Chapter Text
The teenage girl gazed out of the train window and sighed heavily. They were already running over an hour late and the driver had just announced yet another delay. At this rate it’s gonna be sunset before I get there. Already travelled all the way across the damn country and now I’ve gotta deal with this crap…
She reached down and ran her fingers over the plain cross dangling round her neck. People prob’ly think I’m a religious nut. Well, they got that one wrong.
The train shuddered to a halt and she closed her eyes and leaned back against the seat. She wished she could have flown – but her Watcher had vetoed it, reeling off a long list of the reasons why it was too risky, how it was important to stay under the radar – and Sunnydale Airport was temporarily closed anyway. Or driven, but she still didn’t have a licence. Urgh, why is everything so difficult.
After what seemed like an eternity the train finally got going again but it seemed to be travelling much more slowly. Sure enough sunset arrived and shortly after the driver made another announcement.
“Okay ladies and gentlemen, we’re running way behind schedule. So we’re going to have to skip the next stop, Sunnydale. Any passengers for Sunnydale – your tickets will be valid for travel tomorrow.”
“You’ve gotta be kidding me. This is such bullshit!” The girl realised she’d said this out loud but a glance around the almost empty carriage indicated that the handful of passengers in it either hadn’t heard her or didn’t care if they had. Grabbing a khaki backpack from the seat next to her she stalked angrily to the end of the carriage.
Once there, she began examining the doors. They were controlled by a button linked to whatever system the driver had up front, but she figured there was probably a way to force it open, so she drew a large knife from a sheath hidden in her boot and began gently prising the panel next to it. Guessing it’ll have some safety which will stop this damn thing but if not it’s going so slow I could prob’ly just jump out anyway.
“What are you doing, miss?”
She looked up to see the - guard, ticket collector, whatever – guy standing there. He was frowning. She decided there was no point lying about her intentions, especially as they now seemed to be on the outskirts of a town which she assumed must be Sunnydale.
“Trying to get this door open. I need to get out at Sunnydale, but if you can just open the doors when we get there that’s gonna be even easier.”
“Look, the driver just said. We’re behind schedule so we’re not stopping here. You can travel tomorrow, and in the meantime the folk at the next station can point you in the right direction of a nice motel -”
“I don’t think you’re getting what I’m saying. I need to get off this heap of junk at Sunnydale. It’s urgent and I’m not interested in a motel in some other no-name town miles away. Now are you gonna open the doors or,” she moved suddenly to grab the unfortunate man, wrapping one arm around his neck and using her other hand to hold the tip of her knife against his throat, “I can open you. Your call.”
The guard was shocked by this turn of events, but he managed to croak out his agreement and he fumbled with the walkie-talkie device on his belt before speaking to the driver.
“Hey, Joe, got a bit of a situation in coach 4. Lady here saying she needs to get out at Sunnydale. She’s… kinda insistent. Need ya to stop once we get to the platform and release the door.”
A voice crackled through the device. “No can do, Phil. You know no stopping here after dark. She’ll have to wait till the morning like everyone else.”
“She’s… not backing down… she’s got a knife at my throat.” The guard turned and looked at his assailant properly for the first time. What he saw scared him. She was young – mid to late teens, he guessed – dressed casually in a dark wifebeater and cargo pants. In another context he guessed she’d be quite attractive but there was something troubling and scary about her quite independent of the knife. A haunted look in her eyes which hinted at trauma or…
“What the hell… oh, fine. Make sure no one else gets out though, the insurance won’t wear it.”
The train slowed further and finally ground to a halt just as it reached the platform. The guard slid some sort of key card into the panel and the train doors sprang open. He watched as the strange, scary girl threw her rucksack onto the platform and then leapt out after it. “Woah, this place attracts such freaks…”
The walkie-talkie crackled again. “She gone? What was her deal anyway?”
“God knows. Big cross, probably some crazy religious bitch.” The guard slammed the door shut. “Okay, you can hit the gas.”
Yep, crazy religious bitch. Knew that’s what they’d think. The girl gave a short mirthless laugh before shouldering her pack and jogging out of the deserted station. She could feel it. The Hellmouth. The low level thrum of evil, like a demonic Geiger counter. Just background noise until something spikes, like… what the hell?
There were two humanoid figures battling on the path ahead. One was definitely a vampire but the other, despite her obvious humanity, was also giving off a powerful… something that the girl had never before experienced. She sped up and then slowed to a halt a few steps away from the melee.
Shoulda known. Who else could be kicking undead butt like that and laughing while she does it. Council golden girl alright, the Slayer I can never live up to.
Resentment and fascination vied for primacy as she watched the fight continue. She marvelled at the balletic grace of the Slayer and her physical beauty as well as the stupidity of the vampire who seemed completely unaware both of what he was facing and that he was being toyed with. Really is something to see. I never get close to that skill level and I’m certainly never happy like that when I’m fighting. Well, at any point, really.
The Slayer suddenly acknowledged her onlooker and gave a brilliant smile. “Buffy, right? I’m Faith.” She sensed the vampire was directly behind her and smashed the back of her head into his face before stepping forward and gently plucking the stake from the new arrival’s fingers. “Mind if I borrow that?”
Without even turning round, Faith slammed the stake into the vamp’s unbeating heart and gracefully stepped out of the dust cloud. She handed it back to the other girl and gave another brilliant smile. “Thanks B. Couldnta done it without ya.”
Buffy stood uncomfortably for a moment but then reverted to her standard no-nonsense attitude. “What were you doing there?”
“What does it look like, B? Slayin’ a vampire. But don’t worry, ya didn’t miss out. Whole place is crawlin’ with fangs.”
“I know that. It’s on a Hellmouth.”
”Sure. An’ that Hellmouth just got a lot hairier. Ya know that, though right? I’m guessin’ ya got the bat signal in Cleveland as well.” Seeing Buffy’s unsmiling nod, Faith punched her lightly on the arm. “Wicked. So it feel good to be back in Cali anyways?”
Buffy shrugged. “My last memories of California weren’t that great.”