Summary: Sister Kate winces as she reminisces Sister Rosette's first solo mission.
Disclaimer: Me no own. Ne?
First Chrno Crusade ficcy – there really aren't enough of them out there. This is more manga-verse than anime, but it doesn't really matter…
Going Solo
Sister Kate Valentine shifted some papers on her old desk and rubbed her temples with weary hands, knocking her wimple on her head. She moved a single framed picture to one side, to make more room. The glowing sunset behind her illuminated the room, lengthening her shadow as she sat with her back to the large window. She glared at the piled paperwork in front of her as though it might actually vanish.
Hey, stranger things have happened.
She pushed the thin sheets around trying to decide where to start.
Let's see… report to sign… bills... permission for something… WHAT? No, they're not getting THAT…
She fingered a report thoughtfully, noting an older, slightly yellowing bundle of paper buried under a mound of other bundles. With a sigh, she pulled it out.
I wonder how late this one is… oh!
On the front was a single, slightly faded picture of a young girl of fourteen or so, blonde hair spilling out from an untidy wimple, grinning despite her dirty face, her arm around a boy of about the same age, who's long purple hair and blood red eyes marked him as a demon.
Sister Kate absently flicked through it, and clapped a hand to her head.
I remember now… Sister Rosette Christopher… ALWAYS her!
"No!" The loud reply was forceful and stubborn. Many of the nuns looked up and around to see what was going on, startled. "I am not going without Chrno!"
Sister Kate glared at the young, newly qualified nun who stood there, guns in holsters, ready for her first solo mission… almost.
"You are a nun!" Sister Kate snapped exasperatedly, trying to ignore the giggling that she could hear from the sidelines. "An exorcist! You should not be taking a demon along with you!"
"Rosette, I'll stay behind, really…" The aforementioned demon quailed under his contractor's icy gaze. "… or not."
"Why don't we just let them go?" A calm voice interposed behind Kate. Rosette let a large grin slide onto her face as her favourite member of the Magdalene Order - who had saved her nearly two years ago at the Seventh Bell Orphanage – appeared.
"Father Remington!" she almost yelled in delight. Finally, someone who would listen!
For Rosette, having her first solo mission was a huge step forwards – for her as a person and for finding her missing brother. Beth – her first friend at the Order – had been thrilled to hear about her finally becoming a fully-fledged member of the exorcists. Rosette had been writing to her regularly ever since Beth left. (Although Chrno had to prevent Rosette destroying the last letter – something about making sure all the rules were enforced now that she was growing up.)
But Rosette knew she could not have done it alone. Chrno had been there every step of the way, to help and cajole her – and occasionally to console her. She needed him with her, now more than ever.
Sister Kate and Father Remington had pulled into a little huddle, out of sight of the blonde nun.
"Ne, Chrno," Rosette whispered to her companion.
"Yeah?" Chrno raised his red eyes to hers. Truthfully, he would much rather stay behind, particularly if his going was going to cause this many problems but…. Rosette would always be Rosette.
"Can you sneak on the train if they say no?"
Chrno choked a bit on that one.
Ten minutes later found Rosette and Chrno both sitting (or sprawled) on the train. Rosette was bubbling up with excitement – a stark contrast to her calm partner, who leant against his artillery box with the air of someone fed up with the whole situation. Fortunately, Rosette had not noticed his attitude, which Chrno was grateful for. (He had been on the receiving end of Rosette's 'super-noogie' attack a few too many times.)
"So, what's the brief?" He asked the girl next to him, who was fondling her gun with loving attention.
"Wha?"
"The brief!"
"Oh!" Rosette slipped the weapon into her belt and fumbled around for the piece of paper that had been thrust into her hand. "Er… there's this rich guy up at a mansion just outside of New York who's been complaining about moans and groans. Sister Kate says it should be a basic exorcism – a ghoul or a low-class demon."
"Moans and groans…" Chrmo frowned. "I've never heard of any ghoul who'd…"
"Like this!" Rosette pulled the most hideous face she could think of. "Bleagh!"
The little old lady sitting nearby shuffled to the other side of her seat, pursing her lips.
