ftp.xmission.com/2014.06.ftp.xmission.com.tar/ftp.xmission.com/pub/lists/buffyfic/archive/v02.n351

Internet Message Format | 1998-10-14 | 21KB

From: [e-mail] (buffyfic-digest)
To: [e-mail]
Subject: buffyfic-digest V2 #351
Reply-To: $SENDER
Sender: [e-mail]
Errors-To: [e-mail]
Precedence: bulk


buffyfic-digest      Wednesday, October 14 1998      Volume 02 : Number 351



In this issue:

       BUFFYFIC: ADMIN:  List rules
       BUFFYFIC: DISCUSS: "The Necromancer"
       BUFFYFIC: Full Disclosure (1a/3) by tj thwaites

See the end of the digest for information on (un)subscribing to the buffyfic
or buffyfic-digest mailing lists and on how to retrieve back issues.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1998 13:09:12
From: sah <[e-mail]>
Subject: BUFFYFIC: ADMIN:  List rules

Welcome!  This list is for fiction related to "Buffy The Vampire
Slayer," both the TV series and the movie.  To ensure that we all get
to enjoy as much fiction as possible, please adhere to the following
guidelines, and please save them for future reference.

1. Fiction should have Buffy characters in it and clearly be related
to Buffy.  Crossovers are great, and expected, but general
vampire/monster stories that aren't in the Buffy universe and don't
use Buffy characters belong somewhere else.

2. Discussion of posted fiction is permitted onlist.  Please put
"DISCUSS" in your subject line.  Requests for missing story parts
should go directly to the author, and not be posted to the list.

Discussion that is not related directly to the fiction should go over
to the general Buffy list.  Discussion of fiction is expected to
follow common netiquette guidelines and use PG-13 language.

3. No advertising of <any> items or services, Buffy related or not,
and no posting of non-story items such as .gifs, sound files, etc..
No attached files of <any> kind-- if your mailer makes your fiction
into attached files, you need to find another way to get it to the list.

4. If you're writing a story and including advance information on a
new episode, and you're posting your story earlier than the national
viewing time, please:

     **Mark the post as a "spoiler" in the subject header.
     **Leave about twelve lines (blank or with non-spoiler info) at
          the top of the post.

This ensures that anyone who doesn't like knowing about an episode
ahead of time is "protected."  :)   The blank space is for people whose
mailers automatically open up the next piece of mail, without giving
them a chance to see "spoiler" in the header.

Spoiler warnings are not necessary after the start of the episode's
national viewing time, which is currently set at 9 p.m. Mondays,
Eastern Standard Time.  Spoiler warnings are not necessary for reruns.

5.  This list is absolutely NOT for erotic fiction.  <Nothing> stronger
than sexually PG-13 material is to be posted to the list under any
circumstances.  A story may be R rated for violence or language, however.

If you have a question about something's suitability for posting, feel
free to ask one of the listowners.  Sending sexually explicit material
will get you immediately and permanently unsubscribed.  No exceptions.

6.  By subscribing and/or posting to this list, you acknowledge that
Buffy the Vampire slayer and all characters associated with either
the televised series or the motion picture were created by Josh Whedon
and are owned by Mutant Enemy productions, Kuzui Productions,
Sandollar Productions, and 20th Century Fox.  All stories posted to
this list are for entertainment purposes only, are not sold for profit
of any kind, and are not intended to infringe on any copyrights.

7.  When posting stories to the list, please follow the following
formatting guidelines
- --No story parts longer than 250 lines
- --No more than three story parts per day (posting your 25 part opus will spam
people's mailboxes).  Better to make people savor the anticipation.
- --No lines longer than 75 characters
- --Turn off your "smart quotes"-- many readers receive these as garbage
or weird symbols
- --Put the title of the story in the subject header, indicate if it's a
multipart story, and if so what part this is.  Example:   Buffy Meets
Godzilla (2/65) indicates that this post is part two of a 65 part story.

8. If a story is rated "R" for language/violence, indicate this in an
introduction.  For example, "There's a really bloody fight scene at
the end of this part" or "if you don't like dismemberment, stop
reading now!"  If there's <any> chance that someone might be disturbed
by something in your story (even if it's not rated R) please include
some kind of warning up front.

9.  And last, but not least, the listowners reserve the right to deny
subscription (new, renewed, or continued) to the list for any
individual(s).

PLEASE NOTE:  not following any or all of these rules will get you
the following:

**First offense:  offender is unsubscribed for one week.
**Second offense:  offender is unsubscribed to the Buffyfic list for a
minimum of three months.
**If the offender returns and does it again, they're offlist
permanently.

