coming at you fast, midnight

[cosmiccon]

Comments

[fifthbase]

It sounds as if she tried to failsafe her spell and the opposite happened.

( But, she has not gone after a coven's wellspring, and her (2) will keep her speculation to a minimum. )

There are a number of reasons why it backfired. What you should be focusing on is there here and now. The what's next. So. What is next?

[notwitty]

[Isaac says nothing, just glancing to Bonnie to see how much they want to share. Danny's been a well kept secret thus far, and he's in Bonnie's care. He'll leave it for her to decide if she wants to share that with the literal Queen of Hell.]

[fifthbase]

( Bonnie has been the hidden trump card, living under the old witch house, the Salvatore's and Elena's secret weapon. She knows better than to play it, especially to a blunt redheaded powerful sorcerous. )

Isaac and I are about to take a trip to Mystic Falls. My family's grimoire is there. We think there may be information that might be useful. About the Gauntlet.

( And maybe the Colony. )

The Armory is keeping it safe.

( A (6) recollects something vague, but mystical. And quite old. Kind of like her. Bonnie knows what she's doing.

"And there is the Knightsbridge's store." Rowena says, nodding. It feels like a part of a plan.

"And you, Samuel?" she asks. )

[imnot_likeyou]

Trying to dig into more of the research here.

[He doesn't know how much he should share, but ...]

Allison owes David a favor so if he calls that in, I might wind up tagging along with that.

[fifthbase]

Careful with witches and their favors.

( Rowena is one to talk, as she pulled the Winchesters into many a scrape here and there. Almost got them killed more than five times over just to get what she wanted, but they've become much more to her since then. )

[imnot_likeyou]

I know.

[He hasn't forgotten, and neither has Allison.]

She's already drawn certain lines that he's agreed to, so it's mostly a matter of if he'll keep his word.

[fifthbase]

Refresh these lines. Witches tend to blur, to redraw any clear lines. Have her double check that line isn't written in chalk, or worse, pencil.

( Advice from Rowena MacLeod, Sam! )

[imnot_likeyou]

I will.

[Trust him, he's not intending to let David take advantage of Allison. He will shoot first, ask questions later, problems be damned.]

It's not my first rodeo with witches.

[matriarchate]

( Rowena knows, Sam.

Finished with her morning workout and freshly showered, Allison and her beachy-in-Kansas (but also in Northern California, we stan Allison's hair) waves join the group in the hallway. )

Is there a meeting I wasn't informed of?

( "We were just meeting Rowena, the queen of Hell," Bonnie says, nonchalantly. "Come on, Isaac. They're waiting in the car." But, for good measure: "You think you can really help me?"

Rowena mulls that over, studying Bonnie.

"If your Damnum Essentia is not a Rowena original, then I think we have somewhere to go. Have Sam give me a ring me when you return."

Bonnie nods, taking Isaac with her.

"Allison Argent," Rowena says, knowingly, a twinkle in her eye. )

[imnot_likeyou]

Play nice.

[Sam knows that twinkle, and he doesn't want Rowena picking fights just because she can. But before Rowena can get too into the weeds there, Allison's phone rings.

Surprise, it's the witch in question.]

[matriarchate]

It's David.

( She doesn't play anything with Rowena, knowing better, but it does seem more playful than combative, not that she knows her. Allison still knows better. )

You have good timing.

( Also weird timing. )

[maleficum]

Well, my ears were burning.

[He assumes that comment is because he was being talked about. He leans back in the seat and tries to figure out how best to approach this. He goes with blunt.]

I'm calling in that favor. Where do you want to meet? Also, you still have the Winchesters in your ranks?

[matriarchate]

( She believes it, pausing as she considers. )

Do I get to hear the favor before I say yes or is that the contingency?

( She mouths, "Get Dean," to Sam and to Rowena in front of him who nods and strides off to find him. She switches to speaker, letting Sam here his response. )

[maleficum]

I have some supplies I need to gather, and I need someone to watch my back while I do it. You don't have to kill anyone, as is our agreement - you just have to keep me alive.

