Buffy Summers took a deep breath as she walked through the bustling campus of UC Sunnydale. The transition from high school to college hadn't been easy for her. Being the Slayer, she was used to battling vampires and demons, not navigating the treacherous world of higher education. But here she was, determined to make the most of her first day.
Buffy meets up with her best friend Willow and they head to the library to get their course books.
Buffy: "It's too bad Giles can't be librarian here. Be convenient."
They reach a landing and turn left to continue up another flight.
Willow: "Well, he says that he's enjoying being a gentleman of leisure."
Buffy: "Gentleman of leisure? Isn't that just british for unemployed?"
Willow: "Uh-huh, he's a slacker now."
Buffy: "Speaking of slack, have you heard anything from Xander?"
Willow: "Not for awhile, he's still on his cross-country-see-America thing. He said he wasn't coming back until he had driven to all fifty states."
Buffy: Did you explain about Hawaii?"
Willow: "Oh, he seemed so determined."
They enter the library, a huge room with a vaulting cupola ceiling. They keep walking and go into the bookstore. In the bookstore students are milling about carrying books in shopping baskets. Buffy carries an arm full of books while Willow walks beside her.
Willow: "We're looking for 'Introduction to Psychology.' Oh, up there."
She indicates three of four books stacked on the edge of the top of a bookshelf.
Buffy: "I'll get'em. You know, this store discriminates against short people."
Willow: "Oh, I think there's a protest next week."
Buffy reaches up and accidentally knocks the books off.
Buffy: "Woah, oh!"
They fall on the head of a young man crouched underneath. He staggers back but recovers.
Buffy: "Oh, ahh. Oh god, I'm so sorry."
He stands up.
Riley: "I'm okay. It's okay. Well, that was bracing."
Buffy: "I'm so... the books were just too high, and then everything was bad."
She bends down to pick up the books.
Riley: "Let me give you a hand."
He bends down and picks up some books.
Riley: "Let's put a few of these down here."
He puts them on a lower shelf.
Riley: "So, uh, are you girls taking Intro Psych, or do you just want me dead?"
Buffy: "Uh-huh. I mean the first one."
Riley: "Well, you'll have a lot of fun. Professor Walsh--she's quite a character."
Willow: "You've taken it?"
Riley: "I'm a TA, I'll be helping the Professor out. I'm sorry, I've forgotten my manners in all the concussion... I'm Riley."
Willow: "Willow, and this is my friend Buffy."
Riley: "It's nice to meet you both."
Buffy: "I'm nice to meet."
Willow: "Hey, do you know if we're going to be studying 'Operant Conditioning' in the first semester? 'Cause I hear that's kinda Professor Walsh's specialty."
Riley: "Absolutely. Do you know her treatise on Dietrichs work?"
Willow: "I know of it."
Riley: "It's not in the syllabus, but it's a fascinating read... if you're in to that sort of thing. They have it here."
Willow: "Oh, where?"
Riley: "I'll show you. I don't meet that many freshmen that know that much about psychology."
Willow: "Well, it's fascinating."
Buffy's mind drifts off.
—
Buffy's first class of the day was English, and Buffy hurriedly made her way to the designated classroom. As she stepped inside, she noticed that the room was empty, save for one person. A guy, with dark hair and striking bright blue eyes, sat casually at one of the desks, feet up on the seat in front of him. Buffy struts to a desk next to his. They each exchange a couple of sheepish glances before —
"Should we sit here is silence or do you want to ask me my name?" Buffy says.
"Well, I was just going to wait for attendance to find out your name."
"Oh so you're one of those. You listen for my name, then use it to ask about an assignment later on, and I'll be like 'oh my he remembered my name.'" Buffy says.
"Something like that." He says.
"Is that what the dating scene is like here?"
More students begin filtering into the classroom.
"I wouldn't know I'm a little older than everyone here." He says.
"Wiser?" Buffy asks playfully.
"I like to think so."
"My last boyfriend was way older than me." Buffy says wanting to immediately send the words back into her mouth.
The guy laughs.
"I didn't mean it so much like-"
"Don't worry, I know it was just to make conversation."
"Not that I don't find you—" Buffy can't finish the sentence.
"Attractive?" Rhys flashes his eyes at her.
The class fills in. A few students walk in between Buffy filling in the desks around her.
"I'll stop talking now." Buffy says.
"I'm Rhys." Buffy says extending a gentle hand. Buffy shakes it trying not to use too much of her strength.
"And I'm whoever I answer to on the attendance sheet." Buffy says smirking.
"Keeping the suspense." Rhys said.
"Always." Buffy says.
The class is full. Rhys leaps out of his seat, goes to the front of the room and introduces himself as their professor.
Buffy buries her head in her hands while Rhys writes his name on the board.
"I'm professor Rhys Martell. Although you can just call me whatever you want. I'll take attendance first and then I'll explain a little bit about the course." Rhys says.
Rhys begins calling the attendance. He finally gets to—
"Buffy Summers?"
Buffy raises her hand. Her face beet red.
"Here." She says.
—-
Rhys ends his lecture and Buffy waits for the other students to leave. She walks up to Professor Rhys. She giggles nervously, embarrassed.
"Right, of course, you're my professor." She says.
"And you are Buffy Summers." Rhys says.
"Was it worth the suspense?" Buffy says.
Rhys laughs warmly. He leans back, relaxed, against his desk.
