The Second Amendment:
No Room For Error
"The Roaring Twenties. An era in which science has not yet illuminated the dark of night. This is just part of the story of those who fight against the dwellers in darkness."
Rosette Christopher is an exorcist of the Magdalene Order, and is an expert at exterminating demonic spirits and otherworldly beings. At her side is her partner Chrono, a demon whose powers are sealed within a pocket watch Rosette owns. Together, they make an unbreakable team that is after the same thing, connected together by the same tragedy. So far, the two have encountered a soprano singer from Portugal, Azmaria Hendric. After a battle with a demon Chrono had thought dead from long ago, Azmaria loses her gift of Healing just by singing. She then joins them at the Magdalene Order, a faithful friend and sidekick.
The season is rolling in, and Chrono's latest attempt to conserve Rosette's soul is shattered. With Christmas coming, so does something else: an order from the Bishop's Council. The Council wants verification of Chrono's purpose as being beneficial to the Order. With The Elder, Father Remington, and Sister Kate working on Chrono's defense, Rosette and Azmaria out destroying demons, and with Chrono beginning to sulk away, the chilly winter season has just gotten colder.
"A-choo!" Azmaria sneezed. She sniffled, wiping her nose with a pink handkerchief. She shook her head, her long purplish white hair swaying. She stowed the tissue away, catching up to Rosette. She grabbed onto Rosette's glove, holding on tight.
"What's the matter?" Rosette asked, her blue eyes squinting.
"Nothing. I just don't want to get lost out here," Azmaria said, her voice soft and high. "It's such a big place…" She gazed out over the New York buildings, completely in awe of the large skyscrapers. Rosette and Azmaria walked down the streets, snow already crested onto shop signs and sidewalks. The sky was gray, dark heavy clouds looming above them.
"Hm…" Rosette said, putting her hands to her hips. "I don't see any demonic catastrophes, do you?" She turned to Azmaria. She shook her head, her wide red colored eyes gazing up at Rosette.
"Well then, let's take a side tour!" Rosette said, dragging Azmaria into a shop. She left her at the door, prowling up and down the aisles. Azmaria tentatively came up to Rosette, who was leaning over examining something.
"Rosette, what are you…" Azmaria began.
"Quiet," Rosette snapped. "Grr… why does this have to be so hard?" Rosette stood up, pouting.
"Are you looking for a present to give to Chrono?" Azmaria said. Rosette glared at her, going a deep shade of red.
"No! As a matter of fact, I was looking for something for myself! Yeah, that's it! I give myself Christmas presents! No one else but me!" Rosette said, her mouth going off. She huffed and stormed away, walking out of the store. Azmaria giggled, following her.
"You shouldn't worry. I'm sure whatever you decide to give him will be okay," Azmaria encouraged. Rosette said nothing, her fists clenching dangerously.
"Yeah," Rosette said, "whatever." A sudden blast came from in front of them, shrieks and screams coming from the masses of people in front of a building that just blew up part of itself. Rosette gazed up, and saw a dark figure leap out of a tear in the building's side, someone dangling onto the leg. She grimaced.
"Let's go! C'mon Azmaria," Rosette said, pulling her gun out, "I'll show this little pest not to mess with me when I'm angry!" She charged, yelling her lungs out as she rushed toward the demon.
The demon landed, tossing the person who was unlucky enough to grab onto it in desperation. The demon looked like a gorilla, hunched over with large shoulders and enormous biceps. It had a head shaped like a skull, with spikes pushed out of the back of its head. It gave it a very aerodynamic kind of feel. The demon had goat shaped legs, a black glossy fur covering its whole body.
"May the lost lambs have peace," someone said, "may the wolves no longer bare their fangs, and may this demon feel the crushing blow of death!" The demon turned to see a blonde girl, around sixteen, hold up a gun to it. She had murder in her azure eyes.
"Take this – the Gospel!" she yelled. An explosion came from the muzzle of her gun, a white cross-shaped blast racing towards it. The demon roared, when the blast hit it. It screamed in pain as the holy powers tore it apart, thread by thread. It gave a last screech and was engulfed, leaving only a smoldering mark as to its existence.
"There," Rosette said, nursing her shoulder, "that takes care of that." She turned away from the crowd forming, holstering her gun. Azmaria glanced at the charred mark on the street, amazed at what had happened. She then went back to Rosette, tagging along.
"What's all this stuff for, Elder?" Chrono asked. He popped his neck, shaking it to get the feeling back. The Elder laughed, pulling a wrench from his lab coat's pocket, tightening some weird piece of equipment.
"This is for the holidays," The Elder said happily, "all this is going to help me greatly." Chrono brushed his violet hair back, raising an eyebrow.
"With what?" he asked. The Elder turned to him, showing a live feed on a monitor.
"With a little spying!" he said, grinning. "I'll just put these all over the girls' dorms, and in their showers! Imagine, seeing Rose—"
Chrono's fist slammed into The Elder's head, knocking him down.
