our real estate is a great investment

[cross_and_bow]

"Welcome to Sunshine," says Juliet. "And to my front porch and whatever you do don't hit the light, it'll set Sherlock on fire."

Comments

[cross_and_bow]

"Shell Bell would know, at least about Sherlocks in general. She can read her Sherlock's mind when they're in the same world," Juliet puts in. "Of course, twenty-six is specific enough that I'd bet someone just told him or something; he didn't say mid-twenties."

[she_sells_seashells]

"And we are meant to live forever," says Shell Bell, "so mid-twenties is not going to cut it."

[cross_and_bow]

"Oh yeah. I am going to beat that record. I am going to beat that record so hard."

[pythbox]

"I hope you do," Giles says sincerely. If uncomfortably.

[cross_and_bow]

"Something wrong?" Juliet asks him. "You don't think I ought to live forever or you just don't think I can?"

[she_sells_seashells]

"If I had a better pain tolerance I could arrange it," volunteers Shell Bell, switching bent fingers. "She's not guaranteed to run into a better-equipped mint Bell, but it's pretty likely."

[cross_and_bow]

"I'm not planning to turn into a local sort of vampire," Juliet adds to Giles, "if that's what has you worried. Sherlock's an exceptional case and I have no reason to expect that my personality would survive the experience. It's possible I should've asked Golden to bite me, but I'm holding out for the option that doesn't have even her much more limited set of drawbacks."

[pythbox]

"In this universe, the search for immortality has never led anyone anywhere good," he says. "And I have extensive sources to back that up. But clearly the rules are different for... you," with a gesture to Shell Bell and beyond.

[cross_and_bow]

"You may as well tell me cautionary tales anyway for in case I run into a tempting shortcut," suggests Juliet.

[pythbox]

"Some evidence suggests that the Greek myth of a would-be immortal shrivelling into a cricket was based on actual events," he says. "For a start."

[cross_and_bow]

"That sounds suitably horrifying," says Juliet, nodding gravely.

[pythbox]

"There are also legends indicating that the original union of human and demon that created vampires was an attempt at immortality on the part of the human involved," he says. "But that's one mistake I definitely don't expect you to repeat."

[cross_and_bow]

"...Should I be elaborating in my head about the union there or is it purely a magical glomming-the-demon-onto-the-soul thing?"

[pythbox]

"Blood was shared," he says, looking at her overtop of his glasses. "In the usual vampire way, as far as sources can determine."

[cross_and_bow]

"Noted."

[she_sells_seashells]

"Does that only cause vampiring if the human in question is also dead?" asks Shell Bell.

[pythbox]

"It's not completely clear," he says. "The traditional method is for the human to drink some of the vampire's blood, and the vampire to drink all of the human's blood. We know that works. It's hard to make a reliable study of the edge cases."

[cross_and_bow]

Hm. Sherlock is still probably asleep. Juliet will ask him what he knows about edge cases later. It seems like the sort of thing that might become relevant later. She has no plans to drink any of his blood, but if there's any danger from the "tastes" she has allowed - well, he'd probably have told her, but she should ask regardless.

She goes back to her stalling hom- her official Slayer training. And then the bell rings, and Shell Bell invisibles and Juliet goes on to her next designated place-to-be.

They are back after school. "Mr. Giles, our estimate is that it'll take me a few months - let's call it six - of practicing with the fire wand a few times a week for a couple of hours each time before it'll be a good idea for me to use it in a live fire situation. In your opinion is it a good idea to prioritize that to get it into play sooner, or a better idea for me to spend less time on the wand and more on sparring with Sherlock and studying demons?"

[pythbox]

"...My instinct is to distrust the magic," he says. "But it's not necessarily a good instinct. Sparring with Sherlock, studying demons, and acquiring a powerful secret weapon are all important goals. I'm not immediately sure how exactly to prioritize them."

[she_sells_seashells]

"The only hazard of the wand is that you can set things on fire with it, which you handle by practicing near water," Shell Bell says. "I'm perfectly fine. Juliet'll be even safer because she'll have my squares if something does go wrong."

[cross_and_bow]

"Out of curiosity," says Juliet, "who would I be practicing fighting with if it were not for Sherlock? Do Slayers usually just get thrown directly at demons who want to kill them? I killed vampires exclusively with a crossbow and preemptive morgue staking until I met Sherlock for that reason." Pause. "Oh, Giles, did I tell you that I have covered the entire town of Sunnydale in hidden crosses that should make vampires find it vaguely unpleasant to be here? I don't think I told you that before."

[pythbox]

He blinks.

He opens his mouth.

He closes his mouth.

He cleans his glasses.

"Prioritize the fire wand over your other training," he says at last. "The answer to how you would be getting trained in combat without him is 'not nearly as well'."

[she_sells_seashells]

"I'm not sure I followed all the subtext there?" says Shell Bell.

[pythbox]

"I am ashamed on behalf of the Watcher's Council that none of us in a thousand years of strategizing for Slayers has thought of the obvious strategies this Slayer apparently comes up with in her sleep," Giles explains.

[cross_and_bow]

"I was awake. Also crossing the town took me a long while, I could only cover one neighborhood per night." Pause. "I also used to rinse my hair in holy water, but I stopped when I started letting Sherlock anywhere near my personal space. I still have water balloons of it though."