Adult-FanFiction.org : Anime

Tattoo	By : clairejones Category: +S to Z > Witch Hunter Robin Views: 5409 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Witch Hunter Robin, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 2
- 3
- 4
Chapter
Two: The Bird and the Snake

In a rather futile effort to placate his young
ward, Amon had announced shortly after Nagira had departed that they would take
an excursion to a nearby caf�.� There were
some things that Robin could simply not refuse � espresso being one.� He watched her now, quietly sipping her
coffee as they sat on the caf�s veranda, iced this time, still insistent on
giving him the cold shoulder.� That was
fine.� He would let her stew in her
female anger.� Perhaps this was what he
needed to get Robin off his trail for a while.�
She could finally understand that he, like all men, was not perfect.� His attention turned towards the iced coffee
within his own hand.

�Did Nagira say who he
was meeting today?� Amon ventured, not really interested in the answer.

Robin�s head came up quickly, startled by Amon�s
voice.� She shook her head and looked to
the ground.� �No, he didn�t.� I forgot to ask.�

�That�s fine, it doesn�t really matter� he
assured, then paused.� �I know that we
just bought all of those groceries, but I was wondering if you would like to
eat at the hotel restaurant tonight.�
Perhaps somewhere new?�

Slowly, Robin�s expression changed, growing
softer as she considered her options.�
�The hotel restaurant would be fine,� she said eventually.� Her gaze returned to the empty coffee
container.� �Maybe I should get another,�
Robin wondered aloud.

�I think you�ve had enough coffee for the day,�
he replied, leaning over the table and pulling the receptacle out of her
hand.� Amon pointedly sent his brain the
command to ignore the electrical jolt through his body as their fingers briefly
connected.� �You really should cut back.�

Robin didn�t answer, merely glaring instead by
way of a reply.� Pushing back his chair,
Amon stood up and extended his hand.�
�Ready for dinner?�� She glanced
at his outstretched arm a moment then accepted with a reluctant� smile, blushing when she bumped against him
as she stood.�

The two remained silent as they picked their way
back to the hotel.� They were often quiet
around the other, but today the silence seemed almost oppressive to Amon.� There was also an uncomfortable nagging in
his mind that he couldn�t place.�

�I should probably change,�
Robin suddenly as they entered the lobby.

Amon
turned to face her, his eyes involuntarily running over her figure.� �What?�

She looked down to her clothes.� �I think I should probably change before
dinner,� she repeated.� At Amon�s dubious
face, her eyes wavered.� �You know, look
a little nicer.�

Amon
shrugged.� �Fine.� I�ll be waiting.�� He squinted into the restaurant.� �Probably at the bar,� he added.

* * *

Robin waited until Amon had fully entered the
restaurant, before turning to hurry towards the elevator in the lobby.� She was halfway there before a man in a hotel
uniform flagged her down.� Surprised, she
spun around to meet the employee.

�Miss, this message came for you,� was all the
man said before thrusting a folded piece of yellow paper at her and promptly
scurrying away.

Perplexed, Robin hurried to the elevator, opening
the paper as she went.� As the elevator
doors closed behind her, Robin could feel her heart skip a beat as she
recognized Nagira�s handwriting on the page.�
Quickly she skimmed the words.

Robin,

I think I may have found someone who can read the
microfilm.� I should be able to give you
the information when I see you again tomorrow.�
Cross your fingers.

Nagira

Heart racing, Robin skimmed the words several times,
then collapsed against the rear wall of the
elevator.� Tomorrow.� She would discover what secrets the microfilm
held tomorrow.� In the meantime, she
still needed to find the right time to broach the subject to Amon. Robin�s
hands quaked just at the thought.

Over dinner, she decided with a
determined nod as the elevator doors opened.�
Robin would tell him over dinner - which happened to be in a few
minutes.� Quickly, she rushed to her
suitcase and rummaged through her belongings, tucking the note inside.� Something nice.� Her hands stopped rummaging, a pain coursing
through her heart.� Why did she continue
to dress up for Amon anyway?� Robin
fought back the ever-familiar rising anger.�
It wasn�t as though he ever noticed when she went out of her way to look
good for him.� At least he never said
anything.� She frowned, lost in her
thoughts on Amon.� Her mind wandered back
to the night before and to the odd look in his eyes tonight as he had looked
her over after she had insisted on changing for dinner.�

On the other hand�

Hadn�t Amon said he
wasn�t interested in finding a woman just before he shared his bed with
her?� That had to mean something.� Didn�t it?�
Robin sighed and resumed scavenging through her luggage.� If only she could just get inside that man�s
head, maybe then she could understand him a bit better.

