Buffy returned to her house, sneaking into her room via the window. Distraught with her sadness she forgot about Ampata and tripped over the mattress with his sleeping form encased in a sleeping bag.
"Huh? Que?" he muttered out.
"Ssh, just Buffy, go back to sleep," Buffy whispered, cursing in her mind. She couldn't keep a tiny sob from escaping during her speaking. Sobbing girl, guy; Ampata was awake instantly.
"What's wrong?" he asked feeling around for the small lamp on the night stand. A moment later there was light, and he saw Buffy's face. It was obvious she had been crying for a long time.
"Nothing, just go back to sleep, Ampata," Buffy said, her tone desperate, she so didn't want to talk about this. Ampata just straightened his back, and slung his arms around her knees, looking at her expectantly.
Buffy looked at him for a few moments, and then sighed. God, what was it about her that made a strong shoulder to cry on so irresistible? "I slept with Xander," Buffy decided to start with that.
"Who's Xander?" Ampata asked confused.
"Lexa," Buffy answered without really thinking about it.
"What!?" Ampata exclaimed in confusion.
"Shhhh, don't wake my mother," Buffy whispered quickly. Ampata nodded embarrassedly. Buffy was too tired, and too strung up to think of an explanation, so she simply told the truth, "Xander fell into a cursed pond. Now cold water turns him into a girl, and warm water turns him back into a guy."
Ampata looked at her with a strange face. Buffy sighed and simply picked him off his makeshift bed with one hand. "I'm not crazy, okay? Magic and demons and stuff are real, and I'm the chosen girl given the power to fight the baddest of the baddest," Buffy muttered in defeat, and then put the astonished South-American down. The blonde then sat down on her bed dejectedly.
"He's gay?" Ampata asked with a face.
Buffy shook her head sadly, and said, "Trying to keep you away from me, and succeeding apparently."
Ampata looked down, pained. Lexa was amazing. Sexy, beautiful, easy going, funny - and she or he was just playing with him. No matter, it was obvious Buffy was a whole lot worse off than he was he was. "So, he was bad? Rough, didn't care about you, he raped you?" Ampata asked.
"Oh, god no!" Buffy exclaimed quickly, and then shrank down, listening for a moment if her mother woke up. "We jumped each other, no raping of me going on. He was amazing; tender, passionate, powerful. It was nothing but pleasure, I've never felt so good in my entire life. It's what happened afterwards that's the problem." Ampata waited expectantly. Tears sprang from Buffy's eyes remembering the events afterwards, much to Buffy's surprise - she didn't think she had any tears left. "I told him I didn't know who to choose, him, or my ex-boyfriend Angel. He broke up with me, but I'm still in love with him. I'm in love with them both."
"Owy," Ampata said.
Buffy nodded, and added, "Suffice it to say, he didn't take it too well, he tried though. He told me about Angel, he's a vampire you see, cursed with his soul, the only good one around. Real vampires are nothing like the brooding, nice, sweet Anne Rice stuff, they're simply brutal killing machines, demons inhabiting former people's bodies. So if you meet one: run. He's 240 years old, and I'm sixteen. Xander told me when I was dying Angel actually lied about not knowing CPR because he was trying to look good to me, Xander had to drag him along forcing him to help him look for me before that. Told me he'd threatened to kill Angel if Angel didn't stop the romance, so Angel broke up with me."
"Wow," Ampata muttered.
Buffy took a deep breath, and let out a soft wail, and said, "That isn't the real problem. My best friend, Willow, she had crush on Xander for the longest time, I should never have . . . I'm evil, I can't blame her. I went to her and confessed, begged for forgiveness and she threw me out. I told Xander he was no better than Angel, that he did everything out of jealousy, I doubt he wants to see me anytime soon. I lost both my friends, I have nobody anymore."
"You have me," Ampata said filled with support, putting her sobbing on hold a bit.
Buffy smiled wryly for a moment, and told him, "I hardly know you, and you'll be gone in a short while."
"It's still a while," Ampata told her with a smile.
Buffy smiled for a moment, then looked away. "I went to Angel after that," she said sadly. "I didn't want to face my mom, he confirmed it, he confessed. Everything Xander accused him of is true. Explained to me Xander didn't do it out of jealousy, but out of care for me."
