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(( cool ))

Cross had been hundreds of miles since leaving the Order. He had managed to make it across the waters to Italy, and into Venice, where is oldest friend had her secret Lab. He had been patched up there, and the both of them left as quickly as possible together. Cross knew that Claire could not stay there any longer, and that the both of them would have to go into hiding for some time. They had gathered the bare essentials, and were on a passenger ship, headed straight for America. Cross had tossed his old clothes and donned something of a more casual, American style of dress. His mask was tucked away with his other belongings, and instead he wore an eye patch.

Claire was a beautiful woman of French origin. Her pale skin, curled, golden locks and blue eyes made her look typically English, but she carried an obviously French accent. She had the perfect, womanly figure, and boasted a sizeable chest, which was only emphasized more by the corests and low-cut dresses she enjoyed wearing when playing a simple citizen. She was dressed similarly to Cross now though, her dress made of a less fine material than usual, but which still showed off her figure.

Cross and Claire had an unusual relationship. They had both been in the Order since a young age, and ever since they had first met, they had been attached at the hip. They had always worked on the Order's science projects together, and although Claire was actually several years younger than Cross, she had always taken him under her wing. She was like an older sister to Cross, and even with her gorgeous features, there had never been any romantic connection between the two.

Claire was the most important woman in Cross' life until he met Sil. Cross and Claire had a deep, intimate relationship. They shared everything, even a bed, atypical of a bother/sister relationship. There was nothing they kept from each other, and Claire was Cross' rock. Claire had been the one Cross had fled to after Sil had broken the engagement.

They were in the same room now, and Cross was catching Claire up on everything that had happened since the last time they had been together. Cross still had no way of knowing where Sil was, nor if she was dead or alive. He had become exrtemely strained since his accident on his last trip, and the stress was wearing on him. He was grateful that Claire could be with him at that moment. He really needed her.

"I couldn't do a damn thing, Claire," he said with a sigh, "I know they've done terrible things to her. If she's..."

Cross couldn't bring himself to say the word 'dead'. Just the thought that Sil could be dead sent his stomach rolling over with sick. Because of his injuries, had been unable to do anything to keep her from becoming captured. On top of that, he could do nothing to rescue her. He still hadn't stopped loving her, and never would. He wouldn't forgive himself for anything that had or was happening to Sil.

"Relax, Cross, you know she isn't dead...they need her, you know they're trying to lure you there," Claire wrapped her arm a round Cross' shoulders, comforting him.

"Yes, and when they realize that I'm not coming, do you think they would keep her around? At the very least, they'll destroy her Innocence...and then probably throw her to the wolves, " Cross rested his elbow on his leg, putting his face in his hand, "What am I going to do. I have to find some way of contacting someone..."

Claire paused at the thought, and then moved across the room to pick up one of her bags, going through it.

"You know...I think I have everything I need here to rig a connection to Tannie. She still has her, doesn't she?" she asked.

"What?" Cross looked up, "Yes...but I know that she didn't have Tannie when she was captured."

"At the very least...Tannie can find Komui and you can tell him what's been happening. He may also have knews..." Claire trailed off.

"It's the only option."

------------

Cross and Claire had spent some time rigging up a wireless connection to Tannie. Claire had done most of the work, and Cross was exremely grateful.

"You are the most amazing woman," Cross took the ear piece and held it to his ear, while holding the microphone to his mouth.

Cross switched the connection on and listened a little before speaking, "Tannie? Tannie, I need you to find Komui."

Cross didn't find the need to announce himself, as Tannie would know his voice anywhere.

((Ugh, <********> school...))

During Erin's diseased shenanigan, Mizaka had snuck back into the Common Room. She was fully of what was happening (she had seen Sil sneaking out with Kiah during the whole thing), but knew it wasn't her place to butt in on whatever Sil was planning. Whatever it was, it was clearly important, otherwise she would've stayed in the infirmary to treat her wounds. Mizaka looked at the mess in the Common Room and, with a wave of her hand, summoned cleaning supplies from a nearby closet. The brooms began to sweep away the rubble on their own will and whatever fallen items that lay on the floor levitated back to their respected spots.

"It's the least I could do for now..." sighed Mizaka as she sat on the dusty couch and left the supplies to continue on with their cleaning.