"I'd rather not imagine," Chrono said, gritting his teeth. The Elder rose, laughing.
"Of course you don't have to imagine, you're always with her!" The Elder cried. Chrono gave him a dark look, going back to work. He placed a rather heavy box on a table, when he caught a look at the label.
It read: "Demon Project - #36: 1870 Magdalene …" the last part was blurred. Chrono stopped. He stared at the box. He wondered… what was inside? What did it mean by "Demon project?" And, why did it have… her name on it?...
"Chrono?" The Elder asked, tinkering with his cameras, "something the matter?" Chrono shook his head.
"No, I'm just a bit hungry. I'm going to go see if Rosette's back yet," he said. The Elder nodded.
"Don't leave the grounds," The Elder warned, "especially not after what happened last time with the capsules." Chrono nodded. That was a time he wished he didn't have to go through. He walked through the church, when a redheaded girl with freckles ambushed him.
"Hold it!" Anna cried, pointing her finger at Chrono's face. "Alright, what did you get?" Chrono stared at her blankly.
"What do you mean?" Chrono asked. Anna's frown darkened, and she poked his forehead with her finger.
"You know what I mean! What did you get?!" Anna repeated.
"Maybe he really doesn't know what you mean Anna," a tall girl with brown hair said, "after all, you're not letting him even think about the question." Anna sighed, backing off.
"I guess you're right Claire," Anna said.
"Hold on, what is it that you're asking?" Chrono asked.
"What else would I ask," Anna said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "I mean, what did you get Rosette?" Chrono stopped, guilt flowing through his body. Oh no! He hadn't gotten her anything at all!
"…nothing," Chrono admitted. Anna stared at him in shock.
"What?" Anna said. Chrono grinned sheepishly.
"I haven't had time to go get her something… that, and after what happened that one night, The Elder said I shouldn't go outside the grounds," Chrono explained.
"We can get you something," Anna volunteered. Chrono frowned.
"It wouldn't be the same," Chrono said.
"He's right," Claire said. Anna shook her head.
"You're in a real fix. And by the way," she got back to her tough pose, "you better not listen to any advice The Elder gives you on this stuff!"
"Huh?" Chrono said confused.
"Listen! If The Elder says to get Rosette some skimpy underwear, you BETTER NOT DO IT, YOU HEAR ME?!" Anna said. Chrono nodded, staring at Anna fearfully. One, because he had never seen Anna this scary. And two, he had already considered taking The Elder's advice.
"Alright," Chrono said. "I won't." Anna smiled.
"Good," she said, "well, I'd better go see how the play is coming along. See you Chrono!" She and Claire walked away, Chrono wondering what he was about to do before Anna attacked him.
"Oh yeah, Rosette," Chrono thought. He walked toward the mess hall, and saw Azmaria by herself, looking through a script to the play Anna was talking about. He sat next to her, noticing that Azmaria was looking at the singing part of the play.
"Are you going to try out?" Chrono asked. Azmaria blushed, spilling her soup as she nearly jumped out of her seat. She turned to see it was Chrono, and relaxed a little.
"Oh! Chrono," she said, "about the play… I don't know." Chrono smiled.
"You should. You'd do great!" he said. She turned to him her face filled with happiness.
"You think?" she asked. Chrono nodded.
"Of course! You'd be perfect!" he said. She smiled, holding the script tightly in her hands.
"I think I'll go ask Anna then," she said, a little smile toying with her lips. Chrono mopped up the spilled soup, looking around the hall. Rosette was nowhere to be found.
"Have you seen Rosette?" Chrono asked. Azmaria shook her head.
"She was with me up until we got back from walking through the city. She then disappeared as soon as I walked through the gates," she told Chrono. He frowned. Darn her. Ditching him when he needed to talk to her. He sighed. Oh well. Rosette is Rosette.
Azmaria walked away, searching for Anna. Chrono leaned forward on the table, putting his head in his arms. He said nothing, closing his eyes. He thought he could imagine Rosette next to him. Her joyful smile, her melodious laughter. Her twinkling blue eyes, her silky golden hair. Her soft touch, her warm creamy skin.
Chrono felt his face go red. He shouldn't be thinking about Rosette like that. It made him feel funny inside. Like he shouldn't be doing it. Like it was wrong. Especially because…
Chrono gasped. He just remembered what it was he had seen in The Elder's lab. That box. With the name…
Chrono got up. He doubted The Elder would tell him what was inside it. He was going to find out for himself. Chrono ran through the halls, heading back to the lab. He felt a strong arm catch him by the shoulder, and turned.
Father Remington had his arm on his shoulder.
"Where are you going in such a rush?" he asked. Chrono shrank, thinking up words to say.
"I… forgot to give something to The Elder… and I was going to take it to him!" Chrono said, happy to make up something slightly believable.
"The Elder isn't in his lab. I can take whatever you need to give to him," Father Remington said, holding his hand out. Chrono backed away.
"Actually, I think I forgot it in my room… so I'll just give it to him when he gets back!" Chrono said. Another score. Father Remington nodded.
"Okay. Take care Chrono," he said, putting his hat on. He walked away, some of the Sisters gazing at him as he walked past them. They stopped working, staring at him as though he were an angel. He didn't help either, winking at them.
Chrono covered his face, ignoring what was transpiring behind him. He took off again to The Elder's lab. Now that he knew he was gone, it was safe to find out what was inside the box.
Chrono began to think as he ran down the halls. He wasn't like this. He wasn't sneaky and deceitful. Why was he acting like this?
The answer was obvious. What was the chance, the inkling of a possibility that within that box, there might be something that had to do with… her?
Chrono stepped in front of the lab, the windows dark. He gulped. Chrono pushed his hand against the doorknob. It was locked. Chrono grunted, pressing his shoulder against it. He pushed harder, until finally with a crack that made the hairs on his neck stand up, the doors opened.
Chrono stood in a dark room, the only light coming from that which streamed in through the broken doorway. Chrono panicked. How was he going to fix the door?
He pushed the door together, and sighed in relief, noticing only the screws to the doorframe were loose. He picked up a screwdriver, tightening them. The door was good as new.
Chrono groped through the semidarkness, coming to the table he had put the box on. He set his hands on the outside cardboard, and carefully opened it. He looked inside, and saw a steel crate and a note beside it.
Chrono lugged the crate to the floor, crouching down to read the note. It was The Elder's handwriting, but dated long ago. Around fifty-four years ago.
Chrono's throat tightened. He read the note, trembling as his eyes absorbed the words.
"June 18th, 1869
Mary's Condition
I have overviewed all of Mary's journal entries, as requested by the Bishop's Council. It is startling how accurate Mary's visions are. However, that is not the reason for this assessment. I have started to notice many blank pages in Mary's diary. Whether she has a writer's block, or is uncertain of what will occur, I do not know, and do not intend to ask her, hoping that whatever it is will solve itself.
However, there is one more thing.
Along some of her entries there appears a being named "Chrono". Who this person signifies is beyond me. I sometimes hear her say this name in her sleep as well, waking up in terrible fright, and I suspect that she had just had a nightmare. If this Chrono is indeed a real person, I wonder as to whether she has met him, or is another entry into her visions.
Edward Hamilton
Magdalene Order"
Chrono stared at the page, cringing. He coughed, wiping his eyes on his sleeves. He put the note down, taking deep breaths. He knew this. He knew about the dreams. It just reawakened deep feelings he hadn't felt… in years.
Chrono put the crate on his lap, running his hands along the lid. He came across a button with the Magdalene seal on it, and pressed it. The lid slightly opened. Chrono frowned. He twisted the seal, and the lid cranked open, revealing its treasures. He looked in, and saw dozens of small diaries, each one labeled the year they were recorded.
Chrono shook, diving into the books. He searched through each one, his hands digging through the old yellowed pages. At last, he found the one he was looking for.
He withdrew a book, "1869" written in black ink on the cover. He leafed through the pages. He hastily scanned each entry, reading some parts. They had nothing suspicious. A day's usual activity. Something about Father Remington getting injured.
Chrono put his finger on a page and paused. He looked through the text, and saw the first word, "Chrono."
He looked at it, staring for minutes at that single word. Dare he read it? Could he endure it? Chrono cringed, closing his eyes. He took a deep breath, and opened his eyes, reading the entry.
"May 28th, 1869
Chrono visited me in my dreams again. I tried to ask why he was crying… but he didn't say anything. For some reason, this time he didn't disappear. He stood there, waiting for me. I stepped on forward, and he held his hand out, tears still falling down his face. How I wished I could have wiped them off, and ask him, why, why are you crying? You shouldn't be. I wanted to put his head in my hands, and let him cry into my palms, and wash his sins away. But Chrono didn't say anything. He lifted me up, with those great big wings of his, and we flew across the sky, and landed in a castle floating in the clouds. There, I think I remember seeing a spider, crawling along weaving her webs. There was a cat that seemed to scamper everywhere, never losing her energy. Two stone soldiers stood guard to the entrance, and we walked inside the fortress. There was a long feasting table, with the most delicious food I had ever seen. And up on the throne it was empty, no king or queen. I felt Chrono lift me up, and put me on the queen's chair. I turned, expecting him to sit next to me… when he vanished. The table was upturned and broken, the food spoiled and rotten. The stone statues were shattered, the kitten stricken on the steps to the throne, the spider lost in a heap of crushing objects. I was afraid, and cried out to Chrono. Where were you, I asked him. I need you here. I am afraid. I turned around, and for a minute I though I saw him, but it wasn't him. It was a tall dark man, with long white hair, and long wings like Chrono's. He smiled, and offered his hand to me. I told him, no, I didn't want to go with him. That's when he laughed, and I woke up.
Chrono… who are you? I want to meet you soon, so we can talk, and I can find out the man who you are."
A drop of water fell onto Chrono's hand. He took in a rattling breath, coughing. The tears cascaded down his face. He shook, putting his face in his hands, sobbing. He couldn't bear it. A pain so deep and cold struck his heart, all the innocence in these words making him feel guilty for all that he had done.
The lights went on, steps walking over to where Chrono was. He looked up, his eyes bloodshot, The Elder looking down. The Elder said nothing, giving Chrono a somber look.
"I hoped you didn't need to see them that bad," he said, "I guess you did." He scooped the journals and crates up, placing them back on the table. Chrono rose groggily to his feet, the page still open. He placed the diary on the table, The Elder glancing at it.
"You read that one?" The Elder asked. Chrono nodded.
"I didn't understand it when I first read it," he said, packing it into the crate with the others, "but now I think I get it a little more." Chrono stared sadly at the floor, his tears making a small puddle on the tile.
"Did you try to hide them from me?" Chrono asked softly. The Elder stayed quiet before answering.
"I could only guess your reaction if you read them," The Elder said, "and I didn't want you to go through what you are going through now." He sighed, taping the box back up.
"So to answer your question, yes. I did try," The Elder said. "But for your own good, Chrono. If you had asked, of course I would have let you see them. I just didn't want you to get hurt like this." Chrono nodded. So if he had only asked… would it have changed anything? No. He would have still felt this pain.
"Rosette is looking for you," The Elder said. Chrono nodded, walking out of the lab. The Elder watched him go, and sighed, patting the box. He carried it out of his lab, walking up to Sister Kate's office. He placed them on the table, Sister Kate looking at him as he sat down.
"Will that help us?" Sister Kate asked. The Elder shrugged.
"These are some of Magdalene's oldest records," he said, "her personal journals since fifty years ago." Sister Kate examined the package, noticing the label.
"Why does it say Demon Project?" she asked.
"I tried to use these to get to know Chrono more," The Elder said, "I didn't think it coincidence that Mary foresaw a man named Chrono, and was swept away by a demon named Chrono." He patted the box again.
"I hope this will do her memory justice," he said softly, "using it to keep Chrono here, like we kept her here."
Chrono heard the door open. He didn't turn over, not moving, faking being asleep. He heard the mattress squeak as someone sat next to him. He closed his eyes tightly, wrapping himself up in his sheets more. A soft hand was put on his shoulder, making him tremble.
"Chrono? Are you awake?" Rosette's voice asked. Chrono said nothing, unable to say anything. He didn't think he could. His tongue was stuck, his body drained of energy. He didn't even think he could get up, much less sit up to talk with her.
"Well, when you wake up," Rosette said softly, leaning over onto Chrono's shoulder. She rested her chin onto his shoulder, sighing. She closed her eyes, scratching the back of his head.
"When you wake up, I want to talk to you," she said, nuzzling against his jacket, "if you have anything you need to talk about." She sighed, opening her eyes.
"Okay?" she asked. She looked at his face. He appeared to be so young… but how long has he been living? And yet, despite all that, he was still tender and caring. She rose, heading to the door.
"Rosette…?" Chrono said weakly. Rosette turned around, watching Chrono slowly sit up. He gazed at her with his red eyes, which looked even redder. His eyes were red and puffy, and bloodshot too. He gazed at her sorrowfully, clutching his heart.
"Can you… stay a while longer?" he asked. She gazed back at him silently and nodded. She sat next to him, leaning onto his side. He said nothing, putting his head on her shoulder. He began to squint, as if something were hurting him. He suddenly buried his face into her shoulder, silently crying.
Rosette put an arm around him, bringing him closer. He sniffled, holding onto her clothes.
"Rosette…" he said. He felt her hand grab onto his, their fingers interlocking.
"It's alright," she said softly. He gulped, holding onto her arm. He pulled his legs up to his chest, curled up next to her.
"I'm sorry," he said, "that I've put you through this." He started to cry again, wiping his tears away.
"I'm sorry it's because of me all this is happening," he said.
"Are you saying you have regrets?" she asked.
Chrono stopped, feeling her hand wipe his tears away.
"Because if that's what you're saying," she said, "I think you'll make me cry." Chrono looked up at her. She had a sad smile on, looking away.
"That's not what I mean," Chrono said, "I wouldn't trade a second of our time together for anything. I just wish… that we could be like this without all the troubles." Chrono's hand drifted over to the pocket watch, both of their hands clasping onto it.
"Without all the pain," he said. Rosette gazed into his eyes. She bowed her head, giving a soft smile.
"I know what you mean," she said, "I wish that too. I wish that I could have met you like I did four years ago, Chrono, and things would have been fine, we could have grown up together, with… with…" Rosette faded, unable to finish her sentence. Chrono saw a small teardrop drip off Rosette's cheek.
They said nothing, a silence settling in. Chrono squeezed Rosette's hand, pressing his forehead onto her shoulder.
"Rosette…" he said, "I… I'm glad I met you." He looked up, Rosette gazing into his eyes.
