12896/More toys for the Slayer

More toys for the Slayer
Date of Scene:	26 March 2021
Location:	The Magic Box, Sunnydale
Synopsis:	Buffy introduces Thomas to Giles and they spar a bit in the training room.
Cast of Characters:	Buffy Summers, Rupert Giles, Thomas Raith

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Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers has just returned from New York and her shopping at the elaborate 'Fontainebleu Antiques' in Yonkers a while ago. Of course, by the time she returns to Sunnydale, it's just getting dark, and she's a bit tired from the trip.

But she may as well stop in at the Magic Box on her way home and check in with Giles before doing a patrol. Besides, she needs to grab some stuff she left in the training room.

So here she is, sneaking in through the back door, carrying an oversized duffle bag filled of who knows what. The store is still open for a couple more hours but now that Giles is back, she's not as worried about poor security anymore.

Rupert Giles has posed:
Considering Giles all but lives in this place when he's in town, he tends to be here a lot. All but the wee-est of hours at night. And sometimes, even then! Depending on what happens to be going on at the time. For this time in particular, Giles happens to be in the dojo area of the store.

And what is it that he happens to be doing? Training! Which is something he tends to do on a daily basis, but which he generally does when nobody else is in the shop. As such, he has closed the shop for the day, the front door being locked and the sign flipped to 'closed'.

Right now, he's at one end of the dojo area, with a bow in hand. Upon the bow is a nocked arrow. It seems to be aimed at a training dummy across the room.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers pauses only briefly, noting that the store is closed early. Hmm, what's Giles up to, she has to wonder? But as she steps into the basement training area, it soon becomes quite obvious that he's the one doing some training for a change!

She smirks a bit as she sets down her bag and just watches him for a moment or two, arms folded loosely as she leans against a wall.

Hey, it's not often that the Slayer gets to watch her Watcher training for a change, may as well enjoy it!

Rupert Giles has posed:
Rupert Giles is up to no good, of course! Well. No. Not really. Is Giles ever really up to no good? He's Giles. At best, he'll sit back and watch. Buffy will see his eyes flick to the side as she comes into view, and then back to his target. He says nothing, for the moment. He takes a breath, and as he exhales, the arrow is loosed. The string twangs, the arrow leaves the bow and sails...

Straight for the target, hitting it in the chest, where one would aim at a vampire. The heart.

"Hello Buffy," he says. He reaches for another arrow from the quiver propped against the wall beside him. Buffy might note, the arrows he's using are all larger than modern arrows, and made of wood. Only the tips have a sharpened broadhead arrow on them. He lifts the arrow and knocks it with a fluid motion to the string. "Time for patrol?"

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers arches a brow as she watches. "Gee, you're pretty good at this, Giles. I mean, here I thought you were just good at bossing Slayers around, but maybe I underestimated you." she chuckles a bit, unzipping her duffle bag, searching around for some stuff in there.

"Right, just got back from an antique store in Yonkers. Found some interesting stuff while I went searching for that Chumash shield." she sighs, pulling out the cross of Jerusalem, a gorgeous gold gilted thing on a matching chain.

"No luck yet on that shield but I did find some nice toys. After my last crucifix was ripped off on patrol, I bought a new one..Ooh, and I got this too!" she grins as she pulls out a black shiny mace like weapon with a convertible length stick on one end attached to two spiked balls on two separate chains, also convertible and adjustable.

"Got these sweet items for a special price..The store clerk claims that this mace was used by Joan of Ark herself..Can you imagine that?"

Rupert Giles has posed:
Rupert Giles snorts. "Watchers sometimes have to defend themselves," he says, tone rather dry with the comment. "I'm proficient in hand to hand as well." Of course, his general solidity where physique goes had to come from somewhere, right? He only /looks/ like the bookworm that he actually is! No really. He really is a bookworm. That just isn't all he happens to be.

He makes sure the arrow is set properly against the bow and his finger, and draws back the string. Once again he takes his time aiming. Then a deep breath, and release on the exhale. The arrow lands right next to the last one, just a hair to the right so that it's beside the previous arrow, rather than skewering it. Can't have ruined arrows, afterall.

"Yonkers?" Giles blinks and looks to Buffy. "Fontainbleu Antiques? I bought two books that might prove to be useful if we run across any witches who are truly evil." He lowers the bow and leans it against the wall, then walks across the room to the target dummy. "Very nice, on both items." He considers. "The man seems knowledgeable. He may be correct. If you see Willow, warn her to stay away from that place. Many things inside that shop point to him being a witch hater."

