Same Time, One of Those Upper Planes Deities Inhabit
"We need to do something about Janus!" Ares threatened, "Look at what's happening in the Norse Planes! Ragnarok has happened and only a single Odin and a few of the Ancients are left in those! And before we lost contact they were seven Earth years in the future!"
"Calm down, Ares," Zeus commanded, "So far we've only lost the Hades-controlled dimensions to this effect. And if we act precipitously we'll lose the ability to teleport ourselves or control portals."
"And if we do nothing we risk oblivion, Father," the God of War replied to his Anthony Quinn look-alike father, "So from here I can see the Asian pantheons fighting each other to survive, and it also looks like with the pressure of the Demon Lords and Hell Gods are turning on each other."
"So we wait, and if necessary kill our Cousin Janus," Zeus declared, "But I will do it while each of you find your favorite mortal realm as the aftershocks might mean your reductions to demi-god status unless you can slowly recreate your power from worship as of old rather than from magic as we did eventually. It seems to be working for Cousin Odin, and he was trapped in a succession of mortal forms until recently recharged from the magic and pain of the Earth."
Angelic Planes, Same Time
"Have we been given the order to reconnaissance the epicenter of the disturbance?" Gabriel asked Michael, "Surely what is going on in the Supernatural Planes is of Importance."
"No," replied Michael, "Free Will such as the Pantheonics receive is being exercised between themselves as well as between the Demonics. Neither the King nor the Rebel have need of restraint as the effects have prevented direct spillover into the mortal realms."
"So this means…" another Archangel voiced.
"A self-downsizing of the corporate infrastructures," Michael responded.
"That's it!" Gabriel shouted in a very Billy Crystal manner, grabbing his superior and 'brother' by the ear, "You are so going to watch some mortal television! No more hanging around the late 20th Century Fortune 500 types that sometimes eek through!" He waved his hand and a hundred 60" televisions revealed themselves with different shows. "Not one of these is educational, brother, but if you don't want the Sci-Fi Channel or Showtime, at least watch that new WB network. If you keep paying attention to the merchants, it'll mean remedial courses on 'Why Bright Star Isn't Here Any More' for you and I'll have to do your job as well as mine!"
"Can I at least have a lot of sugar with my corn flakes?" the Archangel replied, dead-panned.
"See Mike!" Gabriel responded, "That's more like it."
"Don't call me Mike…"
Elsewhere, Elsewhen, The Place the Senior Partners Exist
"We've lost complete contact with half the worlds on which we have a presence," one of the Partners noted, "And our ability to brute-force travel between dimensions has become nearly non-existent since the Januses have been reduced and the other portaling keepers of power have been destroyed in the panic to control them."
"What will happen if Janus is eliminated?" another Partner voiced.
"A return to the beginning for most magics, as the Fates and their counterparts have themselves been forced onto mortal planes," another Partner informed them.
"Mortals and demigods would be mostly free of us unless the obvious centers of old power were used with the proper rituals or the sacrifice of an Old One."
"It is fortunate that all of the Old Ones are in a single repository on a single Earth," the first Partner voiced, "But we would have to resume form like the Anubi in order to retain direct control."
"How many of them are left?" the second Partner voiced.
"A mere forty throughout the nearly two hundred variations where magic and technology co-exist in equal presence, the third Partner informed, "But we would be as the Ancients of those dimensions or the First."
"Can we do anything about that one?" the second Partner asked.
"We could sacrifice half the Old Ones and channel the power into the Stronghold of the First. That would render it corporeal in the worlds it is currently playing, and make it vulnerable for a millennium before it could revive itself."
"To rid ourselves of that enemy is desirable, and should shatter all ties by the pantheons, demonics and ourselves to the mortal realms unless we're in the mortal realms," the third Partner remarked, "It should be considered, as many of the battlefield planes of both sides might shatter and dissolve with those therein."
"We shall begin preparation," all three Partners intoned.
The Plane of the Powers, Same Time
"The Other Side is shifting somehow," a Power remarked.
"Yes, they will probably move to sever the ties as they and us would be all that is left." another Power voiced.
"Have the Guardian of the Old Ones turn over a quarter of his charges," another Power directed, "We will tie the release of power into realms in which we are at least barely winning."
"Such power is insufficient to permit direct passage," another Power remarked.
"Unlike the Other Side, we need only Influence, not establish a Presence," another Power, that representing the Ancients responded, "We need only maintain what we have, not establish bases. And we have the Gates in the dimensions in which 'Ancients' lived. With Influence, those and other technologies may be utilized to cross between the mortal realms."
"We are too thin to effect too great a control," another Power suggested.
"Then take Inspiration from Him," the Ancient remarked, "And place some trust in those of the humans and other sentients He created and cares about. We have evolved into our role, let us do what we can to justify it."
"We will do as we think necessary," another Power chided, "We balance the gray so that light may eventually triumph through the efforts of those below us."
Back to our regularly scheduled Xander-Hog Day Increment…
"My bloody body hasn't felt this drained since that time I spent four weeks with all twelve of the Vestals under the rubble after that earthquake…" Xander bemoaned as he awoke to sun shining through the window. He smelled the tea being placed next to him even before he heard it.
"I'd be willing to hear that story, Alexander," Jenny Calendar's voice purred softly into his ear, causing him to sit immediately upright in his chair.
"Ack," he replied, "No picking on the 'Alexander' before his first coffee or tea, or it could get ugly." He sighed after intaking half the cup. He blearily looked around the library. "You guys couldn't toss me on the cot in the weapons locker?" he continued slightly exasperated.
"Nobody wanted to disturb you, you were so tired," she replied softly while looking around the room.
"Where are they?" Xander asked, pouring another cup for both of them as Giles came out of his office at the sound of their voices.
"Good morning, Xander," Giles greeted him and set down the 'Big Book O' Xander' in front of him, "I haven't made it all of the way through but this is quite fascinating. Do Doyle or the girls know of this?"
"Hmm, Dawn vaguely might remember it from back when," Xander considered, waking up, "What time is it?"
"Ten of twelve, actually," Giles replied, "The others have gone out for food and a walk, they were less tired than you were."
"So how are our 'new humans' today?" Xander queried.
"They seem to be normal humans in excellent health at the age of when they were turned," Giles replied, "They do not seem to have retained any of the vampire qualities in the least."
"Good," Xander replied, earning him curious looks, "I don't really plan to have folks getting themselves turned so that they can become super-humans, because I'm not going to be making a habit of this."
"Understood," Giles responded respectfully, making Xander feel directly happy with Giles for the first time in a really long time.
"Now, let's get some lunch and you two can help me plan for the next Reset."
"Oh?" Jenny replied.
"Even if we don't have to do the spells again, a naked Jesse will be falling off my bedroom shelf, and William and Edith will be in the midst of Spike and Drusilla's minions."