Chapter Text
"time to get up hun! you don't wanna be late for your first day," Phil's mum yelled from downstairs.
he had just been woken up from a very scary and vivid dream about some vampires and demons.
"I'm up mum!"
He said before getting out of bed to get ready for his first day of American high school.
"Good morning darling. How did you sleep?"
He didn't want to worry her with his nightmares, so he just said,
"Pretty good," smiling before eating his cereal.
They got in the car and were off to school.
------
Once they got to the school, he exited the car.
"Try not to get kicked out," his mum said with a smile.
He just chuckled awkwardly before turning to walk inside. There were a lot of students which he wasn't used to coming from a small town in northern England. He pushed through to the doors and headed for the principal's office. After receiving his schedule, and a stern talking to from Mr. Flutie, he was off to first period.
When he entered the class, there was only one open seat next to a girl with blonde hair. She looked nice enough, he thought, and sat down. She lended her book to him during the lesson and offered to show him to the library.
"I'm Louise by the way."
"Phil," he replied with a small smile.
On their walk to the library, Louise stopped and looked at him
"A lot of weird things happen here."
"In the library?"
"No, in Sunnydale. There are so many things that happen here that are unexplainable," she looked slightly worried.
"Oh well thanks for the heads up," he laughed even though he was a little shaken.
"Anyway, you should come to The Phronze tonight! it's the coolest place in Sunnydale."
"Where's that?"
"About a block away from the good part of town," Louise chuckles.
Phil lets out a nose laugh, "yeah I’ll make sure to stop by."
When they reached the library and Phil walked in, it seemed empty.
"Anybody here?" he called, but no answer.
Just then a hand is placed on his shoulder and he jumps.
"Oh! Anybody's here."
"Hello, how can I help you?"
There was a man dressed very fancy for a high school librarian, brown tweed and all. He wore big glasses and the name plate on his desk said P. Liguori. He was also British which Phil couldn't tell was comforting or a little off putting.
"Oh, I'm looking for some books. I'm new."
"Mr Lester, I know what you're after," he said before going behind his desk and pulling out a very large and old looking book. The cover read 'Vampir.'
Phil jumped back in shock.
"That's not what I wanted," Phil said before slowly back stepping towards the door.
"Is it not?" Mr Liguori said with raised eyebrows.
"No, you got the wrong guy," Phil replied with wide eyes still locked on the book before running out of the room.
How does he know? Does anyone else know? They told me it was supposed to be secret. While he was deep in thought, he bumped into a boy. Tall but still shorter than him. His bag fell and spilled all over the floor
"Oh my god! I'm so sorry," Phil said while scrambling to pick up his papers.
"Oh it's all good," said the other boy who was helping clean the mess. "I'm Chris by the way."
"I'm Phil," he said, wanting to end this conversation as soon as possible.
"You're British! That's cool."
"Oh yeah," Phil chuckled. "I moved here from northern England."
Before Chris could say anything else, Phil speed walked away.
"Hey! You forgot your...stake," Chris tried to yell after him but he was already too far.
------
Phil found Sophie, the girl he was told could help him get caught up, in the quad.
"Hey! Sophie, right? I'm Phil," he said sitting down next to her.
"Hi, uh yes that's me," she replied before moving to make room on the bench.
"A little birdie told me you're the smarty pants around here and I should talk to you if I wanna get caught up."
"Oh yes!" she exclaimed. "I'll definitely help you! We could meet in the library and s-"
"Or not."
Sophie looked at him confused.
"We could meet somewhere quieter or louder. Sorry that place just gives me the wiggins,"
“It has that effect on most kids,” Sophie said with a smile.
Just then Chris and a boy he doesn’t know come up to where they’re sat.
“Are we interrupting something? We’re interrupting,” Chris says before sitting on the wall behind them.
The unknown boy stands in front of the bench.
Sophie laughs. “Phil, these are my friends. This is Chris and that’s Tyler.”
Phil nods to Tyler then turns to Chris.
“Me and Phil go way back, good friends, very close. Then there was this point of no contact but now where here,” Chris says jokingly.
“Is it just me or are you turning into a bumbbling idiot?” Tyler says.
“No it’s definitely not you,” Chris replies awkwardly. “I’m mainly here to return your stake.” He said, pulling it out of his bag.
Phil grabbed it and stuffed it in his bag. “Thanks. That’s my self defense stake.”
“Anyway,” Sophie butts in, changing the subject. “What’s up with you Phil? You’re from England, I bet there’s tons of stories there.”
Just before Phil has time to answer, Louise comes up to the group.