"I'm glad I met you," she whispered.
"Anna scares me," Azmaria said tearfully. She had the play's script in her hands, going over the lines again and again.
"She's so bossy, isn't she?" Rosette asked. Chrono stayed silent, preferring not to be caught saying anything against Anna or Rosette.
"She thinks she knows it all, just because she's running the play," Rosette griped, sipping her soup. Chrono saw Anna running over, something in her hands. Chrono jolted as he realized, she had just thrown a bible at her!
Rosette's head went face first into her soup, the hefty book barely missing her noggin by a hair's breadth. Chrono sighed, and then remembered he was pressing her head into the bowl. He gasped and recoiled, Rosette spitting out the broth. She turned to Chrono, a murderous twinkle in her eye.
"You want to explain this to me," she seethed, "or should I just kill you right now?" Chrono ran, Rosette chasing after him, Anna chasing after her. They raced around the church, when Chrono tripped on a rock. He tumbled headfirst, rolling down a small hill. He heard a pair of yelps, and saw to his horror Rosette and Anna rolling down with him. He cried out as they collided, ending as a heap and twist of legs and arms at the bottom.
"Ugh…" Rosette groaned, massaging her back as she got up. Chrono crawled out of the bottom of the pile, panting. Rosette grabbed him by the scruff of collar, drilling her fist into his skull painfully.
"Ow ow ow!" Chrono said, thrashing around. Rosette let go of him, landing on his rear. He then noticed he landed on something crunchy and wet. He looked down and to his amazement saw snow.
"Wow, it's snow," he said. He then looked up, and saw little white flakes drift down, layering the grass. Sister Claire and Mary came out, looking delightfully at the fresh snow.
"Yay!" Mary cried, "We can make snowmen!"
"How wonderful," Claire said. Anna gave one look at Rosette then went over to Claire. Rosette huffed, watching Chrono put his hands sneakily onto the ground. She saw his hands shuffle around, wondering what he was doing. He stood up, hiding something behind him.
"Hey Rosette," he said, "Think fast!" Rosette felt the snowball plow her, knocking her down. Chrono was instantly at her side, brushing the snow off.
"Oh no, Rosette! I didn't think you'd fall that easy-"
A strong vice grip caught Chrono on his neck, crushing his windpipe. Rosette growled snapping her arm back. She let go, knocking Chrono flat onto his back.
"What the heck's your problem?" she roared. She stooped down, putting handfuls of snow into her dress. She snickered evilly as she made a giant slushball, turning around, about to layer Chrono. He was gone, leaving her confused, holding a ridiculously giant ball of snow.
Another snowball hit Rosette from behind, Chrono running away.
"Get back here!" Rosette said, lifting her slushball above her head chasing him. Chrono turned around, in time to see Rosette's massive weapon break apart and fall right on top of her. Chrono shook his head laughing, scooping her out of the snowdrift.
"Geeze, Rosette," he laughed. He brushed her hair back, snow in her scalp. He cracked up, rolling on his side as Rosette tried to get out of the snow, only sinking deeper. He finally got up, and with a tug got her out. They plopped down onto the snow, Azmaria coming over to them.
"It's snowing! Isn't it great?" she said, her eyes full of happy excitement. Chrono nodded, laying back.
"We should make snow angels," he said. Rosette giggled.
"But how do we make a snow demon?" she asked. Chrono grinned, moving his arms and legs up and down. He rose, and drew two lines on the imprint of his head and one long line trailing from his back.
"There!" he said. Rosette looked at it, her chin in her hands.
"Wait, that's not you," she said. She grabbed some snow and erased the two lines on the head. She then got down and drew a smiley face.
"There!" she said getting up, "It's a snow Chrono! Hey, that rhymes!" They burst into giggles, running around and playing some more.
Rosette lay awake in bed. It was a couple of days before Christmas, and STILL she hadn't found a gift for Chrono! It was driving her insane! She punched her pillow. Why do boys have to be so hard to shop for? What could she possibly get that will be good enough for Chrono? She buried her face in the blankets, wrapping herself up in a bundle. She gazed out the window, watching the moon disappear behind the clouds.
I'll think of something, she thought. Something just for you, Chrono.
Chrono banged his head on the wall. What to give her, what to give her. Aaugh! What could he give her? He had outlawed The Elder's idea – the perverted old man could get his kicks somewhere else. Chrono sighed, slouching against the wall.
What did Rosette like? Food. He couldn't get her food. What else? Father Remington. Chrono shivered. He wasn't even going to go further than a mention. What else? Think think think! There's gotta be something! Something just for you.
He sighed. This was impossible. He hadn't written anything off yet, but still, it was so close to the day, and he hadn't even had a plan ready. He gazed out the window to see the moon vanish behind the clouds. Hm… He wished he had more time.
Chrono felt a pang of pain. Thanks to Rosette, he did have more time. She was the one who didn't have time to spare. He put his hand to his forehead. Gosh… This was much tougher than it looked.
