[ phone call to rafael giovanni ]

[slay]

[ how does 10 pm greenwich time translate to chicago? buffy's not really sure, but she does know that it's the weekend and that means it's time for a regularly scheduled call to rafael. you'd think after a certain amount of time, she'd have this time zone thing sorted. she doesn't.

~ring ring.~ ]

Comments

[slay]

Well, aren't you cosmopolitan-guy. Where's he got you tonight? I'm guessing the answer isn't conveniently London.

[romanticidal]

California. I think you would like it very much, if you have never been.

[slay]

Well, I can't say I'd remember even if I had, so I'll just have to stick to imagining. You making the most of that beach? I hear they 're great this time of year.

[romanticidal]

I'm afraid we have not had much time to do more than look at it out the hotel window.

[slay]

Boy, you really weren't kidding about being booked. [ beat. ] I'm sorry. We all got to go home, and you -- Seems like you got the worse end of the deal on this one.

[romanticidal]

There are ways it might be worse. At least I am doing something which I love, yes?

[slay]

That's true. I mean, your indentured servitude could be in the form of baking, or ... teaching water aerobics.

[romanticidal]

Water aerobics? [ yeah, you lost him ]

[slay]

Yeah! You know, like exercise, but in the -- ... Never mind.

why did my paid expiration take all his smiles away

[romanticidal]

You may be better qualified to teach such a thing than I. [ he chuckles warmly ] Tell me, what have you been doing at the castle? Training much?

because jade died

[slay]

Very very much.

[ she sounds a little sheepish about it. ]

Feels kind of like I'm going for the Guinness world record of most broken training equipment at this point, but ... It's not enough.

[romanticidal]

[ he's quiet for a moment, and then he says: ] It will be, carina. You will find a way to stop him. All of them.

[slay]

How? You know better than any of us what Keijen can do -- how am I supposed to fight that? How am I supposed to protect you?

[romanticidal]

You don't need to protect me, Buffy. [ a beat ] Which does not mean I do not appreciate your concern or would not always welcome your help.

But it should not be your largest worry.

[slay]

Uh, hello. You almost died. Twice, actually, because don't think I've forgotten Anderson. What's gonna happen the next time either Chad Becksworth's guys or Iscariot's come gunning for us?

[romanticidal]

This time we will expect it.

[slay]

We've been expecting it! Anderson, the Mind Master, Blade. We've always known they were stronger than us, but we've never gotten strong enough to beat them. We don't need to expect it, we need to prepare. [ she sighs, and it's obvious in the pitch of her voice that it's ... not just blade on her mind right now. there's more to it than that, kickstarting this compulsive training regimen. ]

[romanticidal]

I don't remember saying we should not.

[slay]

So, if not training room hours, how are we supposed to beat them? Dumage was right, there's no way we're gonna have enough time to master how to keep their telepaths out. I have to do what I'm good at, and hope it works.

[romanticidal]

[ wis check 21... only when it's not about romantic feelings, ok ] Buffy, what is really on your mind?

[slay]

Nothing.

[ she quiets, rubbing a hand over her eyes. she doesn't want to worry him; this isn't something he strictly needs to know. and she's pretty convincing. (nat 20 bluff ...) ]

I just can't stop thinking about that fight with Blade. We should have been able to take him out, but we don't stand a chance how we are now.

[romanticidal]

[ his sense motive is a 22, but her nat 20 means he decides that his suspicions are probably misplaced... or he gives her benefit of the doubt. ] Then we must be harder on ourselves. You are right about this.

[slay]

He's killing Violet. [ her voice softens. ] He's killing her, and we couldn't stop it. I'm sick and tired of not people able to protect people from them. [ that is probably something rafael understands deeply and will go down a road that buffy doesn't actually want to be on, but she'll make herself feel better about lies and secrets by ........ being honest about a different thing ??? yeah no jk the guilt is still here. ] What if we can't do it?

[romanticidal]

Then we keep fighting. To ensure that those we cannot save are not lost to us for nothing.

[slay]

[ she lets out a sigh and quiets for a moment. some shifting can be heard, but otherwise nothing until she pipes up, finally, with a softer tone of voice. ]

See? This is why it's no fair that you're, like, on the other side of the world.