![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
madimpossibledreamerMain Points:
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure/Buffy the Vampire Slayer AU
Chapter Summary: Josie badgers some answers out of Giles. She might not like what she finds.
Word Count: 1140
Rating: Teen
Note: HERE THERE PROBABLY BE BUFFY/JJBA SPOILERS
“He was insisting on the danger of the Stone Masks, when we had yet to find any research or other indication that some danger was present, and with the way he was acting…” He sighs again. “I don’t know how much you remember, but he’s prone to being possessed. With the way he was acting…”
Well, it’s a decent excuse. Still an excuse. He’s gotten away with those for far too long. “Still waiting to hear how this is Wolfram & Hart’s fault.”
This time the sigh is decidedly put upon. Inwardly, she grins. Still got it.
He even looks annoyed. Too bad. He’s not the one out there risking his life. “That’s not how I meant it, and you know it. All they did was exploit cracks already present, if I may be frank, as early as our last Apocalypse, if not before. We haven’t exactly learned to work together, to trust each other’s strengths, in great part because while the children insisted on being involved, thanks to my training I was biased to think all of this was merely the purview of the Slayer—and no, I am not mentioning this as a reason why I was not complicit. I am also an academic, and it was my responsibility to examine and interrogate my biases, and it took me far too late to do so. Were I to do so again, I would insist on them all learning to fight, not just Buffy. But all I can do, in this instance, is learn lessons from the past. Rather ineffectively, unfortunately.” He does actually look a little frustrated with himself, which is a start.
“What about that chalice thing?” she asks, because that’s definitely something she’s been wondering about for a while. And if it’s a lie, he’ll have to figure out something.
He looks a little pained, maybe put on the spot. Good. “Doubtless part of the plan, just taking already existing problems and making them worse. Most of it, frankly, was probably the way he was acting. Xander could not trust us to take his concerns seriously, so he found someone who would, and the increased secrecy merely made our suspicions worse. It’s unclear if Wesley merely took advantage of the problems or encouraged greater secrecy, but either way, it did not help.”
She just watches quietly, because her expectant silence speaks more than if she opened her mouth. That didn’t answer her question at all.
“To begin with, I believed the chalice to have a spell on it. In the end, though, none of our experts detected a spell at all.” Despite herself, Josie is intrigued.
“Fine, okay, then what is it? Doing a good job building up suspense there, librarian.”
His eyes light up. Nerd. “It seems to have changed on a fundamental level. Probably due to exposure to something primordial, although we have been unable to determine anything further. Maybe an Ancient, maybe something else. I would wager, perhaps, one of the lesser known deities, as there’s no clear malice despite its unfortunate side effect. It’s even possible it’s trying to communicate with us in some way, though its methods are primitive and it appears to be doing so solely through fear, which is...probably unproductive for whatever purpose it intends.”
Well. It’s an answer. It’s not what she wanted, but he’s actually learning to share, which is an improvement. Seriously, Cousin Jotaro is more forthcoming than this guy. Willow and Buffy just kept assuring her that ‘oh yeah, Giles is so knowledgeable, if you need to know anything just ask him’, and maybe it was that induced fear and paranoia but it was, from experience, easier to pull blood from a stone than to get answers from the Watcher.
Surprisingly, he continues. Apparently, she’s earned her answers, hooray. Gold sticker for...someone. She’ll figure out who once she actually gets her hands on some. “And the vision shared with Willow, unfortunately, was vague enough, as most prophecies are, that in acting to try to prevent the events depicted therein we may have ensured they came to place—particularly when acting out of suspicion.” He looks decidedly pained, at this point, and lowers his voice. “You should know. One of the pieces of the vision was…” he takes a deep breath.
She might finally be able to put a name to this nameless dread. She is not looking forward to it, but hates even more to suffer in ignorance.
“Your son. Dead. Sacrificed, we think, though any confirmation of this fact is difficult as we were never able to get a clear picture of it.” He is honestly apologetic. It doesn’t help.
She hadn’t been ready to be a mother. She is even less ready for this. She hasn’t even really gotten to be a mother, not as herself.
“I'm too young to be a widower—widow. What's the word for someone who's lost their children?” Josie isn't sure why she's fixated on this point, but the idea that if she puts a name to her pain, if she can define it, it will become easier, stays with her.
“Vilomah,” Giles supplies gently, resting one weather-beaten hand against her shoulder. “It is a recent word. I wanted at least one Watcher to know the word, since...well. Slayers die.”
Josie struggles briefly with her anger, her fists clenching and unclenching as she breathes in and out, trying to find the words. “It isn't your fault.”
Giles nods.
“If we find him dead because you couldn’t bring yourself to listen to him, I’ll never forgive you,” she hisses quietly, fury coursing through her.
He bows his head, and it’s clear he hadn’t been lying. He really would mourn for her son. In a way, he’s already grieving the possibility. He’s been hiding that this entire time. Driven by the fear that he needs to avert, but aware all his efforts might be in vain. “Miss Higashikata, in such a case I would likewise be unable to forgive myself. I would deserve no less.” A little louder, he adds, trying for hopeful. “I’ve been trying to remember one thing. If there’s anything my years of experience with your son has taught me, he’s rather good at breaking prophecy.”
“It just takes one unlucky break for a winning streak to end.” It takes a gambler to know that one. She walks off, trying to contain her urge to punch something. Not in a plane, she knows this, but she can’t be bothered to listen anymore, even if it’s all very reasonable. He’s flawed. Just as she is. Just as she was. She can’t say for sure she’d even do better, in that situation, but she can’t deal, not right now, so she goes searching for some better in-flight entertainment.
