Around town, Sunday night

[iruinenglish.livejournal.com]

Okay, okay, so Buffy had slacked off yesterday. But there was unpacking to do and she really didn't want to spend her first night in a new town checking for evil things and creepy crawlies... Wait, creepy crawlies were bugs. Okay, none of those, but her point stood!

But with talk of minotaurs and opening up the Underworld and there was a unicorn for a student, she knew today she had to drag herself out to patrol. As soon as it got dark, Buffy was out, walking around town with a few concealed stakes on her, and by the way, it was so much more convenient to store her weapons somewhere not her room where her roommate might stare at her. And if nothing else, this was a good way to get the lay of the land, so to speak. And find out where to get coffee.


[Totally open, and she's covering as much of town as possible.]

Comments

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

John had picked up a few things at the T&C and was heading back home when he saw a familiar face. "Buffy," he greeted her. "I didn't know you were back."

[iruinenglish.livejournal.com]

Buffy stopped in her tracks, staring at him. "Sorry," she said, smiling politely. "You must have me mixed up with one of the other Buffys."

Of course, the poor thing just thought 'Buffy' was a common name around these parts...

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

John looked a little closer. Well her hair was a little blonder than the Buffy he taught and she was younger than Dawn's Buffy.... Sometimes this place was far too confusing. "My apologies, Miss Summers. I take it you're new here?"

[iruinenglish.livejournal.com]

She'd definitely learned to be suspicious of older guys who approached her alone knowing her name. "Um. How do you know who I am?"

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

"Long story," John said. "I'm a teacher at the school. John Winchester."

[iruinenglish.livejournal.com]

"Hi. So that would be the short story?" she pressed.

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

"Pretty much. The long story involves alternate dimensions and doubles and things that pretty much make most people's heads spin."

[iruinenglish.livejournal.com]

The alternate dimensions Buffy knew about. The doubles thing was new, and she wasn't sure she liked the sound of that. "Try me."

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

John sighed. "Okay. Fandom tends to collect people from alternate dimensions -- some really close to others. Also people who look alike but are from different times and dimensions tend to show up here."

[iruinenglish.livejournal.com]

Someone slightly smarter than Buffy might've gotten it right from that. "And you knew me in another dimension?" she guessed, and yes there was a little head-spinning.

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

"Not exactly. I knew another version of you -- several actually -- but I met them here."

[iruinenglish.livejournal.com]

"...Several? Like, more than just your average plural?"

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

"Two, actually," John said with a slight smile.

[iruinenglish.livejournal.com]

Strangely enough, her reaction was to be kind of offended at the town for that. "But... but I'm one of a kind! My mom and kindergarten teacher said!"

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

"Yes, every one of you is." He really shouldn't be enjoying this so much.

[iruinenglish.livejournal.com]

Buffy stuck a hand on her hip. "If you don't mind, I'm having an issue here."

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

"Is this going to take a long time?"

[iruinenglish.livejournal.com]

"It'll take as long as it takes," she frowned. "You can't put a time limit on interdimensional teenage double angst."

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

"Perhaps, but if it's going to be a while, I'll have to leave you to it. My wife's expecting me home."

[iruinenglish.livejournal.com]

"Oh, sure, you can go off and have a good night while I get stuck with all the trauma," Buffy said. "You know, it's not even double angst, it's triple."

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

"I'm sure you'll get over it," John told her. "And you don't need to patrol here. Unless one came in as a new student, there's no vampires on the island currently."

[iruinenglish.livejournal.com]

And she was back to staring as that sank in. "Way to blab, Other Me! God, can I keep my mouth shut?"

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

"Not that I have noticed," John said.

[iruinenglish.livejournal.com]

"You're so not scoring points with this me, you know," she told him.

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

"I wasn't really trying to. Besides, I'm the teacher, I think you're supposed to be impress me, not the other way around."

[iruinenglish.livejournal.com]

"Ha! You didn't know the other me's too well then!" Buffy said, glad to have something to jump on.

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

"I suppose it depends on the subject. I'm teaching Hunting 101 -- which would seem to be the Slayer's class."

[iruinenglish.livejournal.com]

"Oh," she said, remembering suddenly that she was in that class. "First off, oops, and second off, can we not advertise the S word?"

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

John chuckled. "Really, it's not that big a deal here. Or a secret -- you have been here before, remember?"

[iruinenglish.livejournal.com]

"Look, it's my thing, okay? Normal kids get to hide drugs and all the sex they're having, this gets to be my little teenage secret. Besides, everyone doesn't know about it. Yet," she added. She sort of wondered if being a Chosen One where everyone was cool with her being a Chosen One would be worse than keeping it quiet.

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

"No, not everyone. Just most people. And it's not like you're the only one who hunts vampires. Me and my boys had a hunt with vampires just a few weeks ago."

[iruinenglish.livejournal.com]

"Boy, this place just keeps getting more and more interesting," Buffy said dryly. "Look, my destiny, my... thing. It's my second day, you know. Classes haven't even started yet and someone else already blew my cover. Takes some adjusting time."

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

"Speaking of classes," John said, taking advantage of the opening, "I have a proposition."

[iruinenglish.livejournal.com]

She feared where this was going. "I'm listening..."

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

"I need a TA. Would you like the job?"

[iruinenglish.livejournal.com]

Well at least she knew she couldn't suck at it. And she probably stood less chance of flunking. For once. "I might not be opposed..." she said slowly.

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

"There probably won't be much to it," John said. "Though there's always the possibility I'm called away on business and you may have to run a class."

[iruinenglish.livejournal.com]

Buffy perked up. "I'd be in charge? Keen."

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

"The chances are that won't happen though," John added quickly. Perky could be very bad.

[iruinenglish.livejournal.com]

"But still, just in case," she said. "Okay. Then, sure. Color me TA."