Hey everyone! Vira's back and ready for another update! I'm really glad that this fic seems to be liked by generally everyone who reads it. I was scared a little AU wouldn't go over so well! Well again, don't own WHR, and here's the next update:
~~~***~~~
Friendship is essential to happiness. If there is no level of fondness between one another then there can never be a sense of trust, understanding, or faith. Without it comes betrayal, revenge, and hopelessness. This is the simple truth one must learn to face.
Robin walked down the pathway. She had never liked cafeteria food and so she had decided to go out somewhere for lunch. "Now where did I park again…?" She sighed—this wasn't the first time Robin had lost her motorbike in a filled parking lot.
As she walked, she thought about the happenings of the day so far. It wasn't quite how she thought it would be. Robin knew she was different from the other students, but she had no idea that one of them would actually attack her. Robin's eyes burning just thinking about that incident.
Robin knew something like that would happen eventually, however. Ever since her parents died, whom she had no memories of, Robin had become a different girl…or at least that was what she had heard from people. Trouble seemed to follow her. Robin was traded between relatives, and consequently moved from state to state, and country to country. Eventually she moved in with her grandfather and the nuns here. Her childhood had not been pleasant. Her ability to set things on fire caused the other children to distance themselves from her. But Robin didn't mind…she was used to it. Then, she grew up little by little and her grandfather, who she honestly loved, decided Robin should train to become a witch hunter. So, she applied for the STN-J and had managed to become accepted.
…And that was her life story in a few words. Suddenly Robin gasped in delight. "There you are!!" She ran up to her motorbike and sat on. She put her helmet happily on her head and sped off. "Now, where should I go?" Robin was vaguely unfamiliar with this particular area. She went left off the corner of the STN-J building and drove around. Robin would find something eventually…there was always a place to eat every few blocks, she reasoned.
~~~***~~~
Robin pulled in at a local diner and set her kickstand in place before walking into the old-fashioned restaurant. Robin glanced at the menu for a few seconds and ordered the thing on the menu that looked the healthiest—water and some sort of soup that she had never heard of before. Soon her order came and she sat down in one of the booths.
As Robin stirred her spoon in the soup, she thought about her first class again thoughtfully.
Amon. She…had mixed first impressions on him. Robin wasn't used to addressing one of her teachers without some sort of formal attachment. But that wasn't the only thing that she found very unusual about him. She had always been good with reading people's emotions, but with Amon…it was different somehow. She would probably never know what he was thinking. 'But maybe that's for the best…' She thought.
And then there was the closet. What was he hiding in there? The STN-J had many secrets, she knew…but naturally there was probably an even greater number than Robin had originally imagined. But she didn't want to leave the impression that all she had time to do was snoop around in things Robin knew she shouldn't look through.
Robin remembered it then. "He said I am the type of person who isn't satisfied unless I hear the whole truth…" Did that really describe her? She didn't know. "Is it wrong to want to know the truth?" Robin asked to herself quietly as she sipped a little soup. She didn't want to get into any trouble, but on the other hand…
"I don't know what to do…" She drank down her water slowly. 'Tea wouldn't be so bad either.' Robin thought. She was about to stand up in order to make this purchase, but three people met her at the booth. They smiled at her.
"You're Robin…aren't you?" She nodded, slightly perplexed. "Do you mind if we sit here with you? Only for a little while, at least."
"Oh…um, I don't see why not…sure." She slid over in the booth and they sat down.
The only girl of the three nodded. "Do you remember us, Robin? We were with you in your first class…?"
Robin stared at them for a few moments, and then her eyes lit up. "Oh! Yes, I remember now…you're Yuma, aren't you?"
The girl nodded. "That's right—and this is Tsutomu and Kazuko." The other two boys shook her hand. Robin was a little surprised—why were her classmates interested in talking with an outsider? "We saw what you did during the training today. You're very brave."
Oh. "Thank you…but I'm not as strong as you may think. I don't think I had any other choice besides fighting back. And…" She paused for a moment. "…And my craft never hits its mark." Robin hung her head in shame.
Kazuko's eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean? Your fire blocked his attack once…that's better than what I could do."
"No…I was just lucky that time. I originally aimed three feet to the right and my fire just happened to block it."
Kazuko smiled. "Then you're a pretty quick thinker."
Robin reddened a little. "Well, what about you three? I'm sure you're very good at your crafts…"
Tsutomu chuckled. "My impulse waves are too weak. They don't do anything more than tickle my target." He sighed. "I'm glad I decided to join this training program…I could really use the practice. I've always wanted to become a witch hunter…"
Yuma nodded. "Sometimes I deal out seizures to people against my will." She frowned. "If I don't learn to control it…I may be in serious trouble…with the factory." Yuma sighed.
Robin stared at her. "…Factory? What's that?"
Their eyes widened in surprise. "You want to become a witch hunter for the STN-J and you don't even know what the factory is!?"
Yuma scoffed a little. "You're not originally from this area, right? It makes sense, then, that you don't know…" Robin sighed. Yet again, she had managed to end up looking like an idiot. But at least these three understood.
Kazuko cleared his throat. "The STN-J has always had one policy when dealing with witches: hunt them, but don't kill. I'm not sure about the exact details myself, but from what I've heard, once a dangerous witch has been captured, they're taken to the factory. And…I guess they are held there for society's protection. It's the only humane way to hunt them and keep the alive witches somewhere. We never kill…it's really for the best I think."
Robin thought about this for a moment. Something didn't add up. "But…how do the hunters capture the witches? It seems to me that a witch could easily overcome them with his or her power. How do they protect themselves from the witch?"
Tsutomu shrugged. "None of the novice hunters know. I'm sure we'll find out eventually how it works, though."
But Robin frowned. 'Is the STN-J hiding something…?' After thinking this over for a few moments, she decided it would be best to not dwell on it. She could find out eventually. "Well at any rate, we won't know until we complete the training program, I guess."
Kazuko stood up. "I'm going to get some food for us…"
Yuma nodded. "Thanks. Get me the least expensive thing on the menu." She handed him some money.
"And I'll have a sandwich." Tsutomu chipped in. "Fish."
"That's fine." Kazuko said. He turned to me. "You want something, Robin? It's no trouble…"
She smiled. "Thank you, but…" Robin glanced at the nearby clock hanging on the wall. "I have a class in about fifteen minutes, so I should probably start heading back." She stood up. "It was nice talking to you. I guess I'll see you in class tomorrow." They waved goodbye and Robin walked outside.
"They seem very nice." Robin said to herself as she sat down on her vehicle. "I hope we'll talk sometime again…they had some interesting things to say. Very interesting things indeed…"
~~~***~~~
Robin drove back to the training building in about seven minutes. "Just enough time." She said. Robin walked quickly through the hallways. "Oh no, where is that room again?" She looked on her sheet. Room 118. Wasn't that by the cafeteria? Yes, it was. Robin rounded the corner.
Suddenly she collided into Amon, her craft instructor. Red filled her face. He was probably THE worst person to run into. "I…I'm SO sorry…excuse me…" She was about to leave before he could make a response to heighten her embarrassment, but Amon stopped her.
"…It's alright, Robin. Are you lost? I can help you find the room you're looking for, seeing as I have a moment…"
Robin blushed furiously. "Oh…well I guess you could do that. Thanks…" He nodded indifferently and she told him the room she needed to be in. They walked down the nearly empty hallways together. Robin glanced at Amon nervously. Why was he doing this? Didn't he have better things to do besides helping idiotic girls find their room? Suddenly Amon glanced at her to catch Robin looking at him. She darkened and turned the other way.
"We're here." Amon said to her, ignoring what had just taken place. He pushed the door open. She stepped through it nervously.
A woman teacher was standing there, giving an introductory lecture to the class. All heads wheeled to Robin. She blushed. The woman glared at Robin in annoyance for disturbing things.
"Don't worry, Karasuma…she's with me." Amon explained.
The teacher nodded in comprehension. She turned around to thank him gratefully, but Amon was already gone.
~~~***~~~
"Okay, quiet down everyone…please stop talking…" The students eventually settled down again, and all eyes turned to her. "…Thank you. Like I said, my name is Miss Karasuma, and this is the written and verbal part of the training course you are about to undergo for a whole year. Here you will learn various explanations and any answers to questions you may have about what being a witch hunter really means. But before we get started, I've compiled a small pre-test for all of you to take so I can see what knowledge you already have over it…" The students groaned and she began to pass out sheets.
"Why me?" Robin asked to herself quietly as she was handed one of the papers. She glanced over it—the test was multiple choice. "That's better than I had hoped…" She took out a pencil.
"Please begin." Karasuma said to them after all the tests were distributed. "No talking." Robin sighed and looked at the first question.
1. What does 'STN-J' stand for?
a. Solomon Tracking Network - Japan
b. Solomon Toukatsu (control) Ninidantai (organization) - Japan
c. Student Training Nexus - Japan
Robin sighed. She figure it was either 'a' or 'b,' but beyond that…she closed her eyes and circled one.
2. What term is given to those who have 'witch blood' in their family?
a. Degree
b. Descendent
c. Seed
Robin circled c…she hoped it was right.
3. How many witches do the STN-J capture weekly, on average?
a. One
b. Three
c. Ten
'How on earth could anyone know the answer to that!?' She thought in exasperation. Robin guessed 'b.'
4. Which type of power do witches most commonly have?
a. Healing
b. Elemental
c. Telekinesis
This time Robin knew the answer to this one, and circled 'c.'
5. Solomon is:
a. The company behind the STN-J
b. The company that funds the STN-J
c. The company separate from the STN-J but still handle witches that live in Japan
Robin guessed again—she was surprised she didn't really know. She glanced at the clock. This was going to be a long hour…
6. Witches:
a. Look exactly like a normal person
b. Have certain characteristics that make them easy to distinguish
c. Can hide physical characteristics of a witch to make them hard to find
Relief fell upon her and she circled 'a.'
7. The power of a witch:
a. Always surfaces immediately upon birth
b. Can take years to develop
c. Can appear whenever a witch wants
She was fairly sure the answer wasn't 'a' or 'c' so she chose 'b.'
8. A person inherits their craft from:
a. The father
b. The mother
c. Either of the parents
Robin knew it was the last one. She glanced at the clock again—time had barely passed. She groaned in annoyance, but continued on to the next question on the piece of paper.
9. Where do witches go once captured?
a. Solomon headquarters
b. STN-J headquarters
c. The factory
Robin recalled the conversation she had at lunch with Kazuko, Yuma, and Tsutomu. 'The answer is 'c'…right?'
10. Witches have walked the earth since:
a. The beginning of time
b. The 1500s
c. There was a recent mutation in human genes
She circled the last answer and placed her pencil down. Now all Robin had to do was wait for the tests to be passed in. She was glad it was only a pretest. Robin took out a spare sheet of paper and began to draw the Sign of Osyra.
~~~***~~~
"Time's up." Karasuma said. "Please pass your papers to the front. These will be graded on completion, not whether your answers are correct or wrong. This should reassure some of you, by the look on the faces I'm seeing." She smiled. Most of the students sighed in relief. "…Now that the pretest is over with, I'm going to give you some assigned seats. This is in no particular order." We stood up. A few minutes passed and soon we were all sitting in different spots.
A girl behind me sighed. "My day keeps on getting better and better…first I shoot a kid in the stomach, and now I have to take a pretest that I have no idea what it was about…"
Robin turned around. Directly behind her was an older girl, sighing. She had blonde hair with little waves at the end. Next to her bag was a fashion magazine and a small scarf. She looked up and noticed Robin looking at her. "Uh…hi?"
Robin blushed. "Oh! Um, sorry for staring…I couldn't help but overhear…did you have a bad day?"
The girl sighed in exasperation. "Did I ever! This morning I went to my first class, and we were given a gun each to practice on, and…I shot a guy named Sakaki on accident…thank GOD it was only loaded with rubber bullets…and now I had to take this stupid test!" The girl's head collapsed on the desk.
Robin frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that…it sounds like you had a really rough morning…"
She looked up at her curiously after a few moments. "Say, what's your name anyways? I'm Doujima."
"I'm Robin…It's nice to meet you, Doujima."
"Robin, eh? Hmm, I've never heard of you before…are you a craft user?" Robin nodded. "Ah, so this class IS integrated then, that's what I suspected…"
Robin looked at her funnily. 'Integrated?' She thought. 'Is that what it's called? Are we that much different from them?' She sighed. Doujima looked at her questioningly but Robin shook her head. "It's…nothing, really."
The girl shrugged. "If you say so." The two could talk no more, however, as Karasuma had begun the next lesson. Robin sighed in boredom and thought sleepily back to all the interesting things she learned that day at the STN-J so far. Especially her encounter with Amon. It bugged her and she didn't know why.
Review Responses:
VivianeAeryan: Lol, well that's good to know, I guess…
CelestialFire490: *blush* Thanks! Well then I'll keep going! ^___^
Yep: Hehe yeah lately I've been in the AU mood…
Cali1043: Yeah it would, lol…it'd be neat though. And many thanks for reading my Inu story! ^_____^
Me Want Amon: lol you're welcome =D
Musig-Mistress101: Arigato! Glad you like it!
Rose Shadow: Yeah, I love Amon, hard to write about though!
Wake-Robin: Heh heh, well I'm tempted to replace Robin with me so he'll be into me instead! ;)
Haruya: lol, yeah…it has to be a gradual thing though, right? Well anyways hope you'll be able to read this update!
Angel Of Light and Darkness: That's good to hear! ^___^ then here's a nice new chappy for you.
Little Natsu: lol yeah I reply to ALL of my reviews…anyways that was the day of the Animatrix but I've heard it's next week on Sunday…
deity of death1: Indeed! =D And then, the one after that, and after that too!
deity of death1: *blush* Why thank you, did I really do that good of a job? Well here's another chapter like you asked…
DarkPyroPlanet: Oooo, pickles!!! ^______^ As long as they're sweet, I'll take 'em!!
Lafine: Hehe, well then I'll just have to write it so that the only way you'll be unhooked is when you read the ending! =D
Sarah Branch: o_O 600!?!? WOW…*pets teh kawaii fez hat monkeys* ^_____^
mE: Good to hear! Hope you can read more!
TheUniverseBeyond: Yeah, I hate rip offs too…haha I'd love that as well!
Namko-Daughter of Sekhmet: Arigato! Then I will! ^_^
Trekgirl01: Hehe, yeah I think we need more AU WHR fics in here…well here's one more I guess.
You guys like it so far!? I'm sorry their relationship is moving along slowly…but don't worry, something will happen between the two! Can't make it too quick though…hehehe. Anyways, R&R! Arigato, ja ne! ^_____^