[ On it. biggrin Night Michiyo! ]

Erin smiled a little and moved to the other side of the table. He wrapped one arm around her shoulders, and tucked the other under her knees, easily lifting her from the seat. He positioned her so that her head could rest on his shoulder as he carried her to her room. Turning the handle with some effort, he managed to get her door open. He pulled the covers back on her bed and laid her there before tucking her in tight and safe.

"Sleep well, Michiyo," he said softly. He looked at her for a moment, fighting every urge to give her a little kiss on the hand. He turned away from her and slipped out, shutting the door quietly behind, before going to take a nap in his own room.

((Awww hi Jack ;-; <3 G'NIGHT MICHI!))

Tannie opened her fang toothed mouth wide when the connection to her had been made, and Cross's words projected out of her mouth as if she were in stereo. Sil almost screamed, her heart jumping into her throat; the sound of his voice honestly threw her straight back to her time in the mansion with Lulubell whispering those words in her ear: I'm going to make you tell me everything. The skin of her arms rose into goosebumps and she had to take a couple of deep, cleansing breaths until she brought herself back to reality. Her heart was still thudding wildly, blood pounding through her ears at a deafening speed and hands shaking, but she quickly realized that Cross would be the only person who knew how to connect to Tannie.

The little golem started to flutter to the door at her masters response, but Sil quickly snatched her mid air and promptly got bitten for her effort. "Ow!" She hissed, but she squeezed the golem harder in anticipation. "Isshou? Is that really you?" She didn't know if he could hear her or not, or if it just worked one way. Her heart was filled with joy that he seemed to be alive and okay... she suspected as much, but it was impossible to tell with Cross's mysteriousness.

((Night, Michiyo!))

With the Common Room clean (or at least as clean as she could make it), Mizaka proceeded into the hallway and waved her hand again. The brooms floated out of the room and began sweeping up the rubble on the ground. She turned around to leave when a figure suddenly appeared before her.

"ACK!"

"My apologies. I didn't mean to frighten you." Jack stepped out of the shadows and made an apologetic bow.

"Ah, the hell with you!" snapped Mizaka as she clutched her chest. "Nearly stopped my heart..."

(( BAW, CROSSU. T^T ))

((HURT MY SOUL CROSS ;-; ))

"Thank God," she whispered at his response, recognizing his voice as his more fully than before. She couldn't even stop herself from crying if she had wanted to, a wicked knot untying from inside of her stomach where it had been sitting for days, reminding her continuously of her failure to him. "I'm back at The Order... I'm... I'm fine, don't worry about me," Sil hastily said, clearing her throat gently as she tried to regain some control over her own voice. However, the words that slipped out of her mouth were hardly the ones that she meant to say, but they came forth anyway. "I'm so sorry I failed you, Cross... Please... please tell me you're okay, wherever you are... "

A swirl of snow circled around, blowing in through one of the damaged walls that led into the yards of The Order. From it formed the body of a young woman with skin as pale as snow and hair as blue as glacial icicles. She glanced around the room, surprised by the disorder that had been going on inside of the building. Eira had been wondering where Sil and Lavi had disappeared to for the last few days, and she wondered if all the noise she had been hearing had been an attack.

Part of her felt a satisfied feeling of happiness at how tattered the Order was, but she realized without Sil and her masters magic that when the snow melted in a few months she would soon be nothing more than a spirit haunting this place again. The snow body had been effective, but it was not built to last. Despite Sil's warning she approached Mizaka and Jack, blinking her brightly colored eyes. "Excuse me, but what happened here?"

((Say hello to Eira ;u; She's a "snow" guardian that Sil made out of a spirit haunting The Order. xD ))

(( I warned you. LOL. ))

Cross shut his eyes even tighter, his hand clenching the microphone so tight that his knuckles turned white. He hung his head and shook it, though Sil couldn't see him. He could hear the weakness in her voice, her guilt, and even though she told him she was okay, he knew that she wasn't.

"You didn't fail me, Sil...you didn't," he replied a bit desperately, the tears still falling, wishing more than anything he could have her there with him. He knew it couldn't be that way though, and he clenched his jaw.

"If anything...I failed you. I couldn't keep you safe, " he started to shake a little and looked at Claire.

"I'm okay, I have Claire with me...we're on our way to America," he informed her, "I won't say more than that, but we'll be safe where we're going."

Claire noticed the shaking and fished through Cross' things to get his cigarettes, lighting one for him. He gave her an appreciative look as she stuck it carefully between his lips. He took a drag and tried to relax.