How to mend a broken Carrot

FANDOM: ANIME---SORCERER HUNTERS

TITLE: How to mend a broken Carrot
AUTHOR: Willie J
EMAIL: wmj166@msn.com
WEB SITE: N/A
PAIRINGS: Carrot/Marron (and yes they are brothers!)
RATING: NC-17 for content
DISCLAIMER: Sorcerer Hunters is copyright by A.D. Vision.
FEEDBACK: Dear God Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!
DISTRIBUTION: List Archives
SPOILERS: None
SUMMARY: A/U Carrot, raped, tortured


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

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

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.

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

A/N: Japanese....niisan is loosely translated to mean older brother; otouto is loosely translated to mean younger brother.


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Chapter 4

Lying naked in the hammock one day, idly talking about nothing in particular, Marron recalled a fond memory of a favorite family friend. As he absently caressed Carrot\'s semi-erect shaft, a gentle smile lit his face.

\"You remember how Rhubarb Pie used to always come over to the house with a pocket full of candy when we were little,\" he asked, lost in his memories of a happy childhood.

Unaware that Carrot\'s body had slowly stiffen beside him.

\"I remember,\" Carrot said quietly, his eyes distant---his body becoming rigid.

\"He was your favorite person. You were always in his lap fishing in his pockets for candy. I used to be so jealous because Father wouldn\'t let me eat any candy, but you would always share your candy with me late at night,\" Marron smiled, remembering the late nights, giggling quietly under their covers. Snuffing his mouth with the forbidden treat, feeling Carrot\'s hand muffling his giggles at the sound of their father\'s footsteps pausing outside their bedroom door.

He laughed softly, \"You were so mad the first time I sat in his lap getting the candy from his pockets. Especially when he...,\" his voice faltered to a stop, blinking slowly as he listened to Carrot\'s racing heart, feeling the rigid tenseness in the body he was lying against.

He sat up slowly, looking down into Carrot\'s averted face, touching him softly, \"Niisan, what\'s wrong? I was just talking...,\" shrinking back at the look of rage and hatred that flashed across his niisan\'s profile.

Marron frantically searched through their conversation, trying to remember what he had said to make Carrot so angry at him, all he was talking about---he froze as other images kerekered through his mind....

....a little Carrot sitting happily on Rhubarb\'s lap....

....a slightly bigger Carrot sitting rigidly in Rhubarb\'s lap, silent tears rolling down his face....

....niisan walking stiffly after an outing with Rhubarb, a look of confusion on his tiny face....

...niisan screaming himself sick when father wanted Rhubarb to look after him for the day....

....a lump of what he thought was candy the first time he had sat in Rhubarb\'s lap....

He turned horrified eyes down on Carrot with a slight hitch in his breath.

Carrot refused to look at him, he felt the gradual stiffness in Marron\'s body and he closed his eyes, trying to control the tremors that wanted to run through him. He had kept this a secret for so fucking long, never wanting anyone to know. He should have known that Marron would eventually figure things out...he just thought that he had put the a far far behind him.

\"Niisan,\" he heard Marron say tentatively.

\"What is it Marron,\" he sighed, he just wanted to go inside and shower for the next couple of hours.

\"Did he...,\" Marron searched for the words to ask this difficult question, feeling an almost incandescent rage trying to overtake him. Calm down, just calm down, he tried to tell himself. I don\'t know if it\'s true, so I have to remain calm, I must not frighten niisan.

Carrot looked up as he felt the tremors wracking Marron, flinching at the rage darkening Marron\'s eyes, \"Did who what,\" he asked cautiously.

Marron closed his eyes, fighting...struggling for control, \"Did Rhubarb molest you when we were children,\" he enunciating each word carefully and opened his eyes, reading the answer in Carrot\'s bruised eyes and the nervously twisting hands.

He exploded out of the hammock in a tearing rage, sending Carrot tumbling to the ground, \"Why didn\'t you tell Father, someone, ANYONE,\" he screamed, fury almost choking him as he paced angrily.

Carrot picked himself carefully off the ground, warily eyeing his furious brother, \"I did tell someone,\" he said quietly, his head down as he brushed himself off.

Marron paused, his head turning sharply as he growled, \"And?\" He dearly wanted to know what that someone did to punish Rhubarb. He hoped it was something long and painful. A vicious smile flashed across his face, maybe someone shoved a stick up HIS ass, showed him know how it felt!

He reeled in shock when Carrot said, \"Pop slapped me for making up lies and sent me to bed without supper.\"

Father knew, but didn\'t believe Carrot?! Marron eyes went wide in disbelief, feeling horrible sickness churning in his stomach.

