Summery: Phoenix is an original character from my original canon, acting as a extra-canonical dimension hopper. She has been my proxy when writing in worlds from different media when I don't have a story idea but want to write in anyway. More information on her can be found on my DeviantART account in the first folder of my gallery. You can also find a reference picture for her there if my descriptions aren't enough. Her human form has yet to be drawn but if you look up Ancient Greek fashion, you'll see examples of the dress she wears as a human. Her multi-colored hair as a human is a result of her canon backstory where the circumstances of her creation rendered her base form's ability to transform corrupted, giving her hair eight colored stripes to correspond with the scales on her back, instead of her base color of silver. Thank you for reading. I'm testing the waters with putting this challenge up on this site but if it does well, I'll start adding the rest. All of them can be found in the Dissidia Final Fantasy Challenge folder as well.
Phoenix was wandering around in her human form for a change of pace. There was a lull in the fighting so she was taking the time to seek out her friends. She had entered a forest when she felt something nearby. She followed her senses and peered around a tree. She cocked an eyebrow when she saw Firion, a young man in armor and a weapons master. He looked like hell, as if he had been fighting recently. In fact, the environment showed damage from his various weapons. "Firion?" she inquired, stepping out from behind the tree. The warrior looked up to see her and his face reddened a bit. Phoenix chose not to say anything. Firion was known as a man who was rather shy around women. Phoenix was a chimera able to take a human form and she could sense his feelings regarding her. She wouldn't call it love but it was a deep-rooted respect and admiration with a dash of an intense crush to round it out. It was rather sad, though. Firion seemed to have convinced himself that the woman was the true appearance than the chimera. Still, it was overall harmless so she had been content to let him think however he wished. "Greetings, Phoenix." he said, getting over his habitual slack-jawed look whenever they crossed paths when she was human.
"Were you fighting? Are you hurt?" Phoenix asked, approaching and coming to rest on her knees. "No...I wasn't fighting. Just...working out some frustration." Firion replied, unable to look her in the face for long. Phoenix narrowed her eyes a bit. While she left him to his not-so-hidden feelings in the past, it still kind of annoyed her that she was the only one who elicited these sorts of reactions from him. He could speak and maintain eye contact just fine with Lightning, Tifa, and Yuna. Sighing, she stood, taking his wrist as she did. "Whoa!" Firion said, as she easily pulled him to his feet and started dragging him off. It was just one more way of showing she wasn't human. Her natural strength was that of a horse-like being after all. "What's going on?" he asked. "I feel like doing something nice for you, Firion." was all she said.
The pair found themselves at a large pond within the forest. Phoenix let go of his wrist then and knelt down by the water. "Mind taking off your cape and armor?" came the question. Her intentions plain, the leigeman just blinked for a moment before sighing. He unclasped his cape, removed his turban, and took off his chest plate. Sitting there in the shirt he wore underneath, Firion tried to relax as Phoenix moved behind him and started working out some kinks in his shoulders. "Start talking, Firion. I've outright ignored what I've been sensing from you for quite some time but I think it's time for me to get to the root of the issue. What exactly are you thinking about?" she asked. The young man tensed slightly but he soon sighed, letting his head dip down. Phoenix just waited patiently, her fingers deftly pulling his hair band out so she could massage his neck and scalp easier. His silver hair was soft. "Do you...remember how we met?" he asked. As if Phoenix could forget. She was one of the Emperor's prime targets. Mateus was Firion's enemy, hailing from whatever world they came from. Phoenix had ended up getting caught in a trap by the Emperor who had ambushed her in a human form with the intention of subduing her and taking her to Chaos. His explanation went along the lines of her abilities being useful.
