Fan Fiction ❯ Phoenix's Rise ❯ Old Friends Return ( Chapter 15 )

Chapter 15

 

Old Friends Return

 

Phoenix checked her room. Pillows under her blankets made it look like she was still sound asleep, her newly stringed guitar was laying in its open case. Sighing, she laid her necklace and communicator bracelet under her pillow, along with a note asking the other Titans to not follow her.

 

Phoenix flew out of her room, it was 2am, by the time she found the cave . . . it was nearly sunrise. Instead of storming into the cave right away, she sat down in some trees, and ate a slice of cold pizza that she'd brought with her in a small back-pack. “Okay, time to settle this.” She tossed the bag to the ground, and heard a muffled clink. Inside of the bag was a small, blinking, disk . . . one of Robin's tracking devices.

 

“I heard you moving around early this morning. I'm the one who slipped that in your bag.” Robin walked up behind Phoenix. “Why did you try to ditch us?”

 

“Why did you leave without the others?” Phoenix snapped back.

 

“To get you to come back. We were wrong to doubt you before . . . but we're still a team no matter what happens. Even when one person gets mad . . . we're still a team.” Robin explained calmly.

 

“I'm not quitting . . . I'm just assigning myself a solo mission.” Phoenix growled.

 

“Relax, we just don't want you to get into something that you can't handle. Especially when you leave your communicator in your room.” Robin handed Phoenix her braclet.

 

“How sweet . . . I think I'm going to barf!” Whiteout appeared with a sneer on his face. “You couldn't wait to see me again, huh?”

 

Phoenix's hair ignited. “Yah, I never had a chance to thank you for my all-expenses-paid vacation to prision. So tell me, do you want your butt kicked now or later?” The sun's light broke through the tree tops, and landed on Phoenix.

 

<Hi Ashley, long time no see. What's going on? Who's this guy? Do you want my help?> Sorora awoke, and fluttered her wings in the spirit/dream world she was resting in.

 

Nobody but Phoenix heard Sorora, nobody else knew the legendary bird had awakened, so nobody knew why Phoenix did what she did. “Come on out and play! Phoenix form!”

 

Sorora was hovering in the air where Pheonix had been. She was glaring Whiteout. <Hmmm . . . enie, menie, miney, mo! I'm going to fry you, you little villan!> Sorora beat her wings together on a down-beat, and sent a wall of fire in Whiteout's direction.

 

“Ahhhh!” The boy looked down, and noticed that he was short a hand. “You dumb bird! You'll wish you never did that!” He sent a huge barage of ice crystals flying at the bird.

 

<Nope, I don't think so.> Sorora melted the missle half-way. <Now are you ready to quit?>

 

“Never!”

 

<Fine have it your way.> Sorora flew up above the trees, absorbing the sunllight, and that caused her to appear as if she was made of flame. <Buh-bye.> Sorora beat her wings together again, and with a hissing sound . . . a humongous fireball fell to the forest floor, only incinerating its target.

 

“So Whiteout is gone?” Raven asked after Robin and Phoenix had told what happened, and Sorora was introduced.

 

<You're doubting me?> Sorora retorted in a hurt tone. She had returned to the spirit realm, but scould still hear and speak to everyone.

 

“Nobody's doubting you . . . we just know that Whiteout is tricky.” Robin replied, knowing how damaging doubts could be to friendships.

 

<I'll have you know that I don't Miss, and even if that traitor turned into some other form . . . those flames were ment for him, and they destroyed only him.> Sorora preened her feathers smugly.

 

“Dude, can you toast marshmellows?” Beast Boy asked.

 

Sorora shook her head. <Phoenix, is he always this . . . ummmmmm . . . simple?> She asked, only allowing Phoenix to hear.

 

Yep, pretty much. He's so simple, he makes an ameba look complex. Phoenix giggled.

 

“So, are we gonna go say `hi' to slae or what?” Cyborg asked. “I'm gettin' to miss that guy . . . been a while since we've seen him.”

