TEACHER'S PET
NO ONES POV
buffys scream pierces through the bronze as a vampire closes in on her she quickly throws a solid right to his face followed by a left but the vampire isn't fazed in the least he grabs her then throws her onto a pool table he then leans in to bite her suddenly Xander comes up from behind the vampire grabs him by the shoulders and pulls him off of buffy.
"May I cut in?" Xander asks him he then bashes the vampire's head into the pool table, turns him around and punches him in the gut and then the face. The vampire immediately falls to the floor unconscious. Buffy gives him a big smile impressed. Xander offers her his hand to help her off of the pool table.
"You alright?" he asks
"Thanks to you!" buffy exhales as She slides off of the table and notices Xander's hand. "You hurt your hand! Will you still be able to..."
"...finish my solo and kiss you like you've never been kissed before?" Xander gives her a wink and walks to the stage just then the vampire gets back up and growls at Buffy. Xander sees him, breaks the leg off of a chair that's been knocked over and throws the makeshift stake at the vampire. Buffy watches the stake fly into the vampire's chest, and he falls dead. She turns her gaze back to Xander as He jumps up onto the stage and grabs his guitar to continue his solo. Buffy looks up at him adoringly and advances to the stage as he plays.
"You're drooling." Xander gives her a confused look Then wakes up
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BUFFYS POV
I look over to Xander and he's asleep drooling during Dr. Gregorys slide show
"Xander!" I quietly yell He wakes up from his daydream and shakes his head I point to the corner of my mouth to try and tell him that he's drooling but he doesn't get it I inwardly sigh "You've got a little..." He finally gets it and quickly wipes the drool off of his mouth and chin. Suddenly the lights are switched on and I rub my eyes when did the presentation end
"Now. If you read the homework you should know the two ways that ants communicate." He stops at Xander's lab table and I breath out slightly relieved he isn't going to ask me anything. He starts leaning on it and looks at me "Miss Summers." Crap I nurveisally come up with an answer
"Ways that ants communicate."
"Mm," he says nodding his head
"With other ants."
"From the homework." He says slightly annoyed damn I should have done my homework like lela kept telling me to do I look around some and see willow waving her arm slightly "Ants are communicating..." he starts I look at willows signs
"Um, uh, uh..." I start watching willow closer as she starts stroking Xander's back "Touch..." I say unsure
"Mm-hm." He says nodding
"And, um..." I look at willow again and she starts…sniffing him? I look at her confused "B.O.?" I accidently say out loud. Several students start laughing at what I said and willow just gives me a disappointed look
"Thank God someone finally found the courage to mention that!" blayne says with a slight laugh in his voice
"That would be touch and smell, Miss Summers. Is there anything else Miss Rosenberg would like to tell you?" dr. Gregory says crap he knew I look back at willow and she quickly turns away in her seat. Just as I start to think im screwed the bell rings and Dr. Gregory starts to move back to the front of the class. "Alright, chapters six through eight by tomorrow, people." I quickly get up and start to leave "Can I see you for a moment?" damn still screwed I just nod and walk over to him as everyone else leaves. I lean against the lab table as dr. Gregory idly reviews his slides. "I gather you had a few problems at your last school?"
"Well, what teenager doesn't?"
"Cut school, get in fights, burn down the gymnasium... Principal Flutie showed me your permanent record as well as your sisters you two are quite the team." He walks to the front of the class and I follow him
"Well, that fire, I mean, there was major extenuating circumstances. Actually, it's, uh, kinda funny! We uh"
"Can't wait to see what you're gonna do here" He goes to the closet and gets his other glasses from his coat and cleans them I try not to show that I'm upset I wish Lela was still in this class so she could be here with me to help me feel better
"Destructo Girl. That's me."
"But I suspect it's gonna be great." Great?
"You mean, great in a bad way?" Dr. Gregory looks at me then back at his glasses
"You have a first- rate mind and you can think on your feet. Imagine what you could accomplish if you actually did the..."
"...the homework thing." I really should have listened to lela
"The homework thing. I understand you probably have a good excuse for not doing it." he closes the closet and walks back to his lab table "Amazingly enough, I don't care. I know you can excel in this class, and so I expect no less. Is that clear?"
"Yeah! Sorry."
"Don't be sorry, be smart." He looks at another slide and continues "And please don't listen to the principal or anyone else's negative opinion about you or your sister. Let's make 'em eat that permanent record. Whaddaya say?" He looks up at me and gives me a little smile I quickly smile back.
"Okay! Thanks." He nods his head and I grab my bag
"Chapters six through eight!" I look back at him with a smile and leave the classroom I can't believe it I really can't believe it he believes in me and Lela she will love to hear this! I rush to meet Xander and willow with a slight skip in my step
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NO ONES POV
After buffy leaves, Dr. Gregory puts the slide down, goes over to turn off the lights and comes back to his slide-viewing plate. While he concentrates on the slides, the closet door opens. He doesn't notice Slowly A large, green claw goes around his neck. Dr. Gregory looks up behind him and screams. The claw drags him off of his chair and His glasses hit the floor breaking, an instant later there's a crunching noise coming from where he was dragged off
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTin The Bronze The live band Superfine is playing. Xander dances lamely through the crowd and looking around. He makes his way to the stage and gives the singer an acknowledging nod and grin. The singer gives him a get outta here look. And concentrates on singing again Xander is disappointed and moves away from the stage. He goes over to the bar where Blayne and his friend are sitting.
"Seven, including Cheryl. I'll tell you, though, her sister was lookin' to make it eight!" Blayne says
"Ooh, Cheryl's sister? The one in college?" his friend asks
Blayne nods "Home for the holidays and lookin' for love! She's not my type, though. Girls really gotta have something to go with me."
Xander interrupts "Something like a lobotomy?" The two boys look at him.
"Xander. How many times you score?"
"Well, uh..."
"It's just a question," Blayne smirks
"Are we talking today or the whole week?" The two boys snicker. Xander soon spots Buffy and Willow coming down the stairs. "Ooo! Duty calls!" He leaves the bar and approaches the girls as Blayne and his friend watch. "Babes!" buffy and willow look at Xander as He comes up to them with his arms wide open and grabs them both around the shoulders.
"What are you doing?" buffy asks
"Work with me here. Blayne had the nerve to question my manliness. I'm just gonna give him a visual."
Willow throws her arms around him tightly "We'll show him!" Xander looks back at Blayne, gives him a thumbs up and puts his arm back around Willow. The two boys seem impressed.
"I don't believe it," Buffy says shocked seeing angel
"I know, and after all my conquests." Xander says in reply to buffy thinking she was talking to him she moves out from under his arm and goes over to angel "Who's that?"
"That must be Angel! I think?" willow answers
"That weird guy that warned her about all the vampires?"
"That's him, I'll bet you."
"Well, he's buff! She never said anything about him being buff!"
"You think he's buff?"
"He's a very attractive man! How come that never came up?" Xander says a little jokingly but jealously
Buffy comes up to angel
"Well! Look who's here!" she says
"Hi." Angel answers
"I'd say it's nice to see you, but then we both know that's a big fib."
"I won't be long."
