Twisted well

An Inu-Yasha / Sorcerer Hunters fan fiction by Iapetus

Disclaimer:  I don't own either series.  So there.

I apologize for the choppiness of the end of chapter five and the beginning of six.  What you are about to read was originally the second half of chapter five, but it was too long for one of my normal chapters.  So instead, you get two slightly shorter ones at the same time.  Not to mention, a little bit of the focus changed, and the second half of the chapter really needed to be called something else.

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Chapter six: Fight Like a Woman

Basil had just finished talking to the Father, when he realized he was late for his prayer in the chapel.  Not many people got a chance to pray here, and with his constant wandering, he was lucky to be so close to _ any _ Stella Church.

            He almost walked in, when he realized that Maye had gotten there before him.  Then, in shock and amazement, he realized that the communication orb was glowing.  Indeed, Saint Mama's projection was hanging in the air.  The girl was too deep in prayer to notice.  To have her request heard by the Goddess Herself… well, she deserves it.  He congratulated the girl silently.  Waiting for her to finish, he heard her whole story.

            It repulsed him that someone so kind had to live through so much.  Yet, still had the courage to think of others.  That fact set her apart from the other Ladies in her social status.  This explains her haste, he noted, and that I was right.  She knew a way into the Citrus Valley. 

            Maye walked away, apparently done.  Basil hid himself as she passed.  It was considered rude to eavesdrop on someone's prayer, but he had a special exemption.  Making sure she was gone, he entered the room and kneeled on the altar.

            "Rise, Sir Basil.  Time is running away, and your fellow Haz Knights still don't have an idea of what they are up against.  Have you found out anything yourself?"

            "Yes," he smiled ruefully, "and no, Momma."  NONE of us has a clue?  If Cranberry and Mille are stumped, it isn't a surprise that I am as well.  "When I tried to scout out my region, the area with the largest power source had been blocked off.  The magic shield was so large that even I could not get through it."  The statement wasn't a boast, it was just the truth.

            "And somehow, that girl could get out," Momma wondered aloud.  "Her valor is to be commended, Basil.  She risked her own life to leave her home – in order to save it."

            "When I saw her halfway through the woods, I knew that there was a reason for her speed.  So, since I could not finish my own mission, I followed her myself.  When she entered the forest, she found a Shikon Shard."

            "I noticed it," Momma stated.  "Go on."

            "After she arrived at the shrine within the swamp, she fainted from exhaustion.  I took care of her throughout the night, and gave her enough energy to start the next day.  To have her mission go more smoothly, I hardened the ground for her to run on."

            "A good move."  She nodded for him to continue.

            "Cranberry has informed me that there is a 'shard' in the Citrus Valley.  It must be the reason for Count Pepper's sudden transformation," he paused.  "Its too bad we'll have to kill him, he sounded like he was once a nice ruler."

            "Yes, it is," the goddess commented.  For a moment, neither of them spoke.  Momma knew what he was about to request, but he'd have to ask for it first.

            Basil knew he couldn't say this unless it came out on one breath.  "Momma, Lady Maye is an excellent shot with her bow, and throwing a knife.  I saw her take out five demons myself while going through the swamp.  She is the only one who knows the Citrus Valley, and can sneak me in.  In order to complete my mission, I request that I take Lady Maye with me."  The question came out very fast, and Momma saw right through it.

            "Basil, you don't have to be so nervous.  There is an important piece to this puzzle at her home, and we need her to solve it.  I don't think you'll have too much trouble getting her to help you.  I cannot see it all, but from what I have seen, she will want vengeance.  So, in a way, you'll be the answer to her prayer.

            "However, I don't think that you should go in alone.  I shall send Cranberry and Mille to you with reinforcements.  I have a feeling that you will not be able to do this alone."

            "I understand, Momma," the knight bowed.  "If I could not get through the shield, I am sure to have problems on the inside."

            "I am glad you are humble enough to admit it.  Remember you are a Haz Knight.  Every knight is powerful in his own way.  Your skill will come in handy, I can assure you.

            "Have Father Ossowo bring her back in here, and he can assign her to you.  She may have been trying to give the appearance of a lady, but I can see otherwise.  Her chi is unmistakably that of a fighter.  She tried to write it off, because it is improper for a Lady to do so.  This time, though, it will be a great asset."

            "May your will be done, Big Momma," Basil bowed one more time, and exited the altar-room.  The goddess's image disappeared, and the orb stopped glowing.

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            Carrot woke up that morning, still sore.  Before cursing Chocolat, he blessed his good fortune that Tira healed him early on.  If it weren't for her, he'd be feeling a lot worse.

            For the first time ever, he had waken up the earliest.  Trying to get back to sleep was futile, for the ground didn't feel as soft as it did the night before.  Moving so quietly that he amazed even himself, Carrot stole away from the campground to the river nearby.

            He needed a bath after such a beating from Chocolat.  He hated smelling of sweat from running, and the smell of burnt skin.  Tira may have healed him, but she could not remove the stench.  Happy that no one was about, he stripped off his clothes quickly, and climbed a tree.  One of the thicker branches hung over the water, and he could jump in there.

