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1997-08-31
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From: buffyfic-owner@xmission.com (buffyfic Digest)
To: buffyfic-digest@xmission.com
Subject: buffyfic Digest V1 #23
Reply-To: buffyfic@xmission.com
Sender: buffyfic-owner@xmission.com
Errors-To: buffyfic-owner@xmission.com
Precedence:
buffyfic Digest Monday, September 1 1997 Volume 01 : Number 023
In this issue:
BUFFYFIC: Sealed with a Kiss 11b/11
BUFFYFIC: Parody Lyric: The Hubba Hubba Mantis Girl
BUFFYFIC: Angelic Conversions *Slayer's Archive fanfic*
BUFFYFIC: Gone 3 The God of Nine Walls Part 4/? by JJ
BUFFYFIC: Secret World of Willow (03/?) by D.Spence
BUFFYFIC: Summer Vacation -- Author's Notes (0/0)
BUFFYFIC: Summer Vacation -- Prologue (1/1)
See the end of the digest for information on subscribing to the buffyfic
or buffyfic-digest mailing lists and on how to retrieve back issues.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 21:00:29 -0400
From: Anya <anya@interlinks.net>
Subject: BUFFYFIC: Sealed with a Kiss 11b/11
Sealed with a Kiss - Part 11B/11
by Anya
anya@interlinks.net
"Oh, it's not much of a story, "Xander pontificated. He was keeping
quite close to his pal, afraid that if he let her out of his sight,
she'd
vanish. "You played with the fire, we went and pounced on the bad
lady, we won..you're out..we're back, we can all go party now!"
Giles, Buffy and Angel all rolled their eyes, but it was Cai that
spoke. "Riight. That shit stunk, boy. You were out cold, after all of
ya tried to beat the living custard outta me...failing miserably, of
course."
Willow suppressed a knowing smile, and turned to Cai with her
best poker face. "I don't believe we've been introduced..."
Cai grinned evilly, "Nope. We ain't. I know who you are, though
girl. There's just two things, ya should know. Your timing sucks,
and you're a little slow on the uptake. I spent a great deal of time
tryin' ta get yer attention with those nightmares, and you didn't bite
that fishy. Ya gotta start paying attention."
Her eyebrows nearly hit her widow's peak. "You sent those
nightmares?" An unfamiliar edge of temper sounded in her voice.
"Yeah..I did. Ya got a problem wit' dat?"
"Yes, I do!" Willow responded hotly. Guardian or not, those
nightmares had not been pleasant. He had no business tormenting
anyone with such images.
"Atta girl! Ya got brass...you MIGHT work out. Them," he
indicated the others with a shrug. "Not likely, but there's hope fer
you."
*Oh, goody.* The thought was so sarcastic, it could have been
Xander's, Willow realized. *I've been hanging around Xander way
too long, now I'm starting to think like him...that's bad.*
Buffy smoothly placed her body between Willow and Cai, after
recovering from the sound of Willow in a temper, or approaching
one. "Willow, Willow, chill. This is Cai, he's the Seal's Guardian."
Willow blinked once, startled by both Cai's coarseness, and Buffy's
sudden defense of him. "Oh. I guess this belongs to you, then." She
reached out to Cai, the amulet resting in the palm of her hand.
"Where did you get that?" Buffy and Angel gasped at the same
time.
Willow glanced quickly between them, "I don't know..I just had it?"
It was offered up lamely, but they seemed to accept it. She dumped
the amulet in Cai's hand.
Cai frowned at the amulet, with a flick of his wrist, it was out of
sight. "Guardian," He snorted, pining Buffy with a scowl. "Girl, you
ARE blond! Don't ya listen? I'm RETIRED! I busted my ass for 700
years as Guardian, I'm finito! I've collected ma pension cheque, and
I'm gonna buy myself a nice little shack and rot nicely. I'll give
myself a few decades to check out the changes of the last seventy
years, and then, I'm gonna croak. It'll be great!"
"Oh dear," Giles muttered, anticipating the Slayer's temper.
Strangely, it never struck. There simply wasn't time. Cai spun on
heel faster than Buffy could respond and tossed his staff to Xander,
who caught in defensively.
"You'll need that, boy!" Cai chortled, and then scampered for the
door. "See ya!" And was gone.
"Not in this lifetime," Buffy muttered under her breath. Ms.
Calendar, Angel and Giles seemed amused. She scowled at the
door, before turning that scowl on the three of them. "What's so
amusing?"
Angel grinned, "Nothing. I don't know about everyone else, but I'm
just relieved that this is all over." The vampire pulled away from
the table he'd been leaning against. "And if everyone will excuse
me, I'd better get going. There's maybe an hour or two before
sunrise."
Buffy whipped around to look at the clock. "Oh shit! Mom's going
to have my head!"
Xander groaned theatrically, "Your mom? My mom's going to
replay the Spanish Inquisition with me." The teen sighed a deep
anguished breath. "I hope you'll all attend my funeral..."
