Willow stared ahead at the road, her face a mask of concern. This
was all very BAD!
The day had started with (a) visit cousin in prison, moved quickly to (b) break cousin out of prison, (c) steal car (THIEF!) and (d) follow said cousin to unknown destination, presumably to hook up with his fellow mutants. And while she liked her cousin, she was pretty clear on the fact he wasn't up to Scooby standards of right and wrong.
If the military and police caught up with them, Willow was fairly certain he wouldn't follow the killing humans = WRONG philosophy. That would be a mess unto itself.
She stole a glance at her companion. He was gripping the steering wheel tightly, having remained silent ever since they had been clear of the prison.
At least he was severely wigged, too. She felt better.
Wait - exactly why was she in this situation in the first place? It was not like she had planned to help Erik escape, it had just sort of happened. Willow was very grateful she was a witch. Because whatever she had just escaped, it could not have been good.
"What do you think all that back there was about?"
Magneto jerked, surprised by the voice breaking the silence.
"I could ask the same question myself, young lady."
"If it's about the spells and stuff, that can wait. What I want to know, was why the HELL did they try to gas me?" Willow paused, calming slightly, "I mean, gas us."
"I believe that little incident is because, no matter how distant, you are a relation of mine. As such, the opportunity to..examine..you would be difficult for men such as them to pass up." Magneto cocked his head thoughtfully for a moment. "It appears that you would have indeed made an interesting subject, based on what I saw. What kind of mutant traits do you possess, Willow?"
Wait a second. Mutant? Willow was not against mutants or anything (driving in a car with one now, thank you) but she was 100% positive her powers came from training in the magic arts, not a genetic quirk of fate. Magical quirk of fate maybe, but not genetic.
"I'm not a mutant. I'm a witch. Y'know, with the practicing of magic and learning obscure Latin phrases and being a Sister to the Dark Ones. Not like the evil dark ones, more like the power of the night. Or moon. Or something. So, yeah, I'm a witch. A wicca witch." Willow smiled a little at the pun.
"It is not uncommon for new mutants to perceive their powers as being magical in nature."
"Hey! I cast my first spell when I was seventeen - "
"An age when many mutants are beginning to use their powers - "
" - and that spell was written long before people had even knew about genetics, forget mutation. So there."
"If magic is real, then why have I not met other spell casters? I have seen a great deal of the world and have yet to meet anyone else who claims to practice 'true' magic."
"I'm from Sunnydale. A person's ability to delude himself knows no bounds."
Magneto paused, considering Willow's words. He was obviously perturbed by Willow's referring to him as "deluded". Apparently he decided to ignore the presumed insult to his intellect and forged onward with his next question.
"Why were you so familiar with the computers in the prison?"
Not-so-good question. Willow had no love at all the Initiative, but in the end she viewed them as misguided fools. Blabbing about that little adventure seemed wrong; especially since former Initiative guy Riley was her best friend's boyfriend. Betraying that confidence was not the best idea. She opted for a white lie.
"I'm a hacker. I know a lot about computery type stuff."
She had a feeling he knew she was lying, but he wasn't going to push it. Not yet, anyway.
They drove along in silence for a little while longer. Willow counted six different species of trees, three types of wildflowers, and two billboards. When the continued silence grew unbearable, Willow decided to ask her other burning question.
"What happens next?"
Magneto did not respond. Willow tried again, a little louder.
"What happens next?"
"I locate some of my old comrades and go about my business. You come along until we've determined what needs to be done about this situation."
That didn't sound good. Spending time with his "old friends" twiddling her thumbs while, in all likelihood, every single government organization in the country tried to find them, sounded like a ticket into trouble.
Of course, she had already bought the ticket. Now was time to pay the price. But what about everyone in Sunnydale? What about Tara? Tara had to be so worried. This would hit the news and Tara would hear and everyone would wonder what had happened and why she was now on the run. And why she helped Magneto break out of prison. It wasn't like secrety government guys were going to say, "Well, see, we tried to capture her for nefarious purposes and it is not our fault it turned out she could actually defend herself." No, it would be more like, "Dangerous prisoner aided in escape. We must find them before they wreak unmentionable havok!"
Bad bad bad bad! This was all kinds of bad! She had stuff to do, important Scooby stuff to do!
But bringing the Scooby card up meant bringing the demon and Slayer cards up. Willow wasn't sure she wanted to. He seemed to be having issues with the witch thing. The rest of the truth might REALLY muck things up.
She idly wondered if the Powers That Be were out to get her.
What to do. This was not a particularly fixable situation. She needed to come up with a plan. Let's see... First, remind Erik that she did, in fact, have a life. He might have forgotten that tiny detail with well, everything that had happened. Second, try to figure out a way to return to said life, without being caught and thrown into prison.
Easier said than done. Well, might as well start with step one. No time like the present.
