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And here's the remainder of 'Once More, With Feeling', have fun.
Chapter 4- Once More, With Feeling Part 2
The Bronze
Dawn was asleep on the pool table. She suddenly jerked awake, sat up, and began to do a ballet dance. She leapt off the pool table and was confronted by one of the masked minions.
She backed from him as he grasped her hand and spun her, grasping her by the waist and having her lean on his hand, but then she freed herself and ran off, only to be confronted by the next one.
She backed off but he grasped her hand, spinning her to him as he lifted her by the waist and spun with her before putting her down as she tried to run but the 3rd was already there. He marched to her as she backed off, and then both lunged at her but she escaped by ducking and running past them.
She tried to run past but one of them leapt on the pool table and behind her, grasping her by the waist and lifting her as she lifted her legs ballet style, and he put her on the ground. He then grasped her hands and threw her up and she wrapped her feet as he caught her by those, and then she leaned back as the other one grasped her by the arms and put her down as she put her foot upwards ballet style.
Dawn was then on the ground as the three surrounded her and did spin motions. Dawn got up and tried to run but one grabbed her from behind and spinning her, flung her and she went sliding across the floor, stopping beside the stage.
She then saw feet in red pants and black-and-white dance shoes. They begin to do a tap-dance number, danced down the stairs and toward Dawn as she looked at his face, which was red in color with a pointed chin.
"Why'd you run away? Don't you like my ... style?" He snapped his fingers and his red suit turned to a blue one as he slid his feet.
He then gestured to her. "Why don't you come and play? I guarantee a..." He reached up to his face, pulling off his mouth and held the disembodied mouth in Dawn's face. She stared in shock as the mouth continues singing. "...great big smile." The mouth disappeared from his hand and reappeared in its normal place.
He then danced, tapping his feet. "I come from the imagination. And I'm here strictly by your invocation", he held up a scroll covered with writing. "So what do you say? Why don't we dance awhile?"
He danced over to Dawn, gesturing at her, then danced away again, tapping his feet and waving his hands. "I'm the hot swing I'm the twist and shout", he tapdanced. "When you gotta sing, When you gotta ... let it oooouuut."
His 3 minions danced to the tune too.
"You call me and I come a-running", he danced back toward Dawn. "I turn the music on I bring the fun in", he made a string-pulling gesture at Dawn, who got up. "Now we're partyin' that's what it's all about."
He chuckled, then danced toward Dawn and she danced backward, shaking her hips. "'Cause I know ... what you feel, girl."
He put his arms around her and they danced together. Dawn looked scared. "I know just what you feel, girl." He spun Dawn away and she danced a few steps away from him.
Dawn asked nervously. "So ... you're like a good demon? Bringing the fun in?"
He laughed, shaking his head "no."
"All these melodies ..." Dawn sat. "They go on too long", he spun and sat on a chair. "Then that energy", his minions did a dance-fight, "starts to come on way too strong. All those hearts laid open, that must sting", a door appeared beside Sweet, he reached for the knob. "Plus, some customers just start combusting."
Sweet opened the door and a charred smoking corpse fell through it. Dawn stared in horror.
"That's the penalty", he danced back over to her. "When life is but a song." He danced up very close to Dawn, she looked very nervous.
He danced very around the now standing Dawn as she looked scared. "You brought me down into this town. So, when we blow this scene back we will go to my kingdom below, and you will be my queen."
Sweet made a gesture and Dawn's clothing turned to a satiny ball gown.
"'Cause I know what you feel, girl", he danced up onto the stage in a spin motion.
Dawn sang. "No, you see. You and me wouldn't be very regal."
"I'll make it real, girl", he danced around the stage.
Dawn sang. "What I mean, I'm sixteen, so this queen thing's illegal."
He jumped back onto the floor, dancing. "I can bring whole cities to ruin and still have time to get a soft-shoe in."
Dawn argued in song. "Well, that's great, but I'm late, and I'd hate to delay her."
Sweet was dancing around her in a spin motion. "Something's cooking, I'm at the griddle I bought Nero his very first fiddle."
Dawn revealed. "She'll get pissed if I'm missed. See, my sister's the Slayer."
Sweet stopped in mid-kick, looking surprised, then stopped dancing, turning to Dawn.
"The Slayer?" He asked.
Dawn nodded nervously. "Yuh-huh. And I know Spider-Man as well, he's my very good friend." She wasn't gonna say 'boyfriend' since then the beans of his identity would be spilled. "And the other Slayer is also my friend."
He chuckled, turning to his minions. "Find them. Tell them ... tell them everything."
Dawn looked nervous.
"Just get them here. I want to see the Slayers and Spider-Man burn."
Dawn looked alarmed as he sang while doing gestures with his hands. "Now we're partying. That's what it's all about."
Magic Box
Giles held a large piece of wood and Faith kicked it in two. "Good. Good."
"You do realize it's a piece of cake?" Faith asked with a chuckle.
