Real name: Bobbi
Gender: lady
Member since: 07/18/2013
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Rated: Teen
[Reviews - 33]
Buffy's decisions had caused pain. Her inaction had cost lives. When Faith turns traitor, Buffy can't help but draw parallels with Angelus, and this time she is determined not to make the same mistakes. A/U beginning post-Enemies. Initially Buffy PoV.
Category: Relationship > Buffy/Faith
Characters: Buffy Summers, Faith Lehane
Genres: None
Warnings: None
Series: None
Chapters: 37 | Completed: Yes | Word count: 148721 | Read count: 363968 | Published: 07/25/2013 | Updated: 10/08/2013 | Latest Chapter
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Date: 07/25/2013 Title: Chapter 1: Chapter 1
So I have this huge quandry, perhaps you can help? I'm finding so much to love in this first chapter, the only way I can express it properly is to copy and paste the whole thing back to you. That seems more than just a little impractical, so I'm going to just pick out a few of the things I loved.
"Miss Mentally unstable had blown into town ready to steal her boyfriend - OK, so ex-boyfriend, she begrudgingly corrected - and peel her skin off." It's not exactly funny, but it made me laugh. It sums up the sitch perfectly and it sounds just like how Buffy would be thinking about it.
"She gave Giles what she considered to be her best wide-eyed attentive look." and I loved when she explained that she wasn't shuddering, but was instead feeling cold. HAHAHA!!!
All of this feels like I'm watching the show. I can hear and see Buffy and all of the Scooby Gang, from Xander's jokes, to Willow practically salivating at the faint chance of catching a glimpse of "Naked" Xander.
Buffy listing out what Faith had done from working for the Big Bad, to trying to turn Angel, to being nothing but "eager to get in a few rounds of Buffy dissection", was exactly how I think Buffy would be processing what had gone down the night before.
The show didn't really get into it much, certainly not enough for us Fuffy lovers, but really: "Why the sudden anti-Buffy blow-out"?
And it was great how you had Buffy upset and wondering how Faith could have turned on her so completely. While not the "bestest of buds", they weren't exactly not friends either. They were together for the slaying every night, and from Buffy's perspective how did that not count?
I think that's a great point because when you actually go by what we were shown on the show, Buffy reached out to Faith quite a bit. They were becoming friends, but Faith had her issues too and the timing of various events didn't work in their favor. Anyway, I loved how you brought that perspective into it.
It cracked me up that Giles was 100% arguing with Willow and Xander. LOL! As with everything else in this chapter, I could actually see them bickering and Giles' embarrassment that he was behaving somewhat immaturely.
"Demkin!" HAHAHA!!!
Xander's comments/jokes are perfectly placed throughout the conversation, as are Willow's, and I found the whole thing very enjoyable and fun to read.
As it is with the show, there's humor mixed in with the serious stuff and for me it was a total "Awww" moment when Giles encouraged Buffy to take the night off. Faith's betrayal hit her hard and deep (not that way!) and it's nice to get a look at the impact it had on Buffy and also to think that Giles got it.
Obviously I loved this chapter and to say I'm looking forward to reading more of this fic is a huge understatement! I love your writing style, your ideas, your dialogue, the plot, the emotion, the humor, the little changes you've made to canon...
I think "copy & paste" would have been shorter.
Author's Response:
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it. :)
See, that's the problem with reading on a screen. Otherwise you could have just broken out the highlighters (Though I'm sure Giles wouldn't approve).
I agree that Buffy tried. She did show concern, and she did try to include Faith at times, but other things (E.g. Angel, dead deputy mayors) just seemed to get in the way. I think Faith just needed a little bit more from her, especially after Post, and it didn't help that a lot of the time they weren't really on the same page (understandably given their different backgrounds) – the Finch incident in particular.
Date: 08/01/2013 Title: Chapter 2: Chapter 2
I'd better warn you: I made some notes on Chapters 2-6 and um...I can never read my handwriting. Bear with me and just accept any compliments I give you on your -- "baseball gloves that sit sadly beside the purple tufted pizza beds". Like you could read these any better ;)
Anyway...
I loved how Buffy took her Faith troubles out on the newbie vamp. HAHAHA!!! Him suggesting that she needs some weed was fucking hysterical! HAHAHA!!! Chillax, B.
The whole idea of The Shards of Ursula and their Keepers (threes all 'round) was very clever and very "Buffy" show-like, in the best way.