"No, you'll just give me a cryptic warning about some exciting new catastrophe, and then disappear into the night. Right?" buffy says a little upset with him
"You're cold."
"you can take it." Angel takes off his jacket
"I mean, you look cold." He puts it around her shoulders.
Back where willow and Xander are standing watching Xander seems slightly annoyed and even more jealous
"Oh, right! Give her your jacket. It's a balmy night, no one needs to be trading clothing out there!" Xander says
Buffy looks at her shoulders where the jacket is hanging
"A little big on me." Buffy says she looks up and notices a series of cuts on Angel's arm "What happened?"
"I didn't pay attention." Angel answers
"To somebody with a big fork?"
"He's coming."
"The Fork Guy?"
"Don't let him corner you. Don't give him a moment's mercy. He'll rip your throat out."
"Okay, I'll give you improved marks for that one. Ripping a throat out, it's a strong visual, it's not cryptic!"
"I have to go," Angel says as he leaves
"Sweet dreams to you, too," Buffy says stairing at him as he leaves her sight
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LELAS POV
I look up from my book on buffys bed and look over at her window smelling her sent she's finally home I smile to myself and start counting down "10…9…8" I hear the front door open and close "…7…6…5…4…" I then hear her footsteps coming up the stairs then down the hall "…3…2…1…hi buffy" right as I say that the door opens to a laughing buffy
"of course you would be on my bed and ready for me" buffy says I smile at her and scoot over marking the place in my book and setting it on the floor
"so jackets from mr. Guy?"
"how did you" she starts then stops and shakes her head "his scent right?" I nod hehe after all these years she's still caught off guard sometimes
"yup so how was it at the bronze" buffy sits next to me on the bed
"another message from cryptic guy told me to be careful because of some fork guy" I look at her raising an eyebrow giggling some
"fork guy?"
"know right but he seems like a big dead" I giggle a little more then nod
"we better keep an eye out" she nods "how was school" Buffy smiles
"ok, so I was called to stay after class by Dr. Gregory, you remember him right" I nod " ok so he called me because of my well homework" I shake my head
"told ya to do it sis"
"I know I know but we talked a bit well he talked I nodded and talked slightly but he actually believes in me and doesn't care about my record he doesn't care about yours either" I smile wide at this a teacher who finally isn't judging buffy by her record and he barely even knows me since I wasn't in his class for that long because I got transferred to art but still he doesn't care about mine either this is so amazing
"that's amazing news!" she nods happily and laughs slightly
"so you sleeping in here tonight" I smile more
"well if you insist"
"ok" she smiles back and changes getting into bed "night"
"Night Buffy" I roll on my side as she turns off the lamp
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Buffy Giles and I are walking along in front of the school I stare at Giles as he is eating an apple I quickly wipe my mouth noticing I'm drooling I should have eaten before we left
"That's all he said? Fork Guy?" Giles says I shake my head oh man how long was I zoned out
"That's all Cryptic Guy said, Fork Guy," Buffy answers him
"I think there are too many guys in your life." We keep walking till we meet willow at a bench "I'll see what I can find out." He looks up at the sky and I look up as well "God, every day here is the same."
"Bright, sunny, beautiful, however, can we escape this torment?" I look back down and to buffy
"I'm sure he's just saying some rain would be nice and I agree with him it's always calming to hear the rain drops hitting the roof" I say and giles nods in agreement I look over to willow and she gives buffy and I a smile I smile back and buffy sets her bag down and sits next to her just a few seconds pass before Xander comes up behind Giles just as he turns to leave.
"Good morning," Giles says to Xander
"Mornin'" he replies then looks at us "Guess what I just heard in the office? No Dr. Gregory today. Ergo, those of us who blew off our science homework aren't as dumb as we look." He reaches down and flips Willow's book closed. She ends up having to stop it from sliding off her lap because of that
"What happened, is he sick?" buffy asks worriedly
"They didn't say anything about sick, something about missing." Missing?
"He's missing?" buffy asks reading my thoughts
"Well, let me think. Um, the cheerleaders were modeling their new short skirts, that kinda got... Yeah! Yeah, they said missing." Willow Buffy and I exchange a look. "Which is bad?"
"If something's wrong, yeah!" I walk over to her and rub her back some to try and comfort her a little
"He's one of the only teachers that doesn't care about buffys records," I tell Xander
"I'm really sorry, I'm sure he'll..." Xander trails off as he looks up and sees an honestly pretty good looking woman walking towards him "I, uh, huh...Uh, huh... huh..." She stops in front of Xander, who just stares at her.
"Could you help me?" she asks
"uuuuuhhhhhh... Yes!" Willow Buffy and I give each other an amused looks.
"I'm looking for Science... 109." Oh this must be buffys substitute teacher
"Oh! It's, um..." He looks around himself, trying to remember the way. He turns back to her and smiles "I go there every day!" the substitute laughs and Xander looks at us for help "Oh, God, where is it?" we all look at each other again and decide not to help just shrugging out of nowhere a guy appears behind the substitute and introduces himself.
"Hi! Blayne Mall. I'm going there right now. It's not far from the varsity field where I took All-City last year." He says smiling smugly oh this must be the perverted sexaholic Xander and buffy told me about
"Oh! Thank you, Blayne!" the sub says as she a mr. perv leave Xander's gaze follows them for a moment, and then he turns back to us
"It's funny how the Earth never opens up and swallows you when you want it to." He says willow and buffy nod their heads smiling and I just tilt mine to the side in confusion
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BUFFYS POV
As willow Xander and I walk into class we see the woman from earlier writing her name on the board Natalie so that's her name as I look down my heart stops for a second on the ground is dr. gregorys glasses I walk over to them and pick them up off of the floor there broken but why would he…
"What's wrong?" willow asks interrupting my thoughts
"Dr. Gregory dropped his glasses... Why wouldn't he pick them up?" I answer as I walk over to his lab table and set them down carefully before I head back to my seat I give a quick glance to Natalie then sit down
"My name is Natalie French, and I will be substituting for Dr. Gregory."
"Do you know when he's coming back?" I ask
"No, I don't, um," she checks the roster "Buffy. They just call and tell me where they want me."
"I'll tell you where I want you," Blayne says in a low voice I internally gag
"Excuse me, Blayne?" she asks
"Uh, I was just wondering if you were gonna pick up where Dr. Gregory left off." Natalie smiles
"Yes. His notes tell me you were right in the middle of insect life." She picks up a mantis mounted in a clear plastic box. "The praying mantis is a fascinating creature. Forced to live alone. Who can tell me why? Buffy?" She puts the mantis back down
"Well, the words bug-ugly kinda spring to mind," I answer There's lots of muffled laughter but Natalie looks a little pissed
"There is nothing ugly about these unique creatures. The reason they live alone is because they're cannibals!"
"Eww!" Everyone in class looks as disgusted as I am
"Oh, well, it's hardly their fault! It's the way nature designed them noble, solitary and prolific. Over 1800 species worldwide, and in nearly all of them the female is larger and more aggressive than the male."
"Nothing wrong with an aggressive female," Blayne says to me I just give him a look that says fuck off Natalie picks up her notebook and starts to walk around the room.
