A/N: Disclaimer: you would think that at this point that I wouldn't have to keep on writing these, but hey: it's the author's life for me!

Words in italics are flashbacks or dreams.

'Words like this' = telepathic communication or personal thoughts.

"Words like this"=dialogue

Caution: This is a relatively long chapter, so just warning those of you who have computer time limits….

Part 16: Fast Food and Secret Plans

Lord Doukai sat in his chair, with his hands resting against his head in an apparently meditative position. "So you mean to tell me that you let Tarukon slip by you and escape?"

Calisandra fidgeted under his gaze. "Yes, Lord Doukai."

"How could you possibly let him escape? He's never been trained for anything like this. I made sure of that. You assured me that there would be no possible way for him to escape from that cell, never mind that portion of the complex."

"Well, I put a spell on the chains so that they would appear to be strong and that the door would appear to be locked with extra security."

Lord Doukai's eyes snapped open. "What do you mean that the chains appeared strong and that the door appeared to be locked? Are you implying that they were not strong and locked in actual fact?"

Calisandra winced in anticipation, "umm…yes."

He stood up, enraged, "Get gone, you stupid incompetent fool! I don't even know why I gave you a second chance!"

Calisandra fled from the room. Lord Doukai sat in his chair, this time, using his hands to massage his temples. "What have I done to deserve this? First it was the ball, then the dragon and now this! I thought I had it all figured out." Then he suddenly had an idea. "Timbles!"

The olden butler came in, "Yes, sir?" While thinking, 'What the hell do you want, you old son-of-a-bitch?'

"Get me Nara Ska."

*****

Aniya smiled as Yukina finished putting her healing powers into the scratches that Aniya had received during her fight with Kurama. "Thanks 'Kina. It feels a lot better now." She wrapped long bandages around her arms to keep the cuts from opening again while they were using Yukina's powers to heal.

"I only hope that will be enough to heal them." Yukina looked worried for a moment. "I think I could have done a better job of healing your wounds."

"Don't worry about. This is great." Aniya smiled again when she saw Yukina smile too.

"Well, I guess that's okay then."

Suddenly, the door swung open and the big idiot walked in. "Hello Yukina! How is my love today?"

Yukina giggled and Aniya rolled her eyes. "I'm fine Kazuma."

"That's great! 'Cause I was hoping that you might want to go out for some ice cream or something…" Aniya quietly grabbed her stuff out of the room and proceeded to walk out of the room, leaving Yukina to deal with Kuwabara.

"Aniya." She looked up and saw Tarukon. "I wanted to apologize for not being able to ask Laotsu about the dragon technique. I should have asked when I had the chance."

She smiled. "That's okay. I understand. If I was in your place, I'd probably have swore at him for not making more sense. Hell, I swear at people in my head who don't make sense, like Sani." Suddenly her smile was replaced with a look of dawning realization.

"What is it? Is something the matter?" Tarukon looked at Aniya urgently.

"Sani…I've completely forgotten about her! She's out there somewhere! She can tell us the answer! She'll be able to communicate with the silver Dragon!" Aniya took off, downstairs, and out the door.

After she had passed by the room where Kurama, Yusuke, Genkai and Hiei were in, they poked their heads out. Yusuke asked, "Who was that?"

"Aniya." Kurama, Tarukon, Hiei and Genkai all looked at each other. Yusuke summed it up with an almighty "oh shit." Then they all raced out the door. Kuwabara was just coming down the stairs with Yukina and noticed all of them leaving.

"Hey guys, wait up for me!" He started running as fast as he could to catch up with the group.

Yukina stared wide-eyed at the sight of all of them running into the woods after a girl. Mrs. Minamino came from behind her.

"Your name is Yukina?"

Yukina turned around, "Yes. You are Mrs. Minamino…Ku—Shuichi's mother." The older woman smiled.

"I was wondering, would you like some tea to drink?" Yukina accepted and joined Mrs. Minamino at the kitchen table. Meanwhile…

Aniya was running through the forest. 'I can feel her. She's nearby. She'll be able to communicate with the silver dragon and tell me what the dragon technique is.' Suddenly, she stopped running and paused. 'Come on Sani, just stay in one place, then I can find you more easily.'

