In every generation there is a chosen one. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the slayer.
sunnydale highschool at night
(the camera pans around from around the side of the building to the main entrance. Cut to a hall. The camera moves down the hall past the trophy case and at the library turns to the right down a another hall. Cut to the science classroom. The camera pans low along a row of desks. Cut to the windows. The counter in front of them is full of various things: a skeleton, some vertebrae, jars of things in formaldehyde, a sckull and a microscope. A fist punches through a windowpane and reaches in to undo the clasp. It's a boy and a girl, sneaking into the school)
Darla: are you sure this is a good idea?
Boy: it's a great idea, now come on. (They crawl in. Cut to the hall. They come out of the classroom and walk down the hall.)
Darla: do you go to school here?
Boy: i used to. On top of the gym it's so cool. You can see the whole town. ( he continues down the hall, but she stops him close to the intersection)
Darla : i, i, i, I don't wanna go up there.
Boy: aw, you can't wait, huh?
Darla: we're just gonna get in trouble.
Boy: yeah, you can count on it ( they almost kiss when darla startles, draws a quick breath and turns her head around to look down the hall)
Darla: what was that?
Boy: what was what?
Darla: i heard a noise.
Boy: it's nothing!
Darla: uh, uh, maybe it's something.
Boy: or maybe it's some THING!.
Darla: that's not funny. (The boy looks down the other hall)
Boy: hellooooo! (To Darla) there's nobody here.
Darla: are you sure? (She looks away)
Boy: yeah, i'm sure.
Darla: okay. (She turns back to him all vamped out. She growls and bites him. He grunts in pain as they sink to the floor.)
Buffy's room
(The camera shows a shot from above of her in bed. She's having a nightmare, with visions of the master's lair, the cemetery, the master of vampires and other demons, various events and artifacts. She wakes with a start.
Joyce: (off camera) buffy?
Buffy: (sitting up) I'm up, mom!
Joyce: (off camera) don't wanna be late for your first day!
Buffy: (to herself) no . . . Wouldn't want that.
School
(The camera pans from the street to the main building. Cut to Joyce pulling up to the school in her jeep to drop of Buffy.)
Joyce: okay! (Buffy gets out)
Joyce: have a good time. I know you're gonna make friends right away, just think positive. ( she give two thumps up. Buffy looks through the open car door and gives her mother a quick nod. She turns to go and closes the door behind her.)
Joyce: and honey (Buffy looks back at her mom again)
Joyce: try not to get kicked out?
Buffy: I promise.
Joyce: okay.
(Buffy faces the school and lets out a deep breath. Joyce drives off. Cut to xander, doing his usual bob and weave through the crowd on his skateboard.)
Xander: 'scuse me, comin ' through, pardon me, 'scuse me, not how to stop, please move, whoa, 'scuse me . . . (Notices Buffy) whoa. (He stares at her and doesn't notice that he's headed right for the stair railing. He crashes into it and falls beneath it, grunting in pain.)
Xander: god! (Willow walks up and has to step high to avoid tripping over his legs.)
Xander: i'm okay. I fell good. (She looks down at him, smiling and pulling her hair behind her ear.)
Xander: (sees her) willow! You're so very much the person i wanna see! (Gets up)
Willow: oh, really?(they start walking toward the school)
Xander: yeah. You know, i kidna had a problem with the math.
Willow: uh, which part?
Xander: the math. Can you help me out tonigt, pleeeease, be my study buddy?
Willow: well, what's in it for me?
Xander: a shiny nickel!
Willow: okay. Do you have "theories in trig"? You should Check it out.
Xander: check it out?
Willow: from the library? Where the books live.
Xander: right, I'm there! See, i wanna change . . .
The hall just inside the door
Jesse: hey, hey!
Xander: hey, jesse, what's what?
jesse: new girl!
Xander: that's right, i saw her. Pretty much a hottie!
Willow: i heard someone was transferring . . .
Xander: so tell!
jesse: tell what?
Xander: what's the sitch, what do ya know about her?
jesse: new girl.
Xander: well, you're certainly a front of nothing!
Principle Fultie's office
(Buffy is seated. Fultie has her school records and walks around the desk to his chair as he looks them over.)
