So this is my first CC fanfic and my second story on this site. Hope you enjoy!
Set after the anime. Such a sad ending I swear I cry every time I watch it.
The last story I posted a couple of years back and it did it chapter by chapter, and then I got writers block ON THE LAST CHAPTER and screwed the whole story
Disclaimer – Nope don't own Chrono Crusade, not me.
It's been almost eighty years since the sinner Aion had been sent back to Eden and Rosettes time had run out. The Magdalene's were driven underground by a changing world that no longer believed in the devils. Still they fought against them in the dark, protecting a non-believing world. Until there were no more devils left to kill. But no one knew that soon one they all thought was dead would return…
MY PLACE AMONGST THE ASHES
BY ZERRAWETH
Chapter One – The Train (Set in limbo… oooohhh scary)
She sits on the soft leather seats, watching as the dark landscapes beyond her glass window speed by. The only light coming from the dim bulbs that hang off the walls of the carriage. She moves her eyes from the window and looks around at the other people sitting in the train some in pairs, talking happily to the person next to them. But she, like many more, sat alone and sad.
She doesn't know her own name; she doesn't know why she's here or where she's going. She can't remember a thing. She can't recognize anyone on this train, not the middle aged woman with the small green eyes and short brown hair, not the large black man with the manacles around his wrists, not the tall man with the purple hair sitting alone behind her. Wait!
She looks at him again and she has shivers sent up and down her body. Looking a little closer she feels something stir within her. Could it be when she can't remember anything at all she can remember him. He seems so familiar. She stands and moves towards him, he glances at her as she approaches. There was something in his golden eyes that sparked a memory inside her. She feels her breath leave her body all at once as she comes to stand next to him.
"I can't remember who I am or why I'm here or where I'm going" she says to him "but the only thing I do remember is you Chrono."
"Who… " He rubs his eyes and stares deeply into hers "It's odd, I don't know myself but I know you just like you know me, Rosette. You say my name is Chrono. It kind of sounds familiar."
Rosette slipped down into the seat next to him as the lady with the food cart came rattling up the aisle. She smiled up at Chrono and took his hand in hers.
"I think see you is helping to bring back my memories. I'm starting to remember. It is odd, isn't it? But suddenly it's all coming back."
"That's the curse of limbo dear" the food lady stopped beside them "I'm Laurel, I work here. You see around you those that are moving on to their next life in heaven or hell. They sit with a loved one from their life; they're the key to unlocking the memories of their lives. Without them you would remain an empty shell here for a very long time, like those that sit alone. You are both lucky to find each other so quickly. But time is a funny place in limbo. Who knows how much time has passed on Earth."
"That's so sad. Some of these people could be stuck here forever" Rosette comments.
"That's not the saddest part, dear. Some of these people that sit alone, their loved one is already here. They just haven't looked yet, they've been sitting here for so long that they've lost all hope" Laurel explains.
"Can't you help them?" asks Chrono
"I'm afraid not" Laurel sadly replies "a soul only finds it's partner when it's ready to move on and let go of the physical world. I'm sorry to say it, but some of these souls were just not ready. Mostly they died tragic deaths, murder victims, horrible, accidental deaths, suicides and other such things. The soul just can't cope with that. So it remains here until it is ready. When the train stops they'll stay on but those that are ready move on to their souls next stage of life can get off and they'll either move on to heaven or hell."
She offered them some food then slowly trundled away, moving to serve the people in the back.
Rosette looked over at Chrono. "What do you think is going to happen to us now?" she asked him.
"I don't know, I guess this is just one of those times that we're just going to have to wait and see where we end up. Sorry, I know you don't like to sit still but it looks like it's out of our hands for now"
Rosettes face turned grave. "Can a devil enter heaven? What about me? Can someone who made a contract with a devil enter heaven?" She started to silently weep. Chrono pulled her into a hug.
"I won't let that happen. You're too good a person to end up in hell. What you did was for the best, most pure reasons. You wanted to save your brother and like you said, you couldn't do it alone. I don't care what happens to me but that will not be your fate."
"No Chrono. Your not a bad devil, you don't deserve it either."
"I have done terrible things Rosette. I won't be surprised if I do end up in that place. Look, who knows how much time we have here. Lets just not think about it. We'll deal with it when it happens."
He looked deep into those ocean blue eyes. Rosette felt swept away, caught between his arms holding her close and his fathomless golden eyes. She waited as he leaned closer towards her; he kissed away her tears then sought her lips. During their last months together he had never kissed her like this. The longing for him awoke within her and she held him tight, never wanting to be apart from him and so happy that after their deaths they had found each other again as they always would.
Slowly they pulled back from each other. They shared a small smile and knew that no matter where they ended up they would be together.
"So you're obviously not in your true form" Rosette observed "but how have you come to no longer look so young? I mean you look older than me now."
"I'm not sure" Chrono confessed, "I think it must have something to do with passing on. My physical body, my horns were broken, but my soul was still intact. So I guess in this place it doesn't really matter."
"I guess it kind of makes sense."
For most of the train journey they sat reminiscing about their time with the Magdalene Order, happy times with Azmaria, annoying Sister Kate and beating the Elder after his latest perv up Rosettes dress.
But on the inside they both held to a grave uncertainty. From this point on they had no choice on where they would be led. It was all up to faith and to justice. Would their good intentions stand for anything in the place they were soon to enter?
Their thoughts vanished as they turned towards a commotion in the back of the train. One of the passengers was arguing with the trolley lady and things were starting to get violent.
Chrono rose from his chair to assist Laurel and Rosette followed close behind him.
"Is there a problem here?" Chrono asked the man. He looked rather panicky, his brown eyes were very wide and looked like they were about to pop out of his head, he was grinding his teeth and his fingers were pulling out chunks of his scraggly gray hair.
"Sh.. she.. she won't let me leave" the man stuttered, "I just want to go home, back to my little farm. My wife is waiting" He turned to Laurel, thrusting his face into hers "Why are you holding me hostage? Why won't you let me leave?" he screamed at her.
"Mr. Victor I have told you many times" she answered him calmly "I am not holding you here against your will, you are just not ready to leave yet. When your time comes to leave you will know."
"You lying bitch. Lies, lies, it's all lies" he cried out. Suddenly he lunged towards Laurel, his hands reaching for her throat. Chrono and Rosette both ran to put themselves between Laurel and the man. He lost his balance knocking down Laurel and sending Chrono and Rosette flying through one of those dark windows, out into the unknown beyond the train.
So there goes chapter one. Hope you enjoyed it. Please review and I will see ya for chapter two!