Story 264: "Silver Cornet" by Bonetree

[wendelah1]

Is anyone in The X-Files fandom still reading this journal? If not, it's my own fault. I can't believe I let three months go by without posting a new story. (This is why having a co-mod would be helpful. Any volunteers?)

True confession: I never thought I would be saying this but my enthusiasm for the series has flagged following the huge letdown of season ten. I finished my season seven re-watch back in February (around the time I posted "Parabiosis," in fact) and I still haven't cracked open the brand new Blu-ray case for season eight. Well, I'm done wallowing in misery. Yes, season ten was even worse than I'd anticipated, but that doesn't negate what I loved about the original series. And, it certainly doesn't cancel out the great fanfiction. If anything, we need fic more than ever. (Is anyone working on an AU for season ten? Because we need one and we need it TODAY.)

Since most of what's sitting in the nomination queue is novel length, I decided to pick something from the Ten Greatest Fanfictions post. I chose "Silver Cornet" for two reasons: (1.) We haven't discussed much of anything by Bonetree, which is a huge oversight, and (2.) I've never read "Silver Cornet."

Silver Cornet (22641 words) by Bonetree
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The X-Files
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Relationships: Fox Mulder/Dana Scully

SUMMARY: Set just after "Je Souhaite," Mulder and Scully take a ride on a mysterious train that's carrying more secrets than either can imagine.

The link is to AO3 so if you like the fic, you can hit the kudos button, even if you don't come back and leave a comment here. However, I'd love to know what you think of "Silver Cornet." Heck, now that there's a little bit of distance, I'd love to hear your thoughts on season ten. Don't forget to leave your suggestions for next time.

EDIT: The versions at AO3 and Gossamer are missing chapter four. Thanks to the sharp eyes and fic-finding skills of drodrey, we have a complete version via the Internet Archive.

Read the complete Silver Cornet via the Wayback Machine.

Comments

[lanalucy]

Oh, man. If any of you've never read any Bonetree, why the frak not?

::off to read again::

p.s. To answer the question, I will always be fannish about XF, because some of my most wonderful friends came from XF fandom, and I love to read ANYthing new being posted, and to revisit old works, but enthusiasm is in short supply.

[wendelah1]

But I have read fic by Bonetree, I just haven't read this fic. We even discussed "Confirmation" back in 2008. I remember reading "Secret World," and being very caught up in it. I don't remember the other parts or even if I finished the Goshen series.

Do you want me to add you to the community so that your comments are automatically unscreened? Right now I have the settings where only members can comment without getting screened. It's a spam filter.

I have friends from XF fandom, too. A couple of folks were very alienated by season ten, however. I don't know if they'll ever be back.

[lanalucy]

Ah. I can do it. Well, I guess you have to approve it. :)

IDK. I've just adjusted my expectations. There were magnificent eps and crap eps and everything in between. As long as Scully and Mulder are on the screen together, I'll deal.

[wendelah1]

You're approved!

IDK. I've just adjusted my expectations. There were magnificent eps and crap eps and everything in between.

I thought I'd lowered my expectations sufficiently this time compared to the buildup to the second movie. I guess I was wrong. I can go on and on, but I won't inflict my negativity on you.

As long as Scully and Mulder are on the screen together, I'll deal.

I love the characters, too, but season ten's Mulder and Scully were nearly unrecognizable to me. That makes it hard.

I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on "Silver Cornet."

[stefrobrts.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting again! I was waiting for a new rec :)

I'm not that put off by S10. If anything doing the rewatch made me remember why I loved XF. Which made me want to write more, but I still prefer the early seasons, before things got so complicated.

Some of my favorite things about XF are fanfic, so I hope the fanfic well never completely dries up. Can't wait to read this one.

[wendelah1]

I'm sorry that so much time has gone by. Despite lowered expectations, season 10 was a disappointing experience. It made me withdrawn. But I'm glad you (and other fans) weren't put off by it.

I wish rewatching the older episodes encouraged me to write. I miss it. Seasons 1-3 are my favorites, too.

The fanfic is the reason I started watching The X-Files. As long as I keep finding stories to recommend and discuss, I'll keep posting here.

[stefrobrts.livejournal.com]

I was thinking about doing a S10 story, but I find myself a little tripped up by knowing where our characters stand now. I agree that they were unrecognizable at times, but re-watching S10 I feel like they are there, just that there has been a lot of weight on them that we were not privy to, and trying to determine what that was, what went down, even when it happened and how long they have been apart, makes it harder to write than something in S3-4 which is my happy place. Still, I feel like fanfic can fill in the holes and redeem this new place in their lives.

