Mona and the Monsters...Part XIII...

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, www.geocities.com/buffyrebecca

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all otherowner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

Part XIII...

***

Job Wescox was consulting via phone with his "occult expert"...Who'd called in response to his secretary Angie's request for any information on "The Slayer"...

"Ms. Summers is one of the Chosen Ones, Mr. Wescox..." the psychic intoned... "She holds the forces of evil at bay in Sunnydale..."

Seek her protection...Keep her close...For I sense you face mortal danger...You and all those with you...

"Unless of course you have the good sense to leave that benighted town before it's too late..."

This guy is just too good...JW thought...Chuckling inwardly as he grinned at the phone...

Gotta get him...Or a character based on him...Into the show...

"But...What exactly does a "Slayer" do?..." he asked...

"She destroys the forces of evil, sir...Sets the tormented free and at peace..."

O...K...

"She kills vampires and demons by sticking things into their hearts or in some demons, their heads..." the expert explained dryly...A tad miffed by Wescox's patronizing tone......

Oh...?

Say...Does she use...Say, copper pipe?...

"Wood for vampires, certain types of metal for certain types of demons..."

And...Why would she run around doing this kinda stuff?...Somebody pay her to do this?...

"Mr. Wescox..." he sniffed... "The Slayers are not bound by mercenary concerns..."

"Well...Most of them aren't..." the expert corrected...

Uh-huh...Wescox looked at the phone...

Wish you took a leaf from their book, friend...he thought, remembering the psychic's last bill for consulting services rendered...

No offense meant...Job hastily added...But Ms. Buffy Summers didn't strike me as the especially compassionate type...

"Ms. Summers...And her fellow Slayers...Are the saviors of the world, Mr. Wescox..." the expert insisted... "Her compassion is boundless..."

"Probably you caught her at a busy moment..."

Wescox audibly sighed over the phone...

"Clearly you don't believe me, sir..." the expert told him patiently...

"But I warn you...Keep Ms. Summers near at all times, so long as you stay in Sunnydale...Or great evil will befall you..."

"And I would hate to lose such a valuable customer as you..."

After hanging up, Mr. W pondered carefully...

Yeah, gotta get a character like that on the series...Maybe have our "professor" call him from time to time for help...A disembodied voice giving dire warnings every week, sorta like an occult "Charlie"...

'Course the guy himself is a hoot back in his rooms what with the weird knick-knacks all around, the darkened lights, and that red crushed velvet smoking jacket...Maybe we should show ours in his "Psychic Place" when he calls in...

But as to Ms. Summers...God...What if she takes this "Slayer" nonsense seriously?...

Can't have some wacko working on the show...Could be like 1991 and HBO all over again...When that demented fan talked his way into a job...Writing graphic love/death threat notes to my then star and leaving them in her trailer...

Course it did work out for the best...They'd been happily married for seven years now...

And Summers seems normal enough...

Could this be a put-on?...Maybe she and Freddy Scodos know my "buddy"...

After all he recommended Sunnydale as a source of "mystic evil"...

But they know Mona's part is set...Unless they haven't clued in our occult friend yet...Or she's got some other angle...Maybe hoping to put her name in front for anything that opens up...

On the other hand...Oh, please...

Vampires?...And demons?...C'mon...

Then again, that Krakos guy...He just vanished...

Well...He probably was a mental patient...Maybe my "expert" just left the loony bin himself...Met Ms. Summers there, as a attendant...

Now that would make a little sense...Hmmn...

Maybe met her there as a fellow inmate...

And I sent Summers to take Libby around town today...And Sydney was planning to meet up with them...

"Deranged young woman kills lead actors of new hit series dealing with occult..."

Hmmn...

"Deranged would-be superheroine kills stars of Job Wescox's bold and dynamic new hit series..."

Much better...

Good publicity of course but Libs and Sid are irreplaceable...

Might do well to check on my stars and my new technical advisor, I'd say..

***

At the I-87 mall where the party, now increased by the addition of the famed Sydney Mechamber, had continued on at Libby's request...Need background for Mona, she works at K-Mart...she'd explained...Mr. Mechamber was giving his costar some tips in "getting" her character's shopgirl persona down...

"Just watch that girl with her friends at the other stations...You know they don't even allow these girls seats...." he noted...

On their feet all day except for break and lunch...So the prevailing air is...Tired, feet killing them, demented customers shouting demands, manager hollering at them to pick up the pace...

"No seats?...That's awful..." Libby stared...

We oughta speak to the management...I'm an honorary member of the California Labor Relations Board, after all...she noted to Willow standing next to her...

The subcommittee on non-skilled and migrant labor...she explained hastily to Willow as she hustled over towards the nearest cashier...

"Ummn...Lib..." Buffy called to her...Seeing her boss zip away...

Mechamber casting a wry grin at Buffy...

Ms. Marsden waved to a free cashier...

"Who's in charge here?..." she asked...

The cashier stared at her...Then back at the cover of People Magazine where she was prominently featured in "Mona" costume...

"Job Wescox's Bold Gamble..." the title proclaimed...

Libby quickly dodged with a smile, seeing the cover...

"My mom says I look just like her...Right, sis?..." she turned to Willow who'd come over with her...

"Whataya think?..." she grinned at the girl...

Buffy raced over to her charge...Sydney wisely choosing to pull back with Dawn...

No need to have both stars recognized at the same time...

"I dunno...You really don't look that much like her..." Willow smiled at her and the cashier...

"What do you think, sis?..." she grinned at Buffy...

Who should I say wants the manager?...the girl asked, picking up her phone...

Nan Mary Glanz...Libby smiled at her...

Call me Nan...

Say it fast...she whispered to Willow...As the girl dialed...

***

The manager's nonplussed attitude on being called over quickly changed after Libby took him aside...Showing him what Willow took to be id...

She's not gonna tell him who she...? Buffy whispered, looking at Willow who shrugged...

He came back over with her and ushered the three ladies to his office...

Libby?...Buffy hissed...As they followed the eager fellow back...

No problem...she hissed back...

He waved them in, beaming...

"So..." he eyed them... "Libby Marsden wants to study for her role at our little K-Mart..."

Indeed she does...Libby smiled back...

I can't believe it...he sighed...

Neither can I, Buffy thought...Hell, we'll be mobbed as soon as word spreads...

"I'm counting on you to keep our presence here a secret..." Libby beamed at him...

It's vital my character be authentic, you understand...

So...I think it's best to say that I'm a customer who came back to ask about seats for your cashiers...You know, do-gooder type...she smiled...

Ah...The manager nodded wisely...

"By the way..." Libby began...

***

"Well..." the manager smiled as he left them by the office entrance...

"I'll definitely look into it, Ms. Glanz...We place the highest value on our employees here..." A tad loudly...

"Here's my direct number..." he whispered quickly to Libby... "I mean..." noting Buffy's sudden glare... "If your show needs any interior shots..."

I'll pass it on, thanks...she smiled back...We'll just look around a bit, if that's ok...

He nodded happily and returned to his office...

"Nice guy..." Libby noted...

Probably won't lift a finger though, she sighed...

"I'll write to their main office..."

What?...Libby looked at Buffy...In slight glare mode...Boss, after all...

I really did want to get the feel of the place, she noted...

***

Mechamber and Dawn met them as they left the store into the main Mall corridor...

"No one spotted you yet, Sydney?..." Libby asked him...

Afraid my attraction for the California mall crowd is low...Mechamber grinned...

"Say...?" Libby called out loudly... "Aren't you Sydney Mechamber, the actor?..."

Libby...Buffy hissed...Willow looked around...Several heads turned their way...

Libby waved back at her...Don't worry...

Mechamber sighed and grinned at her...Libby...

Several Mall patrons came over...She dropped back with Willow, Dawn, and Buffy, leaving the stage to her co-star...Who signed several autographs...

"Just drummin' up a leetle attention for my co-star...and the show..." she apologetically noted...

Buffy sighed...Well...No mob so far...

Don't like seeing Sydney go unrecognized...He deserves it a heck of a lot more than me...she confided to Willow as they watched a small group cluster...

More were coming over...Still more on the adult, middle-aged side as yet, but...A few younger types...

"Lets move on a little..." Buffy hissed to her boss...

Someone is gonna see you...

Libby pulled her hat down a bit and nodding, followed the others...

"Tell Sydney to meet us at the food court when he's through..." Buffy turned to Dawn...

Check...Dawn noted, happy to be on the team...

"Your sis is such a sweetie..." Libby told Buffy, watching Dawn maneuver into the small crowd...Slowly growing...

Is she gonna be on the set with you?...she asked hopefully...

"Dawn needs her rest...And usually I keep her home after nine..." Buffy noted firmly...

Oh...Libby looked a leetle down...

I might let her come once in a while...Buffy went on...Willow eyeing her...

Just for an hour or two in the early evening...

Great...Libby beamed...I can show her all the stuff on the set...

"Say...You know I bet Job could get her in a couple of scenes...Just little things, none of the scary stuff..."

I'll think about it...Buffy replied...A little coolly...

Ummn...Great...Libby looked at Willow who remained noncommital...

They were safely out of range...Buffy turned back to check on Dawn...Who had paused to watch Mechamber at work with the mostly middle-aged and up ladies now clustering by him...

"Buffy doesn't approve of TV people does she?..." Libby grinned at Willow...

Well...She's very protective of Dawny since her mom died...Willow replied...

I understand...Libby smiled...I had a little brother...He died with my mom in a car wreck...Mom always kept him away from the set when I was working, she noted...

"I'm sorry..." Willow looked at her...

I just mean...Libby waved her hands...I really do understand...It must be very tough for her, raising a kid like that...

"Well...Buffy Summers is one tough lady...And she does have her twin sis...Our friend Giles, ummn...her Mom's old boyfriend...and all of us..."

This job is a help for her though...Willow went on...

Not that her sis and brother-in-law wouldn't help out...Just...

"She wants to do it herself..." Libby grinned...

She strikes me as the independent type...

"Say...Does she have a feller?...I know some really cute guys...Who'd do almost anything for me..." she grinned wickedly...

Well...She and Warren...The guy with us at the Sunnydale press opening...? Willow explained...

On the other hand, they're not steady or anything...Warren's a leetle slow at this...

"Excellent..." Libby smiled...

Nothing like a little competition to get a slow guy going...

They'd reached the food court and she looked down the corridor to where Sydney was now a little lost in a moderate crowd...Buffy now by Dawn...

"You and Sydney have worked a lot together...?" Willow asked...

Hmmn-hmmn...Libby nodded...

Sydney taught me everything...Or at least what little...I know about acting...

Ever since we worked together in "Evensong"...she mused a bit...

"This show means a lot to him..." she paused...

He's never gotten the attention he really deserves...He chose the stage and a few independent films over a quick buck in mainstream movies and TV...At least until his wives started catching up with him...and his daughters...

"He's a little hard-pressed these days, I think..." she regarded him...

And he's not well...she noted worriedly...They're always hounding him nowadays, especially the girls...Making him ill...

Though he covers it preety good...

If we're a hit...It'll help him quite a lot...she explained...

Of course...she hastily added...

Mona is a fine part...I didn't take this thing just to help Sydney out...

"I could use a little stability in my life these days too..." she grinned...

And this does seem like a nice town...

***

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part XIV...

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, www.geocities.com/buffyrebecca

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

Part XIV...

***

The mall crowd around Sydney having dispersed...He, Buffy, and Dawn moved down to the food court...

Carefully taking a seat some distance away from Willow and Libby.

Libby still fairly well concealed under her hat, there was no sense in giving the Mechamber fans a chance to connect the dots to her.

Buffy and Dawn each noting to themselves that Sydney seemed to be forcing himself to eat...

While Buffy nervously noted her charge trying to catch her eye...Signing for her with fork to mouth motion to make Mechamber finish his lunch.

Stop it, boss...she groused to herself...You're gonna get noticed...And we're gonna get mobbed...

She's sweet...Dawn noted to herself...Concerned for her version of Giles and all, she thought, looking at Sydney...Who clearly was not quite as well as his hearty manner suggested.

She set herself the task of carrying out Buffy's boss' instructions and politely and mildly nagged him to eat.

Libby watching, clearly pleased and settling down...Buffy refrained from shushing her sis...

Fortunately Mr. Mechamber seemed to take it with amusement...

"Have you worked with Libby a lot?..." Dawn asked Sydney.

Yes...Mechamber smiled...I've worked with Libby on several projects...

"She's..." Mechamber smiled wanly, pausing... "A fine talent...A potentially great actress...And more important...A nice girl...A very sweet and nice girl."

Unbelievably so, all things considered he noted...

"Who could use more friends...Near her age...Relatively normal..." he grinned at Dawn.

Lets us out, I'm afraid...Dawn thought...Eyeing her sis...

***

"Hey...Folks!..." Wescox entered the food court with a couple of staff people...

"How's my Mona...?!" he hugged Libby...

Oops...Cover blown...he looked around...

Lovely..Libby sighed...

Several mallers were casting glances...Speaking to each other...

A critical mass rapidly forming.

Gee...Buffy frowned at the far wall...

No need to check up on us...See...Our star is perfectly fine...

Or was until you and your entourage came parading in.

"Job..." Libby frowned at him...

Buffy and I had things well in hand until you showed...

She eyed the swelling group by the food court entrance...All eyeing her back...Murmuring to each other...

Great...So much for a quiet little lunch in a quiet little mall.

Time to go, she noted to Willow...And glanced over to Buffy...

"Go?..." Wescox looked at her...

We just got...

"It's Libby Marsden..." a young woman spoke up in the watching group.

Oh, crap...Job sighed...

Looking sheepishly at the glaring Libby...But a grin on his face as he looked back at the crowd...And then back to his stars...

We're a hit, gang.

Sheepish like a wolf in sheepish clothing, she noted to Willow...

He loves this...

Ten to one the girl in the crowd is his plant.

***

Well...Giles sighed...Smiling at Anya in the main room of the Box...

When I was eighteen every young man in England who was interesting in acting wanted to be Sydney Mechamber...Though he was still a very young man, he was The Actor...

"Giles...?" Anya grinned...

"You wanted to be an actor?..."

"I also wanted to rule the world through magics when I was that age, Anya...I wouldn't read too much into my various enthusiasms at that age..."

"Well...I don't see why you shouldn't hang with your old hero for a while..." she smiled...

"Take him round to the Sunnydale spots you never take us...He'll be playing a superdemon...He'd probably appreciate the chance to experience the real demon culture."

"I seriously doubt Mr. Mechamber would find touring the hell-holes of Sunnydale rewarding, Anya."

Giles turned back to straightening out a display...

Still...he hesitated...Perhaps I could give a few pointers based on my knowledge...To help make the show more realistic...

"Having Scodos and his followers in a controlled environment is a boon for Buffy and our other Slayers..." he noted...

Exactly...Anya agreed...A benefit for all your Slayers...Master Watcher Giles...she grinned at him...

***

What can ya do?...A fan-besieged Libby desperately shrugged at Buffy...

