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Chapter 117- Life of the Party
Next day, once more, it was the usual as the Scoobies had breakfast with their future selves, and then sat in the viewing room as Buffy picked up the remote. "Here we go."
Lorne walked with an aide, talking on the cell phone about stuff before walking up to Harmony's desk and called her Harmonical while she called him Lorney-tunes, and she seemed quite overdressed for a receptionist.
"Now there's some overdressing if there ever was one", Dawn said, speaking for them all.
"Harmonical and Lorney-tunes, which is the better nickname?" Xander asked.
"Lorney-tunes", Tara said. "Which says something because Lorne gives some really nice nicknames."
"Yeah, Lorney-tunes it is", Willow agreed.
Angel was in his way back and in a mood according to Harmony, and he returned, covered in slime, and a neural-intercept grenade hadn't worked so he walked off to get Fred to look at it. Lorne then discussed an upcoming party with Angel but he was covered in Thraxis blood which burnt so he'd to take a shower, and walked off while Lorne told his assistant to scratch the Thraxis off the invite list, and then gave him some instructions.
"Thraxis Demon, yes their blood gives quite the burning sensation", Giles confirmed to them.
"And Angel is covered head to toe in it right before a party", Buffy cringed. "He really has horrible luck."
"And it was invited to the party too, well, at least he's crossed off the guest list", Xander shrugged.
Lorne then entered his office and looked at his reflection which began to speak to him, and Lorne got more and more irritated before bashing the mirror with a wine bottle while his reflection continued to sing a slow ballad. Later, when Lorne appeared in the hallway, he was energetic and smiling again, and transitioned his reflection's song into an energetic one.
Everyone was both confused and creeped out by Lorne's behavior.
"What just happened?" Dawn asked. "His reflection was singing?"
"Is there another ghost?" Xander wondered. "I mean, ghosts kind of do that."
"Whatever it is, I'm getting creepy vibes", Willow agreed.
"And I'm concerned for Lorne since he's being targeted", Tara pointed, and all were concerned for him too.
Angel was showering as Eve entered his office, and he frowned as she revealed she had a key, and he made her hand it to him, and she said he could use a release before reminding him of a meeting they had so he decided to get his pants.
"No manners", Buffy shook her head. "So, you have a key and you walk in on him showering?"
"I think she believes she owns the place based on her behavior", Giles sighed.
"Well, considering she is the liaison to the Partners, she kind of does", Willow said with a cringe. "Not that it makes walking in on Angel okay."
"Yep, so no manners", Dawn said with folded arms.
Later, they walked onto the elevator as Eve asked how it was going and Angel had no idea, and then she told him he needed a release because he bottled up stuff, though he denied it.
"I think you are bottling a lot of stuff", Tara said as all turned to her. "The whole thing with Cordelia and Connor would still be eating him up on the inside."
The rest realized she was right, they hadn't seen him break down regarding that, or lash out, he had it bottled up.
"So, anyone think it's a good idea for him to release it?" Xander asked.
"Definitely not right now", Willow said. "But he has to."
When the elevator door opened, there was a huge skull which Angel punched and the man holding the foam fell down as he saw many people in costumes decorating the place, and Lorne said it was the Halloween party of the firm, but Angel wasn't interested in it due to the evil clients, but Lorne rubbed his head and said this was about the party, and they decided to meet in his office in 25 minutes.
"So, party's coming, yay", Xander said sarcastically.
"Well, evil people are being invited, considering Angel killed one of those", Buffy pointed out.
"To his credit, he doesn't want to invite them", Giles said.
"But he has to keep the place running, so the party needs to be thrown", Willow said. "As much as I hate to say it."
Wesley put the grenade in front of Fred as Knox arrived, all discussing what was wrong with it, while an enthusiastic Lorne arrived, talking about his party, as Knox said last year they had taken a bunch of cows and put them in a giant wicker effigy of Krishna and doused it with sambuca.
"Krishna is a Hindu deity", Tara said, eyes narrowed. "You actually find that funny?"
"Yeah, he is a great deity, he deserves respect, not this", Willow agreed with Tara. "Really having huge doubts about this guy now if he found that funny in any sense."
