Chapter 7 - Reminisce
But still we laugh, we cry
We fall, we get high
Just like we were kids, just like we were kids.
Kids Again - Artist Vs Poet.
A/N: This is my first time writing Joshua's character, so sorry if he's a little out of character. Ik in the anime, he had the mindset of a child but he won't in this fanfic (like in the manga)
(2 weeks since Chrono's deep sleep)
"Hey Rosette! Rosette!" The younger Christopher sibling shouted holding a notebook in hand as he searched for his sister in the dinning hall. He rushed over to were she was sat eating lunch with Azmaria.
"Joshua? What's the matter?" Questioned Rosette. Joshua sat down next to her, catching his breath, placing his a leather bound notebook on the table.
"Busy writing your story?" Said Azmaria, smiling sweetly. Joshua turned to look at the little Apostle with excitement in his eyes. "Yeah! I wanted to ask if we could take a trip to the orphanage?"
Rosette looked rather puzzled. "The orphanage? Why?" Why would Joshua want to visit that place, surely that place didn't hold many happy memories with how things ended, but the excitement from his wide eyes didn't deem.
"Well for my novel of course! I need more inspiration. I've kinda forgotten what that placed looked like..Wouldn't it be nice if we could re-visit the fields and the river where we used to go swimming?"
Azmaria piped up; "We could have a picnic! What do you think, Rosette? It might cheer you up a bit more."
Rosette gave it some thought, It was true that she needed a bit of cheering up. Joshua and Azmaria looked at her with wide pleading eyes like puppies waiting to be let out for their walk.
Maybe it would nice to reminisce the past, it wasn't all doom and gloom. "Sure, why not." Rosette shrugged.
"Yayy!" Both Azmaria and Joshua said together. Rosette could't help but notice how similar these two where, yes they were both Apostles, but they shared the same sweet innocence about them. The kind of innocence that was dying out and needed protecting from this cruel world. Rosette smiled at their reactions.
"I'll make some sandwiches for the picnic." Azmaria offered, without another word she rushed off to the kitchen. Joshua watched her leave in silence.
Rosette smirked and nudged her brother's shoulder. "So... when are you gonna take her out?" She wiggled her eyebrows.
Joshua's face blushed a deep crimson. "Hey! Cut it out, sis. You're not very funny. " He protested, then he returned a smirk before replying;
"You gonna ask Chrono to be your boyfriend when he wakes up?" Joshua smiled proudly, he was quite pleased with his comeback. Now it was Rosette's turn to turn red.
"WHY YOU LITTLE..!" Rosette didn't complete her sentence as she tackled her brother with her fists causing a scene. Joshua held up his leather notebook for protection as he laughed.
It wasn't long till Azmaria came back with a basket of sandwiches. They made their way to the car and on they went to the place where it all began 5 years ago.
The field hadn't changed much. The sparkling sun-kissed river flowed downstream in a calm ease. A gentle breeze shook the branches of the old ancient oak tree where Rosette, Azmaria and Joshua sat underneath it as the sun gazed through the gaps of the leafs onto the the red and white picnic blanket they were sat on. Joshua was content, writing down in his notebook on what the scenery looked like and any memory he could remember for his novel.
"It's so beautiful here!" Azmaria said in delight, take a bit from a cheese sandwich.
"Yep! Me and Joshua would visit Chrono here everyday back then." Rosette said, there was a softness in the way she spoke about her happiest memories with the two of them, a calmness washed over her face as she remember the past. "We'd sneak food from the orphanage to give to him. He'd always wait by this tree."
"He'd tell us such amazing stories too!" Joshua said, piping his head up from his notebook. "They made Rosette cry."
"I didn't cry! You where the one that cried, you big baby!" Rosette protested, holding her arms.
"You keep telling yourself that, sis." Joshua grinned.
Azmaria began to laugh at the siblings antics. "Seems like you two had lots of fun." She said after her laughter had ended. "Maybe when Chrono wakes up we could come here again with him" She suggested.
Rosette looked up at the branches, the warm sunlight washing over her face. "Yeah, he'd like that." Though apart of her thought maybe he wouldn't. She knew Chrono had always harboured the bad memories that happened here rather than focusing on the good memories he shared with the two siblings. It was like his mind turned any good moment to ash as soon as he'd try to think about something positive down memory lane. Maybe it was something Rosette needed to teach when he woke up..
"Remember that creepy tomb? I mean if we had never fell down that hole, who knows how different things would be if we didn't wake Chrono up." Joshua said.
"We're not going down there before you get any ideas, wise guy." Rosette said sternly before Joshua could continue.
"No way, that was place was far too scary.."
Azmaria frowned. "That's the tomb where Mary Magdalene is, right?" She asked carefully.
"Yeah." Was all Rosette said with a sigh. Before anyone could speak, Rosette stood up and began to walk towards the river.
"I'm gonna take a walk." She said
"Are you okay, Rosette?" Azmaria asked with concern.
"Want us to come with us?" Joshua said, placing in notebook down.
"I'm jake, Azmaria!" Rosette grinned. "Really, I'll be fine." Rosette continued to smile, waving as she ran off away from them.
She steadied her pace when she arrived onto of the small hill right next to the river. She sat down and closed her eyes to enjoy the careful breeze. She could hear Joshua and Azmaria laughing together in the distance. To her right, she could just about see the large metal dome where inside the orphan children were frozen in time remain unchanged. She hoped that when Chrono's horn where removed from Joshua's head that maybe time would unfreeze itself, but of course her hope never become a reality. Perhaps there was still some hope, though Rosette always wavered between being pessimistic and optimistic.
Why did the sudden mention of Mary made Rosette feel so...odd. She barely knew anything about this mysterious women that Chrono held so dear to him. She didn't even know her real name, or what had truly happened to her. Both Chrono and Aion said that Chrono was the reason for her death but she knew what Chrono was like when it came to him blaming everything on himself. Rosette knew there was more to the story than that. She never asked about Chrono's past, though she was rather tempted. It was something she wasn't apart of and if Chrono wanted to talk about it then he would in his own time. Perhaps Rosette felt a hint of jealousy that she never wanted to think about. I bet she was so pretty too...
"Ugh! Snap out of it Rosette." She huffed, shaking her head. She came here to remember the good memories instead of wallowing into a past that had nothing to do with her.
Rosette stood up and stretched out her arms, she closed her eyes and let the sound of running water clear her thoughts. Much better. She smiled. But soon enough her peaceful mind didn't last long. A gust of wind came her way, blowing of her habit into the breeze, letting Rosette's long golden locks flow free.
"Eh?!" Rosette muttered, placing a hand on her head. Her eyes shot wide open in panic. "Oh crap!" She cursed, searching for her missing habit. She ran down the hill to where she could see the two Apostles running towards her yelling.
She could just about manage what Azmaria was saying. "Rosette! Look!" She pointed out her hand, directing to the river.
Rosette frowned, and gazed to where Azmaria was pointing. Her blue habit was stuck on a branch in the middle of the river that was caught on a jagged rock.
"Sister Kate's gonna kill me!" She said, Azmaria and Joshua now by her side breathing out in exhaustion.
"Right! You two stay here. I'm going in!" Rosette said in determination, taking of her shoes and rolling up her bloomers.
"Um, Rosette, is that safe to go in there?" Azmaria muttered. "It looks pretty deep." But Rosette wasn't going to listen.
"It's fine! Don't worry. I'll have it back in no time. Trust me." Rosette grinned, she picked up a long thin stick and proceeded to walk into the cold river. In one hand, she held the stick and in the other hopelessly holding up her dress. Her plan was to get close enough to stretch out the stick to unhook the habit from the branch and bring it back to her. The water was no past her knees as she stretched out the stick.
Rosette was mere inches away from reaching the habit but much to Rosette's misfortune, she took a step closer and the river floor gave way from her foot, plummeting the nun into the river. Rosette cried out and then went under.
"Rosette!" The two Apostles yelled in fright. Seconds later, Rosette popped out, spitting out the water from her mouth. The habit then unhooked itself from the broken branch and flowed downstream and out of sight. Rosette grumbled in fustration, making her way to the shore.
The now soaking nun begun to strain out as much water as she could from her hair and dress. "Great! Now I'm soaked.." She said miserably. "Why do bad things always happen to me!"
"At least it's nice weather. You'll dry off in no time." Joshua said, Azmaria nodded. But it brought little comfort to the sulking nun. She gave up draining the water and folded her arms in a grump.
Then Azmaria decided to be spontaneous...She took of her habit and shoes, pulling up her dress.
"Its gone Azmaria, there's no point trying to get it back.." Rosette said.
"Well if-if you're wet, then I might as well join in the fun." Azmaria smiled, then turned t look at Joshua.
"Would you like to join me..?" She asked, fiddling with her fingers. Joshua stuttered for a moment, trying to find the right words.
"Um..sure!" He took off his shoes and soaks, rolling up his trousers. "I'll ran you!" He said with a grin, running off to the river.
"H-hey! I wasn't ready!" Azmaria hurried along behind him.
Rosette pulled up her knees, wrapping her arms around them as she let the sun dry her clothes. She watched the two of them begin to splash water at each other. A smile of content washed over her face.
She prayed she'd have more memories like this to come, and for the first time in months, she felt hopeful about the future.
Can't believe I'm currently writing chapter 12. I'm mainly writing this story for myself as I've had these ideas in my head for ages so it's nice to make them into one story.