I have included a bit o' that manga stuff in here for those who've requested it. I know that the Ranma stuff ended in 1996, and because the only other stuff I have the slightest idea of also comes through fanfics, I've broken the 1997 barrier for the Noir bit. I like my twist on it, and some references/flashbacks might occur in future parts as I learn more, but…here it is…
"Uh, guys, what just happened?" Jonathan asked as the god-essence disappeared. He looked confused for a few more minutes, then stared at Xander, sudden recollection growing, his body altering slightly to match the capabilities of former possessions when around Xander. The exhaustion of being possessed by a god, and the suddenness of the on-set of memories proved too much and he collapsed from sensory overload.
"A-an excellent question, Xander," Giles gently pressed as the group relocated Mr. Levinson to a car, "I'm not familiar with the stories."
"In a nutshell, Giles, Jonathan was briefly possessed by a new god in a universe written about by the Eddingses. Your usual Heir to the West fairy tale with a very nice feel to the whole thing, and the truly evil get what they deserve in the end. Apparently, as with Buffy and the Master, I've managed to resolve Prophecies like Alexander and the Gordian Knot. And so at some point, I and a few others strongly requested to visit the universe of the Belgariad and the Mallorean to help with the completion of destiny that will determine the nature of a god and a universal path. No weight on these shoulders. As to Jonathan, he might just have joined the Resets. I noticed a tiny green flash as the god left us."
They took the young man to the hospital, and checking up on him the next day, found him to be sedated, having claimed to have been beheaded by the Leader of the Horsemen, and the slayer of many orcs. Leaving the place, Xander explained the fact that Jonathan had from the beginning been Alexander the Great, Caspian (beheaded by Kronos/Xander), Casca Rufio Longinus, Gimli (Gloin's Son), and now 'Errand' a godling.
"You cut off his head, Xander?" Buffy asked incredulously, "Why?"
"Kronos cut off his head, Buff," Xander corrected her, "And he did it after destroying most of Sunnydale and setting most of the region afire, Buff. He did it to become a god."
"I-If he does remember during your, uh, next Reset," Giles asked, "How do you expect to deal with him?"
"Hmm, I'm thinking that until we get the vampires turned into humans, maybe we should tranquilize him, dress him up so that we don't have to immediately worry, and try to discuss it with him while I'm not in the room."
"That, unfortunately, might be your best hope for the next several times," Giles said, "But you will have to address the situation yourself as he calms down."
"I understand, Giles, I do," Xander sighed, "And I think for this next Reset, we'll add a little of the practical to the impractical. We'll corner Jonathan, talk to him, and hopefully find a way to earn his trust. I think we'll have one group grab costumes and come here, the others to make their way here as they can, and just take it from there. A short tranquilizer to initially obtain his presence will hopefully let us help him through the shock of what my body did to him, and to deal with memories from Caspian's atrocities."
Jonathan had come out of the Reset in a near-catatonic state. Luckily, Xander knew from prior contact that Jonathan had been changing clothes in the unoccupied boy's bathroom down the hall from the library at the time of the Reset, having changed out of his Phil attire there a couple of times. Checking that the hall was clear, he'd managed to manhandle the young man into the land of books without anyone really taking note. The group decided to change him into the proposed costume both as a way to buffer the young man's shock and to aid in the furtherance of the plans to humanize the vampires and get out of the loop.
Getting dressed in his martial artist costume, Xander had the feeling of impending doom, or at least discomfort, as both Dawn and Willow didn't exactly make good with the explanations when asked about it all.
"This is some kind of Japanese cartoon thing Dawnie got you hooked on, right Wills?" he pressed, getting a blush and a nervous look before her acquired skills kicked in to provide a nonchalance, 'Good to know their still as susceptible to me as I them…'
"Okay, Xan, it is," Dawn admitted, coming up to him, "But nothing bad, it's just kind of a comedy martial artist thing, extra-impossible moves and such, ya know?"
"And the two of you?" he pressed.
"A different series, about two kick-ass assassins, united against the world," Dawn smirked.
"Then why do I have a silk headband that looks a lot like your scarf?"
"Because it was all I could find for the accessory part," Dawn replied with an at least temporarily inscrutable look.
"Mm, okay, and what about Jonathan?"
"Djinn," Willow responded, taking the pressure off Dawn.
The trio had returned to the Library in plenty of time, stopping at the Espresso Pump for a wide assortment of beverages on the way back. The group pretty much was prepared for anything, or so they thought as Willow accidentally spilled cold water on both Dawn and Xander as the spell swept over Sunnydale with a green flash in the library.
"Where's Kirika?" Mireille/Willow asked as she took up a defensive stance and started to reach for a weapon. At the same time other voices called out, many in alarm…
"Where's Dawn!"
"What was that green flash?"
"What is your wish, my Master!" This latter, at great volume, causing everyone to turn in that direction rather than immediately continue their train of thought. They noticed that where a moment before Doyle had had a comforting hand on Jonathan's shoulder, now, a large wispy version of Levinson hovered as he addressed Doyle.
