FIC: The Edge of Silence

[Jaguar]

Excellent!

Can't wait for more.

[BFR from Paris]

Are you trying to kill us? Seriously!







I almost wish I was a vampire so I didn't have to breathe



I love this fic, and not just for the smut



Oh, and raspberry-chocolate? That's like my favorite fruit with my favorite er... chocolate



To quote a French movie's title, "merci pour le chocolat"



Goodnight!



Christine

[darkmagicwillow]

Yes, general relativity allows you to select the time frame though you can't visit a time before the machine was built so no Constantine for you unless some friendly aliens built a time machine a long time ago. Wormholes, a Star Trek favorite, would let you get around that, but you need negative mass matter (no, antimatter won't work, it has the normal mass otherwise it wouldn't annhilate explosively on contact with normal matter) to keep them open. Otherwise they collapse the moment normal matter enters them, making them useless for space or time travel.



The "I owe you pain" moment was my favorite DMW scene too.

--
"Omnia mutantur, nihil interit. "   "Everything changes, but nothing is truly lost."

[The Inward Sea]

So, time travel is *theoretically* possible but *practically* impossible! A least travel to another time frame than the one the machine belongs to... I'm so sad now...



Thanks for answering my questions!



That scene was grand! Glory is also my favourite Big Bad.



Sea

Edited by: The Inward Sea at: 9/11/02 7:46:48 pm

[darkmagicwillow]

As long as your time machine is old enough, you can go back quite a ways, but yeah you can't build one to visit yesterday. Sorry for the sadness...



It was a great scene though I kept yelling at Willow for being so stupid for trying it...



I'm curious--why do you like Glory as a villain? She was powerful, but she just didn't seem evil to me like the Mayor (quirky but evil) did or like Spike and Angelus did in season 2.

--
"Omnia mutantur, nihil interit. "   "Everything changes, but nothing is truly lost."

[The Inward Sea]

I like the way Glory was nonchanantly bad. She was very interesting as a god-in-flesh. Her weaknesses and her power made her full of potential unexpected actions. I was thinking "and what is she going to do now?" There's also a literate link There's this great italian writer, Italo Calvino, that wrote a story about a viscount that was literally parted in two by a cannon ball. One half survived and returned to his castle, but soon his people discovered that the *bad* part had returned. You see, he was bad without actually badness, because he couldn't be other way . I highly recommend him The writer, not the viscount.



Glory made me remember this character.



Is your favourite Big Bad the Mayor?



Sea

Edited by: The Inward Sea at: 9/11/02 8:13:05 pm

[Triscuit7]

Hi Kittens - I wanted to post these now. I'm in the process of writing the next bit and should post over the weekend. Many thanks to you all.



Puff – Hi. I liked that bit too. And you know, the whole time I’m writing I the erotic scenes, well, I have to think constantly about the health warnings. I get up, walk around, stare out the window or at the ceiling, watch the Weather Channel, pet the cat, get something else to drink and write another couple paragraphs and repeat as necessary. Thanks.



The Big I T – Hey. Glad you’ve discovered the “Edge”. Patience is a virtue too – one I can be extremely lacking in. My approach to life: well “Bored now” isn’t quite the right description, more like, Tara’s line from Entropy: “Can’t you just be…” Thanks for reading and commenting, here & elsewhere.



Tiredsoul – Hi Celia. Confession, when I first read your post, I said to Darcy,

Omigod, I broke Celia!” HeHe. Doing a little happy dance here BTW – your comments made me feel like I was on the right track since NMR looms at the end of this fic. And yes, slow and chocolate. Tree pretty.



Dekalog – Tsk, tsk. I said have your gear handy, but noooo… I’m glad Sea had some extra water for you. You said yummy, I like that. Hey, I’m glad you think the coming out stuff reads true, and you’re right, it never ends. Thanks.



Areslei –

Quote:

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Breathing? What's that?

