Disclaimer: Joss & Co. owns all these people, demons, creatures, etc. You know the drill.

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Chapter Ten - Evolutionary

Buffy picked up Xander's trail relatively quickly, and was about to call out to him when she saw him freeze. He stopped and bowed his head, seeming to Buffy to be deep in prayer. She had never seen him pray before, but then things had changed...Buffy stared in wonder as Xander lifted his head and began to walk. She began to speculate that perhaps the prayer was some kind of spell, because Xander was picking up speed and walking almost normally, despite never having opened his eyes.

"Okay, that's different," Buffy said, following at a distance. She had decided it might be dangerous to startle her friend out of whatever trance he was now in. She heard someone behind her scream and turned, on her guard, only to feel something brush up against her leg. Buffy looked down as a long-eared rabbit hopped past. "Aww! That's...what the hell?" she finished as several rabbits also hopped past her and she heard an explosion of screams. She heard people running, and saw hundreds of rabbits hopping everywhere, jumping on top of people and actually bringing them down.

"Oh yeah, I'm back in Sunnydale," Buffy muttered dazedly as several of the furry creatures launched themselves at her. She threw those off with a grunt of distaste, but more quickly took their place. Buffy was surprised to find herself momentarily panicking. She knew with sudden certainty that this was the threat she had seen in her visions, and was shocked by the fear that overtook her. She started to run after Xander, but stumbled and sprawled face forward. With a groan she rolled onto her back to flip herself back onto her feet, but in that instant they covered her, and she smelled her own blood. "I think I finally get Anya," she thought as she felt herself begin to lose consciousness.

*********

"Anya?" Giles grabbed the girl's shoulders, concerned. His normally unflappable employee had turned into a pale, frightened child. She was trembling, obviously in shock, and didn't respond to his prodding. He turned angrily to the threatening apparition. "What have you done to her?"

"Nothing yet. But she knows I will, don't you, Anyanka...you remember..."

*********

NEARLY A MILLENNIUM AGO, JUST OUTSIDE THE QUAINT (A.N.: and to the best of my knowledge, fictional) MEDIEVAL VILLAGE OF BEREG...

"Unhand me, woman," Tev said, wincing at the sound of his guttural native tongue, so unlike the melodious language of the goddess he now served. His wife Ola only clung tighter, so he drew back his hand. The blow sent her to the ground.

"How could you?" Ola moaned. "You've destroyed the village."

"It is of no consequence."

"It was our village. Those people were our neighbors!"

"They were tainted. The goddess demanded a sacrifice."

"Ostara demands too much," Ola said bitterly, and Tev raised his hand in anger again. Yet this time he simply rubbed his fingers together, allowing the goddess' magic to cause a small crackle of lightening that made his wife wince.

"You dare speak her name? I should strike you dead where you sit!" he spat. Ola sagged to the floor covering her face in her hands. She looked up at him hopelessly.

"If you struck me dead you could not hurt me more. My bed is cold."

For the briefest of seconds Ola saw Tev's gaze soften, and she was reminded of the man she to who she had been wed. The man she had grown to love with amazing passion, before he was chosen to serve the goddess Ostara. She saw him draw himself up regally, and the moment of recognition was over.

"I must remain pure, to serve..."

"Then serve your goddess away from my house," Ola said angrily. "Away from our children and away from me. Go, Tev. Leave us be."

He gazed down at her for a moment, then turned and left. Ola wept desolate tears alone in her dwelling. Who would provide for them now? And even worse, what evil would her husband do in the name of his beloved goddess? Already he had wrought great destruction in her name...

"Stop weeping and rise, woman," a strange gravely voice instructed. Ola looked up and saw a strange woman standing before her, her dark hair down to her ankles, her strange shapeless garments giving her the air of a penitent with the exception of the magnificent glowing necklace she wore.

"Who are you?" Ola asked fearfully. "Why have you come here?"