Carrot looked away from the stricken look in Marron\'s eyes. He couldn\'t bear to tell him that from that day, he never trusted his father again. Not with him and especially not with Marron.

\"He didn\'t believe you,\" Marron whispered the words screaming in his mind, out loud. He was shaking in reaction, he could feel every shred of control being eroded from the rage roaring through him. He looked frantically around, he felt like he was going to explode! Aiming at a distant tree, he released the pent up rage inside.

BOOM! The tree exploded in a whoosh of fire. It wasn\'t enough! He looked around for something else, destroying five trees in all before he felt a measure of his control return.

Carrot had jumped in shock at the first blast, his mouth dropping open as he watched Marron destroy the first tree. His eyes were wide, recognizing the rage that drove Marron. He drew a shuddering breath as tree after tras sas sacrificed to Marron\'s searing rage.

Marron panted hoarsely, \"That\'s why you always made such a fuss whenever he came over and I sat...,\" his eyes widened, \"He was going after me next, that\'s why you always threw a tantrum when he was there, making me go with you into the forest until he left. Father always beat you for doing that, but you never stopped hiding me,\" Marron doubled over as sick fury churned in him.

Carrot held him hesitantly, \"Marron it\'s over and done. He can\'t hurt you and he can\'t hurt me,\" he shook the slender shoulders gently.

\"Oh yes, it WILL be over when we get home. I intend to slowly roast him alive,\" Marron hissed, his eyes burning in his wrath.

Carrot said sharply, shaking him, \"No, you\'re not. You gonna promise me right now that you ain\'t gonna use magic on him,\" he squinted at Marron, \"Or your sword.\"

\"Promise me,\" Carrot said quietly, sternly holding Marron\'s eyes.

\"But don\'t you want to hurt him for what he did,\" Marron pleaded angrily. He really, really wanted to kill Rhubarb.

\"Not any more, not at your expense,\" Carrot admitted. It was true, there was a time that he would have loved to have made Rhubarb pay for what he did.

\"But why,\" Marron wailed out, hands clenching in fists.

\"Because I don\'t hate myself anymore for what he did to me and I\'m not some helpless little kid.\" His lips quirked up in a crooked smile.

\"But mostly because I have you....loving me warts all all,\" he said quietly looking up into Marron\'s stunned eyes and gently kissed his lips, feeling his brother\'s angry lips soften under his.

Marron felt humbled, here all he could think about was killing Rhubarb and his niisan was thinking about him, still trying to protect him.

Oh, he was still going to kill Rhubarb, he just needed to wait until his niisan wasn\'t around to stop him.

They slowly walked into the house androt rot ran upstairs. Moments later Marron heard the shower start. He knew what Carrot was attempting to do...wash away the imaginary filth.

Marron\'s eyes glinted softly. By the time he was finished with his niisan tonight, sex would be associated with only mindblowing pleasure. Sex would equal Marron.

With a slow seductive smile on his face, Marron went to set the scene for his niisan\'s pleasure.

Carrot screamed, long and loud as Marron took another long lick at his pulsating flesh. His hands were clenched desperately in the sheets as he sobbed for breath, \"Marron, oh God! Marron, please let me cum,\" he babbled, his hips arching desperately into Marron\'s mouth.

This was the fifth time tonight that Marron brought him close to the edge, only to back off. Just licking at his cock, like it was some big lollipop that he could suck on all night long, he thought resentfully. He wanted, no he NEEDED to cum. He drew a shuddering breath, his eyes widening at the look on Marron\'s face, before he screamed again as Marron took him deep into his mouth, his hips writhing helplessly.

Leisurely wrapping his tongue around the thick flesh in his mouth, soft soughing moans of pleasure escaping his mouth, Marron was lost in the delicious taste of his niisan. There was nothing that he loved better than to have his niisan so hard and warm, just holding him in his mouth. He backed off and began to just lick at the head, sucking the fluid bubbling out, pressing soft kisses along the underside of the shaft he was loving.

He kissed his way down to the softly rounded sac, nestled sweetly between niisan\'s thighs, his hand keeping up a gentle up and down motion on the thick shaft above him, his mouth curving in a smile of dark delight at the cries leasleasure Carrot was making. Gently he took one of the soft sac deep in his mouth, rolling the flesh in his mouth before letting the now wet flesh drop from his mouth. Licking and mouthing the other bag with kittenish strokes of his tongue, each movement accompanied by a whimper from Carrot.

