Chapter 7: Why, Last Night I Dressed All Up In Tails (Pretended I was on the town) -
Wednesday September 16, 1998; Sunnydale High School Library, 12:30 P.M.
Squaring his shoulders slightly before pushing open the main door, Jonathan entered the library feeling ridiculously a bit like Gary Cooper heading out to face his doom in "High Noon". He did his best to shake the feeling off as he looked around. Spotting Faith and Mr. Giles sitting and talking animatedly across a pile of books at the back corner table, he swallowed hard and headed over to them.
Faith grinned up at him as he came up to the table, Mr. Giles leaning back in his chair and fixing him with a bemused look over the tops of his glasses. Shifting nervously, Jonathan extended a sheet of paper to the librarian, stating, "Uh, here's my afternoon free period and study hall schedule, Mr. Giles."
Taking it and glancing over it curiously, Mr. Giles nodded. "Excellent, Mr. Levinson. Thank you," he remarked. "Shouldn't you still be at lunch at the moment?"
"I, uh, finished lunch early and came over," Jonathan said, shrugging. 'Thought I might as well get this over with,' he thought. Glancing over the table curiously, he hastily averted his gaze on recognizing a number of magic tomes and demonic references among the piles.
"Cool," Faith said. "Notice anything bizarre in the cafeteria?"
"No?" Jonathan shook his head, feeling like he must have a permanent 'deer in the headlights' expression by now. "I, uh, ate out in the quad today." Since Lance and Freddy were still avoiding him after last week's debacle, he hadn't felt like braving the lunchroom crowds to eat sitting alone in there.
Giles nodded distractedly. Glancing at the table, he stood smoothly from his chair. "Why don't we retire to a different table for the nonce," he suggested. "One more suited to laying out schoolwork, as it were." Picking up a folder near his seat, he led the way to an empty, nearby table and took a seat. Jonathan sat down across from him, shifting his chair fractionally back farther away from the librarian after a moments consideration.
Faith pulled her chair next to his and sprawled into it with a kind of lazy grace, her leg pressing up against Jonathan's. Stifling an embarrassing urge to squeak, Jonathan shrank a bit to one side in his chair, moving his leg hastily. Glancing over, Faith favored him with a slight frown.
"Relax, Jon. I'm not gonna bite," she stated.
"I know," Jonathan felt his head bob nervously. A flush crept up from his collar, making his ears feel hot.
"Seriously, guy," the corners of Faith's lips quirked up in to a smile, her dimples making her look several years younger, suddenly. "We took care of our issues the other day - far as I'm concerned, we're cool again."
"Cool," Jonathan let himself relax a bit, matching her smile almost involuntarily.
After studying Jonathan's schedule notes for a few moments, Giles nodded. "Excellent. We'll have to make certain the extracurricular activity here doesn't interfere with your studies, but I can speak to your Guidance Counselor and quite probably gain you an extra credit mark for tutoring." Opening the folder, he passed copies of several typed sheets of paper over to Jonathan, Faith leaning in closely next to him as Jonathan looked them over.
"Really? Uh, cool," Jonathan said, reading over the papers while trying - unsuccessfully - to ignore Faith's warmth pressing into his arm..
"Those are Faith's aptitude and placement scores you have there," Giles explained. "We should be able to design a course study to get her up to speed in certain areas based upon those."
"And there goes what was left of my life," Faith joked. "Not that I had a life, but I was kind of hoping to get one, y'know?"
Giles reached up to adjust his glasses, giving her an indulgent look. "You're a student, Faith. You're not expected to have a life until after graduation," he said, dryly.
"Gee, thanks ever so, Cousin G," Faith smirked. "Nice to know you have my best interests at heart."
With a slight wince, Giles folded his arms, remarking, "I think I would almost prefer 'Jeeves' or 'Alfred' to this new moniker, thank you." Faith laughed, sticking her tongue out at him.
"Uh huh," Jonathan said in a distracted tone. "Not bad... " glancing over at Faith, he found her coffee colored eyes way too close to his and edged back. "Uh, were you a good student?"
