Owner	Pose
Willow	Willow was a bit nervous. Unless you could talk to the dry part of her brain. But lately is with quiet. Too quiet in fact. After 'helping' Willow to take care of the Wendigo, the dry part of her brain had been quiet. Even a visit to Rack didn't bring her out. Maybe she was gone? Except Willow didn't think that that was the way it goes. Anyways, She had two full weeks where her thought were entirely her own. So why was she so nervous? "So you have been here before? Are you sure? It looks like an abandoned churchyard." Even the gravestones had been left to weeds and detritus. Unlike the other times when Sam and Buffy - even John - visited.
Buffy Summers	"Yeah, with Sam. Long time ago now." For the young, a few years was a long time. Especially as she'd still been a teenager at that point. WHat had it been? Six years? That was a quarter of her lived life experience! "She just seemed like a weird old lady. Was mad at someone for opening something. I admittedly didn't get it all. I left that to Sam cause y'know..." She tapped the side of her head. "Brains." Then a tilt of the head. "Though he has brawn too. Huh." Then she focused back. "Anyway!" She walked toward the entrance of the old delapidated building, her senses on high alert. While the old lady had seemed kooky, it didn't change that there was something odd about her. And the fact she knew so much about this whole ritual and book thing which Willow had gotten caught up in as well, then sent for Willow to come visit? Nothing about this felt right.
Willow	All around the churchyard the place was starting to go to pot. Even the tool shed was left open, the wind creaking it to and fro and to and fro.. "Why would she invite me here? Where am I supposed to go?" Willow wasn't pleased. "Maybe we should go?" For Willow to suggest that was a big red flag, Buffy might remember that she went into the basement using the back stairs. And they open up into a pocket dimension? Another place? Something better than an old abandoned church. That much was for certain. But did it still?
Buffy Summers	Buffy paused, glancing over at Willow then back toward the main entrance of the church. "Last time, we went to the basement. The stairs in the back." She motioned to the building but frowned, not taking another step yet. "It seemed like it went to a place that wasn't like the rest of it." Meaning it wasn't a falling down heap of a building surrounded by weeds. "We don't have to do this, Will. If you are getting any sort of vibes, we can just leave. Send her a nice post card from Hawaii or something. Not that we're going to go to Hawaii since Slayer and Hellmouth but I guess you could. Though as a redhead, I feel you would come back looking like a lobster." Leave it to Buffy to just sort of rattle off the running dialogue in her head. It happened sometimes when she was nervous.
Willow	Willow nods her head. "I mean, it could be a prank?" Fat chance. Who would invite Willow by chance, where the whole entire story about the magical book began? Of course, Willow giggles nervously at the joke. She spent her time at the beach under an umbrella! "Maybe we should go." In the shadows behind them, came a woman's voice. "Are you certain that you want to? After all, you have come so far." Slipping into view, a woman closes off the pathway back. Mind you, they could just walk across the overgrown weeds. "Ah, yes. Buffy is it not. Figures Willow has her bodyguard. No matter. Shall we take this meeting inside..?" Buffy will note she sounds younger? Just a bit. But the biggest change is the way she commands herself, and in turn, Willow and Buffy. The first time Buffy met her she was pleasant, and deferential. This time not so much.
Buffy Summers	Way the scare the hell out of people! The words did not come out of her mouth but Buffy had spun at the sound of the voice, having somehow missed the womans approach. Or maybe she just apparated in! That was a word she'd learned from watching Harry Potter. Which had absolutely nothing to do with this situation. "Good to see you again, Agnes. Seeing as I'd met you before, she felt more comfortable having me along since you can never trust Google Maps to get the fine details, y'know?" Quick back into the smart sassy version of herself that she put on for others. Or wait, no, she just was that person. But Buffy did remember something as she leaned over and very quietly said. "She's real insistent on people drinking the tea. I didn't. I think that's probably for the best." Then a bright smile and normal voice again. "How've you been? Had to reseal any broken seals lately?"
Willow	Oh! Agnes laughs. "I had forgotten what you were like." And then she stops to *really* look over Buffy. "You are different. And yet the same. Curious. Have you figured it out?" But it was Willow she wanted. "Well?" Agnes waits. "I don't know what you mean?" Willow scrunches up her nose. "So, that is how you intend on playing it. Very well. As your bodyguard has said, it does seem a bit declasse to stand out in the garden when tea could be had. Don't you agree?" She swings her attention to Buffy. "I'm just an old old lady who wants to be done with her questing. Surely you can't fault an old woman?"
