Xander Displaced

[ipaqi]

Well, this idea has brewed in my mind for a long while before I had actually put it to writing: What if, by some unimaginable twist of fate, just as Xander was leaving Sunnydale on his so-called 'trip across America' (at the end of Season 3), he was pulled into a different dimension?

I know, that's a mighty big 'if', but bear with me.

In this alternate dimension, Xander becomes a hero, and returns to Sunnydale about a year later, just after the Dracula episode.

Following are three excerpts out of the story.

First, the prologue:

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Xander Displaced
By: Daniel Goldberg
Prologue: Leaving Sunnydale
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Alexander ôXanderö Harris shut the door of his car as he sat himself inside it and turned the ignition. Well, technically, itÆs uncle RoryÆs car, but thatÆs beside the point. The point being that he was now going off on his own, on a cross-country trip to find himself. That he was finally getting away from the creepies and crawlies in Sunnydale, if only for a few short months, was simply a bonus.

He had been sure, for a long, long time, that he was destined to never leave Sunnydale û that his well below average GPA and debatable ænon-uniquenessÆ meant heÆd never leave his Hellmouth-Holding Hometown, But not anymore. æHarris, comma, XanderÆ is leaving Sunnydale at long last. Sure, IÆll be back before October, but itÆs still a lot of quality æMe timeÆ.

He shifted into gear and slowly edged the gas pedal down. This car was old; Well-preserved, but old. No need to hasten its demise with overzealousà zealousness. Not if I want to make it past Oxnard, at least. Slowly, cautiously (but not wimpily), he accelerated, and drove in silence for a while, until he reached the edge of the town. As he accelerated more and more, he smirked when his eyes caught the large sign posted at the exit.

æYou are now leaving Sunnydale,
Come back soon.Æ

ôIÆll be back soon enough, oh place-that-is-my-home,ö He thought aloud, ôBut, for the next couple of months, itÆs æGoodbye, Sunnydale,Æ and æHello, U.S of-Æö

He didnÆt manage to finish the sentence, as, out of nowhere, a swirling blue vortex appeared on the road. He pushed his foot down on the breaks so hard he was sure he was going to burst through the floor, but to no avail û he and his car were swallowed within it. Not taking even a second to look at his surroundings, he shoved the car into reverse and pushed the pedal down as far as it would go. Looking back he could see the road heÆd been driving on, only the portal was clearly closing itself up. He gunned it, but it became all too clear that there was no hope, when the portal closed entirely, just as he was about to reach it.

But this was not the worst of it; so focused was Xander on the vortex, that he failed to notice that he was, in fact, backing off towards the edge of a cliff. And as he went hurtling over the edge, he could only think one thing.

Well, He thought, as he was swiftly sailing through the slightly blue-tinted air, at least IÆm not in Oxnard.

Now, for a bit straight out of the first chapter:

Sobs echoed in the room, as tears flowed freely down the cheeks of one red-haired witch, who was leaning on her best friend for support, both physical and emotional.

Buffy was at a bit of a loss as to what to do û after the deal with neutered-Spike the day before, Willow had acted slightly strange. She had a few moments where she was half-catatonic (well, not really, but it sure seemed like it), but mostly, there was just something weird about her.

This oddness had been somewhat sorted out, however, when Willow all but collapsed in tears once they had gotten back to their room today. For about fifteen minutes now, she had been crying, and wasnÆt showing any signs of letting up. ôWills,ö She said finally, ôCan you tell me whatÆs wrong?ö When, upon this, there had been a slight reprieve in the sobbing, she continued, ôIt might help.ö

Willow seemed to pull herself together for a few seconds, before another sob escaped her. Fortunately, it had been solitary, and none followed in its wake. ôItÆs just hit me, I guess.ö

Buffy could surmise what her friend was talking about, ôOz, right?ö

Surprisingly, Willow shook her head, ôNo. Well, not just him.ö

Oh. And thus the mist spreads. ôXander.ö A shudder went through the girl leaning on her.

ôI justàö She lets out, before the sobs wrack her body again. ôI just miss him so much,ö She manages between sobs.

ôI know,ö The blonde replies, ôI miss him too.ö The lack of Xander, his jokes, his insight, hisà Xander-ness, it left a chasm a mile wide in the lives of all the remaining Scoobies. Granted, the only ones left were the two of them, Giles, and Anya, but that just emphasized the size of the hole he left behind him.

