Starting Over

TITLE: Starting Over
AUTHOR: Willie J
EMAIL: wmj166@msn.com
WEB SITE: N/A
PAIRINGS: Marron/Carrot (and yes they are brothers!)
RATING: NC-17 for content
DISCLAIMER: Sorcerer Hunters is copyright by A.D. Vision.
FEEDBACK: Dear God Yes!
DISTRIBUTIONst Ast Archives
SPOILERS:
SUMMARY: This is extremely dark A/U...Carrot and Marron are separated as children.
Warning: This story may contain themes of rape, slash and incest. If any of this may offend you please stop reading immediately.


A/N: Meet the Sorcerer Hunters: Five extraordinary young humans charged with the task of traveling the land in secrecy, hunting down evil Sorcerers--masters of powerful and forbidden magic who use their dark abilities to enslave, to kill the weak and helpless.

Carrot Glace, a lecherous young warrior, without many other talents, save one: the ability to transform into various giant beasts by feeding off the power of sorcerers when attacked by unfriendly magic.

Marron Glace, his younger brother and master of the Eastern magic; always cool, calm and collect unless someone hurts his older brother....then he become a homicidal psycopath.

Tira Misu, an unassuming woman who, when faced with a challenge, presents her rather dominant alter ego, secretly in love with Carrot Glace.

Chocolate Misu, her older sister the more forward of the two and even worse when she's ready to kick some ass with her needle tipped garrote wire. Very obvious about desire for Carrot Glace.

Finally, Gateau Mocha, the muscle of the team with brains; consummate flirt, especially with Marron Glace.

A/N 2: ' ~ ' is internal dialogue

Warning: This story may contain themes of rape, slash and incest. If any of this may offend you please stop reading immediately.

A/N: Meet the Sorcerer Hunters: Five extraordinary young humans chargedh thh the task of traveling the land in secrecy, hunting down evil Sorcerers--masters of powerful and forbidden magic who use their dark abilities to enslave, to kill the weak and helpless.

Carrot Glace, a lecherous young warrior, without many other talents, save one: the ability to transform into various giant beasts by feeding off the power of sorcerers when attacked by unfriendly magic.

Marron Glace, his younger brother and master of the Eastern magic.

Tira Misu, an unassuming woman who, when faced with a challenge, presents her rather dominant alter ego.

Chocolate Misu, her older sister thre fre forward of the two and even worse when she's ready to kick some ass with her needle tipped garrote wire.

Finally, Gateau Mocha, the muscle of the team with brains.

* * *

"Stella, do you remember what he said about The House," Syrus asked without looking at anyone.

"Yeah, what was that all about? He almost had me wetting my pants; he scared me so bad with that nonsense," Gateau snorted and Eclair nodded in agreement.

"It wasn't ‘nonsense,’" Syrus said quietly, his arms wrapped around himself as if for protection. Dota walked over to him and held him.

"What?" Eclair asked uneasily, "He had to have been making it up. People don't really do that shit to other people. Do they?" She turned imploring eyes to Stella.

"During my second year of practice, I had a patient. He was about twenty or twenty-five
years old, with the most ancient eyes I've ever seen. So full of pain, horror and self-loathing that I almost cried the first time he met my eyes. He had been the property of a master, and he still was. His 'master' had fallen in love with him on his first visit to The House and arranged to purchase him. His 'master' wanted him mentally healthy even if it meant losing him. The things he told me…," Syrus swallowed convulsively. "I couldn't get nighnightmare images out of my mind for months. And for Carrot to have been there and for Onion to have threatened to put you there…"

Syrus whirled around, his eyes fierce and raging. "Whatever you need from me, I'm there. Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it no questions asked," he grated out stunning everyone. Gone was his usual calm, easy going demeanor. A Warrior stood before them, ready to fly with them into the upcoming storm.

"What happened to your patient?" Marron asintointo the uneasy silence.

"He couldn't handle what had been done to him. He committed suicide a year later," Syrus answered flatly, and abruptly left--leaving the room stunned again.

They all exchanged a silent vow: this would NOT happen to their Carrot!


* * *

Carrot lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling as he tried to deal with the horror of what had almost happened to Tira and Chocolate. Onion didn't know how close he had come to breaking him. All would have been lost. If he had broken, he shuddered, there would have been nothing to stop HIM from waking. He quietly spoke with the others in his mind as they helped him cope, unaware that Marron had slipped into the room and watched the different expressions cross Carrot's lively face. Al as as if he's talking to someone, he thought uneasily and quickly shook the thought from his mind.

He crawled into bed and watched as Carrot started and turned to look at him. Marron almoulleulled back as something almost alien slid behind Carrot's eyes before he put on his usual jesterask,ask, bright smiling eyes and a wide grin.

Carrot came back to the surface, finding Marron looking at him, an inscrutable expression on his face. Carrot quickly hid behind his façade, forcing a smile to his face. A smile that slowly faded under the unrelenting expression on Marron's face. Solemnly they gazed at each other. Each seeking to see past the other's expression, to see into the other's heart.

Marron sighed and turned away, switching the light off on his side of the bed. Reaching out a long arm he gathered Carrot to him. Carrot squirmed happily in the embrace, always happy whenever he had his otouto holding him.

"Why do you do that," came a quiet voice out of the moonlit darkness, slowly stroking his back.

"Do what?" Carrot asked puzzled, looking up a Marron's shadowed face.

"Put on that mask, that jester's mask that you hide behind," was the quiet response. Feeling the slender body tense in his loose hold, Marron tightened his arms in anticipation of Carrot's move to get away.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Carrot said, his heart racing in fear.

There was a flurry of movement and a rustling of sheets as Marron flipped them over and held Carrot's hands trapped above his head.

"Don't ever do that again, don't ever lie to me. Keep your fucking secrets," Marron hissed, looking down into Carrot's frightened face. "I know that there are things that you're not ready to tell me yet, and if you don't want to tell me that's okay, just tell me that. But don't treat me like I'm a goddamn fool, like you treat everyone else. And don't you ever fucking lie to me again. Do you understand me?" he grated, wa, waiting until he got Carrot's frightened acknowledgment before rolling off the bed.

"Where are you going?" Carrot asked timorously, watching Marron stalk away.

"I'm going to sleep in the other bedroom. Right now I don't even want to
y
your face, much less want to talk to you, I'm so angry," Marron said over his shoulder and disappeared through the doorway.

Carrot sat up, pulling his legs to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. He rocked back and forth. Tears pooled in his eyes and he sniffed them back, trying manfully not to cry. He drew a shuddering breath, feeling his chest hurt from the threatened tears, and got out of bed and climbed into the window seat. Through the cold glass he stared at the uncaring moon above.

["I screwed up guys," he said miserably with despair-bowed head to the shadowy figures encircling him.]