"He still manipulated me away from you, although that was unnecessary, honor prevents me from taking advantage of the hostess," Ampata told her sadly.
Buffy nodded, crying softly again, and she whispered, "At least he didn't gamble with my life just to look better . . . I lost my best friend, and I can hopefully choose between two lying manipulated guys for a boyfriend."
Ampata got up and sat down next to her, slinging his arms around her, and he said, "You can choose neither, but if you have to choose, choosing the one who wouldn't gamble with your life on a whim would be best choice, I think."
Buffy nodded and said, "On the other hand, Angel didn't try to make Xander look worse, in fact he stood up for him. I think he learned his lesson."
"Better not take the chance," Ampata said and rubbed the girl as he embraced her tightly.
-----
Buffy and Ampata were walking to school, rain came pouring down. It seemed fitting to Buffy, who didn't bother trying to keep from getting wet. Once they entered the school a small little woman it seemed stepped in front of them, and she croaked out, "You look beautiful, my dear. Mind if I take some pictures?" The woman presented a photo camera. Buffy was too depressed really, although the compliment felt good. If it wasn't for Ampata's urging she'd have said 'no'. After making a few poses and the woman clicking away, the two moved on.
They reached their objective. "Willow?" Buffy tried. She felt blessed to have Ampata be here right now. The timing for the student exchange program couldn't have been better. "I'm- . . ."
"Get lost, slut," Willow bit at her angrily as she slammed her locker closed. "I don't want to have anything to do with you."
"Willow," Ampata tried for Buffy.
"Shut up," Willow said, pointing at him angrily. "Friends of the bitch are no friends of mine." Willow then walked off, leaving a disappointed Ampata, and a distraught Buffy. Buffy looked at Ampata with pained eyes.
Buffy forced herself not to cry and she and Ampata walked onward. A few moments later Tatewaki rounded a corner, holding a bouquet of a dozen red roses. "My beautiful- . . ." he started. Buffy let out her frustration by smashing her fist into his face, making him twist backward and sideways until he crashed face first into the lockers.
"Ouch," Ampata said, and looked as Buffy as they simply walked onward past the Japanese guy. "Remind me not to piss you off."
Tatewaki groaned, slid to the floor and muttered, "Usually they wait till after I grab them . . ."
-----
Xander hadn't bothered with putting on makeup and skirts and the like; he was just too depressed. The rain had turned him into Lexa though, and now he stalked through the corridors of school. "Lexa!" Willow called and joined her. "Buffy told me what you and her did, that skank." Lexa regarded her, walking onward. Willow was walking backward, facing her, and continued, "Her and me are done, she betrayed me. The little bitch can't keep her legs closed together. She said you and her had a big fight."
"Apparently she prefers corpses," Lexa told her with a pained grimace.
"Yeah, that's Buffy, necrophiliac slut. I'm here for you, always. Best friends, eh? We could go out together and get our minds off of her," Willow suggested with a bitter smile.
"Tseh, like you're any better," Lexa told her angrily, making Willow stop in her tracks, shocked. Lexa just walked onward.
Willow turned around and caught up. "What do you mean?" Willow asked with dread.
Lexa stopped and turned right to face her, looking menacingly at Willow, and she explained, "You knew how I felt about Buffy, you knew I was in love with her and still you told her to stay away from me for you, while I've never seen you as anything else but a friend. You betrayed /me/ by keeping Buffy away from me, Willow. I had to do all kinds of twisting and turning just to get her in the same room alone with me, because of what you demanded of Buffy." Lexa stepped forward with an angry face, making Willow back up in fear and defeat until she banged against the wall. Lexa hissed at her, "Your betrayal wouldn't change any of my feelings for you, keeping all three of us miserable, Buffy's betrayal at least made me and her happy - if she didn't think corpses are sexy . . . so get out of my face, Willow, I can't deal with either of you right now." Lexa then abruptly turned and walked away. Willow didn't move, still looking up where Lexa had been moments earlier. Willow got angry then, and walked away. After a few steps guilt attacked her, and she shuddered with sadness, fighting off her tears.
