Disclaimer: Do I have to repeat myself! Only Moriyama-sensei has such privilege! My, that was depressing... (sniff)
(A/N): Hi guys, thanks for those lovely reviews you really brightened my day. I am having some problems at school because of math. I need a hug...
Chapter 4:
DreamRosette was walking calmly down a beautiful beach. The sand was white and smooth, the heavens were blue and clear like a crystal and the sun shined on top of her blonde hair and pale body. She stopped and felt as the fresh ocean waves covered her bare feet and the wind slapped her face refreshing her and soothing her senses creating a comfortable feeling.
She sighed fascinated and continued looking at the horizon and at the setting sun that seemed like a candle's flame, so delicate that even the weakest gale would put it out.
She continued staring at the darkening background as new stars started twinkling in the distance. Rosette smiled with pleasure, it was sure peaceful there. All her worries were somehow gone.
She continued looking at the heavens and she could see a bright stream of light floating in the pitch blue sky. It was like a connection of stars and clouds, it seemed like the Milky Way but this one was more beautiful. It passed on top of her like a current of water that carried away pieces of light, since it glittered faintly.
It was the Astral Line.
Chrno had once showed her and Joshua what it was and its function. She remembered his words perfectly:
"This stream is the main source of all life. Think of it like ´fragments´ of life force. These fragments fall to the earth and bring life to all living things. When a bundle comes together, a soul will be born...
When the life ends, the soul will rise to the sky to be rejoined to the stream once again. Supposedly for billions of years, this is how the great Cycle of Life was brought to this world..."
Rosette sighed and closed her eyes remembering the following scene, her younger brother, Joshua, had gotten excited about Chrno's statement and said that the tree would be explorers in order to find the Astral Lines in order to study it.
Tears formed in the corner of Rosette's ocean eyes. She dried them away and brushed her blonde locks away from her face.
"Joshua..."
The waves continued going in and out, brushing Rosette's feet and being swallowed by the huge mass of water again. After a moment the blue crystal-like water turned darker until it had turned crimson.
Rosette flinched and stared at the strange colored liquid. She gasped and dipped her hand in it then took it out to see what it was.
"Blood...?"
She turned around at the sound of screaming, inhuman screaming. She started running to the source of the noise and finally spotted a small cottage laying next to the sea. She walked through the slimy sand that was drenched in blood. Gore was splattered all over the place, some was scattered around the sand and the porch of the little house whose blue walls were covered in bloodstains. She gasped at the sight of a demon that had been torn to pieces, its torso had been ripped away from its bottom part which was ragged in several shreds of skin. Its arms were also separated from its body as they laid on different edges of the zone. The demon's face was covered in slimy blood that slowly oozed down its features. The creature's snout slowly opened to utter its last words, it managed to say:
"Imp-possible... What... are you..."
Life finally escaped his corpse and its soul was rejoined with the Astral Line. Rosette gazed with wide eyes at the horrible deed and at the demon's sanguine eyes that slowly turned grey as a cloud in a storm when it finally expired.
Rosette believed she was gonna throw up, in all her years as an exorcist she had never witnessed such cruel way of killing. She then noticed a shadow reflected in the demon's life-less orbs and turned. Her turquoise eyes opened wide in shock and amazement at what she saw.
Maroon droplets splattered her face as the person standing next to her swung his arm. It was a young boy, about her age, he was blonde and his eyes were as blue as the sky. From his golden locks surged two pointy and cream colored horns. He smirked while staring at the corpse in front of him. Rosette could see the rivers of blood that oozed freely down his palm, but not normal blood, a demon's blood...
The teen turned to her with a cold stare, his eyes only reflecting hatred. Rosette felt as a knot was formed in her throat when he looked at her. Then after staring at him she could only think of one person, only its image came to her mind, and she could only whisper one name...
"Joshua..."
The boy smiled at the sound of his name, "You finally found me... Nee-san."
A complex mix of feelings took over Rosette at that very instant, worry, excitement, love, surprise, angst, sadness, and fury. She wanted to hurl herself over her lost brother and hug him like dear life or punch him for worrying her all these years.
But a doubt surged. Was he Joshua? Was he the same Joshua she knew? He was the same but her gentle brother would never kill someone or something in such a cruel way, he wouldn't even hurt it, so why the sudden change?
She glanced at horns that surged from his head, Chrno's horns. The ones that Aion had taken away from her contractor and given to Joshua. The same horns that "stopped" the time of the orphan's at Seventh Bell. The same horns that had separated her from her dear brother for these long years. The same horns Chrno needed to get Astral Energy, one of the reasons for the contract being held.
Somehow Rosette believed those horns had the fault of every disgrace in her life, except for the contract, she didn't regret that at all.
"Joshua..." whispered Rosette again approaching him.
This word seemed to be the only one she knew, the one and only she had learned. Warm tears trailed down her face.
"You've grown so healthy..." she said smiling warmly to herself.
She continued walking toward him, wobbling as a baby taking its first steps. She stretched her hand in an intend to stroke his cheek but when her palm was some inches away from him she pulled away.
Rosette glanced at him hurt, "Joshua...? What's wrong?"
The boy continued staring at her strangely as if he was suspicious about something, hadn't he just called her "sister"? Then why was he acting that way toward her?
"Don't you recognize me Joshua? It I, Rosette, your older sister!"
Joshua stared at her once again then he closed his eyes while smiling, Rosette gulped, that smile was the same like the one he had given her that fateful day at Seventh Bell. When she found the orphans turned into stone and Joshua during Chrno's horns and drenched in his blood. That smile was creepy and under the friendly gesture it was evil.
"Joshua... you do remember me, don't you?" she asked shaking.
Her brother continued smiling as he nodded, "Now, I feel fine... he he."
Rosette stared at him blankly, "What do you mean?"
Joshua pointed at the horns and his grin turned wider Rosette flinched at this act, "But you know what? I feel great. It's as if I turned stronger by magic. I've gained enough power."
Rosette felt more tears forming in her azure eyes.
"So, Rosette... it's alright..."
She closed her eyes and clenched her fists, "Stop it! This is nuts..."
Joshua opened his arms as if asking her to embrace him, "Rosette, it's alright! You don't need to become a doctor... so..."
Rosette noticed this scene was pretty familiar to what had happened at Seventh Bell. She clenched her teeth before screaming, " You're... you're not acting normal Joshua!"
He continued smiling at her not noticing that Rosette was crying because of the uncomfortble situation.
"Don't you see what you have done Joshua! Don't you notice what those horns have turned you into!"
This seemed to bring some sense in Joshua because of the disillusion and monotone glare that replaced his cheerful attitude.
He let hi arms fall to his sides before turning her back at Rosette, "Nee-san, I'm healthy... I don't need you anymore..."
Rosette's gaze turned blurry because of the tears that trailed down her face like rivers. She stretched her hand intending to reach for Joshua whose figure turned smaller as he disappeared in the distance.
"Wait Joshua! Don't go!" she shouted running toward him but failed.
Joshua's final words echoed around the place and in her mind. The beach's sight slowly turned blurry and distant as all began to get engulfed in the darkness and disappear.
"Joshua!" she screamed but no one answered.
"Don't need you... anymore..."
Rosette sniffed as she fell to the floor and cried out loud.
"Don't... need... anymore..."
"No... this must be a dream! A nightmare!" she whispered to herself, "I'm... alone..."
She turned to look around with watery eyes, she saw nothing, no one but darkness.
"No one's with me..." she gulped and clenched her fists, "I'm alone..."
She suddenly heard laughter. Rosette turned but saw no one, not even a shadow.
"It's useless..." whispered a serious voice.
Rosette turned to the source of the voice, from the shades surged the tall form of a man. He was wearing a white coat as long silver locks trailed behind him. The fellow smirked and fixed his glasses.
Rosette snarled, "Aion!"
The Sinner smiled at the sound of his name, "Exactly..."
Rosette instinctively turned to draw her gun out but gasped when she noticed she was unarmed. She turned back the demon with fear.
He leaned toward her smirking.
"What have you done to Joshua!" she shouted defiantly.
"I did nothing, Joshua himself locked himself in the darkness, the horns only brought confusion to his mind."
"It was you who gave Joshua the horns!" she screamed getting to her feet.
Aion smiled wider as huge black wings surged from his back. Rosette retreated.
"You will never see your brother again while he's with me..."
"No..."
" Goodbye... Mary of the Magdale..."
After saying this he drew his sword out and pointed it at her. A bulb of energy formed on top of its blade and Aion aimed it at Rosette.
She covered her face and screamed in pain when she felt the demonic energy hitting her flesh.
She could only hear Aion's laughter and Joshua's words were still in her mind.
´So... this is it?´ she thought, ´I couldn't even get close to saving Joshua... Azmaria... Satella.. Chrno... sorry everyone...´
When she believed all hope was lost a blinding flash made her open her eyes, she stared at the shining figure standing in front of her.
Was that an angel?
The winged person stretched its hand toward her, she didn't think about it twice before taking it firmly.
She could feel as she was pulled away from the darkness by that strong arm.
Rosette gasped when she saw herself naked floating over an empty space.
"Where am I?"
She could see a huge object floating beside her, it was the pocketwatch. That watch had tied her soul to Chrno's and bind them in an astral contract.
"I see... I'm inside the pocketwatch..."
She remembered the moment when she had made the contract with Chrno. They had made it in an attempt to save Joshua but failed in that mission. Rosette could never forget that moment; it was special for her. It was the most important instant in her life, one that couldn't be forgotten through ages. It was that precise minute when she became his and he became hers, for eternity.
She smiled to herself and thought about Chrno. She wanted to see him again. After another blinding flash, Rosette could hear someone calling her name.
Her eyes slowly opened to reality, as Chrno's face was the first thing she could see. He seemed a bit worried.
´Oh.. it was a dream... only a dream...´ she thought relieved.
"Rosette, are you alright? You were moaning a lot..." whispered Chrno, his ruby eyes matching her ocean orbs.
The young demon stopped his sentence blankly as Rosette hurled over him crying.
"Oh Chrno! It was horrible! I saw Joshua and Aion and it was terrible!"
Chrno blinked confused. He had gone to wake Rosette up but he found her moaning, tossing, and turning. Lots of sweat was racing down her forehead. All of a sudden she had woken up and hugged him. That was odd for Rosette to do.
He heard his contractor sobbing and felt as if his heart was crushed. He smiled and returned the embrace soothing her with gentle words.
"Don't worry my Rosette, it was just a nightmare. You know I'm here with you, calm down..."
Rosette's once stiff body relaxed at his touch and she sighed, "Thank you Chrno..."
Thought neither one nor the other let go, this was a memorable moment they wanted to enjoy. The young blonde held to him tighter as Chrno kissed her forehead, "It's okay, it's okay..." he whispered.
Rosette finally smiled and loosened her grasp on him feeling better.
´I'm not alone...´
(A/N): Ne? Did you like this? Well as I promised there goes your long chapter, in my opinion it was long enough. Well I really enjoyed writing this so tell me what you think in a review. Oh yeah, Aion always refers to Rosette as "Marie of Magdale" that's why he said that here. In the next chappie party starts! (yay!) See you later!
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