Ice Wolf
By Risu Sakka
Robin took a sip of her tea and looked over at the back wall of the office. She squinted. There was something there, but she couldn't quite see it. She looked at Michael, who was happily munching on a donut.
"Michael, what's over there?" she asked, pointing as she set her tea down. Michael looked over.
"Oh, that. That's a person."
"A person?" Robin asked. Michael nodded. He flipped on the lights and the thing was revealed. It was a person, a young girl Robin's age. She was pale, and had long brown hair. Her eyes were closed. She wore a long black dress very similar to Robin's. Robin stared at her, and noticed that her hands were manacled to the wall.
"What?" she whispered. "Why are her hands chained?"
"Because she's a witch," Michael said. "The chains are a special design intended to keep her from using her powers."
"Why is she here? Who is she?" Robin asked.
"I suppose it is only right you know, since everyone else does. Her name is Koori Ookami. She's sixteen. She was the first witch Amon ever captured."
"So, what, is she a- a souvenir?"
"Hardly- Amon kept her because when he captured her, we tried to put her in, but her body rejected it. She nearly crashed the whole system. So we're using the anesthetics to keep her in a dormant sleep."
He paused to take a bite of his donut.
"She used to be kept under lock and key at the factory, but Amon had her moved up here. He wants me to analyze her."
"Analyze?"
"Mm-hmm. To see if she can help us better understand witches, better understand how to get at them."
"But isn't that what the Orbo does?"
"You could say that, I suppose. Really it protects people from witches' powers. We gather the witches, you could say, so we know what to protect them from. But if I'm here trying to get into one witch's head...well, it's different."
"Oh, I see."
There was a long pause. Michael popped the last of his donut into his mouth and Robin finished her tea.
"Do you know what her power is?"
"She uses ice."
"Okay. Well, thank you, Michael."
"No problem. It was nice talking to you."
"And to you."
Robin put on her coat and went to Master Harry's. Amon was sitting at the bar. Master Harry smiled when he saw her.
"Why hello, Robin," he said. "How are you?"
"Hello. I'm fine, thank you," she said, sitting down. Master Harry went to get her an espresso and she looked at Amon.
"Amon, may I ask you a question?"
"If you must."
"Will you answer it?"
"Depends on the question."
"Alright."
Amon looked at her.
"What's the question?"
"I want to know about Koori Ookami."
Amon laughed and set his drink down.
"So, Michael told you?" he said. "I knew he would. Maybe I wanted him to."
Huh?
"Koori Ookami...she was my best friend's sister when I was younger."
"Oh...but she was a witch?" Robin said.
"Yes," Amon said. "She was awakened at my friend's thirteenth birthday party. She was ten. It was the middle of summer, the hottest day there had been yet. She walked out of the house wrapped in a blanket, shivering. But she put the blanket down and jumped into the family's pool. My friend was the only one in the pool at the time. As soon as her foot touched the water, it froze, with my friend in it. His head was the only thing above the ice. He couldn't move...couldn't breathe. He died in five minutes."
"Oh my," Robin said. "It must have been horrible."
Amon looked down.
"It was. I thought Koori would do something...start crying...anything. But no. She just...stood there. Staring at him."
He sighed and clenched his fist.
"She came to my room that night. She put her hands on my face...my neck...she was trying to freeze my blood. But I knocked her out...and the next day everything was fine. It was like nothing had happened, ever. We pretended that my friend had drowned. Her powers became dormant. Three years later, however, she began to use them again. By then, I had joined the STNJ, and I called Zaizen, who came and took her away."
Robin looked at him, and then looked at the drink Master Harry had just given her.
"Oh my...that must have been awful for you."
Amon laughed derisively.
"You could say that."
"Michael said you asked him to analyze her."
"You ask too many questions."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I just- wanted to know. That's all." Robin said.
"That's understandable."
Amon's cell phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Amon, it's Michael. You have to find Robin and get down here now!"
"What's going on?"
"Koori's waking up! The others are already on their way."
"Robin's right here with me. We'll be right there."
"Hurry!"
Amon ended the call and looked at Robin.
"Come on, we have to get to the office."
"Oh- right," Robin said, nodding. They went to Amon's car and sped off to the office. Once they got there, they raced upstairs and flung open the door. Michael was there, as well as Karasuma, Sakaki and Dojima. They looked at them.
"Thank God you guys are here!" Dojima said. "Look!"
She pointed at Koori. She looked the same as when Robin had seen her earlier, except her hair and clothes were blowing around as if she was surrounded by a great wind. Her eyes were open, and they were glowing an eerie blue.
"Koori, stop!" Amon yelled, running towards her. He stopped as a huge stalagmite of ice shot up in front of him.
"Koori!" he yelled again.
Koori stood up.
"Amon," she said, her voice echoing.
Her manacles began to frost over.
"Michael, when did the manacles stop working?" Karasuma yelled.
"I don't think that they ever did work in the first place!" Michael yelled back.
"What?" Sakaki yelled, reaching for his gun.
"Don't shoot her!" Amon yelled.
