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Cemetery #9

Another School Night

Before Midnight

Another eerie night as the waning moon shined down on a foggy graveyard within the confines of Sunnydale — one of many — had a decrepit roofless mausoleum occupied by four creatures of the night, their figures casting long, sinister shadows among the crumbling tombstones. Hunched on the floor, they were surrounded with the artifacts of their sinister unlife, seeking unholy enjoyment in ways the average person would recoil in disgust from.

"Greg, you have approached the throne of chance. Do you want to roll again…?" A chubby Asian vampire girl asked, her voice a little playful as she glanced at the boy to her left, a set of dice ready in her hand, "... or test your luck against the winds of fate?"

"I dunno, if my luck was good, I don't think I'd be a vampire right now," Greg mused out loud, one of his hands playing absently with a die while the other hand held up two cards to his face. "Maybe a werewolf, those are really cool."

Steve — the chubby Asian boy to Greg's left — shrugged, his own card-free hand brushing mausoleum dirt off his white shirt. "You got a point. On the werewolf thing too. I'd roll again, if it was me," he advised.

"I don't know," the Asian girl voiced, face screwed up. "All that fur feels like it'd get everywhere. And you're not even in control of yourself. But yeah, honestly, I doubt luck's in your favor.

Greg glanced over at Steve and nodded quickly before shooting a glance at Lisette, their resident Dungeon Master. "Let me roll agai-"

"What do you three think you're doing?" interrupted the only member of their group not currently sitting on the floor immersed in role-playing. Her voice came out as a growl as she stomped forward, eyes yellow and face monstrously vampiric.

"It's Thursday night. We always play games on Thursday nights," Lisette responded hesitantly, pushing her glasses up her nose as she looked up at her goth friend.

"Not anymore we don't!" The girl in the leather jacket shouted angrily, her visible frustration boiling over as she kicked over the board. Cards, figurines, and dice scattered across the floor of the mausoleum, effectively ending their game night.

"When we were human, we played games for hours," Lisette stared up as Hester stood over her, the angry girl's hands on her hips. "Why do things have to be different now?"

"Because we're vampires!" Hester snarled, her voice rough as gravel. The girl reared forward with her fist raised in her friend's face, the pigtailed Asian rearing back in fear. "Creatures of the night!" Shaking her head in frustration, Hester stood up straight again and crossed her arms over her chest. "We don't sit around playing nerdy games."

Her three friends remained sitting and kneeling on the ground, all of them staring back at the aggressive goth with sheepish, nervous, firmly cowed expressions. Sighing heavily, Hester released her game face, brown eyes replacing unholy yellow as she rolled them and let out a slight growl. "Now, do you guys wanna hear Plan A or not?"

"Sure…" "...yeah." "Okay." All three responded meekly, clearly into this for the sole purpose of not being yelled at again.

"Great," Hester said, turning back to her easel where a dry erase board was perched. She tapped a marker against the board, pointing to a series of poorly drawn doodles. "If we attack the Slayer under the cover of night, we can overwhelm her with our superior numbers," she asserted confidently, her voice cutting through the chill night air as she pointed to her poorly done doodles. "There's four of us and one of her. Can't believe no one's thought of this before."

Steven frowned, the gears in his head turning as he considered Hester's plan. "But they'd have to have."

Hester whirled around, her brow furrowing as she gripped the red dry erase marker tightly in one hand. "What?"

"I-i m-mean, you know, i-it's just..." Steven stuttered for a few seconds, the boy glancing desperately at his cousin for help. Lisette only waved her hands, unsure what he expected her to say and not willing to contradict Hester.

Hester leaned in closer, her voice tense as she spoke through gritted teeth. "What?"

Taking a deep breath, Steve decided to speak his mind. "I-it just doesn't make sense when you think about it, y'know? They'd have to have done this before. There's like hundreds of vampires in Sunnydale and the Slayer's been in Sunnydale for like, a little over a month, I think?" Steve shrugged, the Asian boy clearly not on board.

