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Polish Cajun had his annual birthday bash this weekend. Pierogies and Gumbo. Woo. And too much vodka. Missed the FSU game. Rediscovered Carole King as soothing hangover recovery music.
More chapters of Bakery commentary. The first few pieces of this came out so quickly. Every other day or so. After that, they started to get a bit longer and slower in the making. But I'm fairly happy with them.
---------------------------Snapshot 5-----------------
This is snapshot is full of hinted at scenes I really wish someone else would flesh out and write actual scenes around. I wanted to, but I didn’t know how or where to go. So – public domain – just give me credit if you get inspired and want to borrow.
“Don’t just promise to show me the world. Promise yourself to see it.”
Dawn putting an interesting twist on “Grave”.
They spent two months driving cross-country; the Partridge Family road trip from Hell. Meandering about, rounding up and dropping off the new slayers. Getting to see the Grand Canyon and the Gateway arch. Stopping off in Branson because Anya would have wanted to. Going to Graceland for Xander, and seeing the Liberty Bell with Dawn.
Again – this is me newsreeling over things that could easily have been written out as stories themselves. I wanted to, but I couldn’t figure out how. Again – it’s all about letting the reader know that the Scoobies are going out and having these experiences.
They spent July, sweltering in Quantico, training with Riley’s team and getting credentialed.
Taking Giles to a Yankees game. Shopping at Saks for their first Broadway Musical. At least the first that didn’t feature them as cast.
Eating clam chowder on the steps of the Old North Church. Of course, by then, Faith and Robin were fighting nearly every day, so it was Buffy’s shoulder when Faith walked graveside in South Boston. They talked about Kendra and Merrick and Johanna, and about ice skates and childhood dreams.
Johanna was Faith’s first watcher. I never got around to developing anything about her.
“I made a mistake not telling you about her, and how insecure I felt around her. But how I was better for knowing her. She was so different , but I know you would have been so great for each other. Before Kendra died, she gave me her favorite stake. I think she’d want you to have it now – you’ve earned it.”
I will always mourn the lost potential that was Buffy and Faith’s aborted friendship. And for Kendra’s life, because she never had a chance. Given the events around the Slayer line, I wanted to emphasize this a bit. Buffy and Faith can offer each other a level of understanding. Beyond which, Buffy giving Faith Mr. Pointy is a scene I couldn’t get out of my head – even if I couldn’t actually write it.
A week with Giles in the British Isles. But not Ireland. Never without him…
"That was perhaps the greatest regret I had for you. That in the seven years you'd only had three vacations, and all of them overshadowed by death. Perhaps I should have done this for you sooner. These past months I'd almost forgotten we were watcher and slayer. It seems so clear now how necessary this must be some times."
Eventually they returned stateside. Some people weren’t ready to give up Southern California sun. Xander was back in construction, managing projects for Angel’s new business. There was also some discussion of a screenplay he was threatening to write. She suspected he’d finish it just in time for Cordy to awake from her coma and play the starring role.
Dawn was taking junior watcher training from Wesley, and she still had high school. Angel would take care of her. And Xander would be there too, because he was always there for his girls.
“They made you out me, so you know what that really makes us… And I’m so proud. I want you to know I’m not abandoning you. I’m giving you the chance to shine on your own. But if you don’t call me, and I hear from Angel…”
So, I’ve broken up the scoobies. I loved their friendship, but I felt that they each needed space from each other to grow. To each be on their own for awhile. I didn’t want it to feel like Buffy wasn’t just dumping Dawn off, but that this is really something she’s doing for Dawn - and that Dawn's got stuff of her own going on and they're going to call each other every day. The bigger flaw was sending Xander to LA, largely because I didn’t know what to do with him. I never did get around to that “My Two Dads” Xander-Angel-Dawn comedy episode that was in the back of my head.
-----------------------------Snapshot 6---------------------------
And here is my “if you loved this girl, wouldn’t you be so happy for her” chapter. It's hard to seperate between what I think Buffy would have wanted for herself, and what I want for her - and I'm not sure if I've crossed that line a bit too much. I don't think she'd go anywhere on her own without making sure everybody was okay with her doing so, because past history has shown her that they don't adjust well to dealing without Buffy around, or handling her subsequent returns. She'd probably need to have their blessing before she could feel it was okay to go live her own life.
