Twisted Well

An Inu Yasha / Sorcerer Hunters fan fiction by Iapetus

Disclaimer:  Even though I am officially legal, I still do not own these series. *Sigh* I also wouldn't have one of my best friends (who is also my beta) draw me all my pictures if I could draw like Rumiko Takahashi or Rei Omishi.

Author's Note:  I would like to sincerely apologize to everyone who likes this story and who hasn't been able to read anything new regarding TW in *looks at stats* six months.  I was involved with the school musical (I had a part this time), and since I am a senior in high school, I have had to do a lot of senior-like stuff to get ready for the end of the year.  I just had my Open House yesterday, and now my Senior stuff is over with (kind of).  Anyways, I actually had a ton of material, but it wasn't on my computer. Then it needed to be typed, and revised (my own revisions), and betaed (is that even a word?)…Not only that, but I decided to throw out a huge plot point (the one that was giving me problems) because it was stupid and didn't make too much sense, and it luckily will not cause you guys a problem, since it was in material not released on ff.net yet. Anyways, here is the much-anticipated 15th chapter (I know that it is anticipated because my beta has been begging for it for awhile).

*Note*  This chapter has been edited from the original version posted a couple weeks ago.  However, the changes are mostly grammatical, so if you've already read this chapter, you aren't going to have to re-read it.

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Chapter 15:  The Black Book

            During the fight, the feeling in Inu-Yasha's stomach resurfaced. He felt something that he was SURE could never happen. He had never met someone who had the ability, and he had seen a lot of things on his journey to become a full youkai.

            The girl Maye was talking to the other girls. They all laughed at some unknown joke, and glanced in the guys' direction. Inu-Yasha snorted. Women, he thought, I don't think I'll ever understand them.

            Miroku came up from behind him, his speech startling the hanyou. The priest laughed, it was a rare occasion when he could surprise Inu-Yasha.

            "What, upset that I could ambush you?" he challenged.

            "Feh," the half demon rolled his eyes. "A lucky shot on your behalf. It's not going to happen again."

            "Yeah, well it will if you keep staring at the girls," Carrot said with a pant. It was apparent that he was tired from running, and being beaten down.

            "That, and having your opponents attack downwind," Miroku grinned.

            Having Carrot talk to him was the last thing Inu-Yasha wanted to experience after a fight. In fact, he wouldn't have minded if he never saw the perverted bastard ever again. NO ONE propositioned Kagome like that. He couldn't care less about Sango's sex life, but Kagome was no whore.

            In response to their teasing, he growled and glared in their direction. Miroku shrugged it off like he always did, but Carrot wasn't going to take it.

            "Hey, why can't a guy have a little fun?" he protested. "I mean, if you guys are going out, then say so!"

            "Carrot is not the kind of person you think he is, Inu-Yasha," Miroku stated calmly. "He is more like me."

            "More like you?" the hanyou laughed. "Heh, I never thought I'd meet another person as perverted as the priest-"

            "Thank you," Carrot interrupted.

            "Bastard, that wasn't a compliment!"  Furious, Inu-Yasha stormed away, towards the girls.

            Basil smiled broadly. Carrot and the priest were having, it seemed, a marvelous time egging on their half demon companion. By the way it seemed to him, he thought that Inu-Yasha should have been used to being around a pervert.  Then again, Carrot often brings a whole new meaning to the word...

            When he stormed away, his focus briefly switched to the angry demon's destination. Maye seemed to have taken to the girls easily, to his relief. Of course, he thought. She is like them. Not many women fighters exist in this world.  It was good for her to talk to women of her own kind, and a variety at that. It had seemed to him that before now, the only interaction he had with a female fighter was her cousin and younger sister, who was still in training.

            Kagome protested on being pulled away from their conversation, and both her and the half demon's faces flared with anger.  He could not hear their conversation, but her fury could be seen by Inu-Yasha's sudden interest in the ground. He moved closer to hear a bit of their conversation. It amazed all of the Hunters to see this spectacle, what the Inu-gumi referred to as a 'sit,' and it only humored the young Haz Knight to hear the girls' reactions.

            "Where can we get those?" Tira asked hopefully.

            "We could use them to control Darling!" Carrot hid behind Miroku at mentioning of getting a set of prayer beads for him. He didn't like the idea of another way they could 'control' him...

            Kagome explained to them how a priestess put the necklace around the half-demon's neck, and how the command was linked to her. Realizing that the mysterious necklace was from another world, Carrot relaxed, realizing he was off the hook.

