Disclaimers

All characters appearing in D.C Comics & Time Warner, Marvel Comics, Gargoyles/Gargoyles: the Goliath Chronicles, cartoons created by Murakami Wolf Swenson Inc. & IDW comics, and media created by Joss Whedon. Are property of their respective owners. No infringements of these copyrights are intended, and are not authorized by the copyright holder.

All original characters are the property of Celgress.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Redux – Prologue

By

Celgress

Sunnydale California early May 2015, late night

Fifteen year old cheerleader Buffy Summers hummed along with her favorite music mix streaming on her smart phone. Life was good for the pretty young lady. Along with her long time bestie and fellow cheerleader Cordelia Chase she ruled over the upper echelon of the social hierarchy at Sunnydale Junior High School. Next school year she would no doubt be queen bee of Sunnydale High School. A position she deeply craved. The world was at her feet, or at least the world she knew of.

Earbuds firmly implanted in her ears the bubbly young blonde didn't notice the stout elderly man in the grey business suit with matching hair and mustache which stood directly in her path until she bounced off his solid frame.

"I'm sorry miss." The man said offering his hand to Buffy who ended up sitting on the sidewalk rubbing her sore butt.

"Watch where you're going old guy. I could have been seriously hurt." Buffy snapped after the man pulled her up.

"My sincere apologies miss. I meant no harm or disrespect. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Merrick Witherington." The man said offering his other hand for a friendly handshake Buffy turned her nose up at his gesture.

"Whatever," Buffy said before storming off muttering something nasty barely under her breath about senility.

Merrick's jovial expression turned sour. He shook his head in disbelief. Transforming this girl into anything more than the vapid waste of space she currently is was going to require creative thinking on his part and a whole lot of effort from both of them. He only hoped they had enough time. By all indications the Order of Aurelius' current acting leader the millennium old vampire master Lothos would target her for immediate termination any day now. The ancient vampire cult had little choice but to act soon. All indications were a series of mystical convergences would take place within the year presaging their long dormant Master's rise along with the destruction of humanity. To ensure success outside interference would be derailed such as a slayer in the general area of coastal California could in no way be tolerated.

Why were things always so complicated? Why could nothing ever be easy? Merrick thought glumly unaware he was being watched from an older model car with heavily tinted windows parked against the curb on the opposite side of the peaceful upscale street.

Summers Residence, early evening

"I'm home brat." Buffy said teasing her younger sister ten year old Dawn Summers. From her position seated comfortably on the living room sofa using her tablet Dawn stuck out her tongue at Buffy. "How crude, you lack class brat." Buffy admonished. "Where are mom and dad at?" Buffy asked after retrieving a pop tart from the kitchen and returning to the living room. Dawn merely shrugged but otherwise was unresponsive she remained engrossed in whatever was displayed on her digital device. "Gee thanks Dawnie for the enlightening reply. I couldn't have lived without it."

"Don't call me that. I hate when you call me 'Dawnie'. It makes me sound like a baby." Dawn said at last speaking.

"She can speak, will wonders never cease." Buffy said flopping down in the easy chair to the right of the sofa.

"Ha ha very funny," Dawn said then added looking up from her tablet with a mischievous grin. "Did Tyler not feel like making out today? Is that why you're in such a bad mood, cranky eh sis?"

"None of your business brat," Buffy said turning bright red with embarrassment. "Besides you shouldn't even know about such things at your age. Keep it up and I'll tell mom and dad you've been searching sex terms on the internet again. Remember last time they suspended your recreational online privileges for a month. I wonder how long it'll be this time, hmmm." Buffy taunted.

"You wouldn't," Dawn said her eyes growing wide with alarm.

"Try me," Buffy said an expression one of steely determination on her face.

"Okay, I give." Dawn said following a tense pause. "I won't mention your sex life ever again."

"Darn right you won't." Buffy said. "My love life is off limits." She then added. "So you really have no idea where mom and dad are?"

"Mom told me dad is working overtime again before she went out grocery shopping." Dawn said once more concentrating on her tablet.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Buffy said growing freshly annoyed with Dawn.

"You didn't ask nicely." Dawn said smiling innocently at her sister.

"Brat," Buffy said rolling her eyes.

Sunnydale Train Station, the wee hours

The first thing terminal manager Frank Mills noticed about the 3:15 am run train from San Diego that pulled into the terminal was it was much quieter than usual, even by freight train standards. In fact the train seemed right down dead on arrival. It had already been stopped for five solid minutes yet no one had gotten off, how odd. Frank Mills knocked on one of the doors and yelled a greeting. Receiving no response he pried open the door in question. The sight that Frank Mills beheld left him dumbfounded. The entire interior of the train was covered with blood! The mutilated bodies of the crew lay everywhere, recoiling in a combination of terror and disgust Frank Mills hesitantly backed away until he bumped into something. Slowly turning around Frank Mills was confronted by a tall well-built man wearing an ornate red robe matching his long flowing hair. The mysterious man's pale visage stared down impassively at the unlucky conductor. His pale green eyes seemed to bore into Frank Mills' very soul.

"I apologize for the mess. I was, famished." The eerie stranger said waving his clawed right hand in front of Frank Mills face. "I am known as Lothos acting leader of the Order of Aurelius. Listen carefully mortal, once I have departed and my luggage has been unloaded crash this train into the terminal. Do you understand my instructions slave?"

"I do master." Frank Mills answered a blank look on his face. "I will crash this train into the terminal once you and your luggage have safely left. Is there any other way I can be of service master?"

"Where does the Slayer who calls this hamlet home reside?" Lothos asked his voice smooth like silk.

"I cannot say where the Slayer is located. I have never even before heard of this 'Slayer' of which you speak master." Frank Mills replied.

"No matter," Lothos said dismissively. "Fetch me as many able bodied porters as are present."

Leaving the train station behind along with the now incapacitated porters twenty minutes later Lothos' eyes burned a fiery red. His cargo which consisted of nearly two dozen large roughly man sized crates was securely loaded into a waiting transport truck by several lesser vampires Lothos smiled flashing his formidable fangs. Less than a minute later the distant terminal was rocked by a massive explosion. No one would know he and his special cargo had ever been here, excellent he thought.

"Where should we unload these boxes master?" A male vampire in game face asked who was behind the wheel of the fully loaded transport truck. He wore pale blue jeans a matching denim shirt under a fade black leather vest. He had bushy short brown hair and a matching well-trimmed van dyke. A nondescript male vampire similarly in game face sat in the passenger seat looking bored.

"The Suburban Mansion our Order recently purchased my faithful servant Amilyn." Lothos instructed.

"Will do," The centuries old Amilyn replied. "Are you coming with us master?"

"Not right away, I shall meet you there at sundown tomorrow." Lothos said.

"Catch you later than master." Amilyn said. The fully loaded truck pulled away.

"I think I will like it here in Sunnydale." Lothos said admiring the burning train terminal on the horizon. "Soon we the Order of Aurelius will unleash true mayhem upon these unsuspecting fouls." Lothos threw back his head pearls of booming laughter echoed through the empty streets.

To Be Continued