The sun was setting over the skyline of New Chicago as Xander walked barefoot along the shore of Lake Michigan. There was something about the Great Lakes that he had always enjoyed. They seemed almost like an ocean, massive and powerful, but yet were still nothing more than a group of lakes...massive, enormous lakes. It had been a while since he took the time to walk barefoot along any beach, and as the waves crashed upon the shore he couldn't help but smile at just how relaxing and how beautiful the whole scene really was to him.
A moment later he heard the sound of large powerful wings flapping as a slight puff of sand flew past his feet. He didn't bother to turn around, instead he simply smiled and said "Hello angel..."
"Hey Hunnybun!" Came the excitable response as his angelic friend, Veo, joined him on his walk down the beach. "How are you doing?"
Xander looked at his friend, half of her face bathed in the orange glow of sunset, and took a slow deep breath. He briefly looked away to take in the rest of the scenery and slowly exhaled before finally answering "I'm...peaceful."
Veo couldn't help but smile. "I'm so glad to hear it!" she said honestly. "I thought you might be enjoying the views out here on the beach, but I didn't think it would have this profound of an effect on you. It's a pleasant surprise."
Xander gave her a soft smile, wrapped his arm around his old friend's shoulder and gave her a half hug. "What about you, what have you been up to the last few days?"
Veo shrugged as they continued to walk. "Well you know...a little shopping, a little art viewing, a little finding of a surprise for you..." she let her voice trail off without so much as a hint that she was going to continue the sentence. It was nothing more than bait for Xander's attention. She did this to him quite often...and she was an expert at it.
Xander smirked as he waited...and waited...and waited some more, all for Veo to finish her sentence. Although he knew she never would. Finally he spoke up in as exasperated a voice as he could muster. "You're not going to tell me what it is unless I ask...are you?"
"Nope." Was the only reply that came out of the angel. She didn't' so much crack even the tiniest hint of a smile.
The incubus shook his head and laughed as he finally broke down. "Ok, what is the surprise you found for meeeee...!" His sentence was cut off by the angel grabbing his arm and rapidly pulling him toward the city.
"I'll show you! You're gonna love this!" she said, giddy as a schoolgirl.
"Wait, my shoes!" Was the last thing Xander got out before he started screaming like a little girl as Veo dragged him across all six lanes of Lake Shore Drive. She didn't slow her pace in the slightest and never came close to being hit by a car even once. Xander hated when she did that.
--
Five minutes later...
"You've got to be kidding me..." Xander said, mouth open as he stared at the building across the street. "How in the actual hell is this here?!"
Veo just smiled as she hugged him from behind and whispered "Surprise!" into his ear.
Xander was in shock. Standing in front of him, nestled gently between a spa and an apartment building, was an exact replica of a place he knew all too well. A place filled with both good memories and bad. A place that had helped to shape who he was years ago, and a place that was closed down more than five years ago. The Spirals Nightclub.
"Is this real? I mean obviously it's real. But, I mean, it can't be the same thing...can it?!" he asked, clearly confused.
"Only one way to find out!" Veo said as she once again grabbed his arm and dragged him across the street to the club. Xander was in too much shock to really put up much of a fight.
--
The inside of the nightclub was laid out exactly as Xander remembered the original. The club had three levels and was laid out much like a giant bowl. All three levels shared the same ceiling and the club was completely open once you were inside. The entrance was on street level and formed a horseshoe like shape around the rest of the club, which was beneath street level. On the top floor was the coat check room, a large bar, and the DJ's sound booth. The kitchen also occupied the same floor and was through a set of doors behind the bar. The next level down was a half circle lined with booths and seating along the edges, and numerous tables in the middle, all of which were aimed toward the back of the club. A few small, private rooms were under the main floor and along the wall closest to the doors. The final level was the other half of the circle, and contained a large stage along the back wall and a dance floor. Access to the backstage area and the loading dock was on either side of the stage. And of course, bathrooms could be found on every level...you know, in case you really have to go.
Xander blinked repeatedly. "Is this a dream?" He asked no one in particular.
"Xander?!" came a voice from off of his left. Xander turned around, visibly overwhelmed by everything, and came face to face with Celene, the Security guard from the original Spirals. "What are you doing here?!" She more demanded than asked.
Xander was dumbstruck as he turned to look at the young woman he had known so many years ago. Back when he last knew her she was twenty five, now ten years later Celene looked better than ever. She had always been fit, but ten years of whatever workout routine she had been doing had managed to sculpt her body into perfection. Her hair was different...but that was Celene, Xander wasn't sure if he had ever seen her with the same hairstyle or color twice. Today's style was shorter than the last time he had seen her, just below her shoulders with a slight wave. He had no idea if her hair was naturally wavy, or straight, or curly, or anything. She simply changed it way too often. Today's color was a mix of platinum blonde hair marbled together with long streaks of dark brown to create a dirty blonde. The one thing that didn't really change was the security uniforms at Spirals, a black jumpsuit that was tight enough to be closer to a catsuit, with a pair of spirals conveniently placed over each breast. The sight of his old...friend might be too strong of a word, but we'll go with it... combined with the strange feeling of deja vu left him with very few words. "Celene...what the hell is going on?!" he asked, confused, while Veo simply laughed behind him.
Celene was...shall we say...less confused and more annoyed. "Xander..." she started, before taking a deep breath to calm herself down. "What...are you doing here?" she asked, somehow even more annoyed.
"We're...exploring. What are YOU doing here?!" The incubus asked, thinking he was having a mental breakdown. Can you really have a breakdown on a mind that doesn't work right normally?
"I work here, Xander." Came the rather frustrated response from Celene.
"No, I know that. What are you doing in New Chicago? What is Spirals doing in New Chicago? I thought it closed down a few years ago. Why is it here? How is it here?!" The mental dump made him feel a little better, the whole situation was one massive shock to him.
