At the Magic Box, Xander was finalizing his speech to Anya. There were few customers and Anya was out the back finding a crystal ball for one of them. Xander was, of course, jittery and was finding it hard to get the words out that had attacked his mind ever since his non-wedding day.

“All right, c’mon Xander,” he said to himself. “You can do this. You did it before. It’s only four little words. What could possibly go wrong?” He flashed back and he saw himself walking away from the wedding, leaving Anya even before they got to walk up the aisle. He looked down at his feet in shame and started to fidget again. He said over and over in his mind that he could do it but he still wasn’t so sure.

“Here you go. One ancient Egyptian pharos Crystal Ball.” Anya led the customer over to the register and sold the ball to the customer. “Thankyou for shopping at the Magic Box. Come back soon to purchase things.” Anya nodded incessantly and closed the register, making a little note in the register book to order in a new crystal ball. “Well, there’s another happy customer. I do love taking peoples money.”

“Sweetie, I need to talk to you. Say anything you want afterwards but I need to get this out so can you please not say anything until I’m done?” Xander asked.

“Honey, is something wrong? Is Willow going on about the yellow crayons again?” Anya stated as she fixed up his shirt collar.

“What? No, just,” he took a deep breath, “can you stop for a second?” He put his hands up to Anya’s and stopped her from fiddling around with his shirt. They held hands for a while and he smiled sweetly at her. “This is hard for me to say. Um, will you…” Anya stared deeply into his eyes, moving them from focusing on one eye to focusing on the other. “Would you…”

Suddenly Anya and Xander heard the jingling of the store bell. “Hey you guys. What’s up?” Dawn questioned and totally interrupted Xander. “Did I just barge in on something? Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I’ll go.” Dawn ran out to the back of the Magic Box and Xander got ready to speak again.

“Mmm, well that was a bit rude, but what can you expect from a teenager?” Anya stated and then grinned. “Anyway, what were you saying?”

“Well, I want to ask you something. It’s very important,” Xander replied and started shaking a little. “Will you…” Anya still looked at him fondly and started fixing his collar yet again. “Anya, will you…” They heard the jingling of the store bell again and in came Willow and Kennedy arm in arm.

“Hey Xander, hey Anya,” Willow said as she strode gracefully up to the register. “Xander can I speak to you for a minute um, over here?” Willow turned and pointed to the table behind her and Xander nodded. “Can you just wait here for a moment, baby?”

“Sure,” Kennedy replied and she gave Willow a quick kiss.

“So,” Willow said once at the table, “have you asked her yet?”

“No, everyone keeps interrupting. Maybe it isn’t such a good idea.” Xander started fidgeting again and he got anxious. “I mean, you remember last time. I walked away. I’m surprised she even wanted to get back together with me.”

“You’ll be fine, just, if you do get it out, which, hey, of course you will,” Willow lent in towards him and gave him a ‘you can do it’ punch, “don’t let her pick green for the bridesmaids dresses. That wasn’t such a good idea,” Willow said as she pulled a grimace. “You can do it.”

“Thanks Will,” Xander retorted, feeling a little less anxious as he pulled her in for a hug. Willow straightened his collar and they walked back over to their loved ones. “So, um, I’ll be seeing you two later then?” Xander nudged Willow to go away and her and Kennedy left Xander and Anya alone again. “Well, back to what I was saying. Anya, I’m just going to blurt this out. Anya, will you…”

Again, the jingle of the bell disrupted Xander from what he was saying and Buffy and Giles arrived, arguing about the proper ethics of the slayer. “Giles, it doesn’t matter if there’s one slayer or hundreds of them. Just as long as I get a vacation from the vampire world, I couldn’t care less.”

“Yes, but the entire balance over good and evil is weighed up by one slayer onto thousands of vampires and demons,” Giles stated very plainly as he started to clean his glasses. “When there are two slayers it disrupts that force, let alone having hundreds of slayers in just one generation. Besides,” Giles put in, “it’s too much work for the Watchers Council to try and assign all slayers a watcher.”

“So? Not all slayers will need a watcher, will they?”

“No, I suppose not,” Giles stated plainly as he cleaned his glasses.

“See? I’m nearly always right,” Buffy said as she looked over and saw Anya and Xander. “Oh, hey peoples. What’s happening?”

“Nothing at the moment. Xander keeps trying to say something,” Anya started to exaggerate and gestured a lot with her hands, “but everyone keeps intruding and he can’t get out what it is he wants to say to me so could you please just leave us alone for five minutes? Hmm?” Anya took a deep breath and then smiled gently at Xander. Xander looked at her a little embarrassed and then smiled at Buffy and Giles. “Well, you were thinking the same thing Xander Harris. I was just the one who said it.”

“Um, Buffy, how about we start your training sessions a little early today?” Giles inquired as he led her off into the back.

“Sounds good Giles.” Buffy looked back and mouthed ‘sorry’ to Xander in a genuinely apologetic manner.

“Now that we’re finally alone, what was it that you wanted to say?” Anya exclaimed.

“Anya, will you marry me?” Xander pulled a ring box from his jacket pocket and opened it to reveal a gold band encrusted with diamonds. Anya was absolutely flabbergasted and she snatched the box from Xander. She pulled the ring out, dropped the empty box to the floor and put the ring on straight away.

“Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!” Anya kept screaming as she waved her hand in front of her face to get a look at the ring from all angles. Everyone burst in looking confused and a little scared at the frenzy Anya was in. “Look everyone, Xander bought me a ring to signify a marriage proposal. Ah!” Anya ran over to everyone and they all looked at the ring, admiring its beauty.

“I knew you could do it. You just needed a little alone time, that’s all.” Willow gave Xander a hug and so did Kennedy. “Aren’t they just so sweet?” Willow said to Kennedy. She put her head on Willow’s shoulder and put her arm about her waist.

“Yeah, they are,” Kennedy said.

“Congratulations,” Giles responded as he shook Xander’s hand. “I am sincerely sorry about before and butting in on you trying to propose.”

“It’s all right.” Xander smiled his goofy smile, walked over to Anya and put his arm around her waist and kissed her cheek lovingly. “I love you Anya.”

“I love you too Xander.” They kissed in front of everyone for a while and then everyone went about their normal business. Buffy and Giles went back to their training, Dawn sat at the table in the store and did her algebra homework and Willow and Kennedy went through some old books, chuckling occasionally at the ugliness of some of the demons.

Buffy and Giles were in the back and Buffy was doing high kicks to the dummy-vamp that Xander created while Giles sat near the weapons on the wall, watching to see what Buffy needed to improve on. “So,” Buffy said, as she kicked away, “no demons at the moment? Nothing whatsoever?”

“No. It seems that the slayers of the world have everything covered,” Giles stated, not very happy about nothing happening. “I still think that giving all the potential slayers of the world their inheritance was all right for an apocalyptic event but we shouldn’t let them keep it. Let them live normal lives rather than giving them a responsibility that they do not wish to have.”

“You have a very bleak outlook on this entire situation, don’t you? Do you seriously think that the slayers will want to give their strength and agility back? You’ve seen Kennedy. She loves it. We couldn’t just take that away.” Buffy stopped hitting the dummy and took a long sip from her water bottle on the bench.

“These powers shouldn’t stay theirs. If they should be called, so be it but with more than one slayer the balance has been corrupted.” Giles sat down beside Buffy and handed her a towel to wipe away her sweat. “We can’t leave the world like this Buffy. Something has to be done.”

“You’re right. A holiday in Europe sounds good. I’ve always wanted to go to Europe. It’s been like my life’s goal.” She looked at Giles but he wasn’t amused. “No? Giles, I need a break and having more than one slayer isn’t doing any harm,” Buffy retorted as she stood, getting annoyed. “I think of this doing the world more good than harm. Let’s just leave it. Maybe this will rid the world of vampires and demons and the like.” Buffy sighed and Giles rolled his eyes back at Buffy. “No vamps, demons or anything like that is a good thing, or at least it is in my books.”

“There will always be evil in the form of vampires and demons.”

“So why are you treating all of this like there’ll be an overload of them? With more than one slayer we could possibly keep numbers low. Good thing.” Buffy finished drying herself off and flung the towel to Giles. “I don’t want to argue with you but I’m not backing down on this. Let them keep what’s rightfully theirs.”

Giles sighed and shook his head from side to side in defeat. “I don’t agree with you but I have to learn to trust your judgment,” Giles paused, “and I’m not going to Europe.” He stood and left Buffy to her training.

***

“Willow, I’m having trouble with these equations. Can you help me?” Dawn pleaded to Willow and she stopped going through the books with Kennedy and slid over to help Dawn.

“All right Dawny, what’s the problem?” Willow looked over her shoulder and into her textbook.

“Differential Equations.” Dawn flicked her pencil down onto the table and slumped back in her seat. “They’re so annoying. I wish I could just wave my hand and they’d be solved.”

“Nothing’s that simple Dawny. Did you look at the worked example?”

“No.”

“And there lies your problem. Take a look at the worked example and actually read what they’ve written and you should be able to figure it.” Willow smiled, patted Dawn on the back and went back to looking through the books with Kennedy.

“That was really smart,” Kennedy said.

“How?” Willow replied as she flicked through yet another book to find some more beasties.

“I never would’ve asked if she’d read the example. I probably wouldn’t have known that there was an example.” Kennedy put her hand up to Willow’s face and brushed away a lock of her vibrant red hair.

“Yeah you would’ve,” Willow said as she gave Kennedy a quick but loving glance. “Besides, that’s the first thing you ask Dawn. If she hasn’t read the example, she’ll ask for help. If she’s read the example, she won’t ask for help. It’s easy to know that once you’ve been a Scooby for as long as me. You’ll know things like that soon.”

“I don’t think so,” Kennedy answered as she began to pout.

“Hmm.”

“What?”

“You’re sexy when you pout,” Willow replied and she kissed Kennedy delicately. “Remember?”

“How could I forget?” she said coyly and kissed Willow again. “Okay, so after the population of Sunnydale became like Singing in the Rain, the Trio turned Buffy invisible?”

“Yep, and invisible Buffy, not exactly a good thing. If she had have stayed that way, her molecular structure would’ve disintegrated,” Willow educated Kennedy.

“English please?” Kennedy requested.

“She would’ve turned to goop,” Willow remedied, with a bit of a laugh.

“Oh, that would’ve been sticky business,” Kennedy joked. Willow looked at Kennedy warmly and they huddled close together, going back to looking at the ghastly creatures in their books.

***

“Oh Xander, this ring is even more beautiful than the first one you got me,” Anya exclaimed as she marveled at its exquisiteness. “This time the wedding should be small. Not too many people, just immediate family, don’t you think?” Anya said as she turned to Xander.

