the trident in his hands.
"Well, let's see if Willow can recognize me first. I mean, I even went through the problem of putting on the birthmark, which I hope will wash off. Though no one will see it, I felt I must be authentic. So Wills, who am I?" Xander said, ending a ramble before it could begin.
"Um," Willow said, racking her brain for who he looked like. "Oh! Constantine?"
"Close, but survey says no. I just won't tell you, it'll come to you eventually. Now ladies, may I escort you to the school?" Xander asked, offering his arms. The his friends taking his arms, they left out for the school.
* * *
Much later, in the backroom of Ethan's Costume Shop, the proprietor knelt before a small statue and anointed himself before beginning his spell. "Janus, evoco vestram animam. Exaudi meam causam. Carpe noctem pro consilio vestro. Veni, appare et nobis monstra quod est infinita potestas. Persona se corpum et sanguium commutandum est. Vestra sancta praesentia concrescet viscera. Janus! Sume noctem!" He raises his head and smiles. "Showtime."
* * *
Xander Harris was looking around the street as he could hear parents and children alike yelling. Trying to find a source for the chaos he was blindsided as something overcame him. And where Xander Harris once stood, a new man now was. He looked like Xander, but his hair was now a deep red, his teeth had become sharper and his ears now tapered to points, while the cheap plastic trident had become larger and golden colored. With a cynical eye, the man looked around at the chaos and the small demons that were once children.
"My, someone is having fun tonight."
* * *
Willow Rosenberg looked down at where her body lay and stifled the panic that was coming to the surface, expressing it simply and audibly. "Ohmygod, I'm a real ghost!"
Before any more panic could take hold she heard screaming not far off from where she was, turning quickly she ran to the sport to find her best friend holding a golden trident and looking at the seemingly unconscious body of a small demon.
"Xander?" She asked coming up to him, getting no response she tried again. "Xander!" She shouted, trying to get his attention. This succeeded as he turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow. "It's me, Willow."
"I'm afraid I don't know you, I'd remember knowing a ghost named Willow. Though I'm sure Xander would know you, but he's not here at the moment," Her Xander-shaped friend said tapping his forehead.
"Quit messing around, this is no time for jokes. Wait, how'd you know I was a ghost? What's going on around here?" Willow asked, her panic coming back up.
"Someone's been misbehaving is all. I doubt it will last long. A simple, but powerful, casting. People have become the costumes they wore. It's rather interesting, how you show your soul by the image you choose to portray," he said with a smirk. "Though I must be going along now, I would like to attend to some business while I can."
"Well, who are you then, I couldn't figure out his costume. You're good though, right?" Willow asked, trying to remember what character Xander was. Thinking now perhaps he'd gone as Johnny Blaze.
"I like to think of myself as the lesser of many evils, I guess that'll have to be good enough. Now excuse me," he said as he began to walk away.
"Wait, now, you can't go. We need find Buffy." Willow spotted the missing Slayer and went to her. "Buffy, are you okay?" Before she could answer, a roar sounded behind them and Buffy promptly fainted. With barely a look Xander aimed his trident and fire struck the creature.
"Hey, don't kill them, they're kids under there!" Willow said angrily, afraid of how many might get hurt before the night was through.
"So? I didn't kill it at any rate, just singed it's soul. The kid will wake up later with a headache. Now, we've found your friend, I'll be going." Xander said, again going to walk away.
Willow jumped in front of him. "Oh no you aren't Mister. You might not be Xander but when the spell is done he's going to come back to his body and I don't want him to find out his body could have helped our friend when she needed and it didn't because you were in it, so you're going to help me get her home right now."
The-Not-Xander simply laughed in her face then shook his head. "You really have no idea what you're doing child. Very well, I'll take her where you wish." Xander said, going back to the now reawakening Buffy. "But I'd suggest someplace more secure. These new demons aren't bound by the rules of the real ones. So would you like to rethink where to take her?"
Willow started at that, she hadn't thought about these new demons as being exempt from the rules. "Um, the library then. Giles will be there, he'll know what to do. Um, this way." Willow said, leading him along.
"If we must," he said, taking Buffy's arm and guiding the mute girl who must have been in shock.
* * *
A few minutes later, and several instances of Xander repeatedly telling Buffy to shut up or he'd shut her up later, the group were happened upon by Angel.
"I was just heading to your house to find you, are you okay Buffy? It's total chaos out here," Angel said, moving toward his girlfriend.
"You noticed did you, vampire? My my, and it looks like you were the recipient of some pissed-off Romany magic. Nasty fuckers them, beware their clauses they're a killer," without missing a beat he turned to Willow. "Seems we've found another of your friends, I'll let him take care of you."
"What's going on?" Angel asked.
"Xander you can't go, you know something about this and can help Giles stop it," Willow pleaded, afraid for her friend.
"You can't leave me with that ruffian. He's wearing silk like those odd men who come to town from the docks. I simply won't go, I'm staying with you," Buffy said, grasping Xander's arm tightly.
"That's it," Xander said. He moved away and then threw a powerful right fist to Buffy's jaw, knocking her unconscious instantly and eliciting a gasp from Willow and a growl from an advancing Angel. Moving his trident to poke the vampire in the chest he spoke, "I had warned her repeatedly that she was grating on my nerve. You seem to like her, no clue why. You help her, I'm off to take care of some business. Now go." With a slight shove from Xander's trident Angel jumped back and held his chest in pain, a shocked look on his face as Xander turned away and seemed to disappear into the shadows.
"We really need to get to the library, I can't touch anything Angel, can you carry her? We need to fix whatever's happened, 'cause Xander definitely isn't Xander."
