Dawn, if you don't get your ass moving - Buffy sent her sister telepathically counting all her bags. It was something they had been able to do since Dawn had been born. Buffy had only been three and been telling her mom and dad that the new baby was hungry, or tired. She learned really quickly that it was something that would give her mom the wiggins.
I'm COMING! Dawn sent back. God do you have to be so spastic?
I'm sorry, I am just really nervous. I cant believe they are sending a car. It's weird right, that the guy just showed up and knew we were different AND convinced mom to send us to some fancy boarding school over an hours drive away. - Buffy
I mean yeah but if they can really help us control these things and let mom think were super smart genisuses going to some special school it is like a win win- Dawn
"The whole thing is just really wonky" Buffy said aloud once Dawn walked into her room.
"Really?" Dawn asked. "You are going to bring that many bags?"
"It's not like I can't carry them all" Buffy shrugged and started to load them all onto her arms. Along with having telepathy with her sister Buffy had been able to pick things up double her size since she was little and that power grew with her.
"Whatever." Dawn said and followed her sister down stairs to wait for the car and say goodbye to their mom.
"Oh!" Joyce, their mother exclaimed. "I am going to miss you both so much. Remember I am just a phone call away, and if you don't like it there or anything. I will come get you guys.
"Do you think I look okay?" Buffy asked their mother.
"Oh both of you look beautiful." Joyce looked at both of her daughters. They were both so different, Buffy's hair was long, blonde and had a slight curl to it that Dawn's straight shoulder length brown hair didn't. It was straight as could be ever since she was little. Dawn was younger by three years but taller than Buffy by a couple inches. Dawn's eyes were an icy blue that she typically wore with a smoke eye shadow that were fiercely different than Buffy's grey eyes were constantly changing colors, sometimes a bright blue, other times a caramel red brown.
"EARTH TO MOM!" Both teenagers said loudly.
"Sorry, can't a mom reminisce before her daughters leave her completely alone for some strange school?" Joyce asked.
"It's just…the cars here" Dawn said looking down. She didn't really know how she felt about leaving, she was only doing it for Buffy. She loved her little gifts and abilities, hers weren't scary like Buffy's were sometimes. She loved how close she felt with Buffy because of hers but she knew that Buffy's could seriously hurt her some day and if this school was going to help her she would do whatever she needed to help her sister.
"Oh… I love you so much Dawnie." Joyce hugged her tight with tears in her eyes.
"Awh..dont I get a goodbye mom?" Buffy asked coming back in after loading the luggage in the car.
"Of course" Joyce smiled at her hugging her as well. "Remember what I said." She looked at them both kissing them on the foreheads. "I love you both."
"Love you too!" They echoed back to her before climbing into the back of the black range rover that had pulled up.
Dawnie? You there? -Buffy
Yeah…this vehicle is giving me the creeps - Dawn
Yeah..ditto..I wonder what it will be like? -Buffy
I don't know, we haven't ever done anything like this. - Dawn
Dawnie, you didn't have to come, you know that. I really hope you didn't do this for me. - Buffy
You would have stayed Buffy. You wouldn't have come without me because you think you have to watch out for me. Don't even deny it. -Dawn
"I wonder what all kind of people will be there" Dawn said aloud motioning to Buffy. The driver keeps glancing at us, this isn't something we want people to know until after we check this place out.
"Yeah!" Buffy replied fake laughing "I hope we like our roommates" You are right we should just talk aloud.
"I hope we like the guys" Dawn said winking.
"Dawnie all you do is think about boys. I will break any guy who tries to get to close. Trust me. Guys are all kinds of bad news." Buffy said playing the overprotective sister card.
"No way!" Dawn exclaimed. "You better not or I wont even tell you about them, this is the time to be new, reinvent myself."
"Pfft. Reinvent yourself really?" Buffy laughed at her. "Okay fine, but if you need me I am there okay?"
"Alright Buf" Dawn smiled at Buffy and laid her head on Buffy's shoulder. The rest of the drive there Buffy spent worrying about everything. She worried about Dawn's safety, who her roommates were going to be, but mostly she worried about how they found her and Dawn and knew they had abilities. It was the summer before Dawn's freshman year and Buffy's junior year. Dawn had gotten really sick and when she was in the hospital overnight for observation was kidnapped. The police had no leads but Buffy could hear her. So that next night after her mom went to sleep Buffy went out the bedroom window like she used to do and followed Dawn's thoughts. When she got to the building it was just an old broken factory building and there were guys surrounding it. Dawn was pretty sure they had taken her because they thought she could do things she couldn't. They had been hounding her and yelling at her telling her to open the door, she was supposed to be the key, supposed to open portals for them. The kidnappers must have been pretty serious about it to because there were guys stationed out front and all through the building, so Buffy set them up one by one and knocked them down until she found her sister and started whaling on him. She would have kept going too, if the guy who recruited them to the school hadn't interrupted and stopped her.
…
"Dear girl, that is enough, he won't be getting anyone for quite some time." A voice behind her startled her. Buffy whirled around and got into a defensive fighting stance. She glanced over at dawn and made sure she was still okay.