As noted above, posting sexually explicit material is the exception --
you go straight to permanent unsubbing.

Again, welcome!  If  you have any questions about these rules, please
contact either one of us offlist.  If you have subscription problems or
questions, the fastest way to get help is to e-mail one of us at the
addresses below, <not> at the [e-mail] addy which is the
"official" e-mail owner of the list.

Jill Kirby ([e-mail])
 &
sah ([e-mail])
Listowners, Buffy the Vampire Slayer Fiction List
[e-mail]


[e-mail] * [e-mail]
NatPack * BotCoS * Bishop * Jungle Patrol * BBPG:TGLIL * BTVS Colistowner
"Mr. Grim Reaper, could you turn around?"  --overheard at FrightFest

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1998 21:35:10 -0700
From: "J. Jericho Born" <[e-mail]>
Subject: BUFFYFIC: DISCUSS: "The Necromancer"

I'm not trying to set a record or anything and I don't think I'm violating any
rules, but I have another discussion message to send.

I have a hard time coming up with teasers, those little one or two sentences
that describe your story without giving too much away. Some suggestions of
teasers for my fanfic, "The Necromancer," would help me along. Thanks.

- -JB

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1998 19:01:43 -0600
From: [e-mail] (tj thwaites)
Subject: BUFFYFIC: Full Disclosure (1a/3) by tj thwaites

Author's Note: The original version of this story was posted to BBETA way
back in January. I've expanded it enough that I needed to break it into 3
parts and not 2 so I could mail it. Actually, most of part 3 is completely
new. Great big "thank you" to all who sent feedback on the old version. And
believe it of not, I actually took some of your advice. {grin}

Title: Full Disclosure (1/3)
Author: tj thwaites
E-mail: [e-mail]
Archive: Anya's of course. The mailing list archives, okay. All others
please ask. I'll give you the go ahead, but I just like to know where my
stories are going.
Rating: PG-13, some violence but no worse than an episode.
Spoilers: up to Bad Eggs
Summary: In the aftermath of the incident with the Bazoar, Joyce is having
nightmares. And things are about to get worse.
Disclaimer: The characters we all know and love from BtVS belong to the
Great God Joss. I'm just playing in his back yard for a bit. Also, you'll
probably recognize the stuff from various episodes in the flashback scenes.
(muchos gracias to AleXander for his wonderful work on the Transcripts
available on the Slayerfanfic Archive)
Feedback: Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated at
[e-mail]. I'll even read flames, but don't expect a reply to
combustable messages.

Now, on with the show---

     Full Disclosure
     by tj thwaites
     (aka tj the dyslexic ferret)




     Summers residence- 3 am

     Buffy was half-way down the hall to her mother's room before she woke
completely. She pushed open the door and hurried inside, hoping she
wouldn't find what she knew she would. Her mother crouched in the corner, a
trail of blankets leading back to the bed.

     [This is the fifth night in a row,] Buffy thought, worried.

     "Get it off me! Get it off me!" Joyce cried, still in the grip of her
nightmare.

     Buffy rushed to her mother's side, reaching out to stop the hands that
were scratching frantically at the top of Joyce's spine. Buffy grabbed her
mother's hands and stared into her wide, terror-filled eyes.

     "Mom!" Buffy called, "Mom! Wake up! You're having a nightmare. Mom,
wake up. You're safe. It's just a dream. I'm here, Mom. I'm here."

     Some of the terror and hysteria retreated from Joyce's expression.
Buffy hugged her tightly, rocking her gently and continued whispering
soothing platitudes in an ironic role reversal. Buffy could feel the
tension slowly leaving her mother's body under her ministrations. She
continued slowly rubbing small circles on her mother's back, easing the
tense muscles, and took a quick glance at the spot her mother had been
scratching earlier. Buffy was hard pressed to subdue the startled gasp that
threatened when she caught sight of the damage revealed by the moonlight
shining in through the window. The normally pale smooth skin along Joyce's
spine, between her shoulder blades, was an angry red, scraped raw and
leaking blood in places.

     Buffy schooled the shock and worry from her expression with
difficulty. The raw area was in the precise location one of those parasites
had latched on to Joyce during that incident last week at the school. Her
Mom couldn't be remembering what really happened that night, could she?

     [Note to self,] Buffy thought, [Pin down Giles first thing in the
morning to talk about this. That 'gas leak' cover story he thought of might
have worked in the heat of the moment, but if the people affected are
starting to remember details, even if it's only in nightmares, we might
have to rethink this whole thing again.]

     "Are you okay, Mom?" Buffy asked as Joyce's breathing and heart rate
finally settled back to something approaching normal, "Do you want to talk
about it?"

