Disclaimer and A/N: I don't own anything or anyone from YYH, but I do own my own characters. Just so the few people who are in fact reading this know, when I wrote this, I had only seen up to episode 25 (Yukina Rescue thing), so if any of my information is incorrect, I apologize.  (Review if you think it's worth your while, or if you're like me, just read it and check occasionally to see if I update it… (*-*) Yoda says "hi") *Note* the stupid italics aren't working again, so the dream that Aniya has is marked with little ~*~*~*~ things.

Dragons In Time

Part 9: Dreams and Preparations

Knock Knock! Anyia was fast asleep on the crumbling remains of her sofa. She failed to hear the energetic knockings at her front door because she was having one of those dreams again….

*~*~*~*

Anyia was floating in mid-air, in the middle of a vast pool of silvery white light. She discovered that outside of this pool of light, was complete and utter darkness. 'That's odd. Normally when I have these dreams where I talk to that messed dragon man there's only white and silver, sometimes a little blue, never black. I only ever see black in my dreams when that Sukeisa bastard is trying to communicate with me. Damn. This can't be too good.' She paused in her thoughts as a wizened dragon's head came into view.

"Oh, it's you. The dragon man. Come to lecture me about the legend again?"

The silver dragon shook his head. "No. I have something more important to discuss today. Please, this time, don't ignore any part of what I say."

Anyia frowned. "Will you cut with the rhyming crap? Every time you try to talk to me, it's always in stupid rhymes, so it's hard enough for me to understand what you're saying, never mind having to comprehend and figure out the underlying meanings and hints and everything."

The dragon sighed. "I am sorry if I talk like a freak, it is the only way I am permitted to speak. I need to speak with about this demon ball, otherwise, you won't be prepared for what will happen at all."

She jerked. "It's a demon ball for crying out loud. You don't think that Koenma hasn't figured out a little something we like to call security? It's the one-hundred and thirty-seventh demon ball! It's not like this is the first time around or anything. Besides, if there is trouble, Yusuke, Kurama, the baka and the idiot will be there."

"In normal times that would be alright, but the circumstances are different tonight."

"What do you mean, different?" Anyia was growing impatient, "How is tonight different than say, tomorrow night?"

"The date of the demon ball is fixed, and there are many guests, their backgrounds mixed. Some are more of a danger than others, but no that is no matter for most of them wouldn't mind killing their own mothers. There will be former killers, criminals and thieves, some think they may behave, but that is what Koenma believes. He is not stupid, there are some he must invite, but would rather have them carried, right out of his sight."

Anyia sighed and tried to figure out what that lot meant. "So, you're saying that even though he didn't want to, Koenma had to invite people that had bad reputations, just because they were important?" Seeing the dragon nod, she barged on, "but I don't see why the guys couldn't handle them. They fought the Toguro brothers and won, they defeated the Triad and they beat that Rando person. Why can't they handle a bunch of bad guys gone soft?"

The dragon continued, "One of the guests is a certain Lord Doukai, who is bringing his son, that boy is out for more than just a little fun. Watch him closely, for he may try something bad, especially to someone who can make gems when she's sad. Beware the Lady Calisandra, who is really a witch, she has some of Katomi's powers, she stole them from the bitch."

Anyia stood (or rather floated there) and stared in amazement at the dragon. "I am sorry for my vulgarity but it is hard, for all the time, to find a word that fits perfectly and does in fact rhyme."

"That's ok. So I just keep tabs on these two and everything will be okay. Right? That doesn't sound too hard. Why did you have to tell me this anyway. It's not like I couldn't have stopped them from doing…" She stopped because suddenly the light around her was starting to fade into blackness. She looked around and found the fading face of the dragon. "Dragon man! What does this mean? Why is the light disappearing?"

The dragon spoke quickly. "The light is my presence, the black is Sukeisa's energy and that is true, and if I don't let you wake up, he'll try to use telepathy to control you. Anyia, listen to me and don't speak because my time is limited before I have to close my beak. You are very accomplished and for your age, very wise, but there are some things that will come as a surprise. Don't listen to Sukeisa, he'll put you on the wrong path, and then the world with suffer from his wrath. There is something you need to know, and I know I shouldn't tell, but you seem to ignore every hint, so it's just as well." He took he deep breath. "Anyia, in case you haven't figured it out, as it may appear, but there is a reason that Sukeisa you might fear. You are the dracon, the dragon child in the tale and you need to follow the prophecy, you cannot fail." His voice started to fade away, "Find the last three frie…so that you can…fin… the last…the eigh… is not who you'd thi…its someone…from…your…." With that he was completely gone.