"Excuse me. Who the hell are you?" Buffy demanded.
"I am here to help, you both of course." He replied. He was tall, African American and definitely a little cocky, and she definitely didn't trust him.
"Oh so you are here to help, which means you knew my sister was here, and weren't going to help the cops save her?" Buffy looked at him with a very pissed off look.
"I run a school, its for youth, it will help you control or contain your abilities. Learn about yourself." He said smiling at her.
"How do I know you are even close to legit?" Buffy asked staring him down.
"A little trust…please" He continued to smile. "Now would you like some help explaining to your mother how exactly you were able to save your sister from a gang of criminals?"
"Sure but you don't touch my sister or me." Buffy replied, "And you stay in the front. Well follow you." She untied her sister and just nodded for Dawn to trust her.
…
"Are we here?" Dawn asked lifting up her head as the vehicle came to a stop in front of what looked like a university.
"I guess…" Buffy looked around trailing off as she got out.
"Welcome, Welcome" A young-ish british guy said coming up to them. He started to drop forms.
"Here" Dawn said rushing over to help him. "You okay?" She asked looking at him.
"Yes, quite, I am truly sorry" he said looking embarrassed. "I am Wesley Wyndham Price" He extended his hand and Dawn shook it smiling at him brightly. Buffy looked at him and nodded.
"So where am I taking all these?" Buffy asked holding every single bag they owned. Hey if they were safe here she didn't need to act like the weak measly girl she was supposed to be.
"Oh… miss you don't need.." he tried to take them from her while maintaining his grip on the papers.
"I got it" Buffy replied still firmly holding the bags. "Just tell me where to put them."
"Uhm…You and Ms. Summers actually…you have different advisors. That way you both get help similar to your…expertise." Wesley said. "You will be being tutored by , he should be along shortly. There he is now" He pointed at a slightly older man who was walking towards them.
"Hello…Buffy right?" Giles asked cleaning his glasses.
"Hello…" Buffy responded warily.
"You have no reason to be apprehensive or anything. I promise." Giles smiled at her. "Would you like to go to your room?"
It is okay –Dawn
Are you sure you'll be okay? –Buffy
Yeah I will let you know how I am later okay?-Dawn
"Here" Buffy handed Wesley Dawn's bags and looked at Giles. "Where to?"
"Very well, follow me" Giles replied and walked her over to a building that had dorms in it and led her to the doors. Right before Buffy or Giles could talk the door flew open and a redhead was right there.
"Hey Giles!" Willow smiled at them both.
"Hello Willow" Giles replied. "This is Buffy"
"Hey" Buffy looked at her and smiled. Willow had long red hair and wore kind of plain clothes but seemed really nice.
"Where are you from?" Willow asked.
"California…you?" Buffy asked.
"California!" Willow exclaimed. "Oh this is exciting!"
"Yes, as that is all good and well we are having a small little meeting today." Giles said. "Willow will you make sure Buffy can find it easily?"
"Yeah I'll show her the way" Willow said and shut the door behind him. "So I am on the left side, you can have the right. Unless you want the left side because we can totally switch if you really want and I am rambling aren't I"
"Woah…" Buffy smiled. "Remember to breath, the right is so fine. I promise"
"Really…okay cool" Willow replied and sat on her bed. She picked up her pillow as Buffy started to unpack and lay out her bedding. "So…this is really awkward to ask but what can you do?"
"You first" Buffy smiled slyly at Willow. Willow opened the drawer next to her bed and pulled out a box with a lighter and seed in it. She set them on her bed and closed her eyes. The seed started to grow and the lighter's flame started to grow, the window blew open and the facet by the door started to run.
"Wow…" Buffy exclaimed. "That was super cool, so what you can move things?"
"I can kind of control the elements I guess would be how to describe it. I can't create them but I can make them move and kind of like tap into them. Your turn" Willow said shyly. Buffy stood up and walked over to Willows bed and pulled it off the ground and lifted it.
"That….that was bolted onto the floor." Willow stammered. They both looked down.
"Oops?" Buffy said looking at it. "I've got really good reflexes too, here" She handed Willow a knife "Throw it at me"
"What?" Willow asked.
"Just try it" Buffy said.
"Okay…." She took it and threw it at Buffy. Buffy caught it in front of her face with her eyes closed.
"So…lets never do that again?" Willow asked. "Super cool, but…really scary."
"I'm surprised you did it" Buffy laughed. "I think were going to be friends" She jumped into a defensive position when there was a knock at the door.
"It's okay." Willow assured opening the door. Two guys and a girl walked through. "This is Xander" She gestured towards the first guy, he was taller, dark hair, with a goofy smile. "Oz" Shorter, spikier hair, with a quiet seeming demeanor. "This is Cordelia." She looked exactly like the girls Buffy had been friends with growing up and her freshman year. She was tall, pretty with dark hair and an air of 'I'm better than you.'
"Hey" Buffy said waving at them.
"So Giles is waiting for us" Oz said leaning against the door frame.
"Wait wait wait" Xander said. "You are?" Xander smiled at Buffy.
