The Sickness of Darkness

Chapter 1: The Curse

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or the anime.

"Michael, have you seen Robin this morning?" the chief asked.

"No I haven't. As far as I know she hasn't even arrived yet," he answered. It was an average day at the STN-J office building. Nothing was really going on, no reports or sightings of witches, no strange occurrences, nothing. But little did they know that was all going to change.

Miho looked around the room trying to spot Sakaki. Damn those piles of paper everywhere! Where was he?

"Sakaki?"

"I'm over here, beside Mi…" he trailed off as something crashed from outside the office door.

"What was that?" Dojima asked frowning slightly.

"Let's go check," Sakaki said heading for the door. He twisted the handle and pulled the door open. His eyes widened as he stared at something none of them could see.

"Sakaki, what is it?" Amon asked sternly.

"It's…its Robin," he answered standing transfixed by the door in utter bewilderment. Everyone walked over to where he was standing. When they got there they froze. Robin stood weakly before them pale and sweat-soaked, looking extremely ill.

"Robin, are you okay?" Miho asked kindly.

"The witch…orbos won't…work…" she mumbled. Then her gaze became unfocused and she nearly fell to the ground before Amon caught her. Everyone stared opened mouthed. Amon looked at them sourly. "What is it?" he asked.

"Well, I mean, we're just surprised that you caught her. I least expected you of all people. You're always so cold so I figured you could care less what happens to her," Dojima babbled, and then stopped once she realized how idiotic she sounded.

"Robin has work to do. She can't be getting injured," He replied flatly. Everyone had to a hard time not rolling his or her eyes. They had been stupid to think that Amon would have ulterior motives.

"Don't you even care if she's sick? Can't you tell she's in no condition to be working?" Miho cried, outraged. Amon looked at her sternly before dropping Robin to the ground.

"Fine. Then there's no need to be saving her."

And with that he walked away. Miho glared at him and would've gone after him and give him a piece of her mind if Sakaki hadn't grabbed her arm.

"Leave it", he told her, "Don't waste your breath."

She sighed, he was right. Amon wouldn't care what she said.

"What should we do with her?" Dojima asked pointing at Robin.

"I don't know," Michael replied, "Take her to the infirmary or something?"

Robin let out a moan.

"Hey wait! I think she's coming to," Sakaki said. And sure enough Robin opened her eyes and tried to focus them.

"Where…"

"You're at the office", Michael answered, "Now what's going on?"

"Witch…did this…orbos won't…work…don't…touch me…contagious."

And with that she went limp once more. Everyone looked at each other, clearly concerned, and cried, "Amon!"

"We have to find him," Michael said.

Sakaki nodded and grabbed his jacket, "I'm on it."

Amon walked down the street fuming. Who did Miho think she was, telling him off like that? Why was he still thinking about it anyways? He didn't care and wasn't about to, so why did what she said bug him so much? A sharp pang then passed through his body making him nearly collapse. Amon leaned against an old building startled. What had just happened?

"Amon!" cried a voice not to far away. He turned towards it and found its source. It was Sakaki.

"Oh great. What do you want now?" Amon asked in every way appalled to see him so soon after the little argument back at the office.

"Amon, when you saved Robin earlier you might have caught the curse that's been placed on her," Sakaki said breathing heavily, "You should come back just in case." Amon started at him. Was he supposed to believe curses were contagious?

"Listen, nothing is wrong with me so could you ju-" He fell to the ground sweat appearing on his face.

"Damn, it's too late." Sakaki mumbled. Amon looked around him his vision blurring then he fell to the ground, just as Robin had done.

Robin woke up in an odd room she'd never seen before. Everything was white; the walls, the bed she was laying in, everything. She felt a little more awake then before but she still had no energy. She moaned. Her head was throbbing (it doesn't help that Amon chucked her on the ground earlier, ha). What she wouldn't give for some painkillers.

Then she spotted Amon. He was in a bed to the right of her. Robin noticed he was sweating. Was he okay? She had to check. So, even though she barely had the energy, she pushed herself out of bed and fell to the floor. She then dragged herself over to his bed. Robin sat there for a moment trying to catch her breath. Even with so little exercise she was panting as though she had just run a marathon. After a few minutes of recuperation she mumbled, "Amon…Amon?" He stirred then opened his eyes only to come face to face with Robin.

"Amon…where…are…we?" she asked weakly. He looked around slowly before saying,

"We're in the…Recuperation Room…it was…never shown to you…because we barely ever…use it…"

"Oh…" she said then once again fainted onto the white ceramic floor.

Meanwhile, back in the office Michael said, "There's definitely a witch behind this. I'll search for leads. You guys can too." Miho looked in the direction of the room where Robin and Amon had been placed.

"Maybe someone should go check on them," She said. Sakaki stood up.

"I'll go," he said then walked out of the room. Sakaki was walking down the main hallway towards the Recuperation Room. When he walked in he gasped.

I actually wrote this a really long time ago. The style is sort of different from my more recent stories, funny how things change like that. R&R please!