Mr. Fultie: Buffy summers, sophomore, late of hemery high school of los angeles. Interesting record, quite a career. . .
(he sits, takes the sheet he's reading and tears it into four pieces.)
Mr. Fultie: welcome to sunnydale! A clean slate, Buffy, that's what you get here. What's past is past. We're not interested in what it is says on a piece of paper, even if it says . . .(reads) whoa.
Buffy: Mr. Fultie-
Mr. Fultie: All the kids here are free to call me bob.
Buffy: bob-
Mr. Fultie: but they don't. (He begins resembling the torn sheet.)
Buffy: i know my transcripts are a little. . . Colorful.
Mr. Fultie: heey . . . We're not caring about that. Do you think, uh, 'colorful' is the word(tapes the paper) not, uh, 'dismal'?
Buffy: it wasn't THAT bad!
Mr. Fultie: you burned down the gym.
Buffy: (exhales) I did, I really did, but . . . You're not seeing the big picture here, I mean, that gym was full of vampi-asbestos.
Mr. Fultie: Buffy, don't worry. Any other school they might say 'watch your step' or 'we'll be watching you' . . . But, that's just not the way HERE. We want to service your needs, and help you to respect our needs. And if your needs and our needs don't mesh . . .(he puts the poorly repaired sheet back into her file and slaps it shut. She gives him a thin, nervous smile.)
The hall
(Buffy comes out of Mr. Fultie's office. She opens her bag and rummages through it as she walks into the hall right in front of a girl and a boy. The girl bumps inro her, making Buffy lose her grip on the bag and spill its contents.)
Buffy:oh! Sorry!
Girl: that's okay.
Buffy: (looks down at the mess)oh . . .(Xander hears the noise, looks back, quickly comes over and squats down next to her and helps her gather her things.)
Xander: can i have you? (Buffy gives hima confused look)
Xander: Duh . . .(chuckles) can I help you?
Buffy: (smiles) thanks.
Xander: I don't know you, do I?
Buffy: I'm Buffy. I'm new.
Xander: Xander. Is-is me. Hi(smiles)
Buffy: um, thanks. (They finish gathering up everything)
Xander: well, uh, maybe I'll see you around. . . Maybe at school. . . Since we. . . Both. . . Go there.
Buffy: great!(they stand up) it was nice meeting you.(she starts down the hall)
Xander: (unimpressed with himself) we both go to school. Very suave. Very not pathetic.
(He notices a stake still on the floor)
Xander: oh, hey!(picks it up) hey, you forgot your. . . Stake.
(Buffy doesn't hear him and continues down the hall. Xander holds on to the stake)
History classrom
(everyone is in their seat and waiting for the teacher. She comes in the room)
Katrina: hello, class. Sorry if i'm late. I'm your new history teacher Katrina crane. Today we're learning about the black death.(Katrina writes "black death"on the chalk board and then turns to the class.)
Katrina: it's estimated that about twenty-five million people died in that one four-year span. But the fun part of the Black Plague is that originated in Europe how?
(Cordelia is taking notes. So is Buffy, seated next to her)
Katrina:as an early form of germ warfare. If you'll look at the map on page sixty-three you can trace the spread of the disease into rome, then north. . .
(Buffy doesn't have a book and looks around for help. Cordelia notices and shares her book.)
Buffy: (to Cordelia) thanks.
Katrina: and this popular plague lead to what social changes? Steven?
(The bell rings and the students get up to leave.)
Cordelia: Hi! I'm Cordelia.(offers her hand)
Buffy: (accepts it) I'm Buffy.
Cordelia: if you're looking for a text book of your very own there's probably a few in the library.
Buffy: oh, great, thanks.(they get up) where would that be?
Cordelia: I'll show you, come on. (They start to walk out of the classroom) so you're from hemery ,right? In L.A?
Buffy: uh, yeah.
Cordelia: oh, I would KILL to live in L.A. That close to that many shoes?
(Buffy has to luagh as they go into the hall)
The two of them walking down another part of the hall.