"No," Angel said, rubbing his chest that still burnt. "He certainly isn't."
* * *
The man who would be Xander was walking down the middle of the street watching as the human-demons ran around causing general havoc. No one had really been hurt yet as things seemed to have been mostly even. Though Xander still fired upon a few of the demons when they were attacking, or just annoying, him or others.
As he continued to survey the chaos with an amused eye, he came upon two vampires leading a gang mixed of vampires and the newly created demons. The lead vampire, a blonde man in a black trench coat smiled when he caught sight of Xander. "Well look Dru, it's the Slayer's little lapdog that your *precious* daddy tried to feed to me," the blonde man spoke with a cockney accent. "Doesn't look like anyone's here to save you this time boy, I think I'll drop your head off for the Slayer to have. Let her know what's coming."
"Miss Edith doesn't like the dark man. He's going to hurt my Spikey. He's all dark and evil I can taste it. So sweet, but he doesn't want to play with me," Drusilla said pouting, before continuing in a singsong voice. "I want to dance with him in the pale moonlight."
"You should listen to your crazy little seer there, because if you don't turn around and go back to your little lair I'll hurt you. Oh, who am I kidding, I'm going to hurt you either way," Xander said, firing flame out of his trident at Spike.
The screams of the blonde vampire could be heard all throughout Sunnydale as fire licked through every fiber of his being, burning from the inside out. A searing pain upon his demon soul, causing him to curl into a ball to try and protect himself. Drusilla knelt beside the screaming form of the vampire she sired and whimpered. The demons and vampires that had accompanied them fled quickly, leaving only those two.
Spike would later swear that he had been tortured for days, and would also be amazed that there were no physical marks from what he had endured. In reality, it was only a minute that the flames caressed him before Xander pulled the trident back, pulling the flames from him.
"You have style, I must admit. It'd be a pity to destroy that. So few have any style. Just go on home and don't cause any trouble tonight." With that Xander continued on as he had been, ignoring the two sobbing vampires behind him.
* * *
Rupert Giles was working late at the Sunnydale library doing something he rarely needed to do. Fulfill his obligations as that of librarian. Since Halloween was historically such a slow night he thought he'd use it as the perfect time to work on the card catalogue. This was what he was doing when Willow walked through the doors of the library, startling the Watcher speechless for a moment. He regained his wits as, just after Willow, the doors opened and Angel came in carrying an unconscious Buffy.
"Oh my, what's happened? Is Buffy okay, Willow how were you able." Giles began, only to be cut off by Willow.
"Buffy's fine, Xander just knocked her unconscious and I've become my costume. Everyone out there has become their costume," Willow said.
"It's chaotic out there. Children have become demons and are attacking people. Most weren't serious, but it could get very bad." Angel said, placing Buffy in a chair.
"Oh, and your costume was. was some sort of intangible streetwalker?" Giles asked as he'd taken his glasses off and begun cleaning them.
"Hey! No, I'm a ghost."
"Oh, of course. Ghost of what exactly?" Giles asked curiously.
"This wasn't my costume, this is what was under my costume. Besides the point, people are becoming their costumes." Willow said, covering her midriff with her arms.
"Wait." Giles said, everything sinking in. "Did you say that Xander knocked Buffy out?" Seeing the looks on the faces of the vampire and the witch he had his answer. "Dear me, what was his costume?"
"I don't know, it's a comic book character but I can't remember which one. Other than Spiderman, who Xander is obviously not, his favorites are those he calls shades-of-grey characters. He always liked those along the lines of the 'Hearts of Darkness' and 'Dark Design' things, like Wolverine, Punisher and Ghost Rider. Wait, maybe he did go as Johnny Blaze. It'd explain the reddish hair." Willow said, babbling.
"Whatever he was, it wasn't good. It was powerful and could be very evil, it had my demon afraid before it even saw him and Angelus was never one to be afraid." Angel said gravely.
"This most definitely isn't good. I must. We must research this, it must be stopped before someone is hurt." Giles said, as he went to the shelves to get the appropriate books.
* * *
Coming to a stop in the middle of the street, Xander decided it was time. He had seen enough of this small town. It had taken him only a moment upon taking this body to realize he was near a Hellmouth, and curiosity drove him to see what kind of town could exist on one. The town, he decided, was pathetically small but obviously well run despite tonight's new crop of demons.
He had just raised his trident when he heard a scream of a woman to his right. Turning he saw a highly attractive young woman wearing a cat-suit come running along the road, being chased by some other victims of their own costume. When the young lady saw him she increased her speed and headed straight toward him.
"Xander! Xander help me!" She yelled as she literally ran into him, then spun around to put him between the creatures and herself.
"Very well," he said as he slid his trident around in a lazy arc toward the costume created demons. Fire leapt from his trident creating a small wall between them and the demons, the fire in fact scaring them off quickly.
"Thanks. Wait, when did you get powers, you're geekboy. Did someone forget to inform me, I mean, hello, I live here too," Cordelia said as she moved to stand beside him revealing a voluptuous figure in the skintight cat-suit, as well as a bleeding cut on her cheek and a freely bleeding gash on her arm.
Taking a moment to obviously assess the cheerleader's body, and ignoring the mixed look of embarrassment and anger at him doing it, Xander smiled. "You're a cat."
"Gee, way to state the obvious. What gave it away, the tail?" Cordelia bit at him, not understanding why he wasn't acting how he usually did.
"You're a lovely cat, you in heat? I have some time to kill," Xander asked, shooting a lewd grin at the cheerleader. Cordelia was actually shocked for a moment, before her hand shot out to slap his face. Again she didn't get the reaction she expected as he just smiled. "I'll take that as a no then. Okay. I need to be going, good luck now."
