Date: Sun, 12 Jan 2003 04:25:15 GMT
From: Blake Alexander <writemeastory@juno.com>
Subject: Tales Of The New Phoenix chapter 9

This is not my first story, but I think this is going to be where I
flourish. My previous stories lay in hibernation awaiting the day I decide
to pick them back up again. ("Learning Curve" in Boy Bands, and "Johnny
Boy" in High School) I've never had as many Ideas running around my head as
with Tales Of The New Phoenix. I don't know exactly how fast I will be able
to get chapters out, so please don't kill me. And, as you can see by my
title, I am going to have a character based on The Phoenix from Marvel
Comics. I am going to go a bit of my own way with the Char. so any die hard
fans, please refrain from hurting me, ok? My experience with the Phoenix is
limited to the cartoon, and the Dark Phoenix comic book saga. I do hope to
hold true to the heart of the character, but will be making some changes
just as was made with The Bat Man. Now, on to the boring stuff.

I do not own any of the following:

Nsync, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Pink, Christina Aguilera, The
Wallflowers, and any other celebrities. I also know nothing of their sexual
orientations.

Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and all related characters.

The Anita Blake Vampire Hunter book series by Laurell K. Hamilton.

The Vampire Chronicles, Tales Of The New Vampires, The Mayfair Witches, all
series written by Anne Rice.

Buffy & Angel television series.

Star Wars

Star Trek, Star Trek TNG, Star Trek DS9, Star Trek Voyager, Star Trek The
New Frontier, Enterprise television series, movies, and novels.

I am restating; I do not own any of the above mentioned, although I wish I
did. Those make tons of money. I do not know the sexual orientation of
anyone mentioned for certain. Everything I write is purely fiction from my
mind. Please don't sue me, I am a poor college student and have nothing. If
you are under aged, go away. This site is for adults. Warning to the closed
minded, gay fiction is about to start.

I've received a few E-Mails. I will respond, I promise. I'm in the middle
of my finals right now and just... am way too frazzled. I'm actually
considering setting this story down until after finals, but I keep seeing a
flaming bird behind my eye lids. This section of the Phoenix Story will be
ending with Chapter 10, I think, and then "The Story of the _____ of ____"
will begin. (What? Those two words would give away WAY too much. 8^D )





Chapter 9:

