Chapter 164: Witch Wars
At Magic School Piper walked into the Great Hall followed by Chris. They found Paige and Phoebe sitting at the table in the center of the room. "Sorry I'm late. I'm not moving real fast these days," Piper said before looking at Chris, who helped her to sit down.
Piper and Leo both had found out that Chris was their son at almost the same time. She had learned first before Chris, who had been infected and was subsequently controlled by a spider demon, had trapped her in a cocoon. Phoebe and Paige had gone to vanquish the spider demon and free Piper and Chris. But it had been Leo who had managed it when Phoebe and Paige had told him that Chris was his son.
"Are you sure you don't wanna be born any time soon already?" Piper asked.
"Don't be in such a hurry," Chris said. He looked around. "Where is Buffy and Dawn?"
"They've been busy of late," Piper said, "planning their wedding, even though its kind of pointless to plan a big ceremony that only a select few can attend."
"We know," came Dawn's voice from the door. They turned to see Dawn standing next to Buffy. "Sorry we're late, had to drop off Celia in the nursery."
"Ok," Phoebe said as Buffy and Dawn took a seat, "I hate to rush things, but what do you say we get this family meeting started, huh?"
"You know, you could cut back on those triple lattes a little bit," Piper suggested.
"Hey, where's Leo?" Paige wondered.
Behind the main table, Gideon looked up from the book he's reading. "He's on the witch-killer path, which you all should be focusing on as well."
"We actually have bigger things to deal with, Gideon," Dawn suggested. "Like trying to figure out who's after Wyatt and then once that is done Buffy's and my wedding."
"I think I might have an angle on who's after Wyatt," Phoebe said.
"You found the demon?" Buffy asked.
Phoebe shook her head. "It may not be a demon. Look, we've relied on magic all this time, and it's gotten us nowhere. And with the fact that Buffy is currently the only one able to get a premonition and she has received none. I decided to resort to statistics."
"Statistics?" Piper asked with a shake of her head.
Phoebe nodded. "Yes. Did you know that fifty percent of violent crimes are perpetrated by someone the victim knew? So, don't you see? Whoever turns Wyatt evil might actually be someone we know or even care about."
"A mortal? Impossible," Gideon said.
"Really?" Phoebe asked. "Because the crime reporter at the newspaper said that it's usually someone you least expect."
"All right, now you're making me nervous," Dawn said. "And I'm not even talking about just Wyatt either, but Celia also."
Gideon shut his book and stepped around the table toward them. "Phoebe ... this theory might make some sense in the lives of normal people, but you aren't normal people. There's an entire underworld of demons out there who want you dead, and today is no exception, which brings me back to the witch-killer."
"Hold up," Chris said as he got to his feet and took a couple of steps toward Gideon. "Phoebe's onto something here. I mean, we've practically overturned every demonic stone, right? I mean, at least this is something new."
"I don't believe this," Gideon objected. "Someone is killing witches, possibly as we speak. How is that not your only priority?"
"Because we're running out of time, that's why," Chris said as everyone looked at him, as if to say what?
"What do you mean?" Buffy wondered. "Why?"
Chris sighed. "I should've told you all sooner."
"Told us what?" Paige asked warily.
"What happens to Wyatt happens before I'm born," Chris said.
A look of worry crossed Piper's face, but she remained conspicuously silent.
"What?" Paige and Dawn said.
"And you're just telling us this now?!" Phoebe asked.
"I thought I'd given myself enough time," Chris said. "I'm so sorry."
"Then how do we know ... that this witch-killer isn't the one that's after Wyatt?" Gideon asked. "Given this new information, it seems to time out properly."
"He's got a point," Dawn said.
"Ok, it's time to divide and conquer," Phoebe said. "Paige, Buffy and Chris, you help Leo with the witch-killer. Dawn, why don't you two help me chase my theory. Piper, don't worry. We're gonna find this guy. I promise." She moved to Dawn and took her hand as Dawn shimmered out.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
A few moments later in Gideon's Office, Sigmund was polishing a crystal ball as Gideon walked in and slammed the door shut.
"Is something wrong, sir?" Sigmund asked.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, there is," Gideon said. "I think they're just about to figure us out."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
At the Manor Paige, Buffy and Chris were trying to get information out of a demon that laid on the floor inside a crystal trap that were zapping him. .
"What'd I ever do to you?" the demon screamed as Paige picked up one of the crystals and the zapping stopped.
"You're sure he's a demon, right?" Chris asked.
"Does that give you the right to commit unprovoked act of violence against me?" the demon asked.
"Yes, he is a demon," Buffy said.
Paige put the crystal back down and zapped him again. She then picked it back up. "Tell us everything you know about the witches that were murdered."
"I don't know anything, I swear," the demon said as Paige put the crystal back down and zapped him again. He screamed as she picked it back up. "Oh, the witches. The one last night, she put on a great show, she shot fire from her hands, and-and she put up a great fight."
Buffy powered up a fireball and threw it vanquishing the demon.
"Why did you just do that?" Chris said. "He was just starting to talk."
