Cut me some slack, alright? You try working on three stories at once, as well as typing a brand new one for a totally different series...make that four stories now. Alright, here it is! Part 13, finally.

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

Reunion...the Beginning (part 13)

REMEMBER! Words in italics and brackets means (thinking).

***

It had been a long night, and it was the longest time that all of us spent time with eachother as a group. Time at the carnival was never-ending, I sometimes wished it would last.

Satella had just finished talking on the public phone with Steiner.

"Sure took your time, didn't you?" Rosette asked, displeased, "Why did you have to make a phonecall in the middle of a carnival anyway?"

"It's about work. Steiner's helping me to gather information." Satella sighed, "My hopes have been dashed yet again."

"What?" I asked her.

"About the 'hornless demon'." She replied, "I was hoping the western branch of the order would know something…but I was wrong."

"Yeah, I can understand why." I smiled awkwardly, "I heard from Rosette that that place seems to have been abandoned for a long time."

Azmaria made an expression of sympathetic concern, "You said..your whole family's dead?"

"Well, there's still my sister..." Satella paused, "…Nevermind."

"So...you'll leave us someday?" Azmaria asked.

"When the time comes, I shall hunt alone once more. But…not in the near future."

"Hey, where's Chrono?" Rosette turned her head this way and that.

"He said he was looking for a trash bin." I told her.

"Jeez, did he get lost?" She continued to look around and stepped forward, "I'd better go find him."

"I'll go too." Said Satella.

"Uh – There's no need, really! Let's just wait here." Azmaria held Satella back.

"O-okay." Satella awkwardly replied.

Azmaria turned to watch Rosette run and disappear into the crowd. I could see that she was happily smiling with a pinch of pride.

"...Are you up to something, Azmaria?" I asked.

"N-no. Nothing!" she smiled goofily.

I laughed, "Ah well. I need to visit the bathroom anyway."

"In 'this' dump?" Satella asked, incredulous.

I jogged forward.

"What if YOU get lost?" Azmaria asked.

I turned my head and winked, "Don't worry, I'll find my way back."

And off I went.

……

I had just exited the toilets and I stood there stretching. "Ngrrh...Gee, Satella was right. The toilets at this place really ARE a dump." I began to make my way back when I saw a short glimpse of famliar blonde hair from the corner of my eye. "Wait a minute, was that..no..really?" I focused my eyes in that direction and saw it again. This time, the whole face included. It was -

"Joshua!" I cried. Sprinting and pushing my way through the crowd, all I think of was getting to him. I got nearer, but he turned and went another direction.

"Joshua, wait! Wait for me!" I called.

The figure stopped in his path, and turned around to see me.

"…Heidi?" He was standing by an isolated moonlit fountain. I stopped in front of him.

"Joshua...you..you have to..come with me!" I grabbed his wrist and attempted to pull him with me but he hesitated to follow.

"I'm still waiting for big sister." he said.

"Then let me take you to her!" I replied.

"No..I've waited for so long..she has to come to me."

I spun around, "Oh knock it off will you?! I've been waiting for you too! Now I know we've gone over this, but this HAS to stop!"

"No."

"What's the matter don't you trust me anymore?"

"Oh look...she's here."

"What..?" I turned my head in the direction Joshua was looking and saw an eagle flying towards him. "Hey!"

"Take her away, Jenai." ordered a man's voice, sounding unconcerned.

Suddenly I was being held back by the arms of a demon.

"We meet again, guardian."

I turned to see that it was the same demon that had destroyed my village and took away my friends.

"YOU!" I shouted, "Where are my friends?!"

"Shouldn't you be worrying about your 'boyfriend'?" he asked mockingly.

"He is NOT my boyfriend!"

"Whatever..."

"I'll get you, you - AAHH! *koff koff* "

I attempted to use my magic on him, but then I felt myself feeling unable to breathe. The demon, Jenai, was clinging to my neck.

I spoke weakly, "Let go…of me."

"Ya see now? I can't have the Guardian of the Apostles lying around."

"Why you – "

"Shut up!" he snapped.

I was too weak to see what was going on and my eyes fell shut.

*SHING*

"What the..?" I heard the demon say.

I woke up and widened my eyes at who I saw standing there. "F-f-Father Remington?"

He darted in all directions; confusing Jenai who let me drop to the ground with a thud. I fell unconscious on impact.

……

The time when Joshua and I first met was nothing but a vague memory to me, and I couldn't recall it very well. Until now.

I was running through the woods. I didn't know what I was running from, but I knew I just had to get away. Very soon, I reached a very big country house. I made my way to the door, ran in, then shut it. I huffed and panted after entering, then let out a sigh of exhaustion.

I spun around to see a lounge room with a couch and table and everything else in it. I tip-toed my way to the couch and huddled against the cushions, falling asleep.

