Phoenix
Author: Bellashade
Rated: PG
Summery: Buffy's shy reserved, with a hidden secret, not set in a series really but faith is the resident Slayer
Disclaimer: don't own 'em, 'cept Arielle, and the idea of Buffy being the phoenix,
Buffy summers sat in the corner of the library trying to hide her presence trying not to be noticed.
"Buffy come on don't hide over there," Willow called and tried to coax her nearer. Just like she'd been trying to do since Buffy arrived in Sunnydale a year ago 2 weeks before the second slayer was sent for when Buffy refused to even consider slaying. The excuses had made everyone think she was weak and helpless and that's just how Buffy wanted it she'd failed before and this time people wouldn't die because of her mistakes. So Faith was the official slayer and Xander and Willow were her Slayerettes and Giles her watcher. The only one who knew the truth about her was Angel and he hadn't told Buffy he knew exactly who she was.
"Faith, I need you to patrol tonight. Angel informs me their is a new vampire cult moving into town they and very vicious Angel informed me their looking for information on a mythical beast the Phoenix ."
"Isn't that the bird that that's covered in fire??" Xander asked.
No one noticed Buffy had gone very pale when they mentioned the Phoenix .
"Yes quiet."
"But I take it their not trying to find the bird?"
"No there was a rumor that a Phoenix had risen in LA but we have no information on the Phoenix and there isn't anyone in the world that has the information we need."
"Now that isn't quiet true Giles," Angel said from the doorway to the library.
"What do you mean Angel do you know about this Phoenix thing?"
"No Faith but we do have the living expert on the subject of the Phoenix sitting right here in this room."
"Who?? if Willow or Xander knew they would have told us right," Faith said completely forgetting about Buffy.
"He's talking about me," Buffy said quietly from her corner, "but I'm bound by oath never to speak about the Phoenix ."
"We need that information Buffy," Giles said.
"No you don't," Buffy disagreed, "and I gave my word to her that I would never discuss the Phoenix with anybody. All I need is the information about this cult such as who is leading it then I will pass on the information and she will deal with it."
"Fine, fine Buffy you keep your secrets and we won't tell you a thing."
"Buffy is their anyway for us to talk to the Phoenix our selves," Angel asked.
"Yes," Buffy whispered as she could never lie to Angel because unknown to everyone except Willow Buffy had fallen in love with the souled vampire.
"how?" Giles asked.
"Fire," Buffy said and stood and went to a hidden panel in the library counter.
"How long have you known their was a secret panel there and why didn't you tell us?" Xander asked.
"I keep this stuff here for when I contact the Phoenix , I talk to her when every one's gone home," Buffy lied and started to set up the ritual first she set the bowl down then started putting in tinder and other stuff that would burn she then lit a match and threw it into the bowl. Which quickly lit, "decide the one who will talk to her with me."
"I will," Angel answered and sat opposite her Buffy nodded and handed him several herbs.
"Throw them in," they both threw the herbs in then clasped hands and the fire suddenly shot upwards and outwards until it surrounded the pair so no one could see or hear what was going on inside.
Buffy stood, "you know don't you?"
"That your the Phoenix ? Yeah I know what I don't know is why you stopped and became this facade of your self."
"Because I got caught Angel after I killed lothos and lucious, lothos's childer and minions came after me they overwhelmed me with numbers," as Buffy explained Angel saw her memories in the fire, "they tortured me Angel, killed me so many time but I'm the Phoenix I can't be killed I just get reborn I would wake up totally healed and they would start again they beat me raped me the thing is Angel every time I was 'reborn' in the fire I was a virgin again and I will be till I give myself freely. Name the torture they used it on me until I tapped into part of the power of the Phoenix and I burnt them all to a crisp but the old me was gone Angel I can't go back the Phoenix is a part of me now and I can't get rid of it, and I'm scared so I keep the power locked away."
"And you hide in plain sight anyone looking at you wouldn't possibly think you were the legendary Phoenix ."
"Exactly," Buffy half smiled then her smile disappeared and she carried on her explanation, "I didn't get them all though and the rumors started about the Phoenix, the woman who could rise from the dead by fire but one time they drowned me I couldn't revive until I had totally dried see water is my one weakness. Angel who is leading this gang?"
"macvios, he held in a warehouse near the ice rink." Buffy was so shocked her control or fire got out of control and the fire started to dance wildly
"are you sure?" Buffy asked as the fire turned white hot
every one out side the circle of flames took several steps back to try to get away from the heat.
