010 [Voice]

[slaying]

Oh, guys? And by guys, I guess I mean anyone who might be interested. Whoever you may be. Err, like I was going to say, I'm up on a mind-clearing sort of mountain retreat with Tifa. So if anyone gets to thinking about where Buffy is, don't get worryish about it. I'm good, I'm with great company, and as you can so easily guess--I've got my journal

Comments

[voice forever]

[hippocraticly]

Getting away from it all, Buffy?

And thanks for the luck, although I could do without that cranky line.

[slaying]

For a few days--it should be nice and rejuvenating for both Tifa and me.

Maybe cranky was a little on the over-the-top side. But I'll take it back when I see you smile more tha--huh. Actually, now that I put on my thinking cap about it, we've never actually met outside of these wacky journals yet.

[hippocraticly]

Can't disagree with that. Just watch your footing... I don't want to open this damn thing and find out that one of you broke your neck.

It's rare to elicit a smile out of me, but I can assure you that I am not some 'cranky' figment of your imagination.

[slaying]

I'll be at my carefulest. I'm not exactly keen on any neck-breakage, either.

I choose to interpret that as a challenge, by the way. Sort of an elicit-a-smile-or-bust deal.

[hippocraticly]

Carefulest? Well, now I'm sold. Glad to hear you're not picking up any bad habits after talking to Jim.

Really? So it's a challenge? I can't say it's as difficult as the Maru was, but I look forward to seeing you try.

[slaying]

I have my own bad habits to contend with--I don't need to go borrowing his.

The..Maru? Huh?

[hippocraticly]

Well, that's unsurprising, seeing as we all have bad habits. You just announced mine for the entire village to hear.

... Never mind. Just think 'tricky'.

[slaying]

[And there's a pause here, so Buffy can be shocked at herself. Here comes the guilt.]

S-sorry--

I guess I got carried away. Back home, there's generally an atmosphere of speak the truth, the harsh truth, and nothing but the harsh truth when it comes to people and their less-than-good habits.

[hippocraticly]

[Oh no, he didn't mean to break her really. He clears his throat uncomfortably.]

... Don't worry about it. I think my grumpy disposition was well known before I even arrived in this place. But it sounds like a good philosophy if you ask me; it's better to hear the harsh truth than live in a damn fantasy.

[slaying]

[Not broken, but now acutely aware of how much her manners do not resemble normal manners. Life on a Hellmouth will do that to you.]

Hey, it's not all bad. Someone's got to be the grumpy one, keeping a firm grip on reality.

[hippocraticly]

[No place like home.]

I take it you have one of those back in your own world?

[slaying]

A couple of those, in varying degrees. From mildly snarky to, well, more-than-mildly grumpy. Throw in a few people who like to take things to literally and our social scene is either really really amusing or really really threatening.

[hippocraticly]

Sounds like an interesting crowd. I haven't felt threatened by you so far.

[slaying]

You haven't met me in person yet, right? Just wait. This little square of a picture doesn't convey it very well, but I'm mucho threatening. The veritable stuff of nightmares.

[Yeah, okay, she can't hold back her own self-satisfied laughter. Partly because she really doesn't look at all threatening, and partly because if she wanted to, she actually could be.]

[hippocraticly]

[McCoy just raises an eyebrow at her sudden burst of laughter.]

I don't doubt that. Maybe I should start worrying about Jim from now on.

[slaying]

Speaking of Jim, are you aware that he hasn't had peanut butter since he was eight? Talk about things to worry about.