Cordelia: well, you'll be okay here. If you hang with me and mine, you'll be accepted in no time. Of course, we do have to test your coolness factor. You're from L.A., So you can skip the written, but let's see. Vamp nail polish?
Buffy: um, over?
Cordelia: so over. James speader?
Buffy: he needs to call me!
Cordelia: frappaccinos?
Buffy: trendy, but tasty.
Cordelia: john tesh?
Buffy: the devil.
Cordelia: that was pretty much a gimme, but . . .you passed!
Buffy: oh, goody!
(they turn toward a drinking fountain. Wilow is there. She straightens up and sees them coming.)
Cordelia: willow! Nice dress! Good to know you've seen the softer side of sears.
Willow: uh, oh, well, my mom picked it out.
Cordelia: no wonder you're such a guy magnet. Are you done?
(Willow looks at the fountain, then back at Cordelia.)
Willow: oh!(she turns and leaves. Buffy watches her go for a moment, then looks back at Cordelia after she starts talking again.)
Cordelia: you wanna fit in here, the first rule is: know your loseers. Once you identify them all by sight (glances at willow) they're a lot easier to avoid.
(Buffy lets out a nervous laugh and nods. She looks at willow again, who has gone through the door at the end of the hall. Willow looks back at them before she continues.)
Another area in the hall
(The two of them continue their walk to the library)
Cordelia: and if you're not to swamped with catching up you should came by the Bronze tonight.
Buffy: the who?
Buffy: the Bronze. It's the only club worth going around here. They let anybody in, but it's still the scene. It's in the bad part of town.
Buffy: where's that?(stops outside the library doors)
Cordeila: about a half a block from the good part of town. (Laughing) we don't have a whole lot of town here. But, um, you should show!
Buffy: well, I'll try. (Looks toward the library) uh, thanks.
Cordelia: good. So, um, I'll see you in gym, and you can tell me absolutely everything there is to know about you.(waves and goes.)
Buffy: (waves back) great! (To herself) oh, that sounds like fun.
(She goes into the library)
Inside the library
(She comes in and looks around. It's looks deserted.)
Buffy: hello? (Continues in) anybody here?
(She looks at the book checkout counter and sees a newspaper. A picture has been circled. The caption above it reads "local boys still missing." Giles comes up behind her and taps her on the shoulder. She spins around, startled.)
Buffy: ohh! (Exhales) anybody's here!
Giles: Can I help you?
Buffy: I was looking for some, well, books. I'm new.
Giles: miss summers?
Buffy: good call! Guess I'm the only new kid, huh?
Giles: I'm Mr. Giles. The librarian. I was told you were coming.
(He heads around behind the counter)
Buffy: great! So, um, I'm gonna need 'perspectives on 20th century -'
Giles: (interrupting) I know what you're after! (with a big grin on his face he pulls out a large old book with the word "vampyr" written in gold leaf on the front cover. Buffy looks up at him with an uneasy gaze.)
Buffy: that's not what I'm looking for.
Giles: are you sure.
Buffy: I'm WAY sure.
Giles: (confused) my mistake. (He puts the book back behind the counter. Buffy quickly leaves.)
Giles: (straightening back up) so, what is it you said-.(he sees her go out of the library. Their first encounter leaves him puzzled.)
Girl's locker room
(Two girls disussing buffy)
Aphrodisia: the new kid? She seems kimd of weird to me. Whay kind of name is Buffy?
girl: hey, Aphrodisia!
Aphrodisia: oh, hey!
Aura: well, the chatter in the caf is that she got kicked out, and that's why her mom had to get a new job.
(The girls work the combination to their gym lockers)
Aphrodisia: neg!
Aura: pos! She was starting fights!
Aphrodisia: neg-ly!
Aura: (opening her locker) well I heard from Blue, and she said-
(the dead boy falls out of the locker onto Aura's arms. She screams and lets the body fall.)
The quad at school
(Willow is sitting on a bench in front of a wall taking out her lunch. Buffy approachs.)
Buffy: uh, hi! Willow, right?
Willow:(looks up) why? I-I mean, hi! Uh, did you want me to move?
Buffy: why don't we start with, 'hi, I'm Buffy, ' and, uh, then let's segue directly into me adking you a favor. (Sits next to her) it doesn't involve moving, but it does involve hanging out with me for a while.