Monday, September 10, 2001

	Andrea and I got home without any trouble. Parking was a bitch, but
that is to be expected when you live so close to The Castro. I put her to
bed and headed to my room. Josh was already curled up asleep. I took off my
clothes and climbed in next to him. Everything this month was going so
fast, he was becoming my only source of joy. I nuzzled in next to him,
pulling his body closer to mine and drifted off to sleep.
	The next thing I knew I was standing on the beach. A beach I
recognized immediately. I spun around searching for Josh. He was about 20
yards away kneeling in the sand, dropping a stream from his hand. I walked
up behind him.
	"I knew you were here the minute I realized where I was." He stood
and turned to me, his eyes dancing with blue in his iris, and the light of
his soul filling his pupils. "I am so happy that it wasn't a one time
experience Blake."
	"Me too." I pulled him along and we started walking along the
beach. The moon cast us both into a silver twilight. Moonlight gives a more
peaceful view to the world. It's dimmer than the sun, and softer. The light
a clean white, a reflection of the pearl that is our moon. I looked at
Josh, the way it made his skin silky, and his hair sultry. "I love you more
than I know how to express."
	"I love you all that, and more. You saved me Blake. I'm not just
talking about what happened in the alley and on the roof that first night,
but what you've done to my soul. I'm about to break away from the group,
strike out on my own, and I'm not in the least scared. Everyone else has
such plans of what they want to do, and I... I have you and want nothing
more." I had started crying, the tears warm and the smile I was wearing a
mere glimmer of the joy I was feeling at hearing his words. "Blake, I don't
think I can wait much longer to marry you. Let's do it in October."
	"Ok. I would be willing to wait for you forever. I would be willing
to stop the world for you if it were your wish and I could. I want to make
you happy in any way I can." I pulled him into a hug. "Josh, you are my
life. You are my essence. I know how I survived before you, I knew inside I
would find you. If I were to loose you, I don't think I could keep going. I
would shrivel and die inside. I can't wait to be your husband."
	We held each other not speaking for a while, just feeling one
another's heart beats and heat.
	Josh finally broke the silence. "Do you think Roy would let me help
build the house?" I looked at him a bit startled by the question.
	"I'm sure sis's dad would let you. You are, as you know, half owner
of the property." He laughed.
	"No I mean as a builder. Go in and help knock down walls. Stuff
like that. I don't have anything else going on right now, and I really like
the idea of helping build our home." His eyes lit at the thought.
	"I'm sure he wouldn't mind the help. But you really do need to talk
to him about it. You aren't a contractor, and you would need to be trained
and do pretty basic stuff. But I'm sure he wouldn't mind a young, gorgeous,
beautiful..."
	"Blake, I don't think he would need to know if I'm gorgeous or
not."
	"Well, I do." I pulled him to the ground and we started wrestling.
	"So... what do you want to do with your future now?" He pulled back
thining over my question.
	"Well, I would like to eventually make it into the Rock & Roll Hall
Of Fame on my own, not as a group. I want to marry you and be with you
forever. And I want to raise a child. How about you?" He rolled off of me,
and propped his head up on his srm looking at me. I mirrored his position,
playing with the sand at my feet.
	"Well, to marry you, to open three more clubs, marry you, become as
good a fighter as I can with my new powers, marry you, write a book that
compares in the least to Laurell K. Hamilton, marry you, raise a child,
marry you, and retire at an old age with you, after the marrying thing." I
smiled as he threw sand at me.
	"Well, we need to make a few calls tomorrow don't we? You need to
talk to Pop, I need to talk to Ma and see about getting started on this
wedding. She, of course, is going to want to take over planning."
	"From what I know of Gwen, I see no other alternative." We wrestled
a bit more, then spent the rest of the night staring at the stars.
	When we blinked awake, I was disoriented for a bit. I rolled over
and glanced at the clock ad got a bit of a surprise. "Josh...?"
	"Yeah Blake?"
	I rolled over to face him, slightly confused after seeing the
clock. "I went to sleep well after 3 am, its 7 am and I'm fully awake and
refreshed. This is all starting to get very weird."
	Josh leaned in and kissed me, then pulled back to look me in the
eyes. "I say just accept, and be happy with, it. Anything that allows me to
spend more time with you can only be a blessing."  We then got up and
enjoyed a nice, long, shower.

	"What time is it?" I turned to see a groggy Andrea walk out onto
the balcony and join us.
	"It's about 8 am. Good morning sunshine. Sleep well?" She came to
sit next to us; wearing the clothes she had on the day before, and stole my
coffee.
	"Not in the least. Nightmares. I'm not going back to sleep." I
looked at her closely. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she was staring at air.
	"Andrea, come here." She came and sat in my lap, buried her face in
my shoulder and cried. After 10 minutes of Josh and I just watching her, I
levitated her back to the couch. Josh and I stayed in the living room,
talking by use of my powers, watching Andrea sleep. We finally woke her at
2 so she could get ready to head over to Devin's place.

