Disclaimer: Still not mine, unfortunately.
PS: If there are any spelling or grammars errors, please let it pass. I'm too tired to re-read the whole thing (10,000++ words!) to check for those kind of hard-to-detect-unless-you-squint mistakes. So yeah…
Story so far: Kuroro finally managed to escape the Valkyries with the help of Bara the black unicorn, despite leaving a trail of destruction in his wake—as Deifri had eloquently put it. For the first time, Una faced her estranged father. How would things go for the two renegade unicorns? Also, what about the humans' journey to Ryuusei-gai, now that they had two unicorns in their disposal?
Chapter 23
COMMUNION
You freaking chased them out of the tribe? Are you out of your friggin' mind?
The angry outburst came from a black unicorn that stood lividly before five other pure white unicorns. Those other unicorns were larger and sturdier than the black unicorn by far, and they were undisputedly seeping with air of absolute authority. What differentiated them from the others was not only the sheer size, but also their horns: they were golden. They were the Elders of the Unicorns. Their words were Laws for the tribe, and their ages were something that they had lost count of. They had existed when mankind was still backwater in their technology and civilisation.
Despite the rude statements from the black unicorns, the Elders remained unfazed.
They have absolutely nothing to do with me! I took in the demon in my own accord without their consultation! Heck, my child is even conceived before I met that demon. And my mate! She has just gone through birth labour and now you forced her out of the safety of the tribe? You are all crazy bunch of ancient horses!
Still the Elders stood like a stone wall.
The orders and the laws of the tribe have to be upheld. We shall not make any exceptions.
Bara was beyond enraged. His red eyes—tainted by the essence of the demon that he stored within his body—glowed in an unearthly fashion. Wind stirred uneasily around him, disturbing the vegetation around him. The nearby bushes suddenly decayed and disintegrated into grains; Bara was losing his control over Apaosa the demon of aridity.
If you think you can beat us just because you host a demon, you are naïve. You are still centuries too early to think of overwhelming even one of us, One of the Elders; presumably the oldest of them and thus effectively the leader, scoffed at his temper.
The wind simmered down before finally settling into its natural course. The tension in the area, however, was far from being loosened up. Bara glared at them, hoping that his looks could really kill them. After a few seconds, the Eldest had had enough of facing a renegade unicorn like him and decided to leave the 'meeting'. Without any more words, he turned around and walked away haughtily. The other Elders followed suit. One Elder lagged behind, so that she could say one final sentence to him:
I heard your mate calling your newborn daughter 'Una'.
And then she walked away to follow the other Elders.
Bara had been too taken aback when he was granted that information by that female Elder. He knew that she was the most lenient one among the Elders, but that final gesture by her had earned her his utmost gratitude. The black unicorn had been so preoccupied with the news about his mate and his daughter Una that he did not hear the small conversation engaged by the Elders.
You are too generous with him. He may be one of your descendants, but that does not mean you can favour him like that, one of the Elders chided the female Elder mildly.
I was not being kind or magnanimous. I just do not think it as harmful to say such insignificant piece to just anyone, the female Elder said icily.
The tone of the female Elder indicated finality, so the others did not pursue the matter further. Her argument was sensible enough, anyway.
When the Elders had disappeared among the crowds of trees of the forest, Bara was still standing rooted on the ground. Una, the Elder had told him. His daughter's name was Una. She was somewhere out there, together with his beloved mate, wandering the forest without protection. Una was only a newborn foal, his mate was still exhausted from the birth labour. He had to find them.
Without sparing another thought, Bara sprung and dashed through the forest, determined to track down his exiled family. Inside his heart, his rage was boiling like magma. He could hardly believe it. This was how the Elders treated him; like an insignificant little cretin, while he had just saved their sorry skins.
No, scratch that. He had just saved the whole tribe from annihilation.
xXx
What are you looking at, brat?
The thick, greasy voice was scalding and derisive, but there was an underlying tone of weakness. The owner of the voice was dying. That much was obvious from how its body—scaly and coal black, yet the face was ashen white—slowly and painfully disintegrating into fine black grains. In fact, those grains dripping from its body seemed more like a pool of liquefied darkness.
Brat? I'm a full grown unicorn, no thanks to you, Bara replied with equal 'fervour'. What are you? I saw you changing from a form of black horse into this…shape.
Blind or imbecile. Which are you? Or is it both? The creature sitting on the ground sneered despite its foreboding demise.
I'll vouch for ignorant. Those stuck-up bitches and son of bitches of the Elders never allow us to venture too far from the herd. What do they think I am? A bawling baby? Ceh.
A thoroughly immature and foul-mouthed unicorn, that's for sure. I'll say they're afraid you'll make enemies of other more powerful and hot-tempered creatures—which is ultimately inevitable, I bet.
Like you don't have foul mouth yourself, Bara countered in annoyance. This creature really had no manner!
Shut up, you youngling. Care to let a demon have the last piece of his dwindling life all by himself peacefully without rude interruption of some obnoxious, meddling unicorn? The said demon groused and lay down on the ground tiredly.
So you are really a demon, Bara exclaimed triumphantly.
Don't give me that 'I knew it' crap. I don't bloody buy it. Now scram before I make you.
Can you? You look like you're breaking apart like some dying cinders. Or coals.
The demon simply sighed wearily and did not bother to waste his breath replying to Bara's provocative remarks. He was already closing his eyes when suddenly that impossibly beyond annoying unicorn bugged him again.
Just like that? You'll just die like that and that's all? How surprisingly boring. I thought demons die in a very flashy manner.
…You got me, brat. The demon gave a cackling sound before he looked up and gazed at the unicorn's eyes. I say peaceful and all, but that's for me. You don't know who I am, do you?
Unfortunately, the ignorant me haven't a clue. Enlighten me, please?
I'm Apaosa, a demon of aridity and drought. Demons are higher beings than you measly unicorns. Now don't you give me that look, that's a given fact, brat. When we die, we don't just disappear like some magic tricks. When our essence dies, we take along whatever around us. Wicked, eh?The demon began laughing eerily.
Wicked, alright. You're not just pulling my hoofs, aren't you?
The demon snorted. For what? I don't waste the last minutes of my life playing worthless pranks on some insignificant horses like you. You entertained me, brat, so I'm giving you a piece of advice: run for your life before I die. Though… the demon's white face pulled a sinister Glasgow smile, I don't think you can cover several miles in one shot.
Given the 'statistic', Bara knew that if the demon died and his words were the truth, his tribe—which coincidentally were grassing just a few miles away from the spot, undoubtedly within the range of the side effect of Apaosa's death—would be wiped away. Though he had heard that demons were deceitful and one should never believe a word they said—although sometimes those royal-pain-in-the-ass demons made use of this common concept about demons and said the truth so that their opponents would mistake it as a lie—Bara had the feeling that Apaosa was being serious.
