Troublemakers: Slaying Bites
AUTHOR: Silence
DISCLAIMER: Joss, Fox, and UPN own all things Buffy. Lila, Scarlet & Simon are MINE. Yep.
_____________
PART 6
Buffy walked into her front door with a tired sigh. *Vampires. I can't believe it. And Xander.. he didn't even look surprised. What is going on?*
"Do you know what time it is?"
Buffy pushed her thoughts away, to see her mother glaring at her. She swallowed nervously, "Um... Around ten?"
Joyce sighed. "Go upstairs. We'll talk in the morning."
As Buffy started upstairs she could hear the beginnings of yet another argument between her parents. She shut her bedroom door and tossed her jacket onto the floor. Throwing herself onto her bed, Buffy closed her eyes and wished the world away and that no more nightmares would come.
__________________
The next morning wasn't much better. Buffy found herself being lectured about the joys of curfew by her mother one minute and then missing her ride to school the next.
Buffy dragged herself down the building's halls wearily. As she wandered she noticed Gary Murray the school guidance counselor tapping his watch. Buffy knew she was late for class but frankly she didn't care today. Continuing her slow march, she bumped into Nicole.
"Hey, Buffers. You look thrashed."
"Gee. Thanks." Buffy said.
"You and Xander have fun last night?"
"Not really."
"Jeffrey's raging."
"What?"
"The rest of us were at Café Blasé and Jen blurted out how you were with Xander."
Buffy groaned, "Oh you have to be kidding me! This is all I need. Thanks for telling me"
Nicole pat her friend on the back in comfort, "Hey, what am I here for? I'll see you at practice."
Nicole walked away and left Buffy standing in the hallway.
"Buff!"
She turned around to see Xander sprinting toward her. Her face lit up on instinct. "Xander!"
Xander stopped himself in front of her, "Hey. Are you ok?"
"Yeah. It's... a bit much to deal with." The two of them began walking down the hall again, "Question."
"Fire away."
"You didn't look surprised at what you did to that... vampire. Why?"
"That's a long story."
"I've got time."
"After school?"
Buffy shook her head, "Practice. After?"
"Ok. I'll wait in the library." Xander agreed with a grin, "I miss book filled places."
_______________
The old church was damp and dark and not a spec of natural light could be seen through the boarded up windows. Broken furniture and trash cluttered the former house of god and a rancid stench filled the place. Lila and Scarlet couldn't help but gag.
"Gross." Scarlet said. "What are we doing here again?"
Lila grinned, "Random acts of violence." Bright light filled the room as she transformed. The light grew brighter as Scarlet quickly followed suit.
The light faded and Lila was dressed in a pair of jeans, black t-shirt, black jacket and a pair of ordinary Nikes with a blue swish on them. In her hand was a Browning Hi-Power 9mm.
Scarlet raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "What are you today? You look. wimpy."
"Well not all of us can be such trendsetters like you." Lila snapped.
Scarlet did a little spin. She was clad in a red spandex costume with thigh high gold boots and a matching belt. A golden bird decorated the front of the costume. "I know. I kick ass and look good doing it." She waved her hand around the building. "So we get to tear down a condemned church?"
"No." Lila said. She pointed her gun in the air and fired. A few moments passed and nothing happened.
". Oh this is so fun." Scarlet moaned, "I skipped Spike for this?"
Lila's face brightened and she pointed, "No. That."
Scarlet turned around to see a dozen or so vampires growling at the girls in annoyance and anger. "Too bad Spike isn't here to see this..." Scarlet's jaw dropped open and her voice trailed off.
"What's wrong?" Lila asked. The girl followed her friend's gaze to see a very familiar pair of faces.
Spike and Drusilla.
"Oops." Lila squeaked out.
____________________
By the time Buffy showed up for practice, the rest of the squad was suited up. Buffy opened her locker with a tired sigh.
"Are you sure you should practice?" Nicole asked. "You don't look much better."
"I'm feeling fine." Buffy insisted.
Nicole shrugged, "Okay. See you out there."
The girls left the room and Buffy shoved her light jacket into the locker. She turned around to see Merrick standing at the end of the lockers, staring at her.
