WOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMBLLLLLLES! It's been one HELL of a busy month for me, and I'm sorry for not updating in a while. Read on!

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

Conflict and Denial (part 21)

I was holding my hands, letting off light energy over Joshua's head trying to heal the wounds from the horns.

"Any progress?" he asked.

"Not really." I replied, "It's never taken me THIS long to heal a wound..." Suddenly a spark crackled from the wound and got my hand. "AH!" I stumbled backward and grabbed my wrist, I looked at it and remembered how Jenai had cut me in the last fight. "Ugh...I forgot about this..." With a flash of light from my hand I healed myself and stood up.

Joshua was facing me, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I glanced at him, "You know, I can't seem to heal that wound on your head."

"It's what I get for dreaming too much..."

"Um, right." I tore off a strip from my white sun dress and handed it to him, "It's the only thing I can rely on to stop the bleeding...for a while."

"Thanks." He tied it around his head like a headband.

I smiled, "Heh...now we almost look the same." I pointed to the cloth tied to my head and laughed.

Joshua chuckled in return, "Yes, I remember now. Thanks to you."

"Stop thanking me." I managed an awkward smile, "Hehe..." I paused, then turned my head the other way, staring into space as I wondered.

"What's the matter?" Joshua asked.

"It's just…strange." I began, "These powers I have now, especially the healing. Why…?" I clenched my fists, "Why now and not back then?"

"Heidi…"

"It's not fair!" I cried, "If these powers had awakened sooner I'd have healed you back then! And we would never have gotten into this mess. As kids, we could've easily joked about us being the 'special healing squad' or something."

Joshua stayed silent, listening intently.

"We'd have grown up and left the orphanage together!" I continued, "You, me, Rosette…and all the other orphans."

"…I wonder if Father Remington knew?" Joshua wondered.

"Huh?" I glanced back at him.

"He was only interested in adopting me, remember? Why didn't he show interest in the almighty Apostle Guardian aswell?"

"I guess…he didn't." I answered, "The Order told me that they didn't have leads on me turning out to be the Guardian until this year."

"Couldn't the apostles' powers just awaken at the same time as the Guardian's? That would've made things a lot easier. Make your duties easier."

"You – uh – have a point there, Joshua. But even so, maybe I was just too young?"

Joshua's eyes narrowed, "I was young, I still had my apostle abilities. What about you, sorcerer?"

My reaction to his response was one of surprise, followed by a pang of guilt, "You're right, I'm sorry."

He turned away and sighed, "Never mind. We're here now, that's all that matters." His face darkened as he stared into empty space.

"(But it's all still a mystery to us, isn't it?)" I couldn't help but wonder.

A few minutes passed before I finally came back to my senses. I gasped and then straightened up, "We have to find Rosette!"

Joshua's eyes widened, "She's here?"

"Yeah...the oratorio...we fell and...she was with Chrono and...GAH! Let's get a move on!" I grabbed Joshua's wrist and hastily dragged him out of the room.

…

Joshua and I were now walking down a hall. I was a little out of breath from...well, everything really.

"You were in quite a rush back there." Joshua stated.

I huffed, "Ahh…be quiet, you…"

He chuckled.

"Never mind me, how's your head?" I asked him.

"Quite clear. I don't hear the noise anymore..."

"And the wounds? Not to mention your overall health..."

"It'll be going rough...but I know someone's having it a hundred times tougher than me, so I'll bear with it!"

I knew then that he was referring to Chrono, and quite frankly, I was moved.

"(Wow...he's grown strong...)"

"Uh...Heidi?"

I realized that I'd been gazing at him, "Uh – sorry." I shook my head, "We seem to be having reversal roles here..."

"Haha...maybe because we've grown up?"

"Speaking of which, you've grown a LOT taller over the years, Joshua." I stated.

"What're you talking about, I've always been taller than you."

The both of us laughed together, for the first time in four years. Soon we both heard panting in front of us. I looked ahead and saw that it was –

"Rosette!" I exclaimed.

"Rosette?" Joshua looked ahead earnestly.

She looked up and saw Joshua and I standing there, "Heidi! You're okay!"

We met up with eachother and Rosette gasped at the sight of Joshua.

"...Josh..ua..."

"Big sister..."

Rosette hesitated at first, and took a shaky step forward with her upper arms out. Joshua quickly hugged her pulling her in.

"I missed you so much...Rosette..." he said.

"Me too...Joshua..." she replied.

Not wanting to intrude, I simply stood there and watched them with teary eyes.

When they stopped hugging, Joshua spoke to Rosette, "Sister, our dream has become reality!"

"Huh?" Rosette and I both said at the same time.

"Sure, this is Pandaemonium..." he continued, "But surrounding us is...the Astral Line!"

"Ah-! I remember...'Let's go to the Astral Line someday.'" said Rosette.

"And what's better, Heidi is with us too."

I gave Joshua a confused look, "What're you...?"

"I wanted to surprise you."

I scoffed, "Right, sure you did..."

"Man, is it really that simple? There's got to be a catch somewhere!" said Rosette.

"Haha...we need to tell Chrono too."

"Hey, Rosette...where is Chrono?" I asked her.