"Wow…" Rosette's eyes widened as she took in the huge building with pillars at the great door and a long, winding driveway lined with flowers. "What geezer owns this place?"
Chrno bit his lip. True, the mansion did look very impressive at first glance, but there was something here that didn't seem quite right. Weeds were slowly choking the flowers in the driveway, and creepers were crawling up the pillars which flanked the dingy entrance. The windows were all bare, making the ex-sinner feel as though he was being watched by empty, dark eyes.
"Rosette, something's wrong here, do you think we should go…"
Rosette rounded on him. "No way! This is my first mission! I'm gonna make sure that this mansion is demon free!" She punched the air.
"Demon free?" Chrno blinked, wondering what she meant.
"You don't count, Chrno. You're not dangerous. Now let's go!" she grabbed her unwilling partner by the wrist and forcefully pulled him to the door, where she yanked hard on the rusty chain that hung there.
The responding jangle from somewhere inside the mansion did nothing to quell Chrno's fears.
Fortunately for the little demon, who was having visions of some of the occult books that Joshua had leant him (the ones where the door opens itself to reveal an empty hall) the rusty door swung inwards to reveal an elderly man dressed in a dusty suit. Chrno looked him over as Rosette started explaining whom they were.
His hair, wispy and thin, lay on his head almost like a layer of the dust that covered the faded black suit he wore. For someone who was surely born at least during the Civil War(1), he moved and gestured fluidly, like someone much younger. Chrno turned his attention to what the man was saying.
"…. Been going on for three weeks now. I heard the occasional sound before, but it has been almost continuous after the sun goes down. I called a week ago, and your Order told me they'd send someone – but in the meantime it's gotten louder. It doesn't sound dissimilar to the wind howling – but there room in question has no openings leading outside."
"I see. C'mon, Chrno, let's take a look!" Rosette clutched her gun with one hand tightly. She didn't see why she should be nervous – she had been out on missions in groups before, and performed similar exorcisms. But, (and she had to privately agree with Chrno on this one), something in this mansion made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up straight. Her violet-haired partner had obviously sensed something too – he was shifting around uneasily.
But, Rosette thought to herself, he hasn't been in an unknown situation like this since he lost his horns – and THAT would have anyone a bit…
"Rosette?" Chrno blinked at her, and she mentally shook herself.
Get a grip! I'm not giving up just because I get a few twinges of nerves!
She paid attention to the room's position in the house as the old man explained how to get there, and grabbed Chrno's hand.
"Come on!"
Nevertheless, she was glad when Chrno clasped her hand as they strode up the stairs and out of sight of the elderly owner of the old, dirty house.
Chrno frowned as they passed cobwebs. Honestly, he knew the old guy lived alone (all the servants had been scared off) but hadn't he heard of cleaning? A house this big got dirty fast.
He glanced at his contractor. Either she hadn't noticed, or she wasn't bothered.
Or, Chrno mused. Maybe she IS bothered and is refusing to let it get to her. That's the Rosette I know.
The two passed long dark corridors and closed doors as they searched for the room in question.
"Rosette…"
"Ssssh! Do you hear that?" Rosette grabbed Chrno's arm and placed a hand on her gun. The little demon listened, hard.
He shivered. It really did sound like the wind, moaning through the draughty walls of a barn – or through the trees.
"There!" Rosette pointed to a closed door which seemed a different colour to the other closed ones that the two had passed on their trip through the large abode. The chilling sound became louder.
"Are you sure we should just go in?" the violet-haired boy whispered. "What about a cross barrier?"
"Nah, it'll be fine!" Rosette drew her gun from its holster. "C'mon!"
She crept to the door, and with one fluid motion, pushed it open, even as Chrno's fingers closed tight around the only weapon he had with him – a vial of holy water.
Gloom.
That was the first thing that Rosette's brain registered when she entered the room. The whole place was dimly lit by a single gas lamp on the far wall, which reluctantly let the weak light through the grimy glass. The floor was a mass of dust, cobwebs and dead rats and mice, interspaced here and there by an object –although what these were, Rosette could not have seen in the eerily flickering light.
