Here's what you've all been waiting for since yesterday! The epic battle! The clash of the titans. The champion of good versus the champion of evil! The...
Elphie Muse: We get the point! Just get on with it!
Sam: Yes! Get on with it!
Jack: Get on with it!
Cameron: Get on with it!
Rest of characters in story: GET ON WITH IT!
Right! I don't own anything in this fic.
Now go read. And I do realize the fight may seem like it parallels the fight of Obi-Wan and Anakin, but come on! That was one of the best lightsaber duels ever! Imitation is a form of flattery...or something...
Audience: GET ON WITH IT!
Erm...shutting up now before I get maimed...and it isn't mine...
Phoenix carefully watched Janet. Every muscle was tense and ready to strike out, but she kept herself calm and relaxed. Lava geysers erupted around them, but they paid them no heed. Black ash began clouding the sky, making darkness fall over the city.
"You cannot stop this storm," Janet said.
"I'll die trying," Phoenix said. "I've faced impossible odds before."
"We shall see," Janet said. They continued their stare down for several long minutes. As a lava rift opened nearby, Janet rushed in. Sam quickly parried the attack and the fight was on.
Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon SG-1 Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon SG-1 Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon SG-1 Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon SG-1 Bishojo Senshi
Saturn looked over at Mercury and Jupiter. "Will Phoenix be okay?"
"We must trust in her abilities," Pluto answered, helping several people to a large bus that was evacuating the citizens of the city.
"Any signs of a Daetamashii?" Moon asked.
"No, but we need to split up," Venus said.
"She's right. It's the only way we can evacuate everyone," Uranus said.
Moon nodded. "Stay in contact with each other. If a Daetamashii comes, call for help!" she ordered. She quickly drew a map in the falling ash. "This is a general outline of the city," she said, dividing the map into four parts and labeling the directions. "Mercury, you and Pluto take quadrant one," Moon ordered, pointing to the north left corner of the map. "Venus, Neptune, take quadrant two," she pointed to the north right corner of the map. "Jupiter and Saturn will take the third quadrant," she pointed to the lower left corner, "and Mars and Uranus will take the last quadrant. Apollo and I will be in the center of the city. If you encounter Phoenix and Misuteru fighting, don't get in their way. Is that clear?" They all nodded and left.
"She's becoming a true leader," Uranus commented to Mars.
Mars nodded. "I've never seen her so focused before. I think she's worried about Mamoru. She hasn't heard from him in a few days."
"That is troubling," Uranus said.
Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon SG-1 Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon SG-1 Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon SG-1 Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon SG-1 Bishojo Senshi
Phoenix ducked under a strike from Janet and leg swept her opponent. Janet collapsed to the ground. Phoenix leapt up and charged in. Janet rolled away and to her feet. She lunged in, narrowly missing Phoenix's silver blade. Their battle raged all over the temple grounds. Phoenix leapt onto a tree and then onto the temple roof. Janet followed, murder in her eyes.
Phoenix landed on the roof and turned. Janet twirled her sword in a figure eight and attacked. She brought her black sword down in an overhead strike, only to have Phoenix step to the side as she blocked it. Phoenix then elbowed Janet in the face. Janet stumbled back, blood dripping from a small cut on her cheek.
"You will die for that!"
"Everyone dies Janet. You of all people should know that," Phoenix returned.
Janet screamed in rage and charged in, this time with a side slash. Phoenix slashed back and sparks flew as metal struck metal. Janet began pushing against Phoenix's sword, shoving it to one side. Phoenix pushed back. Sweat glistened on their faces, illuminated by the fires that began popping up within the building they were on.
Phoenix thrust her hand out and sent Janet sprawling. She quickly looked around and saw a large river of lava flowing down the street. Upon the lava river was the top section of a skyscraper. Making a quick decision, Phoenix ran for the edge of the roof. As her foot touched the edge of the roof, she leapt off and high into the air. She landed shakily on the debris and quickly regained her balance. She looked back at the shrine building. It had completely gone up in flames and smoke.
