Episode 4: Memories The slayers combed the streets of New Sunnydale in large groups. Twelve in one group and eight in another, the slayers walked through the streets. In each hand their was a weapon, a sword or stake or knife or crossbow. Kennedy walked with one of the groups while Faith walked with another one. The moon was high over the city and Faith checked her watch. "Kennedy," she yelled.

Kennedy came running from where her group was across the street. "We've been out here for four hours and haven't even found a trace."

"Let's walk to the end of this street and then back to the Coven and if we don't see anything then we'll go underground tomorrow," Kennedy suggested.

Faith nodded and Kennedy jogged back over to her group. They walked a little longer until the street stopped. Kennedy turned to Faith and shrugged her shoulders. Faith shook her head and started to move back the way they had come. Suddenly a pair of manhole covers on opposite sides of the streets exploded into the air and creatures began to pour out into the streets. The Moot looked almost identical to their picture, with long arms and legs and oval shaped heads on top of thin necks.

Their claws extended at least three feet past their arms and nearly dragged the ground. Faith counted fifteen of the creatures when the last one came out of the manhole. The next creature to crawl out looked human but all the slayers could feel that he was more monster than any of the Moot. His hair was bright red and stuck up high on his head. He had a dark complexion and his dark eyes gazed with amusement at the scene. "Please," he said, his voice booming through the silent streets. "Don't stop on my account."

Kennedy tightened her hand on the sword that she held. "Stay away from the claws," she yelled, before jumping forward and striking the nearest Moot with her foot.

The street erupted into a war zone as slayer and Moot clashed steel with claws. There were groans and grunts of effort, shrieks of pain from both the Moots and from the slayers and cheers of victory from both sides as well. Kennedy dodged a set of claws swiping in her direction before swinging her sword hard and the creature's head rolled off its neck. She then jumped over a pair of swinging claws and brought the blade down hard between the Moot's shoulder blades. The slayer next to her let out a cry as a set of claws raked across her back but she turned quickly and stabbed the Moot in the chest.

Faith kicked two of the creatures in the chest and swung the hefty battle axe high above her head. She brought it crashing down on one of the creature's shoulders before pulling it out of thick gray flesh and swiping it across one of the other creature's stomach. Soon the ground was covered with dead Moot and the slayers were clustered in the middle of the street staring at the man in front of them. He looked around at the chaos and when he looked back up his eyes were full of fury and rage. He quickly buried it behind a look of calm detachment. "Not bad," he said, raising his hand.

A bright flash of yellow light consumed the street and when it was gone the bodies of the dead Moot had disappeared. "I happen to be very upset right now," the man said. "They were good fighters."

"Not good enough," Faith said.

The man looked at her. "Who are you?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.

"Faith," she said. "Not that it's any of your business."

The man laughed. "I was just wondering. You don't have to be so defensive."

Faith glared at him. "Who are you?"

"Don't you know?" He asked, his eyebrows rising in amusement.

"Set," Kennedy whispered.

Set smiled and nodded. "You know your history but you're still stupid enough to be standing here."

Kennedy snorted. "You honestly think you scare me. Buddy, you should have seen the demented priest that rolled through Sunnydale about six months ago."

Set smiled. "Yes, I heard about your little battle with the first evil. Funny actually that you won but you were lucky. Occasionally luck runs out. I think you'd better be thinking seriously about your next move, it could be your last."

"Are you just stalling for time because you sound like you're babbling," Faith said.

Oh please," Set hissed. "Amuse me for a few more hours with your simplistic one-liners. I don't know how I'll be able to defeat you then."

Faith glared at him. "Well, while you figure it out I'll just kill you."

Faith rushed forward, her axe held high above her head. "Don't Faith he's a." Kennedy's warning was drowned out by a large bang that echoed through the street like a gunshot.

Faith stood suspended in the air, her face the only part of her body that she could move. "You son of a bitch," she yelled. "You're too weak to beat me without your little powers."

Set laughed and Kennedy tightened her grip on her blade. "Damn slayer," she muttered.