“Buffy, you could have a first-rate education. I'm, I'm not suggesting that you ignore your calling, but, um you need to look to your future.”
Giles stammers.
It was a sunny August afternoon when she’d found herself pitched in the sand just past Grant Park. She looked good. She felt good too. And after years of depression, stress, and not enough sleep she was finally getting back to her proper weight. And she’d decided to go back to her natural hair color too. When she’d returned from the grave, she’d sworn it off down to every strand under so much bleach and dye that she’d lost the body and shine and made herself so incredibly jealous of Dawn. Her skin looked healthier too, now that she could indulge herself in some quality bathing. It was nice to feel like she had time to be vain. To do girly stuff.
Here I go with that thinly designed character essay.
It’d been three years since she could think of herself as just a girl. It’d been three years since she’d even had a chance to tan. Three years since she could wake up in the morning with a smile on her face. Three years since she could look at a course catalog without bursting into tears.
“I got into Northwestern. Again. And this is something for me that I don’t wanna pass up. I can’t. And I need them to be able to spare me. I’m asking for you for sponsorship. I think I’ve earned it.”
A previous acceptance.
A three semester transcript far better than anyone suspected.
A tearful letter detailing her mother’s death, her father’s absence, and overcoming depression.
A glowing letter of recommendation for her work as a guidance counselor.
A commendation letter from a Colonel in the US Military.
It’s really hard to watch S7 after having rewatched “Choices” from S3. Most of the time she tries hard to make do with what opportunities she does realistically have – because her life was much better than most slayers’. But I don’t think she’s entirely forgotten that she could have gone to Northwestern if she hadn’t been THE Slayer.
Buffy once promised that she would make things different, and she had. There’d be pressure and work, but it was the sort of pressure and work Buffy was looking forward to. A chance to engage her mind once more, and in a non-slaying capacity. To be like other people and rejoin the world. As Buffy Summers, California girl, instead of Buffy Summers, savior.
Aunt Arlene offered up a room in the suburbs, but in the end, she chose an off-campus apartment just North of the city proper. Just because she wasn’t the only sane slayer anymore didn’t mean she was going to quit. No way was Buffy inflicting that on an unsuspecting relative.
Plus, Evanston was nice.
“There’s boating, and swimming, and parks to run in. Gotta do that while it’s still warm. You’ll like our coffee shops but the best clubs are downtown. A bunch of us like to go dancing whenever we can, so you’re welcome to join us. Always room for another pretty lady at the table.”
Come to Evanston! Is this right off the NU brochure?
She couldn't remember the last time she'd made a new friend. For the past few years, Buffy'd been so caught up in slaying, taking care of Dawn, and the the First that she hadn't just gone out and laid back. It never felt like she had the time. And she loved her friends dearly, but it could be stifling. There were so many hurts to take care of and so many people that needed her.
People were growing up, and she could let them go take care of themselves now.
"I miss you every second. But this time away... I think it's good for all of us. Somewhere along the line, I think we all lost who we were, and this is the part where we're getting that back. Knowing that everybody is doing great without me, knowing that you know it too - that's all I ever wanted. The way things were...there was too much pressure. And hey - Chicago. I can get a plane or train to anywhere, on like a moment's notice..."
Buffy’s description of Heaven is a lense for how I view these relationships – post-Chosen. She’s still Willow’s friend, and they’re still going to keep in touch. I’ve separated the group, but I’m trying to do it in a way that builds them all toward something new – not just to split them up.
-----------------Snapshot 7--------------------------
"This is good. I mean, this is excellent. People gotta respect a solid work ethic. Look at you, motivated Buffy. Eager to soak up learning."
Buffy Summers was a busy girl.
On her first go-round, she hadn't known what she was doing in college. She'd discovered that she could do well, and it was exciting, but she'd never had an academic plan. That was Willow's forte.
Things were different now. She'd picked up the counseling bug, even if she'd been too inexperienced and distracted to do much good. She'd also had to really lead, and now had tons of girls looking to her for guidance, even if they were spread out around the world, and were supposed to be able to handle themselves. She wasn't abandoning her place as lead slayer. She was taking a much-needed sabbatical.
I’m focusing on Citizen Buffy, but I haven’t forgotten that she has responsibilities.
