moragmacpherson (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
moragmacpherson) wrote2009-01-23 11:17 am
moragmacpherson) wrote2009-01-23 11:17 am
Fic: Hellmouth High Schools Don't Have Reunions (15/20)
Title: Hellmouth High Schools Don't Have Reunions (15/20)
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?
The Nature of My Game
The Doctor took a protective step in front of the group as Lassa continued. “Think of it, Doctor. With the paradigm solved, reality becomes clay in our hands. We can shape the universe, and improve it.”
Buffy snorted. “A whole universe of giant bats? Sorry, I’m gonna stick with my classic good looks.”
Lassa gave her a condescending smile. “Yes but for how long, Slayer? You assume that we’ll use this power for domination, but imagine the good we can do.”
The Doctor laughed disbelievingly. “What, by someone like you?”
“No, Doctor, by someone like you.” The Doctor took a step back. Willow, Rose, and Oz, who’d been edging towards the door, froze. “The paradigm gives us power, but you could give us wisdom. Imagine, pushing the old ones out of this dimension, the civilizations and lives that you could save. The victims of the demons’ petty wars, even your own people, Doctor. The Time Lords, guarding the universe from the chaos beyond, reborn.”
Buffy looked at the Doctor. “Don’t listen to him, it’s a trick.”
“The werewolf freed of his curse, and you, Slayer, you could have that normal life you always desired, the weight of the world of your shoulders. Perhaps with that vampire lover you’re hiding in that mansion, made whole and human, untortured by memories of his victims, or of the hell that you sent him to.”
Willow and Oz’s eyes widened. “Angel’s back?” gasped Willow. Buffy couldn’t bring herself to look at her.
Lassa addressed Rose. “You could remain with him for eternity, young and ageless. Their lives are so fleeting. So many goodbyes. How very lonely you must be, Doctor. But unnecessarily so. Join us, and mend the universe.”
The Doctor’s voice came out dry and raspy. “I could save everyone.”
Lassa’s smile became nearly genuine. “Yes.”
“I could stop the war, get rid of the gods and demons.” He looked down at Buffy, then at Rose’s terribly young, terribly human face.
But Willow was shaking her head. “We have to change. We have to grow. Without the pain, without the loss, we’re not human.”
Buffy nodded. “No one should have that power. Things change, people die. I’ll always fight against it, but that kind of power, that’s wrong.”
Oz licked his lip and clutched Willow’s hand. “To everything there is a season. Everything ends.”
The Doctor looked at the teens who’d faced so much loss, for whom the answer so clear but so horrible. But Rose’s agonized expression told him all he needed to know. With a roar, he grabbed a chair and threw it across the room, smashing into the serve rack. Lassa ducked to avoid the chair. “Out!” screamed the Doctor, hustling the rest of them out the door.
They immediately ran into Xander, Cordelia, and someone who could only possibly be Giles. Buffy threw her arms around him in a hug, almost knocking him over. “What’s going on?” asked Xander.
Cordelia pointed down the hallway. “Are those our teachers?” The pack of Krillitanes stalked towards them.
“Yeah, sorry, run!” The Doctor took off in the other direction as everyone else followed him. Buffy pulled the knife she’d picked up the last night out of her belt, and brandished it at the Krillitane behind them, slashing its wing and causing it to let out a ghastly shriek. It lunged at her and she buried the knife in its eye, grabbed it by the talons, and threw it into its companions, barreling them backwards. She caught up to the others as they rushed into an empty classroom. The Doctor locked the door with the sonic screwdriver while Xander and Oz shoved a cabinet in front of it. Still, the shrieks and claws of the Krillitanes against the doors rattled on Buffy’s nerves as she panted and recovered.
“What now, Doctor? I’m out of knives, and they’re angry.” She hobbled towards Giles while the Doctor paced.
“Those were aliens,” exclaimed Giles.
Willow nodded. “Yeah, it’s been a long week. We’ve missed you.”
“What do we know about these guys?” asked Oz.
“The look like giant bats,” supplied Xander.
“They’re fast and the claws are sharp,” provided Willow.
“Their breath is really bad,” mentioned Buffy. “Like bowels and Brut. I think they’ve been eating people.”
“The oil in the kitchens, they couldn’t touch it, one of the ladies got burned horribly when it spilled,” added Rose.
The Doctor grabbed his companion. “That’s right! The oil! The Krillitanes have evolved so rapidly, their own oil is toxic to them. How much was in the kitchens?”
“Barrels,” replied Rose and Xander simultaneously.
Everyone jumped at the sound of shattered glass, and claws began to scrabble through the crack between the door and the cabinet. Buffy moved to brace it.
“Okay, we need to get to the kitchens.” The Doctor bit his lip, looking at the rope burns on the librarian’s wrists. “Giles, nice to meet you, the real you, but how fast are you moving right now?”
A small smile crossed Giles’ face. “Not terribly fast, I’m afraid. And I’d really like to use a bathroom.”
Buffy shook her head. “He’s coming with me, wherever I go.” As Giles and the Doctor started to object, Buffy stamped her foot. “I just got you back, I am not letting you out of my sight now.”
“Right, we'll split up evenly. Xander, Cordelia, Willow, Oz, I need to you to get the students unplugged from the computers then. Get the doors open and evacuate the school.” He cast his eyes around. “How do we get the bats away from the door?”
Buffy shrugged, then pushed back against the cabinets as the aliens shoved at them. “I dunno, just hurry!”
“Bats, you say?” Giles pushed off of the table and stumbled over to the wall, where he pulled the fire alarm. The struggles on the other side of the door stopped, and the wails of the Krillitanes pierced through the shrill ringing.