["No you haven't," a figure argued, “You need to talk to him. Tell him what you can and say him that you'll tell him the rest but not right now."]

["You heard what he said, he doesn't want to see me again or talk to me," Carrot said, tears rolling down his face] On the outside, his expression changed rapidly as they spoke.

["You didn't hear him right. Now he's angry and hurt that you lied to him. He feels that you don't trust him enough and that you are treating him the same way that you treat all the others," said another, moving his head, shadowy light gleaming off horns.]

["What way do I treat everyone?” Carrot asked in honest bewilderment.]

[“You've been doing it so long that it’s almost an unconscious reflex. You smile and to to hide your true emotions, to hide yourself from everyone, fearing that they will not accept you, the real you, if they knew the truth,” said another pacing back and forth.]

["It has become a defense that you use to hide yourself. You don't even notice that you're doing it anymore,” came the words of another pacing figure, claws clicking on the imaginary floor.]

["You do that so people will take no notice of you. If you act the clown, the jester, people have a tendency to underestimate you and not see the incredibly strong person you are,” said another, gliding down from a perch above.]

["Strong,” Carrot scoffed, "I'm not strong. I'm weak. What kind a man runs to his little brother for comfort? Seeks comfort in his presence? I cry at the least upsetting news, look at me now.” He sniffled back tears and tried to hide behind a derisive sneer.]

["Only in your culture are tears a sign of weakness. ‘Real men don't do this. Real men don't do that.’ So far the only thing we've seen real men do is kill each other in a variety of different ways,” remarked another dryly, coiling tighter about a thick pole.]

["Carrot you are an incredibly strong individual. Not many would have survived this long without being broken,” came a gentle growl from the shadow.]

["If it hadn't been for you guys,” Carrot began only to be interrupted.]

[“You were only a cub when he began his abuse and you survived it unbroken until we came along. We only increased the strength you already had within you. You did what few have learned to do: you learned to separate Self and protect it while sacrificing everything else," it snarled.]

[Carrot bowed his head in thought and slowly raised it as he realized what he needed to do. He was scared but he had to see it though. The others nodded their various heads, sharing his thoughts, silently offering him strength as he rose to the surface.]

Marron lay in the bed, facing away from the bathroom, seething. He lay right there and lied to my face, he thought angrily. Seeing something from the corner of his eye, he stiffened. Carrot approached the bed. Carefully he seated himself on the edge and, log dog down, plucked at his pants.

"I...I...uhm...I," Carrot took a deep breath and cleared his throat and began again, drawing strength from within, "I wasn't aware of what I was doing. It's become such a habit that I've gotten to the point where I do it automatically. I didn't really know what you were talking about when you mentioned it. No one has ever seen through it." He raised his head and peeked at Marron seeing him watching and listening before continuing.

"There's a lot that I haven't told you, secrets that I'll probably keep for as long as I live."
His mouth quirked oddly at statement. "Because I know that you and the others won't want me around anymore or love me iu knu knew," he added in a near whisper, hurting inside. Seeing Marron sit up and open his arms, Carrot gratefully flung himself in the warm, comforting embrace. Suddenly he felt as if everything would be okay.

"We will always want you and love you. And if they turn their s tos to you, I'll always be there. Remember what I told you, if you ever try to leave m'll 'll be right behind you, every step you take," Marron said holding him tightly and pressing a kiss on his niisan's head and pressing his cheek to the messy, spiky hair. "All I ask is that you don't lie to me again. If there's something you're not comfortable with telling me, just tell me that and I'll try to understand and not press you until you're comfortable with telling me."

"No more lies," Carrot agreed, happy to be somewhat forgiven.

"Now get into bed," Marron ordered with a slight smile, "My chest is getting cold." He moved back and watched in amusement as Carrot dived under the covers and happily settled against him with a little wiggle.

Marron settled his arms around the smaller figure and tightened his embrace. He knew that what he had to say would probably freak Carrot out, but he was determine to say it.

"By the way, Mille and Syrus want you in their offices tomorrow. Mille for a complete physical and Syrus for therapy." The boy grew rigid with each word until, with a cry, he tore himself out of Marron's embrace.

Yep, freaking out has now commenced, Marron thought dryly to himself as he watched Carrot rant and rave about bloodsucking doctor and shrinks. Barely understanding anything in the flood of words coming from Carrot's mouth, he simply lay back waiting for the flood to subside. Occasionally he heard a word here and there, ‘Leeches,’ ‘Dr. Feod,’od,’ ‘Bloodsucking fiends,’ ‘Dr. Touchy Feelie.’ He waited until he heard Carrot begin to repeat himself before he slid out of bed and halted the angrily pacing figure.

"Carrot, you need to do this," he said and firmly restrained Carrot when he tried to jerk away. "You have no idea what the medication Onion's been giving has done to your body and, despite all you protestations that you are all right, I would feel better if you spoke to Syrus. You don't have to tell him anything if you don't want. He won't force you to, okay," he said crouching to peer into Carrot's downcast face.

"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you. You may not like what they find out," Carrot said crossly.

"What will they find out?" Marron asked curiously, wondering at the tingle of dread that rippled through him at Carrot's words.

Carrot sighed. "It's one of the things I'm not comfortable with telling you yet. Maybe by the time the results come through, I'll have worked up enough courage to tell you," he said peering up at Marron earnestly.

"Fair enough." Marron nodded. He led the way back to the bed. Quickly they crawled in, and he pulled Carrot into his arms as they settled down to go to sleep. Thinking of something else, he sat up.

"What is it now," Carrot muttered sitting up as well. He really wanted to sleep now; it had been a long day.

Marron smirked, "I want you to go to school and also take some self-defense lessons."

"Fine," Carrot snapped and pushed Marron down and settled himself over him. "Can we sleep NOW," he asked sarcastically. The annoyance he trying was ruined by a huge yawn that split his face.

"Yes we can," Marron said softly, watching his niisan's big eyes fall shut in sleep. He gently stroked his cheek as he, too, fell asleep.

As usual, sometime during their sleep Carrot managed to turn Marron over so that he was able to spoon against Marron's back—protecting his sleep.

As usual, Gateau went to Marron's room to wake him for their early morning jog. Not seeing Marron and Carro the the room, he went to Carrot's room and almost busted a gut trying not to laugh at the sight of Marron sprawled over Carrot like a big cat. He met Carrot's wide amused eyes as he idly played with Marron's hair while waiting for him to wake.

Seeing Gateau there, he gently tried to shake Marron awake. Squirming in protest, Marron settled more firmly on Carrot muttering "It's too early, gok tok to sleep" at Carrot before sinking back to sleep. Feeling his bed shaking and quivering under him, he sleepily opened one eye, and was startled to find himself face to face with Carrot's laughing face. He quickly opened the other eye and was abruptly aware of his sleeping position.

