Reptile Boy
~~~~~~~~~~ Prologue ~~~~~~~~~~
In every generation there is a chosen one. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer.
The Summers house at night. Cut to Xander in Buffy's room. Weird Hindi music and singing is coming from the TV.
The camera pans past Willow over to Buffy. She and Xander are lying on the bed. Willow is sitting on the floor letting them braid her hair.
Xander: To a telephone in Hindi. Now that's entertainment!
The Hindi woman on TV dances around the room while singing into the phone.
Willow: She's sad because her lover gave her twelve gold coins, but then the wizard cut open the bag of salt, and now the dancing minions have no place to put their big maple... fish thing. (takes a sip of her drink)
Xander: Uh, huh. Why is she singing?
Buffy: Her lover? I thought that was her chiropractor.
Willow: Because of that thing he did with her feet? No, that was personal.
Xander: Hmm. And we thought just because we didn't have any money or anyplace to go this would be a lackluster evening.
Willow: I know! We could go to the Bronze and sneak in our own tea bags and ask for hot water. (smiles)
Xander: Hop off the outlaw train, Will, before you land us all in jail.
Buffy: I, for one, am giddy and up. There's a kinda hush all over Sunnydale. No demons or vampires to slay, I'm here with my friends... (tilts her head at the TV) So, how does the water buffalo fit in again?
Xander shakes his head. Cut to the lawn in front of the Delta Zeta Kappa fraternity house. The camera pans along the grass and then up to the house. Cut to the balcony. A girl crashes through the glass door. She rolls over the balcony railing and doesn't hesitate to drop to the ground below. A fraternity brother in a dark hooded robe rushes out onto the balcony after her. When he sees that she jumped he quickly goes back inside. Cut to the girl on the ground now. She gets up, apparently not hurt in the fall, and begins to run as fast as she can. Five brothers, all wearing robes, come streaming out of the house after her. She runs into the trees, looks around for which way to go and makes tracks for the wall to the north. Just as she reaches it she trips and falls, but quickly gets up, climbs a low tree branch and jumps over to the wall. She shimmies over the top and drops down the other side into the cemetery. The fraternity brothers follow her over the wall one by one. She runs through the cemetery for all she's worth as the boys give chase. One of the brothers is waiting ahead of her, and she runs into him and screams.
She sobs uncontrollably as he shoves her over to the others, and they take her away. He has a look around to make sure no one saw, pulls his hood over his head and follows them back to the house. Opening credits roll. Buffy's theme plays.
Sunnydale High School. Cut to the hall. Cordelia is demonstrating her fake laugh to another girl.
Cut to the stairs. Willow and Buffy come down and head down the hall.
Buffy: Third night in a row.
Willow: What did he do in the dream?
Buffy: Stuff.
Willow: (smiles wide) Oh! Stuff! (Buffy smiles) Was it one of those vivid dreams where you could feel his lips and smell his hair?
Buffy: It had surroundsound. I'm just thinking about him so much lately.
Willow: You two are so right for each other. Except for the, uh...
Buffy: Vampire thing.
Willow: That doesn't make him a bad person. Necessarily.
Buffy: I'm brainsick. I can't have a relationship with him.
Willow: Not during the day, but you could ask him for coffee some night. It's the non-relationship drink of choice. Xander comes out of a classroom, sees them and hurries to catch up.
Willow: It's not a date, it's a caffeinated beverage. Okay, sure, it's hot and bitter like a relationship that way, but...
Xander: What's like a relationship?
Buffy: Nothing I have. Coffee?
Xander: Huh? He stops by Cordelia as Willow and Buffy get a drink at the fountain.
Cordelia: (to the girl) There's really no comparison between college men and high school boys. (looks up at Xander) I mean, look at that.
Xander: So, Cor, you're datin' college guys now.
Cordelia: Not that it's any of your business, but I happen to be dating a Delta Zeta Kappa.
Xander: Oh! An extra-terrestrial. So that's how you get a date after you exhausted all the human guys.
Cordelia: You'll go to college someday, Xander. I just know your pizza delivery career will take you so many exciting places.
Xander has no comeback for that, and joins the girls at the drinking fountain. Buffy and Willow have smiles on their faces from overhearing. The bell rings.
She heads for the library. Cut to the library. Giles paces while he lectures her.
Buffy: I haven't let my guard down.
Giles: Oh, really? You yawned your way through weapons training last week, you, you, you, you skipped hand- to-hand entirely... Are you gonna be prepared if a demon springs up behind you and does this?