Chrno came up behind her, and put a hand on her shoulder. Rosette had to stifle a squeal as she suddenly felt the warm weight of his hand on her.
"What do you think?" The demon whispered.
Rosette shrugged. "I don't know. It looks like no-one's used this room in years!"
Together the two eased into the filthy place, which had been deceptively small. Rosette winced as she heard the cracking and popping of dead rodents' bones beneath her booted feet.
"What's that?" Rosette pointed to a small object, an intricately carved golden statue, in the middle of the floor, which was previously hidden behind a long, wooden box.
Chrno grabbed her arm tightly. "Rosette!" His whisper was urgent. "Get out of here! I know what this is – it's a soul stealer! Bound to that statue."
Rosette started backing up fearfully. "You mean… all these rats…"
Chrno grimaced. "Yeah, it possessed them and then killed them."
"Eugh!" The nun shivered involuntarily. "Who'd possess a rat?"
"You would if you were desperate."
"Chrno, that's gross!" Rosette hissed at her partner.
"Rosette…" Chrno's hand tightened on her arm. "That wasn't me…"
Both nun and ex-sinner turned around at the same moment, to come face to face with a wispy cloud of mist, human sized, floating two feet off the floor.
"Hello, little nun."
It dived for the two even as Rosette fired a shot at it. Unfortunately, the mist parted for the bullet and it continued to lunge right at her.
Blue eyes met red for a second, before the two exorcists leapt away, Chrno left and Rosette right.
The soul stealer shot at Rosette again, who barely managed to dodge. She muffled a shriek as she slipped on the bloody floor; her gun flew out of her hand as she hit the wall.
"Rosette! Don't let him touch you!" Chrno's bright eyes were wide and fearful. "If he touches you…"
"I know!" Rosette scrambled away from the wall, desperately searching for her dropped gun. "He'll control me! Aaah!" She shrieked as she tumbled over the large wooden box.
"Little nun," the voice of the demon had become a crooning whisper. "If you will but stay still, it will be painless."
"Rosette!" Chrno yelled as she froze in fright of the hideous grinning face that formed of the shapeless mist.
The blonde nun responded to her partner's terrified cry just in time, ducking to avoid the mist that shot out of the face and slid underneath the mass.
"Come, little nun," the voice was harder now. "I need your body. With it I can get into the Magdalene Order. They have hunted me for years" The cruelty of the tone made even Chrno shiver. "And I will take this chance!"
Chrno jarred into action as soon as Rosette was clear. His contractor stumbled over the wooden box again as Chrno grabbed her wrist, this time knocking the lid off. She jumped up as it hit the floor with an almighty crash. Inside, pale and still, lay the elderly man who had greeted them as they entered the mansion. The suit still had the same layer of fine dust on, and his face bore the composed peace that only death can bring.
"Chrno! Wait!" The ex-Sinner ignored her pleas and relentlessly tugged her towards the open door, dodging the mist's clumsy attempts to procure a body.
"He's dead, Rosette! He's probably been dead over a week! That demon was possessing him!" Chrno urged her down the hall, and together the two stumbled over the thick carpets, away from the room.
"Rosette! We should get out of here and call Sister Kate!" Chrno panted. "She'll understand and send backup."
"No way!" Rosette gasped as the two ran down a flight of stairs. "This is my first mission and I will complete it!"
The stairs came to an abrupt end and the two tumbled into the middle of what could only have been the kitchen.
Rosette pulled herself up against a counter. "We need a plan."
Chrno slumped to the floor. "A plan! Your gun'd work but it's in the room with that thing. You can't take it with a knife or a club…" He blinked at his contractor's suddenly grinning face.
"I can't," she grinned. "But you can."
Chrno winced. "Uh oh."
How do I always manage to get myself into these messes…
The violet-haired demon clutched the kitchen knife he was holding tightly, being careful the blade didn't touch his skin. It was, after all, dipped in holy water. And that stuff hurt.
Chrno peered around the door to the soul stealer's room. He could clearly make out the golden statue the demon was bound to, in the middle of the room.
