^_^ Well, that's my schpeal so on with the fic!

 The phone rang and Kurama jumped out of bed, spilling Hiei to the floor and waking their room mate, Wufei. "Anja!"

"Nani?!" Wufei asked, "What about Anja?!"

 They rushed to her apartment to find her sitting on the floor by the phone. "M. . . my water broke."
She gasped, "God it hurts!"

 Hiei and Wufei sat by her while Kurama called the hospital. They arrived and Anja was immediately  taken to a room.

 "Wu-Chan! Kurama! Hiei! No! Not without them!"

 Wufei clasped her hand in his and walked beside the bed they were wheeling her in, "I'm here, shhh,
it will be fine."

 Another contraction caught her and she gasped at the pain and clutch Wufei's hand tighter. "Ahhhh!
Hurts!"

 Hiei ran beside them while Kurama called the others then he filled out the papers and joined her,
Wufei and Hiei in the little room.

 "We have to wait, She isn't dilated enough."

 "Can you give her something for the pain?"

 "NO!" Anja gasped, "No pain killers."

 "Anja it would. . ."

 "No."

 When the doctors left Anja looked to Kurama, "do you have any plants to help it?"

 He smiled, "I knew you would ask me that." He grew a seed taken from his hair and picked a few
leaves, "Chew on these."

 Anja nodded and did as she was told. The pain was gone in minutes.

 Thankfully labor was short compared to the ones her mother had been through. Only five hours as
opposed to thirty six.

 Hiei watched in fascination as the baby was born. Wufei held her hand and petted her hair calmingly
even as he felt faint. When the doctor said oxygen, he almost put the mask on himself instead of her.

 Kurama chuckled at Hiei's huge eyes.

 The Koorime didn't pay and heed to the kitsune's chuckles. "This is how they are born?!"

 "Hai Hiei." Anja groaned as she followed the doctors orders to push again.

 The doctor gently took the baby and cut it's umbilical cord then held it out to Hiei to see, "You have
a nephew young man." Hiei stared at the little wrinkled thing and the doctor handed him to Anja,
"And you two have a son."

 Anja felt tears of joy in her eyes as she let her baby suckle at her breast. "Our little Kuro." She
sobbed. Kuronue, oh Kuronue, we made a beautiful baby.

 Kurama saw his sister's haunted expression and frowned sadly. He knew what she was thinking, and he wished to Inari that he could bring Kuronue back to see his son. But he is reborn. Kurama
thought. Somewhere.
 

 Anja stood over Kuronue's grave a week later, their son in her arms. "Kuronue." She smiled and a
tear rolled down her face she was trying very hard to keep up her smile. "He. . . he's a beautiful baby Kuronue." She wiped away a tear that threatened to drip on the sleeping infant. "They. . . they told
me not to bring a baby so young to Makai, but I wanted you to meet him. Even if I know you aren't
here, it feels like you can hear me." She sobbed and her cool resolve broke her sobs turned to
pained cries and her chest felt like her heart had turned to lead. Weighing her down, slowly poisoning her, "Kuronue you promised that you would wait for me. I'm the ningen remember? I was supposed
to be the one who died first. N. . . not you."

 Her hands shook and she sat cross legged on his grave, their child held in her lap so her unsteady

arms wouldn't drop him. She traced the letters of his grave with a tear stained finger and licked her
lips, "I named him Kuronue. Kuronue Marron Nightwing. It's a strong name. He will be a strong boy. I. . ." She stopped talking as a sob caught her words in her throat and just cried for a while. Once
she could speak again she raised her eyes to his headstone, "I wish you could see him."

 "Anja."

 She turned sharply, snatching up her son as she stood to face Koenma in his teenage form. "It's your fault! Damn it! Damn you!" She beat on his chest with her free fist, "It's all your fault! You sent him
into another body! You took him away! We were going to merge! We were going to be together
again! DAMN YOU! You ass! You barely weaned Fucking Godling Ass!"

 He caught the hysterical girl by the wrist and she sank down, leaning on him for support.

 "I. . . it isn't fair." She sobbed quietly, "How . . . how could you split up a soul like that? How could
you!"

 "Anja. . ."

