I'm back…even though I only got 3 reviews! I love this story and I'll do this next chapter for my own sake…but hopefully if I get some more good reviews and I can continue the story…please REVIEW!
Disclaimer: I don't own Chrono Crusade…but I own James and Nikita…they are mine and only mine!
Ch.2: A warm welcome
(New York branch of the Magdalene order, 1928)
It was early, only about 8-o-clock in the morning as life at the order began to stir about. The sun was still rising giving off dull golden streams of light that washed over the trees, but not everyone was awake yet to enjoy this wondrous day case and point…Rosette Christopher. "Rosette…come on Rosette it's time to wake up…" the small purple haired demon cooed as he gently shook the left arm of his still slumbering companion, the young blonde nun simply groaned lightly and then rolled over on her side facing the window. The purple haired demon sighed aggravated as Rosette had her back to him "um Chrono…maybe we should just let her sleep a little longer…I mean we just came back from the mission yesterday" came the quiet childish of a short young girl with long silver hair. Chrono frowned and sighed as he turned to face the child beside him "well that is true Azmaria…but remember…after that last mission…we still have to work off those damages by doing the chores" Chrono said to the girl and she grinned nodding lightly. "Yes…I remember…I suppose you're right…and the earlier the better" Azmaria cheered, "maybe for you…" blurted out Rosette who still had her back to her friends.
Chrono turned back to Rosette and narrowed his eyes at her form suspiciously "Rosette…are you awake?" he asked as he leaned over her on the bed to try and see her face. The blonde scrunched her eyes shut tighter "no" she said sharply and tried to snuggle under the blanket more. Azmaria sweat dropped and Chrono scowled at his partner as a low growl echoed in his throat "Yes you are! Rosette stop fooling around you have to get up…NOW!" the purple haired demon hissed at her as he grabbed the blanket covering her body and ripped it off unceremoniously. The blonde snapped up to a seated position and turned her head to look at the pissed Chrono and she glared at him, "you jerk…give those back!" she snarled at him. Azmaria slowly backed up towards the door…when Rosette and Chrono got mad at each other it was like a battle zone. Chrono dropped the blanket to the ground and crossed his arms over his chest "Rosette stop being such a baby and just get up!" Chrono huffed sternly. Rosette's left eye twitched in anger "no!" she said bluntly as she tackled Chrono to the ground and started to pinch and twist his cheeks cruelly between her thumb and index fingers.
Chrono narrowed his eyes in pain as his cheeks were stretched beyond normal capacity "kuit it dat hurts wodette" he mumbled as he brought up a hand to her arm to push her off. But with no luck he did the only thing he could…he reached up and pinched the sides of Rosette's nose between his thumb and index finger and pulled on it mercilessly, "YOOOW! Cot dat out Cwono…grrrr!" Rosette hissed as he pulled on her nose. Oh yeah…. well take this! ' Rosette thought deviously as she removed her hands from his face and quickly to his hair…pulling at his soft purple locks roughly. Chrono yelped in pain and took both his hands and grabbed Rosette's arms to push her off but only resulted in him flipping Rosette over so that he was on top of her straddling her waist as he tried to pry her arms from his precious hair. "Ehem…um…good morning Rosette" Azmaria cleared her throat gently as she tried to get the blonde's attention, Rosette and Chrono froze in action and turned to look at Azmaria who was looking down at her feet blushing and twittling her thumbs. "What's wrong Azmaria…"? Rosette asked worriedly as her grip on Chrono's hair loosened, "uh…" Chrono said over top of her as he looked down at her blushing.
Rosette looked up at Chrono straddling her waist with his legs and then looked down and noticed that in the heat of battle her nightgown had ridden up to her inner thighs revealing quite a bit. Rosette blushed harshly as she realized how wrong their current 'position' must seem and she quickly shoved Chrono off "Ack! Chrono you pervert!" she hissed angrily as she turned redder than a tomato. Chrono stumbled back roughly on his bottom and a deep red blush tinted his tanned cheeks "hey! You're the one who started it!" he protested as the nun stood up and scurried off to the bathroom to get dressed. But he couldn't help but let a small grin tug at his cheeks; she was always so cute when she got all angry and flustered. It was an accident after all so she shouldn't be so upset, he wasn't…in fact being that close to Rosette…the way she was dressed…he'd actually enjoyed it. Chrono smacked his forehead roughly trying to rid his mind of those thoughts before his mind took him to a place that he definitely didn't want to go…his feelings for Rosette.
(Outside the Magdalene order near the fountain)
James began to open his eyes slightly as the warmth of the sun's rays hit his cheek, he stirred lightly and felt warm…very warm…unusually warm. Suddenly he realized what the warmth was as he felt his arms around a sleeping body beside him, he craned his neck upward to see who this person was. Nikita…why was she there in his arms…not that he minded but it seemed odd, even odder still the pair were outside in the grass. "What?" James murmured aloud to himself as he sat up and gently rolled Nikita over so that she lay on her back, that's when he noticed it…her skin was slightly flushed and her hair had been unraveled from it's ponytail and lay sprawled out around her. Her arms were resting at her sides as blood seeped down her fore arms staining the fresh green grass sprinkled with dew. It was then that James remembered…that he remembered everything that had happened, the search mission, 7th bell, the strange attack Nikita had and the blinding light that had engulfed them like hungry flames as he began to black out. "Nikita! Nikita wake up!" he whispered harshly as he shook the girl violently to wake her. Nikita grumbled and her eyes fluttered open slightly but blinked them shut again as the sun burned her sensitive eyes, "ahhh son of a…wait…why are we at the order?" Nikita asked groggily as she sat up next to James and looked around.
James looked at her relieved as he saw that she was all right, he couldn't help but wrap his arms around her possessively crushing her face into his shoulder. "B-Brother James…" Nikita croaked in a shaky voice as she felt her blood rush to her cheeks, James sighed in relief and finally let the girl go "thank goodness I'm so glad you're alright" he said with sincere happiness as she held her shoulders and pulled back to look into her eyes. Nikita looked back guiltily into his eyes as she saw the evident worry and sadness in his eyes, she knew he had been worrying about her again and she hated it when he was worried. "I'm fine…I promise James…but what happened…last thing I remember was stepping into Joshua's room…then I got this horrible head ache and my heart was pounding so fast I could hardly breath…how did we get here?" Nikita asked as she looked down at her own bloodied arms remembering the terrible pain. James looked down at her solemnly "I don't know…but something doesn't seem right here…I mean it looks like the Order but…it's different" James said quietly and Nikita just stared at him. James had always been the one to always have a plan and be calm and collected, and seeing him like this…so unsure and vulnerable was both humbling and disturbing for Nikita.
The pair were silent for a while…no one made a sound, the only sound that could be heard was the methodical ticking of the watch around Nikita's neck. "Hey…you're watch…it's ticking…I thought you said it hasn't worked since the day you're grandmother died" James said curiously as he reached up and held the watch carefully in his hand examining it.
Nikita was quickly brought out of her daze as she looked down at the watch and heard the rhythmic ticking for herself "it hasn't…weird…. my father used to tell me that it stopped ticking when she died and would never tick again as long as she was deceased…and it never has" Nikita said thoughtfully. James scratched his chin thoughtfully "that's peculiar" he agreed and let go of the watch, suddenly Nikita jerked her head up to meet James' eyes again "yes…well maybe it's ticking…because she's alive…maybe the watch senses that she's alive again" Nikita said excitedly as she stood up to her feet shakily. James quickly got up to assist her in her weakened state "be careful…you're still a bit weak…and what are you talking about…she cant be alive…she died in 1929… for that to be true we'd have to have traveled back in time…that's impossible" James said wisely as he held Nikita up so she could steady her legs. Nikita shook her head dizzily "yeah…I guess you're right…let's go in and see if anyone can get the doc for me…my head is killing me" Nikita grumbled as the two exorcists made their way to a door leading into the building. Unfortunately for them they were unaware of just how different things were now…and how much of a surprise they were in for.
(Inside the Order)
"The halls look different somehow…did they put up new paintings or something?" James said as they walked down the corridor leading to the dining hall. "Or old ones" Nikita mumbled under her breath as they walked along in moderate silence, James sighed exacerbated "Nikita please…you're not still on that whole we traveled back in time theory are you?" James asked teasingly. Nikita bristled slightly "there was no theory! I was just a possibility" Nikita protested heatedly, James smirked at the pouty rebellious look on her face "ok whatever…don't be such a brat" he sighed good-naturedly. Nikita glared at him with a playful smirk and teasingly punched him in the shoulder "shut up" she mumbled as she turned away from him so he couldn't see her blush, James laughed at the girl's embarrassment and rubbed his arm. After a while they found the dining hall "I wonder if Chelsea has eaten already…she usually eats earlier" Nikita thought aloud as she started to push the door open. As soon as James and Nikita stepped into the room they both gasped at the odd sight before them, there at the many long rectangular tables were about a dozen or so men and women in old Magdalene order uniforms. But stranger still was the fact that neither James nor Nikita, who had spent almost her whole young life at the order, could recognize a single person in the room.
"Who are these people…I don't recognize any of them from the militia…and…what are they wearing?" Nikita whispered to James as the people in the hall began to stop eating and stare at the couple in the doorway. James looked around worriedly at the strange looks they were receiving "I don't recognize them either…but those outfits…they look like those old traditional uniforms from the early 1900's…how peculiar" James whispered back. Nikita looked around cautiously as she pulled some hair back behind her ear, when she did this movement she unknowingly exposed her pointed demonic ears to the room. One magenta haired woman with freckles noticed this and pointed an accusing finger at James and Nikita, "that girl…she's a demon!" the nun shouted gaining looks from the militia members. "This isn't good" Nikita said as she brought her hands to hover above the handles of her guns, the militia members in the room all brought out their .45 calibers and pointed them at Nikita "Don't move demon! Or we'll shoot! Why are you here?" a man with short brown hair shouted. "Wait…this is all a misunderstanding…just listen to us" James tried to explain as he held his hands up in the air peacefully but the men and women kept their guns set on Nikita, "don't waste your breath…these guys aren't going to stand down" Nikita replied unemotionally as she drew out her two hand guns and pointed them at the crowd of guns aimed on her.
"Nikita what are you doing!" James turned to her in shock as she held her stance with her guns aimed to kill, Nikita stepped forward a bit as she tightened the grip on her weapons. "Now look…we're not here to harm anyone…I work here for the Order" Nikita said sternly as she stared down her opponents. Just then the dining hall door swung open and in walked Azmaria, Rosette, and Chrono, James stepped aside from the door as they entered. He immediately noticed the striking demon features of Chrono "Nix…behind you!" he called to his partner as he reached into his holster and drew his own gun on Chrono. Chrono turned and looked shocked at the strangely dressed man who pointed the gun at his head and Azmaria quickly hid behind Rosette "who the hell are you and what do you want from Chrono?" Rosette asked angrily as she stood beside Chrono. Nikita felt her heart skip a beat and her breath tightening in her chest at the sound of that name, suddenly images of the flashbacks from earlier raced through her mind and she remembered the blonde girl calling out for a small purple haired Demon…Chrono. Nikita kept one gun pointed at the 'mob' before her and turned her upper body with the second gun towards James and the trio of newcomers. "You…" Nikita blurted out as she cast her ocean colored orbs on the new yet familiar strangers that had entered.
Upon hearing her speak Chrono looked up and immediately locked eyes with Nikita, 'those eyes…so determined…and her aura…it seems human but a strange demonic essence about her' Chrono thought as he held her gaze. Nikita found herself locked in those red eyes and suddenly she felt that stinging pressure in her chest and shut her eyes painfully as the images returned. "Urggg! No…J-James!" Nikita cried out as she dropped her guns and began to sway unsteadily, "Nikita!" James called out to her panicked as he quickly ran to her and caught the girl before she hit the ground. "What's going on here? Who are these people?" Rosette shouted in confused as the militia lowered their weapons and stared at the strange couple on the floor. James' face was panic-stricken as he held Nikita's limp body close to his own, "not again…can someone please get a doctor or something?" James asked rather impatiently as he held the girl close to him. Rosette looked down at the girl and noticed something strange; the watch around the girl's neck…was exactly like the one she wore…the one that bound her soul to Chrono.
(Dream)
A tall man with fiery red eyes and short blonde hair knelt down in the grass surrounding the main building of the Magdalene order. He held his hands firmly on the shoulders of a young girl of about 9 with chin length purple hair, "Dad, I…don't want you to leave me…I don't want to be alone" the young girl said as tears streamed down her rosy cheeks. The older man smiled sadly at his daughter as tears moistened his eyes "sweetie…I wish I didn't have to go either but you know I have to…this lead on Aion is just what we've been waiting for all these years…I have to do it…for our family" the man said solemnly. The little girl nodded sadly "I know daddy…grandma and grandpa would want you too…but daddy…why…why cant I come with you!" the girl yelled as she glared determinedly into her father's eyes. The man smiled weakly as a tear escaped his eye "you cant…you're not big enough…I don't want you to be hurt…ok…you need to stay here with the nice sisters and be a good girl for daddy ok?" the man said choking back more tears as he lifted her chin up with his thumb and index finger. The man reached into his coat pocket and slowly pulled out a gold stopwatch on a long gold chain, the man reached up and placed the chain around the young girl's neck and fastened it.