The crowd had formed about them as first she, Willow, and Job...Then the others...Tried to slip away...

Reaching an impenetrable mass with speed that even shocked the Slayer...

And left even a rather large residual group to imprison Sydney...

While the "wonderkund of Hollywood", producer of the "boldest new show on television" enjoyed himself immensely...Giving an impromptu speech...Mostly ignored by the thronging fans as Willow, now separated from Libby, noted to a Dawny she'd managed to rescue from trampling...

Not to his credit that he minded at all...The few who did turn to listen briefly were quite enough to keep him going...

Buffy had managed to make her way through to Libby... "Pardon me, Assistant to Ms. Marsden"...Barely restraining herself from making (for only the second time in her career...God why do I have to remember my vamp experience now? she thought...) human kills as several in the mass tried to throw her back. A couple kicking her in the shin...An old lady tearing at her suit...

But the intrepid "Technical Advisor" must do her duty by the boss...

"Hey!!!...I'm next!!!!..." a deranged-looking fortyish woman waved a book... "Libby!!!...I'm your greatest fan!!!..."

How's your pet cat, Thomas?....

"God...How do you deal with this?!..." she eyed Libby who was rapid-firing autographs as she slowly herded the crowd toward the exit.

"Warn them if they kill or maim me, I can't sign their kids' T-shirt..." Libby grinned back...

Keep 'em moving...Slowly...To the side exits...she managed to get out...

Don't let them mangle each other...she grinned...

At the edge of the crowd, two short young men solemnly eyed the group...

Fans...Jonathan noted to Andrew, shrugging...

Obsessed with her films...No regard for what's really important...

Andrew nodded...

"Why don't they get a life?..." he shook his head...

As they each removed their shirts to reveal "Acolytes of Mona" T-shirts...

And assumed a kneeling posture worthy of a Mona Acolyte...

Geesch...An aide to Wescox nudged him...And pointed the boys out...

My God...Job grinned...And we haven't shot the pilot yet...

"Copywrite infringement, sir?..." an eager legal aide came over to him, eyeing the still-kneeling "acolytes"...

Eh...Lets leave em be...Job shook his head...

In fact...he pondered...

Call 'em over to me after we get Libs and Sid outta here.

"Hey, Willow..." Jonathan called, seeing her edging over out of the crowd with a somewhat shaken Dawn...

Crowd's enthusiasm a bit much...Even worse than that time all those killers had converged on Sunnydale to take out Faith and Buffy.

***

"C'mon Giles...You're a natural..." his partner Anya insisted...As they tended to the few customers of the noon time trade...

Who better to advise the show on all local matters occult?...

Xander had informed her that the show's writers had agreed they needed more help on the occult stuff...And that he had naturally suggested the local person known to him as most experienced on the subject...

You know you want to meet Mr. Mechamber...Help Buffy keep an eye on things...she continued...

And think what it would mean for our place here...

***

"Ok..." Libby turned to her "Technical Advisor" as they and the besieging crowd neared the mall side exits...

"Almost there!...Follow my lead!..." she called to Buffy.

Nice to see she's still with me...Libby thought...Quite a spunky lady...Oh, hey?!...

"Where's your sis?!..." she nervously called...Firing off a few more autographs...

Got out with Willow earlier!...They're back there!...Buffy shouted, pointing...

"Good!!...This group is a leetle wild..." Libby noted, grinning...

"Where's Sydney?!..." she looked...

"He's made it to Mr. Wescox's group!..." Buffy pointed...

I think he's safe...she grinned at her boss.

"Unless Job makes another speech!..." Libby grinned back...

"My little granddaughter...Is dying..." A middle-aged lady fought through to her...

Please...Sign these 200 T-shirts for her and her friends...

Hmmn...Libby frowned...But shrugged and signed one...

"Pen's out of ink...Sorry..."

The lady glared viciously...But the mob's front line, hearing, dispensed swift justice and dragged her back into its mass...Never likely to be seen or heard from again.

They were close by the two side exit doors...

"Time we got outta here..." Libby noted...

But I don't want anybody getting hurt trying to get through those doors...she looked at Buffy.

Especially us...Buffy noted.

"We need a diversion..." Libby pondered...

Hmmn...

"HEY!!!" Buffy shrieked...With full Slayer power...Startling the crowd...

"LOOK OVER THERE!...ISN'T THAT THE SCOOBY-DOO STAR, SARAH GELLAR?!"

Seventy percent of the crowd halted and turned...

Focusing on a short blonde woman in dark glasses...Hmmn...It could be her...Some in the crowd looked at each other...Pausing...

The poor girl looked in terror at the staring mass...

Oddly enough...By pure coincidence...It just happened to be...

"Freddy!!!..." she screamed at a young man in hat and equally dark glasses in a small store nearby.

Oooh...An equally startled but recovering Libby...Mention the competition why don't ya?...she groused, grinning at her assistant.

Run like hell, boss...Buffy hissed.

***

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part XV...

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, www.geocities.com/buffyrebecca

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

(Remember-Dr. Warren Mears, BR-verse...Good guy)

Part XV...

***

The various members of the gang having made their escape from the mob...

Now terrorizing poor Ms. Gellar...

And having escaped dear Job and his aides...Wescox having paused to make another speech and to catch up with Ms. Gellar...

He had a guest-staring role in mind...She'd make a wonderful innocent-looking demon Queen...

Dawn now suggested to the packed little car, Sydney now stuffed in as well...W/S Bionetics as the next stop...

Gotta see the place where my bro-in-law and my sis's feller are making cybernetic and medical history...she'd noted...

Ah...Libby noted, grinning at Willow...The Warren guy...

To Buffy's intense embarassment...

Dawn...

***

Timothy Fields, Warren and Spike's freckled-face, red-haired "special assistant" met them at the main robotics lab's door, beaming...

"Ah...the Misses Summers and Miss Willow..." he smiled... "It's fine it is to be seeing you all again..."

Welcome... he ushered them in...

"Dr. Mears is on his way...Just leaving a meeting..."

Buffy introduced her guests...

"This is Libby Marsden and Sydney Mechamber, Tim...I'm doing some work for them and their new TV show..."

Tim blinked...The Sydney Mechamber?...

Gosh...Willow grinned at Dawn, winking...In Britain, even the robots know an actor like Mr. Mechamber...she thought...

***

"So..." Wescox eyed Jonathan and Andrew...The first "Acolytes" of Mona...

"You fellas like the show as laid out so far, eh?..."

We have established a spiritual link to her essence...Andrew noted...

And read all the stuff you put on the official Mona web site...Jonathan added...

"Since the show is based here at the Hellmouth"...oops...Jonathan paused...

Here in Sunnydale...er Hellis...he continued...

"We felt it our duty to enlist in her sacred cause...The fight against Evil..."

Buffy and her twin sis not being very willing to let us follow them around...Andrew thought to himself...

Hellmouth?...Wescox thought, grinning at the two short nerds in their Mona T-shirts...Excellent homemade jobs, by the way...

These two are hooked...But good...

Well, they look like tech heads...And the web guy I got is mediocre...And costing me a fortune...

Hmmn...

"Gentlemen...You know the story of Mona is only just getting underway..." Job noted...

And much of her legend and her world needs to be properly described...

By those who understand the spirit of the show...And have a link to her...

"Essence..."

Do you two have any web site experience?...Job eyed them...

The Acolytes looked at each other...

Do we have web experience?...

Can Jedi handle light sabers?...

"So...How would you two like the job of writing and properly posting the Mona legend and canon?..."

Subject to my review, of course...Wescox noted...

"We must have a moment to discuss this..." Jonathan solemnly replied...

It is an awesome responsibility...Andrew chimed in...

They looked at each other...

"At twenty an hour each, forty hour week limit..." Wescox added...

"We accept this heavy burden..." Jonathan nodded...

And will prove ourselves worthy of Mona's trust and faith...

Hell, we'd of hacked into the site and done it anyway...Andrew thought...

Only true Acolytes of Mona should be allowed to tell her legend after all...

Now we even get paid for it?...On a flex schedule?...

Cool...

***

"So..." Libby whispered to Dawn eyeing Tim as he showed them round the lab, Warren having been delayed a bit longer...

He's a robot?...

Hmm-hmmn...Dawn nodded...Built by a competitor of Will and Warren's...In Scotland...

But re-equipped with much better bionetic systems since he came to them...After his designer-programmer was accidentally killed...

Of course...We try not to mention the robot thing around him too much...

"He's a leetle sensitive about it..."

As is my sis' twin...Dawn did not say...

***

"Lamb in the oven!..." a beaming Warren happily called over to Buffy and Willow...Not noticing the extra guests as he entered the lab...

Ummn...Lamb?...Libby eyed Dawn...

"I couldn't eat a little lamb...Even if we hadn't just had lunch..." she hissed...

"He's means his artificial womb...He's got a lamb embryo going in one..." Dawn explained to her and to Mechamber who'd come over to them...

Oh...Libby nodded...

Eehew...

"No...It's neat...See...My...Sis...Buffy's twin, Rebecca...she kinda...Has a problem..." Dawn fumbled a bit...

Which Warren and Will are trying to help her with...

Ah...Mechamber nodded...

"My second wife had a problem like that...Uterine cysts...Full hysterectomy...It broke her heart, poor thing...She was never the same after that..."

That's a wonderful thing your brother-in-law and his friend are doing...he nodded...

"You wanta see if Warren'll show us the lamby?...The womb unit's transparent for monitoring..." Dawn asked...

I can wait on that...Libby replied...

And you want to play a doctor someday...Mechamber grinned at her...Clucking...

***

"Hark...I hear the cannons roar...Is it the kink approaching?..." Harmony quoted...

King, sweetheart...Grieg noted...Patiently...

"Oh...Right...King...Thanks..." she smiled, a bit embarassed...

Grieg having kindly agreed to help...Help his boss, Scodos, that is...With Harmony's request for some rehearsal and vocal practice...

First dress rehearsal and first shooting nights were fast approaching and she still hoped to make an impression...

True, the Mona human sidekick spot was filled...By some little "name" human actress...

But Mona would need other speaking friends...Or even, perhaps...An additional demonic character could be created...

A demon advisor-assistant to Mona...she'd noted to Scodos and Grieg...Who helped her battle evil despite her condemned, dark...And very complex...Nature...

The being on the demon-killing side going a little against her natural inclination...But allowing her to survive throughout the series...

A demon...With a soul...

Oh God!...Scodos had exploded...Head in his hands...

I mean...Oh good...he hastily had explained to Harmony...

After all...she noted to Grieg as they continued their practice and rehearsal...She'd once tried working for Angel...

Briefly...

So...Who better for such a part?...To master the depth and complexity one must needs bring to such a character...

Grieg had to admit...It did have a certain...

Now...If she could just bring this brilliant idea to Mr. Wescox...Or his writers...

Hmmn...

She did know the newest writer on the crew...

An old friend in fact...Whom she'd thankfully avoided harming all this time...

***

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part XVI...

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, www.geocities.com/buffyrebecca

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series

while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

(Remember-Dr. Warren Mears, BR-verse...Good guy)

Part XVI...

Mechamber had been posing a question to the gang in general while they toured the W/S Bionetics company...Warren and Tim happily taking on tour guide duties...

What is it about Sunnydale?...A charming little town by all he could see...That had caused dear old Job to select it for the series site?...

He was honestly curious, he explained to Buffy and Willow as they walked through the bionetics research lab...And as an actor and the future "demon king"...Felt it was useful to know what about the town might cause one to sense a darker side beneath...

Was it perhaps just too nice a place?...A little too safe and orderly?

Were there darker currents lurking?...Hidden prejudices and hatreds?...Perhaps some ethnic or racial or class tensions?

Ummn...Well...They looked at each other...

None that they knew of...

"You're probably right on the nose about it being just too nice a place, Sydney..." Libby noted.

I think Job is going for the Lynchian angle here...

"Well..." he nodded... "Perhaps so...But I actually do get a vague feeling that there's more beneath the surface here..."

He grinned wryly at Buffy, Willow, and Dawn...No offense intended to your home town...he noted.

"Sydney does have a kinda sixth sense about places and people..." Libby noted, smiling at him...

He always knows how to make the best use of a space or a locale...And can read almost anyone like a book...Knows just how to deal with them...she continued.

Actor's instinct...he shrugged with a grin.

"C'mon..." Libby teased him...

Do Buffy...she grinned over at her assistant.

"Let him read you Buffy...Lets see what he comes up with..."

Maybe there's something dark deep down in there...Libby winked at Dawn.

Libby...Mechamber sighed at her...

Poor Ms. Summers doesn't need to be embarrassed...

And everyone has "something dark" deep down in them...We'd have no work worth doing if they didn't, girl.

But the light wins out...Libby eyed him...

Yes...he nodded...The light does win out enough to make the world worth living in.

Especially in ones like you, dear. And these dear ones...he waved to include Buffy, Willow, and Dawn.

He grinned and turned to the others...

"Sorry...This is an old argument...I sometimes get a little cynical about the world..."

And Libby...He smiled at her...

Never allows it.

So...Libby grinned again...

Do one of us anyway...

Dawn was intrigued enough to volunteer...

Mechamber sighed...Well...

He eyed Dawn and seemed to concentrate...Libby beaming...Buffy eyed Willow...Who watched him...

"He does have a powerful aura, Buf..." she whispered quickly...

Maybe some telepathic or other ESP ability.

"I wonder..." she continued in a whisper...Libby focused on Sydney.

Maybe Dawny isn't the best choice for this...

Warren looked at them from where he and Tim had stopped and came back down...Buffy eyeing Dawn and Mechamber hastily explained what was up.

Sydney stared at Dawn...

"You're rather a difficult young lady to get straight..." he smiled at her thoughtfully.

I've never quite sensed such a mix...I'd say though that you're someone with a great deal of buried potential...

He continued looking at her...Wonderingly...

"Sydney?..." Libby looked at him...

"Amazing..." he shook his head...

Ummn...Buffy cut in...Brightly...

You can do me now.

Hmmn...he looked at Buffy, concentration broken.

Thankfully...Thought Willow...

"Ah, certainly..." he smiled...But continued to eye Dawn.

Warren picked up on Buffy's nervousness and resumed his tour, leading Dawn over to some new equipment...

"Guess you're one special girl, Dawn!" Libby smiled over to her.

Little too special...Willow thought...

Interesting about Mr. Mechamber, though...An actor with telepathic and/or empathic ability...

Useful thing in that profession, I'd say.

"Well...?" Libby looked at Sydney...

How's about Buffy?...

"A very strong lady..." he noted... "Strong of soul, heart, and body..."

Who loves a great many people a great deal...Carries many burdens...Well...

And worries much too much...For such a young and sweet woman...he smiled at Buffy.

Who grinned wanly back...

He waved a hand...

"Enough of my little parlor tricks...Lets see what else your amazing young man..." Buffy looked at the ceiling, Willow grinning at her... "And your unfortunately absent brother-in-law have to show us..."