“Whatever you want Anya. You can have it any way you want it, but this time, let’s not invite family to stay at our place.” Xander went back to looking through a book that he’d picked up on the counter.

“Xander, how do you feel about eloping? We could go to an island and get married there and have our honeymoon there too,” Anya said as she started making plans.

“Honey, that would only work if no one knew about our engagement,” Xander retorted as he kept flicking through the book. “How about we have the ceremony outside in a park or something? That’d be nice.”

“You know we can’t do that,” Anya replied, correcting Xander. “If we did that some of our friends couldn’t come.”

“Well, let’s go with your idea of only inviting close relations and have the wedding in the park?”

“That could work but I have so many people I want to invite.”

“Just remember, small is good,” Xander responded and went back to the book. “Well, it’s getting late and I have to be up early tomorrow to be at work in time. We’re back to working on the high school again.”

“Okay honey,” Anya said as she kissed him. “Just give a minute to get everything ready to close up.”

“Mmm.” Xander put the book down, open to no particular page but sitting on a symbol of some sort. “All right sweetie.”

Anya got out her keys and locked up the register. “Attention Magic Box shoppers. We’re closing now so if you want to purchase any goods you will have to return tomorrow.” The customers let themselves out and the Scooby’s started to pack up what they were doing.

“Hey Anya,” Kennedy yelled across the room. “Are you and Xander coming over to Buffy’s tonight?”

“Maybe. Xander needs sleep so I most probably won’t. I’ll just go home and cuddle up to him in bed,” Anya declared. “See you all tomorrow.”

“Bye peoples,” Xander yelled back as he walked out of the shop.

“Anya?” Willow spoke up.

“Yeah?”

“How about you give me the key and I close up for you? Kennedy and I are still going through some books.” Willow pointed out.

“Just take them home. C’mon I need to get my fiance to bed.” They grabbed the books they wanted and left the Magic Box, followed by Buffy and Giles, still arguing about the idea of a holiday in Europe.

The lights were turned off; the door was shut and the lock locked with a click. Unexpectedly, there was light, a bright light from the counter. The books pages (the book on the counter) started to flick over and over until it stopped quite abruptly. The symbol on the counter matched the symbol on the page and it glowed an eerie yellow before the room was engulfed in light. All of a sudden, the room was black and the book closed.

***

“Buffy!” Willow screamed from the bathroom.

“What Will? What’s…” Buffy paused. “…Wrong? Oh my God, Will?” Buffy stared at Willow and Willow stared back at Buffy. “Will? Is that you?”

“Yeah, I, I, I think so.” Willow moved her hands up to her face and then looked down at them in complete horror. “Are you, you?” she asked.

“I’m pretty sure I am, just, kinda not,” Buffy replied.

“What’s all the hullabaloo about?” Kennedy said as she entered the bathroom. She was struck by the fact that her love, Willow, was a cartoon. “Willow? Is that you?”

“Kennedy, I think we’ve established that it’s her.” Buffy looked down at herself and poked at her 2D self. “You’re all cartoony too.”

Kennedy examined her body and, just as Buffy had said, she was also a cartoon. “Okay, what’s going on?”

“I, I’m not sure, but we can figure this out. Dawn?” Buffy yelled at the top of her voice.

“What?!” Dawn came running into the bathroom, also a cartoon but still half asleep.

“Now, Dawn, don’t panic but,” Buffy paused for a second to get ready for what she was about to announce, “you’re a cartoon.” Dawn looked at her in total disbelief.

“I’m going back to bed. I’m not up for your early morning cracks.” Dawn turned and started to walk away before Buffy grabbed her shoulders.

“I’m not kidding,” she said as she pushed Dawn in front of the mirror. “You see for yourself.” Dawn rubbed her eyes free of sleep and took a look in the animated mirror.

“What the?! I’m a…” Unpredictably, Dawn turned sideways in the mirror, and then sideways again. “Hmm. I look good as a cartoon. I actually have a figure.” She pulled at her pyjamas and admired how good her body looked. “Okay, over the goodness of it. How did this happen?”

“I don’t know but, Willow, when did you find out that you were,” she looked at Willow trying to find the words, “like this?”

“Um, this morning. I came in to wash my face and, hey, mirror showing all the cartoony features.” Willow gestured to her face and looked again at her animated body. “It’s kinda freaky.”

“Yeah,” Kennedy put in, “I get that part, but damn you look good as a cartoon.” She gave her a sly look and started checking her out, looking at every part of her body to see differences and similarities to her real self.

“Kennedy, please,” Willow scowled. “This isn’t the time.”

“Kay.” She stepped out of the spotlight and sat down on the edge of the bathtub. “So, what now? I mean, is it just us?”

“No, I’m pretty sure it isn’t. Look at the house; it’s all animated too. If it’s like this on the inside I’m pretty sure it’d be like this on the outside.” Buffy wasn’t taking any of this lightly. “Dawn, could you please call Xander? See if this has happened to him too?” she asked.

“Sure,” Dawn replied as she scurried off downstairs.

“So, what could’ve done this?” Willow asked Buffy, making her scared face and doing the eyebrow movement that she does so well when she’s scared.

“I’m betting magic, but it could be a demon. I’ll have to ask Giles,” Buffy replied. “I wonder if he’s realised he’s a cartoon yet?”

