Groaning slightly, Mistoffelees woke up, trying to roll over and realizing he was laying on something metal and cold. Sitting up too quickly, the room spun and he put a hand to his head, whimpering.

Moloch's voice came from a corner of the room, "Welcome. I can't tell you how good it is to see you with my own two eyes." He stepped out of the shadows, a giant metal form made to encapsulate the circuitry required, but to still resemble his normal form.

Mistoffelees' eyes widened and for a moment he couldn't breathe. Yes, that looked like the demon on the book, and on the computer screen only... metal. "Moloch?" he asked softly, sliding his legs off the table and bracing himself against the edge.

The demon approached, "It is I."

"Oh god," he choked. "You... you have physical form now."

"Yes, isn't it glorious? This world is so new, so exciting. And I can see all of it. Everything flows through me. I know the secrets of your kings." He looked down at his metallic hands, "But none of it compares to having form again. To be able to walk, to touch," He reached out, resting his hand on Fritz's head. The teen had been standing just to one side. The demon twisted his devotee's head around, snapping his neck, "To kill."

Mistoffelees' eyes widened and he paled, shrinking back in terror. He scrambled over backwards along the table, until his back hit the wall. "Oh god, oh god..."

The demon started toward him again, but paused, tilting his head to one side, "Ah, here they come." An alarm could be heard in the hall.

Mistoffelees' head snapped over that way. "Th-them? And wh-what do you want with me?"

"I want to give you the world."

Mistoffelees turned back to him. "W-why?"

"You created me. I brought these humans together to build me a body, but you gave me life. Took me out of the book that held me. I want to repay you."

Mistoffelees swallowed hard, looking him over and shrinking further away. "How?" he asked softly.

"Don't you see? I can control the world." He paused before commenting, "Right now a man in Beijing is transferring money to a Swiss bank account for a contract on his Mother's life. Good for him."

Rather than being pleased, Mistoffelees' face only showed horror. "That..." his eyes strayed to Fritz's body and he swallowed hard. "God. Alright, you can control the world."

"Is there a problem?"

"Besides the killing and the contracts and the evil?" Mistoffelees managed. "I think those are enough."

"That is a problem?"

"Yes!" Mistoffelees said, still pressed against the wall. He really should not be arguing with a metal demon but he really had no idea what else to do.

There was a sharp banging on the door. Moloch looked in that direction, but dismissed it. "I do not understand. I offer you power, riches, whatever you desire."

Mistoffelees blinked at him for a long moment, before replying softly. "You couldn't give me what I desire."

"Could I not?"

"I very much doubt it," he said, just as softly.

"Try me."

"My parents alive would be a start," he said, voice gathering some strength. "Tweed and good tea and someone to love me. You're a machine. That's a demon. I don't think warm bodies and pancakes are your forte."

"But..." It seemed confused. "You freed me."

Mistoffelees stared at it in shock for a moment, mind trying to come up with any way of saying something that wouldn't get him killed. "I-I, not because I thought you could give me what I wanted!"

"But you freed me. I am yours. You are mine."

"Okay, this is verging on really creepy, no, wait, it way passed that," Mistoffelees said. "I... I am yours in what way now?"

"You freed me. You read the book. You are bound to me."

"What exactly does bound to me entail here? Because there are implications in there that are really creeping me out."

"You are to stay here."

o.o.o.o

Demeter looked up from her computer screen. "Alright, we're set. You talk, I'll type."

Coricopat nodded, beginning to read, glancing from the book to the screen to make sure the words were input correctly, "By the power of the divine. By the essence of the word. I command you. By the power of the Circle of Kayless, I command you!" He paused, leaning over her shoulder, "Kayless. With a K."

"Right, sorry," she muttered.

He nodded again, "Demon, come!"

o.o.o.o

Mistoffelees glanced up at the demon as the metal body suddenly took a step back. Moloch stumbled back as the door to the room opened and Grids entered, coughing slightly.

Mistoffelees looked at her quickly, at the demon, and slid along the table, scrambling off it and running to Grids. "Oh god. Took you long enough?"

Grids eyed the demon, "Been trying to get in for a good five to ten minutes."

Moloch moved to get between them and the door, but stopped, clutching his head, "No! I will not go back!"

Mistoffelees jerked back in surprise. Grids caught Misto by the arm and pulled him past the writhing demon into the hall, "We gotta get out of here."

"Yeah, I'm down with that plan," he said, running out and finally noticing Tugger who was busy with a scientist,who finally fell to the ground, Tugger standing over him. "Look!" Tugger said. "I got to hit someone!"

Grids managed a smile and shook her head, "Alright, that's the fastest way out." She nodded toward the far doors.

o.o.o.o

"Alright," Demeter said, sitting back from the smoking computer. "He's bound."

Cori hesitated for a moment before opening the book. He shook his head, "He's not in the book..."

