The Legend of the Phoenix Part III I'm cutting the fluff on this one and getting straight to it (in other words I have nothing to say!) So ENJOY!!!" --------------------- Terra fumed, "That JERK! How can he do anything so insensitive!" Darien looked at her, "Aren't you taking this a little hard? I mean you didn't actually WANT to go with him did you?" "THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT!" Sweat drops formed on the back of everyone's head. "All I wanted to do was stop this horrid fighting and get it behind us. But then he Oooooo......" Luna twitched her tail, "That's ALSO beside the point Terra, you have to realize that John is no longer on our side right now it would be all to easy for the Negaverse to come in and use him. If they haven't already!" Apollo shook his head, "I'm doubtful of that Luna, I know that guy's personality, he's a bit too honorable for that." Artemis snapped back, "We still can't take chances, this is a very delicate situation." Serena looked thoughtful, "Given by the way he's acting and the way he went after Chris..... AH HA! I KNOW WHAT TO DO!" Luna blinked, "YOU have an idea?" "Are you saying I don't have ideas Luna?" "No I'm just saying that you're a slacker and a ditz." Serena humphed, "With that attitude I don't know why I should tell you!" Mina stood up, "At least have faith in yourself Serena! This could be your chance to prove Luna wrong!" "Mina's right." Ami smiled, "Time to defeat that bad reputation of yours." Serena clenched her fists, "Thanks guys, I can always count on you." Artemis perked his ears, "We're listening Serena." "Right! ...." The room was a still as death for what seemed like forever. "Take him out to a nice meal and convince him otherwise!" The room shook as everyone hit the floor with a comedic crash, "Then again maybe not...." "Was it something I said?" Luna sighed, "Well I'd say the meeting is over for today." Artemis nodded, "But keep this on your minds, and try to come up with a solution before it gets any worse. Meet back here tomorrow and tell us any ideas." ------------------------ The great dark clouds placed themselves like a picture against the deepening purple sky. Occasionally lightning went off, lighting up the clouds like some grand flash bulb. Chris and Mina were on the tree platform looking at the spectacle. Both of them were full of oohs and ahhs every time one of the great energy flares was visible. "This is incredible Chris, and we have such a perfect view!" Even though he had seen such spectacles before, Chris was force to agree, "And look at the clouds, you can barely make out anything about them, and then FLASH! In an instant you can practically see through them." "Are we in any danger?" "Provided that we get out of here on time we'll be fine Min." Mina blinked, "What did you just call me?" Chris laughed, "Sorry, a Freudian slip, I was trying to think of a nickname for you." "I like it!" "Really? It was sort of an accident..." "The best things come from accidents." Mina humed, "Mina, Min! That's really sweet of you Chris." "Now if you like I guess you can give me a nickname." "Your name already IS a nickname Christopher." Chris laughed, "Oh yeah...." He looked out at the growing thunder heads, "I think it's time for us to split. No need to get soaked unnecessarily!" "Okay." As Chris tried to get up, he suddenly felt the back of his neck, "Ow!" "What is it Chris?" "I think horsefly just bit me." The world faded in and out as he stepped forward, "No..." Chris hit the boards causing the entire structure to shake. He was slowly losing consciousness and the last thing he was staring at was Mina's foot as she rushed over to help him. Or rather what was in front of her foot, a small dart. Mina lifted Chris' body from it's face down state, "Chris! CHRIS!!!!" A calm voice came from the other side of the tree, "Please, do not be frightened, it is merely tranquilizer." Mina spun around, "JOHN!" "Yes, it's me." "You...you... COWARD! How could you do such a thing! If you killed him I'll..." Mina clutched her transformation pen in her pocket. "Please don't be brash, we can leave now." "Are you delusional? I'm staying with Chris no matter what you do!" "I'm sorry you feel that way." His hand shot out, placing the handkerchief over her mouth and nose before she could even blink. Then she was unconscious. John picked