I threw my spell book down in frustration. Why couldn't I do it? I was a good witch... I restored Angel's soul. And yet, I couldn't change Amy back to human. It was unexplainable. I have tried my online sources, I'd looked in every book I could find and I still can't do it!

GRRRR!

I flopped haphazardly down on my bed. I had been at it since Friday night to late Saturday afternoon, only taking a break for nourishment and sleep. I pulled out my book and started to read. Suddenly, the phone rang. I roughly picked up the receiver.

"Hello," I barked into the mouthpiece.

"Hey, Wills," Buffy chirped back.

"Oh, hey," I replied, forcing my tone to be much more pleasant.

"Whatcha doin'?" Buffy asked.

"Hopelessly trying to de-rat Amy," I answered, with a mental sigh. Buffy loved to talk on the phone and would probably want to talk for the next hour.

"Oh. The new spell book didn't help, huh?"

"No... It's almost like Amy doesn't want to be a human again. It's weird."

"I doubt it. Being all ratty is not good... I should know."

"I wish there was a more talented or trained witch around here." Sigh. Making small talk took great effort at this point. All I wanted to do was bury my head in my book and push back all other things from my mind. Thinking meant pondering about my threadlike relationship with Xander, which meant heart break and confusion. Nothing that I really needed at the moment. "I should make a trip to the occult shop tonight. I've run out of things that I'm going to need."

"It's almost dark, Will. Tell you what. I'll walk you there and back before I patrol. It'll be good for us to have some time together just by ourselves."

I grimaced. Yeah, Faith and her had spent some 'time together' and look where it had gotten them. No where good. And where was she last night? I walked home all by myself then. Stop it Willow! Buffy's just trying to make things up to you. Give her a chance.

"Sounds good," I forced out.

"Great!" Buffy exclaimed. "See ya in a few."

*****

20 February 1999

I arrived at the Savior's house to see her guest knock on the door. 'Slayer!' my senses screamed. Even with the charms I had made to protect myself from the Savior's energy, I could still feel it. I t had nothing to do with logic, it was pure instinctual. It was the little voice in every demon's head that said, 'Duck and cover. The Slayer is coming to kill you as quickly and painfully as possible.' I must digress. I'm afraid if I continue in that direction, my weird mood will become more pronounced.

The Slayer was joined by the Savior and after a brief exchange of words were on their way. I thought perhaps that they were heading for a night out on the town and followed them at a safe distance. The Slayer may be a threat to me but the Savior is much more important.

It was obvious that the two were friends. That's unheard of. A Slayer with friends? I think that this is perhaps the Slayer that we've heard about. The one that doesn't do anything that's she is supposed to... That's all I know so I can't confirm if it is her, at this point. I doubt the Slayer has told the Savior anything. Her Watcher wouldn't allow it.

To my surprise, the girls took a different path from the one I expected. Instead of heading to the center of town, they moved toward the outskirts of the small city. To my even greater shock, the two stopped at a small shop of magic that I had found earlier in the day. Perhaps the Savior knew more than I thought she did.

I decided that I could enter the shop as a *customer* without being noticed. I wondered in like I would normally do and started to browse the shelves. There was no need to draw attention to myself.

I had been amazed at how well stocked the store was stocked during my first trip there... Until I met the woman who runs it, that is. That woman is a true Wiccan -- and one powerful witch. I had chatted with her earlier in the day. Her knowledge of the practices is astounding. It may surpass my own.

I looked up from the shelves and was surprised to find the Savior standing next to me.

*****

"Are you a Wiccan?" I asked the woman who had entered the store after Buffy and I. I knew that she had to be. The amulets she wore were unmistakable and no one but a Wiccan, or another practitioner of the arts, would dare enter the store.

"In some senses," the woman answered. "I'm a spell caster but I don't go for any of the rituals. They always come at too high of a price."

I nodded. The rituals, at least some of the darker ones, could be deadly if in the wrong hands or if done improperly.

"So what are you here for?" the woman asked me. The tone she used to speak to me was unsettling. It wasn't the casual tone that most people would have used. Respect and admiration colored her words.

