Outside

Buffy sat on a bench across the street from the gym. She'd actually rushed right over from school. The hallways had been buzzing with all sorts of talk. Of the weekend. Of who was going to what movie. Of who was going on a date with whom. Of being free for two short, sweet days. Buffy had blown past it, singularly focused. Coach Cordova had given her the address, but now that she was here...Buffy was nervous.

Not because she was scared of training, or fighting. But she was scared of what it meant. It meant that she'd be acknowledging, officially, what she'd spent years running away from. That this was all happening. And that terrified the Slayer more than any creature she'd come face to face with. Buffy stared hard at the old gym, as though if she glared hard enough, it would disappear, along with all her problems. Instead, the rundown structure sat there, unyielding, mocking her in its solemness. And so Buffy sat staring at it, trying to work up the courage to cross the street and step through those doors.

Luthien nodded.

"When you prepare workouts, don't spare the civilians. This is hard, dangerous, life threatening work. Weight training and cardio, every day, work 'em towards that goal. But don't forget the weapons training. The civilians will be involved, sooner or later. They need to know how to put the stake in the vampire's heart. Don't forsake research training either. The more varieties of demon they know how to kill without looking it up, the better off they'll be.

He paused, and said, "As a rule, make it a goal that each of the civilians can destroy a fledgling vampire on their own by this time next year. Those that are already strong may be able to do it in less time then that. Make allowances for fighting styles...if someone wishes to fight with magic or ingenuity, that's perfectly fine. Only results matter."

He continued on, "Buffy, in turn, needs all of that...plus training in how to defend her less powerful allies. Because civilians helping will get overwhelmed sometimes, and she needs to watch for that, and step in when necessary, while simultaneously knowing when NOT to help, because there's a certain confidence that comes only of overcoming the monster in front of you without assistance. And yet, having her friends around her...not doing this kind of thing alone, will probably lengthen her lifespan. Slayers rarely live to the Cruciamentum. Slayers that can legally drink are nearly unheard of. Slayers with many friends around them can live to see those things, isolation only contributes to their more normal mortality rate."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:19, Mon 30 Dec 2013.

"You assume I'm some novice at this?" BJ asked Luthien as she had listened to his speech. "How old were you when you saw your first vampire? I was younger than any of these kids. I hid. I lived. My family has been dealing with the other worldly for generations." BJ stopped talking for a moment. What was it with men in the supernatural world, they all assumed you didn't know your job. Fight, use pack tactics, never fight a vamp on it's terms. She stopped and looked at him intently as she replayed his words in her head. There was something off in them.

"What is this.. Cruciametum? Slayers were just another legend to my folks.. like the boogie man or the tooth fairy."

Luthien shook his head.

"I did not say you were a novice. You have already proven your ability. We all watched you do it. Do not take offense where none was intended. I merely reminded you the kids we are about to bring into this world have none of your experience. It will take them time to learn, and care to see to it they survive long enough to learn in the first place."

He blows off the 'how old were you' question as if it were Rhetorical.

"Fair enough, but don't mistake inexerperience for ineptness. I don't expect these kids to be vampire slayers out of an old Hammer flick but I do think that they will surprise you. We have a few athletes, one certifiable genius.. in several twists of the phrase.. and all of them didn't do anything outright stupid. I don't think they'll go looking for trouble but I intend to show them how to survive it coming to their door"

She looked at him.

"You didn't answer my last question either."

Luthien turns the floor over to Clive.

"That is for him to answer, for it is a tradition of the Watcher's Council. He will go into the details."

Clive balked as Luthien mentioned the Cruciamentum.  The fact that he knew about it was strange enough, but to mention it so matter of factly did nothing to alleviate his questions he had about the man clad in white.  Of course it wasn't the sort of thing one brought up when reassuring a Slayer.  "How do you even?  No matter.  The Cruciamentum is...well it's Watcher business that I would much rather not go into.  A tired tradition best left in the past that if at all possible I'd rather avoid actually consider putting her through when it comes time.  What was that phrase you used the other day?  It is need to know." Clive gave a cheeky smile in response.

"I was old enough to know I didn't want to see another vampire again.  Unfortunately, not everyone is allowed a choice in that matter."  He sighed for a moment before continuing.  "It's why I hope you're wrong about her not coming alone.  Even if Luthien is right in that the more the merrier for her survival chances.  They still have a shot at normal lives, fate did not deal them such a grim hand, a band of teenagers shouldn't be marching off to their deaths on a whim.  The notion is bloody insane."

BJ really hated this 'we bow to traditions' crap. A lot.

She looked over at Clive with the same strangely serpentine gaze she gave the crock-man just before she shot him out of hand. She waited about two heart beats before speaking.

