Chapter 5

As the people filed onto the bus Phoenix looked up to see a familiar face, two actually.

"Rin!" she exclaimed, "Sesshomaru!" They both looked up, She was hugging Rin before either of them could react.

"Phoenix!" yelped Rin, astonished. Phoenix pulled away, grinning,

"Yep!" Two arms encircled her shoulders,

"Hey Phoenix," murmured a voice in her ear, "It's been a while." Her eyes widened in recognition.

"Lynx!" she squealed, spinning around and hugging him. The continued abrupt changes in her behavior really creeped out everyone.

"Could you please sit down?" asked the bus driver. The two turned toward the front.

"Yes, General!" they said in unison. They grinned at each other. Phoenix turned toward Kagome,

"Hey, I'm gonna go sit with Lynx for a while okay?" She didn't wait for an answer, and they sat down near the others. They spoke in hushed tones. Kagome looked curiously at them. Draco shook his head,

"Don't bother them, they haven't seen each other in years." He told them dismissively.

"Years?" asked Inuyasha. Kagome looked confused,

"I've know you guys since we were like One year olds. How come I've never met him?"

Draco smiled mysteriously,

"I don't know maybe she liked him." Kagome choked, staring at him in disbelief.

"No way-"

"Is it true!" demanded Rin, looking over the seats and resting her head on her arms.

"I have no idea." He replied nervously, rubbing the back of his head. The girls looked dully at him.

"Draco, you're no fun!" whined Leigh, leaning back into her seat with a huff.

"Hey guys!" whispered Phoenix, suddenly appearing right next to Kagome who had the aisle seat. Kagome shrieked in surprise and Phoenix successfully freaking out everyone but Draco.

"What?" asked Miroku shaken by her sudden appearance.

"Yeah, about that. Um, we can hear every word you're saying and it's getting annoying." She stabbed Draco with a piercing glare, "And you," she grabbed his ear, "Stop trying to spread rumors about me and Lynx, ok? Or else…" the rest was whispered in his ear but they got the picture.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good boy." She returned to Lynx and they continued talking, one or the other occasionally fingering something under their shirts that glinted.

"Please excuse the interruption, but we are about to stop for the night, so please take your bags and wait to hear the rooms you are assigned to and with." Announced the bus driver. Phoenix returned to her old seat, packing up everything,

"So," asked Miroku slyly, "Did you do anything?" Phoenix looked up and smiled,

"What could we have done? You guys kept staring at us." Kagome flinched, avoiding her eyes.

"See?"

"Humph, you guys are just no fun." Complained Leigh. Phoenix stuck her tongue out at her,

"Each of you will be assigned a room with three other people." Began the bus driver, reading from a paper, "You will not to be allowed to leave your rooms after 11:00. No excuses. Here are your assignments,

Room 300, Draco Draconis, Inuyasha Morimoto, Miroku Karazana and Zeke Lynx;

Room 301, Phoenix Draconis, Leigh Reesa, Sango Hiraona, Rin Hiriganzawa;" The girls looked at each other as the bus driver continued. Kagome wasn't going to be with them! Phoenix turned to Draco, looking at him urgently. Draco nodded, his eyes wide. This was not good!

"What are we going to do!" hissed Phoenix quietly. Draco shook his head,

"We can't do anything. All we can co is hope that she won't get into trouble or that if she does we can get to her before anything happens." Phoenix nodded slowly,

"I'll put a shield and a tracer on her just in case." Draco nodded.

"Hey Phoenix, wanna hang out until curfew?" asked Lynx as they walked toward their rooms. Phoenix laughed,

"Sorry. I can't." She replied, "I have to do something until curfew. Maybe tomorrow."

"Okay. I want to know everything there is to know about your guy." Demanded Kagome, crossing her arms as she sat down next to Phoenix who was dozing on her stomach, on one of the four beds.

"Huh? Oh…he's just a friend. A very good friend, but a friend just the same." Replied Phoenix drowsily.

"We can see that. We want to know everything. His birthday, how old he is; the works." Interjected Sango, as she sat on the other side of the bed.

"Well, He's 16. His birthday is February 29, 1989. We met when we were in elementary school." Replied Phoenix, her voice was slightly muffled do to the fact that she was burying her head into the pillow.

"Yeah, Phoenix that's really helpful." Grumbled Leigh. Phoenix only shrugged.

"So what have you been doing since we left?" asked Draco quietly. Lynx shrugged,

"After you two left to go be with Kagome, they found out that I was one too. The only problem, they have no idea who the other victim is." (A/N: I know this sounds weird/ confusing but all shall be explained later ;))

"Do you know?" asked Draco, looking curiously at Lynx.

"Yes. I felt it before I got on the bus."

"Who?" demanded Draco. Lynx chuckled,

"Are you going to tell the others?"

"I'm not sure yet."

"Alright." He pointed toward a silver-haired back.

"Really. Are you sure?"

"Humph. Are you sure that Kagome is yours?" He countered. Draco chuckled,

"My apologies."

"You're forgiven." Replied Lynx dismissively.

"Do you know who the other one is?"

