The hard way

Faith Rapaccini stepped outside the front entrance of the Violet Moon and exclaimed, "Give me my swords!"

"Your swords?" asked Brother Linden.

"Yes," said Faith, glaring at Brother Linden. "Did I stutter?"

"No, but I thought the crossbows --" Brother Linden started to say.

"I don't care what you thought," said Faith. "I want my swords. Now. Or would you prefer that I breathe on you?"

"Hand her her swords, you idiot," said Sister Lilith. "She wouldn't ask for them if she didn't need them."

xxx

Meanwhile, inside the Violet Moon, Buffy said to Laurel, "Please get me my spear and shield. Now."

"Right away, Buffy," said Laurel. "But shouldn't you be going out the back so that you can go take care of the big drag--"

"I can't take care of anything as long as Faith is out there," said Buffy. "So go get me my spear and shield. Please."

"Okay," said Laurel.

Sir Roderick blinked and said, "You know, Buffy. You and I have never been really close but it seems to me --"

"I don't have time for any of your lectures right now, Sir Roderick," said Buffy. "Faith hasn't given me a lot of options and right now I'm playing the best hand that I got. Either I kill her or she kills me. There's not a whole lot you or Laurel could do about that right now."

Laurel returned with Buffy's spear and shield, and then said a brief prayer over her that Buffy hoped was a good sign.

In the meantime, Messalina just stood by the wall and watched the Slayer prepare for battle.

"Stake," she said, "I think the two human girls are going to fight."

"Of course they are, luv," said Stake.

"I suppose someone should do something about that," said Messalina.

"Yes, I suppose someone should," said Stake. "But you know these humans..."

"Yes, I do," said Messalina. "Still watching the Slayer prepare for battle like this makes me feel funny."

"You mean funny peculiar or funny ha-ha?" asked Stake.

"Both, I think," said Messalina. "I mean, the Slayer actually saved my life. I never imagined a Slayer doing that before. And I've been around a good long number of years."

"So you sympathize with her, I take it?" asked Stake.

"Well, ordinarily you'd think so but er, no," said Messalina.

Just then Faith Rappacini re-entered the inn, still naked but this time holding two big swords -- one in each hand.

Meanwhile Buffy held up her spear and shield and scowled at her would-be attacker.

"It doesn't have to be this way, Faith," Buffy said. "Just stand down and I'll go out and kill the big dragon for you. Afterwards, I'll leave town and you never have to see me again."

"The only way you're leaving this inn is in a pine box, Slayer," said Faith.

"The graveyards are full of people who have said the same thing to me in the past," said Buffy. "So for the sake of your father and your village, you'd best stand down while you still have a chance."

"You have some nerve, Slayer," said Faith. "I'm not scared of you. Nor am I scared of your pet vampires."

"Oh, yeah," said Buffy. "Well, they aren't my pets.They're just people who helped me when almost no one else wou -- Hey! Where did Messalina go?"

"Is this the part where you go on about how loyal your vampires are?" asked Faith. "Because it doesn't look that way from here."

"No, it isn't, Faith," said Buffy. "Look, can't we just call this stupid thing off before one of us gets hurt? I don't want to have to kill you."

"It's not necessarily a matter of you killing me," said Faith. "It's a matter of me killing you. And quite frankly, I've waited long enough."

Faith raised her two swords even higher and smiled. "Goodbye, Slayer. See you in He -- Hey!"

As Buffy watched in bemusement, a mysterious masked figure threw a black cloak over Faith and grabbed her around the torso so that she could not use her arms. Then the figure pulled Faith outside so fast that by the time Buffy thought to react, Faith and her mysterious captor were already out the door.