Startled, Buffy jumped back. "What are you doing here?" She screeched. "This is a naked place."
"You were supposed to be at the warehouse twenty minutes ago." Merrick said evenly.
"I told you, I have practice."
"And I told you-"
"Look." Buffy slammed her locker shut and stared at him. "I think there's been a big mistake here. I mean, I appreciate that there are real live vampires, and you have a big holy mission and all that, but somewhere along the way you read your tea leaves wrong, 'cause I'm so not your girl. I'm not up to this, and just between us," She paused and gave him a meaningful look, "you don't think so either."
Merrick was silent as he let that sink in.
"It's true." He slowly agreed. "You're not what I expected."
"See?"
"Certainly, you're unprepared-"
"Don't I know it."
"Untrained, clumsy, without a doubt the most vacuous candidate in my entire- "
"Okay!" Buffy cut him off. "I think we both get the picture."
Merrick nodded, "Quite. Then there's nothing more for us to discuss."
"Not unless you want to seek help for your teenage girl fetish." Buffy muttered. She watched as Merrick headed for the door. "Good luck and all." She added lamely.
"Oh there is. one thing."
"What?"
With blinding speed, Merrick hurled a knife straight at her head. Before Buffy could blink, she had caught the blade, only a few inches from her face.
Buffy froze, her face a look of horror.
Merrick clapped his hands together. "Bravo."
"You." She began slowly. "Threw a knife. at my head."
"I had to test you." He tried to explain.
"But you threw a knife at my head!"
"And you caught it!" He insisted cheerfully. "Only the chosen one could have done that!"
"Don't you get it?" Buffy wailed. She pointed the knife at him, forcing him to back away from her. "I don't want to be the chosen one. I don't want to spend the rest of my life chasing after vampires. I just want to graduate from high school, go to Europe, marry a rich, not to mention famous, guy, and die! It may not sound like much to a scone-head like you but I think its swell. And then you come along. and. and I'm suddenly the chosen one for you to throw things at me!"
Merrick held out his hands, and tried to console her. "It was necessary."
She glared at him furiously. "Last night," Buffy began slowly. "You knew I was sitting on a fresh grave."
Merrick stepped back again, "Yes. I don't think you understand the full implications of..."
Buffy swung her fist at him so fast that Merrick didn't have a chance to react. He went flying a few feet, landing on his back, his nose bleeding profusely.
Buffy stared at him, a look of awe on her face, "Wow. I didn't even break a nail!"
______________
On the way out, Buffy insisted that they swing by and pick up Xander from the library. Xander didn't seem to shocked to see both of them and went along with a shrug.
While sitting in the warehouse Buffy couldn't hide the look of disdain on her face. "Eww."
The building had been long abandoned and was now old, gray and extremely dusty. The windows were covered in layers of grime but sunlight still managed to filter in, revealing crates, mannequins and old cardboard boxes littered everywhere.
"I've never actually hit any one before." Buffy said to break the silence.
Merrick held a handkerchief to his nose, "You're priddy good ad it." He folded the cloth and stuck it in his pocket. Gingerly he touched his tender nose. "You must never underestimate yourself, Buffy. You've got abilities you have only begun to tap. Reserves of mental and physical prowess you've never dreamt of."
Xander lifted the lid of a small crate, "Don't suppose you have the Pergamum Codex."
"What?" Merrick asked. "How do you know about that?"
"Sunnydale." Xander said with a shrug. Finding nothing of interest in the crate he replaced the lid.
Buffy hopped onto a nearby table. "You mentioned that before like it meant something. Why?"
Xander walked over to Buffy and joined her on the table. "See, Sunnydale is a hellmouth. It's like center point for demons, vampires and all that."
"Is that what you were going to tell me?"
"Pretty much." Xander said.
"Sunnydale. It is one of the most dangerous places." Merrick began. "There is a vampire known as..."
"The Master. He's still locked away in the tunnels underneath town." Xander picked up a nearby crucifix. "You mind if I join in on the training?"
"That's highly unorthodox." Merrick said. He took a good look at Xander's resolute face. "It's very serious. Are you willing to risk you're life for this?"
"Can't let my Buff do this alone." Xander said.
