Chapter 18: The New Teacher

The next day at Sunnydale High, Cyrus walked into biology class feeling the familiar mix of apprehension and determination. The previous night's patrol had been relatively quiet, giving him a chance to reflect on his growing responsibilities and the delicate balance he was trying to maintain between his supernatural duties and his school life. As he took his seat next to Xander, he couldn't help but notice the excited chatter among the students.

"Did you hear about Dr. Gregory?" Xander whispered, leaning over. "He's missing. They say he just vanished."

Cyrus frowned. He hadn't known Dr. Gregory well, but he was aware that in Sunnydale, disappearances were rarely innocent. "That doesn't sound good. Any idea what happened?" Pretending that he know nothing about that.

Xander shook his head. "Nope. But I wouldn't be surprised if it had something to do with the Hellmouth. Everything seems to these days."

As the class settled down, Principal Flutie entered the room, followed by a tall, striking woman with dark hair and a confident demeanor. "Good morning, class," Principal Flutie began, his voice overly cheerful. "I'd like to introduce your new substitute biology teacher, Ms. Natalie French."

The boys in the class, including Xander, immediately perked up, their attention riveted on the new teacher. Cyrus exchanged a knowing glance with Buffy, who was sitting a few rows ahead. Something about Ms. French seemed... off.

Ms. French smiled warmly at the class. "Good morning, everyone. I'm Ms. French, and I'll be taking over for Dr. Gregory. I know this is sudden, but I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you."

As she began the lesson, Cyrus found it difficult to focus. His thoughts kept drifting back to the strange occurrences that seemed to plague Sunnydale. He made a mental note to discuss it with Buffy and the others after class.

When the bell finally rang, signaling the end of the period, Xander turned to Cyrus with a wide grin. "Did you see her? She's amazing! I mean, I actually paid attention in biology today."

Cyrus chuckled. "Yeah, she's... definitely something."

Buffy approached them, her expression thoughtful. "What do you guys think about her?"

Xander's grin widened. "She's a goddess. What's not to like?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "I mean, do you think there's something strange about her? I can't shake the feeling that there's more to her than meets the eye."

Cyrus nodded. "I was thinking the same thing. We should keep an eye on her, just in case."

Willow joined them, looking concerned. "Have you heard anything about Dr. Gregory? I checked the school records, and he has no history of disappearing like this. It's really unusual."

"Let's meet at the library after school," Buffy suggested. "We can do some research and figure out our next steps."

Later that afternoon, the gang gathered in the library. Giles was already there, sifting through a stack of books. "Ah, there you all are. I've been looking into Dr. Gregory's disappearance, but so far, I haven't found anything conclusive."

Buffy filled Giles in on their new teacher, Ms. French. "There's something weird about her, Giles. I can't explain it, but it's a feeling."

Giles adjusted his glasses, looking intrigued. "We should investigate her background. See if there's anything that stands out."

Willow nodded, already typing away on her laptop. "I'll see what I can find online."

Xander leaned back in his chair, his expression dreamy. "I still can't believe we have a teacher like Ms. French. She's practically perfect."

Buffy shot him a look. "Focus, Xander. We need to figure out what's going on."

Cyrus nodded in agreement. "Yeah, something tells me this is just the beginning."

As they delved deeper into their research, the sense of foreboding grew stronger. Sunnydale had many secrets, and it seemed Ms. French was just one more mystery they had to unravel.