 "What? You're sorry? You wish it could have been different? Look at this baby Koenma take a
good long look, because you and your father have taken his Da away from him. He will never know
him, not even in spirit form thanks to you.  Because you took him away." She pushed away from him
and sat on the grave again. "Leave us alone godling, go back to your office and stamp other peoples
hopes away. You've done enough to us."

 Koenma's mouth worked but nothing came out. Finally he nodded and turned, vanishing as he
walked away back to Reikai.

 Anja covered her mouth to squelch the sobs that she couldn't control. "God I miss you." She tried to swallow down her pain and her tiny, upturned nose flared with her effort to keep from crying.
"Before you were still here in spirit. Now I feel so empty. So empty. Kuronue, I. . . if it weren't for
your child, our child, I might even join you in the next life." Her breath was ragged and deep as she
tried to calm herself, "I just found out Shura is declaring war on Mukuro now. To keep my family
safe, I have to kill him. Another part of our soul gone. Maybe he will find you in the next life. Maybe
it won't be so complicated then. I'm going to Inari tomorrow, to ask blessing of myself with a Youko
form so I will be a match for Shura. And to tell the Youko clans that Youko Kuronue has a son. He's a Youko too, did you know that?" She smiled tearfully, "He went fox form and tried to eat Canon.
Poor dear still hasn't come down from the rafters." Her tears had stopped flowing now. Her eyes
were smiling. "Talking to you always makes me feel hopeful, even if you can't here me."

 She stood and brushed off her pants, "I love you my Kuronue. I love you."
 
 

 Mukuro took her grandchild into her arms and looked at Anja in question. "You are wearing your
royal tunic.  Where are you going?"

 "To Inari-sama. I need you to watch my little Kuro-chan while I'm gone."

 "Anja why are you. . .?"

 "I need to keep my family safe." She said deep in her throat as if it were hard for her to say the
words, "To do that I must kill Shura and to do that I need to be more than I am now. Being human
there is only so fast I can go and only so much I can do no matter how much Doren blood runs in my veins. A Doren who is also Youkai will stand a chance against Shura. If I go as I am I will die."

 "Anja are you sure. . . the others can kill him."

 "I have to." She breathed, "It's an act of love."

 "You sound like Korosu."

 Anja smiled softly, "You know better than that." She smiled, "I just love him enough not to let him
die at the hands of anyone else. If he must die. . . I need to do it myself. And he has given us no other alternative.

 "So you will go to Inari."

 "Hai."

 Mukuro nodded and hugged her daughter tightly, "Good luck my lovely. Be careful."

 "Hai Kaasan." She nodded then slipped Kuronue's hat on her head and disappeared.

 "Be careful." Mukuro prayed again.
 

 Anja came upon a large open field and muttered a conjuring, merging God and demon worlds for a
short time. Inari's glimmering palace now stood in the fields center. It was a wonderful strategy, no
one could approach without being seen. The one fault was the river that flowed into the moat. It was
clear, Hai, but had very large fish in it. Anja grinned as she speared one in the section coming from
the forest and gutted it, praying thanks and asking forgiveness to it's soul.

 She placed Kuronue's hat in the water resistant bag she carried and kicked her shoes into the
bushes. The fish was huge! As big as she was. She slipped into the water and inside the fish's skin,
then taking a deep breath she submerged and swam through the river to the castle.

 Her lungs were close to bursting when she reached her destination. The back of the palace was a
steep cliff. A waterfall fell from the river into a pool a good fifty feet or more below. She jumped
from the fish's skin as she went over the falls and caught a hold of the back wall. Then she began to
climb.  Inari had to be smarter than to let guard down because of a cliff, but Anja was betting the
guards were not so smart.

 Once at the top she grinned, She was right. The guard had his back to the wall. A quick handful of
poppy pollen into the wind and he was out like a light. She dried off and changed into her clothes she had carried in her bag and anointed herself with the scent of the Youko guard so her own scent
would go unnoticed. God this is disgusting! then Barefoot, she made her way toward the center of
the castle and Inari's chambers.

 This had been carefully planed, like her brothers had taught her. She had gotten plans to the building, knew it inside and out, changes in guards and effects of light and dark. She was never over confident
and always doubly careful. Traps were disarmed and new ones laid behind her to impede chase. She slipped silently through trap after trap and alarm after alarm. God their well guarded! She gasped
softly as The ground crumbled beneath her feet and she almost fell into a snake pit. Another trap!
She grabbed the remaining ledge and forced her self up. Damn I could use Kura right about now!

