Swallowing hard, Buffy followed her into the elevator. The door closed and then quickly opened. She looked at Willow in surprise. “But we didn’t even move.”
The redhead shrugged. “Things are kind of different here. Physics are…well, the Gods don’t really think that physics should apply to them.”
“And you’re a god?”
Willow laughed while shaking her head. “Definitely not. I’m all mortal.”
Buffy frowned and started to ask another question, but Willow pushed her shoulder. “Go on. I want you to see this.”
Buffy stepped into the pale grey hallway and found herself standing instead in what looked like a large nightclub. Electonica filled the air with a heavy base backed beat and the place was filled with people dancing. Groups sat on luxurious looking round couches and drank colorful cocktails out of an array of delicate glassware. It almost looked like a club she’d visit with her friends, almost. The first thing she noticed was their clothes. Not even on Halloween would she have encountered the complex variety of styles and eras of fashion she was looking at right then. There was a woman dancing on a small elevated platform wearing what appeared to be a toga that left her right breast entirely uncovered. The bartender had pointed ears and three silver hoops pierced through his left eyebrow. Also, he wasn’t wearing a shirt. Two women sitting on barstools looked liked extras from a movie about Marie Antoinette, complete with wigs and pale face powder, but the man flirting with them wore jeans and a black leather jacket. Buffy turned to Willow with wide eyes. “What is this?”
“What does it look like?”
“Costume party?” She shrugged and glanced at the dancers again. “Costume party at the Playboy Mansion?”
Willow frowned. “The Playboy Mansion?”
“You know, like…porn?”
“Pornography?” She laughed hard. “I forgot how prudish it was up there lately.” She shook her head. “This place is kind of tame. If you’d rather it, I can take you to an orgy.”
Buffy stepped back and put her hands up palms out. “No. Nope. No orgy for me, thank you very much.”
“I was teasing, mostly. William would probably kill me if I took you to an orgy.”
Buffy frowned at the reminder of how she’d ended up in the truly bizarre situation she was in. “He may be the boss of you, but I don’t really care what he would or wouldn’t like. If I wanted to go to an…an…a thing, I would.” Did they all actually expect her to just go along with this?
“He is.” Willow shrugged. “The boss of me. But I didn’t really mean that he’d kill me. He’s not like that.”
“Yeah. Look, I’m sure that he’s great, for a creepy guy who lives in Hades, but he’s not for me. I’m going home.”
Shoulders slumped, Willow shook her head. “Please try to keep an open mind. You’re being given an amazing gift.”
“I was kidnapped. One minute I was hanging with my friends at a club kind of like this one and the next thing I knew I woke up in…Hades. How is that a gift? My friends must be completely freaked out and my parents, I can’t even imagine how worried they are. What am I going to tell them when I get back? How could I possibly explain this and not end up committed?”
“Let’s worry about that later. I say we get drinks and I’ll introduce you around.”
“I’m pretty sure that agreeing to get a drink with someone is how I got into this mess.”
“I know that was bad, but really there are reasons…extreme circumstances. Angelus meant well. He really does love his cousin…in his own way.”
“The kind of way where he collects girls for him.”
Willow shook her head and grinned. “You make it sound like he does this all the time. You’re William’s soul mate, just you. I mean, sure Angelus has tried fixing him up with local girls some, but—” She stopped suddenly and blushed. “That’s not really the point. You’re the only girl he’s ever brought back from above. You’re special. William has been waiting for you for a very long time.”
Buffy agreed to stick around and sip on a diet coke. Willow explained that calories weren’t an issue in The Underworld, but she still figured she’d better be safe than sorry. She then followed the red-haired girl around the room and nodded politely while she was introduced to at least a dozen strange people. All of them smiled at her excitedly and congratulated her as though she had just gotten engaged, but she still got the impression that they were eyeing her with an odd degree of curiosity. Of course she really wasn’t dressed for clubbing. She asked Willow if it made her stand out but Willow only laughed and glanced around pointedly.
“So why does everyone keep looking at me like I’ve grown horns or a third breast?”
“We don’t get a lot of new people. It’s always a little exciting. And there’s the whole soul mate thing. There are very few people with their true partner.” She gave a small shrug. “I suppose the fact that you’re William’s only makes it more interesting.”
“Why?” Buffy couldn’t help letting a suspicious note enter her voice.
“William is…special.”
She asked why, but Willow only told her that she’d see for herself and continued showing her around the club. When she yawned, Willow led her back to her room.
“I thought you’d want to dance.”
“Yeah, I guess I’m not really in a dancing kind of mood. You know…what with having been kidnapped and—”
“Brought to Hades. I know.” Willow sighed. “Your door isn’t locked. You’re free to come and go as you wish. If you get lost, just tell someone who you are and they’ll help you find your way back. Oh, and if you’re looking for William, he’s usually in the library.”'
“I’m not.”
Willow nodded. “Right. I’ve got some work to do, but I’ll check in with you later.”
Buffy dropped down on the bed and sighed. If this was all a dream it was lasting an incredibly long time. Maybe she was in a coma.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
The tour of Hades continues now.
Chapter End Notes:
Thank you for reading. Please take a moment to let me know what you thought. :)