Chapter 7: Faiths long night in Salmn
The jungle town of Salmn was alot different than Sina and Faith were used to seeing or experiencing in their line of work as they had both spent too long in a very dry and hot western town and here it could be alot wetter and alot hotter than back home due to the canopy overhead. the forest that surrounded them both was thick and dense but thankfully was marked by many signposts and freshly walked pathways absoloutly littered with magical blue torches which functioned perfectly in the day and the night.
The town was only a quick 8 minute walk throughout terrain which was all up and down and overgrown in most places. A large waterfall had taken Faiths attention as she thought how wonderful it was to look at and that Buffy was missing out on seeing such a gargantuan wonder that poured forth from an impossibly tall mountain range in the distance.
Sina had her black knuckle duster that Buffy had brought her months ago at the fair and it was now enchanted with powerful fire magic and on Sinas black leather clad hip was a sawn off shotgun that was enchanted with wind magic which shot an impossibly large amount of magical buckshot whose spread was basically a wall. she called it her 'never miss trick' rather affectionatly and it had been rare that she had ever need to quickdraw it and fire as she always preferred using her fists in most of there bounty based altercations.
She was however annoyed with how muddy her beautiful knee high leather boots were becoming, she had decided very quickly how she definetly wasn't a jungle lover and anyone who was obviously had a screw loose or competly missing.
Faith and Sina had entered the town and thankfully amongst the treetop walkways and random huts littered underneath the trees the bounty office was right next to the sheriff office, both of which were situated next to the entrance of the village and that made their job a fuck ton easier. she entered the bounty office and was greeted by 20 other bounty hunters, all different demons who were after this ape demon and alot of them looked like they knew exactly what they were doing.
"So... were all after the same cannibal cunt eh! well this is gonna be a fun day" Faith grinned cockily as she chucked bounty hunters out the way and Sina had also knocked 2 hunters out clean and manouvered her way towards the front desk as Faith was asking the clerk.
"hey, any info on monkey boy or are we all just standing around with our thumbs up our asses?".
"Ah, we were told you had accepted the bounty in Al-kufir Ms Lehane, there is no new info but he has been regularly attack after sundown in the least populated areas, we believe he is coming down from the mountains to attack at regular intervals" The clerk told her as she slipped a piece of paper across the desk that had the complete list of all his known attacks and kills. Faith had quickly noticed there was inly one place he hadn't attacked yet and it was the doctors office, 'maybe he didn't feel like eating diseased flesh' or it was possible he was just going place to place, not striking the same place twice.
"Thank you for the information, he will be disposed of soon, make sure the sheriffs are on high alert and protecting fhe least defendable areas... he seems to like attacking the easier spot with less foot fall". Faith watched as Sina had knocked out another 5 angry bounty hunters.
Sina was having the time of her life as she picked off the easiest hunters where as the tougher, smarter hunters had just got out of the way and continued about their buisness while trying not to involve themselves in a brawl against a 7ft amazon who obviously knew what she was doing.
"Sina! we're leaving... stop knocking out newbies for 2 seconds and lets get this show on the road". Sina was eager to leave and get the job over as quickly as possible since Faith had decided today she would challenge her to another 'first to kill him is the best' challenge and Sina had been waiting for the next time she could prove her strength and bounty hunting prowess, especially against Faith.
They left the bounty hunting office and Faith took Sina to the side and began discussing where she believed he may be hiding or striking next.
"He's never touched the doctors office, but here's the thing... its the most remote and easiest place to attack" Faith whispered low and Sina retorted with.
"Do you think he's hiding, in the docs office or just too scared to eat a patient, ya know cause of all the diseases". Sina was looking around and noticed most demons were jungle animals mixed with humanoids or snake bodies and it made sense since they were in a deep thick jungle right now.
"It's possible, problem is everywhere he's attacked is basically a circle around the outskirts of the town... only two places he hasn't attacked is the robot repair shop and the docs office... thing is the repair shop is completly automated and operated solely by robots themselves" Faith grinned knowingly. Sina smiled a toothy grin in return.
"That means without him going back to a previous haunt... docs is the best bet". Faith had produced a map of the town out of nowhere that she had taken from the desk of the bounty office while the clerk hadn't been looking.
"He never seems to go up in the canopy and attacks one or two people at once, ones he knows he can take" Faith pointed out all the points on the map to The eager barbarian the cannibal ape demon had attacked.
"You're right, unless he goes up into the canopy which is kinda unlikely but not impossible" Sina agreed with Faiths assessment but decided they had many hours until he was going to strike and they should spend the day gathering information.
"What'dya say that i check out some local hotspots and gather info, juet incase there is something we're missing here" Sina was happy to see Faith agree with her and decided for herself to inspect the docs office,
"Docs office is a safe bet for me, scope the area too... then we'll meet in the rooftop bar to conflagrate before the hunt begins" Faith gave her a fist bump and they both wandered off their seperate ways in their best attempts to get the job done.
