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

[slayers_desire]

When Clark speaks the name for the oldest Fate, her spirit appears, floating in mid-air. The Demontrap glows slightly.

[nonvillainouscipher]

Ed closes his eyes and calls for Atropos, focusing on the image of Drusilla. Cipher Nine does the same with Clotho, and the younger version of April he's seen thrice now.

[thepizzalord]

Harry smiles a little bit. "Hey, ladies. Time to kick some ass."

[slayers_desire]

All three spirits appear, and they join hands with each other. Glowing very brightly, channeling that light up into Maloker himself. The Shadows part with the bright light, each one getting separated from the Old One, and becoming their own Oscuridad again. But this seems to be the best thing for them, for Ed's own Oscuridad guardian hums softly in happiness.

With his power again, and caught in the bright light, Maloker is swallowed into the Demontrap. The device becomes very hot, especially once the three Fates follow Maloker into the trap, imprisoning him there.

But soon, the light is gone, and Maloker is trapped. They have won the day.

[nonvillainouscipher]

After a moment to take everything in, Ed laughs and lets out a loud cheer, a little bit adrenaline drunk after all the action.

Cipher Nine has a much more subdued smile on his face. "Let's get April out of confinement," he suggests. "And restore her voices. We can celebrate after that."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Harry flinches a little at the heat coming from the demontrap, bringing up unwelcome memories of his hand burning away to little more than bone and charred flesh. And when it's all said and done, he holds it up between two fingers like a dead rat. "Anyone want a Sealed-Evil-In-A-Can?"

Clark has no time for thoughts or words, quickly flying the chunk of ledge back to solid ground and wishing there were no passengers so he could simply drop it. He sets it down, gently, and speeds to April's side, reaching out to her physically and over the bond, hoping that she's okay. "Ed," he calls, holding onto the last shred of self-control to wait for the earth to be removed.

[slayers_desire]

April is unconscious right now. He gets a brief, but unsteady connection through the bond. The Oak Tree in her mind is in fall mode, with leaves falling off it.

[fmalchemist160]

Ed rushes over as close behind Clark as he can manage, and transmutes the quicksand into loose earth that's much easier to get out of.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Clark immediately pulls April up into his arms, cradling her, trying to reach her through the bond. He can see the tree, preparing for winter, the leaves turning brown and falling. He wills it to turn green again, to bypass the winter, and begin spring anew. April, I'm here.

Bigby sniffs around for his clothes, gathering them between sharp teeth, and he disappears behind what's left of the rock wall to change and... change.

[slayers_desire]

His supportive thoughts help the tree to strengthen, and the leaves return to the green stage. The budding part of spring, not quite ready to bloom.

April meanwhile opens her eyes. She looks tired. "The last thing I remember is falling to my knees."

[fmalchemist160]

Cipher Nine and Ed go to stand at April's side as well. "Maloker took control of you," Ed tells her quietly. "We had to cut off your voices to take him down."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"You didn't hurt anybody," Clark assures her. It isn't quite true. Except me. She may not have wounded him physically, but it tore him apart to do that to her, to use their bond - a loving, tangible proof of their love - as a weapon against her. To throw her own fears in her face and make her live them until she could do nothing but surrender.

[slayers_desire]

"That is why it is so quiet."

April moves to embrace Clark tightly. His mental thoughts are very audible in her head right now. She can't remember much about the fight. But knows that if Maloker took control of her, then they would have had to take her down.

You did what you had to

"But Maloker is defeated?"

[fmalchemist160]

"Yeah," Ed confirms. "And now we can give your voices back to you." He remembers Lachesis saying they would need the oak tree in April's mindscape to do it, but beyond that, he's not entirely sure how to go about it.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Clark holds her tightly, glad to have her back with him. The price was a high one this time.

"He's in here," Harry says, tossing the demontrap lightly in the air and catching it again. "I vote we stick it in a big block of concrete and make it sleep with the fishes."

[slayers_desire]

April frowns softly, watching the demontrap go into the air, and back into Harry's hands. "My voices are in there, with him."

"Unfortunately, child, Maloker is always going to be a part of your voices." The words come from Angel (the real Angel), who has shown up now with Buffy.

"We discovered it was Maloker who controlled Angel into creating your mother, the way he did." Buffy has her stake ready, her eyes looking everywhere.

[fmalchemist160]

Ed glowers at Buffy and Angel. "If you're trying to keep us from restoring them, you're wasting your time."

[big_bad_sheriff]

Back in his man-shape and fully clothed, Bigby returns to the group. He growls a little when he sees Angel and Buffy, and sniffs the air. He's satisfied that it's really them this time, but he still keeps an eye on them.

[slayers_desire]

"Nice to see you too kid." Angel responds. "And we aren't here to keep you from restoring them. You just need to make sure that you know what you are doing. Maloker will have to be bond with the voices one way or another."

"I can't ask you guys to do that." April whispers.

[fmalchemist160]

"You aren't you without your voices," Ed tells her. "There has to be a way to restore your voices without letting Maloker out of the demon trap."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"Is there some way to let only part of him out?" Clark asks.

Harry shakes his head. "Demons don't usually work that way."

[slayers_desire]

"Maloker is the voices." Angel moves to kneel by April, even though he knows he isn't trusted. Buffy keeps an eye on the others, to ensure they don't attack him. Angel reaches into his coat, and pulls out a doll.

"Miss Edith?" April recognizes her mother's doll.

"This doll is a demon holder. You can keep Maloker by your side, and have your voices back all at the same time. But just like he did before... he will possess the doll." Angel explains.

April blinks. "Miss Edith was speaking to my mother the whole time everyone thought she was insane."

[fmalchemist160]

Ed is wary, but doesn't move to attack Angel. Cipher Nine is watching him closely as well. "Yeah, I'm guessing the kind of advice Maloker would offer isn't the kind anyone here would want to follow," Ed mutters.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"It wouldn't be the same as just her voices... not with Maloker along, consciously," Clark says, frowning. He doesn't like the idea at all, and at least part of it is not wanting to see April acting the same way her mother did.

[slayers_desire]

"You are stronger than your mother was." Angel tells April, standing back up again. "And I know it is not the best situation. But it might be the only one you got, until you find a better solution."

"Wait a minute... did the boy let you just enter the cave?" April whispers.

"What boy? The entrance to this place was empty." Buffy answers.