Disclaimers: I own nothing. The scenes of human Anya are mostly from the episode Selfless, as is her name, Aud.


Anya looked around as she felt five pairs of eyes staring at her. "What?" She snapped.

"We're waiting on you, Demon Girl. Not all of us enjoy being animals, ya know." Spike drawled.

"You're just mad because you're a kitten." Panther Buffy said with a smirk

Before Spike could respond Giles began to flap his wings in a vain attempt to polish his nonexistent glasses. "That is quite enough." He said immediately causing everyone else to stop talking. "Now, Anya, why are you a rabbit?"

"Because they scare me." Anya quickly said. "Okay, it's not working. Why isn't it working?!"

"Ahn, honey." Xander began in a soothing voice. "Just calm down. Why are you afraid of rabbits?"

--Flashback--

Sjornjost, 880

Aud looked around her house. Around her were dozens of rabbits. Brown rabbits. Black rabbits. White rabbits. Spotted rabbits. Rabbits on tables. Rabbits on chairs. Rabbits on shelves. Rabbits on the floor. Even a rabbit on her shoulder. As she looked around, she realized how happy she was when surrounded by her rabbits.

Other than her husband Olaf, whom she loved completely, her rabbits were her family. They were the only ones she could really talk to. No one in the village really liked her. She spoke her mind too frequently and was annoying to them. No one understood her literal interpretations and they thought her questions were irksome. But Olaf always said that was one of the reasons he loved her so much.

She sighed and lifted the brown bunny off of her shoulder. Her thoughts drifted to Olaf as she set her favorite rabbit down on the floor. Her husband was her everything. She felt that he was one of the few people who actually understood her. Aud's love for him was so strong that she felt like she could burst. She didn't know what she would do if she lost him. He was too important to her, but he was also almost always gone.

Olaf would constantly tell tales of battling trolls in the village. However, Aud was not stupid. She knew he was really at the bar. He would constantly talk of the bar matrons. Especially of Rannveig. Every one in the village knew that Rannveig would do nearly anything to take Aud's place in Olaf's life, but Aud wouldn't allow it. She hated Rannveig with a fiery passion.

Every time Aud would mention her name Olaf would tell her: "I have no interest in this Rannveig. Her hips are large and load bearing, like a Baltic woman. Your hips are narrow, like a Baltic woman from a slightly more arid region. You are my perfect Aud. I could never want for another."

Every time Aud would believe him, but she could never help but feel cheated. She had no proof of course. She didn't want any proof. If she had proof that would mean Olaf really didn't love her and she wouldn't be able to live if that was the truth.

--End Flashback--


"Ahn, honey." Xander said trying to get Anya's attention. "Are you okay?"

She slowly nodded. "Yeah, Xander, I'm fine." She lied, but she found her mind wandering back to the 800's.
--Flashback--

Sjornjost, 880

Three weeks later.

Aud silently watched all of the destruction around her. The villagers were running away from a large troll. Aud couldn't help but watch. It wasn't something she particularly wanted to see, but she couldn't help but watch. She had done all this, or rather Olaf had.

It had been two days ago. Aud had been down at the market peddling furs and giving away rabbits simply for goodwill, when she decided to come home early. The house hadn't seemed different at all. Rabbits everywhere. Olaf's fur cloak was thrown over a chair. It was as it usually was. Except for her fur. There had been another fur cloak near Olaf's. And Aud knew exactly whose it was.

Angrily she stalked into their bedroom where she saw them. Rannveig and Olaf. Olaf and Rannveig. And her world fell apart around her. She hadn't known what to do, so she began mixing. Old spells she had heard mixed with half-finished potions and Eelsbane. Suddenly Olaf was the large troll the village had ever seen. An ugly giant with green skin and horns. And Aud still couldn't take her eyes off of him. Even after what he had done to her, part of her still loved him.

"Impressive." A voice said causing her to turn around.

"Thank you." She said softly.

"What is that? A Woodlow Transmogriphic spell?" The stranger asked her, extremely curious.

"Thornton's Hope." Aud corrected, somewhat pleased with herself.

"Thornton's Hope. But how did you get the troll element?" He asked confused.

"Eelsbane."

"Eelsbane. Brilliant!" The stranger said liking her more and more.

"Bar matron. A load bearing bar matron." Aud said bitterly.

"Is there any other kind?" He asked causing Aud to walk away. "I'm sorry. How rude of me. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is D'Hoffryn."

Aud stopped and turned around again to face him. "I am Aud."

"Are you? Hmm. I'm afraid you don't see your true self. You are Anyanka. I'm a patron of a family of sorts. We're vengeance demons. I'm sure you've heard of us." D'Hoffryn said as he began his usual sales pitch.

"No, I'm sorry."

"Oh, well, that's quite—" D'Hoffryn began, liking Aud more and more.

"Oh, no, don't feel bad. I, uh," She looked down at her feet. "I don't talk to people much. I mean, I talk to them, but they don't talk to me. Except to say that your questions are irksome, and perhaps you should take your furs and your literal interpretations to the other side of the river. "

"I get the sense that your talents are not fully appreciated here, Anyanka. We'd like you to join us." D'Hoffryn said, immediately wanting her as part of his "family."

"Why do you keep calling me that? My name is Aud." She insisted.

"Perhaps, but Anyanka is who you are."

A few hours later, the newly named Anyanka found herself looking around her old home. D'Hoffryn had told her that she could have one last look at her old life before he took on her new life of vengeance. She knew it was to say goodbye to her old life.

She looked around at the rabbits who once filled her life with joy. They were once her life, but as looked around she realized that this was no longer her world. Vengeance was now her life, not her rabbits. She was no longer Aud. She was Anyanka. 'Anyanka doesn't like rabbits.' She told herself. 'You are no longer Aud. You are a new you. You're no longer her.'

--End Flashback--

"I'm no longer her!" Anya suddenly shouted.

"Anya?" Xander asked worriedly. "Honey, are you okay?"

Bunny Anya nodded vigorously. "Yes, I'm fine."

"Do you know why you where turned into a rabbit?" Giles asked her.

Again she nodded. "Because I was afraid I'd turn into Aud again."

Suddenly a bright light filled the room, and the bunny formally known as Anya was gone.

"That was interesting." Giles remarked.

"Wait." Buffy said cutting Giles off. "Who's Aud?"
Rabbit Anya transformed into herself in the center of the shop. "Oh thank God." Immediately she was aware of a gasp and a slap. She spun around to see Dawn and Angel standing near the front of the shop. Dawn had reached up and covered Angel's eyes with a hand. Instantly Anya looked down and realized that she was completely naked.

"Oh, I don't care if he sees me." Anya said nonchalantly as she picked out her clothes from the pile.

Dawn tightened her grip over Angel's eyes. "I'm sure you don't, but Buffy won't appreciate it."

"Dawn." Angel complained. "Would you knock it off?" He asked as he tried to swat her hand away.

"Uh huh." Dawn said as she slapped his hands away.

Anya merely shrugged at the exchange. "I guess were even, huh? I told you 1824 would change up to you. I'll change in the back room." With that she left the teenager and the vampire alone with the animals.

Dawn removed her hand. "What happened in 1824?"
TBC
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