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Escape From Manitou Island: Part 135 |
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(DISCLAIMER: This part, and all parts hereafter, are works in progress (WIPs) and have not been proofread or checked for plot inconsistencies. I've decided to present them "as is" for now, as there is a significant amount of unfinished material; yet this story has been on hiatus for a long while, I've forgotten certain details, and I have no plans to resume work on it any time soon. Please keep in mind while reading that details may change in the future. Should you spot an inconsistency, however, please feel free to point it out to me for possible correction.)
ANGRY LITTLE GIRLS THE MITCHI MANITOU swung his head and knocked Charmian from her feet. With a cut-off yelp, she flew several yards before collapsing. A loud whistle from Mani--still frozen nearby--made her lift her head and shake it, then gasp and scramble sideways just in time to avoid getting trampled. Several of the others stood gawking at her for a moment before the rest of the mitchi manitous began running at them, and just like that a melee commenced. Charmian tried keeping her eyes on the others fighting while at the same time avoiding getting killed herself. She spotted Peepaukawiss hopping from foot to foot and squealing like a girl--none of the manitous were even interested in attacking him--and yelled, "PUKA! Make yourself useful if you're not going to fight!!" "Huh--? Oh!" Puka glanced around the scene, then hurried forward and grabbed up Winter Born and Remy. They both yelled in surprise as he carried them off, and of course they didn't go without a fight. He halted with them outside the ring of fighting and held them there, eyes wide and feathers flaring. "You know--" Manabozho said, passing by Charmian and knocking one of the manitous across the antlers with a stick, "I could take him off your hands VERY easily..." "This is supposed to be--" she gasped and ducked a blow "--a FAIR fight!!" He rolled his eyes. "And do you expect THEM to honor that agreement--?" Charmian darted a look toward Mishosha and Makwaquae. Mishosha kept his hold tight on the medicine doll so that Moon Wolf could do little more than crouch before them, obviously in pain; but other than that, they didn't seem interested even in fighting just yet. If I can just keep this fight going until we can get that doll away from him, she thought feverishly, dodging to the side, then MAYBE we'll stand a chance of getting out of here ALIVE! Never mind that Moon Wolf had snapped at her not to bother going for the doll or getting involved; when the manitou just missed hitting her in the head again, she told herself that it was a little too late to not get involved right now. "Grandfather!!" Little Wind yelled; he still stood just beyond the main space of the fighting, fists clenched and an agonized look on his face. "Stop this!! We can still fulfill our mission to Megissogwun without doing this!" Mishosha gave him a mildly irked look. "You think you have any say in what goes on here now...?" he called back. "Remember that you are just as expendable as the rest of them. I'm interested in only one party here today." He turned back to Moon Wolf and smirked. "Better yet, make that two. I keep forgetting how much fun I intended to have." He dug his fingernail into the doll's head and Moon Wolf grimaced and clutched at his own, falling forward. All that medicine and stuff he taught me and he can't even beat a stupid DOLL? Charmian thought, gritting her teeth. The manitou chose that moment to hit her in the side and she rolled head over heels with a grimace. He snickered as she staggered to her feet, rubbing at her bruised ribs. "What's...the matter?" she wheezed. "Too WEAK to just finish me off like you said...?" The manitou just sniggered. Not quite. Find battering you around rather fun. What, you want me to do you in already--? "I'm kind of--getting the feeling that--you can't," Charmian managed to get out, dodging again when he swung at her almost playfully. She held up her hand. "That all that bragging was just that--bragging! You know what they say about people who make big boasts--they just have to make up for something little." The manitou continued sneering, then blinked and had to think for a moment. "FIRE!" Charmian shouted, and threw a fireball at his head. He gasped and jerked, managing to catch it before it could explode against his forehead; but it bounced between his antlers instead, and he had to swing his head from side to side, the fire bouncing back and forth like a pinball. He started whistling loudly and turning in circles while Charmian couldn't help