Half Blessing, Half Curse Season 2

by TD Master

Xander is still cursed, and visits Nerima!

2. Part 2: Clash of the Amazons

----Part 2: Clash of the Amazons----

With a yawn Lexa woke, and slowly sat up. She looked around, and noticed Ranma and Genma were already up. She shrugged and yawning walked onto the hallway, then turned right toward the shower. She turned into it and after preparing some towels and wash cloths, slid her panties down her legs, bending at the waste. Then she stepped into the shower, yawned again, and looked at the faucet. She nodded, and turned the cold water full blast. "YOW! Ooh, yes!" she exclaimed, forcing herself not to go with the impulse of jumping out of the water. "Oh, now I'm awake," she told with a smile, taking a deep breath and running her hands from her shoulders down her body, fondling her naked, wet breasts along the way, down across her taut stomach and finally her hips. "Brr," she said, and then turned the warm water on as well, dosing it to get a nice warm flow, making her turn into Xander Harris.

"Aah," he said, and grabbed the shampoo from a small rack. As he did so he turned his head right, and notice a short-haired, brunette disappearing from the door. He shrugged, wondering if she got a lovely sight, or a familiar one, depending on the gender, before going back out.

A short while later he was dressed and happily going toward the breakfast table. He found everyone but Ranma and Genma kneeling at it. The Saotomes were sparring in the garden. As he looked at it, he noticed the destroyed tree, and the hole in the wall, through which was the destruction of Nerima. His eyes bugged out - it looked much worse in the daylight now. "Yowzers, did I and Happosai do all that?" Xander asked embarrassed scratching his head.

"Yes," Soun said gruffly.

"Whoops, sorry, uh, didn't notice in the heat of the moment, and . . . well, Happosai started throwing bombs, I was defending myself," Xander said somewhat embarrassed, but with a righteous indignation.

"Well, we - and you - got lucky," Nabiki said calmly, "It seems one of our neighbors is a lawyer and he threatened the insurance companies to sue them for everything they got, if they didn't pay up. Instead, not only did they pay up, they went ahead and pooled their resources to get one good construction company to rebuild, and not waste money on many different."

Xander looked out the window, and indeed there were people hard at work repairing the mess. "Very, very lucky," Soun Tendo said with narrowed eyes, but soon forgot about it, going back to his newspaper and food.

"Well then, good morning all," Xander greeted sheepishly. He then gave a polite bow, and sat down at the remaining empty plate - on the floor, at the low Japanese table.

-----

"So this is Nerima," Xander said, his hands at the back of his head, looking around. The houses were all lovely, most surrounded by gardens, in turn surrounded by wooden fences.

"Yep, it's nice to see it intact, isn't it?" Ranma remarked wryly, grinning.

"Definitely," Xander said, and then looked at Ranma. "That geezer had it coming, I hope he learned to keep his bombs to himself."

Ranma smiled at Xander, and then sped up. "Come on, I'll show you my school," Ranma said. Xander sped up to keep up, and they soon arrived at the now empty school due to vacation. "Furinkan High School," Ranma presented, spreading his arms wide. They were standing at the gate in the walls surrounding the school grounds. The gate was closed because of vacation, and through it a lane could be seen leading to the large white building. The middle piece was higher and a little forward. On either side a little lower were rectangular pieces of the building, filled with windows behind which were empty class rooms. A few trees lined the path, and were around the school grounds, who stretched out all but empty at the front.

"Let's go, I'll show you the rest," Ranma said and smoothly jumped over the gate. Xander followed, and looked around as they walked forward.

"Nice," Xander commented with a grin. Ranma nodded. "So this is usually the place for the big battles for Akane's heart, eh? I expected a bit more than nice after you described it."

Ranma scowled, and said, "Don't remind me. The half-wits finally quit trying after I pounded them all into the ground a few times; except that one guy . . ."

"Which guy?" Xander asked him as they reached the building.

"Not important, I think of him I just get angry," Ranma said, and jumped high up the two story building. Xander followed and they walked across the roof, some twenty meters, and stopped at the edge.

"Whoa," Xander said, looking out over the stretched grounds. A pool, football fields, a tennis court, and a separate building that held the gym and the dressing rooms. The place was huge. "Now /this/ is more like it. I wish mine could come this close," Xander said in awe. The only thing Sunnydale High has, is a small football field, a small gym and a tiny indoor pool. Nowhere close to the size and breath of Furinkan.

"Next, food!" Ranma exclaimed with a grin, and yanked Xander along.

-----

"I'm guessing we're no longer in the residential area," Xander said as he looked down the busy street with shops, more shops, lots of billboards, more shops, even more people, and several characteristic Japanese vending machines.

"Nope, come on," Ranma said, and they walked into the street. "Here it is," Ranma said, and pointed at the restaurant to his right, then turned to face it. 'Okonomiyaki Ucchan's' stood with big letters on the cloth overhang.

"Oh, wait . . . Ukyo right?" Xander asked Ranma.

"And who speaks my name so early in the morning?" A rather beautiful brunette with a wavy ponytail stepped outside from the shop. She was dressed in a blue wrap around, black tight pants, and a huge spatula was strapped to her back. "Hello, Ranchan," she greeted with dreamy eyes at Ranma.

"Hi, Ucchan, this is my friend Harris Xander, I think I mentioned him, once or twice. I thought he should taste your cooking," Ranma said with a grin, gesturing to Xander.

"Ah, Xander-chan, very nice to meet you, always good to have another customer," the girl happily replied, giving Xander a slight bow, which her returned. "Come in," Ukyo said and went inside. Xander and Ranma followed, Xander looked at him questioningly.

Inside Xander watched with fascination as Ukyo rapidly prepared two okonomiyaki, which from what he could see, was somewhat similar to a pizza. Ukyo put the two okonomiyaki in front of the guys, and she leaned on the counter. "Take a good taste, Xander-chan, you'll never taste so good okonomiyaki again, right, Ranchan?" Ukyo said with a smile.

"Absolutely," Ranma answered, and the two young men dug in.

After several chews, Xander looked up at Ukyo and mumbled, "Ohf, fewy goo!" Ukyo nodded with a smile as Ranma tore through his okonomiyaki. Xander noticed Ukyo's position, hands underneath her chest and leaning on it, making her breasts bulge and push her wrap around outward, showing some cleavage she probably wasn't even aware of. Xander quickly looked down and ate onward to catch up. "Mmh," Xander said, when he was finished with it, and Ranma gave a similar comment.

"How much do I owe you, Ucchan?" Ranma asked politiely.

"Silly, Ranchan," Ukyo admonished with a smile, "you know you don't have to pay me. Your cute fiancee will take care of you."

"Thanks, Ucchan," Ranma said with a smile, and then got up off his stool.

"Yes, thank you very much, Ukyo, it was very nice to meet you as well," Xander said with a huge smile, still rubbing his satisfied tummy.

"Ranchan's friends, are my friends," Ukyo said and gave a nod, "Although you do have to pay if Ranma isn't here with you. If I star feeding all his friends for free, I'd be bankrupt in no time."

Xander laughed, and said, "Wouldn't want that. Bye." Ukyo greeted and a little later he and Ranma were outside. "Damn, she knows how to cook those things," Xander said with a smile.

"Yep, wanna see the park? We could do some sparring there," Ranma asked, and set off, Xander falling in step with a smile on his face.

Thus they found themselves in the park not long after. Steadily heading toward the pond with a fountain in the middle they walked along the path, trees and grass on either side. "If I were you, 'Ranchan', I'd know who to choose," Xander said with a smirk. His Japanese friend looked darkly at him. "Come on, she's got breasts, legs, beautiful face, she knows how to cook, loves you, loves to cook /for/ you, that cooking is delicious, doesn't beat you up or blame you for every last little bit gone wrong, she doesn't try seven schemes a week to get you to marry her, she's intelligent, what more could you want?"

"Being in love with /her/ perhaps?" Ranma returned a little annoyed; he had enough people trying to couple him with one girl or other now his friend was trying it too.

"For that, you date her and see if you do, or will do," Xander said with a shrug, "I'm dating all the girls that want me to figure it out. With Buffy out of the picture, I'm definitely leaning toward Willow, she's kinda like Ukyo, childhood friend."

"Yeah, well-"

"YOU!"

Ranma and Xander turned their heads right toward the exclaim, the voice familiar to Ranma who was already getting irritated, and somewhat vaguely familiar to Xander. When the person making the exclaim came into their view, Xander exclaimed, "YOU!"

"You know him?" Ranma asked surprised.

"Exchange student for a bit there," Xander said with a grimace, as the guy in question came closer.

"I /knew/ it wasn't right! You two are in cahoots!" the guy said, dressed in a traditional Japanese kendo outfit, and pointing a wooden practice sword at Xander. "You kept my from my immortal love, the golden angel Buffy Summers just to spite me! For that, /I/, Kuno Tatewaki, Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, shall avenge such slight!" He immediately attacked Xander, the wooden sword bursting forth with such incredible speed, the air pressure alone could crumble a statue. Unfortunately for Tatewaki, Xander was not a statue. He avoided the first few strikes, and then locked the sword in his left armpit, immediately slamming his right open palm forward on Tatewaki's chest. The upperclassman was launched backward with a painful groan, till he slammed into a tree.

Growling Xander started breaking the sword in pieces, and grunted, "You perverted bastard, I should beat you into the hospital." He then tossed the pieces at the dazed Tatewaki.

"I need to remember that one," Ranma said to Xander with an approving grin.

Xander smirked back, and they started on their way, when a new voice rang out, "Ranma! You will pay!"

"Oh, no, not him again," Ranma said, slamming his forehead into his hand, while Xander looked puzzled. A guy in glasses, long hair, and in a long white robes with blue and red robe came running around the corner.

"To play with Shampoo's heart so cruelly!" the guy screamed running straight at Ranma.