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers chuckles and nods, "I'm only kidding you know. I mean, you're the best trainer I ever had. People just like to underestimate librarians, dont they?" she teases as she fastens the new crucifix on its chain around her neck, before going back to admiring the mace.

"Soo..What are the chances that Joan of Arc was herself a Slayer? I mean, she was special in many ways..Right?"

His warning does cause her to frown though, "Huh, I kinda got that feeling too. I mean, a lot of holy relics, medieval weaponry, books..Or are we being a bit..Paranoid? I mean, a lot of people carry lots of holy relics, and it's an antique store too, right? He seemed friendly enough.."

Thomas Raith has posed:
~SHOT THROUGH THE HEART, AND YOU'RE TO BLAME. DARLIN' YOU GIVE LOVE....A BAD NAME~ The music precedes the sound of the car engine by about 15 seconds... and the car engine is deafening. Like a hungry tiger roaring over a fresh kill. Thomas pulls the muscle car around the back of the Magic Box and kills the engine around the time that Bon Jovi is infoming the listener that "No one can save him the damage is done." He steps out of the car, looking as always like the answer to a Maiden's prayer and a study in white, grabbing a pair of... well they were brown paper sacks when the journey started, now they are transparent. He unlocks the door to the back door calling out Buffy? I brought Mac's! Are you decent? Because if you are I'm willing to wait.."

Rupert Giles has posed:
Rupert Giles grins to show he wasn't actually being serious. That may well be why his tone was as it was. The dryer, sometimes means the more he's joking. "Indeed they do. And quite often, too. Librarians as well as anyone you might see working in a museum." People in the field obviously don't count.

Giles reaches the target dummy and pulls the arrows free one at a time. They're stuck in there pretty good, so it takes a little oomph of effort to get them loose. "Joan of Arc? Perhaps. I will do some research. You could be right, though. She was special in many ways."

He glances to Buffy and shakes his head. "I don't believe we're being paranoid. Did you read the titles on the books or just notice that there were books there? I saw many treatises on how to torture a witch into confession. Not to mention that book in its special case. Malleus Maleficarum. A book specifically against witches." By this point, Giles is back to his bow. One of the arrows is tucked into the quiver. The bow is picked up and the other arrow is nocked to the string.

Giles pauses as he hears that music. "What in the world?" He looks toward the back door. He's just about to draw the string as the back door unlocks and is followed by an unfamiliar voice speaking Buffy's name. "What is a stranger doing with a key to my shop?" Though his words are for Buffy, his eyes are all on the newcomer.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers yawns and rolls her eyes. "Hey hey, I dont have much time for reading books. I'd much rather leave the reading to you and Wills, and the head bashing to myself..Although.." she frowns, "Geez, I still dunno how to beat this Hell-Clown guy..."

As for the paranoia stuff, she just shrugs again and smirk, "Heh, I guess in our line of work, it pays off to be paranoid, right? Well, I was kinda..Distracted by shiny weapons, so y'know, wasn't paying much attention to the titles of books really.."

The titles he mentions does cause Buffy to frown deeply though, "Gee, that's kinda..Creepy I mean..And this mace..Do ya think he really acquired this mace from Joan of Arc? Who was also accused of being a wi--?"

The loud music pierces the air. Loud, familiar music, followed by a familar voice. She smiles sheepishly, "Oh..That's no stranger, that's Thomas. I may have mentionned him to you before briefly, remember?"

She glances towards the ceiling, raising her voice, "We're downstairs!"

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith comes down the stairs taking them two at a time. "We? I brought enough to share but if it's Willow I've only got extra fries." He looks at Giles and tilts his head slightly, amusement on his face as he says with a bit of amusement, "Now I know I'm older love, but I didn't expect you to be running off with an older man just yet. You can't have gotten bored of me that quickly." His words are obviously made in jest as he considers the man aiming an arrow at him. "At least let me put the bags down? Wasting Mac's steak sandwhiches is a sin I don't want to risk having weighed on my soul."

Rupert Giles has posed:
Rupert Giles refrains from rolling his eyes at his Slayer. "If you had read the titles, at the least, you would have known I'm not simply being paranoid." He smiles then. "But yes. It pays off to be paranoid. You never know when there might be a spell at work turning people against you." He glances to the mace, briefly, and nods. "He might have. Or he might not have. Though, if he acquired it from Joan of Arc, he's considerably older than he looks."