Faith had left Sina and made her way towards the far edge of town passing shops, houses and a silk factory before finally arriving at the doctors, before she had entered the small open complex she spied behind one of the tall stone walls footprints that didn't look human... they were larger and more narrow. she also spied drops of blood and a few spent cigarellos. she examined the area and noticed the trail was leading into the thicket and behind that thicket was the mountain, Faith was sure of it now, the ape must of been scoping out the doctors small hospital. three nurses were going about their daily buisness, laughing and joyfully hanging bedding on the line and cleaning, Faith decided to investigate further.
"Good morning ladies, would the doctor happen to be available today!" Faith entered the well maintained garden and a tall cat demon nurse was happy to help her as she came down the house steps and met her in the miidle of the garden path.
"You, i assume are the bounty hunter the doctor called for?" The cat demon asked and this confused Faith as no one had told her the doctor had asked for bounty assistance. "No one asked me to come, i am here because i am hunting the cannibal ape... i have a sneaking suspicion he may be targetting this area in particular" Faith laid it out plain and simple for the woman but all it did was make her sigh in annoyance.
"We are fotunate then, the doctor has been asking for assistance for 3 days after we spied eyes in the darkness and felt a strange presence watching us from day to day. but it seems the sheriff and the bounty office are not taking us seriously" The cat demon motioned for Faith to follow her and so she did.
"I am sorry to hear that, my friend is currently asking around town about the ape but it seems like i may have found the perfect place to trap him" Faith entered the doctors house and patients were everywhere on beds and gurneys, she hoped it was nothing infectious but the nurse made it clear for her.
"Don't be worried, we get horrible cases of heatstroke and dehydration during the hot season here, we are oucky to not have any diseased here at the moment". she smiled and led her into a study where the doctor was awaiting her whilst looking over some charts of patients he had currently on his mind.
"Dr kratz, a bounty hunter has come to grace us with her presence... not at the behest of the local law though i'm afraid..." the nurse nodded to Faith and left, closing the large wooden doors behind them.
The doctor looked like a white tiger mixed with a strong burly man who spent his life weight lifting, Faith was shocked a doctor would have such an impressive physique.
"Marvellous days, you are here to hunt that ape monster i assume, i was begining to worry he would strike us while we had no one to defend the poor people here". the doctor rushed over to Faith and graciously shook her hand before she had even managed to extend it.
"I'm just here to put that... monster out of everyones misery doc, i noticed spent dark brown cigarellos and footprints near the far wall... he is watching you it seems" Faiths hand was let go and the doctor stepped back and put his hand to his forhead, he was showing signs of stress about the whole situation it seem and that was very understandable.
He sighed deeply, "Thank the jungle spirits you have arrived then, do you have backup waiting in the wings?" his hand moved to his waistcoat pocket and pulled out a ciggarette pouch and took a lighter out of his black trousers pocket and lit the cancerous death stick and took a nice long drag.
"My colleauge is a 7ft barbarian from Al-kufir, you are in the best hands doc... there is nothing to worry about while we are here" Faith calmly told him as he offered her a cigarette but refused it gently. he took no offense and moved back behind his desk and sat down and thought to himself for a moment before he asked another question.
"Al-kufir... you must be Faith Summers... the best bounty hunter in the eastern lands, well we certainly are in safe hands then". the doctor chuckled to himself joyously and she didn't want to correct him on the name since it didn't matter anyway but she would anyway and then have a talk with Jean soon as Buffy might not be too fond of her taking her last name by accident.
"My last name is Lehane, people seem to think my girlfriends my wife... i am gonna sort that out when i get home but before that, i assume the nurses live on site? am i wrong?" Faith asked as she was sure the nurses where the apes primary target.
"Well Lehane, they do in fact live here in this very building and we look after our patients together of course and by that look on your face i can only surmise we are of the same mind that they are his target" The doc was sharp as a tac it seemed.
"Well, lucky for you we iust have to blow his brains out and i get a big payday..." Faith gave a cocky grin. The doc eyed her with a worriesome look.
"And what's the unlucky part of that for us.." The doc asked as he took a long deep drag on his unbelievably white cigarette.
"Well doc... the nurses are obviouwly the bait... moment he strikes i'll have his brains plastered across your garden path" Faith opened her jacket to show him her pistol and it gave the doc a sense of relief like her large red rifle had when she walked inside his office.
"Well... i'll leave you to execute your plans and we'll tell the sisters about it so they are not scared half to death when the hunt takes place, they are good workers and wonderful people, i would be lost without them you see" the doctor admitted to Faith and she waved it off and understood wholly.