"Wait! You can't leave me here they might come back! I tried at Buffy's and couldn't get in and I've been running and I'm bleeding and I broke my nails and I'd just gotten them done. I demand you take me to the others where I'll be safe," Cordelia demanded, her hands on her hips and a fire in her eyes.
Shaking his head and laughing at the girl, and disregarding the venomous look she gave him for it, he turned back around. "Fine then, girl, tell me where you want to go and I'll take you there, maybe it'll keep you quite and spare some poor demon your wrath."
"Just take me wherever it is you and your loser friends are meeting up. I'm sure Buffy and Giles can fix this mess. In fact it's probably all their fault. Ever since I got involved with all of you geeks everything's been happening to me." Cordelia said spitefully.
"I know where they are, I'll drop you off on the way." Xander raised his trident then and suddenly a new start was burning in the sky. The cheerleader stood there stunned, as it grew closer and she could see that there seemed to be fire on it.
When it landed in front of her she passed out.
* * *
Xander and Cordelia landed a moment later outside of Sunnydale High School. Cordelia was still unconscious and being held up by Xander. Once he had her on solid ground he gently slapped the side of her face to wake her up. When he finally had her attention he smiled. "Your chariot has delivered you. Now you can go in and be safe."
Looking fearfully at the chariot she choked out: "What are they?"
"Them? Oh, that's Hecate, Agnon and Set. Old pals, the help me out when I need to travel a bit further than I can manage on my own. Well, let me fix you up before you go to your friends. I doubt knocking that annoying bitch unconscious earlier earned me any points with them. So hold still." Placing his hand over the gash in her arm, he concentrated a second and Cordelia could feel the pain stop completely. His hand then moved to the cut on her forehead and the same thing happened again.
Still in shock from how she had traveled here Cordelia Chase did something she rarely ever did. She let out a genuine smile, and said "Thank you."
"You're welcome. And do stay safe, I can tell that the person whose body this really is has a liking for you. I doubt he'd like to find something had happened to you. Goodbye," and with those words Xander returned to his chariot and flew into the sky, only to disappear.
* * *
"There is simply nothing in these texts that could explain what is happening out there." Giles said as he took his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Could this just be, you know, something Hellmouthy gone wrong and it's affecting everyone?" Willow asked as she walked back and forth through the table.
"I've never heard of any demons able to do anything like this before. But I didn't spend time around Hellmouths until recently either," Angel said, pushing aside a book.
"It could simply be the excess Hellmouth energies leaking out, however, Willow didn't you mention Xander said there was spell work used?" Giles asked the redhead.
"He did, but I'm not sure if he'd really know or not."
It was then that the tattered and torn form of Cordelia came into the library with blood still on her forehead and arm. Seeing her Giles quickly went to the girl. "Are you all right?"
"Do I look all right? This costume is ruined and Partytown will charge me for that, my deposit is so gone, I've broken a nail, I've been chased by Jo- Jo the dog-faced boy and then loserboy dares to hit on me and then he flies me here on that deathtrap and heals me, so no, I'm not all right thank you," Cordelia said.
Three people asked three questions simultaneously. Giles asked, "Did you say Xander healed you?" Angel said, "He flew you?" Willow said, "He hit on you!?"
"I don't think I stuttered, yes that's what happened. I mean, hello, do you think I'd lie to you? You're not important enough." Cordelia replied, ignoring the looks Willow was shooting at her.
"Be that as it may, how did he heal you?" Giles asked, the problem of finding out what had happened to everyone pushed back for the moment.
"He just put his hands on me," Cordelia started, not noticing the look from Willow, "and closed his eyes and the pain stopped. See?" She moved her arm so he could see where the gash had been.
Nodding Giles said, "Just a moment Cordelia." And went to his office.
"How did he fly you here?" Angel asked.
"Well I guess the geek flew me, those horses were flying when the landed in front of us with that flaming chariot on it."
"Flying horses?" Willow asked, a memory tugging behind her eyes.
"Yeah, three of them. Anyway, he must have flown us here." It was then that Giles returned with the first aide kit.
"This may hurt Cordelia, I just want to make sure you're okay." With this Giles began to clean where the wounds had been, only to find fresh unmarred skin beneath. No lines or scars, no evidence of injury. "Amazing."
"What? Oh no, he left a scar on my forehead didn't he, I bet he did it on purpose because I slapped him when he asked if I was in heat." Cordelia said fearfully.
"No Cordelia, you're fine. There isn't even a hint of a scar here. From the blood on your clothes there should be no way for you to not have a scar at all." Giles said.
"Can you tell us more about the flying horses?" Angel asked patiently.
"Flying horses?" Giles asked confused.
"Xander apparently flew them here on a flying horse drawn chariot." Willow said somewhat snarkily.
"Did the horses by any chance have names?" Giles asked, wondering if they were tied to some mythology.
"Actually they did," Cordelia began.
* * *
Hecate, Agnon and Set landed on a small rock landing area in a dark place cavernous place. Horrible smells, sights and sounds greeted anyone who would come to this place. To the being currently inhabiting Xander Harris, it was a comforting feeling of home.
Disembarking the chariot he walked towards an antechamber.
* * *
"Hecate, Agnon and Set are all well known names in mythology. In fact Hecate is often called upon for spells. I was hoping for something more recognizable as to what Xander may have become." Giles said sadly.
"Hey, I didn't know I was supposed to dig for details from him. I was just trying to stay alive and not get groped by him." Cordelia said plainly.
"Of course Cordelia, I understand that--" Giles started to say, when Willow interrupted him.
