Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own anything. Wish I did, but I don't.
Authors Notes: I know, its been a long time since I've written this. But hopefully, updates will not be so few and far between. Hope you enjoy! Catch ya on the flipside!
Ordinary Day?
Faith took a deep breathe, almost wincing at the mayhem in front of her. Noises lashed out at her from all sides, as if there was no escape from them. Even with the calming reassurance from the Watcher besides her, Faith felt her heart beating rapidly. She involuntarily took a step back, almost as if she were preparing to flee from what was ahead. She turned to her Watcher, unable to keep a pleading look from her face. Celeste rolled her eyes and stepped forward.
"Faith," she said patiently, walking forward slowly while glancing behind her at the Slayer. "This is no big deal. You've done this a million times before."
Faith sighed, grudgingly walking forward, trudging along almost as if to meet her doom. "Doesn't make it any less freaky. I mean, Cel, c'mon! Just look at them! None of them are exactly all there."
Celeste glanced around quickly, only to turn back to Faith and smirk. "They're just teenagers, Faith. You've been there before."
"Nu-uh," Faith said, shaking her head violently. "Never was any of that bullshit with me. None of that giggling and gawking while staring in the mirror crap. Just give me something to fight, and I'll take that down faster than a quick one."
For a moment, Celeste seemed unsure of what to say before realization hit her. Her eyes opened wider for a moment before she shook her head, smiling. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. The Council has given me funds for you – that means you have to buy some clothes for yourself, other than the few that you already have."
"I guess," Faith said slowly. "After the d and d knife fight with B, my apartment was trashed."
"D and d?" Celeste questioned as she and Faith slowly walked through the mall.
"Down and dirty."
Celeste nodded at the explanation, not pressing into Faith's past any further. The two walked in a semi-uncomfortable silence before Celeste stopped in front of a store and started walking in. She stopped suddenly as she noticed that Faith was not following her.
"Faith?"
"No way in hell am I going in there," Faith said, hands on her hips. "No way you're going to prep me up just because I all with the good now. If that's the deal, I'm going back to the other side."
Celeste laughed as she turned around and left the store. "Fine, have it your way. You can pick all of the stores then. I was merely suggesting – "
"Suggest something else. The vamps'll die laughin' if I try a bad-ass attitude with the prep of the month club clothes."
Faith shivered at the thought, causing Celeste to burst out laughing. They walked past a couple more stores before Faith was drawn into one. She grinned as she walked in.
"This is where it's happenin'"
Faith and Celeste suddenly found themselves entrenched in hard rock music as they entered the store. Faith looked around at the clothing selection, glancing at each of the customers in the store as she did so. Piercing and colored hair greeted her, as did torn clothing and studded belts.
"This is IT!" she said in excitement as she spotted a rack of sales clothing. Celeste watched in amazement as a flurry of clothes were soon picked out, creating an array of black, brown, and red clothing. Leather, studded belts, tanks, tight shirts – all were put in Celeste's arms so quickly she barely had time to adjust to the new ones when more were added.
Time seemed to fly by as Faith and Celeste went through the mall, picking out an arrangement of clothes, belts, and shoes. Though Celeste did not say anything, she did notice that all of the clothes Faith had picked out coincided with the attitude that she played – the bad girl attitude. It was not until Faith stopped suddenly in front of a store that Celeste realized how much she played up to the attitude.
Faith stared at the outfit in the window, seemingly mesmerized by it. It was a simple skirt and top set. A sheer white button-up top covered the light blue tank top. A knee length, white and light blue patterned skirt completed the set.
"See something you like?" Celeste asked softly. Faith blinked, tearing her gaze away from the outfit and shook her head.
"Naw. Just takin' in the crap they call styles."
She turned away from the window and walked quickly away, but slow enough that Celeste had enough time to glance at the price tag through the window before catching up. A small smile covered her face as she added up the prices in her head.
