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'. And incase you need reminding: 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

Spiderwoman! Speech of Loyalty...or is it? (part 9)

*SHIINNNG...BOOM!*

Rosette and Chrono were pushed backward forcefully on impact.

Azmaria watched in horror and hesitated for a bit, but listened to Rosette. With teary eyes, she started to sing.

"Star of Bethlehem, star up high…Miracle of the midnight sky…Let your luminous life of heaven better our hearts..."

Chrono dashed forward and had grabbed a hostage holding Azmaria, pulling Rosette aside along with the hostage. My spell crashed and rumbled against the walls of the train. Azmaria was free from the hostages grasp and landed on the ground with her feet.

"FOOLS!" the voice exclaimed, "You may have saved a single hostage, but I still have plenty of my marionette....?!"

"Lads and gents, the apostle has landed." I declared.

"NOW AZMARIA! Sing with all your heart!" Rosette shouted, "Just like when we first met...when you first unleashed your power!"

*SHOOOOMMM...FSSSSS*

……

The force-fielded carriage was busy and bustling with people murmuring amongst eachother about the recent event. Azmaria lay across two dining chairs, exhausted from unleashing her power while I stood by her.

"I'm so sorry..." she said, "I'm always causing trouble.."

"Trouble? HAH!" I scoffed, "I have no idea what you're talking about. Look! You saved all these people by yourself!"

"I still can't believe...that such a monster actually exists!" said a male passenger to one of the train's guards.

"I'm still not clear on what happened, but one thing's for sure…" the train guard replied "We have a serious problem on our hands...we've lost contact with the drivers, and the emergency brakes aren't working."

The crowd continued to ramble while some two young boys about my own age stood from a distance watching Chrono hang around Rosette, Azmaria, Satella and I.

"Hey, how's a shorty like that magnetizing himself on hot chicks like them?" one of them asked.

The other boy observed. "I've got my dibs on the red-head."

"Which one?"

"The tall one."

"Ohh...that one."

"She's got it going on..."

They both laugh.

Rosette stood up, determined. Satella and I stood up after her.

"C'mon! Let's go!" said Rosette.

"Listen people! We're going to stop this train!" Satella announced.

"Stay in this carriage! Stay with eachother." I ordered, and then turned to Azmaria, "Wait here Azzy, we'll be back in no time!"

Azmaria waved farewell and smiled in response.

As we all walked along the hallway I felt the rag around my head and almost forgot that I was wearing it. I took it off and I was about to put it back on properly when the state of the material caught my eye. It was dirt and blood stained; blood from...

I pushed the memory out of my mind and went back to tying it back on my head as a headband. Which made me remember –

"Rosette!" I shouted suddenly.

"Yes?" she replied, and turned her head towards me.

"I nearly forgot, I think I should tell you now." I said.

"What?" she asked, confused, and then remembered, "Ohh…that."

"Uh-huh." I nodded, "Until a certain SOMEBODY –" I glared at Chrono, "– slammed a heavy firearm case onto my lap – no, wait – it was my HANDS!"

"Well, I'm sorry." He replied.

I was still too angry to stop there because my temper was so bad. "No kidding!" I stomped heavily on his foot.

"ACK!" he let out, "What was that for? I was only apologizing!"

"Well it doesn't look like your trying now." I said to him. "Dumb devil…"

"Stupid sorcerer..." he muttered.

"What did you want to talk about Heidi?" Rosette cut in.

I glanced at her in amazement, and then realized,"Oh – yeah – well – I WAS alone on that night, but then I suddenly wasn't."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

In a serious tone, I told her, "I had an unexpected visit from Joshua."

The whole party froze and went quiet.

"...What?" was Rosette's response.

"It was an awkward reunion, I'll tell you that." I told her, "All he talked about was...it's personal."

"Tell me! What did he say!?" she demanded.

"It was only between US and we were so young when it happened!" I explained, "But I guess I'll have to tell you anyway...We made a promise that we'd always be friends, that's all!"

Rosette let out a sigh. "Sorry. It's just, after what happened, I'm so worked up about finding him."

"You and I both, Rosette." I said to her.

Rosette grinned in response, "Hm...AAH! I forgot the watch!" she slapped her forehead.

"Idiot!" exclaimed Chrono, "I can't believe you're THAT forgetful!"

Satella didn't share the same reaction as they did, "So you left it behind…big deal."

Rosette panicked "Whaddaya mean 'Big Deal'?!"

We all heard a soft skittering noise, then without warning the windows and the ceiling above us exploded, sending bits and pieces flying everywhere! Rosette and I ducked and shielded our faces while Chrono pushed Satella's face into the floor in attempt to protect her too.

I immediately stood up and cast my spell. "Sword of Light!"

And sent a blast at the open ceiling while Rosette made multiple shots from her gun in the same direction, but our attacks hit nothing.

"Dammit!" said Rosette, "Where is she?"

