Verboten - Vietato - Kinmotsu - Forbidden

WIP 6 of 13

AN: Due to the ditzyness of the author, chapters 8 and 9 of RoT have been edited to reflect changes made in this chapter and the one prior. And as one of my dear readers expressed confusion over the dream in chapter 4, let me clarify. Chrno woke up because he bit her and the shock of it was enough to break the spells. At least on her side of it. Also because it was a 'dream', I felt able to leave the things I wasn't sure how to describe a little vague, making it so you as readers could fill in the blanks however you choose to.
Oh and YAY! Return of Time hit 50 reviews. I love my readers. Now you guys can get this part to 50 too.
Sorry it's late, but I ended up ill last week and didn't have the energy to do anything. But here it is. Better late than never after all.

Sometimes it hurts to watch you leave
It feels like you're taking a part of me with you
I never know how it'll be
I guess it's just a mystery
But is it the real thing

-Bo Bice "Real Thing"

Disclaimer: I do not own Chrno Crusade, just what I've done to them. If you want to sue me, you can have my insane cat and the fabric for my Satella costume.

V V K F

"Bring peace to the lost lamb. Bring rest to the wolf's fang. And bring the hammer of Death to the Devil."

"I hate him." Gabriel tossed the gun case that he had been carrying onto his bed. "If I could kill him now, I would gladly."

"Please calm down my friend." Zoë gently touched his arm. "Why does this man anger you so much?"

"I am angry because he is my enemy. He has done horrible things to those whom I call my family."

"Then why stay here?"

Gabriel walked away from Zoë and sat heavily on his bed. "At first it was because I was scared of everything that being Rosette Christopher meant to me. It was a stupid thing to do. Not as bad as what I did in San Francisco, but close."

Ryuu stopped setting the small café table by the window at this comment. "San Francisco?"

Gabriel nodded sadly. "I held Chrno back and she nearly died. If I had only let her fight Joshua, things might have been different. We might have been able to stop Aion then, but I didn't. If it had not been for Azmaria, Joshua, and the rest of 'em, a lot of people would have died."

"The Elder, Joshua Christopher?"

Zoë nodded, "He was Rosette's jü nger brother."

"My little brother."

"And Az?"

Gabriel blushed and bowed his head. "Umm. I'm not sure how to explain Azmaria. She's like a little sister, but not. She was always following me around, tripping over her own feet trying to be helpful to Chrno and me."

Zoë laughed. "You make her sound like a hund, a puppy."

Gabriel laughed. "She was kind of like that wasn't she. But her song…"

"Wunderschön."

"Sì , bellissimo."

V V K F

The afternoon found the two old friends meandering through a brightly colored street faire. There were all sorts of silly things on sale for the tourists that had flocked to Naples for the summer.

When they stopped at a small food cart for drinks Zoë asked a quiet question and received a nod in reply. For a few minutes after Gabriel chatted with the elderly vendor, as she had once worked in the kitchen of his mother's home.

"Grazie." Gabriel placed a kiss on the old woman's cheek before leading Zoë onwards through the booths.

"So explain Fräulein Mahou to me." The hexen waved vaguely skywards. "Why does she work for you?"

Gabriel smiled as he discretely glanced at one of the nearby rooftops where Ryuu hid, watching in her true form. "My padre saved her life. She protects me as repayment." Stopping next to a jewelry cart, Gabriel plucked a sapphire from it's case and examined it with a critical eye before putting it back in favor of a nearly violet ruby. He handed it to Zoë after inspecting it for a moment. "What do you think?"

Zoë held the gem in her hand and felt it with her magic. "A small flaw, but otherwise perfect. Why?"

"A gift." Gabriel turned back to the jeweler and in rapid fire Italian haggled over the pricing and details of the setting. Once an agreement had been struck, the young half-demon handed over his credit card. "I'll require it to be delivered by next Tuesday."

"Sì . Grazie signore Santo."

Turning away from the dealer Gabriel opened his mouth to ask a question of Zoë, when he heard Ryuu call his name. "What is it?"

"There is a rogue loose near the cathedral. Do you want me to intercept?"

"Gabriel reached into his jacket and pulled Gospel from its hiding place. "No. too many civilians. Zoë and I will handle it."

"Hai."

Grabbing Zoë's hand, he led her through the crowded street into a nearby ally.

"Laden. Erscheinen Teif Fischen."

Within minutes they were landing in a the empty square in front of the cathedral. To Zoë it appeared to be completely disserted, Gabriel's nose however told a different story. The cathedral square reeked of death.

"Where are you? Show yourself, figlio di puttana."

"On whose authority?"

Neither Gabriel or Zoë could identify the direction the voice was coming from.

"The Order of Magdalan."

"Really? How funny and here I thought I had just killed the last of them in the city." The demon dropped the mangled body of a militia officer at Gabriel's feet. "The Sister was helpful enough to tell me that they were protecting a Saint." The demon appeared behind Gabriel and grabbed the startled half-demon around the neck with a clawed hand. Gabriel's gun skittering off across the square as it's other clawed hand wrapped around his outstretched arm. "I always thought you had to be dead to be a Saint."

Gabriel had frozen when he felt the rogue's scaly skin on his throat. After a moment he made a quick motion with his free hand to let Zoë and Ryuu know not to attack. "Well it is a pretty neat trick if you think about it." He shivered in disgust when the demon's forked tongue tickled the soft point of his ear.

"Ah. Fear. Don't you like me? I thought priests liked everyone."

Gabriel growled softly, before digging his own claws into the arm that the traitor had wrapped around his neck. "I'm no priest." He then let out a short surprised shout as it let go of him and the ground disappeared beneath him and he fell a few short feet onto soft grass. After taking a moment to regain his bearings he slowly stood. "Portal making swine."

"Hold it right there!"

Gabriel's head shot up and he blinked a few times at the nun standing directly in front of him pointing a gun at his head. A quick glance to either side confirmed that he was surrounded by priests and nuns, all with guns pointed at his head. Letting out a small whine, he let his head fall back so he could look at the sky. "Why does this always happen to me? Is this Your idea of a joke?"

After a moment of silence the sharp point of a sword dug into Gabriel's spine, just below his shoulders. "Who are you?"

Gabriel held his hands out from his sides slightly as he turned to glare with icy blue eyes at the priest. "Scopare ti, Padre."

Ewan looked vary startled and confused at this address. "What?"

The half-demon grinned as he recognized the priest and the sword point dropped. "Salve Padre Remington, buon amico. Bella giornatta, no?"

Ewan stared at the young man blankly. "Pardon me?"

Gabriel crossed his arms and tilted his head to one side in inquiry. "Quelcuno parla l'italiano?"

"Italian?"

Lifting one hand his scratched his cheek lightly with one claw, his eyes fading back to their natural golden hue in his amusement. "Sì . Italiano."

Bright peals of laughter distracted Ewan from whatever answer he was about to give. Both men's attention shifted from their stand off to a young woman leaning against a nearby tree. After a moment she stopped to catch her breath and smile warmly at the pair. "Gabriel please stop tormenting Father Remington."

"Gabriel?" Ewan's was even more confused now, than when the other man had appeared out of nowhere spouting Italian at him.

"Sister Mary Chrno, mi amo." Gabriel flung his arms wide in his excitement, causing the exorcists surrounding him to bring their drooping guns to bear once again.

Chrno blushed at the address. Laughing lightly she straightened and pushed past the stunned militia so that she could stand directly in front of her one time partner. Deciding to tease him a little, she looked up at him and pouted. "It's not fair. You're still taller than me."

Gabriel kissed Chrno's cheeks in greeting as he hugged her. "Buongiorno mi amo. Once you were taller than me."

"Yeah," she stepped back, "when you were twelve."

Ewan cleared his throat to get their attention. "Would you care to explain Chrno?"

Chrno blinked at her friend for a minute. "Oh. Right. Father Ewan Remington meet Gabriel Santo. Umm…" She looked at Gabriel for a second before turning back to Ewan. "He used to be Rosette." The young holy maiden let out a startled squeak as the priest fainted.

V V K F

Zoë had wanted to faint herself when she saw Gabriel disappear through solid stone. However, she couldn't given the circumstances. Instead she summoned Ritter Juwel and saw to the quick destruction of the blood thirsty demon. A few hours later she made it back to the hotel, after searching the scene and dealing with the authorities. Ryuu greeted her upon her arrival, all of her and Gabriel's luggage piled on dollies behind her. "Going somewhere?"

Ryuu nodded. "Yes. Gabriel-sama called. Apparently the rogue that you were investigating could create portals. It gated Gabriel-sama to the Magdalan Order Convent in New York state."

Zoë couldn't help but shake her head at this. "That is a twisted sense of humor. Is he all right?"

"He is doing well. Though he say they were not happy at his method of arrival. He has also inquired if you have found his gun."

"Yes I did actually." She reached into her ever present bag and pulled out the holy firearm. "Fortunately he didn't drop the other one. I had enough trouble getting this one back from the Polizia."

Ryuu nodded. "The plane will leave here in an hour to take us to New York. If you care to join me, you are welcome to."

Zoë grinned. "I've been meaning to go back there, but things always seem to get in the way. I just need to grab my bag and check out of my hotel and I'll be ready to go."

Ryuu pointed to a small suitcase on top of one of the piles. "If you will forgive. I already took liberty to do so."

"Danke. Let's go then."

V V K F

Translations

Italian
bellissimo - very beautiful
figlio di puttana - whoreson
Scopare ti, Padre. - blank you Father. (I ain't telling)
Salve Padre Remington, buon amico. Bella giornatta, no? - Hail Father Remington, my good friend. Beautiful day, no?
Quelcuno parla l'italiano? - Anyone speak Italian?
mi amo - my love
Buongiorno - Good morrow.
Polizia - Police

German
Wunderschön. - Very beautiful
Laden. Erscheinen Teif Fischen. - Load. Summon Deep Fish