I still do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or any mythology.

I'd also like to take a moment to thank Tammin for all his hard work.

Homecoming Dance

Sunnydale High, Library

Buffy gazed morosely at the two blue slips of paper in her hand as she waited for Faith to arrive for their afternoon training. She'd already slipped into her fitness-outfit, put the mats on the floor and the notice to keep out in front of the doors. So when the sound of those doors swinging open reached her eyes she didn't bother to look up, Buffy already knew who it was.

"Hey, why the long face?" Faith asked as she sat down on the table. Buffy did her best to school her face as she put her tickets back in her bag, but that action only called attention to the pieces of paper. "Are those tix for the Homecoming dance?"

"Yes," the blond sighed. Seeing Faith's interested look, Buffy knew she had to explain further. "I bought them a while ago, I was... I sort of thought that if I had the tickets already Angel would get back in time to take me to the dance," the Aesir shrugged. "It's silly, I know."

"There's nothing silly about hope," Mjöllnir lectured. "We both know you didn't actually believe that having those tickets would magically summon Angel."

Faith's commentary dovetailed the war hammer's. "Not silly. I'd be worried too if my boytoy was off doing an Indiana Jones gig for almost a year."

"He's not my boytoy, Faith. And splurging money on this when I wasn't even sure I would go was silly. Don't get me wrong, pitching in for the limo wasn't a waste since my friends will still enjoy that and I suppose I could wear the dress for the Prom but the tickets itself..."

When Faith didn't respond Buffy looked up just in time to see the brunette hide an expression of uncertainty. But it was gone as soon as the Slayer realized the blond was looking at her. Replacing it was Faith's customary look of cocky exuberance. "Tell you what, why don't we go to the dance together?"

"Together?"

"Yeah," Faith said before hopping of the table. "What you need is some fun, have a good time. I'm sure we can rustle up some hunks once we get there."

Now Buffy frowned. "And what exactly did you have in mind for these, uh, hunks?"

Faith smiled. "Relax, B. I wasn't going to suggest anything naughty. Just 'cause you're attached doesn't mean you can't dance with a nice stud and flirt a little. Hey, how would your Mom react if I brought someone home..." She trailed off as Buffy gave her a classical "How do you think she would react" look. "That's what I thought. But hey, no big, I can make my own fun."

Buffy's cheeks reddened as the connotations of that hit her, but she knew better now than to comment on Faith's innuendo. Okay, she knew better most of the time. Usually.

"So, what do say B?" Faith leaned forward. "Is it a date?"

"Date?" Buffy choked.

The brunette threw her hands up at Buffy's reaction and backed off a little. "Jeez, chill. I was just joking. No dates will be had."

"Uh, right, yeah. Sorry about the overreaction, I was just... Never mind. I'm, I'm not sure," Buffy finished slowly. Going to a party did sound attractive, especially when she'd already paid for admittance. "Why the heck not, I already paid for the limo and everything anyway." Her smile turned impish. "And it means I get the chance to see you in a dress."

That comment turned Faith's expression sour. "Shit."

"Didn't think about that, did you," Buffy said with very little compassion and more than a little humor.

Trick's house

The place wasn't actually his, but the owners weren't in any position to argue about it and its tasteful yet expensive furnishings set just the right tone for this little event. 'Not to mention how it cuts down on the overhead for this project,' Trick happily mused as he faced the group standing around the table.

"Competition," he began. "Competition is a beautiful thing. It makes us strive. It... makes us accomplish. Occasionally, it makes us kill. We all have the desire to win." He was getting a little fired up from this speech himself, so Trick started to walk around the group.

"Whether we're human," Mr. Trick said as he gestured at the human-contingent. Funnily enough, they actually outnumbered the demons in the room. He hadn't expected that, since Slayers were more infamous among demons than their own kind. Then again, a lot of demons didn't have enough money to enter this competition.

"Vampire." He nodded to the only person in the room he actually knew, wondering all the while why he'd come in the first place. He'd told Jean Debry about this event thinking he would know some people who would be interested, not sign up himself. Jean was like him, a businessman. Not a thrill-seeker or a warrior or what-have-you. So why was he here?

But now was not the time to ask, so he passed Jean and continued. "And whatever the hell you are, my brother. You got them spiny-looking head things. I ain't never seen that before."

The demon was constantly angling his head about, like a bird, but slower. When Trick mentioned the head things he growled, yet when he actually spoke there was no hint of anger in his voice. "I am Kulak, of the Miquot clan."

Trick digested that uninformative answer for a second before shrugging off his curiosity. The demon had paid, and that was the really important thing. "Isn't that nice." The black vampire resumed his round around the table. "Point is, you're all here for the same reason. To compete against some of nature's finest," he stopped and grinned, "predators."

Looking around, he noticed most were excited with a few exceptions. The twins were as stoic as ever, and why shouldn't they be? To them, this was a job. They'd been hired by the old man in the wheelchair to be his proxies in this competition. Jean Debry, however, seemed to be amused. 'Oh, I definitely need to have a talk with him.'

Mr. Trick resumed talking on a more serious note. "The games will begin in a few days time. The first target," he said as he opened the file folder lying on the table and tapped the girl on the right on the photo, "Buffy, is the more experienced of the two. The second," and now he indicated the girl walking besides the blond, "Faith, is... feisty. Both of them will give you gentlemen a challenge but they will be ready for the killing, and that is a money-back guarantee."

'Of course, that don't mean I won't argue and lawyer about what exactly I just guaranteed,' Trick mused as he sucked on his lollipop. 'And that's assuming they'll be alive to complain.'

