deird1: Fred looking pretty and thoughful (Default)
deird1 ([personal profile] deird1) wrote in [community profile] still_grrr2009-08-17 04:56 pm
Entry tags:

131 ficlet - Musty Old Books and Summer Nights

Title: Musty Old Books and Summer Nights
Author: [livejournal.com profile] deird1
Rating: G
Word Count: 441
Prompt: 131 (confused)
Character: Giles





Musty Old Books and Summer Nights

…you will stand and fight, and then you will die, and the one they call Master will rise and claim his kingdom…


Giles spends his summer lost in a book.

“Lost” being the operative word.


…‘ware! ‘ware! the day of plans and plots, spells and battles. For you are looking the wrong way, and She Who Sees will come and slit your throat. The awakening draws nearer…


His desk is set up neatly - with a notepad, a selection of pens, a few of the more significant texts he might need to check, cards for cross-referencing, a cup of tea close to hand…

…and in pride of place, the Codex.

Everything ready and waiting for him to read through the later pages, and find out exactly what Buffy can expect over the next few years.


…will turn and face the darkness, and let it claim you.
O unhappy day, when…



It’s odd, though.

There are prophecies concerning different Slayers throughout history. The 15th century, the 16th, the 17th, and so on…

Then there are two paragraphs concerning Buffy - ending with her death at the Master’s hands.

And then it moves on.


…your Twin comes to kill you.
Two cannot exist as one…



Buffy is alive and well and visiting her father, but the Codex seems to think that she’s dead and gone.

After confidently predicting her demise, it continues to confidently predict the calling of the next Slayer, and the Slayer after that.

Two short paragraphs. Just two.

It’s as if Buffy didn’t survive at all.


…the world turns, the days pass, and yet you sleep, with nothing but your dark dreams to…


He’s always been told that the Codex is correct in every particular - but it’s clearly not as accurate as it claims.

Giles isn’t sure what to make of it.


…burns, and yet you will stay in chains. For you cannot trust yourself. And the world is better without your rage, your violence…


In the end, he puts it aside.

The notepad goes back in its drawer, the pens are packed away, the tea is drunk.

The Codex ends up at the back of his bookcase, behind the books on 12th century potion-making. And Giles tries not to think about it anymore. It’s too unsettling.


…the witch. Your line will divide, and you will be two.
You will be guardian and captive, awake and asleep, teacher and martyr, one and the other.
And long-held plans will come to…



And after all - when it comes right down to it, predicting the future isn’t nearly as impressive as it’s cracked up to be.


(deleted comment)

[identity profile] mabus101.livejournal.com 2009-08-17 07:24 am (UTC)(link)
Hmm. Interesting.

Buffy dying and not dying kinda threw things out of whack, didn't it?

[identity profile] rebcake.livejournal.com 2009-08-17 07:40 am (UTC)(link)
So cool! Faith gets tons of paragraphs! And once again, the Codex is never wrong.

[identity profile] brunettepet.livejournal.com 2009-08-17 10:42 am (UTC)(link)
Clever. I wonder if Giles would have looked at Faith differently if he'd had this template at hand.

[identity profile] brutti-ma-buoni.livejournal.com 2009-08-17 07:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Love this - Giles not yet able to think laterally, and just trying to ignore the oddness. It explains why they never did refer to the Codex again.
ext_7259: (Faith)

[identity profile] moscow-watcher.livejournal.com 2009-08-18 03:32 am (UTC)(link)
Chilling. The prophecies never lie - you just have to learn to read them.
angelus2hot: (Angel.Buffy moment)

[personal profile] angelus2hot 2009-08-19 12:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Excellent!

Poor Giles

If you can't depend on the Codex.......
snickfic: (Giles)

[personal profile] snickfic 2011-04-13 03:32 am (UTC)(link)
Ohhh. This is very nifty! I had to read it a couple of times to see what the prophecies were saying, and what Giles was missing. Very nice! This'd be a neat fic to do a commentary on.
snickfic: Buffy looking over her shoulder (Default)

[personal profile] snickfic 2011-04-13 03:54 am (UTC)(link)
I would love one! Yes, please. :)