*~*~*~*

Anyia jolted up on the sofa. 'My god…so I was right…I am the dragon child who has to save the world. Why couldn't I see it before? Now I wish I knew what he meant in the last sentence. He was getting weak and fading away, so I couldn't understand everything he said. Dammit! Why does this always happen to me?!'

KNOCK KNOCK!!! "Anyia! I know you're in there! There's no use hiding from me! Come on, it's only me, Botan! Let me in! I insist! You didn't think I was going to let you just forget the whole ball thing, did you? Come, on them me in. I'm not going to torture you, I'm just going to help you get ready!"

Anyia groaned. "Coming Botan." 'Well, at least here's something to keep my mind off this prophecy thing. Maybe I can confide in her?' Opening the door, she let the girl in. Botan was just brimming with happiness and excitement.

"Isn't this amazing? The demon ball! We have to get ready! Oh, and I know something…"

Anyia looked at her, 'Maybe confiding wouldn't be a good idea.' "Okay Botan, you have me stumped, what is it that you know?"

She squealed, "You're going to the ball with Kurama!"

Anyia sweat-dropped. "That's it? I could have told you that. Anyway, it's going to take us all day to get ready for the ball? I didn't think it takes that long to get into a dress."

Botan laughed. "Don't be silly Anyia! It doesn't take that long to get ready, but Koenma wanted me to bring you around to the palace so that you can get accustomed to it so that you're prepared to act as part of the security. But I think that was just a cover up because how can you be part of the security in a dress? Anyway, come on, let's go! We can take my oar. That way you don't set off any security detector things that are designed to pick up people who are flying without spirit energy."

As Anyia sat behind Botan on the oar, she tried to take all this in. 'What have I done to deserve this? First, bad dreams from my favorite rhyming guy, I have to wake up at this ungodly hour in the morning and then I have to be the laughing stock of the security tonight. Just great.' She looked down at the ground as the two girls came to a stop in front of the palace.

"Wow. They've been decorating."

"It's a ball, of course there's decorations!"

"Of course, why couldn't I see that?" Anyia replied sarcastically. "It's a big social event with lots of people who are going to be decked out in peacock feathers and who knows what. We couldn't possible let the palace be shadowed by something like that!"

"My point exactly!" said Botan, missing the sarcasm in her excitement. "Come on. I have to drop you off with the other members of the group that will be in charge of subtle security."

"Subtle security? What about regular security? Don't they need to scope out the area too?"

Botan looked at her. "Regular security will be the guard and the servants that are in plain view. They don't need to learn the palace format because they work here as security twenty-four-seven. There's no need to wake them up this early. The subtle security group is more like diplomats. You look for things that normal people wouldn't look for, like abnormal spirit energy stuff or people who look like they might be preparing to attack someone. You're like the secret agents"

"Wonderful. I always wanted to be part of the social politics. So how many people on this subtle security group?"

"Seven. Eight if you want to include Genkai, but she won't be looking out a lot. The majority of the safety depends on that team to root people out who might be doing something that the regular guards won't notice. Also, the eight were picked, not only for their skills to recognize attacks, but to be able to prevent them, hopefully peacefully."

"Who's part of the security?" She said, walking into the room that Botan directed her to.

"HEY! DRAGON! Gantoi, it's the Dragon! We're working with the Dragon again!"

Anyia didn't bother to look anywhere but up as she preyed, 'God? Is this your way of punishing me? I swear, I'll buy a new sofa and I'll fix the TV for real this time. Please, don't tell me I have to work with Firenzy!' She lowered her face and ignored Firenzy. "Hey Gantoi, how's it going?"

"The crowd's really missing you. Joe's getting some of the old followers back though." The demon rambled up to her. "How are you doing? You seem to have quite a collection of friends." Anyia looked around at the other members of the group. Well, there were only three other people in the room at the moment. Joe, Gantoi and Firenzy. "Gantoi, I don't see anyone else here. What collection of friends?"

"HEY! GANTOI! DRAGON! LOOK IT'S THAT BLACK STRANGER DUDE! YOU KNOW, THE ONE THAT RUINED ANYIA? HE'S HERE TOO! THIS IS SOOOO COOL!!!!" Anyia turned to look as Kurama and Hiei walked into the room.

