Ch.1 In the Eyes of The chosen One
#1
They'd been Arguing it seemed from the moment she'd stepped into the room and it didn't feel as if the arguing was ever going to stop as they weren't just irritated with her, they were irritated with the whole situation. Ofcourse, She'd told some lie. A pretty good lie at that. Said that one of her friends, A guy that Joyce nor Hank had even heard about had brought a cigar to show off like kids sometimes did. He'd lit it when nobody was watching and had forgotten he'd lit it..Less than a half and hour later he'd forgotten all about the cigar and the gymnasium had caught on fire and because she was around and had held the cigar herself, had even taken a puff that she was the one to blame, As well as the reason she was kicked out of Henry High School in her first year and not the supposed boy who had brought the cigar in the first place, But the principal didn't believe her story as they had never found the supposed Cigar in the first place. Hank stood beside his daughter and said that he believed her while Joyce took the side of logic. 'If the principal didn't find a cigar obviously you're lying..Buffy I can't tell you how many times I've told you how I hate Liars!', Buffy wouldn't give her the satisfaction to see her upset. She just merely rolled her eyes. 'You wouldn't believe me anyway', Buffy had simply replied as she and her mother didn't have the best relationship and even though she and her father's relationship weren't perfect all the time when it came down to it Hank Summers would give her everything she wanted just on principal and he'd always side with her no matter what..Like now.
Of course, This appeared to annoy her mother to know end but for the most part she said nothing as their was allot of things she did that Hank didn't much like and he didn't say a word about them..it was key to live a argument free life as a married couple because they'd been to a counselor where they lived in L.A. for the last couple of months and 'She' seemed to believe that they needed to first become friends again before they push each other away for good. So in a way that's what they were doing, Trying to see each other as the way they'd done before they'd gotten married and had buffy yet it wasn't altogether the easiest thing in the world when they were rarely ever around each other anymore as he had his business trips and late nights at the office, Buffy was no fool. She knew what it meant when he stayed late yet her mother was rarely home to notice he'd been late as she'd been off dancing and partying..Probably having her own affair, If she did who would know. Buffy wouldn't be so shocked if she knew but just didn't care about her father's late-night Trysts as he may be having an affair..She maybe having them too but neither were going to complain..One, because of Buffy..Two, Considering the money. Hanks money kept Joyce and Buffy very well happy. Even hank knew, As he was no fool himself that he truly wanted to he could divorce Joyce right now and take her for everything she'd gotten..Leave her without a penny. He could even take Buffy away from her if he desired. But he didn't desire as it was a good life that they lived..Whether they just tolerated eachother now or not and if it was good for them it must've been at least decent for Buffy. Yet none of them were happy to hear that their daughter gotten kicked out of School and they would have to uproot their entire lives and move elsewhere which meant life was about to get complicated. He'd wandered in the days since if all of this complication was worth being married to Joyce, Not that he hated her by any means but she definitely wasn't making things easy.
Joyce had made it clear from the second that she'd learned they'd have to move that she wasn't going to leave California. 'I've never been out of California in my entire life Hank and my friends are here..My life is here!', Hank had been rather perturbed..his light brown hair had thinned just a little, Blue eyes darkened with fury and annoyance at her ploy to make it all about her when it was about buffy. Yet he wasn't about to say that buffy hadn't brought this on herself if her story about the cigar had been wrong but they had no way of knowing that as in a fire he was certain a cigar could've burnt up too and he trusted his daughter..He trusted that buffy wasn't just lying to them. It was unknown to him at that point but she had lied, But she'd had no choice. it wasn't as if she could stand up and say..'That gymnasium was full of all kinds of vampires and I had to do something or it would've been a blood bath', yeah that would went over real well. She could only imagine what would've happened..One thing was for certain they'd definitely have her talk to a shrink if she'd said the truth. It was different later. Later when it wasn't just the word of a girl, almost fifteen years old in her first year of high school who had just been kicked out of School for supposedly starting a fire, Later when they'd seen for themselves what buffy saw everyday.
