Note: This fic will be updated on the last Monday of every month approximately
Chapter One
The sun was just beginning to rise as a tall, dark haired man emerged out of the forest surrounding the nearby small town surrounding Kukuroo Mountain. Of course, there was nothing particularly special about this, as many people visited the area in order to take the tour. Of course, the real hope was to be able to catch a rare glimpse of the notorious assassin family, who are rumored to live at the very peak of the nearby Kukuroo Mountain. The town was just waking up, as men and women with bags under their eyes and coffee in their hands began to make their way to their various jobs. Others littered the clean sidewalks talking in groups and walking toward their destinations, casually chatting along the way.
Nobody paid much attention to the man with pale skin and dark hair as he walked through the town, stopping only to buy a small coffee at the local coffee shop. Perhaps the townspeople would have taken more interest in the man if they knew his real identity. But then again, how could they? It's not every day that one sees a Zoldyck strolling about town.
Illumi passed through the town quickly and walked alone near the trees and bramble. For someone such as him, the distance between the town and the mountain wouldn't take too long to cover. He sipped his coffee. If he made many expressions, he would have made a slightly disgusted face after doing so. Illumi was never one for coffee. The elder Zoldyck child quickly made his way toward home. After all, he had just had an utterly exhausting experience.
He thought back to the past few weeks, when he spent his time disguised as Gittarackur during the Hunter Exam. Illumi's primary reason for participating in the exam was to secure his Hunter license in order to complete a job. However, Illumi's presence in the exam served a dual purpose in also soothing his mother's nerves in regard to his younger brother Killua being independent against her will. He succeeded in sending his brother home, where he rightfully belongs, and obtaining the license. However, he faced minor consequences when Killua's friend Gon broke his arm in anger because of what he had done to Killua. In addition to all that grief, he had to deal with Hisoka, who is a full serving of trouble on his own.
But Illumi wasn't worried about that as he approached a barely visible path and turned to follow it. The path was hidden by bushes and the surrounding forest, and it would take a highly skilled human to even identify the area as a "path". Illumi walked amongst the trees, as the sunlight struggled past the leaves to reach the forest floor. He walked for a while in silence, heading to the place that felt more like home to him than the distant mansion where his family lived.
He turned the corner slowly, and saw his destination ahead of him. Before him lay a field of grass and flowers, blooming with the rising sun. The vast field expanded out from the edge of the forest. Illumi looked left and saw the lake, shimmering and blue, like always. Not far from the lake lay a slightly broken down cottage. It wasn't much, but the very sight of it made the corners of Illumi's mouth pull up into the smallest fraction of a smile. He couldn't resist. Memories from his childhood washed over him as he walked toward the cottage.
A young boy with chin length, black hair looked up at his father, who was looming over him. Illumi, at the age of 8, had just returned from a mission that had not gone particularly well, and knew that he had to face the consequences. Silva looked down at his eldest son, with a slight hint of disappointment on his face.
"I have nothing to say." Silva stated calmly, staring down at Illumi, whose head was bent down toward the floor. "You know the job could have gone better. You have the scar to prove it." Silva stated firmly, looking at his son's pale chest. There was a large gash that was bleeding on the cold floor, making a puddle of deep red. "You know the punishment." Illumi looked up at his father with large, dark eyes that held no emotion. "Yes, father" he said quietly. The young boy did not even bother to hold his hand up to his chest to attempt to stop the bleeding.
Illumi followed his father down various dark hallways. All the curtains were always closed, letting no sunlight through into the mansion. After many turns, Silva finally opened a large, heavy door with his son in tow, still bleeding. The young boy spent numerous hours dangling in confinement. Though the majority of his time was spent passed out from blood loss as he hung, shackled. Though he was in serious agony, the boy knew to show no signs of distress or pain. Weakness was not tolerated in his family.
After his punishment, Illumi was stitched up by one of the servants. They seldom looked at each other during the process, and did not speak. Illumi hardly ever interacted with the butlers, and they reciprocated. As Illumi walked down the hall toward his room, he passed his mother. However, when Kikyou saw his wound, she did not inquire about it. She merely looked down at him and frowned slightly. Illumi could no longer take it. He took off running away from the mansion as fast as he could.
He ran off property, no servants questioning his destination. As soon as he was free, tears began to stream down the young boy's face. It was all too much. He always saw other children playing and having fun when he went out on missions. Their normality stuck him. The children had parents and siblings who loved them. Illumi had none of that. He had his father, who hardly spoke to him outside of training, and his mother, who showed no affection at all to her first born. The closest thing he had to a friend was his chubby younger brother, Milluki, who was only three years old. The toddler often threw tantrums when things didn't go his way and was too young to participate in intellectual conversations with his older brother. He often found himself imitating the normal children he saw on his mission, when he was sure confident that he wasn't being observed. Illumi often craved affection, but had nobody to give him what he desired.
Illumi was forced to snap out of his thoughts as he heard a vehicle approaching. He quickly darted into the nearby forest and stayed still, his heart racing wildly. He watched as a tour bus drove by, packed with tourists from all over the world. "We will be approaching the mansion soon!" He heard the tour guide say faintly.
Emotionally drained, Illumi abandoned his hiding place and leaned up against a tree. He brushed the hair off his face, where it was sticking to his wet cheeks. The boy sniffled and looked around him. With the observation skills of a Zoldyck child, he noticed a faint path leading into the woods. Curiously and cautiously, the young Zoldyck made his way through the trees, still sniffling.
After minutes of walking, Illumi had begun to think that the path led nowhere. However, his hopes spiked when he saw a sharp turn in the path. Illumi would often walk down this path in the following years, heading to the only true place of sanctuary he had in this world filled with despair- the cottage.
Illumi took a deep breath as he neared his cottage. Though it was worn down from years of vacancy, Illumi had done what he could to make it look nicer. The cottage had a dark brown roof that Illumi had repaired upon finding numerous leaks. The outside was a cream color with brown mouldings around the door and windows. As Illumi got closer, however, he noticed that the door was cracked open ever so slightly.
Illumi paused mid-stride, and his dark eyes widened. If he were an average person, perhaps his heart rate would have picked up as well. However, he had been trained to be in control of most any situation. Illumi found himself slightly pissed off at the idea that another person had intruded in his personal space. The cottage was a place for him to be himself. The thought of someone else poking around in his place hit a nerve inside of him.
He quickly dismissed the idea that a member of his family could be inside. There's no way they would be careless enough to leave the door open, even slightly. This was most likely someone he didn't know. And he was confident that he could handle this with ease.
The eldest Zoldyck child approached the door of his safe haven. He could probably just walk in and kill whoever or whatever was inside. Illumi pushed open the door with ease, pins in his hands. Immediately he saw his victim. There was a woman in his home. All he could see was her long, black, tangled hair. She began to turn around, sensing someone in the doorway, as he prepared to strike. But just before Illumi was about to launch his pins into her head, he caught a glimpse of her face, and Illumi froze in place.
The dark haired Zoldyck lowered his arm and looked at her pale face, framed by tangled black hair. "Who are you?" Illumi asked, his face expressionless except for the slightest parting of his lips. "My name is Palm."
A/N: Thanks for reading. Please remember to leave a comment, it's much appreciated. Also later chapters may not come out regularly because of schoolwork and such, so follow the story if you wish to be alerted of updates.