"He was lying," Buffy said. "There was no witch murdered last night and ..."
It was just then that Leo orbed in. "Another witch was killed last night."
"You were saying?" Chris said looking pointedly at Buffy.
"That was a coincidence," Buffy said. "There's no way he could've been there to see that."
Chris looked toward his father. "Did she have power to shoot fire out of her hands?"
"Yeah. How did you know?" Leo answered.
Buffy sighed. "We were questioning a demon. Since we didn't know about the witch and I thought he was lying."
"You vanquished him," Leo said in understanding.
"So how did the demon know about her having a fire based power?" Chris wondered. "Maybe he was working for an upper level demon."
"Alright, we just happen to trap the apprentice to the exact demon that we're trying to catch and know nothing about," Paige said.
"What do we know?" Leo asked.
"Basically I'm thinking someone might be trying to organize the underworld," Buffy said.
"Seems like it," Paige agreed. "And unfortunately, I seem to be the only person that is concerned about the fact that Phoebe is out there roaming around the world without any powers."
"Dawn is with her," Buffy reminded Paige. "Plus she can still cast spells."
"And what happens if Dawn is swarmed?" Paige said. "Let's hope that Phoebe can come up with a little rhyme just in time. No, no, no. I'm gonna go bring them some potions."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Dawn and Phoebe walked out of Phoebe\s office and toward Kyle Donie, the Crime Beat Investigative Reporter. He was busy typing out an article to meet a deadline.
"Hi," Phoebe said. "I'm sorry to bother you again. You seem super busy. You're always super busy."
"That's why I chose crime beat," Kyle said. He looked Dawn and nodded, he like most of the Bay Mirror's staff knew who Phoebe's sisters were. "So many bad guys, I knew I'd never be out of work."
Dawn smiled. "You're a funny guy, you know that."
"Thanks," Kyle said.
"Um ... thanks for those statistics yesterday," Phoebe said. "They really helped us a lot."
"Are you flirting with me?" Kyle asked.
"What?" Phoebe and Dawn said as they glanced at each other.
"'Cause when a woman who looks like you flirts with me, it generally means they want something," he said.
"Ok, yeah. You got me," Phoebe said. "Um, I'm interested in dedicating a month of my column to the protection of our children, and I was sort of wondering, you know, if something—god forbid—were to happen to my nephew Wyatt or my niece Celia, what do you think the police might do to try to figure out who did it?"
"They'd make a flow chart," Kyle said.
"A flow chart?" Dawn asked.
"You two do realize that I'm on a deadline here, right?" Kyle asked.
"Maybe Pheebs should go back to flirting," Dawn suggested.
Kyle smiled. "I guess I could use some coffee."
"That's great," Phoebe said a little bit excited. "You're great! I'm buyin'!"
Dawn noticed out of the corner of her eye that Paige stood in the door to Phoebe's office waving them over. "Excuse me." She looked to Phoebe and whispered in her ear. "Paige is in your office. I'll see what she wants. You follow this lead."
Phoebe nodded as Dawn walked toward Phoebe's office and shut the door behind her.
"What?" Dawn asked.
"Another witch was killed last night," Paige said. "She had active powers, so I need Phoebe to go home where we all can keep an eye on her."
"Paige," Dawn said. "There is nothing to worry about. She is in my good hands. Isn't that why you wanted me with her. Anyways Phoebe can't go home yet. The reporter out there we were talking to, works the crime beat. And he doesn't work at home, at least not at our home."
"Okay," Paige said.
"If you need us, all you have to do is call. I will shimmer us there right away," Dawn said.
"Just in case," Paige said as she handed a few bottles of potions. "Just in case you get swarmed."
Dawn smiled as she accepted the potions. "Thanks."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Back at the Manor Buffy and Chris sat on the couch going through the Book of Shadows looking for whatever demon could be out there killing witches.
"So what is it we're looking for?" Leo asked as he sat on the arm of the couch.
"Uh, any demon that could be powerful enough to be organizing the underworld, or any demon who might be running some sort of training camp for younger demons, or any demon who could be –" Chris said.
"Basically just about any demon out there that might fit what we know so far," Buffy said.
"Yeah.," Chris said with a sigh. He flipped through a couple more pages in the Book of Shadows, then finally leaned back, tired and frustrated. "This sucks, you know that? We're running out of time here, and we've got nothing - repeat, nothing - to go on."
"We've faced worse," Leo said.
"Leo's right," Buffy agreed.
"What's worse than not knowing?" Chris asked. "For over a year now, I've been looking, and you two didn't know this deadline was looming? But I did. I knew every single day. That's why I was never able to relax."
"Why didn't you tell us?" Leo asked.
"Because I didn't wanna get you involved. I was trying to protect you," Chris answered.
"Chris, Piper and Leo are your parents," Buffy said. "I am your aunt. So are Phoebe and Dawn. This involves us. In fact we're supposed to protect you, not the other way around."
"She's right," Leo agreed just as Paige orbed in carrying a small bag.
"Hey," Paige said as she walked to the table that held a map on it. "I got a new scrying crystal. Amethyst. I thought we could use the extra power boost."