Willow punched him in his arm. "You're Mom won't kill you. By
now, she won't even recognize you, she hasn't seen you for so long."
The trio wandered to the doors, following the vampire. Willow
casually dropped her hands into the track pants pockets. She froze
feeling her left hand close around something cold, metallic and
round. Discretely, she pulled the amulet back out of her pocket.
*How...?*
"Willow?" Buffy startled Willow back to reality, the girl quickly
stuffed the amulet back into the pocket, unseen by the others.
"Yeah?" A small frown dotted on her face, she watched Xander
spinning the wooden stave around narrowly hitting a cringing
Angel.
"How come you aren't worried about your folks?" Buffy asked. "I
mean, you aren't even wearing the clothes you started out in."
"Oh, I can't speak for everyone else, but my Mom trusts me
implicitly." Willow said loftily. " Besides, I left my window open.
I'm just going to climb into my room through my window."
Xander smiled evilly. "Jump over your fence, Willow. It's faster that
way."
************************The End ************************
So concludes this story...but, be warned..it ain't over yet! The
Sequel will be forthcoming!
Comments and thoughts are sought, please, spare a moment and let
me know what you've thought of this work! Strengths, weaknesses
and just plain praise are graciously accepted!
Cheers!
- --Anya
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 1997 20:10:05 -0400
From: Jesse Jou <jjou@mail.med.cornell.edu>
Subject: BUFFYFIC: Parody Lyric: The Hubba Hubba Mantis Girl
I just came up with this. Thought some of you might recognize and enjoy
the story of the She-Mantis told in Big-Band style.
Hubba-Hubba Mantis Girl (to the tune of Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy)
sung by Buffy, Willow, and Cordelia as the Andrews Sisters.
She's got a crazy yen for Virgin No. 3
His name is Xander Harris and he's really keen
But she's hungry now.
Needs some human seed
Doesn't matter how she gets it.
Even killed Dr. G.
Chorus:
She's in the Hellmouth now
On a killing spree.
It's the Hubba Hubba Mantis Girl and Innocent 3
She dressed in basic black and said to Number 3.
"You couldn't be a virgin, now couldja be?"
He downed his martini
Said he loved Buffy.
Doesn't matter now; she's got him
Wouldn't want to be he.
Chorus
Buffy broke the window just in time to see.
How intimate the Mantis Girl and Xander would be.
But she'd stop her now.
'Fore he was a daddy.
Doesn't matter. Wow, she killed it
With that sharp machete.
Chorus and then final chord.
(lyrics, copyright 1997, Jesse Jou)
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 1997 00:12:09 -0400
From: Anya <anya@interlinks.net>
Subject: BUFFYFIC: Angelic Conversions *Slayer's Archive fanfic*
Well, yet another propaganda piece couched in fanfic form! I've had so
much email telling me how much people enjoyed the previous
two..well..here's the third and most likely final bit! There's also a
serious help message in it, but don't feel pressured! (As if,huh? :) )
Angelic Conversions
by Anya
anya@interlinks.net
It was the strangest sight Buffy had ever seen, and the last thing on
earth she would have ever guessed happening. But..there they
were! Huddled close by each other, with a computer screen in front
of them, and fingers flying across the keyboards.
The blueish light off the monitors reflected on their faces, making
pale skin look sickly, and their eyes were fixed on scrolling words.
Neither noticed the Slayer enter the library, they were so consumed
with whatever it was they were doing.
For Willow, this was no great shock. But...ANGEL? A computer
junky? Buffy shook her head, no..this was just some sort of sick
obscene dream.
"What ARE you two doing!" She asked with exasperation. Her
hands on her hips, and back straight, she looked like a scolding
mother.
Willow flicked her an annoyed glance, and looked back at the
screen. "Work." The hacker said around the pen hanging of her
lips like a pseudo-cigarette.
Buffy slid closer to them, "For me? "
Angel grunted, but never looked up. "No. For the archive."
"Come again? The FANFIC archive?" Buffy nearly vaulted over
the table. "It's up, again? GET OUT OF MY WAY!!!"
Neither budged, and Buffy resorted to pulling a stake out from
under the hem of her extraordinarily short skirt. Eyes narrowed,
she stalked towards Angel. "Angel, I love you dearly, but move or
be dusted!"
The vampire jumped, and turned to look at Buffy, palms
outstretched and pleading. "Now, now..let's not be hasty!"
"The site's not up YET!" Willow said, her voice disembodied from
behind Angel. "Anya sent a plea out, asking for people with time,
and a passing fair knowledge of HTML, to help her convert all the
updates!"
"HTM...whassits?"
"Hyper Text Mark-up Language," Angel said loftily. He reclaimed
his chair, and sat down again. "It's what makes documents
readable on the web, with colour links, backgrounds etc."
Buffy blinked twice. "And you know this stuff...how?"
