All It Takes

By: Yamiko #7

Hello again! Here we are at Chapter Eight, and after everything that's happened, I'm surprised that you're all still reading. You're all either slightly out of it, or (miracle of miracles) you actually like the story. Either way, I'm amazed...and grateful. (People are reading my stories! Yay!) Now if only I had some reviews...(fakes a pout) Yeah, guess what I'm asking you all to do. n.n

So, instead of subjecting you all to another one of my long-winded content-challenged rants, I should start the chapter. Before I do that, though, I need to collect the characters. (Lassoes Chrno and does her best Scorpion imitation) GET OVER HERE!

Chrno: (urk!) You could have just called me...

Oh, but this was just so much more fun! Now I can start. n.n BTW, for those of you who didn't get the Mortal Kombat reference...you poor, deprived souls, you. For those of you who are complaining because I used a lasso and not a harpoon...jeez, I'm only trying to rough him up a little bit, not kill him. Lighten up, people. n.- (Yamiko has been playing waaaaaaaaaay too many video games and not writing nearly as often as she should be. For shame.)

And here I promised you I wouldn't rant. I guess I'll end it here, then. Enjoy!

Chapter Eight: Revival

Chrno woke with a start and immediately began to choke. He didn't remember where he was or what had happened. All he knew was what he could feel: pain. He hurt like hell, and for reasons he couldn't fathom, his body wasn't working correctly.

He tried to stand and, finding himself unable to do so, doubled over. His stomach heaved and forced a mouthful of blood out of his mouth and onto the floor.

"God. I'm going to die."

Except that he didn't feel that way at all; at least, not anymore. In fact, his body now seemed to be fine. His aches had eased, and crimson life was no longer dripping from his mouth. As far as he could tell, he was completely healed.

What in seven hells was going on?

He attempted once again to stand, and found that, with one hand against the wall for balance, he could. He jumped slightly with the shock of the tips of his ears brushing lightly against the cold ceiling.

Wait a minute. He wasn't that tall.

At least, not in his human form, he wasn't...

"Are you in there, Chrno?" came a quiet voice from the other side of the door.

"Rosette?" Chrno made his way towards the voice. "What are you...?"

"Never mind that," Rosette called weakly. Chrno knew she'd be wearing the weary Don't-Worry-About-Me-Darn-It smile on her face. "Just hurry up and break the door down. I can't seem to get the darn thing to open."

He sighed, dug his fingers into the sides of the door, and pried it slowly out of the frame. God, but he hated it when she did things like this.

He set the door aside and watched as she stood slowly, using the wall for support. He had been right. She had that smile. It was the same pathetic smile she always wore when she was about to try to convince him to leave the seal open for just a little bit longer.

He strode out into the hall. Dark, dank, and dismal - perfect scenery for his mood right now.

He looked at Rosette. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." She closed her eyes, nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Now, c'mon, let's go and -"

"No."

She blinked and looked up at him. "What?"

His gaze was penetrating, intense. "We're not going anywhere until you replace the seal." If she hadn't known him as well as she did, she would have been scared.

She shook her head slowly. "You need your powers to-"

"It might not come to that," he argued. "And if it does, we can always release the seal again."

"But, Chrno-"

"Damn it, Rosette!" He reached over and snapped the seal on the pocket watch shut.

Rosette's gaze changed from an incline to a decline as she stared at him in shock. Chrno had never really gone against her over the issue of the pocket watch - he'd argue, but he'd always given in in the end. He'd never gotten physical with her either, in any way, shape, or form. And she'd never heard him swear, not to anybody and definitely not at her.

What had happened to Chrno in that dark little room?

He took one of her hands in both of his and held it gently. "Rosette, when I told you not to throw your life away, I..." He looked up at her, into her eyes. Are you listening to me? Good. "...I meant it."

He's different. He's changed. He...I... "Chrno...what's happened to you?"

He released her hand, sighed, "...I...", and looked away. "I don't know."

"Fine then." The strategy of the day seemed to be "when in doubt, switch tactics." It had worked so far. "How do you know the psychotic bitch who's in charge of this whole mess?"

Chrno turned away. "It's a long story."

Switching tactics wasn't working. Chrno's funk had crossed the line from causing concern to causing annoyance. Rosette decided to go back to her standby strategy of push, push, and push some more.

She grabbed Chrno's shoulders and spun him around to face her. "Well then, tell me!" Seeing his hesitation, she added, "There is no way in hell I'm letting her take me by surprise again."

Chrno sighed. Rosette was in her bullheaded mode again: there would be no talking her out of this one.

Damn.

He looked up at her. "Alright: I'll tell you. Try not to interrupt...too much."

Rosette grinned at the joke. It was weak, but at least her Chrno was coming back to her.

Her grin died with Chrno's next sentence.

"Sumiah is a pursuer. She's loved Aion for as long as I've known her."

And there, we end the chapter. (Runs away from the random various pointy bits of painful doom being thrown at her by her readers) Jeez! I'm trying, I'm trying! (Points to her desk calender, which reads 22 December) 'Tis the season to be stressed, y'know. (Sigh) I'll get to work on Chapter Nine (Holy cow! I don't think I've ever reached a Chapter Nine before! Wow!) as soon as I can, like maybe right now. Stay tuned for the obligatory back story chapter! Woo hoo!

Thanks for reading and Merry Christmas!