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Mmmmmm – one of many things you can do 1) with your mouth and 2) if you take the warnings seriously. I’m not certified to do CPR. Hey, guess that all means you enjoyed it – thanks for reading.



Darkmagicwillow – Hey there. I did re-watch V (it was more uneven than I remembered), but only the first part of 2toGo –mainly to watch your namesake do her tornado thing. And I am glad I was able to offer a pleasant update for the Kittens to read. Glad you liked – thanks.



MadeinNZ – Hi Nicky. And gosh darn it, I am too shy! And about taking it slow, I’m glad you came ‘round to my way of thinking. Tara says:

Quote:

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I don’t think very well when I’m right at the edge

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and you wrote

Quote:

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How true is that? Of course - I wouldn't know but I imagine its very true.

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Hmmmm, is this a rhetorical question or not, Miss Kitty? Can I just quote Willow? [I was going for distracting, but yeah…]



The Inward Sea – HeHe, I made yellow crayons run away. Yay me! My mom’s seen the highlights of BTVS thru S5 – no UPN station on her cable in WV – and while she’s not obsessed with the show she does enjoy it. And you read “River” – cool. I wrote it just to play around with my thoughts of what happened between Willow and Tara after they did the Nether Realms spell – glad you liked my take on things. And dear Oz. See, I liked Oz. Like Willow I thought he had great hands. I just never understood how he could resist Willow, how he could reject and desert Willow. Willow can’t do that. She can’t simply forget the good even if it did go bad. And well, about the whole liking girls thing - she connected mentally with Oz. She connects emotionally and magically with Tara - they resonate. The physical connection was good with Oz; she’s got to be surprised that it’s better with Tara. And as you said: Thanks a lot... once again!



Thanatopsis – Hi. Re: breathing I was going to write “in out in out” but it looked rude. Tara’s character is endlessly patient – and no there’s nothing she can do but be supportive. Thanks.



spazz07 – Hi Nath. Um, ice - no comment. Oz is here, needs to be here. It’s the only way NMR can wreak the emotional devastation that it does. Thanks for reading.



mollyig – Hey. I’m glad the “delicious torment” went over well with you and all the other Kittens. Anyway thanks.



Tommo – Hi Ruth. Taking it slowly was pure torture - but in a good way, not a prison way. So in one sentence you used chocolate, delicious and tasty – Ruth, I thought you preferred cheese? Hmmmm, might have an idea… Re: excess energy – well I hate jogging (damn dangerous, that) so I’m not going to suggest that – and la, la, la, I can’t think of anything else that might help. Seriously though, thanks for reading, new Ms. Moderator Ma’am!



xita – Hi Xita. I’m glad you took time out to read my update. And hey, slow is nice – quite a few nice long afternoons…in the halcyon days of yore. Thanks, for reading.



Oneinten – Hey Kath. Niagra falls! Glad you had fun and thanks.



Tulipp – Hi there. Frankly I was anxious about how Kittens would take Oz being in Willow’s head when she made love with Tara. Fortunately, all the feedback has been favorable. As you pointed out, his presence in the background is necessary. And goodness knows Tara and Oz are different! Willow’s gonna be thinking about that. It’s what she does - she has a busy head. Re: experience – it’s only my take on things. I don’t remember Oz being in any relationship before Willow – my inclination is that at Graduation they were both virgins. And Tara, well, in Tough Love we find out she self identified as lesbian before she was involved with Willow – that doesn’t really mean she was active sexually. I just find the likelihood of a girlfriend fairly high, hence I wrote in Megan (for the curious more to come about that in a chapter or so).

Quote:

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It just seems so real.

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Thanks indeed.



peggy of sunnydale – Hi peggy. Well, I’m honored,… and about the personal experience thing. Umm, well, see, (channeling VampWillow a little bit)I’m shy, and I like books… And I’m blushing right now, so no, I can’t say… Thanks for reading.



