4434/Just a Little Favour

Just a Little Favour
Date of Scene:	23 May 2018
Location:	Sunnydale
Synopsis:	Giles is back in the UK. Constantine goes looking for Willow to do him a favour and Buffy and Pixie-Dawn show up to bring them both into the gang's current pixie problem.
Cast of Characters:	Constantine, Willow Rosenberg, Buffy Summers, Dawn Summers

---

Constantine has posed:
John Constantine was hardly the sort of person you put in charge of teenagers, let alone a Slayer and her merry band of do-gooding misfits. Yet, Ripper, that is to say, Rupert Giles, had done just that when it came to his Slayer, trading an old, big favour he'd done John for an oath on his power that he'd help them out when he wasn't around. It wasn't a bad gig really, but John whined about it on principle, but he'd kept his word. He'd helped them, but that didn't preclude using their skills to his benefit from time to time.

That's what brought him to the coffee shop, he needed a bit of help in an area outside his specialty: computers. He wasn't Harry Dresden, he wasn't totally buggered when it came to tech, but he was no hand with them either. So, when it came to delicate matters involving the infernal machines he preferred to turn to an expert. Enter: Willow.

The tracking spell did a good job of bringing him to where he could find her and once he was there, he stepped inside, book under his arm and looking his usual rumpled ne'er-do-well self. He pauses in the doorway to glance about for that tell-tale sign of red hair.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow, on the other hand, wouldn't say she's an expert at computers. A dab hand, yes. And perhaps uniquely skilled in the area of technomagic - but when she thinks of experts, she thinks of folks like Skye Johnson, or Oracle. Willow Rosenbergg? She's just a babe in the woods compared to that.

Of course she's oblivious to the fact that she's been tracked down. There's a chem test in a week and a half, and she wants to be prepared. Not only because she only got a 93% on the last one, but ultimately, knowing this stuff was going to help out with her potions, and frankly, after the last messup, one that had left the kitchen sink a bright purple for a week, Willow was looking for ways to brush up on her skills.

Fine. She has more than her chemistry book open in front of her - but really, who can blame her? There are just so many ways chemistry and potions overlap. Though nothing was helping her figure out where she'd gone wrong. Except maybe this bit here.. the bit about a constant temperature.. "Wonder if I tried it with one of those candy thermometers," she murmurs to herself, stirring her coffee absently with her pen, instead of the spoon that was sitting neatly beside the mug. Totally oblvious to the fact of what she's doing, so absorbed is she in her studies.

Constantine has posed:
John spots Willow but doesn't approach right away, he hits up the coffee bar for a cup of black coffee which he promptly Irishes up with a hit from his flask in his coat then he makes his way to her table. "As I live and breathe, Willow Rosenberg, how are ya, luv?" he asks coming to a stop coffee in hand, book under his arm. The title of the book, is visible: The Morgenstern Compendium. A book chalk full of quality, if tricky spells in the areas of illusion, making, unmaking among other subjects. Not dark magic, but neither was it kid stuff. "An' mind if I sit, looks a bit crowded 'round here."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow's eyes go first to the book, and then to John's face, blinking as she tries to place him, and coming up in short order with an answer. "Professor Constantine! I was just.. uh.." Belatedly, the fact of her coffee-stirring pen comes to her awareness, and she stumbles over her next words, quickly wiping her pen off on the hem of her peasant style blouse. "I have a test."

Which explains the chemistry book, but not the Millgwen's Bontanicals that had been steadily creeping up, and over her Senior Chem text. "Uh, Buffy isn't here. But you could stop for a coffee if you want? They have these pastries, filled with chocolate. I had two, so I cna't have another, but oh, fiddlesticks they're good."

Constantine has posed:
John can't help but smile at that, "Fiddlesticks, eh?" he says. "You kiss your mother with that mouth?" he teases as he takes a seat. "And do I look like Dumbledore? You can call me John, or Constantine if you prefer." He leeeans over to take a peek at the book. "Ah, Millgwen's Botanicals, must be some test," he observes as he leans back and takes a sip of his coffee. "Or is it about the other boring stuff in the book underneath?"

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
There's an impish little grin from Willow at being caught out, her green eyes glittering with mirth. "Well, I started out studying? I was trying to figure out where I went wrong with something. But there really is a test."

If she's bothered by his teasing her about her language, she doens't show it. "John, I guess? Wow, that sounds so weird. Hi John. Want to have a coffee with me, John. What are you reading there, John." Willow rattles off the sentences, clearly tasting his name in her mouth to see how it feels to use it that way, only to come up short, "Actually what are you reading? It looks interesting."