"Well, considering I dropped out in ninth grade, I'm gonna have to go with 'no'," Faith said, shaking her head. "School was boring."
"Well, uh, you seem to have a fair grasp of math and decent reading and comp," Jonathan said. "And ok history scores... "
"Liked history," Faith said, shrugging. "It's the lit stuff, memorizing dates, and remembering all the science crap I wasn't keen on." With a small grin, she added, "I'm not like, real studious or nuthin', though."
"Nonsense, Faith," Giles said, removing his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose, "I've noticed that you do quite well with topics you find inter- " The end of lunch bell rang, interrupting Giles and causing a mass exodus of the handful of students at the front library tables. Glancing at the wall clock, Giles returned his attention to Jonathan and Faith. "With Willow assisting in computers and the sciences, and myself working with Faith on the literary and cultural studies," he said, "I believe that your assistance might best be utilized in the areas of mathematics and economics, Mr. Levinson."
"Jonathan," Jonathan remarked in an abstracted tone. Leaning back in his chair, he looked up from the papers to glance across at the librarian. "Sure, I can do that," he said, nodding. "If there's copies of the tests in there," he pointed to the folder, "I can figure out where it'd be easiest to start?"
"By all means," Giles said, gesturing to the folder. The main doors swinging open interrupted them again, all three looking up and over as Oz and Xander entered through them. Conversing quietly with somewhat agitated gestures, the two headed directly for the back tables.
"Hey guys," Faith called out.
"Guys," Xander returned, nodding. Smirking, he took in Faith leaning against Jonathan's shoulder and arm, adding, "Watch it, Jonno. I hear Scott's got a vicious jealous streak." Jonathan flushed and hastily moved his chair a few inches away from Faith's, causing Faith to straighten up while laughing.
"Quit that, Xan," Faith aimed a finger at him. "No terrorizing the Jonathan. He's spooked enough."
"Yes'm," Xander bobbed his head, grinning. Catching Giles' eyes, Oz inclined his head towards the other table, indicating with his eyes a desire to migrate the conversation over.
"Quite," Giles said, putting his glasses back on. "If you would excuse us, Jonathan, we shall retire back to the other table for the nonce. Please, make best use of the materials there as you need to." Rising along with Faith, he gestured the two boys to the research table.
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As they settled in at the research table, Oz gestured to the assorted books and notes. "Anything useful?"
"Well," Giles looked thoughtful for a moment. "We believe we've tentatively identified one of the demons as a Vyasa demon from the description. We haven't yet put a name to the other, but we've found several species that are close matches to the description Willy provided."
Faith shrugged, adding, "Giles is pretty sure the one vamp's Lohse, Dacascos' main thug. No clue on the other one yet, but... " she spread her hands eloquently.
"But a vamp's a vamp," Xander finished for her. "'Cept when it's not?"
Faith smirked. "Quite," she said with a horrid imitation of Giles' accent and inflection. "Willy figures they're imported hitters from a few things they dropped here an' there. Come to clean up the 'Slayer problem'."
"Why can't the bad guys ever just send a gift coupon for a mineral bath and a nice Swedish massage?" Xander asked, plaintively. "Why do they always send thugs to clean up the Slayer?" Faith laughed softly, tossing her head.
"Hmm." Oz gave Giles a sharp look. "Tarakans?"
Giles removed his glasses, letting them dangle from his fingers as he stared at the younger man, pursing his lips. "Hmm. According to Faith, Willy made no mention of rings in his description," he mused, "However, it is a rather nasty thought."
"We never did figure out why they only sent the three, before," Oz stated.
"But, didn't we... ?" Xander started to ask, then cut off with a head shake. "No, we didn't, did we?" He slowly leaned forward until his forehead thumped softly onto the table. Lifting it a bit, he let it fall to thump again.
"Tarakans?" Faith looked between the three males, her brow creased.
"An ancient demonic order of assassins," Giles supplied. "Spike hired them to attempt to kill Buffy the first time your predecessor showed up in Sunnydale."
