A/N: Chapter has been edited. Nothing too major in this one.
I don't own WHR or any of the characters. Just playing with them for a while, though Robin probably thinks I'm an evil sadist by now. ;
HEART'S DESIRE
Chapter Five: Fitting In
A Witch Hunter Robin Fan Fic
By Yuriko Tsukino
The next morning, Robin felt sure she would faint. Not only had she not eaten breakfast (and didn't have much hope for lunch, either) but someone voluntarily sat next to her in homeroom and engaged her in polite conversation.
Robin wasn't sure if she should trust Michael; he was friends with Doujima, after all; but there was something about him that she couldn't help but like. There was an openess in his eyes that she had never seen before, even though he tried to hide it and act tough.
"See, this page can translate anything," Michael was saying as he scrolled down the screen on his computer. He pointed out some of the languages on a drop down menu.
Robin wasn't really listening however. She was lost in thought. She couldn't believe that someone was willing to spend time with her. In her three years of high school, that had never happened.
He'll change his mind if he ever finds out, she thought, but quickly pushed the thought away as Michael's hand accidentally brushed hers as he pointed to something on the screen. For the time being, she would just enjoy being able to spend time with another human being.
00000
Amon didn't realize his hands were clenched until his nails bit into his palm and blood beaded around his finger tips. I am not jealous, he told himself forcefully, and coerced his fists to unball. It was ridiculous to think that he was jealous of a student.
He was merely...protective of Robin; that was all. Looking out for her best interests. That Lee boy; he hung out with Doujima, who was Robin's number one tormenter. So why was he suddenly so...chummy?
Amon's teeth ground together painfully when he saw the boy's hand brush against Robin's. And when he saw her smile at the contact. This wasn't right. Why was he suddenly so interested in her? Why was she showing interest in return? The only person who had rights to touch her was Amo--
No. He didn't have that right. Obviously she didn't trust him. And with good reason. He had started out trying to help her the other day. He had nearly taken advantage of her.
Perhaps it was a good thing that Zaizen had put him in charge her surveillance. He would take an outsiders perspective from now on. Get rid of this ludicrous feeling that welled up inside of him every time she entered his room.
There was only one problem with that logic. In order to do proper surveillance, he would have to get closer to her.
Or at least that's what he told himself.
00000
"You failed me last time."
"It would have worked sir, except that--"
"Except for what? Your mistakes? Next time don't go so easy on her."
"Sir?"
"You heard me. I paid you well the last time, and you failed.
"I want that proof. Do whatever it takes. I don't care. None of you seem to have
scruples when it comes to the other students; treat her as if she was one of them."
"Yes sir." He smirked. "What about our payment this time?"
"Payment?" He paused thoughtfully, lighting a cigar. "You failed the last time when I paid you. And it was a handsome sum, to boot. This time, consider yourselves sufficiently reimbursed if I decide not to expel you or ruin your futures."
The young man before him gulped, and he extinguished the cigar. "Believe me, I can see to it that you are never hired for any job, accepted to any college, or play on any team ever again." He said this so pleasantly, he might have been discussing the weather.
As the final tendril of smoke rose from the ash tray, the young man realized he was dismissed, and turned to leave.
The man with the cigar leaned back in his chair, smiling slightly.
I'll have you now, Robin Sena.
00000
"Hey, Robin," Michael called as he exited the school. Hitching his messenger bag up a little higher on his shoulder, he jogged down the concrete steps to catch up with his friend.
Friend.
He never thought he would associate Robin Sena with that word. After the weeks of teasing and tormenting her, he still wasn't sure just why he had snapped and decided it was time to give her a shot. But he was glad he had. She was a great girl. Smart, pretty, even a little funny, given the chance. She didn't know a lot about computers, and she wasn't into music; she hardly spoke, but somehow they managed to get along. With Doujima and Sakaki, he had always felt left out if he wasn't talking; they never had anything in common (except the whole middle school porn thing, but that didn't really involve Doujima). With Robin, however, he felt completely at ease, even if he said nothing at all. And if he was talking about computers, she would listen without changing the subject like they always did. And when she started talking about the merits of poetry and the novels she had read, she actually made them sound interesting and could relate it to things he understood--like rock music and fan fiction. She found a way to make Marilyn Manson and Emily Dickinson sound so similar, he actually wanted to pick up one of the books and read them for a change.