     "I'm fine, honey," Joyce replied, "It was just a bad dream. I don't
even remember what it was about now. I'm sorry I woke you."

     "It's okay, Mom. Don't worry about it," Buffy said, "Are you sure you
don't want to talk about it? I could make us some tea."

     "I'm fine, Buffy. Really," Joyce insisted, "I can't remember what it
was about. Just feeling afraid. Helpless. It was just a dream. It's over."

     Joyce shivered at the vague memories and impressions. She scrubbed her
hands over her face, then rubbed one hand over the back over her neck to
smooth away the last vestiges of nightmare induced tension. She winced
slightly as her fingers brushed the raw area over her spine, now suddenly
aware of a dull throbbing there. She jerked her hand away from the sore
spot and stared at the smear of blood across her fingers.

     "What....?" Joyce murmured.

     "You were scratching yourself in your sleep," Buffy ventured, "I think
you broke the skin a couple of times. Come on, Mom. I'll help you clean
that up."

     Joyce numbly stood and followed her daughter into the bathroom. She
kept staring at the blood on her fingers. What could she have been dreaming
about that would make her scratch herself hard enough to draw blood? Joyce
could not remember any details of the nightmare, only a few vague
impressions; a feeling of helplessness, of not being in control of her own
body. She shivered again and quickly banished that line of thought.

     Joyce leaned over the sink, consciously avoiding looking in the
mirror, as Buffy opened the medicine cabinet to retrieve the few first aid
supplies kept there. She grimaced a few times as Buffy first gently washed
the sore area with warm water, then wiped it down with rubbing alcohol.

     "How bad is it?" Joyce asked. A person's back was an awkward place to
injure oneself, difficult to see and reach in order to treat effectively.

     "It's not that bad, Mom," Buffy lied. She could count over a dozen
individual nail tracks crisscrossing the hand-sized raw blemish.

     "You just gave yourself a couple of good scrapes," Buffy elaborated,
"Maybe you should think about getting your nails done soon?"

     Joyce raised her head to look in the mirror at the image of her
daughter peering over her shoulder. She managed a wan smile at Buffy's
attempt to lighten the mood. Joyce sucked in a deep breath through pursed
lips at the stinging sensation as Buffy sprayed Polysporin over the
scratches.

     "After all," Buffy continued, grinning impishly, "We wouldn't want you
to end up doing some serious damage to some guy's back the next time you
date someone."

     "*Buffy*!!" Joyce practically screeched, shocked at the suggestion. Or
rather, its source.

     Buffy's reflection suddenly went beet red as she locked eyes with her
mother.

     "I can't believe I just said that," Buffy  breathed.

      Mother and daughter stared at each other in the mirror for several
minutes, the silence growing increasingly uncomfortable. Finally, Joyce
started chuckling softly.

     "I don't think we have to worry along those lines for a while," she
said softly, a wry smile twisting her lips, "After what happened with Ted
last month, I don't think I'm going to be doing much....um....trolling? Is
that the word I'm looking for?"

     "*Mom*!" Buffy squealed, her fading blush reasserting itself. Vividly.

     Buffy's mouth dropped open when her mother suddenly laughed out loud.
The mischievous twinkle in Joyce's eyes caused Buffy's mind to conjure
images of her mother decked out in something tight and sexy, a drink in
hand, and surrounded by admirers. *Too* weird.

     Joyce stood up straight, putting her arm around her daughter's
shoulders, and grinned into the mirror.

     "Who knows," she quipped, "Maybe one of these years we two could go on
a mother/daughter hunting expedition together?"

     Buffy broke up, gales of laughter erupting.

     "You are so evil, Mom," she gasped between laughs, "Suggesting we
subject an unsuspecting world to such an irresistibly deadly duo as
ourselves."

      Several minutes later, the two women finally managed to control their
guffaws. Turning off the bathroom light, Joyce turned to her daughter.

     "Thank you for cheering me up after that nightmare, Buffy," she said
softly, "Now, I think we both should try to get back to sleep."

     "Okay, Mom," Buffy agreed, "If you're sure you don't want to talk
about it?"

     "I'm sure," Joyce confirmed, "Good night, honey."

     "Mom?" Buffy asked, "Will this little rapprochement contribute to
lifting my house arrest?"

      "Buffy," Joyce said, "I'll sleep on it. We'll talk about over
breakfast, okay?"

     "Good night, Mom," Buffy replied, "A joint hunting expedition, hunh?"

     "Who knows," Joyce returned, shrugging, before disappearing into her
bedroom.