Sakaki put his gun away.
"The manacles...they never worked. They were made for a witch with much less power than Koori. She's just been biding her time...." Michael said.
"How powerful is she?" Dojima asked.
"I'd say as powerful as Robin," Michael said. Robin looked at him.
She put on her glasses.
Amon looked at her.
Koori looked at her.
"Robin, no!!!" Amon cried. Robin ignored him. Her clothes and hair began to ripple.
"Hold your ground, sister, I will fight you not."
Robin returned to normal and her eyes widened.
Koori was the one who had spoken.
All the ice disappeared and Koori's eyes stopped glowing. Her hair and clothes settled. Amon scowled.
"Koori, I told you not to speak to her," he growled. Koori looked at him. She bowed.
"I'm sorry, Amon," she said. "But she would have attacked me, and then I would have had to return her attack. Our combined powers would have killed all of you."
"She's right, Amon," Karasuma said.
"You know, Amon," Dojima said. "It's pointless to keep her locked up. Come on, she can help us."
"But- she's a witch," Robin said.
"Correction," Michael said. "Yes, she's a witch...but she's also a witch hunter."
"What?" Robin asked, looking at him.
"She escaped us for a little while...about a year before you came. She worked with Solomon. She was their top hunter...except for one thing. She wouldn't kill all of her witches. She'd kill some of them, but others...she would purposely bungle her missions so that they escaped," he said.
"I let them escape because they were harmless!" Koori said angrily. "You hunters...you just don't understand, do you? Not all witches are out to destroy humanity! Some of us just want to live our lives! So I let them. I killed the ones who were evil and spared the ones who were good."
"We understand, Koori," Karasuma said.
"Yeah," Sakaki said. "That's why we use the Orbo-"
"Please," Koori said venomously. "That thing is just another way to kill us."
"Never mind," Amon said, pulling a key out of his jacket pocket. He began to unlock Koori's chains. She looked at him.
"You're...freeing me?" she said.
"To some extent," Amon growled. He gently took off the chains and put a necklace identical to Michael's around her neck. "You're not leaving the office."
Koori fingered the chain of the necklace.
"How can you know I won't hurt Michael?" she asked.
Amon looked at her.
"I don't."
Ten minutes later everyone had left. Amon dropped Robin off at the apartment she shared with Touko and left. Robin started after his car as it disappeared.
Amon...she thought.
What kind of connection do you have with Miss Koori Ookami?
Koori looked over at Michael.
"What's it like? Being stuck here?"
"You should know," Michael said, looking at her. "You've been stuck here longer than I have."
"True," Koori said. "But I've been in hibernation."
"True," Michael said. There was a silence, and then Koori stood up.
"I'll make some tea," she said. When she returned, she gave Michael a cup and sat down with her own.
"Thank you," Michael said.
"You're welcome," Koori answered.
There was another long silence.
"Michael," Koori said. "What do you do if someone attacks this place?"
Michael didn't answer.
"Michael?" Koori whispered. "Has someone attacked this place before?"
"No, not yet," he said. "But if they do, there's nothing we can do...except fight back as best we can."
Koori smiled. She reached over and took Michael's hand. His eyes widened and he stared at their locked hands, then he looked at Koori.
"If anyone attacks this place, then I'll protect you," she said. "I won't let anything happen to you."
She squeezed his hand, then finished her tea and stood up.
"Well, I think it's about time I slept for real. Good night, Michael."
"Uh- good night," Michael said quietly. Koori smiled at him and left the room, leaving him sitting there staring at his hand.
"Amon, why did you release Koori Ookami?"
"She would have escaped forcefully if I hadn't, sir."
"You know how dangerous she is. You're putting Michael's life in danger."
"She would never hurt Michael-"
"She has no control over her powers! If she starts using them, then she won't be able to stop and everything will be destroyed, Michael included!"
"She seemed to handle her powers effectively against Robin."
Zaizen scowled and sat down.
"True, she did calm them," he said. "But I still want her back in hibernation."
"But sir-"
"She is a witch and a dangerous one at that!" Zaizen bellowed. "I'll not have her loose in my office!"
Karasuma and Sakaki bowed their heads. Dojima whistled. They could hear everything Zaizen was saying to Amon.
Michael looked over at Koori, worried. The girl was just sitting there, staring at her hands, folded in her lap. Robin put a hand on her shoulder and smiled.
"Don't worry. Everything will be fine," she said. Koori looked up at her and smiled back.
"Thank you," she said.
"You're welcome," Robin said, giggling a little.
Amon came down from Zaizen's office and looked around.
"Come on, all of you," he said gruffly. "We have work to do."
"Amon-" Karasuma said.
"I said, come, Miss Karasuma," Amon said. "Now come."
Karasuma sighed.
"Come on, you two," she said to Dojima and Sakaki. "You too, Robin."
"Yes, ma'am," Robin said. She smiled at Koori again, and then followed the others out. Michael looked over at Koori again. He reached over and squeezed her hand. She looked at him, surprised. He smiled.
"Don't worry," he said. "I won't let them hurt you."