But The last couple of days had been total and complete hell not just for buffy, Or for Hank..But buffy had realized that they couldn't know what she had to do in that gym or just how much she had the weight of the world on her shoulders..All they saw was a fire and that she was supposedly to blame and her mother had made her life ever since a living hell. Every time she had to call a friend and explain why she wouldn't be here for the Fall Parade, Or why she couldn't make it to the 'Spring Party' They had every year she'd get off the phone, Glare in buffy's direction, 'I hope your happy Buffy..You've managed not to just wreck your own life but destroy everything me and your father have built since you were a baby..Congratulations!', Hank hadn't heard her say that or he'd have intervened and said something to and it would've started one of their classic fights. Buffy was glad he hadn't been their, she wasn't in the mood for a fight. When they were around each other, That's all they did.
But whenever her mother had spoken to her since the incident she'd been snotty, Cold..Not to mention acting as buffy thought 'her age' instead of acting like a full-grown woman, a 'Mother'.
Everything was about how it was effecting her mother..Her mother had to give up on parties and friends..her mother had to change her whole life. Not a word had been about how Hank had to accept a position at a firm in Metropolis or how Buffy had to go to a new school. How they were going to be small-town people now..Not City people. Yet everything buffy went through it was no doubt, 'Buffy's own Fault'. Buffy wasn't so negative about moving to a small town. Thought that maybe it was best to start over with a fresh slate where nobody knew her. Merrick before he'd died had made it quite plain that no matter where she ran off to she'd always be the slayer; The chosen one. She feared that her watcher had been right..that no matter what she wouldn't be able to run from the fact that she was 'The chosen One'.
But The first night after getting her home from the police, thank god they hadn't pressed any charges. Besides, with her father being a lawyer and the fact they had no evidence that she'd been anything but a victim who'd happily escaped the fire they couldn't hold her. Hank had made it clear that if they did, He'd sew that particular Los Angeles Precinct and it would be in the local newspaper that these were cops not to trust..Hank had made his case as if he'd been in an actual court-room at that moment. While this annoyed her mother and bored her to tears..Buffy found herself intrigued and interested in how good at his job her father was.
But anyway that night he'd made phone call after phone call after phone call up until 8:30 at night to find buffy a school. Neither of them were what you called 24 hour parents and Hank would openly admit it. He was a business man..A lawyer and his ambition was all about becoming not just A lawyer..but 'The Lawyer'. While Joyce was all about the parties and the fun..She was the typical well to do woman in Los Angeles..She was what most consider Socialite as Attending Parties and making a good impression were the two biggest things she worried about of a day. Aside from that neither one of them were Teachers and could sit in the house 24 hours to home-school her so Hank had been out on the lookout for a school that would take her despite why she'd been kicked out of Henry and it had taken the whole night and half the morning the next day but he'd settled a deal just as easily and quickly as he had millions of times when he'd been preparing for a case. Sure, he'd tried to stay in California. He'd taken Joyce's concerns seriously knowing that she'd never left California before but nobody wanted to take a chance on Buffy. He Tried San Francisco as they had acouple of private schools too..But no daughter of his would go to a boarding School..that was out of the question whether Joyce suggested it or not. They'd find a school that would take their daughter..On their own terms. If they had reroute their entire lives to do it..he thought buffy was worth it as she hadn't given them any trouble until this and she'd practically raised herself with them being away all of the time.
He'd even tried acouple of the smaller towns but nobody was willing to give her a second chance to prove herself. That was until he left California altogether. He knew why he'd gotten her into a good school in Kansas with a good price on a nice home when anywhere else in the world he'd have lost allot more money as the town in Kansas hadn't been Lawrence or Kansas City..Not even Smallville or Metropolis..It had been a well known small town of 'Devil's Crossing'. He knew all of the urban legends but Hank Summers did not believe in Fairy tales. They were just old stories passed on through the generations but none of it was true..He nor Joyce gave much thought to stuff like that as they didn't believe in it. They weren't superstitious nor were they believers in the paranormal yet they'd kept all of the lore, All of the stories of evil and death about the town secret hidden away from Buffy as if they feared that buffy would believe it and threaten not to go when they figured it was probably just a lame story and nobody else had been willing to take buffy on and he had a job..A prominent job at a big firm in Metropolis waiting for him. with Metropolis so nearby Joyce could have her nightly parties and fun as Metropolis was just as Colorful, Just as Glamorous as L.A. could be yet she still didn't know anybody.
