slayers_desire | trying to make the pieces fit ((Buffyverse plot))

"It almost sounds like the corruption of the Darkness," Clark says slowly, considering the effects on the people.

She stands with a few more distressing crackles from her joints, wrapping her hand around her cane. She paces back and forth, thumping the ground as she walks. And when she talks, it's with the quietness of someone who's not used to being unsure.

"Could it be as easy as... doing a spell? Or writing a song, or making a piece of artwork? Could that trigger some sort of chain reaction, through the simple act of creation? Because it's paradoxical, creating a Seed in a world that's lost the act of making. Even down to vampires, unable to make more of themselves. It's abstract, I know, but...."

Ed is mostly quiet while he mentally plays with the new puzzle pieces he's been handed, trying to make them fit; he doesn't want to voice any ideas out loud unless he's reasonably certain that they're logically sound. He considers Victor's hypothesis, deciding that there's a reasonable chance she's on to something; he leaves it as a sort of partially assembled group of pieces kept off to the side, but still within view. Clark has also made an interesting observation, and he adds it to his mental notes, not yet certain of whether it's an actual 'piece' or not.

He's fiddling around with several of those pieces at the moment: first, Spike's earlier statement about April's connection to the Mother, and his knowledge of her potent psychic abilities. Second, Lorne's remark about the destruction of the Seed taking hope away from humanity. Third, and most importantly, the only clue they had at the start: 'The Key will be the one to give us hope again.' And that part, at least, makes perfect sense to him—April gave Ed the one, blazing bonfire of hope in his heart that most motivates him to continue to act, to help people, to do something and leave his mark on the world, and Ed has no doubt whatsoever that she will be able to return that same kind of hope to humanity.

Huh... maybe he's on to something there...

She gave you Hope, says a quiet little voice in the back of his mind. Maybe she can give humanity its Hope back, too; maybe that's what she needs to do. Except that little voice doesn't sound like his usual internal monologue... but more like that of a ten-year-old boy... and a familiar ten-year-old at that.

The pieces suddenly seem to click into place, and the realization dawns on his face a moment later; his mind races, eyes darting back and forth a little as he runs the hypothesis repeatedly through his brain, checking and double-checking his logic. The more he does, the more he becomes certain of it, and as he becomes more certain, he slowly starts grinning and laughing quietly, the laugh eventually bursting forth as a full-blown cackle. "HA! EUREKA!" he shouts, leaping to his feet in triumph. "I think I've got it!" he exclaims to the others. "Or, part of it, at the very least!"

April squeezed Clark's hand when he talked about the corruption of the Darkness. Hopefully they would be able to help this world, just like they helped his.

Lorne gave Victor a tired smile when she talked about writing a song, or making a piece of artwork. The music man enjoyed her visits... it reminded him that there were worlds out there that still had music.

He jumped a little at Ed's Eureka. Wes, who finished his second glass of scotch, just looked up amused, "Well share it with the class."

Clark's slightly skeptical that Ed would get it right off the bat only five minutes after he's first heard the details, but he's an open-minded sort of guy. He nods at Wes's statement, looking toward Ed.

Vic's a little iffy about such a quick solution, herself, especially since hers seemed a little glossed over, but she wants to hear him out.

Mostly, she's curious. She wants to see what he figured out that she missed.

She limps back to her seat, folds herself down to sit.

Ed's quiet for a moment or two before he starts talking again, partially to tone down the excitement he's feeling and partially to give both his idea and Victor's some more thought. When he does speak again, he's lowered the volume of his voice back to a normal 'inside voice' level; and as he talks, he's continuing to consider what it's going to take to pull this off, using everything he's learned from working with April, from his work in the supernatural community of his own reality, and everything that the Scoobies have told him here.

"This... is still a work in progress... and the more I think about it," he says, "the more I'm convinced that what I've got is not a complete solution. I also realize that this is all conjecture on my part, and that I could be way off the mark. Judging by everything in the legendry you guys have told me, creating the new Seed is going to be a fundamental, cosmic act, and while I'm still relatively new to the supernatural in general, I've had enough experience with it to know that doing something on that large a scale is likely not going to be accomplished by only performing one task." He pauses, takes a deep, slow, even breath, and continues, "My idea... is entirely centered on April's role.