Buffy Summers	"I'm what?" But already Agnes had moved on to focus on Willow. Which had Buffy tucking away that concern about being the same yet different for another time. All her instincts were there to protect her bestie. And it wasn't that Willow /needed/ protecting. After all, she could do things that Buffy could not. She was a powerful witch and served with the Justice League. She didn't need to be watched over. It wasn't any basis on skill it was just that this was her best friend. The person that meant the most in the world to her outside her own flesh and blood. Thus, she would go all mama bear if she needed to watch out for Willow. "I've known a few old women. Most of them were blood sucking monsters so I'm not sure that is the impression you are going for," Buffy mutters. Although she shrugs and looks to Willow, letting her choose if they follow the woman into her crypt. Er, church. Basement. Whatever.
Willow	"I am not a blood sucking monster." ?Agnes refuses to comment on the remainder. Turning to Willow she waits. Willow can't feel anything off per se. Though she knows that some of their enemies aren't really monsters. Though most of them are in the gray area between good and evil. Agnes doesn't have the same aura. At least not yet. "I suppose we could have a cup of tea?" Surely Agnes wouldn't invite them for something that is a mainstay of proper households, just to attack them. ..would she? "Thank goodness, My joints are beginning to ache. Come along. That means you too, Buffy. Wouldn't want to leave Willow alone with me." Agnes leads on, laughing under her breath. She has them where she wants them. To know what this is about, they would have to follow. And while Buffy may be eaten up by curiosity, Willow was. Despite her telling Buffy maybe they should go.
Buffy Summers	They were probably going to regret this. After all, she hadn't enjoyed the first time she visited Agnes. So she certainly wasn't going to enjoy it this time any more. Especially with her interest in Willow. As they followed behind the woman, she looked at Willow and went into a full pantomime, but only while Agnes wasn't looking. A motion like she was holding a teacup with her pinky out. Then a negative shake of the head and putting down the fake teacup very very carefully. There probably was nothing wrong with the tea but Buffy wasn't going to be chancing it. At the comment abuot not leaving Willow alone with Agnes, the response was "Duh." Because of course she was coming along. "You sent out the invite so it's your party. Obviously. What did you want to see Willow for exactly?"
Willow	"I'm not getting any younger," calls Agnes over her shoulder. She led down the back stairs. Which was unusual. They seemed to look like broken slabs, with detritus all over them. But stepping onto each stair, they were solid. And the detritus looked like it was there, but wasn't. Willow blinks, realizing she is looking at an illusion. Buffy? It would depend have many illusions she was witness to tofigure it out. Either way what the brain thinks it sees compared to what is actually present played with their minds for a bit. "Watch out for the door." Agnes wasn't kidding. The door was in a half light. Barely a door shape. Half boarded up. But when it was opened it opened onto a place that is not a broken down church basement. "You try living here as long as I have. This was a compromise. Tea?" Agnes wanders to the kitchen and prepares tea. Willow whispers, "I don't like this. How do we get out of here?"
Buffy Summers	The trip with Agnes was uneventful although Buffy did take a moment to get a full view of their surroundings. Then down the stairs although she was cautious until she realized they were sound, not falling apart. But why were the leaves not crunching under their feet? Were they not there? It was very confusing. She wasn't sure what exactly it was but certainly knew something was off. Unlike Willow, she wouldn't be able to pick up on the actual type of spell but she knew it was something along those lines. The interior was like she remembered at least. She sat with Willow as Agnes wandered off to the kitchen to get her cursed tea. She turned to Willow at that question. "We can just head back for the door if you want. Don't you want to find out what is going on before we do? What are you picking up on?" she asked, brow tightening.
Willow	Willow leans towards Buffy. "We are in the church basement. I don't think we can get out just as simply as going to the door, do you? I don't even know where this is." Of course, Willow hasn't tried to figure it out either. "What if she gets angry at us?" In truth, if Willow calmed down for a moment, she would be able to list off several solutions. If she calmed down. As it was, Agnes brings out a pot of tea, saucers, and what appear to be store bought chocolate chip cookies. Setting the tray down on the tiny living room table, she pours three teacups. One for each of them. "Now," said Agnes, "Where was I? Ah. The reason I brought you here. Would you need sugar?"