"Yes I'm sure why?"
"Because he was the ringleader in torturing me," Buffy said then let the circle or flames die down and down until they were extinguished she then grabbed her bag and ran out of the library. Angel just stood their with his eyes screwed shut locked in Buffy's memories of her torture.
"Well what did you find out?" Xander asked.
" Phoenix will take care of it she has the rite"
"Why just cos she's the one their hunting, I'm the Slayer," Faith snapped.
"You didn't see the stuff they did to her," Angel growled back, "they tortured her Faith. Killed her over and over each time worse then the one before and the worst thing they did was put her in ice water which doesn't sound bad but for her it was the worst thing they could do for the Phoenix maybe not for the woman who's body she inhabits but for her it was."
"Why?" Xander asked "it's not like water can hurt you, well except if it's boiling of if you drown."
"Think about it Xander she's a creature of fire she needs fire to heal and water puts out fire so she couldn't heal," Willow pointed out, "Angel what did they do to her while she was in the water?"
"They tortured her Willow , beat her, raped her, branded her skinned her whilst she was still alive," Angel listed in a monotone. Willow and Xander looked like they were going to be sick and Giles cleaned his glasses muttering "Oh dear lord."
"That still doesn't explain why the Phoenix is going alone," Faith asked not bothered at all that these vamps tortured a young girl.
"Their vampires Faith it won't take her long to kill them."
"Where did fluffy run off to?"
"That is none of your business Faith."
Buffy had run home to change clothes into the form fitting stuff she never thought she would wear again it consisted of red leather pants a white tunic with flames along the bottom, grey boots, and black gloves with flames reaching from wrists towards her fingers.
"Time for the Phoenix to rise again," Buffy whispered and climbed of the window heading towards the warehouse. Once their Buffy completed her transformation and her hair turned red and orange and crackled like fire and flame wings grew from her back and her eye's glowed orange like hot embers of the fire. Buffy kicked open the doors of the warehouse and all the vamps their turned to look
"The Phoenix ," some whispered in awe and watch dumbstruck as Buffy gathered her power and unleashed it on the vampires leaving only macvios who she encircled with fire.
"No way out macvios," she taunted, "I remember what you did to me and so I'm gonna let you feel everything I felt, every welt and cut will be yours the pain will be doubled before I finally let you die," she smirked and guiding the fire of her magic she let him feel every pain every death every drop of acid until she let the fire eat him and their was nothing left but ash. Buffy spread her wings of flame letting out a shriek and set the ware house on fire as a warning and to kill any vamps she'd missed and Buffy then turned and walked out spread her wings and left the ground and finally felt free again.
"so Phoenix this is what your power is" Buffy giggled and let herself feel the Phoenix to let the part of herself she had hidden from finally free and she had fun doing it.
"Yo g-man what is that?" Xander pointed to the girl with the fire wings in the sky.
"That's Phoenix ," Angel smiled.
"She's kind of noticeable isn't she?" Willow asked.
"She doesn't always look like that she's finally letting herself free," Angel told them.
"What do you mean letting herself free?"
"The girl who is the Phoenix has been very afraid of her Phoenix half and is only now letting it out I'm betting that's the first time she's been up in the air since she escaped from the vamps in LA."
"You know who she is don't you?"
"Yes Buffy told me, but I already knew I was told to protect the Phoenix, and I was told who she was but she doesn't know this and you can't tell Buffy either."
"Why not?"
"Because Buffy would tell Phoenix they are very close." Angel grinned as Phoenix spotted them and hovered above them before looping and doing a nosedive at Angel and she stopped and landed on the ground in front of him and fire circled around them in the form of her wings.
"Their dead." was all she said before recoiling her wings so they fell down her back gracefully.
"Hi I'm Xander, Angels friend."
"I know who you are" Buffy replied.
"Are you ok after seeing macvios again??" Angel asked putting his hand on her cheek.
"I had to do it Angel I had to face my fears, and now I'm one with the Phoenix again and nothing could be better, you wanna see Sunnydale from the air?" Buffy smiled at Angel.
"Sure." he answered and Buffy turned him around so his back was to her wrapped her arms around his waist and used her wings to lift off she and Angel were air-born.
"I never realized how amazing it is up here," Buffy whispered into his ear.
