Demon Hunting

Tara deliberately spoils a demon-seeking spell.

INT. TARA'S ROOM - NIGHT

Tara and Willow sit on the floor, surrounded by candles. In front of them lies some yarn, which is laid out in the shape of a square and held down by crystals at each of the four corners. Willow uses a mortar and pestle to grind spell ingredients together.

Tara: (re: square on floor) So this square is Sunnydale?
Willow: (smiles) Right. It's like a map. We each take different parts of the potion - and when we do the incantation, we blow it onto the square at the exact same time.
Tara: But how does it work?
Willow: That's the cool part. When the potion mixes and Thespia is called, it creates a mist over the parts where the demons are. It even makes different colors for different breeds.
Tara: Wow. Willow finishes grinding.
Willow: You ready? Tara nods - holds out her hand.

Willow pours some spell ingredients into it. Then pours the contents of the mortar into her own hand.

Willow: Let's do it. They close their eyes. Concentrate for a beat. Then -
Tara: Thespia, we walk in shadow, walk in blindness. You are the protector of the night.
Willow: Thespia, goddess, ruler of all darkness - we implore you - open a window to the world of the underbeing.

Willow nods the cue to Tara, then blows her spell ingredients onto the map. Tara, however, briefly opens her eyes and looks for a place to stash the ingredients. Finally, she shoves them between her mattresses. Holds her empty hand aloft again, as Willow does.

Willow: With your knowledge, may we go in safety. With your grace, may we speak of your benevolence.

A beat, then Willow, excited, opens her eyes. Looks at the map. Nothing happened. Her expression falls.

Willow: Or not.

OFF TARA Trying to conceal her guilt.

from Goodbye Iowa

Journey to the Nether Realm

Tara acts as Willow's anchor when Will takes a trip to the Nether Realm to discover that Faith has swapped bodies with Buffy.

INT. TARA'S DORM ROOM - NIGHT

We see various angles of the girls preparing for the ritual--
Willow closing the curtains (shot from outside the window). Tara lighting a row of candles near the wall. Willow pouring oil from a small earthenware bottle into a shallow bowl while Tara reads instructions. Tara anointing Willow. She puts her thumb in the oil, then presses it briefly to Willow's forehead, lips, collarbone. Willow does the same to Tara. As we cut to --

The girls sit crosslegged, not opposite each other but side by side, facing opposite directions. Each of them has one arm slightly out, is tracing an arc back and forth along the floor as through running their hand through sand. As they do this they whisper:

Willow + Tara:
The Inward Eye, The Sightless Sea,
Ayala flows through the River in Me

They continue to do this for a while, both looking straight ahead. It begins to affect them physically, sweat beading on their faces, breath coming slightly deeper, slightly shallower.

Angle: Willow's hand traces along the carpet -- and suddenly leaves behind a trail of light. From the high view we see both girls are doing it, and that the arcs of light are closing around them, forming a perfect circle. The girls stop chanting. They each take the hand closest to the other and hold them up, palm to palm.

Breath still heavy, something clearly coursing through them as the hoop of light rises, passes over them and dissipates, followed by another. And another. Willow looks over towards Tara, her eyes clouded with sensation. She takes a sudden, startled breath and keels backwards, a vision gripping her.

from Who Are You

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