I do not own any of these characters. They belong to the people at AIC/Pioneer. Well first off this is my first fanfic and I figured I’d throw in a few characters to make things interesting. Second I’d appreciate any feedback, positive or otherwise, on this story send all questions & comments to phoenixikki12@hotmail.com Phoenix Ikki Part 1: Enter Phoenix -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Chapter 1 The Battle It was just another day at the Masaki residence, as usual Ryoko and Aeka were remodeling Tenchi’s house with their energy blasts and Tenchi was working in the field. Tenchi sighed and thought about how much he loved the both of them and wished they wouldn’t fight so much. He walked back to his house wondering how he was going to break this fight up when the entire front of his house exploded. “AAAAAAH!!!” Tenchi screamed barely avoiding decapitation by the front door. “DIE DEMON!” Aeka shrieked before noticing Tenchi lying on the ground with debris all around him. Ryoko noticed her let her guard down and attacked her knocking her through the wall, then she too noticed Tenchi and rushed to his side. “Tenchi! are you ok!?” Ryoko asked with worry apparent in her eyes. Aeka freed herself from the wall and ran towards the dazed Tenchi. “Did that horrible woman hurt you Tenchi!?” Aeka said glaring at Ryoko while she was running towards them. Tenchi’s eyes were rolling around in his head while he babbled incoherently. After several minutes of crazy talk Tenchi started to calm down and Sasami came out of the house with a glass of water carefully avoiding the flaming rubble. “Are you ok Tenchi?” Sasami inquired with her sweet little voice and handed the glass to him. Tenchi nodded. Tenchi sipped the cool water and tried to stand but stumbled and fell on his face, or would have had Aeka and Ryoko not caught him. With their help he managed to stay upright. “Gjah hgad” Tenchi said while everyone looked at him with confused faces. He shook his head and cleared his thoughts. He finally managed to ask “what happened?” Ryoko mumbled something about leaky gas mains and Aeka mumbled something about terrorist attacks. “What? what are you talking about?” Then Sasami burst into the conversation. “They were fighting again Tenchi” Sasami said. “Little snitch” Ryoko said quietly to herself. Aeka heard it and gave Ryoko a nod of agreement. “How many times do I have to tell you n.....” looking up at the sky with a weird look on his face. “What’s that?” The others turn to look at a large red ball flying right at them. “Get down!” Ryoko yelled as the fireball hit the ground about 50 feet away raising a huge cloud of smoke and dust. A shock wave soon followed which picked up some of the smaller debris and send it flying once more. One such piece of debris knocked Ryoko unconscious. After the dust cleared they all (the conscious ones anyway) looked into the crater the fireball left. Washu, at that moment, decided to come out of her lab for some lunch to find half the house missing and a crater in the front yard. “Uhhh what’s going on here?” she asked looking more worried than surprised. They all turned to her and Sasami was about to explain when they all heard something in the crater. “aaaah man gotta work on that reentry” mumbled some unknown voice. They all stared at the crater waiting for further signs of life. They watched as an armored figure climbed up the opposing side of the crater with its back towards them. “Computer just where in the hell am I?” he asked “Computer! awww damnit comm link must have been broken during reentry.” Tenchi cleared his throat and the stranger whipped around. At that point everyone could see a few features of the stranger. He was about 6’6” pretty well built and covered from head to toe in some sort of exoskeleton. “Actually your on ear.... OH SHIT!” Tenchi said as a fireball went past his head, he watched in fly into a nearby tree and completely engulf it in flames. Tenchi turned back to his new enemy to find him unsheathing a sword. Tenchi grabbed the master key and focused his energy into it and within a second he was ready to fight. His enemy burst into flames (not the kind you see on DBZ real heat giving flames) and his sword did likewise. “So ya wanna fight eh?” The stranger asked. Aeka stepped up. “Azaka Kamidake!” the two guardians appeared at her sides. “HA HA HA! you expect some logs to defeat ME!?” the stranger said with a sneer on his face. With that he