She was Buffy Summers - individual studies girl. Military History. Non-profit Management. Abnormal Psychology. Family Studies and Adolescent Development. Swimming twice a week. Working as an on-campus self-defense instructor.
"I'm not just taking classes for the heck of it - I've got a plan. See, what I want to do most is help people out. Being the slayer is how I found that. I've learned that there's so much more I can do, and so much I still need to learn. Check my slate. If I'd had the time to study this before, I'd have kicked so much more ass. But that's the thing...I've died twice, and lived like there was nothing beyond the next apocalypse, so there wasn't much point. Now, though I'm thinking about how I'd do things if I'm going to live past fifty. All these slayers should..."
She was Buffy Summers - serious student and future professional. Going to lectures. Meeting professors. She was even auditing an Art Appreciation class and going to the museums.
I can’t imagine Buffy, having lived as she has for the past few years, being happy without having a busy and active life. As for the approach to school – I knew a ton of returning students in Grad School, and they almost uniformly had a better understanding of what they were doing there. Particularly in terms of future careers. Maybe Buffy doesn’t quite have that yet – she's 22 not 27 - but the whole point of my post-Chosen fic was putting her in the sort of environment where she could work through those sorts of things.
Things with Dawn had really improved too. Sometimes Buffy still felt so, almost, compelled to get freakishly overprotective, but Dawn was in LA, and Xander and Angel would look after her if she needed it. More importantly, Dawn seemed to have really blossomed once out from under Buffy's shadow. Which was of the good, considering how much Buffy used to complain about Dawn being a baby...
"I never really knew how to tell you, but Mom would always get so worried for you. Especially when she got sick. We always knew you'd take care of us, but we were both so afraid you wouldn't look after yourself. That's why I worked so hard studying Magic with Tara, learning languages from Giles, and training with the Potentials when you weren't watching. I knew that if you didn't have to worry about me as much, I wouldn't have to worry about you so much either. Okay, so I also felt left out and I wanted everybody to stop looking at me like I was some useless kid, but since we aren't in the same house every day, I want you to remember my more noble motivations. But, mostly just couldn't let you kill yourself again because of me. And I'm not just talking about Glory."
I didn’t think much about Dawn beyond annoying sister-plot device in S5, but really grew to like her as S7 went on as I could start to see her growing up. This was also why I didn't take Dawn to Chicago. I wanted to explore Buffy as a 22 year-old college girl, with the freedoms college entails. And I don't think Buffy would let herself have that if Dawn were there, because she'd feel like she had to take care of Dawn on a daily basis. The year apart, knowing that Dawn can handle herself fine without Buffy, is going to help them both out immensely on that score.
She was Buffy Summers, slaying the monsters with her trusty scythe-axe-thingy; whatever the heck it was, it worked. She was even starting to pun again, although she was still rustier ... than a big rusty thing.
Empowering the slayers removed tons of pressure off her shoulders, and slowly, we’re going to see the re-emergence of the person she was before the weight crushed her spirit.
So if two nights a week, she went dancing downtown with folks from the building, or if she took a night to see a movie, it wasn't a big deal. She'd gone so long without blowing off steam, that… well let's say lessons were learned. In any case, she'd re-learned the value of taking breaks. She'd earned them. And she needed them.
"I used to shop in LA, and I dimly recall being good at this. So tell me again, oh Evil Fashion Nazi, what's wrong with these boots. I need every inch I can get, so don't call me 'Princess Impractical' again or I'll show you just how…"
See Buffy make new friends at school, shop and joke - do regular people things again. And a little shout out to the maligned "Evil Fashion Nazi" because some of the BtVS wardrobe choices were…
-------------------------Snapshot 8-----------------------
“You and me, girlfriend. The Chosen two!”
Faith was a surprise. She was supposed to go home to Boston, or maybe look after slayers in the Northeast. But she’d discovered after a month that she really couldn’t go home again. And she’d broken up with Robin so New York, where he’d become principal and watcher for one of the new slayers, was out.
She had new lease on life, and a full pardon thanks to Jasmine’s generosity and power over the Governor of California. And absolutely no clue what to do with it.
I’m a sucker for Buffy-Faith friendship. It may or may not be forced. But Faith serves a purpose in Buffy’s story, so here she is. Sue me. Importantly, Buffy in this story, Buffy needed to have a girlfriend - and it had to be somebody who knew the score, but had some emotional distance from S5-6 and Faith fit that bill. It's also not just about Buffy - I do have some story for Faith being there too.