"Here…I want you to keep this safe for me while I'm gone…your grandmother's watch…I've had it ever since the day it stopped ticking…the day she died…now I want you to watch over it for me" the man said as the girl stared admirably at the new item around her neck. "Grandma Rosette's watch…oh thank you…I'll keep it safe for you until you get back" the girl said through tears, the man leaned up and kissed his child on the cheek "just be a good girl for me…I'll be back before you know it" he whispered. The girl lunged towards her father and wrapped her arms around his neck hugging him tightly; the man closed his arms around his daughter. The young girl sobbed heavily into her father's shoulder "I understand daddy…and one day I'll make you proud…I'll be strong enough to fight beside you…I'll show you…I love you daddy" she cried as she snuggled deeper into his embrace. Suddenly the man disappeared and the girl fell over onto her knees in tears as it began to rain down on her back, "DADDY NOOOO! DON'T LEAVE ME!" she cried out into the gray sky as she threw her head backwards in anguish.
Suddenly the girl disappeared and in her place stood a tall lean yet slightly muscular woman with flowing purple hair and a deep green mid thigh length tunic tied to her waist by a leather rope. She had piercing blue eyes and her forehead was adorned with three dark blue gems, her ivory horns protruded slightly above her pointed elfish like ears. She hovered in the air drenched in blood as her large bony black wings fanned the red hellish flames that now covered the ground, "release me…the darkness calls you…come closer…with your kindred spirits" the woman said in a haughty tone. Then suddenly where her face had been the face of Aion appeared and he chuckled cruelly as the whole land was engulfed in flames. (End Dreams)
Later in the sick ward
Rosette, Chrono, Azmaria, James, and father Remington all stood (or sat) around a small white bed with Nikita laid on top of the white sheets. Nikita tossed slightly in her sleep as sweat trickled down her forehead, "so you mean to tell me that you two are from the future…and of the Magdalene order?" Remington asked as he held the leather ID flap James had given him. James nodded "I'm training to be a minister while serving as a spiritual advisor and exorcist at the order" James said forlornly as he sat on a chair next to Nikita's bed and stroked her flushed cheek with his hand. Rosette and Azmaria grabbed the ID from Remington and examined it and sure enough it looked like an authentic identification card, "how weird…do you think he's really legit?" Rosette asked Remington. The older man sighed and shrugged "it would seem that way…but how they got here is still a mystery" the blonde minister rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Chrono just sat in the corner staring at Nikita with mild interest spiking 'hmm…the future…they do seem strange and not from around here…but the girl…her aura confuses me…I can feel the demonic aura but there is a human presence about her…hmmm' Chrono thought as he looked over at the man accompanying Nikita.
"So…if it's not to rude to ask…um could you tell us about yourself maybe…what's it like in the future?" Azmaria asked curiously, James smiled warmly at he young girl. "Well we're from the year 2005 and it's pretty much the same I guess…just more advanced technology…. louder music, shorter skirts and more crime" James shrugged. The others looked at him puzzled and James laughed lightly and the others just eyed him curiously, "So how exactly are you and the girl…related…are you friends or something" Rosette asked she walked over to the bed and gave James back his ID. "I work for the Order as well" came a small cracked voice from the bed, "Nikita…you're awake" James said surprised to see the girl sitting up slowly on the bed and rubbing her temples. The others came a bit closer out of curiosity even Chrono got up and came a bit closer, "well it didn't take Scooby and the gang to figure that one out" Nikita replied dryly and James smirked at her while the others were just plain confused. "Well it's good to see that you still have your sense of humor…I must say you are quite the troublesome girl Nikita" James said teasingly as he brushed a bit of her purple fringe from her face.
"Are you alright now miss…uh…miss…" Azmaria asked as she reached the side of the bed, Nikita looked a bit startled at the strange girl's closeness "uh…it's Nikita…my name…and uh yeah I'm fine…err thanks" Nikita said as she went to push the covers off her legs. Then she noticed the bandages on both her forearms "w-what the hell happened?" Nikita asked worriedly as she examined the bandages, James winced at her question "remember Nikita we are in a house of god" James said matter-of-factly. Nikita glared at her partner and hit him in the back of the head "it's in the bible moron…anyway what happened?" Nikita asked again more forcefully. "Apparently…you and your friend have traveled from your time into our time…although I'm not sure how" Remington replied, Nikita looked up at the handsome man and felt a slight pinkish tint stain her cheeks. "Uhh…what? Wait a second…the watch!" Nikita said as she suddenly realized something, "huh?" the other occupants in the room replied. Nikita looked down and grabbed the old gold watch that still ticked as it lay against her chest "It started ticking when you had that attack at 7th bell orphanage…somehow it must have been activated by something and brought us here…" James pondered aloud as he sat back in his chair.
