Before the Intro
Still in the confinements of the changing rooms, Cleveland's First Annual Beauty Contest's losers looked at each other in mock exasperation.
'Is it just me, or are there way too many guys in here?', Buffy asked playfully.
Oz, Angel and Spike shuffled their feet uncomfortably.
'Maybe they want inside info to enter next year's competition', Willow smiled, not quite meeting Oz's eyes. She flung an arm around Kennedy's waist.
Kennedy grinned back, 'They're not going to learn much from Class A rejects!'
Buffy, Dawn, Illyria, Kennedy, Willow and Faith had all entered a mysterious beauty pageant held oj Cleveland's Hellmouth on the orders of Giles and Angel. They had originally believed tere to be a sinister plot to sacrifice the winner somehow, but with the unexpected help of Oz, they had realised that the runners up were the actual victims. Faith had emerged winner of the contest, and left the others to await their inevitable fate. They had almost aided in opening the Hellmouth, but were saved at the last minute by Willow's magic. Angel, Spike and Oz had rushed to their rescue, but it was too late. They'd already saved themselves.
Except for Dawn. Lacking mystical powers, her body couldn't handle the blood loss that Claire Cleaver had imposed. Seeing her motionless body, Spike had revived her by drinking her blood. Even now, Dawn stared at Spike, half-embarassed, half-awed. He refused to return her stares, fixing his eyes on the ceiling.
'You have blood on your cheek', warned Illyria.
Spike hastily turned around and pawed at his mouth.
'Is everyone okay?', Oz asked, unnaturally worried.
'No', boomed a voice behind him.
'Xander!', cried Buffy and Willow simultaneously.
Xander nodded. 'Yeah, lets drop the 'Hi' part. Its Faith. She's in trouble, if you know what I mean'
'Actually, I don't know what you mean', replied Buffy quickly, a knot forming in her stomach. 'Faith won. Claire Cleaver's dead. How can she be in trouble? Is this about her criminal record again, or-'
'No, no', Xander interrupted, perplexed. 'The prize, the am-'
'The necklace', Dawn said dreamily, 'from where I stood, ot looked so...melodious'.
'You would say that', Xander said, rolling his eyes. 'Its more on the amulett-y side of things. Plus it came with an overly familiar ditty. Does 'encore' mean anything to you?'
'No', said Buffy
'No' said Dawn.
'No' frowned Willow, 'unless...'
'No' said Kennedy.
'Yes', sneered Illyria. 'Encore is a word derived from the French tongue, meaning-'
'What is wrong with you people!', Xander raged. 'That evil red musical demon is back, and he's taken Faith!'
Buffy looked sceptical. 'That other amulet was destroyed. How could-'
'Actually, there are tonnes of those things available on the market', Willow gulped. 'A spell is all it takes...'
'Faith read out that victory verse', Kennedy said slowly, 'but...'
'I used those same words all those years ago', Xander sighed.
'Oh my god', breathed Dawn, 'that could have been me! Again! What if he really wants me?'
'I doubt it', Kennedy shrugged. Dawn glared.
'Anyway, I've phoned Giles, and it was one of those'"Dear Lord" moments. He's sending a contact from the Council ASAP with instructions what to do next', Xander piped up.
'I hope he knows what he's doing', Buffy frowned. 'I doubt the Council, even a reformed one, could begin to deal with something this jazzy'.
Loud whispering came from Angel and Spike's corner. Angel opened his eyes in fear as Spike finall pulled away, looking smug.
'There is no way I'm doing THAT!', Angel exclaimed, clearly frightened. He took a few moments to tidy his hair. 'Okay, I'm going to head back to LA. Nobody really needs me, its obviously way out of my league...'
'Hang on a bloody second!', Spike shouted, 'if you're going, I'm going too.'
'Wait a second', Willow said, 'Faith would never abandon us. We've just got to find where they took her after the show. Maybe she's still there'
'Okay, Angel-stay here with Oz, Dawn and kennedy. Illyria, Will, Xander, Spike,,,come with me', Buffy announced loudly.
Everyone grumbled unappreciatively.
'I thought we talked this over', Kennedy started, furious.