"Gentlemen, spiny-headed looking creatures, welcome to Slayerfest '98!"

Trick took a seat besides Jean as the other the contestants were busy with target practice, wrestling or just testing their equipment, all but Jean, who was just sitting there. "Don't you have any preparing to do before the main event?"

His fellow vampire gave him a look, and then glanced at the others in the room as if to make sure they were indeed distracted. "I already did them. And I don't want to give my, ah, competitors the chance to see what I will be using. I want it to be a surprise, for them and the Slayers."

"Yeah, about that. Why are you here? I didn't figure you for the Slayer-hunting type." They'd known each other for a century or thereabout and that's enough time to peg someone. And Trick had Debry pegged as a businessman.

Debry shrugged. "I'm not. Like our silent duo, I am being paid to do this."

Now Trick was frowning. "Then why is your employer not here to watch the show? Or will he be coming by later?"

"No, no, nothing like that," Jean chuckled. "A warlock I know is footing my entrance fee in exchange for certain Slayer-parts. I get to keep the rest and I already have buyers lined up for their blood. Not every vampire is willing to risk death just for some of the best blood on the planet, but some are willing to risk their wallet," he finished with a smile.

Trick sucked on his lollipop as he thought furiously. 'Is there a way I can get myself cut into that deal?' It was with some disappointment that he concluded that there was no way. Not without antagonizing Jean, which could cost him a lot more in the long run than Trick could possibly earn double-crossing Debry right now.

"I did not know that," was what he finally settled on. "Guess I'll have to rethink the rules for next year's Slayerfest." Of course that was predicated on the success of this year, but Trick wasn't too worried about that. Since according to his account statement, it already was.

Revello Drive 1630

Giving herself a pleased nod in the mirror, Faith opened the door and stepped out of her room. Buffy was already waiting for her in hallway, in her dress. Looking her over, the brunette decided not to comment on the fact that it hid her tat. "Looking good there, B."

"Thanks, uh, you too."

"Of course I do, I look good in anything." Ignoring Buffy's skeptical "uhuh" she extended an arm towards the stairs. "Ladies first."

"Why thank you," Buffy said before taking her up on the offer giving Faith a clear view of the Aesir's back. And where the blond's dress had been downright conservative from the front, it made a serious effort to make up for that on the other side. It wasn't so much, or perhaps that should be so little, that it became slutty or anything, but Faith still found her eyes drawn to the girl's back.

'Hot damn, should have said fine,' Faith amended as her eyes traced their way down. Then froze on the stairs as she realized she was ogling the other girl. 'Shit, I definitely haven't gotten anything for too long if I'm actually checking out Buffy. That's it, I need to get laid.'

As she thought that, Buffy reached the bottom of the stair and turned around to look up at Faith. The Slayer had a flash of panic as she thought for a moment that Buffy had somehow read her thoughts, but she got herself back under control a moment later when she realized how impossible that was. And the fact that Buffy's words showed no sign the blond had caught Faith helped too.

"Come on, if we leave the driver waiting too long he might drive off."

"I doubt that," Faith scoffed as she got back in motion. "He'd ring the doorbell first, you know, to check."

"But your friends are waiting too," Buffy's mom reminded them. Surprised, they both turned towards her only to be blinded by the flash of a camera.

"Mom, a little warning would be nice," Buffy said as Faith tried to blink the spots out of her eyes.

"And let you escape before I could take a picture? Now what kind of mother would that make me?"

"The kind that doesn't blind their daughter and guest?"

"You'll thank me later," was Joyce's answer. Her voice softened. "You two look beautiful. Now, have a good time but not too good."

Giving the older woman a big smile, now that she could see her again, Faith assured Mrs. Summers, "Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on B."

"Hey! More like I'll keep an eye on you," Buffy fired back.

"Then I have nothing to worry about," was all Joyce said. And she suspiciously didn't look at either of them as she said that.

Buffy must have noticed that too because she was giving her mother a searching look. She, in return, was softly smiling at them. Getting a bit more uncomfortable now, Faith's shoulders twitched in a halfhearted shrug as she looked away.

Not getting anything more out of her mom, Buffy spoke up. "We really need to get going now. Bye, Mom. Don't wait up." Taking hold of Faith's arm, she quickly lead them out of the house and towards the limo only letting go when they were already halfway to the car. The door was already being held open by the driver who simply nodded in acknowledgment when Buffy thanked him.

He firmly closed the door behind Faith who paid little attention to him. She was too busy looking around. This was her first and probably last time she found herself in a limousine after all. "Oooh, complimentary corsages!" Buffy cooed. "Which one do you want?"

"Huh?" Faith looked over at Buffy who was holding one of them up in each hand.

"I'm thinking the orchid, it goes better with the dress," she enthused.

Giving the corsages a look of distaste, Faith started to turn Buffy down. "I don't really..."

"But it's free!" Buffy wheedled. "And it's tradition, a part of the Homecoming experience. Go on, try it." Now the blond was smiling as her voice took on a hint of ironic mirth. "Can't know if you like it 'till you try."

When Faith didn't say anything right away, Buffy wiggled the corsage in her right hand a little.

"Fine," Faith finally sighed. "I'll wear the damn thing. But the punch had better be spiked, or I'll just have to do it for them." She grinned. "That's my tradition."

It had been a joke, but Buffy's next words surprised her. "Just don't get caught," she said shrugging then smiled as she started to bounce in her seat. "This is going to be fun!"

TO BE CONTINUED