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

[slayers_desire]

There was a small gathering of people in the room, doing things that might seem normal. Drinking coffee. Reading a book. Checking sites on the computer. Talking with their neighbor.

But this wasn't a normal day. And despite appearances, these people were all preparing to help save their world.

Most of the 'Scoobies' were here... Xander, Connor, Wes, Lorne, Spike and even Willow had come down for the event. There were others there too... Victor Allen, Clark Kent and Edward Elric.

They were all here to figure out how to create a new Seed. They already had a few clues to go on... but there were still a lot to discuss.

The most recent revelation came after Illyria had deceived the group, and put Clark and April right into the heart of the White Room. Where their memories were taken from them. They had fought free... and now April was more determined than ever to find a way to save her world.

((posting order: April, Clark, Victor, Ed))

Comments

[slayers_desire]

April sends another message to her father. "There is a bar down the street... where the others will meet up with me."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"This place looks so different now... he might not even recognize the place."

[victormakesart]

"This is pretty awesome," she agrees, rubbing at her thigh to work out a cramp. "It's kinda overwhelming, actually." Overwhelming in a good way. Victor is feeling many, many happy feelings at once, and it's hard to sort out for her.

[fmalchemist160]

Ed lifts his face to the sun just basks in it for a moment. Everything was once so dark here... the sunlight's beautiful, and he can't wait to tell Al, Winry, and his other friends all about helping to save April's world when they come home. "This is incredible," he breathes out. "And we did this!"

[slayers_desire]

The world does seem to be a better place. April knows that there are still other creatures out there, that will need defeating. So there will still be a need for the Slayers and other warriors who fight for innocents.

The bar, named "Caritas", looks to be in rough shape. In the last few months, Lorne had to abandon it... his haven. It was the toughest thing he had ever done. But right now, he is back where he belongs. And inside, Wes, Spike and Connor are sitting around and enjoying themselves.

All four of them are wounded, one way or another.

"Father..." April rushes forward, to claim a hug from Spike. He is a little surprised by it, but returns it without hesitation.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Clark follows, surveying them for injuries while greeting them. Nothing appears life-threatening, which is great for a multitude of reasons. "You all made it." He's genuinely glad to see them all safe, regardless.

[victormakesart]

"Thank goodness."

Connor better be prepared for a Victor hug, because that's what he's going to get, like it or not.

She's also checking to see if anyone needs patching up, or if they're patched already.

[fmalchemist160]

Ed shucks out of his coat as they enter Caritas and just takes a seat, leaning back in his chair, smiling. "Glad to see everyone's okay," he says. He kicks his feet up, and there's a heavy CLUNKing noise as he sets his left leg down on the table.

[slayers_desire]

Connor is very surprised by the hug... he sort of looks around confused for a moment. Before Lorne coughs, and awkwardly Connor pats Victor's back. Not really a returned hug, but an effort.

"We were worried you were in worse shape than us." Spike hugs his daughter tightly.

"We were tested... but we past all the tests." April reassures him.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"It wasn't easy," Clark adds, "but we all did it together. Especially April. We couldn't have done it without her."

[victormakesart]

She pulls away with a grin and settles herself down into a seat, feeling her joints ache as the pressure is taken off, a different hurt than the usual sharp pain.

"Yeah, def. It was really scary but definitely awesome." And she lost her cane... somewhere, but she gained a cool hat and a hedgehog, so, there's that.

[fmalchemist160]

Ed smiles. "Probably the most harrowing experience of my life so far," he admits, "but so worth the price. How long were we gone?" He asks, frowning a bit. "Just wondering..."

[slayers_desire]

Spie looks up, then around the room. "Have no idea. It was night when you arrived. It is day now. My guess would be a few hours."

"I can feel the difference... things are definitely back to normal." Lorne smiles softly.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"If there's any way we can help with the rebuilding, don't hesitate to ask." Clark has a multitude of skills to offer, as do his friends and family. And this world is still April's home even though she doesn't live here anymore, just like the farm is still theirs too.

[victormakesart]

"Most definitely," she says, tilting her chin up, closing her eyes, enjoying the tranquility, letting her frazzled nerves unfrazzle. She takes out her hedgehog, and lets it go on the table. "The kids're gonna love having an organic pet. I think I'm going soft."

[fmalchemist160]

"I'll help with the rebuilding any way I can, too," Ed agrees with a smile. "We Alchemists do that kind of thing all the time, helping out with repairs and such."

He watches Victor's hedgehog with a tiny smile for a moment, then asks her, "You thought of a name for him yet?"

[slayers_desire]

"It will take time to rebuild. And we would appreciate all the help we could get." Wes smiled softly.

"What I would like... is for someone to sing..." Lorne sighs. April chuckles lightly.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Clark laughs a little too. "Well, don't look at me."

[victormakesart]

She flips through songs in the internal jukebox that is her brain and decides on unconventional.

Her voice is a soft croon and if you can imagine her putting her girls to bed with this lullaby, it's for a reason (skipping a verse or two).

"There's a monster that lives 'neath your bed.
Oh for crying out loud it's a futon on the floor,
he must be flat as a board

There's a creature that lurks behind the door,
though I've checked there fifteen times
when I leave then he arrives
every night.

