One more after this, I thank you for your kind attention.

The Dawning of Faith

Chapter 35

"Come on…" urged Willow as she waited for the flash.

As her heart began to crumble, Dawn turned to look at Faith.

And when their eyes met a star exploded in the forge.

"Told you so," Faith said as her lips found Dawn's.

"Holy shit…" said Buffy in wonder as she blinked her eyes. "Will, you're good!"

"I am," agreed Willow, "but most of that was from them."

The bright spot in everyone's vision faded away slowly, and Yoshi gestured for Faith and Dawn to remove the scythe. He handed them a cloth and together they wiped it clean.

"Do you feel it too?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah, it's a lot like the feeling I get from the Slayer's Scythe, but more intimate," Faith answered.

"So," Yoshi said briskly, "it is time to see what this magic has wrought." He went to a cabinet on the wall and removed a bar of metal which he inserted into a hole in an anvil.

"Kamisori Kaze, please cut this," he asked. Dawn took her scythe and walked over to the anvil, there was a sizzling hiss as the air was split; a sharp, ringing, crack, and the bar trembled for an instant before falling in two.

"May I?" asked Yoshi as he held out his hands, and Dawn laid the scythe in them. Yoshi examined it minutely, carefully touching the edge with a finger. A line of red appeared on his flesh, and he grinned broadly.

"Now, Kamisori Kaze-San, you have a weapon truly worthy of your love. It is as Sakurabana said, this blade will never break, never dull, and will always cut true."

"Neat!" exclaimed Dawn.

"Hai, neat," agreed Yoshi. "Shishi-San, would you do me a favor and bring me the thing that is under that cloth on my bench?"

"Sure," said Faith, and she went and pulled the cloth aside. "God… Yoshi, this is the most beautiful weapon I've ever seen!" she exclaimed.

"I am pleased that you think so, Shishi, as it is for you," he said. Faith turned around slowly, her eyes riveted to the thing in her hands. It was a scythe, and very near to Dawn's in form, though heavier. It was so black that it appeared that light fled from it, except for the edge, which glinted like a diamond, and etched on the blade was a rampant lion.

"Shall we bring the sun inside once more, Sakurabana?"

"Heat it up, I'm on a roll," Willow told him.

"I will need an hour or so to get it to temperature," Yoshi told her.

"More of the bellows then, I presume?" asked Giles.

"Take a break G," Faith told him as she handed her scythe to Yoshi. "I'll work the bellows 'till it gets ready."

Dawn took Willow aside, and hugged her. "I was scared, Willow, I was scared I would let her down, but then she looked at me and…"

"I know, but you never have to be unsure about that again."

"I think it's time to quit being unsure about everything," Dawn told her.

"So do I sweetie, so do I," Willow agreed.

"Willow?" asked Buffy as she approached them.

"Yes?"

"Can you keep the look for a little while after we're done here?"

"Sure baby, anything you want," Willow answered with a grin.

"I'll be back shortly," Giles said as he excused himself. He went to his room and retrieved something from his luggage, and then he sat for a time lost in thought.

"Yoshi, I can't thank you enough for this, it's beautiful," Faith told him as she worked the bellows.

"No thanks are necessary, but you are welcome. It is a joy to me to give you this, and now with this magic… I think that for you this will be even better than the original one. It will love you more. Kamisori Kaze has great love for you, my sister," he told her.

"Yes she does," agreed Faith, wonder plain in her voice. "I think it's time for a gift of my own. To her," she thought.

"Damn, I'm getting soot on my kimono."

"It is honorable soot, Shishi," said Yoshi, "and you will find fresh clothing awaiting you both at home. A time of great joy requires proper dress."

"You say so, Yoshi," replied Faith as she worked the bellows.

"Rupert," Giles said to himself, "it is time to play or get off the stage, old man." He stood and walked back to the forge.

"Willow, Dawn," said Giles as he entered the smithy, "might I have a word with you?"

"Of course," Willow answered, and Buffy moved away to watch the heating of the Lion scythe.

"I wouldn't compromise this for the world," Giles began, "but I wonder if after you enchant Faith's new scythe whether the two of you could send me home?"

"Okay by me, I'm good for it," Dawn assured him, "what's up?"