And while you normally shouldn't judge a book by its cover, in some instances it's not only appropriate, but probably wise. Not that Illusion is Willow's ballgame. Now, Diivination and Scrying - those she's your girl for.

Constantine has posed:
John nods, "Been there," he says. "Though me, I'd start studying and end up getting into trouble," he says with a smile. "Proll'y safer your way though."

He does have to smile at John, "Yeah, it feels a might bit weird, I admit, maybe we can settle on Mr. Constantine, still a touch formal but it'll do."

He slides his book over when asked about it, "Have a look," he says. "Just an old tome I found around the House I was taking a peek at. Some interesting bits there, the glamour spell, where I marked it with the bit of my cigarette pack, that one's got some promise. Good for making a fast exit."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow's smile is a brightness of relief. "Gosh, I'm glad you said that Mr. Constantive. I mean, I know we're heading to college and all, but it still seems so wrong to say John like you were my brother or something. Not that I have a brother, but you know what I mean, right?"

Her words are a rush that betray her excitment over the book he passes over, her own still open in front of her. His now opened on top of them.

"Wow, gee. You're pretty good with them, aren't you? The glamours, I mean." Though her nose crinkles when he mentions his cigarette pack, which she finds easily enough being used as a bookmark. "They're really bad for you, you know."

Constantine has posed:
"I got yer meaning, yeah," John says smiling over the rim of his coffee before taking a sip. He sets down the cup, "And sounds much better," he agrees.

"Amoung other things," he says of his magical skills. "But they can be the most fun and can get you out of a tight spot or two when there's a need. Might be useful for you lot, the sort of work you do."

There's a nod to a bit of string stuck in the book further back. "And the unmaking charm there, that's a good one. Very technical. Just, never want to try it on anything living, that sort of thing'll give you nightmares." Is he joking, hard to say with Constantine.

"And, I know, but it's an addiction, not much I am going to do about it now, besides, I'm no fit company when I haven't had my smoke."

Speaking of, he has a glance around and reaches into his coat pocket for a pack. Looking to light up right here in the café like it was the 80's or something!

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
There's a shudder of outright horror from the girl at the mention of 'unmaking' something living. "Why would anyone want to do that?" she fairly squeaks, eyes wide and upon him like he's somehow responsible for its inclusion in the book. Even if there are plenty of perfectly good reasons to 'unmake' things, and she not only can think of some, but has had occassions where knowing how to do that would have been very handy.

"Addiction isn't an excuse," she mutters under her breath, not unkindly. "They have other things you could use. But you didn't come here to.. say, you can't smoke in here." She beams as she points over towards the door, at the very sign that proclaims it so. "But you didn't come here to talk about cigarettes." The book is slowly closed. "Why did you come here?"

Constantine has posed:
John pauses half way to digging out his smokes. "Well, you've hung around the Slayer a bit, by now you ought to know there's all sorts of horrible people out there, that'll twist about any spell to wicked ends." That look of accusation though, it cuts and while he can't do anything about the book and the wickness of the world, or that he might have used that spell a time or two like he talked about, he does leave the smokes in his pocket.

"You win that one," he says, then smiles amused that she's guessed this was no random meeting. "Got a favour to ask," he admits plainly. "Nothing dark or dangerous, just something you've the skills to help me with."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"You know," Willow grins impishly, "I still want to look around to see who they're talking about when people call her that. The Slayer - like she's part of some gladiator movie or something. Only, better, you know? Because she's my friend and all."

There's a nod, though. "So, a favour. And you just happened to bring your book with you. Are they related?"

Buffy Summers has posed:
Did someone mention The Slayer? Well, one of them. Since there are two right now. But the best one is on her way up the sidewalk, heading to the coffee shop to meet up with her bestie.

With the situation involving Dawn, she'd tried to reach both Giles and Willow to consult. No answer from Giles but Willow had finally returned Buffy's text. So Buffy was headed to the shop with Tinkerbell, AKA her baby sister in fairy form. This was high on the board for the strangest thing to ever happen to Dawn. "Hopefully, she'll have some idea of what to do," she was saying to Dawn as she walked along, strides long as she tried to rush without trying to look like she's rushing. "If not, she'll probably know where Giles is hiding so we can get him to start digging through the books."

As she reaches the shop, she glances in the window and spots the redhead, giving a frantic wave in her direction. It doesn't even register who she's sitting with.

