001 - video

[dumbguy]

[On your bracelet appears a young man, in a shirt that arouses the disturbing image of a poor old man who finally gathered the funds to retire somewhere warm walking around shirtless searching for it.]

You know, I'm not loving your timing, Gods, with all due respect and everything – don't smite me! -- [he ducks for cover giving you far too close a shot of his cheek for a few seconds, and when nothing happens straightens back up again, clears his throat and continues] couldn't you have taken me for this grand destiny or whatever before I graduated? Where were you during finals, huh? I mean come on – this is my summer vacation that never ends! And I had plans for it – not that seeing an alternate dimension in shades of grey isn't a swell way to celebrate my freedom but –

[He pauses, unsure of where he's even going with this anymore]

No, you know what? It really isn't.

And another thing - what's your exchange policy on these powers? Coz I already got charm I'd like something more useful for my effort like you know - super strength or flight or invisibility or...x ray vision. Do I at least get to keep it when I go home? And this bracelet thing too -- it's very sci-fi. [He turns it over, and you get a nice view of the sky for a moment before he turns it back] I could make a fortune with these -

I digress - if you're looking for the chosen one then sorry - close, but no cigar. So how's about you take me home and we all pretend this never happened?

Comments

video.

[stakes]

[ So. Buffy has been staring at her bracelet for several minutes, trying to figure out how to respond, because Xander just made some reference to graduating. And it sounds like he's talking about it as if it's happened recently. Which means there's something messed up in the time frame of things, which is normal around here, but she's still not happy about it. Especially after the dizzying amount of unconsciousness she's just experienced. Going gray sucks. ]

... Xander, graduation was like... Two years ago.

video.

[dumbguy]

Buffy! Cue relief! Guess they got their cigar after all -- but they'll find out all about those being bad for you soon enough, right? Should we be...killing anything?

[Oh wait, pause on the babbling and insert confused expression]

-- Buffster. Stay with me. Graduation was last week.

video;

[helps]

[ oh it's... buffy's goofy friend. great. well, in truth, angel's never really minded xander that much, but he knows the reverse isn't true. not that angel can entirely blame him, but he still probably spends a healthy amount of time brooding alone in his room before finally deciding to respond to this. ]

Xander. [ insert somewhat awkward silence here as he searches for something else to say. ] Nice shirt.

video; THREADJACK because justice.

[stakes]

[ Well, two whammys in one day. She can handle this. Right? ]

Angel?!

video;

[dumbguy]

[No, the reverse definitely isn't true. He minds Angel quite a bit, actually.]

...Angel? You know, leaving someone usually involves going somewhere that isn't where that person is.

[Someone's bitter much at seeing one of his best friends miserable.]

video; justice is a good reason

[helps]

[ okay, angel had envisioned a lot of ways that responding to xander could play out.

this was not one of them. ]

...Buffy? What are you... how?

video.

[stakes]

[ Oh, well, good. These shenanigans are about to get even more shenanigan...y. She heaves a sigh and pinches the bridge of her nose. ]

Xander, look at me. Do I look all fresh-outta-high-school-mayor-blow-uppy? It's all wig with the time here. You're younger than me. A lot.

video;

[helps]

[ dude that was like... five years ago. long enough that angel isn't entirely sure what xander means at first, but it quickly starts to dawn on him. ]

It's not like I chose to be here.

[ though from how much xander's been talking about graduation... ] And you know it's been years since the whole... big snake thing, right? [ you don't forget your giant snake encounters, even years later. ]

video;

[stakes]

I've been here for, oh... Billion-gillions of days. But I've been gray for -- what day is it? 'Cause the last day I wasn't all de-braceleted was probably awhile ago. I feel foggy enough for it to be.

[ The rambling. It's already begun. ]

When did you get here?

video.

[dumbguy]

I donno -- why don't you give me a turn?