"I'll be back in an hour, we'll make a plan and set up after everyone knows their roles, you ok with that doc?" Faith moved towards the door and looked back as he gave her a happy nod of affirmation and thanked her for coming and all she could say was
"Think nothing of it, just doing my job" and she left the doctors complex and headed back into the jungle town. Sina was going to enjoy this one it seemed, their bet might be closer than she had originally thought and one well placed rifle shot might proclaim her the vicot of best bounty hunter tonight.
She was alsp going to have to phone Buffy soon and tell her and Rhino this was gonna be turning into an all night stakeout, she just hoped her girl understood and hell maybe she would have to stay in Balamb'bin as well. she loved bounty hunting but the quick ones were always the best these days, it gave her time to enjoy her life for once and she loved doing just that so long as her beautiful sister slayer was by her side.
~~*
Back in sunnydale it was late jn the mornjng and everyone was tired, too tired to keep reading books on interdimensional travel and portal magic 'made easy'. ok maybe it wasn't called 'made easy' that was a stupid Xander joke and yet Willow was now way too tired to even force herself to keep her eyes open for more than a minute or two.
"guys... we gotta call it for tonight and pick this up later, i cant see the words anymore.." Willow moaned wearily as Oz helped her up and they began to make for the door. Giles understood and Told Xander to go home as well and they would all pick this up tommorow.
"Yh, it's Buffy guys... she's gonna be fine, hell... knowing her she's already halfway home by now" Xander tried to give the room hope but they didn't seem to wanna go for it and he shrugged his shoulders and left first.
"Willow, we'll find her but Xandee is right... Buffy smart enough and strong enough that she could already be half way home" Giles gave her a kind look but he wasn't really convincing himself as deeply as he would like. Willow didn't exactly agree as she was more worried about 'who' she was with then 'where' she was.
"Faiths most likely with her Giles... chances are their at each others throats like crazy" Willow groaned unhappily as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and yet still felt absoloutly shattered. Oz who rarely spoke put in his two cents.
"Unless its a survival situation, Buffy and Faith would put their own problems aside if it meant they could both escape another dimension and return home". both Giles and Willow seemed to think about it for awhile and they both agreed but didn't like the chances of that happening after what Faith had done to Angel.
"I would like to believe in that Oz... but after Faith took out Angel, well... I don't really see that kind of situation coming to pass" Giles walked them both out of his flat and said goodnight to them both before returning to his empty bachelors pad and deciding to himself that he also was longjng for a deep restful sleep. but if he was honest with himself completly, he was happy that Angel was long dead and he hoped he stayed that way forever. To him Faith had done the right thing, that monster was too dangerous to be left alone to be free and do whatever he wanted, he was also never happy with the age gap between the demon and his ward. but unfortunately there was nothing he could of realistically done about it if he wished to continue as Buffys watcher.
He just hoped and prayed that both Slayers could get along just long enough for them both to come home safely, because whoever opened those portals definetly wanted them both gone and out of the way for some nefarious plan that was being put into motion.
~~*
Faith had spoken to Buffy and had quite the smile on her face which Sina knew was from her conversation she had just left with her girlfriend and was shocked to hear that Buffy and Rhino had already caught the prostitute killer and was just waiting for the right time to nab the bank robber next.
"She said they got lucky Sina, looks like we gotta step up out game if we wanna prove we're the better bounty hunters" Faith was walking her over to the docs as Sina was coming up with a plan.
"You think he's gonna come swinging through the trees or... just walk right in?" Sina asked as Faith poi ted out the direction they needed to go and responded timely.
"One foot print in every set was deeper and a bit larger... he may be injured but also, we don't know if he has friends" Faith looked grimly at the idea but had just thought of a wonderful idea for them to implement.
"It's dark... and those leaves are thick... and you have a sawn off shotgun" Faith gave her a look which meant that she had a plan and it meant Sina was either going to be very annoyed or very uncomfortable.
"You want me to hide outside the doctors don't you... for an ambush, just in case there's a small cannibal army?" Sina asked half rhetorically but Faiths body langauge said it all.
"yeah, i'm gonna pick a spot you can hide under these long, thick leaves, you'll have the perfect vantage point to follow them in and then boom! lambs to the slaughter" Faith was happy as they began nearing the doctors office and she looked into the trees to find a perfect place to hide Sina for the ambush.
Both women searched high and low before going ahead with her plan, they had to make sure they were alone before placing the barbarian against the tree with her shotgun pointing towards the gate and covering her with leaves. she was quickly covered and Faith told her.
"Remember, wait until they are all inside or just he is and then follow him in, then we blow a head or two sky high" Sina agreed as Faith left a slit for her sight and made sure she could see before walking towards the doctors office and looking around to make sure everything was in order before she entered.
Upon entry she was greeted by the doctor who was obviously nervous from what was to come tonight, "is everything ready? you haven't told us the plan yet and darkness has already fallen i'm afraid" it was as he said 'dark' and yet Faith only needed one thing for this plan to suceed.
