InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Aye caramba"

Buffy (chosenforthis) wrote in parabolical,
@ 2009-05-06 17:21:00

Entry tags:

buffy summers, gwen cooper, willow rosenberg, xander harris

Who: Willow, Xander, Gwen Cooper, Buffy
What: A Haunted Carnival!
When: 6:00 p.m. on May 6th, 2009
Where: The Hyperion, Helms Amusements Carnival, The past!
Rating: Low
Status: Complete.
Reference: This.

Buffy was happy to be hanging out with Xander and Willow, it felt familiar and right. The trio was lounging on couches at The Hyperion. A TV was on in the distance, but she didn't think any of them were really giving it a ton of attention. The one thing Buffy didn't want to bring up was the whole 'Kennedy left town' subject. Having no idea how Willow would react, but suspecting she'd feel guilty even though it wasn't her fault, Buffy didn't test those waters.

Xander was the only one in a happy relationship at the moment. A perky ex-demon had his heart. And that oddly felt normal and made Buffy happy. Anya wasn't always the easiest person to get along with, but she had matured a ton since Buffy'd first met her in high school. Not to mention any furthur maturing that had been done in the future. Boy did that make her head reel! But focusing on the future wasn't neccesary when there was enough to focus on in the present. Which is why Bufy kept busy. She'd been going out for patrols every night, by herself. She recognized this as perhaps a bad, reclusive habit - but Slaying was another thing that helped her feel normal. But she needed to stop doing that every night, all alone.

Which was why it was so great that to night she had no plans for patroling, or being alone!

She was expecting her newish friend, Gwen, to stop by tonight. Hopefully she wouldn't find them boring. Usually they weren't! But it was nice to relax on some nights. Just be normal. Eat cheesy crackers and put on a movie starring Molly Ringwald. Not that Xander didn't sometimes argue that last part. Shoving some of the aforementioned cheesy crackers into his mouth usually shut him up long enough to realize/remember that 80's movies were amazing. Of course, Buffy was quick to remind Willow that she was the best red-haired gal in the world (and not Ringwald).

To her two pals, Buffy asked, "Will I get mocked if i eat an apple? I know we rule out health food for our bonding nights, but I'm having a strange craving."

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witchyone
2009-05-07 02:25 am UTC (link)

"Relentlessly. " Willow smiled and teased quietly, rubbing her eyes tiredly as she curled into her corner of the comfy couch. Only half watching the movie Buffy had invited her for. It was nice doing normal things again. Getting back to the basics. Giles had warned her that she may not be wanted or welcomed back, but she would be needed. And that was the part that stuck out in her mind. The part that distracted her from the film as it rolled in the background.

"But that's never stopped you before." The redhead lazily quipped as she rested her chin against her own arm next to Xander. She couldn't help but wonder how they did it. How specifically Xander did it..she'd magically killed and tortured someone and Xander just accepted her. Hardly even flinched that she could tell anyway. Part of her thought this whole thing might be some cruel dream. If it was, she didn't want to wake up. Buffy was alive and well, Xander was by her side. It was almost surreal.

She was mostly quiet. Mentally and physically drained from the fear and confusion. But she was finding her center again, it would just take time and baby steps. There was even a book in her lap, borrowed from the public library all about the fun filled world of binary computer language. Things were nice and simple, she hoped they stayed that way. Sure there would be relapses and bad days. But just maybe she could finally get her life back.

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thexandman
2009-05-07 03:52 am UTC (link)

It wouldn't have been so bad if Ringwald had been a Class A hottie. Also, the knowledge that this girl had been in like every teen chick flick ever back in the day certainly didn't help matters out by much. Xander would have preferred to curl up with some Angelina Jolie, but he'd take what he could get. He certainly wasn't gonna complain now after having spent so long without his two bestest of best pals. Even if they were a little funky for him to adjust to, being from random timelines and stuff. For as long as he had been here, Xander didn't think that he'd ever get used to some of the stuff that went down. It was just too weird. Not even Sunnydale, monsters on the loose, band candy gone wrong weird. This was so much worse.

