'Buffy vs. Leprechaun'

(Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan fiction influenced by and based on characters from the television series, 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' which is copyright by Twentieth Century Fox Films Corp.; and the 'Leprechaun' films which are copyright by Trimark Pictures Inc..)

[this occurs after the episode where Giles suggested that leprechauns do not exit]

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As Buffy strolled through the cemetery on her routine patrol, she spotted something shiny in the grass ahead of her. Reaching its location, she bent down and picked it up. Glancing at what was obviously a very old coin, she scanned the surroundings. Seeing no one, she shrugged and placed the coin in her pocket and continued her nightly duty.

The next day, she showed Giles her discovery. Looking at it he replied, "Well, it's obviously quite old." Buffy rolling her eyes, remarked, "I figured that out. So, what is it?" Hesitating he started to reply, that it was a coin, then stopped mid sentence and admitted that he wasn't an expert, but might be able to find something in his books.

Buffy headed off to class as Giles went to consult his books.

Later Buffy returned to the library to find Giles pouring over numerous books. Seeing her, he stated that he had found several references to coins, but was unsure if any were about the specific one she had found. Smirking, Buffy replied, "No pictures?" Giles looking annoyed, admitted the fact.

Xander and Willow entered the library, quickly reaching Buffy and Giles location. Xander seeing the numerous books piled on the table, asked what was up. Buffy picked up the coin and pointed out how she had found it the night before.

Xander took the coin and examining it remarked, "It looks old." Buffy glanced sarcastically at Giles, whom cleared his throat and pointed out that coins often times had some type of curse associated with them. Hearing that Xander quickly placed the coin on the table and stepped back. Buffy inquired as to what kind of curse. Giles shrugged. Willow interjected, "Usually some type of bad luck. -- But sometimes they can bring good luck, depending on what kind on spell was used."

Grinning slightly, picking up the coin, Buffy remarked, "Good luck, huh? I could use some of that." Then she placed the coin in her pocket. Xander remarked, "But you can't be sure of which." Smiling Buffy replied, "I feel optimistic today." Giles repeated Xander's remark. Looking annoyed, thinking, she agreed that perhaps they were right. Removing it from her pocket, she lay it back on the table and looking at Giles, suggested that he could take care of it, for now.

Then she left the library. Xander, looking at Giles, pointing at the coin remarked, "Good luck with that." Then he left the room. Willow smiled and followed Xander.

Giles gazed down at the coin with concern.

Walking Willow home, Xander heard a rustling in the bushes ahead of them. Stopping briefly he retrieved a stake from his back pocket and cautiously continued up the sidewalk. Suddenly a small figure jumped from the bushes in front of him. Startled, Willow let out a scream. The leprechaun pointed at her, silencing her scream and remarked, "Your girlfriend makes too much noise. Now where's me gold!"

Xander replied, asking, "What gold?" The leprechaun, glaring up at him replied, "I smell it on you. Now give me me gold!" Xander stepped forward, in front of Willow and stood threatening with the stake and replied, "I don't know what you're talking about." The leprechaun waved his hand, knocking the stake from Xander's hand and growled, "Liar!" The leprechaun stood pondering, then circling around Xander, sniffing the air, snarled, "You don't. -- Tell me where it is, -- and maybe I'll let you live. Otherwise, I'm going to make a pair of slippers out of you and your girlfriend." Looking at Willow, lewdly licking his lips, he continued, "She'll make a nice, soft pair of loafers." Then glaring back at Xander, "Now. Where's me gold?!"

Willow, who had taken a couple steps backward, being behind the small creature, now between her and Xander, stealthily picked up a brick from beside the sidewalk and hit it over the head with it, knocking it unconscious to the ground.

The two quickly ran to Buffy's house. Upon telling her what had happened, Buffy groaned, "Giles!" Unsuccessfully attempting to call him at the school, then his home, the three quickly dashed out of the house.

Arriving at Giles home, finding him okay, they told him what had happened. Buffy reminded Giles that he had said leprechauns did not exist. He clarified that he had said that he didn't think they did.

Buffy groaned, and shuddered, replying, "Those creepy little things give me the wiggings."

Finding very little information in any of Giles books, Willow, after searching the Internet, told Buffy that killing it supposedly required using a four-leaf clover, but admitted that the specific details were missing.

