Be of good cheer, only two chapters after this one! My thanks to those who have supported this tale.
The Dawning of Faith
Chapter 34
"Razor Wind," he breathed
"You fought well, Kamisori-San," Yoshi told her.
"I have a good teacher," Dawn explained as she looked over Yoshi's shoulder to where Faith was smiling at her.
"Hai," agreed Yoshi, "and now I must dispose of this hapless demon. Perhaps I should have kept a few students here after all."
"I can handle that, if you like, Yoshi–Sama," Dawn offered.
"Ahhh, I would like to see your magic, Gugen."
Dawn waved to get Willow's attention and then pointed to the demon and made a flicking motion with her hand, asking permission from her instructor. Willow nodded, and Yoshi viewed the exchange with satisfaction.
Dawn drew a deep breath and allowed the energy to flow into her, her eyes flared, and the demon was gone. Yoshi bowed deeply to her.
"I could feel the magic welcoming you, you are truly Gugen, and you are worthy of my sister the Lion. Today we shall also see Sakurabana's magic when we temper your scythe. Let us go."
Dawn and Yoshi walked together up the incline that led out of the arena, and found the others waiting for them.
"You have a worthy match, Sumizome Shishi–San. My happiness for you is without limit."
"Mine too," Faith told him, "you did good, kid."
"Thanks coach."
"I'm proud of you Dawnie," Buffy said, "you didn't suck."
"Okay on the clean-up too," Willow granted.
"Oh will all of you just please stop!" Giles moaned. "Dawn, you were bloody marvelous, and these three comedians know it."
"That's what we said," Buffy insisted.
"How long do you need to prepare, Sakurabana?" Yoshi asked.
"A couple of hours should do it, but Dawn should rest for a while first, she'll need to be fresh for the spell."
"I feel great!" Dawn offered.
"Of course you do, you're still jazzed from the fight," Faith told her, "but you'll come down pretty soon. That was a tough battle, no matter how easy you made it look, and I bet that bit of ass-kickery with the magics took a little out of you too."
"She's right Dawn, you handled the sending perfectly, but even for you that's not a little thing. And the scythe spell may be pretty draining," Willow cautioned.
"In any event, lunch is waiting for us," Yoshi announced, and they went together to where the meal was set out for them.
The fare was traditional, and excellent, and by the meal's end Dawn was aware that Faith and Willow had been correct.
"Kamisori-San, please allow me to take your weapon with me now, I go to prepare my forge," Yoshi requested. Dawn stood and handed it to him in the same manner that he had given it to her in the arena, and Yoshi smiled at the courtesy. "A worthy match indeed, Shishi," he told Faith, who was grinning fit to burst.
"Come on, my Avatar," Faith said to Dawn, "let's get you rested up for the big event."
"Ripper, would you care to assist me?" Yoshi asked.
"I'd be delighted," Giles replied and they left together, leaving Buffy and Willow alone beneath the tree where lunch had been served.
"Dawn has come a long way," Buffy said slowly. "Seems like just last week she was shoplifting and crying about how nobody wanted to be with her. Now look at her, she has a battle name given her by the greatest Ninjutsu Master in the world, and her partner is the only person ever to defeat him. She doesn't need me anymore."
"Bitch, please!" Willow scoffed. "You're just being maudlin, shake it off. You know Dawn will always need you."
"I guess, but it's not the same."
"No it isn't" Willow said as she laid her head in Buffy's lap, "it's better." Buffy sat in silence for a while, absently playing with Willow's hair, and slowly a smile spread across her face.
"It really is…" she said to the air.
As soon as Faith and Dawn were inside their house, Faith threw her arms around Dawn and kissed her extravagantly. "Baby, you were wonderful! You blew Yoshi away, seriously." Dawn melted against her, pressing her face into Faith's hair.
"Thank you, I did it for you, everything is for you. And you were right, I really need to rest."
Her eyes shining, Faith lifted Dawn in her arms and carried her to their room, where she held her and stroked her hair until she too fell asleep. "I gotta cut this crying shit out," was almost the last thought that she had before she drifted off.
"Couldn't you use an electric blower for the forge, Yoshi?" Giles asked as he pumped the bellows.