"Huh." Faith's frown deepened. "Would come up when our strength's almost cut in half," she remarked. "Speaking of, anything new weird on that front?"
Xander straightened up, leaning back in his chair again. He and Oz exchanged looks. "Yeah, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say we gots trouble in River City... "
"Not sure what to make of it," Oz said, "But, yeah."
"Wanna clue us in?" Faith asked, drumming her fingers on the cover of a book.
"Yes." Oz said, a faint blush creeping up from his collar. "But in the way that's more of a 'no'."
Faith leaned back, crossing her arms and regarding him with a cocked eyebrow. "Huh. Seriously?"
"Very." Oz spread his hands slightly, returning the eyebrow lift with an almost imperceptible waggle to his.
"Day-um," Faith murmured.
"It's a word for it," Oz gave her a tight nod.
"Not the good way, huh?" Faith's lips twitched.
"Scary," Oz replied, his tone carrying a mild note of reproach. Lifting the other eyebrow, Faith looked considering for a moment, then nodded.
Nonplussed, Xander and Giles stared at them. After a moment, Xander shook his head and Giles coughed, removing his glasses to begin polishing them furiously while looking away. Despite his own anxiety, Xander looked between the two, blinking.
"Ok, waitaminnit... did you just have a conversation with Oz in monosyllable?"
"Yup." Smirking, Faith winked at him. "Gotta practice the Oz-speak sometime." Her expression darkening and turning serious, she said, "Sounds like Red got a bit more than just 'frisky' and Oz had a hard time breaking loose." Oz gave her a bland look, neither confirming nor denying. "But he managed," she added, grinning. "Look, guys - when did this start up today?"
Xander and Oz exchanged looks, both sets of eyebrows drawing down. After a bit, Xander scowled, saying. "Huh. Ok, all of them seemed more or less ok this morning, right?" Oz nodded. Faith made an impatient gesture, and Xander added, "After third period, definitely. Lunch, really definitely."
"Biology," Oz stated in a reflective tone of voice. "Part way through."
"Yeah... " Xander said, slowly. Raising an eyebrow, Faith made a 'go on' gesture. Xander exhaled, "Okay, Cordelia, Willow, and Aura all started acting completely off the wall again about fifteen to twenty minutes into the class. It was strange."
"Yup," Oz said. He looked over at Xander. "How was your lunch?"
"Not so great," Xander said. Still scowling, he described Cordelia and Aura's behavior. "Oh - and this has got Tamara kinda wigged too. May need some serious damage controllage there once this is all over."
"I concur," Giles said, his furious polishing the only indicator of his own discomfort. "However, I'm afraid worrying about that element must take a back seat to dealing with the issues at hand, as it were. We shall have to deal with damage control when we must. For now..."
A sudden clunk drew their attention away. Faith's head whipped around with Giles' to see Jonathan half risen from his chair wearing a sheepish expression. "Sorry," he said. "Uh, I wanted Mr. Giles attention to ask him something, and I couldn't help overhearing... " then seeming to wilt underneath the pressure of Faith's and Giles gazes, the rest came out in a rush as a slightly high pitched squeak. "Is there anything I can do to help out?"
Looking a bit chagrined at forgetting Jonathan's presence behind them, Giles glanced toward the main doors with a slight frown, looking as though he were considering asking Jonathan to leave. He hesitated as Faith cleared her throat and cocked an eyebrow at him, giving him a significant look. Oz forestalled any commentary by lifting his hand slightly, drawing Jonathan's attention.
"Maybe." Lifting an eyebrow, he said, "Still have your in to the mainframe and servers?"
"Umm... " Jonathan's expression took on a trapped look as he looked to Giles, then quickly back to Oz.
"By all means, Mr. Levinson," Giles said. "Please answer the question."
"Well, yeah. Sure," Jonathan replied, fixing Giles with a 'frightened rabbit' expression.
"Cool." Oz nodded. "You're with me then." Looking expressionlessly at Giles, he nodded, "We'll see what we can dig out." Rising from his seat, he gestured Jonathan to follow him over to the library computers, immediately launching into a monosyllabic stream of technicalese that made Faith's eyes cross.
