黒色のフォンセ!
Kokushoku no Foncé!
I do not own Konjiki no Gash! Or Konjiki no Gash Bell! Or Zatch Bell! They belong to Makoto Raiku, Shuukan Shounen Sunday, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network.
Zorcu and Jeeno are property of Rahkshi500. Ember Flame and Simba Hart are property of Flurry of Flames.
Level 25: オスイユ
Level 25: Auseuil
Well, here we are, in Auseuil. I've got a bad feeling about this place, but I've kept my feelings to my self so far. Oh well; when's the next time I'll be able to stay in an ancient castle?
Before I go to bed, let's go over everyone again, journal.
Foncé Ying: Dark Devil girl. She's our leader, I suppose. Very ambitious and power-hungry. Intelligent far beyond her years, and has a strong cruel streak. The reason we came to this weird place is because of her.
Ken Bak: Foncé's partner. Dark purple book. Formerly a student. Very smart, but paranoid and delusional. I think the power of his book is starting to drive him mad. A mad partner may actually aid Foncé.
Zorcu: Vampire Devil boy. Doesn't talk much. Seems to distrust non-Creatures of the Night, so I can't get much out of him. Follows Foncé out of a desire for power.
Jeanette "Jeeno" Chanel: Zorcu's partner. Copper book. She tries to act happy, but she really seems sad in her heart. Very close to Zorcu. I think she's scared of the rest of us.
Imité Ying: Dark Devil boy. Foncé's older brother. Haughty and vain. He and Foncé are very close. His spells seem to be on the weak side even though they are mostly the same as Foncé's. Physically he can be quite powerful though.
Daniel Squalor: Imité's partner. Persian blue book. The earl of some place called Bootle. Bad-tempered, greedy, and bitter. I think he resents us, but is too tantalized by fantasies of power and wealth to leave us.
Princesa: Sand Devil girl. Highly intelligent and collected. A historian and archeologist. Seemingly more interested in the history of the World of Humans than in the Devil Battle. Very quiet and polite, but with an extremely morbid side.
Aoi: Princesa's partner. Royal purple book. Cheerful, but devious and greedy. Princesa informed me that Aoi isn't her real name, but she won't reveal what her real name is. She sure seems to enjoy having a Devil's book.
Ishtar: Just little old me! You already know my attributes and stuff, so there's no need to repeat all that here.
Mistera Cellini: My partner! Old gold book! You know the rest.
—from the Journal of Ishtar
After a hellishly long plane ride, Ken soon found himself on an almost hellishly long bus ride. He found that he was really beginning to hate travel.
"Are you feeling alright?" Foncé asked.
"I can't feel my butt anymore," Ken responded flatly. "You know, there had better be something in this dinky little village of yours. After all this trouble I'm almost tempted to just toss your book out the window."
Foncé chuckled. "If you value your well-being Ken, then you wouldn't say such things within earshot of Imité. He can be very dangerous if he thinks I'm being threatened."
"Huh?" Ken glanced over to where Imité was sitting. The Devil boy was glaring back murderously at him. Feeling chilled, Ken straightened up and averted his eyes. "I'll shut up now," he murmured quietly.
Foncé smiled. "A wise choice, friend."
Jeeno peered through the window at the passing green fields and hills. It reminded her of her rural home and her family. It reminded her of her cousin, Coco, too. It made her feel sad to think that she was back in France yet she couldn't go see them. The overcast sky outside seemed to reflect her feelings.
She leaned to Zorcu and took him in her arms, placing her head against his. Even though he was a vampire he felt comforting to hold, and her spirit brightened a little. Whatever happened, she still had Zorcu at least.
Aoi eyed the Italian woman, Cellini closely. Her eyes poured over her fine red dress, her gold ear rings, her up scale leather purse. Aoi leered lustfully at Mistera, but not with the lust men usually felt looking at her. No, Aoi had no interest in women—her lust was for money, and the Cellini woman looked loaded.
To be able to afford such nice, fancy things, Aoi thought. She probably doesn't even know what to do with all that money. Such a shame you're not a rich old man—I'd have you forking all that sweet, sweet money over cute little me in no time at all!
"It is rude to stare, do you not know that?" Princesa slyly whispered.
"I can't help it!" Aoi hissed back. "Such public displays of wealth catch my eye!"
"She is to be our ally. You would not rob an ally, would you?"
"I've done it before! I can do it again!"
Princesa turned back to the book she was reading. "I have such a treacherous human, do I not?"
Aoi smiled greedily. "You have no idea."
Hours later, the bus finally reached its destination. As the passengers disembarked they got their first look at the mysterious village of Auseuil. What they saw was surprising, to say the least.
"It's like we traveled back in time," said Aoi.
"Is there any electricity or running water here?" Mistera asked, terrified that the village might lack both.
"At least it's not Wales," Squalor wheezed crankily.
"And I thought I lived in a poor area," said Jeeno.
Ken glanced down at Foncé. "Well, here we are Foncé. A village that thinks it's still in the fucking middle ages."