"And before that, rumor says she killed like a whole gym full of vampires in Los Angeles? And a Blood King too, that's like... serious mojo. We're still newborns, Hester. A King could tear through dozens of us." He shook his head, trying to get across the seriosness of what he was saying. "It just... it just doesn't make sense if you think about it for like thirty seconds."

If vampires could flush, Hester definitely would have, the girl looking affronted by the good criticism. "L-look, Steven, it's about numbers, okay? Just because she's stronger... i-it doesn't mean that much. We outnumber her, it's that simple!"

Unfortunately for her, the chubby Asian boy in rectangular classes wasn't going to let go of the point that easily. "Hess, I know strategy games and even there, numbers aren't everything," He adjusted his glasses as he stood up, a sign that the normally quiet new vampire was digging in his heels. "Like, she's The Slayer, like capitalized and with a The in front of it for a reason. I've been asking around... you know, and when an older vamp actually answers instead of ignoring me... or," Steve frowned, "punchingmeintheface... they tell me this Slayer's a different breed. She's only been around a year and already killed a King plus his whole clan. A new Slayer is supposed to be Prince level."

Greg tilted his head, clearly on Steven's side. "I mean, yeah... Like, even if she wasn't that good, Slayers are more skilled and trained too."

Hester stood there, fuming as Steven and Greg spoke, clearly unsure of how to counter both points.

"Like actually trained in magic kung fu, probably," the Caucasian vampire teen continued, pulling a face. "Vamps treat her like a big deal for a reason. We can't just rush in like dummies."

Lisette chimed in, her voice tentative but firm. "They're both right, Hester. It's not just about attacking; it's about being smart. We need a plan that's more than just... attacking in a group."

Hester's face showed her frustration as her initial confidence began to crumble under the weight of her friends' rational arguments. She paced back and forth, her boots kicking up small clouds of dust in the mausoleum, kicking aside old game consoles and fallen comic posters. "Fine, then what do you suggest we do, huh? We can't just sit around playing games forever!"

Greg, usually not one to speak at all, decided to chime in again. " I dunno, maybe find a way to weaken her first or something."

"Hmm." Hester turned decisively away from the group, her gaze set on the dark horizon. "So… Plan B it is."

"Plan B?" the other three asked in unison, all of them blinking in confusion.

"Plan B." The goth whirled around in full vampire face, a back flier held high in her hand to show off the red circle written in some strange language on the back. "...who knows where we can get some gold?"

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The Next Day

Xander sauntered down the hallway, weaving through the crowd of students milling about before class. The fluorescent lights flickered overhead, casting a harsh glow on the sea of faces he passed. Lockers slammed shut, the metallic clangs mixing with the chatter and laughter that echoed off the walls. Just another day in the ol' Hellmouth High, he thought, smirking to himself.

As he approached Buffy's locker, he spotted the familiar blonde and redhead duo, huddled together like they were plotting world domination. Or maybe just gossiping about the latest fashion trends.

With Buffy and Willow, you never knew.

"My favorite blonde and my favorite redhead, together again?" Xander gave them both a lopsided grin, head tilted slightly to the side as he walked up to the two girls. "What's the occasion?"

Willow giggled as Buffy rolled her eyes playfully, said blonde shooting him a look. "The occasion is school, something we all hate."

"Speak for yourself," Willow said back with a grin, her eyes sparkling.

"Yeah, Buff," Xander replied, in as faux-serious a tone as he could manage, face straight and resolute. "Some of us actually take our education seriously." He placed a hand over his heart, as if deeply offended by the mere suggestion of disliking the hallowed halls of Sunnydale High.

Willow shot him her own look of disbelief, the girl barely able to keep herself from laughing. Buffy rolled her eyes at him again. "Haha, what is this, 'Pick on Buffy Day'?"

Xander held his wrist up, a serious look still fixed on his face as he pretended to check a nonexistent watch. "Well… it is Friday, so yeah." He nodded solemnly, as if confirming a universal truth.