When he'd told them buffy hadn't said a word about it..Just nodded her head accepting that it was something she had no control over as since becoming the slayer their was nothing she seemed to be able to control and maybe she'd just finally accept it for once. While Joyce had staged the biggest melt-down in a long time. 'C..California..I..I told you I'm not L..Leaving C..California!', her stutter, loud and angry was enough to pull buffy out of her thoughts of wander and curiosity and back into the here and the now.
..'Why can't you be okay with it for once and not argue about it..Buffy's not throwing a fit even though it is her mess that started this..She's acting mature..Like an Adult! Why don't you Watch her and Take notes because this brat attitude isn't going to cut it..and by the way I tried to find some place in California like he asked but nobody would take a chance on her even though she's never been in trouble before and we don't even know the whole story! But we got a really good deal in Kansas, Sure it's a small town but Metropolis is big and isn't too far from town if you want to go and meet people and well..Do what you do..Maybe we'll actually be a family with this change,Joyce..Because we're not now..I know about you're Affairs and I'm sure you know about mine..I hate to blunt but maybe this happened for a reason!'.
Joyce was about to say something but had shockingly decided not to. Buffy thought that her own father was even being alittle hypocritical as he'd been no different than her mother had been about their world..he just liked it because he was getting a bigger promotion..his status was growing and sooner than later he was going to be 'The Lawyer' and buffy was no fool, she'd heard people speak of Metropolis. They spoke of some company who dominating the world and that he and his son were considered almost Royalty in Metropolis. Of course, his son now lived in a place called, 'Smallville'. But Buffy had heard of them..She thought the business was called, 'Luthorcorp'.
But all they cared about was themselves..how they could further along their careers or their lives..their status. Her own father claimed it was about standing up for 'His daughter', buffy didn't buy it. As soon as they were settled in he'd go back to work..he'd always be in Metropolis..maybe have more affairs and if she made quick friends things would return back to what they'd been..the whole ploy about 'Becoming a family Again' was just a speel in order to get her mother to see things his way..he'd done that before too, it was his way of carrying his own weight because he was as he put it, 'The one that made their lives so comfortable'.
It all but made her nauseous how her father went on about how he had a 'Good' feeling about this move. How this move was going to make them all happier and better. Buffy wanted to roll her eyes but didn't for fear that they'd see. She didn't care, they'd have to move no matter what and she wasn't as stuck on 'California' as her mother was. She was actually curious as too What 'Kansas' was like.
He'd went Down to get the keys for the house just last night which just happened to be a day or so before we were to leave for this town and start are lives over again. Buffy was rather excited..Anxious even to see what it would be like. What her life was going to be like now that she wasn't a California Girl anymore. She hadn't even seen pictures of Kansas in a post card so she had no idea what it looked like. It showed that once they got there it wasn't as glamour or really as different as she imagined. Sure, their weren't beaches everywhere like their was in California and people weren't running around everywhere tanned and half naked as it was still springtime and the weather was beautiful, yet in Kansas it felt a bit cooler. But where their was water in California their appeared to be more land in general in Kansas, But most things stayed the same it was mostly the fact that everyday was not a 'Beach day' if you didn't live in California.
But that morning her mother had been complaining about everything, obviously unhappy and she was taking it out on buffy. 'Why can't we just send her away..Why should we be punished for her mistakes!', Hank just boldly ignored her as if she'd said nothing but buffy had noticed him roll his eyes in the overhead mirror yet in a sense she respected her mother more. She didn't put on airs..She didn't pretend to feel something she didn't..She hated what they were doing, Hated that they were taking his high priced blue convertible with the hood up and moving van would take everything that couldn't fit in a small trunk or in the backseat. The moving van had left a good 2 hours before they had yet had said the furthest they go is the limits outside of Smallville, A good enough distance from stepping foot into that town. Hank had almost laughed at that as to him and joyce it was just a story but to people like this moving company man it was real. Buffy had heard of them, had heard of the story even though they told her it wasn't true she figured it was. But she figured that she was allotted alittle bit of arrogance and confidence..she wasn't exactly a normal girl..She was 'The slayer'. So maybe she didn't need to worry about common fears that most concerned themselves with.