Willow: but aren't you hanging out with Cordelia?
Buffy: I can't do both?
Willow: not legally.
Buffy:(exhales) look, I really wanna get by here-new school-and. . . Cordelia's been really nice. . . to me. . . Anyway, but, um, i kinda have this burning desire not to flunk all my classes, and I heard a rumor that you were the person to talk to if I wanted to get caught up.
Willow: oh, I could TOTALLY help you out! Uh, if you have sixth period free we could meet in the library?
Buffy: or not. Or we could meet someplace quieter. Louder. Uh, that place kidna gives me the wiggins.
Willow: oh, it has that effect on most kids. I love it, though, it's a great collection, and The new librarian is really cool.
Buffy: he's new?
Willow: yeah, he just started. He was a curator at some British museum, or, or, THE British museum, I'm not sure. But he knows everything, and he brought all these historical volumes and biographies, and am i the single most dullest person alive?
Buffy: not at all.
(Xander hops onto the wall behind the girls and sits on it between them. Jesse stands in front of them and drops his bag.)
Jesse: hey!
Xander: you guys busy? Are we interrupting? We're interrupting.(Xander tosses his bag to jesse.)
Buffy: hey!
Willow: hey!
Jesse: hey there! (Jesse drops Xander's bag next to his.)
Willow: Buffy, this is jesse and that's Xander.
Xander: oh, me and Buffy go waaay back, old friends, very close. Then there's that period of estrangement where I think we were both growing up as people, but here we are, like old times, I'm quite moved.
Jesse: is it me, or are you turning into a bibbling idot?
Xander: no, it's, uh, it's not you.
Buffy: well, it's s nice to meet you guys, i think. (Xander jumps down to retrieve the stake from his bag.)
Jesse: well, you know, we wanted to welcome ya, make ya feel at home, unless you have a scary home...
Xander: and to return this. (Holds up the stake) the only thing i can think is that your building a really little fence. (Hands it to her)
Buffy: (takes it)Hah, no, um, a-a-actually it was for self-defense. Everyone has them in L.A. Pepper spray is just so passé.
Xander: So what do you do for fun, what do you like, what do you look for in a man, let's hear it.
Jesse: if you have any dark, painful secrets you'd like us to publish?
Buffy: gee, everyone wants to know about me. How keen.
Xander: well, not much goes on in one starbucks town like sunnydale. You're pretty big news.
Buffy: I'm not. Really.
Cordelia:(interrupts) are these guys bothering you?
Buffy: uh, no!
Willow: she's not hanging out with us.
Jesse: (stands next to her) hey! Cordelia!
Cordelia: (to Jesse) Oh, please! (to Buffy) I don't mean to interrupt your downward mobility, but I just wanted to tell you that you won't be meeting Coach Foster, the woman with the chest hair, because gym was canceled due to the EXTREME dead guy in the locker.
Buffy: what?
Willow: what are you talking about?
Cordelia: Some guy was stuffed in Aura's locker!
Buffy: Dead.
Cordelia: Totally dead. Way dead.
Xander: It's not just a little dead, then?
Cordelia: Don't you have an elsewhere to be?
Jesse: Y'know, if you need a shoulder to cry on, or just to nibble on...
Buffy: How did he die?
Cordelia: I don't know.
Buffy: Well, were there any marks?
Cordelia: Morbid much! I didn't ask!
Buffy: (looks at everyone) Um, I gotta book. I'll, I'll see you guys later. (She grabs her things and leaves. Cordelia stares after her.)
Cordelia: What's her deal?
Outside of the gym
(Buffy sneaks up to an outside entrance. It's locked. She uses her strength to break the door and goes in, looking around to make sure no one sees her.)
the locker room.
(Buffy finds the body and pulls back the sheet. She sees the vampire bite.)
Buffy: Oh, great.
Cut to the library.
(Buffy barges in. )
Buffy: Okay, what's the sitch?
Giles: (in the stacks) Sorry?
Buffy: You heard about the dead guy, right? The dead guy in the locker?
Giles: (steps into the light) Yes. (She drops her bag on the study table and heads up the stairs.)
