Disclaimer: The Sorcerer Hunters do not belong to me. Ari, Reven, and this story do. Any OOC-ness on the part of the Sorcerer Hunters is there for a reason: it suits the story. Please be patient with me. ^_^ There are also some mild spoilers for Volume 5 of the SH manga in this chapter. Sorry if this bothers you.

Wrong Turns

Part 5: Chocolate

Chocolate woke before dawn the day after Carrot's funeral. She lay quietly next to her sister, listening to Tira's soft breathing. It was something Chocolate always did when she woke first; the sound of her sister breathing reminded her that she wasn't completely alone. It had comforted her for as long as she could remember.

Turning her head, she looked at the vague form that was Tira. The pink-haired girl slept curled up on her side, half in the fetal position. One of her hands was extended toward Chocolate, brushing the older girl's arm. That was comforting too, having the warmth of her sister's hand on her arm. It felt solid, real.

The first pale rays of the sun began to creep through the window, gently illuminating the room. Yawning, Chocolate turned onto her side, watching Tira slowly grow less shadowy.

Long tendrils of pink hair cascaded over Tira's shoulders, the pillow beneath her head, and even obscured her face. Only the corner of one closed eye and the tip of her nose peeped out from beneath the layer of pink strands. She looked very small and adorable in slumber, and Chocolate smiled fondly.

Suddenly she wondered which one of them Darling would choose when he returned. Both sisters' feelings had been proven time and time again, especially with this last disaster. He'd have to choose one of them eventually - that was inevitable.

No. She had to stop this. She couldn't think about it yet.

Chocolate turned from the contemplation of her sister's sleeping form to the window across the room. The sky was turning from dark blue to a rosy pink. She knew that she should get up. They were leaving soon, to go back to Peach Sorbet's castle. The place everything had begun - or rather, had ended.

Chocolate had not thought about ever seeing that place again. It was hard enough to just think of Darling, so she would not do that yet. It wasn't safe to let her thoughts dwell on it for too long.

If she moved, Tira would wake. Since Tira had been worrying so much about Marron, she hadn't been getting the sleep she needed. The last thing Chocolate wanted was to wake her now, when she'd finally got a full night's sleep.

Chocolate had not noticed much of anything else about how the others were handling her Darling's death, but she had noticed that Tira had not gone to bed until very late at night for two nights after … it happened. The world could fall down around Chocolate, and she would not notice unless Tira (or Darling) was affected by it.

She was doing it again. It was hard for her to think about Tira without Darling somehow popping up in her mind. Strangely, thinking about Darling was not quite as painful now. She supposed that was because Tira had convinced her that Ari would bring him back to them. She didn't even want to consider that she might be close to accepting his death and moving on with her life. Darling had been - no, was one of the most important people in her life, second only to Tira.

Not for the first time, Chocolate wondered if she should feel guilty for feeling that way about her sister and her beloved Darling. Marron, Gateau, and Mille Feuille were good friends; people she could count on to back her up in a fight if she needed it. She would do the same for them, of course; they'd been through so much together. She cared for them too, but it wasn't like she cared about Tira and Darling.

Even though Tira had fallen in love with Darling as well, it hadn't truly surprised her. Nor did it change anything about Chocolate's feelings. Tira had simply looked into Darling the same way Chocolate had, and had seen the exact same thing as her sister: the beauty within Carrot beyond the clumsiness, the goofiness, and the perpetual girl-chasing pervertedness.

However hard it was to see sometimes, Darling really was a beautiful person. He showed it by protecting his brother Marron, both now and back when they were kids. He showed it in his concern for Tira; again, both now and when they were children. He even showed it with his strange relationship with Gateau. They weren't exactly "friends" per se, but they did care about and look after one another during dangerous assignments.

Most of all, he'd shown it when he saved her life for the first time. He'd done so numerous times during their careers as Sorcerer Hunters, but somehow, the first time had made the most impact on her.

Chocolate smiled. She could still remember the nickname he'd given her: Stubborn Attila!

Her smile faded. She'd been so young when she first met her Darling, and so deeply hurt by the betrayal of the man she'd called Father, Zaha Torte. All she could think of was revenge for the pain Zaha had caused her, Tira, and all of their brothers and sisters. On top of that, Onion wasn't going to let her go anywhere near Zaha, which only added to her frustration.

Carrot had been an easy target for her rage, one she'd lashed out at frequently, but he'd still come after her when she tried to run away that night. He'd still reached for her hand as they plummeted from the cliff outside the village. He'd still cared enough to ask her who she wanted to kill so badly and why.

Chocolate bit her lip, fighting back tears. Even when she'd pushed him away, refusing to accept his help, he'd still come after her to save her from the Fire Bear.

