Title: The Sunnydale Chronicles

Author: Knife Hand

Feedback: Constructive feedback appreciated, flames unappreciated

Spoilers: Nothing Specific.

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy, or Willow, or Faith, or Tara... I would buy them all but I am broke.

Summary: Life is a computer Game, and Sunnydale is the arena, but it is not the Slayer or a Demon who has the ability to decide its fate.

A/N: this chapter is mostly Setup of the choices for the Game. The options below for the game have been posted on Twisting The Hellmouth as a Challenge, so anyone is able to write their own fic with the choices and run with it.


The bus was bouncing along the highway, speeding away from the crater that Sunnydale had become, when the entire world stopped. Well, the entire world except for Xander. He looked around and could see everyone else frozen for a moment before the world around him faded to black, before words were superimposed over his vision.

Game Over

Result: Head Above Water – Barely.

A roll of text followed that outlined everything that had happened since the day Buffy had first come to Sunnydale. There were a lot of cringeworthy events that happened, but with all that had happened over the last several years had kind of desensitised Xander to weird events, even that his entire life was a game.

The 'screen' went to the main menu pronouncing the name of the game as 'The Sunnydale Chronicles' with 'Start New Game' and 'Memories' options. After checking out the 'Memories' button which had replays of the various events that had happened, Xander clicked on the 'Start New Game' button. Again, text began to scroll across Xander's vision.

Welcome to the Sunnydale Chronicles. Sunnydale not your ordinary town. It is the home of Demons, Vampires, Witches, Werewolves, Ghosts and Slayers. The fate of the world rests on the decisions made in this sleepy looking town, but the decisions that can save or condemn the world are not made by the Mystical Slayer or a Demon Prince. No, the fate of the world rests in the hands of an ordinary young man named Xander Harris.

The text scrolled off Xander's vision to be replaced by a single screen which had an image of Xander on the left and a small section of text on the right with four buttons below it. The top button was labelled 'Optional Trait', the second was labelled 'Starting Support Team', the third bore the title 'Select Starting Slayer' and the bottom button, which was greyed out, read 'Start Game'. He quickly read the trait information at the top of the screen.

Tears of a Clown: Xander has the ability to crack jokes with perfect timing to alleviate stress from his team mates and friends or to protect them. Often he will do this at his own expense. This trait negatively affects Xander's popularity with the 'Popular' crowd, but can provide positive bonuses to individuals or to 'outcast' groups depending on the situation.

Curious about the possibility, Xander pushed the 'Select Starting Slayer' button, which took him to a new screen, listing the details of the three possible Slayers with a face shot next to the description

Buffy Summers: Buffy is a modern and independent young woman who is as interested in her personal life as much, if not more, than she is in Slaying. Good at socialisation but can be a bit 'bitchy' at times. Best suited to a Xander who has 'Carpenter' or 'One Who Sees' Traits. Her fighting style is adaptive with a bit of flair but not overly technical.

Kendra: Kendra has been trained since she was young for the potential to be a Slayer. She is very disciplined and will obey almost any order given by a 'superior'. Best suited to a Xander with 'Soldier Instincts' or 'One Who Sees' Traits. Her fighting style is almost technically perfect but not overly adaptive so she can be found flatfooted if faced with an unexpected fighting style.

Faith Lehane: Faith is a rough and undisciplined Slayer, who lets her instincts and desires lead her. She is outgoing and exudes sexual confidence, but can be taunted and tricked into rash action. Best suited to a Xander with 'Hyena Instincts' or 'One Who Sees' Trait. Her fighting style is a mix of dirty street fighting, boxing and 'movie martial arts', resulting in gaps in her style that can be exploited.

Once the Starting Slayer has been selected, no new Slayer can be added until the previous Slayer dies or a rare and difficult spell, potentially sacrificing a valuable Support Team Member', is involved, then Xander can select the Next Slayer.

Backing out of the screen, Xander next selected the 'Optional Trait' button. The header indicated that only one of the Traits can be chosen and are generated based on experiences from previous playthroughs.