Kennedy took a few running steps and jumped over Faith, she landed heavily on the ground and rolled towards Set. She was just a few steps away when he waved her aside with a hand and she went slamming into the side of a brick building. The brick crushed in a few inches and dust fell on her head. "Shit," Kennedy groaned.

She stood up again and retrieved her sword. She flipped it in her hand, and holding onto the blade she threw it as hard as she could at Set. The man turned and looked at the blade spinning towards him. With a slight movement of his head the blade spun back towards Kennedy. It struck her in the shoulder and imbedded itself deep. She could feel the tip of the blade striking the brick as she flew back into the brick wall with a scream of pain. "What was that you were trying to say?" Faith asked, her eyes still locked on Set.

"He's a god," Kennedy hissed.

Tears fell down the younger slayer's face and mingled with sweat. Blood ran down her gray t-shirt, the hilt of the sword sticking out of her right shoulder. Rona ran over to her and helped her pull the blade out of her shoulder. The blood started running more freely but Kennedy was able to stand. She put her arm around Rona's shoulder and the other girl helped her stand. Set smiled and moved his hand. Faith rose ten feet above the ground before falling hard to the pavement. "Come and find me when you'll give me a challenge. I like a fair fight."

Set blinked and suddenly he was gone. "What is it with bad guys and their disappearing trick?" Rona asked.

Faith pulled herself off the ground. She hobbled over to Kennedy, her right ankle strained badly. "Come on," she said, taking Rona's place under Kennedy's good arm. "You take them back to the Coven and tell Dawn and Andrew to get to work. I'll be there as soon as I take Kennedy home."

"Do you need any help?" Vi asked, walking over to where the small group stood.

"Nope," Faith said, starting to help Kennedy back towards the apartments. "I've got it."

Rona stood there a moment more watching Faith help Kennedy down the street before returning to the group of slayers.

Willow helped Fray around the living room, her hand clutching the younger girl's tightly. Fray hissed in pain as another step pulled her side. "I'm surprised," Willow commented as she helped Fray over to the sofa.

"About what?"

"You know I'm a witch but you've never asked me to use magick to heal you."

"You've done enough for me. I guess it just never occurred. I mean I'll be alright in a few days. I'm just tender, that's all."

Willow nodded and stood up. She looked at her watch and then at the door. "They'll be back soon," Fray said.

"What," Willow said, looking back at the young girl.

"Kennedy, and the others, they'll be back soon."

"What makes you think I'm worried?" Willow asked, her head tilting slightly.

Fray laughed. "In the past fifteen minutes you've checked your watch five times. That's a bit excessive. They'll be fine."

"Yeah," Willow said, still unsure. "And I haven't heard anything so that doesn't mean there's something wrong. That's good, right?"

Fray nodded and suddenly the door slammed open. Faith was standing in the doorway with Kennedy in her arms. She was now carrying the slayer, the wounded woman's legs unable to hold her anymore. Blood dripped on the wood floors as Faith carried her inside. "Quick," Faith yelled. "She's been stabbed."

Willow stood there, her eyes glued on the pale figure in Faith's arms. Fray stood up, ignoring the pain in her side. "Put her on the sofa and try to bring Willow back to reality. I'll go get the medical kit."

Fray ran back to the bathroom and came out a few moments later with a large white box. Willow was leaning over Kennedy, her blood stained hand resting on the woman's cheek. "It's going to be okay baby," she whispered.

Fray sat the case down beside Willow and knelt beside the sofa. "Willow, I have to ask a favor of you."

"What?" Willow said, snapping out of her daze.

"I have to ask you to use your magick to heal her."

Willow smiled slightly and took a deep breath. She put her hands over the young woman and let her breath out. Fray put a hand on Willow's shoulder and the witch felt the younger girl's power flowing through her veins. She let out the breath and a bright green beam of light entered Kennedy's chest and seamed to flow throughout her whole body. Suddenly Kennedy gasped and inhaled deeply. Willow moved her hand, the green beam gone, and kissed Kennedy lightly on the forehead. "Owww," Kennedy groaned, trying to sit up.

Fray pushed her back down on the sofa. "Sit down Kennedy; I need to clean up this blood before you track it all over the house. Do you have some towels I can use?"

