All the magic users in Sunnydale and Buffy had to run into this one IV

Buffy was human enough to admit that she had been tempted to leave the young redhead behind in the church while she went for help but in the end, she thought it best to accompany her on her way home. Not that Buffy relished the prospect of yet another detour on the way home -- especially since she was still naked -- but she knew deep down that she would not rest easy that night if she did not personally see to it that the young girl she had rescued made it home safely.

In any event, Buffy would probably need to find a phone from which to inform someone about the body in the church and where better to call from than the young girl's house. Granted, it was not likely that the body of the girl's would-be killer would just get up and walk away while Buffy and the girl was gone but then this was Sunnydale. Local dead bodies had done a lot worse.

As it was, it seemed to take almost of Buffy's Slayer strength to help her keep up with the young redhead. Unlike her, the naked redhead had been able to get dressed again and on the way to her house, she talked about a mile a minute about everything from her glass unicorn collection to her favorite figure skater.

Her name, apparently, was April. She had a twin brother who went to Sunnydale High yet who was also thinking of transferring to another high school. Her mother was very religious, but her brother was not.

When Buffy broke down and told April about the weird spell she was under, April got all excited and told Buffy that she knew of a man who could help her with her spell.

"This man knows a lot about magic, Buffy," said April. "I'm quite sure he can help you with your problem."

"Somehow I doubt that," said Buffy. "And anyway, I'd rather not impose -- "

"Hey, you saved my life," said April. "In light of that, I insist that you let me pay you back by getting this man to help you."

"Well, in all fairness," said Buffy, "I too have friends who know more than a little something about magic."

"Not like this man!" exclaimed April. "He knows all kinds of stuff."

"But can he cure what I have?" asked Buffy.

"Only one way to find out," said April. "Anyway, his shop's downtown. So let's go this way."

"Not really in a mood to go downtown the way that I'm dressed right now," said Buffy, feeling nervous about the prospect of seen naked by even more people than the ones who had seen her in the church and at the high school.

"Oh, come on," said April. "It'll be fun. And the faster you meet him, no doubt the quicker you'll get cured."

Buffy just shrugged. A male magic expert in downtown Sunnydale who wasn't Giles. Seemed unlikely. Still the prospect of a cure for her nudity curse did seem worth the risk she would be taking.

And yet...

Hadn't enough people seen her bare butt and breasts today already? When was it going to end? Surely she was not likely to stay naked forever.

But who knows? This man April mentioned may really know of a cure. And April did seem like a nice person. Perhaps all this was a sign.

No sooner than they made it to downtown than April started pointing to what looked like an old costume shop. The place looked familiar but Buffy did not recognize the name on the sign just above the front entrance. Buffy started to hang back but April grabbed her arm and pulled her into the shop anyway.

As they walked in, a little bell set over the front door rang.

A dark-haired man behind the counter who was obviously the proprietor looked up at them and smiled.

"April," he said, speaking with a familiar British accent, "how good to see you again. I gather your brother Warren was happy with the supplies."

"He sure was, Mr. Rayne," said April. "But I'm not here today because of him. I'm here because of -- "

"Buffy Summers, as I live and breathe," interrupted the man. "It has been quite a long while, hasn't it? And I see you've made a very noticeable change in your wardrobe since we last met."

"Hello, Ethan," said Buffy.

"You two know each other?" asked April.

"Yes, we know each other," said Buffy as she futilely tried to hide her nakedness from the eyes of the man she knew as Ethan Rayne.