***

"Over here we've got an example of our latest artificial prosthetics..." Warren noted, still on tour guide duty, to Sydney.

Amazing...Sydney eyed the limbs, as Tim demonstrated their flexibility.

The outer musculature and skin is real living tissue, complete with nervous tissue...Warren explained...Kept alive by a form of synthetic blood.

Of course Tim noted...The real superiority of bionetics to all previous artificial prosthetics and organs lies in the connectivity to the neural net system whether artificial or human...

At least...We hope so...Warren grinned at Tim.

"Our sis uses those..." Dawn noted to Libby...

"Your sis...The other Buffy?...Oh...I'm sorry..." Libby eyed Dawn.

A childhood accident, Dawn explained, eyeing Buffy..Who'd moved up to Warren...

"Buffy Rebecca had to spend years in Europe with Daddy seeking medical help."

But you'd never know the physical difference between her and Buffy Anne now...To look at them.

That's for sure, Willow agreed...Grinning at Dawn.

All thanks to Warren and Spike...er William...Dawn finished, staring at Warren's artificial limbs.

Casting a grin up to Warren where he stood by Buffy...

Wow...Libby looked at her.

So William changed her whole life and married her?...Quite a love story.

Indeed...Dawn noted, smiling.

***

Willow moved up to Mechamber, Warren, and Buffy...

"That's quite a gift you have, Mr. Mechamber..." she noted.

"Call me Sydney..." he grinned back... "Stroke an ageing man's vanity..."

Just a touch of what my mother used to call "second sight" he smiled.

She turned to Warren...

"Warren, you oughta test him out some time..."

Warren's studying telepathy...Willow explained to Sydney...To improve his neural net system.

"With Willow's help..." Warren noted...

"See there are some gaps in our understanding of how the brain connects to the body...I can't help feeling some of the answer may lie in understanding how telepathy works...If it really exists."

I score real high...Dawn chimed in...As she and Libby caught up to the rest.

Sounds intriguing...Mechamber noted, smiling at Dawn.

"I might take you up on that...I am curious about it. Though..." he grinned at Libby...

"I'd hate to see all the mystery taken out of it..."

Life's never quite so nice as when there's some mystery.

"Spoken like a true king of the demons..." Libby smiled.

"If you'd really like to try..." Willow eyed Sydney... "I could run a test right now...Everything's still set up in lab C, right Warren?"

Well...Warren eyed Buffy...Who gave a hesitant look back.

Ummn...

"Go on, Sydney..." Libby told him... "Lets see if you beat Dawny's score."

Can I try it, too?...she asked.

If you wouldn't mind...? Sydney smiled at Warren...Winking at Buffy.

"Libby won't rest now until we do this..." he shook his head.

***

"So...?" Xander eyed Giles...

Who ran a close eye over the manuscript...Hmmn...

Following his construction day's work, new assistant writer Alexander Harris had taken his latest contribution to the writing crew's efforts to Sunnydale's leading expert on this script section's subject...

Englishmen...

Demontos, after all...Like Mechamber himself...Was an Englishman.

In his human life...

"Well...At least you avoid making him simper like some nancy boy..." Giles noted...

Normally American TV blares us forth as twitting, repressed idiots or Cockney dolts.

"It's Xander's keen eye for the telling detail..." Anya noted proudly.

***

Whoa...Dawn noted...

That sure beats me...she eyed the results of Willow's telepathy test on Mechamber.

"Highest score I've ever seen..." Willow nodded...As she helped Buffy remove the headpiece which had been strapped to Sydney's head.

"Were you ever tested before?" she asked him.

Just ESP tests in college...Psychology, that sort of thing...he smiled at her.

"I knew he'd score high..." Libby beamed...

I get messages from him all the time...

The others eyed her...

"She means acting cues...That's all..." Mechamber grinned wryly at her and the others.

"No way, Sydney...These days you don't even have to cue me...I just pick it up...From you."

Hmmn...Willow eyed her....

"There could be a link, you know..." she noted.

Exactly...Libby nodded...

Do me now...she insisted.

Interesting...Willow eyed Buffy and Warren...

TV's "hottest new show"...dealing with the occult no less...stars telepathically linked...

Make a great headline for the Inquirer...Or Weekly World News.

***

Tour complete and dinner plans set...Warren having invited them all to a certain restaurant on I-87 his absent partner and Buffy's twin highly recommended....Buffy was hesitant about Libby's suggestion...Bring Dawn on with them to see the nearly completed series set?

Of course, it was still daylight...On the other hand...

Have her Dawny meet all those Hollywood types...?

Like Wescox's art director...The little bald guy with the riding crop?...Who bore a strange resemblance to the late Principal Snyder?...And who'd asked her if she'd like to make a video test for him...In the nude...

Or that actress, playing the teen sister...Barely Dawn's age...Ms. Cooke... "Dating" (Libby's euphemism from the evening of the casting call when she and Buffy had passed a rather busy Ms. Cooke in one of the equipment tents) two of the stunt men...Chain-smoking, drinking, and swearing like a sailor...A very experienced sailor...Great.

Or Bramwell?...The actor who played the nerd sidekick...Who refused to come out of his trailer except for the initial press shots...And spent all his time in there in an oxygen chamber...

To preserve his looks eternally.

Or Wescox's secretary...Angie...Who like to wear a fairy godmother costume...All day long...

All those...Creeps and weirdos?...Buffy did not say...

Hell, Dawn could deal with Scodos' little group...But these others...

Ummn...Well...

Dawn frowned, gritting teeth and rolling eyes...

Libby looked at her assistant...Well aware of her reasons for hesitancy...And quick to defend her "family"...

"Buffy...We're no worse here than anywhere else, you know..."

We have our share of nice folks...Very nice folks...as well as jerks and creepos...

Well...Maybe our creepos and jerks get more of the spotlight...she grinned...

And have better lines.

***

Very sorry about disturbing you, Mr. Giles...Scodos in heavy overcoat and hat apologized to the Master Watcher at the front door of the Magic Box...

"Hey guys!..." Harmony waved to Anya and Xander...Likewise protected against the late afternoon sun.

She was very anxious to see Mr. Harris...Scodos continued...

And I thought it best to have her come here, rather than to his place...

Or meet him in the street...After dark...

Avoiding any possible chance of an unfortunate incident that might cause...Problems...he noted...

For all of us.

Giles nodded.

Wise precaution...he eyed an anxious Harmony...

"Xander!..." Harmony called... "I have a great idea for you...!" Oops...she whanged into Giles' shop door barrier.

Ummn...? Sorry...she looked at Giles...

"May I come in?...I won't hurt anyone, I promise..."

Old...Girlfriend?...Honey?...Anya narrowly eyed her fiancee...Who gagged a bit at the thought.

An...Condemned one, old classmate...Trying to do something positive...Gotta be supportive...he hissed.

O...K...But I'm holding a crossbow on her the whole time...Anya noted in a harsh whisper...Smiling frozenly over to the anxiously waiting Harmony.

Please...Xander replied...

"It's ok with us, Giles..." he told the Watcher.

Hmmn...The new Master Watcher frowned back at them...

The peace agreement is all very well...And it's nice to see some pressure off my Slayers...But nothing was ever said about socializing with these creatures...he thought as he mustered what geniality he could (after grabbing a cross and hunting up a quick protective spell) to welcome Harmony and her vamp superior into the shop.

"So...You're Xander's thousand year old former demon fiancee..." she smiled at Anya...Looking her over carefully.

"And you're the dead cheerleader..." Anya smiled back...

Uh-boy...Scodos eyed Xander and Giles...This wasn't my fault, fellas, his look clearly stating...

She shows a little of her thousand years...Harmony thought.

***

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part XVII...

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, www.geocities.com/buffyrebecca

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

(Remember-Dr. Warren Mears, BR-verse...Good guy)

Part XVII...

Potential...

We have...Potential...Job Wescox noted to Angie, his fifty-something fairy-godmother-costumed secretary as they strode the rapidly-nearing-completion Sunnydale set of television's boldest new show.

Potential...Got...Angie dutifully noted down on her pad.

He machine-gun fired off a series of orders...All dutifully noted down, most to be utterly ignored.

Fortunate Mr. Wescox to have such a "fairy-godmother" as secretary...

"Say..." he paused...

Did you ever get any info on our Ms. Summers?...

Hmmn-hmm...Angie nodded...The wand/pen strapped to her wrist waving as she reached for her sequined bag of files...

Quite a bit, actually...One busy young lady...she noted.

But nothing in the trades or from the agencies...

She handed him the file...

Hmmn...Wescox paused as he leafed through...

High school fire suspect, charges dropped on lack of evidence before she came to Sunnydale...

Involved in several incidences of property damage and injury...Charges not pressed, or dropped on lack of evidence.

Oops...Note...He turned to Angie...

"Review all fire and accident insurance policies asap..."

Already done, JW...she replied.

"That's my girl..." he smiled, returning to the file...

Article submitted for "The Occult Reader" by one of its staff profiling the Slayer and her victories...Apparently suppressed before publication for some unknown reason at the instigation of persons likewise...Unknown.

References to the Slayer (here unnamed), her mission, and several near Apocalyptic incidents in several other occult publications.

Uh-huh...he smiled at Angie...Who shrugged...

Hey...Whatcha gonna do? Crazies gotta have an outlet, she noted...Pulling up the tutu section of her costume.

But...Ms. Summers wasn't involved in the articles personally...Nothing written with her consent.

"Offhand, I'd say the poor kid is the fixation for a bunch of weirdos..." the costumed secretary sighed... "But probably not her fault."

She might as well be in the entertainment business...Considering she's got her own stalkers already...Angie concluded.

Course, Wescox noted...There are these reports of "incidents" involving our Ms. Summers.

Nothing that she was charged with...Angie noted...And she's been pretty quiet the last few years.

Yeah...But I dunno...Job eyed her...Maybe it's not her fault...Just these crazies like you say...But...I smell potential trouble in this kid...

And we do not want "trouble"...Much as I love...Potential.

"Lost both her parents in the last couple years, little sister to take of...C'mon Job..." Angie frowned at him...Wand waving at her wrist as she spoke.

Well...

Fred Scodos does seem to want her on the team pretty badly...

Nice guy, Angie thought...Seems concerned for all his people...Not bad-looking out of that monster make-up, either...

She has been doing a good job looking after Libby...So far...Wescox sighed...

I guess as long as Libby's ok with her.

They did seem to be hitting it off preety well at the mall when I saw 'em at lunch....

"Oh...Say...Did Ms. Gellar's agent call back about that guest spot?...She said she'd have him get back to me when we got her out of that mall crowd..."

Yeah...Angie nodded...Bout twenty minutes ago...She turned it down...

"Something about never wanting to get near that town full of crazy maniacs again."

Pfft...Geesch...Job shook his head...Thought she was a professional.

"Alice Krieg might be available..." Angie noted...

Nah...Wescox frowned...Everyone knows the "Borg Queen"...I want somebody normal and innocent-looking...A young lady you'd never suspect of hiding hideous evil within...

"There's Libby and Sydney...And the Summers kid...Be nice...And supportive, Job..." Angie glared at her boss as she pointed.

He was staring at the group now moving toward them...Libby waving...

Hmmn...He eyed Dawn who staring at everything and everyone, excitedly talking to Libby as Buffy watched her...Grimly...

Ms. Summers' lil kid sister...Very cute kid...Very normal...Extremely innocent-looking...

Hmmn...

***

Dawn...? Buffy stared at her Boss of bosses...

You want Dawn to guest star on the show?...As a demon...Queen?...

"It wouldn't hafta be guest..."Star"..." Dawn hastily broke in...

I could be satisfied with just...she began...Buffy giving a furious glare...

"I don't think so..." Buffy said...Firmly...

"Now, Summers..." Job put on his most persuasive air...And an arm on Buffy's shoulder...

Which a rather intense glare caused him to remove...

Whoa...Not bad...he noted to himself...

Maybe I should incorporate a little of that in Mona after all.

Anyway...

"It'd be a great experience for her...Especially if she ever considers the possibility of an acting career..."

Yeah...Dawn hastily rushed in...Beaming...

A...What?...Buffy eyed him...And glared again at Dawn.

"Go over with Willow, Dawn..." she insisted...

But...

Now...Buffy insisted...

Uhhh...Dawn muttered vague comments as she trudged off to where Willow stood with Libby and Sydney.

Buffy might at least have let me do my Brando imitation for Mr. Wescox...

I coulda beena contenda...she thought, sadly.

Geesch...Libby turned to Willow, quietly...

We're not all foul-moralled tramps and egomaniacs...

"Speak for yourself, dear..." Sydney grinned at her.

***

"And so..." Harmony concluded her pitch...With an appropriate dramatic flare...

Having saved Mona and her friends yet again...The pathetic, tragically beautiful demon heroine retires to her lair, alone...Despised by all the world. By all those she has sought to keep safe.

She couldn't help it...The image was just too...Like her...

She teared a bit...Taking a delicate sip at the bag of artificial blood Xander had thoughtfully provided from a stash of Warren's synthetic stock in the shop.

Hmmn...Xander eyed Anya...Giles...

Scodos...Who gave a very faint, but clearly sympathetic shrug...

Well...Harm...Xander began...

"It's an excellent concept...But..."

Mona is the heroine of the show, you know.

"Oh certainly..." Harmony nodded... "This is just a kinda side story...You know...Like Spike...er William and his redemption with his Buffy..."

Takes a little of the pressure off Mona to always be on center stage...she explained.

Plus a truly tragic story arc...Sure to keep audiences enthralled when the camera is off the doings of Mona and her gang.

And it's sure to pull in the underworld audience...Bigger ratings, and we do consume our share of household products...she noted...Hopefully...

Well...

"She has a point..." Anya noted...

Demon and vampiral buying power can be substantial in some places...And there is little direct appeal to the market...Outside of places like the Box here.

Hmmn...Xander frowned...Thanks, hon...

"Well...We do have a demon Queen story coming up..."he noted...

Demon...Queen?...Harmony came to attention...

"But it's just a brief thing, probably a one-shot deal...And Mr. Wescox was looking for a name actress to guest star..."

Besides...It's not really what your idea covered...Xander added hastily as Harmony's face fell a bit.

Oh...she nodded...

Well...I understand...she smiled at him sadly...

My God...Xander blinked at her...

She has grown...

Unlife really does become her...he thought.

Ummn...he paused...

You know, Harm...he eyed her...Looking over to Anya, who nodded...

Supportive mode approved...

"It's really not a bad idea at all...If you'd like...I'll run it by the crew and maybe Mr. Wescox tomorrow..."

Really?...Harmony beamed...

He eyed Giles, shrugging...Whatdaya want me to do?...Stake the poor kid right now?

"Oh, Xander...Thank you so much..." she smiled...Moving as if for a hug...

Ummn...Anya went to blocking position, crossbow firmly aimed at Harmony's heart.

Oh...Right...Harmony backed off...

Sorry...she bit her lip a bit...Discretely sucking down the blood...

"No offense intended..." she explained.

