Chapter 2 - Home Sweet Home



With a tired groan, Buffy slammed the door shut behind her. Home, sweet home, she thought wearily. Not exactly the quiet, safe haven she imagined a house should be. As this thought passed through her head, she was suddenly attacked by numerous potentials. Not attacked as in a wow-you-killed-the-Ubervamp-and-saved-our-lives-thank-you-we-want-to-hug-you kind of way. No, this was an attack like we-think-you're-evil-and-are-trying-to-kill-you.

As she fended off blows from potentials, she tried to figure out what was going on. Seeing Xander and a few more potentials standing a little to the side, looking uncertain, she called to them.

Um, guys? she asked, ducking a blow from Kennedy. Want to tell me grunt, punch what this welcoming committee kick, dodge, punch is all about?

While she didn't want to hurt any of the potentials, some were giving her no choice. She winced as she heard a bone snap.

she called.

Between their training and sheer numbers, she might have been overwhelmed if it weren't for the fact that some were fighting halfheartedly, as if unsure they were doing the right thing. Just as Anya was about to speak up, a familiar figure came around the corner.

That's right girls! Kill her and we're done. You can all go home and be safe.

What the hell?!' The figure was herself! Realization hit her at the same time as a potential's fist. Once she'd recovered from that, she yelled You idiots! That's not me, that's the First!

One of the potentials - Anne maybe?- replied confusedly, That's just what you said you'd say!

Since Buffy had first spoken, the girls had begun slacking off more and more, until they were just throwing a few wimpy blows which Buffy could easily dodge.

Xander spoke up. She... you... Buffy said you're the First.

At this Buffy rolled her eyes. Hello people, First incorporeal! Me, obviously corporeal!

Anya replied Just how stupid do you think we are? Buffy told us that you found a way to make yourself tangible and that you took that form to confuse us. You can't fool us, Anya finished triumphantly. As always, once Anya had made up her mind about something, she defended her position no matter what the reality of the situation was.

Buffy, annoyed now, snapped Did it occur to any of you to touch her to see if she was corporeal?

Anya and Xander exchanged glances in confusion, and the potentials backed off completely. Dawn, who had previously been engaged in the fight, lunged for the figure of Buffy. When she fell straight through the Buffy-figure to the floor, everyone (except Buffy) gasped.

Two points for Buffy! Negative a gazillion points for the rest of you idiots! Buffy exclaimed, stalking angrily over to the image of herself.

The Buffy-figure leered at the real Buffy. What a formidable army you have here. They can't tell you, Slayer, apart from me, ultimate evil. What does that say about them? Or perhaps a better question would be, what does that say about you?

With that, the First turned into the image of the huge monster that had appeared to Buffy back when she was trying to save Angel from the First. Having scared the potentials witless, the First gave an evil laugh and disappeared.