Shadow knew something was up by the way she was acting. He waited a few minuets then went to check on Anja. She was gone! And the bed was damp. . . . Shampoo what are you up to? He shook Wufei, "Wufei! Wufei wake up! Shampoo is gone and so is Anja."

 "Nani?" He jumped up and grabbed his sword and they both raced after Shampoo's trail, hoping
they weren't too late.
 
 

 Anja's eyes opened wide at the shower of cold water over head, dragon's sight greeted her. What
the. . . The most amazing smell pulled her up from her surprise and she slipped silently out of the
house and toward the scent. Like a flower, like a drug, it pulled her along.
 
 

 Wufei pointed to the dragon, "There!" He cried, "There she is."

 "Anja!" Shadow called.

 She didn't stop.

 Ahead they saw a pile of different shaded flowers, Anja dove right into them, playing in them like she
did in the leaves during the fall raking. The two boys hurried to her when the saw Shampoo step out
from behind her cover. She picked the drugged dragon up and tried to feed her something.

 "ANJA!"
 
 

 Even in her drugged state Anja knew she shouldn't take Shampoo's offering, she clamped her jaws
firmly shut but Shampoo wouldn't give up and the flowers were making her feel faint.

 She heard Wufei and Kuronue shout and hit the ground hard when Shampoo dropped her and ran.
Then strong able hands picked her up. "Kuronue?" The word was weak on her tongue but all she
could manage.
 
 

 Shadow looked down at the flowers and handed her to Wufei. He crushed one and smelled it,
"Dragons bane."

 "Nani?"

 "It's dragons bane. It's instant death if digested but the smell of it can kill too, only slower. It's
irresistible to dragons but the more they are around it the faster their heart pumps, finally they have to
sleep to save themselves but after a while the heart can't take it anymore and it bursts."

 "She was trying to kill her."

 The boy nodded sadly.

 "Why? Damn it she did nothing to her!"

 Shadow glanced at him in disbelief, "Are you really that naive? She's after you."

 "What?!"

 "Shampoo wants to kill Anja because she's after you."
 
 

 Koenma looked down at the death form in his hand and his eyes widened. "George!"

 "Hai Koenma-sama?" The oni ran into the room.

 "Take over."

 "But Koenma-sama! If lord Enma finds out. . ."

 "TAKE OVER!!!"

 The oni have never heard Koenma yell at him like that. He nodded and quickly sat down to work.
"What about the form in your hand?"

 "I'm looking into it." He growled and left his office, going into teenage form as he close the door. He
looked at the paper again, "Anja."
 
 

 Kurama and Hiei both looked up in annoyance when the two boys burst into the room they had
been sharing. "We're busy." Hiei growled, but his anger fled when he saw what they held, a wilted
looking copper scaled dragon. "Imouto?"

 They slid their shorts on and rushed to lay their sibling down on the bed.

 "Get hot water now!" Kurama ordered and Hiei was off and back in a second. The dragon
lengthened, scales became flesh, tail shrank, snout shrank, hair grew and limbs lengthened until Anja
was back.

 "What happened?" Her Youko brother asked.

 "Shampoo tried to poison her with dragons bane." Shadow told him, covering her with the sheet.

 "Did she eat any?"

 He shook his head, "just inhaled an awful lot."

 "All we can do is wait she should be ok, but we need to guard her from Shampoo."

  Hiei's eyes flashed wickedly and he unsheathed his katana.

 "No!" Kurama grabbed him, "Hiei you can't kill a human. We're on parole, remember? You'll be
sent to Reikai prison."

 "Hn." Hiei growled but sat.
 
 

 Quatre and Trowa came minutes later, "I felt something in my space heart! What's wrong?"

 "Anja. . ." Wufei closed his eyes and took a series of deep and calming breaths.

 Trowa felt her hot forehead and blinked, then took her pulse. ". . . bad."

 Hiei threw his boot at the boy and Trowa caught it just in time, "Baka! That's my sister!"

 Kurama calmed Hiei and the Koorime pulled Anja's head onto his lap and kept guard

over her.

 Quatre remembered when they had first arrived in this time, Hiei had done something similar then.
The Koorime really did care about the hyper active American. "Anou. . . Hiei, is there anything that
we can do?"

 He shook his head and Kurama shooed everyone out, "Let her rest, Hiei will keep watch here, we
can watch outside.
 
 

 Koenma breezed into the room careful not to wake to now sleeping fire demon. He was under no
illusion that he could have done so had he not been a god, but he was so he could. He looked down
at the girl child on the bed and at her brother's face, drawn in worry now even in his sleep.

 The young god frowned, a worried look crossing his face as he removed the blue pacifier from his
mouth. He wiped it off and gently placed it in Anja's hands. "This is not just a habit." He sighed, "It
helps me to concentrate my power it holds a lot of my power." He ran one large hand over her
cheek, "You can give it back to me when you get better."

 Anja grabbed his hand in her sleep and held on tightly, snuggling closer to it and into Hiei's lap. The
God sat beside the bed and the fire demon stirred.

