One of the cats had gone to their room and politely knocked on the door. She had given Taylor and Kristin a couple of minutes to tidy themselves up and then led them upstairs to where everyone had been conferring.
After some good-natured teasing from Isaac and Zac, everything about what was going on was explained to Taylor and Kristin. And so here they were, holding hands, and Kristin feeling rather over-whelmed by the entire experience.
"Hey, wouldn't that be why the Essence left when Kristin showed up?" Zac asked suddenly.
"It would." Slink replied. "Come Crrrystal Masterrr, I have much to show you."
"Please, just call me Kristin."
"There is no need, Masterrr Slink." Another cat spoke up. "I have taken the liberrrty of brrringing down the Crrrystals."
"Ahh, good thinking. Crrrystal Ma - err, Krrristin, we have gathered many crrrystals overrr the yearrrs. We do not know what powerrr they have. Only this one," and Slink gestured to the Crystal Ball, "we do know it has great powerrr."
Kristin gave him an odd look. Then she carefully picked up the Crystal Ball...
**********
"That's it! The Smurfs!" Buffy said some time later.
"What about them?" Janet asked.
"Vampires can't smell Smurf blood." She explained. "And even if they did, the Smurfs are so small, they'd never get a decent drink outta them. Besides, I think Smurf blood is poisonous to Vampires - 'cause it's blue y'know."
"Buffy, you're a genius!" Janet exclaimed. "I'll go summon them."
"Smurfs? Summon them?" Taylor asked. "Ok, this is getting weirder by the second. By the way, is there any more pizza Mike?"
"Tay, they just keep on bringing in all these, ahh, people. From what I've gathered, Janet is an Interdimensional Summoner." Isaac explained.
"Uhh, right..."
"Yeah, I don't get it much either."
**********
A small (both meanings) party of Smurfs arrived shortly after (pun intended).
"Ok, umm, I, umm, I think I have these Crystals figured out." Kristin said nervously. "Ok, uhh, if you wear these Crystal-chip necklaces, umm, well, they'll allow me to track you in the Crystal Ball ok? And when you find the Vampire Valley, all you have to do is concentrate on coming back here and you'll be transported back."
"Sure thing Kristin." One of the Smurfs squeaked.
Well, it sounded like a squeak to Kristin!