Wrath Of Marron

"I am not hunting my son." Onion made his point perfectly clear to Big Mama.

"Onion, I understand your reservations." Big Mama replied. "But I have no other choice. We must not let Marron become a threat."

"Just give us some time, "Milphey pledged. "We will find a way to bring Marron back and destroy the forbidden magic forever."

The sorcerer hunters stood in wait. Big Mama hung her head in deep thought. Gateau’s head was bandaged. The pain he didn’t feel because of the adrenaline rush of the battle he felt tenfold today. Chocolate and Tira also felt weary. Carrot’s torso was bandaged as well. Meringue and Vash, more hurt in spirit than physically, stood away from the group. Each one of them should’ve stayed in bed and recuperated, but none could stand by while the Haz Knights and Big Mama spoke of Marron’s fate alone.

"Very well. I will give you one week. If Marron still refuses to surrender the magic then the contract still stands."

"Thank you, Big Mama." Milphey bowed in respect.

"In the meantime, I have a mission for you. It is known to me that most of the secret organization is gone. There is, however, two members left-Sodium and Jacfu."

Big Mama went on with her information as the sorcerer hunters gave her their full attention. "Sodium is the respected leader of the Black Furies. She did not get that honored title by heritage, but by murdering the former leader and conquering other clans. Her goal is to make the Black Furies the most powerful werewolf clan on the continent. She is ruthless and cunning when achieving her goal.

"Jacfu’s history is still a mystery. She appeared a few years ago when she purchased a casino from a gambler in debt. Soon she was buying hotels, restaurants and the like. She keeps a low profile and managers of her facilities pay their rent to a post office box. That mail is picked up anonymously. Few have ever seen her.

"You must find and destroy the last two members of the organization. Only then will the continent be safe once more."

Vash’s footsteps were easily heard coming down the hall with Meringue’s much more frequent, smaller steps behind his despite the strange and unnerving noises made by the other inmates.

Beau thought inmates cuz he felt like he was in prison. After keeping him strapped to a bed all night the nurses in Jacfu’s Institute finally moved him to a padded room. He sat there thinking, which could be dangerous in his case. There was nothing else he could do. The nurses were even afraid to give him a book for fear that he would try to kill himself with fatal paper cut wounds.

But for some reason, he was allowed visitors. Hence, Vash and Meringue came in the metal door with bars in the window. Beau sat up on his bed and asked, "So how did it go?"

"Yogurt is dead." Vash answered.

"So it went well?"

"Not exactly."

Meringue added, "Steel is dead." Beau’s eyebrows rose. Meringue went on. "Both of Meat’s legs are broken and he has some internal bleeding. We had to admit him to the hospital today after he passed out at the breakfast table. And there’s one more thing…Marron is evil."

"What?" Beau asked in disbelief.

Vash took his turn to explain. "He couldn’t let go of the magic. He’s our target along with Jacfu and Sodium."

"Jacfu? What does she have to do with this?" Beau asked again in disbelief.

"Big Mama told us that she received information that Jacfu and Sodium are the last two of the organization."

"Jacfu, no way."

"Do you know this sorceress, Beau?" Vash inquired.

"Well, kinda. We sorta had a thing a couple years ago. She’s just a nice girl, kinda quiet. She wouldn’t hurt a fly."

"She’d send her minions to do it." Vash said. "As far as we know she has never spilled any blood of her own." He changed the subject. "Are you all right, Beau?"

"I’m not trying to kill myself anymore, if that’s what you mean. They want to keep me here for evaluation. You know-get into my head. See what makes me tick. Discover deep meaning in my childhood and other BS."

"Well, I guess you’ll be in here awhile." Meringue said.

"Yeah, but hey, if you’re free when I get out…"

"Cut it out, Beau." Meringue said jokingly.

Vash and Meringue made their exit soon after.