Seriously?
Now I'm convinced that you're an imbecile. If you don't value your life, stay here at my deathbed and be the first and last witness of a demon's death. You don't get this kind of chance often, you know.
For something that's dying, you are talkative.
Just trying to distract you, is all. The demon laughed again.
The demon's body was now decaying at an alarming speed. The pool of the black grains from his body was spreading like plague, and Bara took several steps back warily.
Is your death really inevitable? No other way around it? The unicorn asked rather hesitantly. Though he did not really fancy helping a demon, he would be willing to do so if he could save his tribe. His mate was pregnant, for goodness' sake!
Now that you mention it, there is actually. The demon freaking yawned. This is my body deteriorating. If I can get another vessel to contain my essence—which is still somewhat intact—then I'll survive and this land won't get dried up like mummy.
Any requirement for that so-called vessel?
Not really. Anything that I fancy. I can take a cracked kettle for my vessel for all I care, but nah… The demon seemed resigned and even determined to die, it agitated Bara to no end.
If you adopt a living creature, let's say a human, for your vessel. What'll happen to that human?
Depends. Most likely their soul, or spirit, or whatever, will get overridden by my essence, and the body will be completely mine, unless they have really REALLY strong soul—which is damn rare. Never seen one before. I don't fancy human body, though. Too fragile to my liking.
What about me?
…Say what?
Is my body good enough a vessel for you? Bara repeated.
The demon gave him a disbelieving look, before he broke into mirthful laugh. There was undoubtedly condescending tone in his laugh, causing Bara to flinch.
You are offering your body to me, is that is, brat? My, oh my. Aren't you one intriguing specimen, despite your ignorance? Well well, what say I? Perhaps I shall take your offer and see what I can do with your tribe. Annihilate them? No, that's boring. Shall I—
So I'm good enough. Bara interjected him impatiently.
The demon stopped his rambling and looked at the unicorn with newfound keen interest. He eyed him from the point of his horn to the end of his tail. Bara was a fine unicorn; one of the best so-called fighters among his peers. The only thing that he was concerned with was his spirit's capability to control the demon once Apaosa invaded his physical body. His goal was to seal the demon inside his body. He only thought of the safety of his mate and soon-to-be-born child.
Yes, yes. You are good. I like you, brat. Now, I shall make your body mine, and CRUSH your soul and spirit from within.
Let's see you try that, Bara challenged him as he took a fighting stance—though he did not know whether it was a necessary gesture or not.
Of course! Apaosa the demon of aridity suddenly rose up from the ground, his body becoming a pillar of shiny black grains that loomed over the unicorn, EN GARDE!
"So…" Kurapika tapped her fingers on her forearms as she had crossed her arms. "He won the inner battle, and consequently his body was tainted black. He passed out, and woke up only to find himself being caged by the magic of the Elders. I'm surprised that those Unicorns have that kind of magic."
"Ditto." Kuroro said coolly.
"After a few days of trial, he was labelled as 'renegade' and so exiled from the tribe. By then, his mate and Una had already been kicked out of the tribe? That's ridiculous. Those Elders were purposely making his life harder!"
"Don't complain to me." Kuroro shrugged. "Ask those Elders about their Laws."
Kurapika ignored Kuroro's passing remark.
"He went to look for Una and her mother, but couldn't find them. He visited Chiron in search of her just when she had departed to travel with us, and his mate had died long before." Kurapika grimaced at this last piece of information. "Is that all?"
"That is all he managed to tell me during our flight." Kuroro nodded.
"That's a lot of things." Kurapika said accusingly.
"You don't sound too happy." The Spider Head pointed out.
"Should I be happy when Una had to run all the way with three persons on her back, when she's barely into her adulthood?" Kurapika deadpanned with narrowed eyes.
"She looks fine to me. You underestimate her too much, Kurapika." Kuroro smiled thinly at her. "Have you forgotten how six years ago she carried the two of us on her back while galloping three days straight to Rukuso Mountain with barely decent breaks in-between?"
Kurapika had honestly forgotten it, reason being at that time she was still half-conscious due to the effort of sleeping off a certain terrible hangover caused by one particular April Fools fiasco.
"I'm just worried." She said defensively.
"You are a worry-wart." Kuroro said in a rather chastising manner.
"Inherent issue." Kurapika shrugged.
"Which can be fixed."
"There is nothing to be fixed about it!"
"You'll grow grey hair before you know it."
"That's none of your business!"
Ah, back to the old routine.
"Do you honestly think this does not concern me?"
Kurapika was speechless. He was right; of course it did concern him when considering their circumstances—after all, he had acknowledged them as a family, in a way (strange and odd as it might sound, it coming from none other than Kuroro Lucifer of the notorious Genei Ryodan)
"You should trust the people around you more, Kurapika." Kuroro said with an easy smile.
Of all people, she had to be lectured about trust by Kuroro Lucifer; a murderer, thief, criminal, etc. etc, although he had the right to do so—he had displayed unwavering trust towards his Spiders during their missions. And his words made perfect sense. When she worried too much about someone, it could mean that she did not trust that person's capability or she had given too little credit on that person.
"Fine, fine." Kurapika grumbled. "But that aside," Kurapika looked up and at him askance. "Just what was the extent of damage you inflicted back there?"
"Back there?"
"In Valhalla, when you're escaping."
"Ah…" An amused smile was played ever so faintly on his lips. "Does it matter?"
"Yes in the sense that I have to see just how more homicidal you've become. You used the Solomon Ring, didn't you?"
"Two demons, to be exact. They are not particularly high level, for your information." Suddenly, something clicked in Kuroro's mind as he noticed the slightly puzzled look on Kurapika's face. "Ah, you have never seen the workings of the Solomon Ring, haven't you?"
At this, Kurapika scowled.
"I have the feeling I rather not witness it at all, considering on what I've seen from far away when you trashed those Valkyries." Kurapika said flatly. "People flying off. Pieces of buildings blown away. Lightings and gales. It was as if Natures herself ran amok. Just how powerful is the Solomon Ring?"
"Well…I suppose it is powerful enough to destroy the world should I wish it."
Kurapika frowned deeply.
"Although that prospect isn't so assuring, but I don't think you're interested in conquering or destroying the world, or whatever that falls under the typical grandiosely evil villain archetype." Kurapika snorted. "You're more of a down-to-earth criminal."
For once, Kurapika was relieved that Kuroro was not ambitious in his 'career'. He simply went about his 'occupation' doing whatever he pleased, without any set goals. She knew that he would not bother about conquering or destroying the world, as he did indulge himself in worldly pleasures. What was the point of him destroying it? As for the matter of conquering, well, she had the feeling that Kuroro thought of the idea as far too clichéd and old-fashioned in some ways. She could only hope that the man would guard that Solomon Ring jealously—which he always did with all his possessions, anyway.
