Buffy was finally getting to do something she'd wanted to do for days, smash teeth down throats. Metaphorically, given no teeth got knocked out, let alone down throats on the demons she'd just killed. Didn't mean it wasn't still satisfying to beat the crap outta these things that enslaved humans and called them cows.

"You are a most effective warrior." A voice called out as Buffy finished off the last one of the group she'd discovered in the forest. "I wish to speak to you, if I may."

"Come out where I can see you." Buffy responded.

"I do not wish to abuse your eyes with my form." The voice responded. "It is well told that I am not pleasant to look upon."

"People think you're ugly?" Buffy frowned, most of the humans she'd met in Pylea seemed nice and none of them had made rude remarks about other humans. She wondered what it was about this guy that would make people so willing to be rude to his face.

"From the time I was a small child I have been told I am an animal, a beast, an offense to the eyes -."

"Okay, I get the point, people have been mean to you." Buffy really wasn't liking what she was hearing, poor guy.

"They have spoken nothing but the truth. It is why I was banished to the Scum Pits of Ur and why I accepted every challenge in the hopes I would die. Alas, it was not to be, for I won every battle I engaged in."

"Sounds like you're a pretty good warrior yourself." Buffy offered.

"It pleases me that you would offer this humble one such praise."

'He's got the weirdest way of talking.' Buffy thought. "Well, if you won your battles and you didn't cheat, that means you can fight and fight well." She said out loud. "We need people who can fight, we can train other people to fight. We humans refuse to be slaves."

"I am not human." The voice confessed. "At least not entirely."

"Oh." Buffy realized that meant part demon, part human. Ooh. "Was it the demons that thought you were ugly?"

"Yes."

"Humans might think differently. And if you can fight, you can help us stay free. It's not your fault you're part demon and if you can prove you really want to help, I think we can work together."

"I would like to help, I wish to be free as well. I was never collared, but I was never considered equal either."

"Who are you, what's your name?"

"I was never given a name, but I earned a title. I am known as the Grooselug."

"Grooselug?" Buffy gulped, this was the guy those priests had expected her to comshok with, in the hopes that he'd take her visions and they could use him as a puppet ruler. And they thought he was ugly? "I've heard of you, I don't know if you know this or not, but the priests thought I might be the cursed one of prophecy, I get dreams of things to come."

"I know, I was informed of your claim to the throne when the priest sent for me. You are our Sovereign, I am not worthy of being in your presence."

"I decide who's worthy and not worthy to be in my presence." Buffy insisted. "Please come out where I can see you." A large, muscular figure emerged from behind the trees and Buffy gulped again, this time at the fact that the man standing in front of her could have stepped off the cover of a romance novel, he was that good looking, aside from entirely black eyes, no white or colored part of the eye, just what could be giant pupils, he looked entirely human and a gorgeous human at that. "I can honestly say where I come from, you'd be considered pretty close to perfect and not at all ugly." Buffy assured him. "Come on, I'll introduce you to the others and then you and I can figure out what we each can teach the others. They need to learn how to fight, if they're to survive."

"As you command, Sovereign."

"Call me, Buffy, it's the name my mother gave me."

"Buffy, I have never heard such a name before."

"Yeah, it's pretty rare where I come from too." Buffy admitted, as the two headed toward the caves. "Listen, I don't belong here and I'm hoping to eventually get back home. Most of the people I've met accept that I'm this Sovereign, but if I get the chance to go home, I intend to take it and they know it. That means I need to name someone to take my place and I'm leaning toward this guy, Lon. He's led the human resistance for quiet awhile. If I do get the chance to go home, will you stay and help even if I'm not around?"

"Yes, I swear it, my Sovereign."

"Buffy."

"Buffy."

"Better." Damn, why did he have to be so gorgeous? He kinda reminded her of Angel, which was not a pleasant thought. But muscles, check, big forehead, check, able to fight, check. Even leather, check.

Part demon. Crap, crap, crap. 'I want to go home.' She thought. Fortunately for Buffy it wouldn't be too much longer until Giles figured out how to open a portal to Pylea and she'd finally be going home.

It didn't matter though whether she was in Pylea or on Earth, reminders of Angel existed in both places and she'd have to face that fact sooner or later.