It would take them at least a day and a half to get there and buffy welcomed a long, Quiet ride to where both of her parents hated the quiet and preferred the radio to be blaring or some conversation to be had but buffy just fell asleep in the still silence of her own making and if they had said something to her in that day and a half's ride she couldn't remember what it had been although she thought secretly that it was fitting..'The slayer being shipped off to a town plagued by Urban Legends of Ancient Evil', yet still..She wasn't worried. She fell silent to the soft sounds of 80's pop..her mother's choice as she faded off into an oblivion so peaceful and so far it had seemed more like a Journey than actually a good and long nap which had been much needed anyway.
She wasn't so sure how much time had slipped away from her before her eyes opened again. But It was dark out. The stars glistened brightly and a half moon gleamed in perfection in the night's velvet Blue sky. It felt like she'd been asleep for merely minutes but in reality she'd slept almost a whole day. She'd needed that sleep more than anybody could've imagined as the second she'd opened her eyes she felt so much more relaxed, Calm, and Accepting. Even curious as to what the future would hold. What life was going to be like. Alot of time had definitely passed as her mother had stopped complaining about having to uproot everything and was now in the passenger's seat on the phone, Obviously either talking to one of her Aunt's or a friend she'd had to say goodbye to in Los Angeles. While Hank seemed to be tired, yet happy.
..'You sure seemed tired..You slept at least a days ride..It's nearly Midnight!', Buffy sighed as she looked around almost perplexed by this information yet not sorry at all, 'Wow..I must've been tired..how much further we got to go?'. Hank fidgeted scanning a map as he was pretty good with directions and then turned to the address of their new home. It wasn't anything as great as the home they'd come from but it was nearly a 3 story with a closed in porch, a double Garage..Their was even a study for him to put his Books..Some were books he'd had to learn to become a lawyer, while others were a classic collection he'd collected from the time he was a boy. It was a nice house,though. One of the best for sale he'd seen in the town. After a moment Hank sighed calculating in his head how much further they'd really have to go. 'About afew hours..We'll be to town before 5:30, At least..I figured we'll stop by a cafe..I think they called it, 'The Talon' for breakfast and then You're mother will drive the rest of the way into town and I'll get into the moving van and bring our stuff..the moving men will pick up their truck on Saturday I think he said!', Hank explained as Joyce was oblivious to anything that went on outside of her phone conversation.
Buffy couldn't imagine being so tired that she'd nearly slept a whole day but she would never call her father a liar and she did feel completely alert and relaxed, something she hadn't been in the last few days since she'd gotten into trouble and had been kicked out of School, Since all the drama had began. It felt good to be so relaxed and she felt extra confident that even if this town were haunted or whatever the Legend says that she was above and beyond any normal person and she could handle, Wasn't that what being the slayer was all about? maybe her confidence had come off alittle arrogant but at the end of the day she felt the power inside of her and she knew that she didn't have to fear ordinary Monsters and Scary Stories in spite of the fact of who she was and maybe that was the best news yet. Of course, her parents didn't believe the stories; The legends. Had called it a bunch of 'Nonsense' but didn't she have to believe it? Was it really that much more odd than Vampires? she wandered.
Soon her mother was off the bulky black cellular phone and put it away. It wasn't really for personal stuff. It was for emergency only yet sometimes her mother broke the rules if it suited her purpose, She slid the cellular phone into the Glove Compartment on the roof of the passenger's side of the car and it wasn't long after that she'd fallen fast asleep just as Buffy had been doing yet Hank couldn't get tired or drift into sleep..After all, he was the responsible driver.
Buffy used this time to think about things, To take this time to reflect on things that had been going on and this new information of being 'The chosen one', Afterall it was a lot to take in. Sure, She had no choice but to believe it. When Vampires had shown up, Their sharp point teeth, Their Deformed faces, The dark threatening glint in their eyes phrasing at her as 'Slayer', and she'd had enough strength and power to kill them, Merrick had claimed the Super-human Strength was what it was called. So she sposed that she had to believe it as she'd seen it and felt it. How else could she explain the fire, afterall? That Gymnasium had been full of Vampires and as Merrick had put it, It was her 'Destiny' to Slay them.
But more than that, she hand't fully thought about how different and weird it was going to be living a small town, Not just that though. But not living in California anymore, If their was one thing that her mother was right about it was that as they'd never lived anywhere but California, She'd lived her entire life in Los Angeles. Living anywhere else seemed like a dream she'd dreamt up in her sleep,not reality but it was real enough.