"Willow taught me."
Buffy shot the redhead a lethal glare. "She taught you? When?"
Willow sighed, and looked up. "When you were out Slaying, and
we were here helping Giles, that's when. Now, Buffy...if you don't
shut-up, we can't finish, and if we can't finish, that's 10 stories you
won't be able to read!"
Buffy's jaw snapped close. "Ten?" She asked in a small voice.
"Ten."
The room was silent for a few moments, with the exception of
keyboard's clattering. Buffy sat quietly in a chair, watching them,
her mind working at a furious pace. Finally, the silence was too
much to bear, and she leaned forward.
"How come you guys get to help her? Do you know Anya, Will?"
There was a tiny whine in her voice.
"'Cause we offered to help when she sent the post out; and yes, but
no. I know Anya through email, and the lists, but..I don't KNOW
her."
Buffy blinked. "SHE asked for help?"
Willow pressed the enter button and leaned back in the chair.
"Yup. Apparently, she's got 80 or so updates to make." Seeing
Buffy's jaw slacken, she hastened to add, "That's not eighty new
stories, but multiple parts to maybe 20 or so stories!"
Buffy mouthed a silent "Oh!"
"So, she asked for people who can handle doing the conversions
and we send them back as converted files. Angel and I both offered
to help when we saw the post. She gave us five files apiece to
convert."
Buffy sat quietly again. Her index finger found a stray lock of hair
and began toying with it. "So...did she say when the archive would
be back up?"
"Tuesday is her guess." Angel muttered, as he frowned at the
screen. His eyes darted along the page, moving left to right rapidly,
widening intensely as he progressed.
Willow stood up, and stretched. "I'm done." She announced.
"How 'bout you?"
"Almost." he muttered and read on.
Willow turned to the antsy Slayer, smiling to see the usually so
active Buffy trying to sit so still. "She did say she's changed the
look of the archive, and improved the graphics and stuff."
Buffy looked up hopefully. "Really? Anything else?"
Willow smiled. "There's going to be an added poetry page, and an
added transcript page of episodes."
Buffy smiled, "Keewl!! What about my..." Her voice trailed off, as
she glanced at the scowling Angel. He seemed mighty disturbed by
whatever he was reading.
Willow followed her gaze, and made the leap on her own. "I don't
know. She never said anything about IT"
"Are you talking about THIS story?" Angel asked in a strangled
voice, his eyes glued to the screen. "The one you wrote,
Buffy...about....."
Buffy shot Willow a panicked glance, and they both rushed over.
Sure enough, there, on the screen, was Buffy's story of slobbering
kisses, and affection.
Angel twisted in his chair, and pinned the Slayer with a look, on he
had cultivated carefully on Darla for a hundred years. Buffy, as
Darla had, squirmed.
In a soft, quiet voice, he carefully enunciated each word, while one
hand pointed shakily at the screen. "What....Is ....That."
Buffy swallowed hard, and looked to Willow. Her friend smirked,
but shrugged helplessly. Taking a deep breath, Buffy chose to end
this is as much dignity as she could. "Oh my! Look at the time!
Gotta go, biology y'know..my favorite class! Bye!"
And she ran for the door.
The End :)
What is in this story is true! I could DESPERATELY use some
help to get these updates done! If anyone out there with both the
time and knowledge to convert, say five stories, wants to help,
email me at anya@interlinks.net
I've got a generic guide for the format I use, so it'll all be uniform!
This isn't forever! Just for this update! I'm looking at my
mailbox, and realizing it's getting BIGGER and BIGGER!
Thanks!
- -Anya
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Sep 1997 01:31:44 -0400
From: Jesse Jou <jjou@mail.med.cornell.edu>
Subject: BUFFYFIC: Gone 3 The God of Nine Walls Part 4/? by JJ
Here's part 4. Next Beach Blanket Buffy to come soon.
All comments and feedback greatly appreciated.
Title: Gone 3: The God of Nine Walls
Author: JJ
email address: jjou@mail.med.cornell.edu
Distribution: With permission of the author
Spoiler Warning: No spoilers for any real episode
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: There's some kissing and suggestion of violence, but nothing you
wouldn't see on TV.
Classification: UTB
Summary: Inspired by Anya's original Gone... story, I wrote a sequel that
followed Willow and Angel to Europe, where they met the infamous Brother
Luca, who took Willow away to train with the Order of Our Lady of Demonic
Assassinations, while Angel returned to Sunnydale. I had left enough loose
threads in that story to warrant a third part and this is it. Both Gone...
and Gone II can be found on the Slayer's Fanfic Archive. I would recommend
reading the previous stories, but if you are not of a mind to do so, all
you really need to know is that Willow was turned into a quasivampiric
killer by the Anointed One and had to leave Sunnydale after her death was
faked. Buffy and Xander grieved, finding out their friend was lost to them
forever.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters except for the ones who haven't
shown up on the show; Joss Whedon, the WB, and their associated production
companies do. Our Lady of Demonic Assassinations is the invention of my
evil twin sister, Lisa Rose. I'm also not making a red cent of any of
this, so there's no point in suing me.
