soon you'll see the sky fall

[bibrid]

Comments

[patrols]

Oh, I'm pretty sure once she's done, we're all dead.

[She's fairly confident at that point.]

She's been ranting about something called the Gauntlet, and I don't think she wants to give anyone a chance to get their own doppelganger blood.

[unforgivably]

Then she should get a casting agent and call MTV.

( Joking helps the situation. He tries pushing against the vervain soaked chains. (4) )

[patrols]

[Eventually their voices draw the attention of Kronk, and he pokes his head in, squinting at the way that people are carrying on.

"Be quiet. She's trying to concentrate."]

[unforgivably]

I know I don't remember this morning, but from what I've been told I did not lack in colorful commentary and I don't think I'll quit while behind. Besides, if she's a real witch she can block out all distractions. Go ahead, bet me that I won't go into a rendition of hello my baby, hello my honey. Be honest, does she want to be my ragtime doll?

( Well? )

[patrols]

[Kronk's brow furrows like he doesn't get the reference. Clearly he did not grow up with a cartoon dancing frog. Must be more Gen Z than millenial.

"She wants you to be quiet. So be quiet or I'll make you be quiet."]

[unforgivably]

Oh, baby. Don't make promises you can't keep.

( Is he trying to annoy him into making the approach? Of course. )

[patrols]

[Well, of course he's going to take that bait - he's a dumb-dumb. He strides over easily to slam a punch into Damon's face (15).]

[unforgivably]

( Damon doesn't even try to dodge, taking the punch he asked for, instead trying to catch that gaze in his direction to compel him. Maybe he didn't take his vervain today. He's weaker, but not too weak (12). Come on, asshole, succumb. )

[patrols]

[Well, for one, for being a dumb jock, he doesn't seem swayed by Damon trying to take control of his mind (19). And that's likely for a pretty good reason.

"Are you trying to compel me?"

He swings to punch Damon in the face again (18).

"I'm a witch, shithead."]

[unforgivably]

( Damon is captured, so he takes the punch hard (3). He flex his jaw. )

Who knew. Gymrat witch. Is that a Scottish thing, or just a you-thing?

( He tries his bindings again, but the spell on them seems to have cracked (19) considering a certain witch's distraction.

Damon tries in one fell swoop so, break through and grab the witch's arm to twist him over and tug it back, standing above him. Tries, anyway (16) )

[patrols]

[Welp, the witch was doing so well until he wasn't (4). He lets out a cry of pain as he hits the ground, but does his best to keep his wits about him. He raises his hand and attempts to do the aneurysm spell (5). He doesn't really succeed.]

[unforgivably]

( Damon deflects (10) with a patented arm jerk. )

Nu-uh.

( With gymrat in his clutches, Damon hopes that whatever hold he has on his friends might dip. )

Guys. I'd try those bindings again. Unless you'd rather lift them and keep the arm.

[patrols]

[Lindsay pops her manacles easily (20), smiling a bit as she does.]

That's much better.

[She then makes her way towards the ritual Stefan is wrapped in, but flinches back when she feels a tiny zap - a warning sign not to go further.]

Didn't work for your brother though.

[persistingly]

( The vervain is still in his system, but Rhett manages to push against the sizzle (14) and the chains snap in several places, dropping to the ground. )

Much obliged, Damon.

( Getting to his feet, he gets to brushing the dirt from his suit. What, this suit was not meant for close contact with dusty basements.

"No, she wouldn't be stupid enough to trust this Guido to enchant my brother. She'd do that all by herself, wouldn't she?" Damon asks, pulling harder on gymrat's arm to get an answer out of him. )

[prettyclothes]

["She wanted to make sure I didn't fuck it up again!" Gym Rat protests, not really getting out much more than that, before the door blows open.

Mostly because someone is flying through it.

Hippie witch hits the ground hard (1), but tries to keep hold of her spell anyway (15). Coming in not far behind her is the familiar click-clack of Scarlett's heels, hands rested firmly on her hips.]

I'm not sure what manners are being taught these days, but in my day, we were taught it was rather uncouth to keep people against their will.

[persistingly]

Except in conversation. Scarlett, my dear.

( "Lift the spell or your assistant loses an arm," Damon says, doing his very best at intimidation (11) )

[prettyclothes]

[The problem is, you'd have to be threatening a minion she actually cares about (19). She scoffs from her position on the floor.

"Go ahead. You'll save me some effort later."

The grunt lets out a cry of protest, and Scarlett's eyes narrow.]

She's the type who only cares about herself, apparently.

[The witch sneers. "The fuckup has it coming."]

[unforgivably]

Maybe, you shouldn't outsource your dark dealings, including taking my brother and bleeding him - for - what, this time? His doppelganger prowess?

( What did you need, hag? )

[prettyclothes]

["We all do what we have to do when the time comes. When you're about to go to war, you get yourself the best weapons possible."

Scarlett makes her way closer.]

And if you'd actually lived through a war, you'd know that you don't go borrowing trouble where you can't afford it.

[unforgivably]

Wake. Him. Up.

( Don't make him say it twice. )

[prettyclothes]

["Nah." The witch smirks. "Think I'll wait and see."

Scarlett starts to charge forward but Melanie catches her arm. "She's not scared. Which means she may have a contingency."

The witch regards Melanie. "At least one of you is paying attention."

Scarlett crouches down to eye level.]

I'm fairly certain I can get what we want without killing you.

[unforgivably]

You die and you can't fight a war.

( But, he has to reason with her, right? Damon takes the second to shove the gymrat's head against the ground to knock him out so he can lord over the Scottish witch. )

What do you want with my brother?

[prettyclothes]

["Correction. If I die, I don't have to fight the war, which works out just as well - I'm just a little bitter, so might as well make sure you don't get what you want in return."

She leans back under Scarlett's imperious gaze.

"So either way I win. And he's a doppelganger. What do you think I need him for?"]

[unforgivably]

What I want is my brother alive - so to speak - and in one piece.

( He pauses. )

Ask her what happens if we yank out his IV because I'm just about done here.

( Buffy, finally, knocks out another witch up above, lets herself in and then down the stairs.

"You might need to go on Indeed, I hear good witch help is hard to find," she says, stepping down. )

[patrols]

I think the bigger problem is getting to the IV.

[Lindsay holds out a finger on the edge of the circle, and shows the little blue jolts as she tries to pass her hand through.]

My guess? The circle's some kind of protective magic.