"Mousse! Don't! That's not what I meant!" a sweet girl-voice sounded a bit behind, the blue-haired, buxom girl it belonged to coming around the corner as well, dressed in red loose pants and a frilly, multi-colored spotted top, ribbons in her hair. A very, very old woman just as small as Happosai in a green dress followed behind her, easily catching up by bouncing along on a wooden walking stick.

With a yell Mousse extended his arms and from his over-sized, hanging sleeves myriads of projectiles shot; swords, knives, a few axes, and more than a few ropes and chains on hooks. Xander's jaw dropped with the surprise, Ranma already knew what to expect. He smoothly avoided a few of the projectiles, then grabbed some of the chains, and twisting around somewhat in a shoulder throw yanked hard. "Whaaa!" Mousse exclaimed in surprise as he was pulled off his feet, was swung through the air in a half-circle, to land with a painful thud on the pavement behind Xander and Ranma. "Ogh," he groaned out, and twitched a bit, seeing stars.

"And /I/ gotta remember that one," Xander said still surprised, looking at the defeated guy, as Ranma slapped his hands up and down together a few times at a job well done. Xander turned back toward the arriving women, and said with a pointing gesture and disdain, "The Amazons, I presume."

"Yep, Shampoo, and the old crone is Cologne, her great grand mother," Ranma said, and nodded. The women came to a halt, and Cologne carefully examined the muscular newcomer, considering the possibilities.

"And who would this be?" Cologne asked casually.

"Harris Xander, a friend from America," Ranma introduced annoyed, as Shampoo carefully checked him over with her eyes to see if he wasn't hurt, which of course he wasn't.

"So, exactly what scheme was it that contained the halfwit attacking Ranma, huh?" Xander asked the two Amazons annoyed. They looked at him questioningly, and glaring he accused, "I know you Amazons, nothing but scheming."

"XANDER, WATCH OUT!"

Xander turned around, and was just in time to see a revived Mousse finish getting up and preparing to attack him, and an equally arrived Tatewaki already attacking him with a spare sword. "How dare you slant my beloved!" Mousse exclaimed.

"How dare you keep me from my angel!" Tatewaki exclaimed at the same time.

Reflexively Xander gave Tatewaki an uppercut and sent him flying away with a yell. While that solved one problem, it would mean he was too late to do anything about Mousse. Luckily for Xander and possibly Ranma, there was a brunette blur. With a thud from an uppercut, Mousse was launched into the air. "Oof! AAAH!" he yelled, before coming down again, landing squarely in the water. A moment later there was a white duck gaggling angrily, still wearing his round glasses.

"Lotion! What the hell are you doing here?" Xander asked in shock, as he recognized the previous brunette blur. The girl was as buxom as the blue-haired one, and her brunette hair was lusciously below her shoulders, tails hanging by the side. Her outfit was form-hugging blue dress, which showed off her assets as well as Shampoo's did. Her mother, the equally buxom Amazon in her thirties arrived behind her.

"I go where my future husband goes, I'm on vacation too," Lotion said with a smile, "and save you too." She gestured to the duck in the pond.

Shampoo had recognized the new arrival, and growled low, "Xiong."

Xander and Ranma turned to Shampoo with surprise, and in doing so cleared the spot in between the two young Amazon girls, who were now looking at each other unobstructed. Deo smiled at the event, and locked gazes with Cologne, who gazed back with a hard look in her eyes.

"Pu," Lotion said coldly, staring in the other's eyes.

Ranma and Xander looked from one to the other in confusion, and Ranma said, "Uh, what-"

That's how far he came as both Amazons came into action. Shampoo pulled out two colorful bonbories, small handles with heavy balls on the top, from her person, while Lotion pulled forth her nunchakus. Shampoo growled, "You here take future husband Ranma away?"

Lotion at the same time growled, "You keep away from future husband Xander!" Both only noticed 'future husband', completely missing that it were two different persons, and so they charged.

With a roar of fury Shampoo brought her left bonborie down, which Shampoo blocked with her right closed nunchaku against Shampoo's hand. The right bonborie came straight down with a screech, and Lotion smoothly jumped back. The bonborie slammed into the stone path, and then through it, making pieces of it spring away, and leaving a half-meter crater. "Lotion pay!" Shampoo roared, and burst forward.

Xander, Ranma, and the two older Amazons watched the fight, the first two rather surprised, and Xander said, "At least they're not attacking us."

Enraged Shampoo once again attacked Lotion, and landed a blow on her abdomen. Lotion was launched back, moaning with the pain, but made a backward somersault and easily landed on her two feet. With a battle shriek of her own, she charged forward, nunchakus twisting rapidly. Avoiding another blow from the heavy and dangers balls on a stick, she slammed her weapons in Shampoo's right side, making her yell in pain, and then attack more furiously. The right bonborie came down and Lotion opened her left nunchaku, and caught the handle of the bonborie with the chain. Closing the two sticks on a chain, Lotion quickly went into a shoulder throw. Shampoo wasn't to be outdone though, and twisted in the air to land on her feet. Both Amazons kept their hands firmly on their weapons, the result of which was that both were sent flying.

Taking the opportunity of the still imbalanced Shampoo, Lotion's left empty hand balled into a fist and struck forward, hitting her in the left shoulder. Shampoo had partially twisted away to minimize the hit, and twisted further with it. She swung her remaining weapon at Lotion with a snarl, who caught it, and twisted Shampoo and herself around, for Shampoo to be back to the side of the pond. With a grunt Shampoo made a vicious knee to Lotion's stomach, making her shudder forward and grunt in pain. She grimaced, feeling Shampoo trying to remove her remaining weapon. She tightened her grip on her weapon, yanked, and slammed her left hand against Shampoo's weapon. The ball on a stick was sent flying, but the stick flipped up and got caught in the nunchaku, the result being that Lotion lost her own weapon as well.

Shampoo kicked up rapidly, and caught Lotion in the chin making her stagger back. With a snarl Shampoo moved forward to finish it, as Lotion straightened and immediately used her opportunity. She almost jumped forward, and shouted, "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire!" Landing almost a hundred hits in a single second was far too fast for Shampoo to react to, not to mention handle. With a scream of pain she staggered back, only for Lotion to added an uppercut to insult.

"Argh!" Shampoo yelled as she was launched through the air, and splashed into the pond, making duck-Mousse flap his wings and gaggle in surprise.

Lotion's jaw dropped, she was checking her hand with wide eyes. Ranma raised his eyebrows with slight surprise and admiration. Xander just folded his arms across his chest and nodded in satisfaction. Cologne looked with wide eyes of surprise and shock, muttering almost unintelligible, "Impossible." Deo smirked with more than a little satisfaction, and nodded, arms folded across her chest and took several steps forward to her daughter.

Lotion lowered her arm, and watched with surprise as a wet white cat wearing earrings crawled onto the pond-rim. Ranma made a shudder as he saw the cat, which tried to hiss, but then collapsed in defeat, letting out a tortured painful wail before trying to lie still. Ranma's shudder disappeared. "I defeated Shampoo," Lotion said still surprised. "I really did, I haven't defeated her in eight years!" She then turned her head to look at Xander, who shrugged at her and smiled. She had realized it; it was her rather intense training with Xander, the Slayer, and him specifically training her to master the Chestnuts that's what made her stronger than her rival.

"You know the Chestnuts," Cologne said quite impressed at the rival of her great grand daughter.

"Indeed she mastered it, Cologne," Deo said with a large satisfied smirk, "about three years before the previous youngest of our tribe did. Say, wasn't that you?" Cologne narrowed her eyes at Deo, whose smirk just widened. "Why, Shampoo was my daughter's superior for all this time, but she never managed to defeat Lotion as soundly as she was beaten today. What's the matter? Did you stop her training while trying to court her future husband? Lotion didn't, she could do both."

Cologne glared at Deo, and said, "Watch your mouth, Deo, you're still a century too young to beat me."

"Oh, great," Xader muttered annoyed, as Cologne glared at the smirking Deo, who managed to glare back at Cologne at the same time. "Now we're in an Amazon pissing contest. Let's get out of here, Ranma, before the estrogen kills us."

"My thoughts exactly, Xander, let's move," Ranma said, and the two young man quickly ran off, leaving the Amazons to fend for themselves, the adults of which turned to look at the retreating forms with raised eyebrows.

-----

Sunnydale

Buffy and Willow were lying on Willow's bed. The bed was against the back wall, which was just in between a double and single bed. Her desk was to the right against the wall, a window above it. A white closet to the left of the bed. The walls were white, and the floor a dark grey almost blue. They were reading a girl-magazine, or rather Willow was, pointing things out. Buffy was thinking, trying to figure things out. Why would she be dreaming about kissing girls? Why point out Willow twice? And why not when Xander turned into Lexa while they were kissing; which was admittedly just as good a kiss as a girl as a boy? And why the hell did she think that? Why did she even brought it up in her musings now? It just wasn't fair, and it just wasn't right.

Perhaps she should ask Willow for advice? Her eyes turned to the redhead, who's face was bright and happy, reading out loud whatever was in the magazine. Something about Tom Cruise which she didn't pay attention to. Willow though . . . the two kisses she shared with her had been pretty good, and the way the light fell on her nose, and the hair hung, alluring and loose around her face. Her eyes were a very nice shade of green with interesting golden flecks in them, especially the way she was looking up at her now. Her moving lips were almost inviting, albeit narrow, she knew how lovely they felt against her own . . . and hadn't her body felt not bad against her as she had slept in her arms Ozsitting?

"-Buffy!-" Willow said with extra emphasis.

"Huh?" Buffy said, shocked out of her reverie.

"I asked about Tom Cruise's hot butt," Willow said with a huge smile, which shone almost brightly at Buffy. "But I suppose you were thinking about a hotter butt, huh?" She laughed lightly, more smiling than really laughing. Buffy's eyes flicked right for an involuntary moment, and she nodded. "Still thinking about Xander, I see," Willow said with a grin.

