Witch Hunter Robin
Rebuilding from the rubble
Chapter 3
The Inquisition
A fanfic by Prospero53223
Robin didn't get much sleep that night nor was she able to take a nice long hot bath to calm her nerves due to her leg being in a cast. She tossed and turned all night, plagued by nightmares and decided to give up entirely on any sleep at four thirty in the morning. Robin soon got up and out of bed while trying to be as quiet as a mouse so not to wake Bradley. She then went into their shared bathroom to wash and dress seeing how she was getting an early start to the day. Obviously Robin wasn't as quiet as she thought she was when she saw Bradley standing in the bathroom door.
"You know Robin, I still don't get that hair do of yours." Bradley teased while Robin mumbled something as she brushed her teeth that Bradley couldn't quite make out.
"What Robby?" The girn on Bradley's face let Robin know her older sister was still teasing.
" I said you're the one who got me started on it." Robin was finally able to clearly say when she finished brushing her teeth.
"Oh yeah," Bradley chuckled. "Like when we were ten for that costume party the church held."
Robin nodded as she got her shoe on. "Yeah. Been hooked on it ever since."
Bradley could tell Robin was hiding something from her but couldn't quite figure it out. She knew Robin was in some serious trouble with SOLOMON but wouldn't tell her anything about it. The only people who knew what was going on today was Amon, Dave, Father Juliano and of course Robin.
"Walk with me to the church? I need to pray." Robin asked her best friend and older sister with a warm and comforting smile more for herself then for Bradley.
Bradley smiled and obliged her life long friend and little sister. They walked silently on the monastery grounds to the church, both of them wearing their pilgrim dresses. The sun now starting to peek through the early morning sky while the crisp fall air nipped at there cheeks. Bradley opened the door for Robin and they both quietly entered the church, dipping the tips of their fingers into the holy water and making the sign of the cross before sitting in the back pew since Robin could not kneel. While saying their prayers, Robin's thoughts drifted back to that night in the FACTORY in Zaizen's office as Amon's words filled her head.
"God does not abandon any of his children." Then why was she so afraid of her inquisition today?
Amon would be there, going through the same thing and Dave along with Father Juliano would be in the back watching everything on the monitors. She was thankful for Dave for giving her and Amon the heads up on how many inquisitor's there would be in the room.
" There will be three inquistors in each room, one to ask questions, one to use his or her craft to trap you deep into your subconscious and make you confront your darkest fear, the last is there if you fail the first two." Dave voice had filled Robin's head as he told them what was to come, causing Robin to become more scared then she was all ready and for Amon to become more agitated. Dave could clearly see this and tired his best to reassure both his little sister and Amon." I don't like it anymore than the two of you do. And ever since they put out the hunt on Robin, I haven't trusted anyone at SOLOMON at all."
"None of us do." She remembered Amon saying. "But Robin has a point, it's either this or look over our shoulders for the rest of our lives. I for one am not going to be hunted and maybe..." Robin then remembered how Amon looked at her and right in front of Dave. Of all the times Amon could have looked at her with such caring and compassion of all the times she had to blush like a little school girl. She knew it wasn't intentional, Amon has always had that effect on her. "Maybe she's right and after what happened in Japan, SOLOMON will change and hopefully for the better."
"Hello? Robin earth to Robin. Is anyone home." Bradley smiled as she recognized the look on Robin's face when she realized she was lost in thought.
"Oh, sorry Bradley." Robin said with a slight blush on her face as Bradley helped Robin with her crutches.
"It should be me helping you." Robin said as Bradley lifted her up.
"Well, when that leg of your's is all better then you can but for now shut up and stop looking a gift horse in the mouth." Bradley replied as she flashed Robin a smile.
With that both girls exited the church and started to sing there favorite song as they walked back to the monastery.
"And now my charms are all o'er thrown and what strength I haves mine own Which is faint: now T'is true I must be here released by you."
The sky was still a bit sunny but monastery's grounds were foggy and the girls singing had caught Amon's attention along with Moses who ran to the window and started to bark. Amon had to pet Moses to calm him down watching Robin and Bradley walk up the drive.
"If this were Ireland, I would swear I was hearing a nymph or fairy sing." Amon turned his head slightly to tell Moses.
