So, I'm trying another Remington based story. This one, much like my other, is from Remington's POV, but the concept is very different. So, I'm hoping that this one works out.
This one uses both Biblical and Milton quotes, so if you're at all familiar with Paradise Lost those should be noticable. Now, if my Bible quotes seem different, just know that I do not have a copy of the King James' version. I'm using the American Bible Society translation.
Anyway, I hope that you enjoy this, and please: If you notice any glaring errors, please tell me. I try and catch everything, but without another set of eyes, some things do go unnoticed.
Disclaimer: Chrono Crusade is the property of Daisuke Moriyama.
Sometimes it was so easy to forget why I was wandering around the streets of Rome, cold, hungry, and always alone. I tried to convince myself a thousand times that I was waiting for redemption, but after sixty eight years, that excuse became less and less plausible to me. It was just a lie that I constantly told myself to stay where I was and away from something that might be better.
Well, I was tired of it. I think that I may have grown tired of it the moment I saw Aion walking through the crowd that May day in 1981. Until that moment, I had never loathed the existence I had chosen for myself, but that day…That day upon seeing that he was still alive and still just as perfect as he had been fifty years ago, it caused me to take into consideration what I was doing with my eternal—and God forsaken—life.
For years I traveled the streets of Rome and the Vatican City in both a vain attempt to rectify my situation, and to tell myself that I was there to protect the people from that manipulative pig of a devil. But when a black limo pulled up beside me one unusually cool day in July, I took a chance…and learned the lesson of my life.
X X X
The day started out much the same way my days always did: scrounging around for food and an old paper. I didn't need to eat, but it gave me something to do, and the only reason I bothered with the paper was to see what was happening with the world. It was one of the few things that I received any real satisfaction from.
But that day there was no paper, and no real food to speak of either. Maybe it was because it was a rather cool morning that there was so little to find in my usual spots. In the end it wouldn't matter, but I was more than a little disgruntled by it at the time.
I went out onto a side street and began to travel down it. I kept my hands in my pockets and my eyes down to avoid looking at anyone. People generally avoided looking at me anyway, but I did it out of habit. I knew that the chances of running into someone that knew me were slim, but they were still there. Even the idea of meeting someone from my former life like this made me feel incredibly awkward and pathetic.
I did look up when I reached a main road. I may have been angel, but getting hit by a car is not something that I wanted to try. Once I was safely on the walk way though, my eyes went back to my feet, and I carried on as if I had somewhere to be.
I managed to get halfway between somewhere and nowhere when a very nice black limo drove up along side me. I didn't pay much attention to it. More than likely the driver was lost or the passenger was looking at some of the architecture.
I still didn't pay any interest to the vehicle when the passenger window went down, and the man sitting there leaned out.
"Sir, can I speak to you for a moment?" he called to me…in perfect English.
"What are you looking for? The Vatican is that way and the Coliseum is back there," I said as I indicated the directions of the usual tourist attractions.
"No sir, I was wondering if you were Minister Ewan Remington."
I stopped in my tracks and looked at the passenger. "Why do you care?"
"My master would like to speak with you, sir. He says that he's very interested in your past. So, are you Minister Remington?"
"I am Ewan Remington, but I gave up being a Minister a long time ago. What has your master so interested in me that he sent you two thugs out to pick me up?"
"We're the hired helped, Mr. Remington, but we're not thugs. We just do as we're told. Now, would you like to come with us peacefully, or am I going to have to get out of the car and find another way make you get in?" the man asked with an unusually bright, and friendly smile.
I could have left if I wanted to. Even though I no longer had my wings, it didn't mean that I couldn't travel short distances quickly. I mean, I still had legs after all.
But the weariness that hung heavy on my body made me stay and give the car a second glance. It did look nice, and I was so tired of living on the streets with little hope for a better future.
So, without a second thought, I opened the back door, and got in.
"I'm glad that you didn't make that difficult, sir," the passenger continued to smile as I settled myself in.
"I'm doing this because only a handful of people know that I was a Minister. Can you tell me your master's name? Knowing that bit of information would narrow the list of those people substantially."
"Unfortunately, he requested that we not tell you his name. He said that he was more than capable of doing that himself."
I sighed and leaned my head against the seat. "Can you tell me what he does for a living at least?"
"He's a vice president of one of the larger businesses in Europe."
I shifted my gaze onto the driver. I couldn't see too much of him given my position, but he was lean and had dark hair.
"Does your friend talk?" I asked, realizing that our chauffeur had said nothing.
The passenger glanced at the driver and shrugged. "Ambrogino doesn't speak much."
The drive was quiet for the next hour as we drove away from the capital and towards more agricultural land. It'd changed since I'd last been out there, but then again, sixty plus years is bound to cause some changes.
Everything had been rebuilt, replanted, or just buried under. It was the antithesis of how I felt: broken, burned, and exposed.
X X X
It noon when we reached our destination, and I admit to being surprised by what I saw. We were stopped outside an enormous estate, and after a few seconds of button pushing and name dropping, we were allowed onto the grounds.
"Just where does your master work that he's able to afford this place?"
"He inherited it from the last owner. Baron Alessandro."
The car pulled around to the front door, and the passenger got out. He made as if to open my door, but I got out myself before he had a chance to.
The mansion was gorgeous: white marble columns, a blue brick façade, fountains and gardens…more then ever I wanted to know the identify of the man that wanted to see me. My only guess at that moment was a grandson of a former Magdalene member, but even that seemed somewhat unlikely.
"This way, sir."
I stopped my starring and followed the passenger into the building. The interior was even more beautiful than the exterior…if a little too ornate and dark for my tastes.
"There's a sitting room over to your right if you would like to relax and wait. Can I get you anything?"
"Some water."
He walked away and I meandered over towards the room. I was terrified about sitting on any of the chairs so I just stood and took it in. Crystal vases, ancient looking leather bound books, and Victorian era couches lined the space, and I was certain that just looking at something wrong would ruin it.
"You can sit you know."
The man came in carrying a tray with a glass of water and a bottle.
"I don't want to soil anything. I can't really remember the last time I was able to have a nice shower and clean clothes," I replied as I took the water and drained it. "By the way, what's your name? I don't think you've given it to me."
"Oh, I didn't. Call me Gabriel," the dusty blonde said cheerfully.
"Nice to meet you, Gabriel."
"Same to you, Mr. Remington. If you would like, I can arrange for you to get cleaned up. I think that we have some clothes around that would fit you."
"That would be wonderful. Thank you."
He left again, and I looked at the books: First editions of such novels as Frankenstein, Dracula, and The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Horror stories? Well, if that's what he enjoys. It seems a bit strange for a member of the Order to have first editions.
I shook my head. I still had no idea if this person had any relation to the Magdalene Order. That was just an assumption, and a bad one at that.
"The maids have prepared a shower for you, and have laid out some of the master's clothes."
Gabriel entered the room again with a smile. I was beginning to wonder if that was the only expression he had, or if it was a defensive mechanism.
"He won't mind?" I asked.
"None of us have ever seen him wear these particular articles. It seems like he always wears the same thing day in and day out. So, he shouldn't. Anyway, this way."
He led me up the grand staircase in the front of the hall and toward some of the bedrooms. Already I could hear the pounding of the shower, and it sounded like heaven.
"Take as much time as you would like. Your clothes are waiting for you on the bed," he said as he opened the door and let me in. "I'll be downstairs taking care of some odds and ends. If you need anything, just dial 1 on the phone and someone on the staff will answer and get you what you need."
I nodded and he retreated to the lower level.
Just how long has it been since I've had a real shower? I thought as I took off my clothes and stepped into the steaming water. It felt so wonderful that I just stood under the flow for several minutes. Years of grime and weariness fell away and I sighed in relief.
It made me feel a bit more like a man.
X X X
"Mr. Remington, I have just been told that the master is running late. He said that you may help yourself to anything here, except the '96 Saint-Emilion," one of the servants told me as I returned to the main level. Several hours had passed since Gabriel had taken me upstairs, and the sun was beginning to set over the estate. I admit that I probably spent two hours in the shower alone, another hour in front of the mirror, and still more time putting on my new wardrobe.
"Why not that one?" I asked as I pulled at the clothes.
"He has a feeling that it's going to become a very valuable bottle in the coming decade. It's already reached its maturity, but he feels that letting it sit will make it even better.
"Is your clothing uncomfortable, sir? If it is, I'm certain that we can get you something else to wear."
"No, everything is very comfortable to be honest. I'm just not used to wearing silk shirts and fitted pants," I explained to the very concerned maid.
"That's good to hear. Well, dinner will be served in an hour, so if you don't mind waiting…"
"Is there a library here? I think that I would enjoy sitting down with a good book until it's time to eat."
She nodded and led me through several corridors. The coloring of the halls remained the same, but I began to notice more sculptures in this part of the mansion. They were images of angels and demons fighting, lions and wolves hunting, and corruptions of otherwise beautiful pieces of work. I shivered a little, but kept any comments I had to myself.
"Here it is, Mr. Remington. I'll come and get you once dinner is ready."
She left me to my own devices, and I just stood in awe. Hundreds, no thousands of books lined the mahogany shelves, and every single one looked to be a first or second edition.
As a first class militia member, I never had much time to read. If I did, it was usually to research something of importance for my next mission. But now, there was nothing but time and I had no idea where I wanted to start.
Going through the shelves, I skimmed over the titles until I noticed one leather-bound book that seemed to be much more worn than the others. Gently taking the book from its place, I looked at the cover.
Paradise Lost? Interesting.
I sat down in one of the large leather chairs and settled in to read the story of the Fall. I admit, I've read Paradise Lost several times. Even angels get bored in Heaven, and reading mortal literature proves to be a wonderful distraction. But I'd been on Earth since the early 1800's, and well, I've already mentioned how little time I had for leisure reading.
I noticed certain passages had been underlined, and I frowned as I read over them.
The mind is its own place, and in itself
Can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven….
Better to reign in hell, than serve in heaven.
I flipped through the pages until I found another underlined section. Funny, but it seemed that the reader had gone through and noted every single section where God seemed anything less then benevolent and all forgiving.
Knowledge forbidden?
Suspicious, reasonless. Why should their Lord
Envy them that? Can it be sin to know?
Can it be death? And so they only stand
By ignorance? Is that their happy state,
The proof of their obedience and their faith?
Granted, that particular passage had been from Satan's point of view, but the message was clear. Who ever had taken notice of this section wanted to remember that Satan believed that God wanted Man to live in ignorance.
Why would anyone want to recall these parts? Why not some of the others like, the discussion with Raphael or the perfection of Eden?
There were too many questions, and I knew that they would only be answered when I met the man, but until then, my mind wandered and tried to piece together an image of what he could be like.
It wasn't that pretty of an image.
I put the book down on a nearby table and stared at the ceiling. There was a beautiful (and twisted) mural painted onto it. From what I could understand of the painting, it was a depiction of Dante's Inferno, and I have to say, the artist depicted the scenes of torture perfectly.
Most assuredly, the image I had of the man I was to meet was not a pleasant one.
X X X
My unhappy thoughts were interrupted by the maid as she came back to get me. She gave me an odd look when she noticed that I was staring at the ceiling, but didn't say anything in regards to it.
She led me back through the passage with the sculptures, and this time I stopped before the figure of the angels and demons locked in battle. The angels looked fine: They were beautiful yet formidable—just as they should be—and they were attacking the demons with spears, swords, and other such weapons.
It was how the devils were depicted that made me think. I don't mean to insult, but humans usually have a very concise idea of what demons are supposed to look like. They tend to be very animal like and incredibly vile. These ones were anything but that.
The fiends appeared remarkably similar to Chrono and Aion in their devil forms: still human at a glance, but with "bone tails", horns on the side of their heads, and wings. As I took a closer inspection of the sculpture, I noticed the devils' eyes. Who ever had made this piece of art had been incredible with emotion, for not only did the demons show utter hatred towards the angels, but they seemed to have this determination in their gaze that overtook the hate.
"They want to be free," I whispered.
"Sir? Are you alright?" the maid's voice shook me from my reverie.
"Yes, I'm fine. I was just admiring this piece. It's not often that you see such raw emotion portrayed so clearly."
"Really? I've never taken much time to notice it. I'll have to look at it sometime.
"Well, we don't want dinner to get cold, do we? This way."
I don't know why her insistence on doing her duty shook me so much, but it did. It honestly did.
"What's on the menu for tonight?" I asked, trying to make conversation.
"I think that tonight the chef decided for a French flair," was all she said. Well, so much for small talk.
X X X
The chef had to have been stolen from a five star restaurant. That's the only explanation I had for why the food tasted as good as it did. The fair had been light, but it was more than filling. The only thing that I was disappointed with was the fact that I had been alone to eat. A butler came in and served me at the large "dinner table" and had then gone off. Not even Gabriel had come by to ask me how everything tasted.
As I sat at the table sipping at my glass of wine, I began to think about how it seemed everyone at the mansion kept their distance from everything surrounding them. I admit, keeping a professional distance would be one thing—like what Kate and I had had—but it felt like the people that worked were keeping a secret. One that could get them all killed should anyone outside their circle find out about it.
The beautiful clock at the entrance began to chime and I listened to the notes ring out: one, two, three, four, five… at five chimes a car pulled up and Gabriel went to the door. At eight the door swung open and I could make out the traces of a muffled conversation between Gabriel and the mysterious master.
"…alright, sir?"
"Bad day…get him?"
"…finished dinner, but…your name."
The master of the house must have said something because Gabriel took a quick glance into the dinning room and gave me a reassuring smile.
"Master will be with you in a moment. He just needs to get comfortable. He's had a bad day at work."
I nodded and finished the last of my wine. There was some scuffling outside, and a few moments later Gabriel returned. "He's in the waiting room across the hall. I think that you know the way, so I'll leave you two alone."
I thanked him and took a deep breath before taking that short-thousand mile walk. A million different thoughts were racing through my mind as I slowly closed that expanse between me and the man that knew about my past. As soon as I entered the room though, all of those thoughts scattered into a million pieces as I saw him.
I could do nothing but stare as Aion poured himself a glass of scotch and leaned against the wall. He was the one that wanted to see me? This devil that did nothing but ruin the lives of all those that he came into contact with?
"You look surprised, Remington. Did you think that it was someone from the Order that wanted to see you?" he asked in what I assumed was his usual cool manner. He had taken off the white jacket I had last seen him in, and I guess he looked about as relaxed as he could.
"I had some hope," I answered.
He chuckled and sipped his drink. "Hope, Remington? What ever gave you the idea that anyone from the Order could live like this? Even the highest members can't afford these kinds of luxuries."
"Why me? Why did you specifically seek me out and for what? So you can toy with me? To make me think that I've finally been allowed to leave behind that life behind?" I demanded, my hand clenching and unclenching into a fist.
"I sought you out, Remington, because we're the last ones alive. I admit that your situation fascinates me, and I want to understand why you turned your back on your creator," he replied with a shrug.
"You have to want something in return. You do nothing without some kind of benefit."
"You do realize that sometimes people help those in need just because they enjoy it. There is absolutely nothing that you could give me that I would want. I'm helping you because I want to. No other reason."
I shook my head. "You're lying. You have to be lying."
The devil sighed and pushed himself off the wall. "I don't lie. I'm rather insulted that you would even suggest that I do. I do what needs to be done, and that is that.
"Look, I won't force you to stay here. If you want to go back to living on the streets, be my guest. I'm offering you another chance though, and I hope that you realize that. Take the night to think over it, and talk to me in the morning. Good-night, Remington."
With that, he effectively ended the conversation. I wanted to ask him more, to demand that he tell me what he wanted me for, but he looked so exhausted and annoyed that I didn't dare try his patients any more. So, I went upstairs and locked myself in my room.
He was right. I did have to think about it. Would I dare risk what was left of my pride and stay with him, or would I returned to the streets of Rome and continue my meaningless existence? I was so exhausted even by the idea of the latter that I sat on the bed and slouched over.
Time ticked on, and I buried my face in my hands. Rosette, Chrono, what the hell would you want me to do? What would you think of me, Sister Kate if I took him up on his offer?
The ghosts of the dead offered no answers for me, and I was left with the silence of my own thoughts.
Just as a note: These Milton Quotes are from Books 1 and 4 in Paradise Lost.