Strange Happenings
The sound of pages flipped through was heard in the dark, dusty library. The only company the lonely books had, sitting on the shelves, was the lone girl, sitting at the table, sifting through the pages of a book.
"Hm. . . . . . ." Tapping her fingers on the table, she turned the page one more time, scanning the words it had to offer, before turning to see if the next one had something more inviting. "Let's see. . . . . . . . ."
She knew she had to be quick. If her mother caught her in there, she would be dead for sure.
Thumbing through the pages again, she finally found something to her liking. She had no idea what the words were trying to tell her, but, shrugging that minor detail aside, she pulled out a piece of paper and began copying down what was in the book. When she finished, she slipped the paper in her red tunic.
"And just what do you think you're doing?" a voice said suddenly, causing her to jump in her chair. She jumped to her feet, turning around to meet the woman behind her.
"Mama!" she said, trying to sound as innocent as she could.
Her eyebrow raised in slight curiosity. By the look in her eyes, the young girl could tell her mother wasn't going to buy her act.
"Pomme, what are you doing in here?" she said, her voice stern. "You know you're not allowed in here."
"I. . . . . I know, Mama. But, sometimes, when he was still around, Papa would take me in here, and we would sit and read together." She looked down at her feet, her large, reflexive glasses glittering with sadness.
The woman's eyes softened as she sighed, pulling her daughter into his arms. "I know you miss him," she whispered, her tone more gentle. "I miss him too. But, Pomme, that was so long ago."
"It's not fair, though."
"I know it's not. I just wish things could have been a little different. If we could have only told each other what we were feeling sooner, maybe he would still be here with us."
Pomme looked up at her mother. "You always say that. But I never know what it means."
"Well, I suppose I could tell you, now that you're fifteen."
"I've been fifteen for a few months, Mama."
"I know that." She stroked her daughter's dark, red hair, almost similar to her own. "Let's get out of this dusty place for now, and I'll tell you upstairs."
Pomme nodded, lifting the large glasses slightly just to dry the tears from her eyes. Both slowly walked up the stairs, out of the basement library, and into the living room.
Sitting on the couch, Pomme sat across from her mother. "It was a few years ago, when I was just a year older then you are now," the young woman began. "I had given up on all my feelings of love. Then, your father told me how he felt about me, and how he always loved me since we were little.
"But since I was so disconnected with love for a while, I wasn't sure whether to believe him. However, I guess I was desperate for something, because the next thing I knew, I was pregnant with you.
"Of course, we married, and you were born, and we raised you together. But I was still unsure if he really loved me the way he said he did, or if he had just said that because he felt sympathy for me. I guess I was just too afraid to open myself up again and get hurt. And, as I realized later, I was too afraid to realize my feelings for him.
"But he seemed so insistent on showing that he really cared about me. Do you remember seven years ago, when we had taken that mission?"
Pomme nodded. "How could I ever forget that one?" she replied. "It was just a few days after my seventh birthday. After the birthday party, Big Momma had asked you, Papa, and the others to undergo another mission. A few days, I saw you and the others coming home, and I rushed out to greet you all, when I noticed Papa wasn't with you. . . . . I had. . . . asked you, where he was, and. . . . . ." She bit her bottom lip.
Her mother nodded. "And we told you that he had passed away. It was because he was trying to protect me. The sorcerer had me cornered, and there wasn't time for him to do anything else. Just as the blade was about to hit me, your father pushed me out of the way, and the sword pierced through his chest."
Pomme watched as her mother wiped away the tears threatening to fall. Stifling back a sob, the woman continued.
"The blade ripped through him, the tip coming out of his back. I don't remember what happened after that, because I believe the others said that I went into shock. When I had finally come out of it, your father's life was already wearing thin. I awoke just in time to see him go. . . . . . ."
"Did you believe him then?"
"Of course."
"But what does that have to do with you and Papa telling each other how you feeling for each other sooner?"
"Maybe if I had known sooner, perhaps when I wasn't trying to deny my feelings for him, I would have believed your father when he told me that he loved me."
Pomme blinked. "You used to love Papa that way too?"
To her surprise, her mother blushed. "Yes. It took me a while to finally realize it, but I discovered I did. I thought, though, that he wouldn't be interested in someone like me, so I suppressed them to the point where I denied my feelings all together."
The young woman regained her composure, shaking herself out of her locked away thoughts. "Pomme, I think it's time for you to practice, isn't it?"
"Oh," Pomme said, flushing at the realization. "Right." Jumping to her feet, the young teen ran outside to practice.
The woman sighed sadly, her eyes averting from her retreating daughter to the picture hanging above the hearth. The picture of the young sorcerer hunters hung their, and the young woman's eyes filled with tears as they settled on her late-husband's image. Again, she felt tears threaten to spill forth. 'I hope you know how much I miss you,' she silently prayed.
Her head snapped towards the front door as her attention was averted to her daughter's scream.
"Did I mention that I hate forests?" Carrot asked, dragging his feet as he stumbled along.
"Only about a thousand times, Carrot," Gateau replied sarcastically.
"Oh, Darling," Chocolate said, grasping the other teen's arm, "forests are nice. They're quiet and peaceful. They're so romantic, don't you think?"
"Sister. . . . . ." Tira warned.
"Oh, Tira, don't worry so much. My darling and I would be alright." The older Misu smiled mischievously.
"Chocolate! Get away!"
"Oh, Darling. . . . . ."
Marron rolled his eyes slightly as the procedure began anew once again. He walked slightly behind the others, watching them.