Just wanted Xander to know I'm really...Really grateful...

"That's ok..." Anya nodded...

Just be really, really grateful from a safe distance...

Ummn...Right...Harmony nodded...

"Well..." Scodos brought their pleasant get-together to a close...

"It's getting on toward sunset and we should be off, Harmony..."

O...K...she sighed...

"You'll let me know how things go?...Right, Xander?..." she called as she moved to the door with Scodos...Who nodded pleasantly to Giles...Asking him to remember them to the Slayers...

With the utmost respect of course...

Giles nodding...As Xander assured Harmony that he would pass word on via the vamp network asap...

Willow is right...Giles thought...

This Scodos bears close observation...He's a little too clever for my taste.

"Well...Bye..." Harmony smiled...

"And Xander?...If you ever do decide to go the eternal life route..."

Anya raised her crossbow...Grimly...

Ummn...Bye...Harmony waved quickly...And hastily scurried out the door, followed by Scodos.

***

Gee...Xander is so nice...Harmony noted to Scodos...As they strolled back to their safe house.

I was such a fool back then in high school...she sighed.

It may be hard to believe but I was rather a shallow person then...she explained...

Didn't give guys like Alexander the time of day...

Unbelievable...Scodos nodded...Rolling his eyes as he looked off...

For signs of any trouble among rebellious underworlders, he hastily explained to her.

Can't let our new agreement suffer any danger of being broken.

Hmm-hmmn...Harmony nodded...And paused...

Oh!...Gee...I forgot to tell Xander...I meant to ask him to have Buffy come and see me the first night of shooting...

On the set...she continued...Nowhere isolated or secret...

Scodos stared at her...Meet the Slayer?...

"Acting lessons..." Harmony explained.

"Buffy just needs a few lessons...She really has great potential...And I have loads of experience..."

Three lead roles in high school productions...And I once did a commercial...For my uncle's production company...

Well...I was in the commercial...she noted...For a second or two...

But still...I'm sure I could bring out the real Buffy...The girl I knew back in high school.

Who knows...Maybe she could play the human sister of the tragic demon who helps Mona...

First Grieg...Scodos thought...Then all the guys and girls fighting to get spots...Now even...

Harmony...

All I wanted was to take the pressure off us for a while...And earn a little cash on the side...

Who'd of thought the underworld was so full of would-be actors?

But then...We do tend to pose a lot when we deal with the Slayer...Even with some pathetic human victim, most of us can't repress that urge for a speech before the kill.

"Couldn't we just run back for a minute?...I won't ask to go in..." Harmony pleaded...

And Buffy will be so grateful, I'm sure...she noted.

Why not?...Scodos waved his hands...

***

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part XVIII...

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, www.geocities.com/buffyrebecca

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

Part XVIII...

After trying several possible approaches, Job Wescox...Boldest new producer in television...Hit upon one that led him to a triumph that the legions of Sunnydale's Undead had tried in vain to achieve for years...

"It'd be a nice piece of change for her college fund, Summers..." he noted...Still pushing to get Dawn on a episode or possibly two...Definitely no more than three...As his innocent-appearing Demon Queen...Ally to his arch-villain, the regular character Demontos...

Her innocent, sweet young teen's appearance masking her hideously evil nature and her incredible mastery of the Dark Power latent in the little town of Hellis...

College fund...? Buffy paused...Looking over to where Dawn stood by Willow and Libby...A resigned but mournful expression on her innocent, sweet face...

Not a huge part...Wescox continued...Not requiring very long hours...But...Key...

Key?...Buffy eyed him...Nervously looking back at Dawn...

Definitely...Job nodded...Crucial to the series' plot for the first season...

Oh...That kind of key...Yeah...Buffy looked back again...To a newly hopeful Dawn who now saw faint glimmerings of hope...

Hmmn...Buffy thought...

College fund...

Not that William and Buffy Rebecca wouldn't do anything required to help Dawny go wherever...Still to be able to do it on her own...Well, with Dawny's help...

Nothing...Suggesting even a hint of sexual involvement between the young Queen and her ally...Creepy?...Buffy hesitantly asked...

Not a hint...Wescox solemnly nodded...

Avoiding any mention of the Queen's outfit...Plenty of time to discuss the skintight flaming red and black suit to be worn whenever the Queen appeared in her true form later...

The Slayer backed down...

Maybe...She'd think about it...

We could just test her in a scene or two...Wescox smiled...

"Ummn...No long hours?..."

Would I overwork a young child?...Job was offended...

Besides the union would kill me...

Well...Buffy hesitated...

Maybe just a test...

Bingo...Between our demon teen Queen and our dear Susie Cooke as Mona's teen sidekick, we'll have those 13-16 year olds...Not to mention those weird 40-60 year olds...Female as well as male...Drooling...Thought Job happily...Retaining his solemn expression of reassurance...

***

Buffy off to inform a radiantly happy Dawn of her "test"...To be done within the next hour if possible...Wescox naturally anxious to nail things down quickly...

The Master Acolytes of the Monaverse approached the Creator with appropriate reverence and caution...

"What's up fellas..." Wescox eyed Jonathan and Andrew, webmasters extraordinare...

Great job by the way on the new site page...It's a dandy...

They nodded, accepting his Eminence's proffered thanks...However...

"There's a little problem..." Jonathan noted...

We've had someone getting into the site...A rather skillful hacker...

Trying to anyway...Since we upgraded the encryption software, Andrew noted proudly...

And now...This guy...Whoever he or she is...Is trying to launch attacks on the site...Jonathan explained...

Though we've blocked him...It is delaying the effort...

Plus he's been sending some preety nasty stuff to the official Mona board...

Really...Wescox beamed...Pilot's not even shot yet and we have crazies lining up...

Hmmn...I must consider how this dreadful threat to our beloved Monaverse is to be handled...he thanks his webmasters...Who nod and solemnly withdraw...Pleased to hear that the heretic will be dealt with by the Creator himself...

Well...How best to milk this little creep's gift of...That magic word...Potential...publicity...

Perhaps a solemn speech before the ET cameras after rehearsals tomorrow when they do their piece...Job ponders...

Begging our little friend to cease and desist...Calling on Mona fans with computer skills to defend our dear Monaverse...

After all...Nothing like a little controversy amongst the fans...

And there is no bad publicity...

***

Next day...Cast and crew assembled, set ready...Following the expected hour long kick-off speech by Mr. W... Rehearsals began in earnest for the series pilot...

Dawn safely and ecstatically at home, yesterday's "test" a triumphant...Well, Mr. Wescox had said it was fine...Carefully reviewing her lines as Demon Queen...To begin her TV career in a week or so...

Buffy finding herself far busier than she'd expected...And a little overwhelmed...

When not helping Ms. Marsden get her scripts, figure out the props she'd need to use, and try to get into her Mona special operations assault suit...Kind of a take-off on Mrs. Peel's "dressed to kill" suit from the old "Avengers" series...She ran to and fro on various errands for Mr. W or Angie or anyone else who needed her...Which had become practically everybody within a couple of hours...

"Bill" Grieg, Scodos's daylight-capable demon sidekick and new assistant choreographer to the series requested her loan from Ms. Marsden to assist in demonstrating the finer points of a couple of scenes he'd worked out to the human cast. Which she did with style and quite proudly, as Willow, briefly ground crew gopher on the set...and gladly promoted by Wescox to be her own assistant gopher within one hectic hour... Noted with a smile.

As the lunch hour approached...A sacred time, Mechamber wryly noted to Willow and Buffy as they paused to assist him with some demon weapon props...A rather vague-looking, once handsome man in a loose and ill-kempt dark suit appeared, shuffling around the tents...Arguing with a security guard who tried to politely demand proper id.

Libby beside Buffy catching sight of him paused...Turning nervously to see if anyone else...

Mechamber eyed her...and shook his head at her.

Sydney...Her look pleaded...

But Wescox and some others had likewise seen the man...

"It's my dad..." Libby told Buffy in a small voice.

***

Wescox frowned...Moving over to the man and his security guard

And ignoring the man, turned to the guard...

"That man is not supposed to be here...He is never supposed to be here...Understand?!..."

Right, boss...

"Job?..." Libby looked at him...Pleading look in her eyes...

"Libby..." Wescox sighed...

"Can't I just see him a few minutes?..." she begged...

He must have a reason for coming...

"He is my father..." she turned to Buffy...On the verge of tears...

"Shouldn't I see him?..."

What would you do if it was your father?...Libby asked her...

Ummn...Buffy looked at her...the frowning Wescox...Mechamber...

Willow uncertainly eyeing her back...Kinda out of my field of experience, Buf...My dad doesn't get blasted and aimlessly wander TV filming sets as a rule...

Well...

Five minutes, Wescox looked at Libby who nodded gratefully...

And not alone...

"Buffy can stay with me..." she turned to Buffy...

You'll stay, right?...she asked her...

Sure...Ummn...Buffy looked at the others...

If it's ok...

JW nodded, still frowning..

At least with Ms. Summers here, he's not likely to pull anything...he thought...

Without winding up in the hospital...Judging by the way she handled those stunts with Grieg...

Gotta read up on this "Slayer" thing...Get anything you can on it...he quietly noted to Angie...

***

Libby smiled at Buffy, grateful...And led the way to her tent...Which the seedy man entered with a touch of lost bravado...

Mike Marsden...Legendary rock star vocalist and leader of Mars Den...

A little seedy now at fifty-nine, but still retaining a certain...Well, actually not retaining anything, Buffy quickly realized...

Seemed lucky to remember his daughter's name and maybe, hopefully...where he'd left his car...

Buffy could see that Libby was on edge and avoided let him get close...

"Dad.." she looked at him...

How's it breaking?...

"Good, good..." he looked at her...

They wouldn't let me in to see you, honey...he groused...

"You shouldn't be here, dad..." she told him quietly...

You know the rules...

"Don't want me here...I go..." Marsden mumbled, a trace of anger building in his voice...

"It's ok..." she told him...

Meet my friend, Buffy Summers...She's working with us this summer...

He nodded, barely noticing her...

"I haven't been...I'm fine you know..." he told Libby, who nodded...

That's good, dad...she told him...

"I just wanted to see you...That's all..." he went on...

"You gotta call first, dad...But it's ok..."

She turned to Buffy...

Ever hear Dad's music?...she asked...

Buffy nodded...Hard to avoid it at times...Still played everywhere, on the radio a half-dozen times a day on most stations...

He now noticed Buffy...A fan...And a nice-looking one...

"We got a few good ones out in our day..." he noted...

Great ones, dad...Libby smiled...

***

He left a little later...Having forgotten to ask if he'd had anything to ask for when he came...

"Dad's not on anything..." Libby told Buffy hastily...

You could see that...His eyes were fine...

It's just...He did so much stuff in his time...

"He seemed just fine..." Buffy told her...

He's not supposed to visit me...He knows that...But sometimes he just wants to see me...Libby twisted her fingers into a knotted ball...

Besides...I want to know he's ok...

He is my father...she looked at Buffy.

***

Willow occupied with the paperwork required by the dutiful Angie...In full costume as befitting the first day of real work...Of a new hire...Buffy headed into the cafeteria. after Libby went to lunch with JW and her own business staff...

Libby Marsden, Inc...Libby had noted ruefully as she headed out with her guard...Needs a business meeting...

Keep an eye on Sydney, will you?...she called to Buffy...

Make sure he eats lunch?...He hasn't been eating well lately...

"See ya..." she waved...Frowning at the group waiting for her...

***

Mechamber sat alone...Reviewing a script...And waved Buffy over as he caught sight of her moving towards him...

A script girl frowned...

New Girl is making time with our distinguished thespian...

"Miss Summers..." Mechamber offered a seat...Smiling at several watching them...

You realize your reputation is now utterly ruined...he grinned at her.

"I'll deal..." she grinned back...Taking the seat...

"So..." he grinned...

"Libby assigned you the job of keeping an eye on me?..."

She told me to make sure you ate something...Buffy nodded, smiling...

She worries over me like a daughter, sweet thing...he noted...

"Better than one of my daughters, actually..." he smiled...

But...He pointed at his plate...You can testify to the fact that I did eat...

Mechamber looked at Buffy intently...

"So...You've met our dear Michael..."

She nodded...

"He's not exactly popular around here, is he?..." she asked...Hesitantly...

"Libby's had a rough time with that fellow..." he noted...

A wasted rock star is not always the best of fathers.

Buffy looked at him...

"Even JW seemed concerned about him being around...Is he that bad?..."

"Libby..." he paused... "Was as pretty a little girl as she is a beautiful young woman..."

Mechamber stared at a wall of the tent.

Then fixedly at Buffy...

Oh...Whoa...Buffy thought...Oh my God...

Gross...

Pity Sis isn't here...She's the family's therapist-in-training...

"And she wants to see him?..." she asked.

Not jailed for life?...Or at least rendered harmless...Surgically...she thought.

He tells her it was the drugs and booze...Mechamber explained quietly, looking away...That it was just when he was at the edge...Occasionally remembers to throw in that he has to have her forgiveness...And she believes him...Wants to, anyway...

"But how can she even...?"

Because our dear Libby is the sweetest and most compassionate person it's ever been my fortune to run across in this miserable existence...Mechamber noted.

"It's actually quite a boon for me..." he continued...Seeing that father of hers...

Reminds me to pull back from the edge when I start to let it all get to me...And remember I'm past fifty myself...

With two daughters who if they hate me...For quite legitimate reasons...Thank God have far less right to than our poor Libby...

But working as a co-star of what may be the "hottest" new show on TV...Buffy grinned at him...

God help me, Mechamber grinned back...I actually do get a buzz from that...

***

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part XIX...

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, www.geocities.com/buffyrebecca

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

Part XIX...

A rather sheepish Libby returned from her "working lunch" with Job...Her legal/financial staff dispatched to their various offices...

Buffy found her in mid-apology to Wescox outside his trailer office ...Who was shaking his head at her...

"We really screwed him today..." Libby explained...

Financially I mean...she waved her hands nervously...

"I'm sorry Job...You know I just follow their advice..."

Libby...Job sighed, smiling at Buffy...You've got to get a thicker skin for this sort of thing...Or maybe just let your people meet with mine...

"It's just business...And it's the network your people raked over the coals...Not me..."

At that you made them knock off a quarter of what they were ready to ask for...

"I just thought they were asking for an awful lot..." she noted to Buffy...

"I mean...The show hasn't even got off the ground yet..."

I didn't want them to get too crazy...Sometimes they seem like an awful greedy bunch...

"Sides...I do preety well if the show's a hit...And not bad at all if it's not..." she grinned...

And it seemed like there wasn't gonna be anything left for Sydney and the rest of the guys...

"They will make out fine, Libby...Especially Sydney...Your people are looking out for him quite well..." Wescox smiled...

He hasn't got quite the team I do...Libby explained to Buffy...Mom pulled quite a bunch together for me before she was killed...

She was worried Dad might try to get his hands on it and blow it all...

"Hey, Sydney..." Libby waved to Mechamber as he entered...With his own lawyer in tow...