"Ur, um, how many wishes do I get?" the Irishman asked the transformed teen as a large Japanese version of Xander carefully maneuvered to the forefront.
"Just one, and then my service here is over," the djinn responded, interrupted at the end by Wesley's voice over the radio asking about entering the costume shop yet, and Giles telling him five minutes.
"Well, I guess since the questions we want to know are," Doyle asked, "What exactly is going on here" gesturing around him "and with the whole Sunnydale time loop situation, how do resolve our rehumanize the undead effort successfully, what are tomorrow night's lottery numbers and how to get Dawn back with us without any sacrifice on another's part. So the wish is for us to have the answers and capabilities to fulfill the answers to these questions."
"Granted," the Djinn said, and they could see the spirit leaving Levinson's body, and before Giles could direct Wesley, Doyle cried out.
"No Giles! Leave the statue alone for now!" the Irishman ordered, Giles calling Wesley and his group to stay their hands. Turning to those in the room, he explained, "We need to be careful, as it turns out that Ranma Saotome's female half at the moment would be Yuumura Kirika, and we need to cast a spell to remove curse. Since Giles has everything we need in his office, it should only take about fifteen minutes to prepare. Miss Bouquet, as you can tell, magic is real, and" grabbing some very warm water he spilled some on Ranma's feet "the change of Ranma into Kirika is further proof of this."
Kirika, nearly lost in the comparatively huge male martial artist clothes, at lightning speed made her way over to Willow as the latter called out a catchphrase in Corsican. The girls began discussing matters as Doyle continued, gathering the materials as he called out to them, "The vampire plan will wait until the next Resets, and after being dressed as various individuals previously identified, our plans should work out. As for escaping the time loop and saving the multiverse, first the vampire thing, and then we'll get to it. Also, as to what's going on here, there are a few hundred feet under us, beyond a 'Seal' quite a few ancient turok-han vampires entrapped and awaiting battle. Not an immediate problem as they've been there for millenia. Whatever's in charge of them isn't around here, so no info. The Principal here works for the Mayor, and the Police Chief is in the know. What their place in things happens to be, wasn't part of the question. Just that as Snyder is the responsible figure for the school, I guess we got that knowledge as part of the package. Now I need to have Yuumura Kirika in the middle of the room. Giles please set up a traditional candle circle. Ms. Bouquet, please take position over to the right as you will anchor the female half of our duo. Mr. Giles please take the apposite position with Xander's sword I front of you when done, but do not touch the orb, to anchor the male half. Everyone else please stand back and remain quiet."
A few moments of shuffling and Doyle prepared and executed a short and simple spell. Suddenly, a green flash and two almost-naked people were before them, Kirika-possessed Dawn in the shirt of the costume, and Ranma-possessed Xander in the pants, both swaying where they sat, the shock of the experience too great to shrug off. Their eyes both flashed slightly green before calming to normal. Doyle signaled to Giles that he should call Wesley to end things now. Everybody was shifting positions as Spike, Drusilla and all of their minions raced through the door, maybe twenty in all. As Doyle heard Giles give the 'end-spell' ordered he watched in amazement as Mireille/Willow drew and fired headshots into the game-faced charging vampires, downing many of them even as Kirika/Dawn and Ranma/Xander charged forward and began exacting a heavy toll. Tara managed to send three fireballs into the charging bunched up vampires as they flooded in, and Faith and Kendra charged as soon as they realized the situation. Within a minute, Faith was severely injured, and Kendra slammed into unconsciousness by a berserk Drusilla and a worked up William the Bloody. Ranma and Kirika watched the Slayers, and altered their tactics to staking or similarly using chair parts to end the undead, Giles finding his crossbow and wounding Drusilla, preventing her from snapping Kendra's neck. His lover's shriek of pain drew back Spike from finishing his third slayer, the shot granting him the lucidity to realize they had only four minions left even if they had hurt every human in the library. Grabbing a faltering Drusilla, he charged out through the doors and into the night as the chaos magic faded and died.
Silence reigned a moment, before Dawn and Xander remarked simultaneously, "That was freaky…hey…stop it…Willow…"
Willow pointed at Dawn, who continued to speak as she treated her Mireille's wounds gently, "It's okay, we're us again, though it's weird knowing guy things."
"Yeah," Xander agreed, as he tended to Jonathan, "The reverse for me, too, and I feel a connection between us. I want it very much to happen as soon as we're out of this looping." The two young women nodded.
"Hey!" Xander cried out as water splashed on him with no effect. He glared at Giles.
"I just wanted to make sure the curse itself was lifted," Giles remarked, "And I guess it did."
Whistler flew out of Sunnydale Airport singing along with the oldies station. 'I've gone through every theme park in Southern California and have spent a week on the beaches of Maui. Bought some new black pinstripe suits. Vegas, here I come…'
Elsewhere, Elsewhen, An Apartment in Paris
"Mireille, where can we get American snack food?" Kirika asked innocently, knowing her companion wouldn't approve.
"No more Kirika!" Mireille complained, "No more twinkie twin packs left at the scene of a job as a 'Noir' signifier! And all the exercise to just keep the weight off! Sacre Bleu!"