 The shadows got her as far as the main hall. Inari's throne sat in the far back, on a raised dais,
behind it was the door to the fox god's chambers.  She took a deep breath. Ok, no shadows
anywhere, the whole place is lit probably to keep people away. Think Anja, think! She reached into
her pocket and pulled out a sac of tiny poppers. Little amounts of explosive on impact powder
wrapped in paper. They could do no damage but they could distract. Ok. She launched a fist full
across the room up high above the guards view. When they fell and popped, the guards jumped and
ran to the sound. Anja darted behind a large pillar. Gotta go fast! She threw a silver coin so that it hit
and rolled out of the shadowed hall way she had just come from.

 The guards got a knowing look in their eyes and moved quietly for the shadows. Anja grinned and
slipped behind the throne. She could hear the guards startled yelp as her trap worked and they all slid to the end of the hall way, out of control. They would wake up soon, she had to hurry. Slipping
silently into Inari's chambers she sniffed the air. The God was in bed. Her heart beat sped up until she was sure it would wake the deity but Inari remained unmoving. Breaths even. She slipped cautiously
to the bedside and pressed her clawed nail to the Fox God's neck.

 That woke Inari up. It jumped up and turned on the light then stared at Anja with wide eyes. It's
gaze rested on the claw at it's throat and the God swallowed softly when it met her eyes again. "Are
you here to kill me?" It asked in a calm voice.

 Anja smiled and took her claw away, "Ne Inari-sama. I only wanted to prove my worth. I am her to
ask a favor of you."

 "Oh?" Inari looked intrigued, "You are ningen, ne?"

 "Hai. Nightwind Anja," She knelt, "I am. . ." Her breath hitched, "Was, the mate of Youko
Kuronue."

 Inari placed a hand on her shoulder and urged her to her feet. "Nightwind, it suits. What did you do
to my guards little ningen?"

 At that moment they burst in, one covered in poppy pollen holding her sodden tunic, and the others
coated in a slimy, aloe like substance. "Inari-sama are you. . .?"

 Inari stared at them and Anja chuckled. She couldn't help it! They looked ridiculous, the one caught
in a pollen induced sneezing fit and the others with sticky fur spiking up every where and greenish see through slime on their britches.

 "She is the intruder?!" They were shocked.

 Inari smiled, "Meet Anja. She is the mate of Youko Kuronue. Sister of Youko Kurama and
Koorime Hiei."

 "Youko Kuronue?! Kurama?! Hiei?!" They stared at the slight woman/child before them.

 "She has come asking a favor."

 "Hai." Anja said clearly, "I wish to be granted Youko form."

 "Why?" Inari asked.

 Anja frowned, "My family is in danger, Shura is threatening them. I can not beat him in human form,
he has seen all of my tricks as he used to run with Kuronue and I. I need new tricks, more speed,
More ability to beat him. I need to become Youkai. Our child, Kuronue's and mine, is Youko.
Therefore I wish to take that form. That way I may also teach him once this madness is over."

 "Son?"

 Anja nodded, "That is my other reason for coming, to announce the birth of the new Youko
Nightwind Kuronue."

 The guards talked amongst themselves and Anja frowned softly, "Please Inari-sama." She asked, "I
know it has not been done before, My sister Yukina and I have researched, but I know it can be
done and I need your help. By sneaking into your fortress unseen have I not proven I can be a good
Youko?"

 "Hai, You have proven yourself. . . you are ready to become Youkai?"

 She nodded, "Please. I. . . I am ready."

 Inari nodded, then strip off those clothes and follow me into the meadow outside.

 Anja nodded and did as she was told. She followed Inari unabashedly and every Youko they met
followed. Once outside, every Youko within range was gathered in a circle. Inari led her to the
middle.

 "Anja?"

 "Hai Inari-sama?"
 

 "You have been found worthy of an honor no ningen has ever received before. You are chosen to
become Youko."

 "Arigato Inari-sama."

 "My people. To prove her worth, this ningen snuck into my own chambers today. She had a chance
to take my life but did not. Think you she is worthy?"

