A dark figure stepped into the shadows in an alleyway beside the Bronze. He was wearing Arabian-style robes. A large black glove covered his right hand. An eel-like creature hovered over his left shoulder. The two watched as Willow and Oz walked out. The male figure chuckled easily.
"Should I kill them now, Master?" the eel asked impatiently.
"Why bother?" the male figure said with a confident laugh. "They will lead me to the Genie. Otherwise, I'll find a new use for the Crystal of Ix."
The eel chuckled at the thought. "Xerxes like Mozenrath's plan. Can Xerxes kill the werewolf?"
"Later." Mozenrath promised.
Willow looked worriedly back at the Bronze. Actually, to be more specific, she was looking at the alleyway beside it. "Something wrong?" Oz asked.
"No." Willow said woodenly. it was a feeling she couldn't put her finger on.
"I don't know how to describe it." Willow explained worriedly to Buffy.
"Hmm, did feel like a chill."
"Try arctic wind during a blizzard in Maine." she was surprised by her description.
"I didn't notice any new demons last night."
"Why doesn't that reassure me?" Oz asked, leaning down and kissing the top of Willow's head.
"AAAHHHH!!" came Cordelia's patented scream from around the corner.
"What's with her?" Buffy asked.
"Arabian rug. Get this, she says staring at her." Oz explained.
"When did we get an Arabian rug?" Willow asked.
"Ask Giles. I found it here this morning. There was also this." He said, reaching into his shirt's pouch. He removed his hands and revealed what looked like a lightly dusted golden oil lamp.
"Oh wow!" Willow exclaimed, as her left hand unintentionally rubbed some of the dust off of it.
Blue smoke shot out of the spout and filled the library. The three covered their eyes. "Did you rub?" a voice that sounded a lot like Robin Williams asked. They uncovered their eyes and Buffy almost slew the speaker. They were looking at a great, big blue genie. "I couldn't help but notice, you're a Slayer, aren't you?" he asked Buffy. She had taken out a stake.
"Okay, who are you?"
"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm the Entity formerly known as the Genie of the Lamp. But everybody just calls me Genie. Hey, Rugman! Where are ya?!" as Genie said this, Cordelia screamed yet again. The Arabian rug that Oz had mentioned before flew around and stood on its hind...um...tassels? It moved its upper right tassel as if it were saluting a general.
"What are you doing here?" Buffy demanded.
"You obviously don't get this whole Genie deal. I live in a lamp, you rub, I grant wishes. Well, that third part isn't true anymore, but I'm very good at fighting evil." He then morphed himself to look like Mr. T and said "I pity the fool who messes with me."
"What do you want?" Buffy demanded again.
"Your parents weren't very good in teaching manners, were they?" Willow reached up and patted Genie on the shoulder.
"Do you know anything about elbow-length black gloves?" she asked.
"You mean a gauntlet? The only time I ever saw one was when Al fought Mozenrath. Why do you ask?"
"I thought I saw somebody in an alley last night wearing one. He had something floating over his shoulder. An eel, I think.
"If that ain't Mozenrath, then I'm not blue." His skin then turned an interesting shade of red. After chuckling he said "A semi-phenomenal nearly cosmic being can dream."
"What would this Mozenrath be doing here?" Oz asked.
"Well, from what I remember, Mozenrath was a very powerful wizard. He really enjoyed draining other people's magic and keeping it all to himself. The only reason he'd come here is...oh no! He's found me!" He then dove powerfully under a table.
"Scaredy Genie." Oz suggested.
"O-o-o-h-h-h-h, aren't we the brave one, Mr. I-need-an-extra-good-razor-during-a-full-moon!" He then turned himself in a blue Snagglepuss and said "Come on, put up your fists. Dukes, even!" He gave Oz an uppercut and shattered. "Oops, hate it when that happens." he muttered as he reassembled himself.
Mozenrath looked at his makeshift army in disgust. Once, his army had consisted of zombies. Now, it was five vampires, two kulax warriors, and three wolf-like monsters. "All right! Bring me the Genie and Aladdin’s descendant. I've deduced that it has to be a teenaged witch named Willow Rosenberg. Oh, Xerxes?"
"Yes, master?" his pet eel asked hungrily.
"You can feel free to kill the werewolf now. Do in the Slayer while you're at it."
Buffy and the Slayerettes are Property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and the WB. No Copyright Infringement is Intended. Part Two Coming Soon
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