Hey, all.
Ahem. NevermindDaria and others expressed annoyance at long stories that one must read back through to reaquante oneself with the plot each update, and I totally know what you mean.
So. Since this is probably going to end up being close the the halfway point --I'm guessing on this-- and I would hate to cause anyone kind enough to read this any angst (this is a non~angst zone) I have written a lovely little summary up through chapter 20.
Say 'thank you, Star Mouse.'
Or not. I mean, you don't have to.
It's not like I'll know. You could even tell me you said 'thank you' aloud to yourself, and I wouldn't ever be the wiser.
@ @ @
Chapter 1: Introduction to this little soap bubble of a world.
I explain the setting and express my annoyance with post~Grave fics, Buffy drowns her sorrows with diet Coke, Giles gets Grlarnkmkun's little black book, and sends Spike out to watch over Buffy's patrol.
Chapter 2: Fun at the bar, and other stuff, I guess.
Buffy and Spike have a fi~forceful discussion in the cemetary, and a mysterious young woman (Birdie) drops through the bar roof.
Chapter 3: Lot's of talking, blah blah blah.
You basically just get the car ride over to Rupert's, some ominous half~answers, and a basic physical description of Birdie. No name yet, though.
Chapter 4: Answers, Questions, Moping, Death. Whee!
Birdie reveals that the Slayer's gonna croak soon, according to her sources, which are toga men in Asia, and can't be wrong, and we are reminded that Buffy has already died three times, so there're three extra Slayers running around. Buffy engages in some light angst.
Chapter 5: Wild wacky whirligig of fun, like always.
Dawn meets Birdie, Giles confronts Spike about staying on the side of good, yada yada, oh crap! Buffy's been shot! And Birdie was just called as the Slayer! Oh no!
Chapter 6: Panic Party and Sunshine.
Oh, wait, Buffy's not dead after all. Never mind. Scooby group hug, and Anya learns to snap her fingers.
Chapter 7: Xander Harris sums it up.
Giles gets confirmation of Pujha Pari's death from the Council of Watchers, and Birdie moves in with the Summerseseses...es.s.es. Buffy and Dawn.
Chapter 8: Sewers and Shellfish and all else slimey.
Mood establishment. We find out about the new Watcher, but we don't actually see her in Sunnydale yet.
Chapter 9: Watcher Wars IV: A New Hope.
Giles reads Grlarnkmkun's book, and finds a lot of old stuff that they already know. Isn't it weird how all those prophecies from hundreds of years ago are found, like, a week before anything happens? Anyway, Birdie's Watcher comes, she and Giles kick each other's asses, destroying the Magic Box in the process, Buffy catches Birdie up on the first six seasons, and we find out that Willow is a computer teacher at the high school. Anya has a total spaz and breaks Giles' glasses.
Chapter 10: The Other One
Birdie meets her new Watcher, I babble on about renovations no one remembers any more, clean up efforts at the Magic Box begin, and Spike grudgingly lets Buffy into the crypt.
Chapter 11: A little role~reversal with your tea?
Marion, Birdie's Watcher, meets Willow, and tentative sparkles fly. Buffy and Spike demonstrate that there is definitely still chemistry, but then not so tentative fists fly and they cuss each other out. See the contrast, here? Dawn gets Willow and Marion to teach her magic, and we see Birdie in action.
Chapter 12: Blood, Mmm good.
Dawn, Willow, and Marion make Buffy a 'protective amulet', Birdie grosses Spike out by drinking blood, Xander confides in Giles his desire to embrace Anya's ...unique heritage.
Chapter 13: Another icky bathroom scene.
Me babbling on and on about Russia. . . Oh, they killed Rasputin. . . Uh oh! Buffy's gagging into the toilet! Dawn thinks it's bulimia, but it was actually an averted suicide attempt. We find out that Marion got flunked by Giles, hence the breakage of noses and store... Xander gets D'Hoffryn to proceed over the wedding, and Anya's happy again.
Chapter 14: Odd things demons can do to your system.
Uh oh! Buffy's possessed, and she's acting like a total bitch! (But which one's the real Buffy?!) the Witch und Watcher figure out that restoring energy to Buffy directly will give her the strength to stamp down the demon, temporarily. Buffy gets food.
Chapter 15: Shopping all 'round, and Buffy all alone:
Birdie and Marion bond at the mall, and we get some back story on the Scarred Slayer. Giles stumbles upon the cure for the demon, but seems reluctant to tell anyone. Buffy figures it out on her own.
Chapter 16: So they finally got it over with.
The wedding. Willow also figures out the answer to the DemonQestion, but determines to find another way, for Buffy's sake... Humm.... Demonic wedding. Very sweet.
Chapter 17: Pent-up agression and Questions.
Buffy momentarily loses control of the demon, and confirms what she had suspected in chap 15: When it's in control, it feels the damage. So if something hurts her while she's in full-on demon mode, it takes the brunt of it. Birdie and Willow discuss Marion's sexual orientation, and Buffy tells spike to kick her ass. Marion kisses Willow, answering that question.
Chapter 18: My very first blow-by-blow fight scene.
Anya and Xander get into vampire trouble in Spain, and Spike puts Buffy in the hospital, after much mudslinging and grinding of salt into old wounds. Metephorically, of course.
Chapter 19: Multilengual Shenanigans.
Xander and Anya are saved when the vapiric population of Spain gets on a boat, hellmouth bound. Spike encounters the peoples of nations in the sewers, much to his confusion, and everybody mourns, except Dawn, who grows up and deals with stuff. Oh, and some random blue guy runs into the Magic Box. Ha ha.
Chapter 20: The British are coming! And the Dutch, and the Spaniards, and the Canadians...
Giles finds a prophecy re: an army and four Slayers stopping it, Marion figures out that Dawn can save Buffy from her own mind. Birdie gets a warning call form her toga guys, telling her about the army, and oh look: there's a shadowy guy in a suit wandering around the Master's cave.