Dawn came rushing into the bathroom, panting as she held onto the doorframe. “Xander’s like this too. So’s Anya. They’re heading for the Magic Box.”

“Okay, right, we now know that it’s not just us. Willow,” Buffy turned to Willow, “you go down to the Magic Box too and get into research mode. Take Kennedy with you. Dawn,” Buffy turned to Dawn, “call Giles and get him to meet Willow and Kennedy there. Then you can come with me.”

“What are you going to do?” Kennedy questioned.

“I have a demon bar to visit.”

***

Giles, sleeping peacefully in his bed, suddenly woke with a fright. He took a sip of water from his bedside table and got up. He stumbled with weariness in his blue boxers and white shirt to the bathroom where he found his glasses. He cleaned them briefly and put them on, rubbing his eyes before hand though.

“I think I need a little more sleep,” he said as he looked at himself in the mirror after washing his face. It unexpectedly hit him that he wasn’t human; he was an animated human. “Good lord. What on Earth?” The phone interrupted him and he rushed downstairs. “Hello?” Dawn was on the other end.

“Giles? It’s Dawn here. Just asking if you’re all, um, cartoon like?”

“Yes, actually, I seem to have come down with a slight case of animation.”

“Okay, well, Buffy says that she’d like you to meet up with Kennedy and Willow at the Magic Box for some research.”

“Fine, tell Buffy that I have a hunch on what it may be.”

“Kay. See you later.”

“Goodbye.”

***

“Giles is heading to the Magic Box and apparently he has a lead as to what might’ve done this,” Dawn informed Buffy.

“Good, it’ll make my job a heck of a lot easier.” Buffy looked down at herself and sighed in disgust. “I really hate cartoons.”

“Where are we going anyway?” Dawn inquired.

“Just a bar I know about. A heap of demons go there.”

“Demons?” Dawn asked, surprised.

“Yeah. Most of them just want a good drink and Willy’s Place gives them that, plus it’s a no fight zone.” Buffy walked into her room and started getting dressed. “Don’t be too long getting dressed,” she yelled as she fished out a white singlet from a drawer.

“All right,” Dawn yelled back without hesitation.

***

“Do you have any idea what might’ve done this?” Kennedy asked as her and Willow walked the lonely streets of Sunnydale.

“No, but I’m sure that we could find out.” Willow rubbed her arms to keep warm from the morning chill and then Kennedy rubbed them for her. “We always do.”

“You know, you really do look good as a cartoon,” Kennedy reminded Willow as they walked along.

“Thankyou.” Willow pulled her close and kissed her lips as gently as ever. “I think maybe I should’ve stayed in bed a little longer rather than getting up.”

“This would’ve been discovered sooner or later. Better to be sooner.” They kept walking along in silence, gawking at the comic strip-like streets of Sunnydale.

As they entered the Magic Box, they found Xander, Anya and a rather disturbed Giles. They were all sitting around the table inside with a large pile of books sitting right in front of them.

“Giles?” Willow questioned as she stared at Giles in his cartoon body.

“Yes, I know. It’s horrible.” Giles looked down at himself in disgust.

“Actually I was going to ask if you’d been working out,” Willow set straight and then sat down beside Anya. Giles looked down at his body and smiled a little at the idea of Willow thinking that his body looked toned. “What have you guys come up with?”

“Well,” Giles started cleaning his glasses, “we have possibilities but no hard evidence of anything in particular…” Xander interrupted him.

“We have squat in other words,” Xander complied. “I hope Buffy’s having more luck.”

“Yes, where is Buffy?” Giles asked as he put down yet another book that held nothing of importance.

***

“Are you going to help me out or not?” came the forceful voice of Buffy inside Willy’s Place.

“Alright, alright,” coughed the demon Buffy was holding onto by the collar. Consequently, he was also a cartoon along with every other demon in the bar. “I’ve seen this happen before.” He stopped and swallowed loudly. “Someone’s been messin’ with Demon Magicks. Powerful stuff but isn’t done easily. A lot of ingredients are needed,” he paused, “usually,” he whispered.

“What do you mean usually?” Buffy asked, threatening to hit him again.

“Sometimes just matching symbols can set a spell like this off,” he said, cringing a little at Buffy’s intimidating fist. “That’s all I know, I swear.”

“Thankyou,” Buffy said as she released him. He scampered away to a corner and ordered another drink of whiskey to calm his nerves. “Dawn?”

“Right here,” she announced as she came out from hiding under a table. “Is that all we’re going to get?”

“Yeah, looks like,” Buffy replied as she ran her fingers through her hair. “This is something else you should remember. If you need information, come here. You can usually just say Slayer and they’ll start singing.”

“Okay, I’ll keep that in mind,” Dawn said as she followed her big sister/Slayer out of the bar.

***

“Well? Where did Buffy go?” Giles insisted.

“To a demon bar,” came the meek voice of Willow. “Dawn went with her too. They shouldn’t be too much longer though,” she quickly resolved.

Suddenly the bell rung loud and Buffy came through accompanied by Dawn. “What have we got on the research front?” Buffy demanded without even saying any salutations.

“Not much I’m afraid,” Giles replied in his usual melodramatic tone. “What did you get from the demons?”

“One of them said something about Demon Magicks.” Buffy flung her coat onto the counter and sat on a stool. “Apparently this sort of thing has happened before and that these magic’s brought it on.”

