Demons Etc.

Chapter Two: Into the Night

Authors new note: Good grief... you mean... she lives? Oh yes. Fear me. I'm retouching this fic, almost 4 years after I started it. Forgive me, real life problems, lack of inspiration and stuff got in the way, but... I'm back! Look for changes and complete revisions after Chapter 6! I'm touching up a few things each chapter, then re-working it completely starting with Magdalena's scene. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing! Moriyama-sensei does. Blame him!

Her heart pounded strongly in her chest like a cadence of drums as she clung tightly to the steering wheel of the car, as it rocketed down the street at breakneck speed. The whole car shook as it's wheels hit the cobblestone road unevenly, as she slammed the breaks on, and skidded to a stop in the parking lot outside the dock.

She didn't hesitate, as she kicked open the door, and piled out, grabbing the box of ammunition and guns, and running full force down the street towards the flashes of light that came from the opposite side of the crates piled up on the edge of the pier. Her breath gasped sharply in and out of her lungs as she skidded to a stop, gun out, and eyes forward.

The mass of writhing tentacles coming from the sea was enough to spring her into action, as she saw a tall lithe form dart behind some crates as it lashed out again. "Chrno!" She ran forward, and skidded to a stop next to the tall detective, and panted a bit, wrenching the box open for him to reload his already empty weapon. "Sorry it took so long… damn traffic was heavy this late at night!"

Chrno was panting for breath, but grinned up at her as he continued loading the Sacred bullets into the gun he held steadily in his hands. "It's alright…. I doubt this will hold him much longer though…"

Rosette glanced over at him, and flushed a bit, watching his breath come quickly as he continued to load the second gun up with more bullets. His brow was covered in sweat, and his hair plastered down. It looked like he'd fallen in the water at least once, maybe more. Her cheeks reddened a bit, as she realized she was staring none too subtly at him…. But something was odd, that she'd just noticed, as her eyes traced the gentle slopes to his ears. She'd never noticed THAT before… weird…

With a snap, the gun came up, and Chrno turned his head, glancing around the edge of the crates, listening as the monster continued to roar in fury and agony from the injuries it had already taken. "What a bother." He grumbled, with a frustrated sigh. "If only the fishermen had left it out at sea, none of this would have happened. Fools…"

Rosette peeked around the corner with him, leaning over his back a bit to see. "You think you can manage?"

"Hm…" He looked thoughtful, then handed a gun to her. "Here. Be careful when you use this. But I think it's time you had some hands on training." He flashed her a bright smile, and she felt her heart quicken with excitement. "But be careful not to hit anyone else but the monster with it. Holy bullets may not be as damaging on the astral level to humans, but they can still blow someone apart."

"Right, got it." She took the gun, and gave him a thumbs up. "What's the plan?"

"Wait for me, then when you hear me fire, take a shot from this position. We'll distract it from two points." He grinned up at her. "Good luck!"

"I won't let you down!" She waved energetically, and gripped the cold steel in her hand tightly, her eyes riveted on the weapon. This is it… your first chance to prove your worth. Don't blow it Rosette! Her heart pounded solidly in her chest, as Chrno ducked behind some more crates, and vanished from sight.

The first few missions she'd been on were small time things, that could be taken care of by setting up holy barrier perimeters and herding spirits in to be caught. No action, no adventure, and no chaos. It was an easy way to become accustomed to the way things worked.

Chrno enjoyed his work, she had learned quickly. Remington on the other hand, only went out when extra backup was needed, since he preferred to keep a passive position. She'd learned that he used to be a priest at the Magdalene Order, years ago, which probably accounted for it. Why he had left, she couldn't be sure of, however.

But this was their first 'real' mission. She had gotten the call in the middle of the night, that she was needed as backup with a full artillery of weapons immediately down by the docks. Apparently Chrno was already on site, and had told her to bring the car as fast as she could. Rosette had blanched at first, since she really didn't drive much, but she HAD gotten her license so she quickly fell to and packed the car up, and screeched out, top speed.