"No. Us guys can't sense for others."

"Ah yes. So true." Laughed Draco.

"You'll ask Phoenix, won't you?" asked Lynx after a pause.

"Yes. But she might not want to look for the other one. She has become very rebellious of the Council." Sighed Draco.

"Good for her. I wouldn't want to be separated from my parents either." Laughed Lynx.

"Neither do I. But I do not intentionally go against the Council." Retorted Draco. Lynx chuckled,

"Draco, you're never any fun. Always obeying the wishes of the Council, whether or not you agree with them. Mr. Goody-two-shoes." He teased. Draco raised his eyebrows,

"I obey the Council because they are right."

"Whatever dude. You keep telling yourself that."

"Hey Draco? Could you help me with something real quick?" Asked Phoenix, peering into the room.

"Sure." Replied Draco, standing up. Phoenix nodded and walked back to her room.

"Where are the girls?" he asked as he followed her into the room and closed the door.

"At the pool. It took me forever to get them to let me stay behind." Replied Phoenix. She took off her shirt, "Could you please re-bind them? They are really starting to ache." She turned her back to him, revealing a tiny pair of feathered wings. They twitched, rubbing against the leather bindings that pressed them against her back.

"I can't wait until we get to the school." Sighed Phoenix, rubbing her shoulders.

"You shouldn't have Shifted in the first place."

"Aw man, not again! I was eight Draco! Eight! How was I supposed to know that flying into a forest could get me captured!"

"You should've paid more attention." He replied absently as he undid the bindings. Phoenix sighed in bliss, her wings stretching in and out.

"What the-!" yelped a voice. The two turned eyes wide in shock. Kagome and the others stood in the doorway, staring at the two. Phoenix stared at the two continuing however, to stretch her wings.

"Phoenix….Are those wi-wings?" gasped Rin, staring at the wings. Phoenix winced,

"Yes."

"That's awesome!" screeched Leigh suddenly, rushing into the room. Phoenix stared at her.

"When were you going to tell us, Phoenix?" asked Sango, suspiciously.

"When we got the school. I was going to wear one of my own T-shirts." Replied Phoenix nervously, looking to Draco for help. He only shook his head before making a quick getaway. Phoenix glared after him before she was suddenly swarmed by the girls and bombarded with questions. Phoenix was completely out of her element, not used to being the center of attention. Draco returned to his and the other guys room.

"So anything happen between you two?" asked Miroku, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. Draco gave him a withering look and didn't comment. Shrieking and yelling was heard from across the hall.

"What's going on over there?" asked Inuyasha curiously opening the door. Phoenix suddenly bolted from the girl's room; sprinting to the elevator and pressing the button frantically. The other girls ran after her, Phoenix's eyes widened like a deer in the headlights and she sprinted for the stairs.

"Help meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" echoed from the stairway as the girls raced after her.

"What's going on?" asked Inuyasha numbly. Draco smirked,

"They found out her secret, and she's afraid of that."

"What's her secret?" He asked, dumbly.

"Ask her that," He paused, "If you can catch her." he flopped onto his bed.

Phoenix wheezed, she had been running from those harpies for the last 10 minutes.

"W-why won't they just give up?" she rasped, hands on her knees.

"Because we want to know how you got them." Said a voice. Phoenix tried to bolt, but Sango caught her by the arm.

"Tell us." Demanded Rin, crossing her arms.

"Why, you want 'em?" she asked, annoyed. The girls thought about it for a minute before nodding,

"Yes."

"Sorry, girls but you have to be a Shapeshifter to get wings like this." She replied, astonished that they really wanted wings.

"How do you become one?" asked Sango.

"FIVE MINUTES TO CURFEW!" Announced a voice. A hotel worker stood near them,

"You guys should get back to your rooms."

"Of course." Replied Phoenix, straightening and walking toward the elevator, "You guys coming?" she called over her shoulder. They followed her reluctantly.

"We aren't going to let this go." Muttered Leigh to Phoenix, "we want to know." Phoenix chuckled softly. She lay down on the bed, flat on her stomach and drifted off to sleep, barely aware that the other girls were talking.

5:30 A.M. The next day

"Come on you guys! We're going to be late!" shouted Phoenix at the other girls.

"Late for what?" grumbled Sango.

"Five more minutes." Muttered Rin, clutching her pillow.

"Nooo, I can't go to school! I don't feel good!" whined Leigh. Phoenix laughed,

"We have half an hour to get ready before the bus leaves!" Instantly the girls were awake.

"WHAT!" they screeched, they were on their feet in seconds, rushing around in an attempt to get ready. Phoenix watched all of them from the doorway, laughing at them.

"It's not funny!" they shouted at her. She just smiled leaning against the doorframe.

"Girls we're going to be late." Called Draco from the doorway. The girls turned and glared at him, "Whoa there, I'm just saying." Phoenix raised her eyebrows,

"You'd better go before they kill you." She warned, returning to her post. Sango glared at her from her reflection as she applied her pink mascara.

"Come now, I tried to get you guys up when I did…and you threw your pointy objects at me." She grumbled quietly.

