Present Childe by Ariel Dawn
Chapter: A New Addition

humho
11/24/2014 05:38 pm
I found this story to be so ANTI-Buffy.
I found her to be arrogant, cruel, indifferent and oh so patronizing.  
One of GREAT things about Buffy was her love for humanity, her sense of justice and her snarkiness towards Spike.   She has NONE in this story, to me.

Buffy doesn't care that Spike and his minions are feeding on humans, one bit. She feels nothing for their victims in any way.
She doesn't want to be the Slayer, but she keeps doing it and doesn't hesitate to shove Faith out of the way to take charge of the Scoobies. When she comes back with Spike.

The way she forces Willow and Faith into a future Childe, so totally against their wills.  Willow because Buffy "NEEDS" her and Faith because she needs "PROTECTION".  So wrong, Willow and Faith are two very strong willed and strong minded young women, they can defend themselves and do it well.  Buffy treats them like she's the ONLY one who knows best for them.

The awful way Faith was treated in the story!   Aside from being forced into a future childe, she is humiliated and mentally undermined, again and again, by Vamp!Buffy.
Faith's biggest issues, during her early years was she wanted to be FIRST in something, to be recognized as her own woman and accepted for the way she was, even if she did go through so many men.  She did have sexual issues, due to what was hinted at, in what happened to her and men when she used to live in Boston.
So like I said earlier, Buffy is so patronizing to Willow and Faith to the point she is destroying their self-confidence, free will and their ability to make their own choices in their own lives.

The Scoobies, Giles, Xander and Willow accept her being a vampire way too easily and greet with open arms way too fast.    The way Giles treated Faith, by keeping her tied up in his office for several days!  The "real" Giles would never do it that long, a day, maybe two but not more than that.   He only released her when Buffy gave him specific instructions to do it.
Xander, he should've been ranting and raving about Buffy becoming a vampire, instead he accepts with only needing a couple of days to adjust to it.

It appears, to me,  when it comes to the Scoobies, Giles, her mom, and Faith she is using THRALL on them to get her way, on a subconscious level. Because she feels she KNOWS what's best for them and it's in her power to make them do it.  So Buffy will decide she knows what they need, she will decide what they want and they will accept it and do it. As long as she's a vampire.

Based on the titles, Future Childe, Present Childe and Past Childe. I'm guessing  Buffy's wish is to become human again.  Will this undo her marking Willow and Faith as future children, breaking and destroying their self-esteem? Will the gang realize Buffy was controlling them, using thrall to get her own way and her deciding what was best for everyone around her?

I know it's been 8 years since you last posted Present Childe, but I felt I had to have my say about it.  Ultimately, I didn't like it for the reasons stated above and I honestly don't expect a response for it. Si been several years you've where on Bloodshedverse I did read the whole thing through, I'm one of those readers, who has to finish a story when I read more than 3 chapters in a story, unless it's a short story.

10/27/2006 09:48 pm
ha ha harmony got the slayer beat down. serves her right! what's up with faith? need more!
Oh Faith has issues of her own!

10/27/2006 03:20 am
Yeah, the dusting of Harmony would not be as much fun as torturing her. Bet she doesn't touch Spike again. Buffy doesn't have to worry about going to school. Spike will let her use the Gem of Amara, all's right in Buffy's world. That was fun, thanks.
Thanks for reading!

kim
10/26/2006 03:42 am
Is this going to continue through the year with the Initiative?

Oh, just stake Harmony already! She's never going to get anything right....Or send her off to bug Cordy and Angel.
This fic will continue slightly into season 4 canon. And Harmony has a bigger role to play in upcoming chapters.

10/26/2006 01:33 am
i kinda love this imperious, "mistress elizabeth" thing...glad she showed harmony who's boss..great chapter, pet :)
Thanks so much!