Giles said. "It may seem hokey, but we need to work on precision and concentration as much as power. I did it with Buffy already." He went to put the wood down. "We're still not sure what we're facing."
Faith put one leg up on the horse, stretching. "Oh, you'll all figure it out like you used to together back then. Just hoping this whole session's doesn't turn into some training montage from an 80's movie, since that'd be more Matt's thing."
"Ah. Well, if we hear any inspirational power chords, we'll just lie down until they go away", Giles picked up a towel. "Anyway, I don't think we need to work that much on your strength."
"Yeah, I'm pretty strong since I took down a kind-of indestructible guy a while ago", she did a handstand on the horse.
Giles paused and asked. "So, is there anything I can do for you, Faith?"
Faith leapt down from the horse, frowning. "No, not really, I was getting by before going bad." She stretched her arms.
Giles looked pensive, thinking about her guilt and lone-wolf complex, and Buffy, he and the rest had clearly made it worse back when she'd first come, and he really wished he could make it right with her. He wished he'd been a better mentor to her like he'd been to Buffy.
He turned and began to walk toward a set of weapons in a display case on the wall as Faith said. "Okay. I'm five by five."
Giles put the towel down and began to sing. "You weren't ready for the world outside. You kept pretending but you just couldn't hide."
He picked up a knife. "I know I should have been standing by your side", he walked to Faith. "But I-"
He threw the knife as Faith leaned back to avoid.
"Your path wasn't unbeaten, and it wasn't all uphill", he threw another knife which she deflected with her hand. "And you could have kneed it, but you never will. And I was the reason that you were lying still. But I-"
He threw another knife as Faith kicked it away in slow-motion. "I wish I had said the right words, and lead you through this land."
Faith kicked the air in slow-motion.
"Wish I had played the father, and taken you by the hand", he reached out his hand sadly. "Wish I had stayed but now I understand." Giles walked closer as Faith did a handspring then split in slow-motion. "I was just standing in the way."
"The cries coming from you, I didn't hear at all", Giles sang as Faith flipped across the room's center in slow motion. "Cause you knew I wasn't there to take that call. So you just lay there when you should have been standing tall. But I-"
Faith now punched the punching bag in slow-motion as Giles walked around her. "I wish I had laid your arms down, and helped you rest at last. Wish I had slayed your demons, but now that time has passed."
He walked forwards sadly. "Wish I had stayyyyyyeed. So you could still be standing fast. But I was standing in the way. I was just standing in the way."
Faith walked in front of him, waving her hair in slow-motion before returning to regular speed, oblivious to what he'd just sang. "Did you just say something?"
Lorne, who'd managed to hear the song, could sense Giles' grief and guilt regarding Faith and he sang his own verse. "Now you're under no spell. God how could this be? She didn't have any luxury. You know she's been through hell, Rupert now you see, there can be a guarantee. Now you can make her belieeeeeveee-"
Giles stepped next to Lorne and sang. "Believe me, I didn't wanna gooooo."
Giles then sang. "And it grieved me, cuz I couldn't love you sooo."
Lorne sang at the same time. "And it grieved thee, cuz you couldn't love her sooo."
They watched as Faith talked animatedly with Willow and Tara, while Buffy and Peter were looking into books behind them.
Then they sang together. "But we both knooooooowww."
Giles sang as he sat down. "Wish I had said the right words to lead her through this land. Wish I had played the father, and taken you by the hand."
Lorne sang at the same time while moving. "You wished you could trust it was just that once but you must do what you must. You can adjust to your disgust, you aren't done and you just-"
Giles sang. "Wish I had staaaaaaayeeed."
Lorne sang at the same time, "know you can staaaaaaaayyy."
"Wish I had staaaaaaayeeed."
"Now you can staaaaaaaaaayyy."
"Wish I had staaaaaaayeeed."
"Now you can staaaaaaaaaaaaay."
They ended together.
"Wish I had staaaaaaayeeed."
"Now you can staaaaaaaaaay."
Suddenly Spike burst into the magic shop pulling one of Sweet's minions as everyone turned to look. "Lookie lookie what I found."
"Is this the demon guy?" Tara asked as Xander and Anya emerged from the back.
"Works for him. Has a nice little story for the two Slayers and Spider-Man, don't you?" Spike asked him. "Anyway, Spider-Man isn't here, but we'll tell him. Come on, then."
He shoved the minion forward. "Sing."
The music swelled up dramatically as if to introduce a big musical number, but the minion simply spoke in normal voice. "My master has the blonde Slayer's sister hostage at the Bronze because she summoned him and at midnight he's going to take her to the underworld to be his queen."
Giles asked. "What does he want?"
The minion indicated Buffy and Faith. "Them. And Spider-Man."
"Better call him then", Peter said, concerned for Dawn a lot.
Spike scoffed. "If that's all you've got to say, then-" Spike tried to grab the minion but he broke free and ran off, surprising him.
Buffy muttered. "So. Dawn's in trouble. Must be Tuesday."