"You summoned me. Your grief...your pain...," the woman's eyes glittered unpleasantly as she smiled, "you have been wronged."

"I...my husband...he has left me."

"For another woman?" the woman asked, and Ola just burst into tears. Her strange visitor huffed in annoyance.

"Just tell me where you want the boils and we can get on with this."

"Boils?" Ola sniffed. "I don't want boils...who are you?"

"Anyanka. Patron Saint of Scorned Women. You have not heard of me...distressing. Though I'm even now fairly new, still I would have thought...nevermind. It matters little. Tell me how you want your husband to suffer."

*********

"Your wife moves against you." Tev had been prostrating himself before his goddess; now he looked up at her in genuine surprise.

"Moves against me?" he repeated in confusion. Ostara frowned at his lack of understanding. Tev was devoted but not terribly bright.

"She is using magicks to try to hurt you. To try to harm me." Ostara might have found his deepening shock amusing if she had been in a better mood. Her knowledge of this matter was imperfect, an annoying development that convinced her more than anything that this situation was somehow dangerous for her.

"She is merely a woman, and has no power, my goddess. What can she possibly do?" Tev asked arrogantly. Ostara found herself unable to answer that question at first. It seemed that the woman could do nothing, but her intuition was screaming otherwise.

"She threatens us," she finally said simply. "You must destroy her."

"I do not see how that is possible," protested her high priest, and now it was Ostara's turn to be shocked. She glowered at the man.

"You question me?"

Tev paled, sensing that he had gone too far.

"No, no my goddess. If it is your wish..."

"It is. Send my armies forth. Destroy the woman."

Moving to the fire, Tev muttered the incantation. The flame rose and issued forth smoke that was pink, then black, then blood red. He smiled grimly.

"It is done."

*********

"I do not understand."

"Make a wish. Whatever you wish will come to be, and you will be avenged."

"Avenged?" Ola repeated dully, and Anyanka stomped her foot in frustration.

"Just...wish something!"

"But I want nothing...I just want my husband back."

"Then wish that your husband returns to you, you cretin!" Anyanka hissed, not even pretending to be patient.

"But I cannot ken what he has done...the destruction wreaked in her name."

"Destruction?" Now it was Anyanka's turn to repeat things stupidly. She hadn't been at the vengeance demon thing long, but this was new, and she sensed not of the good.

"The foul creatures that have defiled the village, bringing death to all who attempted to oppose them. My husband's magicks summoned them...but he is only a tool. For her."

"For his mistress?" Anyanka asked weakly. Ola snorted.

"For his goddess. Ostara," she spat.

"O...Ostara...Oh. Oh! No no no! It cannot be! D'Hoffryn!" Anyanka cried in a high-pitched whine.

"What is wrong?" Ola asked nervously.

"D'Hoffryn! I need you!" Anyanka wailed, and her mentor appeared in a flash. Ola screamed and covered her face as Anyanka prostrated before him. He shook his head.

"Anyanka...why do you summon me? You know the rules. You chose this woman's pain," he chided her, shaking his head.

"But..." the fledgling vengeance demon attempted to protest, but he held up his hand for her silence.

"You must finish what you have begun here. Do not bother me again." Unexpectedly D'Hoffryn clucked in amusement, saying only one more word that neither woman understood before vanishing in another flash of flame. "Rookie."

"Please, I will do anything you wish, but do not summon your demon against me again!" a trembling Ola said, stretching her hands in supplication.

"Oh, be quiet and let me think!" Anyanka said, trembling with fear and growing rage. Ola's eyes widened suddenly, and Anyanka fought to keep from shaking apart. There was a palpable sense of doom descending over the hut.

"He did it. He sent them!" Ola cried hysterically, folding her arms around herself. "We will die here."

"What are you talking about?" Anyanka snapped.

"The minions of the goddess. Do you not hear it?" Ola screamed, and at that moment the demon did. A strange kind of tromping sound, like a million light footsteps.

