Author: Tohonomike Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners...it will start off with the Joss/ME characters, and the Lorimar characters aren't mine either and any other characters or real-life folks are clearly not mine. NO money is involved. None are mine.
This is dedicated to those of you who watched the show. After all of these years, I don't really remember that much, so we're going to go with still, look and feel rather than strict detail. Anyone that feels like making suggestions, please feel free; maybe I can fit them into the outline I'm filling out for this one. Also, I'm too lazy too research, so if anyone feels an unnatural compulsion to find the 'stats' on Darien, feel free and thanks in advance.
Alexander and Giles were about to leave the costume store when the former turned and looked about the place. He then found a strongbox, and in the register an extra set of keys with which he locked the door.
"Not very law-abiding," Giles considered as they left, nodding at the strongbox.
Alexander smiled Lambert's smile, a softer version of his own trademark, and Xander's voice seemed to have traded the edge it sometimes had for a softer but if possible more confident and determined quality, "I'll have Selma invest it, or ask you to place a series of wagers. I'll return the liquidity in question in a year, but use the proceeds to help mitigate some of the suffering he caused tonight. Any funds thereafter will be used to fund any activity which will keep human and demonic improper activity to a minimum, which could include the continued letting of this shop. Fair enough, Dr. Giles?"
"Yes, quite, and well planned," the Watcher complimented, reinforcing Xander's determination to continue as the new Alexander Lambert, "are you planning to become a police officer?"
"No, though I am going to be engaged in investigation and law enforcement, I can't see Darien or myself putting up with the Sunnydale Police for much more than ten minutes."
"Understandable."
"And for now, Giles, I'd rather you not tell anyone about Selma or my continued state of competency without my permission."
"Well, I won't lie to the girls if directly asked, but other than that you have my word."
"Thank you, Giles. Until I know what I'm going to undertake, I'd like to avoid outside scrutiny."
When Alexander and Rupert entered the Library, they found Angel, Cordelia, Buffy and a very much alive Willow talking, the blonde Slayer changed into gym clothes. Willow and Alexander rushed to each other and hugged.
"Wills! Are you alright?" he asked as he held her for a moment in only the tiniest beyond a brotherly manner, then held her out so he could examine her for obvious injuries.
"I'm fine, now, how about you, Captain?" she whispered as she made him hug her again.
"I'm fine…Miss Rosenberg," he answered with a light tone as she drew back, and continued softly, as they moved away from the others, "Alexander Lambert, at your service. How much do you remember?'
"I remember it all, actually, Captain, I mean Xander. My computer science skills are way beyond what they were; before I could manipulate what people had, maybe splice some code. Now I could probably develop the theories, codes and guidelines for SELMA, and given forty or fifty years bring her and others into being instead of waiting two centuries."
"Anything else?" he asked almost casually, "and do you feel physically alright?"
"I'm fine, other than feeling the overwhelming habit to call you Captain, that is. And what was Darien doing making such a bad comment to the vampires before dusting them?"
"Oh, just trying to make a slightly unstable personality a bit more off-put, Willow. As you might remember from watching with me with bullies or Buffy with vampires, the use of quips and other words can make them mad enough not to think. Darien's from a time that wouldn't care about such activity as long as it wasn't a public nuisance, and I'm confidently straight, so I don't care either. But Spike's image clearly showed psychological compensations in the human-based personality, and being that it was a demon, more likely to take it as an attack. This bought me the split second extra to eliminate all of them instead of a couple. Alright?"
"Yeah, but you're okay, right? Any changes?"
"Like I've hinted by name, Willow, I think I've gotten most of the package; how about just the two of us get together tomorrow and we discuss the possibilities of this further?"
"What about the others? What should we tell them?"
"Giles knows a little, but nothing else for now; just that it's good to be us in control of our bodies."
"Deception through literal truth but not revelation of every pertinent fact; that doesn't seem very Darien Lambert of you."
"No, that's pure me, Willow." He smiled and as they turned and rejoined the group, Xander's arm hadn't left Willow's back, something she quite enjoyed, though at the same time wondered if colleagues should engage in such behavior, 'I guess being like SELMA means part of her personality, being a little more disciplined and logical, stayed with me.'
"Hey Buffy?" Alexander asked mildly, "Feeling better?"
"Better than making an ass of myself? Oh yeah, and you?"
