Chapter 5: Finest minds in The Universe, deadliest Babe in Leather

She ended up in the gym later doing katas. After they'd stretched out, she and Abby'd sparred for awhile, HTH and weapons, before she wandered off and left Faith to her own devices.

Previous combat skills and training or no, it hadn't taken them long to determine that Faith was better. Faith's style was looser and wilder, but she had the edge in speed, strength, mean, and sheer will. Not by much though. Girl had skills.

Damn, that girl was strong, too. Not like a lot of the baby-Slayers. Faith had gotten used to feeling a difference in... intensity? between her and B and the newly called. Power. B radiated power, when she wasn't damping it down, trying to 'be normal'. So did she, she knew: a lot of the baby-slays were terrified of her. The Sunnyhell vets had it too, Vi and Ken and the others, to one degree or another: stronger than the ones they'd found after; still not quite as intense as Faith and B. She wondered if Kendra'd had that too, and wished she could have known the Jamaican Slayer she'd heard all too little about. The other Called had less wattage still.

Possibly a factor of how close they were to that damned Scythe when they were called? Or to the Hellmouth? But that wouldn't explain Abby... and she radiated as strong as Vi and Rona, strongest of the Mini-Slays.

Faith still hadn't figured out how she was going to work up to the whole 'Congratulations, you've been Chosen because a bunch of idiots invoked an artifact to keep from being killed-to-death by The First Evil. Welcome to your new Fucked Up Life: Visions, Slayer Dreams, Prophecies, Apocalypses, and Demonic Assassins after your young ass. Don't die. It'll purely fuck up your day.' Speech to her. Decided again she'd let the girl marinate for awhile, think on the Slayer information that Faith had told her using Blade-as-proxy. She had a lot to soak in, and knew it'd be resonating with the girl... dropping into place with a click to the puzzle of her sudden strength and reflexes, and the new nightmares in her sleep parade.

Begged off after sparring saying she was going to grab a shower and do some research. Geek, Slayer, and potential Watcher, rolled into one. Girl would make some mini-Slay a damned fine watcher if they were lucky enough to get assigned her. Not that that was likely to happen, whatever - Abby had a solid thing here, and she was needed here.

Hadn't figured out how she was going to go about deciphering her slayer dream, and figuring out the Coming Apocalyptic Wonder, either, for that matter. Or how Hannibal, Abby, and Blade fit in.

Speaking of... she noticed with a start that the man in questioned joined her at some point while she was lost in her thoughts. Doing a very graceful kata in a pair of old sweats next to and a yard or two away. Wonderful. Going to get her young ass killed one of these days, spacing out thinking while some Big Bad walked up and had an easy snack.

Not many Big Bads moved as silent as the big man, though. Not even Angelus. Good thing.

She left herself drift into an unthinking rhythm of punch, kick, turn, grab, throw, block, strike. Wash, rinse, repeat, with variations. Mixing styles and techniques from a half dozen disciplines, and from her own, wild, crazy, instinctive style she'd developed. Let her senses watch Blade as he drifted in his own kata. Man was disciplined. Powerful. An elegance of no wasted motions. Made her look sloppy: his styles and techniques were tight. She identified Muay Thai, Krav Maga, Kempo, Jeet Kun Do, and several others in his repertoire... some she knew, some she only recognized from memories of Slayer dreams, and slayers who'd known them. She noticed that he tended towards 'brutal and effective', like she did, but with less of the sense of dance she felt fighting.

She came to a rest, flowing into a relaxed stance, letting the power wash through and flow out of her into the ground. Charged and limber, connected, enjoying that sense of 'centered' and 'filled emptiness' she could never seem to capture for long outside of katas. Or combat. World always crashed back in, elsewhere, bring back thoughts and feelings and doubts. And pain.

She came back to herself with a shake, back to the world and surface awareness.

Noticed Blade flowing out of stance as well, giving himself that small shake. Wondered if it was like that for him: only completely in tune when in The Zone like that: stillness in movement.

"Nice," He gave her a small bow, palm over fist.

She returned it. "Not bad yourself."

Nod. "You could use a bit of polish, but... you got skills." Millimeter quirk of eyebrow. "Used to patching with power and speed?"

Faith cocked her head slightly, eyes closed, running katas and memories of combats through her mind's eye. Unoffended by the question. Nodded. "Yeah, some. Not many vamps have any skill or discipline, just raw power. Demons, likewise. Gotten tighter having other slayers to work out with."

Nod. "Hard to train with humans when you're stronger and faster than their eyes can follow?"

"Heh. Yeah." Raised an eyebrow. "Spar?"

Got an eyebrow raise in return. Damn - spent much time with this guy, she'd be able to carry on entire conversations and follow them just with microscopic twitches. "Bet you don't often find someone you can go all out with, either."

