8. Complications With a Certain Clock
Rosette awoke later than usual the next day. She yawned, opening her eyes slowly, feeling rather lazy and wanting to drift back into the comforting confines of sleep. Just as she rolled over and snuggled under the warm covers once more, however, there was a soft knock on the door and then someone came in the room. She stubbornly refused to turn over to see who had just come into her room and closed her eyes tightly, gritting her teeth together. Maybe if she acted as if she were asleep, they would go away.
"I know you're awake, Rosette," a laughing voice sat from behind her. Rosette recognized it to be Chrno and grumbled something that Chrno didn't understand. He looked at her for a few moments, and then side glanced at the tray of food he held in his hand. Usually if Rosette smelled food, she'd attack him just to get to it. "Um…Rosette, are you sick?"
Rosette finally sat up, giving up on getting any sleep. She rubbed her eyes, not yet aware that Chrno had food with him. "No, why?" she mumbled, stretching. When Rosette opened her eyes, she noticed that food. Funny how she had failed to smell it…Rosette gave Chrno a hungry grin and then instantly lunged for the food. "Breakfast!" she gasped out, grabbing a biscuit off of the plate.
Chrno handed Rosette the plate, in fear of being splattered with food, and sat down on the edge of her bed. He watched her eat with no emotion in his maroon eyes, wondering silently how she ate so much. When Rosette had finally swallowed the last bite of her breakfast, she smiled, setting the plate aside. Chrno nearly fell off the bed at the question she asked, "Got anymore food?"
"No," he replied, deciding he would rather not fall off the bed. "But I do have a message from the Elder," he told her. At Rosette befuddled look, he explained, "About the clock. Even though we broke our contract, Rosette, that didn't fix anything. So I gave it to him a few nights ago so he could see if he could do anything with it. Apparently he found out a way to reverse the clock. The life that I took from you, can be given back, but…"
Rosette, who had for once, actually forgotten about her food, looked eager. When Chrno let his voice trail off, the eagerness in her eyes died and she looked at him, dread suddenly flowing through her. Had something gone wrong. "But what?" she questioned.
Chrno looked at her, "But…you have to find an Astral source. Something to connect the clock with. But it's not that simple. It has to be able to handle the flow of Astral energy without shattering. I was thinking that we might be able to use this," Chrno fumbled in his pockets for something, and then, finally drew out a thin gold chain. On the chain, a golden amulet rested, and encrusted on the amulet, was bright green gem. It glowed under the sunlight.
Rosette blinked, staring at the necklace for a moment, and then asked, "But how is that going to help?" she looked at it closer, reaching out for it. "How is a simple necklace going to work?" she took it in her fingers, looking at it closely.
Chrno looked at her for a few moments, not answering until she released the golden chain. "Because this is the last thing that remains of Shader. She gave me this two years ago when we happened to meet each other. When Sarin claimed that all of the Sinners except Aion, him, and me were dead, he was wrong. Shader is still alive, I'm sure of it. Se gave me this necklace when her companions just seemed to vanish, and then turn up dead and cut up within a week or so. So, finally, once she was on her own, she sought me out and paid me a visit. I don't think she's dead. I think she's hiding-like I've been doing, and considering how smart she is, it would be rather hard to find her if she thought really hard."
Rosette blinked, remembering the cat demon. She hadn't seemed particularly evil like the others. It just seemed as if she agreed with what Aion was doing, but didn't exactly approve of the method in which he was using to reach his goals. "Hmm…so what exactly did she use to make the necklace that makes you so sure it will work?"
Chrno bit his lip, "I don't know…I just think it will. And it's worth giving it a shot, isn't it?" he offered, clutching the necklace tightly as he leaned back on the bed, looking up at the ceiling thoughtfully.
"Of course it is! Come on, let's go see if it'll work!" she rushed, reaching for the necklace. Chrno didn't seem to notice as she tried to grab it from his fingers, but they were rapped tightly around it. Rosette grumbled something about Chrno spacing out on her, and reached through his fingers, now trying to grab the amulet. Rosette kept thinking that in his adult human form, Chrno seemed more resistant with everything, rather than when he was sixteen… She failed to notice the smile on Chrno's face. If she had, she more then likely would have hit him, figuring out that he hadn't spaced out at all.
Just as she finally grabbed hold of the amulet, not noticing that Chrno seemed to have loosened his hold on the necklace, but very much aware of how much it looked as if he were holding her hand, gave it a sharp yank. Rosette nearly swore when she realized the chain was wrapped around his fingers. Growling, she raised her free hand to smack him in the back of the head, just as the door opened.
Azmaria walked in and watched in silence as Chrno was smacked in the head by Rosette. The grin that was on his face broadened as Rosette instantly yanked her head away from his. Azmaria could barley suppress her laughter, but she managed to just smile, "Well, at least you're awake. Sister Kate wants to speak with you-both of you," Azmaria added, looking at Rosette, who was grumbling something that she couldn't understand. Chrno stood up, a necklace in his hand. He gave it to Rosette, grinning as he walked out the door with Azmaria. Rosette finally understood.
"Why you!" she spat. "Deceitful evil demon!" she growled as she shut her door and got dressed. Once she was fully dressed in her Sister uniform, she walked out into the hallway. Azmaria and Chrno were waiting for her. Chrno was explaining to Azmaria about the necklace. She stalked up to them and snapped, "Well, are we going or not?"
"Yes," Azmaria answered at once, and began heading down the hallway towards Sister Kate's office. Chrno walked ahead, a little ways away from Rosette, obviously fearing getting hit. Rosette glared at him for a few moments, before she let him slide with it and caught up to him.
Within a few minutes, they reached Sister Kate's office. Rosette opened the door and poked her head inside. Sister Kate sat at her desk as usual, while Remington was leaning against the wall. They seemed to have been talking about something they didn't want the others to hear, because they caught off and turned to face them. Rosette looked over at Sister Kate, blinking as she walked into the room. Chrno and Azmaria followed. "You wanted to see us, Sister Kate?" Rosette asked.
Sister Kate glared at them and nodded, "I did. Remington explained to me last night that you two saw a demon in the Order. –Oh, Azmaria, you can leave if you want too. Anyway, why you failed to report this last night is beyond me." Rosette bit her lip, knowing exactly where this was going.
Chrno, well, Chrno didn't even seem to be paying attention. Instead, he was digging in his pockets for something. Finally he took out the clock and the necklace. He handed them to Azmaria. "Will you take these to the Elder for me? Tell him I believe I've found something," he asked of the young Apostle. Azmaria nodded and left.
"Chrno!" Sister Kate snapped, "Did you hear a word I just said?" Chrno shook his head in a helpless 'no'. He could have sworn he had heard Remington laugh quietly. "Well, I'm not going to repeat myself. Now anyway, I want a full report from when you first saw the demon, to when you last saw the demon, and when you spoke to the demon, and what he said to you,"
"Hmm…" Chrno sighed absentmindedly. Sister Kate watched, her eye twitching as the demon walked over to the window and peered outside of it. A grin appeared on his face, like a child getting a mischievous idea, but then it vanished abruptly. "Sister Kate, does this count?" he asked, putting a finger against the window, trying to point to something.
Rosette ran over beside him and looked out the window. "Is he…sleeping?" Rosette asked, blinking in confusion. "I didn't know demons slept," she said more to herself than anyone.
Chrno looked at her, "What do you think I was doing all these years? I sleep and I'm a demon!"
"Yeah…well…Aion never slept," Rosette countered.
"That's because Aion's weird…" Chrno muttered as Remington and Sister Kate walked up to the window and looked outside. It took Sister Kate a moment to see Sarin perched in a tree, the scythe laid across his lap, obviously asleep. "I say he looks like a vampire,"
"But he's not upside down," Rosette pointed out. Chrno only shrugged, as if to say he didn't really care.
"Forget all this! There's a demon on the Order's grounds! We've got to kill it, Remington I want you to get the Sister's of Third Class and-" Sister Kate began, but Chrno cut her off, "And take no course of action. Nobody is to go near Sarin-especially not the Sisters. He might just change his…target, if you get what I mean," Chrno side glanced at Rosette, who looked rather uncomfortable. "But it's not likely. Not likely at all," he added, his red eyes narrowing.
"Well then you do something!" Sister Kate snapped.
Chrno only shook his head, "I'm not stupid Sister Kate. Even I wouldn't dare attempt a fight with Sarin-not yet at least. And I don't think he's going to wake up anytime soon, either," Chrno said, and then headed towards the door, as if nothing were wrong.
He was stopped by Remington, who had moved towards the door, "Chrno," he began, "I think you should start explaining everything you know about this demon." Remington ordered. Sister Kate nodded and put in, "I think you should too,"
Now it was Chrno's turn to look rather unnerved as he nodded, knowing he couldn't escape it. "Well, so far that I know…Sarin full name is Sarin the Sinner. He was the leader of the Sinner's, before Aion and all the rest of us betrayed him. In turn, after Aion was sure he had seen the last of Sarin, he wiped all of our memories and made us believe he was the strongest demon there was. But that wasn't true. Sarin's always been watching us. And now he's taking his revenge. He's killed all of the Sinners except for Shader-I believe she is alive-Aion, and me."
