soon you'll see the sky fall

[bibrid]

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[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.

[attainathons]

Hi, I'm Buffy, the vampire slayer. And you're magically bleeding my boyfriend out. I'd like it if you stopped now. Or, one of my three vampire friends can make everything a lot harder for you. Have you ever seen a handless witch?

( She's bluffing, but she tries. (2) )

[patrols]

[Yeah, this witch isn't flinching (18). "See, love, what you missed is that if anything happens to me, you're never gettin' your boyfriend out."

Lindsay sighs, before toeing her way around the circle. There has to be some kind of weak point that maybe she can exploit (4), but she is not the expert in this situation.]

Any chance you brought Beck with you?

[attainathons]

( There's a cry from above, not Beck's. And another witch tumbles down the stairs unconscious.

Beck steps down and then over their body. )

As a matter of fact...

( Beck takes a minute to get his bearings.

"What have we here?" )

[patrols]

[Oh good. She flashes him a smile, before nodding to their setup.]

Some kind of magical force field. Gives you a little shot and apparently she's got it rigged so that if she dies it'll still hold up and Stefan'll never get out.

[telegraphs]

( Beck, happy his fiancée is okay, turns his attention to Stefan. Unfortunately, watchers all have various levels of knowledge and this one eludes him (3), Damon gets a (9) and Buffy a (13) to suss out what might work.

Does any of this yield anything? )

[patrols]

[Buffy gets kind of close, at least in terms of the kill switch. She looks up, and notices that there's a mechanism structured above him that looks like it might tip some kind of molten fire down onto the unconscious vampire below.]

[telegraphs]

( Buffy peers upward, pointing above them.

"How very Carrie. Anybody have a ladder or a catwalk?" )

I.

( Beck bites his own tongue, not remembering anything above them, having been in a brawl. He brings his fingers to his tongue which is now bleeding.

But, Damon does (20), pushing through whatever memory mind whammy she sent him.

Upstairs. )

[patrols]

You used to be a cheerleader, right?

[Lindsay braces herself in front of her mentor and cups her hands.]

Should be easy enoguh.

[attainathons]

For like less than a week in one semester in high school.

( Don't get her started on Amy. But, she's also a slayer. So, she cracks her neck, steps a foot onto Andy's cupped hands and attempts to vault upward with a natural... (1) )

[patrols]

[Lindsay tries to keep a hold on her to keep her from falling too forward, but unfortunately she's not prepared enough, and finds herself stumbling back into the barrier with Buffy (2).

They collide with it, with much more force than before, and electricity runs through both of them sending them both slumping down to the floor.]

Ow. Okay, that wasn't my best idea.

[unforgivably]

( "I thought Slayers were more agile and dexterous," Rhett observes. )

Cheerleading's a sport, I'm not surprised one week of hurkeys didn't translate to a McKayla Maroney interpretation. Except for the face.

( Buffy rolls her eyes, recovering, but not standing yet.

Damon turns and places himself underneath and cups his hands like Lindsay did. Come on Rhett. You'll fly through the air with the greatest of ease.

"Only if this never leaves this basement," he cautions, holding up a finger. With a look of determination, he plants himself in front of Damon and mimics Buffy's attempt, bringing his foot up.

A natural one has him kicking Damon in the face (1) who doesn't stay on his feet, but (6) falls over the Scottish bitch witch as Rhett knocks right into the same forcefield, but seems to take the electricity like a champ, albiet he is now singed. )

[prettyclothes]

[The witch that they are still holding hostage is just cackling on the ground nearby. "This is better than the movies."

Scarlett rolls her eyes before resting her hand on her hip.]

Why has no one tried talking to Stefan?

[Which yes, he's been unconscious the whole time but most of them are vampires. Perhaps a head dive is their best option.]

[persistingly]

( A chorus of "Stefan's rings out, as the group attempts to rouse him, Beck leaning forward and trying to snap him awake before clapping once.

Rhett just shakes his head, as everyone yells Stefan's name in his direction. )

Or, we can ask him ourselves.

( He brings a hand to Stefan's arm, making skin-to-skin contact, trying to end this once and for all.

What's going on inside Stefan's mind? )

[somanyadjectives]

[Thank you, Rhett, for understanding Scarlett's intentions. Rhett can't quite get close enough to get skin-on-skin contact because of the barrier, but it's enough to channel is intent in between.

Stefan, on the other hand, is having a grand old time. The witch is smart enough to take advantage of somewhere where he feels safe, and while this place technically doesn't exist anymore, he's lounging in what used to be his room at the boarding house. Rhett is able to come to the door, and Stefan blinks at him in surprise.]

Rhett. What are you doing here?

[persistingly]

What am I doing here, what are you doing in here. The cavalry came, but all they've ( we've ) managed to do is to embarrass themselves in front of our malevolent kidnapper. ( He can hear her cackling outside and he nods with a sigh. ) We need to find a way to wake you up and free you from your blood transfusion gone wild. Have any ideas about that?

[somanyadjectives]

[Stefan blinks at him, and unfortunately he can't quite make sense of what Rhett's saying (10).]

Sorry, start over - I'm on a what?

[persistingly]

An IV was stuck in your arm, and you are spelled to electrocute anyone who goes near, including that girlfriend of yours.

( Will that not make him panic? )

Everyone's flinging around the word doppelganger. It doesn't take a clumsy cheerleader to see that this witch is trying to use you for something. Some oncoming war.

[somanyadjectives]

The Gauntlet.

[That drags him back to the present. He isn't in Mystic Falls, he's in Scotland, and he's in trouble. Big trouble, if "doppelganger" is the word of the day.]

A friend called when we were able to charge my phone. Apparently one of the covens is starting some kind of witch war called the Gauntlet.