Chapter three has arrived.


3. The plot thickens


"He may be crazy sir, but he's definately right." Ponder said to Ridcully.

"Oh really, and how do you know? Trusting these people? They're foreign! They may want to eat us!" The Dean, never keen on
foreigners, hissed to Ponder.

"No, I noticed by the way they act, these books, this, well, everything!" He waved around the shop. "Nothing like this has
ever been seen on the Disc! Not even the Agatean Empire is as civilised and has teachnology to create this." He pointed
outside. "They have cars without horses in front of them. That requires either an ammount of magic so big, it wouldn't be
possible to have a lot of them, or advanced technology!"

"It's advanced technology." The Senior Wrangler, who had wandered outside, returned with what looked an engine. "See? I took
that one over there apart, and this looks like technology."

Ponder hurried to him, and took it with something close to worship. "Wow! It's amazing. We must study this. I mean, the
possibilities are amazing! Think of all the money we can save! You won't need to clean their, um, youknowwhats, and the
food, the water..."

"Sure lad, but think of all the people who are depending on horses for a living, hey?" Ridcully had taken it from him, and
threw it outside. "No, we'll stick to horses. But do some more research on this technology, especially those crossbows." He
and his fellow wizards walked back to the training room.

Giles sat devestated by the ruined pieces of engine. He tried to fit them back together, and whimpered. "They broke it! They
broke, car, it cost me a fortune!"

Anya patted him on the shoulder. "Look on the bright side, think of all the money you can safe on gas! And I mean, where
were you driving to anyway? It's not like you have a active social life. And for men your age walking is very good exercise,
and did I mention..."

"Anya, enough comforting for now." Xander dragged his girlfriend away.

A 'twang' came from the training room, followed by Ridcully saying: "Hmm, no, I don't think that's how this thing works.
Maybe if I use this device on it..."

Buffy hurried to the back, and found them huddled, once more, around her weapons. "Could you please leave that alone! We
have a zombie in this town, and we need your help!"

The Dean frowned. "Zombies? Than what's the problem? Vampires I understand, but, oh, nothing personal Otto, you know what I
mean. Zombies don't cause a lot of problems. They just fall apart from time to time, that's all. They're very nice, once you
get to know them."

"Well I don't want to get to know them! I want him out of this town so I can kill vampires again like a normal Slayer. And
you're gonna help me, whether you like it or not!" She glared at the wizards. Ponder looked impressed, but that could be
because of the new-found technology. The other wizards didn't seem impressed by the girl's temper tantrum.

"What's the problem? I mean, really. It's just one zombie. How much trouble can he be?" The Senior Wrangler asked.

"He wants vampires to stop drinking people's blood!"

"So? I'd think you humans would be happy about that. We certainly are. Otherwise we'd never allow vampires, like Otto, in
our city."

"Well, it's just that, well," Buffy wasn't able to explain. She looked at Giles, hoping for help.

"I think that what she's trying to tell is that she doesn't trust the zombie, a Reg Shoe, and maybe the vampires will still
kill us humans.

Ridcully frowned. "Shoe, Shoe, sounds familiar. Wasn't he the one that helped us defeat that big living building a few years
ago? When everyone stopped dying?" The other wizards nodded. "No wonder you want him out of here. We found him more than a
bit annoying as well. You'll just let us do the work, little girl, and there will be no more nasty zombies to scare you." He
smiled to Buffy like you would smile to a ten year old.

"Look, I just want to know how to kill him!" She shouted to Ridcully.

"Kill him? Easy, throw some salt on him, and he'll go back to his grave." The Dean said.

"He hasn't got a grave on this planet, Dean." The Senior Wrangler replied, looking smug.

"Then we'll find some other way. There's bound to be one." The Dean said, confidently.


At the Shoe-shed.

"Hello brethren and sisters. I have called this meeting to inform that there is NO mayor in this city! I read some
newspapers, and did some research, and after the previous one turned into a big snake and killed several people, they didn't
re-elect one. I say, this is our chance to prove, once and for all, that we CAN be civilised. I propose we start a mayor
electing campaign." He looked around. "Well, anyone?" Reg waited for someone to answer.

One of the vampires coughed. "I, er, think that it would be best if you would be mayor, since we can't be out in the sun,
you know, so campaigning would be rather difficult."

Reg scratched his head and lost a couple of fingers. "Hmm, I suppose you are right. Then it's settled. I'll campaign for
mayor, while you put posters on walls, and things like that." He clapped his hands. "Right. Why don't we end this meeting,
and come here in three days. I want everyone to think of ways to make the people vote for us!" He eyed two vamps in a
corner. "And 'threatening to bite them until they vote for us' is not a good plan."

The two grumbled, but nodded. All the vamps went their way.

Spike, wondering what the zombie had done to get Buffy's attention, decided to ask some questions. He went to one of the
vampires leaving the shed. "I noticed you just left the zombie's shed. Fancy telling me what's you doing in there?"

