Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel Cinematic Universe, Buffyverse or anything else you may recognize
Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed or reviewed this fic so far.
Before we start, I want to say something to one person here, they are a Buffyverse fanatic who gets triggered and butthurt every time I make a different verse stronger than it- Tell me, who has put a gun to your head to force you to read what I write? I sure as hell didn't, if someone has, let me know and I'll take care of it.
Because if you don't like something, you can simply NOT read it instead of continuing to read and getting butthurt.
Plus, most of your claims are ridiculous as hell. Jasmine never conquered the Multiverse, she only conquered 2 Dimensions at best with her mind control powers, anything else she says you can't take her at her word because she has proven she's full of bullshit. And if she could go around the Multiverse so easily why would she make such a convoluted and disgusting plan to be BORN on Earth? Also, Jasmine influencing the whole Team Angel from the start and planning Connor was a bullshit retcon to overhype her, literally everyone hates that retcon because it makes Team Angel's journey worthless, and all fanfiction authors ignore that crap.
Glory never created her own Universe, it was a Dimension she ruled with 2 others, and if she created it, why would she share it with 2 others? She's too much of a megalomaniac for that kind of stuff.
Plus some of the comics you brought up to justify yourself aren't even considered canon, like 'Fallen Angel', the wiki lists that in non-canonical material, so good luck trying to bring that up again.
Also, I've shared your comments with other people I know, who are also familiar with Buffyverse comics (and can type coherent sentences), and all of them agreed with me and not you. One friend of mine, who is usually lenient over these kinds of matters, called you an idiot, and another friend of mine called you obsessed.
And none of these are my bootlickers or anything, they'll call me out too, publicly or privately, if I write something they think is stupid.
Then your logic to call Matt a Mary Sue, oof! Being OP does not make one a Mary Sue, by that logic Anakin Skywalker is also a Mary Sue. Mary Sues have no flaws, are always right, and have no conflict inside them. Nothing like that happened to Matt. Characters like Iris and Felicity in Arrowverse are Mary Sues, but are they OP? NO! Their flaws though are ignored and they are always made out to be right even when its clear as daylight they're wrong.
Oh! And Buffyverse comics are mostly trash with their plotlines and a waste of pages, outside of 'After the Fall' and 'Angel and Faith'. Almost everyone I've talked to, have called them trash, while one guy said the plotlines really didn't click with him. Even TV Tropes says that MOST fans consider the comics non-canonical.
But you, you only care about power levels, not the characters, that's why you like those crap comics. But truth is, those comics aren't true to the characters at all and make them act OOC and put them in ridiculous situations to justify their plots. I, on the other hand, care about the characters.
Most of my stories treating Buffyverse characters like shit, treat Warren, Andrew, Kennedy, Riley and Robin like shit because they are horrible characters and people, way different from what you claim.
Vendetta? I do have a vendetta against Joss 'the creep' Whedon and Marti Noxon, you keep this up you'll be added to my vendetta list too.
One friend of mine is about to write Buffyverse crossovers, and seeing your crap, he has already blocked all 3 of your accounts so as to not deal with you.
I've blocked all your accounts, did you not get the hint I have no desire to deal with you? Your behavior is harassment at this point.
And you say my stories don't feel like real stories, eh? High and mighty coming from you, who has 3 accounts and not a single story on any of them, because you're only here to argue about how Buffyverse is the most powerful Universe ever.
In case you don't remember, I had Buffyverse slaughter 'The Boys', and if I write a Buffyverse/Arrowverse crossover (unlikely because Arrowverse is trash) I'll put Buffyverse above Arrowverse too. And there are many verses I consider weaker than Buffyverse, just not written crossovers about those yet.
Also, I have read a story where the author took liberties with Giles and made Ripper a badass powerful Demon bonded to him. What? I'm not telling you what the story is, if you're such a Buffyverse fanboy go find it yourself.
Let me make this clear- I'm done dealing with you, you can simply choose not to read what I write instead of reading and getting butthurt over it, that's like stepping in front of a speeding car willingly and then taking the driver to court.
Hypocrisy thy name is camgodking/camagassi72/claudeagassi92/calagassi72 (Yeah, I've seen you spout your crap on Comicvine too).
Goodbye! Don't come here again!
To the rest, sorry you had to read that but this guy finally earned himself a 'telling off'!
Chapter 8- Who's destiny is it?
Lorne was in his room with Matt and Faith on either side as he showed them two kinds of invitations. "Pick one, happy couple."
Matt picked one up. "How about this?"
"Yeah, I like it too", Faith nodded.
"Oh my God! You know how to make this Demon happy! I did the calligraphy on these myself and sent the invitations already!" Lorne revealed, surprising the two.
"Well, thanks Lorne", Faith smiled at him.
"Awww don't thank a friend, miss pop and rock", Lorne tapped her shoulder. "So I sent invites to all friends and family", he turned to Faith. "Avoided your blood kin completely."
"Well, thanks again", Faith said as she and Matt held hands.
"So, Avengers, Defenders, Scoobies", Lorne checked it all out. "Team Angel too of course. Frank and Claire as well."
"Yeah, all good", Matt nodded.
"Tillowy goodness sent their RSVP before they were out of contact, so there's a lot of hope they can make it", Lorne added.
"The two and Pipsqueak are my gal pals, and Red's Maid of Honor, they must make it!" Faith said in a tone that left now room for arguments.
"So, pigeons or butterflies when you walk out?" Lorne asked.
"Pigeons", both said simultaneously, then turned to each other. "Awwww!"
"You two are absolutely adorable", Lorne commented.
Then there was a knock as Lorne said. "Come in."
An assistant walked in, unveiling bridesmaids dresses as Faith said. "Oh I love it! Red, Tara, B and Pipsqueak will look gorgeous in these, especially Red, she's Maid of Honor."
"The material seems good", Matt agreed with her, sensing it. "Really good."
"Also, bought out the entire store, so you can browse for your wedding dress all you want", Lorne assured Faith.
"Damn! I forgot I was supposed to wear one of those things!" Faith realized as Lorne chuckled awkwardly and went through the list.
"Venue."
"Avengers Tower", Matt spoke up. "Clinton Church holds value to me but sadly, can't accommodate that many people."
"Right", Lorne made a tick. "Check."
He then had a separate section for invitation replies and ticked on those who'd sent responses. "Responses by these. Check."
