• Fenix slid back in his seat. His cigarette threatened to fall out of his mouth, but his jaw battled it. It was a strange balance. Too much pressure, and the cigarette would be broken, falling to the floor helplessly. Too little pressure and it would simply fall out. It had taken him a few short months of practice to master holding it in his teeth, although the skill was rarely used. He enjoyed the sun. So much, that he would take the time to ride the bullet train into this nearly abandoned town, just so he could get out of the smog that was all consuming to Yuma. The bullet train... Every time he neared it, his eyes darted to the car number. If it was car three, he'd quickly double back, pretending he forgot something incredibly important. If not, he'd cautiously enter the vehicle, ensuring to sit at the window seat nearest the exit. He couldn't trust this thing. Not after what had happened... His memories always flooded him, the painful way Pain's ax had ripped into his flesh, rending his head from his body... the way he saw his best friend's tears fall freely...

    But strangely, it wasn't the pain he remembered most... nor was it the strange transformations that happened... but the love... The love they had shared, even through their differences and the violence from combating Pain and Misery, that stood out more than anything else. Fenix suddenly heard a footstep. Before anyone could even think of seeing his clawed hands, he hid them in his leather-jacket, grumbling slightly at his bad habit. He wasn't addicted to cigarettes any more-his lycan self shook off the need the second it emerged. But, he still kept the habit. There were still numerous problems. For one, they blocked one of his best ways to detect people, scent.

    "That'll kill you." A young, almost fragile voice said. It was quiet, but strangely assertive... and dominant.

    "If I were in you're pack, I'm sure it would matter." Fenix said, crushing the smoking object. He tossed the remains in the air, watching slightly as they scattered, harmlessly. Fenix patted the ground near him. "Sit, you're in presence of a friend."

    "Well, I wouldn't want one of the great Iminir setting a bad example for the rest of us." She said, sitting at the designated location. She looked at him with a frown. "There's another way. You don't have to follow those old rules."

    "I suppose they don't make much sense at times..." Fenix said, sliding until he was completely flat against the ground, staring up, into the tree's private innards. "But it's the way I live."

    "You're not one for following them, are you?" The girl said, laying down next to Fenix.

    "If you're referring to my choice not to kill you where you stand, Puritan, that's simply because this isn't my territory." Fenix paused inhaling deeply. "And it's not yours either. Our meeting here was coincidence, just like two albino's crossing paths at the local super-market." Fenix shifted his eye over at her. She had beautiful, deep green eyes. They seemed to cut through him, gnawing at his inner core. Above her eyes sat this strange dirty blonde strand of hair. It seemed to rebel from the tight pony-tail that held back the rest of her hair.

    "Except unlike the two albino's we could cause a lot of trouble." She smilied, looking over at Fenix. She leaned forward and gave him a slight peck on the forehead. "I'll tell Mum for you, okay?" She said, allowing her rather thick British accent leak into her speech. Fenix's eyes widened.

    "Big sis!" Fenix shouted, sitting up. He smiled widely, then frowned. His eyes looked up to see a group of six more werewolves staring at him. Hate leaked out from behind their eyes, and one stepped forward, with a snarl.

    "Why is your brother a follower of Luna?" His hand leapt for the sword at his side. Before he could draw it, the other wolves had their weapons ready.

    "He won't join us." The blonde girl said, dismay in her voice. "I'm sure you know what this means, dear brother?" Fenix shook his head slightly.

    "You mean to inform mother of my death?" Fenix said, reaching in his pocket. The wolves snarled and prepared to strike, until he pulled out a cigarette and a match. "Then let me die the way I lived." He lit the cigarette ans smiled slightly, willing the hilt of Silver-storm to appear. Before the other wolves could react, the first three were struck. One managed to deflect the claymore away from the other wolves, but it was far too late. Fenix flipped behind them, spinning as he landed. One of the wolves, clearly the alpha male, instantly morphed into his Gauru form, but the other Pure wolves stepped back. Even though the Pure alpha snarled at them, yelling for them to attack, their instincts forced them away from the mighty lycan-bane. The alpha wasn't so smart to ignore his fear. The claymore was embedded in his chest quicker than Fenix could've imagined, as a human. One of the other wolves attempted to run, but he was quickly caught by Fenix, who stabbed him into the ground with a smirk. He heard the other wolf's feet leave the ground, behind him. He rolled forward, bringing his sword up under the wolf as he landed. The canine-like creature's skull was sliced in two, bringing Fenix's fight to an end. He looked around for his sister, but only found a small note and a vial of blood where they laid together.

    "I apologize for the mess, but it was necessary to test you. You're strong, brother. Your pack has trained you well. Good luck with your new life, and please... please, PLEASE...

    Never come home.
    Falx"

    Fenix knew what she meant. She was visiting him, specifically. She probably trailed him for days, masking herself, waiting for him to be away from the pack. Fenix's slice of London was her territory, and as a wolf who lived under Luna, he was not welcome in the Pure's home. Fenix now considered his mother's life... She was a werewolf... and Falx copied her whenever possible.

    "Then I have no mother..." Fenix said, boarding the bullet train, ignoring the fact he stepped into Car 3, and speeding back towards Old-Town Yuma.