Faith and The First
The First materialised in Faith's house again, standing behind her, watching as she trained. It shifted into Buffy's form.
"Morning, Faith."
Faith smiled, recognising the voice. "B. Good to see you again." She turned around.
"So... training hard, I see."
"Yeah, well, you did go and leave that for me."
"Ah, how are you coping with that?"
"I know what you're trying to do."
"And what's that?"
"Trying to hurt me. But you can't. See." Faith stuck her hand through The First's head. She smiled triumphantly. "Such a big evil, with all it's ghostlike form. Oh, what are you going to do? Rattle chains and say 'oooohhhhhhh' at me? We beat you once and we can do it again."
"Hmm. You think you can fight me? I'm not a demon, little girl. I am something that you can't even conceive. The First Evil. Beyond sin, beyond death. I am the thing the darkness fears. You'll never see me, but I am everywhere. Every being, every thought, every drop of hate."
"Oh slardy bardfast. I get it. You're evil. Big deal."
"You have no idea what you're dealing with."
"Hmm, is it evil?"
"You don't get it, do you, Faith?"
"Get what, B?"
"We don't want to hurt you."
"We don't, do we? Who is we?"
The First laughed. "We want to help you. Help you find peace. Redeem yourself for all those things you did."
"I'm not actually looking for forgiveness... not from you."
"You're not? Because you gave a good impression of it."
"What do you want me to say? I blew it. There, happy? Now go."
"You don't seem happy to see me."
"Hmm, I wonder why that is, B. We never got along when you were alive, what makes you think we're gonna be solid buds now that you're dead? Plus remember, you're all evil."
"How's Zac?"
"You'll leave him alone."
"Will I? Or will I just send something to kill him? You know, I will find another."
"Another what?"
"Vessel."
"Really, and you'll do what exactly? Talk them to death?"
"Merge souls."
"And talk them to death?" Faith asked again.
"When this is all over and our armies spring forth and our will sweeps the world, I will be able to enter every man, woman and child on this earth."
Faith clapped. "Well done. I don't know what you want me to do, run and hide in fear or whatever. But I'm not gonna do that. You know why?"
The First shifted into Faith's first Watcher. "Because into each generation a Slayer is born, one girl in all the world, a Chosen One, one born with the strength and skill to hunt the vampires, to stop the spread of their evil..."
"Blah blah. I'm glad you died, you boring, stuffy British man."
"I see that no one has yet taught you respect. Discipline..."
"I was taught discipline... but in a different way to you're thinking."
"Do you remember when I died at the hand of Kakistos?"
"Hand? No, more like cloves."
"You simply watched. Then ran. I had taught you nothing, obviously."
"Well, I kicked that ass, so there's no need to be bothering me, bye now."
The First shifted into Faith's mother and she automatically backed away.
"Funny, how I can still send ya into a panic mode, right, Faithy?"
"You're not her, so leave me the hell alone!"
The First shifted back into Buffy's form. "Alone. There's that word. That's how you'll die. Alone. And no one, no one will stop to notice, or even care. The life of a Slayer always entails loneliness, believe me, I know. Better to give up now, Faith."
Faith breathed a sigh of relief as The First disappeared in a flash of light. She turned back to her punching bag, but found her hands were once again too shaky to do anything.