Azmaria flipped through the pages of the script. She thought she got them down. Now, just to practice. She sat up on her bed, clearing her throat. She was about to start singing – when she forgot the first words! Oh no! It was hopeless! Azmaria cried out, hitting her mattress. This was not good! She was sure she'd get Anna even angrier when she turned up for practice tomorrow and didn't even know the first words!
She breathed in, trying to get calm. That's what Sister Claire told her. Just relax. She was too nervous on messing up all the time, and because of that, she did mess up. Azmaria read the script one more time. She closed her eyes, thinking about the song. Just think about the words.
Azmaria opened her mouth, a beautiful melody echoing through her room into the hallway. She kept going, not messing up once. She felt her heart flutter, knowing she was doing it right.
Chrono stopped, and smiled. Azmaria was singing. He breathed out, relaxing. That voice… it was magical all on its own. He smiled. It wasn't too hard to get Rosette something. He already had an idea.
Rosette took the five pillows off her head, perking up. The music flowed through her dorm. Azmaria's music. She listened, all her worries seeming to flow away with the song. Yeah… she knew what to get Chrono.
Sister Kate and Father Remington stopped, hearing the magical voice serenade them. The Elder smiled, as the song softly faded away.
"That girl is amazing," The Elder said. Sister Kate smiled and nodded.
"Yes, that she is," she said. Father Remington was smiling too, sitting down.
"I do believe she has powers even when she has none at all," Remington said. "Even though her wings are gone, she still speaks as an angel." Sister Kate smiled.
The Elder cleared his throat, looking at the papers they had been discussing before they heard Azmaria's voice.
"About this Ewan," The Elder said, "the Bishop's Council is set on this, right?" Remington nodded.
"I am still working on my side of the defense," he said. "How about you two?"
"I've got these, but I don't know how much ground they will hold up to them," The Elder said, motioning to the diaries of Magdalene.
"I am going through all of Rosette's summaries and reports. I think they'll accept them," Sister Kate said. Father Remington nodded.
"I expect soon that our efforts will prove useful," he said. The Elder sat back, toying with a little bullet sized shell in his fingers.
"I have something to ask you Ewan," The Elder said. Father Remington raised his eyes.
"Oh? And what about?" he asked. The Elder tossed what he had in his hand over to Father Remington.
"About this," The Elder said.
Rosette sighed. She felt silky soft hair on her cheek. She brushed it away, feeling an arm around her waist. She turned around to see who it was.
Chrono was snuggled up next to her, his body tall and built, his chin resting on her head. Rosette blushed, feeling his embrace tighten gently around her, bringing her close to his face. He gazed at her, smiling.
"It's Christmas Rosette!"
Azmaria was sitting by her bedside, drool running down Rosette's mouth. She woke, startled. She coughed, wiping her drool away.
"It is?" Rosette asked in disbelief. She turned to the calendar. Yes, indeed it was. Rosette leaped out of bed, dressing herself.
"Did you get your present for Chrono?" Azmaria asked. Rosette mumbled, her toothbrush in her mouth. She spat out, replying in understandable form.
"Yeah, barely."
She walked out with Azmaria, walking into the mess hall. It was decorated with wreaths and bows, bells and candles everywhere.
"Hey Rosette," Chrono called out. Rosette turned to him and giggled.
He had fake reindeer horns on, mistletoe dangling from each one.
"Sister Kate assigned us to go deliver the charity toys," he said. He raised an eyebrow. "What's so funny?"
"Oh Chrono, you look so cute!" she said, poking his reindeer horns.
"If I hadn't broken mine I could have just hanged them on like that," Chrono said. Rosette nodded.
"You have to do a final dress rehearsal before the play, huh?" Rosette asked Azmaria. She nodded, excited.
"I can't wait!" she said.
"Well we'll see you when we get back, okay?" Rosette said. Azmaria nodded, running off. They made their way out front to a red sleigh, horses yoked to it. There was a big bag in the back, where all the donations were.
Rosette was wearing a Santa Clause outfit, Chrono staring at her. It was a red dress, stopping in the middle of her thigh, laced with white trimming. It started at the top of her chest, slinking its way down. She had red gloves on that reached up to her elbow, and red boots that went up to the middle of her legs.
"What?" Rosette asked as she saw Chrono's gaze. She then looked at what it was he stared at, and went red. She socked him in the face, knocking him over the sleigh.
"What do you think you're staring at?!" she roared. Chrono got up, a vein throbbing near his temple.
"You're the one wearing it! What do you expect people to notice?" Chrono retorted. A sudden flash came out of nowhere. Chrono turned to see The Elder laughing, some kind of camera in his hands.
"This one will go in the scrapbook!" he cackled. Rosette grimaced, chasing after him.
"Give that back you old pervert!" she cried. The Elder eluded her, leaving Rosette walking angrily back to the sleigh. Chrono egged the horses, taking off down the streets. Rosette and Chrono headed to the orphanages, handing out the gifts.