"Cordelia, did he do anything else? Did he use that trident he had with him?" Willow asked quickly.
"Yeah, he shot fire out of that pitchfork thing at demons that were chasing me. And he used it to summon those horses, he was going somewhere and using them for a long trip." Cordelia said.
With a gasp Willow went pale, "Oh no. That stuff, the fire, it has to be Hellfire."
* * *
Xander waked into the antechamber and walked past various guards. Nodding to the spidery figure in a black suit he stepped up to the large double doors made of skulls of various species.
With a grin he grabbed the handles and yanked both doors open and strode in.
* * *
"Hellfire? Only extremely powerful demons can summon Hellfire, and it seems that he was summoning it easily." Angel asked. The demon inside of him though, knew that they had come across the truth.
"I think I know what character he dressed up as. This is good though, his character was mostly a good guy. A little rash but he fought the good fight mostly, just harsher than most." Willow said, trying to remember more of the character.
* * *
With a smile on his face Xander approached a man on the throne of skulls. "Well, this certainly is a new way to see myself."
"I'd agree if I were seeing myself. But I can feel myself in you, so tell me what you are, and more importantly, who are you?" The man asked as he sat regally. A pale dark-haired woman came from a backroom to stand beside him.
"Oh, an odd little spell happened, I think I'll deal with the caster later. And this shell is that of a human named Xander Harris. For who I am? Why I'm you. I'm Daimon Hellstorm."
* * *
"I've never heard of a Daimon Hellstorm before, what kind of character is he?" Giles asked. A thought entered his head and he quickly said a curse to the existence of comic books anyway.
"He was born the Son of Satan, he fought evil and his father and sister sometimes. He was an exorcist and an occult scholar. He decided to fight to keep both Heaven and Hell from taking over the Earth." Willow said, remembering some of the rambles Xander had gone on about the merits of this character.
"If he's such a good guy then why's he been acting like he has?" Angel asked, casting a look toward Giles' office where the still unconscious slayer slept. Giles had decided, after listening to Willow describe Buffy's behavior that it might be a better idea to leave her unconscious.
"Well, he fights for good but he still has a Darksoul, it's where his powers come from being half demon. Oh no." Willow said suddenly, the life that had returned to her face quickly disappearing.
"Oh great, what new problem did you remember?" Cordelia asked distractedly.
"I just remembered something else."
* * *
"You know only one of us can rule," Daimon said as he stood from his throne.
"I know that, and I'm fine with that. I've got other plans," Xander said with an evil grin.
* * *
"What is it Willow?" Giles asked patiently, eying the now trembling ghost and wishing he could comfort her better.
"Daimon killed his father." Willow said quietly.
"Daimon killed Satan? Why does that have you upset?" Angel asked.
"Because when he killed his father he inherited the Dark Halo." Willow answered.
"I don't understand Willow, what's so upsetting about the Dark Halo?" Giles asked.
"Giles, the Dark Halo is what you get as Satan. Xander dressed up like Satan."
Rating: R (I think it's PG-13 but I'd rather guess high.)
Author: Drake-Tepes
Summary: Xander's pick of a Halloween costume leads to one hell of a night.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters mentioned in this. The Buffy series characters belong to ME and all those people. All the other characters belong to Marvel. though after how they let that ****** Englehart retcon some great characters, they don't deserve them.
Spoilers: Buffy ep: Halloween and some comics that are Pre-1995.
Pairings: None here yet for Buffy. DH/JC for the non-Buffys' A/N: I've got another fic along very similar lines started that one day I will finished. I started it first, but with Halloween challenges going on and the proximity of Halloween I decided to do this first. Many special thanks go out to Mark aka Bastard Snow for beta'ing this and making sure it's close to being readable. Also, Xander, the real Xander, isn't in this a whole lot as he's possessed most of the time. This is sort of the starter fic to a series I'm going to write, but it'll be slow going as I have many others to do. I bet I'm forgetting something, if I remember I'll be sure to pass it along.
Feedback: Feedback is good, feedback is grand, feedback is better than my right ha. er, yeah let me not go there. ;) Feedback as you will.
No matter how innocuous a choice may be, it always has consequences. Whether they be far reaching ripples on the water, or the subtle shift of a molecule. All choices are actions, and have reactions. In one dimension, the teenager referred to by friends as Xander Harris, chose to wear army fatigues for Halloween one year.
This isn't that dimension.
This is the story of how a rock was dropped. This is the story of how far it's ripples did reach.
* * *
The costume shop known as Ethan's was fairly well filled when Xander arrived. Doing his best not to step on any of the kids who were around he made his way to the bargain area of the store where the less expensive props were. He had intended to go with the Army fatigues he had and just get a toy gun to go with them, but when he was digging out the fatigues he had found something that set his imagination into gear, now he just needed a nice comedic prop to go with it.
Looking through he found what he wanted, roughly two and a half feet long, it was perfect. for his price range. He would have preferred to find something far more realistic but he doubted he could afford it on the off- chance they did have it. Going with what he found he went up and paid for his item. On his way out he was spotted by Willow.
"Hey, Xander!" The redhead said, catching Xander's attention to her and Buffy's location. Stepping over and through the crowd he got up to them for Willow to ask, "What'd you get?"
Reaching into his bag he pulled out a small trident, under whelming his audience with it's small and simplistic nature.
With a brief look to Buffy, Xander turned his attention back to Willow. "I have the rest of the costume at home, just found the get-up in an old trunk and it'll work great. Call me the Two-Dollar Costume King, baby." He gave, and received a smile for this.
"Hey, look, Xander." Buffy started, and Xander turned to her as she was speaking, making a slight stabbing motion at her with the trident. "I'm. really sorry about this morning."
