Touko, having just returned home from work, stood in the doorway of the apartment surveying the pandemonium before her. A multitude of identical long black nineteenth century dresses littered the floor of the main room. Touko looked only mildly astonished to behold the gothic version of Robin arguing with Bushtit. The two girls were apparently disagreeing over whose dresses were scattered around the flat. The other more demure sisters attempted to console the two girls before the argument escalated into an all-out craft fight. With the recent arrival of Dickcissel and Bushtit, Amon's ex-lover was hardly surprised to discover the final puzzle piece taking up residence in her home.
Touko sighed and proceeded to the kitchen to pour herself a small cup of sake. Unlike Amon, she really hadn't done anything to deserve this fate. Before the other clones had arrived, Touko had known that Robin was the wedge that ultimately destroyed her relationship with Amon, and had made living with the young witch very difficult at the time. Now, here was Touko still living not only with Robin, but her three identical sisters to boot. Touko was aware that Amon was also not coping too well with the addition of more replicas and a devious part of her was glad for it. The bastard deserved to suffer after abandoning her for the tot also known as Robin. Touko cringed as she heard a voice call out from behind.
"Hey, Touko's home!" Bushtit exclaimed.
"Touko," Robin began. "This is Woodcock. She's an earth craft user." Robin turned back to her newly discovered quadruplet. "This is Touko's flat."
"Touko and Amon used to, you know," Bushtit piped up.
"Bushtit!" Robin exclaimed. "That's rude."
"What?" she responded, perplexed at Robin's reaction. "It's the truth."
The goth chick nodded as her eyes ran over Touko's form. "I can see why – I'd definitely do her."
"Woodcock!" Robin vehemently hissed.
The replica proceeded to ignore the original sister and gave Touko an scrutinizing look. "Did you guys ever engage in any funky butt-sex when you two were shacking up?"
Touko, who had remained silent for the entire exchange, wordlessly picked up her cup and bottle of sake and headed towards her room. Yes, the bastard definitely deserved to be surrounded by these psycho clones. A large part of her further hoped that there might be even more Robins to torture the man indefinitely. As Touko began to close the door of her bedroom, she distantly heard the young witches resume their argument.
"This is so obviously your black dress," Bushtit angrily asserted.
"And just why would I wear such a tacky thing?" Woodcock replied.
"Tacky? They're basically identical! Calling my dress tacky is the same thing as calling your dress tacky."
"Absolutely not. See my dress differs here…and here…as well as –"
Touko shut the door.
"You look tired, Robin," Michael commented when the young witch walked by his desk as she returned from her trip to the coffeepot the next morning.
"I am tired," she affirmed. "Originally, Dickcissel and I shared a room so Bushtit could be alone. She, uh, likes her space. When Woodcock arrived, the only available place for her to sleep was in Bushtit's room. However, they don't exactly get along -- at all."
Michael nodded. "I kind of noticed that."
"They lasted about thirty minutes together before starting a huge argument. We decided that Bushtit should share a room with me, since we've been together the longest and Dickcissel could move into Woodcocks's room. We spent almost the entire night moving their belongings around."
"Sounds terrible." At that moment, Dickcissel sat down at the desk beside Michael's that she shared with Amon and gave him a disapproving look at the hamburger he was eating.
"What was that about?" Michael whispered to Robin.
"Oh, Dickcissel is a vegan."
"Really?"
Robin nodded as Amon returned to the STN-J office. As usual, he wasted no time in getting to the point.
"Have you found anything new, Michael?"
The young hacker shook his head. "I'm afraid not."
Amon nodded in lieu of a verbal response and turned to Robin. "Come with me."
The young witch happily left Michael's side and followed him into the briefing room with Woodcock and Bushtit simultaneously glaring after her. Dickcissel hadn't noticed the two's exit as she began lecturing Michael on the ethics of eating meat. Instead of taking her usual place, Robin sat down across from Amon. Before she could speak, the hunter began first.
"How is Woodcock adjusting?"
"She seems fine – though we did spend the entire night moving Dickcissel and Bushtit to different rooms because she doesn't get along with Bushtit very well."
Amon swallowed and hesitated before asking his next question. "And Touko? How is she coping with the situation?"
Robin's face immediately fell. "Well, I don't think she was happy last night with the moving and arguing, but otherwise she is fine. You don't have to worry about Touko."
Amon nodded. "Have you ever heard of some special power occuring when four different elemental craft users combine?"
Robin frowned. "No, I haven't, though it does seem to make logical sense."
"That's what I think Solomon intends with the four of you, but I don't have anything else to go on."
"Amon, have you learned about any more new information about our origins yet?"
The dark hunter shook his head as he answered. "No. Michael hasn't been able to find anything of interest."
"Oh." Robin sat back in her seat, disappointed. To her surprise, Amon reached over and covered her hand with his own while giving her a concerned look.
"It will be all right, Robin," he reassured her. "We will find out where your sisters came from and what Solomon wants. Just be patient."
Amon quickly retrieved his hand when Bushtit appeared in the doorway of the briefing room. "That Kosaka guy wants to talk to us about Woodcock."
Back in the main office, Kosaka stood with his hands upon his hips surveying the hunters before him as Bushtit, Robin and Amon returned. "We need to decide what to do with, uh, Woodcock. At this point, it would be impractical for the girl to be assigned to Amon's team. Instead, I'm going to assign her to one of you." He made a sweeping motion to indicate that he meant Karasuma, Doujima and Sakaki.
Immediately, the three hunter's eyes widened in panic as they began at once to frantically explain why they were unsuited for such an assignment. Amidst the babbling, Sakaki, for once, made a coherent argument.
"Why not assign Woodcock to Doujima since she's the only hunter who doesn't have a partner?"
A silence fell over the room as everyone pondered this conundrum.
"Well," Kosaka began slowly. "That's probably because Doujima tends to be unreliable."
"I am not unreliable!" the blonde exclaimed indignantly.
"Well, if that's how you feel, then you can be partnered with Woodcock."
Doujima's face clouded in anger. "Hey! You tricked me!"
"If desk space is an issue," Michael interjected, "Woodcock could always share a desk with me."
Kosaka looked doubtfully at the voluminous amounts of clutter scattered upon the hacker's desk.
"I'm sure he'll be more than willing to keep his workstation clean for me," Woodcock piped up, at the same time giving Michael a coy smile.
He returned a smile. "Sure. Anything you want."
"Very well then," Kosaka said, obviously uncomfortable with the googly eyes between the Michael and the young witch. "Woodcock will be partnered with Doujima and share a desk with Michael." He turned his attention to Amon. "I need you to use your Ultimate Technique of Optometrist no Jutsu (1) on Woodcock before she goes out on any hunts."
Amon rolled his eyes. "Why don't we just take her to a licensed optometrist?"
Kosaka looked baffled that he had overlooked such an obvious solution. "Of course. I guess that would make more sense. Doujima, since you're now Woodcock's partner, you can take her to the STN's optometrist."
The others watched Doujima leave the office with Woodcock in tow, grumbling all the way.
"All right," Kosaka said as he clapped his hands together. "Everyone back to work!"
Michael stood patiently waiting by the elevator as Amon, Robin, Bushtit and Dickcissel arrived from their latest witch-hunt. The serious look upon the hacker's face immediately communicated to Amon that Michael had important news. Amon quickly exited the elevator and hurried towards the young man. The three identical sisters quickly followed as well.
"What is it, Michael?" Amon asked.
"We have a familiar guest," came the reply.
The girls looked perplexed as Amon nodded. "I expected as much."
"I figured. He wants to see all of you right away. Woodcock is already with him in the far room down the hall."
Amon nodded and set off in the aforementioned direction, the young witches trailing after him. Bushtit and Dickcissel gave each other baffled looks while Robin trotted alongside Amon with a concerned look upon her face. Finally, Amon thought inwardly. Finally, we just might get some answers.
Father Juliano sat regally in his chair with his hands resting atop of his cane situated before him. The tall hat elegantly perched upon the crown of his head gave off a rather distinguished air about the man. Presently, the Father's eyes were fixated on the Xerox of granddaughter called Woodcock who stared straight back at him from her own seat. The man's brain seemed unable to grasp the image of a gothic Robin with nose and eyebrow piercings. So fixated was Father Juliano that he did not notice the growing anger simmering within Woodcock brought about by his gawking.
The door behind the clone opened to reveal the foursome. With a gasp, Robin rushed over to her grandfather and knelt before him. After he had had greeted the girl, Father Juliano's gaze shifted to Bushtit and Dickcissel still standing in the doorway.
"Who's the old fart?" Bushtit asked suspiciously.
"Bushtit," Robin hissed. "This is my – I mean our – grandfather."
"This is Father Juliano?" Dickcissel inquired quietly.
"Yes," Amon spoke up from behind the girls. He brushed past them and made his way towards the old man. "I didn't think you'd come so soon. I expect that this means you have found some information on the girls?"
"Yes," he solemnly replied before returning his attention to the Bushtit and Dickcissel. "Would either of you like to receive a blessing before we continue?" Sensing their hesitation, Father Juliano continued. "Or, are you atheists like, uh, Woodcock here."
"My veganism prevents me from accepting Catholic doctrine," Dickcissel bravely asserted.
"I just don't like you," Bushtit remarked.
Father Juliano closed his eyes momentarily and sighed before returning his attentions to Amon. "I suspect you have behaved yourself and kept your hands off of my granddaughter – or maybe I shoud say, granddaughters?" He raised his eyebrow in a knowing way that instantly irked Amon.
"Why on earth would you think such a thing?" he replied, all the while avoiding Robin's face as he spoke. "What have you learned?"
Deciding to let the situation slide, including the way Amon pointedly ignored Robin, Father Juliano spoke. "Yes, I have discovered some important information on the girls. It seems – my child, whatever possessed you to get a fifth eyebrow ring? Wasn't four plenty?"
When Woodcock ignored his inquisition, the priest resumed his former train of thought. "As I believed, my daughter Maria only carried one child. It is, however, impossible at this time to confirm that Robin was the original child."
"And the clones?" Amon asked, ignoring the angry looks the girls sent his way.
Father Juliano hesitated before continuing. "It seems that Toudou was involved in a secret cloning project funded by Solomon. Apparently, the organization wanted to create some sort of clone army to hunt down witches worldwide. The project was discarded shortly before Toudou began Project Robin citing lack of funding. Most, however, believe Solomon shut down the project due to the obvious dangers of having a army of genetically engineered witches. Internal records show that DNA samples from Maria's child were stolen from Toudou's lab shortly after his death. It is believed that this person created the clones standing before you today."
The room filled with stunned silence as the group absorbed the priest's words.
"The situation does get worse."
Amon looked up sharply to the man's face. "How so?"
"It is the reason why Solomon sent the other clones to Robin." Father Juliano paused for dramatic effect. "There are more. There is a whole clone army of Robin's hiding out somewhere in Japan."
"They just happen to be in Japan?" Amon replied doubtfully.
"Yes. It's rather convenient isn't it?"
"Just a little. How many clones are there rumored to be?"
"The precise number is unknown."
"So, we're supposed to look for this clone army only knowing that they look like Robin and they're somewhere in Japan?"
"Basically."
"And Solomon assumes that the four elementals will yield a fifth more powerful craft when combined?"
"Yes."
"Is there a precedent for this assumption?"
"No. It just seems logical."
"Robin, Bushtit, Dickcissel and Woodcock all have similar backgrounds. They all grew up in convents controlled by Solomon in rural Italy. Have you checked to see if there are anymore?"
"Of course. I have searched the Solomon international database and only the four girls in this room were listed."
Amon thought for a moment. "What are we supposed to do with the clones once when we find them?"
"I assume you are to kill them."
"Kill them?" Amon repeated incredulously. "We couldn't do such a thing."
"Why not?" Father Juliano inquired, suspecting the answer. "You already hunt many innocent witches and turn them into orbo at the Factory."
"But that's different!" Amon protested.
"How so?"
"They don't look like Robin!" The moment the words were out of his mouth, Amon swore in his mind.
Father Juliano sat in his chair with a triumphant look upon his face. I knew it, he inwardly gloated. The old man regarded the outwardly agitated hunter a moment before speaking. "You are a Solomon hunter and will do as you are ordered – at least this time you will. Now, I would like to speak with Robin privately."
Amon stormed from the room towards the main office of the STN-J with the other three sisters hot on his trail. The other hunters and Michael looked up surprised as he ungraciously stomped into the room. Amon randomly glared at the occupants before pointing at the room situated across from him.
"Briefing room," he tersely stated. When the others just stared at him baffled, he followed it with another succinct word. "Now."
Slightly afraid of the angry neurotic hunter with amazing accuracy on the handgun, the STN-J members hurriedly crowded into the room as ordered. Similar to the office situation, there was also a severe lack of seating in the briefing room, but the group did their best to quickly find themselves a spot. Dickcissel took Amon's seat when it became evident he intended to pace the room. He suddenly stopped and faced the others.
"We have a problem. Apparently, someone in Solomon created a clone army of engineered super witches from DNA samples of Maria's original child. Now, Solomon wants us to get rid of them."
"That's why Solomon sent the other three girls to us? They have some sort of ultimate technique to take down a clone army?" Karasuma asked.
Amon nodded. "That's the theory, though it's still merely an assumption."
"So then, Robin really is a clone?" Doujima asked doubtfully.
"It's unclear either way. In any case, that's not the issue at hand."
"We're really supposed to kill a bunch of Robins?" Sakaki interjected. "I mean, yeah, Bushtit bugs me, but it's not like I seriously want to kill her or anything."
Bushtit looked indignant. "Hey! Why are you using me as an example? Woodcock is pretty annoying too!"
"How do our four Robin clones fit into this clone army?" Karasuma asked, bringing the focus back to the topic at hand.
"I'm not sure," Amon answered. "I think a lot of things will be answered when we find them."
"Where do we begin to look for them?" Doujima asked.
"They are supposedly somewhere in Japan. I want Woodcock and Michael to begin searching by computer. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if the clones attempt to contact us first. They must be aware of the four girls already here. Be on the lookout for familiar faces when wandering around the city."
Presently, Father Juliano appeared with Robin in the briefing room. The occupants turned to give a hostile glare to the aging man – which he ignored. "I will be returning to Italy now. When you find the clone army, Headquarters will contact you with your orders."
With that, the man turned and exited the conference room. Robin's gaze followed her grandfather's form as he left, a pained expression upon her face. She was clearly torn between what she knew to be right, her duty to her job, and her mixed feelings about her grandfather. Robin sighed as she pondered her predicament.
Across the room, Amon watched the young witch despair and wished he could somehow help her through this difficult time. He was caught off guard when he turned to find Bushtit watching him intently, clearly unhappy with his fixation on her sister. Amon quickly shifted his gaze towards Dickcissel, who proceeded with her usual pattern of blushing and furtively looking away. His eyes then settled upon Woodcock canoodling with Michael. At least there was one identical sister who wasn't preoccupied with him. Strange, too, since Woodcock had seemed like the one who would be the hardest to deter.
Amon looked back at Robin still turned away at the door. Who was he kidding? There was no way he could handle an army of Robin clones when he couldn't cope with one. And just how many clones comprised a clone army anyway? Twenty-five? Fifty? One hundred? One thousand? Amon could definitely not handle one thousand sweet giggling yet obsessive Robins. Why did he have to fall for a teenage girl like Robin to begin with?
As if she had heard him speak, the young witch turned to discover Amon looking at her and gave him her most winning smile. He began to melt internally as he immediately remembered. Outwardly, Amon predictably gave her his most dismissive look and turned back to address the room. There was important work that needed to be done, and he couldn't afford to get any more sidetracked by his little Lolita. Not even if there were a thousand of them.
Author's Notes:
(1) The ultimate technique of optometrist no jutsu is a reference to the manga and anime series Naruto – for those of you still living under a rock. I just knew someone wasn't going to understand the reference and end up confused, so I thought it would be best to make a quick mention of it. Why exactly does everyone have like three or four ultimate techniques in Naruto? I mean, I know the series has been going for over five years, but could't Kishimoto have planned out the ultimate technique stuff a little better? And speaking of this, wasn't the wind scar supposed to be Tetsusaiga's ultimate technique in Inu-Yasha? Now there's also the red Tetsusaiga and the backlash wave and I'm sure at some point, there will be yet another ultimate technique for the sword. Anyway, I digress.
Next Up
Chapter Five: Mysterious Apparitions