At Sister Kate and Remington's startled looks, Chrno realized his mistake. He had just told them Aion was alive! "What do you mean 'Aion'? He is dead, isn't he? But from where I just heard, you just seemed to claim that he was alive!" Sister Kate gasped out, looking over at Chrno incredulously.
Chrno blinked, scratching nose, "Um…uh…well, I planned to tell you," he said helplessly, looking at the floor. He fully expected to be yelled at like Rosette always was, Sister Kate realized. But as she looked at the demon standing in front of her, a thought passed through her mind. Chrno and Aion had once been 'brothers'. There might have been a reason behind Chrno not telling her sooner.
"You planned to tell me?" she mused. "Hm…Why didn't you tell me sooner?" she asked as calmly as she could. Already Sister Kate could feel the shocked gaze of Rosette on her as she spoke to Chrno calmly as if he were Remington or another really good person in the Order.
Chrno bit his lip and responded rather hesitantly, "Because…when we met him last night, he didn't really seem all that threatening. In fact, despite the threats he seemed to give me, he actually didn't seem as menacing as he used to. He told me that he was ready to fight Sarin whenever we felt like it, but I think he really wanted it to be soon. After all, all of his friends are dead now-and mine too…except Shader,"
Sister Kate nodded, ignoring Rosette sputtering, "Wh-What? You aren't yelling at him?" her voice was shocked and she looked over at Sister Kate for a moment, and then at Remington. His face was passive, and seemed to only be looking at Chrno. But his eyes were narrowed like they always had been.
"I see…when do you plan to attack Sarin?" Sister Kate questioned. "Is it anytime soon?" she sat back down at her desk, picking up a pen as she spoke.
Chrno blinked and glanced over at Rosette, uncertainly. "I…uh…it's not my decision," he finally said, looking back over at Rosette, as if for guidance. Rosette stared at Chrno, mouthing, "Wh-Why do I have to decide?"
Chrno, understanding, replied simply, "Because you're the one who's in the most danger here. Not me, not Aion, not Shader, not the Order-you. And you know it," Chrno responded simply. "Don't forget, you're his 'target'."
Rosette looked at Chrno for a few seconds, before groaning, "Don't remind me!" she murmured, looking up at the ceiling, and then back out the window. A look of surprise crossed her face when she noticed the spot where Sarin had been sleeping, was vacant. She stared at it a few seconds longer, and then turned to find Sister Kate, Remington, and Chrno looking at her. Remington's eyebrow was raised.
"I'm curious to know, Chrno. What do you mean by 'target'? And how does that make Rosette the one who is in most danger?" Remington question, his blue eyes sliding over to Chrno, who had sat down in a chair.
"It means that Sarin is after Rosette. She is in the most danger because she is close to me, and Sarin likes to pick at weak spots like that. Aion has none, and so I would imagine he'd pick Rosette. And for the fact that she is around his age and a human woman. And for that fact, it is something that will create dilemmas and…problems," Chrno said idly, his red eyes penned on Rosette. His whole body seemed to have tensed as he said the words, a protective aura coming off of him as he stared at Rosette.
For the first time, Rosette felt unsettled by Chrno, especially as he stared at her in a certain way. Making her feel like he meant something deeper in his words. And remembering last night, in the hallway, when he had kissed her, she believed he did.
"Do you mean that Sarin actually likes human woman-and chose Rosette?" Remington finally spoke, his voice full of awe, yet slightly choked, as if he had been caught off guard.
"You know, you're undying vigilance towards the girl is quite upsetting," a bemusing voice spoke. It sounded rather muffled. Everyone, at first wondered where it came from, except Rosette, who had spotted the dark figure in front of the window right off.
Chrno, seeing Sarin hovering in front of the window, animosity pouring into his veins. His crimson colored eyes flashed and he was in front of the window in a flash, standing in front of Rosette, shielding her from Sarin's view. Their eyes locked and a silent message seemed to pass between them as Sarin's black scythe appeared in his hands. Chrno did nothing however; knowing very well he had two guns backing him up. Remington and Sister Kate's gun were aimed directly at Sarin.
Sarin smirked at Chrno, "Well, seeing as you fail to speak to me, I must be off. Can't keep Aion waiting much longer, can I? Of course…first I must find a place to sleep. The tree was rather uncomfortable. Good-bye for now fellow Sinner. Rosette, hem, hem" Sarin waved to the exorcist who was glaring at him. He grinned wickedly at her and then vanished in a torrent of shadow.
