Sorry for the delay, computer problems abounded. So, who has figured out the crossover already? If you hadn't gotten it yet, you'll get it this time for sure... if you're familiar with the crossover. :)
When Xander came to it was nighttime. He ate and then used the facilities, such as they were. He was surprised when he tried to open his door to go outside. "Okay, door's unlocked, assuming this funky place can be locked, and I'm unguarded. Either they're classic idiot villains or there isn't anywhere I can go. Oh how I hope they're idiots," Xander said under his breath as he snuck out.
It was a moonless night, but through the clear night sky Xander could make out two distinct planets. After a moment, his eye adjusted enough that he thought he could walk safely, an illusion that was quickly shattered when he fell flat on his face. His fall saved him from discovery. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed movement that he quickly identified as some of the villagers. It didn't look like a lover's stroll, so he guessed they were sentries. Xander noted their direction and took off the other way, leading him right into the field where he'd spent an afternoon with funky plants.
He'd found out the hard way exactly how sharp the leaves at their base were while he was working with them. He'd added a few new scars around his ankles. They came up to his chest and had dark red flowers on them. He'd watched with interest as one had apparently matured and was harvested. He saw them take the flower off and take out a yellow bulb then hollow it out with some type of knife. From the bulb came what looked like a glowing sunstone. Now as Xander made his way through the stalks he tried to remember where he saw one that looked like the one they'd opened the day before, assuming that's how they were ripe. Finding what he was looking for, he ripped it off its' stalk on his way through the field. A moment later he was out of the field with only a dozen or so bloody streaks on his legs from the leaves.
Breaking for a grove of trees a good fifty yards from the edge of the field, Xander made his best time and kept quiet. Once under the canopy of the strange trees virtually all light was gone. Groping blindly, he managed to husk the bulb and grasp the sunstone. He had to blink as it lit up, showing him the area. It dimmed immediately and his eye had a chance to adjust. Just as he wished it would get a bit brighter like it had before, it did as he thought. "Either I'm losing it or you're the next step of evolution for the Clapper," Xander muttered to it, before realizing what he was speaking to. A minute of just thinking at it to dim and brighten confirmed that it was following his thoughts.
Picking his way through the undergrowth Xander shone the light around looking for a nice tall tree that he might be able to climb. He'd walked roughly twenty feet in before he found one to his liking. Wishing he had something to hang his light on, he settled for holding it in his mouth and hoping it was non-toxic. He'd nearly fallen twice, and choked once, by the time he gotten to the canopy. Winding himself about the tree, he saw that he'd managed to climb one of the tallest ones in the forest. The feeling of accomplishment lasted only a moment before he registered what he saw. Looking out he could see no signs of civilization, other than the village he'd come from and what appeared to be another village only larger. The layout and homes looked the same and there looked to be some sort of path linking the two villages that he could only barely make out from his position.
His mind was processing this, how truly lost he was, when he saw it. A quick decision and Xander was falling toward the ground as lightning arced along the tops of the trees and down toward the ground. Barely avoiding he ran his way back to where he entered the forest, listening for thunder that never came. He exited the canopy of trees and gasped for breath. He was surprised to see the sky still clear, but he could still smell ozone in the air. Sitting himself down and breathing, he pushed aside the thoughts of the lightning for a moment. Pulling his knees to his chest he looked out into the dark clearing and thought.
His choices were limited now. It seemed these creatures were the only inhabitants, or at least the closest ones to him, on the planet. He went over the options he now had. He considered hiding in the forests until his friends rescued him, but the brief time in the forest disinclined him of that idea. He had no idea of the local fauna. He had no idea what to expect. Also, now, there was no place for him to run. He had been hoping for some way out of the village. Some way he could live outside of it. Instead his trip had driven home to him how far out of his depth he was. His desire to escape had been squashed by the fact he now doubted how he'd survive out in the woods, as he could now hear the lightning even in the clear skies.
He was basically being beaten in the village so far, but, he admitted to himself, not as much as they could be doing. He'd seen what they had, what the snakes could do and he was nowhere near as good as Shooey. He could take Xander out faster than Xander could eat a Twinkie. If they kept on the pace that had been set the last two days he'd been awake, then Xander thought he could manage it. A part of him realized that Shooey was training him for something. The pain he was dealing with, both the constant irritating buzz he'd had since he'd gotten on this planet, and the wounds he'd been dealt were making their presence felt as he thought. Nagging pains and itches.
He couldn't believe he was actually going back to the village. But for now, it offered some protection and food. He was willing to pay the price for that in blood, it wouldn't be long before he was rescued he knew.
As Xander returned his back was turned to the forest where a hand moved back a cloak's hood and Shooey's head was revealed, the rest of him still hidden. With a nod and returning the hood over his head, Shooey followed Xander back to his room.
