Faith the Vampire Slayer:
The Master
10. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
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The lights were off, and the room was illuminated by the flickering glow of six tall, red candles. The candles formed a circle around the two girls. Between them, a pair of unlit white candles sat bound together by a red ribbon. Basil, cedar chips, lavender, hibiscus, and rose petals were smoldering in a shallow ceramic bowl off to one side.
"Are you sure this is okay?" Willow asked nervously, pulling her shirt off.
"Yeah," Amy replied, not looking at her disrobing friend. "It's just a variation on a confidence boosting spell. I use that all the time with no problems. This really isn't any more complicated."
"But aren't we, like, subverting their will, or something?" the redhead asked.
"What? No, the wording is very specific. Only people who could be attracted to you can be affected. And then it only makes them notice you more, or gives them the boost in confidence necessary to talk to you."
"I find it hard to believe anyone needs more confidence to talk to me," Willow snorted derisively.
"You'd be surprised," Amy smiled at her. "I needed it to approach you, Xander, and Jesse the first time I talked to you."
"Really?"
"Yeah, Willow. You're so smart and that can be super intimidating," the witch told her as she poured vanilla extract into the bowl. Using a bamboo-handled paintbrush, she mixed the ash into the oil. "This will tickle," Amy warned. The witch lightly brushed symbols onto her friend's skin – below her navel, on her solar plexus, and over her heart. Amy began chanting, "Diana, goddess of love and the hunt, I pray to thee." She lit the white candles and continued, "With this candle let its light illuminate the path of love. Let many heads turn her way. If there be a spark in thee for one as she let it now inflame your heart. Come hither, Willow's lover."
Willow sat in the center of the circle holding the bound candles. She chanted, "True love's face I have yet to see. I know not what your name may be. But soon your heart will beat for me. Come hither my love."
"With the light of the flame light your desire. Diana, bring about this love and bless it," Amy called. "So mote it be."
Energy swirled around the pair, and when Willow blew to the white candles the red ones went out as well. "So mote it be," Willow echoed in the darkness.
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Amy had insisted on picking out Willow's outfit. A white oxford shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows was teamed with a charcoal skirt that was just shy of knee length and sheer stockings. Amy allowed her friend to wear a sensible pair of flats that matched the skirt. The blouse threatened to show off the redhead's cleavage even with all of the buttons done up.
"Hey, Willow!" a boy called to her in the hall.
"Love that outfit," a cheerleader told her as a gaggle of them passed her in the hall.
"You smell nice," a guy from the chess club whispered to her as she got her books out of her locker.
Willow smiled and was about to head to her first class when Giles approached her. "Willow, I'm glad I caught you," the librarian smiled at her. He leaned casually against the locker next to hers. "I was wondering if you'd help with a research project after school today."
"Yeah, sure." the redhead smiled back. "Oh, but I can only stay until four. My dad's making lasagna tonight." She paused and then hurriedly explained, "He instituted a weekly family night, but it floats around due to scheduling conflicts. So he lets me know when it is by announcing what's for dinner."
Giles nodded at her. "You are adorable when you babble." He pushed off the locker and sauntered down the hall. Halfway to the library, the Watcher furrowed his brow. He shook his head as if to clear it and continued on his way.
Willow thought nothing of his odd comment as she walked to class. She was far more focused on the sheer number of people looking at her. The hacker wondered how much of it was the outfit and how much the spell. Her friends had already taken their seats when she arrived.
"Maybe I should go home and change," Willow said to Amy. Most of the boys in class were at least glancing at her. A few were outright staring. Wendell would glance at her then look away and blush.
"I could help you pick something out," Faith suggested. "I have a few tops that would fit you."
"Um, no. I meant something less revealing," the hacker clarified.
"No, don't do that. You look great, Red," the Slayer leaned closer to her. "And you smell like vanilla."
"Alright, settle down," Mr. Whitmore called to the students. "We're starting first aid today. Any student that brings in ten dollars and passes the test at the end of the unit will receive CPR certification."