It wasn't fair, she thought as her vision blurred against her will. This wasn't the way it was supposed to be. Darling wasn't supposed to leave her like this. They were supposed to be allowing their love to follow its natural course, planning for their future together as husband and wife.

Even if Ari could bring him back, was that future still possible? Would Darling still be Darling, as he'd always been, or would he come back as something different, changed by his experience in the afterlife?

It was too much too soon. A soft, keening sob escaped Chocolate's throat, and she curled in on herself, hoping Tira had not heard her. Her slender frame shook with helpless, nearly silent sobs she could no longer repress.

"Chocolate…" A cool hand touched her shoulder, and she jumped.

"Tira … I didn't mean to wake you." Chocolate hastily wiped at the tears on her cheeks, inwardly cursing herself for her lack of control. She was supposed to be the strong one, damn it! Tira wasn't supposed to have to protect her from anything; it was supposed to be the other way around.

"Sister, it's okay," Tira said softly, sliding her arm around Chocolate. "Just let it out."

Chocolate allowed Tira to embrace her, turning to bury her face in her sister's shoulder. It felt so good to finally let go and cry. She wondered how Tira had known how much she really needed this, how her sister always knew what would make her feel better.

"Thank you," Chocolate whispered after a while.

She felt more than saw Tira smile. "You're welcome."

A knock sounded on the door. "Tira? Chocolate?" came Onion's voice, muffled by the thick wooden planks. Without waiting for an answer, he opened the door and stepped in, holding up a lantern. The Misu sisters blinked in the bright golden light. "Good, you're awake already. I thought you should know that everyone's getting ready to leave soon."

Chocolate smiled faintly. "Thank you, Uncle."

Onion nodded, and the lantern illuminated the hollows under his eyes. He looked as though he hadn't slept at all that night. "Do you … do you really think you can bring my idiot son back to life?" he asked hesitantly.

Tira nodded firmly. "We will bring Carrot back. Ari promised us that she'd help."

Onion frowned uneasily, then shrugged. "Oh, and Chocolate?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for sitting up with me the other night. I appreciate it."

Chocolate smiled weakly, holding back more tears with an effort. "I needed it as much as you did, Uncle."

He nodded again. "Well, I'll let you two get ready." He shut the door gently behind him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

They camped that night in a clearing just off the side of the road. Mille made Ari sit down to rest, as she was looking rather pale, and the Haz Knight sat with her, talking softly. As usual, Gateau gathered wood for the fire. Chocolate went with him to get some more once it was started, and Tira helped Marron root through the pack of provisions Onion had given them to prepare supper.

This was a moment that made the ache of Darling's loss all the more poignant to them all. Chocolate could see it in Marron's eyes and Tira's expression as they began to make dinner. She even saw it in Gateau's eyes as they walked through the forest.

Usually, when they made camp, Darling would weasel out of any and all tasks necessary to prepare for the night. He'd disappear, supposedly to go relieve himself, and then Chocolate and Tira would have to go after him to drag him back.

Chocolate allowed herself a faint smile. They'd normally find him propositioning some girl if they camped anywhere near a village, but once they'd found him in an empty clearing, sprawled on his back in the grass.

"What are you doing out here, Darling?" Chocolate had demanded of him, fists on her hips.

Darling had tilted his head back to look at them upside down. "Hi, girls!" he'd said cheerfully. "What brings you out here on this lovely night?"

"Trying to avoid punishment again, Carrot?" Tira had half-growled, pulling the length of her whip taut between her hands.

Darling's grin had faded a little, eyeing Tira's weapon warily, but he returned his attention to the sky. "Nah. Just looking at the stars."

Tira and Chocolate had exchanged a glance and a raised eyebrow. Darling had to be up to something. He always was.

"You girls wanna join me for a bit?" Darling asked after a moment. He folded his arms up behind his head as if unconcerned by the threat that their presence normally was to his well-being.

"What do you think, sister?" Tira asked in a low voice.

"It's a really pretty night," Darling added, grinning up at them again.

Chocolate had shrugged and went to lie down next to him. This was a very romantic setting, after all, so if Darling wanted to lie in the grass with them, who was she to argue?

After a moment, Tira laid down on his other side, and the three of them gazed at the night sky in silence for a long time.

"Hey, Chocolate, are you okay?" Gateau asked her suddenly.

Chocolate blinked, returning to the present. The big man was standing in front of her, his vivid blue eyes full of concern. "Ah - yes, I think so." Her voice was slightly husky with unshed tears, but other than that she thought she sounded all right.

Gateau frowned at her, opening his mouth as if to say something. Then it seemed he changed his mind, for he closed it again, shaking his head.