He swings his arm over her shoulder from behind, but she grabs it and pulls it behind his back, forcing him to bend over and wince in pain. She has a bored look on her face.
She lets him go.
He straightens up and rubs his wrist.
Buffy: And the little slice of life that still belongs to me from, I don't know, seven to seven-oh-five in the morning, can I do what I want then?
Giles: Buffy, you think I don't know what it's like to be sixteen?
Buffy: No. I think you *don't* know what it's like to be sixteen. And a girl. And the Slayer.
Giles: Fair enough, no, no, I-I don't.
Buffy: Or what it's like to have to stake vampires while you're having fuzzy feelings towards one?
Giles: Uh...
Buffy: Taking on the undead doesn't exactly do wonders for your social life.
Giles: That's exactly where, where being... different, uh, comes in handy.
Buffy: Right! Who needs a social life when you've got your very own Hellmouth?
Giles: Yes! Y-you, you, you have a duty, a-a-a purpose, y-y-you have a commitment in life. Now how many people your age can say that?
Buffy: We talkin' foreign or domestic? How 'bout none?
Giles: (he's had enough) Well, here's a hard fact of life: we all have to do things we don't like! And you have hand-to-hand this afternoon and patrol tonight. So I, I suggest you come straight here at the end of, of period six a-and you get your homework done. And don't dawdle with your friends. (Buffy pouts) And, and don't think sitting there pouting is gonna get to me, because it won't.
She gives him her best pouty look.
Cut to the front of the building after school. Buffy is sitting on the railing of the stairs to the street. Xander and Willow are walking toward her.
Willow: And you skipped three classes.
Xander: Yeah, and, of course, *they* flew by. (they reach Buffy) Buffy!
Willow: Aren't you supposed to be doing your homework in the library?
Buffy: I'm dawdling (takes Xander's arm) with my friends.
Cordelia comes walking by and bumps into Willow. She continues down the stairs without so much as an acknowledgment.
A black BMW pulls up to the curb. The windows are all darkly tinted.
Willow: Jeez.
They all watch Cordelia. Cut to her reflection in the car window. She pushes her sunglasses on top of her head as the driver's window lowers.
Cordelia: Hi, Richard. Nice car.
Tom in the passenger's seat notices Buffy sitting on the railing and points her out to Richard.
Cordelia does her fake laugh. Richard and Tom don't get it.
Cordelia: Oh! I would, I would love, *love* to go!
Richard: So, who's your friend? (indicates Buffy)
Cordelia: (looks) Her? Oh, she's not my friend.
Tom: She's amazing!
Cordelia: She's more like a sister, really! We're that close.
Richard: Well, why don't you introduce us?
Cordelia: (realizes she's trapped herself) Okay. (goes to get Buffy)
Cut to Buffy, Xander and Willow.
Cordelia: (reaches for Buffy's hand) Come on. Richard and his fraternity brother wanna meet you.
Buffy: Well, I don't really wanna meet any fraternity boys.
Cordelia: (pulls her) And if there was a God, don't you think he'd keep it that way?
Willow and Xander watch as Cordelia drags Buffy away.
Cordelia brings Buffy up to Richard.
Buffy: So not interested. (tries to leave)
Cordelia: (grabs Buffy's hand) Oh, she's such a little comedienne.
Richard: What, she likes to play hard to get?
Tom: No, Richard. I think you're playing easy to resist.
Buffy starts to leave again. Tom paces her.
Willow and Xander are within earshot of Tom and Buffy and overhear the conversation.
Buffy: I'm Buffy Summers.
Tom: Oh, nice to meet you. Are you a senior here?
Buffy: Junior.
Tom: Oh, me, too. Except that I'm a senior and I'm in college. So we have that in common, and... I major in history.
Buffy: Mm. History stumps me. I have a hard enough time remembering what happened last week.
Tom: No, nothin' happened last week, don't worry, I was there.
Xander: She's gonna walk away. (pauses) Now.
Tom: So, uh, my friend invited your friend to a party we're having this weekend.
Cordelia does her fake laugh loudly for Richard.
Xander: Okay, boots, start a-walking.
Tom: Oh, I know, I talk too much anyway. They're really dull parties full of really dull people, so... would you like to come and save me from a really dull fate?
Buffy: Oh, I wish I could, but I'm sort of involved.
Tom: Well, sure, of course you are. Thanks for letting me ramble.
Buffy: Y'know, people underestimate the value of a good ramble.
Giles spots her talking to Tom and calls out to her.
She turns to look and sees him pointing at his watch and walk off to the library.