     Buffy climbed back into bed, playing over the exchange in the bathroom
in her mind. As she lay back against the pillows, Buffy realized that her
own comments stemmed from the acceptance (finally, after over a year) that
her mother and father were not going to be getting back together. And that
Buffy herself hoped that her mother would eventually find someone else to
share the rest of her life with. Someone to make her happy.

     =====

     Sunnydale High Library- Lunchtime

     Buffy sat at the library's center table, idly playing with a pencil
instead of actually working on the trig homework she'd been assigned in
class that morning. Willow sat in her customary position in front of what
was considered "her" computer (no one else ever used it, especially not
Giles or the other Slayerettes), researching a biology project for extra
credit. Xander was nowhere to be found; he'd pulled another one of his
disappearing acts that had gotten more frequent over the past month.

     Buffy was uncharacteristically reluctant to broach the subject of her
mother's nightmares to Giles. Last night's determination had faded with the
brightening of the morning. Her mother still claimed she didn't remember
any details of the nightmares when Buffy had asked over breakfast. So she
was left with something of a dilemma. She didn't *know* what her mother's
nightmares had involved, and Joyce's offhand reference to Ted last night
had caught Buffy off guard. Now she was wondering if the nightmares could
possibly be about Ted and not that night last week with the Bazoar and its
hatchlings. It had been bothering her all morning.

     [No, it has to be,] she thought, [The way she was scratching at her
neck is too big  a coincidence.]

     "Giles?" she asked, "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

     "Yes?" Giles replied, coming out of his office.

     Willow looked up from the computer, took one look at the worried
expression on her friend's face and closed down her project.

     "Something wrong, Buffy?" Giles asked as he approached the table.

     "I'm not sure," Buffy answered, "I know Xander and I explained all
that happened with that Bazoar thing, but do either of you actually
remember anything yourselves? Have you had any nightmares?"

     Willow remained silent, looking uncomfortable.

     "No," Giles said, "I don't remember any details. Nor have I
experienced any nocturnal episodes regarding the incident. Are you having
trouble, Buffy?"

     "Not me," Buffy responded, "I can deal with nightmares, I have enough
of them. It's my Mom. I think she's been dreaming about that night. She's
woken up screaming every night for almost a week. She says she doesn't
remember what the dreams are about, but last night...."

     Buffy's died away, her expression morose, her gaze dropping to her
lap. Giles sat down next to her, concerned.

     "She remembered something?" he prodded gently after the silence had
dragged on for nearly a minute.

     "No, but...," Buffy raised a very worried face, her eyes brimming,
"She was scratching.... um, actually, she was *clawing* at the top of her
spine. Where that hatchling had latched on to her. You should have seen it,
Giles. She must have broken the skin a dozen times. There was an area as
big as both my hands just....just....*raw*. All red and bleeding. It scared
me, Giles."

     "I...," Willow chopped herself off.

     Giles looked away from Buffy. He was startled, and worried, by the
tension in Willow's shoulders and the pallor of her face.

     "I had a nightmare that night," Willow confessed, "But I haven't had
one since."

     "Willow," Giles asked gently, "What do you remember?"

     "Not much, really," Willow's voice was barely above a whisper, "Just a
few bits and pieces. Locking Buffy and Xander in a closet, going down to
the basement, digging. And....and....did I really tell someone to kill you,
Buffy?"

end part 1a

- ----------------------------------------------------------------------

Noel:"Disappointment doesn't kill."
Abby:"Right. Rejection kills. Disappointment only maims."
          -- "The Truth About Cats and Dogs"

An optimist sees the glass half full
A pessimist sees the glass half empty
And a realist understands that soon he's going to have to wash the glass

In a world of shit you hold your nose and swim.

Don't worry about the bullet with your name on it, worry about the one
addressed "to whom it may concern".


     @-}-}--          tj thwaites          @-}-}--
     @-}-}--       [e-mail]      @-}-}--
     @-}-}--  Box 2890, Banff, AB, T0L 0C0 @-}-}--

- ----------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

End of buffyfic-digest V2 #351
******************************

To subscribe to buffyfic or buffyfic-digest, send the command

    subscribe buffyfic-digest

    or

    subscribe buffy

to [e-mail].  You will need to go through a
confirmation process, and the listowners have to manually
approve your subscription request, so it may take some time.

To unsubscribe, send email to [e-mail] with

     unsubscribe buffyfic-digest

     or

     unsubscribe buffyfic

in the body.

Back issues of this digest can be found at:

    ftp://ftp.xmission.com/pub/lists/buffyfic/archive/

Dalton Spence has also provided an index of the buffyfic archive at:

    http://www.hwcn.org/~ag775/BUFFYFIC.HTM

For help, contact Jill Kirby ([e-mail]) or sah ([e-mail])