"Okay Mr. 'Watcher'. What is this Cruciamentum and how does it apply to my student." His blase attitude made her more than a bit angry. "I think that the adults will need to be doing a little training as well. Mr. Whitlock, I would like to see your hand to hand skills. Luthien, I would like you to explain the basics of weapon use to any strays that show up. You showed a bit of skill with it and while I do well with my blades I doubt many will want to use them on a vampire."

BJ picked up her pack and laid it on a table, unrolling it to show a variety of weapons. Several stakes, a few blades, her pistols (unloaded), a pair of massive machetes, and a trio of silvered throwing spikes as well as her own kurkri blades.

"I'll have to get some targets for bow and crossbow work next week and a few more weight sets, but the gym is mostly set up."

"It doesn't apply to your student.  Not any time soon that is."  Clive responded still avoiding directly answering his work colleague.  He knew well enough not to make others privy to every bit of Council business.  Especially with all things considered.

"Bonita, are you sure you are not looking for an excuse to punch me?"  He casually retorted while eyeing the set of weapons the gym teacher had unravelled.  Wondering if for a moment she thought they were trying to run a Ghurka boot camp.  "Gloves and padding?"

"I think keeping information about my students that might entail their harm merits it." BJ said as she pulled on a pair of light gloves designed for making sure your hands didn't get bruised or cut in sparring and shrugged. "I dislike folk knowingly keeping information from those it effects." She said as she looked pointedly at both Luthien and then Clive.

"You're welcome to wear anything you'll be wearing when you encounter a vampire or other bugaboo of the night." She said plainly as she started doing her warmup stretches. Clearly she was a very fit and able fighter.

Considering nobody's seen Luthien wear much of anything else to date, he shrugs, as if his outfit was sufficient. He watched the way BJ stretched before her workout, and decided warming up in turn was not such a bad idea.

He had stretches of his own he did, though some of them seemed a little odd. It's difficult to guess just where he picked up some of those. They seem to be effective though.

In reply to Buffy Summers (msg # 6):

Outside

"Hey Buff, what's with the death glare? I heard you set your gym on fire at your old school, is this how you did it?" Garrett said innocently, tracing Buffy's line of sight to the gym across the way. He positioned himself like a prince on the bench next to Buffy. "I would have guessed TNT or napalm--that's Melba's fave." He plucked a dandelion full of wispy seeds and twirled it between two fingers.

"Hope you don't mind me asking, but how are you holding up?" His blue eyes searched crystalline into Buffy's.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:19, Mon 30 Dec 2013.

[Outside]
...and where Garrett is, one often finds Melissa or Melba or whatever.  Today, her hair was a particularly pale shade of mauve, almost but not quite silver.  She smiled at Garrett and twirled.

"Wouldn't dream of using TNT", she said, "because that's for blowing up the school not burning it down.  And I wouldn't use napalm either unless I wanted to kill someone.  For torching buildings, I'd use thermite, the home made kind, not commercial grade, and of course, liberal doses of good old-fashioned gasoline."

She nodded to Buffy, "Hey there Buffy.  Heard you done good against Queen Bitch.  If they're calling you in to debrief or dress down or anything like that, you could tell 'em about the British AIDS campaign and suggest that 'Don't Die of Ignorance' could be a general slogan and keeping us in the dark about the stuff that's going down could be dangerous."

Buffy looked over at Garrett guiltily. She supposed she had zero idea of just how obvious she was being. But then, she had also thought she was by herself. In truth, the company was nice now that it was here.

Buffy shook her head and chuckled. "Oh come on, now, we all know that death glares won't do that. I have to be extending my hands out, like this." Buffy dramatically raised her hands towards Garrett, squinting her eyes in mock concentration. A long quite moment passed with Buffy holding her arms out. The blonde blinked, then lowered her hands with a shrug and a look to Melba. "...it worked in Carrie..."

Buffy's gaze drifted back towards the gym as Melba commented. "Honestly, something really tells me that they couldn't keep you two away if they had an army." Buffy really wished there was an army standing there. It would have made walking away the easy option because she'd have an excuse.

"Hey, don't mock it; some people can make things explode with that much thought." He paused, "And you shouldn't squint, hun, it's bad luck and brings early crows feet. Garrett knows." Garrett put his hands on Buffy's face and gingerly pulled at the sides of her eyes.

"There. You know, I think there's a beautiful girl just waiting to come out with some accent colors. Maybe here above your eyes and your cheeks." Garrett closed one eye and turned to the side, holding up a thumb for perspective on Buffy's imaginary makeover.