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"...No idea how I lived without your amazing sense of humor, Xander," Buffy finally replied, looking as if she was physically holding herself back from a third eye roll.

"Don't worry, Buff, it's not just you," he declared triumphantly, grinning like an idiot. "The world would be worse off without me."

"I think you mean better off," Willow chimed in, her smile taking the sting out of her words.

Xander clutched at his chest, staggering back as if he'd been shot. "Et tu, Willow? Betrayed by my own best friend. The pain, the agony!"

Buffy and Willow exchanged amused glances, shaking their heads at his antics. Tough crowd, Xander thought, straightening up and smoothing out his shirt. Gotta step up my game.

"Jokes aside," the small blonde said, pulling a book from her locker and putting it in her backpack, "anyone know what happened to Mr. Blake?"

Willow, who was rummaging through her own backpack, looked up, puzzled. "Who's Mr. Blake?"

"The Home Ec teacher?" Buffy explained, her brow furrowing as she thought about her next semester's schedule. "I wanted to sign up for his after-school class for extra credit, something to pad out the classes I missed or sleep through with the slayage, you know."

Xander hummed to himself, his expression neutral as he responded, "No idea, Buffster." The lie slipped out surprisingly easily, something he'd been surprised by the last few weeks. He couldn't very well tell them that Mr. Blake wouldn't be showing up anytime soon, and that said Mr. Blake was a tiger demon planning on eating anyone who signed up for his extra credit class.

Or that he had to slay said tiger demon.

Too many questions, and I don't have the patience. He suppressed a shudder, remembering the feeling of using a butcher's knife to tear into demonic flesh, the spray of blood that had coated yet another shirt. Note to self: invest in some stain remover.

Willow tilted her head, concern clear on her face. "You okay, Xander? You look a little… off."

"Hm?" Xander raised an eyebrow, trying to act confused. Shit.

"Probably nothing," he gave the redhead a shrug, "just might not be getting a lot of sleep recently."

While that little tidbit was true, Xander didn't feel it necessary to mention that his new Devil status came with a lessened need for sleep, especially with all the energy that came with his powers coming back in full force at night.

Buffy, seeming to pick up on something, nodded understandingly. "If you're feeling tired, you should try and fix that. Don't want you fainting on us."

The teenage boy snorted. "If I find myself catching the vapors, I'll do my best to let you know." He fanned himself dramatically, batting his eyelashes.

The three of them snort and laugh, as Xander's attempt at a Southern Belle broke whatever seriousness they were trying to hold on to. Surrounded by the noise of so many other students, the sounds of three students laughing were almost unnoticeable, that is until a slight hush came over the entire hallway.

Xander glanced up and to his left, the sight of Cordelia Chase, Harmony Kendall, and Aura White, the three girls dressed up as they usually were, incredibly pretty and stunning.

Damn, Xander snapped his fingers in front of his chest, if only they weren't evil bitches.

As if reading his mind, Cordelia shot him a look and frowned, the expression on her face managing to approach something that could only be termed disdainful grace, as expected of the queen bee of the school's social hive. "Oh my God, looks like some boys can't help but be a constant fashion disaster. At least the rest of them try," the brunette said with a laugh, tossing her hair back like she was in a shampoo commercial.

Xander flinched at the word and then glanced down at his outfit, a baggy white tee from the convenience store and simple baggy blue jeans. What's wrong with my outfit? he thought, furrowing his brow. It's not like I'm trying to win any fashion awards here. The Harris boy opened his mouth to shoot another jab back at the queen bee before she walked off, but he was interrupted by something else.

The teenager felt his eye twitch as he saw Harmony, with a mischievous glint in her eye that screamed 'I'm about to do something stupid and think it's clever', sauntering past Willow, who was balancing a small stack of books. With an obviously calculated bump, the blonde sent his friend's books scattering across the floor along with her backpack.