Wesley driving Giles crazy was funny as was his: "I found one!". Hell, his eagerness to get credit and be one of the guys was really amusing throughout the scene, and it sort of made me like him a little bit. Yes, I live in the moment and how was I to know what was coming in the following chapters?
Author's Response:
Yeah, the purple tufted pizza beds was my fav.... wait, what? :p
I didn't really notice when first writing this, but I do seem to have some kind of innate obsession with the number three. I'm just going to say it's because the power of three will set us free. (And if you get the reference, you're no better than I am. Plus I only managed the first one and a bit seasons so don't judge me. :p)
I know some people hate Wesley, but he's one of my favourite characters (Especially on Angel) and he was never a total monster or anything, so I had to try and give him a little balance.
Date: 08/01/2013 Title: Chapter 3: Chapter 3
Straight to the point:
I LOVED THE MUSEUM SCENE. Wildly! Every facet of it was just perfect, and I felt like I could see and hear it with ease. The whole set-up was great -- Buffy biding her time until it's the right time, trying to figure out how to handle the vamps and make sure she gets away with the Shard, and then...BAM! It's a bad sitch gone way worse with Faith now in the mix.
Faith's dialogue was great, her lines popping out just like Faith:
"Oh, and you might wanna think about running right about now. I'll even give you a head start."
I suppose that's stupid to quote, even though it's good, but when you add in how great you wrote the entire fight scene, well, it's fantastic.
Buffy watching the fight, then her way less than graceful Slayer entrance was just perfect too:
"Oh right," she muttered, as Giles' tale from the previous day surfaced in her mind. "Trio."
I like how the Slayers interact without saying anything: Buffy ready to jump in and save Faith, Faith smirking at Buffy's arrival, the way they fight, but pay attention to each other. It's really neat.
For future reference...No choking Buffy again.
Author's Response:
Haha, thanks. :) I was thinking two chapters for pretty much a single scene was probably leaning toward excessive, but I couldn't really find much to cut without upsetting the flow. So I'm glad you liked it.
I'll try and keep that in mind. But I can still choke Faith though... right? *makes furious edits* :p
Date: 08/01/2013 Title: Chapter 4: Chapter 4
Obviously I didn't make myself clear on the "No Choking Buffy" thing. Or perhaps you just don't take me seriously? ;)
Faith saving Buffy was so wonderful; she's still reachable. WHEEE!!! And I loved Buffy tossing the knife back to her.
Their banter back and forth couldn't be any better, so much being said outright and bewteen the lines. I like the easy familarity they have, but the cautiousness and knowledge too, that at any second they could be fighting each other no holds barred. It's kind of like watching two tigers circling around a downed gazelle...if they had a previously friendly relationship and respected each other's abilities or something. You're the writer, you figure it out ;)
It's a tense scene, especially when you add in that Buffy's also trying to get through to Faith all while making it clear that she's not letting Faith leave with the shard. It's all so tenuous, and just one wrong word or phrase can screw the whole thing up and cost Fuffy dearly in a bunch of different ways.
They go very quickly from: "Wanna flip for it? I'll let you call." to: "So is that all it takes? Someone throws you a bag of gold and you ask how high?" and onward to: "...whore for hire", and then just like that, the nitty gritty is in their faces.It's a perfectly paced conversation.
I really like how you portray them, Faith's impassioned accusations, Buffy's refusal to take the bait and escalate to a fight, neither girl's heart really into having a physical confrontation. I think Buffy's very mature as she tries to reach Faith, even when she loses her temper a bit, she gets herself right back on track, and Faith responds favorably to Buffy's caring and understanding.
Um...In the future, no arriving cops.
Buffy distracting the cop from shooting at Faith is a wonderful moment and it makes it very clear how much Buffy cares about Faith. *sigh*
I'm a huge Buffy lover and I loved her in this chapter. I'm loving this story pretty hugely too, but then you probably already know that.
Great chapter! :)
Author's Response:
But technically Buffy hadn't been, err, unchoked yet, so that completely doesn't count. :(
lol, good analogy... I think. I'm not a tiger expert or anything, but I'm sure that happens sometimes. Like on the lion king, which I heard from a friend of a friend is basically a documentary.
Sheesh. No choking, no cops.... you're very demanding. Next you'll be telling me not to kill anyone off either. :x
Date: 08/01/2013 Title: Chapter 5: Chapter 5
Angel. I really love Angel and that even though they're broken up, he and Buffy are still friends. I like how you've written Buffy here too -- discouraged, sad, worried, hopeless, and yet Angel is able to talk sense to her while she goes from emotion to emotion, ending up at a pretty mean statement:
"You've both killed people --- maybe you can relate."
