The school year ends. Bella's routine goes from wake - morgue - school - Giles - school - Giles - Sherlock - sleep to a version of same without the "school" parts, although she mostly keeps up with Giles via brainphone instead of in-person visits except when she needs to swap out stacks of books, and she hangs out studying and playing with fire in the house that is Jarvis a fair amount even during the day while Sherlock's sleeping. (Her schedule, unanchored by regular attendance at Sunnydale High and enticed by Sherlock's necessary noctrunality, shifts a few hours later, and Charlie has calmed down about the curfew issue; as long as she calls before eleven to report on her whereabouts and usually sleeps in her own bed, all is well.)

Long-term experimentation shows that, at least as long as she's not getting bloodily injured in regular fights with Los Angeles's demon population (and she can generally make it through unscathed, and now every supernatural creature in this hemisphere knows that the Slayer can set you on fire with her mind and some demons keel over with no visible injuries if she just looks at them), she can operate in fine and suitably Slayery condition while being nibbled on most days. It would probably not be a wise exercise for Sherlock to attempt to subsist solely on her, though, so the brick house does acquire a fridge and a microwave thanks to Sherlock's slightly stolen inheritance.

This afternoon, Bella is sitting in an armchair in the house that is Jarvis, reading about some neutral demon species and taking dutiful notes.

Author: cross_and_bow	The school year ends. Bella's routine goes from wake - morgue - school - Giles - school - Giles - Sherlock - sleep to a version of same without the "school" parts, although she mostly keeps up with Giles via brainphone instead of in-person visits except when she needs to swap out stacks of books, and she hangs out studying and playing with fire in the house that is Jarvis a fair amount even during the day while Sherlock's sleeping. (Her schedule, unanchored by regular attendance at Sunnydale High and enticed by Sherlock's necessary noctrunality, shifts a few hours later, and Charlie has calmed down about the curfew issue; as long as she calls before eleven to report on her whereabouts and usually sleeps in her own bed, all is well.) Long-term experimentation shows that, at least as long as she's not getting bloodily injured in regular fights with Los Angeles's demon population (and she can generally make it through unscathed, and now every supernatural creature in this hemisphere knows that the Slayer can set you on fire with her mind and some demons keel over with no visible injuries if she just looks at them), she can operate in fine and suitably Slayery condition while being nibbled on most days. It would probably not be a wise exercise for Sherlock to attempt to subsist solely on her, though, so the brick house does acquire a fridge and a microwave thanks to Sherlock's slightly stolen inheritance. This afternoon, Bella is sitting in an armchair in the house that is Jarvis, reading about some neutral demon species and taking dutiful notes.
Author: pythbox	A cheerful young woman with bouncy brown hair and strangle marks on her neck appears standing a few feet away. "Boo!" she says, grinning.
Author: cross_and_bow	"...Minnie? Hi. How've you been keeping?" Bella asks. Minnie, who has inexplicably changed narrators, says, "I've been very well-behaved and you should definitely be glad you untrapped me. I haven't spied on anybody in the shower at all." "Well, that's reassuring." "I can go anywhere now! As fast as I like! I've been all over the world." She pauses. "Mostly invisibly. Most people wouldn't talk to me if I appeared to them, and one person tried to have me exorcised instead of just asking nicely for me to go." "That's a pity." "So I think I should hang out here more," Minnie says. "Since I like you and maybe I can convince your boyfriend to let me spy on him. It's okay if he lets me, isn't it?" "That... would be between you and Sherlock, who is currently still asleep but will be up any minute," says Bella.
Author: eversomuchfun	"Lies," says a voice from the stairwell. "I never sleep."
Author: cross_and_bow	"That's the other kind of vampire," says Bella. "What other kind of vampire?" asks Minnie. "Kind from another world. There's several," Bella explains. "Are there other kinds of ghosts, too?" "Not that I've ever met, but probably."
Author: eversomuchfun	"Hello again," he says to Minnie. "If you're still keen on spying on me in the shower, you're about to have an opportunity." But first, he swoops down on Bella and gives her a kiss on the cheek.
Author: cross_and_bow	"Ooh, may I may I?" asks Minnie, clapping her hands soundlessly. Bella giggles and returns the kiss happily.
Author: eversomuchfun	He laughs. "Go right ahead," he says, and strolls off showerward.
Author: cross_and_bow	Minnie winks out of sight. (It's hardly spying if she's just standing right there, visibly gawking.) Bella returns to her reading.