"What do you mean? I mean, if he's not in the book... where is he?"

o.o.o.o

Moloch's physical form finally stabilized, its eyes glowing brighter than before as he emerged from the lab.

Running down the hall, Mistoffelees glanced back and nearly ran into the wall. Grids glanced over her shoulder, "Damn it." She pulled up short at the sight of people coming from the other direction.

Tugger quickly closed that door and locked it, glancing down the other corridor. "Can we go that way?"

"Now is not the time for questions, now is the time for running and continuing to run," Mistoffelees replied.

Grids nodded her agreement, but they were stopped as Moloch came through a wall behind them. He caught Grids and threw her aside, backhanding Tugger, "I was omnipotent! I was everything! Now I'm trapped in this shell..."

Mistoffelees yelped, glancing around quickly and grabbing a fire extinguisher, smashing it over the demon's head. Moloch stumbled, having been caught off-guard, but turned to face Misto. Mistoffelees tried to hit him over the head a second time.

The demon caught the fire extinguisher, and yanked it away, tossing both it and Mistoffelees aside. Mistoffelees slammed into Tugger, knocking them both down, breathless.

Grids was just getting to her feet again as Moloch approached her, "This body is all I have left, but it's enough to crush you."

The teen stepped back, feeling the wall behind her. She glanced around for an escape and spotted a fuse box to her left. She sidestepped, making sure his focus was still on her, "Take your best shot."

The demon aimed a strong blow at her head, but Grids ducked at the last second and Moloch's hand slammed right into the fuse box. The sudden surge of electricity shorted the circuitry in his frame as Grids rolled out of the way, backing off.

The demon turned his gaze to her as the smoke around him increased, she backed another step before whirling and bolting to where Misto and Tugger were, "Get down!" They both dropped from where they were attempting to stand as the metal body exploded.

Once the smoke cleared, Grids sat up, coughing as she looked around. The metal head rolled to a stop by their feet, and Mistoffelees bent down to pick it up, slowly turning it over in his hands.

Grids carefully got to her feet, "We...we should get back to the school..."

He nodded mutely, dropping the head.

o.o.o.o

Mistoffelees hesitated outside the library doors, Demeter having already gone home for the night. Grids glanced at him before pushing the doors open.

Cori looked up, his expression hesitant, "Mistoffelees?"

Mistoffelees trailed after Grids, Tugger behind him. "Hey," he said softly. "Demon's taken care of."

Cori moved swiftly over, stopping just short of actually embracing the other, "Thank God. Are you alright?"

"I-I... I will be, I think," he started and then gave up, moving the last step forward and just pressing himself against the librarian, arms going around his chest.

Cori startled briefly, but wrapped his arms around the teem, holding him close, "Shh, you're safe now."

"I..." he took a breath and let it out slowly, just clinging. "S-sorry I shouldn't be..."

Tugger took one look at the pair, seriously considered, and then tugged Grids out with him.

"Don't apologize," Coricopat murmured, running a gentle hand over the teen's hair.

Grids hesitated, but followed Tugger.

"But I... god, besides letting a demon out... g-got kidnapped by it, and it killed someone right in front of me and I couldn't do anything a-and..."

Cori's arms tightened around him, "Shh, I know."

"But that was my fault. I knew Fritz! He was an ass but he didn't deserve that, and god only know wh-what else Moloch was going to do and..."

Cori pulled back slightly, placing a hand on Misto's cheek, "Mistoffelees, look at me." Swallowing, it took the teen a moment before he finally raised his eyes. "This was not your fault. You didn't know. You cannot hold yourself responsible for everything that Moloch did or considered doing. It will drive you insane."

"B-but," he protested weakly.

"But?" Cori shook his head, "Believe me, it does you no good. This was not your fault. You did not consciously call upon the demon."

Mistoffelees swallowed hard again. "Do I at least get to swear off computers for the next month? And scanners forever?"

The librarian managed a flickering smile, "If you so choose."

It took him a while, but Mistoffelees managed a small smile in return. "Th-thank you."

"Of course."

Offering him another smile, Mistoffelees held on for another two breaths before stepping back. "Hey... where'd the others go?" he asked, finally looking around.

Having been waiting for his cue, Tugger swung his way back into the library. "Needed to go find a water fountain," he declared. Mistoffelees looked at him for a long moment before nodding, mouth twitching upward in acknowledgment of the blatant lie, but appreciating the sentiment nonetheless.

Grids followed Tugger in, nodding her agreement, "Figured it was best to use the buddy system, this being Sunnydale and all."

Mistoffelees managed not to say the nearest water fountain was maybe ten feet from the library, so he nodded. "Yeah. Probably a good plan."

"Speaking of buddy systems," Tugger said, looking him over. "I left a pile of cheesy movies at your house. You wanna be alone tonight?"

"No," Mistoffelees said quickly.

