Witch Hunter Robin Fan Fiction ❯ False Echoes ❯ Vacation Time ( Chapter 1 )

Witch Hunter Robin
False Echoes

Chapter I - Vacation Time

 

Rated: PG-13 for Violence, Profanity, and Mature Content


Disclaimer: You know by now I don't own Witch Hunter Robin® which belongs to Sunrise® and Sci-Fi® Channel. If I owned the show Robin would have vanished with Michael at the end.

Nor do I own the song False Echoes; I just borrowed its title.

Storyline and Plot are mine.

Author Notes: One of these days I'm going to completely revamp this story. Until then, here is the original.

 

----

 

Three hundred and twenty years have passed

 

Since the Coven sank in the dark

 

A False Truth

 

A demon long forgotten

 

An enemy always remembered

 

Echoes of the Past

 

Will light the path to the Future . . .

 

----

 

Why is it always an abandon warehouse?

 

Haruto Sakaki sighed and cussed as he pulled his new motorcycle up outside the now closed-down TV-factory on the edge of Tokyo's waterfront shores. There was always an abandon warehouse in his job, it was all too cliché but he had grown used to it. It was snowing now, and the white flakes covered him.

 

“Move in on my signal.” Amon's cold voice cut through Sakaki's thoughts.

 

Sakaki reached down into his belt and pulled the Orbo gun up, holding it out in front of his face. It was bitter cold and his shoulders were shaking a bit from the icy nip in the wind. He sighed as he waited for Amon's signal to enter the old warehouse from behind, which was his job tonight. He watched as he breathed and his breath turned into a cloud of smoky white fog in front of him.

 

Damn I hate winter.

 

Suddenly a small burst of fire appeared at his feet, the combination of yellow and orange flames burning away at the snow-covered ground. The bright yellow tongues of the flames shot up in the air, licking away the chill that had settled over Sakaki. He grinned and turned behind him where Robin was getting off her vespa.

 

“Thanks.” He said quietly as she walked up to stand next to him. Robin only smiled from behind her snow-damped blonde hair.

 

“Move out.” Amon's voice burnt through their headsets and Sakaki instantly ran forward towards the old warehouse. The door was high and made of steel but Robin only threw her head to the left, narrowing her eyes and suddenly a person-sized door was cut in the steel by the same bright yellow flames that had warmed Sakaki moment ago.

 

Sakaki ran through the still burning hole in the wall past the melting steel and down into the darkness. The Witch, Tadku Metamora, had shut off all of the lights, but that didn't matter. Sakaki reached his left hand into his jacket as he pressed his back into a large crate and pulled out a pair of odd, green goggles. He slipped them around his head and soon was glancing through the darkness in Night Vision.

 

Robin had appeared and was now leaning against the huge crate next to him, fumbling wit her own night vision goggles. She had never used them before, but now they were needed for the job. Sakaki didn't have time to help her, though; instead he cast his now green-glowing eyes around the room for any indication of the witch.

 

He spotted a shape moving in the far left of the warehouse but he quickly realized it was only Miss. Karasuma who was casting her own green-glowing eyes through the room. The Night Vision goggles looked like nothing more than cheep pool goggles, but they turned the eyes green. An invention of the Factory.

”Bastards!”

Sakaki was used to hearing this screamed at him and instantly hit the dirt as a blast of air moving magically fast smashed into the ground behind him, exploding a huge hole into it. Sakaki rolled over onto his back and spotted the Witch, who was perched atop a large pile of crates. He pulled the trigger of his Orbo gun quickly and watched as two of the eerie green glowing bullets flew into Tadku's chest, a third and fourth that were fired by Amon hit his back and the Witch fell from the top of the crate pile and smashed down on the cold floor.

 

“Get him?” Michael the hacker asked in a bored voice over the headsets.

”Yeah.” Sakaki said back as he climbed to his feet.

 

But Sakaki was wrong. Tadku was stirring on the ground, and suddenly he was on his feet once again. Sakaki blinked in surprised and went for his Orbo gun once more but it wasn't fast enough. A jet of air shot and smashed Sakaki in his chest, sending him flying backward into the wall. Obviously the Witch's craft wasn't as strong as it once was, but considering he had been shot with Orbo four times, he shouldn't even be awake.

 

Robin was confused but she knew she could ask questions later. She jumped up to her feet and narrowed her eyes, suddenly to her surprise a blast of fire at least three times bigger than she had tried to make appeared burning over the Witch. Tadku screamed for the briefest of seconds before his body turned into dust. The flames were still burning the crates around them and Robin stared out in horror.

