vi.

When he was younger, before he had learned that what he was put through in his training wasn't normal- wasn't how every other child was raised, Killua would bleed and wonder if this was what love was.

He would stare at the faded bloodstains on the wall, the darker speckles standing out against the grey concrete of the dungeon, and let himself wonder if this was as much of a kindness as Illumi told him it was. If it was as much of a necessity as his father assured him it was; as impressive as Mother always said he was when he learned how to stop crying out after the first session, when he stopped shedding tears after the fifth, when he didn't crack under the pain ever again.

When Killua was younger, he bled for this definition of love. He grit his teeth against the pain until he didn't need to anymore because that is what he knew of the world, what he knew would garner the attention and kindness from his family, the love he always wanted but never truly understood.

At least, not until he met Alluka.

His sister has always offered her smiles to him freely, has always been kind and happy. To her, it never mattered how much of a failure he was in the beginning when he couldn't bring himself to kill anyone- at not least until Illumi carved that weakness, that failure out of him. Alluka has always been better than him, has always seen the world differently, found it to be something lovely and mysterious.

Killua can't understand that kind of optimism, not after what their family has put them through. Not after everyone started to shun Alluka for something she couldn't control.

"How can the world be so nice," he asked once, "if you're not allowed to see it. If the only reason I'm allowed into it is to just kill?"

Alluka had smiled, she had reached for his hand and answered, "Because any world is bearable if you're somewhere in it, Nii-san. Because anywhere is nice as long as you're there with me."

That's when he realized what his family had been doing to him- chained like a prize dog too valuable to have run away, carving lessons into him so that they never fade, trained to fight but to never, ever, bite the hand that feeds him- wasn't love at all. Because this was love.

Hand in hand with his sister, the only person that loved him without judgment, without expectation; Killua made a promise to himself, breathing it out loud for Alluka to hear, "I'll get you out of here one day. I'll make sure you're free and no one can cage us again."

And yet… And yet, she's far beyond his reach now, further than his simple mortal hands can even begin to bridge. He's in another world entirely, lost amidst the spirits and creatures that call this land their home. How can he reach Alluka from here? How can he even begin to bridge the gap?

Killua watches the twin moons dance across the sky, settling beyond the horizon as dawn breaks. He wonders if the spirits from last night have left the town, or if they linger there, taking part in a celebration he doesn't understand. The music lasted most of the night, stopping only now that the sun rises.

The boy from yesterday crosses his mind, asking if he was human like seeing a human being was something unheard of- like being human here means something entirely differently than it does back home. Killua scoffs at himself. Of course, it means something else here.

He's a human in the Spirit World, and while he doesn't know much about spirits beyond Nanika- that can't be good news for him. (There's no way he can forget how Nanika asks for gifts of human flesh, of human blood, more often than not.)

He has to find a way to get back, but the way to the willow tree has been sealed off from him. He tried to return last night, but couldn't even find the statues that showed he was close to the clearing- as if it has all just vanished after bringing him here against his will. He pretends that being kidnapped by a tree doesn't give him the creeps, even though he doesn't think he's ever been more unsettled in his life. He did find a stream running nearby though, and scrubbed at his clothes and skin until they were as clean as they were going to get. Which isn't as good as if someone that actually knew how to wash clothing in the wilderness would do it, but better than he expected from his first attempt.

His last resort now is to return to the town and see if any of the spirits there know exactly what happened to him. His skin crawls at the thought of talking to one of those living shadows, they remind him if the darkness in his brother's eyes far too much. The boy that talked to him yesterday is Killua's best option, though he isn't sure where to find him.

Killua waits for the sun to rise a little more before he stands and drops from the tree, making his way to the town once more, hands in his pockets, working his lower lip between his teeth. He wonders if he still smells of blood, like human, and whether this will make the boy appear to him like it did yesterday.

He finds himself in front of the bathhouse, staring at the red wood of the bridge, swallowing a lump in his throat at knowing that in another world, this is where he would see his sister again. But the mansion doesn't appear in the space between his blinks, between his breaths, between his heartbeat. It doesn't appear and he is alone and everything inside him hurts.

The boy doesn't show up either, but the tree behind him rustles despite the lack of wind. Killua casts a glance at it before shaking his head at his lack of company. He needs answers. If they boy can't help him, then he'll have to go to the next best thing- the massive bathhouse before him, looming tall and an odd mixture of modern and ancient.

(He tries not to think of just what could be lurking inside the building that has taken the place of the fabled Zoldyck mansion, of what creatures call it their domain, of whether his skills will be enough to protect himself if anything inhuman decides to attack him.)

He doesn't give himself time to change his mind.

He steps on the bridge and crosses it, standing before the massive wooden doors, staring up at them for a moment. He doesn't reach midway up the door. Killua wonders what kind of spirits step through this massive door, what exactly hides behind this door. His fingers twitch in his pockets. Don't think about it, he tells himself. He places his hands on the surface of the wood, counting to three.

1… 2… 3…

"Hey! What are you doing!?"

Killua jerks away from the door and he spins on his heel, eyes already taking in his surroundings. He finds no one behind him, only the lone tree across the bridge and the flower patches near the entrance of the bathhouse. But the speaker is nowhere to be seen.

"Up here," the voice calls out irately, "On the second floor to your left."

He follows the instructions warily, tilting his head back and meeting the unamused eyes of a bespeckled man through an open window. He doesn't look like those other spirits, more humanoid, like the boy Killua met yesterday if not more. Although, if he focuses, Killua can see the tip of small horns on both sides of his head, maybe not, after all. He looks human enough that Killua isn't unsettled by him at all.

"What's the big deal? We're closed right now! That doesn't mean you can try letting yourself in!" When the man speaks, he reveals pointed teeth with prominent canines. What exactly is he?

