Title: Evil Demon Rat-Bunny

Author: Joyce Renee

Rating: Pg

Disclaimer: Not mine!

Summary: Answers YGTS? challenge #92:

"I've been re-watching the BtVS eps from earlier in the season, and there's one that Xander comments, "What I wouldn't give for bunny worshipers." And Anya freaks out, telling him thanks for the nightmares. The challenge is to write a history-esqe(takes place in the past) fic, dealing with her and her problem with bunnies. Don't forget that she's avenging scorned women, now, ya here?"

Note: A hennin is that cone shaped hat thingy that noble women wore back in the middle ages.

Dedicated to Horsey Spike for submitting the challenge

Evil Demon Rat-Bunny

"Have you started yet?"

"Anya! I told you to be quiet!" Willow snapped, completely frustrated with the ex-demon.

The two women were sitting beside Amy's cage, which Willow had brought to the magic shop, to try a new spell. The witch had convinced Anya to keep the shop open a little later so that she could try to turn Amy back. Anya had reluctantly agreed only after Willow had promised to pay for everything she used.

Willow couldn't help but wonder, now, if this wasn't just more trouble than it was worth.

Sighing, she looked down at the little rat. Amy stared back at her with expectant eyes. A wave of sadness washed over Willow as she thought back to when her friend had been human. No, whatever she had to do, it was worth it.

"What are you doing now? Is this part of the spell?"

"Anya!"

"Okay, okay! I'll be quiet!" Anya humped and went to stand protectively over the cash register. She had already removed all of the money, just to be safe.

"Thank you!"

"Just hurry. I want to go home and have sex with Xander. We're going to try something different tonight..."

Willow focused completely on Amy trying to tune out Anya's babbling in the background. The air around the cage started to sparkle as Willow began to murmur a few words in Latin and wave her hands.

"...and that's why you should never try that on an ironing board.. ..Hey, the rat is glowing!"

Willow finished the spell and a bright flash of light momentarily blinded her.

As she blinked her eyes to focus on Amy, she heard Anya let out a blood-curdling scream.

Finally she saw what had upset Anya. Amy was no longer a rat, but a rather large white rabbit.

**********

"Anya, shh! Stop screaming! The bunny is locked in a cage, it can't hurt you!" Willow was trying hard to keep a straight face.

"Turn it back!" the ex-demon demanded.

"Okay, Okay!" Willow did the spell backwards and watched as the rabbit shrunk and reformed as a rat.

"See, Amy's a harmless rat again. Anya? Anya!?"

But Anya did not respond. In her mind, she had gone back to a time when she was an all-powerful vengeance demon. A time when nothing scared her.....

**********

A Palace in England, sometime during the Middle Ages

Anyanka twirled in her long blue gown, very pleased. One of the best things about being a vengeance demon was the clothes. Her magic allowed her to look however she needed to blend in with the mortals around her.

Today, her long strawberry-blonde hair was pulled back in a tight bun with an elaborate hennin placed over it. She had to look like a noble woman in order to get close to her latest charge. She was posing as the cousin of a princess named Elisabeth.

Anyanka had appeared in one of the many gardens of the palace. It was empty saved the heartbroken princess who sat, wetting her fingers in a beautiful marble fountain.

Anya unconsciously fingered the amulet around her neck as she walked toward the other woman.

"Elisabeth? Whatever, is the matter dear?"

"Oh, cousin! Please, come and sit with me." Elisabeth called to her.

Elisabeth wasn't all that beautiful, but she was very sweet and Anya felt the anger rise up in her at the thought that some evil man had hurt this poor creature.

"Tell me what has upset you." Anya said as she sat next to the distraught woman.

"It's Phillip! He.. he.." she dropped her head into her hands in sobbed.

Anyanka awkwardly patted her on the back until Elisabeth began to calm down.

"Come now, tell me what that miserable husband of yours has done."

"He is going to divorce me. It's his right since I have not given him any sons in our six years of marriage." she explained.

"But I thought you didn't like your husband." Anya told her, puzzling at Elisabeth's tears.

"I don't! He's a wicked man, deeply involved in the black arts. I can't wait to be rid of him."

"Then why are you crying?"

"He killed Charles!" she broke into tears again.

"Who?"

"My pet rabbit. He purposely stepped on him! I loved my Charles!"

Anyanka rolled her eyes as the woman started sobbing again. Sighing heavily, she removed the amulet from her neck and handed it to Elisabeth.

"Here, put this on. It'll make you feel better."

Elisabeth did as she was told.

"I don't feel any better."

"Um, why don't you make a wish for something horrible to happen to him." Anya suggested, not so subtly.

Elisabeth gave her a strange look.

"Come on! It'll make you feel better. I promise that I won't tell anyone." she encouraged.

"Okay, I wish Phillip would turn into a rabbit so that I could step on him!"

"Done!" Anya snapped her fingers and a small white rabbit appeared in front of them.

Elisabeth gasped as Anyanka returned to her demon visage.

"You are not my cousin!" she exclaimed.

"No. I am Anyanka, demon patron saint of scorned women." Anya proudly boasted.

"And that rabbit is my husband?" she asked.

"Yes. Go ahead and step on him."

"Oh, I could never kill a harmless animal." Elisabeth protested as she picked Phillip up.

"Put me down, wench!" the rabbit growled at her.

"You're not supposed to talk." Anya informed him.

"Give me my necklace back." She said to Elisabeth.

Anyanka wanted to get out of there fast. The rabbit's glare was making her uncomfortable. She hadn't felt like this since she became a vengeance demon almost a hundred years ago.

"I'll get you for this, Anyanka! Mark my words, you have messed with the wrong sorcerer!"

"Sorcerer?! You didn't say he was a sorcerer! I'm out of here!"

Before Anyanka vanished from sight, she heard Phillip yell, " You haven't seen the last of me!"

*********

Sunnydale, Ca Present Day

"Earth to Anya!" Willow said, waving her hand in front of Anya's face.

"What?!" She snapped at the witch.

"I asked why you are so afraid of rabbits."

"Because Phillip hasn't gotten his revenge on me yet! He's waiting until he thinks I've forgotten. Oh, I just know that I'll be the first mortal to die by the hand..er paw of a bunny!" she exclaimed, as if that all made perfect since.

"Okay." Willow was dumbfounded.

"I think we're done here tonight Anya. Why don't you lock up and go home? I'm sure Xander is waiting for you."

"Yes. Good idea. You go, I'll lock up." Anya said nudging Willow toward the door.

"Oh, don't forget your evil demon rat-bunny." she said, practically throwing her the cage.

"Anya! Amy isn't... Oh, never mind! Good night!"

Anya let out a sigh as the door shut behind Willow.

Grabbing her jacket, she shut of the lights and opened the door to leave.

She thought she saw something out of the corner of her eye, and quickly snapped the lights back on.

Nothing. Her mind was playing tricks on her. Phillip had been dead for a very long time now, she had nothing to worry about.

**********

Phillip the rabbit watched Anyanka leave from his place, high up on a shelf in the corner of the Magic Box.

"I haven't forgotten you, Anyanka! I will get my revenge!" he cackled evilly.

The End