Kuroro laughed lightly, and Kurapika was slightly taken aback. It had been a while since the last time she heard him laughing. It sounded really pleasing to her ears, though she would never ever admit it out loud. The gesture brought a very faint smile to her lips, though her brows remained furrowed.
"What's so funny?" She said with a feeble attempt to lace her words with irritated tone.
"Don't you find it ironic? You, a person with too strong a sense of justice that sometimes gets the better of your logic—"
"HEY!"
"—and me, an S-rank criminal. Look at us. Look at him." Kuroro nodded his chin to the direction of Meta.
"What about me?" The boy piped in excitedly. He had been observing his parents talking, and he took delight in it for one reason and another. Bia merely observed them with her typical blank face, but her fingers were interlaced with Meta's. He could understand her although she never attempted to communicate with him like how she did with others. It was refreshing. It was somehow liberating for her.
"Meta, what did I tell you about eavesdropping on people's conversation?" Kurapika reprimanded the boy sternly.
Inwardly Kurapika was afraid of the boy overhearing their conversation; she was unsure yet if the boy was aware of his father being a criminal. She did not wish for Meta to know that fact by overhearing people's conversation; it would instil a bad impression on his young mind. She would let him know in due time, but not at the moment.
"But Mom!"
Before either Kuroro or Kurapika could say anything, Bia tugged at the boy's hand and shook her head, causing her white hair to sway gently about her head. She then pulled him along, away from the conversing adults. She sat down on the grassy ground under the shade of a tree and gestured at the younger boy to do the same. With a grand pout, Meta settled next to her and hugged one of her arms sulkily.
Kurapika raised her eyebrows in amazement. Meta could be a royal pain when he decided to be stubborn and difficult, but never before had Kurapika had an easy time calming him down when he was in sulky mode as Bia had done. Somehow, Bia acted as Meta's pacifier to certain extent.
"Judging from your look, Bia seems to have done a better job handling Meta's tempers than you do." Kuroro analysed out loud with a smirk of amusement playing on his face.
"…Something like that…" Kurapika muttered begrudgingly.
"Anyway," Kuroro waved one dismissive hand gesture, "that aside, don't you find our situation peculiar?"
"What 'situation', to be specific?"
"Come on, Kurapika, you know what I'm talking about."
Kurapika glared at him, but he took the glare easily as if she was smiling at him. After a while, Kurapika looked away with a huff of annoyance.
"I don't even know how it ends up like this. The damage is done, so there's nothing to be done about it." She muttered with low voice.
"You consider this as a 'damage'?" Kuroro was approaching her stealthily.
"It's just a figure of speech! Sheesh!" Kurapika rolled her eyes. "I'm just trying to say that what's done is done."
"Do you regret it?"
"…No." Kurapika said with small voice, though she was actually not hesitant about her answer. "I'm just concerned about his future, considering how different our paths are."
"There you go again. Worry, worry, worry." Kuroro chuckled.
"Is it a crime to worry, honestly?" Kurapika said waspishly.
"I'm just saying that you should take a break from worrying. Besides, let the boy decide on his own after he has seen the world."
"I don't want to expose him to your side of world." Kurapika scowled. "I doNOT want him to be a criminal like you."
"I'm not implying that he should follow my path." Kuroro countered. "He should see the world for what it is, its true face. That's all there is to it."
For a split second, Kurapika was almost convinced by Kuroro's smooth words. Then, she remembered that he was slightly off with his psychology. While there was certain wisdom in his words, he lacked the sense of righteousness. If she was to retrace his words and rethought about it, while he did not imply directly that Meta should follow his path, at the same time he had been implying that if Meta chose to be a criminal then it was his right to do so and Kurapika should accept it as it was. There was no way in hell that she was going to allow that to happen!
Apparently, Kuroro noticed the consternation displayed blatantly on Kurapika's face. He stepped forward and pinched her cheek lightly. The gesture did take her off guard.
"You frown a lot, don't you?"
"S, so what?" She slapped away his hand not unkindly. To hide the blush that was creeping its way to her face, Kurapika turned her back towards him.
"Hmm…" Kuroro hummed indiscreetly as he stared at the back of Kurapika's head.
You know, Boss, a voice suddenly reverberated in the air, she says all these and does all those (like a stuck up bitch, the voice 'thought'), but you should know that back there she intended to storm right into that hellhole called Valhalla just to find you. Sweet, eh? Couldn't stay still for one goddamn second 'coz she was so eager to see you.
The voice snickered, and Kurapika recognised it as the voice of that blasted Ifrit. She felt like blowing Deifri into smithereens, but she reined her tempers and decided to just ignore that little embellished (or not) 'leak'.
"Oh?"
Kurapika could hear the amusement in Kuroro's voice. Whenever she heard that particular ring in his voice, she could almost be sure all the time that it did not bode well for her, one way or another. True enough, without any warning whatsoever, Kuroro 'attacked' her from behind with a huge embrace around her shoulders.
"Agh!" Kurapika cried out carelessly, making the children jumped in surprise at the sudden commotion.
"I'm so flattered, Kurapika." Kuroro declared cheerfully. Whether he did so out of pure sincerity or just to annoy the living hell out of her, Kurapika had not the faintest idea. Nevertheless, it was successful in driving her nuts.
She was so focused on you she almost forgot about those brats there, Deifri added all too eagerly.
"Deifri, shut up!"
Aw, you hear that, Boss? She didn't deny it! The invisible Ifrit then began whistling provocatively.
Kurapika let out a groan of frustration.
"So I noticed." Kuroro chuckled.
Her hands bristled in barely contained embarrassment and fury.
"Kurapika," Kuroro leaned forward so that he whispered right to her ear, "the children are watching."
At this, Kurapika's body tensed up and stopped bristling. From the corner of her eyes she indeed could see Meta and Bia looking at them with big eyes; especially Meta—he looked positively elated as if he had just received an early Christmas gift. While she had planned on elbowing Kuroro hard on the solar plexus and perhaps kicked him on the shin, she had to abort the plan as it would give a very bad impression on the children; especially Meta. Kurapika definitely did not have the heart to allow that to happen.
Consequently, she could only sigh heavily and resign to her 'fate'. Sensing her relaxing in his arms, Kuroro's grin broadened in satisfaction. Kurapika twisted her neck slightly so that she could glare pointedly (the angle giving her an added bonus 'pointed-ness') right at his obsidian eyes—which were laughing in a very irritating way (for her).
"You are a conniving bastard, Kuroro."
"I know. You told me so countless time before." Kuroro laughed faintly; Kurapika could feel the low rumble of his chest through her back.
"Yes, indeed!" She exclaimed dramatically. "Now can you please let go of me?"