Buffy: 'Cause, it's the weirdest thing. He's got two little, little holes in his neck, and all his blood's been drained. (meets him) Isn't that bizarre? Aren't you just going, 'ooh'?
Giles: I was afraid of this.
Buffy: Well, I wasn't! It's my first day! I was afraid that I was gonna be behind in all my classes, that I wouldn't make any friends, that I would have last month's hair. I didn't think there'd be vampires on campus. And I don't care.
Giles: Then why are you here?
Buffy: To tell you that... I don't care, which... I don't, and... have now told you, so... bye. (turns away to go)
Giles: Is he, w-will he... rise again?
Buffy: (turns back) Who?
Giles: The boy.
Buffy: No. He's just dead.
Giles: Can you be sure?
Buffy: To make you a vampire they have to suck your blood. And then you have to suck their blood. It's like a whole big sucking thing. Mostly they're just gonna kill you. Why am I still talking to you? (Buffy turns and goes down the stairs. Giles moves over to the railing.)
Giles: You really have no idea what's going on, do you? You think it's coincidence, your being here? That boy was just the beginning.
Buffy: Oh, why can't you people just leave me alone?
Giles: Because you are the Slayer. (comes down the stairs) Into each generation a Slayer is born, one girl in all the world, a Chosen One, one born with the strength and skill to hunt-
Buffy: (interrupts and joins in) With the strength and skill to hunt the vampires, to stop the spread of their evil blah, blah, blah... I've heard it, okay?
Giles: I really don't understand this attitude. You, you've accepted your duty, you, you've slain vampires before...
Buffy: Yeah, and I've both been there and done that, and I'm moving on.
Giles: What do you know about this town? (goes into his office)
Buffy: It's two hours on the freeway from Neiman Marcus?
Giles: Dig a bit in the history of this place. You'll find a, a steady stream of fairly odd occurrences. Now, I believe this whole area is a center of mystical energy, (comes back with four books) that things gravitate towards it that, that, that you might not find elsewhere. (sets them on the table)
Buffy: Like vampires. (He puts the volumes into Buffy's arms one by one as he lists off various monsters and demons.)
Giles: Like zombies, werewolves, incubi, succubi, everything you've ever dreaded was under your bed, but told yourself couldn't be by the light of day.They're all real!
Buffy: What? You, like, sent away for the Time-Life series?
Giles: Ah, w-w-w-yes.
Buffy: Did you get the free phone?
Giles: Um, the calendar.
Buffy: Cool! But, okay, (gives back the books) first of all, I'm a Vampire Slayer. And secondly, I'm retired. Hey, I know! Why don't you kill 'em?
Giles: I-I'm a Watcher, I-I haven't the skill...
Buffy: Oh, come on, stake through the heart, a little sunlight... It's like falling off a log.
Giles: A, a Slayer slays, a Watcher-
Buffy: Watches?
Giles: Yes. No! (sets down the books) He, he trains her, he, he, he prepares her-
Buffy: Prepares me for what? For getting kicked out of school? For losing all of my friends? For having to spend all of my time fighting for my life and never getting to tell anyone because I might endanger them? Go ahead! Prepare me.
(They just look at each other for a moment. Buffy exhales, turns and leaves the library in disgust. Giles hesitates for an instant. )
Giles: (to himself) Damn! (He runs after Buffy. Xander walks out from behind the stacks.)
Xander: What?
The hall
(Giles catches up with Buffy.)
Giles: It's getting worse!
Buffy: What's getting worse? (He guides her over to the wall and speaks with her in a low voice.)
Giles: The influx of the undead, the... supernatural occurrences, it's been building for years. There's a reason why you're here and a reason why it's now!
Buffy: Because now is the time my mom moved here. (She tries to evade him, but he puts his arm out to stop her.)
Giles: Something's coming, something, something... something is, is gonna happen here. Soon!
Buffy: Gee, can you vague that up for me?
Giles: The signs, as far as I can tell, point to a crucial mystical upheaval, very soon. Days. Possibly less.
Buffy: Oh, come on! This is Sunnydale! How bad an evil can there be here?
Outside the school.