flew at her and smacked her upside the head with the hilt of his sword and proceeded to turn the guardians into toothpicks with no trouble at all. Aeka was now unconscious along with Ryoko. Tenchi attacked in a rage and sliced into the enemies back when he wasn’t paying attention. By now Washu had her Holo laptop out and was furiously typing away trying to find a weakness in the exoskeleton or just a way to subdue this thing before it hurt anyone else and Sasami was cowering behind her. “Aaaaah! you little bastard! do you have any idea how much that stings?” He said without turning around. Tenchi watched in awe as it healed instantly. “You’ll pay for that one.” he said as he spun around to face Tenchi. He kicked Tenchi in the stomach and stunned him for a second. Then swung his flaming sword with the intention of splitting Tenchi in two but Tenchi had the master key up in time to stop it inches from his skull. The heat was just about unbearable Tenchi couldn’t hold him off for much longer. “W....what the hell is going on around here” Ryoko said as she brushed herself off and held her head in pain. “Anyone get the number of that bullet train?” The stranger looked over and saw the most beautiful person he’d ever seen. Tenchi noticed his enemies sword giving way and just before he attacked the sword was removed. Tenchi watched the still flaming enemy float towards Ryoko. “NO! you wont hurt any more of my friends!” Tenchi stuck the master key in his back all the way to the hilt pulled it out and did it again. His enemy was so taken by surprise it broke him away from staring at Ryoko and back to the battle at hand. With a grunt he turned around to fight Tenchi. He couldn’t concentrate enough to heal his wounds “she” kept flashing into his mind any time he attempted it. Tenchi continued slicing, slowly making his way through the exoskeleton. When Tenchi hit the soft meat underneath his enemy doubled over in pain and fell to the ground. Tenchi started kicking his foe in the face and stomach. Suddenly and without warning the exoskeleton expanded becoming regular armor and broke apart and made its way back into the crater. Tenchi never stopped kicking him even though now he was wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and a light shorts. His oppressor stared spitting out blood and trying to escape but Tenchi wouldn’t allow it. “Is that all you got you.....(gurgle) little..” he rolled on his side to see Ryoko staring blankly at him and passed out. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Chapter 2: The Interrogation Several days had passed since he first saw the beauty and had thought of nothing but her while he was unconscious, and he’d had plenty of time to think. Opening his eyes he found himself in a cylindrical tank filled with thick light green liquid wearing nothing but a pair of tight fitting shorts and a face mask providing oxygen. Outside of the tank there were hundreds of computers and flashing lights and in a tank opposite him, his armor. “I see your finally awake” Washu said with an unreadable look on her face. The stranger was angry at the sight of her and punched the side of the tank as hard as he could hoping to break it. It didn’t even scratch it. He started to charge up a fireball in his right hand, the heat causing the liquid to boil. Just before he threw it he took in a deep breath and found he had no oxygen to breath. “Ah ah ah I wouldn’t try that if I were you” Washu smiled thinking of how great a genius she was and waited for the fireball to disappear. After it did she turned the oxygen back on. “Damn you!” exclaimed a slightly muffled voice from inside the tank. “If you cooperate this will be much easier on you.” “I’ll never cooperate you crazy b....AAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!” “So I take it you don’t like 4 million volts coursing through your body, well who’d have thought.” Just then Tenchi walked into the lab to see how Washu was torturing the stranger. “Oh hey Tenchi! just having a little talk with our friend here.” “So you get anything out of him yet?” asked Tenchi “Nah just a few screams but I’m working on it.” She smiled at Tenchi. “Well just who are you?” Tenchi inquired glaring at the badly beaten humanoid in the tank. “I’ll never divulge any information to you!” After he said that he saw Washu reach for the control panel in front of her. “AAH NO! I’ll talk I’ll talk! I’m Lieutenant Phoenix I’m here hunting the space pirate