Just as Sister Kate and Remington were about to say something, the door burst open. Azmaria came over to Chrno and Rosette, the pocket watch and necklace in her hand. "The Elder figured out what to do rather quickly!" she told them cheerfully, handing Chrno the clock and Rosette the necklace. It should work just fine now. Chrno, the Elder says that each time you use your power, Rosette's life will return to her little by little. He said it will sap your strength only so much, so much that you'll barley miss it, I mean," Azmaria explained quickly. And then the young Apostle turned to face Sister Kate and Remington with an innocent smile, "Sorry for barging in. I just knew how much Chrno and Rosette wanted them back." The Apostle noted the guns that were at the two's sides, but said nothing as she left.
"Hmph," Chrno muttered, pulled the clock around his neck. "That was rather fast." Seeing as Rosette was having difficulties putting on her necklace, he helped her. Once it was in place, he turned to Sister Kate, "Have any questions about that?" he asked, glancing over at the window.
Both just shrugged and shook their heads, "No, Chrno," Sister Kate began, "I don't. But I do have a question for Rosette. When do you plan to go hunting for Sarin?"
Rosette grinned and replied, "Right now, so I can strangle him for that-and for last night," she replied, her voice suddenly icy and cold despite her grin as she headed out the door without dismissal, dragging Chrno, who followed. They were going to hunt down Sarin.
"And we're coming with you," a voice said from beside them. Chrno and Rosette turned their heads to see Joshua and Azmaria looking at them expectantly, there faces determined. Instantly he realized there was no use in arguing, so he just nodded.
"Good, now we'll get packed and meet you by the gate!" Azmaria put in and then dashed off to her room, while Joshua went to his.
"I wanna come!" a new voice put in. "This place is boring!" Chrno rolled his eyes when he recognized Amy's voice. He turned to look at her, along with Rosette.
"Why? Don't you even know where we're going?" Rosette asked, her voice slightly confused as she scratched her head.
"Of course not, but I'm coming," Amy replied stubbornly.
Both of them sweat dropped and Chrno spoke up after a moment's hesitation, "Well, we're going to find Sarin and Aion. And hopefully we'll run into Shader along the way. I guess you can come-but you're carrying your own luggage-if you ask Sister Kate,"
Sister Amy gave Chrno a look, "And what good Sister wouldn't carry their own luggage?" she inquired. Chrno pointed to Rosette and Amy giggled, "I said 'good' Sister," that earned a glare from Rosette, but the exorcist remained silent. "Okay, I'll go ask Sister Kate,"
"If you can come, hurry and meet us by the gates. We'll give you fifteen minutes," Chrno replied and then began walking towards the entrance of the building. Rosette rolled her eyes and went off to her room to get ready. She had to remind herself that Chrno didn't have anything to wear except for the black leather clothes he had on at the moment. She watched him go, the black cape swishing behind him.
As she walked back to her room, a thought entered her mind that made her blush ferociously when she thought it, 'And those clothes make him look very sexy,' Rosette hurried into her room and began packing, trying to forget the thought. But it was rather hard to forget something like that…
A/N: Hi again! So I finished this chapter at last! Longest one so far! Hem, hem, I couldn't resist putting that thought in there by Rosette. It was too tempting. Yeah, yeah, I laugh like Sarin, who cares? Not me! Hm…I wanna watch the Anime so bad! I'm hoping to save up to 80 dollars by the time Christmas comes so right after Christmas, I can get my Grandma to let me order it off the internet. Knowing her, she would as long as I had the money. Hem, hem. She doesn't even know what it's about. She doesn't approve of things about demons cause it has stuff to do with Satin. I'm Christian, for any who are curious, and my family is heavy on that-cept my mom. She's Christian like me and doesn't care if I watch things having to do with demons and Satin-Lucifer-unless it is really bad. Hem…Oh yeah, I reading through this, and found a few mistakes, made me laugh. And when Sarin (and me) laugh, it is not the word 'hem' like the hem of a dress or something, it's h-e-m. Say him with your mouth closed and you got it! And just do that twice and there ya go! Sounds rather mocking to me! XD. Ah well, what do you care? XD. Hmm…Next chapter:
9. The Hunt Begins
And for those who might be wondering, no I haven't forgotten Rosette's birthday is within the next week. Does anyone even know her real birthday? I don't. So I'm saying that it is…how about today? Monday, November 13?
R&R. Bye!