"I don't feel like it."
"Oh, of course!" Kurapika rolled her eyes. "So what now? Do I have to kiss you to win my 'freedom'?" She said sarcastically. The next moment, she regretted ever saying those words.
Kuroro raised his eyebrows quizzically, but his smirk broadened.
"Honestly, I hadn't thought of that. Thank you for suggesting it, Kurapika. I would love that." He said teasingly while hugging her tighter.
Me and my big mouth! Kurapika berated herself. She was tempted to stomp her feet, childish an action as it might be.
"Hmm… Perhaps I should do this more often." Kuroro said again musingly.
"What? No way!" She sounded like a squashed mouse, and she felt like she shrunk manifolds.
Well, well, well. Lovey-dovey, aren't we? A low male voice could be heard approaching.
Both of them looked up in time to see Bara approaching them—his wings had been furled back—with Una in tow slightly behind him. Bara's ruby eyes glinted with amused light, while Una had a rather incredulous expression.
This is…new… Una said with slightly timid voice. She was utterly not used to see the two of them engaging in such newlywed intimacy—bickering like old married couple was the usual scene of them she was used to see.
"I, I—" Kurapika was speechless, and her face felt like it was on fire.
"So you're done?" Kuroro said casually.
Yep, we've had our heart-to-heart. Never would've thought you'll be doing the same. That your woman, lad?
"Yes."
Kurapika elbowed him in the stomach.
"I'm not just your 'woman'!" She complained, feeling derogated by such term.
"Fine, then." Kuroro shrugged; unfazed by her earlier abuse, and soon broke into a smug grin, "wife."
"What the—" Kurapika squeaked again.
C'mon, make up your mind, lady, Bara rolled his eyes. You're such a denial queen. You two are obviously married, what with those matching rings, the kids, and all. What's the big deal of him calling you his woman? Okay, maybe it sounds too rude, but 'wife'? That's just stating the status quo, isn't it? Seriously, what's your problem?
Had Killua and Leorio been present there, they would have laughed their heads off while rolling on the ground like some idiots because of the fact that someone had blatantly told Kurapika straight on her face that something was wrong with her. To be honest, they often entertained that very idea but were too afraid to express it lest Kurapika decided to scourge them for it. Gon, on the other hand, would simply blink; him not understanding what was so funny.
Too shocked by the sudden tirade of accusations and the truth of their situation suddenly being lied down before her in the most palpable manner, Kurapika could only be slack-jawed.
"There you go, wife." Kuroro said again, removing one arm from her shoulders and draping the other one across those slumped shoulders in a very possessive manner.
"Shut up. Just…shut up." Kurapika said patchily as she recovered fairly slowly and began massaging the bridge of her nose. She had the feeling that she would be having grand headache if Bara stayed with them for too long.
Bara's words were fair enough, though, since factually both Kurapika and Kuroro had been telling other people that they were married—usually for the excuse of getting rid of some annoying men and women respectively—although they had never mentioned each other's name. Still, while being referred to as 'woman' was positively insulting for Kurapika, being called 'wife' by Kuroro just seemed too…outlandish.
Kuroro chuckled very amusedly, causing Kurapika to glower at him lividly.
"Well, so what comes now?" Kuroro asked the two unicorns.
You do know that we are at the border of Erin Continent, just next to the dessert of Ruthenia—well, not exactly but practically anyway—don't you? Bara asked.
"We are?" Kurapika looked up. No wonder the air was so unusually dry despite being in a forest like this, she thought.
Sure we are, lady. So now, we are thinking of taking the four of you to the forest of Ryuusei-gai. That's as far as we can go.
"Why?" Kurapika asked; her annoyance slowly diminishing now that they were engaging in a very much normal—context-wise—conversation.
There is a barrier that separates the city from the forest. It prevents creatures like us from passing through, Una answered for them. Una thinks it's the temple that you told me about.
"Ishtar's Temple…" Kurapika murmured.
"That will suffice." Kuroro decided. He let go of Kurapika—she did not even notice this—and motioned at the children to come closer to them. Both Bia and Meta scrambled to their feet and skipped their way to the adults and the unicorns.
"What about seating arrangement?" Kurapika asked. Inwardly, she crossed her fingers: I absolutely do not want to ride that ridiculously annoying black unicorn.
The Prancing Pony was almost never closed all years round. Almost, because there was only one occasion when it was closed for public:
The gathering of the Genei Ryodan.
During the first gathering of the whole gang, the Spiders had scared and freaked the living daylight out of the customers. Appearance-wise they were already odd and intimidating enough—although members like Shizuku were generally ignored as they looked normal and decent enough—but the worst came from the more 'sensitive' members who disliked being stared at. One fine specimen: Nobunaga Hazama.
"Sorry that you have to close the inn for a few days. Again…" Shalnark rubbed the back of his neck with slight guilt.
"Nah, it's alright. Besides, I'd rather have the inn closed than having my poor customers scared witless." Fino shrugged as she continued drying the washed dishes. "My parents can use the break as well."
Although Fino was unusually immune—fascinated, even—to strange things like unicorns and peculiar people like the Spiders, her parents were unfortunately normal in all possible human aspects. She remembered how her mother had fainted on the spot when she saw Franklin stepping into the inn while her father; even better, had tried to grab a shot gun. The only thing that prevented him from going into shooting spree at the sight of the whole gang was because Shalnark had taken matters into his hands by gently knocking the kind old man out cold (a hit on the nape; an old yet all-time effective trick). When the two of them came around, Fino had to explain things to them and to reassure them that the new guests were no monsters despite their odd appearances.
"So," Fino started when she was finished with the last of the dishes and wiped her hands on her apron, "that new guy you've just introduced to the Spiders."
"What of him?" Shalnark asked as he proceeded to carry the huge trays full of clean dishes and followed Fino as she started putting them back on their assigned places.
"Hmmm… He reminds me of someone…" Fino frowned as her hands systematically worked with the dishes as if they had a mind of their own.
"Let me guess. Lucian?" Shalnark grinned.
"Right! Correct! His attitude and behaviour is so much like Lucian, although Lucian is harder to approach because he has this icy aura about him." Fino gesticulated energetically. "Maybe that's because he's a vampire?"
"I guess?" Shalnark shrugged. "Evidence that Heen is so much like Lucian is that he manages to irritate Nobu beyond the cap of his temper on their first meeting." He laughed.
True enough, when Nobunaga had finally reached the Prancing Pony Inn and stepped into the inn, his eyebrows had twitched in illogical irritation at the first sight of the olive-skinned man wearing white suit. The first part of the introduction: name and age—Shalnark had told him that it was unnecessary to disclose personal information if Heen did not wish to; the Spiders did not care much about it—had gone smoothly, but the onset of the disaster had come when Nobunaga had rudely questioned Heen's capability. Heen had responded with an action—he used his electromagnetism Nen ability to attract Nobunaga's sword to his hands—accompanied with a smart-assed remark ("And what do they say about samurai without their swords?")