"Yeah," Buffy said quickly, taking the way out. What the hell had she just been doing?

"Don't worry, Buffy," Willow said reassuringly, giving Buffy a cute frown. "Xander'll come around, he won't go sguick over you forever. The only thing you have to worry about is me or Lotion conquering his heart before that."

"Hey!" Buffy exclaimed, and Willow gave a far too innocent smile. "Perhaps I should find out where you're ticklish just like Xander knows where you're ticklish."

"You wouldn't there," was Willow's automatic response, closing her eyes as she shook her head for a moment. As she opened them again she saw Buffy's look. "Buffy," she said, a hint of warning in them. Buffy grinned and wiggled her eyebrows once. "Buffy! No! B-" But Willow was no match for Buffy's speed, and her hands had already found her waist, tickling.

"Tickle, tickle!" Buffy teased, as Willow lay laughing, trying to pry the Slayer's hand away.

"S-s-st-stop!" Willow exclaimed through laughter, as Buffy tested the rest of Willow's body. "Bu-bu-buuufffyyyy!"

More laughter followed, while Buffy continued, "Tickle, tickle!" Soon Buffy had found all of Willow's ticklish spots, and finally retreated. Willow came to a rest, but laughed a little more, coming down. Buffy grinned, and shook her head at herself. The whole thing was nonsense. She was just looking over Willow because of the stupid dream. This was no Slayer dream, so it meant nothing. Willow was a great friend, and that was that. Right? Right.

-----

Buffy was slowly walking home. Willow's mother had uncharacteristically drawn Willow along in a shopping trip to get her daughter new clothes. This so the woman didn't have to do it during the more busy time not in the summer no doubt. Buffy hoped Willow was strong enough to not to just let her mother force her into buying more drab clothes, but actually good clothes so she didn't have to waste her own money on new clothes.

Buffy sighed as she slowly walked onward. Damned as she was, of course her reassuring herself hadn't worked. She found her gaze taking secret peeks at Willow now and then; the girl's cleavage, her legs quite long and shapely and agile and strong with the training she was going through, the short skirt that lead to just below her ass leaving them quite visible. A little dread was pulling on Buffy's stomach, which was making flip flops, and they were most definitely not butterflies. This was not a reassurance, Buffy's stomach really was making flip flops. A fear and concern was going through her, mauling in her head. "I can't be a lesbian," Buffy muttered softly, as she steadily stepped onward. And why was she so afraid of that possibility? It wasn't like her friends would mind, or that Harmony and the other popular girls weren't already making fun of her at every opportunity. She couldn't land even more in the dumps . . . then again, judging from the way she and Willow could sweep up the guys in the bronze, perhaps her stature was changed, at least according to the guys of Sunnydale.

Buffy shook her head to clear it. "It can't be, I'm not. If I were a lesbian I can't be in love with Xander, and I most certainly wouldn't be attracted to Angel and have sex with a male corpse." Buffy shivered, hating herself for bringing that up, and remembering the icky feeling of the cold clammy demon-animated corpse against her skin.

Buffy froze then, looking down her street. She was nearly home, but that wasn't why she had frozen. Willow was bisexual. Xander / Lexa was bisexual. Interested in both genders. But that wasn't what had made her freeze either. No, that was Willow's words, months ago. They were tickling at the edge of her memory. Come on, what had she said again? Something about a large majority of people actually being bisexual? Oh yeah! Now she remembered! Everyone had to be that to an extent bisexual to understand what the other gender thought was attractive in you. Expectations usually making someone suppress one side of their sexuality, and only a shocking, or surprising event, something or someone extra-ordinary shaking it loose. That was it right? Right. Extra-ordinary, like two friends being bisexual and making you mindful of the possibility, like kissing your boyfriend and him turning magically into a girl during the kiss and thus kissing your somehow girlfriend. Or like messing with magic and have the entire town population, including all the girls, be in love with you and all but rape you. Like your best friend kissing you just to prove she'd share a hot guy with you before letting a hated rival get him . . .

It couldn't be! It just couldn't be! Buffy Summers just couldn't be bisexual, could she? She moaned defeatedly, and looked down at her shoes, uncertain, afraid, not knowing what it would mean if she was. What would her mother think? Oh, my god, her mother! Or her father! Buffy shivered; doomsday scenarios of both of them tossing her out of their houses. She shook her head; that was ridiculous! Her mother loved her, didn't she? Right, that's probably what all the disowned gays and lesbians thought before they came out of the closet.

She forced herself to walk onward. She went around the back, and found her mother in the kitchen, eating her lunch. "You're home early," Joyce said with a smile at Buffy.

"Yeah, Willow's mom decided to take her clothes' shopping, and there was no argument," Buffy said a little uncertain looking at her mother chewing a sandwich.

"You need lunch then, Buffy?" Joyce asked with a smile, halting her sandwich for a moment. Buffy nodded with a smile. "Bread . . . or pancakes?" Joyce asked with a knowing smile.

Buffy's face broke in a wide smile and she said enthusiastically, "Pancakes!"

Joyce smiled while nodding, "Pancakes it is then." She got up, taking her sandwich along, and started pulling out the needed ingredients while finishing her sandwich.

Buffy sat down at the counter, and watched her mother with a wide smile. "Your the best mom ever," Buffy said still smiling as her mother was mixing the batter.

"And don't you forget that when I'm old and decrepit and /I/ need things," Joyce said with a smirk she directed at Buffy over her shoulder.

Buffy smiled, and started waiting patiently for her pancakes. After a moment, her earlier worries returned. She watched her mother finish the batter, put butter in the already heated frying pan, and put the first pancake in. Buffy was nervous, as she came back to what her parents would think, if indeed . . . she didn't want that! If it were true, perhaps she could just go back to suppressing it, she was doing it before, and plenty of people never knew they were doing it, so why couldn't she if she wanted to?

"Here ya go, Buffy," Joyce announced as she placed the plate with Buffy's first pancake in front of her, fork and knife placed next to it with her other hand. Buffy smiled her thanks, and Joyce went back to making the next pancake. Buffy got up, and got the treacle syrup, jam and sugar from the cupboard. Back at her seat she covered her first pancake with treacle. She started eating it, and half-way through, she paused, looking at her mother placing the second pancake on a plate, placing the batter for the third in the pan, and gently humming. Some treacle leaked from the stationary, rolled up pancake. Buffy continued eating her pancake, looking at her mother, and slowly built up her courage.

After her mother placed the plate with the pancakes next to Buffy's plate once Buffy finished her first, Buffy had managed to find her courage. "Mom?"

"Yeah, honey?" Joyce asked happily.

"What would you do, if I turned out to be . . . I don't know; bisexual or a lesbian?" Buffy managed get past her vocal cords, and held her breath for the answer. Her mother turned around to look at her steadily. "Theoretically of course," Buffy hastily added.

Joyce returned to the pancake, but looking over her shoulder asked, "What brought this on?"

"Uh, well . . . you see . . ." Buffy stammered, her heart racing a mile a minute trying to think of something. Some relief entered her as she got a reason, and asked, "Y-you know Willow is bisexual, right?"

"Of course," Joyce answered, taking a peek at the pancake.

-Casual,- Buffy thought, and got her next pancake. As she prepared it with scoops of sugar, she said, "Well, she's thinking of, you know, telling her parents. The 'coming out of the closet' thing. She's really worried about their reaction, and I thought that perhaps a parent's view might make her decide." Buffy got her knife to spread out the sugar, head down, she peeked upward to gauge her mother's reaction.

Joyce returned to the pancake and with a smile replied, "Buffy, if her parents truly love her, that it doesn't matter. They'll love her anyway, and support her all the way." The pancake was finished, and she came over with the pan, sliding the pancake on top of the remaining one on the stack plate. Joyce bent down a bit more, pulling the hot pan away from, Buffy. She looked deep into her daughter's eyes, and said, "Just like me. I don't care if your bisexual, a lesbian, or as straight as they come, your my baby, Buffy, and I will always love and support you." Then she stroked Buffy's hair, and gave her a motherly kiss on the top of her forehead. Buffy shrank a little embarrassed at the overly gushy statement, but couldn't help but feel with warm happiness. Joyce returned to stove, and Buffy rolled up her second pancake. "Your father too, you know. We might have gotten divorced, and he's living far away, so he can't be here often, but he loves you just as much as I do, and he'll always be there for you. Okay?" Joyce looked over her shoulder, and saw her daughter happily nod. She then added, "He was all worried when he couldn't cheer you up last summer, he talked to me about it when he dropped you off." Buffy smiled, not really knowing what else to do, and doubting if she could do anything else if she did know.

-----

Nerima, Tendo Residence

The high punch was blocked, then there was a leg sweep that made the ninja fall on his back. The bare-chested guy jumped up high, somersaulted and made an aerial kick just as the ninja got up. With a hump the ninja was sent flying back. With a yell of effort the bare-chested guy fired a fire bolt at the ninja. The ninja was fast though, and jumped over it. Then he ducked as the guy came shooting over feet first. Instantly the ninja turned around, and made an uppercut, catching the guy right in the face as he was still flying over.

"Damn!"

"Finish him."

The ninja walked over to the dazed bare-chested guy, produced a knife hidden in his right hand attached to a rope, sliced open the bare-chested guy's throat, then went lower and completely cut off the guy's torso at the waist, making it fly through the air and land, while a fountain of blood spurt forth.

"YES! Yes!"

"Scorpion wins. Fatality."

Ranma looked defeated at the computer monitor, as Xander whooped his triumph. The keyboard of the PC had managed to survive the abuse of the young, super strong, martial artists, but only barely. "Ranma, out here you may kick my ass, but virtual reality I rule supreme!" Xander taunted his friend.