            Usually, he'd shout 'BANSAI!' when he cannonballed in, but that would surely wake up Chocolat, and the last thing he wanted was to die of a heart attack.  After all, bathing should be a private thing – at least private from her.  So instead, he dived in (rather gracefully, I might add), and _ whispered _ "bansai…"

            The cool water felt good against his skin, and he swam the width of the river a couple times before washing.  The water was crystal-clear, and all the dirt quickly left him to go downstream.  The dirt was symbolic of his anxiety, which left – if just for a moment.

            That Shikon Shard, how in the world was I able to see it?  Talking to the others didn't help, because they didn't know the answer.  Even his little brother, a magic user, had no idea.  That bothered him more.  Marron wasn't able to pinpoint the spot on the Genneu's forehead.  I still don't understand…

            Deciding it wouldn't be good to dwell on questions that couldn't be answered, he turned his mind to other things.

            I wonder if there is a town nearby this well? He thought.  I need to find a cute girl.  I just am not the same when I'm not chasing a girl.  Sure, doing so would earn him a beating, but there HAD to be some girl out there who liked him.  Éclair was cute, but there was no way he would try his luck with her.  First of all, he didn't have ANY luck with girls, and second, if she didn't kill him – Gateau would.

            Crepe had liked him – loved him, in fact.  The thought of her brought a fresh pang to his heart.  He didn't love her, not the way she loved him; but it didn't mean he didn't like her.  She didn't deserve to die.  I wish I didn't have to kill her.  To be killed with a kiss… it was the worst thing he could do.  Yes, she said it was her wish, but Crepe had been the only innocent person in the whole Knossos incident – despite the fact that the matter revolved around her.  She never knew about it, not until the end.

            "Brother?" Marron called from a distance.  "We need to go now."  Man, time passed by quicker than I thought.  Well, it doesn't matter.  Climbing out of the river, he toweled dry, and put some clean clothes on.  The bath had improved his mood immensely.

            It took no time at all to walk the three miles to Cranberry and Éclair's camp.  She was in the middle of a kata when she sensed their approach.

            "Sensei, my brother is coming with his friends," she said, walking towards him.

            "I know, Éclair.  I told you that one training session would do you good."

            "Yes, Sensei, but I thought that after a lesson like that, I wouldn't be able to move for a day."

            "Sleep does a lot for a person," he answered cryptically, which left her with a puzzled expression on her face.  "Let's finish cleaning up.  We shouldn't keep them waiting."

            Gateau tried not to show his excitement.  After all, he had a reputation to keep up.  Still, it was his younger sister.  She was the one to whom he had been searching for so long, and was his only living family.  One week was not enough time for catch up.

            He had been envious of Carrot and Marron, Tira and Chocolat.  Both got to be with their siblings all the time.  It was always him who was the odd man out.  Well, not for long.

            She was outside of the shelter when he first saw her.  The kata she was doing was one he had taught her himself.  Somehow, though, it looked different before.  It was almost as if she changed her fighting style.  It looked more… feminine.  He smiled.  She finally realized it.  I could not tell her myself, but I'm glad she figured it out.

            Éclair saw her brother, and stopped he exercise.  She ran to the door of the shelter, and whispered into it.  Out stepped a man with long sapphire blue hair and emerald green eyes.  He was gorgeous, in Gateau's opinion, but something told him it wouldn't be a good thing to try to impress him with his muscles.  His build was that of a regular man, but that didn't mean anything.  He was even shorter than Gateau himself.  Then again, he thought, I'm tall for a guy.

            He could see his sister resisting the urge to go and hug him.  It looked like she was finishing packing up her bag.  Éclair was always a mature person, even when she was little.  There was plenty of time to talk on the walk to the dry well.

            Mille stepped forward, and walked quickly to the blue haired man.  They grasped each other's arms, acknowledging that each were equals.  The blue haired man gave Mille a quick nod, to which Gateau couldn't decipher.

            "Carrot, Marron, Tira, Chocolat, Gateau," Mille looked at them.  "This is my good friend Cranberry.  He was Éclair's teacher this past week."

            "It's good to meet you all.  I've heard so much about you," he smiled.

            "I hope it was all good?" Tira asked, suspicious.

            "Of course.  Why dwell on mistakes?" he asked in surprise.

            His response had taken aback them all.  He seemed ready to help, and despite the fact they met for the first time – it seemed he knew them from before.  Even though he meant well, there was an awkward pause.

            "Cranberry, we need to get going.  Are you ready?" Mille asked.

            A bucket of water was poured over the fire.  "We are now," he responded.

            "Ok Cranberry, care to lead the way?  You can inform us of what you know about the Shikon Jewel."

            As the man started his explanation, Éclair fell into the back with her brother.  She knew it all already, and he didn't know much more than the others did.

            Whispering, Gateau started to speak.  "How is Cranberry as a teacher?"

            "Sensei's great.  I've learned so much from him, I don't know where to begin."

            He noted how she called him 'sensei', instead of just Cranberry.  "How about talking about that kata you did this morning."

            "You taught it to me.  What more is there to tell?" she laughed.  Her brother had _ always _ been a narcissist, but this time she was just joking.

