Desperadoes in Baja IV: Cover

[sam_arkand]

(mad props to my language beta draconin for Aussie-dialogue editing)

Faith's never hid where she came from. Way she talks, way she walks. She'll be a Southie girl from the proud Commonwealth of Massholia until the day she dies. At least, that's what she used to think. She flips through the papers Giles fedexed to Andrew in Tijuana The picture Andrew

Comments

[draconin]

Hah! I'll have you know that the kangaroo and I are just good friends. Really!

Meanwhile, I like your take on vulnerable Faith - Andre the Giant and particularly the image of her cowering behind the sofa during Aliens! Except, goddammit, I *loathe and detest* Andrew! You're not allowed to present him in a way that actually makes me want to like him!

[sam_arkand]

You will become an Andrew Wells fan. *rubs hands gleefully* Yesss, you will join usssssss.

[lwbush]

Somehow, it's even more poignant that Faith breaks down to Andrew. I like these characters more with your every installment.

[nothorse]

One thing I like about these is that the characters act their age. These guys are just into their twenties. They had to grow up fast, but they are still kids and in your stories it shows.

[learnedhand_dj]

I'm enjoying what you are doing with this story. One thing: someone from Boston would call it "the Garden" not "the Gardens." Pronounced "gah-din," natch.

And, considering that we are in the Buffy-verse, why wouldn't some just mojo Faith into sounding Aussie? Then they'd only have to work on vocab, not accent as well.

[sam_arkand]

Fixed!

As for an accent spell, BtVS has never shown the characters using or creating "universal translator" spells or others dealing with language. It might be a metaphysical rule--perhaps to do with the Tower of Babel--or a dramatic law that ensures that deciphering the prophecy/spell/yadda yadda is never too easy. People usually have to deal with language the hard way.

Also, magic in the Buffyverse is *never* simple. Off the Hellmouth, magic is harder to cast. And there are always potential repercussions or chaotic ripples in even the most innocuous spell. An accent ritual would affect the mind...and in the Buffyverse, getting something like that wrong would be all sorts of bad. Willow's Season Six misuse of magic for trivial reasons (up until they came up with the stupid magic=drugs m'kay thing) is proof positive you screw around with the forces of nature at your peril.

[caira]

Of course, what Faith really needs to pull the cover off-even more than getting the accent and slang right, and right now she just sounds a little bit off, the way I'm reading it-is a strong opinion about the West Coast Eagles . . .