CHICAGO ♔ Against my will I stand beside my own reflection

[notaroundme]

WHO || Elena + Failboat
WHAT || Elena comes back with some news.
WHERE || Their hotel room | Chicago, IL
WHEN || July 11th/12th Late Night
HOW || Actionspammy~

[Elena isn't sure she could be more nervous if she tried. She's done something that, no doubt, at least one or two people will be upset or angry about. Given the fact that she didn't ask for permission isn't going to look good, but her reasons are her own, and what's done is done.

And now that she knows the truth, there's nothing left to do but tell them. Keeping secrets will only make it worse, and she's not going to lie about where she goes.

They'll have to let her. She won't take no for an answer. And if they don't like it, well...that's a bridge she'll cross when she gets to it.

She comes in the door, Spike and Archer in tow. She has to wonder if they ever noticed she was gone before she mass texted them in the night, alerting them that she had something she had to talk to everyone about. Mentally, as the door closes behind them, she prepares herself for the confession that she's about to make, and the fallout she hopes to avoid.

She can only hope she they're as understanding as Spike has been.]

Comments

[witchwoman]

[Without hesitation, Myri's arms wrap around Elena and hold onto her tightly.]

I know. [She says quietly, because she understands. It's hard, but she gets it and she'll support her squire in the decisions that she makes, so long as she believes in them with her whole heart.]

Just promise you'll be careful.

[romanticidal]

Especially since, as you say, he was ready to hurt you before he came to see you as the same as he. We have no way of knowing that he would extend the same favor to your friends and allies... or that he will continue to look at you that way if you do not share his view of the world.

[notaroundme]

[She pulls away a bit, if only to nod quietly, glancing at Rafael.]

I will. Promise.

[shootfirst]

I feel like it's also worth revisiting the fact that he can read minds. I mean, not that I doubt your judgment of character or anything, but it does seem possible that instead of looking to spend all this time with you out of the kindness of his or her or its heart, that it's trying to milk intel on us out of your brain, doesn't it?

[graveflowers]

If he and Elena are the same, then... doesn't that mean she can do it too?

[notaroundme]

The first thing he's going to teach me is to 'flex my mind' by becoming immune to certain kinds of magic. I'm guessing telepathy might be one of them.

[His words, not hers.]

It seems kind of counter-productive if that was his goal, don't you think?

[slay]

And the learning how to do it yourself is gonna come after the big immunity lesson?

[notaroundme]

[She nods.]

That's how I understood it. Once I can do that, I'll have strengthened my mind enough to try other things.

[She looks back at Kat again.]

If he wanted information from us, he would have plucked it out of our heads ages ago.

[nosdacariad]

If he is walking around in a Chad suit 9 to 5, that means he was the one who led that cult meeting we saw. That'd mean he's in on it. Or in charge of it, the way that whole thing looked.

[notaroundme]

How do we know that the one you saw at the meeting wasn't the real one, and the doppelganger was back here doing Chad's 9 to 5? He has to keep up appearances so he doesn't arouse suspicion, right? Do we know that the real Chad isn't involved?

[It's just an idea, and Elena is inclined to believe that Kyp doesn't really care too much about the rest of the group.

Though just because he doesn't care doesn't mean he's not in charge. It's still something to consider.]

Either way, this is a good chance for me to learn more. It's win/win.

[graveflowers]

I am all for what you wanna do and, I mean, clearly you've thought of the upsides. I'm just worried this is all gonna end with oh shit Elena died. [A beat.] You know with way more emotion than I can produce on the fly.

[rationalizes]

No one is going to die. We'll-- we'll take whatever precautions we must, but I think it's most important that Elena continue to do as she's done: be honest and communicative with us all in regards to what they've discussed and done behind closed doors.

[ speaking of doors... there's a knock on theirs. ]

[socialgraces]

[ welp gar's the boss.

Francesca glances around briefly at the knock, to see if anyone moves as if they're expecting someone, but if no one does, she'll get the door. ]

[bigbad]

[Spike stands up and walks towards it, pausing before he opens it in order to listen through it (listen 23) just in case whoever's on the other side sounds evil or sth.]

[valdrin]

[ no evil sounds issue forth from beyond said door... and when spike draws it open, a certain dark elf stands in the hall, looking incredibly fine since he rolled a 19 on his disguise check so I'm sure that equals out to like 246 or something. his eyebrows hike ever so smoothly when he looks past spike and sees the living room crammed with eyes turned expectantly his way. he looks down at the bouquet in his hand and then leans against the doorframe casually. ]

... So this is where half of the castle's disappeared then. I suppose I failed to take into account that any team worth its salt enjoys conducting emergency meetings in the middle of the night when I planned this subtle entrance of mine.

[graveflowers]

Nice flowers. [She doesn't even need to see them to know they're there, which is handy since she's pretty comfy next to Luthir. Mmm flowers.]

[witchwoman]

[Myri glances around and then just decides she'll ask.]

Sorry, but... who are you?

[valdrin]

Well, here's where I might generally offer some sort of witty repartee about a singing telegram, but with such a large crowd, I might catch my death of stage fright.

Val'drin Cabot. [ his eyes stray about for francesca ] I'd heard you've something of interest to me.

[65]

[HE REMEMBERS THAT NAME. his eyebrows raise slightly as he (also) starts glancing over at francesca. congrats on the hottie btw.]

[slay]

[ meanwhile buffy is SHRINKING INTO THE WALL because remember that time val'drin tried to get with her in the back of the car she sure does. ]

[bigbad]

[Yeah he should have just given her VAMPIRE AIDS like Spike did oh wait.

Anyway Spike notices her acting weird (spot 20) and gives her a look, but doesn't say anything for the moment. He's pretty sure this isn't (just) drow racism, though.

He scowls at Val'drin.]

Does Wynn really think we need more back-up?

[socialgraces]

[ Francesca will actually step forward now, because she's still pretty excited to see Val'drin, even with the giant crowd sharing the moment. And he brought flowers... on her birthday :') Her face lights up as she smiles his way, moving next to Spike, and absently replying: ] He's here for the hourglass.

[valdrin]

[ a smile crinkles the corners of his eyes when she speaks up and he locks gazes with her for a moment, a sort of apology playing out in his expression for the failed attempt at a romantic entrance. ] Yes, well... [ he looks down at the roses ] I thought these would look lovely on the hourglass' mantle.

[socialgraces]

[ she looks down at the roses too ] They are beautiful. [ and she's still smiling fondly as she looks back to his face, before realizing they're still, like, in the doorway with everyone watching. ] You can come in.

[slay]

[ well this is awkward, and as a result buffy will just openly gape. ]