A slight noise called his attention away from them. Since they were so wrapped up in their own antics, they didn't notice the mage stop. As they continued to walk ahead of him, Marron closed his eyes to pinpoint where the noise was coming from.
Turning to his left, he parted the bushes to see what was causing the noise. He gasped.
A young girl lay there, unconscious.
If he had stopped to notice, he would have thought that the young girl looked much like Tira. Her dark red hair lay tangled around her, and her red tunic was ripped and tattered.
Bending down, the young Glace cradled the figure in his arms, gently shaking her. "Miss?" he said.
Slowly, the figure stirred. Because of her large, reflective glasses, he couldn't tell if her eyes were open or closed yet.
She groaned, bringing her hand up to her forehead. "What happened?" she said, possibly talking to herself.
"It appears you were injured," Marron replied softly. "Are you alright?"
"I. . . . . I think so. . . . . ." He helped her to sit up. "Thank you," she said, turning to look at him. Marron then felt her body stiffen as a gasp escaped her lips. He felt her trying to move away from him.
"I won't hurt you," he said gently. "I'm just here to help you."
"I. . . . . I know. . . . ." She looked down at the ground. Marron felt her relax slightly. 'Why do I feel a familiar presence from her?' he wondered.
Before he could move to react, the young girl's arms encircled around him, pulling him in a tight embrace. Surprised, Marron was about to say something in slight protest, but paused when he heard her sob slightly. She buried her head deeper into his chest, and he could feel his tunic slightly dampen with her tears. As she began to tremble, he decided pushing the young girl away wouldn't be the best idea. Instead, he wrapped his arms around the girl, comforting her.
After a minute or two, her trembling reduced to shuddering, slightly decreasing until she was finally still. "Where am I?" she asked quietly.
"You're in the forest, very close to the Stella Church," he replied.
"The Stella Church?"
"Yes. My friends and I were on our way there, actually."
"Your friends?"
"Yes. And my older brother as well."
"Your older brother. . . . . . . ." The young girl looked up at Marron, then back at the ground. "Then, you have to be. . . . . . . . . ."
The mage blinked. "I have to be what?" he asked, slightly confused.
She looked up at him, an embarrassed smile on her lips. "Nothing!" she said nervously. "It's nothing!"
Again, he blinked. "You seem. . . . . . slightly familiar. . . . . . Have we met before?"
"Um . . . . . no. . . . . ."
Marron was about to say something else, but was interrupted by another voice.
"Marron?" he heard his brother call.
"Marron?" a female voice called out.
"Marron!" another, younger female voice said.
"Where the heck are you?" another male voice said.
"I'm over here!" the young mage replied. Again, he felt the young girl stiffen in his arms. Looking down at her, he said, "Don't be alarmed. They're just my friends and brother."
He assisted her as she struggled to stand. "I think I should go," she said, somewhat panicked.
"But you're injured."
"No, I'm fine." But as she attempted to walk, she stumbled, Marron still holding her as she fell to one knee.
There was a rustling in the bushes, and Carrot appeared. "Marron?"
The younger Glace looked up at his older brother, then back at the girl. For some reason, she seemed to have relaxed again.
The others appeared beside Carrot. "Marron?" Tira asked. "What are you doing?"
And again, Marron felt the girl tense up. 'What's wrong with her?' he wondered. 'It's as if she's afraid of. . . . .something. . . . . .'
"Who's the girl?" Gateau asked, pulling the mage out of his thoughts.
"My. . . . .my name is Pomme," the girl said in reply.
Carrot walked up to her, looking at her closely. She looked down at the ground uncomfortably.
"She looks a lot like you, Tira," the teen said to his friend.
Tira looked at him, then at Pomme. It was true, this mysterious girl did seem to resemble her somewhat. She then looked at Marron, who was still assisting Pomme. A wave of heat rushed over her, noting how close their bodies were.
"Where are you from, Pomme?" Tira heard her older sister, Chocolate, asked.
"I. . . . . ." Pomme looked down again. 'What's going on here?' she wondered. 'Everyone's here. Mama, Uncle, Auntie, Uncle Gateau. . . . . even Papa. But how can that be? Papa's dead. Unless. . . . . . . . that would explain why Mama and the others are younger, and how Papa is still alive. But then I would need some kind of explanation of arriving here.'
"Pomme?" Marron said. "Are you alright?"
"What? Oh, I'm fine. I guess I'm just tired."
"Can you walk? Maybe you should come with us to the Stella Church to rest a while."
Tira felt a sting in her heart at Marron's suggestion. He was inviting this girl, whom he didn't know at all, into the Stella Church?
"I. . . . . I don't know." 'I want to, but, I need to find out how I got here, and how to get back home. Especially if I am where I think I am. Or rather, WHEN.'
Pomme looked up at Marron. "I guess so," she replied. But as she tried to walk, she stumbled again. Gently, Marron picked her up, cradling her in his arms. Her cheeks tinged slightly.
Tira felt her hands clench tightly into fists as Marron began to walk away from them, carrying the strange girl in his arms.
Carrot chuckled. "Maybe Pomme can get through that barrier of his," he said.
"What do you mean, Darling?"
"Nothing. But if we're lucky, maybe Marron will finally be more like me."
Gateau shuddered. "There's a scary thought."
"Shut up. I'm just saying that maybe my little brother won't be single for very long."
Tira felt her fists clench tighter as Carrot's words echoed in her mind. No way was she going to let that happen. There was no way.
Pomme wandered down the corridors of the Stella Church, gazing around. 'Not that different,' she mused.
After a good night's rest, she had found that she felt much better. Since nobody else was awake, or at least not to her knowledge, she decided to look around to find Big Momma and to see how much had changed between this place and her home. Surprisingly, not much.