Hearing noises he twisted and looked to see Gateau snickering at him. He sighed and dropped his head on his giggling niisan's shoulder. Silently he wondered what had happened to his well-ordered life. Ever since his niisan had come into his life, everything was topsy-turvy. It was getting harder and harder to tell up from down.

His smiled to himself. He couldn't imagine his life better than this. Sitting up, his smile widened looking down at his laughing niisan, wondering what he had did to deserve such a beautiful person in his life. He made him smile and laugh more than he had ever done so in the past. He made him care about others, letting them into his close knit circle of people he would die to protect, like the Misu family.

Carrot looked up at Marron and saw the smile and asked, "What are you smiling about, mister?"

"About how blessed I am to have you back in my life," was the soft response and Carrot felt tears prickle at his eyes and he muttered, "Me too." Swiftly he pulled Marron down into a hug, kissing his cheek. Each of them held on to the other for the warmth and comfort that they found with each other. Gently, Marron pulledy toy to dress and go on his early morning jog with Gateau.

Carrot sighed wearily before throwing the covers back and getting out of the bed. He remembered his promise to Marron to see the Mille and Syrus. As he dressed he muttered to himself, "A promise is a promise."

The days bled into weeks, then into months as Marron and his team of Hunters (Gateau, Eclair, and now Tira and Chocolate) pried into Onion’s finances. Carrot continued his hour-long sessions with the good Dr. Syrus, deftly dodging his questions. He snickered in amusement at the oh-so casual questions about if he had ever had blacked out and lost time; the good doctor Mille was waiting for his third set of test results to come back on Carrot (the first two having been lost somehow in the computer system).

Carrot became more trusting and less wary of them. Gateau’s happiest day was the day that he told a silly joke that had everyone laughing. Carrot punched him in the arm and leaned against him, shaking with laughter. Marron and Gateau exchanged looks before looking away smiling, their eyes wet.

Stella’s happiest day came when Carrot came running into her office shouting, "Mama, tell Marron to stop picking on me, he's being mean." Pouting, he sank into a chair. Marron strolled into the room a few seconds later and she had her mouth open to say something teasingly when his words registered. He had called her Mama. She looked at Carrot and saw the tentative wary look in his eyes and held out her arms to him. Joy bloomed in her heart as he buried his head against her chest. Looking at Marron, she saw the pleased look in his eyes. My sons, my boys, she thought. And from that day on, she was referred to as Mama by the children and Big Mama by the others.

Keeping his promise to Marron, Carrot enrolled at the University. He enjoyed his first day at the university hanging out with Tira and Chocolate between classes while Marron, Eclair and Gateau went to Church Corp. to begin the audit of the company records.

During the second day of school, Carrot came face to face with a smirking Zaha. Fortunately, he had Chocolate and Tira backing himand and holding him steady as they walked past. After that, he made sure that if he was alone and saw Zaha in the hall or anywhere else; he would quickly turn around and get the hell away.

A week into their audit (Eclair and Gateau terrified half the employee with their silent intimidation and Marron the other half with his icy demeanor) Marron started feeling uneasy, as if something was wrong. He jumped up and started pacing back and forth while trying to figure out where the wrong feeling was coming from. Gateau and Eclair had stopped looking through reports, motioning the others to keep going, as they watched Marron pace.

Abruptly he stopped and, racing out the door, shouted, "Come on we have to get to the school." They jumped up and, with fear clutching at their hearts, raced after him. They knew of only one thing that could have set him off: Carrot.

They jumped into the car and raced to the university at breakneck speed. Fortunately, they got all the green and yellow lights and weren’t stopped by a policeman. They came to a screeching halt outside the building. Marron jumped out and raced to one of the buildings with Gateau and Eclair right behind him.

Twist, turn, left, straight, now right and right again, Marron followed the silent instructions his instincts were screaming at him, Hurry, Hurry, Hurry, STOP. He threw open the door to see Carrot struggling desperately between two large men, crying and shouting ‘NO! NO! NO!’ His pants were unzipped and his cock hung out. A dark-haired youth toyed cruelly with it while smirking.

With a roar of fury, Marron flung himself at the dark-haired youth, backhanding him viciously to the wall. Gateau and Eclair, with twin roars of rage, threw themselves at the men holding Carrot. With one heavy blow, Gateau knocked his man to the ground while Eclair disabled hers with vicious kicks to the head and ribs.

Carrot sank to the ground and quickly scooted away to aner ner where he tried to fasten his pants with numb fingers. Taking no notice of the war going on outside, he huddled is hes head surrounded by the others as they tried to bolster his shaking spirit.

Outside, Marron and Zaha continued fighting, or rather, to be more accurate, Marron continued to play with him. He wanted to hurt him, to make him terrified with the knowledge that he couldn't defend himself, and Zaha was terrified. Every blow that he threw, the boy blocked easily, contemptuously and delivered two of his own. He felt his ribs crack and gasped at the sharp pain. He tried to throw a desperate blow, which the boy caught with one hand. Slowly he began to squeeze. Zaha saw the insane rage in the boy's eyes, the same boy he saw Carrot hugging that day at the mall. He knew that the boy intended to crush his hand, possibly kill him, when a voice interrupted him.

"Marron, see to Carrot," Gateau said urgently from his position as close to Carrot as he dared for he saw how the boy flinched and growled each time he or Eclair ventured too close.

"What's going on here?" demanded the school administrator as he pushed past all the curious students gawking into the room. He gasped when he saw the overturned chairs and desks; the two students lying on the floor out cold; and Zaha on his knees with an arm wrapped around his waist, the other arm held stiffly, and his face white with pain.

Chocolate and Tira, on their way to their next class, saw the commotion and elbowed their way to the front, causing everyone else to glare menacingly at them. They quickly entered the room when they saw Marron, Gateau and Eclair crouching down in front of a corner.

Marron ignored everything else but the shivering, shaking figure of his niisan crouched in a corner. "Carrot," he whispered reaching out a hand to him, "It's me, your little otooto. I'm here, Gateau and Eclair are with me. Nothing is going to hurt you; no one's going to hurt you. We're here, okay? Come on now, let's get you home and cleaned up, okay?” Receiving a tiny nod, he quickly scooped his shaking niisan up. Gateau stepped forward, blocking everyone’s view, while quickly Marron tucked Carrot back into his pants. Shrugging off his jacket, he covered the shaking form up, feeling his heart lighten with the shaky smile of thanks he received from Carrot.

