Disclaimer: Not mine.
“So you’re not completely happy with your wish,” said Anyanka, amusement coloring her words. “No need to get all huffy about it.”
Cordelia’s eyes flashed, but the appearance of the goddess had already begun to calm her down. “Huffy? Do you have any idea what I’ve been going through?”
Anyanka shrugged. “You wanted things to be different, right? I gave you different. It’s not my fault if it’s not exactly what you wanted.”
Cordelia stared at her in disbelief. “You made me a dork in this world!”
“But you are now on your way to popularity.”
“Willow is more popular than me!”
Anyanka laughed. “Is that what’s bothering you? That the girl who stole your stupid boyfriend is more popular than you are? I thought you were taking care of that? Last I checked, she was going down and you were on your way to the top. Come on. What’s really bothering you?”
Cordelia hesitated. “Xander doesn’t love me.”
Anyanka’s face became grim. “So that’s what it is. You still want him.”
“I love him,” Cordelia stated simply.
“No.”
“But you haven’t really given me my wish yet! I wanted things to be different in a good way! As the patron goddess of scorned women, you should grant me what I want!”
“I will not make you subject to that ... that man’s cruelties.” Anyanka narrowed her eyes in fury. “I thought you, of all people, would understand the need to move on.”
“But I love him!”
“Love,” spat Anyanka. “There’s no such thing. You thought you had this love, and look what happened. He betrayed you. Know this, Cordelia. You can’t trust men. Any man.”
“Bitter much?” asked Cordelia sarcastically.
“If you’d just take the time to think about it, you’d see how perfect this world is for you. The Slayer is your best friend, that computer teacher is still alive, that cheating boyfriend of yours never cheated ...” the goddess paused, and let out a wry laugh. “Wait, yes he did.” She laughed again. “But you never loved this one. So you see? If you just look beyond that boy, you’ll realize that I did, in fact, do you a favor!”
“I don’t want your stupid favors! I want Xander!”
Anya’s voice became low and dangerous. “Do not scorn my gifts, Cordelia, I do not give them lightly. I expect the lucky few who receive my attentions to thank me, not provoke me.”
Cordelia let out a rude noise and pushed back a strand of hair impatiently. “Yeah, well, I’m not in the mood to be Little Miss Gratitude, okay? I’ve been feeling kind of down cause of you. All that crying gave me these awful bags under my eyes and this whole ‘just crawled out of bed’ look is so not me. Do you see what you’ve done to me? I’m a wreck, and I’m not liking it. So, Annie, or Anya, or whatever you’ve been calling yourself lately, I want things the way that they were before you cast this spell. I wish ...”
The amulet around Cordelia’s neck felt suddenly warm. Cordelia could not see it, but it was glowing a faint green. Anyanka’s eyes instantly fell on the necklace she had given Cordelia to wear previously.
“I wish ...”
“Wait. What do you want, Cordy?” Anyanka asked, her voice deceptively casual.
Cordelia paused, her hand snaking up to clutch the pendant that Anya had given her before. “I told you what I want.”
“And I told you that I wouldn’t grant your wish,” said the goddess, but her voice wavered slightly as she watched Cordelia stroke the amulet almost unconsciously.
Cordelia had not missed the expression on her face or the tone in her voice. The first glimmers of understanding dawned on her. The necklace ...
“I guess we can’t reach an agreement, then,” she said, sighing dramatically. “I’d better go. I don’t think I can stand being around you much longer. Too many bad memories, you understand.” She turned to leave, hiding a crafty smile as she did so.
“Wait ....” Was that a pleading sound in her voice?
“And I’ll have to smash your good luck charm, of course,” continued Cordelia, as if she hadn’t heard. “It hasn’t been giving me much luck, has it? I’d give it back to you, but you know how it is. I want to get in at least one petty act to relieve my disappointment.”
Panic flashed over Anyanka’s face for an instant. “Why would you want to do that?” she asked sardonically. “Besides,” she added offhandedly, “do you really think I care? It’s only an old pendant.”
“So you don’t mind?” asked Cordelia in exaggerated surprise. “Do you always have to ruin my fun? Geez, you can’t even pretend for my sake?”
“No, I don’t mind,” said Anyanka, taking a step towards Cordelia, hand outstretched. “So you might as well give it back to me. Since ... um ... breaking it would be pointless.”
Cordelia loosened the clasp and stared at the necklace thoughtfully. “No, I don’t think so.” She picked up a heavy book on the table and weighed it carefully in her hand. “I’m not dumb you know. I can tell you want whatever this is pretty badly. So I’ll smash it unless you give me what I want.” She hefted the book up over the amulet and brought it down ...
“WAIT!”
Cordelia stopped the descent of the book and smiled. She scooped up the amulet and turned to face the goddess. Anyanka did not look too happy.
“You win. I’ll undo the spell.”
“That’s all I wanted to hear.”
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