He raises a brow. "You mentioned him. You did not introduce him. Nor ask if it was okay to give him a key to my business." Huff. Or, well, as close to a huff as Giles ever really gets.

He looks between Buffy and Thomas, and back again. He slips the arrow off the string and tucks it into the quiver as well. He then takes the time to unstring the bow. After, that's tucked into the quiver as well, the string loose over one end, and attached at the other. He fixes Buffy with a look, blue eyes serious. "No sex in my shop."

With that, he turns and starts for the stairs, leaving arrow and quiver behind, leaned against the wall. Thomas gets a.. look. Head to toe and back up. Giles shakes his head. "She's going to break your heart, you know." Then he's going up the stairs and gone, out of sight.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers blinks at Thomas. Then blinks harder at Giles. "Uh...Well first off, you and Willow were both gone for a long time and I had to take care of the shop alone for a bit. You know how hard that was? Even Anya was in and out all the time. Plus with all the demons running around and Sunnyvale going to hell about a hundred times over, I needed to find new allies I could trust. I trust Thomas. And Karrin and Harry and Nick.."

Oh dear did she give them keys too? "So..So..I totally don't deserve the third degree and I definitely am too old to be grounded so hah!" She smiles "Anyway I'm glad you're back, because this place is hard to run.."

Then he goes and makes more accusation and she blinks, "Heey who do you think I..?" and then he's gone. She sighs.

"Hi Thomas, that's Giles. My Watcher. I don't think he likes you."

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith ahhs slightly and nods a bit to the man, then he blocks the man's exit just a moment and says in a calm voice, "You don't have to like me. I'm actually pretty used to that, especially from father figures. She loves you, and that's enough for me. I love her. That puts us on the same team." He waits a beat and then says a fairly formal cadence, "I am Thomas Raith, oldest male scion of the House Raith of the White Court. I humbly apologize for any breach of your hospitality and offer as reperations, under the Unseelie Accords this repast as a form of reperations." And he holds out one of the brown bags... "And I offer my hand if not in friendship then comradery.

Rupert Giles has posed:
Giles pauses and eyes Thomas. The bag of food is not taken, but eyed. And taken after a moment of hesitation. "I accept your peace offering. Giles. Rupert Giles." With that, he slips around the vampire and heads up the stairs! His voice can be heard drifting down as he goes up. "You are definitely not too old to be grounded."

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers turns and stares after Giles as he leaves, folding her arms and glowering. "I am too!" she yells after him and groans, leaning against the wall again.

"All this time and he still treats me like a kid..He doesn't realize how much I've grown and matured since he left so many years ago..Geez, now I know how Dawn feels!"

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith smirks a little bit, getting open the other bag and retreiving a steak sandwhich and a bag of fries. "I have a Catholic School girl outfit in my closet that says not only are you not too old to be grounded... you're not too old to be spanked." He says wiggling his eyebrows.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers licks her lips hungrily as she eyes the bags, reaching for a steak sandwich. "Mmm, that looks good, don't mind if I do." she grins as she settles down on a nearby table, taking a couple of bites of the sandwich.

"I mean, I get it, when my dad left, he was like, basically my dad. I suspect he and my mom once..You know.." she makes a face. "Just the way they act around each other, although I have no definite proof yet.." but she never stopped investigating!

Buffy does blush and playfully elbow him on both accounts. "You are trouble, you know that?"

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith smirks just a little bit at that. "Him and Joyce huh?" He says smirking, "I mean I can't really fault the man there, your mom is kinda hot..." He says in a totally playful tone, smirking as he takes some of the fries and one of the sandwiches himself... He'd bought four in case there was someone else at the Magic Box, So Giles just made off with two sandwiches. Lucky prig.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers gasps all melodramatically, "Heey! Don't even go there, that's too creepy!" she smirks, "Although, I've probably seen her eye you once or twice." she peers at him thoughtfully.

"But now that we got your meeting my Watcher finally out of the way.." she shrivers. "I mean, at least he didn't try and kill you like he has Angel and Spike..." beat. So, what you been up to, lately?"