"Well, he does work at an evil law firm", Buffy pointed out. "No matter how morally neutral he says this department is, it aligns to the evil side."
Lorne told them they needed to come and they reluctantly agreed as Knox decided to fix the grenade. Lorne then walked to Gunn and asked him to help out with the party too and stake out his territory, to which he eventually agreed as all of them were now gonna meet in Angel's office.
"All right, I know the party is important, but he seems a bit too much into it", Giles said.
"You think there's something wrong there?" Dawn asked.
"Well, his reflection was talking to him", Xander reminded.
"So there is something wrong there", Willow agreed. "But what?"
"We're about to find out", Tara told her.
"Yeah, we'll find out as we keep watching", Buffy agreed.
Later, all of them were gathered in the office except Lorne before he walked in to talk about the party, and Gunn supported him as Lorne said as head of the PR Department, they needed a lot of face, but Angel pointed out all coming to the party were evil, and Lorne reminded he ran Caritas where all kinds of people, both Demon and human, were allowed, and played well with each other inside.
"He does have a point there", Dawn said. "Everyone in his club played well with each other."
"Even baby killers", Tara added, and all cringed at the reminder. "Point is- he can do it."
"I wouldn't be that concerned if his reflection was not talking to him", Giles reminded, and now all groaned again at that.
Eve brought up the employees as Angel called them evil too, and then Harmony walked in with a glass of blood, as Eve said it was just some, but all of them worked hard for the firm so this was a morale thing. Harmony said the morale stunk due to how all hated Angel and were scared he'd axe them, so Angel finally agreed to let Lorne do this, but Lorne wanted him out there with him.
"So Lorne needs Angel to be the face of this", Willow realized. "Since he's the head, he must be the one to take all responsibility."
"Bet he really hates that", Xander smirked.
"Funny how Harmony showed up when Angel said his employees were evil, she knows what she is", Buffy said, making them all chuckle a little at that.
Later, Angel and Lorne rode in a limo as Lorne fixed a drink and talked about Archduke Sebassis, who was demonic royalty and commanded over 40 legions, so he was the bigshot, and if he was convinced to come, the others would come too. Angel pointed out it was personal to Lorne and he said this was what he could do and his purpose here helped.
"Yes, that's what he does best", Tara couldn't deny. "Its his department too, so makes sense why he is so hell-bent on this."
"It is personal to him", Dawn sighed. "And like he said, people in his club did play well with each other, so he's qualified for this."
"I know of Archduke Sebassis, I've heard his name, not someone to be trifled with lightly", Giles said as they all turned grim once more. "This must be treaded carefully, so like Lorne said, he must talk."
Later, the two sat facing Sebassis as he made remarks on Angel, while adding he preferred Angelus. Sebassis called Angel's contempt fragrant as he sipped finished a blue liquid from a wine glass. He put his glass down and a smaller, thinner, paler demon walked out to him. The smaller slave-like demon pulled a cork out of his arm and holds his arm out over Sebassis's glass. The blue liquid Sebassis was drinking flowed from the slave's uncorked vein into the glass. Lorne witnessed this with great discomfort, although he tried to hide it.
Everyone cringed now, uncomfortable by the whole thing themselves.
"He….drinks his slave's blood?" Xander finally let out.
"In a wine glass?" Dawn added with a lot of discomfort herself.
"That I did not know", Giles said immediately.
"This just gets more and more messed up", Buffy sighed.
"Sadly, he needs to be invited though", Tara pointed out, and the others had to concede.
"Well, hope this isn't messed up", Willow muttered.
Sebassis offered them the wine but Angel refused politely as Lorne took it and told the slave he tasted great. Sebassis finally agreed to come and Lorne was delighted, with both he and Angel leaving as Artode called it a trap but Sebassis wanted to be intrigued, and a hidden panel in his wall magically opened to reveal many weapons.
"Well, it's not a trap I assure you", Buffy said, everyone cringing again.
"As long as nothing bad happens, they won't do anything themselves", Willow pointed out.
"So hopefully, nothing happens", Tara said, but all had a feeling something would.
The party started, though only Harmony danced on the floor as two lawyers were agitated by no ritual sacrifice, but Lorne told them to mingle and a Demon called Devlin greeted Lorne, and he wore a mask that seemed to have been someone's face before, and they talked as Wesley and Fred did the same before noticing Lorne.
