Starring:
Summary: Gunn is stuck playing hero and ends up with the most barbaric of sidekicks.
Date It Happened: December 30, 2001
Just The Groo Of Us
North Hollywood
Right. Gotta get back to the Hyperion. Wesley's nowhere to be found. Apparently, Cordelia's in trouble. AND.. to top it all off, Fred's been locked in the basement of the hotel for like… days. This is not going to end well. Angel sure as heck picked a fine time to be GONE and MISSING.
Oh, did we forget to mention the part where Team Gunn is likely going to be picked off, one by one, by the craziness of an evil florist shop? Yeah. Sucks.
Anyway, Charles Gunn is making his way through the streets of Hollywood… where he just happens to be crossing the street towards the library of doom and making with the shortcut to get himself to his truck so he can get back to the Hyperion. Go, Gunn. Go.
And then, out of the library comes a shining ray of hope! …In theory. For this shining ray of hope comes dressed in Pylean battlewear, with a massive broadsword strapped to his back, and the head of the hideous Mofgan beast he'd just slain to present as a token to Princess Cordelia.
The really fortunate part is that he happens to see somebody he knows. It is the Warrior Gunn, one of the companions of Princess Cordelia. This is a turn of good fortune. "Warrior Gunn! It has been a while. Tell me, do you know where Princess Cordelia might be? I have come to present her with a token." Token being a severed head, you see. Girls dig that. Or not.
Gunn is in the process of ignoring everything that's going on around him… until he catches sight and sound of the Crazy White Man in He-Man Wear. "Oh hell naw." is muttered through his teeth, before he gets himself into a position where he should be facepalming. Especially when he sees the head of the beast and… yeah. Ew.
"You. You should…" Gunn is actually wavering on whether or not he should even involve the familiar face in this madness. But then again, he doesn't really have time. "… come with me. I'm going to see Cordy now." Lies. But in a good way. And Gunn is on his way past Groosalugg, motioning for the man to follow. One finger is held up over his shoulder as he heads towards a parking lot. "And don't ever call me Token."
Groo seems shocked at the assumption. "Oh, no, you are certainly not a token. I meant the head of the beast I have just slain, for it represents my bravery." Besides, they didn't have 'black cows' on Pylea. They were all white. Groo has no concept of 'token' in the way Gunn meant in the first place.
"But you are most kind to take me to see my princess." And after that…he gets his first good look at cars. "What are those strange metallic beasts? And why do they follow eachother around in rows?"
"It's called traffic. You'll learn to hate it as much as the rest of us." Gunn is already rounding a corner and heading towards his Truck of Gunndom as fast as his brisk walking can take him. "Throw your head and sword in the back. Then get in." Gunn moves around to the driver's side and climbs up and into the truck with the quickness. Immediately, the key is slid in and ignition is given. Cue the truck's purr.
Hmmm. "It seems these metallic beasts serve as steeds." Sort of. He puts the head in back first. He's rather reluctant to do the same to his sword. It's his only possession here, besides his clothes. Still, his trusted friend advised it, so her very gently places his blade in back. Then he moves to the passenger side, and…"How does one convicne the beast to let one ride it?"
"It likes you. Just pull on the door and get in… on… whatever." Gunn is rolling his eyes during this entire explanation process because this is something that Cordelia or Wesley should be doing. Not him. He's just the black guy that stabs and slaughters evil creatures with blades. And a really cool axe. "We have to get a move on, G." Oh lord. Nickname. "Cordy could be in danger."
Groosalugg suddenly pulls the door open in a great hurry, and hops into the truck as if it were a horse he could spur into action. "Then, quickly, spur the beast into action that I may save her immediately!" Needless to say, Groo has no concept of seatbelts. But he anxiously looks forward, waiting for it to start up and start getting to his princess.
Gunn is just looking into his passenger seat and staring at Groo. This is happening for a full minute before he realizes that the man has clearly no marbles whatsoever and that he's, well, it don't even matter. Gunn just shakes his head. But then he's pulling out of the rough parking space, screeching tires, shifting gears and roaring off down the street in the general direction of all that is the Hyperion Hotel!
Groosalugg is perfectly sane…for a Pylean native. Here on earth, though, Pylean attitudes just don't work. "This beast moves considerably quicker then those on Pylea. I am impressed." Cause, there's not a whole lot of living creatures meant for riding that can outspeed a car.
"You should see my Ferrari." Gunn kids, wheeling around a corner and then another one and then one more as he definitely tries to get himself in a position to park in the lot of the Hyperion Hotel that's in the distance. Flooring it, he whirls around a couple more cars and hangs a sharp right into the parking area and jumps out of the truck… with his keys. Hey, it's L.A.
"Let's go. Get the sword. Leave the head." Yeah, he's hoping that he's not going to step into a hotel of demons of death or something, but at least he's got back up.
Groosalugg nods, and exits the metallic riding beast. He retrieves his blade, and refastens it to its proper place. He somehow feels better having it on his back again. It was meant to be there, really. Also, it's his only real memento of home. "This is the place where Princess Cordelia may be found? It is quite a castle." The only thing on Pylea the size of a hotel would be a castle.
"Let's hope." Gunn quips, getting himself to the door and using his key to let himself in. "Watch my back. If anything moves that you don't recognize… stab it first. Ask questions after it dies." And as he strolls into the hotel, he's cupping his hand to the side of his mouth. "Yo! Cordy! Wes! Anybody that signs my paychecks!" Cautious movements should keep Groo doing the same.
Groosalugg nods, and is now in warrior/hunter mode. Fortunately, this mode is something he's VERY used to, and he steps into this role a lot more easily then he stepped into the truck. He would ask what a paycheck is, but he must watch for danger, and be prepared to strike it down immediately.
It's not really a lie, but it's close enough. "We should split up. You stay here, in case she comes back. I'll take my Chariot Mobile…" He can't even believe that he's talking like that. "…and see if I can find her."
Groosalugg nods. "I shall stand guard, then, and see to it her castle is safe upon her return." He'll have to explore the castle. It's a rather large castle, after all, and who knows where the princess might be. She could be out of earshot. He also might have to vanquish things he finds in the castle, if he finds thing of evil.
"Right. You guard, I search. Just, whatever you do… don't leave. Her castle would fall to any that choose to uh… happen upon it?" Gunn isn't even sure he's talking the right strange language, but he's sure as the heck trying to get it down enough for Groo to listen. And Gunn is already heading for the door to get himself back on the streets, tugging his cell phone out of his pocket as he goes.
This week just keeps getting better and better.