Peter said. "I dropped her home a while ago, they-"
Buffy assured. "Oh, it's not your fault. So what's the plan?"
"I'll go get Matt", Lorne then said as he walked off.
"Right", Faith muttered as they shared a look and he walked off to the hotel room Matt had booked while coming to Sunnydale.
Xander said. "Plan, schman. Let's mount up."
Giles vetoed. "No."
Anya explained. "Uh, Dawn may have had the wrong idea in summoning this creature, but ... I've seen some of these underworld child bride deals and, and they never end well. Well, maybe once."
"Oh well he's not gonna do that to her", Peter snarled in anger.
"Peter, I know she is your girlfriend, but the people outside are burning, they need you to save them", Giles pointed out to him.
Peter opened his mouth to protest but realized Giles had a point. He had a responsibility to everyone, not just those he loved.
"Fine", he sighed, walking off to get his suit.
"Don't worry, we'll save the kiddo", Faith assured him.
"Let's go then", Willow suggested.
"All right, I'll be going, Matt will join there probably", Faith said as she moved off.
"Yeah, let's go", Buffy agreed as they walked out and she turned to the rest. "We got this."
They walked off as Giles looked down, upset as he realized he needed to be more proactive if he had to help Faith.
"I'm going too", Spike shrugged as he followed them a few minutes later.
Peter then arrived in his suit and said. "Well, I'm gonna save the people, then Dawn."
With that, he walked out and swung away.
Matt was in his hotel room, looking grim due to having heard various people sing, dance and burn up, and he'd rushed out to save various of them but had reached a second too late every time, and now he was here again.
What he found odd was that he had not burst into song or dance even once.
Then he felt footsteps and scoffed, realizing who had come.
"There you are again, admit it, you just love messing with me", Matt said as he turned to Stick.
"You want the truth, kid? Alright here it is, I'm your Obi-Wan."
Matt scrunched his eyebrows as his jaw started to drop.
"Don't look so surprised", Stick said.
"I'm shocked you even know what that means", Matt commented regarding Stick knowing about Obi-Wan apparently.
"I'm old and blind, Matty, not deaf and dumb."
"I would have pictured you as Yoda", Matt told him.
"That's more the Ancient One's thing, talking funny and being old as shit."
"...We are having an actual conversation about 'Star Wars'", Matt realized with dark humor.
"So what?"
"Nothing can surprise me anymore."
"A warrior I may be, but I'm still human, I have vices."
"Eww."
"Shut up."
"Not until you tell me what you are, how you've been able to contact me", Matt now demanded, because he knew Stick was not a hallucination at all.
"The whole town is singing and dancing to death and yet you're asking about a ghost?" Stick asked incredulously.
"This ghost won't leave me alone", Matt pointed out.
Stick let out a sigh. "Alright, fine. I told you I was a student of the Ancient One, and one of the tricks I was taught is a certain way to maintain your spirit even after death."
"So you are a ghost", Matt realized.
Stick explained. "In a manner of speaking. I can't go Swayze on anyone if that's what you're thinking. After Ellie stuck a sword in my chest, I was able to detach my mental and spiritual form from my physical body, and as it died, I had struggled to maintain my conscious thoughts. Took me months, hell, almost a goddamn year to get it right."
"This is your afterlife?" Matt asked. "Showing up out of the blue whenever you feel like it."
"There's more to it than that, but afterlife has its own challenges."
"Like what?"
"Like none of your goddamn business. Thought you could use some advice every now and again, considering what you're like, I knew you would need it. Besides, I knew you would miss me."
Matt sighed as Stick quipped. "Besides, being dead ain't all bad. At least now I can actually see how shitty the world is."
Matt turned to him. "Well, I'd love some advice, but I don't want you singing or dancing around me."
Stick chuckled and said. "Just beware of the road that lies ahead."
And then he was gone when Matt heard another familiar heartbeat as there was a knock on his door.
"Come in."
Lorne walked in as he asked. "So, how are you doing?"
"I'm concerned more about Faith", Matt told him, sitting down.
"I am too, but I could get a lot of depression and fear from you even without you singing, my handsome Devil", Lorne told him as Matt sighed. "Any problem there?"
Matt exposed his chest as Lorne's eyes widened in horror. While to him it looked like an ordinary carved scar, he could still feel what was coming from it.
And it was terrifying.
"It started with nightmares, now this."
Lorne looked at Matt sadly and sat next to him, patting his shoulder. "So, you have a mark you got from the Devil who put the Devil in you."
"Pretty obvious", Matt shrugged darkly.
Lorne then told him. "So what if he did? Just because he did something to you doesn't mean he shaped the person you are."
"What are you trying to say?" Matt asked him.
"Look Rocky", Lorne said to him. "While I did feel the power inside of you right from your first time, I also felt your heart. And you know what I felt?"
"What?" Matt asked with a scoff.
"The heart of a hero, Devillicious", Lorne assured with a smile, tapping Matt's chest as he did so. "You are a shining beacon of hope and light even if it doesn't look like it. The light of your beacon reaches the darkest of places. Angel was in one such place not too long ago, and your light reached him."