Slowly he kissed his way back up to the towering shaft. He licked his lips greedily, before lowering his head slowly, holding Carrot\'s eyes as he took his niisan\'s flesh once again deep into his mouth. He closed his eyes in rapturous pleasure, raising and lowering his head slowly, loving the whimpering moans from his brother. Feeling Carrot\'s hands tangling in his hair….


For once they were just lying on the couch, each reading a book when the mirror chimed.

They looked up curiously and a few minutes later Mama’s smiling face appeared in the mirror.

“Carrot, Marron! Carrot, I can tell that you are much better, yes? And you Marron, how are you doing?”

Marron replied calmly as he stood up, “I’m quite well, Mama. Carrot and I were just discussing the other other day that perhaps it\'s time for us to come back.” He turned slightly and looked at Carrot with an arched brow, silently questioning.

“Yeah, we was kinda talkin\' about getting back and kicking some serious Sorcerer ass!” Carrot said with an agreeable nod to Marron, also standing up.

Marron pulled Carrot closer to him and leaned slightly against his brother, a slight look of regret in his eyes.

“Yes, while it is nice to have some peace and quiet away from danger it will be nice to resume our duties again.” Marron continued serenely, as if he had not been bent over the kitchen table an hour earlier moaning as Carrot pounded into his ass.

“Beside, I never thought I would say this,” Carrot grimaced, “But I kinda miss the girls.”

Marron tensed slightly, though his face showed no emotion.

Carrot, slanted a long look at him, “I miss Tira and Chocolate,” he clarified, overtly for Mama\'s benefit and saw the flicker of relief in his brother\'s eyes.

“Good,” Mama smiled, but her eyes were sharp as she noted the closeness between the two boys. “Tira and Chocolate may need you two sooner rather than later. So you think you would like to come back this week,” she asked. Her sharp gaze saw the long exchange of glances between the two and the look of regret in Carrot\'s eyes as he replied cheerfully.

\"Sure!\"

“Very well then, I will send for you in two days time,” she smiled at ack acknowledgment on the boys’ faces before the their image faded.

Tapping her fingers thoughtfully on the arm of her chair, she recalled how broken Carrot had looked eight months ago. Now he looked as if he could take on the world, whole and happily contented, something that she had rarely seen in the years he had been a Sorcerer Hunter. He looked as if he had finally found peace and happiness---and considering that Marron was the only one there….she sighed, they would have a most difficult path ahead of them if what she suspected was true.

Back at the cottage, Carrot and Marron watched the mirror resume it’s reflective surface, neither speaking.

“So you think she suspects,” Carrot said breaking the silence.

“Suspects?” Marron questioned softly without looking at his brother.

“Yeah, you know…about us, that we are…,” here Carrot faltered, his face turning red at the thought of using the word ‘lover’ and ‘Mama’ in the same sentence. Some words you just weren\'t supposed to use in the same sentence or even thought about at the same time, he thought with a shudder.

“That we are lovers?” Marron asked as he paced over to the window and gazed out.

“Yeah,” Carrot\'s eyes narrowed on that long, slender back, reading the almost invisible tension and hurt that Marron was trying to hide.

“Do you care what she thinks of us? Are you embarrassed because your lover is a male? Or that your lover is also your brother?” Marron asked in a low harsh voice, gasping as he was forcibly turned around to meet his niisan\'s blazing eyes.

“First, let\'s get a couple of things straight,” Carrot grated out, “Of course I care what she thinks of me, of us! She\'s been practically our mother since our own mother died and she\'s the one that protected me from Rhubarb. So fuck yeah, I care about her opinion! Second, am I embarrassed about having a male as my lover? No more than I care aboutemalemale being my lover. And third am I ashamed that you and I are lovers?” At this his hand fell away and he faltered before taking a deep breath.

“Yeah, sometimes I am,\" he met Marron\'s eyes with painful honesty. \"When I\'m alone, I get so fuckin’ ashamed of what we\'re doing, of what I\'ve done to you. I\'m your older brother, I\'m supposed to look out for your best interests yet here I am, half the time with my dick up your ass or your dick down my throat. I felt like I\'m somehow taking advantage of you...of your need to protect me, to help me.”

He wanted to turn away from Marron\'s probing eyes but knew that this had to be said. Hiding shit only made thing worse, so let\'s see what honesty did.

“But then I see you and all my doubts, my fears go away when I look into your eyes. And I know that what we have between us is as real as the air we breath. I knew that, yeah I can play on your good nature and sometime get what I want from you, but take advantage of you like this…?” Carrot shook his head, his eyes never leaving the dawning glow lighting up Marron\'s face.

