Disclaimers

All characters appearing in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel are copyright Joss Whedon. No infringements of these copyrights are intended, and are not authorized by the copyright holder.

All original characters are the property of Celgress.

The Slayer Squad – Origins Interlude Two: The Gathering Storm

By

Celgress

Sunnydale February 1997

During the month the Slayer Squad slayed many more vampires and dealt with the threat posed by the digital demon Moloch the Corruptor. Who Willow and Giles had accidentally released into the Internet by scanning the ancient tome which contained his imprisoned essence, as part of a new database Giles was creating. With a little help from Jenny Calendar, who turned out to be a 'techno pagan", the group was able to eventually drive Moloch out of Cyber Space. Willow especially felt bad about the entire incident because Moloch had tricked the lonely young witch into helping him by assuming the cyber identity of a shy, yet charming young man named Malcolm Black. Upon learning Moloch's true nature Willow led the charge in destroying his new robotic body, built by employees of a local tech firm Moloch enslaved, before it could be fully activated seemingly destroying Moloch forever.

In the aftermath of the 'Cyber Demon' Incident the Slayer Squad first met a new long term adversary, the new Principle of Sunnydale High School one R. Snyder. It was during a general assembly of all staff and students in the main gym on a mid-February morning when Snyder introduced himself. The new Principle's introduction would be long remembered owing to a number of factors, not least of which was an incident that involved a member of the Slayer Squad.

Steeping up to the podium Principle Snyder scowled, clearing his throat he spoke. "A lot of educators tell students. Think of your principal as your pal. I say, think of me as your judge, jury and executioner. My predecessor in this position Principle Robert Flutie was a kind man, a soft man, a weak man. You will find I am neither soft nor kind. Consider me weak at your own risk. From this moment onward a zero tolerance policy is being introduced here at Sunnydale High School. Deviant behavior of any kind shall not be tolerated. Do I make myself clear folks?"

"Crystal" Xander shouted from the bleachers. Willow, who was sitting next to him, mouthed for Xander to stop but her ignored her pleas. "You have a way with words sir, very eloquent." The student body burst into a chorus of laughter and applause.

"You up here, now!" Snyder ordered pointing at Xander.

Xander scrambled his way towards the podium. "Tell me your name student?" Principle Snyder asked Xander upon his arrival.

"Xander Harris, sir." Xander barked into the microphone to ruckus hoots.

"Wrong, you're my first blood." Principle Snyder said with a toothy grin. "Congratulations Mr. Comedian report to detention after class starting today, make yourself comfortable you'll be spending the next week there including the upcoming weekend. Anyone else have a flippant remark they wish to share?" No one did. "I thought not." Principle Snyder said leaving the stage and a bewildered Xander behind.

"What a troll." Xander said joining up with Buffy & Willow as the assembly was breaking up.

"Yeah he seems like a barrel of fun." Buffy said.

"You shouldn't have said anything." Willow said. "I tried to stop you."

"She's right Xander you have nobody to blame but yourself." Buffy added. "Have fun in detention. We'll think of you while we're at the Bronze and, enjoying club activities c'mon Will." Buffy said taking Willow by the arm.

"Bye Xander." Willow waved.

Sunnydale March 1997

The highlight of the month occurred during a student talent show which Buffy, Xander, & Willow as well as Giles, as master of ceremonies, were forced to take part in by Principle Snyder. It wasn't a total lose the group got to stop a body part harvesting demon with the help of a cursed ex-demon hunter named Syd. Who was trapped in the form of a ventriloquist dummy until the demon in question was killed. Once the team slayed the demon, Xander in this case got the kill, the curse was broken and Syd could finally find peace in death. Jenny Calendar and Angel had both showed up that evening to cheer the group on, even when Xander, Willow & Buffy performed their laughable, terrible rendition of a scene from Oedipus Rex.