"Movies and call in for pizza?" Tugger offered, knowing how his friend worked a little too well, and the darker haired teen nodded.

Mistoffelees glanced back at Coricopat. "Are you going to be alright tonight?" he asked.

Cori nodded slightly, "Yes, I'll be fine." He paused, looking the teens over, "If you'll give me a minute to close up here, I'll drive you home."

Tugger and Mistoffelees glanced at each other and nodded. "Thanks," Grids told the librarian.

o.o.o.o

The next day, Mistoffelees entered the computer lab for his scheduled lab time, fully intending to lie to Miss Calendar's face about why he was not able to do it that day, but she was gone, though Dave around around.

Hesitating, Mistoffelees approached the other boy. "Dave?"

"Oh, hey," the blond said, running a hand through his hair. "I... how're you?"

"Fine," the darker haired teen lied, tugging on the edge of his purple sweater. "Are you okay?"

"Well, Fritz is a little hard to take and... I can't believe what I was doing this past week. Like, I remember doing it, but not why. I guess I'm just glad I was passed out from everything last night." The other teen gave Mistoffelees a long look. "Do you think... whatever that thing was will be back?"

"I doubt it," Mistoffelees replied and glanced down at Dave's hand. "Maybe take a break from typing though."

"Yeah, probably a good idea," he replied, nodding.

Mistoffelees looked up as Demeter finally entered the room, arms full of print outs. She considered both the teens for a moment. "Neither of you have to be here today," she told them. They blinked in surprise and Dave nodded, leaving quickly though Mistoffelees walked up to her desk.

"Are you alright?" he asked and she nodded.

"Oh yeah, I'm doing fine," she said, scratching the back of her neck. "Look, I sorta know what happened last night," she said as Mistoffelees' eyes widened. "I do some technopagan work, so I helped your librarian close the circle to get Moloch out of the net. I don't know everything that happened, but from the sounds of it... you're excused from class for as long as you need. You're already way ahead of all the other kids anyway."

Coricopat tapped on the open door, stepping inside, "Miss Cale-oh, Mistoffelees."

Mistoffelees and Demeter both looked over at him. "Oh, hey," she said brightly and Mistoffelees just blinked at him, waiting for his voicebox to restart so he could excuse himself.

Cori glanced between the two of them, "I'm sorry, I seem to be interrupting. I can come back later, if it would be better?"

"No," Mistoffelees said. "I guess I was just leaving."

Demeter looked at him a long moment. "Hey, Misto?" she said. "You ever need to talk, you know where I am?"

"Always," he replied, bobbing his head, glancing at Coricopat again, before shrugging his bag higher and slipping out.

Cori watched him go, shaking his head very slightly. Demeter watched his expression. "Is he okay? Are you okay for that mater?"

"He released a demon into the internet. Said demon kidnapped him and killed a classmate in front of him. No. He's not 'okay'." Cori winced as he realized how he'd said that, "I'm sorry, I'm just worried about him, I suppose."

"It's good for teachers to worry about their students," she replied. "It means you're at least caring. So, alright, he's clearly not okay. But do you think he will be?"

"Given time, yes. It always takes time to come back from this sort of thing."

She nodded. "So, how are you doing? Not that I'm detracting from him here but..."

"How do you mean? I'm fine."

She arched a brow at that. "Okay. Just checking. You seemed really worried last night and just as on edge now."

He shrugged slightly, "How are you?"

She shrugged in return. "Well enough. Things could be better, they could be worse. One of my students is dead, the other had bandages on his fingers, and my third best is now terrified to come near a screen. Things'll take some time to adjust."

Cori nodded slightly, "For all of us."

Tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, she nodded. "Yeah, for all of us. How're you adjusting or are you going to evade again?"

"I'm adjusting. As you said, it will take time."

Finally, she nodded again. "Alright. I figure you aren't mentioning any of this to the administration?"

"Of course not."

"Figured not," she managed a smile at that. Cor managed to offer her a smile in reply. "Well," she said, bustling around her empty computer lab. "You certainly know how to make a girl's night interesting."

"I..." He ran a hand over the back of his neck, "Well, regardless. I should probably be getting back."

She smiled and nodded. "Yeah, probably. Those books need taking care of after all."

He managed a flickering smile at that, "Well, good day."

"Yeah. You try and have a good one too."

He nodded slightly, hesitating before slipping out again.

Sighing, she watched him go, glancing around the empty room once more before deciding the teacher's lounge sounded like a great plan. She shut the lights out on her way out, leaving the computers wrapped in silence.

So it occurred to us, that we've never actually mentioned Misto's parents are dead on-screen. It's such a part of my Misto muse though I assume everyone else always knows. Whoops. On the other hand, it takes a while to reveal anything about Willow and Xander's homelifes in the show anyway. But yes, he is an orphan and lives with his uncle. This will come up more later. Cheers all.