| Quick recap: (Buffy has just burst into Anya's apt. Willow's at her side. Spike and Xander are tied up on the bed). Willow gazes upon the bed WILLOW (with relief) Xander! Immediately, the legion pounce upon them. Buffy is able to throw some punches that connect, but it is not enough to stop them. They are almost invincible. BUFFY Willow, now! WILLOW Buffy, I don�t know if I�before it. BUFFY You have to! Now! WILLOW But� BUFFY Willow, I need you! Instantly Willow stretches out her arms, much like before, but with an extra little flourish. WILLOW Chiavus permanus! The currents strike the robed men. They are frozen in time, but this time the energy surrounds each individual, no longer creating a connective binding. ANYA/CLANTUS Damn you Witch! Buffy smiles quickly at Willow, who looks relieved and in control of her binding spell. BUFFY So now that it�s just us, Ms. Clantus. Whaddya say we take this mano a mano and spare the boys? Buffy turns to the bed and suddenly realizes the state that Spike and Xander are in. She cocks an eyebrow. The boys sigh and roll their eyes at her. ANYA/CLANTUS You took my legion. I think it�s only fair I take yours. I had other plans for them, but they will serve me, and in time serving me, serve you. BUFFY (slightly confused at the comment) Why don�t we see about that. Anya/Clantus begins circling Buffy, a strong look of determination in her eyes. Buffy�s in a fighting stance. ANYA/CLANTUS You can�t win. I know who you are. I�m not a demon, I�m a Goddess. BUFFY A goddess? Been there, slayed that. ANYA/CLANTUS But you died then, didn�t you? Buffy flinches ANYA/CLANTUS Don�t worry my dear Slayer. I don�t intend to kill you--just ravage your body. Anya/Clantus makes way to reveal her shiny, silvery axe. She picks it up and lifts it over her head, and brings it down to strike. But Buffy is too quick. She steps aside, and the axe makes contact with the brass footboard of the bed. The footboard vibrates, disturbing the boys who protest, not so quietly. BUFFY (to them) Sorry! She avoids the axe again, then reaches in her pocket to pull out the weapon she had secured earlier from her home. It is a pair of numchucks. (I�m not sure what they�re called. They�re those Chinese things that look like two handles with a chain between them). The axe is caught in the chain between the handles and Buffy pulls it down, spinning around and over Anya/Clantus� head to attack from behind. She swings the end of her weapon, and it makes contact with Anya/Clantus�s head. XANDER Hey Buffy, be careful! Blood begins to ooze from her scalp, but Anya/Clantus seems unfazed. BUFFY (to Xander) Sorry! Again! WILLOW Buffy, I�m not sure how much longer I can hold them. ANYA/CLANTUS Oh, nevermind them witch. You�re wasting power. Anya/Clantus waves her hand, breaking Willow�s binding spell, sending her across the floor and making the legion go �poof�. WILLOW (realizing) It was you, before? You broke my spell? ANYA/CLANTUS Stick around kid. If things don�t work out for the Slayer here, I might have use for you. Anya/Clantus� distraction with Willow and the legion leaves an opening for Buffy to attack again. She strikes an upward thrust movement on Anya/Clantus face and grabs the axe from her hands. Anya/Clantus is down, but not out. BUFFY Now let�s see who�s wasting her power. ANYA/CLANTUS Ha! You don�t even know what to do with that. And besides, you can�t hurt me. You kill me, and your beloved friend Anya will be gone for good. Buffy and Anya/Clantus face one another. Willow takes the moment to approach Xander and Spike. She flicks her fingers toward the chains. WILLOW Release! They are unbound and leap from the bed. Xander immediately approaches Anya/Clantus and pull her away. BUFFY Xander! No! Spike moves to Buffy�s side, ready to fight. Anya/Clantus swings around and knocks Xander to the ground. She turns around to face Buffy and Spike as Willow moves to attend to Xander. Buffy weilds the axe, but doesn�t make a move. ANYA/CLANTUS This is sweet William. Your