Part 4
login: WXB1997
password: *********
domain: OLODA.net.htm
/users
WXB1997, Luca
WXB1997: Hello, Lazlo.
Luca: Just in time. How are you, little girl? Still determined to save
the world?
WXB1997: Trying.
Luca: How is your boy?
WXB1997: I think he's fine. It's strange to see him again. He kissed me.
Luca o O (Did she get lucky?)
WXB1997: ha ha. No, mom showed up. it was awkward. bad timing.
Luca: I should think so.
WXB1997: I don't think I can stand to be here much longer. too many
memories. I miss Cortona.
Luca: in cortona there is nothing but the threat of death.
WXB1997: I grew up in Sunnydale. death is pretty much the status quo. I
don't think I feel safe anywhere.
Luca: Pity. BTW, Hecate came by. she's furious with you.
WXB1997: Well, won't she have to get over it? ;-)
Luca: I suppose. She may pop up over there, just so you know.
WXB1997: I'll be on the lookout. I gotta get some sleep.
Luca: Do an old man a favor and be careful, okay?
WXB1997: If I don't succeed, it won't matter how careful I was. We'll all
be in trouble.
Luca: Sometimes a little shakeup isn't so bad.
WXB1997: maybe. okay bye. love you.
Luca: Love you too.
WXB1997 exits.
- ----
Lazlo Hunyadi sighed and closed his powerbook. It was late morning in
Cortona and the sun filtered through the gauzy curtains. A pair of open
french doors led out into a small garden with a fountain and many
flowering bushes. Lazlo waved to his attendant who came over and grabbed
the handles of his wheelchair.
"It looks like it's going to be a beautiful day," he observed.
"Of course," the attendant said cheerfully. "Are there any others in Cortona?"
Lazlo grunted. "Well, best enjoy it while we can."
- ----
The scent of cooking blueberries woke her up. For a second, she was
disoriented. Where was she? She sat up and remembered she was in Xander's
study, actually the second bedroom in his house, converted into an office.
There was a futon he kept in there for guests and for times when he was too
tired to stumble to his own bed. She got off the futon and threw on an
oversized t-shirt and socks. The pendant she wore had gotten tangled and
she untwisted it. She followed the aroma to the kitchen where Xander was
standing in front of the stove, whistling contentedly. He looked
deliciously rumpled, his hair standing up at an odd angle, his white
t-shirt and baggy grey cotton shorts hanging off his body to advantage.
"He cooks!" she laughed, attracting his attention, as she plopped down at
one of the chairs at the breakfast table.
"Sometimes he even takes out the garbage!" he responded.
"Ooh, hands off, girls. He's mine," she said drolly.
He laughed and brought over two plates, setting one in front of her. "Two
orders of Alexander-Harris-patented blueberry chocolate chip pancakes. The
secret is love," he joked.
She stared at the plate uncertainly. "Um," she said slowly. "I do not
eat...pancakes."
His face went from quizzical misunderstanding to ashen realization. "Oh.
Wow. Sorry. I feel like such a heel. Umm...I forgot about about your
dietary...requirements." He looked at her helplessly.
"It's okay. I'll eat later," she said, wondering if she had offended him.
"They smell wonderful. I wish I could enjoy them."
He sat down next to her and Willow got a good look at both of their
reflections in the glass tabletop. It occurred to her that morning light
made their ages more apparent, his warm face on the road to middle age,
whereas she still looked like the sixteen year old girl whose life the
Anointed One had destroyed. She saw him watching her in the glass and
looked up and met his eyes. He set his fork down, resting an elbow on the
table. "I didn't realize how old I look," he said, a mixture of surprise
and disappointment in his voice.
"I like the way you look," she said.
"I feel like a dirty old man, kissing you last night," he fussed. "I look
like your father."
She giggled and got up, going over to him and sitting in his lap. She
wrapped her arms around his neck. "Should I call you Daddy Harris?" she
cooed.
"Don't joke about it," he responded. "What was I thinking? You're not
even human..."
She stopped his mouth with hers. After a moment's hesitation, he kissed
her back intently, rubbing the back of her neck.
"You know, I've waited 18 years for you to kiss me like that," she said.
"I'm not going to let your flaking out keep me from enjoying it."
"I guess, technically, you're the same age as me," he rationalized, not
stopping the gentle motion of his hand.
She nodded. "Besides, if people say anything, I'll just say you like 'em
young. And perky."
He grinned, then stopped as he caught sight of the pendant hanging from her
neck. "What's this ?" he asked.
"I don't know," she answered. "I found it. Do you recognize it?"
He lifted it. It was a small trinket, an oblong oval of tarnished silver
with fine lines carefully etched into it. He couldn't tell, but it looked
like the lines were actually some sort of script. In the center was a
small ruby, like an eye staring dully at him. "It looks old," he said.