-----
Lexa stalked to his class with mounting anger. Suddenly someone appeared from behind a corner, and a moment later warm water was splashed in Lexa's face. "Aargh! What was that for!?" Xander called out in anger, stepping forward and grabbing Ampata by his collar.
"Concha mi madre! It's true," Ampata swore looking into Xander's angry eyes. The brunet calmed down a bit and let Ampata go, but was still pissed. "You are some piece of work, you know that? Pretending you're in love with me to remove the possibility of me getting feelings for Buffy and vice versa, even /if/ I'm only here for two weeks. And you're accusing her ex."
"I didn't manipulate /her/, I did not lie to /her/, I'm not a 240-year-old corpse, she did tell you that didn't she?" Xander said angrily.
"Yep," Ampata nodded.
Xander continued, "I'm of her age, I'm alive, and I didn't gamble with her life just to look better, and I never will."
"True, she loves you very much, you know that?" Ampata told him.
"Apparently not enough," Xander said sadly and turned away, starting to walk.
Ampata joined him, and said, "She spent quite some time crying last night, I heard her wish multiple times her love for Angel would just go away." Xander stopped, and turned to him. "In her brain she knows the vampire and her can't work, it's her heart that's the problem," Ampata said and watched Xander look at him. "She's smarter than you think."
Xander growled defeated to no one in particular, and started walking again. "So, we go to that costume party tonight, you could come as Lexa, that way you and Buffy don't have to do the whole star-crossed lovers thing."
"Fine, fine," Xander said, and then turned away from Ampata, who smiled sadly.
-----
Xander sat dejectedly at a lunch table, away from Willow and Buffy who sat at different tables. He, as well as Willow and Buffy, were in such bad moods that no one would sit with them. Well, Ampata sat with Buffy and . . . "Nihau!" Lotion greeted and placed herself across from Xander. Xander looked up lazily, and took in the short-skirted Amazon as she put her plate down and sat down. Once Lotion sat down she looked around and wondered, "Witch and pig-nosed girl not with us today?"
"Nope," Xander said and grabbed a sandwich he had brought with him and disinterestedly took a bite.
"What happened?" she asked confused.
Xander grimaced, hesitated, and then answered, "Pig-nosed girl slept with me, but she still loves the vampire and can't choose. Witch feels pig-nosed girl betrayed her."
Lotion looked completely confused, and said, "Vampires evil, vampires dust. I'm confused."
Xander looked up at her finishing another bite of his sandwich and explained, "Gypsies cursed vampire. They gave him his soul, he's the only good vampire around."
Lotion looked at him, thinking, and then she asked, "What mean 'slept with'?"
Xander looked at her, for a moment he thought about lying, but then said, "I had sex with her."
"No!" Lotion exclaimed shaking her head. Xander nodded, and then tears sprang in her eyes. "You really?" Xander nodded again, and watched thick lines of tears run down the girl's cheeks, and suddenly felt bad. "You marry blonde?" Lotion almost sobbed out.
Xander shook his head, saying, "She can't choose, remember?" Lotion let out a bigger sob, stabbing Xander in the heart. The stupid Amazon had grown on him. Although he had yet to start considering her as an actually romantic possibility, he had started to see the girl as a friend. He quickly got up, walked around the table, and sat down next to her, pushing her aside a little so he could fit. He slung an arm around her and said soothingly, "Hey, it isn't the end of the world. I told you this could happen, didn't I?"
Lotion nodded, shaking from a sob, and said, "But I hoped . . ."
"Our lives are far from over, you never know. And even if I'm not the one to be yours, there are other guys out there. I promise I'll train whoever you're interested in so he can defeat you in combat. That way you won't lose your honor and all that," Xander said, heartbroken at the heartbroken girl.
Lotion stifled her crying, and wiping away some tears, she asked, "You mean that?"
Xander nodded, "Yeah, I do."
"You do love me then?" she asked him painfully.
Xander looked over to Willow, who glared at them, and then at Buffy, who was doing the same, and he said, "As a friend, yeah, I probably reached that state."
Lotion smiled at him, broadly, and whispered to him, "There's hope yet." Xander couldn't help but smile back.