It's so shitty of her to say, but I think it's exactly where Buffy would go (and did on the show), and Angel reacts just like himself too -- with calmness as he refuses to back off or get sidetracked. He's a good friend, and his brand of "tough love" is just what Buffy needs. He even absolves her of her responsibility...by laying on the guilt with a trowel: "If you don't want to deal than that's fine: you can't save everyone, right?" HAHAHA!!! Poor Buffy :) Then he leaves her with such a simple mission: "Be there for her...That's all you can do."
Did I already swoon over Angel, because I really meant to.
Wesley's so irritating, just like he's supposed to be, but hooray for Giles': "Oh do shut up.", among his other English: "Shut the Fuck Up, Wesley, Before I Kill Yous". HAHAHA!!!
Loved this chapter :)
Author's Response:
I can't say I share in your Angel swooning (At least on Buffy), but I think he would have had the best perspective on Faith of anyone involved, so he had to be involved somehow. Plus I hear they even share a comic and stuff (Which I will eventually get around to reading, even if a Buffy/Faith comic would have been so much better).
lol. I don't remember writing that last line. :p
Date: 08/01/2013 Title: Chapter 6: Chapter 6
Aww...Buffy was all tuckered out and comfy at the table. Slayer sleeping is not for everyone.
The Council...Is there any way to like them at all? Buffy's comments to Travers are hysterical and perfect:
"You know what, she did mention something about Disney Land." HAHAHA!!!
The humor in this scene is great. For example: right in the middle of all of this seriousness and tension, Buffy wonders to herself why she received a scowl from Travers, but Giles didn't. HAHAHA!!! It's so Buffy and so funny. I like Giles' refusal to play along in any way. Yea!!!
Is Wesley insane? It's perfect how Buffy intimidates him physically, then cuts him a break when he seems to honestly want to help, and he's all:
"Gee, I'm not sure if that would be appropriate given..." LOL!
What an idiot. It's like he's begging Buffy to murderize him. It actually makes me like him because he's such a clueless idiot, trying to do the right thing, but not knowing how to work outside the rules.
I really love in this story how everyone's at fault with the Faith sitch and that there's plenty of blame to go around. That also includes Faith's own wrong decisions, but Buffy's focus is on trying her best to fix her own mistakes and see where that takes them.It's a great approach.
It made me crack up when Giles and Buffy are waiting for Willow, who's inexplicably decided at the worst possible time to be "on time" instead of early. I laughed right out loud at the visual of Buffy lunging at her. HAHAHA!!!
Xander and Willow are right on the money for me, and it's easy to hear their voices. I like how Xander(and Willow too) assumes they're going to bash Faith in the head and turn her over to the authorities, then gets mad, but still listens to Buffy's explanation of how she might have been a lot like Faith if not for their support.
Aww...you've gotta love what good and kind people The Scoobies are. You wrote it so simply, yet so powerfully. You didn't bash the reader over the head with it, you just made it clear that Giles, Willow, and Xander are with Buffy all the way. It made me feel like cheering.
What a great story this is! I'm having a blast reading it :) :) :)
Author's Response:
Nope, nobody likes the council. They're probably the only humans on the entire show that don't have a single fan sticking up for them. I mean there's probably even someone out there who was all “Go Captain Hammer Caleb!”.
Wesley may be insane. But also, he has no backbone, so sometimes he just needs a helpful shove in the right direction. :p
I didn't really want to make anybody the bad guy because I never saw it as that black-and-white. None of them were perfect, and none of them were completely hopeless either; it was just an all-round sucky situation. So yeah, small amounts of blame all around!
Thanks again for the reviews. :)
Date: 08/11/2013 Title: Chapter 7: Chapter 7
You can really feel the strain, tension, hope, and worry Buffy's dealing with while she waits to find Faith. The whole talk was great, but a few lines stood out for me, like this from Buffy:
"Fine? Look at yourself...Look at where you are. What you're doing. Do you honestly believe this is you being fine? Because I don't. Not for a second."
That offer of hope and belief that Faith can turn it around is just great.
Of course then there's Faith's heartbreaking:
"What's the point? Everything I touch falls apart. How long until I screw something else up and you realize I'm not worth it?" Wow, didn't that just say it all as far as Faith's self-esteem goes.
"Just give me something to work with." You've got to love Buffy and I do and did when she got pissed.
I'm glad she seems to have gotten through to Faith.