They tried assigning her to the Hellmouth in Cleveland, but that didn't work out too well either. They were implementing a new model for Slayer-Watcher teamwork, but Faith didn't really fit in well. The newly minted watchers couldn't earn her respect, the young slayers looked up to her too much to act as equals, and Kennedy kept giving her the evil eye when she suggested working with Willow. Faith was going to go roaming, or perhaps make her way to LA when Andrew brought up the "nobody slays alone" rule.
So Faith packed up and trundled off to Chicago.
“The whole point of being on my own was the independence thing. I've got this really busy schedule filled with stuff I want to do, so I won't be around much. If you can be okay with that, than we can talk trial basis. I’m trusting you not to get me kicked out or cost me my deposit. There will be rules, and if you follow them everything will be peachy keen. So. Good to see you too. Wanna go kill something?”
This is somewhat unbelievable, that Buffy can get an apartment near campus and meet the rent, despite having an open room for a few months. But a wizard made it work out.
And busy beaver Buffy needed to find Faith something to do. College was pretty much out, even if Faith hadn’t gotten her G.E.D. while still in prison. So, on Buffy’s insistence, her new roommate signed up at the Technical Institute and took a job working in a body shop. She spared a brief thought, wondering where Pike was, and if he had his own business by now. Given Buffy’s past experiences, and driving record, having someone mechanically inclined around was an absolute necessity. But that was the drill - Faith had to have her own stuff going on, because Buffy was tired of having to take care of people all the time.
With Faith, idle hands could be very bad - as they had before. Give her something productive to do, and she can shine. I thought Grease-monkey Faith would be plausible. Not simply as a different side of the tracks thing, but because I'd seen Faith as someone who would enjoy working with her hands, and seeing tangible products of her labors. Plus, Faith in overalls would be hot.
"That's what I do right? Get lost and go looking for Buffy. But I think prison changed me. You have to make friends to get through, and you have schedules and work. I can take care of myself a lot better now. I just thought, maybe we could have some fun, and this might be good. Anyway, just think of me as being here to help. It's kind of an ex-con, rehab thing...no, Al-Anon because of my mother...anyway, we can cover more ground and back each other up. Plus that wardrobe, B? No way in hell are you survivng a real Chicago winter without some outside assistance..."
On a certain level, it made sense. There were at least fifty slayers now. They were supposed to be equals. And they were. Except for Buffy and Faith. The rest were just teenagers, and they’d never had to carry the loneliness and burden the way The Two did. None of them would ever know each other like Buffy and Faith. The kind of understanding and kinship gained in five or so fights to the death, and from living in the other person’s skin.
Note – fifty slayers. If there were hundreds of slayers all over the place, then the First Evil must have been really incompetent and stupid – which it was. But that would make S7 a waste for me, which it was anyway. Beyond which, if there are hundreds of slayers, I'd have felt awful about Buffy taking her time off.
It was only right that they fight side-by-side.
Plus, new and improved Faith was actually a pretty decent roommie. Prison had apparently instilled some manners and self-discipline. It'd also helped her get a better sense of herself. It was pretty clear early on that Faith was going to be about as comfortable hanging around campus as she would have been in Cambridge. But unlike her time in Sunnydale, Faith had managed to find a set of her own friends, who - while admittedly from a different background than Buffy was used to - were pretty decent folk.
Buffy had her book groups with the wine-and-cheese crowd; Faith had the guys over for Bears 'n' beer. Carolyn from down the hall, started calling them Felix and Oscar and it stuck pretty quick. But other times, they would stay up after patrol to watch old Hong Kong chop socky movies on the International Channel.
I’m writing a Buffy-Faith friendship, but trying to be realistic. They aren’t going to be the bestest friends ever, because as far as we’ve seen, they have a lot of differing interests. They’re an odd couple. Which gives story opportunities to people who want to write them.
“It’s cool having you around. It helps that you weren't in Sunnydale for the worst of the drama. And there's that part where I can live with myself for taking nights off, enough sleep time to function during the day, a real sparring partner, and the quality first aid. Plus Midwestern humour - totally different, so you are much appreciated on that score too. Things should have been like this between us the first time. But jeez, get your own damned popcorn!”