"When do you open?"

"The same time we always do. When the sun sets and the gong rings."

"That's not a very specific schedule, you know."

The man sputters, "Well, what would you know about schedules, Mr. I'll-just-break-in!?"

"That's not a conductive way to talk to a potential customer either," Killua shoots back just for the hell of it, even though he doesn't even know what goes on inside the bathhouse, to begin with. "Why, I might just leave and report you to the person in charge."

"You wouldn't dare," the man gasps, "Bisky would put me on tub scrubbing duty for the next year."

Killua just raises an eyebrow and lets his poker face do the rest of the work. The man crumbles and his shoulders sinks. His expression is defeated.

"So are you going to let me in?" Killua asks, far too amused than the situation calls for.

The man heaves a sigh and nods. "I'll be right down." He grumbles and vanishes from the window.

The moment he's out of sight, Killua doubles over laughing. Who knew that messing with spirits could be as funny as messing with people? Oh man, this really perked him up a bit. He laughs for a little longer, wiping a tear from his eye and gathering his composure. So the person in charge is named Bisky? That's good information to know, considering Killua is probably going to hunt her down and get the answers he needs from her after he ditches his ticket into the building, the mouthy spirit with glasses.

When he rounds the corner of the building instead of coming in through the front gate, Killua's first thought is that this guy is enormous. He stands taller than Illumi, taller than his Father, almost three heads over the top of Killua's head. He's slouching, hands tucked inside the pockets of his robe-like clothing.

He almost looks like he's moping about being beaten in a verbal fight, which from what Killua has seen of the guy's personality, just might be the case. A small breeze blows from behind him and towards the man, who snaps up his head and straightens, peering intently at Killua. His nostrils flare, a look of bewilderment crossing his face, one that shifts into confusion- and then horror.

"You're a human!?"

"So what if I am," Killua asks smoothly, dangerously, an unspoken, 'what are you gonna do about it?' in his tone, in the blank expression on his face.

"I can't believe this," the man says, rubbing a hand across his jaw and groaning, "Just my luck to find a damn human at the gates." He points a finger at Killua, and he tenses, ready to attack at the slightest hint of danger. "Just to be clear, you're not here to hurt any of the guests are you?" Killua shakes his head, "Or causes property damage!?" Killua shakes his head again.

The man sighs, dragging his fingers through his short hair. "Okay, you know what. I'll let you in, but I'm taking you straight to Bisky. After that you're not my responsibility. I work in the damn infirmary, so this isn't my job anyway. I can't get in trouble anyway since I don't even work here." After a beat, fights back an obvious scowl, kicking at the ground with a sandal-clad foot, muttering, "Not that it stops Bisky from putting me to work like I do."

Louder, he says, "We'll have to go through the side entrance, so just follow me."

He's hesitant to follow, especially after that whole display about him being human, but he has no other choice. He needs to get home to Alluka, no matter what. He casts a final glance at the main gate, readying himself for what awaits him inside.

He steps onto the path.


vii.

"So is this place just a bathhouse?" Killua asks, taking in the surroundings as he matches the man's reluctant pace. There are rose bushes and hydrangeas framing the stone path that splits off from the main one. Lanterns are strung up along the side of the building and hung up from wooden poles to illuminate the small path in the dark, or at least that's what Killua thinks they're for.

"You don't even know what this place is and tried to force your way in anyway?" The man says, shooting him an incredulous glance, "That's such a human thing to do."

"Met many humans, have you?"

The man scowls but doesn't reply, walking faster past the gardens. The path continues around the other side of the building, but they stop in front of a screen door that looks like it's made of paper and wood. He stomps up the steps and slides open the door, taking off his sandals at the entrance and pointedly staring at Killua until he stops and does the same. Is this a spirit thing? Or does this guy just really like keeping the floors clean?

The floors themselves are made of a light wood, and Killua glides across the floor after the spirit without making a sound. The man glances back a few times to make sure he's still following, clearly expecting him to be much louder. They pass by several shut doors, voices audible from behind them- with several of the voices stopping mid-sentence, only for the doors to fly open after they have passed.

Spirits of all shapes and sizes stick their heads out the doorways, wide-eyed and sniffing the air loudly. They all talk at once, scampering out into the hallway, following after Killua and his guide eagerly.

"Human!?" "Do I smell a human?" "Is there a human here?"

Killua grits his teeth and forces himself to remain calm. He wonders if anything else could have sniffed him out yesterday, and how lucky he should count himself to not have to put his training to use against something like a spirit. He wonders if he'll have to find out if he can beat a spirit soon enough.

"Stop being so damn nosey!" The man leading him shouts at the spirits trailing behind, "Or I'll tell Bisky that you all left your posts to harass a visitor."

The threat gives several of the spirits pauses, but the more determined ones- the more inhuman looking ones, he notes- keep following them. "Oh, come on, don't be like that." "I just want to get a better look." "I thought Kurapika was supposed to be the buzzkill."

"Just keep on walking," his guide tells him, "We're almost to the lift."

Killua can see it, beyond the creamy walls, a sturdy metal door. That must be the lift. They reach quickly reach it and the man jabs at the button on the wall impatiently. Right above the door, a light turns on, with a small metal arm pointing at numbers overhead. The numbers drop as the seconds tick by, and behind them, the mob of spirits comes closer.

"Oi, Leorio," a woman's voice calls, muffled but very, very close.

Killua turns his head to look at her, though there isn't much he can see. She's holding a massive pile of tacked papers in her arms, obscuring her face from view. She seems to know where she's stepping though, because she doesn't drop a single one, moving closer to the man (Leorio?).

"Please Leorio, tell me that's you and not some poor bastard that just sounds like you."