"Hey," a voice said, causing her to turn around.
"Milphey-Yu?" Pomme asked, upon seeing the Haz-knight standing there.
He chuckled. "Well, you know my name. May I ask for yours?"
"Pomme."
He took her hand into his. "Nice to meet you Pomme. You must be the girl Carrot was telling me about last night when I returned home."
"I guess so."
His smile deepened as he released her hand. "Have you met Big Momma yet?"
"Well, I did for a brief while, when I was first brought here, but not for very long. I'm looking for her, actually, because I need to talk to her."
"Well," Milphey-Yu said, placing his hands on his hips, "what a coincidence. Big Momma wishes to speak with you, too."
"She does?"
He nodded. "Follow me."
Pomme nodded, glad to follow the familiar Haz-knight. She would have gotten lost without him. Even back home.
Milphey-Yu led Pomme into the familiar room where Big Momma was waiting for her. "Good morning, Pomme," she said.
Pomme bowed slightly. "Good morning, Big Momma."
The Haz-knight took his position next to Big Momma. "She wanted to speak with you, as well, Big Momma."
"Thank you, Milphey-Yu."
Pomme noticed something was missing. "Where's Dotta?"
"Still sleeping. Now, Pomme, there was something that you wished to discuss with me?"
The young girl looked up at her. "Yes, Big Momma. There is. I'm. . . . . . I'm not sure where I am, and I need to find out in order to get home."
Big Momma nodded. "I see."
"The thing is, I don't know how to get home."
"Do you know how you arrived here?"
"No. One minute, my mama and I were trying to defend ourselves, and the next, I'm face to face with. . . . . ." She paused, unsure if she should go on.
"With Marron?"
". . . . . .Yes. But, I don't know how that is possible, because where I'm from. . . . . . I. . ." She began to shuffle uncomfortably.
"Pomme? Could you tell me your full name?"
Pomme looked up at Big Momma. Of all people, she had a right to know. "My name is Pomme. . . . . Glace. . . . . . ."
"Glace?" Milphey-Yu asked. "How is that possible?"
Big Momma looked at him, then back at the young girl. "You're not from around here, are you, Pomme?"
"No."
"Tell me what happened before you arrived here."
Pomme placed a finger to her chin, recalling the memory of the fight. "I was going outside to practice, when I came face to face with this giant demon-type creature. Mama and I were trying to fight it, but it was so much stronger than we were. It shot out lethal venom that could burn anything it touches. It tried to hit me with its venom, and it was about to, but I chanted a spell that I found in one of my father's books. The next thing I knew, I was here."
"Do you have the spell?" Big Momma asked.
Pomme nodded, retrieving the slip of paper from inside her tunic. She handed it to Big Momma. "I copied it down, but I don't know what it says," the teen girl explained. "When Mama and I were attacked at our home, I panicked, and that was the only thing I could think of to say."
"What about your father?" Milphey-Yu asked. "Didn't he help you or your mother at all?"
Pomme looked at him, then at the ground. "He couldn't. Papa died when I was seven."
"I'm sorry."
Big Momma read over the paper, then handed it back to the girl. "Pomme," she said, "that spell is a time travel spell."
"Time travel?" Pomme and Milphey-Yu asked simultaneously.
"That would explain how I arrived here."
"But how is that possible?" the Haz-knight asked Big Momma. "In order to complete a time spell, one must have very strong magic, such as. . . . ."
"Eastern magic," she finished, before turning to the young girl. "Pomme, would you mind taking off your glasses?"
Pomme stiffened in surprise. 'Does she know?' she wondered. But looking into her violet eyes, the answer was clear. 'Of course she does. Big Momma would always know somehow.' Shrugging, she carefully slipped the large glasses off her face, looking up to reveal her golden eyes.
Milphey-Yu gasped, but Big Momma just nodded in affirmation. "Just as I thought," she said. "You are the daughter of Marron, aren't you?" Pomme nodded.
"I never would have thought," Milphey-Yu said. "Marron. . . . . having a child. . . . . But then. . . . . . who's the mother?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Big Momma said to him. "Look at her glasses."
"Her. . . . . . glasses. . . . .?" The Haz-knight turned his attention back to the young girl, looking at the glasses she held in her hand. Realization struck him. "Aren't those. . . . Tira's?"
Both Big Momma and Pomme nodded. "I am the daughter of Marron and Tira Glace," Pomme said.
The Haz-knight blinked, then began to twist his hair in his fingers. "Well, that's something I never would have imagined," he said. "I thought Tira liked Carrot."
"Mama said that she did like Uncle, but, later on, she began to like Papa."
"But," Big Momma said, "you mentioned that Marron died when you were little?"
The teen nodded. "After my seventh birthday, he and the others went on a mission. But he never returned with him, and Mama said that he had died."
"Well, that's rather discouraging," Milphey-Yu commented, still playing with his lavender locks.
"Indeed. Pomme, you understand that you can't tell the others, right? You mustn't tell them this news, so you won't change their future. . . . or yours."
The young girl nodded. "I understand."
Then Big Momma turned to the Haz-knight. "And I trust that you won't say anything either, Milphey."
"Of course, Big Momma."
"I also trust that you will find another time spell that will send Pomme back into the future."
"Can't I just use the time spell I used to get here?" Pomme wondered.
"This particular time spell is used solely to go back into the past. To return to your time, you will need the spell that transports you to the future. Milphey-Yu, I trust you to find that spell."
He bowed. "Yes, Big Momma." And he disappeared into the shadows behind her.
