Disclaimer: I don't own Chrno Crusade

A/N: Beware of OCs!

First Chapter: Introduction of the Cast

A young boy walked down the busy cobblestone street, a bunch of long, thin metal tubes clutched in his arms. He was short, shorter then all those around him, and a long purple braid bounced against his back with every step while a bronze pocket watch bounced against his chest. Even though he was being bumped and jostled by the crowd around him, the boy still smiled at every passerby and hummed happily. He stared up into the sky at the sounds of seagulls squawking. With a deep breath he filled his lungs with the morning, salty sea air. Spotting the top of a mast over the heads of others the boy quickly separated himself from the masses and headed towards the docks. The harbor was well defended if ever it was attacked. It was shaped like a horseshoe and an enormous stone bridge stretched across the mouth of the harbor. Perched on the center of the bridge was a large and heavily armed structure, the local navy headquarters. Nothing could enter or exit the harbor without crossing under the bridge.

"Come on men! Get those supplies on the ship! We don't have all day!"

The boy walked towards the young man shouting orders. He wore the blue, white and gold of a navel officer and a tri-cornered hat covered his mousy brown hair. One hand was instinctively clutching the hilt of his sheathed rapier while the other cupped his mouth.

"Hello, Captain Livingston."

The captain turned in surprise and beamed at the boy. Green eyes shining and grinning broadly the man clapped the boy hard on the shoulder. He almost dropped the metal tubes but managed to hang onto all of them in the end.

"Well if it isn't my young buddy Christopher! It's been what, two, three years since we last met? How's life treating you boy?"

Christopher smiled back. "Oh I've been good. Elder has been treating me good and is even teaching me how to build stuff. How to sail too. And I've got a friend who's teaching me how to use one of those."

He gestured towards the Captain's rapier with his chin, arms full of metal tubes and all. "I'm still pretty new at it, but I know the basics at least. Heck, in a few more years I'll be old enough to join the navy like you!"

The Captain threw his head back and laughed heartily, almost dislodging his hat in the process. "That's my boy! I always said that those from the sea will always return to the sea. But I think you're getting a bit hasty there, I mean, how old are you now? Nine? Ten?"

Christopher huffed and shifted the slipping tubes in his arms. He hated it when people thought he was younger then his actual age, which happens a lot since he barely reached 5'0. "I'm twelve now for your information. Just turned this month. And swords aren't the only weapons that I know how to use either. Elder always said I would make a great marksman someday."

The Captain looked genuinely surprised. "Blimey, you're actually twelve now? But you look so… so…"

Christopher's eyes narrowed menacingly at the man. If he even muttered the word short, shrimpy, tiny, miniscule, small, or any other words of the like…

"… So much younger!"

Christopher opened his mouth angrily but didn't know what to say. Technically it wasn't an insult but still… "I'm twelve I tell you. Look I'll even prove it to you."

Looking around for a place to dump his burden Christopher settled on a close by crate. Carefully he set down the tubes and looked around for a stick of some kind.

"What are you doing now, boy?"

Christopher didn't stop searching. "I'll prove to you that I'm not a kid anymore. If only I could find a stick of some kind…"

Without a second thought the Captain grabbed a long wooden pole from a passing sailor and snapped it in half over his knee. "Will this do?"

"Ahh, perfect." Christopher hurried towards him and grabbed one half of the pole. Grinning the boy stepped back, faced the man sideways and held the stick before him, right leg forward and left knee bent slightly. "Let me show you the results of my training!"

Without hesitation the boy lunged at the Captain. The man was taken aback but managed to parry the blow anyway. Christopher attacked relentlessly, not giving the Captain any time to retaliate. He thrust at the man's chest but was blocked, as expected. Without pause he swept the stick upwards and knocked the Captain off balance. Seeing an opening he pushed forward and slashed horizontally from the right. The Captain barely blocked it when Christopher pushed for one final assault, a hard jab to the stomach. Unfortunately he didn't see the coil of rope at his feet and promptly fell over, his calculated strike becoming a helpless wave.

The Captain was laughing harder then ever as he helped the boy to his feet. "Well done my boy, well done! You're better then I expected, but your opponent isn't the only thing you should focus on. In a real battle knowing where you're fighting is just as important as knowing whom you're fighting. You still have a ways to go, but you're getting there."

Christopher sighed with melancholy and dusted off his bottom. "I knew that if it were a fight to the death I'd be no match for you. But to think, I lost to a coil of rope."

He grimaced at said coil of rope before smiling again. "Anyway it was good to finally meet you again, Captain Livingston. I have to go now, Elder probably thinks I ran off with his tubes or something. I hope you can come visit me sometime, when you're not busy."

The man rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm, I could come visit you now. It's a windless day right now, so setting sail would be quite bothersome. So I guess I could swing by for a few hours. That is, if you'll have me."

Christopher gasped and nodded vigorously. "Today would be great! And I know that Elder has been wanting to talk to you for a long time anyway."

The Captain nodded. "It's decided then. Alright men! Once you've finished loading all the supplies, take a break till I get back. Is that understood!"

"Yes Captain!"

"Shall we be on our way, Christopher?"

CCC

"It was awful nice for the Capn' to give us a break."

"Yeah well, their ain't no wind anyway. Sailin' would be a bitch right now."

"Aye 'tis true. This be the last barrel. Strap 'em in and let's go."

"Oof! This barrel feels awfully heavy. Wonder what's inside?"

"Who cares. We're on a break now."