Dawn Summers has posed:
Dawn's still in the modified Barbie dress. It's literally the only thing she's got to wear, and she's not thrilled about it. She's riding on Buffy's shoulder as they enter, and when she sees Willow, oh, thank GOODNESS!!! Someone who can FIX this! Dawn flies immediately towards Willow, and starts agitatedly trying to request her help...which just comes out as incomprehensible musical janglings.

Constantine has posed:
Contantine chuckles, "Yeah, name could use some work, but what can you do, been around for centuries, thing's got momentum now," he says with a smile.

"Tangentally related, was supposed to be the inducement for that favour, lend you the book if you look up this place," he slides a piece of paper over with 'Georgian Creeds' written on it. "And can tell me who owns it. I'd like to pay them a visit, might be they're up to no good." It was a lie of course but one skillfully delivered.

Catching sight of the frantic wave from the Slayer, Constantine remarks, "Well, speak of the devil," he begins before the sudden bright light of the pixie comes there way. "Gah, shoo," he says grabbing the book to try and swat it away. "Thought I was done with your lot back across the pond," he grumbles.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Oh, the name is okay," Willow chirps. "It's more she's my friend, you know? Though why Slayer?" Her head tilts to one side as she considers that, suddenly remembering, "Oh! I forgot, she's.." And speak of the devil, there's Buffy. "..meeting me here."

Willow waves a frantic hello to her bestie, and the sidekick Dawn. Grinning until Dawn makes her plea for help. "What do you mean fix? Fix what?" The barbie dress is peered at. "I don't sew? And I don't see any rips, but I guess I could.. uh, what, change the colour or something for you? Some party happening. Hey! Can I come?"

Only John is swatting, forcing Willow to stand and offer a protective shelted of hands for Dawn. "Hey! Leave her alone. This is Dawn. She's The Slayer's sister." Totally in tones that suggest he's got a screw loose not to know that.

Buffy Summers has posed:
"What is wrong with you?!" Buffy demands as she puts herself physically between the book and her pixie sized sister. "Leave her alone! Can't you tell she's been enspelled? Underspelled?" She pauses and tilts her head. "Someone cast a spell on her?!" Since she isn't quite getting that other word right, just better to skip it entirely. She glares at her former temporary Watcher and rounds back to her Bestie who is the only person here who is making sense. But wait. She isn't making sense. She doesn't seem to realize that Dawn isn't supposed to be a fairy. "We need you to fix the spell, Willow. If you can. She took a potion to fly and well...I guess she's technically flying but this isn't what was expected. I can't reach Giles. Do you know where he's hiding? He's not answering my calls or texts."

Dawn Summers has posed:
Dawn looks panicked, as a book the relative size of a house is swinging at her. Thankfully, Willow is there with the save. And then she blinks. Wait. The series of musical chimes that's serving her in lieu of a voice jingle-jangles at Willow as she asks in what's serving her for language "Wait...did you understand me?!" NO ONE has understood her yet. That would be awesome!

Constantine has posed:
Constantine stops short of hitting Dawn, brow furrowing a moment. Things weren't connecting, at least until the Slayer chimes in with the details, "I'm a fan of ensorcelled myself. Has a nice ring to it," he says before regarding the pixie for a moment. "Sure, she's supposed to be human? Thought I'd remember that." He gives his head a shake and then reaches into his coat for a smoke again as much out of habit as anything, it helped him think. "So, the sister got whammied into a fairy has she, haven't seen anything like that in a bit," he puts the cigarette in his mouth and reaches for his lighter, glancing over at Buffy, "An', I would leave off calling, Ripper, he's gone across the pond, didn't really say why, but he did say, I was supposed to step in while he was away."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow is now utterly confused. Can she understand Dawn? Finally someone can? Huh? Wha? And why is John swatting at her like she's an annoyance?

Spell, though, she understands.

"What do you mean spell?" Head tilts at Buffy, Dawn still protected from John until he decides to stop using the magic tome as a flyswatter. "She's always been like this Buffy?" Only as she says it, she's not certain. It feels right. It sounds right. But looking at her best friend's face, and listening to the fluttering pixie, Willow knows something isn't right. It's just too.. pat. "Potion?" she asks carefully. "You know those things are dangerous, right?" Ask Willow. She's blown up the kitchen more than once trying to perfect one or two.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy gives Dawn one of those 'seeee???' looks although she doesn't say it. That's basically already been covered the night she discovered her sister was altered. Only why doesn't anyone else remember? Then she looks at Constantine, frowning. "Giles is out of country? Without telling me?" Not that she minds Constantine but he is very different to deal with than Giles. She also doesn't know if he can help in this particular situtaion. She has more confidence in the known than the unknown.