Then she turned back to the young Glace. "And remember, the others cannot know anything about this. Especially Marron and Tira."
Pomme nodded again. "Of course."
Behind the door, Carrot slipped down the corridor as quietly as he could.
"Oh, wow!" Pomme said, running towards one of the selling counters. "Look at this!"
A smile formed on Marron's lips, slightly amused. He had taken the young girl into town, and now she was checking out everything. He observed the way her glasses seemed to shine since she was so happy. It reminded him of Tira for some reason. He frowned, trying to pinpoint why Pomme appeared so much like Tira, with a few differences.
"Oh, wow! This is beautiful!"
Marron couldn't help but roll his eyes. She had been saying that for a while. Still, just to humor her, he walked over to where she was standing, wanting to see what she was looking at. "What is?"
"This. Look at it!"
The mage looked to where she was pointing, just to see a beautiful fan. The mahogany handle, embroidered with gold markings. The beautiful hand-paint on the fan itself, detailed with colors, imprinted with a picture of a meadow.
"That is very impressive."
The teen girl nodded. "Yeah. I almost had a fan like this."
Marron looked at her. "Almost?"
"Yeah. On my seventh birthday, I saw a fan similar to this one in the marketplace. At my party, I asked my father to get me one, and he promised that he would get one for me after he returned from work."
"But he never did?"
"No. A few days later, he died while working. I didn't even get to see him."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"My mother was so heartbroken about it, as was I. But at least she got to see him before he died."
Marron watched as she wiped a tear away. "Were you very close to your father?" he asked gently.
"As close as a seven-year-old could be to her father. I kinda wish I could've gotten to know him better, though."
Marron nodded. "I'm very sorry."
"It's alright. That happened years ago." He watched as the young girl walked away, a touch of sadness in her step.
The merchant came up to the counter. "Hello, Marron," he said. "What can I do for you today?"
The young Glace looked at the merchant, then at the retreating form of the mysterious girl. Looking back at the merchant, he asked, "How much does that fan cost?"
Tira heard the sound of voices, and she saw Marron and Pomme heading back to the Stella Church. Curious, she decided to follow them.
The two stopped in front of the church, Tira noticed they seemed to be exchanging words. Though she couldn't make out what they were saying, she noticed that Marron had a slight smile on his face.
Reaching into his white tunic, the mage pulled out a thin case, handing it to Pomme. Bemused, the young girl took off the top. Surprise then glossed her large glasses. Tira knew that look well.
Delicately, Pomme pulled something out of the case, unfurling what was a fan. The smile on the mage's face seemed to deepen as he said something to her. The shine in the glasses seemed to change to joy as Pomme embraced the young Glace, expressing some words happily. Then, pulling herself away, she replaced the fan in its holder, running back inside the church.
She had seen enough. With a slight huff, she walked away from him. Unfortunately, her huff was a little louder than she had intended it to be.
"Tira?" she heard the mage say, surprised. She didn't respond. She just kept walking.
"Tira, wait!" She didn't comply.
She felt a hand grab her wrist, and she spun around wildly, her pink tresses hitting the young Glace's face. He jerked back in surprise, but didn't let go of his hold on her wrist. Tira would have laughed at the expression on his face if she wasn't feeling so angry.
"Tira, what's wrong?" Marron asked, his golden eyes filled with wonder.
"Nothing," she replied coldly. "Nothing at all."
"Come on, Tira, I know there's something wrong."
"You wanna know what's wrong!" she yelled, barely controlling the jealousy welling up inside her.
"Tira. . . . ."
She exhaled loudly. "Well, that's too bad. I don't feel like telling you."
"Tira. We've known each other for a long time. You know that you can tell me anything."
She removed her glasses suddenly, her red eyes burning with fire. "Maybe that's just it, Marron! Maybe we've known each other too long. We've been friends for so long, and…"
She could see some hurt in his eyes, and she bit back the rest of the words she was going to say. "Anyway, maybe you spending time with Pomme was a good idea."
"Pomme asked me to show her around town."
"Uh-huh," she spat. "Did she have fun?"
"I believe so."
"That was a nice gift you gave her."
Marron could hear a strange tone in the Misu's voice. "Tira, what's going on? What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing! Okay? Nothing."
Placing one hand on her shoulder, he used the other one to tilt her chin up, each looking into the other's eyes. "Tira, I don't understand why you're so upset, or why you feel so much jealousy towards Pomme, which is what I'm assuming. . . . ."
She felt heat rush to her cheeks.
". . . .But I must say that I am astounded, and a little offended, that you would think this way."
"How would you know what I'm thinking?"
"Tira, you are a very dear friend to me. We've known each other most of our lives, and we have been there for each other. You should know that I would rather die than hurt you in any way."
She couldn't pull herself away from his eyes. She was drowning in them, losing all sense of feeling around them. All she was aware of was the two of them, together.
"Tira, I care for you too much to ever do that to you."
She felt his fingers leave her chin, lightly moving upwards, gently caressing her cheek. She was aware of their faces slowly moving closer to each other's, but she made no attempt to stop.
There was a loud screech, and both looked up to see a large monster heading towards them. The bat-like wings on its back fluttered as it walked, creating a slight wind. On each paw were four, giant, razor-like claws, digging into and slashing the ground. Its tail was equipped with jagged barbs. The dry, bumpy, yellow skin of the creature emphasized its blood red eyes. Dripping from its mouth was a bluish substance that eroded the ground with a single touch.
"What is that thing?" Tira asked.
Marron gently pushed her behind him, placing himself in between the creature and Tira. "A demon," he said aloud.