Author: eversomuchfun	He showers; he returns. "What have we learned today, love?"
Author: cross_and_bow	"This species of demon is believed to be neutral because at least five of them have married humans," says Bella. "I'm not sure, from the circuitous way this is written, if the humans were on board with all those weddings, so I'm not sure how I should feel about this sort of demon, but at least it is statistically more likely to try to marry me than dismember and stew me."
Author: eversomuchfun	"I'd ask about their divorce customs before I got too complacent, if I were you," he jokes.
Author: cross_and_bow	"I haven't gotten to that chapter yet," she snorts.
Author: eversomuchfun	"Tread carefully, then."
Author: cross_and_bow	"I will certainly try to avoid marrying a Gvaribflerx." She makes a creditable attempt at pronunciation. "Met a Whistle, earlier," she says. "Found Milliways in my house, met the one with the Bell who hasn't been there herself yet. Sue, goes with Aegis. He wanted to walk around not-really-demon-hunting, we sparred in the back, he managed to give me a bloody nose so I figured I'd have a fine shot of returning him to his own Bell without him having been folded, spindled, or mutilated. Didn't find anything, though, and he woke up after a while."
Author: eversomuchfun	"Now that I'd like to have seen."
Author: cross_and_bow	"It was cute," she agrees. "He's scrappy. Maybe we'll run into him again sometime."
Author: eversomuchfun	"Although of course a bloody nose on you is a tragic waste."
Author: cross_and_bow	"It didn't bleed all that much. By the time I got to Bar for tissues and peroxide it'd stopped. But yeah," she sighs tragically, "wasteful. Whatever, I've been completely fine on daily dessert duty for months now and I'm not even taking iron supplements, I don't think it'll make a difference. ...Possibly I should take iron supplements."
Author: eversomuchfun	"Ooh," he says. "I am all in favour of inron supplements."
Author: cross_and_bow	"You sure they won't make my flavor go off? You don't have dietary hangups, 'no added sugar' so to speak?"
Author: eversomuchfun	"I am fully willing to experiment."
Author: cross_and_bow	She snorts. "I will buy some iron supplements next time I take a turn grocery shopping. Probably best not to send Charlie's mind to that place by putting it on his list."
Author: eversomuchfun	"By all means, keep your father in ignorance. Otherwise he will probably shoot me again."
Author: cross_and_bow	"I don't think he'd shoot you again, but he'd consider attempting to put you under arrest. He knows me well enough to know I wouldn't be buying iron supplements for nibbles I did not approve of, and he's not stupid, and he's - a dad. I think I'm under the age of consent for this state, and he doesn't know how far under same you are."
Author: eversomuchfun	"And your father attempting to arrest me would not be a pleasant experience for anyone. I salute your wisdom."
Author: cross_and_bow	"What would you do if he tried it?" laughs Bella.
Author: eversomuchfun	"I would try to escape with minimal harm to both of us."
Author: cross_and_bow	"Probably for the best. He does not know where you live - although if he didn't just spontaneously try to arrest you, I suppose he could follow me here sometime - and I don't think you appear in the white pages."
Author: eversomuchfun	"Anyway. If he shows signs of being inclined to arrest me for statutory nibbling, please inform him that I am not as old as I look."
Author: cross_and_bow	"He might arrest me if I told him that. It has been repeatedly impressed on me that I get leeway for being trustworthy, not for being his kid."
Author: eversomuchfun	"I didn't say 'tell him you've been fucking a six-year-old', did I?"
Author: cross_and_bow	She shrugs. "In this hypothetical scenario, he determines to his satisfaction that something's going on to warrant arrest, whether it's that specific or not. The thing that would make the arrested party not-you might make it me instead. Probably not gonna happen, though." Minnie pops into visibility between the two of them, stunned. "Six?" she says. "Six?"
Author: eversomuchfun	"Yes," he says, "I'm a clone, it's very complicated."
Author: cross_and_bow	"What's a clone and how does that make you six and why didn't anyone tell me this before I ogled you in the shower?" exclaims Minnie. "Minnie," sighs Bella. "How old are you?" "Seventeen," says Minnie at once. "Nope. You're a hundred." "I'm obviously n-" Minnie is brought up short. "Ohhhhhh."
Author: eversomuchfun	"Likewise," says Sherlock, "I am obviously eighteen, but six is the number of years I have spent on this planet. It's just that the first two were spent growing at seven times the normal rate."