Buffy Summers	"Between you and I, we have this. You don't have to worry," she said to Willow. She obviously had more confidence than Willow. But hopefully her calm would help her friend to calm down and be less nervous. But then Agnes returned and the conversation was left behind as they focused on the now. She eyed the cup of tea and shook her head. "I'm good. But thanks." Because she as not drinking that stuff! "You asked Willow to come visit. What did you need?"
Willow	"Cookies?" Agnes handed the plate around, and then settled down to business. "It has come to my knowledge that, you, Willow, are in possession of the ritual items. Correct?" Willow blinks. She hadn't met Agnes before. "What do you mean? I haven't--" "Please. Don't treat me as though I'm stupid. Your friend told me himself about the one. The rest were easily followed back to you. As I have said, keeping them safe, in one spot, was necessary. You have wonderful wards. Why should I have worried when you were quite capable till now." She shrugs lightly to Buffy. "I have been the last of my Society. For quite some time the pieces were scattered across the globe. But sooner, or later, I always knew the magics that drew them to each other would find them in one place. It's been longer than I expected." Agnes sits comfortably in her seat. "Now it is time to keep them under one roof again."
Buffy Summers	That had her brow furrowing a little bit. Buffy looked at Willow then back to Agnes. "Not quite sure what you are meaning about ritual items and one roof. " THe fact she mentioned the strength of wards presumably set by Willow had the hairs on Buffy's neck standing up. For her to know they were strong meant she had checked them out. But why? "Did you have something you wanted to give to Willow to ward?" Because that seemed a potential question they needed to get to the bottom of. The other option was Agnes wanted the things under her roof. This was something that she did not trust at all and never would. She eyed the cookies with the same level of suspicion as the tea.
Willow	"My dear, dear girl." Agnes chuckles, and sips her tea, before responding to Buffy. "Do you really think I would be the Keeper of the Crypt and not know anything? Tsk-tsk. I had thought better of you. Every one of those items has been in my possession over the hundreds of years that I was bound to keep them safe. What makes you believe that I wouldn't check on your friends? For all I knew, you could have been ensorcelled by the book." So far Agnes seems to be telling the truth, or at least enough of the truth to not be an enemy. Still.. "So, I have the ritual items. I have had them for years. Nobody knew that." Willow looked over her memories, and unless Sam, or John, blabbed.. Well, that didn't sound like John. But Sam? And he would have been easy to scry along the way. Who would believe that Sam was a spy? "Why do you need them now?" Having the ritual items for so many years, Willow had began to 'bond' with them. Something that Agnes pointed out, "The longer you have them, to easier it will be for the book to seduce you." She looks to Buffy, waiting for her to agree. It all makes sense.. doesn't it?
Buffy Summers	"Well the book is thankfully not in the picture and Willow is the strongest person that I know," Buffy pointed out. Truth. Complete honesty. She had seen Willow face so much and come through the other side. Her friend, who had once been a shy girl in school she met on her first school day in Sunnydale, had turned into a formidable woman who searved with the fudging Justice League now! She'd literally opened portals to other planets. "And you just said yourself, you had the items periodically over hundreds of years. So sounds to me like you would be more inclined to have been influenced. If Willow's only had them a handful of years. Do you have any of them still? Because if so, maybe Willow should protect those as well. Give you a break from them for a while then swap off maybe?" She looked between the two women.
Willow	Agnes regards Buffy. "Do you want the history again? No. The items weren't kept with us once our father was taken over by the book. To protect it we, I, sent them away in such a way that nobody knew where they were sent to. Each packet contained a piece of the items, or one fifth of the book. With extra packages to make certain no one knew where. Each package was passed along, and passed along without telling where they were going." Agnes places her tea cup down. "So no, it was safest at the time to not know where the pieces were. I had the honour.." The way she says that, makes Buffy and Willow not think it WAS an honour. "..of keeping an eye on the priest." The undead priest. "Of course, your friends managed to let him go."