laughing, even though she knew it wasn't a smart idea. "Well, that's rather interesting," Mishosha commented. "Fff! Are you going to allow a little girl to humiliate you so easily--?" Makwaquae called. Charmian whirled to face her, fists clenched. "WATCH WHO YOU CALL A LITTLE GIRL, YOU OLD HAG!!" Makwaquae's face went white, then red, and Mishosha started laughing. "Take it easy," the wabano said, "remember the manitou just promised to kill her for us." Makwaquae blinked, then let out her breath. A smile started to come to her face--then Charmian yelled and went flying sideways. She landed in the puddle of water that had formed not far from the riverbank, sputtering and splashing. She gasped when the manitou charged toward her and lowered his antlers so that she was pinned beneath them. She tried tugging on them to free herself, feeling the mud beneath her starting to sink, her legs getting stuck in it. She sucked in a breath before her head went under the water. "Charmian!" she heard Winter Born yell, just as the water went past her ears and she shut her eyes, a bubble escaping her nose. She heard the mitchi manitou snickering in her head. What's wrong--? Can't breathe underwater? Awww! She grasped onto his antlers and tried wrenching them loose, but they'd mired in the mud just like her legs had. Go ahead and keep fighting. Will be even more amusing to watch all your breath escape you. Thanks for falling in this waterhole for me! What do you have against the Island--? Charmian thought desperately. You CAME from there! And now you're preventing us from SAVING it--? What the hell did he offer you that would be worth even half of that--? The manitou snorted and bubbles hit her face. Think you can talk your way out of this one? Nice try! Let's just say I had no more place there. Was disgraced for siding with Pearl Feather One. Why remain on a piddling Island when the land's most powerful wabano offers a chance to destroy it once and for all for rejecting me--? Huh--? Charmian thought, and against her better judgement her eyes popped open. She caught sight of his glowing blue eyes fixed on hers. You--you SURVIVED the flood--? she cried out in her head. You HELPED Megissogwun destroy the first Island--? The mitchi manitou's muzzle twisted into an ugly sneer. Was easy to pass myself off as an elder manitou, until offered this chance by someone with TRUE power! he replied, and lowered his head even further as if to butt her in the chest. Charmian gritted her teeth to try to hold her breath, though her lungs were starting to burn; she renewed her struggle against the cage of his antlers, trying to free one leg so that she could at least kick him. The mud felt like quicksand--not that she knew what that felt like, but this had to at least be close. If you stop this now you can go BACK! she thought. Geezhigo-Quae is forgiving! And Mishosha has no hold on you! You belong on the Island as much as everyone else does. Let me out of here and stop this right now! Stupid human, the manitou snorted. It was the ISLAND who rejected me in the FIRST place! He twisted his head sideways and one of the points of his antler gouged at her shoulder. Before she could think she let out her breath in a yell and felt the muddy water surge into her mouth. As soon as she tried to cough it out, more only followed, and she began writhing like a fish caught in a net. She tried another fire attack, but of course it fizzled out in the water--and she couldn't call up any other manitous, having no breath with which to do so-- A strange muffled noise came from above and outside; she couldn't tell what it was, but it got louder, and the manitou froze in place as if listening. She saw his eyes widen and dart to the side--and then with a loud blare he was gone, his left antler just missing cutting open Charmian's chest as he released her. Charmian dropped her arms into the waterhole and propelled herself upward as fast as she could, coughing and sputtering out a lungful of water which splattered over her lap. She began fighting to free her legs, though it was somewhat difficult, considering that her hands were now stuck as well. "W...water!" she managed to cough, and the water began swirling around her, sucking the mud away. She pulled her hands free with a loud slurping noise and began clambering out, yanking her feet loose and nearly losing a moccasin. She swept her sopping hair from her eyes as she leapt to her feet. "All--all right! L-let's see you try that AGAIN--!" Her voice died off in a harsh croak and she had to fight not to start coughing again. She blinked and then wiped the water from her eyes, confused to see that apparently all the fighting was over with. Yet...all of