As Marron turned with Carrot, he caught sight of Zaha being helped to his feet by the school administrator who was muttering about the police and pressing charges. Zaha, being in considerable pain and humiliated, blurted out, "I don't get it! He's"—a slight gesture to Carrot—"Been his daddy's little fuck-toy for years, yet he's always rejecting me. At least I'm not his fa—" He stopped abruptly upon seeing the cold, deadly light burning in Marron's eyes again as Carrot whimpered in his arms and hid his face. The students in front stood aghast at what they had heard and then quickly began whispering it back to the others who hadn't.

Tira and Chocolate stepped up to Carrot and stroked his head to calm him. Quietly they whispered soothing words to comfort him.

The school administrator dropped Zaha’s arm as if he had touched something foul and slowly stepped back. "What did you just say?" he whispered in revulsion. Zaha shut his mouth with a defiant look on his face and averted his gaze.

Marron looked down at the shaking bundle in his arms and quickly made a decision. "I want those three immediately expelled from this school," he said quietly, menace evident in each word.

With a quick look of disgust at the slowly stirring boys and Zaha, the administrator said, "Done, and if I had my way this will follow them where ever they try to go." His face was cold. He had just realized with they, Zaha and his henchmen, had been trying to do to the shaking young man.

Turning to Zaha, Marron said coldly, "If you want the truth be at the Church residence at seven p.m. tonight," before striding through the silent crowd, the rest of them following behind him.

Later that day, at a little past 7 p.m., Zaha showed up and was ushered into the living room. He had left a message at home for his mother as to where he was going. Inside he found them gathered in the room waiting for him, their eyes glittering dangerously. Carrot was curled against Marron's side, fear flashing briefly in his wide eyes before he swiftly lowered them, pressing tighter against Marron.

Zaha's lip curled in disgust at the sight. Secretly he wished it was him who Carrot was curled against.

"It didn't take you very long to find another protector," he sneered, "Or are you the little fuck-toy for everybody here." He gestured at the people in the room. He jumped back upon hearing the low growl issuing from Gateau’s throat as he stepped forward. Only Marron’s outstretched hand stopped him.

"I assume that you're here because you wanted to know the truth," Marron said quietly, his eyes glowing with a disquieting intensity and a cold quirk to his lips.

"Yeah. I bet you're gonna give me some song and dance that poor little Carrot was being abused by his father. Well bullshit, he's been willingly fucking his father since he was 16. I ought to know, I caught them at it one time," Zaha said with a nasty laugh, which trailed off at the unreceptive looks on everyone's face.

"Didn't you hear what I said?" he asked, puzzled at their silence. "He's been fucking his own father, his flesh and blood."

Stella ignored him. "In the room to your left is a VCR, when you get in, grab the remote control and turn it on. Then come back out and we'll talk. If you don't, then get the hell out of my house," she said coldly.

Zaha narrowed his eyes before nodding angrily and stalking into the room. "I sure would love to know what the hell could be so important on this tape," he muttered sarcastically to himself.

Gateau and Eclair positioned themselves outside the room with two garbage pails. Five minutes later, Zaha stumbled out, his eyes wild and his hand over his mouth. Gateau shoved the pail at him and stepped away as he began to retch into the receptacle. After clearing his stomach he collapsed to his knees, crying. Harsh, ragged sobs issued from his throat as he looked around the silent room. Carrot was now curled in Marron's lap looking at him wretchedly with big miserable eyes. Zaha looked at his hands in horror. He wanted to cut them off for daring to touch Carrot.

I'm as filthy and perverted as Onion, he screamed to himself. "Oh god, Carrot. I'm so sorry, I never meant to hurt you. I'm so sorry," he kept repeating, hoping that someday Carrot would forgive him, that he could forgive himself. He had almost took him by force, twice.

"Oh god, I have to tell my mother," he thought out aloud, "She has to get away from that filthy monster. My God, he's been touching her, sharing her bed!”

"She already knows," Carrot said quietly from his perch, feeling Marron's arms tighten about him, feeling Tira hold his hand in support and Gateau grip his shoulder for courage.

"No," Zaha said after a moment of frozen disbelief, "She couldn't have known. She couldn't have known, Carrot. Why are you lying?"

"She's known since I was ten what he's been doing to me. She called me his filthy little whore and told him to be more careful with the servants as she had to get rid of a couple that had gotten to close to me. Then she told him that he needed to increase her allowance by three thousand dollars." Carrot's words filled the silence as everyone was oome ome by the sheer calculated indifference of Carrot's stepmother.


Appearing in the doorway, stood Moss Glace. She saw Carrot sitting in a strange boy's lap and sneered silently to herself. Marron's lips flattened in rage as he read the cold contempt in her eyes as she looked at Carrot.

A graceful smile on her face, she walked forward, extending her hand. "Ms. Church, how very pleased I am to finally meet you. I've heard so many wonderful things about you that, when I saw Zaha's message about where he was going, I just had to come…" She faltered to a stop as she saw the cold disdain on Stella's face. Glancing swiftly around the tense room, she saw equal parts contempt, disgust and anger on everyone’s faces, except for Carrot, who had no expression on his usually lively face and Zaha, who was looking at her as if seeing her for the first time.

"Mother, they know," Zaha said quietly, his eyes searching his mother face for clues, for answers, for something to explain away what Carrot had said. His mother couldn't have known.

"Know? Know what darling?" Moss said, fiddling nervously with her pearl necklace. She felt uneasy under the hostile looks directed at her.

"They know about Onion molesting Carrot," Zaha said, carefully watching her reactions. He had to know; he had to know the truth, even if it killed him!

"What?! What has Carrot been telling you?" she cried out with a fine show of anger. "I've told Onion time and again that he needs to get you help. You're always been spreading your filthy lies. This time you finally got someone to believe you." She swiftly turned to Stella. "Ms. Church, please don't believe what he's been telling you. Carrot has emotional and mental problems like his late mother. Onion's always been reluctant to get him the help he needs and...." She was interrupted by Zaha saying "They have tapes, Mother."

They watched the sly cunning flicker briefly in her eyes as she tried to think of something to say.

Zaha said with cold disgust, "Carrot was right; you did know what Onion was doing. My God, Mother! He was only a child, a baby. I would have thought that a woman of all people would have tried to protect him. Yet you, you selfish bitch, all you cared about was your social position and spending money."

Moss gasped. "How dare you talk to me like that. I am your mother! Is that what he's been filling you head with? Don't think I haven't noticed the looks you've been giving him. But he's got property of Onion Glace written all over him." She smirked knowing that she had lost the battle. By now the room was in an uproar. Marron was struggling to get up but hampered by Carrot's determination to hold him down.

She sneered contemptuously. "I see it didn't take long for the little whore to find him a new daddy. Of course this one's a little young though and—" Her words were stopped by a hard slap across her face, which left her gasping in shock and stumbling back against a chair. She held her cheek in numb amazement.