“The only way that you would allow me to take advantage of you would be if you were out of your fuckin’ mind,” Carrot smiled, “And I really can\'t see that happening to the Great Marron Glace!”

Marron\'s eyes lowered a little shyly, “Does this mean that you want to continue once we\'re home?” So much emotion was packed in that simple question.

Carrot stepped to him and pulled Marron\'s head down for a long, thorough kiss, leaving them both breathless and aroused.

“What do you think,” he breathed huskily, his eyes near black with passion.

With a slumberous, coy look at Marron, he strolled away. At the foot of the stairs he cast a sensual heated look at Marron through his lashes, before taking the first step.

And with a hungry look in his eyes, Marron followed eagerly after his seductive niisan.

The upstairs rang with their screams and moans of passion as they began making memories of their time in paradise.


All too soon their idilic stay came to an end when Mama summoned them back urgently. Briefly explaining the situation, she sent them through.


Chocolate barely dodged a flaming missile thrown at her, growing increasing tired and frustrated at the difficulty in putting down the sorcerer and his troupe of unmerry men.

Gnashing her teeth as she saw Rabanadas go down, she threw her garrote with deadly accuracy at one of the sorcerer\'s men. Ripping it out of the man she whirled around and launched it at another. And with a quick approving glance to the side, she saw Tira dispatch two more of the sorcerer\'s men, leaving them with only five more to go.

She smirked as she saw one of the men go down under Melba\'s deadly sword and another sprout an arrow in his throat. For a brief moment she wondered where the arrow came from before attacking another man.

Suddenly the Sorcerer drew himself up, his hands glowing with power….and unleashing it all at them, cackling madly as the bolt ripped through his own men, ripping through the ground...inescapable.

“NOOOOOO!” came a despairing scream from beyond the trees, icy eyes widened in horror.

Chocolate fell to the ground and look across at her sister. Separated by dead and dying men, they exchange a regretful look. They had failed. They knew that there wasn\'t enough time to escape the the magic blast heading towards them.

There was a shimmer fifteen feet in front of them and two figures leaped through with catlike grace.

Marron, seeing the oncoming blast threw up a quick shield around him and the others, praying that his niisan was healed enough to change.

Carrot had time for a quick quip to Tira, “Hey, didya miss us?” before the blast struck him dead on, driving him back into a stand of trees with a scream of agony.

Above the roar conflation of the trees, the mad laughter of the sorcerer could be heard.

“Ahahahahahahahahah! Two down five to go! I don\'t know who you are boy, but you better take off or I\'ll do the same to you as..,” his words were cut off at an enraged scream came from within the burning trees, rife with bloodlust...with fury.

“I\'m sorry, you were saying,” Marron called politely to the sorcerer, standing with unruffled calm as a huge demonic creature stormed passed him, heading straight for the now horrified man.

Marron turned and helped Chocolate to her feet, gladly enduring her squeals of joys as Tira came running over yelling excitedly. All three, with the ease of long practice, ignored the furious growling and terrified yelling behind them.

Melba helped her brother to his feet, warily keeping an eye on the huge creature toying, she realized with shock, toying with the sorcerer like a cat with a mouse.

They backed slowly to their brother, Tongas and collected him, carefully easing over to the familiar Tira and Chocolate.

\"Uhm guys,\" Melba said uneasily as a hideous scream rent the air then the sound of tearing flesh, \"Big, huge beastie; missing cute guy...does this ring any bells?\"

\"Oh shit! It\'s coming back,\" Tongas yelled, readying his defensive magic.

And he was very surprised when Chocolate knocked his hands into the air.

\"Are you friggin\' crazy? You trying to kill him or somethin\'?\" she screamed at him furiously.

Tongas fell back a couple of steps, stammering, \"Well, yeah!\"

Rabanadas trembled and glancing at his sword uneasily, he thought it seemed such a pitiful defense against the demonic creature. He stiffened suddenly his eyes growing wide, as it watched them intelligently....unholy amusement in it\'s red glaring eyes.

\"Idiots,\" Chocolate grumbled before readying herself.

Tira smiled wickedly, \"Ready sister?!\" Snapping her whip at her side, blinking and losing her smile as the creature looked down at her with cold amusement in it\'s eyes.

Both she and Chocolate gaped as the creature split and kept on splitting until there were twelve separate beasts towering over them....surrounding them.

Tira regarded the huge creatures thoughtfully, \"This may be a *tad* bit harder than I thought.\"

\"Ya think?!\" Chocolate breathed, staring up at the towering creatures.