"I need you to do one thing and only one thing Doctor.." she started as he iterrupted "what, what? anything". his fear was evident and a little overbearing but considering that a successful cannibal was hunting them Faith knew without her powers she would also be a complete nervous wreck right now.
"I need you to act as you normally would, the trap has yet to be sprung and... if you start nervously pacing or acting differently how will he fall into said entrapment, so tell your lovely nurses to do exactly everything they would usually do and if you can, with a smile please" Faith was stalwart and adamant and her change of tone and body langauge made it very clear to the large and muscularly gifted white tiger demon and doctor that they were all in very safe hands.
He rushed off back inside as Faith followed him and surveyed the downstairs for a place to hide as she unholstered her pistol and considered where would be the easiest place to fire at him from. there were only two entrances into the house that doubled as a doctors surgery and apart from the front door the back door was off towards the side and she locked it as a cat nurse came up behind her and almost made her soul spring out of her body.
"Ms Faith I was just coming to lock that door myself, the doctor said you wish for us to go about our night like normal, is that correct?" This was a different cat nurse, it was the one she had seen raising bed sneets onto the washing line this morning.
"Of course, the ape needs to think everything is normal, so off you go and work or sleep well, whatever it is you normally do, do it" Faith directed her away from the back door and as she left though of a perfect hiding place to wait, in the foyer. it was dark and lit only by candles, there were chairs and sofas she could hide behind, large fat red and gold curtains that covered patients rooms, and the most likely place he would come inside from was the front door. especially if her hunch was right about his larger foot, him swinging around and climbing about wouldn't be easy with an injury or deformity. she searched the upstairs to make sure every window was locked before she came back downstairs and hid herself behind the doors to the doctors house.
The moment he opened the door all she would have to do is open fire and her nights work would be over, every window she could find was locked and so was the door round back. if he broke inside it was cause an almighty calamity and this guy was good according to the bounty profile she had read on his poster, he was in and out with his quarry, even returned the remains after he had stripped them of all the 'edible' parts he like to consume. but the problem is she would be here for hours most likely and it would be quiet and a challenge to her patience, but it was not her first stake out, just her first where a large old clock was staring at her in the face and she had to watch the minute hand turn painfully slow.
her spot on the right side of the door she had entered from was directly behind a coat rack, the coats of which she was hidden behind with only a single slit for her to survey her surroundings with. her 1911 pointed out only a miniscule amount as she awaited the demon, but she also had her rifle ready under her arm but raised and thankfully hidden perfectly under the low candle light and darkness of the room. she knew the moment he entered she would have to fire fast but if he was impervious to her 1911s silent magical bulltet, she could blow his brains out with her insanely powerful shotgun like rifle. she would just have to be careful as to not hit anything that wasn't the target and if that didn't work, well an old fashioned fist fight would do her just fine, but she was sure guns would work perfectly since the bounty poster didn't mention any use or protections of magic.
The first hour passed unbearanly slow as it was now ten o clock and Faith was thinking many silly things to herself as she lie in wait, as 'do the cat demons lick themselves like normal cats to bathe' and 'would Buffy be attracted to her if she was a cat demon'. Faith was bored out of her head and she heard from upstairs everyine saying their good nights to each other and the house begin to settle down as the doctor made his final rounds to check on his lightly moaning patients, he hadn't even seen Faith before he retired to his bed and that was a good sign since she was sure cats could see perfectly in the dark. unless everything she thought she knew about cats was wrong and that was possible, especially with demon cats who lived in an entirely different dimension from her home one.
It was 12 midnight and Faith wss still patiently awaiting this jackass and begining to doubt he would ever arrive until she heard Sinas signal, two clicks in short bursts of the walkie talkie in her jacket pocket. she had spied him coming through the front gate and only moments later she heard his hands upon the door nob, it slowly turned with barely any sound at all as he began to enter the doctors warm abode. he moved so slowly Faith who was how primed and ready to fire was becoming annoyed as he searched the area to make sure he was completly alone and no one had heard him. she was suprised at this point that Sina hadn't opened fire from behind him as he closed the door behind him and this was Faiths perfectly opportunity to fire at him with her rifle and pistol in tandem.
She had already charged the rifle with the underhand lever action and the pistol was primed to go as well and then the door clicked shut and Faith fired like a mad woman from behind the coat rack and layed waste to the ape demon who was now a holey mess on the once perfectly clean floor drenched with his demonic green blood. she had blasted holes in the front door, blood was splattered everywhere and then she heard Sina firing from outside and realised the demon had definetly brought company and that's why she was so slow to act. Faith burst through the doors and began firing upon two other ape demons who had their backs turned to her, they died quickly as she spied Sina place her sawnoff into a thirds mouth and fire, his brains or what he had of them atleast were now covering the garden in a pinky white, green mess.