"You have all the time in the world to find out Buffy."
"Your right I do but some of the time I'm not gonna have much time to appreciate it."
"Because now you've been seen more will come."
"Yeah which is why were going to willies."
"What?" Angel asked confused even as Buffy touched down outside the alibi rooms.
"And Angel when I'm in this form call me Phoenix or fee when in public."
"Sure" and they entered the alibi rooms.
"Hey hey no flame in here we don't want it to go boom." Buffy looked at Willie then shrugged and her flamed wings disappeared.
"I want you to do something for me Willie see I'm the Phoenix and I heard that people were looking for me. Well you see I don't take kindly to that so Angel over there or Buffy summer's, you know who she is right?"
"Yeah short blond the Slayer well demons call her wimpy Slayer."
"Well the wimpy Slayer is under my protection and she or Angel will come by each week to see if anybody's been looking for me, and if I find out that you withhold information your bars gonna go boom capiche?"
"Yeah, yeah Phoenix I understand."
"Good Buffy will be here on Monday morning for any information concerning new people in Sunnydale I don't care why their here but I want all the information on them."
"I'll see Buffy on Monday then," Willie whimpered and Buffy and Angel left.
"You know my other persona as Buffy the wimp is a definite advantage."
"It is?"
"Yeah cos no one expects her to be the Phoenix ," Buffy giggled "I'd better get home I need some sleep for school tomorrow."
"Ok I'll see you at the Scooby meeting tomorrow night?"
"Sure, night Angel."
"Night Buffy," Buffy smiled and flew to a block away from her house and started to change back into Buffy first to go were her fire wings then her hair then finally her eyes returned to normal. Once home she went straight to bed though she couldn't sleep in her dreams she was in a fire cavern and sitting crossed legged in front of her was an young woman.
"Hello Buffy."
"Who are you?"
"I was the first Phoenix until I decided that new should be chosen you are the second Phoenix . When we chose you we had no idea what you would have to go through and we understand if you want to pass the Phoenix to a new person."
"No I made my finally choice tonight the Phoenix is a part of me now and I'm not sure if I can live without it again."
"So now you must harness that power and learn to control it yet you must let it free sometimes."
"I understand, but may I ask what is your name? And where do we come from?"
"we are chosen slayers Buffy and my name is Arielle bekastien, we are the most powerful slayers of all time there are 8 souls who were chosen as the most powerful the strongest of the spirits and when the time was right they would be born into certain dimensions and become Phoenix's you and I were chosen for this dimension." Arielle smiled.
"But how did I become the Phoenix ?"
"You died, I'm sorry so sorry you had to be put through the torture and if I could I would torture them myself."
"How did you die Arielle?"
"The Cruciamentum Buffy."
"I've never heard of that is it a demon?"
"No Buffy it's a test on a Slayer's 18th birthday the watcher's inject a Slayer with a muscle relaxant and with no powers send her up against a vampire."
"That's barbaric."
"Yes I know now sleep Buffy ask your watcher about it tomorrow and let yourself rest no nightmare will haunt you this night."
"Thank you Arielle."
"Sleep well little sister."
"Buffy wait up," Willow called.
"Hey will."
"Are you ok you left the library last night like a bat outta hell?"
"Sorry will but seeing those memories."
"Well you missed some really cool aerobatics from the Phoenix and she took Angel flying I wish she would take me."
"Maybe she will in time will Phoenix isn't good with the trusting people just give her time."
"She trusts Angel."
"Angel knows who she is and hasn't blabbed so I guess that shows he can be trusted." Buffy shrugged and the 2 walked into the library and saw Faith Xander Cordelia and Amy all sat round the table and Giles was stood reading from a book.
"So any new prophecies?" Willow asked.
"No were just looking for more information on the Phoenix ," Giles answered.
"Giles may I look at all the watcher diary's concerning Arielle bekastien and her Cruciamentum."
"Why do you want those Buffy?" Willow asked as Giles dropped both his book and his apple, "what's up Giles?" Willow asked concerned.
"How do you know about the Cruciamentum?"
"Because that's how Arielle died."
"And how do you know this?"
"Cos I got a visit from her last night."
"You dreamt about her death?" Giles asked.
"No we sat by a fire and talked she told me how she died and we talked and I really want to see those diary's."
"She told you about the Cruciamentum?"
"Yes she told me about it."
"What is it? Some kind of demon?" Xander asked.