\"You have done well, little cub,\" Snake hissed, coiling around a boulder.

Marron inclined his head and slid his hands into the sleeves of his robe.

\"You are satisfied with the results, then,\" growled Wolf, settling on it\'s haunches.

\"I am happy with our results,\" Marron announced quietly. \"I can only hope my niisan is equally happy,\" he added softly, his eyes reflecting his uncertainty.

\"The boy is whole and happy with his decision, there are no regrets,\" purred Cat, it\'s tail flickering idly.

For the first time since they came through, Marron smiled, a tiny smile but a smile nevertheless. His eyes glowed with joy, \"Thank you,\" he murmured and bowed deeply to them.

Tira and Chocolate looked on in puzzlement, wondering what had Marron so happy and what THEY were talking about.

\"Any time and another place, little cub, perhaps we will meet again,\" rumbled Tiger with a regal inclination of his ruffled head.

Snake uncoiled it\'s length and slithered to the non-raging demonic beast, as all the other creatures walked/hopped/flew/jumped to the demonic beast, vanishing silently within.

And the creature turned it\'s mad glowing eyes on them, lingering on Marron and bowed it\'s head.

An ofuda snapped in Marron\'s hand and with a single flick of his wrist, it sped to the waiting creature, engulfing it in flames.

\"Carrot!\" Tira shrieked, her eyes wide in horror at what Marron had done.

\"Darling!\" Chocolate screamed, she couldn\'t believe what Marron did to his brother.

They drew closer to Marron with furious eyes, as he watched the flames with an expressionless face. He glanced at them with cool eyes and they froze in their tracks, remembering Marron would never harm his brother.

Only as the flames began to die down did he move.

Melba, Tongas and Rabanadas, forgotten in the conversation, gasped softly as they saw a naked young man sitting amid the flames, watching them with lively dark eyes.

Marron unclasped his outer robe and gestured. The flames flickered, then died completely and he extended his robe to Carrot who seized it, wrapping it around himself before stepping out at Marron\'s side. Just in time to get an armful of an exuberant Chocolate.

\"Darling!\" she yelled launching herself at Carrot, crying almost hysterically.

Marron braced himself as Carrot caught her and staggering back against him.

He smiled at the wistful look in Tira\'s eyes, mutely holding out his arms to her and she threw herself at him with a muffled sob.

\"Shhh, Tira, didn\'t we tell you that we would be back,\" he soothed the distraught girl, meeting Carrot\'s eyes over the sobbing girls and shifting closer so that they were together.

\"I..it\'s...just..that...it\'s...been..so looongg,\" Chocolate wailed, clutching desperately at Carrot.

\"C\'mon, ya know ain\'t nothing gonna get the Glace brothers down,\" Carrot said teasingly feeling his eyes sting with tears as well, \"Besides, what would I do without my girls pounding on me and keeping me in line? Marron\'s a wimp and don\'t hit me half as hard as you two,\" he said lightly, rewarded by their choking, watery laughs.

\"C\'mon and dry ya tears, can\'t let our reputations go down can we? I mean really, who\'s gonna be afraid of us if we\'re running around boo-hooing all the time,\" he patted Chocolate\'s shoulder awkwardly. They were scaring him half to death with this crying business and he cast a desperate look to Marron silently begging for help.

\"Carrot is right, Tira. I don\'t hit him as hard as you two, perhaps you would like to give me lessons,\" Marron said in all seriousness, a twinkle in his eyes as the girls looked at him in surprise.

\"That kinda help, I don\'t need,\" Carrot rolled his eyes as the girls began laughing and promising to teach Marron everything they knew about controlling Carrot.

They began walking slowly back to the Toast siblings, a girl on either side of Carrot, clinging to his arms. And with unusual silent grace he endured, knowing they just needed to reassure themselves of their presence. He saw the look that flash across Marron\'s face when Tira grabbed his arm and yanked him closer to them. He smirked at Marron\'s surprised expression, poor boy never realized just how much he meant to the Misu sisters as well.

The Toast brothers and sister regarded the approaching quartet with something like awe in their eyes.

Tongas reflected, while they had gotten moderately used to Tira and Chocolate\'s rather dramatic...changes when they began to fight but to see the famous Marron Glace in action....was astounding. Then to top things off, the brother they had quickly dismissed as the weakest was some kind of storehouse for some of the most fantastical fierce creatures he had ever seen. What was next, he snorted, were they going to see Zaha Torte prancing around in a pink tutu?

