Author's Note: I think this chapter sucks. . . well my grammar stinks here and I hate it. What am I saying anyways?! Gommenasai but my mind was not in the 'zone' into making this chapter and well it may be confusing. Sigh, stupid! I just have so many things to do even if I ain't college like school, homework, project, my being forgetful and so many more. Just hope you enjoy and please review so that the update might be faster.
Disclaimer: Chrno Crusade is not my property. Yade yadeh yadah so shut up and let's get on with the story already! (Sorry, Not in the mood during the writing of this chapter)
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Chapter 3: Between the Stars
I look up to the heavens.
And I see you twinkling beneath me.
I want to grasp you but you fade away once I get near you.
What must I do to be with you forever?
What must I say and do to tell you truly that
I love you. . .
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Chrno's POV: (Again)
"Chrno"
"Chrno wake up you sleepyhead" a soft voice mused me to wake up. I tried to but my eyes just wouldn't budge. I felt tender lips on the surface of my cheeks immediately I woke up as I tumbled from the comforts of a large and comfortable mattress.
"Wha—what happened?" I asked, still a little disorientated from the fall.
I heard giggles from the bed, I think I slept on. It was Rosette, now a little older I mean like she now looks like in her early twenties with her hair longer than before. She looks more like an angel than she was before and I felt like I was in dreamland. She was wearing a spaghetti strap nightgown that accentuated her . . . gulp . . . womanly figure and dare I say it, made her look sexy. I didn't even notice that I was blushing and drooling at the same time!
"Chrno stop looking at me like that!" she shove herself back into the bed sheets as she slightly blushed at me.
I grabbed her hand before she could escape any further. "How come?" I asked in a teasing voice. I was caught in the moment.
"Because you look like a deranged psycho maniac ready to pounce at me whenever you look like that!" she stated and pulled her hand away from me.
"Come on, Sister Kate, Remington and the others will be visiting us today so get your butt out of the floor and get ready!" she ordered as she strode across the room to open and search some things out of the mahogany cabinet.
"Here." She tossed me a crimson red button up search and a pair of black slacks. I looked at the clothes and saw that they weren't for a child. "Rosette you know that these won't fit me right?" I asked then gulped when Rosette didn't answer back but instead she walked to where I was sitting and—BONK!—got hit in the head yet again. . .
"Of course it'll fit ya. You aren't a child anymore Sheesh!" she poked at my chest as I stood towering her.
"I have my horns back?" I asked in surprise as I felt stronger than I was before.
Before I could even respond, Rosette had again bonked me on the head and silently pointed me to the bathroom to change. I reluctantly followed as her eyes became blazing with a mix of anger, annoyance and sheer irritation at me. Why the hell am I still being tortured by her even after I have my horns back?!
As I tried to put on the clothes I am supposed to wear, I thought to myself. . . Sheesh I'm doing a lot of daydreaming lately. But then my thoughts were turned to Rosette's knocking or pounding outside the bathroom door. The door was ready to break into halves if I couldn't answer her back.
"Hurry up will ya!" the woman I loved called out from the other side of the door. "Sure. . ." I answered back to her absentmindedly as my eyes were gazing at it once again; the ring that gave me both a blessing and a curse. I considered it a blessing because it gave me, no, He gave me a chance to relive and know what may happen but with every good side there is always a shadow lurking behind it. The ring still has a bad side, the fact that this visit and joy is brief and also I would be reminded of the painful past, their past.
I was a little heartbroken at the information in front of me, including the now crimson colored brim stone on top of the ring. I gave out a sigh of sadness as I exited out of the bathroom and then . . .
"Ooofff—"I was pounced and pounded on my stomach by two small children.
O looked down on them to see they looked alike. They had the same orange blonde streaks of hair as Rosette has with some streaks of purple barely visible if not up close to them. Their eyes though were different from each other. The girl had red eyes that looked like the flames coming from the sun, the boy on the other hand had the innocent bluish orbs of an old childhood friend; one I knew and was searching for such a long time. What surprised me the most was their call to me. . .
"Papa!" They shouted in unison.
"What!" I was flabbergasted, dumbfounded and all those other vocabulary words that meant being shocked.