"Oh my, that is rather bloody, isn't it?" Kasumi asked politely. Xander turned around. The kitchen was where there had been place for the new family PC, mostly purchased at the behest of Ranma to communicate via e-mail with Xander, but it had quickly grown to be more than that. The brunette cook of the family as thus, was often present when the computer was used, and so too today.

"The bloodier the better," Xander grinned up at her, and she looked oddly for a moment. Then she quickly turned around to go back to cooking. Xander turned back to Ranma as the game prepared for the next match by showing select screen, "Ready for some more humiliation, Ranma?"

"Yep," Ranma said, standing up with finality. He let his right fist slam into his left palm, and added, "Yours. Time for some training, Xan."

Xander grinned while he nodded and went to end the game. "Where is he?" a lovely female voice called out loud from what Xander and Ranma guessed was the front door.

"Hey!" an angry voice sounded afterward, and curiously Xander and Ranma walked to the door leading to the living room, as Kasumi went on with her cooking, although obviously keeping an ear out for the events. The voice didn't quit with one word, "You can't just barge in here, and-"

"No time, Akane!" the voice interrupted, and Xander and Ranma reached the door. She looked across the room, where Tendo and Saotome were characteristically playing Chinese chess at the table, the door half slid open to the garden. Onward in the corridor which lead to the front door were Akane and Shampoo. "Need Ranma, you tell, or I kill!"

"Oh, boy," Ranma muttered, shaking his head. This was going to be explosive. Tendo and Saotome looked up as well, Tendo arching his body backward.

Shampoo turned her head and spotted Ranma. "RANMA!" Shampoo exclaimed, ignoring the rapidly losing it Akane. The Amazon charged forward, not caring one bit that she trashed the game, making the grown men exclaim in irritation. Akane was close behind the Amazon. Shampoo grabbed Ranma, pulled him along toward the actual dojo, saying, "Ranma come, Ranma train."

Akane had completely missed the exclaims, only eyes for Shampoo pulling Ranma along and almost barreling over the surprised house guest. She caught up, grabbed Shampoo by her arm, and shouted, "If you think you can marry Ranma by threatening to kill me and kidnap him, you're very much mistaken, you Amazon bimbo!"

"This not about marriage, this matter of honor!" Shampoo exclaimed angrily, and yanked to get free, yanking Ranma along. The two guys looking as surprised and dumbfounded as Kasumi who looked at the event hoping she didn't have things to clean again. Ranma was does not in the frame of mind to free himself from Lotion's grip.

"I DON'T CARE WHAT'S IT ABOUT! YOU DON'T BARGE IN AND KIDNAP PEOPLE!" Akane screamed, redirecting her arm to Ranma and started yanking on a free arm to keep Shampoo here.

"RANMA TRAIN!" Shampoo bellowed at Akane angrily, yanking Ranma hard, making him grunt. "Xander train Lotion! Ranma train Shampoo! I kick upstart's ass!"

"Listen, you disgraceful-"

Ranma started using some of strength, and interrupted Akane by saying, "Don't often agree with Akane shampoo, but . . ."

Shampoo had enough and reached out to a kettle on the table rapidly. She tossed some of the water in Ranma's face, and girl-Ranma sputtered the water from her face. "See!" Shampoo demanded, pointing at girl-Ranma, Ranma's building momentum removed by the transformation. "You no worry! This not about marriage! This about training!" And with that she yanked girl-Ranma free from Akane's iron grip, causing quite some discomfort and a yelp coming from Ranma. Then another yelp as she banged against the table stumbling along, Shampoo going too fast for her to get her footing and balance.

"Agh, Xander, I'll train her, you go explore Tokyo and have fun, okay?" girl-Ranma said annoyed, as she was dragged along, to the door left toward the dojo. "Oof!" girl-Ranma exclaimed as she slammed with one leg against the door post, just before disappearing from sight. "I said I'd train you already, damn it! You don't have- urgh!"

"Shampoo beat Lotion, teach lesson!" Shampoo exclaimed without regard for girl-Ranma banging against things.

"Oh, my," Kasumi said, as Xander still stared at the doorway where Lotion disappeared, realizing his girls were relatively sane in comparison.

"OOOOH!" Akane exclaimed, steamed, arms and fists straight along her body. "That, that . . . RANMA-BAKA!"

"Uh, how is getting dragged off Ranma's fault?" Xander asked the girl, who glared dangerously at him.

"Simple, he could stop her, or decide to /not/ train her," she hissed and then stomped off.

Xander raised his eyebrows, and thought, -Waaaaayyyy saner.- He then turned and headed for the front entrance to leave.

As he reached the front door, Nabiki came down the stars, holding two big ring binders. Xander could see thick stacks of plastic through the side. She blinked at Xander, and then said, "I'm going out. Goodbye, Xander-san."

"Goodbye," Xander greeted back, and thus Nabiki left through the front door. Xander followed her out. Outside the gate Nabiki went right, while Xander went left.

It was indeed time for Xander to explore the greater Tokyo area - to be a tourist, he /was/ on vacation after all . . . "Nihau, Xander." Xander sighed as he saw Lotion - looking quite pleased with herself - sitting on a wooden fence waiting for him. The Amazon got off the fence and joined Xander.

"I was going to Tokyo, you know, be a tourist," Xander said a little annoyed.

"I'm a tourist too, I'll go with you," Lotion offered with a dazzling smile that stirred Xander's heart. He immediately clamped shut on it.

"No offense, Lotion, you know I like you, love you in different ways, but I was kind of hoping to spend this vacation /away/ from my complicated love life . . ." Xander said a little tersely, and paused for a bit as he thought over what he said, ". . . or should I say the possibility of one - you know: clear my head, recharge the batteries, before coming back and make a decision. I should really try something steady with one of you and see where it leads, instead of just dating around."

"You /are/ away from your complicated love life. Here, it's just me, you and me, visiting Tokyo, enjoy the sights, and that's it, no strings attached," Lotion told him with a smile, thinking, -of course I'm hoping for strings; lots of strings, all attached.-

"Oh, fine," Xander said a little defeated and the Lotion smiled. The two walked onward, and Xander frowned. What had been that little thing nagging at his head these past few minutes. It was something unpleasant, something . . . something . . . ah, probably nothing.

And so Xander with aspirations of tourism, and Lotion with romantic ones set out. They chatted some, and got in a steady pace, soon reaching the bus stop. The next bus to down town, center-stage Tokyo was due in ten minutes, and so they waited.

"Nice place, huh?" Lotion asked Xander with a smile after a good while.

Xander nodded, and asked with a smile, "Japan, Tokyo, or Nerima?"

"Nerima, it's rather lovely," Lotion said.

"Yeah, it is, in a weird sort of way," Xander agreed with a nod.

"Weird?" Lotion prompted.

"Yeah, for example . . ." Xander trailed of. That had been it, Lotion prompting about the 'weird' triggered it. 'Xander-san.' Xander-san? Xander's frown turned more pensive, that was a bit too respective for Nabiki, wasn't it? Ringbinders with stacks of plastic . . . paper inside of them. Computer and printer. At door when showering. Ranma's description; selling pictures of girl-Ranma. Xander's eyes widened, his right hand raised into a fist and he half hissed, half shouted, "-That bitch!-"

"Xander?" Lotion asked, even as Xander twisted 180 degrees and ran with great speed back where he came from. Nabiki had a good head start, and she knew where she was going, unlike him.

-----

Nabiki smiled inwardly. She held the ringbinders to her chest, and walked into the Nerima center. Lexa wasn't the well-known pig-tailed girl slash Ranma, or Akane that everyone or certain specific individuals would love to see naked, but Xander's girl-persona was hot as hell, every bit as hot as Ranma and possibly even hotter. She was Playboy or Penthouse material, so finding some eager clientele shouldn't be much of a problem.

She looked around the busy shop street, and soon spotted several of her usual buyers; and luckily none who had specific wishes. She smiled lightly, and walked up to one, gave him a meaningful look, and a gesture and he nodded. A few more guys, a man, and one a girl followed, and then she entered an alley. A little while later the group had one by one sneaked into the alley. "I've got a treat for you, one you've never seen, but trust me, she's everything you like, and more. Here's one sample," Nabiki said with a superior grin of a slick salesman, or woman as the case may be. She pulled the prepared sample from the first ringbinder, and gave it to group. "Want to see more, pay up," Nabiki said with a smirk, as the group of horndogs drooled at the picture of Lexa in a shower, naked.

Barely half a minute after that, there were already calls of buying the picture and seeing the rest, promising purchases. And so, with a predatory smile, Nabiki started to open the first ringbinder . . .

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!" Nabiki turned around and saw Xander speeding down the alleyway from the other side, right at her. "You're /not/ going to sell a single one of those pictures, oh, no you don't!" Xander called out loudly as he closed the gap between him and her very fast.

Dang. How the hell had he figured it out? Had she let something slip? Or was it possible that one of the cursed martial dumbos wasn't a dumbo? "Oh, really, and why not?" Nabiki asked him sweetly; don't worry, always a way to make more money.

Xander's left eye twitched once. Something Nabiki found amusing, it wouldn't have been so amusing if she knew Xander had come this close to beating the crap out of her. She may have been female, but someone who secretly takes naked pictures and then sells them is a bitch, not a woman. Which meant to Xander that the whole 'thou shalt not hit women' was out the door. The problem was, that taking the pictures away from her by force, would probably have the horndogs call the cops, not to mention some of the pictures or entire ringbinders might go flying and the "clients" could make off with them. He had really only one choice, and Nabiki /knew/ it. "How much for the lot?" Xander forced with some difficulty past his lips.

"Hmm . . . how about 400 dollars?" Nabiki asked smoothly, already smiling.

Xander trembled, and said, "Fine, I'll have to go by an ATM though." Behind Nabiki, the others were softly whispering.