            "I'm sure they'll find another method to control you, Carrot," Basil called out to the young man. The two Misu sisters beamed at him, as if he had just told them they were the prettiest women on Earth. Kagome tried to keep a straight face, but failed. Shippo and the rest of the men laughed.  Sango only smirked, and Miroku raised an eyebrow sympathetically to his friend.

            Basil moved closer to the two troubled men. It seemed that no one wanted to be by them at the moment. The girls were avoiding them as much as possible, wrapped up in their own conversations. Marron was talking to Mille and Cranberry, and Gateau was simply following wherever Marron went. The kitsune Shippo went to the task of floating around the enraged Inu-Yasha's head, annoying him further.

            "Why am I the butt of every joke?" Carrot asked through gritted teeth.

            'I highly suspect you might loose that title, Carrot," Basil chuckled. "Inu-Yasha seems to be giving you a run for your money."

            "He can take it. At least I don't act like I have a stick up my butt," he glared ahead at the half-demon.

            "Anyways," Basil continued, "You are just easy to make fun of."

            "You didn't seem to do a lot of that when we were little," Carrot pointed out.

            "Well, yeah," he thought, "But people change."  He grinned back at the arnaju user. "You weren't always a pervert."

            "You two knew each other while you were growing up?" Miroku asked, curious.

            "Our mothers were sisters," Carrot explained.  "He's our only cousin."

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

            Marron heard Father Ossowo close the door behind him.  All the men had been led to the prayer room to talk to Big Momma.  It had been decided (more by Ossowo, Cranberry, and Mille) that they all needed a bath before they left.  The ladies would take their soak in the hot springs first, while the men briefed the goddess on the current situation.  Afterwards, they would then take their baths.  Maye had looked the worst of them all, since she had been fighting the longest.  Marron suspected that the bathing arrangements were an excuse for their client to clean herself up.

            In a moment, the room disappeared before their eyes, and they were caught up in the dimension in which their boss always talked to them.  It surprised Gateau and Carrot, who had only experienced this particular sensation after having Daughter come to them.  Marron had heard that such orbs existed in the larger churches, but had never seen one before in his life. He suspected that Big Momma was trying to save Daughter the fright of seeing Inu-Yasha again. Why she was afraid of him, no one seemed to be able to figure out. It was that, or the ones who knew weren't telling.  Whatever it is, I sure hope we figure out what it is...

Big Momma smiled at their amazement.  "I forgot that you have never used a chapel's orb to contact me before. I only entrust it to my most loyal and powerful priests." Ossowo bowed low, trying to suppress the smile on his face. "However, I must ask you to leave now, Ossowo. There is hunter business I must discuss." The priest did not object to this, or at the presence of Inu Yasha, Miroku and Shippo.

            As the door clicked shut, Big Momma's face turned serious. "You've been fighting."

            "Yes, Momma," Basil answered. "Maye had been attacked when she was out in the field to collect Morning Glories for her offering. I became incapacitated, and could not help for some time."

            "She was able to hold her own against those demons until we arrived," Gateau commented.

            "She couldn't have lasted forever, though," Inu Yasha noted. "Not with a shard inside it."

            "Yes, but you will not find many like Maye in this world," the deity explained to the foreigners.

            "Who IS she, exactly, Big Momma?"  Marron asked.

            Her eyes briefly stole a glance at her knights. "She is your best ally for maneuvering around the valley. I highly suggest you take her when you go to assault the manor. She had close connections to the client, and knows the layout of the manor itself."

            "So she would be like a guide?" Carrot spoke for the first time. Inu Yasha sighed loudly and rolled his eyes. The criticism answered his question.

            "I don't mind," Miroku said calmly. "She seems like a nice girl."

            "I wanted to talk to some of you before you left. As soon as you enter the barrier, I will not be able to contact you and visa versa. It is a great power that can keep me out.

            "I keep on having a bad feeling about this mission. There is more behind this story than it seems."

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            Black sat at the window, looking in his journal from the past six months. He had meticulously kept records on how his servants respected him, how the spell was working on the Juunes and their cousin, and intelligence reports from their contact within the city.  It was his little black book, and no one saw it but him. His mother, the more practical of his parents in his own opinion, had once told him when he was a little boy that none of a leader's advisors should have ALL the information. When a person knows as much as the person in charge, they have grounds to overthrow you. It was why, despite the fact that they were under a spell, Taco and his cousins were not told of the informant from the City. Raede and his minions didn't know of his observations, or of the location of the jewel shard. Most people didn't realize that he always carried it on him, so that the chance of it being stolen from him when he was away was nonexistent.

