(A/N): Hi everybody! I hope you enjoyed the previous chapters and that you like this one. Oh and all of Rosette's memories will start in the next chapter okay? Yeah I'm working on "Rosette's Birthday" update so don't worry, I'm still on it.
Summary:
Azmaria notices that Rosette and Chrno are hiding something very important to her and she decides to find some clues about what's going on, yet what she discovers isn't what she had ever imagined...
Disclaimer: If I owned Chrno Crusade I would have already kicked those GONZO animators' butts for making Aion kiss Rosette! That bastard (fuming)!
Chapter 3:
"Tsubasa wa Pleasure Line"
(Our Wings are Pleasure Line)
Pure Song
Azmaria continued walking down the corridors while humming a sweet and cheerful tune under her breath. She was looking for her friends Chrno and Rosette in order to tell them the good news of what she was able to do at the choir. But she couldn't find them, whenever she asked nobody knew or didn't tell her if they did. She remembered that earlier that day she had heard of Rosette's younger brother, Joshua who had been missing but somehow he had been found and she had dreamed about him. Though she decided not to tell Rosette about it, it could make her temper get worse.
This made her worry if they were out in a mission but... no. They would never leave like that, not even if a mission was the case. She frowned and continued looking around for them.
After what seemed like hours for her she decided to take a rest. She sat on the dry fountain at the convent's grounds. She sighed and turned to the sky while combing her silver locks with her pale fingers. Things were pretty boring without them around.
Suddenly she saw Remington walking slowly down a corridor talking with 3 sisters. One had long brown hair and she bared a shy gesture, the other girl had short blonde hair and smiled widely, and the third one had neck-long red hair as freckles covered her cheeks. They were Sister Claire, Mary, and Anna. As usual, Minister Remington was flirting with them. Thank god Sister Kate was nowhere to be seen or else he would be sweeping the Magdale Convent's halls with a toothbrush.
Azmaria headed to where the 4 were walking and stood in front of them.
Remington blinked and then a warm smile appeared on his young face, "Hello Azmaria."
The young Apostle bowed before talking, "Excuse me but have you seen Rosette or Chrno?"
The 3 nuns standing next to Remington frowned but suddenly evil grins replaced Anna and Mary's confused gestures, "You sure you haven't checked in the dormitories correctly? Maybe they're having fun."
Remington frowned and Azmaria blinked not really understanding what they meant. Sister Claire joined her hands as if praying and sighed, "God forbid any of those deeds to happen here..."
"You have such filthy minds..." retorted Remington combing his blonde mane but smiling faintly, "Well Azmaria, those two are right now in a very personal place, it's better if we don't bother them."
Azmaria's face darkened, "Okay..."
After saying this the young Apostle headed to the Elder's cottage since she had nothing better to do. Maybe she could help the old geezer with an invention or two now that Chrno wasn't around for doing that.
First she knocked on the hut's door and waited for a reply, yet it never came. What she could hear were lots of noise inside the building and stuff crashing against the ground and creating a clacking sound, some seemed to be shattering. Elder was surely working on one of his wacky inventions right now.
Finally Elder's hoarse voice answered when she knocked once again, "Who is it?"
"Ano, Elder-san, it's me Azmaria."
"Oh Azmaria come in but close the door quickly before... Ahh!"
Too late. Azmaria entered the small lab and right after closing the door behind her the room was covered in smoke and powder as Elder's latest creation exploded.
When the dust faded Azmaria and Elder's forms were shown, completely dirty and coughing because of the lack of clean air.
"Oh... not again!" mumbled the grey-haired man.
Azmaria cleaned the powder from her clothes and albino hair before turning back to what had caused the explosion.
"Um, what exactly is that?"
Azmaria pointed at the machine the old man used for creating bullets. It was the same one that created the Sacred bullets, the Gospel, and later the failed invention of Spirit. All over it was surrounded with bullet parts and there were glasses full of bubbling red liquid. Elder sighed with frustration as he hit the table which was covered by junk and liquids of all colors imaginable, because of his fists impact all the fluids were spilled over its surface.
"I was trying to make something special but I failed one more time..."
Azmaria blinked, "What is it?"
I was trying to make a special bullet for Rosette, one that could ´unfreeze´ time.
"Huh? What for?"
"So we can save the children from Seventh Bell and..." suddenly Elder covered his mouth so he wouldn't let anything else slip out.
Azmaria tilted her head, "Seventh Bell? What's that?"
The old man smacked himself mentally, "Sheesh, I shouldn't have said that... forget what I said. Why don't you help me clean out this mess, eh?"
Azmaria nodded and turned. She wasn't fooled by Elder though, she knew he was hiding something, and Rosette too. Well Remington said something about being personal for Chrno and her but she wanted to know more about their relationship. Could that Seventh Bell thing mean something important?
She pondered about it as she took some pieces of junk from Elder's previous ´babies´ as he liked to call them. She turned around looking at the place. Loads and loads of junk and failed inventions were piled up everywhere. She could also see old guns' designs, demon horns, books, and even dirty laundry that was spreaded all over the floor or hanging from the roof. No wonder Chrno felt dizzy every time he cleaned Elder's laundry for him. She giggled at the thought of Chrno turning green with dizziness and continued with her labor. She sometimes came across tools, old Sacreds, maybe one or two Gospels, and some designs of unmade inventions. She found a pile of papers with graphics and calculations written in them, also there were some drawings with the design of guns and holy tools. She found the design of Rosette's gun and the way of making a Sacred. She found some stuff about demonology that Elder himself had investigated, she sometimes found corrections made by Chrno. She continued checking the papers and once in a while she came up with one of Elder's perverted magazines. She would throw those to the trashcan every time the old man wasn't seeing. What surprised her the most was that she found the function and design of the arena used for training trainee exorcists and militia. That place was where Rosette had once trained and Mind Eater had possessed her so Rosette had to use ´Dive´ to enter her soul in order to save her and helped her to become stronger, spiritually talking. Yes, she was talking about the force field formation that used a pseudo spirit converging device, or so said Sister Kate. Azmaria sweatdropped because of the long name, wouldn't it be better to just be called as the training ground for exorcists? But oh well, whatever it suits.
She was about to put the bundle of papers back on its place when she found one that seemed rather interesting...
The Apostle stared at the yellowish piece of paper, it maybe was a project from very long ago. The paper showed so.
It was the design of a large dome that seemed to contain something special in there. Then there was a picture of a house that was in ruins and statues of children stood around it. The place where the photograph was taken read, "Seventh Bell".
Azmaria pondered about it and started reading the direction of this "Seventh Bell". It was somewhere in the borders of the city where a forest used to be. She continued reading about it and found an old photograph of Rosette, yet she seemed younger and was wearing a dirty dress and she seemed sad about something. There were small bruises all over her face yet she already carried the precious pocketwatch around her neck. Next to Rosette who seemed much more innocent than now was another person, a boy, his face was so familiar, yet his expression was trustless and dark, almost like young Rosette's. Azmaria stared at the other person carefully, then she gasped.
Was that...Chrno?
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Rosette stood before the huge dome looking gloomy, her hold on the pocketwatch turning firmer. Chrno's ruby pools never left her still form, he hesitated before speaking, "Do you... want to go?"
The militia stiffened as she turned to the floor, "I don't know, I'm scared of living it all over again."
A warm smile spreaded across Chrno's lips as he took his Contractor's hand in understand, "I know, but don't worry. Someday we must do this..."
Rosette nodded slightly as she then started walking toward the huge metallic doors that stood before both companions. The young devil followed after her and stopped in his tracks when the doors slowly opened and revealed, after a huge cloud of dust, its content.
He couldn't take his eyes of what he saw, as did Rosette who approached the sight before her. Both fell into silence, as the only thing that could be heard was their even breathing, Rosette's boots against the grass, and the pocketwatch's low noise.
What had caught both companions' attention was a large wooden house whose front part was completely destroyed and standing in front of the old construction were lots of stone statues with the appearance of children.
They had fear marked all over their faces, as they seemed to be trying to escape from something. Timber from the house seemed to be frozen dead in mid air since they never fell, also there was a bucket whose content was never spilled since the water was floating in the air. The place gave the idea that someone had taken a remote control and pushed the pause button.
Rosette swallowed hard as she pushed the tears back to the corner of her azure orbs, "This place... hasn't changed a bit... ´since then...´ " she said sadly.
Chrno eyed the statues sternly, "That's right... And it will never change. It's a world where time is frozen."
Rosette approached the statue of a woman who was holding against her chest a child protectively, yet the emotion marked in her eyes was that of fear, there was not a single trace of hope in them, though.
" Mrs. Jean..." whispered Rosette turning to see the statues of the children. She spotted one of a boy who seemed to be screaming and running, "Mathew..."
She then turned to one of a young girl, about 7 years old who had short hair and was wearing a short nightgown just as the other girls in there. She seemed to be running toward one female in particular, it was one who was carrying a crying baby in her arms, she had glasses, and waist long black hair, " Nelly, Seila..."
She then turned to one of a boy with glasses that was next to "Seila's" statue. Finally she turned to the empty swings in the edge of the frozen yard, she saw the silhouette of a smiling blonde boy holding a book in his hands as he smiled tenderly. Rosette's eyes watered as she remembered that boy and his name reached her mind, " Joshua..."
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Azmaria sat on a bench at the Magdale Convent's church looking thoughtful and listening to the choir singing. What was that? In that picture... both Rosette and Chrno looked... different from what they were today. Rosette seemed sad and scared, not superior or bouncy like she always was. Well, at least with her. She had once told her that she had to see the positive side of things and never give up, not to waste your time pointlessly in stupid things. Well, at least she said that because of the kind of conditions she was in, her life span being shorter and that... yet she never regretted it and looked forward with a smile. Azmaria never imagined that someday that smile would be a fake, well, not from Rosette. She wondered why she seemed so sad in that picture, what had happened? There was not report in that folder, only photographs and the name of the place.
"Seventh Bell..." she whispered and frowned. What was it? What was so special about this place? She wanted to know; she needed to know.
But then, she remembered the other person in that picture... Chrno... He definitely looked different and strange. The Chrno in the picture was nothing similar to the actual Chrno she knew. He was always friendly and respectful with everybody. He offered his help and was very protective over Rosette. Not only because she was his Contractor but his friend and maybe, Azmaria had noticed on several missions ago, something far deeper.
She sighed, the demon she saw in the picture seemed pretty stern, his eyes didn't show the same warmth they now gave, and he seemed to not trust anyone, except for Rosette that is. In the photo he had his arms wrapped around her protectively. Maybe the overprotective self of his hadn't changed much though, he was always there for Rosette, and maybe he had been there for her since long ago.
"I have to take my time... huh..." she snap out, "But... I want to know about them so bad..."
She then stood up and started walking to where the small group of girls was singing. She listened to their song with attention, "When dusk and night approaches, send out your song to those upfront, tell all of your happiness," they sang. Some had their eyes closed as they took hold of their choir book and sang. Azmaria listened to the song's words trying to get what the lecture was all about. What it said sounded a bit like her, shy, weak, young... yet there was always light in the darkest of all towers. That light were Rosette and Chrno, both had brought faith to her, in different ways, yet they always made her feel at home and strong. When she was around them she knew there was a solution for everything, no matter how hard it seemed. 'Cause they never gave up and were always there, for one another, for her too.
The Apostle closed her eyes and smiled to herself remembering every part of the beautiful tune. Then she waited for the appropriate time and then... she sang.
The girls at the choir opened their eyes and turned to the source of the melodic voice and spotted Azmaria, who was singing sweetly, " Do not lose your faith and share it with everyone."
The sound of Azmaria's voice reached everybody's ears and their attention, which was once on their chores, was given to the Apostle's singing.
Sister Kate who was at her desk working on how to pay the debts she owed because of Rosette's clumsiness stopped and threw the papers aside. Then she headed to the huge window in her office and stared at the church, from where the sound was coming.
´ How surprising... I never would have imagined a gentle girl like her would have such beautiful voice... An Angel... that's what Ricardo used to call her as...´
The head nun smiled and turned back to her work as she sipped from her cup of tea, ´Impressive... I think Rosette's done a fine job with this one...´
" The evening glow fades and the star begins to glitter."
The singing also reached Remington's ears who was at the Elder's cabin listening to the report about the new bullet the old man was trying to make.