 Hiei glared at Koenma, "What do you want?"

 "I came to visit and to warn you." He dug in his cloak with his free hand and pulled out the paper, "Her status is pending. She isn't scheduled for death yet, but Her life will be tested and soon. I wanted you to be ready."

 "Hn." Hiei said thoughtfully then stood, "Stay with her."

 Koenma sat down on the bed and the little youkai disappeared to warn the others.

 "Anja. Hang on, you can't leave before I tell you. . . you can't."
 
 

 Shampoo glowered in the shadows, her plan had failed and now Wufei hated her for what she had
attempted all because of Shadow. "You brother stupid Ryoga!" She hissed.

 Now what could she do?! Anja was alive and guarded and even if she could kill her Wufei would
not be hers. A thought came to her and brought a smile back to her face. "I challenge him! He win I
marry him! Is tradition he no break tradition have to much honor!"

 She almost jumped for joy as she hurried to carry out her plan.
 
 

 Wufei was talking to Kurama when Shampoo slammed into him with her bicycle. "Onna what are
you doing?!"

 "Shampoo challenge you Wufei Chang!"

    "Hn, no."

 "It is matter of honor, you no turn down amazon challenge."

 Wufei glared at her.

 Shampoo jumped from the bike and took fighting stance, "Fight."

 "all right you want to fight?" Wufei growled, "We'll fight!" In his rage and blind fury Shampoo didn't
stand a chance! She was down in a minute."

 Ranma ran to warn him but it was to late, Wufei had already won. "No!"

 Shampoo grinned, "You beat amazon you marry her. For your honor."

 Wufei and the others just stared, "I have Anja."

 "It a matter of honor. You beat me, you own me, you marry me."

 "No."

 "For. your. honor."

 Those words echoed in his head clearing his anger and filling him with pain.

 "You marry Shampoo."

 Wufei let his head fall, "yes." He said softly.
 
 

 Anja's eyes opened wide as the word fell, "Wha. . ."

 Koenma pushed her down gently, "You are not well, lay back."

 "Wufei is hurting I can feel him hurting!"

 "Shh, The others are there they can help him."

 She shook her head but Koenma held fast. "Sleep for now."

 "But Wu-chan. . ."

 "Damn it Anja for once, just for once listen to what I say! I am your boss, I'm the God of death for
crying out loud! But you never listen to me!"

 "You're the -godling- of death and I've never listened to my boss." Anja struggled against him,
"Wufei needs me."

 "You'll die."

 The finality in his voice stopped her struggles.

 "You're form came through my office this morning." He sighed, "If you go to Wufei's aid you will
die."

 "And if I don't will he die?"

 Koenma felt the catch in her voice and shook his head, "No, he lives. You have to live too, for your
son."

 Anja fell back to the bed exhausted. "Ok then, but you're still a godling."

 Koenma smiled fondly, "Sure, I'll go with that."

 Anja smiled and relaxed into slumber and Koenma returned to his office in silence.

 "Could you do it?" George asked.

 "What?"

 "I was just wondering lord Koenma-sama, if you could really stamp her life out."

 "I'm the god of death, I have done so to people all my life."

 "Not them."

 "I killed Yuusuke."

 "You didn't love Yuusuke."

 Koenma froze and turned startled eyes to George, "What?"

 "You gave her your fuukuman."

 He reached up to his mouth where the blue pacifier usually was held. George had left but Koenma
didn't move to take his seat again. His heart was beating too fast, his eyes were a little too wide.
Love?
 

<Part 7>
 

Wufei slept fitfully that night, plagued with dreams of Anja and their son, of war and his past, of Treize and Zechs, he cried out and thrashed around until Anja opened the door. Quietly she slid to sit on the bed and pulled him up to rest in her arms, his head on her shoulder.

 "Hush Wu-chan, I'm here."

 "Anja!" He cried in a ragged voice.

 She smiled softly and ran her fingers through his hair, "It's ok. Nothing can hurt you while you're in
my arms."

 He breathed in her scent and took an unsteady draw of air. "I am sorry."

 "Don't be." Anja smiled, "We all have hard days."

 "You. . . you don't know."

 "Know what?"

 "I. . . Anja forgive me, I am being forced by honor to marry Shampoo."

 Anja stilled and stiffened then turned her eyes to him, "Why?"

 "I defeated her in battle, it is a matter of honor."

 "You can't."

 "I have to."

 "You are mine." Anja kept her voice a little too even.

 "You've found Kuronue."

 "But he is yours too." She frowned. "Do you love her?"

 "What?"

 "Damn your ningen hide! You heard me! Do you love her?!"

 "NO! Anja I love only you and Kuronue no one else."

 "Then I'll fight her for you."

 "You are still too weak from the dragon's bane."

 "I will not lose you to that stupid little bitch." Anja insisted.

 Wufei grabbed her arm as she stood, "No."

