16553/Dark Willow: Have you heard..

Dark Willow: Have you heard..
Date of Scene:	28 September 2024
Location:	Harry Dresden's Office, Kingston Falls
Synopsis:	Faith and the brothers discuss what is to be done about the elephant in the room.
Cast of Characters:	Faith Lehane, Harry Dresden, Thomas Raith
Tinyplot:	Dark Willow

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Faith Lehane has posed:
Faith Lehane wasn't big on calling ahead or making plans. But she did have a lot to discuss with Harry and so she just comes storming up to his office door, banging loudly, a bit desperately.

"Yo Harry, are you in there!? We gotta talk..About Willow!"

Harry Dresden has posed:
The office is dark. The apartment is dark. The wards shimmer and the door is unlocked. She can see the carpet over the trap door is off and the door down to the lab is open. It isn't easy to see due to the dark, but there is a soft glow from there.

The shadows move and Harry rises from the depths. He is pale, his visage grim, and he motions her to enter,"Lock the door behind you." he mutters when she enters. A moment later, the wards come back to live, a soft hum before they settle.

Faith Lehane has posed:
Faith Lehane scowls as she is let in, running her hands along the wall for a light switch. "What the hell, why's it so damn dark in here?" she mutters, but locus the door behind him, following his voice. "So, did you hear? About red?" cuz you know, word travels fast through the supernatural community usually.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Electricity. In the wizards house? The switch she finds doesn't respond with lights. Instead he walks towards the office and waves a hand at various candles,"Fliccum Bicus." he mutters and the candles around the area come to life.

He makes his way to the desk and replies,"Bob is gone, Mouse is gone defending the one with Bob, various friends and former apptentices are moving around drawing attention away from the one that does have Bob, and I am sleeping alone. So yes. I heard about red." he replies as he settles into the chair behind his desk and motions her to sit.

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith was parking the car, which can be a nusance at the best of times in the city. It's probibly worht noting he has his serious face om as well. He nods once as he hears that Bob is well out of the witches grasp. "I don't suppose you can tell us what in the Empty Night happened?" he asks calmly, shaking his head. At least he brought beer, tossing one to his brother and a second to Faith.

Faith Lehane has posed:
Faith Lehane clearly does not bother to her homework as she shouldn't by now that wizards and electricity do not mix..Or maybe she's just impatient. Either way she just rolls her eyes, about to say something thoughtless perhaps, when Thomas makes his appearance.

"Heh.." she just smirks at him, catching the bottle, popping it open. "Sounds like he's got the creepy skull and big dog babysittin' his psycho ex..Although I don't get why the hell for?!"

Harry Dresden has posed:
"Mouse is off shadowing the skull." he corrects her,"Who Bob is with is stays with me. Not that I don't trust you, but because she knows her way around my wards, though I am working on clearing her off of them." he comments.

Opening the beer in his possession, he takes a drink and considers,"Ex is not a term I have put on her yet. Like anyone, magic can corrupt. She's fought her own power for so long I think she finally got consumed with it. I can't swear to it, but I suspect someone and or something caused a break. Chipping away at her on the inside and out. I've seen it in my own life. It is easy if you let your guard down for a moment." He looks at Thomas and adds,"Simple as picking up a coin to protect a baby."

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith looks mildly amused at Faith's comment, "Lover, if knowledge is power then Bob is..Well he's the equivalant of twelve atom bombs. If Harry hadn't already had him stashed, getting him to do so was my first priority coming over here." He glances back at the wards that have snapped back into place since their enterence. "I assume you've changed the locks as well?" He nods at Harry adding, "I get that. Hell I love Willow like the little sister I never wanted. We can bring her back to from the brink I'm all for it." he sips his drink and asks Harry directly, "But what if we can't bring her back from the brink?"

Faith Lehane has posed:
Faith Lehane as a thought dawns on her. "Ohhh I get it..You're afraid she might come after him next.." she scowls at the thought, shaking her head.

"Seriously, it's as simple as that..? Magic can corrupt? Sounds a little dangerous, I mean shouldn't you wizards have to go through training and get a license and shit before you start throwing crap around? Geez.."