And now, it was her chance.

The sound of firing brought her head up. "Shit!" She swore, and instantly dove out of hiding, and glanced towards the creature. It was distracted to the side, and she saw Chrno kneeling off to the left, firing at it. Her side was open… Her hand came up, and at first she hesitated. There was a huge difference shooting at something with a real gun, versus a water pistol loaded with holy water… For the briefest moment, she hesitated, her hands shaking as she felt a cold feeling clutch her chest.

She couldn't do it…

At that moment, time slowed.

Her shaking hands couldn't hold the gun still much longer, and it began to droop in her hands, as she watched, suddenly frozen in hesitation, unable to pull the trigger. She heard distant clicking sounds, and the cease of explosions from the bullets Chrno wielded to the side. "Rosette!!" His head whipped to the side, seeing her hesitation.

She saw the tentacle whip out before he did, but felt her frozen muscles refuse to react… "CHRNO! LOOK OUT!" she managed to gasp, but her voice was scratchy and hoarse, and didn't reach his ears in time.

The monster's flailing limb collided with Chrno, and sent him flying into the crates directly behind him, gun soaring through the air, and clattering to the ground several feet away.

Her whole world went red. "DAMN YOU!" She growled, and rose to her full height, all 5 foot 3 inches, and brought the gun in her hand up to bear on the monster. "Don't attack my FRIEND!"

The gun seemed natural in her hand suddenly, as she squeezed tightly, and the explosion knocked the weapon back in her hand, sending her stumbling a few feet backwards, but her eyes never left her quarry. The bullet whizzed forward, glowing brightly, and it was then Rosette remembered that the gun he had given her, had only one bullet in it….a Gospel, not a Sacred. Her eyes widened briefly in fear, just as the bullet collided with the monster, and an explosion of white light filled the night sky, as a resounding boom shook the docks, and knocked her from her feet.

Her heart was racing, as she slowly lifted her eyes, which were wide as she watched the barrier of light begin to expand towards her, the monster's death setting off a miniature bomb-like explosion, whose radius she was still enveloped in.

And there was no way she could escape!

Her eyes clenched closed, as she knew for certain, her death was on hand, when she felt a grip of strong hands embrace her, and a warm body draw her tight, as white light surrounded her very being, blinding her momentarily, as wind whipped fiercely around as she ducked her head down, terrified.

Then, abruptly, it was over. The only sound left, was the gasping of her breath racking her lungs, and the solid thumping of her heart in her ears… or was it hers? Her eyes lifted, and she felt her cheeks redden again, as she saw just who it was that had her in a tight embrace.

Chrno's eyes opened, and he glanced down at her, worry reflected on his face as he spoke quietly. "Are you ok, Rosette?"

"Um… yeah." She lowered her eyes, suddenly feeling the full weight of her failure slam home. Not only had she completely done what she had sworn never to do, and hesitated, she had nearly gotten him killed, and then he had to save her in the end. "God, I messed that one up bad." She muttered.

A gentle sigh told her that he wasn't upset, as he released her from the tight hold. "No, it's okay. It was your first time, and perhaps I was prematurely pushing you too far."

"No, you weren't." She said firmly, looking up. "I was ready… I just…was stupid." Her eyes took on a dedicated firm expression. "It won't happen again, I promise."

He fixed her with a thoughtful look, then smiled nodding, and put a hand on her shoulder. "Take your time. Don't worry."

She smiled back and let out a pent-up breath. "Wow… what a fight…" A thought occurred to her, and she quickly put a hand on his arm, stopping him as he turned to pick up the gun at their feet. "Hey, are you okay? You took a pretty bad hit back there."

"I'm fine." He smiled at her, sticking the weapon in his belt holster and turning back around. "It's not bad."

"Now wait just a minute." Rosette protested, frowning up at him worriedly. "No one just walks away from something like that.. come on, let me take a look." She insisted, pulling on his arm, trying to get him to turn around.

"No, really." He protested, looking a bit embarrassed by her insisting attitude. "I'm fine!"

"Oh stop it, just let me have a look!"

"It's not really necessary…" He turned away, trying to evade her grasp, which just frustrated her further, as she grabbed a hold of both his suspenders, and yanked.

"Just let me look at it!" she finally managed to wrench the back of his shirt up, expecting to see bruising, and scrapes from where he had plowed into the crates, but much to her surprise, there wasn't a scratch on him… in fact… even his shirt was whole and unblemished. She blinked a bit, and looked up at him, surprised.

"See? I told you, I'm fine." He smiled and tugged away from her grip. "I was lucky enough to have a soft landing."

She frowned, but couldn't really fault him for that. "Well, as long as you're fine…"

He put a hand on her shoulder. "Come on, let's head back and make our report. We're finished here." He glanced back at the ashes blowing around on the wind behind them where the monster had de-materialized. "You did an excellent job despite your hesitation at the beginning, Rosette. Good work."

The praise was enough to make her face glow more, any worries disintegrating at his kindness, but something gave her pause, as she bent down to pick up the discarded supply box. They had been fully enveloped by the result of Gospel and the monster's death, yet they were completely unharmed… Now, Rosette was certain the blast had been destructive, since the edges of her dress were blackened, and she saw scorch marks on the crates all around them. Yet, Chrno and herself were miraculously untouched.

Her mind turned that over, as they walked back to the car…

The light breeze felt good on her shoulders, as Rosette leaned over the edge of the building, staring down at the traffic far below. With so much excitement this night, there was no way she could sleep. So, she had taken some time to come up here, where she hadn't been before, and enjoy the cool summer air around her. It was probably about four am by now, yet still the city was as busy as it ever was.

"Does this city ever sleep?" She muttered aloud, propping her hand under her chin and watching the river of lights flow beneath her. It seemed not to, with people rushing to and fro constantly, always on the move, always on the go… it was quite a change from the slow, country pace of the orphanage she had just left.

A sad feeling clenched her chest, as she closed her eyes in the dim light. The moon was out full tonight, casting an ethereal glow all around, and also making her heart ache. It had been a moonlight night like this when Joshua had vanished without a trace.

A sudden burst of air around her whipped her hair free of it's tie, and her head jerked up a bit surprised, as she heard the strangest sound from above.

Her eyes lifted, and widened at the sight they beheld.

High above in the air, a form could be seen. It was distant, so far away that she couldn't be certain what it was at first…but then it swooped lower, and her heart caught in her throat, as her hand instinctively reached for the gun that no longer rested at her side. "Crap!" She hissed, eyes intent on the demon soaring above.

He was a frightening image to behold… Large dragon-like wings stretched wide, nearly blocking out the moonlight, though a faint glow could be seen through the membrane. The figure attached to the wings was tall, and ominous, and from this distance, all Rosette could see was the glowing red light of a pair of eyes, gleaming down at her in the dim shadows. She clutched her sweater tightly to her, shivering in the night, eyes riveted as the demon's spine-like tail streaked behind him, as he soared upwards, disappearing further into the stars and becoming one with the night, dropping from view.

Rosette's breath slowly let out. That had been probably the most frightening experience she had ever had… That demon was entirely different from the ones that Chrno and she had faced up till now. The ones they faced were lower level, monstrous beings, that had no human shape…

That one, he had a distinct human shape… and from what she remembered of her brief lessons, those that could take human shape were very powerful.

There were three or four classes of demons, Chrno had told her when explaining some of the basics to her several days prior. The lowest ranks were those who had little intelligence, and couldn't take any other form but their own, which was often horrific and obvious. There were those considered Legion, low rank demons who could badly mimic humans, but not truly hide their nature. It always seemed to leek out either by a grossly distorted ugliness, or by the feeling of something evil. The second tier were the 'humanoid' demons. Those who could readily take human shapes, and had various ranks and amounts of power, equal to the strength and size of their astral receiving horns. The larger the horns, the higher rank the demon was, and the more dangerous. These demons were rarely seen around on earth, however, as they kept mostly to their own Realm in Pandemonium. But he had warned her, should she ever run up against one, don't try to face it, but retreat. Normal Gospel bullets were not likely enough to damage the demon enough, and would only piss it off.