Rosette smiled every time one of the little kids received one. She loved watching their eyes light up, a surprised smile forming on their faces. She glanced at Chrono, watching him pull a card out of his sleeve, some children watching him. He showed the card to them, and clapped his hands. He opened them, the card disappearing. They all gazed in wonder, when he pulled the card out of the ear of a boy. They laughed, amazed with the trick. Chrono smiled at Rosette, doing another card trick.
When they left, the bag was half-empty. Chrono got back on the driver's seat, the horses taking off. They went to another orphanage, doing the same. Rosette was handing a little girl a doll, when she heard someone cry out a name.
"Joshua!" the caretaker called out.
Rosette froze. She looked up, the caretaker looking around for the missing boy. Rosette felt her heart beat quickly, taking slow breaths.
Rosette saw a little blonde boy walk up to the caretaker. He coughed, and looked as though he was ill. The caretaker put her hand to his forehead, checking for a fever.
"Did you take your medicine?" she asked him. He nodded.
"Yes ma'am. But I feel good about to day," he said, smiling. He came up to Rosette, smiling.
"Hello Misses Santa," he said innocently. Rosette gazed at him. His eyes were blue, and had a white button up shirt on that was askew. Rosette smiled, and handed him a cowboy gun. His eyes lit up, staring at it.
"Thank you! I've always wanted one!" he cried. He then holstered it, acting as though he were a real cowboy out on the western frontier. "Now I can save damsels in distress!" He walked away, joining the other orphan boys.
"Thank you Sister," the caretaker said. Rosette nodded.
"No problem," she replied. She and Chrono got back to the sleigh, making their way back towards the Order. Rosette said nothing, deep in thought. That boy… he was so much like…
"You okay?" Chrono asked concerned. She nodded.
"Yeah, just… thinking about stuff," she said.
Chrono clapped his hands, Azmaria's sweet lullaby fading away. Everyone was cheering, Azmaria smiling sheepishly on the stage. She bowed, and went back to the other members of the chorus. Rosette laughed, clapping hard.
"She's great!" Rosette said. Chrono nodded.
"Yeah," he replied. They came over to Azmaria after the play, all smiles.
"You did wonderful!" Rosette said.
"Thank you," Azmaria replied, a little nervous.
"I say," Rosette said proudly, "you were the best one out of them all! There was no competition!"
"Rosette, it wasn't a competition," Chrono said. She bonked him on the head.
"I know that dummy," she said, "I'm trying to give her a compliment!" Everyone began to crowd around the giant Christmas tree, lights and glass balls hanging from the branches, the tree wreathed with shimmering golden tinsel. Sister Kate and Father Remington were handing the gifts out from under the tree, The Elder taking pictures with his bizarre camera.
They waited there, until finally there was nothing under the tree, each of them save Azmaria empty handed.
"I didn't get anything…" Rosette said groggily. She put her head down, slumping to the ground.
"AAUGH!" she cried, pulling at her hair, "Christmas is the stupidest holiday ever!" The room quieted, everyone staring at Rosette.
"I think they heard you," Chrono whispered, afraid to disturb the silence.
"Heh heh," Rosette said embarrassed, "I'm just kidding. I mean, Christmas is the best holiday ever!" Everyone rolled their eyes, going back to what they were doing. Rosette grumbled, walking away.
Chrono grabbed her arm.
"Wha?" she asked.
"C'mon," he said, leading her outside. They stood by the rail, watching as the lights in the city blinked.
"Too bad we didn't get anything," Rosette said. Chrono smiled.
"What are you talking about? You got something," he said. Rosette looked at him.
"No I didn't. Look – empty hands," she said showing him her arms. Chrono chuckled, putting his hand into his coat. He pulled out a small box wrapped in gold tied with green ribbon.
"Yes you did, I just didn't give it to you yet," he said, handing her the gift. Rosette stared at it, holding it in her hands.
"You really got me something?" she asked. He nodded.
"Yeah," he said, "but it took me forever to think of something to give you." Rosette reached into her pocket, pulling out a package wrapped in red. Chrono smiled, glancing at Rosette.
"On three?" he asked. She nodded.
"One, two, three!"
They opened their gifts, Rosette tearing through the neat wrapping, Chrono carefully taking the tape off the badly wrapped present. Rosette opened her first, laughing smugly in victory.
"Ha ha!" she cried, "I got something for Christmas!" She looked at the small box, and opened it. She gasped when she saw it, looking at it in wonder.
"Oh Chrono," she said, pulling the gift out slowly and delicately.
It was a golden necklace, with a pendant on it. She opened it, and tears began to form on her eyes.
There was a picture of her, and on the other side, a picture of a young blonde boy who bore a striking resemblance to Rosette. She put her hand to her mouth, unable to find the words she was looking for.
"You like it?" Chrono asked. She nodded, unable to speak. Chrono unwrapped his, and looked at Rosette's gift.
It was a solid ring, with engravings in it in Latin. He smiled, putting it on his hand. It fit nicely.
