History Fanfic / ThePriceOfTheWish

--> '''[[DeapanSnarker Xander]]''': These days we just call her the slayer.

--> '''[[DeapanSnarket Xander]]''': These days we just call her the slayer.

--> '''Xanders''': These days we just call her the slayer.

* DrivenToSuicide: The malign aura of the Hellmouth has this affect on many newcomers to Sunnydale, including those born there. At least four of Cordelia's classmates committed suicide before she was seven, all of them in full view of their entire class..

* PublicDomainArtifact: One of the Four Great Treasures of Ireland, and a copy of Excalibur's sheath.

[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/94924/1/The_Price_of_the_Wish The Price of the Wish]] is a DarkerAndEdgier Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer PeggySue with strong [[Creator/HPLovecraft Lovecraftian]] elements, and a [[TheOmniscientCouncilOfVagueness Watchers' Council]] that seems to think it's the [[Literature/TheDresdenFiles White Council]]. [[spoiler: And then there's the Board, which is essentially the [[Literature/TheDresdenFiles Senior Council]].]]

Cordelia, realising she is on the Hellmouth, thinks a few seconds longer before wishing for vengeance, and comes up with ASimplePlan: go back to the day Buffy first arrived in Sunnydale with eighteen months foreknowledge. With that advantage, and her superb people skills, she could easily make Xander suffer as she had suffered while gaining herself a golden reputation into the bargain. She would be feted as the saviour of the world; Xander and Willow reduced to cringing wretches, held in utter contempt by all, even each other. It was just a passing fancy, but she gave it voice, and so sprang an age-old trap.

* LongRunner: This fic was started a decade ago, and is still being updated regularly!

** Subverted: When Xander knows that he can't ACTUALLY escape, he TakesAThirdOption and PRETENDS to escape, then uses the opportunity to screw up the ritual magic circle, thus thwarting the demon. Lesson to cosmic horrors everywhere: Don't underestimate a GenreSavvy opponent and play with them by giving them a HopeSpot which they might be able to use to defeat you. [[NoNonsenseNemesis You would be better off to just shoot him]].[[hottip:*: unless the defeat of a disposable avatar is [[ThePlan part of a greater plan]]. Sometimes, there's no sure way of knowing who really won, itself [[ParanoiaFuel an incitement to paranoia]].]]

[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/94924/1/The_Price_of_the_Wish The Price of the Wish]] is a DarkerAndEdgier Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer PeggySue with strong [[Creator/HPLovecraft Lovecraftian]] elements, and a [[TheOmniscientCouncilOfVagueness Watchers' Council]] that seems to thing it's the [[Literature/TheDresdenFiles White Council]]. [[spoiler: And then there's the Board, which is essentially the [[Literature/TheDresdenFiles Senior Council]].]]

After that, ItGotWorse, nor has the bottom been reached yet. All indications are that the long parade of horrors Cordelia has endured to date is but the first few rain drops of the coming storm. The night grows ever darker, and there can be no hope of dawn.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: of the Watchers. Some are just as depicted in canon, but this is shown to be just one facet of a much more complex organisation.

[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/94924/1/The_Price_of_the_Wish The Price of the Wish]] is a DarkerAndEdgier Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer PeggySue with strong [[Creator/HPLovecraft Lovecraftian]] elements.

[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/94924/1/The_Price_of_the_Wish The Price of the Wish]] is a DarkerAndEdgier BuffyTheVampireSlayer PeggySue with strong [[Creator/HPLovecraft Lovecraftian]] elements.

** Subverted: When Xander knows that he can't ACTUALLY escape, he TakesAThirdOption and PRETENDS to escape, then uses the opportunity to screw up the ritual magic circle, thus thwarting the demon. Lesson to cosmic horrors everywhere: Don't underestimate a GenreSavvy opponent and play with them by giving them a HopeSpot which they might be able to use to defeat you. [[NoNonsenseNemesis You would be better off to just shoot him]].[[hottip:*: unless the defeat of a disposable avatar is [[XanatosGambit part of a greater plan]]. Sometimes, there's no sure way of knowing who really won, itself [[ParanoiaFuel an incitement to paranoia]].]]