"Leatherface, that you?" Xander asked with a wince. "When did you learn to talk?"
"Funny how only Harmony is dancing, no one wants to dance with her", Buffy said, and some more chuckles followed.
"At least Angel stopped the bad practices during these parties", Giles said, and all agreed there. "He is trying to make it better."
Fred told Wesley that Lorne fit in with all, as he tried to talk to Devlin but was uncomfortable. Loren eventually asked the two to help him out, then said they were sober on Halloween so they had to get into the spirit of things.
"Are they really considering it?" Willow asked, confused. "I didn't think they would."
"I don't know what to do at parties either", Tara sighed. "They're not my thing."
"They are only my thing", Buffy said with a shrug.
Lorne walked to Angel's office who made an excuse that he was brooding but he was actually watching hockey, to which Angel said his team was losing. Lorne then rubbed his temples in pain as it escalated, concerning Angel, but then he was fine again.
All were concerned once more as Dawn asked. "You think this has to do with his reflection talking to him?"
"Has to be, since we were shown that for a reason", Giles pointed out.
"Just hope it doesn't cause too much of a mess for anyone, Lorne included", Tara hoped, though they had a feeling it would cause a mess.
"Funny thing is, if this was Angel from Sunnydale, him brooding would be the perfect excuse", Buffy chuckled and once more, no disagreements.
Lorne led Angel to the party and introduced him to the guests, though he was barely interested while Harmony still danced and more people danced with her. She invited Spike to dance with her but he was barely interested, and Angel wondered why Spike was here to which Spike said he wondered the same about Angel. Lorne said Angel was doing great as he hadn't killed like 100 guests, but Spike said party was already dead, to which Lorne asked him to be a bit more positive.
"Asking him to not be cynical is like asking the sun to rise twice in the day", Willow said, and there was some laughter.
"Especially at a Halloween party, he hates Halloween", Buffy said. "Even if he did try to kill me once on it."
"Yeah, and I beat his ass", Dawn reminded, and some more laughter followed at the happy memory, since Dawn was dressed up as the Pink Ranger, and Spike hadn't stood a chance against her.
"Good job, Dawnster", Xander said as she smiled.
Sebassis then arrived with people kneeling to him, and Angel walked to him as Sebassis held out his hand to be kissed but Angel shook it instead, and Lorne complimented Artode's jacket who said it was made from skinning Pyleans, and he'd done it himself, so Lorne laughed nervously, and Angel complimented Sebassis' looks while shaking his hand too long before they respectfully took their leave from Sebassis.
"Can you believe it? Angel shook someone's hand too long?" Xander said and all were in disbelief.
"Never thought I'd see the day Angel behaves like this", Buffy agreed before adding sarcastically. "And Artode is so nice."
"Yeah, what a way to greet someone in a party", Willow added with equal sarcasm.
Wesley and Fred were drunk and slurring now as Harmony told them someone peed on the floor, and Lorne eventually met Gunn who wished to have a 10th of Lorne's energy, and he revealed he had a procedure done on himself which removed his sleep and he hadn't slept in a month, saying Gunn could look into it too to which he agreed.
Now everyone exchanged looks as Tara suggested. "I think that is why he had that thing with the reflection."
"Why would he even do that to himself?" Buffy asked. "Why would anyone do that to themselves?"
"Because its his only job and he wants to do it to the best of his ability", Willow pointed out, and now all realized why he had done it.
"Still, pretty drastic", Giles said.
"And now it's affecting him", Dawn said sadly.
"I have a feeling this is gonna cause a mess", Xander said grimly.
Sebassis had his prevention measures to protect himself as Artode walked off, while the slave touched the decorative plants and smelled the pee.
All cringed again.
Eve walked to Angel, impressed with him so far, and they talked and traded barbs till Lorne arrived and told them one could cut the sexual tension with a knife, and asked them to get a room. Next moment, Angel and Eve were passionately making out in Angel's office, and didn't care the other didn't have a last name.
Now all were confused again.
"Ewww", Dawn said. "And this time there is no explanation."
