The next day when Buffy woke, as always Faith who slept in Dawn's old room, and Willow and Oz who slept in Buffy's old room, had left. That was the way Buffy liked it, and she was especially happy this morning. Buffy got up, had a leisurely breakfast, and showered. She blow dried her hair, tied it up in a ponytail, and dressed in a new pair of workout clothes. New Nike running shoes, black cotton track pants, a black spaghetti strap tank top, and a comfy black hoodie. Buffy packed her cell phone, wallet, spare clothes, and other essentials in her side bag and set out for the Magic Box.
Just as Buffy was rounding the corner before the Magic Box, she was absently mindedly was searching through her bag, when she crashed into someone.
"Omigod. I'm so sorry..." Buffy stopped talking as she looked up. Standing before her was a 6'0'', green eyed, brown haired god. Or so Buffy thought. "I, uh...I..." The god laughed at her, and helped her to her feet.
"No, I'm sorry. I'm a klutz on Wednesdays, well really any day of the week." Buffy and the stranger both laughed. "Hi, I'm Liam. Liam O'Malley."
"Buffy. Buffy Summers."
"Okay, now that we've gotten past the niceties, would you maybe want to grab a coffee with me?"
"Uh?" Buffy bit her lower lip. "I don't know..."
"Okay, what about I just ask you for your phone number?" Buffy smiled.
"Sure. But I don't have any paper."
"That's okay." Liam held out his arm and a pen. "It's the perfect bulletin board." Buffy looked down and stifled a laugh. Liam's arm was covered in crawly writing.
Buffy felt happier then she had from her new makeover, if that was possible. As she entered the Magic Box, she didn't even notice everyone look up, Buffy just kept walking straight into the back room. Each looking at each other, the scoobies suddenly rushed after her, and came upon Buffy stretching.
"Hey Buff." Xander tentively walked toward her. "What's with the new do?"
"What? Can't I get a little change if I want to?"
"No one said you couldn't so just calm down." Willow was almost surprised at her friend's behavior.
"Okay! Maybe you guys need to calm down."
"We aren't the ones blowing up over a question." Faith was eyeing Buffy.
"I wasn't..."
"Buffy, just calm down so we can..."
"Giles! I'm not the one who..."
"Rupert, you'll only anger her more." Michaela placed a hand on Giles's arm.
"Yeah, maybe she'll blow up." Anya crossed her arms.
"What are you guys talking about? I'm fine!" Buffy was getting a little annoyed.
"Hey!" Everyone turned surprised to hear Oz yelling. "Buffy is not yelling. You guys seem to think she is, for some strange reason. Buffy got a new look, calm down. For the past three months, we've hardly paid attention to her, and now you're getting on her case. Stop it." The scoobies looked at each other guiltily. They were all quiet until, Anya spoke.
"Hey, guys?" They all looked at her. "Where's Buffy?" Everyone turned to where Buffy had been a minute ago. She was nowhere to be seen.
"Hereefmp." Buffy flounced down on a bench in Weatherly Park, fuming from what her friends had just done in the Magic Box. "The nerve of them."
"Do you always blow steam out of your ears of is this just a new habit?" Buffy swiveled in her seat to find herself face-to-face with Liam from this morning.
"Liam."
"Shocked? I know, I don't usually come here, but I was tired so..."
"What?"
"Sorry. So what was your problem?"
"Oh, nothing. Just..."
"What?"
"My friends. They've been ignoring me for the whole summer and now since I cut my hair and suddenly gotten happier, they started accusing me of being hot-tempered."
"Kind of seems true right now." Liam stopped laughing at Buffy's leer and got serious. "Ok, maybe they just aren't used to you being happy and thought something was processing you."
"Well maybe, but we haven't heard of any new demons..." Buffy stopped herself as she said the 'd' word. "I mean personal demons..."
Liam cut her off. 'It's ok Buffy. I know. If one plans on staying on a hellmouth, they might want to know about it." Buffy gapped at him. "You know, you look cute like that."
"What? You know?"
"Yeah. Short version is I'm the youngest in a line of Irish Samurai, since I was 5, I've known about you-I'm 25-I came here to find you..."
"Huh?"
"My family the O'Malley's are Irish Samurais, the only in the history of the world. Anyways, at the age of 5, my father told me legends of slayers and of a potential slayer that was born that year, you. I've followed your life since I was 20. I decided I really wanted to meet you, so a week ago, I jumped a plane and landed here."
"Okay, you know that can be taken very scarily."
"Sorry."
"It's okay, kinda nice actually." Buffy and Liam smiled at each other.