Buffy's relationship with Angel continued blossoming. It had taken Angel more than two weeks to fully reintegrate his memories and make sense of everything. As a result he'd spent much of February on what Xander jokingly called the 'injured reserve list'. Back in fighting form Angel had assisted in several patrols during March slaying a fair number of vampires. Angel was now furious with Darla. Who in spite of the best efforts of the group remained elusive. Everyone hoped Darla had taken Buffy's threat to heart and skipped town, though they doubted it.

Sunnydale April 1997

The most harrowing experience the group had in months unfolded during April. Inexplicably the nightmares of everyone in Sunnydale became reality. Including Xander's fear of clowns and Buffy being forced to confront her vampire mother again only this time becoming a vampire herself. After facing and overcoming their greatest fears the group thought they had located the source of the disturbances. A boy in a coma named Billy Palmer. However when they arrived Billy Palmer was awake and doing fine. When asked by the Slayer Squad what had happened Billy Palmer stated the 'dark man' had come and taken the nightmares away.

Five minutes before in Billy Palmer's hospital room. Xou'acc entered, black tendrils of energy reached out briefly engulfing the boy in the bed. Pulsing with golden-white energy the tendrils slithered away less than a minute later. The boy's eyes fluttered open. He looked up at the strange figure before him who was wearing a black robe with an emotionless white mask which had a red eye like symbol painted on the forehead.

"Who are you?" Billy Palmer asked his mouth dry.

"Someone who knows what it is like to suffer, through no fault of one's own", Xou'acc said in a soothing voice. Gliding over to the boy's bedside Xou'acc continued. "I have taken the nightmares away little one. They shall trouble you no more."

"What of the ugly man?" Billy Palmer said suddenly panicking. "Don't let him take me Mr. Please don't let him hurt me again."

"Hush little one you are safe now. I have dealt with your tormentor. The ugly man is no more." Xou'acc said before leaving as silently as Xou'acc had come.

Days later the desiccated body of Billy Palmer's little league coach would be found in an alleyway across from the hospital. No one could explain what had happened to the normally robust man. In the end it was chalked up as just another mysterious death in Sunnydale.

In Sunnydale City Hall Mayor Richard Wilkins was irate. In three months the Research Department couldn't find anything on the word 'Xou'acc'. More distressing Mayor Wilkins himself couldn't find anything. The sources he usually consulted knew nothing of this Xou'acc, or he suspected at least nothing they would willingly share with him. Finally giving up in frustration Mayor Wilkins decided it was best to let sleeping dogs lie. Unless this Xou'acc became a more imminent threat Mayor Wilkins would ignore Xou'acc's presence in his fair town, at least for the time being.

Sunnydale May 1997

Cordelia Case, the current reigning queen bee of Sunnydale High School, approached the Slayer Squad of all people for help when she was targeted by a malicious invisible entity. Cordelia informed the trio her reasoning for doing so was because she suspected they were a gang of some sort led by Buffy. In the ensuing drama the Slayer Squad learned the cause of Cordelia's problems was Marcie Rose. A Student who had been turned invisible by being ignored, Giles & Jenny both suspected the influence of the Hellmouth was in large part to blame. With a temporary visibility spell casted by Willow the team was able to locate and subdue Marcie Rose. Following which a pair of Federal agents showed up and took the offending girl away, the agents congratulated the Slayer Squad on a job well done and told them the government was taking a close interested in their work. Further complicating matters Cordelia had inadvertently learned the group possessed supernatural powers, especially Xander & Buffy who had been forced to save her several times during the ordeal. In the following weeks Cordelia became rather clinging around Xander much to Willow's chagrin.

The Sunken Church

"On the night of the sixth moon during the nineteen-hundredth and ninety-seventh year of the accursed Shepard, the Serpent shall rise when the three heroes fall. As it is written so shall it be." The Master read closing the ancient tome containing prophesies from the long dead vampire Aurelius.

"The moment of our Master's victory is nearly at hand, rejoice brethren!" Absalom announced, standing in vamp face to the left of the Master while the Anointed One, also in vamp face, stood by the Master's right side. "Soon the pestilence of humanity will be swept away!" The cavern was filled with deafening roars of approval.

To Be Continued