"Buffy Summers, 17, Capricorn, has a little sister who just turned 14" Cordelia ran off without even looking. Everyone turned to stare at her. "What I do my research on newbies. Can we go now?"
"Yeah…let's not keep Giles waiting." Willow exclaimed and filtered everyone out of their bedroom. Buffy followed behind the little group, and Willow hung back with her.
"So what do you think so far?" Willow asked.
"Honestly? A little overwhelming" Buffy smiled.
"Oh?" Willow looked pensive.
"But my philosophy…do you want to hear my philosophy?" Buffy asked and continued when Willow nodded. "Life is short."
"Life is short" Willow repeated.
"Not original, Ill grant you. But its true. Why waste time worrying? Seize the moment, because tomorrow you might be dead." Buffy said nodding and smiling at her.
"Oh…that's nice" Willow smiled back. They walked a little faster until everyone stopped in front of a door that said "Rupert Giles."
"Hello everyone" Giles said standing up, "The others are already here"
"Others?" Xander echoed questiongly. "Buff here isn't the only newbie?"
"I'll just let them introduce themselves." They walked through another door inside the office. It looked like a giant training area..There were dummies, and weapons and furniture. On one wall it looked like stacks and stacks of books.
"Now everyone, gather around over at the sitting area so we can make introductions." Giles directed. Buffy sat next to Willow and a tall dark and brooding she didn't knows name. Everyone went around starting at Cordelia and worked all the way to Buffy before going to the guy next to her. He was dressed in dark colors, tall, brown hair and he seemed sketchy to her.
"My name is Liam, but I go by Angel." He said looking around at everyone. It was like he was scanning them for weaknesses. When his eyes got to Buffy though, he smiled. She gave a half smile back.
"Spike" The guy next to him announced. He had platinum blonde hair slicked back and cheekbones to die for. His eyes were bright blue, but he seemed so disinterested in everything that was happening.
"I'm Faith" She waved slightly, she had dark hair, dark clothes and a don't mess with me look. "I don't really understand what the point of meet the neighbors is"
"Yes, yes." Giles said. "Well we are going to do some self defense exercises."
"Good, something that requires neurons." Faith exclaimed and jumped up.
"Okay, Willow and Oz, Cordelia and Xander, Faith and Spike, and Buffy with Angel." Giles announced. Everyone lined up and waited for further instructions.
"Alright, no need to waste time, go ahead." Giles said sitting in a chair and pulling out a notebook.
Buffy had already mapped out the room when she entered. Something she usually did any time she walked into anywhere. She walked them back closer to the back corner with the window and pummel horse.
"I promise I won't take it too far" Angel said patronizingly getting into a fighting stance. "Ill even let you go first." Buffy's eyes narrowed into slits, this guy was just an asshole.
"Awh, thanks" She backflipped and kicked up into him and then pulled back. "I'll let you go next" She smiled sweetly. He lunged, and she dodged before punching and flipping out of the way when he went to grab her. She dodged his next hit, and then decided to stop being so defensive. She lunged and had him on his back, She threw punches, not full force ones because she didn't want to break his face but enough to put him in his place.
"Alright alright, I give" He said attempting to push her off. She didn't even budge and just glared at him until she heard Giles clear his throat behind her. Everyone had been watching them.
"Damn B" Faith said. "Someone has skills." Buffy got off him, but held out a hand to help him up.
"So, time to switch up." Giles said breaking everyone out of looking at Buffy and Angel.
"There is no way I am fighting with her" Cordelia announced. "Not just for simple defense."
"I will" Spike said smirking. It wasn't till then that Buffy noticed his accent. She was pretty sure it was some dialect of british, "I don't mind taking on the Barbie"
"Barbie?" Buffy questioned. "Are you serious?"
"I hit a nerve?" He smiled and smirked at the same time and she was pretty sure it was the most annoying thing she had seen before.
"Oh…Bring. It. On." She smiled getting into position. The rest of the group was mixed up and back doing their own thing.
He lunged at her and had her on the ground in minutes, "Thought this was supposed to be a challenge?" She wrapped her legs around him and flipped them over and back rolled off before jumping up. He jumped up as well just in time to meet a punch to the nose. He got her a couple times and she got him, pretty soon they were back on the ground, each just barely gaining the upper hand before losing it again. She had him pinned, both of them were breathing hard and staring each other down, and then it was like Buffy was looking at herself, it was weird, and oh god, her hair was a mess. She jumped up and backed away blinking a couple times before realizing he was shaking his head and slightly disoriented.
"Call it a draw yeah?" Spike asked.
"Yeah" Buffy said equally disoriented before walking over to sit by herself and think.
"Hey B" Faith said coming up to her.
"Faith right?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah, you got wicked skills" Faith declared to her.
"Thanks…" Buffy said behind. Oz and Cordelia right behind. Buffy watched Faith slink off on her own, while she was surrounded by her new acquaintances,, she sat and listened while they talked and talked. Spike and Angel were over talking while Faith was working out on some of the work out equipment.
"Oh my goodness Buffy!" Willow rushed up to her.
"That was pretty amazing" Xander announced