“Hey Phil, so you won’t be meeting the gym teacher lady with the chest hair because gym is canceled due to the extreme dead guy in one of the lockers,” she says looking less worried than she should.
“Like actually dead?” Chris asked.
“Fully.”
“How did he die?” Phil’s mind is racing. He doesn’t want to slay anymore
“Morbid much! I don’t know, they didn’t go into detail,” Louise said looking slightly grossed out.
“Were there any marks?”
“I didn’t see him.”
Phil may not want to slay but he has that gut feeling that he needs to go look at this body.
“I’m gonna go guys. It was nice getting to know you all,” he says quickly before getting up and heading towards the gym. The door to the locker room was locked but that wasn’t necessarily an issue due to his slayer strength. He pulled the door open and walked in. The body was covered with a tarp and when Phil pulled it back, he saw exactly what he feared. Two little holes on the man's neck. Without thinking, he stormed to the library.
-------
“Okay what do you know,” Phil said in an annoyed tone as he burst through the library doors.
“Pardon?” ask Mr. Liguori.
“You heard. The dead guy in the locker room.”
“Yes, I did hear about that.”
“Well it’s the weirdest thing. There are two holes in his neck and all his blood’s been drained.”
Mr Liguori looked at him with wide eyes.
“Doesn’t that just make you wanna say ooo? Is that not shocking?” Phil said with a smaller voice now.
“I was afraid of this,” Mr Liguori said before pushing past Phil to get to a book.
“I wasn’t. I thought my biggest problems were going to be not getting caught up or not making friends! I didn’t know there’d be vampires on campus,” Phil said louder again. He didn’t want his social life to be overtaken by killing vampires again.
“Oh you don’t even know the start of it,” Mr Liguori looked happy, excited almost. He walked down to the table in the middle of the library, Phil following behind slowly. “There’s more than just vampires here. Hell demons, incubi, succubi, you name it.”
“Well I don’t want anything to do with them,” Phil said exasperated.
“But that’s your destiny. Into every generation there is a chosen one. One person in all the world, they alone will wield the strength and skill to stand against the vampires, the demons, an-”
“And the forces of darkness. Yeah blah blah I’ve heard it,” he wants to just leave the library but for some reason he doesn’t. “I know I’m supposed to be the slayer but sorry, I’m retired. Oh! I have an idea. Why don’t you kill them?”
“Well I’m just your watcher, I don't have the skill.”
“Oh ya know, just stake, holy water, a bit of sunlight, it's like falling off a log.”
“Well the slayer slays and the watcher-”
“Watches?”
“Yes- no. I’m supposed to prepare you and train you,” he seems so desperate.
“Prepare me for what? Losing my friends? Having no life? Dying prematurely?" Phil knows he should listen to Mr Liguori but he can’t help but fight for his freedom. “I know as my watcher you’re supposed to be all in and help but I don’t want to be the slayer.”
Phil storms out, Mr Liguori not far behind. He wants to help but at what cost? His life? He’d rather have a normal high school experience.
“Phil! This is likely to happen again you know,” Mr Liguori is saying while running after Phil.
Phil stops by the corner, hoping that listening to what he has to say will stop his pushing. Mr Liguori meets him there saying,
“We’re living on a demon hotspot. There are so many here you have to do something.”
Phil thinks for a moment. This man really wants him to do this and he has a hard time letting people down.
“I’ll think about it.”
“Thank you,” Mr Liguori says with hope in his eyes.
-------
After school, Phil decides to go to The Phronze because he could use a little distraction. He feels a presence behind him all the way there, even when he turns into an alley. He jumps up onto a pipe and handstands, waiting for the stalker to pass and when he does, Phil kicks him down.
“Why are you following me?” Phil asks the man now laying on the floor. He’s wearing a black, shiny jacket over a white button up.
“I thought you’d be more broad and intimidating. You’re pretty spry though,” he says rubbing at the back of his head. “I know what you’re thinking, don’t worry, I don’t bite. I’m a friend.”
“You’re not my friend,” Phil doesn’t know whether to stake him or call the cops.
“I never said I was yours. I do want what you want however.”
“And what do I want?”
“To kill them. To kill them all,” he’s smiling which Phil finds a little weird.
“Nope! Wrong! Sorry, you don’t win the prize. What I want is to be left alone.” Phil doesn’t want to talk to this guy yet he’s so drawn to him. “Who are you anyway?”
“The names Daniel but you can call me Dan.”
“And what are you here to tell me about? The end of the world?” Phil feels crazy still talking to this guy.
“The Harvest.”
“And what might that be?”
“The master has risen and he’s going to be hungry. His minions are going to be getting him people to feed off.”