Author's Response:
When you think about it, it was lucky she had Mr Gordo to help her through it. Err, and her friends of course. She got to nap all day while everyone else did the legwork. Slayer perk.
Of course then she got punched in the face. But you win some, you lose some. :p
Date: 08/11/2013 Title: Chapter 8: Chapter 8
This whole situation is so sad and awkward, your writing really brings that home.
"We'll get through this together, Faith. I promise."
Man, did I already say I love Buffy, because I really do. She's trying so hard to get through to Faith, to be there for her and pull her back from the dark side.
I really loved Faith's smarts in making that phone call to Buffy and how well she sold it. as she provided all of the relevant info. I wanted to smack Buffy, but she finally caught on, so I take it back.
The fight was excellent with Buffy outnumbered and Faith just standing there watching. You wrote it chockful of tension and even though I knew Buffy wasn't going to get killed, I was still sweating it and visualizing Faith just watching as she sent her crew in to take care of the Slayer.
Author's Response:
You hadn't mentioned that, no. I was beginning to think you were more of a Travers fan. What with your “World's biggest council groupie” t-shirt and everything (There were rumours). 0:)
lol. Poor Buffy. In her defence, it was a fairly odd phone call. And let's face it, the Scoobies and phones liked to keep their distance. I think Buffy has a mobile for like one episode (And seeing as she was talking about Faith at the time, I'm going to assume that's the only reason she bought it :p).
Date: 08/11/2013 Title: Chapter 9: Chapter 9
Another great chapter!
Giles' rescue and Buffy's wisecrack: "Hold that thought." were great. I loved the "fake" fight and Faith's explanation about the vamp in the car and her reason for wanting to stay in it by being undercover:
"Look, I'm not going to hide away in my room while you clean up my mess." Maybe it's just me, but I found that to be a total "cheering" moment! :) :) :)
"It hurt, enough to make her wince, but not as much as it should have." Really nice way to let us know that Faith is pulling her punches a bit. It's a great fake fight.
The spider in Buffy's kitchen was icky, creepy, and funny. I don't blame Willow one bit for freaking out. It made me laugh that Buffy was worried that Joyce would be mad about the knife damage to the wall. It's always so fun to see Buffy switch between being The Slayer and just a teenage girl. HAHA!!!
"The box isn't that big," Buffy reasoned. How many more can there possibly be?" Uh...Um...HAHAHA!!!
The alleyway cloak and dagger meeting was neat and I really like that it's not all smooth sailing for Fuffy. They're trying and aware of each other's reactions and feelings, especially Buffy, but it's still a tough sitch. The way you've written it seems very real to me.
"Hey, B...Back there, I would have stepped in if -- I wouldn't have just stood there, you know?"
"I know."
That's a great exchange and it's awesome that Faith admitted it and Buffy knew it to be true. Their banter throughout the rest of the scene is fun and Faith's:
"So basically, cool new pet?" HAHAHA!!!! That's so her and so funny!
Great chapter!
Author's Response:
It's not just you; Buffy was cheering as well. You know, beneath the wide-eyed I'm-going-to-murder-you deathglare.
Nobody (human) likes spiders. Especially gigantic, murderous ones from hell (That last part may be redundant). Willow knows her stuff. And Faith is just a freak (But an awesome freak). :)
Date: 08/11/2013 Title: Chapter 10: Chapter 10
Okay, I just about busted a gut when Buffy was trying to get a message to the Mayor!!! HAHAHA!!! forever. I just found it so funny that the vamp kept fighting and Buffy kept trying not to kill him. LOL for real! I think it's right up there with the funniest Fuffy scenes I've read.
I loved Faith's reaction to Buffy's big plan to take on the Mayor:
"What, Red? The boss has been at this for a hundred years and your grand plan is the pencil floater? I'm sure he's already running for the hills."
I like Buffy's confidence in Willow and her Scooby gang. Her loyalty and faith(!) make me love her.
Again I have to say how great it is that things aren't settled or even remotely easy for Fuffy. You've written it so well, it's incredibly easy to feel like just one wrong or misunderstood word could blow the whole deal. There's no way to read their exchange without being on pins and needles.
Xander and his kneeling for Synder! HAHAHA!!! Uh...yeah, let's just leave that one alone.
The whole Scooby Gang meeting is hysterical with several funny lines. My fave has to be the "reserve/reverse" misread by Giles. I'm suspecting a real life typo for you someplace that you turned into a joke ;) Don't bothering denying it.