"Yeah, why the hell are they making out suddenly?" Buffy asked, looking disgusted. "And come on, Angel! You can do so much better!"
"I know right? She's like the worst person to do it with", Willow agreed.
"And, was she even into him before this?" Xander asked.
"You think something weird is up?" Tara asked the rest.
"I think we all know something is", Giles summed up.
Artode was in his bathroom stall when the door rattled, and then it was ripped off as Artode was pulled away and blood splattered on the wall.
Everyone was horrified now as Tara told Giles. "You were right, something is definitely up here."
"Can't say Artode didn't have it coming though", Xander added.
"But well, if Sebassis finds out", Buffy trailed off, and the implications were enough.
At the party, all were having a good time, including Lorne as Sebassis sent a Demon to find Artode. It bumped into Fred and walked past as she and Wesley drunkenly rambled, then walked to Gunn who was facing away from them, and he turned his head without moving hands which were together below his waist. Wesley said Gunn had just peed on his shoes. Gunn was confused and zipped it up.
"Ewww", Dawn said again. "What the hell, Gunn?"
"Wait, wait, wait", Tara told them to look at everything they'd seen so far. "Lorne asked Angel and Eve to get a room, they did. He asked Wesley and Fred to not be sober, they're drunk, and he told Gunn to mark his territory."
"And he's doing just that", Xander realized as all cringed at how he was doing it.
"So Lorne is the one making them all do this?" Willow asked. "But how? Why?"
"His lack of sleep clearly did something to him and his powers", Buffy realized.
"So whatever he says, people do it", Giles realized. "Which means Spike-"
Spike arrived, complimenting the song and dancing and singing along as Wesley noted they were under a spell's effect as Spike said Lorne had told him to think positively, and Wesley pointed at him as Lorne arrived. They led him to Angel's office where he denied doing anything, and Angel and Eve were naked and making out behind the couch, with Spike complimenting him.
All looked away as Buffy said. "We did not need to see that."
"And when Spike compliments Angel, you know something's wrong", Dawn added.
"Doesn't mean we needed to see that", Xander added with a cringe.
"And Spike is positive, huh?" Buffy commented, finding that funny, like the rest.
Wesley and Fred said all were doing what Lorne asked them to do, and then Gunn remembered Lorne's territorial remark. Angel and Eve continued making out as Fred asked them to keep it in their pants. Gunn then remembered Lorne had his sleep removed, and now Angel wondered why Lorne had let that happen to him. Lorne justified himself as Angel said they could have helped him out while Eve naughtily spanked him from behind, and Wesley drunkenly stopped Gunn from peeing again. He then stood up but used the couch cushions to cover his privates.
"Poor Lorne", Willow said, speaking for all. "Trying to keep up and doing that accidentally."
"Would have been better if everyone wasn't behaving weirdly during this", Xander added.
"Yeah, I love Spike but him acting this positive takes away what he is", Buffy agreed. "Not to mention the rest of them."
"Well, now that they know the problem, they'll figure it out", Tara said hopefully.
Angel asked Wesley and Fred to figure it out as they drunkenly stumbled away, and then Angel asked Lorne not to talk, though there was still a party going on, and Spike excitedly called himself a people's person. Angel asked Gunn to check up on people and stop peeing, which he agreed to, and Angel and Eve continued having sex as Spike called it a brilliant plan.
"Or, you know, something more useful", Dawn said to Angel and Eve, disgusted.
"At least the others are on it", Buffy said.
"Two are drunk and one is peeing", Giles reminded as all groaned.
Sebassis and his entourage found Artode's remains, while Wesley and Fred look for Lorne's sleep, then talked to each other drunkenly, saying they could be better friends than they were, and confide in each other, and Fred finally asked what Wesley thought of Knox as he pulled back to look at her.
All felt bad for Wesley once more as Xander said. "Drunk or not, that's got to hurt."
"Knox is not right, what he said earlier is sending warning bells", Tara said.
"In that case, hope Fred opens her eyes soon", Dawn sighed hopefully.
"I am more worried about the immediate issue of Sebassis", Buffy said as all turned grimmer.