 The crowed roared approval all but one dark black Youko who stepped forward angrily. "No! No
ningen has a right to join our kind! Ningen are a virus! A plague upon the worlds!

 Anja glared at him. "My mate and brother do not think so."

 "Then they are fools!"

 "They are Youko!" Anja spat. "Do you think your own kind  are fools?"

 Inari smiled, "She is the sister of Youko Kurama. Mate of Youko Kuronue."

 The crowed started to mutter among themselves and the one who disapproved stepped back
slowly. Anja smiled and turned to Inari, "Now what?"

 The God smiled at the ningen's lightheartedness kissed her forehead casting a white glow over her
for a second, and handed her a vial and a scroll. "Tonight, take the flower of your choice, anoint
yourself in scent made from it's petals, and this water. Next you must find your chosen lover and take your lover under tonight's ningenkai full moon, offer your passion up to the Youko clan. As you do
you will feel yourself changing, whatever he does he cannot look upon this first change, and he can
not touch you in return. Blindfold and tie him while you take him, then leave, the first time the ritual
mate can see your form is in the light of day. When you are done mating read this scroll naked under
the moon and spend the night out, alone under the sky. After that you will be Youko. Our clan
conscious and Kurama can explain the rest afterwards."

 "Inari-sama?"

 "Hai Anja?"

 Anja jumped up and hugged the startled God tight, "Thank you!"

 The crowed gave a collective gasp then went silent.

 Inari chuckled. "It is going to be interesting."

 Anja grinned, "It's more fun that way."

 The God chuckled again, "Go now. Take my blessing and be born again."

 Anja gave a quick salute then grabbed up her bag and ran for the trees.

 What am I getting myself into Inari shook it's head, "Another mess." It decided fondly. "So much like her brother."

Part 4/5

 Anja crushed some lilac petals for their scent and carefully mixed the scent in the water Inari had given her. She placed it gently in her pouch then took her son to Kurama.

 "Anja wha. . ."

 "Just watch him tonight for me, ok? I have to finish something?"

 "What?"

 "Just trust me on this and I'll show you what I've done tomorrow, I promise. I'll meet you
at Genkai-sama's and explain everything."

 Kurama nodded and took little Kuronue and Anja went to find Wufei.
 
 

 It was never a chore to make love to Wufei. Anja and he both enjoyed it thoroughly.
Afterwards she anointed herself with the scent and read the scroll carefully. It was in Youkai's
ancient tongue but as she pronounced each word a sort of collective conscience wrapped around
her and she could understand the words. She could see the past history of the Youko clan and she
could feel Inari with her she was no longer just Anja. She was Youko Anja. She was a part of
their collective understanding, she was their sister. She gasped in amazement and fell to her
knees a feeling of oneness with every living plant around her ran over her spine and then she was
above them, in control of them.

 "Inari-sama!" She gasped.

 "Anja?" Wufei fought against the bond she had tied him with. "Anja what's wrong?!"

 "Not wrong, it's right! So right." She stood slowly, seeing the world as if for the first
time. Everything had a new meaning a new purpose. Is this how Kuronue saw the world? Is this
how our child will see things? Feel things?

 "Anja? Anja are you ok?!"

 "Yeah Wufei, I feel so peaceful. Now I see why Kurama is always so calm. This
greenness around you it's like a balm for the soul."

 He smiled and Anja handed him a knife to cut his bonds, then she paused. "Anja?"

 "Don't cut them or take off the blindfold until I've had time to get away. You can't see
me until after sunrise at Genkai's temple." She placed something oval and metal in his hands.

 "What is this?"

 "My music box." She smiled and stripped her beloved jewelry off, leaving on only Hiei's tear gem and Kuronue's pendant. "My jewelry." She kissed his forehead, "I need to start fresh Fei-kun. These I will keep forever, but I don't need them anymore. I know who I am."

 He smiled, a look full of love, "My love stay with you Itoshi."

 "Through the night." Anja agreed then she vanished into the wood.

 Wufei waited a few minuets then freed himself and walked back toward the temple to wait. "Good luck Koibito."
 
 

 The next morning they all gathered at the temple. All of a sudden, a shape started to take
form, someone walking up the steps toward them.

 "It's Youkai!" Yuusuke yelled and readied for battle.