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith smirks just a little bit wickedly, Still he moves in and brushes his lips agienst her own lips and says with a a smile, "I would never go there." He promises with a smile, smirking just a bit, "But that doesn't mean I can't day dream about the drive." He ass stealing one of her fries.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers bites her lip but doesn't push him away. "You are positively wicked.." she smirks. "But i'm glad he's back.." Buffy falls into companionable silence for a few moments as she works on her sandwich.

"Soo, I was gonna get some training in for a bit if you wanna join me. I actually checked out this cool new antique store that sells all sorts of really badass weapons. I figured I owe you a gift for once, I'll show you after we eat..But Giles seems to think the guy who runs the place is pretty suspicious, because of all the anti-witch books he sells. Plus, we suspect he may have..Acquired this weapon from Joan of Arc herself. Giles thinks Joan of Arc may well have been a Slayer herself..Kinda strange.."

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith head tilts as he thinks about that. "I mean I have no point of reference, but I can see the connection. She certainly ticks allot of the boxes doesn't she?" he asks as he re-wraps half of his sandwhich and sets it down, then walks to the other side of the mat and takes off his t-shirt, leaving himself bare chested... "Of course the old man did say no sex.. Think you can contain yourself?"

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers nods slowly and sighs, finishing the last of her sandwich, rinsing it down with a long swig of water. "Hmm, I guess she does..Come to think of it, I have had recurring dreams of being burnt at the stake but.." she shivers and sighs, "I dunno..

As for practicing, she just smirks as she watches his toned body, climbing to her feet and shrugging out of her green track jacket. She's wearing her favorite green yoga pants and a simple white tank top underneath as she had come dressed to practice.

"Think YOU can?" Buffy smirks at him wriggling her brows at him playfully as she stretches. "If you like, feel free to check out this new weapon I got..It's in the duffel bag over there." she nods to the oversized duffel bag she often carries with her when she goes on patrol. Buffy is also wearing a new cross around her neck after the last one was ripped off a while back.

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith glances over at the bag, but shakes his head slightly, "You can show me your new toys later. Right now I'm just in the mood for something a bit more...closer in. I'd really like to beat your ass in some hand to hand.." His eyes shift going a bit paler as he adds, "And if you're a good girl, I'll kiss it and make it all better later."

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers chuckles and shrugs, "Hand to hand combat, huh? sure, I could go for that. But you know I'm gonna kick your ass and you'll be begging for mercy." she winks, moving from stretching her arms to focusing on her legs now. "But I can't promise I'll be a good girl!"

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith smirks wickedly at her and nods. He takes up a simple fighter's stance, taking a few steps onto the mat and smirking, then he opens his fist towards her, as if beckoning her to come to him with all his fingers, taunting her playfully. "I hear allot of singing Slayer, but can you dance too?" he asks playfully.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers narrows her eyes at him although an equally playful smile dances on her lips. Once she's done stretching, Buffy drops into her own fighter's stance, and begins to slowly circle him now.

"Don't think I'm gonna go easy on you, loverboy!" she chides him and that's when she makes the first strike, rushing quickly towards him and to the side with a few quick jabs at his face, before dropping down to attempt to knee him in the stomach.

"Sorry, no kiddie gloves this time!" mostly because she knows he can take even her strongest punches. They're pretty evenly matched that way, which make him a good sparring partner without her having to hold back.

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith grins a little bit, blocking the jabs but taking the knewe to the guts with a bit of a wince. Still he is smiling a bit. He moves in with a spinning back fist followed by a revers elbow and then a sweep aimed a bit high to attempt to scythe her knees out from underneath her. He grins a bit considering, "Oh is that so... Care to put a little bit of a wager on it then? Say...Breakfast in bed for a week... and you have to wear whatever I tell you when you serve it?" He asks with a wicked grin.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers darts back, moving swiftly and in tandem with his moves, bringing up her arms to block the back fist although as she darts back to avoid the elbow, it ends up hitting her in the shoulder, causing her to stagger just a bit, and nearly enough to cause her to fall for the foot sweep.

Fortunately she recovers in time, hopping out of the way and countering with a side dodge and two swift side kicks aimed at his mid-section.

"Mm, what makes you think you'll win?" she grins and nods, "Sure, I'll go with that..And when I win, you gotta eat whatever I cook!" buffy winks at him, knowing how much he *loves* her cooking..But hey, at least she's been practicing, right?

Nick actually didn't get sick when he ate her last batch of scones. Though what was with the faces he made?