""Finally you're done. Can you help me with these kids of yours?" Rosette barged into the bedroom carrying a light blonde baby on her arms. "Good Lord am I that—argh! I don't even want to finish that sentence!" I screamed inside my head as I agreed to hold our child. He looks so much like Joshua, to tell the truth. "A—re the—these ow—our chi—ldren?!" I stammered.
Rosette's eyes narrowed intensely at me. I became sweaty as her glare continued for a rather prolonged period of time. Luckily, she stopped before I could collapse out of sheer fright at what she might've done to me if it still continued.
"Do you have amnesia or something? Yes you idiot they are our children!" She announced and I almost fell to the floor in shock but stopped when I heard Rosette's threatening of If you collapse to the ground, I will surely kill you. . .
"Okay Okay I'm sorry, I'm really sorry!" I repeated so that I could be sure that she won't beat me up again. "Let's just go outside and eat some food okay." I persuaded as tha kids cheered on for food. They're so much like their mother. A small hand began to jerk me towards the door.
I smiled sadly at the grinning faces of my children knowing that they are but dreams that will soon disappear after this is over. Rosette, your smile, I know you understand what'll happen later on.
"Papa!" their high pitch voices woke me from my dreamlike state.
"Um—ye—yeah?" I asked in an unsure voice.
"Papa, me and Daniel want to play outside before breakfast. PLEASE?!" my daughter pleaded, her crimson eyes reminding me of Rosette's innocence and my own.
"I. . . umm . . .well . . .I" I stammered. I was uncertain of what Rosette may do to me if I did something that may no be acceptable to her. "Sure you two can!" a voice from behind me answered. Rosette was now decent, wearing a buttoned up blouse and a beige skirt to highlight her face. (Just think of the outfit Rosette wore in Anime, think of the finale episode. . . sniff)
"Hurray!" they shouted and began to scramble inside the room trying to find the door. Sigh, they are so much like their mother. . .
"Isn't this a wonderful dream?" I heard Rosette mutter from behind me.
"What did you say?" I asked in surprise. I was astonished by the way she only referred this to be but a 'dream'. It is so unlike her to say those things. In the past, while we were still alive, she would consider every possibility, every opportunity as a future. This wasn't like her, was it because of her early death? Then was it all my fault that she came to be like this?. . .
"Hey Chrno!" Rosette shouted at me. She was back to her old cheery and gullible self. "Quit staring at the black space and cook breakfast already!" she then dragged my helpless body to the house's kitchen. It looked a bit disorganized and messy; maybe it was because of the children.
"Why can't you do the cooking?!" I protested.
--BONK!—
"You idiot, you know I don't cook" she reminded. "I'm a consumer not a producer." She boasted. It was unfair; she's the girl so why can't she do it?!
"Alright, alright. I'll cook" I surrendered before the quarrel and her temper could rise another ten fold.
The strong fragrance of freshly cooked eggs and rice and the scent of mid-summer's greeting made me forget about my troubles and remain at my present situation; being with my family.
As soon as breakfast was done, I went outside to look for my wife and kids. I saw them, Rosette playing freely with our children. Rosette was sitting on the grassy field, now watching our children play with the morning breeze as it also played with her long golden locks." Erica, Daniel looks like play time's over." She for once responsibly told them. They pouted of course. In return Rosette spoke, "its papa's cooking." At once they went ran back inside.
I stared with concern and amusement at Rosette's failing attempt to stand up and instead trying to massage her aching back. "Does it really hurt?" I joked, striding much closer to my love.
She gave me an irritated stare as she spoke. "Yeah, giving birth to your babies is much more painful than fighting off hordes of mindless and bloodthirsty demons back when we were at the Order."
I was a bit surprise by her comment." Wait, do you mean to say you quit the Militia?" She halted from patting her back to turn her attention to the grass seeming afraid to look me straight in the eye. "We partly work for the Order now since the kids came. You know; rules about us nuns to not get married most especially to one from the 'dark side'. But I didn't care, not the least." I saw her thin lips curving into a sweet smile.
"But then, what about Joshua?" I gulped. Did Rosette forget about the real reason why we became part of the Order? Did my love for her make her goal of rescuing her only beloved relative astray and a waste of time? Damn it!