"Pfft, I say! Pfft to you and your apples!" Apples. Who ate apples? No one cool ate apples. Not during movie night. "Unless they're deliciously covered with some kinda delicious treat. Then my levels of pffting will be drawn to a more minimal level. Possibly."

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chosenforthis
2009-05-07 05:07 pm UTC (link)

"Caramel apples? Hate to break it to you, Xand, but I think they only manufacture those specific goodies in the fall. And even then I always think that I'll break a tooth off in one..." She let that sentiment die off quietly.

"But I'm glad you both feel so strongly against me having any fruit," Buffy teased. "I'll just live off of apple-flavored candy to get my strange fix." She stuck her hand into the bag of assorted candies she'd gotten at the store. "Like Jolly Ranchers. Oooh - watermelon!" She snatched the coveted pink-colored candy up quickly, muttering something about it how it was, "still a fruit."

Having sufficiently coated her tongue with the candy flavorings, she looked at her surroundings. She was glad no one had asked her to pay rent yet - this was a big place.

"This is just like old times," noted Buffy in a cheerful voice. "Willow's got her books open to pages on things I'll never understand, and Xander and I are holding up the slacker end with extra slack." A firm nod. Ah, nostalgia - it tasted even better than a Jolly Rancher.

At that moment the phone on a desk rang. Buffy looked around. Shrugging to herself she bounced up and ran to get the phone. "Hello?" Professional voice time! "Angel Investigations. We help the hopeless." She remembered that's how Cordelia used to always answer the phone. She felt very official. But now she was forgetting to actually listen to the other end of the phone. Oops! "Oh - uh huh? Bad things? That sounds...bad?" She banged on the table to get the attention of either Willow or Xander, moving her fingers sarcastically around in the air. This was her signal that she needed a pen and paper. But she looked more like a Mime gone crazy.

She was nodding now. "Of course. That sounds like something we can help you out with." ... "Okay." ... "Oh, of course I've heard of it. Yea. It's...yea." ... "I don't think that will be a problem. I will meet you there with some of my fr - associates. Highly trained, yes."

After about a dozen more questions, Buffy finally got off the phone and dramatically exhaled. "People? Are crazier than their crazy problems."

She walked over to the couch to grab her light coat. "We'll have to put movie night on pause." Clapping her hands together she asked, "Now who wants cotton candy and corn dogs?" It was a bribe for Xander, who hated clowns and by default, most carnivals. "We're going to the kind of place with greasy foods you can only dream of 10 months out of the year. Now, I didn't get the exact address - but it shouldn't be too hard to locate."

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witchyone
2009-05-09 11:22 pm UTC (link)

"It's for your own good. In some native cultures, fruit spelled backwards is Satan. So really we're protecting you. Smile and feel loved." Quipped the sleepy looking witch. (she wasn't so sure about that fact, but the look on her friends faces would probably be priceless none the less.) "Jolly ranchers are a very acceptable part of your basic food group with such flavors as purple, red, and pink 40." She commented distractedly until Buffy took over again. Grateful for the excitement in her friends eyes. It was a nice change in a city she knew little to nothing about. She'd been once or twice to L.A. to visit Angel, neither on very happy occasions. But that L.A. had been nothing like this one.

This one had power rangers, D.C. characters, and even a few x-men. She would think Xander would be in fanboy heaven. Yet there he was, not mobbing the Jedi with glee. Sitting quietly as quietly as a Xander could be. She side glanced at Buffy as her friend noted her book. "You could get it if you wanted too. " The older witch chided in a friendly way.

Peering over at Xander she placed her book on the coffee table and smiled. Xander knew..he knew everything that she'd done but just accepted her. It was weird still, being around her two best friends after everything that'd happened. Buffy didn't know yet did she? That would explain the cheerful act. It bothered Willow a little. At the same time, she'd told Giles she wanted to be normal again, maybe this was her chance. "Whats going on Buffy?"