TromDeGrey – Hey I already broke tiredsoul, I can’t break 2 Kittens in one update… Re: Oz - I knew there would be comfort issues for Kittens with him being in Willow’s head – future updates that have him in the background will probably have an Oz warning, unless doing so will be too spoil-y. But as you pointed out Willow over-analyzes everything all the time. She’s in compare and contrast mode. Thanks again.



Funkyasian – Hi Steph. You read my fic at the office, at work! Again! Sorry, but I don’t replace chairs. Glad you enjoyed it though, and I’m glad to see you back. Thanks.



TareBearRS – Being at loss for words can be a good thing. Thanks.



cassiopeia191 – Hi there. Glad you’ve read it all. And well they do get out of bed several times, it just seems a location they naturally gravitate to. Thanks for reading.



Jaguar – Hey. More is in the works. Thanks.



BFR from Paris – Hi Christine. I would never kill a reader, and esp. not a Kitten. Glad you like this. Thanks again.

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I brought marshmallows!

[The Inward Sea]

Quote:

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she connected mentally with Oz. She connects emotionally and magically with Tara - they resonate. The physical connection was good with Oz; she’s got to be surprised that it’s better with Tara

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I liked Oz too, but felt Tara relates with Willow as you think. We are in absolute agreement here!



So your mom is like mine? Mine just hates SF shows that I love -you know The X Files, the various Star Trek, the Twilight Zone- but likes the magic thing in Buffy. I was watching the show and gawking at my mom's. Without knowing a thing about them, she related to all the Scoobies and their stories... amazing.



Will you be watching National Geo Khufu gig on September 21th?



Ooooo, a weekend update! I like that!



You're so very welcome...



Sea

Edited by: The Inward Sea at: 9/11/02 10:26:26 pm

[barnabasvamp]

You write soooo well! I have done slow, and you're right- it is just so consuming, that's all there is at that time.

This kitten says,"more please? "

[Triscuit7]

Hi Sea

Quote:

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Will you be watching National Geo Khufu gig on September 21th?

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Um, can you give me more info, time/channel? Unless it's a new one or unless it has Dr. Zahi Hawass or Mark Lehner, probably not. I like watching Zahi, 'cause he's fun and well, I've typed his papers and such for him - the such involves crawling around in the middle of minor sandstorm copying inscriptions. Dr. Lehner, I don't know personally, but he is the modern expert on pyramid building.



Ciao, Melissa

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I brought marshmallows!

[BethanyB3]

Hi Melissa,

Still lurking around your story reading & enjoying. I too agree it is important for Oz to be in her thoughts & heart still. Otherwise you're right NMR wouldn't have the emotional impact it does. There has to be a point of decision involved for her.

Noticed in your reply to Tulipp you were unsure of whether Oz had, had a previous involvement. Thought this might help answer that for you. It is the scene after they 1st make love in Graduation Day Pt.1

Quote:

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Willow's bedroom. Clothes are scattered on the floor and draped over Amy-rat's cage. Willow and Oz cuddle in the bed. Oz strokes Willow's hair.



Willow: I feel different, you know. I-I guess that makes sense. Do you feel different. Oh, no, you've already, probably, no big change for you. It was nice. Was it nice? Should this be a quiet moment?

Oz: I know exactly what you mean.

Willow: Which part?

Oz: Everything from 'it's different'. [/quote

I think from this it is pretty clear that he did, though perhaps not someone he was in love with.

**********************************************************************

"I know now, just quite how, my life and love might still go on. In your heart, in your mind, I'll stay with you for all of time." ~ The C

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[Tulipp]

I have to agree with Bethany that I always thought it was clear Oz wasn't a virgin with Willow.



But it seems like for what you're doing, that's not even the point. Tara would be a more experienced lover in some ways regardless of the actual experience. Not that Oz didn't love Willow--although I suppose this isn't the place to go into it--but there is some other connection made between Tara and Willow.



