Actions

Work Header

As the World Falls Down

Chapter 69: Chapter 69

Chapter Text

“Is this the place?” Buffy asked, staring dubiously up at an abandoned empty storefront. She looked down at the address that Methos had given them, then back up again. The address matched. “It looks…kinda deserted.”

            “It’s a glamour,” Willow smiled. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a necklace with a small green stone in the middle. She murmured a soft incantation in Latin and it began to glow. She looked back at Buffy, raised a hand and swept it across Buffy’s eyes. “See?”

            Buffy looked back at the storefront and was surprised to see it was now a bright, bustling business with the name of it written on the front in Italian. Methos had told them it translated to ‘Sofia’s Magick Emporium’.

            “What did you…?”

            “Little revealing spell,” Willow replied. “To counter the glamour. Methos wasn’t kidding when he said this place deals in some pretty heavy magicks. You’d have to with a spell like that guarding the place. He gave me the necklace and told me about the spell. They obviously don’t want newbies or tourists buying dangerous magick items and conjuring who knows what. Smart.”

            “And very Hogwarts,” Buffy added, bristling ever so slightly at the idea of being thought of as a tourist or a newbie. “Shall we go in?”

            “Yeah, but…Buffy? Might wanna let me do the talking,” Willow cautioned apologetically. “With protection like this, I get the impression that whoever runs this place might not want to deal with anyone who isn’t…experienced with magick. I’ve been to places like this before. One wrong word and either we will never find this place again or worse…”

            “Worse?” Buffy raised her eyebrow.

            “The owner could turn us into something icky.”  

            Willow was right. Buffy knew that, and her comment about having been places like this before reminded her of Rack the magick dealer. She shivered as she remembered the night that Willow had taken Dawn there. She’d taken on so much dark magick that Dawn had almost gotten hurt. And Buffy had been so wrapped up in her own depression and self-loathing that she’d missed what Willow had been going through. If Willow said this place was dangerous and to let her do the talking, Buffy knew she had to believe her. Especially after all that had happened where Magick was concerned.

“Let you do the talking,” Buffy said with a nod. “Check. I’m silent girl.”

            “Good” Willow said, slightly relieved as the two of them entered the shop.

            Inside the shop was nothing like Buffy had expected. It was bright and clean and aside from the various ingredients and body parts lining the shelves, it looked like your ordinary boutique. A woman greeted Willow in Italian and Buffy felt the familiar buzz that always signaled the presence of another immortal. Whoever this woman was, she was one of them and from the look on her face, she thought Buffy was as well. Willow replied, her own Italian halting and broken.

            It must have been passable enough, because after Willow spoke, the woman looked at both of them and smiled. She was a thin woman who appeared to be in her mid-forties – though Buffy knew that with immortals looks could be deceiving. She had bright blue hair and an atmosphere that spoke of power. She identified herself as Sofia, the owner of the store, and though her tone was friendly, her eyes remained slightly guarded and wary.

            “You’re Americans?” She said with a curious tilt of her head. “How on Earth did you find this place?”

            “A friend sent us here,” Willow replied, opening her hand to reveal the necklace she’d used to uncover the glamour. “He said to show you this and to tell you that we need your help.”

            Buffy looked at the necklace curiously. She’d never seen it before, but it looked ancient. Certainly he’d never mentioned it to her. Clearly it had some strong mystical significance and one that only Willow and other practitioners of magick would understand. The message must have been received by Sofia, as her entire body language changed in an instant from slightly cautious to warm and welcoming.

            “You’re friends of Methos?” Sofia asked, a newfound respect in her tone. “Any friend of his is a friend of mine. What can I help you with?”

            Willow pulled out her list of ingredients and handed it to Sofia. “We need all of the items on this list if you have them.”

            Sofia perused the list, her expression darkening as she did so. She frowned and looked back up at the two women standing before her. Buffy didn’t blame her. She knew what this must look like – two young American girls in their early twenties – one who felt like an immortal – looking to purchase dangerous magicks. Given the cautious nature of the woman in front of her, she didn’t blame her for being a bit unsure of things.