"Five lackies, one boss down, should i contact the sheriff Faith?" Faith looked over to the decimated bounty behind her as she heard the commotion upstairs and screams of fear fill the doctors surgery at the sounds their violence had evoked within the innocent nurses and doctor himself.
"Call them quickly, the people here are easy to frighten it seems... i'll pile up the bodies while you're busy Sina. the barbarian did as she was told as Faith dragged the marks hole riddled corpse out into the garden and placed him in a line with his lackies towards the left side of the garden gate, by the time she was finished everyone from inside was outside and accessing the mess the bounty hunters had caused. The doctor was the first to speak as he looked over the damage and how many of his demon brethren the creature had brought with him and he was truly thankful how lucky he was that this bounty hunter had showed up when she did or they would be currently in the midst of these cannibals and later inside their hungry bellys.
"Thank you, Faith... if you hadn't come when you did, well i hate to think about what could of happened to us" The doctor proclaimed and his nurses agreed as they turned their disgusted feline faces away from the horror they were now witnesses too.
"Sheriff is on his way, we'll have these bodies away soon, if i was yiu i's clean the blood up before it stains and then in the morning contact someone over the door" Faith noticed one of the demons feet twitch, most likely involuntarily but she still blew his head off to make sure he was dead. The poor nurses jumped out of their skins almost and ran back inside, the doctor however came closer and shook Faiths hand and handed her a cigar, she tried to refuse him buf he insisted.
"Just take a cigar, it's good tobacco and you've had a hard night... i know i need one" and he lit up his own and hers and began inspecting the damage to his home as the cat nurses returned to clean up the cooious amounts of sticky green blood.
Sina returned as Faith took a long and heavy drag of her cigar, the smoke was expelled and set back into the dark night air. "Sheriffs on his way with a wagon, be about 5-10 minutes, I'm gonna go cash in, enjoy ya smoke" and as soon as she ended her words the barbarian was gone and Faith holstered her pistol and then her rifle hung across her back, held by a strap and fhe cigar brought her a small amount of comfort as she looked up to the lonely moon high in the sky. She knew that about now Buffy would be asleep and hopefully dreaming of her, even if she really thought she would be dreaming about her life back in Sunnydale. Faith loved her work here, it gave her meaning, purpose and people always needed her to right some assholes wrongs.
But back in Sunnyhell, life was grey and boring and there was never an easy and legal way to get money and if she used her actual strength it would lead to trouble that would be extremly difficult to deal with. The council would hunt her, the goverment too and yet here, she was herself and useful. she had not realised until Buffy had come just how much she had missed her bright presence and how deeply. even now as she watched over the bodies of her bounty and his goon, spied the cat nurses hurriedly clean blood off the door, wall and carpet... she thought mainly of her. she knew if she ever returned to the world they came from she could take it over in days, she had become stronger than any slayer had ever been and evil wouldn't stand a chance against her power. as more days passed she would eventually be too powerful for anything on her earthly plane to even touch her and Buffy one day as well.
But her home was here she thought as she took one last drag of the cigar and chucked the remainder onto the bounties disgusting corpse and the sheriff bounded round the corner with Sinas promised wagon. she could soon go home, wait for Buffy in Al'kufir and enjoy her presence once again knowing their bounties were either dead on the ground or rotting in a cell somewhere.
~~*
"Thank the trains we could catch a 2am sleeper back home eh! Faith... you listening" Sina laughed to herself happily as she was splitting their prize and Faith was trying to get a small bit of shut eye before they were back home and she could sleep some more before her girl came home.
"Ya know... a sleeper would suggest, hear me out! that we should get some sleep" Faith berated the barbarian but the girl was in a good mood even though she lost their bet and Faith was awarded the title of best bounty hunter today.
"But our payday was great and hell your wife will be happy as pie and loaded with rupees when she comes home too" Sina decided to lay down on her bunk as she tried to get some shut eye but was still way too pumpednup to do anything other than talk.
"One B's gonna spend most of that money on souvenirs and two... you heard about people mistaking her for my wife too eh?" Faith let out a sharp exhale of air as she was obviously annoyed thaf Sina wouldn't be calming down anytime soon.
"Yh, people keep asking me where you and your wife are or why didn't Faith tell us she was married! i explain the truth to em and they just look at me like i aint got a clue what the hell i'm talkin bout" Sina began cracking her neck and hands as she tried to get comfortable.
"Hmmm, maybe it's iust their way of hinting they think we suit eachother well. who knows or cares, nothing lasts forever Sina, not even love". Faith was laying back against her train car beds headboard and looking out of the window being lost in the stars and lights shooting by.
"Still scared she's gonna stumble back home eh! i know you're preparing yourself for the worst bossgirl but c'mon... we'd go there and drag her back here, it's her home too ya know" Sina was looking up at the ceiling and counting random marks and scratches out of boredom.
"You'd try and get her back, weird... thought you didn't like her?" Faith stated matter of factly fhat led to an annoyed grunt escapjng the barbarians lips.
"Don't like change and you changed around her... you know how i am Faith... But, she fits here with us and... you" Sina admitted as she lost her place counting and didn't start up again.
"Why'd you think she'll wanna leave anyway, you're such a defeatist, girls crazy about you and your moping around waiting for something that wont ever happen" Sina didn't mock her she kept a clear gut questioning tone.
"Cause her friends back home, they'll 'save' her eventually... she'll go on and live her life over there and every day or two that passes boom, a little over a year goes by here. i'll most likely be dead before she's lived a year back home" Faith told her and Sina was silent as she took in the words her friend was saying to her.
"Take it they aint looking for you eh! all the more reason we fight to get there to your original dimension then we take her back... she'd want it ya know". Sina just wasn't letting it go, she had already made up her mind, it was nice to hear.
"I love her but... i won't stand in her way, she could be happier there, i can't, i just can't do it. Sina, just let me enjoy the time me and Buffy have together and then when it's over, just leave me be ok" Faith whispered almost everything she said but the small sleeper carriage had made her sound louder thsn she actually was somehow.
"I don't get the happy ending friend, i get the dark empty room and no one to share it with... but right now my life is a beautiful dream i don't ever wanna wake up from. But i know i'm gonna wake up eventually and when that happens just let it go ok, Sina do you understand me?" Faith asked her as she looked over and noticed she wasn't looking back.
"Yh, i understand that when her friends open a portal, me, you and Rhino are gonna do the same and bring her home... stop being such a defeatist ok, you're only saying this because you're scared anyway" Sina turned to her and smiled softly. Faith found her conversation soothing and closed her eyes as she talked back.
"Yh, i'm scared shitless of losing her and yeah... i'm preparing for hell but what else should i do?" Faith asked Sina as the train wheels clickity clacked and the carriage softly vibrated.
"You know how life goes Sina, no such things as happy endings in the real world... well in the right massage parlor maybe, but never in love". Faith was cold and emotionless as she remained looking out of the window from her reclined position.
"You're hopeless, so strong and brave, heroics everyday but nahhh, such a scared little pessimist" Sina mocked her but Faith refused to rise to the bait.
"Yh, guess i'm a coward, least i'm honest about it and ya know what i'm gonna do when i get home?" Faith paused for a moment letting the question hang in the air.
"I'm gonna be happy, i'm gonna love her with everything i have until there's nothing left to give and then i'm gonna give just a little bit more". Faith closed her eyes and rolled over with her back facing Sina.
"I've never been worth a damn thing, not gonna pretend like i deserve someone as perfect as Buffy... so just leave it be Sina, get some damn shut eye". Faith was obviously going to try and ignore Sina now but Sina decided to let it go after one last time saying what she thought.
"She aint perfect Faith and you deserve her alot more than anyone else does, ya gotta get over your self hatred one day... well if you don't then it's your own fault" Sina also decided to try and get some quick rest before they returned to the early morning, empty streets of Al-kufir. Faith had listened to what she had said but she didn't agree with a word of it, she knew what she was and how she thought. nothing was permament or forever, the world was a messed up cesspool of tormentuous hatred and then you die. Faiths sleep came quickly but was wracked wirh her own thoughts of self hatred and worry for the future, nothing new for her at all, but she atleast had something to return home to for once and that was enough. more than she could ever hope for.
~~*
Buffy was sitting on the train with Rhino and happy as pie as she split their Rupees equally and couldn't believe how quickly they had caught their quarry in the act of a bank robbery before they had even managed to enter the bank. the 6am train was the first train of the day out of Balamb'bin and it was also the new station masters first day, one of the workers had been promoted and he looked like nerves wrapped up in a deep green uniform. Buffy was even thanked for getting rid of their old boss by the entire station, turns out he was a very disliked boss amongst everyone who worked at the station. she was just over the moon that in an hour she would be at home in her lovers arms and giving her the souvenirs she had purchased for her all of yesterday evening between bounties.
The bank robbery hadn't even happened as Buffy after waking up early had spied the bounty mark scoping out the area and talking to his goons, she had single handedly knocked them all out and walkie talkie'd Rhino to come and help her lift the mark and his crew over to the station to get their pay. the idiot actually tried to fist fight her after she had knocked out his 3 biggest goons in seconds flat, she had broke his arm as well before he could even reach for his gun, she hadn't expected him to cry that much either. But after collecting his bounty she was adamant to get home and now here she was with her friend and colleague with her souvenirs in tow.
"Man, what a great way to wake up, you caught the guy and all i had to do was carry him to the sheriffs office, Faiths going to be jealous that we had such a simple time catching these idiots" Rhino declared as Buffy handed him a bag with his souvenirs inside but she made it clear he would have to wait to open it for when he got home.
