Mistoffelees leaned against the lockers, listening to Tugger ramble about the benefits of diet or regular sodas, waiting for Grids to come out of the meeting with the principal.
Grids emerged, talking to the girl who'd been in there with her, "It really shouldn't be that hard. We'll work on banners tomorrow at lunch and we can figure out refreshments then...and you're completely ignoring me. Great."
The other girl barely gave her a glance and a 'whatever' before taking off to join a guy further down the hall.
"How'd it go?" Mistoffelees asked.
"I get to work with his other 'worst student' to set up the parent teacher night." She sighed, "This is going to be a disaster."
"To put it lightly," Mistoffelees replied.
"Shelia's certainly intense," Tugger agreed.
"She's smoked since fifth grade," Mistoffelees said. "I was lookout for her once."
"You're bad to the bone," Tugger told him and he shook his head slightly.
"It's not fair. I'm the Slayer, which requires a certain amount of fighting and cutting. What's her excuse?" Grids demanded.
"No idea," Tugger said. "But no one actually wants to question her."
"Yeah, well, I have to get this thing worked out perfectly or one of us gets expelled." Grids muttered.
"Hope it's her," Mistoffelees said.
"You and me both. I can't do that to Mom again."
"It's no big," Tugger said. "You'll put on a nice little soiree, the parents'll love it. So long as nothing really bad happens between now and then."
Grids turned and gaped at him, "Are you out of your mind? Now something bad's going to happen!"
"What?" he took a step back. "Nothing bad's gonna happen!"
"Not until some dummy says 'nothing bad's gonna happen!' You might as well cursed us!" Mistoffelees informed him, aghast.
"That is the ultimate jinx, Tugger!"
"What were you thinking. Or where you even thinking?"Mistoffelees continued, shaking his head and stalking away.
"Well, you don't know," Tugger protested, holding his bookbag to his chest defensively. "This time could be different."
Grids sighed, "I hope so."
o.o.o.o
That night a sleek black Cadillac with darkened windows roared into Sunnydale, taking out the cheery "welcome sign" and coming to a halt a few yards away. The driver's door opened and the man behind the wheel stepped out. He circled the car, his long black coat worn with an air of someone comfortable in his skin. He lit a cigarette and leaned against the car, his green eyes scanning the row of houses across the street, his vampiric visage curling into a smile, "Home sweet home."
o.o.o.o
Several vampires stood in an abandoned warehouse, the child Anointed One watching the group. "The Master is dead," a particularly large one said. "Someone must take his place."
"Whoever does will share his grave," another snapped.
"The the one who kills her will take his place," the first one replied, arrogance in his very posture.
"Can you do it?" The Anointed One asked.
"Yes. This weekend, the Night of Saint Vigeous, our power shall be at it's peak! When I kill her, it'll be the greatest event since the crucifixion. And I should know. I was there," he said, arrogance getting worse as he spoke.
"You were there?" The vampire who'd run over the welcome sign stepped out of the shadows, "Oh please. If every vampire who said he was at the crucifixion was actually there, it would have been like Woodstock!"
The larger vampire snarled at the shorter one. "I ought to rip your throat out with my bare teeth."
He wrinkled his nose, "Would it kill y' t' use a little mouthwash every couple hundred years?" He made his way around the space, intentionally turning his back on the larger vampire as he examined a hanging metal cage, "I was actually at Woodstock. That was a weird gig. Fed off a flower person and spent six hours watching my hands move. Strangest day I've had in a long time."
The larger vampire moved up behind him, hands raised to do some violence. The smaller, lithe vampire ripped a chain from a nearby pulley, wrapping it around the other's neck and yanked on it, bridling him and chaining his face against the iron bars of the cage. He stepped away brushing his hands off and showing no signs of exertion, "So, who d'y' kill for fun around here?"
"Who are you?" the Anointed One asked, sounding both annoyed and slightly in awe.
"Name's Jerrie. You're that anointed guy. I read about you. And you got Slayer problems. You know what I find works real good with Slayers? Killing them."
"Can you?" the boy vampire asked, interest perked.