"Things go well...?" he eyed Wescox...

For you two?...Job grinned...Gangbusters...

For poor ole JW...Not so bad...

For our beloved network...

Well...They'll clean up when we catch fire... "Mona" will put the Sci-Fi channel into the stratosphere...

"Libby...You are a sweet and dear thing..." Mechamber sighed, eyeing his co-star...

But you're putting poor George here out of a job...he grinned at his lawyer...

Who looked distinctly nervous Buffy noticed...

"Well..." Sydney smiled at Job...

Our turn...At least to give me a chance to look over whatever Libby's gone and done for me...

"Ladies...If you will allow me...Georgie here and I must have our chance to draw blood from our stone-hearted employer..."

Job waved them into his set office...

***

As they waited for the crew to set up...Buffy eyed Libby...Who grinned back...

Yeah...?

"Didn't you guys work all this out before...?"

"You mean in the past six months of teeth-pulling negotiations...?...Yeah..."

But that was before the show became a real thing...And now the day before shooting starts...

We pounce...Libby fake-snarled as Willow came up...Lugging some props...

"Wait until the first ratings and reviews are in and we're a hit...Then all of this will start all over again..." she sighed...

I hate it...But, thank God Joby never takes it personal...Or pretends to...I can tell you some stories...she waved a hand...

Producers with their little kids in tow...Sobbing in my trailer...

Always end up crying with them, I'm afraid...Until my gang shows me the money's going into sobbing Stan's new vacation mansion...

I guess I'm lucky to have my little band of protectors at that...she grinned at Buffy...Else I'd probably be working for minimum wage...

"What's up...?" Willow eyed them...

Teaching our Buffy the ins-and-outs of the star biz...Libby nodded...

"Actually, Buffy..." Libby turned back to her... "You should let my people deal for Dawn...They'll get her a very good deal...And I'll see they take their fees out of my stuff..."

Ummn...Buffy eyed her boss...Well...

"Buf...She's got the best legal team in Hollywood..." Willow noted...

They looked at her...

Well... "People" said so...Willow explained...

Mom did her homework...Libby nodded...

***

"No...no!..." Scodos' thespian comrade...Jerome by name...Glared at the quartet of howling demons...

Having volunteered to take on the job of assisting Assistant Choreographer Grieg in prepping the demon cast for tonight's first dress rehearsal...

In addition to his duties as Scodos' personal assistant and Demon # 3...

"We need menace here!...You are not menacing..."

Hell...Jacob, one of the four eyed him...With two of his four eyes...

That one always scares the woollies out of my prey...One lady I was chasing once...Dropped stone dead from fright...

"Gentlemen..." Jerome eyed the group...Whoops, didn't notice the female...Hard to distinguish them in this particular breed...

And Lady...

"This is not to frighten some poor old lady walking down the street...Any mugger can do that..."

This is to bring real, genuine terror to an American...Heck, a world...Television audience jaded by years of phony effects and slasher movies...

"Well...Lets rip "Mona" apart in front of the TV cameras..." one of the demons noted...

That'd bring real, genuine terror...he chuckled...

Jerome blinked...God...The sort one must make do with these days...

Grieg, just back from a brief meeting with Scodos, glared at the demon...

Ummn...Kidding, Grieg...he nervously eyed the Assistant Choreographer...

"You're out of here..." Grieg coldly replied...

And so is anyone else who makes a stupid joke like that...he looked at each of the others...

"Do you know what the Slayers would do if they heard talk like that?...Hell, the boss..." he indicated Scodos, off talking with several other members of the demon "cast"... "Would stake you himself..."

You see what I have to work with?...Jerome sighed to Grieg as the fired demon sheepishly and sadly trudged away...

***

"Ok..." Anya eyed Dawn steadily...As they stood in the Summers' living room...Xander and Warren watching from the couch...Basey and Amelia Walthrop-Hunt with Basey's brother Leroy from chairs...

Who better to give her both Demon Queen instruction?...And in how to act demon pretending to be human?...

Besides...Poor kid had to miss seeing tonight's dress rehearsal...On Slayer sis' orders...

"You're Queen of the Demons...Numero uno...You eat Borg Queens for breakfast..."

Gotcha...Dawn glared at the living room mirror, narrowing her eyes...Think Buffy in kill mode...she thought...

Not bad...Xander thought...And probably the way Buffy will look when she sees the costume of the Demon Queen...he sighed to himself...

Looks just like Buffy when she was ready to kill me back last April...Warren noted to himself...

"Look meaner, Dawn!..." Leroy insisted...

Think Buffy when she found out about Connor...Dawn thought...

"Did your friends check her out throughly after the fight with Glorificus?..." Ms. Walthrop-Hunt hissed to Basey...Staring at a furiously glaring Dawn...

Meaner!...Leroy hollered...

Hmmn...

Buffy when I asked her if she wasn't the teeny-weeniest bit jealous of Buffy Rebecca...Dawn noted to herself...

Oh yeah...she looked at their faces...Even Leroy backing away...

That's the one...

We really should begin tests on her at once...Amelia whispered to her charge...For the sake of the world...

Hmmn...Basey eyed the now rather terrifying Dawn...

Maybe not such a bad idea...

But...Anya continued...You're hiding your hideous nature...As a sweet and lovable teenaged girl...Trusted by all...Even Mona the Monster Killer herself...

Hmmn...Dawn pondered...Ahh...

Think...All the times I gave Mom or Buffy a line and slipped out with Janice or somebody else...

And how I'm gonna get away with slipping over to the rehearsal tonight...

A sweet and innocent smile...But something going on behind the eyes there...

"Very good..." Anya smiled...

She has real potential...she noted to Xander...If she should ever consider the vengeance business...

Potential...That magic word...Xander thought...Having picked up a little from Wescox in the last few intensive writers' huddles before first rehearsal night...

A Demon Queen is born...For three episodes, anyway...

***

"Hope you guys don't mind watching Dawn and Leroy..." Xander noted to Ms. Walthrop-Hunt and Basey as he, Anya, and Warren prepared to head over to first dress rehearsal night...

"Not at all..." Amelia smiled at him...

After that performance I'd insist on it...she thought...

Though I suppose it will have to be just observation until Buffy approves a full battery of tests...

Kinda glad Rupert's coming over...Basey thought, eyeing Dawn...Aside from my normal appreciation of his company...

"Can you do that face at dinner?..." Leroy asked a beaming Dawn...The soon-to-be guest star having received her accolades...

***

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part XX...

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, www.geocities.com/buffyrebecca

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

Part XX...

The Master Acolytes of the Monaverse eyed each other across their respective laptops...

Once again their fiendish nemesis had defeated their best efforts...And committed another foul act of desecration...

Well?...Acolyte Andrew asked Chief Acolyte Jonathan...

"Only one person I know of could combine such lame posts with such hacker skill..." the Chief Acolyte replied...

Leroy Daine?...Andrew looked at his partner...

Daine the Paine...Jonathan nodded...

Note the way he got Mona to stick her finger up her nose...He indicated the image of Mona on their site...A Madonna-like Libby, slowly appearing, peering through the mists of evil surrounding an evil- besieged world...Now somewhat marred by their enemy's efforts...

Trademark Paine...

"Not to mention the posts he left... "YOU GUYS MUST ALL BE GAY!!!!..." at the end of each...?...He always ends his that way..." Jonathan noted...

Great visual imagination, fine hacker skill, utterly banal with words...

Leroy Daine all right...Andrew nodded...

"But what's he got against Mona?..."

"Didn't you see his first post...?" Jonathan clicked up the message...

A link to a forty page, meandering memo on the nature of the Monaverse...

"He expected Mr. Wescox to make this crap the Mona canon...?" Andrew stared at the screen...

Six pages alone on how to define the class of demon monster by the color of their spilled guts...?

"With an ultimatum to fan-fiction writers...If any should raise their heads over time..." Jonathan scrolled to the end of the memo...

Those who deviate from his canon are to be killfiled...And he is to be sent their e-mail addresses at the end of each month...Or else...

Signed...Jonathan rolled his eyes...

"The Phantom of the Monaverse..."

But...Andrew looked at Jonathan...His email address here has his name included...Even if he ran it together in all small letters...

leroydaine...

"Like I said..." Jonathan shook his head...

Mucho hacker skill...Lame poster...

"Well...?" Andrew paused...What do we do...?

Mr. W didn't seem too worried...

"Andrew...He left it in our hands..." Jonathan solemnly noted...

The fate of the Monaverse is at stake unless we stop this madman...

"Can't we just send him an email threatening legal action?..."

Turn to outsiders...? Suits no less?...Jonathan glared...Our reputations would be in shreds...

"Besides...Mr. W wants to avoid lawsuits and counter lawsuits..."

So...?

So...We utilize all our skills, gird ourselves for the task at hand...he paused...

And get help...

Help?...

"I mean from one of our own...At least he was...Once..." Jonathan sighed...

Before he made it big in robotics...And was no longer able to stay within the confines of our little pond...

"Oh...Your pal...Mears?"

I remember him from high school...Andrew nodded...

The ultimate geek...

In the proudest possible sense...

And now...A multimillionaire, thanks to his bionetic limbs...Jonathan noted...

Partners with Buffy's twin sister's husband...The mysterious Dr. Walthrop...

"Better known as Spike..." Andrew nodded... "To those of us privileged to be in the know..."

And smart enough not to say anything that would prompt a visit from him or his wife or his sis-in-law...

"Word around town...At least from Willie's bar...Is that he's been redeemed by his Missus..." Jonathan eyed Andrew...

I thought it was that big dark guy...Angel?...Who was the redeemed one...Andrew thought...

But...Back to Warren...

In his day...Jonathan continued...Before selling out to fame and fortune...

He was a champion of encryption technology and code...

"I thought he wasn't good with PCs..." Andrew noted...Just robots...

Which is why he had to develop his own superior encryption system...Jonathan nodded...The trolls were tearing his sites apart...

Just the man we need to help protect our Mona site...And as best friend of Buffy's brother-in-law...An interest in seeing the site succeed...

Plus...Rumor has it he is Buffy's current squeeze...

Warren...Mears?...Andrew choked...And Buffy...?

Oh...he shook his head...That's just not right...

However much an inspiration to geeks the world over...

***

D-day...Or rather, D-night...

Full scale dress rehearsal...

Jerome the former thespian had prepared a little speech...In honor of the occasion, a great day for the Scodos Theatrical Company...And to honor his idol, the distinguished Sydney Mechamber...

Sure to be the greatest of screen villains, he noted...Combining pathos and menace well beyond even the past great villains of stage and screen...

Winning a rather pleasant beam from their distinguished star, Libby Marsden, as she stood watching in Mona fighting costume...

And of course, honoring their dear Mona...Jerome continued...Sure to win the hearts of America and the world...

Jerome was very excited about tonight...Grieg whispered apologetically to Willow as he stood beside her...Buffy having taken a good viewing position between Libby and the Scodos "players"...

Scodos by her side, at her request...To avoid any unfortunate miscommunication...And as a hostage for his "company"'s good behavior...

Big fan of Mr. Mechamber...the Assistant Choreographer explained...

"No problem..." Willow grinned... "It's a nice speech...Especially from a vampire actor..."

She waved at a newly arrived from work Tara, along with Warren, Anya, and Xander in the crowd of bit cast and crew surrounding them...Thumbs up, fingers crossed...she displayed...

But above all...Jerome concluded...To thank the man who'd made this great night possible...Mr. Job Wescox...Whose vision and heart would shortly bring these wonderful characters and their touching stories to life...

JW needed no further introduction...And stepped forward for his own speech...His second of the evening so far...Passed to him by Angie in a new costume...

Is that one of the actors?...Warren hissed to Xander...Who shook his head...

"Wescox's secretary...Nice lady...Once you get used to the costume..."

Hey...You got used to me...Anya grinned at him, giving the Assistant Writer a kiss...

"Is that Giles...Basey...And Dawn?..." she pointed to the group now edging into the crowd...

I thought they were staying home...she looked at Xander...

And over to Buffy...Who was now frowning rather grimly at the one whom she immediately suspected of engineering this little change of plan...

Dawn throwing back her best innocent "Demon Queen in human form" smile...

***

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part XXI...

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, www.geocities.com/buffyrebecca

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

Part XXI...

Three hours into first dress rehearsal and no incidents, Buffy noted to Giles and Basey with relief...

Despite her irritation at how easily her "Master Watcher" had let himself be persuaded by Dawn to agree to bring her down to the set in spite of Buffy's firm instructions to the contrary.

In fact...The only problems coming from the human cast...In particular, Ms. Cooke...Who continually demanded better lighting, more lines, a grander entrance, more lines, a costume change...Green was not her color, she insisted...Nor was red...and...More lines...

The demon cast exhibiting exemplary behavior...Even in the case of a drunken stuntman tweaking the large...And very sensitive...Nose of one of their largest comrades...Scodos had been allowed to take his place among the demon cast for his scenes.

Nothing like the prospect of a steady paycheck and a little fame to combat that old demon lust for murder and mayhem.

Supplemented of course by Warren's artificial blood supply...

***

What do you think...? Buffy eyed Basey as they watched "Mona" in battle outfit make her third monster kill...

"She seems kinda slow...And all that stopping to pray for each victim's soul...? We'd be long dead by now..." Buffy continued her review.

Much too slow, Basey agreed...Outfit's nice, though...Reminds me of Mrs. Peel on the Avengers...

But a bit much with the praying and all.

Willow standing beside them, grinned to Tara next to her...

Our Slayers are getting a mite catty, she whispered.

Grieg came over hesitantly...Willow welcoming him kindly...

Who better to get monster-killing moves from than Slayers...?

What did the Slayers think?...he asked, respectfully...

All that praying's a bit much isn't it?...And we should pick up the pace on the moves, don't you think? he eyed them.

Maybe...Buffy agreed...And yeah, pace is a bit slow...

"She's supposed to be fighting them...Not dancing with them..." she grinned.

Libby in "Mona" suit, came over...A little winded...

Whatdaya think?...she looked at them...Seemed a little slow to me.

"I think Bill here..." she nodded at Grieg... "Bill" Grieg... "Has the right idea about picking things up a little..."

Grieg beamed...Nice to have one's view taken seriously, especially by our star...

Nice touch about the praying, though, isn't...? she asked the group...

Showing that Mona cares and all...?

Well...? Basey eyed Buffy...

"You didn't like it...?" Libby stared at her assistant's friend...

Buffy?...she turned to her assistant...

"What did you think?..."

Ummn...Well...

Willow eyed Tara...

"Maybe...It should be just done once, after a series of kills..." Buffy suggested...

To keep the pace going...she hastily added.

Hmmn...Libby eyed her...Maybe you're right...Still...

"Seems mean to kill them without any feeling..." she sighed...

They are supposed to have been people once, after all.

"Ummn..."series of kills?"..." she stared at Buffy...

Little cold-blooded, don't you think?...Makes her sound no better than the monsters she hunts.