 "Hey, no sweat." Anja smiled, "If I die, I'll just bribe Koenma into letting me come back." She held
up a string around her neck, with the pacifier dangling on it. "He forgot this."

 "It isn't certain though!"

 "Anja faded into Youko form and frowned prettily, "You think she could beat me? I'm hurt
Wu-chan, I really am."

 He groaned and stood, "Don't make me get your brothers."

 She smiled and banged Shampoo's door in, "Shampoo I challenge you for Wufei Chang!"

 Wufei gritted his teeth and ran to fetch the Reikai Tantai.
 
 

 "You want fight Shampoo?"

 "Hn." Youko Anja nodded and led her outside. "First blood."

 "Hai." Shampoo nodded.

 The two struck their battle positions.

 "Anja!"

 "Stay out of this Kazuma." She ordered her brother.

 Shampoo attacked first, just what Anja wanted! She caught the girl's weapons and used her
momentum to toss The amazon right over her head. Then she attacked while shampoo was
distracted. A few well placed kicks hit their mark and shampoo slammed back into the wall. The
amazon glared and struck out with punches like lightning. Anja dodged them all and caught the last
one in her hand, using Shampoo's momentum to slam her into the same wall she had been against
moments before.

 With a glare the Amazon fought harder. "You no beat Shampoo!"

 "Shampoo you defeated yourself the minuet you set eyes on what was mine."

 "Trowa stop them!" Quatre pleaded.

 ". . . it's their fight."

 "But. . ."

 Trowa shook his head and they watched.

 A swift kick slid past her defenses and Anja stumbled back. Shampoo grinned and pointed her knife
at the American, "Anja lose."

 Youko Anja grinned. "Touch your neck."

 "Wha. . ." Shampoo's hand came back bloody.

 The Youko licked Shampoo's blood from the claw ring on her right hand. "Mmm, First blood."

 Shampoo's eyes widened and she tried to kiss the Youko but Anja jumped out of the way.

 "Oh no you don't. I've heard about your kiss of death and your law doesn't work this time. I am a
Youko, not a ningen woman. My beating you isn't covered by amazon law. Wufei is mine. Don't you
ever try to take what is mine again."

 Amazon eyes narrowed, "hai."

 "I don't believe you."

 "Shampoo no care." Then she left.

 Anja slid back into her human form and fell to her knees just as Kurama and Hiei showed up.

 "Anja!" Kurama knelt beside her and checked her wounds.

 "I'm just. . . winded. . . K'rama." She assured him.

 "You scared us to death! Damn it Anja you are sick! You can't fight when you're sick!"

 "Gomen."

 "You had better be sorry! We almost lost you! Damn it Anja don't do that!"

 She started to chuckle.

 "What's so funny!"

 "You sound like a mother."

 Hiei hid his grin but Kurama caught it and the others broke into laugher. He lowered and shook his
head then picked his sister up, "Ok little ningen. Time to go back to bed." When she smiled he glared
at Wufei, "Alone!"

 Anja pouted playfully and Wufei followed them inside.

 Ranma and the other Gundam pilots just watched them go. "So she's good then."

 They all slid to the ground, legs to shaky too hold them, "She's going to get herself killed one of these
times!" Quatre sighed.

 Trowa silently agreed.

 "One of these. . . you mean she's done this before?!" Akane gasped.

 "If only you knew." Kuwabara sighed, "She enjoys fighting more than even Hiei does!"

 "Are you sure she's your sister?"

 "Why do people keep asking that?"

 The Tendos and Saotomes sweat-dropped but said nothing.
 

<Part 8>
 

 ~~Wake up! Wake up! The birds are singing in our branches! The world is fresh and new! Wake up and be happy with us! The wind is soft and fresh and the dew is cool and sweet! Wake up! Wake up!~~

 Anja scrunched her face up and growled, "Damn apple trees."

 Kurama laughed lightly and Anja jumped before she remembered she had slept with her brothers the
other night.

 "How can you stand them?" She grumbled, "Damn, how can fruit trees be so happy at five AM
hmm?"

 "You're Youko now Anja, You have to learn to block them out."

 "Hn, easy for you to say." Her smile took the harshness from her words. "And the evergreens all
agree with me. Fruit trees are completely nuts!"

 "No those would be the nut trees."

 Anja glared playfully.

 Kurama felt the Oaks laughing at her little morning battle with their brothers.

 "Oh sure. Now you're all very amused aren't you?"

 Hiei snorted next to her, "Go back to sleep! Kitsunes no baka."

 Anja kicked him onto the floor.

 The little fire demon shot up and glared at her. "Hn!"

 With that Anja and Kurama both fell out of bed laughing.
 
 

 Below them, the rest of the house hold sighed, "They're at it again." Genma frowned and joined
Soun his family, and their guests at the table.

 "Can't be that, they're sister slept with them last night." Nabiki yawned.

 Kasumi smiled, "They are so close!"

 Akane just glared at her sister as if challenging her for being so perky so early.

 "Where is Ranma?" Soun asked.

 Genma shrugged.

