After a long, long, LONG leave of absence, I'm undertaking the process of re-writing this fic. Armed with better grammar, I hope to show some form improvement. -bows-
Summary: When and unknown force kills a powerful witch being tracked by the STNJ, the entire team can't help but be a little unnerved. Following the murder, the team receives a new hunter from Solomon HQ in order to help them the murder case, as well as their current crisis: A disease that forces people to feed upon the blood of others. While he seems honest enough, is the new hunter really telling the team all the information he has on both the murder case and the epidemic?
Disclaimer: I do not own Witch Hunter Robin or any of the characters…pity me. v.v
Blood Witch
Chapter 1
The moon was high in the sky, marking the late hour with its ethereal silver glow. It illuminated the dank city below; a silver lining, if you will…it cast beauty unto even the most gruesome of scenes.
And gruesome it was.
Breaking free of the moon's trance of stillness that held reign over the silent night, one shadow in particular took to movement. Boot clad feet were lifted and placed carefully as the figure drifted about the scene: a morose spectator of a macabre vision.
Amon shifted around a pool of coagulated crimson, the foul coppery scent of it filling the cool air. Creases lined his brow as his dark eyes narrowed, his powerful form tensed in concealed apprehension. The source of the blood lay at his feet, disfigured by both the brutality of the murder and the on set of rigamortis: a contorted island upon a red sea.
Through blood spatter however, the victim could still be identified. Though throat and belly were slashed alike, the features of the victim remained intact…they were blank in death. Yet, the significance this fact held was grave. The kill had been quick.
Indeed not a death expected of this victim: a witch who had been lucky enough to catch the attention to the STNJ, then eluded them successfully for near a month.
The dark hunter's eyes narrowed further, their dark coloration refusing to reflect any light, artificial or natural. The target had been allusive indeed. Over the span of their pursuit only one actual encounter had been had, and Amon preferred to forget that little incident…that was two weeks ago, and since then, the witch had seemingly vanished from the face of the Earth.
Until know. Amon had expected to find the witch; he had to, but…not like this. The data collected from their single encounter had included the witch's craft and fighting style. A form of no-holding-back earth bending…they had wracked up a fair deal of credit with that fateful fight.
Yet, as Amon's eyes cast about the ally in which the murder had taken place, no signs of the witch's craft were visible. No craters in the ground, no breaks in the old brick walls of the surrounding buildings…there weren't even signs of a normal struggle.
Hands tightened into fists, the flash about the knuckles paling in protest. Irritation was evident…not anger, no, as Amon refused such a powerful emotion rule over him, but irritation he could manage. It created a knot in his abdomen. If only his shots had hit the first time…then he wouldn't be in this predicament.
"Amon…"
The voice came soft, hesitant…Robin knew better than to stir her brooding partner when he was in deep thought. But the time called for it.
The man turned only partially, greeting the fair girl with his ruggedly handsome profile. The majority of his attention still remained focused on the body, but the change in position signified to Robin that she was not being completely ignored.
It was their own silent form of communication. As neither party was greatly fond of verbal communication, body language had become an important part of their relationship.
" Rain." Her voice echoed again; a simple statement of truth. Amon raised his eyes heavenwards only to see that moon was now covered with ominous dark clouds.
Then he turned in full, brushing past his fair-headed partner as he left the ally in his wake. "The police will be here soon to conduct their own investigation…we're leaving." His voice mirrored the clouds, dark and cold.
She nodded, following as she always did a fair distance behind. The fire witch's eyes fell downwards to her feet as she moved…yet again he refused to use her name, she noticed. He cast off any familiarity between them, just as he always did. Refusing to let any bond form between them, even one as co-workers.
Perhaps it was her age. At 15, Robin was ten years Amon's junior. Maybe he begrudged her because he resented having to work with a child.
The girl's warm jade eyes drifted hither to the objects of her thoughts: Amon had taken up residence in the driver's seat of his car, hands placed loosely upon the wheel as he awaited her silently.
Robin complied automatically, slipping to his side and shutting the door once situated, and sighed as the rumble of the engine sounded in her ears. Absentmindedly, her pale hands and elegant fingers went to work smoothing out the wrinkles of her dress. The silken black fabric always seemed to become prissy in the presence of rain.
Keeping her mind on her skirts helped ease the apprehension of the known silence. As fore mentioned, neither Amon nor Robin often took the initiative to strike up a conversation. Yet through the silence, thoughts screamed all to clearly in either's head.
Amon's mind in particular was wrapped around a number of things. Behind his gloomy façade, his mind was almost constantly at work. Even now, it still returned to the murder…It had been so barbaric, if need arose to describe it in one word. Blood and entrails littered the ground from the torn abdominal cavity, and the throat was in no better shape…Perhaps the work of a psycho killer? The possibility existed that their witch had been a murder victim out of pure coincidence, but it seemed all too unlikely. After all, such notions didn't answer why the target had seemingly died without a struggle.
Maybe he murder had taken place somewhere else, and the body had merely been moved? That seemed unlikely too. With all the blood splatter that possibility too was discarded…
But what about if the murderer had been another witch, maybe one with the ability to kill by causing massive internal damage? They had met one of those types before, and it would explain the lack of damage to the area…It seemed the most plausible, though motive was currently lacking…they would need to wait for forensic analysis of the corpse, as well as Karasuma's craft.
"We'll return with Karasuma tomorrow." Amon spoke his thoughts, more so to himself than to Robin. Yet, needlessly, the fair-headed girl nodded. For all her compliance, however, her shoulders gave a small shudder. She didn't want to go back…seeing the body this eve had unsettled her stomach. Despite her experience with witches and killings, the brutality of this one had gone beyond her.
" The corpse will have been moved by then." Amon interjected as an after thought, as if reading his partner's mind, and seeking to bring ease to her.
Robin nodded softly, her eyes falling to her lap. Perhaps they did have a bond, unspoken, but a bond none the less…no matter how much Amon seemed to dislike her, or at least seem indifferent, it was little things like that, even if he did them seemingly without care, that made the young witch feel more content.
Even if Amon's presence could be a little unsettling, Robin wouldn't choose anyone else to have at her side during a hunt. Musings of the youth were however cut short by a soft pressure upon her right shoulder. Her eyes immediately rose to the source, and widened in surprise.
" We're here…" Amon stated simply, and turned his back…he didn't often resort to touching people, Robin realized, she must have been pretty far-gone in her head. Fatigue, perhaps. The evening had been long, and the work tedious.
She stepped from the car, easing down her dress again as she stood, then closed the door. The heels of her boots then clicked softly against the cold gray concrete of the parking complex as she trailed after Amon to the elevator…
Home Sweet Home, the drab colors of Raven's Flat made for a dull setting. Yet, perhaps such was best. No bright colors to aggravate the occupants, who, by way of dress, seemed to prefer the darker shades of the color spectrum.
The shrill 'ding' of the elevator marked the inevitable: a report to the chief and fellow hunters, followed by paper work and most likely a late night, ending with a ride home in the rain. Robin sighed at the thought.
A clap of thunder sounded, as if mocking the girl, and she cringed. Certainly, the idea of driving through the rain on a vespa wasn't a pleasant one. Perhaps she should consider purchasing a car once she turned 16 and got her license.
"Robin." Amon's voice beckoned, and the girl followed the command as she stepped into the elevator beside her partner. The cold metallic sheen of the elevator doors closed in her wake.
With only the chime of the elevator as it skipped floors to break the silence, the opening of the doors to the main floor of the building was a welcome reprieve.
Amon took the lead, as always, and Robin followed.
Four pairs of eyes rose to greet their forms, followed by another two as the chief and Hattori emerged from the office.
" How'd it go?" Sakaki was the first to speak up. The 18-year-old's hair was disheveled, as is by sleep…He had probably dozed off while working. Not surprising, since it was nearing one in the morning, and each and everyone of the STN-J team had been clocking hours since 8 that morning.
Amon seemingly ignored the younger male's question, instead stepping further into the office, homing in on his workspace. He made eye contact momentarily with Karasuma, demanding her complete attention before he spoke:
" We'll need you to return to the murder scene and attempt a reading."
Karasuma nodded in response, replying that she would first thing in the morning before heading into work. Amon noted that he would meet her there.
Robin's gaze had followed her partner's movements, while she had taken up her position at her standard workstation. She watched him move with authority and power in his darkly colored attire, in his element. He stood as he provided a brief recount of the findings, of the fact that more information was needed before the investigation could move forward.
For indeed the STN-J needed to solve this case, as it was. With a power like the dead witch's demolished, a need for caution arose.
The unspoken question of: Who, or what, had killed the witch hung in the air like a somber fog. Suffocating.
" So…no leads. Great." Sakaki again broke the silence, smoothing back his mane with his right hand. His eyes closed as he leaned back in his chair, rocking it back onto its rear legs, and propping his feet up on his desk.
Karasuma shot the rookie a look that told him he was being unprofessional, but Sakaki paid no heed to his superior.
" Does that mean we can leave now?" Doujima spoke now, her voice as it was typically when she was bored: more whine than speech, high pitched and expressive.
" Doujima-Kun." Kosaka scolded, his gaze setting sternly upon the young woman. She responded with throwing the chief a bored look.
" C'mon Chief, there's nothing else to do around here…even Amon said we couldn't get any further without more info, and we're not getting anything until tomorrow. It's late, and it's going to rain. I don't know about you, but I'd prefer getting home dry."
"Douji-" Kosaka began again, only to be cut off by Amon as the tall man made a step in advancement towards the door. Even without words, his intention and command were easy to comprehend, and Kosaka took in a heavy breath, before expelling it forcefully. " We'll call it a night…though I expect everyone to be on time tomorrow morning." The chief relented.
The battle won, Doujima hissed a soft 'yes!', collected her designer hand bag, and was heading past Amon to the elevator. She waved over her shoulder to a glowering Kosaka.
Sakaki and Karasuma bid their adieus as well, following suit of their blonde co-worker. Then Amon took his leave, waiting for the next elevator after the trio left. His bid farewell was of nothing but silence…In truth, the dark hunter was well within his head now, going over the case mentally looking for everything, and anything, that may have been of use.
Robin watched him go, still hesitating before Kosaka fixed her with an aggravated glare, and another clap of thunder boomed to close for comfort.
Gathering a select few files of paper work that she wished to review at a later time at her own leisure, the fire witch bid a good night to Michael, brushing his shoulder lightly with her finger tips in a gesture of fond friendship.
The young hacker responded with a small smile…he had remained silent much of the night, wrapped up in his own computer work and the roar of heavy music that blared from his headphones…
The outside world that greeted Robin was one of cold gales. The wind had picked up, carrying with it the scent of rain. Bumps arose upon her fair skin in response to the chill, and the girl reflexively pulled her wine colored jacket tighter about her form.
With a purr like rumble from its engine, the young craft user mounted her vespa and started it. Her movements were quickened in her fervor to beat the rain. Yet, senses still sharp, the girl took note of a shrill call that pierced the night the moment she pulled out of the parking complex.
It was a cry she was quite familiar with, as the creatures seemed to be common in the area: perched atop a street light on the corner was an elegant black bird. A Corvid, she recognized, though whether crow or raven she could not tell.
The avian that had captured her attention stared at her, or so it seemed, through her. Odd, that an animal should look upon a human as if it were its equal…then Robin caught sight of it; illuminated by the fluorescent gleam of the street light, the bird's left eye could be seen to be an unearthly silver.
A cataract perhaps? Could birds even get those? Robin did not know, but the presence of the bird, and the intensity of its stare hurried her to movement. Yet, even with her back turned to her creature, and it's form fading into the distance as she rode forward, the feeling it instilled within her made the young witch jumpy…and partially annoyed with herself. How silly did she have to be to be afraid of some mangy bird? The night really must have taken its toll on her…
The feeling, however silly it was pinned as, was not without cause. The odd eye of the bird had remained trained upon the youth's form. It was only when the witch rounded a corner and faded completely from the corvid's line of vision, that its great black wings were extended forth, and it rose a cold gale up into the sky, ebony feathers aiding it in disappearing against the dark clouded sky.
Amon: Here we go again…
Meow: Heh, Am-Chan you know you missed me.
Amon: Missed you like a hole in the head, maybe.
Meow: A hole in the head? That's a funny thing to miss. O.o
Amon: -Rolls eyes.-
Robin: I really can't believe I'm stuck doing this again, but please read and review…I think you realize as much as Amon and I have that Meow has failed to improve her writing much, but none the less, your input (if you so bother to read this story) is highly valued…Oh, Meow would also like to put in: free Amon-Clones to any and all who review….Wait, WHAT?!?!?
Amon: -Eye twitches.- Meow…
Meow: Eh heh heh…That's all folks! –Cue Loony Toon Theme to help cover up the screams of pain that are sure to ensue.-