Faith and the First
Faith was staring at the TV, flicking mindlessly while munching on some popcorn.
Black and white movie, news, more news, boring movie she'd seen before. There was nothing on.
She switched the TV off and threw the remote down on the table. She stood up to go out and get a movie when it appeared.
"Get out."
The First in Richard Wilkins III's body was standing in front of her.
"Well, gosh! I think a 'Hello' or a 'Nice to see you' might be a little more welcome. It's the end of humanity Faith, not the end of courtesy."
"You're not him. I know who you are... or what you are."
"Yeah, nobody's explained to you how this works, have they? You see, I am part of The First, as you kids call it, but I'm also me. Richard Wilkins III, late mayor and founder of Sunnydale. Here, I'll prove it to you. Ask me a question only I know the answer to. Something like... where did I hide the moon pies in my office or who was my favorite character in Little Women. Meg. I know! Most people guess Beth but Meg, she's such a proper young lady. Remember when Jo burned her hair?"
Faith folded her arms across her chest. "I know what you're doing and it's not going to work. But feel free to keep talking 'cause, hell, I could listen to you yap all night."
"Hey, hey, hey! Language. You're a leader now. You keep throwing the H-E-double-hockey-sticks around, pretty soon the kids are going to pick up on it. Then what?"
"I'm not worried about any kids."
"Of course, of course. You're doing a great job, by the way. Much better than Buffy ever did. You were smart to let her die."
Faith shifted her weight to the other leg. "That's not what... Buffy got us all this far."
Mayor Wilkins shifted his facial expression to one of concern. "Why are you protecting her? You think she cared about you? She nearly killed you, Faith."
"It's different now."
"No matter what you did, Buffy always saw you as a killer, not as a person. All she needed was an excuse and she would've finished what she started when she stuck that knife in your belly." He indicated to her stomach and Faith flinched. "You stay on guard, Faith."
"Why? Coz what, you're raising aother army? Hell, we beat you once and we can do it again, yo."
He continued as if he hadn't heard. "Deep down, you always wanted Buffy to accept you, to love you even. Why do you think that is?"
Faith frowned. "You a shrink now?"
"You keep looking for love and acceptance from these people, these 'friends' of yours, but you're never going to find it. The truth is nobody will ever love you. Not the way I love you."
"Get out."
"They'll forever see you as a killer."
"I said get out."
"I'll always be with you, firecracker. In everything you do." And then he disappeared.
Faith looked down at her hands, she was shaking. She took a deep breath and picked her glass up, but she was shaking so much she dropped it. "Oh God." She bent down to clean it up.
THe First
The First appeared in Priss's bedroom and shifted into the form of Guillame Gericault. He watched her for a few seconds then made his presence known.
"Greetings, Priscilla."
Priss
Priss's eyes snapped open, and she carefully levered herself onto her elbows. She shook her head, mouth open slightly. "No. Thou art not he. I *knew* my Guillame. He hast gone to a higher place." Tears started to slip through her eyelashes as she looked at the image of someone she'd loved very, very much when he was alive.
The First
"I see thou hast changed in time."
The First smiled and indicated to her hair.
"It hast been many years. Many, many."
Priss
"Many indeed." Priss determindly hauled in on her emotions and gave him an imperious look. "I think I was a golden shade rather then pure white when I first did meet Guillame."
The First
The First shifted his expression into one of amusement.
"Do you remember our last encounter? I believe thou watched me die."
Priss
Priss blanched. Screams and blood. The thundering drumroll and then that final downward slice of the guillotine. She'd made her way to the front of the crowd, just in time to have his blood hit her face. "I did..."
The First
"Thou watched, but thou didst naught in stopping."
The First crossed his arms and fixed Priss with a hurt look.
Priss
"If I couldst have saved thee, I would have." Priss's eyes welled with tears.
The First
The First walked around Priss, smiling evilly.
"Thou looks tired and hell - "
The First shifted into Buffy.
"Hello Priss. It's been awhile. Too long, in fact. Or perhaps not long enough. I see you've taken a liking to my Watcher. It would be a shame if anything happened to him."
Priss
Priss's eyes narrowed, and she dashed the tears from her cheek with a swipe of her hand. "Thou willst leave him be. Or I will cause thee such torment...I do not care how long it dost take me to find a way, I will *hurt* thee." She leaned forward slightly. "Thou art slipping. For Buffy I cared only as a fellow warrior, nothing more."
The First
The First smiled. "I'm not here to be your friend. But you'd be used to that."
