Faith the Vampire Slayer:
The Master
5. Bookended
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
"Get it! Go get it, right there!" a teenage boy encouraged his girlfriend.
"I got it!" the girl shouted. She held it up for Tony to see before dropping it into the roach jar. "Free drink, please."
Tony just nodded and served her a diet cola. The Bronze was packed with high school kids.
"Ah, the fumigation party," Willow grinned.
"Hmm?" Faith sat across from her.
"It's an annual tradition. The closing of the Bronze for a few days to nuke the cockroaches?"
"That explains the excessive time off," the slayer huffed.
"It's a lot of fun," Willow prodded.
"Sounds gross," Faith grimaced.
"At least, they try?" Willow offered.
"Not any less nasty, Red," the slayer took her friend's hand, "Let's get sweaty." The pair made their way to Xander.
He danced up to a girl Faith had seen around the quad. "Hey, Annie!" he greeted her. Xander turned a little and greeted her boyfriend as well, "Hey, Dino!"
"Hi, Annie, Dino! This is Faith," Willow introduced them.
"Hi," Faith gave them a nonchalant wave. The slayer began dancing around Xander.
"I didn't believe it when Blayne said you had a girlfriend," Dino grunted. "Nice work, bro."
"King loser bags queen slut? Yes, nice work," Cordelia mocked as she sauntered up to the group.
"Are you still mad that I dumped that morbid weirdo on you, or is this because your mommy dresses you like hooker Barbie?" Faith asked.
"Owen is a perfectly acceptable date," the cheerleader snapped back.
"So, it is about the dress?" the slayer teased. "Nice shoes," Faith wiggled her eyebrows at the brunette.
"Thank you," Cordelia began a monolog. "They were two hundred at April Fools. They were out of them in white in my size, so I had to get them in eggshell. I have nothing I can wear them with! I had to borrow this dress from Harmony. But daddy said I could go to Rodeo Drive next week."
Xander grabbed Faith around the waist. "I don't know what's worse," He said nuzzling the side of her head, "Cordelia insulting us or ranting about clothes. What are you vixens up to, anyway?"
"Got bored sitting," Faith huffed, "Thought we'd try dancing."
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
Hours later Faith paused on her way out to glance over her shoulder. She didn't see anything, but she still felt that being-watched tingle in the back of her neck. She also felt the faint whisper of a vampire's presence. Faith headed around the stairs to see if she could get a better read on it.
Angel was skulking around the pillar. Stifling a smirk the slayer sidled up to him, "Whatcha doing?"
The vampire started.
Faith couldn't help but chuckle.
"Um, I," Angel started to explain.
"Are you cheating on Xander?" Cordelia asked from behind her. "I'd understand if you were. Wait. No. I wouldn't. I mean why wouldn't you just dump him for tall, dark and hunky here?"
"Angel?" Faith asked incredulously. "No, he's… Let's just say I'm not into older guys."
"So, he's not taken?" Cordelia smiled brightly.
"Not that I'm aware of," the slayer shrugged. "He's like nearly thirty or something, though."
"That just means he's mature and experienced," Cordelia shot back.
"If that doesn't bother you then go right ahead," Faith stepped aside.
"You two are talking like I don't have a say in this," Angel groused.
"Did you want something?" Faith asked.
"Just to let you know that there are some guys after you in the worst way," He shrugged.
"Thanks for the heads up," She smiled at him. "Don't stay out too late, you crazy kids." Faith sauntered off as Angel sputtered.
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
Giles and the others were waiting in the Citroen. Faith paused right before passing an alley, "Come out, I know you're there." As she reached into her jacket for a stake a vampire roared and leaped out behind her. Faith swung around to stake it. A strong hand shot out from the darkness to grab her arm, stopping her. Faith grunted and elbowed him with her free arm, "Hands off!"
A third vampire seized the arm and the pair holding her began to drag her into the alley. Faith lifted her feet and planted them square in the chest of the first vampire. The slayer forced him back as she catapulted up and over his compatriots. Twisting her arms out of the vampires' grasps to land in a crouch behind them Faith grinned.
Giles and Xander had just got to the mouth of the alley. The pair aimed their crossbows and let fly. Xander's bolt went high. Giles' was on target, however, the vampire stumbled and the bolt struck him in the shoulder. The beast let out a feral roar.
Faith stood and, as the guys reloaded, reached up and gripped the pair of vampires by the hair. She slammed their faces together. Bone crunched under the impact. Instinct sent her running towards her friends, "Get to the car!"
The vampires were hot on their heels as they fled the mouth of the alley. Giles turned and fired his crossbow. "Damn," he swore as the bolt stuck into a forearm rather than a heart. "Tego!" he shouted. A dumpster rolled into the vampires' path.
The teens piled into the back or the Citroen. Giles slid into the driver's seat. The car roared to life and sped away.