The young warrior in front of her just happened to stumble upon them and battled it out with his enemy to save her. After defeating him, Firion spirited her away and the rest was history. The Emperor had been hounding her hooves ever since. Her breath hitched when Firion's hand snagged hers from his shoulder. He turned his light brown eyes to look at her violets, his face red. "Ever since that day, I've felt this need to keep you safe." he said. Phoenix's face remained neutral as his eyes fell to the hand he still held. "Firion...is the woman you see before you all you see? Do you deny what I really am?" she as. "I don't mean to." was his only defense. Phoenix sat on her heels as he ducked his face down again, his thumb subconsciously running across the back of her hand. She didn't have the heart to pull away. Firion knew she was more powerful than most would give her credit for in either form. She had the appearance of a delicate woman but all her false form did was hide what she truly was: a potentially dangerous animal who needed no protection unless the odds were stacked against her.
Phoenix came to the realization that he was as much a knight as the Warrior of Light was. He had only her safety in mind because that was who he was but he didn't think her weak per say. It was only his youth in comparison to the Warrior's that made him a bit more protective. The Warrior recognized her strength and let her handle herself in a fight. Firion was ruled by his heart in this case, lending to his desire to protect her. "For what it's worth, Firion, I'm flattered. I don't understand humans very well and I find some of your hang-ups to be rather odd but that's what makes you special." she said. The young man looked up at her in surprise. "You mean...you don't find me silly or insulting?" he asked, his hand tightening slightly on hers. "Not at all. A strong-willed female human might find your attitude to be an insult but I'm a creature who recognizes and values a man's pure desire to keep those he cares about safe. It's part of who you are. I don't like being coddled, true, but I don't mind being helped by a human if needed. I'm strong and powerful but I'm not invincible." she said.
Firion let a small smile cross his features, his eyes looking at the hand he held. Her skin was inhumanly soft, just another trait as unnatural as her multi-hued hair. "Phoenix...do you still find your existence to be a crime against life?" he asked, softly. Phoenix tilted her head, wondering what brought that on. Her memories of her homeworld were very few and far between but she had come to the conclusion that a creature like her couldn't exist anywhere as a natural entity. "Hard to say anymore, truth be told. I think I've come to terms with what I am, just as long as you also come to terms with it." she said. Firion's face became a shade of red again as he looked into her eyes. "I know it's hopeless, maybe impossible for me to court you but...can I ask for one thing?" he asked. In spite of herself, Phoenix's heart started to pound a bit. She wondered if it was the shadow of the memories from her homeworld because the look in the young man's eyes seemed very familiar. Still, what his eyes were asking was something she could not allow.
"Your eyes betray you. You wish to give me your heart, even if I don't give mine in return. I can't allow that. You must remind yourself that this..." she said, using her free hand to indicate her body, "is only a shadow. This isn't the real me. If anything, I'm just a distraction you can't afford." she finished. Firion deflated but he slowly let go of her wrist. "I know...I'm sorry that I keep putting you on the spot like this. It's not very gentlemanly of me." he said, quietly. Phoenix considered him for a couple minutes as he closed his eyes in an attempt to get his thoughts in order. She decided that...perhaps she could grant him his wish. She took Firion's face in her hands, startling him a bit, before pushing her lips to his. The young man froze, eyes wide, as she kissed him. But after a few seconds, he started to reciprocate and his hand came up to lightly touch her jaw. When she pulled back, she couldn't help but grin at how red Firion's face was. His brown eyes looked at her. "Let that be the end of this, my friend. I have given you a gift to carry you through your battles but I...we can't happen. Because no matter how much you wish it, I can never be human." she said.
Getting to her feet, Phoenix turned in place, taking on her true form as she did. She started walking off when she heard Firion scramble to his feet. "Wait." he said. She turned her horned head to look back at him. "Thank you. I'll work hard to keep going and I apologize again if I was...distracted." he said. Phoenix nodded before looking up at the tree canopy in thought. Firion tilted his head in curiosity, wondering if she had something more to say. She then audibly chuckled, shaking her head. "Firion...don't lose that kind heart of yours. As for myself, I think the next time we run into each other, it will be as man and beast. Things are looking rough right now with those manikins running around. It will be easier for you to bury whatever you're feeling when you see me as I am now. Just something to think about." she said, before walking off. Firion watched her go before turning to look over the pond. He started pondering why the Emperor was so fixated on the creature.