Rosette and Chrono jerked up their heads in James' direction and Rosette narrowed her eyes suspiciously at James as she stepped a bit closer to him, "what were you doing at 7th bell?" she asked seriously. James felt a bit uncomfortable at the hard looks he was receiving and Nikita could sense his worry, Nikita pulled the covers off and swung her legs off the bed and stood up. She walked up beside James defensively "we were on an assignment…to investigate a spike in demonic energy around the site" Nikita said as she crossed her arms and eyes Rosette up and down. There was something very familiar about this woman but for some reason Nikita couldn't quite figure out who she was, "so you think the demonic energy caused your watch to send you back in time?" Remington asked as he casually leaned against a wall. James looked at Nikita curiously and she hung her head low looking at her feet "well…I could feel some sort of negative presence while we walked around 7th bell…but the presence in Joshua's room was much stronger…more sinister…when I stepped into it…I couldn't breath…I felt like someone was tearing me apart from the inside out…so much pain…so much anger" Nikita said as she felt a moist lump rise in her throat.
"Joshua…"Rosette let the name painfully echo from her throat and Chrono looked up at Nikita suspiciously "why were you in his room?" he asked calmly, Nikita felt a familiar tingle of déjà vu. She looked up and quickly met the gaze of Chrono again but this time there was a new emotion hidden in Nikita's eyes that Chrono recognized quickly…pain. "Chrono?" Nikita asked unsurely as she looked into the demon's eyes unblinkingly the others just stared at the exchange confused, "um…do you know this girl Chrono?" Azmaria asked the young looking demon. Chrono never once broke his focus from Nikita's eyes "no…I don't think so" he answered the young apostle, "so what are you exactly?" Chrono asked calmly as he blinked breaking their trance. Nikita shook her head bringing her back to reality "why is that any of your business?" Nikita asked coldly as she placed a hand on her hip. "Your aura…it's…very difficult to read" Chrono said as he looked at her more closely and Nikita narrowed her eyes at the small demon and casually brushed her hand over the holster around her waist and grazed the top of her weapon. "Well yours isn't demon boy" Nikita snapped back at him James sighed and shook his head disapprovingly "sister Nikita please, these people were nice enough to help us out today…at least try to act civil towards them" James said as he placed a hand on her shoulder.
Nikita snapped her head around to James and scoffed "yeah…AFTER they tried to blow my brains out in the dining hall" Nikita said bitterly, Rosette sweat dropped "well…that was because they thought you were a threat…and you did draw your weapons on them as well" she said smartly as she crossed her arms over her chest. Nikita growled lightly as she directed her glare to the blonde "oh well pardon me…I didn't feel like dying today but check in with me tomorrow and we'll see" Nikita said sarcastically. Rosette rolled her eyes at the girl aggravated and Remington, Chrono, and Azmaria all sighed 'oh great…. here we go again' they thought as they awaited the wrath of Rosette. "Who the hell are you anyway?" Nikita asked Rosette as she crossed her arms over her chest as well, Rosette narrowed her eyes at the girl "my name is sister Rosette Christopher…pleased to meet you" Rosette said in a false sweet voice. Nikita's eyes widened as she heard the blonde's name 'that name…it cant be…but she looks so much like…no…could it be' Nikita thought as her face paled slightly into her shocked expression.
Rosette and the others looked at Nikita oddly wondering what was wrong but then they noticed James' expression held an equal amount of shock and disbelief, "what are you staring at? What's the matter with you people?" Rosette asked a bit defensively as she felt their eyes bore into her. Nikita felt her heart drop to her stomach as her eyes seemed to look past the blonde and she said in a low detached voice "sister…Rosette Christopher…that…that was…was my grandmother's name".
TBC
A/N: Ok that's it for this chapter…I hope you like it…and if you don't then please don't flame me…I hate the heat…it makes me get all sweaty and tired. By the way I may not be able to update for a few days because I got a C on my report card so I'm grounded from the computer during school days…unless I finish my hw first…which considering all the HW I have…wont happen in this life! Ha! Well anyway I'll have a new chapter up between now and Saturday night (maybe I can sneak on the comp at night…hmmm…we'll see! But please REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!