Lorne then took a look at the food catering. "Catering. Double check." He noted the wedding cake stuff. "Wedding cake. Icing covered check." And then he read out loud. "Ring Bear, triple check."
Now Matt and Faith froze.
Matt then asked. "You meant ring bearer, right?"
Angel was walking with Spike, Stick walking nearby too.
"Get the hell away from me, Spike", Angel told him.
"Well then why don't you make us both happy and give me what I want?" Spike asked.
"You call yourself a big bad bloodsucker and want an office? Shame on you", Stick quipped as Spike shot him a look. "It's true suckhead."
Angel told Spike firmly. "You're not getting an office." Harmony handed him his mail.
"You selfish sod. The rest of your lot get to go home to their nice and cozies. Me? I gotta nest in somebody else's roost. It's not bleeding right."
"You don't work here. You just annoy me. That's all", Angel walked to his office. "Both of you."
"Job well done, eh?" Spike asked.
"Eh, I do it better", Stick scoffed.
"No you don't!" Spike was offended now.
"Being a ghost makes it more annoying", Stick shrugged.
"Oh I'll prove you wrong", Spike snarled and turned to Angel. "At least give me Wesley's office. I mean, since he's gone."
Angel reminded Spike. "He's not gone. He's on a leave of absence with Lilah." He walked into his office, shutting the door behind him.
"Yeah, right. Boo-hoo. Thought he killed his bloody father who shot his evil girlfriend in the shoulder", he now yelled after Angel. "Try staking your mother when she's coming on to you!"
Harmony quipped. "Well... that explains a lot."
"Oh the Whirlwind, you wouldn't find more messed up than that, dumb blonde stereotype", Stick shrugged to her.
"Hey!" Harmony said, irritated before calling out to Spike. "Spike, you got mail."
"What?"
"It's addressed to you, care of here."
"Maybe its your loving Slayer", Stick said with a shrug.
"Huh? Could be", Spike took it from Harmony.
"You and the Slayer, yeech!" Harmony scoffed while Spike just rolled his eyes.
"Still better than the bland muscle boy you like", Spike smirked as he picked up a letter opener.
"Hey! He's a gentleman with unique dance moves! What have you got?" Harmony asked Spike with folded arms.
"Charm, luv", Spike just said.
"Yeah, if you're charming then I'm alive", Stick shrugged as Spike shot him a look and Harmony snickered. "Don't laugh, dumb blonde stereotype."
"Hey!" She shot him another look as Spike sliced through the packing tape and opened the package, and then there was a flash of bright light all over the place, reaching up to Angel's office.
Harmony blinked dramatically, then looked at Spike.
"Well, that was a slap and a tickle."
"Annoying one too", Stick added with a grunt.
Harmony peered inside. "There's nothing—" the telephone rang and she answered. "Morning, Wolfram and—aah!" The phone made an electronic screeching noise.
Spike walked towards Angel's office. "Any more fireworks for me, I'll be in here telling your boss what a miserable bastard—"
Angel was now in front of him. "What Spike? Huh?"
"Hmmm, looks like we're getting a brawl", Stick smirked.
"Please rub oil on yourselves too", Harmony added with puppy eyes and they all shot her weird looks. "Never mind."
"So, Jedis with lightsabers or good ol' fashioned brawl, eh?" Stick asked with folded arms while Harmony walked off.
"Well, let's see, I can be Luke, you can be Vader, it will be 'Return of the Jedi', best film in the franchise", Spike said, and now both Angel and Stick narrowed their eyes.
"What did you say?" Angel asked, growling in Spike's face. "It's 'The Empire Strikes Back' you little idiot!"
"Right on suckhead!" Stick pointed at Angel.
"Oh you two are so bloody retarded", Spike said, but his ire was focused on Angel. "We got a happy ending, cute Ewoks, Princess Leia in a metal bikini, who doesn't love those?"
"That's all you care about? Happy ending, cute Ewoks and Princess Leia in a metal bikini?" Angel asked incredulously, and it looked like they were having a serious fight with how aggressive they were getting now. "The second film had the perfect plot and pacing, with heart and emotion, and a not-so-happy ending because we don't always get those."
"Bloody gramps, loving downer ending because he's always so broody!" Spike snapped.
"Better than the wannabe punk", Angel smirked.
"The decanonized movies are the worst", Stick spoke up in that moment, seeing Matt, Cordelia, Faith and Lorne arrive with Connor is Cordelia's arms.
"Oh yeah, those are the worst", Angel agreed.
"Like, what were they thinking when they made that bollocks?" Spike asked too.
"There was a bright flash of light", Cordelia told the three of them, rocking Connor as Angel took him and held him. "You know what was that about?"
"Came from mail addressed to Spike", Stick shrugged.
"Yeah, no idea what they were going for with the pinch and tickle", Spike told them all.
"And now phones are all going haywire", Matt added grimly.
"Yeah, was trying to make a call, and phones just went all 'dial tone' on me", Lorne groaned.
"Well, the phones started going haywire after the flash from Spike's mail", Faith pointed out.
"Huh? You're not wrong", Cordelia agreed as all looked at Spike.
"What? I had something to do with this?" Spike asked incredulously.
"Not you, silly, your mail!" Cordelia snapped and he nodded.
"Right."
"Any address?" Stick asked him.
Spike held up the envelope and looked it over. "Nope."
Faith asked Lorne. "Also, earlier, you meant Ring bear-ER, right?"
Lorne nodded. "Ring Bear."
Before they could ask him to clarify, Matt heard phones and computers going haywire all over. "Its getting worse, I think the whole building's affected."
"What's happening? Apocalypse limited to a building?" Stick quipped.
"Could be", Faith shrugged.
"It started with the mail, right?" Cordelia asked as Connor made a sound and Angel cooed at him.
"Right", Spike held it up.
"Give it to me", Matt held out his hand and Spike gave it to him. "Since it started with this, we'll have to track where it came from."
"Without address?" Angel asked.
"Well, its me", Matt reminded and Angel nodded.
"Yeah, right."
"So, first let's get whoever delivered it", Faith suggested to Matt.
"Yeah", Matt agreed and turned to Lorne. "Thanks for all you're doing, we'll carry on once this is fixed."
"Definitely Rocky, good luck", Lorne raised his thumbs as Matt and Faith walked off to do some tracking.
A worker was walking around when the man at the copier station turned to him, his eyes red and dripping blood, and he lifted the fire extinguisher, but Matt grabbed him from behind. "Stop! Stop!"