Matt turned to Lorne, looking conflicted, trying to form words, and finally said. "Thank you."
"Oh it's my thing, ya know? Besides, I'd hate to see anything happen to my handsome Devil", Lorne told him before getting up. "Also, now we know who is behind all this singing and dancing, he has taken Dawn, they're in the Bronze. He wants to make her his queen or something."
Matt got up with a growl. "Not while I'm around."
"I think we better go before any fireworks start though", Lorne said as Matt put on his black mask.
"Come on", he said as the two walked out together.
In a street, there was dark red lightning as some people did an angry dance fight. There was a garbage can with a fire burning inside it.
Faith held her hand to the fire. "I touch the fire and it freezes me. I look into it and it's black. Why can't I still feel?" She looked at her hand. "My skin should crack and peel." She turned to look at the walking Buffy. "I need the fire back."
Sweet swirled, shoving Dawn into a chair before sitting in another one beside her as she looked scared.
Faith followed Buffy. "Now, through the smoke they call to me. To make my way across the flame. To save the day or maybe melt away. I guess it's all the same."
She then sang the chorus. "So, I will walk through the fire. Cause where else can I turn? I will walk through the fire. And let it - -"
Buffy now knew Faith was still unsure of herself and sang herself. "The torch she bore was scorching me. And she was laughing I'd no doubt. I'd hoped she fried, I'd have been happy if she'd died!"
Buffy felt ashamed of herself as she remembered wanting to kill Faith over Angel, and it wasn't for any greater reason, it was only for Angel, and she hadn't cared one bit about her morals then.
"I better help her out..."
Sweet got up and sang. "Cause they are drawn to the fire. Some people never learn."
Spike sang to himself about the need of the Slayers to do it alone. "They will never learn."
As he sang, Sweet sang at the same time in the Bronze.
"And they will walk through the fire."
"And let it - -"
At the Magic Box, Giles started to sing. "Will this do a thing to change her? Are we leaving Dawn in danger? Was my Slayer too far gone to care?"
He realized he'd just called Faith his Slayer, just like Buffy. Well, it was time to treat them both equally now.
Xander walked to Giles. "What if they can't defeat it?"
Anya appeared next to him. "Beady Eyes is right. We're needed!" She looked at the rest. "...Or we could just sit around and glare."
Willow, Tara, Giles, Xander and Anya then sang together as they got up, getting ready. "We'll see it through. It's what we're always here to do. So, we will walk through the fire..."
They walked out of the shop together, Xander putting on his coat.
Faith sang as she walked. "So one by one, they turned from me. I guess my friends couldn't face the cold. But why I froze, not one among them could know. And never could be told."
At the same time as Faith, Tara sang. "What can't we face if we're together?"
Buffy sang during that time. "She put one in the grave and turned graver."
Spike sang. "No, he won't kill her, 'cause I'll help her."
Tara sang. "Everything is turning out so dark."
Buffy sang. "I said I could save her, instead I tried to kill her."
Willow then sang lamely. "I think this line is mostly filler."
Giles walked further and asked. "What's it going to take to strike a spark?"
Faith walked and sang. "Going through the motions. Walking through the part. These endless days were finally ending in a blaze."
Sweet sang while dancing. "So one by one, they come to me. The distant redness as their guide. That single flame. Ain't what they had in mind. It's what they have inside, they will come to me."
Buffy and Faith sang while walking.
Spike sang while following them.
Willow, Tara, Giles, Xander and Anya too sang while following them, as a fire engine went behind them, lights flashing, and Spider-Man was swinging too.
"And we are caught in the fire
At the point of no return
So we will walk through the fire
And let it
Burn
Let it burn
Let it burn
Let it burn!"
Sweet then heard footsteps outside and smirked. "Showtime..."
But then the door was kicked open by Matt, Lorne next to him, and Sweet felt the power as his eyes widened in horror, realizing who it was.
Matt and Lorne walked to him, the former clutching his fists as Buffy and Faith now walked in behind them.
"Hey", Faith greeted, before they noticed the look on Sweet's face.
"What? Scared of us?" Buffy asked.
"Not us", Lorne told her before gesturing to Matt. "Him."
"Abaddon", Sweet muttered as he looked at the marching Matt in horror.
"That is not my name!" Matt screamed, and everyone actually jumped, even Buffy and Faith.
"Guys, I swear I didn't do it", Dawn said to them all desperately.
"I know you didn't", Matt assured. Her heart was beating fast but it was due to fear, she was telling the truth.
"Don't worry, you won't go anywhere, kiddo", Faith assured Dawn.
Sweet said to Matt. "The reason my power does not affect you is because your father-"
"HE IS NOT MY FATHER!" Matt now snapped angrily, kicking the pool table away. "If you are so scared of me, here's a deal."
Sweet listened as Matt said. "Use your power on me, it is my choice, he won't do a thing to you, he loves it when I push myself."