Wesley's bringing the funnies too, the whole deal is one laugh after the other and very much like watching an episode.
"Oh Oh!" Willow interrupted. I think I've found something."
"Does it say reserve?" Buffy keeps right on zinging Giles. LOL!
Wesley's rallying of the troops is hysterical, especially the said troops reaction to his ridiculous rallying.
Another fantastic chapter packed with emotion, tension, and humor. Maybe you even included the kitchen sink :) :) :)
Author's Response:
Pfft. Baseless accusations. I don't make typos. My fingers are physically unable to. Antidisestablishmentarianism. See? *totally didn't copy and paste that* 0:)
I think all of the Scoobies' plans are awful in this. They basically seem to boil down to "Well let's just waltz on in and hope for the best." That may be a slight flaw with my writing. :p
The kitchen sink actually comes later. It gets possessed and everything. It's not pretty.*
*Chapter subject to change.
Date: 08/11/2013 Title: Chapter 11: Chapter 11
You start right off with the cool visual of The Slayer and her Scoobies marching down the street like "a small army". Buffy's thoughts of Faith as an ace or a joker were clever too.
"But he is a politician," Oz pointed out." HAHAHA!!!
Really liked their plan and Buffy doing the hero thing and heading in alone. She's such a badass here, although you ramp that up soon enough.
Hear that? That's the sound of me clapping because you've written the Mayor so damn perfectly. Every word out of his mouth rings true and it made me remember why I loved him so much as a Big Bad.
"Oh no, surely not. Not my Faith." Aww...I kind of have to feel for the bastard. He sure knows what buttons to push when it comes to "his" Slayer and I feel just awful for Faith. Geez, she's even tearing up! WAAHH!!!
Then he hits her with the Shard...Did I already call him a "bastard"?
It was awesome how Buffy reacted, kicking him away from Faith. I'm not exactly sure why, but I loved the image of the Mayor staggering back and fighting to stay on his feet. Maybe because he's always so tidy and in control(for the most part). Anyway, I loved it :)
It was also cool when Buffy rolled out of harm's way with Faith...and why does that sound kind of sexual now? LOL
It made me laugh that the mayor was so tickled by what the Shard could do. He sure is the villain I love to hate...or hate to love. We defintely have a love/hate relationship.
Faith countermanding Buffy's orders to Angel:
"Hey! Try and carry me out of here and I'll stake you myself. HAHAHA!!! And he looks to Buffy in the middle of the big fight because he doesn't have a clue what to do now. Faith is awesome, Slayer powers or not :) :) :)
Author's Response:
The Mayor was awesome. No other show has villains as interesting as the ones in Buffy and Angel. I kind of wish I hadn't stuck with Buffy PoV for a lot of this, and then I could have written in some scenes between Faith and the Mayor when Faith was still AWOL.
lol. That was probably the most asexual rolling ever (If there's even a scale for such a thing). Jeez, some people. :p
And yes, Faith is also awesome. More so, really. :D
Date: 08/11/2013 Title: Chapter 12: Chapter 12
The idea of The Shards is so freaking fantastic! Those things do not need to be charged up on Slayer juice again.
I hate that Faith's lost her Slayer mojo, but I had to laugh at Cordy's Wesley love. That just never gets old, even when it's happening at the very worst time. LOL
"His valiant position of cowering behind Willow pretty much kept him safe from any chance of actual danger." HAHAHA!!!
Great how Buffy went after Faith:
"I know this is horrible," Buffy said. "But you don't have to go through it alone." I love her and how much she truly cares about Faith.
This was just flat-out, rip your guts out and stomp on them, heartbreaking:
"This is all I've ever had. It's all I am." WAAAHHH!!!
Toss in her bottom lip's trembling, despite the fact that she's sucking it in...WAAAAHHHH!!!!!
Fucking Council! Worst timing ever and I HATE them so much!!!
Buffy is so freaking bad ass, it's all kinds of awesome! And it's awesomer in a whole other way when she begs them: "Please don't do this." She knows how serious it is, that Faith will be lost forever, and she pleads with the most coldhearted asshole in the world to save Faith.
Hi. My name is Bobbi and I am a Buffy lover :) :) :)
Whoa, I'm thinking Wesley's lucky to have a working spine, even if he is innocent this time around. Giles can't even calm her down and I love what she says to him:
"No Giles, you have no idea. The Council think they can just play with other people's lives and get away with it. Well we're not your puppets, or your weapons. We're not here to live and die at your beck and call. So I will do whatever I have to do, and if you have a problem with that, then I strongly suggest you wait in the car."