"A lot faster than fatboy here," he jerked his thumb toward the vamp he'd chained up, "He agrees. Where was I? Oh yeah, I did a couple Slayers in my time. Don't like to brag..." There was a pause before a grin split his face, "Oh, who am I kidding, I love to brag! There was one Slayer, during the Boxer Rebellion -"
A waifish form wander in while Jerrie was bragging, swaying slightly in a long white dress, dark brown hair framing her face. Jerrie stopped mid-sentence about what exactly he did to the Slayer during the Boxer Rebellion as he saw the motion. He turned, his entire demeanor changing and his features changing to his human visage, "Cassandra!" He let go of the end of the chain he was still holding and moved over to her, "You shouldn't be walking around. You're weak."
She swayed again, smiling sweetly at him. "Look at all the people. Are they nice people?"
He shrugged, "We're getting along."
She hummed, and strolled up to the Anointed One, who leaned back slightly. "This one has power, I can feel him from outside."
"Yeah, he's the big noise in these parts. Anointed, and all that."
She grinned. "Do you like daisies?" she asked, the boy vampire leaning back away from her slightly. "I like them, but they always die. Anything I plant in the ground withers and dies." She drew back, suddenly looking miserable. "Jerrie, I'm cold."
He quickly shrugged out of his long leather coat, wrapping it around her shoulders, holding onto her carefully, "I got you."
"Like I'm a princess," she hummed, leaning up against him.
"That's exactly what you are."
Leaning up, she ran a fingernail along his cheek, giggling slightly before leaning up and licking the small trail of blood she's left in her wake.
He offered her a smile, speaking to the others, "Me and Cass, we're moving in. Anyone wanna test who's got the biggest wrinklies around here, step on up." He finally turned, letting Cass go so he could face the Anointed One, "I'll do your Slayer for you. You keep your flunkies from trying anything behind my back. Deal?"
The boy nodded, looking disturbed as Cassandra suddenly started shuddering and shaking her head. "I can't see her! The Slayer! I can't see her, it's only dark where she is! Kill her! Kill her for me!"
Jerrie turned back to her, putting a hand on her arm, "It's done, baby."
"Kill her for princess?" Cassandra tilted her head down, looking at him through her eyelashes.
He smiled down at her, almost purring, "I'll chop her into pieces."
"You are my sweet," she told him, nuzzling against him.
"And you're my princess." He kept his arm around her as he turned back to the Anointed One, "So, how about this Slayer. Is she tough?"
The Anointed one paused and shrugged.
o.o.o.o
Standing next to Grids, Mistoffelees considered the banner in front of them. "I think it's coming along nicely, considering Shelia is once again a no show."
Grids nodded, adding the finishing touches tot he letter she was painting, "Yeah." She glanced at him, "D you think you can help me cram some French tonight? I'd rather Mom not be told how much of an imbicile," she layered the word with an atrocious French accent "when she speaks to M. DeJean."
"I thought it was the Bronze tonight. You thought Mac was showing up?" Mistoffelees asked.
"If he does, he can meet someone else," Tugger said firmly. "Studying must come first."
She shook her head firmly, "We're going to the Bronze. I can study and party and do parent teacher night and make my mother proud as long as I don't have to," She sighed as she saw Coricopat and Miss Calendar approaching, "fight vampires..."
Cori was absorbed in whatever debate they were currently having, "There's nothing int he Chronicles about an extraneous lunar cycle."
"That's because they never accurately calculated the Mesopotamian calendar! Charles, you have to read something that was published after 1066."
Watching the pair approach, Mistoffelees swallowed, carefully setting his paint brush down, almost retreating but managing to hold his ground.
"Hey guys," Tugger said, voice too loud. "What's the up then?"
Grids glanced at Misto but spoke almost hopefully, "Please tell me this is something about happy squirrels?"
Coricopat offered the three of them a slight smile as he corrected Griddlebone, "Vampires."
"That was my next guess," she sighed.
"Ms. Calendar has been researching - surfing on her computer. According to her calendar, this Saturday is the Night of Saint Vigeous."
"Lemme guess. He didn't make balloon animals," Grids' tone was resigned.
"He led a crusade. Of vampires. They swept through Edessa, Harran, and points east," Cori replied.
"They left very little behind," Deme continued, frowning slightly at her favorite computer student, who suddenly wasn't meeting her eyes.
"So, Saturday's a big day for them?" Tugger asked, shifting so he was standing a bit closer to Mistoffelees.
"Holy Night of attack," Deme replied. "They'll come out in numbers."
Grids glanced at Tugger, and then nodded firmly, "If I survive parent teacher night tomorrow then I'll see what I can do about Saturday."
Cori frowned, "You're being a tad flip, don't you think? This is serious."