            His uncle told him that it was a wise idea to create an alliance with the surviving Rubicons, because despite not having a heir, they were still powerful. Black was just advised to not trust them as far as he could throw them without magic. Raede was significantly bigger than Black, and Black knew from his manor that trust was definitely out of the option. He just had to play the part of the ignorant fool who didn't know what he was getting into, and he'd have the whole Rubicon family at his disposal.

            Earlier that day, the informant had told him that Maye had not returned after her trip to the Manor. Apparently she was going to get weapons while Chili and the others were looking for herbs to use in their medicines. Black chuckled to himself at their feeble attempt to survive. By far, the greatest healer in Citrus Valley had always been Maye's younger sister, Septembre. She was a genius with plants, which was the secret to her success. He glanced down at his black book at the notations beside her brother's names.  Initial conversion. Janus II: Success.  Augustus: Success.  Marzo: Success…

            Later in that week, Septembre's name came up.  Initial conversion, Septembre: Failure.  She had been dead upon arrival, but Black had hoped that she would be only mostly dead, and not all dead. After all, if a person was only mostly dead, you can still bring them back. Yet, he was unable to discern if she was either. It seemed as if her body was in a suspended state of animation – alive, yet there was no soul. Her body was on the brink of death, the plague about to take her, when her body just stopped. Black had a feeling that Septembre had somehow figured out a cure for the disease, and that something was about to bring her back. To keep Maye and her brothers from finding out her suspended state of animation, he had hidden her body in the last place anyone would look – the Juune family library. Her body was now hidden in some back room, covered with the traditional sackcloth used in burial.

            At least, that was how things should have been. Black had been feeling for a while that his informant was a double crosser. While his information was verified by what they were able to wring out of the prisoners, he was sure that there was a snag somewhere in his plan. Raede had spies everywhere, he was very sure that he knew of Septembre even if Black himself had not told him.

            Still, he didn't like the news that Maye had gone missing. Apparently, Sorrel and the other members of the council didn't seem too upset by the news. His informant had missed the meeting where the old Gardener explained the Lady's location. The most he was able to get out of him was that she went for help, and had headed in the direction of Dorado. Black didn't have to worry too much, he sent out two of Raede's cousins to tail her once she arrived in the city. He had people everywhere, and he wasn't going to let her escape that easily.

            I'm just curious on how she was even able to get out of here – that shield spell of Taco's should have held through anything she could throw at them… Unless, she had already woken up her own sorcery in the past day. He doubted it; anyone with the power over magic or those skilled enough to sense it would have felt it twenty miles away. It was almost overwhelming when he awoke Taco and the others – it even made the Rubicons incapacitated. There must have been a hole in the shield… Black was sure it was on the Juune Estate. He couldn't touch it with a twelve-foot pole, and he couldn't send people to examine it.

            There was a gentle knock at the door, and Augustus walked in. Black shot him a look of disapproval for not waiting for him to acknowledge the presence of someone at the door before entering.

            "The door was ajar, my lord," Augustus explained. Black nodded, and let him continue. "The preparations are all ready. We just need you to come finalize a couple details, and then we can begin."

            Black was glad that Augustus couldn't see his black book at this angle. He nodded an affirmative, and remarked that he would be there in a minute. As the Juune brother left, Black picked up his book.

            Initial conversion, Chili: ________, he wrote down carefully. Blowing on the ink momentarily to let it dry, he then put it in his desk drawer under some other books, and walked out of the room.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

            Éclair stepped into the hot spring, and sighed with relief.  The last "proper" bath she had had was right before Cranberry was assigned to be her teacher. A river would get you clean, but they were often cold and not comfortable.

            The rocks in the spring were smooth, and felt good on her calloused feet.  She looked to The expressions of her comrades faces, they were happy to take a soak too.

            "I don't remember the last time I was at a proper hot spring," Kagome sighed.

            "Even then, Houshi-sama is usually trying to look at us," Sango commented.

            "I wish Darling would spy on me," Chocolat sighed.  "Then we could…"

            "Sister, this is a church!" Tira protested.

            "And there is no holier act that can be performed between two lovers! Anyways-"

            She was cut off in surprise as Maye entered the spring. Unbraided, her hair almost reached the ground.

            Her skin doesn't even have a blemish on it, Éclair observed. Dangling from her neck on a fine gold chain was a pendant that appeared to be a dark ruby.

            "That's a beautiful gem you have around your neck," Tira said, interested. "I could have sworn I've seen that type of stone and cut before."

            "Where did you get it?" Chocolat asked curiously. Éclair then whispered to Tira privately, "There's a large crack in the center of it." Her younger sister noticed this, and nodded.  Chocolat, being the versatile person she was, snapped immediately back to her happy-go-lucky mood. Éclair had the sensation again that she was being left out. However, none of the foreigners seemed to notice anything unusual about the necklace.