Killua sees Leorio's eye twitch with annoyance, "What do you want from me, Clem?"

"Oh it is you!" The woman, Clem, exclaims in delight, happily bouncing in place before forcing herself still as the papers wobble precariously. "I need you to press the button for me. I've been waiting for someone to so I could ask them, but you're the first one that's passed by."

"Where are you headed?"

"Bisky asked me for the month's reports, so I've gotta drop these off to her office."

The lift doors open with a ding and Leorio ushers him in, hesitating for a moment before letting the woman enter after him. He reaches inside and presses the button to the highest floor, keeping a hand against the doors so that they don't shut just yet. "Look kid, I'll keep these idiots distracted. Just follow Clem here to Bisky's office, she's a bit of an idiot too, but she won't hurt ya."

"Did you just call me an idiot?"

"When you talk to Bisky, do your best to not call her old, or piss her off. She's more powerful than she seems. So be careful. You may be annoying as hell, but nobody deserves a pissed Bisky."

"Are you ignoring me, Leorio?"

Killua nods and Leorio removes his arm, turning to face the horde of spirits and letting the doors slide shut behind him. There's a small ding and then, the lift begins to move up.

The lift is silent for a moment, before Clem sighs. "He wasn't even listening to me, was he?"

"It doesn't seem like it."

"Well, damn." More silence. "What'd you need with Bisky anyway?" The papers shift slightly, there's a loud sniff. "Well, I guess I should be asking: What's a human need with Bisky anyway?"

"I've got a few things to ask her about this place." Killua answers, shrugging before realizing Clem can't see him. "And the Spirit World in general, I guess."

"Ohh, I see. You got dragged here by accident huh?"

Killua's heart skips a beat. He forces his voice to remain calm. "That happen a lot?"

"Hmm, more than you may think. Although, not a lot of them survive very long."

He thinks back to the spirits following them down the hall, how some of them couldn't tear their eyes away from him, even after Leorio's threat. He's not used to uncertainty, to not being able to simply use force to get out of a situation- and the affirmation that humans don't last long here doesn't do anything to calm his worries. Killua needs to get back. He needs to.

"Spirits eat humans?"

"What? No! Well, at least not most of them." Clem adds under her breath, and shifts the papers in her arms into a more comfortable position. The lift continues to rise. "Humans just aren't compatible with the Spirit World. Most of them start to fade away, or go crazy after being here for too long."

"Most of them. What happens to the rest?"

"Psh, that's easy, they-" The lift reaches the top floor with a soft bing. The doors slide open. "Oh snap," Clem mutters, "Lemme drop these off first."

The hallway is dimly lit, but at the end of it is an illuminated doorway. Clem hurries out of the lift, Killua following after her, frustrated that his question is going unanswered. The carpets at their feet are plush and Killua's shoes sink into the luxurious fabric with every step. On the bright side, he's learned more about the world he's in- even if he still doesn't have the information he wants, like how to go home.

They reach the end of the hall quickly, Clem somehow knowing just where to pause and turn to enter the room- even with her vision obscured by all the paper. Killua follows, carefully entering the room after the her, scanning the new room with sharp eyes.

It's simple enough, the fireplace empty and newly cleared, an expensive looking rug under his bare feet, bookshelves and porcelain lamps scattered across the room. There's a sectioned glass door spanning across the entire back wall, the sun seeps through it bright and warm. Killua glances around, seeing a thick curtain between this room and another, which he's itching to investigate.

Clem shuffles the papers in her arms, balancing them all in a single one. Then, she swipes her free arm across the top of the desk, knocking everything on it to the floor. There's a loud crash as the bags hit the ground, tinkling glass meeting glass meeting floor. Clem heaves the pile of paperwork up and slams it down onto the desk, heaving a relieved sigh once her arms are free.

"I thought we weren't supposed to piss Bisky off," he comments, pointedly staring at the trinkets and sacks that she has knocked off the desk. "This looks like the opposite of that."

Clem turns around, putting her hands on her hips and tilting her head at him, slitted eyes meeting his. "Don't worry about it, this isn't the kind of shit that pisses her off. Now, what you want to avoid is insulting her, which is easy enough." She smiles, pointed teeth peeking out from behind her lips, "So you're a human huh? It's been a while since I saw one of you."

"You've actually met other humans?"

"Clementine over there," a girlish voice calls from beyond the curtained room, "Used to be one herself."

Killua's jaw drops. Used to be human? "Is that possible!?"

Clem clicks her tongue, "Well, of course, it just isn't a common thing. But I'm far from being the only one." Killua stares at her, reassessing her with this new knowledge. Besides the slitted eyes, the sharpened teeth, the inhuman point of the ears visible through her hair- Killua would would have thought her human, like him. She's not a monstrously tall height like Leorio, or as otherworldly like the boy from yesterday.

"How?"

"What an interesting question for the little human to be asking-" the curtains part and a young girl steps through. She's wearing a sleeveless dress with a puffy skirt, white gloves that fit snugly on her hands and leather shoes click across the title before quieting once they meet the rug. Her blonde hair is up in a braided bun, something Killua recognizes from when Mother would play with Kalluto's hair, "-it makes me curious to see what it's willing to pay for the answers."

"The price of knowledge is a steep-" She stops and stares at the mess on the floor, eyebrow twitching. Killua holds back a snigger at the expression on her face. Milluki gets the same look on his face when he tries to be dramatic and fails, "Clementine?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you do this?"

"Yep."

"Why?"

"It was in the way." Clem scratches the back of her head, "Oh and I brought your paperwork, it's on the desk." At this, Killua can't hold back his laughter.

"God, Leorio was right, you are an idiot." He manages between snickers, bursting into laughter again at the affronted expression on Clem's face and the agreement on the girl's- who Killua is guessing can only be Bisky. She snaps her fingers and from the curtained room, a small creature enters the room.

It looks like it's made of jewels, a golem of shiny stones, with rubies as eyes. Bisky points to the mess on the floor, "Clean this up won't you?" The creature nods its head and slowly approaches the mess, starting to pick everything up, one by one.

Bisky moves behind her desk, sitting on the plush chair, craning her neck to look at him past the paperwork. She interlaces her fingers in front of her, resting them on the wood of the desk, professional except for the fact she looks to be his age. It makes it hard to take her seriously.

She clears her throat. "So tell me, Clementine, why have you brought a human to me?"

"He was already on his way here when I found him," Clem says with a shrug, "But I think he got dragged over to this side by accident and is trying to get back home." She turns her gaze on him, surprisingly keen for what he's seen of her, "Am I right?"

Killua nods, "I can't stay."

She doesn't look surprised, more understanding, and Killua remembers that once upon a time it was her in his place. There's a soft chiming coming from the bracelet she wears around her wrist, and she brings it to her ear, listening intently. Clem blinks and tilts her head, "It seems I'm needed somewhere else."

Bisky raises a brow, "Anything I should know?"

"Nah, I can deal with it. I'll see you later, Bisky." She smiles at him, "I'll see you around if you're still alive, human." She leaves, letting the door close behind her with a soft thud.

Bisky doesn't say anything for a moment. Her shoe taps on the underside of the desk. Then, she meets his eyes, solemn, "I'm sorry, I'm just a witch, not a god. I can't help you cross dimensions without knowing how you got here."

"I need to get home, my sister is waiting for me."

"It's best if you forget about what you left behind." Bisky says, pity swimming in her eyes, "There's no going back. Humans never survive here long enough to find a way out and if they do, they turn into spirits. And everyone knows that spirits cannot survive in the Human World without a body."

Nanika crosses his mind, formless, sharing a body with Alluka. Nothing more than a parasite, a vicious part of him hissed when he first learned what had happened to his sister for her to be shunned like she is, nothing more than a curse. He has grown past this, has learned to see Nanika as part of his family too, like another facet of Alluka that he does not understand but still cares for.

So this is what happened to Nanika. The spirit crossed to the Human World and latched on to Alluka because it was afraid to die. (Would he be willing to do the same, just to see his sister again? He wants to say yes, but the thought of being a mere shade of himself makes his stomach churn.)

"I am Killua Zoldyck. I won't die because of this." Killua says, raising his chin defiatantly, "So help me find a way back and I'll tell you everything I know."

Bisky's eyes spark with intrigue, her mouth curls into a sly smile, "Are you proposing a deal, little lost Zoldyck?"

"If that's what it takes."

"Then, sit down-" she waves a hand and a chair appears across from her, waves it again and the paperwork flies of the desk and settles onto the floor in a neat stack, "-and let's make a deal."


viii.

In the end, the terms set were this: Killua will work in the bathhouse for as long as he is human, alive, or until there is a way for him to return to the Human World; he will give up part of his name for the deal to be struck. In exchange, Bisky will pour all of her resources into researching the willow tree, into figuring out just what happened for him to be brought into the Spirit World- offering him protection from the man-eating creatures that may visit the bathhouse and providing for his needs.

In her words, "I'll be your patron, but for the most part, you will belong to me. Do you understand?"

Killua almost took back his offer at that comment, felt the weight of what he was doing (striking a deal with a witch) settle on his stomach and creep up his throat. It took a moment, he had to picture Alluka's smile in his mind, remember her laughter- but he managed to swallow down the trepidation.

"I understand," he said, and then, signed his freedom away.

Now, he's back on the lift, head tilted back to blankly stare at the corner of the metal box. The bracelet Bisky handed him- to ward away curious spirits, she said; a mark of ownership, Killua knows was left unsaid- sits heavy on his left wrist. He draws a shaky breath, dragging his hand over his face and covering his mouth with his palm. His breath is hot on his skin. His heart feels like a war drum in his chest.

"For Alluka," he whispers, warped reflection in the metal staring back at him, "It'll be worth it." He sounds like he's trying to convince himself. He hasn't pressed a button yet, is taking this moment of silence to ground himself, to come to terms with what he's done just to see his sister again.

Just for the chance to see her again.

Freedom is something he's always valued but taken for granted. Less when he realized that if his family pleased, they could have him chained and sealed away like Alluka has been- but enough that having it taken away from him knocks the wind out of him, leaves him falling in a freefall with no parachute. He can't believe he had thought he understood what Alluka was going through; he can't believe that he thought he knew what it meant to be caged.

Is this how Alluka lives? Knowing that she's at the whim of someone else, living life in a snapshot of moments she's allowed out of her room, never knowing when the leash will tighten around her throat?

The lift shudders and begins descending, having been summoned from a different floor, by someone coherent enough to push the button. He stares at the numbers ticking down for a moment longer before he straightens, eases his breathing and stuffs his hands back into his pockets.

When the lift stops and the doors slide open, Killua is ready to face the consequences of his deal with Bisky. He brushes past the spirit waiting for the life and steps into the hall. He feels the spirit stare at his retreating back, sees the way the bustle of spirits halts when he enters the main hall.

The whispers are the same as before, with comments on his acquired employment.

"A human!?" "He reeks of Bisky's magic." "Poor idiot made a deal with her."

"So you're the human that has everyone riled up," a smooth voice cuts in through the rackous chatter, everyone falling silent and nervously glancing around to find the source. Killua snaps his head to the side and watches as the crowd parts to let a slim man through. He doesn't have any outward features that show he's not as human as he appears, just a girlish face, shoulder length blond hair and his eyes-

Oh, Killua thinks after meeting them, there it is.

Those eyes are a vibrant red. Like the living scarlet of a starving fire, the glowing crimson of dying embers waiting to be fed again. Like the splatters after he drives his hand into someone's chest and tears out their still beating heart. Bright, bloody, demonic.

"Oh shit, it's Kurapika." "Get your ass back to work!" "I'm not about to get in trouble for this!"

The hall quickly clears of curious spirits, leaving Killua alone with this 'Kurapika'- who watches him with those unnaturally red eyes. It takes him a moment to recall what Kurapika had said, and not knowing how to reply, shrugs, saying, "I'm Killua. I'm gonna work here from now on."

Kurapika stares at him, assessing him, before he sighs. "Bisky made me aware of the deal the two of you made," he turns around, calling over his shoulder, "Follow me, I'll give you a change of clothes and explain your new position here."

Killua wants to be offended that he's being guided around like a lost pet, but he doesn't have a single clue as to how to navigate inside this place. All he's seen of the inside of the building are quick glances in his rush to the lift earlier, not enough to figure out where to go if he needs to.

So he slouches, buries his hands deeper into his pockets, and follows.

The tour doesn't last long, Kurapika bustles them from room to room with a simple explanation as to what goes on inside them, speeding through the bath house until they're at what Killua can recognize as the servant's quarters. Kurapika slides open the door, startling the people inside, Leorio and the boy from yesterday, the plant-like one. Leorio scowls upon seeing both of them, turning back to his work of what appears to be detangling vines from the boy's skin and his clothes, sticking them together.

The boy smiles brightly. "Kurapika! Human! I didn't expect to see you here!"

Killua chances a glance at Kurapika, taken aback by the enthusiasm of someone he only met a day before, curious to see how the standoffish spirit deals with it. He blinks in surprise at seeing the small smile, the softening of those hellfire eyes.

"It's nice to see you Gon," Kurapika says, "Are you here for a change of clothes as well?"

Gon nods, "I grew a bit more since last time so I need a larger size. Are you here to get the human new clothes too?" Peering over Leorio's head, he meets Killua's eyes, "Do you feel better today? Did you make friends with Kurapika and Leorio already?"

Leorio raises a brow, "You've met before?"

"Yeah! We met yesterday when he stopped in front of my tree. He didn't know where he was, so I told him. But then I think the other spirits scared him because he ran away."

Killua bristles defensively, "I wasn't scared. I was just surprised, that's all."

Kurapika makes a soft sound, one that sounds close enough to amusement for Killua to whirl on him with a glare, "Surprised enough to run away, Killua?" His voice is just as smooth and professional as before, even though his words aren't. "That sounds like something Clem would say, don't you think Leorio?"

The horned man snorts and shakes his head, "She would sit here and argue about it too."

Killua scowls. "Where is all this new clothes anyway?"

Gon points to a tall wardrobe looming in the corner of the room. "They're all in there."

"It doesn't look like it can hold a lot," he says sceptically, moving closer to it and placing a hand on the knob to open it. A thought strikes him, "This isn't going to kill me or eat me if I open it, will it?"

"No." The three of them say in unison.

Killua exhales. He opens the wardrobe and stares at it blankly for a moment before gently shutting the doors. He waits a second and then opens it again. Nothing has changed. "This is-"

"It's larger on the inside," Kurapika tells him helpfully, looking far too amused at his bewilderment, "Just tap the number of the inside of the door for what size of clothes you need."

How the hell is this possible, Killua wonders as he hazily follows the instructions, what kind of weird world has stuff like this? The Spirit World clearly does, even though he's sure that all these oddities are because of magic and not technology.

He gathers his change of clothes with minimum struggle, a loose pair of black pants and a plain white robe looking shirt, like what Gon and Leorio wear but in different colors. He's only paying half-mind to the spirit's conversation near him, at least until he hears "-in the Human World?"

He perks up, unabashedly moving closer, holding the bundle of clothing in his arms.

"Well, Gon," Kurapika says, "We don't know much about it besides what some transient spirits tell us, or what we know from the humans that come over."

"Now that you mention it," Leorio comments, finishing up his task, "Didn't Clem give us a lot of information about humans when she came through? Can't we just use that information to organize research teams about the Human World?"

Kurapika shakes his head, "Clem came through a very long time ago. She's young for a spirit but all the information she gave us then is outdated now, especially with the time difference."

"Time difference?" Three heads turn to look at him.

"Time flows differently in the spirit world," Gon begins slowly, "Didn't you know?"

A chill creeps from inside him, like ice has spread it's frost across his heart, freezing the blood in his veins with icicles of dread. "Just," he manages to say, licking his lips, forcing his hands to remain still around the bundle of clothes, "How much of a time difference are we talking about here?"

Leorio shares a look with Kurapika, an unspoken conversation transpired before he looks back to Killua. This time, his eyes are full of pity. "It depends on how long you've been in here, kid."

"This is my second full day," Killua quickly says, nerves building up and licking the inside of stomach. "I got here yesterday night, before the gong started ringing." Without stopping, desperate for an answer, dreading the answer, he adds, "Just how much time has passed in the human world since I've gotten here?"

Gon tilts his head in thought, "Hmm… it's been two days, so that means... " He taps his fingers with another, counting under his breath. Kurapika beats him to the punch.

"You've been gone from the human world for almost two weeks? With a few days to spare."

Two weeks? Two weeks.

"Oh." he says, voice faint. Then, because it doesn't feel enough to simply say it once, Killua says it again.

"Oh."

He's been one for almost two weeks, has left his world for that long already and hasn't even known it until now. Aluka, his heart howls, you've left Alluka alone for so long.

A burning pain takes hold of him. It blooms in his heart and spreads through his veins.

"I need to get back home. I don't care if it kills me, if it's impossible. I have to." Desperation hangs from his every word, it seeps from his pores until it is like the weight of the world has settled upon his spine, pressing down on him and causing a pain that not even his family's torture training could cause inside him. His sister, his poor little sister- alone for all this time, wondering what could have become of him after promising to come back soon and not returning again.

I'm sorry Alluka, he thinks, releasing the clothes to clutch at his hair, I'm sorry I lied to you again.

"Are you okay?" Gon asks, reaching a hand but stopping a few inches short. "I don't know how to help you, but I know Bisky will help you however she can. She and Kurapika are super smart-" Leorio makes an offended sound, "-if anyone can figure out a way to send you home it's them."

"My sister has been waiting for me and I've left her waiting this whole time."

"Your deal with Bisky has made it so that all of her efforts are place towards returning you back home." Kurapika says, "Killua, I can say that while I don't personally know you well enough to make a promise as a friend, that as an honor-bound spirit of the Kurta tribe, I will do my best to see you home."

"Your name is Killua, huh?" Leorio mutters to himself, "Well, if everyone else is doing it, why not? I'll help you out however I can too. I still remember how hard it was for Clem to adjust here, and how much she missed everyone she left behind. I'll feel like an ass if I just sit back and let someone suffer like that."

This is something Killua does not understand.

This kindness, this concern that Gon has for him, someone he hasn't known for very long- for a self-admitted assassin, a killer with more blood on his hands than anything else. This is something Killua cannot fathom, how this spirit boy and his spirit friends look at him with more concern than judgement, how they give him space offer their help for a cause they don't understand but can respect.

It makes a kernel of something burrow in his chest, something warm and soft- something that feels like the opposite of the ice that has settled inside him since he found himself in this world, since his Mother ordered him to kill his sister, since he first learned the world was a cruel place to exist in.

He wonders what will happen if he lets it sprout.

"Thank you," he says instead, exhausted at his surge of emotions, "Thank you so much."

ix.

That night, Killua dreams of the day he first met Nanika.

She had been telling him about a butterfly she had seen, gushing about how close it came to touching her. The warmth of the sun settled against their skin, the gardens around them illuminated by the bright rays. It had been before any of the others discovered that there were two beings living inside Alluka's skin, that what was bound to her was spirit, one that granted wishes- at a price.

He dreams of how he handed her the flower she had asked him for, how he had woven a crown for her to wear at her request, how he had held her hand when she asked. He dreams of how Alluka paused midword, mid-sentence, and how her face slackened, smile wiped away until her expression was entirely blank.

He dreams of how her eyes were consumed by her expanding pupils, encroaching darkness swallowing up the blue of her iris, spreading like the shadows of the night after the sun has fallen, entrapping even the white of her sclera in inky black.

He dreams of how he had dropped to his knees in concern, holding Alluka's face in his hands and calling her name in fear. He dreams of how it wasn't Alluka but something else that answered him, wearing his sister's face and asking him if he wanted to make a wish. He dreams of biting back tears and wishing that Alluka would be okay, voicing this aloud for the spirit to grant.

Here the dream changes. It shifts until it's not just a memory of Alluka's face worn by a spirit he had no name for- instead Alluka, head ducked and face hidden from view, headband nowhere to be seen, beads tangled in her dark and messy hair.

In this dream, he's back in the bathhouse, looking at his sister through a tear in the sky. The tear ripples like its water instead of sky, wavering like it doesn't know how to hold its shape. It reminds Killua of a puddle after it has rained. He thinks he can see the regular sky through the image of Alluka, like its not even there to begin with.

He reaches out to her, desperation weighing heavy in his chest, apologies brimming in his mouth like he's ready to choke on them. The words don't escape him though, nor do his fingers reach the heavens. Still, she seems to hear his unspoken calls, seems to feel the brush of his hand, because she raises her head, eyes locking right on him through the shimmering of the tear in the sky.

The star splattered sky seems dim in comparison to seeing Alluka again, even though it's only been two days since the last time he lay eyes on her. For some reason, his heart aches as if it's been longer. Like the press of time has been too much for it to take and all it can do is throb in longing, twinge in pain at having been so far from his sister all this time.

Alluka's face brightens, red rimmed eyes sparkling with joy at seeing him. She speaks but the sound doesn't reach him. Her lips move but he doesn't hear a thing, though he's well-versed enough in lip reading to get the gist of it. "I missed you, Nii-san. I missed you so much."

The words make his heart clench painfully in his chest.

"I'm sorry," he cries out soundlessly, "I'm so sorry."

Then it's no longer Alluka that's facing him, but Nanika.

'Oh,' Nanika says, Alluka's voice layered with another, a buzzing undercurrent in it that reminds Killua too much of the hum of energy in the Spirit World air for it to be a coincidence. Nanika tilts their head to the side, lips curling up in a smile, eyes wide and gleeful. 'There you are, Killua...'

'Found you.'

x.

"Killua, come to my office," a folded bill of money says to him, shaped like a human silhouette, with Bisky's voice coming out of its mouthless form. "I need your help with something."

He's in the middle of talking to Gon, who is determined to show him the 'fun' spots inside the bathhouse. He doesn't seem daunted by the fact the Killua is in a somber mood after dreaming of Alluka last night, even when it leaves him as the only one talking. Or chattering more like it.

"Oh," Gon says, wilting a bit at having to give up time with him. It makes Killua feel guilty at having no energy to indulge him, when the boy is clearly doing his best to cheer him up without asking what's wrong besides all the other issues he has, "It looks like you're gonna be busy."

Killua scrunches up his nose. The thought of having to do what someone tells him to sits oddly with him. He was raised to be the leader of his family, to take the mantle of power and wear it no matter its weight. So the fact that he's nothing more than servant here, than a helper to a witch, grates more than it should.

Killua doesn't wear servitude well.

But, he's sure that his mother would be outraged and imagining the look on her face is enough motivation for him to sigh and start walking inside. He takes a moment to offer a, "Wanna walk with me?" To Gon, who perks up at a speed that nearly gives Killua whiplash, nodding eagerly and grabbing him by the hand to drag him to the nearest lift.

"Even though you're a human, you're the only here that's close to my age! Physically too!"

Killua frowns, "Isn't Bisky your age?"

Gon blinks, "No. She's older than this town actually, she just likes looking a lot younger than she actually is. It's some kind of magic, I think. I'm not sure."

That sounds like blackmail worthy information, Killua thinks with a sly smile. He loves something to hand over Bisky's head. It makes him feel better about the deal they have. He changes the subject before Gon can ask about his sudden mood shift. There's really no good way to explain the joy of blackmail.

"What do you do here anyway?"

"Me? I'm one of the groundskeepers, I take care of the gardens and animals and stuff."

"What do the other guys do?"

"Well, Kurapika is he second in charge here, so he's kinda in charge of everything whenever Bisky goes off on a trip or expedition. And Leorio works in the infirmary… sort of. He's technically just a student under him, but the guy doesn't like showing up."

Killua looks at Gon in disbelief, "There are students in the Spirit World?"

"Yeah! There are schools and libraries and castles and casinos and bathhouses, or bathhouses with casinos in them… like this one." The lift dings as it arrives at the top floor and Killua gets off it, Gon trailing behind and walking him to the office door which is currently firmly shut. He smiles and waits until Killua had to door slightly cracked before waving and turning around, walking over to wait for the lift to come back up, "I'll see you later, Killua!"

He waves back and enters the office, looking at the desk where Bisky sits, reading glasses on and looking over the massive pile of paperwork Clem brought her yesterday. She doesn't acknowledge him until he stands right in front of her, blinking at him and pointing off to the side of the desk. There are a lot of sacks, as large as his head, forming a small mountain in the corner.

"Sort through those," she says and makes a click with her tongue, calling over that same jeweled golem from last time. She points at the sacks and at Killua, "Help him and make sure he doesn't slack off."

Killua scowls, "I wasn't going to slack off."

"You never know with you humans," is all she says, pressing a stamp against one of the papers. He's fuming, ready to bring up her real age and her need to look like a kid when the door slams back open, making him whirl around and shift defensive position.

"Boss!" Clementine wails, entering the room and making sure it's shut behind her with a feverish efficiency. Hefted over one of her shoulders like he's nothing more than a sack of potatoes, Gon dangles, limbs limply hanging over Clem's like limp noodles. He notices Killua sitting cross legged on the ground and waves, "I need you to hide me!"

Bisky doesn't raise her head, "And why would I do that? Although, a better question may be why you have my groundskeeper over your shoulder?"

Killua is wondering the same thing, although Gon looks resigned to his fate of being nothing more than living luggage. He wants to investigate, but the small golem taps on his knee with its fingerless nubs and gestures at one of the first sacks nearby, miming it being opened until Killua repeats the action. The creature nods in approval and crawls behind Bisky's desk for a moment, returning with more sacks, these with the names of gems neatly stitched on the side.

"Please Boss!" Clem begs, taking a moment to answer the second question, "Also, I ran into him in the hall, so I brought him along with me." Killua raises a brow at Gon, who silently shrugs and looks embarrassed at being so easily snatched up. Gon gestures at the golem and the sacks inquisitively, to which Killua makes a show of separating the jewels and putting them in their corresponding sack. Gon's mouth rounds in an 'o' and he nods in understanding.

The next stamp Bisky presses against paper slams heavily, a forceful sound, "Clementine, I'm waiting for answer. Why in the world do you need me to hide you!?"

"Hisoka broke through the wards again!" Clem cries, eyes whipping around desperately. From her place behind her desk, Bisky's fingers twitch violently around her stamp. "He's on his way up here!"

Killua glances at Gon again, hands sorting absentmindedly. 'Hisoka?' he mouths, seeing understanding cross Gon's face. Killua cannot stand not knowing the most he can about a situation, and in the situation he's in- trapped in another world, working so that a witch helps him find his way home- the lack of knowledge grates more than it would otherwise. If knowing about this stranger helps further his goals of getting back home, than Killua is willing to ask questions even if the circumstances suggest he do otherwise. Like now. Clem looks like she's ready to jump out the window to avoid seeing 'Hisoka' and Bisky looks like this isn't the first time this has happened.

'Hisoka is bad news. He's dangerous,' the boy replies soundlessly, shaking his head before adding, 'Murdery.' And that does explain a lot.

Killua is quite murdery himself, but a lot of that is because of the missions he was sent on. He doesn't particularly want to spend his whole life killing others, not when he'd much rather spend that time exploring the word with Alluka and making the friends he always promised her they'd find together.

"Damn it," Bisky mutters, "I thought you were getting better at keeping him out?"

"I don't know how he keeps on doing it, I swear I don't use the same wards after he breaks them."

Bisky waves a hand dismissively, "Yeah, yeah I know you don't. Hisoka is a sneaky bastard. It's impossible to keep him out forever, I had just figured we had more time until he snuck back in."

"Yes, yes," Clem agrees impatiently, "Now can we go back to where you pity me and let me hide somewhere before he shows up here?"

"That's not the way to ask for a favor."

"Boss, do you want to watch me die!?"

"Oh please, it's not like he would kill you."

Clem lets out a frustrated huff, "Boss-" There is a knock at the office door. Clem's eyes go wide.

Her head jerks around the room and zeroes in on the curtain separating the office from the room behind it. Bisky sees it the same moment Killua does, because she starts, shouting, an outraged, "Don't you dare-" but Clem has already lunged, Gon going cross-eyed at the speed in which she hurls them both behind the curtain. The fabric sways violently, settling after a moment, covering most but not all of the room beyond.

The fabric didn't settle into place properly, so he can clearly spot a wide-eyed Clem with her hand over Gon's mouth, keeping him quiet by force. Killua snorts loudly, meeting Gon's tired gaze.

This is hilarious.

There is a moment of silence before another knock sounds through the office.

Bisky looks like she would rather do anything else than answer that door, like anywhere in the world is preferable than being inside her office right now. Killua tilts his head at Bisky, pausing in his sorting to comment innocently, "Aren't you going to answer that?"

The golem prods him again, this time with a bit more force. It doesn't have many facial features to work with, but its small ruby eyes are narrowed in what has to be frustration.

There is a knock at the closed office door, and Bisky sighs, waving a hand to fully shut the curtain with a small burst of magic before calling out a tired, "Come in."

For a moment there's no reply, but then the door opens with a soft click and a figure enters the room. Killua stares at the bright colors the figure wears, as if somehow they will stop being so pigmented if he does.

The first thing that catches his attention is the magenta coat, frilled at the sleeves and ending just below the waist of his purple pants. Under the coat, there is a plain white button up shirt, closed at the neck by a black ribbon, which upon closer inspection, is decorated by small red hearts. The hair that is visible under the black top hat the man wears is gelled back, color a deep red, like the ruby Killua holds in his hand.

Killua wonders if his face would look at odd as his clothing if it wasn't hidden by a white porcelain mask. The slits where the eyes should be curve upward as if in mirt, and there's a red slash across the mouth area, angled at the corners like a wide smile. The small raindrop under one of the eyes is painted in blue with a small yellow star under the other.

The masked man comes closer, bending at the waist with a flourish, one hand over his heart and the other holding the rim of his top hat in place. He holds himself like a predator does, even with his head bowed to Bisky, in her territory, at her mercy. "Oh, Bisky," he purrs and straightens, "How lovely to see you again."

"I'd say the same, but every time you come around someone ends up dying." Killua quietly absorbs the information. Spirits can die? This man has killed other spirits?

"Now, saying every time is a bit of an exaggeration, don't you think?"

"You're bad for business, Hisoka." Bisky says, voice flat, "There's a reason the building is warded against you specifically. Although how you got in, I have no idea. You always seem to find a way."

The man gasps dramatically behind his mask, "You try to keep me out on purpose!? You wound me. And here I travelled as soon as I could to bring you this information."

She rolls her eyes, sighing heavily, "Why are you here, Hisoka? What's so important that you had to break through my wards… again."

"Well, now that you hurt my feelings I don't want to tell you any more."

"In that case, I won't tell you when the patron of Meteor City is coming to York New. It's alright though, I'm sure knowing where the elusive leader of the Phantom Troupe is something a lot of other spirits are willing to pay for. Such a pity that you're not interested in an exchange of information, don't you think?"

The man's fingers twitch around his cane. "Now, Bisky there's no reason for something so drastic. Have I told you how lovely you look today?"

"Hisoka, the information?" Bisky grits out, raising a hand to her forehead, as if dealing with the man before her has given her a migraine. She seems to have entirely forgotten that Killua is still in the room with them and Hisoka seems to flourish with the extra eyes on him… unless he's always this dramatic.

Which in hindsight, makes a lot more sense.

"Rumors are that you've found yourself another pet human," Hisoka hums, and through the slits on his mask, poisonous yellow eyes glance over at Killua, meeting his gaze, "Although, how you seem to find them, I have no idea. Other rumors say that the forest hasn't been silent since he's come through, that it's waiting for something else to enter this world."

"And what do you say?"

"Well, I took a little detour by the forest before stopping by here," Hisoka drawls, tapping a long nailed finger on his cane, "And I found something quite interesting. Those rumors might have been true, if not for one thing-" Killua can't see his face behind the mask, but somehow, he knows that Hisoka is grinning, sharp and dangerous, delighted at the news he brings, "-the forest isn't waiting anymore."

Bisky goes unnaturally still. The air itself freezes with the implications, and even Killua who hasn't been in this world long enough to know just what is so important about the forest besides it kidnapping him, pauses in his sorting and holds his breath at the words.

"There's no way," Bisky says, hands slowly falling away from her face. "That's never happened before."

"Oh, but would I lie to you, Bisky?"

"Without hesitation."

"What if I told you I had proof?"

She narrows her eyes, "Then I would tell you to get on with it and show me before I lose my patience with you." The temperature drops, the air growing cold enough that Killua sees his breath as it escapes his lips. The lamps shake, the trinkets on the bookshelves tremble.

Hisoka clicks his tongue, toying with the rim of his top hat. "Oh, all right, all right. You're no fun, Bisky."

By Killua's side, the little golem tilts its head and nudges him with one of its diamond nubs. It points at the box in front of them and back to him, until he sighs, picking up another jewel, placing it in its corresponding box. He keeps his eyes on the scene in front of him, focused on the events transpiring.

"Come on in," Hisoka calls, voice projecting out to the hall beyond the shut door. "There's nothing to be afraid of. Bisky here can help you with your dilemma," again, his eyes flick over to Killua, but this time the look in his gaze is like a satisfied predator, pleased and deadly, all at once, "She's quite talented at finding lost things."

"Um, if you insist, Mr. Hisoka," a voice shyly replies and Killua drops what's in his hands, already on his feet, staring at the wood of the door with his heart in his throat and his stomach in his shoes.

Then, the door creaks open and Alluka steps inside.