'How dare you treat me like a kid!', Dawn yelled.
Spike just shot a victorious look over at Angel, who was busy examining a blusher brush.
'I think Buffy's right', offered Oz. Everyone fell silent and marvelled at Oz's sense of clarity.
'Okay, so thast's decided', said Willow nervously.
The group left the dressing room, the rejects of the rejects simmering with annoyance.
**************************
'Like old times', smiled Spike, looking pleased that he was among the Chosen.
'Shut up', Buffy snapped, hating the debt he'd put her in by saving her sister.
Eventually, they reached a door of a small office. The sign read, 'Contest Personell only - Please Knock'.
Spike knocked.
Silence.
'Maybe we should knock again', Xander suggested.
Buffy raised her hand to knock again, but suddenly, the door swang open. In front of them, a mad-looking puppet man danced wildly, his limbs askew. He opened his mouth.
'No!', screamed Spike. 'The bugger's going to sing!'
In a panic, Buffy, Willow and Xander leapt on top of the little wooden man, forming a rather odd pile on the floor. The dancing man suddenly motioned with his hands.
'What's he trying to say?', Willow asked interestedly.
'Hey, that's a ...five, right?', Xander interpreted, as the puppet held up five fingers.
'Five...' , Buffy asked, halting her assault, 'as in, BY five? Faith? Is that YOU?'
Sensing weakness, the puppet thing jumped up, knocking them all backwards. He danced madly, and a bright portal formed in front of them. It jumped in, but quickly, Illyria pulled it back. Without reservation, she pulled off its head, and it fell to the floor, unmoving.
'That worked', murmered Willow.
'That was not Faith', Illyria stated simply.
'I should hope not', Xander cracked, 'unless wood is the new silicon!'
'The portal's still open', Spike said, pointing.'But I hope you're not thinking what I think you're going to think, 'cos...'
'Do we have any other choice?', sighed Buffy. 'Who wants to play Alice first?'
'I do, I do!' piped up a voice in the doorway.
'Oh please don't let that be-' Spike began, closing his eyes wishfully.
'I have been sent from the Council to help rescue Faith'. Andrew announced proudly. 'Everyone, to the library to research this dastardly event!'
Everyone looked at him in genuine horror.
**************************
Faith's eyelids fluttered and she felt an awful sense of paralysis. This isn't right she thought, where am I?
She thought back to where she could be. Was she still in her coma? No, that wasn't right...she woke up. Then she noticed that she was abnormally hot. She opened her eyes, finding herself in a large room surrounded by gigantic flames. She tried to stand up, nut magical binds kept her on a golden throne. Annoying wooden doll people danced around her.
'Oh crap,' she said, realization dawning, 'I've finally gone to Hell'.
Suddenly, low music played as if from nowhere, and she anxiously grappled with the throne. Her eyes darted around the room, finding nothing but darkness. And the swelling of music....it seemed to possess her sense of self... making her sing....
"In the middle of this darkness
"I can see just nothin' clearly
And for once it would be better to be me
And run - "
She widened her eyes in terror and bit her lip, stopping the flow of words that had started. But the force was too strong...
Run away from all this freak stuff,
Take a hike, make like Buffy
For I never was one to wait around and see..."
Suddenly, the throne released its grip, and she walked around the throne as if puppeteered.
"Old Faith, yeah, she's the badass
Takes no Bull, nor no math class
She always sets the standard to be cool.
But all I see in flashback,
Nice memories that I now lack -
Disgusting, stupid, boring skanky, cruel.
Maybe I should have stuck around in school.
But no-
That wouldn't work.
The kids there were all jerks.
The girls just liked to cheer,
what's wrong with chugging beer?
And they'd treat me like some plagued unworthwhile freak!
My talent lay in my hands,
So said those guys with vans,
But maybe if I just forgot all that,
And run away -
But if I'm so fit and brave
Why can't I escape this cave
Which is tying, roping, pushing me down?
There's something iffy going
What's with singing round a throne?"
Suddenly, the red demon emerged from the blackness, dressed all in yellow. He smiled.
"At last I've found a queen to wear my crown..."
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