"The California Mantis lays her eggs, and then finds a mate..." She looks at Xander and He stares back. "...to fertilize them. Once he's played his part, she covers the eggs in a protective sack and attaches it to a leaf or twig out of danger. Now, if she's done her job correctly, in a few months she'll have several hundred offspring." She has made her way back to the front of the class and puts down her notebook. "You know, we should make some model egg sacks for the science fair. Who would like to help me do that after school?" All the boys raise their hands and I just roll my eyes "Good!" she says pleased
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All four of us move through the lunch line finally getting some food man I regret not eating breakfast
"Hot dog surprise. Be still, my heart." Buffy says
"Call me old-fashioned, I don't want any more surprises in my hot dogs." Willow adds I look at her then focus on the scent of the hotdogs
"its ok willow there just regular hot dogs I think they were too lazy to even put anything else in the bun" I tell her as I take a hotdog she smiles and nods taking one trusting my nose
"I wonder what she sees in me? It's probably the quiet good looks coupled with a certain smoky magnetism." Xander starts again Willow just raises her eyebrows at him. She turns to Buffy and they smile. And I just stare at him shaking my head
"smoky magnetism uh-huh yeah sure" I say getting annoyed with his rambling about the subject again that or I'm just getting pissy because I'm hungry I turn my attention back to the food grabbing a few more things and sneaking another hot dog hiding it under some other food
"Miss French You three are probably a little young to understand what an older woman would see in a younger man." I just shake my head
"Oh, I understand," Buffy says
"Good!"
"The younger man is too dumb to wonder why an older woman can't find someone her own age, and too desperate to care about the surgical improvements!" as I sneak a third hot dog I nod my head towards Xander as a way of saying yup exactly
"What surgical improvements?"
"Well, he is young," Willow says
"And so terribly innocent!" buffy adds
"and quite despite by the looks of things" I pitch in as I point my hotdog at him
"Hey, those that can, do. Those that can't laugh at those who... can do." Xander says just as I was hoping this conversation has ended Blayne comes up next to Xander, getting lots of food. I just stare at him wide-eyed how is it he is getting away with putting so much food on his plate with the lunch lady's watching I always have to sneak it and hope I don't get caught this is so unfair!
"Gotta carb up for my one-on-one with Miss French today. When's yours? Oh, right, tomorrow. You came in second, I came in first. Guess that's what they call natural selection." He says as he leaves and I just stare in the direction he went disgusted
"Guess it's what they call a rehearsal!" he looks at us "Rehearsal..." he laughs lamely at that note I turn my stair at him
"um no I think that's what you call thoroughly disgusted" I say as I finally hide the third poor abused tossed around hotdog into my pants pocket for further abuse and in the future consumption. I look over in buffys and willows direction and see buffy getting us all utensils. As she walks back Cordelia comes in through the exit and bumps into her.
"Excuse you!" Cordelia says as She goes behind the counter, showing a piece of paper to the cafeteria workers. I just growl slightly in annoyance "Medically prescribed lunch. My doctor ships it daily... I'll only be here as long as I can hold my breath." I shake my head pampered little rich girl I jump up as a scream hits my ears I drop my tray having to cover my ears at what I can only guess is Cordelia's high pitched scream damn it that hurt my ears! I notice Buffy and Willow running to see what's wrong and I quickly follow suit. When we get there were greeted by a not to happy sight a body with no head in a white lab coat
"His head! His head! Oh, my God, where's his head?!" Cordelia screams Xander comes in shortly after and I look at buffy to see her stareing in what I think is disbelief. I look at everyone else xanders looking away and willow looks squeamish I look back at the body and notice a name tag I take a closer look and my heart stops it says Dr. Gregory, I look over at buffy and it looks like she's about to cry I gently wrap an arm around her shoulder and slowly get her to move away from the body
"come on buffy" I say softly she slowly walks with me but I'm mostly keeping her up and guiding her away and to the library it looks like she's in a bit of shock I just keep slowly walking her there. Half way there she breaks down crying I pull her closer to me to try and comfort her but at the same time keep her walking but it's no use she stops in her tracks using me completely as her support I decide to pick her up and carry her the rest of the way I use my back to push open the door and walk in sitting on the stairs holding her I hate that she had to see that I hate that she's crying I gently rub her back and look around slightly I guess Giles isn't here about fifteen minute have gone by since we got here buffy seems to have calmed down some and is just laying her head on my lap I gently stroke her hair trying to help her more a few more minutes pass before giles willow and Xander walk in Giles looks at us with a sorry expression then heads to his office willow takes a seat beside me and buffy on the stairs and Xander just stays standing up willow looks at me with a sad and worried expression and i return it with one equally as sad and worried she then lays her head on my shoulder to get comfort I just let her and keep stroking buffys hair in the silence though it's soon broken when my ears catch the sound of water running then turning off shortly after Giles emerges from his back room with a cup of water He brings it over to Buffy and hands it to her
"Here. Drink this." Buffy takes the glass slowly
"No, thank you. She says sitting up and leaning against the railing taking a sip absent mindedly
"I've never seen..." Giles looks at Xander. "I mean, I've never seen anything like... That was new." Xander says I really don't think this is the best time to be talking about it but I can't stop them
"Who would wanna hurt Dr. Gregory?" willow asks lifting her head off my shoulder I kinda miss the feeling of her head there now…
"Uh, he didn't have any enemies on the staff that I'm aware of. He was a civilized man. I liked him." Giles says
"So did I," buffy says sadly I look at her and gently rub her back
"Well, we're gonna find out who did this. We'll find them and we'll stop them." Willow says looking up at Giles
"Count on it."
"What do we know?" Giles asks
"Oh, not a lot, um..." buffy sniffles and wipes a tear from her nose "He was killed here on campus. I'm guessing the last day we saw him."
"How do you work that out?"
"He didn't change his clothing."
"This is a question that no one particularly wants to hear, but... where did they put his head?" Xander asks
"Good point. I didn't wanna hear that." Willow says
"Angel!" buffy says as she quickly gets up "He warned me that something was coming." She takes another sip of water as she walks over to the table.
"Yes. Yes he did, didn't he? I wish I knew what he meant. I've been trying to gather more information about the Master, our, uh, local vampire king. There was one oblique reference to a, a, a vampire who displeased the Master and cut his hand off in penance." Giles says
"Cut off his hand and replaced it with a fork?"
"I don't know what he replaced it with."
"So, why would he come after a teacher?" Xander asks
"I'm not certain he did. There was an incident two nights ago..." He walks over to the counter, picks up a newspaper and returns with it. "...uh, involving a homeless person in Weatherly Park. He was practically shredded, but, uh, nothing like Dr. Gregory."
"Fork Guy doesn't do heads," Buffy says looking at the paper
"Not historically."
"And Dr. Gregory's blood wasn't drained."
"So there's something else out there? Besides Silverwareman? Oh, this is fun, we're on monster island." Xander says not too happy
"We're on a Hellmouth. It's a center of mystical convergence. Guess it's the same thing." Buffy says walking towards Xander
"Well, unpleasant things do gravitate here, it's true, but, uh, we don't know if there's anything besides this chap. He's still our likely suspect." Giles states
"Where was that guy killed? Weatherly Park?"
