A million thanks to Sweetgrass for beta-ing this and the last chapter for me. ^_^
Disclaimer: The Sorcerer Hunters are not mine (sigh …). Ari and Reven and this story are. Any OOC-ness on the part of the Sorcerer Hunters is there because it suits the story. I think that covers it. ^_^
Important Note: For those of you who may be confused, the "Rouge Camera" is that book from the Sorcerer Hunters anime, episode thirteen: Between Dreams and Reality. I took the spelling from the subtitled version. It doesn't matter if you haven't seen this episode, and there's no real spoiler for it either.
Wrong Turns
Part 4: Marron
"I will change the past for you, no matter how many times I have to do it," Ari said, sincerity and desperation clear in her brown eyes.
Marron nodded, projecting the composure and conviction that would reassure her. "I believe you," he said quietly, smiling gently.
Ari relaxed visibly. She had told him that Mille Feuille would react this way, and he wasn't worried. After Gateau had left them last night, Marron had asked her to describe in detail how she would work with the Gate, what would happen, and what he could reasonably expect to remember afterward. She had been very thorough in her explanations.
Ari had even shown him the map that her sensei had given to her. It was a clear green glass sphere that fit in the palm of her hand. When she activated it, an upside-down conical beam of green light projected out from the sphere, forming a fairly broad, flat circle at the top. If one looked down at the circle, one saw a two-dimensional maze traced in white through the green. Looking into the green light from any side, one saw a three-dimensional network of paths very like the spider webs Ari had compared them to, with irregular splotches of color that indicated Gates.
"You're going to do this no matter what I say, aren't you?" Mille was saying, still frustrated.
"Yes," Ari said firmly.
Mille threw his arms up in the air, hefting a large book with surprising ease. It was nearly the size of his torso, and Marron found himself wondering how he had missed seeing the book before.
"I don't know why I bother when none of you are going to listen to me," Mille complained, and suddenly seemed to remember that he was still holding the book. "Here, Ari, this came for you."
Ari frowned, puzzled. "But who would - " She broke off on a gasp, taking the heavy book from Mille with trembling hands. "This is Reven-sensei's journal … Mille-san, where did you get this?"
Mille's lip curled in disgust. "One of the sprites brought it. Don't ask me how or why, but it caught up with me as I was walking down the mountain, and then it vanished again."
Marron raised an eyebrow. Interesting. Perhaps there would be something in the journal that would help Ari.
"Why a sprite?" Ari wondered aloud, running her hand over the smooth leather cover of the book. "Why wouldn't he just send Talikhan to get me?"
"Beats me," Mille muttered, still looking peeved. "He should know that I don't like sprites. I could have done quite well without seeing one ever again, thank you very much."
"Who's Talikhan?" Gateau ventured, as if wary of the answer he might receive.
"The Guardian of the Paths around your world," Ari said absently, still absorbed in caressing the journal. "Reven can't come here without his permission. It would cause too many problems if he acted directly here. He isn't attuned to the emanations from the Paths in Talikhan's section, and any spell he cast would be affected by that power, even if he just opened a Gate. It could rip your world apart…"
She trailed off, frowning at the book. She had forgotten her audience. They simply stared at her.
"What are you talking about?" Gateau asked after a long moment of confused silence.
Ari started and looked up. "Ah … never mind. Reven-sensei wouldn't do something like that, so it's really not important."
Mille winced. "Not important, she says."
Ari ignored him and glanced down at the book again. Then she hesitantly opened the cover, turning to the first page. Her eyes widened.
"What is it, Ari?" Marron asked her, concerned.
Wordlessly, Ari tilted the heavy book to show him the page. The mage leaned forward, his golden eyes skimming over the pristine white paper. At the top of the page, in a flowing, elegant script, were these words: Hello, Ari. Are you all right?
"What kind of magic is that?" Tira exclaimed from behind Marron.
More words flowed in crisp, black lines over the paper. A very complicated one. But, since Talikhan is nowhere to be found, it is the only option I have at this point.
Only Marron was close enough to hear the sudden, sharp intake of breath Ari made. He glanced at her curiously, wondering why she was so pale all of a sudden. From the way that she spoke of her sensei, it was apparent that he meant a great deal to her. Marron had never considered that she might be afraid of Reven.
