Stuck inside, might as well spam a little. If you're still here, thanks, slow but sure wins the race.
The Dawning of Faith
Chapter 11
"I'll meet you in the gym at 8:30. Bring your scythe," Faith touched her lightly on the shoulder, leaving Dawn staring after her as she headed to her room to prepare for the lessons.
Dawn went to her room, once again thankful that as a permanent resident she had private accommodations. At least for now, she reminded herself. She brushed her teeth, brushed her hair, hesitated a moment and then added lipstick, and stood in front of the mirror.
"My arms are skinny and I don't have a butt," she said aloud, "it isn't me." Sighing, she retrieved her scythe and headed for the gym. She was oblivious to the looks several of the girls on the field gave her.
"Damn, that girl is hottt," hissed one of them.
"And she's Buffy's sister, and for all you know she's straight. So unless you just really want to get your ass kicked you'd best get your mind out of her gutter and warm up. The Slayer is coming," warned one of the older girls.
It had become apparent over time that the spell Willow had used to bring forth the potentials had not been one hundred percent effective. There was something unknown about being called in the traditional way that made a small but quantifiable difference, and while the new Slayers were far stronger than average humans, as yet none of them could match Buffy or Faith in strength. Rather than cause a problem however, this difference made it easier for the new girls to acknowledge their authority and gave them something to strive for. A complacent Slayer had the life expectancy of a pint of chocolate ice cream at a slumber party.
Dawn entered the empty facility and carefully placed her weapon on a table, and then proceeded to the bar on the wall to do her own warm-ups. Within moments, her mind was fully occupied with the stretching and flexibility exercises that she had done since her first ballet class, which she remembered as being roughly ten years ago. She seldom now thought about being a key.
Faith came in through a side door and stopped dead in her tracks.
"Sweet Mother Mary…" she breathed as she stared at Dawn, her heel hooked on the bar and her head touching her knee. She shook off the reverie with an effort, and strode purposefully over to the table where she placed the Scythe and a padded wooden item beside Dawn's weapon.
"Ready Dawnie?" she asked. Dawn met her eyes and held them as she answered.
"Are you?" It was a moment before Faith's face broke out in a wide grin.
"That's the spirit!" she said, and then her face went grave.
"In this room I am not your friend, I am your instructor, and this is serious business. Are we clear?"
"I'm serious," promised Dawn. Faith swallowed, but continued.
"You'll notice that your scythe is different from the original, it's lighter, and the balance is a tiny bit different. The stake fits smoothly into the handle, so the staking technique will be a different too. And yours is one hell of a lot sharper."
"It is?" Dawn asked, clearly surprised.
"The true cutting edge of the Scythe is magical, keyed to the power of the Slayer. In anyone else's hands it's just a big, heavy, dull axe with a sharp stick on it. It takes a Slayer's power and strength to really use it effectively. Your little friend here could shave the hair off a frog, so keep that in mind." Dawn nodded.
"This stick is what you will practice with most, it has a similar balance and feel, but you won't be able to really hurt me with it."
"Hurt you?"
"I'm going to teach you to use your scythe to defend yourself, so I'm going to attack you. I'll be a vampire, I'll be different demons, I'll even be a prison matron if I think it will help train you. What I want from you is everything you've got, no holding back, none. If you get in the habit of going half-assed in training you'll do it in a real fight. I repeat, you cannot hurt me with the training scythe. I have Slayer strength, you don't. That doesn't mean you aren't strong though, got it?"
"Got it," Dawn promised. Faith stared at her intently.
"I'll make you stronger. I'll make you a match for any vampire ever sired, and most of the demons as well. But you have to give me everything you have, all of the time. Promise?"
"With all of my heart." Faith turned her back abruptly, hiding the upwelling of her eyes.
"Right," said Faith, "we'll start with how to hold the thing, pick up the real one, but for God's sake don't swing that bitch at me…"
Dawn picked up her scythe, set her face, and resolved to give it her all.
"Good!" Faith exclaimed a few hours later. "Keep moving, always moving, remember that motion is life when you're fighting a stronger opponent. Whatever comes towards you, cut it; hand, claw, tentacle, or big old demon pecker. Cut it and keep moving."
Sweat was dripping from both of their faces, Dawn relentlessly circling, every time that Faith reached out for her Dawn countered with a slash of the training stick. Every time she landed a blow Faith's grin became wider.
"Remember your demon lore, what kills them, what their weak points are. Don't be too anxious to try and cut the head off a vamp, even as sharp as she is, it's harder than staking. If you go for the stake, give it all you got. If the vamp gets his hands on your scythe, he'll take it, so if you can slice up his mitts first, do it. And always remember to escape if you see a clear chance. Survival is the goal. It doesn't matter how."
Faith lunged for Dawn, her arms wide, and quick as a flash Dawn reversed her weapon and thrust it as hard as she could at Faith's chest. The world spun, and Dawn found her hands empty, her arms pinned to her sides, and Faith's teeth fastened lightly to her neck. She stood motionless, panting.
"Her skin is so soft…" thought Faith, "and she tastes so good," her tongue lightly flickered against the pulse in Dawn's neck, and the beat jolted her back to reality.
"Good try," she panted as she released Dawn. "Truth to tell, if I'd been a Vamp you'd have likely already lopped my hands off anyway, the move was solid. Let's knock off for today."
The sound of applause reached their ears, and they turned to see Buffy approaching them.
"You were great, Dawnie! Faith cheated, I saw it, you had her disabled, or you would have. I think she just wanted to bite your neck," Buffy laughed. "Faith, you're a great teacher, I knew I could count on you. I'll rest easier knowing that she's got you with her. I gotta get back to the kids now, you guys coming to the club tonight? See ya'," Buffy departed in the same whirlwind she had arrived in.
"My sister, the hummingbird," Dawn said dryly. "So, did you cheat, did you just want to bite my neck?" Dawn held her breath waiting for an answer.
"I cheated," admitted Faith, her back to Dawn. "But you assumed," she said as she turned to face her student, removing her protective goggles. "Yes, I think it likely that if you had been fighting a vampire using your real weapon that his hands would have been injured. But Demons don't fight by any rules except the only rule. There's no second place, that's the same as dead. If a Demon still has hands, you have to believe they can use them, got it? They feel pain, but they don't let it stop them. Clear?"
"Clear," Dawn said, but she was really trying to decide if she had actually felt Faith's tongue on her neck.
"Let's get some water, we have to stay hydrated, and I'm soaking wet," Faith said. Her face colored, as did Dawn's. "So, brewed up any of that jet fuel lately?" Faith asked by way of taking her mind off of things that were wet.
"Willow thought it might be good to have some on hand in case anybody overdoes things at the club," Dawn answered, relieved at the new topic of conversation. "Do you want to go to the club?" she asked casually.
"Not tonight, I have plans," Faith answered.
"Shit," thought Dawn.
"Got a date?"
"I hope so," Faith grinned, "I thought maybe you and I would go hustle up a real vamp so you can christen that thing. Sound like fun?"
"Really?" Dawn exclaimed, somewhat dismayed by the shrill tone of her voice.
"Really, we got word of one that's supposed to rise tonight, and I told Buffy I'd handle it. Might as well let you get some real work in. I repeat though, it's not your job to hunt these things. That's mine, but there is only so much you can learn when you can't make the kill."
"Okay," Dawn agreed, regaining control of herself. It wasn't really a date, but it would do for now. She watched Faith's throat moving as she gulped water. It would do.