"You are the most disgusting creature I have ever seen. You are not even fit to lick the shit out of Carrot's ass. You are beneath contempt," Zaha added in a cold, hard voice, shaking with rage. Moss was stunned by the burning contempt and revulsion she saw in Zaha eyes, directed at her!

She realized what she had done and tried to hastily make it up to him. "I only did it for you," she cried in a desperate attempt to win her son back. She glared venomously at Carrot, blaming him for turning her son against her.

"As of this moment, I have no mother," Zaha announced quietly, firmly. Iron resolve showed in his face and she knew that she had lost the one person most important to her: her son.

"Mrs. Glace," Stella called out as Moss, defeated, turned to go, "A word of warning, we intend to destroy Onion and everything he holds dear. If you continue to stay with him, you'll get caught up in the crossfire."

"We will show no mercy to anyone that sides with Onion. For what he's done to my brother, I want to watch him writhe in the purest of agonies," Marron said dangerously.

"Your brother," Zaha and Moss gasped.

"Yes, my brother," Marron snapped.

"What is with you and the men in your family," Moss muttered a little to loudly, flushing at the glares she received from everyone and departed quickly.

"I sorry I didn't realize. I didn't know," Zaha said softly trying to gaze at Carrot's averted face. Stiffening, he met Marron’s cold gaze. He knew that Marron would always stand between them. Marron and Zaha exchange wary nods, acknowledging that there would always be animosity between them. Marron saw the look in Zaha's eyes and knew that Zaha still wanted his niisan, but there was no way in hell wasgoingoing to let that happen. His eyes narrowed on Zaha.

Zaha bowed in temporary defeat.

"Where will you go, Mr. Torte?" Stella asked quietly, her eyes searching the pale face of the young man. She saw abject self-loathing lurking in his bruised looking eyes and recognized that he was still in shock from the way his hands trembled and his face kept twitching.

"I have a couple of friends that I can stay with for a few days," Zaha said raising his head proudly, not wanting their pity. "My father also left me enough money that I won't have to find a job for while. I think that I'll go out to the West Coast try to find someone to help me deal with all of this, and what I've done to Carrot," he continued in a low quiet voice. He stood tall, making no excuses for his behavior.

Carrot stirred, wanting to reach out to him, but was afraid. He twisted in Marron's lap, looking pleadingly up at Marron and Mama. Stella's lips tightened and Marron's jaw clenched. They exchanged glances and each sighed, not able to resist.

"If you like," she said grudgingly, "I know a couple of people out on the West Coast that are looking for help. It's a somewhat menial position, but room and board are free and you can go to whatever school you want."

"Thank you, Mrs. Church. But no thanks, I think it's time I stood on my own two feet, to be as strong of a man as Carrot is," he said, his eyes resting on Carrot who blinked and flushed, casting his eyes down in confusion. He still wasn't comfortable with people complimenting him.

Marron's arms tighten, he saw the look in Zaha's eyes.

"Take the offer, Zaha," Carrot said in a small voice, resting his head against Marron's shoulder. "Beside your mother was half right about Onion, if she hadn't let him have me, you were next in line for his bed.” He didn’t look at anyone. Instead, he picked at a spot on Marron's thigh.

They all froze, realizing who else Carrot had sacrifice himself for. Zaha took a deep, trembling breath before turning to Stella and accepting her offer with tears in his eyes. He refused to shed them, not wanting to cheapen what Carrot had done for him.

Marron stood up carefully and lowered Carrot to the floor before drawing him out of the r Sil Silently they went up the stairs to the bedroom. "I think I'll go take a shower," Carrot said quickly, running to the bathroom. He turned the shower on, shucked his clothes and stepped into the stall. He stood leaning against the wall before his shoulders began shaking with sobs as he sank to the floor of the stall. He started when he
felt warm hands on his shoulders before he relaxed and turned into Marron's embrace. He sobbed out his anger, his shame, his frustration, his helplessness, everything. Wet fists pounded on Marron's chest in rage at what had been done. He cried that he didn't want to do it; he never wanted to do it; why did it have to happen to him? Why? He screamed, sobs shuddering through him.

Marron just held him, letting him cry it all out. The too slender body gradually grew limp. Shuddering breaths shook his frame. Marron drew him carefully up to his feet and into his arms. Stepping carefully out of the tub, grabbing a towel and throwing it over Carrot, he carried the shuddering boy quickly into the bedroom and lowered him to the bed.

Feeling Carrot clutch at his neck, he whispered, "I'm not going anywhere. I'm just getting another towel, I promise." Carrot slowly loosened his arms with a soft "‘Kay," his breath hitching. He watched him carefully, making sure that he kept his promise to come back to him.

Marron hastily ran back to the bathroom, grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist. He grabbed three more huge towels, raced back out to Carrot. Motioning Carrot up, he laid the two of the towels on the bed and pulled Carrot to him, wrapping him in the third towel. Briskly he rubbed his niisan's slender arms until his skin glowed a rosy color. He knew that Carrot needed this time to regain control over himself.

"She was wrong," Carrot said quietly, watching Marron, trying to make him understand. "I'm not like that."

Marron looked up and observed the bone deep misery in his niisan's eyes with a breaking heart.

"I know, luv, I know." With a weary sigh, Carrot leaned forward and rested his head against Marron's shoulder. He grunted softly when Marron began rubbing his back gently. For a few minutes they sat, each taking comfort in the other's presence, before Carrot moved away and slid off the bed. He walked like an old man. Carefully placing each foot in front of the other, he walked to the dresser and pulled out their pajama pants. Shucking the towel on the floor he pulled on his pants, tossed the other pair to Marron, and crawled into bed. Silently he waited for Marron to get in and spooned himself behind the younger boy as soon as he got into the bed.

* * * *

The days continued as everyone tried to heal Carrot's wounded spirit. The watched with barely concealed joy as gradually his smiles started coming back.

Mille frowned as he received the first reports back on Carrot, wondering what had happened to the others. His eyes widened in shock at what he saw.

* * *

Mille watched the two boys before him. Carrot had insisted that Marron come with him to Mille's in-house office. They sat side by side in the two chairs facing the man. Carrot fidgeted nervously. His eyes darted around the room while Marron sat calmly, only his glittering eyes belying his calm exterior. He reached over, trying to still Carrot's nervousness, and quietly ordered him to calm down. He knew that it wasn't going to work when he saw Carrot's knee start to jiggle.

Getting up, he pulled a startled Carrot to his feet and guided him over to the couch. He forced the jittery boy to sit before sitting also and pulling Carrot close. Bit by bit he felt the nervous tension in his niisan flow away.

Mille watched with secretive amusement the way that Carrot seemed to be with Marron. He acted as if time was precious to him and he had store up memories. The doctor’s amusement faded as he thought of why they were in here. What they told Big Mama was up to them.