 "Ryoga came back last night." Nabiki pointed out, "They're probably off somewhere killing each
other."

 "Oh." Genma nodded and sipped his tea, "That's all right then."

 ". . ." Trowa tried to digest this odd conversation.

 Quatre smiled and held his hand under the table.

 Anja and Kurama came flying down the stairs with a very annoyed fire demon on their heels.

 "Fruit trees again?" Kuwabara guessed as they sped by.

 "Yep." Anja snickered their next time through.

 This time it was Soun and Genma's turn to wonder what the heck they were talking about.

 Yuusuke helped them out. "Anja is Youko so she hears and feels all of the plant life around her. Fruit
trees, especially Apple trees, have a way of waking her up at sunrise just to announce that it's a nice
day."

 Akane tossed her glass of water over Hiei the next time they came through and a wet cat glared up
at her. "No running in the house." She told him.

 Kurama laughed and picked his Neko lover up in his arms, "Oh, Hiei."

 The cat hissed.

 "You really are cute this way."

 The hiss slowly turned into a purr and Anja laughed. "Priceless!"

 Ranma and Ryoga stepped through the door just then.

 "What is. . . ?" Ranma asked.

 Anja chuckled and pointed to neko-Hiei.

 "C. . . C. . . CAT!!!!" Ranma jumped into Ryoga's arms and the lost boy stumbled and fell to his
back. "Get it away!! Get it away!!!!!"

 Anja looked at him funny and Dumped hot water on Hiei, "Ok he's gone. You ok?" Then she saw
Ryoga. "Shadow?! I though you were with Wu-chan!"

 Ryoga shook his head to clear it and looked up at the copper haired Goddess before him. "I am not
Shadow."

 "Huh. . . Ryoga!" She grinned.

 "Hai."

 Wufei burst in a moment later, "Anja! Hiei! ANJA!!"

 She glanced up and smiled, "Wu-chan?"

 "Your mother is making a mess of Nerima, I suggest you go stop her."

 Ryoga blinked and starred at Wufei, Wufei blinked and starred at Ryoga.

 "Shadow weren't you just. . .?"

 "This is Ryoga."

 "Oh. . ."

 "Now about Mukuro?"

 Wufei jumped as he remembered, "That old lady with the huge walking stick insulted you and
Mukuro is mopping the walls with her!"

 "Cologne!"

 Anja turned to glance at Akane.

 "She's Shampoo's mom."

 The American rolled her eyes, "Gotta love those names." Then she slipped through the door, "I'll be
back." She grinned.

 When she arrived Mukuro was throwing a few pain spells at Cologne and Cologne was being
defended by Shampoo who was losing badly. "Didn't anyone ever tell you two not to fight with a
Makai warlord?" Anja asked off handily.

 "Anja." Mukuro smiled and stopped fighting. I came to bring you this little one. She gave Anja the
child.

 "Kaasan!!" Kuro-chan squealed and glomped onto his mother.

 "Kuro-chan!" She snuggled him, "Gods I've missed you! Have you learned a lot? Do you like your
training?"

 "He has done well for his young years. You should be proud." She smiled at the toddler gripping to
his mother.

 "I am very proud Mukuro kaasan." Anja smiled.

 "kaasan! Inari visited us!"

 "Inari?!" Anja looked to Mukuro with a worried face.

 Mukuro shook her head, "Inari has taken a liking to you and Kuro-chan."

 "I can call Inari 'Baasan." Kuro smiled.

 "Obaasan?"

 Mukuro nodded, "You have been adopted into Inari's family. She told me to tell you that."

 "She? Inari has no gender."

 "She prefers to be feminine for the time being." Mukuro smiled, "You are now adopted as her
daughter. You are lucky."

 "I'm lucky to have you." Anja smiled,  "And Kuro is lucky to have a grandmother like you."

 Mukuro nodded, "I try." Then the two of them started to laugh. "Ja ne daughter. Watch over my little
grandson for me, and your brother as well."

 "Hai kaasan! Ja ne!"

 When Mukuro vanished Anja turned to the two Amazons and shook her head with a sigh.
"Shampoo no baka, that was my mother you two insulted me too." Then she walked away leaving
the women twitching in pain.
 
 

 That afternoon the whole dojo was startled when a large fox, with two tails, darted through running
after a smaller fox with no tail.

 "What the. . ." Ranma jumped up and starred as they shot through the room he was now setting up
to share with Ryoga.

 "What's wrong Ranma-kun?" Ryoga asked sleepily.

 "I just saw. . . anou. . . never mind, go back to sleep."

 "Gladly."
 
 

 Kurama snatched the little fox in mid jump and held him by the scruff. Hiei caught Anja.

"Anja, Kuro-chan, change back now."

 Both foxes obeyed and smiled brightly at their family members.

 "When did you get Kuro back from Mukuro?" Hiei asked.

 "Kaasan dropped him off." She smiled and took her baby from Kurama, "I missed him soooo
much!" She smiled wider and kissed the baby's nose as she left the dojo.