He nodded, flowed into stance.

Both started out slow, pulling things. Both gradually closed the gaps up to 'full out' as they tested each other's limits and reflexes. He was fast. Faster than her? Naw - no one's that fast. But close, damned close. She was stronger, just slightly. Always surprised her, to encounter someone like him, that looked that built, and be stronger. Always surprised her when she actually encountered someone stronger than her, too. Never satisfied, she was. He had mass, reach, and height. Things that count. And more discipline - cleaner movements. It did matter. Punches, kicks, strikes, blocks, and combinations flew almost invisibly. Moving out there far past the outer edges of human capabilities; pushing the upper limits of slayer speed and strength.

She grinned when she realized they were evenly matched, and that she was actually having fun. After a bit, so did he. A time later they both slowed, by unspoken agreement, having found the upper limits of each other's skills. She flowed into more dance and play than combat.

"Damn. Was that an actual smile, there a minute ago? And nothin' broke even."

He threw a combo she hadn't seen before, snapping her head back. "I didn't see anything."

"Right." She shook off the blow. "B-man's got emotions. Whoda thunk it? I won't tell."

They exchanged a flurry of blows and kicks for a time, then, "Nice bike."

"Thanks." She raised an eyebrow. Actual conversation even. Wow.

"Friend?"

Apparent non-sequitur threw her for a minute, thinking, which earned her a punch to the jaw and a sweep that landed her on her ass. Bastard. Oh - right. She flipped back onto her feet and bounced away, circling. "Angel. Souled vampire. He saved me from myself." She tried a combination that failed dismally, but did make him work a bit. "I returned the favor later. Some reason, he decided I needed a real Christmas. Bike was it. Bastard."

Got a raised eyebrow from Blade. She shrugged. "He's like that. And that type of stuff never occurs to me, always blindsides. Always behind the curve."

"It's not a contest." She couldn't glean anything from his expression.

"Guess not." She shrugged, feinted, kicked, and caught him on the chin. Grin. "This is, though."

"Heh." He returned the kick with interest in a back fist that came out of nowhere. She rolled out of it, grinning like a loon. "Angel... Wolfram & Hart?" He frowned.

"Yah. He thinks he can destroy it from inside." She worked her jaw, looking for an opening. "I think he's an idiot. But - man aims high, at least."

He didn't give her one, and didn't find one on her. Circled, prowling. "Creature's reach must exceed his grasp."

"Else what's a Heaven for?" She grinned at the raised eyebrow. "Hey - I read. Sometimes. Not stupid."

"And it keeps people off balance." He went for an arm lock off of a punch that she twisted out of, barely. "When you break character." He nodded, like that was something he understood and approved of... and probably did.

"Yup. Not a thug. But it helps sometimes when people see me that way." She was actually starting to get winded, a bit. They'd both broken a sweat long ago - not something she did often. "Always a few that don't buy it, though. See clear through."

"Wether you want them to or not." He launched into a blur of attacks that left her gasping silently, and both of them with bloody noses. They settled in for a time into a grim circling whirlwind of movement, her still dancing.

Bit later, and several exchanges more. "Daywalker, huh? All dhampirs immune to sunlight?"

He regarded her, thinking about it. Not about the question, but how much the answer'd give her. She could tell him 'Lots', but didn't. "No."

Surprised her again while she was looking for an opening, and trying out things that didn't work. "My mother was embraced while delivering me."

"ow. Sucks." She gave him a curious look, "What was her name?" Made it casual. Filed away the answer, making a note to ask Wes if there'd been a potential by that name, at some point. Slayer blood might do that: create a super-dhampir. It reacted... oddly... with magic.

They fought for a while, both enjoying it, Faith lost in the moments and movements.

After a time, "You going to tell her?" He gave her an opaque look, giving away nothing.

"Huh?" Slick, Faith. Blinding repartee.

"That she's a Slayer." Blade continued to circle, breathing easily. "Like you."

Faith stepped back, bowed hand-over-fist to break the fight. "Hadn't decided, yet. Need to." She grabbed a towel from the rack, poured a bottle of water over her head, and opened another one to sip from - passed it to Blade who accepted with a 'Thanks' nod.

Blade watched her, thinking things she couldn't fathom, and needed to, badly. "Knew something happened there. Not what," he said. "Things changed. Dangerous."

She leaned against a wall, arms folded, thinking. This was a Critical Conversation then, she knew. "And then you saw me in that alley, felt me, felt same thing as in her, and heard me say 'Slayer' to those vamps." Raised eyebrow. "Something went click and you brought me home."

Nod.

"And then you find out what it means, and that I'm one of those to blame. One of them." She gave him a level look. "What now?" He was very big, and very near, and very predatory now, and was setting of her slayer sense something fierce.