I'm playing with something now, I'll see where it goes. The last thing I wrote came out easy, maybe this one will be a little harder.

[stefrobrts.livejournal.com]

I finally finished this one. I got to ch. 5 and wasn't enjoying it much, when I came back and checked the comments and saw the note about the missing chapter. That helped a lot! I liked the plot with throwbacks to the other episodes, the pacing, didn't mind the sex scenes (come'on, we all want to write a sex scene once in a while ;) ), and I particularly liked the ending. Well done story! Thanks for the recc!

[keslei]

I'm not new to the X-Files (it was a weekly tradition in our family, back in the day), but I am pretty new to X-Files fanfic, and I've been using this group as a starting point for exploring fic, so I'm glad to see a new post :) *heads off to read*

As for S10, it was disappointing, but the rewatch in preparation for it reminded me again of why I love the show, so I guess I'm glad it happened?

Hi and welcome

[wendelah1]

I feel bad about so much time passing between posts. Season ten depressed me more than I'd thought.

It's great that you've started rewatching the series. I'm in the middle of a rewatch myself, with my 94-year-old father, who was also a fan, back in the day.

I'm very glad you commented to let me know you'd found our little group. Would you like me to add you to the roster so that your comments post unscreened? I have the comm set to screen non-members as an anti-spam device.

Re: Hi and welcome

[keslei]

Sure, go ahead and add me; that sounds great.

Rewatching old episodes (particularly the early seasons) is how I got myself past that post-S10 disappointment. That, and reading good fic. And ranting to my husband (who doesn't watch the show, but is very patient with my fannish tendencies).

Re: Hi and welcome

[bmerb.livejournal.com]

wow, you were/are rewatching with your 94 yr old father? I used to watch with MY father who also happens to be 94 now, but I doubt I could wrangle him into rewatching. Hope you enjoyed the rewatch! I made it into early season 7 and couldn't force myself to keep going, went back into fanfic after a 15 year hiatus instead because the quality is (often) better...

[syntax6.livejournal.com]

What I like about "Silver Cornet" is the way Bonetree takes a very BIG story (about the end of the world) and makes it claustrophobic by setting it on the train. The fight becomes embodied by just a few people, and I enjoyed the opposing forces of Kever and Blue.

As for season 10, I had a similar reaction to "I Want to Believe." It killed my fannish feelings dead in two short hours, and it took five years to recover them again. So I was less than enthusiastic about the idea of season 10 to start with--I finally had remembered why I loved the show so much once upon a time, and here was CC and FOX to remind me of the bitter end. Only Darin Morgan lured me back. I watched his episode and "Home Again" and found them both...okay. They didn't make me want to throw things but neither did they light my fire the way the original run did back in 1999. But, to echo the theme of many here, they made me get out my DVDs and rewatch some of the classics. I felt relieved. I wasn't wrong! It had been an amazing show in its day and so it will be forever...in TV history. Despite the wistful title, you really can't go "home again."

[wendelah1]

It's good to see you around these parts.

Congratulations on your upcoming book, by the way.

What I like about "Silver Cornet" is the way Bonetree takes a very BIG story (about the end of the world) and makes it claustrophobic by setting it on the train. The fight becomes embodied by just a few people, and I enjoyed the opposing forces of Kever and Blue.

I liked that, too. It's like a "bottle episode," only on the page instead of the screen. I don't know if you reread it or just commented based on your first reading. The copy I linked to was missing the fourth chapter--and so is the archived version at Gossamer! I doubt she cut the chapter deliberately--the fic makes better sense and has better flow with it. There is now a link to the original at her Way-backed AOL site. I need to save that version.

The new episodes which were not written by Chris Carter were tolerable and Darin Morgan's was the best of the three. The other three--well, let's just say I'm glad you didn't watch them. I wish I hadn't. Season ten was a failure, imho. I won't be watching season eleven, assuming it happens.

I hated IWTB when I saw it in the theater. But I rewatched it with my dad a few months ago (he'd never seen it) and strangely, it didn't seem as bad as I'd remembered. It was a terrible movie but we both thought with some judicious editing, it would have been a decent MoW episode.

[syntax6.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I am excited about the book. :)

I skimmed the story again to refresh my memory because I'd originally read and enjoyed the story back when it was posted. I did think it seemed like it was missing a chunk! Glad I'm not going (completely) crazy.

I agree with your comments about the love scene opening, btw. On its own, it's lovely, but it is a weird place to start this particular story. I think it's meant to establish where Mulder and Scully are as a couple and perhaps to heighten what's at stake when things begin to go south. I can see the rationale behind this but agree it's probably not necessary. Sex is probably the least meaningful part of Mulder and Scully's relationship! (Although certainly not the least fun, heh.)