“And he said that a lot of ingredients are needed usually but a spell like this can be set off with just a few symbols being matched up,” Dawn came up with as she sat at the book-covered table.

“I’ve heard of this,” Anya stated. “Demon Magicks are powerful and only those who are incredibly smart or incredibly stupid can use them. I knew a guy in the thirteenth century who turned his entire family into goats. He thought he was doing a recipe for a stew. Very stupid.”

“So, someone here in Sunnydale could’ve done this thinking that they were cooking a meal?” Buffy inquired.

“It’s feasible,” Giles announced. “Witches and sorcerers and the like were known to hide their spells in anything they could find. Perhaps someone has discovered it without knowing and conjured the entire town into cartoons.”

“So an idiot has cooked up a storm using magic,” Xander confirmed. “What do we do about it?”

“I should think that this shall be difficult but if we could get records on particular sales of cookery books from all kinds of stores we could possibly find the culprit,” Giles answered.

“Alright, we start there. Will,” Willow turned to Buffy, “check out any bookstores on the net that have recently sold cook books. Old cook books.” Buffy turned to Xander. “Xander, go through some of the books we have here and see if you can find out anything about Demon Magicks.” Buffy turned to Giles. “Giles, could you and Anya go to see anyone who might have any powers to see what might’ve happened, who did it; stuff like that?”

“Sure.”

“Kennedy, come with me. I’ll need the muscle,” she said as she stood and put her coat on. “We’ll be going around town to check out some more demon haunts. One of them might know something about this spell.” Kennedy nodded and put on her jacket, giving Willow a quick kiss goodbye. “Dawn?”

“Yeah?” Dawn answered as she came out of the corner and into the spotlight.

“I want you to do something very important,” Buffy declared as she put her hands on her shoulders. “I need you to call,” there was a pause, which felt as thought it went on for an eternity, “Angel. See if this has happened there too.” Buffy scribbled the number on a piece of paper on the counter. “Here’s the number. Just say it’s you and if they still won’t let you speak to him then say it’s Buffy’s sister. They’ll listen then.”

“All right,” Dawn said in a hushed voice. “Is that all you want from him?” Dawn inquired.

“Um, there is one last thing.” Buffy leaned in close to dawn and whispered. “Could you ask after him? See how he’s going?”

“Ya huh,” Dawn said in her typical pitch. “I’ll do it now.”

Dawn scurried into the back and Buffy turned to Kennedy. “Are you ready?”

“Think so,” Kennedy replied as she went across to the door. “Am I supposed to be not scared at all?”

“Usually,” Buffy retorted.

“Good, then I’m ready,” Kennedy said as she walked out of the Magic Box with Buffy following close behind.

“Will?” came the voice of Xander.

“Mmm?”

“Where would I find Demon Magicks books?” Xander asked feeling very helpless.

“Try up on the balcony,” Willow answered and pointed to the books up on the balcony. She laughed a little and logged onto her computer, bringing up the first search engine she could think of.

“Xander?” Anya grabbed his arm. “Will you be here waiting for me to get back?”

“Of course,” he responded in a loving tone. His animated hand came up to Anya’s face and stroked it gently. “I’ll always be here waiting for you.” He kissed her forehead softly and embraced her for a short moment. “You’d better head off.”

“Yes Anya, we must see a source of mine before it gets too late,” Giles piped up as he checked his watch. “Get your coat.”

“But it’s only ten thirty,” Anya whined. “What source could possibly dry up in a matter of a few hours?”

***

“Buffy?” came the estranged voice of Angel into the phone.

“No, it’s Dawn, her sister,” Dawn replied with a kind of embarrassed disposition.

“Oh, sorry.”

“It’s okay, but I have something important to ask you,” Dawn said as she looked around her. “This is probably going to sound very strange but be serious okay?”

“I’m listening.”

“Um, how do I say this?” Dawn searched for the words in her brain but there just wasn’t any way to make it sound reasonable. “Um, has L.A. turned all cartoony?”

“Huh?”

“Have you all become,” Dawn paused, “animated?”

“Like as in Disney animated?”

“Yeah, like that.” The line went silent and Dawn began to worry that he was going to laugh. “Angel? Are you there?”

“Mmm, I’m here.” The line went silent again. “Nothing around me seems to be two dimensional but if it does happen I’ll let you know. Why do you ask?”

“Well, Sunnydale looks like something from a Disney production,” Dawn explained as she toyed with the phone cord. “Along with its’ inhabitants.”

“Demon Magicks?” Angel asked.

“How did you know?” Dawn was astonished.

“I was around the last time it happened. Look,” Dawn clung to the phone as if it were made of gold, “tell Buffy to go see the Untipitwy demons. They were the ones who created this type of magic. They’ll know everything you need.”

“Thanks for that,” Dawn said, wondering how to ask how he was.

“Is there anything else?”

“Well, Buffy asked me to,” Dawn stopped.

“Buffy asked you to do what?”

“Ask how you are,” Dawn replied, regretting it the moment it left her lips. “She just wants to be sure you are okay.”

“I’m fine. Business is slow though because of the whole thousands of slayers thing,” Angel joked, “but all in all we’re fine here. Well, if that’s it I’ll let you go. It seems like you’ll have a lot on your hands with being cartoons and all.”

“Yeah,” Dawn said, finally laughing at the situation. “Well, I’ll tell Buffy you say hi.”

“Okay. Bye Dawn.”

