"Brother, pat my head." Alluka requested, smiling broadly at Killua.
"Yes. Of course!" Killua returned the smile and patted Alluka's dark hair as she had requested.
Alluka's smile widened and her eyes gleamed happily. Killua felt that sense of happiness well up inside of himself again. She made this request frequently. He was always happy to oblige. Though, if he didn't, things could go terribly wrong. But this was Alluka he was dealing with right now. Alluka, not Something.
"Brother, where are we going?" Alluka asked Killua sweetly.
"Somewhere where no one will ever hurt you." Killua replied.
They were days out from Gon and the World Tree. Killua still had not the slightest clue where he was going. He figured that the destination didn't really matter as long as Illumi or anyone else couldn't find them. He didn't know what he'd do if someone managed to steal Alluka away from him.
They wouldn't dare. Killua thought to himself as he handled the controls on the airship.
He remembered Illumi's last words to him before Killua had commanded Something to send him home. Learn your place, he had said. Killua knew he'd be coming after them again. He didn't know when, and that scared him.
He'll be ready for me to command Something this time, Killua told himself. I'll have to figure out someway else to get away.
He didn't want to command Something anymore anyway. He'd vowed to not use Something the way he knew Illumi wanted to do. He thought back to that day in the hospital after Something had healed Gon. Killua had made Something sad, and Alluka, too, by extension. He hadn't been happy with himself for that. His fear had made him impulsive. And in that state, he'd said things he hadn't meant to say.
"Brother." Alluka piped up behind him.
"Hmm?" Killua glanced over his shoulder at his little sister.
"Where are we going?" Alluka asked the question again.
Killua contemplated replying the same way he had before. He opened his mouth to speak, but had a sudden idea.
"Alluka, would you like to see where Gon-kun is from?" Killua asked.
"Yes!" Alluka nodded, smiling.
"We're going to Whale Island." Killua answered her question then.
It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, and one he wasn't certain was completely correct. He didn't know where else to go exactly, and Whale Island was as good a place as any to let Alluka have some freedom for awhile. They could camp out in the woods like he and Gon had done so long ago. Or maybe not. Killua didn't know if Alluka would like camping, after all. Maybe they'd stay in a hotel, he decided. It would be safe, regardless. If he was going to travel around with Alluka, he might as well try to enjoy his time, right?
Kurapika held his phone to his ear. He had dialed Gon's number twice now, but had not sent the call either time. He didn't know what to say. He'd gotten the voicemails Leorio had left about Gon being near death, and he'd gotten the others after that revealing that Gon had healed. But still he had not called any of them back. It had been so long since he'd talked to any of his friends. He'd been spending so much time retrieving the eyes of his people that he had forgotten to keep in touch with Gon and the others. He had heard about the incident in New Gorteau, of course. Everyone had heard about that. Hunters, anyway. He had wanted to go help, especially when he'd heard that Gon and Killua were there, but still he had not.
Kurapika redialed the number again. This time, pressing the SEND button before he could talk himself out of it. The line rang for several moments before Gon's familiar voice came across.
"Gon?" Kurapika said quietly.
"KURAPIKA!" Gon cried out so loud that Kurapika had to hold the phone away from his ear to lessen the sound.
"Gon, It's good to hear your voice." Kurapika said after Gon had appeared to calm down." How are you? Is Killua there?"
Kurapika remembered how inseparable those two were. Wherever one of them went, the other was sure to follow. Even if it meant trouble for both of them.
"I'm fine, Kurapika." Gon replied." Killua isn't here."
"Where are you?" Kurapika asked." I would like to apologize to you in person."
"Apologize?" Gon sounded genuinely confused." Apologize for what?"
"I'll explain. Let's meet, okay?"
"Yeah!" Gon's voice grew chipper once again." Where are you?"
"I'd rather meet somewhere." Kurapika said." How about Yorknew City?"
"Yeah!" Gon agreed." Ging and I will meet you there!"
Ging? He found his father then.
"See you, Gon." Kurapika bid his friend farewell.
Gon returned the sentiment and the line clicked off.
Kurapika set his phone down and stood. He was about to go to his computer to purchase airship tickets to Yorknew when there came a knock at his door. He crossed the room, brushing his fingers along the jars containing the eyes of his clan as he passed them. He went to the door and opened it.
"Hello, Kurapika." Hisoka greeted him smoothly. "Have you spoken to Gon lately?"
Behind Hisoka stood Killua's elder brother, Illumi.
Killua and Alluka's airship landed on Whale Island just as the sun was beginning to set. Killua led his sister off the ship and through town. Alluka seemed very interested to look around at everything. She seemed happy. Killua, too, was happy to be on solid ground again. But he couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. He looked around, down either side of the street as Alluka browsed a stand of stuffed animal toys. No one was paying them any attention. Why should they? There was nothing strange about a boy taking his little sister toy shopping, after all. But still, the feeling remained.
"Brother?" Alluka tugged on Killua's sleeve gently.
Killua looked down to see her holding a stuffed white cat toy up to him. He looked down on it, feeling a pang of hurt in his stomach. The thing reminded him of something.
Pitou, he thought, remembering the name of the Chimera Ant royal guard who Gon had nearly lost his life to.
"You want that one?" Killua asked kindly.
"Yes, brother." Alluka nodded, holding it up to him again.
"Okay." Killua paid the salesman for the stuffed animal and took Alluka by the hand again, leading her down the street.
"We're going to stay in a hotel tonight, Alluka." Killua said as he led her towards a big building down the street.
"Kay." Alluka said.
Killua's breath caught in his throat. That was Something's word she used when she would accept a wish. He looked down at his sister. She looked like Alluka, not Something. Thank god, he thought. He thought he'd somehow messed up.
At the hotel, Killua rented a room on the second floor. The second floor rooms had a nice view of the ocean, or the forest if they were on the other side of the building. He thought Alluka would like it, either way. In their room, Alluka went to one of the two beds to play with her stuffed animal. Killua sprawled out on the other bed and flipped on the television. He wondered what Gon was doing now. Killua thought it would be pretty funny if he ran into Gon here on the island. Would Gon bring Ging back to Whale Island to visit Mito-san? Would Ging allow him to? Killua didn't know much about Gon's father, but he had really strung them along for a long time.
"Brother, play with me." Alluka requested.
Killua sat up to find Alluka standing beside his bed. He smiled at her and jumped up excitedly.
"Okay!" he said.
"Brother, play dead." Alluka made her request while forming a handgun with her hand.
She made a mock bang sound and Killua fell backwards onto the bed. He lay on his back, his feet hanging off the bed. He lay as still as possible. Before Alluka could request further play, however, Killua's phone began to ring. He sat up quickly, pulling it from the pocket of his shorts and pressing the button to answer.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Kil!" Illumi replied on the other end of the line." How's my little brother? I have a request. I have your friend Kurapika here. Give me Alluka, or I'll kill him."