Crusaders of love and lust 7– Fiasco
A/N: Ha! Finally got this updated... sorry for the long wait, folks!
"Never again…" he groaned, collapsing on the grass as soon as he stumbled out of the car. "Never again, I tell you. I swear that shortened my lifespan."
Rosette simply leaned against the car and snorted.
"You're a demon, Chrno. You ought to have more stamina!"
Astral couldn't help rolling her eyes in exasperation as Chrno gave an indignant retort. Muttering something about "them acting their age", Astral quickly stowed the documents into the bag slung over her shoulder and pried Azmaria from the smoking lump of metal which, moments before, had been their car. She was extremely appalled at how…uh… 'calm' they were ( Astral gave a sideway glance, only to see that the duo had engaged in a heated argument) now that their car was ruined and that they had no means of transport, seeing that they were stuck in the middle-of-nowhere. Astral paused, contemplating. "You know, she started slowly, "if we were to want to – "
" – Darn you, Chrno!" yelled Rosette, pouncing upon a certain demon sporting a purple braid, blinded with fury.
Shouts of protests soon followed, then squeaks of worry (Azmaria), and plenty of shrill insults which would make a sailor blush.
A blazing vermillion eye twitched.
Seconds later, both the demon and the nun found themselves wincing in pain as they nursed equally large bumps over the noggin. Azmaria simply stood there, torn between worry for her friends and awe at how fast it all happened; whereas Astral, dusting her hands, had an expression of utter irritance etched across her face.
"As I was saying," Astral continued in a voice of strained sweetness, which caused flinches all around, "To continue our journey, I'd say we hitch a ride from a passerby. And by…err…certain sources of mine, I found out that a young lady by the name of," obsidian eyes flickered over to a piece of paper in her hand, "Satella Harvenheit will be passing by us soon. Would you like to – what is wrong with you people?"
For the colour of Chrno's face had turned to that of Very White as he took a hesitant step away from Rosette, who had a rather pronounced anger vein throbbing at her temple, her fist clenching and unclenching as a low growl escaped her lips. Azmaria managed a nervous smile.
Ameyst orbs now curious instead of furious, Astral's gaze flitted from one comrade to another, her brain reeling to put two and two together.
And of course, with Astral being Astral, it wasn't all that long that she did.
With an expression of dawning comprehension spreading across her face, Astral, catching sight of the looks on the other's faces, hastily turned her laugh into a hacking cough.
Her shoulders shaking with suppressed mirth, Astral smirked just as she turned her back on them.
"Well then, I suppose that leaves us with only one option…"
A few moments later, Rosette all but flung herself to the floor in exhaustion.
"You…," she choked out through her wheezes, her entire tone throbbing with accusation as she raised a quivering finger at Astral who kept her back firmly to the exorcist. "Are you insane?!"
Astral shrugged as she suddenly became rather interested in her fingernails. "Hey, you were the one who didn't want to hitch a ride from the jewel witch…"
"THAT WAS NO REASON TO MAKE US WALK THE ENTIRE 50 MILES!"
Chrno sighed as his legs buckled beneath him. Even it was too much for him to handle. His eyebrows knitted together as he rubbed at his temples, feeling a migraine on its way. And the hundred pound baggage on his back wasn't helping, nor was the one-sided shouting match between Rosette and Astral. Azmaria patted his back, a concerned expression fleeting across the smooth features of her face before turning into that of suspicion as she glanced around the village. She rose, her usually wide, innocent eyes now alert and wary of danger as she surveyed her surroundings.
It was quiet…far too quiet. Was it normal for a village to be this way? Even if it WAS supposed to be rather isolated…An odd chill ran down the apostle's spine, and she could feel a queer tingle at her finger tips. She glanced into a dark alley way and gave a small shudder against her will as she thought she saw a movement stir within the shadows. It was all her imagination…all her imagination…
…Or was it?
"Boo…"
Azmaria let out a shrill scream of shock at the sudden soft voice whispered into her ear from behind. Astral rolled her eyes.
"You seriously got to be more attentive," she muttered, shoving her hands into her pockets. Her face contorted in a frown, she shifted her glare to the sign stabbed into the earth.
Utopias…
"So," said Rosette, peering over her shoulder. Apparently, she had forgotten about the previous tiff entirely. "This was where The Happenings were sighted?"
Behind her, Chrno nodded grimly, his crimson gaze fixed intently upon the signpost. By then, Astral had clenched a fistful of her satin dress so tightly that a wine-coloured substance started to seep through the velvety material.
Too bad none of them noticed.