moragmacpherson (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
moragmacpherson) wrote2009-01-23 10:54 am
moragmacpherson) wrote2009-01-23 10:54 am
Fic: Hellmouth High Schools Don't Have Reunions (6/20)
Title: Hellmouth High Schools Don't Have Reunions (4/20)
Author: MoragMacPherson
Rating: PG to PG-13
Timeline: School Reunion for DW. Between Homecoming and Band Candy for BtVS
Disclaimer: If it's a character or a place, I don't own it.
Archive: Here, TtH, Teaspoon, the pit, I think. If you'd like it, let me know.
Author's Note: Response to challenge 3108 by Winterd at Twisting the Hellmouth. Un-beta'd. Oooh, and it also got recced on Calufrax, which made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Summary: What if "School Reunion" took place at Sunnydale High?
This is What it's Like When Worlds Collide
The group assembled around the island in the kitchen. Xander opened up the fridge. “Soda anyone?”
“I’d love one.” Rose caught the can flung her way, then dodged the ones tossed to Willow and Buffy. Thirsts quenched, Buffy turned her attention to the Doctor.
“So you’re an alien.”
“Yeah, that’s right.” He nodded. “Time Lord.”
Buffy wrinkled her nose. “That sounds very special. And you travel in time?”
“Correct again.”
“And you’ve never heard of the Hellmouth?”
“Nope. I’ve seen temporal rifts, traveled to alternate dimensions, defeated werewolves, and I can definitively state that I’ve never seen a Hellmouth before now. Or demons, or vampires. Not real ones anyway. Well, not ones that weren't actually aliens. Descended from demons and they turn into dust when you shove a piece of wood in their hearts? That's just weird. You say crucifixes repel them?” Buffy nodded, and the Doctor pulled at his ear. “No, like nothing I've ever dealt with before. It sounds like a storybook. So why is a bunch of teenagers responsible for protecting the world from these many and sundry dangers I’ve never heard of?”
Willow’s hand shot up. “Ooh, can I say it?” Buffy waved her hand in permission. “‘Into each generation a girl is born, a chosen one. She alone will wield the strength and skill needed to fight the vampires, demons, and the forces of darkness, stopping the swell of their numbers and the spread of their evil. She is the slayer-'“
“She’s Buffy,” finished Oz. “Well, and Faith. Long story.”
“You’re joking.” Rose looked Buffy over. “I think I could take her in a fight.” She moved forward and Xander grabbed her shoulder.
“No you can’t. Trust me on this one.”
Buffy’s nostrils flared a bit from the challenge. “Anyway. If there’s badness going on here at the Hellmouth, it’s my job to take care of it. I don’t care if it’s vampires or little green men.”
“Yeah, and what kind of little green men do you think they are? Could it be a cute and cuddly kind that just wants us to have better math skills?” Willow leaned up against the counter, closer to the Doctor, who ran a hand through his hair.
“I’m not exactly sure.”
“Then why are you so sure it’s an alien?” Buffy had planted her hands back on her hips.
“I don’t know, it’s just, normally.” He pushed his hands into the air, “It’s always aliens, it’s never demons, and this whole situation is simply impossible, and I just have this feeling that it’s aliens this time, okay?”
“They’ve possessed Giles, Doctor. My Watcher. Or they've replaced him or-“ Buffy’s voice caught, and she took a deep breath. “I need more than just a feeling about this.”
The Doctor met her gaze. “Right.” He paced for a moment. “Right. Willow, could you call that goddess, Hecate, could you summon her again?”
Willow stepped back. “I don’t know. I’d never, she never- uh, that was sort of a first for me. I could float a pencil if you wanted?”
The Doctor came up to her and took her shoulders in his hand. “Please, I need to talk to her, and no, Rose, not just because she grabbed my arse. I need to know what’s going on here.” His brown eyes were so earnest and Willow found herself saying “Okay” well before she remembered that she had no idea how to do it.
“Umm, right. Goddess Hecate. Right.” She pulled out her grimoire. “Invoking, no, summoning, no, geeze. Listen, I’m not that great of a witch, maybe we should call Amy, she’s got way more experience than me.”
Oz took her hand. “It’s okay, you can do this.” Willow smiled at him, and shut her eyes.
She found the pentacle in her pocket. “Goddess Hecate, queen of the ghosts, please allow us to be your hosts.” Once again a gentle breeze entered the room, and the goddess appeared in a flash.
“Twice in one day? Consider this an indulgence.” She crossed her arms. “Your powers are growing, but if he weren’t here I wouldn’t have bothered.”
Willow croaked and pointed at the Doctor. “It was his idea.” She then hid behind Oz.
Hecate’s expression turned saccharine. “Was it then? That changes everything. What can I do for you, Time Lord?” She ran one perfect nail along the line of his jaw.
“Tell me what you are, and why there’s suddenly demons in this universe.”
