Leira
The Magic Box door swung shut after Buffy, and another glanced revealed a gathering of the Scoobies, minus Willow and Tara. God rest her soul, Buffy added, before feeling sick with the realization that Spike was present.
She was about to let rip with the insults, but another figure caught her attention. A dark-eyed, dark-haired and dangerously curved young woman. She looked about eighteen and had the body and stance of a warrior, one used to combat.
"Buffy. Glad you could join us," Giles smiled weakly over his glasses, looking tired. He opened his mouth to say more, but
"Oh, oh, oh!" squeaked Anya, tottering on glitzy heels, "let me do the introductions, please?"
Giles moved back from the limelight.
"Guys, this is Leira. Leira, these are the Scoobies. Minus Willow." She smiled sadly for a moment before perking up. "Anyway. This is Dawn," she halted, "Xander," fragile, "Spike and Buffy."
"Hey,"
"Yes." Anya smiled gleefully. "She's turned up to stay in Sunnydale for awhile." chirruped the ex-demon, "isn't that great?"
Silence.
"Whoa, tough crowd." Leira flashed them one straight-toothed smile.
"Sorry," Buffy shook her head. "Nice to meet you." The others mumbled hellos, and Buffy was painfully aware of Spikes eyes on her. Does she know about us? Thought Buffy. About vampires and demons and the whole evil- thingy?
"Nice collection you got," Leira smiled a perfect grin. Dawn froze inside for some reason. "Weapons and all. Even Kit didn't have this nice a stuff."
"Kit?" Xander was suspicious.
"Demon. Nice. Kinda on the pale side, but hey, good in the other departments." She finished with an innocent grin to round off her not-so innocent comment.
Dawn looked at Leira. She was only a year or two older than her, but so much.better. No, she told herself. She's one of those types who dates demons. Sure, Xander is too, and Buffy's had her go at a vamp or two, but.She's too pretty to be a better fighter than me. Surely? OK, so she looks kinda able. And smart. And really pretty. And Anya loves her. Buffy seems to like her. Giles is into her. Spike's making eyes at her. But, I'm here too. Why doesn't anyone notice me?
"Hey, you're the key right?" Leira said suddenly. Dawn snapped out of her silent dialogue.
"Um.yes.?"
"How do you know?" demanded Buffy, trying to maintain a cool exterior.
"Oh, you know," Leira smiled fleetingly at Anya's rapid shakes of her head behind the Slayer's figure. "Connections."
Spike smiled slyly. Xander opened his mouth. Lately he'd been bitter, the former wariness of Anya was now gone and he wasn't afraid to dob his ex- fiancée in. Leira glanced at him, reading him instantly. Call it teenager's intuition.
"Couple of rowdy vampires, if you must know. Gauzy makeup, no fashion sense, into the whole gossip thing. We had a good chat before I dusted them."
"Wait," Spike interjected, "you do the slaying thing?"
"Obviously, a girls gotta get exercise" she looked at him, straight in the eye. It was a while since anyone had done that. Spike shrugged, evil grin.
"I like this girl more and more. How old were you again?" He flashed another sly smile.
"Eighteen, in exactly." she cocked her head to the side, "six days."
"Eighteen. Great age. So.legal and all,"
"Ew," intervened Buffy, "Spike, don't be gross."
"Hey, I'm not soulless," he retorted. A flash of pain flickered across her face before the Slayer turned her attention back to Leira.
"So what are you doing here?" she was getting impatient with the coy girl who reminded her of Faith. Her guard was up. Leira smiled lazily, eternally smooth, clearly at ease.
"Well I figured that if I really am destined for the whole "Shar'ayj Prophecy" thing I may as well spend some time in vamp central - Sunnydale. Nice town you got here by the way. Kinda cute, a bit lacking in the non- bloodsucking slash apocalypse-inducing excitement area, but hey it'll do." Anya glowed with relief, Dawn frowned, Xander glared at her analytically, Buffy remained non-plussed and Spike regarded the dark haired stranger with interest.
"Quite right," Giles broke the silence. "There is a rather interesting prophecy, I took the liberty of researching a bit whilst Anya told Leira here about-" Anya grew rigid, but Leira slipped in quickly.
"-How awful my trip here was. I had to hike with a deadbeat who was convinced Elvis lives."
"Queue the violins," Mumbled Xander inaudibly.
"Don't like violins. More of a percussion girl myself," smiled Leira happily. Xander hid his surprise with a sour look.
"As I was saying," Giles huffed, "Leira is quite correct - Miki'ashi the warrior was foretold to face the labyrinth of Shar'ayj and lead the Slayer to destroy the bringer of doom or all will be lost."
"Apocalypse? Again?" Whined Buffy. Frankly, dying twice was quite enough for her and another run in with the end of the world wasn't on her cards for at least another six months.
"Oh it's a bit worse than that, pet," Spike replied coolly, ignoring the acidic glares from Giles, annoyed at the younger Brit having stolen his thunder. "Not only death and destruction to all things but it opens up a lovely little dimension to hell and what not. Souls tortured for eternity, blah, blah, blah."