Sebassis and his gang burst into Angel's office with weapons, Sebassis accusing Angel of murdering Artode and asking him to get dressed for his execution, but Angel called it a big mistake. A woman then screamed from the lobby as they arrived to see Devlin dead, and Sebassis threatened them while Wesley and Fred looked around, and Wesley found out that due to his sleeplessness, Lorne wasn't reading people's destinies but writing them, and in this state, his subconsciousness could manifest too.
"So that is what happened", Giles realized. "He is writing their destinies."
"Yes, all are doing what he told them to do", Tara pinpointed it all. "And his reflection talked to him, which would be his subconsciousness manifesting."
"You think its also the one that did the killing?" Xander asked.
"Has to be it", Buffy said.
At the party, Lorne tried to explain the situation as Sebassis decided to kill him when a muscular version of Lorne dressed exactly like him appeared and growled as Lorne said. "It's me."
"Oh my God! Its Lorne as a huge monster!" Dawn said in horror.
"So its Hulk-Lorne", Xander commented grimly.
"At least the culprit has been revealed", Willow said.
"Now the problem is to deal with him", Buffy pointed out.
Hulk-Lorne knocked down one Demon of Sebassis as Spike admired the suit. Sebassis fired a dart but it had no effect as the slave sneaked away. Lorne tried to talk it down but was smacked away too. Wesley and Fred were trying to get the elevator as Angel stepped between Sebassis and Hulk-Lorne. Angel was sent flying off as Gunn hit Hulk-Lorne with a statue but was beaten too, then Hulk-Lorne went after Sebassis, but Angel punched him multiple times to no avail while Wesley and Fred appeared. Angel was knocked down again as Fred aimed a gun, then turned it on Lorne and shot him as he fell down and went to sleep, and Hulk-Lorne disappeared in a puff of smoke while Lorne snored.
All sighed in relief as Giles said. "Finally, that thing is gone at last."
"And Lorne has his sleep", Tara said happily. "At least it turned out well."
"What about Sebassis though?" Dawn asked.
"Angel did protect him from that Hulk-Lorne", Buffy pointed out.
Lorne's assistant slept on the dance floor as the lawyer said it was better than before, and Knox arrived, having fixed the grenade, and he and Fred decided to get a drink while Angel and Wesley tucked Lorne under a blanket, and Wesley said the subconsciousness acted out on his emotional responses to people around him. Angel concluded Lorne made some judgments after all.
"Even I do", Tara said as they looked at her. "I just don't let it affect how I treat anyone."
"Neither does Lorne, it was just his subconsciousness acting without his say-so", Willow pointed out.
"At least its fixed now", Dawn said.
Angel tried to talk to Eve about what had happened but she'd said she'd had sex under mystical influence before in U.C. Santa Cruz and left. Wesley saw Fred having a drink with Knox and walked past them to his office.
"Poor guy", Xander said as all felt bad for him again.
Gunn told Angel that Sebassis' people enjoyed blood sport at their social events so they were fine. Angel pointed out the place was trying to change them so they mustn't forget that, and Gunn told Angel he'd peed in his chair before walking. Spike called it fantastic and it was because he was normal. Angel had them both go while he told Lorne to get some rest, and he muttered. "It's—it's hard. It's hard being the host of the party. Yeah." Angel urged. "Stop trying to be." The screen went black.
"Well, the Sebassis issue is now sorted out", Buffy said as all sighed in relief. "Guess it's a good thing they like blood sport at their events then."
"And now Lorne can stop being so hard on himself", Tara said with a smile.
"Well, this was quite the recording", Giles commented.
"Yeah, weird, funny and dangerous all in one", Dawn said.
"So, next one?" Xander asked.
"Yeah, looks like it", Willow agreed as Buffy came onto the next one.
And done with this one. This episode was fun.
Next episode is one of the three episodes of this Season that I don't like personally, I understand if others do, but I don't.
So, remember I'd mentioned doing the Bully Maguire dance publicly last time? Well, I spouted 2 Bully Maguire lines to an annoying traffic cop on Saturday who was very incompetent.
Basically, he stopped my car, but was letting others cars to my left go, seriously. I opened my window and said very angrily- "I'm gonna put some dirt in your eye." He didn't understand, but at that point he let me go as I shouted- "See ya chump!"
Hope all enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter.