RKT presents "Sing A Song of Christmas"

[JustSkipIt]

SithLordWiccan – Wow. You’re already not one much for the timber? You’ve posted very quickly it seems to me. I’m not sure when Chris is posting on LG. I didn’t send the file separately (did you need it, Chris?) because I guess I just forgot. But I know it’s going up there.

I remember from reading fb in the WTTV thread that you don't like Buffy.

That may be a bit of an over simplification of my feelings about Buffy. On one hand, I love her as the heroine of her own show and someone who repeatedly saved the world. But on the other hand, she is just portrayed as being so incredibly self-involved that it’s really maddening to me. Throughout the last few seasons I felt like she was fantastically off-target and inconsistent while making moralistic speeches to the rest of the Scoobies. But yes, she was the focus of the group and what brought them all together.

I just love the motif of "One life ends, another begins". I saw it in "One Tin Soldier" and loved it there, almost as much as I loved it here.

I saw the similarities between this story and One Tin Soldier as soon as I read it. I have to give a shout-out to Chris who once proposed a simple theme series for our group that had something like a birth, a death, and a decision or something like that. I liked the idea, particularly at this time of year.

And by giving their new baby Joyce's first name and Buffy's middle name, I get the sense that Willow and Tara are making sure that they live on, at least in some form.

Absolutely. The Jewish tradition calls for naming a child after a dead relative (in this case, making the exception for a non-relative). I’m named after an aunt, my brother for our Grandfather, and my son for my mother. To Willow, I would imagine it would be requisite. And I tried Anne Joyce R M and thought it sounded totally wrong.

Thanks so much.

Michelle –

Beautiful, charming, sad, reaffirming.

Of that list, I’m most pleased with reaffirming. I was a little worried that this was too long and too much of loss before the Better Days part at the end. I also really toyed and troubled over putting in some overt statement of the theme: death and birth, miracles, etc. but decided to leave it for the reader to feel and I’m incredibly happy to see that it seems to have worked. Thanks for that.

I enjoyed how you sprinkled the other Songs of Christmas throughout this tale. It was a nice way to tie them all together.

I thought it would be fun and honestly thought it would be a little more obscure but you Kittens are so darn smart that you picked it up right off. That’s actually why Chris traded places with me and I’m grateful to him.

One of the things about your writing that I find fascinating as well as frustrating is your ability to tell a story that is compelling and complete without giving the reader all of the details.

I mentioned this in my feedback to Cam in the MT thread. It’s something I feel that I’m just learning as a writer. I think that I started using the technique consciously in SAI, then MT, then Waiting, and now here. You’re right about what I left out and I wanted the reader asking those exact questions. I wanted to have a few lines about the toll in specific injuries that had been visited on this group but I didn’t want to explain how it happened.

That's what life is really all about, isn't it? Finding yourself surrounded by a family of your own choosing - a group of people whom you love and who love you in return.

Yes. It seems to me that season 4 is very much about finding yourself as an individual and then season 5 is about coming back together to family. And I think that for most of us, that’s a big part of what we’ve found in life.

This may sound a bit strange, but it was nice (hmm...that may not be the right word, but I can't think of another) to see Tara buckle under the strain.

I totally understand what you’re saying. She wouldn’t be a human if she didn’t break at some point and it wouldn’t be healthy for her to hold it inside.

Throughout this series the RKT writer's have truly captured the true meaning of the holiday (whichever one you personally prescribe to). Thanks so much for helping to restore my faith in humanity, if only for a little while.

Thank you so much for the praise.

Happy Holidays to you.

Dianneswillowtree – Thanks. Yes, Buffy definitely knew what she meant to her family. Thanks so much.

watty – Hello.

From the moment Tara woke up there was a general feeling of lethargy, of something wrong. Then Willow in a cast, black eye and 7 stitches made me realize something was very wrong.

Oh yes. Very wrong.

Can't help feeling that she was overcompensating, or trying to get over of something.

Definitely. Don’t you ever get that feeling? That if you can turn on enough lights or TV or radio or something, you won’t be alone and bereft? Anyway, thank you for your thoughts about the roll call (as it were) and various details of injuries.

Yes, Willow’s Buffy’s first friend and first civilian involved. I would say that she was abducted by the male vampire rather than Darla but that’s splitting hairs I think. Yes, Tara’s been holding everyone together as a sort of mother figure while Anya helped out by doing the tasks she can.

even the scene after everyone has left when she breaks down ... it made me feel her strength rather than her weakness.

Thank you. I agree. I also like the way it finally allows Willow to come to life and color in this story. You know?

Mmm. I hadn’t thought of a fade-in/fade-out but that’s a good description. I thought about different titles but decided that simple worked best. Thanks.

Couldn't have asked for a more moving and fitting finale to our series

I’m glad to hear (read) you say that. As I was writing I really hoped that it would be a powerful and effective finale. Thank you.

Thank you.

highlandlass25 – Please, cry away. Thank you.

Emms – Well. For now, thank you and I’ll see if you’ve edited by tomorrow when I post. Thanks.

Kaia – Yay for the lump in your throat. When I read your story, I was just amazed at the similarities between the two. And I found it fascinating and yet not at all that they stepped on each other’s toes or anything. I loved yours and found mine to be different also.

I had no idea the GooGoo Dolls sang "Better Days".

I couldn’t tell you another song they sing either but I’ve heard this one on the radio a lot last year and really love it.

Thanks. I’ve never thought that so much: that I no longer get the same feedback that I used to because everyone is so used to me. Interesting. Thanks so much.

taralicious – Hello. Thanks so much. I’m glad that the story was intriguing. I wanted it to pull the reader in without being cheap about it. I like the way you word it:

Until you wove into the narrative how each member was accounted for.

That’s a good description.

And I can’t possibly say something more appropriate about dealing with Joyce’s death and then Buffy’s than you’ve written. Thank you for that.

Thank you for your amazing feedback.

Justin – Hi, Justin! I’m glad you like the decision to leave the details of the battle to the reader. As I was saying above, I feel that I’m just starting to learn how to leave so much unsaid an let the reader invent it him/herself. It can be much worse that way.

Thank you.

[RKT]

[center][/center]


'Twas the Night before a Scooby Christmas
by the RKT writers
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimers: Between us we own a wealth of riches -- an enviable portfolio of fics, Cam's easy distraction for video games (*snerk*), Debra's Elvis status (*respect*), DW's initiation into the house of bliss (*awww*), Emms' head full of beautiful art (*wow*), justin's proximity to chocolate (*drool*), Sally's gift of the gab (*lmao*) and watty's OCD obsession with macs (*rolls eyes*) among others -- but we don't own anything BtVS / AtS related. Which is finey mcfine by us.
Notes: Our take on the traditional 'Twas the Night Before Christmas poem. This was a joint effort by the RKT group, and our way of saying thank you to our readers. Wishing all of you all the best for the Holiday Season.


[center]
'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the 'Dale,
Not a vampire was stirring, nor a demon from hell.

The stakes were whittled till they were sharp and ready,
To give the Big Bad's minions a welcome so deadly.

The vampires were nestled all snug in their graves,
While visions of Slayer's blood danced in their veins.

And Tara in her jammies and I in mine too,
were thinking of something more fun we could do.

When up from the hellmouth there arose such a groan,
A cry that tore through the house and chilled to the bone.

I leapt from the bedside, and to my dismay,
Found my feet were quite tangled in the sheets disarray.

The moon on the breasts of my sleepy blonde girl,
Caressed her sweet curves like a dreamy white pearl.

When, what to my post-coital eyes should appear,
But a scantily-clad slayer, holding eight steins of beer.

With a sharpened wood stake, so deadly and pointed,
I knew in a moment she was the Powers' anointed.

More punchy than Colbert her puns they dropped,
As she danced round the 'pires, 'till they poofed and popped.

Now Spikey! Now, Giles! Dawnie, now you!
On, Riley! On, Walsh, and the Initiative too!

To the new SUV, and then to the mall!
Now shop, shop, shop, shop all Fall.

But dry heaves that subsequent to the steins blew,
Put an end to their fun, (as dry heaves tend to do).

So ran to the Magic Box the tipsy group in a hurry,
To find spells and herbs to keep their frayed nerves steady.

But then in a twinkling they heard sounds like a fire,
The scratching and clawing of each little vampire.

As they drew out their stakes and were turning around,
Busted through the front door the vampires came with a bound.

The front one was all broody, his shoulders quite broad,
And he wore all dark colors from his head to his foot.

His fangs were both dripping with gory red blood
That flowed from his mouth to his chin in a flood.

His eyes were deeply set with a frown tinged with worry
As he wiped away the blood -- which tasted of cherry!

His muscle-y arms held up a menacing crossbow
And the skin of his chin had a five o'clock shadow.

The gleam in his eye was not murderous rage,
But love for the Slayer, if I'm any gauge.

He turned to mumble at a friend he called "Nelly"
Or "Nancy" perhaps. I simply couldn't tell 'e.

He was skinny and tall, a conceited vamp,
I laughed at his posturing, in spite of the damp.

He seemed quite content in this charge badly-led
And their apathy in sum left me shaking my head.

He spoke not a word but a smile in his eyes
Was reflected in ours as we all yelled "Surprise!"

And laying his hand on a large pint of stout,
He gave a quick chug, and fell down with a shout.

I laughed at his antics, and threw streamers at him
While Tara led the others on a song and a whim.

A greeting from the Scoobies, large and small,
"Happy Christmas, dear Kittens, we love you all."
[/center]


[center][/center]
[br]

[SithLordWiccan]

DIBS!

ETA: Aww! That was nice, and so funny. So funny, in fact, that I nearly threw up from laughing so hard. (No, seriously. I almost threw up from laughing so hard. I just finished dinner, and apparently had a wee bit too much. Ah, well. If I think that's bad, I'm gonna be in pain tomorrow.)

Thanks again for all the fics, guys. These are some of the best presents I could get this year. I love you all...in the non-kissy way, naturally.

[taralicious]

What a lovely flow of imagery to round off this blessed holiday season of fics by our beloved RKT team.
My mind wandered off and I started to drool over the passage about the moon caressing Tara's breasts and shimmering on her milky white pearly skin.
This after finishing watching Amber's new holiday movie with lots of nice close-up shots of her blue eyes and moist beckoning lips.

[Kaia]

Guys, this was awesome. I couldn't stop laughing!!!
What a way to end this Christmas series.
Thank you all for sharing these fantastic stories. You're all so talented...
And a belated Merry Christmas for everyone!

[Thianne]

Debra, your fic was awesome, as always. it made me sad....but also all "aaaawwww" for Tara being the one to keep everyone together. i loved it.

The poem:

that was priceless!

[Artemis]

Elvis: Sad, but ultimately uplifting - kind of "it's not how you die, it's how you lived". Buffy had a grisly end, but she and the others went out every night, knowing what could be in store, and fought the good fight regardless. And I really liked Tara's portrayal, and her role in the 'fight', as carer and healer, and how it took its toll on her just as much as the obvious damage done to the 'front line' Scoobies. And just like them, she was tough when she needed to be, reached for help when she could, and got it together to keep going.

(I agree, by the way - 'Anne Joyce' sounds kind of odd, like some kind of mechanic's tool. Damn, the radiator's leaking, pass me the anne joyce and I'll see if I can tighten it up... Or maybe it's just me.)

All the poets: Hee That was fun, especially all the creative rhyming going on. 'Nelly' with 'tell 'e', heh.

[FineyMcFine]

Debra, so sorry for the late feedback - Christmas travels and activities have taken up almost all of my time. This was such a sad story, poor Buffy and poor everyone else too. I liked how you told the story from Tara's perspective showing how she is the nucleus of the family in terms of cooking for everyone and taking care of them - food, laundry, medical attention - and what a heavy load that can be. It's almost as if she's so busy taking care of everyone else that she either doesn't have the time or the freedom to feel her own feelings and grief - at least until she's alone.

The ray of hope here is that their baby is born very soon after Buffy's death, and it was a lovely touch to name her after Joyce and Buffy both. Great job and also a great job being the anchor position and wrapping it all up by naming all of the songs in the series. Hope your holiday was great!

[JustSkipIt]

Vale – Thanks so much. I’m glad it made you sad and “aaaawwwww” at the same time. I’ll consider it a success then.

Chris – Hi there. I like your take on the what it means part of the story as far as Buffy is concerned. Id’ say that we can assume that she ended up taking out something huge given that 1. she died 2. everyone else was injured and most importantly 3. the world survives. Yes, Tara is the caretaker for everyone but it certainly takes a toll on her. Thanks so much.

Sally-Willy-Nillly – I hope the aforementioned Christmas travels and activities have been much nog and snog and little of the other stuff that can come with Christmas. I think that you’ve hit Tara’s predicament squarely on the head by pointing out that she’s so involved with taking care of everything that she doesn’t allow herself to feel the grief. And I think that’s a very real experience or at least it was for me.

I’m glad that you like the ray of hope and naming conventions. Thanks so much.

[bytrsuite]

New to the archive. You can leave feedback!

[WrongObsession]

@ JustSkipIt
It. Was. Beautiful. The emotion you put in the characters were so real for me. All of the pain and happiness they felt, I felt too. I remembered in the show when Buffy died, I had this day of silence. I refused to talk, to anyone for a whole day. Except when people asked why I wasn't talking they laughed at my reasoning.

Anyways, back to your goddess writing and thought process. What can I say? The whole concept, story, and idea. I loved that Tara had a baby. I guess I kind of like babies. Tara'd be a great mom. This was just an all around awesome Christmas story. So thanks for being awesome and writing.

P.S. I am almost done commenting, so you're almost free of my insistent whining.

[Dub]

Dubs Festive Advent Challenge – Day 14

Santa with painted-on fangs and fake blood dripping down his chin.

Well that’s adding to the image of mummy kissing Santa Claus.

the deep chill of his eyes, when even the most courageous human would look away.

It’s a honed skill which gets practiced every year when people leave and say “same again next year.” I’ve not mastered it as they keep bloody well showing up.

Neither made any effort to do anything about the mess.

They never do. You end up finding the last of the mess a week later when you get a whiff of rotting cheese and find the pittance remains of the cheeseboard under the sofa cushion.

You and Wesley play politics all you want; why involve us in this

This is why Uncle Dave and Sandra are sat at the end of the table, so their conspiracy theories can stay down there. Also to prevent the across the table spit spray. There’s already an armada of sauces your spittle does not need to be included. Say it don't spray it. Better yet don’t even say it. The only thing they vote for is the dud act on X factor, they could of bought Honey G a house.

Her back was against the wall and she had almost all the windows and doors within her line of vision.

Smart, know all the exits, then you know how to get out of one of Aunt Wendy’s what are you going to do with your life talks.

the Germans and English played soccer and sang carols. World War One?"

A brilliant piece of history, a show of humanity and the futility of war. No one could tarnish that. Oh wait Sainsbury’s Christmas Advert 2014, let’s use that moment to boost our sales. Ah Christmas the exploitation of the heart strings and dead ancestors.

"I think we have dead meat around here."

You’ve got your nut roast Aunt Wendy, no need to insult our dinner or Sandra will make a jibe about you scoffing nuts being the reason your first two marriages didn’t work out. I don’t want to wash out blood from the carpet for another year running.

he's 400 years old; you're only a few months old. Don’t underestimate him,"

But the age works in my favour. Grandpa may know the history questions but I know the pop culture. I will win trivial pursuit old man, mark my words.

took a large cupful of punch from the table, discreetly adding a large measure of whisky from his hip flask

It’s Christmas, no need to be discrete. Save that for weddings and christenings.

the atmosphere never got beyond tepid acquiescence all night.

Sandra I told you to stop reviewing me on Yelp.

