Part 5 - Faith

Night time again. Faith stretched voluptuously, pouted into the mirror, and finished applying the deep scarlet, glossy lipstick. She smiled at the result, blowing a kiss to her image in the mirror and flipping back her blonde hair. She'd gone drinking last night. Killed a couple of vamps. Done a few other things as well…… Her smile widened at the thought. But tonight, well, that was different. Number four, tonight. She'd get their attention soon, if she didn't already have it. But she enjoyed it anyway … …

She giggled slightly, maliciously. She'd heard of Buffy's escape from the Council people. It hadn't surprised her. After all, ooh, a rogue Slayer – what could you expect? And Faith had correctly guessed where she'd run. To LA, to see her undead ex-lover. Probably hoping he'd help her. So Faith, piously declaring that it was her job to find and bring the rogue, evil Slayer back to justice, had followed her. She'd pouted and simpered and they'd agreed to let her come. The idiots hadn't even asked her why she thought "Faith" would run to Angel.

She intended to kill her rival once and for all. And the Slayer power thing? Well, that was just the start. Amazing, the useful things the Mayor had left for her to play with, just in case his great Ascension didn't work out. Who'd have guessed that odd little silver thing would have ripped away Buffy's powers? Or that the little golden device would have changed them somehow, so she was now Buffy? Certainly not her – the video note he'd left her just said it would be "fun" and she'd enjoy the results. Funny, he must have known that something would go wrong. Her (now) blue eyes narrowed, darkened with pain at the thought of the Mayor – he'd almost been a father to her. And it was Buffy's fault he was dead. The pious, superior bitch. Well, as far as Faith was concerned, it was payback time. And switching, taking Buffy's life, was only the start. Once Buffy was out of the way – for good – she could start the rest of her plans.

She looked into the mirror again. She still found it a shock to see Buffy's features looking back at her, Buffy's blonde hair instead of her brunette mane. Buffy's mouth smiling. Buffy's blue eyes instead of her sparkling dark ones. Speaking with Buffy's voice. She ran her hands down her sides slowly. Buffy's body, instead of her own. But the mind inside it now? Hell, that was hers. All hers.

She'd gone to a local demon bar. Found what she wanted, a vampire willing to help her - and by willing, she agreed not to stake him (after demonstrating her skills on three of his "gang"), he agreed not to bite her, and she provided him with free meals - and started to kill, marking the victims with a symbol she'd found in one of the Mayor's books. She didn't know what it meant but she'd liked it. She'd done the third one two nights ago. She'd seen it reported. Knew that Angel would have his sources. Knew that he would know it was "Faith"; he knew her work from her time with the Mayor. Her grin widened. Hopefully it would work – they'd kill "Faith" before they asked any questions. And then it would be too late, but they would have done it for her. She shrugged to herself. And if not? Well, all the more fun. She thought she would try for Buffy and undead-boy at the same time, if she could get them. Bag 'em both.

The Scooby Gang – ridiculous name, she thought – had offered to come and help her. She'd turned them down abruptly, watching Red's eyes widen with hurt and Xander – well, he'd just turned away. But, she sniggered, thinking about it, Giles had unknowingly helped her out. Told them that "Faith" was a danger to everyone and only "Buffy" could hope to control her. Slayer to rogue Slayer. Had wished her luck and sent her on her way to LA with Godspeed. He'd find out exactly what a rogue Slayer was when she'd dealt with Buffy and returned to Sunnydale. She suspected that he wouldn't like it much, either. But he wouldn't have long………… she smiled as she gently pressed her finger to the tip of the silver, curving knife, the sharp point dimpling her flesh, watching as a drop of blood welled up.

Sucking her finger, she turned away from the mirror, tucked the knife into a deep pocket in her jacket, and left the motel. Time to pick up her new-found friend, and find another lucky victim……