"Reven-sensei?!" Ari gasped. "How did you find me?"
"Interesting," the Haz Knight noted, leaning forward to get a better look. "Why didn't you tell me that he could do something like this?" He actually sounded impressed.
"I didn't know," Ari replied, her eyes on the book.
Yes, it's me, came the reply to Ari's question. Marron redirected his attention to the pages. I'm sorry that I can't be there. I see you still have the map I gave you. I put a tracing spell in it. That's how I knew where to send the sprite to find you.
"Of course I still have it," Ari replied softly. "I wouldn't lose something that important … but there is a problem."
That's why you haven't come home yet. What happened?
Chocolate pushed everyone aside to stare down at the book. Ari gazed at her apprehensively, biting her lip, but the elder Misu sister ignored her. Marron exchanged a fleeting look with Tira, nodding almost imperceptibly in Chocolate's direction. Tira frowned unhappily, but unobtrusively moved to place herself in a good position for interference if the redhead tried to harm Ari.
Marron was glad. Tira was the only one of the group capable of reaching Chocolate through the depths of her grief and rage to stop her with words instead of violence. He did not want Chocolate to be hurt any more than Tira did, but if she attacked and killed Ari, then Carrot would never come back. Like it or not, she had to recognize that the girl was their only hope of ever seeing his brother again. Thankfully, Tira seemed to feel the same way; otherwise she would not openly defy her sister like this.
"This isn't anything like the Rouge Camera, is it?" Chocolate asked suddenly, her eyes glinting like cold, blue steel as she raised them to meet Ari's.
Ari looked confused. She dropped her gaze down to Reven's journal again, then glanced back at Chocolate. "He says that he doesn't know what the Rouge Camera is, but he doubts it," she replied.
"It's a forbidden spell that sucks people inside of it so that it can tell a story. It uses their dreams and desires to trap them for all eternity," Chocolate said coolly. She looked at Marron suddenly, her expression so stony and fierce that the mage felt a shiver of unease up and down his spine. "Are you so certain that she is telling the truth when she says she will bring Darling back? Or could she perhaps be deceiving you for her own purposes?"
Marron stared at her in shock. "Chocolate, I understand your grief," he said gently, hoping that it was the right thing to say, "but Ari has offered to help us undo the terrible accident that took my brother away from us. How can you, how can any of us just turn our backs and walk away from this chance?"
Tira touched her sister's arm. The redhead gave a start and turned to look at her. "It's hope, sister," the pink-haired girl said quietly. "I would never be able to live with myself, knowing that I had a chance to bring Carrot back and I didn't take it."
Tears shone in Chocolate's eyes, shimmering on the unyielding steel. "And if she betrays us?" she asked, her tone unwavering. "If she goes through this gate and simply deserts us here? Is your hope worth my sanity?!" Her voice rose and cracked desperately on the last word.
Marron lowered his eyes to give her a moment to compose herself again. It could not have been easy to let her icy façade slip in front of Ari.
Chocolate had never liked showing too much emotion in front of so many people. She normally hid her feelings behind a smiling mask as she plastered herself to Carrot or the cold brutality of her Sorcerer Hunter personality.
He had had the same doubts as Chocolate when Ari had first come to him with her promise to fix everything. His reaction had been nearly the same as hers too. Only Ari's stubborn persistence to make things right and repeated pleads for him to just listen to her for a moment had prevented him from sending her away.
And when he gave in and let her speak, he found that, to his surprise, he truly did trust her. The fragile hope he gained from her words could never fully assuage the sharp, bitter ache of loss he carried within his heart, but it gave him something to live for. That was the only reason that he had got out of bed and started eating and speaking to his friends again, instead of simply wasting away in silence.
Well, that and the thought of explaining to his brother why he had let himself die of desolation. Carrot had protected him all of his life. He would not be happy to hear what selfish depths his anguish had nearly driven him too.
Suddenly, Ari shoved the large book at Mille. He automatically grabbed it, frowning uneasily at the girl.
"If you won't believe my word, which I can't say that I blame you for," Ari said, taking a step toward Chocolate, "then I will give you an oath that even Reven-sensei himself could not break."
Chocolate frowned at her. "What do you mean?"
"Ah, Ari," Mille interjected, "Lord Reven says that he knows what you're thinking, and he wants you to leave it alone. He says that you don't need their help or their consent to do anything."
