Cross My Heart
Author's Note: So much shit has happened this year, it's not even FUNNY. Sorry for such a long wait between updates! I'm a terrible author! Please forgive me? I made this chapter really long (for me anyway). You're all welcome. Thanks to those who reviewed, and I'm sorry I took forever! Your reviews mean a lot to me, if you hadn't noticed! There may also be a surprise at the end...who knows? Please ignore grammar or spelling mistakes as I should have probably looked over this chapter once again before uploading it. Oh well!
To the AMAZING Lathya - You are a treasure, my friend! Your reviews always make me happy! Let me know if there's enough "ravishing" for your liking. (If not, I'm sorry? Gotta keep them in character?) Happy reading! I hope you enjoy it!
To AntagonizingExorcist - You reviewed so long ago (January is a long time ago for me anyway), and I'm sorry I didn't have a chance to answer you until now! I don't know of any websites for sayings at the moment. If that changes in the future, I'll let you know! And thanks! I've always loved learning new languages, so it was only natural I'd incorporate them here. Here's to hoping I got the grammar right, though! It's been awhile...Anyway. Thanks again!
To Juliedoo - Thank you so much! That really means a lot to me. I originally started writing this story to stave off boredom in English class and never thought it would get this far or this well liked. Seriously, you made my day with your review, especially the part about Chloe. This story wasn't originally supposed to be this long or a romance, so...thanks!
To DGMLover12564 - I'm glad you like it! No worries about Lavi or Yuu-chan. For now, anyway. ;)
Disclaimer: Chloe and Charlotte Bellerose are mine. If I owned the others or the plot that goes along with them, I'd be rich. I'm not, so there.
Chapter 22: Vedette
"Kanda." Bellerose remained silent for several more moments then tried again, "Kanda—,"
"Shut up," the Japanese exorcist ground out while tightening his grip on the red head's hand.
"Oi—," Chloe began to say only to get jerked roughly around a corner. She willingly allowed him to drag her around for a few more minutes before digging her heels in and refusing to move any farther forward. When Kanda turned to glare at the obstinate red-haired girl, Chloe pressed one of the stones comprising the wall, and the slabs slid away under her hand until there was a space in the wall the size of a human. The red head dragged Kanda into the once hidden tunnel, and once they were inside, she pressed something else to close the wall back up. Darkness instantly swallowed the exorcists. "We're alone. Now tell—,"
Kanda wasn't interested in letting Chloe finish her sentence. Instead, he decided it was better to whip-crack the red-haired girl around and shove her against the now solid wall. The Japanese exorcist continued moving forward as Bellerose's back made a muffled thump against the stone, and just when the red head was opening her mouth to protest the latest rough treatment, Kanda's mouth covered hers with surprising gentleness after all the manhandling from the past few minutes. Chloe didn't seem to be expecting such a move, so Kanda remained in full control for several long moments while the red-haired girl indecisively alternated between pushing and pulling on his shoulders. Whatever internal battle Chloe was fighting ended when Kanda tangled his fingers in her hair and angled her head back in such a way that a current seemed to pass between them. Chloe grabbed Kanda by the lapels and dragged him closer, forcing him brace his free arm on the wall beside her head as his body came flush against hers. Gentleness quickly gave way to roughness—teeth gnashed, tongues battled, and hands roamed indiscriminately.
In these few stolen seconds of privacy, Kanda and Chloe didn't have to worry about fighting, killing, and dying. They didn't have to wonder when everything was going to fall apart around them. They didn't need to pretend they were two of the few adults living amongst so many naïve children. There in the unlit passage they were one thing and one thing only: teenagers. And in true curious teenager fashion, Kanda and Chloe didn't let the lack of light keep them from exploring each other to their satisfaction. Here the exorcists didn't have to be exorcists. They could let their guards down and forget about the past, the present, and whatever future awaited them once they stepped out of the passageway. In the darkness's oddly comforting embrace, the Japanese boy and the red-haired girl had the opportunity to feel both physically and emotionally, a luxury usually reserved for normal teenagers, not for soldiers at war. The teenagers fought to enjoy every second of their respite until the prospect of passing out from the lack of oxygen was almost made a reality. Kanda and Chloe had to practically cling to one another in order to remain upright, and every passing touch sent electrifying shivers down both spines until the exorcists were all but vibrating in each other's arms.