"Up to you, isn't it?" Still giving away nothing.

"Ha. As if." She grinned, tossed hair out of her eyes. One of these days, that grin was going to kill her. "Like I'm going to do anything against your will, or hers. Or Hannibal's. Get real."

He nodded, once, abruptly. Sank down into lotus, boneless and relaxed. She relaxed, just slightly, and matched him, a foot or so away. Not quite touching, not out of reach.

"Didn't plan on this. And I don't work for the Watcher's Council right now. As you gathered." She gazed into him, then through him... looking at things neither of them could see. "Sucky deal. As far as I'm concerned, she has what she needs right here. Family. Backup. Support. A team. Training. And a Calling, all of her own. All the things I didn't get. Anyone thinks that taking that away, just because a bunch of dead Shamans stuck a hunter's essence into some young girl, and a bunch of scared shitless 20 year olds who didn't want to die spread the joy around with a magic axe, is a Good Thing... needs to go through me first."

"And then through you, because by that point I'll be dead." She came back from where ever, back to focus, and looked him in the eyes. "And that just ain't gonna happen. I already been told that dyin' isn't on my options list."

She grinned. "So we figure out a different way. But she needs to know. Needs that choice. Needs to know about the dreams, and the things that'll be happening to her; that have already happened to her. Know she's not crazy, and not alone. And she's already in a high risk environment." She met his eyes. "That just got more dangerous. Knowledge is Power. Ignorance kills."

He nodded. "IWC going to have a different idea?" She had a momentary mind's eye glimpse of a pissed off Blade having a heart-to-heart with Wood and Kennedy, and snickered mentally. Bet Vi and Xander'd pay real money to see that. She cocked her head, considering for awhile.

"Not the same thing as the old watcher's council. Not just words: they honestly want to do things right this time. Not use the girls. Not rip 'em out of families and shove them into a supernatural meat grinder. Have lives, families, live longer than a few years." She paused, searching for words. 'Do this right, Faith'. Wished that little voice would grab a cup of shut-the-fuck-up and produce a How To book.

"But... we're not perfect. Hell - I'm about as far from perfect as you can get. We're still trying to put this thing together, from scratch, after The First blew the old watcher's council the fuck away. We don't always know what the hell we're doing, how to do this, and all of us have scars." She tapped her temple to illustrate her meaning. "No one walked away from that thing without getting marked."

"We just know we don't want to make the same fuckups that were made before, with me, B, and others. So we get to make all new fuckups." She left it lying there for a minute. "Lucky us."

"Don't blame you." He cocked his head, looking into her. Huh? Not quite what she expected. "I've made calls in battle. That affected other people. It costs." He was silent for a time. "Happens. And you live, it happens again."

"Thanks. I think... "

He stood, nodded. "We'll figure it out. Get some sleep." Went prowling off with that big cat grace, all loose limbs and power.

She looked after him, wondering. Had a sudden thought - "Hey!" He turned, looked.

"I need to make a couple of calls. To friends. Nothing that will bring anything here." She made it casual. "You mind?"

"Don't need my permission. But use your cell, not our line." He headed out.

...

Another shower and a snack later, she stretched out on the bed in her... cubical. Not really a 'room' per se. Fresh clothes out of her bag, that had amazingly survived unstolen strapped to the bike's carrier while she was drunk and stupid.

Took three rings. "Hello?"

"Yo, Watcher Man?"

"Faith! Ummm... do you know what bloody time it is?"

"Ummm... about 2am California time? Were you asleep?"

"Noooo... "

"Heh. I'm closing my eyes. I see you, surrounded by books, with a migraine from reading, and a mug of frigid coffee sitting next to you that you forgot about hours ago. The Mystic Faith knows all, sees all!"

"Very funny. The coffee isn't that cold."

"snicker Thank god. I saved you in time. Take aspirin, I'm going to listen for you to swallow."

"Where are you?" She could hear him clacking away at keys, probably opening a window to a travel site.

"Yo, Wes! Calm down - you don't have to ride out to the rescue. My demise isn't imminent, yet."

"Ha, bloody ha. Didn't enter my mind. Was going to send Angel. I'll have you know I'm not insane."

"Yet." She laughed. Small voice: "Y'know? I missed you guys." She sounded surprised.

"Yes, well... " Damn. Embarrassed Brit alert. "Giles called me. Asked if we'd heard from you."

Damn. sigh "No big. Really. Already talked to him: it's getting worked."

"Told him I thought you should have hospitalized and left that bloody prat long ago." pause "But I now owe Angel 50.00. I predicted it'd be another month yet."

Oh my gods. Laugh. Damn, she'd needed this, she realized. "You didn't!"