Xander was just about to turn around to pull the brunette along to said ATM, when one person of the group said, "50,000 Yen for the lot."

"Mmh, Xander, that's a hundred dollars more than your offering," Nabiki said slyly pensive, "perhaps I should take it."

Xander was silent for a moment. "Oh, go right ahead, make the extra money," Xander said with a friendly tone. He raised his hand into a fist, and continued just as friendly, apart from the lightly added dangerous edge to his voice, "just know that however much you get, it won't cover your hospital bill."

Nabiki blinked, almost dismissing Xander's threat. Ranma had a sense of male honor and not hitting women that he'd never break - unless he himself was a woman, but he pulled hat loophole out only in extreme cases - which was very admirable, it also made cleaning him out ridiculously easy. There was a glint in Xander's eye though, that told her it wasn't an idle threat. It seemed that Xander had the same rule, but that women who screwed him over were exempt. "Sorry, Xander has the better offer," Nabiki said and turned to Xander.

"Lead me to the damn ATM," Xander grumbled pissed off.

And so they went to an ATM, and Xander got the money out of the wall. Nabiki handed over the ringbinders as she took his money with a smile. "It's been a pleasure doing business with you," Nabiki told him grinning, and went to turn away.

Xander just finished quickly inspecting the contents, and commanded, "The negatives."

"What?" Nabiki asked, stopping in her tracks.

"The negatives, her, give, now," Xander told her gruffly.

Nabiki extended her arms to show her innocence and said, "I don't have them on me, and this was only for the pictures."

"No, it was for the lot, the negatives are part of the lot because you have them with you in case the demand was so high you'd be out of copies and needed a shop to make more to sell," Xander said with an angry smile, then made a beckoning gesture with his right fingers.

Nabiki took a deep breath, looking at him. She lowed her arms, and then sighed, pulling them out of the inner pocket of her jacket. "Here," Nabiki said, gave him the negatives, and then gave him a salute with a wry smile. She turned around and walked away, thinking, -Definitely smarter, Ranma /still/ hasn't asked for any negatives.- Then she patted her much thicker wallet, and realized it was quite a lucrative day.

Xander walked off, and found an private alley. There he got out his lighter and started burning the pictures. He burned all but one copy of each picture, so he could check if any later nude pictures of him were these, and he knew who to go to. The ringbinders he tore to shreds and dumped in the dumpsters. The plastic sheets to hold pictures went the same way. Finally he got the negatives and burned those two.

"There, now to get my money back," Xander said and walked out of the alley, back into shopping street of Nerima. "Think," he told himself, finding Nabiki walking down the somewhat filled street, and noticed where she was going. He overlaid the map of Nerima with Ranma's tour this morning, and walking steadily behind Nabiki went about figuring what she was doing what her way back was. As commanded to himself, Xander thought. He thought how Nabiki must have been well-trained being the daughter of a martial Arts teacher. He was pretty sure she'd let her training slide, and thus she was nowhere near Akane's level, let alone his, Ranma's, and Ryoga's, however she was still going to kick the average guy into the hospital if she had to face one. In short, he either needed to do this himself . . . or get numbers.

Xander halted upon seeing a group of about a dozen guys and young men, gruff looking. They're clothes were half worn away, they were wearing tattoos. Granted, one should never judge a book by its cover, but this was one hell of a cover, and the chance the cover was the inside was higher then hoping some random nice-looking individuals were not like the cover. So Xander walked over to the group, and ask them without raising his voice, "So, you looking to make some money?"

Most of the group looked up, the leader - a wiry Japanese with a shaved head - looked at Xander suspiciously. "How?" the man asked still suspicious.

A few of the men pulled knives from their jackets and started cleaning their nails with it. Oh, yeah, they were definitely like their cover. "Well, there's one girl here, just one girl, all alone, that has at least 40,000 Yen on her," Xander said with a grin, "You twelve could very easily get it away from her . . . and she's cute to, if you know what I mean." Xander waited a moment, gauging their reactions - it was obvious they were interested. "2,000 Yen if you want to know who and where she's going," Xander said with his friendly, conspiratorial smile.

The leader smirked an unpleasant smirk, and said, "Deal." He handed the 2,000 Yen over, and Xander pulled him along, hoping they wouldn't decide to get their Yen back from him. "Over there," Xander pointed along the street, and the criminal followed it, "See the brunette in the sexy green top and short jacket, very short brown hair?" He nodded. "That's her, and she'll take the second left, and then right. If you're fast, you should be able to get at the alley, and pull her in for some privacy."

"Yeah," the criminal said, nodding gently.

Xander looked down at the Japanese for a moment, then shook his head and stepped away. "I must be going now, see you," Xander said friendly and then sped off in opposite direction than Nabiki. He looked back and saw the gang start going. Xander nodded and quickly slipped into the restaurant to his right. Now it was time to make sure the little gang didn't recognize him later. He then went to the bathroom quickly, and dipped his face in some water he gathered in his hands. Lexa looked back from the mirror, and she gave herself an eye wink. Then she was off.

-----

Nabiki smiled. This had been a good day - she had made a bundle of money after all. She walking back toward home, thinking of the possibilities if Xander hadn't caught her. It didn't bring her down though; 40,000 Yen and a good amount of change was no bad harvest at all. She walked passed an alley to her right, and suddenly several arms grabbed her and pulled her in. "Hey!" she exclaimed, as she soon found even more hands and bodies getting at her, copping feels, perhaps patting her down, or both. With some force she managed to yank free, ducked and made a backward leg sheep. A yelp, and the man went down, while above her several grasping hands only grasped . . . grasping hands. She rolled forward, passing the mass of men, got up, and ran, heart beating in her throat with fear.

"After her!" he heard behind her, and then a stampede.

A few moments later Nabiki came to a halt, seeing the end of the alley marked by a wall. She turned around, and saw the gang standing for the first time. The dozen or so rough looking men grinned evilly. "You're money, whore," one bald guy said, who Nabiki suspected was the leader. She shivered, fear getting to her, but went into a combat stance. She counted the group: some twelve men. She really wished she hadn't slacked in her training, had kept it up, then she might have been as strong as Akane who probably would mow through these bastards in no time at all. As it was, with her own meager strength and martial arts basics, she probably could keep one off of her, possibly - if she was really lucky - two, but twelve was impossible. Yet, she was determined not go down without fighting; and the way they were leering at her, they had more intentions than just emptying the trash.

With her heart hammering in her throat, Nabiki said, "You're not touching me." She winced. When the gang chuckled, she knew she had been right about sounding as scared as she felt.

"Of course not, baby, not if you hand over the money," the leader said, taking a step forward, his bald head managing to look downright evil.

Nabiki straightened surprised when she heard a familiar feminine voice say, "You seem to be needing some assistance."

She turned half, and took a step back, to be able to look at both threats, while the gang gave voices of surprise and confusion. From a side door in the building stepped out a girl in jeans, a tight red shirt that strained around her breasts. With hands clasped over her chest, she casually leaned back against the wall, standing one foot, the other balancing lightly on her toes. Nabiki's eyes widened as she felt relieved; Lexa was coolly smirking at her. One member of the gang cracked maliciously, "Look at that, guys, two for the price of one."

Nabiki felt herself calm down, knowing how strong Xander/Lexa was, almost as strong as Ryoga - almost as strong as Ranma. They didn't stand a chance, or at least . . . why was she just standing there doing nothing but smirk at her. "Al right, girls, hand over the money," the leader repeated, and they slowly started forward.

Lexa casually lifted a hand and started inspecting her nails. With the advancing criminals, Nabiki's fear started to grow again. "You're not going to help me?" Nabiki asked fearful and shocked at Lexa.

"No . . . no, I don't really see the point, do so much work, and getting nothing in return," Lexa observed relaxedly, making the criminals halt in confusion.

Nabiki frowned, still afraid, and then the fear completely ebbed away as she understood. Xander / Lexa had probably even set these bastards onto her. "But you'd 'help' me for 400 dollars?" she asked with narrowed eyes, having to hand it to Xander in the back of her mind, he was actually scamming his scammed money back - most assuredly was he better at economics.

"No."

"WHAT?" Nabiki exclaimed, shocked at the casual dismissal.

"I was more thinking along the lines of 600," Lexa casually stated, making Nabiki's eyes bulge out. The criminals listened to the conversation in mounting confusion and surprise. "Nabiki, not only did you make me pay for my very own photos, but you also ruined my afternoon in Tokyo, you ruined the afternoon in Tokyo of a /very/ good friend of mine as well, the emotional damage, the physical exertion of catching up and finding you, not to mention I have interest rates: /very/ . . . /steep/ . . . interest rates."

"I'm /not/ paying you 600 dollars!" Nabiki stated.

"NO! YOU'LL BE GIVING THEM TO US!" the leader of the criminal gang bellowed, pissed off at the conversation and tired of it keeping them from their goal. "So quit the yapping, it doesn't matter who pays who, you both will be handing your money over to us."

Lexa regarded the criminals for a moment, and then shrugged. She turned around and started walking toward the back wall, saying, "Suit yourself, Nabiki."

Nabiki's fear returned, looking at the criminals. They were starting to advance again. She knew without doubt Ranma would never let them get to her; it would have just been a bluff - he'd save her regardless. "You're bluffing," Nabiki told Lexa, but she didn't react to the statement. The question was; /was/ Xander just bluffing, or had she pissed him off enough he didn't care? Lexa started to get dangerously close to the wall, over which she would no doubt jump soon and disappear, and she had as yet to say anything. Who had the longer breath, was she willing to call Lexa's bluff and risk it not being one?

"All right! That's it, get them!" the leader yelled, and the criminals started to surge forward. At the same time, Lexa's body coiled, ready jump up.

"ALL RIGHT!" Nabiki shrieked, stopping the criminals in their tracks, seeing if the situation had changed. Lexa casually bent down to jump away. "I'll pay it! I'll pay the 600!" Nabiki quickly said.