"Stressed out?" Chloe asked after finally catching her breath.
"You tell me," Kanda said in return.
"Want to talk about it?"
"No."
Chloe let the conversation lull for a moment before standing on tiptoe to murmur in Kanda's ear, "Is there anything I can do to help?"
Kanda swallowed dryly as he contemplated the offer. Chloe's question, proximity, and tone had gone straight down to the heat pooling low in his gut, making thinking and speaking very difficult tasks. "Magic us somewhere else," he finally murmured when he knew he could speak without stammering.
"Aye, aye, Kanda-sama." A blink later, the exorcists were standing just inside Chloe's room. "And now?" Chloe said as she tightened her grip on Kanda's jacket.
"Two rules," Kanda murmured as he reached behind Chloe to lock the door. "No talking"—Kanda's hands slowly traveled from Chloe's waist up to her neck—"and no stopping."
"And if we break one of these rules?" Chloe murmured as Kanda's fingers trailed along her jaw.
"Punishment," Kanda replied while tracing his thumb back and forth over Chloe's lips. "The rules go into effect…" the Japanese exorcist trailed off to close the distance between them, "now."
It was fascinating to watch as she completely charmed and disarmed the politicians. Whether it was her unique hair and eye colors or the way she radiated mysteriousness or how her fitted dress emphasized her assets, he didn't care. Bringing her along as his "personal secretary" was already more profitable than he had originally estimated. Just a few more minutes and everything would be in place. The thought of their inevitable success brought a smile to his face.
"Prime Minister, your daughter and your brother have arrived," Ms. Jones, another secretary, said softly from his side.
"Miss Bellerose, I'm stepping out for a minute. Hold down the fort for me," Sheryl said while getting to his feet.
"Of course, Mr. Camelot. I'll do my best," the red-haired woman said, taking a moment to look up from her note taking to smile at him.
"Ms. Jones, if you wouldn't mind helping Miss Bellerose, I would appreciate it," Sheryl said to the older woman at his side. "She is a very competent young woman, but she works much too hard and is not skilled at asking for assistance when she needs it, if you get my drift," he added to keep any suspicions from being aroused.
"Of course, Mr. Camelot," Ms. Jones said with a smile of her own.
Sheryl headed for the door, and as soon as the door clicked shut behind him, the Prime Minister smiled again when the first scream filtered through the heavy wood. He headed straight for his office and was pleased to find Road sitting on top of his desk and Tyki settled in the plush chair in front of her. "Road, Tyki, thank you for your visit. You're both a sight for sore eyes!" Sheryl said as he entered the office.
"Why did you want us to come by, Brother?" Tyki asked.
"I needed an excuse to get out of the way while Charlotte worked. Plus, do I need an excuse to see my brother and my daughter?"
"Is Charlotte doing what the Earl wanted her to do?" Road asked while swinging her legs back and forth.
"Yes and with a surprising twist," Sheryl replied. "She should be here right about…now."
Charlotte waltzed through the door at that moment. She was covered in blood splatter, and she was grinning maliciously as she ran a bloody hand through her loose red hair. "Brother Sheryl, the game is afoot," she said.
"How did it go?" Sheryl asked while heading over to his desk. He opened a drawer and withdrew a towel to hand to Charlotte.
"Easily enough. The earl makes his akuma well," the red-haired Noah said while wiping her hands and face with the towel.
"How long until we see results?" Tyki asked.
Charlotte's smile gained a new level of intensity. "Very soon. I guarantee it."
Kanda didn't know what came over him, but he suddenly wanted to see Chloe Bellerose. No, the Japanese exorcist didn't just want to see the red head. He needed her. And he needed her right now. The walk to his room was taking way too damn long, so Kanda opened the first door he saw and pulled Chloe into the room after him. Darkness flooded the room once the door was closed.
"Kan—,"
"Shut up," Kanda ground out while moving closer to Chloe. "Just shut up."