"As you know, I took a blood sample from Carrot and had a couple of tests done. I had certain suspicions about something the moment I saw the resemblance between Carrot and Onion. From all accounts, you, Marron, look amazingly like your mother while you, Carrot, look amazingly like Onion. It puzzled me as to why you were so much smaller than either Marron and Onion." Mille glanced at the puzzled faces before looking down.

He took a deep breath and then continued. "According to the blood analysis, Onion has been feeding you a cocktail of pills over the years, which have effectively stunted your growth. In addition, it appears to also be affecting your moods. This explains your rapid oscillation between different emotional states."

Marron and Carrot sat stunned on the couch. They exchanged a look of bewilderment.

"But why?" Marron almost stammered. "Why would he do that?" Carrot looked down as the reason suddenly dawned on him.

"To keep me weak and under his control. If I had grown big like him, he knew he wouldn't be able to hurt me," he murmured quietly.

"Dear God," Marron whispered, sickened by the stark cruelty of the man.

"Yes." Mille nodded his head, giving Carrot a swift appraising glance. The boy wasn't as scatterbrained as he had thought. Briskly he continued, wanting to be done with the angst-ridden mood, "These mood swings show that your body is beginning to stabilize and recover from the prolonged usage of these chemicals. I think, I hope, that, in a few years time, you'll begin to catch up with your body's intended stature." Mille smiled at the pleased, happy look on Carrot's face.

Carrot made sure that he had a happy look on his face as he twisted to look up at Marron, "You mean that I'll be bigger than Marron?" he said delightedly, a happy glow in his eyes.

"Yep," Mille said with a laugh, looking at the mock-disgusted look on Marron's face.

"Yippee!" Carrot cried jumping up from the couch and bouncing around the room. He was trying to make them believe he was ecstatically happy about the news.

Marron frowned. Something was wrong with Carrot. Marron realized that he was putting on a show for Mille, for them, and a dangerous anger was building in his eyes. Softly he asked, "Mille would you mind leaving us for a moment?" Carrot stopped acting happy. He turned to Marron with an unreadable expression in his eyes. Mille glanced between the two. Something is wrong here, he thought.

"Sure, take all the time you need." Gathering his stuff, he left the room. Quietly he closed the door behind him.

"So, my niisan, you seemed extremely pleased a few minutes ago, yet you don't seem quite so pleased now," Marron remarked quietly, pacing closer to Carrot, his eyes glittering.

Carrot stood steady, his eyes calm. He knew what Marron was getting at. "You warned me never to lie to you, but you never said anything about anyone else." Marron stopped and simply looked at Carrot.

"Do you intend to tell me the truth?" Seeing the answer in his niisan's eyes before Carrot slowly shook his head, he turned away, angry enough to want to punch something.

Feeling a soft hand gripping his arm, he turned to face Carrot, angry words trembling on his lips. They died away the moment he saw the misery lurking deep within the wide eyes gazing up at him. He sighed and opened his arms and, with a choked sob, Carrot dived in to hold him desperately.

"Will you tell me, soon?" Marron murmured into the dark shaggy head, stroking gently, enjoying the way the strands seemed to cling to his hands.

Carrot pulled back and gazed up at Marron. "Soon, I promise, soon," he said earnestly, and received a slow smile in return. He hugged Marron again and walked away.

* * *

Marron, Gateau, Tira and Chocolate were gathered in the War room. They had hit a roadblock while prying into Onion's finances and the records at CC. They had even more incentive now: Stella had a meeting with the American CIA.

Apparently a key component that the company made was defective. So defective that there was no way that it should have passed inspection and been installed on an aircraft. Ten military men had been killed during a routine flight. To find out what had happened, a detailed investigation was launched. It was found that the key component that linked the multiple functions on the plane had failed. The plane was able to get up; however, there was no way to keep the plane in the air or control the landing.

Stella had come back shaken from the interview. She promised to get to the bottom of this sabotage immediately. She had to call on all her contacts just to get the American's to back off. She had a feeling that this could be traced back to Onion Glace. She had them start digging. It seemed as if this was their first solid lead in months.

Marron cursed in frustration and slammed his hand down on the table with a loud smack. He slouched in the chair, frustrated anger clearly evident on his face as he swung back and forth in the chair. He sat at the head of the table with his computer hooked up to the huge screen on the wall. Codes and numbers filled the screen. He felt as if he was somehow failing his niisan. He felt as if he was running out of time.

The others looked at him, feeling his rage and despair. Urgency filled them now. The sense of sand falling through an hourglass was almost palpable.

Gateau looked up from slicing an apple with a sympathetic expression on his face. He knew how Marron felt as they kept hitting roadblocks and brick walls. Even with Tira and Chocolate's able-bodied assistance, it was slow going.

Stella exchanged a quick look with Éclair. They knew how frustrated Marron was becoming. It was important to them all to find the clues they needed in order to bring Onion's world crashing down on him, but to Marron it was most important. He wanted to bring Onion to his knees.

The only way to make his niisan safe was to utterly destroy Onion and all those complicit with his crimes. Making his niisan safe had become his only goal. And he was getting more and more frustrated with the brick walls they encountered. It was as if Onion was out there laughing at them, at him.

Carrot wandered in the room, eating an ice cream cone. "Whatcha doin'?" he asked, casually leaning against the door.

Marron frowned seeing him with the ice cream. "You're not supposed to have ice cream and you know it. How did you get it?" He groaned upon seeing the cheerfully unconcerned look on his niisan's face. The others began snickering behind him.

Carrot smiled easily. "Oh, I just asked Mable for some," he answered naming the head chief on their staff.

Marron eyes narrowed. "I specifically told her not to give you any dairy products. You know that they aren’t good for you," he growled. Laughter erupted behind him much to his continued pique. It seemed as if no one could resist his niisan, not even for his own good.

"But, Marron, I love ice cream," Carrot whined, his eyes sparkling at the annoyed look on his brothefaceface and the laughter on the others’.

Good, he thought with satisfaction. He had been standing in the doorway and watching the dark, angry faces on everyone in the room. He had been wondering what everyone was doing in here for several weeks now, and hadn't been too concerned, until he started to notice the angry looks everyone was wearing whenever they left the room. It would take him at least an hour to get Marron calm once he got him upstairs to their room.

Stella glanced at the others and said, "Carrot, we've been looking into Onion's finances and we've been investigating who's selling defective components from CC, which causing untold deaths." She watched Carrot pace around the room before stopping at Marron's chair, studying the screen. "We suspect that Onion is involved," she added, blinking as Carrot threw her an unreadable glance before looking back down at Marron's computer.

Marron sighed as he got up from his chair, watching in amusement as Carrot plopped down. He stretched slowly, feeling as if he had been sitting at the computer for twelve hours instead of six.