(The camera descends behind some bushes and sinks through the ground into the lair of the Master. There are candles everywhere. Vampires bearing torches are gathering. The camera moves around the lair as Luke chants and eventually comes to rest on him.)
Luke: The sleeper will wake. The sleeper will wake. The sleeper will wake. The sleeper will wake, and the world will bleed. Amen!
Buffy's room.
(She's considering what to wear to the Bronze. She holds a shiny black outfit up to the mirror.)
Buffy: Hi! I'm an enormous slut! (holds up a blue floral dress) Hello! Would you like a copy of 'The Watchtower'? (lowers the dress) I used to be so good at this. (Her mother comes into the room. )
Joyce: Hi, hon. (Buffy returns her dresses to the closet.)
Buffy: Hey!
Joyce: Are you, uh, going out tonight?
Buffy: Yeah, I'm going to a club.
Joyce: Oh. Will there be boys there?
Buffy: No, Mom. It's a nun club.
Joyce: Well, just be careful.
Buffy: I will.
Joyce: You know, I think we can make it work here. I've got my positive energy flowing... I'm gonna get the Gallery on its feet... Oh, uh, we may have found a space today.
Buffy: That's great.
Joyce: Oh, and that school is a, a very nurturing environment, which is just what you need.
Buffy: Well, actually...
Joyce: Oh, not too nurturing. I know, you're sixteen, I've read all about the dangers of over-nurturing. (Buffy goes to her bed and lays out a couple of outfits.) It's hard. New town and everything... It is for me, too. I'm trying to make it work. (takes her daughter's hands in hers) I'm GOING to make it work.
Buffy: I know.
Joyce: Oh, you're a good girl, Buffy, (pats her on the head) you just fell in with the wrong crowd. But that is all behind us now.
Buffy: It is. From now on I am only going to hang out with the living. (they let go of their hands, and she picks up her dresses) I mean, lively. People. (Buffy heads back to her closet with an awkward look on her face.)
Joyce: Hmm. Okay. You have fun.
outside later that evening.
(Buffy is walking down a dark street, when someone appears behind her. She senses that she is being followed. After walking for a ways, when she gets a chance she ducks down an alley and looks around for a place to hide. A cat yowls and kicks some cans as it runs away. She spies something above her. Angel comes into the alley but doesn't see her. As he slowly walks along, the camera pulls up to reveal Buffy in a handstand on a bar high above the pavement. When Angel has passed underneath her, she swings down and kicks him in the back. He is knocked to the ground, and Buffy positions herself above him with a foot on his chest.)
Angel: Ah, heh. Is there a problem, ma'am?
Buffy: Yeah, there's a problem. Why are you following me?
Angel: I know what you're thinking. Don't worry, I don't bite. (She backs off and lets him get up, but keeps her fighting stance.) Truth is, I thought you'd be taller, or bigger muscles and all that. You're pretty spry, though. (massages his neck)
Buffy: What do you want?
Angel: The same thing you do.
Buffy: (lets down her guard) Okay. What do I want?
Angel: (steps toward her) To kill them. To kill them all.
Buffy: Sorry, that's incorrect. But you do get this lovely watch and a year's supply of Turtle Wax. What I WANT is to be left alone! (She starts a determined walk away.)
Angel: Do you really think that's an option anymore? You're standing at the Mouth of Hell. And it's about to open. (She stops, turns to him and looks at him with a wide-eyed gaze. He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a small box.) Don't turn your back on this. (tosses her the box) You've gotta be ready.
Buffy: What for?
Angel: For the Harvest.
Buffy: Who are you?
Angel: Let's just say... I'm a friend. (starts to leave)
Buffy: Yeah, well, maybe I don't want a friend.
Angel: (turns back) I didn't say I was yours. (He leaves. Buffy stares after him for a moment, then opens the box. It contains a silver cross and chain. She takes it out, holds it in her hand and takes another glance in his direction.)
outside the Bronze.
(People are arriving and meeting. Buffy is wearing the cross around her neck. She walks up to the entrance, gives the doorman some cash and goes in.)
Inside the Bronze.
(Sprung monkey is playing "Believe" loudly, and the dance floor is crowded with people.)