"What exactly are we scrying for?" Leo wondered.
"Witches under attack," Paige answered. "I don't want any more of them getting killed, and that includes my sister."
."She has Dawn and the potions you made, right?" Buffy asked.
"Yes," Paige said with a sigh. "That isn't going to stop the worrying though."
"I know," Buffy said as Gideon orbed in.
"Gideon, what are you doing here?" Leo asked as he stood up. "Is Piper ok?"
"Hardly," Gideon replied. "Thanks to Phoebe's ludicrous new theory, everybody's now a suspect in her mind. She's terrorizing the entire school."
"So you want me to talk to her?" Leo asked.
"I'd be eternally grateful," Gideon said as Leo orbed out. He noticed Paige scrying. "What are you scrying for?"
"Witches under attack," Paige answered. Unseen by Buffy, Chris and Paige, Gideon with a wave of his hand caused the crystal land on a spot on the map. "Ooh ... got one. In the mission."
"You three should go. Hurry," Gideon said.
Chris and Paige orb out as Buffy flamed out.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In an alley somewhere in San Francisco, Tali was thrown against a nearby wall as a demon laughed at her. As she scrambled to her feet she picked up a pipe that was lying on the ground next to her. She took a sing at the demon and missed.
"Don't!" Tali screamed as the demon approached her. "Help!" She backed up and passed an old mattress leaning against the alley wall. The mattress morphed into another demon.
"Not what you were hoping for?" the new demon asked as Tali turned around and found him on the otherside of her. She swung the pipe and clipped the new demon in the face. He fell to the ground and may have even been knocked unconscious. She turned and swung the pipe again at her original attacker and missed yet again.
It was just then that Chris and Paige orbed in as Buffy flamed in next to them. Buffy powered up a fireball and threw it at the original demon and he exploded.
A third demon shimmered in behind Tali and grabbed her. He ripped off her necklace before throwing her aside. He held up the necklace in triumph as he looked at Buffy, Paige and Chris. "Got it," he said smugly and he shimmered out.
"Damn it!" the other demon said and he too shimmered out.
"Check on her," Buffy said, "while I make sure no one else comes a knocking."
Chris and Paiged rushed over to Tali and helped her up. "What the hell just happened?" Chris wondered.
"I don't know," Paige said. "Buffy?"
"No clue," Buffy answered.
:"Wait, who are you?" Tali asked.
"Buffy and I are uh, Charmed … Ones," Paige answered.
"We better get someplace safe," Buffy said.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Chris and Paige orb into the hall of the Manor followed by Buffy as she flamed in herself and Tali.
"Where are we?" Tali asked.
"It's ok," Paige said. "You're gonna be safe here. What's your name, anyway?"
"I'm Tali. How can I ever thank you guys for saving me?" Tali asked.
"You don't have to," Buffy said.
"I don't think we did," Paige added. "I'm not even sure they were after you."
"Yeah, they were after your necklace," Chris agreed.
Tali looked down towards her bosom as if finally noticing her necklace was missing. She reached up to where it should have hung and found it was definitely gone. "Oh, my grandmother's amulet."
"Amulet," Chris said. He looked at Paige and Buffy, his mind working overtime to find a reason for the attack. "Is it magical? Does it have any power?"
"No. No, not at all," Tali answered.
"This has to be the strangest thing I have seen since being called as a Slayer. I've never seen a demon go after something that was non-magical," Buffy said as they headed up the stairs and into the attic. Chris walked over to the Book of Shadows and began flipping through the book.
Buffy stopped him on a page with the demon she had vanquished. "That's him, the demon I vanquished. The Brute Demon."
"Okay," Chris said. He looked over the page and began reading from it. "Upper-level demons with overwhelming physical strength. They work alone, generally crushing skulls of their victims." He looked over at Tali. "You're lucky he wasn't after you."
"Ok, this isn't making sense," Paige said. "Are you sure that that amulet did not have magical powers?"
"I'm positive. It was just a family heirloom," Tali answered.
"Well, do you have anything else of your grandmother's?" Chris asked.
"Her wedding ring," Tali said. "Why?"
Buffy smiled as she looked at Tali. "We can use the ring to scry for your amulet."
"And find out where the demon went," Chris added just as Dawn shimmered in with Phoebe.
"Ok, people, heads up. I need your address books, your phone books - basically all your books," Phoebe said. She turned and introduced herself to Tali. "Hi, I'm Phoebe."
"I'm Dawn," Dawn said as she moved over to Buffy and gave her a kiss.
"Hi," Tali said.
"This is Tali," Paige said. "She was attacked by three Upper-level Demons today."
"Wow, and you lived to tell about it? Congratulations," Phoebe said. She looked over at Buffy, Paige and Dawn. "Ok, about those books. I'm kind of in a hurry.
"Phoebe, we actually need your help," Paige said.
Buffy and Dawn looked at each other and shook their heads as Dawn shimmered them out.
Phoebe turned and looked at Tali. "How bad was it?" she asked.