"I know that," Ari replied determinedly, not taking her eyes off of Chocolate. "But I will make amends for the suffering I have caused." She held out her left hand to Chocolate, palm up. "You have a dagger. Cut my hand."
Without a word, Chocolate drew a knife out from a sheath hidden in her shirt. In one quick movement a red ribbon blossomed on Ari's palm. "What is that going to prove?" she asked dryly as the dagger disappeared into her shirt again.
Ari ignored that. She took Chocolate's wrist in her injured hand, staring straight into the elder Misu sister's surprised eyes. Ari's own eyes turned from warm brown to a vivid shade of blue.
Tira and Gateau gasped, and they both took a step forward. Marron's upraised arm stopped them before they could try to pull Ari off of Chocolate.
"It's all right," Marron assured them. "She won't harm her."
The look Tira gave him told him plainly that she doubted it, but she remained silent. She turned to look at her sister, hugging herself as if for comfort.
Gateau put one of his large hands on Tira's shoulder, squeezing gently. "I hope you're right," he said quietly, not quite meeting Marron's eyes.
Strange words began to spill from Ari's lips as her blood seeped onto Chocolate's skin, dripping through Ari's fingers. Tira whimpered softly and drew back against Gateau. The big man's other hand settled on her other shoulder as he watched Chocolate and Ari grimly. Even Marron felt a sliver of unease pierce his normally calm exterior at the sight of the goose bumps on Mille's arms. The Haz Knight was watching Ari intently, frowning. It was clear by his expression that he had no more idea of what was going to happen than anyone else did.
Tiny forks of blue lightning crackled around Ari's hand, but Chocolate did not seem to be either bothered or affected by this. She stared in fascination, as if transfixed by the sight, as the blue lightning snaked up Ari's left arm and into her heart. Ari grimaced in pain. Her hand tightened its grip on Chocolate's wrist as the last of the lightning crawled up her arm and vanished.
Then it was over, and Ari sank to her knees, releasing Chocolate's wrist. There was no blood on the redhead's skin, or on Ari's palm. The cut had sealed as if it had never been. Her eyes shifted back to deep brown, and she sighed deeply. She braced her arms in front of her to hold herself up, as if all her energy had drained out with the spell.
"What did you say?" Chocolate asked, looking down at her oddly. "The words … I felt them. I knew them, somehow, but…"
"Mind to mind, heart to heart, our purpose is the same. By my blood our bargain is sealed. By my soul I will not fail you," Ari translated, glancing up at her wearily.
"A magical contract," Marron said, his golden eyes gleaming. This was further proof of her sincerity. To think that Ari was capable of a spell that powerful! She was so unassuming and diffident most of the time he had never suspected it.
"A powerful one, Lord Reven says," Mille added. "It binds her unto death."
"Do you believe me now?" Ari asked, her voice husky and low. "That blue lightning will shatter my heart if I betray you."
Chocolate opened her mouth, then abruptly shut it again. She tried again, with similar results. "I - I don't know," she said finally. She couldn't look at Ari. She kept her eyes focused on the stone marker with Carrot's name on it instead, as if it was easier to focus on. "I want Darling back more than anything, but … it seems too good to be true."
The steel in her eyes abruptly melted, and Tira stepped forward to embrace her. Chocolate leaned against her sister, letting the tears flow unheeded down her cheeks.
"He's coming back, sister," Tira whispered, stroking Chocolate's hair. "Carrot's coming back to us."
At those words, Chocolate buried her face in Tira's shoulder and began to sob in earnest. Tira tightened her embrace, murmuring soothingly as she rocked her sister gently.
Marron blinked away the tears forming in his own eyes, turning respectfully from the two sisters to give them a little privacy.
Gateau caught Marron's gaze. "After this, if that little prick ever goes chasing after another girl, he's going to get flattened," the big man said, slamming his fist into his other hand with a sickening smack.
Marron smiled grimly. "Get in line," he replied.
"… and that's basically what happened," Mille was saying, his eyes on Reven's journal. There was a pause in which he read the response. Marron and Gateau exchanged a raised eyebrow and a glance.
"I wonder if Mille knows how idiotic he looks talking to a book," Gateau mused, and was rewarded by a slight smile from the mage.