The Slayer is a tad upset. Uh-oh.
Another marvelous chapter. I am really loving this fic :) :) :)
Author's Response:
You know, I'm starting to get this sneaking suspicion that you might be a closet Buffy fan. :O Though I'll hand it to you, you hide it well. ;)
As the ancient proverb reads: A Buffy angered is a Buffy who is going to eat you alive.
I'm glad you're still enjoying it, and thanks again. :D
Rated: Teen
[Reviews - 3]Post-season seven. Faith takes the Slayer show on the road, but she can't shake her past, metaphorically *or* literally.
Category: Season > Post-Chosen, Relationship > Buffy/Faith
Characters: Buffy Summers, Faith Lehane
Genres: Action, Angst, Romance
Warnings: None
Series: None
Chapters: 1 | Completed: Yes | Word count: 3398 | Read count: 4578 | Published: 08/04/2013 | Updated: 08/04/2013 | Latest Chapter
[Report This]
Date: 08/05/2013 Title: Chapter 1: Chapter 1
I really loved this! Very descriptive and you made it so easy to picture the bleakness, depression, sameness, and unhappiness that had become Faith's life on the run.
A few random thoughts:
Snake! HAHAHA!!! "I'm the Slayer, Plissken." That made me laugh out loud. Being more of a fan of the video game, I pictured him in that outfit looking for a box to hide in ;) And I don't even want to know what your Snake was drinking.
"Come out, come whatever you are."
"That's original."
I liked Buffy's entrance, very cool, and I loved this writing:
"...Faith spun around, automatic grin fading a litttle and then coming back strong. Strong as a shield."
Wow, that's really nice. It told me right away it was Buffy and I loved how simply you explained how Faith always keeps her emotional defenses up...except when Buffy makes them waver. It really gave me insight into Faith's character and the Fuffy relationship.
Their whole conversation/interaction is great: "Little Miss Behavin'. Fuckin' things up left and right."
The hair dryer story was funny as hell and so very Buffy. HAHAHA!!!
That first kiss was so sexy, but then Buffy's follow-up kiss was really sexy and real and loving.
"I wanted this." Gee, who wouldn't melt when hearing that?
My favorite lines were when you described the bus sex:
"Just couldn't hold out, just couldn't sit there anymore in their separate little worlds. Cold little worlds. Lonely and dim and grey worlds that had opened up and bloomed like desert flowers after."
If there was a 'bowing" emoticon, I'd be using a million :) :) :)
Faith wanted to get caught and Buffy wanted to catch her and stick around. Aww...It's so perfectly romantic.*swoon*
And hey -- Snake was right. There was something bigger than Faith on her trail. Fuffy love's like that.
Great one-shot!
Rated: Mature
[Reviews - 18]A dark Alternate Universe where the scythe spell failed to turn the potentials into slayers. Buffy, on the precipice of insanity and reckless abandon is held in check by Faith as the world goes to hell around them. Buffy/Faith friendship and eventual pairing.
Category: Season > Post-Chosen, Relationship > Buffy/Faith
Characters: Angel, Buffy Summers, Dawn Summers, Faith Lehane, First Evil, The, Robin Wood, Rupert Giles, Willow Rosenberg, Xander Harris
Genres: Action, Angst, Horror, Romance
Warnings: Character Death, Gore, Graphic Violence (incl. torture)
Series: None
Chapters: 13 | Completed: No | Word count: 68927 | Read count: 4401 | Published: 08/15/2013 | Updated: 09/19/2013 | Latest Chapter
[Report This]
Date: 09/19/2013 Title: Chapter 1: Prologue
I can't decide. Is this a ripsnorting start or a powerhouse of a beginning?
There is so much I could just quote back to you and that's been true for every chapter I've read so far. I'll just hit on some stuff that really stood out for me.
"Death is her gift and it follows her and her friends." Okay, that's just so cool and calls up all kinds of emotions.
"An insurmountable body count rising every day.
It's hundreds.
Then thousands.
Then millions."
The way you wrote that, line after line, made it really add up. They're not just words, but actual bodies, and I feel like I can see each and every one of them piling on Buffy.
"She must stay focused. Has to lead. Has to fight. Slay. Kill. Breathe. Live another day."
Whoa -- that is some fantastic writing! She's right there leading the battle while she struggles with the anger and the guilt, but then she begins getting whittled down to the most basic of instincts.
"The anger turns to reckless abandon to madness to insanity."