'Your wish is granted.' Aniya flipped her head up and saw Sani sitting on a branch.

"Sani!" Aniya held out her arm and the little dragon settled down on it. "I missed you! Where were you?"

The rest of the group had arrived (sans Kuwabara), and were watching Aniya. 'I was here, at Kurama's house. Then I felt something horrible happen and I went to search for you. Then I couldn't find you for some reason. What happened to your hair?'

"I'm human Sani." She waited for the little dragon to react.

'Oh.'

Aniya hugged her, "I'm just glad that your back. Listen, we need you to tell us something."

'Shoot.'

"Well, Tarukon over there has another person inside his mind, named Laotsu."

'So he's a skitzo.'

Aniya shook her head, "No. Laotsu is the silver dragon and is occupying Tarukon's mind for the time being. We need to you tell us what he's saying because Tarukon can't hear him right now."

Sani flew over to Tarukon and settled on his shoulder. She seemed to pause before turning back to Aniya. Worry filled her eyes. Aniya noticed this and frowned, "What is it Sani?"

'It's Sukeisa.'

"What about Sukeisa?" The others in the group leaned in, as if that would make the news come any faster.

'He's not waiting twenty-four hours for you to give your answer. He's assuming that you're opposing him.'

"So? Damn straight. Like I'd ever join the fucking bastard."

'That's not all. He's not giving you a full two days. He's planning his attack right now.'

"What?!" Aniya looked at the dragon. "What do you mean that he's planning his attack right now?"

'If you don't leave to stop him now, then you'll never be able to stop him.'

Aniya looked puzzled, "Why?"

Sani seemed to falter for a few seconds. 'Wait…Laotsu says that Sukeisa has found a way to increase his power boost from the past. If you don't find a way to stop him getting his power boost, then you'll never be able to stop his attacks in two days.'

"So we have to go there now?"

Sani nodded. 'That's what Laotsu says.'

Aniya turned to the rest of the group. "There's a shit load of bad news guys."

Yusuke remarked, "What else is new?"

She glared at him. "Anyway, apparently the Sukeisa bastard is assuming that I'm going to fight against him and he's found some secret way to boost his energy when he gets the energy from the past, so he'll be even more powerful than we thought."

Kurama frowned slightly, "So the little dragon is telling us to go there and defeat him now, before the gate way to the past opens up?"

Aniya nodded. "Something like that. She says that the silver dragon says to go to his secret, hidden complex and destroy his means of magnifying his energy."

"So why don't we just pound the bastard to a pulp while we're there?"

Aniya looked at Sani with a shifty look in her eyes, "Yeah, Sani. Why can't we beat his face into the ground while we're there destroying his energy?"

'You can.' Aniya jerked in surprise. "Sani says we can beat his ass."

"So where is the secret, underground place?" Kuwabara had finally caught up with the group. It was amazing that he was there and it was even more astounding that he had some idea as to what was going on and Hiei voiced this.

"It is amazing. Kuwabara actually said something that nearly resembled an intelligent comment."

"Shut up shorty! No one asked you." Then he stopped and looked at Aniya. "So where is this place anyway?"

Sani looked at Tarukon. Aniya said, "Tarukon knows how to get there." He nodded.

"I know of a different route inside, other than the one that I came out of."

Kuwabara, receiving the optimist award for the day, started racing out of the forest. "Let's go guys!" Sani flew to his shoulder and chirped happily.

Genkai slipped behind as everyone left. "Aniya." The girl turned around and waited for the psychic. "Be careful."

Aniya looked surprised. "You're not going to be there?"

The wizened woman shook her head, "No. This fight is not my fight. It is not my place to interfere. Be cautious." Then she left, leaving behind a very confused Aniya.

'Right…' Aniya was so preoccupied with her thoughts about Genkai's strange actions, that she missed the pair of red eyes that were staring at her from a tree.