Koori smiled, tears forming in her eyes.
"Thank you, Michael," she said, putting her arms around him.
"No problem," he said.
Zaizen watched them from the glass walls of his office. He sniffed. He'd never understand this witch, this girl...Koori Ookami.
Robin frowned as the car bumped her. Michael had said that Koori had worked at Solomon...that she had been their top hunter.
"Robin?"
"Oh," Robin said. "I'm sorry. I was thinking. What?"
"What do you think of Koori?" Dojima asked.
"I think she's sweet," Robin said.
"Even though she's a witch?" Sakaki asked.
"Yes," Robin said. "I've been thinking about what she said. About good and bad witches. And, she is a witch. She would know better than any of us, right?"
"That's a good point," Karasuma said from the front seat.
"Yeah," Sakaki said. "Never thought of it that way."
"Listen, all of you," Amon said. He was driving, so he couldn't look back, but his voice commanded their immediate attention.
"Yes, Amon?" Robin asked.
"I want you to stop talking about Koori. Don't talk about her at all, do you understand me?"
"Yes, Amon," Karasuma said.
"Yes, sir," said Dojima and Sakaki.
"Oh- but-" Robin began.
"Not at all, Robin," Amon said.
"But-" Robin began, but she stopped and sighed. "Yes, sir."
"Thank you," Amon said. "Now get out of the car. We're here."
"Where are we?" Robin asked as the five exited the car.
"The residence of Mr. and Mrs. Ookami," Amon said.
"What? Koori's parents? Why?" Sakaki asked.
"I want to find out why she woke up," Amon said. The group walked to the front door and knocked. A young woman opened the door. She was dressed in a nurse's uniform.
"Can I help you?" she asked.
"We're looking for Mr. and Mrs. Ookami," Amon said.
"Well, sir, Mrs. Ookami died last night," the nurse said.
"What?" Karasuma said. The nurse nodded.
"Yes, ma'am. She was just sitting at the table with her tea, same as always, then she got deathly cold and just collapsed. The doctors said all her blood cells froze and ripped."
"You say her blood cells froze?" Sakaki asked.
"Yes sir," the nurse said. "Froze."
"Thank you," Amon said. "May we speak with Mr. Ookami?"
"If you want to, sir," the nurse said. "But I think you'll be doing all the speaking. He's not been himself since last night."
"I should think not," Dojima said.
"He's upstairs, the room at the end of the hall," the nurse said, letting them in. She smiled at them and returned to the kitchen.
"Amon," Robin whispered, putting her hand on his arm. "Do you think Koori was the one who...froze...."
"I'm sure of it," he said. Karasuma nodded.
"She's the only one who could have," she said.
"It could have been another ice witch," Dojima said.
"Koori's the only ice witch I've ever heard of," Sakaki said.
"True," Dojima admitted.
"But..." Robin began, but stopped. She sighed. There was no way she could convince the others that Koori hadn't been the one...Robin was sure it had been someone else...
"Mr. Ookami?" Amon said as he opened the door.
The old man was sitting on the floor, cross-legged with his hands folded in his lap. He sat there, rocking back and forth and mumbling to himself. He didn't look up as they stepped into the room and closed the door behind them.
"Mr. Ookami?" Amon said again. The old man looked up.
"Amon?" he whispered. Amon nodded.
"Yes, sir," he said. "Do you remember me?"
"Vaguely," Ookami said. "You were friends with my son."
"Yes, sir," Amon said.
"And you loved that bitch who killed him," Ookami spat.
There was silence as Karasuma, Sakaki, Dojima and Robin stared at Amon, who didn't move.
"You mean...Koori?" Robin said. Ookami laughed roughly.
"I don't care about her name anymore...she killed my son."
"But, she was your daughter." Robin said.
"I never had a daughter," Ookami said.
"Mr. Ookami...have you...er...spoken to her recently?" Dojima asked.
"No...I told you. I don't care about her anymore. She's nothing to me but the hag who murdered my son. And now she's taken my wife too."
"What?" Sakaki asked.
"That's right. She came here last night."
"But you said you hadn't spoken to her," Dojima said.
"I didn't. She just came, while we were sleeping. I had gotten up to get a drink, and when I got back she was standing over Sakura, with her hand on her forehead. She looked at me, and then she was gone. And Sakura was dead." Ookami said.
"She was here? You're sure?" Amon said, suddenly very urgent.
"Yes! Now go!" Ookami yelled. The nurse opened the door.
"I'll show you out," she said.
Once they were outside, Amon called Michael.
"Michael, did Koori leave the office last night?" he asked.
"What? She can't," Michael said.
"Just answer me, did she or did she not?"
"No, she didn't."
"Do you know for sure?"
"Yes, she didn't leave the office."
"You're sure?"
"Yes, Amon, I'm sure!"
"Alright. Thank you."
"No big...why? What's up?"
"Koori's mother was killed last night by an ice witch. Her father says she did it. Can you do a search?"
"Well, the only one in our database is Koori...I'll check Solomon and call you back."
"Okay, great. Thanks."