"Well, um, they stole my grandmother's amulet," Tali answered.
"Really?" Phoebe asked. "How powerful was it? Could they use it for, like, mind-control or something?"
Tali shook her head. "Oh, no, it was just decorative," she said.
Phoebe looked at Paige shaking her head. "Decorative," she echoed.
"Yeah, pretty much," Tali said.
"Hmm ..." Phoebe said as she weighed the choice of continouing her own investigation or helping with a thieving demon. She looked at Paige and Chris. "I really need those books, guys."
"Phoeb ..." Paige said as Buffy and Dawn shimmered back in. Dawn was carrying a couple address books.
"What?" Phoebe asked. "This is important. I'm gonna draw up a police flow chart of everyone in Wyatt's life who can possibly be a suspect, and I don't want to forget anybody."
Paige sighed. "Fine. My book is in my bedroom," she said.
"Mom's is down in the kitchen," Chris said.
"Great," Phoebe said. She looked over at Tali as Dawn walked over to her. "I hope you find your amulet." She looked at Buffy, Paige and Chris. "Ok, Dawn and I will be at my office if you need us, but please don't need us, because I really think I'm onto something here."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In Gideon's office at Magic School he was watching what had been going on in the attic at the Manor through his crystal ball. "Stubborn little witch!" he said as he waved his hand and the image of the attic disappeared from the crystal ball. "She's not playing along."
Sigmund turned nervously and looked at Gideon. "What if Phoebe or Dawn finds us out?" he asked.
"They won't," Gideon replied.
"How are you going to stop them?" Sigmund wondered as Gideon orbed out of the room. "Thanks for sharing."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
At the Bay Mirror Phoebe had drawn up a flow chart. It looked like a bullseye with Wyatt and Celia both in the center. Phoebe had thought it might be possible that whoever had turned Wyatt could have been after Celia instead and didn't actually manage to turn Celia. "Ok, so we have the immediate family and then close friends in the family. Who's next?" Phoebe asked as she looked at Kyle, who sat at his desk.
Kyle looked at Dawn for a second and then back at Phoebe. "Uh, anyone the children originally came in contact with in the last six months."
"Ok, but the child's been in seclusion for the last six months," Phoebe said. "So are we talkin' kids in the nursery and teachers?"
"And their mother's hairdresser, or the handyman or clergyman," Kyle answered.
Dawn sighed, there was one person that had been ruled out since she had been out of the country now for a couple months and wasn't expected back till Tara was ready to return with Willow. Dawn hoped that Willow was not the person they were looking for though. After all Willow had been even for a few days, it could have been her betrayal that had turned Wyatt. She hoped not though.
"Ok, let's just say, hypothetically speaking, that the police are running out of time," Phoebe said. "And they can't possibly research everyone the child's met in the last six months. Who do they focus on then?"
"Immediate family," Kyle answered.
"They've ruled out the immediate family," Phoebe said insistently.
"Ok, I-I kinda preferred the fake flirting to this," Kyle said with a sigh.
"I'm sorry for my sister," Dawn said. "We kind of get very emotional when things have to do with our family."
"Well, that's why the cops usually do this part and not the parents ... or the aunts," Kyle said.
"Parent," Dawn said. "Celia is my adopted daughter, Buffy's biological daughter."
Kyle looked at Dawn confused.
"Ok, so what would the cops do next?" Phoebe said before Kyle had a chance to comment on what Dawn had said.
"Phoebe, Dawn, it sounds to me like you two are looking for some kind of magic formula, and there just isn't one," Kyle said.
"Well, can't you just narrow it down a little bit?" Phoebe pleaded.
Kyle sighed. "Uh, statistically, when it's not a crime of necessity, you're looking at white men between the ages of 25 and 50, usually someone you least expect - maybe-maybe even trust. Think on that. I'll get coffee," he said as he stood and walked toward the break room. A moment later he returned. "Makin' any progress?"
"No, not yet," Dawn said. "I thought you were getting coffee."
"I changed my mind," Kyle said. "If I have caffeine this late, I can't sleep."
"Well, I'm not gonna sleep until I figure this out," Phoebe said.
"Phoebe," Dawn said, "can I talk to you in your office?"
"Sure," Phoebe said as she led Dawn into the office and closed the door behind them.
"I know Willow didn't have any direct contact with Wyatt or Celia during …" Dawn said.
"I had the same thought," Phoebe said with a sigh. "I don't want to think Willow was the cause of Wyatt going bad. But I would be remiss if I hadn't considered it."
"Maybe I should shimmer to Tara and talk with her and Willow," Dawn suggested.
"Might not be a bad idea," Phoebe said. "Just to put our minds at ease."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
At the Manor Buffy waited by the dining room table and the scrying map for Chris, was was retrieving a scrying crystal. She noticed Leo orb in.
"Hey, how's it goin' here?" Leo asked Buffy just as Chris came down the stairs.
"Paige and Tali went to get her grandmother's ring," Buffy said. "Dawn orbed to Tara and Willow. She and Phoebe had a thought that I hope proves false."