            "I know that.  Geez Éclair, my ego isn't THAT big that I'd want you to talk about one of my own katas.

            "I was curious about your style.  It has changed dramatically."

"I was wondering if you had noticed," she joked.

            "You are fighting like a woman now, not like a man." Her reprimand of a look made him try to find a better explanation.

            "What I mean is that a woman can be strong – but no matter what they do, they are not a man.  They can have the strength of one, but can never fight like one.  If a woman tries to fight like one, she looses power and energy in her moves.  When I say you fight like a woman, it is a compliment." 

His sister's face relaxed.  "I noticed the power increase.  The form change helped me conserve energy for the mental exercises Sensei taught me."

Their conversation was interrupted by a stop in walking.  They had arrived – for there was the dry well.

It looked innocent enough, and when Marron cautiously looked in – Scroll in hand – he said he saw nothing.

They were no more enlightened now at the source as they were miles from it.  With this trend, they'd never find anything out.

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            Something's not right, Kagome thought.  As they approached the well, she felt the unmistakable power of two Shikon Shards.  Did they fall out when Mirkou jumped down? She highly doubted that was the truth.

            She'd better tell them.  "I feel the presence of two shards!"  All of them looked at her.

            "Where?" Mirkou and Inu-Yasha demanded at the same time.

            Pointing towards the Bone-Eater's Well, she exclaimed, "Down in the well!  Whatever got those shards is in the well, or back in the past!"

            "Then it's back home we go!" Mirkou jumped in.  Inu-Yasha was a breath behind him.

            "Hey!" Shipp cried out, "wait for me!" his voice died down as he disappeared when he hit the ground.

            Sango looked Kagome, and they both smiled.  Yes, the situation was serious, but some things remained consistent.

            "Boys…" they both laughed, and rolled their eyes.

            Even though Mirkou was the first one through, Inu-Yasha was faster climbing up the sides of the well.  He heard Kagome shout from below that the shards were outside the well.  However, he could sense no demons among the living outside the well.  They're all human, he realized, and counted their number in his head.  Eight total… yes, they had dealt with humans after the shard before, but eight?  Kagome, Mirkou, and Sango had this thing about not killing humans when could be avoided.  It would make his own job harder.

            Still, it's as if they're waiting for something.  No one knows about this Well's special properties except for Kaede and us.  Even then, when they were returning from the future, she would never bring any villagers with her.  No it isn't Kaede…

            Jumping over the last portion of the well, the half-demon took a good look around.  This isn't Japan…  His gaze came to rest on the group of humans.  They looked at him as surprised as he was.  He could hear Mirkou and Shippo gasp quietly at the sudden change of location.  Sango and Kagome were simply speechless.  For a full minute, no one said a word.

            When Marron went to look into the well, he had expected to be attacked.  He couldn't decide whether he was glad or not when he wasn't.  Five life signatures, and two are not quite human.  It took him a moment before he realized what it was.  There demons!  Backing up, he summoned the right scroll to do an extortion spell, when voices could be heard from the well.

            "The people out there have the Shikon Shards!" it was a female voice, and definitely human.  One of the demons jumped out of the well, and stood frozen on the ground.

            It looked that he was confused, or disoriented.  The demon was surprisingly human-like, except for a few doggish features. The other demon, one much smaller than the first who looked vaguely like a fox, was standing on a man's shoulder.  He was dressed as a monk, but not from the Stella Church.

            He couldn't see the two women's outfits, but the look on their faces changes from bewilderment to determination.  One of the girls gave Marron and his friends a sweeping glance, stopping on Tira.  Tira had the Shikon Shards.

            It was then her realized it.  Hanging from her neck was the power source they had been searching for.  It was not of this well, but of a Shikon Shard – even though it looked more like a chunk than a fragment.

            The question arose in everyone's mind, and no one could stop it coming.

            "Who in the heck are YOU?" both groups exclaimed.

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A.N.#1:  My version of the Caste system on Spooner is different than former European hierarchies.  From left to right (most powerful to least) are the titles of political power, and who belongs to which group:

Emperor (Sorcerer) à Count (Powerful Sorcerer) à Lord (Elite human fighters) à Vassal (weak Sorcerer) à Parsoner (common person)

A.N.#2:  There is a slight possibility (and I mean SLIGHT) that there will be romantic developments between characters.  But I know some of you have written stories of your own, and many times a story doesn't come out like you originally planned it to.  However, there will NOT be any boy/boy relationships even if there is a romance.  I am in the minority that believes Marron is straight.  (If you beg to differ, find me a reference in the manga volumes #1-8 that show otherwise.  I do admit, though, that in the anime he is gay – but this story is not based off the anime.)  I do agree that Gateau is gay, and so is Mille.  They are going to remain that way, because it is a part of their personality.

Well, what do you think now?  Chapter five and six are finally done, and on a day of Dress Rehearsal as well.  How did you think I did on Basil?  Did anyone guess his profession before chapter 6?  I want to know if I surprised you at all.  Feedback on that area would be greatly appreciated.

Until chapter 7 – (and who knows how long that will be) – goodbye!