"No big. Later."
"Bye."
Amon looked at his group.
"Let's go back to the office."
"You were talking about me."
Michael sighed and hung up the phone.
"Your mother was killed by an ice witch last night. Your father told Amon you did it."
Koori's eyes widened.
"But...I can't leave the office. How could I have done it?"
"That's what I said," Michael said. "So I'm going to run a search."
Koori sighed and looked at the floor.
"There are only two ice witches in this city. One of them is me. The other one won't be in any database you have."
"What?" Michael asked.
"That's right. He's done an excellent job of hiding himself. He's a duet witch...two general kinds of powers. One is stealth, the other ice." Koori whispered.
"Do you know who he is?" Michael asked. Koori looked up at him.
"My father," she said. "My father killed her."
"What?"
"Yes, it's true. He probably accused me because he knew I was still alive...he knows Amon would never kill me, and he knows I'm too powerful for the Orbo. So if he accused me of a second murder...the first of which I wasn't conscious of...then Amon would have no choice but to let Zaizen destroy me."
"It makes perfect sense...." Michael said after a moment. Koori nodded and looked at him.
"Amon won't believe me," she said, a single tear running down her cheek. Michael reached up and gently brushed it away with his thumb. He stroked her cheek.
"I'll make him believe you," he said. Koori smiled. She put her hand over his.
"Thank you, Michael," she said. "You're such a wonderful person. And you're so sweet...not like Amon."
"Master Harry," Robin said. He looked at her. It was the end of the day, and Robin was by herself at the bar.
"Yes, Miss Robin?" he asked.
"Amon?" he whispered. Amon nodded.
"Yes, sir," he said. "Do you remember me?"
"Vaguely," Ookami said. "You were friends with my son."
"Yes, sir," Amon said.
"And you loved that bitch who killed him," Ookami spat.
"Do you know anything about a relationship between Amon and Koori?" Robin asked. Master Harry sighed and set down his glass and rag.
"Amon had loved her for a very long time, even after she killed his friend. He knew she hadn't meant to. That's why, when Zaizen came to get her, he went with her to the factory to make sure she wouldn't be hurt. When she started to crash the Orbo system, he disconnected it, because she would have been killed," Master Harry said. "After the boy's death, the parents wanted to either put Koori on the streets or have her exterminated by a private institution. Amon wouldn't let them. He had been closer to the son than anyone, so they respected his wishes."
Robin sat silently, pondering these words. So Amon loved Koori? That explained a lot. Like how protective of her he had been when she had woken up.
"He wouldn't...let anyone hurt her..." she whispered.
"Well I should think not," Master Harry said. "Because she has the power to revive Amon's young friend."
Robin looked up.
"What?"
Master Harry nodded.
"After the boy died, there was a funeral, of course, but it was held the very same day so that his body wouldn't be terribly decomposed. They cut him out of the ice of the pool and put him in the coffin like that. When no one was looking, Koori poured water in the rest of the coffin and froze it around his head too," the man said. Robin's eyes widened.
"Cryogenics," she said. Master Harry nodded again.
"Yes," he said. "She maintains the ice when she sleeps, making sure it doesn't melt."
He was going to say more, but at that moment Amon walked in.
"So, Robin," he said as he sat down. Master Harry respectfully moved to the other end of the bar.
"Yes, Amon?"
"You don't think Koori killed her mother."
"I don't see how she could have. I mean, Michael hasn't figured out how to get past his necklace, and it's the same kind, isn't it? If either of them leave the office, then they'll die."
"Good point, but a witch has more than one way to go somewhere."
"Like what?"
"She could have sent her spirit to kill Mrs. Ookami."
"But why would she?"
"Think about it, Robin," Amon said, looking at her. "Both Mr. and Mrs. Ookami hated Koori for what she had done...only their pride in appearances kept them from killing her. Koori knew it, too...she hated her parents too. In fact I think she was almost glad when Zaizen came...."
He fell silent, and Robin sat there staring at him. He was obviously deep in thought. Robin reached out and took his hand-
"Amon! AMON!" Koori screamed behind her wall of ice spikes. Karasuma shot at her, but an ice spike shot up and blocked it.
"Koori, I'm sorry! I had to!" Amon yelled, shooting at her. Koori screamed and threw ice daggers at him. He ducked.
"Koori, just come with us!" he yelled.
"No! I can't! I have to right things! I have to fix things! I know what you'll do to me! Shove me into a tube! No, Amon, I can't let you do that to me! I will not be caged!" she screamed, and clenched her fists. Great stalagmites of ice shot up through the ground. Zaizen growled.
"Just incapacitate her somehow, Amon!" he yelled. Amon shot through the ice spikes and hit Koori. She screamed and fell to her knees. She began to sob.
"Amon, Amon, Amon," she sobbed, then she fainted and the ice disappeared. They moved in and put her in the truck.
Robin pulled away. Amon looked at her.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Nothing," she said. "Well, I'd better be going."
"I suppose so. It is late."
"Yes. Well, I'll see you later."
"Yes, goodbye."