Lyrics: Oh, I just want to believe / Can you hear me? / Can you see me? / What's inside of me? / Oh, I just want to believe / If my life can have a purpose / Help me to believe / Oh, I just want to believe / Can you hear me? / Can you see me? / What's inside of me? / Oh, I just want to believe / If my life can have a purpose / Help me to believe (Buffy moves to the music a bit. She sees a guy waving in her direction and waves back, then notices someone behind her waving back and pulls her hand down, embarrassed.)
Lyrics: Everybody wants to find the circle / The line of truth that has no end / Because so many nights I've slept with the feeling of empty / And I say, right now I'm ready to believe (She finds the bar and sees Willow sitting there.)
Buffy: Hey!
Willow: Oh, hi! (Buffy walks around her and sits on the stool next to her. Willow turns to face her. )Hi!
Buffy: Oh, you're here with someone?
Willow: No, I'm just here. I thought Xander was gonna show up.
Buffy: Oh, are you guys going out?
Willow: No, we're just friends. We used to go out, but we broke up.
Buffy: How come?
Willow: He stole my Barbie. (Buffy looks confused) Oh, we were five.
Buffy: Oh.
Willow: I-I-I don't actually date a whole lot... lately.
Buffy: Why not?
Willow: Well, when I'm with a boy I like, it's hard for me to say anything cool, or, or witty, or at all. I-I can usually make a few vowel sounds, and then I have to go away.
Buffy: It's not THAT bad!
Willow: No, i-it is. I think boys are more interested in a girl who can talk.
Buffy: You really HAVEN'T been dating lately.
Willow: It's probably easy for you.
Buffy: Yeah, real easy.
Willow: I-I mean you don't seem too shy.
Buffy: Well, my philosophy, do you wanna hear my philosophy?
Willow: Yeah, I do!
Buffy: Life is short.
Willow: Life is short!
Buffy: Not original, I'll grant you, but it's true. You know? Why waste time being all shy and worrying about some guy, and if he's gonna laugh at you. Seize the moment, 'cause tomorrow you might be dead.
Willow: Oh, that's nice! (Buffy looks up and sees Giles on the upper level.)
Buffy: Um, I'll be back in a minute. (gets up to go)
Willow: Oh, tha-that's okay, you don't have to come back.
Buffy: (smiles) I'll be back in a minute.
Willow: (to herself) Seize the moment. (Cut to Buffy, making her way to the stairs. The camera follows her up.
Lyrics: I feel love with my friends / I feel love in my songs / If I could just hold love / Then all the answers might come / I said, oh, if we're all children of God / And we just turned away / I got a lack of belief / I said a world without faith / It's time we turn back around
Buffy: (finds Giles) So, you like to party with the students. Isn't that kinda skanky?
Giles: Oh, right, this is me having fun. Watching... clown hair prance about is hardly my idea of a party. I'd much rather be at home with a cup of Bovril and a good book.
Buffy: You need a personality, stat!
Giles: (points to the crowd below) This is a perfect breeding ground for vampire activity. It's dark, it's crowded... Besides, I knew you were likely to show up, and I have to make you understand-
Buffy: That the Harvest is coming. I know, your friend told me.
Giles: What did you say?
Buffy: The Harvest. That mean something to you? 'Cause I'm drawing a blank.
Giles: I'm not sure. Uh... W-who told you this?
Buffy: This... guy. Dark, gorgeous in an annoying sort of way. I figured you two were buds.
Giles: No. The Harvest. Did he say anything else?
Buffy: Something about the Mouth of Hell. I Really didn't like him! (The band has finished its song and there's lots of applause. They soon start their next song, "Swirl". Giles moves around Buffy, leans on the railing and looks down at the crowd.)
Giles: Look at them, throwing themselves about, completely unaware of the danger that surrounds them.
Buffy: Lucky them.
Giles: Or perhaps you're right. Perhaps there is no trouble coming; the signs could be wrong. It's not as though you've been having the nightmares. (Buffy is silent. Cut to below.)