My beef with the season 11 episodes that I did see was that we have literally done all this stuff before. The were-lizard was fun, but all the of the meta about Mulder and Scully's relationship or commentary on man's inhumanity to man in comedic form has already been done on this show by Vince Gilligan, Chris Carter, or Darin Morgan. I...don't need to see it again. It was fresh the first time. The second, third, or fourth times it starts to feel a little tired (at least to me). The character beats in "Home, Again" were entirely borrowed from "Beyond the Sea." There wasn't anything new there, aside from a couple of lovely lines. The garbage monster punishing people? WE DID THAT TOO. It was okay, as far as it goes. I just don't see the need to redo it.

I think CC and friends are mostly out of ideas for these characters. They can be forgiven for that because the show was on the air for nine years. I'm sure there are rich stories left to be told about Mulder and Scully, but I don't think the boys at 1013 are the ones to tell them. They had a good run. They made TV history! It's time to let it be history and for everyone involved to move on to new projects.

original version

[(Anonymous)]

Do you have a link posted to the original at the Way-backed AOL site by chance?? Thanks!

Re: original version

[wendelah1]

It's already in the post: check at the very bottom.

[keslei]

Overall, I enjoyed this fic. There were a couple of sections that I didn't think were quite as good, but the story as a whole definitely kept my interest. One thing I liked about this story was that it acknowledged the existence of both true good and true evil, with humanity standing in the middle, free to choose a side, or to do nothing (which is still choosing a side). I also liked the fact that it was Mulder and Scully's beliefs that were at the core of the story.

My favorite part of this fic was definitely Blue. I come from a religious background, so the minute that his case with the special silver cornet came up in his discussion with Scully, I knew who he was supposed to be. I love the imagery of the seven angels with the seven trumpets in Revelation, and I really loved the way that was portrayed in this story. The idea of Blue being there each time the world might end, ready to open that case and play that silver cornet, really resonated with me. And yet he hasn't had to yet - the case is already battered at the beginning of the story, hinting at many close calls before, and the case gets just a bit more damage by the end, from yet another time the world almost ended but didn't, because of a couple humans who believed in each other, and in doing the right thing, no matter what. To me, that battered cornet case stands for the good in the world, because Blue has been waiting a long time, and hasn't had to blow that trumpet yet. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but that's my thoughts on it anyway.

Also, I loved this line : "Stories are funny like that, ma'am," he said. "Sometimes it's the ones that are so strange and that seem the hardest to believe that have the *most* truth in them."

[wendelah1]

I like that quote, too. I didn't pick up on who "Blue" was until Scully opened his trumpet case. Shame on me--I'm a Christian and I've studied Revelations, though not in depth. Obviously.

New member drodrey alerted me that both the versions at AO3 and Gossamer are missing chapter/day four. The story makes better sense read intact, especially since the missing chapter makes clear who Kever is and how Mulder got into such a bad way by chapter five. I have edited my post to include a link to the original from Bonetree's website, found by drodrey.

[discordantwords.livejournal.com]

Ah! I knew there had to be a missing chapter or scene or something. I've always loved this story, and there seemed to be a really jarring jump in scenes on this recent reread, although it had been too long since I'd originally read it for me to say exactly what I felt was missing.

It makes a lot more sense with that section added back in.

[keslei]

I was a little confused by that jump, but didn't realize there was actually a whole day missing. Nice catch; that was a pretty crucial missing part, and it definitely ups the creepy factor with Kever.

As for figuring out who Blue was, I read this fic right after watching the Lucifer season finale, so I think my brain was predisposed to assume angels and demons :)

[drodrey.livejournal.com]

I'm new to the X-Files. Decided to binge watch in time for S10 (which wasn't really necessary, I'm in general agreement that most of it was a let down), but I don't think I have the same feelings of disappointment that most have though, as I had no chance to build up excitement.

Anyway this page has been an absolute lifesaver in terms of finding fic. In a fandom that's so spread out, and really relatively old in internet history, I had trouble finding good fic. Have been gradually working my way through, what I'm perceiving to be the "classics", but haven't got to any of Bonetree yet. Started reading this one on the train, and just picked it up again tonight and was mighty confused, thinking I'd skipped something somewhere, but nope, I'm pretty sure the ao3 version is missing a chapter around the middle.

Had to do some serious digging to find it, but found an older copy on Wayback Machine (http://web.archive.org/web/20091020134804/http://s88210564.onlinehome.us/bonetree/silvercornet.txt) and the whole fourth day (Chapter 4 I think it is?), is missing from ao3.