the mitchi manitous were still there, and Mishosha and Makwaquae still stood near the river, looking on with surprised expressions. Charmian furrowed her brow before thinking to look around for her own manitou. She finally spotted him...lying at the edge of the river and just now getting to his feet. He staggered a little and shook his head dizzily, blinking as if confused; he glanced around at everyone, saw Charmian, then started scowling and lowered his head as he turned toward her. "If you even TOUCH her you'll REGRET it!" The hairs on Charmian's neck prickled at the awful grating voice that she heard coming from behind her. She saw Thomas and Stick-In-The-Dirt, nearby, turn to look as well, their eyes as wide as anyone's. It took her a moment to notice how her skin was tingling from some sort of charge in the air, but Kenu didn't look like he was powering up--in fact he looked as stunned as everyone else--and that must have been what had abruptly ended all the fighting around her. The mitchi manitous stared in the same direction as her own group. She slowly turned around and noticed Puka, Remy, and Winter Born, still standing just outside the range of the fray. Puka and Remy were staring at Winter Born...who was staring at the lead mitchi manitou, her eyes on fire and the weird northern lights glow all around her. Her fists were clenched and her teeth bared, and Charmian almost expected her head to start spinning around. "What...?" she whispered. "You mean you didn't hear that...?" Thomas whispered back; when she turned to him his brow furrowed. "She let out this scream when you were in the water...sounded even louder than one of those Thunderbirds getting angry! I think she's going to throw another one of her fits!" "You mean she hasn't already--?" Stick-In-The-Dirt hissed. "She didn't even MOVE and that manitou was knocked off his feet!!" Charmian turned back around in time to hear Mishosha say, "Interesting." She glanced at him, but he seemed more intrigued than worried or upset. Makwaquae's look, on the other hand, was livid. The female wabano clenched her own fists and shook them in the air. "DON'T LET THE LITTLE WHELP BEAT YOU LIKE THAT, YOU STUPID MANITOU! What sort of manitou ARE you to let yourself get knocked around by little girls--?!" The mitchi manitou ground his own teeth and started walking toward Charmian again, making a point of ignoring Winter Born. He tossed his head. Lucky blow, he muttered as he came. But won't happen again! Charmian clenched her fists to get ready for him, but couldn't help gnawing on her lip at the same time. She kept peering at Winter Born from the corner of her eye, and saw how the glow around her grew even brighter, the little girl gnashing her teeth as if supremely pissed off. She could tell from the manitou's gait that he was more than a little nervous himself, but apparently his fear of Mishosha and Makwaquae was even greater. "Last chance to turn back or regret it," Charmian warned. And then thought at him, I don't control her. I suggest you step down before you get her REALLY mad. A snort. You think a little winter girl can scare me off--? Can deflect YOUR attacks easily enough--can easily ward off HERS! Charmian let out a small sigh. Don't say I didn't warn you. The mitchi manitou let out a bellow and reared up onto his hind legs. Charmian braced her arms together and hurled a fireball at his chest as hard as she could. It managed to knock him backwards a bit so that he stumbled, but it didn't knock him over. She nearly bit her tongue turning and dodging to the side to avoid his charge, feeling stupid to be running away from him when they were supposed to be fighting, but her feeling of unease was even greater. I thought they KNEW what she can do! she thought feverishly, glancing at the two wabanos as she ran. So why are they allowing this--? Wait a minute--"allowing"? Is THAT what this all is--? She nearly stumbled over her own feet coming to a halt. "Expendable," she whispered, then whirled around to face the oncoming manitou. "WAIT!" she yelled. "Don't you see it? They WANT her to attack you!!" The manitou just tossed his head and bellowed again, an incoherent noise, and lowered his antlers as he came right at her. Insanely, Charmian's stare darted away from him and toward Winter Born, and she didn't bother turning or running from her spot. "Charmian!" Thomas and Stick-In-The-Dirt yelled. The manitou's eyes glowed livid blue, almost madly, his hooves sending hunks of earth flying. He was close enough for her to see his nostrils flare before she noticed a flicker pass through Winter Born's eyes, and the girl lifted her hand and flicked it through the air, as if swatting at a fly. An