- Fic: Teamwork is Magic Pt 1
- Teamwork is Magic Pt 2
- Teamwork is magic Pt 3
Title: Teamwork is Magic pt. 2
Author: Torrilin
Pairings: Buffy/Riley (Willow/Tara, Xander/Anya)
Rating: PG-13
Length: ~1300 words
Timeline: S4, Where The Wild Things Are, with a twist AU during the episode
Warnings: Canon typical violence and gore, Buffy and Riley romance, script format
Notes: This was supposed to be a comic, and I have chunks of the art done, so it may yet become a comic. The script grew, so we may yet get somewhere. The Spike/Buffy is mostly friendship not romance-y, given where I’m going off canon. And this is unbetad. Please tell me if you catch errors or are confused.
GILES
And I know Xander and Willow can’t read either.
— He pulls books off shelves and rapidly hands them off to designated pack mules —
GILES
Anya, try this one. Tara, this one is in Latin. Spike, take this one.
— He walks over to the table and sets down some more books —
GILES
Dictionaries and the leftover book. Willow, how are you coming with online research?
— He takes a spot at the table —
WILLOW
It wasn’t always a frat house. It was an orphanage, but it closed down in the 1980s.
ANYA
Were there any deaths?
WILLOW
Not that I’ve found yet. The property tax records are confusing, and I can’t work out whether the University owns it now or the frat does. And I’m not sure which national organization the frat is affiliated with. It’s all murky. The best I found was this newspaper article last year about the anniversary of the closing.
ANYA
That’s weird, orphanages tend to have lots of deaths.
WILLOW
Yeah, but it’s hard to link death certificates to an institution if it’s not a hospital. C’mere.
— she gestures for Anya to come sit by her —
WILLOW (con’t)
See, this is Dr. Gregory’s death certificate. Since I was on campus at the high school when they found his body, I know he died there. But —
ANYA
It’s not on the death certificate. It’s all about how he died. I see. So you’re looking for deaths elsewhere.
WILLOW
Yes. Then I can find the death certificates if they were examined by the county coroner’s office. And most deaths in La Purisma County do get examined by the coroner.
SPIKE
What about the unrecorded deaths?
WILLOW
There are a lot less than you’d think. I mean, our animal attack stat is through the roof, but most vamps take a few days to rise, so their deaths get recorded. The first one anyway. Giles, do you keep stats on the graves Buffy clears?
GILES
Not in detail. And you’re all off track. We’re concerned with ghosts, not vampires.
***
INT. GILES APARTMENT
Later. The table is a mess. There’s two donut boxes, Spike and Tara are both scribbling away in notebooks, Willow is glaring from book to laptop and back. Giles makes tea in the kitchen and Anya is redoing the cold compress on her injured hand.
Xander bursts in through the FRONT DOOR
XANDER
Anya, here are your photocopies. You’re in luck, the library was open late.
ANYA
Good, the Greek in this book is hard to read printed so tiny.
SPIKE
Some of us are working anyway.
ANYA
And you have both hands to work with and vampiric vision. I’m only human now. And the stupid plant got my right hand or I’d be translating like you and Tara are.
SPIKE
I’ll share some of my blood if it’ll help.
XANDER
Eew, a big no to that!
ANYA bops him with her free hand.
ANYA
Xander, that was very rude. Most vampires wouldn’t share blood at all. Spike, that’s very kind, but human now.
— she beams at him —
TARA
Penates… Spike, Anya, do either of your books have bits about gods of specific places? Like a house or a particular family farm?
GILES
Daimones perhaps?
TARA looks confused. SPIKE grins and taps his notes.
SPIKE
That’s why I grabbed the pen. Wanted a better translation than I could do off a straight reading. This has lots about how to tell daimones from keres from theoi from angelos and lots about how to talk properly to them. Not a bit about ghosts I don’t think.
ANYA
Mine doesn’t seem to have ghosts either. Lots of prayers or spells, I’m not sure which. And it’s never a good idea to pray a spell or try to cast a prayer by accident. On purpose maybe. But accident? No way.