More chapters of Bakery commentary. The first few pieces of this came out so quickly. Every other day or so. After that, they started to get a bit longer and slower in the making. But I'm fairly happy with them.
---------------------------Snapshot 5-----------------
This is snapshot is full of hinted at scenes I really wish someone else would flesh out and write actual scenes around. I wanted to, but I didn’t know how or where to go. So – public domain – just give me credit if you get inspired and want to borrow.
“Don’t just promise to show me the world. Promise yourself to see it.”
Dawn putting an interesting twist on “Grave”.
They spent two months driving cross-country; the Partridge Family road trip from Hell. Meandering about, rounding up and dropping off the new slayers. Getting to see the Grand Canyon and the Gateway arch. Stopping off in Branson because Anya would have wanted to. Going to Graceland for Xander, and seeing the Liberty Bell with Dawn.
Again – this is me newsreeling over things that could easily have been written out as stories themselves. I wanted to, but I couldn’t figure out how. Again – it’s all about letting the reader know that the Scoobies are going out and having these experiences.
They spent July, sweltering in Quantico, training with Riley’s team and getting credentialed.
Taking Giles to a Yankees game. Shopping at Saks for their first Broadway Musical. At least the first that didn’t feature them as cast.
Eating clam chowder on the steps of the Old North Church. Of course, by then, Faith and Robin were fighting nearly every day, so it was Buffy’s shoulder when Faith walked graveside in South Boston. They talked about Kendra and Merrick and Johanna, and about ice skates and childhood dreams.
Johanna was Faith’s first watcher. I never got around to developing anything about her.
“I made a mistake not telling you about her, and how insecure I felt around her. But how I was better for knowing her. She was so different , but I know you would have been so great for each other. Before Kendra died, she gave me her favorite stake. I think she’d want you to have it now – you’ve earned it.”
I will always mourn the lost potential that was Buffy and Faith’s aborted friendship. And for Kendra’s life, because she never had a chance. Given the events around the Slayer line, I wanted to emphasize this a bit. Buffy and Faith can offer each other a level of understanding. Beyond which, Buffy giving Faith Mr. Pointy is a scene I couldn’t get out of my head – even if I couldn’t actually write it.
A week with Giles in the British Isles. But not Ireland. Never without him…
"That was perhaps the greatest regret I had for you. That in the seven years you'd only had three vacations, and all of them overshadowed by death. Perhaps I should have done this for you sooner. These past months I'd almost forgotten we were watcher and slayer. It seems so clear now how necessary this must be some times."
Eventually they returned stateside. Some people weren’t ready to give up Southern California sun. Xander was back in construction, managing projects for Angel’s new business. There was also some discussion of a screenplay he was threatening to write. She suspected he’d finish it just in time for Cordy to awake from her coma and play the starring role.
Dawn was taking junior watcher training from Wesley, and she still had high school. Angel would take care of her. And Xander would be there too, because he was always there for his girls.
“They made you out me, so you know what that really makes us… And I’m so proud. I want you to know I’m not abandoning you. I’m giving you the chance to shine on your own. But if you don’t call me, and I hear from Angel…”
So, I’ve broken up the scoobies. I loved their friendship, but I felt that they each needed space from each other to grow. To each be on their own for awhile. I didn’t want it to feel like Buffy wasn’t just dumping Dawn off, but that this is really something she’s doing for Dawn - and that Dawn's got stuff of her own going on and they're going to call each other every day. The bigger flaw was sending Xander to LA, largely because I didn’t know what to do with him. I never did get around to that “My Two Dads” Xander-Angel-Dawn comedy episode that was in the back of my head.
-----------------------------Snapshot 6---------------------------
And here is my “if you loved this girl, wouldn’t you be so happy for her” chapter. It's hard to seperate between what I think Buffy would have wanted for herself, and what I want for her - and I'm not sure if I've crossed that line a bit too much. I don't think she'd go anywhere on her own without making sure everybody was okay with her doing so, because past history has shown her that they don't adjust well to dealing without Buffy around, or handling her subsequent returns. She'd probably need to have their blessing before she could feel it was okay to go live her own life.
“Buffy, you could have a first-rate education. I'm, I'm not suggesting that you ignore your calling, but, um you need to look to your future.”