"Fine, just checking on Willow…"
"Giles said you took out Spike and four minions?"
"Darien did that, but I can't say I'm broke up about dusting vampires," he replied, then noticed Angel staring at him from only four feet away. "You're looking at me funny; don't you remember to eat before wandering out?"
The veiled reference to the night Xander dragged the souled vampire to go save Buffy from the Master was enough for Angel to momentarily lose his train of thought. He leaned against the computer table where Willow had left an open connection running, and set Selma down.
"Anyway, guys, I'm a little tired: Willow? Walk you home?"
"Sure, that'd be great…" the girl replied with a smile.
The Next Morning
Alexander had stayed up late and triaged his possessions, and had gone out to the back yard and dug up his various caches. He could still hear the quiet of the parents, and with a full military pack, and a large duffle, Alexander Harris left his house—hopefully for the last time.
The walk to Ethan's was a little out of the way, but the keys let him into the back room. Looking carefully, around, he found some paperwork, including the fact that there was an apartment upstairs accessible from either the empty shop next door, or the alleyway staircase. But that could wait for now, and he left also through the rear to pick up Selma from the library.
As eight o' clock approached, he entered the school building and moved over to the computer station, still operating, "Selma report?"
The holo-image manifested itself promptly, at regular human size as though sitting at the computer station herself "Captain Lambert, it is good to see you this morning sir."
"It's good to see you too, Selma. What progress were you able to make since last night?"
"Well, I've managed to create two dozen variants on Darien's previous sets of identification, but as you are actually going to remain in this century, I took the liberty of filling in far more detail, and several layers deeper in regards to school records, birth certificate duplicates, that sort of thing"
"Were you able to print out hard copies and appropriate paperwork explaining the need for the replacements?"
"Affirmative, and I took the liberty of using other agencies, using the names of agents and support staff retiring yesterday as the requestors, so within three or four business days your documentation will be arriving at the stor address; I hope I presumed correctly?"
"Excellent work and you presumed correctly Selma. Right now, I need you to transfer everything you can find of Ethan Rayne's to whichever accounts or corporate entity you deem appropriate. I also would like you to determine the ownership status of the shop, and any individual components comprising that row. I think we'll want to try acquiring them when we have the funds, and perhaps set up a more permanent base of operations than what you and Darien had."
"Very well, sir. Anything else?"
"Yes, when you conducted a scan on my background last night, were you aware of the … personal reasons for my emancipation?"
"No, sir."
"Do so, and if possible from the Harris records please develop the best evidence, charges, and over all case for filing charges with the State, County and City, as well as civil and criminal charges of negligence against the police officers, child welfare workers and others that clearly never bothered to interview me to determine my true situation."
"Yes, sir. Anything else, Captain?"
"Hmm, in your world none of this supernatural stuff was real, was it?"
"No sir, the various euphemisms of which you and Dr. Giles informed me are very much nonexistent in my records."
"Alright. What information do you have in your databases on my alternate self?"
"Only an outline, such as might be found in the average background check; no real details."
"What about the others here?"
"I have records for Joyce Summers, Elizabeth Summers, Willow Rosenberg, Ira and Sheila Rosenberg, Dr. Rupert Giles. Though the Sunnydale of that world was a subdivision of Ventura, and only you and the Rosenbergs were there."
Willow, dressed in much the same manner as the night before, sleepily waving as she entered the library.
"Willow, you're looking very attractive this morning. Why the change in style?"
The girl beamed at the compliment and Xander's taking notice, and leaned in for a hug and kissed him on the cheek, "Well, when I woke up I really didn't feel right in my normal clothes; what's weird is I either wanted to dress this way or like Selma. Hi Selma, good morning."
"Good morning, Miss Rosenberg, and there is nothing inherently wrong with either manner of dress; comfort, practicality and your own considerations are what's important."
The redhead beamed at the holo-person, "Thank you, Selma. Uh, Selma? Don't take this the wrong way, but why are you still with us now the spell is over?"
Selma looked at her Captain, who nodded, "We believe that the use of the TRAX device on the statue so immediately after that on Ethan, caused a feedback loop, so here I am. There is a very small energy signature still extant around many of the transitioned items, as well as yourself. Are you feeling alright?"
Alexander's brow furrowed slightly with concern, "Selma, any speculation as to the energy?"