awful noise somewhere between a roar and a squeal made Charmian grimace and clap her hands over her ears, hunching over. The manitou veered sideways, then she realized that he hadn't altered his course at all--he went flying sideways, as if a giant invisible hand had just swept him across the ground like someone sweeping a chess piece from a board. In a split second she saw the eyes of everyone around her go wide and their mouths open before the manitou tipped over in midflight, his antler gouging into the ground and his head twisting around as he tumbled head over heels. The noise resolved itself into a terrible squeal like the sound of a pig being slaughtered, then his hindquarters caught up with him and collapsed with a thud that made the ground shake. Charmian and everyone else stood staring at the strange twisted state that the mitchi manitou had been left in, his eyes wide and surprised and his tongue hanging from his mouth. He blinked a few times, ribs heaving, then his nostrils flared again and he tried letting out a whistle which just came out as a small pathetic trill. It broke off in the middle and the blue glow faded from his eyes and his sides stopped heaving. Charmian sucked in a shaky breath, her own eyes growing huge. She stared at the unmoving manitou for a moment, then whirled around, glancing at everyone else. Her own group just gawked; the other mitchi manitous stared on with goggling eyes and their fur standing on end. A glance at Mishosha and Makwaquae showed her the same looks, Makwaquae's mouth hanging open in disbelief. She didn't think that she would have ever seen Mishosha look so surprised. Moon Wolf and Little Wind were exactly the same as well. A small noise came, and she turned back to look at Winter Born. Winter Born lowered her hand and let out a breath, blinking a few times, and the swirling glow died around her. She swayed from side to side a bit before letting out a little moan and putting a hand to her head. "Ow." She blinked a few more times and then peered at everybody staring back at her, and her brow furrowed. "What happened...? Did I get hit...?" When nobody spoke she looked at Charmian, who could only stare back, just like the others. A look of mild confusion came to Winter Born's face and she started scanning the clearing before noticing the mitchi manitou lying in a heap, and she gasped and gave a little jump. "Charmian--! He's right over there!" She threw up her arm to point at him. As soon as she did, the rest of the mitchi manitous whistled loudly and scattered, leaving everyone standing where they'd been left in the middle of the fight. Winter Born jumped again and watched them go with growing bewilderment in her eyes, and to Charmian it was evident that she couldn't remember a thing that had just happened. "Interesting," Mishosha murmured again. Both Charmian and Winter Born looked toward him. Makwaquae did the same, mouth wide open, then looked back at the manitou. "Interesting...? Interesting?" Her fingers curled into fists and the blood started surging up into her face. "She just killed him! She killed our best mitchi manitou! A LITTLE GIRL!" Winter Born's eyes grew huge. "I...what?" she whispered. She looked at the manitou, then at Charmian. "I...killed him...?" Charmian tried to speak but her throat was stuck. Winter Born's eyes slowly grew wet and her lip started to tremble. "But...but I couldn't have...!" she protested weakly, and looked from one of them to another, as if trying to convince them. "I couldn't have killed him! I don't have that kind of power! I don't want to kill things!" Mishosha's eyes narrowed. Charmian gasped when Makwaquae began letting out an inarticulate scream of rage, her own eyes nearly flashing, and the female wabano drew her hand back, a huge fireball forming over her fingers. Charmian threw up her own hands to ward it off only to see that this had already happened; Moon Wolf had leapt to his feet and knocked Makwaquae's hand aside, and the fireball went sailing harmlessly off to the side, where it landed in the grass and promptly fizzled out. Before he could attack her, though, Mishosha held up the doll and squeezed it, and Moon Wolf once more sank to the ground with a grimace of pain. Other than that, the other wabano didn't even look at him. His stare was fixed on Winter Born. "Hold, Makwa-dear," he said in a mild voice. "I'd prefer you to not go killing her so soon." Makwaquae blinked at him in disbelief. Her mouth opened and closed like that of a fish but no words came out. Mishosha started walking toward them, and Charmian felt panic enter her breast. She couldn't be sure if it was fear or some sort of spell that kept her from moving at first, but