Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, I wish the lawyers would stop poking me. I don’t own Witch Hunter Robin
Puff: *still flustered* We could shove his body into one of my spare closets. I’ve got plenty.
Kitsune: That sounds, well let me think about it… STUPID!!! Do you have any idea how easy it would be to find him?!?! ‘Sides, the smell…
Puff: We…we don’t know he’s not, how do I put this gently, breathing?
Amon: *dragging himself up the stairs* As soon as I can walk properly, I’m going to kill you both.
Puff: Amon-chan!!! *glomp*
Kitsune: *trying to restrain herself* It’s good to see that you’re still amongst the living… *glomp*
Puff: Is it just me, or are we all starting to fall backwards?
Kitsune: No, I think that we’re going to fall. Do you have a handrail we could, ya know, GRAB ON TO?!?!
Puff: Um, no. I forgot to put one in.
Amon and Kitsune: If we survive through falling down several flights of stairs, we’re both going to kill you.
Puff: *screams*
Amon, Kitsune, and Puff: *fall*
Chapter Twenty-Three: Signing of the Papers
“Robin,” Amon said sharply, catching the teen girl’s attention, “We have somewhere to go.” The craft user, despite the fact she was severely confused, stood and walked over to stand beside her partner’s side. Javan was clutching to the side of her father’s trench coat, her small feet bouncing up and down in turn.
“Come on, Mommy! We’ve got to go somewhere very important!” Javan screeched happily, her loose hair splaying as she shook her head cheerfully. She snatched Robin’s pale hand and proceeded to drag both her father and her surrogate mother out of the main office. The rest of the STN-J watched in a state of semi-shock, their eyes only blinking when the elevator doors shut completely.
“I don’t think we should even think of asking what that was all about,” Michael said cautiously, returning to his computer screen. His three office mates nodded in agreement, knowing quite well what could happen to someone who pushed Amon over the edge. Each returned to his or her work, pushing the ‘mommy’ comment to the recesses of their minds.
“Amon, where are we going?” Robin asked politely, clicking her seat belt into place as she settled against the seat back. Her hunting partner simply cast his dark gray eyes over her briefly before he started the engine and pulled out on to the roadway. Javan was biting her tongue, her fingernails curled tightly into her palms in an effort to keep her mouth firmly shut.
“Daddy, I want to tell Mommy where we’re going,” Javan said innocently, her blue-gray eyes as wide as they were ever going to get with out some form of cosmetic surgery, “Please?” Amon’s eyebrow twitched in amusement as he watched his daughter in the rear-view mirror. Robin’s bottle green eyes were flicking from Amon to Javan repetitively in a futile attempt to discern any information.
“No, we’re almost where we need to be anyway,” Amon explained coolly, covertly watching Robin out of the corners of his eyes. The craft user looked suspicious, worry written thoroughly on her flawless features. The dark man in the seat next to her smirked to himself; he was highly entertained by her reaction to the secrecy that surrounded this trip.
“Amon, we’re not going on a top secret hunt, are we?” Robin questioned delicately, her fingers poised in the shape of a steeple to keep her from twitching them. She tossed her blonde bangs slightly, moving the hair so she could see Amon fully.
“No,” Amon responded blankly, his voice utterly void of any clues. Robin’s eyes narrowed angrily as her bottom lip stuck out in a small pout. Her head whipped around towards the window, choosing to ignore Amon for the rest of the car ride. Amon’s eyes widened ever-so-slightly in shock; he hadn’t quite been expecting Robin to get mad at him.
“We’re here,” Amon said in a halfway nice tone before he switched back his normal voice, “Now get out.” Robin and Javan did as they were told, stepping on to the busy sidewalk and hurrying to catch up to Amon. He was already vanishing in the rush of people. Quickly, Robin scooped Javan into her slender arms and weaved her way through the smothering crowd.
Amon stood patiently in a doorway, his arms crossed defiantly and his back rested faintly against the doorframe. As soon as his skilled eyes spotted his partner and daughter, he slipped inside the building. Robin set Javan down onto the tiled floor, wiping the sheen of sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. She dusted her black gown off, grimacing at the damaged hem.
Rapidly, Amon’s patience grew thin with her preening as he snatched her by her arm and led her up the stairs. Robin nearly fell a few times, trying to keep up with Amon’s hurried pace. Javan was sprinting at full speed, climbing ahead a few steps so she could catch her breath and not fall behind.
“Nagira Law Offices,” Robin read under her breath as Amon pushed a door open and led the pair of females inside. Amon left Robin and Javan in the entryway, talking to the secretary in a hushed tone. The woman stood and led them into a back room, where she took her leave of them. The trio found seats, Robin clearly unnerved.
“You must be Robin,” Nagira commented as he walked in and directly to the stunned craft user, “You’re much prettier than Amon described.” Robin flushed a deep crimson, her face nearly blending with her overcoat. Amon rolled his eyes in annoyance, his hands curling into loose fists. Nagira didn’t seem to notice either of their reactions as he flung his body into the high-backed chair behind the desk.
The lawyer shifted a few papers on the tabletop, glancing at stacks of dusty files. He extinguished his cigarette in a dirty ashtray when he found a dust-free folder and opened it on his desk.
“Okay, let’s get down to business,” Nagira said handing Robin a pen, “I just need you to sign on the dotted lines.” Robin looked at Nagira quizzically, confusion plastered across her delicate face. She looked from Nagira’s slightly bored face, to Amon’s cold marble one, to Javan’s super happy features.
“Didn’t Amon explain why he brought you here?” Nagira questioned, continuing when Robin shook her head negatively, “Amon wanted to assure that in the event anything happen to him, that Javan would be taken care of. You’re the first person she would go to, then me.” Robin nodded her head to show that she understood, her pigtails bobbing in time with the rhythm of her movements.
“Okay, could you tell me where to sign again?” Robin asked, plucking her pen off of the desk before a heavy layer of perplexity settled over her once more, “Wait, why would Javan go to a lawyer if something were to happen to me as well?” Amon’s semi-relaxed body immediately tensed as soon as the words escaped his partner’s mouth. He attempted to make a gesture to silence his older brother, but Nagira had already begun to speak.
“Well, I’m Amon’s big brother, so it makes perfect sense,” Nagira elucidated calmly, lighting another cigarette. Robin’s vivid green eyes widened in mix of emotion, her jaw dropped a few inches as she stared at the seemingly oblivious lawyer. She turned to Amon in slightly irritation, eyeing the man with annoyance.
“You said you didn’t have any family members,” Robin stated accusingly, her gaze fierce and slightly hurt. Amon glanced around briefly, his dark eyes flicking over every single piece of furniture, artwork, and crumpled paper as he tried to think of some way to get out of the conversation; at the very least, divert some of the damage he knew was going to be applied.
“Nagira really doesn’t count,” Amon said hurriedly, hoping that neither of them would take it the wrong way. Robin chose to keep silent, waiting for Nagira’s reaction. The lawyer amusedly watched Amon before he laughed and pushed the stack of forms towards his brother.
“Amon, could you sign next to all the checkmarks?” Nagira ordered, chuckling lightly to himself. Guardedly, Amon accepted the forms and the pen, quickly executing the task. He, of course, had gotten in plenty of practice with Dr. Takahashi’s release paperwork. Nagira pulled the paper back to himself, checked over the signatures, and signed where his name needed to be.
“It’s all legal now,” Nagira said offhandedly, shoving everything back in the folder and under a dusty stack of long-forgotten cases. Javan slipped unnoticed over to where the trio sat. She climbed onto her father’s lap and leaned against the desk.
“Does this mean that I’m my new Mommy’s kid now?” Javan questioned bluntly, staring her Uncle Nagira down with all the fierceness of Amon.
“No, that’s a different set of paperwork, Javan,” Nagira explained sweetly, reaching over to pat his niece on the head. He ruffled her black locks the same way he had mussed Amon’s hair the day before. She smiled sadly and patted her hair back into place with small fingers.
“But,” Javan began, stopping when Amon’s fingers coiled tightly around her midsection and pulled her back, “Never mind.” She quickly squirmed out of Amon’s grasp, hopping down on the floor, and sprinting off to find something to play with.
Javan wandered off into the other room, letting the door shut slightly after her exit. Robin, not wanting the two-year-old to bother the secretary, quickly followed her. Her black skirts ruffled against the door, pushing it almost completely closed.
“Amon, didn’t you have something you wanted to ask me after the papers were signed?” Nagira questioned, clearly curious about what his brother wanted from him. The hunter with the cold demeanor sat up straight; his spine stiff like a broom pole had been tied to his back.
“It was nothing,” Amon said curtly, standing to leave, “I shouldn’t have even mentioned anything.” He tugged his black coat into place, plucking a few stray pieces of lint off of the heavy material. Nagira hurriedly skirted around the desk and pushed his younger brother back into his seat, taking over Robin’s now empty chair.
“Amon, I’m not stupid,” Nagira said carefully, pausing in his words to observe Amon’s arrogant snort of contempt, “I know that you’re not the kind of person who would say something unless it was really necessary. So, what is it you wanted to ask me?” Nagira seemed genuinely interested, not just the amused kind of interested. Amon seemed to be fighting the inner battle that he had been fighting the day before when he first brought up the subject. Finally, Amon sighed sharply and took a deep breath.
“You see it has a lot to do with Javan and Robin,” Amon began warily, his tone carefully measured and clipped, “But what I need your help in is…”
Author’s Note: I’m so sorry. Forgive me. My internet was screwed up for a long time. Since I came back from my vacation. Please tell me it’s okay; I’m so worried. {sniffles} I’ll just get to the responses…
To the Reviewers:
AngelD: Oh, alright. I won’t pat your head anymore. {huggles}
Beautiful Witch Hunter Robin: I know, but Amon’s personality has slowly been changed by Javan. This is a learning experience for him. Or, at least, that’s what I think.
Wake-Robin: Wasn’t that priceless? I wish that one could get a picture of that.
Suki1: Yeah, they upset my stomach a bit. (But then again, so does a lot of things…) And I don’t really care for the taste. Only vanilla pudding, vanilla or mint ice cream, animal cookies (the frosted kind), pocky, or a few other things I can’t remember. I usually don’t touch these things on a normal day. {hands over banana crème pie} Enjoy!
Anime Reviewer 790: I’m going to do home study, so my time is my time. Though, I’ll be a bit busier than now. Especially with my new fic and the fact I’m going to try and learn Japanese. {grins} But I’ll keep the chapters coming for a while now. Don’t worry, I have so many devices to use.
Hunter-Robin: I hope you read it now. I feel horrid about not being able to update for so long…
Ariyana: Oh, yay!!! I was certain that I was off on Nagira’s personality. I think your parent’s were just jealous of your wit.
CryingOverWill: {glomps} So happy you likey!!!
MissRobinSena: I’m 402. You can’t be older than I. My cliffhangers… {sniffles} Oh, you want sweets too? Sure, eat up. I don’t like ‘em. {hands over chocolate crème filled doughnuts}
Sala: {wide eyed} Oh…my…God. You would be a zombie!!!! {runs around} Hurry, read!
Mon Casse Ciel: {huggles} Welcome! How about if I end it at the perfect place with an epilogue that will make every drop to their knees and go ‘Oh, so cute; that’s so perfect’? Will you hunt me down then? {looks innocent}
Raven: Okies! I’ll go right after I post this chapter.
Carri: Utah sucks. Be happy you haven’t been there. Or at least the part where I had to go. Stomach flu, huh? Once I had the stomach flu so bad, I tore some of the ligaments from my rib cage. It hurt, really badly.
Tiger of the Wind1: {glomps} Yay!!! You love me!!! {bows back} {hands over dart gun}Please put Amon down for his nappy-poo. {grins}Hey, do you know who Malice Mizer is?
Amon’s Angel of Darkness: Yup, an online journal. I try and update my regularly, but I get distracted. {sigh} Nagira get to play a part for a little while. I’m not too sure about in the future.
Ayan: You’re probably right. I just had this insatiable urge to throw Nagira into this little demented mix.