Angel walked into the lobby talking to one of his office personnel. "Kill 'em. All of 'em. The phones, the computers, shut 'em down. Find out if we got some kind of bug in the system and who put it there."
Gunn walked up to Angel as the other man left. "Figure we're under some kind of attack again?"
"I don't know what to figure yet", Angel said.
"Must be technology being a sh-"
Cordelia gave Stick a look, gesturing to Connor in her arms.
"….sham! Like usual, ya know? Can't trust 'em."
"Awww, oldy likes the baby", Spike quipped with a smirk when Stick disappeared and then Spike was hit, staggering away. "Bloody hell!"
"Hit him again!" Angel said, only to get one himself. "Damn!"
Stick appeared with a smirk as Angel and Spike glared at him, then each other.
"Boys, calm down", Cordelia told them as Connor made a sound and she kissed his forehead. "No, we're just messing around."
Fred ran down the stairs to catch up to them. "Guys?"
"Oh, let me guess. The lab computers are on the fritz."
"What? You think that makes you Einstein?" Spike asked Angel mockingly.
"No, just one with basic common sense", Angel snapped back.
"What is up with you two? Sure you don't get along but not this bad", Gunn commented as the two just shot each other a look.
Fred then said. "What you said Angel, that's just the tip of the fritzberg. The needles on our atmospheric gauges suddenly started spiking into red. Totally blew out the instruments."
"I didn't do it", Stick said as all shot him looks. "Ghosts are blamed for this stuff."
"Huh? Got a point there", Cordelia agreed.
They walked into Angel's office as Angel said. "Sounds like some kind of electrical surge, like what's affecting our phones and—"
"Well, yeah. That's what I thought at first, but I think it might be something else", Fred told him.
"The mail I got could be responsible", Spike shrugged. "Devil boy and Slayer are on the job of tracking it."
"Wait what, mail?" Fred asked. "I'm guessing this is part of something bigger then, like-"
"The entire universe thrown into catastrophic turmoil? 'Cause that's what's happening, kids", Eve walked into the office.
Gunn asked her. "So you know what's going on?"
"Only what I'm told, counselor."
"Doubt you'd tell us either way", Cordelia scoffed.
"Well, she has something to say or I'd rip out her throat", Stick smirked again and she paled.
Then she recollected herself. "Corporate seers alerted me to the situation."
"Which is?"
"It's a harbinger."
Fred was confused. "Harbinger?"
"Harbinger of what? Evil? Death?" Spike asked. "Narrow it down!"
"Upshot is we've got trouble with a capital "T," and that rhymes with "P," and that stands for "prophecy." Shanshu. Maybe you've heard of it?"
Angel groaned. "Oh, God. That again. Yeah, I'm familiar. So?"
"You two lovebirds were reading it when I came in", Spike remembered as he turned to Angel and Cordelia. "That one, right?"
"Yeah, that one", Cordelia nodded.
Eve told them all. "So it talks about a champion. A vampire with a soul who'll play a pivotal role in the apocalypse." She sat on the edge of Angel's desk. "For good or evil. Anybody's guess. That part's hazy."
Fred started. "I thought the Shanshu had to do with Angel becoming human again after—"
"That's just the epilogue, princess. And, for the record, the prophecy doesn't call Angel by name", Eve pointed out.
"It does say 'Vampire with a soul'", Cordelia realized, then shared a shocked look with Angel as Spike's eyes widened too.
Spike started. "So you think that-"
"I don't think anything. All I can tell you is his very existence is disrupting the order of things."
Angel agreed. "No argument here."
"Me? You are the one doing it!" Spike pointed at Angel.
"Oh what is this nonsense?" Stick asked Eve, rolling his eyes. "Seriously, when did you come up with that?"
Gunn nodded. "Old man's right, this doesn't add up. There were already 2 souled vampires in the universe. Why is this happening now?"
"The keyword here is "champion." Spike has now fought in apocalyptic battles too, helped save the world, and so has Angel, so now both have the cred."
"Hear that lads and lasses? Good ol' Spike has the cred", Spike said with raised arms but no one cared so he groaned and put them back down.
Gunn walked toward the door.
Angel asked. "Where are you going?"
"To check on something", Gunn exited.
Cordelia asked Eve. "So nothing happened for months, now it does, really? Like, you didn't think to mention it?"
"Hey, would've said something if I'd known, sweetie. My universe, too, you know." Eve pointed out.
"Well, you are their liaison, they can just take you away if something happens", Stick said with folded arms. "You ain't fooling anyone here."
Eve started. "I only know-
"-What you're told. Right. So, the seers told you the phones and all were a harbinger. Of what?"
"Yeah, I asked to narrow it down", Spike reminded.
"Something worse. And seriously dangerous."
"What do you mean, dangerous?"
"Hey Groo", Harmony greeted Groo cheerfully as he looked at her.
"Hello Harmony", Groo greeted her back. "How are you?"
"Aww, I'm so happy you asked, I'm really good in this building with you", Harmony smiled and winked at him. "So, wanna show a girl those odd bulging of your limbs?"
"You want to see them?" Groo asked confused and got a nod, and he didn't get her flirting. "Why exactly?"
Harmony started. "Because-"
Groo got a call on his intercom from Matt. "Groo, its Matt, this building's going haywire, machines are malfunctioning, and now some employees are attacking each other. The berserk employees have bleeding eyes. Me and Faith are looking for the source, we've already told Angel, but your team needs to contain the place."
"I am on it", Groo said as he turned to Harmony apologetically. "I am sorry, I have to go."
In that moment, she turned from Harmony to harmful as her eyes bled too and she sneered. "What are you, dumb? Can't you get a hint? You…."
She rushed him as Groo got behind her and grasped her tightly by the waist, not wanting to choke her as he tried to hold her down. "I am sorry, I do not want to hurt you, Harmony."
Harmony struggled as two guards arrived and Groo let go as they tased her and knocked her out, Groo a bit sad Harmony had to be hurt.
"I am sorry", he said to Harmony before turning to the guards. "We all must spread out over the building and stop employees from attacking each other."
Jerry was wheeled away on a stretcher, tied down with restraints. "Self-centered jerks!" He laughed maniacally, thrashing. "A little thing called being considerate!" A medic gave him a tranquilizer shot. "Replace—" He passed out.
Angel, Cordelia, Spike, Lorne and Eve watched as Lorne said. "Yeah, Mr. Considerate was about to make mashed potato of the fella, but Matt stopped 'em."
