A/N: I'm just going to leave this here….

IMPORTANT- The first chunk of this chapter will not take place inside Gon's memories or in present day. It will begin following Hisoka and go from there.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hunter X Hunter

Xxxx

After checking the time on his cellphone for perhaps the tenth time, Hisoka determined he was now outside a reasonable timeframe for how long it should take Gon to return to their room. He wasn't too concerned, knowing the teen was easy to distract and likely just eating whatever snack their irritating waiter had offered. He frowned, thinking about how that man was probably keeping Gon from him. No, it simply would not do. Hisoka quickly donned the rest of his clothing before making his way to the café.

With patience now out the window, he tried to calm his rising blood lust as the elevator brought him to the ground floor. He seethed the whole way down, determining that if their waiter, Joe was it? Anyway, if Joe was looking at Gon in a way he didn't like, or God forbid touching him in any way, he'd knock his teeth in and slit his throat. Hopefully he'd scream and chaos would ensue. Maybe there would be others he could kill too, others who would rush to the scene to defend the cretin. An excited moan sounded from his lips as he pictured what would hopefully be a bloody, violent massacre.

When the bell dinged, signaling he had reached his destination, Hisoka exited the elevator with a calmness he didn't really feel. His instincts were telling him something was off, but he couldn't be sure what that something was. He stalked over to the restaurant, eyes darting every which way as he searched for Gon. The café was empty, though Hisoka could sense traces of Gon around the area. His eyes landed on the kitchen door and he found his feet striding in that direction with a sense of urgency.

"Hey! You can't come ba- Gah!"

One of the staff members noticed Hisoka had entered an employee only area and tried to shoo him out. Unfortunately for him, that made him the first point of contact. Before he could even finish telling the intimidating man off, he was hoisted up by his collar, back pressed against the wall. His feet kicked uselessly beneath him as he grabbed at the strong hand holding him.

"Wha- what's your problem?! Let go!" He continued to thrash until he felt the chilling prick of Hisoka's aura invading his system. Shaking, he peeked into murderous golden depths and gasped. To say he was frightened was a vast understatement, his terror now commanding his body to still.

"Did you see a boy with black hair, brown eyes, and wearing all green enter this restaurant?" That menacing tone mixed with a sinister aura; the poor man was so scared he wasn't even breathing. Dissatisfied with the resounding silence, Hisoka brought the frightened man closer to him before slamming his back into the wall again. "Answer the question or there will be consequences" he said, softer now but with just as much anger.

The cook noticed his fellow coworkers were now cowering behind the pass and the kitchen equipment. Not a single one of those bastards were going to try to intervene, not that he could blame them. Still shaking, he cast his eyes downward as he tried to fight through the fear to formulate an answer. "Y- yes. He, uh… he ordered all that food… but he um, he left wi- without it."

"Did you physically see him leave?" Hisoka's heart pounded, his throat tightening uncomfortably.

"No. J- Jonah said he left."

"And where is Jonah? I will discuss this with him next."

"He… He called to tell us um, that… that he was leaving… for the day."

Frowning, Hisoka released the pitiful cook and watched with disgust as the man cowered and shook like a frightened animal. His fears were proving to be right. Gon was in some kind of trouble and Joe had something to do with it. He turned on his heel and stalked out of the kitchen, now taking a closer look at the bar itself. An empty glass sat on top of the counter with a folded piece of paper tucked away inside it.

With a flick of his wrist, he shattered the glass with a well-aimed card and snatched the note from the sharp rubble. He unfolded the little white paper, stained orange with what smelled like orange juice and something less natural. He hurriedly looked over the note before crumpling the paper in his hand and shoving it in his pocket. Written on the piece of paper was a simple statement, one that held no meaning to anyone outside of the intended recipient.

You should take better care of your things

~J

XXXX

Several days have passed since Gon's disappearance and all Hisoka really had to show for it was that taunting note left for him at the bar. It shouldn't have been so hard. There were cameras everywhere capturing footage from every angle 24/7. It wasn't difficult to get ahold of the footage either. Hisoka found his methods of persuasion to be extremely successful on just about everyone. Unfortunately, the footage provided zero clues and only served to piss him off more.