"The chaos energy of which we discussed with Dr. Giles. I believe in your case it manifested itself genetically and how it may have adjusted Miss Rosenberg, who had both corporeal and holographic presences, remains to be seen, but I can detect no cellular problems."
Xander and Willow both sighed, then Xander continued, "Alright, that's very good news. Willow, I was just having Selma look up any records of our alternates, but now that you're here, can you concentrate and feel or remember anything about last night that matches how you feel now?"
"Other than calling you Captain, feeling a deference to you and my fashion tendencies?"
"Yeah, besides those," he added with his new smile.
"Hmm, let me see…" she considered, then reached out and found she could treat Selma as a solid object, holding her hand, "I guess I'm sensitive to a certain use of light." She smiled, then pulled the woman into a hug, "I'm glad you're her. If we had to figure this out on our own it might take forever and I'd feel scared more than with you here."
Selma looked confused, then commented, "Willow, I believe you've just gone completely non-corporeal yourself. Are you alright?"
"Wow, yes I am," the red head nodded as Xander looked at her in shock, then consideration.
"Willow, can you decide to become solid again?" he asked, then the girl attempted to 'will' herself but to no avail. As she looked a bit worried, he approached, "Okay, try touching me, then try."
After a moment, she was able to do it easily, "Wow."
"I agree, and looking at the table, and feeling a bit drained, I'm guessing you're able to draw the necessary energy to change your…phase frequency? Selma?"
"I concur, Captain, and the chaos energy around her hasn't changed. Though scanning the area, I'm quite surprised to find you seem to be a null as regards to the same energy. That might be why she was able to use you as a living catalyst; you only seem to lose a bit of excess water, perhaps a counter to the heat of energy passing briefly through you."
"Interesting. Willow, if you're willing, let's try something. Can you change back the other way without touching Selma? If so, let's see if there are any distant or line of sight issues. Then let's see if you can change anything about yourself while in non-corporeal form, then try to change back."
Forty-five minutes later, and a few embarrassing experiences later, they'd determined that Willow had a five meter changing radius; she couldn't leave in holo-form beyond the location of Selma's physical card form, and would revert to a little Willow projection on it if she tried. She could of course change her clothes and general appearance, but nothing that changed her 'basic template' as Selma and Willow determined.
The interesting thing was that while Willow changed back naked when she'd tried to come back in a sundress, and wile embarrassed the redhead was not displeased that Xander's body had started to react the way she wanted it to. That aside, she was able to come back in her previous outfit, minus underwear, and a quick run to the gym was enough to show she could store and change back to solid anything she 'took with her' into Selma. But unless Xander was within five meters of Selma's card, Willow couldn't access whatever it was that allowed her to change. They figured it must be the fact that Alexander as 'Captain' had to give at least tacit permission by being there for it to happen.
"That's beyond fascinating," Alexander smiled with disbelief and no little interested embarrassment, after she'd taken regular objects and weapons, then was able to come back with any previous mix. She'd even managed to merge two swords in holoform into a really big sword that came through with her, but iffy in quality. By the time they were done, though, Xander had probably finished off about three gallons of water and another three gallons had evaporated from a water cooler bottle he'd placed next to himself, four chairs, and the outer eighth inch of veneer had been consumed as energy for her activity; not even dust remained. While not particularly beautiful, the wood at least was pristine and if coated appear new. "I wonder if you could learn to specify the source of your material."
"What do you mean, Xan?"
"Well, if you could do this near me, but pull the energy through a bunch of vamps, you might be able to dust 'em doing just that."
"Wow," Willow replied, looking a bit tired herself and also a drinker of two gallons of water, sat down next to him and leaned on him, dressed in gym clothes. After two minutes of silent contemplation alone, (Selma was on the Internet, not in her holoform, following up on research spawned by these developments), Willow smiled evilly into Xander's chest, "Darn, I should have remembered my bra and panties."
She could almost sense his now genetically-enhanced brain freeze.
An hour later, the two teens headed into Ethan's shop, and once inside, she fired up the computer as he looked around and found everything still in place. They were surprised at how neat his records were, and that most people had paid completely, with only a few dozen rentals. A tapping on the glass brought them out of their consideration. They opened the door and a man walked in and over to the register. Alexander came over and took position behind he register.
"Can we help you?"
