Inkhibitions 2

DISCLAIMER: I don't own BTVS

Chapter 1

Cordelia sighed, dealing with Harmony was time consuming, "Okay, fine. If you want a piercing so bad that what happened with the tattoos isn't making you cautious then we'll do it." She smiled, "If, that is, we win the championship we have coming up so we have something to celebrate."

Harmony pouted but nodded, "Okay."

Cordelia said, "Good, now we can get back to practicing!"

One Week Later

"We did it! We won!" the girls said.

"Does this mean …" Harmony trailed off but looked hopeful.

"It does but we're going to check the place out first," Cordelia said.

They made sure Ethan Rayne wasn't even a minority owner. They asked Ms. Calendar to make sure none of the staff had any magical talent. They even checked with Willy at the bar to be sure it wasn't big with demons. After all the checks Cordelia agreed to celebrate their win with a piercing from there.

"Well now that my nips hurt, how else are we celebrating?" Aura said.

"With a party of course," Cordelia replied.

The party was a hit of course but a few jocks vanished on the way home after dark. Cordelia scowled at that, knowing the likely cause. To distract herself she dragged Xander into a broom closet the next day at school and showed him her new jewelry.

"Wow, they look great!" Xander said. Then he looked worried, "It's not from a new shop of Ethan's right?"

"Oh hell no," she replied.

"Good!" he said. Smiling, he added, "But I should probably inspect them."

She smiled back, "As long as you're gentle with them go right ahead."

A week later she stormed into the library scowling and walked up to Giles, "Can that guy who fixed the tattoos do the same with enchanted piercings?"

He looked surprised but nodded, "Yes, that is among his skills. Has there been an incident?"

"Aura hit on Buffy again," she said. "She wouldn't do that in public normally. There are also a few other signs I noticed from last time. The piercings Harmony talked the team into getting are eroding our inhibitions."

"Oh dear," Giles said and started polishing his glasses. "If I'm to call him in I'll need to examine a sample of such in order to answer the questions he's certain to ask." He paused, "I can ask Ms. Calendar to look in my place if that will make things easier?"

Cordelia considered, "But is she as well versed in such things as you? If you're the best expert available then I want you to do it but if she's just as good then it would be easier to have her do the examination."

Giles wrote out a note, "I will go check on her knowledge of enchantment. Stay here and wait. This note will excuse you from your last two classes. I'll be back as soon as possible."

Cordelia took the note, "Thank you. I swear I'm moving out as soon as I graduate. I hate this town."

Both Giles and Ms. Calendar came back and Ms. Calendar said, "I can't be certain but I should be able to tell if the rings are enchanted just from looking at them."

"You can use my office for privacy," Giles said.

Jenny Calendar came back out shortly, "They're enchanted alright."

"I'll call the expert and get him to come by to see the girls," Giles said.

She said, "We really need to find and stop that bastard."

"Yes," he replied and looked up the number of the expert they used last time.

This time when he came, only his assistant came with him.

"You haven't found this man yet?" he asked when Giles met him at the airport.

"He has been hiding well," Giles said.

"And apparently selling nipple rings to various shops for use," Xander said. "Can you track him using one of them?"

"Possibly," the man said. "I will need to examine one of them to find out."

"We can arrange that," Giles said. "Hopefully you can remove them even if you can't track Ethan Rayne with them?"

"Yes, I can," he said.

When they reached the library they found Cordelia and Harmony waiting for them and Cordelia said, "I heard you were coming and knew you would need to inspect a sample." She gestured at Harmony who pouted but started unbuttoning her shirt, "And since the rings were Harmony's idea she gets to model them for you."

The expert said, "I'm Jurgen Smith. I will check the rings for enchantment and safely remove them if they are enchanted." When a topless Harmony walked over he examined the rings then did a brief spell that made them glow, "Those are indeed enchanted. It will be easier to remove them than alter the enchantment with the bonus that we can use them to track their maker."

The assistant moved a table and started setting up things from a case he carried. Once done he led Harmony to a seat at one one end, "Don't worry," he said. "It won't hurt."

Smith accepted a tiny pair of scissors inscribed with glowing runes from his assistant and carefully cut each ring off without disturbing the enchantment, "There you are my dear, you can get dressed now."

Cordelia said, "Once you're dressed go get the rest of the team and bring them here." She then sighed and started taking off her own shirt, "I guess I'm next. I hate this town."

The expert removed all the rings then with the aid of Giles and Ms. Calendar they did a ritual to pinpoint the location of the person who made them.

"It shows he's in LA," Smith said. "Which explains why you didn't find him. I will report his actions and last known location to the council. They will send a team and hopefully catch him." As his assistant started packing up the equipment he added, "I will call from my hotel tonight and fly back in the morning. Do you mind if I keep the rings? Melted down they would fetch a pretty penny I dare say."

"More than fair recompense for the help you have given us," Giles said.