"What is that?" Anyanka asked, a second before the bunnies were upon them.

*********

"What is that?" Dawn asked tremulously. They all felt the vibrations, and while Ostara chuckled, the sound like ice clinking in a metal tumbler, Giles wandered to the window.

"Oh dear," Giles choked, hardly even sounding like himself. Then a hysterical giggle burst forth, frightening the women in the shop even more.

"Giles, what is it?" Dawn almost shrieked.

"It's the bunnies," Anya replied in a dull voice. "They've come to kill us all."

"That's insane," Amy said, giving Giles a pleading look. He shook his head in wonder.

"Ah, yes, I believe that those are rabbits. In the street. Thousands of them...covered in blood," he said slowly, as if unable to believe his own words. Then his eyes narrowed. "I read about this...of course! Over a thousand years ago, a village was beset...I should have remembered."

"You all should have remembered," Ostara hissed. "But you did not, thanks to Anyanka..."

"I only granted a wish, as was my right and duty as a vengeance demon, you old hag," Anya retorted, sudden anger stirring her out of her shocked daze.

"You still have no idea what you did, do you?" Ostara nearly screamed.

"If you had just let your follower boink his wife once in a while, I wouldn't have been in the picture at all!"

"Can we get back to the killer rabbits for a second?" Amy suddenly snapped, causing all of them to look at her. She colored in embarrassment, adding, "Sorry, I have some rodent death issues, I guess."

"Yes, of course, quite right..." Giles said. "We need to get weapons." He turned to Tara. "And we're going to need spells. Are you well enough to-"

"I am for now," Tara said, uncharacteristically interrupting. She spoke rapidly, as if not sure she'd have time to finish speaking. "If Xander finds Willow, reverses her spell, them I'm going to be pretty much useless. But maybe Amy can..."

"I can help," Amy said. Dawn touched Tara's arm, whispering in her ear. Tara nodded and moved nonchalantly towards Amy, giving the girl a comforting hug while murmuring something below hearing. Giles sighed heavily, eyes drawn to the moving carpet outside again.

"I'm afraid we'll just have to take a chance that Xander will be delayed in finding Willow..."

"If he isn't eaten by the bunnies first," Anya said glumly. That statement caught everyone off guard. Tara's hand flew to her mouth.

"Oh Goddess, Willow's out there too!"

"And Buffy!" Dawn added tightly.

*********

"I don't care how cute you are, you're so gonna die!" Buffy cried as she struggled to her feet. For one sickening moment she hadn't been sure what way was up, but now she had her bearings. And a plan. "Normally, I'd be all about the slaying of you, you little...fuzz balls. But I've got two friends to rescue and an elsewhere to be. So..." She took a deep breath and steeled herself. They leapt for her...but she was already gone. The fluffy menace did not puzzle or ponder over this new development, but continued on to find easier prey.

**********

"Oh, Buffy's the Slayer," Anya retorted angrily. "If anyone can survive that cotton-tail Hell, it's her. And Willow's magic can protect her, if she can stop being insane long enough to..." Her eyes widened suddenly. "Cas! That's what happened to him! You horrible...your bunnies ate my boyfriend! If I had my powers right now, you wouldn't just go away for a thousand years..." She trailed off as Ostara nearly doubled over in laughter.

"Oh, you are delicious, Anyanka. And incredibly stupid. Cas wasn't eaten by them. He's one of them, don't you see?"

"I don't...what?"

"Cas...is...a...rabbit," Ostara said slowly, as if talking to an idiot. Anya shook her head in horrified denial.

"Of course," Giles said. "There was always something rather...twitchy about him, wasn't there?"

"It can't be," Anya said dully. "He was human, I...he...I don't understand."

"I transformed him, you foolish girl. Told him to court you, and he did quite a job...oh, the poor thing does care for you, but my hold on him is infinitely stronger than pathetic human emotion."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Giles said softly, earning Ostara's attention for a moment. The Watcher's cold smile threw the goddess for a moment. Then she laughed, and he shivered, the moment broken.