"Hey—mmph!" Before the red head could try to say anything else, Kanda tangled his fingers in her hair and dragged her forward for another kiss, letting his free hand wrap around her waist and—
BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!
Kanda shot up and was up on his feet with Mugen unsheathed before his brain could inform him of several important things: he was alone in his room, he had previously been asleep, and someone was pounding loudly on his door. The Japanese exorcist turned on a light, sheathed his blade, then stomped over to the door with a scowl. Kanda opened the door with every intention of beheading the person who had woken him so rudely, but his expression immediately morphed into confusion when he saw just who was staring back at him. General Cloud Nine was standing there with a slight grin on her normally impassive face. And swaying on her feet beside the blonde-haired general was one Chloe Bellerose. The first thing Kanda noticed was that Chloe's clothes were ripped to the point that her shirt was hanging precariously from one shoulder and practically torn off at her midsection, and one pant leg was missing from the knee down along with her boot. The second thing Kanda noticed was Chloe wasn't actually standing on her own. Cloud Nine was holding Chloe up with one hand gripping the girl's closest arm since her eyes were closed and her head was tipped forward.
"The generals had training this morning," Cloud Nine said after a moment of stunned silence.
"It's night now," Kanda said incredulously. No wonder Bellerose looked half-dead. They'd trained for nearly twelve hours running. Cloud Nine's response was a shrug. "Why'd you bring her here?" the Japanese exorcist asked.
"She's in no condition to take care of herself at the moment," Cloud Nine said while releasing Chloe's arm. Chloe apparently had no more strength or desire to remain upright, so she simply allowed her body to fall once Cloud Nine's support was gone. Kanda hooked an arm around Chloe's back and pulled her to his chest so she wouldn't hit the floor. "I leave Chloe in your capable hands," Cloud Nine said before turning on her heel and walking away.
"Hello, Kanda," Chloe murmured against his shirt.
"Hello, Bellerose," the Japanese exorcist said while dragging the red-haired girl into his room so he could shut the door. Chloe mechanically stumbled after the Japanese exorcist, and she let out a confused grunt when Kanda sat her down on the bed. "Take off your clothes," Kanda said as he reached for the bottom of his shirt.
"You certainly get straight to the point," Chloe said with an audible grin.
"If that's what I wanted, I wouldn't be asking," Kanda retorted while pulling his shirt over his head. He chucked the garment in Chloe's direction then moved toward the door to lock it back. There was the soft rustling of cloth then a muffled whump followed by a sigh. Kanda chanced turning around and saw Chloe sprawled across the bed with her eyes closed. Her boots and ruined clothes were piled neatly beside the bed. But that wasn't what caught Kanda's attention. His gaze slowly traveled up from Chloe's feet to her knees to her—"Eyes up here, Cabrón," Chloe said, startling Kanda out of his trance. The Japanese exorcist scowled when he saw that Chloe was smirking and that her eyes were still closed.
"Move over, Bellerose," Kanda said while crossing the room. Chloe started to roll over but suddenly stopped and grabbed at her right shoulder. "What's wrong with you?" Kanda asked when the red head let out a pained noise.
"Shoulder hurts," Chloe replied in a strained tone. "Give me a sec—,"
Kanda grabbed the red head's arm and hauled her up to a sitting position, eliciting another noise from the girl. "Sit on the edge of the bed," the Japanese exorcist ordered while releasing Chloe's arm.
"Move over, sit there, what's next? Take off your cloOOOhhh," Chloe ended with a long sigh. Kanda hadn't waited on her to follow his direction. Instead, he had climbed onto the bed behind the red-haired girl and began kneading her shoulders while she was distracted. Chloe unconsciously moved closer to the edge of the mattress as Kanda pushed his fingers and knuckles into her shoulders and upper back over and over again, gradually easing the tension from her body. The Japanese exorcist worked in silence until he reached Chloe's shoulder blades.
"Lean forward," Kanda said when he reached a particularly stubborn knot. Chloe didn't have to be told twice, and she let out a pained hiss as Kanda pressed even harder on the area. "What'd they do, make you a moving target?" he asked.
