(A/N): Okay everybody! I'm back! Sorry for taking so long to update, I was suffering of the world's most dreaded illness... Author's Block! . Also because of my assembly at school and the graduation, yay I'm finally a senior!

Yeah just one small note before you go on:

I have had lots of E-mails and reviews asking if I had a pic of Chrno and Aion as kids and if I could send them to you. The answer is yes, I do have this image and would gladly send it to you if you ask for it. Though don't claim it as yours since I don't remember from where I took it from, okay?

Anyways, let's cut the crap so we can enjoy of the chapter, ne?

Chapter 14:

Ride

Satella and Azmaria trudged down the crowded streets while passing strangers and bumping against them. Even the alleys' gloomy appearances and the emotionless gestures of the other people, both females were... smiling.

Well maybe more than smiling, Azmaria was humming happily as she jogged before her friend.

The Hexen De Juwel finally came to a halt as she spotted two familiar figures sitting on the sidewalk. The albino haired girl giggled as she waved at the embraced couple before them.

Chrno and Rosette saw that their comrades had finally returned and in a flash they were separated, their faces flushing.

The purple haired demon slowly got up as he forced a smile; he was still feeling a bit tense about the incident with the fortune teller earlier. Rosette turned to him sternly noticing the still dark feeling his ruby eyes showed. Even Chrno tried hiding his feelings she could easily read them throughout his eyes. Nothing escaped them. She wasn't fooled.

She sighed and got up as she waved back at Azmaria, "You're finally here. Why so happy?"

She combed the albino bangs of Azmaria's crimson eyes and grinned. The Apostle giggled, "We finally found someone who can help us out of here."

Ocean orbs opened wide with delight at the young girl's statement, "Really? Who?"

Satella made her way next to the militia as she brushed her long red locks away from her chocolate eyes, "A taxi driver. We managed to convince him to give us a ride to the mall."

Rosette smirked evilly as she eyed Satella suspiciously, "Confess. What did you do to him?"

Satella smiled deviously, "Why do you say that?"

"Well I'm sure it's impossible for you to accept a ride from someone who's not a driving at least a carriage," teased the nun.

Satella humphed, "I just want to get out of here."

Azmaria tugged from Rosette's clothes snapping her back to consciousness, "Shall we go?"

Rosette smiled and nodded. Then she turned to Chrno and noticed that he was staring at the ground darkly. His ruby eyes reflected the pocket watch's silhouette, its figure surrounded with concern, hate, and fear. He but his lower lip as his form shivered and he clenched fists.

Rosette felt like crying she didn't want Chrno to look like that, not today. She thought that he had promised not to worry about the fortune teller's words, besides, how was he so sure it would happen? Didn't he have confidence in himself, or more importantly, in her?

A lonely tear ran down her pale skin making Chrno look back at her and wake up from his trance. He saw Rosette's deep blue eyes piercing through his own blood orbs wishing for understanding. The look in her eyes was almost pleading as if telling him that he was hurting not only himself, but also her feelings.

Azmaria noticed the gloomy appearance of both comrades and tugged from Rosette's sleeve, "Um, Rosette..."

The young exorcist and her contractor seemed to be in some kind of trance as they stared at each other's eyes. Rosette's pools reflected his and Chrno's hers. Suddenly the sound of Azmaria's voice finally made Rosette blink for the first time in 5 minutes. She sighed and told Azmaria that she was going yet her gaze never left Chrno.

"Chrno, you coming?" she said sternly.

The violet haired boy nodded as he followed his friends and contractor down the streets. Rosette and Azmaria walked together as Satella took the lead and Chrno trailed behind the group of females. His face still showing he was deep in thought, perhaps remembering something important.

The twelve-year-old Apostle combed one of her long albino bangs that rested on her shoulder, yet her eyes never left the teen waking next to her. Rosette spaced out as her hand grasped the pocketwatch firmly, the device ticked and tacked loudly, at the pace of her walking and heart beating. Then another tear escaped Rosette's deep eyes as she sniffed and cleaned it off.

Azmaria stopped at this and asked her what was wrong. Both friends had been acting strangely and she wanted to know what had happened. She needed to know if she could do something, that she wasn't useless and that she was able to help her friends, just like they had helped her before.

"Rosette, what's wrong? What happened?" she glanced at Chrno but knew he wouldn't speak and returned her attention to the sobbing militia.

Rosette covered her face and whipped her tears away as she forged a fake smile, "No, it's nothing..."

Azmaria noticed the gloomy expression and decided not to push the topic any further. They continue walking and she could still see Rosette trying to hold the tears back as her hold on the pocketwatch turned stronger.

Some minutes passed until Satella stopped and the sight of a black car came into view, a scrawny black haired man leaned against it while smoking a cigarette. He turned his diminutive brown eyes at them as he smirked and puffed a cloud of smoke from his mouth.

"Well, well the missy is finally back," he said while grinning a toothy smile and throwing his cigarette to the floor.

He extended his hand and chuckled, "I hope you will be true to your word and pay me enough."

Rosette glanced at the man with distrust, had Satella really fallen so low to actually follow this scum's orders? Her attention turned to the Hexen De Juwel who seemed just as unpleased like her.

"Satella are you really sure of what you are doing?" she said nudging the red haired lady.

"Trust, me," she just answered.

The driver frowned, "Well? Before I let anybody into my car, I want to see the money," he said extending his hand, "If you won't pay then..." His expression darkened as he stomped on the cigarette hardly.

Azmaria gulped, maybe asking for this fellow's help wasn't a good idea after all...

The sound of laughter coming from Satella reached everyone's ears as they stared at her curiously. Even Chrno had turned his attention back to her.

The driver snarled silently and clenched his fists, "Hey! What's so funny!"

Satella laughed loudly as she whipped tears of joy from her eyes, "Oh nothing, it's just that I thought I heard you wrong. What did you say again?"

Rosette and Azmaria paled at Satella's response, what had she just said? Was she trying to make him angry on purpose? Even Rosette knew she shouldn't do that, and it was stupid. A vein throbbed on the man's forehead, "You think you're brave don't you by daring me like that?"

Satella played the fool as she smirked evilly, "I don't know, and I thought I had heard you would tell me what to do. But that won't happen, I never follow anyone's orders, except myself."

"If so," he snarled, "then the price will be so high that when I'm finished with you, not even a penny will remain."

Satella crossed her arms defiantly, "Try me."

Azmaria and Rosette stared at their friend with wide eyes, wow, Satella was really stubborn, and scary...

The man snarled, "Confident huh? Well, I say... $100 dollars!"

"What!" screamed Rosette, "That's too expensive for only a ride to the mall dude!"

The man crossed his arms, "Well that's my offer. Take it our leave it."

"Why you son of a..." Rosette stopped in mid sentence knowing Azmaria was there, she was too young to be exposed to such words.

Azmaria glanced at Rosette questioningly, why had she stopped? I mean she always heard Rosette curse and was pretty used to that, unless it was because... The Apostle's eyes widened, that meant she was going to say something really terrible. She didn't want to know what it was though...

The man smiled pleased as he crossed his arms and stared at Satella who just closed her eyes. All eyes laid on her as she pondered about what to do. She then smirked and started chuckling, "Is that all?"

The man gasped but then his face turned red with anger, "Oh yeah? $110 dollars!"

Satella yawned, "You are so boring..."

Rosette and Azmaria sweatdropped, " Satella, don't push it any further..."

The man who was now fuming cursed Satella under his breath, "If so, then let me see the money!"

Everyone paled as they stared at Satella with curiosity, what was she going to do now? Rosette clearly remembered that when they were at the Bakery she didn't have that much money. What now?

Satella humphed as she stared at the man's eyes directly, "I don't have all that money. What do you think I am, a piggy bank or something?"

Azmaria, Rosette, and the driver fell anime-style. He then got up angrily, "Then what was that all about? I won't take you if you don't pay me!"

Satella continued smirking as she showed him her bracelet, the one that carried her magical jewel she used for summing her "Jewel Knight" during battles. The gem shined in the sun as her smile turned wider. The man glanced at curiously, "What is that?"

"Lower the price... please if you don't want to suffer the consequences..."

The man snorted, "Why should I? But maybe I can reconsider it if you hand that jewel over..."

Satella closed her eyes, "...okay."

"WHAT!" screamed Rosette, "You are going to give him your jewel!"

Satella just smiled, "What's the problem? Here," she said hanging the emerald to the man who was grinning greedily, "...then lets' get to business," she said turning her attention to him.

The driver returned his attention to Satella, "You really are intelligent Miss yet I will not reduce the price," he said while placing the jewel inside his pocket.

Rosette and Azmaria paled at this, "hey you piece of scum! You lied to us!" she wanted to use her gun but no, she couldn't waste her bullets on him, "Satella do something!"

The Hexen De Juwel just smirked, "And I will, I knew he would do that."

She stretched her arm and screamed, "Laden!"

Cold sweat raced down the man's forehead, "What did you do you witch?"

A green light shined inside his coat as a huge diamond knight appeared before him with the little jewel in its palm. Then it handed the gem to its former owner. Satella placed it back on her bracelet and smiled, "Now, you want to make business?"

The man wanted to run but he was paralyzed and his voice was gone so he couldn't scream for help that's why he only nodded.

Rosette burst out laughing and Azmaria clapped, "Well done Satella-san!" "You put him back in his place!"

Satella nodded at her comrades but her expression darkened when she returned her attention to the driver, "Now... reduce the price," she said coldly.

The man gulped, "... okay... ma'am... $100 dollars..."

" 90" corrected Satella sternly while Brave May approaching the fellow slowly, its blade pointing at his neck.

" 90 then..." he said trying to squirm away from the dangerous jewel sword.

Satella licked her lips and then her smile grew wider, " 50"

The man's eyes widened, " 60!"

Satella groaned, as a result Brave May sliced the man's coat, "20"

But the driver still had some dignity, even he was scared to death about almost being beaten to a pulp by a 3 meter tall demonic knight with a bejeweled blade. Well more than dignity, it was stupidity.

" 21!"

Brave May placed its blade on the man's throat and pressing it slightly causing warm blood droplets to ooze freely down his neck, "5" she said giving him a deadly look.

The man thought about the price, it was way too cheap but again, he was about to get killed by a weird, but attractive none the less, lady with a phantom knight at her service.

His life or money? His precious life or golden money? He thought about it again, his eyes rolling up and down. But he snapped back to reality by feeling the cold blade pressing harder against his skin and Satella insisting on only paying 5 dollars.

He bit his lower lip, "10!"

"Done," said Satella smiling once again and ordering the jewel knight to free him, some minutes later the apparition vanished within the jewel again.

The man laid on the floor gasping for air, Satella slowly approached him while smirking, "Now, get the car ready," she said combing her long red locks.

"Yes miss, right away miss!" he said getting on his feet and running toward the car.

Satella smiled proudly and turned back to her comrades who were about to clap at her at any moment, except for Chrno that is because he was still spacing out.

The Hexen De Juwel gave them a toothy grin as she pointed at the now functioning car with the trembling driver in it, "Shall we go then?"

(A/N): And that's for today folks! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and sorry if I took so long in posting it. Tell what you thought in a review okay? And the next chapter is going to be "Let's Go Shopping! (Azmaria's Gift!)" I promise! Oh yeah I just published a new CC fic, it's named "By Your Side Always" and it's a fic about Rosette, Joshua, and Chrno's past and their lives at Seventh Bell. It also includes a part of the first years at Magdale and a short chapter of how Rosette and Joshua's parents died. It will not let you down and I assured you will like it. Then see you in the next update that will hopefully take less time!