Finding a possibly useful spell in one of the books, Willow started rummaging around in Giles' kitchen. When Giles asked what she was looking for, she shared the info she had discovered in the book. Stating that she thought she could charm the coin so it would neutralize the leprechaun's magic. When Giles suggested that perhaps that wasn't such a good idea, Willow insisted that coins were easy to cast spells upon. Giles grumbled to himself that that was what he was afraid of.

Willow took the coin and sprinkling it with a mixture of herbs, recited a few words in Latin. Handing the coin to Buffy, admitting that the spell specified using a silver coin, but that she thought it should work with gold, "I changes the words a bit.". Giles murmured, "Bloody hell." Bringing an indignant look from Willow.

Later as the trio were patrolling the neighborhoods. Hearing a brief rustling in the thick, low, shadowy brush beside the sidewalk. Suddenly emerging from the shadows the demonic little creature pointed his finger at Xander, who was wielding Buffy's battleaxe, knocking him off his feet, dazed, to the ground.

Hissing at Willow, who quickly dashed into a nearby vacant lot.

He then glared at Buffy and smiling remarked, "You have something that's mine." Then growled, "Give me me gold!"

Buffy replied, "Say please."

Snarling, he declared, "No one steals me gold!" Glaring, Buffy retorted, "For your information; I didn't steal it, I found it."

Pointing his finger in Buffy's direction, chuckling he remarked, "You'll make a fine pair of shoes, I've been needing a new pair." When nothing happened, looking puzzled at his finger, shaking it, he again tried to zap her with his magic. Again, nothing happened.

Snarling, he again demanded, "Give me me gold!" Buffy, gazing at the small creature, replied, "You've never seen a toothbrush, have you?" The irate leprechaun charged the petite slayer, whom sidestepped his charge and kicked him in the butt, knocking him face down onto the ground. Leaping to his feet, wheeling around, he again charged her. Buffy spun out of his way and with a roundhouse kick, again knocked him to the ground.

Again, although slower and staggered, he stood, turned and demanded, "Give me my coin!" Smiling, Buffy replied, "Finders keepers." Growling, he charged again, only to again be knocked to the ground.

Buffy casually stepped to his location and looking down, remarked, "You know, this is really pathetic. -- The legends are really exaggerated." The wicked little creature grabbed her leg and bit it. Buffy cried out in pain, then kicking him with her other foot, knocking him free from her leg.

Snarling, kicking him again, Buffy remarked, "Okay, now I'm mad." Kicking him yet again, she bent down grabbing his head and twisting it, snapped his neck.

As she was stepping away from the vile imp, it reanimated and scurrying up behind her on all fours, grabbing her by the ankles, pulled her off balance, causing her to fall. Rolling onto her back, as the leprechaun crawled up onto her, struggling, attempting to fight it off, as it once again demanded its gold.

Willow who had been rummaging around in the nearby lot, yelled to Buffy and tossed a large wadded handful of clover to her. Catching it Buffy stuffed the greenery into her opponents mouth.

Gasping and gagging, the leprechaun started flashing and sparking, drooling copious amounts of thick green goo. Buffy pushed the convulsing creature from atop her, stood, retrieved her battleaxe, turned and lobbed the coughing, smoking fiend's head off, reducing the grotesque Irish elf to a pile of glowing, smoldering ash.

Looking down at her slime splattered top, Buffy groaned in disgust.

Noticing a sharp burning sensation on her leg, looking down Buffy noticed smoke coming from her pants pocket. Retrieving the hot coin from the pocket, she quickly dropped it to the ground. Looking sideways at Willow, who chuckling nervously, remarked that perhaps it was because the leprechaun was dead. Buffy suggested that perhaps it was because the spell was for a silver coin. Willow smiled sheepishly. Buffy remarked, "Well, at least it worked."

Walking home Buffy asked, "Were those all four-leaf clovers?" Willow sheepishly replied, "I suppose one of them must have been."

Back behind, from the shadows, a grotesquely wrinkled hand reached for the charred coin, retrieving it.

The End

(original story Copyright © 2022 Theron Jackson)

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. The characters and incidents portrayed and names used herein are fictitious and any similarity to the name, character or history of any person, location, building, event or product is entirely coincidental and unintentional.