"Do you mind Buffy? I'm trying to repress."
"Okay, then I promise, from now on I'll let you get pummeled," Buffy said putting her chin on his shoulder and pouting at him.
Xander rolled his eyes before smiling, "Thank you." And then with another stabbing motion of his trident he remarked, "But if it's brought up again I may kebab you. Okay? Anyway, I think I could've tak." Xander trailed off as Buffy walked away, not hearing him. "Hello, you're missing our touching reconciliation moment here!"
Buffy continued walking, over to a frilly billowing red Eighteenth-century gown. She stood admiring it a moment, "I'm sorry, it's just. Look at this."
Willow also was admiring the gown and commented, "It's amazing."
Taking a look himself Xander's expression was far less impressed than the girls'. "Too bulky," he said, "I prefer my women in spandex."
Before Buffy could retort the store's proprietor came over and took the gown of the mannequin. "Oh, it's." Buffy started.
"Magnificent. Yes, I know. There," he said as he held the dress up in front of her in the mirror. "My. Meet the hidden princess. I think we found a match, don't you?" He asked, his accent somehow only encouraging it all.
Buffy looked sadly at the man, "Oh, uh, I-I'm sorry. There's no way I could ever afford this." The gown would have been perfect, she decided, but she couldn't swing it.
"Oh nonsense. I feel quite moved to make you a deal you can't refuse," he said smiling. Buffy's desire to please Angel completely overwhelming the eeriness of what the man said.
Taking another look in the mirror, Buffy was sold on the idea. Images of her and Angel crowding inside her head.
* * *
Xander stood outside the Summers household and rang the doorbell. He doubted Buffy would recognize his costume, but Willow might. She'd read those comic books with him before. She wasn't as fond of them as he was, of course. But this character had always stuck out in his mind.
He hadn't been at the door long when Buffy opened the door. Touching his temple with his trident he smiled as Buffy got a look at his costume.
"Occult extraordinaire and son of." Xander started but was quickly distracted by Buffy's gown. "Buffy! Lady of Buffdom, Duchess of Buffonia, I am in awe! I completely renounce spandex!"
With a smile Buffy curtsied, "Thank you, kind sir." Xander took a bow as Buffy continued, "But wait 'til you see." Buffy stopped as they both looked at the stairs to see Willow coming down the stairs in a classic sheet ghost costume.
"Hi."
". Casper." Buffy finished disappointedly.
"It's okay Buff, that's kind of her standard costume. No one does a ghost quite like Wills," Xander said smiling, he figured Buffy had tried to get Willow into something else and met the same resistance he had met before.
"True. So, who're you supposed to be Xander?" Buffy asked, taking in his brown full length trench coat, dark red suit underneath and the trident in his hands.
"Well, let's see if Willow can recognize me first. I mean, I even went through the problem of putting on the birthmark, which I hope will wash off. Though no one will see it, I felt I must be authentic. So Wills, who am I?" Xander said, ending a ramble before it could begin.
"Um," Willow said, racking her brain for who he looked like. "Oh! Constantine?"
"Close, but survey says no. I just won't tell you, it'll come to you eventually. Now ladies, may I escort you to the school?" Xander asked, offering his arms. The his friends taking his arms, they left out for the school.
* * *
Much later, in the backroom of Ethan's Costume Shop, the proprietor knelt before a small statue and anointed himself before beginning his spell. "Janus, evoco vestram animam. Exaudi meam causam. Carpe noctem pro consilio vestro. Veni, appare et nobis monstra quod est infinita potestas. Persona se corpum et sanguium commutandum est. Vestra sancta praesentia concrescet viscera. Janus! Sume noctem!" He raises his head and smiles. "Showtime."
* * *
Xander Harris was looking around the street as he could hear parents and children alike yelling. Trying to find a source for the chaos he was blindsided as something overcame him. And where Xander Harris once stood, a new man now was. He looked like Xander, but his hair was now a deep red, his teeth had become sharper and his ears now tapered to points, while the cheap plastic trident had become larger and golden colored. With a cynical eye, the man looked around at the chaos and the small demons that were once children.
"My, someone is having fun tonight."
* * *
Willow Rosenberg looked down at where her body lay and stifled the panic that was coming to the surface, expressing it simply and audibly. "Ohmygod, I'm a real ghost!"
Before any more panic could take hold she heard screaming not far off from where she was, turning quickly she ran to the sport to find her best friend holding a golden trident and looking at the seemingly unconscious body of a small demon.
"Xander?" She asked coming up to him, getting no response she tried again. "Xander!" She shouted, trying to get his attention. This succeeded as he turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow. "It's me, Willow."
"I'm afraid I don't know you, I'd remember knowing a ghost named Willow. Though I'm sure Xander would know you, but he's not here at the moment," Her Xander-shaped friend said tapping his forehead.
"Quit messing around, this is no time for jokes. Wait, how'd you know I was a ghost? What's going on around here?" Willow asked, her panic coming back up.
"Someone's been misbehaving is all. I doubt it will last long. A simple, but powerful, casting. People have become the costumes they wore. It's rather interesting, how you show your soul by the image you choose to portray," he said with a smirk. "Though I must be going along now, I would like to attend to some business while I can."
"Well, who are you then, I couldn't figure out his costume. You're good though, right?" Willow asked, trying to remember what character Xander was. Thinking now perhaps he'd gone as Johnny Blaze.
"I like to think of myself as the lesser of many evils, I guess that'll have to be good enough. Now excuse me," he said as he began to walk away.