"This gives students something to do," Yoshi countered, "and those things are too loud."
"Louder than my breathing?"
"Perhaps not so loud as that," Admitted Yoshi, "the sweat will help last night's excesses to wash away. You will feel better soon. More air, please."
The air around Willow shimmered as she sat quietly in the courtyard, and Buffy watched raptly. She knew that the magic Willow would perform soon was of the same nature as that that had released the potentials and allowed them to prevail against the First, the same as that used by those women long ago that had created the Scythe.
She had spoken of that with Giles.
"The plain fact," he had told her, 'is that the only beings ever to have power rivaling Willow's reputedly reside on Mt. Olympus. And unless I'm much mistaken, in the fullness of time Willow will sit at the head of that table."
"She's mine now, though," Buffy said aloud, "she's mine."
When Faith and Dawn awakened they found two packages outside their door, along with a note from Yoshi.
"Please do me the honor of accepting these; they are fitting garments for the magic."
They were kimonos of exquisite silk; Faith's was the color of blood, with a design of golden bamboo. Dawn's was a deep blue, with a similar design in silver. They dressed and then left for the forge, where Giles and Yoshi were waiting.
"You are absolutely beautiful, girls," said Giles sincerely, and he received smiles of thanks for the compliment.
"Hai," agreed Yoshi. "You should stand over here behind me," he told them, Willow-San will be on the other side of the quench tank with Buffy-San. I will be certain that the blade is at the correct temperature, and then Sakurabana will cast the spell. Shishi and Kamisori, you must then take up the scythe together and immerse it in the tank. Sakurabana tells me that it is important that both of you are holding it, and that your hands are touching. The stake will be quite warm, but will not burn you."
"We understand, Yoshi-san," Faith told him.
Everyone felt the hairs on their arms stirring, and then Sakurabana Tejina entered the smithy. She was dressed in white, and her hair matched it. But her eyes were glittering windows into a world not even Dawn understood. She was carrying a vial of dark liquid.
She took her place behind the tank, and then she smiled, and they recognized Willow.
"Love the look, Will," said Faith.
"Personally, I think it's a little over the top, but it goes with the territory. Everyone know what to do?"
"Yoshi-Sama filled us in," Dawn said, "Faith and I take up the scythe together, and our hands have to be touching, then we immerse it in the tank."
"That's it; when the temperature is right I'll do the incantation, then you dunk the blade, and then we'll see."
"It'll work fine," Faith said, "I got faith in you, Red – uh – Whitey?"
"Thanks, anybody have any questions?"
"What about me?" Buffy asked.
"Oh, sorry sweetie, you stand behind me with your hands on my waist so that I can draw on your strength, and your love for Dawn. Think about your love for both of them. You two think about each other. Anything else?"
That was it for the questions, but if anyone had looked closely, they would have noticed that Dawn was chewing on her bottom lip.
"Dawnie, the spell will also fail if you don't love iher/i enough, and I'm not sure Faith could handle that."
"But I do love her. I do," Dawn told herself.
"Let's make some magic then, ready when you are, Yoshi," said Willow.
Yoshi pulled the scythe from its bed of coals and ashes and examined the dull glow. "More air please, Giles-San, slow and steady." Giles worked the bellows.
"She said that there would be a flash of light if it worked," Dawn thought. "I love her; I love her with all that I am…"
Faith was serene.
Yoshi moved the scythe to a hotter spot in the coals.
"God, I hope this works," Buffy thought.
"Please…" prayed Giles.
"It is time, Sakurabana," announced Yoshi.
Willow removed the stopper from the vial, and held her hands over the tank. For a moment she was still and silent, and then her hair began to stir, and then she spoke, and as she spoke she slowly poured the blood into the tank.
"Blood of the womb, imbue this weapon with the powers of these two women from whence you flowed.
Bind this might to the steel by the power of their Love.
Love begat Trust.
Trust begat Belief.
Now, from this Love, and this Trust, and this Belief;
Comes the Dawning of Faith."
"Do it," Willow commanded.
Yoshi moved aside, and Faith and Dawn grasped the scythe together.
"I do love her, I do I –"
They plunged the blade into the tank, and the glowing metal set the surface afire.
"Come on…" urged Willow as she waited for the flash.