ôWe need to look for him.ö Willow said, ôItÆs been too long for him not to call.ö

ôWell, maybe thatÆs it, Will,ö Buffy spoke quietly, as though afraid of her own words; and maybe she was, ôHe wouldnÆt just go missing for three and a half months, without calling us.ö She breathed deeply, ôNot unlessàö She couldnÆt find it in her to continue.

Unfortunately, Willow wouldnÆt let her off so easy, ôNot unlessà?ö She leaned away from Buffy, turning to look her in the eye, ôNot unless what, Buffy?ö She said, almost threateningly.

Hoo boy, Buffy really didnÆt want to say what she was about to, but Willow wasnÆt leaving her much choice. ôNot unlessàö She hesitated, but pulled through, ôNot unless heÆs had enough.ö

ôWhat!?ö Willow yelped accusingly.

ôLook, Wills, we both know that this last yearÆs been pretty tough on him. What with the breaking up with Cordelia, and not getting accepted into college. Then thereÆs the fact that weÆve been slowly distancing him from the fight, ever since the Sisterhood of Jhe tried to open the Hellmouth. I think everything was building up in him û the frustration over the fact that he was the only one of us without a special power was only making everything worse.ö

She took a breath, trying to gather up the courage for the next part, ôWeÆve been pushing him away, bit by bit. When graduation day came, I think it was the first time in a long time that he really felt like part of the group û part of the fight, but then we all split up for the summer, and he went on his trip. And maybe he found out, while he was out there, in the real world, that he didnÆt have a whole lot to come back here for; that maybe his help wasnÆt needed, or that he didnÆt want to keep risking his life in a fight he wasnÆt meant to fight, and doesnÆt have any sort of edge in.

ôMaybe he decided that he has had enough of being ænormal human XanderÆ, who can hardly fight one vampire. If thatÆs what he decided, I donÆt think he should have called us. You know him û the smallest issue here and heÆd just have to come back and help us. He had to separate himself entirely, so heÆd be able to finally get a life of his own, demon-free and Hellmouth-free.ö

Willow looked at Buffy for a long time, before going back to leaning against the Slayer. Stifling a few randomly appearing sobs, she said, ôI donÆt know if what you said happened, Buff,ö She began, ôBut maybe itÆs for the best if it did.? He should be out there living a happy, demon-free life. He should be getting a job, and finding a girlfriend, who heÆll marry, and have 2.5 children with. ItÆs just sad that, if thatÆs the case, IÆll never be their æcool auntie WillowÆ. IÆll just be someone in an old photo album.ö A heavy sob rushed through her, ôI donÆt want to be æjust someoneÆ to Xander.ö

ôMe neither,ö The Slayer agreed, ôBut, as long as heÆs happy, thatÆs all that matters, right?ö

Willow gave a slight smile at that, ôYeahàö A few moments passed, ôYou think heÆs happy?ö

ôHeÆd better be,ö Buffy replied with a huff, ôOr IÆll kick his ass.ö

Willow gave a chuckle at that. She fell asleep that night, praying that Xander would find his happiness, wherever he was.

And now, for a small bit (a bitlet, if you will), from the end of the first chapter:

Ding-dong

Buffy went to answer the door with a slight imbalance in her step; she was still a bit out-of-sorts from the whole Dracula thing a few days ago. It was only nine in the morning, so it couldnÆt be a vamp, but she was still slightly uneasy. Just in case, she grabbed a stake from a side table.

When she opened the door, her jaw slackened.

In the doorway of her house stood a young man, wearing black denim pants and a black t-shirt. On his thigh was a small rectangular holster-like pocket, his belt was lined with shuriken, and there was a katana strapped to his back, poking up behind his shoulders.

But the shock didnÆt come from the arsenal he paraded with in broad daylight. It was from his face û his all too familiar face.

ôHey, Stranger,ö He said, his lips twisting in that lopsided grin she was so used to seeing on that face, ôItÆs been a while.ö

The stake fell from her hand.

ôXanderàö

Right, so, first of all, what do you think?

Second of all, and this is why I posted this here in the first place, I have a question:

Right now I have two options:

1) To show the readers bits and pieces of Xander's adventures in the demon dimension he found himself in, in between the bits where I show how the year had gone for the other Scoobies. Or;

2) To show only what happened to the other scoobies, and then slowly expose over the rest of the fic what had happened to him in the demon dimension.

Which do you think I should choose?