Soldier Instincts: Xander is more disciplined and good with modern weapons and knives. While this Trait improves Xander's Combat abilities, it has a negative penalty on social interactions with anyone not at friend status due to his rigid discipline. This Trait modifies 'Tears of a Clown' so that he has more control over when he activates that Trait but reduces the positive social benefits to individuals or 'Outcast' groups until they reach 'friend' or 'trusted' status.

Hyena Instincts: This trait Increases Xander's Strength and Speed and provides him with the ability to track individuals by scent. While this trait may also allow Xander to make quick friends due to a more charismatic outlook it can also cause a lot of enmity due to his 'Predatory' approach.

Carpenter: Xander is very good with his hands and understands more by doing than by reading. This trait improves the quality of stakes carved by Xander and gives him a more logical workmanlike approach to problem solving. This trait can give him a a chance at a supplementary source of income and slight increase in situational awareness.

One Who Sees: This trait gives Xander an increased awareness of what is happening around him, both socially and in combat. This allows Xander to influence individuals and increase social interactions by 'reading' their emotions. Not quite an empath, but smooth in a Xander kind of way. As a downside, this also makes Xander a bigger target for enemies as they want to deprive the group of his talents.

Finally, Xander checked out the 'Starting Support Team'. This screen had a header that read only two of the choices could be selected as initial Support Team, though the remainder and others would be available at a later date. The entries also had head shots of the person next to them.

Willow Rosenberg: An extremely smart, if socially awkward young woman. She is top of the class at schoolwork and a capable researcher both through books and electronically, but has an addictive personality which can cause her issues. She is capable of hacking computers and has Magical potential. She can be focused either into technical and research support or as a Magical Powerhouse but not both. Not a proficient fighter but she can have a range of combat orientated spells if she chooses Magical Powerhouse option.

Jessie McNally: Jessie is a bit of a 'blank slate' option, capable of becoming a solid researcher, a fighter, charmer or all-rounder depending on how he is trained and used. He has a crush on Cordelia so he has the potential to charm Cordelia as an additional way to get Cordelia into the group.

Cordelia Chase: A High Class Socialite, Cordelia is extremely popular and gives massive bonuses to social interactions in the School Community. As a Cheerleader, she is extremely fit and as long as she thinks of the fighting style as a 'routine' she is quite capable in combat in a support capacity. Her blunt manner can cause tension if she is in the same team as Willow, Jonathan or Jessie (at least at first).

Johnathan Levenson: Short, nerdy and socially awkward, Jonathan does not appear to have much going for him, but he is a capable researcher and can provide some minor support spells in combat situations

Daniel 'Oz' Osborne: A stoic musician, but very intelligent. He is laconic but is very capable at research and provides social bonuses to fringe social groups and provides easier access to the Bronze and other entertainment sites. Can be capable support fighter in combat. At later stage has the potential to become a Werewolf which increases his abilities in combat when not transformed but makes him unavailable and dangerous in Werewolf form ('Hyena Instincts' Trait can allow Xander a method help channel and direct Oz's Werewolf Instincts making him available but volatile during the full moon).

Tara Mclay: Tara is a Shy but capable young woman who has a basic grounding in the Wiccan Religion and a novice Witch. She takes time to make friends but is extremely loyal once she makes friends. Capable at schoolwork and research but is weak in combat to start with. She has a few combat orientated spells but they can drain her fast, and is much more capable at protective rituals (though they need preparation so can't be used in combat).

Backing out to the Start Game menu, Xander began to consider his options. Upon reflection, given all of things he had experienced, he figured he had real two ways of going about the choices. He could select his Optional Trait first and then select the compatible Slayer and the Support Team last or select the Slayer first then the Optional Trait and the Support Team last.

He figured that the last Playthrough was the first and Buffy had been selected as the Slayer with Willow and Jessie as the Support Team. For half a second he wanted to re-select the same to relive the few good memories, but then he thought about some of the bad experiences too. This was, maybe, an opportunity to change things for the better, or at least something more interesting.

TBC…