Then, all hell broke loose.
The only thing that prevented the Prancing Pony Inn from being destroyed in the process was (very surprisingly) Fino's intervention.
She had stepped into the dining hall and regarded them with a puppy-eye look.
"Don't destroy the inn, please? This place is my parents' treasure."
Immediately, Nobunaga and Heen bowed their heads down guiltily—like two adults caught red-handed while bullying a child—before they stormed out of the inn to 'bring it down' outside where they could go wild as they pleased. Some of the more sedate Spiders shook their head, most others fell into frantic betting session.
"I see the beginning of a beautiful friendship," Phinks had snickered as he watched the ongoing fight from the window.
"Beautifully destructive…" Franklin had added with a sigh.
Fino did not care about it as long as her inn remained intact. For some reasons, she had her own ways with the Spiders, and at the same time the Spiders felt completely at ease around the normal girl as if she was part of them—which she technically was not. There were not many average normal people who could serve the entire Genei Ryodan without breaking a nervous sweat.
"Do you think they're done with their rough-housing?" Fino asked as she closed the last cabinet of the dishes.
"Hm…Judging from the noises, I don't think so." Shalnark said as he cocked his head sideways as if to get a better hearing of the commotion raging outside the inn.
Suddenly, the kitchen door swung open not too roughly as Phinks waltzed in with a bored look on his eyebrow-less face.
"Yo, Fino. Have any booze?"
"I do but you have to pay for it." Fino smiled kindly at him.
"Just put it in my tab." Phinks waved a dismissive hand.
"In CASH, please." Fino maintained the smile on her face, but her tone indicated the underlying pay-me-with-cash-otherwise-forget-about-your-damn-booze message.
"Damn." The burly man muttered with no real meanness in his tone. He reached for his wallet. "Shalnark must've warned you. How much?"
"Which one do you want?" Shalnark asked as he handed his fellow Spider the beverage menu.
"Let's see…" Phinks scanned the menu, but a fraction second later his eyes bulged so much they looked like they had been stung by some angry bees. "The hell! This is friggin' extortionist price! Three million zenni for a bottle of beer? Are you freaking out of your mind? How can your business survive with this kind of prices?"
Fino started laughing out loud until she doubled up. Shalnark only grinned wickedly and crossed his arms as if defiantly.
"T, that's—" Fino managed to say staggeringly, "that's a price list…forged by Shal…" Then she started laughing again.
It took Phinks several seconds to let the information sink in and when it finally did, he growled at Shalnark and began cracking his knuckles.
"Shal, you little piece of…"
"W, w, wait! It's just a joke!" Shalnark put up his hands defensively.
"A damn sick joke! Now gimme the real menu!" He barked.
After a shot of his booze—that came with perfectly reasonable price tag—Phinks finally calmed down and leaned back in his chair in satisfaction. He swirled his mug of booze lazily as he enjoyed the pleasant bitter taste in his mouth.
"Are Nobu and Heen done?" Shalnark asked curiously.
"Nah. Still goin' about tryin' to rip each others' throats. Bets are going on. You wanna join, Shal?"
"What's the odds?"
"Dunno. Machi refused to bet. No fun." Phinks pouted.
Fino blinked; she was not sure if she was following the conversation.
"What does Machi have to do with the odds?"
"It's an unspoken rule that Machi always says her bet the last, 'coz she's got this frightening intuition that almost never fails her. Scary, I'm tellin' you." Phinks laughed. "Her bet usually indicates the odds. Or somethin' like that."
"Hm…" Fino was not sure if she really understood it.
"By the way, Fino, this maybe a long-time-ago issue, but I've been wonderin' why that Kuruta chose to live here with the brat?" Phinks asked the innkeeper's daughter after he gulped down half the content of the mug.
Fino gave a gentle smile and began explaining.
"You do realise that this town is very remote, right? This place often escapes the world's attention, it isn't even recorded in most of the maps available out there."
"No wonder we couldn't find where this damn town is in that bloody map we took." Phinks groused, mostly to himself.
Ignoring Phinks, Fino continued: "That is the reason why Kurapika chose this place to raise Meta. It's secluded and quiet, and so the risk of Meta being discovered as a Kuruta is slim."
"So, bottom line, it's all for the brat?"
"You can say so."
Perhaps it was because of the booze, but suddenly Phinks started reminiscing the old days before that stupid Hassan—or whatever damn hell the name of that demented genie was—put a schizophrenic curse on that chain-assassin and their Danchou. Those days in Yorkshin City when they had a wild cat-and-mouse game with the Kuruta was particularly memorable, since Phinks had not remembered having such a complex 'game' with anyone against the gang before. He had to say that he quite admired the chain-assassin in the sense that she (or he at that time) was insanely persistent and—most importantly—smart. She (or he) even outsmarted Danchou at that time!
Who would have thought that the same chain-assassin would have a kid with their Danchou, of all extraordinary and supernatural—yes, some of the Spiders thought of this phenomenon as bordering supernatural, notably Nobunaga—things that could happen?
How more ironic can life be? Phinks pondered as he downed the rest of his booze.
In the end, Kurapika rode Una alone. The children? They badly wanted to try flying with a winged unicorn and so at the moment they were on Bara's back, flying high in the sky but not too far from the ground to avoid the scorching sun. Kuroro? He was sitting behind the children in case they—being children—got careless and fell from Bara's back. Honestly Kuroro did not think that they would fall, and besides if they did fall both Kuroro and Kurapika were perfectly capable of catching them before they hit the ground; with Kurapika's Nen chain and Kuroro's teleportation skill. However, being a stubborn Mother Hen she was, Kurapika insisted that Kuroro stayed with the children because; although she was more than willing to guard the children in his stead, she adamantly refused riding the black unicorn.
Kurapika, you don't like Una's father? Una asked her as they galloped across the desert of Ruthenia towards Ryuusei-gai.
"Well…Not exactly. More like he annoys me with his remarks and I rather stay away with people with smart-assed mouths. You know my temper, Una." Kurapika sighed.
Una has to agree that he is rather…quirky.
"Really? What about the other unicorns?" Kurapika asked as she glanced at the big black dot flying on the clear sky.
They are stiff and old-fashioned. They are also a prideful crowd.
"Stuck-up, you mean." The Kuruta glowered as she recalled Bara's story as retold by Kuroro.
Perhaps… Una said sheepishly. She was not used to bad-mouthing people or anyone else.
"What do you think of your father, then?"