"And being kicked out of school is laughs aplenty, I suppose?" She shot back.
"You know what happens when you let your life interfere with your slaying," Cori started to lecture.
"Yes, I found that out the last time I had a date, back in the Restoration era." Some of Misto's History tutoring had stuck the previous year.
"You just need to keep the two things separate," the librarian tried.
"Yes, well, if my slaying doesn't get me expelled, I promise my banner making won't get me killed. Just let me get through the week," Grids begged.
"Saturday will require a great deal of preparation." Cori reminded her, glancing toward Misto and Tugger, though he couldn't catch Misto's gaze any better than Demeter could.
"We'll help then," Mistoffelees said softly, aware that Coricopat was looking at him and avoiding it.
"I'll whiddle stakes! And even whistle a jaunty tune!" Tugger added brightly, barely managing not to glare at Coricopat.
Cori managed not to frown in confusion, nodding slightly instead, "And I very much appreciate the help. When it comes to battle though, Grids must be prepared." He glanced at her, "You are after all, a slay-" He broke off as he saw Principal Snyder approaching, "slay...ve. Slave. You're all slaves to the, to the television. You young people nowadays. Good day." He nodded slightly to Snyder before beating a hasty retreat with Demeter in tow.
"You wouldn't be helping now, would you?" the principal demanded.
"No!" Tugger said.
"We're hindering," Mistoffelees managed.
Grids nodded slightly, "They just came by to say hi and they were just leaving, Principal Snyder."
"But where is your helper then?"
"She just ran to the art room to get some more paint. We were running low on the color she thought we should use. I was going to go check and see if she'd found it in another minute."
Said girl appeared in the doorway, dark glasses covering her eyes.
Grids turned at the motion, moving quickly over and pulling her toward the banners, picking up the brush Tugger had been using, "No more teal in the art room? I know you wanted it to be perfect, but let's just keep going with the green. It'll work anyhow." She shoved the brush into the girl's hand, glancing at Snyder as she picked up her own brush.
"Just make sure everything is perfect for the parents," he said, shaking his head and leaving.
"Thanks for covering. The guy's a rodent," Shelia said, shaking her head slightly at his retreating back.
Grids shrugged, "No problem."
"Did you really burn down a school building?" the other teen asked.
"Yeah. My old school." Grids answered as she turned back to painting.
"Cool."
"But I didn't feel good a bout it or anything. I mean, I don't condone…" she quickly changed subjects, "So. We're gonna Bronze it tonight, if you wanted to come."
"Sorry," she said. "Can't go there. I mean, you threaten one bartender with a broken bottle once..."
Grids' eyes widened, "Ahh...yeah that would do it."
o.o.o.o
Glancing up, Mistoffelees paused for a long moment. "Oh, you cannot be serious," he murmured.
Demeter slid into the table across from him. "Have you been avoiding me?" she asked, arching a brow at him.
"No," he said. Her eyebrow just inched higher. "No," he sighed. "I haven't been avoiding you so much as you and Mr. Coricopat together."
That answer surprised her even more. "The two of us?" she asked. "Is something wrong?"
"Not in your strict, traditional sense," he shrugged. "Or even particularly the whole dealing with the undead sense either. It's just... stuff."
"Stuff which means you've been avoiding me and not meeting my eyes?"
"Can I please just get away with stuff?" he asked, a bit plaintively.
She paused a long moment, looking him over again. "Is everything alright at home?" she asked finally.
Blinking, he shrugged. "Home is as it's ever been. Nothing new there."
"Still out of town then?"
"Still out of town," he nodded. "Which is preferable to kicking me out, but you know."
"It's still not good," she murmured.
"No," he agreed. "It's not. But whatever, I'm used to it. So, no, nothing going on on the home front."
Demeter gave the small teen a long look. "You're not going to tell me, are you?"
Swallowing, he shook his head. "No, probably not. I'm sorry my issues came out so clearly. I won't let it happen again. But, please just let it go for now."
The teacher considered him for a long moment before nodding. "Alright. If you're sure you don't want to talk about it..."
"I am so sure," he said, shoulders shifting slightly as he finally met her eyes.
"Alright. But I'm always here for that sort of thing, you know that by now right?" He nodded. "Alright then. I miss seeing you around the lab, you know," she added, tucking a strand of her blonde hair behind one ear.
"Yeah," he said softly. "It's been a while, huh?"
