Byakko
Chris carefully pulled his car against the curb near the entrance to the pet shop. As he climbed out he noticed Howell's blue sedan parked further down the street. He walked over to entrance and knocked quietly. The door slid open and the Count stood there staring at him curiously.
"How did it go Christopher?" he inquired. Chris wordlessly handed him Genbu's bundle and followed him to the compass room. The Count gingerly placed the bag on the northern pillar.
"Now what happens?" asked Chris.
"We wait for Byakko," replied the Count, "Would you care for some tea and perhaps some lemon tarts?"
"Maybe later," suggested a gruff voice from the shadows, "I'm not hungry right now." They both turned to see Howell lounging against the wall in the nearby shadows, his gun drawn but down by his side.
"I thought you'd never come," said the Count cheerfully.
"Cut the crap," growled Howell as he lit one of scented cigarettes, "Just tell us what we need to know."
"Is this official Bureau business?" inquired the Count with a trace of smugness.
"Nope, we're off the clock," stated Howell leisurely, "So you can level with us."
"What do you want to know?" asked the Count with a faint sigh.
"Just tell me where you father is," demanded Howell.
"Father?" stated the Count, "I haven't seen him for years." Howell raised his gun.
"Wrong answer," he said quietly.
"Wait!" protested Chris.
"This Count is very slick," warned Howell, "Don't fall prey to his spell."
"That's not very nice," said the Count huffily, "Although I am curious where you got the incense for your cigarettes."
"Incense?" gasped Chris, his blue eyes widening. He drew his own gun and aimed it at Howell.
"What the hell are you doing kid?" he protested, "It's the Count we're after!"
"What are you really?" demanded Chris, "Only the pets in this shop use that kind of incense!"
"Smoking the incense was clever though," admitted the Count.
"Shut up!" snarled Howell.
"You're not human," stated Chris grimly.
"No I'm not kid," said Howell lowering his gun slowly, "Master Leon wanted me to keep an eye on you."
"My brother is your master?" asked Chris with a gulp. Howell nodded and holstered his gun.
"Agent Howell died twenty years ago fighting this freak's grandfather," he explained, "Only his father and Master Leon survived."
"So why do you look like him?" demanded Chris as he holstered his own gun.
"My master felt guilty for not saving him," he replied, "That guilt created a wish which I granted."
"So who are you really?" repeated Chris, numb with shock.
"He's Byakko the white tiger of course," explained the Count helpfully.
"You still here?" snapped Howell grouchily as he flung his metallic lighter across the room. It landed neatly on western pillar.
The room began to shake and rumble as the pillars retracted into the floor, each bearing a treasure. The room moved up into ceiling as the roof levitated away. They found themselves standing on top of a windswept mesa surrounded by ancient natural towers that had been created by eons of erosion. Howell vanished and rose out from a puddle of quicksilver on the western pillar. Chris saw Honlon appear over the eastern pillar in a swirl of water and Genbu appeared over the northern pillar in a cloud of dust. A fiery wind swirled over the southern pillar and Chris took a fearful step back.
Hovering over the southern pillar was Scott Moody, wreathed in flames.
"Good, all the four sacred beasts are here," stated the Count formally with a bow, "I hope you find your reunion productive."
"Count!" hissed Chris as he urgently tugged at the Count's sleeve.
"Not now," whispered the Count in annoyance, "I'm welcoming the sacred beats." Chris stabbed a trembling finger at the southern pillar. The Count followed his gaze and frowned.
"That's Suzaku the firebird," he stated, "What's your point?"
"No it isn't!" yelled Chris as he drew his pistol, "That's the man I killed!"
"Do not interrupt the reunion, mortal!" chided Genbu sternly, "Now can we come to an agreement about the state of humanity?"
"Humans can be kind and caring," said Junrei hesitantly as she shyly met Chris' gaze, "I think they can be saved from destruction."
"That's wishful thinking Seiryu," said Howell with irritation, "For twenty years I've seen the ugly side of these humans you cherish."
"So you don't find any of them worthy to live Byakko?" asked Genbu.
"Only a chosen few should be spared from the onslaught," Howell stated gruffly, "What about yourself?"
"I cultivate the goodness in humans, one heart at a time," replied the old man warmly.
"That's a drop in the bucket!" protested Howell angrily.
"Don't give up of them yet," begged Junrei quietly.
"What do you think Suzaku?" added Genbu.
"What happened?" asked Scott as he opened his eyes slowly, "Am I in hell?"
"You have been reborn as the phoenix," explained Howell, "You are no longer human."
"What about Suzy?" demanded Scott with a horrified expression.
"She has gone to ashes," stated Genbu, "She must have given her spirit of flame to you."
"Congratulations Mister Moody," said the Count, "You have acquired the gift of immortality."
"No!" he roared, flames erupting around him, "I don't want to live without her!"
"Come, come, don't make such a fuss," said Genbu archly, "You should be grateful for her gift."
"Screw that!" snapped Scott, his eyes glowing red, "I'll burn this world to a cinder!" Chris stood in front of him with his pistol raised.
"Not if I can help it!" he yelled, "Don't make me shoot you again!" Scott chuckled menacingly as he stepped off the pillar. Chris fired a warning shot that passed through his arm. Fiery golden blood spilled out of the wound, which slowly began to close up. Scott grabbed the muzzle of the gun, which began to glow red hot. Chris cried out in pain and slumped to his knees as he grasped his burnt hand in pain.
"I always liked you Chris," Scott whispered lovingly into his ear, "That's why I'll spare you." He glanced over to see Honlon standing in his way.
