In Another's Shoes
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By Liss. Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and WB. The story's mine. Don't sue. (Notice the economy of phrasing…) This is set after "Some Assembly Required". This is my first fanfic, so please be nice. I'd really appreciate some feedback. Thank you xxx |
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Part One
Cordelia woke up with the feeling that something just wasn't right. Then, when she opened her eyes, she knew for certain that it wasn't. She wasn't in her bed. Or her bedroom, for that matter. Looking around her, she didn't see anyhting that was remotely familiar, except….There was a pair of overalls lying over a chair. Overalls that were definitely and infinitely memorable for their sheer bad taste and uncoolness. Willow's overalls. Lying over what presumably was Willow's chair. In Willow's bedroom. "Well, this is in no way weird. What am I doing here? If this was a film I'd probably have turned into Willow - how much would that be my worst nightmare!"
Cordelia decided to look in the mirror, just to make sure. That kind of thing just didn't happen. But then, vampires didn't really exist. Geez, whoever came up with all these well-known facts had sure gone wrong with that one. It was just to be hoped that he knew what he was talking about when it came to possessions and other icky subjects. So, Cordelia looked for a mirror. Willow's room could be distinguised easily from Cordelia's merely by the fact that she didn't have an even dozen mirrors artfully scattered around. Finally Cordy found a mirror behind the door. And then screamed. And again. And then for a third time, just for good measure.
"Willow, honey? Are you OK?" Oh my God! It was Willow's mother. "Fine…mom," croaked Cordelia. "I just…um…trod on something…icky. I…er…thought it was icky, but it…wasn't." Oh, way to go, Cordelia! Couldn't you have come up with something better than an icky thing that wasn't really icky?
"Okaaay. Just come down when you're ready. Breakfast's on the table, and you don't want to be late for school."
"Oh no," replied Cordelia, adding under her breath, "wouldn't want that, now." This was seriously way worse than anything Cordelia had had to face before. Being victimised as a cheerleader, attacked by an invisible girl, kidnapped by the Master's minions, and nearly…well, nearly had something nasty done to her by the late, lamented Daryl Epps - none of that was as remotely terrible as turning into Willow Rosenberg. Not that Willow wasn't quite sweet, in her own sad, unfashionable and terminally shy, uncool way. But to be her? Like, forever? How much of a curse? With the magical word 'curse', Cordelia relaxed a little. Of course. This was, like, the Hellmouth. Weird stuff happened all the time. Admittedly this was a little more…abstract…than usual, but there was probably a way to be re-Cordelia'd. She just had to get to the library, get Giles to chant some spell or something, and presto! Hello, Cordelia.
Willow's wardrobe. What a wasteland. Cordelia had yet to find an outfit she could possibly considering leaving the room wearing. There was nothing. Nada. Then, as she was about to cry defeat and either stay in Willow's bedroom for the rest of her life or go to school wearing rejects from a dime store, Cordelia discovered something that verged on wearable. A long black skirt and matching v-neck top. Not exactly high fashion, admitted Cordellia. Barely middle fashion, but wearable.
***Sunnydale High School***
No one was noticing her. Of all the bad things about being turned in Willow, this was perhaps the worst. She had walked right from Mrs Rosenberg's car almost to the main school doors, and no one had said a word to her, or even looked at her, for that matter. It was like she was invisible. Suddenly an arm was flung round her shoulder, and the voice of doom spoke.
"Hey, Will, how about a little help for your ole buddy? Help with my trig and I'll give you…" There was a long drawn out pause, as if the voice of doom was trying to build tension, then - "A shiny nickel, all of your very own." It was Xander Harris. Cordelia decided that invisible and non-talked-to was underrated in a modern world. Particularly when the only person who would deign to talk to you was someone like Xander.
"Enough, already! I'm going to the library. See ya." Cordelia blew him off. Unfortunately, Willow had obviously never blown Xander off, and he failed miserably to notice that he had been blown off by the master. Or mistress. Whatever. "Right with you, Will. Might as well say hi to the G-man."
Cordelia decided to let him tag along. Getting rid of him would be way too much effort, and it wasn't like her reputation would suffer. Suffering reputations. A really nasty little niggle was eating at Cordelia's brain. Her mind was in Willow's body. Um, hello? Where was Willow's supermind? Please, God don't let it be…
"Hi, Cordelia!" At the sound of her name, Cordelia automatically spun round, to be greeted by a sight she never wished to see again. There she was. Standing by Harmony, wearing an outfit that so didn't match. Her lovely own body wearing clothes that in no way could be said to go together. Her stock would plummet! Her social life was at an end! Something had to be done before evil Willow destroyed Cordelia forever!