After a few blocks, Amy asked, "Can you teach me that blocking spell?"
Giles just nodded, not taking his eyes off the road. He scarcely slowed and did not stop until they were safely in the garage. "Into the house," he ordered. "A vampire can't come in unless it's invited." Giles went straight to the library. He called back to them, "There are snacks in the kitchen. Let me know if you need a ride home tonight."
None of the teens bothered the watcher as he flipped through countless books.
Faith made a mental note to get some cots or air mattresses or something as she laid out the spare blankets and pillows.
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
Faith yawned and stretched as she joined the group at the dining room table. Giles had made them all scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, fried tomatoes and mushrooms, and toast. Except for Willow who got an all beef kielbasa and a wedge of pressed potato bits. Giles called them hash browns.
He set a cup of coffee and a book in front of Faith, "It seems we've encountered the Three. Warrior vampires, very proud and very strong."
"How is it you always know this stuff? You always know what's going on. I never know what's going on," Willow whined
"Well, you weren't up until six researching it," Giles pointed out.
"No, I was sleeping," She pouted.
He nodded, "Now, drink your juice." Turning to his slayer, he continued, "Uh, o-obviously you're hurting the Master very much. He, he wouldn't send the, the Three for just anyone. We must step up our training with weapons. However, we are, are not in any immediate jeopardy. Eventually, the Master will send someone else, but in the meantime the Three, having failed, will offer their own lives in penance."
Xander nodded, "Crossbows are a life saver."
"I would like you all to become proficient with the basic tools of combat, beginning with the quarterstaff. Which, incidentally, will, uh, require countless hours of vigorous training." At the looks of doubt he received, Giles added, "I speak from experience."
"G, 20th Century? We're not gonna be fighting Friar Tuck," Amy chuckled.
"You never know with whom or what you'll be fighting," Giles snapped. "Any number of spells may summon forth literary or historical figures, or, or imbue enemies with their skills." The watcher huffed, "And these traditions have been handed down through the ages. Now, you show me good, steady progress with the quarterstaff, and in due course, we'll discuss that blocking spell. If no one has other plans, we'll begin after breakfast."
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
The four teens stood in a rough line as Giles laid out protective gear and training equipment.
"Risin' up, back on the street," Xander sang softly. "Did my time, took my chances."
"Went the distance," Faith continued. "Now I'm back on my feet." She motioned Willow to join in.
"Just a man and his will to survive," the red head said. "So many times, it happens too fast?" she quirked an eyebrow at them.
"You trade your passion for glory," Amy sang. "Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past. You must fight just to keep them alive."
The quartet sang the chorus together.
"Right now that that's out of the way," Giles turned to face them, "Put your pads on and square off."
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
The four students were sore and tired the next day at school. Students from the various computer science classes were creating an online database of all the books in the library. Willow and a few others were seated at the study table scanning books.
"Oh, great! A book!" Xander said sarcastically, opening another crate of new arrivals. He pulled the book out of the box and blew some of the dust off of it.
"Oh, uh, I, uh... haven't gone through the uh, put it in, uh," he pointed with the book in his hand. "in, in that pile," Giles stammered. He was quite cross at the council for sending the text to the school.
"Here, I'll get it," a skinny boy in a green button up stood to get the tome.
"Oh, thanks, Dave. The Willow pile," Xander handed it over.
"Uh, when I've examined it, you can, uh, uh, skim it," Giles told them.
"Scan it, Rupert. It's scan it," corrected the computer science teacher. She had the same dark shoulder length hair as Ms. French but with darker, warmer eyes and less predatory features.
"Of course," Giles retorted sarcastically.
"Oh, I know, our ways are strange to you, but soon you will join us in the 21st century," she grinned at him.
"Ms. Calendar, I'm sure your computer science class is fascinating, but I happen to believe that one can survive in modern society without being a slave to the, um, idiot box," Giles countered smugly.
"That's TV," Ms. Calendar corrected irritation evident in her voice. "The idiot box is TV. This," she indicated one of the computers, "is the good box!"
"I still prefer a good book," Giles smirked.
A thick boy with short dark hair stood up and proclaimed, "The printed page is obsolete. Information isn't bound up anymore. It's an entity. The only reality is virtual. If you're not jacked in, you're not alive." He then grabbed his backpack and stormed out.
"Thank you, Fritz, for making us all sound like crazy people," Ms. Calendar sighed watching him leave. She turned back to Giles, "Fritz, Fritz comes on a little strong, but he does have a point. You know, for the last ten years, more e-mail was sent than regular mail."
"Oh..." Giles raised his eyebrows.
Nodding she continued, "More digitized information is sent across phone lines than conversation."
"That is a fact that I regard with genuine horror," the librarian shuddered.
"I'll bet you do," she smiled coyly at him. Turning to the students, Ms. Calendar announced, "Alright, guys, let's wrap it up for today."