Giles stammers.
It was a sunny August afternoon when she’d found herself pitched in the sand just past Grant Park. She looked good. She felt good too. And after years of depression, stress, and not enough sleep she was finally getting back to her proper weight. And she’d decided to go back to her natural hair color too. When she’d returned from the grave, she’d sworn it off down to every strand under so much bleach and dye that she’d lost the body and shine and made herself so incredibly jealous of Dawn. Her skin looked healthier too, now that she could indulge herself in some quality bathing. It was nice to feel like she had time to be vain. To do girly stuff.
Here I go with that thinly designed character essay.
It’d been three years since she could think of herself as just a girl. It’d been three years since she’d even had a chance to tan. Three years since she could wake up in the morning with a smile on her face. Three years since she could look at a course catalog without bursting into tears.
“I got into Northwestern. Again. And this is something for me that I don’t wanna pass up. I can’t. And I need them to be able to spare me. I’m asking for you for sponsorship. I think I’ve earned it.”
A previous acceptance.
A three semester transcript far better than anyone suspected.
A tearful letter detailing her mother’s death, her father’s absence, and overcoming depression.
A glowing letter of recommendation for her work as a guidance counselor.
A commendation letter from a Colonel in the US Military.
It’s really hard to watch S7 after having rewatched “Choices” from S3. Most of the time she tries hard to make do with what opportunities she does realistically have – because her life was much better than most slayers’. But I don’t think she’s entirely forgotten that she could have gone to Northwestern if she hadn’t been THE Slayer.
Buffy once promised that she would make things different, and she had. There’d be pressure and work, but it was the sort of pressure and work Buffy was looking forward to. A chance to engage her mind once more, and in a non-slaying capacity. To be like other people and rejoin the world. As Buffy Summers, California girl, instead of Buffy Summers, savior.
Aunt Arlene offered up a room in the suburbs, but in the end, she chose an off-campus apartment just North of the city proper. Just because she wasn’t the only sane slayer anymore didn’t mean she was going to quit. No way was Buffy inflicting that on an unsuspecting relative.
Plus, Evanston was nice.
“There’s boating, and swimming, and parks to run in. Gotta do that while it’s still warm. You’ll like our coffee shops but the best clubs are downtown. A bunch of us like to go dancing whenever we can, so you’re welcome to join us. Always room for another pretty lady at the table.”
Come to Evanston! Is this right off the NU brochure?
She couldn't remember the last time she'd made a new friend. For the past few years, Buffy'd been so caught up in slaying, taking care of Dawn, and the the First that she hadn't just gone out and laid back. It never felt like she had the time. And she loved her friends dearly, but it could be stifling. There were so many hurts to take care of and so many people that needed her.
People were growing up, and she could let them go take care of themselves now.
"I miss you every second. But this time away... I think it's good for all of us. Somewhere along the line, I think we all lost who we were, and this is the part where we're getting that back. Knowing that everybody is doing great without me, knowing that you know it too - that's all I ever wanted. The way things were...there was too much pressure. And hey - Chicago. I can get a plane or train to anywhere, on like a moment's notice..."
Buffy’s description of Heaven is a lense for how I view these relationships – post-Chosen. She’s still Willow’s friend, and they’re still going to keep in touch. I’ve separated the group, but I’m trying to do it in a way that builds them all toward something new – not just to split them up.
-----------------Snapshot 7--------------------------
"This is good. I mean, this is excellent. People gotta respect a solid work ethic. Look at you, motivated Buffy. Eager to soak up learning."
Buffy Summers was a busy girl.
On her first go-round, she hadn't known what she was doing in college. She'd discovered that she could do well, and it was exciting, but she'd never had an academic plan. That was Willow's forte.
Things were different now. She'd picked up the counseling bug, even if she'd been too inexperienced and distracted to do much good. She'd also had to really lead, and now had tons of girls looking to her for guidance, even if they were spread out around the world, and were supposed to be able to handle themselves. She wasn't abandoning her place as lead slayer. She was taking a much-needed sabbatical.
I’m focusing on Citizen Buffy, but I haven’t forgotten that she has responsibilities.
She was Buffy Summers - individual studies girl. Military History. Non-profit Management. Abnormal Psychology. Family Studies and Adolescent Development. Swimming twice a week. Working as an on-campus self-defense instructor.