"I know it'll be dangerous," Mille said, apparently ignorant of the big man's comment. "That's what I told her, but she won't listen to me." He paused again, nodding to himself. "All right, but I don't think it'll do any good." He looked down at Ari, who was still kneeling in the grass. "Ari, he wants to talk to you." He laid the book down in front of her and stepped back.
Curious about what Reven would say to her, Marron walked up to read over her shoulder.
I'm not angry with you, Ari, Reven wrote.
Ari snorted softly, and her shoulders hunched miserably. "No. Just disappointed, right?"
The bitterness in her tone made Marron wince. She must feel as though she had betrayed her sensei by causing this mess, and was evidently expecting a stern reprimand.
No, little one, I'm not disappointed. Never that. You could have just run away and come home. I would never have known anything about this. But you didn't. Actually, I'm quite proud of you.
Ari straightened with a surprised gasp. The tips of her ears were bright red.
I'll be waiting for your return. Until then, if you need me, don't hesitate to open my journal. I'll be able to help you a little through it.
"Thank you, Reven-sensei," Ari whispered, bowing her head again. Slowly, she shut the book, letting her hand linger on the cover for a few moments.
Mille Feuille cleared his throat.
Chocolate lifted her head from Tira's shoulder, and both Misu sisters looked at him. Gateau and Marron turned as well. Even Ari raised her eyes from the journal to the Haz Knight standing in front of her.
"We should go down to the Church now," Mille said. "I'm sure everyone is wondering what's keeping us." He bent slightly, offering Ari his hand. She took it with a faint smile and allowed him to pull her to her feet. "By the way," he added, looking a bit perturbed, "Reven wasn't annoyed that I called you Ari, was he?"
Ari's smile was somewhat wider this time. "No. Or at least, he didn't say anything about that to me," she replied.
"Good," Mille said, distinctly relieved.
To be continued…
Author's Notes: Just out of curiosity, how many people are reading this? It would be interesting to get a head count. Oh, well. I like writing from Marron's POV. It wasn't that hard this time. It was just finding the time to write it that proved challenging. My nephew was born, so I was a bit distracted by that for a few days or so (Yay! I'm an auntie! ^_^), and work was hell. It's better now, though.
My thanks go out to these reviewers for the last chapter:
Amanda: Thank you! I was actually not intending to have any pairings whatsoever in this story, much less Marron and Gateau. I'll read stories with that pairing, but I don't like it very much because I don't like Gateau in the anime or the manga. Some fanfiction writers do a very good job of characterizing Gateau in a way that makes him more likeable for me, but as he is in the manga and anime, I detest him. As Marron is my favorite character, I will not pair him with a character that I don't like in anything I write. I leave that for those who could do a much better job than me. My neutrality only goes so far. So, you don't need to worry about that. ^_^ It is part of Gateau's character to hit on Marron, though, which is why you see those hints of shounen-ai.
BluePard: Thank you! This is the second story that I've ever written with this much angst in it. I'm glad that I'm keeping you entertained. ^_^ I really do think that Onion loves Carrot (however deep down you have to go to find it); they're just way too much alike for him to show it. Carrot looking so much like Marron was an idea sparked by a friend of mine who said something along those lines a long time ago. It just stuck with me, and seemed appropriate for this story. Again, thank you for giving me all this good feedback. I really appreciate it. Oh, and if you happen to have any advice for Carrot's character (I noticed that you did a really awesome job in Alabaster), I would greatly appreciate that too. ^_^
Fala: Thank you! I'm not entirely happy with how I got Tira's character either. She's definitely a hard one for me. Do you have any suggestions for how I might make that chapter stronger? For that matter, do you have any suggestions for Chocolate's character? I may need some help with her. That scene with Marron and Tira was hard to write. I'm glad it turned out so well. ^_^ And I'm getting to the plot. It won't be much longer. ^_^
Dria: Thank you! I'm glad you like it so far. ^_^ I love Marron fics too - can't get enough of them. Hence why I wrote my own. ^_^
Daemonchan: Thank you! It's good to know that there's at least one person out there who likes Ari. I'm glad that you're enjoying this. ^_^ I thought the same thing about Tira taking the responsibility. I think she'd need it after something like this happened to her.
Thanks for reading! Please leave a review! I thrive on feedback!
~ Lady Cianyin ~