"Uh...he's..taking care of...a few things..." she answered hesitantly.

"Oh…" was all I could say.

"Eden's up ahead...and so are the other apostles..." said Joshua, "Which means Chrono should be nearby too, come on!"

"Alright!" I said.

Rosette smiled in relief. All three of us, reunited at long last. And soon, Chrono would be part of it too.

…

We all made it outside, our eyes all widened at once at the environmental conditions. We stood there in silence, watching the whole place crawling with star-shaped legion demons, and in the center was -

"C-CHRONO!" Rosette shouted.

Chrono was in his demon form and laying there wounded and bloodied with his arm inside the mouth of a large unconscious creature beside him.

"(That's Chrono...?)"

I walked forward and looked at Rosette's pocketwatch from a distance, and I saw that its hands were spinning fast, "Rosette, your – "

"LOOK OUT!"

Rosette and I were both shoved aside by Joshua's force.

"OOF!" I let out.

"G-HUH?" was Rosette's reaction.

*FWAASSHHHHH*

I sat up from where Joshua had pushed me and Rosette aside, and saw Joshua using his powers against the demons.

"Joshua!" Rosette shouted.

I stood up and turned to see demons flying after Rosette, "Oh no! Halo Armour!" I jumped in front of her just in time to shield her from the flock of a attacking legion demons.

"Heidi!" she shouted.

"GO!" Joshua ordered, "Heidi and I will handle these small-fries ourselves!"

"Chrono's in far greater trouble!" I added, "Hurry, before it's too late!"

"We'll catch up with you later!" Joshua finished.

Rosette sat there and thought of what we both had said. Then she got up and dashed forward.

"Right, don't keep me waiting! Ya hear?" She ran ahead to Chrono.

"Rosette, wait!" I called.

She turned back around, "Yeah?"

You reached into my pocket and threw her the horns, "Tell Chrono, it was no problem…and I still think he's dumb."

Rosette caught them and held them firmly, "Right." She turned and ran after Chrono, guns blazing at the demons surrounding her.

*BAMBAMBAM*

"Sword of Light!" I declared.

*KABOOOMMMMMMM*

"Stay away!" Joshua yelled.

*FWASSSHHHHHHH*

Joshua and I were fighting off the demons. They were closing in, soon I found myself back-to-back with Joshua.

"Hey, you're pretty good." I stated.

"Thanks." He replied, "You're not so bad yourself."

The demons there closing in.

"Ready when you are." I said, "Sword of Light!"

*KABOOMMMMMMMM*

"YAAAAAARGH!" he was shouting, like a warcry.

*FWASSSHHHHHHH*

"ROSETTE! ROSEEEEEEEEETTE!"

I recognized Chrono's voice. Joshua and I spun around to see the demons closing in on Rosette and Chrono. For half a second, I thought I saw Rosette lying unconscious in Chrono's arms.

"Rosette...?" Joshua and I uttered.

The demons were quickly closing in on the both of them.

*CHOMPCHOMPCHOMP*

"Sword of Light!"

*KABOOMMMMMM*

"Outta the way!"

*FWASSSHHHHHH*

Joshua and I charged forward fighting through the demons to reach Rosette and Chrono.

After a hard effort of fighting through the horde of legion-demons, we dashed toward Rosette and Chrono.

Joshua called to them, "Rosette! Chrono!"

"Are you – " I gasped. What I saw earlier was not an illusion, but the real thing. 'Cause I was now witnessing it up-close. "...Rosette?"

Rosette was lying unconscious in Chrono's arms. Joshua went over and crouched till he was level with Chrono.

"What happened?" he asked, "Hey! Say something Chrono!"

Chrono's head was hung low. He looked at Joshua and responded gloomily, "Forgive me...Rosette has..." He stood up, and hung his head down low, "Rosette has already left this world...and I brought this upon her."

Joshua's eyes widened, I put my hands to my mouth and let the tears come. He grabbed Chrono by the shoulders and asked more, "What...what're you saying? She's dead? WHY?"

"They were...bonded by a contract..." I uttered, and turned away as the tears kept flowing, not wanting to see Joshua's reaction.

"I..." Chrono continued, "Drained her life-force dry."

*BASH*

My eyes widened, "Joshua, NO!"

Joshua had punched Chrono and knocked him aside, then grabbed him again, "Tell me this is some kind of joke!"

*WHACK*

I shut my eyes, covered my ears and turned my head away; not knowing what to do.

"WHY? Why did you-?" he carried on.

*BASH*

"How could you-?"

*WHACK*

"JOSHUA, STOP THIS NOW!" I yelled.

Silence followed. Joshua was on his knees and clinging to Chrono by the shoulders. He was tired, and upset.

"Return..." he huffed, "Return Sis to me...you monster..."

Chrono could do nothing. He silently turned his head to Rosette, who was lying there, peaceful…and lifeless. I watched them, tears streaming from my eyes. All was silent, except the howling of the wind passing through the area.

So Heidi has finally reunited with Rosette and Chrono, but there was a catch.
Will Rosette ever return?
Will Joshua recover from his state?
Will Chrono be forgiven?
Stay tuned! I highly appreciate your support! ^^