Author: cross_and_bow	"Oh, fine," huffs Minnie. "You be eighteen, me and Bella be seventeen, and I will go right on ogling you. ...Unless you don't want me to. Then I'll stop."
Author: eversomuchfun	"An admirable conclusion."
Author: cross_and_bow	Bella snickers. She's been getting in her fire-wand practices during the daytime, lately, so there is no need to waste valuable overlapping-awakeness-time on such things unless she happens to feel like that particular segue into - later activities. She puts her book aside and rolls up out of her chair. "Shall we?" she asks Sherlock.
Author: eversomuchfun	"Let's."
Author: cross_and_bow	They do! Minnie supervises, highly entertained. Bella shoos her - and expects Jarvis to be comparably shooed - after.
Author: eversomuchfun	Further activities ensue.
Author: cross_and_bow	"Mmmmmm," sighs Bella with delicious lassitude after same. "Iiiii will buy iron supplements." She consults her phone. "And hey, I'll even be home before eleven, kickass."
Author: eversomuchfun	"Delightful," he says, kissing the top of her head.
Author: cross_and_bow	Off they go! Now, what is that thing trotting down the street over there? [I don't know what that is.] She doesn't want to attract its attention.
Author: eversomuchfun	[Neither do I. That can't be good.]
Author: cross_and_bow	[We should follow it.] She veers in its direction. [Jarvis, can you call my dad if I haven't contacted you to tell you not to by eleven, tell him I found something at Spencer and Third, and that you can contact me regardless of phone charge in an emergency and I might need the cavalry if we cannot handle this unidentified thing?] And: [Giles, are you awake?]
Author: poeticterms	[I will do that,] confirms Jarvis.
Author: pythbox	[Yes?]
Author: eversomuchfun	Sherlock detaches himself from Juliet and engages lurk mode.
Author: cross_and_bow	[Demonic-lookin' thing on the prowl, me and Sherlock don't know what it is, it's about seven feet tall and completely white and smooth and basically humanoid but with giant hands and feet, moves pretty nimbly, trotting down the street like it doesn't care if anyone sees it, have you got a clue what it might be?]
Author: pythbox	[No...] He trails off. [I'll try to look it up.]
Author: cross_and_bow	[Anything else I should try specially to get a look at for help with referencing? Damn, this thing is fast -] She's been jogging, and it hasn't taken notice of her so far; she breaks into a run.
Author: pythbox	[Facial features or lack thereof,] he says. [Number of digits, presence or absence of claws.]
Author: cross_and_bow	[Haven't seen its face yet, but the way the rest of it looks I wouldn't be surprised if it was a case of lack thereof. Got - three fingers and a thumb on that hand - not grossly asymmetrical otherwise so probably the other matches but I didn't see - no claws, hands or feet either - four toes to a foot -] She's drawing nearer. [And it's paying no attention to me even though I'm gaining on it.]
Author: pythbox	[That's not ringing any bells,] he says. [Which worries me. I'm checking indices as fast as I can.]
Author: cross_and_bow	[I won't engage till you know what it is, it engages first, or it starts attacking people,] Bella assures him, and she conferences in Sherlock to keep him up to date on the matter.
Author: pythbox	[You are very wise,] says Giles, and then he shuts up for a bit.
Author: cross_and_bow	[Doesn't have ears, at least,] says Bella as she gets a little closer to the loping demonic creature. She's not really thrilled about all this running. She has just come out of several consecutive hours of physical activity - albeit diverse sorts - and it's almost her bedtime and she's missing a half-pint of blood that hasn't had time to be replaced yet. But she is still the Slayer and she is not going to give up chasing this unidentified and probably hostile creature as it runs through her town. [It might not be white. It could've been painted. You got anything that's like this and nonwhite?]
Author: pythbox	[Still looking.]
Author: cross_and_bow	Since it doesn't seem inclined to take notice of Bella, she digs through her messenger bag and slips on her mask; she will have to fight this thing if it stops harmlessly jogging down the sidewalk and tries to break into a house, and people in Sunnydale could identify her if they saw her brawling with a giant white demon in their living room. [Where is it going?] she wonders aloud to Sherlock.
Author: eversomuchfun	[Possibly the school,] he answers after a moment.
Author: cross_and_bow	[Oh, great. Maybe there's a nest of them in the library or something camping out on the Hellmouth.]
