Welcome to the Hellmouth

Chapter 3

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Creeping around the streets of Sunnydale was a lot harder than one would like, then again it was a lot worse during the night, people tended to be far more jumpier then.

What they wanted to know, even if it truly did cause them pain to be curious was to see if her mom and friends still lived where they used to and where they now hung out, considering the school had been burnt down. Faith may call what they were currently doing was gluttony for punishment, but she just wanted to know, it wasn't like they were going to recognise her unless a vamp brawl broke out in the middle of the day. She was curious plain and simple.

"Fancy meeting you here B.," greeted a voice, next to her at the coffee bar.

"I know. So how have you been going Kyla?" Buffy asked, turning to look at her friend and sister in slaying.

"I now completely understand what you meant when you and Faith used to get drunk and talk about the Scooby gang." Snorting in laughter, it wasn't unusual for Kyla to make such comments, if she kept them to herself that was people, that knew her, would begin to worry.

"So what do you think of Ripper as a watcher?" Buffy asked, as the two walked away from the coffee bar and across the road to the park.

"He could be livelier, then again I have seen livelier cemeteries and Drusilla. I think maybe Travis would have been a better watcher or maybe Pryce, you know your third watcher. Hey you could always ask Bat to resurrect Merrick for us."

"I think that would be as likely as Angelus coming out to play with the rest of the children, and managing to play well with them. It just ain't going to happen," Buffy said. There were things that just weren't asked when it came to Bat or any of the gang's secrets, if they didn't tell you, you weren't about to ask them, because it could potentially mean missing a limb or something.

"So how's the rest of the gang going. I am assuming that the whole of the gang is here, just for a little visit, before they all bugger off to Boston to deal with your ghost problem with the rest stay here to manage whatever big bad is coming that has got Darla looking out." It was known that very little got Darla on edge, and if it did then there was something that everyone wanted to be on the look out for.

"Pretty much. Anyway I think this is where I say good day to you, and disappear before I am questioned by Harris and Ripper," Buffy stated, before getting up and quickly disappearing from sight.

I really have to talk to her about doing that, Kyla thought. I thought I was the only one that could do that kind of thing.

"Hey watcher-man," Kyla greeted, getting to her feet and walking to her watcher and the dark haired human. She wasn't sure who she liked best out of the remaining Scooby gang, it was a given that she liked Cordelia and Oz, though she hadn't seen much of the werewolf, but Anya gave her the creeps about something.

"Let's move along Miss Wayfield, we really must sit down and discuss your training," Giles began as he guided her away. From under the shadow of a tree to the trio's right, Buffy stood in silence as she watched her once best friend and watcher leave with her slayer.

It might do to remind Kyla to stay on her feet, and not do anything too suspicious. It won't do if they realise what's going on until later.

She thought that maybe once upon a time ago, she might have felt a bit apologetic for stalking people, now she really didn't have much of a problem. She hadn't for a long time, it was kind of a necessity in becoming a police Detective, that one was able to perform surveillance.

"You might want to try be a little less noticeable," stated someone.

How the hell can they see me? Buffy thought, considering the fact that she was invisible and not holding anything, it would have to mean something along the lines of the individual being magical or supernatural in some way or another.

"I'm Anya and you are?" they said.

Damn, I just had to find myself in the presence of a vengeance demon. Who the hell did I piss off in the last decade to find myself in this position?

"Liz. Nice to meet you Anya. So I take it, you don't have much to do with the vengeance demon scuttle bug anymore." Buffy asked. If they were up-to-date in all the latest gossip among the vengeance demons, they would know exactly who she was.

"I haven't been a vengeance demon for sometime," Anya replied, looking a little sad.

"Sorry to hear that."

"How long have you been in town Buffy?" Anya asked, proving her theory right, when her companion looked like she had a cardiac attack right there and then. "I thought so. I have seen pictures of Willow, Xander and yourself. You don't want Xander back." Seeing the smaller female shake her head she relaxed slightly. She didn't understand how the remnants of the Scooby gang could be so hostile when it came to questions about the former slayer that they had gone to school with.

"I'm here to do a job, and then I have every intention of going home, and never returning to the Hellmouth."

There was something about talking to someone that had links to a person from her past, it made her a little too jumpy to really want to talk to them.