as soon as he'd walked past her, she whirled around and dashed to Winter Born, hurrying to stand in front of her. She held out her arms as if to make a human wall, feeling rather stupid but not knowing what else to do. The wabano came to a stop before her and gave her an odd look that made it seem like he'd rather expected this. "Keep away," Charmian warned. "She has nothing to do with this." Mishosha's eyes narrowed again and his mouth twitched. "Oh really?" He lifted his hand and made a cutting motion sideways through the air; Charmian's eyes went wide, and she found herself moving sideways against her own volition. She managed to glance down at her feet and saw that she'd in fact risen an inch or so from the ground. As soon as she was out of the way, she was set down again, and Mishosha stepped to stand directly in front of Winter Born. He bent forward to look her in the eyes even as she cringed away a bit. "You're not part manitou by any chance...?" he inquired. Winter Born blinked, then shook her head. "N...no, I'm not part manitou!" "You know full well what she is!" Charmian exclaimed. She could clench her fists but not move her legs, and this fact infuriated her. "You said fair fight. That means--" He flicked his hand again and this time her voice vanished. She sucked in a breath and then started screaming as loudly as she could, but not even the sound of a breath left her throat. Winter Born's face went pale as soon as she noticed this, but Mishosha snapped his fingers to earn her attention again. "So," he mused aloud, "you mean to tell me you can't even remember these powers of yours...?" "Wh...what powers?" Winter Born said in a faint voice. Mishosha jerked his hand at the mitchi manitou. "The powers that killed my manitou over there. You mean to say you don't even remember doing this thing--?" Winter Born shook her head adamantly. "I--I'd NEVER kill something! Especially not someone from the Island!" "Hm," Mishosha said. "Interesting." Would you stop SAYING that? Charmian mouthed silently. She felt like tearing her hair out. "It seems to me that you can only access these powers when you're rather upset," Mishosha went on, looking Winter Born over. "Which is unfortunate, seeing as you have such a great resource at your disposal, and no easy way to use it." Charmian ground her teeth and glanced around at everybody, silently entreating them to help her out, but all that they could do was stare or give her helpless shrugs. She noticed Makwaquae, still fuming, pivot on her heel and go stalking toward the dead manitou to look him over. Little Wind watched her go as well, then turned and met Charmian's eyes. She blinked--his stare was so focused that it startled her. Can you hear me? he thought. She blinked again. Huh--? Listen! he thought before she could get another word out. Get me back my manitou! Charmian's mouth fell open. Are--are you KIDDING me?! It's my only chance! I have no medicine without my manitou! He spread his hands. I know you won't leave here without EVERYBODY in your party! The only way you get that doll away from Grandfather Mishosha is if you do it RIGHT NOW! Charmian's brow furrowed. Her eyes shifted toward Mishosha, who was still bent forward, questioning Winter Born. She peered then toward Makwaquae to see that she was leaning over the dead manitou and apparently muttering unpleasant things under her breath. The other mitchi manitous had moved considerably further along the river, and seemed so cowed as to pose no immediate threat. I can't believe it. The way out of here is frigging wide open! You see it--? Little Wind prodded, and her stare moved back to him. He gestured surreptitiously at Mishosha. If you get me back my manitou, I can get that doll! But if you wait until later he'll NEVER take his eyes off of it! And why should I let YOU do that? Charmian retorted. You have every reason to turn on us and side with HIM if you get your medicine back! Little Wind grabbed at his head. Do you WANT the doll back or NOT--?! Charmian looked to Thomas and Stick-In-The-Dirt, but could tell that they hadn't heard the exchange, as they gave her blank looks. She glanced at Moon Wolf, but he was still hunched over and not in any real condition to give advice--plus she knew that he would probably smack her just for considering it. She gnawed on her lip. Fine, she snapped at Little Wind. But if you try anything--ANYTHING--I'll lambaste you into next Thursday--or whatever you call it!! She glanced upwards and shut her eyes. Marten--? Can you hear me from here--? Huh--? HI, Charmian! Marten's voice exclaimed in her head. Is the fight over already--? Not quite. She opened her eyes and looked at Mishosha. Winter Born was squirming