Ember of the Starry Sky

Five years had passed since Yukari first began her training under the not-so-gentle guidance of Hinote. It was now X775, and Yukari was no longer the small, scrawny kid who could barely control a flicker of flame. At ten years old, she stood about 140 centimeters tall and had developed a lean, muscular build abs included thanks to the relentless physical training Hinote had put her through.

Her medium-length black hair had grown out to just above her shoulders, though she often tied it back to keep it out of her violet eyes, which still had that same rebellious spark. Her clothing remained simple a loose-fitting shirt and trousers but the innocence of childhood had long been burned away, replaced by strength and a growing mastery of her magic. The girl who once shivered in the snow could now regulate her body temperature at will, making the cold irrelevant.

As for Hinote, well, the fiery bird still enjoyed tormenting Yukari, but there was a closeness now a bond that had formed over years of insults, training, and sarcastic exchanges. Hinote had settled into her human form most of the time, a tall, flame-haired woman who never let Yukari forget she was still the boss. But when night fell and they rested in their makeshift cave, Hinote would sometimes shift back into her phoenix form, a blazing heat source despite Yukari no longer needing it. Old habits die hard, it seemed.

Today, however, was a special day. Hinote had something new for Yukari, something that had taken five years of grueling practice to prepare her for.

"Alright, kid," Hinote said, standing in front of Yukari with her arms crossed, eyes gleaming with mischief. "Today's the day you learn Phoenix Mode."

Yukari raised an eyebrow, wiping the sweat from her forehead after finishing a set of push-ups. "Phoenix Mode? Sounds fancy. What is it, some kind of new explosion technique? Because I think I've got those covered."

Hinote rolled her eyes. "You and your explosions. No, this is a bit more… advanced. It's time you stopped playing with fire and started becoming it."

Yukari blinked, confused but intrigued. "Wait, what does that mean?"

Hinote grinned and tapped her forehead. "It means you've finally earned the right to fuse with your magic. Phoenix Mode will let you draw from the essence of the flames within you, turning you into something much more powerful than the fireballs you've been throwing around."

Yukari felt a thrill run through her. "So… I'm going to become a phoenix like you?"

"More like a baby phoenix," Hinote said, holding up a finger. "You'll only be able to hold the form for about a minute before you burn out, and you'll look ridiculous. But yeah, you'll be on the right track."

Yukari scowled. "Ridiculous? What's that supposed to mean?"

Hinote chuckled. "Oh, you'll see."

With a sigh, Yukari stepped back and focused, ready to try whatever this new technique was. She had learned plenty of magic over the years—fire manipulation, shields, even advanced spells like Flame of the Dawn—but this sounded like something on an entirely different level.

"Alright, what do I do?" Yukari asked, her body tensing in anticipation.

"Close your eyes and feel the flame inside you," Hinote instructed. "Not the wild, destructive fire you usually summon. I'm talking about the deep, constant flame the one that burns quietly but never goes out."

Yukari followed her instructions, closing her eyes and reaching inward. She had spent so long focusing on big, explosive magic that this quieter, more controlled energy felt strange. But it was there a steady warmth, like an ember waiting to be fanned into a blaze.

"Now," Hinote's voice was calm but firm, "focus on that flame and let it fill you. Imagine it spreading through your entire body, not just in bursts, but flowing like a river of fire."

Yukari concentrated, and slowly, she could feel the heat growing. Her skin tingled as warmth spread through her veins, and then without warning the magic surged. Her eyes snapped open as a golden glow surrounded her body.

"Whoa…" Yukari breathed, staring down at her hands, which were now glowing with the same fiery light.

"Good, you've got the hang of it," Hinote said, nodding approvingly. "Now comes the fun part."

Before Yukari could ask what that meant, the golden light intensified, and she felt her body begin to change. Her hair, once black, burst into flames, transforming into fiery tendrils that crackled with heat. Her violet eyes glowed with a molten, golden hue, and from her back, two massive wings of fire erupted, flaring out behind her.

Yukari staggered, trying to keep her balance as the intense power coursed through her. "This… this is awesome!"

"You're not done yet, genius," Hinote said, smirking. "Try moving."

Yukari blinked, then tried to take a step forward. Her foot immediately sank into the ground as the fiery wings threw off her balance. "Whoa, whoa!" she yelped, stumbling awkwardly.

Hinote burst out laughing. "Yeah, I knew you'd look ridiculous."

Yukari glared at her, struggling to stay upright. "Shut up! I just… need to get used to it!"

"Sure, sure," Hinote said, wiping away a tear from laughing too hard. "But you'd better hurry. You've only got a minute before that form wears off, and you look like a bird trying to walk for the first time."

"Ugh!" Yukari growled, trying to focus on stabilizing herself. "This isn't funny!"

"Oh, it's hilarious," Hinote said, still grinning. "You look like a fire turkey."

Yukari shot her a deadly glare but focused on controlling the Phoenix Mode. She could feel the incredible power flowing through her, but it was wild, almost overwhelming. The wings were the hardest part they constantly shifted, pulling her off balance.

"Okay, okay, I can do this," Yukari muttered, focusing on steadying her stance. She flapped her wings experimentally, and while it was clumsy, she managed to lift herself a few inches off the ground.

"Hey, not bad!" Hinote called out, watching her with amusement. "You're a flaming chicken now!"

"I swear, I'll roast you alive if you call me a chicken again!" Yukari snapped, though her anger only made her wings flare brighter.

Hinote chuckled. "I'd like to see you try."

Yukari gritted her teeth, determined to make this work. She focused harder, trying to reign in the wild energy of the Phoenix Mode. Slowly, she found a rhythm her wings began to move in sync, and the flames no longer felt like they were going to burn her up from the inside.

"Alright!" Yukari shouted, flapping her wings and soaring higher into the air. "I'm flying!"

"Yeah, but look at the time," Hinote said, pointing to an invisible watch on her wrist.

Yukari's eyes widened as she felt the magic within her start to fade. Her wings flickered, and before she could react, the fiery glow disappeared entirely. She plummeted toward the ground, landing with a thud in the snow.

"Oof!" Yukari groaned, lying flat on her back. "That… was awesome…"

Hinote sauntered over, offering a hand to pull her up. "Yeah, you did alright for your first try. But you've got a lot of work to do before you can keep that form going for longer than a minute."

Yukari grumbled, brushing the snow off herself. "A minute's enough to kick your butt."

Hinote laughed. "Please, kid. In that form, you'd trip over your own wings before you could even throw a punch."

Yukari crossed her arms, a determined glint in her fiery eyes. "I'll get better at it. Just wait."

"I'm sure you will," Hinote said, her smirk softening into a rare, genuine smile. "You've come a long way, Yukari. Keep working hard, and who knows? Maybe one day you'll actually be able to land a hit on me."

Yukari grinned, already eager to try again. Phoenix Mode was incredible, but she knew she had a lot to learn.