"I've just got a few more. I'll hang for a bit," Willow called back.
"Cool! Thanks," Ms. Calendar said.
As Xander grabbed his bag and pulled it onto his shoulder Willow asked him, "Xander, you wanna stay and help me?"
"Are you kidding?" he replied in disbelief.
Willow pouted, "Yes, it was a joke I made up."
"Willow, I love you, but bye!" Xander bolted.
Willow called after him, "See you tomorrow!"
"Five a.m. run?" he asked glancing over his shoulder.
"Yeah," she nodded reluctantly.
"I'm, I'm just gonna stay and clean up a little. I'll, uh, I'll be back in the middle ages," Giles told Ms. Calendar as he started up the stairs.
"Did you ever leave?" she shot back with a playful smile.
Giles stopped and looked back at her, smiling to himself, before continuing up the stairs.
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
Faith was ending a short patrol at the Bronze when she heard glass breaking above her. With a quick look around she found a ladder. "I'm hitting the roof," she said into the walkie-talkie clipped to her jacket.
"Rodger, Dodger," was Xander's reply.
The slayer smirked as she shouldered her crossbow. The climb was quick and at the top, she found a bottle blonde edging into MILF territory in a catholic school girl outfit. She could have been gorgeous with some effort. She was necking with a senior from auto-shop. Faith recognized her. She hit the monitor button on the walkie-talkie, "You're the bitch that turned Jesse."
"Do you know what the saddest thing in the world is?" The vampire asked as she dropped the teen.
"Being ten years too old to pull off that outfit?" the slayer snarked.
"To love someone who used to love you," she sighed. "I was the Master's favorite and the world to Angelus."
"You and Angel were involved?" Faith asked.
"For several generations," the vampire nodded a wistful look on her face.
"Well, you've been around since Columbus; bound to pile up a few ex's," Faith shrugged.
The vampire smiled, "I made him. There was a time when we shared everything. He could have come home, to rule with me in the Master's court for a thousand years, but he threw that away because of you," the blonde accused. She smiled, "You don't think I came alone, do you?"
"I know I didn't," Faith ducked as Xander loosed a crossbow bolt from behind her. He was panting from his trip up the ladder but his aim was true. The bolt buried deep in her shoulder.
The vampire pulled two pistols from behind her back. "You'll pay for that!"
As she ripped off a round of shots Xander dropped back down the ladder and Faith did a diving shoulder roll behind an air-conditioning unit.
"So many body parts, so few bullets. Let's begin with the kneecaps. No fun dancing without them," the vampire taunted as she stalked around to Faith.
The slayer popped up with her crossbow and fired at the blonde. The vampire doubled over as it hit her in the abdomen. Faith reloaded as she straightened back up again.
"Close, but no heart," growled the monster as it showed its true face. She grabbed the bolt, pulled it out and tossed it aside.
Xander hauled himself up again resting the crossbow on the top rung of the ladder. He fired again and dropped below the roof line without waiting to confirm the hit.
The vampire roared in pain. She turned toward the ladder and let loose a hail of bullets.
Faith fired again, more to keep attention off of Xander that to do any real harm. The bolt struck the demon's hip. "Let's get rid of the nuisance first, shall we?" the vampire pulled the bolt from her hip and trotted toward the ladder.
Faith growled and lunged at her retreating form. The vampire fired off a few wild shots as the pair slammed into the low wall surrounding the roof. The pair were all growling and clawing fury. Faith knocked one of the pistols away.
Xander levered himself over the side, careful to make as little noise as he could. He quickly scrambled the other side of the air-conditioning unit. Finding the gun he quickly slid it in the back of his waistband.
The slayer yanked Xander's earlier bolt from the vampire's back. She tried impaling the demon with it only to have it smacked from her hand. Faith grunted and took a handful of the blonde's hair to keep her from biting her. "Get off of me!" The slayer pulled both her legs in and kicked the vampire away.
"C'mon, slayer. Take it like a man!" The vampire shouted getting to her feet.
Xander stepped up behind her and plunged the recovered bolt into her back. She cried out in surprise and pain. She turned to look at her attacker. "Like Jesse did?" He asked as she fell to ashes.
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
Later inside the Bronze Faith leaned against their table watching Amy dance. Willow, who would usually be out there with her, was texting on her phone. Xander sighed happily, "Ah, the post-fumigation party."
"What's the difference between this and the pre-fumigation party?" Faith asked.
"Much hardier cockroaches," The dark haired teen replied.
"We need to find a better place to hang," the slayer snorted.
"Ah, there's the rub, my dear," Xander chuckled. "It is here we go to flitter away our free time, not for the fond memories, not for the cheap drinks, not for the terrible, terrible emo bands. No. It is for the lack of options."
Faith groaned.