whattingawhat | 36th Slay [Video]

[The video flickers on to Buffy in a pair of yoga pants and a tank top. She's got her hair pulled up and her hand rests on a punching bag that's still swaying slightly. She doesn't turn to the video when she speaks]

The thing about weaknesses...they keep changing. Or at least some of them get more priority than they used to. Once upon a time, my greatest weakness was Angel. I quit the council over him, still supporting that move by the way. I nearly died to save him--and I guess I'm still support-o girl of that move too. Then Dawnie came along and I realized comparatively, Angel was never a weakness. I told Giles I'd quit if Dawn died. I meant it and not for three months like I did when Angel died. I'd quit for good. Move to some tiny town, buy a tea cozy and put up a fence that wasn't picket.

Then I died and--I came back and...[She pushes the punching bag away, makes a tight circle and wraps her arms around her waist. She dips her head, closing in on herself. Her voice drops in volume and her shoulders curve a bit as if weighted down.]

It changed everything. I'd still die for Dawn. I'd still fight until my very last breath to make sure she gets everything in life she deserves but...[A very significant pause] Giles told me not that long ago that things had changed--I had changed--if it were the tower and Dawn and the world all over again...[Curse or not, she can't and won't finish that sentence]

I'm the Slayer, not the only one anymore but still the and that's my weakness. I can send them all out and watch them get knocked down or save the world. Either way, it's all on me. They're my responsibility. Willow made them but it was my idea. Every girl that dies, every girl that wins, every girl that hates what I've made her is my responsibility.

And sometimes I feel like I'm drowning in it.

[She shuts the video off abruptly.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[There are advantages to being someone who wields a katana. He's naturally flexible so he bends back to get out of the way. Hand-to-hand might not be his forte but he's still good at it. Besides that, sparring with Faith has prepared him for how to handle this.

Moving forward quickly, he takes a swing himself.]

[The flexible move makes Buffy grin the slightest bit. His swing just connects with her chin. She moves with it, ducking back in for a kidney punch that she pulls but not quite as much.]

You'll have to teach me that one.

[He grunts softly and shifts back but stays on his feet. He smiles a little as kicks his leg out to catch hers.]

I can do that.

[She jumps the kick out and grabs for his ankle with the intent of twisting him in the air and landing him on the ground. There's a reason the main room of the warehouse has padded floor mats.]

Giles will be proud next time he shows up.

Of which one of us?

[Pulling back quickly, he retreats to a safe distance to regain his balance, fists up and ready. If nothing else, he is really good at moving his feet.]

[His recovery throws her off for a half second before she's playing aggressor again, moving toward him with a fake and a left jab.]

Of me. You're just a guy he doesn't know yet that he'll have to threaten on Dawn's behalf.

[She's smiling slightly again though. Sparring with someone who's good and doesn't have a personal vendetta against you is always fun]

Because your threat wasn't enough?

[He smiles back as he moves back, knocking the jab aside. He manages to stand his ground though which says something.]

I had no idea I was in for more.

[It definitely says something. Buffy's impressed enough that she's slowly letting go with each move. She tries a leg sweep out on him next, expecting that he'll be able to avoid it]

Sorry. He's the resident father figure.

[Watching her move, he jumps it easily and quickly turns it into another punch in her direction as he lands.]

You two are lucky to have that.

[The punch lands. Fairly hard too and she's glad. Sometimes a little punishment is good.]

Nice one and yeah. We are.

You should try hand to hand with Ken. He's better at it than I am. I do better with weapons.

[He backs off again to fall into a defensive position once more.]

[She advances with a cross punch]

I'll look him up sometime. Other than sword, which weapons?

Knives, guns, pipes, garotte wire, needles... Though I specialize with the katana...

[He moves to grab her wrist as she comes forward.] ...I've used some of everything.

[When he grabs her wrist, she puts a little extra speed behind her other hand, moving it into a jab.]

Now we just have to brush up on your medieval weaponry.

If you want to teach, I'm willing to learn.

[The jab hits before he can stop it but he does shift enough to keep it from hurting too badly.]

Nice shot.

Thanks.

[She takes a step back into a defensive position in order to give him a chance to recover.]

Sure. Crossbows are fun.

[Without waiting a second, Aya pushes forward to jab at her stomach then to throw a right hook at her face.]

I'll have to learn to use one then. It was always a specialty of a friend of mine.

[The jab to her stomach lands but she blocks the right hook, turning it away and spinning to get out of the way.]

Long distance fatality. Effective sometimes.

I've always preferred to be up close actually.

[He smiles a little and moves past her so he can spin back around to face her again.]

[She throws a jab that she hopes will catch him in that space right between his jaw and his ear.]

One shot, flying fatality and then you throw the crossbow at the others. It makes a good projectile weapon even without being loaded.

[Seeing it coming, he twists at the last moment so that it cracks against his jaw sending him stumbling back. But he's right back to a fighting stance a moment later.]

Yet you leave yourself without a weapon once you throw it.

[There's a moment where she feels guilty then he comes back and her guilt is gone. She drops into a defensive stance and grins]

Thing about a slayer...I am a weapon. The crossbow is just like a pretty pair of earrings.

Well now I know to get you a pair of crossbows for your next birthday.

[He smiles and rushes at her, ducking low, far lower than his height should allow to go for her ankles.]

Oooh the way to my heart. Sharp and shiny.

[He manages to trip her up and she tries to balance on one leg while kicking out. She ends up hitting her hip hard.]