"To think that there's someone even worse than the baka." Anyia watched in horror as Firenzy bounced right up to Hiei and began to tap him on the shoulder. Then, when she thought he couldn't get any worse, Firenzy began talking really fast, (like he normally does) but then he went up and slung an arm around Hiei's shoulders. She could see Hiei stiffen and she decided to act.

But someone else had had the same idea. A fist came out of no where and knocked Firenzy unconscious. "That little guy can be a good fighter at times, but he's annoying as hell twenty-four hours a day." Joe looked up from where he was standing. "Hey, Anyia. How's it going?"

"Pretty good Joe. I hear that you had to take my spot. Tough luck on the new guy who has to become the fourth member until I get back. Good luck with the crowds on the Thursday. There's always some group of people that come on the Thursdays and they always manage to get a couple of lunatics to run widely in the Arena like it's a circus."

"Oh, so that's what they were doing. I thought that was a new attack." He smiled. "Hey Gantoi, never thought I'd see you here. Did Firenzy tag along?"

"As usual. I told him he wasn't invited, but he didn't seem to take the hint."

Anyia added, "That's Firenzy for you. Quick on his feet but as slow as a rock in the head. Maybe he and Kuwabara should get together sometime. They could forma a 'Save the Stupid' group or something."

"Who're you calling stupid?" Kuwabara and Yusuke entered the room, making the last two members of the special security group.

"You, of course. Who else would I be talking about?" She saw Gantoi and Joe's looks. "Oh, guys? This is Gantoi, currently Second Highest demon at the Arena, and this is Joe, who's number one. Joe? Gantoi? May I present Yusuke Urameshi. He's the spirit detective. This is Kurama, he's a fox demon, in case you didn't know. The short person over there in the corner is Hiei and there is Kuwabara over there. You can call him baka though. Everyone else does." She hoped that Joe and Gantoi hadn't picked up on the fact that Hiei was the one who had rejected her the first time she asked for a match.

Gantoi and Joe nodded their heads to say hello and then turned to see who was coming in the door. It was Koenma, in his teenage form (obviously).

"Hello Yusuke, Anyia. I hope you have been introduced to the two temporary members of the squad, Gantoi and Joe. Everyone listen up. You are part of the secret security. This means that you will be responsible for special attacks that some of these demons know and may try to use. I don't think there will be any problems, but you're here just in case. You guys will be making sure that people who appear to be dangerous are removed. My security guards will be responsible for weapons and other regular matters. So it's up to you to make sure that no one gets killed." He looked at the fallen form of Firenzy on the floor. "I hope we don't see anything like this tonight. I wanted you to come in early so that you could get to know each other, so that you have signals or something for in the event that something does happen and so that you are familiar enough with the rooms that the ball will be taking place so that you that you'll be more likely to notice if something is wrong. Understand? Good. Ogre!"

The blue ogre ran in and escorted Koenma out. Anyia walked over to Joe and Gantoi. "So how'd you guys get stuck doing this? I mean, it's hardly something the cough would assign to you guys. You're missing a whole day of battles. That's going to cost the CAF a bunch. Who's going to go watch people other than the top four fight?"

"The CAF closed the Arena for today."

"WHAT?!"

Joe explained, "Apparently, all the guys from the CAF were mysteriously invited to this ball thing. They said the only way that you could get them to come was if some of their own men were in the security group."

Anyia saw the logic in this, "Of course. They're men who make and break criminals. Of course there'd be people after their guts, so it would be good to have people they trust working for their safety. And they would want you guys to get acquainted with the surroundings so you can tell the difference between a harmless, regular palace plant, and say something that Kurama might have planted to get rid of certain individuals."

Gantoi nodded. "I don't think there's much we can do though. The palace is pretty ornate and most of the threatening stuff will come with the guests themselves."

Looking at her other group of friends to make sure that they were paying too much attention and she lightly raised the question, "So how many of them are actually coming? I know that none of them would be too happy with being exposed in public."

"All of them."

"What? All of them? Really? Wow. They must have a lot of nerve to show up here being who they are."

Gantoi and Joe glanced at each other. "We could probably say the same for you."

Anyia gave them a confused look, "Why?"

"Well, you were to top fighter for years and most people accepted the fact that you were small because you were powerful. They would have killed you if they knew you were a girl…"

"…so now there is a group, they call themselves the CEF, and they're out for your blood. They don't like the fact that so many good fighters were killed and lost to a girl. I'd say you showing up is asking for your execution."