[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/94924/1/The_Price_of_the_Wish The Price of the Wish]] is a DarkerAndEdgier BuffyTheVampireSlayer PeggySue with strong [[HPLovecraft Lovecraftian]] elements.

Cordelia, realising she is on the Hellmouth, thinks a few seconds longer before wishing for vengeance, and comes up with ASimplePlan: go back to the day Buffy first arrived in Sunnydale with eighteen months foreknowledge. With that advantage, and her superb people skills, she could easily make Xander suffer as she had suffered while gaining herself a golden reputation into the bargain. She would be feted as the saviour of the world; Xander and Willow reduced to cringing wretches, held in utter contempt by all, even each other. It was just a passing fancy, but she gave it voice, and so sprang an age-old trap.

After that, ItGotWorse, nor has the bottom been reached yet. All indications are that the long parade of horrors Cordelia has endured to date is but the first few rain drops of the coming storm. The night grows ever darker, and there can be no hope of dawn.

* DrivenToSuicide: The malign aura of the Hellmouth has this affect on many newcomers to Sunnydale, including those born there. At least four of Cordelia's classmates committed suicide before she was seven, all of them in full view of their entire class..

* GoesMadFromTheRevelation: Many instances, starting with most of the world's {{seer}}s.

* HistoricalDomainCharacter: HPLovecraft, with two differences. He lived a few decades longer, but he spent those extra years in an asylum, after glimpsing the true nature of the universe, which didn't stop him becoming a famed author.

* TransformationTrauma: A mind-raped teenager is slowly transformed into a mindless demon, screaming all the way.

* TheUnpronounceable:

** The true name of the Maiden: "a Name that sounded like the laughter of children playing on a golden beach, like birds singing to greet the dawn, yet sweeter than either. It was the sound of new beginnings, of hope rekindled, of an end to all despair."

[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/94924/1/The_Price_of_the_Wish The Price of the Wish]] is a DarkerAndEdgier BuffyTheVampireSlayer PeggySue with strong {{Lovecraft}}ian elements.

* HistoricalDomainCharacter: [=~H.P. Lovecraft~=], with two differences. He lived a few decades longer, but he spent those extra years in an asylum, after glimpsing the true nature of the universe, which didn't stop him becoming a famed author.

* ShoutOut: Several. The references to LordOfTheRings and DoctorWho are pretty obvious, but some of the others are rather more obscure.

** Subverted: When Xander knows that he can't ACTUALLY escape, he TakesAThirdOption and PRETENDS to escape, then uses the opportunity to screw up the ritual magic circle, thus thwarting the demon. Lesson to cosmic horrors everywhere: Don't underestimate a GenreSavvy opponent and play with them by giving them a HopeSpot which they might be able to use to defeat you. You would be better off to JustShootHim.[[hottip:*: unless the defeat of a disposable avatar is [[XanatosGambit part of a greater plan]]. Sometimes, there's no sure way of knowing who really won, itself [[ParanoiaFuel an incitement to paranoia]].]]

* XanatosGambit: Used repeatedly by the heralds of the Abomination Beyond the Wall. If any of their plots succeed in full, the world perishes, but while the heroes are stopping the obvious threat, the heralds are busily setting many other plots into motion, all of which are ultimately a red herring.

* GoesMadFromTheRevelation: many instances, starting with most of the world's {{seer}}s.

* OmnicidalManiac: Pkhrxng Fshlfn Dhlkbch seeks to devour all things. Having a mouth large enough to swallow a blue whale whole on its palm might help with this.

* TarotMotifs: Both major and minor arcana are used. Giles explains that everyone is connected with one card or another, just as they are with the Zodiac signs, but this only really matters for those exposed to immense occult forces. Unfortunately, by that point all the main characters qualify.

** Subverted: When Xander knows that he can't ACTUALLY escape, he TakesAThirdOption and PRETENDS to escape, then uses the opportunity to screw up the ritual magic circle, thus thwarting the demon. Lesson to cosmic horrors everywhere: Don't underestimate a GenreSavvy opponent and play with them by giving them a HopeSpot which might be able to use to defeat you. You would be better off to JustShootHim.