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Plot

Buffy has had a lot on her plate lately: her sister is a centaur; she has broken a Slayer’s heart; she has travelled through time to fight the future Slayer Fray; she had to kill her best friend; and on top of it all, the Scottish headquarters has been destroyed. Still, she is focused on her goal – protecting humanity from the evil in the world, even though it is turning against her.

Is Twilight responsible for that? And for the US government’s hostile attitude towards them? For the rogue Slayer Simone and her band of thieves?

Buffy fights one demon/vampire after another, using the same lines over and over.

Do they have any idea what the problem is with saving the world? You never get to sleep, not even a nap, Buffy complains. She would even settle for half a nap.

Was it always this hard, she wonders. And if so, why?

At some point after the umpteenth vampire, Buffy falls into bed at their current quarters in her dirty clothes and muddy shoes – and snuggles into the pillow.

Xander, who has appeared in the room, only gets to hear what part of the instruction not to wake her even if another apocalypse is coming he did not understand.

He got that. It is just…

What is it this time, Buffy asks with her eyes closed, without even turning round. Is it about Dawn? Has she turned into something new again? Is she maybe a giant monkey now? Or a giant robot? Or a giant robot monkey?… Although, if she has turned into an oversized robot monkey, she would like to see that, Buffy mumbles.

No, she is not a giant robot monkey – but he would like to see that too, Xander answers.

Pleeease, she is filthy, still in her dirty clothes, in her filthy bed, so out with him so she can get some sleep. But… that is exactly the point. It is not her bed she is messing up here – it is his!

Buffy no longer hears Xander’s complaint, because she has fallen asleep.

Buffy’s dream…

Sunnydale, the Summers house:

Buffy is still asleep but is rudely woken when someone calls that she should get moving or she will be late for school.

Buffy sleepily rubs her face. Very strange, just now she could have sworn that…

Buffy hears the voice again, this time threatening to come in otherwise.

Mom…? Buffy’s eyes fly open and she sits bolt upright in bed.

By now the voice is shouting – has Buffy even been listening to her?

Okay, now it is no longer strange but cruel. Buffy flops back onto the bed, pulls the pillow over her head and tells herself it is only a dream. And this one should please end; she would like another one.

The door to Buffy’s room opens. Joyce and little Dawn appear in the doorway. She is not joking, Joyce stresses. Dawnie spitefully tells her mom that she said Buffy was not even up yet.

Buffy jumps out of bed. She is alive, she cries, and hugs her mom tempestuously.

Joyce has no idea what all this is about. She has no time for jokes, so could Buffy please get dressed?

Yeah, the lazy dummy should get dressed, little Dawn agrees, as Buffy looks critically in the mirror and wonders what she is even wearing (a shirt that says “Relax”). Well, if she does not want it, Dawn will take it, she suggests.

The next moment Buffy hugs Dawn enthusiastically and tightly. She is not giant, or a centaur, or a robot monkey, Buffy rejoices. She is just small. Really… when was she ever this small?

Dawn wriggles to get free and thinks Buffy is on drugs; she learned about that at school.

Joyce sends Dawn downstairs to finish her breakfast. And Buffy…

…get dressed, eat, books, school. Got it, Buffy lists.

Joyce hopes so. As she turns and is about to leave the room, Buffy holds her back for a moment and tells her she is really happy to see her.

Joyce feels Buffy’s forehead because she is not sure she is well, but finds that she has no fever. She has been out every night this week, though.

You don’t say. Well, a Slayer’s work is never done.

A Slayer…? Joyce looks at Buffy questioningly.

Oh, right. She does not know that yet, Buffy realises uncomfortably.

What does she not know yet, Joyce asks, confused.

Yet? Oh. It is just that she has not told her yet that… she is thinking of joining volleyball. And a player’s work is never done, Buffy corrects herself, beaming exaggeratedly.

Seriously, some days she has no idea what goes on in Buffy’s head, Joyce declares. But if she is late for school again, she can forget about the party tonight.

She will not be late, Buffy assures her – there is a party?

Sunnydale High:

The bell rings. Buffy stands a little uncertainly in the school corridor.

All right, Buffy admits, if you googled “strange”, you would find a picture of this day. Of course it could all be the work of some sleep demon – or maybe Ethan Rayne’s ghost has dragged her back into the dreamscape – again. But whatever it is, she can handle it. Only what if she has to deal with algebra again? Well, at least this time she knows it will be of zero use when she grows up.