            “You do know what this spell will do, do you not?” She shot a meaningful look at Willow, but Willow met her gaze with full confidence and nodded.

            “I do,” she said, “but we don’t have a choice.”

            “If Methos sent you here, I believe you,” she said with a sigh. Buffy made a mental note to ask him later how he knew Sofia as there was clearly a history there – one that might date back to the Bronze Age for all she knew.

            Sofia appeared to contemplate their request for another moment or so before coming to a decision.

            “I’ll get your ingredients for you. They won’t be cheap.”

            “We can pay,” Willow interrupted. Buffy wondered if Methos had given her money as well as the necklace.

            “I know it’s none of my business,” Sofia hedged, “but…there’s something coming isn’t there? Something dark? I’ve seen signs the last few months…portents and now the two of your come into my shop. Something is happening.”

            “I’m not what you think I am,” Buffy said, speaking up for the first time. Willow shot her a look, but she couldn’t know that Sofia had sensed her. “I’m not an immortal. I’m the slayer.”

            “Indeed?” Sofia looked at her with increased interest. “A vampire slayer that feels like an immortal. How is that possible?”

            “It’s a very long story and one I am willing to trade over a pint of gelato and some background gossip on Methos, but right now we don’t have time. You’re right that something is coming. Does the First Evil ring any sort of bell for you?”

            “Not a bell,” Sofia said, her eyes widening with fear. “An alarm.”

            “So you know of the First?” Willow asked. Sofia slowly nodded. “Then you know how serious this is. It’s trying to manifest itself and it’s using a slayer to do it. We are trying to prevent it from happening but if it manages to get what it wants it will be unstoppable. This spell…it’s our back-up plan.”

            “You intend to take the power into yourself?” Sofia asked, looking at Willow with renewed interest.

            “I’m a Witch,” Willow replied. “A very powerful one.”

            “Yes,” Sofia agreed with a nod, “you are. I can feel your power. It’s like an energy field that surrounds you. Methos has chosen his allies well. But then, that’s nothing new.”

            “We’re really gonna have to sit down when this is all over,” Buffy murmured to herself.

            “We will,” Sofia promised, “but right now time is of the essence. Feel free to browse the shop while I get the ingredients you need. And if you need help from the Wiccan community here, I can make some calls and have my coven here within minutes.”

            “Thank you,” Willow said, surprise and gratefulness evident in her tone.

            Buffy and Willow watching in silent admiration as Sofia got to work bustling here and there as she found the items on the list.

            “She’s amazing,” Willow murmured more to herself than anyone else. She looked at Buffy. “I wonder how Methos knows her.”

            “Beats me,” Buffy said, “you’re the one he gave the magic necklace to. He tell you where that came from by the way?”

            “Not even a little bit,” Willow said with a smile. “You sure do like ‘em tall dark and mysterious don’t you?”  

            “What’s that supposed to mean?” Buffy asked, unable to keep the blush from her cheeks.

            “Oh come on,” Willow said with a laugh. “I may be dating women now, but I can still spot two people making lusty bedroom eyes at each other. How’d it happen? When did it happen? I want all the details!”

            “And I’ll give them to you,” Buffy promised. “But maybe after this is over when we have some time?”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Willow said with a smile. “I’ve been worried about you. When we parted ways before, you were…broken. I think we all were, but you…”

“It’s been a tough,” Buffy agreed. “Losing Spike was hard. He died saving us…saving the world. I wasn’t sure how to process that at first and I kept Methos at a distance. It’s easier now.”

            “That makes sense,” Willow said with a nod, “coming back to life must have helped a lot.”

            “What do you mean?” Buffy asked, not sure she had heard her friend correctly. She couldn’t have meant what Buffy thought she did, could she? And yet the dawning look of realization on Willow’s face told her that she’d meant every word of it. Cold shock settled over her as Willow spoke her next sentence.

            “Spike…he’s alive, Buffy.” Willow said quietly. “Did no one tell you?”