"Pointy objects?" asked Leigh sleepily. Phoenix growled,

"Yes, and how was I supposed to know that you people had knives under your pillows!" she demanded angrily. Calming herself she smiled, "You guys should hurry up. We leave in fifteen minutes and you people clearly need breakfast." She sauntered off.

"Hey Kagome." Greeted Phoenix sleepily as she woke up from her nap in her oh so comfortable seat, "How was your night?" she asked with a yawn.

"Why are you so tired?" Retorted Kagome. Phoenix stuck her tongue out lazily, lying back onto her seat. The others filed slowly onto the bus.

"Why did you leave us!" demanded Rin, seriously annoyed. Phoenix looked up sleepily,

"Leave you…? Oh. That. You threw pointy objects at me. I didn't want to get near you after that." She retorted immediately. She closed her eyes,

"Wake me when we get there." She mumbled, drifting back into sleep. Kagome poked Phoenix, who swatted her hands away,

"Leave me alone." She growled.

"Fine be that way." Snapped Kagome. Phoenix muttered something incoherent, shifting position. A single snow-white feather fell from underneath her shirt. She opened one eye,

"Are we there yet?" she asked sleepily. Rin laughed,

"No Phoenix, we haven't even left yet."

"Crap."

"yeah whatever."

"Another eight hours in this place is gonna kill my wings." She groaned, cracking her back.

"Then why don't you unbind your wings?" asked Draco mischievously. Phoenix started to stab him with a glare but stopped.

"I…guess I could…" she muttered thoughtfully. She looked curiously at them,

"Would you mind…?" she asked, "I'd show you how I get me wings through ze tiny hole." She offered, "But only the girls. I'm no slut."

"She means guys close their eyes." Explained Kagome. The guys raised their eyebrows.

"Well?" she asked. Reluctantly, the guys nodded. Phoenix grinned, "Alright but Miroku has to wear a blindfold."

"huh? Why only me?" whined Miroku.

"Cause you're a pervert." Answered Kagome, Sango and Phoenix in unison. Sango pulled out a bandana,

"I got the blindfold!" she announced triumphantly. She tied it tightly around Miroku's head.

"Ready?" asked Phoenix, holding the bottom of her shirt. The other guys quickly turned their heads away, closing their eyes. Phoenix pulled off her t-shirt to reveal Phoenix wearing only a bra and the bindings covering her wings.

She bent over,

"Would you please take off the bindings, please?" asked politely, twitching her wings. The girls stared, transfixed at the tiny wings.

"Hello" they snapped out of their daze. Haltingly, Kagome reached over and untied the straps. Phoenix sighed in bliss as she stretched her wings,

"Ok." She began, getting out a shirt, "First I stretch my wings like this…" she extended her wings to their fullest extent, "I put on my shirt…" she wriggled the shirt over her head, "And I carefully stretch the shirt so the holes are even with my wings, and I pull them through." She demonstrated, pulling her wings through the homemade holes. Her wings twitched again.

"That feels sooo good." She sighed, bending forward, "you guys can look now." She added absently, leaning forward. Her wings twitched as the guys turned back.

"I'm bored." Announced Inuyasha.

"Yes, and I'm sure everyone cares." Snapped Sango. He glared at her.

"Stop fighting." Grumbled Leigh, "It's giving me a headache." Phoenix closed her eyes,

"Better?" she asked after a minute. Leigh looked surprised,

"It is." She replied, shocked.

"Good." Nodded Phoenix.

"What did you do?" asked Kagome.

"Took away her pain onto someone more deserving of the punishment." Sighed Phoenix,

"He should be feeling the effects in three…two…one." Nothing happened,

"…who did you send it to?" asked Lynx curiously. Phoenix only smiled at him.

"Oh…" Realization dawned in his eyes, "You sent it to him?" Phoenix grinned,

"With a little magnification." Lynx laughed,

"Man is that gonna make him mad!" Draco glared at them,

"Who did you send it to?" he demanded. Phoenix smiled mysteriously,

"No…not him!"

"Ahem." Interrupted Sesshomaru, "Would you please explain?"

"No." replied Draco and the other two immediately.

"Ok then."

8 hours later

"Bored, bored, bored, bored, bored…" chanted Leigh over and over. She'd been doing that for the last half an hour and it was really starting to piss people off.

"Leigh, SHUT UP!" shouted Phoenix angrily. Leigh fell silent immediately. The others sighed in relief.

"Attention, students and faculty. We are arriving at the Academy For The Magically Gifted and Talented. Please take your belongings and leave the bus in an orderly fashion. Thank you for riding U.S. Bus Lines. Have a nice evening." Announced the bus driver from the P.A. system as they pulled to a stop. Everyone stood up, stretching or gathering their belongings.

As the people filed off the bus, someone gazed at them through night-vision goggles. They chuckled,

"And so the game begins." The person murmured as their gaze focused on the people stepping off the bus. (A/N: this is ONE person….or is it? ;))

TMK: Hello everyone! It's been forever since I updated this story. Well it was longer this chappy so be happy! XD

Thanks to everyone who reviewed!