Buffy gives a delighted squeal when she spots Willow. She is alive! And not evil at all. And she has not killed… that one self of hers.

Cordelia is just giving Willow a “nice” lecture. She has been thinking about her.

Oh really? Why…?

Well, she is sure Willow has heard about the big party Cordy is throwing tonight.

S-sure. Not just her – Buffy and Xander too; and they were planning…, Willow begins.

…yes, she was not finished, Cordelia interrupts Willow. She takes a strand of Willow’s hair and asks whether it isn’t time to do something with her hair. These strands hide her face so much. Willow should just cut it shorter or try a perm – then they could all see more of her, Cordelia advises.

And… that would be good, Willow asks uncertainly.

No, but then Willow could see better how hopeless she really is, Cordy laughs together with her clique.

Buffy puts her arm round Willow’s shoulders and says with a grin that she should not take it to heart. Maybe one day Cordy will be dead and Willow a top-class witch.

Really, Willow asks, pleased. Can she wear a pointy hat then too?

The two jump out of the way as someone comes shooting down the corridor out of control on a skateboard.

Xander?! Of course, Xander, Buffy and Willow answer their own question as there is a crash and he falls off the skateboard.

Principal Snyder has grabbed the skateboard and looks down at Xander. He has not really been riding a skateboard through his corridor, has he?

Well, technically, no. The skateboard was more in control of him than the other way round, Xander replies.

He will get this thing back at the end of the school year, Snyder declares.

But that is a brand-new board, Xander protests.

Either the board gets locked in his office or he does – which will it be, Snyder asks, and simply walks off.

He should look at it this way, Buffy cheers Xander up: maybe one day Snyder will be eaten by a giant snake… and he will wear an eye patch and be in charge of lots of women.

Really…? Like a pirate? Could he maybe be a space pirate, with an alien dog?

Willow coughs to get Buffy’s attention.

Oh, right. She does like… and she is not… well, probably she is… but not…, Buffy stammers.

What is she not, Willow asks.

Oops, talking before thinking again. Hey, surely Giles has something for her to do, Buffy saves herself, embarrassed.

The cemetery:

Okaaay, so this is slowly becoming her personal Pleasantville – minus the black and white and the Witherspoon… She does not care, though, because she had almost forgotten what it is like to just be the Scoobies.

Buffy cheerfully twirls a stake in her hand as she strolls across the cemetery with Xander and Willow (with a laptop).

Giles – with the obligatory book in his hand – is already waiting for them. Good that she is here. The fate of the whole world is at stake tonight.

Buffy’s good mood vanishes instantly. Oh yeah, she remembers that part. That is exactly where her life got in the way of her life.

The disciples of Morgala are rather unique, even for vampires, Giles reads aloud. Unlike the ordinary bloodsucker, they worship someone or something called “Morgala”. Its true nature is unknown to him – and is anyone even listening to him, Giles asks indignantly.

Willow makes eyes at Xander. They could go to the party together, she suggests. And they could pick up Buffy on the way, Xander adds. Great, both enthuse, while Buffy does tricks with a stake.

Oh, oh, he can hardly wait. It will be such fun. What do they think Harmony will wear, Giles crows sarcastically, only to look at the three of them sternly. They have reason to believe that the disciples will complete a ritual tonight that will… how should he put it… irreversibly destroy the balance between good and evil! This is exactly the kind of situation Buffy was chosen for, Giles reminds her angrily.

He should not get so worked up, or he will have a heart attack. They will find these disciples of Morgan Freeman…

Morgala!

Them too. Anyway, they will find their nest and she will take care of them, as she always does, says Buffy offhandedly.

As she always does, Giles asks incredulously.

Yep. This is all going great – beginner Slayer on the outside, but with super-Slayer knowledge. Buffy spins the stake, throws it up – but instead of catching it, she gets it on the head. Ow! That is going to leave a mark.

Morgala hideout:

Buffy kicks in the door and fights the vampires who worship Morgala. She turns all three to dust with ease. Willow and Giles stand by speechless, while Xander enthusiastically plays Slayer sports commentator, reporting on the Bufflympics and commenting on everything.

