RitesOfSpring3

Disclaimer: All characters, except for Johnny York, are property of BTVS. Johnny York is my own creation. I have fictionalized much of the worship of Cybele and Attis; no offense is meant to those who actually profess that religion.

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[Cut to the library. Buffy, Xander, and Oz return to find a frustrated Giles and Willow trying in vain to convince Cordelia that Johnny isn�t the greatest thing since quick-dry nail polish.]

Giles: I give up. We�ve tried arguing, cajoling, counter spells, and prayer. Either this Johnny has the strongest magic I�ve ever seen, or Cordelia is the most stubborn person to ever draw breath.

Xander: I can answer that.

Giles: No need. Did you find anything?

Oz: Big tree.

Giles: What?

Buffy: He had a pine tree, like a Christmas tree.

Xander: Decorated with these.

[He lays a lilac on the table.]

Giles: Lilacs. Anything else?

Buffy: He wasn�t living there alone. The other bedroom had another man�s clothes in it.

Giles: His father.

Buffy: Could be. We also found some typical teenage boy stuff: videos, video games, a drum set, pictures of women on the walls.

Xander: Speaking as a teenage boy I can tell you the pictures of those women don�t decorate many of our walls.

Giles: I don�t understand.

Buffy: They were older movie-star like.

Oz: Don�t forget the TV. They had the best TV. It was huge.

Giles: Yes, big television sets and old movie stars. Can we get back to the tree? Lilacs and pine trees still sound Celtic to me. I just can�t seem to locate any information that might help us.

[Xander pulls an almond out of his pocket and cracks it in his hand. He tosses the nut in the air and catches it in his mouth. Giles stares ahead lost in thought. Xander tries another nut, but it bounces off his chin, flies across the table, and hits Willow.]

Willow: Xander! Be careful. I don�t want any nut bits in my keyboard.

Xander: There�s a joke there, and I�m going to find it if I die trying.

Cordelia: The die-trying part sounds fun.

Willow: I just don�t want my computer filled with almondy goodness.

[Giles perks up as if suddenly finding the missing clue to the puzzle.]

Giles: What was that?

Willow: No nuts in the computer?

Giles: You said almonds. Xander, where did you get those?

Xander: Johnny�s.

Buffy: Xander!

Giles: What else did you find there?

Xander: The tree.

Giles: What else?

Buffy: Like we said: two sets of clothes, movie star pictures, videos, drum set, video games.

Oz: Don�t forget the big screen TV.

Buffy: A big TV.

[But Giles has already bounded up the stairs and disappeared into the stacks.]

Willow: Giles, what is it?

Giles (from the stacks): So obvious I could kick myself for not seeing it sooner.

[He comes down the stairs flipping through a book.]

Giles (cont�d): I was looking in the wrong place. It wasn�t Celtic; it was classical.

Buffy: I need a little more here, Giles.

Giles: Lilacs, pine trees, the start of spring, almonds, drums�all are sacred to the Phrygian fertility goddess Cybele.

Buffy: Of course, that would have been my next guess.

Giles: Cybele was an bisexual god, whose manhood was ripped off�

Xander: Okay, ow.

Giles: Leaving Cybele a female. From the blood from the castration, an almond tree grew. A nymph sat down beneath the tree and was impregnated by one of the almonds. The child was the mortal god Attis who grew into a beautiful your and became the lover of Cybele. However, Attis fell in love with another woman, and, in a jealous rage, Cybele drove him insane. Attis ran into the woods and, in his mad frenzy, castrated himself. He died from the wounds of his self-mutilation under a pine tree. Cybele found his body and lamented what she had done. She decorated his body with lilacs and prayed to the king of the gods, who granted her wish and restored Attis to life.

Xander (laughing and pointing at Giles): You had me going for a minute there, Big G. But tell us the truth; you�re making this up, right?

Giles: No, I assure you the worship of Cybele and Attis was quite widespread and lasted for hundreds of years.

Xander: How do you get impregnated by an almond? That�s the part I�m having trouble with. Although, I don�t think I�m going to eat anymore of these.

[He takes the remaining almonds out of his pocket and leaves them on the table.]

Giles: Legend has it that a priest of Cybele could perform a ritual and act as a vessel for the rebirth of Attis. The god�s powers would then become his own. However, the exact ritual was lost when the religion spread from Phrygia, which is in modern day Turkey, to Rome. The rumor of Attis� power was so great that wealthy people would give up their fortunes to be initiated into the cult, men would castrate themselves to become united with the god. But all their efforts were in vain. They were unable to recreate the ritual. The eunuch priests of Cybele so offended the Roman notion of masculinity that the state outlawed the worship of Cybele and Attis, and the religion was abandoned.

Oz: That has to suck in so many different ways�to find out you�ve castrated yourself for nothing.

[Xander and Oz look at each other and shudder.]

Willow: So you�re saying this Johnny guy figured out the ritual thingie and now has the power of a god?

Giles: Yes.

PART FOUR

[The library. Giles and the gang continue their discussion of Johnny�s abilities.]