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welsh_gwen
2009-05-10 02:29 pm UTC (link)

Gwen had to admit, she was slightly anxious about this. She rarely went out these days, hardly did since she joined Torchwood. She never really got the time, she was on call constantly. But she really was starting to get bored, so when Buffy offered that they could all go out she had to say yes pretty much instantly. Finding out directions to the Hyperion was easier than she thought, especially with the technology that Torchwood had. One of the reasons why Gwen loved her job.

Walking into the lobby, she glanced around, trying to see if she could see Buffy. Glancing around, she caught the eye of a few people dotted about but none seemed to be really expecting her, or anyone, to walk in. Finally, she decided on the group of two women and a bloke, and decided to walk over.

"Waiting on me? Gwen Cooper," she said with a smile, her Welsh accent stronger than ever because of the difference in accents around her.

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thexandman
2009-05-11 11:54 pm UTC (link)

What? Cotton candy? Hot dogs? Didn't that usually inspire all of the bundled up levels of bad that resided within carnival land? "Aw, and here I was, getting all nice and cozy with Molly Ringwald." Who also slightly resembled a clown, with that crazy hair of hers. Maybe leaving movie night alone for now wouldn't be such a terrible idea after all. "Now why is our presence required? 'Cause I say we send Willow to do whatever it is and call it a night." He shot Willow a teasing look. Obviously he'd never do that. Willow would get lost in the minigame section in a rabid attempt to win herself over a teddy bear. The woman loved her stuffed animals.

Caught between tossing in a few inquiries about the situation, Xander glanced up when he saw the fourth figure approaching them. He instantly flashed her a cheerful smile. "Hiya, Gwen. I'm Xander."

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chosenforthis
2009-05-12 04:00 am UTC (link)

Willow was flat-out the most adorable creature when she was tired but desperately trying to seem awake. It happened a lot, since they always kept odd hours - fighting crime. Plus, Willow actually always tried to do things like study for school! It was a lot to do. Right now, maybe all she needed was a little bit of sugar to perk her up. "Well, I can't spell fruit in other languages - frontwards or backwards - but you're the expert," Buffy smirked.

Answering the witch, she said, "Well, in my very official capacity as accidental phone answerer, I've learned there's some sort of ghost-type dealie at a carnival in town. The woman seemed pretty frantic, not keen on the prospect of ghosts trying to sabotage the fun rides and uh, there was something about the corndog stand." A serious glance to Xander. "Do not even think about eating any." A pause. "But yea, I said we'd go check things out. That's...that's cool, right? I know it's our night off but..."

She trailed off as she saw a brunette girl walk towards them. She was blanking on if she'd ever met her. But then she heard an accent. And of course, the name helped too! "Gwen, hi! Yes. I'm Buffy. And the sleepy-looking red-head is Willow, while the loon raving about food is, as he says, Xander. Both good people." A firm nod. "Good people? Meet Gwen. I invited her to hang."

Of course, now the plans had changed. She addressed Gwen. "Er...I know you said you were sick of workly duties. But a Carnival isn't work, is it? ...Even if it might be kinda-sorta-maybe-and-who-even-knows-for-sure, haunted?" A hopeful look was on her face. She'd hate to disappoint Gwen. And if she remembered right. Gwen was used to aliens. So a ghost would be different. "You'll be totally safe. And once we stop the evilness we can do that game where you squirt a water gun at those flying ducks. I'm wicked killer at that game."

Hopefully everyone was on board! She didn't think her friends would ditch her, but she hoped they wanted to do this. Not just feeling obligatey.

"Apparently the carnival grounds are hard to miss, and she said it would be in walking distance. Which is ten shades of convenient, since I don't know if any of us actually have cars."

[ooc: Yami, if you'd like we can assume they walked there already and they've reached the Carnival grounds.]

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	chosenforthis 2009-05-18 10:13 pm UTC (link)
	[ooc: Steam seriously lost on this. Lots of time passed. None of us are on enough to keep it going. Gonna mark this as complete.] (Reply to this) (Parent)