Illusions (Fanfiction, Heroes)

[selenak]

Title: Illusions

Disclaimer: All owned by NBC.

Spoilers: For the whole first season.

Summary: Candice gets hired to impersonate Nathan Petrelli.

Rating: PG 13

Author’s note:

Comments

[47_trek_47]

Oooooo. I love this. Love love love love it. Chilling.

[selenak]

I had a blast writing it. Apparantly, the way to recover from finale angst is to think of something worse.*g*

[mimesh]

JESUS CHRIST, I don't even have words! This fic is mindblowing spectacular!

I.. I don't know what to say. Just. WOW. I got chills.

Brilliant, brilliant idea and as usual your execution was marvelous. I love how you bring characters to life we don't know much about like Meredith or Candice in this case. But nothing beats your understanding and characterization of the Petrelli brothers.

The ending kills me.

[selenak]

Thank you. I wasn't sure how to end it for a while, and then I thought: well, of course!

[vilakins]

Oh. Wow. I really didn't see the end coming. Brilliant story.

When Niki Sanders punched her, Candice did the smart thing

Ah, that explains why she didn't revert to whatever she really looks like, which she said was "huge". That bothered me as I was expected her to become her real self.

something carved into ivory with a very sharp knife

That is perfect and sheer brilliance.

She was an illusionist, not a shapeshifter, which meant as soon as whats-her-name moved in for loving embraces, she’d figure out that what her eyes were telling her wasn’t what she was feeling.

That's exactly what I thought after her revelation to Micah. I wondered whether it meant that she had to stay well away from people. I did notice that she only held him by the hand.

Peter seeing through her and becoming her is just perfect. I wonder if we'll see that on screen. I hope if they meet that we get something as good as you've written, which NY will survive of course.

[selenak]

Ah, that explains why she didn't revert to whatever she really looks like, which she said was "huge". That bothered me as I was expected her to become her real self.

I think the meta reason for this was two fold: a) TPTB didn't want the audience to be confused as to who this was by using a complete stranger, and b) they might have planned something for Real!Candice in s2 and didn't have the time to properly audition for an actress/actor who wouldn't even get to say a line, whereas if they use the actress they already have, that problem is solved and they can audition during the hiatus. That's my Doylist explanation; my Watsonian one is the one I used in the story - Candice knew she was outclassed the moment Niki started to use superstrength on her and didn't want to die for the cause just yet, so stayed down.

I wondered whether it meant that she had to stay well away from people. I did notice that she only held him by the hand.Logically, it would mean that, and I hope TPTB have thought this through, because if Candice hasn't been

[vilakins]

Oh, it does.

I saw somewhere that Candice is hated by fans, but I don't know why. Because Sylar killed her and gained her skills in the AU future? Because she kidnapped and used Micah? Actually, she has a point: people are very much judged by appearance. I have considerable sympathy for her, which admittedly would disappear if she did something really evil.

[selenak]

I think the Candice dislike actually predates both and came because she used her ability to (seemingly; as it turned out, he had a plan, as always!) entrap Mr. Bennet in Parasite, and Mr. Bennet is a much beloved character. Of course, given that Sylar - who does horrible things to every other character, loved or otherwise, all the time - is hugely popular, that's not really a good argument.

The Micah kidnapping, or rather, the aftermath, i.e. their scenes together, actually swung some people around to no longer wanting Candice dead, as they had to admit she got some intriguing characterisation there. Personally, I'm hoping she'll be back in the next season, and not as a Sylar victim!

[g_shadowslayer]

Ohhh my. That ending was fantastic!

[selenak]

Somehow I knew you'd approve.*g*

[wee_warrior]

Ohhh, you wrote it! This is so awesome!

Great voice for Candice, and absolutely perfect ending. Very interesting look on how Peter could be in the aftermath of the explosion. Candice is right - he is scary.

(And I love that she wants to take off with some of Nathan's ties!)

[selenak]

Candice was a blast to write, and this is a Peter who has officially lost it. You are a bad person to encourage me with this.*g* Billain!

(The ties were a detail I couldn't resist.)