"I'm sorry I-" Buffy starts.
Rhys stops her.
"No need, all is forgiven."
"Thanks."
Buffy starts to leave.
"I look forward to getting to know you, Buffy Summers." Rhys says.
Buffy smiles. "And I'm looking forward to, what is this again? Organic chemistry?"
They both laugh.
"Bye." Buffy says.
—
Busy hallway. Buffy is looks around. Riley comes up to her.
Riley: "If, uh, you're looking for Psych, it's through here."
He points.
Buffy: "Oh, thanks. How's your head?"
Riley: "Sorry?"
Buffy: "Yesterday. In the bookstore. You don't remember."
Riley: "Oh no, sure, I remember you. You're Willow's friend."
Buffy: "Yeah."
Riley: "My head is fine, it just stung for a bit and I lost most of my basic motor functions. It's no biggie."
They reach the lecture hall.
Buffy: "We're here. I'm sorry, I'm trying to remember you."
Buffy: "Buffy."
Riley: "Buffy, right."
She turns back to the tiers and spots Willow and Oz. Willow waves to her, and Buffy climbs up to sit beside her.
"How was English?" Willow asks.
"Oh, it was good, we were introduced to Franz Kafka and I may have told my professor that I'm into older men." Buffy says.
"Buffy!" Willow says. "Wait how old's your professor?"
"I thought he was a student." Buffy says.
"Oh, Buffy." Willow says.
They laugh.
"Oh, Buffy is right. But he seemed cool about it afterwards though." Buffy says.
"Well, professor Walsh is a woman so you won't have to worry about flirting with her." Willow says.
Buffy nods.
"Unless that's something you're into, which is totally fine." Willow says.
Buffy gives her a look.
"Lots of people experiment in college." Willow says.
Professor Walsh comes into the lecture hall and Riley hands her a sheet of paper.
Professor Walsh: "Ok. This is Psych 105, 'Introduction to Psychology', I'm Professor Walsh. Those of you who fall under my good graces will come to know me as Maggie. Those of you who don't will come to know me by the name my TAs use, and think I don't know about, 'The Evil b¡tch Monster of Death.' Make no mistake, I run a hard class, I assign a lot of work, I talk fast and I expect you to keep up. If you're looking to coast I recommend 'Geology 101,' that's where the football players are."
—
Buffy and Willow talk in their dorm. It's been a long day for Buffy. She doesn't know her place just yet in college a million thoughts go through her head.
"Today felt too long." Buffy says frowning.
Willow is too deep in her textbook to hear.
"Willow."
"Yeah?"
"You didn't hear what I just said?"
"Oh, Sorry. What did you say?"
"I'm going to patrol."
Buffy slides off her bed and heads out.
—
While patrolling Buffy runs into one vampire. She easily takes him out but then—
Behind Buffy, Octavia, the leader of the local college vampire gang, watches from a concrete dais.
Octavia : "Slayer! Wow, uhm, I heard you might be coming here."
The other vamps come out of hiding and surround Buffy.
Octavia: "This is, I mean, what a challenge! The slayer!"
Buffy: "And you are?"
Octavia: "I'm... I'm Octavia, I'll be killing you here in a minute or so."
Buffy: "You know that threat gets more frightening every time I hear it."
LonghairVamp: "Uhh... are we gonna fight? Or is there just gonna be a monster sarcasm rally?"
FatVamp: "I'm in for a piece."
Buffy: "Everybody gets to play."
Octavia: "Guys, this is totally mine."
Longhairvamp: "Ok, but you gotta share the eatin'. 'Cause I'm thinkin' slayer's blood's gotta be--Whoa!--like Thai Stick."
Buffy: "I thought people were suppose to get smarter in college?"
Octavia: "Yeah, I think you had a lot of misconceptions about college. Like that anyone would be caught dead wearing that."
Buffy looks down at her clothes. When she looks up, Octavia punches her. Buffy falls and Octavia tries to kick her, but Buffy blocks it and throws two punches. Octavia ducks one and blocks the other, and lands another punch, sending Buffy sprawling again. When Buffy tries to get up Octavia kicks her in the face. Buffy tries to slug her in the stomach but Octavia grabs her wrist and throws her onto the dais. Buffy tries to hit back but Octavia grabs her by the throat.
Octavia: "Don't take this the wrong way, but..."
She punches her in the face again.
Octavia: "You fight like a girl."
She throws Buffy off the dais and somersaults off. Buffy gets to her feet and kicks her in the midsection. She misses another kick to the head but lands one to Sundays face. She throws a punch but Octavia grabs her arm, swings her around and throws her onto the hood of a pickup truck parked nearby. Buffy tries to get up but Octavia jumps onto the hood and kicks her in the back, sending her up onto the roof. Buffy tries a left handed punch but Octavia grabs the wrist, jumps onto the roof and brings her knee up into the arm. There is a cracking sound. She throws Buffy, who bounces off the hood onto the ground. Buffy stands up holding her left arm close to her chest. She looks at the other vamps, who are smiling. She's hurt, and for the first time a little afraid. Buffy turns and takes off. She falls once onto the grass but gets up and runs away.
Octavia hops down from the truck.
Octavia: "Freshmen!"
End of Part I
Authors note: I took a lot directly from the first episode of season four mainly because it sets up a lot of stuff well and introduces key characters. As we get further into the story we'll diverge from the show a bit. Thanks for reading!