"Buffy." Giles walks towards her "I know you're upset, but, uh, this is no time to go hunting, not until we know more. Please promise me you won't do anything rash?"
"Cross my heart." She says I sigh inwardly I know where this is going
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Buffy and I wait in her room for it to become dark buffys flipping through a magazine and I'm reading my book every now and again taking a sip of my soda I got back when we had to fight amys mom its quiet until a rumbling catches our ears I sigh marking a place in my book and take out the hot dog in my pocket and buffy just stairs at it
"you murdered it" she says trying to act horrified and serious I just look at the pretty much flat bun with squished and partly broken up hotdog I'm so glad they put plastic wrap over these or else my pocket would of had pieces of meat and bun everywhere inside of it
"yea I should of warned him that death was imminent" I joke as I pull off the wrapping and start eating it Buffy smiles and giggles some then continues looking through her magazine after I finish my hotdog and read three more chapters of my book night comes and we head to the park where the paper says the last sighting was buffy seems pretty determined to catch mr. forkistine. we approach a fence and she jumps it I follow suit right after she lands
"buffy are you sure we should be doing this?" I ask as I land and we start walking through the park again
"yes I'm sure he's the only suspect we have and I am not letting him get away"
"I know buffy but Giles said nothing reckless"
"your here with me so technically this isn't reckless what would be is if I went alone" I open my mouth to say something but I stop when a guy stops in front if us
"Shouldn't be out here at night, little ladys. Dangerous." He says then leaves he must have been drinking because I could smell the alcohol on his breath. buffy spys another homeless man on a bench and speed walks over to him checking him out
"He's okay, just asleep." She says then continues stalking I cover my nose as an unpleasant and familiar scent fills it
"buffy I smell.." I started but she finished my sentence as she moves some shrubbery that was covering a sewer access hole.
"sewer" She moves it aside, and Fork Guy jumps out at her I quickly move her out of the way as he swings his claw missing. Buffy then slams her arm straight into his gut, then again into his back. He swings again, but Buffy dodges him. She backhand punches him in the face, does a roundhouse kick to his jaw and backhand punches his face again. He tries to take another swing at Buffy, but she evades it and front kicks him. He lunges at her, and I take this as my chance to attack I grab his arm and flip him over onto his back placing my foot on him keeping him still as Buffy tries to stake him, but he rolls away and back onto his feet causing me to fall on my ass in the process. As I get up buffy kicks him in the gut causing him to stagger backwards and fall we're about to attack him again but I stop when I catch a scent many scents coming this way people and dogs I quickly tug on buffys arm
"buffy we have to go!" I say she looks at me hesitantly but makes up her mind fairly soon when she starts to hear the voices and see flash light rays coming over the hill
"Hold it! Police!" one of the voices says
"Did you see that?" a second asks
"I got nothing here!" a third comments Buffy looks back and forth between Fork Guy and the police. he takes his chance and runs off. "I heard it."
"Spread out."
"Let's go over here."
"This way, this way. "
Buffy and I high tail it the same way forky did we catch up with him just as he hops the fence on the other side is a woman holding groceries she smells just like the substitute from this morning buffy and I reach the fence as he sneaks up on her suddenly the sub stops and turns to face him like she knew he was there fork guy hisses and runs away in fear and the sub simply watches him go unphased I can't believe what I'm seeing and I'm guessing neither can buffy I watch as forky runs across the street lifts a manhole cover and jumps down the substitute just continues walking and buffy and I just stare at her in disbelief
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"You two went hunting last night," Giles says to us upset
"Yes." Buffy answers and I simply nod He starts to walk into his office and we follow behind him.
"When you assured me you wouldn't." he takes a sip from his mug
"Yes, I lied, I'm a bad person, let's move on." He sighs and opens his file cabinet
"Did you see someone with a fork?"
"more like a giant claw like wolverine only without the hand" I answer and he looks at me clueless when I talk about wolverine
"Oh. Well, uh, at least you're both unharmed."
"And we saw something else. Something much more interesting than your average run-of-the-mill killer vampire." Buffy says
"Oh?"
"Do you know Miss French, the teacher that's subbing for Dr. Gregory?" Giles smiles
"Yes. Yes, she's lovely. In a, a common, extremely well-proportioned way." He says putting some files away you won't think that for long giles
"Well, were chasing Claw Guy last night, and Miss Well Proportioned is heading home. The Claw Guy takes one look at her and runs screaming for cover." Giles looks at us confused
"He what? Ran away?"
"He was petrified."
"Of Miss French?" he says in disbelief
"Uh, huh! So I'm an undead monster that can shave with my hand... How many things am I afraid of?"
"Not many. And not substitute teachers, as a rule."
"So what's her deal?"
"I think perhaps it would be a good idea if we kept an eye on her."
"Then I better get to class." Buffy says as she leaves giles and I share a glance
"still think she's lovely?" I smile joking he looks away embarrassed and just keeps messing around with his files
"don't you have a class to go to?" he asks and I jump up
"oh crap ya thanks" I say having completely forgotten I grab my things quickly and head out fast since buffy and I have our classes close to each other I decide to catch up with her
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BUFFYS POV
Oh man, I'm so gonna be late I think to myself as I speed walk to my class
"buffy wait up!" lela? I stop and turn around to see her somewhat jogging over
"what's up?" I ask her
"Giles reminded me about my class and since our classes are near each other I thought I'd tag along," she says looking at me hopefully I smile to her
"yeah sure" she smiles bigger and we both start walking to our classes but were stopped shortly after by Principal Flutie.
"You two were there. You saw Dr. Gregory, didn't you?" he asks
"Um, you mean yesterday in the cafeteria when we found him..." Mr. Flutie interrupts me
"Don't say dead! Or decapitated, or decomposing, I'd stay away from D-words altogether. But you both witnessed the event, so this way, please." He starts walking down the hall but Lela and I stop him short
"Well, no, I'm gonna be late for biology..."
"and ill be late for art," Lela says upset she really likes art class I think she likes it more than biology
"Extremely late!" Mr. Flutie replies and starts down the hall again "You two have to see a counselor. Everyone who saw the body has to see a crisis counselor."
"But we really don't need..." Mr. Flutie interrupts me again
"We all need help with our feelings. Otherwise, we bottle them up, and before you know it, powerful laxatives are involved."
"laxatives?" Lela repeated
"yes, laxatives now I really believe if we all reach out to one another we can beat this thing. I'm always here if you need a hug" he jumps back "but not a real hug! Because there's no touching, this school is sensitive to wrong touching."
"But, we really, really don't..." I start but get stopped again
"No, you have to talk to a counselor and start the healing. You have to heal."
"But Mr. Flutie, I..."
