A/N Ok, it took me a bit longer to retype this chapter and it'll probably
take me longer to do the next one, too, so I apologize, but that's the way
things are. Anyway, I have nothing more to say, so on with the show!
Disclaimer Own Phoenix, don't own Angel. Period.
After her little encounter with Spike, Phoenix headed back to her office, not bothering to hide her now crappy mood. When she reached her door, she threw her pile of files on the ground before reaching in her pocket for her keys. However, as her hands reached for the door handle, she noticed the door was already open. She slowly put the keys back inside her jeans jacket pocket and opened the door, stepping inside the dark room. She looked around, trying to find any hint of forced entry or anything else that might explain why the door was already open when the only people with the keys to her office were herself and the janitors.
She slowly walked further inside, her senses perked up, trying to detect even the slightest sign that someone else was still in the room. She noticed the open window, shutters clattering in the wind.
As she neared the desk that sat on the opposite end of the room, a small creaking noise was heard from behind her. Phoenix twirled around, bringing her arm around with all the strength she could muster, ready to strike. But before her fist could meet its target it was snatched out of midair by another hand, its claws digging into her skin. As blood dripped down her arm and onto the floor, Phoenix looked up, coming straight to face with a snarling Brenden.
"Hello Phoenix. Nice to see you again. Miss me?" Brenden said, his cold voice sending chills down Phoenix's back.
"No," Phoenix said through clenched teeth. She tried to yank her arm out of him grip, but that only caused him to dig his nails in deeper. Phoenix flinched, painfully muffling a small scream.
"You hurt me, Phoenix," Brenden growled. "And now it's my turn. My turn to hurt you so much, you'll never feel anything ever again. Ever."
Quick as lightning, Brenden released his grip on Phoenix's arm, but before she could back away, he flung his arm at her chest, sending Phoenix crashing into the wall behind her. She quickly got back on her feet, trying to ignore the pain crawling up her back, ready to fight back. Brenden growled, then flung himself at Phoenix once again.
Angel and Gunn sat in Angel's office, thinking about old times. Things had been so simple then. Well, as simple as things could get for a vampire with a soul and a demon-fighting street kid. Whatever, at least back then things had been clear. Good and evil. Light and dark. Day and night. Now every thing seemed gray, dusky (or dawny), and just plain confusing. Gunn wasn't even sure what time it was, he hadn't left the office and gone home in so long.
Gunn's flashback thoughts were interrupted by a large crashing noise coming from a few doors down the hall.
Angel sigh. "Pleas let that not be Spike again, I was just starting to get use to the quiet."
Gunn stood up and headed for the door, wondering what all the commotion was, since the first crash had just been followed by a second and a third one.
He walked out into the hallway and stood still, listening, trying to figure out where the noise was coming from.
"Angel," Gunn called. "I think it's coming from Phoenix's office."
Angel walked out of his office and followed Gunn down the hall towards Phoenix's room.
Phoenix layed on the ground, looking positively battered. Brenden walked towards her, a triumphant grin spreading across his face.
"And now," he whispered, bringing his face closer to Phoenix's, "you die."
Phoenix looked up, a drop of blooding rolling down the side of her face, hair hanging down across her shoulders.
"I don't think so," she said. She threw her fist back then thrust it forward. She felt it connect with the side of Brenden's skull, but before she could see the results, she jumped back to her feet, ready for Brenden's next attack. She cast a nervous glance around the room, practically feeling the walls pressing up against her. She wasn't really claustrophobic, but she knew she couldn't last long in such an enclosed space.
Before she had more time to ponder how long she could stay alive in her present state, Brenden jumped back up to his feet, throwing his fist in her direction. She dogged it, but as she straightened back up, she felt Brenden's clawed hands grabbing hold of her shoulders and she felt herself being lifted off the ground.
Soon, she was way up in the air, Brenden holding her up above his head. Phoenix felt his muscles tense underneath her as he prepared to throw her across the room. More as a reflex then as an actual move, Phoenix lifted her legs up, anchoring them against the ceiling and pushed down, using all the strength she had left. Brenden's knees buckled under the impact and he crashed down on the floor, Phoenix landing not just as neatly on the ground behind him.
Brenden straightened up to a crouch, throwing a deadly glare at Phoenix, looking like he was just about ready to tear her insides out. Then, just as he was about to jump back up, his head twitched in the direction of the door. He growled slightly and, with on last piercing glance at Phoenix, he ran to the window and jumped out of it, leaving Phoenix sprawled out the floor next to her turned-over desk.
