Title: From the Ashes
Author: Phoenixflame
Rating: R
Summary: Two hundred years after Black Rose, a new civilization has risen from the ashes. City-states fight for control and dominance. One city has risen above the others as a city where 'freaks', or so-called 'good' demon forces can walk freely. Controlled by the mysterious dictator called Black Phoenix, New Avalon is far from perfect. This is the future of the Phoenix universe, and the conclusion to a story that has taken two years to complete...




                                ~Chapter Three: Angel of Death~
                                   //Hednoize: Loaded Gun//


The storm system that had moved in overnight settled in hard. Lightening thundered above New Avalon, flashing off of the spires and skyscrapers that jutted up into the sky.

Two figures, both in black, were in an alcove that looked out on the huge structure that was the center of the city, where the leaders of New Avalon lived. Six guards were standing outside of the gate. Pearl could see the small side-gate to the huge metal structure. It looked open, but it was really a trap. Anyone trying to sneak inside had to get past the infra-red sensors, the cameras, and last but not least, two huge hellhounds guarded the entrance.

"Are you sure you can handle the hellhounds?" whispered Short. She was crouched down in the shadows, the slim form of a black data-link acoss her knees.

"I guess I'll have to wait and see, won't I?" Pearl replied, checking the positions of her daggers, the fit of her sword. Finally, she pulled on the black cloak hung over one arm, and nodded. 

"Okay, then. You have ten seconds to get to the gate. The cloak lasts for five minutes. When you get to the gate, I'll knock out the infra-red sensors. That's as good as I can get. If I go any farther into the security systems on the front gate, the techies will figure out how I broke in and track me."

"Right. Ready?" hissed Pearl.

"On my mark." Pearl tensed, hand moving to the hood. "Now!"

Pearl swept the hood of the black cloak up. As she moved out of the shadows, she vanished. In reality, she ran across the street. Short hit a few keys as the Slayer slipped into the long corridor, and adjusted her intercom. They couldn't activate it until she was past the hounds. There were sound sensors in the corridor into the spire.

Moving with all the speed she could muster while staying silent, Pearl dashed down the corridor, keeping her footsteps light. The corridor ended in a warded door, guarded by two immense beasts which she guessed were the hellhounds.

The two hounds sniffed the air, and snarled, baring yellow but dangerous fangs. Pearl drew a long silver knife out, and made a hissing noise. They got to their feet, and began to pace towards her. The biggest of the two leapt first.

As the beast leapt for her, she dashed out of the way, ducked in under it, and stabbed it in the throat and head. It stayed up for a few seconds then collapsed. The second one sniffed, and listened carefully. Pearl stilled her breathing and didn't move. It still heard her heart, and dashed at her. She jumped out of the way, and slashed it. As it came at her again, she stabbed it under the chin, driving the knife up into its brain and dashing back to avoid the blood.

"Two minutes." Short informed her through the bead in her ear. The Slayer touched the bead slightly, grimaced, and moved to the door. Pulling out the disruptor stone, she threw it through the door. It shimmered, and she quickly opened it and slipped through. The field stabilized, but Pearl was already inside the spire.

"The door to the steps is on your right, behind the elevator column." Short said, her voice proffessional. "The lock will automatically open when I kill the power. Don't touch the handle until then. They have electricity running through it.

The lights suddenly became incredibly bright, then went out. The door clicked, and Pearl opened it and slipped inside.

The steps were pitch black. There were no windows in the column, and the walls were cold concrete beneath her fingers. Pearl cautiously made her way up. "Short, can I use my penlight?" she asked, tapping the bead.

There was a pause, then Short said "No. Too much risk of being seen before you see them."

"Is security on their way?"

"No. They're crippled without access to the mainframe. They don't have any idea where to look. Right now, they're working on getting the generators up and running." Short replied. "You've got twenty minutes, Sauriel. Hope you're a good climber."

Pearl launched into a full out run up the stairs. This turned out not to be such a good idea, and she ended up running into walls more often than not. Soon enough, though, she fell to counting the steps. Thirty-five in each flight, with five steps around the railing and to the next flight. 

It felt like she was climbing forever, with only the sound of her harsh breathing echoing in the column. Pearl gulped in air desperately as she ran. "Short." she gasped. "What floor?"

"You're on the twenty-seventh floor." Short replied. "Three more flights."

"Thanks." she mumbled, and vaulted to the top of another flight.

When she reached the door, she leaned against it, gasping for air. "How long until they've got power again?"

"Ten minutes, if what I'm doing doesn't work." Short replied, her voice tense. "Better get moving."

She turned and leaned her head against the cool metal of the door, and took one last deep breath, letting her breathing settle in a regular pattern. "Got it." she whispered. "Thanks, Short."

"No problemo." the young cracker replied.

Opening the door, she moved into the hallway.