"She is killing them...And to protect people..." Basey noted...Not sending them to reform school for playing hooky.

Exactly...Buffy nods.

Slayer solidarity...Willow quietly noted to Tara with a grin.

"Well..." Libby shook her head... "I can see the idea of cutting the prayers a bit to pick up the action...But I wouldn't want Mona to get too hard..."

Wescox called to her from the main set and she left them with a wave...

"Better a little hard...Than stiff and six feet under..." Buffy noted to her fellow Slayer as she was called over as well.

"Dawn...." she glared over at a contrite-looking Dawn, watching the action with Giles a few steps away...

"You have Giles take you home at ten...No excuses...Giles?..."

He nodded...

Lemme show ya my costume, Giles...Dawn hissed eagerly as Buffy headed away...Leading him over to the costume and props tent.

People can get too sentimental about these things...Basey sighed to Willow and Tara...

"I mean...Imagine if things get screwed and we had to fight all these demons here now...There'd be no time for praying, I promise you..." she noted...

No offense intended, she nodded at Grieg.

None taken...he replied...I rather agree with you and Ms. Summers...

***

Warren, meanwhile, had been approached by his former schoolmates and fellow nerds, Andrew and Jonathan, webmasters extraordinare...To assist them in saving the Monaverse web site from the desecrating attacks of the infamous Leroy Paine.

"He's been sharpening his skills, I see..." Warren nodded at the screen.

"We've tried everything to block him out..." Jonathan sighed.

All we can do is hold him off a bit...He keeps breaking through...Andrew frowned...

We can't officially open the site until we deal with him.

"You got any ideas, Warren?" Jonathan looked at him.

Well...I haven't done this kinda thing in a while, fellas...Warren smiled at them...Eyeing the screen intently...

But...Maybe I can come up with something to get him off your backs.

***

Shortly after Buffy saw Dawn off to the house with Giles at ten, Harmony took advantage of the evening's final break to seek her out...Greeting her in the cafeteria tent...

"It's going pretty well, huh?..." she beamed at her.

Yeah...Buffy nodded...Eyeing her...Dressed in a cheerleader's outfit, wearing the awful black wig Buffy Rebecca had once described to her.

Her own idea about the cheerleader outfit, Harmony happily noted...

Adds a touch of pathos when the audience sees the poor demon girl...In a hasty couple of seconds during a fight scene...

It tells the audience the poor girl had clearly had much to live for when she died...she explained.

Yeah...Buffy nodded...Sure.

"I was wondering..." Harmony began... "If you would...Sometime...Like to go over some scenes with me..."

Here, of course...Out where people can see us...I'm not trying anything...she hastily added...

Just thought it might be good practice for both of us...And you are supposed to be a member of our troupe...she pointed out.

"Sounds neat, Buffy..." Willow smiled to her, hearing the tail end of the conversation as she came over with coffee...Buffy shooting back a slight frown...Very funny.

"Well...I hope you'll think about it..." Harmony smiled.

Oh...Do you like my wig?...she touched it, noticing Buffy's stare...

"It's my disguise...In case my family's watching some night..." she noted...

Wouldn't want them to be shocked, seeing me now and all.

Oh...Yeah...It's...Neat...Buffy nodded, sighing a little.

"Gotta go...They're calling my group back..." Harmony looked over to the set...

"Let me know what you decide..." she waved.

Poor kid...Willow noted solemnly...Eyeing Buffy...As Tara and Basey joined them...

"I bet Mona would practice with her..."

Shut up...Buffy frowned at her...Willow grinning back.

***

Sir...Jerome the former, now once again thespian nervously paused by Sydney...In full Demontos costume...

May I just say...That it was an honor to work with you tonight.

Mechamber eyed the young man...Who'd displayed rather excellent make-up in his scene as one of his minions...

As had the entire Scodos company.

"And you are...?" he smiled.

"Jerome....Weatherbee, sir..." Rather nice to make use of the full name again, Jerome noted to himself.

"Well...Jerome...You and your company were excellent...I can't remember when I've seen a better prepared local troupe..."

We're very lucky to have a group like yours available...he noted.

"Well...Mr. Scodos and Mr. Grieg insist on holding us to high standards, sir..." Jerome nodded.

"Have you worked in theater long, son?..." Sydney asked him... "You've been on the stage I see..."

Well...Forty...er fourteen years ago...I was on the stage...But I've only recently returned to acting...Jerome explained.

Rather new to television acting...he sheepishly smiled.

"That makes two of us, Jerome...But...All in all, I think we're off to a fair start..." Sydney grinned at him.

Thank God at least our star is experienced on TV and can cover for us, eh...?

"Oh...Miss Marsden was wonderful...A very sympathetic heroine..."

"Well...Lets hope America thinks so..." Mechamber turned to face a Buffy hurrying up to them...Just a leetle nervous to see one of Scodos' "people" so deep in conversation with a leading cast member.

"Ah...Miss Summers...Mr. Weatherbee..." Sydney introduced the two...

But you two already know each other from your theater company.

Yeah...Buffy nodded...

Hiya...she eyed Jerome who nodded back.

Hmmn...Sydney smiled at Libby now coming up with Willow and Basey...Noting Buffy and Jerome sizing each other up a bit...

Looks like our local troupe has the usual little rivalries...he whispered to Libby as Jerome made a quick good bye and headed off to join the last group of Scodos' "players" now leaving.

***

A rather exhausted-looking Amelia Walthrop-Hunt arrived, informing Buffy that Giles and Dawn were home safe, and Basey that her dear little brother was now securely in Giles' care...

Thank God...she noted to Willow.

Supervision of hyperactive eight year olds not being her forte...

However, she was determined to accompany her Slayer on patrol with Buffy after work...And evaluate her against the Greatest...Fully human, anyway...Slayer of All Time.

Lucky Basey...Willow whispered to Tara, rolling her eyes.

Say...Amelia asked them...Having finally caught Willow and Tara alone at last...

Could...Either of you...Recommend an interesting place for a reasonably young single woman...Interested in meeting similar women...To go in this town...?

Ummn...Willow looked at Tara...Tara at Willow...

We don't get out to many places like that...Willow hesitantly noted.

"The Bronze, mainly..." she continued...Which does cater to many types of people...

Bit of a young crowd for me...Amelia noted.

"There's the Catwalk on Morris St..." Tara suggested helpfully...Looking innocently back at Willow...

"Just a place I heard about..." she added...

Supposed to be very nice.

Amelia nodded and went over to Basey.

"When did you "hear" about that place?...You never mentioned it to me?..." Willow eyed Tara.

Little bird told me...Tara grinned back...

"And you never want to go anywhere but the Bronze."

Xander came over with Anya from the writers' tent...

There's news...he noted...Anya beaming and nodding excitedly.

***

"News, people!..." Wescox called the entire group...Cast and crew plus assorted guests...Together as the rehearsal ended...Beaming at all...Libby and Sydney beside him...

"The Powers That Be at our beloved network have decided to put us in early...The pilot anyway..."

Next week in fact.

The group looked at each other...Demons as well as humans equally startled...Next week...?

"Meaning we start filming immediately tomorrow...Bright and early..." Job noted...

And this is our chance to get America all hot and bothered about "Mona and the Monsters" even before the fall season...

We'll have them hanging on the edge of their seats, screaming for more...Locked in, before the other new shows against us can grab them.

"I know it's short notice..." he paused...

But judging from tonight's efforts...We're ready...he nodded proudly.

"Absolutely!..." Jerome called excitedly back from the crowd...Several demons and humans echoing his cry...

"That's what I like to hear..." Job beamed...

***

Patrol was a cakewalk...In fact, not a single underdweller reared his or her head...

Rather disappointing to Ms. Walthrop-Hunt, who'd hoped for a chance to make a proper final evaluation.

"Guess they're all busy working for the show...And keeping their noses clean..." Buffy noted...

Hmmn...Amelia nodded...Well, one can still observe the style of Patrol surveillance at least she sighed.

"Ms. Granger..." she turned to Basey...

"Please remember you are seeking to maximize protection of the populace...Not out for some exercise...Or a sightseeing tour..."

Pick up your pace and concentrate on observing all possible sources of danger...Leave sightseeing for daylight strolls...

Giles do this to you...? Basey hissed...As she began searching alleyways...

All the time, Buffy replied.

***

The following week, at the Summers home...The gang clustered around the TV...

A deep voice intones...

"When the dark falls...When Evil envelopes the world..."

Cue Mona main theme...Play

(Sunset over the town of Hellis; hideous creatures rise from every corner; panic-stricken humans flee in all directions; A ghostly gruesome image of hooded Death with his sickle appears, laughing)

"One Woman stands between the Light and the Darkness..."

(A Madonna-not that Madonna, the original one-like image of Mona in shawl fades in and arises over the town, and the world...Like a rising sun...The panic-stricken halt and turn to the face of Mona in pleading supplication...)

"That Woman is...Mona Medaris..."

(Shafts of sunlight beam through the darkness, and radiate from her risen image...)

"Who, with her small band of followers, fights unheard, unseen, unrewarded to protect us all from Destruction...

I am Professor Freyor Freider...Mentor to this brave heroine and her friends...

Who fight in the Cause of Light...Against that which would bring the Darkness...

Forever..."

Holy shit...Buffy groused quietly to Willow...This is the sort of opening I'd expect Angelis to have...If he ever had a TV show...

Though those panicky folks would all be running from him, not to him...

Lets not bite the hand that feeds us, Buf...Willow hissed back...

And that may send Dawnie to any college of her choice...she noted...

Are they kidding?...Buffy addressed the gang clustered around the TV.

"I think it's neat..." Dawn eyed her...With the dignity of an upcoming guest star...

Shush!...Anya cried...Look...

"There he is...Alexander L. Harris..." she nudged a sheepish Xander...

Assistant Writer...she beamed proudly...

"Where do they list "Technical Advisors"?" Dawn asked...Looking back at Buffy...

At the end of the show...At the end of the credits...Buffy muttered...

Geesh, Harmony gets better billing...she thought darkly.

Hmmn...Harmony Ken-Jones?...Willow asked...Watching the screen credits.

Well I suppose the poor kid is trying to spare the family she noted to Tara.

***

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part XXII...

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, www.geocities.com/buffyrebecca

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

Part XXII...

"Buffy Summers...Technical Advisor..." Buffy Rebecca beamed from her inn room in England at her twin via Giles' satellite link...

And actor...William, beside her, noted proudly...

Willow grinned at Buffy...

Cut it out, guys...Buffy frowned...

Tiny extra's scene and a blow-off job so I can keep a eye on our demon cast...

"Bull..."BR grinned... "You're loving it...And I oughta know..."

William's final interview before the Council pending, the Walthrops were calling to check on Buffy and Giles' plans for a brief trip to England as witnesses and moral support...

"The pilot looked great over here...Everyone's talking about it..." BR sighed...Smiling over to Willow beside Buffy...

In a reserved British way, of course...she noted...

Wish I could've seen the filming and all...

Might've learned a few things as well...

"You're not telling me you like "Mona"...? Buffy stared at her sis...

A very warm, compassionate, and sympathetic monster killer...BR solemnly noted...

Right, Will...? she turned to him...

Absolutely...I only wish I could have encountered such a warm-hearted Slayer in my early days...he nodded, with equal solemnity...

Even without my chip and my Rebecca, my path would surely've...

"Knock it off you jerks..." Buffy glared...The Walthrops beaming benignly at her...

"Just tell me, sis...Confidently...As the...Technical Advisor..." BR smiled...Eyeing Willow...

How the hell does she avoid getting killed during the praying?...

God knows...Buffy sighed...And grinned...

"So...?" BR eyed her...

How is working with...The Libby Marsden...?

And Sydney Mechamber...William noted eagerly...

Even he's a fan of Sydney Mechamber?...Anya at the counter hissed to Giles beside her...

Once an Englishman...Giles began...

"Kinda...Neat..." Buffy grinned...

Dawn burst into the Magic Box...Fresh from school...

"Hey, guys!..." she ran over to the table where the computer link had been set up...Waving at BR and Will...

"Did they tell you about my part?!..." Dawn bubbled happily...

Part...? BR eyed Buffy...

A little coolly...

You let our sister hang out with those Hollywood types?...her expression clearly stating, Willow realized...

"Just a few scenes...For three episodes..." Buffy eyed her twin sheepishly...

Big chunk towards her college fund...she explained lamely...

"I'm gonna be the guest Big Baddy...The Demon Queen!..." Dawn noted excitedly...

I kill with concealed venom in my fingernails!...And die horribly!...she exulted...

"Always knew you had it in you, Nibs..." Will smiled at her...

What...? he looked innocently back at his glaring bride...

Anyway...Buffy moved on...How's things going with the Council?...

First rate...William beamed...A fine set of fellows, male and female...

Buffy and Willow stared at him...

BR rolled her eyes a bit...

Spike would enjoy killing them all of course she noted...

"Well, naturally darling..." Will agreed...

But my human aspect actually finds them quite a congenial lot...And since I am running the show with you and the chip's help these days...

Nothing unusual there really...Giles noted to Anya...

Nearly everyone on the Council would like to see the rest boiled alive at times...

"It is scary how quickly he's taken to wearing tweed..." BR smiled...

And how fast we both got used to his new glasses...

"Oh...This I gotta see..." Willow grinned...

Yeah, Will...Dawn chimed...Lets see four eyes Walthrop...

There are a few leetle problems though...To get serious...Buffy Rebecca frowned to her sis as Will reluctantly moved out of view to get his new specs...

A few members are objecting to Will's petition she explained...Based on his former career, they feel his redemption is too dependent on the chip's performance...

Ridiculous...Giles noted to Anya...They've let far worse on to the Council...

On little more than a couple of good deeds and a vague promise to keep to the straight and narrow from now on...

"We really need you guys for the final hearing..." Buffy Rebecca eyed Buffy...And looked over at Giles...

"Please come..." she pleaded...

And bringing a statement by Basey that she supports Will wouldn't hurt either...

***

"Is it really so bad, Will?..." Buffy spoke to him after requesting a few words alone at the end of the link...Dawn and Willow having been allowed to take several digital images of him in all his bespectacled glory...

BR graciously...At least on camera...Retiring for a brief walk...

Oh, I'm used to it now...After all tweeds and glasses were my standard dress a century ago...he grinned...

Will...Buffy glared...

Nah...The Missus is homesick...he insisted...Wants her sis...

Buffy looked at him...Will?

Well...he sheepishly backed down...

Your being here would help...he admitted...

It's only natural that some...A lot...Of the Council have their doubts...he noted...

Hell, as an apprentice Watcher, I must say I'd vote me down...Given the facts of the case they have from us...

A few character references would not hurt...he nodded...

"But she does miss you...All of you..." he added...Nodding at Willow who'd returned...

And she's been sick...he hesitated...

"You did not hear that from me...Understand?..." he hastily added...

Sick?...Willow eyed him...Staring at Buffy...

Buffy would be sick in this rainy English weather if she caught something...So Buffy Rebecca is sick... Even more easy for BR to get sick in some ways, Will noted...

