SailorStar9: After getting Chapter 19 out, this is Chapter 20 of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts?

Disclaimers: I own nothing, except for the plot bunny and my OC.

Chapter 21: The Legendary Bird! Phoenix Ikki Arrives!


On Kanon Island...

"If they've sent assassins all the way to Kanon Island, the enemy must be getting serious." Ikki remarked, taking out the Pallasites soldiers sent after him. "The time has come. Time for the Phoenix to fly again."


Somewhere in Pallasvelda...

"That's Pallas' castle." Koga's group shot out through the alleyway.

"Finally, it's time to fight her." Subaru declared.

"It won't be that easy." Mira mocked. "Have some fun with me first. I'm happy to see you again."

"We're not happy at all." Subaru snapped. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to play with you, of course." Mira shrugged. "But if you enter Pallas' castle, the Shittenou will defeat you. You've repaired your Cloths. They're brimming with life, shining like stars. Very pretty. They'll be so fun to destroy. Firewall!" he wasted no time in surrounding his prey with a circular fire barrier. "Be careful. Get close to my Firewall and it will burn flesh and bones. I won't let any of you escape. My collection, Cloth Stones. Once I began collecting them, I got really into it. I decided to complete a collection of all eighty-eight constellations. Now come, I'll shatter your Cloths with my Alchemy Glove."

"Flame Guardian Box Weapon: Inferno Tigre!" a disgruntled Vesta sent out her Box Weapon. "Disintegration Roar!"

Said fiery tiger let loose a wave of orange-red flames, canceling out the firewall that trapped them.

"What is this Cosmo?" Mira was taken aback by a new combatant on the field, the Box Weapon's fire then took the shape of a fiery phoenix. "He's walking straight through the Box Weapon's flames?"

"Laughable." Ikki snorted. "I have walked through Hell itself. The flames of my student's pet won't be enough to burn my skin."

"You're Vesta's master?" Mira frowned. "Who are you?"

"Phoenix Ikki." Ikki introduced himself.

"That's Phoenix Ikki?" Souma was stunned by the arrival of the last Legendary Saint.

"It's been too long, master." Vesta let out a relieved whisper.

"Vesta." Ikki gave his student a look.

"I understand." Vesta nodded. "Sanguine Orb." she encased the group within a sphere of protective flames and teleported everyone out.

"I dislike following the pack." Ikki declared. "Something my student can attest."

"I can understand that." Mira agreed. "I'm not good with groups, either. Anyway, I like your Cloth. It's beautiful. I want to break it."

"Very well." Ikki accepted the challenge. "I will bat away any sparks that fly my way. Try and destroy this Cloth of Phoenix Ikki if you can."

"If you say so." Mira smirked and moved behind Ikki, attempting to take his back, only to have the fire Saint grab his outstretched wrist.

"Too slow." Ikki taunted. "I'm yawning. I'll show you true fire." his fist exploded, burning off the armguard.

"You are, indeed, amazing." Mira praised. "Your vision can follow my attacks and you have the guts to not to even flinch. I'm very impressed. But I have more than one weapon. Element Rejection!" he summoned his Alchemy Glove and slammed it on Ikki's breastplate. "This is my trump card." he bragged, shattering the Phoenix Cloth. "So beautiful." he gushed at the falling Cloth dust. "It's in so many pieces you'll never be able to repair it. Breaking Cloths is fun. But I like to see the terror and despair on the Saints' faces even more."

"Frightened?" Ikki smirked. "Laughable. Fear, suffering, pain, sorrow, despair. I, Phoenix, abandoned those weak emotions long ago. All that remains is the warrior's heart forged in the flames of hell. Thus, I shall continue to fight until the moment of my death." he surrounded himself in a tornado of flames.

"It seems the legend was true." Eden noted, realizing what was happening. "Even when shattered to pieces, it wreathes itself in flame and burns to ash. And from the ash, it is reborn. It is the immortal bird, the Phoenix."