"No Xander it's the watchers council's idea of an 18th birthday present."
"Ooh I get a present from the council when I'm 18 cool," Faith said.
"But it can't be good if this Arielle died," Cordelia said.
"Not many slayers survive it Cordelia," Buffy answered, "the watchers give you an injection of muscle relaxants which make your Slayer strength disappear then they lock you in a house with a very strong vampire, do you have Arielle's diary's?" Buffy turned to Giles.
"Of course but parts of her private diary's are written in a very strange language," Giles admitted, "no one on the watcher's council have been able to find out what it means and I doubt you'll have much luck but the rest is written in English."
"Thanks Giles" Buffy smiled and opened the diary and started to read:
Hi I'm Arielle and I'm 15 the year is 1346 and I have just been called as the Slayer the newest chosen my predecessor died last night and papa says I must take her place.....
Buffy sighed 'she's so young' she thought and carried on reading:
There's a new demon in town and I don't know whether I can face it it's so strong and I'm only one girl no I can't be pessimistic god I hate these dressed their hard to fight in too and too big and bulky....
I had a dream last night about the future I saw a girl about my age getting called I never heard her name but she was my height blond hair but she had a cloak of fire round her but not touching her just trying to creep into her skin and become one with her she was sitting on the steps to a school I think that's what it was it could have been anything really but I just 'know' it was a school then I saw her in a different town with wings of pure fire and she had someone with her a tall man with dark hair he is the guardian and she the Phoenix.
"I've found a reference to the Phoenix Arielle had a prophecy dream when she was 16 talking about the Phoenix ."
"Read it out," Xander ordered.
"Fine, she had a cloak of fire round her......
...........he is the guardian and she the Phoenix ."
"The guardian I've never heard mention of him."
"Neither have I but I think I know who he is."
"Well you carry on reading that and we'll try to find reference to this guardian."
I do not understand my dream my watcher told me there was no such thing as the Phoenix but I know he's wrong
Buffy smiled slightly 'oh Arielle what those watchers did to you' Buffy though with a sigh:
I had another dream this time I met with the Phoenix entity we conversed in a language I understood but I also understand that only those who are chosen may read this language...
Buffy reached into her bag and produced a note pad and she wrote the first line:
Mo Nan quar ne'tast quar untari
I am the Phoenix the spirit
Quar nex'vast shan grunj tay kiva
The guardian will find you soon
Tan ek kunchu, liva, kren tay shan grunj tani kiva
He is pure kind and you shall find him soon
Tan shan fen se makvan de tana krook quar ken'tack
He will have a marking on his back the griffin
"Buffy," Giles called as he put his hand on her shoulder and she jumped, "Sorry I startled you but everyone's gone home wont your mother worry?"
"She's at an exhibition in Chicago till week on Monday."
"What are you working on if you mind me asking?"
Buffy handed him her notepad "translating the writing."
"My lord it's a prophecy."
"Not quiet but it is sort of but more like a message it was written about our Phoenix and her guardian or to them and to the old Phoenix too."
"How can you read this Buffy?"
"Giles I've never been entirely truthful to you or anyone well maybe except Angel but he's known for a long time."
"Buffy," Giles said sitting down.
"Giles, I'm not the wimpy Slayer you all think I am I've used that excuse as a shield because I couldn't face my fears but last night I faced them and won Giles I'm the Phoenix."
"You're the Phoenix well that explains how you can read this why did you hide like this Buffy none of us would have judged you."
"I'm not ready to tell the others Giles you and Angel are the only one's who know after what happened in LA I couldn't face people it took along time for me to face being in the same room with another person and I still get nightmares every night."
"Angel told us you'd been tortured but no specifics," Giles lied hoping she would tell him herself.
"Good you don't need to hear what I've been through I'm going to start training again both my mind and my body it's going to take a while though."
"That's understandable if you haven't been fighting for 2 years, would you mind me asking what you and Arielle talked about last night?"
"Sure she told me where the Phoenix 's come from and who she was and told me I have to learn control while at the same time let my self be free. She told me I can't keep hiding and she gave me a choice whether to pass the Phoenix on, or to embrace the power and the spirit," Buffy smiled, "I chose to embrace."
"Why was Arielle sent to you and not one of the other slayers?"
"Arielle was the Phoenix she chose to die and let someone else carry the mantle of Phoenix and they chose me," Buffy explained, "goodnight Giles I'm gonna head to the hill above the city."