It shifted into Angel. "The having no friends thing. The price that comes with immortality."
Priss
"Oh, I remember this debate, Angelus my friend." Priss carefully drew in a breath, her ribs aching now. "I think I told thee that love comes to all, no matter how one wouldst hide. That to save the world, one hast to be part of the world. I think thee wast eating rats at the time."
The First
"Not a high point in my life."
The First smiled and nodded. "I see that you've fallen for a mortal. I made that mistake and she died on me. Well technically we'd broken up, but that hardly seems the point, does it? How would you like me to pay a visit to him?"
It shifted into Jenny.
"You don't know this body, and yet, this body can be the one to reduce him to tears."
Priss
"The witch...of course." Priss nodded slowly. "I didst mean it about the hurting thee of thee hurt him threat. I don't make threats...I make promises."
The First
The First scoffed.
"Witch? No, I do prefer Techno Pagan. I wonder if Rupert would enjoy a visit from me... after all, our goodbye was so sudden and tragic."
It shifted back into Guillame. "Thou shouldst understand, that thou can not fight me."
Priss
"I seem to recall the golden Slayer defeated thee quite preemptorily. Thou art nothing but memories..." Priss glared at the First, hairs on the back of her neck rising.
The First
"And yet thou art shaking. Dost thou knowest the last picture I have?"
The First indicated to the slash mark that had now appeared across it's neck.
"Of course, thou saw me lose my head. Thou felt thy warm blood."
Priss
Priss was shaking harder now. "The crowd kept me from reaching thee. There were too many people who wanted to see blood spilt that evil day. If I could have just touched thy hand..."
The First and Faith
"Thou couldst have saved me? Priscilla, do not make excuses of that day. Thou didst naught because thou wanted me to - "
The First was cut off by Faith climbing in through the window.
"Sorry to interrupt, well... actually, I'm not."
The First grinned and shifted into Mayor Wilkins again. "Firecracker, always trying to do right... gosh, how I've missed you."
"Get out. Leave us alone."
Priss
"Faith," Priss sighed in relief. "I know not what specter from her past thou art showing, but I must warn thee that irritating a Slayer is usually a bad idea."
The First and Faith
The First smiled at both Priss and Faith.
"This Slayer? Heck, this is my Slayer. And she can't hurt me."
Faith smiled back. "Just as you can't hurt us. Get out."
Priss
"I must be in accord with *my* Slayer. Leave this place." Priss glared at the First. "No one hurts my family, and believe me, she is mine now and under my protection. Leave, before I spank thy behind like the impudent evil force thou art."
The First and Faith
"Remember, Firecracker, I will always love you."
The First disappeared in a flash of light and Faith turned to Priss and lay a hand on her shoulder.
"Are you alright? I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner..."
Priss
Priss smiled wearily at Faith and her breath hitched in pain as she lay back down in the bed again. "It is not thy fault that it decided to come and torment me. I'll be fine...I just overdid it on the anger and the sitting up in bed." She winced.
Faith
"Oh, and I'm sorry for climbing into your window too."
Faith grinned sheepishly. She sat on the bed beside Priss. "Do you need anything before I go?"
Priss
"Nay, but thank thee for offering." Priss hesitated for a moment. "Who was that?"
Faith
Faith paused. "When I was... uh... you know, evil... I worked for him. He was the Mayor of Sunnydale... and... kinda like... oh god, this sounds so stupid, but he was like a father to me."
Priss
"Never had one, myself..." Priss said quietly. "Lots of uncles, but not a father." She sighed. "Anyway. He appeared to me as an old lover," her eyes glimmered, "Buffy, Angelus and Jenny..."
Faith
Faith sighed and brushed some hair from Priss's face. She leaned over and kissed her forehead.
"We'll work out what is happening. Meanwhile, you get some rest. I'll patrol around your place tonight and make sure nothing else happens."
Priss
"Thank you, Faith." Priss smiled at the Slayer. "I wish my body would just hurry up and heal. When I find that winged woman, I'm going to tear out every one of her feathers."
Faith
Faith nodded. "If I find her, I will kill her for what she did to you. Anyway, get some rest. I'll be just outside."
Faith headed for the window then turned and grinned sheepishly again. "I'll take the conventional way. Just call if you need me."
Priss
"I will call if I need thee, Faith. Thank thee." Priss smiled tiredly at the Slayer, and heard her leave as the cat closed her eyes. She shifted to try and find a comfortble position and soon fell asleep.