-----
Much later that day, after school, Xander stalked across the grass belonging to the school. It was time to go home, and put on his costume for that night. "AHA!! FINALLY!!" a voice called out angrily. Xander slowed down his walking and then saw Pike walk straight for him. Xander looked around himself and then confusedly indicated himself. "Xander Harris, you pig, how do you dare chase other girls when you have a fiancee!?"
Xander looked at him with an annoyed look, and said, "I don't have a fiancee."
"WHAT?!" Pike yelled and threw a punch that Xander casually avoided. "You dare deny you asked the angel to marry you!?" Pike kept throwing punches and kicks while he yelled at Xander.
"What angel?" Xander asked circling around this lunatic that was unsuccessfully attacking him.
"Stand still, you bastard!" Pike yelled, throwing several more punches. "How can you inflict such pain upon the beautiful Lotion!?"
Xander stopped moving, eyebrows raised in surprise. What was this guy doing with Lotion? He moved once again just in time before Pike could hit him, and he said, "Will you quit this already!? Lotion isn't my fiancee! I didn't ask her to marry me."
"Now you're calling her a liar!" Pike screamed enraged doubling his efforts.
That was it, Xander was utterly pissed off about this. He parried the next blow, and then kicked out. With an 'oof' that removed all Pike's air, the vagrant was launched from his position until he crashed against a tree and sank down. "Did you see a ring?" Xander asked angrily, coming over. Pike sat dazed. "Well!?"
Pike looked at him angrily suddenly, "A cheapskate too!"
Xander smashed his hand in his forehead in frustration and then grabbed Pike by his collar and lifted him off the ground, pushing hi against the tree. Xander snarled out, "Ancient Amazon tradition: man defeat Amazon in combat, Amazon marry man. I did not know that when I defeated her in combat. Now they 'say' I'm her fiance, but in fact I am not. You get it yet!?" Pike looked at the angry Xander dumbfounded. Xander moved even closer, his angry face almost touching Pike's dumbfounded one, saying, "If you like her so much, just defeat her in combat, and /you/ get to marry her." Xander finished his tirade, and dropped Pike to the ground. Xander stalked off, cursing under his breath.
Pike's eyes were wide, stood up, and yelled, "Lotion! My beauty, I'm coming for you!" Xander halted for a moment, looked backward, and saw Pike run for his bike.
"Oh, brother, he's so going to get his ass kicked," Xander muttered, shaking his head.
-----
Lotion was just finishing her Playboy bunny outfit. Fishnet pantyhose, white high heels, purple high cut body, that slipped in her ass crack in the back, right where a fake bunny tail hid it from view. A pair of bunny ears, a collar and bow tie, and finally wrist fittings of a blouse finished the outfit. Her makeup was thick, red lips, colored eyes, all to accentuate her femininity. Her brown hair now had playboy bunny heads to tie them together instead of her normal ribbons.
"You look amazing, Lotion," Deo sad with a large smile. "No man will be able to resist you."
"I hope so," Lotion answered with a big smile.
"LOTION!" a voice screamed from in front of the house. Lotion and Deo looked at each other, as the voice cried, "I have come for your hand in marriage! I challenge you to a duel!" The two amazons walked over to the window of this first floor room, and opened it, looking at Pike standing below, looking up at them. "Give me this honor, beautiful Lotion," he added.
Lotion blinked in confusion a few times, and looked at her mother, who was obviously very annoyed. "Defeat this fool quickly, Lotion, so you can go dazzle your future husband," Deo told her daughter.
"I will," Lotion said with a nod and simply jumped out the window, landing across from a startled Pike on the toes of her high-heeled shoes.
Pike looked with wide eyes at Lotion's appearance, blubbering about a bit. Then he caught himself and said, "As a rule I don't hit women, but if it's the only way to get you to marry me, I'll make this one exception. I will make this as fast and as painless as possible."
"Okay, come," Lotion said, beckoning him.
Pike nodded and ran at her with a roar. Lotion blocked his right punch and smashed her fist in his stomach - several times over - each time tears of pain sprang from Pike's eyes. Lotion let go, and with a right backhand sent him flying off to the right, where he crashed into a fence. "Ouch, oi, ow," Pike muttered slowly as he lay broken on floor.
"Now you stop being silly? Only one man in existence that can beat me," Lotion got a dreamy look, and then added, "Have no interest in you?"