When Xander came to it was nighttime. He ate and then used the facilities, such as they were. He was surprised when he tried to open his door to go outside. "Okay, door's unlocked, assuming this funky place can be locked, and I'm unguarded. Either they're classic idiot villains or there isn't anywhere I can go. Oh how I hope they're idiots," Xander said under his breath as he snuck out.
It was a moonless night, but through the clear night sky Xander could make out two distinct planets. After a moment, his eye adjusted enough that he thought he could walk safely, an illusion that was quickly shattered when he fell flat on his face. His fall saved him from discovery. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed movement that he quickly identified as some of the villagers. It didn't look like a lover's stroll, so he guessed they were sentries. Xander noted their direction and took off the other way, leading him right into the field where he'd spent an afternoon with funky plants.
He'd found out the hard way exactly how sharp the leaves at their base were while he was working with them. He'd added a few new scars around his ankles. They came up to his chest and had dark red flowers on them. He'd watched with interest as one had apparently matured and was harvested. He saw them take the flower off and take out a yellow bulb then hollow it out with some type of knife. From the bulb came what looked like a glowing sunstone. Now as Xander made his way through the stalks he tried to remember where he saw one that looked like the one they'd opened the day before, assuming that's how they were ripe. Finding what he was looking for, he ripped it off its' stalk on his way through the field. A moment later he was out of the field with only a dozen or so bloody streaks on his legs from the leaves.
Breaking for a grove of trees a good fifty yards from the edge of the field, Xander made his best time and kept quiet. Once under the canopy of the strange trees virtually all light was gone. Groping blindly, he managed to husk the bulb and grasp the sunstone. He had to blink as it lit up, showing him the area. It dimmed immediately and his eye had a chance to adjust. Just as he wished it would get a bit brighter like it had before, it did as he thought. "Either I'm losing it or you're the next step of evolution for the Clapper," Xander muttered to it, before realizing what he was speaking to. A minute of just thinking at it to dim and brighten confirmed that it was following his thoughts.
Picking his way through the undergrowth Xander shone the light around looking for a nice tall tree that he might be able to climb. He'd walked roughly twenty feet in before he found one to his liking. Wishing he had something to hang his light on, he settled for holding it in his mouth and hoping it was non-toxic. He'd nearly fallen twice, and choked once, by the time he gotten to the canopy. Winding himself about the tree, he saw that he'd managed to climb one of the tallest ones in the forest. The feeling of accomplishment lasted only a moment before he registered what he saw. Looking out he could see no signs of civilization, other than the village he'd come from and what appeared to be another village only larger. The layout and homes looked the same and there looked to be some sort of path linking the two villages that he could only barely make out from his position.
His mind was processing this, how truly lost he was, when he saw it. A quick decision and Xander was falling toward the ground as lightning arced along the tops of the trees and down toward the ground. Barely avoiding he ran his way back to where he entered the forest, listening for thunder that never came. He exited the canopy of trees and gasped for breath. He was surprised to see the sky still clear, but he could still smell ozone in the air. Sitting himself down and breathing, he pushed aside the thoughts of the lightning for a moment. Pulling his knees to his chest he looked out into the dark clearing and thought.
His choices were limited now. It seemed these creatures were the only inhabitants, or at least the closest ones to him, on the planet. He went over the options he now had. He considered hiding in the forests until his friends rescued him, but the brief time in the forest disinclined him of that idea. He had no idea of the local fauna. He had no idea what to expect. Also, now, there was no place for him to run. He had been hoping for some way out of the village. Some way he could live outside of it. Instead his trip had driven home to him how far out of his depth he was. His desire to escape had been squashed by the fact he now doubted how he'd survive out in the woods, as he could now hear the lightning even in the clear skies.
He was basically being beaten in the village so far, but, he admitted to himself, not as much as they could be doing. He'd seen what they had, what the snakes could do and he was nowhere near as good as Shooey. He could take Xander out faster than Xander could eat a Twinkie. If they kept on the pace that had been set the last two days he'd been awake, then Xander thought he could manage it. A part of him realized that Shooey was training him for something. The pain he was dealing with, both the constant irritating buzz he'd had since he'd gotten on this planet, and the wounds he'd been dealt were making their presence felt as he thought. Nagging pains and itches.
He couldn't believe he was actually going back to the village. But for now, it offered some protection and food. He was willing to pay the price for that in blood, it wouldn't be long before he was rescued he knew.
As Xander returned his back was turned to the forest where a hand moved back a cloak's hood and Shooey's head was revealed, the rest of him still hidden. With a nod and returning the hood over his head, Shooey followed Xander back to his room.