Spitefic: Same Difference

[erikalyndis.livejournal.com]

Title: Same Difference
Author: Erika Lyndis
Fandom(s): Twilight
Rating: General
Word Count: 649
Inspiration: Chapter 22 of New Moon, when Bella wonders how Gianna can work for the Volturi.
Summary: Gianna and Bella have a talk.
Author’s Notes: Very slight changes from canon. Only Bella goes into the reception area to wait for sunset, so her musing about Gianna are said to the woman herself, not Edward. The opening will be, for obvious reasons, very similar to the actual Chapter 22. This can be read as being part of the same continuity as (Finally) Waking Up.

‘Is there anything I can get you?’ Gianna asked, smiling at me, her voice managing perfect professional balance between warm concern and polite detachment. I thought she must either be completely oblivious to the nature of her employers, or very good at her job to be so unfazed by what she had just witnessed.

‘No’ I answered, my own voice blank and sounding as though it was coming from very far away. I wondered if she could even hear me, and suppressed an urge to giggle. Why did I even want to giggle, anyway?

She nodded and turned to leave.

‘Wait!’ I didn’t even realise I’d yelled that out loud until she turned to face me and waited politely for me to continue.

‘Do you actually know what’s going on here?’ My curiosity and confusion meant that I didn’t care how rude I sounded.

‘Of course. Is there anything else you wanted to know?’

‘They – they’re probably going to kill you. You know that, too? Right?’

‘It’s a possibility. If you’ve no more questions, I have work to do. Your friends will be with you shortly.’

‘But – how can you keep working for them? Knowing that?’

‘Because they might chose to keep me on as a more... permanent member of staff.’

I actually felt the blood leave my face. I didn’t even know that could happen.

‘You want to be one of them?’

‘Is it so surprising?’

‘How can you want that? How can you watch these people file through to that room and want to be a part of that?’

‘I’m a little surprised to hear that question from you, of all people. I thought you’d understand.’

I must’ve looked confused, because she continued,

‘I want to be a vampire. I want an immortal body, and that power and strength. So, like you, I found vampires willing to fulfil my ambition. And in the meantime, I have a very good job with an even better salary. If they kill me instead then, well, it’s better to die quickly and young than slowly and old. Or do you disagree? But, I should pose the same question to you: how can you witness what the Cullens do and still want to be part of their family?’

‘What does that mean? The Cullens are good! They are nothing like the Volturi.’

‘Oh? Have they not told you of their more, uh, ‘colourful’ past, then? Has Carlisle not told you how Esme and Rosalie came to join his little family? Has Edward not mentioned his little stint as a vigilante – tracking, judging and executing humans he deemed unfit to live? Have they told you the main reason for their nomadic lifestyle is that every so often one of them will have a little indiscretion? They may claim to be ‘vegetarians’ but I know for a fact that they won’t actually try and stop another vampire from living a more traditional lifestyle.’ Gianna laughed, but didn’t sound amused, ‘The Volturi, at least, have the decency not to pretend they are anything other than monsters.’

My mouth felt very dry all of a sudden. ‘How do you know all this?’

‘There is very little the Volturi don’t know about their brothers and sisters.’ She sighed, ‘I take it you did know?’

I nodded and tried to think of the right thing to say, ‘I – I don’t understand. They don’t kill people.’ I thought about the Cullens – their golden eyes, the proof of their goodness,

‘They’re not monsters.’

Gianna looked almost sad when she spoke next, ‘Which is worse, I wonder? One who does evil because that is their nature, or one who sees evil and does nothing to stop it?’

I don’t know when Gianna left, but I was alone when Edward and Alice joined me.

I had a great deal to think about, and a long flight home in which to think.

Comments

[albion-witch.livejournal.com]

Nice. Meyer included Gianna in an attempt to show that Bella has second thoughts about becoming a vampire, but all it shows is her hypocrisy. This conversation should have been in the book.

[erikalyndis.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Bella might've been able to actually make an informed view on being a vampire if she'd actually spoken to people outside the Cullan Cult Clan.

[hoppytoad79.livejournal.com]

Oh, very nice! I like this Gianna and, even though I disagree with her choice to work with the Volturi, I cannot help but respect her. She doesn't shy from the truth, accepts it for what it is, and accepts the consequences of her choices.

[erikalyndis.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm glad her intended characteristation came accross clearly.

[melissatreglia]

I like this Gianna. Yes, she made a bad choice, but she made it for all the right reasons, and the fact that she's willing to live with the consequences of her decision shows her maturity.

I also like the fact that this is a prequel of (Finally) Waking Up. Gianna definitely gave Bella something to think about.

[erikalyndis.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[marienomad.livejournal.com]

I like this. Gianna has her reasons to wanting to be a vampire but she did it with open eyes and is fully aware of the fact that she could just be eaten. It's way better than Bella's wanting to be a vampire and just ignore all the consequences of that decision.

Nice job.

[erikalyndis.livejournal.com]

Thanks. It was interesting trying to write my version of Gianna. I feel like she's the first time I've sucessfully written a totally morally ambiguous character.