Una never holds an ounce of jaundice towards Una's father. Una's father is not a traitor. He is a noble unicorn. The young unicorn said those words firmly without the slightest hesitation in her tone. Kurapika smiled at this and patted the unicorn's mane gently.
"You're proud of him."
…The reason why Una risked going into Erin Continent; which is the home of my Unicorns tribe, is because Una was searching for Una's father.
Before Kurapika could respond to this new information divulged by the young Unicorn, the view of a vast city suddenly could be seen at the distant horizon. Even without narrowing her eyes to get a better outline of the city, Kurapika knew that it was Ryuusei-gai. In the first place, the city had no definite outline anyway. She could also see Bara flying at lower altitude as they neared the Meteor City.
When they finally reached the forest of Ryuusei-gai that lay beyond Ishtar's temple, Kurapika realised that the quality of the air suddenly changed. It was as if they had entered a place with radically different weather. While the air of the desert had been parching dry, the air at even the outskirt of the forest was fresh and humid as if it was a tropical forest. She had never noticed it before because the first time she had entered via the temple and the latest one had been via air by Gamayun the hybrid bird-woman creature.
Bara landed on the sandy ground and waited until Una caught up. When Una and Kurapika had reached them, Kurapika could see the children's eyes twinkling in excitement; even Bia's, and they positively looked like they were in sugar rush. Their faces were red with the exposure of the sunlight and also from the wind beating their faces as they flew at high speed. Kurapika turned to look at Kuroro; who had an indifferent face but she could see in his eyes how he was somehow awkward with the children.
"Had a hard-time babysitting?" Kurapika asked smugly and rather triumphantly.
"Not bad." Kuroro replied evenly.
"Right." She said disbelievingly and somewhat dismissively.
"Come on." Kuroro said, ignoring Kurapika's remark, as he directed Bara into the forest. "Don't dismount Una, and try to cover her with your Nen."
"Why?" With her Gyo, Kurapika could see that Kuroro had enveloped Bara in his Nen, as well as the children.
"The outskirt of the forest is usually heavily guarded. The guardians will attack just anyone who dares trespass the border except for the master of the temple, or whoever that bears his/her symbol."
"And what does my Nen have to do with it?" Kurapika asked confusedly.
"You have a piece of my Nen within you." He stated plainly.
"Ah." It clicked in her mind. "I see. Considering that now you're the master, is that it?"
"Oh, perhaps I should inform you that the guardians have been snakes during Ishtar's time. Now since the 'throne'" Kuroro said the word with slight distaste, "has been passed to me, and my familiar is Anansi, the guardians—"
"Don't tell me—" Kurapika interjected in mortification with her eyes widened to their maximum possible size.
"Spiders!" Meta exclaimed joyfully as he pointed at a few spiders of monstrous sizes dangling from a branch of a nearby tree.
Kurapika felt like fainting. Again. How could she not, when the trees around them were infested with spiders of the most mind-boggling, fear-inspiring, heart-stopping, (you name it) types and sizes? Not to mention that the grating clicking noises of the fangs of some of the abnormal spiders were getting to her. It was overwhelming for normal people, but for Kurapika? It was beyond.
Her eyes turned Scarlet at once, and her knuckles shook as she clenched her fists. Kuroro could feel her agitation, as her Nen within him stirred uneasily.
"Close your eyes, Kurapika. Dampen your five senses. Just concentrate on keeping your balance on Una's back." Kuroro instructed her.
She tried to do as she was told. It took a great deal of effort, because the hissing and clicking noises of the spiders were obnoxiously distracting. They were so loud and almost deafening. For a moment she worried for the children, but remembering that Meta had an equally abnormal fascination with spiders seemingly inherited from his father (curse you Kuroro), and Bia seemed to have no problem with spiders as well as she had witnessed back then in Tichit Walatta, Kurapika concluded that she was the one having the most problem in the situation. The children were doing even better than she did.
How unnerving.
She poured her concentration on maintaining her Nen blanket around Una, as well as her balance on her back. Time seemed to stretch interminably, until Kuroro finally declared that they had reached the temple and that Kurapika could open her eyes. She felt this childish irritation towards Kuroro, but if she showed it she felt that she would be a sore loser. Kurapika decided to play it cool.
Indeed, when she opened her eyes, she was greeted by the massive stone wall of the temple of Ryuusei-gai. It was not exactly the part of the temple that she recognised, but Kuroro did not seem to be bothered about it. If anything, he had an amused expression as he stared at the ground near Bara's legs. Kurapika looked at the ground he was staring at, and spotted a small purplish black patch on the ground. It was as if a small pail of paint had been dumped there.
"What's with that?" She asked curiously.
"Remember the time when I told you about my first meeting with Anansi?"
Kurapika instantly grimaced as she recalled the story. It was a grotesque encounter that featured a helpless ten-years-old boy, a spider incarnation which would be decapitated and still lived, and a werewolf that would ultimately be poisoned to death by the said spider incarnation. So this was the exact spot of that incident?
"That black spot was where Anansi's poison had touched the soil."
"And the colour remains until now?" Kurapika asked incredulously.
Because it was MY poison, said a third voice. It reverberated and echoed throughout the forest, and it boomed right behind Kurapika. It sounded so close to her. Had it been Ishtar's poison, the effect would have been the same. The two of us are no ordinary supernatural creatures, after all.
"What—" Kurapika began, but was stopped by Kuroro.
"Kurapika. Do NOT turn around." Kuroro said sharply with a hand raised and in a 'stop' gesture.
The said Kuruta frowned bemusedly, but obediently did not turn around.
"Why? That's just Anansi, right?"
"It is him, but not in a very pleasing form."
Kurapika groaned in distress. She understood what he was implying: Anansi was in his 12-legged spider form. She could see Meta's eyes sparkling in utmost excitement and he was practically bouncing up and down on Bara's back. Bia's mouth was hanging open as she stared at the creature standing behind Kurapika with wide eyes yet rather bland expression.
"Why are you in that form?" Kuroro asked Anansi impatiently. Somehow, he rarely had the necessary patience when dealing with that ancient spider incarnation. Not that he bothered pondering over it, though.
I thought this will be more dramatic, the spider laughed, but it sounded like metallic cackling. Kurapika shuddered as the sound reached her ears. She felt like scratching her ears in irritation.
"It's annoying." Kuroro said flatly. "Change back."
Aw…And I thought you love spiders. So mean… Kids, don't be a mean person like your daddy there, okay?
"Anansi." Kuroro infused a threatening tone in his voice.
And don't be a bully like him. Fine, fine, I'm turning into my humanoid form. The air trembled as Kurapika felt a rush of magic or the likes from behind her. "Sheesh, you are always no fun."
"WOOOOW! That's cool!" Meta exclaimed. "Anansi, that's really cool!"