 

“I would also like to settle the dispute between ourselves and Slade, but I feel a need for nourishment.” Starfire spoke up.

 

“Everyone get a quick bite to eat, and then we're going to go. I'll take the R-cycle. Cyborg; you and the others go with the T-car, so nobody gets tired out from flying.” Robin ordered in his usual way.

 

<Phoenix, why did you go off on your own this morning? You were all going to go together.> Sorora asked privately.

 

I don't know . . . it was something I needed to do. Phoenix replied, trying not to touch the subject.

 

<You can't stay mad at the Titans forever. If you do, you'll wind up quitting sooner or later. Haven't you heard the term: forgive and forget?>

 

Yes I have, but I can't let it go entirely . . . not yet. I need that barier to keep my feelings in check.

 

<What feelings? Tell me . . . please!>

 

There are two things, and I'm only going to tell you one. I think the girl who got turned into stone, Terra, is my cousin. She dissapeared a few years ago, and nobody knows what happened to her.

 

<After you destroy Slade, I can revive the girl who got turned into stone.> Sorora spoke up in a wide-ranged comment.

 

Beast Boy turned to face Phoenix. “Can she really?”

 

<Phoenix tail-feathers are able to revive anyone from any state. Quite a useful atribute if I'm allowed t ostate my opinion.> Sorora ruffled her feathers, and blinked her eyes smugly.

 

“Don't pay any attention to her . . . she's full of it.” Phoenix giggled as Sorora squacked indignantly.

 

Everyone else in the car began to laugh too, and Sorora became even more embarrassed. <Y'know I am a highly respected, magical creature. I was created by the Sun itself! I've had cities named after me . . . you should respect me as well!>

 

“Yah, we'll respect you when you're out here where you can actually be considered a threat. Whoa . . . why'd Robin stop?” Cyborg slammed on the T-car's brakes.

 

Ahead, in the middle of the road, stood Slade, and he was very angry. “I send my apprentice to check for you medlesome Titans, and you destroy him! Which one of you did it? You'll be the very first to go!”

 

<I did! Phoenix, if you'll help me?> Sorora grinned as well as a bird can.

 

“My pleasure. Phoenix form!” Phoenix dissapeared, and Sorora was left hovering in the air.

 

“What? Impossible! Phoenixes never choose spirit carriers!” Slade was beyond astonished, but he was still angry.

 

<Well, I did. Do you have a problem with that?> Sorora came to a rest on the T-car's hood. She was the typical size for her kind, about the size of a full-grown bald eagle. Her head and neck were a lot like a swan's, but designed to be more of a weapon.

 

“Titans, go!” Robin yelled, and all of the Titans rushed forwards.

 

Slade chuckled. “Always the same . . . so predictable. Well, you aren't the only ones who have a new magic trick. White-storm!” Slade dissapeared, and Whiteout stood in his place.

 

<How? I destroyed you!> Sorora squacked.

 

The voice that replied was a lifeless combination of Whiteout's and Slade's. “You did destroy my human side, but there's more to me than what meets the eye!” Whiteout's body began to pulse with color. Blues, greens, and reds danced and swirled as Whiteout appeared less and less human, and more and more like a dragon.

 

“Not again!” Raven groaned.

 

“Aren't you glad to see me?” Malchior was much bigger than he had been before. “I was hoping that I would get to see you again, sweet Raven. When the imbicile, who's dark soul I've abosrbed, met my human self . . . I knew it would be the perfect way to destroy all of you!”

 

<Phoenix, I think you can handled this for now! Human form.> Sorora reversed the transformation, and Phoenix was left sitting on the T-car's hood. <Did I ever tell you that I'm part chicken?>

 

“We can talk about your heritage later. Right now, I think we needto handle a mythical pain problem.” Phoenix glared at the dragon. This time around, Malchior was about five stories tall.

 

“Any ideas?” Robin asked, looking each teammate in the eyes.

 

Raven nodded. “We fight.”