Vira's back again, and with another update. First though, some A/Ns:

1) I am SO sorry that this wasn't updated earlier…I guess my only excuse is that this is a busy time of the year for all of us, ne? Also, I tried to update, but this stupid computer kept dying on me. sad At any rate, yes I am here and alive.

2) No, I don't own any part of WHR!

…Guess that's all for now really. Thanks for being so patient with me! And now, here it is:

Throughout one's life, it is impossible to avoid conflict. Greed, jealousy, betrayal…all are ingredients for this. Sometimes however…a person may fight for no reason at all. Deep inside, some enjoy it. This is the simple truth one must learn to face.

Amon opened and closed the door to his apartment. It had been a long day in the STN-J training building. Several weeks had passed since the first few days of the lessons. It was now mid-October. He kicked off his shoes and hung his coat up, which was very wet. Lately there had been severe amounts of water falling from the sky. It had always varied, however—one day it was rain, the next it would be snow, and then it would combine to make a sleet. Although Amon hated this type of weather, he despised warm and sunny weather even more so. Amon sat down on a nearby chair and began to read the newspaper for anything that might possibly involve witches.

The potential hunter in all of his classes had greatly improved for the most part since he had first met them. There were one or two incidents…but that was to be expected. Still, all in all, the vast majority of them had seen much improvement. Zaizen was pleased at this, Amon could tell. He wanted a nice, new batch of hunters to track down witches. Well, that was fine with him.

After Amon could find nothing in the paper, he went to a different room and turned on his computer. Usually around this time of the day there would be plenty in his inbox. When everything was done loading and he opened it up, there was one message in particular that seemed to stand out from all the others. It was from Touko. It simply read, "We need to talk. Please call me when you read this."

Amon sighed in annoyance and wheeled his chair over to the phone nearby. Looking back, he wondered why he ever agreed to his relationship with Touko. Not only was she overly worrisome, but she was always boring to be with as well. Not his type at all. Amon sensed that, somehow, this time might be their last. He picked up the phone and dialed her number.

After a few rings, he heard a click. "Hello?"

"This is Amon. I read your e-mail just now."

There was a long pause. Finally, she sighed softly. "Yes, I…I need to tell you something. But not here…not on the phone…please meet me in the park in about an hour so we may talk."

Amon's voice shifted to a tone of annoyance. "I don't-"

"-You don't have time, I know…I know. But it's just around the corner from where you live and it won't take long. I promise it won't take long. However…if you don't show up, then…I think I'll understand. Bye, Amon." There was a click.

"Women." Amon growled with bitterness as he set the phone back down. "If you allow them to become too close to yourself then you risk losing everything…" He peered out the window. The clouds had cleared and the rain had finally let up. Already things were beginning to dry. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad after all. Nevertheless, Amon wasn't looking forward to it. He stood up and closed his inbox. After putting his shoes on and grabbing his coat, Amon walked out of the apartment. The ravens in the sky looked at him curiously, as if they were wondering what he was doing outside on such a day.

After walking down the path for a few moments, Amon saw Touko there, sitting on a bench. He sat down next to her and together they stared at the ground. "So…" Amon began with a hint of impatience. "Why am I here?"

Touko avoided his eye. "…I think…I think you know, Amon. We've both been feeling it for a long time now. Although neither of us has admitted it yet, it's plain to anyone where our relationship currently stands." She paused to take a long, strong breath. "I've often wondered about you, you know. You're not quite always there. You…you're somewhere else…it seems…many times…"

Amon said nothing. He looked up into the sky. Dark.

"You've never kissed me…" Touko continued. "You've never given me any sort of hug…we held hands…once…on accident, if I remember right…and we never really went anywhere together, you know? I feel like you try to avoid human contact as much as possible. That includes me, Amon. But you weren't always like this, right? I wish I could know what happened to you to make you this way…but every time I try to ask, you shut yourself away from me. I feel frustrated over this, and so…well…" She paused. It was obviously a break to give him one last chance to say something, to insist that her instincts were wrong. Her voice trailed off, but Amon said nothing.

Touko sighed. "So I guess since our relationship will obviously never go anywhere, I would like to end it now rather than later. I wish that this wasn't the only option but I see no other choice. Goodbye, Amon." Touko stood up, and then looked back at him for an afterthought. "I suppose I'll still see you at the STN-J building. I hope you find who you're looking for." She turned her head away from him and left Amon sitting there on the bench.

Amon did not get up immediately like he had planned. He stared straight ahead of him for several minutes. He was no longer sitting on the park bench in the present day. Amon was far from here…fifteen years ago…back at the place he used to call home. After looking back…what, he asked himself, had he really done with his life? Was he really going to rot away in bitterness forever, like Touko feared? Amon had not really listened to Touko's final parting words, but it didn't matter. Memories of his life whipped by him like an angry river, and suddenly he was in a sea of nostalgia.

"You can't change the past." He finally said aloud after several moments. "No matter how hard you might want it, you can never change the past…"

"…But you CAN accept your future." Amon whirled around to see his student Robin facing him. She tilted her head to the side as if to ask if she could sit down. He nodded solemnly and slid a little to the right.

