Note: Here's a bit of an explanation Bolo! More will be explained as the story goes on.
Chapter 3
"So tell me more about this Sketch character."
"His name was Tristan Brandel. He was a cartoonist. He crossed paths with the Joker and he went mad. He discovered that other worlds existed, their boundaries pushing on the walls of our own and figured out how to bring things in."
"He knows he'll destroy his own world if he does this right? God what is it with evil people!"
"I wouldn't know."
"Well how do we find him?"
"First we have to find out what the Joker is up too."
"No, we have to get this Sketch guy so we can stop a bat sized apocalypse and I can go home."
"I thought you wanted a quest?"
"What do you do, read my mind?...or the comic book." Xander glared at the Xander comic book on the table. It seemed to taunt him as the pages flipped casually, on their own. "Shut up and eat your Wheaties." Even the box taunted him, his face, and body adorned in the tacky rubber suit smiled at him from the box. The morning wasn't going very well and he was really starting to miss Anya. They hadn't been apart in almost a year.
"We're going to the Batcave to train. Why don't you go get your training clothes."
"Maybe I will." Xander stomped back upstairs and flung open the closet. He grabbed a sweatsuit and put it on then headed back downstairs. He went to the kitchen and looked for the button to open the door, not really all that anxious to go back down the chute.
"Can I help you young master?"
"Alfred old buddy. The flying rodent asked me to meet him in the Batcave. Where's the button?"
"Right here sir." He pointed to a button with a picture of a bat on it.
"Right." Xander pressed the button and slid forward down the chute. He screamed again, but got it under control before he bounced and landed on the polished metal floor. Batman or shall we say Bruce Wayne was waiting for him.
"Just like training with Buffy." Xander reminded himself as Bruce beckoned him over. "With all your fancy gadgets you'd think you'd use them instead."
There's no substitute for being a weapon of justice yourself." Bruce explained tensing up. "You need to learn how to do the most amount of damage in the least amount of time. What you did last night was ridiculous, dangerous and distracting."
"Well sorry. Not used to the whole being shot at by 50 clowns with machine guns. I'm used to vampires who run at you armed with only their teeth. And the occasional gun." Xander lowered himself to a fighting stance, groaning at his aching muscles. Climbing was hard work no matter how sticky your, paws? Bruce came at him with a series of controlled kicks and punches, most that Xander had trouble dodging.
"Time your returns and your ducks. Know when to back out." Bruce said taking a deep breath. His eyes fixated on Xander, a look of amusement on his face.
"Is this getting recorded in the comic books? Because this is embarrassing."
"We've seen you do worse."
"Just how far back do those things go?" Xander asked nervously. He punched out absentmindedly and socked Bruce in the chin.
"Good. You're learning." Bruce grunted.
"Go me. So where's this Sketch guy's lair? His studio?"
"We think it's somewhere in Gotham city."
"Duh." Xander rolled his eyes. "You don't know anything else? Haven't you pinpointed the area of demonic and otherwise strange activity?"
"Isn't that your area of expertise?" Batman raised an eyebrow at Xander.
"Yes. So what are we going down here? Shouldn't we be out observing the area and finding these things. We don't just sit around with our butlers if there's evil afoot. We go out and kill it." Xander shook his head. "Superheroes." He walked over to wall with the suits on it and pulled his down. The buttons had little tiny labels expertly hidden from people who wouldn't look for them, thus keeping him with the advantage.
"I'm going out patrolling for evil. You can stay here and do what you want, think up plans for the Joker and how he fits into this but I have things to do." He marched away, looking rather dorky as he tried to figure out how to leave. He finally headed fora motorcycle and sat on it stubbornly.
"Would you like me to open the door for you young master."
"Yes I would thank you." Alfred opened a door which led into the tunnel. Xander gunned the motorcycle and zoomed out into the early afternoon.
Batman looked after the retreating 20 year old. "You know how it is with young sirs. They have to find their own way and learn their lessons."