And let's not get started on the wizards council which she knows next to nothing about, or what they'd do if they got their hands on her first.     
"Soo, any idea what the hell set her off in the first place? I thought you and her were a happy couple.." she arches a brow at him, thoughtfully.

Gkancing at Thomas her frown deepens, "I think you know the answer to that.."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Getting a drink, Harry's voice drops to just over a whisper and with an edge that makes the candles flicker when he speaks,"Did you have a license when you were granted the power of the Slayer? I know you've never done anything questionable. I guess such a thing isn't necessary in that path of magic. Make no mistake, magic gives you that power." Nothing more. Just lays it out there. The eyes say that is not something she wants to push furthur.

His attention moves to Thomas and he replies,"I've changed everything, but the wards are in the building. Her essence as well. Some things can't be fully removed. So it is one more reason to try to bring her back around." Another drink and he adds,"I am fully aware what has to be done if she can't be pulled back. There are worse people than any of us that will be coming around soon if we don't figure out how to stop her and bring her back. I'd rather have a chance to bring her back before the Council comes calling to hang on her what they did to me or worse, just come to take her life."

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith nods slightly as Harry mentions the counsol. "I agree, and I am all for bringing her back. Like I said I actually /like/ Willow. All I am saying is that if we can't, and I know you don't want to hear this, but frankly an Evil Willow? Something like that is what the Wardens are for."

Faith Lehane has posed:
Faith Lehane shrugs, not particularly fond or disliking Willow either way. it's not like she ever developed any sort of special bond with her, or with any of the Scoobies for that matter - aside from Angel and Thomas..Although Harry is starting to earn her respect it seems.

"Hell yeah, ain't that why we got Watchers? " she shrugs nonchalantly, "..But I guess we don't gotta earn a license or graduate or anything..."

She takes another chug of beer, sitting on the edge of Harry's table. "Sooo, you gotta plan? Other than some crazy moon healing deal?" she smirks at her clever inside joke.

Harry Dresden has posed:
"The Wardens, likely the Watcher's Council, eventually the Justice League for that matter. She has been numbered among them. It's a bad look for them if she destroys the world." he grumbles and takes another drink.

"i don't know what can be done. Right now she's...running on hate or fury or something akin to them. There's another...personality inside her head. I don't think Willow is driving right now."

He glances to Faith and nods,"I am open to such things, I just don't know of any. Most things I know are focused on self preservation and destruction honestly. I have been trying to think of Tibetan area spells. Things to calm her or even suspend her animation until something can be changed. Despite what most people think, she's a lot more powerful than most anyone understands. If I hadn't seen her soul I would still be more uncertain of her power. I knew she had potential. She's got power that rivals a full moon born wizard."

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith nods slightly, finishing his own beer and three pointing the trash can with the bottle. "She's definatly got power. I'd even suggested that she try to get signed onto the accords at one point." He shakes his head "I mean I'm a little glad I didn't sponser her /now/ but still.

Faith Lehane has posed:
Faith Lehane arches a curious brow at Harry. "Something in her head? The hell did it.....Ohh..." she blinks as a realization dawns on her.

"Okay this is some crazy shit but..You don't suppose that evil demonic and probably very powerful dark grimoire that those vamps were using to summon powerful fiends and break down portals was somehow..I dunno..Calling out to her to free it so it can corrupt her? I mean, being that she's all naieve and insecure I imagine it wouldn't have such a hard time promising her things...If you could locate and destroy that evil thing once and for all.."

Harry Dresden has posed:
"We all had our brush with the darkness. None of us have room to talk in that manner. That said, she's likely stronger than any one of us in the darkness she has embraced. It will take all of us to stop her. I am sure Buffy is trying to find ways too. I haven't been able to catch her."

The mention of the book gets a nod,"I have suspected as much." he admits,"I would be surprised if she doesn't have it with her or tucked away somewhere." he admits,"Does either of you have anything connected to it that we can use as a focus to scry for it?"

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith nods slightly at Harry's assment. He is after all the one who self professes to be a monster. "I don't, no." He says considering. "Honestly it never crossed my mind that I would ever /need/ anything to track Willow of all people. I've got things to track you, Faith, even Buffy, but never thought about Willow.