"You son is much more entertaining to play with." Anansi added as he sauntered towards the black unicorn. "Hey, Kurapika. Did I frighten you?" He asked her fleetingly as he passed Una and her rider.
"More like I would have mutilated you if I have seen your spider form." Kurapika said gelidly.
"Scaa~~ry." Anansi laughed and plucked Meta from Bara's back.
Anansi of Tichit Walatta? Fancy seeing you here. What's your connection with this lad? Bara asked as he scrutinised the dark-skinned lanky man; who was being given a bone-crushing hug by the four-years old in his arms.
"Hm? You are Bara the demonic renegade, aren't you? That should be my line, I believe. But anyway, to answer your question, Kuroro is my son—"
"I told you to stop sprouting nonsense, Anansi." Kuroro sent him a death glare that most unfortunately did little to silence the Tichit Walatta native.
"…who hates his (foster) father's guts with all his heart. Poor me…" Anansi said dramatically.
Little wonder, considering your antics… Bara said unsympathetically.
"Heeeee? So you're my grandpa? Why didn't you tell me before, Anansi?" Meta said jubilantly. "I have a grandpa!"
Both Kurapika and Kuroro rolled their eyes in exasperation. They might not share some telepathic skill or something along that line, but at that moment they shared the same thought:
I'll have to straighten things up with Meta about some issues…
"So, why are you here, Bara?"
I met this lad on one occasion, then found out that they travelled with my long-lost daughter. So I decided to lend a hand to them.
"Ah, so Una is your daughter? My, my, the world is surely small." Anansi sighed, and then turned to Kuroro. "By the way—"
"KURORO! YOU ARE LATE!" A witch-like voice boomed, drowning Anansi's voice easily.
All heads turned towards the source of the voice, and saw a short, wrinkly old woman walking towards them briskly with her hunched back bobbing up and down energetically (for someone her age, that is). Hatsubaba approached the group with a grand scowl on her face, causing her wrinkles to crease even deeper than usual. When she noticed his entourage (slightly belatedly), however, her scowl receded slightly but her eyebrows shot up so high they almost disappeared among her wrinkles on her forehead.
"I see that you have brought the whole gang with you." She stated.
Kuroro simply shrugged and offered no explanation on the matter. Hatsubaba was not bothered by that, either. If anything, she seemed rather happy to see Meta again. Meta himself was chanting "Grandma! Grandma!" happily in Anansi's arms when he saw Hatsubaba coming; causing Kuroro and Kurapika to raise their eyebrows and exchange quizzical looks.
"Well then, you know what you have to do. I'll take care of them while you attend to your duty." Hatsubaba purposefully stressed the word 'duty' because she knew that it irritated Kuroro. She was just in the mood of teasing the boy (yes, he would always be 'the boy' for her, regardless his age)
Kuroro; being Kuroro Lucifer, merely responded coolly with a "Hm," before dismounting Bara. He gave the black unicorn an appreciative pat on his flank, silently giving his thanks for his help. Bara responded with a quiet neigh. He looked at Kurapika, and their eyes met briefly before Kuroro turned and began walking away, back into the depth of the forest. It was impossible for any onlookers to discern whether there was any message passed between those interlocking gazes, or whether it was merely a gesture without any purpose.
"Aa~lright. Here we go," Anansi transferred Meta to Hatsubaba's arms. "I'll be off to do my job, as well."
"Where are you two going to?" Meta asked with complainingly.
"Your daddy has to go for this 'meeting'," Anansi made the inverted-coma gesture—which Meta did not understand but Kurapika got the implication—"and I have to go accompany him, ok? You be a good boy, Meta."
"But can't we just go together, like before?" Meta said again with an unhappy pout.
"Hush, Meta. It's a job, not a picnic." Kurapika reprimanded him lightly. "Let's get going."
Inwardly, Kurapika simply did not wish to stay in that spiders-infested forest any longer. Meta sulked grandly but did not make anymore noises. He only whispered a "Bye bye," to the retreating figure of his father and 'grandpa'—and the said 'grandpa' waved dramatically back at him—as he was being carried away by Hatsubaba towards the stone building of the temple.
Following Hatsubaba's lead, both unicorns walked towards the obscured gate of the temple.
"You are in an unusually high spirit." Kuroro commented as they walked towards the heart of the forest. Anansi was currently the one leading the way.
"Mmhm. Just happy and all." Anansi nodded as he plucked a lonely leaf from nearby branch and twirled it with his fingers absentmindedly.
"No particular reason?"
It was not as if Kuroro was interested in Anansi's mood. He knew that the man was incorrigibly unpredictable and just plain weird, but this time round his happiness was practically spilling as if he was a barrel that had contained more than it could hold. While it did no harm, Kuroro was not very…well…he just thought of it as simply too odd. Anansi in his normal mode was already odd in most human's eyes, but this time his happiness was even more peculiar than ever.
And Kuroro had the feeling that it had something to do with him—or rather him and his 'entourage'.
"It's a good day. Really, really good day." Anansi said without bothering to elaborate.
To say the truth, Anansi was simply happy that everything was going on smoothly, even things concerning Kuroro and his relationship with Kurapika and Meta (he was not sure about Bia, though. In the first place, he did not even know who that pretty little white-haired girl was). If he was to tell Kuroro this out loud, the Spider Head might decide to maul him. That would ruin his day. No, no, that would not do. Kuroro would have to content himself with whatever was given to him, explanation or not.
"You are being creepy." Yes, that was the best word to describe Anansi's behaviour. Downright creepy. Well, although admittedly it was not the kind of disturbing creepiness that a certain ex-Spider always exuded all the time.
"I'll take that as your way of showing your affection to me." Anansi said in a sing-song manner.
Which part of it is affectionate? He thought as he shook his head. He gave up trying to rationalise the spider incarnation's antics.
"Anyway, I did tell you that you have to come here to 'convince' those brutes residing in this forest that you're now the boss. You see, they are all aware that there's a change in the so-called ruling party. Don't ask me how. That's just how things are with us," Anansi was referring to mythical creatures and the likes, "news travel really fast among us. Neat, eh?"
Kuroro merely shrugged.
"During Ishtar's time, she didn't need to beat the living crap out of them, but for you it's a different case. Not that I'm saying that you're weak, but you are essentially a human. That makes a whole lot difference for us."
"So you are saying that I have to beat them into submission?" Kuroro was not too thrilled with that idea. It lacked his preferred sophistication.
"Hmm… In a way, I suppose. It's a battle, yes, but there will be rules. To be frank, most of the creatures here don't really bother about the change in power, but some really take it into consideration." Anansi put a grim expression.
"You said 'some'. How many of them?" Kuroro asked; his gait as easy as ever although he was not disturbed about the news that some creatures did not approve of him. He did not give a damn, to be honest.
"Well, actually there's only one who hasn't approved of you until she has tested you."