"I'm not just taking classes for the heck of it - I've got a plan. See, what I want to do most is help people out. Being the slayer is how I found that. I've learned that there's so much more I can do, and so much I still need to learn. Check my slate. If I'd had the time to study this before, I'd have kicked so much more ass. But that's the thing...I've died twice, and lived like there was nothing beyond the next apocalypse, so there wasn't much point. Now, though I'm thinking about how I'd do things if I'm going to live past fifty. All these slayers should..."
She was Buffy Summers - serious student and future professional. Going to lectures. Meeting professors. She was even auditing an Art Appreciation class and going to the museums.
I can’t imagine Buffy, having lived as she has for the past few years, being happy without having a busy and active life. As for the approach to school – I knew a ton of returning students in Grad School, and they almost uniformly had a better understanding of what they were doing there. Particularly in terms of future careers. Maybe Buffy doesn’t quite have that yet – she's 22 not 27 - but the whole point of my post-Chosen fic was putting her in the sort of environment where she could work through those sorts of things.
Things with Dawn had really improved too. Sometimes Buffy still felt so, almost, compelled to get freakishly overprotective, but Dawn was in LA, and Xander and Angel would look after her if she needed it. More importantly, Dawn seemed to have really blossomed once out from under Buffy's shadow. Which was of the good, considering how much Buffy used to complain about Dawn being a baby...
"I never really knew how to tell you, but Mom would always get so worried for you. Especially when she got sick. We always knew you'd take care of us, but we were both so afraid you wouldn't look after yourself. That's why I worked so hard studying Magic with Tara, learning languages from Giles, and training with the Potentials when you weren't watching. I knew that if you didn't have to worry about me as much, I wouldn't have to worry about you so much either. Okay, so I also felt left out and I wanted everybody to stop looking at me like I was some useless kid, but since we aren't in the same house every day, I want you to remember my more noble motivations. But, mostly just couldn't let you kill yourself again because of me. And I'm not just talking about Glory."
I didn’t think much about Dawn beyond annoying sister-plot device in S5, but really grew to like her as S7 went on as I could start to see her growing up. This was also why I didn't take Dawn to Chicago. I wanted to explore Buffy as a 22 year-old college girl, with the freedoms college entails. And I don't think Buffy would let herself have that if Dawn were there, because she'd feel like she had to take care of Dawn on a daily basis. The year apart, knowing that Dawn can handle herself fine without Buffy, is going to help them both out immensely on that score.
She was Buffy Summers, slaying the monsters with her trusty scythe-axe-thingy; whatever the heck it was, it worked. She was even starting to pun again, although she was still rustier ... than a big rusty thing.
Empowering the slayers removed tons of pressure off her shoulders, and slowly, we’re going to see the re-emergence of the person she was before the weight crushed her spirit.
So if two nights a week, she went dancing downtown with folks from the building, or if she took a night to see a movie, it wasn't a big deal. She'd gone so long without blowing off steam, that… well let's say lessons were learned. In any case, she'd re-learned the value of taking breaks. She'd earned them. And she needed them.
"I used to shop in LA, and I dimly recall being good at this. So tell me again, oh Evil Fashion Nazi, what's wrong with these boots. I need every inch I can get, so don't call me 'Princess Impractical' again or I'll show you just how…"
See Buffy make new friends at school, shop and joke - do regular people things again. And a little shout out to the maligned "Evil Fashion Nazi" because some of the BtVS wardrobe choices were…
-------------------------Snapshot 8-----------------------
“You and me, girlfriend. The Chosen two!”
Faith was a surprise. She was supposed to go home to Boston, or maybe look after slayers in the Northeast. But she’d discovered after a month that she really couldn’t go home again. And she’d broken up with Robin so New York, where he’d become principal and watcher for one of the new slayers, was out.
She had new lease on life, and a full pardon thanks to Jasmine’s generosity and power over the Governor of California. And absolutely no clue what to do with it.
I’m a sucker for Buffy-Faith friendship. It may or may not be forced. But Faith serves a purpose in Buffy’s story, so here she is. Sue me. Importantly, Buffy in this story, Buffy needed to have a girlfriend - and it had to be somebody who knew the score, but had some emotional distance from S5-6 and Faith fit that bill. It's also not just about Buffy - I do have some story for Faith being there too.