[He figures that's a distinction with a difference that she'll appreciate.]

And as for the boys, I need them to do what hunters do best. Track down some bodies and do the old salt and burn - and this isn't under the scope of what we previously agreed to. In this case, I would owe them one.

[He's assuming that they're listening. Sam raises his eyebrows because that's quite a boon he's offering.]

[matriarchate]

I'm not going to speak for them, but I agree to our terms.

( She eyes Sam, if he wants to speak up.

Dean comes on to the scene with Rowena on his heels, giving Sam and Allison a look. )

[maleficum]

[Sam gives him a glance right back before addressing the phone. "Who are we digging up, exactly?"]

Some very old long dead witches who haven't been in their bodies for a while, but I don't want to give them an opportunity to escape when I resolve that particular problem. I figure if you already destroyed their remains, they don't get to stick around as ghosts either. Do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars, just go straight to Hell.

[Sam's brow furrows, before turning his attention back to Rowena, wondering what she makes of this.]

[matriarchate]

( There is very little Rowena knows (19) "You're going to put down the Inner Circle."

Dean shrugs (8) and Allison has heard of some (14), mostly what she recalls from their research. )

Your coven's inner circle, they're not -- has it always been those witches?

( She's missing the parental context, but she has the right question.

"When did they ascend?" Rowena asks, sympathetically, knowing what has transpired and that David has finally learned the same. )

[maleficum]

I don't have those dates off hand, but my parents were in my twenties, so at least a decade. I'll have to check on the Malrouxs and the Harpers. But I have it on good authority that they've been "ascending" their ways through their heirs for centuries now.

[David sounds very tired. It's because he is.]

We're deciding they don't get to do that again. So if I could have some insurance that they don't have any contingency plans, I would like to do that.

[matriarchate]

They're your parents?

( Allison thinks of her dad and what she would do if he weren't himself. In high school, she once suspected of him being a dark druid. Knowing what their family stood for led to disappointment until she took back their mantle and brought a new philosophy.

"For hundreds of years," Rowena confirms. "There was a divide between those that believe it was a secret." )

[maleficum]

They are inhabiting husks that used to be my parents. But I wouldn't worry too much. They were the kind of people who signed up their child to be possessed in order to interrogate a demon, so nothing of value is going to be lost here.

[They're bad people, and they're going to die bad people. There's no grand change to be hoped for on the other side.

Sam glances to Dean, raising an eyebrow as though to say what do you think?]

[matriarchate]

Still.

( "Allison, dear, you are one of the lucky ones with the father you were born to," Rowena says.

"Where are these witch bodies?" he asks, intrigued. He likes a good old fashioned salt and burn party, especially when there's not an existing haunting attached. )

Wait, what's that supposed to mean?

( "Some of us left something to be desired as parents, and others were outright exploitative of their progeny," she explains. "Salem," Rowena adds, offering. Is she right?

"I'm asking the sorcerer's apprentice," Dean says. )

[maleficum]

I'm actually not sure. Salem was the worst of the witch trials in the states, but I'm willing to bet they outlived it, so they might not have stayed there. But definitely east coast, and I can forward you a family tree. Maybe their kids might be easier to trace back from.

[If you he knew where they were, he probably wouldn't be farming it out, no offense boys. That's why it's a favor.

"Yeah. Send me the list and I can get started on it." And Sam will provide an email for David to send the list to.]

[matriarchate]

( "So you're giving us homework," Dean says, glancing from Allison to Sam. They're doing this?

Allison ends speakerphone and brings her phone back up. )

Where do you need me in the meantime?

[maleficum]

["He's offering us a favor, Dean. And all we have to do is salt and burn some bodies - doesn't sound like a bad deal." But he'll defer to his brother on whether or not he wants to follow through.

In the meantime, David will answer Allison's question.]

I can come pick you up. Just let me know where.

[matriarchate]

( She hits mute. )

David wants to pick me up. This isn't my underground bunker. Would you rather I go into town? I'll defer to you.