"…Why are you here? And what did you mean just now?"

Robin smiled the same soothing smile of hers. "This is where I walk sometimes. I've never seen you over here, though. I find the general setting of this place to be…very peaceful."

Alarms sounded in Amon's head. This girl showed up wherever he went, it seemed. Was it really such a coincidence? Perhaps it was only fate…but Amon didn't believe in fate. Fate was just an excuse. It was a loophole; a scapegoat for people to use in order for the denial of the truth. Or at least, that was what he had come to believe.

"And I meant," she continued, "that one needs to let go of the past if one is to ever live in the present. Otherwise, I imagine someone could be quite unhappy that way, wouldn't you agree?"

Amon looked up at her. "'Someone?' You mean me?"

Robin shrugged. "Memories are just memories, and nothing else."

He turned away from her suddenly with a hint of coldness. "…I don't know why I ask. What would you know about it, after all…"

She sighed. "I'm sure that your mother would not be able to bear seeing you like this…"

Amon faced her in surprise once more. "How…how did you…!?" He moved closer to Robin as if to grab the coat surrounding her shoulders to obtain the answer. She stared back at Amon with those two brilliant green-colored eyes. In that instant, Amon wanted to hold her forever, and he couldn't explain why. This girl somehow knew the one thing that had been tormenting him ever since that fateful day fifteen years ago.

Robin opened her mouth to say something, but before she was given the chance, a clap of thunder could be heard suddenly. Rain quickly began to pour.

She stood up. "I-I'm sorry, but I have to leave now. See you during training tomorrow, Amon…"

Robin turned to leave, but Amon caught her arm. "Wait." She looked back at him nervously. Amon breathed in slowly for a moment. "Come with me. I don't live to far from here, and the rain might not let up." This voice…the tone wasn't his.

She seemed to notice this as well, but said nothing about it. "Amon, I…I don't know…" Robin looked back.

"It's alright." He replied. "I won't force you to come—it's your own choice." Amon turned to leave and fully expected her not to follow. However, he heard quick footsteps catch up to him, and soon Robin was walking by his side to the apartment.

He flipped the switch to the machine after setting the pot down. When a few moments passed, steam began to leave the container. Amon watched it carefully and then poured the liquid into two separate mugs. Robin thanked him warmly and began to drink a little of the coffee down. Suddenly she gasped, and looked down. Amon peered over the table to see what could've been the problem.

"You…have a cat!" Robin exclaimed with happiness. He nodded. Not many people knew the fact that he owned a cat. With a name of Osuin, he wandered the apartment for most of the day—but at night Amon would leave a window open in order for Osuin to freely roam his territory, where he would actually catch his own food. Obviously, he was a black cat. Robin gave him a little pet, and Osuin meowed in delight.

Amon stared at the spectacle with amazement. "…He doesn't normally like humans, you know. You handle him well, it seems."

Robin shrugged. "Before I came to live in Japan I had worked in an animal shelter. Ever since then, pets seem to like me."

He nodded. "I see. Tell me, where did you live before coming here?"

Robin sighed and stared for a moment into her coffee. "Oh…everywhere, really." She smiled. "But I'm glad to be here now."

A silence ensued. Amon looked at Robin out of the corner of his eye. Her clothes and hair were slightly damp from the rain, but he didn't mind that at all. For the first time ever his eyes trailed down to the necklace around her neck. It left a strong impression onto him of being something very peculiar. Without any warning of any kind to her, Amon reached out and held it closer for inspection. Robin's eyes widened a little and she shrunk back.

"Don't worry." He whispered. Amon's fingers traced the outline of the middle stone. She blushed heavily, but he paid no attention to this. After studying it closely for a few moments, it dawned on him suddenly.

"This necklace…" He muttered. "My mother…she wore one just like this, long ago…" Yes, there was no mistake about it. Amon distinctly remembered it. But what did it mean, if anything?

Robin moved her head to the side curiously. "What? Are you…sure?"

Amon nodded. "Yes, I'm sure that this is the same necklace. It's one of a kind."

"That's very interesting. My mother gave this to me and said to hold onto it right before she died. I never knew what she meant by that." As Amon stroked the string of the necklace up her neck tenderly with nostalgia, Robin grasped his hand suddenly. He froze. Had he reached too far…too long? Amon withdrew the hand from her.

But Robin continued to study it. "…Why do you always wear these gloves?" She asked softly, in an innocent sort of way. She traced her finger up all the seams with a feeling that Amon did not quite understand.

"…I like them." He replied simply. Amon was surprised at his voice—the sudden peacefulness of it was not really his.

She smiled and stood up. "Well, thank you for the coffee, Amon. I should be leaving now." He nodded and followed her to the door. "…And if you find yourself without your gloves one day, ask me to read your fortune, okay? Bye…" Robin chuckled and left his apartment. Amon stood there and thought about her offer for a little while, and then sat back down in order to finish his coffee.

The next day, Robin felt very frustrated with herself. The event that happened at the park and then at his apartment grieved her to a nearly unbearable level. She kept repeating to herself over and over again that Amon had a girlfriend, and anything else between Robin and Amon just wouldn't be right.

"Plus he's a TEACHER."

When she hopped off her motorbike, Robin walked calmly down the sidewalk and to her first class. With Amon in it, things would be sort of awkward, she knew. But that couldn't be helped.

"Look who it is…Robin Sena…" Robin turned around and, to her unhappiness, saw Akahito standing there along with Sudaharu and Aiko from her first class. "…Going somewhere?" He smirked. "We have a fight to finish, right?" The others chuckled behind him.

Robin prayed quickly in her mind. "I don't want to have any conflict with you. Please leave me alone." She began to walk away.

Akahito pretended to be upset. "What? Leaving so soon? I don't think so." He moved to block her path. "…Because of YOU I was kicked out of the STN-J.  You're not getting off so easily for that." He balled his fists in anger. "Stay awhile…"

"I'd rather not." She replied flatly. A flame flickered in her eye. "I need to go to class now."

Without warning something knocked Robin to the ground suddenly. She looked around to see Sudaharu create another attack directed at her. Robin rolled out of the way and leapt up to avoid it.

"What's the matter, Robin?" Aiko taunted evilly. "Afraid to get hurt? Or is it because you are still just as weak as you were when you last fought Akahito? Try this!" A wave of air sliced over to her and cut deeply against the bottom of her dress.

"You bastards!" Robin shouted angrily at them. This was the final straw. "Leave me…ALONE!!" Fire burst from her eyes. The three dodged out of the way, and yet again her intended target was missed.

"…Ha! Is that the best you got!? You have to be kidding me!" Akahito shot a current of electricity at her. Unlike most of the other times, Robin had finally managed to block this attack. She smiled triumphantly, although all four of them knew it was just a lucky hit.

"Don't start celebrating yet! I'm not through with you!" Akahito prepared more electricity.

"STOP!!" A voice shouted behind them. They turned around to see Ms. Karasuma kneeling down with a gun pointed straight at Akahito. He didn't have enough time to react as the Orbo bullet fell into his chest. The others quickly met the same fate.

After a few moments Ms. Karasuma rushed over to make sure they were fully knocked unconscious. "Hey, you okay Robin?" She asked her. Robin nodded back in a dazed manner. "…Good." Ms. Karasuma opened up her cell phone and had a brief conversation with someone on the other end to take them away from the STN-J. After that was over she looked over at Robin and smiled.

"Let's get you to class."

When Robin entered Amon's classroom, she saw that already the students were practicing on their training equipment. Ms. Karasuma went over to Amon at his desk and told something to him. After awhile, both adults looked over at her, which caused Robin to blush. Finally, Ms. Karasuma left the classroom.

"Robin." Amon called to her. "Come here."

Robin gulped nervously and walked over to his desk. "Y-Yes?"

"There's no need to look so concerned. Ms. Karasuma told me what happened to you just know, and my mind is made up. During the past few weeks I have been observing your accuracy and it's safe to say that it is not nearly as high as it could be. However, I don't think this is directly your fault. So, tomorrow I will be taking you over to see the local eye doctor after training. Meet me in the parking lot. That's all." Amon wheeled his chair back to the computer without saying another word. Robin was so surprised to hear this from him that she simply went over to her training equipment without uttering a sentence to anyone.

Review Responses:

Wake-Robin: Hey thanks! I guess this was sort of a long wait…sigh

Lara1786: Hehe well actually I kind of just skipped over the cafeteria part…' oh well.

Trekgirl01: Yeah, can you just imagine him as a teacher? Hehehe!

isis: Will do! Thanks for reviewing!

Cali1043: Glad you think so! Hope you can keep reading! =D

Seed-of-Flame: blush Arigato! I've been busy though…well, here's a nice update for you at any rate.

Rose Shadow: Hahaha! Actually, the cafeteria food at my school isn't that bad…I guess it just varies from place to place, ne?

Stephanie Leung: I love cats too! And so does Amon, apparently! =D

girlofthenight: Mailbox ninja!?!? gasp I want one of those!!!

Kagome Of Summer Dances: sad I actually missed that Inuyasha episode, saw the Wolf's Rain though…anyways, thanks for the review!

Chii-san: Aw! Thanks much! =D

Gundamwinggirl: Hehe, you're in luck! Some of the fluffiness is happening in this chappy!

row: Yeah, you know, I don't really know enough about it to do a fic…I mean, it looks like it has great potential for some fic material, but I guess we'll just have to see, ne?

Speaker for Psychopaths: Eh, that's okay. Well thanks for the review! I hope you keep reading!

theUniverseBeyond: Hahaha! Yeah, I think that's a cool idea! I should try it, I'd read it! And yes you're right, the glasses will be in the next chapter…hehehehe…

Sesshoumarusgirl123: Thanks! Glad to hear it!

Again, I am SO sorry I'm lagging behind with the updates! Hopefully you guys are nice enough to understand maybe? ' Anyways, I'm sure that a lot of you in here will be happy to see that, yes, Amon WILL be taking Robin to get her glasses in the next chapter. Hehehe. Anyways, to find out what happens, R&R! Arigato, ja ne!!