Chapter 6: Replacement
" Amon come on you have a plane to catch," Karasuma said
Amon slipped his coat on and grabbed his cane, Karasuma tapped her foot impatiently.
" Don't tap your foot," he said
" Well, hurry Amon, you men need to learn how to be on time," Karasuma barked
Amon looked around the apartment, he then turned to Karasuma and nodded. Both walked downstairs and Sakaki popped the trunk for Amon's bags. They took Amon to the airport and checked his luggage in. They walked down to the gate that his plane would come to. Karasuma and Sakaki looked at Amon as he sat down.
" Are you going to be alright?" Karasuma asked
" I'll be fine," Amon said, " It's just surgery."
" Yeah, but surgery is a risk," Sakaki said
Amon sighed and said, " What isn't a risk anymore?"
By 9:30 am Amon's plane was called, Karasuma hugged him.
" Good luck," she said
Sakaki shook Amon's hand and then Amon was escorted onto the plane. Amon sat down near a window and sighed. He looked out and stared off into the distance and the plane began to take off. Amon leaned his head back and closed his eyes, thinking back.
Past
4 years later
" How many partners are you going to go through Makoto?" Heiji joked
" Obviously a lot," Makoto replied
Amon leaned back in his chair and heard that they were getting yet another replacement 3months after they lost their other replacement. Amon had gotten use to the fact that now being, 21, they come and go and sometimes get promoted. Amon leaned his head on his propped up hand and stared at the computer. The door opened and a 15 year old girl stood there.
" Excuse me," she said
Makoto turned around and looked at the girl.
" Yes?" he asked
" I'm looking for Mr. Zaizen," she replied
" Oh, come with me," Makoto said
Makoto walked the girl up and Amon turned around to see her walk off.
" She's to young for you Amon," Kate teased
" I'm not interested," Amon said
" The way you just turned your head makes me think other wise," Kate said
" You're a fool to think I would," Amon snapped
He got up and walked to the back and poured some coffee. He sighed and looked out the window, then walked back. Heiji yawned and stretched and looked over at Kate then back at his computer.
" No," Kate said
" What?" Heiji said
" Stop thinking about that stuff Heiji," Kate said
" I wasn't thinking anything," Heiji said
" Sure, it's kind of hard to pull that one on a telepathic," Kate said
Heiji sighed and said, " You must have been reading Amon's mind cause I really wasn't thinking anything."
Kate rolled her eyes, Amon gave Heiji a look and he smiled. Makoto came down with the girl and cleared his throat.
" Alright," Makoto said
Everyone turned and looked at Makoto and the young girl. Her medium brown hair captured her fair complexion. She gave a touch of innocence as she just stood there in a shy manner. Amon was drawn to her like a moth to a flame. Kate simply saw her as competition for a position as a leader. The young girl scanned the faces that were around her, she then laid eyes on Amon.
" It's you," she said
Amon looked at her and nodded and she looked at Makoto.
" So you know Amon," Makoto remarked
" We met one time," she said
" Miho, Karasuma," Amon said
She smiled and nodded and said, " You did remember my name."
" Don't forget names or faces," Amon said
She smiled and Kate looked at Amon and gave a helpless sigh.
" She's so young," Kate said
" Not any younger than you were when you came here four years ago Kate," Heiji said, " Amon an exception he was 13."
" Amon, Mr. Zaizen told me Miho will be in your care, but not exactly your partner," Makoto said
" I see," Amon said
Kate kind of giggled and Amon looked at her and slightly smacked her on the back of the head, as he always did when she poked fun at anyone at the STN-J.
" Hey," she said
" You were thinking something inappropriately," Amon replied
Kate sighed knowing he knew his partner two well. She stuck her tongue out at Amon.
" Act you age Kate," Amon said
She sat up straight and Amon walked over to Miho. Amon got to her level and she looked at him. She lifted the pendant and smiled and Amon nodded.
" I'm glad," Amon said, " I'll be teaching you the ropes around here, but Makoto is your partner Miho."
" I know I was told that already," Miho said
Amon nodded and stood up straight.
" Alright, Kate, Heiji are the two you haven't met," Makoto said, " Heiji is our computer nerd/hunter. He also repairs our weapons as well. Kate is Amon's partner, acts like she's 12."
" Makoto you know that isn't true," Kate said
Amon cleared his throat and Kate rolled her eyes at him. Miho smiled and Makoto showed her, her work station.
" Amon will show you everything and if Amon can't answer computer problems than Heiji can," Makoto said
Later, Amon took Miho to Harry's just as Yumi took him to Harry's on his first day.
