Title: Poison Berries
Author: Tai Blanchet
Disclaimer: I only own the character Holly; all of the other characters belong to Joss Whedon.
Summary: set after season 6. Spike is in Africa, recovering from doing his tasks. He meets an archaeologist and they become great friends, but it doesn't end as sweet as candy… more like Poison Berries.Any useful info: ***** means that there is a flashback. Also italics are the characters thoughts. That should be it for now… if there is "italics" in speech marks then this is a spell or something along those lines.
Author's comments: Hmmmmmmmm my 4th chapter! Right the summary for this chapter is a kinda confusing one! There's a plot but if I tell you it, then the chapter will be ruined! Put it this way, there's another new character… or is there?! Also, just to make a point, Anya and Xander are back together.
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Distribution: if any one wants to use my story/ies for their websites etc. please email me first.
Notes: Set back in Africa; end half B/S S/Dr in Sunnydale. Also Sunny dale is when the "new character" comes in. Oo, oo! This is also set before Spike gets back to Sunnydale. Next chapter is when he's actually back… does that make sense?
* * *
The Forensics had left long ago. The white paint was still on the ground from where Holly's body had been found. The air was unnaturally cold and the shadows even darker than usual. A strange voice was murmuring in the bushes.
"The powers took thee, now thou is needed, bring you forth into our land, skip all dimensions and frames of time, to help us once again. Oh Princess, thou shall save us, rescue us from eternal hell. Berries of red and leaves of green, make you whole and make you seen." A mist rose from the ground where the body had been and floated off into the breeze.
* * *
"Buffy! I've found her! The one we need!" Willow shouted.
"Lemme see. Are you sure it's her, even all the royalness and stuff?"
"That's the one, it doesn't actually give you her name though, there's like a whole incantation to summon her… it's like a riddle and if you solve it you can call on her I think…"
"Sounds like a lotta hard work then. What can I do to help?"
"I'd stick with the slaying Buff." Xander chipped in, "Leave Giles to figure it out."
"Xander…"
"No, Buffy it's ok, I can handle it… besides I know more about the magicks than you do."
"Will… I'll go down toward the park and see if I can get the creep that keeps killing everyone off."
"He's changing them Buff not killing them." Xander pointed out.
"That's not the point. He's killing off their human lives!"
"Go on Buffy, go. We'll see you her later."
"And I'll send Anya to get some coffee."
At least 2 o'clock in the morning…"I've got it! Holly!!! It's so obvious!"
"What's obvious Will? You need to spell things out for us at this time of the morning."
"I think that we need holly or something to summon her, or either that it's her name!"
"Will, how are we going to know if this princess lady doesn't get called forward and want to rip our heads of like some man-eating troll?"
"We don't know if she's like some zombie thing hunny, that's why we're researching." Anya quipped.
"Well I think that we've looked enough for one night," Buffy said slamming her book shut. "I for one think that if there's anything to be solved, then it can be done in the morning."
"It is the morning Buffy," grumbled Dawn
"Well I'm going home to go and get some rest. We'll finish this tomorrow."
"But I can get it done!" Willow protested.
"She's right Will." Said Xander. "And you really shouldn't be getting your head stuck into these summoning spells."
"Yeah let Giles do it." Anya agreed, "C'mon lets go home sweetie." Willow stared hard at the pages. She knew that she shouldn't be trying to get involved again, but somehow it felt right. She had only turned evil over her grief for Tara, and Tara was who she did her spells with. By doing the magicks she felt that she was closer to Tara again, like they were still together, but she had abused them not so long ago, causing a great deal of pain around her. She tried to be as normal as she could but after killing Warren, she had her conscience to wrestle with. She knew that everyone around her was trying to be supportive, but with the things that she had seen over the last 6 years, there was no way she couldn't get involved…
Later that Day… (About 5 when Dawn was home from school)…
"I tried out for the cheerleading squad." Dawn announced.
"Oh my God! How did you do?" asked Buffy.
"I think I'm in!"
"Ha, I was in the cheerleading squad back when we first came to Sunnydale… I remember that Amy, you know the rat; she was on the team to. But really it was her mom who had possessed her body and was making voodoo dollies of us and did really nasty things. Like she made one girl have no mouth and she set another one on fire, and I became really, really clumsy and a bimbo."
"Thanks Buffy, a real boost of confidence there."
"Oh, but it was funny!" Willow giggled. "Well at first when she was clumsy but then everything went mega creepy."
"I don't think anything like that's gunna happen. Anyway, there's a new Captain. She's English or something she said her name was… Holly or um… Ivy or something."
"Holly… that reminds me. Giles said he was starting work on the incantation tonight, you know, making sure she isn't one of those zombies that Anya keeps going on about." Buffy said.
"Right."
Somewhere near the graveyard…
Sunnydale… I remember hearing about this place… Why the hell was I brought back?! The stupid bastard knew I wanted to hang around for a few years! Stupid old soul business… Now I'm here I should find that Slayer they're always on about, I suppose that's why I'm wanted. A small figure stood in the moonlight. Her mousy brown hair glowed with an eerie presence and her electric blue eyes stood out in the dark. It was a young girl who had many centuries of knowledge. I'm Back! Thought Holly with a grin on her face.