"Something like tha—Ah! That's the spot!"
"Sorry," Kanda murmured in apology as he increased the pressure on Chloe's shoulder. The Japanese exorcist winced when he felt muscular spasms suddenly erupt under his fingers, and he quickly wrapped his arms around Chloe's waist when she bonelessly pitched forward. "Breathe through it," he said while pulling the red head to his chest.
"Easy—for you—to say," Chloe hissed between shallow breaths. "So many spasms!"
"Those weren't just from today," Kanda said. Chloe let her head flop back against the Japanese exorcist's shoulder and was about to reply when there was another heavy set of knocks on the door. Kanda reluctantly disentangled himself from Chloe and headed across the room toward the source of the incessant knocking. With a scowl, Kanda yanked his door open again and found Howard Link staring back at him. "The hell do you want?" Kanda hissed while crossing his arms.
"Do you know General Bellerose's whereabouts?" Link asked.
"Why would I know?"
"General Nine walked General Bellerose in this direction and then left alone shortly afterward. General Bellerose is not in her room, and since you are someone General Bellerose is usually seen with, I assumed you would have an idea of where she currently is."
"Why do you need to know where Bellerose is?"
Link let out a short sigh. "Do you know where she is or not?" he asked with a hint of exasperation in his tone.
"Why do you need to know?" Kanda repeated.
"Inspector Leverrier needs to ask her a few questions."
"About what?"
"I'm not entirely sure," Link admitted. "Do you know where Chloe is?"
"The generals were training from morning until now. Check the cafeteria," Kanda said after several silent moments.
"Thank you for your help, Kanda," Link said before turning on his heel and walking away. Kanda closed and locked the door after the junior inspector. He didn't want to be concerned. Chloe could take care of herself. But knowing Leverrier wanted something with her made him anxious nonetheless. He shook his head and turned back around.
"Bellerose…" the Japanese exorcist trailed off with a sigh. Chloe had dozed off while Kanda was talking to Link, but she was still sitting at the end of the bed where the Japanese exorcist had left her. Kanda tried to suppress the chuckle bubbling up from his chest—Bellerose needed sleep, after all—but the sound escaped from his lips despite his efforts. Chloe started awake at the noise and stared at Kanda in confusion. The expression, coupled with her unruly hair falling in her eyes and the oversized shirt swallowing her thinner frame, made Bellerose look like a lost child. Kanda's chuckles erupted into something akin to a harsh sounding laughing fit, and he was so engrossed in his growing mirth that he was nearly thrown to the ground by a well thrown pillow hitting him square in the face. The Japanese exorcist removed the offending object from his line of sight and saw Chloe glaring back at him through her long fringe. She smirked while reaching behind her back for another pillow.
"You're dead, Bellerose," Kanda said in his most menacing tone as he stalked toward the bed, pillow held tightly in one fist. Chloe's response was to climb onto the fully onto the bed and stand up, brandishing her own pillow in front of her like a soft shield.
"Bring it on, Cabrón!" she challenged with a laugh. Kanda didn't need further encouragement. The Japanese exorcist swiped his pillow at Chloe's legs in an attempt to disturb her precarious balance. Chloe dodged the blow and retaliated by bopping Kanda on the head with her pillow with a triumphant cackle. Kanda scowled and tossed his pillow at Chloe's face, distracting the red head long enough to be able to grab the sheets she was standing on. Chloe let out a surprised noise as her feet were forcibly pulled out from underneath her, and she landed on her backside in time to watch Kanda pounce. The Japanese exorcist immediately grabbed at the girl's wrists and smirked as he worked to pin her writhing body to the mattress. "You insufferable jerk!" Chloe said with another laugh as she continued struggling.
"Not my fault you weren't aware," Kanda said while entangling his legs with Chloe's legs. "Face it, Bellerose, I win," he added with an even bigger smirk. Chloe went limp in defeat and let out a long, jaw-cracking yawn.
"I'm tired," the red head stated a moment later.
"Too bad. I was asleep till you got here," Kanda said with no sympathy whatsoever.
"As if Cloud gave me a choice. Hmph. I'm going to sleep."
"No, you're not."
"What're you gonna do about it, Kanda-sama?" Chloe challenged as her eyelids drooped. Kanda glanced down at his hands then smirked.
"This." Kanda started wiggling his fingers up and down the red-haired girl's sides. Chloe's eyes shot open, and she wriggled desperately underneath the Japanese exorcist as laughter spilled from her lips. "You seem awake now, Bellerose," Kanda said as he continued tickling her. Chloe smacked half-heartedly at his chest and tried to flip their positions, but she was laughing too hard and Kanda's fingers were moving too quickly for her to keep up with.
"OwowowowHahaha—Kanda, please!" Chloe gasped out with a giggle. "St—Sto—ah!"
"What's that?" Kanda said without letting up one bit. Chloe suddenly wrapped her arms around Kanda's neck and pulled his upper half flush against her own, pinning the Japanese exorcist's arms between their bodies. "Bellerose, what're you-,"
"If you wanted to cop a feel, all you had to do was ask," Chloe murmured in Kanda's ear when his trapped hands came to rest at her waist. "You've had your fun. Can I sleep now?"
"I'm just getting started, Bellerose," the Japanese exorcist said while dipping his head even lower so his lips brushed the girl's throat. Chloe shivered in anticipation and gripped Kanda's neck even tighter.
Kanda carefully dug through his closet for a shirt, trying to be as quiet as he could so he wouldn't wake the red-haired girl sleeping soundly in his bed. He was going to find out what Leverrier was scheming before Bellerose could get herself in trouble with the inspector's scheming. The Japanese exorcist pulled a sleeveless shirt over his head and glanced over at the bed. Chloe was still curled up on her side with her hair strewn about everywhere and one leg sticking out from under the covers. If he kept staring at the red head, he knew he wouldn't be able to go through with his plan. Bellerose can kick me around all she wants for this later, Kanda thought while inching toward the door. Chloe made a sleepy noise and rolled over just as the Japanese exorcist opened the door, but after a moment's hesitation and no other noises, Kanda slipped out into the hallway. He headed for the private rooms and found the inspector holed up in a bloodstained suite no one in the Order spoke about. Leverrier glanced up when Kanda knocked lightly on the open door, and he smiled politely as he turned in his chair to greet the Japanese boy.
"Kanda, I wasn't expecting to see you. Please have a seat," Leverrier said while motioning toward the empty chair in front of him. Kanda took his place at the small table, ignoring the assortment of cakes and the expensive china while the inspector continued his sugary meal and tea. "How are you this fine morning, Kanda?"
"What do you want with General Bellerose?" Kanda asked. He was in no mood to beat around the bush, especially not with Leverrier.
"I don't know what—,"
"Cut the crap, Inspector. You sent your pet stalker to try and figure out where she was."
"Kanda Yuu, know your place," Leverrier said with a frown. "As a Second exorcist—,"
"This place owes me for all the shit I was put through for the sake of 'vanquishing evil.' You of all people know that, Inspector," Kanda hissed while getting to his feet. "Don't mess with Bellerose if you know what's good for you," the Japanese exorcist said before turning on his heel and heading for the door.
"Is that a threat, Kanda?" Leverrier said.
Kanda paused momentarily in the doorway to let his next words take full effect. "No. It's a promise."
The next afternoon, Chloe and Kanda were sent out on separate missions. The only obvious hand Leverrier had in the mission assignments was the fact that Howard Link was placed on Chloe's mission. Chloe didn't seem to be bothered by the last minute addition, so Kanda let it go for the time being. Leverrier wasn't directly "messing" with Bellerose, at least not at the moment. Kanda left for his mission feeling somewhat better but something still nagged at him as he stepped through the Ark gate. Bellerose could take care of herself.
Oh how they were all so mistaken...
It happened so fast no one could move.
Chloe was leading the way with her attention on the hand drawn map she had gotten from the kind old woman who had served them lunch in return for saving her from a lone akuma. Lenalee and Allen trailed a few paces behind the red head chatting like teenagers are prone to do. Link silently brought up the rear of the group, and he alternated between watching Allen and watching Chloe as they walked through the French countryside.