He watched the soundless exchange between Gon and Joe, eyes widening when the teen slumped over from the drugged juice. The worst part was watching that piece of shit smirk at Gon's slumped over form before picking him up and carrying him off. Hisoka's blood boiled when he watched the man touch his fruit and take him out of the hotel, away from him. Gon was trusting, too trusting for his own good.

Begrudgingly, he contacted Killua immediately after to see if he had any information to offer. The conversation between the two was tense and didn't provide much in the way of help.

Killua: "What? What the fuck do you mean by 'he's been kidnapped?!' How the fuck-" The magician winced and quickly held the phone from his ear. Killua was practically screaming on his end, his voice plagued with panic.

Hisoka: "It's a yes or no question. Have you gotten any useful information out of the recruiter?"

Killua: "You can't tell me Gon has been taken and not expect that to be my focus! This is shit. You were supposed to take care of him. How do I know you didn't-"

Hisoka: "Killua, answer the question. I need to find him, and I don't have time for your accusations." Hisoka applied pressure to the bridge of his nose with his index finger and thumb, trying to remain rational.

Killua: "He hasn't actually stayed in a town long enough for me to act. He's moving every day. If I didn't know any better, I'd think… Wait. Do you think they're trying to keep me busy? Do they know?!" Killua's mind was racing with possibilities, alarmed by the knowledge their enemy may have been in possession of this whole time.

Hisoka: "Given they knew about me I would think so. And since you obviously don't have any valuable information for me-"

Killua: "Wait, I-I'm coming back. I'm going to help you find Gon."

Hisoka: "I don't need or want your help. Although… perhaps you could be a valuable pawn in this game. If you were to dismiss your orders and ambush him on the road, he may know where Gon is being held."

Killua: "I'm not a fucking pawn. And ambushing him would be difficult. He's almost always using his En."

Hisoka: "Figure it out."

With that, the man disconnected the call and resumed pacing through his room. In the corner of his eye, he caught site of Kraken floating in his bowl without a care in the world. Hisoka walked over to the bowl and fed the thing while grumbling about taking care of Gon's responsibilities. Though he complained, there was a part of him that enjoyed caring for the fish. It helped him feel more connected to Gon, like a reminder that he was out there, and it was only a mater of time before he would bring his ass back home for the spanking of a lifetime. Probably a pounding too… The magician focused on that singular thought, willing himself to remain calm.

His ass will be red and bruised for weeks by the time I'm finished with it.

How could he be so careless?

Silently, Hisoka extended a long finger to poke at the bowl. The fish didn't really give a shit now that it had eaten everything offered to it and resumed floating above the pirate ship. It really only reacted to food, nothing else.

"Such a gluten" Hisoka whispered, unsure of why he was currently talking to a fish.

With legs crossed, Hisoka sat down along the cool hardwood floor and continued to watch the fish do absolutely nothing. He received word from Iori that he had important information to share with him. The information was urgent enough that he insisted on paying him a visit at the hotel instead of their usual secretive meetings. Whatever information he had; it must have been a game changer to risk blowing his cover. So now all Hisoka could do was wait and bide his time until the man showed up at his door.

Several hours had passed and while the magician remained in the same spot, he was now building a card tower. His hands shook with frustration, forcing him to use his nen to maintain the structure instead of skill alone. He recalled Gon's first attempt at building a tower and the cute way his face would scrunch up each time it collapsed, just to renew his determination immediately after and try again. Gon's determination was one of the things he liked about him. Surely, that determination and drive to prove himself would keep him alive wherever he was. A single knock on the door interrupted him from his quiet reverie and he approached the door, bringing a few cards with him.

It better be Iori…

He opened the door, not bothering to ask his visitor to identify himself. His eyes landed on the familiar form of his informant and he quickly ushered him in, closing the door behind them. He didn't have time for greetings or small talk, getting to the point immediately.