By the time anybody notices how far gone she is, it's too late:
"In Buffy's dream, she's lost her fucking mind."
That for me is just about the most heartbreaking line I've ever read. This hero, this brave girl who has gone through so much over the years, who has saved the world a lot, has now finally broken.
"The world with all its weight rests upon her shoulders yet it is a single death that finally breaks her back. One more death that she cannot possibly endure."
I was reading this on BnF and making notes, then came over here and saw you'd tinkered a bit. So I'm assuming that refers to the part you took out? Or perhaps not and you're going someplace else with it? Either way, it's nothing but sad.
This is such an amazing start. Setting the mood, giving the reader just enough to let them understand what's going on, all the while making it clear we don't understand a damn thing. Saying I'm horrified and intruigued is such a mega understatement.
"Just a dream."
It's just the Prologue and I'm already all shook up and writing feedback longer than the actual chapter :)
Author's Response:
Wow, thanks for the amazing feedback, Bobbi! Really appreciate it after a long day at work and coming back to see this has just slapped a smile on my face. :)
In response to your query about the change I made basically I realised I'd spoiled my own story in the prologue by making it obvious which death sends Buffy over the edge. This way, with it now more ambiguous, new readers (or even the ones who read this a year ago and have now forgotten what the hell happened!) can have it be a surprise. :)
I have made little tweaks here and there in the other chapters along with proof reading, but nothing that alters the plot in a noticable way. Just filling in a few gaps really.
Thanks, again. Can't wait to see what you have to say for the rest of the story!
Date: 09/19/2013 Title: Chapter 2: Quarantine
This is a great buildup with some big reveals too.
It was great how you presented the normal world with normal people still trying to do normal things...only there is no normal here anymore, they just don't quite get that yet. It was terrfiyingly real, the way the truth came out into the open and how quickly it all became something else.
Bill being irritated about the traffic jam, the huge military presence, trying to get to his family like anyone would, the soldier and his gun, noticing the red clouds, and then the look of horror on the face of the driver letting him into the line of the exiting cars.
The whole bar scene with the various characters was wonderful, but NOTHING can top Buffy's introduction! That was incredibly perfect and holy shit! Everything said was freaky and scary, and what the hell?
"Killed my Spike killed my Angel tried to help...didn't work. Badidea. Shouldofknownbetter!" Did I already say: "What the hell?" Because I definitely meant to. Fuck.
Then she's delivering the bad news about dead families and the sitch with giggles. Shit.
I can't believe I could actually laugh, but the fact that Buffy still makes that noise and face when she drinks alcohol...HAHAHA!!!
"Good call, barkeep. A girl shouldn't go to work drunk."
That's sad, amusing, heroic, disturbing, it's all kinds of stuff and makes it pretty clear how Buffy is still doing her job, even if she is drunk, crazy, and grief stricken. She's somehow less than she was, but she's somehow more too. She's definitely FUBAR, but she's going out swinging.
Just the sight of her weapon and of her has everybody freaking out, me included. Your description of her is terrifying on a bunch of different levels, and it's great how the bartender had his gun taken away...Just like that. Then Crazy B's twirling it like a baton and all of these moments are providing us with a look at where Buffy Summers is right now: physically and mentally, and it's a mighty scary place to be.
The way the military lost control and all hell broke loose in the blink of the eye was really scary, and I felt like I could see all of the chaos and destruction unfolding.
It was awesome when Buffy saved Bill and I loved this description:
"The face of a survivor. A warrior. A goddess."
That kind of says it all and if it doesn't, this picks up any loose ends:
"I'm Buffy...and I'll be your Slayer for the evening." Wow, that is cool.
"No, really?" HAHAHA!!! Way better usage than in Season 7 :)
It's amazing that Buffy can be so damaged, but that there are still glimpses of "our" Buffy. The way she saves him and gives him the facts to this new reality are Buffy things, but the way she delivers the info, the way she says: "Bored now." and "Things to kill." when he can't comprehend the truth fast enough is something, somebody else.
I get the sense that she gave him a shot, but he's obviously too weak to survive for long anyway, and in that regard he's just a dime a dozen to her. She can't and won't waste the time on repeatedly saving him, he'll get himself killed all too soon anyway, and there are millions of people living and dying all the time around her who are just like him.
That image of her: Skipping off to her own personal playground of death and horror, is just crazy powerful and horrifyingly comforting somehow.
His last thoughts being all about: "A girl named Buffy."
And then your last line:
"Pity he never took her advice."
I loved your writing there.
