See first chapter for disclaimers.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks to Storyseeker for beta-reading this. As usual, if you have any comments or preferences, please don't be shy. RandR.
PREVIOUSLY: Troll Hunters
Fashion Advice
Xander jumped through the portal, Faith hot on his heels, while moving just a bit more carefully. The portal snapped shut behind them, as if responding to their urgent wish to sever all ties with the place they'd just been. Both leaned against a convenient alley wall, trying to catch their breath.
"We will never EVER speak of that." Faith said, glaring at Xander to get the point across. It was unnecessary.
"No arguments from me on that score," he assured her, happy to never again have to think about-. No. Stopping there. He took a deep breath and looked around. "Huh. We're in a city. Beyond that, can't tell much. Let's look around." He checked himself, glancing down at his current attire. "With an emphasis on finding new clothes."
"Damn straight," the slayer muttered as she tried to adjust the absurdly short skirt so that it would cover more. They left the alley. Fortunately, it was the middle of the night and there weren't that many people around. Unfortunately, those that were seemed to be of the violence-prone-uncaring-about-innocent-bystanders variety.
At least that was the conclusion Xander drew when a shrieking mass of fur and fangs landed hard on the hood of a car stopped at a red light. That mass resolved itself into a humanoid cat creature that smashed the windshield, grabbed one of the occupants and threw her as high into the air as it could manage before rushing full speed at a familiar figure, trying to divide her attention.
Faith reacted quickly, dashing forward and grabbing a hubcap that had been popped off the right-front tire. She threw it like a discus with barely a pause to aim. It struck the creature, which she vaguely recognized from an old comic book, in the back of the knee.
The cat creature went down screaming as the projectile nearly took off its leg. It was an easy mater after that for the dark-haired woman in the red, blue, and gold one-piece to subdue it. She had easily caught the teenage girl who'd been tossed into the air, and was grateful for the assist.
When the cat creature's injuries had been bound and it was safely caged and on its way, the heroine turned to Xander and Faith.
"I appreciate the help. She can be a dangerous opponent even when my attention's not split. The injuries you caused are understandable and excusable for a rookie, but you should be more careful if you intend to keep getting involved in fights with supervillains." She paused and added delicately. "And you might want to rethink those costumes."
"Three things," Faith said, holding onto her temper at the patronizing tone. "One. We're not superheroes. We're demon hunters. If I hadn't recognized you and your dance partner, I'd have probably aimed for her neck. Two. These aren't costumes. This is what was available after-." She broke off in aggravation. "Never mind. Don't want to think about that. Three." She looked the other woman up and down. "No one that wears that little to a fight gets to criticize anyone's wardrobe."