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure/Buffy the Vampire Slayer AU
Chapter Summary: Josie badgers some answers out of Giles. She might not like what she finds.
Word Count: 1140
Rating: Teen
Note: HERE THERE PROBABLY BE BUFFY/JJBA SPOILERS
“So you didn’t listen to him,” Josie prompts, and Giles nods.
“He was insisting on the danger of the Stone Masks, when we had yet to find any research or other indication that some danger was present, and with the way he was acting…” He sighs again. “I don’t know how much you remember, but he’s prone to being possessed. With the way he was acting…”
Well, it’s a decent excuse. Still an excuse. He’s gotten away with those for far too long. “Still waiting to hear how this is Wolfram & Hart’s fault.”
This time the sigh is decidedly put upon. Inwardly, she grins. Still got it.
He even looks annoyed. Too bad. He’s not the one out there risking his life. “That’s not how I meant it, and you know it. All they did was exploit cracks already present, if I may be frank, as early as our last Apocalypse, if not before. We haven’t exactly learned to work together, to trust each other’s strengths, in great part because while the children insisted on being involved, thanks to my training I was biased to think all of this was merely the purview of the Slayer—and no, I am not mentioning this as a reason why I was not complicit. I am also an academic, and it was my responsibility to examine and interrogate my biases, and it took me far too late to do so. Were I to do so again, I would insist on them all learning to fight, not just Buffy. But all I can do, in this instance, is learn lessons from the past. Rather ineffectively, unfortunately.” He does actually look a little frustrated with himself, which is a start.
“What about that chalice thing?” she asks, because that’s definitely something she’s been wondering about for a while. And if it’s a lie, he’ll have to figure out something.
He looks a little pained, maybe put on the spot. Good. “Doubtless part of the plan, just taking already existing problems and making them worse. Most of it, frankly, was probably the way he was acting. Xander could not trust us to take his concerns seriously, so he found someone who would, and the increased secrecy merely made our suspicions worse. It’s unclear if Wesley merely took advantage of the problems or encouraged greater secrecy, but either way, it did not help.”
She just watches quietly, because her expectant silence speaks more than if she opened her mouth. That didn’t answer her question at all.
“To begin with, I believed the chalice to have a spell on it. In the end, though, none of our experts detected a spell at all.” Despite herself, Josie is intrigued.
“Fine, okay, then what is it? Doing a good job building up suspense there, librarian.”
His eyes light up. Nerd. “It seems to have changed on a fundamental level. Probably due to exposure to something primordial, although we have been unable to determine anything further. Maybe an Ancient, maybe something else. I would wager, perhaps, one of the lesser known deities, as there’s no clear malice despite its unfortunate side effect. It’s even possible it’s trying to communicate with us in some way, though its methods are primitive and it appears to be doing so solely through fear, which is...probably unproductive for whatever purpose it intends.”
Well. It’s an answer. It’s not what she wanted, but he’s actually learning to share, which is an improvement. Seriously, Cousin Jotaro is more forthcoming than this guy. Willow and Buffy just kept assuring her that ‘oh yeah, Giles is so knowledgeable, if you need to know anything just ask him’, and maybe it was that induced fear and paranoia but it was, from experience, easier to pull blood from a stone than to get answers from the Watcher.
Surprisingly, he continues. Apparently, she’s earned her answers, hooray. Gold sticker for...someone. She’ll figure out who once she actually gets her hands on some. “And the vision shared with Willow, unfortunately, was vague enough, as most prophecies are, that in acting to try to prevent the events depicted therein we may have ensured they came to place—particularly when acting out of suspicion.” He looks decidedly pained, at this point, and lowers his voice. “You should know. One of the pieces of the vision was…” he takes a deep breath.
She might finally be able to put a name to this nameless dread. She is not looking forward to it, but hates even more to suffer in ignorance.
“Your son. Dead. Sacrificed, we think, though any confirmation of this fact is difficult as we were never able to get a clear picture of it.” He is honestly apologetic. It doesn’t help.
She hadn’t been ready to be a mother. She is even less ready for this. She hasn’t even really gotten to be a mother, not as herself.
“I'm too young to be a widower—widow. What's the word for someone who's lost their children?” Josie isn't sure why she's fixated on this point, but the idea that if she puts a name to her pain, if she can define it, it will become easier, stays with her.
“Vilomah,” Giles supplies gently, resting one weather-beaten hand against her shoulder. “It is a recent word. I wanted at least one Watcher to know the word, since...well. Slayers die.”
Josie struggles briefly with her anger, her fists clenching and unclenching as she breathes in and out, trying to find the words. “It isn't your fault.”
Giles nods.
“If we find him dead because you couldn’t bring yourself to listen to him, I’ll never forgive you,” she hisses quietly, fury coursing through her.
He bows his head, and it’s clear he hadn’t been lying. He really would mourn for her son. In a way, he’s already grieving the possibility. He’s been hiding that this entire time. Driven by the fear that he needs to avert, but aware all his efforts might be in vain. “Miss Higashikata, in such a case I would likewise be unable to forgive myself. I would deserve no less.” A little louder, he adds, trying for hopeful. “I’ve been trying to remember one thing. If there’s anything my years of experience with your son has taught me, he’s rather good at breaking prophecy.”
“It just takes one unlucky break for a winning streak to end.” It takes a gambler to know that one. She walks off, trying to contain her urge to punch something. Not in a plane, she knows this, but she can’t be bothered to listen anymore, even if it’s all very reasonable. He’s flawed. Just as she is. Just as she was. She can’t say for sure she’d even do better, in that situation, but she can’t deal, not right now, so she goes searching for some better in-flight entertainment.