I decided to answer the woman honestly. I had nothing to hide from her. "My friend Amy turned herself into a rat and, well, I've had no luck turning her back to human."

The woman nodded. "Have you tried doing the transformation spell in reverse?"

I shook my head. "I don't know how to go about," I admitted. "I've tried doing retransformation but it won't work."

"Excuse me," the woman called to the shop keeper. The woman came out of the back and asked what could she do for the woman. "Do you have a book of transformation spells?"

The shop keeper nodded. "We have some in the back. I'll bring them out for you.

"Thank you," the woman said, then turned back to me. "I'll show you how to do it." The woman smiled and held out her hand. "I'm Kaleell Charan. You are...?"

"Willow Rosenburg," I answered accepting her offered hand. "Are you new here?"

"You could say that," Kaleell replied. "I spent some time here a long time ago and have just taken up residency here."

"Why would you want to do that?" Buffy asked coming up behind me. She had been wandering around waiting for me. "This town isn't exactly number one for action."

Kaleell smiled. "Who knows? The Hellmouth draws all sorts of people for different reasons."

Buffy and I looked at each other. How did this woman know that this was the Hellmouth? A lot of the Pagans that I had contacted online knew about the Hellmouth but none knew its exact locale.

*****

20 February 1999 (con't.)

The Savior and I struck up innocent conversation. She told me about her friend being stuck as a rat. I knew how to undo such a thing -- it happened among my fellow apprentices of the craft while I was under the guidance of a very powerful Wiccan. All you had to do was change a few words to the original spell and they were back to human form.

I also learned the Savior's name -- Willow Rosenburg. It is not unusual but it is a name that will go down in history. She is the one.

The conversation switched directions when the Slayer got involved. She asked me why I had moved to Sunnydale. What was I supposed to tell her? The truth. No, it was too early for that. They didn't need know anything yet. And I'm not very good at lying. You can tell I'm bullshitting. So I told her that 'the Hellmouth draws all sorts of people.'

I watched their reaction with quite a bit of amusement. The way they looked at each other was very entertaining. Their eyes became huge. It was all very funny. The Savior obviously knew more than I had originally thought. I am sure I would have laughed if the shop keeper would not have come back with a couple of books. I quickly thanked her and sent her away.

I told the two girls not to look so surprised and proceeded to show the Savior how to restore her friend to human. The girl paid attention but retained some of her shock. I guess they were so used to ignorant humans.

At the end of my explanation, the Savior asked a few intelligent questions about some specifics... I got the impression it was more out of habit than that she wanted to clear up anything. She seemed to have understood me perfectly the first time. She's very bright, that one.

The girl told me that she had to leave -- it was getting late. I agreed with her and told her that I'd see her later. The Savior and Slayer departed.

As I had done on the way there, I followed them at a distance. The two girls were in a heated discussion. Probably about me but I tuned them out. I had no right to intrude.

During my lapse, and the Slayer's as well, a demon had begun to trail the two girls as well. As soon as it's presence was detected by my senses, my head shot up. I knew this demon.

*****

"Hey, Slayer!" a voice with a distinct New York accent yelled.

Buffy whipped around. She slipped a stake out from her sleeve and held it defensively. A *brightly* dressed man came out of the shadows. His hands were held out showing that he meant no harm.

Buffy groaned. "Not you again!"

"Um, Buffy," I asked. "You know him?"

"Unfortunately," was all I got in reply.

"Yeah, well I'm so pleased to be in your presence again, too," the man replied sarcastically. He began walking toward us in a leisurely manner. Suddenly, when he got about five feet away from us, he winced and began to back up, groaning.

Laughter came softly from the shadows. "You should always be prepared, my dear friend."

Kaleell, the woman from the shop, came into view. She moved toward the man. Taking off one of the amulets she wore around her neck, she slipped it over his head. His sounds of pain ceased. "Whistler, I thought you knew better than that." Kaleell shook her head in what was obviously mock dismay.

"It's her?" the man called Whistler asked Kaleell in a quiet tone. Both of them ignored Buffy and my bemused stares.

"Yes, my friend," Kaleell answered him. "She is the one."