"I know."
Chapter 3
"So tell me more about this Sketch character."
"His name was Tristan Brandel. He was a cartoonist. He crossed paths with the Joker and he went mad. He discovered that other worlds existed, their boundaries pushing on the walls of our own and figured out how to bring things in."
"He knows he'll destroy his own world if he does this right? God what is it with evil people!"
"I wouldn't know."
"Well how do we find him?"
"First we have to find out what the Joker is up too."
"No, we have to get this Sketch guy so we can stop a bat sized apocalypse and I can go home."
"I thought you wanted a quest?"
"What do you do, read my mind?...or the comic book." Xander glared at the Xander comic book on the table. It seemed to taunt him as the pages flipped casually, on their own. "Shut up and eat your Wheaties." Even the box taunted him, his face, and body adorned in the tacky rubber suit smiled at him from the box. The morning wasn't going very well and he was really starting to miss Anya. They hadn't been apart in almost a year.
"We're going to the Batcave to train. Why don't you go get your training clothes."
"Maybe I will." Xander stomped back upstairs and flung open the closet. He grabbed a sweatsuit and put it on then headed back downstairs. He went to the kitchen and looked for the button to open the door, not really all that anxious to go back down the chute.
"Can I help you young master?"
"Alfred old buddy. The flying rodent asked me to meet him in the Batcave. Where's the button?"
"Right here sir." He pointed to a button with a picture of a bat on it.
"Right." Xander pressed the button and slid forward down the chute. He screamed again, but got it under control before he bounced and landed on the polished metal floor. Batman or shall we say Bruce Wayne was waiting for him.
"Just like training with Buffy." Xander reminded himself as Bruce beckoned him over. "With all your fancy gadgets you'd think you'd use them instead."
There's no substitute for being a weapon of justice yourself." Bruce explained tensing up. "You need to learn how to do the most amount of damage in the least amount of time. What you did last night was ridiculous, dangerous and distracting."
"Well sorry. Not used to the whole being shot at by 50 clowns with machine guns. I'm used to vampires who run at you armed with only their teeth. And the occasional gun." Xander lowered himself to a fighting stance, groaning at his aching muscles. Climbing was hard work no matter how sticky your, paws? Bruce came at him with a series of controlled kicks and punches, most that Xander had trouble dodging.
"Time your returns and your ducks. Know when to back out." Bruce said taking a deep breath. His eyes fixated on Xander, a look of amusement on his face.
"Is this getting recorded in the comic books? Because this is embarrassing."
"We've seen you do worse."
"Just how far back do those things go?" Xander asked nervously. He punched out absentmindedly and socked Bruce in the chin.
"Good. You're learning." Bruce grunted.
"Go me. So where's this Sketch guy's lair? His studio?"
"We think it's somewhere in Gotham city."
"Duh." Xander rolled his eyes. "You don't know anything else? Haven't you pinpointed the area of demonic and otherwise strange activity?"
"Isn't that your area of expertise?" Batman raised an eyebrow at Xander.
"Yes. So what are we going down here? Shouldn't we be out observing the area and finding these things. We don't just sit around with our butlers if there's evil afoot. We go out and kill it." Xander shook his head. "Superheroes." He walked over to wall with the suits on it and pulled his down. The buttons had little tiny labels expertly hidden from people who wouldn't look for them, thus keeping him with the advantage.
"I'm going out patrolling for evil. You can stay here and do what you want, think up plans for the Joker and how he fits into this but I have things to do." He marched away, looking rather dorky as he tried to figure out how to leave. He finally headed fora motorcycle and sat on it stubbornly.
"Would you like me to open the door for you young master."
"Yes I would thank you." Alfred opened a door which led into the tunnel. Xander gunned the motorcycle and zoomed out into the early afternoon.
Batman looked after the retreating 20 year old. "You know how it is with young sirs. They have to find their own way and learn their lessons."
"I know."