[location: Dodgy Jammer] [open] Baby's at the punch bowl with a glass for you to fill

[buffy_slayer]

The bar top was polished to a high shine, and Buffy carefully folded the damp towel she'd been using to wipe it down into a neat square.

Not nervous, nope.

Another spot gets a quick wipedown, and Buffy quickly puts the towel away before she manages to scrub a hole in the finish. She didn't really know when people tended to come in, but if she was by herself for awhile, there was always dusting, and mopping, and re-arranging, and and and...

OK, maybe a little nervous.

Comments

[sourcebloodaughter]

"They usually are." They were also strange to get used to when she wasn't a mind-controlled freak show. She pauses for a moment, letting the castle comment blow right by her until she's gotten the whole vampire thing sorted out. She let her talons slide slowly out, non-threateningly raising a hand a little so she could examine her nails as she spoke instead of focusing on the other girl.

"It's a genetic thing where I'm from, but it's not... I wasn't born with it."

The teleportation? That she'd been born with, but never activated until the Cabal got a hold of her. The vampiric traits had been entirely their fault and she hated them for everything.

"My name's Ashley, by the way."

[buffy_slayer]

"Hi, I'm Buffy." She's got her hand out automatically to shake, but pulls it back on sight of those nails.

She'd had enough of those nails before.

"Firstly, can I get you anything, and secondly, if you weren't born with it, how'd you end up with them?"

[sourcebloodaughter]

A split second later, Ashley retracts her talons and offers Buffy her perfectly normal hand to shake, along with a smile.

"Nice to meet you." It was, even if their previous meeting had been less than happy.

"One: Surprise me. Two: Long story. Lots of genetic therapy."

Therapy, right. It was kidnapping and torture was what it was and the memories weren't exactly pleasant.

[buffy_slayer]

Buffy grins back and happily shakes the offered talon-less hand.

"Nice to meet you too. I can't promise a great imaginative drink, but I'll do my best."

Buffy sets to it, and in a moment presents, with a flourish, a fairly serviceable tequila sunrise.

"Did you actually ASK for all of the upgrades? If not, I'd ask for your money back."

[sourcebloodaughter]

Ashley picks up the glass, raises it halfway in a toast to her barista and sips. "It's great."

Really, it is. She's not much of a drinker to begin with, but she feels like she deserves something out of the ordinary today.

"Believe me, if they ever turn up here, I'll be sure to show them what I think of it."

She'd give them very little time, in fact, and they wouldn't even know what hit them if she had anything to say about it. The idea that this was exactly the sort of thing her birth father would have done - and probably had done, if he'd been able to - crosses her mind, but she pushes it back, unwilling to consider their similarities at the moment.

[buffy_slayer]

"well, if you ever need backup..." She leaves the rest unspoken, since Ashley's aware of what she can do by this point.

[sourcebloodaughter]

"You'll be the first person I call," she answers, raising her glass again. "And hey, same for you, if anyone you're not too fond of turns up."