"The Phoenix will revive again and again." Ikki announced, reforging his Cloth. "For as long as my Cosmo burns."

"Even I'm surprised." Mira leered. "I had no idea there was a thing as an immortal Cloth. That makes it as rare as it comes. I can't wait to get my hands on it." he made the first move, charging forwards, Ikki meeting him straight on. "All people feel fear in the midst of battle, but it seems you really don't feel anything at all."

"What about you?" Ikki fired back. "Do you feel fear?"

"Of course not." Mira retorted. "Fear is what the weak feel." he let loose a large energy sphere at Ikki, who merely nullified it with an open palm.

"In that case, I shall teach you true fear." Ikki snapped. "Phoenix Genma Ken!" he released his attack as Mira charged up his 'Element Rejection'.

"That skill doesn't impress me." Mira scoffed. "Even if your Cloth is immortal, you're still only human." he turned around and struck Ikki on the chest. "With a direct hit from my Alchemy Glove, shattered bones will be the least of your worries." claiming the Phoenix Cloth for himself, he revered in a mirage of his Cloth Stone collection, only to have said gems strike through his body.

"What?" Subaru was shocked to see Mira kneel over.

"What happened to Mira?" even Koga was confused.

"He got caught in master's attack." Vesta replied. "His fists destroy the mind even more than the flesh. The Phoenix Genma Ken shreds the opponent's mind."

"That was an entertaining little dream." Mira laughed. "Did you think an illusion like that would shatter my mind."

"Scum like you have no mind to destroy." Ikki snorted. "It was merely a test."

"Then, as thanks, I'll show you a bit of what I can do." Mira declared. He shot up to the roof and started dashing around the perimeter. "Now, Phoenix, it's almost time for you to die."

"A Cloth is a Saint's soul." Ikki was unfazed. "I refuse to let your filthy hands touch them any longer."

"Element Rejection!" Mira came from behind Ikki, his arm outstretched, only to have Ikki vanish in a burst of flames, the attack missing completely.

"The same technique won't work on me twice." Ikki reminded. "This one is not an illusion, but reality. Shatter to pieces at the phoenix's flight. Hou Yoku Ten Sho!" he fired off his offensive attack at Mira and reclaimed the stolen Cloth Stones. "You Saints who died on the battlefield, I've no monument to raise nor flowers to lay. If nothing else, allow Vesta to lay your souls to rest, along with your Cloths."

"He did that to retake the Cloth Stones?" Subaru was agape.

"A Cloth is the soul of a Saint." Vesta reminded. "Master simply wanted to avenge the Saints killed by Mira."

"Phoenix, now you've made me angry." Mira growled. "I won't use the Alchemy Glove on you again. I'll put an end to the legend of the Phoenix with my own hands."

"My, my, Mira-san." Europa teleported in. "You're getting mad again."

"Would you leave me alone, Europa." Mira hissed.

"It isn't that I really care what you do." Europa shrugged. "But your job, and mine, is not to play with the Saints. The time has no yet come."

"That's true." Mira relented.

"Vesta, you know what to do." Ikki tossed the reclaimed Cloth Stones to his one-time student.

"Yes." the younger fire user nodded and ignited her golden flames. "Ashoka: Purification." she bathed the Stones in the fire.

"Our enemy is not Pallas alone." Ikki stated, Vesta turning the purified Cloth Stones over to Koga.

"Master, you sensed it, too." Vesta noted.

"That's right." Ikki nodded. "Someone is hiding behind Pallas. While you were fighting Mars, I was following them. But suddenly, every trace disappeared. I believe that is the one behind this battle: Athena's true enemy."

"That's true." Juno agreed. "From what we Goddess Guardians can remember, time manipulation isn't one of Pallas' abilities. Could it be..."

"Juno, you don't think..." both Ceres and Vesta turned to their leader in horror.

"If that's really the case, we'll all in deep dodo." Vesta winced.


SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.