"The detailwork is exquisite. Could I borrow it? There's some people at
the university who could probably date it, if you like?"
She smiled and unworked the clasp behind her neck. The necklace slipped
into Xander's hand. "Sure," she said, then, leaning towards him, as he set
the necklace on the table, "Where were we?"
He put a finger on her mouth. "Stopping before you keep me from going to
work."
"Call in sick," she suggested.
He laughed, "I can't do that. It's finals and the students would form a
lynch mob if I weren't there for office hours."
She pouted exaggeratedly, then got off his lap..
"It's just a couple of hours," he promised, as he headed to his bedroom.
"When I get back, we'll go do something. Take a drive or something."
As he disappeared, Willow looked at the front page of the Sunnydale
Gazette. The lead story was the gruesome murder of a St. Hebereke High
School gymnast. She had been disembowelled and her face had been
surgically removed. "Poor girl," Willow thought, recognizing the picture
of the pretty and smiling African American girl. Many public leaders were
insisting on reinstituting the curfew that had been repealed 8 years
earlier, but Willow knew that no curfew would have saved Melissa Jackson of
St. Hebereke High School. The girl had been the Slayer and whatever had
killed her would not be stopped by mortal law. Furthermore, Willow was
certain that there were going to be more dead very, very soon.
- ----
end Part 4
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Sep 1997 14:13:00 -0400 (EDT)
From: dalton.spence@hwcn.org
Subject: BUFFYFIC: Secret World of Willow (03/?) by D.Spence
I would like to dedicate this chapter of my story to the late
Princess Diana. She was an inspiration to many people and will be
missed. May she finally find the peace the press denied her.
TITLE: The Secret World of Willow Rosenberg
AUTHOR: Dalton S. Spence
EMAIL ADDRESS: <dalton.spence@hwcn.org>
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT: This story cannot be sold or used for profit
in any way. Copies of this story may be made for private use
only or posted in fanfic archives for general distribution, but
must include all disclaimers and copyright notices.
SPOILER WARNING: Occurs after "Prophecy Girl"
RATING: PG13
CONTENT WARNING: This story depicts scenes of violence and/or their
aftermath. If depictions of this nature disturb you, you may
wish to read something other than this story.
CLASSIFICATION: C - Crossover with "The Secret World of Alex Mack"
SUMMARY: The new girl at Sunnydale has a weird secret all her own -
one that Willow will soon share.
DISCLAIMER: Buffy, Giles, the Slayerettes and all other characters
who have appeared in the series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"
together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole
copyright property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Inc., Kuzui
Enterprises, Sandollar Television, 20th Century Fox Television
and the Warner Brothers Television Network. Alex Mack, her
family, Danielle Atron and all other characters who have
appeared in the series "The Secret World of Alex Mack" together
with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright
property of Viacom International, MTV Networks, Nickelodeon
Television Network, Nickelodeon Productions, Hallmark
Entertainment, and Lynch Entertainment. No copyright
infringement was intended in the writing of this fan fiction.
All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are
the sole property of the author. I'm too broke to be sued,
anyway. (But if anybody thinks my literary skill presents that
much a risk, feel free to *HIRE* me!)
* * * * *
The Secret World of Willow Rosenberg
(a BtVS/SWAM crossover)
by Dalton S. Spence <dalton.spence@hwcn.org>
"I guess I'm not so ordinary anymore." - Alex Mack
*Part 3*
After the defeat of the Master, the surviving vampires of Sunnydale
made their new headquarters well away from his former lair. And who
could blame them; not only did none of them want to risk being
caught in the Hellmouth's grip as the Master had been for seventy
years, it was *much* too close to the Slayer's headquarters for
anybody's comfort. There had even been a brief movement to relocate
to the nearby town of Paradise Valley. This was quickly struck down
by the Anointed One and his allies, who pointed out (after they had
destroyed the vampires who started the movement, of course) that at
least in Sunnydale they could keep a watch on the Slayer.
"Keep your friends close," he said, waving at the piles of dust
covering the floor, "and your enemies even closer. The Master taught
me this, and I'm not about to dispute him. If any of you do, feel
free to come forward so we can ... discuss it. Any takers?" There
was a brief grumbling among the assembled vampires, but in the end
reason (and fear) prevailed, and they filed quietly to proceed with
the night's hunting. A few would be lost to the Slayer, but that was
far better than the certain death that opposing Colin would trigger.
Finally, there were only three left in the chamber; Colin and his
two chief minions. "That went nicely, I think," said Colin with a
satisfied sigh. "Nothing like a little terror to keep things orderly
in the ranks, like the Master always said."