"What do you know?" He tried to remain neutral, unaffected even.

"There have been whispers throughout the ranks about the hideout's location. I think… well I know where it is."

"…"

With a sigh, Iori regarded the man across from him with concern. "Look, I understand you want to save the boy, but the mission must take priority."

Golden eyes rolled dramatically, Hisoka was becoming increasingly impatient as precious seconds ticked by unimpeded. "I will walk out of there with both of them. Now out with it."

"Very well… There's an abandoned factory just outside of the city. The building used to be a cover up for gang activity. There's an enormous underground tunnel system just below it which is where they conducted their activity. It sounds like they are somewhere down there."

"We passed that decrepit old building on our way here. It should only take me thirty minutes or so to get there from here." He looked to Iori, his eyes weary but hopeful. "This is probably a trap. They were careful up until now to keep that information hidden."

"Yes, I agree with you there. That's why I've contacted the Zodiacs. They are sending reinforcements so-"

"No, there is no time to waste. Besides, I won't require any kind of reinforcement and if I felt otherwise, I would have contacted Illumi. By the time I'm finished with them those sheep will be begging for mercy, but they'll receive none."

Iori could see that Hisoka was resolute in his decision to go in alone. No amount of talking or convincing would change his mind. At this point he could only hope the magician could pull it off. Afterall, he was called the Grim Reaper for a reason. Before he knew it, Hisoka was shoving him out the door before stepping out himself.

"Is there anything else I should know about this?" He asked, almost as an afterthought.

Iori blinked, trying to rack through his brain for any additional pertinent information. "I uh, don't think so?"

Disapproving eyes stared him down for a second before leaving to make his way to the elevator. As the flash of white and red disappeared around the corner Iori swore he heard Hisoka muttering "most inept spy I've ever met." He rolled his eyes and grabbed his phone to alert HQ that Hisoka would not be waiting for his backup.

As Hisoka waited anxiously for the painstakingly slow elevator to finish its decent he sent a quick text to Killua to let him know he knows where Gon is and would be going after him immediately. The rest of the way down was spent preparing for the unknown. He wasn't an idiot; he knew he was going in mostly blind and he knew it was going to be dangerous. The possibilities of what he was about to walk into sent a wave of excitement through his body, the thrill of battle calling to him like a siren in her silky and seductive voice. He sighed, content in the knowledge that he would soon create a true masterpiece, his enemy's blood was his medium and the walls his canvas. A cruel smile spread over his face; his teeth bared while his eyes reflected his murderous intent.

The old factory building was a dump. It was a shoddy old brick building and the only path leading to it was a dirt road overridden by weeds and forest debris. Lines of ivy worked its way up the walls, cradling the building in such a way that almost looked like it was the only thing holding the structure together. The windows were all smashed in, any broken glass long gone while the entry door was splintered, and the rotted wood gave way immediately under Hisoka's touch.

It was unlikely anyone had gained entry to the building using this door because if he had the door would have crumpled from the use alone. Seeing as how the door was still standing, sort of, he walked around the building to check for other methods of entry. He was about halfway around the perimeter when he caught site of an exterior basement entryway. It seemed to be in good condition, the structure was sturdy, and the door appeared to be new.

How incredibly stupid of them to not even try to hide this entrance.

People that stupid certainly deserve to die.

While mentally chastising the idiots who left such an obvious opening, Hisoka opened the doors and made his way inside. Sure enough, the stairwell led him to what appeared to be a dark hallway that connected to many other hallways to create a maze. It would be difficult to navigate through them without a map, but he remained confident in himself and his ability to find his way using solely his senses. The underground area smelled of overripened earth, the air was stale and there was mold growing along the walls.

When Hisoka came to his first intersection he studied the two paths closely. One path appeared to be frequently traveled based off the appearance of the dirt floor while the other direction looked to be practically untouched. Smirking, Hisoka took the path less traveled, assuming it was an intentional ruse to throw unwanted visitors off the correct route. He continued in this fashion for some time, concentrating on his singular goal to save Gon.