mother will finally have her retribution. Buffy raises her eyes in confusion and steals a glance at Spike. Anya/Clantus looks at Buffy. ANYA/CLANTUS (mocking Spike�s voice) She�s the strongest woman in the world, the Slayer. You can touch her, but she�ll break your heart. Spike looks amazed and distressed. ANYA/CLANTUS What? You think I can�t hear you? You think I don�t know? I�ve always felt your pain. That�s how I came to you in the first place. I suppose I should just let the Slayer tear out your heart, shouldn�t I? Buffy throws the axe from one hand to another threateningly. ANYA/CLANTUS Oh, but won�t it be much more fun to tear your dead heart from your body when I become her? First your heart, then your soul! Buffy lifts the axe then moves to bring it down upon her. XANDER God no Buffy! Anya�s still in there! Anya/Clantus reaches up and stops the blow from striking. She and Buffy are locked in a powerful struggle. Spike tries to intervene, but the force of the two women�s struggle knocks him aside. In through the bedroom door comes Dawn, the statue of Clantus in one hand, a print-out of a spell in another. She aims the statue toward the axe. Xander looks up as she enters. XANDER Thank goddesses! Our very own deus ex machina! DAWN Buffy, Willow! I need you! Dawn throws out the statue toward the axe as Buffy turns to face her sister. Willow raises her hand and guides the statue toward the axe. Buffy releases the axe into the air, and Willow catches it with her other hand, guiding the two objects together, while Buffy attempts to restrain Anya/Clantus. Spike and Xander are at her side to assist. Dawn lifts the print out to her eyes and begins to chant the spell. DAWN Thy retribution is purged; Benevolence remains. Into the realm of light She will pass again. Willow�s voice joins Dawn�s DAWN AND WILLOW Chiavus permanus Goddess Clantus The axe slices through the statue and both disappear in a burst of green light. Anya collapses back into Xander�s waiting arms. Spike and Buffy look at one another. She reaches a hand to his cheek. He lowers his head in shame. EXT: MAGIC SHOP: A DAY OR TWO LATER A bandaged Anya and Dawn are in the shop packing up items into boxes. It looks like they are moving out, abandoning shop. DAWN I guess this is the last of it. ANYA Why are you here? Don�t you have somewhere more important to be, like school or Girl Scouts or something? DAWN Someone�s got to help you out here. ANYA You already did. DAWN I�m not talking about in May. I mean to pack up the stuff. ANYA Yeah, and I meant the other night. You saved me, and so did everyone, including Willow. DAWN It was the least she could do. ANYA Damn straight! So I told her, and I mean I don�t usually do this sort of thing, so she should feel lucky, but I told her that we�re even. DAWN Even? Even though the shop is destroyed and Giles turned you down for the money? ANYA Yeah, well it was his shop anyway. (looks around the place) I think it�s time for me to move on from the Magic Box. And now, I get to go and be a regular career girl. DAWN (corrects her) A regular girl. ANYA Yeah, and you know what? DAWN No, what? ANYA That�s the way I want it. Dawn smiles at her and moves to hug her. Anya backs off. ANYA But this doesn�t mean, I�m gonna be all cuddly and up for girls� night every week and chick flicks and popcorn movies and whatever. DAWN No, I didn�t think� ANYA Because I have a lot to figure out. Not just with Xander. That�s a whole thing I can�t even think about right now, and he�s going to be mad because he wants to get back together, but I can�t. Not now, not yet. I have a lot to deal with. I have to know me, Anya Jenkins, alone�an individual. DAWN That�s what you are. ANYA No, that�s what I�m going to figure out. Zooms out from the two women standing in the center of the shop. Pan left and zoom in on a shot of the old �research� table. On it are some books, supplies and Anya�s bag. Zoom in on the bag. Sticking out of it is the Polaroid shot of Spike and Xander tied up, with