Raising its snout, it began to sniff the air, turning its head every which way. Finally, after a while, it lowered its head down, its blood eyes fixing on the young Misu. It snarled, then looked at the young Glace, standing in front of her. Its savage mind then began to formulate a plan to get rid of the obstacle that stood between it and the girl.
Growling, it raised its giant paw, trying to swipe at the two teens. In the blink of an eye, the jumped back, away from the demon. It growled again, bucking up on its hind legs. Letting out a horrible cry, it charged at them, and they barely avoided getting trampled by the large beast.
They both jumped out of the way, Marron in one direction, Tira in the other. The mage noted the mistake immediately, as the demon skidded to a halt, reverting its direction to her.
"Tira!" he called. Swiftly, she turned around, snapping off her baggy robe, revealing her leather clad outfit. Using her whip, she jumped up and whipped the creature on its nose, distracting it enough that it crashed into a tree. She landed next to Marron.
The beast quickly recovered, its eyes even more red with anger than before. Inhaling deeply, it spit out its bluish saliva out towards them.
Unsure what to do, Marron pulled out an ofuda ward, the bluish barrier surrounding the two of them. However, when the substance came in contact with the barrier, it continued to push through, burning away at the blockade.
He pushed Tira out of the way, just as the burning matter ate away at the barricade completely. Marron turned to run, but was too late as the venom collided with him.
"Marron!"
The searing heat he felt from the lethal acid was too intense. It suffocated him, choking him. But not ready to give up, he pulled another ward out, focusing his energy into the spell.
A large, fiery phoenix rose from the shard of paper, flying swiftly towards the demon. But it simply opened its mouth, inhaling it, then swallowed it up.
Marron inhaled sharply. 'My magic doesn't work against this thing?' he thought.
He was aware that the monster was shuffling around. He looked up to see that it was turning around, getting ready to strike him with its pointed tail. He shut his eyes tightly, waiting for the blow.
When it never came, he opened his eyes to see Tira's whip wrapped around the demon's tail. It turned its head toward her, letting out a loud cry as it tried to free its tail in a powerful swing.
Pulling on the whip, she released the creature's tail, causing the savage being to hit itself with its own thorns. Screeching, it shot towards her again. She jumped just in time to avoid it, and it crashed into another tree.
She landed gracefully beside the mage, bending down to check on him. "Are you alright?" she asked.
Marron chuckled sorely. "I've been better," he replied.
He attempted to stand, but the sting throughout his body caused him to slip back onto the ground.
"Marron?"
"I never imagined. . . . . I knew the demon was strong. . . . but this. . . . ." He groaned painfully. "Tira, it's not safe here. You. . . . . ."
"Ah, ah! I know what you're thinking, Marron Glace, and you can just forget it! There is no way I'm leaving you, especially in your condition."
He looked up, gold meeting crimson. The expression in her eyes was fixed, and he knew there was nothing he could do to change his friend's mind. The young Misu could be very headstrong when she wanted to be.
Crouching down, Tira began to use the power of Gaias to heal the mage. Unknown to either of them, the demon had gotten up, preparing to strike.
It growled softly, finally catching Marron's attention. "Tira!"
But she couldn't do anything to react as it swiped its sharp claws at the young girl, knocking her a good distance away from Marron. A quick cry was ripped at her throat, before she rammed into a tree, breaking it in half. The mage's heart skipped a beat when he noticed that she wasn't moving, and the demon slithered towards her, seizing her in its claws. It sniffed her for a minute, then let out a guttural cry as its wings began to flap, pulling it into the air.
Marron got to his feet, attempting to run after the demon. But the blazing pain pushed him back down. He hit the ground hard, knocking the remaining wind out of him. Looking up, he tried his best to focus on the blurred image of the demon, pink curls dancing in the wind. Shadows began to close in on him, burying him, suffocating him, as the demon flew farther and farther away.
He couldn't stop the single tear as it made its way down his cheek, disappearing forever into the blood-stained earth. "TIRA!"
The dull ache in his body was canceled out by the soft bed underneath him. He was aware of voices around him.
But the only thing he really recognized was the lingering thought in his mind: Tira.
Tira!
"TIRA!" he cried, shooting up in bed, nearly colliding with his brother.
"Whoa!" Carrot said, moving out of the way. "Hey, careful!"
"I'm. . . . .sorry Brother."
"Are you okay?" Pomme asked, sitting on the stool next to his bed.
"I believe so. Where am I?"
"In your room," Carrot said. "You had us pretty worried, ya know."
"Worried?"
"Well, how do you expect us to react when we find you passed out the way you were? You were barely alive!"
"What happened?" Gateau asked. "Not many things can rough you up like that, Marron."
Marron nodded, then looked at Chocolate. "I'm sorry."
Chocolate blinked. "For what?"
"I couldn't protect Tira. She's gone now. That demon took her away." He could feel tears stinging his eyes.
"It's okay, Marron. We'll get her back. Besides, we know that there wasn't much that you could do."
The mage looked up at her, slightly confused.
"We know that it's a special type of demon," Carrot said. "It can consume magic and use it for its own strength."
"How do you know this?" Marron asked. He barely noted Pomme suddenly becoming uncomfortable.
"It was created by a sorcerer, wasn't it?" Gateau asked. "It somehow multiplied and became a new species. It's fairly common."
"In some other world, maybe!" Marron said. "That breed of demon doesn't even exist!"
"It doesn't?" Chocolate asked. She looked at Pomme. "Didn't you say there was?"
Marron looked at her too. "What are you talking about?"