"And you're Miki'ashi?" Dawn eyed the girl of her own age with dislike. There was something in her complete confidence that unnerved the slight girl.
"None other. Bought up learning tricks of the trade," grinned Leira, "then got the hell away from there."
"You ran away from home?"
"Yeah. Parents are hell. Try having two normal parents, six normal younger sisters and then try telling them you're part of an ancient prophecy to save the world. Doesn't go down to good. Then they find out you've been busy beating up a master of the Underworld - don't ask - who mysteriously disappears and leaves a baggie full of green slime on your doorstep. Not to mention the nasty business with a certain vamp.never mind," she smiled brilliantly, white teeth flashing. "Point is, they ain't gonna be treating you too normally after they find an assortment of stakes under your bed." Buffy nodded silently. She knew the feeling. But Dawn was still unsure.
"You're sure your Miki'ashi? Isn't she supposed to be like, the amazing wonderful warrior girl? Teenage Xena?"
"Well, I'm the amazing wonderful warrior girl. Don't know about the Lucy Lawless thing though, but hey, I could pull it off."
"Oh." Dawn had no comeback. Xander pushed in.
"So, why are you so sure you're Miki'ashi?" Xander couldn't keep his eyes off Anya. How can she be so happy? So at home. So perfectly comfortable and.happy?
"This," the girl pulled her shirt up to her ribcage, revealing a birthmark shaped like a curling S, elongated with dots on each end and crossed with a diagonal slash. They examined her curiously, whilst Spike marveled more at the taunt young body. He may be dead and unloved by a certain someone, but he still had eyes.
"Oh, and this," Leira drew a wooden disk from her pocket, tossed it in the air and quick as lightening drew out a dagger which flew straight and true to pin the disk against the wall neatly. It happened in less than a second. Leira shrugged easily, turning back to them.
"Bad shot," she wrinkled her nose. "Feeling a bit off colour. Need sleep. Speaking of, anyone want to hold me up for the rest of the night?"
Buffy opened her mouth to reply, but Spike beat her too it.
"Well love, if you don't mind a bit of a squash I got one hell of a crypt."
"Sounds great," Leira grinned at the vampire. "Thanks."
Buffy didn't know whether to be alarmed or relieved.
NEXT: ".You'd best be getting back to the Magic Box, Giles'll be wanting to do some nuclear testing on you or something."
Leira and Spike. Bonding? Maybe. Drinking? Yes. And it seems she's not such a Normal Girl
The Magic Box door swung shut after Buffy, and another glanced revealed a gathering of the Scoobies, minus Willow and Tara. God rest her soul, Buffy added, before feeling sick with the realization that Spike was present.
She was about to let rip with the insults, but another figure caught her attention. A dark-eyed, dark-haired and dangerously curved young woman. She looked about eighteen and had the body and stance of a warrior, one used to combat.
"Buffy. Glad you could join us," Giles smiled weakly over his glasses, looking tired. He opened his mouth to say more, but
"Oh, oh, oh!" squeaked Anya, tottering on glitzy heels, "let me do the introductions, please?"
Giles moved back from the limelight.
"Guys, this is Leira. Leira, these are the Scoobies. Minus Willow." She smiled sadly for a moment before perking up. "Anyway. This is Dawn," she halted, "Xander," fragile, "Spike and Buffy."
"Hey,"
"Yes." Anya smiled gleefully. "She's turned up to stay in Sunnydale for awhile." chirruped the ex-demon, "isn't that great?"
Silence.
"Whoa, tough crowd." Leira flashed them one straight-toothed smile.
"Sorry," Buffy shook her head. "Nice to meet you." The others mumbled hellos, and Buffy was painfully aware of Spikes eyes on her. Does she know about us? Thought Buffy. About vampires and demons and the whole evil- thingy?
"Nice collection you got," Leira smiled a perfect grin. Dawn froze inside for some reason. "Weapons and all. Even Kit didn't have this nice a stuff."
"Kit?" Xander was suspicious.
"Demon. Nice. Kinda on the pale side, but hey, good in the other departments." She finished with an innocent grin to round off her not-so innocent comment.
Dawn looked at Leira. She was only a year or two older than her, but so much.better. No, she told herself. She's one of those types who dates demons. Sure, Xander is too, and Buffy's had her go at a vamp or two, but.She's too pretty to be a better fighter than me. Surely? OK, so she looks kinda able. And smart. And really pretty. And Anya loves her. Buffy seems to like her. Giles is into her. Spike's making eyes at her. But, I'm here too. Why doesn't anyone notice me?
"Hey, you're the key right?" Leira said suddenly. Dawn snapped out of her silent dialogue.
"Um.yes.?"
"How do you know?" demanded Buffy, trying to maintain a cool exterior.
"Oh, you know," Leira smiled fleetingly at Anya's rapid shakes of her head behind the Slayer's figure. "Connections."