Kennedy nodded. "In the bathroom closet, third shelf."

Fray jumped up and started running towards the bathroom. "Hang on," Faith said.

Fray stopped where she was. "What do you know about the Egyptian god Set?"

"I've never heard of him, why?"

"I just find it weird that he showed up around the same time that you did, that's all. And then you show up when that Slayer Killer's after us all. Who needs a Hellmouth when we've got you?"

Willow stood up and glared at Faith. "Leave her alone," she said.

Fray shook her head. "She's right Willow. I can't guarantee that I'm not the one bringing these things here. I'll be gone tonight Faith so don't worry about it."

Willow was about to protest but Fray was already gone into the bathroom. When she came back out with a handful of towels the determined set of her jaw kept Willow from saying anything. Willow, Faith, and Kennedy were so busy cleaning up blood and explaining what they had seen that they never noticed Fray slip out the front door and close it quietly behind her.

Kennedy was the first to notice that she was gone. She glared up at Faith. "Now we've got a girl with no memory out on the streets with a rogue god on the loose because of you."

Faith shrugged. "If what Red says is true this kid's powerful enough to take care of herself. I don't trust her."

Kennedy stood up ignoring the throbbing pain in her shoulder. The wound was gone but it still hurt like hell. "Tell me that she's evil. Tell me that you can look into her eyes and that you think she's still lying. I believe that she's more pure than anyone in this room, anyone in this city. Tell me she's evil and make me believe it."

Faith just snorted but she looked down at her feet. "You know she's good but you're just looking for someone to blame for tonight because he's stronger than you are," Kennedy yelled.

This got a reaction from the dark haired slayer. She reared back and slapped Kennedy with the back of her hand. Kennedy held her wound and tasted copper as blood filled her mouth. "I'm going to go look for her," Kennedy said, grabbing a sword off a bookcase nearby. "When I get back I want her gone."

Faith glared at Kennedy as she left the apartment. She turned back around and looked at Willow. The Wicca's face was hard and Faith drew in a sharp breath, seeing the red head with her ice blue eyes after she preformed magick still freaked her out. "I was just leaving," she said quickly, and ran out the door.

The wind was blowing fiercely through the streets of New Sunnydale. Fray shoved her hands into the pockets of her shorts, her blood stained t-shirt offered her little protection from the cool air. Her bare feet were already sore from the rough asphalt and Fray moved to the grassy yards to give them a rest. She stopped when she heard heavy footsteps a few blocks away. "Fray, wait up," Kennedy called.

Fray shook her head. The girl must have been amazingly strong to catch up with her after fifteen minutes. She kept walking but slower than before. Kennedy fell into step beside her and they walked for a few blocks in silence. "So," Kennedy finally said. "Why did you leave?"

"Because of what Faith said," Fray said. "Because she's right. We have no way of knowing if I'm the one that's calling all of these things here."

"It doesn't matter," Kennedy said. "We've dealt with worse before and we've lived. I trust you and Willow trusts you and that's all that matters. Faith was pissed because she couldn't beat this thing and she needed someone to blame."

"No," Fray shook her head. "She's right. If I don't remember anything how can I be so sure that I'm not evil?"

"Your memory will come back," Kennedy insisted, stopping Fray with a hand on her shoulder.

Fray turned towards Kennedy, tears forming in her eyes. "No it won't," she yelled. "I can't remember my friends, my family, my first kiss. I don't remember school or birthday parties or anything. I have no past and I can't guarantee anything about who I am."

Tears started flowing freely down her face and Kennedy finally remembered, looking at that tear streaked face of surrender, that behind all that power she held, she was a scared kid with no past. Kennedy hugged her tightly and Fray buried her head into the slayer's shoulder. "Come on," Kennedy said. "Let's get you back to the house and get you something to eat. Before you take off you need some better clothes. If anyone saw you in those they'd think you had killed someone and you'd be picked up by the cops in no time. Tomorrow we'll go to the Coven and we'll find out everything that you know how to do. Don't worry about the past but focus on the present and the future and create your own."

Fray nodded and pulled away and the two girls walked back to Willow's apartment, a renewed sense of purpose in both of their steps.