Remembering that slice of information, gave her the heebie jeebies as she continued to search the sky for any sign of the demon. She would have to report it to him in the morning when he was awake... he'd retired to his room, exhausted after the long night.

Or so she thought…

A sudden hand on her shoulder, caused her to shriek in alarm, whirling around and whipping her hand out wildly, coming in firm contact with a cheek to whose body the hand was attached to.

"Ah…!" The familiar voice startled her, and she pulled back, blinking, as her cheeks instantly reddened, realizing who she'd just slapped. "C…Chrno! I'm sorry! I thought you were… er.. someone else!"

"Who else would I be?" He asked, a look of confusion on his face, as he rubbed the side of his face lightly with a hand, eyebrow raised as he peered down at her.

"Um… never mind." She flushed, and gripped her hands tightly together awkwardly. "I'm sorry."

"Ah, it's fine." He smiled, and leaned on the edge of the building, next to her, folding his arms. "Remind me not to sneak up on you in the future, though."

She gave him a wide awkward grin, and they both laughed softly in the dark night.

"So… couldn't sleep?" She finally asked, kicking some of the gravel lining the top of the roof.

"Hmm…" He mused, not really answering that, but tilting his head to the side, watching her. "I heard you up here, and thought I'd see what was wrong. Can't you sleep?"

"No…" She admitted with a sigh. "Not after what happened."

"It wasn't your fault." He spoke up quickly, sensing her worry.

"No, I know." She grinned. "But still, it was so action packed, my nerves are all on edge."

He chuckled lightly. "I can understand that."

They stood there in silence, their gazes roaming over the night sky, as the gentle wind tossed their hair around.

"Ne, Chrno…?"

"Hmm?"

Rosette lowered her gaze, and then turned her head to watch him, as he continued to stare at the sky. There was such an emotional look on his face at this moment, that she wondered if she should bring the topic of the demon up at all… something was bothering him, she could see that in his eyes as he slowly ripped his gaze down to meet hers.

"What is it?" He asked softly.

She hesitated, then shrugged and decided to go ahead and tell him. "I saw something just a little while ago…" At the slight tilt of his head encouraging her to continue, she scratched her head lightly. "...it was a demon. Not one of those small ugly ass things, but one of the ones you told me to avoid."

She turned her head up towards the sky again, therefore missing the thoughtful look he threw in her direction. "It got me to thinking… we're taught to hate and fear demons since we were kids. Why? I mean, the ones that attack citizens and stuff are obviously dangerous and need to be taken care of, but what about the others that don't show themselves around here much?" Her eyes fell to meet his gaze evenly. "Why are they something to hate, to fear? Are they really pure evil like we're taught?" His expression actually surprised her a bit, as she noted he seemed thoughtfully taken aback. "Sorry. I know you make a living outta this stuff… but… I'm just curious about it."

A faint smile crossed his face. "No, it's a good concept to think about actually." He folded his hands together and peered over the edge of the building, watching the cars below in relative silence before finally speaking up. "The stigma attached to demons is something not many people see past what the church teaches." He tilted his head towards her, and she suddenly had the very strange feeling that he knew more about this than he was willing to relate. "The origin of demons is already explained fairly well in the church's teaching…thoughts that they were originally fallen angels." At her nod, he continued. "No one's sure if this is true or not of course, and no one can authenticate it obviously."

Rosette shrugged a bit knowing what he meant. "Yeah but that still doesn't say that they're all automatically 'evil', unless the whole concept of heaven and hell is the truth."

"Well, it's not completely true." He smiled a bit. "Heaven is a broad concept… from what I've been told, what people think of heaven is actually something called the Astral Line… it's the source of life, and souls, a river in the sky." He gestured above their heads, and Rosette's gaze lifted to stare at the starry night sky as he spoke. "It's normally invisible, and none can see it's existence, but that doesn't mean it isn't still there, surrounding the world. As for 'hell', it too exists, but in a different way." He pointed down at the ground this time. "It's called Pandemonium, and it's the home of the demons. That's where most remain."

Rosette nodded. That much they'd discussed already. Pandemonium was another place entirely, another dimension, realm, whatever you wished to call it, it wasn't really 'below' the earth, but rather existed parallel to it. When demons came here, it was through rifts or breaks in the barriers keeping the two worlds separate. It was easier to pass between Pandemonium and this realm, than to gain access to the Astral Line.

"As for the 'evil' nature of demons." He continued thoughtfully. "Like you say, I'm not convinced that it's a nature that's automatic, but something that's taught, influenced by those around you and the choices you make… demons shouldn't be any different. In my experience, I've known a few demons who haven't been evil beings."

"Really?" Her eyebrows rose, out of curiosity. "How many have you known like that?"

"Only a handful." He admitted with a nod. "Most demons relish in death, destruction, and violence. With power comes terrible temptation to use it, and demons have far more destructive power than humans could imagine."

"No wonder." She grumbled. "Power corrupts, is that it…?"

"That's my assumption." There was something about his tone that made her glance his way, a bit suspiciously. He was holding back somehow, but she wasn't one to pry and ask more than her due.

"So…" She leaned forward and grinned over at his friendly face. "How did you get into this business, anyway? I mean… you obviously love guns as much as I do…" At his chuckle she grinned wider. "…but why demons and ghosts and stuff?"

"Well…" He trailed off, his smile faltering slightly, before he caught himself and plastered it back on… but not before she'd caught it. "…I suppose it's something that I always had knowledge of, and the people here are always needing protection where they can get it."

She nodded a bit. "Yeah.. guess so… So how do you know so much about the occult?"

"Ah… well I've always been exposed to it." He said, rather elusively, throwing further suspicions through her mind. "And you learn more as you go on of course."

"Hmph." She muttered thoughtfully, not commenting past that. Ever since earlier that night, she'd been wondering about him… There were odd signs that there was more to this man than first appearances let on. But then…maybe it was like he'd said. He'd been around the occult for so long, he was just taking on an affiliation with them….?

Or not…

Their conversation didn't last much longer, as the night was quickly turning more chilly, and Rosette decided she was finally exhausted, and bid him goodnight.

The next morning, all her questions were forgotten, as she woke to the bright sunlight spilling through the window into her face.

The cheerful smell of bacon being cooked got her up faster than the sunlight however.

She didn't waste time in throwing on the first thing she could find, which was a bit more practical for their job than feminine. She'd found a nice pair of brown pants and a blouse that was pleated down the front, but yet still classy. She hurriedly brushed her hair, and began tying them in two plaits as she jogged down the hall, and pushed her way into the kitchen.

Both the guys were up, Remington lounging casually at the table in the sun, reading a paper, and sipping a steamy mug of coffee as he glanced up once, smiled at her, and returned his gaze to the papers.

Chrno was cooking, humming lightly, with his back to her. He made a fine sight, which almost made her laugh out loud. He wore a short sleeve shirt, like most of the ones he wore, suspenders hooked on to his nice black pants. However, he was still wearing slippers, his bow tie was undone and hanging around his neck, and he wore an apron spattered with bacon grease as he valiantly flailed at a flaming piece of bacon with the spatula.

"Chrno, dump that in the sink before you hurt yourself. "She finally managed to snicker, pushing past him and picking the frying pan up, dumping it in the sink and pouring water on it. "Honestly, men… you two can't cook worth a damn."

"Sorry." Chrno laughed with some embarrassment, and Rosette threw an amused grin over at him as he undid his apron. "You'd think I'd have learned to cook after all this time…"

Remington just snorted. "It takes skill. I still haven't figured it out either."

Rosette rolled her eyes, and threw some bacon on the pan now that it was finished flaming. She wasn't a great cook either, but at least she could manage the basics. "Sheesh, you two are useless."