 "I will never get used to my sister calling the bionic bitch 'kaasan'." Kurama grumbled.

 "Careful fox." Hiei grinned, "Mukuro hates that title. If she hears you say that she'll have a new fox
skin coat."

 Kurama answered his grin with a long kiss, "Mmm, but she would never hurt her son in law Hiei, it
would hurt you too much if she killed me."

 "Hn, you think you know everything."

 "I know I know everything." Kurama grinned.

 "Hn, kitsune no baka." Hiei murmured before he kissed his fox again.
 
 

 Trowa and Quatre gave a slight start when Anja shot into the dojo with her two year old son in her
arms later that evening. "Na na Wu-chan, can't catch us!" She teased.

 The Chinese boy slammed through a moment later. He looked decidedly more relaxed than they had
ever seen him before. His lips were drawn up in a care-free smile and his silken hair was loose and
streaming behind him. He was wearing his usual Chinese style, white pants, white slipper shoes and a
white tank top that Anja had cut short so it revealed his midriff. A monumental battle had ensued
after that one but ended the moment Anja had kissed him and smiled, telling him it made him look
sexy as hell. Trowa's lips turned up slightly, Wufei had definitely met his match.

 "They are so good for each other." Quatre smiled dreamily.

 Trowa held the boy closer and nodded, "Aa."
 
 

 Anja laughed happily as Wufei caught up to her and the three of them slid to the ground in a tangle of
limbs. Kuro-chan giggled and hugged his daddy's neck. "Daddy! Fly me daddy!"

 Wufei put his feet on Kuronue's abdomen and lifted the boy up high into the air. Kuro- chan giggled
and spread his arms.

 "I'm flying!" He laughed and tumbled onto Wufei's chest. They wrestled playfully for a moment and
then Kuro-chan ran behind his mother for protection. Anja laughed and Kuro peeked out from
behind her. "Daddy! Fly 'kaasan!"

 Wufei and Anja looked at each other comically before Wufei put his hands around her waist and
lifted her high above his head, spinning until they both fell to the damp grass cover ground.

 Laughter filled the town and back at the dojo, Ranma smiled at Ryoga who stood beside him.
"-SHE- is supposed to be a Youko?"

 Ryoga nodded. "Strange."

 "They love each other a lot though. The whole family."

 "Aa."

 "She is looking for someone here. A lost soul. Kuronue."

 "Their lover?"

 "Uhuh., maybe they've found him already. Have you noticed them spending a lot of time with
anybody lately?"

 Just then Shadow ran up to them, "Ryoga-niisan, Ranma, have you seen Anja and Wufei?"

 "They're over in the town park." Ranma pointed toward the park-drive.

 Shadow smiled, "Arigato." And ran the direction he had been pointed in.

 "Ryoga. . . doesn't Shadow have an even worst sense of direction than you?!"

 "Hm. . . yeah."

 "But he just. . ." He shrugged, "Aa, never mind."

 "You don't think. . ."

 They stared at each other then shook their heads, "Nah."
 

<Part 9>
 

 Anja peeled the sweaty shirt from her battle bruised body and stepped into the shower after carefully locking the door as she did each time since Hiei had slammed in and demanded she talk  want to worry his family and friends, but fighting Shampoo had taken more out of her than the American would ever admit. The dragon's bane was still in her system, making her dizzy every now and then, but she hid it well.

 "Anja!" Someone pounded on the door, "Anja get out of the shower now! Duo just took his, you
two will use all the hot water again!"

 "Wufei do you know how long it takes to wash all of this hair?! You need a cold shower anyway!"

 On the other side of the door, Duo giggled at the face Wufei was making at the door.

 Anja chuckled thinking of that very face and rinsed out the creme rinse from her long, copper
tresses.

 //It's bad enough that our soul is split between four people, but to have to be near Shadow every
day knowing he's Kuro and not being able to touch him. OI! Someone up there hates me.//

 She slid a fresh shirt on and started to get dressed. //Here it goes. . . one. . . two. . .//

 Right as Wufei said it she joined him, "Anja! You and Maxwell take the longest showers I have ever
witnessed! One would think you were -both- onna!" and -then- "Anja! Maxwell! Stop repeating
what I'm saying!" and -then- "ANJA! Get out of there so that I can kill you!"

 Anja chuckled as she listened to Wufei storm away. They did this every morning. It was fun. She
hurried out of the shower and leapt onto the bed to put on her shoes. Unfortunately Heero hadn't
gotten up yet.

 "ANJA!!!!"

 "Oi! Sorry Hee-chan! I didn't see ya!"

 Heero took a few steadying breaths and then glared at the girl who was sitting on his chest. "Anja."

 "Hai?"

 "Get -off- me."

 "Oh! heh, sorry."

 Heero rolled his eyes and climbed out of bed only to be glomped on by Duo. "Are you both insane!
It's five thirty! In the morning! We have no mission go back to bed!"

 "Can't." Anja grinned and slid to the ground, shoes tied. "We're too wound up!"

 "Well go bother that panda in the dinning room, you seem to enjoy that."

 Anja and Duo grinned at each other and took of and Heero fell back on the bed with a groan.
Suddenly a tiny bundle of black hair and energy sprang to his stomach.

 Heero grunted and looked down at the squirming child. "Yes?"

 Kuro-chan just gave him a big smile and started jumping on his abdomen.

 He plucked up the child who promptly went fox form and nipped his hand. When he dropped the
fox/child to the floor, he kept jumping and yipping. He wanted to play.

 Heero growled but the baby wasn't scared at all. When Heero lunged at him to pick him up again he
made a motion with his little fist and the pilot found himself dangling upside down in mid air. "What
the. . . ?!" He struggled but couldn't move from where he was no matter how he flailed. "ANJA!
WUFEI! TELL YOUR PSYCHOTIC SON TO LET ME DOWN!!!!!!!"

 Anja ran in followed by most of the household and Heero glared at Duo when he started to giggle
behind his hand.

 "This isn't funny! Anja! Get me down!"

 "Kuro, breakfast is ready." Kasumi smiled.

 The little fox kit ran out of the room leaving Heero dangling.

 "Anja! Wufei! Kuronue you get your little tailed rear back here!" Heero yelled as they all left but
Duo.

 Heero glanced at Duo with some trepidation. "Duo?"

 "You know Hee-chan, this will be fun." Duo grinned and climbed atop his floating husband.

 It wasn't long before Heero started to agree.

 Downstairs, Kuro-chan smiled passed his mouthful of food and made another motion. It was
followed by a loud crash.

 "KURO-CHAN!!!!!" The two pilots yelled.

 Anja started to laugh.

 Kurama and Hiei found themselves the recipients of a dozen or so questioning stares. Hiei just
snorted, "Hn, ‘s her kid."

 Ranma started chuckling and Akane pulled mallet-sama from hammer-space. "Stop laughing baka!!"

 Anja went Youko, quickly shredded the mallet with her claws and looked at Akane from her new
perch on Ranma's head. Her tails twitching. "That isn't very nice."

 Akane just stared. Nabiki started snapping pictures. "Smile."

 The youko gave a smile showing of her fangs and Ranma sweat-dropped.

 "Oh this one's going in the album." Nabiki chuckled.

 Kurama smiled at his sister.

 Ryoga and Shadow walked into the dojo at that moment. They took one look at Ranma with a very
large Youko perched on his hair and burst out laughing.

 "Oh, ha ha, very funny." Ranma dead panned.

 Ryoga snickered trying to stop the laughter, and Shadow just leaned against the door frame, laughter
under control .

 "Well any of you going to help me here?" Ranma asked.

 Hiei grinned wickedly, "It's an improvement ningen."

 He gave up.

 Anja looked toward Shadow and jumped from Ranma's head to the floor, going completely fox
form. She jumped up on his shoulder and started licking his face.

 "She likes you." Yuusuke said smugly when the lost boy blushed.

 "Anou. . ."

 Kuwabara, who had finally finished stuffing his face, looked up with a questioning expression. "When
did you two get here?"

 Everyone face faulted.

 "Anja!" Heero stomped in with Duo close behind. "Omae wa Korosu!!"

 The fox quickly slipped into ningen form, scooped up her child and ran. Wufei followed her and
Shadow followed him uttering a quick ‘see ya' to his brother.

 Soun and Genma were both in stages of shock as they had been since Anja had gone Youko.

 "You might want to close your mouth daddy. Before you start catching flies."

 "HENTAI!!!!"

 A moment later Happosai crash landed through the roof.

 "Master?" Soun asked.

 He just starred at the ceiling from where he landed.

 "Master?" Genma swished a hand in front of the old man's eyes.

 "She wasn't wearing any. . ." The lecher began.

 Kurama, Hiei, Yuusuke, and Kuwabara all started glowing bright with their battle auras. "WHAT?!"

 Happosai found himself the recipient of four different death threats and wisely chose to run.

 "Come back here!!!"

 Quatre and Trowa sat quietly with Kasumi, sipping their tea.

 "Is it always this hectic in your family?" Kasumi asked politely.

 Quatre smiled lightly, "You have no idea."

 Just then Ranma said something Akane didn't like and found himself dodging mallet- sama and
Ryoga at the same time.

 "Then again. . ."
 
 

 Once she was sure they were safe, Anja slowed to a stop and sat down in a tree with her child.
Wufei and Shadow heard a curse and then Kuro crying. They raced toward Anja only to find Kuro
sitting on the ground sobbing, his mother no where in sight.

    "Kuronue! What happened?"

    "Th. . . the shadow swallowed my kaasan!"

    Shadow looked at Wufei with fearful eyes. "We have to go get the others."

    Wufei nodded and scooped up his son. "Hush Kuro-chan. We will find kaasan."

    "Promise."

    "Cross my heart."

    Shadow added, "hope to cry."