I'm coming for you Gon. You just need to wait a little longer…

XXXX

A couple hours had passed before Hisoka found himself standing in front of a large wooden door. He couldn't explain why but he knew he'd find Gon on the other side. If Gon was there, then he'd likely also find the girl as well as his intended victims. The idea of finding his little fruit and holding him again, to smell his wild citrusy sent as he stroked his heated flesh completely overwhelmed him. He silently opened the door and carefully made his way through a short hall that opened into a dimly lit room. His eyes quickly scanned over the area and he caught his breath when they finally spotted the mess of spikey black hair piled on top of a rather dirty, but still incredibly adorable head.

As he made his way over to Gon, his mind was racing between excitement and frustration. He was so relieved to find him in one piece, but that was not outweighed by a strong desire to punish the little brat for doing this to him. He saw Gon's mouth was tapped shut and in the back of his mind he was curious to know where everyone else was. It didn't matter. He would deal with them after freeing the teen.

"I was worried I would be too late" It came out as a hushed whisper as he drew near. "I can't even begin to imagine what you did to get caught but just know I'm furious. I'll have to punish you after I've finished slaughtering these idiots."

The closer he got to Gon the more he felt like something was off. The teen was looking at him now, his expression one of relief. He didn't even flinch when Hisoka threatened to punish him which was unusual, but the magician didn't think much of it. He was one step away from Gon, almost close enough to get him out of his binds. As he made that last step and grabbed the first shackle, he saw something flash in the teen's eyes, something tainted. Suddenly his instincts were telling him to back off. Something wasn't right here, but it was too late.

His body was gearing up to back off, everything was clicking into place but in slow motion. He just barely had time to see the pointed end of a dagger hidden in Gon's sleeve before the boy's muscles flexed and he lunged toward him. His eyes widened, confusion enveloping him.

I don't have time to get out of the way…

Somewhere nearby, he felt the spark of familiar nen. It was strong and came in unthinkably fast. He blinked and when he opened his eyes he was staring directly into warm hazel irises. The teen's face was flushed, his breath ragged. His face abruptly contorted into a pained grimace as his body jolted forward ever so slightly. Hisoka's brain was trying to catch up to what was happening.

Two Gons? Impossible…

Tears streaming down the boy's face caught Hisoka's attention and he looked down between their bodies. Pointed steel stained red jutted out of Gon's heaving chest. Hisoka's breath caught in his throat, his mind struggling to process what he was seeing.

"I couldn't… let them… hurt… you." It came out ragged, and almost to quiet to hear. Gon's body was visibly shaking and as soon as he uttered that last word he dropped to his knees, no longer able to stand.

Helplessly, the magician watched the boy go down before snapping his eyes back to the form in front of him. He no longer looked like his Gon and with a snarl Hisoka impaled the body, using his sharp nails to pave the way through the man's chest. Wet squelching sounds were followed by a cry of pain ripping through the air. With eyes ablaze with fury, Hisoka ripped his hand out of the man and watched with satisfaction as he fell to the floor.

Multiple enemies were now rushing him from behind. He slowly turned to face them, leveling them with a crazed expression as he released his aura through the room. The pure malice and hatred radiating off of him shook some of his attackers enough to slow them down as they approached. He prepared to put an end to them but stopped short when he noticed movement in the background. His fierce stare landed on a scared looking Joe. He was slowly backing up, preparing to flee as his peers were slaughtered. Though the man was well past any level of rational thinking, he knew enough to recall this man was responsible for what happened to his fruit. He needed to die, painfully. He threw several razor-sharp cards at him, all of which pierced through his legs as he screamed. He wouldn't be able to run off now.

Hisoka made short work of the remaining acolytes, putting on a little tease of what's to come for dear Joe. The bloodied man tried to crawl across the floor to escape but soon found the door was sealed by Hisoka's bungee gum. He pushed himself onto his back and propped himself against the door just in time to watch Ellie's head roll along the floor. He winced at the site, fear ambushing all of his senses until his stomach forced him to retch all over his lap. As he wiped the vomit from his mouth he watched in horror as Hisoka stalked over to him, like a predator finally catching his prey after a particularly long chase.

