Office hours [all day]

[sith_happened]

Anakin was in his office as usual today, glaring angrily at the Christmas themed ads as they popped up on his computer screen.

"Can't I get through Thanksgiving first?" he complained aloud.

The door was open.

Comments

[sith_happened]

Anakin's lips quirked up. "It's just a matter of looking outside of your own perspective," he said. "When you see yourself as the one to be the protector, it takes a bit to realize the other person can take care of themselves, too."

[brat_inslayage]

"And hello, irony," Kennedy replied. "Since I keep trying to get her to see she's a lot stronger than she thinks she is. Not exactly how I wanted to get the point across."

[sith_happened]

"Just be sure that this doesn't set her back," Anakin said. "Seeing your power manifest in that matter can be frightening."

[brat_inslayage]

"Yeah, I think I'm maxed out on witnessing freaktastic manifestations of power," Kennedy said half to herself, but she nodded. "Wasn't planning on letting that happen, though. The setback thing."

[sith_happened]

"Good," Anakin replied with a tiny smile. "I didn't think you were going to, but it's something to watch out for."

[brat_inslayage]

"This is me, watching out," Kennedy promised, standing up. She was about to turn and go, but she paused, her self-confidence disappearing and making her look younger and more vulnerable. "I, uh, guess it'd be pretty stupid to ask if there's a chance things'll get less complicated from here on out, huh?"

[sith_happened]

His smile turned sad. "It might," he said. "But I wouldn't count on it. As long as you learn from what you've experienced, you won't make the same errors twice."

[brat_inslayage]

"That one is going to stick with me for a long, long time," Kennedy observed ruefully. "You know? I think I get it now, why my Watcher isn't so big on the idea of me getting into the fight. 'cause maybe it wouldn't always be on that scale, but that'd be my life every day, huh?"

[sith_happened]

Anakin nodded. "It's not an easy life, and it's one that ages you quickly and tends to bleed out your sense of humor. You see too much too young."

[brat_inslayage]

"And again with the irony," Kennedy said, shaking her head. "Given that I'm getting a little too old to have a good chance of being the Slayer now."

That was because the men who'd created the Slayer line were more than a little messed up in the head, but shh. She had a couple of years to go before the creepy shadow-puppet show of doom. Oh, and also end up dealing with General Buffy the Humorless. So yeah. She'd remember this.

She set her jaw. "It's still what I'd want to do. Even with all that."

[sith_happened]

"What happens to girls who don't become Slayers?" Anakin asked. "Is there another program for you? Force-strong students who didn't become Jedi joined the Agricultural Corps."

Doesn't that sound like fun?

[brat_inslayage]

From the look on Kennedy's face? No. Not at all.

"Nope, just a normal boring everyday life," she replied, sounding like that would be marginally preferable to some Agricultural Corps. She'd die of boredom in, like, Nebraska or whatever. "I guess most of 'em are okay with that. Me, not so much."

[sith_happened]

"Have you met others?" Anakin asked. "Are there meetings?"

[brat_inslayage]

"Meetings?" Kennedy had an absurd mental image of the weirdest, most armed-to-the-teeth Girl Scout campfire ever, and laughed. "So not. I just know there's thousands of us all over the place, but it's not a group thing. Whoever does the job does it alone."

She thought that was inexpressibly stupid.

"I've met Faith and Buffy, but I haven't exactly asked what that was like for them or anything."

[sith_happened]

"Perhaps you should," Anakin replied. "They might have advice to offer."