-Hello, I just wanted to say thanks for hanging in there with me on the last chapter! I absolutely love reading the reviews you guys give me! Well, I guess I'd better start soon or else I might put you to sleep with my ramblings! Here ya go, fresh off the press!

"My name is Marie… Marie Drake," the girl standing in front of Chrono replied. She looked like a ghost, but unlike most apparitions, was undeniably solid. She wore what once was a nice blue dress, but it was worn beyond reason. It was cut roughly just below her knees. The white petticoats underneath it poked out, turned gray with age. The torso of her dress was tattered as well. Three large slashes were across the front of the dress. Small bits of cloth hung still clung to the edges of the tears, and bare, pale skin was revealed. It used to have a high lace neckline, but the lace was too worn, the pattern long gone. The arms had still reached to her elbows, but the lace that hung down to her wrists was so tattered and thin, it could have been made of cobwebs.

She moved forward slowly, the small anklets she wore jingled softly, and even though the soles of her flats were wood, no noise issued from them. Her eyes though were the creepiest thing. They were gold colored and held a haunted look, like someone who had seen things well before their time had come. Her face was thin, as was her body. Her wrists were so tiny they could have been about an inch around.

"Marie?" Chrono asked, trying out her name. He thought back to what Rosette had said. Brain Drake was in the grave, and he was the brother of Marie Drake, the girl in front of him. She just nodded upon hearing her name, sending ripples through her cobalt blue hair.

"That's your brother, isn't it?" Chrono pointed at the grave, and she looked over, sorrow seemed to emanate off of her like incense.

"Yes, that is my brother," she replied softly, her voice soft and smooth, like a rose petal.

"What happened here?" try as he might, his curiosity got the best of him.

"It was attacked," she replied simply, moving around the large room, softly and silently. "Since you have already asked me question, I see it as only fair that I ask you one," she motioned over to him with a simple flick of her wrist.

"Ooookay…" he was still cautious of her, as he knew nothing of this phantom other then her name.

"What are you doing here in this church, and what on God's green earth would drive you to seek shelter in such a desolate place?" she asked, turning her head to face him, her eyes clear and piercing, but still holding that haunted look.

"Our car broke down, and I should ask you the same on the last question," he replied, moving cautiously away from her. With Rosette out, he was unable to use the pocket watch, and thus his powers.

"I feel no urge to leave here, as I still owe something to my brother," she replied, walking over to the grave. She was small, wraith like, and with her tattered dress being whipped by the cool autumn winds, and her hair thrashing around her body, she could have easily been some kind of specter. Or at least, that's what Chrono thought.

She walked away, moving through the pews slowly again, her feet were soft against the floor and she looked at him over her shoulder. Her azure colored locks falling over a thin shoulder.

"Do you know the name of this church?" she asked, brushing her hair back over her shoulder.

"No," he replied simply, still cautious of this girl who sensed like a demon.

"They it was called The Church of Lost Hope, and it seems fitting, wouldn't you agree? Since there is no hope to be found in this church, just the remnants of it…faded and lost with age" she looked over at him giving him a halfhearted smile. He just nodded his head slowly, looking around the church slowly.

"I was here the day the church became the way it was. The day it fell into decay. It didn't always look like this. There was warmth in this room, the wall over there was filled with tapestries," she motioned over to the destroyed wall. "My brother and I came here one Sunday for church, and it happened. It happened so quickly, like a flash of lightning. The land across from the church over there was a field; it belonged to a man named Higgens. I remember the day it was attacked, trying to run away from it, but coming up just short. The doors slamming closed, sealing my fate. And then having to come face to face with it…" she trailed off.

"With… what?" Chrono asked, curiosity getting the best of him.

"With what you ask…" She moved closer to him until she was close enough to kiss him, and she placed a long hand on his face. He was surprised to feel the fiery heat issuing from her hand. He had almost expected her hand to be as cold as the surrounding area.

"It was a monster, it killed my brother, and left me to live with the pain and grief, and he cursed me. I promised Brian as he died, that I would save him… but I couldn't… I had to watch him die…" she broke down in sobs, resting her face against Chrono's chest. He blushed, looking upwards at the ceiling to busy himself. In fact, he was at a lost, but he patted his hand slowly on her head, sympathy etched into his face.

"It's okay…" he muttered, doing his best to soothe her. Her entire body shook with sobs, her warm tears spilling onto her dress and his jacket. He looked down and just sighed. Marie looked older when you first saw her, like some old relic, but she was just a child, a very scared child.

"I… I had to bury him, but the old woman was found by her family… She's somewhere in the cemetery… but I don't go there… There's too much death…" she muttered disconnectedly into his jacket's front, her voice muffled by the rough cloth.

"Calm down, you're fine…" Chrono used his best soothing voice as he patted her on the back, trying to calm her down. "Why didn't you parents bury your brother and take you home?" he asked, worried on why this young woman's parents would abandon their son and daughter.

"Their dead too…oh god, their all dead…" she cried out, clutching Chrono's torso closer to her body, tears flowing down her face like some kind of waterfall.

"Shh…" Chrono slowly sunk to the ground from the excess weight, sitting on his knees, and she just crumpled with him, like a sheet of paper being folded.

"I… I can't leave… until I beat him… and make him take the curse off…" she started to mutter into the sleeve of his coat, and then she looked up, her golden colored eyes swimming in tears. Chrono felt his heart break. She looked so young, and had gone through so much. He entirely forgot the fact that she sensed like a demon. She reminded him of Rosette when she was younger, and he just sighed in defeat, letting her hug him. His hugged her back cautiously, resting his head against hers, suddenly tiered, worn from a day that he thought might never end.

"someday… I'll be free… I'll beat him…" she sobbed, her chin resting on her chest in defeat, being cradled by Chrono.

"who?" he tried on last time, hoping she would respond.

"Aion…" she whispered, staring up at him with fearful eyes, and Chrono could have sworn his heart stopped. This was an interesting development indeed…..

-There we go! Fresh off the press for your enjoyment… I had writers block when writing this again… so sorry!