"About Willow being the cause of Wyatt going evil," Chris said as he handed Buffy the crystal. "Sadly I had the same thought around the time she had gone evil. Willow is after all someone who is very close to the family. I dismissed it though when Tara became Willow's Whitelighter. But I would be remiss if I hadn't considered her knowing that she went evil briefly around the time Wyatt was turned."
"So where is Paige and Tali?" Leo asked.
"They went to get her grandmother's ring," Buffy said just as Paige and Tali orbed in.
"Got it," Paige said. She walked over to the scrying table and took the crystal from Buffy as she started scrying.
"So what are you planning to do when you find them?" Tali wondered. "I mean, could this be some kind of trap?"
"Heh. Honey, it could always be some kind of a trap," Paige said as the crystal stopped swinging around and hit the map. She looked at Buffy. "I got it."
Buffy looked at Leo. "With Dawn talking to Willow and Tara," she said as she noticed a questioning look from Paige. "I'll tell you later."
"I'll go keep watch till Dawn gets back," Leo said.
"I'll stay with Tali," Chris said.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Willow sat on one of many of England's rolling green hills as she urged a Paraguayan flower to take root, to sprout, and to blossom, she felt a connection to the universe that had not been with her for a long, long time.
She became aware of a shadow. Tara stood beside her, gazing intently at the flower. "That doesn't belong here," she ventured.
Willow was pleased with herself. "No, it doesn't."
"The flora kua alaya," Tara stated as she sat next to her lover. "A native of Paraguay." Willow glanced over at Tara and smiled. "You brought it through the earth?"
"It's all connected," Willow told Tara. "The root systems, the molecules, the energy. Everything's connected."
"That's correct," Tara said. "Even you and I are connected."
"To each other or to the earth?" Willow asked.
"Both," replied Tara.
"Baby, I know that I'm meant to learn from you before I return home and learn from Buffy, Dawn, Piper, Phoebe and Paige. But …"
"You're scared," Tara said in understanding.
Willow nodded. "What if they don't want to teach me? What if …"
"They no longer see you as their friend?" Tara asked.
"Yes," Willow replied. "I'm worried I will …"
"The reason you delved into the dark magicks was because of my death," Tara said. "But I'm here. Remember we are not and never will be, forbidden."
Willow leaned in and was about to kiss Tara when they heard someone walking up to them. They looked up and saw Dawn.
"Hey, Will," Dawn said, "Tara. Sorry to interrupt. In our search for who turns Wyatt evil, well…"
"You had the idea that it could have been me," Willow said with a sigh. "To be honest I wondered that myself."
"But you don't think that, do you?" Tara asked.
"I don't want to, Tara," Dawn said. "Willow is my friend and that will never change." She looked at Willow and smiled. "I overheard what you two were talking about."
"See," Tara said, "you had nothing to worry about."
"That still leaves the thought," Dawn said with a sigh.
"How do we know if I did it or not?" Willow asked. "Even I wonder if I could have done it."
"Think back," Tara said. "What do you remember of the days around when I died.?"
"I remember going to Rack, go after Warren, after Johnathon and Andrew," Willow said. "I never had the chance to go to either Buffy's house or the Manor. Plus wouldn't have Leo told you I had been there. Wasn't he watching Wyatt and Celia?"
"Yes," Dawn said. "But you have to remember you for a little bit were able to freeze us."
"And Leo being a Whitelighter unlike you would have been frozen, not paralyzed," Tara said. "That said I agree with Willow. I don't think she would have had the time to do it."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Paige and Buffy orbed into a warehouse. They immediately spot the necklace on the floor.
"Ok, that looks like a trap," Paige said just as a brute demon jumped down in front of them.
The demon stepped forward to stab Buffy with the athame, but with Slayer speed and strength she grabbed his his arm, twisted and threw him over her shoulder. He landed flat on his back, a crystal fell out of his pocket.
Paige threw a vanquishing potion at the demon, vanquishing him.
Buffy hadn't been watching the vanquish but what was being projected on the wall. It was them in the warehouse. "What's that?"
"That's us. ," Paige said as she looked up and around the ceiling looking for the camera. Suddenly the projection on the wall changed and showed them the living room of the Manor. They saw Chris and Tali sitting across from each other.
"We've got to get going," Chris said. "Is there any place where –"
"Ok, what's goin' on?" Paige asked, clearing not liking what she is seeing.
On the wall they saw a Darklighter appear in the Manor. He shot and hit Chris. They sa wTali turn and scream.
Buffy quickly shimmered out as Paige picked up the necklace and the crystal off the floor and orbed out.
At the Manor the Darklighter stabbed Tali. As Buffy shimmered intot he Manor she saw Tali, who was obviously dead, in the darklighter's arms. "I win. You lose," he said just as Paige orbed in. He orbed out with Tali.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Chris laid on the couch as Leo finished healing him. "Oh. I am so sorry. I didn't even see him coming."
"It's ok. It's not your fault. We're being watched," Paige said, clearly pissed.
"What?" Chris asked as he sat up.