Buffy: What does he want?

Giles: I did some research into the rituals in my younger days. Some school chums and I wanted to gain the power of Attis for ourselves. We were able to learn part of the rituals. First, the young man is initiated into the cult through a taurobolium, an animal sacrifice and bloodbath. He then develops minor powers. A year later and every year from then on at the beginning of spring, the season of rebirth, the initiate goes through two ceremonies at sunset on the day before the vernal equinox, the Day of Atonement, and sunset the day of, the Day of Blood.

Buffy: That just sounds bad.

Giles: Every year his power will increase with proper performance of the rituals.

Willow: What kind of power?

Giles: First, the lower disciplines of telepathy, telekinesis, seduction, mesmerization. Eventually, he will start to be able to perform the higher disciplines: shape-shifting; cloaks of invisibility; control over the weather, time, and space; raising the fires of Hell.

Oz: That�s a lot of power.

Giles: The lure of that kind of power is immensely strong. I gave up trying to work out the rites of Atonement and Blood when we found Eyghon.

Willow: So just anyone can figure out this ritual and become a god? Cool.

Giles: Not exactly. Only men are eligible.

Buffy: I have a problem with that.

Giles: Also, the potential for mystical abilities is hereditary. Only the son of someone of mystical capabilities would be able to be the god�s vessel.

Willow: Like a witch?

Giles: Yes, or warlock, werewolf, sorceror�

Xander (cutting him off): Vampire?

Buffy: Vampires are sterile; they wouldn�t have kids.

[The gang all looks at Buffy.]

Buffy (cont�d): Or that�s what I�ve read.

Giles: Even the son of a Slayer could become a priest of Cybele.

[Ethan enters.]

Ethan: Or the son of a watcher even.

Giles: Yes. What brings you here, Ethan?

Ethan: There�s nothing like the smell of a Hellmouth in the spring.

Giles: You figured it out, didn�t you? The rites of Blood and Atonement? Johnny is your prot�g�.

Ethan: Yes.

Cordelia: Johnny is amazing.

Xander: That�s it. I�m going to get rid of that spell one way or another. If we don�t come back, forward my mail.

Cordelia: Your subscription to Outdoor Geek or your membership of the acne treatment of the month club?

[Xander grabs Cordelia�s arm and drags her out the library.]

Ethan: Interesting group you have here. You�re just missing that vampire. Oh (points to Oz) he�s new; I haven�t met him before.

Willow (brightly): He�s Oz.

Ethan: Terrific. Must be that werewolf Johnny told me about.

Oz: Uh, lupine individual.

Giles: You�re the brains of the operation.

Ethan: I couldn�t do it myself; I didn�t have the right genes. Johnny had the pedigree and is a quick study. He practically fell right into my lap, a great stroke of luck.

Buffy: If Johnny�s so smart and has all the power, why does he need you?

Giles: He doesn�t. You must be terrified of the day he�ll realize that and turn on you.

Ethan: Shared obligation. He owes me his life. I found him there starving, neglected, abandoned, and alone in the back alleys of New York. Oh, he could have survived; there are ways for boys who look like that to make a living in a big city, none very pleasant. Be glad I found him when I did, Ripper, just in time for a good old-fashioned bloodbath.

Giles: You still destroyed him. How long will his obligation hold out? Power corrupts, and you�ve given him infinite power. A few more years, a few more rituals and he will be a monster. What will you do then?

Ethan: Then, he won�t be my problem. He�ll be yours.

Giles: It stops here, now.

Ethan: There�s only one person who can stop it, and Johnny won�t let her. He�ll hunt your slayer down if he has to. (to Buffy) Sunday at sundown be at the park where Johnny first found you. He�ll be waiting.

Buffy (nervously): Wow, I have a date.

Giles: She won�t go.

Ethan: She won�t have a choice. He�ll find her. Hiding would be futile.

Giles: Maybe.

Ethan: Sunday night at the park�Buffy Summers versus Johnny York. It should be a pay-per-view event. Why, Ripper, you don�t seem surprised at his full name. Did you know?

Giles: Not at first. When I realized it was Cybele, I knew you had to be behind it. Figuring out who Johnny is wasn�t difficult from there. Regrettably, it makes no difference. I know he needs to be stopped.

Ethan: I�ll be sure to tell him you said that. He�ll be livid.

Giles: Then, maybe, he�ll get sloppy.

Ethan (leaving): You can only hope.

[He exits.]

Oz: Okay, what just happened here? Who is Johnny York?

Giles: I have to go. Stay here. Collect everything you can on the Day of Blood. We must prepare for Sunday.

[He leaves.]

Buffy: And the weirdness continues. Willow, fire up the computer. Find out whatever you can about what�s-his-name and the god thing.

Willow: I need something more than his name, somewhere to begin.

Oz: That guy said he was from New York.

Willow: John York from New York. Hey, I wonder if that�s a coincidence. He�s tall, likes movies, hates witches. Freaky religion. Anything else?

Oz: Darth Vadar death grip.