Matt scoffed angrily as Faith, Buffy, Lorne and Dawn watched sadly, Faith looking the saddest.
Sweet started. "But-"
"Do it!" Matt said. "And once I am done, let Dawn go."
Sweet sighed, looking scared, and finally said. "Do what you want."
That moment, Spike arrived, and 10 seconds later Willow, Tara, Giles, Xander and Anya were there too as a guitar started playing in the background.
Matt then took off his mask, deciding he needed to perform to his best, and he didn't care if Sweet saw his face, since it wouldn't matter either way if he left.
He then paced around and turning his head up, starting singing. "The secret side of me, I never let you see."
He kneeled a little, gritting his teeth. "I keep it caged but I can't control it. So stay away from me, the beast is ugly."
Everyone was now even more shocked at what Matt was singing, Faith watching with wide eyes as Lorne read him.
"I feel the rage and I just can't hold it."
He then punched the wall hard, denting it. "It's scratching on the walls, in the closet, in the halls. It comes awake and I can't control it."
He then growled, clutching his fists. "Hiding under the bed, in my body, in my head. Why won't somebody come and save me from this, make it END?"
He threw his fist into the air as he screamed 'end'.
"I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin. I must confess that I feel like a monster. I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun. I must confess that I feel like a monster."
Matt staggered around, putting his hands on his head as he continued. "I, I feel like a monster. I, I feel like a monster."
The others were just watching, too shocked to do anything as Matt put a hand over his chest. "My secret side I keep hid under lock and key. I keep it caged but I can't control it."
He then walked to a table, running his hand over his hair. "'Cause if I let him out he'll tear me up, break me down. Why won't somebody come and save me from this, make it END?"
And this time, he slammed his fist down on the table angrily, denting that too.
He then walked to Sweet's minions and punched one real hard, throwing him down. "I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin."
The next tried to punch as he dodged and punched him down. "I must confess that I feel like a monster."
The third tried to hit but he ducked, decking his abdomen before kicking him away, then spin kicked the previous one down again. "I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun. I must confess that I feel like a monster."
One of the previous one attacked again as Matt grabbed his arm, then slammed him down on a table before lifting him over his shoulders and hurling him down onto a table, shattering it before bringing his foot down on his face. "I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin. I must confess that I feel like a monster."
Another previous one picked a bottle and tried to attack but Matt grabbed his hand, twisting it, making him scream, and snatching the bottle, smashed it on his face before kicking his knee, making him kneel, and kicked his face, taking him out. "I, I feel like a monster."
Matt then dodged and blocked another previous one's punches before slugging his face twice and punched his gut before kicking his knee hard, breaking it as he screamed in pain, and Matt punched him out. "I, I feel like a monster."
Another one stood back and punched twice but Matt avoided both times, then punched his chest and abdomen before giving his face a hard right hook, taking him down at last.
Those who hadn't seen him fight before were in awe of his fighting skills, as Buffy realized Team Angel's claims that Matt could beat her weren't completely unfounded, not that she liked it, and Spike's eyes were wide, hoping he never ended up on Matt's wrong side, while Giles thought in his mind Matt could take a Slayer.
But everyone was still transfixed by his performance, though they were more focused on his rage than amazing singing voice.
Matt then threw his fists around angrily.
"It's hiding in the dark, it's teeth are razor sharp. There's no escape for me, it wants my soul, it wants my heart", Matt put a hand on his heart as he said that. "No one can hear me scream, maybe it's just a dream."
He felt Stick's unseeing eyes on him too, and unseen to him, there was some grief on Stick's face as well.
"Oh My Little Lion Man", Lorne said sadly to Matt, getting everything from him now, and hoping Matt could work through this.
"MAYBE it's inside of me, stop this monster!" Matt screamed, doing a flip as he landed with a growl, and ripped open the top of his shirt, exposing the mark as Sweet's jaw was dropped at this point.
"I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin. I must confess that I feel like a monster", Matt screamed, his voice distorting a little during 'I feel like a monster' as he hurled a table away in rage before kicking a chair to another set of table and chairs, taking them all down. "I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun. I must confess that I feel like a monster."
"I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin. I must confess that I feel like a monster. I've gotta lose control, here's something radical", Matt screamed, punching a wall repeatedly and breaking it till his knuckles bled as Faith now had tears in her eyes.
"I must confess that I feel like a monster. I, I feel like a monster. I, I feel like a monster. I, I feel like a monster. I, I feel like a monster"
As he ended the song, Matt picked up a glass and hurled it to the other side, shattering it is as it impacted with the wall, then went down on his knees, panting hard.
Faith had a hand over her mouth as she realized that she didn't WANT TO need Matt because she felt she didn't deserve him, but in that line of thought she'd never wondered if Matt needed her to. Now she realized he did.
And she needed him too. They needed each other.
As Matt took heavy breaths, everyone else just transfixed on him still, Sweet with horror, the rest with sadness and sympathy, Faith walked to Matt, kneeling next to him and putting her hand on his shoulder.
