Creak.

"Danchou?"

Chrollo blinked a few times before looking around. Had he dazed out for a moment? He was sitting on a wooden create beside a pile of scrap metal, wearing a white tee and dark trousers as crows circled overhead. It was hot out and the air smelled of burning trash. He was home, in Meteor City, but he could have sworn…

"Danchou, you weren't daydreaming, were you?"

Shalnark is standing before him in his green tunic, the white sleeves too long for his thin arms and his eyes wide with curiosity. No, they were always that wide. He had turned ten-no, eleven…one or the other, a couple weeks ago, and still his face couldn't seem to catch up to the size of his enormous green irises, observing every breath he took. He's holding a newspaper in one hand and a book in the other. "You'd better not let Nobunaga catch you napping," he giggled, "or he'll never let you live it down."

"…Shalnark, what have you been up to?" He felt like he should be asking a million other questions, something nagging at the back of his mind, but for that moment he felt like just taking in the youngest spider's excitement.

"You'll never guess what I overheard at that rundown bar down the road," he held the paper up, "turns out a small town a few days from here had a bit of an incident a couple weeks ago with some clans children." He handed Chrollo the news and held the book up with pride; Chrollo recognized it as one of the Elder's precious textbooks. "I decided to do a bit of research, and I found some interesting information regarding the clan."

Chrollo skimmed the article on the front page. The paper was stained from the rings of beer cups and smelled as bad as a drunk, but it was clear someone had put serious time into their work. "Demon children with eyes like fire," he murmured, "one of whom beat up three men passing through the usually quiet town." He looked at the accompanying picture, a sketch where a photo couldn't be, of two children in tunics similar to Shalnark's, with eyes of red. They really did look like demon children. "What'd you find?"

Shalnark flipped the book open to a page in small text with no images and light notes scribbled along the sides of the pages. "Grampa lent this history book to me the other day-"

Creak.

"Grampa?"

He made a pouty face. "The Elder said that if I wanted to borrow anything of his I had to call him Grampa and not complain, even behind his back."

Chrollo smirked. Even with as strict as the old man could be, he had a certain lighthearted humor to him that was hard not to appreciate. "He's trying to tame your ego."

"I like my ego the way it is, not too big and not too small. Anyway," he pointed to one of the middle paragraphs, "this chapter talks about various clans that have been recorded over the past hundred years by researchers and trustworthy hunters, including that old man who runs the Hunter Association."

"Netero?"

"He knows quite a few Elders and was given permission to be quoted in the book." He stepped over and sat down on the crate beside Chrollo, placing the book on their laps. "Those so called "demon" children are most likely Kurta."

Again Chrollo had to sit back and look the boy over. The Elder had always considered the leader of the Genei Ryodan to be a formidable opponent in terms of intellect, but when they had both met Shal a few years ago they were equally astonished at the way his mind worked.

"He's one of them prodigies," the other Elders had told one another within earshot, "what he lacks in typical childlike imagination he makes up for in maturity and impressively quick learning capabilities. Won't surprise me if you know who takes him under his wing."

You know who. The head Elder, the one who made most of the final decisions. It didn't take Chrollo's brains to know it would have been waste. Shal wasn't Elder material. He had far too much energy that had to be funneled into something. Something where his brain could work as much as his body. Something like master thievery. And killing, when it had to be done. He'd taken well, learning all the basics faster than even Chrollo had at his age. Almost too fast, but he couldn't complain.

Creak.

"Danchou, you're daydreaming again."

He rubbed his eyes but there was no sleep in them. Perhaps it was one of those slow days that dragged on and on and on. "Sorry. Continue."

Shalnark gave him a skeptical look before running his finger down the page. "It took a while, but I'd finally found a match. There isn't much, but the book talks briefly about a clan known as the Kurta. They travel often, moving from place to place like they're hiding something. And here, right below," he nearly jabbed the page to break the anticipation, "it mentions how their eyes were said to glow a dazzling scarlet when their emotions flared up. The colour stays scarlet, even after they die."

"But you don't have any pictures."

Shalnark grinned. "I'm no idiot." He pulled out a couple photographs from the back of the book before closing it. "The same guys I overheard in the bar and stole the newspaper from were still lingering around, so I took Uvogin with me and intimidated those out of them. Turns out they had been in the town at the time and had snapped a couple shots, though they're so blurry you'd swear they'd been as drunk as they are now."

Blurry was being generous. There were three pictures, the first two showing a scuffle between three men on their knees on the ground beside tiny feet. Chrollo couldn't see any more of the children, so his attention fell to the final photo. It was a blur, as though the camera had whipped to the side as it snapped the shot. All he could make out were the two eyes, bright and filled with a rage, scarlet dots on a field of white. "…Those are the eyes."

Shal nodded, though he barely noticed. There were few times that Chrollo had been enticed, and all previous times had involved some form of strange treasure. This was similar, and yet…different. It was a pair of glowing spots on a terribly blurred picture, but it was there. A jolt in his adrenaline, if only for a moment. He had to close his eyes to look away, trying to tune into what Shalnark was talking about, his voice far away.

"…Hiding something," finally the words came in clear, "which explains why they travel so much. From what I could gather from the photographers, however, as well as a hunter I'd run into the on the way out, they're currently located in the Lukso province."

"A hunter?"

He shrugged, loosening his sleeves so they fell over his hands. "Didn't give a name, but he had the license. I told him I wanted to know about the Kurta for research."

"He believed you?"

Creak.

"I'm a terrific liar," he bragged before frowning and looking to the sky for a long moment, "…but I doubt it. He was smart, and strong. Really strong. I had to pay him well, because Uvogin couldn't intimidate the guy. Some sort of archeologist that made off without any unnecessary chat and all my money. A bunch of the stray dogs followed him out, too." He sighed and propped his head in his hands and elbows on his knees. "It cost me a lot, and I'm not just being stingy."

A hunter in for a quick drink that knew where the Kurta was. Chrollo didn't believe in luck, so it had to be fate. His eyes fell back to the blurred photo, back to those glowering jewels of blood red.

"…"

"If we can find them before anyone else does," Shal kicked his legs against the crate, "then we can steal whatever treasure they've been hiding all these years. Uh, decades, now that I think about it," he did the math in his head, "and who knows? Perhaps they'll give it up without a fight once they see how terrifying the Genei Ryodan is."

There it was. The difference that, despite their combined intelligence, put Chrollo leaps and bounds ahead of the youngest spider. He put on a small smile, warm but not all too welcoming, and even let out the tiniest chuckle. "We already know what the treasure is, Shalnark."

Shalnark's already wide eyes widened even further as he stared at his boss. "We do? But I couldn't find any information about it."

"But you did," he held the photo out, "I hear rubies go for a lot on the black market."

He took the photo and examined it before slowly letting the realization sink it. "They were trying to protect their scarlet eyes. Of course," he knocked the side of his head, "how could I have been so stupid?"

"Oi, Danchou," Uvogin and Machi walked up to them, "I forgot when our next meetup is, and Machi won't tell me."

She crossed her arms, her black crop tank stretched over refined muscle. Chrollo didn't know where her sudden change in attire had come from. One of those unexplainable mysteries in the opposite sex. "Don't come crying to me every time you forget how to count to five."

"I keep telling you that I'm too busy to remember the boring stuff."

"And I keep telling you to get a watch, bozo."

"Stop bickering," Shal got to his feet, "you sound like a couple of children." He attempted to roll his sleeves up but they fell limp on his knuckles, causing him to give up and cross his own arms. It was never anywhere near intimidating. Machi snickered and rolled them up for him, then pinched his ear until she heard a rightful "thank you".

Creak.

Uvo cocked an eyebrow Chrollo's way. "You look awfully happy, Danchou," he sneered, "which can only mean one thing: you've got a target."

"Shalnark did some digging," he placed the newspaper and book on the crate beside him, his smile growing, "we'll meet in two days' time at the regular place. Omakage will be back by then, and this is right up his alley."

"We're stealing puppets?"

"Better," he pointed to his own grey eyes, "we're stealing these."

Uvo stared at him with a baffled expression before rubbing the back of his head. "You lost me there, Danchou." He gave a hearty laugh and grinned, showing off his teeth. "Just point me in the direction of the fight and I'll grab whatever you want."

"Baka," Shalnark grumbled, "the last time you did that you and Nobunaga nearly got your heads blown off."

"We'll be more careful."

"Careful isn't in your lexicon!"

"It'll be fine, Shalnark," Machi rolled her eyes, "don't get your tunic in a knot. Since when has the Genei Ryodan failed to retrieve what they want?"

Creak.

"Someone's a bit grumpy today," Uvogin picked Shal up and plopped him on his bulging bicep with a grin, "see? Nothing to worry about. I've been working out, and I let my hair grow out, too. I'm a wild animal that can't be tamed."

Chrollo was almost always in a serious mood. Heck, he was so serious his dreams were organized alphabetically, but it all melted away for those brief, precious moments when Shal's child seeped through. He smiled, then he giggled, and then he was laughing like the day was his own, flipping down and swinging from Uvogin's arm by his own. Back and forth his legs went as he and Uvo laughed, Machi unable to keep her eyes off the happy duo.

Creak.

The nagging in the back of Chrollo's mind grew stronger. He wanted this moment to last forever…but he had never wanted something like that. He enjoyed it, sure, but sometimes enough was enough. Shal always had his moments of childish wonder.

Creak.

He got to his feet as Machi kept her gaze on Shal's gleaming smile. "…"

Creak.

Chrollo's body went numb.

Creak.

He tried to speak but no words came out.

Creak.

"…"

Creak.

"Look how high I can go, Danchou!"

Creak.

"Danchou."

Creak.

He was standing beside a tall tree in some stranger's dark clothes, a damp headband covering his forehead. It should have been warm but everything felt a little bit too cold for comfort.

Creak.

"Danchou." Machi was speaking to him, fists clenched as hard as the grit of her teeth. "I'm going to kill him." Her very presence seemed to scare the crows away from the abandoned park.

Creak.

Shalnark swung, back and forth, legs still. Head still. Breathing past the point of still. There was no strength in his arms to hold onto anything anymore. Nor would there ever be.

Creak.

She stood by Kortopi's head, but there were no words of comfort he could give. Chrollo wasn't used to comforting. He'd seen members die before. Omakage. Uvogin. Pakunoda. So why now? It should have been a planned mourning.

Creak.

"I'm going to kill him with my own two hands!"

Creak.

Why now?

Creak.

"He's gonna wish he'd stayed dead!"

Creak.

Why couldn't he stop the tears from pouring now?

END

So, I'll admit it, I was one of the few who was really angry at Togashi's chapter 357 for the longest while. Don't get me wrong, Hisoka is a great character and I enjoy his moments in the manga, and for him to suddenly come back? Well, Chrollo won the only way a thief like him could win, and the clown king still gets to walk around while knowing that he was defeated. Alright. But then he has to go and kill Kortopi and Shalnark? Pretty sure my heart broke in two the second I laid eyes on the final page of the chapter.

But after some time I overcame my initial anger to realize that there are some characters that, while they may have more to offer, wouldn't be able to keep up with what's progressing in the story. Shal was one of my top three fav character in the series, and to see him go without a fight was logical but heartbreaking. However, it's for the best that the story move on, as do I. I wrote this piece as a little farewell to one of the favs. I'll miss him :')