September 2005

This century's "Jack the Ripper" makes the original look like a schoolyard bully. His heinous crimes are marked by torn throats, tattered bodies, and bloody alleys. No clues are left except the calling cards he leaves: a single black rose covered in his victims' blood. His victims are young women, often of questionable repute, stupid enough to be on the streets after dark. The merry old town of London has become a dangerous city.

One woman, a young American in London on business, has decided that she's had enough of the grisly murders. Blond hair in a tight ponytail atop her head and jaw set in determination; Buffy Summers takes to the streets at dusk to find the madman.

Close at her heels are her best friends in the world: Xander Harris and Willow Rosenburg. The pair had known each other since birth and Buffy since their sophomore year of high school, when she had transferred from her school in Los Angeles. Nine years had been spent in crisis after crisis, always at each other's sides. Nearly inseparable, the trio didn't even need words to communicate their plan.

That, of course, is due to Willow's ability to send thoughts with her witchcraft. After discovering her innate talent back at Sunnydale High, Willow's power has grown considerably in a very short amount of time. It has even consumed her, on occasion, and has struggled to maintain control ever since.

Xander has no such issues in his life, except perhaps being a self-proclaimed "demon magnet." Ever the sidekick, Xander has bumbled his way to victory from his very first vampire slaying to defeating "evil Willow" with words of love just three short years ago. His dedication to the cause has never faltered and will remain loyal to his friends to the very end.

And then there's Buffy the vampire Slayer, the one girl of this generation chosen to battle the forces of supernatural evil. The one girl, that is, until recently, when Willow used her magic on an ancient Slayer weapon to transform any "potential" Slayer into the genuine article. They formed an army and defeated the First Evil, returning it to its dormant state, and destroyed the Hellmouth from whence it came, thus leaving the town of Sunnydale, California a giant crater. Now, Slayers are all over the world defeat vampires, demons, and other monsters, allowing Buffy a long-deserved break.

Rather than abandon her duty, however, Buffy opted to return with Rupert Giles, her Watcher, to London where they would rebuild the Watcher's Council, an organization of men and women dedicated to training and guiding Slayers in their quest. They have been doing this for two years, gathering ancient tomes and manuscripts that would prove vital in battling the unknown. They've also managed to gather a group of individuals to fill the ranks of Watchers that were left when the First destroyed the original headquarters in its attempt to rid the world of the Slayer line.

There is no rest for the weary, however, as now a new menace, taking the name of "Jack the Ripper" from its place in history, instills fear in the hearts of young London women. The gruesome deaths are enough to arouse the suspicion of a wary Giles and he has sent Buffy to investigate.

"I'm actually glad for a night out," Buffy says aloud to her two companions. "All this stuff with gathering books for Giles and scrolls for Giles and Kleenex when all the dust gets up my British nose for Giles. I mean, I'm a Slayer, for goodness sake--"

"I'll bet you were just weirded out saying 'a' instead of 'the' again," Xander pipes in jovially as he plays with the trigger of the crossbow he is holding. He stiffens with the "twang" of a bolt firing and hitting a nearby telephone pole. "Whoops."

Buffy retrieves the bolt, pulling it from where it has embedded itself and hands it back to Xander, who is smiling sheepishly. Interestingly enough, the eye patch he wears over his bum right eye adds to his whimsical expression. "Any chance you'll not shoot me in the back when we take down Jacky the wannabe Ripper?"

"I'll put up a protective field in time… like last time," Willow replies absentmindedly. She is reaching into the back pack she carries her spell components in. Various incenses, candles, and powders shift around until she finds the flashlight she was looking for. She turns it on and off again to check the batteries before slipping it into her belt loop. "What are we looking for?"

"Signs of struggle, bloody trails, screams for help?" Buffy suggests. "Well, the last one we'd be listening for."

"Anyone think that maybe we could use one of you lovely ladies for bait?" Xander says suddenly. The girls look at him incredulously. "Hear me out: Jack the Ripper only looks for vulnerable young women to cut up and eat or whatever. If one of you poses a vulnerable young woman--"

Buffy sighs. "Point taken. Which of us should be bait, though?"

"I'll do it," Willow says reluctantly. "He might recognize you, at this point, being the most famous vampire slayer in the world."

"I'm only the first one to share my responsibility, Will," Buffy says. "The first one to take my burden and hand it to any girl out there with any potential. Because of me, so many girls have lost the chance to have ordinary lives…"

"You saved the world, Buff," Xander says seriously. "From evil with a capital E. You did what you had to do. And any girl out there in her right mind will thank you for it."

"In fact, I think most of them have," Willow adds. "All the girls back at HQ love the powers you've given them. More pour in once they realize their potential. No one thinks you did a bad thing."

Buffy shrugs. "I hope you're right. But once they realize that they've given up their normal lives for one that keeps them out all night and kills their social life, they might sing a different tune."

"They can sing whatever they want as long as I'm not in the chorus," Xander says quickly, referring to the time when he had summoned a singing demon into the world by accident.

"Where should I wait to be taken advantage of?" Willow asks without thinking. After a smirk from Xander, she realizes what she's said and blushes deeply. "Um, I mean--"

"Any dark alley will do, Willow," Buffy pats her friend on the arm. "Xander and I will hide out and jump him when he goes after you."

The split up and wander the city, keeping tabs on each other in their minds while waiting for Jack the Ripper to make his move. They can't guarantee he'll even attack them tonight but they won't stop until they find him.