Hecate pouted and drew back. “Way to cut to the chase. Fine then. For eons your people kept this dimension preserved from the gods, the demons, and the old ones. Then, one day, they weren’t there.”
The Doctor swallowed. “There was a Time War.”
Hecate grinned. “Yes, we know. And at the end, there was a hole, waiting to be filled. Much like you, Doctor, we old ones are eternal. Once the Time Lords never were, we were always here. All the things that go bump in the night. My little witch. The werewolf in front of her. That Slayer standing next to you. The vampires. The demons. All possible because you pulled the trigger. I ought to thank you.”
“That’s impossible.”
“That’s magic.” Hecate laughed. “Which of course, you know, is just knowing one extra piece of knowledge. So in gratitude for making it possible, I grant you magic, Doctor. One additional piece of information.”
The Doctor looked around the room. Buffy appeared ready to strike, Xander’s jaw hung open, and Rose simply glared at the goddess. Willow was gripping Oz’s arm so hard his hand was turning white; in turn his face was inscrutable. “At the school, what are we dealing with?”
Hecate brushed an imaginary speck off of the glowing glory of her gown. “Like I said, out of my jurisdiction. These alien types, they remain your domain. Such a mundane inquiry, Lord of Time, I expected more from you.” She leaned in close. “I hope the next time you summon me, it’s a little more private.”
The Doctor locked his eyes shut. “I guess we’ll have to learn to coexist.”
“Oh, we can do so much more than that.” She sniffed his hair. “The Lonely God need not be so lonesome. We shall meet again.” In another flash, she disappeared.
Rose tapped her foot. “I really don’t like her.”
Buffy crossed her arms. “Me either.”
The Doctor’s eyes fluttered open. “She’s a very interesting lady.”
Rose’s voice raised an octave. “‘Interesting’?”
“Oi, you’re sounding like your mother.” The Doctor loosened his tie. “I didn’t realize that the Time War had left the universe open to this sort of thing. I got rid of the Daleks but let the demons in.” He gripped the counter and looked at Buffy. “I’m sorry. I’m so very sorry.”
Buffy rocked back. “It’s fine. Never knew it had ever been any different. But can we focus on saving my Watcher and my school now?”
“Yeah.” The Doctor pushed off the island. “We’ll just have to go investigate.”
“Cool, we’re good at that.” Xander came up behind Rose. “What’re we looking for?”
“There were these weird oil barrels in the cafeteria,” volunteered Rose.
“We’ve got two missing bodies I’m pretty sure haven’t turned into vampires. What aliens do you know that eat people?” Buffy tilted her head.
The Doctor scowled. “It always comes back to the eating people with you lot, why is that?”
“Experience,” replied all four simultaneously.
Next
Author: MoragMacPherson
Rating: PG to PG-13
Timeline: School Reunion for DW. Between Homecoming and Band Candy for BtVS
Disclaimer: If it's a character or a place, I don't own it.
Archive: Here, TtH, Teaspoon, the pit, I think. If you'd like it, let me know.
Author's Note: Response to challenge 3108 by Winterd at Twisting the Hellmouth. Un-beta'd. Oooh, and it also got recced on Calufrax, which made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Summary: What if "School Reunion" took place at Sunnydale High?
This is What it's Like When Worlds Collide
The group assembled around the island in the kitchen. Xander opened up the fridge. “Soda anyone?”
“I’d love one.” Rose caught the can flung her way, then dodged the ones tossed to Willow and Buffy. Thirsts quenched, Buffy turned her attention to the Doctor.
“So you’re an alien.”
“Yeah, that’s right.” He nodded. “Time Lord.”
Buffy wrinkled her nose. “That sounds very special. And you travel in time?”
“Correct again.”
“And you’ve never heard of the Hellmouth?”
“Nope. I’ve seen temporal rifts, traveled to alternate dimensions, defeated werewolves, and I can definitively state that I’ve never seen a Hellmouth before now. Or demons, or vampires. Not real ones anyway. Well, not ones that weren't actually aliens. Descended from demons and they turn into dust when you shove a piece of wood in their hearts? That's just weird. You say crucifixes repel them?” Buffy nodded, and the Doctor pulled at his ear. “No, like nothing I've ever dealt with before. It sounds like a storybook. So why is a bunch of teenagers responsible for protecting the world from these many and sundry dangers I’ve never heard of?”
Willow’s hand shot up. “Ooh, can I say it?” Buffy waved her hand in permission. “‘Into each generation a girl is born, a chosen one. She alone will wield the strength and skill needed to fight the vampires, demons, and the forces of darkness, stopping the swell of their numbers and the spread of their evil. She is the slayer-'“
“She’s Buffy,” finished Oz. “Well, and Faith. Long story.”
“You’re joking.” Rose looked Buffy over. “I think I could take her in a fight.” She moved forward and Xander grabbed her shoulder.
“No you can’t. Trust me on this one.”
Buffy’s nostrils flared a bit from the challenge. “Anyway. If there’s badness going on here at the Hellmouth, it’s my job to take care of it. I don’t care if it’s vampires or little green men.”