At this comment the smaller one (a perky looking brunette in a neat
blue business suit) grimaced. Colleen had been a very successful
Hollywood talent agent specializing in juvenile performers before
her fateful detour through Sunnydale, so she was used to handling
young egomaniacs with tremendous power. She quickly established a
solid rapport with the Master's heir apparent, becoming his chief
advisor on policy and politics. "I think you should be careful about
that. Quoting the Master, I mean," she said, shifting nervously
under her leader's glare. "The Master may have been an outstanding
leader in his day, but that day is past. This is *your* day now."
"She's right, you know," the giant who stood on Colin's other side
commented quietly. "Back in my days with the outfit, it was known if
the don died the heir had to show that he had his own power as well
as the blessing of his predecessor, or he would lose respect. You
showed your power tonight, but it sounded like you were still
following the Master's instructions. For now, it works; the others
still don't really believe he was defeated. When they do, watch out!
Using his name will make them wonder if you're going to lead them
down the same path."
Guido Salvatore may have looked like a common thug, but he had first
class mind, and a lifetime of experience dealing with violent and
bloodthirsty individuals. For most of his life he had been a classic
"wise guy", a loyal soldier in the Torelli family, until he made a
fatal error. A greedy lieutenant had answered Guido's badly timed
accusation of `skimming' with three bullets in the chest, leaving
him to die in a Sunnydale back alley. That he had lasted long enough
to be found by Colin on a hunting expedition was a testament to his
iron will and robust constitution. After cleaning up his `unfinished
business', Guido became Colin's utterly loyal minion, even to the
point of risking his existence by offering unpopular advice when he
felt it warranted.
Fortunately, both of his advisors had offered their counsel with the
proper respect (mainly by waiting until they were alone), so Colin
felt no need to make examples of them. As the Master had taught him
(//Damn! They're right, I *DO* have to watch that.//), destroying
your tools because you don't like what they produce is wasteful and
foolish, unless you have spare ones of equal quality. (At least, he
told himself that was the reason; he couldn't admit even to himself
that sometimes he missed the familiar comfort of parental figures.)
He was still groping for a response that would acknowledge their
point while establishing his authority, when his keen senses noticed
a slight commotion in the corridor outside. There was a pause, then
a light tapping on chamber's doorway. "Enter," he called out, "and
this had better be important."
The timid vampire who entered was former minor bureaucrat known to
the clan as the postmaster. It was his responsibility to watch the
news for items of importance, and to relay communications from their
agents on the surface. Keeping his eyes on the ground, he wordlessly
gave Colin the envelope he had found a the dead drop point below a
storm drain. //I hope this is good news,// he thought as he tried to
make himself as small a target as possible. //We could all use some
for a change.// He had only had the job a week, and did not wish for
the fate of his predecessor; ever since the Slayer arrived, this job
had an extremely high attrition rate.
He was lucky this time. "Our agent above reports he is in place to
watch the activities of the Slayer and her friends," Colin exclaimed
with as smile. With a slight giggle he added, "He's even managed to
make this a part of his official mortal job. How ironic! I predict
that when the day of our domination over the mortal world comes,
*THEY* will have done most of the work for us themselves." The
Master had actually made this prediction to him in private, but
there was no need for anyone else to know that.
* * * * *
Willow was badly in need of a computer fix. After she had accidently
crashed the computer lab network for the third time, Ms. Calendar
had `excused' Willow from the rest of the class until `this curse'
(as she put it) was lifted. Usually Willow would have stayed later,
using the library computer to surf the net for info to help Buffy
with her Slaying, do her homework from Ms. Calendar's class, or try
to Giles-proof the library card-catalogue (instituting the fuzzy
logic and context search algorithms was a fascinating challenge),
but it too fell prey to the `curse' when she tried to use it. She
and Alex had stayed a bit late in the library where Alex had tried
to teach Willow how to control the EM effects of her new powers,
with little luck. When Alex had offered Willow the use of the
specially shielded desktop that her sister had left behind when
she'd gone for MIT, she had jumped at the chance.
"Mom, Dad, I'm home!" Alex called out as she entered the house with
Willow in tow. This was mainly for form, since she didn't really
expect them to get home first. Her dad had been working overtime
setting up the new lab, and her mother was probably on the way back
from the community college where she was taking courses to get her
degree. Neither usually got home before seven any more, so they had
gotten into the habit of having dinner at eight. There should be
plenty of time for them to practice.
The Mack's had a six month lease on the house they were renting, but
because they were planning to buy a place before the lease was up,
most of the boxes littering the living room and the den remained
unopened. After searching a bit for the phone, Willow called her dad
to let him know where she was. (For once she could tell the truth;
she had gone to a friend's house to study.)
"Yes Dad, Alex *IS* a girl! ... I promise I'll call Xander before I
leave so he can walk me home ... Don't worry, everything will be
fine. How's mom doing?" There was a brief pause, then a relieved
smile lit up her face. "That's GREAT! Listen, I've got to go now,
Alex's computer isn't unpacked yet and I promised to help her set it
up. Give my love to Mom. Bye"
"I take it that was good news?" asked Alex.