"How long do you think it will be before I can go home? It's not like I can disappear indefinitely. I need to go home. I have someone waiting for me. And there's my friends. And my responsibilities. And parents. And classes start soon. And - "
"WILL YOU BE SILENT! I know that this is not a situation that benefits you, but - "
"Of course it doesn't benefit me! My to-do list did not contain orchestrating a prison break out. All I was going to do was visit some family. Now you're telling me I can't go home again? 'Cause I'm thinking, you don't really care if I ever can. This whole jail break thing? Perfect for YOU. Not hearing much sympathy for the one whose life is now screwed up."
"Stop acting like a child. You have no knowledge of the importance of my work - "
THAT was it. Willow had not considered herself a child since her best friend had gone off to die to save the world. And the importance of HIS work. She had helped prevent at least four apocalypses, maybe more. What was more important than that?
The car halted on the road, a surge of magic on Willow's part impeding its continued travel. A tiny part of her mind noted this was one of those uncontrolled magic bursts that Tara chided her about.
"DO NOT talk to me about the importance of your work. Did you think I was a witch for the sheer fun of it?" Time to play all the cards. "Witches aren't the only supernatural thing out there. There are demons and vampires and other nasties who would like to wreak hell on earth or the next best alternative. My friends and I have spent the last four years fighting them. My graduation? Sixteen dead, all students, trying to stop a demon snake from eating the entire town. I am not a mere child. I have things to do as well. IMPORTANT things."
Magneto stared at his young cousin. How old was she? Nineteen? The resolve and righteous anger which emanated from her stopped him from doubting her. She was telling the truth. This whole situation was destroying his view of the world. It was a very uncomfortable feeling. Normally he was the one forcing people to look outside their tiny little boxes. It was unpleasant to realize he himself had a box.
But that did not matter at the moment. What mattered was ensuring that Willow did not interfere with his escape (which, as she had pointed out, was working out very nicely for him). He would deal with these revelations once he (and her, too) were cleared of any pursuit. Until then, she had to understand his plan of action was best, for the both of them.
"I was unaware of this. However, it does not change the fact that my plan is the best at this moment. We need to find a safe location, monitor our pursuers, and then determine a course of action. Then we can see if it is possible for you to return home."
Willow's eyes narrowed. It wasn't what she wanted, but her reasonable voice told her it was the most sensible plan. Listening to reasonable voices sucked.
She nodded. The car restarted. They continued on to their destination.
The two of them, mutant and witch, sat in silence, contemplating what had just happened, what had just been revealed.
Both knew that this was not over.
The day had started with (a) visit cousin in prison, moved quickly to (b) break cousin out of prison, (c) steal car (THIEF!) and (d) follow said cousin to unknown destination, presumably to hook up with his fellow mutants. And while she liked her cousin, she was pretty clear on the fact he wasn't up to Scooby standards of right and wrong.
If the military and police caught up with them, Willow was fairly certain he wouldn't follow the killing humans = WRONG philosophy. That would be a mess unto itself.
She stole a glance at her companion. He was gripping the steering wheel tightly, having remained silent ever since they had been clear of the prison.
At least he was severely wigged, too. She felt better.
Wait - exactly why was she in this situation in the first place? It was not like she had planned to help Erik escape, it had just sort of happened. Willow was very grateful she was a witch. Because whatever she had just escaped, it could not have been good.
"What do you think all that back there was about?"
Magneto jerked, surprised by the voice breaking the silence.
"I could ask the same question myself, young lady."
"If it's about the spells and stuff, that can wait. What I want to know, was why the HELL did they try to gas me?" Willow paused, calming slightly, "I mean, gas us."
"I believe that little incident is because, no matter how distant, you are a relation of mine. As such, the opportunity to..examine..you would be difficult for men such as them to pass up." Magneto cocked his head thoughtfully for a moment. "It appears that you would have indeed made an interesting subject, based on what I saw. What kind of mutant traits do you possess, Willow?"
Wait a second. Mutant? Willow was not against mutants or anything (driving in a car with one now, thank you) but she was 100% positive her powers came from training in the magic arts, not a genetic quirk of fate. Magical quirk of fate maybe, but not genetic.
"I'm not a mutant. I'm a witch. Y'know, with the practicing of magic and learning obscure Latin phrases and being a Sister to the Dark Ones. Not like the evil dark ones, more like the power of the night. Or moon. Or something. So, yeah, I'm a witch. A wicca witch." Willow smiled a little at the pun.
"It is not uncommon for new mutants to perceive their powers as being magical in nature."
"Hey! I cast my first spell when I was seventeen - "
"An age when many mutants are beginning to use their powers - "
" - and that spell was written long before people had even knew about genetics, forget mutation. So there."
"If magic is real, then why have I not met other spell casters? I have seen a great deal of the world and have yet to meet anyone else who claims to practice 'true' magic."
"I'm from Sunnydale. A person's ability to delude himself knows no bounds."