Buffy smiled gratefully at him.
AUTHOR: Silence
DISCLAIMER: Joss, Fox, and UPN own all things Buffy. Lila, Scarlet & Simon are MINE. Yep.
_____________
PART 6
Buffy walked into her front door with a tired sigh. *Vampires. I can't believe it. And Xander.. he didn't even look surprised. What is going on?*
"Do you know what time it is?"
Buffy pushed her thoughts away, to see her mother glaring at her. She swallowed nervously, "Um... Around ten?"
Joyce sighed. "Go upstairs. We'll talk in the morning."
As Buffy started upstairs she could hear the beginnings of yet another argument between her parents. She shut her bedroom door and tossed her jacket onto the floor. Throwing herself onto her bed, Buffy closed her eyes and wished the world away and that no more nightmares would come.
__________________
The next morning wasn't much better. Buffy found herself being lectured about the joys of curfew by her mother one minute and then missing her ride to school the next.
Buffy dragged herself down the building's halls wearily. As she wandered she noticed Gary Murray the school guidance counselor tapping his watch. Buffy knew she was late for class but frankly she didn't care today. Continuing her slow march, she bumped into Nicole.
"Hey, Buffers. You look thrashed."
"Gee. Thanks." Buffy said.
"You and Xander have fun last night?"
"Not really."
"Jeffrey's raging."
"What?"
"The rest of us were at Café Blasé and Jen blurted out how you were with Xander."
Buffy groaned, "Oh you have to be kidding me! This is all I need. Thanks for telling me"
Nicole pat her friend on the back in comfort, "Hey, what am I here for? I'll see you at practice."
Nicole walked away and left Buffy standing in the hallway.
"Buff!"
She turned around to see Xander sprinting toward her. Her face lit up on instinct. "Xander!"
Xander stopped himself in front of her, "Hey. Are you ok?"
"Yeah. It's... a bit much to deal with." The two of them began walking down the hall again, "Question."
"Fire away."
"You didn't look surprised at what you did to that... vampire. Why?"
"That's a long story."
"I've got time."
"After school?"
Buffy shook her head, "Practice. After?"
"Ok. I'll wait in the library." Xander agreed with a grin, "I miss book filled places."
_______________
The old church was damp and dark and not a spec of natural light could be seen through the boarded up windows. Broken furniture and trash cluttered the former house of god and a rancid stench filled the place. Lila and Scarlet couldn't help but gag.
"Gross." Scarlet said. "What are we doing here again?"
Lila grinned, "Random acts of violence." Bright light filled the room as she transformed. The light grew brighter as Scarlet quickly followed suit.
The light faded and Lila was dressed in a pair of jeans, black t-shirt, black jacket and a pair of ordinary Nikes with a blue swish on them. In her hand was a Browning Hi-Power 9mm.
Scarlet raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "What are you today? You look. wimpy."
"Well not all of us can be such trendsetters like you." Lila snapped.
Scarlet did a little spin. She was clad in a red spandex costume with thigh high gold boots and a matching belt. A golden bird decorated the front of the costume. "I know. I kick ass and look good doing it." She waved her hand around the building. "So we get to tear down a condemned church?"
"No." Lila said. She pointed her gun in the air and fired. A few moments passed and nothing happened.
". Oh this is so fun." Scarlet moaned, "I skipped Spike for this?"
Lila's face brightened and she pointed, "No. That."
Scarlet turned around to see a dozen or so vampires growling at the girls in annoyance and anger. "Too bad Spike isn't here to see this..." Scarlet's jaw dropped open and her voice trailed off.
"What's wrong?" Lila asked. The girl followed her friend's gaze to see a very familiar pair of faces.
Spike and Drusilla.
"Oops." Lila squeaked out.
____________________
By the time Buffy showed up for practice, the rest of the squad was suited up. Buffy opened her locker with a tired sigh.
"Are you sure you should practice?" Nicole asked. "You don't look much better."
"I'm feeling fine." Buffy insisted.
Nicole shrugged, "Okay. See you out there."
The girls left the room and Buffy shoved her light jacket into the locker. She turned around to see Merrick standing at the end of the lockers, staring at her.