Willow: That�s not much to go on.

Buffy: Add Rupert Giles to the mix and see what pops up. Can you do that?

Willow: Yeah.

[She gets to work. Xander enters, his shirt ripped a the shoulder, his hair mussed.

Buffy: Where�ve you been?

Xander: Broom closet. Oz, are you still on bandage patrol?

Oz: Yeah.

[Oz goes to get medical supplies from Giles office. Xander takes off his shirt and sits on the table next to Willow�s computer.]

Xander: Cordelia is no longer bewitched, thank you very much.

Buffy: How did you manage that?

Xander: A little Xander magic. Cordelia went home to do her hair.

[The phone rings, and Buffy answers it.]

Buffy: Hello? (pause) Mom, it�s me. What is it? (pause) I�ll be right there.

[She hangs up.]

Buffy (leaving): I have to go. My house is flooded.

Willow: Good luck. I hope everything�s okay.

[Buffy leaves. Oz reenters holding a medical bag. He walks up to Xander and examines the dressing.]

Oz: What happened? It looks like someone clawed through the bandages.

Xander: Yes, someone did.

Oz: That must�ve hurt.

Xander (grinning like the Chesire cat): Yes, it did.

[Oz starts to clean the wound and replace the bandages.]

Willow: I�ve found something.

Oz: What?

Willow: It�s encrypted.

[She inserts a floppy into the computer.]

Willow (cont�d): There we go. Oh boy.

Xander: Again, what?

[Willow continues to read, scrolling down quickly.]

Oz: Willow?

Willow: Uh�it�s none of our business.

Xander: What is it?

Willow (shutting down the computer): I, uh, I can�t, shouldn�t�I gotta talk to Giles.

[She runs out of the library.]

[Cut to Buffy�s house at night. Buffy stands looking at the house as Joyce, who is wearing waders, exits from it.]

Joyce: The water keeps coming up. It�s over my head, so I can�t get to the sump pump.

[Angel enters with Xander and Oz.]

Angel: I could do it.

Joyce: What?

Angel: Take care of the water, or, at least, I could try.

[Joyce, unsure, doesn�t respond.]

Buffy: Thank you. You might as well give it a shot. I don�t know how we�d explain this to a plumber. Did Willow find anything?

Xander: I think so. She got all weird and ran out of there like a bat out of Hell. Sorry, Angel, sore subject, I know. Then, after His Undeadness showed up, we came here to check on you.

[Angel looks down at his burgundy velvet shirt and black leather pants and then at Xander�s torn jersey and K-mart baggy jeans.]

Angel: Xander, if I�m going to go swimming in the muck, do you mind if we switched? (indicates his clothes) These were expensive.

[Xander�s face fades to his insecure look, but he follows Angel around the house to change.]

Joyce: We need to find a place to stay tonight. Should I call a motel?

Buffy: Not secure enough. We need a residence with weapons. Not only is this Johnny guy after me, there�s still the vampires.

Joyce: Of course, how could I forget the vampires? And the ghosts, goblins, and werewolves.

Oz: I�m sensing a lot of anti-lupine sentiment there.

Buffy: How about Giles house?

[Xander returns in Angel�s clothes.]

Xander: I don�t know how he can walk in these things. I�ve just put them on, and they�re already starting to chafe.

Joyce: Not Mr. Giles. How about Willow�s?

Buffy: We�d have to explain it to her parents.

Joyce: A flood isn�t that unusual.

Buffy: When it�s completely dry outside? And the weapons?

Joyce: Can�t you hide them?

Buffy: It�s kind of hard to carry a concealed crossbow. Come on, it�s just for tonight.

Joyce (acquiescing): I guess one night at Mr. Giles� house won�t be too bad.

[Cut to Giles� house, or more accurately, the ruins of Giles� house. All that remains is charred and drenched. Giles looks on despondently as the lights of the fire engines flicker on his face. Willow approaches, wringing her hands, completely oblivious to the disaster and chaos that surrounds her.]

Willow: Oh boy.

Giles (sadly): Willow, what are you doing here?

Willow (flustered): Research�computer�Johnny�too much knowledge is bad, very bad.

[She notices, now, that Giles� house has been destroyed.]

Willow (cont�d): Giles�I�I�m so sorry.

Giles: He destroyed my house. He hates me that much.

Willow: No, he destroyed Buffy�s too. I guess that�s not a good thing.

Giles: Buffy�s house?

Willow: Flooded.

Giles: Why are you here again?

Willow (calmer now): I was able to decrypt New York�s Department of Family Assistance computer system. It listed you as Johnny�s father.

Giles: I see.

Willow: I won�t tell the others, not if you don�t want me too.

Giles: Willow, you conceal nothing. You couldn�t if you tried.

Willow: Johnny said almost the same exact thing. It�s funny.

[Giles smiles ruefully but doesn�t respond right away.]

Giles: Do your best, Willow. Buffy will have to fight him, and I don�t want to confuse her emotions. I can�t help her this time.

Read the Sequel- "Atonement and Blood"
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