Harmony's Fall
A Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan fic
Author's note: I do not own the characters in this story, just the situations involved. All characters are the property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. This fic was inspired by the Sunnydale yearbook, a little behind the scenes book I bought earlier this year. That being sad, enjoy!
"The Homecoming dance sets the fashion standard for the rest of the school year. This is a chance for the best of us to shine. But not just that. It's also a chance for us to study the less taste-equipped, to offer them guidance and constructive criticism. They, in turn, can pass it on to those to pathetic to even get asked to the dance. It's the circle of life.
This year's Homecoming dance started out like a ray of golden hope into the dark world of the style-starved. The dresses, in general, left behind the ruffles and flounces of girlhood, and favored instead the sleek silhouettes of womanliness. All in all, the dance was a veritable gift basket of fashion-dos!
It was, that is, until Buffy Summers and Cordelia Chase arrived. With their artfully torn gowns, streaked faces and tangled hair, they attempted to inject a kind of Courtney Love You-know-I'm-cool-because-I-look-like-trash sensibility into the proceedings. It was a fashion miscalculation of the highest order.
Jeers! Jeers, I say, to Buffy and Cordelia for thumbing their oh so smudged noses at the fashion rule of law. Without fashion there is anarchy, and without Cordy and Buffy, there is fashion!"
Mrs. Rivers, Sunnydale High School's yearbook advisor finished reading the article that was submitted by Harmony Kendall to the entire class. "Harmony, what exactly made you think that this was an acceptable article about this year's Homecoming dance?" she asked, annoyance in her tone. Harmony looked surprised. "I was just-" she defended, but the teacher interrupted her attempt at an explanation.
"Your assignment was to write a general article about the dance," the teacher explained. "It was NOT to smear two students just because you weren't a fan of their appearance." Harmony looked perplexed. No teacher had ever called her out like this before. "I just thought the school should know how NOT to show up to such an important event," Harmony defended.
Mrs. Rivers shook her head. "Based on what, Harmony?" she asked. Harmony was too stunned to answer. "Your opinion on what is or is not fashionable is not relevant to what you were supposed to write about," she stated. "More importantly, the yearbook is NOT an outlet for you to blatantly bully ANYBODY," she continued. "So I will ask you again, what made you think this was an acceptable article to submit about the Homecoming dance?"
Harmony struggled to answer. It was clear that she was way to used to getting her way to know what to do here. Her parents were very wealthy. Not as wealthy as Cordelia's but she was by no means poor. "What we have here is a clear example of do it again," Mrs. Rivers decreed. "And you will write it again, Harmony," she continued. "Today, after school, under my supervision." She knew Harmony's reputation for skirting what was acceptable behavior. She was one of the few teachers who didn't allow Harmony to do as she pleased.
Harmony's eyes flashed. She had cheerleading practice after school. And after that, she was planning on going to the mall. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Rivers, I can't stay after school," she said haughtily. "I have cheerleading practice," she added. Mrs. Rivers did not give in. "Oh, don't worry," she assured. "I'm gonna call your coach, so she knows exactly why you're not there."
At this, Harmony glared. "And if you get into thinking of not showing up, I'm gonna let you know right now that if you aren't in this classroom no later than five minutes after the last bell, you will no longer be on yearbook," she stated. Harmony's jaw dropped. This could not stand. She was a cheerleader, and by definition, in her mind, she could do whatever she wanted.
"You can't do that," Harmony protested angrily. The class watched in awe as Mrs. Rivers proceeded to lay down the law. "Harmony, I run the yearbook committee. I can, in fact, do that. If you wish to find out, by all means, don't show up and find out. If, however, you wish to continue being a part of yearbook, you will be in this classroom after school today, and you WILL write an article about the Homecoming dance that is actually acceptable."
It was a thoroughly humbled Harmony Kendall who reported to the yearbook classroom as instructed as soon as the last bell sounded. She hated having to face consequences for once, but she refused to give up the prestige that she thought she was entitled to by being on the yearbook.
' Who does Mrs. Rivers think she is?' Harmony thought angrily to herself as she entered the classroom. There was a pecking order in high school, and obviously popular students such as herself should have free reign to do as they pleased. This one teacher had shattered that reality to pieces.
"Right on time, Harmony," Mrs. Rivers said as Harmony took a seat in her desk. "Now, to reitterate, your assignment is to write an article about the general happenings at the homecoming dance. You could mention that we had a tie for homecoming queen this year, for example," the teacher instructed. "If you try writing anything similar to the article you tried to submit, you will write it again, and I have all day," she added. Harmony swallowed nervously. This was not happening to her.
Cordelia rushed to catch up with Buffy and Willow as they were heading off campus. She normally would not want to consider herself still a friend of theirs, but this news was too good. She was just glad that Xander wasn't around, as she was still furious at him for cheating on her with Willow.
"Wait up," she called, causing Buffy and Willow to turn as she ran up. "What's up, Cordy?" Buffy asked brightly. She always preferred Cordelia in moments like this, when she wasn't in bitch-mode. "Did you guys hear?" Cordelia asked, a huge smile spreading across her face.
"Hear what?" Willow questioned. If it was possible, Cordelia's grin got wider. "Harmony got kicked off the cheerleading squad," Cordelia replied gleefully. Buffy and Willow's jaws dropped simultaneously at this bombshell.
"YOU'RE KIDDING!" Buffy exclaimed. Cordelia was riding high as she delivered this piece of earth shattering news. "What happened?" Willow asked, the shock evident in her voice. "Apparently, she tried to submit an article to yearbook about the homecoming dance that was just a glorified piece to trash us," Cordelia explained.
Buffy shuddered as she remembered the events of that evening. She still couldn't believe that Cordelia was mistaken for Faith. "The yearbook teacher made her rewrite it, and when the cheerleading coach heard about it, she kicked Harmony off the squad," Cordelia gleefully continued. Of the three girls there, Cordelia had the biggest reason to be happy about this. Ever since she had begun dating Xander, Harmony had made her life hell, and it got worse after they broke up.
"We're going to the Bronze tonight," Cordelia said. "My treat." Buffy and Willow were hit with another shock. Cordelia being nice? This was unprecedented. Buffy nodded. "I should be able to show up after a quick patrol," she replied. It shouldn't take too long. Things had been quiet lately.
"See you tonight," Cordelia said as she headed to her car. In light of the day's events, Sunnydale High was about to see the return of Queen C.
