sometimes people leave you halfway through the wood

[madskilled]

Comments

[blackstarred]

Yeah.

[The lie comes easily - in fact, it doesn't even feel like a lie, even if it's not necessarily the truth.]

Yeah, he did.

[madskilled]

Not many vamps get to die twice.

( He's in the Buffy club now. )

You back in the room?

[blackstarred]

Yeah. Sort of. My brother was actually staying in the same hotel so I'm down in his room. But text me when you get back and I'll head to you.

[Because she should at least let William yell at her a little.]

[madskilled]

He's -- who is this kid? Your brother stalking you? I told you your family'd come calling.

( She just thought it would be on the phone. )

Might be a while. Once Danny's in the sun, I'll be on my way. You want me to call B?

[blackstarred]

Something like that.

[And her being a while means William has plenty of time to yell at her. But at the last offer, she shakes her head.]

No, I've got it. I'll call her.

[It's not a call she wants to make, but she can do it. It'll be better coming from her. She was there.]

[madskilled]

( Maybe she's underestimating her brother, who's letting her have this conversation by the way. He's sat down on the edge of the bed as she relays tough information. )

K. You need anything else? Need me to knock around your big bro?

[blackstarred]

[She laughs.]

Nah, I think I can handle him. I'll see you when you get back.

[And after they say their goodbyes, she hangs up and makes her way back over to William.]

Okay. You were saying?

[madskilled]

Yeah, you too. Don't kill him, he's blood.

( Granted, everyone of Faith's blood. Low-lifes. But Mia? She's not a low-life.

William tries, tries not to slap on a glare that flattens his face. But, Mia's dismissal - it's not easy to take in stride. He settles, though, and slides over so she can sit beside him. )

I was asking why you disappeared. Why you couldn't at least send one message, anything about clearing your head or extending your vacations. Even ditching J.J. I would've understood.

[blackstarred]

[She takes a deep breath as she moves to sit next to him.]

Because I didn't know what was happening. I thought I was suddenly becoming a meta, and I didn't want to hurt anyone. And then when I found out what was actually happening, I didn't want you guys to get hurt because of me.

[slavophile]

What was actually happening, Mia? What's a slayer?

( And how is that not being a meta? )

[blackstarred]

A Slayer ....

[Part of her feels like she sat down to soon. Part of her wants to pace as she drums up an explanation that would make the most sense. But she can do this.

Straight-forward and to the point.]

A long time ago, these ancient priests infused a girl with the power of a demon. She became strong and fast like vampires so that she could kill them before they killed other people. She became the first Slayer. And when she died, the power passed to the next girl and the next and the next until you get to me.

[Though her being a Slayer is slightly more complicated, but she'll let William digest the first part first.]

[slavophile]

... A demon, like uncle Constantine?

( Like what he deals with? The occult? )

How... of anyone, you're a slayer? You didn't need any more power under belt.

[blackstarred]

It's not like I chose this!

[She does stand now, throwing out her hands to the sides as the urge to move becomes too much.]

Buffy says there's hundreds of potentials in a given generation, and maybe twenty years ago, she did a spell to wake up a lot of them. So now every time one of the existing Slayers out there dies, another one wakes up and one of them just so happened to be me.

[She'd like to think that if the odds were smaller it might have missed her. But she also knows her family doesn't get that lucky.]

[slavophile]

Buffy, who's Buffy?

( He's playing catch up and you're throwing out a lot of names. Okay, it's just one name, but it's not a recognizable one! )

She's a slayer?

[blackstarred]

She's the Slayer.

[No offense, Faith, but it's kind of true.]

She was the last Slayer to be called the old fashioned way. She's got a going rate of stopping like ... one apocalypse a year. She's ... terrifying.

[slavophile]

For how many years?

( Not the point. )

Do you work for Buffy? Is -- it work?

[blackstarred]

Since she was sixteen. And she's like ... dad's age now?

[So ... a good long time.]

It's kind of work? She pays for room and board and stuff but it's not like I get benefits and PTO.

[slavophile]

You just get to shirk the Queen title for a few more years. I can't - believe - you're like a meta. Except, magic. Are you magic?

( Dad's age is advanced comparatively. )

[blackstarred]

I think magic is more accurate.

[Maybe a little of both? Hard to say really.]

I think we'd have to ask Uncle Barry.

[She wrinkles her nose.]

He'd probably want to run tests.

[slavophile]

Like you're going to stand still long enough. How - are you okay? Do you feel different?

( This is when he flips from chastising to concerned, a flip that was inevitable with these, too. He even springs to his feet, too. )

[blackstarred]

[She shrugs.]

Not in big ways? But I have to be way more conscious of how I move. I don't want to collide with something and take out the wall.

[slavophile]

Or break someone's hand shaking their hand.

( He sighs, looking at his sister. )

We were all worried.

[blackstarred]

I know. I just ... wasn't sure how to explain all of this.

[Which isn't necessarily fair, but she takes after her father in that respect. She just doesn't have her own personal island to go chill out on.]

[slavophile]

And you're going to tell Dad. Or, I will. You want to go back, I'm not going to stop you, but you're not disappearing again.

( And he's putting his foot down with that. )

[blackstarred]

[She takes a deep breath because she should of known that was coming.]

Okay. Fine. I'll do it. I just have another call to make first.