"The hill?"
"Yeah it's near the old mansion on Crawford street I go there when I need to think or train no one ever goes there," Buffy smiled and said goodbye.
"Hello Buffy."
"Hi Arielle" Buffy smiled and sat by the fire.
"It's time for me to start your training," Arielle said and produced a glowing red orb, "This is half of the fire orb."
"Fire orb?"
"Yes, ask Giles about the orb he will tell you, you get this half when you have learned everything I could teach you, we will start with mental control."
"Mental?"
"Yes Buffy mental using your brain."
"To do what?"
"Telepathy to a certain extent and telekinesis."
"Hearing peoples thoughts and moving things with my mind right?"
"Yep that's it and I'll also been teaching you how to keen."
"Keen??"
"Yes keening It is examining an object and then replicating it exactly. This was, all you must do is find something, keen it, and then you will be able to make as many copies as you need."
"That'd be cool."
"Your guardian must be in these lessons with you he must learn and so first I will teach you how to allow me to appear in fire your watcher may wish to speak to me as well," and so the first lesson began and for weeks Buffy trained with Arielle in her mental task and met with Angel and Giles to train physically.
"My god buff you looked wrecked," Xander said.
"Yeah what's been going on with you Giles and Angel."
"Ewww Willow," Xander made a disgusted face and Willow an Buffy glared at him.
"What I mean is 3 weeks ago Giles was hounding us about the Phoenix and then he doesn't want us anywhere near them and you he and Angel have been whispering a lot and leaving us out."
"It isn't intentional Will."
"Well Faith likes it she says Giles has been letting her off training early and letting her have more free time though it does seem weird."
"Guy's don't worry about it in a few months everything will be back to normal or as normal as it can get on the Hellmouth," Buffy said walking into the library, "I mean we are literally standing on the mouth to hell," Buffy said chuckling.
"And that's another thing you haven't been as withdrawn as usual."
"Well take that as a good sign and let Angel and Giles continue to help me hmmm."
"Ah Buffy you're here I finally found the information on the orb," Giles said coming out of his office with his nose buried in a book he looked up and saw Buffy + 2, "Oh hello Willow Xander."
"Hey Giles what's that about an orb is it dangerous?"
"In the wrong hands yes they're a set of 2 orbs their called the fire and lightning orbs guarded and controlled by the Phoenix and the guardian."
"Fire and lightning."
"So that all right then if they have them."
"Before the last Phoenix gave her life so she could have peace in death she broke both orbs in half and took these half orbs to various people. People who could teach the new Phoenix and guardian how to use them."
"The first half orb is mental, we know that but what are the others?"
"The first orb also contain teleportation, defense, attack, and the 2nd halves are learning magic only a Phoenix and guardian may use."
"do you know where they are?"
"the magic halves are said to be with the charmed one and their white lighter."
"Ok well we don't need them yet she and Angel still have along way to go on the mental tasks."
"Yes indeed," Giles agreed.
4 weeks later Buffy and Angel were training in the library with Giles and Arielle watching and giving out advice when Willow Xander and Faith came running in and stopped dead watching with amazement as Buffy circled fire around her self and Angel looked like he had electricity pooling in his hands and around his body like a hula hoop.
"Good your getting better at calling your power," Arielle commented, "now I want you to both pick up the staffs with your mind not letting your powers drop from around you, that power will act as a shield if you can keep it intact while you manipulate the weapon with your mind."
"Yes don't loose focus remember what we've been teaching you," Giles added
"What the hell is going on," Faith shouted surprising Giles into dropping his book and Buffy and Angel into dropping their staffs but not their shields.
"Faith, Willow , Xander what are you doing here?"
"There's loads of vamps coming this way, way more than we can handle," Willow said.
"A real battle?" Buffy asked looking at Arielle.
"Oh dear," Arielle muttered as everyone watched Buffy's eyes change color and her hair change and grow and as she sprouted wings.
"Time to play" she said walking out the door.
"Angel she's going to need help she's letting to much of the Phoenix out she's not ready for it yet," Arielle told him.
Angel nodded and started his own transformation his eye's turned bright blue with yellow sparks his hair turned white and blue with yellow sparks and electric wings sprouted from his back and then he walked out the door following Buffy
"what the hell is going on?!!" Faith shouted.
"we'll explain later" Giles said as he ran after the two.