The Original Witch

it was about time that charvi returned to the land of the living - somewhat living for her circumstance. she had spent long enough taking some time away from the drama, but even she couldn't ignore the rumblings anymore. if charvi wasn't awake, the earthquake had more that made sure of it. venturing out, she went for a walk to witness the damage, turning when she heard approaching footsteps.

willow was on her way to the dome, because there were still answers about what was going on with it since the earthquake that she still hadn't been able to answer to her full satisfaction. that was her full focus, so much so that she almost didn't notice the figure standing there, much less who they were, until she had almost walked into them. but then they turned and — "charvi?"

"Well, one's reputation does often precede them." Clary's had changed significantly over the centuries. Willow Evermore, however, she was sure had always been a whispered force for good. "Yes, I have. I'm afraid I had a few hundred years worth of soul-searching to undertake... By all means, ask away." A small smile tugged at her lips at Willow's answer. Hope, a feeling she was newly reacquainted with. "That's good enough for me. I would like to help, if I can."

"I suppose they do," Willow agreed. And when you were as old as Willow, one's reputation did have a tendency to get set in stone, as immovable as, well, her namesake. "You shouldn't be afraid or ashamed of some soul-searching. Sometimes that's exactly what a person needs." Even though she'd been given permission, Willow didn't want to overwhelm Clarissa, despite the tug of her curiosity. "I appreciate that, and I'll try to limit myself. Where to begin? Do people out there have any idea of what's happened? And yes, help is always welcome, of course."

Tessa was already sending a message back to HQ to send help. She didn't even have one of Xavier's funky little gadgets on her... "Wiser words have never been spoken," Tessa joked, leaning down beside Willow. "Whatever works. Alright, I can give it a go. I never skip arm or leg day so we might be in enough luck. If not, help is on the way."

"I have full faith in your upper body strength," Willow told Tessa. "And your leg strength. I, for one, have never done leg day even once in my life, so I'm counting on you." She closed her eyes, relaxing a little as she readied herself for Tessa to make the attempt. And then-

"Um, yeah. Definitely vague. Alright, cards on the table... you might still make me slightly nervous. And I mean that in the most complimentary way. You're still this, like, all-powerful goddess, and I'm but a mere mortal," Lennon rambled before letting out a laugh. Smooth. "Well, psychic, anyway. I guess I just wanna know if you're doing okay, you know?"

"And I'm sure there's a reason for that." But Willow was not going to push. She was sure Lennon would tell her in her own time. "Oh no, please do not be nervous. I'm not...I'm not a divine being." Willow was merely a First Witch. It was different. "A psychic? What an incredible talent!" Willow smiled at the question. It had been awhile since she'd been asked how she was. "I am. I will be. I promise."

Tessa let out a laugh at Willow's response, despite the situation at hand. "Carmen was right, a woman should never leave the house without an axe. I should have listened to her." Tessa kneeled down so she could get a better look at both Willow and the fallen tree. This might have been a little beyond her big, strong, arms. "I can call for back-up," she nodded, before gesturing to the tree.

"Noted. I'll make sure to keep a collapsible axe on my person at all times," Willow said, allowing herself to laugh. One needed to keep a sense of humor at times like this, after all. "I think if it moved just a little bit, I would be able to wiggle out. It wouldn't exactly be dignified, but..." It was worth a try, but Tessa's answer was not exactly promising.

"You're welcome," Clary smiled, helping Willow to their feet with ease. "No, not officially. Although, in this town, your reputation does tend to proceed you. My name's Clarissa Liu, but you can call me Clary if you like." She took a moment to glance around them, to take in their shaken surroundings. Clearly, something was happening with the magic that held this wretched dome up. Whether that meant things were getting better or worse, Clary wasn't sure. "I got out quite some time ago. I didn't think I'd look back, truth be told, but here I am. You'll have to catch me up... Are the good guys winning yet?"

Willow let out a soft, pleased noise now that they were freed, shaking out their limbs. "Not officially? Well that does make me sound quite mysterious. Thank you, I suppose. Clarissa Liu..." Something about that name rang a distant bell in Willow's head, but with the recent shift in the magic, Willow was admittedly a little distracted. No matter, she was sure that she could get an answer later. "So you've been out in the world for a while? That's...I hope you do not mind if I ask you an irritating number of questions." At Clarissa's question, Willow paused. "Well, I have often been accused of being an optimist."