            "It was a gift given to me by my father." Chocolat arched an eyebrow at Tira, seemingly continuing the conversation silently. Éclair was familiar with the skill; siblings were often able to communicate without words. She knew from personal experience – she could tell what Gateau was saying or NOT saying, not matter how he tried to hide it.

            Maye seem to feel uncomfortable around the others, and sought the solstice of Éclair, for she was by herself. One person was easier to deal with than four.

            "Wow, your hair is really long," Éclair commented. "How do you fight with it that long? I cut my hair short because it got in the way."

            "I'm kind-of obligated to keep it at this length. It is a form of resistance against the vain Sorceresses I have to deal with – a simple hairstyle speaks volumes more than the conceited and ridiculous ways they twist their hair. I also have never really had a problem while fighting with it."

            "Why would you deal with Sorceresses?" Éclair asked suspiciously.

            "I… was friends with some of the Lord's daughters," she looked away, seemingly mad at herself.

            Maybe she was sworn to keep some details private. Éclair understood, Cranberry had often told her of cases where some people had to be left in the dark about details for security reasons. But to keep it secret from all of the Sorcerer Hunters… was she the actual client, not just a messenger? It was possible, but Éclair doubted it. She knew that Lady Guacamole didn't believe in raising women to be fighters. Maye seemed truthful, so how could she lie to her mother if it was the case?

            The girl seemed to tense up.  Oh great, thought Éclair sarcastically, I wasn't trying to single her out…

            Maye tried to change the subject. "How long have you been a Sorcerer Hunter?" she asked politely.

            "Officially? About a month."  Éclair shifted in her seat. "This is technically my first mission – but I had extensive training with Cranberry-sensei and a training mission."

            "You seemed a little shy around everyone except…" she struggled to figure out the name.

            "Gateau?" Éclair smiled. "He's my brother."

            "Ok, I remember now," Maye leaned back. "He seems to know the other's very well – he must be an experienced hunter."

            "He is," agreed Éclair. "He's been a Hunter for about two years." The conversations of the comrades died down, and they heard the next question.

"How many brothers did you say you had, Maye?" Éclair asked politely. Maye's expression faded from relaxed to deep sadness.

            "I had four older brothers," she said slowly.

            "Had?" Kagome probed.

            "They died from the plague at Count Pepper's manor.  They – they were trying to help him out in this time of chaos."

            "They 'died' at Count Pepper's?" Chocolat asked suspiciously. "Did you get the bodies back?"

            "No," Maye said hollowly. "I got a letter of condolences from the Count himself, and a statement that he buried them in the manor garden."

            Sango had appeared to go stiff, and stare off into space. Kagome noticed this, and spoke for the both of them.

            "A Shikon shard had the power to 'resurrect' a person, even if they were previously buried. It is possible that your brothers are not 'dead.'"

            "Reanimating a corpse is messy business," Chocolat commented, "Especially with those that die from disease."

            "Its easier to reanimate someone if they died by unnatural means," quoted Tira.  "However, each one uses forbidden magic."

            The idea that her brothers might be alive shocked the blond-haired girl. She didn't seem to have any hope, however. "But how could I be forced to fight my brothers?" murmured Maye. She had obviously hoped that none of them would hear. Éclair and Sango closed their eyes to their own painful memories.

            "I would do anything to have my family back again," said Maye louder, "but not that. Its an insult to the memory of my family if their soul were twisted and their abilities abused.

            "But what puzzles me is this," Maye said strongly.  "The Count didn't turn evil until a week after they died. The attacks didn't start until then. Not to mention, the disease slowly took the strength away from all who were inflicted by it."

            "Was it the Green Death?" Tira asked solemnly.

            "No. It was too quick for that," Maye dismissed. "Some of the symptoms were similar, but it was more like a bad cold than anything else."

            "I remember learning in history class that some countries would be plagued by epidemics of influenza-" Kagome began.

            "-It wasn't the flu. There were medical experts in the city who could not figure it out. Our best herbalist is dead, and I only have a second-hand knowledge of them. If she were alive just a little bit longer, I'm sure she could have found a cure. As it is, only one of our healers is still alive, and she is very overworked. There are two apprentices who are learning most of their jobs as they go along, and it really frustrates people on occasion."

            "How many people are alive now?" Sango asked.

            "250 are hidden in the GU – Garden Underground – and about 1000 were taken prisoner. Of course, we don't know how many of them might have died. I also don't know how the statistics might have changed since I left."