"Heal!" he says and we both quickly sit down after he walks away Lela looks at me
"we couldn't have come out when his heavy laxatives were working?" I smile a little at her half joke then sigh when I hear Cordelia inside the counselor's room
"I don't know what to say, it was really, I mean, one minute you're in your normal life, and then who's in the fridge? It really gets to you, a thing like that. It was... let's just say I haven't been able to eat a thing since yesterday. I think I lost, like, seven and a half ounces? Way swifter than that so-called diet that quack put me on. Oh, I'm not saying that we should kill a teacher every day just so I can lose weight, I'm just saying when tragedy strikes, we have to look on the bright side. You know?" I sigh at what Cordelia saying this is going to be a while I can already tell
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After I finally get out of there I walk to my class and look in the window
"Oh, great, a pop quiz." There's no way I'm going in there right now I just watch through the window at everyone but my eyes widen and I quickly roll away from the window when I see Natalie suddenly straighten up and turn her fucking head around 180 degrees. Ok nope. Nope! I'm done! I rush back to the library and sit down
"buffy what are you doing in here shouldn't you be in class?" I hear giles ask I look back at him
"I'll tell you when every ones here as for now I'm so done with that class" I answer and he just looks at me confused
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"she looked over her shoulder?" willow asks and I shake my head fast
"No, I'm not saying she craned her neck. We are talking full-on Exorcist twist." I answer
"Ouch!"
"Which reminds me, how come Blayne, who worked with her one-on- one yesterday, isn't here today?"
"Inquiring minds wanna know."
"Any luck?" I ask giles and Lela as willow sits down in front of the PC and begins a search.
"um, I've not found any creature as yet that strikes terror in a vampire's heart." Giles answers
"Try looking under things that can turn their heads all the way around."
"Nothing human can do that." Lela looks up at that
"you know I have a few books on various insects at home and I remember reading of one that could do that with their heads but I don't know if there are any bug demons and I can't remember what kind of bug it was" lela says
"Whatever she is, I'm gonna be ready for her," I say getting up and turning hopping up the stairs to the stacks.
"What are you going to do?" Giles asks and I turn around to look at him
"My homework." I answer and walk into the stacks Lela had our best lead I need to look for a bug that can rotate its head and takes the head of other things I wonder around for a minute then rush back out "giles lela wheres the books on bugs?"
"oh uh there um this way," Giles says as he walks up the stairs to show me
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NO ONES POV
In buffys science classroom, Natalie is at the desk spreading butter on a slice of bread. She's about to open a plastic container when she hears Xander come in. she looks up at him.
"Hi! Natalie" he says nurvically
"Oh, Hi! I was just grabbing a snack. Can I fix you something?" Natalie offers
"No thanks, I never... eat when I'm making egg sacks." He sees the model "Wow if this were real the bugs would be..."
"...as big as you!" she says finishing his sentence
"Yeah! So! Where do we start?"
"Oh, Xander! I've done something really stupid. I hope you can forgive me."
"Oh, forgiveness is my middle name! Well, actually it's LaVelle, and I'd appreciate it if you guard that secret with your life." Xander laughs some and so does Natalie
"I have a teacher's conference in half an hour, and I left the paint and papier-mache' at home. I don't suppose you'd like to come to my place tonight to work on it there?" Xander nurvisally swallows
"Come to, uh... your place?" He flashes to his guitar solo from his dream for a moment.
"7:30? Here's my address." She writes it down and Xander watches not believing his luck hes so surprised that he almost doesn't notice that Natalie is handing him the paper with her address "I'll see you tonight?"
"Yeah! " Xander answers excitedly and quickly walks out of the classroom fist pumping the air "Ooh, yes!" meanwhile inside the classroom Natalie waits stairing at the door making sure he's gone and opens the container as She turns it upside down to dump the contents out some live crickets jump out while the other fall onto the bread she folds the bread in half so that no more escape and lifts it up to her mouth taking a bite it makes a crunching sound in her mouth as she chews smiling.
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BUFFYS POV
I flip through the pages of what must be the third bug book I've looked threw lady bug nope dragonfly nope butterfly nope I sigh and flip again preying mantis I read and look at the pictures bingo! This has to be the bug Lela was talking about! I hurry out of the stacks with the book.
"Dig this," I say loud enough for everyone to hear "The praying mantis can rotate its head 180 degrees while waiting for its next meal to walk by" I slam the book shut "Ha!" I look around and everyone is quiet the only noise is lela closing and putting down her book "Well, c'mon, guys. Ha!"
"Well, Miss French is sort of big. For a bug?" willow says
"And she is large and woman shaped," Giles adds and lela just stays quiet I sigh annoyed and make my way down to them
"Okay. Factoid 1: Only the praying mantis can rotate its head like that. Factoid 2: A pretty whacked-out vampire is scared to death of her. Factoid 3: Her fashion sense screams predator. Factoid 4: Lela gave us our only lead and this is it"
"It's the shoulder pads," Willow says
"Exactly," I say and look at lela for some support but she's just shaking her heads I think it's because we are talking about clothes
"If you're right, then she'd have to" Giles starts but lela interrupts him
"she would have to be a shapeshifter or a perception distorter or maybe like a siren one minute she's hot the next she's a monster," she says flipping through a book to try and find something
"wait I had a chum at Oxford, Carlyle, advanced degrees in entomology mythology," Giles says
"Entomawho?" I ask and lela pipes in not taking her eyes off the book flipping through it fast
"it's the study of bugs"
"I knew that," I say trying to act smart.
"If I recall correctly, poor old Carlyle, just before he went mad, claimed there was some beast..." Giles starts before we all hear the PC beep and willow speak up
"Buffy, 911! Blayne's mom called the school. He never came home last night."
"The boy who worked with Miss French yesterday?"
"Yeah! If Miss French is responsible for..." willow starts but stops herself starting to panic "Xander's supposed to be helping her right now! He's got a crush on a giant insect!"
"Okay, don't panic, I'll warn him. But I need you to hack into the coroner's office for me." I tell her
"Well, what are we looking for?"
"Autopsy on Dr. Gregory. I've been trying to figures out these marks that I saw on his corpse... I'm thinking they were teeth. And, uh, these cuddlies?" I open the book back up and flip to the page of the mantis pointing at the mantis "Should definitely be brushing after every meal." Willow starts typing and I look at giles "And you were saying something about a beast?" I ask him
"Oh, uh, yeah, I just need to make one transatlantic telephone call." He says as he walks to his office but stops and turns back "Um, this computer invasion that Willow's performing on the coroner's office, one, one assumes it is entirely legal?" Willow and I answer simultaneously.
"Entirely!" she says
"Of course!" I say
"Right. Wasn't here, didn't see it, couldn't have stopped you." Giles says and I just nod
"Good idea." I say to him as he retreats into his office I look over to lela and she's still furiously flipping through pages she's starting to look serially annoyed "what are you looking for sis" she doesn't look up
"I've read a lot of mythology and I remember there being some about mantises some people are extremely afraid of them the only problem is I can't fucking find the damn thing" she says flipping faster I decide not to ask her to come because when she can't find what she needs she tends to wig out badly I just head out without saying anything else as I walk out I can hear a scream of annoyance that is clearly from my sister and a bang on the table that's more than likely from her slamming her head onto it I quickly start looking for Xander not wanting to be around when she starts to wig out more
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NO ONES POV
Buffy finally catches up with Xander outside
"Hey!" buffy says
"Hey!" Xander replies
"So, how'd it go with Miss French?"
"Well, it's a bit demanding being her absolute favorite guy in the universe, but I'll muddle through."
"Xander, she's not what she seems."
"I know, she's so much more."