"It's obvious, but you look a little stressed, and it's like you said: Mel and me wouldn't leave you on your own--even if they had that army. You've got friends now. Weird, semi psychotic and slightly phobic friends, but that's what we're offering." Garrett let slip a plotting smile.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:14, Tue 31 Dec 2013.

Melba grinned a cheshire cat grin (albeit that didn't end without her disappearing) and winked.  "Buffy", she spoke in an accent clearly borrowed from a hip hop video, "If they got an army, which I doubt is entirely hypothetical to be honest, you got us.  Maybe you got the others as well, but you definitely got us.  We got you back no matter the sacrifice.  Even if I gotta lose weight or something equally horrible."

She grinned at Garrett and winked, "Besides, we're your army General Summers, and I got a beef with them if they have one with you.  They kept me in the dark, denied me information.  Can you even imagine how mad that makes me?"

Buffy quirked an eyebrow at Garrett as he envisioned her makeover out loud. She blinked at him, then shook her finger. "That's how it starts, the makeup. Then, those boys'll start sweet talkin' ya. Then, they'll have you out late. And you know Pa, he wants me home dinner."

Buffy sighed and leaned back against the back of the rather uncomfortable bench. She looked over at Melba. "I suspect we'll have to make sacrifices. Probably starting with any sembelance of a social life." Buffy sighed dramatically. "I'll take all the friends I can get, you know? But I really don't want to lead an army. I can deal with partners. Heck, you can even apply for sidekick if you reallllly want."

"Well hey, dates--which I'm pretty sure qualify as social interaction if you're doing it right--are a semblance of social life, am I wrong? Just saying. You've got great cheek bones." Garrett tried not to gawk.

"I'm as badass as the next fifteen-year-old, but I think I'd be more comfortable not going toe-to-toe with anything mean and ugly." He brushed the imaginary dirt off his shoulders.

"And besides; I know some really cute guys who would love to liven up their Friday night lives with the beautiful Ms. Summers. There's a great underage club around here. I hear that's where everyone goes on the weekends. Just relaxing, ya know? Music, finger-food (I FRICKING LOVE JALAPENO POPPERS), and maybe some dancing? I mean the cool kids go there..."

He pursed his pink full lips, "Kinda makes going to the gym sound unnecessary."

Melba thought for a moment, possibly even long enough for the pause to be detectable before she said, "Partners is cool, but even if you refuse to lead, you still get to be Nestor Makhno, because you've met these vampires before and yet you're one of us, a teen, not somebody with centuries old agendas to keep to.  Still, if we DO have to get fit and stuff, I guess I can do it... just cut out the sweets and umm, what Garrett said, DANCE!"

The next pause was probably undetectable, less than the flicker from one frame to the next on celluloid.  "And I still want in when they dress you down, both because I can argue with authority, and because they have knowledge we teens may need, especially after we messed up the pretty faces of some of Gabrielle's girls."

Buffy nodded to Melba. She looked around, but didn't see anyone else. She guessed it was just the three of them. She looked to Garrett, then to Melba. The blonde sighed, then stood up and stretched. She nodded towards the gym with her head. "Time to go do...stuff?" Buffy blinked. "Sudden realization, I have no idea if this is a talking or training session..." Buffy shrugged. It was time to find out. She looked both ways, then crossed the street, stepping through the grimy glass doors of the gym that did not let you see inside the place anymore.

"Gym", muttered Melba.  "Oh well, what the Niflheim, let's go", and she nodded to Garrett, then followed Buffy.

Garrett stood and smirked at Melba. Behind his back, Garrett caused the dandelion he had been holding to erupt into flames. He let the ash trail behind as he followed  Mel and Buffy to the gym,

BJ was up on 'the rack' a series of pegs set between two beams leading up to the ceiling. The coach was holding a rod that was a bit longer than the gap and put it over her head and hooked it in place, then hung from the rod and crossed her legs to keep from standing and then with a series of muscular twitches moved upward two gaps at a time. The coach's muscle tone was impressive as she pulled her body up in a series of snapping movements that had her upwards of fifteen off the ground quickly before dropping to the mat on the floor below.

"Ah Ms. Summers.. so happy you could pencil us in your business social calender." Her smile broadened as Melba and Garret were spotted. "And more of my students show up..excellent. I hope you guys brought work out clothing, I think we'll need to see what you're capable of doing when you're not shirking your PE credit."

Melba grinned, "A bit more notice and I'd build me an exoskeleton like in Aliens for now, I guess I'm just here to give y'all a laugh".

Luthien leaned on a wall, smiling. He wouldn't be needed yet, the coach, being a coach, knew far better how to train body and mind then he did. He was there mostly to give Buffy an adequate sparring partner when the time came. A Slayer's power could not be taken lightly.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:36, Tue 07 Jan 2014.