See ya, Bill. You have to be faster, smarter, and tougher to survive in this new horrow show of a world. She gave you a shot and man, did I feel for him. And for a girl named Buffy.
Great chapter! :)
Date: 09/19/2013 Title: Chapter 3: The Lucky Few
Boom! You certainly don't waste any time.
Scene set in just a few simple Faith-like sentences.
"Private Charlie Samson." HAHAHA!!! Poor guy.
Faith's conversation with Giles is...awkward and wicked tense. It makes complete sense that the whole world isn't being overrun at once, but how bizarre it must be that everything's normal over there: "How privileged you are."
Then he starts to ask about Buffy, and Faith is done with that conversation from the get-go:
"'No.' Her tone was suddenly icy."
That short response and the rest of their abbreviated conversation is fascinating. Clearly something's gone down between Buffy and The Scoobies, but Faith's taking it personally. She also seems to have some valid high ground since Giles is apologizing and awkward and lets her shut him down with a "Rupert". That's fascinating and I'm dying to know what exactly happened.
"Sorry, Giles. Gotta work." makes me think of Buffy's attitude, although Faith appears to be sane and sober.
Loved this: "But Willow had already vanished. No doubt off to check the magical defenses. Or maybe sit in a dark room and cry. Most people liked that option lately."
Man, you sum up so much with so few words. This world is overwhelmingly bleak and anyone can go at any time. Through death or just by giving up, and they all know it. Such fantastic writing :)
Love Faith's cocky, rally the troops attitude: "Whoever hits the highest body count gets me for the night." It soundsjust like her: "Miss Morale Keeper Upper", and it really brings out the camaraderie they must be feeling. Especially when you realize any of them could be dead in a minute.
The battle scene was again easy to visualize, I hate the leader as much as Faith does and I want revenge for that scar. It was plenty scary when it seemed like the good guys were going to get overwhelmed:
"Oh, you have got to be shittin' me..." If only, F.
And this made me laugh right out loud:
"...Xander's giant head looked down at her." HAHAHA!!!
His report is deadly serious, but he's still all Xander:
"Our artillery is the rock to their scissors. S'what happens when you bring Roman toys to the table and we're sporting 21st century kickass."
I just felt so happy to hear him being Xander, I wanted to give him a great big hug.
What a reaction Faith has to Buffy's presence. It's so cool:
"She'd felt this connection before. This intense sixth sense. But not with this baggage. The connection was damaged. Cracked, bleeding, wrong. She felt refreshed and nauseous at the same time."
Loved the image of Crazy Buffy -- "...perched atop a commercial building, legs swinging gaily over the edge." That's quite an entrance.
Then: " a storm of emotions" in Faith expression..."Each one evidently battling its way past months of repression to reach the surface and Xander Harris suddenly saw how much Faith had sacrificed to keep herself together these past, gruelling weeks."...just stirs up all of the stuff in the: "We Don't Know Yet" pot.
I believe I may have just constructed the most convoluted sentence in feedback history! Please hold all applause until the end ;)
Another great chapter just jam packed with great writing, thrilling action, right on the money characterizations, and perfect pacing.
In case you can't tell: I am LOVING this story :) :) :)
Rated: Mature [Reviews - 8]
A Fuffy Fic set after Season Seven
Happy Birthday, ABC!!!
Category: Relationship > Buffy/Faith
Characters: Buffy Summers, Faith Lehane
Genres: Romance
Warnings: None
Series: None
Chapters: 1 | Completed: Yes | Word count: 47903 | Read count: 3336 | Published: 09/07/2018 | Updated: 09/07/2018 | Latest Chapter
[Report This]
Date: 10/04/2019 Title: Chapter 1: Chapter 1
Having trouble responding to feedback, so I hope you see this here:
Will,
So happy you liked the fic!
Thanks for the feedback :)
Bobbi
Rated: Mature
[Reviews - 3]A Fuffy set in 2019.
Happy Birthday, ABC!!!
Category: Relationship > Buffy/Faith
Characters: None
Genres: None
Warnings: None
Series: None
Chapters: 1 | Completed: Yes | Word count: 18943 | Read count: 2069 | Published: 09/07/2019 | Updated: 09/07/2019 | Latest Chapter
[Report This]
Date: 09/09/2019 Title: Chapter 1: Chapter 1
Hi, KW! Hope you see this as the site wouldn't let me respond to your feedback.
There's not much better than knowing I made you laugh, except maybe hearing you wish I wrote more.
Thanks for the feedback :) :) :)
Bobbi