"Perhaps you should try something else... why not ask Chrno about that kind of power? And besides, how long will this take?" said the blonde staring at the design of the bullet and its complex function.
"It may take more than a year Minister... I have used many methods and substances yet it's impossible... not even alchemy is strong enough to beat a demon's ´freezing´ powers and..."
"What is it?" asked Remington opening the window so at least some clean air entered the wacky house. When they recognized the voice both smiled, "Oh... You know Elder, that the Apostle's are able to give us faith, don't you?"
"What do you mean to say Ewan?" said the old man fixing his goggles, not really paying attention to the father because of listening to the beautiful song.
"I mean to say that Azmaria is giving us faith right now."
"Faith in what matter?" asked the old man frowning and turning back to the design of his bullet.
Remington smiled, "You see, she was very silent at the beginning and shy, never taking the first step by herself, but then she became more secure and strong..."
"I think I get your point..."
"... she was just like us right now. We don't think this project might be able to succeed. But you see there's always hope. That's what her singing says, there is always one who will bring faith but you have to find them first. So let us not give up my friend. Let's keep on working."
The Elder closed his eyes and grimaced, "And I suppose you mean Rosette is the one we must find in order to gain hope? I agree with that."
Remington nodded, "Partially, that is more in Azmaria's case."
" Receive its glow and show your happiness to our fatherly God."
Meanwhile at the Weapon Storage Warehouse the trio of Mary, Claire, and Anna were trying to get the mess up since there were many guns that were out of place and some places needed cleaning.
The red headed and freckled Anna grunted as she set a box on top of a pile of more wooden boxes. She grunted and patted her behind, "Ow ow ow... say, why does Rosette always have to disappear right when we have duty? She was supposed to be helping us right now!"
Claire sighed and as calm as ever nodded her approval, "You're right, but you know what Minister said, her and Chrno are having a personal moment right now. Let's just leave them alone Anna."
The red headed frowned, "And something else's that bugs me is that she has Chrno all for herself always! Why is that? It's no fair she has a cute assistant and not me!"
Claire shook her head in disapproval and continued sweeping the dirty floor.
"Tsk tsk tsk. Anna if I didn't know you better I would say you're jealous."
A vein throbbed on Anna's forehead as she turned to the source of the voice, she spotted the bimbo Mary who was placing weapons back in their cases. She would be considered as the dumb blonde of the group as she smiled blissfully at her comrade.
"What did you just say?"
Mary's smile turned wider as she continued on her work, "I'm just saying the truth, anyways, I feel the same. He's a real cutie."
Anna's left eye gave a sudden twitch as she turned and humphed, "That is none of your business."
"Neither yours," responded Mary happily, " It's Rosette's."
Anna growled silently but then sighed, "Urgh... anyways, get back to your work."
"But you were the one who started this conversation."
"I said zip it!" responded Anna, her left eye starting another twitch.
"But I was just --"
"Mary!"
Anna was about to lunge herself on top of the still smiling blonde but stopped when the Apostle's voice reached her and her friends' ears, " This voice..."
"You hear that?" asked the freckled girl. Claire nodded as Mary jumped from her spot on top of a box and joined the two nuns, "It's so beautiful!" she added, her eyes shining with sparkles of delight.
"It's... Azmaria's voice, right?"
"Those who have sinned come to join us. Our Lord will not abandon you."
Claire and Mary nodded, as an evil grin appeared on Anna's face, "We can clean this place later. Let's go see!"
Back at the church, the dim orange light from the sunset hit the sheer stained-glass window making it reflect its different colors all over the building. Exquisite orange tones clashed against a deep green emerald light, and then was combined with purple, blue, and with violet. The beautiful light spectacle colored the man-made stone walls leaving colorful shadows everywhere and giving the impression that there was a rainbow inside. The figurines were also scattered everywhere as the figure of Saints stained the altar and made the Holy Virgin's statue enlighten more. As Azmaria walked toward the choir's spot she continued singing angelically as her velvety voice bounced on the walls like the colors of the glass. The light seemed to be following Azmaria's singing, as the Apostle's wings seemed to appear every time light hit her body and vanished as fast as they appeared. Her long silver hair trailed down behind her, as its locks seemed to change of color because of the shadows and glittering colors of the stained-glass windows. Now she seemed to be a bejeweled angel singing a hymn of peace and love. After all, she was the Apostle of charity, wasn't she? She finally joined the other singing sopranos who couldn't stop staring at her, their eyes flashing with delight.
