The next morning Buffy and Vivian dressed and prepared themselves for another bright Sunnydale day. Buffy marveled at how many clothes Vivian actually packed in those two small bags she carried with her. Her outfit she wore last night had been replaced today by simple khakis, orange t shirt and denim jacket looking as crisp and clean as if it was hanging in a dry cleaner shop. Joyce had driven them to the school and dropped them off, where they made their way to the library.
As they stepped through the library doors Buffy noticed Giles was there along with Willow, Oz and Xander, calmly gathered at the table chatting and awaiting the homeroom bell. Giles stood, noticing the woman right away and was slightly stricken by her loveliness. She noticed him too and smiled as Buffy began to speak.
"Rupert Giles awesome watcher, this is Vivian Castlegame, kick ass demon slayer. She followed me home, can I keep her?" Buffy said hopefully.
"I beg your pardon?" He said slightly confused by her choice of words.
"She's a demon slayer. Literally saved my neck last night before a big bad, uhm, what kind of demon was that again?" Buffy turned to her head to Vivian who's glance had been on Giles.
"Oh—Uhm, that was a Natusk demon." Vivian said snapping out of her daydream.
"Natusk Demon?" Giles said, removing his glasses. "Those are quite strong. Buffy are you all right?"
"Yeah, just needed a little muscle cream this morning to numb the aches but otherwise I'm good. I owe my life to Vivian though, you should've seen her, it was like watching a televised execution. One slice and down goes the head."
"There's something society needs more of." Xander said standing up from his chair.
"Oh, sorry, Vivian, these are my best friends. Xander, Oz and Willow." Buffy introduced.
"It's nice to meet you." Xander said extending his hand and Vivian shaked it as he sat back down. "So how long have you been a demon slayer?"
Vivian set down her backpack and duffle on the floor and approached the group closer. "It'll be sixteen years very soon."
"Wow, sixteen years so that means you're old enough to be my—" Xander began before Vivian flashed her eyes sharply to cut him off.
"Youthful aunt." She said completing his sentence.
"What's it like to be a demon slayer? You must've met like a million big creepies in your travels?" Willow asked in a rather excitable tone.
"Too many to list." Vivian said smiling.
"Yes, of course. I'm sure she's well acknowledged." Giles began. Vivian moved over to sit at the empty chair at the table. "I'm sure with her knowledge she's aware of how to terminate a Cobleze demon."
"Sure. The two glands in back of the neck have to be either pierced or severed, cutting off the blood flow to the hearts." Vivian said, digging a nail file out of her pocket and sawing down her chipped thumbnail.
"Very good and I'm sure she's quite aware of the way you have to kill a Draggetor." Giles knew testing her would be the only way to be certain she spoke truth about who she was.
Vivian was looking down at her nails but she smirked because she knew what Giles was trying to do. She crossed her legs and answered without looking up. "Cut off the tail at the base of the spine."
Giles was impressed. He moved slightly away from the group in silence before suddenly turning and shouted "Wirreckei!"
Vivian stopped filing her nail and cocked her head to one side. She raised her eyes and said "With or without the poisonous elbow sacs?"
"Eww." Buffy said her face turning a slight shade of green. "Remind me why I do this again?"
Giles took a deep breath and put his glasses back on, approaching the woman. "Yes, well, I suppose that'll be enough of that for now. What brings you here to Sunnydale?" He asked.
"Watcher's council sent me. They notified my watcher when they realized what was on its way here and sent me." Vivian said, tucking her nail file back in her pocket.
"I see and who is your watcher?" Giles asked, still marveling at just how lovely Vivian was.
"Yuri Koslovchek. He sends his regards."
Giles smirked and exhaled a small laugh. "Ah, yes, Yuri. One of the most brilliant most stubborn watchers I've ever met. Does he still refuse to learn English?"
Vivian laughed. "Yep. Before I even began my demon studies I had to learn Russian and I think I still have the scar on my head when he whacked me when I got my possessive verbs wrong."
"Ah yes, Yuri is an extremely brilliant man with the attitude of a drill instructor nun." Giles removed his glasses and stood up for a minute. "What seems to be the problem approaching the hellmouth this week?"
Vivian took a deep breath before speaking. "Paqualach."
Giles turned swiftly to face Vivian. A mixed look of anger and terror brushed over his face. "Paqualach?! You're certain?"
Vivian nodded wishing she wasn't so sure. "Yes."
"But that means that someone got a hold of—"
"I know." Vivian said, standing up and approaching him. "Someone did wake him up. The council traced it back to a group of Amsterdam teenagers that got drunk and high and somehow a hold of the Book of Anh-Grok. He should be here in about 4 days."
"Ok, Paqualach doesn't sound good. Why can't we ever have demons show up here with names like Jeff or Mike?" Buffy said slightly agitated.
"Paqualach is a very, very old demon, well, actually not a demon per say, more like a creature. Its name means 'devil's pet'." Giles said matter of factly.
"So I'm guessing ol' Beelzebub didn't have a canary or a poodle to come home to at night?" Oz said without much facial expression.
"Not even close." Vivian said, folding her hands on the table. "Paqualach happens to be a dragon." Just then the homeroom bell rang. Buffy, Willow, Oz and Xander didn't happen to hear it, they were still staring at Vivian with their mouths wide open.