Giving Out Assignments

[madimpossibledreamer]

Our upcoming lawyer’s probably not going to get his full legal fees out of this, but the nonprofit collects funds and screens clients, then sets them up with a lawyer. It is a set number of lawyers, though, and he’s not set up with them yet. At least one of these actually exists in Canada. It’d be seen as a little more above-board than the Wellingtons just handing him the cash—though now that they’re in contact he’ll probably become one of their regular guys to call. (Trying not to give away who it is, even if there’s every chance some of you might know already.)

Main Points:
Buffy/Devil May Cry
Chapter Summary: Buffy puts Xander's plan into motion.
Word Count: 555
Rating: Teen

 

           “So, Xander loved that nail polish, even if he tried to play coy. He still hasn’t taken it off.” Elaine’s listening as they walk to the theater. She said she didn’t have much time, but it’s enough for a quick update, and Buffy’s getting a little bit of a charge with all the stares as this seeming nobody just walked up and started a conversation with a Wellington and didn’t get written off. “And it made him a hit with one of our newest clients—a little girl that practically hasn’t stopped holding his hand.”
           That gets a genuine if purposefully delicate laugh. “I would pay for a portrait of that.”
           “But we come to the favor I have to ask of you. They need legal representation. Apparently Xander’s got an idea of where to find a lawyer, but apparently you guys run a pro bono nonprofit that could…I don’t actually know how pro bono means; I just hear them throw around the words on TV, but it could help somehow?”
           Elaine sobers. “There’s a reason I’m not running it.” There’s slight amusement in the smile, but largely she’s serious. “I think Uncle Cai was hoping, somehow, it’d help us find our missing Tristan.” She gives Buffy a card. “Here’s my information. She should qualify, and if not, she’s to give me a call at that number and we’ll work something out. If all else fails, we can hire her for the time being, since that’s hardly the only nonprofit we run and her experience would be invaluable. And we certainly pay our staff enough to afford whoever Xander has in mind.”
           “We all appreciate this,” Buffy tells her, and she waves it off.
           “For the children, right?” She laughs after that. “I’ve always wanted to say that and have it actually mean something instead of being a tired cliché.”

           “Hey, Miss Library, we’ve got something else for you to look at,” Buffy announces, sitting next to Willow, who squeaks and blushes.
           “Sorry. I didn’t mean, um. What do you need?” She’s getting just the slightest bit less jittery. She hadn’t jumped as far this time.
           “We’ve got a new case, and we’re up against something called the Order of the Eightfold Unity. Anything you can give us would be a big help.” She’s seen Willow eye the weapons, but they appreciate her for what she can do that no one else other than maybe Giles can do, and they already have enough fighter types.
           “…That sounds Buddhist.” The redhead’s intrigued.
           “We’ve already seen a few, and Xander called them ‘sketchy Buddhist monks’.” Willow’s eyes light up, and Buffy grins. “You’ve got this.”

           Giles sighs, taking his glasses off and polishing them. He’s actually thought to do the young devil a favor, prompted by his own curiosity and academic fascination with the abilities shown, and here the monster was, asking for another. “Is that really what he said?”
           “He made special note to say that he has absolute faith in your skills.” Buffy’s finding this as amusing as the devil no doubt does.
           “Of course he did,” Giles mutters. A pathetically transparent attempt to manipulate him by appealing to his ego. And yet…it’s another interesting project, and perhaps the boy has a point in that staying here, stagnating in fear, is no life at all…