Faith Lehane has posed:
Faith Lehane hmms, "I mean you're right, I'm always tempted by evil, I guess, but can you blame me, watching my watcher brutally murdered in front of me.." she shrugs, taking another sip of beer. "Yeah, I've seen an angry Willow, she's pretty damn scary.." the memory of her setting demons on her is still fresh on her mind.

When he mentions a connection to the book, Faith frowns, as a thought hits her. "A connection? Like this bookmark..?" she pulls out an old ornate fabric bookmark that seems to be made of stiffened silk with a red tassel and red runic markings embroidered on its surface.

"When Sabrina was studying the Grimoire, she found it in the book and was using it to mark some pages.." she shrugs, passing it to Harry, "Dunno how long it's been in the book but I found it on the ground when I revisited the magic box after the grimoire was stolen.."

Harry Dresden has posed:
"Everyone is. We all fall to varying degrees too." Harry replies. He finishes his beer and nods,"Whatever is going on, she is beyond what any of us know right now."

He takes the book mark and studies it for a moment. A nod and he sets it on the desk,"That will likely give me the connection needed to find it. If we can find it without her present it would be better, but I doubt that is possible."

The mention of Sabrina gets a flicker over Harry's expression,"It would be helpful to have her here, Molly too for that matter. They are both out of town and likely will be for the duration."

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith nods slightly but says, "I Gotta be honest with you Harry, I know they pack a hell of a punch, but in this case I am kinda glad to have them out of the way. Evil demonic chickens are one thing. Willow? That is a whole different level of kick your ass. And they are both still kids, no matter what their driver's licences say.

Faith Lehane has posed:
Faith Lehane yawns, stretching her arms. "Yeaah, okay so we gotta track the book down with this bookmark and hope she ain't home. Then what? Do ya know how to destroy an evil grimoire? If you do then this will be simple. If need be we can always use the..." her eyes widen at a thought, "Shit..We need to move the scythe or change the wards, or she may go after that next.."

Harry Dresden has posed:
A nod,"Yes I know." he agrees with his brother softly,"Better the Knights are gone too. This isn't their fight." He strums his fingers on the desk thoughtfully,"We need to talk Buffy. See where her head is in all this." he comments.

Looking at the book mark he nods,"If we find it and not her I have some ideas. If we find them both I still have ideas. Worst case I will find a path in the Way Between Worlds and drop it into a star or some pocket dimension of similar destructive capability."

He adds lastly,"The scythe might well be on her radar yes. If she could tap into that power it would only make her stronger yet. Right now that isn't good for anyone, least of all us."

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith nods slightly in agreement. "I mean I seriously doubt we can get a Basilisk's tooth to destroy it, so yeah the scythe would seem the way to go." He shakes his head slightly, "Wish that Xanatos guy who built a castle on top of that skyscraper hadn't dropped off the map. He had a whole vault full of magical do-dads and thingy-ma-jigs. would have been a great place to stash it until we were ready for it. Until then we can't leave it in the Magic Box, so where do we put it?

Faith Lehane has posed:
Faith Lehane hmms, "Harry, are you able to create..I dunno.,a pocket dimension to stash the scythe? I mean I'm sure Giles repaired the broken wards and all after the break in but with that grimoire, a new ward even without Willow having free entry might not hold up so well. Unless you can make that ward even stronger but I dunno magic shit or whatever.." she snorts, "I just don't want one of the most powerful weapons within her reach."

Harry Dresden has posed:
A deep sigh and Harry mutters,"Like Bob it might be better to keep it moving." he replies,"Someone that could open a window to me if we needed it and otherwise keep it moving. I don't love the idea, but pocket dimensions can be broken into. If you and Buffy want that I will arrange that. I can call in one of my moving pieces to add to it."

He nods to Thomas and replies,"Same thing with the safe of magic things. Like anything else it can be broken into. She might not come looking for it. Then again she might. With the one I am thinking of if she went for that person it would get pocket dimensioned long enough to be dropped into one of our hands."

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith nods slightly and rolls his neck, "Well either way it's best we go get it fist. No point in discussing how we are going to play Three-card Monte with it untill we've at the very least got the thing secured." He stands up, "I'm heading to that part of town anyway, I can grab it and take it to the Lady, and you can get it from there if you like Faith.