Phy the Phoenix

Phy the Phoenix is the sixth chapter of Journey.

Chapter Six: Phy the Phoenix
“And anyone who chooses to stick around will have to deal with me,” Phy said as his weird hand-talon thing pointed at The Remnants.

Diligence bared his teeth. “Why are you interfering,” he asked, despite visibly shaking. “This has nothing to do with you.”

“Well since you big bad Remnants are picking on some innocent kids, I couldn’t just stand by,” Phy said as a fireball grew in his talon.

The Remnants glanced at each other before Temperance threw up her hands. “Alright we will leave…for now.”

She and Diligence turned to walk away as Charity said, “Let’s go Gluttony,” as she offered her hands to help Gluttony get to his feet.

Gluttony struggled to his feet as his stomach growled. “Can we stop and get a bite to eat?”

The Remnants started to head out and disappear into the woods. Lust turned his back and said to Hotaru, “Later hothead.”

Hotaru summoned a fireball in his palm, but someone grabbed his arm. Hotaru turned and saw Phy standing next to him. “Let them go for now.”

“…Fine,” Hotaru simply said, willing the fire to vanish from his palm.

He joined up with the rest of his group and helped Izumi get back to her feet. “Thanks sir for helping us,” Satoru said. “But…who are you?”

“I’m the famous and great Phy the Phoenix…but you guys seriously never heard of me?”

In unison, five heads shook causing Phy to drop his head in a depressed state. “Never mind that now,” Izumi said. “We have to reward you for helping us.”

The group had returned to Mayor Bradley’s house and was eating around the table. “Thank you young man for saving these young people,” Mayor Bradley soothingly said to Phy as the group was eating the melon that he had given them earlier. “Oh and thank you for the firewood Hotaru and Akio,” he added.

“No problem sir,” Hotaru said but his eyes were aimed at Phy. “So how is it that you’re able to change your hand into a claw, bird boy?”

Izumi aimed a kick from under the table, but ended up hitting Satoru’s leg by mistake. “Hotaru don’t be rude,” she scolded as Satoru yelped and held onto his injured leg. “It’s fine,” Phy quickly said. “To answer your question it took several years of practice in order for my arms to transform into a talons. I’m pretty sure it took a longer time for me to learn to do that than to actually summon fire.”

“Well it took me about seven years in order to master being a Fire Elementalist,” Hotaru said. “So how long did it actually take you to create those talons?”

Before Phy could respond, Satoru spoke up. “Hey where did Tsuyoshi wander off to?”

“He was interested in seeing my pictures of my youth,” Mayor Bradley answered as he sipped his tea.

True to these words, Tsuyoshi was in another room staring sadly at photo of a supposedly younger Mayor Bradley standing next to someone who Tsuyoshi thought was his wife. He sighed as he remembered how useless he was in the fight against The Remnants.

He heard footsteps coming from outside the room. Tsuyoshi turned around and saw Akio standing in the doorway, his face covered in shadows. “Oh hey Akio,” Tsuyoshi said meekly. “Sorry about not being useful earlier,” he added, but stopped as he got kicked in the stomach.

“Ouch,” he moaned, holding onto his aching stomach. “What was that for Akio?”

“Trust me you got off easy,” Akio whispered. “Cause we wouldn’t be having this conversation if Izumi was killed.”

Tsuyoshi trembled as Akio stood toweringly above him. “Answer this question…why are you traveling with us?”

“To…to become stronger and to be acknowledged as an equal by my brother.”

“And your plan to get stronger is to let us do the dirty work while you hide away in the background?”

“No,” Tsuyoshi muttered. “I just…was scared at that moment.”

“Did you just expect this journey to be some kind of vacation? That you would travel with us, magically get stronger, and then return to your family and go back to wasting your life fishing?”

Tsuyoshi stayed quiet because he knew deep in his heart…that he truly did think along those lines.

Akio turned around. “So what are you going to do? Are you going to enjoy sitting on your ass for the rest of your life or are you going to attempt to get stronger?”

Akio then walked away, leaving Tsuyoshi to reflect on Akio’s words.

“Wait where are you heading,” Izumi asked Phy?

The rest of the group was outside as Phy said he had to head out. “I’m on my way to Conker…I’m a little curious as to how that poor town is getting its supplies.”

“Then how about you go with us,” Hotaru interrupted, getting surprised looks from Izumi and Satoru. “We were planning on heading out that way soon anyway.”

“We were,” Satoru asked Izumi?

Phy chuckled as he ruffled Hotaru’s hair. “Sorry kid…but you’re a bit beneath my level in order to travel with me.”

Hotaru glared at Phy. “Well then hopefully I get to run into you guys soon,” Phy added as he made his way across the Mayor’s lawn.

“Hotaru why are we going to Conker,” Izumi asked as the trio made their way back inside?

“Because Izumi, Akio and I are also wondering how that town in getting its wealth…maybe from an Elementalist…”

Izumi blinked a few times before a thought cropped up into her mind. “You don’t mean…you think my parents might be in Conker!?!”

“They might be and the might not,” Akio said as he walked to the group. “But it wouldn’t hurt to check it out.”

“So let’s head out tomorrow,” Tsuyoshi boldly said.

The rest of the group turned to look at Tsuyoshi who stared back with a serious look on his face. “You look fired up,” Hotaru said. “So get a good night’s rest everyone! Cause we leave at sunrise!”

Meanwhile in a hotel in a nearby town, Diligence and Temperance were relaxing in a lounge. “Damn of all the people to interfere and it’s him,” Diligence complained as he slammed a fist against the wall.

“Try to stay calm Dil,” Temperance soothingly said. “We will have another chance at capturing that brat.”

Before Diligence could respond, a crowd of panicking people burst into the lounge. “What’s all the ruckus about,” Temperance asked as one terrified couple approached them.

“There’s some freak in the dining area eating everything in sight,” the man exclaimed. “We needed to get out of there before we would end up being the next meal.”

The couple then scuttled off with the rest of the scared crowd. Diligence sighed. “That idiot Lust! He can’t even do such the menial job of keeping Gluttony under control.”

And speak of the devil, Lust then entered the lounge, with a hand mark on his face and a bloody nose. “What’s up friends,” Lust mumbled as he sat down. “If I ever meet the guy who made the rule that you can’t touch girls on the spot needs to be executed on the spot.”

“And while your slacking off, Gluttony went on an eating frenzy,” Diligence snapped.

“Well excuse me,” Lust retaliated. “Given the choices of watching that fat oaf or messing around with some ladies…any sane guy would choose the latter... well except for you Dil since you’re in love with following the orders,” he sneered causing Diligence to blush.

Before Diligence could respond, Charity entered the lounge, holding onto a letter. “There was a letter on the front desk for a Pen E. Guin. I offered to deliver it to too you.”

“What kind of stupid name is Pen E. Guin,” Lust laughed as Diligence accepted the letter. “Well you very well know we can’t go around with our actual names,” Temperance said as Diligence began to read the letter.

“You look stressed Lust,” Charity noticed. “Is there anything I can do to help relieve you?”

“Well there is one thing,” Lust said as he punched her in the face, sending her flying backwards into the wall.

“Enough Lust,” Temperance said, standing up.

“It’s okay Temperance,” Charity said weakly as she got back to her feet, with fresh blood dripping down her face. “After all, I exist to do whatever I kind to help others.”

Diligence abruptly stood up. “Guys! This letter is from the boss. And apparently, that kid Phy inadvertently saved our hides.”

The other three Remnants looked back confused. “Our boss thinks that there is a chance that Hotaru isn’t the one we need and it might be one of his friends instead!”

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