Before Phoenix could come up with an answer as to why Brenden had just ran out, the door flew open to reveal Gunn and Angel, standing in the doorway, looking positively worried. The worry only increased when their eyes met the scene in front of them.
Phoenix pulled herself up in a sitting position, sighed, and rested her head back against the upturned desk.
Gunn and Angel looked from the Phoenix to the window to the completely trashed room before going back to Phoenix.
"What the hell just happened?" Gunn said. Way to sum up everyone's feelings.
Soon after Angel and Gunn had run in on Phoenix's little fight, the whole gang was gathered up in Angel's office once again, including Spike, who looked like he could start screaming like a little girl at any given moment. He kept throw nervous looks in Phoenix's direction, shifting around uncomfortably, and sticking unusually close to either Gunn or Angel.
Everyone sat in silence for a while as Lorne bandaged up Phoenix's arm. When he finished, he walked back to his chair and sat down, then joined everyone else by staring at Phoenix.
Suddenly, Gunn sighed loudly. "Fine, if no one else is gonna talk, I'll ask. What the hell was that thing and why the hell was it beating you up?"
Phoenix straightened and looked at Gunn offensively. "It wasn't beating me up. I just don't work well in enclosed spaces, that's all."
"Uh huh. That doesn't answer the question though," Gunn said, his face clearly saying he wasn't buying it.
Phoenix sighed. "Fine, fine. But do I really have to explain it all. Because it will take more than just telling you who he is for you guys to understand."
"Well I guess you better start talking then, Phoenickles," Lorne said.
"Alright then. Well, first of all, I owe you all an apology. I haven't been completely honest with you. Honest about me." A few questioning stares followed, but no one made a comment, so Phoenix continued.
"Well, you know that birth date you found, Wesley? Not real."
"What does that have to do with anything?" Fred asked.
Phoenix let out a small laugh. "Everything. I was born on January 19th, 1478. I changed my name when I was 36 and I've been a street slayer for more than 450 years."
A few seconds of silence followed as everyone tried to process what they had just heard.
"Ok, brain overload here. You're saying you're 525 years old?" Gunn asked incredulously.
"Yep," Phoenix nodded.
Angel shook his head, looking like he'd missed something really obvious. "I knew you looked familiar. 1821. In France. You were one of those vampire hunters that chased me and Darla out of Paris."
"Yeah. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you guys before, it's just it's not something you're used to hearing, you know, so I thought I'd just keep it a secret," Phoenix, her eyes cast downward.
"Ok, that is pretty weird, but it doesn't make sense, though. I mean, you cant just live forever, unless you're a vampire or something," Fred said, her scientist's instincts overcoming her amazement. "So how is it possible?"
Phoenix looked at Fred, and suddenly, a small breeze started blowing in Angel's office, and, to everyone's amazement, Phoenix started... blowing away. Disappearing bit by bit as her entire body seemed to be wooshed away, like a sand castle being broken apart by the wind.
As every stared at the spot where Phoenix had previously been, she reappeared the same, gradual kind of way on the arm of Fred's chair.
"That's how," she said with a half-smile.
Fred let out a small scream and jumped, nearly falling out of her chair. Everyone stared some more.
"You're a Leolus," Wesley whispered, breaking the silence.
"Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner," Phoenix said sarcastically.
"Ok, that's a lot to handle for 5 minutes' worth of conversation," Gunn said, scratching his head.
"Ok, for those of us who aren't human encyclopedias or have implanted super knowledge, could you explain exactly what a Leolus is?" Angel asked, looking completely confused.
"Mythical Greek creatures. Servant of Aeolus, the god of the wind. They have the power to control the elements of the air, as well as untangle their molecules and teleport themselves," Wesley answered in his usual encyclopedia self. "But I thought Leoluses had passed into legend long before out time."
"We passed into legend according to people like you, Wes. And for a good reason, too. It's amazing how cruel humans can be when it comes to people that are different then them. We prefer to blend in, or just remain hidden," Phoenix said.
"Ok, can we get back on topic here?" Angel asked, getting a bit impatient.
"Right," Angel said. "The attacker dude. What was up with that?" Gunn asked.
"Ok. Here comes the more complicated part of the story," Phoenix, leaning back into her chair, ready to retell her tale.
A/N Ok, I didn't have time to type the whole of the story, so I left you with kind of a cliffhanger. Mwahahahaha....hehe...it's not really a cliffhanger, but yet, I don't usually do the whole cliffhanger thing. Whatever, I hope you liked it, please review!
