Anya stared out of the window of her small cottage, watching the clouds fly away from underneath her. "The after life isn't as fun as I thought it would be", she said, looking at a woman on the other side of the room. Tara stepped into the light, and smiled softly at her. " Just give it time. We were fine once we got used to the place". Tara walked up to Anya, put her arm around her, and said "you'll feel right at home before you know it".
"She's right, you know", said a voice, as a third woman walked through the front door. "I didn't know anyone when I first got here... until I started playing Tennis with Shakespeare". Jenny laughed, and Tara smirked. Anya looked disgusted. "You're mocking me! With sarcasm! You're using my own weapon against me. I hate it here. I miss Xander. I know he was gonna propose again. I just know it. I could be Anya Christina Emanuella Jenkins Harris by now if it wasn't for that stupid Bringer. I blame Andrew. He should have been watching my back instead of squirming in the corner like... a little squirmy thing". Anya continued to ramble, so Jenny decided to cut her off, and put her mind at ease once and for all. "Anya, listen. Xander will most probably be dead within the next 50 years. Maybe even sooner. So you will get to see him in no time at all." Anya smiled. "You really think? Isn't there anything we can do, you know, as heavenly spirits, that can make it happen a little sooner"? She grinned and nodded, hoping for the answer she wanted. Jenny just gave her a sympathetic smile, and shook her head. Just as Anya was about to speak again, an ear-piercing bang sounded in the distance.
"What the HELL was that?!" Anya screamed, as she ran back to the window. "He's back" Jenny said calmly, but with a serious voice. "Who's back? I thought heaven was supposed to be all quiet and peaceful... and stuff. Big, loud noises sure as hell wasn't in the brochure!". Anya stared out of the window, when all of a sudden, the sky began turning blood red. "Um, Tara. Please tell me this is a spell of yours, to, um, make the big loud noise... go away".
" Not me", Tara said, trembling a little bit. "He must know you're here. He came after me when my soul was brought here". Anya stared at her, waiting for an explanation on who he was... "Well? Who is he? What does he want with me?"
"His name is Animusedo... Soul Devourer in latin. He used to pick certain people from earth - witches, demons that have a soul. I think he even went after Angel when he first got his soul. Anyway, since he got all the souls he wanted, he tried to break into the heavenly dimensions looking for other souls he needed. What better than a soul that lasted for 1124 years?". Tara took a long breath, then looked at Jenny. She nodded, and Tara went over to a closet, locked by magic, and took out a small table with three celtic symbols on it. "We tried to rid him of this world when Tara first got here by performing a spell, but I guess it just sent him away for a few months, until he regained control of his power. He had the help of a third witch, Terri, but he got her just before we finished the spell. I'm sure if we could have finished it that first time, he wouldn't be back now." Anya sat down in front of the weird looking table, and said "How can I help"? Jenny looked at her, confused "You wanna help? I thought running away was your thing?" She smiled, and passed her a handful of crystals. "Sarcasm? Again? At a time like this... my kinda woman". Jenny closed her eyes, took hold of Tara and Anya's hands, and recited the following incantation :
Animusedo, deus of animus
audite meus lacuna
solvo vestri cruciatus phasmatis
quod licentia is locus
Nothing happened, until an 8 foot demon stormed through the red clouds in the distance. "I guess the spell didn't work as well as I hoped. But at least now we can fight it", Jenny said, as she walked over to the Magic closet and pulled out three swords. "What the hell are you doing with swords in Heaven? What did you think you were gonna use them for, chopping celery? Besides, you don't expect us to fight this thing, do you? I've already died once, and that wasn't very pleasant!", Anya shrieked, as the red, muscly demon worked it's way closer to the cottage. Anya refused to take the sword from Jenny, so Tara took her hand, and said "Anya, listen. Think about all the times you punished men for all the evil things they did. Think about the demon who ruined your wedding day". Anya felt the anger building up inside her. "Think about Xander, who left you there at the alter, in your beautiful wedding dress. Think about Andrew, who let you die in the first place. And, finally, think about all those bunnies running around on earth while you're here. Don't dismiss that anger, Anya. Embrace it". Anya sat there for a few moments, then slowly stood up. She took the sword from Jenny's hand and stormed over to the front door. "Let's go out there and KICK IT'S ASS!".
"How the hell did ya do that?" Jenny asked. "It's Anya. She's got a thing about men and bunnies. You just gotta press the right buttons is all" Tara replied, with a grin on her face. Tara took the sword out of Jenny's other hand, and followed Anya to the clearing in front of the cottage, where the demon was only about 100 feet away. As the three powerful women stood there, posing like Charlie's Angels, with a terrifying wind blowing in their faces, Anya turned round to the two witches and said "there it is again. The cold draft of paralyzing fear. I knew this was too good to be true. Ah well, if hell wants me, it can take this son of a bitch with me". "Girl power, huh?" Tara said covering her fear. "The Spice Girls have got nothing on us" Jenny replied, sounding a hell of a lot confident than Tara. As the demon approached them, all three of them charged at him, weapons at the ready. They slashed and hacked away at their enemy, who was surprised that these miniscule women could do so much damage. Just as Animusedo was about to stomp on Tara, Anya noticed a red gem on the back of his head. Without a moments thought, she somersaulted on to the demons shoulders, and smashed the gem with the handle of her sword. Animusedo came down with a crash, then disintigrated into nothing. The three goddesses looked at each other relieved, and then started walking back to the cottage. None of them knew what to say. Anything that could be said, was better summed up by a smile. As they got back in their home, Anya broke the silence... "How the hell did I do that somersault thing... cos that was cool!". Jenny and Tara laughed, and Anya sat back by the window, watching the now white clouds vanish underneath her. "I think I'm gonna like it here".