Buffy Summers	At least Buffy has the grace to look embarassed. "I didn't do it," she said quickly but not for Agnes, the statement was aimed over at Willow. "It was the boys." The Boys meant the Winchesters. But she had learned from Willow and Harry names had power so she thought it better not to say their names in front of Agnes. Even if she already knew Sam's. "But that's all water under the bridge now," Buffy said focusing back on Agnes. "So you sent out the packages. The book is still in the wind though, all the parts. Right?" Wait, didn't they have a book from something Faith had resolved? It wasn't the same book right? She wasn't going to ask that. Not in front of Agnes.
Willow	Agnes sighs. "It was the one who calls himself Sam. And a woman. Her name, I believe, was May. Agent May. They said it was a mistake, but there were clues that they.. she.. missed. He's gone. I have no way to find him until he attacks someone. With the years gone by I have heard nothing. I do know he wants the book himself." "So you see, eventually the ritual items were always going to come back to me. At least I know what to do to entrap him again." Agnes turns to Willow. "Which brings me back to you. After I figured out that Sam could be spied upon, I made certain you had them away from danger. Times are changing. They aren't safe anymore, and neither are you if you keep them in your possession." Willow frowns. Although she hasn't touched the ritual items since she brought them home, the thought of giving them away felt wrong. Even if Agnes /was/ the rightful owner. "I don't know? They seem pretty protected to me. Couldn't I keep them until there is a real reason to move them?" Inside Willow's brain there was a stirring. ~You do know why she wants them, don't you? She wants the book. Don't you want the book?~
Buffy Summers	"Yeah, what she said," Buffy added to be ever so helpful to her bestie. "Because now you aren't really making us think you don't want the ritual items for other reasons. Considering you've been checking out Willow's wards." She paused, brow crinkling a little. "That sound wrong to anyone or was it just me?" But she continued rather than waiting for an answer. "I"m sure they are fine where they are. Plus they have the added protection of me being around to deal with anyone or anything trying to get them too."
Willow	A flash of anger crossed Agnes's features. "You think so, do you?" She speaks to Buffy. "Have you not noticed your ..friend.. being different? All she would need would be the book, and then all is lost." Of course, Agnes doesn't mention she wants the book for the exact same thing that she is accusing Willow of. She might have been a lawful keeper at one time, but that was before the book was pieced together and was seeking out someone to control and open the door to hell. The big door. The one that both sides did not want open. ..At least not yet. "Ask. Her."
Buffy Summers	Like gave like. Buffy frowned slightly as she glanced to Willow then back to Agnes. "She's fine. You don't think I know my best friend? Everything has been going great for her of late and it's shows." But then she thought back to a couple of moments. An angry word here, a curse word there. Things that she had just equated to some sort of issue that day which had maybe ticked Willow off. Her friend did have a temper but it took a long time to upset her. Buffy had just slated it to things adding up to that point. "The only reason she would want the book is the same reason we're all talking about. To protect it. Or find a way to destroy it permanently which doesn't seem possible so far. I mean I appreciate the whole ripping it up to be able to stop someone at the time but you really should've been researching how to get rid of it forever during all the years in between," she added. "But I'll humor you just to prove you wrong." And with that, she looked at Willow and gave her friend a small smile. Cause she already knew the answer. "You just want the book for the same reason we all want it, right? To protect it and/or destroy it."
Willow	Willow stood there, with wide open eyes. Blinking. "I.. What do you mean? Why else would I want it for? Besides, without the book, they are just things. Aren't they?" The dry part of Willow's mind was getting angry. This was going nowhere. "You have noticed it. You can't turn your back on it forever." Agnes brushes her gaze on Willow, with a quiet laugh, and turns back to Buffy. "If you don't do it now, it will be too late. We learned that once before with our pastor, before he was fully taken. Oh he tried to pretend he was the same. And yet, by the time we recognized the warning signs it was too late." "I know you," Agnes squints her eyes down on Willow. "Better than you know yourself. But you don't know where the book is, do you?" Something in the way Agnes says that, she knows where the book is. All she needs is the ritual items. She laughs. That is where Willow faded into oblivion, and something began to change.