Disclaimer Own Phoenix, don't own Angel. Period.
After her little encounter with Spike, Phoenix headed back to her office, not bothering to hide her now crappy mood. When she reached her door, she threw her pile of files on the ground before reaching in her pocket for her keys. However, as her hands reached for the door handle, she noticed the door was already open. She slowly put the keys back inside her jeans jacket pocket and opened the door, stepping inside the dark room. She looked around, trying to find any hint of forced entry or anything else that might explain why the door was already open when the only people with the keys to her office were herself and the janitors.
She slowly walked further inside, her senses perked up, trying to detect even the slightest sign that someone else was still in the room. She noticed the open window, shutters clattering in the wind.
As she neared the desk that sat on the opposite end of the room, a small creaking noise was heard from behind her. Phoenix twirled around, bringing her arm around with all the strength she could muster, ready to strike. But before her fist could meet its target it was snatched out of midair by another hand, its claws digging into her skin. As blood dripped down her arm and onto the floor, Phoenix looked up, coming straight to face with a snarling Brenden.
"Hello Phoenix. Nice to see you again. Miss me?" Brenden said, his cold voice sending chills down Phoenix's back.
"No," Phoenix said through clenched teeth. She tried to yank her arm out of him grip, but that only caused him to dig his nails in deeper. Phoenix flinched, painfully muffling a small scream.
"You hurt me, Phoenix," Brenden growled. "And now it's my turn. My turn to hurt you so much, you'll never feel anything ever again. Ever."
Quick as lightning, Brenden released his grip on Phoenix's arm, but before she could back away, he flung his arm at her chest, sending Phoenix crashing into the wall behind her. She quickly got back on her feet, trying to ignore the pain crawling up her back, ready to fight back. Brenden growled, then flung himself at Phoenix once again.
Angel and Gunn sat in Angel's office, thinking about old times. Things had been so simple then. Well, as simple as things could get for a vampire with a soul and a demon-fighting street kid. Whatever, at least back then things had been clear. Good and evil. Light and dark. Day and night. Now every thing seemed gray, dusky (or dawny), and just plain confusing. Gunn wasn't even sure what time it was, he hadn't left the office and gone home in so long.
Gunn's flashback thoughts were interrupted by a large crashing noise coming from a few doors down the hall.
Angel sigh. "Pleas let that not be Spike again, I was just starting to get use to the quiet."
Gunn stood up and headed for the door, wondering what all the commotion was, since the first crash had just been followed by a second and a third one.
He walked out into the hallway and stood still, listening, trying to figure out where the noise was coming from.
"Angel," Gunn called. "I think it's coming from Phoenix's office."
Angel walked out of his office and followed Gunn down the hall towards Phoenix's room.
Phoenix layed on the ground, looking positively battered. Brenden walked towards her, a triumphant grin spreading across his face.
"And now," he whispered, bringing his face closer to Phoenix's, "you die."
Phoenix looked up, a drop of blooding rolling down the side of her face, hair hanging down across her shoulders.
"I don't think so," she said. She threw her fist back then thrust it forward. She felt it connect with the side of Brenden's skull, but before she could see the results, she jumped back to her feet, ready for Brenden's next attack. She cast a nervous glance around the room, practically feeling the walls pressing up against her. She wasn't really claustrophobic, but she knew she couldn't last long in such an enclosed space.
Before she had more time to ponder how long she could stay alive in her present state, Brenden jumped back up to his feet, throwing his fist in her direction. She dogged it, but as she straightened back up, she felt Brenden's clawed hands grabbing hold of her shoulders and she felt herself being lifted off the ground.
Soon, she was way up in the air, Brenden holding her up above his head. Phoenix felt his muscles tense underneath her as he prepared to throw her across the room. More as a reflex then as an actual move, Phoenix lifted her legs up, anchoring them against the ceiling and pushed down, using all the strength she had left. Brenden's knees buckled under the impact and he crashed down on the floor, Phoenix landing not just as neatly on the ground behind him.
Brenden straightened up to a crouch, throwing a deadly glare at Phoenix, looking like he was just about ready to tear her insides out. Then, just as he was about to jump back up, his head twitched in the direction of the door. He growled slightly and, with on last piercing glance at Phoenix, he ran to the window and jumped out of it, leaving Phoenix sprawled out the floor next to her turned-over desk.