Chrno just smiled, and poured himself a full mug of coffee, and leaned on the edge of the counter, watching her, when the phone rang suddenly. They all gave it an odd glance, since this was the private line, not their office one. Chrno shrugged however, and lifted the receiver. "Yes?" A long pause, before his smile slowly began to fade a bit. "I see… yes… yes of course we'll be right over. Thanks." He slowly lowered the phone into the cradle, and frowned, his eyes staring blankly at the cradle for a long time, before Remington's voice broke into his reflection.

"Who was it?"

Chrno's eyes lifted, and a faint smile crossed his lips. "The Magdalene Order. We're to report there immediately. There's a situation developing apparently they want our advice on."

Remington's face turned serious at that news, and a slight frown passed over his face. "I see…"

Rosette peered over the counter at her colleagues. "What's with the gloomy faces? Is the Order mad at us or something?"

"No…no it's not that." Chrno said quietly, before shaking his head and putting his coffee mug back in the sink after emptying it, and falling silent once more. Rosette fixed him with a perplexed look, as he walked out without another word. Her gaze turned to Remington, who met her eyes with a serious look. "What's with him?"

Remington sighed, and rose, folding his paper back up and laying it on the table. "You have to understand, Rosette… each of us have our own personal matters… Chrno has issues with the Magdalene Order. Normally he avoids going there at all costs… But please don't pressure him to explain why. He will tell you eventually, in his own time."

Rosette nodded in understanding, and put the frying pan down in the sink once more. So much for breakfast.

--- ---- ----

The car ride was rather somber, on their way to the Order grounds. Remington drove, and ended up flipping the radio on since the oppressive silence was rather obnoxious. Though the annoying country tune that played cheerfully in the background didn't do much to improve the mood, it at least kept her from staring at her boss, who was moodily watching the scenery go by.

I wonder what's wrong… She thought, as she turned her gaze outwards, and watched as they turned onto a road littered with fields all around, as they exited the city proper, and found their way into the suburbs.

The Magdalene Order was a beautiful place, she realized as the car pulled up to the gates, then entered as they slid aside admitting them within. The grounds were gigantic and well-tended to, with sisters milling about the gardens, laughing, talking, and smiling. The buildings were old, and overgrown with ivy and moss, looking for all the world as if they were stepping back in time, into a realm where laughter was the primary ingredient in daily life.

Rosette couldn't help but smile, as she stepped out onto the grounds, and breathed a deep gasp of air into her lungs. Such a place was refreshing to the spirit and senses… Yet she found it distasteful that ANYONE could endlessly devote their life to only one thing, God… she couldn't ever see herself doing that…

Her eyes darted to the side as she spotted movement from the side. Two people were making their way towards the threesome, a tall woman in a habit with spectacles and a stern expression, and a dark-haired man in a priest's outfit. Remington and Chrno faced them as they approached, and Rosette turned as well, figuring she was expected to do the same.

"Minister Remington, Chrno." The woman addressed the two in a quiet, but cold voice. "It has been a while."

"Please, Sister Kate. I'm no longer a Minister, do not refer to me as such." Remington's voice sounded cordial and pleasant, but Rosette could detect a faint tone of icy reprove beneath the warm exterior. Chrno on the other hand remained silent.

"As you wish." Sister Kate sighed, before her gaze turned towards Rosette. "And who is this?"

"Ah, this is our newest assistant." Remington's hand landed on her shoulder lightly, and Rosette smiled politely over at the pair of holy clergy. "Rosette Christopher."

Sister Kate's face smiled as she extended a hand, and Rosette clasped it warmly. "A pleasure, Miss Christopher. Curious business you have entered into…" A flash of something indefinable crossed the Sister's face, but vanished quickly as she straightened. "Now then. Shall we get on with business? This way please."

Rosette blinked a bit, but followed the two men as they fell in step behind the Sister… curiously enough, the priest whom she had not been introduced to, took up the rear, and Rosette was slightly alarmed to see the glint of a steel weapon at his belt… was it common for all priests to carry guns on them?

They were led inside, through several long corridors, until they came to a very finely furnished office, where they were led inside, and offered seats, as the priest took up a position at the door, and Sister Kate sat down in the large chair in front of the window, across from the desk they sat down near.

"Now then…" Sister Kate folded her hands, and shot a quick glance at Rosette, before turning back to the two men. "I'm sure you've heard the reports of strange occurrences happening around the globe by now?" At their nods, she continued, and picked up a file, and handed it over. Remington accepted it, and opened the folder, peering at it. Rosette was able to look over his shoulder and see a picture of a young girl, with silvery pale hair and a smiling face on top. "That girl is Azumaria Hendrick. She's a Portuguese singer who was found in Las Vegas. We believe she's the target of attention for the demons at the moment."

Remington flipped through the file, and then handed it to Chrno, who peered at the information carefully. "Why would that be?"

"It is rumored that her song has healing and calming properties… She was born in the small province of Fatima."

Both the men's heads snapped up at that remark. "Fatima…?" Chrno asked quietly, speaking for the first time since they had arrived. "Then that means…"

"The prophecy is potentially beginning." Sister Kate sighed lightly, placing her hands down on the desk in a clasped position. "We had hoped it would pass… but it seems such things are not to be."

Remington looked thoughtful, as Chrno lowered his gaze back to the photo of the girl, with a frown on his brow. "Chrno… I need your word on this…" All eyes raised to Sister Kate, who was looking very severely across the table. "…that you know nothing more on this issue? Is that the truth?"

"As I have told you before…" Chrno spoke slowly, and Rosette could hear the tension in his voice. "I was not privy to that information. I have told you all I know."

Sister Kate frowned, and pursed her lips together. "I'm not entirely convinced of that. Surely one such as yourself would have had more in-depth insight, having worked with…"

"Sister Kate." Remington's stern voice interrupted her sharply. "Enough of this. We've been over this before."

Her gaze turned more frigid, and she looked almost as if she had consumed a whole lemon raw. "I realize that." She sighed, closing her eyes, and removed her glasses, looking very stern. "The only reason we tolerate your involvement in this matter, is because our faith is placed in someone with more honor and trust than we place in you." The two men stiffened slightly, and Rosette saw Chrno's hand tighten sharply on the edge of the folder. "…if it had been my choice, things would have occurred differently."

"Fortunately, they did not." Remington's voice was suddenly very dangerous, and cold. "Sister Kate, we did not come here to fight with you. Is there any further information you wish to confide in us? And if so, what are your orders in this matter?"

"We're sending a few sisters to investigate the matter. It's under control." She replied stiffly. "We will keep you informed of any new progressions. That is all."

The two men rose, and Rosette quickly joined them, though her head was spinning with all this sudden information. Why in the world was there so much tension in the room? Obviously Sister Kate did not like the detectives one bit, and they felt likewise about her. But the hostility in the room was far beyond something that could result in a misunderstanding… This was something emotional, and deep.

As they exited the room, Rosette heard the priest who had waited patiently behind them, speaking quietly with Sister Kate, before following them out as an escort, as they left her office. They walked down the corridor, and Rosette jogged up to walk beside Remington, as he seemed the more available one to speak with. "Um, so what was that all about?"

Remington threw her a rather sad glance, and shook his head. "It's a.. complication that goes way back."

"You used to be a priest here?"

"Yes…" he admitted with a sigh. "I did, long ago."

"Why did you leave?"

He looked thoughtful, and then ran a hand through his tousled blond hair. "It's complicated… but to summarize, I was no longer comfortable working with an organization which held such narrow beliefs."

Right… yeah like THAT made sense… Rosette sighed. Apparently she wasn't going to get much out of him…

She stopped suddenly, once they had exited back to the grounds, and realized Chrno was not with them. She turned around, and spotted him back at the entrance to the main building speaking with the priest who had followed them. Remington was continuing on towards the car, not having noticed she'd stopped, and so Rosette took a couple steps closer to the building, to see if she could hear in on some of the conversation.