"Some kind of camera," Buffy said. "Here in the manor. We saw it projected from the crystal at the warehouse when we went to retrieve the necklace. We saw the Darklighter appear. We saw you talking to Tali."
"Yeah, except for I think they cut it off. I'm not seeing anything," Paige said as she looked at the crystal in her hand. She put it down on the table.
"Well, who?" Chris wondered.
"I don't know. We vanquished the Brute Demon before we could ask him," Buffy said.
"What is this, some kind of game?" Paige wondered as she went back to looking for cameras.
"Actually, it might be," Chris said.
"What are you talking about?" Leo asked.
"Well, I heard something when I was down in the underworld. But I thought it was just a rumor," Chris said.
"You thought what was a rumor?" Paige wondered.
"Well, that there was this demonic game show. Kinda like "Survivor". But only for demons," Chris said.
"And you didn't tell us this why?" Buffy wondered.
Chris shrugged. "Because I didn't think it was relevant."
"Ok, that's your theme song of today," Paige said. "Did you notice?"
Chris looked at Paige and nodded wryly.
"Paige," Leo whispered warningly.
Paige sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. Well, at least it explains how the demon we trapped today knew that the witch died. He was watching it on tv. Pretty sick."
"Not any sicker than any other reality tv show," Leo said as Buffy, Paige and Chris looked at him. He raised his eyebrows and held his hands out in a weak shrug. "I'm just sayin'"
"Except this one's about killing witches for entertainment,' Chris said.
Buffy sighed. "We need to get out of here. I just cleared out Warren's cameras from both my house and the Manor. Don't like the fact someone else is watching and listening."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Dawn walked out of Phoebe's office, her cell phone to her ear. "A reality show? You have got to be kidding me. All right I'll get Phoebe and we'll be home as soon as we can." She walked over to Phoebe and Kyle. "Phoebe, uhm there is a family emergency."
Phoebe nodded as she looked at Kyle. "Listen, thanks. I-I have to get goin'."
"Oh, but I was having a really good time," Kyle said.
"Really?" Phoebe said warily.
Kyle nodded. "Yeah."
"Well, thanks again for all your help, and maybe we can talk more tomorrow," Phoebe said.
"Or since you're heading home, I could just come with you," Kyle said.
Dawn frowned. She moved so that only Phoebe and Kyle could see her as she powered up an energy ball.
"Dawn," Phoebe whispered.
"Just as I got back from seeing Willow and Tara I got a call from Buffy. There is some kind of demonic reality show," Dawn said. "And I think Kyle here is a demon who replaced the real Kyle."
"Very intuitive," Kyle said as he pulled out an athame. He grabbed Phoebe, holding her by the throat. "You take me to your house, witch. Now!"
Phoebe pushed him away and punched him in the face. She noticed Willow step out of her office and wave her hand. Everything including Kyle froze.
"Now, Dawn," Willow said as Dawn threw the energy ball vanquishing demon Kyle.
"I take it," Phoebe said.
"Willow is clear," Dawn said with a nod. "I brought her back incase we need extra firepower."
"Again, Dawn, I'm not sure that …" Willow said.
"I know, Will," Dawn said. "But Tara said you are ready to learn from us."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Everyone sat around the table in the Great Hall of Magic School flipping through the books looking for something. Paige was the one to find a picture of the athame. "Found it," she said as she placed the real athame over the drawing in the book. It matched perfectly. "A power-sucking athame."
"And?" Piper wondered.
"Well, and that's it," Paige said.
"Wait, it doesn't say anything about what kind of demon uses it or what the "WW" stands for?" Willow wondered.
Paige shook her head. "No."
Phoebe sighed. "Well, that's not a big help. Ok, well, we could scry with the athame or the crystal thingie."
"Sadly I tried," Buffy said. "It didn't work. I also tried a return to sender spell, no dice."
Paige sighed. "Our magic is blocked."
LEO quietly kept his eyes on Piper who hasn't said much so far.
"So we got nothing," Dawn said with a sigh.
"Yes. We have nothing but a houseful of cameras again. It was bad when Warren and his buddies were spying on us, now we have an underworld full of voyeurs," Paige said.
Piper put a hand to her brow, a small movement showing how worried she was.
"Piper, why don't you go relax?" Leo suggested having noticed the moment. "We can take it from here. We even have Willow to help."
"First I'm glad your home, Willow. I've missed having you around. Secondly. I'm fine. I mean, and relax? Relax where? We're being watched," Piper said.
"Not here. Not at magic school they're not," Leo said.
"Leo's right," Willow agreed. "You should go lay down."
"We've got it under control," Buffy added as Piper conceded as she got to her feet.
Leo stood to help Piper who brushed him aside. "You don't touch me," she grumbled. "You're the reason I look like this." He followed her out of the room.
Gideon walked into the Great Hall carrying an open book. "I think I might have found something that can help," he said. He put the book down on the table in front of Paige.
"It's the crystal thingie," Paige said as she looked at the book.
"It's actually an ancient form of magical voyeurism," Gideon said. "The ronyx crystal predates even the crystal ball. Our demon friends must have found a way to put a new spin on an old idea."