As she quickly caught up with Faith, they noticed a large crowd forming by the exit of the mall, circular in shape. Faith and Celeste glanced at each other for a moment before hurrying forward, intent on seeing what was going on.
Faith threw her bags in her Watcher's arms and pushed through the crowd, ignoring shouts and curses that people sent her way. She finally got to the front just in time to see two girls, freshmen in college at best, slowly circling and glaring at each other.
Suddenly, the girls rushed at each other, the one of the left throwing a punch at the other. The punch hit the other girl's jaw but she retaliated immediately with a low kick to the knee. Both girls stumbled momentarily before standing back up and leaping at each other once again.
But, Faith would not have any of that. She jumped between them, pushing both of them with enough force that they fell to the ground. She crossed her arms and took a step back, glaring at both of them.
"Cut it," she said harshly. "Tell me, little girls, what was that all about?"
Before either girl could answer, time seemed to stand still. The crowd around them blurred, almost as if they were out of focus to the world. A sudden headache overtook Faith, causing her to close her eyes momentarily and wince. When she opened them again, she involuntary took a step back.
The girls walked forward, never taking their eyes off each other. The blonde, who Faith could have sworn a minute ago was a redhead, was the first to speak.
"I've been looking for you."
The brunette stood there for a moment, glancing at her coldly. "I've been standing still for eight months, B. How hard you look?"
Faith gaped at them, her face paling as she realized what was going on. The girls paid no heed to her, merely going on with the dialogue that was so familiar to Faith.
"Are you alright?" the blonde asked.
"Five by five. That's the thing about a coma. You come out of it all rested and rejuvenated…and ready for payback."
With each step the brunette said, she took a step closer until, with the final words, she was right in the face of the blonde. The brunette did not even twitch, though, even under the glare of the other girl. "So much for pleasantries, huh?"
"What'd you think? I'd wake up and we'd go for tea? You tried to gut me, blondie."
"You would have done the same for me if you'd had the chance."
The brunette smiled at those words, moving even closer until their faces were almost touching. "So let's give it another go. See who lands on top."
The blonde looked at her, her words almost pleading but still as tough as she could manage them. "It doesn't have to be like this you know."
"Actually, I think it has to be exactly like this."
Faith watched them, watching as the brunette tensed up, as if itching for a fight. The blonde hesitated, glancing around her, as if she was watching people walk by.
"Not here. Not now. These are innocent people."
"No such animal."
With those words, the surroundings changed. Faith blinked, realizing that she was still at the mall, the girls were still glaring at each other, and that nobody had moved. It was as if time had stopped as Faith had – dreamed? – about things from the past.
The girls' friends rushed forward, holding onto them and pulling them away from the other. They shouted a feeble thanks to Faith who nodded it briefly, vaguely accepting it. The crowd slowly dissipated until only Faith and Celeste were left.
"Faith?" Celeste asked, putting the bags down briefly. "Are you okay?"
She nodded unconvincingly. "Course. Five by five."
"You didn't have to do that, you know. You didn't have to interfere with the situation."
Faith shrugged. "It was somethin' interesting to do."
With that, the two walked out of the mall. Faith glanced back briefly, frowning as she felt her "Slayer Sense" seemingly tingling. She turned around as they left the mall, still disturbed about the feeling she was getting.
As the doors closed behind them, a girl no older than 18 stepped out from behind the escalator. She smirked at their retreating backs, crossing her arms in front of her.
"Scared Slayer?" she rasped, a strange vocal sound for an otherwise upbeat teen. "You should be. No more big sis there, watching your back, keeping you from falling. And even though I look it, no kid sis either."
For a moment, her eyes glowed bright red and her face paled considerably. But as quickly as it had come, it faded. She turned around and almost ran directly into two guys no older than she was.
"Dawn?" one of them asked, looking at her in shock. "Dawn Summers?"
She shook her head, glaring at them. "Nope. Wrong person."
With that she walked away, whispering slightly as she did. As the boys turned around, they completely forgot about their experience with the girl who looked like Dawn Summers.