mystic falls | you're an island and my ship has run aground

[chalky]

Willow changes her grip on the steering wheel. She can feel the energy. Big mojo has gone down. And it isn't the first time. What she knows is that months back, before the summer even started something happened. The balance was upset. Something that happened shouldn't have happened and ever since, the spirits have been restless. Her network of witches kept her informed. It's hard not to monitor something like that when she can feel the shifts in energy in her bones.

Everything connects.

Outside of the crackle of energy, Willow is trying very hard not to ask Buffy about what might not even be a relationship. Slayers talk. The big hoop-la lately is whether or not Buffy and Riley are really Buffy and Riley. They might just be Buffy - and - Riley. Separate entities brought back into each other's orbits. Should Buffy want to talk about it, Willow is there.

"Welcome to Mystic Falls," Willow says, reading the sign they pass. "The sign is friendly," she says, glancing to Buffy. It doesn't give away anything. To the outside world, Mystic Falls is a small town in Virginia with a passionate historical society. Their website rivals other small towns. But, there's an underbelly. A big, honkin underbelly of vampire activity. There's a powerful witch somewhere in this town and she did something big.

"The town is big on celebrations. Very into its history. They have founding families and everything." Sunnydale had never been this into itself. No, Sunnydale did not have school or town spirit.

She glances over at Buffy again as they drive into what looks like the town square.

"Where to?" She slows down, taking note of the restaurant, the bench, the small shops. It's a very quaint small town. Truth be told, she doesn't exactly know where to start. She knows that the sun won't set for hours so they should be good on vampires. She pulls up to the curb so they can get their bearings. Putting the car into park, she gives their surroundings another look.

Comments

[chalky]

Willow takes hers in hand, sipping it. Sorry, Buffy, this is business. Business doesn't toast beforehand. She listens close. Willow frowns, wondering how common Anna's "common" means.

"Vampire-palooza?" The second word surprises her. "Hybrids? Hybrid whats?"

[hitchhiking]

"Vampire-palooza," she confirms. "And they're vampire-werewolf hybrids. Really hard to kill. You either have to take off their head, or I've seen some bodies with their hearts removed."

[chalky]

At this, she'll widen her eyes and look over to Buffy. Because, they weren't prepared with super-human vampire-werewolves. All Willow can think is what Xander would say. Someone slept with the wrong someone... Or, a line of someones. Except, vampires and babies.

"So... that means, werewolves. Were turned into vampires? Is... that possible?" Give her a second while she talks to herself. "Obviously, it's possible. They're here..."

[hitchhiking]

She shakes her head. "I don't know the specifics. And I don't know who to shake down for them. All I know is that they were tied to this guy, Klaus Mikaelson -- and he and his family are just gone."

[chalky]

"Poof gone or left, gone?" she takes another sip. Kudos, Anna, you are a mixologist Willow appreciates.

[hitchhiking]

"Left gone. Something happened a few days ago, and they left town like a bat out of hell. The only ones left are the mother, Esther, and the oldest son, Finn."

[chalky]

"Something that may have had to do with the surge of magical energy?" She glances at Buffy again. "Has anyone turned up dead?"

[hitchhiking]

Anna sucks in a breath, thinking for a moment before shaking her head. "Not by vampires. There's been these ... weird murders. I think someone was just arrested for them."

[chalky]

"A-ha!" A little louder then she'd wanted. But, she leans in again. "Magic that powerful, energy that... crazy, it doesn't come without consequences. It could be ritualistic."

[hitchhiking]

She frowns for a moment, before shaking her head. "I don't think so. One guy was stabbed with a stake like he was a vampire. The other was stabbed with an actual knife. The MO's were different, there was no sign of magic ... whatever."

[chalky]

"... Coincidence?" she asks, frowning. She thought she was on a roll. "So, something big went down - and this family up and left town. And now there's a killer on the loose. Talk about a fun puzzle. Buffy, what do you think?"

[kiss_evilgoodbye]

"I think that just because it doesn't look like a vampire doesn't mean it's not vampire adjacent." Nothing in Buffy's live ever isn't. "I'll check it out. Who's the medical examiner?"

" ... One of the victims? But there's another doctor filling in. Meredith Fell?"

"I'll track her down, make with the friendly. Maybe we can find out something we don't already know."

[chalky]

"Especially, since this is vampire town," Willow chimes in. Willow makes mental notes of everything.

"But, could the Mikaelsons have been a family of vampires? Have we seen that before?" And were they more Anne Rice, Louis-Lestat or... literal family? Because in history, most vampires killed their families. "You track her down and I'll track down where the spell took place. The residual energy is still potent. I can feel it now."

Oh, an their food is arriving. Delicious!

[kiss_evilgoodbye]

"Sounds like a plan. Or at least the start of one. Once we know more, we'll be able to figure out how to handle it."

[chalky]

"But, we agree that something is hinky in the state of Denmark," Willow makes sure to say. She should've ordered dressing on the side, but, too late now. She's just hungry at this point.

[kiss_evilgoodbye]

"Definitely hinky. Definitely worth looking into."

[chalky]

"Then a plan we have," she says, smiling, before digging in.