and shaking her head a lot. I need you to do me a favor and come back here as stealthily as you can. Um--I mean sneaky, she said, in case the Mikumwesu didn't know what "stealthily" meant. And I need you to give Little Wind's manitou back to him without Mishosha noticing. HUH? She'd sensed movement, and now it abruptly stopped. Are you SURE? Not really, Charmian thought, but we have to do it. Think you can manage it--? Well... Marten hesitated a little, then she felt a mental shrug. All right! Don't say I didn't say it was a dumb idea, though! Not that I think it's that bright either, Charmian thought to herself, and sensed the Mikumwesu turning and heading back their way. She let out a breath and glared at Little Wind from the corner of her eye. You better not make me regret this, she muttered in her head, and turned away from him before she could see his reaction. What are you up to, Charmian? Thomas thought, and she jumped a little. She glanced at him to see the mildly suspicious look on his face. You think I can't tell you were just talking to someone? he demanded. When you zone out and stare off into space like that? Charmian went red. I do not--!! You're planning something, aren't you? He frowned a little. Mind letting us in on what it is--? Look, Charmian thought, biting her lip, in a few minutes, I'm going to do something really stupid, and I'm going to need you guys to back me up. Her eyes grew. Holy cripes, I said almost that exact same thing to Drake my FIRST time on the Island!! Thomas's frown grew. And what if you do TWO really stupid things--? She had to turn away from him as well before her feeling of déjà vu could get any more overpowering. "You obviously know your way around manitous more than just a little bit," Mishosha was saying to Winter Born. "How is it that a little girl like yourself knows such things, when even your friend over there can barely seem to hold her own...?" Charmian ground her teeth. "I...I don't know!" Winter Born insisted. "I can't talk to manitous that well!" "Oh really?" Mishosha cocked his head. "And that act calling my manitous out in those woods, and trying to call up those insects, what would you call all of that then...?" Winter Born continued protesting. Keep it up, Winter Born, Charmian encouraged her silently, though she didn't dare share a thought with her, as Mishosha might have been able to intercept it. Keep him distracted just a bit longer! She noticed a flicker from the corner of her eye and at last saw Marten returning. She sent him a quick warning to make himself less conspicuous, and the Mikumwesu hurriedly darted toward the ground and vanished in the tall grass some distance away. A moment later she saw two little hands holding the fireball aloft as he apparently ran, then hands and fireball disappeared when he must have tripped. She winced but kept silent--seeing as she had no real choice--and decided to hope that he would be able to sneak into the clearing without the wabanos seeing him. She peered at Thomas, who frowned but then looked at Singing Cedars, nearby. Singing Cedars noticed the look, then looked at Niskigwun, who looked at Francois. Charmian was able to follow the relay of the message as it made its way through the group, until everyone had slowly and subtly moved closer together to block off Mishosha's view of the area behind them. As Marten drew closer, they blocked off Makwaquae's view as well, though they couldn't really do much about the manitous. They didn't seem particularly interested in what was going on anymore, however, standing in their own group and whistling at each other, so she waited until Marten was allowed to slip through between the others, and he hurried toward her, carrying the fireball over his head as if he intended to make a slam dunk with it. His eyes were wide and he was panting. What'cha want me to do with it, Charmian--? he thought. She flicked her eyes toward Little Wind. Give it back. When Marten's mouth fell open she glared at him. Do it! We don't have all day! Marten blushed. Well, sheesh! You don't have to be so rude! He dashed over to Little Wind and reluctantly held out the fireball; the young wabano bent forward and grasped it quickly. Charmian got the sudden mental image of a hawk grabbing up a rabbit, and wondered if she'd just made a serious mistake. She didn't get to think that over very long before Little Wind held his hands palms up, and the little fireball seemed to merge into them, flames flaring over his fingers and his eyes lighting up almost gleefully. They met Charmian's, and she bit her lip again; an instant later Little Wind had thrown up his hand, the fireball hovering before him and aiming straight at her. |