	After Andrea had changed into some clothes she kept at my place we
left Josh at home with Andy's Dads number. We got to the house and found it
empty.
	"Do you suppose we are just supposed to go in?" Andrea asked,
walking to the window next to the entrance.
	"I don't know." I tried the door. "I don't sense anyone inside, but
we are supposed to be here at 3. I admit it's a bit before three, but..."
she came back to the door.
	"So, open it." She looked at me waiting.
	"I can't just break into someone's house."
	"We are supposed to be here, he's expecting us, and I don't feel
like waiting out here for him to show up. We can wait inside." I couldn't
find any holes in her logic, so I focused on the lock and manipulated the
mechanism. In no time flat we heard it click, and entered.
	The place was empty. No one to be found. Right after we shut the
door we heard it lock. I tried to open it but couldn't. I was about to use
my powers on it when Andrea pushed me away from the door, then I heard the
crash. I turned and saw a heavy metal sheet had swung down from the ceiling
and slammed into the door, ceiling it away from our access. I turned and
saw similar metal sheets clanking shut over the windows trapping us in the
house.
	"What now?" Andrea asked looking around.
	"We must have activated some sort of security system." A small hole
opened in the ceiling and a gun lowered. It started firing laser blasts at
us so I erected a force shield to protect us. "We have to get to the
elevator." As I said this new weapons sprung up around us.
	"Duck!" I dropped at Andreas warning, feeling a breeze sweep passed
my head. When I stood back up I noticed a stake in the wall across from us.
	"Shit. Andy, use your ring. Take out the wall guns; I'll handle the
ceiling blasters." We both started blasting various weapons, erecting
shields around us for protection while we slowly made our way to the
elevator.
	When we reached the door to the basement we were faced with the
same steel wall. "Blake, how do we get passed that?"
	"Like this sis." I created staff of plasma energy in my hand, and
used it to cut a hole large enough for use to get through in the wall. It
fell through, and I used my powers to put out the fire that was starting
around the heated hole. "After you, watch the sides. It's really hot." She
stepped through, and so did I. As we started down the steps, the changed
into a slide. We fell down and hit the wall. Netting fell atop us, and two
androids came out of the elevator, it shutting behind them. Andrea used her
ring to cut away the netting, and we stood facing them. "Sis, you take the
one on the left, I'll take the one on the right."
	"Gotcha." She created a green sword out of now where and started in
on her android, never dropping her bubble shield. I faced off against mine,
studying it.
	It looked like a human skeleton almost. Its left arm was replaced
with a sword attached to a ball joint. It had no features on its face, just
two blue lights where it should have had eyes. I created a ball of plasma
and launched it at its head.
	The plasma struck, but had no effect. I turned it up a notch,
heating the plasma to a solar heat, but shrinking it in size. I launched it
at the machines chest, and watched it hit solidly. It burned its way
through the androids chest, turning it into a melted hulk. The legs gave
out beneath it, its connections being fried, but it kept pulling itself
along by its arms. I held my hand out to it and created a stream of plasma,
spraying over the android. When I was finished, it was no more than a
bubbling puddle of melted metal. I turned to see Andrea in a sword fight
with hers. With a final swipe she severed its head at the neck. Then with a
downward strike she cut it in half.
	With a smile she looked at me. "That was fun."
	"I could think of about a million different descriptions of what we
just went through," I stepped around the puddle I had created and started
for the elevator. "Fun is not one of them."
	"Well, I enjoyed myself. Can you get that thing opened?" As she
said that the doors opened. "That was easy."
	"Excuse my bad action movie dialog, but too easy. Be on guard." We
stepped in and as the doors shut felt the elevator suddenly drop at full
speed. "Andrea!"
	"On it!" I looked over at her as she held her ring up towards the
ceiling. With a blast of green light she created a large hole which we both
levitated through. We created bubble shields to protect us from the debris
her blast had created and watched as the elevator fell through the
darkness. After we heard it crash into the bottom of the shaft we flew
down.
	The elevator was nothing more than a twisted hulk at the bottom of
the shaft. We stopped near it, and then looked at where the shaft turned
and headed into the distance. We both started flying down the tunnel, I
lighting my eyes and Andrea creating a green flashlight. When we reached
the end of the tunnel we were greeted with a sealed door way. I held my
hand up and forced the doors apart. We booth entered and found ourselves in
a much larger room than before. It had a huge computer system at the front,
racks of books to one side, to another a metal structure that led to a
large freight elevator and at the back various labs with many things
bubbling and racks upon racks of supplies. There was a cauldron simmering
to the left of what looked like a powerful microscope. In the center of the
room was training equipment and a padded area for sparing. All in all, it
was a complete turn around of the room we were in the night before. Devin
came towards us from the computer.
	"Congratulations! A flawless exercise. Neither of you had any marks
taken away. I am very impressed with your skills and powers." He was
positively beaming.
	"That was a test? We could have been killed!" Andrea took a step
towards him, but I held her back.
	"I can quite assure you that at no point were either of you in any
danger. Please believe me. There were many fail safes to keep you from
being harmed in any way. I felt that a surprise situation would be the best
way to gauge your abilities. Now, do you have your own uniforms, or would
you like them provided?" He led us towards the computer.
	"We create them with our powers." I looked at Andrea; she had
calmed down considerably and was taking everything in.
	"Very well. Can you please step up to the Computer, designate your
full name, your code name, and create an authorization password?" I looked
at Devin. He was a strange man. Fully to the point on all things, and a bit
off putting.
	"I'll go first I guess." Andrea stepped up to the computer. "My
name is Andrea Elizabeth Medford, code name Green Falcon, authorization
code... uh... Green Talons Scratch." She looked at me smiling. The computer
beeped.
	"Name, Code Name, and Authorization Code entered. Awaiting
superiors code level clearance." The computer screen turned on showing a
green floating face. It was pretty bland in features but distinctly female.
	"Oracle, this is Devin. Authorization Gamma Gamma Alpha Delta. Give
user Andrea, code name Green Falcon, level 1 Slayer Security clearance."
Devin smiled at Andrea. "I like your code clearance. Unique."
	"Thanks." Andrea smiled at him.
	"Clearance approved. Welcome to the fold Slayer Green Falcon."
Oracle smiled down at Andrea.
	"Now you Blake." I stepped forward at Devin's direction and cleared
my throat.
	"My name is Blake Jacob Alexander, code name Phoenix, authorization
code Gamma Delta Theta Blue." I smiled at Andrea.
	"Name, Code Name, and Authorization Code entered. Awaiting
superiors code level clearance." Oracle looked forward, and as I looked
more closely she had stings of code like in The Matrix streaming in her
eyes.
	"Oracle, this is Devin. Authorization Gamma Gamma Alpha Delta. Give
user Blake, code name Phoenix, level 1 Slayer Security clearance." He
turned to leave when Oracle spoke up.
	"Error Devin. Blake scans as male. There are no Male Slayers under
The Councils direction."
	"Clearance code Gamma Delta Alpha. Over ride Female
Directive. Blake is the first Male Slayer." He smiled at
me. "Congratulations. You just made history."
	"Cool... I guess." He led us away from the Computer. I followed,
but suddenly stopped and turned back to the computer. "Thanks for the help
Oracle."
	"You are welcome Blake." She shut her eyes then the screen dimmed
to black.
	"I've never seen a computer like that before." I said catching up
to the others who were moving towards the library.
	"Thank you. I designed her. She is an Artificial Intelligence more
sophisticated than any other program in the world. Not only that, but she
is learning and growing." He pulled two books off the shelf and handed them
to us. "I see you didn't bring your packs, so here are two more copies of
the guides I gave you last night. Begin reading. I want you familiar with
ever creature in these books by next week." He led us to the desks. "In 2
hours I want to see you change into your uniforms so I can figure out
alterations you'll need to make to accommodate weapons without effecting
you're maneuverability." We sat at the table and started reading through
the guides.