No immune system...Her artificial blood was severely contaminated for four days last week...

She did look a little pale...Willow noted...

Had a high fever...And some twitching in her limbs...he noted...

I called Warren...

And told him not to say anything unless it got serious...he hastily added, seeing Buffy's annoyed look...

She's much better now...But what with that and the fretting over me, a visit from Sis and ole Giles would pick her up...he concluded...And ease her mind about the hearing...

***

"He told you..." BR frowned, eyeing Buffy as she had a last moment with her sis before terminating the link...Will having taken his turn at temporary exile...

I'm fine, you know...she shook her head...He worries too much...

Just a cold...Probably just what I had in Scotland back again...

"Twitching limbs...And high fever?..." Buffy looked at her twin...

Simulated fever, sis...Remember?...BR noted....

Call it King George's Revenge...Right, Giles?...she called over in the direction where she could just make out his form on the monitor...

However...Buffy Rebecca grinned...

No reason my little bug can't come in handy...

"You know sis...It might be wise to have dear ole Dad over to check me out..."

Will sure would like it...He's been calling him every night...Describing my every symptom...

And...You might like it too...she smiled...Having a little company for sightseeing when the Council's not in session...

"Just tell Warren...I seemed a leetle...Anxious...Bout my condition..."

He's a good dad...He'll come...she beamed...

***

Buffy, Giles...And Warren...Headed out for England two days later...Buffy having previously arranged several days break...

An eager Ms. Walthrop-Hunt quite pleased to have Sunnydale entrusted to her new Slayer's care...A real chance for a full evaluation she happily noted to Basey...

Gr..eat...Ms. Granger dutifully nodded...

At Buffy Rebecca's...Somewhat anxious, she noted...request, Buffy consulted her twin's "dad"...

Perhaps exaggerating BR's current condition a bit...

Sometimes those bionetic limbs do act up a little...When the user is ill...Warren had noted...

"She seemed nervous, Warren..." Willow chimed in...

Buffy noted that her twin might require his skilled assist if her limbs did malfunction in the course of her illness...Especially at such a critical time...

You should come...Buffy nodded...

Your little girl needs her 'dad'...

Well...Maybe...I...

Great...Buffy beamed...

Just glad you'll be coming...Honey...she'd noted in front of the gang at the Magic Box to the startled but gradually rather pleased Warren...

Who found, perhaps...Despite the short notice...And for the sake of his dear 'daughter' and best friend's wife...That he could get away...For a few days...

Bout time, Dr. Mears...Willow thought...

Even if she did have to practically drag you along...

And it's not really a lie...BR is still green with anxiety regarding Will and his Watcher interview...His acceptance by the Council being a key step in officially confirming his redemption...And earning a ticket through those pearly gates someday with his beloved Missus...

Might even cancel out the need for that damned trip to Hell he's been talking about...

***

Just before leaving for England with Buffy and Giles, Warren was summoned by his old schoolmates for some further assistance in combating the "Phantom of the Monaverse", Leroy Daine...

A rather high level meeting being held...What with the pilot's rather successful summer premiere, the website opening was now a top priority...

Wescox, Libby, Willow, and an intrigued Sydney...Fascinated by computers but not the slightest idea how to use them he noted to Willow...Joining the Acolytes and Warren...

With additional advice from Willow, Warren's blocking program had succeeded in holding off the infamous Mr. Daine in his attacks on the main site...

But the fiendish Leroy had turned to another method of attack...

"He's got some repeating program going...Probably spreading round via unsuspecting innocents on the net...It's posted 16000 messages so far...Half demanding we use his canon for the Monaverse and that we're all gay...The rest threatening to give each cast and production team members' name and home phone number unless we use the "Phantom's" canon...And that each is gay...To the "Mona at her K-Mart break room" board..." Andrew sighed to Warren and Willow as they met for an urgently called strategy conference...

"What else does he say?..." Willow eyed the message board...

That's it... "My Canon or Else!...You Guys Must All Be Gay!!!!!"..."Use Phantom Canon or We Give Your Addresses and Phone Numbers...You Guys Are All Gay!!!!!"...Jonathan pointed to the screen...

He's kinda limited in ideas once he gets beyond computer hacking...

17,200 now...Andrew glumly tallied...

We can't delete 'em fast enough no matter what we do...It just makes the program post faster...

Hmmn...Willow eyed Warren...

Maybe we could specifically block him...

"Tried it...He's using a program to create random title phrases as well as names to get past our blocks...We can't keep him out without keeping true fans out as well..." Jonathan sighed...

Annoying little putz...Sydney noted...Eyeing Libby...

"Maybe the best way is to kill him with kindness..." he noted...

Invite him to the set, he explained...Make him think you respect his ideas...Get him on your side...

"Not Leroy..." Andrew shook his head...

We let him think he's welcome here...Once...And he'll be here every day...Demanding absolute control over the canon and the website...We'll never get rid of him...

Well...Sydney grinned at Libby...And winked at Job...

Invite him over anyway...

Maybe we can speak to him in a language he'd understand...he noted solemnly...

"What's he like...?" Libby asked, eyeing Sydney with a grin...

Well...Jonathan sighed...Actually...

"We've never met him in person..." Andrew explained...

They say he almost never leaves his home...Jonathan added...

"Oh, I definitely think we should have him over..." Libby smiled at Job...

***

The infamous Daine accepted the invite two days later...After Buffy, Giles, and Warren had left for England...

At the appointed time...While Wescox spoke to the daily crowd at the set...A steadily growing crowd as "Mona madness"...TeeVee Guide's phrase...Continued to build following the pilot's airing...

"Hey, Job...Job Wescox..." a chubby teen called...Shoving his way through...

Leroy Daine...he noted...

Let 'im through...Wescox sighed to a guard...And had his webmasters summoned...

"I gotta a statement to make..." Leroy pronounced before the crowd...

Uh-huh...Wescox sighed...Great...I know where this is going...he thought.

"The Mona canon on your web site is freaking wrong!..." the teen insisted...

Our Mona group...(Actually just him, but what the hell, it'll grow...And they'll all agree with him)...Decided on the true canon last night...he proclaimed....

"Lemme tell you how it should go..."

Jonathan and Andrew eyed each other as they arrived...

Heretic...

Besides...There's only been the pilot run so far...

"Boys...Our guest, Mr. Daine..." Job noted...

Somehow he's exactly as I pictured him...Jonathan thought eyeing Leroy...

Lets take this to my office...Wescox suggested...

And at Jonathan's request called in Willow to join in...

***

"So..." Job smiled at Leroy...

We have a little problem to discuss...

"You've become quite the little nuisance, Leroy..." he noted...

"Me...?" he sneered...

"I ain't done nothing...That your bozos there..." he pointed to Andrew and Jonathan...Glaring back at him... "Can prove..."

"They did block your attacks..." Willow eyed him...

He sullenly glared at her...Mumbling to himself...

"What attacks?..." he finally replied...Affecting what he took to be a causal air...

"You hacked our site...You've been sending us quite a lot of posts with some pretty unreasonable demands..." Wescox frowned at him...

"Prove it..." Leroy folded his arms...

"I can't help it if 32,201 people...As of eleven am today...Agree with me..." he grinned...

"Kid...I got more to do than play games with you..." JW eyed him...

So...I'm turning this over to my assistant Ms. Rosenberg here...My webmasters...

And...My legal staff...

Leroy blinked at the finale...Ummn...

But...They got nothin'...No one can touch the great Daine...he confidently told himself...Stretching in his chair...

"Ms. Rosenberg...? Let me know how things go..." Wescox looked at Willow...A slight gleam in his eye...

Uh...Yeah...Willow nodded...

Sure...Boss...

This a promotion?...she wondered...

***

A tall, tense woman of thirty?-something in dark glasses and suit with briefcase strode in, accompanied by a rather hefty tall man, bald...Likewise with case...

"Leroy Daine...?" the woman asked in a brittle and cold voice, glaring at Leroy...Opening her briefcase on Wescox's desk...

Lisa Pengus of Pengus, Podlus, and Smith...she handed him a card...the large man following suit...

Mike Podlus...he nodded at the boy in a gravelly voice...

"We represent the Job Wescox production company for "Mona and the Monsters, Inc...You've been making damaging attacks to the copyrighted website of this production..." Ms. Pengus coldly noted...

Damagin' attacks...Podlus nodded, eyeing Leroy...

And recently began making personal threats against our webmasters here...the woman nodded at Andrew and Jonathan...

Very personal...Podlus grimly chimed in...Whacking a fist in a hand...

And posted personal threats to cast and crew members...she added...

Very personal threats...Podlus noted...

"You will cease and desist at once...Or Mr. Wescox has authorized us to take any and all action necessary to stop you..." Ms. Pengus eyed him coldly...

Leroy squirmed in his chair...But tried a touch of bravado...

"You got nothing on me...You can't prove I done anything..."

Ms. Pengus reached into her case and pulled out...A small tape recorder...And after a brief rewind, played it...

"Sure I did it...I screwed your site...And I'm gonna get you guys...And all of you...Nobody does it to Leroy Daine...Nobody..." she stopped the tape...

Want more...? she smiled grimly...

"That ain't me..." Leroy gasped...

"Sure sounds like you..." Mike grimly noted...

"I never said that...This is some kinda trick..." Leroy glared...

Ms. Pendus glanced at Willow...Smiling with a pair of unmistakable big lips...Though with rather dull lipstick lessening their usual impact...

Wait a minute...Willow thought...

Podlus glared at Leroy...

"Punk...You are in it deep...Very deep..." he stepped forward...

Leroy sank back in his chair...Hey...

"This is a frame..." he looked around nervously...

"I never said any of those things...You think I'm stupid...?"

Yeah...We do...Ms. Pengus smiled...

Stupid enough to leave us a copy of your voice on tape when you returned our message inviting you over...

"We don't play around in this business, kid..." Podlus moved up to him...

"I didn't do nothing...Just fooling around..." he mumbled as Podlus approached...

Ms. Pengus put a hand out, stopping her angry fellow barrister...

My partner likes to save our clients time and expense whenever possible...she noted coldly...

Yeah...Mike grinned...Smacking a fist...

And it gives me such personal satisfaction...

"Just...Fooling...Around..." Leroy stared around the room for help...

We don't fool around...Punk...Podlus smiled...

"But..." Ms. Pengus smiled coolly...

Maybe our client Mr. Wescox would be willing to let you off easy...If you cut out the postings as of yesterday...

"Meaning...You stop your program and delete them...Today...Now..." Podlus eyed him...

Yeah...Sure...Leroy nodded feebly...

Just a joke, ya know?...

"Don't see you laughing now, kid..." Mike glared at him...

There's a computer station right over there...Ms. Pengus pointed...

So you can do the deletes right now...

"Convenient, eh...Punk...?" Podlus glared him over to the chair...

Yeah...Heh...heh...Leroy nodded...Sitting down...

Great...

***

Fifteen minutes later Leroy took his nervous leave, Andrew and Jonathan having pronounced the site clear and the offensive postings properly deleted...

Well...Ms. Pengus grinned at Willow...

Emmy caliber...? or no...?

Oscar...Willow grinned back as Libby removed her glasses...

"Nah...The Oscar goes to Mike here..." Libby beamed, hugging Podlus...

And the props guys...

Sydney sighed...Well, cheap imitation Eastwood isn't quite my style...he grinned as he removed his fat vest and bald wig...

But I always did want to play..."der fat man" he hissed in excellent Peter Lorre...

"You guys were terrific..." Jonathan beamed...

Shame Buf was in England...And that we didn't get a videotape...Willow noted, grinning...

Take two, Sydney...? Libby smiled at Mechamber...Who waved his hands...Why not?...

Jonathan...You will be our Leroy...she pronounced...

But no offense intended...she hastily added...

"Willow, Andrew...Video camera's in the back room.." she pointed...

Then...Places everybody...

I have an option to direct after all, she grinned at Willow...

***

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part XXIII...

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, www.geocities.com/buffyrebecca

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

Part XXIII...

"This week...On "Mona and the Monsters"..." the announcer intoned...

When a friend and classmate is ensnared for evil by the fiendish Demontos...

"If there's even a chance of saving his soul...I've got to try..." Mona noted solemnly...A soulfully determined stare into space...

(Oh brother...Buffy rolled her eyes...Dawn annoyed, shushing her...)

On screen, the Professor sighed...Grabbing his assistant Henry's hand as he rolled a newt's eye across the table...

(What a geek...Xander noted to Willow...Unbelievable...)

"My girl...You don't know what you're asking of the Minions of Light...You'll be placing your own soul on the balance..." Professor Freider sighed.

"It's my choice, Professor..." Mona stared at him...Steely-eyed.

(You know... "The West Wing" is on channel five...Buffy noted...The others...Warren, Willow, Tara, Xander, Anya, Basey, Amelia, and Leroy staring at her...

But...This is the prelude to my guest appearance next week...Dawn looked at her.

Ok, ok...Buffy sighed...Grousing back in her seat, arms folded...

Should've got Warren to take me out tonight...Or gone over with him to Giles' to do some research...she thought.

Geesh, Buf...How's about a little company loyalty?...Willow thought.)

***

"Well..." Amelia noted as they all sat in the Summers' kitchen after the show, Buffy and Basey preparing for Patrol...Under her watchful eye, at least in Ms. Granger's case...

"A bit inefficient...With regards to her praying and all...But all things considered...You ladies could learn a thing or two from Miss Mona."

Dawn nodded...As befitting a "Mona" guest nemesis...

One learns to appreciate a worthy adversary...Not that she had anything to say against Buffy's or Basey's fighting styles...

Just...Mona did have some rather neat moves...Especially in the upcoming episode where she hacks my head off as I try to fool her with the sweet young girl act again...she noted to Anya.

The Slayers blinked at Ms. Walthrop-Hunt in unison...Learn...? From Mona...?

"Her attack mode was excellent..." Amelia pointed out...A rapid strike on contact without pause...

Exactly...Dawn noted to Anya...That's just how she gets the drop on me...

Geesh...Anya frowned a bit at Dawn...Give the plot away, why don't you.

I've noted, Ms. Summers...Amelia turned to Buffy...

"You've a habit of pausing to address the creature before your attack."

A habit Ms. Granger is acquiring...she frowned at Basey.

Is she suggesting...? What I think she's suggesting?...Buffy thought.

Give up my "Here's the deal?..."

Unthinkable.

Always thought Buffy was a bit long-winded with that speechifying of hers...Anya whispered to Xander.

"Mr. Callis does a nice job as the Professor, don't you think?..." Willow kindly and loyally diverted the subject...

Yeah...Tara nodded, taking the hint...

A regular Giles.

"Say...Buffy?...Any more word from BR and Will?..." she turned to Buffy.

Inner Circle of the Council is still in deliberation...Buffy noted....But Giles is still sure they'll go along...

All the guys he corralled while we were in England should've voted for Will at the full Council session secret ballot...And the Inner Circle is bound...Supposedly...By the full Council's wishes...

