Happy Hollow Dream?

by lucyolsen

***

Demonic activity may not be happening on Halloween, but that's to say nothing as to Buffy's imagination.

Buffy's Halloween slayer dream

***

Buffy enters the Bronze and finds a multitude of creatures and characters dancing all around. She sees her friends and her sister waving her over to an already full table. She arrives, looking for a space she can squeeze into, but she is unable to find one.

"Where do I sit?" she asks.

"I guess you don't fit in with us." Xander replied. "You'll have to stand.

"Okay."

Buffy remains standing and looks over her friends' costumes. None are dressed in any way that makes it obvious what they are, and, for a moment, she realizes that grownups don't play dress-up, but the realization that they are grownups in the first place quickly passes.

"So, what are your costumes?"

Xander is the first to answer. He is dressed in a suit and his hair is whitened.

"I'm Colonel Mustard, but we haven't started playing yet so none of us have a clue."

"Is this a game?"

"It is to you."

Buffy then notices Willow pressing herself against the wall and shivering, clutching a bottle to herself.

"Willow? What are you?"

"I'm a recovering gambling addict going through withdrawal, Buffy."

"Don't be ridiculous, Willow. Gambling isn't physically addictive, just psychologically. People are addicted to gambling because they like the idea that they can get something without working for it. It's impossible to have withdrawal symptoms."

Instead of replying, Willow just starts shaking even harder, and looks to the bottle she holds.

"Oh no, I'm out of the ridiculously expensive bottled water. Can someone please get me some more? Please?"

Buffy turns away quickly. She isn't about to pay for props for someone else's costume, especially when it's a stupid costume.

"Dawn? What about you?" Dawn is dressed in clothing that belonged to their mother, and for the life of her, Buffy can't figure out what her sister is trying to pull off.

"Oh, is everyone else done? I didn't want to interrupt. I'm going as an adult."

"Oh, that's nice. And just think, it will only be another 15 years until you're one for real."

"Thanks Buffy, and your costume is nice too."

Buffy looks down at her costume, because until that moment, she hadn't realized she was wearing one.

"You make a great Cleopatra." Dawn continued.

Suddenly, the doors to the Bronze burst open. Buffy turns to see Spike wearing his leather duster with black jeans and tee. He strides into the Bronze, his hair gelled back without a single strand flying free. He looks to the crowd of dancing Happy Meals, and grabs onto and pulls out SpongeBob SquarePants. Spike vamps out, then bites and quickly drains the partygoer. Spike lets go and lets him drop to the floor. Because SpongeBob is squishy, he bounces a bit.

"So, what are you supposed to be, Spike?"

"Today I'm an Evil, Soulless, Thing."

"Isn't this supposed to be a 'come as you're not' party?" Buffy asks.

"I'm following the rules now, Slayer, but why are you dressed as the Queen of the Nile?"

Then Buffy wakes up and decides to lay off the seafood.

The End.