"Um. . . . . I. . . . . . uh. . . . . ." Pomme shuffled uncomfortably.
"Maybe you should just tell them the truth," Carrot said, looking out the window. The others looked at him. "I mean, if you know about it, Pomme, then maybe that means that it came from where you did, doesn't it? Especially since Marron doesn't know what it is."
She inhaled sharply. "Do. . . .do you know?" she asked in a hushed voice.
He glanced at her lazily. "I was standing right outside when you and Big Momma were talking about it. I heard the whole thing."
"W. . . .w-what!"
"You might as well tell the others. They have a right to know."
"But, I can't!" The other three were looking at them curiously.
"How else are you going to explain where it came from?"
Pomme sighed. She knew he was right.
"Everything I told you about the demon is true," she said. "It was created by sorcerers a little time before I was born, in an attempt to get rid of. . . .the. . . sorcerer hunters. They created it to be indestructible, but they never counted on it turning on them. They couldn't beat it, and it got loose and multiplied somehow. It mostly wants to be left alone, but if you anger it, it won't go away until it destroys you."
"But how come I've never heard of it?" Marron wondered.
"That's right," Chocolate said. "You don't look any older than we do, so we should have encountered it sometime ago."
"You would have," Pomme said, "if all of us were really the same age. But the truth is, you all are really older than I am."
"Oh, come on, we're not that old," Gateau joked.
"And even if that were true," Marron pointed out, "that you were born after us, shouldn't we have still heard about this thing?"
"Stop talking in riddles, Pomme," Carrot said, still staring out the window. "Just tell them already."
"Why don't you tell them!" she retorted.
"Because this isn't about me. It's about you."
Again, she sighed. "That would be true, unless of course I was born many years later."
She noticed the look of confusion on their faces right away.
"The truth is. . . . . .I'm. . .not from. . .this time."
"What do you mean, 'not from this time'?" the Gateau asked.
"I'm. . . .from the future. Where all of you are already adults. I. . . . came here on accident because of a time spell."
"Is that possible?" Chocolate inquired.
Pomme nodded. "Where I came from, I was going to begin my training, when that demon appeared at our house. My mother and I had no choice but to fight it. That bluish substance, which you encountered in your battle with it, can burn anything it touches. I would have died if I hadn't performed the spell, but when I used it, I had no idea it would send me back in time. Only when I talked to Big Momma about it did I realize."
"I see now," Marron said thoughtfully. "I finally understand. . . .why you looks so much like her. You're Tira's daughter, aren't you?"
Pomme looked at him, nodding slightly. "Yes."
"I see."
"Are you kidding me!" Chocolate practically yelled. "You're Tira's child!"
"But then who's the father?" Gateau wondered.
"Can you guess?" Pomme teased.
The other three gave a slight sideways glance at Carrot. "Hey, don't look at me," he said. "I'm not her father."
"Oh?" the mage said, inwardly, unnoticeably, breathing a sigh of slight relief. "I always thought Tira liked you."
"Me too," the Misu girl said. "But if Darling's not Pomme's father, then who is?"
Pomme glanced at Carrot, who simply nodded once, urging her to continue. She then looked at Marron, pulling her glasses down far enough for only him to see her eyes just above the rim.
He inhaled sharply. "ME!" he cried loudly. She just smiled, pushing the glasses back up the bridge of her nose.
"Marron!" Chocolate and Gateau exclaimed.
Carrot just grinned. "I didn't think you had it in you, little brother," he teased.
'Is that why Tira was feeling jealous of Pomme?' Marron wondered. 'Because she was afraid that I would fall for her?'
"I don't understand something, though," Chocolate piped up. "Why would this demon be after Tira?"
"Her scent," the mage replied. "If what Pomme was saying was true, that the demon wouldn't rest until it destroys the one who angers it, then it must have picked up Tira's scent from the future, and when it came here, it picked it up again."
"That's what confuses me," Carrot said suddenly. "How did the demon get here if it came from Pomme's time? It couldn't have used a time spell, could it?"
Marron shook his head. "No, but, when I was studying magic, I read somewhere that they believed time travel spells, such as the one Pomme used to get here, weakens the barrier between time realms. I'm not sure how much it would weaken, but perhaps the demon was able to pass through a rip."
There was an eerie silence around them for a few minutes. "Hey," Pomme said suddenly. "The demon finally stopped. That's good. I was beginning to think I would run out of string."
"What?"
"We came in just as the demon was taking off," Pomme said. "Or at least, me and Uncle. I placed a Web-spinner Trace on it, so we could find out where it is and help. . . Mama."
Marron pushed the covers off his body, sliding off the bed. "Let's go," he said.
"Marron, wait. . . ." Carrot began.
"Brother." Carrot pulled back at the sound of Marron's tone. It wasn't too often that his little brother was angry, but when he was, the mage wasn't one to be taken lightly.
Carrot glanced at the others, who were looking at him. He nodded, and they all got up and started to go.
As he was about to go, Marron caught sight of a whip and a red cloak resting on a chair. 'Tira,' he thought. 'Please, hold on.'
Pomme stopped in front of a cave. "This must be it," she whispered.
"Are you sure?" Marron asked.
"Unless I placed the Web-spinner Trace on the wrong demon."
"What now?" Gateau asked.
The pink-haired girl smirked, pulling an ofuda ward out from her tunic. "We draw it out." She threw the ward into the cave, and they watched it sail inside. There was a flash of light as a horrible roar echoed through the cavern, sparks of electricity cackling.
As the light began to die the down, the demon appeared, roaring loudly for being disturbed from its current activity. Its blood eyes shot around, glancing at each of the hunters. It finally settled on Marron and Pomme.