"Three pieces of information that you guys gave me stuck out: first, Spike, you said April has a direct connection to the Entity that created the first Seed—the Mother. Second, Lorne, what you said about the Seed's destruction taking all hope away from humanity also caught my attention. Finally, and most importantly, the only clue we had at the start of all this, and the thing that Clark took immediate note of: 'The Key will be the one to give us Hope again.' 'Us', as in humanity.

"I think that... since the Mother was the one who created the first Seed, that She'll have to be the one to carry out the actual creation of the new Seed. But we'll still need to get Her attention somehow, to open a door for Her to be able to act." He nods at April. "You're the Key, April—your telepathic and empathic abilities, your power, and your connection to the Mother would be what we'd use to unlock that door. The act of restoring Hope to humanity would be how we get the Mother's attention." After a moment's pause, he adds, "Of course... that's the part I still have no idea of how to accomplish. But... maybe that"—he clasps his hands together and points his extended index fingers in Victor's direction, a small smile playing across his face—"is where Victor's idea comes into play."

Edited 2013-01-02 23:30 (UTC)

"So you think that perhaps by being creative... by painting a picture, or writing a book or song, or casting a new spell... would be enough to get the Mother's attention?" Wes wonders if it could be that simple.

They... among the little group of fighters remaining... have been fighting hard not to give up hope. But it is a tough battle.

There are those in this room that would never show their bitter feelings to their new friends. But there is one that will. Connor, Angel's son. "So... short-stuff thinks all April has to do is paint a pretty picture and things will be better? Come on... this is moronic."

"Connor..." Wes looks over at the younger man.

"April is an artist," Clark says, nodding as he considers the idea, ignoring Connor's dismissal of it. "The act of creation has always been one of her strongest talents."

She's not surprised. Connor isn't exactly crazy about her. Probably because the first time they met she basically told him to stop acting like a tool.

"'Sokay, Wesley." She turns to the kid, though he's bigger than her, stronger than her, and full of the snark. "Connor, we're dealing with the fact that creativity isn't happening. So the reasonable thing would be to break the feedback loop. If we're solving a problem we need to look at what is abnormal, what's lacking, and try to fix what we can." The way Victor sees it, it's like reverse-engineering something, like fixing the potholes in the road before you repave it. It's just good sense. Maybe. She hopes.

"Plus, like Ed said, April's basically an astral antenna. She's got a lot going for her in the superpower department."

Uh oh. Someone's used a certain adjective beginning with the letter 'S' to describe Ed. That never ends well.

The moment Conner calls Ed 'Short-stuff', a mental fuse somewhere in Ed's brain blows, and though he manages to keep himself from actually lunging at Connor, he immediately (and almost reflexively) retorts, "WHO'RE YOU CALLING A RUNT SO TINY HE'D BE MISTAKEN FOR A GRAIN OF SAND?!"

Having vented, he's able to use Clark and Victor's defense of his proposal as an opportunity and a means to get a hold of his inner Napoleon and beat it down with a club, turning his back to the group and sitting cross-legged in front of the table he'd previously been perched atop. It takes him a minute or two of fuming and growling something to himself in a sub-vocal mutter, but he manages it. Once he thinks he's got it under control, he turns to face them all again, somewhat red in the face. When he speaks again, it sounds as though he's over-compensating for what's left of the rage he's just beat down, his voice just a bit too flat and toned-down.

"Actually," he says, trying to avoid clenching his teeth too hard, "I was thinking we'd do all three. Create a work of art, write a song, and perform a spell. I was also thinking that all of us should try to Create something, not just April—I think that'd make our call to the Mother... louder, I guess."

Connor laughed when Ed called him short. He was taller than Ed at 5-foot 8-inches, and had not reached his 20s yet. There was a moment that he was going to challenge Ed... but Wes pushed him back against the wall.

April tensed for a moment at the venting by Ed. But she was glad that it passed quickly... and didn't turn into anything else.

"Break the feedback... by creating together." April thought for a moment. "There is a spell that might fit too. It is basically a portal spell, one uses it by drawing a door on the wall, and the casting of the spell is very musical in the casting. We could do it together."