"You do remember how to use a computer, right?" she asked with a smile.
He rolled his eyes and nodded. "Yeah, I remember how to use a computer. I'm even pretty much excellent at using computers."
"Good," she said, still smiling. "Will I see you around a bit more then?"
"I'll try to make more regular appearances," he replied.
"Good," she said, and rose. "Well, speaking of the lab, I better get back to it."
"Yeah," he said, offering her a small smile of his own. "Enjoy those freshmen students then."
She rolled her eyes and chuckled. "I'll try my hardest. Have a good day, Misto."
"You too," he murmured, as she left.
o.o.o.o
Coricopat entered the student lounge, finally having located Mistoffelees. He made his way over to where the teen was seated, "Mistoffelees?"
The teen snapped his head up, it had only been about fifteen minutes through the lunch break since Demeter had come by as well. "Yeah? What happened, is there trouble?"
"Not that I am aware of." He motioned to the seat near Misto, "May I join you?"
"I..." he shifted and nodded. "I-if you like."
Coricopat sat down, setting down the two cups and thermos he brought, opening the lid of the thermos and pouring two cups of tea, offering one to the student, "Is everything alright?"
Mistoffelees blinked rapidly, finally accepting the tea. "Why wouldn't it be?" he attempted.
"Because you've been avoiding me for a while now."
"Right," he said softly, and managed not to ask how long it took Cori to notice that.
"What's wrong, Mistoffelees?"
"Nothing," he held firm on that point, but couldn't help but sip at the tea.
Cori's brow arched at that, "Really?"
"What could possibly be wrong?" the teen asked.
"I'm not sure, but you haven't set foot in the library since..." He trailed off considering. Mistoffelees glanced at him and down, taking another sip. "Does this have something to do with Miss Calendar?"
"How so?" Mistoffelees asked. He really was offering nothing.
Cori frowned at him, "You haven't been in the library since she and I went on that date. What is going on?"
"Nothing," he repeated, shaking his head. "I've just been busy."
"It's not nothing. Something's upset you."
"Well, it's fine. See, I'm fine," Mistoffelees insisted.
"You're not fine. You won't even meet my eyes."
"Is it a requirement that I do so?" Mistoffelees asked, glancing up, meeting the grey gaze briefly before letting his eyes drop again.
"I, well, I suppose not, it's just not normal."
"I think you're imagining things," Mistoffelees managed. "What could possibly be wrong?"
"That's what I'm asking you!"
Mistoffelees flinched back slightly and shook his head. "What sort of answer would satisfy you?" he asked and instantly regretted the use of that word.
Coricopat gaped at him, "An honest one would be nice."
Mistoffelees swallowed. "Look, can we just drop it?"
"I don't know. If we do are you going to continue avoiding me?"
"I don't know yet," he replied, hunching his shoulders slightly.
Coricopat sighed heavily, "What have I done?"
"I..." he floundered for a long moment. "Look, really, it's nothing, and I am just not making a convincing case of that am I?"
"No, you really aren't, but if you really would prefer I not ask..." He sighed again, "I'll leave off."
The teen shifted again. "Leave off?" he asked.
"Stop asking, leave you be. I'm just worried, Mistoffelees, that's all. You know you can come to me if something's bothering you, right?"
"Not this," he murmured. "But I'll work on not doing the avoiding thing."
Cori studied him for a long moment before nodding quietly, "Alright."
"I'm sorry," Mistoffelees murmured.
"It's alright. I just wish I knew if there was anything I could do."
"I can at least assure you there is a very small chance of that," the smaller teen replied, turning the tea cup around in his hands.
"Then I wish there was," Coricopat said quietly.
"Why?" Mistoffelees couldn't help but ask.
"Because it worries me to see you like this. You're hurting, and I feel utterly useless to help."
The smaller shifted slightly at that. "I'm sorry. Feeling useless is..." he trailed off, shaking his head slightly.
"I'm sorry, Mistoffelees, I wish I knew what to do."
"It's fine. I'll be fine," he said, fiddling with the straps of his bookbag.
"...As long as you're sure. If you need anything don't hesitate to let me know," the librarian said, watching him.
"Alright," he said, voice still quiet.
Cori rose finally, glancing at the thermos, "Shall I leave this here for you?"
He swallowed. "Would you like me to drop it off by the library later?"
"If you would?"
He nodded. "Yeah. Sure."