Slowly, Pomme removed her glasses, still smirking. "Since it sucks up any magic we throw at it, I'll have to use my other weapon." The red tunic suddenly snapped off, as Pomme stood there in her own dominatrix form. Her once braided hair spread out around her, as she licked one of the prongs of her sai. She wore a revealing orange outfit, cackling somewhat evilly.
"She is JUST like her mother," Carrot commented.
"Good idea," Chocolate said, her voice hushed with sedition, as she threw off her clothes as well. The thin, leather suspenders held her baggy pants up, as the rim of her biker cap fell over her eyes. A smirk graced her face as she placed her garrote to her lips. "This should be fun."
Gateau cracked his knuckles. "Don't suppose you two get all the fun," he said to the girls. "I need a good workout."
Marron stood there, unsure of what to do. Usually he would help out with his magic, but he couldn't now, since the demon could absorb it. Glancing over at Carrot, the older Glace nodded towards the cave. He nodded too, then, slipping past the demon undetected, he entered the cave to look for Tira.
The cave went in much deeper then he had thought it would, especially since Pomme's ward seemed to have connected with the demon right away. Then again, maybe the monster's size was the reason for that.
As he walked further along, the cave began to become wider. When he reached the end of the cave, the roof was well over his head, the stalagmites looming over him. Far across from him, he could make out a lone figure with pink hair, leaning against the cave wall.
"Tira!" He ran over, dodging stalactites to get to her. "Tira?" Getting on his knees, he placed two trembling fingers on her neck, feeling a faint heartbeat. Supporting her head with his arm, he called out to her, "Tira! Tira!"
Slowly, her eyes fluttered open. "M-Marron?" she said.
"Tira, are you alright?"
"Y-yes. I'm okay."
But she noticed the worry in his eyes as he looked over the fresh blood from her wounds. "Really, Marron, I'm alright."
Her eyes widened as Marron pulled her into a fierce embrace. "I'm sorry," he whispered tightly. "I really am."
"Why? You didn't do anything."
"Exactly. I didn't do anything. I should have protected you." On her shoulder, she felt a few droplets. Tears.
She pulled away from him, tenderly holding Marron's face to look into his gold eyes brimming with tears. "Marron, it's okay. I'm fine. It's not your fault. Your magic couldn't stop it. Plus you were injured. Don't worry."
"But. . . ."
She placed a finger on his lips. "Marron, I don't blame you, so you have to stop blaming yourself."
He smiled, nodding, as she wiped the tears away. "Thank you."
He helped her as she got to her feet. "How did you find me?" she wondered
"Pomme placed a Web-spinner Trace on the demon."
"Pomme?"
"Yes." Tira noticed as a thin crimson streak appear on the cheeks of the usually cool-headed mage.
"What's wrong?"
"Um. . . .about Pomme. . . ."
Tira felt her eye twitch. "What about her?"
"Tira, there really is no reason to feel jealous."
She nearly fell over. "J. . . .j-jealous?"
"The truth is, Tira, Pomme is from the future."
"The future?"
He nodded, still blushing. "And what's more, Pomme is your future daughter."
"My. . . .my DAUGHTER!"
Again, he nodded.
"But. . . who's her father, then?"
He glanced at her shyly, the blush on his cheeks worse then before, then looked at the ground.
"You! You're her father!"
He didn't look up.
"Oh. . . wow. . ."
He looked up at her again. "You're not disappointed, are you?"
It was Tira's turn to blush. She was about to answer, when there was a thunderous roar, and the ground rattled throughout the cave.
Marron caught the young Misu just as she was about to fall. "Thanks," she said, rather glad for that little distraction. "What was that?"
The mage looked up, squinting at the dim light at the entrance of the cave. "Brother. . . ." They both ran out of the cave to see the demon going head-to-head with a giant snake-like creature.
"What happened?" Tira asked as Pomme came over.
Pomme began to perform Gaias on her mother, unsure if she could do it in her condition. "We just discovered that not only can the demon absorb magic thrown at it, it can accumulate it and send it back a hundred times stronger."
"Of course," Chocolate said, "Darling absorbed the magic and his zoanthropy occurred."
"But it must be pretty strong to turn Carrot into the snake," Gateau pointed out. "Ugly, though."
The demon tried its hardest to fight back, but the snake Carrot coiled around it, suffocating it. It struggled to get free, but the snake only wrapped around it tighter. But when the demon didn't surrender, the transformed Carrot grew impatient, and it closed its jaws around the demon's head, tearing it off.
The others jumped back to avoid the shower of blood. Chocolate looked at her younger sister. "How about it Tira?" she said. "Hope this new love life of yours doesn't affect helping me bring Darling back to normal."
Tira blushed, but nodded. Reaching into his tunic, Marron pulled out her whip, handing it to her. She thanked him, and both she and her sister jumped up at Carrot.
Marron then looked at Pomme. "You're not joining them?" he asked.
She grabbed her tunic, slipping it on. "Nah, that's okay," she said, braiding her hair. "I get enough of that with my cousin."
Both men looked at her. "Your cousin?" Gateau asked.
"Do. . .do you mean that. . . .?"
She winked, then slipped her glasses back on. "Don't tell THEM that, though," she whispered. They nodded.
Chocolate and Tira returned. "It's your turn to tend to him, Marron," Tira said as Chocolate picked up her clothes, putting them on. He nodded, and left.
"Hey!" the other four heard someone call, and they turned to see Milphey-Yu.
"Mille?" Chocolate asked. "What are you doing here?"