"Good going", Cordelia sighed in relief.
"Now he and Faith are trying to find whoever sent that package", Angel told them as Eve heard that.
Groo arrived then. "We have 2 more attacks. Harmony attacked me but was taken down. The other attack was stopped too. No fatalities so far."
Angel ordered. "OK, seal off the building. Nobody in or out till we know what we got here. Spell, virus, mass hysteria."
"Agreed", Groo nodded, then said to his radio. "All channels, we have a code black. Affirmative. We are closing Pandora's Box."
Lorne stood up. "Hey, say, fearless leader, uh, if you don't mind, what do you say I, uh, barricade myself in my office and write down wedding plans, huh?"
"Your call", Angel said before making a request. "Hey, Lorne, do me a favor first. Stop by the lab and tell Fred I need to know the second she figures out what's causing this."
"Yeah, gotcha", Lorne exited.
Eve now spoke up again. "Come on, Angel. You know what's causing all this."
"No, Eve. I don't."
"This is just the beginning. The fabric of reality is starting to unravel. For my money, it all comes down to you and—"
"Gee, you're putting soap operas to shame at this point", Cordelia scoffed as Eve was shot looks by them all.
"Its fact", Eve shrugged. "There's only supposed to be one candidate for the Vampire with the soul hero part in the big show. Two of you, and the wheel of destiny starts to spin off its axis. That's why everything and everyone is going mad."
Spike sighed. "And now you're blaming this on us, eh?"
Angel shook his head. "No, she's blaming it on you."
"Like the prophecy, she said Vampire with soul, maybe she's blaming it on you Captain Forehead", Spike snarled at Angel.
Eve then said. "This town might not be big enough for the both of you."
Spike scoffed, walking away down the hall. "Well, screw this town, then. Screw this devil's funhouse, Angel, not the Devil though", Spike turned, pointing at Angel. "And screw you for good measure. I think I'll take myself back to Buffy."
"Spike, by town, I mean this entire plane of existence", Spike stopped at the elevator. "You won't solve this disequilibrium by leaving." The elevator doors opened. "You might even make it worse."
Gunn stepped off the elevator, loosening his tie, his eyes wide with fear. "Let's not make it worse. We don't want worse. I just went to the white room to see what the big cat had to say."
"And?"
"Cat's gone."
Eve was shocked. "Gone?"
"Okay, now that we really need 'em, they're gone?" Cordelia asked.
"Eh, I've seen pigs braver than that cat", Stick scoffed as he appeared. "Any beings of this sort, not to be trusted."
Gunn added. "White room's gone too. Elevator just opened up into a howling abyss. You ever heard a howling abyss? Terrible sound. Glad our friend wasn't there."
He walked to Cordelia, taking Connor for comfort. "I need baby."
Eve realized. "Cat's gone means the conduit's gone means we're alone in this. No contact with the Senior Partners. Just us and a big, gaping tear in the balance of the universe."
Spike was standing at the elevator, holding the doors open. He rolled his eyes.
Stick looked at Spike and said. "What, fleeing like a coward when the going gets tough?"
"Hey! I'm not a coward!" Spike turned to Stick angrily. "At least I don't haunt people as a ghost."
"Nice comparison, real nice", Stick said while clapping sarcastically.
Cordelia soothed Connor a little and then begged Spike. "Spike, please, stay."
"What? You want him to stay?" Angel asked her incredulously.
"We need to work this out together, that includes you and Spike", Cordelia told Angel as Spike let the elevator doors close. "Stop being babies."
"See? Where would you lot be without the Princess?" Stick quipped as Cordelia smirked.
Spike asked. "How exactly are we gonna work this out? You tell me we're making a tear in the galaxy or whatnot? You think you're just gonna sew that back up?"
Stick looked at Eve. "Still don't buy it, nothing happened until now, Universe will wait for over a year before dissolving like this? Really?"
"That's what I was told!" Eve said in a begging tone. "If there was just some way to determine which one of you the prophecy's really about, maybe—"
Angel told her. "I just read the Shanshu prophecy, and I'm telling you, there was nothing in it—"
"Well, isn't that bloody interesting", Spike quipped.
Gunn then spoke up. "No offense, Angel. What we need is someone who's an expert on the Shanshu scriptures."
"Fine, but Wesley's not here. Lilah neither as she took a look when this firm had it", Angel pointed out.
Eve started. "No, but Wesley's department is here. Maybe somebody there can—"
"Do what? I'm telling you, I read the prophecy."
"And that makes you an expert on it?" Stick asked, then laughed. "I read a book on alien technology. I'm an expert." He laughed harder.
Angel was sitting in a chair in front of the Sirk's desk. Eve was seated beside Angel. Cordelia, Gunn and Spike were standing behind them.
Stick had gone off to help Groo out.
"You didn't read the prophecy", Sirk stood up.
"I didn't?"
"You read a translation of the prophecy", Sirk picked up a book, walking back to his desk. "It's like comparing the King James Bible with the original Aramaic, the Hebrew. Much of the flavor, the subtlety of usage, the historical context has been stripped away." He scoffed. "Read the prophecy. You may as well have read a 12-year-old's book report on the subject."
"Oooh, spare me the lecture, Professor", Cordelia scoffed as Sirk looked at her. "Instead of whining about what to read and what not to read, say something useful!"
Stick popped back in for a second. "Blind bookworm cocksuckers. Say and read everything that's not useful. And think it makes them the most knowledgeable beings in the Universe. No wonder the Mystics hate you now."
He laughed and disappeared as Sirk looked humiliated.
Spike now asked. "So, what's it say about me?"
"There is a newly translated group of verses which may perhaps prove relevant. "The root of the tree will split in 2. And each thing will seek nourishment from the buried river.""
Spike quipped. "Sounds like a gardening tip."
"It's metaphor. Please tell me I don't have to explain metaphor to you people", Sirk snarled, eager to regain some dignity.
"Sirk, the text."
"Ah. Here we are. "Storm unleashed. The balance will falter until the Vampire with a soul drinks from the cup of perpetual torment.""
"More metaphor."
"No, that's real."
Eve realized. "So there's a cup."
Cordelia asked. "Someone actually calls a cup that?"
Spike commented. "Perpetual torment? Just know that's not gonna taste very good."
""He will have the weight of worlds upon him, binding his limbs, grinding his bones to meal until he saves creation... or destroys it.""