Instead of jumping, Lexa turned on the ball of her foot, walked over to Nabiki, and with a smirk held out her hand. Nabiki gave a growl, but quickly reached for her wallet, producing the some 60,000 Yet that constituted some 600 dollars. "I'm broke," Nabiki complained, as she placed the papers on Lexa's hand.

Lexa made a quick count, already turning to face the criminals she had sicked on Nabiki, and stuffed the money away in her own wallet. "Alright then, time for some asskicking," Lexa said with a grin, taking a step forward.

"We're thirteen, what do you-!" the criminal leader started to ask, and then Lexa's fist slammed into his stomach and he doubled over, sinking to his knees with the exclaim, "OOF!" Smiling she twisted around, giving the gang member to his left a round house kick to the face that sent him flying back. He slammed into the wall, knocking the breath out of him, and he sank to the ground unconscious. The others looked surprised; their mistake. Lexa gave one gang member an uppercut, making him fly into the air, slamm against the wall and fly down. A kick sent another one flying to the right and into another gang member. Both of them sprawled tot he floor, the one kicked unconscious. Lexa danced through the gang members with a smile on her face; one by one they were sent flying, or fell to the ground unconscious. One made a nice arc right and forward. The following to the left, slamming against a dumpster. One criminal got out a bat and prepared to slam her in the head with it. She reached out though, grabbed his balls, squeezed hard, and /kept/ them squeezed hard.

"AAAAH!" the criminal screamed out like a baby, dropping the bat. "Let go! Please l-le- goo!" Lexa didn't; she simply slammed her left fist into another criminal, sending him flying back, and kicked high to her right. The criminal kicked, was sent flying high before slamming down . . . directly into a half-filled dumpster. The guy who's balls she was squeezing trying to hop and move with everyone of her movement, which made her yank on his balls. Tears flew his eyes, whimpering, coughing out fearful gasps, begging, "Please, plea, pl- pl- . . ."

Finally Lexa showed him pity, telling him, while making a painful sympathetic sound, "Ssh, you might not believe, but I know how that feels . . . actually no, I never got my balls squeezed like that . . ." Then she grabbed him by his neck with her left hand, the man crying. She picked him up, and then turning him around body slammed him into a dumpster, where he remaining groaning and crying in pain. The remaining two tried running. Lexa chased after them, and jumped high, somersaulted, and then slammed both feet forward. She caught them at the side of their faces and they went down painfully, groaning. Two quick punches later they were done for.

"Wow," Nabiki said, admiring Lexa making quick work of the criminals.

Lexa turned back, and saw all the criminals lying around, sprawled on the floor, either groaning or unconscious - except those in the dumpsters. She grinned, and picked the two up, slamming them in a dumpster. He went to do the same things with the others, telling Nabiki, "Find something to lock or weigh down the lids with." A little later all the criminals were in dumpsters, and Lexa slammed the lids closed. "Alright," Lexa said, as Nabiki finished securing the dumpsters, "now we find a phone booth and call the cops where they can find them, I'll bet they're wanted, or did something they haven't been identified for."

"Yeah," Nabiki said and walked over to Lexa, and the two started to walk away.

"You know," Lexa said with a big grin, "you were cutting it kinda close there. A few more moments, and I'd have kicked their asses without you paying me." Nabiki's face froze even as she continued walking. She looked up at the somewhat taller Lexa, surprise on her face, even more so when Lexa wiggled her eyebrows at her once. Nabiki felt like smiling and crying at the same time. Smiling that Xander wasn't a cold-hearted bastard, crying at the utter humiliation she felt. Xander had beaten her, fully, totally, completely, and every way.

"You feel that much about naked pictures, huh? I pegged you wrong then," Nabiki asked deflated, and yet somehow proud of this guy.

"No," Lexa said, shaking her head with a wry look on her face. Nabiki looked up at Lexa in confusion. "Naked pictures isn't the problem, it's just that nobody but me is going to make money off of my body. Certainly not some amateur photographer and an amateur distribution network." Nabiki looked with large eyes full of surprise at him. Lexa smirked at her, and said, "What did you expect anyway? I would never let you get away with my money like that. I'm an American, after all, the only ones with a greater reputation for economics are the Dutch. You know? Going Dutch?"

Nabiki slowed down and gestured to a phone booth close by, the shopping street just beyond. Lexa smiled, and said seriously, "Just remember. Don't ever try to scam money from me again. I'll just scam more of it back." Then she went into the booth, leaving Nabiki to ponder that statement. She did more than ponder though, looking Lexa over with admiration - he had beaten her. She was /good/. A short while later Lexa came out, and said, "Well, the police are on their way."

"Have you ever thought about playing poker?" Nabiki asked, looking a now dumbfounded Lexa over critically.

"Huh?" Lexa replied.

Nabiki grinned up at her, and said, "Come on, with a body like this, and a poker face like that, we'd make millions!"

"/We'd/ make millions?" Lexa asked Nabiki in disbelief.

"You'll need a manager," Nabiki started her sales pitch, and Lexa rolled her eyes while turning around, then walked into the direction of her temporary place of residence.

-----

Sunnydale

Willow, Buffy, Cordelia and Oz stood in front of the Chinese restaurant. 'The Amazon Dragon' was blazoned on the building proudly, the Chinese characters proclaiming the same thing underneath. "How come they're closed, they have good food here," Buffy said in defeat at the empty place, lights out.

"And half-dressed, hot, male waiters," Cordelia said annoyed, folding her hands across her ample chest. The shirt she wore had plenty of cleavage, and she was pushing her breasts up. Buffy noticed it for a moment, but had already turned away.

Willow read out loud from a small paper stuck to the door's window, "'On vacation, be back by August 20.'"

"Vacation?" Buffy exclaimed, looking at Willow.

"Well, they were here for Xander, and he's in Japan, so they could have taken a trip home while he's gone. That is Xander's return date, you know," Willow explained a little perturbed.

"You'll just have to buy yourself a Playgirl then, Buffy," Cordelia said smugly, a hint of a smile on her face and in her voice.

Buffy narrowed her eyes and looked to her right and up at the cheerleader. "That's not funny," Buffy said dryly, daring the cheerleader to disagree. Cordelia just glared back down.

"Okay, so where do we eat now then?" Willow prompted, making the two other girls look back at her. Willow looked innocent in her white t-shirt, jeans and normal shoes. The fact that the jeans were skintight around her butt, and the shirt around her breasts give her the whole aura of sexy innocence: of come here, I'm young, I'm a virgin, I'm naive, and a little horny. The two pony tails she wore on either side of her head, somewhat to the back, reinforced the look. Buffy allowed her eyes to glide over the redhead for a moment. Willow continued, "The Mac? Burger King? Something else."

"There's a new one, Double Meat Palace, we could try that out," Oz finally spoke up, short and to the point as usual.

"Double Meat Palace?" Buffy asked with a wrinkled face of skepticism. Her eyes briefly flickered to Cordelia's breasts, then down to her own 'double meats'. "Why does that sound rancid?" she asked with a disgusted face.

"Well, we never know unless we try. Lead on, Oz," Willow said, and the troop of four turned to follow their new leader. Buffy took a peak at Willow, then looked forward. Yeah, she wasn't bisexual after all, Buffy thought. The dreams were just stupid dreams. After all, if she were bisexual, she'd be staring at Cordelia's breasts all the time, or at least steel regular long glances as Oz was doing, and probably thinking they, or at least Cordelia didn't notice. It was cute, even brilliant and silent, he was still a man. Yep, she wasn't after, and noticing Willow looked hot was not her being bi, that was just her being jealous, noticing that a girl was hot; like Buffy explained, if a girl couldn't recognize that, she couldn't make herself look attractive.

Thus they found themselves not soon after in the newly opened Double Meat Palace. They found themselves a table, and looked dubiously at the food on their plate they just ordered. Buffy carefully folded away the paper in which the large burger was wrapped, and gave a careful sniff. Her face got an even more dubious look. The others, not heaving quite her sense of smell, seeing as she was the Slayer, waited for the verdict. "It seems edible," Buffy finally judged, "meaning you can probably chew it and swallow it down without dying, but that's about all I'm willing to say."

"We should never have gotten junk food," Cordelia complained a little at the lack of the Slayer's support, "It's bad for my complexion and figure anyway."

Oz wrapped his hand around her waist, and said, "One hamburger won't ruin anyone's figure."

"Yeah, and you're still training like hell," Willow pointed out, somehow feeling the need to relax the Cordelia, "so you can probably use some extra protein and calories."

"Okay, fine," Cordelia said, giving up.

Buffy decided that Willow was a much better person than she was - helping and reassuring her former arch enemy, bane of he existence. But then, what else was new? Buffy decided to try out the fries first. As the others starting their preparations as well, Buffy opened her little box with ketchup. She got a fry, dipped it in the ketchup, and ate it. After swallowing, she said, "Well, the fries are okay . . . somewhat." Several nods came in answer; obviously everyone had decided the same course of action. "Okay then," Buffy said, eying the burger with suspicion. "Right," she added, and tentatively picked it up, eyeing it again, as if it might snap at her any moment.

"No fear," Oz said, grabbed his burger, and quickly took a bite out of it. Then started chewing. Everyone waited to see if Buffy's assessment was correct, or if she missed an odorless poison. Oz swallowed his mouthful of burger, and looked at the thing for a few seconds.

"Well?" Willow prompted.

Oz looked over at her, and said, "It's okay . . . it's not deadly, and I don't have the urge to hurl, so . . ." He took another bite. With some relief, the others started on their burgers as well.

-----

The four of them entered the hospital room. "Hi, Giles," Buffy greeted, seeing their mentor still lying in his bed, bandaged up. There was a fruit basket, several bouquets of flowers in vases on his nightstands, and a few get-well cards on a prick board.

