469 - Enharmonic intervals - Shanshu - Dragon's Phoenix - BtVS

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Title: Dramatic Backdrop

Fandom: BtVS
Prompt: 469 - enharmonic intervals
Rating: PG
Summary: Another chapter for Shanshu
Word Count: 665

The guards stopped shy of the cage, leading them to a dais instead. The raised circle was about ten feet across and ran only a few inches up from the ground. “What do you suppose this is for?” Willow asked.

Nothing good, Spike thought. “Don't think the sacrifice is going down here.”

“Huh? Why not?”

“No altar for one thing.” Demonic rituals, well the kind that ended the world, tended to require a dramatic backdrop. Sure, Angelus had invoked Acathala at the mansion but the Slayer'd had him on the run, even if he hadn't been willing to admit it. If Angelus' had the time, he'd have hunted up a suitable monastery, or more likely nunnery given Angelus' proclivities, for the ritual.

“But, there must be some reason we're here, right? I mean, they could have put us in the cage.”

“Yeah, they want us here for a reason. Just don't know what.”

They both quieted down as demons, the ones with the masked faces and robes that looked like they were made out of bark, formed a circle around the dais. Willow ducked, just a bit, as they all sang out the same note. “D Flat,” Willow identified.

“More like C#, love.”

Willow tilted her head as if that would give her a better look inside his mind. “They're the same note. It's called enharmonic intervals. That's the two notes that are the same pitch but can be written out differently depending on their key.”

Trust Willow to back up her assertion with a lesson. “What instrument did you study as a girl?'

“Piano?”

“Yeah, and on the piano, C# and D Flat are the same note, but not on, say, a viola. Stringed and wind instruments, as well as voices,” he said with a nod toward the demons, “can play out subtle differences between the two notes.”

As half the demons continued to sing C#, the other half of the chorus shifted to F. Oh yeah, this was bad.

“Is that important?”

“Think it means they're moving us.”

“Um, Spike, what would singing have to do with moving us?”

“Some demons identify different dimensions musically, as different chords. Once they get the full chord going and add a bit of magic, we're on our way someplace else.”

“Like, wherever they're going to do that Shanshu ritual, the one that merges all the dimensions together?”

“Exactly like,” Spike agreed. “Which means its time for our great escape.”

The demons, a quarter of them it sounded like, added G# into the mix.

“Great escape?”

“Can't let 'em use me, love. Besides, if I'm gonna go out, I'd rather take ferryman's fee with me.”

“Oh, right.” She was so brave, realizing they'd have to die to stop the ritual but trying not to show it. “Uh, Spike, I think escaping's going to be a problem.”

“Huh?”

“I can't move my feet.”

“Shit.” His feet were glued to the ground.

As another quarter of the demons started singing B, a whole slew of demons – including those three bitches who seemed to be in control as well as Ash – joined them on the dais. Definitely not good.

There was a sharp moment when Spike wished his stomach wasn't empty so he could puke and then they were under sunny skies. As the screaming started, Spike looked around to see people running, away fortunately enough for them, and a handful of demonic soldiers chopping into cars with their axes. It certainly added to the chaos but Spike figured they'd have the space cleared soon enough. He turned around to take in the backdrop.

“Dramatic enough for you?” Willow asked.

Spike stared up at the red pagoda, the dragon carved into the wooden facade, the two heavenly dogs to each side, and the dragon silhouettes along the sides of the copper roof. He looked down to the handprints and fooprints sunken in the cement and saw he was standing right by Danny Thomas'.

Grauman's Chinese Theater. Yep, that'd do it.