It's so clear to me that of course Willow would think of Oz, of course she would compare. She's experiencing her own physicality in such deep ways that she couldn't help it. I've read another fic (Hands by Ruby) where Willow has thoughts about Buffy--not sex thoughts, but love and friendship thoughts--and that makes sense to me, too. But here, it just works.

"She and Willow are both witches. They do spells and stuff, which is so much cooler than slaying. I told Mom one time I wished they'd teach me some of the things they do together. A-and then she got really quiet and made me go upstairs."--Dawn

[Triscuit7]

Re: OZ



My bad. I should have double-checked, esp. Graduation. I assumed...and got Xanderized. Willow and Veruca - that was all that was ever shown, but I know better. Heh.



Thanks Beth and Tulipp



Ciao, Melissa

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I brought marshmallows!

[The Inward Sea]

Hi Triscuit



I've just checked with the Nat Geo TV site and this is something that only Nat Geo Latinamerica will be showing Sorry. Sometimes they do live programs and I was looking forward to an All Kitten Discussion about Pyramids and so... And yes, it has Dr. Zahi Hawass! Do you know he's got a site? Its www.guardians.net/hawass



Is he really as nice as he seems?



*Sea walks back to her chair with a sad look on her face and murmuring: "No time travel, no pyramids thingy... this is not my lucky week!"*



Sea sinking in her chair and sighing

Edited by: The Inward Sea at: 9/12/02 10:03:29 am

[darkmagicwillow]

Yeah, the Mayor is definitely my favorite big bad. I like his style; there are all the little incidents like when he checks off "become invincible" from his todo list and all the other items are normal everyday ones. He has a such a nice sense of humor about the whole thing.



Italo Calvino is great. I love If on a Winter's Night a Traveller... but I don't think I've read the story that you mentioned. The Glory/Ben duality was one thing I did really like about the villain.



By the end though I really sick of Glory and the Key because they explained it over and over in painful detail at the beginning of every episode. I know Buffy's a difficult show to watch if you don't see all the episodes but at some point you have to give up recapitulating the entire season every episode or there won't be any time for the actual new episode.



It reminded me a lot of the spiral method of teaching they use in grades K-8. Each year you're taught exactly the same things you learned in the previous years with a little bit of new stuff added to the end. I know people forget over summer vacation, but spending more time in review than on new material is ridiculous.

--
"Omnia mutantur, nihil interit. "   "Everything changes, but nothing is truly lost."

[Kieli]

Jesus H. Christ.....you know, I really should heed Mel's warnings more often I was fairly sure that I was holding my breath the whole damn time. *sigh* My little heart is fair to pounding outta my chest.



This is what I get for reading three updates all in a row. Here I was, all set to start talking history and anything remotely resembling thought is now little puddles on the floor and flighty birds flitting OUT the window....bloody hell it's hot in here. Now I have to start removing clothing......

Love is tricky. It is never mundane or daily. You can never get used to it. You have to walk with it, then let it walk with you. You can never balk. It moves you like the tide. It takes you out to sea then lays you on the beach again. Today's struggling pain is the foundation for a certain stride through the heavens. You can run from it but you can never say no. It includes everyone."--Amy Tan "The Hundred Secret Senses"

[The Inward Sea]

DMW: Its good you like Italo Calvino also. The name of the story is The Cloven Viscount I haven't read yours! *Sea thinks she has something to do at a near bookstore*



The Glory/Ben thing was one of the reasons I liked the character although I wasn't completely convinced of the way it worked. I agree about the repeating recap being tiresome. Especially because you have to go through Dawn's story



Oh, that teaching method was introduced here a few years ago and its so annoying! It would be much better to split the vacations and not letting enough time to completely forget things already learned! He he he... ranting about the school system is one of my favourites pastimes!



Kieli wrote:

Quote:

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Here I was, all set to start talking history and anything remotely resembling thought is now little puddles on the floor and flighty birds flitting OUT the window...