"I was just looking for the spell that could take Pomme back to the future," he replied, moving his violet bangs out of his face. "Pomme said that she found the spell at her home. Knowing Marron and Tira, I thought that the best place to look would be here at Mt. Saint Hordic. I just finished over there when I heard Carrot."
The said teen walked over with his younger brother right behind. "Are we really at Mt. Saint Hordic?" Marron asked. "I didn't even realize it."
"I guess you had other things on your mind, huh, Marron?" Carrot teased, elbowing his brother. Marron blushed again.
Milphey-Yu rolled his eyes, then pulled out two pieces of paper from his kimono. "Here, Pomme," he said. "This is the spell that will send you home."
"Thanks, Mille," she said, taking the first slip of paper from him. "But, what's that one?"
"Oh, this one? Well, according to rumors, using travel spells can weaken the barriers between space and time. Looking at that," he said, pointing towards the lifeless body of the demon, "I guess the rumors are true. So, I thought that if Pomme used this spell, it would further weaken the wall between this time and Pomme's. Then, I found this one. It's almost like a seal."
"I see," Marron said. "So, after Pomme uses that spell to go back to her time, you want me to use that spell?"
"Yeah. That's about the size of it."
Pomme and Marron looked at each other, exchanging nods. Looking at the paper, Pomme began to chant the spell, a circle forming on the ground beneath her. A pillar of light shot out of the circle, trapping her inside. Meanwhile, Marron began to chant the spell he had.
Suddenly, the pillar shattered, and they others discovered that Pomme had disappeared. At that moment, Marron finished his own spell.
"Well, I don't know about you guys," Carrot said, placing his hands behind his head, "but I'm officially freaked out. I'm ready to get back to the church and just relax."
Milphey-Yu handed Tira her cloak and glasses. "Good idea, Carrot," he said. "I have a fun idea that we can do when we get back."
"Mille, don't even think about it," the Glace teen replied, walking away. "It's bad enough when I get it from Chocolate. . . ."
"Oh, Darling. . ." Chocolate whined.
"Don't start with me!"
Gateau laughed at him, following the three. "Well, Carrot, how anxious are you to get back now?"
Tira rolled her eyes as she slipped on her cloak and glasses. She began to follow them, when she felt something grab her hand. She spun around to look at Marron. "What?" she asked.
"Well," he said, "I was just wondering, if you're not busy right now, would you like to. . . would you like to watch the sunset with me? There's a small lake nearby, where the sunset is quite beautiful."
She blushed. "Are you asking me out on a date, Marron?"
He blushed also. "I. . . .suppose you could think of it that way."
She smiled, just to lighten their mood. "I'd love to." He offered his hand to her, and she gladly accepted as he led the way.
In the future
The flash of light worried her. Tira looked out the window to see some being materialize. When the light died down, her red eyes widened.
"Pomme?" she asked.
"Mama!" the teen replied. Tira opened the door, running out to meet her daughter. They pulled each other into a tight embrace.
"Pomme? What's going on?" she asked.
"Oh, Mama, you won't believe it! When that demon was about to attack me, I used the spell that I found in one of Papa's books that day you found me in his library. But I didn't know it was a time spell. It took me into the past, and I saw you and Papa and the others. But the demon followed me, and we fought it. Then Mille found the spell to bring me back, and. . . .well. . . . that's what happened."
"I know."
Pomme looked up at her mother. "You do? How?"
"Pomme, by just being there, you accidentally changed the course of this history. At first, I thought that it was all just a dream, a deja-vu, until I heard you tell me about it."
"I'm sorry, Mama," Pomme said. "I didn't mean to. I tried everything I could not to, but. . . ."
"There was nothing you really could do about it in the first place," a male voice said, stepping out of the house. "Once you went back in time, changing the past was inevitable. But be thankful that that was all you've done."
Pomme looked past her mother, her eyes widening behind her glasses at the man standing at the door. "P. . . Papa!"
Marron smiled. The young teen moved away from her mother, staring in disbelief. "Papa?" she said again. He simply nodded.
She embraced him tightly, unable to control her emotions. "Papa! Papa!"
He stroked her hair gently, comforting her. "It's alright, Pomme. Everything is alright."
Back in the past
"You were right, Marron," Tira said in awe. "The sunset at this lake is beautiful."
Marron nodded, watching the orange orb fade behind the mountains, coloring the sky it touched pink and purple. The lake reflected the black sky, sparkling with the stars that were already coming out.
"Marron?" Tira's voice rang out to him.
"Yes?"
"Is. . . . is Pomme really our daughter?"
He looked down, nodding.
She blushed slightly. "So. . . . does that mean that we. . . ."
"I guess it would have to, wouldn't it?"
"I guess."
"Does that bother you, Tira?"
"With what?"
"That. . . . . it's me, and not my brother."
She looked up at him. "No. Not at all."
He turned to meet her eyes. "Really?"
"Yes, really. Why? What did you think?"
"Well, I always thought that you liked my brother."
"I did like your brother. But he didn't like me back. What could I do but move on?"
"But then. . . .why me?"
"I don't know. I guess love is funny like that, isn't it?"
He nodded. "Indeed it is."
"What about you, Marron?" she asked. "How did you fall in love with me?"
"I've been in love with you for as long as I can remember, sweet Tira," he replied. "I'm not sure how, but I have."
"Really?" she asked.
"Really." He smiled deeply, as he bent down slowly to meet her lips in a sweet kiss. She wrapped her arms around him, deepening the kiss. He pulled her closer to him, the two of them sharing their souls under the blanket of the stars, forever.
The End