TARA
Yeah, there’s this long section in here about invoking the genii, lares and penates. I can’t tell if it’s a prayer or a spell. But the angry parts sorta fit what happened.
ANYA
The hungry plants?
TARA
Some maybe. Mostly what got my attention was a section on how to work out if it’s slaves breaking your cooking pots or the penates.
XANDER
Is there anything about really… Happy… Walls in there?
GILES
Happy? In what way?
XANDER
Y’know, happy. Blissful.
ANYA
Oh, the orgasm wall.
— Giles looks like he’s swallowed a live cockroach rather than freshly made tea —
GILES
Orgasm wall?
XANDER
For a God of Acoustic Rock, you’re kind of naïve.
SPIKE
Or just pretending that young’uns haven’t invented sex. Helps avoid the impure thoughts or so I’m told. Not sure why he bothers with you lot around tho.
–Spike leers halfheartedly and goes back to scribbling —
TARA
ANYWAY. The broken pots bit reminded me of the exploding bottle. And I want someone to double check me on the directions. A lot of the words are short and have weird endings. Or maybe they’re abbreviations?
— She shoves a couple sheets of paper towards the center of the table and Giles grabs them —
***
INT. GILES’ APARTMENT
Later. Giles has organized a clean up. Willow is typing up someone’s notes with Tara next to her. Xander is putting away books. No more pastry boxes and plates, but the mugs are breeding. Spike is sprawled in a chair massaging his hand, Anya is laying on the floor reading another set of notes.
ANYA
I’m fairly sure these rituals shouldn’t go with Tara’s divination. The ancient Greeks had some pretty weird ceremonies and I can’t work out if this one is a ceremony or a frieze design or maybe a weaving discussion.
GILES
Should Willow type it up?
ANYA
I think so.
*simultaneously*
SPIKE
I’m not translating it again if you lose my notes. Hand still hurts. Need to punch something.
XANDER
If you want to go punch Lowell House again, be my guest.
GILES
I’m sure that won’t be necessary. Anya, can you assemble an ingredients list for the divination?
ANYA
Already done I think. I’d like an extra check besides Tara. And I want to make sure we have substitution options planned since we’re not in ancient Rome and I’m way younger than this spell.
SPIKE
Gimme the notes. Can’t hurt if Xander and I know what you’re trying.
GILES
Where’s the ingredients list?
WILLOW
Still typing Spike.
— Spike wanders over and perches so he can read over Willow’s shoulder as she types —
XANDER
I have the list I think.
— he fumbles with a pile of paper. Giles takes the paper Xander hands him, tries to read it and makes a face. —
GILES
Xander, I can barely read this. How many times have we had the discussion about bad handwriting and apocalypses?
XANDER
I know, but I was hurrying!
ANYA
Please don’t. It’s like sex, if you rush you miss all the good bits.
XANDER
Anya, I can’t imagine there being good bits in an apocalypse. Also, I can’t imagine YOU advocating standing around enjoying it.
SPIKE
Always good to enjoy your work.
GILES
Not a point of view I expected from either of you, but not wrong.
I think we have the wine, honey, and bread on hand. And it looks like all the herbs are ones I keep for cooking.
SPIKE
What about the olive oil?
GILES
I have that.
SPIKE
Seemed a bit exotic to me.
GILES
Erm, yes, well… I can cook.
TARA
Should we just do the spell here?
SPIKE
Probably less interruptions than at the house. And I think I”m clear on what the signs for going in are.
GILES
And it’s not quite midnight yet, so timing shouldn’t be an issue.
— XANDER roots through GILES’ weapons chest and pulls out two axes in sheathes, then heads for the door —
XANDER
Then vampire and construction guy to the rescue. OH GOD THAT SOUNDS WRONG!
— Willow looks up from her furious typing —
WILLOW
Shoo, we can’t set up the ritual circle and have you guys break it.
— SPIKE and XANDER exit, axes at the ready —
Originally posted at http://seasonal-spuffy.livejournal.com/549631.html
