Sorry i haven't updated in forever, but things have been busy. If you leave a review, i'm encouraged to update more often.
Usual disclaimers apply.
"So you're a Slayer?" Illyria asks, coming into the office Ali had taken for her own.
"Yes," Ali nods. "And if you expect me to recite the one girl chosen thing, you're sadly out of luck."
"No, I was just wondering why you aren't out to eradicate me completely," says Illyria.
"So far, you haven't done anything that makes me want to kill you," Ali replies. "You're just a demon that unfortunately killed, sort of, my brother's boyfriend."
"And that doesn't make you want to kill me?" Illyria asks.
"Did you choose to take that body?" Ali asks.
"No," Illyria says. "My high priest chose it for me.'
"And where is this high priest?" Ali asks.
"He is dead," Illyria replies.
"Then I have no one I need to kill," Aliana shrugs. "Far as I'm concerned, you're about as to blame for this mess as a baby that kills its mother being born. I'm here for one reason, and that's to see if I can get it to where Fred can come back humanely. Wes knows that, or at least ought to, and Spike definitely does. He's not been my uncle for years without figuring it out."
"You're far different than Slayer's used to be," Illyria comments.
"That's because I haven't been the sole Slayer for years," Aliana replies. "I retired many years ago. I only part time slay now and it's made me a lot more compassionate. When you constantly slay demons that are out to kill you, it makes you paranoid. And that's no fun. I get to be paranoid at my work. I don't need it in my social life."
"Interesting," Illyria says. "You view Slaying as your social life?"
"Well, I'm not getting paid for it," Aliana shrugs. "So it's not my work life. And usually, it doesn't take place at home, thank goodness. The demons have learned that if they attack my house, I get in a really pissed off mood."
"Which means?" Illyria asks. This slayer was full of life, something she had never expected. Most slayers are more concerned with death even to develop emotions, let alone a sense of humor.
"Means I do the spring cleaning a bit early," Aliana replies "Last time it happened, a nest fell every night until I was called to go somewhere for my job."
"So they do not mess with your home life, just your social life," Illyria frowns.
"Actually, we don't intersect a lot anymore anyway," Aliana states thoughtfully. "Killing demons is great when you're a teenager and convinced of your own immortality, but nowadays I only need to remind them I'm in the area for them to decide to move somewhere else. I do do a lot of fighting in my job, but that's a whole other kettle of fish."
"So what exactly is this spell supposed to do?" Illyria asks.
"Well, it's going to make it so you and Fred can coexist," Aliana goes on to describe the spell and how it works.
"Wesley's looking for you," the big green guy, Lorne, if Aliana remembers comes in. He looks curiously at the young lady who had claimed to of the more dangerous members of his team, and turned them into teddy bears when they were around her.
"Pylean aren't you?" Aliana looks Lorne up and down. She had heard a bit about him from Spike and she wasn't sure about him.
"Yes, you would be the ex-slayer?" Lorne asks.
"Yup," Aliana says. "Do you like it here?"
"Much more than my old dimension," Lorne nods. "There was no music there."
"Horrors," Aliana shudders. "I can't imagine a culture without some type of music. In most cultures, that's the first form of communication. That and poetry as a means to pass along information." She starts to describe the various cultures and stops after a moment.
"I did it again didn't I?" Aliana blushes. "Sorry, I'm just used analyzing cultures so much with my job."
"Ah, Spike said you were an architect?" Lorne asks.
"Archeologist, I get to play in the dirt all day long," Aliana grins.
"That doesn't seem to be a job," Lorne observes.
"It's the best job in the world," Aliana's eyes light up. "You see, what we're digging in the dirt for is ancient relics of past civilizations. We take those pieces and try to figure out what they used to be used for, what they meant. It's interesting and exciting and fun."
"And you do this day after day?" Lorne asks.
"Yes," Aliana grins. "And the best part is I get to work right alongside my boyfriend."
"Ah," Lorne nods. Unconsciously, her and Wesley light up the same way when talking about their significant others, or things they love. Lorne can tell they were raised together. They seem very loving when in the same room and it doesn't take an empath to tell they honestly respect each other and each other's abilities.
"You're a Slayer too right?" Lorne asks.
"Yeah, part time Slayer, full time defender of the planet," Aliana grins. "Nothing better than kicking back and kicking butt."
"Warrior stoics. I'm surrounded by warrior stoics," Lorne moans.
"What can I slay? Bird got to fly, fish got to swim, slayer's got to kick ass," Aliana replies. Lorne shakes his head.
"Bad pun," he informs her.
"What pun?" she asks innocently.
"You're a lot more than a Slayer aren't you?" Lorne observes.
"Frankly, I left the business years ago, I' m strictly free lance now," she smiles.
"Why'd you leave?" Lorne asks.
"A vision, which according to Spike, is mostly come to pass," replies Aliana. "Some of it was pretty basic, some has yet to happen. The beginning was apparently a summary of the past few years, and some of it is yet to come. The visions of darkness are yet to come. Closer, probably though. The family is once again gathering."
"Are you worried?" Lorne asks.
"Nope," Aliana replies. "What's meant to be is meant to be, and nothing I can do will change it. I just have to be ready when that meant to be is."
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