	On the cold desolate northern polar ice cap, above the secret
vampire instillation Dasro and Sanswah exit a camouflaged access elevator
into a cavern containing a small fleet of aircraft. There are various
figures walking around fully garbed in white, including masks to protect
them from the sun entering the caverns giant doors. Dasro and Sanswah walk
towards the Jet being prepped for launch at the front of the hanger.
	"I will try to find it as quickly as I can Dasro." Sanswah turned
to look upon his ancient companion. "Be wary of Maharet and Meker. We may
be more powerful than them now, but they still have their followers. They
are powerful enemies, and they will know we've cut ourselves from their
line."
	"I know all of this. Go now. We must have the Sword of Horus if
this is to work." Dasro watched as Sanswah climbed into his one man
craft. "I will begin to mobilize our troops. It is time for our people to
awaken. The time has come for us to rule this world." Sanswah nodded as the
canopy lowered into place. The aircraft rose into the air and slowly moved
towards the doors. Dasro followed it out, enjoying the cold air on his
ancient, hard skin. The ages had left him pure white; to the point, he
found, that it shines if he does not put powder on it. He strode along side
the mountain after the aircraft had faded from sight. He was about to turn
back when he saw a flash in front of him.
	The flash temporarily blinded him, and when he got his sight back
he was met with the form of a man in a green hooded cloak. His face was
hidden in shadows that even Dasro's vampiric vision could not
penetrate. "You make this far too easy Vampire. I thought I would have to
take out a few of your followers."
	"Who are you?" Dasro took a defensive stance against the unknown
man.
	"You may call me your string bearer." The man lifted an arm holding
a wand. He fired a green blast from it, causing Dasro to fall to the ground
in a heap. "For you have become my puppet." He walked towards Dasro's prone
form, and began chanting a spell.

