Disclaimer: As usual, I own nothing, although I wish I did. Everything belongs to Moriyama Daisuke, ADV and Gonzo.

Thank you all:

NightElfCrawler, ruby-dream, Die Kikyo Die
Thank you regular reviewers. You guys are awesome.

ChibiSamiSala
Hello again. Cool, thanks heaps. I hope I do justice to your suggestions when I write the chapter. And thanks for reviewing as well.

Adayana
Yay! Another new reviewer / reader! Hi there. Thanks for reading my story. I hope that you'll continue to follow it, "for better or worse, till end do us part". Hehehe. Just kidding. This is my first novel length fic ever, so if the quality starts sliding, I'll understand if people start to dislike it. That's why it's cool to get reviews, I get criticisms which is a signal for me to improve my writing. Feel free to tell me what you think is odd and I'll try to work with new suggestions in the subsequent chapters.

lazy cat

This will loosely follow the manga, I hope. I haven't gotten to the point where I have to decide, so I'm letting my imagination run wild at the moment. However, judging by the way the story is progressing, although certain events in the manga will happen in the future, it will probably deviate from the plot. I plan to borrow stuff from the anime IF it fits in with the story though. Everyone seems to hate the anime. Personally I don't think it's terrible, although the manga is superior by far. That's why I'll try to make it follow the manga, relatively speaking anyway. Thanks for becoming my newest reviewer.

Author's Note: No more Chrno Crusade! The anime ending with Chrno and Rosette was so sad, I cried. I hated the last bit with Aion though. I feel strangely empty now. I will so not kill off my main characters if I can help it. Unless I can make it spectacularly moving, I want to try and make a happily ever after ending in the future. I've had enough of sad endings, the anime achieved that perfectly anyway (minus the bit at the Vatican). I can't believe it's over.

Chapter 8: The Clock

Remington:

I stared at the clock, suddenly feeling cold all over.

Oh dear Lord, say it isn't so...

Was this the reason for the demon's protectiveness? He was protecting his contractor? It made sense then, that he didn't want anything happening to the one who was the source of his power.

But this was wrong. I felt rage building up with each passing thought. She was too young to be bearing such a heavy burden. How did he manage to trick her into accepting this?

A slight whimper brought my thoughts back to the present, and I looked up to see Rosette tugging at her hand, which I still had in my grip. I had unconsciously tightened it in my anger.

As I released her, she stumbled back a few steps, rubbing her hand and glaring at me.

"Minister Remington!"

I turned to see the teacher approaching with some of the older students, probably coming back from a practice session.

"Hello, Sister." I greeted politely. "I was wondering if I could take Rosette for a while."

She stopped and looked at me in surprise. "Of course. But whatever for?" She looked curiously at Rosette, who was still standing beside me.

Rosette had hidden the clock again and was slowly backing away. Quickly reaching forward, I put a hand on her shoulder. To the teacher, it may have looked like a kind fatherly gesture. But I was also exerting enough force to warn Rosette. From her slight wince, I could tell that though I may have been overdoing it slightly, she had gotten the point. She stayed put, glaring petulantly at the ground.

"It's just a small matter." I said smoothly. "We will be going now. I apologise for disturbing your class."

I kept my hand on Rosette's shoulder, steering her towards somewhere deserted. When we were out of sight and hearing range of the class, Rosette broke away and whirled to face me. "What do you want? That hurt!"

"I'm sorry, but I needed to make sure that you didn't run off before we clarified something." I allowed her time to put some distance between us before asking, "How did you come by that clock."

She frowned and clutched said clock unconsciously. "It's none of your business!" She snapped.

I frowned in displeasure. "I don't think you realise the danger that the clock represents. It..." I didn't finish, since she interrupted furiously.

"You don't know anything! You think you do, but you don't!"

My expression darkened even more. I reached forward and seized her by the shoulders, ignoring her cry of shock. "I happen to know for a fact that the clock represents a contract with a demon. That is the reason why he followed you here, isn't it? He couldn't let anything happen to his source of power, that is why he protects you so."

Rosette had looked intimidate, but at those words, her face contorted with anger. "That's not it! Chrno's my friend."

"Friend?!" She was too naïve. "A friend would not trick you as he did. The contract he made with you has effectively shortened your life!"

"He didn't trick me. I knew the consequences." Rosette said.

I stiffened in disbelief, and then felt anger. "You knew?! And still you chose to make the contract? Why!" I shook her in frustration, ignoring her cry of protest. "What was it that he promised you? What did he say to you that you would be so willing to let him consume your soul."

I felt that somehow, I was asking Magdalena as well. Why did you sacrifice your life for the sake of a demon? What had he said or done?

TBC

NOOOOO...!!!! Such a short chapter!!! It can't end like this!!!! But I must. I can't decide what to do next. And I was going so well too! NOOO...!!!! HELP ME!!! The next chapter depends on the decisions of my lovely reviewers. Do you want to see a strong Rosette, or Chrno to the rescue?

I like both ideas and was actually planning to write something like a choose your own adventure story. Have you guys ever read one of those? It would be like: if Rosette should retaliate, go to Chapter 10. If Chrno should beat up Remington, go to Chapter 9.

But that would be too tedious and annoying, not just running 2 separate branched off stories, but also for the reader to look through disjointed chapters. But it would have been funny, if I had done something like: Chapter 21, Rosette was eaten by a giant marshmallow demon, return to Chapter 1 and begin again. Hehehehe, amusing, but no.

Remington is turning out too evil too soon...crap! What to do? How can I redeem him in Rosette's eyes. Never mind Chrno, hehe, just Rosette for now. Suggestions?

So I leave it up to you guys. I like a possessive Chrno, but I don't want to make Rosette seem weak. Due to my indecision, the next chapter depends on you guys. If you want quick updates reply swiftly at your earliest convenience.

Thanks again for reaching the bottom of the page. You guys rule!