"Goodbye."
By Risu Sakka
Robin took a sip of her tea and looked over at the back wall of the office. She squinted. There was something there, but she couldn't quite see it. She looked at Michael, who was happily munching on a donut.
"Michael, what's over there?" she asked, pointing as she set her tea down. Michael looked over.
"Oh, that. That's a person."
"A person?" Robin asked. Michael nodded. He flipped on the lights and the thing was revealed. It was a person, a young girl Robin's age. She was pale, and had long brown hair. Her eyes were closed. She wore a long black dress very similar to Robin's. Robin stared at her, and noticed that her hands were manacled to the wall.
"What?" she whispered. "Why are her hands chained?"
"Because she's a witch," Michael said. "The chains are a special design intended to keep her from using her powers."
"Why is she here? Who is she?" Robin asked.
"I suppose it is only right you know, since everyone else does. Her name is Koori Ookami. She's sixteen. She was the first witch Amon ever captured."
"So, what, is she a- a souvenir?"
"Hardly- Amon kept her because when he captured her, we tried to put her in, but her body rejected it. She nearly crashed the whole system. So we're using the anesthetics to keep her in a dormant sleep."
He paused to take a bite of his donut.
"She used to be kept under lock and key at the factory, but Amon had her moved up here. He wants me to analyze her."
"Analyze?"
"Mm-hmm. To see if she can help us better understand witches, better understand how to get at them."
"But isn't that what the Orbo does?"
"You could say that, I suppose. Really it protects people from witches' powers. We gather the witches, you could say, so we know what to protect them from. But if I'm here trying to get into one witch's head...well, it's different."
"Oh, I see."
There was a long pause. Michael popped the last of his donut into his mouth and Robin finished her tea.
"Do you know what her power is?"
"She uses ice."
"Okay. Well, thank you, Michael."
"No problem. It was nice talking to you."
"And to you."
Robin put on her coat and went to Master Harry's. Amon was sitting at the bar. Master Harry smiled when he saw her.
"Why hello, Robin," he said. "How are you?"
"Hello. I'm fine, thank you," she said, sitting down. Master Harry went to get her an espresso and she looked at Amon.
"Amon, may I ask you a question?"
"If you must."
"Will you answer it?"
"Depends on the question."
"Alright."
Amon looked at her.
"What's the question?"
"I want to know about Koori Ookami."
Amon laughed and set his drink down.
"So, Michael told you?" he said. "I knew he would. Maybe I wanted him to."
Huh?
"Koori Ookami...she was my best friend's sister when I was younger."
"Oh...but she was a witch?" Robin said.
"Yes," Amon said. "She was awakened at my friend's thirteenth birthday party. She was ten. It was the middle of summer, the hottest day there had been yet. She walked out of the house wrapped in a blanket, shivering. But she put the blanket down and jumped into the family's pool. My friend was the only one in the pool at the time. As soon as her foot touched the water, it froze, with my friend in it. His head was the only thing above the ice. He couldn't move...couldn't breathe. He died in five minutes."
"Oh my," Robin said. "It must have been horrible."
Amon looked down.
"It was. I thought Koori would do something...start crying...anything. But no. She just...stood there. Staring at him."
He sighed and clenched his fist.
"She came to my room that night. She put her hands on my face...my neck...she was trying to freeze my blood. But I knocked her out...and the next day everything was fine. It was like nothing had happened, ever. We pretended that my friend had drowned. Her powers became dormant. Three years later, however, she began to use them again. By then, I had joined the STNJ, and I called Zaizen, who came and took her away."
Robin looked at him, and then looked at the drink Master Harry had just given her.
"Oh my...that must have been awful for you."
Amon laughed derisively.
"You could say that."
"Michael said you asked him to analyze her."
"You ask too many questions."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I just- wanted to know. That's all." Robin said.
"That's understandable."
Amon's cell phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Amon, it's Michael. You have to find Robin and get down here now!"
"What's going on?"
"Koori's waking up! The others are already on their way."
"Robin's right here with me. We'll be right there."
"Hurry!"
Amon ended the call and looked at Robin.
"Come on, we have to get to the office."
"Oh- right," Robin said, nodding. They went to Amon's car and sped off to the office. Once they got there, they raced upstairs and flung open the door. Michael was there, as well as Karasuma, Sakaki and Dojima. They looked at them.
"Thank God you guys are here!" Dojima said. "Look!"
She pointed at Koori. She looked the same as when Robin had seen her earlier, except her hair and clothes were blowing around as if she was surrounded by a great wind. Her eyes were open, and they were glowing an eerie blue.
"Koori, stop!" Amon yelled, running towards her. He stopped as a huge stalagmite of ice shot up in front of him.
"Koori!" he yelled again.
Koori stood up.
"Amon," she said, her voice echoing.
Her manacles began to frost over.
"Michael, when did the manacles stop working?" Karasuma yelled.
"I don't think that they ever did work in the first place!" Michael yelled back.
"What?" Sakaki yelled, reaching for his gun.
"Don't shoot her!" Amon yelled.