He felt a prod from behind, and met Rosette's sky-blue eyes. He sighed, then nodded.
The previously invisible mist flickered into view the moment Chrno stepped foot into the room.
"A demon who serves a human?" The voice was incredulous. "The lowest of the low."
Chrno was ready as it dived at him, and threw the knife with all his might. The soul stealer, not having expected such a puny weapon, let out an ear-splitting roar as the knife buried itself where its head should have been, before clattering to the floor.
"Rosette! Now!"
The blonde nun leapt into the room and seized her gun. Swiftly, she fired shot after shot at the wailing soul stealer, feeling her heart pounding in her throat and her hands bloody from the dead rodents littering the floor.
The mist flickered.
The gun stopped firing,
Chrno made a mad dash for the gold statue, and, ignoring the shooting pain it gave him, picked it up and threw it into the sack Rosette had found earlier, which had presumably once contained potatoes, if the smell was any indication.
Rosette quickly took the golden cross from around her neck and tied the top of the sack with it, ensuring the demon didn't get out.
"Done!" The girl grinned cheekily at Chrno. "Told you it'd be easy!"
The little demon shuddered. "It must have been here for years… its essence seeping into the house…"
They looked at each other.
The walls gave an ominous creak.
"Eeeeep!"
Chrno grabbed Rosette by the hand for what seemed the hundredth time that day, and sprinted out of the room, carrying the sack over his shoulder.
Rosette had never run so fast in her life.
The two made it outside and down the driveway, and gasped in the fresh air gratefully, collapsing facing the formerly possessed house.
"What's going on?" A familiar voice sounded from behind them.
Rosette turned. "F…father Remington!" The golden-haired man stood just feet away, his car parked at the end of the drive.
"I was worried. You were taking so long…" he left the sentence hanging.
Rosette gave a bright smile as Chrno made a sour face. "Nothing's wrong… we got the demon."
Remington gave a frown. "Demon?" He eyed the bag. "It was meant to be a ghoul…"
The house gave a loud groan, which brought the three pairs of eyes back up to the situation in hand. Then, with no other warning, the top storey slowly sunk onto the bottom storey, like a ship into the sea. There was the creaking of timbers and the splintering of stone as the once-grand mansion descended into itself.
Chrno and Rosette shared a look of disbelief.
"Rosette Christopher!" Sister Kate was livid. "Do you have any idea what you have just done!?"
The dirty, dust covered blonde nun stood in front of the raging sister, hoping she was going to get out of the room alive.
"That house was over a century old! It was a listed building! And you destroyed it!"
Rosette winced.
There was a knock at the door, and Sister Kate tore her eyes away from reading the aftermath of the mission. A blonde head poked itself around.
"Sister Kate, I'm back. Father Remington told me to come here." Sister Kate eyed the blonde nun who entered the room and closed the door behind her.
"How was it?" The older nun stood up and walked around her desk to receive the necessary paperwork. "Nothing destroyed, I hope?"
"No, Sister, nothing," the blonde let out the breath she had been holding as Sister Kate nodded at the report.
"Rosette Christopher, I'm so very, very glad that you take after your mother's side of the family, and not your father's."
Brown eyes blinked. "But I thought that my aunt was the best exorcist that you ever had."
Sister Kate, smiled. "When she wasn't destroying valuable property, yes, she was. There was a strong light inside of her that no-one could put out." She handed the report to the waiting nun. "Here, give this to your parents. I'm sure it will make Joshua laugh, hearing about his sister's first ever solo mission, particularly since you've just completed yours today. And, Azmaria has, I believe, met the demon involved accidentally when she first came to us."
Rosette's niece smiled at Sister Kate. "I will. And I promise that I'll become just as good an exorcist as my aunt was."
She gleefully left the room.
Sister Kate sank back down into her chair. "I'm sure you will, child. Azmaria and Joshua named you after her for a reason."
She turned to look at the framed picture on her desk. "Isn't that right, Rosette?"
(1)American Civil war – 1860-1865
Well? The soul stealer (I hope I got the name right) was the one Az met when she tried training. I don't think its origins were ever mentioned.
Please r 'n' r!