(no subject)

[jonathanparagon]

[Some hours after this.]



The sun's slanting toward the western horizon by the time he reaches midtown. It's the last stop he's got planned; none of the others, aside from the first one or two to collect supplies, have borne any fruit at all -- and even on those, people who should have recognized him showed no sign of it.

A heavy shutter is halfway down the storefront of Alcina's when he gets there. The sign on the door still reads OPEN, though.

He ducks to look in under the shutter, knocks on the door. Offers Alcina a hopeful smile, when she looks up.

Comments

[jonathanparagon.livejournal.com]

He blinks at her, then at her stake, and only then remembers to lower his crossbow.

"...hello."

[sunnydalealum]

The other vampire, still burning, jerks suddenly and falls in another heap of ash.

"You know, Kelly, that wasn't as hard as you made it sound," says another young woman standing behind the first, looking bemused.

[jonathanparagon.livejournal.com]

"It's not, if you know what you're doing." He offers them a wry smile. "Not with your strength or my little friend here, anyway. Hi, I'm from Sunnydale, can you tell?"

[sunnydalealum]

The younger one grins at the mention of Sunnydale. "Seriously? You got out before the big boom, or what?"

[jonathanparagon.livejournal.com]

"Not that long before." It's true, from a certain point of view. "Didn't seem like a real healthy place to stay."

[sunnydalealum]

"Did you know Buffy Summers?"

"Marlie," says Kelly, in mild reproof.

"What?" the younger Slayer protests. "If he's from Sunnydale, and he knows how to fight vampires --"

[jonathanparagon.livejournal.com]

"Not all that well." He shrugs. "It was a small town, we're about the same age, I heard her name but that's about it."

He doesn't, particularly, want to encounter this universe's Buffy. At least until he's established how she'd feel about him.

[sunnydalealum]

"Whatever." Kelly overrides Marlie's next question, addressing Jonathan directly. "I don't know if you're new in town or what, but this block is kind of a complicated spot right now. You can pretty clearly take care of yourself, but I'd still advise you to steer clear of the area at night."

[jonathanparagon.livejournal.com]

Jonathan nods. "I came to town to look up some people. Haven't found most of them where I was hoping they'd be - I'll make sure to do that."

[sunnydalealum]

"Someone else from Sunnydale?" Marlie looks interested. "Vi might know."

[jonathanparagon.livejournal.com]

"A couple of them, more or less." He tilts his head. "Don't know a Vi. She was there?"

[sunnydalealum]

"If we're going to have this conversation," says Kelly sharply, "can I maybe recommend that we don't do it standing right where two of Elie's guys got dusted?"

[jonathanparagon.livejournal.com]

That gets his attention back off Marlie and onto where they are, and he glances up and down the street. It's empty. Still... "Good plan."

[sunnydalealum]

She turns without another word and starts back in the direction of Broadway.

Marlie gives him an apologetic look and a small smile. "You coming with, or what?"

[jonathanparagon.livejournal.com]

Jonathan considers, then shrugs and smiles back at her. "Got nowhere else particular to be. Where're we going?"

[sunnydalealum]

"We were going to patrol downtown," Marlie says, "but we're gonna need to call this in first. When did you get into town?"

[jonathanparagon.livejournal.com]

He pauses, thinking about it. "A few days. Mostly just been getting the lie of the land."

[sunnydalealum]

"And you haven't found anyone you came here to look for?" There's sympathy in her voice, and she moves a little closer to him. "That's rough."

[jonathanparagon.livejournal.com]

He smiles faintly, acknowledging the sympathy. "Well. I did find one person at least, but she wouldn't let me in. Guess a lot of people are nervous after dark."

[sunnydalealum]

"Alcina?" Marlie glances back over her shoulder, toward the shop. "She's got reason to be."

[jonathanparagon.livejournal.com]

"Your friend mentioned Elie," he says quietly, meant mostly for Marlie's ears rather than Kelly's. "She's the vampire bigshot round here?"

[sunnydalealum]

Lowering her voice in turn: "Starting to be. She showed up pretty recently."

[jonathanparagon.livejournal.com]

Jonathan nods. "So she'll've been throwing her weight around like they always do when they're taking over. With Alcina in particular, or...?"

[sunnydalealum]

"Alcina's used to be strictly neutral. These days ... not so much." There's no pity in Marlie's tone. "We don't know if she's joined or just owned, but either way."

[jonathanparagon.livejournal.com]

Jonathan glances back towards the store in turn, and there is pity on his face for a moment. "I'd bet on owned," he says, voice still low. "Don't be too hard on her after you take Elie down."