Tom: Oh. Same here.
Buffy hops up the stairs. Xander hands her bag to her, and she runs off to the library. Tom watches her go.
Willow: Yeah, with their charmed lives and their movie star good looks and more money than you can count? I'm hating.
Cut to the library. Giles comes out of the cage holding a sword in one hand and a stick in the other.
Buffy: Please don't.
She kicks the sword out of his left hand. He looks at her a bit dismayed, but quickly swings the stick at her. She sidesteps him, and the end of the stick hits the floor. She pins his arm down and stomps on the stick, breaking it. He tries to lunge at her, but she sidesteps again, and he runs into the table and slides across the top.
Cut to the cemetery at night. Buffy strolls through, keeping a careful watch. She spots a bracelet on the ground and bends down to pick it up. Angel suddenly appears behind her.
Buffy: (gets up startled and faces him) Hi. It's nice to... Blood?
Angel: I can smell it.
Buffy: Oh. (looks at the bracelet) It's pretty thin. It probably belonged to a girl.
Angel: Probably.
Buffy: (exhales) I-I was... just thinking, wouldn't it be funny some time to see each other when it wasn't a blood thing. (smiles briefly) Not funny ha, ha.
Angel: What are you sayin', you wanna have a date?
Buffy: No.
Angel: You don't wanna have a date?
Buffy: Who said 'date'? I-I-I never said 'date'.
Angel: Right. You just wanna have coffee or somethin'.
Buffy: (hopefully) Coffee?
Angel: I knew this was gonna happen.
Buffy: What? What do you think is happening?
Angel: You're sixteen years old. I'm two hundred and forty-one.
Buffy: I've done the math.
Angel: You don't know what you're doing, you don't know what you want...
Buffy: Oh. No, I, I think I do. I want out of this conversation. (starts to walk past him)
Angel: (bumps her) Listen, if we date you and I both know one thing's gonna lead to another.
Buffy: One thing already has led to another. You think it's a little late to be reading me a warning label?
Angel: I'm just tryin' to protect you. This could get outta control.
Buffy: Isn't that the way it's supposed to be?
He grabs her by the shoulders and pulls her closer. She draws a startled breath.
Buffy: No. When you kiss me I wanna die.
She pulls herself free and runs off. Cut to school the next morning. Cut to a classroom. Class is over and the students are leaving. Buffy slowly gets up from her desk and gathers her things. Cordelia comes into the room.
Buffy: (off in her own world) I'll go.
Cordelia: (surprised) You'll go? (huge smile) Great! I'll drive. Oh, Buffy, it's like we're sisters! With really different hair.
She turns to leave and can't believe she just said what she did. Buffy can't believe it either. Cut to the fraternity house basement. A pledge is taking the oath of brotherhood.
Pledge: I pledge my life and my death...
Richard: To the Delta Zeta Kappa's, and to Machida whom we serve...
Pledge: To the Delta Zeta Kappa's, and to Machida whom we serve...
Richard: On my oath before my assembled brethren...
He starts to carve a symbol into the pledge's chest with the tip of a sword.
Richard: I promise to keep our secret from this day until my death.
Pledge: I promise to keep our secret from this day until my death.
Richard is finished carving and lowers the sword.
Pledge: In blood I was baptized, and in blood I shall reign. In his name.
Richard: You are now one of us.
Pledge: In his name!
Brothers: In his name.
Richard puts the sword aside and shakes the pledge's hand.
A brother tosses him a beer. As he opens it he walks over to Callie, who is shackled to the wall.
Callie: (begs) Let me go.
Richard: Let you go? Okay, let me think. Um, no! (laughs) God, I love high school girls. Mm!
He walks off to join the party. Callie lowers her head and weeps.
The lounge. Willow gathers her things to go to class.
Buffy: Angel.
Willow: He's going with you? (to Xander) She's got a date with Angel! Isn't that exciting?
Xander: I'm elated. (gets up from the couch)
Buffy: I-I'm not going with Angel. I'm going with -- egads -- Cordelia. (starts out of the lounge)
Willow: Cordelia?! (to Xander) Did I sound a little jealous just them, 'cause I'm not really... (runs after Buffy) Cordelia?
Xander: Cordelia's much better for you than Angel. (hurries after them)
Willow: (catches up) What happened with Angel?
Buffy: Nothing, as usual. A whole lotta nothing with Angel.
Xander: Bummer.
They head down the hall.
Buffy: Angel barely says two words to me.
Xander: Don't you hate that?
Buffy: And when he does, he treats me like I'm a child.