her up gently, "Mina, please forgive me. But this is something I must do so that we can be happy." Before turning to leave he prodded the body over the edge of the platform and watched it plummet to the ground. "I hope that hurt you bastard." ------------------------ "What?!" Serena yelled into the receiver, "What do you mean their not at his apartment!" Darien rubbed his ear at the other end of the line, "Not so loud!" "Oops, sorry. But I'm worried." "It's alright, but no their not at their apartment." Rei looked out into the raging storm, "Where could they be out in this mess?" Luna and Artemis' hope's sank, "This could be bad, maybe we over estimated John." Thunder went off outside, causing Serena to go into shock and drop the receiver. Ami and Lita sighed and moved to calm her down, "Geez, that's the second time in under fifteen minutes!" Terra picked up the receiver, "Darien?" "Terra? What just happened?" "Serena's in shock after another thunderclap." "Oh, is she all right?" "Yeah, just a little frightened that's all. You have your car right?" "Would I be out in this without it?" "I guess not, then can you swing by here and pick me up? You and I should go looking for Chris and Mina." "Okay, be there in a few minutes. Bye!" "Byebie! " Serena sat up having calmed down a bit, "I'm going too! EEEKKK!!!!" Terra shook her head as Serena went into shock again, "You guys look after her okay?" "All right." Rei looked concerned, "You watch out for yourself." "Okay, and keep a good lookout for Chris and Mina, just in case." "Right." ------------------- Terra got in the car soaked from head to foot, "Nope, not there either." Darien looked at the sopping wet head, "Sorry, I probably should have brought an umbrella." "Forget about it, a little water isn't going to hurt me. " "Sure it isn't." Darien shifted out of neutral and pulled into traffic, "Anyplace we haven't been yet?" "Lessee, we've been to the school, the cafe, Chris' house, Mina's house, Mina's school, and now we know they haven't come back yet because I just called the shrine." "We are leaving some place out I can feel it." They both were silent for a while their breathing barely audible above the car's engine. Then in unison, "THAT PLATFORM THING!!!" "Chris would have brought Mina there to show her the storm!" "Quite a romantic, it would make sense. But why would they still be out there?" "Because when we get there someone will have been there before us." Darien up shifted and accelerated, pulling the car into an incredible fishtail/U-turn heading back the way they had come. ------------------- The storm was in full swing when Darien slammed on the breaks, coming to a stop at the entrance to the waterfront park. Terra hopped out fallowed by Darien. Running along the path they soon came upon the tree which Darien quickly scaled. "No, no one here either." Then something caught his eye, he moved over to pick it up, "What's this? That's an odd looking dart..." "Darien!" "What is it Terra?" "Down here! It's Chris!" Sure enough Chris was face down in the mud, the same as John had left him. Darien vaulted down, "Good lord! What happened to him?" "I have no idea but he's stone cold." "Unconscious?" "Yup, but barely breathing." Terra stared at the dart Darien had picked up, " And by the look of things I'd say he was drugged silly. Come on let's get him inside pronto." ------------------- Chris woke up with a headache the size of manhattan and his muscles and lungs on fire, "If this is what a hangover feels like I swear I will NEVER touch a drop of alcohol." "" Terra sniffled, "I see you're awake now." She was huddled under a fluffy towel sipping some tea. "If you could say that." "What the hell happened to me?" Ami closed her computer, "I've analyzed the remnants of the substance on the dart, it's some sort of tranquilizer." Chris picked up the dart, "Must have been a real powerful tranquilizer to put me out so quick." "Not necessarily." Terra took the capsule and twisted, opening it for him, "See? It's hollow inside, works like a syringe. The force of the impact in-in-in-injects it." "WAIT!" Chris sat up, "This means he's kidnapped Mina!" Lita raised an eyebrow, "How do you know it was a he?" "Look at the dart, the needle portion is made of Phoenixite!" "Phoenixite?" Terra nodded, "The same substance that the Phoenix Knight's sword is made out of, it