Fic: “Under the Gun (the ‘Bullets Backed With Bitches’ Remix)”, 1/1

[aadler]

 
Pre-note: this story serves double duty. I recently participated in the buffy_remix at DreamWidth, and I noted that one of the other entrants — the only one of more than a dozen — had provided a remix but not received one herself. Having once been shorted myself on a remix, years ago, I’m sympathetic to such a situation, so I chose to do a remix for the slighted author that would also meet my summer_of_files obligation. I hope the result is satisfactory for all parties.

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Title: Under the Gun (the “Bullets Backed With Bitches” Remix)
Author: aadler
Genre: AU, ‘what if’?
Rating: PG-13 (language)
Characters: Giles, Buffy, Faith
Word Count: 4,545
Teaser: The ‘most dangerous game’ just got even more dangerous.
Original Story: “Dried Apples and Ammo”, by slashmarks.

Story at LiveJournal – at Dreamwidth – at Ao3

Comments

[randigiles]

What an interesting concept. I will be heading over to read the original.

[aadler]

Definitely worth looking at. And, when I’m checking a remix myself, the most intriguing part for me is seeing the way different people approached the same (essential) situation, so I understand the interest.

[chevron17.livejournal.com]

Oh, my, gosh. You totally got me with this story - twice!

Giles is good and sane - no wait, Giles is Evil and wacko with capital E and W - but wait, no, Giles is Sane and Good and trying to save the world by saving/enabling those who are capable of saving it.

This was magnificent, you really had me going. At the first twist, I was like, wow, that was great, aadler really had me thinking Giles was good, then all the sudden (reek, reek, reek, and da-dum, da-dum, dadum dadum dadum da da da da dah!) Giles is insane and evil! I just got used to that and was thinking, gee, I should have seen that coming, and then, oops, Buffy is slaughtering him and Faith reveals she's alive and slayer-energized. Fantastic.

Thank you for making my head spin with this unique and well-plotted tale!! Very cool concept.

[aadler]

Thank you sincerely. I put considerable work into the effect you describe, but didn’t really expect it to fully come across; to me, ruthlessness IS a part of Giles, so the initial depiction of it wouldn’t necessarily be ominous. I did my best to hint otherwise, but thought I could carry it only so far. I’m very happy that the result seems to be so exactly what I was aiming for, and much appreciate you saying so.