Phoenix did not have time to relax for Janet landed heavily on the debris, her clothes slightly singed. Phoenix ineffectively wiped sweat from the lower part of her face. Heat radiated up from the lava.
Janet rushed in and their swords clashed. "You can't hide from me!" Janet cried. "I will have my revenge!"
"You let this Great Lord twist your mind! Let him warp it until the very things you fought against seemed right!"
"Stop talking!" Janet screamed.
"Afraid of the truth?" Phoenix demanded.
Janet yelled in rage and slammed her fist into Phoenix's face. Phoenix went sprawling on the disintegrating debris. As she tried to push herself to her feet, something slammed into her back. She grunted in pain as Janet's knee dug painfully at her spine. The jets of lava began increasing in frequency. A cold smile appeared on Janet's face. She grabbed Phoenix by the hair and pulled her to the edge of the building raft. Janet then shoved Phoenix's face down towards the lava right as a stream of magma shot up several feet away. Some of the molten rock landed nearby in the river of lava, causing small droplets to fly into the air.
Phoenix screamed in pain as the majority of the droplets hit her on the left side of her face. Summoning her strength, she shoved Janet away and regained her feet. She leapt high into the air and landed on a still standing building. She crashed through the glass and landed in a large pond of a Zen garden. The lava on her face cooled and slid off. She surfaced and pulled herself out of the pond. The left side of her face was covered in third degree burns.
"Why won't you die?" Janet roared, stalking towards Phoenix.
Phoenix did her best to focus on Janet, the pain extraordinary. She could barely see out of her left eye. Not knowing how she had been able to hold onto her sword, she lifted it into a ready stance. Janet ran in. Phoenix fell to her back and brought her legs up. She caught Janet in the stomach and guided the petite woman over and into the pond.
Phoenix then scrambled to her feet and ran towards a nearby fire. She tripped over a rock hidden by ash and fell to the ground. Before she could rise to her feet, Janet had grabbed Phoenix's own sword and plunged it into the back of her right knee. Phoenix screamed in pain.
"Know this, Samantha," she spat, "when I am done with you, I shall make those pathetic Sailor Senshi suffer. That fool Tuxedo Kamen has already surrendered his soul to my master. Yours, however, will be the last. I want you to watch what happens to those who defy the Great Lord Ja'aku."
Phoenix's eyes widened at the mention of the name. Ja'aku…he was Tyrande's brother! He was envious of the power Tyrande wielded, so he found his own power as an Ori. But he held too much power. Even the other Ori feared him. Feared him enough to banish him. Before they could, he had forged a black bladed sword. He used it to destroy as many of the Ascended Alterans he couldas well as mortals. When he was banished, he swore that he would rise one day through a fallen vessel of good…oh god…Janet! The thought hung within Phoenix's mind.
"Janet…he's…using you!" Phoenix wheezed. "All he wants is your soul to free him! He was imprisoned for a reason!"
"Because he held true power. Everyone became afraid of him because of it. But nothing will stop him from rising. Nothing!"
"At the cost of your soul?" Phoenix demanded.
"He cannot harm me," Janet sneered. "I am his trusted servant."
"Ja'aku swore to rise again one day through a fallen vessel of good Janet. That means you!" Phoenix cried.
Janet looked at her, the red eyes blazing with anger. "Lord Ja'aku is my master. If he wishes my sacrifice to live again, then so be it."
"He'll kill everyone! Even Cassie! And he won't bat an eye about it!" Phoenix yelled angrily. "Come to your senses! Stop feeling rage and listen to what's in your heart!" she begged.
"Rage and vengeance are all I have," Janet said. She turned and began walking away. "My master needs more souls to rise." She leapt off the building and into the false night, leaving Phoenix pinned to the building.
Phoenix bowed her head in defeat, ash beginning to cover her. "I failed everyone…I failed…"
"You have not failed," a stern voice said.