Author: eversomuchfun	[Wouldn't that be fun.]
Author: cross_and_bow	[Not really. This creature doesn't care that the Slayer is chasing it. I'm not looking forward to meeting twelve of it.]
Author: eversomuchfun	[Indeed,] he sighs.
Author: cross_and_bow	[Giles,] says Bella, when it's clear that this is in fact where the creature is going, [it's headed for the school. Probably the Hellmouth.]
Author: pythbox	[If only that narrowed it down.]
Author: cross_and_bow	[Have you been in the library lately or do you take summers completely off - do we know how long a nest of 'em could have been sitting there?]
Author: pythbox	[I don't abandon it - if they're all human-sized, they would've had to move in since sundown.]
Author: cross_and_bow	[Okay. Considering tackling it before it gets there, so I can see how tough one is alone instead of seeing how tough twelve of it is.]
Author: pythbox	[Do you have a reason to expect twelve of it?]
Author: cross_and_bow	[Not a strong reason. It just seems like it's in a hurry, and it's ignoring me, even though I'm right behind it - if I were it, I'd fight me, unless I was going someplace that was better ground for me to fight in.]
Author: pythbox	[I see your point.]
Author: cross_and_bow	[Sherlock, opinions on engaging it now before it introduces us to any friends it may have?]
Author: eversomuchfun	[Let's.]
Author: cross_and_bow	[I can't see you, but are you keeping up well enough, can you cross its path - we'll see if it reacts, go from there?]
Author: eversomuchfun	[Done.] He darts in front of the strange creature.
Author: cross_and_bow	The strange creature swats him aside like he's no more substantial than a balloon and keeps going, not slowing. [Shit, are you okay -] Bella makes a jump for it and manages to land on its back. It doesn't seem to care. It doesn't slow down.
Author: eversomuchfun	[I am less certain that engaging is wise,] he says, but he picks himself up off the ground and chases after them both.
Author: cross_and_bow	[Giles, this thing just knocked Sherlock across the street like he was a ping-pong ball. I'm riding it piggyback now trying to twist its neck or something - no face, by the way - but it's acting like I'm not even there, I can't budge it.] She swings around its shoulders to try from another angle. It grabs her off of it, hurls her to the ground, and steps on her in its unslowed quest for the school. She doesn't move.
Author: eversomuchfun	That shit is just not on. Sherlock tries a square. He also brainphones Jarvis.
Author: poeticterms	Jarvis calls Charlie.
Author: cross_and_bow	The demon falls over and, with its considerable momentum behind it, skids. It does not move either. Unlike Bella, no heartbeat was evident before, and none is evident now. (Bella, however, is still alive.) "Hello?" Charlie says to the phone.
Author: poeticterms	"Bella has encountered some trouble. She is alive, and will almost certainly be fine, but she needs to be taken to the hospital. Please arrange for an ambulance at Chester and Oak; you can most likely prompt faster reaction than I."
Author: cross_and_bow	Charlie blinks. He sets the handset of the landline down on the counter and radios for an ambulance, barking orders at the paramedics. When it's on his way, he picks up the phone again. "Who are you and what happened to my daughter?"
Author: poeticterms	"My name is Jarvis. She ran afoul of a Sunnydale hazard, which has since been neutralized."
Author: cross_and_bow	"How do you know about it? Were you with her? She hasn't mentioned a Jarvis."
Author: poeticterms	"Sherlock is with her. He doesn't have a phone and hers may be broken, so he contacted me through other means."
Author: cross_and_bow	"Other means. Right. Thank you. Thank you very much." Charlie hangs up and gets in his car to catch up to the ambulance. Meanwhile, the ambulance is not far from the correct intersection. Paramedics hop out of it.
Author: eversomuchfun	Sherlock absents himself.
Author: cross_and_bow	The paramedics load Bella into the ambulance and drive her away. They quite ignore the still white hulk of a demon, laid out on the sidewalk half a block away.
Author: eversomuchfun	He wished to kill it; presumably it is dead. Sherlock approaches the demon and attempts to pick it up.
Author: cross_and_bow	It is heavy. Heavy enough that without particularly trying to stomp, its step could leave a Slayer with all of Bella's manyfold blessings from her alt unconscious on the ground. Certainly too heavy to drag away. He can shift its hand or its foot, if he puts his back into it.
Author: eversomuchfun	Really now. Well. He brainphones Giles.