Looking from Willow to John, she tries to feel this out. "The other day Dawn came home this way. Said, well dance stepped the message on the phone, that she'd taken a potion. What do you mean she's always been like this?" she demands of them both. Course, Joyce isn't worrying about her anymore either. The little hairs on the back of Buffy's neck stand on end as she gets that sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Dawn Summers has posed:
Dawn looks exasperated. "Look. I know the potion was a bad idea. But it's not just me. There's this girl who does paper magic, and she tried, and her magic started going messed up. And my own MOM has forgotten me. Though, that's awesome for her not stressing because I'm the size of an action figure!" Of course, that's all just musical chimespeaking to most, though apparently the witch gets a pass. "Willow, you can human me up, right??"

Constantine has posed:
Constantine lights up his cigarette and tosses a nod Buffy's way, "Yeah, surprised me too, must be big doings back home," he remarks, and John being John, he's bloody glad to be on this side of the pond just now. "So, yeah, as far as Watching goes, I'm it, but we'll get this sorted," he says, he lets some smoke out through his teeth, ignoring the angry shouts of the barrista behind the counter. He looks down at Dawn, "So, any of you know what Lassie's saying here? Jus' sounds like bells to me."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Constantine earns himself an aghast look from Willow, and a squeaked, "Hey! You can't do that in here!" And she points out the sign again to prove her point, though the squeak doesn't seem limited to him or the cigarette. "What do you mean your *MOM* has forgotten her?"

Willow's head is swimming now. She can't picture Dawn any other way but as Tinkerbell - but even as she knows that's how Dawn has always been, she also knows that is *not* how Dawn has always been, and the two memories fight for supremacy in her head.

"Uh.. sure?" She hopes she actually can do what she's promising. Even as she realizes she's interpretor. "Wait, what, nobody but me can understand her? Uh, you?"

Buffy Summers has posed:
"Not a clue what she's saying. I have to get the phone out and she does a great River Dance thing to type out messages. You should see it." Buffy shouldn't sound so enthused at her sister's plight there for the moment. BUt it really was funny. She continues before she gets angry bell noises aimed her direction. "She just sounds like windchimes to me. If you can understand her, you are well ahead of me. Is there something more going on here that we don't know about?" She looks to the two in touch with magic. She's just the weapon, not the interpreter of all this stuff. Find out who is behind it, send her that direction and she'll kill it but to figure it out? Better minds for that.

Dawn Summers has posed:
"Yeah, yeah. We can do a tracking spell, or whatever. But how bout an unpixieing spell?!" Dawn pleads. "I have been the size of an action figure for almost a week now! I have been stuck in a BARBIE DRESS for a week! No shoes. No /underwear/, Willow!" she pleads, wings fluttering agitatedly.

Constantine has posed:
"What?" Constantine says, almost like he forgot the smoke was there. "Bloody yanks," he mutters about the sign. There is a brief utterance of some guttural tongue and the cigarette vanishes from sight and smell, though he still holds his hand as though he's got it, bringing it to his lips and inhaling. "Better?" he asks, meaning the obvious glamour.

"Riverdance huh? Got to get that on video sometime, probably break that Youtube thing." Buffy's question has him scratching his chin, "Heard some talk about magic going mad 'round Sunndale when I was down at McNally's last night," the pub for magic types in Gotham. "But figured they were just botching the spells themselves. Could be that's what did for TinkerDawn, or it could be just a bad potion. Don't suppose you bought it off another English bloke, older, sketchier, with a punchable face?" he asks. He of course means Ethan Rayne.

He flinches at the excited chiming and rubs his head. "That's right, like we said, just chimes," he explains to Willow. "Guessin' you hear different?"

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow continues to flap a hand in the air in somewhat disgust, clearing the smoke that insists on lingering and curling about and near her. Or so it feels to her - it's not really likely that his cigarette smoke has singled Willow in particular out. "How can you smoke thos things, they smell horrible."

Worse than horrible if the face she makes is anything to go on.

"And how can it only be two weeks? I can remember.. oh." There was that odd again. That pressure where thinking about it too hard forced the memories to push against one another and fight, but if she just let them be, it made a lot more sense, even as it made no sense at all.