Anyia gave them a pained look. "Guys…don't you think that I can take care of myself? I lived on the streets for the first eight years of my life as a girl, and managed to live. Then I survived all those years in the Arena. Come on, I thought you'd have more faith in my abilities. The CEF? Wow. That's pretty serious, but I think I can take care of it.

Gantoi nodded. "Right on target as always Anyia. So I'd watch out for anyone suspicious."

Rubbing her head, Anyia groaned, "Too many people to be watching all at once…first the upper brats, then the rooms, now practically everyone else…on top of that I'm going to be in an uncomfortable situation…dammit. Maybe I should just come in my ninja gear and pretend to be one of the freaking servants." Anyia thought she'd said that softly enough, but when her hand came away from her face she saw everyone except Hiei looking right at her from about a foot away.

Yusuke asked, "Are you okay, Anyia? If you don't want to do the security thing, let Koenma know and we can find a substitute."

She stiffened and replied icily, "I am no weakling. I will be fine." With that she turned on her heal and marched out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Gantoi and Joe looked at each other, both thinking the same thing, 'oh shit.'

Kurama looked at the two fighters. "What was that about, with the CAF and CEF?"

"The CFA is the group of people that fund and run the Arena. They hold the contests to determine who will be on the fighting roster every year, who needs to go, who can stay, who gets to be in the top four and what rank they are. They also fund the tournaments that are held there, privately every so often.," Joe explained, "CAF stands for Committee for Arena Fighters. Sometimes, when they think that business is slow, the CAF appoint a group of highly trained demons, ones that don't fight in the Arena and they send them out to track down and kill that fighter, so there is no chance of that fighter entering the Arena. They named themselves the CEF or Committee of Eliminated Fighters. That way, if they need to talk, they can say CEF or the committee and not raise a lot of speculation."

Yusuke looked thoughtful. "You seem to know a lot about this CEF. So you think that Anyia is their new target?"

Joe shrugged. "I  can't say. It all depends of which way the CAF thinks it can make more money."

"Say what?" (You can guess which baka—oops I mean person this is.)

Gantoi explained patiently, "The CAF will reach a decision based on what fights make the most money. Would more people come to see some new champion fight? Or would the fans rather come to see the current female champion beat the shit out of other demons? I think they'd say a new champion. People, especially demons don't like to be perceived as weak. So if there's a girl down there, who'd challenge her? No one, because they wouldn't want to lose their face. So the CAF would profit more if they had one last fight, where all the odds were stacked against her. Knowing them, they'd wear her down, drug her, then put her in a match where she could beat everyone except for a hidden good fighter. That way, they could legitimately put a new champion in Anyia's place."

Joe added on, "The CAF has two choices: get rid of Anyia by any means possible, or attempt to take her. I don't know what she meant about watching the socialites."

Kuwabara tried to join in, "But she didn't say socialites, she said upper brats."

"Upper brats is her name for the upper class people, like the members of the CAF, who are wealthy and aren't in the habit of give money to charity or the poor. In other words, the gamblers, the people who hire assassins. You can't trust them. Things happen to other people, not them. She hates those people who think that death is something they can play with." Gantoi tried to explain. "She'd be one of the first people to say that she plays death, but she does so at her own risk. She's had too many close encounters to be satisfied with people like the upper brats."

Joe nodded in agreement. "It's probably a good thing that she got out of the Arena before it really controlled her life. She'd end up hating herself. I'm happy that she's found something to keep her interested in. She really needs friends."

Yusuke snorted. "From the way that she acted, you'd think she'd never want any friends. She's like a female version of Hiei. Someone who never wants to be attached because they're afraid they'll bring you down."

Gantoi shook his head, "That might have been how she started, but I think she likes having friends. Or comrades as she would probably call you guys." He looked at Joe, "So, Joe. Want to look around?" Looking back at the group, he said, "Catch you guys all here tonight."

Yusuke stopped them, "What are we going to use for communication? I mean, walkie talkies are going to look suspicious and hand signals get confusing. Besides," he said looking at Gantoi, "I suspect Gantoi over there'd have problems doing hand signals."

Kuwabara just realized it. "Yeah, the guy's like a dinosaur. Where are you going to fit?"

Gantoi and Joe smiled at each other. "Oh, you'll see me around, maybe. I hear the flowers are pretty at this time of year, aren't they Joe?"

"They certainly are Gantoi. Say, you like flowers a lot, so I guess you'll be checking out the gardens?"

Kuwabara didn't seem to take the hint. "That's girly, to like flowers. Nobody's who's a man has anything to do with flowers and prissy plants and things like that."