The vampire looked a little nervous. He knew Spike could kill vampires, and was a bit scared. "Well um, he, the zombie, Reg
Shoe, he tells us how to make people accept us. You know, so they won't hunt us, and try to kill us. It's very simple,
according to him. We just try to kill as little people as possible, while we convince people that we can be trusted."
Noticing no ill effects of his words, he went on. "And Reg is going to campaign for mayor, so we can vote and stuff. It's
all fair and legal. He said he'd found out how to campaign, and do just that."

Spike nodded, threw the vampire away and went his way. 'So this zombie thinks he can become mayor and destroy years of
tradition?' He though. He balled his fist. 'Being hunted and killing people is what being a vampire is all about. Scaring
humans, killing them. Feeding on them. Although I haven't been able to do that, thanks to Mr Chip. On the other hand, being
accepted by humans, no longer running away...' His mind turned to Buffy. He couldn't convince her that he wasn't that much
of a threat, even if he couldn't kill humans. She saw him as a predator, looking for a oppurtunity to kill again. He was
dying, figure of speech, naturally, to get rid of the chip, but to go back to the old ways of killing and torturing? He
didn't know if he could that. The last months had changed him, and he had learned there were other pleasures than torture
and death. Like Buffy... Maybe she would found these developments interesting.


At the Magic Box.

"You say you know this zombie, could tell us some more about him?" Giles asked. He had invited the wizards to sit down
around the table, and made some tea.

"Well, we heard about him because one of our wizars turned into a zombie. Windel, the wizard, met him because he had this
card. Apparently, Reg put cards in coffins, and some undead would come to his meetings. Two vampires, a sort of werewolf
and a boogeyman. And some other creatures. Anyway, Reg wanted to them to have rights, just like humans, trolls, dwarves, you
know." Ridcully explained.

Xander stared at him. "Dwarves? Trolls? They have rights?"

Ridcully nodded. "They're valuable to our society. Like I said, he wanted rights, and I think he's trying that again. The
last time we saw him, he was in this big living building, trying to defeat it. We think he died."

"What do you mean, living building?" Willow asked.

"A couple of years ago, people stopped dying. Lifeforce was everywhere, and eventually, we found city eggs, that turned into
some great building, like a bee nest. It was a parasite, and we defeated it. And Death was back, since people stopped
dying." Ridcully explained.

The Senior Wrangler smiled. "It was a lot of fun, fighting those carts, remember Dean?"

The Dean snorted. "All I remember is you saying 'Yo' and stealing the Bursar's staff."

Giles looked outside. "It's turning dark, we have to find you some place to stay. If you promise not to touch anything, do
you think you could sleep here?"

"Depends. Are there blankets, pillows, things like that?" The Dean informed.

"Not really. I think you can manage with the things in the training room." He looked at the gang. "If all of you leave, I
can get these wizards some pizza or something, and lock up."

Buffy and her friends started to get up, when someone burst in through the back door.

"Spike, long time no threatening." Buffy greeted the vampire.

"It's serious. Remember that zombie you kicked my arse about?" After a nod from Buffy, he continued. "He's going to run for
mayor."

"What?!" Xander shouted.

"You heard me. Little ol' corpse wants to run the city. He wants vamps and other monster to vote and have rights. Thought
you might want to know, and stop him."

"Why would you be against him? He wants you to have rights, just like humans." Willow said.

"That's it. Vampires aren't like humans. We'll always need blood, human blood, and therefore we can never be like you. We
live in the darkness, you live in the light. There's too much difference. It'll never work. Sooner or later some bad
vamp'll take over and rule this city, like some sort of dictator."

"I do beg zo differ, mister...?" Otto said.

"Spike."

"Ve vampires zo not alvays need zer B-word. I haf lived without it vor quite a vhile now. I zense no ill effects."

"Trust me, you'll be craving for it soon. If not human blood, probably animal blood."

"Never! I zhall alvays keep my promize not zo drink zer B-word!" Otto said, holding his black ribbon for support.

Spike eyed him up and down. "No wonder you're so skinny. Why bother anyway? Killing's the best part of being a vamp."

"But if you want zo be rezpected and accepted, you haf no choize, trust me. Zer only vay for us vampires to get rezpect, is
by not drinking zer B-word."

"But that's what makes us vampires! Us not drinking blood is like humans not breathing. We need blood, they need oxygen."

"Zere is differenze. Ve are not a slave, and ve can survive without drinking. Here, read zis." He produced a small booklet
from his jacket, and gave it to Spike, who started reading it.

"Well, that's nice and all, but it really IS time for you all to leave. Except for the wizards of course. I propose we all,
except Spike, meet up here. Is that okay?" Giles looked around, to see if anyone would object.

"I haf a small problem. Is zere a small crypt around here I can sleep?"

"Don't worry, you're coming with me. This no-blood thing sounds interesting." Spike said, still reading the booklet.

"Vot a zudden change of mind."

"It makes sense. But only a little."

And with that, night settled over town. All involved were surprised by the events, and no-one had a clue what would happen
next.


Oh lookie, another chappie finished. Don't forget the review, they're important.