"Sunnydalopolis..." Part XX...

Sunnydalopolis part XX

This isn't so tough...thinks Xander watching the Knights marching in from the second floor
balcony rail where he and Dawn stood...A piece of cake, really...

He wishes the Knights were armed with something more than swords and armor...

I mean...Guys?...Glory...superpower goddess...Call The White House...go nuclear... Get me
the President time...

And, look at all of them still in the front lot in that funny armor when they could be in here...
What's that large thing they're getting out of the truck...Say...that looks like an...Oh, so that isn't
armor they're wearing...

There was no need to call the President after all...Not all of the weapons of the Byzantines
were so anachronistic...

***
Hmmn...thought Willow...seeing the radiation suits and stickers at the same time through the
first floor glass...what was it the Emperor said... "Immediate damage"? "Small
price to pay"?... Well he is the Byzantine Emperor...takes the large view, the big picture...
and I guess half of California to save the world doesn't seem so
***
At the other end of the Mall...

Dreg's military judgment had proven correct...Panic had started in the rear...the rear parking
lot...Scodos and his troops had fled...after obtaining a hearty meal...

The Brethren from the rear parking lot fall back through the rear doors of the Mall...

Knights rush through the Mall doors in their pursuit...and in their lead...

Buffy...trying to keep one of their helmets on her head..
***.
Yep...thinks Xander...He sees the remnants of the Brethren falling back from the rear doors,
pursued by Buffy and the Knights...We have the men, we have the tools...
Buffy Rebecca, joined by the revived Spike, has fallen back to the corridor of the Mall
bookstore where a newly arrived Warren can be seen working feverishly...She briefly slips
in and out of the store...As Glory, in her gleaming armor...and the Brethren already in the
mall proceed towards them...Dreg beside his goddess...

The Knights reach the corridor where Buffy Rebecca and Spike await Glory...And see Dawn,
with Xander on the second floor...The Emperor signs to several who climb the stairs towards
them...Buffy Rebecca looks pleadingly at the Emperor...He nods gravely at her...and the
Knights above take up guard spots around Dawn and Xander...
***

The rest joined by Willow and Tara rush to support Buffy Rebecca and Spike still keeping near
Warren in the bookstore...Dreg's Brethren now charge back towards them...With Glory
advancing in their midst...In armor now flaming bright...

Hearing the charge of the Knights to their rear, led by Buffy, Glory and Dreg turn to see
the new threat...and see...

Another Buffy...leading the charging Knights...Across the food court...

They look at each other...The same thought...

Twin sisters?!...The...My Key..!

"It must be that one, gloriousness..!." Dreg points toward Buffy Rebecca...The Key surely
would not be charging headlong into them...

But why haven't the Knights destroyed her...?

Glory makes a quick decision and with a shrill cry releases a shock wave that blasts Buffy and
the charging Knights to their feet...Whoever the other one is, she's not the Key...
***
It's time for some privacy...

She releases another shock wave and Xander watching from the second floor balcony with
Dawn sees the ceiling area in front of Buffy and her Knights collapse, blocking them off from the
corridor where Glory and her minions face the rest...

First Sunnydale High, thinks Xander...Now this...I am never, ever buying real estate in this
town...

The Emperor with a small group advances near Buffy Rebecca...But while he watches her
and his troops, a large part of his attention is focused on the second floor balcony where
Dawn and Xander watch the battle...

The Knights are soon heavily engaged by Dreg's troops...Glory concentrates on Buffy Rebecca...

"Well, the little witch and the big witch..." Glory smiles at Will and Tara now approaching her.
If they could get close enough...To try to contact Benedictus...Help bind Glory...

"Oh, no..girls, not today..." She blasts at them and Will is thrown down and Tara hurled
against a shop window, breaking glass...

She blasts at the front entrance, K-Mart...Cutting off any reinforcements from the front parking
lot...

She spies the Emperor...

"Hey, you...Constantine...? Don't you get killed now...I want you dragged alive behind my
victory chariot...Dreg, see he doesn't get too scratched first." She looks at her minion, he nods...

Another blast and the Knights , Spike, and the Brethren fighting near Buffy Rebecca are
knocked flat, clearing the way to her...

Glory looks around in triumph...but she can feel Ben inside, fighting to hold her more and
more..."No, Ben...letgo..." She stumbles over to where two more mall patrons
are offered to her by the remaining Brethren... And then turns to face the group around
Buffy Rebecca...

But she's not sure...Why didn't the Knights destroy this twin...if she really is the Key?...

"Look guys, you're all so cute and it's all been such fun. I mean that...really...But playtime is
over. No little magic tricks, no discussions, no evasions. My key. My key or I start doing
serious injury."

Buffy Rebecca is helping Willow lift Tara, dazed by her crash...She looks at Glory...

"My friends are leaving now Glory."

"Hey, no one leaves until I say they leave!"

"Do you really think I'd have told them?"