Sakaki put his gun away.
"The manacles...they never worked. They were made for a witch with much less power than Koori. She's just been biding her time...." Michael said.
"How powerful is she?" Dojima asked.
"I'd say as powerful as Robin," Michael said. Robin looked at him.
She put on her glasses.
Amon looked at her.
Koori looked at her.
"Robin, no!!!" Amon cried. Robin ignored him. Her clothes and hair began to ripple.
"Hold your ground, sister, I will fight you not."
Robin returned to normal and her eyes widened.
Koori was the one who had spoken.
All the ice disappeared and Koori's eyes stopped glowing. Her hair and clothes settled. Amon scowled.
"Koori, I told you not to speak to her," he growled. Koori looked at him. She bowed.
"I'm sorry, Amon," she said. "But she would have attacked me, and then I would have had to return her attack. Our combined powers would have killed all of you."
"She's right, Amon," Karasuma said.
"You know, Amon," Dojima said. "It's pointless to keep her locked up. Come on, she can help us."
"But- she's a witch," Robin said.
"Correction," Michael said. "Yes, she's a witch...but she's also a witch hunter."
"What?" Robin asked, looking at him.
"She escaped us for a little while...about a year before you came. She worked with Solomon. She was their top hunter...except for one thing. She wouldn't kill all of her witches. She'd kill some of them, but others...she would purposely bungle her missions so that they escaped," he said.
"I let them escape because they were harmless!" Koori said angrily. "You hunters...you just don't understand, do you? Not all witches are out to destroy humanity! Some of us just want to live our lives! So I let them. I killed the ones who were evil and spared the ones who were good."
"We understand, Koori," Karasuma said.
"Yeah," Sakaki said. "That's why we use the Orbo-"
"Please," Koori said venomously. "That thing is just another way to kill us."
"Never mind," Amon said, pulling a key out of his jacket pocket. He began to unlock Koori's chains. She looked at him.
"You're...freeing me?" she said.
"To some extent," Amon growled. He gently took off the chains and put a necklace identical to Michael's around her neck. "You're not leaving the office."
Koori fingered the chain of the necklace.
"How can you know I won't hurt Michael?" she asked.
Amon looked at her.
"I don't."
Ten minutes later everyone had left. Amon dropped Robin off at the apartment she shared with Touko and left. Robin started after his car as it disappeared.
Amon...she thought.
What kind of connection do you have with Miss Koori Ookami?
Koori looked over at Michael.
"What's it like? Being stuck here?"
"You should know," Michael said, looking at her. "You've been stuck here longer than I have."
"True," Koori said. "But I've been in hibernation."
"True," Michael said. There was a silence, and then Koori stood up.
"I'll make some tea," she said. When she returned, she gave Michael a cup and sat down with her own.
"Thank you," Michael said.
"You're welcome," Koori answered.
There was another long silence.
"Michael," Koori said. "What do you do if someone attacks this place?"
Michael didn't answer.
"Michael?" Koori whispered. "Has someone attacked this place before?"
"No, not yet," he said. "But if they do, there's nothing we can do...except fight back as best we can."
Koori smiled. She reached over and took Michael's hand. His eyes widened and he stared at their locked hands, then he looked at Koori.
"If anyone attacks this place, then I'll protect you," she said. "I won't let anything happen to you."
She squeezed his hand, then finished her tea and stood up.
"Well, I think it's about time I slept for real. Good night, Michael."
"Uh- good night," Michael said quietly. Koori smiled at him and left the room, leaving him sitting there staring at his hand.
"Amon, why did you release Koori Ookami?"
"She would have escaped forcefully if I hadn't, sir."
"You know how dangerous she is. You're putting Michael's life in danger."
"She would never hurt Michael-"
"She has no control over her powers! If she starts using them, then she won't be able to stop and everything will be destroyed, Michael included!"
"She seemed to handle her powers effectively against Robin."
Zaizen scowled and sat down.
"True, she did calm them," he said. "But I still want her back in hibernation."
"But sir-"
"She is a witch and a dangerous one at that!" Zaizen bellowed. "I'll not have her loose in my office!"
Karasuma and Sakaki bowed their heads. Dojima whistled. They could hear everything Zaizen was saying to Amon.
Michael looked over at Koori, worried. The girl was just sitting there, staring at her hands, folded in her lap. Robin put a hand on her shoulder and smiled.
"Don't worry. Everything will be fine," she said. Koori looked up at her and smiled back.
"Thank you," she said.
"You're welcome," Robin said, giggling a little.
Amon came down from Zaizen's office and looked around.
"Come on, all of you," he said gruffly. "We have work to do."
"Amon-" Karasuma said.
"I said, come, Miss Karasuma," Amon said. "Now come."
Karasuma sighed.
"Come on, you two," she said to Dojima and Sakaki. "You too, Robin."
"Yes, ma'am," Robin said. She smiled at Koori again, and then followed the others out. Michael looked over at Koori again. He reached over and squeezed her hand. She looked at him, surprised. He smiled.
"Don't worry," he said. "I won't let them hurt you."
