This is one of the stories I transferred over from my other website. (visit my profile for full details) Be aware that this was my FIRST time writing a fanfiction, EVER! So excuse me if the writing is a bit…well, 'off'. Oh, another thing. The spells I'm using in this fanfic are from the Orphen series. This is because, while writing the story, I was originally planning to make a Chrno Crusade-Orphen crossover afterwards as a sequel to this one. But as it turns out, I never really got around to it. Many thanks to the people who reviewed and are following this story. Please carry on with your support!

Disclaimer: Chrono Crusade and all its characters rightfully belong to Daisuke Moriyama-sama. x3

Marionette Train (part 7)

"(We'll be together again soon, Joshua.)"

I suddenly remembered the time when Joshua visited me on the night of the Christmas celebration. I thought of Rosette and the fact that she should know about it. I got up and walked out the entrance to the hall and faced the stairs where Rosette and Chrono were sitting.

"What is it?" Satella asked when she saw me.

"It's Rosette, she has a right to know." I replied.

"To know...what?" asked Azmaria.

I suddenly realised what I was saying. "Uh...it – it's personal."

As I walked down the hall to meet her at the stairs something made me pause in the middle. Rosette was resting her head on Chrono's shoulder and muttering in her unconsciousness.

"Mmmm…Joshua..."

Chrono hugged her warmly in an attempt to soother her pain. "We'll find him soon...real soon.

Satella was touched by Rosette's uncertain and unhappy state.

"...Steiner, I'm moving my operations to the West Coast." She said.

Steiner gave her a look.

"All this while, I've been waiting for clues to come to me." She softly smiled. "It's time I look for the clues myself."

Steiner nodded in response. "Understood."

I still stood in my spot and was about to walk forward when I heard Rosette wake from her unconsciousness. "Urrr...HOOT!"

She stretched her arm in the direction of the line-up of porcelain pots on the stairs and bumped the side of the first one making it bump the one next to it and...

*KRAK-KLINK-BONK-CRASH-BAM-CLINK BONK-BING-BANG-KRASH-KLINKLINKLINK*

Satella, Steiner, Chrono, Azmaria and I all stared in shock as all the pots broke altogether.

I scratched the side of my cheek with a finger. "Oh! I know!"

I pointed my hand in the direction of the massacred collection of pots. "I heal you, scar of the setting sun."

With that, all the bits and pieces that were on the stairs began to float and turn back into their usual forms. Soon there was a line-up of undisturbed pots on the stairs again.

"S-simply amazing." Chrono muttered.

I turned around. "Now that that's settled, how about that mission to the West-Coast eh? " I winked in Satella's direction.

"Uh – yes." She said.

……

Sister Kate is on the phone talking to Rosette.

"Wh-what?! You're saying you went to someone's house to get compensation for the car but ended up causing damage worth TEN TIMES that amount??!!"

Rosette was looking mortified. " Umm...something like that, but the guardian took care of it..and..I have a terrible hangover too. URGH!!"

I was standing by, listening in, and I couldn't help but giggle.

~The train station~

"C'mon! Hurry UP!" I shouted.

We were all tearing across the station platform fearing that we would be late for the train that was departing REAL soon.

"Wait for me! I'm wearing high heels y'know!" Satella called out after us.

Then we heard the station announcer declare, "Due to some repair works to be carried out on the railway tracks, the train 'Capitol Limited' heading towards Chicago and Washington will be departing..."

"I TOLD you to take breakfast at the station!" insisted Chrono.

"SHE was the one who said the trains are usually late by 2 to 3 hours!" Rosette replied angrily, pointing her finger at Satella.

The station announcer continued, "…in fifteen minutes at 17:30 sharp. Passengers, please be punctual in boarding the train."

We all shouted in unison as we dashed toward the train like speed demons, "WAAAAAAAAAAIIT---!!"

~Inside the train after boarding~

*TOOT TOOT* *CHUFF CHUFF CHUFF*

We were all on the ground tired and panting from all the running.

"I think...we've been…" Azmaria panted, "…tiring ourselves ever since we started out."

Chrono huffed in agreement "...Indeed."

Rosette wearily stood up with her hands on her knees. "Now, all that's left is to transfer to another train at Chicago."

"We should've taken the train from the very beginning." Chrono muttered quietly.

We all walked along the dining carriage.

"This way. Our seats are further back." Satella directed us.

"Hey, since we're here, how bout' we stop for a bite?" Rosette asked.

"ARE YOU A FOOD CONTAINER??!!" Satella snapped.