"Actually...yes little slayer. I do. I dunno you just strike me as the gossipy type, you know?
Besides I think we've settled that you're not going to tell me on your own life so... I need
somemore...hmmn!...hostages! And more to the point...I see that I need to make an example.
Lets see enne meane mynee mo, ah...back to the big witch girl." She glares at Tara and Willow.

She points at Buffy Rebecca..."Is this my Key?..." They say nothing...

"You and your little friend sent me to a very high place. Didn't you guess that I don't like high
places. And did you ever stop to think who I might hit, falling from 10,000 feet? And what
about my dress? Did you ever stop to think about ruining my best dress? No, you didn't did
you."

She moves too fast for Will to shove Tara away.

***
Buffy Rebecca grabs Glory from behind but Glory smashes her back across the room. Will tries
to help Tara to her feet but Glory throws Will down, stunning her. Xander and Dawn continue to keep
crouched by the second floor railing, Xander covering Dawn's mouth as she tries to shriek.
Glory places her hands on Tara and they enter her skull. Seeing Glory grab Tara, Xander yells
out, startling Glory. As she looks around she is suddenly lifted from the front and thrown back.
Tara, slumps to the ground, dazed.

Glory looks up to see Spike leering down at her. "Bit of a rumpus,eh goddess?" Dreg swings
out at him...and is tossed back...

"Dreg!" Glory cries... Now she's mad...Nobody hurts the Goddess of Glory and Victory's
chosen "significant other"...

On rising, Dreg spies Dawn above...He should capture her...He calls on some men...

She sniffs at Spike...What?...a vampire?...Geesh...Dreg?!...what the...

"Oh, no...I'm fighting vampires now?" She rises, stamps her feet, rocking the mall floor... "What
is it with you people? Are you determined to embarrass me forever?"

She swats the dodging Spike down and throws him in turn across the room. "Aren't. " Wham.
"You" Wham. "Supposed" Slam. "To be"...She hurls Spike against the far wall. "Killing
humans? What kind of vampire are you, anyway?"

Buffy Rebecca whirls her around and throws her back... Glory grins at her... Spike is down.
He pulls himself up and moves in by Buffy Rebecca.

"Is he yours, Slayer... Well, I don't like to make comments but...Vampire and Slayer?..."

She shakes her head, and tries sweet reason. "Look now, I've been kind, I've been gentle. I see
no corpses yet, and just one slightly dazed witch. You people should be aware that I am not a
lenient person by nature. I am really making an effort here."

Glory is puzzled. The little slayer is stronger than ever and still coming back for more...Is she
the Key after all? No...it's too easy...


"Well, she takes a licking and comes on ticking. Come on little girl it's time to give Glory her
key." She grabs Buffy Rebecca by the arm again and smashes her to the floor.

This time the slayer is clearly hurting. Glory moves back and turns to face the crumpled Tara
and Willow still kneeling beside her. "Well...? Who's next? No one wants to talk with me. Ok
then, ok lets have a little more fun then. Come on little witch I think it's time for you to join
your friend." Glory moves toward Willow who, raging rises to face her.

"Will!" Xander calls desperately. Buffy Rebecca springs up and smashes into the
glorious one's back with all the strength she can summon. Glory turns amazed. Every bone in
the Slayer's body should be broken by now... She looks at Buffy Rebecca now barely on her feet.
An almost gentle smile comes over her face.

"You'll never give me my key, will you little slayer? But you know something, I think your
friend over there might be able to tell me something. Hey, what's your name? You know where
my key is don't you? I'm willing to bet you do." Xander looks at Glory from his perch. He
realizes she's talking to him now. "We won't tell you Glory, so just let them go. There's no
point to this. You kill us, you never get the key."

"Point, what do you mean point. You people with your little worthless lives dare, dare to talk to
me about the point. Listen little nobody, I am the glorious one, the one of holy name and place.
Now you tell me...is that my key?!" More stamping and tremors..."Give me my key or all of
you here die right now. The little sister and everybody but you...you...you...Gratian!...you I keep
for last..."

"You know I won't do it. Hey, what kind of a god are you anyway, pushing around
everybody? You can't be much of a god if you can't even get the key by yourself."

Buffy Rebecca somehow has managed to rise again. Glory whirls around and grabs her by the
throat. "One two threefourfive. Time's up! Well?!"

"No deal, Glory. Let her go."

Dawn twists out of his grip and tries to run out to the stairs from between the Knights. "Dawn!"

The Knights block her and she faces them...

Glory releases Buffy Rebecca...She's not certain...but it can't hurt to try... Buffy Rebecca falls
to the floor...Glory bends over her..."Buffy!" Dawn and Willow call out to the crumpled
slayer on the floor. Spike maneuvers in at Glory again and she whirls to face him..."She's
not my key...is she?"

"No..." He shakes his head... "You think we'd be stupid enough to have it here, lady?..."

He's right...I do...but...

Willow watches Spike...

"Vampire...you want your little Slayer back...in one piece?..."

Glory grins... "Tell me where my key is...and I'll let you take her...While there's anything to
take..."

Now Buffy Rebecca is up again...barely...