It was bad enough to see Tira and Chocolate\'s personality changes at the start of a fight, of course, it nearly had killed him and his brother but hell, SOMEBODY should have warned them! Things like that could have give them either a heart attack or they could have drown in their own drool, Tongas thought aggrievedly, unaware of the frown on his face until he met Marron\'s coldly glittering eyes.

Gulping, he quickly plastered a small smile on his face, quickly praying that Marron Glace did not think he was displeased with the Misu sisters or anything bad.

Chocolate looked at Tongas\' paling face and pinched Marron, \"Cut it out, you\'re scaring the poor guy,\" she muttered at his sudden start.

\"Well, he was frowning at you and Tira,\" Marron rubbed his arm absently.

\"Well, we did give them a shock, didn\'t we, Tira,\" Chocolate smiled wickedly, smirking at the shudders that rippled through the Toast brothers.

\"Yes, indeed,\" Tira snickered, \"We rather shocked them when we began to fight,\" she looked up at Marron with wide innocent eyes.

\"Tira,\" Marron remarked dryly, \"Please, do remember that *I* taught you that look.\"

For a second, Tira looked abashed, \"Oh, yeah right,\" she mumbled.

Carrot and Marron\'s eyes met, with clear amusement in Carrot\'s eyes before Marron looked back down at Tira.

\"But I\'ll pretend that I believe you,\" Marron added, looking down at her wryly.

Melba bounced up to them excitedly, \"Hi! These are my brothers,\" she jerked a thumb over her shoulder, staring fixedly at Marron, \"Guy with the blue hair, he\'s a magic user and named Tongas...dude with the black hair and sword s\'my brother Rabanadas....my name\'s Melba and I\'m single,\" she purred, licking her red lips seductively.

And she recoiled slightly at the hostile look on Marron\'s face.

\"Last time someone admired me, he hurt my brother,\" Marron stated coldly to the flirtatious girl.

Melba blinked and smiled, \"Hey, I\'m flexible! How about me, you AND your brother, huh?!\"

And she began yelling under the hard, heavy blows she received from her brothers and then a firm hand covered her mouth.

\"Please do forgive our little sister,\" Rabanadas said suavely over her muffled yells, barely even moving despite Melba\'s furious struggles to get free.

\"Yes, unfortunately we \'accidentally\' dropped her too many times on her head when we were children,\" Tongas shook his head sadly, a glint of humor in his eyes.

\"Poor, poor Melba,\" Rabanadas eyes were woeful with a wicked twinkle lurking under the sorrowfully expression.

Carrot burst out laughing a half second before Tira and Chocolate, even Marron\'s lips twitched in amusement at the brother\'s antics.

And in accord, they made their way to Stellar Church with Melba sulkily trailing behind plotting various ways of revenge against her evil brothers.


After changing, the seven Hunters stood somberly before Big Mama.

\"Very well done!\" Mama exclaimed with a proud smile. \"Carrot, Marron it is wonderful to have you back,\" she said, her smile growing as she regarded the now blushing Carrot, marveling at the changes she could see in both young men.

Carrot had grown slightly, as his previously thin frame had filled out somewhat bringing his weight up and past his illness rd frd frame. Perhaps it had been the awful events of his torture and rape that was the initial catalyst to his emotional growth but now...now his eyes reflected a quieter, calmer control as if he had finally found what he had been frantically seeking for years. She well remembered his endless quest after anything female and her smile became subtly warmer as she regarded the two Glace brothers.

While many would frown on such a union as this, she couldn\'t help but approved of how it seem to settle and ground Carrot. Her eyes turned to the ever so patient Marron, seeing how his eyes belied his seemingly outward calm, beginning to sparkled with ill temper at her continuing silence. Her lips twitched at how Carrot simply reached back and eased Marron\'s temper with a calming hand.

\"Rabanadas, Melba and Tongas now that Carrot and Marron have returned would you prefer to remain with them or form your own team,\" Mama looked at the Toast family. A gleam of amusement in her eyes at the rapid whispering argument going on among the three. Finally after a furious protesting look, Tongas was shoved forward to be their spokeman.

\"Uh, Big Mama, we...uhm.. wanted to know, not that we are complaining, mind you,\" he said hastily seeing her eyes narrow, \"Uhm..why did you put us with Tira and Chocolate in the first place,\" he asked hesitantly, wincing at an anticipated blow.

At Mama\'s gentle laugher he opened his eyes with a sigh of relief.

