Discovered Potential
April, 2003. Tokyo.
Martin Bradley had just finished talking long distance to his colleague, Rupert Giles in the US. What Giles had told him had undoubtedly been good news, but also very bizarre. The First Evil had been defeated by the Slayer and all the potentials were safe. However, that was not the end of it. The Slayer was no longer just the one and only young, female warrior of her kind, but now, thanks to some powerful magic all of the potential slayers in the world had the power of a Chosen One.
Martin had been sent to Japan to keep an eye on a young potential in Tokyo. He had protected her, without her knowledge, from an attempt on her life by the First's Harbingers during recent events. Now it was his duty as a Watcher to train her.
He had chosen to distance himself from his Slayer, acting as the English teacher at her college in order to keep an eye on her. Now he had to introduce himself to her as her Watcher.
And so eighteen year old Chiaki Matsubara was surprised when she was asked to remain behind at the end of her English lesson. She was very pretty, petite in stature, with long black hair and dark brown eyes. When she smiled her face took on a cheeky impish appearance. She was smiling when she went up to Martin, a light pinkish flush to her cheeks. Martin was unaware that Chiaki harboured a crush for him. He was after all, at twenty four, quite young for a Watcher, and quite friendly and approachable to all his students. It had made him rather popular with many of the young girls. Chiaki had always noticed, however, that for some reason her English teacher seemed to be particularly interested in her. She was about to discover why.
"Is there something wrong, Bradley-san? Is my skirt too short again?" she ventured, remembering a previous discussion they had shared.
It was Martin's turn to blush, and he tried to keep his gaze fixed on Chiaki's face in an effort not to stare at her shapely legs. He too remembered the friendly reprimand that he had given her concerning the shortness of her skirts. Surely it wasn't appropriate for a Watcher, or for that matter, an English tutor, to be attracted by the nubile temptations of his Slayer and/or pupil, even if she was eighteen and, therefore, legally entitled to wear whatever the hell she wanted.
"No, this isn't about your legs… skirt! It's something more serious than that." Martin blustered.
Chiaki was smiling at her tutor's obvious discomfort.
"What is it, Bradley-san?" she asked.
"I think you should sit down to receive what I have to tell you." Martin told her.
Chiaki did so. Her little black skirt rode up even further to reveal more of her pale white thighs.
"Perhaps you would be better off standing after all!" Martin decided. He was beginning to sweat profusely.
Chiaki happily complied, amused by her tutor's behaviour.
"Right," Martin finally began, "There's no easy way to tell you this, Chiaki…"
"It's alright, Bradley-san. I know what you are trying to tell me." Chiaki smiled.
"You do?" Martin was somewhat taken aback. How could she have possibly figured it out? Had he really been that indiscreet?
Chiaki moved closer to him and placed her hands on his hips.
"I have seen the way you look at me, Brad… Can I call you Martin?" she asked.
"Er, yes." Martin stammered.
"You are attracted to me, Martin. As I am attracted to you." Chiaki grabbed his tie and pulled his head down so that she could kiss him. Every ounce of her passion and desire for him was poured into that one kiss.
Despite himself, Martin found that he was enjoying the lip-locked embrace and it was with a great deal of reluctance that he pulled free.
"I'm sorry, Chiaki, but that's not what I wanted to tell you." He said with more than a hint of regret.
Chiaki's smile wavered.
"It isn't?" she pouted.
"No. What I have to tell you will change your life completely. Like I was saying, before your, not unenjoyable interruption…"
Chiaki's smile returned at that.
"There is no easy way to tell you this," he continued, "but you, my dear, Chiaki, are a Slayer, and I am your Watcher."
"I'm a what and you're a what, now?" Chiaki was puzzled.
Martin smiled.
"To explain in words would be far too difficult for you to believe. It would be far simpler to show you. Do you fancy a trip to the cemetery?"
Chiaki, with reluctant curiosity, agreed.
The sun had disappeared below the horizon by the time Martin pulled his car up outside the cemetery gates. He had been careful not to let anyone see him leaving the college with his young, nubile Japanese temptress in tow. Of course people would eventually start to wonder why he and Chiaki were spending so much time together, but he would cross that particular bridge when he came to it. Perhaps he could say that he was giving her private tutoring? There was absolutely nothing suspicious about that scenario at all!
Martin moistened his lips as he unfastened his seat belt. He could still taste Chiaki's peppermint balm on them.
They got out of the car together and Martin went round to the boot to take out a large dusty shoulder bag.
"What is in there?" Chiaki asked.
Martin unzipped the bag and reached inside. He pulled out a medium-sized wooden crucifix and a long, sharp wooden stake.
"Take these. You're going to need them."
Chiaki accepted the items with a puzzled frown and followed Martin into the cemetery.
"Is this some kinky sex game?" she asked with what sounded suspiciously like optimism.
"No it isn't. You'll just have to wait and see." Martin replied. God, did this girl think of nothing else?
They made their way through the grave stones, moving deeper into the cemetery until Martin finally came to a stop at a freshly dug grave.
"This could be promising." He said, "Of course, I can't be certain, but this grave may well be the birth place of a newly sired vampire."
"Vampire? Are you kidding me, Martin? This is a kinky sex game, isn't it!" Chiaki's eyes widened with feigned horror. "I like you, Martin, but I'm not letting you put this pointy wooden stick inside me, if that's what you think!"
"No, my dear, the stake isn't for you! It's for the vampire!" Martin explained patiently.
"What vampire?" Chiaki exclaimed.
The grave in front of them remained still and calm, however, in the grave behind them something was beginning to stir.
"Trust me, if we wait around long enough the vampire will show itself." Martin assured her.
Something let out a bestial roar behind them.
Chiaki looked down at the grave.
"What was that?" she stammered.
"It didn't come from down there." Martin frowned, turning to look behind them.
What had once been a middle aged business man in a grey suit was excavating itself from its earthy womb. With an angry snarl the vampire back fisted Martin into the nearest tombstone.
Chiaki screamed as the demon focussed its attention upon her. It lunged at her, clawed fingers outstretched like talons.
Chiaki lifted the cross at arm's length in front of her and the vampire checked its attack, hissing with frustration. It did not remain cowed for long; it lashed out with its right hand and succeeded in knocking the crucifix from Chiaki's grasp. The vampire lunged again and Chiaki backed away, brandishing the stake before her.
"The heart!" Martin called, "Stake it through the heart!"
The vampire continued to advance, but this time so did Chiaki. She swivelled the stake in her hand as if the weapon were a part of her, and she lunged forward at the vampire's chest. At the same time Martin ran into it from behind and shoved the demon forward.
Chiaki gaped in astonishment as she felt the stake sink into the vampire's heart. Its feral features contorted into an almost comical look of surprise. Then its skin seemed to crinkle up like dried autumn leaves and it exploded into dust. Martin fell through the ash cloud, into Chiaki, knocking her over and landing on top of her in a rather uncompromising position. His head was between her legs and her skirt had ridden up so that he had a very intimate view of her white panties. Martin quickly averted his gaze and scrambled to his feet before helping Chiaki to hers.
"Er, well done. You have just slain your first vampire. You can now call yourself Chiaki, the vampire Slayer!" Martin announced with an equal mix of pride and mellow-drama.
Chiaki just gazed at him, still suffering a little from mild shock.
"Okay, Bradley-san, you've got some serious explaining to do." She finally said.
"Yes, my dear. I rather think I have." Martin agreed.
The Beginning…