Before Phoenix could come up with an answer as to why Brenden had just ran out, the door flew open to reveal Gunn and Angel, standing in the doorway, looking positively worried. The worry only increased when their eyes met the scene in front of them.
Phoenix pulled herself up in a sitting position, sighed, and rested her head back against the upturned desk.
Gunn and Angel looked from the Phoenix to the window to the completely trashed room before going back to Phoenix.
"What the hell just happened?" Gunn said. Way to sum up everyone's feelings.
Soon after Angel and Gunn had run in on Phoenix's little fight, the whole gang was gathered up in Angel's office once again, including Spike, who looked like he could start screaming like a little girl at any given moment. He kept throw nervous looks in Phoenix's direction, shifting around uncomfortably, and sticking unusually close to either Gunn or Angel.
Everyone sat in silence for a while as Lorne bandaged up Phoenix's arm. When he finished, he walked back to his chair and sat down, then joined everyone else by staring at Phoenix.
Suddenly, Gunn sighed loudly. "Fine, if no one else is gonna talk, I'll ask. What the hell was that thing and why the hell was it beating you up?"
Phoenix straightened and looked at Gunn offensively. "It wasn't beating me up. I just don't work well in enclosed spaces, that's all."
"Uh huh. That doesn't answer the question though," Gunn said, his face clearly saying he wasn't buying it.
Phoenix sighed. "Fine, fine. But do I really have to explain it all. Because it will take more than just telling you who he is for you guys to understand."
"Well I guess you better start talking then, Phoenickles," Lorne said.
"Alright then. Well, first of all, I owe you all an apology. I haven't been completely honest with you. Honest about me." A few questioning stares followed, but no one made a comment, so Phoenix continued.
"Well, you know that birth date you found, Wesley? Not real."
"What does that have to do with anything?" Fred asked.
Phoenix let out a small laugh. "Everything. I was born on January 19th, 1478. I changed my name when I was 36 and I've been a street slayer for more than 450 years."
A few seconds of silence followed as everyone tried to process what they had just heard.
"Ok, brain overload here. You're saying you're 525 years old?" Gunn asked incredulously.
"Yep," Phoenix nodded.
Angel shook his head, looking like he'd missed something really obvious. "I knew you looked familiar. 1821. In France. You were one of those vampire hunters that chased me and Darla out of Paris."
"Yeah. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you guys before, it's just it's not something you're used to hearing, you know, so I thought I'd just keep it a secret," Phoenix, her eyes cast downward.
"Ok, that is pretty weird, but it doesn't make sense, though. I mean, you cant just live forever, unless you're a vampire or something," Fred said, her scientist's instincts overcoming her amazement. "So how is it possible?"
Phoenix looked at Fred, and suddenly, a small breeze started blowing in Angel's office, and, to everyone's amazement, Phoenix started... blowing away. Disappearing bit by bit as her entire body seemed to be wooshed away, like a sand castle being broken apart by the wind.
As every stared at the spot where Phoenix had previously been, she reappeared the same, gradual kind of way on the arm of Fred's chair.
"That's how," she said with a half-smile.
Fred let out a small scream and jumped, nearly falling out of her chair. Everyone stared some more.
"You're a Leolus," Wesley whispered, breaking the silence.
"Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner," Phoenix said sarcastically.
"Ok, that's a lot to handle for 5 minutes' worth of conversation," Gunn said, scratching his head.
"Ok, for those of us who aren't human encyclopedias or have implanted super knowledge, could you explain exactly what a Leolus is?" Angel asked, looking completely confused.
"Mythical Greek creatures. Servant of Aeolus, the god of the wind. They have the power to control the elements of the air, as well as untangle their molecules and teleport themselves," Wesley answered in his usual encyclopedia self. "But I thought Leoluses had passed into legend long before out time."
"We passed into legend according to people like you, Wes. And for a good reason, too. It's amazing how cruel humans can be when it comes to people that are different then them. We prefer to blend in, or just remain hidden," Phoenix said.
"Ok, can we get back on topic here?" Angel asked, getting a bit impatient.
"Right," Angel said. "The attacker dude. What was up with that?" Gunn asked.
"Ok. Here comes the more complicated part of the story," Phoenix, leaning back into her chair, ready to retell her tale.
A/N Ok, I didn't have time to type the whole of the story, so I left you with kind of a cliffhanger. Mwahahahaha....hehe...it's not really a cliffhanger, but yet, I don't usually do the whole cliffhanger thing. Whatever, I hope you liked it, please review!