Rosette spoke in a slow and gloomy tune. "He still doesn't remember much. But everyday since he arrived at the Order, Remington, You and I tried our best to help him remember much and it worked." She smiled weakly and sadly. "He remembers most of our childhood days and the pain . . . Aion had inflicted on him before we found him. Right now, he just needs some time to adapt."
"My mind drifted for a second, How the heck did this happen?! "How—How long have we defeated Aion?" I inquired; a little afraid if this was the right thing to ask at this exact moment.
She gave a small giggle but there was no happiness in it. "You're still the same Chrno. I can never keep anything from you can I?" she joked but I kept my face as stern and as serious as I could possibly do around her face. "This isn't real Chrno. God only wants you to know how it might feel like if you will pick me. In my opinion, I think it's just to hasten your pick on whom you like more. . . That is if my memory serves clear. . ." she continued, "It has been six or seven years since we defeated Aion. And for your information, Erica and Daniel are four while Aiden is 6 months old." She added as if she had read my mind.
I wanted to ask more but seeing the worried and somehow scared eyes shown by my love, I knew that it wasn't right to force her into it. It was more painful and unbearable to her than to me. I smiled sincerely at her as I wrapped an arm on her waist, pushing her to go inside the small house. "Let's go inside, the kids are waiting for us. "I comforted. Everything was back to where it should be.
We finished eating our breakfast in a messier than I could have expected kind of way. Not only did the twins have the same 'innocent' personality of Rosette but they also had the same slob like way of eating as Rosette. I think the only one I can relate and the only one that has my kind of personality was Aiden. Yeah the youngest of the family, he was the only one who was quiet and decent in eating mind the fact that he was only half a year old.
After taking our second bath of the morning, we greeted our visitors who were Father Remington, Sister Kate, Azmaria and to my surprise and enlightenment, Joshua. All of them have changed so much well except for Father Remington after all he is an angel and therefore is immune to old age.
"Azzy!" Rosette locked her into a noogie. "It's been a long time. So, how're you and Joshua? Are you at second base now?" she teased. Rosette seemed to have been given memories of what had happen after our 'supposed' death but then why was I not given memories as well?
"Rosette please!" Azmaria flushed red and pulled away only to bump into the tall and now healthy looking Joshua. "Sorry" Joshua smiled at her and her to him.
"Sister Azzy!" the twins shouted as they dove into Azmaria's blue Militia habit. Wow she really did grow up to become just like Rosette. "Hello Erica, Daniel, it's been such a long time." She patted each of their heads as they in return shown her their childish grin.
"Big Sis, Can we play outside?!" Erica suggested as did Daniel, both putting on their best puppy dog pout they could ever do at their age. "Let's go outside and have a picnic near the river. PLEASE!" Daniel added.
" Sigh, even until now there is still a next generation of Rosettes that can cause more chaos than the original." I heard Sister Kate grumble at the back and also the reverend chuckling at her remark.
"Maybe you should ask your papa for permission." Azmaria said as if putting the burden unto my shoulders. I gulped as I was confronted by two pairs of almost perfect, tearful, cute and adorable eyes. Goodness, they're so much like Rosette. . . Damn it, I couldn't escape from them. "Please!" again both of them pleaded, their eyes filling with crocodile tears to make greater effect.
"I . . . umm . . . I . . . umm . . . Blah?" I stammered, my mind was in no state to say proper words at that moment. I couldn't even say a simple 'yes' nor a simpler word such as 'no'.Uhh. . . that was embarrassing.
"Sure, just as long as we stick together, kay?" Rosette again had replied to them in place of my absent mindedness. Both toddlers then scurried to hug their mother saying repeated 'Thank Yous' to her. It's funny. What I wouldn't give to see them do that to her in real life. . .
We started to hike through the forest, leaving behind the old cabin that became my family's home. It was then that I truly realized and appreciated the beauty of nature. It was so much like the forest where the younger Rosette and Joshua had walked through to visit me.
I was watching my children racing with each other, trying to find out who was faster than the other. Azmaria and Joshua also joined in. Father Remington and Sister Kate on the other hand were having a conversation of their own behind the children. I was trailing at the back of the group, listening only to the sounds of nature letting my thoughts drift with the music played by the forest's own orchestra. Rosette soon joined me.
"Hey, Why so sullen?" Rosette out of the corner of my eyes asked.
