"Your really into this detective gig aren't you/" Buffy hopped up onto a crate and watched as Willow placed talismans around the corner of the alley where the girl hjad been murdered.
"Not much choice." Willow studied the placing of one of the talisman, and pushed it ever so slightly to her left. I have to make this pay somehow, and Warren has maxed my cards out, and it's not like he can help pay for them. Being all skinless, dead and gross."
"So kick his sorry ass out." Buffy glanced warily up the alley, looking for any movement. "You had a bad spell, we all do. You shouldn't have to pay for the rest of your life."
Willow laughed bitterly. "And let them get me some other way? Besides, Xander said the PTB really want this to happen. The agency I mean."
"So let them get somebody else to run it" Buffy shrugged. "Just because they want it doesn't mean you have to do it. Xander's always harping about free will. You got it you use it."
"I got free will in this life," Willow said glumly. "Maybe not so much in the next. I walk away and I add to that big ball of karma coming my way. Face it, I went off the deep end. Tried to end the world, remember. So I get to be lucky girl. Now be quiet. I'm ready to give this a try."
Buffy shut her mouth and watched as Willow moved towards one of the points of the circle marked by the talisman. Willow mentally ran threw the spell and began.
It didn't take long for the translucent figure of a smoking girl formed at the corner. She was watching the streets and didn't see the figure coming up behind her. A figure of a man, equally as translucent as the girl. His left hand clamped over the girls jaw, pulling her head back against his body as the right hand circled around front.
"freeze," commanded Willow. She glanced at Buffy. "I didn't really want to see the next part anyway."
"Just what exactly is you are doing." Buffy glanced wryly at the figures, now frozen as they were when Willow gave the command. "I didn't know you could do this."
"I didn't either, that is not until Warren did some research and decided that each action leaves a sort of shadow of itself." Willow fished around in her bag and pulled out a pen and notebook. Green for Tuesday. "Usually these shadows fade away really fast, but if they represent a really intense action, emotionally I guess, they take longer. So I figured out a spell to enhance these shadows so we can see them."
"Sort of an instant replay."
"Uh yeah, sort of." Willow flipped open the book and started making notes. "Black hat, cloak, gloves, white scarf. Definitely male, average height, right handed. See how he's got the knife in his right hand. Looks like he's had some experience at this."
"Victorianish" Buffy hopped off the crate and moved in for a closer look.
"Huh?" Willow looked like her.
"Victorian. You know black top hat, black cloak." Buffy took another look. "You know, like those pictures we had in school texts. Too bad you can't really see what he looks like."
Willow waved a hand and the figures faded into non-existence. "Too far gone I guess. Beside we got all we can get."
"So all we need to do is find a murderer that likes to play dress up. Should stand out in the crowd."
"You'd think." Willow returned the book to her bag. "Wanna walk me home," she asked. "So I can report to Warren and he can get his, uh, gray matter working on this."
"Sure," Buffy picked up her bag and slung it over the shoulder. "We'll be passing the Expresso Pump on the way. We could stop in."
"Not much choice." Willow studied the placing of one of the talisman, and pushed it ever so slightly to her left. I have to make this pay somehow, and Warren has maxed my cards out, and it's not like he can help pay for them. Being all skinless, dead and gross."
"So kick his sorry ass out." Buffy glanced warily up the alley, looking for any movement. "You had a bad spell, we all do. You shouldn't have to pay for the rest of your life."
Willow laughed bitterly. "And let them get me some other way? Besides, Xander said the PTB really want this to happen. The agency I mean."
"So let them get somebody else to run it" Buffy shrugged. "Just because they want it doesn't mean you have to do it. Xander's always harping about free will. You got it you use it."
"I got free will in this life," Willow said glumly. "Maybe not so much in the next. I walk away and I add to that big ball of karma coming my way. Face it, I went off the deep end. Tried to end the world, remember. So I get to be lucky girl. Now be quiet. I'm ready to give this a try."
Buffy shut her mouth and watched as Willow moved towards one of the points of the circle marked by the talisman. Willow mentally ran threw the spell and began.
It didn't take long for the translucent figure of a smoking girl formed at the corner. She was watching the streets and didn't see the figure coming up behind her. A figure of a man, equally as translucent as the girl. His left hand clamped over the girls jaw, pulling her head back against his body as the right hand circled around front.
"freeze," commanded Willow. She glanced at Buffy. "I didn't really want to see the next part anyway."
"Just what exactly is you are doing." Buffy glanced wryly at the figures, now frozen as they were when Willow gave the command. "I didn't know you could do this."
"I didn't either, that is not until Warren did some research and decided that each action leaves a sort of shadow of itself." Willow fished around in her bag and pulled out a pen and notebook. Green for Tuesday. "Usually these shadows fade away really fast, but if they represent a really intense action, emotionally I guess, they take longer. So I figured out a spell to enhance these shadows so we can see them."
"Sort of an instant replay."
"Uh yeah, sort of." Willow flipped open the book and started making notes. "Black hat, cloak, gloves, white scarf. Definitely male, average height, right handed. See how he's got the knife in his right hand. Looks like he's had some experience at this."
"Victorianish" Buffy hopped off the crate and moved in for a closer look.
"Huh?" Willow looked like her.
"Victorian. You know black top hat, black cloak." Buffy took another look. "You know, like those pictures we had in school texts. Too bad you can't really see what he looks like."
Willow waved a hand and the figures faded into non-existence. "Too far gone I guess. Beside we got all we can get."
"So all we need to do is find a murderer that likes to play dress up. Should stand out in the crowd."
"You'd think." Willow returned the book to her bag. "Wanna walk me home," she asked. "So I can report to Warren and he can get his, uh, gray matter working on this."
"Sure," Buffy picked up her bag and slung it over the shoulder. "We'll be passing the Expresso Pump on the way. We could stop in."