Ryoko!” “WHAT!?” Tenchi and Washu yelled at the same time. “I was heading for Ursa Minor when my ship was attacked by some Galaxy Police I tried to get them on the radio but all I got was some sleeping blonde! so I bailed out! what else could I do? she was out like a light!” Tenchi and Washu gave each other a knowing look. “Who do you work for?” Tenchi said in a demanding voice. “I’ll never tell you that no matter how many times you fry me” he replied “We’ll see about that” Tenchi said as he nodded to Washu. Meanwhile the rest of the house was being repaired by Nobuyuki Aeka and Ryoko. “I don’t see why I have to fix this after all its HER fault” Aeka whined “Put a sock in it princess and gimme those nails” Ryoko said. “Both of you put a sock in it you were both fighting and you both blew the front of the house off and I’m getting kinda sick of repairing the house, ya know with all the stuff you two have blown up around here I’ve basically built a whole new house!” They all stopped working for a second when they heard screams from Washu’s lab. “Let me out of here!” the prisoner yelled. “Not until you answer one more question!” Demanded Washu. “Why are you after my daughter Ryoko!?” “What?....... Daughter? what are you talking about?” Phoenix replied obviously confused. “Answer the question!” Tenchi yelled. “Ok ok but its a stupid question she has a huge price on her head! biggest I’ve ever seen! so I figured I’d give it a shot ya know make some money get out of the business for good.” Phoenix said. “What business?” Asked Washu. “Aww come on you said one more question!” Washu once again reaches for the control panel. “OK OK! bounty hunting! come on now let me out of here!” Phoenix cried out with a pleading look on his face. “Not just yet, first we need to make sure you wont attack us once your out.” With that said robotic arms come down from the top of the tank and attach a collar around his neck and cuff his hands behind his back. “Ok now you can go” Washu hits a button and the bottom of the tank opens and drains out all the liquid, Phoenix along with it. The next thing he knows he’s in a large pool of ice cold water. “Man this place is crazy” he says to himself. He notices a pile of clothes by the edge of the pool and attempts to put them on but with handcuffs and all its hard to do. After he managed to get his pants on a door magically appears next to him, he shrugs and walks through. On the other side the crazy red hairdo scientist and the back-stabbing boy are waiting. “Come on give me my armor back” Phoenix pleaded. “No and don’t you know how to put on a shirt?” Washu said with a sly grin on her face. “No sorry I don’t usually include handcuffs with my daily attire.” Phoenix said sarcastically. “Well you’d better get used to it because until we can trust you your not getting out of them.” Washu said with a little laugh. “Well how am I supposed to get a shirt on then!?” Phoenix yelled. “I cant believe this! imprisoned by a bunch of kids!” Washu changed into her adult form and gave him the evil eye. “Whaddya mean a bunch of kids!?” Washu said sternly. “Woah now I see the family resemblance” Phoenix said under his voice. “What was that!?” Washu said getting seriously pissed off at him now. “Nothing but back to the fact that I’m shirtless how do you expect to go out in public with no shirt on!?” Phoenix said so fast it sounded like one word. Washu sighed. “Very well” Washu said. She summoned her holo laptop and started typing away. Suddenly Phoenix was wearing a loud tropical shirt. Phoenix just groaned and followed Washu and Tenchi out of the lab. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Chapter 3: Meeting The Others The others had finished repairing the damage in record time and were now watching some tube while Sasami was diligently working in the kitchen. The door to Washu’s lab swung open. Washu and Tenchi walked out silently. Ryoko turned to see them, as did Aeka. “Tenchi!” Said Ryoko floating over and hugging him tightly, “Washu didn’t do any experiments on you did she?” Then she saw Phoenix walking out of the lab. “You bastard! you hurt my Tenchi!” in 2 tenths of a second she was in her battle suit with her energy sword in hand. She flew at him with incredible speed and slammed him to the ground, cut his shoulder to the bone and held the sword to his throat. Tenchi pulled him off of her and quickly subdued her. By then everyone was standing around him with gaping mouths while he