The sun had nearly set by the time the group arrived at the outskirts of a town. Allen and Link were assigned to find lodgings while Lenalee and Chloe searched for sustenance. After half an hour, the group met at the rendezvous point and headed for the café Lenalee had found. Dinner proved to be an uneventful affair, and the three exorcists and the junior inspector were soon making their way back to their rented rooms. That's when all Hell broke loose.
A gunshot suddenly rang out then Chloe's body was wrenched skyward by an unseen force. When Link took a step in the red-haired general's direction, he was picked up off his feet and thrown into a nearby building. Allen and Lenalee instantly moved in opposite direction, but Allen quickly found himself being yanked through a very solid door. Lenalee was able to get three steps in Chloe's direction before she was sent spiraling into a shop window. Silence fell over street as two figures materialized from the shadows. The pair, one male and one female, was dressed completely in white and had similar black stigmata crossing their foreheads.
"My, my, your plan worked splendidly, Lotte-chan," the white-haired man said as he surveyed the damage.
"Sheryl told you not to doubt me, Wisely," the red-haired woman said in a tone laced with contempt.
"I apologize for second guessing you," Wisely said with a deep bow. The psychic Noah straightened up and glanced up at the barely conscious general trussed up in the air above him. "What do you plan to do with that one?"
"I need to borrow something from her then we can leave," Charlotte replied while raising one hand. The thin, almost invisible wires slowly lowered Chloe Bellerose's body until the tip of the girl's boots lightly brushed the ground. Charlotte murmured something under her breath then reached for the front of Chloe's uniform. The Noah didn't bother unfastening the buttons; she simply tore open the jacket then slammed her palm against Chloe's sternum just millimeters away from the weeping hole under the girl's collarbone. The general let out a hiss and tried to back away from the agonizing touch only to have the wires coiled around her body tighten in response, holding her still and completely immobile. "Don't fight it," Charlotte murmured as she stepped closer to Chloe. A faint glow surrounded the Noah's hand then thin tendrils of pale blue light began to flow from the general's chest into the palm resting on her breastbone. Wisely had no indication of what his fellow Noah was doing, but it was obviously quite agonizing for the exorcist—every muscle in the red head's body was visibly tensed, and blood was beginning to drip from the girl's shirt down to the road beneath her feet.
"Don't do this," the female general hissed as the light continued to seep from her chest. "Don't help those bastards—ah!" the general ended with a pained cry.
"I'm doing this for the greater good, Chloe Bellerose," Charlotte said softly. The red-haired general stared at the Noah until her head involuntarily drooped in a combination of pain and apparent exhaustion. Wisely decided to eavesdrop on the teenaged general's surface thoughts as Charlotte worked her magic. The red-haired exorcist seemed to know something about Charlotte's actions.
ShitshitshitshitIdiotdoesn'tknowwhatshe's—Getyoura ssouttamyheadPendejo. PodríamatarteconsolodedoVenaquíVoyademonstrarensuc ara— (1)
The white-haired Noah wisely cut the connection from his mind to the red-haired general's, and he nearly took an involuntary step back when he found Chloe Bellerose's eyes locked on him. Her blue-green irises were tinged with dots of crimson that seemed to be growing larger the longer he remained the focus of the teenager's attention. Fear began to fill the Noah, and he suppressed the urge to shiver and turned his attention to Charlotte "How much longer, Lotte-chan? I believe the other exorcists are waking back up," Wisely said while breaking eye contact with the general's chilling gaze.