"Don't forget to shut the lights off downstairs." Rosette ordered.

"I thought it was your turn." said Joshua.

"No, it isn't." she yawned, "I'm off to bed, nighty night."

Rosette went into her bedroom and shut the door. Joshua turned and made his way downstairs into the loungeroom to flick the switch off for the lights.

"No, it isn't." he muttered, imitating Rosette, "She just wants to goof off again."

When Joshua arrived downstairs in the loungeroom he made his way up to the lightswitch and was about to turn it off when he heard some very loud snoring. He turned around and jumped at the sight of me sleeping on the couch.

"Huh?" he made his way over, crouched down in front of the couch and slowly reached his hand out. He froze when I groaned and turned over sideways, but realised that I was fast asleep. He took his hand back, went to get a blanket from the cupboard and covered me with it. He rested his chin on his hands as he watched me from sitting on another lounge next to mine. Of course he had trouble staying awake, so he fell asleep right there.

The next morning, I woke up early with a stretch and rubbed my eyes.

"Mmm...GAH!" I rushed behind the couch to hide, after I saw a blonde-haired boy resting his head on the arm rest of the lounge he was sleeping on. I blinked and hesitated to go up to him at first. Then slowly, I walked over to him to take a closer look. He then opened his eyes to see me, and was so startled that he fell off the lounge, then quickly stood back up again.

For a moment, I stood there staring in surprise. And then, "…Hehehehe."

"What? Stop giggling!" he said.

"I'm sorry, mister. But you're funny!" I kept on laughing.

"I…" he sighed.

"My name is Heidi! What's your name?" I said to him

He paused shortly before he replied, "...I'm Joshua."

I started laughing again.

"What now?" Joshua asked, fed up.

"Your name is funny too, Joshua!"

He sighed again, "Come with me, you have to go see Mrs Gene."

"Mrs who?" I asked.

Suddenly, a girl, who was also blonde, and looked a bit like him, along with an older woman, appeared at the stairs to the room.

"So that's why his bed was empty." said the woman.

"Joshua, you – "the girl began, and then noticed me, "Who's your new friend?"

I ran back behind the couch to hide again, embarrassed that she was referring to me.

"Erm…this is…Heidi." I heard Joshua answer.

……

I woke up from my deep thought and realized I was sitting up on the ground. I also noticed Jenai sitting on a log.

"Are you alright?"

I turned to the voice and saw Father Remington standing there.

"Um – yes." I managed, "I'm fine now."

"Can you stand up?"

I staggered to my feet, "I think so..."

"Come." He said, "We don't have much time. Are you able to teleport us back to Rosette and the others?"

I lifted my hand to my aching forehead, "Well, maybe."

"Then get moving." He ordered.

I looked around you and saw that Jenai was surrounded by a barrier. Upon noticing that, I pulled a face at him. "Nyah Nyah!"

"Hmph..." he responded, and turned away in annoyance.

"Get moving!" came Father Remington's voice.

"Right!" I answered.

Remington stood beside me at the ready.

I put my middle and forefinger to my forehead, "Take me up!"

The both of us vanished.

……

A winged hornless demon, appeared in front of Rosette and the others. He threw the badly injured Chrono to the ground and the concrete caught stains of his blood.

"Useless," he said to Chrono, "Just a gaping wound on your chest and now you're no different from a rag doll."

Chrono gritted his teeth and tried to ignore the pain that seeped through him.

"When you came to your senses, you did not retaliate even ONCE! Why?"

"Because..she will die..." said Chrono.

Rosette was huddled on Azmaria's lap all weak and pain-stricken.

I then appeared with Father Remington, unnoticed by everyone else.

"Oh no! Rosette! Chrono!" I said at the sight of them, "They're...they're…who's that other guy?"

"A stupid decision." said the winged hornless, "You certainly haven't changed at all during these fifty years." He adjusted his glasses, "Ah well...this battle is mine nonetheless. Even if the victory isn't a satisfying one. However, the war is FAR from over!"

"What can we do? Father Remington?" I turned to face him but he wasn't there, "...Remington?"

*KZANG*

I gasped, and turned back around to see that Remington and the winged hornless demon were having a swordfight.

"UGHH..ARG!" he struggled upon the surprise attack.

*VMMMM*

"Ai-AION!" Joshua ran forward when something giving off light shot at him. "AAH!"

*KTINK, KTINK, KTINK* *FWAMP*

"AAAAAAAAAAAH...!" he wailed.

"Joshua!" cried the woman in the conspicuous maid outfit.

"A barrier?!" I called out, "(And did he just say…Aion?)"

The winged hornless demon, Aion, was about to run forward and help him when -

"FREEZE!" Remington held his cross blade at Aion's neck, "Checkmate, Sinner Aion!"

