Chapter Twenty:

Damaged Symphony

Disclaimer: You know it, you follow it, so I don't have to write it. :D

Voices. She could hear voices. Really nothing but mumurs, but they were voices just the same.

Robin groaned, her head pounding from an early morning migrane. She raised herself from under her jacket, which she had used as a blanket.

As she rubbed the sleep out her eyes, she sat up into a sitting position in the swan boat she had used for a bed. It had a red, velvet sheet bundled up inside there like a mattress, so she was actually quite comfortable.

A gasp suddenly caught Robin's attention, making her jump and look up to face a young women standing in front of her. She had fiery red hair that ended in the middle of her back and she had a ruby nose ring. Her red T-shirt had a phoenix pictured on the front and her black jeans had a fire design.

The girl glared hard at the young witch with her blue eyes and hefted what seemed to be a clipboard higher up in her arms.

"And who, pray tell, are you?" She asked, her foot tapping on the ground impatiently. "Are you an actress or are you just a stage hand that fell asleep while setting up the scene?" She added after a few tense moments.

Robin stared at the young girl with wide-eyes, her lips quivering as she tried to think of something to say.

"I -- um, I am --" She stuttered, a blush creeping into her cheeks.

The girl eyed Robin's clothes, letting out an exasperated sigh as she turned around.

"Well, by the looks of your wardrobe, your deffinately an actress. And by the looks of it, your name's probably Missy. I've heard about you. Your coworkers are always complaining about how you always fall asleep on the job." She paused here, turning back around to face the young witch. "Well, that's all about to change, girlie." She added in a bossy type of way.

Robin stared at the red-haired woman in shock. Her mouth had dropped open slightly, revealing every bit of her surprise.

"I'm your new boss and what I say, goes. You won't be doing any more sleeping with me here." She stated haughtily, sifting through the papers attatched to the clipboard. "It's says here that your playing the role of Juliet. Well, then, you better get your ass out of there and get yourself into costume." She said after a couple of seconds.

Robin quickly nodded her head, timidly climbing out over the side of the swan boat.

"A-alright" She said quietly, placing her feet hesitantly on the floor, as if she were afraid that it would give way. Once situated, she reached back into the boat and retrieved her jacket, placing it under her arm.

The red-haired girl nodded in satisfaction.

"Good. We're going to get along just fine. My name is Kaida. If you need me, just come and find me." She said as she turned and headed towards a boy who was trying his best to squeeze into a pair of very tight trousers.

Robin stared after her, her emerald eyes wide. After a few minutes, she realized that she wasn't being watched anymore, so she began to slowly inch her way towards the curtain that led out to the stage. Perhaps if she made her way to the lobby of the theater, she would be able to get out by the front enterance.

"Hey, you. The dressing rooms are back that way." Kaida snapped, pointing her finger down a hallway that Robin had just now noticed.

The young witch sighed in frustration, hanging her head as she headed for the hall.

"Yes, ma'am." She said glumly as she disappeared into the darkness.

Kaida shook her head in annoyance before turning to face a tall, blonde-haired girl that had just walked into the backstage area.

"And who are you?" She asked, raising her eyebrow expectantly.

The girl smiled, fluttering her long eyelashes

"I'm Missy. I'm supposed to play the part of Juliet." She crooned as she fluffed her gorgeous hair.

Kaida eyed the girl, the look in her eyes being one that was part confusion and part anger.

"Very funny. Now tell me your real name." She stated, tapping her clipboard with a neon-red pencil.

The blonde gasped offensively, placing her hands on her hips.

"I'm not joking! My name is Missy Tanako. Ask anyone here." She whined, stamping her blue high-heel on the wooden floor.

Kaida stared hard at the girl, her blue eyes narrowed.

"Well, then, if you're Missy...then who was that girl in the black dress that I just sent back to your dressing room?"

Robin quitely opened the backstage exit door that led out to the alleyway beside the theater. She peaked out to get a good look at the crowded sidewalk. After a couple of minutes of making sure the cost was clear, she lowered the bill of the baseball cap she was wearing over her eyes, hefted the knapsack she carrying higher up on her shoulder, and slipped out of the door.

Mingling in with the crowd, the young witch made sure she kept her gaze down, lest anyone recongnized her. She probably shouldn't have worried so much, but after being hunted for so long, she had learned to stay on her guard.

Adjusting the dark sunglasses she was wearing, Robin raised her head slightly. Her expression was blank, but there were millions of emotion bubbling inside of her.

Well, I'm alone once again... She thought bitterly to herself, raising a hand to scratch furiously at her left arm. The blue, satin blouse that she had borrowed from the dressing room was itching like crazy.

After a few moments of scratching, Robin sighed and began to swing her brown knapsack around by it's drawstring.

"I wonder what happpened to Amon?" She mused sadly as she stopped right in the middle of the sidewalk. Her eyes were beginning to fill with tears as she thought of the inevitable.

"No! I mustn't think like that! Amon is alive! He's returned before and he can do it do it again...can't he?" She trailed off, her eyes shimmering at the memory of her dark guardian angel.

"Besides, he told me he would be coming back..."

Flashback

Amon turned his gaze back down to her, smiling slightly before he bent down and gave her a kiss on her left cheek.

"Just know that I'll be coming back for that." He said quietly before pushing her roughly into the elevator just as the doors were closing.

End of Flashback

Robin sighed and raised her hand to her left cheek, gently touching the spot where Amon had kissed her.

"I must believe that he was telling the truth. I need to trust that he will live up to his promise." She paused here, pulling open her knapsack by it drawstrings and stuffing her hand inside. After a few minutes of digging around, she produced her half-moon specticals.

"But how do I know that his words are even true..." She whispered as she turned her most prized possession over in her palm. The sunlight reflected on lens of the glasses, making them twinkle innocently up at her, as if it knew the pain she was going through.

Robin squared her jaw, determinded not to cry.

"I'll wait for you, Amon...but please hurry." She breathed as she held the glasses to her chest, feeling her heart beat against her wrist. She raised her gaze to the sky, narrowing her eyes as the sun's rays beat into her eyes.

"For I don't think I can live without you..."

Michael quickly tapped on the keys of his keyboard, his eyes turning red from staring at the computer for so long.

"Did you find anything?" Miho Karasuma asked him quietly, her brown eyes peaking eagerly over his shoulder at the screen.

The hacker shook his head sadly.

"No, not yet. I did manage to contact Amon's cellphone last night before you and Haruto showed up, but I got cut off." He said as he leaned back in his chair and rubbed at his eyes under his glasses.

Miho nodded and sighed in frustration, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I just don't get any of it. It's not like Amon to just disappear." She said, closing her eyes and shaking her head."It doesn't make any sense."

"It's not like he hasn't done it before. Besides, he's been acting a little crazy lately. Maybe he just need a break and went out for a ride. Sakaki pointed out, lounging lazily in a nearby chair.

Michael gave the other boy an irritated side-glance.

"So, you think that Amon just decided to just get up and go for a nice drive in the countryside. Is that what you're saying?" He asked, raising a questioning eyebrow.

Sakaki just shrugged.

"Hey, it could happen." He said with a smirk, leaning forward slightly as if to show off his white teeth.

Michael shook his head.

"You're hopeless." He said with a sigh, turning back to his computer and typing some more on his worn-out keyboard.

"Well, actually, Sakaki could be right. Remember when we told Amon about Robin's house exploading in San Francisco and he didn't show up for four days? Maybe it's just one of those things." Miho said with a shrug of her own.

"Hey, did you hear that? She said I could be right." Sakaki beamed, raising his arms and placing them behind his head, leaning back against them. His foot wiggled to some unknown tune dancing around in his head.

Michael rolled his blue eyes in annoyance before addressing Karasuma.

"Yes, but if you also remember, Amon called every day to tell us that he wouldn't be coming in. He hasn't even bothered to check in this time." The hacker said, gazing up at the older woman.

"So, where do you think he is?" Doujima asked, finally joining in on the conversation as she walked in from the little kitchen, carrying a soda in her hand.

Michael shrugged, turning back to his moniter and reaching over to click on the mouse a few times.

An awkward silence overcame the four of them. None of them were sure what to say. After a couple of minutes, Karasuma finally spoke.

"Hey, does anyone know where Eri might be? I tried to reach her on her cellphone last night, but she wouldn't pick up." She asked, getting a no from the other three people in the room.

"Oh, that's just great. So, technically we have two people missing. Am I correct?" Sakaki questioned, his mouth forming a tight line across his face as both Doujima and Karasuma just shrugged.

Michael tried ignore all of this, his eyes glowing with unshed tears.

A beeping sound from the computer caught everyone's attention, causing them all to quickly crowd around Michael's computer.

"What is it? Is it Amon?" Doujima asked in an unnaturally high voice, as if she were about to cry.

Michael shook his head.

"No, it's not Amon." He said, typing on his keyboard a little faster then he usually did. Sakaki tried his best to squeeze himself in so as to get a better look.

"Well, then, who is it?" He asked, cursing loudly when Doujima stepped on his foot.

"I'm not sure, but we'll find out in just a second..." Michael said, clicking on the mouse once more. After a few seconds of silence, the results popped up on the screen.

Everyone let out identical gasps. The three people standing behind Michael all took a surprised step backwards.

"Robin." They all said at the same time.

Robin gazed up at the Holiday Inn. Her eyebrows were furrowed and her eyes were narrowed behind the glasses.

"I hope they're not too upset with me." She said to herself softly, hefting the large, brown knapsack higher up on her shoulder and making her way into the hotel lobby.

Me: Okay, so it's a short chapter. Please don't kill me. And don't worry. I usually update quickly, so chapter twenty-one shoulde be up by tomorrow afternoom. :)

Solaria735: Yes, I try to update fast so that my fans don't get bored with my fic. I know it sometimes gets annoying just reading the same chapter's over and over again, so I try to post a chapter quickly. :)

Yes, it's true that I can burn Ian, but I can't. He's an important character to the story sadly.

I would never kill Amon. That would be stupid. Plus, if I did, I'd probably be mauled by his fan club. :) Thanks for reviewing.

AnimeFreaks13: Don't worry. There won't be any Amon/Michael/Sakaki deaths in this story. Just a lot of bashing and beating up. :)

Amon's Angel of the Darkness: Chapter 19 is my favorite chapter, too.

Well, the reason there are so few Ian/Robin moments is because I couldn't find a good place to put them. Don't worry, though. There is a good Ian/Robin moment in chapter Twenty-three. I try to post it as soon as I can. Please forgive me.

God, your stories sound way better than mine. No wonder I don't have that many reviwers.

Thanks for reviewing. :)

bravedragon: (Runs after Ian with a torch in hand) Kill the blondie!!! Mwa ha ha ha!

Yes, I hurt Amon. And I do it, because I can. ;) He'll be alright, though. I promise.

Kerigan: You thought me killing/hurting Amon was awesome? Cool... I like you. :D

pyro-witch2: Yay! Another reviewer!! Oh, Happy Day! (Does the Disco)

Okay, that aside. Yes, I broke them up again, just because I could.

The Michael/Eri relationship is on pause, at the moment. They'll get back together, soon, though. Robin does get out of the building (Read chapter above.). And no, I doubt Amon is dead, too. I want himt to kick Ian's ass, as well. ;)

As for Sakaki and Karasuma...I used to think they would make a cute couple...and then I found out Karasuma was older than Sakaki...now I'm just disturbed...:S

AnimeReviewer790: Thanks for reviewing and thank-you so much for all of your support. :)

angelprincess22: Like I said. I do it, because I can. :) Thanks for reviewing.

i think you know: I don't know. Do I know? Should I know? :S I'm J/K. Any way, thank the scary bitch behind you for making you review. :) I'm just joking. Please don't hate me.