 "Youko." Kuwabara nodded.

 The G boys watched tensely as it approached.

 Kurama watched the strange Youko approaching them with caution. She was familiar, but
he couldn't recall that scent. She only had two tails and hadn't learnt to hide the second, a
veritably young Youko then. He was surprised when she ran up to the temple and threw her arms
around Yukina and then Wufei. "It worked!"

 Hiei growled and unsheathed his sword but the Youko blocked him with her own, much
to the other's surprise. "Whoa! Niisan! Watch it!"

 "Anja?" Hiei sheathed his sword and took in the Youko's scent underneath the foxy smell
was pine and lilacs. . . "It is her."

 "Anja how. . ." Kurama started.

 "I went to see Inari!" She smiled, "And Inari blessed me!"

 "When you say went to see. . . you mean you broke into her palace don't you." Kurama asked not really wanting to know the answer.

 "Yeah! Isn't it great?!"

 "You could have been killed!"

 "Not after you taught me all the tricks."
 

 "God Anja what am I going to do with you!" Her brother growled.

 "Love me." She smiled.

 "I do." He grinned, "That's why I worry!"

 Anja shook her head, "No need to worry.  I already earned another tail too! Inari must
have decided when a human can survive the perils of the palace then the Youko form has definitely earned a new tail. She swished her tails around and smiled, "Outfit isn't half bad either."

 Wufei was drooling at the scanty top that hid nothing and the short and almost see
through Romanesque skirt that only covered her nether regions with the addition of a wrap around piece belted on and shaped like a bat's wing.

 "Wu-chan." Keiko teased, "Your nose is bleeding."

 He blushed and placed his hands over his nose. Anja smiled and pressed her kerchief to
the bleeding feature softly. "Steady Wu-man." She smiled playfully.

 Wufei tried to be intimidating but it is hard with a bloody nose and a dainty female fox
holding a silk hanky to your face.

 Anja's tail's twitched in amusement. She left Wufei to hold the hanky and scooped her
little boy up out of Quatre's arms.

 He squealed in delight and went fox form to match her.

 "Yes," She smiled kissing his little mouth, "Momma's a Youko now. Just like you." Her
smile left as she turned deadly cold eyes to her friends. "And momma's going to kill the bad man
for good."

 "Anja. . ." Kurama started.

 "No!" She shook her head and frowned, "First that fiasco with Treize, and now he is
waging war on Mukuro's kingdom. Next it could be one of you. Maybe even Kuro-chan. I am not
going to just let him keep this up. I went to Inari for the power to fight back and Inari gave it to
me, so fight him I will."

 "But Shura is powerful Anja." Kuwabara warned, "He's not a light threat."

 Anja smiled wanly, "You think I don't know that? I've been training. Hard."

 They others looked like they might argue.

 "Look." She said, "I have lost my first family and my second lost me, I will not lose Mukuro, and I will not let Shura continue to threaten Kuro and Fei. This fight has to end."

 "Then I am going too." Wufei stepped forward.

 "Can't leave us out." Yuusuke grinned.

 "Gundam guys don't let friends fight alone." Duo nodded. "Besides we haven't used our Gundams in forever!"

 Anja smile softly, "Thank you all for your offers, but Shura is mine."

 "His army will keep us plenty busy." Yuusuke reasoned.
 
 

 Anja spend the next few weeks in training and with her family. Each night they watched
the sun set together. Her, Wufei and their child. They cuddled and touched and surrounded each
other in love to give strength for the hardships to come.

 Kurama and Hiei came upon the family accidentally while they walked in the woods around the temple.

 Wufei was smiling at the little one who was tugging at his ‘tousan's hair, giggling when Wufei brought his nose to rub up against his son's. The child was remarkably strong, already able to hold up his own head after only weeks of life. The demon couple watched their sister and her mate as they teased the child into giggling more. Kurama had a soft smile on his lips and Hiei's eyes weren't quite so hard as usual.

 "Kawii Kuro-chan!" Anja chuckled and pressed her lips to the babies belly, blowing out her cheeks and making a funny sound that brought fresh giggles from the child.

 Wufei snickered and held them both close to his heart, "Wo ai ni. Both of you. So very much, wo ai ni."