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ROTFL





Sea

[Kieli]

Sea: you see what kind of effect smut has on me Is it any wonder that I am totally incapable of writing it? Merciful heavens, I'd never be able to leave my desk!

Love is tricky. It is never mundane or daily. You can never get used to it. You have to walk with it, then let it walk with you. You can never balk. It moves you like the tide. It takes you out to sea then lays you on the beach again. Today's struggling pain is the foundation for a certain stride through the heavens. You can run from it but you can never say no. It includes everyone."--Amy Tan "The Hundred Secret Senses"

[The Inward Sea]

That image was soooo funny! You see, Kieli, for certified bookworms like us reading smut is the doctor's order...



I'm feeling guilty now for being part of a conspiratory team to sneak Triscuit's thread and discuss unadequate topics -like history- instead of dedicating ourselves to the rightful worship of her great story. OMG! We are distracting people from their aims!



Sea

[Kieli]

Well you know, emails and such Practical for our long discussions of how Roman rulers such as Septimius Africanus is virtually unknown to those who only study the rudiments of the Roman Empire and Constantine may have blundered by forcibly instituting a common religion in order to settle Christian in-fighting, etc etc. Man I wish you all had been around to appreciate this one BB called AncientSites. You'd have loved it. Unfortunately its been dismantled and a ton of good historical dialogue was lost. My main interest has always been Roman/Greek military history and law.



Toni

Love is tricky. It is never mundane or daily. You can never get used to it. You have to walk with it, then let it walk with you. You can never balk. It moves you like the tide. It takes you out to sea then lays you on the beach again. Today's struggling pain is the foundation for a certain stride through the heavens. You can run from it but you can never say no. It includes everyone."--Amy Tan "The Hundred Secret Senses"

[The Inward Sea]

I love military history! When deciding what career would I go for, Law was the most reasonable option because everyone knows that History won't take you anywhere... Roman law became my favourite course and I became the teacher's pet it was clear to me that it was the wrong path, so I quit Law (to my parents horror). But I always kept a fondness for Roman law. It has been very useful.



Sea

[Kieli]

I wish I had stuck with my original intent of going to Law School. Then I would not have struggled through four years of undergrad to get a Biology/Pre-Med degree that I have never used. I adore science; I still subscribe to most of the major science magazines and journals.....but g-d help me, I can't take a test to save my life. I just turn to stone.



T.

Love is tricky. It is never mundane or daily. You can never get used to it. You have to walk with it, then let it walk with you. You can never balk. It moves you like the tide. It takes you out to sea then lays you on the beach again. Today's struggling pain is the foundation for a certain stride through the heavens. You can run from it but you can never say no. It includes everyone."--Amy Tan "The Hundred Secret Senses"

[darkmagicwillow]

I'll look for The Cloven Viscount. You'll definitely like the one I recommended--it's the most interesting thing that I've ever seen done with the novel format.



Given Kieli's reaction, I don't think we're going to have to worry about the history discussion distracting anyone from the story! We'll have to get to some of the more lurid parts of the story of the Julio-Claudians to subvert this thread. Has anyone else ever thought that the Julio-Claudians would make a great soap opera? (-;



As for law, it's never to late to start. One of my friends just started law school with a psych degree and all her work experience with computers.



Tests are evil. I never did get over my pre-exam nervousness and I still have nightmares about some exams so many years afterwards.

--
"Omnia mutantur, nihil interit. "   "Everything changes, but nothing is truly lost."

[The Inward Sea]

*Sigh* Things never are the way we want. One of my favourite quotes goes something like: "you can cheat life for a long time, but it always ends doing of us what we were made for". A career choice is a synthesis of the lifepath we think we should take, but we can't see the whole canvas... Now, go and read the last sentence of "Aedipus Rex".



