Out of the frying pan into the fire ((tag Victor and Clark))

[slayers_desire]

April gently touched her head, placing a cloth to the wound on her head. Someone had knocked her out. And wherever she was... it was dark. And she could hear chanting.

Her clothes were gone, and she was now wearing a simple white gown. Which meant her PINpoint was gone too. She had no idea where it was.

There was also a ward that negated her magical defenses, and that wasn't an option.

It had seemed such a good decision to come to her home universe... when she had to leave the Smallville universe because of the strange appearance of a twisted and psychopathic Clark Luthor in her bed. She had called for help from Victor Allen, and Victor told her to escape. And this was supposed to be her escape.

But when she appeared, she was taken aback by the disastrous sights and smells of LA. And she had gone looking for someone she knew, but instead was taken by surprise by a person who came up behind her and had knocked her out. And now... she whimpered... she was in trouble.

Typically... this was just typically...

She didn't know why she was here, but April had to wait and learn what she could. And hopefully she could find a way to get home soon.

Comments

[kalel_ofkrypton]

This is not Rome.

That much is obvious, even though his PINpoint was programmed correctly, he's looking at the ruined landscape of a much more American-looking city. Or what's left of it. "What...?"

[victormakesart]

"I, uh. This isn't... Kaaansas anymore," she says, head tilted to the side, quickly just trying to get her bearings and analyze any possible threats.

[buffyverse_npcs]

Nope. It is LA. And there are still some remaining landmarks that identify the ruined city as much.

There is also a big, smelly, dead dragon about fifteen feet in front of them.

And a PINpoint glowing at their feet, that is April's. Half an unsent message is still on it Victor... I have arrived in LA. I don't understand why. I am going to try to find...

There is also blood on the screen.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Clark's met dragons before, and even though he's not sure if this one was good or bad, he's fairly certain it shouldn't be here. Under normal circumstances anyway.

He picks up the PINpoint and his heart clenches in fear again. "It's hers."

[victormakesart]

"I'm sorry." Yes, she blames herself for all of this. A big dead dragon lying there on the ground, and part of her, the part of her that's detaching from this whole situation, wants to understand its anatomy. "Can you sense her?"

[buffyverse_npcs]

Clark won't be able to reach over the bond for April. When he tries... it is like someone... or something is blocking him.

A bright light shines in their faces, as someone nearby turns on the brights of a big huge truck. "Drop it. I have a gun. And will shoot first and ask questions later."

"Are these the bastards who took her?" There is another voice behind the first.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

He's about to report that when the light appears, and he steps in front of Victor, shielding her with his body. And definitely not letting go of her PINpoint. "No. It belongs to my wife."

[victormakesart]

"And shooting us would kinda suck, so please don't," she says, as though that would make any difference.

[buffyverse_npcs]

The lights dim, and a tall, rather bloodied man walks forward. "Giles mentioned something about a husband."

"I'm Wesley Wyndam-Pryce. Welcome to Hell."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Clark relaxes slightly. If they know Giles, they must be with the Slayers' faction. "I'm Clark Kent."

[victormakesart]

"I'm Doc. So, I'm guessing you're one of the good guys. Room in there for us?"

[buffyverse_npcs]

"Depends on how you define good." Wes relaxes his grip on the shot gun. "Get in. Don't mind the kid. Connor insisted on coming along."

In the truck is a young male, who rolls his eyes at being called young. "Wes tried to kill me once. None of us are quite 'White Hats'."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"If you're on the side that's going to help me get my wife back, that's good enough for me. What happened?" He ignores the gun entirely, since it wouldn't make any difference to him if he was shot or not, and he tends to make a more imposing target than his vertically-challenged friend. And gets into the truck with them.

[victormakesart]

She's the last to climb in the truck, feeling a little bit like a child in a costume with her large bird mask and labcoat. She straps in. Because safety first.

She keeps quiet, though, because it's time to be debriefed.

[buffyverse_npcs]

"Lorne said that the sky danced with colors when she returned to her home dimension. And that those who took her must have another Deathwok Clan working with them because he can't sense where she is. Or who took her."

"I still think it is pretty pathetic," grumbles Connor.

"Shut up..." growled Wesley.

"I mean she was raised in Qua'Toth too, and she gets taken with no resistance. God... how useless..."

"Connor. SHUT UP."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Clark isn't prone to making threats of violence, but he understands the urge perfectly well at moments like this. "You're talking about the woman who defeated the Seven Sins and the Fates. Anyone can be defeated, and don't think that doesn't include you."

[victormakesart]

"Also, you have to remember the golden rule of heroing: don't be a tool," says the young person dressed as a plague doctor, in a deadpan. "There could be a lot of reasons to go with someone willingly."

[buffyverse_npcs]

Connor was about to say something to both comments, but then was promptly prevented by a simple glare from Wes.

"Son of a... I am going to kill Angel for sticking me with him." Wes mumbled after his breath.

"There are not a whole lot of us here. But a few faces you will be familiar with. Maybe now that you are here..." Wes looks at Clark, "Lorne will be able to get a better trace."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"Let's hope so." And he's not sure if they have all the facts. It might be needed. "If her mental signature is being blocked somehow, you might be able to find her through the baby's."

[victormakesart]

"She's fourteen weeks along," Victor says, in order to clarify a little, in case they didn't quite get the point (also so they know the timeline).

[buffyverse_npcs]

"She is pregnant? Spike never mentioned anything..." Wes went visibly pale.

"Fuck. There are only one group of bastards who would take a pregnant vampire in this town. The same assholes that took my mother. The Cult."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

That doesn't sound good. "What kind of cult? Why would they want her?" he demands.

[victormakesart]

Vic drums her fingers against the beak of her mask, listening carefully, formulating plans, primary, secondary, tertiary, but there are too many holes in her current intel to make anything coherent.

[buffyverse_npcs]

"When Darla was pregnant with Connor, a vampire cult took her. They considered her baby a 'miracle' and were waiting for it to be born so they could worship the baby." Wes explains. "They must have done it again."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"Well they can't have her, or our child." That is not up for debate under any circumstances, the way he sees it.