The Doctor smiled. “Nice. Now everyone run!” Buffy pulled the cabinet back and they all scrambled out the door.
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?
The Nature of My Game
The Doctor took a protective step in front of the group as Lassa continued. “Think of it, Doctor. With the paradigm solved, reality becomes clay in our hands. We can shape the universe, and improve it.”
Buffy snorted. “A whole universe of giant bats? Sorry, I’m gonna stick with my classic good looks.”
Lassa gave her a condescending smile. “Yes but for how long, Slayer? You assume that we’ll use this power for domination, but imagine the good we can do.”
The Doctor laughed disbelievingly. “What, by someone like you?”
“No, Doctor, by someone like you.” The Doctor took a step back. Willow, Rose, and Oz, who’d been edging towards the door, froze. “The paradigm gives us power, but you could give us wisdom. Imagine, pushing the old ones out of this dimension, the civilizations and lives that you could save. The victims of the demons’ petty wars, even your own people, Doctor. The Time Lords, guarding the universe from the chaos beyond, reborn.”
Buffy looked at the Doctor. “Don’t listen to him, it’s a trick.”
“The werewolf freed of his curse, and you, Slayer, you could have that normal life you always desired, the weight of the world of your shoulders. Perhaps with that vampire lover you’re hiding in that mansion, made whole and human, untortured by memories of his victims, or of the hell that you sent him to.”
Willow and Oz’s eyes widened. “Angel’s back?” gasped Willow. Buffy couldn’t bring herself to look at her.
Lassa addressed Rose. “You could remain with him for eternity, young and ageless. Their lives are so fleeting. So many goodbyes. How very lonely you must be, Doctor. But unnecessarily so. Join us, and mend the universe.”
The Doctor’s voice came out dry and raspy. “I could save everyone.”
Lassa’s smile became nearly genuine. “Yes.”
“I could stop the war, get rid of the gods and demons.” He looked down at Buffy, then at Rose’s terribly young, terribly human face.
But Willow was shaking her head. “We have to change. We have to grow. Without the pain, without the loss, we’re not human.”
Buffy nodded. “No one should have that power. Things change, people die. I’ll always fight against it, but that kind of power, that’s wrong.”
Oz licked his lip and clutched Willow’s hand. “To everything there is a season. Everything ends.”
The Doctor looked at the teens who’d faced so much loss, for whom the answer so clear but so horrible. But Rose’s agonized expression told him all he needed to know. With a roar, he grabbed a chair and threw it across the room, smashing into the serve rack. Lassa ducked to avoid the chair. “Out!” screamed the Doctor, hustling the rest of them out the door.
They immediately ran into Xander, Cordelia, and someone who could only possibly be Giles. Buffy threw her arms around him in a hug, almost knocking him over. “What’s going on?” asked Xander.
Cordelia pointed down the hallway. “Are those our teachers?” The pack of Krillitanes stalked towards them.
“Yeah, sorry, run!” The Doctor took off in the other direction as everyone else followed him. Buffy pulled the knife she’d picked up the last night out of her belt, and brandished it at the Krillitane behind them, slashing its wing and causing it to let out a ghastly shriek. It lunged at her and she buried the knife in its eye, grabbed it by the talons, and threw it into its companions, barreling them backwards. She caught up to the others as they rushed into an empty classroom. The Doctor locked the door with the sonic screwdriver while Xander and Oz shoved a cabinet in front of it. Still, the shrieks and claws of the Krillitanes against the doors rattled on Buffy’s nerves as she panted and recovered.
“What now, Doctor? I’m out of knives, and they’re angry.” She hobbled towards Giles while the Doctor paced.
“Those were aliens,” exclaimed Giles.
Willow nodded. “Yeah, it’s been a long week. We’ve missed you.”
“What do we know about these guys?” asked Oz.
“The look like giant bats,” supplied Xander.
“They’re fast and the claws are sharp,” provided Willow.
“Their breath is really bad,” mentioned Buffy. “Like bowels and Brut. I think they’ve been eating people.”
“The oil in the kitchens, they couldn’t touch it, one of the ladies got burned horribly when it spilled,” added Rose.
The Doctor grabbed his companion. “That’s right! The oil! The Krillitanes have evolved so rapidly, their own oil is toxic to them. How much was in the kitchens?”
“Barrels,” replied Rose and Xander simultaneously.
Everyone jumped at the sound of shattered glass, and claws began to scrabble through the crack between the door and the cabinet. Buffy moved to brace it.
“Okay, we need to get to the kitchens.” The Doctor bit his lip, looking at the rope burns on the librarian’s wrists. “Giles, nice to meet you, the real you, but how fast are you moving right now?”
A small smile crossed Giles’ face. “Not terribly fast, I’m afraid. And I’d really like to use a bathroom.”
Buffy shook her head. “He’s coming with me, wherever I go.” As Giles and the Doctor started to object, Buffy stamped her foot. “I just got you back, I am not letting you out of my sight now.”
“Right, we'll split up evenly. Xander, Cordelia, Willow, Oz, I need to you to get the students unplugged from the computers then. Get the doors open and evacuate the school.” He cast his eyes around. “How do we get the bats away from the door?”
Buffy shrugged, then pushed back against the cabinets as the aliens shoved at them. “I dunno, just hurry!”
“Bats, you say?” Giles pushed off of the table and stumbled over to the wall, where he pulled the fire alarm. The struggles on the other side of the door stopped, and the wails of the Krillitanes pierced through the shrill ringing.
The Doctor smiled. “Nice. Now everyone run!” Buffy pulled the cabinet back and they all scrambled out the door.
Next