"Did so." He paused again. "Are you sure you're all right? Need a place? Shoulder? Lawyers? Bodies buried?"

"Yes. No, I'm with... some friends. Probably. No. And 'No', but thanks." Grin.

"Good. But if you do, you know where to come."

"Yup. Send Lawyers, Guns and Money. Got it. If I do, you'll be the first."

"Oh, gods no - I meant 'call someone else'" snicker

"Yeah yeah. Dick." pause "Everyone all right there?"

"Yes, quite. Nothing major, no new world endings scheduled. Angel's out on business... Fred and Gunn are fine."

"Good." She paused, surprised at herself wanting to drag out the casual talk longer. "Up for some research? Watcherly stuff?" Damn. She could practically hear him coming wide awake at the other end of the call, straightening with a snap.

"Research? You mean like, Watcher? You? Me...? Watcher you?" Oh hell. She done broke him.

"Sit, Wesley. Deeeeeeeeeeeeeeepppppppppp Breath." She sighed. "Yes. You Watcher. Me Slayer. Research, you, Fred. Info, me kill stuff. Give Tarmangani battle yell. Much party after. Finest minds in Universe, deadliest Babe in Leather. Unbeatable combo. Words small enough?" She snickered.

"Ah. Yes. Quite. You just surprised me is all. ahem"

"Surprised, hell. I thought you were going to croak on me."

"Ribbit. What do you need?" Damn. Fast recovery. She might have to keep him, this time.

"Slayer Dream. You ready?" Once she got the ok, that he had coffee, note book, recorder, and focus, she related what she was calling 'The QueenC Wakeup' in her mind to him. Verbatim, with full details. One of the few things her first Watcher had had time to teach her before dying had been the mental techniques for remembering Slayer dreams, and had ingrained them.

She never realized that that was a skill B'd never had, and wouldn't have believed Wes or Giles if they'd told her. Was something she'd assumed just came with the territory.

He listened, with appropriate and penetrating questions until she was finished, recording it for reference, and jotting notes for looking into. All business - keeping extraneous commentary to himself until she was done. He drew out details she hadn't realized she'd remembered or noticed. There was a long silence between them while he digested it, and she let him think.

"Are you certain it was her speaking in the dream?" pause "You do know she's still... " He trailed off, unwilling or unable to complete the sentence.

"Damn. No, hadn't, but figured from what she said. Damn, again. Sorry." She listened past the meaningless 'Not your fault's and 'Nothing to be sorry about's. She should have recognized there was something off about Cordy, that damned pregnancy. Willow should have. Fucking slayer sense. No good if it don't work. "And no. Was her. Slayer Dream. Only fake person I ever get in these is that ghost of B's she left in my brain when we swapped bodies. Others are real - they remember it too, sometimes."

"Damn. And interesting." he paused. "So that means the Cheese Guy is real then? That's... disturbing."

eye roll "Focus, Wes. And yes, it is."

"ahem There is not even a latent Hellmouth in New Jersey. Nor in New York. I can't even imagine a ritual that would create one, much less something like that. That sounds like a description of Dante's Inferno, all nine levels. Hrrmm... "

"Oh, great. You mean someone's going to drag the Pit into New Jersey? As in: 'The PIT?' And they want ME to stop it? There's no severance pay in this gig, is there..."

"No. And the retirement plan sucks bollocks. I thought you were being overly optimistic in the 'demise not imminent' remark."

"Gee, thanks ever so. I know who not to call for pep talks." She laughed, sobered. "Any ideas?"

"Not at the moment. I'll have to dig a bit." He got quiet for a small time. "You know, we can be there in a day or so. You're way out with no support now, and this sounds big. And ugly."

She did think about it. Hard. "Naw. I'm not by myself, really. Have access to some high powered help, if needed. And I can always call you and Angel if it looks really grim... 'sides if it's that bad, I can call in G and Will and some slayers. I really need you and Fred where the books and resources are. Finding me info: how to stop it, what to kill, and how it dies."

"Yes, I suppose... " He made a small 'Right, then' noise in his throat. "I'll do my best. DO yell if you need to."

"I know you will. Ummm... I'll have to call you. I'll be keeping my cell turned off."

"Right."

Damn. Almost forgot... "Wes?"

"Yes?"

"Can you look up a name in the Journals? See if she was ever a potential?" She gave him the name.

"Don't recall... Shouldn't be hard. Connected?"

"No. Something else."

"Right then. Get back to me - I'll see what we can find. And Faith... " pause "Don't die."

"You bet. Laters." She closed the phone and removed the battery again. Damn. 'So that's what concern sounds like. I didn't know.'

Wondered later why her last thoughts before drifting to sleep were 'You Watcher. Me Jane'...