"I've heard of those," Willow said. "But I didn't know they still existed."
"Wait a minute," Phoebe said as she had been reading over Paige's shoulder. She picked up the crystal and read the incantation. "Uh, mallock cormon alli-tas." Suddenly the crystal projected onto a nearby wall. They could see what appeared to be a title card for the show, Witch Wars. The music cued as the show returns to the air.
"Welcome back to Witch Wars." The projection showed each of them over the last few days and weeks.
"How long have they been watching us?" Buffy wondered.
"Tonight, on a very special episode, you'll see the ultimate battle. When the Gamemasters themselves take on not just any witches, but the legendary Charmed Ones and their ally the witch that almost destroyed the world. It'll be winner takes all ... And we will take all ... Their lives, their powers ... and last but not least, their progeny." The projection showed Wyatt and Celia as it faded out.
"That's what their show is about - killing us?" Phoebe asked.
"Then either me, Wyatt or Celia ..." Chris said.
"It has to be Wyatt, which means ... oh, yes. This makes perfect sense," Gideon said as he waved his hands and the doors to the Great Hall close.
"What about any of this makes perfect sense?" Paige wondered.
"I have to agree with Paige," Willow agreed. "I lost a lot of my powers when I turned back good. I'm not a threat, not like the Charmed Ones."
"Don't you see?" Gideon said. "These Gamesmasters are the demons that you've been looking for all along. The ones who are after Wyatt."
"What?" Buffy said.
"Think about it. They've been collecting powers, hoping to gain enough to be able to collect yours," Gideon said. "And Willow even if you do not have all the powers you had when you were evil. You are still a threat and they know it."
"So with our powers and Willow's," Dawn said. "They could then get Wyatt and Celia's."
"Celia's?" Chris said confused. "She didn't turn remember."
"She might now," Dawn said. "Think about it. Things have changed from the world you know, right?" Chris nodded. "And Celia being a Damphir would be as much a threat to them as Wyatt would be. Get to her now…"
"She's right," Gideon said. "Celia is as much a threat to them as Wyatt."
"Well, it kinda fits into Phoebe's theory then, right? We don't know who they are. But they know who we are," Paige said.
"How are we going to vanquish them?" Willow wondered. "We have to find them." She picked up the crystal and looked at it. She looked at Paige, Phoebe, Buffy and Dawn. " Do you think we could trace the signal back to them?"
"No, not without Piper," Paige said. "I think without the Power of Five they maybe too strong already."
Phoebe picked up the power-sucking athame. "No, we don't need Piper. Because we have this ..." She looked at the athame. Staring at it, her voice became flat, devoid of emotion as she formulated the plan to stop them. " ... and they're not going to kill us on t.v. We're going to kill them."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the demonic broadcast studio the demon, Corr, checked his clipboard as as Clea stood earnestly next to him. "What if they never go back to the manor?" she asked.
"They will," Corr said. "If there's one thing I know about The Charmed Ones, they never run away from a fight."
Clea laughed and rubbed her hands together in anticipation.
"What exactly are we lookin' for?"
At the sound of the voice they turned and looked at a video monitor and saw Chris, Buffy and Paige in the attic.
"Anything that will let us vanquish the gamemasters without the Power of Three, Four or Five," Paige said.
Corr turned and looked at Clea. "It's show time." Turned on by the anticipation of what was to come he kissed Clea. He then shimmered out of the cavern as Clea turned back to watch the monitor. Behind her Dawn shimmered in with Phoebe.
"Hey," Dawn said as Clea turned to face them.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the attic Corr shimmered in. "Anybody wanna play a game?" he asked.
Buffy smiled as she powered up a fireball and threw it at Corr as Paige and Chris dove for cover. Corr waved his hand and telekinetically threw the fireball back at Buffy who dove out of the way.
"Unh. When are they coming back?" Paige asked.
Corr powered up a fireball and threw it at them as they again dove out of the way.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Clea wobbled on her feet as Phoebe jumped up and kicked her in the face. She tumbled backards head over heels. Behind her Dawn shimmered in and using the power-sucking athame he stabbed her in the back causing her to burst into flame and be vanquished.
Dawn walked over to Phoebe and smiled.
Phoebe sighed. "Now that's good television. Gimme the athame."
"Are you sure about this?" Dawn wondered.
Phoebe held out her hand for the athame. "It's for Wyatt and Celia."
Dawn sighed and nodded as she handed the athame to Phoebe. Phoebe held the athame in the palm of her hand. After a moment the athame glowed with power, then a white glow washed over Phoebe. "I wonder if this is how Willow acquired the powers she kept," Dawn said.
"Possibly," Phoebe said. "It feels good to have powers again."
Dawn smiled. "Shall we?"
Pheoebe returned Dawn's smile and the pair of them shimmered out. They shimmered into the attic of the Manor behind Corr who stil had Buffy, Paige and Chris pinned down.
Corr powered up a fire ball. "This game's over," said coldly.
"I couldn't agree more," Phoebe said.