She nods slowly at everyone as it's confirmed that she is not hearing what they hear. Even as the picture of poor Dawn dancing across a keyboard makes her giggle. "Oh, you really need a different dress for that." She wriggles her fingers. "We could make you some tiny step shoes and a one of those fancy dresses with the.. oh." There's a faintness of blush that rushes along Willow's cheeks as she catches herself getting caught up in a vision that not only isn't helpful, but likely is going to make poor Dawn feel much worse. "No underwear even?"

Willow nods, frowning and looking to John. "We can do something, right?" How hard can reversing a potion be?

Just thinking that made her stomach sink.. and if Dawn was correct, it wasn't 'just' a potion - they needed to fix whatever it was that had thrown the magic out of whack.

Dawn Summers has posed:
Dawn looks annoyed at the dancing comments, blushing a little. "No, a girl at school bought it, and I bought it from her." Dawn answers John...and then groans. "Enchanted Grounds was the store; let him know, Willow?" She chimespeaks, and then adds "No. A barbie dress cut to be short and cut the back out of for wings." How /do/ you dress a 5 inch girl? "/Nothing/ else." she says, frustratedly.

Constantine has posed:
Cigarette magicked into invisibility, Constantine, just gives Willow a shrug, "Years of practice," he says glibly, then lets the invisible thing apparently dangle from his lip. He's quiet, thinking but listening until Willow asks about undoing the spell. He glances up then, blue eyes thoughtful. "Don't know without a bit of poking, if we're beginning to forget, then, might be it's more than a potion. Potions generally just do their thing to what drank them and then fade. To start changing the world like that, that's proper magic."

Constantine pulls the cigarette from his mouth and tosses it into the coffee cup where it becomes visible again. "I say we head back to the House," by which he means the rambling old mansion he calls home, "And look into this some. The House has all sorts of books, one of 'em's got to have something about this."

"That's what you lot do right? Research then send this one," he nods to Buffy. "Out to go take care of what's causin' the trouble?" he asks. It'd been a while since he hung with the Slayer and her lot of do-gooders but he figured the MO hadn't changed much.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Well, kind of," Willow has to admit, even if she's not sure she's pleased with how neatly, and simply, Constantine took what they did and made it seem like child's play. There was even a sense of a pretty red bow wrapped up around the summary that she couldn't shake off. "And that's what I was thinking, too. Real Magic."

Which brings her back to Dawn..

"What were you thinking, anyway? You don't just buy potions at a corner store, and you certainly don't drink potions someone *else* bought and tells you are safe. Are you kidding me?"

She's more than a little aghast that she has to be having this conversation with anyone, let alone Buffy's sister, even if it's not like she hasn't had a few spectacular gaffes of her own while sorting out this magic thing. Mind, she hadn't had one in long enough that she's beginning to worry she's due, and hoping now isn't the time.

"I don't know," she considers Dawn, trying to be sympathetic. "The clothes are kind of cute. The shoes, though, I'll give you those are uncomfortable."

Dawn Summers has posed:
Dawn sighs, exasperatedly. "I know, okay? Believe me, I've had a week of being a pixie to think it through. It was stupid. But she's my friend, I trust her. She wouldn't slip me a bad potion, not intentionally." She looks over. "No human spell? I still have to be stuck like this?" she asks, disheartened. Wings droop and the chiming is more discordant than usual. "There has to be SOMETHING you guys can do...you're both all magicy!"

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy has no idea what her sister is saying but during the course of the last week, she's learned to read fairy body language. The drooping wings on top of the expression are all she has to see. "They'll figure it out. Just cause they don't know the answer right now doesn't mean they can't fix it. You'll see. Don't lose hope, kiddo." She gives an encouraging smile, not letting on that the whole situation has her worried. What could be spreading that makes everyone forget how things were? Maybe she should do some additional consultation outside of Bludhaven. The last time some weird happenings like this occurred, the Greek Pantheon was involved. Been a while since she spoke to Ares so might be worth the attempt.

Constantine has posed:
There might be a bit of a bow wrapped around that summary. Constantine's aims were allied with the Slayer's, keeping the world for people and running the rest off the bloody rock. Even so didn't mean he'd drunk the do-gooder Kool-Aid or not poke a bit of fun.

"What? She jus' drank a potion with no idea who made it?" he says, shaking his head. "Lucky you just ended up borrowing clothes from old Barbie, and didn't end up dead or turned into some sort of slime demon."

He gives his head a shake at that, likely bad memories.

Constantine shoots a look towards Buffy, before sighing, nodding and tossing in his own words of encouragement, "We'll get you sorted," he promises. "Just got to figure out what's going on. So, guess we're to the research and looking up contacts then?" he asks them.