Chapter Fifteen:
Man in the Mirror
Disclaimer: Everyone knows it by now.
Amon sulked down the street in his usual attire. His face was contorted with an expression that seemed like worry. And indeed, he was concerned about some things.
Michael had given him some disturbing information about Akamu, the red-haired witch that had tried to make mincemeat out of Amon a few days ago. And to say the least, the ex-hunter wasn't exactly happy.
"Damn witches." Amon mumbled impatiently as a plane heading into the airport flew over his head.
Robin stepped out of the doors of the airport and into the sunlight, blinking as she did so. Everything was just as she remembered it. The young witch smiled to see that nothing had really changed.
"Let's get moving, Robin. People are going to start staring if you stand there for too long." Andy said into her ear as he escorted her to the green taxi cab that had pulled up in front of them.
Robin did her best to slide into the seat, though the blue blanket that served as her disguise made it somewhat difficult. She caught the taxi driver staring at her and giving strange looks to her dress. All poor Robin could do was blush at the embarressment of it all.
"Alright, we all set? Just take us to the Holiday Inn on Main Street, sir." Andy said as he slid into the seat next to Robin.
The taxi driver nodded as he eyed Ian, who had gotten in the passenger seat next to him. He then started up the engine and pulled out of the parking space.
"Mumph?" Robin mumbled, her emerald eyes swivling to look over at Andy behind her dark glasses.
Andy chuckled and turned to look at her.
"Don't worry, the others are in another cab behind us. It's all going to be okay. You'll see, Little Bird." The brown-haired boy said as he settled down into the seat and closed his eyes.
Robin blinked and sighed in frustration. Adjusting herself into a more comfortable position, the young girl busied herself by once again looking out of the window.
Ian watched her through the reveiw mirror, his silver eyes narrowed.
"Yes, everything will be alright..." The blonde man said to himself quietly as he laid his left elbow on the arm rest of the door and looked out his own window.
Amon leaned liesurely against the same bookstore window as he had been the day Robin had left. His were closed, trying to recall every little detail about her. Her flowing, chestnut hair tied up in those flimsy knots and pulled to the sides of her head. Her sparkling, green eyes as they looked up admiringly at him...
The dark-haired man opened his eyes. He growled to himself slightly, knowing that even though Robin wasn't even there with him, she still had his heart in her grasp. Damn her.
Minutes ticked by. A taxi cab or two drove down the street in front of him as he continued to lounge against the window and think.
Suddenly, Amon smirked.
"Ah, thank Heavens for little miracles..." He said to himself as he raised a gloved hand to his left cheek, gently touching the exect spot where Robin had kissed him two years ago.
Robin stared up at the rather dumpy, Holiday Inn as she carefully climbed out of the green taxi cab. She grimaced behind the glasses.
Then, turning her head around to look at Andy, the young witch called to him through the blue shroud covering the lower half of her face.
"Anphy! Mumph gerumph?" She mumbled.
Andy, who had been busily helping Ian remove all the luggage from the taxi's trunk, came over and stood next to Robin. He looked up at the shabby building and shrugged.
"Yeah, I know it's not exactly fancy, but it's all we could afford. Maybe the inside won't be so bad." He told her thoughtfully. He then smiled slyly and turned his head slowly to gaze in her direction. Robin was eerily reminded of those vampires you see in the old, black and white films.
"And any way, it's time to get you checked in. What do you say we get you to your room in style? Hmm?" Andy added, turning his creepy glare away from the young girl and back over his shoulder to Ian.
"Hey, Ian! Do you mind getting the rest of the luggage? I'm going to go ahead and get Robin up to her room." The brown-haired teen said as he quickly picked Robin up bridal-style in his arms and carried her in through the front doors of the hotel and into the lobby.
Ian watched them head on in as he moodily balanced both his and Andy's baggage in his arms. His eyes were narrowed and his expression was stormy.
"Yeah, I'll get the rest of the bags, you little snob..." He mumbled grumpily to himself as he hobbled into the hotel with the other three women chatting behind him.
Amon trudged down a dreary allyway, absent-mindedly stepping into muddy puddles and disregarded trash. His mind was still cluttered with information and memories that he did not want to think about at the moment.
All he wanted to think about was Robin and where she was right now. Hopefully safe in a comfortable bed somewhere. In a kind person's house that had heart enough to take her and her pets in.
The ex-hunter sighed and continued on his way.
I'm gonna make a change,
For once in my life
It's gonna feel real good,
Gonna make a difference
Gonna make it right...
Robin gazed around the small, hotel room that would serve as her living quarters for the next week or two. It wasn't exactly homey, but it was alright. It had two double beds, a small television set, and little restroom (Complete with a bathtub) to the right of the door.
Bree entered in after Robin and took a look around the room, too. When her dark eyes were finished inspecting the area, she groaned.
"Great, a whole week in Crowded Hell." She complained in her deep, manlike voice as she as went over to the first bed and dropped her stuff on it.
"I guess this is my bed." She drawled as she turned around and landed on the bedspread on her back.
Kitten entered in a few seconds later with about four suitcases and somehow managed to actually run over to the second bed, which was near the window that looked out over the street.
"I call dibs on this bed!" She cried childishly, dropping her luggage and climbing up on the bed to jump on it.
Robin smiled with amusement behind the blue curtain covering her body. She wished she could join Kitten in her careless world. But all the young witch really wanted to do was see Amon.
"Kitten, get off the bed and help Robin out of these clothes! We need to get settled in here." Rain ordered the younger girl as she went over and dropped her own bags on the first bed. The older woman then pointed at a little, plastic, grocery bag near the open door.
"There is your stuff, Robin. You'll be sharing a bed with Kitten." Rain said as she opened her suitcase and began unloading.
Robin nodded stiffly as Kitten ran over and began unwidning the blue shroud that bound her limbs to her body. After a few moments, she was at last free.
"Wow. Please don't ever make me wear that again, Rain." The young witch begged softly as she stretched her arms and legs. Rain chuckled.
"Don't worry, I won't. In fact, I don't think we'll be needing that disguise again." The mahagony-haired girl said as she pulled a blue shirt out from her suitcase.
Robin raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Why not?" She asked, jumping when Kitten suddenly landed on the ground next to her. The younger girl had just vaulted off of the bed and had landed perfectly on her feet.
"What do you mean why not? We're going to go shopping later to get you some new clothes! Come on, Robin. Let's go see if the guys need any help with their stuff." Kitten chattered loudly as she grasped on to Robin's hand and pulled her down the hall to the boy's room.
As I, turn up the collar on
My favorite winter coat
This wind is blowin' my mind...
Amon sat comfortably in his black Sudan; his radio blasting a song on a CD that he had happened to order on E-bay. It was an american song, so he didn't really understand the lyrics. But it was rather comforting to just sit there and listen to it, so he wasn't complaining.
Just as long it isn't that one, damn song by damn Dinky Park The dark-haired man thought to himself bitterly. He had heard it on the radio too many times to count and it was shredding his last nerve to pieces.
At least I can just sit here and think to this song. It's rather soothing... Amon thought lazily as his eyes drifted closed, never even noticing the young, chestnut-haired girl adorned in a heavily layered, black dress as she entered a clothing store off to the left of his car.
I see the kids in the street,
Without enough to eat
Who am I, to be blind?
Pretending not to see their needs
Robin peeked around at the clothes in the store and so far, found nothing she really liked. Kitten and Rain were doing their best to shove all sorts of items into her arms, but she refused all of them. Only Bree seemed interested in what the young witch felt comfortable in.
"What about this one?" The dark-haired girl asked, pulling out a short-sleeved, blue shirt with a black crane pictured on the front.
Robin looked over it once with her emerald eyes and smiled.
"Yes. I like it very much." She said softly with a small grin. This also brought a smile to Bree's face, who didn't smile very often. So basically, her smile looked more like a badly imposed leer.
Hey, Robin! Try on these!" Kitten cried out, rushing over and shoving a pair of low-ride jeans in to Robin's arms.
Robin stared wide-eyed at the garment in her arms. It was a nice pair of jeans. It had a butterfly pictured on one of the legs and trail of small dragonflies emblamed on the other.
Other than the fact that they would only come up to her midsection, Robin didn't see any reason why she shouldn't get them.
So, turning a placid and content expression up to Kitten, she agreed to try on the jeans.
Kitten, after being told no about thousand times, squealed with delight and grabbed onto the young witch's hand. With that, she pulled Robin towards a dressing room.
A summer's disregard,
A broken bottle top
And a one man's soul...
A dark cloaked figure stood in the shade of the tree stimultanously planted next to the street. His gaze was fixed upon the black Sadan that was parked against the curb next to him. He could just make out the lounging form of a man through the tinted windows.
The figure sneered under the concealment of his hood.
"She's mine, you bastard..." He hissed in a snakelike manner as he averted his stare from the Sudan and looked up at the clothing store sign above him.
They follow each other on
The wind ya' know
'Cause the got nowhere to go
That's why I want you to know...
Robin stepped timidly out of the dressing room; trying her best to make the hip-hugger jeans she was currently wearing come higher.
Bree, Rain, and Kitten stood waiting outside for her and they all beamed in delight when she came out.
"Oh, Robin! You look so cute in that outfit!" Kitten exclaimed, wrapping her arms tightly around the young witch's neck and embracing her tightly.
Robin tried her best to smile before pushing the younger girl back.
"Thank-you, but I'm a little uncomfortable wearing -- um, these." She whispered, indicating the jeans, which she was still trying to bring higher. Kitten waved her off.
"Oh, they look great on you, don't they Bree. I mean they suit you perfectly." She said loudly, turning to the older, more sullen woman.
Bree just shrugged.
"I'm not complaining." She said, grinning as she looked at the blue shirt with the black crane pictured on the front. Robin had a feeling that this was the only reason she wasn't.
Rain, who had been quiet for most of the time, came up and put a comforting hand on Robin shoulder.
"Don't worry about it, Robin. You look great." She said softly, her lips stretching into a smile.
Robin smiled back for about a moment before sighing tiredly and lowering her shoulders.
"Rain, do you think I can walk outside for a moment. I need a break from all this shopping." She asked the older woman tensely, as if she were afraid.
Rain looked confused for a moment before smiling and nodding her head.
"Of course you can. But stay just outside the door so we can keep an eye on you." The mahagony-haired girl sad before letting Robin leave.
I'm starting with the man in the mirror.
I'm asking him to change his ways.
And no message
could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change...
Robin stepped out into the sunlight and breathed in deeply. It felt good to come out into the cool air after being in that stuffy store for so long.
The sun was glimmering up above her. For some reason, even though she had seen it for almost every day of her life, it seemed more beautiful now than it had been in years.
Robin brought her emerald gaze down from the sky and looked out at the busy street in front of her. Just in front of her was a large, black Sudan parked at the curb. It's windows were tinted, so she couldn't really see if any one was inside. For some reason, however, it seemed very familiar.
Suddenly feeling a strange urge to take a closer look at the car, Robin inched forward to inspect it. Before she could even take a glace at the wheels, a movement off to her right caught her attention and she jerked her head to look at it.
A tall, dark figure adorned in a black cloak stood about five feet away from her. His arms were raised and he was speaking in a strange tongue. An unpleasent aura was surrounding him.
Before Robin even had time to react, the whole world exploded in a burst of white light...
Na na na, na na na, na na, na na...
Amon jerked awake to the sound of an explosion rocking his car. Jumping into action, he leapt out of his car and was met by a huge crowd of people surrounding the spot in front of a clothing store.
Curious, Amon tried his best to squeeze in through the mob to get a better look. In the center of the circle were four women. One was a black-haired girl with purple highlighted bangs. Her dark eyes were glaring holes at her cellphone, which she was hurriedly trying to dial the emergency number.
The second woman looked younger than the first and had strawberry blonde hair with white-blonde highlights. She was shrieking hysterically and was jumping around as if she were standing on hot lava.
The third girl, who the oldest out of all of them, was calmly crouched on the ground near the mangled body of the fourth girl. Her mahagony hair was sweeping around her shoulder as she tried shake the injured woman.
Amon's slate eyes finally came to rest on the fourth girl, whom did not look too good at the moment. Her chestnut hair was loose and tangled. Her body was sprawled out on the pavement of the sidewalk in an angular way. Her head was turned away so that Amon couldn't see her face.
Poor thing The ex-hunter found himself thinking.
Deciding that none of this was his business, Amon turned away...only to nearly run over Shitari, who had been standing behind him.
The little girl looked terrible. Her blonde hair was ruffled and her face was blood red, as if she had been running. She was breathing harshly and her legs were shaking.
"No...Go back -- Robin is...Amon..." She stuttered, but her rapid breathing would not allow her to form words.
Amon stared at Shitari with wide eyes, his mouth was open slightly in surprise. After regaining some of his composure, he bent down near the girl and took her hands into his gloved ones.
"It's alright. What are you trying to tell me, girl?" He asked her in his deep voice, trying to be as soothing as possible.
Shitari gazed at him through glazed, blue eyes. Her breathing had not slowed down even after a minute.
"Robin is -- she is...here. Robin came back..." The child finally managed to choke out before succumbing to her exaustion and falling forward into Amon's arms; revealing a huge gash running down her back.
Amon's eyes widened a second time.
"Shit." He breathed before gathering Shitari in his arms and loading her into the back of his car. After he had gotten her settled, he ran around to the driver's side and quickly hopped in himself.
As he pulled out of his parking space and drove away from the crowd outside the clothing store, he couldn't help but wonder what Shitari meant when she had said that Robin had come back....
Make that change...
Me: Awww, poor Robin. God, I'm such a mean author.
Amon's Angel of the Darkness: No!!! You're my best reveiwer here! Don't leave!!! (Cries). Alright, I'll shut up. Just know that you will be missed. :(
Solaria735: There might be a lot of Robin torture, as well (See example above). :)
AnimeReviewer790: Yay!!! I have another reviewer! What's even better! She's a one of my best friends! Yippie!!! :D