"How much does the Council know about any of us, Giles?" Xander asked as the older man came out of his office and placed some books in a box on the counter, he'd finished packing his condo up and was spending his last day in Sunnydale packing his collection from the Library, Sam Zabuto had his own. Fred had left the Library to find a vending machine and a snack.
"They know you're students here, they know you're friends with Buffy and occasionally help her." Giles answered.
"Do they know Oz is a werewolf?" A question that had Cordelia tensing and looking intently at Giles herself, as the two teens waited for an answer. Oz loved Willow and Willow needed Oz, if the Council thought he was a threat, Xander and the others would move to protect him and that might put them at odds with Kendra too - more badness?
"Yes, of course they know he's a werewolf, I told them when we discovered it ourselves." Giles answered.
"And what business is it of their's?" Xander demanded. "Oz isn't a threat to anyone, neither are his Aunt and Uncle or his little cousin, so what the Hell business is it of your bosses?!"
"They fight evil, Xander." Giles said, thinking he sounded reasonable. "Werewolves are not considered evil or demons, they're neutral, but a Slayer needs to be aware if there are any around in case they choose not to lock themselves up and humans are harmed by them."
"So this Sam Zabuto isn't going to be trying to send Kendra after Oz?" Xander clarified. "Because if he does we'll be protecting him. Him, Willow, Cordelia and their families."
"Oz is in no danger from the Council and neither are any of the rest of you." Giles practically rolled his eyes. "Why are you acting like the Council is an enemy, Xander?"
"I grant you that you haven't told us much about the Council or Potentials or just why you guys seem to have charge over them and Slayer's, but between what I've seen and what you have said, I don't like it. So far I've seen no evidence of your Council fighting anything, just trying to control Buffy and Kendra. And your methods leave a lot to be desired."
"How so? I see nothing wrong with our methods and you, yourself know little about them."
"Kendra was raised in isolation, away from family and denied friends. Why?"
"To immerse her in study and training, to ensure she lives as long as possible if Called." Giles explained, not seeing the problem, if Buffy had been raised by the Council she wouldn't be so stubborn.
"I still have all that soldier stuff from Halloween in my head, Giles. I don't know why I kept it, but I've been comparing what I have up here to what Private Harris should have had."
"Why?" Giles asked, not understanding what one had to do with the other.
"I have more up here than I should. A Private in the U.S. Army should not have access codes to a National Guard Base armory or the layout for that base or the names of personnel stationed there, but I do. I learned that when Cor and I broke into the base to steal the RPG. When I discovered this seed of Magic and the connection and leftovers from the hyena possession I decided to check what I've got in my head against what, as a Private, I should expect to have. I've got psych classes and resistance to interrogation classes stuffed in here too and a Private doesn't take those classes, but I can tell you having that knowledge in my head is giving me some insights."
"Like what?"
"Children raised in isolation, with little to no human contact, have developmental and psychological problems, often severe. They often have depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. They can develop a death wish, especially if they, like the Slayer, spend all their time fighting and with no connection to other humans. You call it immersion in study, the rest of the world calls it indoctrination or brainwashing. Kendra told us that she was given to her Watcher because her parents thought it was the best thing for her. The Kendra we met was a living weapon, that's not the best thing for her. You say it's to ensure she lives as long as possible after being Called, studies prove your method all but guarantee they don't live long after being Called, mostly because your method would cause severe psychological problems. I think the ones that manage to live longer are the ones you consider rebellious, like Buffy. The ones with ties to the world, family and friends. The Watchers who allow their Slayer those connections, most of them probably understand that. Is it Council policy to isolate Potentials?"
"It's not a policy, no, but study and training and secrecy is."
"I think you, personally have taken secrecy to an extreme, Giles, by isolating Buffy from her mother and I think Sam Zabuto may have taken it to even further extremes. Granted that's based on two days observation of Kendra, but she was definitely maladjusted. She couldn't look anyone in the eye, Giles, even when confronting someone. I may have had trouble ignoring the fact that Ms. Tishler," referring to a Health and Science teacher who'd recently given several lectures on communicating and communication. "wears a lot of tight sweaters," a comment that earned him an exasperated dope slap. "but I still managed to learn when she told us eye contact helps enormously with communication, empathy and trust. Kendra had a hard time with all of that."
"I suppose she did." Giles conceded. "But you must understand, certain sacrifices are necessary in the fight against evil."
"Sacrificing children isn't necessary, Giles. It's evil and if your Council is doing that, than they're not fighting evil. They're helping it."