The corridor was lined with rich carpeting, and busts of various personas were set against the walls, on pedestals. At the end of the hall, there was a huge vaulting window. There was not a living thing in the corridor besides Pearl. "Short, where are all the guards?"

"I don't know." Short said, sounding puzzled. "This is high level access. There should be at least a few guards around. Start checking doors."

Pearl moved from one door to the next, twisting the handles. She could have twisted them off with one hand, but she didn't want to leave a trail behind. Finally, at the end of the hall, her patience paid off, and the door swung open easily.

This room was empty of people as well. Pearl frowned, and pulled out the penlight. Twisting the top, she was rewarded with a beam of light about a foot across. 

The room was filled with portraits, statues, and paintings of Buffy Summers. The only other thing within the gallery was a glass case with a sword inside of it. Pearl walked over to the case, and peered into it. "It's a gallery of pictures of my mother." she whispered. "Some statues too, and an old sword."

"Five minutes." Short warned her.

"What are you doing in here?" a sharp voice said behind her. Pearl whirled around, eyes going wide at the sight of the Black Phoenix.

As it had been in the broadcast, the dictator wore the face and body of her mother. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and she was carrying a sword.

"Mother?" Pearl whispered, frozen where she stood.

"I don't have a daughter." the Black Phoenix replied, her voice cold. "I don't know who you are, or who you think I am, but you've made a very serious mistake!" She began to advance across the room, her boots clicking on the wood floor.

                      //Revolutionary Girl Utena: Virtual Star Hasseigaku//

Broken out of her shock, Pearl smashed the case, and grabbed the sword. As the Black Phoenix lunged forwards, she met her thrust with the blade, and the fight commenced.

Pearl threw her weight into the sword, flinging the other woman back before dashing forwards, unleashing several strikes at the thing that wore her mothers face. The Black Phoenix blocked the strikes easily, and counter-attacked, driving Pearl back across the room. As their swords scraped together, the dictator punched Pearl in the jaw with bone-breaking force, knocking her back against the wall.

Glad for once of her changling blood, Pearl rolled across the floor and came to her feet. Grabbing a piece of the glass case, she flung it like a frisbee. As the Black Phoenix threw herself out of the way, Pearl dashed forwards, blade aimed towards the opening. But the other woman recovered faster than the Slayer had anticipated, and parried the strike, leg lashing out to kick Pearl in the stomache, sword slashing upwards to catch the hilt of Pearl's sword, knocking it out of her hand to go skidding across the room. A few more punches, and Pearl was on her knees. 

The Black Phoenix aimed her sword at Pearl's neck. "Not nearly good enough, changling." she sneered. "Pathetic. I'm not your mother, but she'd be /ashamed/ to see such a weakling as her daughter!"

Pearl gasped for breath, eyes wide as she stared up at the Phoenix. The Phoenix glared at her. "What, no begging for your life?"

Unseen by the woman, Pearl clutched the penlight in her hand. As the Phoenix stared at her, she quickly activated it and shone the light into her eyes.

The woman cried out in pain, one hand moving involuntarily to cover her eyes. Pearl belted her, and grabbed the sword from the floor. Flipping the penlight off, she stowed it in a pocket, and ran out of the room.

She kicked in doors as she went. On the third one, she found a fully stocked armory. From the gallery, she heard her opponent getting to her feet. Moving through the room, she ignored the case of melee weapons and blasters. Then she found a strange device she'd never seen before out on a table.

Grabbing it, she turned around, just in time for the Phoenix to come rushing through the door. Aiming the device at her, she hit the button.

Wires with tiny little needles in the end shot out. The Phoenix slashed at them, but they tangled around her blade, then the device hummed as live current was sent through the wires.

Electricity arced from the sword to the cross that hung around the Phoenix's neck. The woman fell to her knees, then collapsed, twitching, having been paralyzed by the shock.

"Lucky, lucky, lucky." muttered Pearl. Ignoring the paralyzed woman behind her, she went through the cabinets and drawers until she found somethign very familiar. A hoverpack. "Blessed by God." she said in awe, staring at it. Then she shrugged it on, and hurried out of the room, pausing briefly to look down at the Phoenix, who stared up at her. 

"I can't do this." she mumbled to herself. Shaking her head, she ran out of the room and down towards the end of the hall as Short yelled into her ear.

"Pearl! Pearl! What's happening? The power's gonna come on in thirty seconds! You've got to get out of there!"

"I've got it covered!" Pearl replied. Leaning her sword against the wall, she grabbed one of the busts and tossed it through the large window. Kicking the rest of the glass out of her way, she grabbed the sword and leapt out of the window, hand snaking up to activate the hoverpack. 

She soared downwards towards the streets outside as the lights of the Spire came back on, and the guards were only beginning to realize what had happened. 

End of part 3