Her mother slept for almost 3 hours just as they were pulling into a small town which buffy figured was an average small town in Kansas, she wandered if this was anything like what their new home-town would be like. Although their were afew Farms on the outskirts of town. A wooden sign read just before the entrance of a large farm with a yellow 2 story house, 'The Kent Farm'. But they were going into town first..
Just before they entered town buffy noticed a clearing, A woodsy area that looked to be what most would expect to cross when on a camp-out or Hunting. Their was a paved dirt road which looked no more bigger than the path that Bikers and Joggers would take on an evening exercise routine, It appeared almost haunted, foreboding to buffy while to most it would just look like a path to one great camp-out or Hunting spot. To the side of the road was another wooden sign which looked as if some of the town must've built it with their own two hands..'Now Entering Devil's Crossing..Enter at your own risk'.
Her father had noticed her looking intently at the sign and the path and sighed. 'People will do anything to get people spooked..I wouldn't worry about it buffy! I'm sure the town is just as normal as any other town is', Buffy nodded but something inside of her told her that he was wrong, dead wrong.
But they'd pulled into town, The town of Smallville was a fairly average town with it's share of businesses, Schools, and Parks. A good distance from the Kent Farm was a tall Mansion in which Hank had pointed out to buffy and now Joyce, 'That over there is the Luther Mansion..I'll be doing business with him in Metropolis!'. Joyce and buffy merely nodded. It was the kind of building, The kind of home that demanded that you pulled over and showed it respect, Honor as it was the richest home in Smallville, their was no other building quite like it as most of the other houses were either Farms or simple average ranch-style homes set in suburban neighborhoods.
Soon they drove up to a small cafe which wasn't that big at all, Buffy assumed it was your typical Coffee shop that just happened to serve breakfast. Their was a big sign on the front of building which read, 'The Talon' and this morning their were only acouple of cars their as it was still alittle early, going on 7:30. Buffy was certain that allot of the customers probably didn't show up until at least nine. But she let her parents lead her in. Her mother didn't speak to her, Every time she did reference something to her it was at her, not to her. As if the reason they were in the middle of a state Joyce had never been to let alone lived in was enough for her to stop talking to her entirely.
The design of the Cafe was nothing major. Just average round tables with chairs and a bar and a door that led to what buffy figured was the 'Kitchen', their was afew people around. A tall rough looking blonde haired guy sat at a table drinking a fairly good sized cup of Coffee with a handsome grin on his face, Buffy would learn later that the man's name was 'Jonathan Kent'.
Of course everybody was friendly enough. Especially a girl about Buffy's age. She was Asian looking with dark hair that fell below her shoulders and dark brown eyes, her black name tag read, 'Lana Lang'.
Of course her warm demeanor shifted once she'd realized where they were going as if she herself had a personal connection to the town of 'Devils Crossing'. But they'd been in their less than an hour to finish their breakfast. Hank hadn't been too hungry and had just ordered a black Coffee while her mother had ordered the works, Pancakes and eggs with chocolate milk as buffy had just simply ordered a plate of strawberry waffles and a tall glass of orange Juice. Less than an hour later they were back in the car headed for that opening Buffy had noticed on the way there wandering just how mirky and Dark it actually would be in the forest on the ride there.
She hadn't been wrong about the darkness or the haunting air that passed through as they drove through a dark forest headed for 'Devil's Crossing' as buffy realized that this was a part of Devil's crossing. Lana, The girl in the restaurant had warned her, Said that the Forest was the saving grace that stood in between Smallville and Devil's crossing. She'd spoken about it as if the forest itself was a shield to protect those that lived outside of the small town's limits, as if there should've been a sign on the way in which read..'You are now entering Hell..Enter at your own Risk!'.
But the forest was something to see. It wasn't dark at all outside when they'd been in Smallville as they'd just had breakfast but driving down that small paved road that led through the forest to the small town which was going to become their new home buffy couldn't help but to notice how everything had been shaded dark, a halo loomed above radiating a florescent tone which made it look like moments before Twilight but it wasn't. Just the fact of what she was seeing made her wander if her mother hadn't been right, if Lana, the girl in the Talon had been right..'Was moving to Devil's Crossing a Terrible mistake?'.