Koori smiled, tears forming in her eyes.
"Thank you, Michael," she said, putting her arms around him.
"No problem," he said.
Zaizen watched them from the glass walls of his office. He sniffed. He'd never understand this witch, this girl...Koori Ookami.
Robin frowned as the car bumped her. Michael had said that Koori had worked at Solomon...that she had been their top hunter.
"Robin?"
"Oh," Robin said. "I'm sorry. I was thinking. What?"
"What do you think of Koori?" Dojima asked.
"I think she's sweet," Robin said.
"Even though she's a witch?" Sakaki asked.
"Yes," Robin said. "I've been thinking about what she said. About good and bad witches. And, she is a witch. She would know better than any of us, right?"
"That's a good point," Karasuma said from the front seat.
"Yeah," Sakaki said. "Never thought of it that way."
"Listen, all of you," Amon said. He was driving, so he couldn't look back, but his voice commanded their immediate attention.
"Yes, Amon?" Robin asked.
"I want you to stop talking about Koori. Don't talk about her at all, do you understand me?"
"Yes, Amon," Karasuma said.
"Yes, sir," said Dojima and Sakaki.
"Oh- but-" Robin began.
"Not at all, Robin," Amon said.
"But-" Robin began, but she stopped and sighed. "Yes, sir."
"Thank you," Amon said. "Now get out of the car. We're here."
"Where are we?" Robin asked as the five exited the car.
"The residence of Mr. and Mrs. Ookami," Amon said.
"What? Koori's parents? Why?" Sakaki asked.
"I want to find out why she woke up," Amon said. The group walked to the front door and knocked. A young woman opened the door. She was dressed in a nurse's uniform.
"Can I help you?" she asked.
"We're looking for Mr. and Mrs. Ookami," Amon said.
"Well, sir, Mrs. Ookami died last night," the nurse said.
"What?" Karasuma said. The nurse nodded.
"Yes, ma'am. She was just sitting at the table with her tea, same as always, then she got deathly cold and just collapsed. The doctors said all her blood cells froze and ripped."
"You say her blood cells froze?" Sakaki asked.
"Yes sir," the nurse said. "Froze."
"Thank you," Amon said. "May we speak with Mr. Ookami?"
"If you want to, sir," the nurse said. "But I think you'll be doing all the speaking. He's not been himself since last night."
"I should think not," Dojima said.
"He's upstairs, the room at the end of the hall," the nurse said, letting them in. She smiled at them and returned to the kitchen.
"Amon," Robin whispered, putting her hand on his arm. "Do you think Koori was the one who...froze...."
"I'm sure of it," he said. Karasuma nodded.
"She's the only one who could have," she said.
"It could have been another ice witch," Dojima said.
"Koori's the only ice witch I've ever heard of," Sakaki said.
"True," Dojima admitted.
"But..." Robin began, but stopped. She sighed. There was no way she could convince the others that Koori hadn't been the one...Robin was sure it had been someone else...
"Mr. Ookami?" Amon said as he opened the door.
The old man was sitting on the floor, cross-legged with his hands folded in his lap. He sat there, rocking back and forth and mumbling to himself. He didn't look up as they stepped into the room and closed the door behind them.
"Mr. Ookami?" Amon said again. The old man looked up.
"Amon?" he whispered. Amon nodded.
"Yes, sir," he said. "Do you remember me?"
"Vaguely," Ookami said. "You were friends with my son."
"Yes, sir," Amon said.
"And you loved that bitch who killed him," Ookami spat.
There was silence as Karasuma, Sakaki, Dojima and Robin stared at Amon, who didn't move.
"You mean...Koori?" Robin said. Ookami laughed roughly.
"I don't care about her name anymore...she killed my son."
"But, she was your daughter." Robin said.
"I never had a daughter," Ookami said.
"Mr. Ookami...have you...er...spoken to her recently?" Dojima asked.
"No...I told you. I don't care about her anymore. She's nothing to me but the hag who murdered my son. And now she's taken my wife too."
"What?" Sakaki asked.
"That's right. She came here last night."
"But you said you hadn't spoken to her," Dojima said.
"I didn't. She just came, while we were sleeping. I had gotten up to get a drink, and when I got back she was standing over Sakura, with her hand on her forehead. She looked at me, and then she was gone. And Sakura was dead." Ookami said.
"She was here? You're sure?" Amon said, suddenly very urgent.
"Yes! Now go!" Ookami yelled. The nurse opened the door.
"I'll show you out," she said.
Once they were outside, Amon called Michael.
"Michael, did Koori leave the office last night?" he asked.
"What? She can't," Michael said.
"Just answer me, did she or did she not?"
"No, she didn't."
"Do you know for sure?"
"Yes, she didn't leave the office."
"You're sure?"
"Yes, Amon, I'm sure!"
"Alright. Thank you."
"No big...why? What's up?"
"Koori's mother was killed last night by an ice witch. Her father says she did it. Can you do a search?"
"Well, the only one in our database is Koori...I'll check Solomon and call you back."
"Okay, great. Thanks."