Xander: That bastard!
Buffy: You know, at least Tom can carry on a conversation.
Xander: Yeah! Tom? Who's Tom?
Willow: The frat guy.
Xander: Oh, Buffy, I don't think so. Frying pan, fire? You know what I'm sayin'.
Cut to the library. Giles comes out of his office carrying a sword behind his back and looks around. Seeing there's no one there he starts practicing a few thrusts to his front and back. He spins around and trusts again.
He trusts the sword behind him, pretending he just jabbed one. He raises the sword above his head to stab his pretend fallen victim. Buffy, Willow and Xander come in through the door and see him. He hears the door and looks back. When he sees it's them he tries to make like nothing's going on.
He tosses the sword through the open cage door and kicks the door shut.
Buffy: Found this. (gives him the bracelet)
Giles: (reads the inscription) E-N-T.
Willow: I've seen something like that before.
Buffy: It's broken in two. I don't know what the rest of the letters might have spelled. And there's blood on it.
Giles: Uh, I didn't see any.
Buffy: Angel showed up. He could smell it.
Xander: The blood? There's a guy you wanna party with.
Giles: Blood.
Willow: In Sunnydale. What a surprise.
Xander: Okay, here's what we're gonna do: she should probably make the rounds again tonight, and we should try to figure out who that bracelet belongs to.
Giles: Yes, good idea, yes. She'll patrol, and, and we'll reconvene...
Buffy: (interrupting) Uh, hello? She's standing right here? And she's not available.
Giles: Why not?
Xander: Buffy, this is a little more important than...
Buffy: I've got a mountain of homework to do, and, um... my mom's not really feeling well, and she could probably use my help, and, um, to be truthful I'm not really feeling all that well myself.
Willow can't believe what she's hearing and stares at Buffy.
Buffy: Oh, I'll take an early pass this evening, and, um, one later on, but for the bulk of the evening...
Giles: Oh, you should stay home with your mother.
Cut to the halls. The three of them come out of the library. Xander gives Buffy a stern look.
Xander: I'm not gonna say it.
Willow: You lied to Giles.
Xander: But she will.
Buffy: Look, I wasn't lying. I was just... protecting him from information that he wouldn't be able to... digest properly.
Xander: Like a corn dog.
Willow: Like you don't have a sick mother, but you'd rather go to a frat party where there's gonna be drinking and older guys and probably an orgy.
Xander: Whoa! Whoa-ho-ho, rewind. Since when do they have orgies, and why aren't I on the mailing list?
Buffy: There's no orgies!
Willow: I heard a lot of wild things go on at frat parties.
Buffy: Okay, you know what? Look, seven days a week I am busy saving the world. Once in a great while I wanna
have some fun. And that's what I'm gonna have tonight. Fun!
Cut to later in the lounge. Buffy and Cordelia are sitting at a table.
Buffy: What weird thing with my...
Cordelia: Don't interrupt. Do be interested if someone should speak to you. It may or may not happen, but do be polite. And laugh at the appropriate intervals. (demonstrates) Do lie to your mom about where we're going. It's a fraternity, and there will be drinking.
Xander and Willow come over to the table. Xander is munching on a power bar. Willow has a Coke.
Cordelia: Oh, are we feeling a little envious? You could belong to a fraternity of rich and powerful men. In the Bizarro world.
Xander has no comeback again.
Xander: Nah, I gotta... digest and all.
He and Willow go up to the couches and sit down.
Buffy lets her head fall to the table. Cut to Xander and Willow on the couch.
Xander: Buffy's lying, Buffy's going to frat parties... That's not askew, that's cockeyed.
Willow: Askew means cockeyed.
Xander: Oh.
He grabs her Coke and takes a swig. She grabs his bar and breaks off a piece.
Xander: I'm goin' to the party.
Willow: What?
Xander: I gotta keep an eye on Buffy. Those frat guys creep me.
Willow: You wanna protect her?
Xander: Mm hm.
Willow: And prove that you're just as good as those rich, snotty guys?
Xander: Mm hm.
Willow: Maybe catch an orgy?
Xander: If it's on early.
Willow nods her head and pops the piece of power bar into her mouth. Xander takes another swig of her Coke. Cut to the street in front of the fraternity house that night. Cordelia comes screeching in to park and smacks the car in front of her. Cut inside the car.
Buffy: I dunno. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.
Cordelia: Me, too. Let's go!
She gets out of the car and closes the door.
Cut inside the fraternity house. Two girls come in through the door and walk through the room. A couple of fraternity brothers watch them walk by.