Meat’s head ached and he still felt dizzy. He wasn’t allowed water-only ice, and he hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast. He probably wouldn’t until that stupid medicine man they called a doctor came to a conclusion about his health.

Sourdough had been scared, and with good reason. Meat looked like a dead man, and almost was. Yogurt beat him good, and the four year old wouldn’t see her daddy for awhile. In fact, the little tot was in hiding. Big Mama had taken her and personally made sure that no harm would come to the child by association with her father.

But damn, he missed her.

The door creaked open and Meat squinted his eyes at the sudden light. Footsteps came to the bed and a familiar voice greeted Meat. "Hello, Meat. Are you well?"

"Marron."

His eyes popped open and a gasp escaped his lips. If anyone thought Marron was pale, he looked ghostly now. If any ever thought Marron was frightening, he was absolutely fearsome now. His face didn’t hold understanding and quiet knowledge anymore. Instead there was fury. But in spite of all that, he had remained handsome if unapproachable. Marron sat on the side of the bed without a word. If Meat could move his legs and arms he would’ve started a fight by now. It was not like Marron to hit a man when he was down. Then again, this was a new Marron.

Marron’s hands ran down the tube of the IV trailing to Meat’s arm. He read the solution on the package. "I’m sure you had to have a transfusion." Marron declared.

"Yes." Meat said simply. Why are you here?

"You’ve been with Fry since the beginning, right?"

Now he’s making small talk. What the hell? "Yes."

"Where were you on the day the train of orphans and elderly went off the bridge?"

He knows. He wants me to confirm it. If I do I’m a dead man. But I can’t lie. He’ll know. "I was at the tracks."

"Doing what?" Marron seemed infinitely calm, which frightened Meat even more.

"Waiting for Fry’s signal."

"To do what?"

"To tell your team that you were dead."

"Thank you." Marron said politely. He even smiled an eerie smile that made Meat’s hair on the back of his neck prickle. Marron touched the tube again. Then he reached into his pockets and pulled out a small pin.

"No." Meat could barely move. He’s gonna introduce an air bubble into my blood. No, Marron, don’t.

"I want to be the one to tell Sourdough her father is dead just like you were the one to tell my brother. I am only telling you this now because I want you to think about it. I want you to think about the pain it will cause her to lose her family. She has already lost her mother. Much like I have. Then to take away the person she’s closest to. It will crush her. A piece of her will die inside."

"No, you can’t, Marron. Don’t do this."

"Are you thinking about it, Meat?"

"You bastard!"

Marron chuckled. "Funny, that’s what Meringue called me when I visited her bed last night."

Downstairs Vash and Meringue spoke with a nurse. "How is Meat?" Meringue asked.

"Oh, he’s doing better. It’s still a critical time. Anything could go wrong." The plump, curly haired nurse replied. "He’s able to have visitor though. I let a young man go up awhile ago."

Vash had a funny feeling. "Who was this man?"

"He said he was a friend." She closed her eyes. "He was the most handsome thing I had ever seen. He was tall and had long black hair and the blackest eyes you could ever…" When she opened her eyes again the pair were already gone.

Meat began to tremble as Marron went on. "How could you be so cruel?"

"I find it quite easy now." Marron said. He brought the pin to the tubing and poked a small hole into it. Some fluid oozed onto the pin and Marron tossed the pin into the trashcan. He stood up again and smiled.

Then the door flew open. "Marron!" Vash growled through gritted teeth. Vash rushed into the room, but Marron disappeared in a puff of black smoke. Meringue ran in after Vash as Vash was ripping the IV out of Meat’s arm.

Meringue turned back around and yelled out the door, "Nurse! Nurse! We have a situation!"

Meat’s face went pale and he went unconscious. Three nurses and a doctor rushed into the room, pushing Vash and Meringue out.

Chocolate walked with Rei Chi along the shore of the Sprite River. "So Meat is all right?" Rei Chi asked with concern.