    Even in the midst of the trouble at hand, Wufei recalled that Kuronue had used that variation of the old saying. Telling him that he would never hope to die as long as he had his Anja-chan. //You're choosing a hell of a time to start to remember yourself.//

<Part 10>
 

 Tasuki stood in the emperor's garden, arms crossed. He was leaning against a tree watching the water in the pond ripple. The bandit couldn't swim, though he did want very much to learn, he wouldn't give any of the others the pleasure of seeing him struggle.

 A sudden thunk drew his gaze to the covered island in the middle of the pond. A thin, silver/white thing with a lot of hair slammed into the roof and rolled painfully down it and into the pond.

 ". . . ?!"

 The thing broke through the surface of the water, and climbed onto shore sputtering, it's hair falling
to it's knees over the things face and body. "Damn I'm glad that water's heated!" It exclaimed shaking from head to . . . tail?"

 "What the fuck are you?"

 The white thing's gaze shot up quickly and it tossed it's hair back out of it's face. Two huge fox ears
were standing up on it's. . . her head. "Who? Me?" It was definitely female. She sat down on the
grass and began to preen her tail, drying it carefully.

 "No the other fucking cat lady that just fell outta the sky!"

 "Fox."

 "What?"

 "I'm a fucking fox lady not a neko."

   Tasuki just stared at her.

 She flicked gold and green kaleidoscope eyes up to meet his amber orbs and smiled, "Well if you're
going to stare at me you might as well know who you're staring at. Onidake Youko Anja desu.
Could you tell me where I am? And who are you."

 "Tasuki."

 "Ohayo Suki-chan."

 "Don't call me that?"

 "Eh?"

 "My name is Tasuki."

 "Hai you said that already."

 "So call me Tasuki."

 Anja smiled and stood, her ears twitching, "Do you own a towel Tasuki?"

 He was caught off guard by that, "anou. . . yeah?"

 "Good cause I need one."

 "No wait just A God damn minuet! I didn't say you could use it!"

 "Don't damn the Gods please I know a few of them and they are too nice for that."

 "Nani?!"

 She smiled and opened her mouth to say something else but then her eyes focused on something
behind him and she jumped back into a fighting stance. Tasuki spun around to face the rest of the
Suzaku seven, called from their beds by all of the noise.  "Stay back!" She called the plants around
her into a defensive shield.

 "How did she. . .?" Mitsukaka worried aloud.

 Just then it started to rain, and the all watched in fascination as the white fox lady shrank into a silver
and copper dragon.

 "Damn it damn it damn it damn it!" The dragon cursed and a flame flew from it's beak like muzzle. It
look up beseechingly at the blue haired boy with funny bangs, he seemed to be the calmest about all
this, "Do you have any hot water?"
 
 

 Hiei was so angry he was burning! The others had to stay well away from the fire demon or risk
catching fire themselves. "She what?!"

 "She was gone." Shadow said carefully, "Just vanished, but Kuro was tied up in vines in a tree near
where her trail ended.

 "So who could have done this?" Kurama asked himself carefully.

 "We can rule out Demon." Kuwabara said after a moment.

 Yuusuke agreed, "Yeah, none of them would hurt ‘she-who-cares' when she was by herself."

 "Then it's a safe bet," Ranma turned to Ryoga who nodded and finished, "That what took her was
human."

 "Who though?" Akane asked.

 "It couldn't have been Shampoo, Amazon law doesn't allow petty revenge against one who didn't
receive the kiss of death."

 Hiei looked at Kurama, "How do you know so much about amazons fox?"

 "Well I. . . that is, I. . ."

 Kuwabara snickered at Kurama's trouble and said, "He was probably boinkin' them when he was a
young Youko."

 Hiei glared and Kurama held up his hands quickly, "ne, Hiei, it was a looooong time ago!"

 "Hn." The fire demon grabbed Kurama's long red mane and pulled his face down to his level, "You
are mine now. Remember that."

 "Hai." He smiled, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

 "Can we get back on subject now?!" Wufei growled. "What about Anja?!"

 Heero shrugged, "What about Shampoo's family. Is there anyone who might want Anja out of the
way?"

 "Yeah." Duo seconded, "That makes sense."

 "It couldn't be that Mousse person," Quatre thought back to their first days in the Tendo home. "He
is gone for the moment."

 Trowa stood, "What about the other."

 "What other?" Duo asked, but Ryoga and Ranma both jumped, "Cologne!"

 "Who?" Yuusuke asked.

 "Shampoo's clan elder. Her grandmother! She would do anything to get Shampoo married off to a
worthy man."

 "And she may have. . ." Shadow started.

 "She has all sorts of magic!" Ranma shivered, "Believe me, I know!"

 "So what do we do?"

 "We go to her restaurant and find out what she did with Anja."

 "Well what are we waiting for?!"

 "Wait!" Duo insisted, and pointed to the baby in Wufei's arms, "Who's gonna watch Kuro-chan?
We can't just leave him with Soun and Genma!"

 "Ukyo!"