"Okay, um... I'm gonna have to tell you something about her, and I'm gonna need you to really listen, okay?" buffy says slightly desperate
"Okay."
"I don't think she's human."
"I see. So if she's not human she's..."
"Technically? A big bug." Xander laughs. "This sounds really weird, I'm aware of that but Lela had a lead and I looked it up and..." Xander stops her
"It doesn't sound weird at all, I completely understand." He says. Buffy looks at him slightly confused but relieved "I've met someone, and you're jealous."
"What?" she says her relief melting away into annoyance
"Look, there's nothing I can do about it. Uh, there's just this certain chemical thing between Miss French and me."
"I know, I read all about it, it's call, um, a pheromone. It's a chemical attractant that insects give off." Buffy says fast getting desperate Xander gets angry about this and slightly snaps
"She's not an insect! She's a woman, okay? And hard as that may be for you to conceive, an actual woman finds me attractive. I realize it's no mystery guy handing out leather jackets, and while we're on the subject, what kind of a girlie name is Angel anyway?" he finishes
"What does that have to do with..." Xander cuts buffy off snapping again
"Nothing! It just kinda bugs me. Look, I really gotta..." he starts but walks off. Buffy turns and watches him go.
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XANDERS POV
I type in Natalie's address onto a computer at a internet cafe that lets you use the computers with a purchase I take a sip of my drink and get them to print out the directions for me I finish my drink fast and leave following the directions to her house I get there just as it turns to night and ring the door bell "ok play it cool play it.." I stop as the door opens to a very sexy Natalie I try not to stare at her boobs but damn that dress makes them damn!
"hi! Come on in!" I fail and stare at her boobs as I walk in "Should I change? Is, is this too..." she asks as she closes the door I shake my head fast
"No, no, it's, the most beautiful chest... dress I've ever seen." She smiles and goes back into the living room and I follow her she sits down on the sofa holding some kind of drink
"Thank you. That's sweet. Martini?" she offers me the one in her hand "Oh, I'm sorry, would you like something else?" I quickly take the drink sitting by her she starts to laugh "I just need to relax a little, I'm kinda nervous around you. though You're probably cool as a cucumber!"
"I like cucumbers. Like in that Greek salad thing with the yogurt. Do you like Greek food? I'm exempting Schwarma, of course, I mean, what's that all about? It's a big meat hive." Damn it why do I have to be so nurvise I sound like an idiot I look at my drink and down it fast hoping it will help me calm down "Hhhhhhho! Hello!" I say suddenly feeling really weird
"Cheers!" Natalie says clinking the glasses "Can I ask you a personal question?" she asks as She puts her glass down and gets closer "Have you ever been with a woman before?"
"You mean, like, in, uh, the same room?" I say nurvise
"You know what I mean."
"Oh, that, uh... Well, let me think. Um..." Natalie runs her fingers through my hair and around my ear. Ah fuck this is making me even more nurvise "Yeah, there was, uh... several!" She continues and strokes down to my chin. I gulp "I mean, and, uh, quite a few times... And then there was, uh... Oh, she was incredibly... No. Uh-uh." I say giving up
"I know. I can tell." She says and I look at her fast surprised
"You can?"
"Oh, I like it. You might say, I...need it."
"Oh! Well, needs should, uh, y'know... Needs should definitely be met, as long as it doesn't require ointments the next day, or..."I start saying trying to sound cool but I stop when I start hearing Muffled yelling that's weird "Do you hear..."
"No..."
"Sounds like someone crying..."
"I don't hear anything," Natalie says taking my hand is it just the martini that's causing me to hear this am I already drunk?
"Your hands are so hot!" I say as my mind flashes back to my dream. With buffy holding my hand worried I lean back on the couch "Buffy. I love Buffy. Wow! So that's a martini, huh?"
"Mm-hm." I sit back up when I hear the muffled yelling again
"Do you hear..." I start but Natalie cuts me off
"Would you like to touch me with those hands?" Natalie says catching me off guard I look down at her hands feeling sick and loopy
"Your hands are sss... really..." her hands morph into what I think are claws oh man I'm gonna puke "serrated! Oh, wow, that martini, I... I really think I have to..." I fall over and everything turns black
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTToh man my head is swirling that's the last martini I ever will have I slowly open my eyes and look around im in a…cage? I grab the bars and pull myself up. I look around more and off to the side, there's a giant mantis? It's messing with something….is this...
"Miss...French?" I slowly ask not really wanting an answer
"please, call me Natalie." It says turning to look at me I quickly back away into the cage. Oh shit buffy was right all of a sudden I catch something reaching at me from the corner of my eye and jump back
"Ah!" I take a close look its... "Blayne?!" he looks at me terrified
"Oh, God! Oh, God!" he repeats
"Are you all right?"
"Oh, God!" he repeats again taking a breath "You gotta get me outta here! You gotta! She, she, she gets you, and, uh..."
"What?"
"...she, she..."
"What does she do?" I ask again
"Oh, God! Oh, oh, no!"
"Blayne! What does she do?" I yell getting annoyed
"She, she... she, she takes you outta the cage, and she ties you up, and, and... she... she starts movin', and throbbin' and these eggs come shootin' out of her! And then..."
"What?"
"And then..." damn it Blayne
"Then what?" I ask as calmly as I can
"She mates with you!"
"Sheeee..." I'm at a loss for words
"That's not the worst part!" he continues
"That's not?"
"You seen her teeth? Right while she's, you know, right in the middle of... I saw her do it! I don't wanna die like that!" he starts freaking out again
"Blayne! Blayne! Chill! It's okay. It's gonna be okay. We'll get outta this." I say trying to calm him and honestly at this point myself down
"You gotta plan? What is it?" he asks hopefully
"Just, uh, let me perfect it!"
"Oh, God... Oh, God... Oh, God..." he says giving up hope I sigh and pace around thinking for a few minutes, if I get out now im probably dead, is there anything I can use to stun her or knock her out with or something umm uhh I look around nothing just nothing I kick one of the bars separating blaynes cage from mine in frustration and the bar moves some it's loose this will work if I can just… I bend down and start tugging at it
"Don't do anything to make her mad!" Blayne says scared after a few more shakes and tugs I finally manage to pull it out, Blayne looks happy and quickly moves into my cage "Hey, alright, now I can get outta my cage" he starts then looks bummed out and confused "and Into yours, what'd you do that for?" he asks annoyed and I just roll my eyes
"A weapon!"
"I think you're gonna need it." I look up when he says that and see Natalie coming I drop the bar quickly startled and we both back up more sliding down the wall scared She starts looking back and forth between us "Oh, God! Uh, he did that, he broke the cage, take him, not me, take him!" blayne says I look at him glaring you fucking idiot I look back at Natalie as she keeps looking back and forth at us pointing at us with one of her massive claws
"What's she doing?" I ask
"I think it's" Blayne starts then slows down speaking in time with her movements "eeny, meany, miny..." her claw stops at me
"Moe?" I say terrified that means im….Natalie opens the cage door and motions for me to come out I slowly slide on my butt towards the door and slowly grab the bar I dropped so she doesn't notice she starts motioning for me again "I'm comin', I'm comin'." I say hiding the bar behind my back getting out and standing up slowly ok its now or never! I quickly swing the bar as hard and as fast as I can hitting Natalie She staggers and I take this as my chance and run like hell up the stairs im about half way up when I feel Natalie's claws grab me and pull me back downstairs my head hits one of the stairs hard and I pass out when I come back to im tied to a chair and Natalie in right in my face.