“Yeah, and what kind of little green men do you think they are? Could it be a cute and cuddly kind that just wants us to have better math skills?” Willow leaned up against the counter, closer to the Doctor, who ran a hand through his hair.
“I’m not exactly sure.”
“Then why are you so sure it’s an alien?” Buffy had planted her hands back on her hips.
“I don’t know, it’s just, normally.” He pushed his hands into the air, “It’s always aliens, it’s never demons, and this whole situation is simply impossible, and I just have this feeling that it’s aliens this time, okay?”
“They’ve possessed Giles, Doctor. My Watcher. Or they've replaced him or-“ Buffy’s voice caught, and she took a deep breath. “I need more than just a feeling about this.”
The Doctor met her gaze. “Right.” He paced for a moment. “Right. Willow, could you call that goddess, Hecate, could you summon her again?”
Willow stepped back. “I don’t know. I’d never, she never- uh, that was sort of a first for me. I could float a pencil if you wanted?”
The Doctor came up to her and took her shoulders in his hand. “Please, I need to talk to her, and no, Rose, not just because she grabbed my arse. I need to know what’s going on here.” His brown eyes were so earnest and Willow found herself saying “Okay” well before she remembered that she had no idea how to do it.
“Umm, right. Goddess Hecate. Right.” She pulled out her grimoire. “Invoking, no, summoning, no, geeze. Listen, I’m not that great of a witch, maybe we should call Amy, she’s got way more experience than me.”
Oz took her hand. “It’s okay, you can do this.” Willow smiled at him, and shut her eyes.
She found the pentacle in her pocket. “Goddess Hecate, queen of the ghosts, please allow us to be your hosts.” Once again a gentle breeze entered the room, and the goddess appeared in a flash.
“Twice in one day? Consider this an indulgence.” She crossed her arms. “Your powers are growing, but if he weren’t here I wouldn’t have bothered.”
Willow croaked and pointed at the Doctor. “It was his idea.” She then hid behind Oz.
Hecate’s expression turned saccharine. “Was it then? That changes everything. What can I do for you, Time Lord?” She ran one perfect nail along the line of his jaw.
“Tell me what you are, and why there’s suddenly demons in this universe.”
Hecate pouted and drew back. “Way to cut to the chase. Fine then. For eons your people kept this dimension preserved from the gods, the demons, and the old ones. Then, one day, they weren’t there.”
The Doctor swallowed. “There was a Time War.”
Hecate grinned. “Yes, we know. And at the end, there was a hole, waiting to be filled. Much like you, Doctor, we old ones are eternal. Once the Time Lords never were, we were always here. All the things that go bump in the night. My little witch. The werewolf in front of her. That Slayer standing next to you. The vampires. The demons. All possible because you pulled the trigger. I ought to thank you.”
“That’s impossible.”
“That’s magic.” Hecate laughed. “Which of course, you know, is just knowing one extra piece of knowledge. So in gratitude for making it possible, I grant you magic, Doctor. One additional piece of information.”
The Doctor looked around the room. Buffy appeared ready to strike, Xander’s jaw hung open, and Rose simply glared at the goddess. Willow was gripping Oz’s arm so hard his hand was turning white; in turn his face was inscrutable. “At the school, what are we dealing with?”
Hecate brushed an imaginary speck off of the glowing glory of her gown. “Like I said, out of my jurisdiction. These alien types, they remain your domain. Such a mundane inquiry, Lord of Time, I expected more from you.” She leaned in close. “I hope the next time you summon me, it’s a little more private.”
The Doctor locked his eyes shut. “I guess we’ll have to learn to coexist.”
“Oh, we can do so much more than that.” She sniffed his hair. “The Lonely God need not be so lonesome. We shall meet again.” In another flash, she disappeared.
Rose tapped her foot. “I really don’t like her.”
Buffy crossed her arms. “Me either.”
The Doctor’s eyes fluttered open. “She’s a very interesting lady.”
Rose’s voice raised an octave. “‘Interesting’?”
“Oi, you’re sounding like your mother.” The Doctor loosened his tie. “I didn’t realize that the Time War had left the universe open to this sort of thing. I got rid of the Daleks but let the demons in.” He gripped the counter and looked at Buffy. “I’m sorry. I’m so very sorry.”
Buffy rocked back. “It’s fine. Never knew it had ever been any different. But can we focus on saving my Watcher and my school now?”
“Yeah.” The Doctor pushed off the island. “We’ll just have to go investigate.”
“Cool, we’re good at that.” Xander came up behind Rose. “What’re we looking for?”
“There were these weird oil barrels in the cafeteria,” volunteered Rose.
“We’ve got two missing bodies I’m pretty sure haven’t turned into vampires. What aliens do you know that eat people?” Buffy tilted her head.
The Doctor scowled. “It always comes back to the eating people with you lot, why is that?”
“Experience,” replied all four simultaneously.
Next