As they carried on with the lesson, Willow pushed thoughts of clothing and spells to the back of her mind.
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Later, Willow found Giles leaning next to her locker during the passing period. "Is there something you need?" she asked him.
"Need? No. Want perhaps," he smirked at her.
"W, well what did you want?"
"You should dress like that more often," Giles said, and languidly pushed himself off the locker. "You look rather fetching," he told her as he strolled away.
Willow stared at him, confusion evident on her face. "What?" The hacker would have pondered the weirdness of Giles' compliment further but she was quickly distracted.
"Hey, Willow! Can I carry your books?" Owen Thurman approached her.
"Get lost, drama dweeb," a member of the football team grabbed him by his black sweater and pulled him back.
"You get lost," Sheila Martini stepped up, "You're not nerd girl's type, jock boy."
"And you think you are, dike?"
Sheila punched the guy across the jaw, "Screw you!" When the jock went down like a sack of potatoes Sheila and her friends began kicking him. Willow ran to the office. By the time security arrived the fight had broken up. Sheila got a three-day suspension, and the jock was sent home to lick his wounds.
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"I was terrified," Willow told her friends as they walked to third period. Faith rubbed her back soothingly with one hand. "Sheila is the baddest girl in school. She's smoked since the fifth grade. I was a lookout for her, once. And she dropped John Walker with one punch."
"Did that impress you?" the Slayer asked.
"Scared me, more like," Willow shook her head. "They swarmed him like a pack of wild animals."
"Hey, Willow," a lanky boy with short dark hair fell into step beside her.
Faith glared at the interloper.
"If you want class notes," Xander moved up and wrapped his arms around his girlfriend, "It'll cost you."
Willow gave him a sharp look.
"Not cash," he clarified. "A favor for a favor."
"I don't need Willows notes, Harris," the boy said. "I was, uh, just wondering if you were free this afternoon. You know, get like a coffee or something."
"I can't today," Willow informed him. "I'm helping Mr. Giles in the library until four, then I have to head home. But maybe Friday?"
"Okay, that'd be great!" All smiles, the boy parted ways to get to his next class.
"I don't know what you see in him," Faith huffed.
"Michael's a nice guy. Quiet, smart…" Willow listed off.
"A dork," another boy approached them.
Faith growled.
Xander gave her a concerned look, then asked, "Don't you have a vending machine to cuff yourself to, Billy?"
"I was protesting the lack of vegan options," Billy snarled. "I thought Willow might wanna join me for lunch."
"Oh, um, no thank you," Willow stammered. "I, uh, I'm eating with my friends today."
"What about tomorrow?" he persisted.
"Uh, we'll just have to wait and see," Willow veered into the girls' bathroom. It was not the safe haven she thought it to be, however. Cordelia Chase and her usual entourage were hogging all of the mirrors. Willow managed to find a small gap between Aura and Aphrodesia.
"Wow, Willow," Harmony said, "You don't look like a lawn gnome, today."
"Did mommy finally let you dress yourself?" Cordelia asked.
"I do dress myself!" Willow said indignantly. "Amy put this together for me."
"Then you should let her plan all your outfits," Gwen Ditchik, a bleach blond with a tendency to wear designer knockoffs and miniskirts, told her.
"Amber was going on and on about how cute your outfit is today," Aura said. "It's not really that rave-worthy, but I guess on you, it is a huge improvement."
Aphrodesia nodded, "You need to purge the Sesame Street chic from your wardrobe, girl."
Willow nodded mutely as the girls exited the bathroom like a line of models off to the runway.
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
Giles was staring at her from behind the checkout counter as the teens ate lunch in the library. Faith sat between her and Xander with Amy across from them. "I'm really uncomfortable with all the attention," Willow confessed. "Percy West hit on me in computer science."
Faith stole one of Willow's carrot sticks. "Isn't he on the basketball team?"