	After hours of studying, and then an hour of exorcises, we were
finally finished with that days training.
	"Ok, the schedule will work like this. Blake, you get Monday and
Tuesday off, Andrea you get Wednesday and Thursday. Weekends will be the
toughest fights. They have more crowds on the streets, which mean easier
pickings for Vampires and Demons. You will both be here three days a week
for training." I looked over at the clock, we had been here since 3 and it
was a quarter till 9. "The doorways to your homes are about to be
activated, so pay attention Blake."
	I snapped forwards as he was indicating to a black door shaped area
of the wall. "This doorway will open a portal to several different
locations in the city. The first is right above us in the Park. The second
is my place. Third is Blake's condo. Fourth is Andrea's apartment. Finally,
the club you two operate, Serenity. You activate them using an
incantation. Are you all with me so far?"
	"Yes sir!" Andrea and I said at the same time, saluting. It really
is scary how much we think alike sometimes.
	"Very funny." Devin wouldn't let that deter him, I'll give him that
much. "Here is the incantation. I kept it simple so you two can
remember. Wind and air, night and day. Open this portal and make clear my
way. Then state your destination. Blake, since you have tonight off you can
use this portal to get home. I arranged for your car to be taken back
home. The last of the Watchers that helped me set up are repairing the
house and tunnel after today's test, then it will just be the three of
us. By the way, does our little group have a name?"
	"We were thinking The Birds Of Prey." Andrea said smiling at
me. She had been the one to come up with it.
	"Very well..." Devin closed his eyes for a bit. "on comm. You can
call me Owl. It fits this bird motif you two have going, and he was always
the wise one in "Winnie the Pooh". Guilty pleasure of mine. So, off you
go..." He motioned me towards the doorway. "I'll be calling you tomorrow to
set up a regular meeting time for us three. We have much training to do."
	I stepped towards the doorway. I have to admit I was nervous. "Wind
and air, night and day. Open this portal and make clear my way. Home." The
painted square darkened, then filled with smoke. When it became clear I
could see my living room with Josh at the couch. He couldn't see me since I
was behind him. I looked at Andrea seeing a look of shock, then I stepped
through. It was just like stepping into another room. I turned back and saw
the Hole, and then the portal clouded to black and faded. It was against
the wall behind my couch, right next to my movie rack. I turned back to the
couch and walked forward.
	Josh noticed me with a start, and then smiled. "Hey sweetie, I
didn't hear you come in."
	"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." I walked around the couch
and sat down next to him. "How was your day?"
	"Great. I start work with Andy's dad Friday." I smiled. At his
excitement, he couldn't stop smiling. "It's going to be so great knowing
I'm helping set up our home. Ya know?"
	"I'm glad you're getting into this. So... I have tonight off. How
about some dinner?" I stood pulling him to his feet afterwards.
	"I'm not really hungry. How about we just go to the bedroom and
make love?" Josh started pulling us towards the bedroom.
	"Sounds like a plan." We never ate that night.


Now, if you haven't read the other stories in the "Tales Universe" go do that now.

Tales Of A Real Dark Night (The series that started it all.)
celebrity/boy-bands/tales-of-a-real-dark-knight/

Marvel Knights
celebrity/marvel-knights/

Tales Of A Super Hero Band
celebrity/boy-bands/tales-of-a-superhero-band/

Tales Of A Young Mutant
celebrity/tales-of-a-young-mutant/

You can E-Mail me at WriteMeAStory@Juno.com