Lotion waited a moment, and then Pike rose defeated, hurting all over, still dazed, but he said, "No. You are amazing. You are beautiful. And you are strong and skilled. So I promise you this, Lotion, I will take my bike, and find a teacher. Once I'm strong enough to beat you in combat, I will be back! And then you will marry me!" Pike than indeed walked over to his bike, while Lotion looked at him in annoyance and surprise. The bike started, and he drove off, apparently determined to keep his promise.
-----
Willow sat dejectedly in her room, looking at the two outfits. One a cute Eskimo, the other a much more sexy outfit. She had all but thrown the Eskimo outfit out earlier, but now . . . she didn't feel sexy, she just felt miserable. Decision made, she grabbed the Eskimo outfit, and started putting it on.
-----
Lexa rang the bell, wearing a cowboy outfit. Bright red lips. The leather pants were tight, and the shirt really meant for her male self wrapped tightly around her breasts showing them off. The door opened revealing Ampata, smiling and wearing a vampire costume. "Ah, cowgirl, let me sack your bload."
"That's so not funny in this town, Ampata," Lexa commented, and Ampata chuckled.
"I think it is," he said, and gestured up the stairs. "Let's not forget about Buffy."
Buffy came out nervously when she heard her name. She was dressed up like Little Red Riding Hood, a mixture of sexiness and innocence. She came down the stairs, and looked at the female version of the guy she had lost her virginity to. "A-are we okay?" Buffy asked Lexa.
Lexa looked at her for a few moments, and then said coolly, "We will be, probably." Buffy got an expression that was both relief and disappointed pain.
"Okay, I've got the camera," Buffy's mother announced coming to join the three. "You all look fantastic," Joyce said, taking in the three, noticing Xander's female form. When the whole vampires-are-real-and-Buffy's-a-super-hero explanation had been given, Xander's double gender nature had come up as well. The three of them joined together and Joyce made a few pictures of the three dressed-up teens. Once the pictures were taken they said goodbye to Buffy's mom and they went outside.
-----
Upon entering the Bronze Giles' eyes widened when they fell on Jenny in a sexy bee costume. "Rupert, English librarian, truly an inspired costume," Jenny said with a big smile.
"I- uh- I didn't think chaperones should come in-in costume as well," Giles stammered out embarrassedly.
Jenny smiled, planted a chaste kiss on his lips, and then hooked her arms behind his and led him deeper into the lion's den. "No problem, Rupert, just don't forget to have fun," she said with a smile.
A few minutes later Ampata, and two depressed demon hunters entered the place. A short moment later he was dancing with Lexa on the dance floor. When the next song started he was dancing with Buffy, determined to get his temporary friends to enjoy themselves.
Willow - all cutesy as an Eskimo, spear in one hand, and a big, fake fur coat with broad hat covering her head - entered the Bronze then, and took a sad look around. She found Ampata dancing with Buffy, and saw Lexa sitting at a table. She walked away from her, and placed herself against a pillar, thinking, feeling guilty.
On the stage, the guitarist of the band noticed Willow. He leant over to another musician and asked, "Who's that?"
"Oh, Monica Harrow," the guy answered.
"No, the one in the Eskimo costume," the guitarist added.
"Don't know," was the answer.
Cordelia, with Tatewaki behind her entered the Bronze, and she looked around. She quickly found Lexa and grinned. She told Tatewaki to go mingle on his own, and she walked over to Lexa. "Hello, Lexa," Cordelia greeted and she looked up, eyes widening. Cordelia was dressed like a nurse, and the outfit was so skimpy, the skirt so short, Lexa actually wondered if the costume had been bought in a lingerie shop instead of a costume shop. "Wanna dance?" Cordy asked suggestively.
"Well . . . okay," Lexa said reluctantly, and let herself be taken onto the dance floor. After a while of dancing and some conversation, Lexa said, "You look stunning, Cordy."
"Thank you," Cordelia returned.
Tatewaki had placed himself on the side of the dance floor, watching Buffy dancing with Ampata with large sparkling eyes, then watched the two get off the dance floor, when the band took a break.