" Well, hello Amon, I see you are accompanied by a young woman this time," Harry said
" This Miho," Amon said, " Our replacement."
" A pleasure to meet you," Harry said
" Nice to meet you," Miho replied
Amon ordered some coffee and Miho order tea. Amon could only slightly chuckle at Miho's order.
" What?" she questioned
" You are a total opposite of your aunt," Amon said
" I know she drinks coffee and I drink tea," Miho said
She gently set her spoon down gently on her saucer.
" So, you are my care taker, what does that mean?" Miho asked
" You'll be staying at my place for the time being until you are old enough to rent your own place," Amon said, " I do ask that you help pay for the rent now that there will be two in that apartment."
" I will, and I promise I'm not a messy house guest," Miho explained
Once they finished Amon took her around Tokyo, but mainly to show her what was near the STN-J. He took her to his apartment so she didn't have to carry her bags all day. Amon looked at her as she stared at the bare walls of his apartment and turned to him.
" Amon, you don't have any pictures on your wall," Miho said
" I don't take pictures," Amon said
Miho looked at Amon and shook her head.
" Are you one of those people who believe that pictures steal a person's soul?" Miho asked
" No, I just don't take them," Amon said
Amon opened the door to the spare room and Miho looked at the room.
" It'll need a little cleaning, but it's there," Amon said
Miho smiled at Amon's dry humorous joke. She looked at him once more and nodded.
" We'll make good roommates," she said innocently
Amon nodded and then both headed back to the STN-J. They came up and Makoto looked at them.
" We have a case, we should move," Makoto said, " Karasuma, you will remain here with Heiji, your first hunt won't be until your ready."
" Alright," Karasuma replied
Amon looked at her and winked at her and Karasuma smiled. They headed out and Amon looked at Kate. She followed with her head slightly low and grabbed her coat on the way out.
Three hours later Amon was fussing with Kate and Kate rolled her eyes.
" You don't shoot your partner," Amon said
" You were in my line of fire," Kate growled
Makoto walked back and grabbed the first aid kit and a needle with a serum to reverse the orbo.
" Karasuma, here your getting your first lesson on what happens when your partner shoots you with Orbo," Amon growled
Amon removed his coat and Makoto stood there giving Amon a look. Makoto wrapped a band around Amon's arm. Makoto cleaned Amon's arm before giving him the serum.
" What is that?" Karasuma asked
" Serum that reverses the effect of the orbo, hunters like us need to be careful with orbo. It's as much of a danger to us as to a witch we're hunting," Makoto said
Makoto gave Amon the serum and then wrapped his arm tightly.
" Amon, Makoto in my office," Zaizen said
Amon sighed and got up pushing his long black sleeve down. He walked behind Makoto and sighed. They entered Zaizen's office and stood there.
" What happened today?" Zaizen said
" Kate's firing techniques," Amon said
" Kate shot Amon in his arm," Makoto said, " Luckily we got to the serum in time."
" What use do we have for Kate? This would not be the first and last," Zaizen said
" Suspending her isn't going to work," Amon said, " She had been doing fine, but something tells me she's losing in touch with herself."
" Her craft?" Zaizen asked
" Yes," Amon replied, " She is to emotional to become a hunter and too immature."
" She's still on rookie level," Makoto said, " She's a class B hunter still and won't be achieving anything with it."
" We'll see what happens, just watch her," Zaizen said, " You may go."
They walked down and Amon sighed rubbing his eyes.
" Your not looking good are you ok?" Makoto asked
" Yeah, tiered that's all," Amon said
" Late night with Touko?" Makoto asked
" No," Amon said, " I don't see her that much anymore. Just feel exhausted."
" Maybe you should do light work in the office until your recovered," Makoto said
" No, I can't," Amon said, " It's not in my blood."
" Heiji is capable of handling Kate," Makoto said, " Take a day off Amon. Train Karasuma, she seems to be a fast learner."
" Yeah," Amon said
Amon looked at the hunters and sighed.
" Go home Amon, I'll drop Karasuma off," Makoto said
" It's only 4," Amon said, " I can make it a couple of hours."
By 6, Amon grabbed his coat and looked at Karasuma.
" Ready?" he asked
" Yeah," she said
They walked off and Makoto sighed and shook his head. Amon pulled up at the grocery store near his apartment and sent Karasuma in. She came back 15 minuets later with a few things.
" You don't do grocery shopping?" Karasuma asked
" Not when I have someone to do it," Amon replied emotionless, but jokingly
Karasuma looked at him and giggled and said, " Your very dry."
Amon pulled up to the apartment building and helped her with the groceries. He got up to the apartment and slipped his shoes off.
" What do you like to eat?" Amon asked
" I don't usually eat this late," Karasuma said
" Do you want a drink?" he asked
" Tea," she said
Amon poured some hot water in a pot and boiled it for Karasuma then let her pick the tea she wanted.
" Amon do you drink tea?" she asked
" Sometimes," Amon said
Karasuma looked at Amon and sighed. He looked at her and then looked at the evening light dying away.
" What do you say we get started cleaning that spare room after this?" Amon questioned
" Alright," Karasuma said
Amon carefully poured Karasuma a cup and handed it to her. He made his coffee and they sat down in the living room. Karasuma looked at the dull coloring of the room and then looked at him.
" Amon, why don't you paint your living room like a blue?" Karasuma asked
" Because I don't feel like it," Amon replied
After they drank what they were having Amon and Karasuma began to clean up the spare room. Amon slipped some things in the closet and brought a vacuum in and Karasuma vacuumed the room. Amon went up into the small attic and pulled a pallet down. He grabbed sheets from the closet and brought it in.
" This will have to do for the time," Amon said, " I wasn't expecting to have a roommate."
" I'm sorry," Karasuma said
" There's no need to apologize," Amon said
Karasuma nodded and he helped her put the sheets on the pallet. She looked at Amon and thanked him. He showed her the rest of the apartment and then she went and took a shower. Amon sighed as he sat by the window and stared out.
" What am I going to do?" Amon thought, " She's a 15 year old. It's like raising a child."
The next morning Amon walked into the bathroom and too his surprises it was clean. It was as if no one had used it, everything was in place, just as before. The only thing different was there were some flowery bath soaps. He shut the door and took his shower than got ready. He turned on the lights in the living room and turned the coffee maker on. He made tea for Karasuma and started to make breakfast. Amon walked to the spare room and knocked on Karasuma's door. He heard her moan a little and he opened the door.
" It's time to get up Karasuma, we have a busy day," Amon said
" What time is it?" she asked
" 5," Amon said
" Come back in an hour," she moaned
Amon walked in and looked at her.
" Breakfast is ready so get dress and let's get moving," Amon said
Karasuma sat up and yawn and looked up at her.
" Alright," Karasuma said
Amon walked out and Karasuma locked the door. Amon looked at the time and went back to knock on the door, when it opened. Karasuma had dressed fully in a nice suit.
" Is this ok?" she asked
" It's fine," he replied, " come eat and then we have to go."
They sat down and ate breakfast, then headed off. Amon took her to the STN-J, then went up to the office.
" Good morning," Heiji said to Karasuma
" Morning," she said
" Heiji what do we have today?" Amon asked
" Well, another hunt should be easy, Makoto should be here any minuet he wants to take Karasuma out for the hunt," Heiji said
" Where's Kate?" Amon asked
" She called in sick," Heiji said
" She can't call in sick," Amon said
Heiji shrugged and said, " She did…so I guess it's going to be you three today."
Amon shook his head and headed to the back. Karasuma sat down at her work station. Amon leaned against the counter as he waited for the coffee to finish. He felt irritated with just everything.
" I'm going to Harry's give me a call when Makoto's in," Amon said
" Will do," Heiji said
Amon took off and went down to the garage when he heard Makoto's car pulling up. He waited and saw Makoto's black car pull into the parking spot next to him. Makoto got out and looked at Amon.
" Whoa! Who pissed you off?" Makoto asked
" Kate called in sick," Amon simply said
" And what can I do about it?" Makoto asked
" I don't know you're the senior hunter figure it out," Amon snapped
Makoto rolled his eyes and said, " She's your partner, your suppose to be in control of her not me."
" Karasuma's your partner and she's living with me," Amon barked
" Well, you're the one more responsible," Makoto simply said
Amon shook his head and turned on his phone.
" I'll meet you on the hunt I'm going to get coffee," Amon said, " We'll deal with this later, I don't think Kate's going to be here much longer."
" I agree," Makoto said
Amon got into his car and took off and Makoto sighed. Amon walked into Harry's and sat down.
" Your usual?" Harry asked
" Please," Amon said
Amon sighed and Harry fixed him his hot coffee. Amon looked through his phones and called Kate. Kate didn't answer her phone at all and he called her home. Someone walked in and Harry welcomed them.
" Hello Harry," a woman's voice said
Amon turned and saw Touko walking towards the bar. She sat down one seat over from him.
" Your between classes I'm guess," Amon said
" Yes, just three more before the semester is over," Touko said
Harry placed a hot cup of coffee in front of Touko.
" How is the new hunter?" Touko asked
" Scared," Amon replied, " She's full of innocence, too pure for this job…just like her aunt."
" I see," Touko said
Amon got a call and Touko looked at him.
" Go ahead," Amon said
" Makoto and Karasuma are on their way to the section 4, there's a witch on the run," Heiji said
" I'll be there," Amon said
He grabbed his coat and looked at Touko, she gave a sigh as he had to go. He got into his car and took off. There he came to section 4 and got out his car.
" Where are you Makoto?" he called
" We're coming your way," Makoto called back
Amon nodded and pulled his orbo gun out. He stood in front of his car waiting for the witch to come towards him.
" Heiji, send me coordinates on where the witch is come from," Amon said
" Sent," Heiji said
A map was placed on his phone and he looked at the witch's pattern. Amon saw it coming and prepared to fire. What he didn't prepare for was the strong attack from the witch. The witch smiled and sent a wave of energy at him. Amon blocked his face from the shards of stuff coming at him. He looked up and aimed his gun as the witch continued.
" Amon, the orbo won't protect you," Makoto said
" I notice," Amon said
He fired three shots and went at the witch first hand.
" Don't be stupid," Heiji shouted
Makoto and Karasuma ran and fired from the back and the witched turned around. Amon then shot three times and the witch fell. Amon breathed deep and looked at Makoto as he protected Karasuma from the witch's craft.
" Are you ok?" Makoto asked both Amon and Karasuma
" Fine," Amon said
" I'm ok," Karasuma said
" Good shooting Karasuma," Makoto said
Amon reloaded his gun and looked at Makoto and Makoto shook his head.
" Karasuma don't follow that knot head's example," Makoto said
Amon turned away and got back into his car.
" I'll see you at the STN-J," Amon said
He drove back to the STN-J and climbed up the stairs and then took the elevator. He walked into the office and sat down.
" Nice hunt," Heiji said
" Yeah," Amon said
" Looks like Makoto's got Karasuma on the right track, maybe she'll replace one of us once we retire," Heiji joked
" Maybe," Amon said
Heiji shook his head and went back to work. Makoto and Karasuma came up and Karasuma went straight to Amon.
" You did good kid," Amon said
" I had a great teacher," Karasuma said
She kissed Amon's cheek and went to the back.
" One day and you got the little lady kissing your cheek," Makoto said
" She's a child not a woman," Amon said, " She won't be a woman until….she's much older."
" Until someone sleeps with her, I see now, I know what's on your mind," Heiji said
" Not that," Amon said
Amon got up and walked to the back, Karasuma looked around.
" You don't drink anything, but coffee do you?" Karasuma asked
" That's all we have," Amon said
Karasuma sighed and grabbed a cup off the counter. She poured a cup and lifted it to her lips and Amon watched her. She sipped it and spit it out in the sink. She drank some water to rinse her mouth out.
" Try sugar and cream," Amon said
" Oh," she said
She put three teaspoons of sugar and some cream in it. She stirred it and found it to be to sweet. She sighed and Amon took the cup and dumped it up. He washed it and then pour her another cup. He put one teaspoon and a half, then added the cream, he handed it to her. She took a sip and nodded and Amon nodded too.
" Your to young for coffee," Amon said, " But maybe you can bring some tea to work."
" Yeah," Karasuma said
Later that afternoon they went on another hunt and Karasuma was as focused as she could get, managed to shoot and hunt her first witch. She smiled and looked at her mentors.
" Very nice," Makoto said
" Thank you," Karasuma said
Week after week Amon watched as his trainee master her hunting skills. Kate envied her comrade, seeing she got praised and Amon could feel the jealousy. He ignored it for quite awhile, but to him it was engulfing her soul.
" Apart of her has awakening?" Makoto asked
" Kate's jealousy just sends a unpleasant feeling, I can't trust her to have my back anymore," Amon said
" Your being paranoid Amon," Makoto said
Harry served them both coffee and Makoto leaned back in his chair.
" Amon your looking for a reason to get rid of Kate," Makoto said
" Wouldn't you if you got shot, dislocated your shoulder, sprang ankle, burned your arm, broke your foot and broken your wrist?" Amon suggested
" Your reading to much into this," Makoto said
Amon sighed and drank his coffee and leaned back into his seat.
" I just don't think she will be with us much longer, it would be the best for the STN-J," Amon said, " I hope you understand Makoto."
" I know," Makoto said
Present
Amon looked around and found the plane to be quiet. There were only a few awake and Amon sighed. He felt a certain nervousness as the flight continued to Italy.
" Robin are you there waiting for me as your partner?" Amon thought, " Or someone else?"