Robin's voice, he realized, was more enchanting and powerful especially when singing and of all the songs in the world she had to like was Prospero's Speech. He remembered having to read the Tempest and recite Prospero's Speech in English class when he was about Robin's age in a SOLOMON run boarding school. The words captured him then just as much as the did now as he listened to Robin sing them.
"Fire craft my ass, obviously SOLOMON never paid much attention to her voice. It can melt the hardest of hearts...like mine." He continued to listen to the girls sing as they walked up the drive and into the monastery.
"Which pierces so that it assaults Mercy itself and frees all faults. As you from your crimes pardon'd be let your indulgence set me free."
"Most hunters that do see the faceless ones never come back." Father Juliano's words from her childhood echoed in Robin's brain as Dave drove the three of them to the Vatican.
Bradley had to stay behind, she was not employed by SOLOMON so had to miss out on this trip to Rome. Robin still did not tell Bradley what was going on trying to spare her friend the fear she was feeling. Bradley, being Bradley though, was able to pick up by the way Robin and the others were acting that something was wrong and that it had to do with SOLOMON. Before Robin left Bradley gave her the strongest reassuring hug she could. "I'll pray for you and Amon."
"Thank you Bradley, that means a lot." Robin cleared her throat and put on her bravest face. "I'll see you when I get home." She lied she didn't know if she would be coming home.
When they arrived at the Vatican, Robin and Amon walked as one condemned to death, Amon not really showing it as much as Robin did. Dave came up to her tugging slightly at Robin's arm to get her attention. "It will be all right Robby, just remember me and Father Juliano will be in the back monitoring the inquisition. "
Robin nodded she knew Dave was trying to be helpful but it didn't help much. If anything, it made her more afraid, afraid that they would end up watching her execution. Amon could tell that Robin was visibly shaken and placed a reassuring hand on her back. "Don't show them any fear, you're the one who controls the inquisition, not them."
Robin just nodded her head some more, not able to find her voice as Dave and Father Juliano showed them to the main waiting area. They both then gave Robin and Amon a few more words of encouragement before departing to where the monitors were, where all Dave and Father Juliano could do was just sat back and watch, while praying for the best.
They both waited for more than an hour, which normally would piss Amon off to no avail, but not today he could afford to get angry.
"I think...I'm going to be sick." Robin said as she jolted out of her seat.
Amon looked up and saw Robin hobble as fast as she could to the women's room. She didn't make it all the way inside and ended up vomiting in the trash bin. She heard Amon's footsteps come up behind her, helping Robin stand since she was having a hard time balancing herself on those damn crutches and the trash bin. Once she was able to brace herself Amon let go of her and walked further into the women's room grabbing some paper towels before going over to the sink, turning on the water and damping the paper towel. He returned to Robin's side placing the damp paper towel around her neck.
"Just stand here a minute, give yourself some time to calm down." Amon told her while slightly nodding her head.
"Thank you." Was all she could manage to say.
After a few minutes, Robin gathered her nerves and hobbled over to the sink to clean up a bit and rinse her mouth out before leaving the bathroom and going back to her seat.
What Robin and Amon didn't know was that their inquisition had started the minute they walked into the small building on the Vatican's grounds. The six inquisitors that were there to question them were very impressed with the both of them. They have never seen two partners in SOLOMON so loyal to each other. They were even more impressed at how they waited, which according to their clocks was three hours without getting angry. After a few more minutes of discussion, the six inquisitors split into two groups of three, three inquisitors for each just as Dave told them, one to question them, one who would use a psychic craft on them and two executioner's.
Today though, The two executioner's thought, we might not be needed, then again we just might.
Robin and Amon were led down a dark hallway lit by candle light by an assistant to the faceless ones.
"Wait here until you are called in." The assistant ordered them.
Robin and Amon nodded there heads, doing as they were told as the assistant left them there. Not soon after wards the door to the right of them opened up.
" Amon-san?" One of the inquisitor's called out.
" Hai." Amon replied.
" Enter. " The inquisitor instructed as Amon stepped in the old door closed with a thud while at the same time the door to the left of Robin opened up.
" Robin Sena? " Another inquisitor called out.
" Si." Robin replied in a voice she tried to show she was calm and not afraid.
" Enter." Robin did as she was told and walked into the dark room, which just like the hallway, was dimly lit by candle light. The only thing either Amon or Robin could see in there integration rooms was a chair and three hooded figures. The inquisitor kept their heads bent slightly down like a monk in prayer, their eyes burning holes into them.
"Please sit." Robin gulped and did as she was told while the first inquisitor stepped forward and started question giving only a minute to answer.
"And why was the arch of the coven never handed over to SOLOMON as you were instructed to do." The inquisitor asked in a tone that would frightened the most seasoned of hunters.
" My orders were to hold on to the accranum of the craft until I was contacted by a SOLOMON agent." Robin replied with an innocence and honesty that only she could posses.
"Were you not weary of your partners powers?" The inquisitor asked Amon.
"At first yes I was." His cold reply matched that of the inquisitor.
"Then why did you not kill your partner?" Both Amon and Robin were asked this question neither one of them could answer they didn't want to think of the what if. What if she did burn him to ash or if he pulled the trigger. These were questions that bothered the both of them late at night when they couldn't sleep that neither one wanted to ask nor did they want to know the answer too.
"Well we're waiting." the inquisitor was grown rather impatient, " Why did you not kill your partner?"
Robin turned her head away from the inquisitor as a single tear fell from her eye. " I couldn't."
" What was that Ms. Sena, you couldn't?" The inqusitor's tone was stern yet mocking at the same time. "Come now with a craft as powerful as yours you couldn't kill a mere seed when you successfully killed two of SOLOMONS most seasoned and trained hunters. You want us to believe you couldn't kill Amon?"
Robin looked up at her inquisitor, her eyes shining with unshed tears as the thought of killing Amon sadden her greatly. " I just couldn't I knew when he came to where I was hiding with his gun drawn he meant me no harm that he was investigating not hunting. Even if he was truly hunting me when he came to where I was hiding I still would not have unleashed my craft on him. He has my absolute trust, he's my watch dog."
" So Amon you're telling us a mere witch a child at that too made you think twice about pulling the trigger?" The inquisitors mocking tone was really starting to get on Amon's nerves as he glared coldly at the robed figure.
" Why don't you answer us Amon is it because you liked watching Robin kill those hunters and even that witch Masuda? Or maybe you like it when Robin abuses her power?"
"SHE'S NOT LIKE THAT!" Amon's temper getting the best of him as he yelled at the inquisitor. " She's not like that. Robin Sena is not like any other witch I have met she's kind and caring. She can feel the sadness of those around her of other witches. She's not the kind of person who would let such immense power to corrupt her. That and if she ever felt like she was losing control of her craft she would take her own life before she became a danger to herself and others."
The inquisitor stopped their questions while thinking how interesting this was all turning out to be. Never in all their years at SOLOMON had they ever seen two partners so loyal to each other. Both partners knew that each was a master in there skills; Amon his weapons and Robin her craft. They foundered what to ask next though the answers both Amon and Robin gave plus their behavior towards one another made them think that maybe they saw each other as more then just partners. When the first set of inquisitors could not think of anything else to ask both Amon and Robin they motioned for the second set of inquisitors to step forth. Before Amon and Robin knew it they were hit with the second inquisitors craft and locked in a battle to face there most inner demons.
"THIS IS BULLSHIT!" Dave yelled as he jumped to his feet feeling helpless as he watched what was going on in the monitoring room.
"I know Dave, I know ." Father Juliano started to say. " But the order comes from Headquarters its out of my hands. They've made it through the wait and the questions if they can make it past the second inquisitor then they pass. If they make it past this they'll go through retraining, homing in on their skills as master hunters. Remember what happened in Japan is bringing a lot of change to SOLOMON.''
"Yeah well.." Dave began "It should be their boss sitting through this not them, not Robby."
"And he paid with his life for betraying SOLOMON. Now David, sit down." Father Juliano ordered as Dave did as he was told to do. He didn't like it though as he watched the monitors all he could think was This is bullshit.
Robin and Amon sat in the integration room, silent and in a trance like state, while the inquisitors watched to see what would happen next as Robin and Amon confronted their deepest and darkest fears. If the both of them passed this part of the inquisition then they passed the test and would be able to retrain.
Amon was brought back to the memory of his mother, a beautiful Japanese British woman with beautiful gray caring eyes and a voice as soft as Robin's. The image didn't last long as he was then thrown to the day he tried to forget and keep buried deep down so it would never resurface.
"Amon, where are you going?" His mother's voice flooded his memory.
"Outside to play mommy." He heard his eight year old self reply.
"Did you clean your room like your father told you too?" His mother asked.
Amon watched his memory watched the child he once was and started to plea with the small boy who of course could not hear him but he had to try.
"Don't say it, just go, go and clean your room." He told his memory "If you don't say it, she won't awake, we won't lose her. We won't lose our family, our friends, our safety net...We won't lose..."
It was too late his memory the small child he once was said those four fateful words that brought Amon's world crashing all around him. "Well, dad's not here."
It was happening all over again and he was powerless to stop it, his mother had awakened to her powers. He watched as his mothers soft voice that was going to yell at him turned into a sonic boom and sent him flying across the kitchen and smack up against the wall. The next thing Amon knew, SOLOMON agents had swarmed the house, he didn't know then that they were being watched, he was too little to understand. He watched the SOLOMON agents surround his mother, no wait, they weren't surrounding his mother anymore, they were surrounding him. It was Amon's deepest and darkest fear; he feared awaking.
Amon's mind was still trapped in his fears as he watched his friends at the STN-J surround him, pointing their orbo guns at him...that is, all but one hunter did. He didn't notice it at the time but Robin had come up to him and loosely placed her arms around his shoulders like she did to Sakaki when he was attacked by single eye. Amon started to calm down when Robin did this as he heard her tell him that it would be ok, that he would be ok.
"Robin." Amon called out in a hushed voice as she smiled at him and said nothing, the vision of Robin was now fading away.
Amon was now facing the dark room again that the inquisitors were in the craft had been broken, he had passed. The inquisitors along with Father Juliano and Dave had picked up on Amon calling out Robin's name while he was in his trance. Both the second and third inquisitors had stepped back into the shadows leaving the first to question Amon one last time.
"Your partner, if she fails, what will you do to SOLOMON?" The inquisitor asked, his tone nurtural.
"It only took a handful of us to take down the Factory before SOLOMON agents attacked." Amon said, his voice like ice, "You kill Robin and I will personally see to SOLOMON's demise."
The inquisitor nodded and started to leave the room. "You will wait here until your partner is done." With that the inquisitors left Amon alone and with his thoughts.
Across the hall, Robin was still facing her worst fear yet again and she was starting to take to long. Dave and Father Juliano started to worry because if Robin couldn't escape, couldn't face her fear the inquisitors would kill her.
It was like the dream Robin had when she was in a coma, the feeling of being trapped in complete and total darkness had consumed her once again. Robin stumbled through the dark trying to find her way out while praying.
"The Lord is my Sheppard, I will not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea as I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I shall fear no evil. for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointment my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Amen."
Robin then found herself walk out of the darkness and into a church. She saw something up ahead at the alter and walked to it, it was a coffin but not just any coffin it was hers.
"Oh God!" she gasped "Not again. No, not again."
BANG! the church doors swung open and everyone she ever knew came in and circled her coffin looking down at her.
"Why are we even here?" She heard Dojima ask.
"Who knows and who cares." Came the reply from Michael.
"Who is she anyway?" Master Yuji then asked.
Robin stood there with tears in her eyes. "I've been forgotten."
"SNAP OUT OF IT ROBIN!" Dave was once again yelling at the monitors and this time Father Juliano did nothing to stop him as they both watched in horror, the third inquisition made his way closer and closer so he could kill Robin. It was taking her too long to face her deepest fear, loneliness and being forgotten.
"Her name is Robin." Robin spun around to see Amon walk up and approach the group surrounding her coffin. "She was one of the best hunters we've seen here at the STN-J and she was above all else our friend."
Robin in her trance stretched out her arm though in her mind she was reaching out for Amon and lightly took hold of his hand. "Thank you Amon."
Dave and Father Juliano sighed in relief and wiped the tears away from their eyes. They had watched and heard every thing. The second and third inquisitors had stepped back leaving the first to ask Robin one more question. That didn't matter to them though she passed, Robin had passed.
"How well do you trust your partner Ms. Sena? The inquisitor asked with a bit of curiosity in his voice.
"As I said earlier he is my watch dog, if anyone is to take my life its him." Robin stated truthfully .
The inquisitor nodded his head and told Robin that she could leave. When Robin stepped out of the room she saw that Amon was out in the hallway waiting for her. As soon as Amon realized it was Robin and not an inquisitor that had stepped out he swooped Robin into his arms holding her close, seeing that she was ok...that they were ok. Robin was a bit surprised by his actions but didn't pull back, she stood there wrapping her arms around Amon as best she could with her crutches. Robin rested her head on his chest neither one of them saying anything and enjoying what was to them anyway a private moment.
A few moments later they heard footsteps, running footsteps coming in their direction, pulling apart, Amon gently shoving Robin behind him to protect her. For all he knew it could be the inquisitors changing their minds and coming to kill the both of them. If it was, Robin was also ready to use her craft on them too.
It wasn't though; it was Dave running and skidding in their direction almost taking a spill as he rounded the corner. When he had reached them Dave gave Robin a hug the type you would see a brother give to his sister.
"Don't you ever scare me like that again Robby!" Dave said his voice all emotional and tears running down his cheeks.
"You were scared?" Robin said in a relieved chuckle.
"Yeah," Dave began to say. " You ever scare me like that again and I am so going to kick your ass."
Amon had to chuckle at this even with Robin on crutches there was no way Dave could kick her ass especially after he taught her some of his signature moves.
"Well Dave, you would have to catch me first." Robin said as she started to tease.
"Yeah well," Dave had stopped being so emotional, returning to his normal self. "That won't be so hard, you are on crutches."
Robin nodded and gave Dave a smirk. "True but I could always set your foot on fire so I could get a good head start."
The three of them laughed and Amon loosely wrapped his arm around Robin's waist. She was exhausted Amon could tell just by how she rested her head on his arm.
"Are we able to go home now?" Robin asked Dave.
"Yeah, in a few minutes. Let's get to the main lobby, we need to wait for father Juliano." Dave said as Robin gave him a weak smile.
She felt her eyes getting heavy with sleep and by the time father Juliano had finished giving his report to Headquarters over the phone Robin had passed out. When father Juliano finally got to the main lobby he told Dave to go pull his Range Rover around as Amon was about to wake up Robin until he saw Father Juliano shake his head.
"Let her rest, one of us can carry her out to the car." Father Juliano spoke in a quite tone so not to disturb Robin's slumber while Amon nodded in agreement.
Father Juliano sat next to the both of them clearing his throat before talking with Amon. "Headquarters wants you two to report for retraining by the end of October. Robin will be out of her cast by then and hopefully completed her physical therapy."
Amon nodded he knew there was something else. "And?"
"Well, you two get to remain partners. The inquisitors feel you two are able to keep each other in balance." Father Juliano said.
" That can't be all." Amon began to say. " You know as much as I do SOLOMON is never lenient with their punishments."
" True as this may be but because of what happened back in Japan SOLOMON HQ figures its just easier to give the SOLOMON branch back in Japan a formal ass chewing and retraining along with the STN-J of course." Father Juliano said, then gave Amon a look one he hadn't used since Maria brought home Toudo.
"Amon, as much as I had intended for Robin to be a bride of Christ, I know now it is not possible. I've asked you to forget about her but I also see that's no longer possible as well since SOLOMON wants you two to stay partners. I will, however, say this; I am her grandfather Amon, and she is my only living relative which means I have no problem going to prison."
Now normally it's not like Amon to cower but when dealing with Father Juliano, he tended to make an exception. "I understand."
"Good." Was all the response Father Juliano gave.
They sat in silence a few minutes longer, waiting for Dave to pull the car around. Amon looked at the sleeping girl that rested her head on his arm and thought how much she still looked like an angel when sleeping. Dave then stepped into the main waiting area taking Robin's crutches so that Amon could carry her out to the car. When he went to place Robin in the backseat she started to stir awake.
"Amon?" Robin asked through a sleep filled voice.
"Sh, go back to sleep." Amon whispered to her.
"We'll be able to go back to Japan soon right?" Even in sleep Robin still had a million and one questions to ask.
"Soon enough, now go back to sleep." Amon said in a tone that a parent would use when speaking with a child. Granted Robin did do as she was told, not waking until Moses ran into her room sticking his cold nose in her face the following morning.