The Dawning of Faith
Chapter 3
"That's my girl!" said Faith gleefully. The phrase struck chords within them both.
The two women disembarked and ascended the stairs to the front door, Faith went in first, and saw no one. She motioned for Dawn to stay back, because she knew that they had not left the lights on, and she thought that she heard a faint sound from the kitchen. Cautiously, she peered into the room, and then she broke out in a huge grin, turned back to the door and called, "All clear, Dawnie, what say we finish off that Chunky Monkey in the freezer?"
"Great!" agreed Dawn and she closed the door and walked into the kitchen.
"SURPRISE!" bellowed the slayer cadre as a shower of confetti descended on Dawn.
"You didn't really think I'd forget your 18th, did you Dawnie?" Buffy said as she embraced her sister. Dawn turned to Faith.
"Were you in on this?" she asked. She did not see Buffy nodding frantically to Faith from behind her.
"I'll never tell," Faith said smoothly. "Now, I see presents, and I see cake. Get busy." Dawn moved eagerly to the head of the table where a mound of presents awaited. Buffy hugged Faith and whispered to her.
"I owe you big for that note, Faith," she told her, "I can't believe I forgot today was her birthday, thank God I already had her present."
"She was really grown-up about it," Faith told her, "she knows you have a lot on your plate. But I'm glad you did this. She's not a kid anymore, for sure, but you never get too old for a party." Buffy looked over to where her sister was being hugged by Willow.
"No, she's not a kid at all, she had to grow up fast, but she made it," Buffy decided.
"Try and remember that B, and as far as owing me, I might have to call that one in pretty soon. But tonight is for Dawn."
"Right," agreed Buffy, little realizing what Faith might mean by that.
Willow had given Dawn an actual spell book, and the promise of tutoring her. "You're magical," Willow assured her, "it's just a matter of learning." Dawn squeezed Willow fiercely, but her eyes sought out Faith.
There were clothes, candy, DVD's and CD's, and Dawn appreciated them all, and then there was but one gift left, a large package from her sister.
Dawn opened it, and gasped aloud… "It's beautiful!" she gasped, and from the open box she held up a weapon that closely resembled the Scythe.
There were differences; the blade was not silver and red but a mottled, wavy-patterned steel. There was not the aggressive bolster between the handle and the wooden stake, but a smooth transition, and the whole thing was much lighter in weight.
"This is the first one," Buffy told her, "we found a swordsmith in Japan to make these, at least he makes the blade of the scythe. It's laminated steel like the best Samurai swords. The body of yours is titanium for strength and lightness, and the stake is Lignum Vitae, the hardest wood there is. It's not mystical, not yet at least; I'll leave that to you and Willow. It is however, quite lethal. I can't always be with you Dawnie, no matter how hard I try, or how much I want to. And the fact is that there is still evil in the world, and you are a target, both because you're my sister and because of who you are. You are a strong woman and a champion in your own right. Keep this close, and use it well." Those assembled applauded, and if anyone found it odd that Dawn threw herself on Faith and hugged her, they kept silent about it, for after a brief moment she had embraced her sister just as fiercely.
Faith's eyes were not the only full ones in the room, but there was much more behind them than most.
"Umm, Dawn, I – I don't have a gift for you," Faith admitted, having found herself beside Dawn momentarily during the scramble for cake and ice cream. (A pack of girls with Slayer metabolism makes a swarm of locusts look like a Weight Watchers meeting.)
"Yes you do, you're just not ready to give it to me," Dawn answered. Dawn smiled at her and went to play one of her new cd's leaving a very flustered Slayer behind her.
"Faith, I have a favor to ask," Buffy said as she approached, "hello? Earth to Faith… are you in there?"
"Huh? Oh yeah, sorry, I kind of zoned out. What were you saying?"
"Favor. I need one."
"You name it B."
"I want you to show Dawn how, teach her to do it right," Buffy said earnestly. Faith turned pale, and then flushed bright red.
"Uhhh. What?" mumbled Faith.
"Are you okay? You look a little dizzy?"
"Too much sugar I guess, but back to the favor. Do what right, exactly?"
"Her scythe. I want you to teach her to use it properly; my trying to teach her just wouldn't work, kind of like your Mom teaching you to drive. Nightmare city. So, will you do it, please?" implored Buffy.
"Sure B, glad to, but why me?"
"Because you're the best, don't you think so?" Buffy teased.
"Well of course, but it's nice to hear you admit it."
"No problem, now I owe you another one, I hope you don't want my first born child. Assuming I ever have a child. Which, considering my history with men isn't very likely. At least not within the bonds of matrimony. I need a drink."
"Right there with ya, B, right there with ya. Let's go raid Giles' stash, the kiddies can get along without us for while, and I want to get out of here before the pillow fight starts."