Chapter 3: New Changes to a New Life
Later, Amon heard the chime of the clock that still hung on the wall. He breathed deep and winced in pain as he used his leg. He got up with his cane and walked to the front. Karasuma handed Sakaki his coat and kissed his cheek.
" I'll see you at home," Karasuma said
" Alright," Sakaki said
He headed out and walked downstairs, Karasuma grabbed her coat and purse.
" Ready Amon?" she asked
" Yes," Amon replied
She nodded and turned around and grabbed Amon's coat. She walked over to him and helped him put it on. She then carried his bag and walked out with him to the car. She helped him in and then got in herself. Amon sighed and looked out the window, pulling himself away from the world. Karasuma glanced over at him and gave a sigh.
" Amon," she whispered
Amon lifted his head from his propped up arm and looked at her.
" What's wrong?" she asked
" Nothing," Amon said
Karasuma sighed and said, " Your not yourself, you hardly organize hunts for us."
" Do I look like I'm in the condition too?" Amon questioned
" Your not crippled from your neck down, it's just your leg. You don't have to go on the hunt Amon," Karasuma replied
Amon sighed and gazed back out the window.
" Just take me home," Amon said
Karasuma drove to his apartment building. She watched Amon get out using his cane and she got out, then grabbed his things from the back of the car.
" You don't need to stay, I have food for tonight," Amon said
He handed her the key and both walked up to the elevators, then too his apartment. He slipped off his shoes and took the bag from Karasuma. She slipped her shoes off and helped Amon get settled for the evening.
" You have an appointment tomorrow," she said
" Cancel it," Amon said
" That's the third time," she said
" And it won't be the last, so just cancel it," Amon said, " Why go to a doctor when all their going to do is ask me if I have feeling in my leg, by consent poking? I can do that for free on my own time."
He sat down on the couch and breathed deep a little. She walked over to him and sat beside him and Amon stared out.
" What happened?" she whispered, " What happened in the accident?"
Amon looked away and sighed, Karasuma knew he was getting frustrated.
" I lost control," he said, " I was angry….I didn't realize it."
" Why?" she asked
He looked at her and stared directly into her eyes.
" I withdrew from the world for several reasons," Amon said, " Mainly because I loved someone, who didn't love me back."
Karasuma breathed deep and Amon looked straight ahead feeling Karasuma's gaze.
" I went to fast and didn't realize there was ice on the road. I lost control and only found myself without comfort," Amon whispered
Karasuma reached over and hugged him tight.
" I'm sorry Amon," she whispered, " I'm so sorry."
Amon didn't return the embraced, he just took in her comforting embrace, but then wrapped his arms around her. Karasuma stroked his head and kissed his forehead.
" I didn't know," Karasuma whispered
" It's not your fault," Amon whispered, " Don't blame yourself for any of this."
Karasuma looked at him and placed her hand on his face, she kissed his cheek.
" You chose the right person Miho," Amon said, " He needs you more, not me."
" Oh, Amon," she said
Her phone rang and she picked it up.
" Hello," she said sweetly
Amon stood up and walked to the kitchen and brewed some coffee. He looked at Karasuma as she talked to Sakaki. As she finished her conversation she stood up and looked at him. She hung up and walked over to Amon, he nodded.
" Go home Miho, you've done enough here," he said
" Tomorrow Amon," she said
" Tomorrow," he replied
Karasuma picked up her bag and walked out and Amon made his coffee. He sat down by the window and stared out letting his mind drift away to his unsettling past.
Past
Amon walked home from school with his back pack on his back. He walked inside and heard voices coming from the living room.
" Mom I'm home," Amon called
" I'm in the living room," she said
Amon slipped his shoes off and slipped his back pack off his shoulders. He walked into the living room and saw his grandmother and mom talking.
" Grandma, what are you doing here?" he questioned
" Well, hello to you too," she said
He walked over and hugged her and she kissed his cheek.
" My your getting bigger each day I see you, he's growing up to be a fine young man," she said, " That uniform looks good on him too."
Seiko smiled and his grandmother gave a chuckle.
" Amon, how was school?" Seiko asked
" It was ok, a little long," Amon said
" And what grade are you in now little Amon" his grandmother asked
" I'm in 5th," Amon said
She smiled and said, " Well, you are growing up. I bet all the girls like you."
" Grandma," he said
" Oh he's so bashful," his grandmother said, " Well, Amon your going to be 11 years old soon so we have to plan something special."
" I thought when you were 13 that was something special," Amon remarked
" Well, not in this family, we're a little different when it come to tradition," his grandmother said
She smiled and kissed Amon's cheek and then sent him on his way. Seiko looked at her mother and smiled.
" Amon's getting to be very aware of the world Seiko," her mother said
Amon peeked out of his room door to hear his mother and grandmother speak.
" He doesn't know and I won't tell him," Seiko said
" You will have to explain to him," his grandmother stated, " It's in your blood and in his too. Though it may never show for him."
Seiko sighed and shook her head and looked out the window.
" It's not easy for a child of his age to know what is in him," she said
" He won't learn this in school Seiko, they'll take him away if someone snitches on you," his grandmother said
" I won't let them," Seiko said, " I won't dare let them harm one hair on his head. Amon's special. I don't know what's so special, but he is. And he's going to find someone to help him know what that is."
Later, Amon went and played with a few friends, unaware of the event that would soon shape him into the person he would become. He would draw the line from love and anger and his life would take a turn.
He came back and saw two black cars, parked in front of the house. He ran inside and saw some men stand in front of his mother.
" Mom!" he cried
A young woman turned and looked at Amon.
" Amon," Seiko said
Amon wrapped his arms around her. The men stepped back and one walked over to Amon.
" Your Amon right?" the man said
" Yes," Amon replied
Amon looked at the man and inched away from him. He removed a paper from his coat and handed it to Amon.
" What is this?" he said
" You don't have to read it Amon," Seiko said
Amon opened the letter and looked at the heading STN-J. Amon looked at the letter and handed it back to the man.
" What's my mother have to do with this?" Amon asked
" We don't discuss this with kids," another man said
" You do in this house," Amon growled, " I'm the man of the house you can tell me."
The second man narrowed his eyes and pushed Amon out the way and drew his orbo gun.
" Amon!" Seiko cried
Amon narrowed his eyes at the man and got up.
" Leave him alone," Seiko cried, " He won't be with Solomon, he's not a witch."
" He's being required to appear before a board and an inquisitor on this day," the same man that push Amon said
" No!" Seiko shouted, " He'll 11 years old."
" Shut up!" the man said slapping Seiko to the ground
Amon looked at the man and came at him as to knocking off balance. Seiko looked up and saw the man aim the orbo gun at him.
" Amon!" she shouted
It was quick and Amon stood there in horror as he watched the man fly into the far wall. Amon turned and looked at his mother, she seemed to show a angered look in her eyes.
" Mom," he whispered
Seiko looked at the three men that stood there.
" Get out of my house, leave my son alone. Don't ever come near me or him," Seiko growled
She didn't hesitate to show them all the door, and take the orbo guns away from them. Amon breathed deep and looked at his mother in complete confusion.
" Mom," he said, " What happened? What was that power?"
She turned and went to hug him, but he backed away from her.
" Sakura was right, your one of them," Amon said, " You're a witch…you kill innocent people."
" No, Amon," she said, " I don't."
" You hurt that man," Amon said
" Because he was going to hurt you," she said
" No," Amon said
He ran past her and out the door.
" Amon!" she cried
Amon ran down the street not looking back, he didn't care where he was going, he just ran. He found money to take the city bus and ended where he would spend a couple of months. Amon walked to the elevator and took it to the 6th floor, he then came to an apartment and knocked on the door.
" Open up," Amon said, " Please."
He continued to hit his fist against the door.
" Please," Amon called out
The door finally opened and Amon looked at his half brother and Nagira shook his head.
" I knew you'd find your way," Nagira said
Amon breathed a little sigh of relief. Nagira let him in and shut the door.
" Where's your mom?" Nagira asked
" I don't know, she didn't come pick me up from school," Amon lied
" Well, you can stay here…Dad's out of town for a couple of months and mom's out of the country for 6 months," Nagira said, " So, your ok to stay here."
Amon nodded and slipped his shoes off and sat down on the couch. Nagira looked at Amon and gave him a look.
" Your mom didn't forget to pick you up did she?" Nagira said
Amon looked up at Nagira and shook his head. Amon could feel a pain stabbing at him as he saw his mother use a power that could kill a man.
" Do you want to tell me what happened huh little brother," Nagira said
" My mom's….my mom's a….a witch," Amon forced out
" Huh? Seems like you have a bit of a problem," Nagira said
" I don't want to go back," Amon said, " She nearly killed a man."
Nagira sat down next to Amon and said, " I see, so I guess what you saw was her power awakening. It's not a pretty thing. I saw something similar happen to a friend of mine last week. He's gone now, no one's heard from him or seen him. They think "they" got him."
" They?" Amon asked
" An organization called Solomon, not a friendly one either," Nagira said, " They claim they're purifying society, but what they're really doing is killing everyone who is different off. Don't get caught by them Amon…like I said before your safe here."
Amon nodded and Nagira sighed, he made Amon something to eat, their friendship as half brothers began there, the part where they couldn't sever ties with one another.
Amon stayed with Nagira for a couple of months and then took his chance of going home. Nagira took the bus with him and waited for him and his mother to make up. Amon opened the door and walked in, the house was well lit and Amon bit his lip.
" Mom, I'm home," he called
The sounds of a door opening and his mother walked out. She didn't look well, in fact she looked weak and unsteady.
" Amon," she said
She came running to him and wrapped her arms around him.
" Oh, Amon," she whispered, " I was so worried."
" I just went to Nagira's for awhile," Amon said, " It was no big deal."
" No, big deal. You were gone for two months," she said, " I was worried sick about you. I called your uncle and grandmother."
" I was with family," Amon said
Seiko looked up at Nagira and he gave a nod.
" I'm going to go now, Amon it's been a pleasure. See you around," Nagira said
Amon nodded and Amon looked at his mother. He wiped her eyes and tried to see her as the mother from before. Of course now it would be only time that she would become the hunted.
Winter came and Seiko watched Amon grow, he was now 11 and ready to start his next step in life.
" Amon," Seiko whistled
Amon turned around and a snowball came flying at him. He ducked, but missed the second one that came at him. He watched his mother developed the craft she was given, he stayed away from her when she did. He wanted nothing to do with that craft and wouldn't talk to her about it. He closed up and became a different person and let time prove it.
When the spring came Amon was finishing up a long year of school. Amon's life was one step closer to fully pulling away from everything.
Amon walked home from school and saw a black van parked in front of his house. He saw broken windows and signs of a struggle.
" Mom," he whispered
He ran towards the house and a woman stood in front of the doorway.
" You can't go in there kid," she said
" My mom, where is she?" he cried
" Dry your eyes kid your safe from a dangerous witch like her," a masculine voice came over Amon's cry
" You," Amon said, " You did something…you killed her."
" No, kid I did my job and hunted her. She's a witch on our list," the hunter said
" I'm sorry," the woman said
Amon pushed past the woman to attack the other hunter. Anger and pain seeped out of his eyes as he lashed at the hunter. The woman grabbed Amon pulling him back and she pulled a tranquilizer from her coat. Amon felt his eyes shut and he fell into the woman's arms.
" Take him with us, he's got a meeting with destiny," the hunter said
" Of course," she said
A day later and Amon opened his eyes, he moaned and looked around.
" Where am I?" he whispered
" Your awake," a voice said
Amon looked and saw a familiar little girl standing beside him. Amon sat up and looked around and breathed deep.
" Mom," he called
" Shh, it's alright," a soft voice said
Amon turned and looked at the woman that walked in. She knelt down and took his temperature, then his heart rate.
" You're a very strong boy Amon," the woman said, " I believe you will grow up strong."
The girl looked at Amon as he sighed and shook his head.
" I'm not strong, I couldn't face my fear and save her," Amon said
" Ms. Shinzaki go get your father, I think he'll want to meet our survivor," he said
" Ok," the girl said
She walked off and Amon looked at the woman.
" You're the woman who tried to prevent me from going into my house," Amon said
" I had rules," she said, " My orders were given by my superior."
" Ms. Yumi," a masculine voice entered the room
" Mr. Zaizen," she said
She stood up and gave a bow and Amon looked at the man. The girl stood beside him and he looked at her. She walked off and he took a seat.
" Why am I here?" Amon asked
" I can't answer that, but you have been saved from being the next hunted," Zaizen said
Amon gave him a look and sighed.
" Saved?" Amon questioned, " What about my mother?"
" She will never harm another person again," Zaizen said
Amon looked down and couldn't believe what he was hearing, but he was kind of glad that danger was no longer apart of his family.
" Listen, you can start over now Amon and put this behind you," Zaizen said
" How?" Amon said
" By working for me, to hunt those who harm humanity," Zaizen said, " A witch is to be hunted not allowed to live with other humans."
Amon looked at Zaizen as he extended his hand for Amon to shake his hand. Amon, being 11 had witness what should never be witness by any child. He felt a strong anger for witches seep into his blood.
" Witches don't deserve to live," Amon thought
He shook Zaizen's hand and Zaizen smiled.
" Welcome to the STN-J," Zaizen said
Present
Amon opened his eyes and looked at his cold coffee that rested on the table. He sighed and stood up and warmed it up.
" Am I regretting something?" he thought
Amon took his coffee out and worked on some papers for most the night, not wanting to go back to sleep. He didn't want memories to haunt him.