As Faith and Spike joke about Buffy's uptightness, the uptight bitch herself enters the basement. The Angry Arms! The Angry Arms! Buffy says it's "nice" to see Spike and Faith getting along, but of course doesn't mean a word of it. Spike looks guilty and shifts away from Faith a little. Oh, Jesus, man. Too bad you didn't get your balls back as a gift-with-purchase from the soul-granting demon. Spike asks why Buffy isn't at work, and she lies, saying she cut back on her hours. "Figured I'd be better off focusing on what's going on around here." Dawn calls down the stairs, saying the hospitalized girl has woken up.

At the hospital, Shannon gives Buffy and Willow information on Father Malicious and how he picked her up as Bringers were chasing her. How does Shannon know they were called Bringers? Because she's a poor little exposition device with no real backstory. She lifts her bandage to show the burn from Father Malicious's ring. The burn doesn't really look like anything I can make out, but I wonder if it will be important later on, because Buffy steps aside so Willow can take a picture of the burn with her digital camera. Hey, that could be Willow's spin-off! C.S.I. Sunnydale, with sexy Wicca Willow leading her team of forensic investigators in unraveling Sunnydale's more mysterious murders. Shannon passes on Father Malicious's message: "I have something of yours."

At the Summers home, Buffy addresses a large assembled group, telling them about the "new player in town." She notes that Father Malathion is "taunting" them and "calling [them] out." Calling them out? Is this the Sunnydale version of Red Rover? First Evil, First Evil, send Buffy on over. Buffy continues that she's tired of inaction and waiting. "He's got something of mine? Fine. I'm getting it back. And you guys are coming with me."

Father Malathion's wine cellar. A pretty blond girl walks around looking for something. Father Malathion steps from the shadows, and they share a little chit-chat about how she heard him preaching earlier and came to look for him. He tells her, "The truth is like a sword, isn't it, girl? It cuts deep," and explains that the words he uses have deep power. He feels that the human race is full of weakness and therefore seeks strength and power. He circles the girl menacingly and then steps into the shadows. The girl follows him and drops to the ground dead, her stomach a bloody wound. Father Malathion looks upon her, holding his bloodless knife close to his face. The dead girl morphs into First Buffy, who gives a little "job well done" sigh and jumps to her feet perkily. This scene is actually much more creepy upon second viewing, when I know that the blonde girl is the First wearing a pretty face so that Malathion can play snuff games. On first viewing, I thought, "Ah, yet another victim," but the dynamic of the oldest source of evil in the world taking the time to play distressing murder games to please its minion is much more fascinating. "Do it again!" enthuses Father Malathion, and First Buffy asks him for requests. The First Evil takes requests? See, that's twisted. Although I can't help feeling the First would have a great second job as entertainment at children's birthday parties. "Do a clown!" "No, do Spiderman!" "Nuh uh, Boba Fett!" It could be a really fun time, if those clumsy Bringers didn't tip over the prezzie table and step on the cake. Father Malathion wants to see a choir girl from his past. Before the First complies, it points out that all the girls Malathion killed "followed [him] willingly." He notes that that's what girls do best.