"I'm jake. Just wanted to remember this moment. . . " I spoke solemnly, indeed I wanted this moment to stay the same, never to erase this from my mind either in life or in death.
Rosette gave me a worried and sad look yet she remained silent like she knew that I would want some time alone; A 'peace in mind' to make it short. No sooner did the children announce the nearing of our desired location. They were at awe at the exotic and serene beauty before them, we all were. The pure crystalline water was elegant and peaceful. The blend of boundless greenery made me want to roll on the ground and slumber once again.
That thought couldn't be fulfilled when Rosette yanked my hair to help her prepare the blanket and get the food ready. But it was all worthless when from out of nowhere, a raccoon snatched the picnic basket filled with our food and that made Rosette go into a rampage again. It took all of us to stop her from going down into deep water when she saw the basket at the other end of the river. How the basket got there, I shall never know.
To correspond to the loss of the food, Rosette forced me and the reverend to fish at the riverbank while the girls and Joshua fetched the fire needed to cook our catch. All the while I was to look after the twins playing with the water. Remington started a conversation to pass the time.
"It's been a while hasn't it Chrno?" he said.
"Yeah I suppose." I replied in an absent minded way. I was watching how the light reflected upon the pools of water beneath me.
"So, what's your decision on God's chance?" I then face him. "You know?"
"Yes of course, even though I decided to cut my ties with Him, it cannot stop me from trying to hear about what is to happen to you and to Rosette." I remained silent so that he could continue. "Chrno, after yours and Rosette's deaths I felt guilty. Resentment that I could have done nothing but to watch as the world will soon fade into darkness and the people I love turn into dust."
"That's what you're supposed to do. Cause then if you try to break from your responsibilities, it'll only cause more death and despair to others." I remembered the reason why I came to be. The reason was that I chose the path of liberation which caused me the death of my beloved ones.
"But then if you hadn't decided to break free then you could've been just a mindless zombie with no life whatsoever."
"Did I experience life when I met Mary and Rosette?" I questioned myself.
"Chrno, don't try to ask yourself with answers you already know. Look at yourself, if Mary had not made you realize that being a Sinner was wrong then you would not have met Rosette. If you hadn't met Rosette then you could've been in a whirlpool of depression till the end of you. Both of them showed you that there is more to life than killing and being controlled. Even if it meant their deaths they still loved you."
"I just don't want things to end up the same. To end up having their lifeless bodies on my hands; making it all my fault for their undoing." I hissed at myself.
" Chrno don't make it hard for yourself to realized it. Oh I got one!" he discontinued to reel in a huge fish. He continued while holding the gills of the green fish. "Chrno, you're a lucky being to have met such wonderful people in your life. Unlike some of us, we are doomed to a fate of loneliness and emptiness in our immortal lives." He then went off with his bucketful of fishes. I remained at the side of the river; my bucket remained empty. It seems that I don't have the same luck as the angel had on fishing.
I came back to the picnic area empty handed. But luckily my friends shared their blessings with me. After eating, Rosette forced me to go back to the river to get some more fish since there were only two sticks of smoked fish left, and also to prove that I too was also good at fishing. I groaned as the twins followed me to the side of the river.
I sat back as the twins laid on each of my thighs to sleep after their long and busy day of play. I realized as I comb through their hairs the pointy edge at the side of their ears which will soon grow and sprout into new pairs of horns. It made me smile to think that these two are a product of mine and Rosette's love for each other. I wonder what the future will be the future if I were to choose Mary instead of Rosette. . .
After an hour or hours have passed, I saw the sun setting beautifully in front of me. It was the end of the day, meaning the end of this dream too. I said to myself sadly. What if I won't see Rosette after this? I asked myself as I saw the headstone turn into a black charcoal shade. If so I must tell her, before it's too late! I woke the children from my lap to tell them to go back to the picnic area. I returned the fishing pole back into place as I followed them. Once I arrived, I saw everyone except Rosette.
"Where . . . is Ro—sette?" I huffed, tired from climbing up a steep hill.
"She went back home. She said that she was tired and needed some rest." Sister Kate replied. I ran quickly to where the abbess said my love would be, forgetting the pain and sweat. I wanted to tell her that I love her. I wanted to kiss her before we part again, before this dream will vanish.