"I know," he replied, slowly lowering his outstretched hand to his side. He took a few steps back just to be clear. Frederick was under no illusions about the power that Willow Evermore could wield. His own alliance with Engel had been strained at times, Frederick knowing fine well there was little anyone could do to stop him. They worked well enough together. "Will I have to inform Engel that the barrier has taken a hit?"

At least he wasn't arguing with her assessment of the situation. Willow considered that a minor victory. She pushed herself to her feet, shaking some bark loose from her clothes, wanting to keep some distance between herself and Frederick. "The barrier? I think it's still intact. Sadly." They were not going to address what he was implying, that they had been out by it for a particular reason.

"You really mean that, don't you?" she asked in a small voice. It was just... fascinating. Piper could understand it, the pull that Willow Evermore must have had over others. The same way Piper would follow Edward over a cliff, she was sure Willow could inspire the same. "Even for me."

Of course she meant it. Willow had the urge to embrace the vampire before her, to tell her that it didn't matter what she had done, that despite it all, Willow saw good in her. Maybe at a different time though. Instead, she simply nodded, and agreed. "Yes. Even for you. Why not?"

There was a split second when Clary deeply considered turning around and never looking back, again. When she'd first left, she'd been allowed out. Now, Clary had to slip through a crack in the dome that came from the shudder that rippled through it. She knew as soon as she stepped through, it was sealed behind her. Bloody hell. Moving quickly, Clary was by Willow Evermore's side, pushing the tree off her with all her two-hundred and forty-nine years of strength. Holding hers out, Clary then asked, "Need a hand?"

Willow did not know that particular vampire, and they kept careful track of every vampire within the dome, which could only mean one thing, that...Yet another person had figured out how to cross into Havensdale, that the magic that sealed the rest of the town in was continuing to weaken. The realization was so exciting that Willow almost forgot her own predicament for a moment, would have tried to jump to her feet. Luckily for her, the vampire had moved the tree, and Willow could actually move. "Thank you. I don't believe we've met before?"

Frederick was determined to keep an eye on his wolves tonight. Curfew or not, he couldn't stand the thought of more innocent blood shed in this town. He could handle anything that was thrown his way. Well, almost anything. The last thing he expected was for the town to shudder under a force much stronger than him. In the woods, he heard the tree fall. In an instant, he was there, unsure of what was more danger: helping Willow Evermore or walking away. The tree was swiftly thrown from her, holding his hand out. "Willow."

Of all the people that Willow wanted to see while stuck beneath a tree, as the full moon was close to rising, Frederick Bellefonte was far from the top of the list. He was no Engel, for sure, but Willow still considering him deeply responsible for the state the town currently was in. She allowed herself to frown as he approached the tree, the expression deepening as he tugged the tree off of her before she could fully react. "I had it handled, Frederick." And Willow would have, would have drawn on her knowledge of magic to wiggle out. She did not want to owe him anything, not at this particular moment.

Tessa had already been above ground when the town suddenly shook. It was the dome, it had to be. The invisible force field that was keeping Tessa from her wife had been the bane of her existence for too long now. Normally, she would have stayed. Tried to get back underground. But if there was a chance Vanessa could get back in... She was gone before she could finish the thought.

Willow could, of course, have used their magic to move the tree currently pining her to the ground, but given the magical shock wave that had literally just knocked her off her feet, she thought that it was perhaps better not to risk it. No, time for the old fashioned way. Waiting for help. Or at least, someone to stumble across her. Thank goodness that someone was Tessa Thompson.

Jordan waited patiently, but not without anticipation, as Willow took in his words. He could only imagine what hearing Arianna's name conjured in her. Theirs was a relationship that spanned even longer than his own with Edward. He had asked her to join them, of course he had, but there was no convincing her. Even he felt the power of it though, what she had done, what she had given them. A necklace of hope. When Willow took the box, opening it slowly, he studied her expression. His heart squeezed when she spoke, nodding. "That's good enough for me," he said. They needed something. A spark. "Ruby's back, too. I think we might be ready to...," he didn't even know if he could say it out loud. They had all wanted to win so bad, it had left them in ruins. "I think we stand a chance. I think we can make a stand."

Ariana and Ruby? It truly was more than Willow could have even imagined just a few minutes ago. She had never felt hopeless, not exactly. After all, no matter what happened, she believed that eventually, good would prevail. But, generating optimism was becoming more of a process, that was for sure. Now though? It was like she had a whole new reserve at the ready. And she hadn't done anything (and that was something Willow would work through later). "That is incredible news. Really just...How on earth did you manage it? You'll have to tell me everything." But not out here, out in the open. She knew that it wasn't exactly safe for Jordan right now. "Let's get you somewhere safe first."