"Wait, now, you can't go. We need find Buffy." Willow spotted the missing Slayer and went to her. "Buffy, are you okay?" Before she could answer, a roar sounded behind them and Buffy promptly fainted. With barely a look Xander aimed his trident and fire struck the creature.
"Hey, don't kill them, they're kids under there!" Willow said angrily, afraid of how many might get hurt before the night was through.
"So? I didn't kill it at any rate, just singed it's soul. The kid will wake up later with a headache. Now, we've found your friend, I'll be going." Xander said, again going to walk away.
Willow jumped in front of him. "Oh no you aren't Mister. You might not be Xander but when the spell is done he's going to come back to his body and I don't want him to find out his body could have helped our friend when she needed and it didn't because you were in it, so you're going to help me get her home right now."
The-Not-Xander simply laughed in her face then shook his head. "You really have no idea what you're doing child. Very well, I'll take her where you wish." Xander said, going back to the now reawakening Buffy. "But I'd suggest someplace more secure. These new demons aren't bound by the rules of the real ones. So would you like to rethink where to take her?"
Willow started at that, she hadn't thought about these new demons as being exempt from the rules. "Um, the library then. Giles will be there, he'll know what to do. Um, this way." Willow said, leading him along.
"If we must," he said, taking Buffy's arm and guiding the mute girl who must have been in shock.
* * *
A few minutes later, and several instances of Xander repeatedly telling Buffy to shut up or he'd shut her up later, the group were happened upon by Angel.
"I was just heading to your house to find you, are you okay Buffy? It's total chaos out here," Angel said, moving toward his girlfriend.
"You noticed did you, vampire? My my, and it looks like you were the recipient of some pissed-off Romany magic. Nasty fuckers them, beware their clauses they're a killer," without missing a beat he turned to Willow. "Seems we've found another of your friends, I'll let him take care of you."
"What's going on?" Angel asked.
"Xander you can't go, you know something about this and can help Giles stop it," Willow pleaded, afraid for her friend.
"You can't leave me with that ruffian. He's wearing silk like those odd men who come to town from the docks. I simply won't go, I'm staying with you," Buffy said, grasping Xander's arm tightly.
"That's it," Xander said. He moved away and then threw a powerful right fist to Buffy's jaw, knocking her unconscious instantly and eliciting a gasp from Willow and a growl from an advancing Angel. Moving his trident to poke the vampire in the chest he spoke, "I had warned her repeatedly that she was grating on my nerve. You seem to like her, no clue why. You help her, I'm off to take care of some business. Now go." With a slight shove from Xander's trident Angel jumped back and held his chest in pain, a shocked look on his face as Xander turned away and seemed to disappear into the shadows.
"We really need to get to the library, I can't touch anything Angel, can you carry her? We need to fix whatever's happened, 'cause Xander definitely isn't Xander."
"No," Angel said, rubbing his chest that still burnt. "He certainly isn't."
* * *
The man who would be Xander was walking down the middle of the street watching as the human-demons ran around causing general havoc. No one had really been hurt yet as things seemed to have been mostly even. Though Xander still fired upon a few of the demons when they were attacking, or just annoying, him or others.
As he continued to survey the chaos with an amused eye, he came upon two vampires leading a gang mixed of vampires and the newly created demons. The lead vampire, a blonde man in a black trench coat smiled when he caught sight of Xander. "Well look Dru, it's the Slayer's little lapdog that your *precious* daddy tried to feed to me," the blonde man spoke with a cockney accent. "Doesn't look like anyone's here to save you this time boy, I think I'll drop your head off for the Slayer to have. Let her know what's coming."
"Miss Edith doesn't like the dark man. He's going to hurt my Spikey. He's all dark and evil I can taste it. So sweet, but he doesn't want to play with me," Drusilla said pouting, before continuing in a singsong voice. "I want to dance with him in the pale moonlight."
"You should listen to your crazy little seer there, because if you don't turn around and go back to your little lair I'll hurt you. Oh, who am I kidding, I'm going to hurt you either way," Xander said, firing flame out of his trident at Spike.
The screams of the blonde vampire could be heard all throughout Sunnydale as fire licked through every fiber of his being, burning from the inside out. A searing pain upon his demon soul, causing him to curl into a ball to try and protect himself. Drusilla knelt beside the screaming form of the vampire she sired and whimpered. The demons and vampires that had accompanied them fled quickly, leaving only those two.
Spike would later swear that he had been tortured for days, and would also be amazed that there were no physical marks from what he had endured. In reality, it was only a minute that the flames caressed him before Xander pulled the trident back, pulling the flames from him.
"You have style, I must admit. It'd be a pity to destroy that. So few have any style. Just go on home and don't cause any trouble tonight." With that Xander continued on as he had been, ignoring the two sobbing vampires behind him.
* * *
Rupert Giles was working late at the Sunnydale library doing something he rarely needed to do. Fulfill his obligations as that of librarian. Since Halloween was historically such a slow night he thought he'd use it as the perfect time to work on the card catalogue. This was what he was doing when Willow walked through the doors of the library, startling the Watcher speechless for a moment. He regained his wits as, just after Willow, the doors opened and Angel came in carrying an unconscious Buffy.
"Oh my, what's happened? Is Buffy okay, Willow how were you able." Giles began, only to be cut off by Willow.
"Buffy's fine, Xander just knocked her unconscious and I've become my costume. Everyone out there has become their costume," Willow said.
"It's chaotic out there. Children have become demons and are attacking people. Most weren't serious, but it could get very bad." Angel said, placing Buffy in a chair.
"Oh, and your costume was. was some sort of intangible streetwalker?" Giles asked as he'd taken his glasses off and begun cleaning them.
"Hey! No, I'm a ghost."