The pair of red eyes closed. 'Master.'

'Is Sani with them?'

'Yes, sir.'

'Good. Now, do what I asked you to do.'

'Yes, sir.'

The pair of red eyes left just as Koenma and his blue ogre appeared.

"You big blue idiot! They're not here!"

"I'm sorry Koenma sir! The system said that they were right here when we left!" He sighed, "You know sir, maybe if we hadn't stopped for take-out on the way, we would have caught up to them." A moment later, he regretted saying this, particularly because there was a nasty-sized lump on his head.

"What was that for, Koenma, sir?"

"That was for being wrong. Now we have to go all the way back to spirit world to figure out where they are now!"

"Couldn't we just follow their spirit energies?"

"Are you seriously thinking that I'm going to follow your advice? You messed up before and this time, I'm doing everything—the right way!"

"If you say so, Koenma sir."

"What was that?"

"Oh, nothing Koenma sir."

*****

Gantoi came waddling out from the battle arena, it was the last battle of the day and the lizard demon was tired.

"I haven't fought that many battles in a while Joe. We really need to find another fighter."

Joe sat down wearily on a bench in the locker room. "I know what you mean, Gantoi. Since Aniya left, we've had to take the majority of the fights since knucklehead over there seems to think that he can take on all her old opponents. Don't get me wrong, Firenzy is a great fighter, he's just making careless mistakes."

Both demons turned to look at the unconscious form of Firenzy. They were both grateful that he was silent for the time being.

"It's a pity that Aniya can't come back and fight." Joe started to pack up his things.

"Aniya is doing what makes her happy. You should be glad that she is getting out, making new friends and keeping out of trouble. I bet she's having the time of her life right now." Gantoi said reproachfully.

"I know, I know. But it was easier on everyone if she was back." There was a scratching on the door to the locker room. "Gantoi, you hear that?"

"Yup. You want to check it out?" Joe got up and walked to the door. At first he didn't see anything, then he looked down at his feet, and saw that there was a crumpled little heap of dragon there. "Who are you?"

Sani raised a weak head. 'I'm Aniya's dragon.' Joe picked her off the ground. "Gantoi—she's says that she's—"

"Aniya's dragon. I heard. Apparently she's broadcasting telepathically to both of us." Gantoi and Joe sat down and looked at the little dragon in Joe's massive hands. Gantoi asked, "Why are you here instead of with Aniya?"

'Aniya's in trouble.'

Joe snorted and turned to his fighting partner, "Keeping out of trouble, is she Gantoi?"

"Listen to the dragon." Joe stopped snickering and turned his attention back to Sani.

'Sukeisa tried to…capture me and control me…but I got away…I can't find Aniya because she's not in dracon form.'

Both demons shot a glance at each other. "What do you mean she's not in dracon form?" Joe inquired, "Do you mean that she's in her more powerful dracon form, with the wings and everything?"

Sani shook her head, 'No. Someone broke the Astoria stone. Now she's a human.'

"A human?"

'That's why I can't find her. I can't hone in on her because she isn't giving off a dracon wave anymore.'

"You said that she's in trouble?"

'Sukeisa tricked her with a fake version of me. Right now, Aniya is convinced that she has to prevent him from using a special technique that would make him stronger when he gets the power from the past.'

"So she's walking into a trap."

'With the rest of her friends.'

Gantoi and Joe gave each other another glance. "You know what this means, Gantoi."

The lizard demon sighed. "I guess we don't get to rest quite yet."

They looked at Sani. "So, how do we get to this place that they're going to?"

'I think I can remember the way.'

"Good. Let's get going." They looked at the snoring form of Firenzy.

A moment later, the demon was left alone in the locker room.

*****

Tarukon lead the group of Aniya, Kurama, Kuwabara, Yusuke and Hiei out of the forest to a pay phone.

"A pay phone? Tarukon, are you serious?" Aniya was looking skeptical at Tarukon's directions and current location.

"Haven't you ever seen the Matrix? They use phones for that."

