Fic; Encounter (1B/?)

[JDMeans@xxxxxxx]

And here's the second part.  Same disclaimers as before, Joss, Disney, yadda yadda yadda.

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For the tenth time in as many minutes, Buffy's opponent charged her.  And for the tenth time, Buffy was able to throw off her attacker, who landed gracelessly on the floor in front of her.  Buffy puffed with relief,and smiled serenely at her would-be assailant.  "Okay, Dawn, let's call it a day."

Buffy offered a hand to Dawn, and was refused.  "I can get up myself, Buffy," Dawn complained as she hoisted herself off the practice mat in the back room of the Magic Box.  "Man, I must have broken my personal bestrecord for landing on my butt."

"And you'll still be a distant second behind my record, sis," Buffy added as she grabbed a small terry cloth and started to towel her face. "My first training session with Giles wasn't exactly a boost to my ego."

"I don't get it," Dawn commented as she grabbed her towel.  "Here I am, all sweaty and sticky, while you're not even winded."

"That's because you did all the work," Buffy observed as she opened the nearby mini-fridge and pulled out two Gatorades.  "That was a demonstration of Aikido, or what Giles calls 'the art of passive resistance'.  Oras Xander calls it, 'the art of creative ducking'. Basically I let your momentum carry you as I dodged your attacks."

"In other words, let them do the grunt work," Dawn said, accepting the Gatorade Buffy had offered her, "and they end up looking like dorks."

"Exactly.  Next week, we can start showing you some moves, and hopefully in a couple of months, you'll be able to handle yourself around much larger opponents."

"Sounds good," Dawn nodded.  "Is this what you teach your classes at the community center?"

"That and basic self-defense," Buffy said plainly.  "I'm not teaching anyone how to fight, just how to get out of a bad spot.  In your case,I may be a little tougher, but that's because we both know what's out there, and I don't want you hurt.  Okay?"

"Better than okay," Dawn agreed whole-heartedly.  "But I gotta get home and hit the showers."

"You need a lift?"

"It's walking distance, Buffy," Dawn insisted.  "I'm good."

"Okay," Buffy said.  "Oh, and Dawn," she turned to her sister suddenly.  "The first rule of slaying is?"

"Don't die!" the two sisters shouted in unison.  As Buffy tossed on her blue hoodie, they heard the front door chime jangle.  Anya, who had been inventorying a new shipment of wicca books, poked her head from the shelves to greet potential customers.

"Now, did this wolf look anything like, uh…" Willow started as she,