He finally caught up with her at the gates of the school. "Walk you home?" he asked, just as he had every day that week.
"No thank you," she replied, just as she had, every day that week. She started to turn in the direction of her house.
Michael knit his brows behind her back. This was the only part of the relationship that made him uncomfortable. Why did she always refuse to let him walk her home? It wasn't like he was going to force his way inside, throw her down on the bed and rape her. He was only being friendly.
A sudden chill ran down his spine, and he turned around. There on the steps of the school was Mr. Amon, staring at him with his face completely expressionless, as usual. But there was some flicker in the stone-like face that gave Michael the impression the he was on the receiving end of a well hidden death glare.
He'd been getting that feeling from Mr. Amon a lot lately, in fact.
Shivering, Michael turned back around, but Robin had already turned the corner. He had no idea where she had gone.
Carefully avoiding Mr. Amon's gaze, Michael turned and headed for home.
00000
"And this, gentlemen, is the laboratory where we conduct our research," Zaizen announced, gesturing to the other side of the window. Through it, one could see several men in lab coats, examining x-rays and complicated print outs, and peering through microscopes.
"Our current project has been moving along quite smoothly," Zaizen said. "We are just waiting on one final component before it will be complete."
"And what is this final component?" asked one of the gentlemen. "How long do you expect it to be before you attain it? I don't want to invest my money in something fruitless."
Zaizen smiled calmly. "We expect to have it securely within our grasp within the week," he replied.
One of the other gentlemen flipped through some papers on the clip board in front of him. "You have received several million in funding so far this year, Mr. Zaizen," he commented. "Yet you have brought us here, asking for more. Just how much do you expect us to give, and to what means?"
Zaizen's smile didn't falter, though his eyes lost a little of their kindness. "I do not
believe that you understand the true meaning of what STN is," he said. He turned, facing the laboratory. "STN is a worldwide organization, bent on the protection of its citizens, and the eradication of those who would pose a threat. Our research is for the good of all man kind.
"Do you see those green vials in the corner?" he asked. "Those tubes are filled with the purest orbo to date. Orbo, as you know, is the substance which allows us to do our work so efficiently. Waste not, want not, after all," he said, turning back to the donors. This time his smile was not in the least kind. It looked rather like a snake, laying in wait.
The financers did not seem to notice this, however. This may have been because they, too, were smiling in a similar manner.
Except one.
He was young. Only recently introduced to STN. He raised his voice inquisitively, sounding as naive as a child.
"If you are protecting all people, then why don't you ask the government for funding? They already have millions, even billions, set aside for that."
Zaizen's smile slipped from his face. "STN operates outside of the government. We do not need nor want their help; many of them, in fact, are a part of the government."
"Do you mean to say that this organization is illegal? That it is intended on moving against the government?"
"What do you think?"
The young man began to open his mouth again, but suddenly there was the sound of an explosion; his eyes bulged and he slumped to the floor, blood gushing from a gunshot wound in his back.
The owner of the gun smirked. "Can't have him talking, now can we?"
The other investors and Zaizen smiled and nodded. Zaizen rang for someone to clean up the body, then lead his guests out front to the parking lot. They shook hands, and all agreed that it was the beginning of a wonderful partnership.
00000
This isn't good, Robin thought miserably as she put her head down on her desk. Her head was swimming and she felt sick. The night before she had tried to go out job hunting, but again, no one was hiring.
Last night had been her last meal, though it hadn't really deserved to be called one. Half a bowl of instant noodles. Not even the kind with vegtables or shrimp in it. Just plain, thirty-three cent noodles with gold chicken flavored powder on top. Though she had to admit that she deserved a prize or something for making that one package last for four days.
There was nothing left in the house. No food, no money, just her and some broken furniture.
"Robin, are you okay?" Michael asked, real concern showing on his face. Robin couldn't help but smile. He normally tried to look nonchalant, like what happened to anyone else didn't matter. But he dropped the facade for her.
"Robin?"
"I'm fine," she said, managing to pull herself upright, even though the room was spinning and everything seemed to come to her through a thick haze.
Robin's mind went in and out; one moment the morning announcements were crackling over the loud speaker; the next the bell for second period was ringing and Robin had no memory of the space between.
Pretending to pack up her things, she urged Michael to go on ahead of her, despite his concern.
When she was just about the last person left, she stood, though she could still feel the floor rolling beneath her. As she rose to her feet, a feeling of vertigo hit; the world seemed to jump off its axis, then it was suddenly rushing up to meet her.
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When Robin woke, she was hardly feeling much better, but the room wasn't spinning. Quite as much, anyway. This was due in part to the fact that she was lying down. Which was a blessing. She really wanted to close her eyes and go back to sleep, especially since there was a warm hand on her forehead.
"Good, you're coming around," said a vaguely familiar, very deep voice. Robin tried to turn her head to see who the speaker was, but that was a mistake. The world began to rock like it had before.
She squeezed her eyes shut again, then opened them, squinting in the glare of fluorescent lights. A shadow fell over her face, blocking out the light. Her vision went into focus with the absence of the glare; Amon was leaning over her. It was his hand on her forehead. He seemed to realize this and pulled it away.
"You've only been out about a minute," he said, standing. "When was the last time you had anything to eat?" he asked, walking over to his desk.
"Umm...last night?" Robin said, her senses still coming back to her. She tried to sit up, and discovered she was still on the floor in the aisle between rows of desks.
"You can't do that to yourself," Amon said. He bent down, disappearing behind his desk. When he stood again, he was holding a sandwich and can of juice. He knelt next to her on the floor, handing them to her. "Eat this," he said.
00000
"Eat this," Amon said, handing the girl a portion of his lunch. As she reached for them, he noted how thin her wrists were. How boney her hands were. Then he looked at her face, and he was sure. Her eyes were sunken, her cheek bones too prominent. It had been a while since this girl had had a good meal. At least a few weeks.
But when she accepted the sandwich, there was a spark. She tore off the plastic wrap and tried to eat both quickly and politely at the same time. She wasn't anorexic; so what was the problem?
He looked more closely. Because she wore all black, it really wasn't noticeable until one got closer to her, but her clothes were dirty. It looked as though someone may have tried to clean them, but they certainly weren't as crisp as when she had first arrived at school.
Is her host family not taking care of her? he wondered. There was definitely something wrong.
Within a matter of moments, the sandwich was gone, and Robin opened the can of juice. She began to chug it; with a will of it's own, his hand reached out, loosely grasping her wrist. "Slow down," he commanded. "You'll make yourself sick."
For a moment, their eyes locked and neither of them moved. Then Amon looked away. Instead, he reached into his pocket, pulling out a pink pad and a pen. He scribbled across it.
"I'm late for study hall. When you're done, just give this to your second period teacher," he said, handing her the hall pass. He wanted desperately to tell her that if she
needed any more help that she should come to him, but he couldn't find the right words that would keep him from sounding like a letch.
He stood, stifling the urge to look back at her, and swept out of the room.
00000
"Hey, Earth to Robin!" Michael said, waving his hand in front of Robin's face. She had been completely spaced all day, though at least she wasn't as bad as she had been first period. She had looked really sick then; it worried him.
Robin snapped back to reality. "Hm? Did you say something?" she asked in her quiet, wispy voice.
"Yeah. Just wondering if you were okay. You've been really out of it today," he said. "Everything okay?"
For a moment, it looked like she was going to confide in him; actually speak her mind or tell him something personal. She opened her mouth, and Michael felt hope blossoming---but then she snapped it shut again, and his hope was crushed. He sighed. For all the time they spent talking, it felt like he knew nothing about the quiet Italian. He didn't even know the basics of her likes and dislikes.
Suddenly Robin pushed out her chair. "I'll be right back," she said.
Michael whipped around in his seat to see where she was going. He was completely puzzled when she jogged across the cafeteria to...Mr. Amon? She looked like she was either apologizing or thanking him for something.
Michael looked a little longer. There was something odd about the two of them together.
For an instant, Michael's over active, sugar-hyped, fanfiction overloaded brain ran
away with him. A forbidden romance between a student and a teacher...make out sessions in the janitors closet...on the desk in the---
Wait. Robin and Amon?
No way.
Maybe I need to cut back on my online reading... Michael thought. There was no way they would hook up. With Robin and her confidence problems and Mr. Amon being... Mr. Amon, there was just no way.
Although...He had come across something strange when he was hacking into the school's main frame to--er, fix his somewhat lacking Literature grade.
Robin had a 115 in Mr. Amon's class.
There was no way even someone as passionate about books as Robin could get that grade.
Right?
"Is everything alright, Michael?" asked a wispy voice behind him as Robin took her seat. "You look a little odd."
"Erm! I'm fine!" Michael replied, looking away quickly as he tried to force down a blush.
00000
Between change found in the halls, on the sidewalk, and left in the vending machines, Robin had just enough change for another package of instant ramen by the time she had gotten home from school.
Stowing the coins safely in her pocket, Robin set about trying to clean the house at least a little more. At the monastery, things had always been very clean, and living in this mess was a little upsetting for her.
Besides, it would help get her mind off of her stomach.
Michael had offered her one of his bags of chips at lunch, which had served as her entire meal, but one bag of chips usually didn't last more than an hour or so in the hunger department.
By the time she had gotten a bucket filled with soapy water, however, she couldn't stand it anymore. Leaving the bucket in the sink, she reached for her coat again, leaving the apartment, and heading off in the direction of the supermarket, trying to ignore the food stalls lined up along the street, and trying instead to look for help wanted signs. It occurred to her that getting a job in a restaurant would be a good idea; she could get discounts on food, and tips were pretty good money from what she had heard. With that in mind, she walked into the first restaurant she passed without even thinking or looking for a help wanted sign.
The name on the frosted glass of the front window said "Harry's." After following a long dark hallway, Robin entered into the more brightly lit dinning room.
At first she panicked; there were only two people in the entire restaurant that she could see; the bartender and a single customer at the bar.
It's only mid afternoon, Robin told herself; they're probably not busy this time of day.
The silence of the room pressed down on her shoulders as she advanced on the bar. The only sounds were the swishing of her skirts and the steady squeaking as the bartender dried some glasses.
"Can I help you miss?" asked the bartender.
"Erm," Suddenly she felt silly. She should have looked to see if they were even hiring before coming in here. "I--I was wondering if I could get a job here."
"Do you have any experience?" the man asked.
"No sir, but I learn quickly, and I'm a good worker," she said. Her voice took on a
pleading tone. She needed this job.
"She's telling the truth, Kobari," said the customer suddenly.
Robin jumped at the sound of his voice. She hadn't been paying him any attention at all; hadn't even realized he had turned around to look at her.
"She's my best student," Amon continued. "And I'm very certain that she can handle both school and work and still do her best at both."
Mentally righting herself, Robin picked up his though and continued it. "Yes sir; I'll do my best."
The bar owner looked thoughtful for moment, then smiled gently. "I suppose I could use some help around here. Would you like to start tonight?"
"Yes sir!" Robin's reply was a bit more eager than she intended, but Kobari merely chuckled.
"If you come back around five o'clock, you can start then. We're too slow right now and there won't be anything for you to do."
"That's fine sir," Robin replied. Hope rose in her chest. Finally, something was working out for her.
Robin left Harry's feeling lighter than she had in days. She hurried off to the store, picking up her instant noodles so that she would have something to eat before going to work.
And she tried very hard not to think about the thrill it gave her that Amon had vouched for her.