"So what's the big bad watcher-man that's got everyone on red alert?" asked Kyla, dropping into a chair opposite Willow. Giving the red head an evil, she turned her attention back to her coffee, and the demonology book in front of her.

"There are only vague mentions of it in the Codex, hopefully you can find out some more during your patrol tonight," Giles answered, walking out from behind the counter.

There was something about his new slayer that made him edgy around her. Kyla Wayfield seemed to be full of unused energy, almost screaming to be tapped into and used in a creative and useful manner, as long as it was used in a responsible manner, hopefully they wouldn't have to deal with another Faith. That slayer, Faith, was something of a legend; between her and Buffy there hadn't been a slayer that had caused as much menace for the Council since Rowan. Rowan had quickly forced the Watcher's Council to tighten down on their flexibility with slayers, and what would happen if a slayer went through several watchers in suspicious circumstances, not that anyone had been able to prove anything.

"Yo Giles man! So what should I be keeping an ear out for?" It wouldn't do for the Boston gang not to be on the level with what was going on, Kyla doubted that Darla didn't already know what was going on, but it would force Darla to show her hand considering she was very used to playing things close to her chest.

"Kyla, I would like you to see if you can find out anything about the Rising of the Dragon," Giles said.

Oh Shit! Kyla's blood ran cold at the proposition about warning the group. I really hope Liz knows what she's going to be involved in this time 'round.

"Sorry I'm late Giles, there was an emergency at the shop," greeted Cordelia, stepping into the shop. "I'm Cordelia, and you are?"

"Kyla Wayfield, Slayer Extraordinary, nice to meet you." The slayer and former Prom Queen both relaxing at the fact they weren't going to be forced to sell each other out, and that they were seeing a semi-familiar face.

"Charmed," replied Cordelia, shaking the black-haired slayer's hand.

"So watcher-man...where am I going to be living for my stay here?" Kyla asked, there was a 50/50 chance she could be staying with Liz's mom, or that she would have to find her own accommodation, which would be the perfect cover to see the Boston group on a regular basis.

"Oh...of course, I'm sorry I forgot. You have the choice of staying with Mrs Summers, or Angel," Giles announced, watching a Xander sniggered and Willow glared at Kyla, as if daring her to say 'yes' to live with Angel.

"Can I ask who is Mrs Summers and who the hell would name someone Angel?"

"Mrs Summers is one of my previous slayer's mother, and knows about the calling and slayers. Angel is a vampire, I believe you have been instructed on the slayer Buffy Summers? Angel was her boyfriend, before Buffy and Faith, another of my former slayers, left town," Giles explained.

That explanation is so asking for an insult to be thrown in. I probably should be careful about using one of Ethan's, that might draw a little too much heat to me. "Wow, how the hell did you manage to go through so many bloody slayers, I used to think it was watchers that went through dead slayers quickly. I mean hell, you're going pretty fast through the living ones." She couldn't help it, she was just overwhelmed with the urge to poke the old wounds left after the betrayal.

I wonder how they'll take it when they realise Liz and Faith are both back in town? Hell I wonder how long it'll take them to realise that the girls are back, along with Kendra, and a bunch of faces they could do without seeing.

"I'm sorry watcher-man. My old watcher always said I should have been gagged from birth." The look she had received made her feel a little guilty about her previous comment, maybe she's been a little harsh, it wasn't exactly like it was her fault. Okay so maybe it was, but she wasn't about to admit it out aloud.

"I'll go and crash a Mrs Summers place." Something about the witch warned her off attempting any long term living with the vampire and the red-head. Hell... she'd have preferred to live with Drusilla on one of her crazy days, where she reverted back to the insane vampire, that she had strong links to, personality-wise.

"What about work, Giles? I mean I ain't going to be able to help Mrs Summers out financial wise, if I don't work." It wouldn't do for Giles to come to the belief that his new slayer was a pushover, it would be a slap in the face by reality at a later date if he believed she was.

"You can do a couple of hours in this shop, when your training and patrol allow you too," Giles answered. Kyla and he were going to get along a lot easier than his previous slayers and possibly him and Buffy, she obviously was able to handle responsibility and had a sturdy head on top of her shoulders. Perfect for this group, considering some of the group still hadn't matured properly.