Maybe.

* * *

Amon had
hardly taken a sip of his whiskey before a familiar face sidled up to him.

�Hi!� the woman he had seen earlier greeted with
a coy smile.� This time she was dressed
more casually then at the grocery store that morning.� �Fancy meeting you here.�

Amon
turned his head away.� �Indeed.�

�You�re alone, I see.�

�For the moment.�

�I see,� she repeated, before sticking her hand
out at Amon.� �My name is Janet.� I�m here visiting Japan for business.�� Grudgingly, Amon reciprocated, finding the
woman�s hand surprisingly strong.� Her
eyes sparkled in amusement when he remained silent.� �And your name would be?� she asked
pointedly.

�Amon,� he responded
tersely.

�Amon,� she repeated
slowly with a nod.� �Just a first name,
but I guess that�s a start.�� Janet took
a sip from her own drink.� �I wonder why
someone would name their child after an Egyptian sun god,� she mused aloud.

Amon
merely shrugged his shoulders.� �Are you
positive that it isn�t my last name?�

Janet�s smile widened into a grin.� �I guess it could be.�� She paused.�
�If you have a son, you could name him Akhenaten,� she mused.� �Or I guess Tutankhaten is also a
possibility.�

�That would depend on what the child�s mother
would want in a name.�

�I suppose,� Janet replied with a sigh.� She leaned forward conspiratorially.� �What do you say to dinner?�

His hand holding the drink stopped halfway to his
mouth in mild surprise, Amon paused and looked to the woman.� �Dinner?� he repeated.

�Yes.��
Janet hesitated.� �I hope you do
not think too much of me being so forward.�

�No, it�s not that,� Amon responded, shifting
uncomfortably in his seat.� �I already
have plans for dinner,� he finished evasively.

Janet stared at the side of his face for a few
moments.� �I see,� she said.

He shot a glance from the corner of his eye.� �Don�t take it personally.� People have told me that I�m difficult to get
to know.�

The woman smiled sadly.� �That�s not it.� You�re already involved with someone, aren�t
you?�

Puzzled, Amon turned to
face her.� �What makes you say that?�

�Please don�t think I�m vain or self-centered,
but men - whether single or attached -- only refuse me if they already have
someone else they care about,� Janet replied with a little laugh.

Amon
turned away and took another sip of his whiskey.� �I assure you, I�m not involved with anyone
at the moment.�� A part of his brain
nagged about why he was so insistent to establish this point to a complete
stranger.

�Are you staying at this hotel alone?� Janet
asked pointedly.

His drink finished, Amon gently set it on the
counter.� �No,� he admitted quietly
without looking up.

�Are you staying with that girl I saw you with
earlier?�

�I�m her legal guardian.�

Janet didn�t respond, merely lifting an eyebrow
at the clipped remark.� That, and the
uncomfortable aura wafting off Amon in waves.

* * *

Smartly dressed in a different black calf-length skirt
- this one with small slits in the sides - and bravely sporting a short-sleeve,
fitted pale blue blouse, Robin arrived downstairs to the lobby.� After the news from Nagira, she was elated
and quickly growing a little braver to tell Amon about her recent discovery in
the amulet.� Her joy, however, quickly
fell as she spotted Amon at the bar as he had said he would be, but chatting
with the very same woman from earlier that day.�
In disbelief, she stood frozen to the ground as she watched them a few
moments, before numbly turning around and exiting the restaurant.

In the lobby, she paced along the creamy marbled
floor from one side to the other.�
Confused and hurt, Robin mused over the situation.� She had agreed to meet Amon in the restaurant,
so she couldn�t very well return to their room.�
On the other hand, Robin couldn�t bring herself to go inside and
confront the two either.�

What to do.�
What to do�

* * *

Feeling something amiss, Amon found himself
strumming his fingers impatiently along the bar counter.� He leaned back towards Janet.� �Do you know what time it is?� he asked
lowly.

She glanced down at her watch.� �It�s a little after seven.�

Amon
turned back to face forward, brows creasing.�
After seven.� That meant it had
been well over a half an hour since he had sat down at the bar.� His frown increased as his dormant Hunter
skills picked up.� Something had to be
wrong with Robin to keep her for so long.�
The bartender re-approached the two, offering more drinks.� Janet accepted, but Amon tossed some bills on
the counter and stood up.

�Please excuse me,� he said politely before
turning to leave.� Janet merely lifted a
delicate hand in farewell and sighed in disappointment.

Deciding the first place he should check was
their room, just to be sure, Amon hurried towards the elevators.� He stopped short as he caught sight of Robin
pacing the lobby, a distressed expression on her face.� A short sleeve shirt, he noted as he
took in her pale, thin arms.� She
needs more sunlight.� Perplexed, Amon
strode up to her.

�Robin, where have you been?� he asked.� Robin stopped short, swiveling around
abruptly, her mouth opening in surprise at having been caught.�

�Wh-what?��

�Where have you been,� Amon repeated.� �Don�t you want to get dinner?�

�I, uh, um�not really.�� Her face flushed and she looked down at the
ground.

�Robin,� he began patiently, �what�s wrong?�

�Nothing,� she replied insistently, then turned
and punched the up button for the elevator with her index finger.� Behind them, Janet exited out of the
restaurant, pausing as she caught sight of Amon and Robin.� The two females� eyes met briefly, then Robin
snapped her head around to glare at the elevator doors.� Amon intently watched her shift from one foot
to the other.� �You seemed busy,� she
shot back.

�Don�t be ridiculous,� Amon retorted as the doors
opened and they stepped a side to allow the people within to exit.� �We were going to have dinner and I was
waiting for you at the bar as I had said I would be.�

Robin crossed her arms and rested her back
against the elevator wall, stubbornly refusing to meet Amon�s eye.� He nearly kicked the wall in
frustration.� Fine, his mind spat
back.� The doors opened and the two
silently strode through the hallways to their room.� Amon had removed his key, ready to unlock the
door, but Robin reached it first, quickly swiping her key card and
simultaneously giving the door a shove.�
The first place she went was the kitchenette, rummaging through the
cupboards until she extracted a package of the instant ramen they had purchased
earlier that day.� Amon sat down at the
bar separating the kitchen from the living area, choosing to watch his young
ward stamp around the kitchenette.� At
this point, there was nothing he could say that would rectify the situation, so
he settled for observing her childish antics instead.�

�Do you want some, too?� Robin muttered as she
prepared the kettle with water.

�Sure,� he responded neutrally, struggling in
vain to hide his annoyance and his growing frown.

The water heating, Robin busied herself with
organizing the cupboards.� Normally Robin
put away the groceries and liked the goods to be stored in a certain way.� Seeing that she had no desire to communicate
with him, Amon suppressed a groan and stood up from the bar.� He paced the room a bit, coming to stop
between the two beds.� Amon�s hand came
up, covering his face as he thought of how to alleviate the problem.� Happening to glance down at the bed, he
stopped short as he saw a yellow piece of paper sticking up slightly from
Robin�s bag.� It wasn�t the note itself
that piqued Amon�s interest, but rather the fact that he recognized his
brother�s handwriting.� What is this?� Glancing covertly into the kitchen to check
that Robin was still preoccupied, Amon extracted the note.� His eyes widened as he skimmed the
words.�

Microfilm?� Information?�

A rising anger began to build within Amon at the
realization.� Robin somehow had obtained
information and apparently turned to Nagira for help.� She had gone to his brother instead of
him.� Amon felt sick at her betrayal of
their trust.� Robin had hidden something
from him, trusting Nagira over her guardian.�
A flicker of movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention
and he looked up to find Robin staring at him in horror.� His face hardened and he held out the note.

�What is this?� Amon asked, his voice icy.

She rushed forward, grasping at the note.� Amon held it high and just out of reach, eyes
boring into hers, pinning her in place.

�You don�t have any right to go through my
things,� she objected weakly, hands clenched at her sides.

�What is this?� Amon repeated just as coldly as
the first time.� She stood there
motionless, a mixture of fear, dread and anger written on her face.� �Robin!�

She started at the sound of her name, breaking
out of her dread.� �I was going to tell
you tonight at dinner,� she whispered.

�Tell me what?� he snapped back in an impatient
tone.

Robin cringed.�
�I-I, um, found something within my mother�s amulet.�� Amon waited silently for her to
continue.� �There was a small tube hidden
inside.� Na-Nagira said it was something
called microfilm.�

�And why didn�t you tell me when you had found
this microfilm?� he asked coolly.� �Why
didn�t you come to me the moment you found this information?� Amon
continued, his voice now growing louder in anger.� Robin opened her mouth to speak, but nothing
came out.� Before he could stop himself,
Amon found himself asking the question primarily on his mind.

�Why don�t you trust me?�

Amon�s
voice betrayed him, the hurt obvious in his tone.� At his words, Robin anger emerged and she
lunged forward to snatch the note from his hand.� It crumpled as she turned away, her free hand
covering her face.� Amon stood uneasily
to the side, unsure of how to proceed.�
After a moment, she turned towards him, a look of sadness on her face.

�You really don�t know why I choose to go to
Nagira over you?�� At his perplexed
expression, she continued.� �I don�t know
what�s on that microfilm, but it is most likely more information about my
past.�� Robin shook her head.� �You - your feelings on witches�me�I just
couldn�t tell you.�� Her voice was barely
audible and Amon took another tentative step forward to hear her better.� �I couldn�t take the chance to alienate you
even more until I was positive of what information the amulet contained.�� Robin lips turned upward into a small, sad
smile.� �I went to Nagira, because I knew
he wouldn�t�care.� It wouldn�t matter to
him whatever more he found out about my past.��

Amon
stared at her as her voice trailed off, a sinking feeling growing in the pit of
his stomach.� Robin turned away and he
took a few tentative steps forward.�
�Robin, you can always come to me whenever you need help.� I take my duties to you very seriously.�

Immediately, her head came up as she spun
around.� �Duty?� I�m your duty?� Robin spat.� She was so openly furious, even Amon was
taken aback at her anger.� �That�s all
you see me as, isn�t it?� You stay with
me to make sure I don�t lose control and harm others.� What you said last night about protecting me
wasn�t true, was it?� You stay with me to
protect others, not me.�

Robin turned on her heel and fled to the door
instead of waiting for an answer.� Amon
barely managed to get to the exit before she did, letting her collide against
his body.� His arms came up to surround
her, attempting to keep her against him.�

�Move!� she shouted, struggling to get around
him.� Amon didn�t respond, passively
preventing Robin from moving around him. ��Stop it!� she cried, stumbling backwards as
she pushed against his chest.� Robin�s
hand formed into a fist and she threw a punch against Amon�s shoulder.� Her touch was so light, he barely moved at
its impact.� For a moment, Robin stared
in disbelief at him, shocked she had had so little force behind her fist.� Her anger returned and this time she lifted
both fists, bringing them squarely down against Amon�s chest with a solid thud
before collapsing against him, exhausted and frustrated.� Amon�s arms came up again, pulling her
tightly against his chest.� He pulled the
hair away from her face as she leaned against him, wishing that he could rewind
time so the two of them could restart the day.�
Exhaling through his nose, Amon bent over and placed his cheek upon her
head.� As Robin slowly calmed down, he
closed his eyes, reveling in the feel of her body tucked tightly against
his.� Her knees buckled suddenly, leaving
Amon little time to catch her before she fell fully.� He sat down on the carpeted floor, resting
his head against the door and bringing Robin back to his chest.�

�I�m sorry, Robin,� he murmured into her
hair.� She lifted her face, green eyes
puffy and sad once more, gazing into his face curiously.� He lifted a finger, carefully running it down
Robin�s cheek.� �I shouldn�t have
confronted you as I did,� he explained.�
�I was�angry.�

�Angry?� she repeated cautiously.

�Yes.� I
was angry that you chose to go to Nagira first over me.�

�I was going to��

Amon
silenced her with a finger to her lips.�
�It�s alright, Robin.� I
understand why you did what you did.��
His eyes traveled south, resting on her mouth trembling slightly under
his forefinger.� After a moment, his gaze
returned to Robin�s eyes.� She stared at
him expectantly.� Amon hesitated, unable
to tear himself away from the sight of Robin�s face, his heart pounding wildly
within his chest.� As he felt them
incrementally move closer towards the other, Robin�s face took on a hopeful
expression.� Fighting back the
inevitable, Amon furiously struggled to find a way to divert the situation.

�Are you still interested in that tattoo?�

Her face crinkled in confusion.� �Are you serious?� she asked as she sat on
her heels.

He nodded and brushed the hair from her
face.� �Yes.� I�ll get one, too.� Amon smiled lightly as
Robin looked to him in dismay.� �Get your
coat.�

* * *

A mere fifteen minutes later, Amon had managed to
track down a reputable establishment.�
The two sat in the front of the store on bar stools, each leafing
through a binder chock full of various designs.�
He fought down a smile as he watched Robin carefully study each design.

�Nervous?� he asked, leaning over to her.� Robin lifted her face and shook her head
no.� �Really?�

�I�m not nervous at all,� she replied
confidently.� She pushed her binder
towards him and pointed to one in particular.�
�I think you should get this one,� Robin announced.

Amon
carefully took the binder and studied the one she had indicated.� �A phoenix,� he said slowly, a small smile
forming on his face.� He looked back to
her waiting face.� �I think it�s a good
idea.�� Immediately, Robin�s face broke
into a pleased smile.

Rising from his seat, Amon picked up the binder
and approached the counter.� �Would you
be able to use this design to cover an existing tattoo?��

The man behind the counter stood from his stool
and glanced down at the design indicated.�
�Depends on the original tattoo, but we should be able to work with
whatever you�ve got.� Rei is an expert at
covering existing tattoos.

Robin had risen from the table and now hovered
near Amon�s elbow.� �You�re going to get
rid of your old tattoo?�

Amon
barely glanced down to her.� �I no longer
need it.�� Amon returned his attention to
the binding, flipping through some more pages until a particular snake design
caught his eye.� �Where did you plan on
getting your tattoo?� he asked of Robin without looking up.

She tilted her head to the side.� �I was thinking about my left shoulder blade
- possibly on my lower back.�

�Left shoulder blade.� The lower back is too stereotypical for
females.�� He slid the binder across the
counter.� �You picked out mine, I get to
pick out yours.�� With that, Amon plopped
his forefinger in the middle of the design.

�An oroborus,� she
said, looking up to Amon with a smile.�
�Alright.�

�Very well then,� the man behind the counter
said.� �I�m Takahashi and I will be doing
the tattoo for the girl this evening.�
You two come back here and we�ll get everything set up.�� The man led them behind the counter and settled
them in different areas.� Amon quickly
unbuttoned his shirt when instructed, then stripped off his undershirt.�

A different man � apparently the Rei that
Takahashi had mentioned earlier - examined Amon�s tattoo.� �This shouldn�t be a problem to cover up,�
the man said after a moment.� �However,
it will look different from how the design appeared in the binder.�� Without waiting for Amon to respond to this,
the man set about getting his supplies ready.�
Amon turned his head, nearly doubling over in shock as he found Robin
lying face down on a table without a single article of clothing covering her
top half, save a piece of cloth over her back.�
She attempted to remain neutral, but Amon had no difficulties seeing that
she was uncomfortable.� The flush over
her face and body was evidence enough.�
Takahashi barely glanced at Robin's bare back as he prepared his
tools.� She met Amon�s eye briefly, then
glanced away.

�This will probably hurt, especially seeing as
this is your first time,� the man warned as he began drawing the design on her
shoulder blade.� Robin nodded back to
him.� Amon watched her carefully, letting
himself relax gradually.�

�You lift weights often?� the man at Amon�s side
asked suddenly, startling him.

�Not as often as I would like, but yes.�

Rei
nodded appreciatively.� �Good muscle
tone.�

Amon
glanced back to Robin, catching her staring at his bare torso.� She started and quickly turned her head away.

�So,� Takahashi began, not looking up from his
work on Robin�s back, �what made you decide to get a tattoo?� And especially at your age?�

�I wanted one,� Robin answered airily.� She smiled as the man laughed at the
response.

�I see.�
It�s fairly uncommon for us to see someone your age getting a
tattoo.�� He stopped and looked to Amon.� �It�s even more odd when said person gets a
tattoo along with their guardian.�

Amon
shrugged.� �It was time for a change for
me and an early birthday present for Robin.�

Takahashi quirked an eyebrow as a third man came
into the room.� He had so many piercings,
Amon�s face hurt just looking at him.�
Holding a cigarette in one hand, the third man leaned against the wall
and gave them a thoughtful look.

�I saw this show on the TV the other day about
some city in the US
where sixteen year old girls are given boob jobs for their birthdays.�� He gestured towards Robin.� �In perspective, it�s not that strange that
she�s getting a tattoo.� At least she
doesn�t have to worry about saline ruptures.�

The first man nodded at this.� �I guess you do have a point, Johnny.�� He turned his attention to Robin.� �I hope you don�t regret it, though.� We do get some people who were tattooed at a
young age and who hate their choice when they get to thirty.� Kind of like your, uh, guardian there.�� Takahashi paused.� �At least you�re getting a tattoo on your
back, so you won�t see it too often,� he added with a laugh.

�I guess if I change my mind, I can always have
it tattooed over like Amon,� Robin said with a small, noncommittal shrug.� She turned her gaze towards Amon.� �What was she like?�

�Who?� Amon asked with a puzzled expression.

�The woman you got the tattoo for.�

He stared back at her in surprise, then dropped his head.�
So she knew from the start.�
�She was my first love.�

Immediately, the ears in the room perked up at
this bit of information.�

�Oh?� Robin asked, feigning neutrality.

Amon
dropped his eyes, smiling slightly at the memory. �Yes.� I was eighteen and had been recently put in
charge of my first unit.� We hit it off
immediately and though I wasn�t supposed to be involved with a member of my
team, I did so anyway.�

�So, you got involved with an older woman, it
sounds,� Johnny commented.

�Yes, she was three years my senior.�

The first tattoo artist whistled.� �I dated an older woman once.� Boy, let me tell you, the sex was
great.�� Rei cleared his throat loudly
and Takahashi quickly apologized to Robin.�

�What about you?� Johnny asked, nodding to
Robin.� �Tell us about your first love.�

Robin blushed as Amon�s eyes widened slightly in
alarm.� �I-I don�t think that�s a good
idea.� Nothing happened anyway.�

�Aww, come on,� Johnny
insisted, egging her on.� �You have
nothing better to do while you�re here.�

�Alright,� she said after a moment of hesitation,
making Amon�s stomach lurched.� �Well, he
was in seminary training at the corresponding school from where I lived in the
convent -�

�You lived in a convent?� Takahashi interrupted.

�Yes, I was orphaned and taken into a convent in Italy when
I was an infant.�� Robin returned to the
story. ��This man eventually became a
priest.�� She paused, blushing at the
thought.� �I used to go to him all the
time for confession.�

�What about when you needed to confess your
thoughts about him?� Johnny asked.�

Robin blushed more furiously and pushed her chin
into the padding of the table.� �I went
to a different priest for those confessions - and I never mentioned names
either.�

�Was he tall, dark, mysterious and handsome?�
Johnny winked.

�No,� Robin ducked her head.� �Actually, quite the opposite.� I mean, he was handsome,� she hurried
to explain.� �Very handsome - he
could have easily been an actor or something -- but he was also very fair and
he always made me laugh.�� Robin smiled,
her eyes far away.� �I was so in love
with him at the time.� It seemed so
strange that he had joined the priesthood.�

�How old were you?� Rei asked interestedly.

�Fifteen,� Robin responded with a nervous
laugh.� �I guess I was an early
bloomer.�� She sobered.� �It wasn�t until after I had been in Japan a
few months that I discovered that he had run off with a nun from the
convent.� Francesca.� She said the name
wistfully.� �She was always so beautiful.
It was no surprise that he had been in love with her.�

�Were you saddened by this news?�

�Sort of, but by that point I had already gotten
over him.� Shortly before I came to
Japan, I started a relationship with another boy my age.�� Robin frowned.� �But I didn�t realize what I had at the
time�so, it was mostly one-sided.�� She
looked up.� �Then I came to Japan a
couple of years ago.�

�And since you�ve come to Japan, has
there been anyone?�

�There was one person,� Robin began slowly and
once again, Amon tensed, �but it was rather one-sided again.� I think he understood, though, that I wasn�t interested
in him in that way.�

Michael, Amon thought.� She�s talking about Michael.

�You seem to have a lot of experience for one so
young,� the first tattoo artist commented.

Robin shrugged.�
�I guess.�

�Does this mean you�ve already had your first kiss?�
Johnny inquired with a raised eyebrow.

�Yes,� she replied and buried her head in the
table, hiding the furious blush which had covered her face.

* * *

The two crashed through the door to their hotel
room, full of euphoria and laughing as they entered.� Robin hurried to the bathroom, pulling her
shirt over her shoulder and craning her neck to catch a glimpse of her new
tattoo in the mirror.� She frowned at her
bruised skin.

�It looks terrible,� she whined.

Amon came
up beside her, pulling off his shirt to examine his arm.� �Don�t worry,� he assured, �it will look
better in time.��

Robin turned to examine his arm.� �Yours looks bad, too,� she commented as she
ran her finger over his upper arm.�
�Still, it already looks amazing,� Robin murmured.� Looking up to him, she smiled.� �It�s hard to believe there was something
completely different there this morning.�

�You�re just happy I went with the one you
chose,� he retorted as he leaned in the doorway, extending an arm against the
doorframe.

�We should celebrate by going to the bar
downstairs,� Robin suggested hopefully.

�Nice try.�

Ducking under him, Robin flashed a smile and
exited the bathroom.� She flopped on
Amon�s bed with a giggle.� Amon
approached her, stopping at the end of the bed and crossing his arms over his
chest.

�You�re not going to bother asking anymore?� he
asked with an amused expression.

Turning coy, Robin shot a glance over her
shoulder.� �Why bother?� You never say no.�

Amon
smiled and flopped exhausted on the bed beside her.� He shifted until he lay on one side facing
towards the wall.� Robin turned over
beside him, snuggling up close to his side.�
A thought coming to his mind, Amon rolled over in place.� To his surprise, he found Robin�s face much
closer than he had anticipated.� Unaware
of the thoughts in his head, she smiled easily up at him, so happy from their
evening together.�

There�s that face again I could wake up to every
morning, Amon thought briefly before he leaned forward and kissed her.

His mouth upon hers.� She was everything he had imagined, warm,
sweet and soft with her breath floating lightly against his rough face.� Amon�s hand came up then, sliding under her
hair and around her neck, his thumb caressing Robin�s cheek as he kissed
her.� He broke off slowly, closing his
eyes and resting his forehead against hers.

�Shit,� he whispered, biting his lip.� Pushing away, Amon froze when he caught sight
of Robin�s face.� She stared back in
disbelief, incapable of comprehending the implications of their kiss.

�Wh-what was that?� she
managed to get out.� Amon nearly cringed,
Robin looked so betrayed.� �I-I thought
that there wasn�t anything between us�Amon?�

Finally realizing just how serious of mistake he
had made with Robin, Amon quickly turned away from her, exiting the bed.� �It was a mistake,� he said quietly, reaching
for his shirt.� �I overstepped my
bounds.��

�Amon,� she said
faintly, lower lip quivering, �does this mean that there�that you�that you have
feelings for me?�

His hands paused on the buttons of his shirt and
he shot a glance over his shoulder, feeling more guilt at Robin�s hurt
face.� Amon quickly looked away.� �Yes.�

�But I thought�you weren�t�you didn�t�� Robin�s
voice trailed off as her voice broke.�
�This whole time you let� � wanted
me � to believe that you weren�t interested.�

�I let you sleep in my fucking bed, Robin,� he
replied lowly.� �That should have been a
clue as to how much I care for you.��
Finished with buttoning his shirt, Amon strode to the table, swiping the
keycard and heading towards the exit.� He
stopped just short of the doorway, not turning around.� �It�s not right�what we have between us.�

�Don�t go!� Robin pleaded after him in a panicked
voice.� As he hand lit upon the doorknob,
Amon heard her run up behind him.� Her
hands grasped his arm, pulling him back.

�I need to leave, Robin,� he replied with a shake
of his head.� �Clear my head, get a
drink��

�Don�t leave me, don�t go to her,� she
whispered desperately, burying her face into his shirtsleeve.� �Please, Amon.�

He stood there, his hand still on the door,
weighing his options.� Everything he had
spent the day trying to repair was now torn asunder, lying in pieces in the
rift between them.� An image of the
woman, Janet, appeared before his eyes, beckoning him.� Amon knew that she would most likely accept
him gladly, but the idea of a one-night stand seemed empty and
unappetizing.�

Eventually, Robin backed away when he made no
move to leave, retreating to her bed.�
She climbed in, still fully clothed and turned away from Amon.� Even still, he could see her shoulders
shaking silently beneath the covers.�
Turning around at last, Amon gently returned his keycard to the table
and slipped between the sheets of his bed, feeling empty by the lack of another
presence beside him.

* * *

Up Next - Chapter Three: Retaliation

* * *

Author�s Notes:

I don�t usually do subtle symbolism, but some
elements need to be discussed more fully.�
I also don�t know too much about any particular mythology, just bits of
pieces of various cultures.� However, I do
know quite a bit of history.

The following contains the original notes as
found on FanFiction.Net.� I have since
added more information to my Fanfiction blog.� You can read it at
http://clairejonesblog.blogspot.com

1. The bird and the snake

Of course, the title is a reference to the
phoenix and oroborus tattoos the two get later in the
chapter.� Besides the overt symbolism of
these animals yet to be discussed, the simplified symbols of the bird and snake
can also speak of Robin and Amon�s tumultuous and sometimes uneasy
relationship.� Who is
really the bird and the snake is up to the reader�s interpretation.

2. Microfilm

(Original story lists microfiche for this
chapter.� Additional information on
microfilm was found and added to my blog, if readers
are interested.)

Dang, for something that was so common when I was
a young child, I could not find too much information on microfiche - not even
on Wikipedia.�
I remember going to the library and having to sort through the
microfiche files to look up books.� Yeah,
I�m so glad we switched to those nifty little jump drives.� The idea for the rolled up microfilm comes
from the ROM type that was one form created and also can be rolled, although it
actually originates from - this is so bad - the end sequence in the The Rock.�
From what I could tell, that should also be a type of ROM
microfiche.� Of course, Robin�s is a bit
smaller, but I�m guessing that in the future there are additional types of data
storage.� Hey, if people can hack into
data systems just with their minds in Ghost in the Shell, then
developing a new form of compact microfiche should be no sweat.� Interestingly, microfiche is very good to use
because it is an analog storage device as opposed to today�s traditional
digital storage and less likely to get corrupted.� Since the letters are so small, it�s not
possible to pick up a piece of microfiche and read it without some sort of
viewing device, although it�s really no different than needing a computer to read
a CD.

3. Akhenaten
and Tutankhaten

Few discussions about the Egyptian sun god Amun can progress without mentioning the later sun disk, Aten.� The Aten/Akhenaten controversy is arguably history�s most
interesting period.� Misora
discussed this a bit in her story The Burning Time, although Akhenaten was actually not the first person to establish
the Aten sun religion as stated.� His grandfather first introduced the idea of
the monotheistic deity to the Egyptian people.�
Due to public opinion polls, however, he decided to leave the idea of an
official new religion on the back burner during the reelection period and
earned himself a long lifespan.� Smart
thinking!� Unfortunately, he too was
erased from Egyptian history, along with his six successors.� Akhenaten later
forcibly proclaimed the sun disk Aten as Egypt�s
official religion, ignoring his country�s economic state, international
relations and choose instead to bankrupt his prosperous nation by building vast
new temples, a new capitol city and basically ignoring reality as the country
fell around him (hmm, this sounds oddly familiar).

Tutankhamun,
today�s famous pharaoh, was initially born Tutankhaten
to Akhenaten and his minor wife.� There is a lot of controversy (a lot), but it
seems that contrary to what many originally believed, Tutankhamun
attempted to undo the damage wrought by his father and was doing a good
job helping restore Egypt,
when he was killed (murdered) at a young age.�
He changed his name from Tutankhaten to
Tutankhamun as an official effort to restore
faith to the previous polytheistic religions of Egypt.� On an unrelated note, it is believed that Tutankhamun�s successor, Ai, stole the goods from Nerfetti�s (primary wife of Akhenaten
and interestingly daughter of Ai) tomb.�
This explains the surprising amount of wealth found in the tomb for a
relatively minor Pharaoh.� Many of the
items found were actually created for a woman, including the very famous golden
mask and his sarcophagus.� The original
face of the mask was cut out and the present one was inserted and bolted in the
former�s place.�
Nerfetti was very beloved by the Egyptian
people, despite the damage by her husband.�
There is (even more) controversial evidence that shows Nerfetti was Akhenaten�s
co-regent and quite possibly his successor as Pharaoh.� This would explain the wealth of Tutankhamun�s tomb and her very bare one.� On an icky note, Tutankhamun
married his half-sister, although that�s nothing compared to Akhenaten who took one of his daughters as his minor
wife.� Yuck!� The dude apparently quite loved Nerfetti to make her his primary wife despite never giving
him a male heir, but he really (really) liked his women.�

Anyway, in this chapter, Janet makes the
reference to Aten as a counter to Amon, or Amun.� The reference
to naming a son Tutankhaten is because he was the son
of Akhenaten.�
One probably would not name a son after a rival god, so the suggestion
is instead for the child of said god.�
The historical period of Akhenaten is
incredibly interesting.� I�ve read some
books on the subject and watched a lot of documentaries.� It�s very controversial, of course.� You can check some of this out by looking at Wikipedia.� I truly
believe that in the future, Akhenaten will be the
most famous Pharaoh of ancient Egypt.

4. Phoenix

Another symbol stemming from
Egyptian mythology.�
The idea behind this should be fairly simple.� A bird, once defeated, rises from the ashes
as a firebird.� The idea has been used in
Stravinsky�s Firebird, which was beautifully captured in the Disney film
Fantasia 2000.� Also, Jean Gray
from X-Men becomes a phoenix.� I
love using this symbol for Robin, given her craft and what happens to her
throughout the latter portion of the series.�
To me, she is always the phoenix.

5. Oroborus

The famous symbol of a snake
eating its tail.� It�s a
compelling symbol of infinity or immortality.�
Amon points this out to Robin at the very least for the one reason that
she is an engineered witch.� She has the
ability to restore and continue the lineage of witches as an �Eve�.� Robin can retain immortality by endlessly
passing on her DNA to her offspring.�
Referencing Egyptian beliefs again, the people
believed the way to attain immortality was to remain in the minds of
others over the years.� This is the
primary reason why the Akhenaten group was �erased�
from all records in Egypt and completely omitted later.� If people forgot about them, they could not
truly attain immortality.� This Egyptian
idea is kind of odd considering some of the tombs we have found of the �normal�
people who had their portraits painted on slates and placed on the
mummies.� By mummifying their bodies and
depicting what they looked like, modern people can remember those who lived
thousands of years earlier.� This
Egyptian idea is surprisingly sound.
- 2
- 3
- 4
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Tattoo