"Surprise..." Threads of web wrapped around me and I was pulled up into the open ceiling.

"Heidi!" Rosette called.

The same thing then happened to Rosette however.

"Rosette!" Chrono called.

I landed with a thud on the top of the train as Rosette landed after me. I sat up to see who it was and saw a mysterious figure on eight legs. She looked human, but her spider-like features were abnormal. The hysterical look on her face twisted into a smile.

"Ahh...we meet at last." I heard her say.

Rosette spoke through gritted teeth with a string of web still around her throat. "The Marionette Master!"

*CLANK*

I turned to see where the noise came from and saw the carriage behind the one we were on was trailing away from us. I was stunned.

"That takes care of them. Now...shall we start our cross-country journey?" said the abnormal woman, whom Chrono named Rizel.

"Light blade!" I made a 'V' sign with two fingers put together and a light beam appeared on them. I used it to cut my way out of the threads of web that held me, and helped Rosette after myself.

"Who do you think you are?" I asked Rizel.

"Have no fear." She replied, "We will move to San Francisco more quickly, your precious life-long friend is waiting for you there."

"It's just the three of us now...let the drivers go!" Rosette shouted.

Rizel evily grinned at her request. "I...ATE them ALL."

Rosette was getting impatient.

"Rosette, no!" I called out.

Without hesitation she sent multiple shots at Rizel with her gun, "YAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!"

*TATATATATATATATATATA*

"I can't forgive you, I WON'T forgive you!" she yelled.

In that split-second, I thought hard about what she said, and knew she was right.

"Because of me!" I shouted, "Your other ally took SO many innocent lives! My hometown! My friends! Just because of ME!"

"Oh, that incident?" replied Rizel, "He did a very good job. So, whatcha you gonna do about it, Guardian? You should know by now those bullets cannot hurt me."

Rosette reloaded her gun. "Okay then..how 'bout this? Gospel Bullet!"

"So you've dealed out your trump card. It must be very powerful...but can you use it from where you're standing..?"

Rosette's expression changed to a face of uncertainty. With that, Rizel made her nails grow longer and reach out to Rosette. I ran and stood in front of Rosette and tried a shielding spell.

"Halo armour!" I announced.

A shell of energy surrounded the front of me and her nails were ineffective against it.

"Surrender!" Rizel declared, "You can't hold back forever!"

I grimaced when I heard her. "(No...what if she's right?)"

"No, Heidi!" Rosette cried out.

"AAAAAAAAHHH!" I was screaming.

My shield had faded and the nails tore at my skin ripping my clothes to shreds, soon I was covered in cuts that had blood flowing from every one. I moaned in pain and collapsed on the roof of the train. Rosette gasped in dismay.

"KYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...!" Rizel laughed. "You can relax now, I'm done toying with you."

I looked up at her from where I was lying.

"The BRAT..I mean..Master Joshua wants you alive...I still can't believe I have to take orders from a mere human."

I muttered through my pain. "Don't talk about him that way..."

"You dare to defy me??"

I staggered to my feet and partly healed my wounds with my magic. "There..that's better."

"WHAT??!!" exclaimed Rizel.

"I haven't finished yet!" I snapped, "Listen, Joshua may be a little annoying at times, and I can tell you we've been through a lot. He can be annoyingly observant, stupid and viciously cunning…but his intentions are good!" I continued to speak; getting happier with each sentence, "Of course he's a loser that reads Western stories and is into Sci-Fi. Jeez, he's a real supernatural freak too! You could say he believed every bit of nonsense you told him!" I pointed to the headband around my head. "See this here? It's a token. We promised we'd be friends for all time! If you've seen it, he has something like this tied around his wrist." And then I finally concluded, "I admire him for all he is!"

There was a long awkward silence, before Rizel finally said, "...I see.....so you love him."

I blushed, "NGH?"

Then I started waving my hands in front of my face in a panicky way. "Ehehehe – no – it's not like that! We're really close but not in that way!" I grabbed the back of my neck, laughing nervously. "Hahahahaha!"

"Then perhaps it would be a good idea to kidnap you now. Because of your detestable 'lover' my life is ruined! Kidnapping you might help, it might draw the brat's attention more to you then to Lord Aion."

Rosette whispered to herself quietly, "And then you'd have Aion all to yourself again."

"Lord Aion...why?" Rizel muttered.

"You're lonely too, aren't you?" I said, "You can't help being apart from this Aion guy because you 'love' him. But he doesn't return your effections because he's too busy with Joshua."

"Silence!" Rizel let off a hoard of spiders that came crawling towards me, making skittering noises and they approached. "I shall let you indulge in the pleasures of being a marionette. Enjoy, sorcerer!"

"I send fourth, sisters of destruction!" Three energy balls flew from my hand at the same time and went for the spiders! Rosette spotted an antenna tower in the distance. She launched her hook-shot at the tower. It shot past me and Rizel, then hooked around the tower frame.