"Thanks Rosette," Chrono said. He turned to her, as she wiped her tears away. She nodded, gazing at his small body.
Rosette wrapped her arms around him, Chrono going red. She had her head next to his, talking to him softly.
"Thank you Chrono," she whispered. He tentatively put his arms around her, leaning on her.
"And… I don't mean just for the present," she said. Chrono blinked, then understood. He nodded, and felt her heartbeat on his chest. It was as if their hearts were bouncing off of each other. Chrono smiled, holding her closer.
"You're welcome," he said. Chrono closed his eyes, feeling Rosette's face against his. He pressed forward, touching her soft skin.
Neither of them knew it, but there was mistletoe dangling right above them.
Rosette gasped, sweat dripping down her habit. She pulled it off, growling. She leveled the gun, issuing two blasts. The cross shaped bullets dug into the demon's side, taking its wing off. One more blast to the head, and it vaporized.
"Doggone it," Rosette grumbled, grabbing her habit. "It's still Christmas time, and I'm out here patrolling the streets!" Azmaria was right behind her, small crosses in her hand.
"Do I set a barrier around here?" Azmaria asked. Rosette shook her head.
"Nah. I'll just blast them all. Give me another magazine," Rosette held her hand out, Azmaria handing her a pack of bullets. Rosette reloaded, walking through the streets. She was tired, sweaty, and hungry. Not to mention cold. The uniforms didn't exactly go with the weather.
Chrono sat at the church, his hands closed in prayer.
"Demons can pray?" Father Remington asked, as he sat next to him. Chrono shrugged the jest off, nodding.
"Some of us Sinners need to repent," Chrono replied. Father Remington nodded.
"I have some news I need to tell you, Chrono," the Father said, "and you will have to forgive me for being a bit late on delivering it to you." Chrono raised his head, looking at the priest questioningly.
"What is it?" he asked. The Father sighed, gazing up at the statue of the Virgin Mary.
"It appears that the Bishop's Council needs proof as to why you are still here, and Rosette's partner," Father Remington said. Chrono sat up, listening to his words.
"What? But… didn't The Elder Take care of that?" Chrono asked. Remington nodded.
"At the time, the Councilmen were sympathetic and understood. However, changes have occurred within the Order. They are reevaluating your status as an allied demon," Remington said. "We have three months remaining until your hearing." Chrono raised his eyebrow.
"Remaining? When was this issued?" Chrono asked.
"As I said, you will have to forgive me for my tardiness," Remington said, "but we thought that we could handle this. It appears that with more clues for you and Rosette to follow, I must warn you before you and Rosette set out for your search. We received this order two months ago. Now there remain three."
"So what do I do?" Chrono asked.
"I am not telling you to restrain yourself from doing what you must," Remington said, "only to be careful at all times. Think with a clear head. And more than likely, keep Rosette out of as much trouble as possible." Remington smiled.
"That's a ten man task by itself," Chrono said, grinning.
Rosette returned, and after a quick shower, met Chrono at the steps to the church. She leaned over, blinking.
"What's the matter?" she asked. Chrono looked up, his thoughts broken.
"Nothing," he said. "Only… maybe you should be more careful from now on." Rosette raised an eyebrow.
"Why?" she asked, her fist raised in preparation.
"I'm just saying, be careful. I don't want anything bad to happen. Is that so wrong?" Chrono asked, casting a weary look at the looming fist. Rosette shrugged, sitting beside him.
"No, I guess not," she said. They stared out to the sky, the last snow falling.
"I can't wait until next Christmas," Rosette said. Chrono stifled a laugh.
"So you can get nothing again?" he said. Rosette put her smoking fist back on her lap, Chrono massaging his swollen cranium.
"No," she said, her hand reaching for Chrono's. "So I can get another present… from you." She was slightly red, turning to look at Chrono. He gently smiled, nodding.
"Yeah…" he said, "same time, next year." He squeezed her hand.
"I wouldn't miss it for anything," she said.
They watched as the last snowflake of the winter drifted down, landing on top of their connected hands.
End of
The Second Amendment
To Be Continued
On The Next Episode:
The Third Clause:
Another Lapse In Judgment
Rosette, the star exorcist of the Magdalene Order, and her partner Chrono, a demon with a seal over his powers, are preparing for the adventure of their life as they set off to California. Along with Azmaria, the girl who has the wings of an angel and can heal people with her song, and Satella Harvenheit, a jewel summoner from Germany, they are prepared to go up against Chrono's former ally and now enemy – the demon Aion. With clues as to where Rosette's wayward kidnapped brother is, they head for California, the place where every Magdalene Order militia had gone missing. With Rosette's brother under Aion's control, the Bishop's Council still pending their execution order on Chrono, and troubles between the two hotheaded girls of the team, it will take more than just a gun and tons of holy ammunition to keep Rosette on track. The road has just gotten more dangerous, and only with each other's trust in each other can Rosette and Chrono get through the troubles and obstacles.