Linebacker: Ooo, yeah!
The camera slowly pans across the room to Buffy and Cordelia.
Richard: Welcome, ladies. (hands them drinks)
Cordelia: Thank you.
Buffy: Oh, i-is there alcohol in this?
Richard: Just a smidge.
Cordelia: C'mon, Buffy, it's just a smidge.
Buffy: I'll just... (sets the drink down)
Richard: I understand. When I was your age I wasn't into grownup things either. Have you seen our multi-media room?
Cordelia: Oh, the one with the cherry walnut paneling and the two forty-eight inch televisions on satellite feed? No. Wanna show me? (smiles)
Richard: What about...
Cordelia: Oh, her? She's happiest by herself.
They go off and leave Buffy standing there by herself. Cut to a side window. Xander pokes his head in, looks around and climbs in. "Wolves", by Shawn K. Clement and Sean W. Murray, plays on the stereo. He loses his balance and falls through the window onto the floor. He hops back up and takes a drink from a tray that's being passed around by a half-naked pledge.
Xander walks into the room and has alook around. He looks at a girl as she walks by. He continues through the room. He comes into the next room, but doesn't notice Buffy behind him. She's looking the other way and doesn't see him either. He looks at another girl passing by, but is distracted by a tray of hors-d'oeuvres being carried around by another pledge in drag. He reaches for the tray and follows it away. Buffy turns around. She's bored and lonely and fidgets with her hands. She looks down at her drink and picks it up again. She stirs it idly for a moment, then realizes she really doesn't want it and puts it back down. She looks around the room at the people dancing. A new song starts, "She", by Louie Says. The dance crowd separates for a moment and a handsome Young Man on the other side of the room looks at her. He raises his drink to her. Tackle and Linebacker are standing behind him, watching. She notices him, picks up her drink again and raises it to him. She takes a small sip as he raises his drink for a sip also. Tackle is drunk. He notices Buffy and starts to stagger toward her.
He grabs the Young Man for balance and pulls him away before he even gets his drink to his lips.
Tackle: Dance!
Buffy looks up from putting her drink back down and stares at him in wide-eyed surprise when she sees him coming for her.
Tom appears in the nick of time and takes her arm.
Tackle: C'mon!
Tom pulls her away to the dance area just as Tackle is about to crash into her. He looks up surprised at her disappearance. He sees another girl walk by and follows her instead.
Tom: No. We're not all a bunch of drunken louts. Some of us are sober louts. I'm really glad that you decided to come.
Buffy looks down.
Buffy: No, it's... I shouldn't be here.
Tom: Because you're seeing someone.
Buffy: No.
Tom: You're not seeing someone?
Buffy: Someone's not seeing me.
Tom: So, why shouldn't you be here?
Buffy: Because I have obligations. People that I'm responsible for, or to, or... (Tom laughs and so does she) with, or... It's complicated.
Tom: You're big on responsibility. I like that. But there's such a thing as being too mature. You should relax. Enjoy yourself once in a while.
Buffy: You think I'm too mature?
Tom: (chuckles) I talk too much. Have you picked up on that yet? Anyway, the, uh, the Hulk is gone, so you don't have to dance with me.
Buffy: He might come back.
She continues dancing with Tom. Cut to Xander talking to two girls. Another hors-d'oeuvre tray passes by, and he grabs another one.
Richard is watching Xander. Tackle and Linebacker join him.
Richard: Never seen him before in my life.
Linebacker: We got us a crasher!
Xander: (to the girls) So, have either of you seen a pair of girls here? One's about so high... (notices the guys) Hey, guys!
Tackle: New pledge.
Linebacker: New pledge!
Tackle: (grabs Xander and yells) New pledge!
Together: (dragging him off) New pledge! New pledge! New pledge! New pledge! New pledge!
Cut outside to the patio. Buffy strolls out of the house alone. It's chilly, and she rubs her arms a bit and crosses them. She steps on a piece of glass and looks down. There are several small pieces there and she crouches to pick one up. She looks up above her and notices the door to the balcony has been boarded up. Tom is outside now, too, and notices her as she stands back up.
Buffy: (drops the piece of glass and exhales) Yeah. I was... just thinking.
Richard finds them there, too, and hands them both drinks.
Tom: Uh, to maturity.
Buffy: What the hell. I'm tired of being mature.
She gulps the drink. The two boys raise their eyebrows and drink theirs also. Cut to the library. Willow and Giles are playing word games, trying to figure out what the word on the bracelet might be. Willow types the words as they think of them.
Giles: Sent.