"There is something I have to do, or attempt to do. Or test. Damnit. I have been persuaded by recent events that it is folly to wait any longer. I may be entirely mistaken, but if I am right…"

"It's Rona, isn't it?" Willow asked gently.

"As ludicrous as that might sound, yes," Giles sighed.

"Giles," Willow assured him, "it's not ludicrous at all. suppose she's in love with you?"

"Indeed, but, I'm so much older then she."

"Rona doesn't care," Dawn told him, "you had her from the first verse."

"That may be, but that was the power of the music, not anything to do with me. It's the music she is enchanted with, not the singer."

"Giles, it's not the music," Willow said, "it's your soul that she loves. The music just let her see it, that's all. Give Rona some credit, I know she can appear frivolous, but she has a deep soul. And you did say that you would abandon fear, didn't you?"

"So I did, but that doesn't mean that she loves me, does it?" Giles countered.

"No it doesn't," Willow agreed, "but isn't it worth the risk to find out?"

"I don't think I can stand it any longer not to know. I am ashamed to admit it, but she haunts my thoughts and dreams."

"That's nothing to be ashamed of, Giles," Dawn promised him, "it's a beautiful thing."

"I suppose it is, but still, I am so much older; what can I offer her?"

"Love," answered Willow, "and there is nothing more than that. I can't promise you that things will be perfect between you, I can't see that," Willow told him, "but I can see that there is time for you to have a rich life with her."

"You can read the future?" Giles asked.

"I could, perhaps" admitted Willow, "but I'm not going to try, the future is nebulous. I can however see the brightness of your life energy. Barring a catastrophe, which could happen to any of us, you will live long enough to see your children grown, if you were to have any. Do you need more than that?"

"No," Giles whispered, "but I still worry about taxing Dawn after today's events for my own selfish reasons."

"Please," Dawn replied, "I'm an Avatar, remember?"

"And I am in Goddess mode," Willow told him, "I can give Dawn power enough to send you anywhere at all and never miss it. Dawn has the skill to deliver you precisely to your destination; I have the power to do so and not notice the loss. And we both love you enough to demand that you allow us to do this. Got it?"

"Indeed," Giles said as his eyes ran over, "the two of you are blessings to my life. I don't deserve you."

"Maybe not," Dawn answered, "perhaps none of us deserve the love we are given," she looked at Faith laboring over the bellows. "But only the worst sort of fool turns away from love that is offered."

"Well put, Dawn. Well put indeed," Giles replied.

"Ripper," Yoshi called, "the time is approaching. I need you on the bellows, please."

"Delighted," Giles said as he hurried over. "Congratulations, Faith, "he whispered to her, "you deserve her, never doubt that." Faith kissed him and hugged him fiercely.

"My word…" Giles gasped. "I… thank you, Faith."

"Ready, baby?" Faith asked Dawn as they took their positions.

"Yes." Dawn answered as she looked deep into Faith's eyes.

"Me too, love." Faith thought in answer.

"It is nearly time," Yoshi announced.

Giles reached into his pocket and then donned a pair of Ray-Bans.

"Good work on the bellows, Roy Orbison-San," Yoshi complimented him.

"Smartass Ninja, you're just pissed you didn't think of it…"

"Hai," admitted Yoshi, "but your Goddess will like the look."

"You aren't going to let me forget that, are you Yoshi?" Giles asked as he pumped the bellows.

"I never will, but you must bring her here, Rupert my great friend. I must meet this Goddess who has stolen your heart."

"If she'll have me Yoshi, I shall."

"Slow and steady, Ripper, we are close…"

"…the Dawning of Faith," intoned Willow.

The star bloomed instantly this time.

"Sumizome…" invited Yoshi, once sight had returned.

The Lion scythe cut the air with a hiss like bacon dropped onto a hot skillet, and the steel bar vanished into a neat pile of disks that looked like checkers.

"Damn…" breathed Dawn in awe.

"Baby girl," Faith assured her, "I'm a Slayer for a reason…"

"Yes you are," said Dawn bluntly. Faith felt a shiver run up her spine.

"Marvelous!" said Giles, "Willow?"

"Dawnie, let's send Giles home," Willow told her.

"Right," Dawn answered, "best of luck Giles."

"Thank you, perhaps I should arrive outside?"

"Send him to where you sent the Lincoln," Willow suggested as Dawn took her hands.

"Dawn transferred the Linc-?" Giles began, and then he was gone.