"Yeah; he normally doesn't know I exist," Willow replied, swatting Faith's hand as the Slayer tried to take a smoked cheddar pinwheel. Faith pouted at her. "You have your own lunch," Willow scolded.
"So," Faith returned. "You want to try some?" she offered Willow a bite of her vegetarian frittata.
The hacker accepted, "Mmm, what's in that? It's really good."
"Spinach, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, and sundried tomatoes," Giles said coming out of his office. "The real trick is the ratio of dairy to eggs: a half cup per dozen. Whole milk in this case, but I use sour cream for the Southwest style one Faith turned me on to."
"Oooh, yes, we should have you over for that sometime," Faith nodded. "Red onion, trio of bell peppers, jalapenos, and black beans, topped with avocado and Pico de Gallo."
"That does sound good," Willow agreed, "but I'm not a huge fan of jalapenos."
"Just jalapenos, or spicy food in general?" Giles asked as he pushed a stray lock of hair behind Willow's ear.
"Spicy food in general, I guess. I do like the occasional spicy tuna roll, but that's about it," Willow leaned away from him as she spoke, and thus closer to Faith.
Faith smiled, "I guess we could skip the jalapenos then. You wanna come over on Friday?"
"Uh, sure. I think I'm free then," the redhead pursed her lips in thought.
"Michael, coffee," Amy reminded her.
"Right," Willow smacked herself in the forehead, "How about Saturday? We could turn it into a study session."
"Sounds great, Red," the Slayer reached over and untucked the strand of hair from Willow's ear. She glanced up at Giles. "Don't you have books to shelve?"
The librarian huffed and wandered back to his office.
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Giles shook his head. Willow looked quite fetching in her new ensemble, but it had been highly inappropriate of him to comment. The librarian shook his head again. He needed to focus. Something was wrong. He just couldn't think straight to figure out what. Willow could help him after school let out.
Willow, in her oxford shirt and dark gray skirt, looked less like a student and more like a young teacher; or a secretary. Or, better yet, a young, naive research assistant. Giles smiled as he imagined how the afternoon would go if she were a little older. Well, she is mature for her age…
Giles shook his head. That was the problem. He couldn't focus because he kept thinking about Willow. This couldn't wait until after school; especially if he wasn't the only one affected. Giles closed his eyes. He valiantly pushed away any thoughts of Willow. He took a deep breath: dusty books, stale coffee, various herbs, a floral scent, and vanilla. Willow had smelled of vanilla today.
His second deep breath was filled with ginger, rosemary, nutmeg, sandalwood, and cedar. "Jenny."
"Right in one," the woman in question replied.
"I'm glad you're here," he told her. Giles turned abruptly and headed into the stacks. "I need you to start looking at spells that modify behavior, and, and influence thinking." He grabbed every book he thought would be useful to their search. Once his arms were loaded he retreated to the book cage and locked himself in. "Take these," Giles tossed the keys out to Jenny.
"You gonna tell me what's going on?" she asked as she picked the keys up off the floor.
"I'm in love with Willow."
"What?"
"I am well aware that that is deplorable. Also, I did not feel this way yesterday. I firmly believe that magic is involved. A person under a-a love spell is-is deadly. They lose all capacity for reason." Giles leaned his head against the cage. "Please help me, Jenny."
"Right," she tucked the keys into her pocket. "So, I'll run to my car and grab an herbal tea mix for you. It should help fight off any toxins, or attack on your aura. Then I'll start on a spell to reverse or break a love spell. Probably do a de-lusting spell while I'm at it."
Giles nodded his agreement and began his own research. "Thank you."
She returned ten minutes later with an armload of dry herbs in zip-lock bags. "You have candles, I hope."
"Yes, here," he indicated a box next to the one he was sitting on. "What color?"
"Three each: white, black and yellow. Do you have any raven or crow feathers?" she asked as she started hot water in the coffee pot.
"No, unfortunately; we could send Faith for them later. What are you doing?" he stared at her.
"Brewing tea," she raised her eyebrows at him.