Willow: Rent.
Giles: Uh, Lent. Dent.
Willow: Went. Kent. Kent! That's it!
Giles: Her boyfriend's name was Kent?
Willow: No! Kent Preparatory School. Just outside of town. That's where I've seen these bracelets.
Giles: Wh-what are you doing?
Willow: Pulling up their school newsletter for the past few months. See if there's anything about...
Giles: A missing girl.
The most recent issue of the newsletter has a picture of Callie on the front page. The title of the article reads 'Callie Our Hearts & Prayers Are With You'. Cut to the Fraternity house. Xander is being hazed. Linebacker grabs his cheeks to pucker his lips and smears lipstick on them. Everyone is laughing hysterically. "Bring Me On", by Act of Faith, is playing on the sound system.
The camera pulls back from Xander's face. They've put a skirt and a huge bra on him. He does his usual lame dancing while the party guests cheer him on.
Xander: (nervous) Okay, big fun guys. Uhhh, who's next?
Tackle puts a blonde wig on his head.
Cut to Buffy at the front door. She's woozy from the drink and steadies herself against the wall.
Buffy: Tom?
Through hazy eyes and a wobbly head she sees Xander dancing with his back to her. Slowly she starts to make her way up the stairs to find a place to rest. In the other room Tackle and Linebacker continue to goad Xander on. Cut upstairs to a bedroom. Buffy pushes open the door, comes in and bumps into a sculpture.
She steadies herself and heads for the bed.
She lies down and falls asleep. Richard shows up at the door. He pushes it open and peeks in. He comes in when he sees Buffy asleep on the bed. He rolls her over onto her back and smiles as he brushes his hand along her neck. He's suddenly pulled away from her and shoved against the wall.
Richard: I wasn't doing anything!
Tom: I saw what you were doing.
Richard: I was just having a little fun.
Tom: Well, she's not here for your fun, you pervert. She's here for the pleasure of the one we serve.
Richard: (ashamed) In his name.
Tom: And that goes for the other one, too.
The camera pans from Tom down to Buffy on the bed and continues to Cordelia on the floor.
The library. Giles picks up the printout of the Newsletter's front page.
Missing for over a week. No one's seen her, no one knows what happened to her.
Giles: I'm calling Buffy.
Willow: No!
Giles: Why not?
Willow: (nervous) Because Buffy... a-a-and her mother...
Giles: Are sick. No, you're quite right. No, there's no point in disturbing them until we know more.
Willow turns her attention back to the PC. Some more information comes up.
Giles: A year.
Willow: Almost to the day.
Giles: An anniversary or perhaps some other event significant to the killer.
Willow: Killer? Now there's a killer? We don't know that there's a...
Giles: No, but this being Sunnydale and all.
Willow: Gulp.
Giles: (exhales) We need to know where Buffy found that bracelet, and then we can begin our search there. (reaches for the phone)
Willow: Good idea. Call Angel. (gets a confused look from Giles) Uh, he was there when Buffy found it. We're gonna need all the help we can get.
Giles agrees with her logic. Cut to the fraternity house front door. The party is over. Tackle shoves Xander out of the house. Linebacker throws him his clothes.
Xander: Wait, a friend of mine was here.
Tackle: Y'know, in that light, with that wig on and all... you're still butt ugly!
They laugh and close the door in Xander's face. He drops his clothes, pulls off the wig, and throws it down. He undoes the bra, takes it off and throws it down, too. Cut to the basement. Richard takes a sword and walks behind a kneeling Tom. Tom has a series of symbols carved onto his chest. Richard begins to carve another one on Tom's back. The camera pans over to the three girls shackled to the wall.
Buffy: In the basement, far as I can tell.
Cordelia: What's happening? What did they do to us?
Buffy: They drugged us.
Cordelia: Why? What are they gonna do to us?
Buffy: I don't know.
Cordelia: (whines) I wanna go home.
Callie: No one's going home. Ever. One of them's different than the others. (looks at Tom) Nicer.
Buffy: (whispers) Tom.
Richard is finished carving Tom's new symbol. He gets up and turns to the girls. Two brothers help him on with his robe.
Buffy shakes her chain a bit and looks up where it's anchored. Tom looks at her.
Cordelia: Last? For what?
Tom walks over to the well and picks up a bag.
Tom lets three stones drop out of the bag and into his hand.
Cordelia: (beginning to panic) Buffy...
Buffy: Stay calm. We'll get outta this.
Tom pours water over the stones.