Surprised, Corr turned to look behind him at Phoebe and Paige.
In one smooth movement, Phoebe powered up an energy ball and threw it at Corr. He explodes as he is vanquished.
Buffy, Paige and Chris move around from behind the sofa. Buffy moves over next to Dawn and Phoebe. "Shall we finish this?" Buffy said.
At the Demon Bar Buffy, Dawn and Phoebe stared knowingly from the monitor on the wall at the demons.
"See what happens when you make a play for our baby?" Dawn said. "And our nephew?"
"Who wants to play next?" Phoebe added. She smiled manically when no one answered. "What's the matter? Scared of us?"
Phoebe, Dawn and Buffy shimmered out of the attic and into the Demon Bar.
"Well, are you?" Buffy asked as she powered up a fireball.
"Are you?" Dawn added as she and Phoebe each powered up energy balls.
Rather than face the new power of three, the demons started running for the exits as the trio started firing off energy balls and fireballs. They hit demon after demon in the back, in the front, whereever they stood. They took out each demon one by one. They hit the demons mercilessly as they flee the bar, their cries of pain filling the air with the fire and smoke of each vanquish.
Finally, they turned and with a flick of her wrist, threw the last energy and fireball at the wide-screen monitor with the WITCH WARS title logo on it. The monitor exploded and fell down leaving a black, smoking hole in the wall.
"Looks like your show's just been canceled," Phoebe said.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the attic Paige and Chris sat on the sofa waiting patiently as Leo orbed in.
"Where are Buffy, Dawn and Phoebe?" Paige wondered.
"That's a good question," Chris said.
It was then that Phoebe, Dawn and Buffy shimmered into the attic. Paige, Chris and Leo could tell that the Phoebe was giddy with excitement and nearly bouncing off the walls.
"God, that was great. I wanna kill somebody else. Who can I kill?" Phoebe asked. She stepped toward Chris and waved the athame in her grip. "Chris, find me another demon to kill."
"Athame!" Buffy called out and the athame flamed into her hand. "Time to get those powers out."
"Spoil sport," Phoebe said with a sigh. "You had to ruin my tormenting Paige."
"What?" Paige asked.
Phoebe smiled at Paige. "Well you were the one that didn't think I could take care of myself." She looked at Dawn. "Didn't she give you potions to help protect me should you be swarmed?"
"Yeah," Dawn said.
"Ok. I'm sorry. I admit it. I was-I was wrong," Paige said.
Phoebe leaned forward. "What did you say? Would you mind repeating that, please?"
"I'm sorry. I was wrong. I clearly underestimated you. You are very powerful,' Paige said.
Phoebe smiled. "That's all I wanted to hear." She looked at Buffy. "Are you going to just hold that thing or what?"
"What?" Paige said shocked.
"It's the only way to get the powers out of her," Leo said.
Buffy smiled as she stepped up to Phoebe. "You ready?" she asked as Phoebe nodded. She thrust the athame toward Phoebe.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the back yard of the Manor everyone was getting ready for Buffy and Dawn's wedding. "You stabbed her?" Piper asked.
"Yeah," Buffy said. "Had to, to get the powers out of her."
"Well they were demonic powers anyways," Paige said.
"Is that what you think of mine and Buffy's powers?" Dawn asked. "After all we have similar powersets to demons. It's not the powers that are evil, it's what you do with them. Powers themselves are not good or evil by themselves."
"Girls, it's show time," Grams said. "Maids of Honor and Groomsmen."
Leo, Chris and Xander stood to one side of Joyce and Grams as Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Willow, Tara and Anya stood on the other side. Buffy and Dawn moved in front of Grams and Joyce.
Joyce smiled as she waved her hand and the wind chimes began to chime.
Grams cleared her throat. "We are gathered here today to unite two souls as one."
"Do you, Payson and Prudence Halliwell, join us here of your own free will to acknowledge the eternal bond shared by both of you," Joyce said.
"I do," Buffy and Dawn said.
"You may face each other, join hands," Grams said as Buffy and Dawn turned and faced each other as they joined hands. "Uh, Buffy, you may recite your vows."
"Dawn, through all the tears and struggles, I always knew in my heart that we had was real," Buffy said. "I promise to love and respect you from this point forward as your partner, as your wife, your lover, your friend, and your soul mate. All I am is yours."
"Dawn," Joyce said.
"Buffy, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I was afraid that you were too good to be true, that maybe I didn't deserve someone so pure and beautiful and loving as you are. But here we are surrounded by the people that we love the most and I feel so proud, and so blessed to be your wife, your partner, your lover, your soulmate. Buffy, I was created to love you and I always will."
"Here before witnesses, Buffy and Dawn have sworn their vows towards each other. With this cord, I bind them to those vows," Grams said as she telekinetically made a rope wrap around Buffy and Dawn's hands.
"Heart to thee, body to thee, always and forever, so mote it be," Buffy and Dawn said.
"So mote it be," everyone echoed.
"You may kiss the bride," Joyce said
Buffy smiled as she and Dawn leaned into and kissed each other passionately as their family and friends all applauded.