"Oh, yeah, here it comes!" I can hear blayne say
"What? What's happening?!" I ask panicking
"How do you like your eggs, bro, over easy or sunny side up?"
"Eggs? She's gonna lay some..." my question is answered immediately when I see her starting to lay some massive eggs I flash back to class when she gave the lecture The California Mantis lays her eggs, and then finds a mate to fertilize them. I just stair scared ohhh shit….. TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
LELAS POV
I lean back into my chair completely giving up on finding the myths on the mantis and just listen to Giles as he yells over the phone
"Frankly, madam, I haven't the faintest idea what time it is, nor do I care. Now, unlock his cell, unstrap him, and bring him to the telephone immediately. This is a matter of life and death!" Willows' voice draws my attention away from Giles conversation
"Got it! Coroner's report, complete with... Yuk! ...color pictures." I get up and walk over to willow and look at her screen
"cool" I say simply
"There are teeth marks." Buffy says pointing at them "Which match perfectly to the one insect that nips off its prey's head."
"Okay, I-I don't like this," Willow says scared
"Huh! It's the way they feed, head first. It's also the way they mate. The female bites off the male's head while they're..." buffy reads ignoring willow
"No, no, no! See? Xander, I like his head! I-it's where you find his eyes, and his hair, and his adorable smile..." I rub her back trying to calm her down
"Hey, hey, take it easy, Willow. Xander is not in any immediate danger. I saw him leave school. He's probably safe at home right now." Willow seems to of calmed down some and we all continue researching I make my way to the stacks and grab a book on praying mantises and walk back to them handing buffy the book she opens it and buffy and I start reading through it after a few minutes I decide to listen in on Giles convocation again
"I-I understand, Carlyle. Yes... I-I'll take every precaution. Uh, absolutely, i-i-it sounds exactly like the creature you described. Y-you were right all along about everything. Well, n-no, you weren't right about your mother coming back as a Pekinese, but... uh... Try to rest, old man. Yes... Ta! Bye now!" He hangs up and comes out of his office. Well damn I missed a lot of the convo Giles walks to us and buffy looks at him
"anything?" she asks Giles nods
"Dr. Ferris Carlyle spent years transcribing a lost pre-Germanic language. What he discovered he kept to himself until several teenage boys were murdered in the Cotswolds. Then he went hunting for it."
"It being..."
"Uh, he calls her a She-Mantis. This type of creature, the Kleptes-Virgo, or, or virgin-thief, appears in, in many cultures. The Greek sirens, the Celtic sea maidens, who, who tore the living flesh from the bones of, um..." Giles pauses
"so I was right with the mythology?" I asked and he nods
"yes you were spot on and especially when you tried to find the legends about the she-mantis even when you uh lost it when you couldn't locate it" I smile at his praise then blush embarrassed because of my freak out when I couldn't find the myths
"Giles, while we're young!" buffy asks getting us back on track
"Uh yes sorry well, basically the, uh, the She-Mantis assumes the form of a beautiful woman and then lures innocent virgins back to her nest."
"Virgins?" buffy and I both say at the same time
"Well, Xander's not a, uh... I mean, he's probably..." buffy says and willow gets up worried
"...gonna die!" willow finished buffys sentence as she goes to the phone making a call
"Okay, okay," buffy says as she walks around Giles worried "so this thing is breeding and we need to find it and snuff it." She faces giles "Any tips on the snuffing part?"
"Uh, Carlyle recommends cleaving all body parts with a sharp blade." Giles answers
"Slice and Dice."
"Well, whatever you do, it had better be certain and swift. This beast is extremely dangerous And quite larger than its human form Lela I suggest when we see her you shift" I nod
"got it," I say to him
"Well, your buddy Carlyle faced it, and he's still around," Buffy says
"Yes, in a straitjacket, howling his innards out day and night," Giles replies
"Okay, Admiral, way to inspire the troops!"
"Sorry..." Willow walks to us even more panicked
"Xander's not home! He told his mom he was going to his teacher's house to work on a science project. He didn't tell her where." Willow says
"See if you can get her address off the substitute rolls." Buffy says then turns to Giles "And you need to record bat sonar, and fast!"
"Bat sonar, right. What?" Giles says I run over to his table and grab a recorder that he usually uses to record reminders
"Bats eat them." She leads him to the stairs and I run over to where they are "The mantis hears sonar, its entire nervous system goes kaplooey."
"Where am I gonna find the..." buffy cuts him off
"In the vid library? There're no books, but it's dark and musty, you'll feel right at home, go!" she exhales "Lela and I will handle the armory" buffy walks into the gated area and I hand giles the recorder
"just pop it in and play it then record it like you normally do when you make reminders and a little warning things aren't really organized back there" I tell him then head to where buffy is helping her gather things up I grab a machete and buffy grabs a few cans of bug spray we put what we gathered into a black duffle back she goes to zip it up but I stop her putting some rope into it she looks at me confused
"we could use it to try and hold her down" I tell her
"good idea" she says zipping the bag and walking out I follow close behind her
"Getting the address," Willow says grabbing the paper with the directions from the printer
"Great! Giles?" buffy says Giles holds up the tape recorder
"Recording bat sonar is something soothingly akin to having one's teeth drilled," Giles states buffy takes the recorder
"Let's roll!" we all head for the door.
"According to Miss French's personnel records, she was born in 1907. She's, like, 90 years old!" willow says
"And extremely well preserved!" Giles adds
"I don't care how well preserved she is she's going down," buffy says
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT Giles pulls up to Miss French's house we all get out and run to the door.
"What now, exactly? We can't just kick the door down." Giles says
"Yeah, that would be wrong," Buffy says as she gets ready to kick the door down but the door opens to reveal An old lady
"Hello, dear! I thought I heard... Are you selling something? Because I'd like to help you out, but... You see, I'm on a fixed income." She says sweetly
"I'm looking for Miss French," Buffy says confused
"I'm Miss French." The sweet lady answers
"Natalie French, the substitute biology teacher?" she laughs
"goodness, that's me! I taught for over thirty years. I retired in 1972."
"She used Miss French's records to get into the school," I say putting two and two together
Bite me! She could be anywhere!" buffy says
"No, dear! I'm right here!" miss French says confused everyone starts walking away and I look at her and smile softly
"I'm sorry but we just noticed how late it was we all have a meeting to attend to im very sorry" she smiles sweetly
"its ok dear stay safe" she says
"we will" I reply she closes the door and I catch up with the others as they stop at the car she's a really sweet woman
"What do we do now?" willow asks
"Abject prayer and supplication would spring to mind." Giles answers
"Lela and I saw her walking past this park with her grocery bags. She lives in this neighborhood." Buffy says
"I'm gonna start banging on doors." Willow starts to head to a house but buffy stops her
"Wait, no, we do not have time for that!"
"We have to do something!"