"Re..Remington..." Chrono muttered through his pain.

"Father!" Azmaria exclaimed.

"The Militia, eh?" said Aion, "To think that you could defeat Jenai…clearly, I have underestimated you..PASTOR!"

"Since you acknowledge my ability, will you come quietly?" asked Remington.

"HAHAHA! I'm afraid I must decline your offer..you see, we are here to recieve an honoured guest. She is an apostle, just like Joshua..the Vegas Soprano!"

He looked towards Azmaria.

"…Me?" she asked, amazed.

"Fiore!" Aion called out.

"As you command." Replied the woman in the conspicuous maid outfit, "LADEN!" She summoned a scythe with her…was that jewel magic?! Satella was standing by, looking surprised. The maid-woman then darted up some stairs at Father Gilliam, who was observing from where he was and slashed at the weapon he had with him.

"Aw damn..!" he cursed.

The crosses forming the barrier around Joshua dimmed, and the barrier itself, faded. I ran towards Azmaria and Satella, knowing what was to happen after.

"Azmaria! Satella!" I called.

"Heidi?" they replied, and turned their heads to me.

*KZANNNG*

Aion took another strike at Remington, but this time, Remington had trouble holding off his attack and went sliding across the ground on his feet.

"Satella Harvenheit! Guardian Heidi! Take the child and run!" he ordered, "Move as far as your legs can take you – AAAH!" He was suddenly slashed across the chest.

I hesitated at first, but remembered it was my duty to protect the apostles. I took Azmaria by the wrist and ran with her. "This way, c'mon! It's you they want!"

Satella obviously had trouble following the instructions and stood watching the maid-wmoan uneasily. Azmaria and I stopped running, and turned around.

"Satella! Let's go!" I shouted.

"I can't..!" she answered back.

I groaned with frustration and turned around to continue running when I felt that Azmaria wasn't running with me as I tugged her wrist. I turned around, "...Az?!"

She was frozen into a statue...in exactly the way the kids were at the Seventh Bell Orphanage. I readied a spell.

"Don't waste your energy. She won't be able to move, because I've impeded the flow of time around her." said Joshua, who walked forward and crossed his arms around Azmaria's neck. "Gotcha...the final apostle!"

I aimed my spell at him, "Let her GO!"

"Well done, Joshua. But do retrain yourself. Lest you get a relapse." said the one named Aion. He moved forward and grabbed my wrist from where I readied a spell in my hands. "Remember what Rizel said? If you hit the apostle, what sort of guardian would you be then?"

I was irritated at the thought, but knew he was right. With that, I sighed and laid my hands back down by my sides.

"That's a good girl." He said to me.

"Whatever." I replied in annoyance.

Aion looked over to where Rosette was resting in Remington's arms on his lap.

"Now that we know that the 'sister' is not required…we can bring the plan forward!" Aion announced.

Chrono lifted his head up from where he lay severely injured, "You…you're gathering the apostles. What are you planning?"

"If you want to know, then come and get me. I'll save the best seat in the theater for you! And you shall witness in person..the death of Pandaemonium..and the rebirth of the world!" He turned to face me, "As for you, guardian. You shall witness the pain and suffering of those you should've been protecting!"

"What do you…" I started to say, "WHAT?!!"

"Fiore."

"Yes, Lord Aion." came the voice of that maid-woman.

I suddenly felt a very hard whack against the back of my head. The woman in the conspicuous maid outfit, Fiore, had knocked me out by hitting me with her scythe.

"Jeez…I've got the biggest headache..." I fell backwards, and my mind descended into darkness once again.

……

I heard voices as I felt myself wearily waking up.

"I hope I haven't knocked her too roughly." That maid-woman's voice.

"It's alright, she can look after herself." Joshua's voice.

"I'll go and get breakfast ready, please wait until I return."

I heard a door click itself closed and realized I was in bed. I opened my eyes, noticed Joshua at the door and saw that he was also about to leave. That's when I sat up in bed with a sudden jolt.

"Knocked badly! Knocked BADLY!?" I exclaimed, "More like WHACKED!"

"Hey, you're awake." He said, grinning at me.

"Sure, I'm awake." I put my fingers behind my head and felt the bandage around it. "Scar of the setting sun."

My hand flashed from behind my head and a light healed the wound. I began unwrapping the bandage.

"Interesting power." Joshua observed, "Wait here, I'll be right back."

He walked through the open door and shut it, leaving me alone in the room. Leaving me in utter disbelief.

I put my hands to my head and screamed, "You have GOT to be kidding me!"

***

And that's the end! But not just yet, hope you liked it! Hahaha..someone was very easily amused on their first meeting with Joshua weren't they? Ah well..she's meant to be 4 years old or something anyway.