Meeting Giles slightly exasperated look with a slight shrug, Faith's lips twitched as she visibly tamped out what might have been the beginnings of a smirk. His own lips twitched into something that might have been a smile, just as quickly tamped out.
"New Scooby?" Xander asked, carefully examining a book in the demonology pile while not looking at the other two.
Giles sighed, glancing at the computer wielding pair with a look of mild distaste. "Perhaps. Provisionally," he added, "depending upon the outcome of a discussion with my Slayer and her associates regarding the advisability of bringing more individuals into our circle."
Not bothering to hide her smirk, this time, Faith winked at Xander before saying sweetly, "But gee, Cousin G, you said you wanted him where we could keep an eye on him!" She fluttered her eyelashes up at Giles as he coughed and began polishing his glasses again.
"Very well, let us table that while leaving them to their... devices. Now, we seem to have a disparate group of effects coupled with a rather broad variety of possibilities." With a rather ill disguised viciousness to his own milder smirk, he fixed his gaze upon Faith, adding, "I rather believe it is time for a little more 'old fashioned' research on our parts."
Faith couldn't help but let out a groan. "Great, more musty books. Just what the doctor ordered," she remarked, eyeing the stacks with a sour expression.
A snickering sound came from Xander as he studiously kept his head down over the volume he was browsing. "Be wary of baiting the Giles Beast, young Padawan, for he is wily and quick to turn on pursuers."
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"So, soul suckers?" Xander offered, pointing at a particularly graphic depiction as he laid his book on the table in front of him. Giles and Faith both their own browsing to give it a look.
"Day-um," Faith said in elongated syllables, looking it over with a professional eye. "You'd think I would have noticed if something like that were wandering around town."
"I do not believe that a Thra'garsh demon would be responsible," Giles said after reading the caption for a moment. "The changes in behavior have not been universal enough, nor consistent with their effects."
"Damn it," Xander said suddenly, slamming the book shut and causing Giles to back up a bit. "This is like looking for a straw in a haystack."
"Ain't it a needle in a haystack?" Faith offered with a slightly amused grin. Her own tension was visible only in her dark eyes.
"Naw," Xander said with a dismissive gesture. "That'd be a piece of cake. How the heck can we find it if they all look alike?"
"I believe you have raised an excellent point Xander," Giles stated, looking frustrated himself. He paused for a moment after considering what he'd just said. "Much to my own surprise." Xander made a face at that, then frowned with a thoughtful expression.
"Kindershot? Kanderstat?" Xander remarked, drawing a blank look from Faith and a look of puzzlement from Giles. Spreading his hands in an uncertain gesture, Xander said, "You know: the slayer-flu? The weird demon lurking at the hospital that only Buffy could sense while she was feveredy, and we all thought she was nuts for awhile?"
A look of dawning comprehension crossed Giles face, and he nodded. "Der Kinderstot, yes. I recall now," he said. "Do continue?"
"Uh... what if we have something like that that no one can see that took up lurking around the science classrooms... ?" Xander trailed off, his tone growing uncertain. "Ok, maybe not, but... "
"Hmm." Giles said. "I don't recall ever seeing a mention of such a type of entity, but it is a valid suggestion. Removing his glasses, he sighed, letting them dangle from the fingers of one hand while he rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "The problem is, there are so many varied entities capable of altering a person's behavior that locating the appropriate one becomes quite troublesome. We need some mechanism by which to identify those particulars unique to this situation."
"Been thinking on that," Faith said, leaning back from the copy of Barlowe's Terrestrial Manifestations that she'd been hunched over.
"Really?" Xander asked. "What do you have?"
"Nothing yet," Faith replied, frowning. "Just something about the way Red's been acting. It's like I've seen it before somewhere, but I just can't pin it down."
"Perhaps it would be best if we all took a respite," Giles said after a moment of silence. "If you allow yourself to relax, perhaps the memory will come more freely."
"Yeah, well," Xander said with a serious expression. "Here's to hoping."
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