"We will." Wait if this is the same place we saw Natalie then that means…I look at buffy
"buffy remember fork guy?" her face lights up
"good thinking" she grabs the rope from the bag
"I won't be long." She says as she walks to the manhole and jumps in
"W... Buffy?" Giles calls then walks off to where she jumped followed by willow and I we all wait there for a while
"Come on, Buffy!" willow says getting worried
"Lela what is she even doing down there," Giles asks me
"finding a friend of ours that can help" I answer him I can hear struggling in the hole from fork guy once the struggling stops she whistles for me and I help her bring him and herself up out of the manhole His arms are tied behind his back and he doesn't look too happy to see me or buffy
"You!" he says angerly
"us!" She says shoving him down the street obvisally not wanting to deal with his shit. Buffy pushes fork Guy down the sidewalk in front of her and Giles Willow and I follow.
"Come on! Come on, where is she? Which house is it? I know you're afraid of her, I saw you! Come on!" buffy says fighting with him suddenly he starts trying to stop but she keeps pushing him
"Come on. What? What is it? This is her, isn't it, this is her house? This is it! Better than radar!" she says as he starts struggling even more She lets go of him and he cuts the ropes with his blades
"Buffy!" willow warns her I don't make a move to attack because I know she was already ready for him He swings at her but she leans back then rips a picket from the fence and steaks him with it .
"come on," she says giles nods at me
"Lela," he says
"on it" I answer before I shift everyone goes in through a window and I go in through the front door since I can't fit through the window I break open the door easily and walk in sniffing around my ears perk when I hear Xander yelling for help I run down to a door and break it down running down the stairs half way I look down and at the bottom of the basement is Xander tied up with a giant preying mantis over him and I see willow buffy and giles already down there
"Let him go!" buffy yells she sets the bag down and pulls two cans of insect spray out of the bag and sprays Natalie in the face. Giles runs to the cage to open it and I jump down the side of the stairway and run over to buffy to help leaving giles with a whining scared Blayne. buffy pulls out the tape recorder and machete from her bag. And I hold off Natalie snapping and swinging at her with my claws making sure she keeps her distance Natalie starts retreating to the back of her nest and I let Buffy close in on her knowing she needs closure
"Remember Dr. Gregory? You scarfed his head. Yeah, well, he taught me, you do your homework, you learn stuff. Like what happens to your nervous system when you hear this!" She plays the tape and were both terrified to hear giles voice play instead of the sonar
"it's…extremely important to file not simply alphabetically..." buffy stops the type
"Giles!" she yells
"I-it's the wrong side!" he yells to her getting Xander and Blayne free while were all distracted Natalie knocks the tape recorder and machete from Buffy's hands buffy and I turn our attention back to Natalie she tries to trip Buffy, but she jumps over her claw. I make my way behind Natalie and Xander comes up next to buffy with a can of bug spray and sprays it into Natalie's face Buffy quickly pushes him away from danger just as Natalie swings her claw knocking buffy back and down before she can do anything else I jump on her and dig my claws into her skin biting down hard onto her neck she flails around trying to get me off but I just dig my claws in deeper and bite down harder suddenly a high pitched sound plays and Natalie starts screatching loudly I let go jumping off this must be the sonaur I head to Giles who is holding the recorder while buffy heads over to Natalie with the machete
"Bat sonar makes your whole nervous system go to hell. You can go there with it." Buffy says raising the machete above her head and lowers it back down over and over hacking away at it everyone just looks down and I step beside willow to make it where she won't see what's happening she looks at me some grateful after a while buffy finally stops and we all look at the pile of pieces that used to be Natalie
"I'd say it's deceased," Giles says
"And dissected," Willow adds
"You okay?" Xander asks buffy
"Yeah." Buffy answers
"Just for the record, you were right, I was an idiot and God bless you." Xander says and buffy smiles at him "And thank you guys, too." He says to the rest of us
"Yeah. Really." Blayne says which surprises me I start standing on all fours to try and convince blayne that im just a pet wolf or something so that he wouldn't ask questions
"Pleasure," Giles responds
"I'm really glad you're okay. It's so unfair how she only went after virgins…" willow says
"What…?" Xander asks
"I mean here you guys are, doing the right thing the smart thing when a lot of other boys your age" I just look at blayne and laugh which pretty much are just grunts
"what are you laughing at dog" I growl some at least he thinks I'm a pet "and Big flag on that play, babe. I am no"
"Cat's out of the bag, lads. It's part of the She-Mantis M.O." Giles says smirking and I just laugh again nice one giles
"Isn't this the perfect ending to a wonderful day," Xander says
"My dad's a lawyer anybody repeats this to anybody, they're gonna find themselves facing a lawsuit." Blayne threatens
"Blayne shut up," Xander says and he does as he's told
"I don't think it's bad at all. I think it's really" willow starts but quickly changes what she's saying and steps back when Xander picks up the machete "sweet. But certainly nothing I'll ever bring up again" Xander moves past her and hacks at the egg sacks attached to the rafters, destroying them.
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BUFFYS POV
I stand by the bar in the bronze hoping to catch angel I smile some when I see him walking out from the crowd a small smile playing on his lips
"I heard a rumor there was one less vampire walking around making a nuisance of himself." He says
"There is. Thanks for the tip." I say to him
"Pleasure's mine."
"Of course, it would make things easier if I knew how to get in touch with you."
"I'll be around.
"Or who you where…" he just smiles
"Well, anyway, you can have your jacket back."
"Looks better on you." He says running his hand along the collar for a moment then leaves I watch him for a moment and sigh
"Oh, boy…"
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NO ONES POV
In the deceased Dr. Gregorys classroom, his glasses lie on the teacher's desk where buffy left them. Xander, Willow, Blayne, and Buffy listen to the new teacher as he explains the midterm
"All mid-term papers will be exactly six pages long no more, no less. One-third of your grade will be dependent on those papers no more, no less…" he finishes just as the bell rings buffy gets up and walks to dr. gregorys desk as everyone else leaves she carefully picks up his glasses and looks at them sadly missing dr. Gregory even more than she already did she gently wipes them off and walks to his closet opening it she then slides them into his lab coat pocket which hasn't been removed yet. She stairs for a few moments then closes the door and quietly leaves
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Hey sorry about the extremely late update had to get back into the groove of writing then I forgot that lela was in dr. Gregory's class so I had to change up a few things and some other stuff. I also will be writing other storys I don't know when but some will be with soul eater: oc x Tsubaki, rwby: oc x yang, Inuyasha: unknown at the moment, tails from the borderlands: oc x Fiona, harry potter: oc X Hermione, the legend of kora: oc x kora, beauty and the beast oc x female beast, Kim possible: oc x Kim, the last of us: oc x Ellie, steven universe: oc x amethyst, aladin and hunchback of Notre dame crossover: Esmerelda x jasmine, Tarzan and pochones crossover: Tarzan x pochohones, Tarzan horror story. That's a few of the story ideas that I have and the match ups yep lotsa girl on girl don't judge and with the last of us one I might wait till the new game comes out to even be thinking about that one so I know how to write the first one so the second one can hopefully fit together nice if that makes any sense plus I gotta replay the game anyway so theres the ideas so far and yea see yall next update