A Dawn of a Slayer

Hi, I'm New... Not Really

I opened my eyes to a dark sky outside my window. It was only six thirty in the morning, last time I checked my clock. In Sunnydale, you could see a small sliver of sun by now, but here, trees cover that up. Tall, fat evergreen trees with leaves that sting if you run your hand through them. Not like palm trees; if you were able to climb them, their leaves would feel light and soft. They have some trees here that they have back home, but they're leaves aren't as waxy and thick. It's a little odd to me, but nothing to really worry about.

I rolled over and looked around my darkened room. Boxes are everywhere; the only thing filled or unpacked was my closet and jewelry. Everything else is sealed away with tape and cardboard. I hate this place, this Ohio. This town called Hickory, just outside of Cleveland. It's cold, it's wet, and I hear it snows pretty badly.

There's a subtle knock on my door as it's opened, letting light from the hallway flood in. I close my eyes in slight pain. "Hey kid." It's Kennedy, Willow's lover. She has a harsh voice, but it's grown on me, considering I've shared my morning doughnuts with her (as well as forty other girls) for half a year. I trained with her, I fought with her, and I partied with her. She was more of a sister than Buffy could ever be. Though Kennedy's voice was hard, Buffy's skin was harder. But Kennedy was delicate, though she did put up an act. And I could relate a lot better to her than Buffy any day. "It's time for your first day." I opened my eyes to her silhouette as she walked in and sat down. "Are you excited at all?" I couldn't very well see her face, but I could hear the worry in her face. I was going to another high school over a Hellmouth. Last one I went to, it was under the library. Until Buffy blew the school up at her graduation. It was to destroy a giant snake-demon, don't ask. The it was rebuilt, and the principal's office was right over it.

"Yeah, I just have to make surer I'm noticed. Constantly." On a Hellmouth, if you felt you're invisible to people, you become invisible. Another horrible side effect to its magic.

She chuckled at my joke. "Hurry up so I can drive you to school."

"You're driving me? Why not Willow?" At least Willow watches the road.

"What's wrong with my driving? I drive fine. Now get ready."

She goes out of the room and I push the covers off me. Nothing really special about my body, though I am a little too thin. But it can't be helped. I'm just really glad I have my own bathroom, seeing as how one connects to my room and the other upstairs one Kenned and Willow both share.

My bathroom is a paisley blue with a ton of scented candles, a guilty pleasure of mine. My mirror is huge; a lot bigger than what I would want it to be, but it's fine. When the shower starts, steam quickly rises, fogging everything. I strip and jump into the streams and tug soap and shampoo into crevices, rinsing it away in the water.

Fully clean, I brushed my teeth and fixed my hair, and journey back to my room to get dressed. I have thirty minutes; twenty if you count the ten-minute ride. Oh my God, do I hate Kennedy's driving.

I got dressed and met Kennedy downstairs. We only have one vehicle, and it was Spike's; Buffy had given it to Kennedy after he died. Spike's vehicle, by the way, was a motorcycle.

Willow came from the kitchen and handed me some money for lunch. Willow was like a mom to me after my real one died. Not to mention she's a super-powerful witch. "Hey Dawney," she said in a soft tone. That was her nickname for me since I was little... memory wise anyway. "Have a good day. You have your cell phone, right?"

"Yes, Willow."

"Alright, wear your helmet on your way to school."

Like I wouldn't? "Yes, Willow."

"Alright, I'll see you this afternoon." She bent down, letting her red hair fall over my face as she kissed my cheek. "Let me know if anything weird happens?"

"Of course."

"Come on, kid," Kennedy ordered. "We got to get you to school."

My stomach churned to the thought of Kennedy and I on her motorbike. "Willow," I thought. Thank God Willow could read minds. "Can't you magic me there or something?"

And then I heard her response in my mind. "No, I'm busy with preparations."

I huffed and picked up my bag, ready for my first day at a new school.

So Kennedy and I went into the garage and I pushed the button to open the door. The sky outside seemed lighter; a hint of where stars once shone, and the transparent shape of the moon. "Hop on, kid."

I turned around and saw Kennedy in a leather jacket and hair tucked under a gleaming red helmet. The image reminded me of Spike, and I missed him till my heart ached. I can't explain my relationship with Spike much, other than he was the only one who treated me my age when Glory was still alive. "Kennedy, can you at least once call me my name?"

"Alright, Dawn, get on before I run you over. Besides, there's nothing cooler than arriving for your first day on the back of a Harley."

I beg to differ. I straddled the back of the bike and strapped on my helmet. I just knew that for the rest of the day, I'd have a headache.

The bike started with a rumble that never ceased, and before I knew it, we were on the road with my new school in sight. This town was unpleasantly small, nothing like what Sunnydale was. Sure it had a mall, it had a street full of weird shops, but no Magic Shop like the one I volunteered in, no big graveyards I could hang out in and talk to Spike or watch Buffy slay. This place was not home, though it did have one major likeness: it was over a Hellmouth.

The entrance to Hickory High School remained locked until five minutes before school actually started. Which meant that when Kennedy and I arrived, it'd caused a big commotion.

So, the motorbike roared down the street and stopped dead center in front of everyone. They all turned around as I whipped my helmet off, flinging my brown hair everywhere. I could see their stares, but I couldn't read them. They could be in awe, or looking at me like I'm some kind of a freak. I hopped off the bike and kissed Kennedy on the cheek. The ride wasn't as bed as I thought it would be. "Thanks for the ride, I'll see you this afternoon."

"Remember to scout out anything weird," She whispered back.

"I will," I responded, rolling my eyes.

"Hey, don't give me that look."

"Fine, I won't give you that look, but only if you stop calling me kid."

"Yeah, right. See ya', kid." She roared up her bike and whirred off on it, leaving me to stand alone in front of the crowd.

I put on a fake smile and walked a few paces forward thinking: don't trip, don't trip, and don't trip! I stopped when a girl, about my height with dark hair and skin, started walking up towards me. "Hi, my name's Alana," she said, extending her hand. I took it, smiling for real this time. "Awesome bike. Was that your sister?"

"Thanks, and no. She's my guardian's partner."

"Partner?"

"Lover."

"Oh, how cool. So you're obviously new."

Not really. "Yeah, kinda a flaw in my existence." We both laughed.

"You'll like it here. Hickory might be small, but it stays interesting."

I bet.

"So what's your name?"

"Dawn, Dawn Summers."