Buffy can't believe her ears. Tom is done with his stone cleansing ritual and faces the girls. He stares at Buffy. Cut to the library.
Giles: South wall.
Willow stares at the window in fascination. Angel casts no reflection in it.
Willow: Oh! Sorry. The reflection thing that you don't have. Angel, how do you shave? (the men exchange a look) South wall. That's near the college and... the fraternity house!
Giles: A fraternity?
Willow nods nervously.
Giles and Angel start to go. Willow holds back.
Giles: Wwwe don't know that it's concrete. Uh, let's not disturb her until...
Willow: Is there! With Cordelia. They went to a party at the Zeta Kappa house.
Giles: She lied to me?
Willow: (nervous) Well...
Angel: Did... she have a date?
Willow: Well... (Angel huffs) Well, why do you think she went to that party? Because you gave her the brush- off! (to Giles) And you never let her do anything except work and patrol! And I know she's the chosen one, but you're killing her with the pressure! I mean, she's sixteen going on forty! (to Angel) And you! I mean, you're gonna live forever! You don't have time for a cup of coffee?!
Angel and Giles are speechless.
She hurries out of the library. Giles and Angel follow shortly behind. Cut to the street in front of the fraternity house. Xander walks past a few cars. He's still wearing the skirt and carries his clothes in a bundle.
He walks past Cordelia's car, and it looks familiar to him. He checks the license plate and it reads 'QUEEN C'. It's Cordelia's car, alright. He looks back up at the house a moment, and then makes his way back to it. Cut to the basement. The ritual is continuing. Tom is standing on the basement stairs holding the sword.
Brothers: In his name.
Tom: We who serve you, we who receive all that you bestow, call upon you in this holy hour.
Brothers: In this holy hour.
He turns to walk toward Richard, holding the sword horizontally in both hands.
Brothers: Except that which you give us.
He places the sword on Richard's arms.
Brothers: Except that which you give us.
Richard hugs the sword to his chest, crossing his hands over his heart.
Buffy: Yeah, a psycho cult.
Cordelia: You've gotta do something.
Tom: It's been a year since our last offering.
Richard lowers the sword and rests the tip on the floor.
Cordelia: Offerings? He's talking about us?
Callie: Do you see anyone else chained up in here?
Tom: Accept our offering, Dark Lord, and bless us with your power. Machida!
Brothers: Machida! Tom tosses the stones into the well at the center of the basement one at a time.
Cordelia: (frightened) What's down there?
Tom: Come forth, and let your terrible countenance look upon your servants, and their humble offering. We call you, Machida.
Brothers: In his name. Machida.
Cordelia: There's something down there and he's gonna throw us down there with it.
Buffy: I don't think so.
Cordelia: No? Well, that's good! That, that's...
Buffy: I don't think we go to it. I think it comes to us.
Cordelia: (terrified) Ooohhhhhhh! No!
Tom looks up, awaiting Machida's arrival. The camera closes in on the well, and suddenly Machida rises out of it.
It's a half man, half snake, green and scaly, and growls as he looks at the girls. Cordelia keeps screaming at the top of her lungs. Buffy stares at Machida in wide-eyed horror.
The basement. Buffy tries to yank her chains from the ceiling.
Machida remains stationary and spreads his arms.
The camera pans down and over to Tom.
Brothers: Machida.
Tom: And if he is pleased with our offerings, then our fortune shall increase.
Brothers: Machida. Let our fortunes increase.
Tom: And on the tenth day of the tenth month he shall become hungered. And we shall feed him.
Machida gazes over at the girls.
Machida rises before her.
Buffy renews her efforts to break the chains from the ceiling.
Cut outside. Angel, Willow and Giles walk through the bushes from the street to the lawn.
They look up at the house as a robed figure comes up behind them. Angel senses him and spins around to confront him.
Xander: Hey! (lifts the hood from his eyes) What are you guys doing here?
Willow: A bunch of girls are missing, and the Zeta Kappas may be involved, and Buffy. Are you wearing makeup?
Xander smears the lipstick off with his fingers.
Giles: Why are you wearing that? (indicates the robe)
Xander: Oh, I found it in their trash. I saw them through the window. They were wearing robes and went down to the basement. I was gonna use it to sneak in.
Giles: They may be involved in some kind of ritual.
Willow: With the missing girls.
Angel: (growls, vamped out) With Buffy!
Xander: Okay, that *is* the guy you wanna party with.
Cut to the basement. Machida closes in on Cordelia and she screams.
Tom: No woman speaks to him!
Buffy: You don't want her. Look at her. She's all skin and bones. Half an hour later you'll be hungry.