Afterwards Buffy simply marches out of the crypt. Now they have time for “the three S’s” and will still make it to the party in time.

Giles does not understand – the three S’s?

Did they teach him nothing at Watcher school? Shower, shave and style (only Xander’s version), Xander explains with a grin.

Apparently not, Giles admits. He does not want to put a damper on this evening with bad news…

Who? Him?, the three ask theatrically in unison.

Ahem – although he is very impressed by Buffy’s fighting skills today… the disciples of Morgala worshipped the image of a dragon.

She did not see a dragon, says Buffy. Did Willow or Xander see a dragon?

Both say no.

That settles it. Then they can go, Buffy says exuberantly.

Giles thinks she should really take her duties more seriously.

She is only trying to have a little fun. Does he remember “fun”? It is something she had lots of before she became the Chosen One – which, believe it or not, is not as great as everyone says. And one day there will be eighteen hundred Slayers working in ten separate squads, and everyone will call her “ma’am”! So tonight she is going to have at least a little bit of fun at this party! Wow, that felt good, Buffy thinks. Well, maybe not so much for Giles; but: wow.

Giles adjusts his glasses and watches Buffy and the other two storm off. “Ma’am”?…, Giles wonders.

The Summers house, later that evening:

Buffy wistfully holds the cross of her necklace and thinks of Angel.

Her mom appears in the doorway and asks where the rest of the skirt Buffy is wearing is.

She can trust her; she has worn worse.

Joyce is really trying to be understanding…

Great, could she please be that tomorrow morning, when Buffy is not late?

It is just… this whole “party”. Do they know anything about the people who will be there, Joyce asks doubtfully.

Yes, they are exactly the people who will be there, says Buffy with her unbeatable logic.

She knows… they have not lived in Sunnydale long. And Joyce just does not want her to go anywhere that could be dangerous.

Dangerous…, Buffy grins at her mom.

Joyce does not actually find it that funny.

Buffy falls into Joyce’s arms. It is not, she answers. Sometimes she wishes she could stay here forever and ever and ever… and live here…

Joyce says Buffy will graduate from high school, go to college, maybe meet a nice boy. She has her life ahead of her, but she can always come home.

Right, Buffy agrees, looking her mom in the eye while sighing inwardly.

On the way to the party:

Buffy’s “spider sense” tingles. A shadow falls on her from a roof.

Whoever or whatever it is should pick another night, Buffy declares out loud. Still, she jumps up onto the roof, whining that just once she would like to go somewhere without vampire dust all over her clothes.

Up there Buffy meets Angel. Damn, she does not need her spider sense, she needs her Angel sense. Just look at him: so cute… and before she knew he was Angelus… and so cute. And now she should pull herself together, she tries to call herself to order.

After the usual greeting, which consists only of saying each other’s names, Buffy says that, now that that is settled, she has plans for the evening and they do not include him.

Fine, very fine, says Angel.

Good, Buffy replies.

Angel too answers only “good”. He just wanted to tell her he heard she fought the five disciples of Morgala and that it must have been very impressive.

No big deal.

No, really, good work, Angel stresses. Because if she had not stopped them, they would have… never mind, she prevented it. That is all he wanted to say.

Thanks, Buffy replies, and says good night to Angel. She has turned away when Angel remarks that she is wearing the necklace he gave her.

For his information, she is wearing this necklace because it goes with the outfit and for no other reason he may have in his undead head.

The two stand facing each other.

Buffy says they were never very good at talking – at many other things, yes.

Like what, for example, he wants to know.

Buffy strokes his cheek. He has lived for a million years…

Not that long. Just a few decades… years… centuries… okay, what is she getting at?

If he knew something about someone’s past and… the future… would he tell?

Angel takes Buffy’s hand. Probably not. You cannot change a person’s past, and just by telling, you would change the future unpredictably into who knows what.

Yeah. Good. She has to go, says Buffy, no longer looking at him. There is this party… thing.

Angel wishes her a good time.

Buffy tries to jump elegantly off the roof but lands inelegantly and above all roughly in a dumpster. She is fine, really, all okay, she babbles, rubbing her head.

As Buffy heads to the party, the encounter with Angel is still going through her head.

So he found it impressive? As if she cares what Mr. I’m-so-dark-and-mysterious-and-a-vampire-who-becomes-the-worst-evil-and-makes-her-endlessly-sad thinks…

Buffy can already hear the music from the party when she stops short. Wait, what did he say?

