Disclaimer: See first chapter
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Chapter 4: Chronos' Plans and Some Unwanted Returns!
"After my sister died I wanted to get revenge on Chronos. I snuck in and heard one of the people working there say that…"
"Say what?" Train asked. He suddenly had a suspicious look on his face.
"They planned on using some people to take over the world. I couldn't hear the rest because they found me; that's why they're after me."
"Take over the world? There are also people they've chosen to do it? Could it be the Chrono numbers they're mentioning?" Sven said.
"I don't think it's them," Rinslet replied.
"If it's not the Chrono numbers, then it must be some special type of human…maybe one that has nanomachines in them," Eve said softly.
"Let's think about this later. For now, we've got to tend to Train's wounds," Sven said, and then he helped his partner down the alley to the place they were staying at. Eve said nothing and followed Sven; this left Rinslet and Shira alone in the alley.
"Come on, Shira, let's go get some food for them."
"Right."
Both girls walked down the street searching for food. Suddenly Rinslet muttered something that was loud enough for Shira to hear.
"Oh, great…him again…" Up ahead stood a man with dark green hair and wearing sunglasses. Rinslet was just about to turn the corner when the man stared straight ahead and spotted them.
"Ah, Rinslet!" He ran up to her and cornered her. "It's so very nice to see you!"
"Hi, Jenos…" she said slowly. Shira could see it was a really uncomfortable situation for her. Jenos then turned his head and faced Shira. He then grabbed her hand and recited,
"'A blossom floats on a breeze, only to be caught by the ground'."
"…Okay that was very…flattering…thank you."
"Now why don't we go find what you're looking…"
"We weren't looking for anything," Rinslet interrupted, "we were just about to leave." Then she grabbed Shira's arm and sped off. Jenos just stood there, slightly amused.
"Rinslet-chan, what's going..." they had stopped in front of a pastry store that had a sign saying 'Free samples from 9:00AM – 1:00PM. New item: Cookies & Crème ice cream cake! The perfect cake for a birthday on any day!'
"First of all, call me Rinslet, or Rins. Second, that guy was one of the Chrono numbers!"
"What! Why didn't he kill me on the spot?"
"I'm surprised he didn't get you too. Hmmm…" Suddenly, a light bulb lit over her head, shining some light onto the subject. "I don't think he's been informed yet!"
"That's funny…," Shira said slowly, "I thought all Chrono Numbers were informed of a subject almost instantly."
"I guess n—!" a faint rustle and there stood Jenos. To Shira he looked like a seeable blur; to Rinslet, an annoying fashion model.
"Guess what?"
"Nothing, Jenos. You'd better leave while I get Shira out of here and tend to her before she gets heart failure…" Shira stood as rigid as a redwood. Rinslet then dragged her, bought some food, and took her back to the room they were staying at. As Shira snapped back into reality from her slightly absent-mindedness she jerked her head to see Eve and Sven tending to Trains wounds. Not all of them were extremely serious, but she thought she noticed a large crimson gash that hurt on his right shoulder.
"A-Are you okay, Train-kun?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." As the pair finished the bandage-wrapping and left to clean the items Train donned a new t-shirt that was bluish-black; he turned to go to his room and then heard his stomach growl loudly. "I guess we all need some food, so, what did you get Rinslet?"
"Some ramen, milk, water, dumplings, ice cream, and fruit," she replied as she pulled the items from the bag. "I'll go heat some water." The girl left with the five cups of instant ramen in her hands.
"I guess I'll make the dumplings…" Shira grabbed a pot, a steam screen, and filled the pot with water (I don't exactly know how to make dumplings, so don't say anything bad about me, please!) as the dumplings cooked Eve and Sven returned and sat down as if June gloom had struck them square in the head. After a moment of silence Train broke the ice.
"Why is everybody so unhappy right now?" he asked.
"I think it's because we're all pondering on the idea the Chrono is trying to take over the world," Eve answered softly. A little bit of her buttercup blonde hair fell over her shoulder. Sven then asked a really good question:
"I thought Chronos was a top organization with top level security. How is Shira able to get through it?" Train looked at Sven with his golden eyes; his expression was an inquiring one that could've meant: I see what you mean…how did she? Train resumed sipping the milk he had opened a few moments earlier. They all stared at her.
"I-I can't really tell that…"
"Why not," Eve asked, "I'm pretty sure they won't find you telling us."
"Let's just say that…well…their security sort of had a nap…"
"You spiked their drinks with a sleeping liquid?" Train said suddenly.
"I can't really say that's the answer…but look on the bright side!" She smiled a smile that almost nobody else could imitate. "We can still be friends right, no matter what?" As Rinslet strolled in she also answered with the rest of her friends.
"Yeah!"
xxx
A week passed with no commotion from the organization or anybody else. Shira continued to smile more often than the first day they met her. The next day, while the sun was rising, the girl sat on the roof of the hotel. She stared at the early glory that was peeking over the mountains and how wonderful the feeling was.
"Hey, can I watch the sunrise with you?" The soft voice startled her, but it turned out to be Eve.
"Sure." The girl in evergreen pajamas sat down and looked at the angel that was now peering halfway over the mountains. After a moment's silence Shira asked a question.
"Eve-chan, why are you so quiet most of the time? Are there some things that you don't want your friends to know?"
"No, they know. Do you wish to know too?" The girl said.
"Yes, I mean no, maybe, augh!" Eve chuckled at Shira's behavior, and then replied.
"I'll tell you. I'm not actually considered a real human being, you see, I'm actually a clone injected with nanomachines…" Eve unfurled her story with Shira that morning and solved all the questions that had probably been bugging the girl's mind.
"If you have a past like this, does everybody else have on too?"
"I know Train was the legendary 13 in the Ch--" The girl started before Rinslet came up to get them. As the group went down the flight of stairs Shira thought of what Eve had said. 'Train is the 13th of what? Ch…Ch…Chronos!' As this thought struck her head they had entered the dining area. After that they started their meal of sushi, rice, and some chicken dumplings a knock was heard on the door. Thirty seconds later two more knocks were heard and Train went for the door. As he opened it…
"Train, oh how I've missed you!" Train was knocked over and had an extremely happy Kyoko hugging him. Charden came striding in past the "love scene" of Train and Kyoko (which was actually Train grabbing a chair, having it pushed down, going to his room locking the door, failing to succeed, and trying and block his face from getting kissed with a teddy bear). Shira just sat there staring at them with a look that said What the heck… on it. Sven filled her in.
"Oh, I see. Thank you for telling me, Sven-san." Charden sat down on a burgundy sofa, looked at Shira, and almost instantly recognized her.
"You, you're that girl that infiltrated Chrono's headquarters!" He said almost instantly.
"Wha…you know…?"
"That collar is a dead giveaway that you're the 'White Cat'!" He blurted in what seemed the most un-Charden manner.
"What'd you say? A 'White Cat' is in this room?" Kyoko piped up. "Now I've got some competition…" The girl tried to put on her best competitive face yet, but failed and made the whole room fill with snickers, then laughs.
"Um, Kyoko-san, I'm not trying to win Train-kun's heart…," Shira started.
"Yeah, right!" Kyoko said back in a playful voice. Suddenly, she slipped on the teddy bear Train had used a defensive object and let out some of her fire Tao. It flew towards Shira, and before anybody could do anything (except have shocked looks on their faces) Shira had already grabbed some water, or what seemed like water, and threw it so that it doused the fireballs.
"Y-You have the power of Tao?" she asked.
"My milk!" Train cried.
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Well, here's my chapter. Pretty long and there's some deep thought in this one, but anyway, the unwanted encounters are: Jenos for Rinslet (maybe Shira), and Kyoko for Train if you're wondering. In this chapter Shira calls everybody with respective names, but if she's in battle it won't really matter. Well, please R&R!