"Ah, hello, Buffy, Willow, Cordelia, Daniel," Giles greeted with a smile as the four teens attempted to maneuver in the small room to get to some chairs. Buffy and Willow took Giles' left, and Cordelia and Oz at Giles right.

"So, Xander hasn't sent you any cards yet either, I see," Buffy said, checking out the cards, turning them around to see who they were from. Most were from England, one from her mom, a few more from other school teachers.

"I wouldn't know, Buffy, the mail does take a while from Japan," Giles casually answered, taking his arms from behind his head. As Buffy blushed sitting down, and the other three smiled, Giles got his little controller and made the bed stand straighter, so he could sit comfortably.

"While Ms. Doofus takes her time to dig her grave," Cordelia said with a frown at Buffy, she produced a hamburger, held it toward Giles, and said, "We thought you might like something else than hospital food."

"Oh, bless you my favorite students, bless you," Giles said as he grabbed the junk food. He unwrapped it, and eagerly took a bite, then chewed. "Hmm, ymm," Giles muttered, chewing tastefully. He swallowed and happily took another bite. As he swallowed the second a look of horror crossed his face. Once finished with his second bite, and having swallowed it, he said, "I find this distasteful junk tasteful, delicious even. Hospital food has ruined my tastebuds. Worse, it ruined the hope that this junk was indeed the worst you Americans could produce and call food."

"And it isn't even Burger King or McDonald's," Willow happily informed him, "It's from some second rate new place we tried out today, it's quite a bit worse than the big names, although still edible." Giles looked at her with horror, then looked with confirmation at the others, and they nodded defeatedly.

"My word," Giles said, and looked down at the hamburger. With some disgust at the concept, he happily took a next bite from the still good-tasting hamburger.

"So, where's Jenny?" Buffy asked interested, having half expected her to be here 24 hours a day. She had always been here the other times they came to visit.

With a full mouth, Giles answered, "She should be here soon. And will you all help her get me released from this infernal hell hole, before the only thing I like to eat is hamburgers and fries?" The Scoobies sniggered at his request, still gouging away the hamburger.

"We'll try," Willow said with a smile, admiring the man. He had almost given his life defending them and the world. He deserved some admiration.

"So . . ." Cordelia said, surprisingly gentle. It made Willow look up, and figure Cordelia had been thinking along the same lines as her. ". . . is there anything we can do for you while you're still stuck here? Come for tea at four? Bring your tea?" Giles looked at her somewhat dubiously. She continued unrelentingly, "Bring a Charles Dickens book and read it too you?"

"I'm not quite that British, thank you very much," Giles said, making all but one of his guests look at him with surprise. Giles rolled his eyes at him, and added, "Besides, Jenny already brought the tea and shares it with at four o'clock; the only thing sane in this gods-forsaken torture dungeon."

"I think we can safely say, Giles, you are ready to leave the hospital, you're fine," Willow said with a light smile, making Giles look at her.

"Yeah, now we only have to convince the doctors," Buffy added with a smile of her own.

-----

Nerima, Tendo residence

They had finished eating dinner, and Ranma and Xander were relaxedly training. A basic sparring match, no real interest in beating each other, just training reactions. "How was Tokyo?" Ranma asked as he smoothly blocked a punch and deflected it.

"Didn't get the chance to get there," Xander grumbled in annoyance. "Someone tried sell naked pictures of the girl-me." Xander peered to his left with his left eye, while keeping an eye on Ranma with his other.

Ranma looked to his left, and saw Nabiki standing there in the door leading to the rest of the house. "Of course," he said with equal annoyance. Nabiki didn't seem to care about having done something wrong, her eyes were glued to Xander's form. She lead her eyes roam over his body, the glistening muscles, and remembered how lovely he had beaten her at her own game. She shivered, smirking, as she felt herself getting a light itch.

"Out of the way, Nabiki," Nabiki heard a course voice. The economic Tendo turned around to see Akane, dressed in a white gi and holding a towel around her neck, impatiently waiting for her to get out of the way.

"A bit more polite never hurt anyone," Nabiki said casually, making way for her younger sister.

"Not selling naked pictures never hurt anyone either," Akane returned bluntly as she walked past her sister, apparently having heard Xander's complaint.

"Touche," Nabiki said with a confident grin. She casually turned around and continued watching the sparring guys, smiling as her eyes once more glided over Xander. Off to Nabiki's right Akane performed a worming up, before stacking a good eight stones, and slamming her fist through it with only a little effort.

As Akane continued her own training routine with heavy shadow-fighting, Xander and Ranma sped up a little, starting to exert their prowess. "On the other hand, it does have an good side: it means you and I can go explore Tokyo together tomorrow, if your new slave driver isn't around that is; we should leave very early," Xander said, blocking punches, avoiding kicks and throwing those of his own.

"Good idea," Ranma said with a grin, agreeing with him.

"I got some postcards on the way back, do you think I should post them tonight, or just do it when we're in Tokyo tomorrow?" Xander asked his friend, grinning as their sparring sped up a little more. Behind them Akane made noises typically associated with throwing punches, her training still going strong.

"Definitely tomorrow, we get up early, we have extra time," Ranma told Xander and he nodded. The two then went silent apart from battle sounds, as they really went at it, punching and kicking hard, deflecting them, dancing away and attacking. Nabiki looked with slightly larger lustful eyes as she saw the strength and speed her crush was wielding. It made her heart beat faster. Even Akane stopped her training for a bit to follow the two martial artists, and even though she hated to admit it about Ranma-baka, but they were good, really good, and she didn't just mean their strength and speed.

Finally the two quit, and walked to the left of the dojo, to the rack on which hung many training tools. They unstrapped several weights that they had had bound around their arms and legs. It made both girls widen there eyes, then were awed as they carefully counted just how much weight the two had had on them. Nabiki smirked as they finished, and decided to sashay over to them, and in particular Xander. The event made Akane look at Nabiki confused and suspicious. The all-business, sister Nabiki didn't sway her hips . . . at least Akane had never seen her do it, at least not this feminine before.

Outside, at the same time, a certain Amazon arrived. She looked through the window and saw Nabiki swaying her hips, and walking toward Xander. She walked to the main dojo entrance, smoothly opened the door, and greeted jovially, "Nihau!" She leaned against the door frame, back straight, chest out, right arm up along the frame, bend slightly sideways at the waist to accentuate it and her breasts, which hung straight down, and thus crooked from her normal position. Her short tight dress, white with pink and red flowers, left most of her legs bare, and an enticing site.

"Ah, Lotion," Xander said, half enjoying her presence, half annoyed. Nabiki glared at the arrived Amazon.

Lotion then walked over to Xander with quite some speed, but not forgetting to sway her body as deliciously as Nabiki was training. She came behind Xander and wrapped her hands caressingly and possessively over his shoulders, bringing them together over his chest, and she said out loud, "How's my boyfriend to day?" And she laid a gentle kiss in his neck, which sent a shiver down his back. At the same time, she gave Nabiki a piercing look.

"BOYFRIEND?" three voices exclaimed as one shocked. Even Ranma - he knew the situation from the letters, but he had never got a hint that Xander considered himself any of the girls' he was dating boyfriend.

-Good, nipped nicely in the but,- Lotion thought, keeping her look trained on Nabiki, while pressing her breasts into Xander's back.

Xander just looked a little surprised. He let his shoulders slump a little as he somewhat nodded. The he said, "Yes, no, not really, and yes."

"And what is /that/ supposed to mean?" Akane growled, folding her arms across his chest. Ranma did the same, actually wanting to hear the explanation on that one.

"Well, it's like this . . ." Xander began, looking up to think of the best way to explain it, while Lotion gently massaged his back with her ample chest, smiling, and not helping Xander's concentration any. Of course, he did love a challenge, so Xander continued his answer, "I had a huge crush on this girl, you see, but she didn't feel the same way. Lotion wanted me because I defeated her in combat and there's some Amazon tradition about that, and then I had my best friend since kindergarten (female) after me, as well as the cheerleader captain. I figured the only way to choose between the three was to get to know them, and thus date them - it might also make the first girl notice, and get jealous."

"My future husband," Lotion spoke appraisingly, tightening the hug, which was now made by her hands around his waist instead of alongside the neck. "So smart," she added, making Akane and Nabiki roll their eyes.

"So that's exactly what I did, dated them, kissed them on occasion, so if that's you're definition of boyfriend, then I am somewhat, and a boyfriend to one other girl," Xander finished, Akane looking with big eyes at him.

Lotion clarified sweetly, "One fell in love with werewolf, the other slept with a vampire and now Xander is all 'squick' around her, dumb pig-nosed girl."

"You dated /three/ women, stringing them along?" Akane asked in shock, growing angrily.

"It isn't like they didn't know, I made the deal with all of them present; they wanted a chance at getting me, I gave them the opportunity but they'd have to compete with the others," Xander explained with a shrug, while Akane grew even more angry.

"Smart future husband, make girls compete, make them proof their worth, choose strongest, fittest, smartest, most beautiful," Lotion said with admiration, now breaking the hug.

"And it was four," Xander added, after a moment thought, "the first girl, for a while there, dated me too, while she dated the vampire that eventually made me go 'squick'."

"YOU PERVERT!" Akane roared, stomping toward Xander. Xander looked confused at her, he hadn't lied to any of the girls after all, hadn't done it behind their back. "XANDER-PIG!" Akane screamed and slammed a powerful uppercut in Xander's chin, who was completely taken by surprise, not to mentioned launched straight up into the air.

"AAAH!" he screamed, going straight through the roof, leaving a hole. Several splinters, some saw dust, and small pieces of wood raining down to the floor.

Akane slowly lowered her arm, grumbling, and grimacing. She turned around and marched toward the residential areas of the house, muttering, "I don't see why he was so damned upset with Happosai, he isn't a hair better!" Then Akane was out of sight and earshot, leaving one shocked and surprised Amazon, one annoyed and tired Tendo sister, and one Saotome feeling very lucky.

