We make our way into the main room of the Magic Box, joining the rest of our friends sitting around the table.
This is basically our only plan and it's very tricky to actually make work. If Dawn finds out, we might not be able to fix anything and she could get to us. She could erase everything we know and fix it so we'll never be able to find out again. We have to play this very carefully.
Faith and I stop as they all look at us. Xander's the first to speak.
"So... what's the plan?"
I turn to Pike as I speak.
"He is the plan."
That has Pike curious.
"Me?"
Faith picks it up from there.
"More like, what you're carrying."
It takes him a second to get it.
"Wrath."
Xander points out the obvious.
"But isn't he kinda... wrathful?"
Time to clarify.
"Which is why we thought ahead. There's a reason why Pike's different than he used to be."
Willow seems to realize what we're talking about.
"Right... I remember that. The spell I cast to switch things up."
Pike holds his hands up, staring at them.
"Is that why I'm suddenly so powerful?"
It's all coming together.
"Basically, yeah. Wrath was too powerful for any of us to handle, and we couldn't be sure what kind of world Dawn was going to create. Since Pike and Wrath were sharing a body, we switched it up to give us the advantage."
Faith finishes the thought.
"That way when we ask him for help, he'll be a little more cooperative."
Gotta be honest about this.
"We hope."
Connor doesn't seem all that encouraged.
"Well that's reassuring."
Faith shrugs at the idea.
"It's the best we have."
She's not wrong about that.
"Wrath is a wild card. We don't really know how to get what we need from him but if he's vulnerable then we have at least one thing to use against him."
Willow has to ask.
"Which is?"
Faith gets there first.
"Dawn."
"She's the one thing we know he's after. Hopefully we can use that to get him to give us what we want."
Connor can't help but say it.
"As long as Dawn doesn't find out first."
Faith and I look at each other and I can't help but take a deep breath.
"That's the big unknown. With the powers Dawn has, we can't take any chances. She has to stay happy until we know how to fix all this. If she's not, we're all screwed."
Faith points that out.
"Which means giving her whatever she wants."
Anya suggests what makes sense.
"But wouldn't that make her kinda suspicious?"
Faith gets there before I can.
"She built a whole world to give in to her every thought and desire. It's supposed to work that way for her. Our lives are supposed to revolve around her. Not giving it to her would be a lot more suspicious."
Willow points something out.
"And even if you did, there's no way you'd know it."
What does she mean by that?
"Will?"
She looks at all of us as we focus on her.
"It's like you said, she built this entire existence to fit what she wants. But she still gave us our own lives and thoughts and relationships. If she just did whatever she wanted, she'd have a problem."
Faith wonders what we're all wondering.
"What do you mean Red?"
"I mean, she can just erase our memories if she wanted to and we'd never know it. There's no telling what any of us might have done or will do because Dawn wants it."
I think I get it now.
"Because we don't have to remember it if she doesn't want us to."
The room falls silent, a lot of us looking at each other.
That's a scary thought. How do I even know what I've done if that's true? What could Dawn have made me do?
Looking over at Faith for a second, I change focus when she starts to look my way.
And who with? What if that's where that vision thing came from? Could Dawn have made us think that we're in love and then have me die in front of Faith? Just to torture her? Maybe even me too? Dawn has always thought that there was something going on between us. She could've played it out in front of her to make herself feel better.
Anya raises her hand.
"Anya?"
"I vote that we get out of this place as quickly as possible."
Faith and I look at each other.
She probably wouldn't be saying that if she knew more about what happened to her in the other reality or whatever this is.
She seems to notice.
"What?"
Better to get off this topic.
"Nothing, you're right. But to do that, we have to get Wrath on board."
"So let's get to it B... if that's good with you Pike?"
He looks at Faith and me for a while before taking a deep breath.
"Well, it's why I'm here."
Faith and I make our way towards him at the table.
"It's not the only reason you're here babe."
But it is a big reason for it anyway.
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