Tom: (comes over to Buffy) I told you to shut up!
He backhand punches her and holds up his sword. Tom: You speak again and I'll cut your throat.
Cut upstairs. Xander steps up to the door holding his head down and knocks. Tackle comes to the door to answer.
Xander: Got locked out dumping the trash. Let me in. I don't wanna miss the, uh...
Tackle opens the door and waves him in.
Xander: ...you know what. (throws back his hood) Where are they?!
He punches Tackle in the face and knocks him down, but has really hurt his hand doing it. Angel comes in behind him and punches out Linebacker. Willow and Giles follow them in. Cut to the basement. Two brothers unchain Cordelia and hold her. Tom hears the commotion upstairs.
Several of them rush upstairs to see what's going on. Buffy looks up at her chains again, then back at Machida.
Machida rises above Cordelia, then moves in to take her from the brothers' grip. She screams loudly and struggles. Buffy yanks hard at her chains again, and they finally break loose from the ceiling. She quickly steps over to Machida and punches him in the face. He pulls back away from them, holding the side of his face. Buffy starts fighting the brothers. Tom takes a swing at her with his sword. Cut upstairs. Angel throws a brother to the floor. Willow jumps over him, runs to the basement door and goes in. Xander is on Tackle's back, punching him.
Giles struggles with a door. A brother tries to grab him from behind, but he elbow punches him and knocks him out. Willow comes back out of the basement door.
Xander: That's for the makeup! (punches again, knocking him out) And that's for the last sixteen and a half years!
Willow: Hey! Buffy! Snake! Basement! Now!
She heads back into the basement as the others jump to follow. Angel punches out a brother who is giving chase. Cut to the basement.
He attacks her with the sword, but she catches the blade in her chains, throws a loop of it around his neck and pulls him in.
She shoves him away, and he rolls over a table, knocking everything off of it. Machida grabs Cordelia and starts to drag her away as the others come down the stairs. Buffy picks up the sword and jumps up onto the edge of the well. She holds the sword above her head, ready to strike.
Machida doesn't heed her warning and continues to hold on to Cordelia, so Buffy wields the sword back and slashes it into him. He drops Cordelia and rears back, screaming in pain. A moment later he drops to the floor dead. Buffy makes a face at the grossness of it. Willow comes down the rest of the steps and goes over to free Callie. Buffy comes down to look at what's left of Machida. Angel is behind her. Giles helps Cordelia up.
Angel brings Tom over. Cordelia grabs him by the shirt.
She lets go of him and starts up the stairs. Angel shoves Tom up the stairs ahead of him. Giles puts his fists on his hips and gives Buffy a stern look. She looks down in shame.
Giles: Yes, and you were very nearly devoured by a giant demon snake. The words 'let that be a lesson' are a tad redundant at this juncture.
Buffy: I'm sorry. (looks at him for forgiveness)
Giles: So am I. I... I drive you too hard because I-I know what you have to face. From now on no, no more pushing, no more prodding. Just, uh, an inordinate amount of nudging.
Buffy smiles up at him and then starts up the stairs. Giles takes her arm and goes up with her. Cut to the Bronze. Jonathan is at the bar anxiously waiting for a large cup of cappuccino.
Barmaid: Here you go.
She hands him the large cup and saucer and he takes it and a plate with a muffin over to Cordelia.
Jonathan: Um... Cinnamon, chocolate, half caf, non-fat.
Cordelia just looks at him. He realizes his mistake.
Cordelia grabs the muffin and waves the cappuccino away. She steps over to Xander, Willow and Buffy at their table. Xander is reading the Sunnydale Press.
Xander: Says here that they've all been sentenced to consecutive life sentences. Investigators found the bones of missing girls in a huge cavern beneath the frat house. And older bones dating back fifty years. Buffy and Willow exchange a grossed out look.
Willow: (to Buffy) Have you heard from Angel? When he got so mad about you being in danger, and changed into a (makes a face) grr, it was the most amazing thing I ever saw. I mean, how many guys can...
Angel comes down the stairs and over to stand behind Xander.
Angel: Buffy.
Buffy: Angel.
Xander: (in a deep voice) Xander! (shakes his head)
Angel: I hear this place, uh, serves coffee. (Xander looks up at him) I thought maybe you and I should get some. Sometime. If you want.
Buffy permits herself a bit of a smile.
Angel eyes her suspiciously. Buffy gets up and leaves with a smile on her face.
{Inca Mummy Girl} {Halloween} {The Series 2 Index} {The Index}