Magneto paused, considering Willow's words. He was obviously perturbed by Willow's referring to him as "deluded". Apparently he decided to ignore the presumed insult to his intellect and forged onward with his next question.
"Why were you so familiar with the computers in the prison?"
Not-so-good question. Willow had no love at all the Initiative, but in the end she viewed them as misguided fools. Blabbing about that little adventure seemed wrong; especially since former Initiative guy Riley was her best friend's boyfriend. Betraying that confidence was not the best idea. She opted for a white lie.
"I'm a hacker. I know a lot about computery type stuff."
She had a feeling he knew she was lying, but he wasn't going to push it. Not yet, anyway.
They drove along in silence for a little while longer. Willow counted six different species of trees, three types of wildflowers, and two billboards. When the continued silence grew unbearable, Willow decided to ask her other burning question.
"What happens next?"
Magneto did not respond. Willow tried again, a little louder.
"What happens next?"
"I locate some of my old comrades and go about my business. You come along until we've determined what needs to be done about this situation."
That didn't sound good. Spending time with his "old friends" twiddling her thumbs while, in all likelihood, every single government organization in the country tried to find them, sounded like a ticket into trouble.
Of course, she had already bought the ticket. Now was time to pay the price. But what about everyone in Sunnydale? What about Tara? Tara had to be so worried. This would hit the news and Tara would hear and everyone would wonder what had happened and why she was now on the run. And why she helped Magneto break out of prison. It wasn't like secrety government guys were going to say, "Well, see, we tried to capture her for nefarious purposes and it is not our fault it turned out she could actually defend herself." No, it would be more like, "Dangerous prisoner aided in escape. We must find them before they wreak unmentionable havok!"
Bad bad bad bad! This was all kinds of bad! She had stuff to do, important Scooby stuff to do!
But bringing the Scooby card up meant bringing the demon and Slayer cards up. Willow wasn't sure she wanted to. He seemed to be having issues with the witch thing. The rest of the truth might REALLY muck things up.
She idly wondered if the Powers That Be were out to get her.
What to do. This was not a particularly fixable situation. She needed to come up with a plan. Let's see... First, remind Erik that she did, in fact, have a life. He might have forgotten that tiny detail with well, everything that had happened. Second, try to figure out a way to return to said life, without being caught and thrown into prison.
Easier said than done. Well, might as well start with step one. No time like the present.
"How long do you think it will be before I can go home? It's not like I can disappear indefinitely. I need to go home. I have someone waiting for me. And there's my friends. And my responsibilities. And parents. And classes start soon. And - "
"WILL YOU BE SILENT! I know that this is not a situation that benefits you, but - "
"Of course it doesn't benefit me! My to-do list did not contain orchestrating a prison break out. All I was going to do was visit some family. Now you're telling me I can't go home again? 'Cause I'm thinking, you don't really care if I ever can. This whole jail break thing? Perfect for YOU. Not hearing much sympathy for the one whose life is now screwed up."
"Stop acting like a child. You have no knowledge of the importance of my work - "
THAT was it. Willow had not considered herself a child since her best friend had gone off to die to save the world. And the importance of HIS work. She had helped prevent at least four apocalypses, maybe more. What was more important than that?
The car halted on the road, a surge of magic on Willow's part impeding its continued travel. A tiny part of her mind noted this was one of those uncontrolled magic bursts that Tara chided her about.
"DO NOT talk to me about the importance of your work. Did you think I was a witch for the sheer fun of it?" Time to play all the cards. "Witches aren't the only supernatural thing out there. There are demons and vampires and other nasties who would like to wreak hell on earth or the next best alternative. My friends and I have spent the last four years fighting them. My graduation? Sixteen dead, all students, trying to stop a demon snake from eating the entire town. I am not a mere child. I have things to do as well. IMPORTANT things."
Magneto stared at his young cousin. How old was she? Nineteen? The resolve and righteous anger which emanated from her stopped him from doubting her. She was telling the truth. This whole situation was destroying his view of the world. It was a very uncomfortable feeling. Normally he was the one forcing people to look outside their tiny little boxes. It was unpleasant to realize he himself had a box.
But that did not matter at the moment. What mattered was ensuring that Willow did not interfere with his escape (which, as she had pointed out, was working out very nicely for him). He would deal with these revelations once he (and her, too) were cleared of any pursuit. Until then, she had to understand his plan of action was best, for the both of them.
"I was unaware of this. However, it does not change the fact that my plan is the best at this moment. We need to find a safe location, monitor our pursuers, and then determine a course of action. Then we can see if it is possible for you to return home."
Willow's eyes narrowed. It wasn't what she wanted, but her reasonable voice told her it was the most sensible plan. Listening to reasonable voices sucked.
She nodded. The car restarted. They continued on to their destination.
The two of them, mutant and witch, sat in silence, contemplating what had just happened, what had just been revealed.
Both knew that this was not over.