They walked back to the camp in a comfortable silence. It let Chocolate gather her thoughts and compose herself again. She was grateful that Gateau had not pushed her for what she'd been thinking of.

Abruptly, Gateau stepped in front of her, effectively ending the moment. His expression was quite serious as he gazed down at her.

"It hit all of us hard," he said solemnly. "Maybe not the same way it hit you, but it was still a major blow. So…" He coughed uneasily. "So if you need anything, just ask one of us."

Chocolate smiled weakly at him. His concern was touching, if not what she needed at the moment. "Thank you, Gateau."

He nodded, and they continued on.

Marron looked up as the entered the circle of firelight, handing them each a bowl of stew. Ari was already asleep under Mille's cloak, with the Haz Knight hovering near her protectively. No one spoke as Chocolate and Gateau took their places around the fire.

"Mille, how do you know Ari?" Marron asked, his golden eyes eerily illuminated by the firelight.

Instantaneously, the Haz Knight had the attention of Chocolate, Tira, and Gateau. For a moment there was no sound but the wind in the trees and the crackling and popping of the fire.

Mille's lower lip twitched, but he didn't smile. "I was wondering when you were going to ask me that," he said heavily. He shifted on the log, glancing over at the huddled form lying under his cloak. Ari still hadn't moved.

"Is this something we shouldn't know?" Tira asked quietly. "Like secret official church business or something?"

"No, Tira, it's not that," Mille replied, sighing. "Not exactly, anyway."

"Then would you just explain it, instead of being so mysterious about the whole thing?" Gateau murmured.

There was a conspicuously hard edge to his voice that Chocolate had never heard before. She stared at him, but he did not raise his eyes from the flickering flames.

Mille either chose to ignore Gateau's comment or simply didn't notice his tone. He tilted his head back, letting his long purple curls fall back from his face, and gazed up at the stars meditatively for a moment. "It's embarrassing," he said with another sigh, and dropped his amber-eyed gaze back to his audience, letting it rest on each of them in turn.

"We won't laugh," Chocolate spoke up, meeting his gaze steadily.

"I know." Mille made a face. "I just hate admitting what happened. But, since you asked … I was on official church business at the time. I can't tell you what I was doing, where I was, or even why, but I was badly injured by … well, someone who would find my death beneficial, let's say."

"Was it Zaha Torte?" Marron asked, a note of sympathy vibrating underneath his tone.

Mille shook his head. "This was after Zaha's death. You don't know this person."

Gateau finally lifted his gaze from the fire to stare incredulously at the Haz Knight. "Someone strong enough to hurt you, and he's still alive? Since when do you leave enemies like that behind without taking care of them permanently?"

"When Big Mama tells me not to do something, it's generally wiser for me to obey her," Mille replied with a wry smile. "I am an elite Haz Knight; she is not lenient toward our mistakes."

"So she ordered you not to kill him?" Tira asked, her eyes wide with astonishment.

"She was afraid for my safety if I met this person again on his territory. You see, he knew quite a bit more than I did about the location, which is the only reason he was able to defeat me. All I can really say about what happened is that somehow, I fell through a Gate."

Chocolate sucked in a surprised breath. "So that's where you met Ari?"

Mille nodded. "She and her sensei Reven were out walking along the Paths, which is where they found me, unconscious and bleeding to death. They took me to Reven's home, where I woke up a few days later.

"At first, I didn't know where I was. Ari was sitting beside my bed, reading a book. She explained how they found me, and that they had brought me to this place to be healed. And then … I met Reven."

He paused to take a long drink from his waterskin.

"What is Reven like?" Marron asked eagerly, leaning forward. His golden eyes fairly glowed with his fascination.

Mille set the waterskin down, frowning slightly, as if at a disturbing memory. "Reven is very … different," he said slowly. "Ari told me that he's half-elven and half-human. He's tall, medium build, has shoulder length silver hair, and golden eyes like yours, Marron.

"But what really struck me the first time I ever saw him was how strong his presence is. It's like he could reach up and rearrange the stars with his bare hands if he wanted to. He's much more powerful than anyone I've ever met. He sent cold shivers up and down my spine the first time I saw him." Mille shifted uncomfortably on the log, lowering his eyes as if in shame. "The only person who has ever done that to me was Zaha Torte, on the day he turned against Big Mama."

Chocolate shuddered, hugging herself involuntarily. Anyone who could do that to Mille was definitely not someone to cross. She was suddenly very glad that she had not killed Ari; who knew what sort of terrible revenge her sensei might have taken for it?

"Ari seems quite comfortable with him," Marron said thoughtfully.