"I'm sooooo sorry, that was so clumsy of me," the blonde chirped insincerely, barely suppressing a laugh as she continued on her way, looking far too pleased with herself for someone who just committed an act of minor violence.

Cordelia, a little bit ahead, kept walking with a smirk plastered across her face, clearly enjoying the show. Of course she's in on it, Xander thought, his jaw clenching. Queen C probably put Harmony up to it in the first place.

Willow knelt to gather her books, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and frustration. Buffy watched it all with a growing scowl, her hands curling into fists at her sides as she made to step forward and confront the three. Only to find herself blinking in slight confusion as Xander quickly stomped ahead of her, his usual laid-back demeanor replaced by something harder, more serious.

Stepping assertively in front of Harmony, Cordelia, and Aura, his usual goofy expression hardened, smile a thin blank line. "Harmony, go back and say sorry," he demanded, voice firm and eyes hard. He crossed his arms over his chest, leveling the blonde with a look that said 'I'm not messing around'.

Harmony rolled her eyes as she looked at him, her expression twisting into a mock-confusion that might have been more convincing if she wasn't visibly sneering at the same time. "What are you talking about? I said sorry," she scoffed back at him, tone dripping with feigned innocence. She examined her nails, as if the whole situation was beneath her.

"Yeah, and this time I want you to mean it," Xander demanded again, his voice taking on an edge that even he wasn't used to hearing from himself. "Go say sorry."

The directness in Xander's voice seemed to make Harmony shrink slightly, clearly never having expected this from the class clown. She hesitated, her confidence crumbling under his stern gaze, and cast a glance at Cordelia for help, like a lost puppy looking for guidance.

The Chase girl, always ready to assert her dominance, stepped forward, eyes narrowed as she showed Harmony what a real sneer looked like. "Listen here, " she began, voice sharp enough to cut glass, "you worthless dork, I-"

"Cordelia, not now."

But Xander cut her off without even looking her way, his attention fixed on Harmony. "I know this might be hard to understand, but not everything's about you. Keep walking," he interjected, his tone dismissive yet harsh all the same. Wow, where did that come from? he thought, momentarily surprised at his own boldness.

The brunette seemed to visibly bristle at the brush off, like an angered cat with its fur standing on end. Her mouth snapped shut as her fists tightened slightly at her sides, perfectly manicured nails digging into her palms. "Excuse me?" she hissed, her voice low and dangerous.

Xander ignored her, stepping a little closer to Harmony, the blonde stepping back slightly, as if trying to escape his gaze. "Apologize. Now," the words came out lower than he'd ever heard his voice, an odd gravel slipping into it that he didn't recognize.

The blonde girl gulped, eyes wide as she looked at Xander like she was seeing him for the first time. With a reluctant shuffle, she turned back toward the confused redhead watching it all from her spot on the floor.

Her head hung low, and in a small, subdued voice, Harmony Kendall muttered, "I'm sorry," to a still-kneeling Willow.

"Uh… no problem?" Willow said back, her eyebrows high in confusion as Harmony walked back to the other two popular girls, this time avoiding Xander's eyes purposely. Buffy simply blinked, unsure what she was looking at.

But Cordelia wasn't willing to let this go, especially with everyone's eyes on her. She scoffed loudly and tossed her hair back, the absolute picture of indignation. "What? Your balls finally drop, and you think it makes you a man to yell at girls now?"

Gonna have to try harder than that, Cordy, Xander thought, merely rolling his eyes, a gesture of dismissal as he turned his back on Cordelia and strode back towards Willow.

"Don't walk away from me, Harris!" Cordelia called after him, her voice tinged with a mix of anger and disbelief, as if she couldn't comprehend someone not bowing to her whims.

Xander continued, unfazed, kneeling down beside Willow to help her gather the last of her books. "I'm talking to you!" Cordelia's voice rang out again, louder this time, echoing off the lockers.

But Xander kept ignoring her, glancing up at a still stunned Buffy before looking back at Willow. An awkward smile broke out across his face, "So... we thinking Bronze tonight?"