fandomtownies | Giles walked past the porter, out of the gate into the sunshine...

...and not onto St. Michael's Street, like he should have.

He turned to his right. No Cornmarket Street. Giles whirled to look left. He should have been able to see the Radcliffe Camera in the distance.

Oxford was gone.

Giles slowly turned completely around, really looking at what was around him, trying desperately to assimilate what he was seeing while standing on what appeared to be an open street corner.

"Dear Lord..." he breathed.

His hands fell against his sides, and he heard and felt the crinkle of paper in his jacket pocket. Funny, he'd just got it back from the cleaners. There shouldn't be anything in the pockets. He reached in and pulled out a thick vellum envelope. He opened it.

Mr. Giles,

While we of the Upper Council have deemed your service meritorious and deserving of the retirement you requested, we are loathe to part with a person of your experience and knowledge. As per your petition, we have arranged for a dimensional transfer. However, we would ask that you keep a casual eye on the goings on in regards to our interests.

No signiture or complimentary closing. Just the seal of the Upper Council. Sanguine, a crow sable.

Inside was a map with what looked to be a bookstore circled in red, an obscene amount of cash, and some keys.

Giles sighed and paused a moment to clean his glasses. Well, he'd asked for it. He might as well go see what awaited him.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"How did I know? Poppet, you wear your identity like a badge. It's one of my many talents, knowing women's names..."

"Okay, that's only mildly creepy," she said with an exaggerated shudder.

His lips twitch and he seems slightly concerned. Cocking his head to the side he asks, "Perhaps I should try harder? I can be exceptionally, erm, creepy if I give it a good go."

Cordy stares at him in disbelief.

"No. Mildly creepy is good enough, thanks. No need to outdo yourself on my account."

"It's really no trouble, pet." he says as he lowers his glasses, leveling a gaze at her. Acid yellow eyes with slitted pupils stare at her, unblinking. "I enjoy outdoing myself sometimes."

Cordy looks flat-out disgusted at this and might stand a little closer to Giles.

"Ew," she mutters.

Giles rolled his eyes. Ah, the joys of working with adolescents. Posture first, think second.

The good news was that Giles at least now knew what he was dealing with. The eyes had given him away.

"That's more than enough, Crowley. You'll be leaving. Now."

"Sure thing, Rue-pert" he chuckles softly, amused at the lovely Miss Chase as well as the strength of Will in the new proprietor. Reaching into his pocket he pulls out a cigarette and a silver Zippo as he begins to walk toward the door. "I have a feeling you're going to give me a cracking good time, mate. I'll drop in again. For a proper tea, what?"

Cordy looks a little impressed at Giles' tactics.

For a moment, she considered sticking a tongue out at Crowley, but held back. She settled for a somewhat childish "Yeah!"

Kiki is walking past - it's a Tuesday, and although her place of employment is empty, she couldn't really think of much else to do with her time, and -

There are people in her bookstore. Aziraphale's bookstore. THE bookstore. That isn't really full of books anymore. So it's not really a bookstore, hers, or Mr. Aziraphale's. Doesn't stop her from feeling minorly proprietary about it, and more than a little curious.

Thankfully the door is unlocked - she'd rather not have to whip out the key she still carried around her neck. She directs her attention to the only person she knows in the room.

"Mr. Crowley," she asks, "Who are these people, and what is going on here?"

"Ah, brat, why are you always the boil on my backside?" he says with something like affection. "Kiki, pest, this is Rupert Giles and Miss Chase. Rupert is the new owner of my angel's shop. Isn't that smashing?"

He presses the cigarette between his lips, but doesn't light it.

"I was on my way out, snotling. You're blocking the way."

Cordelia directs something that kind of resembles a growl in Crowley's general direction.

And completely ignores the girl she doesn't know.

"Oh, excuse me," Kiki answers politely to Crowley. She takes one small step aside, room enough for him to pass, but only just barely. "I trust you've given them a pleasant welcome to the neighborhood, yes?" She smiles at him. "You know, that would be a marvelous idea - a town welcoming committee for new arrivals! You're so thoughtful, Mr. Crowley!"

Turning to Giles and Cordelia, she adds, "I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself. I'm Kiki. I used to work here in the bookstore. I guess I still feel an interest in it, even though it's gone." Cordelia's behavior doesn't seem to faze her at all.

His lip curls into a sneer as her fingers her bow. With nearly a purr to his voice, he bends low, "You really are a wicked witch."

Cordelia stares at Kiki in amazement for a moment, wondering why she's being so nice to the creepy Crowley ~~haha, punny!~~.

"I'm Cordelia," she said slowly to Kiki.

"Very nice to meet you," Kiki answers politely to Cordelia.

She looks up at Crowley and gives him a charming smile. "I rather like the bow myself. Red velvet. A very good friend gave it to me."

Giles responded to Kiki without taking his eyes off of Crowley's back as he exited.

"Pleased to meet you, Kiki. I am Mr. Giles."

Once Crowley was gone, he turned a very direct gaze onto Kiki. Anyone who was on civil terms with Crowley bore close watching. So to speak.

"Thank you for your warm welcome. Who else worked for the former owner?"

"I was here the most often, but also Marty Blank would work the odd shift, and for a little while, there was a girl named Anya Jenkins. I didn't know her very well; she left school a little bit ago," Kiki explained. "It's very nice to meet you, Mr. Giles. Do you mind if I ask what you're planning on doing with the old shop?"

John, fresh from the NPC Chinese Takeout place, was walking past, when he noticed people in the bookstore. Thinking that the angel was back, he walks through the doorway (almost running into Kiki).

"Hey, welcome--" The words died, echoing on the air. Crowley. Kiki. Some girl who looked familiar. Tired man he didn't know.

To cover, he poked Kiki with his right elbow, his left holding the carton of takeout. "Egg roll? 's got shrimp."

"John!" Kiki smiled. "We were just welcoming Mr. Giles to town. He's going to be...doing something, at any rate, with Mr. Aziraphale's old book store."

She took an egg roll. "Thanks," she grinned.

Giles sighed. So much for no shrimp. He addressed the young man who entered the shop.

"Hello. My name is Rupert Giles. You kil--" Drat Xander for running that blasted movie over and over again

Giles cleared his throat and tried again. "I mean, greetings. It is a pleasure to meet you. I will be restocking and opening this space as a used and rare book store. It will be called," inspiration flashed, "Aereopagitica, after Milton's work defending freedom of speech.

"Now, if you all would excuse Miss Chase and I, we need to evaluate the space for possible repairs or remodeling." Giles bowed, gesturing to the door, his most polite, British smile on his face. "Good day."

John nudges Kiki. "You seen this guy before?" what IS it with the Vaguely British and this place?

Giles walked past the porter, out of the gate into the sunshine...

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