"I would so enjoy watching my army tear your flesh asunder, Anyanka. But I have spent enough time on your worthless mortal form as it is."

"Then get going already," Dawn said, her voice edged with bitter steel. "You've done your worst, right. And now you just want to sit back and watch. Well, I don't think you'll be doing it here." With that she grabbed a talisman from the display case under the counter and tossed it in Ostara's direction, making a guttural cry. To the surprise of everyone, including Ostara, the goddess faded from sight. They all looked at Dawn in amazement as she bent to retrieve the small charm.

"Buffy's sister has powers?" Amy stage-whispered to Tara, who shrugged.

"Dawn, h-how...?" Giles stammered. Dawn shrugged sullenly.

"I don't like goddesses," she stated firmly, then held up the charm for his inspection. "Fondeur totem, remember? You looked into them as a possible defense against Glory. Not enough power."

"Yes, of course...but Buffy didn't tell you-"

"Remember how I found out I was the Key?"

"You read my diaries," Giles sniffed. Dawn looked simultaneously proud and chagrined.

"Snuck back in later and finished the job. I needed to know, and Buffy wouldn't tell me."

"Well, I hope that we've got that all settled because in case any one's forgotten any second now we're going to be overrun by man-eating rabbits!" Anya's voice steadily rose until she shrieked the last word.

"And who's fault is that?" Dawn retorted. Tara gently laid a hand on her arm.

"Sweetie, don't take it personally. We're in crisis mode, and she just lost her b-boyfriend." At that Anya burst into tears.

"I could turn us all into rats," Amy offered helpfully.

"No, I think that won’t be, er, necessary," Giles said hastily but not unkindly. "I’m certain there's a better plan."

"And I have it," Anya sniffed. "We've got to get to Cas."

"Umm, your once-was-a-rabbit, now-trying-to-kill-us-with-rabbits boyfriend?" Dawn asked sarcastically. Anya opened her mouth to retort, but Giles cut her off with a loud clearing of his throat.

"Anya, you know that I like Cas, very much.”

“I’m not saying this just because I lo...just because he’s my boyfriend,” Anya said slowly, choosing her words with care, which was enough to make Giles pause and listen. “He’s her priest. He’s the one running this show, channeling her power. We have to make him stop. I think he’ll listen to me.”

“Yes, well, that may be so. But I fear that Dawn has a point. If Cas was made human by Ostara, there is no reason to believe that he-"

"But there is a reason. There's the best reason. He loves me," Anya said in a small voice. An uncomfortable silence followed for a few moments, then Giles cleared his throat.

"Yes, well...I'm just afraid we have to come up with another plan."

Anya simply stared as Giles began talking about spells to Tara in low tones while Dawn kept a nervous lookout at the rising tide of rabbits, chewing on her bottom lip. The former demon moved closer to Amy, her eyes pleading.

"He does love me," she whispered. "If I can just talk to him, I know I can get him to stop this."

"You really think you can, don't you?" Amy whispered back, seeing the sincerity in the girl's eyes. A spell, long forgotten like so many others, gradually came to the front of her mind. She nodded at Anya. "I think I can help you. I can get you to him, to talk to him. But there's a problem, a kinda big one."

"I don’t care. Whatever it is, I’ll deal with it."

Amy shook her head doubtfully.

"I don't know, Anya. The problem’s that if you're wrong about this, you'll die. And that might just be what our weird silver evil fairy chick is counting on."

*********

Xander opened his eyes and looked up. The Bronze. She was here.

How did he know? He wasn't really sure himself. When he had rushed off to find her, he hadn't had a clue where she had gone, and he had wandered aimlessly for a time. Panic and frustration had made the bile in his throat rise. Then suddenly he had just...stopped. And closed his eyes. And breathed deeply. Whether it was simple desperation or some deeper knowledge, he would never know, but it felt right. He pictured her in his mind, not even realizing he was speaking out loud.