Every scrap of sentence goes through Buffy’s head – especially the “sweet” things. At “You look so beautiful” she angrily brushes the thoughts away, because Angel did not even say that!

Then it comes back to her: Angel spoke of five disciples. That was it! He said five, but there were only three.

Buffy is distracted by a song she hears from the party – and she loves this song and can dance to it. Three, five, so what? Maybe Angel cannot count. Maybe…

Oh, crap, maybe she can make it to the cemetery and back before the party is over. With that Buffy storms off in the other direction.

The cemetery:

In the crypt Buffy discovers two more disciples of Morgala performing some ritual.

She hates it when she is right; and even more when he is right.

The vampires turn and declare that she is too late.

No. No, they are wrong there. She will be back at the party in time.

While Buffy turns one of the vampires to dust, the other thrusts a huge red stone into an image on the wall, calling on Morgala to awaken.

The crypt begins to collapse, and Buffy realises that this is probably not good. The next moment a huge – and above all angry – dragon breaks through the wall, straight at Buffy. She works out that the vampires did not worship the image of the dragon but the dragon itself!

Morgala bursts out of the crypt and chases Buffy, who runs across the cemetery.

The dragon attacks Buffy, grabs her and pulls her up with it; but she is not particularly impressed. Is that the best it has got? She had more action at Disneyland – and she is talking about the teacup ride!

Buffy is dragged further up, upside down. Hey, she can see her house! And the house where the party she is missing is happening!

The party, or rather the air above it:

In the fight with the dragon Buffy loses one of her boots and gets worked up about it – dragons obviously have no idea what shoes cost!

Down at the party Cordelia is badmouthing Buffy – she cannot even be bothered to come, so she really is such a loser; loser with a capital L. A total zero. Cordy cannot think of a single thing Buffy does that is even remotely interesting. The next moment Buffy’s lost boot lands on Cordelia’s head – which Willow and Xander watch with glee.

By now Buffy has swung herself onto the dragon’s head. He just comes into her dream – when all she wanted was to forget about such butt-ugly beasts for once. But no, he had to rise and make that almost impossible again. Well, time to fix that, says Buffy.

She braces herself against the big red jewel in the dragon’s forehead. They brought him to life by placing this stone in the wall – let’s see what happens when she pulls the stone out again.

That is exactly what Buffy does, and the dragon literally vanishes into thin air. Buffy did not consider that she is high up in the air, and now she falls right into a tree and then onto the ground, letting out a torrent of “ow”s and “ouch”es – and finally notes that that was fun.

With the “impact”, Buffy’s dream ends…

Reality:

Xander is just complaining that Buffy is messing up his bed.

She is just glad to see him with his eye patch again.

Yes, he knows, the girls think it makes him look rakish.

What girls, Buffy asks.

Could she please get out of his bed now, he asks without answering her.

Dawn appears in the doorway and asks what stinks in here. Then she spots her big sister and says, as nice as ever, that it is only her.

Said the girl who is a horse, Buffy retorts.

Centaur, Dawn makes clear.

Xander should look at Dawnie – so totally centaur-ish, and she is not even a robot centaur, Buffy rejoices.

Xander asks Buffy whether she is okay. Maybe she should sleep a little more; or sleep at all – she only had her eyes closed for about four seconds.

Huh, what is he talking about? She…

Buffy is interrupted when Willow comes into the room too. She knows Buffy wanted to spend a little time over in slumberland, but Andrew called. He is in Madrid, and the vampire nest is bigger than they thought. Again.

Why “again”, Buffy asks, and then jumps into Willow’s arms. Oh my God, look at her: totally magical and gay, Buffy rejoices, clinging to Willow, who has no idea what is going on. Buffy babbles on that she had the strangest dream where she was back in high school and they were all there.

Toto too, Willow asks with interest.

Buffy looks away. The whole time she was thinking how great it was back then… when it was not so complicated… and yet… it was somehow just like now; only in a different way. It probably does not matter… whatever it was, it is over now and… they have a world to save, Buffy states wistfully.

Buffy remembers her dream world once more. Maybe Angel was right. You cannot change a person’s past, and if you tried, who knows what would come of it. But for one brief, wonderful moment it was great to be home again…