"Aye, lets go."

The two men left the ship's hold, chatting merrily about booze and women. Finally only silence could be heard amongst the cargo. The particularly heavy barrel started to move. At first it wiggled slightly from side to side, but the straps held it firmly. As though getting impatient the barrel started to shake more violently, but the straps, though loosened, still held. Finally an aggravated grunt could be heard within the barrel before the lid was smashed open by a slender fist. Pushing the remnant pieces of the lid aside a blonde head popped out and did a quick reconnaissance. With no one in sight the girl heaved herself out of the barrel.

"I'm finally out of that stupid thing!"

She stretched her arms high above her head, relishing the freedom. The girl then proceeded to climb out of a barrel and started to tap other cargo around it. She stopped at the fifth barrel, hearing a response from within. She proceeded in removing this lid with the same brutish method as the other one. Mainly smashing it open with a punch.

"I gotta stop doing that, my hand's starting to bruise. Psst Joshua. Cost is clear so get out of there."

A boy around the same age as the girl emerged from the barrel with a groan. Wincing he rubbed his back gently.

"I'm aching all over. Next time I get the big barrel, Rosette."

Rosette snorted and ruffled her brother's already messy sandy blonde hair before helping him out of the barrel.

"Do not worry Joshua, my little brother. I have a feeling that we have arrived at our destination. There will no longer be any need for us to travel in barrels, crates or any other kind of cargo."

Feet planted far apart and fists at her waists Rosette grinned, a pose brimming with overconfidence. Joshua sighed tiredly and rubbed the back of his head. "Let me guess. When those sailors dropped your barrel it woke you up. And once you returned to the land of the conscious that stomach of yours started to growl. The only reason you chose to come out here is because you're hungry, right?"

Rosette frowned, her pose reverting to slumped shoulders and limp arms. Before Joshua could react one of those limp arms suddenly sprang to life and wrapped around his neck.

"Ack! Rosette lemme go! Lemme go! Lemme go!"

Grinning maliciously Rosette started to laugh. "Who's hungry now, little brother?"

Even though his face was turning blue Joshua refused to give in.

"Y-you are!" he managed to choke out.

"Why you little brat! Prepare yourself for Rosette's super noogie attack!"

"N-noo!"

CCC

a girl walked slowly down an alley, eyes vacant and face blank. Long light blonde hair swished left and right against her back with every step. Her gaze was directed on the ground, her thoughts totally detached from her surroundings. One of the doors that lined the alley walls swung open and an old bartender hobbled out, a bucket of dirty water held in his hands. Grumbling the old man splashed the water into the alley way and was about to return inside when he spotted the girl. Squinting at her through the small pair of spectacles perched on his nose he called out.

"Hey missy! Are you okay? Do you need some help?"

The girl was surprised at the call and she raised her head. Life flickered in her hollow eyes and she smiled softly at the bartender. Then the memories of her vision returned and the life in her eyes and smile vanished as though they were never there.

"Fire," she whispered softly, so softly it was almost unintelligible. "This town will be engulfed in flames. You must run, you must tell everyone to run."

Eyes shadowed by her bangs the girl lifted her skirt and ran past the bewildered bartender.

"And I must find him," she whispered to herself. "The one who will take my life."

She ran out of the alley and was engulfed by the crowded streets.

CCC

"We have arrived at Summerset Quay, Master Hendric."

Three figures sat in the darkened stagecoach. Noises of the horse and the outside world were muffled in the small, jostling room. A stooped old man sat beside a young girl and a masked gentleman sat across from the two. It was he who had spoken.

The old man responded with a weak, wheezy voice, yet it still held much suppressed anger and malice. "Good, good. Is our ship prepared to board."

"I shall check immediately, master." The masked man spoke briefly and quietly into his shirtsleeve. Getting some sort of response he answered. "It seems that our ship has been… delayed. It will arrive tomorrow."

The old man snarled in anger, gnarled claw like hands tightened on the cane he clutched. "Why am I surrounded by incompetence?!"

The ruby of his pinky ring started to glow and the masked man fell to the carriage floor, shadowy chains wrapped tightly around his form. "I-I'm sorry master! I swear I won't fail you again!"

The girl went rigid and stared in horror. She touched the old man's sleeve with trembling fingers. "Please father, it was not Lerajie's fault."

The old man stared at her with eyes full of hatred but released Lerajie anyway.

"You do not dare fail or betray me, Lerajie. Not as long as I hold this gaes over you. And make a note to kill the captain once we've completed our voyage." The old man's voice was filled with quiet menace.

Lerajie picked himself up off the floor, straightened his clothes and reseated. His eyes burned with enough hate to match his master's. His voice was thin and icy. "I understand, master."

"See to it that you do. Now as for you." He sneered at the girl at his side. "Remember this, young Azmaria, it was I who took you in when no one else would, I feed you and clothe you and give you a roof over your head. Never question me again or you will regret it. You owe your very life to me."

Azmaria hung her head mournfully, long locks of light lavender hair covered her face. "I will never question you again… father."

A/N: as mentioned before, beware of OCs! There are a lot of roles in this story that I have to fill and not enough Chrno Crusade characters to fill them. I also need minor characters to kill off (wow, foreshadowing much?). Anyways if you liked it, Review! And if you didn't like it, Flame! Oh, and on a totally unrelated side note, Pirates of the Caribbean is one of my favorite trilogies.

I'd also appreciate it if you guys can point out any grammatical errors, it'd be most helpful. Thank you!