\"Because you had become far to complacent in your abilities. You handled every situation in a very predictable manner. Every time a surprise was thrown at you, there was always a struggle from the three of you to first recognize the danger and then to attempt to defeat it. With Tira and Chocolate, you learned that things are frequently not what they appear to be. You finally learned to adapt to surprises and build upon your experiences, to think beyond your training and improvise a strategy.\"

Tongas looked rueful, \"Well, you gotta admit, working with them sure as hell taught us how to focus and improvise.\" He turned and regarded the Misu sisters, \"You two were brilliant in thinking on your feet, making up strategies as you fought,\" he said in tones of sincere admiration.

\"I know we gave you two a hard time when we came, both me and Rabby pushing you out of danger despite what we knew about your reputations. And Melba for once was right, she kept smacking us around trying to get us to see that you were doing just fine on your own. And I, we want to apologize...you taught us a lot.\"

He turned and faced Mama again, \"I think that we need to take what we\'ve learn and try to succeed or fail on our own.\"

\"Hey man, no need to go,\" Carrot immediately protested. \"Chocolate and Tira\'s been full of nothing but good things about you guys. Like I always say, the more the merrier to kick Sorcerer\'s butts, ya know!\" he exclaimed with a firm nod.

Marron had his mouth opened to agree and blinked, \"Brother, when exactly did you say that,\" he asked interestedly, a twinkle in his eyes.

Carrot rolled his eyes, \"Nevermind that, the important thing is that *I* said it, okay,\" he heaved a put on sigh and shook his head at his slow brother, his eyes glittering with humor.

Tira and Chocolate exchanged wondering looks, this was way beyond strange. Carrot was acting in a very nonCarrot way! They had passed dozens of pretty girls and all he did was give them a couple of admiring glances and kept on. Now Marron was making with the jokes and teasing Carrot?! In public?! What was next, Mille was going to turn into a Haz Knight? They looked at each other with the same thought....naaaah, like that\'ll ever happen. They\'ll believe Carrot was gay before they believe that!

\"What my brother is saying is quite true,\" Marron continued calmly ignoring Carrot\'s flushed face.

\"More people within our group would spell a more decisive defeat for the Sorcerers abusing Pensioners,\" he added persuasively.

Rabanadas faced the golden-eyed mage, \"True but if we split up we can all cover more ground,\" he said gravely. Besides, he was having a weird feeling about the two brothers that was making him slightly uncomfortable and from the way Chocolate talked about Carrot he was sure that he would be swiftly forgotten. He didn\'t think he could bear to stay and watch her fawn over Carrot Glace, he knew Tongas wouldn\'t stay either. Why punish themselves over two beautiful girls that were only passing the time with them?

He sighed quietly, a regretful look on his face.

Chocolate bit her lip, \"We really would like you to stay,\" she said in a small voice, flushing at the look he gave her.

\"Yeah, it...it won\'t be the same without you,\" Tira whispered, her eyes uncertain as she gazed up into Tongas eyes, blushing slightly.

Carrot and Marron exchanged slightly pleased looks, maybe matters may go a litter easier than they thought.

Tongas smiled down into Tira\'s wide eyes, \"No, I think it would be for the best if we stepped out on our own again,\" he said gently, touching her face softly. \"It\'ll give us all some breathing room, I think we all have some hard decisions to make, beautiful Tira.\"

Tira gazed at him, then at Carrot before turning her eyes back to Tongas\' patiently waiting eyes, \"Oh,\" was all she could think to say, dropping her eyes.

Chocolate looked hesitantly at Raby, who smiled broadly, teasingly at her.

\"I never thought I would see the day when the great Chocolate Misu would be silent! Be still my beating heart,\" he clutched at his chest, staggering back and laughing as she playfully attacked him with a mock growl.

\"Oh you,\" she fetched up against his chest, her laughter fading under the intent look in his eyes.

\"When you decide what you want, my pretty, all you need to do is call me and I\'ll come running,\" he whispered huskily, his eyes deadly serious. \"But I won\'t play second fiddle, not even for you.\"

Carrot looked at her with an unreadable expression in his eyes when she looked at him. She had s so so much of her life chasing him, trying to get him to notice her...to love her. And now here was Raby offering her his heart and she just didn\'t know what to do! Her eyes filled with hot tears as the enormity of her decision raged through her.

And with a choked sob she threw herself in Carrot\'s open arms, feeling his arms wrap around her protectively, giving her a measure of the trust and love she had felt throughout their childhood.

Raby looked on with slightly bitter eyes and sighed, well he guessed that he had his answer, watching as Tira joined the two, tears running from her eyes.