"Yes. The doctors were able to save him. It’s a good thing Meringue and Vash were there or else Marron would’ve…" She couldn’t finish. It was too hard to think of Marron, her childhood friend, as a murderer. Rei Chi drew her close to him, but she pulled away.

"What is it?" Rei Chi asked.

"I can’t lean on you. You make it too easy."

"I always thought that was a good thing."

"I suppose it is, but I have to face this on my own. I can’t just run to you over everything that bothers me."

"I don’t see how that is so bad?"

"It will make me weak, okay?" Her temper began to flare then. She normally got mad when she was baring her soul to someone. "I never turn to anyone over my feelings. I learned to stand up on my own. When I’m around you I want to lean on you, and I can’t do that."

"If you’re afraid of losing a part of yourself, it’s probably true." Rei Chi explained. "When people are in love they take from each other, but they also give a part of themselves in return to fill the empty space."

"Are we in love, Rei Chi?" Chocolate asked with uncertainty. Rei Chi’s fears came back.

"I would like to think that my feelings are not all one sided. When we made love you gave me your body. Is your body easier to give than your heart?"

Chocolate glared at him for that remark.

"I didn’t mean that the way it came out. I really didn’t. I just mean, I thought that the night we spent together would mean something. Does it or am I just imagining it?"

"I can’t talk about this right now." Chocolate said. She turned and walked towards the trail. Rei Chi began to follow but she turned again. "Don’t follow me!" Rei Chi stopped in his tracks and Chocolate went on.

Chocolate soon regretted leaving Rei Chi, but her pride wouldn’t let her turn back now. Was he right? Her thoughts rambled in her head until she heard a rustle of leaves. She stopped in her tracks and looked around. "Who’s there?" She asked with more bravery than she felt. Her eyes averted to a figure leaning against a tree.

He stood with eyes halfway closed. He was a silhouette in the night. In one hand an Ofuda glowed a negative image from the ofuda he once had. He wore all black and turned his head to look right at her.

Chocolate transformed and readied her garrote. "I don’t want to do this, Marron, but so help me…"

"Relax." Came one word from his lips. He stood from the tree and slowly walked to where Chocolate stood. He was dangerously close, but Chocolate did not back up. She was prepared to meet him face to face.

If Marron was worried about facing Chocolate he didn’t show it. It seemed almost romantic-the feather light brush of his ofuda against her cheek. It would be considered romantic if it was anyone but Marron and Marron hadn’t turned into an evil sorcerer. "I have come with a message."

"Then deliver it yourself." Chocolate challenged him. He chuckled as if he didn’t take her seriously. He stepped back and began to pace.

"Tell Meringue and Vash that I am only righting the wrongs dealt to me. I am merely taking the revenge on actions that have hurt me in some way. I have learned something about the forbidden magic that I could never learn as a sorcerer or a member of the Kabal. The forbidden magic gives you the power and the ability to do what you never dreamed of doing. It opens your feelings to unlimited possibilities."

"But it doesn’t give you the right to hurt others!" Chocolate argued.

"I never had the right to do anything. Big Mama only wants the pure of heart. There were no rewards of our own. Do deeds only that help others. None of us could think selfishly, although many of us tried." Marron sighed and looked at the ground. He twirled the ofuda in between his fingers. " I envied my brother’s defiance to Big Mama at the same time that I was calling him an idiot. He was known for, and even expected to, rebel against the ideals of the church. I was the wholesome Glace. No one would ever accept defiance form me, would they?"

"Marron, you don’t mean this. It’s the magic that is making you think this way. Please understand that you can give it up and come back to us. We love you. You are my brother too." Chocolate’s eyes teared up. What she said was true. While she never thought of Carrot in that sense, Marron had always been the brother she never had.

Her sentiment didn’t faze him. "Just give them my message. Give it to the other sorcerer hunters too. Until we meet again, Chocolate." He disappeared behind the tree and Chocolate rushed to look on the other side of the tall redwood. Marron wasn’t there.