has amazing properties like being able to absorb ki, or magic." Chris crushed the dart in his hands like a fly, "Why that dirty... I'm going to KILL THAT SON OF A-" Luna, Artemis and Apollo all sprung at once, pinning Chris to the floor, "YOU aren't going ANYWHERE!" "And WHY NOT?!" Apollo's eyes narrowed, "Are you stupid? That dart could have been filled with ANYTHING. By all rights you should be dead as a doornail, but you're not. You want to know why?" "Would it make a difference if I said no?" "I'll ignore that. The Phoenix Knight wants to challenge you to the death, without us around to help you ONE LITTLE BIT!" "I'd be fine! That's exactly what I want!" Chris began to sit up again. Apollo jumped, slamming Chris back, "You don't get it do you? You are in NO condition to fight the Phoenix Knight right now IS THAT UNDERSTOOD!" {author's note: enter thunderclap for extra dramatic FX here ^_^.} They piled of Chris' chest Artemis turning to face him, "Don't be angry Chris, this is for you safety as well as Mina's because as long as your alive John wont do a thing to her. So don't go and do anything stupid." ----------------- Chris looked at the clock, 3 AM, time for him to make his move. He got up silently, easily sneaking past the sleeping Apollo and grabbing his clothes and the Elemental Amulet as he did so. It was less than a minute before he was dressed an out the door in silence. His ninja training served him well and he made it out of the temple without as much as rustling a leaf. The rain had stopped earlier and he turned around, looking back at the dark building and stars behind it, "I'm sorry, but this isn't stupid. I promised Min I'd always be there to protect her and now she needs me more than anything. Forgive me but I'm not going to sit around on my butt and wait this one out." "" Came a sneeze from the end of the steps. "Who's there!" "Damn cold." Terra as Sailor Earth stepped out of the shadow, "I figured you'd try something. Seems I was right too." "Don't try to stop me Terra, I'm not in the mood for this." She laughed, "You have GOT to be kidding me Chris. She's my sister, remember?" "Is Darien there too or something?" "No, just me. Although now that you mention it I probably should have called him..." "Then what are you doing here?" "If you are going to save Mina I think you are missing something." "I've got myself! That's what John wants THAT'S WHAT HE'LL GET!" "Don't be a moron Chris, you don't have a clue where he took her!" "Oh yeah..." She winked, "You see, John didn't exactly plan on one thing." "And what might that be?" "Me." ---------------------- Mina came to with the smell of chloroform on her breath and a sickening taste in her mouth, she tried to get up, but found she had been bound hand and foot and was barely able to move. So instead she looked around. Mina noted that she seemed to be in a clearing of some sort, with thick forest all around. There didn't appear to be any paths leading to or from the clearing and her hopes dwindled. She then noted with some fear that she was being lifted off the ground and began to squirm." "Oh! You're finally awake!" Came John's voice from above her. He tied the rope to a branch, allowing her to hang, then with a graceful jump and a flap of his wings he settled to the ground. Mina was furious, "I'm not into S&M you dirty kidnapper." "I'm sorry but this is the only way for us to be together." "WHAT ARE YOU BABBLING ABOUT?! THE ONLY THING THIS IS DOING IS GETTING ME MAD!" "Tomorrow we will go to the park, where I will challenge Chris in public to a duel. In this duel I will win and slay him." His eyes narrowed, "It is all to clear to me that he is the sole obstacle between me and my father's dying wish." "That's insane!" John took out a piece of cloth, "Say Ah." "LIKE HELL I WILL YOU-Mrumphum..." "That will do." John took out his sword and leaned on it, "My mind was torn over what was right and what was justice. Tomorrow, the heavens will determine whom is in the right, and who is wrong." Then, a voice came out of the darkness, "Like hell I'll wait that long!!!" ------------------------ TO BE CONTINUED! Same Moonie time! Same Moonie channel! (and yes I HAVE been watching those corny Batman shows from the fifties.) See you there! End Part III Terra- Sailor Earth(+) mstephen@pop.erols.com or on weekends if you prefer Terra7@prodigy.com