Spike smiled slyly. Xander opened his mouth. Lately he'd been bitter, the former wariness of Anya was now gone and he wasn't afraid to dob his ex- fiancée in. Leira glanced at him, reading him instantly. Call it teenager's intuition.
"Couple of rowdy vampires, if you must know. Gauzy makeup, no fashion sense, into the whole gossip thing. We had a good chat before I dusted them."
"Wait," Spike interjected, "you do the slaying thing?"
"Obviously, a girls gotta get exercise" she looked at him, straight in the eye. It was a while since anyone had done that. Spike shrugged, evil grin.
"I like this girl more and more. How old were you again?" He flashed another sly smile.
"Eighteen, in exactly." she cocked her head to the side, "six days."
"Eighteen. Great age. So.legal and all,"
"Ew," intervened Buffy, "Spike, don't be gross."
"Hey, I'm not soulless," he retorted. A flash of pain flickered across her face before the Slayer turned her attention back to Leira.
"So what are you doing here?" she was getting impatient with the coy girl who reminded her of Faith. Her guard was up. Leira smiled lazily, eternally smooth, clearly at ease.
"Well I figured that if I really am destined for the whole "Shar'ayj Prophecy" thing I may as well spend some time in vamp central - Sunnydale. Nice town you got here by the way. Kinda cute, a bit lacking in the non- bloodsucking slash apocalypse-inducing excitement area, but hey it'll do." Anya glowed with relief, Dawn frowned, Xander glared at her analytically, Buffy remained non-plussed and Spike regarded the dark haired stranger with interest.
"Quite right," Giles broke the silence. "There is a rather interesting prophecy, I took the liberty of researching a bit whilst Anya told Leira here about-" Anya grew rigid, but Leira slipped in quickly.
"-How awful my trip here was. I had to hike with a deadbeat who was convinced Elvis lives."
"Queue the violins," Mumbled Xander inaudibly.
"Don't like violins. More of a percussion girl myself," smiled Leira happily. Xander hid his surprise with a sour look.
"As I was saying," Giles huffed, "Leira is quite correct - Miki'ashi the warrior was foretold to face the labyrinth of Shar'ayj and lead the Slayer to destroy the bringer of doom or all will be lost."
"Apocalypse? Again?" Whined Buffy. Frankly, dying twice was quite enough for her and another run in with the end of the world wasn't on her cards for at least another six months.
"Oh it's a bit worse than that, pet," Spike replied coolly, ignoring the acidic glares from Giles, annoyed at the younger Brit having stolen his thunder. "Not only death and destruction to all things but it opens up a lovely little dimension to hell and what not. Souls tortured for eternity, blah, blah, blah."
"And you're Miki'ashi?" Dawn eyed the girl of her own age with dislike. There was something in her complete confidence that unnerved the slight girl.
"None other. Bought up learning tricks of the trade," grinned Leira, "then got the hell away from there."
"You ran away from home?"
"Yeah. Parents are hell. Try having two normal parents, six normal younger sisters and then try telling them you're part of an ancient prophecy to save the world. Doesn't go down to good. Then they find out you've been busy beating up a master of the Underworld - don't ask - who mysteriously disappears and leaves a baggie full of green slime on your doorstep. Not to mention the nasty business with a certain vamp.never mind," she smiled brilliantly, white teeth flashing. "Point is, they ain't gonna be treating you too normally after they find an assortment of stakes under your bed." Buffy nodded silently. She knew the feeling. But Dawn was still unsure.
"You're sure your Miki'ashi? Isn't she supposed to be like, the amazing wonderful warrior girl? Teenage Xena?"
"Well, I'm the amazing wonderful warrior girl. Don't know about the Lucy Lawless thing though, but hey, I could pull it off."
"Oh." Dawn had no comeback. Xander pushed in.
"So, why are you so sure you're Miki'ashi?" Xander couldn't keep his eyes off Anya. How can she be so happy? So at home. So perfectly comfortable and.happy?
"This," the girl pulled her shirt up to her ribcage, revealing a birthmark shaped like a curling S, elongated with dots on each end and crossed with a diagonal slash. They examined her curiously, whilst Spike marveled more at the taunt young body. He may be dead and unloved by a certain someone, but he still had eyes.
"Oh, and this," Leira drew a wooden disk from her pocket, tossed it in the air and quick as lightening drew out a dagger which flew straight and true to pin the disk against the wall neatly. It happened in less than a second. Leira shrugged easily, turning back to them.
"Bad shot," she wrinkled her nose. "Feeling a bit off colour. Need sleep. Speaking of, anyone want to hold me up for the rest of the night?"
Buffy opened her mouth to reply, but Spike beat her too it.
"Well love, if you don't mind a bit of a squash I got one hell of a crypt."
"Sounds great," Leira grinned at the vampire. "Thanks."
Buffy didn't know whether to be alarmed or relieved.
NEXT: ".You'd best be getting back to the Magic Box, Giles'll be wanting to do some nuclear testing on you or something."
Leira and Spike. Bonding? Maybe. Drinking? Yes. And it seems she's not such a Normal Girl