1. Fallen Phoenix

Chapter 07: In One Way, Out Another.

"Because she has a pretty face and you felt sorry for her."

Rachael interrupted Phoenix.

"...No because they already discovered that she has had two contacts with me in her quarters already."

"So you're telling me you brought her back, here, because you wanted to protect her?"

Anastasia stepped behind Phoenix in an attempt to hide from Rachael's threatening look.

"Of course I did what other reason would I have?"

"I don't know Phoenix..."

Rachael paused looking at Phoenix's left arm.

"Is that blood on your arm?"

Phoenix looked down at his arm, and was dumbfounded seeing that he was bleeding. Looking annoyed, Rachael grabbed Phoenix's right arm and pulled him inside.

"Come on; let me see what you've done to yourself this time and why it isn't healing."

"I haven't the faintest idea how or when that happened."

Phoenix followed Rachael. Not much of a choice since she had him by the arm. Anastasia stood on the balcony not sure what to do.

"Come on in, Anastasia."

Phoenix said cheerfully to her. Rachael turned quickly, resentment in her voice.

"Oh no, you don't. This is my home and as far as I'm concerned you are not welcomed in it."

Anastasia, head down, turned away looking out over the balcony. Shooting Rachael a harsh look, Phoenix stopped walking.

"What? Oh Fine, Come in Anastasia. Just know I'll have my eye on you."

Rachael said grudgingly.

Anastasia warily walked in from the balcony. Rachael sat Phoenix down on the bed while pulling out an old wooden box that at one point of time had been covered with leather. Opening the box, she took out some old brown glass bottles and several white cloths. Anastasia watched intently as Rachael turned on a light by the bed and held a magnifier to the wound.

"Hmm, looks like they tried to bug you. How did you get out of there this time?"

"A portal."

"Teraphorm?"

"No, Mechron."

"Ah, that's what did it. You fried the circuitry in the bug and it exploded in your arm. Now, why it won't heal is the strange part."

"Think they had a chemical mixed in with the bug?"

"Shouldn't matter, not with your genetic coding. More then likely, you've lost a feather, again."

"I can't wait for my next rising, it should be fixed then so it wouldn't matter how many feathers I lose."

Anastasia not knowing what they were talking about perked up when she heard 'feather' in her back pocket was the missing one.

"Um, I can help there."

Rachael looked at Anastasia, doubt on her face.

"No, really I have it right here."

Anastasia took the feather out of her pocket showing them.

"Alright, good job Anastasia."

Phoenix joyfully chimed.

"I'll take that, thank you."

Rachael got up snatching the feather from Anastasia's hand.

Sitting back down by Phoenix, Rachael took out an empty glass bottle. She placed the feather in it pouring liquid from one of the brown bottles into it. After shaking the bottle, she passed it to Phoenix.