Author's Notes:  I know some of you have been waiting for this for quite a while.  I've told a few of my personal friends about this idea, and they seemed eager to read it.  Well, I finally started writing it! ^_^  This is my first Bakuretsu Hunters fic, and (which shouldn't surprise all of you who know I absolutely adore Marron Glace) it's Marron-centric.  I guess you could say this is based on the manga, not the anime (I prefer the manga…it's one of the funniest things I've read in my life, I swear!), but I don't think it really matters, as this takes place after both the anime and manga, and probably won't pertain much to either (besides the characters' past activities and such, of course).  If you want a reference as to how old the main group of Sorcerer Hunters are, the Glace Brothers are in their early twenties.  Figure it out from there, as I don't wanna take the time to.  I'm lazy.

Bakuretsu/Sorcerer Hunters doesn't belong to me, but to Akahori Satoru, Omishi Ray, TOKYOPOP, Mixx Entertainment, Media Works, ADV Films, and anyone else I forgot to mention.  No profit is being made off this fic, and I have very little money anyway, so suing me is like trying to catch a sunbeam.  I've tried the latter, and it doesn't work. -_-

Chestnuts and Cherries By Annie-chan Chapter One:  East Meets West

Marron Glace went through the trees at a half-run, trying to find some sign of his companions without giving his position away to potential enemies, his expression less than happy.  They were on the last leg of the job Big Mama had sent them on, and all that was left was to eliminate the Sorcerer.  Things had gotten out of hand, and all five of them had been separated.  Whether any of the others had found each other or not was unknown to him.  They weren't in any more trouble than they usually got into on a job, but they had still managed to get themselves into hot water.

He cursed himself for forgetting to put any tracing spells on any of the others to help him find them when separated.  This would be so much easier if he had.

He flipped his pitch-black hair out of his eyes as he went.  He had no intention of cutting it, but it did get in the way sometimes.

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

Somewhere nearby, a lone figure walked slowly and quietly through the forest.  They seemed to be in no hurry, and had not noticed the cat-and-mouse game played by the six individuals scattered about the forest around them.

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

"Ouch…" Marron gritted absentmindedly, rubbing his wrist as he glanced around.  He had apparently found the Sorcerer, as he had suddenly found a rather unfriendly-looking attack spell rocketing toward him through the trees, and had had to throw himself to the ground to avoid it.  In doing so, he had banged his wrist and hand on an unfortunately placed dead branch.

He swore under his breath as he found no visual sign where the Sorcerer was.  If the Sorcerer could see him and he couldn't see the Sorcerer, things were quite out of his favor.

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

The lone figure stopped as they heard the report of the spell aimed for Marron.  They seemed to hesitate to go on for a minute, then they started walking again, as if nothing was wrong.  No matter that they were walking straight toward where the sound had come from.

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

Marron clenched his teeth as he ran.  This Sorcerer was an obvious coward.  He had had no qualms about attacking Marron while he couldn't be seen, but when Marron finally found him, he had turned tail and ran, instead of standing up and fighting.  Marron was now in pursuit of his opponent, and was running through the possibilities in his head of how to eliminate him as quickly as possible once he caught up to him.  He had acquired so many offensive spells in his years as a Sorcerer Hunter…

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

Carrot's search for his brother and his friends had turned up fruitless until he saw a streak of color flash through the trees a little ways away, followed by a streak of black and white.  It was the Sorcerer followed closely by his tenacious younger brother.

Aha! he thought.  I can head them off and give Marron a chance to finish him off!

He took off into the trees at top speed, closing the space between himself and the two others quickly.

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

The lone figure continued on their way, ignoring the sounds of pursuit and conflict in the trees ahead.

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

Carrot had finally caught up with the Sorcerer, intending to keep him from going any further so Marron had a chance to attack.  What he hadn't counted on, though, was the Sorcerer grabbing up a large stick from the ground and bashing him over the head with it.

Everything went black.

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

Marron was beginning to wonder if the Sorcerer was heading anywhere in particular when he heard his brother's voice through the trees up ahead.

"Aha! Got y—OW!"  The "ow" was simultaneous with a loud crack, followed quickly with the sound of a body hitting the forest floor.

Marron burst through the row of wild hedge that was between him and his brother's voice, and found that the Sorcerer had stopped, breathing hard.  He was holding a large stick in his hands, and was standing over Carrot's unconscious body.  Carrot had obviously taken a nasty blow to the head.

"How dare you…?" Marron practically hissed, the protectiveness he felt for Carrot rising up.  He had very little, if any, rhyme or reason where his loved ones were concerned, especially his brother.  Seeing any of them hurt brought out the little known and frightening rage that simmered deep beneath his calm exterior.

The Sorcerer whirled around at Marron's words, his eyes widening with fright.  Oh, yes, it was easy to terrorize a countryside from behind a flock of burly and brainless lackeys, but by himself, he was a complete milquetoast.  He suddenly grabbed up Carrot's still form and held a knife to his throat.  He had learned that magic was a dangerous thing to use against this young man, so wasn't about the try.