Willow had maneuvered to the punch table and filled a glass for herself. Guilt over what she had done, fueled by Xander's words, flooded her being. She wasn't really upset about Xander, they were best friends for so long, their friendship could take quite a beating and keep going. It was Buffy that was nagging her. Ever since she had ostracized her from her life, exactly twenty-four hours ago, she felt miserable. Buffy . . . was Buffy, her first female friend. Although at the moment she felt like wringing her neck, it also hurt severely that she was no longer her friend. She couldn't take it any longer, put the punch down, turned around and walked to where Buffy and Ampata were sitting at a table.
"Hello . . ." the guitarist with partially bleached hair in prickles said, but Willow had just left. He smiled wryly at missing her, and muttered, "Who's that girl?"
Willow and Tatewaki both headed toward Buffy's table, both only a few meters away from it. Willow was much more determined though, so she just plowed through Tatewaki, pulling his leg from under him without even noticing she did. A moment later the Japanese guy lay groaning on the floor. Willow reached the table, listening in on the pleasant conversation between Ampata and Buffy, but not caring. "Buffy," she said, plaintive, with a hint of anger.
Buffy looked up, and said in reflex, her eyes watering, "Willow, I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done it, can you forgive me?"
Willow sat down, and told Buffy, "I'm sorry." Buffy blinked in confusion. "I could beat you up right now, do you know that? That's how much I resent you, but . . ." Willow took a deep breath, and added, "I knew how Xander felt about you, I should never have asked you to leave him alone. I betrayed him and you, betrayed my best friend's wants and desires, and did the same with your potential happiness with him. I'm sorry, I hope you can forgive me, I'll forgive you, but I'm going to be angry with you for quite some time, I can't just turn that off."
Buffy was crying with happiness, Ampata smiling a huge smile. Buffy nodded then, "Nothing to forgive," Buffy sobbed out, and then grabbed Willow and pulled her into a tight hug. Willow was surprised at first, part of her wanting to bash Buffy's head in, then something else became apparent.
"Agh, uck, Slayer strength!" Willow called out, as she felt her body getting unhealthily compressed.
"Sorry," Buffy muttered loosening up some, but not stopping the hug.
"Big baby," Willow said, and then hugged back fiercely, silently thanking Xander for giving her the chewing-out and making her see her own mistakes so she could get herself to this point. She really had no idea what she would do if Buffy would really no longer be her friend.
Cordelia and Lexa arrived at the table then, and saw the hug going on. Cordelia was confused, Lexa was somewhat glad the two had made up, but still pissed about the whole situation and most notably what led to it; Buffy's infatuation with a demon-animated corpse.
"Uh, uh, oh," Ampata let out, huge eyes, and the crowd in the bronze grew a lot less loud. Cordelia and Lexa saw Ampata's reaction and they turned around. Buffy and Willow turned around themselves soon after. Cordelia's eyes narrowed with hatred, the outfit she was wearing was positively conservative compared to that. Lexa's eyes widened in appreciation. Buffy's eyes widened in surprise, and Willow's eyes widened with very different feelings.
Playboy bunny Lotion came walking over to the table, hips swaying suggestively. -Hubba, hubba . . . oh, no!- Willow thought, with lust and dread. -No! No! I can't be thinking about the bitch like that. Avert eyes, now!- Willow forced her head around with difficulty.
Both Ampata and Lexa kept their eyes glued to the vision of absolute sexiness. When Lotion reached the table, she was annoyed that Xander was in his female form. At least his eyes were suitably glued to her body. Hmm, a little jealousy might help. "Ampata, would you like to dance?" Lotion asked sweetly.
Ampata, eyes huge as saucers, nodded his head vigorously and then rapidly got up. His arm wrapped around the Playboy bunny with utter relish as he took her on the dance floor. Cordelia folded her arms across her chest, and said, "What kind of a skank dresses up like a Playboy bunny?"
"Oddly enough, right there with you, Cordelia, right Willow?" Buffy said, but no answer came. "Willow?" Buffy asked, looking at Willow whose eyes were obviously glued to the Amazon.
"Huh?" Willow said, tearing her gaze away.
"Oh, no, Xander fine, but you?" Buffy said with disappointment.
"What's with me?" Lexa asked, her eyes equally glued to the dance floor. Buffy shook her head.