Sea



Edited to say Hi, DMW! Perhaps we also enhance The Edge of Silence's experience by distracting people Oh! Julio-Claudians were naughty, weren't they? A NC-17 soap opera they would make! The Cloven Viscount often comes with another one of Calvino's fantasy stories, Amazon has an edition with The Inexistent Knight Also a great story!

Edited by: The Inward Sea at: 9/12/02 2:23:59 pm

[Kieli]

Sea: Now you and DMW have gone and done it. Now my interest is so piqued I find that I must go out and find The Cloven Viscount just to sate my curiousity. *sigh* I guess I'll just have to unearth my copies of Sophocles and brush up on my Seneca. And good heavens, has anyone even discussed the Epicureans or the Stoics yet? *rubs her hands together* Now that might just be some fun. Or better yet, a real in-depth look at Antigone and how Sophocles was a genius IMHO in creating a strong female character such as her. No worries, I'm not neglecting any of his other females, but Antigone has always been my favourite.



Toni



[edited because the Qwerty Goddess has me in her damnable clutches again until such time as I can continue offering her libations in return for protection against the Typo Ho]

Love is tricky. It is never mundane or daily. You can never get used to it. You have to walk with it, then let it walk with you. You can never balk. It moves you like the tide. It takes you out to sea then lays you on the beach again. Today's struggling pain is the foundation for a certain stride through the heavens. You can run from it but you can never say no. It includes everyone."--Amy Tan "The Hundred Secret Senses"

Edited by: Kieli at: 9/12/02 2:47:25 pm

[The Inward Sea]

*Sea claps her hands and jumps on her chair giving little happiness shrieks* I'll take the Stoics side!



And Greek Literature... the highest perfection ever. It doesn't cease to amaze me the way Greek Theatre is always actual. My "historical" side is dominant and I keep thinking "Oh, dear, we are 2500 years from the day this words were first said!".



And Antigone is a wonderful character!



*Sea shushes the Qwerty Goddess and talks her to free Kieli*



S.

[darkmagicwillow]

DMW invokes the spirit of the divine Dvorak to banish impious Qwerty, Mother of Typos!¹



I love Greek theatre too! My school did great performances of the whole Oedipus trilogy, including Antigone (my favorite too!), while I was an undergrad. However, I can't stand reading plays, even ones I love on stage. It just doesn't work well for me. I'd love to see it performed in a real Greek amphitheatre though. After I do Italy, Greece will have its turn someday.



¹ No, I can't touch type using the Dvorak layout but I do think about learning it from time to time.

--
"Omnia mutantur, nihil interit. "   "Everything changes, but nothing is truly lost."

[The Inward Sea]

DMW: your ways with the Qwerty Goddess are far more educated than mine!



To see Greek theatre performed in a real Greek amphitheatre is also an old dream of mine... Wouldn't it be wonderful?



Sea

[Kieli]

I must admit, I haven't been to Greece in close to 20 years! :o Long long time...I was in high school when last I was even remotely near the Mediterranean. I do wish to go back some day and maybe even do Tuscany. But alas, I am a poor Network Admin and Las Vegas is as far as I can get Time to win 10 million dollars methinks

Love is tricky. It is never mundane or daily. You can never get used to it. You have to walk with it, then let it walk with you. You can never balk. It moves you like the tide. It takes you out to sea then lays you on the beach again. Today's struggling pain is the foundation for a certain stride through the heavens. You can run from it but you can never say no. It includes everyone."--Amy Tan "The Hundred Secret Senses"

[tiredsoul]

Nope, not broken here It was a close call though.



Gotta say you have got quite the discussion going on in this thread. I think I'll stick to my mystery novels and fan fic. And what's with the footnotes? That's just too much



Can't wait for the next update. Think you can break me?



--celia



Edited to add: How's the Bookworm Competition going?

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"That was just rude. Now I forget what I was saying."

Edited by: tiredsoul at: 9/13/02 1:30:11 pm