"Yes, the name's Simmons, Mark Simmons," the man said pulling out his wallet and a visa card, "My wife and I decided to keep our costumes instead of returning them."
Willow pulled out the customer card and nodded, blushing, as she handed it to Xander and took the card for processing as another customer entered. Xander looked at it and smiled, thinking of what the previous night must have been like for a satyr and succubus. Nodding, he turned to the man, "That'll be two hundred and five dollars for the pair."
"Oh, that's fine, we had a bit much to drink last night, but our marriage this morning was never better."
The next four hours went pretty much the same, about a hundred adult customers netted the teens around three thousand in cash, and five thousand for the business, between deposits, purchases, returns and such. As fascinated and happy as the two were, they didn't want to think about costume rentals that might not be coming back again because of the same spell that left most of today's adult costume pairs very happy."
Around two o'clock, Rupert Giles walked into the building carrying what seemed to be a rather large grocery bag of take-out food selections. He smiled as he set it down on an almost-cleared table.
"I saw the two of you handling yourselves quite well and decided to take my turn. But once I left, I couldn't make up my mind and picked up Chinese, Thai and Greek."
"All are excellent choices, Dr. Giles," Alexander smiled as he reached in and began unloading the bag, "We really haven't had time to eat much today."
"I'm actually surprised to see you here Willow," Giles mused, "Does this mean you have recollections about last night as well?"
"Yes I do, Dr. Giles," Willow responded, with a slight Selma quality that Giles felt refreshing. But with a whimsical smile he looked at both of them.
"If you intend to keep your activities at least semi-secret, it might be best," he sighed dramatically, "if you both continue to call me Giles. I didn't emphasize my doctorates on my job application, and it might make people look harder into my background."
Willow blushed a little and nodded, "Alright Giles."
The Watcher stepped up and checking outside first, drew the blinds and put up the 'Out to Lunch' sign up and adjusted it to show three o'clock as the reopen time.
"There, now we can talk."
"Anything in particular?" Xander asked, clearing a table for their dining purposes. Looking around, "Willow, could you bring us some tea? I forgot I haven't had time to check the apartment yet, let alone for beverages."
"Okay, and I can change my clothes to something more comfortable." She smiled, phased halfway out of sight, became gym clothes clad with Giles' tea tray from the library they hadn't put back during their experiments, then touching Xander popped back. Giles look intrigued as his speechlessness delayed reaction for the thirty seconds.
"Good Heavens, that's remarkable. This even looks like my tray at the library."
"Um, it is, Giles," Willow demurred, "I can't copy things, at least not yet, but I can store things and we were experimenting, and forgot. I don't think we really planned to be here that long, but the customers came in…"
"Hmm, well, please return it later, preferably with tea ready to go," he smiled back at the apologetic girl, "But to answer Alexander's question, I think we should perhaps begin with whatever you've discovered for yourselves today. Oh, and I must warn you of two things: all of the food is from the authentic menus as opposed to the usual ones, and don't even think of getting between me and the Szechuan offerings. Understood?"
"Understood," they responded with smiles, and decide to come clean with their morning except for the naked Willow stuff.
They closed at five, and as far as they could tell, all but six rentals were accounted for, and the amount of net receipts was rather astounding. Slow as business was, Willow amused herself and the others by putting on about two dozen costumes that seemed more authentic or potentially useful, including four swordsman or demon hunter outfits with authentic weaponry and accessories that Willow thought looked really good on Xander but that Giles also considered potentially useful. That way if a change of clothes were needed, Willow could 'pop back out' with them in her arms. The three of them and Selma were amazed, but Selma determined that the further from the Hellmouth or the shop, the more energy it would take for changes. But while they were in Sunnydale, they now had greater flexibility in their ability to respond to threats.
After he locked the door behind Giles, and with Willow deciding to check something in the back room, Xander sighed at the feeling a good day of work and progress seemed to make. He was about to turn around when he heard Willow's smirking voice.
"Captain X, do you think this dominatrix suit makes my butt look big?"
And he had no Darien experience upon which to draw in response to such a truly dangerous and world-changing question.
Author's Note: This will NOT become a sex flick, but a little bit of the type of girl Willow dressed as for Halloween has remained, and that part of Willow's personality is going to have some fun; will this become W/X? Maybe; I don't know yet. But I think the two of them might have a bit more fun than just the pre-Halloween W/X would have.