Outsane: We're not worthy! Or as the French say it, we are ! Teehee… It's been a while since I upheld my part of the bargain… Don't worry, that will all soon change!
Zioncross: Why would you not get praised? You rock! Ah… Hope this chapter didn't mess you up…;
Ellie Griffin: Torture… Yeah…looks guiltily at chapter Sorry about your name being stolen… That really sucks.
ChibiRaccoon: A loyal fangirl! Wow…starry eyes Hope you're still there after my hiatus of sorts…TT
Mlu: Hehe… This one's rather short too… Only four pages… Fandom is wonderful, ne?
SakK: Schedule's even tighter now… God help me…
Dazja: And the crops probably withered and died by now… Oops. Hehehe… ;;
Sir Gawain of Camelot: All shall be answered… misty smoky voodooish stuff
Jackie Almasy: Aw… Thank you! I'll try to hurry though… ;;
Mad-4-Manga: Okay! I'll update!
Aoi: insert maniacal laughter here
Mase-chan: edges away Spoon?
Bluefox of the Moon: Okay, okay…
The True Queen of Hell: Nice name! Confusing review!
Morningstripe: 'Twas funny in my mind…
KirinGlomper: Thank you! That's very nice of you to say!
Maryah: Update soon… Yeah… shifty eyes
Sayumi-chan: Nope. 'Tis not ending for a long while yet…
Black angel 13: Yes ma'am! salutes
The darkened hall echoed with hasty footsteps as Chrno tore through, searching for his partner. Doors were flung wide, the rooms inside hastily yet thoroughly searched. Not here, not there, not anywhere! He growled softly in the gloom, eyes brightening to a brilliant amber hue. Dammit, where was that boy!
The demon's mind whirled on the new information that had come to light; Rosette. Joshua. Parts of their histories together. The carnival where he had danced with Rosette, before losing sight of her in the crowd. He had seen her again for a moment and tried to pull her away from impending danger at the hands of…a face; a visage tanned with grey-violet eyes and fringed with silver hair, without a name; only feelings; Hatred. Fear. Fury.
Something had gone wrong that night, a presence that had caused anguish in Rosette's heart and pain; a lot of pain and rage, which had bubbled up and led him into a vengeful, furious spiral of death. Then she had come to him again, to pull him from his raging state of mind.
The crypt came to mind too; darkness, silence, pain, and strangely a wistful longing. This confused Chrno. Why would be feel something like that in this particular tomb?
Furthermore, why was he in the tomb in the first place? He slowed and thought on it for a moment, barely scraping up the same malevolent face as before. No use. Chrno's thoughts then drifted back to the moment the seal of the tomb had been broken. The pain from the light had been almost unbearable at first, but it had soon faded to a dull throb. That was when he had first become aware of the voices of children.
Children…
Rosette was right! Joshua had been there, entering after the young girl. He remembered the boy's excitement upon learning of his race.
No, it was no use dwelling on things from the past. They would only bring up feelings of endearment towards Joshua. That was the last thing Chrno wished to be feeling at this point in time. The brat had known about his past and still kept silent! The hidden amusement swimming in those sapphire pools, so much like his sister's… Yes, he had a few questions that needed to be answered when he found Joshua…
Chuckling darkly, he continued to make his way through the halls, blasting open doors and checking spaces large enough to hide a young man. Nothing. Before long, the only space left unscathed was his ex-mistress' chambers. Chrno froze. Were unanswered questions really worth risking his very life? He leaned against the wall and thought, weighing the odds. Then the sad note that had lain in Rosette's voice when talking about her brother floated out of his memory.
Yes. It was worth it.
Creeping towards the blood-red door, he paused and pressed one elongated ear against the metal, shuddering at close-up view of the panels inlaid with scenes of death and torture. She still seemed to be asleep. The door swung open without a sound, and he crept in, wary of the feminine figure on the bed in the other room. Low burning candles dimly lit the room, glittering off of rare treasures and other untold riches. It wasn't much light, but enough for the demon to see by. Chrno searched the room silently, snarling slightly when he yielded no results. The only place left was her bed-chamber, into the den of lions itself.
"Joshua!" he hissed lowly, wary, so wary, of the woman close to him. No one answered back, not even a sigh from the sleeping girl. He knelt down and checked under the bed, finding nothing. As he rose back up, something caught his eye. His ex-mistress was deeply asleep; too deeply. An illusion! Chrno's eyes widened and he took a hasty step back, backing towards the rust-colored door from whence he came. He was almost there when a hoarse laugh sounded behind him. He whirled, only to find the very one he had been so wary of barring his path.
"Joshua isn't here, love." she whispered malevolently before the door crashed shut and the lights faded into utter darkness.
Rosette sighed wearily and slouched against the wall of the building she had stood on top of just a bit earlier. It had been a long climb down. Scowling slightly, she made a mental note to whack Chrno for leaving her later. Her face brightened a bit. Chrno…
She couldn't believe he was back! It had only been a few weeks, but it had felt like forever. Sighing, she pushed off the wall and began to walk back to the hotel, mentally grumbling at all the walking. Notre Dame had barely been in sight from the rooftop, and that meant that the hotel was even farther. Stupid demon, dragging her to the edge of the stupid city.
However, a slight skip to her step and a tiny quirk to her lips to her step told otherwise about her emotions. The streetlamps flickered calmly, illuminating her path as much as they cast inky shadows in nearby alleyways. The heels of her boots clicked softly in the night air, echoing in the almost stifling silence. Rosette sighed and pulled off her wimple, running a hand through her slightly damp golden locks. It really was too warm in Paris this time of year…
A sudden breeze was the only warning she had. It pushed at her habit, seeming to usher her away from a miserable fate. Too late, she turned against the air, which had whipped itself into a mournful wind at her betrayal of its safe path. A figure stood a few yards away, half illuminated from the nearby light and half hidden in the shadows. He stood calmly, watching her with icy and wary eyes. Her own oceanic eyes widened, recognizing the boy, even in the poor light.
He turned and began to walk away, black coat flaring out and away from his lithe body. Golden hair, so much like Rosette's own, glinted mutely as his pace quickened. Rosette stood for a moment shocked, before throwing aside the cloth still in her hands and giving chase.
"Joshua!" she cried, shocked and amazed. What was he doing here? Why was he trying to get away? "Joshua!" she called again, her voice carrying on the still crying wind. This time she was successful. He stopped and turned a curious half-grin playing across his features. Rosette slowed, confused a bit, when suddenly he ran at her, the half-grin melting into something foreign and hinting at hidden malevolence. She drew back, alarmed, when he ran by her, fading into the night. She whirled, more confused than ever. Was that all an illusion just now? A byproduct of a weary mind and muddled emotions? She bit her lip and pressed on, back to the hotel, not noticing the small spatters of blood dripping from a tiny gash above her elbow.
Chrno growled and pulled at the chains around his wrists that held him to the wall. He had never seen this part of the bastion before, this dungeon of sorts. It was a single room, formed from freezing steel and inlaid with shackles and other implements of imprisonment. It was windowless, door-less, and lifeless. The demon was the only living creature there, not even rats or bugs typical of holding cells. No spatters of blood on the wall or stains on the floor showed life even existing before he came into this hell-hole.
A single inky black and violet streaked portal grew from a pinpoint on the opposite wall, enlarging enough to encompass walking space for two humanoid figures side by side. Chrno felt his eyes brightened to brilliant amber as his lips drew back in a feral snarl. A raven-haired woman with glimmering emerald eyes and pale skin entered first, clad in a sweeping burgundy gown that matched the bloody rubies at her throat. A familiar face came next, one that he spat at. Joshua, Astarte's lap-dog and willing slave. Rosette's brother. Such contradictory roles. It infuriated him. He pulled at the chains harder, spitting anathemas at the boy.
Both watched in silence for a moment before the woman giggled. "Such language!" she commented, highly amused. "Unbefitting for one of your power and grace."
She glided towards him, placing a single hand on his cheek. "How I hate to keep you chained like this," she sighed wistfully delicately drawing her hand away as he tried to sink his fangs into her soft flesh. Her gaze hardened, turning the warm emeralds into glinting sea ice. He froze and stiffened as her own lip drew back, showing an elongated canine. The hand returned, tracing down his face. "However," she continued as if nothing had happened, "you ran back to that silly girl with your tail between your legs." Her fingernails shot into cruel talons, gouging into the skin right below his right eye. "We can't have that, now can we? Hmm?" she murmured maliciously.
She turned and strolled back towards Joshua, a smirk playing about her lips. "Someone needed to be punished" she sighed longingly. Suddenly she whirled, a psychotic grin painted across her features. "And we can't have you dying, now could we?" Reaching a hand into Joshua's pocket, she drew forth a silver dagger, inlaid with scenes of ancient Babylon and caked in a dried crimson substance.
Chrno froze even more, as the scent of the blood reached his nose. No… She couldn't have! "Rosette!" he cried out, fear tearing at his heart. A chuckle reached his ears, coming from the girl. "Astarte!" he raged, pulling until his wrists were raw and bloody.
She laughed and slipped her arms around Joshua's neck. "It's no use love. Those are fashioned just to hold you there!" Then she turned and cooed up at the captive teen in her deadly hold. "She screamed so much before she died; didn't she Joshua?" Joshua didn't answer, his silence pulling primal fear and rage from the depths of the demon's heart. Chrno's head snapped up to meet the dark and icy blue gaze coming from the teen.
"How could you?" he choked. "Your own sister… You bastard!" A sob threatened to tear loose amidst the fury that flooded his very being. His violet crowned head fell, glittering tears splashing silently on the floor.
Astarte watched silently, eyes snapping in hate-filled mirth. She turned and exited, turning back at the last moment and beckoning to the other unbound person in the room. Joshua bowed and followed, casting a sorrowful and guilt-ridden glance at the only one left. Things would work out soon… He hoped.
Tra la la! Tenth chapter! Sorry for the long, long delay, school has eaten all of my free time. Every. Last. Bit. Oh well, I guess that's what I get for taking all AP and honors classes sophomore year… sigh Well, this chapter was a bit trying to write, as my DVD collection has been lent out for a looooooong time now… Must…not…kill….friend… When I get it back, things should move along quicker, okay? Until then!