Chapter 8
That night,
"That was so exciting." Karen said to Neon.
"Which?" Cynthia asked. "The battle we watched or Kurapica's story?"
"Both!" Sarah informed them before turning to Neon. "You are so lucky to have a bodyguard like that."
"Yeah. None of my bodyguards would be caught dead doing what he did." Hannah said. "Both taking on a Spider AND dressing up to protect you"
"Not to mention he's kinda cute." Mary added.
"He is, isn't he?" Neon said. "But you girls know as well as I do that attractions between Master and Servant are forbidden…no matter how cute and brave he is."
"So?" Sarah asked. "Find out about his background. For all you know, he could be the leader's son. In that case, he's not your servant, but your equal."
"Actually," Hannah corrected. "If he's the last one, then forget the Leader's son. He's the leader."
"We'll see." Neon said as she laid down on her bed. "I have the best bodyguards"
Meanwhile,
"So what are we going to do?" Gon asked.
"I was thinking of going home and disposing of these properly." Kurapica said looking at the eyes. "If you three want to come you can."
"Of course we'll come!" Leorio said. "We risked everything to come see you. We're not abandoning you THAT easily!"
"I still can't believe you three did that!" Kurapica said with a laugh
"You dressed up too." Killua reminded the blond.
"That's because I was told to with the silent threat of loosing my job hovering over my head." Kurapica said. "You three grabbed a stray invitation and dressed up on your own choice."
"How were we?" Gon asked. "Did we fool you?"
"Not really." Kurapica said. "I knew there was something off the minute I saw Leorio. Melody and I both agreed that he was the UGLIEST girl we've ever seen."
"HEY!"
"But when you got to talking about the exam," Kurapica continued. "And the fact that you knew the last Kurtanian, my suspicion rose greatly. It was confirmed when Melody recognized your heartbeats. Not to mention the look on Killua's face when Zeno appeared."
"I'm never going to hear the end of this am I?" Killua asked.
"None of us are." Kurapica confirmed.
"Well, let's get to sleep." Gon said. "Kurapica's vacation starts tomorrow."
"You three go on to bed." Kurapica said. "I'm just going to check on the party."
On the other side of the door.
"Run." Bashou told Melody.
The two other bodyguards ran and hid behind a suit of armor as the door opened to reveal Kurapica. Just before the door closed, a loud snore came from the bedroom. Then, for the first time since Bashou met the guy, Kurapica smiled. Kurapica finished closing the door and walked towards Neon's bedroom.
After he was gone, the other two bodyguards came out of hiding and watched him.
"I've never seen him smile." Bashou informed his co-worker.
"I have." Melody said. "once. During the Hostage exchange when he saw that Gon and Killua were safe"
"That's what he meant." Bashou said.
"Huh?"
"when you were getting that wig and make up on him, I saw a picture of him with his friends. I figured that there was probably some information on who was in the picture on the back. It listed their names and he added that they were Friends forever and family in everything but blood or something like that."
"He needs them." She mused.
"Don't you mean deserves?"
"Yes, there's that. But he needs them. They are essential to his being. If anything happens to them… he'll have no reason to live."
"There's his job."
"But he won't have his heart in it." She informed him
"What do you think makes them so close?"
"Hard to tell." Melody said. "Maybe it's because they've been through the Hunter's Exam together. But…on a personal note, I believe that those three were his first friends since the massacre."
"But…didn't he take the exam year before last?"
"Yes."
"Then…four years completely alone…I couldn't do it."
"That's why he needs them." She said.
"Don't you two have anything better to do than psychoanalysis me?" Kurapica's voice came.
They turned and saw the boy in question standing beside them looking like he caught them with their hands in the cookie jar.
"We'll go…check on Mr. Nostrad." Bashou said.
The two ran off towards the boss' room unaware that Kurapica was smiling as they watched them.
"I have more friends than those three." He muttered knowing Melody could hear him. "I have you two as well."
He then walked over to the window in the hall and looked up at the starry sky.
"I'm going to stop this quest for revenge." He told the night sky. "I have a reason to live. I'm no longer alone."
He then walked back to his room and opened the door and smiled. Gon and Killua were tossing and turning and kicking each other in their sleep and Leorio was snoring away.
"Of course," Kurapica added. "Who knows what that can do with my sleep schedule?"
The End