Cordelia pointed out. "That seems like a stretch. We're dealing with Vampires, not Gods." Angel and Spike looked at her, slightly insulted. "What? It's true! Thor or Thanos would crush you guys with their pinkies, and I say this with affection."
Eventually, they shrugged.
"True."
"Got a point."
Spike then asked Sirk. "So, what's in it for me?"
"The Vampire will have his past washed clean."
Angel finished. "And live again in mortal form. Yeah, that part I know."
Spike quipped. "Yeah, I bet you do."
Gunn summed it all up. "So, Angel drinks from this cup. Our computers go back on line, phones stop ringing, and people quit turning into homicidal maniacs?"
Spike asked. "Who says it's Angel supposed to take the swig? Who says it's about him at all?"
Angel asked back. "Aw, come on, Spike. You really think this is about you?"
"Oh, why the bloody hell not? Just 'cause you—"
"He has worked a lot longer for it than you have, you didn't even know it existed until you came here", Cordelia reminded Spike, pointing at him with one hand and holding Connor with her other.
"So that means its about him?" Spike asked.
"Right, everything's about you, isn't it Spike? You even think my best friend is your best friend", Angel got in his face.
"Best friends don't beat each other up", Spike snarled.
"Proves you never had a best friend."
"Okay stop, this isn't high school politics", Cordelia came in the way.
Sirk added. "The drinking of the cup is predestined. That can't be changed. Whoever drinks from it was meant to. When one is confirmed as the central figure of the prophecy, the Universe should realign itself."
Gunn inquired. "So, this cup thing. Where is it? Does it say?"
"It does offer some details, yes. Housed in the hidden city of Petra. Mm-hmm. Disappears during the crusades. Surfaces again at the Vatican. Vanishes in the third year of the inquisition. Then...yes. Interesting."
"What?"
"It's in Nevada."
"Nevada?" Cordelia and Gunn asked together.
"Death Valley, to be exact. "The earth will thrash and mark the appearance of the cup at the columns.""
"Columns? That sounds vaguely—"
""And the desert will swallow cup and house whole and—"" this can only be loosely translated. ""And the fat lady will sing no more.""
"Opera."
"Opera?" Eve asked.
Angel revealed what he knew. "The columns was an opera house in Death Valley. It was buried in an earthquake in '38. Made headlines in Los Angeles. That's only a few hours away. I can get there and back before—"
Gunn tried to reason. "Angel, we got a seriously major crisis going on here. Might not be the best time to go running after some mystical cup."
"And what if it is the only way?" Cordelia asked. "I mean, Partners don't care about our lives but they do care we work here, so maybe they're not lying about this."
"Yeah", Angel agreed with her. "I really don't have much of a choice. If it's there, I'm just gonna have to accept that the prophecy's real, and hope that it stops this madness. In the meantime, Cordy, Gunn, you two are in charge." He stood up. "Keep this place quarantined till I get—" He looked around the room. "Where's Spike?"
Spike was nowhere to be found.
A while later, Angel's angry scream was heard on the whole floor. "Would people stop taking my Viper?!"
Matt was sitting at a desk in the mailroom, sitting leisurely while fiddling with his red glasses as a guy's tie was being shredded by the shredder, courtesy of Faith pushing him down. "If you just tell us already, this wouldn't be happening."
"I-I-I don't know! I swear! The package was just dropped here, no address, nothing!" He scream\ed as his head was forced closer by Faith pushing him down.
"You do know about my...", Matt paused to find the right word, "Connection, with Mephisto, right?" The mail guy fearfully nodded. "Then you know that among his many titles is the Lord of Lies. And guess what, you're lying, I know you are."
"We aren't big fans of liars." Faith told him, pushing his head down until his eye was inches from the shredder, and he screamed.
"OKAYOKAYOKAY! I'LL TALK!" Faith looks at her fiancée, who nodded, and she threw him against a wall, the couple standing with their arms crossed, waiting. "There's this guy I know, haven't seen him in a few years. I owed him a favor, so he got me to pick up something for him and deliver it to Mr. Angel."
"And you didn't think to check this wasn't a bomb or anything? You know, something that may hurt or kill, or cause a magical pandemic that makes everyone crazy." Matt questioned as Faith took out one of her knives to check it's edge, terrifying Gus.
"He asked me to do it, and saying no wasn't possible." Matt and Faith shared a look, before he nodded, and she put her knife away.
"Where?"
"Wholesale district, Alameda Street, the place with the weird demon face covering the whole sidewall."
"His name?"
"Brad, Brad Scott."
Faith asked her husband-to-be. "He's telling the truth?"
"Well, he is, plus, it's not raining, and he's standing in a puddle." Matt told her as he put his glasses back, Faith looking down and seeing that Gus did wet himself. Faith grimaced and the two left.
"Nice work."
"I learned from the best." The two shared a kiss before getting back to their current job.
Spike was driving down the desert highway in Angel's red Viper, singing along with radio. The cell phone rang. "Yello."
"You took my Viper."
"My Viper now, mate. Possession's 9/10s. Oughta know that, running a law firm and such."
Angel was driving down the same highway as well. "You think this is a game? People are dying."
"And one of us is going to stop it. Hey, what do you know? I vote for me."
Angel snarled. "There's no voting. It's a prophecy. And the Shanshu's not about you, Spike."
Spike shrugged. "Still can't accept it, can you? Sad, really. All these years believing you're the signified monkey, only to find out you're just a big hunk of nobody cares."
Angel now sneered. "I really wished you stayed soulless. It took me centuries to come up to terms with what I did, you just moaned for a few weeks and you were fine!"
Spike mocked Angel. "Wonder why that is? Oh, wait. 'Cause I'm the one, you git! I'm the real hero who helped out immediately when needed."
"Spike, I don't have time to—"
Spike imitated static. "What that? I'm losing you. You're—" Static imitation. "What do they call it?" Static imitation. "Oh, right. Breaking up. You're breaking up."
"Spike, don't—"
Spike hung up. "Ponce."
Angel hung up too. "Idiot."
Gunn was standing behind his desk, pacing, talking on a 2-way radio walkie-talkie with Cordelia sitting nearby, Connor sleeping in her lap.
Stick was there too, pacing.
"Yeah, I know she's a Vampire. Just shoot her up with some elephant tranqs and put her in some kind of restraints." There was static. "Uh...yeah. Whatever. That's OK. Just, look get it done. Over and, you know, out." He put the radio down.