Yusuke coughed, *baka*. Kuwabara, once again, missed the hint. Hiei snorted in his corner as Kurama spoke. "Kuwabara, I'm sorry you think that way. Anyway, I suggest we just use telepathy. Hiei, Anyia and Sani can be used as contacts. If we break into pairs or something, then there will be one telepath for every pair. There will be one person left over, but he can form a trio with another pair."

Joe and Gantoi nodded. "If that's all, I think we'd better get back to the Arena."

Kuwabara looked confused, "I thought you said it was closed for today."

Joe rolled his eyes. "It is, but haven't you heard of a little something called maintenance? The night crews can't get everything. Besides, just because we have the day off from the Arena doesn't mean we have a day off from training or fighting. To rest for a day is to die in the Arena. See you all here tonight."

Anyia watched them collect Firenzy and go from her hiding spot. After she had left the room, she had re-entered invisibly.  'Hmm. So they think that the CEF is after me. Just another thing to watch my back on. Lord Doukai…his stupid son…that Calisandra…the assassins…irregular people…be a telepath…and watch my own back…while being in a fucking dress! What did I do to deserve this? Please god, tell me!' She listened to snatches of Joe's and Gantoi's conversation.

"Anyia's really wound up about this thing, isn't she?"

"I'd say so, Gantoi. I mean, I've never seen her just walk out with a bad temper like that."

"Good thing she has friends to help her." Anyia stiffened, 'So they still think that I'm weak because I'm a girl.

"Yeah, I guess. But I bet it's just nerves. You know how hard it would be to go around being a nameless face or rather a faceless name, and then suddenly have to prove to everyone that you're who you really are?"

"Joe, could you possibly be anymore vague and confusing?"

"Sorry Gantoi."

"I guess you're right though. I mean, since when has she worn a dress? It'll be a challenge for her to try to fit in with all the other upper class bitches…" Anyia smiled, 'You couldn't have been anymore right, Gantoi.' Then she turned her attention to the conversation that the guys were having. 'I can't believe the idiot was so….idiotic. To think that he would have insulted Kurama right then and there. Too bad Kurama isn't allowed to kill him…too bad I'm not allowed to kill him.' She couldn't hear quite what they were saying, so she edged a little farther out, away from the pillar she was hiding behind.

"Okay, we need to break into pairs. Kurama, go with Hiei. Anyia and Kuwabara can come with me. Gantoi and Joe can use Sani, I guess."

Anyia revealed herself. "There is no way in hell that I am spending the entire evening stuck with the baka."

The entire group turned their heads. "When did you come back?"

She smirked, "I never left. That was a fake image of me walking through. I tossed on an invisibility spell and slammed the door. I've been here the entire time." She looked at Kuwabara, "and can I say that those comments about flowers were possibly the most stupid things to have come out of your mouth."

He blinked. Yusuke took the upper hand of the situation. "So how do you propose we do this?"

Anyia folded her arms. I say that we don't break into pairs, because that would be pointless. The ball will be filled with people and eight people can spread out a lot more and cover more ground that four pairs of two. Give Sani to the baka, because he'll to incompetent to find either me or bandage face over there. Then everyone else just come and find one of the telepaths. Don't worry about Gantoi and Joe. Joe can find a contact for Gantoi, since Gantoi will be in the garden."

Kuwabara was once again in stupid ignorance (that's kind of redundant…) "Oh…I get it…he's going to be spending time looking for the flowers that could be used as weapons! You guys thought I was too stupid to figure it out, but there!"

Everyone sweat-dropped. "Umm, Kuwabara, I don't think that's what the guy meant."

Anyia nodded. "Gantoi is doing what he has always wanted to do since he was really little."

"What, smell flowers?"

"No baka. Wait for tonight and see if you can figure it out."

The doors flew open. "Come on Anyia! We'll be late for the hair appointments!" Botan rushed in and grabbed Anyia's hand. "Hurry up! We don't want to go to the ball looking like something the cat dragged in do we?"

Anyia winced as she was hauled onto Botan's oar and before she left, she could hear Kuwabara and Yusuke laughing their heads off as Kurama smiled and Hiei smirked. Anyia turned around and aimed and electrical attack at Kuwabara.

"AHHHHHH!!! PAIN!!! OWWWWWW!!!!"

'That should suit the baka.' Then she turned back around and prepared to face what was probably the first of many difficult challenges that she would encounter that day.

A/N: So how was it? I realize it isn't great and I promise that the demon ball is happening in the next part.