"I still hear your voice when you sleep next to me. I still feel your touch in my dreams", Faith sang as she stroked Matt's hair lovingly as he panted. "Forgive me my weakness but I don't know why. Without you it's hard to survive."
She lifted his chin up with that last line, and they rose up together, though Matt still looked hurt and conflicted.
Faith then spun while shaking her hips as she sang "'Cause every time we touch, I get this feeling, and every time you're here, I swear I could fly", she ran her hands over herself, dancing and shaking her hips. "Can't you feel my heart beat fast, I want this to last, Need you by my side."
Faith then did some motions with her hands while moving her legs, facing Matt the whole time. "'Cause every time we touch, I feel this static, And every time you're here, I reach for the sky, Can't you hear my heart beat so, I can't let you go, Want you in my life."
After some more dancing to the tune, Faith ran her hands over Matt's arms. "Your arms are my castle", she put her hand over his chest where his heart was. "Your heart is my sky." She lifted his hand, making it touch her face. "They wipe away tears that I cry."
She then grasped his face both hands as he stroked her face himself. "The good and the bad times, We've been through them all." She raised hands to either side of her head. "You make me rise when I fall."
Faith then leapt and flipped, doing dance moves with her legs as she shook her body." 'Cause every time we touch, I get this feeling, And every time you're here, I swear I can fly. Can't you feel my heart beat fast, I want this to last. Need you by my side."
Faith then spun, walking backwards as she continued singing. "'Cause every time we touch, I feel this static, And every time you're here, I reach for the sky, Can't you hear my heart beat so, I can't let you go, Want you in my life."
He could hear her heart beat, and she was telling what she felt.
Faith then cartwheeled to Matt. "'Cause every time we touch, I get this feeling, And every time you're here", she was now in front of him and put his hands on her waist, leaning on them as she raised her head up. "I swear I could fly", she stood back up, putting his hand over her chest where her heart was. "Can't you feel my heart beat fast, I want this to last, Need you by my side."
The two then just stared at each other for a few seconds, even if Matt couldn't see.
Sweet applauded. "Now that was a show-stopping number." Matt and Faith turned to look at him. "But you beat up my guys badly so not quite the fireworks that I was looking for."
Willow snarled. "Get out of here."
"Let her go", Tara added.
"Come on Dawn", Buffy held out her hand but Sweet stepped in their way.
"No, the little missus and I shall be on our way", Sweet said.
"All right, here's another offer", Lorne said, stepping forwards to face Sweet. "Dance-off and sing-off, winner's demands are met. If you win, you take the little missus", the good guys except Matt and Faith all gasped. "If I win, you go and leave her alone."
After some thinking, Sweet said. "All right, you first."
Lorne tapped his feet, moving backwards, then kneeling down, tapped his feet again, moving back and forth in perfect sync as he shook his body, then threw himself on his back, shaking himself there while still moving his feet in a tap motion and then flipped up.
"Hmmm, not bad", Sweet complimented before walking to the center, and parting his feet, shook his hips before spinning them while raising his hands to either side of his head, and then while spinning his hips, started spinning his head too, then he moved back and forth while doing so, and left and right too, to Lorne's shock, since he'd never known anyone that good at this.
Sweet stopped as Lorne raised his hands to his front, and then tapped his feet, acting like he was going to slip but not actually slipping, to add to his performance, then sliding his feet, leapt, and stood again.
Sweet then came to the center, and splitting his legs, waved his hands smoothly while waving his hips back and forth, and soon did it with his whole body, shocking Lorne before Sweet stopped, and then the two moved to either side of each other, deciding to do it fast now.
Sweet raised his hands, spinning and doing a ballet, as Lorne put his hands on his waist and moved his legs, doing an Irish jig.
Sweet then did the running man motion, dancing forwards, as Lorne did the salsa, followed by Sweet moving his hands and feet back and forth for the Single Ladies. Lorne then raised his hands to his body's side and shook his chest in a shimmy, and then Sweet ended up doing a lap dance motion, about to move to Lorne but he raised a finger as Sweet chuckled and did it in the air.
Lorne then raised his feet while shaking them in a can-can, then Sweet moved up and down, raising his feet to either side in a Russian Dance, then Lorne moved his hips back and forth in a PG-13 rated Twerk, followed by Sweet putting his hands behind his head and shaking his body in a belly dance, before Lorne moved to either side raising his hands in a thriller.
Sweet then did the vogue, moving back as he raised his hands and swung them smoothly, looking like he was one with the floor as he moved his feet too, and then Lorne moved his hands up and down, shaking his legs in a disco, but then Sweet did the moonwalk while Lorne did the robot, but Sweet looked smoother as both stopped.
"I win this", Sweet boasted. "My dance was smoother than yours, though you were not too bad yourself."
The heroes all looked terrified and Dawn was struggling not to scream in horror now when Lorne reminded. "Sing-off is still left, pointy chin. You first."