 Anja smiled and repeated the trick she had used on the baby on Wufei's collarbone. He jumped and both of his loved ones giggled. "Wo ai ni too Wu-chan."

 Their lips met briefly and the child between them squirmed causing fresh laughter. "I'm sorry Kuro-chan, do you want a kiss too?" Anja pressed her lips to her child's and smiled when the baby crossed his eyes to see. "So precious."

 Kuro-chan tugged at his mother's shirt and she looked up at Wufei with laughter in her eyes as she unbuttoned her shirt, "He's hungry again." She teased, "He has your appetite."

 Wufei shook his head and kissed her ear lovingly, "With such a meal who could not want more?" He whispered softly and cuddled closer to her, "You are beautiful."

 "Mmm, so are you."

 He laughed and lay his head on her breast beside his suckling son who was nursing greedily on his mothers milk. "He does have good taste."

 Her chuckling rumbled through her chest and Wufei smiled as he listened to the wonderful sound and the beautiful melody of her heartbeat beneath it.

 "My family." He murmured contentedly.

 She made a similar sound through her closed lips and leaned back and closed her eyes. "My beautiful boys." Anja smiled as Wufei held Kuro close and tight, "You two look alike."

 Wufei smiled back, it transformed his whole face when he smiled, Anja loved it and by
the smiles and gurgling cooing sounds that Kuro was making, he did too.

 "I didn't know him for very long and still I miss Kuronue." Wufei admitted softly.

 Anja nodded, "Because his soul partially completed ours, "You were more whole for one precious moment then it was taken away."

 Wufei hugged her in the light of the setting sun. "After this mess with Shura is over, we
will find Kuronue again Anja. I promise."

 She nodded, "We can ask Koenma, I need to apologize to him anyway."

 Kurama walked up to them quietly and cleared his throat, "Tomorrow is the day."

 She nodded and cuddled her baby near, "Now, I have to take Kuro someplace safe." She
smiled at the Wufei. "Where were you June 14th AC 197?"

 "In an old house outside the main city of L4, why?"

 The Youko just smiled and ran off.

 "Why did she. . .?"

 "You don't think. . ."

 "Nah."
 
 

 Anja wrapped her little boy in soft silk and threw his necessary baby things into a leather
bag. She snuck into the Makai and into Mukuro's territory where she met her mother at the
borders.

 "Kuro." She smiled and kissed him once more then took off his fathers pendant and put it
around his neck. "I'm going to go kill the bad man now. You have to be good for the people
Mukuro will take you to ok?"

 "Aaaaa?"

 "Please baby. I'll be back for you, I promise."

 Mukuro took her precious grandchild and the bag Anja handed her.

 "They were on a colony called L4, in an old house just outside of the main city. Wufei
will be younger but Kuro will know him. He'll be safer there."

 The Youkai lady nodded and kissed her daughter by heart. "Be careful my girl."

 Youko Anja just grinned, "Aren't I always?"

 Mukuro rolled her eye and disappeared into the trees surrounding her palace, then
crossed into the portal with the infant she held.

 Anja waited until she couldn't sense them any more and then went back to Ningenkai to
 Plan the attack with the others.

part 5/5

 Four of the pilots attacked the cities outer walls. Anja had made them promise though, not to kill unless it was absolutely the only way. The tantai crept through the smoke and fire to fight back the guards around the city and the temple where Shura was hiding. Wufei shadowed Anja and watched her back as the Youko woman slipped inside unnoticed. The huge, Gothic/Muslim/Japanese looking building stood in the center of the city. A shrine to all of the Gods. White and light looking and covered in colored stones forming mosaic pictures of ancient legend.

 Youko Anja felt a sadness knowing that blood would be spilt in this holy place, but there was no other choice. On light feat she almost flew down the transept and into the naive, through the naive into the choir. That was the ceremonial center of the temple, that was where Shura would be waiting.
 

 A huge spirally stair ran around the whole place. "Anja. . ." Wufei nodded to it and she nodded. He drew his sword and started slowly to the top. That was when they came. Hundreds of Shura's royal guard. The threatened to overwhelm Wufei as he fought his way up to the second level.  "Anja!"

 "I'm fine! I know this will sound strange. . ." She paused to slice someone's leg, ". . . in the middle of battle. . ." another blood filled pause. . . "But don't kill anybody you don't have to!"