bled from his shoulder. After several tries he finally managed to get up and was about to ask Washu for a little help when Aeka walked up to him and with an icy stare kicked him right between the legs. Phoenix’s eyes went wide. “aaaah shiiiiiit ooooooooooowwwwwwwwww ow ow ow ow ow.” Phoenix proceeded to kick the wall continuously. “aah owwww damn pain ow help please ow hurt.” then collapsed to the floor once again in serious pain. “Take that you bastard!” Aeka screamed while Nobuyuki dragged her away. “There’s plenty more where that came from!” “Didn’t know she had it in her.” Ryoko said and started laughing like a maniac. Washu Managed to drag Phoenix back into the lab and fix him up a little. “Ya know I could heal instantly if you just gave me my armor, I mean I got two holes and plenty of bruises from that Tenchi guy and a nice gaping wound from that crazy (but beautiful) lady out there and I don’t even want to talk about that purple haired sadist out there.” Phoenix said calmly...... well as calmly as possible after bein kicked in the nuts. “That ‘crazy lady’ is my daughter” Washu said, Phoenix could see she took a lot of offense to that comment. “Oh... well uh... wait! your daughter?!?!” Phoenix realized what this meant and his eyes rolled around much like Tenchi’s did and passed out. “Now come on you two, Washu says he’s completely harmless with that thing around his neck. If he tries anything it gets tighter until he stops struggling.” Tenchi said quietly. Phoenix was just starting to wake up and regain his bearings when he remembered what Washu had said and he let out a groan. When he opened his eyes he was staring into a pair of beautiful golden eyes. “Am I in heaven?” Phoenix said completely stunned by the figure floating above him. “Come on Tenchi let me kill him, please?” Ryoko asked. “Look what he did to me Tenchi!” Ayeka whined showing Tenchi a large lump on her head. “No” Tenchi said flatly. Phoenix tried to sit up and survey his surroundings but as he moved the mechanical loop around his neck got tighter until her couldn’t breath. He fell back on the couch gasping for air while Ryoko and Aeka giggled. Tenchi gave them a stern look and averted his attention to the breathless figure before them. “Dinner will be ready in half an hour everyone!” Sasami called from the kitchen. “Ok Sasami!” “Should I set a place for him?” Sasami asked using the same cheery tone as always. Ryoko and Aeka gave Tenchi an evil look. “Yes Sasami we’re having one more for dinner tonight.” Tenchi said as he looked down at the now calm newcomer in the loud tropical shirt. “But Tenchi!” both Ryoko and Aeka said at the same time. “But nothing.” Tenchi said as he helped Phoenix to his feet. “Perhaps you should introduce yourself.” “Yes I should.” He looked around finding himself in what appeared to be a living room, and a nice one at that. Phoenix stood up straight and cleared his throat. “I am Lieutenant Phoenix, I am a bounty hunter.” he suddenly felt as if he were at an AA meeting just waiting for everyone to say ‘hi Phoenix’ in low monotone voices. “I was in search of the infamous space pirate Ryoko I got shot at bailed out attacked you guys and here I am now, can I use the facilities?” Just as he finished his sentence two more women wearing uniforms walked into the room, one of them he’d seen before. “So when I woke up there was this huge ship that just exploded right in front of me!” The blonde said. “You WHAT!? nooooooooo!! you blew up my ship! I cant believe this!” Phoenix cried out with defeat apparent in his voice. The two women stopped walking and turned to see a 6’6” man with brown hair, bright green eyes, and a loud tropical shirt on his knees looking at the ceiling and asking ‘why?’ “Uh Tenchi whose your friend?” Kiyone asked giving Phoenix a once over glance. “Yeah Tenchi he’s kinda cute!” Mihoshi said giggling. Tenchi told them the sequence of events which brought Phoenix into the Masaki home. “Oh well sorry about that Mr. Falcon, I must have fallen asleep and armed weapons” Mihoshi said with a little laugh and a sweat drop. Phoenix had finally calmed down and restrained himself even though he wanted to kill her on the spot, but with the collar and all it made thta difficult. “It’s Phoenix, and I guess its ok it doesn’t appear as if I’ll be leaving any time soon” Phoenix said trying to find a comfortable position but failed because of the handcuffs. “Can you take these handcuffs off?” he asked looking