Sweet smirked and sang, pointing to Dawn. "Why'd she run away, didn't she like my style? Why didn't she come and play? I guarantee a great big smile. I come from the imagination. And I'm here strictly by her invocation. So what did she say? Why don't we dance a while? I'm the how to swing, I'm the twist and shout. When you gotta sing, when you gotta let it out. You call me and I come a-runnin'. I turn the music on, I bring the fun in. Now we're partyin', that's what it's all about. 'Cause I know what she feels, girl. I know just what she feels, girl. All these melodies, they go on too long. Then that energy starts to come on way too strong. All those hearts lay open that must sting. Plus some customers just start combusting. That's the penalty when life is but a song. You brought me down into this town. So when we blow this scene. Back, we will go to my kingdom below. And she will be my queen. 'Cause I know what she feels, girl. But she says she and me wouldn't be very regal. I'll make it real, girl. Then she says, she's sixteen. So this queen thing's illegal. I can bring whole cities to ruin. And still have time to get a soft-shoe in. She said it was great but she was late, and she'd hate to delay her. Something's cooking, I'm at the griddle. I bought Nero his very first fiddle. She'll get pissed if she's missed. See her sister's the Slayer."
Sweet raised his hands to either side, finishing recapping his bit with Dawn as he sang. "Now we're partyin'. That's what it's all about."
Lorne then walked to the front and raising his hands, sang himself as he sensed other people outside stop singing and dancing. "Spider-Man, Spider-Man. Does whatever a spider can. Spins a web, any size. Catches thieves just like flies. Look out! Here comes the Spider-Man. Is he strong? Listen, bud. He's got radioactive blood."
Dawn cringed, wondering if his…..that was radioactive too. If it was, maybe her Key magic saved her.
Why was she thinking about this now?
"Can he swing from a thread?"
Peter swung over the town at the same time.
"Take a look overhead. Hey, there!"
Peter swung down, webbing the hands of two people who were about to dance fight, stopping them.
"There goes the Spider-Man. In the chill of night. At the scene of a crime. Like a streak of light. He arrives just in time!"
Peter webbed two dancing people into cocoons.
"Spider-Man, Spider-Man. Friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man. Wealth and fame? He's ignored. Action is his reward. Look out! Here comes the Spider-Man."
Peter dodged the blow of a guy trying to dance fight him, then spinning himself, brought the guy closer in a spin motion, webbing him.
"Spider-Man, Spider-Man. Friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man. Wealth and fame? He's ignored. Action is his reward. Look out! Here comes the Spider-Man."
Peter swung through the night sky and as a guy summersaulted into the air, Peter webbed his feet, hanging him by the lamppost.
"In the chill of night. At the scene of a crime. Like a streak of light. He arrives just in time! Spider-Man, Spider-Man. Does whatever a spider can. Spins a web, any size. Catches thieves just like flies."
Two thieves were dancing out of a house while carrying sacks, spinning together when Peter webbed and spun them the opposite way, making them drop their sacks as he webbed them both.
"Look out! Here comes the Spider-Man. Spider-Man, Spider-Man. Friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man. Wealth and fame? He's ignored. Action is his reward."
Aunt May was dancing around while cooking in the house as Peter webbed her up too, sighing, then swung away.
"Look out! Here comes the Spider-Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!"
Sweet's eyes widened at just how long Lorne could hold a note, and then Peter swung in, crouching before lifting himself up.
"I am the Spider-Man!"
Dawn stood up in joy. "P- Spider-Man, help me!"
"I won the sing-off", Lorne said. "I held the final note for a long time."
"Yes, you won, no one has ever defeated me in a dance-off, that is true still, but for the first time, I have been defeated in a sing-off", Sweet admitted, a little grudging. "You have my respect."
Lorne nodded as Sweet said. "But none of us won. It was a draw. So what now?"
Lorne was about to say something when Sweet shrugged. "The rules are clear so I'll just take the missus."
Peter offered. "Hey, no, I'll-"
"I think we've had enough performances", Sweet told him.
"But she didn't open it", Matt growled, walking closer to Sweet who now backed off in fright. "I can tell."
"I did not", Dawn shook her head too. "But he keeps saying that."
"You have my talisman on, my sweet thing", Sweet told her.
"Oh! That!" Peter said in horror as he and Dawn remembered him gifting it to her. "That-"
"I didn't summon anything", Dawn said very nervously, cringing and cowering away in fear as Sweet reached to her.
Giles said. "If it was in the shop, one of us could have-"
Slowly Xander raised his hand as Anya asked. "Xander?!"
Xander said. "Well, I didn't know what was gonna happen! I just thought there were gonna be dances and songs." He turned to Anya. "I just wanted to make sure we'd... we'd work out." He gave a nervous smile. "Get a happy ending."
Sweet chuckled. "I think everything worked out just fine."
Xander gulped. "Does this mean that I have to... be your queen?" Anya looked anxious.
"It's tempting." Xander looked apprehensive. "But I think we'll waive that clause just this once." Xander was intensely relieved.
