THROUGH AN ANGEL'S EYES – CHAPTER 8

Dawn and I returned in mid November. I had spoken with Janice a couple of times since leaving, but I was not prepared for what I saw. She looked like any normal fifteen year old girl. A bit of make-up, a new hairstyle and a lot more confidence than I had seen in her even before the incident. There was nothing left of the shy, retiring girl that she had been. The change was obvious from the minute we arrived. I was just coming to myself when I heard someone shout"Ian"; and immediately I was hit by a human torpedo.

"I've felt you coming for the last five minutes, I thought you'd never get here."

She greeted Dawn with equal enthusiasm. Then she picked up our bags and escorted us to our room. All the while chattering on about the trainees, and movies and clothes and music and gossip. I was speechless; Faith had done an incredible job.

When we got to our room, Dawn asked where the chosen two were.

"Band practice", Janice answered. She explained how Buffy was now a part of the 'Remnants'.I realized that alot had happened while we were away. We were getting our stuff organized and, when I could get a word in edgewise, asked Janice if we could have a private conversation. Dawn went to find her sister and Janice and I went to her room.

I remembered, from an earlier conversation, that she had learned to play chess. I asked her to set up the board. I figured we could discuss all we needed to over a game or two.

"Best out of three" she suggested.

I agreed and she set up the board. I let her have white. She moved and I asked "What was your favorite book?"

"Actually it was a two book set by Stephen Donaldson called 'Mordant's Need'

I nodded, knowing the story. "What was so appealing about these books?"

"I could really identify with Terisa. She didn't know what she was or what power she had. She discovered these things and then used them to help. I guess I saw a lot of myself in her."

I could see how she would identify with such a heroine. We played in silence for a while, then she spoke up.

"Ian, what's your favorite book?"

'Winters Tale' by Mark Helprin I answered.

"Why?"

"I like the idea that time is not a constant. In the book, he never tries to explain it, he simply treats time as plastic, bendable."

"So, why do you find that so neat?"

I chuckled "Dawn says I was born fifty years too late. I like Black and White movies and Jazz and other old stuff; I guess the idea of time being flexible is a cool explanation for that."

She laughed.

"What's the most important lesson that you've learned here?"

She thought a bit "to really listen to people, not only what they say but how they say it and what they don't say."

"Your calling is becoming obvious, sister, that is a very wise lesson."

She beamed a great smile, then smile widening said "Check."

The endgame limited conversation to several checks, one checkmate and a cry of 'Bully'. We set up the board again and we spoke of dancing and kissing and such things. I laughed at her stories and told a few of my own. I could tell that something was coming, she was suddenly nervous.

"Ian, could you tell me about Dawn. I know she's not fully human, but what is she and how did you two meet?"

So I told her the story, including all of my hopes and fears about Dawn. How even today, I didn't quite feel worthy of her. It felt right telling Janice all of these things because I knew I could trust her with the depths of my soul. In a way, she was me.

When I finished, she nodded and said "that's sweet; checkmate, by the way." She howled with laughter at the incredulous expression on my face.

I fixed her with a glare and said "watch yourself, little girl." That really ruffled her feathers. Consequently, in the third game her opening game was poor and by the time she realized that she was in trouble, it was too late. With a sigh, she resigned.

"Cheater" she said, "you deliberately made me mad, so I would play poorly."

"That's not cheating, that is taking advantage of your opponents weakness; remember age and cunning will always overcome youth and enthusiasm."

"Whatever you say granpaw."

"Watch yourself missy."

She just stuck her tongue out at me.

I asked her about Faith and Buffy. She filled me in on their story. I was happy that things were going well for them. I asked about Riley; and was surprised to see a grimace of dislike flash across her face. I just raised an eyebrow, knowing what that flash meant. She went on to say that he still refused to forgive Faith although we both found it significant that she was the only person that seemed to rouse any passion in him at all. Janice carried on about all of the things that Faith had done for Riley, and how he still treated her poorly.

"Maybe Dawn can get through to him" I suggested "they've known each other a long time, he probably trusts her more than he does us." She just shook her head. I got up from the board "well sister, you seem to be ready to go back in the field, lets see how adequate your defense is".

"I was hoping you'd ask" she said, almost bouncing off the walls with enthusiasm.

Mentally my eyebrows went up, but I said nothing. On the way out she picked up her CD player; explaining that she liked to listen to music while she worked out. I didn't mind. We went into the training room and while she set up her player, I got two wooded swords down from the wall. I tossed one to her. She bent down and turned on her player and what came out was the kind of music that I put asterisks around. I winced and she laughed.

"Faith said your taste in music sucks, I just had to find out for myself."

I gave her a tight grin, saluted with my sword and said "defend yourself."

We went at it. Faith and I once fought for two and a half hours, and I only won because she finally tired out. This match left that one in the dust. I started out tentatively, just seeing how she reacted, she did well and I slowly increased my speed. She matched me. Her technique was extraordinary, weaving an unbreakable wall with her blade. Her forte was definitely defense, her offensive efforts were fairly straightforward, but her defense was fluid and innovative. After the first hour, I started getting tricky. She matched every trick, every feint, every attempt to throw her off guard. We had started to draw a crowd, and when I had a chance to look, it seemed like everyone was there, even Riley. I even felt the tickle of some higher awareness. I thought that I had her near the end of the second hour, but suddenly she's coming at me with not one but two swords, one for each hand. I was blocking and dodging frantically, until I was close to the wall and was able to further arm myself. What was astonishing about this was that there was no let up. The intensity kept building and building; neither one of us backing off, or backing down. We had both brought our A games and we weren't giving anything away. In the middle of the third hour I discovered a flaw. Her back foot shifted out before a high right hand slash. We had given up on using two weapons, because one was tiring enough, and despite our angelic selves fatigue was becoming an issue. I waited; finally I saw the saw the foot go out and caught her sword in a bind as she slashed, disarming her. I was between her and the weapons, so she had to give in. She stood silently, head down, believing that she had failed. Her chest was heaving like a bellows and her hair was hiding her face. The room was silent except for the breathing. I touched the awareness and made a request. It was granted. I slowly walked to the wall of weapons and took down a steel practice sword. As I pulled it off the wall it exploded with a silent eldritch glow; silver flames running over the weapon, almost obscuring it. I went to her and stood in front of her with the flaming sword in my left hand, with my right I raised her chin and looked into those deep brown eyes. I had been correct in thinking that she had been crying. She flinched from the glow of the sword, believing that she was to be punished in some way for what she thought of as failure.

"Do not cry, little sister" I said, "I would be honored to have you beside me in any fight against any foe."

She shook her head, as though she couldn't believe what I was saying. "But I lost" she said in a small voice.

"No little sister" I said, shaking my head, "you won". "You won the hearts and admiration of all that know you. You won the respect of your peers and you won the battle against giving in. The outcome of this match is insignificant when measured against such victories."

I knelt in front of her and held the sword to her, hilt first. "You are truly worthy of this."

She really saw the sword for the first time. The hilt was golden and fit perfectly in her hand. The blade was silver, mirror smooth and shiny. It was light, supple and perfectly balanced. Where the hilt and blade merged, was the symbol of the Archangel Michael, the warrior. She looked at the sword, then at me, then back at the sword. Timidly she reached out her hand and grasped the hilt.

"Thank you", was all she got out before dissolving into tears of joy. Not surprising to me, Faith was there to catch her when her knees started to buckle, murmuring "I'm so proud" over and over.

Someone started to applaud and soon the whole room shook with cheers and applause. The trainees rushed into the middle of the room, yelling and cheering. Janice was the center of this mob, receiving the congratulations of her fellow warriors.