Chrno Crusades

Chapter Three

By—TheDarkShadowWolf

Story

Chrno coughed, breaking the silence. "Right!" Rosette started, nodding firmly. She cocked her gun that she had in her hand and glared up the hillside. "Ready, Chrno?" "Ready." the small devil replied. And they were off.

At the Mansion

The gray-bricked house loomed over the hill, claiming the hillside as its own. The house had dark slate tiles covering the roof, bare patches of wood showing in places that the shingles had fallen off. A dark-wooded porch seemed to creak wherever you stepped looked to be leaning slightly to the left, leaving the house a bit off. Dark windows were covered in black drapes, clouded over with dust and vines.

"This looks like one beat-up home." Rosette commented dryly. Chrno nodded in agreement, shifting the oversized backpack from shoulder to shoulder. This place was giving him the creeps. Rosette mustered a deep breath and stepped uneasily onto the porch. Creeeeeeak… "Careful, Rosette!" "Shut up! I am!!" Rosette called angrily, keeping her eyes on her feet, watching for dead patches in the aged wood. "Fine. Sorry for being cautious." Chrno grumbled, following the nun to the door. Rosette lay her hand on the handle, pointing her gun at the door. "Now!" she cried, jerking back on the handle. Creeee-SNAP!! The door popped off of its' hinges. "Ahh!!" Rosette leapt back with a scream, narrowly avoiding the heavy door. "Are you okay??" Chrno asked in worry.
She nodded, speechless. "Just-Just gave me a scare. Let's go." Rosette recovered, brushing dust from her uniform. She kept her gun ready, stepping into the house.

The door led directly into the living room, with some dusty furniture and a fireplace. There was a red rug in the middle of the room with two couches on the sides of the rug nearest to the old fireplace. A table sat in the middle of the rug, a vase full of dead flowers in the middle of that. A staircase on the far wall led up to the second floor. Another door was to the right. Rosette figured that it led to the kitchen. The two took in the dead room, sadness weighing down on them for some godforsaken reason. "I'll take upstairs, you go in that door." Rosette ordered. Chrno nodded, drawing his sword.

They both split up, Chrno walking cautiously to the door. It was a swinging door. Chrno prayed quickly that it wouldn't fall off as he pushed it in gently. When he was sure that he wasn't going to die of being squished beneath a door, he slid inside the kitchen. A dinner table was to the right, along with a window. To the left was a row of knives, cabinets, and drawers. He walked to the cabinet, opening it. Plates and bowls. He opened another. Drinking glasses, wine glasses… Seemed normal enough. The thing that scared him the most was how many knives and scissors there were. If the kid had somehow taken one of them, he could have seriously injured himself. Chrno shook his head in disappointment. How could the parents be so careless? Chrno turned around, and his maroon eyes widened in fear. Then, he fell to the ground with a thump.

Rosette took the stairs carefully, again watching for spots where the wood could have rotted away. She didn't feel like breaking her neck today. Finally, she reached the top. There was a long hall, all the doors on the left side. She stepped to the first of four rooms. As she opened the door, she was taken aback. The room was a starburst yellow, with a tie-dye bed sheet and a small desk. It seemed so out-of-place in such a dark house. She figured it was Jimmy's room since stuffed animals lined a shelf over top of the headboard of the bed. Rosette walked over to the desk, gun lowered slightly. Her eye spotted a journal with the heading Jimmy's Diary. She smiled a bit. That's so sweet.. She thought. She picked it up gently, feeling a bit angry at herself for looking at this poor boy's own thoughts. But he may have some clues to help out with the mission! She argued mentally. All in all, she flipped to the first page. This is Jimmy's diary! Please don't read! That just made her feel guiltier. She flipped to the next page. We got this new house and I really like it! Its real big and has lotsa space so I can play! Mommy and Daddy say they like it too. I'm real happy! Next page. Mommy told me to go an make new friends down the hill. There weren't lots of kids so I just looked around a lil bit. It was fun cause a lot of adults were real nice to me! This one guy, Tim, was REALLY nice to me an gave me candy! But I'm not supposed to tell Mommy and Daddy. Rosette was surprised. So that's how Tim knew so much about the Williamson's. She turned to the third page. Mommy was acting real weird last night. So was Daddy. I wonder what's happening. They fought lots and Daddy hit Mommy. I'm scared! Rosette's eyes saddened at the young boy's words. She flipped to the next page. It was the last page in the book.

Mommy and Daddy fought again tonight. I don't want to go out there! Last time, Daddy hit me too. I'm staying in my room forever! I wont ever come out!

Rosette's sapphire eyes filled with tears as she read the last paragraph that Jimmy wrote. She shut the journal, setting down the book in its proper place. She let out a sigh, and turned around. She walked out and walked to the next door. "Chrno?" she called. Thump! Her blue orbs widened and she turned, running down the rotting stairs. But one stair gave out from under her stomping feet. "No!" she cried, slipping and tumbling down the rest of the stairs. She landed with a loud thump at the bottom of the staircase, and stood up quickly, scrambling to find her companion. She shoved the swinging door open. "Chrno?" The small devil turned, his red eyes blinking. "Rosette!" he grinned, walking to her. "Chrno, what happened? You-I-What was that thump I heard?" Rosette asked in confusion. "That was you falling down the stairs, silly!" Chrno laughed. Her brow knitted together. "How did you know I fell down the stairs?" she asked cautiously, her hand gripping the gun, index finger on the trigger. Chrno blinked and thought for a moment. "Well I heard you yell no, then it sounded as if you were falling, so that's what I assumed." he told her, smiling slyly.

She was silent, pondering his words. "Al.. Alright." she muttered, turning to walk back out. Then she felt his arms wrap slowly around her waist, gripping her tightly. "Don't go yet." his voice whispered in her ear. She took in a shaky breath, eyes wide. "Chrno?" "Shh… You talk too much." she could feel him smile. "What are you doing? Chrno???" He gently brushed his lips against her left cheek, trailing back to her ear. "Chrn…o?" Rosette's heart fluttered as she felt his lips against her skin. "Yes?" his voice was smooth like velvet. "N-No! What are you doing!?!! What have you done to him?!!" Rosette twisted out of the devil's grip. She pointed the gun at her contracted demon, her hands shaking. "Hahaha!" even his laugh sounded more foreboding. "If you shoot me, you'll hurt him. Not me. I'm merely corrupting his body!" The demon cackled. Rosette began to shake harder, closing her eyes. "Let him go!! NOW!!!!!!" she screamed. "Why?" Chrno's face changed, his eyes flashing with malice and desire. He smiled, fangs showing, his claws extending.

Her watch began to crackle, blue electricity shimmering over the surface as the watch was being forced open. "No! Stop it!!" Rosette clutched the watch, ignoring the shock as she gripped the shaking watch. "Why?" the devil repeated, a black aura now surrounding the small demon. He cackled menacingly. Rosette's eyes were filling with tears. Chrno, fight back! You have to fight him!! Rosette willed in her head, the gun still pointed at her companion. "You don't have the guts to shoot me!" Chrno grinned evilly, and knocked the gun out of her hands. "No!" "Now there isn't anything to help you. You're alone. All alone." the devil's voice twisted her thoughts, images of the years searching for Joshua, watching the destruction of the Seventh Bell, every image crumpling her hope of getting Chrno to snap out of it. God… Please! Help me!!

TheDarkShadowWolf- Yus! XD Cliffie! God, suspense is fun! X3 R&R please!