Fic/Poem/Poem/Fic - for the Who Are You ficathon.

[quinara]

I had something much different planned for the Who Are You ficathon, but it wouldn't happen - so I wrote a Buffy-Illyria swap instead!

PG (if that); about 1000 words; partially inspired by The Owl and the Nightingale; set post-NFA in one of my futureverses where Buffy and Illyria are friends; slightly strange; no material for 'standard' warnings

Comments

[brutti_ma_buoni]

When Buffy looks up to the field of stars
She does not see what she once saw. Instead
She sees the universe, with balls of gas
In traffic lanes.

I love that the swap brings out some of the physical differences between human and Old One, and how that impacts on perception. Illyria's horror is powerful stuff, and Buffy's determination not to feel this way any more is a great way to conclude.

Remembering quite dimly that she stands
Inside a murder victim’s stolen corpse.

Shiver. I've written something about Wesley/Illyria that touches on this, but from the inside it's even creepier.

(We do get the time travel fic sometime, don't we? *pines*)

[quinara]

Thanks! I love giving Illyria emotion to deal with, one way or another - it's always so dramatic! ;)

We do get the time travel fic sometime, don't we? *pines*

Definitely! Probably. Sometime not this week (it's being such a brat; I think the whole concept needs time to mellow, unfortunately).

[petzipellepingo]

Too many things are written in this flesh;
It was the body once of someone young,
But now the ages score their legacy
In lines and grooves on hard blue carapace.
Illyria is more than mind contained
And limited by magic - she is here
In Buffy’s blood.

This mind rebels, however, takes control,
Insists the black above can never be
Important as the human pain she left
To grieve alone inside. The present is
A wicked place, but still she cannot let
Another bear its burden while she stands
Outside at peace.

So now, then, Buffy turns to face the curse
Of human suffering.

Very nice.

[quinara]

Thanks! :)

[angearia]

Illyria is more than mind contained
And limited by magic - she is here
In Buffy’s blood.

What a fabulous idea! That Illyria is still there even when she's been bodyswapped.

Frustrated, Buffy looks towards the sky,
But feels as though she sees beyond the stars,
Beyond the galaxy towards the void.
This is not sight in her possession, this
Is something that will not appreciate the truth,
Will only look and probe on further till
There’s nothing left.

“It’s this that is illusion

Oh, this is brilliant. I love this. Thank you.

[quinara]

Thank you very much! I'm so glad you like it (I was getting really worried I wasn't going to be able to write anything - the prose version of this I started wouldn't go anywhere either) - I'll take any excuse to write Buffy and Illyria interacting (heh, in more ways than one...). :D

[shipperx]

I don't think I've ever seen fic as a poem. Cool. Lovely... and cool.

[quinara]

Ooh, thank you! There are a few around, but if I had my way they would definitely be a lot more common. :D

[louise39]

But she feels nothing, calm with placid cool
As eyes that surely can’t be hers stay dry.

Too many wonderful lines to quote...
lovely

[quinara]

Oh, thanks very much! :)