 "Onna are you insane?!"

 "Call me Onna again and I'll cut out your handy little tongue!"

 "They are the enemy!"

 "They are fighting for Shura, once he's dead these will be my men! They are fighting
because they have to! Try not to kill them!"

 Wufei growled at her insane proposition and tossed a few over the rail.

 Anja stood her ground on the lower level slicing through demon after demon, ripping
limbs from bodies and tearing flesh from bone. She hissed ferally and dove into her attacks
putting all she could behind them. Fighting, hard, cutting them to pieces. Innards spattered
around her feat, pieces of flesh and bone and puddles of blood covered the pristine white of the
walls. The center was still clean, but in a perfect circle around it were the victims of Youko Anja.

 "I thought you said don't kill them!" Wufei yelled over the noise.

 "Oops."

 Her sword, hands and face were covered in her prey's blood and she glowed with an
unholy joy at the fell of flesh tearing beneath her fingers.

 Wufei knocked demons out by the dozen but more kept coming. He fought his way
through them hard, trying not to do any permanent damage. Anja was correct in that; they were
only following orders after all. His body ached from his fighting, his sword felt heavier after the
first hundred or so.

 Finally there was only one left. He was fast, strong, and smart, but Wufei was fighting for
his beloved, and he would win.

 The demon fell to the lower level with a bone crunching sound and Wufei frowned. He
hadn't meant for that to happen.

 He stepped to the edge to see if the demon had lived, and froze. Shura!
 
 

 She walked into the center of the temple and stared at the last man standing.

 "Anja."

 "Shura."

 "You've changed." He chuckled motioning to the ears and tails.

 "You haven't."

 "I'll take that as a complement."

 "As you wish."

 Shura looked at her with remorse in his eyes, "I don't want to do this Koi." He told her.

 "I know." She said, never relaxing her hard face.

 "Forgive me." They said at the same time.

 Shura smiled then, "If you win I will forgive you."

 "Arigato."

 "Either way it is a life for a life and my father's death is avenged." He said softly.

 "Hai." Anja nodded.

 "I love you."

 "Ai shiteru." She answered softly, then took fighting stance and held up her sword. "Ai
Shiteru Shura, but I have a son who needs me, and a family. I can't leave them."

 "I know." He smiled softly, his eyes slightly insane.

 "What were you thinking attacking Mukuro?"

 "I was thinking that would bring you here. To kill you."

 Anja lifted her shield when Shura struck and the demon staggered back, "That's. . ."

 "A present from my brother." Anja finished.

 Shura looked at the skin stretched over the shield's surface in morbid fascination, The bat design stood out prominently against the pale as death flesh skinned off his fathers chest. "So it was Hiei who did it."

 "Hai."

 She lunged then and he blocked her blow. Again and again their swords met, sparks were
flying between them and they sped up faster and faster until you could barely make out their
blurred shapes, and then they went faster. Shura cried out as Anja kicked him in the stomach
between blows and cut off one of his horns and the tip of his ear. She staggered as if she had
been cut herself. "After you've been reincarnated find us." She requested.

 Shura growled and moved harder, faster, a need for survival driving him on to move
faster. His blade caught Anja's scared shoulder and the wound reopened. "I will, if I win, you
find me."

 "Shimatta!" She screeched in pain "I will."

 "That was your sword arm." Shura pointed out.

 Anja sneered and switched the sword to her other hand, "One of them."

 The Makai steel flashed again and Anja threw a stinging spell at Shura with her injured
arm. They both fell backwards. Tiny cuts had opened over each opponent's skin. And blood
covered what remained of their clothing. She commanded the vines on the wall to grab his feet
and bind his hands. Then Anja stood and spoke quickly. "Night wings take flight and kill my
prey!"

 The bat on her hand swept from the skin and dove right into Shura's gut. The Youkai
looked up in disbelief as it rammed into him again. Razor sharp wings peeling flesh from bone.
He looked up at Anja, blood pooling in his lips and fell.

 She went to his side and recalled the bat to her. Then held her dying lover in her arms. "I
am so sorry Koi." She said sadly, but tears would not come to her eyes.