Eve sauntered inside. "Always something with this place, huh? I mean, ghost fights, id monsters, killer cyborgs. It's a wonder with all the hijinks you people ever get any work done." She walked to Gunn's Luke Cage t-shirt and hoody.
"Back off from that or I'll send you to the room", Gunn warned as she stopped, and then he told her. "Funny, you always seem to be around for the...hijinks."
"Yeah, he ain't wrong, ghost fight, you came at the end, killer cyborg, you were talking to Captain Peroxide when that happened", Stick agreed with a nod.
"So, what are your intentions, huh?" Cordelia asked with a glare.
"Am I supposed to know what that—"
Gunn told her. "Playing like you're just a fresh young thing from Santa Cruz who somehow winds up connected to the Senior Partners of Evil, Incorporated."
"Never said I was from Santa Cruz. Just went to school there. And if we're talking about being connected, Charles, you're the guy that talks to the cat upstairs", Eve reminded and turned to Cordelia. "And you were given powers by the PTB", she turned to Stick. "You, I don't know a thing about." She shrugged. "So how do we know you aren't doing this?"
"Because we know each other, and we know none of us are responsible", Cordelia countered to Eve.
"The projection is strong with this one", Stick told Cordelia as they shared a laugh.
Through the window in the background, a man was seen walking menacingly toward Gunn's office wielding a fireman's axe.
Then another Stick appeared, throwing him down as Groo collected him and waved to them.
"Stay safe, nimrods", the other Stick said before walking off.
"There are two of you now?" Gunn asked in shock as they looked at the Stick with them.
"Just a little experiment I'm trying, splitting up, so I can stay here, and help out there", Stick explained to them.
Angel arrived the opera house first, and Spike stood above. "Here we are, then. 2 Vampire Heroes... competing to wet our whistle with a drink of light, refreshing torment."
Angel asked. "Is that what you think you are—a hero?"
"Helped save the world, didn't I?" Spike reminded.
Angel shrugged. "Twice. Talk to me after you've done it a couple more times."
"Done talking, mate, and its thrice, one time without a soul. Got a prophecy needs fulfilling." Spike waved shorty. "Ta."
He walked out of sight.
"Spike!" Angel followed him. "Damn it!"
Matt, now suited up as Daredevil, and Faith, arrived at the warehouse, with Matt only sensing a phone which rang.
"A phone's ringing", Matt told her.
"Let's answer", Faith shrugged as they walked in and Matt answered it.
"Daredevil and a Slayer looking for me," an altered voice said, "I'm flattered."
"It'll pass." Matt told him before his head went around as humans and demons started popping up.
"Not before my associates are done with you." The phone hung up as a small army worth of goons showed up through the two entry ways into the room they were in, humans and Demons both.
"They just never learn, do they?" Faith quipped as she and Daredevil stood back-to-back, each picking a side.
"Then lets educate them." Daredevil said as they both smirked.
One walked to Faith as she punched its face, then elbowed its chest thrice before kicking it away.
As another came behind her, she avoided a blow, then climbing on it, kicked its face, sending it off too. She then blocked another punch and kicked the guy's chest twice before spin-kicking him away.
As one more Demon came, she elbowed its throat and kneed it twice before kicking away one behind and threw this one down.
Another came but she blocked and flipping, elbowed its back, taking it out, before leaping with both feet pointed outwards and kicking the next one away.
She then blocked the next one's blow and kicked that one away, before elbowing another and kicking another, and then flipping one more down.
Faith then blocked the elbow from another one and grabbing her, kneed her chest thrice, taking her down.
Then dodging the next one's blow, she grabbed his arm and twisted while kicking another guy away. She then wrapped her feet around the Demon's arm and broke it before knocking him out.
One more attacked but she elbowed him swiftly in a spin motion, knocking him out. Another walked to her but got a combo of two punches and a kick to the chest.
As the next attacked, Faith blocked, grabbed his hand and spun him around, throwing him down, and then flipping over him, kicked out another trying to get back up.
One more tried to attack her but Faith did a spin kick and it was out too.
Matt during that time was now in a hallway. He rushed one and leaping, kicked him out before grabbing the next one's foot and taking him out with 2 punches. He then spin kicked one out and grabbing the next one's hand, punched him thrice, taking him out too.
One tried to strike him but Matt blocked and punched hard thrice before kicking him out, and then spin kicked another out, then blocking another's strike, kneed him while kicking another behind him away before flipping the one he'd blocked to the ground.
Another charged but was kicked out too.
Angel found the cup spot-lighted on a pedestal, and leapt down, walking to it, while Spike leapt behind him and walked beside him.
"Thought it'd be a little less goldeny, what with the torment and all."
"So... what do we do now?" Angel asked.
Spike punched Angel down and snickered. "What do ya think?"
Spike paced back and forth while Angel got back to his feet. "Come on! Let's see how much soul you really got in there."
Angel said. "Spike, we don't have time for this."
Spike taunted. "Keep your knickers dry, Sally. You're not gonna last that long."
Angel sighed and stood. "Fine." He punched Spike. "We'll do it your way."
Spike dodged the next punch before being punched again a few times but just smirked and blocking, decked him, then threw him into the air where he landed on a cross on a balcony, and it burnt him as he recoiled angrily, kicking it down to the stage as Spike taunted. "Ha ha ha ha! Oh, yeah. Look at you. Thinking you're the big savior—fighting for truth, justice, and soccer moms—but you still can't lay flesh on a cross without smelling like bacon, can you?"
Angel sneered. "Like you're any different."
Spike reminded. "Well, that's just it. I am. And you know it. You had a soul forced on you—as a curse. Make you suffer for all the horrible things you'd done. But me... I fought for my soul. Went through the demon trials. Almost did me in a dozen times over, but I kept fighting. 'Cause I knew it was the right thing to do."
He jumped up to the balcony in one smooth motion, landing in front of Angel. "It's my destiny."
Angel replied. "Really? Heard it was just to say sorry and be accepted again."
Spike used his toe to lift a rebar into his hands and swung at Angel but he somersaulted off of the balcony, landing on the stage near the cup.
Angel walked toward the cup, when Spike threw the rebar at him like a spear, narrowly missing him.
Angel turned to look at Spike, who jumped from the balcony wielding another rebar. Angel grabbed the first piece of rebar that Spike threw at him and used it to deflect Spike's weapon.
At Wolfram and Hart, Gunn was walking around. "6 more cases. That's what—a 30% increase in the last hour?"
Fred told him. "32.4, but who's counting?"