Marron walked away, his eyes cool and distant as he passed them, \"Things are often not what they appear,\" he murmured to the two brothers.

And they looked after him with puzzled eyes, before they turned away.

\"Marron, what of the others,\" Mama asked with troubled eyes, \"Will they appear again?\"

\"I do not believe so,\" Marron stated calmly, his hands slipping into the sleeves of his robe. \"It is my belief that one will only appear in response to Carrot being hit by unfriendly magic and...\"

Carrot had tuned Marron out as he comforted the two sobbing girls. In a way, he was glad that they had both found others to love, but he would miss them! They both had been part of his life almost as long as Marron, it would be hard NOT to miss them despite all the aggravation they caused him over the years. The beatings he endured at their hands faded away...leaving only the love and protectiveness he still held for them.

\"It\'s okay,\" he murmured softly into their hair, \"I\'m okay. Marron wouldn\'t let me be other than okay,\" he chided them gruffly. \"Marron would be seriously kickin\' my ass if he thought I was trying to fake being okay, doncha think,\" he laughed softly.

\"I\'m not blind ya know,\" he said, turning serious, \"Sometimes stupid, but not blind. You have two good men wanting to give you the sun and moon, and you would be a fool to let them slip away, chasing after an impossible fantasy of pretend love. You don\'t wanna do that because you\'ll find yourself alone, old and bitter wishing that you still had them,\" and he met Marron\'s eyes over their heads.

Chocolate and Tira stared up at him, awed over what he said. For a brief moment, jealousy stirred in their hearts, before vanishing. After all, who could he have possibly fell in love with? There was no one other than....and they saw the look in his eyes directed over their heads. Painful clarity flashed in their eyes as they looked at each other...Marron?!

Carrot glanced down at them and saw knowledge fill their eyes. He refused to feel shame or remorse and his eyes were unapologetic as he met their troubled eyes.

Slowly a smile trembled first on Tira then Chocolate\'s faces before they swiftly kissed him and ran, yelling to the men making their way out of the building.

\"Everything\'s okay,\" Marron murmured to Carrot as he watched him, his eyes searching. Relief filling him at his niisan\'s slow smile.

\"Yeah, everythin\' fine and dandy,\" Carrot bumped his shoulder lightly against Marron\'s, it all that he dared to do in public.

\"Mama said that father is waiting for us at home,\" Marron began calmly, that brief touch from his niisan caused all sorts of interesting things to happen in his body. He immediately started plotting ways to get his brother alone.

\"Hunters, please report back here in two weeks. I have much to discuss with you,\" Mama said gravely.

Marron and Carrot turned around, questioning looks on their faces.

Carrot met her eyes, \"Uhm, will we like what you have to discuss,\" he looked at her tentatively.

\"Perhaps,\" she smiled enigmatically.

\"Oh, well,\" Carrot shrugged, a wide grin on his face, \"Why waste time worrying, let\'s go, Marron!\"

They strolled down the hallway, heading for the open doors.

Marron slanted a look down at the bouncing figure at his side, \"I wonder how the pool looks this time of the year,\" he said casually. \"It\'s been quite a long time since we were there.\"

\"Yeah,\" Carrot nodded, his face lightening up, \"You remember how we used to go there and play all day? Boy, Pop would be so mad! Nobody was ever able to find....,\" he came to an abrupt stop, his eyes wide.

Marron waited with feigned patience, \"Yes, you were saying,\" he asked calmly despite the hot glittering look in his eyes.

\"Yes,\" Carrot said slowly, his eyes on Marron\'s face, \"It would be nice to go visit the pool,\" and his eyes lowered, then raised slowly....giving a long burning look at Marron who flushed, \"As I recall, no one ever found us there, no mater how loud we were,\" he purred.

\"Hmmm, maybe a trip *is* in order,\" he added, \"Just to see how...things are, of course,\" he smiled slowly.

\"Of course,\" Marron echoed, the serene look on his face belied by the intense look of desire in his eyes.

They slowed their pace as Tira and Chocolate came charging towards them, wide happy smiles on their faces.

\"Don\'t need to guess why you two look like you\'re walking on air,\" Carrot said, snickering at the wild blush that suffuse Tira\'s face.

\"Ow!\" he rubbed his head looking in outrage at Chocolate.

\"Look, you go beat up on your own lovesick boys and stop beating up on me,\" Carrot said in offended dignity.

\"Fine, then we\'ll leave Marro bea beat up on you,\" Chocolate retreated with a smirk at the frozen look on Carrot\'s face.