Will review once I'm done!

Hi.

[wendelah1]

Your comment ended up in the spam folder because of the link. Can I add you to the community so that you can comment unspammed? I have the comments set for members-only for bot control.

Thank you for letting me know about the missing chapter. I'll reread it and send a message to Bonetree letting her know. It's hard to believe she would have cut the chapter on purpose.

I guess I should post a link to the waybacked version too.

Re: Hi.

[drodrey.livejournal.com]

That would be great! I'm a long time LJ stalker, rare LJ user, so was slightly confused as to why it ended up in spam. Would love to be added to the community though!

Re: Hi.

[wendelah1]

Bot comments are screened by LJ as suspicious. Bot comments always have links. Your comment had a link therefore you must be a bot! Computer logic at its best!

I'm having terrible connectivity issues today but I'll try to add you now.

Re: Hi.

[drodrey.livejournal.com]

Got it! Thank you!

[discordantwords.livejournal.com]

I love this story.

It's unsettling and creepy, and there is such a sense of urgency to the whole thing as it races towards the conclusion (much like a speeding train.) I also think it does a good job at playing with the religious themes and ideas of good vs. evil that the show so often flirted with.

Scully believes, and Mulder believes in Scully, so they are able to save the world.

Like Syn said, this is a big story that works well in its claustrophobic setting.

The scene with Scully and Kever and the hot cocoa is one of those things that has stuck with me through the years. It's funny how the brain will sometimes latch onto something like that, but I genuinely can't drink a hot beverage or watch someone carry drinks without thinking about his nail breaking the skin of the chocolate. There was something about that entire scene-- Scully's restlessness, Kever's persistence which fell just short enough of rude for her to continue humoring him, the way their whole interaction went from there-- that felt so real and unsettling to me.

Re: Season 10... I don't know. I've had some time to think on it, and I still can't really put my thoughts into words. I didn't really like the premiere, but I chalked that up to it having been too long since the show aired and needing time to readjust to the characters.

I liked the next three, particularly Darin Morgan's episode, and the William scenes in Founder's Mutation brought on surprise tears, but I felt the whole thing was kinda whiplash-y. There was no real continuity between episodes, no mention of aliens or the conspiracy again until the finale. Babylon was terrible. The finale was-- full of the kind of bad science that you can't really get away with on television anymore.

I liked the virus idea, but found myself wishing they'd done it on a smaller scale, because like... even if Scully could come up with a vaccine or cure, there's no way they'd be able to get that out to the entire world in time. If it was just contained to one city, maybe. I'm capable of suspending my disbelief to an almost ridiculous extent, but that just pushed it too far. And ending the series on a cliffhanger, with no definite plans to return was just unnecessarily cruel.

I dunno. I'm still mixed on the whole thing. It was really surreal sitting down to watch a new episode of the X Files on live television, and I was sad when it was over, because it felt like I'd just started to get used to having Mulder and Scully on the screen again.

[drodrey.livejournal.com]

Okay, finally finished! First time review here, yay!

This is my first bonetree, and overall, I really enjoyed her writing style. Characterisation was good and it was generally an engrossing read.

The first half of the story, in my opinion, was much stronger than the second. Starting off with Scully and Mulder in bed together on the train perfectly grounded their relationship and where it stood at this point for me. The conversation Scully has with Kever is wonderfully creepy and is still giving me the heebie jeebies 36 hours after reading it.

From around the point where the train-takeover starts, I think the pacing goes downhill. Full disclaimer: I read the second half very disjointedly, reading some, realising something was missing, going back, reading the missing part, then reading it in bits and pieces throughout today. This probably effected my enjoyment and view of the second half's fluidity. However, I definitely think some things were rushed through. The oncoming end-of-the-world virus, felt a little too convenient and easy (hey, Chris Carter, listen up), and I don't think there was really enough explanation or build up towards it. Mulder's section, although creepy, also felt a bit rushed through.

I did love the characterisation of Blue in the second half, and the overall arching idea that's already been stated; Mulder believed in Scully, and Scully believed, and together they saved the world.

Looking forward to checking out some more of Bonetree's stuff, as I really did enjoy her style!

[defnotmeyo.livejournal.com]

Hey! I am new-ish here, but I've been reading through this for about a month now. I will comment more on this later, but I just wanted to say, some of us are out there still!

[wendelah1]

That's great to hear. Do you want me to add you to the member list so that your comments aren't screened? I have commenting set to members only for bot-prevention.

Yes

[(Anonymous)]

That would be awesome!