at Tenchi. “Well...” was all Tenchi could manage before Sasami called everyone to the table for dinner. Phoenix was escorted to the table by the GPs and Tenchi. After he was seated as comfortable as possible he looked over the feast before him. Phoenix decided to break the silence. “This all looks so good.... Sasami is it?” He asked “Yes and thank you, your Phoenix right?” Sasami replied with a smile. Phoenix just nodded and was just about to smile back when he noticed the stone-like glares he was receiving from the others. All he could manage was a nervous half-smile. “Well lets eat” Tenchi said trying to avoid another conflict. Everyone nodded and started eating except for Phoenix that is who struggled with the handcuffs for a minute and then gave up. This was going to be one of those silent dinners he supposed. He sat watching the others eat and when no help was apparent he decided to use one of his more useful powers. Mihoshi was just about to harpoon the last piece of sushi when it slid off the plate and hovered towards Phoenix who now appeared to be focused on the oncoming sushi. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Chapter 4: Power of the Phoenix “This is delicious Sasami! how do you do it?” Phoenix continued telekinetically feeding himself until he saw the wide eyes and gaping food-filled mouths of his captors. “Uh, is there something in my teeth?” He brought a cup of tea to his lips and sipped it carefully. “So Sasami is there any more sushi left?” Mihoshi asked completely oblivious to what was going on. “Yes Mihoshi its in the kitchen” Sasami replied without averting her attention from Phoenix who sat quietly waiting for a response from the stunned crowd. Mihoshi left the room in pursuit of more food. “Well I’ll show you how to cook if you show me how to do that Phoenix” Sasami said smiling. “Do what?” Phoenix asked picking his teeth with the end of a chopstick. “I think what Sasami means is she would like to learn how to levitate things” Yosho said from behind Phoenix. Everyone jumped. Everyone except Mihoshi who was just returning with her plate piled high with sushi. “Oh well in that case, sure Sasami I’ll teach you but I need to use my hands if I’m going to” Phoenix said still a little startled from the old man. “Oh no you wont!” Ayeka screamed finally breaking away from her trance like state. Phoenix managed to stand up without to much trouble. “I admit you have the right to be angry at me now, but” Phoenix paused making sure he had everyone’s attention. “What would you have done if you were me!? I was getting shot at by Galaxy Police! I thought I was in the Twilight Zone or something! to be perfectly honest I thought I’d landed in the middle of a harem or something! a bunch of beautiful women running around and only one man? the god’s must be crazy!” “Hey I resent that” Washu burst in. Phoenix just gave her a confused look. “Just take off the handcuffs I promise I wont try anything! I’ll do anything you ask just take them off!” Phoenix begged. “Anything?” Ryoko and Aeka said in unison. Ryoko’s right fang was showing and Aeka had a strange glint in her eyes. (Front Yard 30 minutes later) “No I won’t do it! there is no way you can get me to do it!” Phoenix had a look of disbelief and horror on his face. “Well then you’ll just have to stay in those cuffs forever now wont you?” Aeka said giggling at the unspeakable horror that was about to befall Phoenix. “Yeah what are ya scared of lil ole me?” Ryoko said laughing hysterically. “No, but......” “Then come on!” Ryoko with an evil grin on her face. The proposition was to fight Ryoko, beat her and win his freedom, lose and die. He would normally had taken the challenge willfully but this was no ordinary challenge. First of all this was the legendary space pirate Ryoko who destroyed entire worlds with her bare hands, Second he thought she was stunningly beautiful, and lastly, he’s got his frickin hands tied behind his back and no armor genius! “Very well I will fight you” he said with an obviously distressed tone. Ryoko just smiled, formed her energy sword and flew at him. ‘Concentrate’ he thought to himself as he dodged her first attack ducked under her second and was cut across the chest by the third. “Um Washu are you sure this is safe?” Tenchi asked while watching the two go at each other with the ferocity of wild animals. “Sure is Tenchi! don’t you trust the greatest scientific mind in the entire universe?” Washu