a marker scribble that reads �Sunnydale conquests�. EXT: UC SUNNYDALE CAMPUS: LATER THAT DAY Xander and Willow are walking on campus. Xander is holding her schoolbooks and they approach a classroom building. XANDER Ok, so now you�re ready to take on this sculpty thing. WILLOW Yeah XANDER And you�re sure you can handle the nudity. Willow nods. XANDER By the way, do you know if it�s a female model today, because I�m sure I can convince your professor to let me audit for a day� WILLOW Xander! Come on! You know you don�t do the college thing. You�ve got a real job to get to. XANDER And, a potential girlfriend. WILLOW Yeah, and that too. (they walk together) Anya and I spoke the other night after�and, well, I think we�re okay now. XANDER And I think she�s doing okay. I know she�s really pissed that her body was violated in that way, but on the other hand I think it was good. WILLOW Good? XANDER Well after having a retribution goddess living in her skin and wrecking havoc, she�s not feeling too bad about being a mere mortal anymore. Of course, at first she relished the idea of retribution and wanted to humiliate me� WILLOW (curious and mischevious) How? XANDER She ordered the legion to strip me naked and put me in a public place. (off of Willow�s questioning look) The Mall, okay? She was going to put me in the Mall! Yep, that�s me, fodder for pimply 14 year old girls. Willow giggles. XANDER It�s not funny. (a beat) Ok, fine, it is. But the real Anya figures me strapped to a bed with Spike is punishment enough, so we�ll see how things go. And you? WILLOW You mean with the magic stuff? XANDER Yeah. Buffy told me it got kinda scary for a bit. WILLOW It did. I�m working on it, but it�s better. Buffy showed me I have to trust myself. I don�t know what I�d do without her believing in me� Willow�s voice ends over a shot of Buffy entering the living room� INT SUMMER�S HOUSE DAY Buffy enters the living room. Spike is on the couch. He is lost in thoughts as she approaches him and sits beside him. BUFFY Spike, I� SPIKE What happened Buffy, it�s my past. BUFFY But it haunts you. It hurts you! It�s made you what you are� SPIKE What�s that? Crazy? What happened with my folks--that�s just part of it. A part I�ve shed long ago. My sins are like Mc Donald�s, love�over 32 billion served. BUFFY (smiles resignedly) And now? SPIKE Now, I see where the day takes me. He looks at her with full meaning. BUFFY And where is that? SPIKE Don�t know. Guess it depends. BUFFY On what? Me? SPIKE On you, yeah. You�re the Slayer. You�ve already torn out my heart. Take my soul too. Take me whole. I deserve it. BUFFY Oh Spike. You really don�t "get" what you deserve. CU of Spike�s hands. Buffy places hers on top of his. INT SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL: PRINCIPAL�S OFFICE: DAY A man in a hooded robe that obscures his face kneels in the office before a small (and portable!) altar of burning incense, herbs and whatnot. There is a small black sculpture of Clantus similar to the one that Anya had found. MAN My Goddess, I pray to thee. We will seek our own retribution and summon you once more when the time is right. Ta Tsus Aldsan. For you�re the one and only, and I shall serve you. The man moves the hood off his face revealing who he is�Principal Wood. FADE TO BLACK Roll credits 20th Century Fox fanfare Grr Arrgh! Stay tuned for scenes from next week�s Buffy: The Vampire Slayer� UPN Promo Shot of Buffy and Spike facing one another. BUFFY Oh Spike! Do it now! They grab each other fiercely Cut to � Shot of Willow on UC Sunnydale Campus facing an unknown person WILLOW You�re back? What are you doing here? Cut to� Shot of Xander and Dawn in Summers� basement, training together XANDER No Dawn, you want to hold the sword like this. Here let me show you. Xander comes around and put his arms around her Cut to CU of Dawn looking up at him and smiling� The End |
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| PART VI |
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