"When the night approaches, God will guide us with the wishing star. Show your happiness to God. Send your love to our God that guides us."
When the following line was finished, Azmaria sung louder, her tender voice echoing all over the building and thereafter the convent. The other members of the choir slowly silenced themselves as they allowed Azmaria to do her solo. Her friends and classmates showed in their faces admiration and allowed the music to lull them to a deep dream. This was certainly a Pleasure Line.
Light continued pouring in as if the angels were following the tune of the music and Azmaria's angelic singing. Finally her voice turned less loud, and then it faded slowly, like wind. As soon as she took a deep breath at the end, the light that for a moment seemed to engulf her was finally dispersed, leaving it all back to normal, no more celestial light was to shine above them for the moment thus the church turned dark again.
"...fu," Azmaria sighed with pleasure but then gasped when she felt a hand land against her back softly and then petted her gently. Slowly she turned, only to meet the other members of the choir smiling and giggling.
All the grinning girls gathered around her happily, Azmaria could've sworn she saw some clapping, "Incredible! Azmaria you're getting better every day!" One girl with short chestnut hair said. "I've never heard such beautiful voice before!" said another girl with ponytails.
Azmaria smiled blissfully, not really knowing what to say and then thanked them, "Ah... um...I... uh..." All of a sudden, the sound of clapping echoing all over the walls of the church reached her and the other girls' ears.
Every one turned and to their surprise they saw Anna standing there while clapping with her azure eyes looking watery and some tears running down her cheeks. Mary and Claire stood behind her smiling.
"That was so beautiful!" said Mary sniffing and joining a sobbing Anna. Claire just nodded and smiled at Azmaria, "I agree."
Everyone stared at the red headed who, as bold as she was, was hardly ever seen crying in public. The nun noticed this and tried to hide her tears with her pride, "I was touched! That's all! Something wrong!"
Mary and Claire sighed in defeat while Azmaria desperately tried to avoid the fuming nun, "I'm sorry!"
"Why are you apologizing! It's not your fault!" snapped Anna.
The other 2 nuns shrugged and turned to leave.
30 minutes later...
"You mean you want to know more about them?" said Mary.
Azmaria nodded as she turned to the floor while combing her silver locks with her delicate fingers.
Anna who was still feeling embarrassed, Claire who was listening carefully, and Mary who was always interrupting talked with Azmaria about where Chrno and Rosette were and about what she wanted to know.
Claire closed her eyes and bit her lower lip, "You see Az, Seventh Bell was the orphanage Rosette and her brother Joshua lived in."
Azmaria's crimson eyes were opened wide with surprise and interest. Her hunger for knowledge took the better of her, "Orphanage? What's so special about it? Did something happen? They met Chrno there? Why is it..."
"Patience Az, patience. We are not allowed to answer all those questions. You must ask Rosette yourself."
Azmaria blinked, "But... how am I supposed to do that? What if..."
"Shhh," said Anna placing a finger on the Apostle's lips, "Here."
Anna slowly drew from her dress the folder, which had all the information about Seventh Bell. The same one Azmaria had found earlier at the Elder's cabin.
"How—"
"It's a secret," the red headed winked, "Anyways, you want to know what happened? Then come with us."
"But—"
"Come on!" said Anna pulling Azmaria by the arm and heading to where the Order's cars were parked.
Mary smiled and jumped, "Wohoo! Eavesdropping, eavesdropping! Yay!"
Claire and Azmaria boarded one of the cars and before joining them Anna turned to the smiling blonde, "Mary, if you don't shut up you won't lay a finger on this car."
(A/N): There! Sorry for the lack of updates but I had my graduation and then went to a camp and oh well, you get the point. Hope you enjoyed this, tell me in a review! Oh, I'm think the new chapter of "Rosette's Birthday" will be readythis Friday or Saturday so get prepared.
Preview for "Kokoro no mama ni" What Your Heart Beleives
Finally Azmaria is going to know what is going on around here. Rosette will then open up her heart so Chrno knows way more about her and Joshua and why things turned to be the way they are.