"I just can't wait to return home so i can give Faith a big old kiss and make sure she knows i missed her more than anything". Buffy mimed the action as Rhino put his bag next to him on the seat and was fightimg with himself not to look inside.
"Yh, she'll like that, Faiths always in her own head too much ya know... she worries alot but always gets the job done, It's good she has you". the muscular green demon gave an awkward grin as he slapped his hand away from the bag, he really hated suprises it seemed.
"Is Faith always quiet? she's calmer than she used to be... alot calmer but, she always smiling around me... I know people say she kept to herself alot but..." Buffy faded off from her questions as she couldn't find the words to fit the right question she wanted to ask in her head. Rhino however knew what she needed to know.
"Faiths always been depressed, she suffers from massive low points, anyone looking in can see she doesn't care about herself... i once saw her jump into a giant wolf demons mouth with nothing but her bearded ax and emerge minutes later with its heart in her hands" Rhino winced a little as he remembered the day over a year ago now, back in the first weeks of knowing her.
"I remember asking her once if she had a death wish and she told me what's the point in wishing for something that's coming for her anyway. she'd meet death in the end, why try to find him much sooner on her way to meet him".
Buffy wasn't shocked to hear these things anymore and she understood that Faith had always had a darker, more destructive side to herself that she hid from everyone else. Faith was alot more sensitive then she had ever let on before and spent as Rhino said 'alot of time in her head' much to her own detrement. But she had a whole year and two months to heal from their drama, something that everyday she wishes she could go back in time and change. But she couldn't time travel and fix their previous problems and she really didn't want to at all, she had something she had never had before and it was wonderful and also scary in so many ways. All she knew is that she was home, she had her lover with her and she was happier than she had ever been before, she was herself for the first time in her life and it felt beyond perfect.
"Faiths, a deeper thinker than people give her credit for... and she's... god she's wonderfully perfect you know?" Buffy smiled as she had to force herself from getting lost in her own thoughts again.
"But i know she has alot of darker thoughts she ignores and lets overwhelm her, but since she and i have been here, we both feel free... is that bad, that we feel free'er and hapoier here Rhino?" she asked him with a look of bewilderment worn across her face as she genuinely didn't know the answer to her own question and it showed.
"I think your world has too many rules and expectations and here you can be yourselves, i know how that feels, my home was also strict and full of hypocrisy". Rhino gave her a forced smile as his face became a tapestry of old emotions he had once hoped to be long forgotten.
"I was also the same... our biggest problem used to be that we didn't talk out our problems, like i never do with my friends... but i'm changing that on purpose, talking before doing that's Buffys new motto" she pointed her thjmb to her chest as she said her name to emphasize the point that she was trying to change herself for the better, but her forced smile still dropped.
"I scared the life out of her when i came back home once... said i needed to talk, she uh... she thought the worst when all that happened is that I had that red cross that dangles around her neck for her". Buffy showed Rhino her dark green emerald cross.
"mind you... i thought about it myself later that night and realised i'd probably panic myself if she did the same thing, i kinda always think the worst will happen too and usually it does with a few extra suprises for good measure".
Rhino looked out the window silently and had a dour expression across his face as she had spoke. "It's a great idea to talk about your issues before they grow... i had problems with my family back home which could of been sorted out with some well placed words, but i just didn't use them did I" the veins in his neck twinged and his muscles clenched as he beat himself up about his mysterious past.
"Faiths a good woman, hell she's better than the men too. I'm happy you came here Buffy, i really am" Rhino paused before speaking again momentarily.
"But i think you need her alot more than she does you, i can see it in your eyes... toughtest thing in the world can sometimes be asking for help and yet it's our choice to ask in the first place isn't it". Rhino kept looking out the window as he was half lost in the past and present.
Buffy thought about her words before responding. "If I... if I ever fall through a portal again, would you make sure Faith comes to find me!" she asked him with a worried look on her face as if she thought he would instantly say 'no' and that 'he had better things to do' but to her suprise that wasn't what he said at all.
"In a heartbeat, you're worried she'd think you'd just up and leave some day, even though you don't want too" Rhino was quite observant in many matters and that made Buffy trust him even more.
"I had a chance to leave once... coulda gone straight home and i panicked and blasted a portable portal from that dimension hopper at the beach... told Ruby about it, she understood me" Buffy told him and he gave her a gormless face in return as if he was completly shocked to hear what she was saying.
"You chose to be here with Faith, why don't you just tell her that?" Rhino asked with a bewildered expression.
"She would blame her self somehow, try and convince me to go home, Faith has a terrible habit of sacrificing everything for she believes is right" she pulled out her camera and took a picture of Rhino and then herself.
"just don't tell her ok, i'm worried that she'll distance herself from me and well, i dont want that... we both have tempers that we have trouble controlling sometimes" she flicked her two new photos through the air until they developed.