Not to mention...My own and Sis'...she added grimly.

"Will's a shoe-in..." Warren agreed...

All the fellows I talked to at the sessions were in his court..he smiled at Buffy who smiled back.

"Lemme get my coat, honey..." she patted him.

Warren's coming too...she explained to Amelia...A bit tersely, Willow noted...

But then...No one disses Buffy's "Here's the Deal"...Even Giles could never her break of the habit...

Sort of like Mona's praying...The Slayer's trademark.

Hmmn...Scared to death of the Summers' Slayers weren't they?...she hissed to Warren after Buffy left them for a mo.

Terrified...Warren nodded...

"They were even nice to me...Thinking I was Buffy's...Ummn..." he paused.

Geesh...Warren...Dawn thought, rolling her eyes...She's been calling you honey in every sentence since you got back from England the other day...

Cross that line, boy.

"Warren..." Basey took the forthright approach to help her two dear friends move it along...One she could hope someone might likewise do with Giles in the near future...

You are Buffy's...

"Body and soul..." she grinned wickedly...Willow and Tara grinning as well...

Xander blinked a bit...

Not that he didn't like ole War...Just...Well...

This is Buffy Summers...Not some Katrina...Or even some Libby Marsden or Sarah Gellar movie star type...

On the other hand, a great victory for the nobler sort of geek and nerd the world over...

Warren blinked as well...As he caught Dawn eyeing him with an shrewdly appraising look befitting a cautious and protective sister...

Well...her eyes narrowed to "Demon Queen" intensity...

A whole different ballgame for you now, Dr. Mears...her careful look said...

But..For the moment...You'll do...her slight nod indicated.

"Guess I am at that..." he smiled...Returning Dawn's nod.

Tara smiled at him...But gave Willow a slight nervous glance...

Him?...she did not say...

Not that I don't like him. He's been true blue since he created BR and helped us beat Glory...In fact, I kinda think Willow was a leetle nervous bout me and him for a bit...It's just...He's not exactly the supernatural fighter type. Or the sort of Undead hottie Buf seems to naturally latch on to...

Him...Willow looked back...And damned well bout time our poor Buf got some again. From somebody nice...With a steady, honest income...No dark Government agency background...

And breathing.

God...Don't let things go blooey with the peace tonight...Willow sighed to herself.

Warren's no fighter, just a nice guy...And Buffy needs a nice guy.

Oh, well...He does seem to be catching on...And what the hell did we know about fighting demons when we first joined up...she thought.

"Ready?..." Buffy came to the kitchen hallway...Basey and Amelia rising...

"All set...Honey..." Warren nodded, rising as well.

***

Back at his lair...The infamous Leroy Daine plotted his next move...

Ok, he sat in his chair and whined at the computer screen...Reviewing the official Mona web site and associated message boards and forums...

Bastards...Not even coming close to using his canon...The One True Bible of the Monaverse, if only those morons had vision...

But given the attitude of MTM's legal staff...His options for action were limited...

And no one seemed to go along with his ideas in any of the open, democratic Mona forums available on net. No mob of independent posters, ready to follow his lead, seemed to be forming, despite his frequent calls to march.

Fools...Well, since when has Democracy been an efficient form of government...? The Monaverse requires a single, unique vision...

His.

I mean, look at these fan-fics...Such ridiculously wrong-headed ideas...No, a single Voice was required here...To bring clarity...And order...

A Borg King, you might say.

Hmmn...

Wonder if there might be any dirt to dredge up on those bastard lawyers...Pengus and Podlus, was it?...

Well...Gilmore Girls wasn't on for another hour...Worth a Google anyway.

Though he needed some time to work on the Gilmore canon...To be sent out after tonight's episode...

There were problems crying out for his vision on that show too. But Lauren was sure to back his ideas...He could tell she understood him. They were soulmates.

Like him and Mona...

***

"We're in the money..." Scodos happily hummed...Politely nodding to the Sunnydale Mall mens' store sales girl as he paid for a new suit...With his first "Mona" paycheck.

Rather nice to be back at the Mall...As paying customer rather than leader of Dreg's ragged band of vamp mercenaries...

They've done a terrific job on the restoration so far...he noted to the girl. About sixty percent of the stores having been reopened.

After that terrible earthquake last year...he nodded solemnly.

"Fred...?" Harmony called from the Mall corridor...Carefully using his old human first name...

He sighed...Oh, well...What the hell...With things going so well, he could ever bear Harmony for a little while...

And the kid was behaving herself.

"What's up, sweetheart..." the head of the Scodos Theatrical Company smiled at her...

Enjoying the fruits of your labors?...he grinned.

Pretty girl, actually...he noted.

Hmm-hmmn...she nodded...Raising a well-stuffed bag...

"Have you seen Buffy since she got back?"

Indeed...he nodded, emerging from the store with his new suit...

Ms. Summers was quite pleased with the way things went during her brief absence...Ms. Granger had no trouble at all...he smiled.

Great...

Ummn...Harmony eyed him...

"Did she mention anything about...Rehearsing with me?"

She's still on that kick?...Scodos looked at her...

Well, sweet of her really...Kid does have a good heart...

Especially for a killer demon with barely restrained bloodlust.

"I'm sure the Slayer's just been busy resettling in since her trip..." he noted kindly.

Yeah...Harmony sighed, a little crestfallen...

Actually...Scodos hesitated...

I'm to meet her briefly tonight...

Oh...? she eyed him...

Well...It's a leetle surprise for our folks, really...She wants to arrange a few additional jobs for our people with the W/S Bionetics Corporation...If I can recommend a few trustworthy types.

"Really...?" Harmony stared...

Just some night maintenance and security...But, heck every little bit helps...And the Slayer is very happy with the success of our employment program so far.

Employment program?...she blinked at him.

Under the effect of his heady success with the Mona project, "Fred" Scodos had begun to resume his old career in human...Well, you know...resources.

Buffy the Vampire Employment Counselor...? Harmony thought.

"Why don't you come along, kid?" he grinned...

Ms. Summers won't mind, I'm sure...And you can see when she might be willing to do some work with you.

Angel has his curse, Spike his chip and his own Buffy...We have steady employment... And an artistic outlet...Harmony thought.

Well, whatever works, I guess...

***

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part XXIV...

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, www.geocities.com/buffyrebecca/pg2.html

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

(See part XVIII posted for a background review...Or better yet read "Sunnydalopolis" and "The Tie that Binds" at my BR verse page link above)

Part XXIV...

Promo for "Mona and the Monsters"

Episode 4: "Agency"

Guest Star: Kelly Preston

Special Guest Stars: Sarah and Frederick Prinze (in the BR verse, different folks, she uses the Prinze...He doesn't use the Jr.)

Introducing: Dawn Summers as the Demon Queen...

Regular cast in order of appearance...

Ruthie Myers, college student, Mona's best buddy : Sally Kirke

Henry Tugwell, college grad student and student of the paranormal: Mich Bramwell

Mona Medaris, monster fighter, college student, K-mart shopgirl: Libby Marsden

Janey Myers, Ruthie's sister: Susan Cooke

Dr. Freider, college history professor, expert on the paranormal, college advisor to Henry: Mark Callis

Demontos: Sidney Mechamber

Meng, his chief aide: Michael Cheng

Amanda Wilkens, wealthy businesswoman, servant of Demontos: Henrietta Lowler

William Norie, uncle of Mona Medaris: Kurt Webster

Ann Medaris, Mona Medaris' mom: Kathy Laner

Moe Medaris, Mona Medaris' dad: Henry Madwell

Moe Medaris, Jr, Mona Medaris' older brother: Charles King

Sheriff Oscar Franke: Michael Henry Farr

Deputy Barney Miller: Hank Calder

Man in coffee shop, table # 4: Job Wescox

Additional townspeople, college, coffee shop and K-mart: Willow Rosenberg, Tara Maclauy, Will Wesler, Jonathan Levinson, Warren Mears, Buffy Summers, Jill West, Janice Presler, Bill Grier, Michell Wilkins, Job Wescox, Fred Scodos, Bill Grieg, Michael Cheng, Ann Lester, Harmony Ken-Jones, D. Hoffryn, members of the Scodos Theatrical Company.

Director: Job Wescox

Written by: Sukie Willis, Tycho Felig, Alexander Harris

Produced by Job Wescox

Choreography by Sid Fried and Bill Grieg

Music by Michael Herner, Job Wescox

"Mona and the Monsters" is a Job Wescox production, 2002 all rights reserved...

***

Announcer: "Next week on 'Mona...' Why would famed actors abandon the great talent agencies of Hollywood and New York to work under the guidance of a little Hellis talent agency?...In rather second-rate productions...Is it really the firm's dedicated one-on-one approach, or is Hell itself seeking to sign big-name stars?...Kelly Preston returns as the hard-boiled detective and monster -tracker, Joe Frakes, to assist Mona in probing a new Hellis-based talent agency that seems to be having a little too much success in signing big name stars. Scoody-Doo star Fred Prinze plays an anxious if bumbling movie star seeking to save his missing wife from the clutches of the mysterious "agency"..."

Mona: "You're sure about this...? I mean, we all read about her coming to Hellis...But that doesn't mean she's necessarily...Possessed..."

Frakes: "There have been a lot of similar cases recently...Besides, look at this interview she gave...Last week's TV Guide..." Hands Mona a TV Guide...She reads...Janey attempting to read over her shoulder...

Mona: "My God...That was a short honeymoon...Janey!..." Janey grabs at the guide...

Janey, sadly: "Look at that...She dissed him... 'Fred just doesn't have my ambition, I guess' she quotes..."

"Just like Gillian Anderson and her husband a few years ago...Geesch. How could she diss her own husband in TV Guide?..."

Henry, sighing: "The Prinzes seemed so happy together...In all those photos..." The others look at him...Professor Freider glaring a little at his assistant...

"I read InStyle in the barbershop...Sue me..." he shrugged...Adjusting his glasses...

Professor Freider sighed...

Mona, to Joe: "So she signed with the Heinlein Agency here in town...And then gave this interview...Suddenly abandoned her new hubby and new Shakespearean career for crappy horror films...And Fred Prinze came to you for help?..."

Frakes: "The word about me's been getting out on the street..."

Henry, frowning: "There are only three detective agencies in Hellis...And your name's the first in alphabetical order..."

***

Geesch...Dawn frowned at the television screen...

"They didn't show me..." a slight glare at her partner, Xander...The Assistant Writer...Who sank back into the sofa cushions...

They were supposed to start my episodes last week...her glare at Xander intensified...

"I told you Dawny, scheduling conflict for the guest stars...They had to change the episode order..." he sighed...

"You're next week's big surprise at the end, kiddo..." Basey patted her...

"Yeah..." Willow nodded... "The Demon Queen only shows for a moment to bridge to the next story...You can't expect them to give you away in the promo..."

The week after's your big week...she grinned...Tara nodding...

Nah...Dawn shook her head...

Reruns till mid-next month...

Even better...More suspenseful...Tara quickly noted...The prelude this week, the little glimpse of you next week...Then...

"Reruns after only four episodes and the pilot?...What a rip-off..." Buffy grumbled..."And I thought Ms. Gellar-Prinze was 'never gonna set foot in Sunnydale again' after that incident at the Mall...?"

"It's my fault..." Libby sighed from her chair in the Summers' living room... "I gotta do a week in Austin, Texas filming some scenes for Quentin Tarentino...It's a deal my people worked out with Job..."

"Mona's a hit...Ms. Gellar-Prinze rethought her position..." Dawn noted, with the experienced demeanor of a TV professional...

"You really think she looks like me...?" Buffy looked at Willow... "I don't think I'm that boney..."

"What's she like...? I never did get to meet her..." Dawn looked over at Libby...Who hedged...

"Just worked with her a couple of scenes...And met her at a reception once...She seems very nice..."

The competition...Willow grinned...

"She was up for the part..." Libby sheepishly smiled... "But Job wanted me..."

"Nobody prays like me after a monster kill..." she solemnly noted...

"Honey..." Anya patted Xander, whispering for Libby's clueless sake... "Thanks for getting D'Hoffryn that spot...He said to tell you he had the time of his existence...And will refrain from seeking your death in excruciating agony for taking me away from the firm..."

That was a joke, you know...she hastily added...If he'd wanted you dead...

***

A beaming BR was on the satellite link...Buffy and the others scattered round to applaud "Dr." William Soames Walthrop, Council watcher...By one squeaky vote...

"So...Your brother-in-law's now a member of the Royal Librarians?..." Libby whispered to Dawn...

Antiquarians...Very prestigious group...Dawn noted solemnly...

***

Later that night...

The Monaverse webmasters emerged from their office trailer at the Sunnydale production site...Both Andrew and Jonathan looking lost in deep thought as to the future of the Monaverse...As befit two Acolytes of Mona to whom awesome responsibility had been entrusted...

Especially with a crowd of adoring nerd Mona groupies watching from the site fence...

Largely female, Jonathan hoped...Just hated it when he had to tell the adoring guys no dice...They seemed so hopeful...Then heartbroken...

"There they are...!" several groupies screamed... "Jonathan, Andrew!...Use my jpg image for your wallpaper...Make me a Mona character, use my face!" several waved photos...

Many already clutching downloaded copies of the Mona Canon as completed to date...A few pressing petitions to be presented for website changes, but only as the Canon indicated...Most respectfully attempting to offer questions to the High Priests of the Monaverse...

They paused to bestow a benediction on the crowd of True Followers of the Faith...

To find a raging Leroy Daine standing in the midst...

"You bastards!..." he screamed...

"It was all a set-up...There's no legal firm by that name...!"

Geesch...Jonathan thought...He gets a free command performance by our stars and he's gripping...

"These guys are all wrong about the canon!..." Leroy yelled at the crowd "And they're..." No one was listening...

Rather they generously chose to avoid looking at the mighty Daine brought low...

His own kind...Betraying him...he raged...

But then the bastards had never followed him...

Still, that healthy fear of his taunts was gone...Several snickered at him...Probably the fools who'd dared question his Gilmore Girls canon last night...

The Guardians of the Monaverse had reached the site gate...A guard cleared a space for their car...

Another guard moved to confront Mr. Daine...Towering over the chubby boy...Especially likely to instill fear with his authoritative presence due to his being one of Scodos' company...Recently hired with the Slayer's approval under the truce...After all, a vegetarian by nature, despite his seven foot height and clawlike hands...

But, so long as the kid remained on public property...

Though not being arrested as a martyr for his cause was likewise not likely to win back the position he'd just lost...

"Let him be..." Jonathan noted to the guard...As he and Andrew were escorted to his car...He nodding to the valet...Who gave a dutiful nod...

"Levinson!!!..." Leroy screamed at Jonathan as they walked away from him...

"You won't get away with this!!!...None of you!!!...Nobody does to me!!!...I do to them!!!!..."

"I'm LEROY CARSON DAINE!!!...I'm no cheap troll clown lurking around sites to annoy people !!..."

"LEVINSON!!!!..."

***