Tell the monster that lives 'neath your bed
to go somewhere else instead
or you'll kick him in the head

Tell the creature that lurks behind the door
if he knows what's good he won't come here no more
'cause you're kicking his butt at the count of four.

Goodnight demon slayer, goodnight.
Now it's time to close your tired eyes.
There are devils to slay and dragons to ride,
if they see you coming, oh they better hide.

Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight.
Goodnight my little slayer goodnight.

Tell the monster that eats children, that you taste bad
and you're sure you'd be the worst he's ever had.
If he eats you, don't you fret, just cut him open with an axe.
Don't regret it, he deserved it, he's a cad.

Tell the harpies that land on your bed post
that at the count of five you'll roast them alive.
Tell the devil it's time you gave him his due
he should go back to hell, he should shake in his shoes
'cause the mightiest, scariest, creature is you.

Goodnight demon slayer, goodnight.
Now it's time to close your tired eyes.
There's devils to slay and dragons to ride,
if they see you coming, oh they better hide.

Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight.
Goodnight my little slayer goodnight.

I won't tell you, there's nothing 'neath your bed.
I won't sell you, that it's all in your head.
This world of ours is not as it seems;
the monsters are real but they're not in your dreams.
Learn what you can from the beasts you defeat,
you'll need it for some of the people you meet.

Goodnight demon slayer, goodnight.
Now its time to close your tired eyes.
There are devils to slay and dragons to ride,
if they see you coming, oh they better hide.

Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight.
Goodnight my little slayer goodnight.

Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight.
Goodnight."

OMG VOLTAIRE! I LOVE YOU.

[fmalchemist160]

As soon as Victor starts singing the song, Ed starts laughing and has to resist the urge to start singing along with her. "Goodnight, Demon Slayer" isn't his favourite Voltaire song, but he still loves it. Once she finishes, he's the first to start applauding.

Then he clears his throat a bit and says, "Uh, you know, I tend to get a bit of performance anxiety about this kind of thing, but... you know what? I'm in a really good mood right now, and I don't really care. So I'll sing something for you guys too. If you want."

[slayers_desire]

Lorne is in heaven. It has been such a long time since he has heard a song. And especially one with such passion. And when Ed offers, he gets a hug from the green-skinned Demon. "Please. I would love that."

April meanwhile sits with her dad. "The Mother send us Drusilla as a conduit."

"Oh pet... that must have been difficult."

"It wasn't easy. But it wasn't her either."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Clark isn't sure if April wants this conversation to be private or not, so he stands nearby, turned towards them a little as he watches the others with Lorne. It's been a stressful day, and just being able to stop and unwind has great value right now.

[victormakesart]

Victor totally wants to hear him sing, too, so she nods emphatically. Hedgehog running circles on the table.

"Oh! You asked before... haven't named him yet, I'll let the kids do that. I'm not really an animal person as such. I'm a robot person."

[fmalchemist160]

Ed's a bit surprised by the hug from Lorne, but he returns it, and adds, "If... you want to read me while I sing, I'm okay with that too."

Then clears his throat again and takes a few deep breaths, wavering a bit on what he's going to sing before he decides to go for the most... telling choice of song.

A few more deep breaths, and he starts to sing his and Al's leitmotif:

"How can I repay you, Brother-mine?
How can I expect you to forgive?
Clinging to the past, I shed our blood
And shattered your chance to live

Though I knew the Laws, I paid no heed
How can I return your wasted breath?
What I did not know has cost you dear
For there is no cure for death

Beautiful Mother, soft and sweet!
Once you were gone, we were not complete
Back through the years, we reached for you
Alas, 'twas not meant to be!

And how can I make amends
For all that I took from you?
I led you with hopeless dreams
My Brother, I was a fool

Don't cry for the past, now, Brother-mine
Neither you nor I are free from blame
Nothing can erase the things we did
For the path we took was the same

How could I expect to call you wrong?
How could you be blamed for what we've done?
Both of us were fools in our desires
As we flew too close to the Sun

Beautiful Mother, soft and sweet!
Once you were gone, we were not complete
Back through the years, we reached for you
Alas, 'twas not meant to be!

My dreams made me blind and mute
I longed to return to that time
I followed without a word
My Brother, the fault is mine!

So where do we go from here?
And how to forget and forgive?
What's gone is forever lost
Now all we can do is live..."

Ed's got a decent singing voice on the high end of the tenor range, and this song... it's one of the few he can sing with genuine passion and emotion. It's his and Al's song, after all; and while he doesn't feel quite right singing Al's half of it, he does so anyway, because the song just isn't complete without both of their parts.

((The video I linked is missing the verse that begins with 'How could I expect to call you wrong?', but that verse has the same melody as the one before it. Also, the singer in the video is Ed's voice actor Vic Mignogna, so that's what Ed's singing voice actually sounds like :).))

[slayers_desire]

April is glad that Victor and Ed are enjoying their time on stage. And it sounds like the songs are deeply personal to them. That there were still some emotions from their trials that needed to be expressed.

They are not alone in that.

"I think seeing her again was a shock. There was so much I wanted to say. And ask... but couldn't."

"It's alright pet. You don't need Dru's approval. Never did in my books."