A/N We're not at that point yet, but I'm curious about something. Dawn's keyness isn't really explored passed the point where her blood can open portals. This leaves fertile ground for all kinds of potential superpowers Dawn might be capable of. What do you think?
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"Dawn's got a crush on you, you know." Buffy informed Xander after Joyce decided Buffy needed to be told about Dawn's situation.
"She does?" Xander asked, clueless. "Why?" Honestly not getting it. "I treat her like a kid sister, always have, why would she have a crush on me?"
"Because you're cute, which is usually reason enough." Buffy shrugged. "Beyond that, superpowers of your own."
"A little Magic knowledge I inherited from my costume? It'll be years before I have any real power of my own." Xander shook his head. "Right now, most of the power I can access is stored in the various magical things I have responsibility for. I can use them, but there's some that are scary dangerous and unless it's an emergency, life or even world threatening in some cases, I won't even touch those things. I've made sure they're locked up nice and tight."
"Superheros inspire hero worship." Joyce pointed out. "And you two are the only superheros she knows personally. Hero worshiping her sister would never occur to her, but the older boy she already thinks is cute and has a crush on? No brainer, as you kids would say."
"Oi. What do I do to not encourage it?" Xander asked. "I need an excuse to monitor her regularly with the Eye, if I'm hanging around her she could get the wrong idea. I don't want to hurt her feelings."
"Why not scan us all on a regular basis?" Buffy suggested. "Make sure the protections you and Ms. Calendar have put on us are holding."
"That could work and it's a good idea anyway." Xander nodded. "Which reminds me, we need to get protections on you and Dawn, Mrs. Summers."
"What do these protections protect us from?" Joyce asked, a little nervous at the idea of Magic used on her or Dawn.
"Magic attacks mostly, which can take various forms. Mind control or trying to cause injury, stuff like that. Over time, as I learn more and get stronger, I can make the protections stronger too." Xander explained.
"Okay," Joyce agreed. "but me first. No offense, Xander, it's not a matter of trust, it's a matter of it's my baby we're talking about. I need to know for myself these protections themselves won't hurt her."
Xander grinned ruefully. "Mrs. Summer, if anything, all it does is prove to me that you're a Mom worth the title. I'll talk to Ms. Calendar about getting protections on you two."
"Good." Buffy stood up. "If there's nothing else, I need to go talk to Giles about training."
"Who's Giles?" Joyce asked. "And what training are you talking about?"
"Giles is my Watcher, he replaced Merrick after he died."
"I don't like this, Buffy." Joyce growled, seriously annoyed. "I don't know this man, I have no idea what this training entails or what his role in all this is. I want to talk to him before any more training happens and I want all three of us to have a sit down as well."
"And I don't want him knowing anything about me or the Sanctum or about what I have responsibility for." Xander said sternly. "I'm not sure Giles can be trusted, Buffy and until I am convinced of it, you are not to tell him about the gifts I gave you guys, the Sanctum, anything connected to it. He knows I have some magical knowledge left over from Halloween and about the Eye, but that's it. I mean it, Buffy. I have no idea how much of Giles' actions are the result of the thrall and Magic that was on him and how much was just him making bad decisions. He has a tattoo on his arm that I advised him to get rid of, it's a magnet for a demon, which one I'm not sure, but the Eye flagged it as a huge concern. And even if Giles can be trusted, I sincerely doubt the Watchers Council can. So, say nothing about any of it, okay? Mrs. Summers, if you could also avoid telling him anything, I'd really appreciate it. I need to let the others know too."
"A tattoo? Giles has a tattoo? Way more than I needed to know about him." Buffy grimaced over the idea. "And one that's connected to a demon? Ewww."
"Yeah, I didn't need to know either." Xander agreed. "But as long as he has it, that demon can find him and by extension anyone around him. I hope he takes my advice and gets rid of it, who knows if the demon could get a wild hair and decide to look him up one day. And no one gets a mark that connects them to a demon for a good reason, Buffy."
"No," Buffy looked sick. "no, they wouldn't. Gods, why would Giles have one? And doesn't he know it connects him to this demon? He should have gotten rid of it a long time ago."
"It would have been the smart thing to do, that's for sure."
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A/N Yeah, the Mark of Eyghon is one of those things that bugs me. I mean obviously it can be removed because Ethan burned his off, but that episode was pure stupidity because that should have occured to them years before. So why didn't it? Inquiring minds want to know.