“Bye.” Dawn hung the phone up and rushed back to the table and looked over Willow’s shoulder at the research she’d uncovered. “What’s happening?”

“Not too much to help.” Willow tapped away at her computer and Dawn watched her with intent eyes. Xander descended from the balcony holding an armful of books from up there. “Any luck?”

“Actually no, but I thought these might,” Xander responded as he put them onto the table with a gentle but loud bang. “History of Magic, Demons and Magic, Magic in the Thirteenth Century, stuff like that. Sounded around the same genre we’re looking for.”

“Dawny?” Willow turned to face Dawn. “Could you help Xander?”

“Yes,” Xander butted in. “The Xan-man needs more help than he’ll admit.” He sat down and Dawn joined him, picking up a book and flicking through it with the haste of a snail. “How are you going Will?”

“Well, I’ve found a few books that are possibilities but nothing that could, you know, lead us anywhere in particular,” Willow announced. Her fingers kept tapping away when she suddenly stopped tapping and looked at the screen fixedly. “Whoa, listen to this. Some demon, an Untipitwy demon, hid one of his transforming spells in a book but not a cookbook.”

“What did he hide it in?” Dawn asked, a little apprehensive about what answer she might get.

“Funnily enough, a magic book,” Willow retorted. “It says here that he, uh, wanted to slide in the lambang so that it could one day be matched and create mayhem and chaos.” Willow shuddered and looked at the screen even more keenly. “That’s only a rough translation though, it’s in ancient Sumerian or something.”

“Well that sounds positively freaky,” Xander announced as he closed a book. “So what’s this lambang? What does it mean?”

“If I knew I’d tell you but I think I need Giles,” Willow said as she saved the page to show Giles later.

The book was still on the counter and no one even thought to pick it up. It just sat there as a cartoon, waiting for the time of its’ discovery.

***

Giles and Anya walked along the deserted streets of Sunnydale in silence, occasionally taking shortcuts through alleyways and parking lots. Giles held a compass-like instrument in his left hand, moving it about in a compass-like manner, and Anya strolled along beside him, waiting for her cue for anything at all as they came towards a trashed yard.

“Okay, what exactly are we doing?” Anya interrupted, breaking Giles’ concentration. “This place just looks like an old car lot.” She looked around and saw remnants of a burnt up car and shuddered.

“We’re searching for an old friend,” Giles explained. “He owes me a favour or two and he, uh, used to work around here.” He stopped walking and turned about in a circle, searching the rubble of cars with his eyes.

“What did you do for him?”

“Excuse me?”

“To get him to owe you,” Anya stated. “What did you do for him?”

“Oh, I, uh, set him up with a good divorce lawyer,” Giles enlightened. He suddenly stopped and looked at a specific pile of boxes that held some interest in him. “There.” Giles pointed a two-dimensional finger at the boxes and walked towards them.

“But, it’s just boxes.” Anya was confused.

“No, actually, it isn’t.” They strode over to the pile and Giles said an incantation softly. “I wish thee to open thines secreted door and reveal thines true nature.” The boxes melted away to show a sturdy-looking wooden door with brass hinges and handle. “See?”

“What will he tell us?” Anya asked warily.

“Anything we need, I suppose. I haven’t seen him in a long time.” Giles opened the door and let himself in.

“Ripper!” came a voice that seemed to be all around them.

“Actually, I go by Giles now, Frank,” he replied and a rather shabby looking demon teleported in front of them.

“How long has it been? A decade? Two?”

“I’m not sure, it has been too long,” Giles retorted and gave the beast a warm hug. “We should have tea some time, soon I hope if your schedule isn’t too full.”

“Giles, I’m an older person now,” he said as he led them into a great room, decorated with maroon coloured tapestries and golden threads. “It’s not like the old days when everyone needed someone disemboweled. They all just prefer a good hit-man and well, let’s just say I’ve lost my touch since Gerona left me.”

“I see,” Giles answered as he sat on a fine couch, Anya sitting beside him. “Well, I must say I’m not here for a reunion, old boy. I’m here to collect my debt. I need some information.”

“I’m guessing it’s about the Demon Magicks that have been performed,” he stated bluntly. “Well, I don’t know much but I do know that it was done by a man without a clue as to what he’s done. It was a book, a magical book. It had a symbol in it that was able to be matched with another close by.” Giles and Anya listened intently. “I can’t see who did this but I can tell it was accidental. This should all be reversed though, maybe.”

“What do mean maybe?” Anya blurted out.

“Well little miss, these Demon Magicks are unstable as you’d know considering you’re a demon yourself,” Anya was stunned, “and if the symbols are together for too long then they’ll fuse and there’ll be no way of returning to your former selves. It’ll be cartoon Sunnydale forever.”

“How do we get the symbols apart?” Giles inquired.

“A simple detachment spell performed by your witch will do the trick.” Frank stood and opened his door again. “Now, I apologize if that doesn’t help but that’s all I know. So, when would you like to have a get together, Giles? I’m free any day you are.”

“I’ll give you a call. Still the, uh, same number?”

“Of course.”

“Of course. Well,” Giles said as they both stepped outside, “I’ll see you sometime soon.”

“See you both soon I hope.” Frank said as he started to close the door. “Good luck.” The door closed and disappeared in the pile of boxes again.

“Well, that was helpful,” Anya stated sarcastically.

“Yes, actually, it was.”