Aniya whirled on him, "But you will notice, dumb ass, that they use the phones to get inside a program. This is a building we're trying to infiltrate—not another dimension."

Kuwabara crossed his arms and pretended to become very interested in a near-by tree. Tarukon smiled, "Actually, Kuwabara's partially right. Each person uses the payphone to call Papa Gino's. Then they place an order for an extra-large salad with ketchup."

"Do they even sell salads at Papa Gino's? Why would they ever want to put Ketchup on them anyway? That's disgusting."

While everyone sweat-dropped, Kurama explained, "Undoubtedly, the combination of the unlikely order and individual payphone are the passwords to open some door."

Tarukon nodded. "There is no actual Papa Gino's in this vicinity. The phone number is for another county, so when you dial that number, you are actually keying in the password. The order is a verification of the password. Then, once the order is placed, the payphone's floor drops out and there's a shoot that leads to a hallway in the building."

"So each of us has to place the stupid fucking order?" Aniya received a nod in reply. "Actually, you need to do it pairs because Doukai wouldn't want unsuspecting intruders to get inside. It is highly unlikely that two people would call a pizza place outside of the county to order a salad with ketchup. It is quite possible that one person might. Having two people there at the same time is an extra security measure."

Kuwabara jumped forward. "I'll go first!" He was about to dial a number when he turned around and looked at Tarukon, "What's the number again?"

"Oh, to hell with this. Let me and Kurama go first." Yusuke pushed Kuwabara away from the phone. "Besides, dumb ass, you need a partner, remember?" He sighed. "Come on Kurama." The kitsune stood next to him and sweat-dropped as soon as Yusuke said, "What was the number again?"

"508-875-1661."

"508….875…16..61…Yo! I want an extra-large salad with ketchup…yup…." Yusuke's face showed confusion.

"What is it saying? Did I give you the wrong number?" Tarukon moved toward the phone.

"No, all it said was 'processing your ooooooooorddeeeeerrrrrrr!" A trap door had opened beneath the phone and both Kurama and Yusuke had fallen down a long, dark pipe.

Tarukon rushed over to the pipe as it began to close up. Once it was closed, he turned to the remaining three people. "We need to form pairs or otherwise we won't be able to work the password." Then he looked at saw the death glares that he was getting from Aniya and Hiei. And he also saw the clueless expression of Kuwabara. 'Shoot,' he thought, 'this isn't going to be easy.'

"Hiei, I suggest that you go with Kuwa—" Tarukon paled at the look that Hiei was giving him, "I mean, Aniya." He finished lamely. Hiei didn't look any happier at this arrangement, but merely said "Hn." In response. Then he walked over to the phone.

Five minutes, and several poundings in Kuwabara's head later, a newspaper rustled by a payphone that hung off the hook. A voice could be heard in the headpiece. "Processing your order….please hang up and try again….please hang up and try again…"

Then, a baby Koenma and a blue ogre in a brown trench coat appeared out of nowhere.

"You see Koenma sir? It isn't my fault. You yourself did the calculations this time and they aren't' here."

Koenma suddenly pounded the ogre in the head. "Stupid ogre! You distracted me! You must have made me make an erroneous calculation! This is your fault!"

"Koenma sir. That is really unfair."

*****

Tarukon landed at the bottom of the shoot, and Aniya pulled him out of the way before a very loud, clumsy, stupid Kuwabara came shooting out of the pipe. "SHHHH!!!!" Kuwabara shrank back at the sheer deadening silence that the "SHHHH!!!" had created.

Yusuke and Kurama waited for Tarukon to point out a direction, which he did so. Then Yusuke gave the signal to move on.

"So kind of you to join us Aniya. It was really thoughtful of you to bring your friends along as well." Everyone whirled around to face a well-dressed, older man. "I wasn't expecting you to come back, Tarukon. So kind of you to come to your senses."

"Lord Doukai, I see you are as much of bastard as you always are." Aniya gritted her teeth and frowned at the man in front of her. "You must be hiding where Sukeisa's technology and crap is. Tell us where he's hiding his secret technique, and I promise that we won't kick your ass---too badly."

