Me: Nah, I'll give you and Phoenix a break. Kalin! Come do the disclaimer! … Please!
Kalin: Phoenixian Kaiba doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's. she does own Phoenixian Niwa.
Kalin, Me, Jack, Phoenix: Enjoy the chapter!
"She's been out there a long time," Yusei commented as he glanced out a near by window.
The Enforcers were waiting with Martha for Phoenix to come back from retrieving Shadow. She had been gone for almost twenty minutes and the storm had only gotten worse. By the time she returned, Phoenix would be soaking wet.
"Should we go look for her?" Crow asked in a worried tone. Kalin flicked his eyes up from his deck before answering.
"That may not be the best thing for our health," Martha shot him a reproachful look before he continued "What I mean is, she would probably kill us if we even implied that she needs help, and I don't intend on dying anytime soon!"
That achieved agreement with the entire group. They tried to sit in silence, but something kept nagging at the back of Yusei's mind. Finally he had to ask.
"Martha," His foster mother turned toward him. "How do you know Phoenix?" His question brought the slight activity in the room to a complete stand still. Kalin placed his deck in its holder, Jack turned away from the window he had been examining, and Crow arched one eyebrow.
"Her parents were old friends of mine." Martha was suddenly lost in thought. Her gaze drifted over to a picture frame sitting on the table. Yusei craned his neck to see it and was shocked to see who it was.
"Is that Phoenix?" The others in the room immediately turned to the photograph with gaping mouths. "She looks exactly the same! But- who's that little girl with her Martha smiled wryly.
"That's Sage and Phoenix about eight years ago. Phoenix is the little girl in that photo." As soon as she said it, it was noticeable. The picture had two people in it, taken in front of Martha's house. They both had raven colored hair and fair skin. The woman however, had sky blue eyes, while the child was considerably paler with jade green eyes.
"So that's Sage…" Kalin trailed off in wonder as they sat in silence.
"Wait a minute!" Crow exclaimed. "If that was taken six years ago outside, then why didn't we ever meet them?"
"You did," Martha laughed. "Phoenix used to play with you four all the time when you were much younger. Her favorite activities were pulling pranks on Jack with Crow, and taking things apart with Yusei! They came by less often as you grew older. It's no wonder why you don't remember."
Suddenly, with a horrifying roar, the rain increased. Yusei stood up and crossed to the front door.
"Where are you going?" Kalin questioned as he jumped up. Jack and Crow followed his suit and surrounded their friend.
"She would have been back by now. It would never take her this long to find Shadow." Yusei finished as he walked into the pouring rain.
His friends were silent until Crow spoke, "He's right. Shadow always comes when ever Phoenix calls her." With that he followed Yusei.
Kalin exhaled a deep breath of air and, likewise, exited into the heavy rain, pausing only to yank Jack out the door. Martha sat in her chair for a moment before moving to the window that over looked the front side of her house. She could just see her boys disappearing into the darkness to look for their dear friend.
Looking at the picture on the table, Martha couldn't help but smile. After all, she was proud of her boys.
Phoenix paused for a moment to shake out her long black hair. It had begun to rain even harder and her thick hair seemed to enjoy annoying it's mistress to no end.
"And to think! All this for a cat that I thought I trained so well!" she muttered under her breath. Then she felt something brush against her leg. Looking down she saw with relief that it was Shadow.
"Thank God! You had me so worried!" The raven haired youth bent down to pick up the cat but she darted away. Confused, she attempted her movement again only to fail. Shadow started trotting away then stopped and looked at Phoenix as if to say, "Are you coming, or not?" Somewhat uncertainly, Phoenix followed.
Shadow led Phoenix to an old tree in the woods towards Martha's house. The tree was ancient and gnarled, appearing to twist out like a storm. Shadow jumped onto the tree and headed into the heart of it. As she climbed the tree, Phoenix begun to have the feeling that she had been there before. Each branch possessed a familiar curve.
Shadow stopped about halfway up the tree and began pawing at a hole in the branch.
"This goes against my better judgment, but alright." Phoenix murmured, reaching into the hole. Her fingers brushed something smooth and straight and as she gently tugged on it, it came free. Now that it was out, it was obviously a Duel Monsters card, but it was to dark under the tree to see what it was.
Jumping down from the tree she brought the card into slight light. Lightning flashed and the picture became crystal clear.
Phoenixian's eyes widened as she realized what she was holding. The card nearly fell from her hand as her limbs began to shake with shock. It was a monster card
"Wingweaver…" Phoenix spun around trying to find the owner of the card, clutching it in her hand.
"Yusei, please remind me why we're doing this again." Jack was trailing slightly behind his blue eyed friend as they walked through the small woods. They had been looking for almost twenty minutes and still hadn't found Phoenix.
Yusei didn't dignify Jack with an answer but kept walking. They went about thirty feet more before they were stopped by Shadow sitting in their path.
"Well, I guess we found Shadow, now all we have to do is find Phoenix!" Yusei said. Shadow stood and darted away, forcing Yusei and Jack to run after her.
"That cat gives me the creeps." Jack muttered to no one in particular.
Shadow came to a stop at a old tree that served as a place for much mischief for them as children. Crow had often surprised them by jumping down on them. But now they saw a figure standing on a branch about ten feet off the ground. Obviously, it was Phoenix.
"Hey Phoenix!" Jack shouted.
"Hey guys-!" Phoenix tried to turn around. Unfortunately the branch was slick with rain, causing her to slip and fall from the tree.
"Phoenix!" Yusei and Jack both hurried over to where their friend had fallen. She was laying on her back with her legs straight up in the air, staring up at the dark sky. It wasn't until Yusei and Jack were right over her that she began to stand.
"Jack Atlas! Don't you know better than to yell at someone who's standing on a branch in the middle of a thunderstorm?" Her exclamations were lost on Jack as he turned back to Martha's house. He wasn't going to put up with her while he was wet. Yusei on the other hand stayed.
"Are you all right?" He asked quietly as he picked up a very wet Shadow. "That seemed like a pretty nasty fall."
"Nah," Phoenix threw her head back as she laughed. "I don't believe I have a concussion or anything. It would take a lot more to do that to me than just a fall out of a tree. Now I believe that we should catch up to Jack before he throws a hissy fit about his perfect Kurriboh hair!"
"Hey! I heard that!"
Phoenix stared at the card that she had retrieved from the tree. The other Enforcers had gone to sleep in what was their rooms when they lived with Martha. Phoenix was on a long couch in the living room. Martha had lent her a few blankets and a towel for her soaking wet hair when she, Jack and Yusei returned and found Kalin and Crow already back. Then she had gotten a long scolding on why she shouldn't go out in a thunderstorm all alone.
She swung her feet up as she carefully examined Wingweaver's card. Phoenix noted several marks on the card that gave her a definitive answer to the identity \of the owner.
As the pale teen drifted asleep, one question was dominated her thoughts.
"Why was my mothers ace there?"
Me: Dun Dun Dun!
Jack: What's with you being all dramatic?
Me: Cause I just put in a cliff hanger!
Jack: Why does Phoenix have it in for me?
Me: Cause I like making you easy to pick on!
Phoenix: Before Jack kills the author-lady, let me do this… Please review!
Me: Oh yes! Please review! I love reviews!It make a happy Kaibagirl!