Warren, in tears, from the bookstore...I had to give her blood...
[Play theme...If you love me (Adagio for Strings)]

And now Will can see the cable running down from her right leg...towards the bookstore...

Spike drops back...and looks at Buffy Rebecca...pleading...Time to give it up, girl...oh, please...

Glory faces Buffy Rebecca... "Well, are you my Key or no...? Better say if you're not cause
this...is gonna hurt..."

"No" Dawn screams, running through Xander toward the door to the lower stairs, but the
Knights suddenly rising from their corner, hold her back and Xander covers her mouth before she
can call out to Glory.

Glory looks up and sees her struggling... "Oh don't worry. Don't worry little girl, you'll be with
your real sister pretty soon...Whichever one that is..." Glory giggles. "Ole Ben is going to have
one busy night in the psycho bin tonight."

"Hurry my gracious divinity..." Dreg cries to her...He has charged up to the second floor, intent
on reaching the Slayer's sister but is having a rough time of it, out in front... holding off two
Knights... The other Brethren are being pushed back...

Dreg sees the Emperor looking at the Knights guarding Dawn and Xander...Why does the
Emperor waste his gaze on that unimportant sister of the Slayer and the Key?...Unless...The
Emperor's eyes catches Dreg's at the same moment...Dreg realizes a mistake has been
made...He must reach her glorious divinity...The Emperor signals to the Knights with Dawn...
and then moves to stop Dreg...Dreg breaks off from the two Knights and swings out on a rope to
above the point where the Goddess of Glory and Victory confronts Buffy Rebecca...The Knights
hurl spears and one strikes Dreg, knocking him to the rubble at Glory's feet...

"No, my gracious divinity...the youngest sister...the youngest!..." Poor Dreg collapses before
her...

"Dreg!..." Glory shouts with annoyance, anger, and Willow notes, a little concern...I think she
likes the little guy...

She looks up at Dawn......An almost gentle smile on her face...of course...whack on the head...
Buffy Rebecca moves back a little from Glory and confronts her again...

Spike drops back...And Will sees that he has grabbed the cable...

Spike that rat!...he's going to stop her...God, do it Spike...please...don't let her...whatever it is...

Staggering, Buffy Rebecca looks back at Spike...pleading, hopeful...sure...

...if you love me...

***

Spike drops the cable... He leaps to the upper floor...

The Knights near Dawn move in...Xander tries to block them off...He slips...Spike cuts through
to them...His chip firing on a massive scale...
Stumbling, he covers Dawn, and grins at Xander

"Harris, make an effort if you would..."

Anya jumps a Knight moving on Xander...Two more Knights moving in are suddenly blocked...

By a third...Whose attempts at a battle posture Spike somehow...Recognizes...

"Rupert!..." he calls as another Knight moves in...Giles dodging smoothly...

Xander and Anya block the path to Dawn with chairs...More Knights are moving up the stairs

On the ground floor, Buffy Rebecca swings in for another attack...Glory slams her back...
And lets a blast at the Knights moving up towards Dawn, knocking them down and back
But Ben is holding her...She can't move...

"Ben, let me go...letme go...!" Glory staggers forward...Ben's head protrudes up from within
her...

"Glory...Stop this!..." The head drops back within...

She can barely move...No prisoners in reach, the Brethren are ahead, battling the Knight...too
far...only Dreg...and...Buffy Rebecca at hand...

"Oh, most glorious one, only goddess of the world...take my humble brain...get your Key..."
Dreg calls out to her...

Glory looks at him...and steps over him toward Buffy Rebecca...

She does like the little guy Will thinks...Well, natch, after all those brawny Caesars turned on
her of course a lady learns to appreciate real devotion when she sees it...she's not so shallow
as she seems...

Of course she is gonna kill us...

Glory calls out to Dawn...

"Little Key, don't make me hurt your sister...Come down...Ok...Ok, my patience is at an end
with you people..."

"Ok, ok." More Mall tremors... " Well, no deal, eh? You're just... gonna go on...standing back
there...keeping me from my key. Ok. Okay...All right, that's IT. Know that I am Glorificus and
see the punishment for those who deny me."

She grabs Buffy Rebecca who is still struggling to stand... "You never quit do you, honey?"
Glory puts one hand on her hips, holding Buffy Rebecca in the other and looks up to Dawn,
smiling fiercely... Spike holds Dawn back... She smashes Buffy Rebecca to the ground twice
with the one hand...smiles up at Dawn... "Last chance, sweetie...Come down...No?...
Okay...one two threefourfive...Time's up...Here I come..."

She places her hands on the now unconscious Buffy Rebecca... "Sorry kid, but waste not, want
not..." And her hands start to sink into the robot's head...
***
"Oh...hey...what is this?...oh...Hey!?...DREG!..."

The goddess howls and releases Buffy Rebecca who crashes to the floor...the goddess starts to
convulse and is turning bright red...Suddenly two figures can seen, intertwined at the same spot,
Ben and Glory...then there's a bright light and the two gods are separate on the ground...both
stunned flat...

Buffy Rebecca is still..
***