Re: Yes

[wendelah1]

Despite your user name, I'm going to assume that this is still defnotmeyo and you forgot to sign in. I'll add you now. You'll need to accept the invitation.

[wendelah1]

She made an...interesting choice by beginning with the sex and relationship scenes. The archive date at Gossamer is September, 2005, so it was written at least a couple of years after the series ended. Regardless of what Chris Carter wants us to think in 2016, it is fair to say that this ship was made canon no later than the end of season seven. However, in "Requiem," while Scully does come to his bed, it is clear that they have been maintaining at least the appearance of separate sleeping quarters while on duty. I just rewatched "Requiem" recently, so I know Mulder looks surprised when Scully shows up at his door, though he is quick to welcome her in. Maybe that's why it took me aback for them to be sleeping together and having sex while they're investigating a case. It doesn't feel in character and it doesn't add anything important to the story. Mulder and Scully were emotionally involved long before they were romantically involved. We already know that Mulder would literally go to the ends of the earth to save Scully. (We know, too, that the only thing Mulder can't believe in is God.) The thing is, if they're supposed to be looking for something suspicious on board the train, why aren't they doing that? They took the case--they should be working the case. Scully at the least should be worrying about that end of things, even if they do have sex.

It was well-written to be sure. I like many of the details she uses: Scully having a hard time leaving the shade up while making love, as an example.

How could she say what she felt like she could do? That she could finally feel for him what she had all this time, and show him those feelings, do with him what she'd always wanted to do?

Always? Really, Scully? It feels like the writer is reducing what they are to one another to the completion of the sex act. Am I supposed to believe they didn't know how they felt about one another before they fucked? That everything that had happened before was somehow less meaningful? Come on, people. If there is one thing we can all agree on, surely it's that sexuality doesn't define the Mulder/Scully relationship. It's about so much more than that.

Probably what I like best about the story is that it takes Mulder and Scully working together to save the world--and that in doing so, they have to break the unwritten rules of their partnership. Mulder has to be willing to let Scully go so that she can stand up to the Evil that has been watching him since season two's "The Calusari." Scully uses the power she gained from looking at the Angel of God in "All Souls" to wage spiritual warfare against Kever. As Father McCue explained, "To look upon the Seraphim in all his glory is to give up one’s soul to heaven." I love these carefully plotted callbacks to canon. Having the action take place on a train car seems inevitable given how many other significant events occur on them throughout the series. The way Bonetree successfully marries these disparate views of the war between Good and Evil into her story is effective and moving.

Once the missing fourth chapter got slotted back into place, the story made much more sense. I thought the pacing was fine, although I could have done with less hurt/comfort and Mulder torture in favor of longer descriptions of the action sequence at the end. Overall, I thought this was an original and successful story.

[keslei]

Maybe that's why it took me aback for them to be sleeping together and having sex while they're investigating a case. It doesn't feel in character and it doesn't add anything important to the story...The thing is, if they're supposed to be looking for something suspicious on board the train, why aren't they doing that? They took the case--they should be working the case.

I completely agree. This is one thing that irked me about this story (for the record, I'm a shipper, but not when it feels forced and out of character). I could happily have done without that aspect of this fic.

season 10 AU

[(Anonymous)]

yes, reading and there IS some great season 10 AU stuff out there, was reading it on AO3 but can't remember who the writers were at the moment...

Re: season 10 AU

[wendelah1]

If you remember the authors and titles, come back and let us know.

Yes!

[(Anonymous)]

Yes! I'm new, and I'm HERE! Love this place! Don't ever quit. 😄

Re: Yes!

[wendelah1]

Thank you. It's good to know people are still reading here.

Don't the journal go - pleeeeeeeeeeease!

[(Anonymous)]

As above!

Re: Don't the journal go - pleeeeeeeeeeease!

[wendelah1]

No worries. I'm not going anywhere. I even posted a new story yesterday for discussion.

Re: Don't the journal go - pleeeeeeeeeeease!

[bmerb.livejournal.com]

Yay to new posts!

As for this piece, I haven't managed to get into it somehow, though I tried to months ago. I think the beginning sex scene on the train just felt forced or off to me somehow, and the descriptions of the train travel didn't feel reality-based. This irked me particularly as I've traveled cross country by train a couple times and I'm quite aware that having a room on a sleeping car is prohibitively expensive (could never afford it although I've afforded x-country flights many times), and it simply doesn't FEEL that way to travel cross country on a train. Honestly, from Pacific NW all the way to NYC is 3 days total so I think maybe the initial timeline just bugged me. That said, I'm going to quash my buzzkill and push through. Will report back!