"AAAh!" With a dull thud Xander slammed onto the grass just outside the dojo. "Ugh."

"Xander!" Lotion called out in concern, walking to the door.

Ranma had casually arrived, leaning just as casually with his right shoulder against the door frame. With Lotion hesitating next to him, Ranma said with a big grin, "Xan, have I mentioned lately how much I love having you around?"

Xander managed to painfully and tiredly turn his eyes up and toward Ranma. "Oh, shut up, you bastard," he grumbled out.

"You okay, future husband?" Lotion asked concerned and frightened.

"Everything except the ego," Xander muttered and forced himself to his hands and knees with some difficulty.

Inside, Nabiki sighed deeply, and told herself, "Great, leave it to my hotheaded sister to totally screw up any chances tonight." Then she turned and headed after Akane, while outside Lotion helped Xander up, while a grinning and chuckling Ranma watched.

-----

Sunnydale, Buffy's room

Buffy and Willow were lying on Buffy's bed. Both of them were on their stomachs, a teen-girl magazine between the two. Willow had it open on a double page filled with Brad Pitt. An interview and little story of his history, along with multiple pictures of the movie star in various stages of dress and undress. Willow read the article out loud. Buffy was listening and looking over the pictures with a naughty smile. Something in Willow's voice caught her attention, and she looked over. She was close to Willow's face, very close, and watched as her jaw moved to pronounce the sentences she was reading. Willow's lips moved gently, her tongue between them along with it, she read the article in a slightly melodious voice. Buffy looked at it for a moment, and then turned her eyes away, backward, in doing so, her eyes glanced across Willow's shapely back, and even more shapely buttocks, the later encased in tight jeans, the former in a tight pale brown shirt. Buffy turned back again, her eyes glancing over the long, red hair, which moved about slightly as Willow moved her head to follow the sentences. Buffy's eyes returned to Willow's lips, moving as she spoke. Buffy stared at them, not knowing what she was feeling, and not really aware of it. She just stared at Willow's soft mouth talking. For some reason she zoned out on them, not even realizing she had done so.

"Damn, he has a great chest and arms, and look at those eyes," Willow said with a smile. When she didn't receive an answer, she added, "Yes, he has an even hotter butt, especially if you're a butt girl." Still no answer, and so Willow turned her head left to regard Buffy, while saying questioningly, "Buffy?" Willow as suddenly quite aware of Buffy's face being close to hers.

Much more so, was Buffy aware of Willow's face close to hers, /and/ in the right direction now. Without fully realizing what she was doing, Buffy moved her head forward, and planted her lips firmly on Willow's. Willow was surprised, almost shocked, but then regained herself . . . she closed her eyes and opened her mouth, kissing back, seeking entrance into Buffy's mouth with her tongue. Buffy's mouth opened easily, and then their tongues touched, and stimulated each other.

Buffy's eyes suddenly snapped opened wide, the electrifying, amazing feeling of tongue against tongue snapping her out of her pleasant daze. Shocked she looked for a moment at Willow's closed eyes, her tongue still working. Then Buffy broke the kiss in a panic, almost jumping back, rolling off the bed, and struggling backward till she stopped against the wall. Willow followed her antics with half curiosity, half confusion, and totally dazed.

"Oh, my god! I didn't just do that! I can't believe I . . . Oh, my god! I'm so sorry, Willow! Please don't be mad!" Buffy spoke in a panic, heart pounding in her chest.

Willow shook her head to clear it, and asked confused, "Why would I be mad?"

"I kissed you!" Buffy said, pointing at Willow, but accusing herself. "And you're all into Xander, big love of your life! I'm doing it again! I'm evil!"

Willow came forward, sitting at the edge of Buffy's bed, putting her hands next to her, feet firmly planted on the floor against each other. "I kissed you back, didn't I?" Willow said a little softly, just a little surprised at her own actions.

Buffy looked blankly at Willow, then blinked, going over the last moments of the kiss when she was pretty inactive, but Willow wasn't - not in the least. She swallowed, and then Buffy broke into hysterics. She let her head drop into her hands, bringing up her hands, "This can't be happening. I'm not bisexual, I can't be, and I'm certainly not a lesbian! God, why's this happening?"

"Hey!" Willow exclaimed softly, getting off the bed. She crossed the short distance to Buffy rapidly, and wrapped her into a hug. She pulled Buffy's hands gently from her head, and held it herself, saying, "Everything is okay, nothing bad happened. Why are you so upset?"

"I can't be," Buffy almost cried.

"Being bisexual isn't bad," Willow said, a slight hitch of pain in her voice.

"It isn't," Buffy whimpered, looking up at Willow, "but out there everybody thinks so! I'll be ridiculed, any kids will be teased . . . and I can't deal with that . . . I'm-I'm . . . I'm Buffy . . ." She trailed off weakly.

"You /won't/ be ridiculed," Willow said forcibly, hugging Buffy close. "I'm not being ridiculed, and even if we were, we aren't by the people that matter. Why is that so bad anyhow? Not like you were Miss Popular since you became Xander's and my friend."

"That's highschool, and this . . ." Buffy trailed off, shaking her head.

"Life?"

Buffy nodded, and continued, "And I'm being stupid, bitch cheerleader again. Stupid. I liked being popular, love by all . . . oh, god I'm so bad."

Willow broke the hug somewhat and forced Buffy to look up at her, "You weren't loved by all."

"I know, hence stupid!" Buffy exclaimed in defeat. "I'm one screwed up bitch."

Willow chuckled lightly, not able to attain it, making Buffy look even more pitiful, a tear welling up. Willow sat further down, off of her knees to be at the same level at Buffy. "I think I understand," Willow said, looking deep in Buffy's blue / grey / gold / brown eyes, amazed at the color spectrum and the depth and breath of emotion they were holding. "It was bad enough you were the Slayer and not part of life, but if you weren't nice and straight, you'd be completely tossed out of it, you who were also so fully in life, or at least so you thought."

The emotions in Buffy's eyes went through a kaleidoscope, first shock, then revelation, and then self-hatred, or at least blame at being 'stupid'. Willow couldn't resist, she dipped forward and kissed Buffy deeply for a moment, then broke away. She looked at Buffy, who looked with wide eyes at her. "But . . . Xander?" Buffy asked her, confused.

"You still in love with him?" Willow asked seriously, but with a smile she couldn't quite keep off her face, her heart beating powerfully in her chest. Buffy nodded. "So do I," Willow said the smile growing a little. "You love your mom and dad right, even while loving me and Xander as friends and more?" Buffy nodded dubiously. "We can love more than one person at the same time," Willow finished her explanation, never taking her eyes off of Buffy's.

"But . . . I . . . what?" Buffy asked confused, not understanding.

"I've been noticing you, Buffy, for the last few weeks. But you were always firm and convicted straight girl, so I just figured I'd lust unseen after you from afar, do some dirty fantasies," Willow said with a grin, actually making Buffy blush, something Willow liked seeing on Buffy. "When were you . . .?"

"Few weeks too," Buffy said, her heart hammering, not knowing where this was going, or whether she wanted to go there. "Have been having weird dreams past few days too, liked you sleeping against me Ozsitting . . ." Willow was about to speak, when buffy said suddenly, "Actually . . ." She paused, and Willow looked questioningly at her. "If I'm honest . . . I think a bit of me's been curious . . . about girls . . . since you kissed me at Halloween." Willow frowned, thinking back, and then remembered kissing Buffy when she decided that Lotion would most definitely not have Xander even if it meant sharing him with Buffy. God, was that really only so short a time ago? Lotion didn't seem like the pure evil she looked like then anymore . . . not that she was a sweetheart. When Buffy saw that Willow remembered, Buffy added, "And more so . . . well, Xander and I were kissing one time, and he turned into a she . . . and at first the kiss was so good I couldn't care less what gender he was . . . before I snapped out of it and hurt him with my stupid head by jerking back like she was contaminated or something."

Willow chuckled a bit, then kissed Buffy quickly again. Then she said, "Buffy, I have no idea where this could lead, or what it could do, whether we'll break up one, whether we'll be rivals again for Xander, or not, and Lotion steals him away from both of us, whether we'll be together still when we're eighty, old and decrepit. I don't care, that's the future, and this is now . . ." Buffy looked confused at Willow, and Willow smiled a bit, before continuing, "All I know is, I could have had him long before you arrived, I'm pretty certain, if I hadn't let life pass me by, if I had the guts to do something, if I hadn't sit on my ass waiting for something to happen . . . Buffy, I'm tired of waiting around for something to happen, I wanna try this, you and me, and see where it leads." Buffy looked with wide eyes, a whole mixture of emotions boiling through her. When Willow's lips touched hers, and their tongues started a passionate dance, all those emotions boiled even harder away, leaving only the passion, the crush, the love, the lust for this sexy, hot girl . . . and a fear of the unknown.

After a few minutes of heavy making out, the two girls wrapping more and more in a deep embrace, they finally came up for air. Buffy nodded vigorously, "Yeah, me too, but I'm a little afraid."

"I know," Willow said gently, looking deeply again in those colorful, sexy eyes. She place a quick kiss on Buffy's cute and sexy, nubby nose. Then she said, "Buff, let's not forget the pact with Xander we made, right?"

"Not forgetting," Buffy agreed, nodding her head, holding up her hand. Willow placed hers in Buffy's, gripping each other's hands tightly, they repeated in unison, "Whatever happens, friends first."

"So . . . I guess we have go out on a date now, huh?" Buffy asked.

To Be Continued . . .

Author's notes:

Okay. There it is! Like it? I hope you guys do! I hope you laughed! Hope you were surprised. Hope you were moved . . . tell it to me in lots of feedback here: 3d.masterchello.nl