Wizard of Oz
by Rin
...the nerve.
[reviews]
A/N: How's this for a blast from fanfic past? An update...surprise! I plan on updating and possibly finishing this and other stories over spring break.
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Buffy was leading the way through the dark forest path, holding Mr. Gordo to her chest. Scarecrow Giles seemed to huff when Tin-Xan would try to make a joke. It really did feel like home in those moments.
Her thoughts turned back to Willow and she loosened her grip on Mr. Gordo, stopping when her slayer senses picked up noises. The others stopped bickering long enough to stop beside her.
"This forest gives me the wiggins. It reminds me too much of Homecoming." Buffy remembered Willow explaining that's when she and Xander had their first fluke. The memory made Buffy frown, as Giles came to stand beside her.
"Of course, I don't know but I think it'll get darker before it gets lighter." Giles placed a comforting hand on Buffy's shoulder, which did oddly comfort her.
"Well, we'll see some lions and tigers and bears." Buffy sighed deeply, as she imagined her Willow wearing this dimension's Willowy outfit. Pink kind of clashes with her bright red hair...but she'd be able to pull it off.
"Oh my." Tin Xan hid behind Scarecrow Giles.
A feral growl startled them, as they saw something run in the trees. Buffy squinted, trying to get a hint of who the lion was going to be but she couldn't make out a clear figure. All she could make out was a blonde fur. Platinum blonde, to be exact.
"Surely not...I thought for sure it would be Angel." Buffy crossed her arms, and waited for Spike to show himself. It didn't take long, as he pounced on the road in front of them, stood on his hind legs, and put up his paws in a fighting stance.
"Put 'em up, put 'em up!" Lion Spike's fur was the color of his hair, making him almost white. Buffy couldn't figure out what he'd use for bleach out here in the woods. "Which one of you lot first? I'll fight you together if you want! I'll fight you with one paw tied behind my back. I'll fight you standing on one foot. I'll fight you with my eyes..."
"Cut the act, Spike." Buffy smacked his hand and got the warranted reaction. Lion Spike held his hand and started to cry. "Shame on you!"
"What — what did ya bloody do that for? I didn't bite anyone." Spike helped her with Angel and he'd reappeared recently. In fact, he was the reason why Willow and Xander were caught smooching behind closed doors. The reason Cordy was mean to them again. Of course, who wouldn't after being skewered?
"No but you probably would have tried." Buffy rolls her eyes as Lion Spike continues to cry. "It's bad enough I have to deal with you now; no need for you to try your Happy Meal on Legs routine."
"Well, you didn't have to go and hit me, did you? Is my nose bleeding?" Spike grabbed his tail, and started to pick at the fur, as though he were crazy. Buffy knew she'd have a headache the rest of this trip. The sooner they got moving, the better.
"No...and you're a coward. We all know that, and...and I'm not love's bitch!" Buffy sensed that Spike knew she was harboring feelings for Willow, just through her actions, ignoring Angel when he tried to help track her friends, the way she was more concerned with finding Willow than with Angel trying to hold her hand. Truth was...she really was love's bitch; not that anybody else would know it. She figured Angel would have figured her out by now, too...but he still followed her around like a lost puppy. In a sense, maybe he was...it couldn't have been easy to return to hell, only to find out that the person you thought loved you was really faking. No, that wasn't fair. She had loved him...in a way.
"I haven't any courage at all. I even scare myself. Look at the circles under my eyes." Spike let go of his tail only long enough to point. This version of Spike was almost worse than the soulless version back in Sunnydale, or wherever he went. Thoughts of him torturing Drusilla were so not images she wanted in her head right now.
"Executive decision: you're coming with us to get courage from the wizard." She held up her hand to stop the protests from Scarecrow Giles and TinXan. "As much I as I hate having to say this about Spike in any form: he's entitled to see the wizard as much as we are, so he's coming with us."
"Well, wouldn't you feel degraded to be seen in the company of a cowardly lion? I would." Spike's eyes lit up as he stopped crying.
"Spike, degraded doesn't even begin to explain how I feel about your company...but you're still coming with us." Buffy pointed that Spike should walk first. No matter what, she would never let Spike walk behind her. Instead, the other two grabbed her elbows, and pulled her to where they were all walking side by side, arm in arm.
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It didn't take long to reach the poppy field, and Buffy found herself smiling at the thought of finally getting some sleep. She ran ahead of the others into the field, the Emerald City's building glowing in the distance.
"Well, come on then. What are we waiting for?" Lion Spike hadn't shut up the entire trip, and Buffy was going to be glad for the much needed rest.
"Nothing. Let's hurry!" Scarecrow Giles started to run, and the others weren't far behind him. They stopped to look at the city again. Buffy just went ahead and sat down, anticipating her nap. "Here, give us you're hands and we'll pull you along."
"I take it fine just here." Buffy cradled her arms under her head, and relaxed for the first time in weeks.
"Oh, you can't rest now. We're nearly there!" Scarecrow Giles reminded Buffy of her Giles nagging her about slacking on patrol.
"What's her deal?" Lion Spike yawned, which started a train reaction. Buffy didn't budge and refused to open her eyes. Any minute now, she just knew the poppies would take effect. Tin Xan started to cry because they couldn't get a reaction from her. Lion Spike was the next to lay on the ground. Buffy was slowly drifting, letting her mind wander over good thoughts, only good thoughts.
"Oh, now look at her. Can't budge her an inch. This is a spell, this is!" Scarecrow Giles exclaimed.
"It's the Wicked Witch! HELP!" TinXan started their cries for help but Buffy just tuned them out. Instead, she started to dream...of telling Willow she loved her, of how she could never hate her, and how it would start to snow as they walked down the Sunnydale street. They could get their friendship back on track...but with a little smoochage and other relational benefits. She didn't realize it really had started to snow. Buffy and Lion Spike started to wake up, hearing the voices of Scarecrow Giles and TinXan being excited for the fact.
"Oh...unusual weather we're having, ain't it?" Lion Spike held his head, reminding Buffy of the church organ falling on him. She had to chuckle at the memory.
"Well...that was strangely not helpful." Buffy huffed that she still didn't get any rest, even with the good dream and sleep-induced poppy spell. "Well...at least we can get to Emerald City now...so...let's jet."
Buffy stood and started walking again. She was seriously becoming frustrated with this dimension and Lion Spike still wouldn't shut up.