"So, Angel, you ever heard of these guys?" Buffy asked as they were walking down the stairs of Sunnydale High School.

"Not that I remember...," he responded with a thoughtful look. Then he brightened, "Wait! Yes, I vaguely remember a story of a gang of sword fighting vampires. Spike saw one of their training sessions, one way or another. He said it was a real Stooge act, trainees accidentally hitting trees, trainers complaining of headaches in frustration, and one guy hit his head on a tree branch." He actually had an amused smile on his face.

Buffy was giggling uncontrollably. The image of that scene in her head was especially funny to her because she had met, briefly, so many vamps who were so sure of themselves.

"I'll bet the fully initiated members are better though," Angel added as they exited the school zone, "think Willy'll know anything?"

"Sounds good to me," Buffy responded, finally sobered (partially because of the comment on the fully initiated members). They headed to the seediest bar in town.

"Oh!" Willow exclaimed, turning the heads of the others, "I think I have something!"

"What is it?" Wesley asked, assuming leadership mode, "What have you found?"

"I was searching a sight of known vampire gangs, amazing there is a site for this, and I found a link for info on an 'Order of Undead Sword Gurus.' It says here, basically, that they're a motley group of ego-high undead, and that most of the members couldn't win a sword fight with an infant if their unlives depended on it. Looks like their standards have lowered over the centuries, huh? And the leader is named Vincent, sired by Lothos. He is a very good swordsman, in contrast. Isn't Lothos the vampire who caused Buffy so much trouble in L.A?" Willow had been reading as she was talking, but when she saw that name she stopped and looked at Giles.

"Yes," Giles answered, "see if you two can find anything on Vincent or Lothos." He thought about how Buffy would feel about this, she hated Lothos almost as much as she hated the Master.

"Right on it!" said Willow and Oz in unison. Wesely asked Giles, "Whatever *did* happen, exactly, to get Buffy expelled from Hemery?" With a sigh Giles began the tale, or as much as he remembered from the council and Buffy. Didn't the council tell this tenderfoot anything?

"Hi, Willy," the Slayer said as she walked into his bar.

"Well, hello Buffy, what a lovely evening it is. Hi Angel, how have you been? What can I do for you two lovebirds?" a nervous Willy the Snitch said in suprise.

"Relax, we just need some info and gosip on-," she was interupted by a shout from a frightened patron.

"Ack! The Slayer! SHE'LL GET ME!" He ran away very quickly. The other vamps in the room just shook their heads in disgust at the coward, knowing they were under a truce there and that they were doing no real wrong drinking pigs' blood.

"Well, that was unexpected. Do you know anything of a gang of sword fighting vampires?" Buffy asked while hiding a smile of pleasure and amusement. It was nice to know she had that effect on some vamps.

"Let me see... I heard they were coming to town and should be here this weekend. I believe the leader is named Vincent, sired by... I forget actually, but I hear you slew him. A real strong one, he was." That was all that Willy knew and they had to be satisfied with it.

"I there something wrong, honey?" Angel asked Buffy as they left. She had this thoughtful and slightly troubled look on her face. She gave a half-hearted chuckle.

"Nothing much. It's just I wonder who sired him? Willy said he was powerful, so that suggests someone like Spike or Dru, but they're still alive, unfortunately. It could be the Master, or you. Does Vincent ring a bell?"

"No, so it's probably the Master," Angel replied, "let's see what the others found." So they walked into the night.

"You guys find anything?" Buffy asked as she and Angel walked into the library.

"Yes, did you?" Giles asked. They exchanged information.

"Wow," Buffy said, "I never thought I'd hear *that* name again, unless I was describing that akward situation with the dance, and the fire, and the fight, and me getting expelled. Well now, this gives me an extra reason to slay him! But there's something I'm missing."

"I don't see anything wrong with it," Xander said.

"You didn't know Lothos like I did. I know, for instance, that he had this weird Dracula attitude and this odd intimacy obsession. But I can't think of what's wrong, though I know something is wrong." Buffy had her "serious thought" face on, "It might have something to do with his side kick, Pike and I called him Lefty after he lost his arm in that car crash, the one when Pike learned vampires where real." She had a smile on her face and gave a faint laugh, "You know he wouldn't die? I staked him and he kept writhing and going 'Ooh! Ah! Ee!' before he died."

The others were laughing at that, and Willow asked, "Who was Pike?"

"I told you about Pike! He was my boyfriend, my only friend after the girls dismissed me for hanging out with him and changing so much. Especially after Lothos killed Merick." Buffy looked rueful and regretful, "I'll think of the thing that's wrong later probably."

As they were walking out of the school, Xander asked, "Intimacy obsession?" and everyone laughed, then Buffy began,"Well..."

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