            "Haven't you only been gone a day?" Kagome asked, puzzled.

            "A lot can happen in a day."

            A bell rang in the distance. It was a signal that they should clear out of the springs – the men needed their baths too.

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            It had taken them awhile to get going.  Despite the fact that the men took their baths quickly, it was some of their arguments that hindered them the most.  The girls wanted to help Maye pack, but she was panicked at what they would think if/when they saw the dress. It was worse when she went down to make her offering, and was almost stuck in the midday service. Her appearance much improved, she had not doubt that some noble would recognize her.

            Inu Yasha's feeling about Maye didn't disappear, and he went to consult Miroku and see if he had sensed the same thing.

            "I don't like Maye or that guy Cranberry," Inu Yasha said simply. "They remind me of something dangerous, and I can't place what."

            "Besides being fighters they don't seem so dangerous to me…" Miroku pondered.

            "Marron did a reading on her with some cards," Shippo commented. "He let me watch. He told me that the cards said that she was truthful, but more than what she seems. Not only that but Kagome and Sango talked with her when they were in the springs, and they really seem to like her."

            "Well, we know she isn't evil," Miroku dramatically paused. "She had refused all of my propositions. Usually only demons and other villainesses that are out to kill us will come and try to seduce me!" he emphasized.

            "So if only women who want to kill you accept your offer, why do you keep trying?" Shippo asked.

            "A man's gotta have a dream, doesn't he?"

As he got to know the Sorcerer Hunters more, he realized that he didn't feel uncomfortable around only Maye, but also the blue-haired guy everyone called Cranberry. He couldn't give a reason to why he didn't like either of them, and he knew Kagome would probably ask the next chance they got. How could he tell her that they just didn't feel right? He didn't like being thrown into a mission with people he barely knew. Everyone knew how long it took for him to get used to THEM when they joined their group. Miroku laughed at the experience, and yet still lives today to grab another butt.

            He shook his head in disgust, and retuned his gaze to the two blonde-haired girls in the garden. Maye and the girl Éclair were talking while they were getting ready to go. The wind shifted direction, and he could almost hear their conversation when…

            "SIT!"

            Inu Yasha crashed to the ground below, a little more painful than usual due to the height of the branch. Rubbing his head, he glared at Kagome, who was half-smiling and half-frowning at him. Glancing back, he saw that Maye and Éclair were surprised by the fall, and had stopped talking. Kagome seemed about to start lecturing him when…

            They had been walking for a while when suddenly, Inu Yasha winced in pain. It was as if someone grabbed his heart and tried to tear it out of his body. It was very similar to the sensation he once had when his brother happened to put his hand straight through his torso. This was far worse, because he couldn't see where the attack was coming from. Somehow, he also didn't feel any physical damage. It was as if it were being done to someone else, and he could feel their pain…

            He looked up at Kagome, only to find that she wasn't standing up anymore. She was kneeling on the ground, grasping her chest. Sango, Shippo and Miroku had just been walking up when the attack struck.

            "Kagome? Inu Yasha?" Miroku kneeled down by Inu Yasha's side while Sango was by Kagome's. Kagome seemed to be having a harder time with it, and Inu Yasha knew that it would take a lot to make her go down like this. Shippo between the two suffering people trying to figure out how to try to help.

            "WHY?!" shouted Kagome loudly, anguish filled. She then gasped for breath, seemingly free from the pain. Inu Yasha suddenly realized with that last sudden burst of pain, it was gone. Only an aching memory remained.

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Kitsune- fox demon

Ok, let me clear something up (about Inu-Yasha's POV in the beginning).  He cares about Sango, just as much as he does Miroku and Shippo. They are his friends, and he'd never want them to be harmed in any fashion. However, Kagome is 'special.' If you've read even the first sixth of the manga series, you'll know that he has feelings for her. So... of course he'd react differently. Now, if his emotions WILL surface in this story... well, I haven't decided about that yet. :P

*A big thanks to Risa Crockett for giving me the idea about the Misu sisters asking about the prayer beads. Right now, they're a bit more laid back, and it seemed the better time for them to question it.*

Again, I apologize for taking forever on this chapter. I had about 15 single spaced computer pages on my computer, but I only used about one scene from it, and had to write everything else. The other stuff will be used later.

Well, what did you think?  Remember, reviews help me write better! Notice any weird detail about a character wrong, report it! Any OOC, tell me ASAP. I am striving to write a better fanfic, but I can't do that without revisions. No matter what, I hope you enjoyed it. I hope to have the next chapter out soon, and not in just a couple months.

Ja ne,

-Iapetus