Chocolate looked at the mage critically. As usual, his serene exterior revealed nothing to her scrutiny. Then again, she had never really spent much time attempting to decipher Marron's moods and emotions. She had always preferred to spend her free moments more productively, such as thinking of ways to seduce Darling. It seemed easier than trying to do the impossible and predict what was going on in Marron's head - she'd definitely accomplish it first anyway, especially since Darling was her destiny.

Still, she hoped that Marron wasn't going to allow himself to be distracted by developing feelings for Ari. Bringing Darling back was more important than anything else to Chocolate and the other Sorcerer Hunters, and he could not afford to be sidetracked from their purpose.

Mille was nodding again. "He's different when she's around him, almost softer somehow, like he's afraid to show too much of his power to her. I only spent a short time with them, but I noticed that Ari was the only person he allowed to touch him."

"So he loves her?" Tira ventured, unconsciously voicing her elder sister's unspoken thought.

Chocolate was distinctly relieved that she was not the only one to have come to this conclusion. Perhaps it was even true. With someone like Reven courting Ari first, surely Marron would see how futile it was to try to compete with him.

Mille shrugged. "I'm not certain. Reven is hard to read. Compared to him, Ari is an open book."

"So she loves him?" Gateau asked, one eyebrow raised. He painstakingly avoided looking at Marron, but the faint smile on his lips was entirely smug.

"It's hard to miss the way her eyes sparkle when she sees him, the way she says his name, the way she - "

"We get the point," Gateau interrupted, but his tone was light and he was still grinning smugly.

"You sound almost bitter, Mille," Chocolate commented, and then wished that she could take the words back as soon as she said them. The look the Haz Knight gave her when he turned to her was so tired, so drained, it nearly broke her heart.

"If I am, it's because Reven doesn't seem to realize what sort of affect he has on her," Mille murmured, stretching his arms over his head. "I will forever be indebted to her for her kindness, but she is just like a sister to me. I only want her to be happy."

An easy silence settled over the group as each of them digested the tale Mille Feuille had told them.

Chocolate drew her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. She hunched over slightly, resting her chin on one arm, and stared at the flames with a frown of concentration on her lips.

"Mille, if you don't mind my asking, why is it that you hate sprites?" Tira asked timidly. Her diffident voice interrupted Chocolate's thoughts before she could really start brooding.

Mille snorted and tugged sharply on a lock of his long, curly purple hair. "One of them cut off my hair," he said flatly.

Four pairs of widened eyes gazed at him incredulously for a long moment.

"Well, do you have any idea how long it took me to grow it out to this length?" he demanded irately. "Years, that's how long! And it only took him two minutes to ruin it while I was asleep!"

"A-all of it?" Tira asked.

"All of it," Mille replied miserably. "It was horrible!"

"But - "

"If Ari hadn't fixed it for me, I don't know what I would have done," he sighed dramatically, fondly pulling the same lock of hair again.

"Oh."

To be continued …

Author's Notes: I am truly sorry that this chapter took me so long. I have no excuse other than extreme writer's block and a very unwanted houseguest. I am still very angry at my roommate for this.

Hey, I just noticed that I'm on three people's favorite authors list! Yay! Whoever you guys are, THANK YOU! That made my day. ^_^

Anyway, this chapter has not been beta-read, so if you notice any errors or you have any suggestions, I would be extremely happy to hear about them. Chocolate is a hard character for me to get down, and the manga came in quite handy for getting rid of my writer's block, as well as Takatome Ichido's reviews. ^_^

For those of you who reviewed last time:

Amanda: Thank you! I'm glad you don't mind being mentioned. ^_^ And yes, Gateau is at least twice as annoying in the manga.

Fala: Thank you! The journal thing was a part of the dream I had that inspired this story. As for Gateau, if I bastardized his character, it would take away from the strength of this story. I hate reading serious fics where you can definitely tell who the author's least favorite character is. It drives me insane, even if I'm not fond of that character either. I hope this story lives up to your expectations. Very little would flatter me more than that. ^_^

BluePard: Thank you! The best way for me to start the last chapter was to repeat some of the stuff in the previous chapter. I also needed a transition before I got to Chocolate's part in the series, and Marron's POV seemed to be the best fit. Any suggestions for improvement are welcome. I hope I answered your questions about Mille and Ari with this chapter. ^_^

Tegasus: Thank you! More is on the way. ^_^

danni: Thank you! I hope I answered your question. Ari has definite ideas about whom she belongs to, and Marron is not that person.

QG: Thank you! You're forgiven. ^_^ Glad you like where this is going so far. You'll just have to wait and see what happens. Hopefully I'll be able to update sooner next time.

Takatome Ichido: Thank you thank you thank you! I don't think my writer's block would have ended without your last review! I am very pleased that you like it so far, and I hope you continue to like it. ^_^

Until next time. ^_^

~ Lady Cianyin ~