Dinner with Maloker ((group thread))

[slayers_desire]

Some may consider that all the 'Big Guns' that April has called together is overkill … but not really, not when it comes to the fact that many great minds are needed to find a way to prevent The Three (Discord, Disharmony and Cacophony) from their evil plans.

And the Big Guns are needed... when they have no idea where to start looking for The Three.

When other Keys (such as Dawn Summers) are being drained of their existence.

When the clock is still ticking on Lorne... and his battle with his disease.

Invitations were extended to Clark Kent/Superman; Harry Dresden; Sheriff Bigby Wolf; Edward Elric; Cipher Nine; and of course Spike, Angel, Buffy, Willow and Wes.

April is waiting in the planning room, for each person to arrive, going through some books as she does. For many... this will be a familiar encounter, as they had to come to fight together before. But there will be some new faces. And new ideas.

((forgot a posting order. Since multiple characters, Kat/Ael/ me))

Comments

[fmalchemist160]

Ed gets the distinct impression Ember is either flat-out lying or isn't telling the whole truth. My, uh, shadowy friend—the one I picked up from the whole Order of Aurelius fiasco—doesn't seem to like Ember much, he cautions April silently. I'm taking everything Ember says with a grain of salt. To avoid messing anything up too much, he doesn't comment, and keeps a part of his mind focused on aforementioned shadowy friend. He trusts her instincts.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"I thought they were inherited from Drusilla," Clark says with a frown.

[slayers_desire]

"Inherited yes... but not the source. They were passed down generation to generation...." Ember answers Clark's statement.

April listens careful to Ed's mental statement, and asks herself. "And so why... is this information coming out now?"

"Maloker would like to see you... I am his emissary."

"She found me first, since I am your grandfather, in a fashion." Angel states. April only glances over to him, a little mistrust there still from the time that Angel took her infant son from her.

[fmalchemist160]

Another flag goes up for Ed, especially once he picks up on that mistrust. Though the fact that an Old One wants to see her is enough of a concern on its own. "And what does he want with her?" he asks Ember, in about as neutral a tone of voice as he can manage.

[thepizzalord]

"That's the million-dollar question, isn't it?" Harry says.

[slayers_desire]

"That is between Maloker and the Key..." Ember replied coldly.

"No. No it is not," Spike voiced his objection. "And her name is April."

"You screwed Dru... luv..." Spike's voice is hard at the pet name for Angel. "And I won't stand by to let you screw my daughter."

[fmalchemist160]

Ed tries to fight down a burst of pique at Ember's words, and only partially succeeds. "What is it with you people?" he says, glaring but managing to keep himself from actually ranting at full steam. "You're treating April like an object, a means to an end. She isn't—she's a person. You realize how fucked up that is, right?"

"April's our friend," Cipher Nine says flatly. "For some of us, more than that. So if you think we're going to take everything you tell us at face value and not be concerned with her safety, think again."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"If she has to go see Maloker, I'm not staying behind," Clark says firmly. This is a non-negotiable point. "And I really doubt most of the people in this room are going to stay either."

[slayers_desire]

"You people?" Ember looks over the Edward, smirking slightly. "So it is okay for you to treat others like an object?"

"We could bring Maloker here..." She stated simply.

"No Old Ones in my bar!" Lorne protests.

[fmalchemist160]

Ed continues to glare at her. "If I thought of you as objects, I wouldn't have called you 'people'," he points out. "I'm blunt like that. Way to take a phrase meant to refer to you as a group of people way out of context." He sits back and crosses his arms. "We come with you and April. Period. End of story." Cipher Nine nods his agreement.

[big_bad_sheriff]

"Enough," Bigby growls. "Either you can sit around arguing or we can do something about this."

[slayers_desire]

"And you placed me into a pre-defined group of others..." Ember stated simply to Ed in return. She then turned to address Angel.

"Her protection won't last. And the Trio will take her next." And left the room.

"Wot sort of deal were you aiming for Angel?" Spike addressed the other man.

"No deal." Angel turned out his hands.

April touched her head, a flurry of voices and commotion in her mind.

[fmalchemist160]

Ed stares after Ember with an intensely frustrated look on his face, something like, 'Everyone does that! That does not equate to objectification!' going through his head, but he doesn't say anything. Instead he takes a few deep breaths, spots April's apparent distress, and immediately starts to worry. "What's wrong?" he asks.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Clark can sense her distraction over the bond, and while he can't hear the specifics, he can tell at least some of what's going on. "What are they telling you?"

[slayers_desire]

"It doesn't make much sense... a large bat circling music notes. Trying to get closer to them, but it is prevented.."

"The bat is starting to disintegrate. Piece by piece... it hurts."

[nonvillainouscipher]

"Well, that doesn't sound good by any stretch of the imagination," Cipher Nine notes quietly, a definite note of concern to his voice. Ed's expression of worry deepens noticeably at April's description of what her Voices are telling her, wondering if maybe he messed this up (what with his temper issues and everything).

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Clark reaches over to touch April's hand, a little worried. Vague visions are nothing new, but it bothers him when she's in pain.

[slayers_desire]

"It was a bat wing I saw when the voices protected by from the Three before..."

As sensitive to emotions she is right now, April gently speaks to Ed. "And this isn't due to anything you said. There is a bigger plot here..."

[fmalchemist160]

Ed exhales, relieved. "Good to know," he breathes. He frowns. "Maybe the bat wing represents Maloker's protection?" He's always had at least something of a knack for symbolism (the practice of Alchemy is full of it, especially in the drawing of transmutation circles), he's definitely gotten better at by simple virtue of knowing April.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"Then what are the music notes?" Clark wonders.

"We saw the same kinda notes in the Conduit," Harry says.

[slayers_desire]

"Discord, Disharmony and Cacophony are all musical terms. The names of the Three." Wes added his thoughts.

[nonvillainouscipher]

Cipher Nine nods his agreement. "I was already leaning towards the notes representing the Trio, but that definitely cements that idea for me," he tells Wes.

"Seconded," Ed agrees.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Clark frowns a little. "So... if that's the interpretation, Maloker's trying to get close to the Trio, but can't?"

[slayers_desire]

"Even if that is the interpretation... I do not know what it means."

"Where are the Trio?" Buffy twirled a stake when she spoke.

"We don't know..." Wes answered her.

[nonvillainouscipher]

Cipher Nine exhales slowly, briefly running a hand through his hair while he contemplates. "We may have to go find Maloker," he says. "He wanted to see April for a reason, and if we're right about the bat symbolizing him, then April's Voices definitely seem to have something to say about him as well. Maybe he has information we can use."