[River is in the Freyr Welcome Hall and she is surrounded by cake. There are lines of cakes on tables and drinks set up. It is obviously intended to be a bit of a party.]

We have cake and drinks and music. We have a reason to celebrate being alive. We have the ability to dance on our feet and revel in each other.

Whoever you are, whatever you've done to survive, come by. Celebrate that you're still standing for a while.

[Wesley’s face suddenly appears. He’s frustrated and tired despite a night of sleep (which was really just a night of tossing and turning). There are words and thoughts that need to be expressed but it’s hard to form all of that into something coherent especially when there’s a blond someone in his space.]

Spike. You’re suppose to be helping not rummaging through my cupboards.

Helping with what, exactly? [ the ex-vampire shot a look over his shoulder at the ex-ghost, one eyebrow climbing up into his hairline. ]

Explain...explain that place.

[As much as he doesn’t want to think about it, Wesley knows he should inform the people here about where the missing are and the troubles they were possibly facing]

If you’re not-- Fine, just don’t make a mess.

[He takes a moment to put whatever Spike was doing out of his head]

The people who have recently vanished are in fact in, well, possibly another dimension mirroring this one.

[ spike pokes his head out from the cupboard, a packet of tea in his hand marking him victorious. ] You lot ever see Wizard of Oz?

[Welp, the frowning is back]

Wizar- Are you- No, no, nevermind. I think I understand what he’s saying. The world we visited was grey and very hostile to those of us who had suddenly showed up. It also lacked a networking ability and people once again spoke their native language, which, for those not from modern Earth, made things even more difficult.

...Which doesn’t really matter now that we’re back, right? [ his gaze flicked to wes and then back to the feed, seemingly underwhelmed by the whole thing. ]

But others are still there and unless…

[His face heats up at the memory of the things he revealed to Fred]

Another thing is that we were under some compulsion to reveal things to people that we had kept private.

[Compulsion because like hell he had willingly told her the truth]

And our true natures were revealed.

Oh, right, that. You want milk in yours, Wes? [ spike was trying his best to stay casual, pouring himself a cup of tea and avoiding the other man’s bracelet as best he could. ]

[He nods but keeps frowning]

In truth I don’t know how we were brought back here; it’s all a bit blurry, but know that people are trapped in that place and it’s very likely they will stay there unless something drastic is done.

Or if they all die. [ he takes a sip of too-hot tea. ]

[Wesley just stares at the man. This is why Spike shouldn't be allowed to talk to people





[Wesley and Spike. Talk to one or both!]

[ The feed opens up as video, to begin with. Of course, neither Buffy nor Giles can actually speak. The whole city is affected by this. But, luckily for the city, this is something these two Sunnydale natives have seen, dealt with, and destroyed before. Buffy already has an incredibly impatient and exasperated sort of worry written all over her face, lines therefrom aging her far beyond what her actual age is.

Giles is focused, all business-- he’s fumbling with a pen and paper, frowning, eyes away from the camera. When he looks up, he’s scrawled a message with a poorly-drawn monster very seriously drawn in beside it.

THESE MONSTERS ARE CALLED THE GENTLEMEN

Buffy’s shoulders rise and fall similar to a sigh, and she taps Giles on the shoulder before yoinking the pen away from him and scribbling something else.

AND THEY WANT TO MAKE YOU VERY, VERY DEAD

She’s not sorry for interrupting though she expects she’ll be scolded for it later.

Giles just watches as she writes, impatient behind the glasses, and takes up his paper again: THEY NEED SEVEN HEARTS -- complete with little Valentine’s-cute hearts jotted below the words, to make it really clear.

THEY COME AT NIGHT -- Giles taps these words for emphasis, raising his eyebrows at the camera like he’s trying to hold someone’s attention. This is a warning: nightfall isn’t safe. If his words didn’t make it obvious enough, the emphatic gestures Buffy makes in the background, like pretending to knock on a door, then opening it, then making an ‘x’ over her chest followed by what appears to be the ripping out of her own heart, ought to help.

Giles taps his throat, now, as he holds up the next line: A HUMAN SCREAM CAN KILL THEM Buffy snatches the paper away and scribbles ONLY in front of "a human scream".


THEY STEAL VOICES -- Giles is drawing again, another wonky Gentleman-doodle with a small cube in its hands -- AND LOCK THEM IN A BOX

Buffy, again, impatiently takes the paper and scritches a doodle of a wooden box that looks like what an older music box casing might look like. Or a jewelry box. It’s small, rectangular, and simple. Something not indicative of evil.

FIND IT AND DESTROY IT

Buffy makes a fist and smashes it into the flat of her other palm. Then she takes the paper and pen again and scrawls one last message.]

DO NOT ANSWER THE DOOR FOR ANYONE
DO NOT GO OUT AFTER DARK
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FIGHT THEM
ONLY LOOK FOR THE BOX IN THE DAYTIME
AND STAY ALIVE.

[ Then the feed ends. ]