"…please, just for a minute.. at least let me just see how she's doing…" Chrno was saying in a quiet reserved voice.

The priest shook his head, a look of regret in his eyes. "I'm sorry… you know it's not allowed. Sister Kate won't permit you inside, Chrno."

"I won't talk to her… I just want to see her… Guliam, please…"

"I'm sorry… really I am…"

Rosette watched as Chrno's shoulders slumped visibly. "I understand…thanks…" He muttered glumly, before turning and heading back towards her.

She quickly straightened up, and acted as if she hadn't heard their conversation, while her mind pondered over what it meant. Who wouldn't they let Chrno see? "You okay?" She asked as he drew nearer, his hands stuffed in his pockets, making him appear a gloomy figure.

He favored her with a tight smile that didn't spread to his eyes. "Let's go." He continued past her, leaving Rosette to wonder. What was going on?

"Chrno, wait!" A new voice caused the three to pause as they reached the car, and turn to see a small older man jogging their way. "Ah, I'm glad I caught you…" The old man was a strange sight, complete with a priestly cap, and odd malformed goggles over his eyes. "There's something I'd like you to test out next chance you get. Come, let me show you."

The two men exchanged glances, but followed the old man, and Rosette jogged up to their side, as they approached a small overgrown cottage on the very edge of the grounds. The man entered, and as she stuck her head within, her eyes widened at the sight of many strange devices hooked up all over the inside like a maze. Apparently he was an inventor.

"Here." The old man turned, and held a small case out to the tall dark-haired detective. "These are specially made for you. They should provide less of a kick, and avoid a burn when you fire them. I know you asked if I could craft something that wasn't as dangerous as the Gospel, but still be as effective. These are called 'Spirit'."

Chrno opened the case, and Rosette stared as she saw several fine silver bullets laying inside. "Whoa… so you're the guy who makes those big glowey ones?" She asked, peering over at him.

The man grinned widely, peering forward at her. "Oh, and who's this lovely lady…" His eyes suddenly got a strange gleam about them. "Well, young lady… if you come closer… I'll be glad to tell you all about them…"

She blinked, but not knowing any better, took a few steps forward…

She felt a strange motion, as he bumped right into her, his leering grinning face distracting her for a brief moment, before she realized something strange was happening…. Her… yes… those… were being… squeezed….

Her face turned bright red, and even as the old man began to cackle about softness, she lashed a fist out, and smacked him firmly in the face, sending him sprawling to the floor. "YOU PERVERED OLD MAN!" Her bellow was enough to make both detectives jump, and immediately they latched on to both her arms, dragging her kicking and screaming off of the old man, as she fought to tear him limb from limb.

"Ah…spunky…" The old man grinned, wiping some blood from his nose in good humor. "Well worth it… I can see why you like her, Chrno."

The dark-haired detective's face went bright red at that, and he quickly let go of Rosette's arm, causing her to stagger back a bit at the sudden loss of support. "Ah… right.. well… don't mind the Elder, Rosette." Remington said, coughing a bit. "He's always been a bit eccentric from the beginning… and I doubt if he hasn't changed in this long of a time, he'll ever change."

"Speak for yourselves!" The Elder scowled in a rather wounded manner. "Here I go out of my way to make you gifts, and you don't even allow me the blessing of your young lady's affections."

"If you'd keep your hands to yourself, you'd have more luck with women…" Remington muttered, but swiftly turned before the Elder could retort. "We should get going."

Chrno pocketed the case of bullets, and nodded back at the Elder. "I'll test them out next time I can and let you know how they work… what's in them by the way?"

The elder's eyes darkened a bit, and a rather wicked gleam lit his face. "Demons."

The three froze, exchanged glances, and suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable. "On second thought… I'll test them in the ammo room… with a barrier up…" Chrno muttered. "Or the whole building will be pounding down our door…"

Revised: 02/07/08