[Oh come on he had to.]

video;

[helps]

[ if angel was actually half capable of using his bracelet, he might have been able to deduce that she'd been here before. but just getting a hang of its most simple functions has already been a trial... ]

Uh... a few weeks ago. [ he's still a bit dumbstruck from seeing her here, resulting in his thoughts becoming a bit of a chaotic jumble. ] You've been here that long? I... had no idea.

video;

[dumbguy]

[Oh come on you know he could take being behind Buffy - it's kind of his natural habitat. But Angel knowing more than him? That's just too much.]

No actually, for those of us living in human time, it's been days.

video.

[stakes]

[ ... Fine, fine. She huffs. ] Turn-taking ho.

video;

[stakes]

Yep. Had a life and everything. I do training classes at the Arena, I live in Thor house, and, hey - I can still lift a couch one-handed. I've been here since day one. I've had a couple of going-gray experiences, and falling asleep experiences... But I've been here a long, long time. [ More than a year, real-life time... About a year Asgard time. ] You must've come in right after I faded out of color. How -- how are you?

video;

[helps]

[ angel knows stuff! he would have to, after being around for so long. or so he likes to think. ]

It's been five years, in human time. [ though while angel would like to think that maybe xander is that bad at keeping track of the passage of time, the difference between five years and a few days is probably too much for even him to blur. ] At least, for me. [ a pause. ] This is probably one of those... time things.

video.

[dumbguy]

Well you can definitely market your beauty routine.

[Have a smile there] So what's the deal with all of this? Do we call in the Scooby gang for research or did I miss that part? [Please tell him he missed that part.]

video;

[dumbguy]

Oh sure, one of those time things that clears everything right up - what would we ever do without you.

video.

[stakes]

Well, um -- the Scooby Gang isn't exactly full force here. Giles, me... You, now. But we're pretty sparse. There are honorable Scoobies, but it's not like people haven't been doing research constantly since we got here. There's pretty much no beating it or getting out, at this point. I got a pretty hard power-takey-hammer. I'm still strong, but all that other preternatural stuff has left my system. Seems like it's for good.

video;

[helps]

Thor! [ his expression brightens up a bit at that, more out of puppy like recognition than anything else. ] That's where I am too. Got the whole... super strength going on too. [ a pause. ] You're probably still better at it than me though. The whole Slayer thing and all.

But me? I'm... I'm good. [ from his tone, it's obvious he's actually a little surprised to hear himself describe himself like that. that's pretty rare. ] I mean, it's good to see you. Here. Right now. Like this.

video.

[dumbguy]

Woah woah - be kind - rewind. You've been...unslayified?

[That actually sounds like something he should be worried about.]

video;

[helps]

[ admittedly, his explanation had been lacking. though he scowls a little at xander's tone anyway. ] I mean, people get brought here from different times. It happens. Get it now?

video.

[stakes]

Oh, I'm still very Slayery, just... Not as much. Slayer-lite.

video.

[dumbguy]

With you and Giles here we'll find a way out. I'm not worried. There's nothing to be worried about.

...right?

video.

[stakes]

[ Hoo-boy. This is gonna be difficult. Babby!Xander, and a freaked out babby!Xander, too. ]

There isn't a way out. It's really not that bad here. I mean, I miss everybody. All the gang, but... Aside from the occasional dragon or frost giant invasion, it's kinda textbook utopia around here a lot of the time.

video;

[stakes]

Guess we'll probably run into each other in the hallway sometime. [ A thoughtful expression overtakes her face, her lips in a semi-pout, eyebrows raised. She cants her head to the side. ] We could even exchange notes. [ A joke, really. Probably a bad joke. But a joke. ] Well, I have been here longer... So I've got that advantage. But the whole vampire thing kinda gives you an edge, since you're older. Way.

[ Her lips break into a smile. It's good to see him... Happy. The actual kind. She wants to see him in person. That draw, it's always there. And he'd have comfort, like usual. ]

It's good to see you, too. It's been forever. Are you -- I mean, I need to help Xander out, first, but - are you free later? We could walk, talk... Do the old thing.