 "Who?"

 "A friend of mine!" Ranma smiled, "She'll help!"

 Ryoga looked like he didn't appreciate Ranma praising the girl but he held his tongue, a life was in
the balance here, no time for petty jealousy.

 "We're coming Anja." Wufei vowed.
 
 

*****
 
 

 Back in another world, A few hours later Youko Anja sat freshly showered and naked but for a
huge bath sheet in front of the seven and smiled amiably, "Um, so now could you answer my
question?"

 "What question?"

 "where am I?"

 "You don't know?"

 She shook her head, "No. I was running through a forest with my son when the trees told me there
was danger. I placed him in a safe place for his father to find him and ran on, then the world went
black around me and I fall onto a roof and roll into a pond."

 "You have a son?

 She nodded, "Kuro-chan. Named after his first da."

 "How old are you?" Tomahome asked.

 Youko Anja blushed, a beautiful sight on the pale skin of a silver Youko, and shrugged, "twenty."

 "And you have a child?" Nuriko's tone was strange.

 "Hai." Anja smiled proudly, "A very beautiful little boy."

 "That's great no da!" Chichiri smiled, "You sound proud no da."

 "I am."

 "You said he was named after his first da?" Miaka looked confused, "How many has he had?"

 "He had three. Wufei, Kuronue, and Shura. We all lived together."

 "Gross!"

 The Youko's eyes narrowed dangerously.

 Nuriko smacked Miaka lightly, "Rude!"

 "W~H~A~T~?" She whined.

 Chichiri looked at Anja quietly begging her to have patience with their miko.

 She nodded carefully. "I said -Lived-. Shura's father killed Kuronue and I killed him which in the
Makai law states that Shura had to avenge his father. I had to kill Shura to save the rest of my family. Wufei was all I had left, then Koenma told. . ."

 "KOENMA?!"

 The Youko nodded again, "He's my boss, and I think he holds a part of our soul but he doesn't
realize it yet."

 They all sweat-dropped.

 "He told us Kuronue's soul had been reborn into a boy named Shadow so we found him but he doesn't remember yet. He will though. And then we will have our Kuronue back and with Koenma that makes us four once again."

 "What. . . what are you?" Mitsukaka asked. "And what is this Makai law?"

 "A Youko." Youko Anja smiled and twitched her fox ears, "What else? And Makai law is. . . "

 "Makai?!" Miaka shrank back from the girl.

 "You know of it I see."

 "It's the demon world of -my- world." Miaka told the others.

 The people around her looked nervous so she shrugged and shrank into her human form. "Better? Hi my name is Anja."

 They stared at the pretty, copper haired girl who was now dressed in white socks, tight jeans with a
hole in the hip and knee and a black and white, holey football jersey.

 "You are Chinese right? I'm using the right language?"

 "Ah. . . yes." Mitsukaka recovered first. "You are a demon then."

 Anja smiled, "I am a Doren, geomancer, necromancer, Youko, Shamaness with a cursed dragon
form,  the daughter of Inari the fox god. Mate of Wufei, Youko Kuronue,  and aid to Koenma the
godling of death, daughter of warlord of the Makai Mukuro, and ruler of one third of the Makai."
She chuckled, "But you can call me Anja."

 They stared at her and she sweat dropped, "This is going to take a while."

 Chichiri, the blue, wild banged monk, was the one to notice her drowsy face, "You need to sleep no
da."

 "Ya, I know. You guys have a couch I could crash on tonight?"

 "Crash?!" The emperor Hotohori sounded worried.

 "Sleep." She corrected herself.

 "You can use my bed." Tasuki said roughly, "I'm not sleepy tonight."

 "I couldn't just take your bed from you!"

 He glared at her and she broke into laughter.

 Tasuki was dumb struck! His glare had done a lot of things but never had it made someone laugh!

 "You. . . you look like by brother Hiei!" She snickered, "Or my friend Heero!"

 "What is so amusing?"

 "I was just picturing you growling Omae wa korusu." She snickered lighter now, getting it under
control.

 "And a death threat would be funny?"

 Anja smiled, "Heero threatens me all the time, he never does anything though, it's cute. Hiei too."

 "You come from a strange world."

 Anja yawned again and Chichiri picked her up and took her to Tasuki's room. "Go to sleep no da."

 "But I can't take his. . ."

 "He will take it as an insult if you don't na no da."

 "Well then he can sleep here too, I won't make him give up his bed!"

 Chichiri almost choked, "He can't sleep in a bed with you no da! It isn't right no da!"

 Anja quirked a brow at him but settled deep into the blankets sleepily, "Mmm, arigato Chiri-chan."

 Chichiri blushed bright red but smiled, "Ah. . . Goodnight no da." But she was already asleep. He
pulled the blankets up closer around her shoulders and kissed her forehead then left the room.

 Tasuki stepped out of the shadows and looked down on the sleeping girl for a moment before
slipping into the bed beside her. She said I could. He decided, Besides, they all know I hate women.
 

~tbc~