[Action / Voice] evening + morning

[selfhelp]

[...This doesn't look like Prison #42. At least, not as he recalls it. Billy pushes himself upright in the grass, squinting in the early evening light, and absently lifts a shaking hand to his ears. There's no device there, nothing to prevent him from casting any spells... a fact he proves to himself with a wave of his hand, conjouring up a shirt to go with the unfamiliar white pants he finds himself in. What's all this about, exactly? Some new trick that Stark and Richards came up with to keep their prisoners placated? Or has he - against all odds - been freed and dumped somewhere in the wild?

What've you gotten yourself into now, Kaplan?

Cautiously he lets his magic take him up to the tree line, resting on a high branch to get a better look around. Up ahead, not far in the distance, he can see a village, but it's so small and old-fashioned that he doesn't recognize it at all. Wherever he is, it's pretty remote.

Well, whatever. What does location matter to a witch who can teleport? His priority is finding Cap and the rest of the Young Avengers. Teddy's probably flipping out right about now. Dropping back into a crouch, he sits himself down on the branch, cross-legged, and lifts his hands again, letting the glow return to them, and begins chanting under his breath-]

"IwanttobeinNewYorkIwanttobeinNewYork..."

[Yeah, he's pretty noticeable like that. Especially since he'll be there until he's discovered, pointedly not teleporting to New York. Awkward.]


[In the morning, however, things are a bit different- he's settled (sort of), he's rested (a bit), he's informed (just enough). And he's sorted out how to use the journal. Thus, around mid-afternoon, he sends out a message:]

Okay, this is weird, but... let's give it a try. Hey, uh, whoever's listening out there. I've heard there are people from all over the galaxy, and lots from Earth, especially. That's where I'm from, too. I was wondering, though- are there people living here who'd be considered "super heroes"? Here or on your own world, I mean. I'm actually-

[Actually... he really shouldn't just announce it. What if someone from the Initiative is here and remembers him when they get back to Earth? Even a slim chance isn't worth the risk.]

...I'm actually a huge fan of the superheroes from Earth! You know, heroes like Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-man... I've been a fan since I was a kid. Though I guess it's not unusual for someone from New York. There's a ton of superheroes living in the city these days.

Sorry for rambling so much. To be honest, I'm just nervous... I've never been to another world before.

[....]

Teddy? You here?


[ooc: first dibs to action (chronologically) goes to Buffy, otherwise he is free to be met wherever/whenever. Also if you could have a look at his permissions post I would be much obliged!]

Comments

[herotypical]

Oh, I don't know. You're rocking the, uhm, headgear thing.

[selfhelp]

This? [Billy lifts a hand to scratch awkwardly at the headband, looking a little sheepish. Maybe Kate should have gone with a mask or something, all this silver is way too flashy sometimes.] Well, what kind of super hero would I be without a costume?

[herotypical]

Aha. So rogue demon hunter was too much but...super hero's just right?

[selfhelp]

[....SHE HAS A GOOD POINT THERE.]

Um... I can explain that. There's a reasonable answer for it, I swear. ...I just can't really tell you.

[This is so totally messing with his head.]

[herotypical]

...Hello, shady. You're lucky this place gives all kinds of leeway for strange first impressions, otherwise you'd be stuck with the 'shady' label. Look -- let me show you into town, at least?

[selfhelp]

Um... sorry. This really wasn't the plan at all. [Eli would be chewing him out if he was here. Maybe teammates aren't part of this particular hallucination.] I'd appreciate it- showing me around, I mean. I have no idea where I am right now, if you can believe it...

[herotypical]

...I believe it. No one does, when they first arrive. We'll set you up with a map. Eventually.

[selfhelp]

What? Just showing up here at random is that common?

[Okay, that just screams fishy. Or maybe that was the plan all along? Toss the rogue super heroes into a single enclosure, keep them occupied... give them TV stars to oogle...

...stranger things have happened.]

[herotypical]

[ she starts walking -- wide, bold steps. ]

Every two months? Yes. That's the latest pattern for arrivals.

[selfhelp]

[He falls into step behind her, watching her walk- unable to help himself, really. She even carries herself like Buffy. Like a Slayer and not an actress. Like- like she's on patrol or something.

It's so cool. Don't mind the staring.]

Not so random, then... how long as this been going on?

[herotypical]

Here? At least five years. Maybe other bubbles've been open longer. I'm not sure. Albert Silverberg would know more about that than me, I think.

[selfhelp]

[And that made absolutely no sense to him. He walks in silence for a long moment before it clicks.]

...You're serious. You're actually, genuinely serious about this.

[herotypical]

And there the shoe drops.

[ ... ] Sorry this happened to you, kid.

[selfhelp]

[Sorry? She's sorry?

...ha...]

No, uh... actually? It's kind of cool. I mean, if it's real. Or- even if it isn't. I get to experience the fun bits of trans-world exploration without the astronomy classes. I can deal with that.

[herotypical]

Trust me. It gets...less cool. Very fast. Unless you enjoy being a labrat.

[selfhelp]

[He goes very tense at that, the smile quickly fading from his lips. Because hell, he's been there, and it is not fun.]

...Lab rat?

[herotypical]

...Every so often, weird things happen. Strange goings on or personality changes or once there was a body swap. Shift experiments conducted by the guys who funnelled us into here.

[selfhelp]

[...wh...

...the hell...]

Sounds like an episode of-

[-Bu... ffy... uh. Probably not the best thing to say.]

-a really weird sci-fi special.

[herotypical]

Trust me. It gets...weirder.

[selfhelp]

May as well- I've got no reason not to.

[I mean. Come on. She's Buffy. 'Nuff said.]

I guess a couple of spells aren't going to get me out of this after all, then.

[herotypical]

What kind of spells are we talking about, here?

[selfhelp]

Uh... whatever kind of spell I want, basically. My magic's kind of unpredictable, so I don't know what its limitations are yet.

[herotypical]

...I know the type. Usually? It's also the dangerous type.

[selfhelp]

[...Wince. That one hurt.]

Only dangerous to the bad guys.

[herotypical]

[ she thought about willow. ]

Where I come from? The magicks can hit you like a few pints of bourbon and leave you more of a wreck.