"She?" Kuroro looked at Anansi with a raised eyebrow.
"That lady over there." Anansi gestured with a nod of his chin towards the said direction.
Kuroro turned to look at the person Anansi was pointing at. He slowed down his pace noticeably until he came to a stop. He looked at the said lady with steady eyes, but there was a hint of nostalgia in those abysmal obsidian eyes. He had always wanted to see her in person, but had never had the chance to do so. The time when he saw her true form in the visitation to his past via Phoenix's magic (or whatever it was) did not count.
The Lady of the Lake stood hovering above the surface of the tranquil lake. It was the lake that had once saved his life from death by poisoning. In front of it was the small earthen mound that was the humble grave of Ishtar. It simply served as a memoir, as there was nothing but dirt and soil tainted by Ishtar's lethal poison that had been spilled during her last battle with Kuroro and Kurapika. The Lady; Morgan le Fay, had a very serene expression and she gazed at Kuroro with tender motherly look.
Kuroro fleetingly recalled that the Lady had referred to him as Ishtar's Lancelot. She had talked about him with such gentle words that Kuroro believed that she favoured him in one way or another. As such, it was rather baffling that she was the one who had not approved of him yet, of all people—or rather, creatures.
Sensing this question, the Lady smiled thinly at him. However, she did not confront him directly over that matter.
Hello, Kuroro Lucifer. It's been a while since the last time we met, she greeted him with soft voice that sounded like the gentle lapping of water.
"I believe it is not accurate to say that we have met before. This is my first time seeing you in your human form." Kuroro corrected her with equally calm tone.
True. But I know that you could sense my presence inside the lake. I noticed it when the first time you dived into my lake, the Lady chuckled lightly.
"More like getting dumped into the lake by Ishtar." Anansi snickered rather gleefully. Kuroro ignored him.
"I could sense you, but could not see you. It's a pleasure that I finally can see you in this form." Kuroro said truthfully.
The Lady's smile turned wistful.
So much like Lancelot, you really are…She whispered, her voice like the rippling of water.
Kuroro did not know who Lancelot was, though he had a general idea that he was somewhat like her foster son or the like. In a way, the Lady and Lancelot were just like Ishtar and Kuroro. However, Kuroro was not interested in that.
"So," Kuroro said with firm voice, "I have heard that you have not approved of me succeeding Ishtar's role. Do you mind elaborating on your reasoning?"
Straight to the point, like a released arrow. The Lady gave an amused smile. Well, to answer to that question, I will have to tell you first that I have served as Lady Medusa's—Ishtar's other name—eyes in this forest since the beginning. I serve as the guardian of this forest, she as the guardian of that city over the wall of the temple.
"So that's how it is," Kuroro mused out loud, covering his mouth with one hand as per his habit when he was getting deep in thought.
We are each other's counsel, she continued, and our relation was something that I hold precious even after her death. I know most intimately her perseverance in keeping the balance between this two conjoined worlds. As such, after her death and therefore the passing of her throne to her successor, I have to make sure personally that the heir indeed is worthy of the position.
"So, in other words, you are unsure of my competency to take up Ishtar's role and the responsibilities that come with it." Kuroro concluded.
Put in a crude manner, yes.
"And now you are going to test me to see the accuracy of your doubts." Kuroro honestly did not mind that. It was interesting, to say the least. "How?"
I am not proficient in battles, so I will leave the battling to them, the Lady said.
As if answering to an unspoken summon, the bushes around the clearing where the lake resided shook. Several beasts appeared; werewolves, some odd looking lizards, some mutant-like insects or the likes, etc. etc. Kuroro eyed them evenly, quickly analysing their battle capability as much as he could in the shortest moment possible. He had heard tales about some of them, but he found himself not recognising some of the creatures. It seemed as though they had evolved during their stay in that forest of Ryuusei-gai.
"Anansi said there will be rules. Set by you, I presume?"
Yes. First, you are not allowed to seek for Lord Anansi's aid. I acknowledge his capability.
Kuroro fought the urge to roll his eyes upon hearing the word 'Lord' attached with Anansi's name.
Second, you are allowed to use the Solomon Ring. In fact, I wish to see if you can handle that ring of abomination sufficiently or not. It is a dangerous artefact.
"Question!" Anansi called out as he raised a hand. "Is killing allowed?"
The Lady paused as she considered Anansi's question. The forests had been swarming with too many of those beasts lately. Perhaps some cleaning up would be in order.
It is allowed, she answered, and finally nodded her head as if finalising her words. That is all.
Kuroro raised his eyebrows quizzically.
"That is all?"
Yes. We will commence the test now.
Responding to the Lady of the Lake's words, the beasts crouched into their battle stance. Some of them even had already lunged towards Kuroro. Kuroro dodged one—the one that looked like some distorted mutant-insect—and kicked it in the midriff, sending it flying to the other side of the clearing. More beasts were coming at him. Kuroro flexed his fingers and arms.
The werewolf aimed its claw at Kuroro's head, intending to snap it from his neck. Unfortunately, Kuroro swiped away that muscular arm with one smooth manoeuvre of his arm and with more manipulation of his own arms, Kuroro broke the werewolf's arm clean. He was a counter-attack type, after all.
The werewolf gave a deafening howl of agony. Some of the beasts took one uncertain step back. Anansi sat on top of a tall tree branch, clear from the on-going battle down there while gaining a nice view of the whole thing. Morgan le Fay levitated above the water surface of her lake with impassive expression; unfazed by the abuse dealt to the werewolf.
No Anansi's help, Solomon Ring and killing allowed, Kuroro rehearsed the rules silently. From his position, Anansi noticed—and thus was amused to know that this would be a very interesting battle—how Kuroro had broken into a deadly yet beautiful thin smile. With a hardly noticeable flick of his wrist, Kuroro conjured his Skill Hunter nen book.
How hard can this be?
Author's Note: I know, I know. In the last part Kuroro sounds more like a homicidal maniac than anything else. But I imagine him as someone who thrives in battle. Besides, killing is allowed. Just how hard can it be for someone like Kuroro Lucifer? XD
I don't know if the part where Kuroro hugs Kurapika and teases her is OOC. Is it? I really contemplated on deleting that part, but I just feel that I have to put that part there coz otherwise it'll be too dry between them. I don't intend it to be a romantic scene, though.
Now, who can remember the name of the genie who put a binding curse on Kurapika and Kuruta at the beginning of the story without referring to the 1001 Night fic? Hehehehe…
Sorry, Una, but Bara's story is more interesting than yours. So let's put it from his point of view *horse-kicked*
Next: Kuroro was put to a test to prove his competence. How would it turn out? Meanwhile, how would Kurapika and the rest spent their time in Ryuusei-gai until Kuroro was done with his 'duty'?