Buffy Summers	This was getting old. Tempers were beginning to rise. Willow had answered the question in a satisfactory manner and she was not the threat here. Agnes was trying to turn them against each other and that just wasn't going to happen. "But you do?" She too had caught that emphasis from the words Agnes said. "Yet you just want the ritual items for safe keeping? How stupid do you think we are?" Then thought better of it cause this was Agnes. "Don't answer that, it was rhetorical." And with that she turned toward Willow. "Let's get out of here. Now."
Willow	Willow.. or should I say, Dark Willow held her ground. "I'm tired of trying to cajole this pathetic being over to my side. So I think I'm done now." Dark Willow spits out the word 'pathetic'. "?You though, you have a secret. Don't you? ?What is it? Hrm.. let me think." In the time that Buffy tried to coax Willow to leave, Dark Willow had changed Willow hair to deeper than darkest black, with a witch's forelock a quarter of an inch wide. But it is her eyes that have changed the most: black upon black with no visible pupil. Agnes snorted. "As if I would tell you." She looks at Buffy, as if to say, 'I told you so'. "What could you need Willow for.. " Dark Willow chuckles. "Oh, that's brilliant. You can't go past Willow's wards. And you need the ritual items.. oh.. I see.. And where else can you not go. Clever. I bet they have no clue what they have in their possession." By this time Buffy should be adding up all the clues, and may just realise that she knows where the book is too. Unfortunately? So does Dark Willow.
Buffy Summers	Pathetic being? What the heck was that out of Willow's mouth? And her entire tone had changed. Here Buffy was watching Agnes suspiciously and she missed the cosmetic changes until the moment she turned to look over to see where this had come from. Only to see a dark haired Willow with the eyes of a demon, in essence. At least that was how some that she had fought with Dean and Sam looked in the past. Yet she didn't think Willow was possessed. So what was this?! "Will?" She was bothered at how small her voice sounded as she tried to process what was going on. Was Agnes right? The look from Agnes almost got the old woman punched in the face but right now Buffy needed to focus on Willow. Have in their possession? They had the ritual items. Which she knew from Willow. They didn't have the book. They had A book that was used by some vampires or something recently that Faith and company had settled down. But it wasn't.... She was an idiot. It was THE book. "Willow, I have no idea what's going on but we can deal with this. Together. Okay?"
Willow	Dark Willow played the teeniest, tiniest violin between her fingers. "Oh, poor, poor, dear friend Buffy. You aren't needed anymore. Can't you tell? I tried it the other way. Willow was stubborn - I will give her that. Even when she tried that Rack. Oh, she was tempted. He took too long. I even tried to be helpful when the Wendigo was killed. And she still wouldn't allow me to take up residence." "But this? Oh, I should thank you Agnes, really I should. Except you wanted the book for the same reason I have decided to take for my own. You were only halfway right. I wouldn't have thought about the book if you hadn't asked for the ritual items." "I do think it would be better in my hands than in yours. Don't you agree?" Agnes was beginning to draw power to herself. "Stop her!" She demands of Buffy. "And what? So that you can take the book? I think not." Dark Willow crooks her finger in a nonchalant way and tosses Agnes aside. "I think I should be going now. Unless you want to join Agnes." Agnes who was tossed in a corner, unconscious.
Buffy Summers	And therein lies the problem. Buffy's purpose was to protect the world from monsters. Right now, it seemed like there might be a monster controlling her best friend. She'd mentioned being in Willow, like Willow was a separate person. So that was what she was working on as her theory for the situation at hand. She needed someone to look into this. Which presented a new problem because Willow and Giles were her go-to for research. So, who did she go to when she had neither of them? "Willow. I can't let you take the book. Just leave it be while we figure this out. You...aren't yourself." That's an understatement and a half. "I don't want to do this. But I will if I have to." And she remained where she was standing, prepared to take on her best friend but hoping it didn't come to that.
Willow	"Poor dear Buffy. You can't stop me. Besides, are you absolutely sure that Willow isn't in here?" Dark Willow taps a long finger at her forehead. "Are you sure?" As Buffy tries to move to keep Dark Willow from getting away, she finds she is rooted to the floor. "I will only do that once, and once only for your long acquaintance. After that? All things are on the table. Don't worry, I know my way out." And with a snap of her fingers, she is gone. Buffy is released. And Agnes? She's still passed out. It may be a good thing to get out of there before she wakes up. She most definitely will be angry to say the least. One thing is for certain: Dark Willow will have everything she needs to open the door to hell..