"I won't say a word, i understand how difficult steering towards the right end of the moral compass can be" he watched her peruse her new photos for quality and substance.
"I wouldn't ever want to be the cause of an argument between you both, i would much prefer you both happy and cuddly as usual, much nicer for everyone".
Buffy carefully put the photos away "Thank you, I can't wait to hand her these souvenirs! i can't wait to see the smile she wears for me when her eyes light up and... man she's gonna be so happy". Buffy was staring out of the window into space for what seemed like an eternity but was realistically a minute or two in actuality.
"I'm really enjoying this job, it really puts slaying to shame and hell... we get to have fun, see the sights. I get to do it with all of you and take so many pictures!" she looked over to Rhino who was trying to sneak a peek at his souvenirs and she gave him a playful look that made him stop and give her a bashful smile.
"You gotta wait till you get home man... don't ruin the suprise". The blonde slayer giggled as Rhino was obviously trying his hardest to wait and be patient but he just wasn't good at it, he was trying his hardest though and that was all that mattered in the end anyway.
~~*
Faith had been home since 6 and was not the fan of taking naps without her girl besides her it seemed, Sina also really needed to learn that silence was a virtue, maybe patience was but she was too damn tired to give a damn. she had taken her coat off with her boots and hung her weapons in their place and noticed all of Buffys things were not here in there rightful place and that meant she was alone for awhile. she hung up her pistol last and her gunbelt rested in place on the weapons shelf near the door and the coathanger seemed to empty without Buffys jacket next to hers to fill out the place. everything seemed duller and oddly empty when she wasn't around, before she came to this dimension this house was more than a home, it was a fortress of solitude for the dark slayer. it was here escape from everything, a place where she could think and be quiet without anyone interrupting her.
But now it was empty, cold and dark without Buffy here, she had left her mark on everything and even when Faith stripped herself down she felt as if she could smell her lover in the air, feel her on the beds sheets as she lay there momentarily before realising she really needed to shower and get rid of all the dirt and grime that had accumulated from the nights activities in the jungle. she wrenched herself away from the bed and stumbled over towards the bathroom and jumped in the shower after discarding her dirty clothes and she relished the clean feeling of the crystal clear water that ran over her well muscled body. she looked over towards the clothes hamper and spied Buffys dirty clothes mixed with hers, she had brought a few more in the short time she had been here and it made her tingle inside with a happy feeling that she now owned clothes made here in this dimension and they looked so fucking good on her.
Faith had washed herself thoroughly and dried herself off hastily as well before replacing the red ribbon in her hair with a smooth dexterity she had only just recently come to posess, she knew it made Buffy happy when she wore it and it had slowly become second nature for her to always put it back in when she dried her hair off. the cross however never came off, the necklace was strong and she knew the chance of her losing it was almost non existant but she just refused to take it off, the ribbon and her cross were her physical connections to Buffy and a symbol of their deep and passionate feeling of love for each other. she walked out of the room and found herself some new underwear in her clothes drawer and put them on as she spied a shirt of Buffys and sniffed it throughly, capturing her scent and feeling a sense of bliss overtake her as she lay down on the bed and got under the covers.
As she placed her head on the pillow she brought the black shirt up to her nose and smelt it again with a renewed vigor and found herself finally becoming comfortable as she felt sleep begin to try ans overtake her. her thoughts swam with how pathetic she was for acting like this but she didn't care anymore, she was swimming in the girls essence, her mind was drowning in her and she refused to come up for air.
She knew Buffy would be home soon and she could get a few hours sleep if she was lucky and all she wanted was to feel her again, everything she had said to Sina had been the absoloute truth and she was scared shitless of losing the petite blonde slayer. what would she even do when the girl was gone, when Willow magicked her way into this dimension and wrenched her from Faiths loving embrace.
Probably drink herself stupid, smoke 50 a day and just mope around all depressed until the redhead seperated them as she always wanted too back in Sunnydale, she was happy she had killed that eternally mid 20's vampire who had raped and murdered so many young girls, tortured them into madness, thought murder was an art form.
She had never really understood why her friends had accepted that predator into their group let alone around Buffy, she never understood the obsession either as he was such an overly dramatic loser. hell he was going to leave her after graduation, that jail bait loving perv deserved every shot of the poisoned arrows she gave him. hell she bet Giles was jumping for joy the moment he found out she had killed the gypsy cursed nonce.
Faith smiled at the thought as she closed her eyes and tried to let sleep take her, she had completly forgotten she had the shirt in hand as well. in a little while her muse would return home and tell her all about her bounty hunting and she would just hold her and listen, her heart would race, her mind would pace and her life would feel fully whole again. the night had been too long and her conciousness was fading amd she knew, she dould feel it that the next tim she awoke, Buffy would be by her side and she fell into sleep with a smile on her face.