replied laughing maniacally and as if she were talking to a young child who just asked a stupid question. Phoenix was being worn down fast due to his previously acquired wounds, Ryoko wasn’t giving an inch and throwing everything she had at him. Phoenix developed a plan within seconds of executing it. He ran like a scared cabbit. Ryoko just laughed at this delightful display of cowardice and teleported in front of him. She held her sword above her head prepared to bring it down and split his skull. Tenchi jumped to his feet. “What is she doing!?” Tenchi yelled to no one in particular. “Sit down Tenchi.” Washu said with a tone that scared Tenchi into sitting down. “Victory is mine!” Ryoko wailed as she brought her sword down with the swiftness of a samarai. Everyone looked away at that very second awaiting the sickening splat, but none came. What they did hear confused them all a mettalic clink. When they turned back around they saw Phoenix on top of Ryoko pinning her shoulders to the ground. “Ryoko!” Tenchi screamed. “Surrender now!” Phoenix screamed as he looked into those beautiful golden eyes, he weakened his grip on her very slightly. She welcomed this opportunity to teleport. Phoenix turned around in time to be engulfed in an earth shattering energy blast. Everyone stood in awe as the smoke slowly cleared. Ryoko hovered above with an evil smile on her face, that is until the smoke cleared and revealed what was left of Phoenix. Everyone gasped especially Ryoko who fell to her knees and put her hands over her face. Tenchi ran to her side. “Ryoko! it was an accident, I know you didn’t mean to.” She had killed again, old habits die hard. Tenchi did his best to console her but she was too shaken. “I...... I though he....would avoid it! I didn’t know.....” she wept on Tenchi’s shoulder. The truth be known she liked it, all of the hate she had built up inside her exploded into a massive deathblow that shook the mountains and darkened the sky. She was enjoying herself up until the final moment when she realized what she had done. She sat staring at the smoldering ashes that were formerly Phoenix. Ominous dark clouds formed above the scorch mark, they filled out and as the wind roared it poured rain down on all of those unfortunate enough to have witnessed the event. Everyone ran inside, Ryoko carried by Tenchi. Suddenly a bright red light pierced through the clouds and shone on the point of death. A mighty bird of fire ascended from the heavens and alighted where the light touched the earth. It stirred the ashes with its beak revealing a small red orb, then took flight once again and passed through the clouds. The orb emitted a blinding white light for a period of approximately 3 seconds. When the light subsided Phoenix had risen again. He gave himself a once over to make sure everything was in place. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Chapter 5: The Search For Ryoko “Allriiiiiiiiiight” he said to himself and headed back for the house. Rather than knock he just walked in and came face to face with Washu. “I knew it!” she said while summoning her Holo laptop and entering new information. Phoenix walked past her without a word, he was looking for his love Ryoko. He walked into the room where the others sat with a cloud of depression, not because Phoenix was dead but because Ryoko felt so bad about it. “Where is she?” Phoenix said looking around the room with a somewhat troubled look on his face. Everyone turned to him with a look of udder disbelief. “B...but how?” Tenchi managed to stutter. The others gasped and whispered to each other. “WHERE IS SHE!?” Phoenix roared which stopped all of the talking. “She l.....left...” Tenchi looked at the floor clearly disappointed with himself. “Pull yourself together man! where did she go?” Phoenix said slightly more calmly than before. “Back to the cave” Aeka said misty eyed. “Explain..” Phoenix listened to every syllable that rushed out of Aeka’s mouth. “hmmm... WASHU!” He’d picked up most of their names from Aeka’s incessant ramblings about the past. Washu floated in still typing furiously on her holo laptop. “Release my armor... Tenchi show me this cave she speaks of.” Washu hesitated a moment “NOW!” Washu vanished and returned immediately with his armor. His eyes flashed for a split second and he was wearing his armor. He turned to Tenchi “Go now.” Tenchi bolted for the door. Moments later they were standing at the mouth of the cave, Tenchi out