"Come any closer, and I'll kill him!" the Sorcerer shouted at the ebony and ivory figure who stood several feet away.  His voice was shaking with barely suppressed terror of his assailants.

Marron heard his words and felt something within him release, his black eyes narrowing to slits of glittering malice.  He felt the raw power flood his being and build underneath his skin.  Neatness be damned.  This bastard had to die.

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

The lone figure still continued walking, heedless of the voices they heard in the small clearing up ahead.  Even the scream of unleashed rage didn't stop them from pushing the branches aside and stepping through the trees…

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

Marron whirled around, teeth bared like a wolf's, toward the retreating Sorcerer.  He had managed to get Carrot away from his enemy, and now stood between the two, ready to slaughter the Sorcerer for daring to harm Carrot.

"P-please!" the Sorcerer pleaded, scrambling away from this monster.  "H-have mercy!"

"You had no mercy on the dozens of villagers who have died, thanks to your policies," Marron growled, well aware that he sounded like a wild beast in pursuit of prey.  "And now, you attack Carrot, my brother.  Mercy?  For you?  Don't be stupid."  His mouth stretched in something resembling a grin.  At times like these, he became completely insane.

The Sorcerer squeaked in terror, turned, and tried to run.  Tried, because he didn't get very far before Marron's power wrapped around him, tossing him up into the air.

Marron brought his hands together, calling up the power to summon the Hamato to his hands.  The powerful sword he had inherited from his past life as a god and prince fairly hummed in his grasp, reacting to its master's power and becoming like an extension of his own arm.

A battle cry escaped his throat as he slashed through the air in a wide arc, the sword, able to slice through practically anything, passed through the Sorcerer's body with barely any resistance.  He landed on one knee, the sword coming gently to rest on the grass before him, stained with his now dead enemy's blood.  As the two halves of the Sorcerer's body hit the ground, he glanced up…

…and froze.

The first thing his gaze had fallen on was a pair of heeled black boots standing perfectly still several feet in front of him.  His eyes widened impossibly.  There hadn't been anyone else here!  Was there…?  As he stood up almost numbly from his shock, his eyes traveled up the figure of the new arrival.  It was a woman, as still as a statue.  She did not move as he took in her long black dress and black cloak draped over her shoulders up to her expressionless face.

His breath caught in his throat when he saw the staff held in her right hand and the intricate gold pendant hanging from her neck.  A Western Magic user.  Seeing one of them, without any disguises, without any of their numerous methods to keep themselves hidden, was a very rare occurrence indeed.

She glanced down at herself and looked at her now blood-soaked clothing.  If he expected her to be disgusted or horrified, he was disappointed.  She merely looked herself over and shrugged minutely.

She walked toward him, stepping over the Sorcerer's remains as if they were nothing more than a pile of dirty laundry.  She did not look into his face, which was still wearing a look of utmost surprise.  When she got to him, she stopped, staring past him but speaking to him.

"You're the one I've been looking for."  Her voice was meant to be deadpan, but he could detect a note of deep sadness under the surface.  She continued past him, inadvertently brushing him as she passed.  He shivered slightly.  Was that a reaction caused by their opposite powers?  Or, was it something else…?

He felt himself drop to his knees as he came back to himself, his bloodstained clothes clinging to his skin.  His encounter with that girl seemed like a dream…had it been real at all?  Was it a hallucination brought on by his violent emotions?

"Carrot!"

"Darling!"

Marron turned his head at the two cries as Tira and Chocolat burst into the clearing.  They rushed over to the prone Sorcerer Hunter.  Gateau came through the trees a few seconds later, looking hardly less agitated.  They had all heard the screams, and had come running.

As Tira and Chocolat fussed over Carrot, Tira starting to cast a healing spell on the bump on his head, Gateau knelt down in front of Marron and put a hand on his shoulder.  Marron, who still looked a little dizzy, turned his eyes to him.

"Hey…you all right…?" his body-builder companion asked, his eyebrows slightly furrowed with worry.

Marron shook his head sharply and blinked, clearing his head.  "Yeah…I'm fine," he replied.  He stood up and brushed himself off.  The Hamato, which had fallen to the ground beside him, had disappeared back into the small nook in his spirit where he kept it for when he needed it.

As the started back toward the nearest town to rest up before going back to Eden—Tira and Chocolat dragging along a still disoriented Carrot—he walked a little ahead of them, so he didn't see the concerned glances passed between the others and thrown in his direction.

The others felt disconcerted.  Marron may come out of a job injured or exhausted, but never looking like he had just had a befuddlement spell cast on him.  Something was definitely not right.

To be continued…

Author's Notes:  There we go.  I'm glad I finally got to writing this first chapter.  I'll try to update frequently, but I may not, depending on how busy I am.  For those of you waiting for me to start that original fic idea I talked about, I'll start that soon, I promise!  Anyway, did you all like this first chapter?  Do you wanna read more?  Please let me know!  I love to hear feedback from my readers, especially if you really like what I write! ^_^  Let me know either in a review or an email to mangareader@hotmail.com, onegai shimasu!