want_take_have | 003 - You can talk all you want, but my skin is really thick.

[Buffy - Filtered 57%]

Hey, B. [I'm back] Anything new I oughta know about Drusilla and her latest boy toy?

[/end filter]

[When the audio feed begins, the sounds of whispers and quiet murmurs can be heard in the background, though they're too distant and jumbled to pick out the individual messages.

Faith, however, can be heard clearly...and while she's not freaked out, she's definitely on guard.]

Seeing as I've been off playing civic servant, or whatever you wanna call it, does anyone wanna tell me why I just landed in the middle of a Disney movie? The talking animals were weird enough, but now I gotta listen to trees? That's just overkill.

[the sound of brush crunching underfoot starts as she turns towards the village, making her way through the trees]

I'm just sayin'...if some stuffed up pimp comes galloping through on a white horse, I'm not responsible for my--

[she trails off as she catches a familiar name coming from one of the trees, falling silent in order to listen. She moves closer to the source, letting her catch the tail end of what the trees are saying.]

"--super phallic imagery of shoving a sword through your lover's chest."

[She's forgotten the journal's in her hand, now, as she just stares uncertainly at the bark]

...Hold up. Are you telling me that--

"Well I heard that the other slayer totally has a thing for Buffy. It’s obvious she just wants to get in her pants."

[She gives a strangled noise as she takes a few steps back, caught between confusion and pure fury]

The fuck?!

[someone want to speak up before she sees if she's strong enough to uproot a tree?]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[the switch is obvious. She had a temper, and slander and false accusations got under her skin, as much as she would have liked to say they didn't. But this...

This was true. And it drew her to a sudden stop as she tensed]

[Gregor decides he should rest Alys somewhere else. He's about to swing himself up when he hesitates.]

Are you sure you don't want a ride away from the talking trees?

[she's shocked enough that she'd almost forgotten Gregor was even there. When he speaks, she whirls on him, brow furrowed]

...huh?

Do you want a ride away from the forest?

[she can't help it. Her eyes narrow almost suspiciously]

You deaf, or something?

Do I have reason to suspect trees of possessing accurate and unbiased intelligence on strange women?

[okay, seriously? What's with the big words? She's certainly giving him a blank look, but he'd distracted her from her initial problem. Which, unfortunately, is giving her the unpleasant sensation of riding an emotional rollercoaster]

You a lawyer or something?

...No.

You sure? 'cause you sure sound like one of them.

[she gives the tree another glare, and then shrugs, turning away from it] Bunch of crap, anyway.

That's...what I suspected. Very well.

Oh, that boy with her, dear? Apparently he's some hotshot aristocrat who lost everything in some legal battle with a relative.

[Gregor glances up, annoyed.]

[she glances over at him quickly enough to catch the annoyed glance, but doesn't say anything about that. Just starts walking out of the forest]

What's the deal, anyway? Some trigger happy scientist go on an acid trip or something?

I don't really want to know.

His name isn't Greg Bleakman, that's for sure.

[Gregor's hands tighten on Alys' reins, but he does not stop walking, and his expression does not change.]

At all.

Right.

Me neither.

[shrugging her shoulders, she keeps moving, letting silence settle between them. For a short while, the rumors focus on other people, murmurs going over unfamiliar names.

She shouldn't. She really shouldn't. Especially since she doesn't want to talk about her own secrets. But then, she was never very good at doing what she was supposed to.]

...So what's your name?

...Greg Bleakman.

Uh huh.

[she saw that reaction, buddy] And I'm the queen of England.

You believe everything trees say?

Okay, one, I don't believe talking trees because trees don't talk. This is coming from some other source on an acid trip, and I don't really care where.

Two, I know people, and you're full of shit.

[it's all said casually. She's not particularly invested in his name or the lie, but it served as a distraction from wanting to punch whoever was responsible for this latest twist]

Believe what you will, then. [Also casually.]

Ghandi it is, then.

[because she can't just let it drop]

Why pick a name like Bleakman, anyway? That's just lame.

I think you just gave yourself something to think about.

Cute.

[she falls silent for a moment, only just in time to catch the trees talking again]

"Don’t employ that Lehane girl. Everyone she works for dies horribly. Her last boss turned into a snake and then was blown up."

[ugh]

Yeah. What of it?

[as if she didn't know]

What of what, Mademoiselle Lehane? Besides a lot ghosts with overactive imaginations.

[that got a bit of a snort]

Yeah, well, guess that one ain't that far from the truth. The snake bit, anyway.

[it's more than she'd usually share...but she can't resist seeing what reaction that gets]

003 - You can talk all you want, but my skin is really thick.

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