The village was a collection of very old looking wood and stone buildings. Farmers passed back and forth, performing various farming tasks. In the distance, a castle could be seen up on a hill overlooking the village. Everything looked very old and in need of some repair.
"I'm getting back on the bus," Mistera said. "Come on Ishtar, let's get out—"
The bus abruptly sped off in a cloud of dust, leaving the group behind. There was a dark silence, and Foncé shifted uncomfortably.
"Well…" she said, "we still need to take a look around first. Don't judge the place too harshly yet."
Princesa smiled softly. "I find it rather charming myself. Does no one agree?"
Imité crossed his arms and said, "I guess it's worth a look. We came all this way; might as well do something about it."
Ishtar looked around. It didn't look threatening, but there was a faint but noticeable current of ominous power surrounding the village. It was foreboding, but like the feeling Foncé herself gave off, it was also enticing.
The group traveled further into Auseuil. The village was filled with strange, twisting roads that made travel a little disorienting. The local people didn't pay much attention to them even though they all stuck out like sore thumbs. The villages all wore plain drab clothing and looked serious.
"Not very cheerful here, are they?" said Mistera.
No one here looks rich, Aoi thought sadly. Who am I going to sucker?
"Charming, charming," Princesa cooed. "I do hope someone has kept historical records for the town. How I wish to see them!"
"Greetings, travelers!" a voice called out. The group turned to see a tall, thin old man in a black cassock and a white clerical collar standing by a stone fountain. He leaned on a long, sturdy-looking tree branch, and his gray hair was cut in a style commonly associated with monks from long ago.
"Welcome to our humble village! We don't get many visitors here," he said.
The group said "hello" back, except for Squalor, Mistera, and Zorcu.
"I'm Father Caïn," the man continued. "So, what brings you to Auseuil?"
"Oh, we're here because I believe an ancestor of mine had lived here a thousand years ago," said Foncé. She smiled and curtsied to Caïn. "My name is Foncé. Pleased to meet you."
"My, that's an interesting name you have," Caïn said smiling. "So, you think an ancestor of yours lived here in Auseuil a thousand years ago? Entire generations have lived and died here, so not many people tend to leave. What's your family name? I know a lot about the village, and what I don't know I can look up."
"It may sound strange, but my family name is Ying."
"Ying? Your ancestor couldn't have had that name. There are many Chinese immigrants in France, but not many around here, and certainly none back then. What was your ancestor's name?"
"He was called Sabré Ying."
Caïn put a hand to his chin in thought. "Very peculiar," he said. "Very peculiar indeed. I'll have to look this up, but I don't know if many records from that time still exist. A thousand years ago is a very long time, after all."
"I'd hate to interrupt," Imité broke in, "but what could you tell us about Auseuil itself? I mean things like hotels and restaurants. No disrespect—Sabré is my ancestor too—but we to be taken care off here."
"Yes," Mistera said curtly, a note of mild contempt in her voice. "What are the finest hotels and restaurants around here?"
"You're in luck!" said Caïn, and pointed to a large creaky looking building behind him. "The Auberge Seuil is a nice, cozy inn. It's not terribly fancy or anything, but it's a comfortable, down to Earth kind of place. It's good for both a warm breakfast and a stiff drink, depending on your needs."
Squalor smiled darkly. "My kind of place. I've been needing a drink for a while."
"I could go for one too," said Aoi. "Save some for me, gramps."
Mistera, appalled by the very look of the Auberge Seuil, took a step back. "That's the best this place has to offer?" she asked.
"I afraid the only better places I can think of are the mayor's home and the Château de Fouché," said Caïn. "You're welcome to go ask Mayor Périgord or Lord Fouché if you want, but I don't think they'll let just anyone sleep in their homes."
Foncé turned to look at the castle in the distance. "I take it that's the Château de Fouché?"
"Yes, it is young lady."
"I'm not sure, but I believe that is where my ancestor stayed."
"Really now? Well, this just keeps getting more and more interesting, doesn't it? Maybe I can convince Lord Fouché to let you look around the castle."
"Really? That would be wonderful. We would be very grateful."
"I can try. In the meantime, you can look around the village or stay at the Auberge Seuil. I can call the Auberge when I get an answer."
"I would love to explore Auseuil," said Princesa. "I am very interested in history, and your village must hold many historical secrets."
"That it does! Now wait while I go ask the lord if he's heard anything about this."
Caïn then wandered off in the direction of the Château de Fouché.
"Well," said Foncé, "it seems we may already have a lead."
"Even if we do not," Princesa added, "I find this extremely interesting business."
"Not me," said Squalor as he started walking to the Auberge. "I'm going to go get a drink."
"Wait for me," Aoi said, walking after him.
"I think we'll just stay at the Auberge too," said Jeeno, walking off with Zorcu.
"I've got nothing better to do," said Ken. "Why don't we all just stay there?"
Mistera grumbled, but Ishtar tugged on her partner's dress. "Please Mistera," she said. "I think this is important too."
"Okay, okay," the rich lady sighed.
It was about two hours before they got their answer from Caïn.
"Lord Fouché's sending a car down to take you to the Château de Fouché," the priest said over a telephone. "He reacted to the name Sabré Ying, but he didn't tell me the significance of the name to me. He said he wishes to speak with you in private."