"Thank you. Take care, Mistofflees."
"You too," he replied. "And... thanks for at least asking."
"Of course. Good day." The librarian slipped away quietly.
Watching him leave, Mistoffelees curled up with the remaining tea.
o.o.o.o
Later that evening, Mistoffelees slipped into the Bronze, shaking his head at himself and sliding into a seat at the table Griddlebone was already at.
Grids looked up as he settled into the seat across from her, "Hey."
"Next time, my heartbreak is going to be a lot less obvious, okay?"
"Oh, Misto, what happened?"
"Well, Coricopat brought me tea. And then Miss. Calendar asked me what was wrong."
"Oh man..." She bit her lip, "Can I get you anything?"
"No. I'll be fine. I now have a mandate to be fine. Everything will be totally okay."
Grids arched an eyebrow at him at that, "So, what do you say to a dance?"
"That... I can accept that," he replied. "Has Tugger shown yet?"
She shook her head, "I ahven't seen him yet, no."
"Well, I'd hate to make Mac jealous again if he shows, but yes, a dance would be lovely. Shall we?"
"I think we shall. And no worries int hat realm." She got to her feet, motioning for him to precede her onto the floor.
Managing a grin, he swayed out onto the floor, turning toward her.
Jerrie made his way through the shadows of the Bronze, his eyes fixed on Grids, but making sure to keep out of her sight. He circled the floor before returning to where he'd left the vampire who he'd chained to a cage during their first encounter. Leaning against the bar he murmured, "Go get somethin' to eat."
Grinning, the big ugly nodded, slipping outside as a girl swayed out of the place, probably drunker than she should have been.
Jerrie smirked before making his way nearer to where Grids was, speaking loudly enough that she would hear him as he grabbed a young man by the shoulder to get his attention, "Hey, where's a phone? I need to call the police. There's some big guy out back, I think he's trying to bite someone."
Grids froze at that, glancing in that direction and then at Misto before heading for the nearest exit. Mistoffelees followed her, knowing he'd probably be useless.
The big ugly vampire meanwhile had sunk his teeth into the woman's neck. Grids came up behind the Vampire, pulling him away from the girl, "Misto, get her out of here!"
Mistoffelees quickly moved forward, ushering the woman away as the vampire snarled, rushing at the Slayer. Grids dodged his attack, kicking out at his head, landing a blow to the side of his skull. The vampire staggered under the blow, snarling again. "Jerrie! Help me!"
Jerrie leaned against a wall, out of sight in the shadows, his arms crossed over his chest as he studied the fight.
Grids pulled a stake out of her sleeve, slamming it home and watching her opponent crumble into dust.
Jerrie finally emerged from the shadows, clapping slowly, "Nice work."
She whirled, stake still at the ready, "Who are you?"
"You'll find out on Saturday."
"What happens on Saturday?" the Slayer's tone turned wary.
He responded with a shrug, "I kill you." With those words he slipped back into the shadows and away.
Mistoffelees ran back from where he had gone to get the woman to the hospital. "Grids?"
The girl was staring at where Jerrie had vanished, "Huh?"
"What happened? You okay?"
"There were two of them...the second one left. I've never seen him before, and he didn't join the fight."
"He didn't?" Mistoffelees blinked. "So what's up then?"
"I-I don't know. The other vamp called him Jerrie, but all he did was watch the fight and then tell me he'd see me Saturday."
"We-" Mistoffelees paused a moment longer than he should have. "We need to talk to Cori about this."
She glanced at him, "I can do that on my own, if you'd rather not."
"I have sorta promised him that I was going to not totally avoid him, and I have to return his tea thermos anyway."
"Alright, well, he's probably still at the library," Grids said.
"Knowing him? More than I should? Probably," Mistoffelees replied.
"Then let's grab our stuff an head over there."
Mistoffelees nodded, slipping back and getting their bags and coats. "Let's go then."
Your Author, Victoriousscarf: The chapter in which Misto's heartbreak is obvious. Sorry, honey, I think next time it's only going to get worse. Also very excited to introduce Jerrie and Cass this chapter. I think my totally crazy Cassandra muse came as much from Greek mythology as her character in the play, but she was the one who best fit here. I swear I have a sane Cassandra muse around here somewhere... And we are way too entertained by this version of Jerrie, hope everyone else enjoys them too.
Remember, hitting that lovely review button makes your authors do little dances around the room in happiness.