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith winces... more for her counter proposal then from the impact of the kicks which he takes. He moves into the kicks to lesson their force... which makes it closer to getting hit by a taxi then by a garbage truck. "That may be a little rich for my blood." He says in a total deadpan, smirking... "how about I serve /you/ breakfast in bead wearing my Christmas bow tie... and whatever else you like?"

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers laughs, shaking her head. "You really hate my cooking that much, huh." that causes her to mock pout, but she shrugs all the same. "Sure, I couldn't say no to seeing you in your bow tie.."

She draws in closer as she speaks, attempting to grab his wrist and twist it to the side to pull him off-balance. "Although I guess I win either way with breakfast in bed." she chuckles.

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith is grabbed and pulled, but he flows with the motion, trying to reverse the grip and flow through it. Trying to toss her to the ground using the Slayer's own strength and momentum agienst her. His eyes a bit lighter with obvious pleasure/amusement/arousal. "Don't we both just..."

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers blinks, a bit too confident, perhaps underestimating his own abilities. She's pulled off balance, falling to the ground though she braces herself a bit, smirking up at him. "Just what? Love my cooking?" she winks at him, "You know if I win, I'm gonna bake you a cake and make you eat every last scrap of it right?"

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith twists the wrist sharply, enough to maintain a leverage advantage, and moves to try and put a knee on her chest... Though he also is wary of any trap she might be laying for him. She is after all the Slayer, and not to be trifled with. Slayers are still the boogie-women of certain things that go bump in the night... and White Court like to bump in the night allot. "Buffy, if you want to kill me that badly, just stake me and get it over with. No point in torture." He says playfully.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers arches a brow, "Awe, Cmon, do you really prefer a stake over my cooking? Cuz that can be easily arranged...Although, it'll be a heck of a lot messier staking a white court, to be honest." oh, she could get out of this, even if it's tricky, but right now she's feeling playful, even if she's doing something behind her back. "Your call.."

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith smirks a little bit, eyes looking dazzling in the light, "Buffy, my love for you knows very few bounds... but your cooking treds very dangeriously close." He teases, eyes flickering as her motios do interesting things to her athletic body... which draws his attention to her trying to do something, "Hey what are you..."

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers narrows her eyes as he makes fun of her cooking..And smiles, "Alright then, no one gets to make fun of my cooking and get away with it.." she twists to the side then, away from the knee on her chest and rolls, using her whole body to try and twist him off balance so she can roll on top of him instead. At the same time, Buffy cranes her neck to attempt to head butt him, albeit light enough to just stun, rather than knock him outright.

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith is rather effectively flipped and pinned. When she moves for the headbutt, instinct rather takes over and so rather then try to avoid it...he lunges into it... So a headbutt intended to stun him is met half way with his own head strike...

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers blinks a bit slowly, slightly stunned by his halfway head but, but recovers quickly enough, looking down at him now, likely with a bit of lust in her eyes, "Soo, what were you saying about my cooking? That you love it and I'm the best cook there is?"

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith grins just a little bit "Of course I do, almost as much as I love nude welding." He says playfully and then his eyes go much lighter as he draws on his Hunger for the next move... He spins on the gound under her quickly, trying to break her posture over him while simultaneously moving his legs. He tries to bring one leg over her neck and head. At the same time he brings his opposite leg across the front of her shoulders and throat. He locks his ankles together and pulls on her arm. This combination (if he can sync it), would have her throat agienst his tibia, him pulling on her arm pulling her into it, and his other leg preventing her from pulling away. He doesn't /actually/ choke her with it... but he could.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers quirks a bemused brow. "Nude..Welding?" she blinks slowly then, shivering as he distracts her with the hunger and even loosens her grip on him. "Woah!" Shes pulled off guard, suddenly on the defensive as her neck is trapped against his leg along with her arm. She grins her teeth, struggling for a way out. But looks like he's got all angles covered.

"Dammit, I surrender, call it a night?"

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith releases her quickly and smoothly unwrapping his legs from around her and moving to get up on his knees in front of her... He frames her face and kisses her lightly... "I wasn't sure I could do it, but you gave me such inspiration." He says playfully,.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers could probably squirm out of the grapple with some effort, but she's pretty tired and combined with the hunger, would rather do Things, other than fighting. "Inspiration, huh.." she grins, "Wanna call it a night?"