I shall never be forgiven all my faults

[A voice post goes out Sunday night:]

So, Luceti. This has certainly been an interesting few weeks, hasn't it? Chaos of all sorts, and I gather that's rare enough even for this place.

...I know that I might have given a few of you cause for concern this past week, especially. And I do apologize for that, to all of you. But let me assure you that all of that is over and done with. I know who I am, and I am not the man who floundered his way around the village all week. And I'm certainly in the mood for moving on.

It's such a nice night, isn't it? I'm glad winter's finally here. I've missed the snow.

[He certainly sounds like he's in a good mood, and those of you who have spoken with Giles in the last few weeks might know just how rare a thing that has become. But maybe he's finally moving past the uncertainty and unpleasantness of these past few weeks. Maybe he's finally finding his feet again.

Giles is out walking early that night, as usual. He seems to have forgotten his glasses, but he certainly seems sure enough of himself without them. This might strike a few of you as odd, since Giles almost never goes outside without his glasses and had to send out a public cry for help the last time he lost them. But maybe he finally took Buffy's advice and got contacts.

He's unarmed and, yes, in a very good mood. He's humming to himself, sometimes even singing quietly as he walks. He seems confident, at ease, in control of himself. And he'll greet people happily tonight, unarmed and unafraid. No apocalypses to avert. No vampires to slay. Just a quiet night out walking, admiring the snow as it makes everything look so very shiny and new.

Sounds nice, right?

A pity it's all a lie.

So, Luceti. How many of you are going to heed the warning Giles made at the beginning of last week to stay inside? How many of you would survive a night in the streets of Sunnydale? You've gone too long without a monster on the prowl, as far as Giles is concerned, and as far as Giles is concerned he's just the monster to fix that. He's hungry and out for blood.]