"The BEST! My Mom woke up this afternoon, and everything is going to
be just fine. She's coming home from the hospital tomorrow. Since
they can't find a reason for her severe anemia, and there are no
other serious injuries, they have no reason to keep her."
"Does she remember the attack?"
"If she does, Dad didn't mention it. But how did you ...?"
"I was sort of there in the alley, and heard you talking to Xander.
I know it happened, but nothing else. And the anemia thing was a
dead give-a-way. How did it happen? I thought vampires couldn't
enter a house without invitation. Or is that a myth?"
"No, it's true enough but didn't apply in this case. She was coming
to school to pick me up after dark, when five vampires jumped her.
If Buffy hadn't been right there.... And Xander, he was magnificent!
He threw himself right at them, knocked Mom clear of them and stood
over her holding them back with a cross while Buffy took care of the
first two. The others ran off when the police showed up."
"What did you tell them? It must have looked kind of weird."
"Fortunately, they caught a glimpse of the attackers running away,
and accepted our story of muggers. At least the younger one did. I
think the older one knew what was going on; he took a look at her
neck, then ordered the ambulance and told them to have a transfusion
ready. And the E.M.T.s seemed a little too efficient about it, too."
"If there have been as many attacks as you say, they would have to
know, wouldn't they? Even if they couldn't make an official report
about it? I mean, the physical evidence has to be there; what other
conclusion could they draw?"
Willow considered a moment, then nodded. "Could be. I hope so. I
hate to the of all the unsuspecting cops out there relying on just
their guns for protection. If we get that computer of yours unpacked
I could check it out."
"Right! This way," said Alex, leading the way up the stairs to her
bedroom. One half of the room was filled with unopened boxes, all
marked Annie's this and Annie's that. The other half looked more
normal; Alex had unpacked most of her clothes and personal stuff,
and had made an attempt to make the place more homey. While she had
taken her parent's advice and not put up her posters or set up the
stereo, Alex had put up her `gallery'; a cork board with her latest
photographic efforts carefully mounted.
Willow looked around for the box containing the computer, finally
seeing it at the top of a tall stack of boxes. "Alex, where do you
keep the step lad... Oh ya, right. Could you get it down please? I
don't want drop it."
Alex moved to the window. "First rule: ALWAYS check for witnesses."
She'd done this so many times that she had closed the blinds and
turned away before her brain registered the sight of a dark figure
leaning against a lamppost watching her house.
- --
+-------------------------------------------------+
| Dalton S. Spence, B.Sc. <dalton.spence@hwcn.org>|
| Home Page: http://www.hwcn.org/~ag775/home.html |
+-------------------------------------------------+
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Sep 1997 12:39:28 -0700
From: lizbet@primenet.com (Elizabeth Ann Lewis)
Subject: BUFFYFIC: Summer Vacation -- Author's Notes (0/0)
What I Did On My Summer Vacation -- Author's Notes
At ComicCon in July, Joss said that he intended every season of
Buffy to be somewhat self-contained. That if the show ended abruptly there
would be a feeling of completion, of closure. In later interviews, he said
that was one of the reasons why there was so much story in Prophesy Girl --
the need to tie everything up if BtVS turned out to be a twelve-episode
miniseries. And there is closure in Prophesy Girl. Xander and Buffy have
their relationship out in the open (so, too, do Xander and Willow). Faced
with the loss of her life, Buffy has accepted her role as Slayer. Giles
has confided his sacred mission to another person and proven that Buffy
means more to him than the Slayer, and Angel, once and for all, has chosen
sides in the fight between mortals and vampires.
However.
The ending of Prophesy Girl left enough loose threads to keep the
three Fates busy for quite awhile. Joss will answer those questions for us
in a week or two. This quartet of stories is my answer. There are one
each for Buffy, Xander, Willow and Giles. (And for the people who wonder
why there isn't one for Angel... just wait. <g>)
The inspiration for these stories must belong to the wonderful
group known as the Sunnydale Slayers, who in three months of existence have
grown very dear to my heart. Casual conversation on possible plotlines for
next season made me wonder what the Slayerettes were doing over the summer
and... well, let's just say that the SunS learned to regret it when I
either spammed the list with contributions (Xander told me his story in
THREE DAYS!!!) or had days and weeks of dry spells. I love you all dearly,
especially Chris and Perri (for dragging me into this &*%#$! fandom, yadda
yadda yadda, you've heard this before) and my co-List Mom Dianne, who got
sucked in with me. <g>
These stories are independent of each other and can be read in any
order after the prologue (the only short thing about this story). For
those of you used to my sporadic Forever Knight fictions... I think any one
story in Summer Vacation is longer than my FK stories put together. <sigh>
Necessary evil: Buffy, Giles, Xander, Willow, Angel, Cordelia,
Hank Summers, Wendell, Ms. Calendar, etc, etc, all belong to Joss Whedon,
Mutant Enemy and 20th Century Fox. Anyone else you don't recognize belongs
to me (although Val and I seem to be time-sharing Deirdre). Any character
I create is available for loan, but please contact me if you do so (I want
to make sure to keep an eye out for your stuff). I'm making no money off
of this endeavor; I do it for nothing more than love of the characters
(even Xander, who deserves to die for what he did to me) and love of
feedback.