“I can handle it,” Phil rolls his eyes. This guy is insufferable but kinda hot. Wait, that's not the point.
Before Phil can walk away, Dan hands him a velvet box then disappears into the darkness. When he opens the box it has a big cross necklace in it. He puts it on to help ward off vampires.
When he enters The Phronze, it’s very full. Teenagers, adults, and a band on the stage. He quite likes it, he just wishes he had someone to hang out with. Across the room he sees Sophie sitting by the bar. He walks over noticing Chris and Tyler’s absence.
“Hey Sophie,” Phil yells over the music.
“Oh hi Phil!” She seems happy to see him.
“Where’s Chris and Tyler?”
“Well Tyler’s over there talking to Louise but Chris said he was coming,” she looked a bit sad.
“Oh well I have no one to hang out with so I’m free to chat.”
“Great.”
Just then he spots Mr Liguori on the upper floor. He seems to be looking for someone and Phil has a nagging feeling it’s him.
“I’m so sorry I’ll be right back,” he says before getting up and heading towards Mr Liguori.
“What are you doing here? It doesn’t seem like your kinda scene,” he says, now leaning on the railing beside Mr Liguori.
“Oh there you are! I was just looking out for vampires. This is exactly the place they would be. It’s crawling with young and fresh victims,” he says looking focused at the people below. “A slayer should be able to spot a vampire even before they show their demonic face by ho-”
“There’s one,” Phil says while barely looking at the guy.
“How do you know?”
“Look at that outfit. The jacket, the rolled up sleeves.”
“Is it dated?”
“It’s carbon dated. Only someone who just crawled out of the grave would think that’s still the look.”
“Who’s that girl he’s with? Wait is that-”
“Sophie!” Phil is saying while running down the stairs.
By the time he gets down there, there’s no sight of them. Just a bunch of moving bodies unaware of the danger they’re in. As he looks through the backrooms of The Phronze he hears a thump and goes towards it. He grabs the person by the neck, stake at the ready and it’s…
“Louise?”
“Yes! What the hell are you doing?”
He doesn’t have time to answer so he runs back into the main dance area. While trying to find the door, he bumps into Mr Liguori.
“Have you killed the vampire?”
“No but my social life is at risk.”
After finding the door, he pushes through and heads for the cemetery.
-------
When entering the mausoleum, he hears the vampires conversing. He walks behind the one at the entrance and stakes him.
“Whatever you’re talking about it’s over because it’s time to die,” he’s missed smack talking vampires before dusting them
“What?” The female vampire says in shock.
He spots Sophie and Tyler in the corner. Tyler has already been bit but he’s not dead.
“We can do this the hard way or… there’s actually just the hard way.”
“Okay.”
“Are you sure because there’s going to be violence, strong language, an-”
A vampire comes up behind him but he stakes and dusts him before he has a chance to do anything. He starts fighting the girl vampire and manages to kick her to the floor.
“Phil! I just saw you walk in here, what's going on?” Chris says, standing at the doorway.
“Chris! I need you to take Sophie and Tyler to the school library!” Phil is ordering while pinning the girl to the ground.
Right as he’s about to stake her, he’s grabbed by the neck.
“And what do you think you’re doing?” Says the large, strong vampire holding his neck.
He’s then thrown towards the coffin in the middle of the mausoleum. Hitting his back on the corner before hitting the ground.
“You! Go back and help the others. I have this one,” the big vampire is saying to the girl.
She runs out the door.
Phil gets up, ready to fight but the vampire knocks him into the coffin. He gets on top of him ready to bite his neck when he starts sizzling and hissing before getting off and running away.
“The necklace,” Phil whispers into the air.
He silently thanks Dan before getting up and running the direction the girl vampire went. He found Sophie and Chris, but no Tyler, surrounded by vampires. After staking them all he takes everyone back to the school.
-------
“That was terrifying,” Chris says, breaking the silence.
“The understatement of the year,” Sophie replies.
“It was my worst work yet. I didn’t get half of them, they even got Tyler, and I still don’t know what The Harvest is,” Phil is pacing back and forth, rambling.
“It’s okay you saved So- wait, The Harvest?” Mr Liguori questions.
“Yeah.”
“Where did you hear about that?”
“Some Dan character outside The Phronze. I figured you two were buds. I really didn’t like him,” Phil says looking at Mr Liguori.
“Right..” He replied, giving Phil a quizzical look. “I’ll have to consult my books about this harvest business but I’m sure, whatever it is, you can handle it.”
“Yeah. Thanks,” Phil wishes he was as sure as Mr Liguori was all the time.
Whatever The Harvest was, he hopes it’s a one time thing and he can go back to a no slaying life after this.