3rd Person's POV

A converse-clad foot smashes squarely on a vampire's face, knocking him back in a daze.

Buffy leaps into the air, grabs on to the branch of a tree, then swings up and over, kicking the vampire away. She drops down, breaks a smaller branch off the tree, and uses the sharp end to kill the vampire.

Another vampire tries to run away. Laney does a triple-backwards-somersault and lands right in front of him. She punches him in the face then kicks him in the stomach making him fall back to the ground.

"Stake!"

Buffy throws her wood stake to Laney who catches it and stabs the vampire just as he gets up to fight again.

A third vampire grabs Buffy from the back. She flips him over her body then knees him in the face.

"I don't think we've been properly introduced. I'm Buffy, that's Laney, and you are-"

As Buffy points behind the vampire, he turns around slowly to see Laney standing right behind him smiling. She waves then in a flash, holds up the stake and plunges it into the vampire's heart.

"--history."

She puts her hands on her hips and surveys the carnage. She smiles, satisfied as they high five each other. Their job was done.

"Poor technique. Prioritization, sub-par."

The girls smiles fade as Giles pops up from behind a tombstone. He is holding a notebook, checking things off.

"Execution was adequate, but a bit too bloody for my taste."

"Oh, Giles, don't mention it. It was our pleasure to make the world safe for humanity again."

"I'm not saying your methods are without merit,
but you're expending far too much time and energy. It should simply be 'plunge' and move on; 'plunge' and move on."

"Ugh that's no fun! Why is he being a party pooper? Buffy stop him!"

Buffy chuckles at Laney then crosses her arms as she stares at Giles, "If it's that easy, why weren't you doing it. Oh, that's right. You were busy cowering behind a tombstone."

"This isn't about me, it's about you. It is about how there are traditions that a slayer needs to follow. And Laney as a potential you need to be extra careful."

"Tradition is yesterday's news. I'm an improv gal.
How about when I offed the first couple of V's with a single stake? It was, 'Slay one, kill one free.'"

"Yeah Giles you gotta admit. That was pretty impressive."

"Ah, yes. Showing off. Yet another example of how you're not going by the book."

Buffy groans, "The book. You mean that old dusty thing that's been out of print for two thousand years?"

"The old ways have much to teach us. If you insist on ignoring the fundamentals handed down through history, you could find yourself in serious danger."

Buffy turns away, indicating their field of victory, "Gee, perhaps we should review what happened here. Let's start with 'We killed them all.'"

Laney gasps seeing a vampire right behind Giles. Buffy grimaces then turns around and fires a stake at it.

Giles watches in horror as the stake zooms toward him, then grazes past, hitting the vampire directly in the heart.

"Any questions?"

"This is spooky."

The gang stand in the cafeteria line looking at all the "food" in the containers.

Buffy grimaces as she looks at green slop, "Is the green stuff fruit, or vegetable?"

"Yes." The cafeteria worker nods.

"I'll take it."

A scoop of green slop plops onto her tray as Buffy moves on. Willow, Xander, and Laney are in line behind her.

Xander examines his food, "I was guessing string cheese."

A student holding a tray bumps into Buffy. This is Chambers, an attractive, conservative- looking guy with definite Lacoste leanings.

"Sorry."

Buffy looks up at him. She's not annoyed at all.

"No damage."

Chambers moves off.

Willow smiles, "You luck."

Buffy frowns, "What?"

"He was all over you."

"Chambers? He just bumped into me."

Willow rolls her eyes, "Please. There was definite hip-to-hip contact."

"I hope you used protection." Xander relies jokingly.

Laney snorts a laugh as she stands by him. Buffy sees Chambers sit at the table alone.

"Aw, look at him."

Willow frowns, "He's all alone."

"Gee, wonder why? Could it be the 'I was a teenage mannequin' look?" Xander says glaring at Chambers from afar.

"Okay, so as a type, he's not exactly my proto. I just think maybe someone should sit by him."

"But who?"

Buffy shrugs, "Might have to be us."

"Looks like it."

"You know, just to be friendly."

"Boy, are you two being taken on a tour. Am I the only one who can see through his good looks and the pleasant demeanor to behold the sick, perverted deviant within?"

"Ohhh I can so see that!! Mmm you know it's actually kinda hot."

Xander glances over at Laney seeing lust in her eyes, "Lane... you're not helping."

He turns and sees that Buffy and Willow are already half-way to Chambers' table.

"And they're gone. Guess it's just you and me..."

Xander looks over to see Laney walking towards the table also.

"Does nobody listen to me?"

Buffy walks around near Chambers table acting a little too dramatically, "Willow, wherever will we sit? Oh, I guess this will have to do."

As Buffy is about to sit, Cordelia appears.

"Hey, look. An empty seat."

She knocks Buffy to the floor. Buffy's tray takes flight. Cordelia sits at the table and turns to Chambers, but he's not there. He is helping Buffy.

"You okay?"

Buffy smiles, "Yeah. Boy, her hips are wider than I thought."

"Hey!"

Chambers helps her up, "At least now you don't have to eat the creamed corn. I'm Chambers."

"Oh, it's so nice to finally learn your name. I'm--"

"Buffy. We're in algebra together."

"With Mr. McKamy."

He nods, "The one and lonely."

"Tell me, how does he manage to get chalk dust all over his--"

"I try not to think about that."

"This is my friend, Willow. And those two shoveling food into their mouths are Laney and Xander."

Chambers turns around to see two more people sitting at the table. He looks at Laney who smiles widely at him. But Xander just stares.

Willow smiles and starts to babble, "I took algebra last year because I'm a year ahead, so now I'm taking pre-calculus which is really hard, but I'm in the gifted class, well, my parents signed me up for it, how embarrassing is that, and maybe I should get a janitor to take care of this mess."

"Clean up on aisle seven!" She says as she leaves.

Cordelia pulls Chambers back down to his seat, "Poor girl always forgets to take her medication."

"Cordy..."

Cordelia looks at Laney and grimaces, "Sorry."

Then she turns back to Chambers with a killer smile, "Hey, Chambers, a bunch of us are loitering at the Bronze tonight. You there?"

"Sounds hopeful. Who all's going?"

Cordelia smiles, "Well, there's me."

"Oh. Who else?"

Xander snorts as he looks at Cordelia's confused face. Laney slaps his arm and lays her legs on his lap. His hands rub her thighs without him even noticing but she chooses not to say anything.

"Wait you mean besides me?"

Laney giggles, "Oh Cordelia how I love you."

Chambers looks at Buffy, "Buffy, what about you?"

"What?" Buffy asks caught off guard.

"No, she doesn't--"

Chambers ignores Cordelia, "How about we meet there at eight?"

Cordelia glares at Buffy.

"Yeah. Eight. There. I should probably get another lunch that isn't so... on the floor."

"I'll go with you. Cordelia, save our seats?"

They head off, leaving Cordelia fuming.

"Wow this was like a soap opera." Xander says.

"Yeah and we got front row seats." Laney smiles.

Cordelia frowns looking at the two.

"Oh stuff it."

JUST FOR FUN

Laney's Outfit and Nails