The sun was beginning to set . . .
I arrived at the house, my lungs gasping for air and my legs felt numb but I pushed it aside when I saw Rosette sitting on the swinging porch of the cottage, her body swaying to the direction of the breeze.
"Rosette . . . "
She saw me and smiled, moving herself to the other side of the bench and tapping the empty space signaling me to sit beside her. I moved with her instruction clear in my mind. 'It's just like last time . . .' I spoke to myself as I tried to stop myself from crying.
"Ro—" I paused when I felt her warm frame leaning against my broad shoulder; the smell of lilac and chamomile in the air making me want to hold her close to my chest.
"Rosette . . . "at last I had the urge to speak to her. "I—I want to be with you in . . . our new life together."
"Are you sure about that Chrno?" I heard her say weakly. She almost said it as if she denied the offer. "Why, why are you saying this?" I snapped. How come she's so afraid now?
"Let me ask you a question then. How could you say those words when you haven't even experience life with Mary?" she protested. I felt my chest ache and I was beginning to ventilate with the pressure of her said question. "What are you talking about?"
"I—know somewhere in your heart, you still love her Chrno" she rasped, her words were hard to decipher even if it was English. "—and so does Mary, I'm sure of it."
The sun had almost set; orange hazes were striking the scenery before us . . .
"Why are you? Why did you change Rosette!" I hugged her; tears were now flowing in my eyes. "What has happened to the Rosette, My Rosette, The Rosette that was unafraid of the danger of the life she chose? The Rosette that gave her own time to care and find her brother?" I didn't want to face her face, the face that I knew before was no longer there; it was blank. "Where's my Rosette?" I whispered to her, sorrow now seeping into my voice.
Darkness was now in the surroundings . . .
Darkness, all I can see now is darkness. The Rosette that I once knew was no longer with me now. I'm so lost . . . The person I held now was a different being so what now and who should I be with? If Rosette had changed so much in death . . . what about Mary?
"Chrno . . . " the stranger's voice called my name but I didn't have the strength to face anyone now. . . "My time is up. . ." she continued.
"Then what should I do?" I asked my face still in the bush of blonde hair that felt so much like Rosette's. "I'm sorry Chrno, but you have to die once more. . . " the stranger told me before she pushed me into the dark abyss below. My scream was unheard of by her as agonizing pain slashed through every part of my body. If only she was here then this pain would be nothing. . .
I found myself again being transported and following to the same path of light as before. I had arrived at Purgatory the same way I did before. My body silently walked to the place where this 'offer' had began but my mind was no where, it had remained closed and confused on the way to the gates of heaven.
Why, why has this happen to her? Was this also because of me? Am I to blame for her misery even after death?
My body and mind awoke by the movement on the sides of my arms. St. Peter had awakened me from my emptiness. I stared blankly at his face. I wanted the questions to be asked. Even if it had to be by someone whom I wasn't well acquainted with. I didn't really care this time.
"It seems that the experiences and dreams with Rosette Christopher did not go well I see?" the pope inquired but I remained silent.
"Chrno, people change when something happens to them. And they need some more encouragement to know the truth even with a woman as strong and as fervent as Rosette. She just needs sometime and some space." I couldn't face him any more than I could with the 'new' Rosette.
"In the mean time." He continued. "You'll have to wait until Magdalene's train arrives. You do want to experience life with her, do you Chrno?"
A short pause ensued as my mind was battling with each other's own opinions. "Ye—yes I Do. . ."
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Author's Note: Yehey! Another cliffy from me to you! As I was saying this chapter was hectic for me since I've tried to do a lot of twist in Rosette's personality also the fact that I was trying to combine this story with the feelings of the characters then basing it on both manga and anime. I know, it ain't like her but still would you stay the same even after a whole lot of things that had happened to you over the years and time? Mwahahahahaha(Evil laugh continues). I think I've given you enough clues to find out where their deathbed took place. I don't know when I can update the next chapter cause I'm still searching for the chapter with Mary and Chrno. The one in the Astral Contract website was not enough. They didn't scan the English translation of the Ending of Manga Darn IT!!!!! Sob
Preview: Next chapter based on manga. Next chapter entitled: "My Moon"