"At least we don't have any deaths due to Groo and Stick", Cordelia pointed out the bright side when Connor fussed a little and she soothed him. "Shhhh, Mama Cordy is here."
Eve asked. "Any idea what the specific trigger is?"
Fred shook her head. "None. There is no common thread. Gender, age, position, psych profile, blood type, med history— there doesn't seem to be any pattern to this thing. It seems like it could affect any of us."
"Even a ghost?" Stick asked randomly.
"No, not you", Fred told him.
"Oh thank God", Stick sighed in relief. "Now carry on."
Eve started. "Is there anything we can—"
Gunn cut her off. "Why are you answering her questions, Fred?" He shuddered. "We don't trust this bitch." Gunn looked up, revealing that he, too, was now bleeding from his eyes. "She'll kill us all."
"Gunn!"
Gunn charged Eve but was hit by Stick, falling across the floor as he was knocked out.
Eve started. "Tha-"
"Not falling for it", Stick snarled at her as Cordelia and Fred glared too. "I stopped him so you can talk some other time. When you talk, I'll gladly do it myself."
"Come on, let's get him to medical too", Cordelia suggested and Fred nodded.
Angel and Spike wielded the rebars like staffs and clashed, with Spike dodging some blows before Angel punched him down, blood on his face.
"Used to hit a lot harder, gramps", he stood up.
"No, your head's just gotten thicker", Angel retorted as they clashed again.
Angel pushed Spike further back and swung the rebar, knocking him into the balcony through some wood.
Angel followed and attacked but Spike blocked and stood. "You're not gonna win this time."
He disarmed Angel and decked him twice, sending him crashing down as he coughed blood.
Spike came down. "Vampire with a soul. Nobody knows what side he's gonna fight on... when the big show comes down. Except we already know what side you're on, don't we? Already made your choice. Traded in your cape and tights for a nice comfy chair at Wolfram & bloody Hart."
Spike jabbed it in Angel's neck but he grabbed it. "Little more complicated than that, which you knew."
He used the rebar as leverage to flip and stand, knocking Spike down. "But I guess I expected too much, you always were a bit simple... Willy."
He threw the rebar down and walked to the cup as Spike looked up angrily.
Faith blocked another Demon's knee before punching him away and in a spin motion, kicked another away too before giving an uppercut to another and kneeing it thrice, taking it out.
A big one charged Faith and she slid, grabbing his feet, making him fall down as she then slammed his head down twice, taking him out.
Matt too blocked one Demon's blows and kneed it away before leaping and kicking another away, then flipped another down before grabbing another's arm and kneeing his neck, taking him out too.
The next one leapt at Matt but was thrown to the other side and knocked out as well.
Angel almost reached the cup when Spike knocked them both away and they got up, with Angel holding Spike's throat and Spike holding Angel's collar.
"Come on, hero. Tell me more", he punched Angel. "Teach me what it means." Another punch. "And I'll tell you why you can't stand the bloody sight of me." Another punch.
Now Angel punched back. "Tell it to your therapist." He punched again.
Spike then punched him. "'Cause every time you look at me..." Another punch, "you see all the dirty little things I've done", another punch, "all the lives I've taken..." another punch, "because of you! Drusilla sired me..." another punch, "but you... you made me a monster."
He punched Angel and walked to the cup as Angel dropped. "I didn't make you, Spike. I just opened up the door..." he started to get up, "and let the real you out."
Spike picked up the cross that burnt Angel before and swung it at Angel, knocking him across the room. Spike held the cross in his hands. "You never knew the real me."
His hands sizzled so he threw the cross away and walked to Angel. "Too busy trying to see your own reflection... praying there was someone as disgusting as you in the world, so you could stand to live with yourself. Take a long look, hero. I'm nothing like you!"
"No, you're less", Angel responded. "That's why you stay here with us, in spite of not having any obligation to, because you know you're useless alone, Avengers sent you here, we can't take up the offer yet, so instead of going back, you stay here to trick yourself into thinking you're useful."
Spike grabbed Angel by the lapels. "Guess that means you're useless too without taking over the big job, eh? Couldn't help enough people at the hotel?"
Angel grabbed Spike's wrists and pulled them apart, then punched Spike and threw his across the room, shattering more wood.
They fist fought as Spike jabbed Angel's arm with a wooden splinter, and Angel ripped it out and glared at Spike.
"All right..." Angel took Vamp face, "let's finish this."
Spike changed into Vamp face as well. They charged each other.
Matt and Faith had finished off the goons.
Faith quipped. "Good workout."
Matt hummed before kneeling next to a still conscious human thug. "Who told you to come here?" The guy groaned, before Matt punched his nose, breaking it. "Talk!"
"Some guy found a bunch of us in a bar, paid us cash to bet up anyone in this place, extra if we killed you." Matt searched the guy's pockets and found said cash, before tilting his head and squeezing, the cash fading to reveal sand. It was a glamour!
"So much for extra." Faith commented before Matt knocked him out.
"Was the Gus guy being honest?" Faith wondered
"He was being honest", Matt told her. "So whoever delivered the package knew we'd come."
Angel and Spike fought in Vamp faces, with Angel scratching Spike's chest with a wood splinter. "How's it feel?"
Spike scratched his chest too. "You tell me."
Angel then dropped his wood splinter and gave Spike a 3 punch combo on the face, chest and gut before giving him an uppercut, sending him back.
Spike groaned. "That's new."
"The Devil taught me to do it", Angel smirked.
Spike leapt up and kicked Angel away, making him fall down, and reared the wood splinter back in a staking motion.
Angel suddenly grabbed it, rolling Spike to the ground.
They grabbed each other, struggling and grappling as they staggered around, punching each other repeatedly, and then knocked each other onto the pedestal, making it fall down as the cup was knocked over, bits of the drink spilling on both of them.
The two Vampires immediately put some on their fingers and tasted it, then looked at each other in shock and confusion.
"It's…." Angel trailed off.
"Mountain Dew", Spike finished, bewildered. "Why were we so aggressive to each other a while ago?"
"Huh? Yeah, we were fighting over Star Wars and Matt and old times", Angel agreed, the two rubbing their foreheads as they staggered up.
"What the hell happened?" Spike wondered now.
"Someone has played a game and made fools of us", Angel realized.
Matt and Faith walked to Sirk's office, and he was packing up, a case and scrolls in his hand.
"Going somewhere?" Faith asked with a smirk as he paled.