Carrot, without removing his gaze from the computer screen, asked, "Did you save this?" He gestured to the string of codes up on the screen.

"Yeah." Marron watched Carrot in amusement at the intent way he was studying the screen. With a shrug he turned away to talk to Gateau. He saw Mille and Syrus come into the room and warned Syrus away from Carrot with a quick shake of his head. He knew how the doctor's questions were annoying his niisan. Carrot never discussed what they spoke of, but he knew by the tenseness of his body just how annoyed and angry Carrot was becoming.

They all got up and stretched before wandering over to the tray of fruit and water. "I know that the answer is sitting right in front of me," Marron said grabbing a bottle of water. Viciously he twisted the top off and took a long gulp.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Gateau said morosely, picking at a couple of grapes and eyeing Tira. So far, she hadn't responded to his numerous requests for a date, but he wasn't giving up yet. He sensed that she did like him. He just hadn't come up with enough incentive for her to go out with him. Grabbing the bottle of water from Marron, he raised it to his lips and froze upon seeing the display on the screen change rapidly.

Stella stood quietly talking to Mille when a choked cry came from Gateau caused them all whirl around. They watched him stared at the screen in horror as the months of work disappeared in a flash.

"Carrot," Gateau yelled, "What the hell are you—?" He stopped abruptly upon hearing what the oblivious boy was saying.


"…shunt," Carrot muttered, seeing the codes and strings flashing before his eyes "....pause five…four...three...two…one. Resume... left, enter file, shift down, toggle, enter codes.” His eyes were focused on the screen alone.

Marron mouth dropped open in shock. "Holy shit," he said quietly, "He's gone further in a few minutes than I have been able to several in months."

They all watched silently as numbers, codes and strings of characters flashed across the screen. They hardly dared to breath.

The silence was broken by Carrot saying, "I'm in, what did you need to know?" with his fingers poised over the keyboard. Stella was the first to recover from shock.

"Bring up his finances." They watched mutely as slim, nimble fingers danced over the keyboard.

"Shit!" Gateau burst out. "It's password protecte—" His mouth closed with an audible snap as a password flashed on the screen. Carrot cut him an inscrutable glance.

"Print it out," Marron asked quietly as Onion's balance sheet scrolled across the screen. Everyone but Carrot gasped.

"Good God!" Mille burst out. "I didn't know being a CEO paid so much." Disbelief was plainly visible upon his face.

Stella studied the numbers with cold, narrowed eyes. "It doesn't. I think we have our first—" She stopped speaking as the screen changed. Freezing, she read the information contained there. Her eyes flickered to Carrot's still face. He turned to look at her—expressionless.

"Carrot," she said carefully, "What can you show us about Onion? Do you have access to everything on him?" Carrot replied with a slow nod, his eyes flickering to the cheering Eclair and Dota, before going back to Marron. He studied his expression and relaxed upon finding something only he could see.

"How do you know the passwords?" Eclair asked before anyone could stop her. She blinked at the tactless question. Instinctively she knew that she really didn't want to know the answer. Carrot simply looked at her before turning away. Gateau smacked her on the back of her head before hissing, "Think before you speak!" She didn’t protest; she knew deserved it.

Carrot got up slowly from the chair and watched Syrus watching him. He knew that he had better confess now before the good doctor said anything.

"Uhm…guys? Guys," he stuttered nervously feeling their attention swing to him, "I…uhm…need to tell you something. You're not going to like it or me and I'll understand if you don't want me around.” Nervously he twisted his fingers in the hem of his overlong shirt.

"Carrot," Marron said quietly, "What did I tell you before? Wherever you go, I'll be right behind you." His niisan gave him a brave, quivering smile before turning to the others.

Carrot turned to Syrus. "You've been asking a lot of questions of me about me having blackouts and losing time. I kept telling you that I've never lost a minute of time and I don't have blackouts. You were sorta on the right track, but you were still looking in a different direction." He took a deep breath seeing the puzzlement on everyone's face.

"Syrus here thinks I have multiple personalities and I've tried to tell him that I don't, but he doesn't believe me." Everyone gasped and exclaimed in relief, except for Marron and Syrus. They heard what Carrot had said before.

Carrot watched them exchange glances before saying, "While I don't have multiple personalities, I’m not exactly a Me; I'm a We."


Everyone turned puzzled looks on him.

Tira said slowly, "You say that you don't have multiple personalities, but you're not alone in your head." Her voice rose inquiringly before she shook it in disbelief.

"That's right," a voice growled out. They realized in shock that it came from Carrot!

"We have been within the cub, protecting him for nine years. We have been his support system when things got bad with the creature that is his father," a voice hissed out from Carrot's mouth as he paced around the room. Even the way he stood and walked was vastly different from the Carrot they knew and loved.

Syrus shook his head in despair. Even now Carrot was lying to himself. He opened his mouth to say something when he noticed Carrot looking at him in silent amusement.

Abruptly a voice cried out, "Look out, Carrot he's esc—" Then they all saw Carrot stagger slightly before straightening up. A shiver passed through them as they felt the room grow darker and colder. Chocolate breathed out, thinking she could see her cloudy breath as she exhaled.

Slowly Carrot paced around the room in silence, looking around andchinching things. As he passed Gateau's seat, his left hand flickered out and grabbed the knife Gateau was slicing the apple with.

"And who are you?" Marron said breaking the cold silence in the room. He froze as the cold eyes locked on to his.

"Ah the pretty-pretty that the boy is so determined to protect." Coldness dripped from his lips as Carrot paced forward to Marron who slowly backed away from the predatory glint in his niisno tno this was NOT his niisan. His niisan loved him, he was sure of that. This creature, whoever it was, didn't give a damn about him. He saw the knife glinting in the steady hand. Without warning the stranger in his niisan’s body was upon him, hand locked about his throat.

"Drop the knife boy," said the cold voice, his eyes staring into Marron’s. The hand about his throat tightened. Marron's eyes widened as the hand flashed up and pressed the deadly tip against Carrot's own neck! The others were still, knowingt tht the wrong move would result in Marron's death by his brother.

"Drop the knife boy, or I'll snap your pretty-pretty's neck like a twig. Drop it, I say!" Carrot's voice roared in the room, making the others jump in fear. Marron, looking into Carrot's eyes, knew that whoever the creature was, it wasn't talking to him.

"Do you think, Carrot, that, even if you managed to cut your throat, I still wouldn't kill your pretty-pretty? Even in your death throes, I will kill him. Now drop the knife and he will live. I give you my word," continued the cold voice as everyone began shaking with fear.

"Good," the voice purred as the knife dropped to the floor. "I would not have killed your little pretty-pretty.” A look of cold amusement crossed his face.

He staggered abruptly. "Stay the fuck away from my brother, Hakaishin," Carrot growled out. His eyes were blind as he fought his internal struggle. A different expression crossed Carrot's face.