I was astounded. "Rosette! What're you doing?!"

"Waiting for a close range target!" she called.

"AAAHH!" I heard Rizel scream.

I turned back and saw that the rope that was wrapped around Rizel had pulled her closer and her claws (or spider legs?) scratched across the roof. When she was right in front of me, I cast my spell.

"Good thinking, Rosette. Sword of LIGHT!"

*PODOOOOOOOOOOM*

Rizel was violently blown away after the hit and the train was vibrating very strongly. Rosette and I began to lose our balance and slid off the side of the train.

I attempted to cast magic that would soften my fall. "Ngh...Grhh!"

*SHIINNG*

A bright light surrounded me and I lost sight of Rosette.

……

That was when I realized I was standing on a flying creature. I saw Satella at the front, she looked like she was controlling the thing.

"Where is Rosette?!"

I spun around to see Chrono sitting beside me; it was him who asked the question.

"Hey!" I said, "I don't know! I was trying to soften our fall and I made this bright light, then next thing I know I'm standing here!"

"Are you alright?" he asked, "...Is she alright?"

"Do I LOOK like I'm alright?" I exclaimed, "I've just been 'nailed' by a big ugly Spiderwoman out for vengeance! I'm not! And...Rosette was completely unharmed when I left."

I suddenly heard a voice from the train. It was Rizel, but she sounded sad and less angry than before. "We 'sinners' have nowhere else to go! So even if you..favour the brat over me... FOUND YOU!"

We all saw Rosette dodge Rizel's flying nails and fall off the wall of the train she clung to.

"Rosette!" I cried out, "Chrono, save her!"

Chrono ran to where she fell and caught her by the shoulders as she landed. Rosette turned to see who it was.

"Chrono!"

"Uh – sorry, Rosette. I guess I teleported by accident." I smiled awkwardly at her.

"Wha-WHAT IS THIS??" Rizel wondered.

"Tiffer fisch! Ascend!" Satella commanded her jewel creature.

I looked up on the roof of the train and saw that Rizel had the bottom half of her body ripped from her and rivers of blood formed behind her.

"Am I...really that powerful?" I muttered.

Rizel was angry and insane! She shot her nails at Rosette and before I knew it -

"Rosette! NOW!" Chrono shouted.

The nails were nearing, the speed of Satella's summoned creature was slowing down.

I shouted through gritted teeth. "FIRE, ROSETTE!"

Rosette was motionless.

"ROSEEETTE!!" Chrono and I both shouted at the same time.

"AAAAAAAAHH!" she screamed, before she pulled the trigger.

*BAKOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM*

A gigantic cloud of smoke appeared as a cause of the carriage exploding rose and thickened. Satella landed her creature in a small valley where the train bridge crossed.

Somewhere, we heard Rizel's voice again. "Keheehee..did you think..that the game was over..? You're wrong..it has only just begun..."

Her voice had weakened and I suddenly felt sad for her.

"But…it's a pity I can't witness it with my own eyes..." she uttered.

We were all focused on Chrono's open palm in which he was holding the last of Rizel's marionette spiders.

"...Rizel, it's me. What does Aion want with Joshua?" he asked.

"And this time, answer the question!" I said.

"Shh..!" said Satella.

"Sorry." I replied.

"Chrono…" Rizel began, "You must..not..get near..Lord Aion...Do you still not understand? Our dream..the dream of the 'sinners' remains the same. To be truly free and liberated..When all the apostles are gathered together…"

"(Apostles...gathered..?)"

"Kehehe..you'd better move fast, Guardian..I was supposed to bring you back..to placate the brat. With those horns.. the Apostle Joshua..can easily fall..under 'its' influence..and so..to us..he has become..a double-edged sword.."

"('It'??)"

"'IT'? What is 'IT'??" asked Rosette.

"Pandaemonium." Rizel answered.

Rizel went quiet for a moment. The rest of us stilled to listen.

"....Lord..Ai..on..I can't..assist you..anymore.." Her voice became so weak, I had to strain to hear. "...Forgive me....."

The spider in Chrono's hand went still and no longer looked lively. All of us just stood there, contemplating in silence.

……

All of us finally arrived where the train had stopped.

There were all these questions circling my head. Joshua, an Apostle? Who IS Aion? And what is...Pandaemonium?

Azmaria ran into a hug in Rosette's arms and I saw Rosette turn her eyes to Chrono, who had been gazing down the railroad track. I turned and pondered the thought about Joshua being one of the apostles.

"(Joshua...if we're gonna keep our promise, and if you really are one of the Apostles, then it's about time that I start watching over you myself. The way a Guardian should.)"

***

That's it wombles! Wow, I used a lot of sound effects in this one. And that random addition I added about the two boys observing Chrono's popularity with the girls. LOL! Part 10 will be coming out soon enough, if you've got patience over the waiting period. ;)