"Leave Chris alone or I'll fricassee your ass!" snarled Kanan.
"Take your best shot dragon lady!" retorted Scott as he spread his arms wide.
"Kanan, you'd better not," began Shuko.
"Shut up, both of you!" roared Kanan as she breathed out a torrent of flame that enveloped Scott. Chris had to roll out of the way to avoid being singed. The flames subsided, revealing Scott unhurt, standing on a burnt patch of ground.
"He's a creature of fire you dope!" complained Shuko in exasperation, "Junrei, you'll have to use your water breath!"
"I c-can't," said Junrei, immobilized with fear.
"Fine, just stand there and die then," said Scott as he gathered flames in the palms of his hands. Chris ran over and stood in the way.
"Leave her alone!" he protested.
"I don't want to kill you Chris," said Scott darkly, "But I will if I have to."
"Chris, please run for it!" begged Junrei tearfully. He turned to her and smiled ruefully.
"I won't leave you alone again," he said, "I promise."
Scott launched a fireball straight at Chris as he felt himself being lifted off the ground. The fireball roared harmlessly under his feet. Chris looked up to see the green three headed dragon carrying him aloft by a claw.
"Chris, are you alright?" asked the right head. He nodded
As the wind whistled around him, Chris looked down and saw the Count with a white tiger and ancient looking giant tortoise leisurely watching the fight. A huge bird with flame colored plumage streaked straight towards them. The center head breathed an electrical bolt that knocked the bird back, screeching.
"Junrei, now or never!" roared Kanan.
The bird flew up towards them again and gathered a gigantic fireball that shot straight at them. The right head breathed out a powerful stream of water that doused the fireball and kept going, drenching the bird in an ice-cold torrent. He howled in pain and spiraled to the earth, making a large impact crater in the ground. Honlon set Chris gently on the ground. Chris noticed he could see the four sacred beats in human form again.
"Wow, you're really powerful Junrei," he stated admiringly as he patted her head.
"Oh, n-not really," she stammered, blushing furiously. The Count slowly approached the smoldering crater where Scott lay writhing in pain, smoke rising from his clothing.
"Just finish me off," he groaned, looking like a drowned rat.
"Spare me your self-pity Mister Moody," said the Count in irritation, "Besides, you're immortal now."
"I never wanted this," he croaked.
"How did Suzy die?" asked Chris.
"The man who hired me wanted her for himself," said Scott sadly, "He sent some goons after her."
"And they killed her?" inquired Shuko.
"No, she managed to fly away," replied Scott, "But it was raining heavily that day and got caught in the downpour."
"That would explain the bodies you left behind," mused Chris, "Your work on those goons was sloppy."
"She was dying when I got to her," said Scott as he sat up painfully, "She breathed out a strange blue flame that I felt enter my body."
"She should have been reborn in her ashes," explained the Count, "But instead she chose to give her spirit of flame to you."
"Why did she do that?" wondered Chris.
"She saw something in me that nobody else ever saw," said Scott hanging his head, "Maybe a kindred spirit or something."
"Another creature of flame," clarified Shuko noting his tattoos.
"Well I think you'll make a fine phoenix," said Chris rubbing his injured hand, "Just don't fry the world, okay?" Scott got up and shuffled over to the southern pillar where he picked up the cylinder.
"You say I have the spirit of flame now?" he inquired. The Count nodded. Scott unscrewed the cap and poured the ashes onto the ground.
"Wait, what are you doing?" demanded Chris. Scott laughed and breathed out a blue flame that coalesced into a ball of fire. It settled on top of the ashes and erupted into a pillar of flames that Chris had seen once before. Sitting in the middle of the ashes sat a tiny baby bird, with flame-colored feathers and bright blue eyes. Scott gently scooped up the chick and caressed its soft downy feathers.
"This is for the best Suzy," he said reassuringly, "The vampire will take good care of you."
"She will be raised with love and kindness," promised the Count. Scott looked down at his hands and noticed they were crumbling into a fine white ash. Scott Moody smiled up at Chris apologetically as he disintegrated into a cloud of dust.
"Wait!" yelled Chris. He then sighed in defeat. The Count gently scooped up the baby chick.
"You can't always rescue those who don't want to be saved," he said.
"Our reunion has ended," announced Genbu.
"Until we gather again," stated Howell.
"We could have used your help guys!" groused Kanan.
"It was not our fight," said Genbu, "Fear not though, humanity will be permitted to live."
"For now," added Howell ominously.
"Wait, what about my brother?" asked Chris, "Where is he now?"
"When I find him you'll be the first to know," said Howell with a faint grin, "See you later kid." Both Genbu and Howell vanished in flashes of light.
Junrei tore off part of the hem of her dress and carefully bandaged Chris' wounded hand.
"You could have been killed Chris," she stated tearfully.
"Don't worry, I'm tough," he said rubbing his head, "The Orcots have thick hides."
"Please don't die," she pleaded, grasping his good hand.
"Well, I'm not planning on it anytime soon," he said half-jokingly.
"So much trouble," said the Count as he stroked the baby bird's head, "Humans have coveted the phoenix for centuries."
"Yeah," said Chris.
"Strange that she chose such an unworthy master," he added.
"But he saved her twice," said Chris, "Maybe she could see his value even if he couldn't."
"Well, perhaps then he will be reborn as well," said the Count, "And if he comes to this shop, she'll be waiting for him."
"I hope so," said Chris thoughtfully.
"Well I for one am ravenous," exclaimed the Count, "How about we partake of those scrumptious lemon tarts?"
"Sounds good to me," replied Chris.
Together they made their way back into the shop.
The End