"I‘m gonna help you, Will. But first you gotta help me out here. Just tell me where you are."

He had felt something then, a spark, a connection. And then he had just started to walk, his feet moving almost of their own accord. It had felt almost like he was sleepwalking, except that he was aware and alert, just focused. Around him he'd heard the sounds of running feet, sirens, car horns, and even screams that seemed to be getting closer. He had kept his eyes shut tight, lest he lose that tenuous connection, until now.

"I'm coming, Willow," he breathed, entering the club and scanning the smoky air. She was in here somewhere, he knew it. A hand on his arm startled him.

"She reminds me of Dru."

"Spike?" Xander asked in disbelief.

"Red," he said, with a tilt of his head. Xander saw her then. She was dressed in the most un-Willowy outfit possible, some kind of sexy black much-skin-showing costume, and dancing with some kind of big brutish college kid. Actually, as he watched he realized she was dancing more around him than with him. Xander growled as he saw the boy try to pull her to him, but she lightly skipped out of reach. "What's wrong with the chit?"

"She did a spell that...why do you care? And why are you watching her?"

"Slayer told me to watch her, didn't she? Watch her and keep her away from...well, you, actually," Spike answered, then laughed at Xander's puzzlement. "You don't know...Buffy's alive, mate." Xander grabbed the vampire's lapels and shook him in anger.

"That's just...My God! What kind of sick joke do you-"

Xander felt a hand on his arm, and looked into solemn blue eyes he never thought he'd see again. For a moment the world phased out and he thought he was going to faint. Then Buffy's face swam back into focus and he could hear her words.

"Are you okay? Can you hear me, Xander? Breathe."

"Buffy?"

"Present."

He gathered her in a crushing hug, still unable to fully believe that she was real and warm and actually in his arms.

"Oh my God it's really you. This is great. This is so, so, so great..."

"I...I'm sorry, Xander, I want to do this, I really do, but we're in big trouble here." Something in her voice made him let her go, and it was only then that he was able to take in her disheveled bloody appearance.

"Are you okay? And when do I get to kick the ass of whatever did this to you?" Xander asked hotly.

"I’m fine. And you don’t. Actually, there are a lot of little tiny asses, and I don't think kicking's gonna do much...I’m still working on what will do, but that’s not important. Listen to me, Xan. You’ve got to go. Get up on the roof, it’s safe there, they don’t go high. Go now, I’ll get Will-"

Screams and exploding glass cut off the Slayer’s next words. Several figures came stumbling in to the Bronze. On first glance they looked like strangely lumpy demons, but when they got closer it was clear they were all human. Human beings with rabbits latched onto any and all uncovered skin. Blood poured down their necks, backs and legs in torrents as they collapsed on the ground. Bronze patrons seemed unsure at first whether to laugh or scream, but the latter won out as a wave of the rodents began to spill into the club through openings no one even knew existed, spreading like a strange hopping carpet over the floor. People began to run, often tripping and falling as the rabbits hopped under their feet or launched themselves at them, sinking their teeth in to hold onto their purchase.

“Cor, it’s Monty bloody Python,” Spike said wonderingly. Buffy and Xander paid little attention to the rodent threat or the vampire’s words. Instead their interest was held by a screaming Willow, who turned towards them, her eyes black. Energy began to crackle from her fingertips as she backed away from them. Spike tried to grab Buffy’s arm, but she moved out of reach, moving closer to the witch.

“Willow!” Xander shouted above the rising din. She ignored him, her entire focus on Buffy.

"You...you stay away...the teacups tip their leaves are black...they promise me... you want me to come be dead with you-uuuuuuu!" the witch screeched, ending in a strange giggling keen. She raised her hands over her head.

"Willow, no!" Buffy yelled, running towards the witch, Xander at her heels. Spike looked around at the chaos and grinned.

"This should be interesting," he muttered, just as he was struck from behind.

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