 "I know." He coughed. "I. . . forgive you. I w. . . will find you. " Then he stopped
struggling and death swept him up into it's cold arms.

 Anja placed the shield over her koibito's body and then stood in the center of the temple. Looking infinitely small and bright against the cold and white marble stained red with blood. She looked up above her and saw Wufei staring down from the top level. His eyes wide at the carnage below. Even in the war she doubted he had seen anything quite like this.

 "Wufei!" She called up at him as she retrieved her sword. "I'm going to get our son."

 "Anja wait!" The called down to her.

 "I will be right back."

 "Anja! You're hurt! Anja!" But she was gone through the portal.
 

 Wufei stayed by the time portal Shura had formed inside the temple. He refused to move
until Anja came back. The others all waited with him. Days passed and Wufei finally gave in to
sleep, slouched in the arm chair he was waiting in.

 A kiss lightly placed on his lips. "Wake-y Wake-y, Rise and Shine."

 The boy opened his eyes reluctantly but when he saw it was Anja, he almost crushed her
in his embrace.

 "I guess you missed me." She smiled impishly.

 "Aa." He agreed, bringing her mouth down upon his in a much deeper kiss. She collapsed
onto his lap and kissed back with gusto. Kuro's giggle broke them apart.

 "What?" Anja looked at him with a funny expression.

 "You looked like you were eating her!" He giggled.

 From the shadows a light chuckle was heard and Mukuro and Hiei stepped forward, "An
apt description." The lady smiled.

 Anja just wiggled her eyebrows and pulled Wufei closer. "In the words of my quite
articulate brother. . . Mine!"

 Kurama laughed as he entered the room with the others following behind. "Up to your
tricks already Anja?"

 She nodded energetically then kissed him again. "Mmm! Missed you!"

 ". . ." Wufei was slightly dazed.

 Yuusuke and Kuwabara laughed and the Chinese pilot glared at them.

 Anja bit his ear and he turned back to her, "Everyone ok?"

 "Hai." He slid her off of his lap and stood, holding her close. His hand moved to his
finger and he slipped a ring from it and placed it upon hers.

 For the first time she noticed Wufei wore her fathers on his own hand. ". . . how?"

 "You left them with me in the future." He looked down at her lovingly, "I never knew
whose they were or how I got them until it hit me just now. I remember now, everything."

 "Wu-chan? My dragon?"

 "Wo ai ni, ah Anja." He said in a hushed tone, "I love you." then he kissed her, and the

rest of the world went away. All that mattered was them. They were together again.

 "Are we leaving now?" Quatre asked them.

 "We have a way home. . ." Trowa frowned.

 Anja pulled back and bit her lip, "I can open another one. I studied it on the way through, it isn't very complex."

 "So we can go whenever we want?"

 "Hai."

 "Then I think we should find Kuronue." Wufei said surely, "After that we can decide on leaving or staying, but we need to find him first."

 "Arigato Wu-chan." Anja smiled and they both cuddled their child close.

 "Anja-sama."

 Anja turned to the demon who had addressed her.

 "You are our lord now. What would you have us do?"

 She paused and looked around the room then back at the beast. "Take care of these bodies, clean this place up, and get it ready for guests. Mukuro will be coming soon for a visit and I'll return later, until then you are under Mukuro's command."

 She walked around the room and separated dead and living with the demons under her command. Then went outside to do the same. "You will heal the injured first of all." She ordered, "Then rebuild this wall, not with slaves, hire people and pay them a fair sum to work. I want all of the homes that were hurt rebuilt and businesses cleaned up. Streets cobbled not dirt. I will return after I've found Youko Kuronue's new body. When we return I want this complete and satisfactory.

 "Hai she-who-cares."

 "And would you PLEASE Call me Anja."

 "Hai Anja-who-cares."

 The girl growled and her friends laughed.

 "Come on She-who-cares let's go home." Kuwabara teased.

 "Baka!"

 "Nerd!"

 "Oaf!"

 "Shrimp!"

 "Ahou! Kisama!"

 Kurama looked at Hiei and Hiei looked at Kurama, then each assured the other, "I did not teach her that!"
 

~Owari~

<for the mischief Anja found in the future, see Wu-Da on my homepage>
<for a picture of Anja see Trail of the Brush in The Secret Garden of my homepage>