"Actually, I wouldn't mind staying either." I said.

Rosette had spotted a woman having trouble getting through the entrance to the carriage. She went over and helped the woman get her bag through the doorway letting her step through with it.

"Thank you very much, Sister." The woman replied.

Rosette smiled in response.

"So where're you off to with all that stuff?" I asked.

"Hmph...'stuff' she says." Rosette muttered.

"We're going back home to Pittsburgh." The woman replied, "That's why I have so many luggage with me."

She had a little boy shyly clinging to her side. "Say 'hi' Jimmy."

I smiled and waved at him myself, but that made him sidle behind her.

The woman handed Rosette a brown paper bag. "Here, take this. Go ahead, I've brought too many presents anyway."

Rosette beamed, "Wow! Thanks!"

The woman and her son walked down the carriage waving goodbye. "Bon Voyage!"

"Bye bye!" said the little boy.

Very soon we arrived at our seats. Azmaria observed the scenery outside the window.

"WOOOW! What a beautiful sunset!" she exclaimed.

Rosette took her seat across from Azmaria and smiled with content at the sunset. I took my seat beside her while Satella sat next to Azmaria. Leaving no room for Chrono.

I suddenly remembered my meeting with Joshua and thought now was the time to tell Rosette about it. I crossed my fingers on my lap and twiddled my thumbs while I thought about it.

"Uh...hey, Rosette?"

She turned away from the window to face me, "Hm? Yes?"

"I have to tell you something." I said hesitantly.

"Really? So, what is it?"

"Umm...it's kinda complicated. You know how I was the last person to go to bed on the night of the Christmas celebration?"

Rosette nodded.

"Well..something happened." I forced an awkward smile, "You see, it's about – "

*SLAM*

"YEEEEOOOW!" I cried out, "Watch where you put that thing ya dumb devil!"

Chrono had put the rifle box on my crossed fingers while I wasn't looking.

"Can't be helped." He said, "Hardly any room here!"

"In that case, you STAND the rest of the way!" I spat back.

"My, how cruel…such childish behaviour." Satella uttered. She patted her lap. "You can sit here Chrono, right on my lap."

Chrono flinched back, embarrassed.

I half giggled at Satella's suggestion. "(Yeah, you tell 'im Satella.)"

Rosette was obviously not impressed. "Don't you have any sense of shame, you pervert?!"

"Wha...?" Satella responded, "SHUDDUP you DRUNKEN PREACHER! May I remind you that I was the one who paid for your train ticket?"

"Hey, I came up with some amount too!" said Rosette.

Azmaria was trying to distract herself by gazing at the window and humming to herself.

Rosette clutched the bag to her chest and turned away. "Nevermind! As your punishment I shall eat all this myself!"

Chrono stared, "What has that got to do with this!?"

Satella looked incredulous, "You're still hungry?"

Rosette opened the bag and looked inside happily. "Ahhh..these muffins look yummy."

Then she saw something in the bag that made her gasp in horror.

"What's wrong?" Azmaria asked her.

"Hmm?" Rosette glanced up, "Ah..um..Urrghh..my stomach, scuse me I need to go to the washroom."

Satella scoffed, "HA! See? That's what you get for eating so much!"

"S-shuddup!" she replied, "Heidi, will you come with me?"

I looked at her and saw her face was different to what a person with a stomach ache would have.

"Uhh…yeah, sure." I got up and walked after her. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Rosette handed me the paperbag without a word. "Look in it."

I did as I was told and opened it to see a photo of Joshua and some words written on the side.

My dear Sister Rosette,

I have something very important to tell you. Meet me in the dining carriage immediately. But please, bring the Guardian with you. And both of you come alone.

I noticed Rosette walk into a run ahead of me.

"Rosette, wait!" I called out after her.

The both of us were finally inside the dining carriage which was full of murmuring people. A familiar looking woman turned to see us and smiled. It was the same woman Rosette helped earlier.

"Uhh..." was all I managed to say.

"Why…How did you know about us? ANSWER ME!" Rosette demanded.

A man sitting at the table behind Rosette spoke, "Now, now. Just calm down."

Soon everyone around us had maniacal smiles on their faces.

"Welcome." They all said.

I stepped back closer to Rosette. "Rosette, did you know anything about this?"

She seemed to pause momentarily, as if recalling a past event.

"YOU!" she said suddenly, "You were at the Grand Central Station the other day!"

The woman we knew smiled more widely. "You can call me…the Marionette master. That's right. I told you we'd meet again, Sister Rosette."

I was too stunned to even move.