"Before we begin." Willow said, trying not to focus on Xander's description of her. The scan he'd done of her mind had made it all too clear just how correct he was in that description and she really didn't want to be perceived that way. It also meant she needed to change, so that she was no longer perceived that way. "Buffy's funeral is tomorrow after school and Mrs. Summers could use our support. Especially since Mr. Summers said he can't take the time off of work."
"He lives, what, two hours away in Los Angeles?" Xander asked, angry. "And he owns his own business, just like Mrs. Summers owns hers and he can't delegate enough to come to Buffy's funeral? We know from Day of the Nightmares that Buffy's fears included her father not caring about her, what the Hell kind of message does it send if he can't be bothered to come to her funeral?"
"Not a good one, that's for sure." Cordelia agreed grimly. "I mean I didn't like Buffy and she didn't like me, but I'll still be there. She may have hated what being the Slayer did to her life but she still saved a lot of lives, mine included. She deserves a proper goodbye."
"She does." Amy agreed. "She stopped my mother from hurting more people, I'll be there."
"Tor and Heidi will be there." Xander said. "Unfortunately, Kyle and Rhonda have never been able to deal with what happened to them and moved out of Sunnydale. But Tor told me earlier to let him know when the funeral was and they'd be there to pay their respects."
"What did Buffy save them from?" Amy asked.
"The four of them and myself were possessed when we accidentally triggered a transpossession ritual a crazy man set up. Remember what happened to Principal Flutie?"
"Oh gods, that was you guys? He was eaten!" Amy exclaimed.
"They weren't in control, the animal spirits were and I wasn't part of that. Instead the spirit controlling me was using my memories, my knowledge and my feelings to convince Buffy, the strongest female around, to be our mate. She objected by hitting me with a desk and locking me in the book cage. That was before they managed to get it all resolved. I'm not sure which is more horrifying, living with the knowledge that you ate a human being, however unwillingly you yourself were in regards to that or living with the knowledge that you tried to rape a girl." Xander said frankly.
"It was no more you than it was them." Cordelia reminded him. "You would never choose to do that, remember that and don't dwell on it. Willow, tell Mrs. Summers people will be there."
"I will." Willow assured her.
"Moving on to the next thing." Xander said. "I did the research on wooden bullets and they're not hard to make. I took shop class and I can do it using a lathe. They're basically miniature stakes shot from a distance. For now Cordelia and I will be the only ones using them, since we're the only ones who know how to use guns and Willow, unless you're willing to use a weapon, you will not even be hunting with us. No one hunts unarmed, ever. Understood? It's just too dangerous. And no one goes anywhere without a cross and Holy Water or in Willow's case, a Star of David, it has the same effect as a cross."
"In that case, a Hecate's Wheel probably does too." Amy said. "And I channel Hecate, so I'll use her symbol. "
"As long as it works, that's the important part." Xander agreed. "Beyond that, both Giles and I are willing to teach you guys what we know about personal combat. Thanks to Giles' help, I don't believe I'm going to lose what I've got in my head regarding an Anla'Shok's training. And the military knowledge my counterpart inadvertently gave me when we blended means I've got a good idea about strategy and tactics as well. We can plan our battles instead of just reacting when we run across vampires. And we need to consider something. Spoils of war. Faith, a Slayer in the other reality, she supported herself by robbing vampires and laying claim to things left in nests she cleaned out. We're not going to risk get close enough to vampires to be able to rob them, but cleaning out nests is a different matter and requires strategy and forethought and what we find in their nests is something we can use. It's stolen property anyway and taken from people they killed. We can use it to help people."
"There are a lot of ways we can do that." Cordelia pointed out. "My father donates to a lot of charities. We can keep enough to cover our expenses and medical bills, because face it, we're not going to be able to avoid injury, no matter how safely we try to fight, but the rest can be used to help others."
"Pay it forward." Amy agreed. "Make something good out of something bad."
"Buffy's death means the Hellmouth is unguarded." Xander said. "We do this and we're commiting ourselves to guarding it. At least until we burn out and then we train others to guard it. Because the Watchers Council doesn't care and they aren't here, but we are."
"I'm in." Cordelia said.
"I'm in." Amy agreed.
"I'm in." Willow agreed.
"I'm in." Xander finished.
"As am I." Giles said, as he pushed past the doors and entered the library "And I am very proud of all of you."