Witch Hunter Robin Fan Fiction ❯ Silk Gloves ❯ The Reality in Illusion ( Chapter 10 )

NO OWNIE!

~^~

Life continued, surprisingly, as normal. Time slipped by, until Karasuma realized that it had been a month since Kenshio had asked for a ride and revealed that she was an imposter. A month since she had joined them. She came to the realization at the office, while typing up a report, and actually noticed the date. She stared at it awhile, face completely blank, contemplating all that had happened in the last month. The last two months, really; it had all seemed to start on that night that she finally decided she'd had enough, and was going to get a drink at Harry's.

It was strange to think back on that night, especially with the situation as it now stood. She shifted in her seat, thinking about `how it stood'. Not only had she grown in power, she had turned sides. And then there was Sakaki, but that was a can - no, a bucket - of worms in itself. At the beginning, wherever she put it, they had been partners. Then they had become friends, in that moment at Harry's when the world had paused for the first time. Or maybe earlier, when they had laughed together in her apartment. Their trust in each other had grown deeper after the hunt of Higushini Aritmato, when they had realized that they shared the same reservations about hunting. And then…

She propped her chin on a hand, having hit a wall in her mind. Then, what, exactly? Certainly she had kissed him, he had kissed her in return; they had both come to the understanding that there were more than friends, or co-workers that night. There was a deep connection there, which had been forged without her ever noticing, and now that she did notice it, it was the strangest and most wonderful feeling that she'd really ever had.

But it wasn't that they had gone back to simply trusting in each other above others. Not in the least. She could count the number of times they had actually kissed on one hand, but it was breath-taking. It could have been because her craft enhanced the touch of another human being, but even though the last time he had stolen a kiss was five days ago, her heart pounded thinking about it, and she still felt ghostly hands on her waist and jaw.

And yet, she couldn't really call herself and Sakaki a couple, or say that they were in a relationship. Couples went on dates, and the very thought of them on a date was laughable. Not only because they simply did not have the time, but because neither of them was really cut out for that sort of thing; it was just too…normal. Those in relationships allowed others to know of their involvement, and that was completely out of the question. Not only would Kosaka hit the roof, but she was sure that it would somehow affect her dealings with Kenshio, possibly impacting the coven. Though she wasn't as fanatic about it as the replacement was; the coven, and the people in it, was still very important to her.

There was a rustling beside her, and she sat up abruptly, wondering how long she had been contemplating. Raising her eyes, she prayed it wasn't the chief, or worse yet, Michael. She could brush off the chief, give a decent excuse, and he would leave her alone. Michael was more difficult. She and Sakaki had talked about it, but had decided in the end that they would not push to include Michael, much as it hurt them to leave him out. It was simply too dangerous. Still, it wasn't nearly the same as the guilt that had plagued her when her partner had been unaware; and so she could lie to him as well. But there was no need, she found, because Sakaki sat down beside her, smiling somewhat wickedly.

“So, what were you thinking about so deeply?” he asked, his eyes clearly stating that he knew exactly what she had been thinking about.

She mock frowned at him, and said, “Nothing in particular.” Then she smiled slightly and looked away.

Sakaki grinned to himself and nodded, shuffling around the papers on his desk. “Funny, so was I.”

They worked in silence for a while, he sorting his desk papers as he had to do every few weeks, she entering data into the computer.

Kosaka blustered into the room like a loud child, finally coming down from the office he had taken over after Zaizen. “Michael! Any hunts today?” he said loudly, standing next to the auburn-haired teenager and patting him on the shoulder in what Karasuma guessed was supposed to be a comradely way.

Michael shrugged, eyeing the chief strangely, “Nope. There have been a few somewhat suspicious deaths, but they're all being taken care of by the police.”

Kosaka was in high spirits, and leaned over Michael's work station, peering uncomprehendingly at the computer screen. Karasuma knew that he wasn't really reading anything; Michael's screens were usually the bases of websites, filled with computer code that was a foreign language to most normal people. “Suspicious deaths, you say? Like what?”

Again the hacker shrugged, “Well, a woman who was burned to death, but it looks like its being ruled a suicide: they found a can of gasoline next to her and the remains of a lighter in her hand. The only discrepancy is that the body was burned at a heat higher then what gasoline normally produces. But the coroner is saying that if she had burned for a long time it could have had the same affect.”

“Was she in our database?” Kosaka asked. Karasuma wondered what that had to do with it, though she suspected that Kosaka was simply trying to boost morale by feigning interest. They all knew that if there was a witch to be hunted, Michael would be on it like a shot. Kenshio resented him for it; Karasuma was almost happy for him. He didn't seem to have any problem with his hand in hunting witches, and she could see how he wouldn't. He had been given the simple version; find and coordinate. That was a job within itself; one she could never do, but it left him unable to see the effects of his work. She suspected the fact that he had no witch blood in him made matters easier as well; he had never had to wrestle with the question of hunting his own kind. She didn't blame him for it, how could the shuffling of genetics be his fault?

“Actually, she was.” Michael said after a moment of searching, “Okansi Gita.” He shrugged, “Wasn't awakened though, we don't have any other records on her.”

Karasuma blinked twice at the name, turning to glance at Sakaki. She knew he recognized the name as well, because his face was somewhat disturbed. Kenshio had turned full around, suddenly paying very close attention.

“They say she killed herself?” The replacement asked. Karasuma's heart leapt to her throat. Kenshio was putting them at risk if Michael noticed her sudden interest the moment a name was mentioned.

“Yeah, poured gasoline over herself and opened the lighter. Some of her friends testified that she had grown a bit reclusive in the last two weeks of her life.” He turned to regard the replacement, adjusting his glasses on his nose, “Why do you ask?”

Kenshio stared for a moment, and then shook her head. “No reason. I knew a girl who killed herself like that is all.”

The room was quiet for a moment, as if in pity for Kenshio's `friend'. Karasuma was fairly sure it was a cover; but of course, Kenshio did now know a girl who had killed herself like that. She sighed; they had awakened Gita two weeks ago, Karasuma remembered her having a plant craft. It had been a calm awakening, all that had happened was the grass growing out of control in Gita's small backyard, but when Kenshio had brought her under control, she had been overjoyed at the prospect of literally having a power that was a green thumb. How could someone so happy with a new discovery suddenly kill themselves?

Frowning, she continued with her data entry, feeling Sakaki's heavy sigh echo in her own heart.

~^~

Later that night, as she, Sakaki, and Single-Eye waited for Kenshio to arrive, Sakaki said, “Am I remembering wrongly, or wasn't Mrs. Okansi happy to have her craft? Why would she kill herself?”

Karasuma shrugged. “I don't know. I think it's strange too. Her friends may have said she was becoming reclusive, but she was probably just practicing.”

Sakaki shook his head in confusion, “I think you're right. When we left, it sounded like she was going to get right on trying to get her roses to bloom.” He smiled sadly at the memory, “Said she wanted to send one to us.”

Karasuma smiled also as Single-Eye shifted. He hadn't asked what they were talking about, and neither of the former hunters had offered. Karasuma respected the man - after all, he was able to hold his own against Kenshio - but he put her on edge. She had decided very early on that it was because of their hunt for him that she was uncomfortable with him. But she was only uncomfortable. Sakaki, though, simply couldn't get over the multiple transgressions that Single-Eye had committed against him, and though he never showed it outright, did not like the man. Still, they were able to function together, and Karasuma suspected that so long as Single-Eye never invited either of them for coffee one day, they would continue to get along.

She glanced around for Kenshio again, wondering where the woman had gotten off to. She was just about to turn and ask if her watch was wrong when her phone rang. She picked it up, wondering if Michael had found a hunt to please Kosaka. “Karasuma.”

“I'm sorry, but my dinner burned, and I can't come right now.” Kenshio's voice held a strange note of apology. Karasuma paused in confusion before remembering that that was the phrase they used if an emergency pulled Kenshio away. Well, it was the hunting version, if she came in to work late; she said that her alarm clock had not gone off.

She wasn't sure what to say, but the problem was solved when Kenshio went on, “You can start without me. He can tell you who is coming next.” ”

Karasuma coughed slightly, not sure she had heard Kenshio correctly. “Are you sure?” she said in surprise, “We could probably wait for you.”

If she hadn't known that it was Kenshio on the line, she would have sworn she heard a quiet chuckle. “I'm sure you'll make a good host,” the spy said, and then hung up. Karasuma gave the phone an odd look, before turning to look at Single-Eye and Sakaki. She must have looked more disturbed then she felt, because Sakaki suddenly frowned in worry.

“What's wrong?”

Karasuma shook herself, forcing her mind to begin functioning properly again. “Nothing…but Kenshio's taking care of someone. She said to go without her.”

Sakaki's eyebrows rose, and even Single-Eye looked surprised. Bowing her head in slight embarrassment, she angled her face towards Single-Eye and said, “She said that you would know.”

He nodded. “I do.” He gave her a searching look for a moment before saying, “You must have finally gotten it through her thick skull that you're smart enough for this.” Karasuma was glad of the darkness; her cheeks had turned slightly red. The fear-witch did not dwell on his surprise though, turning and saying, “Come on, this way.”

Karasuma and Sakaki glanced at each other, and then moved as one to follow Single-Eye, the shadows somehow seeming to follow them.

~^~

They walked nearly five blocks before Single-Eye stopped. Looking over his shoulder, he nodded significantly to the house across the street. Karasuma glanced at it and the surrounding area, searching for a spot that was dark enough to hide them from easy view.

“What's your range again?” she murmured, knowing that Single-Eye would answer. No one in the group said his name; Karasuma wasn't even sure he had one. Kenshio always referred to the man as `him' or `you'; and neither Karasuma nor Sakaki had ever had the time or presence of mind to ask him.

“I prefer to be within twenty feet, but fifty is the most I can do with finesse,” he replied.

She nodded. “Her front yard is fenced in and fairly private- and I don't see any other good places,” she said, and sighed in relief when Single-Eye nodded in agreement.

“Do you want me to get her?” Sakaki asked close to her ear.

She paused for half a moment, forcing her thoughts to reconnect after the slide they had taken with his breath on her neck. Then she nodded. “Yes. We'll wait in the corner of the yard.” She turned and stepped back to face them both. “Do you think it would go better in the house, or in the yard itself?” she asked, still unsure of her decision.

Single-Eye shrugged, “I can do it either way you tell me to, really,” he said.

Sakaki frowned to himself. “The house would keep the neighbors from seeing or hearing, but we don't know her craft.”

Karasuma nodded in relief. They rarely knew a craft before awakening a person, and crafts ranged from the benign but taxing telepathy or psychometry, to worked crafts such as powers with symbols or certain materials, to elementals of wind, fire, water, or earth. Some caused a lot of damage, and being inside a home could make everything even more dangerous. “You're right. Lead her as far out as you can.”

Sakaki looked at the house again, smiling to himself. “Well, the car is in the driveway, and the driveway is outside the fence. I guess I'll tell her my battery is dead.”

She smirked. That was Sakaki's story more often then not when he was getting people out of their houses. “I hope your batteries don't die as often as you say they do here,” she said, still smirking.

He grinned at her, half turned towards the house across the street. “If they did,” he said impishly, “I'd be broke. Not to mention frustrated.” With a last wave, he began to walk to the gate of their target's fence.

Karasuma smiled after Sakaki a moment before stepping off the curb and following a few meters behind. Single-Eye fell into step beside her, and she thought she caught him casting her an odd look. But when she actually glanced over at him, the look was gone, his face impassive in the lamplight.

They slipped into the fenced yard as Sakaki knocked on the door, retreating to the darkest corner and standing still as statues. Karasuma held her breath as the woman, Tanikano Juli, stepped to the door, looking at Sakaki curiously as he told her his story. Juli hesitated, and Karasuma clenched her fists. But then she called something into the house and stepped out, closing the door behind her. Sakaki followed behind her, saying that he was sorry for the trouble, his battery always seemed to be dying these days. Karasuma cracked a small smile at the words, knowing he had said it for her amusement. Juli shook her head, saying that it was fine, she just had to be careful these days, what with all of the…

Just as the woman trailed off, Karasuma felt Single-Eye's power behind her, stopping the words before they were fully formed. Sakaki wordlessly picked the fear-stricken woman up and dragged her off the walkway, away from the little lights that lined it. Then he stood away, sticking his hands in his pockets to play the waiting game with the rest of them. Karasuma glanced at him, and he gave her an encouraging smile, which she returned despite her slight nervousness. So far, everything was going exactly the way it always did, and she told herself to relax. They would be done with the hard part soon.

She turned her attention to the tension rapidly increasing in the air. Closing her eyes, she waited for it to snap, taking even breaths to calm herself. In the final moments, she opened her eyes, and then felt it, like an audible click, as Juli's powers suddenly kicked in. She felt Single-Eye cut his craft, and started forward to use Kenshio's technique to help the new craft user. But as she did, there was suddenly a burst of color in front of her. She studied it, wondering if she could go through without being hurt. But when she looked to the side to see if there were other bursts of color around her, she found nothing but a dead alleyway. She caught her breath; where had Sakaki gone? And where was the yard? She looked down at her feet, and where once there had been grass; there was nothing but dead concrete. Was it an illusion? If it was, it was a very good one, there was no sound but the echoing of footsteps and the ground felt hard like concrete under her feet.

Transportation? It was not unheard of, but the craft was very powerful, and even more rare then the manifesting elemental powers. She was about to start forward when footsteps behind her made her look over her shoulder. To her surprise, she found Sakaki running towards her, his gait uneven and tired.

“Haruto?” she asked quietly, turning around and starting towards him. He was within five feet of her now, and looked up. She gasped; he appeared as if he had been through a war machine. One eye was blackened, bruises and scratches were everywhere. It was then that she noticed that he was favoring his left leg, and held his side with one hand.

“Miho…” he whispered and tripped, falling into her arms like a rag doll. She sank down to the concrete with his weight, cradling his head on her knees as she knelt by his side.

“Haruto,” she said, fighting panic, “What happened to you? What did she do?”

He smiled up at her, reaching up one hand to take hers, and letting his side go to weakly touch her face with the other. She gasped as a pool of blood began to form on the concrete. That was a gunshot wound; who had had a gun? But all questions were washed from her mind when he said her name again, his grip on her hand loosing. She looked at his face, and he smiled, his mouth opening…

But a shot interrupted anything he would have said, his body shuddering once, and then his hand falling from her cheek. She gasped as his hand began to slid limply from hers, staring down at the blood stain that began to form in the center of his chest, then looking up to his face, deathly pale and contorted with sudden pain. There were sharp footsteps coming around the corner, but she couldn't look up, still in shock. He was dead. Somehow, he was lying dead in her arms. There was a shout, and she glanced up to find a squad of SOLOMON agents, dressed in their black attack suits and goggles. She choked on her own grief; he had been hunted then. And no doubt I'm next, she heard herself think. She glanced down at the man lying with his head in her lap again, and felt her heart shatter into microscopic pieces. After everything they had been through in the last few months, after they had finally grown to trust one another, dare she say it, love one another, he was gone.

But all she could feel was a gaping hole in her chest, and she couldn't even muster tears to fill it. He was growing cold even as she sat there, SOLOMON guns trained on her. He had stopped bleeding, the stain on the concrete beginning to dry. She stared at the blood numbly, wondering why it did not disgust her. She was not particularly squeamish, but the smell of blood had always made her want to retch. The smell…

She stopped, something in her mind pausing. Where were the smells? She inhaled through her nose, but smelled nothing…but grass.

Grass… she blinked, and the SOLOMON agents suddenly became translucent, she saw a wooden fence and the petals of a bright flower through them. She was still in the yard! She looked down at the dead face of Haruto, telling herself over and over again that it was not real, that if he had not moved, the real Haruto was alive not five feet away from her. She looked up, straining her eyes and mind to see him. The concrete flickered like a bad TV signal, and she caught a glimpse of him, kneeling with his head bowed in the grass. Her heart leapt, and she suddenly let go of the mirage's hand. The specter dissipated into the night, though she still thought she saw a ghost of the blood it had spilled on the ground in front of her. Turning around, she closed her eyes, starting forward until she felt Juli under her. She opened her eyes and knelt, seeing Juli's eyes move to her in fear. The woman whimpered, and Karasuma forced a gentle smile.

“It's all right,” she said, and reached out to take Juli's hand. The power of Juli's craft swept her in. Karasuma found that she was not particularly powerful, simply very effective. She was grounded in earth, her craft able to find someone's greatest fear and show it to them with great detail. As she brought the power under control, Karasuma thanked any Gods that cared to listen that the woman had not had any more power. If she had, all of the smells would have been there as well, and she never would have gotten out of that illusion.

Unconsciously, she turned to look at Sakaki as soon as she opened her eyes, wanting to see him alive and unharmed after the vision that she had seen. He was looking at her too, and she thought she saw his hands shaking. But then Juli asked what had happened, and she turned back to the newest member of the coven, words of comfort and welcoming already pouring from her mouth like milk and honey as the fence creaked and leaves rustled.

~^~

Nearly an hour later, they walked back to the vehicles in silence. Single-Eye was with them, seeming to be steeped in his own thoughts. Karasuma wondered if he had seen anything, and what it had been. He seemed fairly unruffled, which was normal, but something about the way he frowned to himself made her think that his fears had been painted for him as well. She glanced at Sakaki, walking close beside her. It almost scared her that his death had been her greatest fear. Anyone who knew that would have power over her by threatening him. She had heard of many cases like that; and more often then not, they had not ended well. She had even taken part in witch hunts that utilized a lover's weakness. Every one had been successful, and now she understood why. Her heart twisted in her chest, and she brought a clenched hand to the base of her neck as she thought of the jolt his body had made at that last shot, the loosening of his hand in hers when his eyes closed.

She took a deep breath, getting her mind out of the vision. They had reached Sakaki's bike, and he stopped beside it, very slowly reaching out to take his helmet. Karasuma wanted nothing more then to stop with him and throw her arms around his neck, just to make sure he was real. But Single-Eye was still walking with them, and she knew that he would notice that something was strange if she stopped. And so she continued to her car, pulling the keys from her pocket and finding the right one for her car door. Single-Eye ambled on, disappearing and reappearing as he went from streetlight to streetlight.

She looked down, and brought the key up to the door to unlock it, but a hand on her arm stopped her. “Wait,” Sakaki said quietly, “what did you see?”

She didn't look up, the keys shaking slightly as she whispered, “You.” Swallowing, she continued, but the words were so hard to say, as if voicing them would make them come true. “Being hunted, and…” she stopped, looking up at him helplessly, the hole in her heart opening again just at the thought of the vision.

She thought she saw a sad smile in his eyes as he moved closer. “Me too,” he whispered, hand sliding down her arm to clasp her hand, threading his fingers through hers. Her car keys slipped to the ground, jingling quietly.

There was a slight pause as she looked down at their intertwined hands, feeling his emotions shift beneath her hands; but she did not need her craft to know what they were. Then she lifted her face up to have her lips captured by his in a kiss that proved once and for all that the vision had been nothing more than an illusion. Just as she had felt her heart splinter in the illusion, she felt the pieces come back together again as he kissed her. Sliding her free arm around his neck, she closed her eyes, unable to hold back tears that she had not been able to shed before. They slid down her cheeks, to drip down her neck and into her shirt. But when a drop touched their lips, she realized that he was crying too. Letting go of his hand, she brought her hand up to wipe his tears away, and felt him do the same for her.

They broke for air, but connected again in almost the same moment, reluctant to let go. She leaned against the car and he pressed against her, their kisses growing more desperate and passionate. She didn't want to break away, even though she knew they probably looked ridiculous there, pushed against her car like the teenagers their birth certificates said they were, and she knew he felt the same. Still, when a door slammed a few houses away, they jumped and looked up, suddenly reminded that they were outside and in the open. Smiling apologetically, he stepped back a little, letting her stand up. No words were needed as he kissed her softly once more, and then turned to walk back to his bike.

She looked after him, relishing the tremble in her hands and the slight quiver in her lips that only he seemed to be able to bring about. As he started his bike, she picked her keys up from where they had been dropped on the pavement and unlocked her door, getting in as he sped away. The heart-wrenching fear that the vision had brought was mostly gone, replaced with the warm afterglow of his touch on her skin and mind. Sighing once, she started the car and began the drive home, wondering if this was the teenage puppy love people talked about in soap operas, or if they were chasing something more.

~^~

“Well. What have you discovered?”

The man, dressed in black from head to toe, snapped his heels together and saluted. “Sir, we confirmed two betrayers and one free witch helping them. It appears that they are the ones causing the witch increase in the Tokyo area.”

“And the third betrayer, were you able to confirm her?”

“She was not there; but the woman mentioned that someone would not be able to come that night.” The man paused, almost nervously. “Sir, I believe we need a little more time. We may be able to gauge their actions better with scrutiny.”

“Of course, captain. We must be sure of their identities before we do anything, and knowing exactly what they are doing may help us capture other groups like this in other countries. You were aware that this kind of thing is happening all over the world?”

“Yes sir.”

“It is our duty to stop it, captain.”

“Yes sir.” The captain said again, bowing. When he straightened, he said, “What about the woman, sir? The one they awakened?”

The captain shrunk back as his superior gave him a condescending look. “Do not be a fool captain. We rid the world of witches, and that woman has joined their ranks. Interrogate and kill her, they may have slipped this time and mentioned names.” The captain saluted and moved to turn, when the man said “…but make sure to cover it.”

He turned in surprise; voice pitched a note higher with nerves. “Pardon me, sir, but how? We already used suicide as a cover.”

“Yes, and you did it poorly. I saw the pictures of the body; gasoline does not burn like that. You should have put kerosene, or oil by her.” He waved his hand, “use your imagination. She has a husband; make it look like he killed her and then killed himself. We don't want them to know that we are on to them; they may run.”

Mollified, the captain bowed again. “Yes sir. I will try to make the scene more believable this time.” His superior nodded his dismissal, and he turned and marched out, leaving the colonel to stew in his cigar smoke and plans.

~^~

Hee. Still no Beta.