Challenge aside. I’m not big on the WishVerse and even less so on vampire Willow but I have to admit Watty has created a rather intoxicating dynamic between Tara and Vamp Willow. It’s a thrall but with no thrall, it’s intense but yet tender. It has me intrigued.
Using the Christmas truce and putting it in the context of Demons VS Humans was clever. It’s one of my favourite moments in history and it didn’t feel cheapened in anyway like it has been before, looking at you Sainsbury’s.

[Dub]

Dubs Festive advent Challenge – Day 23

In his hands she saw 3 cd cases and she recognized the Christmas Carols collection he had received from Giles earlier that morning.

We can’t all get Xboxes kid.

“I don’t remember what letter comes after C,”

I can think of three Sandra if you don’t just play a sodding word. Scrabble won’t be as bad as monopoly they said, no bank discrepancies they said. Don’t believe their lies, all board games are cursed at Christmas.

“It’s never too late to ask for forgiveness, sweetie,”

I mean practically, sure that’s correct however it is too late to ask for forgiveness and still have sentiment behind it. I still remember you bit the head of my chocolate Santa in 1999 Sandra. I wanted to put him to his grisly demise. No matter how many times you give me a replacement it will never be the same and never forgiven.

the boy needed to understand the pain in order to grasp the real meaning of what she was trying to show him.

Yay Krampus. He’s the guy we should be celebrating. He’s a tough love guy and he gives warnings before abducting. He wants to teach a lesson instead of leering at kids year round and rewarding them after entering their room while asleep. Goat man leaving a birch stick in kids shoes seems to be more kid friendly, who hasn’t pretended a stick is a lightsaber even as an adult. Even punishment can be fun and educational.

you think it will make up for all the bloating and constipation

What else are we meant to fill our time with in the limbo week after Christmas but before New Year? Eat up everybody, there’s laxatives and anti-acids in the medicine cabinet.

Willow handed her the phone. "It's your brother. He asked for you, but he wouldn't tell me what he wanted."

Tara slowly extended her hand, taking the phone

The yearly mandatory awkward small talk in between estranged siblings. How's the cat? Dead still, that’s great talk to you next year.

the proximity of her childhood home, and the associated memories, were having a deep effect

All the memories of the yelling matches and the awful decorations that were longing for the skip. The stale smell of spilt milk and layers of dust that can be considered indoor snow. Yep the place hasn’t changed one bit. Here’s your card, I’m off.

a lost little girl struggling to do the right thing.

Give me the remote not Aunt Sandra, Look into your heart you know it to be true.

"You're pregnant?"

Don’t want to say it’s just fat but also wanting thirds of dessert without judgement. Don’t see these people for a year so could possibly rent a kid for all future years but cost wise that could get pricey. “As are you Uncle Dave!” *EastEnders duff duff*

as you can obviously see, I'm dying.

I asked you to say grace Grandma, I’m already planning the party but geesh, get on with it. The grace not the death though preferably whatever comes first my stomachs a rumbling.

"I am a dying old man. I have these long days to think on my life

Damn Grandpa, I only asked if you wanted to carve the turkey. Do you and Grandma have a death pact planned or something?

"In my closet, top left drawer, there's a small box. Can you please bring it to me?"

I asked for one of you to pass the peas, seriously what do you two have planned tonight.

Do you understand why I told you this story?"

No I don’t. That was horrifying. No one ask Grandma and Grandpa for anything at the table, we just need to work out a suitable rotation system. Rotate the stuffing over here.

Challenge aside, Kaia gives us the sequel to ‘Family’ we all know we deserve. This is on the go to reread list. It’s perfectly formed as a one short story but I’m Veruca salting this, wanting more and wanting it now. Kaia if you are lurking on the board at all still, please flesh this out into a long read, it’s brilliant.
The strength of Tara is undeniable and her selflessness. I may disagree with her forgiving him but I can’t argue that it’s not 100% in character.
From the moment of the phone call I was gripped.
I know the stories are here for everyone but if we white elephant the advent stories I’m taking this one, If anyone takes it from me I will purposefully get the unwanted BBQ set for the pointy objects and I will tell you now, sleeping with one eye will not save you.
It’s Christmas themed but it’s not gimmicky, it stands on its own and I’ll say it again, it’s brilliant.