Phoenix looked up. "Tyrande…" she whispered. The past Phoenixes appeared before her.
"You must rise," Tyrande said. "You must stop Ja'aku from rising again!"
"I can't! I tried to stop Janet, but I wasn't strong enough," Phoenix said. "I gave it everything I had!"
"No you didn't," Tyrande said. "Because you couldn't."
"What?" Phoenix asked.
Another Phoenix stepped forward. She had deep red hair and blazing yellow eyes, like a birds. Out of all the Phoenixes, she looked the most like one. "The power you have now was all that we had. It rivals even that of Eternal Sailor Moon's," she said. "But because of your willingness and determination to protect and preserve life, the spirits of this galaxy have determined you can wield more power without becoming corrupt with it."
"I don't want more power. I want to save my friend," Phoenix said.
"What is more important: the lives of billions, or the life of one?" Tyrande asked.
"All life is important," Phoenix said.
"Death is important as well," the red headed Phoenix said. "Without death, there can be no life."
"On every path, there comes a time when we are faced with a choice. Doing what is easy, and doing what is right. You must choose what you will do," Tyrande said.
Phoenix closed her eyes, her head bowed. Making a decision, she looked up only to find them all gone. As she began to rise to her feet, pain exploded within her right leg. She looked back and saw her own sword still there.
"Phoenix!" a voice yelled. She looked over and saw Uranus and Mars hurrying towards her. Mars pulled out a strip of cloth and pressed it to the wound in Phoenix's right leg. Uranus then pulled the blade out.
"You all right?" the Outer Senshi asked. "Where's Misuteru?"
"Gone…to kill you guys," Phoenix said. She waited until Mars had tied the bandage off before sitting down, her right leg outstretched.
"What happened to your face?" Mars asked.
"Never play with magma," Phoenix said.
"Fire can heal that," Uranus said.
Phoenix shook her head. "It doesn't matter. We need to stop Janet now. If we don't, we'll lose her."
"Phoenix, she's evil," Uranus said.
"She's being used by an Ori named Ja'aku. He's using her to come back to power. If he succeeds, we're all dead," Phoenix returned.
"You can't go fight though. Not with those injuries," Mars said.
"The hell I can't," Phoenix growled.
"You need to rest," Uranus said.
"No," Phoenix said firmly. "Enough souls have already been taken by Ja'aku."
"What do you mean?" Mars asked.
"Tuxedo Kamen."
"That can't be," Mars whispered.
As Uranus and Mars began talking, Phoenix closed her eyes and cleared her mind. I can hear you, she said through her mind to the spirits. I can feel the pain you are in from the Ori servants. Please…help me stop the Ori. Help me save the innocent. Grant me the power to protect those who cannot protect themselves, no matter what galaxy the come from. Please. Whether you are the Ascended beings or actual spirits, it matters not to me. Just help me defend the weak and defenseless. Please!
Warmth spread throughout Phoenix's body, vanquishing the pain and exhaustion she felt. She opened her eyes and saw Uranus and Mars staring at her. "What?"
"You…changed back…" Uranus said.
Sam looked down and saw that she was wearing normal clothes. She sighed, her head bowed in defeat. She glanced at her left forearm and did a double take. A pure silver bracer stretched from her wrist to nearly two inches below her elbow. Aside from the phoenix etched in the metal, ancient runes were also inscribed upon the silver.
Dun dun duuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnn! Aren't I just evil with these cliffies?
Usagi: What happens next? I demand to know!
You'll just have to wait and see.
Usagi: I want to know now!
Or what?
Usagi: Moon Eternal Power! Make UP!
Eeep! Um...while I go run for my life, please review...gotta go!
Moon: I'll teach you to leave chapters at cliffhangers! In the name of the moon, I shall punish you!
It's only a plot device or something like that! Elphie Muse made me do it!
Moon: I don't care! I can't hurt a voice in your head! Now get back here!
:Runs away from a very angry Eternal Sailor Moon:
Everyone else: -.-;;;;;