Cordelia: My mom doesn't even GET out of bed anymore. And the doctor says it's Epstein-Barr. I'm like, pleeease! It's chronic hepatitis, or at least chronic fatigue syndrome. I mean, NOBODY cool has Epstein-Barr anymore. (Jesse spots Cordelia and comes over.)
Jesse: Hey, Cordelia!
Cordelia: Oh, yay, it's my stalker. (makes a face)
Jesse: Hey, you, uh, you look great!
Cordelia: Well, I'm glad we had this little chat.
Jesse: (coughs) Listen, uh, you know, you wanna dance, you know?
Cordelia: With you?
Jesse: Well, uh, yeah.
Cordelia: Well, uh, no! C'mon, guys. (She and her friends leave. Jesse is left in the dust.)
Jesse: Fine! Plenty of other fish in the sea. Oh, yeah, I'm... on the prowl. Witness me prowling! (Cut to Buffy and Giles on the upper level. )
Buffy: I didn't say I'd never slay another vampire. It's not like I have all these fluffy-bunny feelings for them, I'm just not gonna get way extracurricular with it. You know, if I see one, sure I'll-
Giles: (interrupting) Will you be ready? There's so much you don't know about them, about your own powers. A vampire appears to be completely normal until the feed is upon them, only then do they reveal their true demonic visage.
Buffy: You're like a textbook with arms, I know this.
Giles: The point is, a Slayer should be able to see them anyway. Without looking, without thinking.Can you tell me if there's a vampire in this building?
Buffy: Maybe...
Giles: You should know. Even through this mass and this... din, you should be able to sense them. Well, try! Reach out with your mind. (Buffy looks around) You have to hone your senses, focus until the energy washes over you, until you, you feel every particle of-of-
Buffy: There's one.
Giles: W-where?
Buffy: Right there, talking to that girl.
Giles: You don't know-
Buffy: Oh, please! Look at his jacket. He's got the sleeves rolled up, and the shirt! Deal with that outfit for a moment.
Giles: It's dated?
Buffy: It's carbon dated. Trust me, only someone living underground for ten years would think that was still the look.
Giles: But you didn't... hone.
Buffy: (notices that the girl is Willow) Oh, no.
Giles: Isn't that- Buffy: Willow.
Giles: What's she doing?
Buffy: Seizing the moment! (She starts down to rescue Willow.)
Lyrics: We're formed in liquid /Pushed out still dripping / A world was thrown before my eyes (Cut to below. Willow is being led out of the Bronze by the vampire. Cut to Giles. He's at a loss for what to do.)
Lyrics: Now paint a picture / Crayon stick figures / With blue-haired people, purple skies (Cut to below. Buffy has lost them. She tries the back. She breaks a leg off of a chair from a stack and begins to stalk. After a while Cordelia comes out of the restroom and surprises her. Buffy reacts, grabbing Cordelia by the throat and pushing her up against a wall.)
Buffy: (recognizing) Cordelia! (she lets go)
Cordelia: God! What is your childhood trauma?! (Her entourage appears in the restroom door behind her.)
Buffy: Have you guys seen Willow? Did she come by here?
Cordelia: Why? Do you need to attack her with the stick? Jeez! (Buffy turns and goes.)(to her groupies) Excuse me, I have to call EVERYONE I have EVER met, right now. (Cut to the main floor. Giles catches up with Buffy.)
Giles: That WAS quick. Well done! I-I need to go to the library. This Harvest thing...
Buffy: I didn't find them! (He grabs Buffy by the arm and turns her to face him.)
Giles: The vampire is not dead?
Buffy: No, but my social life is on the critical list.
Giles: (lets go of her) So, what do we do?
Buffy: I'll take care of it!
Giles: I-I-I need to come with you, yes?
Buffy: Don't worry. One vampire I can handle. (She leaves, walking past Jesse talking to Darla.)
Jesse: So, um, what did you say your name was?
Darla: Darla.
Jesse: Darla. You know, I haven't seen you around before. Are you from around here?
Darla: No, but I have family here.
Jesse: Have I met them?
Darla: You probably will.
The Master's lair
(The Master rises out of the pool of blood as Luke kneels and looks on. He steps out of the pool over to Luke and offers his hand. Luke takes it.)
Luke: Master!
To be continued...