The Castle and Grounds

Diana rushed out of the Castle. What a confusing place! How did one get around those staircases? And the paintings were hardly helpful. Anyway, at least she managed to find her way out. Unfortunately, she didn't see any sign of Vaight anywhere. Stupid vampires.

As she reached the grounds however, it seemed as if things were looking up. Vaight was right there - there was no mistaking him - meandering as if unconcerned with the world. Well she'll soon change that.

She didn't even bother to take out her weapons. She decided to run for him - and upon reaching him, she hit him hard, across the face. She had the element of suprise.

"Christ!"

Darien fell backwards, rolling backwards and into a small ditch, too shocked to react. Something had struck him right across the face.

Glancing up, he saw her face. Diana?!

"Diana?! What-What the hell?"

"Where have you brought me, you vampire scum?" Diana bellowed. That was the only reason she hadn't staked him. Where in Buffy's name were they?

Darien blinked. "What? Vampire? Me? Have you lost your mind?!"

In case there was any doubt, he opened his mouth and gestured. "See! No fangs!"

Ha convincing but she knew better than that to fall for his tricks... didn't she?

"I don't know what you did, but it's not going to work on me. Not again!" Diana said lunging after him.

Darien rolled out of the way as best he could, his movements slow and faltering in comparison with hers.

"What's got into you?" He gasped, blundering backwards, somehow managing to remain perpendicular to the floor. "Diana, it's me! Why are you doing this?" He raised a hand, palm flat. "Whatever it is, I'm sorry- I won't fight you Diana."

"Please...I can't hurt you!" He half-shouted in desperation. What was wrong with her?!

"Please, as if you can." Diana said.

Diana wasn't that far into her rampage to listen to reason. She heard the desperation in his voice. There was something off. She could feel it. This was Darien Vaight, yes, she was sure of it but... it wasn't him. If that made any sense.

The Darien Vaight she knew played games but his was acting was too good, way too good for him to be lying.

But it was Vaight. She knew. She could feel it. Oh great, now she was going crazy.

She stopped. He certainly looked like Darien. But he was missing something. She couldn't quite place it. He didn't seem dangerous or evil at all. He seemed as harmless as a pillow to be honest. But it would have been foolish to let her guard down.

"Where am I?"

Darien lowered his hands slightly, a frown of concern forming on his features.

"Diana- are you alright?"

He took a careful step nearer, ready to leap back at a moment's notice. "We're at Hogwarts- at school..." Had she been drugged? Cursed?

He ran a hand through the front of his hair for a moment, glancing at the floor to the right of him. "Look, I know we've been going through a rough patch lately, but is kicking the sh!t out of me really necessary?"

He was right. He wasn't a vampire. He wasn't as pale as usual and of course the absence of his fangs. That meant that the mirror and the flashing light that had happened was some sort of portal to another dimension. A Dimension in which Darien Vaight as not a vampire...

Wait a minute. "Rough patch?" She exclaimed. Surely he couldn't mean...

Darien raised his hands in a gesture of defeat. "Alright, not a rough patch. I'm sure whatever you want to call it is far better."

Still slightly bemused at the sudden hatred- although arguably they hadn't parted ways on the best of terms- but more than a little relieved by the fact she seemed to have calmed down, he shut up before he could offend her more.

Although he wasn't sure when she got quite that good at tackling...

Hmm... it seemed as though in this universe Darien and her where... ugh, she couldn't even articulate the thoughts properly without gagging. If she met herself here, she was going to have a word or two with her.

"Right." Diana said straighting up. Better leave this Darien alone and look for the real one before she ruins the time-space-continuum. "I'll be seeing you then."

And without another word, she turned and left. Returning to the castle to look for the real Darien.

Darien blinked several times, not that it had any effect on the turbulence in his mind.

"What the hell..." He muttered to himself, deciding it would be far wiser to go back to his dorm. Now.