***

“Does Buffy have her cell phone with her?” Dawn asked.

“I think so, why?” Willow questioned.

“When Angel was on the phone he told me that Buffy should go and see the Untipitwy demons. Apparently they were the ones who created this spell.” Dawn picked up the phone and started dialing.

“Oh, well, um, she should definitely get that piece of information.” Willow kept tapping away at her computer, finally searching for information on the Untipitwy demon. “Hey guys, I, uh, I think found something.” A picture came up of an ugly creature with a horn coming out of the middle of its’ forehead and tusk-like teeth shooting up from its’ lower jaw. “This is the demon, I found it.”

***

“Buffy?” Kennedy asked, as she held onto a vampire and let Buffy smash it into a pulp. “Buffy? Don’t you think he’s been beaten enough? We still need info.”

“Yeah, but, I know these guys,” Buffy replied as she stopped hitting him. “They won’t talk unless they’ve got a reason to. There a two main ways you can get info out of them.” She wiped her forehead and took in a few breaths. “Either pay them or pummel them. I haven’t got any cash on me so, pummeling right about now looks like the better option.”

“No! Please, I’ll talk!” The vampire wriggled in Kennedy’s grasp and Kennedy tightened her grip on the monster. “I know what did this.”

“Yeah, so do we, you dick,” came the reply from Kennedy.

“The Demon Magick's. What can you tell me about them?” Buffy asked, getting her fists ready for another round of punch-the-vamp.

“The Untipitwy demons. They do these sorts of spells, but it wasn’t them. This,” he gestured to everything, “all of this was an accident.”

“So, who did it?”

“Look at your own ranks, Slayer. They’re stupid enough,” the vampire replied before spitting at Buffy’s feet.

“You’re gunna wish you hadn’t done that,” Buffy said as Kennedy let go of the vampire and Buffy staked him, not before giving him a toe-kick straight between the eyes. “Well, we know pretty much nothing we didn’t already know.”

“Yeah, but I think that guy was about to say something useful,” Kennedy countered. “You know how he said something about looking into our own ranks ‘cos they’re stupid enough?”

“Mmm, so?”

“Well, what if all of this was done by someone really stupid who’s been around or in the Magic Box?” Kennedy and Buffy started to walk away from the pile of dust that was left by the vampire and into the sunlight. “It’s a possibility, right?”

“I guess, but wouldn’t we have known if this had have happened at the Magic Box?” Buffy threw her stake up and down to keep from getting bored as she walked the cartoon strip streets of Sunnydale. “Wouldn’t there have been some kind of, I don’t know, bright light or something? Something that would show that it has been set off?”

“Maybe we just missed it,” Kennedy said. “Maybe one of us actually did do it but we don’t know it.”

“I think that’s unlikely,” Buffy said as they headed back to command central.

***

The bell rang and the door nearly came off its’ hinges with the haste that Giles was moving. “Untipitwy demon. Symbols have been matched. Willow.” Giles nearly collapsed, seeing as he was very out of breath.

“Giles?” Willow went over to his cartoon mass and helped him to the table. “What’s wrong? Calm down and then talk, kay?”

“I am calm,” Giles piped up. “Quickly get the ingredients for a detachment spell or we’ll be like this forever.”

“What am I detaching?” Willow asked, quickly gathering supplies.

“I am detaching two symbols that have been matched up.” Giles stood and helped Willow. “That’s what created this entire mess. Quickly.” Giles was getting impatient.

“This might take a while. I haven’t used magic since the First and, I, I, I don’t know how I might react.” Willow set herself up on the floor and quickly got ready to perform the craft that she had tried to control and master for so long. “I don’t know how my body will react.”

“You’re not doing it,” Giles said, taking the potions from Willow. “I’m going to do it.”

“Giles, I’ll do it. I need to do this, to see if, if I can still do it,” Willow pleaded. “I know what I’m doing. Kennedy will help me.”

“We’re here, Willow,” Xander said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “We’ll bring you back again. Kennedy isn’t here to do that, but we will.” All of a sudden, the bell rang again and Buffy and Kennedy came into the shop.

“Willow!” Kennedy cried and sat down beside her, putting her hand to her cheek. “Baby, what’s going on?”

“It’s okay now,” Willow said, putting her hand to Kennedy’s. “You’re my kite string, remember?”

“No, Willow,” Kennedy said, and lowered hers and Willow’s hand down, holding on for not her own life, but Willow’s. “You can’t.”

“Yes, I can. You just have to help me, all right?” Willow smiled sweetly at her lover and Kennedy was fairly sure things would be all right.

“All right.” Kennedy prepared herself for the magic she knew Willow was going to perform. “I’m right here, baby. Stop if you have to, all right? I’ll be right here, keeping you from flying away.”

“All right, baby,” Willow said, holding onto Kennedy’s hand as tight as ever. “Spirits of the Untipitwy demons, hear my plea.” Willow paused and sprinkled a little powder over a pentagram. “Realize your mistake, your wrong doing, your spell.” Willow’s eyes became clouded but not like they had been when she was evil, but they clouded over in white. “Release!” she screamed and her hair became a bleach blonde, as it had when she had given the slayers of the world their rightful abilities. “Release!” she screamed again, lifting from the floor in a cloud of pearl. “Release!” she yelled for the last time and threw her head back, almost in a pain-stricken way, before finally lowering to the ground again, and landing with a soft bump.