of breath having sprinted all the way there. Phoenix walked towards the cave and Tenchi started to follow until Phoenix turned his head around and gave him a stone cold glare that froze him in his tracks. He continued into the cave as his armor fused with his skin forming the previously mentioned exoskeleton. The armor burst into flames and completely illuminated the interior of the cave. Ryoko lie on the cold, damp floor of the ominously dark cavern floor crying quietly. She heard footsteps and thought “Great here comes Tenchi to tell me ‘its all right’ and ‘you didn’t mean to do it and we all still love you’” She buried her face in her arms hiding her shame and listened to the footsteps draw closer. Had she been less upset she would have noticed the strange sound accompanying the footsteps, the sound of a sun or a comet. The footsteps stopped a few feet from her and she noticed the ground beneath her growing warmer. “Ryoko....” Phoenix said almost whispering. She heard him. Ryoko spun around half expecting a ghost, the other half expecting a horrible demon. She got both. “What the hell are you!?” Ryoko backed up astonished and created her energy sword. She then noticed the entire being was engulfed in flames. The armor retracted from Phoenix’s head and he removed it. “But how!?” “Please....sit.” Phoenix said and motioned to a fallen stalagmite. She paused for a moment and her sword vanished as she slowly walked over to the stalagmite wiping the tears from her eyes. The rest of Phoenix’s armor retracted and lay in a heap on the floor still ablaze. He sat down near her. “How.... (sobbing) how are you still here?” Ryoko asked. “Well first of all I’d like to tell you its all right and I know that you didn’t mean to kill me, But I guess I could leave that up to Tenchi.” Phoenix said with a smirk Ryoko looked into his eyes and although quite confused managed a small smile. “Second I’d like to explain why I’m here and not on my way back home with you as a trophy.” Ryoko moved away from him slowly. He turned to her and sighed. She was even more beautiful in the firelight, her amber eyes so full of life. “I.....” he couldn’t continue he knew this wasn’t going to be easy. “I.......think Tenchi loves you” he blurted out. Why couldn’t he tell her the truth? why couldn’t he tell her he loved her and she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen in his countless millennia of life. “And I couldn’t... break that up it wouldn’t be right.” “You think so!?” Ryoko said with even more life in her beautiful amber eyes and a loving smile on her face. “Yes I can see it in his body language.” All that mattered was she was happy he would give his life a billion times to spare her one second of grief. After this was said he stood and put his armor back on. “When you leave please send Tenchi in.” he said and gave her a small kiss on the cheek. She flushed and paused for a moment. “Thank you...” she said and hugged Phoenix tightly and headed for the mouth of the cave. She ran to Tenchi and kissed him passionately. Tenchi noticed that this kiss was out of love and not just flirtation. Eventually she broke off the kiss and stared into his eyes. “He said he wants to talk to you Tenchi.” Ryoko said smiling. Tenchi stood stunned from the kiss for several seconds. “Uhh...oh ok Ryoko I’ll be back in a minute.” Tenchi walked into the cave. Almost immediately the entrance collapsed. “TENCHI!” Ryoko screamed running towards the now settling rubble. She tried to phase through the rocks but a barrier prevented it. By now Tenchi was already pinned against the wall with a flaming sword at his throat and no escape. Tenchi-ken was still back at the house and all he can see is the fiery eyes of Phoenix through his exoskeleton armor. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- End Part 1 Will Phoenix kill Tenchi? Will he make Tenchi-kabobs in a white wine sauce? Will Tenchi manage to escape with his life? And what about Sasami? is she really as good a cook as they all make it seem!? Find out in Part 2 of 3 in the Phoenix Trilogy. So how’d ya like it? I don’t know how long it will take for part 2 probably a few weeks if I get good reviews maybe months if their bad (Gotta spend more time improving) I don’t know yet but I’ll let ya know. Later. If you want to criticize me go for it, say what you will but send all questions comments and hate mail to phoenixikki12@hotmail.com Once again the characters arent mine so dont sue.