Everyone else just continued watching Sweet. "Big smiles everyone! You beat the bad guy. And I have risked my neck enough around Mephisto's spawn."
Faith glared at Sweet as Matt now looked hurt again, the progress from before in the danger of being undone, and Sweet did a quick spin.
"What a lot of fun. You guys have been real swell", he chuckled and began dancing. "And there is more than one who can say this ended well."
They watched as he said. "All those feelings you've been concealing. Say you're happy now, Once more with feeling. Now I gotta run See you all..." He turned into a ball of light that swirled around their heads, leaving a sparkly trail. They watched it go. "...in Heeeeeeell!"
Everyone stood around looking kind of shell-shocked. Dawn walked across the stage in foreground. "Where do we go ... from here?"
She walked to the steps and down as Peter, Buffy, Faith and Spike sang. "Where do we go ... from here?"
Giles and Lorne sang together. "The battle's done. And we kind of won." Tara joined them. "So we sound our victory cheer. Where do we go from here?"
Faith, Xander and Anya then sang while all walked to the center except Matt, who was still unaffected by Sweet's power, having only allowed it that once. "Why is the path unclear when we know home is near?"
Other than Matt, they all moved to stand in a line side-by-side. "Understand we'll go hand in hand", all joined hands. "And we'll no longer walk alone in fear."
All release hands and walked off in different directions as Giles and Lorne sang. "Tell me!"
All but Matt sang. "Where do we go from here? When does the end appear?"
They all made a dance gesture with their arms but in the middle of singing "appear" Spike suddenly stopped, scoffed, then put his arm down. "Bugger this. I'll watch."
He watched as the rest continued the song without him. "When do the trumpets cheer? The curtains close on a kiss, god knows-"
Matt walked off, opening the door and walking down the street when Faith came out of the Bronze after him.
He could still hear the rest singing 'Where Do We Go From Here?' in the Bronze.
"Thought you wanted to finish the verse with them", Matt commented.
"I'd rather be here with you", Faith told him with a smile.
Matt started singing as he moved to her. "I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin. I must confess that I feel like a monster. I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun. I must confess that I feel like a monster."
Faith sang too as she moved to him. "Your arms are my castle. Your heart is my sky. They wipe away tears that I cry. The good and the bad times. We've been through them all. You make me rise when I fall."
Now their faces were inches from each other as they sang simultaneously.
"I feel like a monster."
"Need you by my side."
And then, they crashed their lips into each other, kissing each other passionately and lovingly as he put his hands on her shoulders to pull her closer, and their first kiss continued.
"Where do we go from heeeeeeeeeerrreee?"
As Matt and Faith continued kissing passionately, an image of curtains drew close over them both.
THE END
Finally, finished with the musical at last.
So yes, the Stick we've been seeing was never a hallucination but a ghost all along, so he's still here, and thanks to Brainstorm Sorcerer for the conversation there.
Now, for the songs, 'Dawn's Ballet/What You Feel' was the same as in canon, then the big one is Giles' 'Standing', and again, I changed the tense to past tense, and he sang it for Faith due to his guilt for failing to be there for her like he was there for Buffy, and Willow never violated Tara in this, so she didn't join, but since Lorne caught the singing, he did, and he's basically assuring Giles he may have messed up with Faith before but now he can change things.
Then there is 'Walk Through the Fire' and again, it got changed to center around Faith instead, and the lyrics of the others were changed too for the whole thing.
'Give Me Something To Sing About' never happened in this, because Buffy is not depressed, and while Faith has guilt, she is not suicidal either, so it won't fit, and so I had Matt sing Skillet's 'Monster' (thanks a lot to Brainstorm Sorcerer for that suggestion) because after the pentagram on his chest, he's back to feeling like a monster due to the Devil inside.
And seeing his condition prompted Faith to at last confess her feelings to him by singing Cascada's 'Every Time We Touch' with slightly modified lyrics, because I think they fit, and thank you to Bl4ckHunter for the new lyric.
Then that was followed by dance-off and sing-off between Sweet and Lorne, with Sweet singing 'What You Feel' again and recapping what he did with Dawn, and Lorne sang 'Here comes the Spider-Man' because he sensed the songs stop and realized Spider-Man is coming now.
Then Sweet's reprise of 'What You Feel' which remained the same, and 'Where Do We Go From Here' now only fits for Matt, Faith, Xander and Anya, but I used it to break the 4th wall, because there is no Buffy Season 6 in this series, and so the Scoobies have nowhere to go for one Season till I do Buffy Season 7, LOL!
And that was followed by Matt's and Faith's first kiss, hope that moment was earned in this fic.
With that, 'Once More, With Feeling' ends at last. Thanks a lot to Brainstorm Sorcerer and Bl4ckHunter once again for the help, and to Marcus S. Lazarus for their suggestion.
So, my version of the musical, how was it? Better than canon, worse than canon, or as good as canon? Feel free to share in the comments.
So hope all enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter. Stay safe from the coronavirus ya all!