Startled, Buffy jumped back. "What are you doing here?" She screeched. "This is a naked place."
"You were supposed to be at the warehouse twenty minutes ago." Merrick said evenly.
"I told you, I have practice."
"And I told you-"
"Look." Buffy slammed her locker shut and stared at him. "I think there's been a big mistake here. I mean, I appreciate that there are real live vampires, and you have a big holy mission and all that, but somewhere along the way you read your tea leaves wrong, 'cause I'm so not your girl. I'm not up to this, and just between us," She paused and gave him a meaningful look, "you don't think so either."
Merrick was silent as he let that sink in.
"It's true." He slowly agreed. "You're not what I expected."
"See?"
"Certainly, you're unprepared-"
"Don't I know it."
"Untrained, clumsy, without a doubt the most vacuous candidate in my entire- "
"Okay!" Buffy cut him off. "I think we both get the picture."
Merrick nodded, "Quite. Then there's nothing more for us to discuss."
"Not unless you want to seek help for your teenage girl fetish." Buffy muttered. She watched as Merrick headed for the door. "Good luck and all." She added lamely.
"Oh there is. one thing."
"What?"
With blinding speed, Merrick hurled a knife straight at her head. Before Buffy could blink, she had caught the blade, only a few inches from her face.
Buffy froze, her face a look of horror.
Merrick clapped his hands together. "Bravo."
"You." She began slowly. "Threw a knife. at my head."
"I had to test you." He tried to explain.
"But you threw a knife at my head!"
"And you caught it!" He insisted cheerfully. "Only the chosen one could have done that!"
"Don't you get it?" Buffy wailed. She pointed the knife at him, forcing him to back away from her. "I don't want to be the chosen one. I don't want to spend the rest of my life chasing after vampires. I just want to graduate from high school, go to Europe, marry a rich, not to mention famous, guy, and die! It may not sound like much to a scone-head like you but I think its swell. And then you come along. and. and I'm suddenly the chosen one for you to throw things at me!"
Merrick held out his hands, and tried to console her. "It was necessary."
She glared at him furiously. "Last night," Buffy began slowly. "You knew I was sitting on a fresh grave."
Merrick stepped back again, "Yes. I don't think you understand the full implications of..."
Buffy swung her fist at him so fast that Merrick didn't have a chance to react. He went flying a few feet, landing on his back, his nose bleeding profusely.
Buffy stared at him, a look of awe on her face, "Wow. I didn't even break a nail!"
______________
On the way out, Buffy insisted that they swing by and pick up Xander from the library. Xander didn't seem to shocked to see both of them and went along with a shrug.
While sitting in the warehouse Buffy couldn't hide the look of disdain on her face. "Eww."
The building had been long abandoned and was now old, gray and extremely dusty. The windows were covered in layers of grime but sunlight still managed to filter in, revealing crates, mannequins and old cardboard boxes littered everywhere.
"I've never actually hit any one before." Buffy said to break the silence.
Merrick held a handkerchief to his nose, "You're priddy good ad it." He folded the cloth and stuck it in his pocket. Gingerly he touched his tender nose. "You must never underestimate yourself, Buffy. You've got abilities you have only begun to tap. Reserves of mental and physical prowess you've never dreamt of."
Xander lifted the lid of a small crate, "Don't suppose you have the Pergamum Codex."
"What?" Merrick asked. "How do you know about that?"
"Sunnydale." Xander said with a shrug. Finding nothing of interest in the crate he replaced the lid.
Buffy hopped onto a nearby table. "You mentioned that before like it meant something. Why?"
Xander walked over to Buffy and joined her on the table. "See, Sunnydale is a hellmouth. It's like center point for demons, vampires and all that."
"Is that what you were going to tell me?"
"Pretty much." Xander said.
"Sunnydale. It is one of the most dangerous places." Merrick began. "There is a vampire known as..."
"The Master. He's still locked away in the tunnels underneath town." Xander picked up a nearby crucifix. "You mind if I join in on the training?"
"That's highly unorthodox." Merrick said. He took a good look at Xander's resolute face. "It's very serious. Are you willing to risk you're life for this?"
"Can't let my Buff do this alone." Xander said.
Buffy smiled gratefully at him.