"Oh, of course. Ghost of what exactly?" Giles asked curiously.
"This wasn't my costume, this is what was under my costume. Besides the point, people are becoming their costumes." Willow said, covering her midriff with her arms.
"Wait." Giles said, everything sinking in. "Did you say that Xander knocked Buffy out?" Seeing the looks on the faces of the vampire and the witch he had his answer. "Dear me, what was his costume?"
"I don't know, it's a comic book character but I can't remember which one. Other than Spiderman, who Xander is obviously not, his favorites are those he calls shades-of-grey characters. He always liked those along the lines of the 'Hearts of Darkness' and 'Dark Design' things, like Wolverine, Punisher and Ghost Rider. Wait, maybe he did go as Johnny Blaze. It'd explain the reddish hair." Willow said, babbling.
"Whatever he was, it wasn't good. It was powerful and could be very evil, it had my demon afraid before it even saw him and Angelus was never one to be afraid." Angel said gravely.
"This most definitely isn't good. I must. We must research this, it must be stopped before someone is hurt." Giles said, as he went to the shelves to get the appropriate books.
* * *
Coming to a stop in the middle of the street, Xander decided it was time. He had seen enough of this small town. It had taken him only a moment upon taking this body to realize he was near a Hellmouth, and curiosity drove him to see what kind of town could exist on one. The town, he decided, was pathetically small but obviously well run despite tonight's new crop of demons.
He had just raised his trident when he heard a scream of a woman to his right. Turning he saw a highly attractive young woman wearing a cat-suit come running along the road, being chased by some other victims of their own costume. When the young lady saw him she increased her speed and headed straight toward him.
"Xander! Xander help me!" She yelled as she literally ran into him, then spun around to put him between the creatures and herself.
"Very well," he said as he slid his trident around in a lazy arc toward the costume created demons. Fire leapt from his trident creating a small wall between them and the demons, the fire in fact scaring them off quickly.
"Thanks. Wait, when did you get powers, you're geekboy. Did someone forget to inform me, I mean, hello, I live here too," Cordelia said as she moved to stand beside him revealing a voluptuous figure in the skintight cat-suit, as well as a bleeding cut on her cheek and a freely bleeding gash on her arm.
Taking a moment to obviously assess the cheerleader's body, and ignoring the mixed look of embarrassment and anger at him doing it, Xander smiled. "You're a cat."
"Gee, way to state the obvious. What gave it away, the tail?" Cordelia bit at him, not understanding why he wasn't acting how he usually did.
"You're a lovely cat, you in heat? I have some time to kill," Xander asked, shooting a lewd grin at the cheerleader. Cordelia was actually shocked for a moment, before her hand shot out to slap his face. Again she didn't get the reaction she expected as he just smiled. "I'll take that as a no then. Okay. I need to be going, good luck now."
"Wait! You can't leave me here they might come back! I tried at Buffy's and couldn't get in and I've been running and I'm bleeding and I broke my nails and I'd just gotten them done. I demand you take me to the others where I'll be safe," Cordelia demanded, her hands on her hips and a fire in her eyes.
Shaking his head and laughing at the girl, and disregarding the venomous look she gave him for it, he turned back around. "Fine then, girl, tell me where you want to go and I'll take you there, maybe it'll keep you quite and spare some poor demon your wrath."
"Just take me wherever it is you and your loser friends are meeting up. I'm sure Buffy and Giles can fix this mess. In fact it's probably all their fault. Ever since I got involved with all of you geeks everything's been happening to me." Cordelia said spitefully.
"I know where they are, I'll drop you off on the way." Xander raised his trident then and suddenly a new start was burning in the sky. The cheerleader stood there stunned, as it grew closer and she could see that there seemed to be fire on it.
When it landed in front of her she passed out.
* * *
Xander and Cordelia landed a moment later outside of Sunnydale High School. Cordelia was still unconscious and being held up by Xander. Once he had her on solid ground he gently slapped the side of her face to wake her up. When he finally had her attention he smiled. "Your chariot has delivered you. Now you can go in and be safe."
Looking fearfully at the chariot she choked out: "What are they?"
"Them? Oh, that's Hecate, Agnon and Set. Old pals, the help me out when I need to travel a bit further than I can manage on my own. Well, let me fix you up before you go to your friends. I doubt knocking that annoying bitch unconscious earlier earned me any points with them. So hold still." Placing his hand over the gash in her arm, he concentrated a second and Cordelia could feel the pain stop completely. His hand then moved to the cut on her forehead and the same thing happened again.
Still in shock from how she had traveled here Cordelia Chase did something she rarely ever did. She let out a genuine smile, and said "Thank you."
"You're welcome. And do stay safe, I can tell that the person whose body this really is has a liking for you. I doubt he'd like to find something had happened to you. Goodbye," and with those words Xander returned to his chariot and flew into the sky, only to disappear.
* * *
"There is simply nothing in these texts that could explain what is happening out there." Giles said as he took his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Could this just be, you know, something Hellmouthy gone wrong and it's affecting everyone?" Willow asked as she walked back and forth through the table.
"I've never heard of any demons able to do anything like this before. But I didn't spend time around Hellmouths until recently either," Angel said, pushing aside a book.
"It could simply be the excess Hellmouth energies leaking out, however, Willow didn't you mention Xander said there was spell work used?" Giles asked the redhead.
"He did, but I'm not sure if he'd really know or not."
It was then that the tattered and torn form of Cordelia came into the library with blood still on her forehead and arm. Seeing her Giles quickly went to the girl. "Are you all right?"