"I'm finished," Charlotte replied. She stepped back and removed her hand from Chloe's chest. "That's all I need. Thanks for your contribution, General Bellerose. We'll be going n—," the Noah was interrupted by the sound of taunt wires snapping. Chloe's left fist lashed out and struck Charlotte hard in the jaw, throwing the red-haired Noah back several steps. Chloe was still entangled in wires, but her left forearm was bleeding freely from several places where wires had previously been. Wisely stepped in front of his comrade prepared to give the red-haired exorcist the headache of a lifetime, but Charlotte placed a hand on his shoulder to hold him back. "Leave it to me, Wisely," the female Noah said while flicking her wrist. The remaining wires disappeared into thin air, dropping the injured general unceremoniously onto the hard ground. Wisely winced when the red-haired exorcist's body hit the ground with a loud thwack, but Charlotte's expression remained blank as she moved to stand over the general. "Tu es tellement têtu, peu guerrier. Je fais ça pour vous," Charlotte said with a frown. (2)
"Qu'est-ce que vous la planification, Charlotte?" the general murmured as she rolled onto her back. Her hand was inching down her side toward something at her hip. Wisely opened his mouth in warning only to watch Charlotte effortlessly step down on the general's wandering hand then on the general's bullet wound with the free foot. (3)
"Ne pas gâcher tout ça, Chloé. Nous sommes trop près maintenant." (4) Charlotte leaned more weight on the foot pressing down on the general's injured shoulder and smirked when the teenager let out an agony-filled scream that echoed off the surrounding buildings.
"Vous…Vous pouvez les arrêter, vous n'êtes pas un vrai—," (5) There was a muffled crackcrackcrack then another yell rang out through the night. The general's breathing suddenly became erratic, and she tried pulling her trapped hand out from under the Noah's foot to no avail.
"Be quiet, Sister," Charlotte hissed as she took a step away from the exorcist. "Wisely, knock her out. You don't have to be gentle."
"But—,"
"Wisely, my sister will not stop until she is unconscious. Unless you want to be shot, use those freaky abilities of yours and get it over with." Wisely looked over at the red-haired general and saw the teenager pointing a large silver revolver in his direction. Instinct had the Noah using his power to deliver a hard psychic blow before he could find himself shot full of Innocence. The general didn't stand a chance in her condition—she was unconscious before her head and gun hit the ground a moment later. A thin trail of blood trickled from the exorcist's nose and the corners of her eyes.
"The general knew what you wanted with her, Lotte. Should we bring her with us?" Wisely asked.
"Of course Chloe knew what I wanted. She's my sister," Charlotte said. "Her part in the plan has only just begun. We don't need to take her with us. She'll come to us soon enough."
OMAKE/ASIDE (Never written one before, so bear with me!)
It was a rare occasion for all the young exorcists (young in the sense of being under the age of twenty) to be at Headquarters at the same time. Most of the time, the teenaged exorcists would congregate briefly in the Cafeteria around lunchtime before heading off to relax and kill time in their own ways. Lavi would usually aim for the library to catch up on his Bookman duties. Kanda could be found in the training area or the meditation room. Inevitably, Allen would find himself following after the Japanese exorcist in an attempt to start a fight to keep his mind off things. Lenalee often spent part of the day with her brother and the Science Department then would retire to her room. Chloe was the only teenaged exorcist/general who never spent all her free time in one particular place. Sometimes she would make herself at home in the library; other times she would meditate or train with whoever was in either area. Most of the time, she would wander around until something peaked her interest or would go to bed to catch up on much needed rest.
On one fateful day when the teenaged exorcists were all in the building again, the group remained in the Cafeteria long after their meals were finished swapping stories with each other. So far, Allen was leading the way with his limitless horror stories about his apprenticeship under General Marian Cross. Lenalee had enough bizarre tales of her own about the Science Department and her older brother, and Kanda even chipped in with a memory or two since he and the Chinese exorcist had grown up together with the quirky scientists. Lavi was taking turns weaving tales of famous rulers and long forgotten civilizations, but most of his stories ended in jokes and laughs as Allen, Lenalee, Kanda, and Chloe tried to figure out whether the Bookman apprentice was telling the truth. Chloe was the only one that hadn't actively contributed a story, which was why Lenalee targeted her directly when Allen finished yet another tale about General Cross and his debt-incurring situations.
"Chloe-chan, didn't you have a mission in India at some point?" Lenalee asked while turning in her chair to face the red-haired girl.
"Some time ago, yeah," Chloe replied after a sip of tea. "We had to identify a Conformer who was related to a past Order scientist."
"We? It was a partner mission?" Lenalee said.