The next thirty minutes were very suspenseful for Foncé. She paced up and down outside the Auberge while talking excitedly with Imité.
"I hope this explains why I have a previously unheard of elder sister, sœurette," said Imité.
"Possibly, frangin," she replied. "I think this will be something even greater though."
"Like what?"
"I have no idea. Father mentioned something about le Monde des Ténèbres, but that's it."
"The World of Darkness? What does that mean?"
"I don't know. Father didn't elaborate in his notes. He just hinted at something powerful and that it has something to do with our family."
When the car finally came to pick them up, Foncé was still nervous and excited. What will I learn? she asked herself. Will this answer my questions, or have I hit a dead-end? Did father really leave anything behind, or will this all just up a colossal disappointment?
Lord Pierre Fouché, the current castellan of Château de Fouché, was a strange looking little man. Dressed in his approximation of a French military uniform, he resembled a hideous caricature of Napoléon Bonaparte (who, in fact, was not all that short in reality). So when this creepy character came to greet Foncé's group, they were somewhat reluctant to come close to the man.
"Welcome, welcome!" he laughed in a reedy, high-pitched voice. "So you are the ones interested in this 'Sabré Ying'!"
"Yes we are," said Foncé.
A butler led them inside the castle, which appeared to be in good condition. Princesa remained clam outwardly, but her eyes gave away her excitement.
They came to a sitting room. Plates with fine pastries and cups of tea were set up on little tables.
"Please, sit down and enjoy," said Fouché, indicating the plates and cups. "It's all for you, friends."
The group eagerly sat down to eat and drink, all except for Foncé, Imité, and Ishtar. "So what does the name Sabré Ying mean to you?" asked Imité.
"Getting right down to business, eh?" laughed Fouché. "Well, if you're not hungry we can discuss this matter…in private. Now, how here claims to be ancestors of Sabré?"
Foncé and Imité raised their hands.
"Ah, then please, follow me to my private study."
The Ying siblings did so, taking a look back to see that their books were secure first. Walking through the castle some more, they came at last to Fouché's study. The two siblings found chairs to sit on, and Fouché sat behind a desk that seemed too large for him.
"So, Father Caïn tells me that you two claim to be descended from someone named Sabré Ying," the castellan stated.
"That is correct," said Foncé.
Fouché donned a pair of small reading glasses and examined some yellowed papers on his desk. "And you came to this puny village because you heard he once lived here."
"Right," said Imité. "Can we get to the point now?"
Fouché's eyes glittered behind his glasses. "The point is that there is a closely guarded legend within my family about my ancestor, Lord Griffon. According to the legend, Griffon possessed a magical book that allowed him to command the power of a black sword-wielding spirit named Sabré In."
"Yes!" said Foncé. "That matches our description of him!"
Fouché looked up from his papers. "Are you trying to tell me that you're spirits also? As I said, the legend was closely guarded—I don't know how it could have been leaked to outsiders."
Imité sneered. "I suppose we'll let you in on the whole story, human. Sabré Ying is a Devil from the World of Devils, and we're his children. Every one thousand years one hundred Devil children are sent to the World of Humans to compete in a battle to determine the next ruler of the World of Devils. In order to use their powers in this world, the Devils must find a destined human partner to read their spell books. Your ancestor was one of the chosen humans lucky enough to have received the power of a Devil. We're looking to rediscover a secret he may have left behind here."
Fouché fell silent, looking from Imité to Foncé to Imité again. "So…the legends are all true then?"
"Did I stutter, little man?"
"Wait, I haven't recounted the entire legend yet! Something about the dead rising from their graves, the sky turning black, and strange monsters appearing in the night. What about that?"
"Rival Devils most likely," said Foncé. "We have a great variety of magical powers. Some of us can even raise the dead to fight on our behalf."
"Can you?"
"No," said Imité. "Our powers come from harnessing the darkness, not necromancy."
Fouché slumped back, seemingly a bit overwhelmed. "Well," he finally said, "I suppose you can stay here, for a little while at least. I will wish to see proof of your powers in the future, but right now I am tired. I will have my servants prepare rooms for you."
"Good choice," said Imité as he walked out.
"Thank you for listening," said Foncé as she followed, "Lord Fouché."
Later that night, everyone had been given a room to sleep in (much to Mistera's relief). They all gratefully settled down to rest.
Not everyone's rest was peaceful though.
Imité was bothered all night by dreams of being endlessly tormented by two Devils he had encountered earlier named Ember and Simba. No matter how hard he tried to kill them, they just came back to trip him again or eat more of his food in a never-ending cycle of horror.
Foncé's dreams were filled with hideous, unnamable things that she couldn't possibly describe. She thrashed about in her bed, gasping and crying in her sleep. Her hands gripped the sheets as her heart raced.
Below the Château de Fouché, beneath the abandoned chapel, beneath the old catacombs, down in a system of ancient caves no one had entered for a thousand years, something very old and malevolent stirred in the darkness.
Returned…She has returned…
To be continued...
Author's notes: Happy Halloween everybody!