Praise, flames, comments, chocolate and tall, dark, undead angsty
guys to lizbet@primenet.com
And now... on with the show.
- -~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~
High Priestess Lizbet of the Cult of Joss -~*~- {{>AGA<}}
lizbet@primenet.com ~*~ Lizbetann@aol.com ~*~ Keeper of Joss's Evil Brain
SunS List Co-Mummy: "If the Apocalypse comes, beep me." ~*~
"God made relativity and God made marijuana and the two are not entirely
unrelated." -- Boo ~*~ http://www.primenet.com/~lizbet/
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Sep 1997 12:42:21 -0700
From: lizbet@primenet.com (Elizabeth Ann Lewis)
Subject: BUFFYFIC: Summer Vacation -- Prologue (1/1)
What I Did On My Summer Vacation
by Elizabeth Ann Lewis
Disclaimers: See Author's Notes
lizbet@primenet.com
Prologue
Buffy tilted her face up to the sunlight, leaning back on her
elbows. She'd spread a beach towel on the grass in her back yard, and was
intent on soaking up some rays. "This is the life. No homework. No
classes. Sleeping late. Partying later."
"And no vampire slayage," Xander added, bouncing a tennis ball
against the back wall of her house.
"That's the best part for me," Willow said sleepily, curled up in
the grass with a kitten in her lap.
"Things have been quiet," Giles allowed from where he was sitting
in the shade, a tall glass of iced tea at his elbow. Unlike the California
teenagers, he was not enjoying the brilliant sunlight. But with the school
closed for earthquake repair, and since he was rather disinclined to spend
any time there, he was reduced to joining his little band in the great
outdoors. Buffy's mother was spending the day at the gallery, so they did
not have to explain what the librarian was doing hanging with the
teenagers.
The methodical thunk-thunk of the tennis ball lulled them all for
several long moments. "Three months of nothing to do, no where to be...
hey, wait, Will." Xander suddenly turned, and the ball bounced back to
clunk him on the head. "Aren't you going to that computer camp thingie?"
Willow sat up, wide-awake. The kitten yowled a bit plaintively at
the sudden motion. "Yeah! I completely forgot."
"Whoa, brakes. What's up?" Buffy pushed her sunglasses up onto her
head to look at her friend.
"There's this really exclusive computer camp, up in San Jose.
Actually, it's run by a company in San Jose, but the camp itself is in a
really cool old house in Napa Valley. You have to get on a waiting list to
get into this camp. I've been on it for two years."
"But.. you're leaving?" Buffy looked tragic. "How long?"
"Um, well... six weeks. It's really intensive."
"And yes, this is how she wants to spend her summer." Xander shook
his head, baffled beyond measure.
"It's not like you're going to be here yourself, Buffy," Willow
argued.
"What's this?" Giles pulled himself out of _Le Roman de la Rose_
and looked at his Slayer. "Are you leaving Sunnydale?"
Buffy pushed the glasses back down onto her nose and shrugged,
lying back. "I'm spending the summer in LA. The joint custody agreement
was that I spent summers with my dad. But I thought I'd be back here some
weekends," she added, pouting.
"Great. Willow gone, Buffy gone. Guess it's just you and me,
Giles, eh?" Xander resumed bouncing his ball. Willow curled up with her
cat. Buffy got bronze.
Thunk-thunk.
"Actually, now that I think on it, it would probably be best if I
returned to England," Giles finally said.
The three teenagers all turned on him. "What?" "No!" "You mean...
forever?"
"No, certainly not permanently." Giles set aside his book and
leaned forward in his chair. "But I left rather... abruptly. There
are... things I need to attend to. I have possessions... books. If I am
going to reside here, I will have to decide what to do with my life in
England."
"Oh," Buffy said, lying back again. There didn't seem to be much
to say after that.
"Will, when are you leaving?"
"Um... next Wednesday, I think. Mom's driving me up the coast."
"And I'm leaving on Monday." Buffy sighed. "Well, we'll have a
nice, quiet summer. Right?"
- -~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~
High Priestess Lizbet of the Cult of Joss -~*~- {{>AGA<}}
lizbet@primenet.com ~*~ Lizbetann@aol.com ~*~ Keeper of Joss's Evil Brain
SunS List Co-Mummy: "If the Apocalypse comes, beep me." ~*~
"God made relativity and God made marijuana and the two are not entirely
unrelated." -- Boo ~*~ http://www.primenet.com/~lizbet/
------------------------------
End of buffyfic Digest V1 #23
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