What Could Be Lurking In The Corner

[whole_bloody_business]

Something's killing the students. Again.

Cara didn't ask to be stationed right on top of the Hellmouth. She certainly didn't ask to put her extremely expensive education to use trying to convince a bunch of drooling American teenagers to pay attention to Latin verb conjugations. In fact, she'd strongly prefer to avoid demons, non-Slayer high school students, and other such unsavory creatures altogether. But, well, she's the one who decided to become a Watcher. She made her bed, she has to lie in it.

Of course, when she signed on, she didn't expect a missing Slayer.

The girl seems to have vanished off the face of the earth, which, of course, means demonic activity is skyrocketing. And, of course, Cara's the only one around with even the tiniest chance of keeping it in check. Which is why she's poking around in the boiler room during her lunch break instead of popping another aspirin and taking a nap on her desk.

Whoever this missing Slayer is, she'd better have a damn good explanation.

Comments

[whole_bloody_business]

Cara looks at Bella for a few moments and decides that the smug look on her face is completely deserved.

"That is brilliant," she says. "Are you sure you're a high school student?"

[cross_and_bow]

"Yep. I'm also painting and scratching little crosses all over town, but that's slower going."

[whole_bloody_business]

"My god," says Cara. "A Slayer with some sense. I never thought I'd live to see the day."

(Privately, she assures herself that of course she would've thought of that, if she were the Slayer. She just hadn't thought it was her problem to solve, and she'd been preoccupied with other things. Yes. That's it.)

"Any other unusually effective strategies you want to mention?"

[cross_and_bow]

"I have holy water balloons? I don't know what's usual, for Slayers, really."

[whole_bloody_business]

Cara hefts the demon into the supply closet and slams the door before it can fall out.

"In my experience, 'punching, stabbing, and shooting' seem to be the go-to methods. Holy water balloons. Generations of Slayers and Watchers, and no one's thought of that."

[cross_and_bow]

"I try to avoid having to punch and stab. Did you know, most of the time vampires do not rise from the grave equipped with ranged weapons?"

[whole_bloody_business]

"Yes, that's one of their more convenient features," says Cara. "I really don't know why official Slayer training doesn't prioritize crossbow training more. It's almost as if they don't want to keep Slayers alive past their teenage years."

[cross_and_bow]

"That's disquieting."

[whole_bloody_business]

"I strongly agree," Cara says. "Luckily for you, ensuring that the Slayer under my care has a record-setting lifespan has been my goal since before I joined the Council."

[cross_and_bow]

"What's the record?"

[whole_bloody_business]

"Twenty-three."

[cross_and_bow]

"Okay. Do please beat that."

[whole_bloody_business]

"With pleasure. I look forward to attending your twenty-fourth birthday party. Assuming, of course, the Council doesn't attempt to replace me with someone else."

[cross_and_bow]

"Why might they attempt to do that?"

[whole_bloody_business]

"Some of them don't like me very much," she says. "We sometimes have disagreements about the way things are run. These disagreements have occasionally led to larger, council-dividing arguments. That reminds me, I ought to inform them of your existence at some point." She surveys her floor. It is covered in bluish-grayish goo. "I think I'll need to get a mop first, though."

[cross_and_bow]

"Are any of them likely to be inclined to consult me about how I would prefer to be Watched? That seems like it might be important, but hey, I'm just the only Slayer they have unless they decide to murder me."

[whole_bloody_business]

"They probably won't murder you," she says, then reconsiders. "Well...okay, it depends on how you define 'murder'. Anyway, no, they do not have a history of consulting the actual Slayer when discussing Slayer-related policies."

[cross_and_bow]

"So they might pick somebody I do not like and instruct this person to stalk me. I think 'watch' does turn into 'stalk' when the object of the verb is not consulted."

[whole_bloody_business]

"That is, in fact, what happens to that word in that instance. So yes, they might do that. Unless I argue them out of it. I am reasonably confident in my ability to get them to back off."

[cross_and_bow]

"I like you. You have my permission to Watch me, at least provisionally. Anybody else may run the risk of being treated like a stalker, and my dad is the chief of police. Include this information if it seems helpful."

[whole_bloody_business]

Cara looks a bit surprised at the "I like you." It is not something she hears a lot.

"I will make sure they know this. They'll have no reason to reject me other than personal prejudice, anyway, and once you're set with a Watcher, they probably won't interfere unless you do something attention-getting. For a while, anyway. How old are you now?"

[cross_and_bow]

"Seventeen. Birthday's in September."

[whole_bloody_business]

"In September, someone is going to kidnap you, drug you, suppress your Slayer powers, stick you in an enclosed space with an unusually powerful vampire, and wait to see whether you live or die. Act surprised."

[cross_and_bow]

"How about I just don't let them do that?"

[whole_bloody_business]

"I like that plan. That's a good plan," says Cara. "I'd say not to tell them I told you, but if you successfully avoid them, they'll probably guess."