"Gods above, they're fighting," a voice cried out. They exchanged wary glances, realizing that this was another speaking.

"Ooooo, now that's gotta hurt! Hit him again, Carrot," the voice said eagerly. The boy’s body jumped up and down and punched the air before as stern expression crossed his face.

"Silence boy. You should know better than to distract Carrot during this fight." An abashed look flickered over Carrot's face as he settled down.

"Yes sir."

Marron glanced at the others to find their eyes wide in amazement.

"What's happening and who are you?" he asked since no one else was going to say anything.

"Oh, sorry, you can call me Monkey, and Carrot and Hakaishin are fighting," said Monkey grinning at them before wincing at something only he could see.

"What is happening?" Marsaidsaid urgently.

"Your brother has some moves on him," Monkey said admiringly. "Uh oh, Hakaishin just pulled a sword on Carrot. Oh but Carrot pulled out a sword too." He gave such an accurate play-by-play of the fight that it felt like they were actually watching Carrot and not hearing it secondhand.

##############################################

Carrot dodged the sword thrust by spinning out of the way. He blocked a savage down stroke and punched Hakaishin in the face before pulling away and aiming a cutting slash, which Hakaishin blocked. Threw rew back and paused. Warily they eyed one another. Jumping forward at the same time, in a flurry of strikes and counter-strikes, they re-engaged in battle.

Faster they spun and twisted, each dodging and blocking the increasingly savage blows of the other. Carrot received a cut across the cheek when he failed to move quickly enough; Hakaishin, in turn, gained a deep slash across his upper arm when he failed to block quickly enough. Aiming a particularly strong stroke at Carrot, he was astonished when Carrot blocked him.

Carrot followed through with a sucker punch to Hakaishin's stomach, making him drop his sword. Before he could recover the boy backhanded him across the face and sent him sprawling across the floor.

"Carrot just bitch slapped Hakaishin across the face and he is down! No, my mistake, he's getting back up!" Monkey reported, miming the fight. The others listened breathlessly.

Hakaishin took a ragged breath before rolliver ver and getting to his feet. He smirked as black ebony wings sprouted from his back and long, black claws extended from his fingers.

His smirk faded as white wings unfolded from Carrot's back along with black talons on his hands and feet.

"Wings?! Where did Carrot get wings and the talons?" Monkey asked, turning to Snake in puzzlement.

"Stupid boy, of course he has wings. Carrot can draw upon the abilities of us all," Snake hissed irritably.

"You may call me Snake by the way," he informed the rapt listeners before he faded away, also avidly watching the fight.

With a wild shriek of fury, Hakaishin sprang at Carrot in hopes of bowling him over in the wild rush. But Carrot was ready for him. He sprang into the air as tactical information was fed to him and neatly avoided Hakaishin attack.

Hakaishin jumped into the air and an amazing aerial duel began. Feathers floated to the ground in their desperate battle foprempremacy. Finally, Carrot saw the opening he had been waiting for and seize it. Hakaishin screamed in pain as he plummeted to the ground. Slamming into the ground hard, he lay still as the others looked at him. His right wing was broken. His blood flowed sluggishly from a huge gouge in his side. His cruel lips parted upon each ragged breath.

"And he's down and it doesn't look good for him," Monkey reported and they all cheered between sighs of relief. Monkey had had them on pins and needles throughout the entire battle.

Carrot folded his wings and dived down like a hawk, spreading his wings just in time to touch down lightly. Stooping quickly, he seized his sword and stalked over to the fallen Hakaishin. His wings mantled in menace and a look of deadly cold upon his face, he gazed down at Hakaishin, who began to laugh.

"Oh uh, Hakaishin is laughing. He's got something up his sleeve, figuratively I mean," Monkey said in an aside.

Carrot stared down at the laughing Hakaishin. His eyes turned hard and cold.

"You laugh at your death," Carrot hissed.

"I laugh because I know you can't kill me," Hakaishin said, sure he had the upper hand. He had been planting his seeds of doubt for nine years, and he knew that they were about to flower.

"Killing me would be killing yourself," he said a smirk on his face. "It looks like we have what you Americans call a ‘Mexican standoff.’"

The others exchanged glances upon hearing Carrot talk now.

"Don't you mean, what you humans call a ‘Mexican standoff’?" Carrot demanded coldly as gazed down at Hakaishin, who lay frozen on the floor. "Or did you think me the stupid fool that my father thought I was? I figured out what you were doing by the second day after you had entered me. I knew that I didn't have multiple personalities. Considering that I didn't have them for ten years, it made no sense for me to develop it then." Carrot gave Hakaishin a smirk of his own.

They all started as Carrot began to scream. The boy dropped to his knees and held his head.

"Get out, get out, get out!" Marron ran forward to help his brother, but stopped upon seeing the savage look Carrot gave him.

"Stay back," Carrot managed to snarl out before his body jerked and arched backwards. A pained howl opened wide his mouth.

They all drew back in surprised horror as mist poured from Carrot’s stretched mouth. The vapor shot up towards the ceiling before pouring down and separating into five columns: Dark Grey, White, Gold, Orange and Red. Carrot, bowed forward, coughed and gasped convulsively.

The columns slowly began shifting, changing subtly, until the rest of the witnesses to this strange event could almost see a face in each the column. Marron made his way over to his niisan. Carefully he kept an eye on the five columns as they continued to seethe gently. They began changing, forming into almost humanlike proportions, when everyone else made their way to Carrot. Suddenly, within the Dark Grey column, black eyes opened, followed in succession by the others. White opened gold eyes, Gold opened blue eyes, Orange opened pink eyes and Red opened cobalt Blue eyes.

Slowly Carrot got his breathing under control and rested in Marron's arms for a few minutes. The five columns stood calmly before him. Pushing gently at Marron's arms, he stood up with Marron's help. Feeling the others, Tira, Chocolate and Gateau, standing to the side of them, he motioned them to get back. With silent shakes of their heads, they refused, their eyes locked on the shifting columns in front of them. They were determined to protect him. He rolled his eyes and huffed angrily.

"Get back," he whispered furiously at them. They had no idea the danger they were in. Again, silent shakes of their heads. Growing angrier, he put his hands against Marron's chest and shoved. "Get BACK!" he screamed. Their eyes turned to him in shock.

"They can't hurt me, but they can sure as hell can hurt you guys. Now—GET BACK!"

He roared. Again, he shoved at Marron. His heart ached at the hurt look in Marron's eyes, but he was determined to protect them all, no matter what. Shoving and yelling, he forced them all back, three feet…five feet…finally six feet away. His heart was breaking at the wounded looks on their faces. He hardened his resolve, satisfied that they were, at last, at a safe distance.