"And you think that would literally open a door to the Mother?" Spike nodded, it sounded very appropriate.

"Would that be possible?" Clark wonders. "If spells don't work here anymore... unless the act of creating the door is enough to do it just this once. Like a spark jump-starting a dead battery. It's not enough to recharge it, but enough to get it going again."

Victor was sure that Connor was calling her short-stuff, so Ed's response surprises her so much she actually twitches in her seat, sending a book slipping with a muffled bang to the ground. She bends and picks it up again, slowly, using that time to sooth her nerves, and she is so pink she feels like a baby shower balloon.

She was going to say just what Clark says, so when he does she just nods emphatically.

Edited 2013-01-03 15:30 (UTC)

Ed blinks at April's suggestion, then replies, "You know what... that actually works better than what I was gonna suggest..." He quiets for a moment, then looks over at April and asks, "If we do that... is there a way I might be able to use my abilities to contribute something? I'm glad I've been able to help you guys brainstorm a solution, but... I feel like I'm not really helping unless I can find a way to use my craft to make a difference here." There's that feeling of being out-of-place again, like he hasn't really made that much of a difference yet. But if he can transmute something to help them... then he'd actually be useful.

"The spell is only the beginning Ed. I am sure all of our abilities will be needed." April replied.

She thought about Clark's point for a while. "I don't know. But we still have to try... right?"

Clark nods. "Of course. It's the best lead we have so far. If it doesn't work, we haven't lost anything. We'll just know that this wasn't it. If it does..."

"If it even opens a sliver of a door... we're in business," she finishes for him, searching in her backpack. Among the first-aid kits, the extra changes of clothes, the alcohol swabs, the test tubes full of plant matter that seems to quiver in the light (don't ask), stones so full of color it's like peering into a kaleidoscope, and her five extra PINpoints (you can never be too careful), she has a small set of acrylic paints, and a smaller set of watercolor pencils, four different sizes of brushes, and a babyfood jar to wash them out in. Yes, she carries all that and more with her everywhere.

Ed smiles, closing his eyes for a moment. Then he reaches up and grabs his journal and a second can of Coke from the table. While he checks one of the many flags and slips of paper marking certain entries in the little book and opens it up to a page about two-thirds of the way into the journal, he remarks, "If it opens up a sliver of a door, then we pry the thing open the rest of the way." Which probably says quite a lot about his mindset right there: if at first you don't succeed, barrel right on ahead until you do. "What's our next step?"

April bends down to pick up the set of acrylic paints and watercolour pencils. "This will be perfect."

"I am thinking that as I cast the spell, maybe Ed can trasmute the wood to give us an extra push at create the wood?"

Clark smiles as he sees the endless items Victor has in her bag. She was definitely a boy scout in a former life. "Is there a way I can help, or should we just keep an eye out for any... outside interest?"

"And I have my notebook and a pen, I could draw." As for Clark... that's a harder question. Victor's always considered what Clark does to be an art, though she knows that might be stretching the bounds of normal definition. She chews a little at her lower lip. "Some sort of protection... I think would be really good to have."

Ed's smiles broadens and becomes a bit more self-satisfied, and he snaps his journal shut and rises to his feet, tucking it back into his coat. "You want me to actually make the door, huh? That I can definitely do."

Then, he gets another idea, and he asks April, "Hey... how important is symbolism to magic in this reality? Because... I was thinking I might incorporate a Mercurial Cross into the surface of the door when I transmute it." The Mercurial Cross, which is printed on the back of Ed's coat in black, has personal significance to him, but it's also an Alchemical symbol... of rebirth. And what they're doing, at least in Ed's mind, will hopefully result in the rebirth of the Seed of Wonder, and of hope and creativity.

"I was thinking that we both could draw the door, Victor. Against that wall..." April pointed to the south wall of the room.

"Then we cast the spell... Ed transmute the wall into an actual door. And symbolism is very important..."

"Clark can ensure no one comes up from behind."

"I can handle that," Clark says, full of self-assurance. The list of people who have been able to sneak up on him unnoticed is a very, very short list.

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YES! Short Rant time, mwahahaha!

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