"There is a teapot in my office. And a hot plate," he told her. "If you're going to make tea, make it right."
"Snobby," Jenny called him.
"About my tea, absolutely," Giles admitted. "What, what are you putting in it?"
"Basil, red clover, nettles, milk thistle, sage, yarrow, and peppermint leaves," the techno-Wiccan rattled off.
"You may want to add rosemary, ginkgo, and mugwort as well," the Watcher suggested. "For a clear mind."
"You're having trouble focusing?"
"Quite a lot actually," he agreed.
"I'll brew you two separate teas then: basil, peppermint leaves, rosemary, ginkgo and mugwort for focus; the rest for cleansing."
Nodding Giles set his book down. "I really appreciate you being so understanding about this."
"Hand me the candles," she said as she stepped over to the book cage. "I really like you, Rupert. I don't want a little black magic to come between us."
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
The four teens entered the library. After checking to be sure they were not followed Faith pushed the card catalogue in front of the door. "We have a problem," Willow said at the same time Xander asked, "Why is Giles locked in the cage?"
"Is your problem people being inappropriately attracted to Miss Rosenberg?" Jenny asked.
"Yes," Willow stalked over to the study table and slumped down into a chair. "It's horrible."
"That's why the cage," the computer teacher explained. "Any ideas on what caused this?"
"Yeah," Amy said reluctantly. "We, uh, I did a spell to get people to notice Willow more, so she could get a date."
"That was very foolish," Jenny told her.
"We need to reverse the spell," Faith chimed in sitting on the table next to Willow. "All these jerks keep macking on poor Red. I may end up actually having to beat them off with a stick. But our girl doesn't care for the violence." She ran her hand up and down Willow's arm.
"Uh, hey Faith, you, uh maybe wanna give Will some room there?" Xander asked.
"Nah, we're cool, Xan. Right Red," the Slayer moved Willow's chair so she could rub the other girl's shoulders.
"No you're not, Faith," Xander told her firmly crossing over to the pair. "You're affected by the spell."
"Hey, don't get jealous. You had your chance with her and you blew it. So back off," Faith gave Xander a little push and he stumbled back a few steps.
"Faith," Willow admonished her.
"It's okay, I won't hurt him," the Slayer reassured her. "Not if he backs off like a good boy."
"Hey," Xander stepped forward again. "I'm not looking to get into Willow's pants. I'm more of a protective brother. Now, get away from her, so we can fix this damned spell!"
Faith slid off the table. She closed the gap between her and Xander. The Slayer grabbed his thin white button-up and his light blue tee shirt. She lifted him off the ground. "Make me."
"Goddess Hecate, work thy will; before thee let the unclean thing crawl!" Energy swirled around Amy and she thrusts her arms out toward Faith. The power of the spell leaped from Amy's hands and enveloped the Slayer. Xander hit the ground. Everyone stared at the pile of Faith's clothes. "Catch her!" Amy shouted as a dark brown rat crawled out of her shirt.
"Oh, my God!" Giles gasped.
Willow got up. "Come here, Faith. If you do I'll get you a nice hunk of cheese."
Xander circled around the other side of the ratified Slayer. "Easy. Nice Slayer," he pulled his over shirt off. "Stay put. There's a good girl." He dropped the shirt over the top of her, "Gotcha!" He tried to scoop his girlfriend up but the thin shirt offered no protection from Slayer-rat bites. "Ow! Stop it!"
The rat squirmed free and ran behind a bookshelf.
"Willow, Xander, just try to keep her trapped there for now," Jenny instructed. "Amy, tell me the spell you used so we can reverse it."
Amy explained.
"No wonder it's gone to pot," Giles groaned, sipping his tea. "Diana is the goddess of chastity and the hunt, not love. And your phrasing was far too vague. 'A spark for one as she?' Basically, anyone that fancies girls."
"Giles," Jenny snapped. "Not helping."
"Sorry." He turned to one of the books, "Let's get started then."