 

----

 

“Unacceptable!”

The following morning, the crew of the STN-Japan was sitting sadly in the computer room. Michael was typing away at his usual spot, but his eyes kept flashing to the fifteen-year-old blonde girl at his side. Robin was staring intently at her feet, as Kosaka yelled at her.

 

Sakaki was lounging on a chair beside Robin, his head tilted back fixed at the ceiling as he watched a small fly crawl across one of the white tiles that made up their roof. Karasuma was on Michael's other side, she sat backwards in a chair with her chin lying on the back rest, looking more like a bored teenager than her usual self.

Amon was in Zaizen's office, talking to the real boss.

 

“We are a non-kill Witch Hunting organization, don't you understand that Robin? Honestly I think all you young people just think rules are make-believe.”

”What's make-believe? You know, beside your hair.”

Kosaka, who was purple in the face and had a huge, ugly vain throbbing on his forehead, spun around in a second as Yurika Doujima climbed off the elevator with a sleepy yawn. In a second Doujima gave a grunt and realized Kosaka was already in a bad mood.

 

“Miss. Doujima, I see you've decided to grace us with your presence again. If only you had done the same last night when we had a hunt!”

Doujima walked right past the yelling chief and went to sit down next to Sakaki, ignoring his angry yells and glances completely as she whispered and asked what happened to get him so upset.

 

“Chief.” Robin said in a timid voice, still not looking up. “The Orbo wasn't working.”

Kosaka narrowed his already beady eyes. “Ah yes, so you've said, but luckily for you, the body and any Orbo inside it was burnt to ash so we'll never know will we?”

”Come off it.” Sakaki snapped. “Look Robin in the eyes and then tell me you think she's lying.”

Kosaka rounded on Sakaki. “What I do is none of your concern, you had best just hope I don't suspend you for screwing up so badly last night Haruto, because it was -“

”That's enough.”

 

Kosaka's voice died instantly as the bold sound of Zaizen speaking filled the room. All eyes instantly went behind Kosaka to where Zaizen and Amon stood at the bottom of the stairs. Amon wore his usual, expressionless dark gaze, but Zaizen looked angry and worried at the same time.

”Ah, Mr. Zaizen I was just -“

”Reprimanding them.” Zaizen said knowingly. “I could hear you from upstairs.”

Kosaka flushed.

 

“I've had a talk with Amon and with my scientist at the Factory, and it seams the Orbo used in last night's hunt didn't work right. I must go to the factory to check on . . . things. Until further notice Factory agents will handle all hunts until I can get to the bottom of the Orbo issue.”

 

This announcement was a huge surprise to everyone, and everyone in the room turned to stare at Zaizen with gaping, shocked faces. Everyone except Amon.

 

“We'll have to run some test on the Orbo locker downstairs.” Zaizen continued, ignoring their shocked looks. “And since some of these tests are . . . dangerous, the Flat will be closed to all of you. Because it would be too difficult to relay information to all of you while not using the Flat, you'll be on a . . . break from work.”

Every face in the room, again except for Amon's, was plastered staring at the Manager so intently it looked as if they were all watching their favorite television shows and couldn't be disturbed. It was the oddest thing they'd ever heard.

 

Zaizen sighed and then looked over at the calendar on the wall which read “December 20th, 2002”. Zaizen pause for a moment as he watched intently and then he came to a conclusion.

”I want you all back here by New Years.” Zaizen said in his boldest voice. “Until then the Factory will handle Witch Hunts.”

 

“Wait.” Asked Doujima, a smile creeping onto her face. “You mean no work for us until January, sir?”

Zaizen nodded grimly. “You heard me. Now all of you are dismissed, except for you.” He said, glancing at Robin. “I want to see you in my office.”

 

Robin glanced over to Michael who gave her a supportive smile. He reached out and took her petite hand in his pale on and gave her a reassuring squeeze before letting go and watching her follow Zaizen up the stairs.

 

“Wow, we screw up a hunt and we get time off work.” Sakaki grinned as walked across the tiled floor to his own desk where he picked up his motorcycle helmet. “We should do this more often.”

”Shut up.” Kosaka said, but even as he said it he was tying his trench coat in the front and looking for his hat, obviously on his way to Harry's and obviously just as happy about this as the rest of them.

 

Doujima, who hadn't even taken off her coat yet, smiled broadly and then walked across the room to where Sakaki was gathering his things. “Since we have time off you want to get together tonight?” She whispered quietly.

Instantly Sakaki closed his eyes and allowed a small groan to escape his lips. How could he have forgotten about tonight? Part of him thought of telling the whole story to Doujima then and there, but the rest of him decided against it. He knew she'd understand, but he'd never told anyone.

 

“Can't.” Sakaki said quietly, not looking into her eyes.

Doujima frowned. “Why?”

Sakaki sighed. “Got plans already.”

Doujima narrowed her eyes. “With who?”

Sakaki scowled. “What does it matter?”

Doujima scowled back. “Because I asked you.”

Sakaki turned away. “It's not your business.”

He knew her well enough by now to know that was a huge mistake to say, but it didn't matter. This wasn't her business in the least and he wasn't going to tell her, even if she was his girlfriend of three-months.

 

“Why not?” Doujima said in a warning voice.

 

“Because I said so.” Sakaki snapped back so coldly that Amon himself would have flinched. Doujima growled but turned away.

”Fine.” She said shortly. “Be that way.”

And she headed quickly into the elevator. Sakaki cursed quietly to himself as he finishing piling his belongings into his pocket and helmet. Karasuma shook her head and chuckled to herself as she too vanished down the elevator. Sakaki sighed.

”See ya Michael.” He called as he himself left for the vacation.

 

Michael didn't hear him, his eyes were staring fixedly at the stairs that Robin and Zaizen had vanished up. He wasn't the only one, Amon was doing the same, but he wasn't watching Robin, he was watching Zaizen.

 

----

 

Zaizen's office was unlike the rest of the building in every way. The roof and floor were both black tiled, and his desk was huge. High and made of oak, with a black marble surface. On which sat a computer, a phone, and an odd paper weight filled with Orbo.

 

Zaizen sits in a chair that is high back and made of leather. A small box of Cuban cigars sits on the desk nearby, and next to it is a silver lighter that was Zaizen's grandfathers and his father's before him. Behind it is a black ashtray made of ebony. Zaizen was currently in the chair, facing out, looking out the huge window that stood on the wall behind his desk.

 

“Robin, you've been here for about five months, correct?”

His voice asked quietly, breaking the silence.

 

“Yes sir.” Robin answered, looking directly at the back of his chair. Zaizen paused his speaking for a second and away from Robin's eyes he reached his hands out and picked up a cigar and the lighter, lighting it up before returning the lighter to the desk.

 

“Has Michael told you why he never leaves this building?” Zaizen asked once again, his eyes still staring up at the morning sun through his casement.

 

Robin shifted uncomfortably. “Yes sir.”

 

Zaizen still did not speak as he sucked the smoke from the end of his cigar. He sat and smoked for a long time, until a great deal of ash formed at the end of his cigar and he reached out to empty it in the black ash trey that sat behind the box of Cubans and the lighter.

 

“I see.”

There was a pause, and then:

 

“Michael cannot stay in Raven's Flat while my Factory agents conduct their test.”

It was the truth. No one in the STN-J besides himself knew what Orbo was made from. If the Orbo was really loosing its power over Witches, than he had to test the Orbo already at Raven's Flat. And to do that . . . he couldn't risk anyone learning what Orbo really was.

 

“Robin.” Zaizen turned around his chair so that he was now staring at her face to face. “I am releasing Michael into your custody. You must keep him with you at all times and watch him. This expires on January 1st of 2003. If either of you are not back here on that date you will both die.”

 

Zaizen spoke these words almost as if he had just announced what was for lunch. Robin tried to hide the smile that was forming at her lips, but she couldn't. The thought of being killed hadn't even affected her, it came with being who she was, but the idea of letting Michael leave, with her, until January was too wonderful for her to hide.

 

“Do I make myself clear?” Zaizen asked.

”Oh. Yes Sir.” Robin said.

”Then you are dismissed.”

 

----

 

Nagira sat at his desk at his personal law offices with a bored look plastered on his face and a mountain of work piling up on his in tray.

 

He gave a yawn and kicked backward in his seat, sticking his feet up on the desk and staring up at the ceiling as he light up another cigarette and pressed it thickly between his lips with a second sigh.

 

The day was slow. No, not really. Truth be told the day was incredibly busy and he had at least seven different clients all of whom needed immediate legal attention. But he was bored. He didn't want to work today. So he didn't.

 

He was just contemplating going out for something to eat when the phone rang on his desk. He ignored it, deciding to let the redheaded secretary in the front answer it instead. He wasn't in the mood to work today.

 

But what if it was one of his . . . contacts?

 

He grabbed the phone on the third ring and brought it up to his face.

”Hello?” He asked quietly.

 

“Is this Nagira?” The man on the other end of the phone had a distinctly American accent.

 

“Yeah, what do you want?” Nagira asked as he emptied the end of his cigarette into the ashtray on his desk.

”Mr. Nagira, the STN-J are about to sail through troubled waters. A demon waving a black banner is standing on the horizon and he will kill them all unless the hundred year old debt is paid in full.”

 

Nagira's eyes went wide in a second and he moved so fast into a proper sitting position that he spilled the ashtray over and knocked his cigarette onto the ground.

”Who are you?” Nagira asked, no longer bored but now intently furious at whoever it was who was calling him and interested in what they had to say.

 

“I, like you, know Amon.” The American said on the other end of the phone. “You just keep a eye on the STN-J, because they will die. All of them will die. There is no changing that. Blood for blood. Eye for eye. Tooth for tooth.”

 

“What the hell is this?” Nagira asked, getting angry now.

”Solomon is a bitch who doesn't follow rules.” The American said. “Now give Amon that message.”

 

And the American hung up.

 

----

 

Robin practically ran down the stairs, a huge grin splitting her young face. She knew she should not be happy that the STN-J was having these problems. She knew that if there was something wrong with the Orbo it would mean huge problems for the organization, but still, she couldn't help it.

When she got to the bottom of the stairs she passed Amon, who was still staring up at the path to Zaizen's office, but she made no move to speak to him as she crossed down to where Michael sat.

”What?” He said looking at her.

”Michael.” She said smiling at him, and then she explained it to him. She explained that he too was leaving Raven's Flat until January. Michael listened intently to every word she had to say, but even as she said them Michael didn't believe them. His eyes lit up as she explained it all to him.

”Are you sure?” He asked quietly. She only smiled, sat down in chair next to him and took his hands in her own, interlocking their fingers as her emerald eyes peered into his sky blue ones.

 

”I'm sure.” She said at length.

 

Michael, who could hardly believe this, just sat and stared at Robin. He was leaving Raven's Flat for days, with Robin, Robin who he loved and loved him back. It was so amazing how much had changed in the three months since David Rica had evaluated the STN-J.

 

Four months ago, when Robin was still considered “new” here, the STN-J hunted a Witch called Kita Nobunaga, a leading member of HTH, or “Hunt. The. Hunters” a group of witches who hunted Witch Hunters. Nobunaga had been the worst witch hunted in over two years and Solomon used that as a chance to send Rica.

Jackson David Rica had been the worst thing that ever happened to the STN, and yet somehow at the same time he was also the best thing that happened. His evil, sarcastic smile and hallow, dead eyes behind his dark sunglasses still haunted the STN-J now, three months after Doujima killed him.

 

Or did she? The body vanished, and they knew perfectly well normal rules of life and death didn't apply to Rica.

 

While his combination of breaking Karasuma's legs, shooting Amon in the neck, luring Robin, Doujima and Sakaki to America and then shooting Sakaki in the chest was horrible, he had done more good than harm. Thanks to Rica's evil Robin and Michael had both sought solace, and found it in one another's arms. Doujima and Sakaki too had gone from flirting, to fighting, to dating thanks to what Rica had done three months ago.

And still Michael had trouble believing that any of this was real. That Robin was really in love with him, that Zaizen really said he could leave the Flat, he had trouble believe it all. It was too perfect to be real. Too good to be true.

 

If only the hacker had known that soon the “perfect” and the “good” would turn into pure hell on earth. If only he knew that right now events were being set into motion that would change his life forever. But he did not know that.

All he knew right now was how beautiful Robin looked when she smiled.

 

----

 

Sakaki rode on his motorcycle as the sun fell from the sky, a bouquet of roses in his arms and memories on his mind.

 

The cold breeze of December air had not stopped nipping at his neck and it only furthered to piss him off. His mood was always a foul one on this day, on December 20th. It always made him mad. But after the fight with Doujima he was only madder than usual.

 

The road was empty except for a few cars, and he made good time. The roses under his arm were icy cold, but he knew the person they were for wouldn't mind. He knew she never would mind.

Sakaki arrived there at her home, what was now her home anyway, and stepped off the motorcycle. He unclasped the helmet under his chin and put it down on the seat of his bike. He then looked down at the bouquet of roses and a single daisy. It was the same bouquet every year.

 

With a sigh he stood up and walked over through the damp, snow covered grass. He made no hurry; he knew she'd be there when he got there. How could she not be there? She was here forever, because this is where she had been buried.

 

Sakaki sighed, reached down, and brushed the snow off the tombstone as he laid the bouquet down on the soft mound of earth like he had done every December 20th for the past nine years.

 

“Hello, ma'.”

 

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