Lord Doukai started to laugh, "You really don't understand, do you, my dear."

"Don't call me dear!"

"Well, my dear, I think that you will be staying here for quite some time." Aniya raised her hands as Yusuke prepared his spirit gun, Kurama took out a rose, Hiei unsheathed his Katana, Tarukon raised his fists and Kuwabara took a couple of seconds before realizing what everyone was doing and brought out his spirit sword.

"Do you think that is wise, Aniya?" Lord Doukai snapped his fingers and Calisandra and Nara Ska appeared with some unconscious figures…

"Yukina!"

"Keiko!"

'Mother….'

Lord Doukai chuckled, "Yes, it was so convenient that two of them were at Kurama's house and the other one was so close by." His chuckling ceased. "You move against me and they will die. Rest assured that your speed would not save them." He glanced at Hiei. "Even if you were fast enough," he looked at Kurama, "or cunning enough to find a way to get them away from my lovely assistants, they would dead before then.

"For you see, we have injected a poison into them that will only affect them once I tell it to. If you resist, I will activate the poison immediately and they will die before Kurama can come up with one of his precious antidotes. I suggest that you lower your appendages and drop any tangible weapons that you have, right now."

Kurama's rose and Hiei's sword fell to the floor as Yusuke and Kuwabara extinguished their attacks. Aniya and Tarukon lowered their arms. "There. That wasn't so hard, was it?" Lord Doukai nodded to more shadows. "Bind them and put them in the cells that I have already assigned to them."

The man strolled over to Tarukon, "For disobeying me, do not expect anything less ruthless than what these other fools are getting."

"I don't want mercy from you." Lord Doukai laughed and shoved him away to be brought to a cell.

Lord Doukai walked up to Aniya and grabbed her chin, "You see Aniya, I don't need to wait six hours for your answer and I don't need to wait another forty-eight to get my true power. I plan on keeping you here until the portal to the past is open and there is nothing that you can do to stop me. You see, the forty-eight hours thing was a complete hoax. The portal to the past will open in 10 hours, on the stroke of midnight, and you, along with your friends, will remain trapped inside my facility."

Aniya frowned and started to struggle to try and hurt Lord Doukai, but the shadowed servant was strong and Aniya did not want Lord Doukai to think that now was a good time to activate the poison. "What do you fucking mean, the forty-eight hour thing is a hoax? The portal to the past is opening in two days, not ten hours!"

"And who told you that?"

"Suke—" Aniya stopped suddenly.

"Yes. Sukeisa told you, didn't he? In that marvelous little dream scheme, which I must say was very impressive. He told you that so you would be unprepared, and here you are, caught very unaware."

He raised an arm, which Sani landed on. "You were so willing to believe that my creation here was the real Sani." He ripped the dragon off his arm and flung it against the wall. It exploded in a burst of technology, wires, and smoke. "All mechanical. Do you really think that your dragon companion could really find you?"

He signaled to the shadow person "Take her away."

Aniya lowered her head. 'Damn him…he's one step ahead of us…and now the deadline is too close for us to do anything.'

*****

Gantoi, Joe and Sani were carefully moving toward Lord Doukai's complex. Sani sat nervously patched on Joe's shoulder. 'Aniya, just hold on. We're coming. Don't do anything stupid!'

A/n: As you can tell, I'm getting closer to the final showdown (the real one this time). Yes, I originally intended to end the story soon after they beat Katomi, but look how far this has gone! Please review, because the more reviews I get, the more story you get. I would just like to add that I realize right now that most of my information about Hiei's dragon of the darkness flame is incorrect. When I started writing this story, I had only seen the first seven DVD's, which ends right after the Rescue Yukina. I didn't realize that my Arena has a very "Dark Tournament" atmosphere. I had only read about Hiei's attack and was going on that. So I apologize if anything isn't correct with the series. I tried to keep my story removed from changing things in the series, but this was one thing that I missed. I am also sorry for any misspellings of names or attacks. J