"Kanda was with me. You remember that mission, right Cabrón?" Chloe said with a look in Kanda's direction. The Japanese exorcist, stuck between Lavi and Allen across the table from Chloe and Lenalee, refused to do much more than nod in response to Chloe's inquiry. "It was pretty easy overall. The kid was nice, and his mother was a phenomenal cook. The hardest part was sharing a bed that night," Chloe said. Kanda's eyes widened slightly, and he looked ready to bolt at any second.
"You two shared a bed? Details, Rouge-chan! Details!" Lavi exclaimed excitedly. "Yuu-chan, you sly dog! You never told me about that!"
"Volume, baka Usagi. Volume," Kanda said while clapping his hands over his ears. "I don't have to tell you anything about my life."
"But I thought we were best friends, Yuu!" Lavi whined as he sagged against Kanda's side. Kanda roughly shoved the Bookman apprentice and started to stand up only to have Allen drag him back down to his seat.
Kanda bristled in anger and slapped Allen's hand from his shoulder. "Moyashi, what the fu—,"
"Chloe wasn't finished yet, Kanda. You should be polite and listen to the entire story," Allen said in a sickeningly polite tone.
"There's not much to tell," Chloe said in an attempt to help Kanda.
"I'm sure there's more than you think, Chloe-chan," Lenalee said with a grin. "Do continue."
"We stayed at the boy's house while he decided whether to come back with us or not, and unfortunately, there was only one extra room in the house. Kanda and I shared the only bed in the room since it was quite big," Chloe said.
"How did you manage to get Bakanda to share the bed with you?" Allen asked out of curiosity.
"Logic," Chloe replied. "Large, comfortable bed or hard wooden floor. You take your pick."
"It's Kanda you're talking about here," Lenalee said with wink at the Japanese exorcist. "That's some clever logic, Chloe-chan."
Chloe let out a sigh and shook her head. "You three want to know if something romantic happened that night. I can honestly reassure you, nothing like that happened. That's final, okay?" Lenalee, Lavi, and Allen let out simultaneous groans of frustration. Kanda and Chloe glanced at each other then got to their feet.
"Where're goin', Rouge-chan? You too, Yuu," Lavi asked as the two exorcists inched away from the table. Chloe sent Kanda a You're-totally-gonna-hate-me-for-this-but-I'm-not- sorry-at-all look then smiled at Lavi, Lenalee, and Allen.
"We are going to remember what happened the night after the India mission. You three are not invited," Chloe said before sashaying toward the exit. Kanda smirked then followed after the red-haired girl. Allen, Lenalee, and Lavi stared after their friends in two-parts shock and one-part awe.
"Nothing really happened that night either," Kanda said once they were in an empty hallway.
"Just because it was innocent doesn't mean it was nothing, Kanda," Chloe said with a grin.
"You say that like what we've been doing lately isn't 'innocent.'"
"You naughty boy! So that's why you wouldn't talk to me this morning. You were—,"
Kanda's face instantly flushed. "Oi, I was not—,"
"I'm only joking, Cabrón," Chloe said while punching the Japanese exorcist lightly on the arm. "Although, I wouldn't mind waking up like we did in India again."
"So I'm not a pervert for that anymore?" Kanda asked blandly.
"Oh, don't be so sensitive. I only said that to piss you off."
"It worked," Kanda grumbled.
"I know," Chloe said with a smirk. "By the way, where are you taking me?" she asked while scanning their surroundings.
It was Kanda's turn to smirk. He walked over to the only door in sight and opened it. "We're going to remember, Bellerose."
"Is that a closet, Kanda?"
"How observant, Bellerose. Get in the closet."
"That's what serial killers usually say before…you know."
"…Bellerose!"
That's all, kiddos! Hopefully I have satisfied you for now. Thought I'd give you a little laugh before the chapter ended this time. I make no promises for a rapid update, but I'll do my best. Let me know what you think, kay? Thanks!
Translations:(1) Spanish: …Bastard. I could kill you with one finger. Come here. I'll demonstrate on your face—
(2) French: You're so stubborn, little warrior. I'm doing this for you.
(3) French: What're you planning, Charlotte?
(4) French: Don't mess this up, Chloe. We're too close now.
(5) French: You can stop them, you're not a true—