He started. "No I-"
Matt tilted his head, then said. "Get back!"
They did just as Sirk's head exploded.
Eve watched the whole thing from behind as they turned to her, but she looked innocent. "Guessing someone is behind this."
Later, a bloody and beaten Angel walked into the lab. Fred was there checking on Harmony and Gunn, who were still restrained on stretchers.
Cordelia was there with Connor too, and now Stick and Groo were there as well.
"Guys."
"Angel", Cordelia and the others looked at him in surprise. "God, what happened?"
"I fell down... some stairs. Big stairs. Gunn."
Fred told him. "We've tried everything—medical, mystical. Nothing's stopping it."
"It's still going on?"
"And getting worse. What about the cup? Did you..."
"Ah, it was a fake. Somebody set us up."
"So blind bookworm cocksucker didn't just have useless information, he had false information, what a loser", Stick scoffed, keeping his language to a minimum due to Connor in the vicinity. "But anyway, Matty and Faithy found him, but his head exploded."
Angel was shocked as Stick said. "Someone prevented him from spilling the beans."
Spike walked into the lab, also still bloody and beaten. "He's gone. Matt and Faith-"
"-Caught him but his head exploded, I know", Angel said, and Spike sighed.
Stick looked at the 2 Vampires. "Let it all out at last, eh? So, all out brawl or lightsabers?"
"Stairs, huh?" Cordelia asked with narrowed eyes.
"All righty, the thing in the mail, it made us act aggressive to one another", Spike told them all. "More than usual."
"Right, so that's why it came", Fred realized.
Angel wondered. "What should we do now?"
"I say we start by untying the brother."
Gunn had woken up and was groggy now.
"Charles", Fred untiled his restraints.
Harmony came to and looked at her own restraints too. "Am I in trouble?"
"Harmony, are you all right?" Groo asked her.
"Hey Groo, I remember we were talking and….what happened next?" Harmony asked.
"Story for another time", Groo said as he untied her too.
Eve briefed Angel, Spike, Cordelia, Stick and Gunn in Angel's office.
"Senior Partners stepped in. Apparently they were working on the problem since it started. They managed to temporarily stabilize the universal equilibrium."
"Please, that's a job for the Sorcerer Supreme!" Stick said.
Angel asked. "Temporarily? For how long? What about Sirk and this fantasy he fed us about the cup?"
"They didn't because there is no disequilibrium, it's a sham", Stick scoffed as Eve glared at him. "Just let us get some more evidence."
Eve realized she'd no comeback and added. "Partners don't know a thing about the cup thing. They're as angry as you."
"Really doubt that."
"Don't worry, Angel. We'll find who was behind Sirk. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go home."
"I think he can hide for long, maybe you're hiding him?" Cordelia asked with a sneer.
Eve just said. "The whole Shanshu thing's still unresolved. Still 2 Vampires with souls. Guess that's a question for another day." She exited.
"Any more days like today, and there won't be another day", Gunn commented.
"See? She always evades these questions instead of answering them", Cordelia pointed out to the rest.
"Even if she is not with the Partners, would be foolish to think she's on our side", Stick agreed.
"Yeah, well... meantime…." Spike stood up. "This Vampire's got some drinking to do. What do ya say, Charlie-boy? Feel like gettin' pissed?"
"No. No, my head feels like it's gonna split open and toss my toys and candy all over the floor", Gunn walked off. "I'll be in my office."
Spike commented. "You're way ahead of me. Fair enough." He exited too.
Matt and Faith appeared as the former said. "I'll go with you."
"Yeah, me too, could use some today", Faith agreed.
"Nice to have you two around", Spike shrugged.
"Also, mail-man said some Brad Scott asked him to give the mail", Matt added.
"Huh?" Angel wondered.
"You know him?" Faith asked.
"Someone else with same name", Angel remembered as Matt, Faith and Spike walked off.
"Someone has planned this, make you and Spike fight and lay a trap in case someone tracked down the envelope", Cordelia muttered and scoffed. "Has to be Eve."
"Could be easily", Angel agreed.
"I'll be going too", Stick said and faded away.
"So, you okay?" Cordelia asked Angel as she held out Connor to him and he took him. "Like, really."
"Yeah", Angel assured her as he looked into her eyes. "Because I didn't let him win."
"Spike?"
"Yeah, neither of us could beat the other, but that means, I do want it still", Angel said, smiling at his girlfriend and son. "You two, you two gave me the strength to fight for what's right, or at least what I thought was right. But I'm confused, is this Shanshu real, or a ploy all along?"
"Just focus on what you have", Cordelia assured Angel, stroking his shoulder. "A son", she gestured to Connor, "a smoking hot girlfriend", she gestured to herself, "amazing friends, and a wedding coming up. Life's hard but good."
"It is", Angel agreed with a smile.
The two shared a kiss.
A smiling Eve walked into an apartment where the door jambs and the door were covered in strange symbols. She closed the door behind her, set her purse on the table, and unbuttoned her coat. "You know, funny thing about throwing the Universe out of whack... not as fun as it sounds."
She took off her coat. "On the plus side, they totally fell for the cup of torment thing. Just like you thought they would."
She sat, unbuckling her shoes. "And our Mr. Sirk couldn't pull off his vanishing act so he lost his head."
She unzipped her dress. "And you might be happy to know... Team Angel is on red alert."
She slipped her dress off. "Could be they think the Partners just fired a warning shot across their bow."
She took off her bra and panties and was now completely naked. "Oh, and, by the way, Spike didn't kill Angel, but they did beat each other to bloody pulps. Hell-Mark guy and the Slayer tried to track the return address, met out little army and beat 'em up, but no one has a clue it was us."
Eve crawled into bed and snuggled up under the covers to a guy who was none other than Lindsey McDonald, whose chest and arms were covered in the same kinds of symbols that were on the door. He put his arm around her and pulled her close to him.
"Well... it's a start."
And there it ends, thanks a lot to Brainstorm Sorcerer for his help.
Since Angel and Spike are on better terms here than in canon, decided it was best to get something to influence them to be aggressive to each other so they'd fight rather than do some amusing bickering.
And this time their fight was a tie rather than Spike winning because Angel hasn't lost his will the way he did in canon, here he still has Cordelia and Connor, and knows he's trusted by other people like the Scoobies, so it ended with a tie.
Matt and Faith got sent on a wild goose chase to keep them out of this one.
Next one will be fun.
Hope all enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter.