Manipulate by: Mikuro Kurayami
Rating: Romance/Drama/Angst (again)
PG-13 for language and some themes
1 Chapter 4: Imminent Failure
"Baka…"
I… killed…
"Baka…"
I killed her.
2 "Baka…"
I killed Azura…
I heard a soft knock on my door.
Leave me alone… go away… go away… GO AWAY!
"Can I come in?" the voice behind the door said.
"Introduce yourself first…" I replied coldly.
I felt the person hesitate a little bit. "I'm… Maya, Azura's sister."
Azura…
"I'm not going to stay long," she finally said after my long silence. "I just wanted to give you something that you should see. It's from her." And she slipped a piece of paper under my door.
As soon as I heard her leave the hallway, I reached for the paper. It was a letter dated from yesterday.
Dear Shalnark,
I'm very sorry if I ran from you a while ago. I was just quite disturbed. Anyway, I wrote this letter because I wanted to tell you something I couldn't say in your face. Whenever they bully you… whenever I see you hurt, I hurt deep inside as well. Sorry for sounding like a complete dork, but that's how I feel. I don't want to see you beaten up. I never want to see you in pain. Because when you do, I seem to feel it too.
I love you Shalnark. And because of that, I cannot bear to see your eyes full of miserable tears… or glowing with overflowing rage.
The letter was unfinished.
"She knew about your nen…"
I turned my head and saw 3 people inside my room. A million inquiries flooded my head at this, but I was only able to come up with a:
"Who are…"
The man with a long trench coat held up his hand to halt me from speaking. Beside him was a blond woman with a very revealing outfit and a large, hairy and burly man. Surprisingly, I found myself silent.
"I am Kuroro Ruciful, the person who sponsors your education, this here is Pakunoda and this is Ubogin," he told me glancing at his two companions.
Ubogin gave me a friendly wave. The one called Pakunoda gave a curt nod.
He turned back to me, "And I came here for you."
I pointed at myself, completely taken aback. "Me…?"
Kuroro replied by nodding.
Ubogin grinned goofily, "Can we sit down? I'm kinda pooped"
"Sure…" I offered my bed to them.
"Nah… the floor's fine with me" the huge man planted himself next to Kuroro and Pakunoda's feet. I pulled the chair from my desk and sat across them.
"Wait a minute… how did… did… you know about… Azura?" I asked unflinchingly, although my voice faltered.
Pakunoda flipped her hair airily; "I can read other people's memories simply by touching them. I can also erase them whenever I wish. That is my nen. I 'accidentally' bumped her while on our way here." She displayed the aura of elegance and… arrogance.
Nen?
Kuroro seemed to have read my thoughts. "Sousa… you have the ability to control. In your case, you control living things with your cellular phone. Any technological expert could have configured your phone the way you did, but only your nen can make it actually function."
I nodded, absorbing everything he said. "Nen…" I repeated, making my mouth familiar with the word.
"Why… did you choose me? Is it because of my nen?"
"Yes and no." I gave Kuroro a puzzled look as he paused for a while; seemingly enjoying the tension I felt when he did.
"Ubogin found you almost dying in the outskirts of the city Ryuusegai. He was the one who brought you here in the orphanage. He seemed very attached to you so I agreed to he plea of supporting you."
The other man scratched the back of his head and gave a toothy grin, "Ha, ha… you really didn't have to say that, Dancho."
My eyes fell on the ground, just as my spirits were. "I… don't deserve it…"
"Eh?" I heard Ubogin say, "What do you mean?"
I glanced up at them with teary eyes. "I… I'm… a killer! They didn't arrest me because they thought that I was the only survivor in the riot that happened in my school… But it was I… I controlled them and made them kill each other…" I buried my head with my hands and started sobbing uncontrollably.
The clutter of high-heeled shoes approached me. "It's alright…" Pakunoda whispered in a soothing manner. She smoothed my hair slowly… she wasn't so harsh after all.
I wonder if this is how a mother's touch feels like?
I remained silently sobbing. Pakunoda resorted in patting my back. No matter how fearful and domineering he seemed I saw Ubogin wipe a tear in his eyes.
Kuroro continued, "The human body has a lot of organs. Each of this said organs have a specific function and a specific purpose. The Genei Ryodan is like the body. Each of us does our duty for the betterment of our organization. We all treat each other will respect and fairness. Our actions should always be for the group and its stability. Without one, we would crumble. We are like one family"
Family? I never had a family before…
And then he said it, "Do you want to join our family?"
I could almost feel my heart soar with unspeakable delight. A family! Something I've always yearned for …a family that would love me and accept me as I am.
"Yes!" I blurted out, unable to keep my extreme and overwhelming rapture.
"Do we need to put him to the test see if he is fit to join the Ryodan?" Ubogin asked.
Test? My spirits shrunk once more… What if I don't pass?
Ubogin received a playful whack from Pakunoda. "He already killed more than half of his school, what more can you ask for?"
How odd, Pakunoda didn't sound like she was kidding when she said that.
"I'm glad you have agreed in such short notice," Kuroro told me. "Tadaima!" he extended his hand at me.
"Okaeri nasai… Dancho" I replied, and shook it. I now am part of a family!
"TADAIMAAA~!!" Ubogin hopped on me and gave me a big hug.
I felt myself turn blue, "I… can't… breathe!!!" I struggled from his wrench- like grip.
He finally got the idea and released me, "Gomen ne! I was just really happy"
I coughed for a moment, "Its… alright… I'm fine" I felt my body for broken bones and dislocated joints.
My face turned serious as I turned to my Dancho, "I want to start anew with my brand new family. I want to leave all checkered memories behind. I want to serve with a clear mind and heart."
"What do you mean?" Pakunoda asked.
I faced her, "I would like you to… erase all my painful memories… onegaishimasu, Pakunoda." I pleaded.
"Are you sure about this?" Kuroro asked, "Once Pakunoda erases your memories, they can never be restored."
"I'm sure…" I guaranteed him.
"Dancho!" Pakunoda glanced at Kuroro, looking troubled.
He acquiesced her with a nod. "If that's what he wants, so be it"
3 Goodbye to the orphanage in where I have grown up…
Pakunoda slowly produced a gun on her hand… the one thing that would set me liberated from the shackles of my past.
4 Goodbye to all the anguished recollections in school…the root cause of all the agony and hatred in my heart.
She lifted it towards me and took her aim…
5 Lastly, to my one true love… Azura. I'm sorry and… farewell.
And with that, she pulled the trigger.
Author's notes: It's not one of my favorite fanfics to write : ( But I still love you Shal-kun don't worry… ^^ Hehehe… I know, I know… it sucks so much T__T So that's how I picture the happy-happy Shalnark's past! How ironically depressing ne? And he has such a cute smile…*sigh* Hmm… Shalnark's about 14-15 years old in the fic, by the way. I didn't really wanted it to be a romantic fic but I thought that it could act as fuel for his anger. Anyway, Hunter x Hunter belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi! Comments greatly appreciated!
Rating: Romance/Drama/Angst (again)
PG-13 for language and some themes
1 Chapter 4: Imminent Failure
"Baka…"
I… killed…
"Baka…"
I killed her.
2 "Baka…"
I killed Azura…
I heard a soft knock on my door.
Leave me alone… go away… go away… GO AWAY!
"Can I come in?" the voice behind the door said.
"Introduce yourself first…" I replied coldly.
I felt the person hesitate a little bit. "I'm… Maya, Azura's sister."
Azura…
"I'm not going to stay long," she finally said after my long silence. "I just wanted to give you something that you should see. It's from her." And she slipped a piece of paper under my door.
As soon as I heard her leave the hallway, I reached for the paper. It was a letter dated from yesterday.
Dear Shalnark,
I'm very sorry if I ran from you a while ago. I was just quite disturbed. Anyway, I wrote this letter because I wanted to tell you something I couldn't say in your face. Whenever they bully you… whenever I see you hurt, I hurt deep inside as well. Sorry for sounding like a complete dork, but that's how I feel. I don't want to see you beaten up. I never want to see you in pain. Because when you do, I seem to feel it too.
I love you Shalnark. And because of that, I cannot bear to see your eyes full of miserable tears… or glowing with overflowing rage.
The letter was unfinished.
"She knew about your nen…"
I turned my head and saw 3 people inside my room. A million inquiries flooded my head at this, but I was only able to come up with a:
"Who are…"
The man with a long trench coat held up his hand to halt me from speaking. Beside him was a blond woman with a very revealing outfit and a large, hairy and burly man. Surprisingly, I found myself silent.
"I am Kuroro Ruciful, the person who sponsors your education, this here is Pakunoda and this is Ubogin," he told me glancing at his two companions.
Ubogin gave me a friendly wave. The one called Pakunoda gave a curt nod.
He turned back to me, "And I came here for you."
I pointed at myself, completely taken aback. "Me…?"
Kuroro replied by nodding.
Ubogin grinned goofily, "Can we sit down? I'm kinda pooped"
"Sure…" I offered my bed to them.
"Nah… the floor's fine with me" the huge man planted himself next to Kuroro and Pakunoda's feet. I pulled the chair from my desk and sat across them.
"Wait a minute… how did… did… you know about… Azura?" I asked unflinchingly, although my voice faltered.
Pakunoda flipped her hair airily; "I can read other people's memories simply by touching them. I can also erase them whenever I wish. That is my nen. I 'accidentally' bumped her while on our way here." She displayed the aura of elegance and… arrogance.
Nen?
Kuroro seemed to have read my thoughts. "Sousa… you have the ability to control. In your case, you control living things with your cellular phone. Any technological expert could have configured your phone the way you did, but only your nen can make it actually function."
I nodded, absorbing everything he said. "Nen…" I repeated, making my mouth familiar with the word.
"Why… did you choose me? Is it because of my nen?"
"Yes and no." I gave Kuroro a puzzled look as he paused for a while; seemingly enjoying the tension I felt when he did.
"Ubogin found you almost dying in the outskirts of the city Ryuusegai. He was the one who brought you here in the orphanage. He seemed very attached to you so I agreed to he plea of supporting you."
The other man scratched the back of his head and gave a toothy grin, "Ha, ha… you really didn't have to say that, Dancho."
My eyes fell on the ground, just as my spirits were. "I… don't deserve it…"
"Eh?" I heard Ubogin say, "What do you mean?"
I glanced up at them with teary eyes. "I… I'm… a killer! They didn't arrest me because they thought that I was the only survivor in the riot that happened in my school… But it was I… I controlled them and made them kill each other…" I buried my head with my hands and started sobbing uncontrollably.
The clutter of high-heeled shoes approached me. "It's alright…" Pakunoda whispered in a soothing manner. She smoothed my hair slowly… she wasn't so harsh after all.
I wonder if this is how a mother's touch feels like?
I remained silently sobbing. Pakunoda resorted in patting my back. No matter how fearful and domineering he seemed I saw Ubogin wipe a tear in his eyes.
Kuroro continued, "The human body has a lot of organs. Each of this said organs have a specific function and a specific purpose. The Genei Ryodan is like the body. Each of us does our duty for the betterment of our organization. We all treat each other will respect and fairness. Our actions should always be for the group and its stability. Without one, we would crumble. We are like one family"
Family? I never had a family before…
And then he said it, "Do you want to join our family?"
I could almost feel my heart soar with unspeakable delight. A family! Something I've always yearned for …a family that would love me and accept me as I am.
"Yes!" I blurted out, unable to keep my extreme and overwhelming rapture.
"Do we need to put him to the test see if he is fit to join the Ryodan?" Ubogin asked.
Test? My spirits shrunk once more… What if I don't pass?
Ubogin received a playful whack from Pakunoda. "He already killed more than half of his school, what more can you ask for?"
How odd, Pakunoda didn't sound like she was kidding when she said that.
"I'm glad you have agreed in such short notice," Kuroro told me. "Tadaima!" he extended his hand at me.
"Okaeri nasai… Dancho" I replied, and shook it. I now am part of a family!
"TADAIMAAA~!!" Ubogin hopped on me and gave me a big hug.
I felt myself turn blue, "I… can't… breathe!!!" I struggled from his wrench- like grip.
He finally got the idea and released me, "Gomen ne! I was just really happy"
I coughed for a moment, "Its… alright… I'm fine" I felt my body for broken bones and dislocated joints.
My face turned serious as I turned to my Dancho, "I want to start anew with my brand new family. I want to leave all checkered memories behind. I want to serve with a clear mind and heart."
"What do you mean?" Pakunoda asked.
I faced her, "I would like you to… erase all my painful memories… onegaishimasu, Pakunoda." I pleaded.
"Are you sure about this?" Kuroro asked, "Once Pakunoda erases your memories, they can never be restored."
"I'm sure…" I guaranteed him.
"Dancho!" Pakunoda glanced at Kuroro, looking troubled.
He acquiesced her with a nod. "If that's what he wants, so be it"
3 Goodbye to the orphanage in where I have grown up…
Pakunoda slowly produced a gun on her hand… the one thing that would set me liberated from the shackles of my past.
4 Goodbye to all the anguished recollections in school…the root cause of all the agony and hatred in my heart.
She lifted it towards me and took her aim…
5 Lastly, to my one true love… Azura. I'm sorry and… farewell.
And with that, she pulled the trigger.
Author's notes: It's not one of my favorite fanfics to write : ( But I still love you Shal-kun don't worry… ^^ Hehehe… I know, I know… it sucks so much T__T So that's how I picture the happy-happy Shalnark's past! How ironically depressing ne? And he has such a cute smile…*sigh* Hmm… Shalnark's about 14-15 years old in the fic, by the way. I didn't really wanted it to be a romantic fic but I thought that it could act as fuel for his anger. Anyway, Hunter x Hunter belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi! Comments greatly appreciated!