JUNE 1ST, 2002

Buffy stared at the machine Dawn was using.

"Super Nintendo? Isn't that awfully old school?"

Dawn continued to play, her cartridge of choice being the compilation Super Mario All Stars.

"It was ten bucks at a garage sale. I asked Xander. Said he felt bad about blurting out about Spike, and his moping, so he sprung."

Buffy sighed.

"Just not too often, okay? He's finally evening out from seeing himself as the fiend of the wedding and then the hero of the day. Still for the price, couldn't you have rented a newer system?"

Dawn pointed at her completed summer school work for that day.

"I need something wayyy uncomplicated. No people 500 miles away I forgot to rescue. Just run and jump and throw."

Through the levels of Super Mario 2 (Aka Super Mario USA) she went, til just before the end, as Buffy watched.

"So now you go through the eagle's mouth to get to the last level?"

But to Buffy's surprise, the eagle's head came alive and began to attack the character til it went down. Dawn then proceeded to fight the evil Wart. When she had won, she shut it off and went upstairs. Buffy stayed, and occasionally repeated a phrase.

"The mouth just comes alive and attacks you?"