"Do I look all right? This costume is ruined and Partytown will charge me for that, my deposit is so gone, I've broken a nail, I've been chased by Jo- Jo the dog-faced boy and then loserboy dares to hit on me and then he flies me here on that deathtrap and heals me, so no, I'm not all right thank you," Cordelia said.
Three people asked three questions simultaneously. Giles asked, "Did you say Xander healed you?" Angel said, "He flew you?" Willow said, "He hit on you!?"
"I don't think I stuttered, yes that's what happened. I mean, hello, do you think I'd lie to you? You're not important enough." Cordelia replied, ignoring the looks Willow was shooting at her.
"Be that as it may, how did he heal you?" Giles asked, the problem of finding out what had happened to everyone pushed back for the moment.
"He just put his hands on me," Cordelia started, not noticing the look from Willow, "and closed his eyes and the pain stopped. See?" She moved her arm so he could see where the gash had been.
Nodding Giles said, "Just a moment Cordelia." And went to his office.
"How did he fly you here?" Angel asked.
"Well I guess the geek flew me, those horses were flying when the landed in front of us with that flaming chariot on it."
"Flying horses?" Willow asked, a memory tugging behind her eyes.
"Yeah, three of them. Anyway, he must have flown us here." It was then that Giles returned with the first aide kit.
"This may hurt Cordelia, I just want to make sure you're okay." With this Giles began to clean where the wounds had been, only to find fresh unmarred skin beneath. No lines or scars, no evidence of injury. "Amazing."
"What? Oh no, he left a scar on my forehead didn't he, I bet he did it on purpose because I slapped him when he asked if I was in heat." Cordelia said fearfully.
"No Cordelia, you're fine. There isn't even a hint of a scar here. From the blood on your clothes there should be no way for you to not have a scar at all." Giles said.
"Can you tell us more about the flying horses?" Angel asked patiently.
"Flying horses?" Giles asked confused.
"Xander apparently flew them here on a flying horse drawn chariot." Willow said somewhat snarkily.
"Did the horses by any chance have names?" Giles asked, wondering if they were tied to some mythology.
"Actually they did," Cordelia began.
* * *
Hecate, Agnon and Set landed on a small rock landing area in a dark place cavernous place. Horrible smells, sights and sounds greeted anyone who would come to this place. To the being currently inhabiting Xander Harris, it was a comforting feeling of home.
Disembarking the chariot he walked towards an antechamber.
* * *
"Hecate, Agnon and Set are all well known names in mythology. In fact Hecate is often called upon for spells. I was hoping for something more recognizable as to what Xander may have become." Giles said sadly.
"Hey, I didn't know I was supposed to dig for details from him. I was just trying to stay alive and not get groped by him." Cordelia said plainly.
"Of course Cordelia, I understand that--" Giles started to say, when Willow interrupted him.
"Cordelia, did he do anything else? Did he use that trident he had with him?" Willow asked quickly.
"Yeah, he shot fire out of that pitchfork thing at demons that were chasing me. And he used it to summon those horses, he was going somewhere and using them for a long trip." Cordelia said.
With a gasp Willow went pale, "Oh no. That stuff, the fire, it has to be Hellfire."
* * *
Xander waked into the antechamber and walked past various guards. Nodding to the spidery figure in a black suit he stepped up to the large double doors made of skulls of various species.
With a grin he grabbed the handles and yanked both doors open and strode in.
* * *
"Hellfire? Only extremely powerful demons can summon Hellfire, and it seems that he was summoning it easily." Angel asked. The demon inside of him though, knew that they had come across the truth.
"I think I know what character he dressed up as. This is good though, his character was mostly a good guy. A little rash but he fought the good fight mostly, just harsher than most." Willow said, trying to remember more of the character.
* * *
With a smile on his face Xander approached a man on the throne of skulls. "Well, this certainly is a new way to see myself."
"I'd agree if I were seeing myself. But I can feel myself in you, so tell me what you are, and more importantly, who are you?" The man asked as he sat regally. A pale dark-haired woman came from a backroom to stand beside him.
"Oh, an odd little spell happened, I think I'll deal with the caster later. And this shell is that of a human named Xander Harris. For who I am? Why I'm you. I'm Daimon Hellstorm."
* * *
"I've never heard of a Daimon Hellstorm before, what kind of character is he?" Giles asked. A thought entered his head and he quickly said a curse to the existence of comic books anyway.
"He was born the Son of Satan, he fought evil and his father and sister sometimes. He was an exorcist and an occult scholar. He decided to fight to keep both Heaven and Hell from taking over the Earth." Willow said, remembering some of the rambles Xander had gone on about the merits of this character.
"If he's such a good guy then why's he been acting like he has?" Angel asked, casting a look toward Giles' office where the still unconscious slayer slept. Giles had decided, after listening to Willow describe Buffy's behavior that it might be a better idea to leave her unconscious.
"Well, he fights for good but he still has a Darksoul, it's where his powers come from being half demon. Oh no." Willow said suddenly, the life that had returned to her face quickly disappearing.
"Oh great, what new problem did you remember?" Cordelia asked distractedly.
"I just remembered something else."
* * *
"You know only one of us can rule," Daimon said as he stood from his throne.
"I know that, and I'm fine with that. I've got other plans," Xander said with an evil grin.
* * *
"What is it Willow?" Giles asked patiently, eying the now trembling ghost and wishing he could comfort her better.
"Daimon killed his father." Willow said quietly.
"Daimon killed Satan? Why does that have you upset?" Angel asked.
"Because when he killed his father he inherited the Dark Halo." Willow answered.
"I don't understand Willow, what's so upsetting about the Dark Halo?" Giles asked.
"Giles, the Dark Halo is what you get as Satan. Xander dressed up like Satan."