They tried assigning her to the Hellmouth in Cleveland, but that didn't work out too well either. They were implementing a new model for Slayer-Watcher teamwork, but Faith didn't really fit in well. The newly minted watchers couldn't earn her respect, the young slayers looked up to her too much to act as equals, and Kennedy kept giving her the evil eye when she suggested working with Willow. Faith was going to go roaming, or perhaps make her way to LA when Andrew brought up the "nobody slays alone" rule.
So Faith packed up and trundled off to Chicago.
“The whole point of being on my own was the independence thing. I've got this really busy schedule filled with stuff I want to do, so I won't be around much. If you can be okay with that, than we can talk trial basis. I’m trusting you not to get me kicked out or cost me my deposit. There will be rules, and if you follow them everything will be peachy keen. So. Good to see you too. Wanna go kill something?”
This is somewhat unbelievable, that Buffy can get an apartment near campus and meet the rent, despite having an open room for a few months. But a wizard made it work out.
And busy beaver Buffy needed to find Faith something to do. College was pretty much out, even if Faith hadn’t gotten her G.E.D. while still in prison. So, on Buffy’s insistence, her new roommate signed up at the Technical Institute and took a job working in a body shop. She spared a brief thought, wondering where Pike was, and if he had his own business by now. Given Buffy’s past experiences, and driving record, having someone mechanically inclined around was an absolute necessity. But that was the drill - Faith had to have her own stuff going on, because Buffy was tired of having to take care of people all the time.
With Faith, idle hands could be very bad - as they had before. Give her something productive to do, and she can shine. I thought Grease-monkey Faith would be plausible. Not simply as a different side of the tracks thing, but because I'd seen Faith as someone who would enjoy working with her hands, and seeing tangible products of her labors. Plus, Faith in overalls would be hot.
"That's what I do right? Get lost and go looking for Buffy. But I think prison changed me. You have to make friends to get through, and you have schedules and work. I can take care of myself a lot better now. I just thought, maybe we could have some fun, and this might be good. Anyway, just think of me as being here to help. It's kind of an ex-con, rehab thing...no, Al-Anon because of my mother...anyway, we can cover more ground and back each other up. Plus that wardrobe, B? No way in hell are you survivng a real Chicago winter without some outside assistance..."
On a certain level, it made sense. There were at least fifty slayers now. They were supposed to be equals. And they were. Except for Buffy and Faith. The rest were just teenagers, and they’d never had to carry the loneliness and burden the way The Two did. None of them would ever know each other like Buffy and Faith. The kind of understanding and kinship gained in five or so fights to the death, and from living in the other person’s skin.
Note – fifty slayers. If there were hundreds of slayers all over the place, then the First Evil must have been really incompetent and stupid – which it was. But that would make S7 a waste for me, which it was anyway. Beyond which, if there are hundreds of slayers, I'd have felt awful about Buffy taking her time off.
It was only right that they fight side-by-side.
Plus, new and improved Faith was actually a pretty decent roommie. Prison had apparently instilled some manners and self-discipline. It'd also helped her get a better sense of herself. It was pretty clear early on that Faith was going to be about as comfortable hanging around campus as she would have been in Cambridge. But unlike her time in Sunnydale, Faith had managed to find a set of her own friends, who - while admittedly from a different background than Buffy was used to - were pretty decent folk.
Buffy had her book groups with the wine-and-cheese crowd; Faith had the guys over for Bears 'n' beer. Carolyn from down the hall, started calling them Felix and Oscar and it stuck pretty quick. But other times, they would stay up after patrol to watch old Hong Kong chop socky movies on the International Channel.
I’m writing a Buffy-Faith friendship, but trying to be realistic. They aren’t going to be the bestest friends ever, because as far as we’ve seen, they have a lot of differing interests. They’re an odd couple. Which gives story opportunities to people who want to write them.
“It’s cool having you around. It helps that you weren't in Sunnydale for the worst of the drama. And there's that part where I can live with myself for taking nights off, enough sleep time to function during the day, a real sparring partner, and the quality first aid. Plus Midwestern humour - totally different, so you are much appreciated on that score too. Things should have been like this between us the first time. But jeez, get your own damned popcorn!”
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Thank you for writing this. And, I hope you don't mind but I added you to the friend list.