Out of the blue a colorless light sprang up from a book on the bench of the Magic Box and sent a book flying to the other side of the room. The light was still glowing when it finally exploded, pushing Kennedy’s body from Willow and sending the rest of the Scooby’s for a brief and painful flying lesson. Kennedy still had hold of Willow’s hand when Willow suddenly became limp and fell to the floor, not as graceful as she had done so before.

The light died and they all looked about themselves.

“Willow!” Kennedy screamed, rushing to her girlfriends’ side. “Willow?! Willow, baby, c’mon!” Willow lay lifeless in her arms with a small trickle of red blood falling from her forehead. “Willow,” Kennedy said, her eyes welling up with tears. “Willow!” Kennedy wept for Willow, burying her head into Willow’s chest.

“No, no, no, this can’t be happening,” Buffy said, wobbling to her feet and going over to Kennedy and Willow. “No.” Buffy also cried but not openly. A stray tear rolled down her face but that was it, no more emotion than that.

“Willow,” Xander whispered, in complete shock. He had been so sure that he could bring her back. He had done it once before, why not now? He had saved her from the evil within her, so why couldn’t he do it now? “No.” Xander could not speak.

“Buffy,” Giles said, a little out of breath, heading towards Buffy to comfort her. “She knew this.” Giles wrapped his arms about Buffy and watched Kennedy rock back and forth holding Willow’s body. “She knew.”

“She couldn’t have!” Kennedy screamed. “If she did, she wouldn’t have done this! How could you let her?!” Kennedy laid out Willow’s cold body and stood to face Giles. “How could you?! You killed her!” Kennedy went back to Willow and cried more than ever when she was suddenly flung from Willow’s body and slammed up against a wall. “Ummph.”

“Have her back!” a voice yelled and Willow’s body convulsed, as her spirit returned.

“Willow!” Kennedy ran back to Willow and felt the warmth return to her cheeks, the vibrancy of her hair return. “Oh my Goddess, Willow!” She sat up and warmly hugged Kennedy before looking around.

“They didn’t,” she paused, “they didn’t want me.” Willow cried into Kennedy’s shoulder and the rest of the gang piled up onto them, each hugging some part of Willow, even Anya.

***

“Are you all right now?” Kennedy asked, giving Willow a cup of hot tea. “Do you need anything?”

“Just you,” Willow said, putting her tea on her bedside table and holding her arms out for the younger woman. “I need you, Kennedy.”

“I think I need you more,” Kennedy replied, jumping into her woman’s arms. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

“I’m better than all right when I’m with you,” Willow replied, kissing Kennedy warmly. “You were what brought me back, Kenn.”

“I couldn’t let you go,” Kennedy said, facing Willow. “I’ll never let you go.” Kennedy snuggled back up with Willow and they stayed that way, just listening to the breathing of her beloved.

***

“You know what I was thinking the entire time we were cartoons?” Xander asked, getting into bed with his 3-d fiancée. “I kept wondering ‘well, where’s Mickey?’” He cuddled up to his woman and turned out the light.

“Do you know what I was thinking, Xander?” Anya played with the hair on Xander’s chest and drew little circles. “I was thinking about how much I loved you, whether you were animated or not.” Anya looked up at Xander. “I love you, Xander Harris.”

“I love you too,” Xander replied, kissing Anya and finally heading off to sleep.

***

Buffy was in her bed, almost asleep when she felt as though she wasn’t alone. She felt a presence, a cold presence in her room, at the foot of her bed. She reached under her pillow and found the wooden stake known as Mr. Pointy that she slept with, just as a safety precaution.

“Buffy,” came a familiar voice. Buffy sat up in her bed, not realizing that she was showing her naked torso.

“Spike?” Buffy didn’t bother fixing up her nakedness; instead she just stared at Spike, watching the way his body moved as he breathed the air he didn’t need into his translucent body. “Wha… what… huh?”

“Yeah, I’m back, pet,” Spike replied, removing his leather jacket that turned into a cloud of air before dissipating into nothing. “How long have I been gone?”

“Too long,” was all Buffy could say. She had been keeping track but she couldn’t recall the exact numbers like she could for other people. “Wha… how?”

“I’m just here to help, I s’pose. I felt Red. She all right?” Spike stood at the end of Buffy’s bed, still amazed at the fact that Buffy hadn’t covered up.

“Yeah, she’s with Kennedy,” Buffy replied, getting up from her bed and putting a shirt over her body. “How is this possible?”

“I’m a ghost pet,” he said, striding over to Buffy, longing to touch her silky skin. “But not for long.” He looked at a watch that was on his wrist and started counting down. “Three, two, one…” His form became real and Buffy could no longer see through his body. He was real. “Buffy?” Spike held out his hand and moved it to touch Buffy’s face. His fingers met her cheek and he felt the warmth of his love; the warmth of a slayer.

“How?” Buffy said, melting into Spike’s touch.

“Fred, she dabbles,” he said. “It’s only for a day though. For one day, I’m human.”

***

Giles sat down to his usual nightcap when he thought of how Osiris had given Willow back, at his request. Giles had never asked for anything from Osiris, but to lose Willow would be like losing a daughter and he couldn’t get past that. He’d silently asked for Willow’s soul in return for taking Spikes the day they defeated the First. “Thank you,” Giles said aloud, sipping his drink in an armchair.

“It is done,” Osiris boomed over Giles and disappeared.

The End