Jenny lit the nine candles. "Diana, goddess of chastity, I beseech thee to depart." She placed seven herbs into a glass bowl. "Diana, goddess of the hunt, I beseech thee to depart." She lit the herbs. "Diana, goddess of the moon, I beseech thee to depart." Magic began to swirl around her.
"Diana, goddess of chastity, I beseech thee to depart," Amy intoned as she lit a bundle of sage from the herb mix. "Diana, goddess of the hunt, I beseech thee to depart." She moved over to where Willow was guarding one side of the bookcase the ratified Slayer was trapped behind. "Diana, goddess of the moon, I beseech thee to depart." She waved the bundle in a runic pattern over the other girl. "Let the flame of desire die down. Let the path of love be dim once more until love's own light brightens it. So mote it be."
The swirling energy rushed from the circle of candles, through Amy and into Willow. White sparks flew from her fingertips and the ends of her hair. Energy rushed in from the halls, from Giles in the book cage, and the Slayer-rat. While most of it was absorbed by the black candles some also entered the two girls.
Amy coughed and wiped her mouth with her sleeve. She placed the sage bundle in the glass bowl with the other herbs. Amy traded places with Willow at the end of the bookcase. "Goddess of creatures great and small, I conjure thee to withdraw. Hecate, I hereby license thee to depart." She tossed a fine glittery powder onto Faith.
As suddenly as she had been transformed the Slayer was returned. The bookcase toppled over. Willow squeaked and Jenny, scooping up Faith's clothes on the way by, wrapped the girl in a blanket.
"What was in that dust?" Giles asked as they all gave Faith some privacy to put her clothes back on.
"Just rock salt and quartz ground into a fine powder," Amy replied. "They both absorb negative energy."
"How long are you gonna stay in the cage?" Xander asked.
"Until Jenny, Ms. Calendar lets me out; I gave her the keys," the librarian responded.
"Smart man," Xander nodded his approval. Arms snaked around his waist and a warm body pressed against his back. Xander stiffened at the sudden contact.
"Oh, god, Xand, I'm so sorry," Faith murmured into his shoulder. "Can you ever forgive me?"
"It's not your fault. It was an accident," Xander put his hands over hers. "I don't even blame Amy and Willow. They were just trying to do something nice for Will."
"I tried to hurt you," the Slayer clarified.
"You were just trying to scare me," he reassured her.
"I would have done it," she insisted.
"You are not Artemia," Giles said as Jenny unlocked the cage. "The Slayer whose family was killed by Kakistos," he clarified. "Even under such a powerful spell, you took your friends preferences into consideration."
"Willow didn't like the violence," Faith nodded, her face still pressed into Xander's shoulder.
"I'm sorry. This is all my fault," Amy sobbed. "Willow didn't wanna do it. I talked her into it."
"Amy," Xander started.
"We will forgive you. You made a mistake. Willow made it with you. I don't know what your punishment will be, yet, but once it's done, if you really learned your lesson, we will forgive you," Giles patted the girl's shoulder awkwardly. "I'd like to teach the pair of you more about magic. Your self-education is impressive, but I think you would benefit from more formal training."
"I should have known the thing about Diana being a goddess of chastity," she sniffled.
Jenny hugged her, "It'll be okay. You and Willow need to do a cleansing ritual. I'll walk you through it."
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Willow had traded tops with Amy. She much preferred the purple striped long sleeve to the white button up. She leaned against a locker, her forehead pressed against the cool metal.
"Hey," a soft male voice said.
Willow gave a small whine before turning to face the boy, "Hey?"
He was not very tall, an inch above Willow's height. His medium brown hair was dyed a shade of red-orange Giles called ginger. "I can come back, if you're still using my locker." his voice held little emotion, but his eyes were warm and his smile genuine. "I gotta say though, I'm glad you changed your shirt. I like you better in colors."
Willow smiled brightly and slid to the side so he could access his locker. "Thanks. I don't think I've met you before. I'm Willow."
"My name's Daniel, but everyone calls me Oz."