"No big. Later."
"Bye."
Amon looked at his group.
"Let's go back to the office."
"You were talking about me."
Michael sighed and hung up the phone.
"Your mother was killed by an ice witch last night. Your father told Amon you did it."
Koori's eyes widened.
"But...I can't leave the office. How could I have done it?"
"That's what I said," Michael said. "So I'm going to run a search."
Koori sighed and looked at the floor.
"There are only two ice witches in this city. One of them is me. The other one won't be in any database you have."
"What?" Michael asked.
"That's right. He's done an excellent job of hiding himself. He's a duet witch...two general kinds of powers. One is stealth, the other ice." Koori whispered.
"Do you know who he is?" Michael asked. Koori looked up at him.
"My father," she said. "My father killed her."
"What?"
"Yes, it's true. He probably accused me because he knew I was still alive...he knows Amon would never kill me, and he knows I'm too powerful for the Orbo. So if he accused me of a second murder...the first of which I wasn't conscious of...then Amon would have no choice but to let Zaizen destroy me."
"It makes perfect sense...." Michael said after a moment. Koori nodded and looked at him.
"Amon won't believe me," she said, a single tear running down her cheek. Michael reached up and gently brushed it away with his thumb. He stroked her cheek.
"I'll make him believe you," he said. Koori smiled. She put her hand over his.
"Thank you, Michael," she said. "You're such a wonderful person. And you're so sweet...not like Amon."
"Master Harry," Robin said. He looked at her. It was the end of the day, and Robin was by herself at the bar.
"Yes, Miss Robin?" he asked.
"Amon?" he whispered. Amon nodded.
"Yes, sir," he said. "Do you remember me?"
"Vaguely," Ookami said. "You were friends with my son."
"Yes, sir," Amon said.
"And you loved that bitch who killed him," Ookami spat.
"Do you know anything about a relationship between Amon and Koori?" Robin asked. Master Harry sighed and set down his glass and rag.
"Amon had loved her for a very long time, even after she killed his friend. He knew she hadn't meant to. That's why, when Zaizen came to get her, he went with her to the factory to make sure she wouldn't be hurt. When she started to crash the Orbo system, he disconnected it, because she would have been killed," Master Harry said. "After the boy's death, the parents wanted to either put Koori on the streets or have her exterminated by a private institution. Amon wouldn't let them. He had been closer to the son than anyone, so they respected his wishes."
Robin sat silently, pondering these words. So Amon loved Koori? That explained a lot. Like how protective of her he had been when she had woken up.
"He wouldn't...let anyone hurt her..." she whispered.
"Well I should think not," Master Harry said. "Because she has the power to revive Amon's young friend."
Robin looked up.
"What?"
Master Harry nodded.
"After the boy died, there was a funeral, of course, but it was held the very same day so that his body wouldn't be terribly decomposed. They cut him out of the ice of the pool and put him in the coffin like that. When no one was looking, Koori poured water in the rest of the coffin and froze it around his head too," the man said. Robin's eyes widened.
"Cryogenics," she said. Master Harry nodded again.
"Yes," he said. "She maintains the ice when she sleeps, making sure it doesn't melt."
He was going to say more, but at that moment Amon walked in.
"So, Robin," he said as he sat down. Master Harry respectfully moved to the other end of the bar.
"Yes, Amon?"
"You don't think Koori killed her mother."
"I don't see how she could have. I mean, Michael hasn't figured out how to get past his necklace, and it's the same kind, isn't it? If either of them leave the office, then they'll die."
"Good point, but a witch has more than one way to go somewhere."
"Like what?"
"She could have sent her spirit to kill Mrs. Ookami."
"But why would she?"
"Think about it, Robin," Amon said, looking at her. "Both Mr. and Mrs. Ookami hated Koori for what she had done...only their pride in appearances kept them from killing her. Koori knew it, too...she hated her parents too. In fact I think she was almost glad when Zaizen came...."
He fell silent, and Robin sat there staring at him. He was obviously deep in thought. Robin reached out and took his hand-
"Amon! AMON!" Koori screamed behind her wall of ice spikes. Karasuma shot at her, but an ice spike shot up and blocked it.
"Koori, I'm sorry! I had to!" Amon yelled, shooting at her. Koori screamed and threw ice daggers at him. He ducked.
"Koori, just come with us!" he yelled.
"No! I can't! I have to right things! I have to fix things! I know what you'll do to me! Shove me into a tube! No, Amon, I can't let you do that to me! I will not be caged!" she screamed, and clenched her fists. Great stalagmites of ice shot up through the ground. Zaizen growled.
"Just incapacitate her somehow, Amon!" he yelled. Amon shot through the ice spikes and hit Koori. She screamed and fell to her knees. She began to sob.
"Amon, Amon, Amon," she sobbed, then she fainted and the ice disappeared. They moved in and put her in the truck.
Robin pulled away. Amon looked at her.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Nothing," she said. "Well, I'd better be going."
"I suppose so. It is late."
"Yes. Well, I'll see you later."
"Yes, goodbye."
"Goodbye."