When the magician gave him his murderous, toothy grin he looked like the devil incarnate. Jonah shook like a leaf against the door, weeping quietly and praying it would be quick. It wasn't. Howls of pain shook through the room with the only other sounds being that of blood splattering against cool stone and cards violently ripping through both cloth and flesh. His violently slow death was cruel and merciless, even for Hisoka.

Finally satisfied with the all-consuming stench of death lingering in the air, Hisoka was able to calm himself just enough to process what had happened. His eyes darted over to the slumped form on the ground. It was a mess of green, black and red and was deathly still. Hisoka's mouth went dry and his chest tightened as he ran over to what was left of his precious fruit. He knelt down and removed the blade sticking out of his back. Red seeped from the wound, further soaking the boy's clothes in the sticky liquid. Carefully, Hisoka turned the teen over so he could see his face. He just needed to see those hazel eyes looking back at him, so he'd know everything was going to be okay.

Hazel eyes were staring back at him, but they held no life. They were glazed over as they stared emptily at Hisoka's face. Hisoka felt his eyes burn and was followed by a warm wetness tracing down his cheeks and neck. His whole body shuddered as he struggled to release the breath he didn't realize he was holding. As soon as the air left his lungs, he heard a high pitched, inhuman sound resonate through the room. It was hideous, and weak, and it just got louder and louder. A part of him knew that sound was coming from him and as soon as he was able to acknowledge that fact, he broke down the rest of the way and wept over Gon's body.

It didn't take long for him to run out of tears, his body simply shuddering and heaving as the unbearable pain in his chest consumed him. With bleary eyes, Hisoka studied Gon's lifeless face before cradling his head with his hand and pressing his lips against Gon's one last time. The cold stillness that replaced the once warm and inviting lips wrecked him. He gathered what strength he could muster and scooped Gon's bloodied body into his arms, deciding it was time to find Remi and leave. He didn't want to mourn Gon while surrounded by such filth.

XXXX

Though it may not have been the smart thing to do, Hisoka carried Gon's body in his arms through the city with Remi following closely behind. Killua texted him to inform him there was a group waiting for them inside the HQ building so he could deliver Remi and officially end the mission. He stood in front of the doors for a moment, briefly considering kicking the girl in and leaving with Gon but he knew the teen would have wanted Killua to know what happened. This was something he had to do. Silently, the two entered the building together, making their way through the darkened lobby so they could take the elevator to the top floor. When the doors opened to allow them out Killua was impatiently waiting for them, arms crossed and tapping his foot.

"Hey! It sure took you… long… enough…." His piercing gaze landed on the boy in Hisoka's arms midsentence. His eyes widened as he took in the appearance of his best friend. Mizaistom stood just behind him and beckoned Remi to come over to him before he too noticed who the magician held in his arms.

"W-What happened? This is… this is a joke right?" He was hyperventilating now, eyes darting back and forth between the lifeless body and Hisoka's red, puffy eyes and messed up face paint. "Oh my God" he breathed in disbelief. "No… just no!" He ran over to them to inspect Gon but was quickly pushed away with a foot and a loud snarl from Hisoka.

"Don't touch him" he said through gritted teeth as he tightened his hold around the soft body.

Mizaistom took this moment to interject, trying to deescalate the situation. "Hisoka, I need to you lie him on the couch so we can look at him. Maybe its not too late for-"

"There is nothing that can be done for him." Hisoka cut in, unwilling to hear one more hopeful word spill from the man's mouth.

Despite this he placed the boy's body along the couch but refused to move from his side. He watched as Killua knelt next to Gon and placed his ear over his chest before anxiously checking his pulse points. He was hyperventilating again and by the time he found the stab would on Gon's chest he was shrieking and wailing for his lost friend. He stood and turned to Hisoka.

"You! You were supposed to protect him." He started beating his fists against the man's chest, while Hisoka simply took the abuse without a word. "I knew you would screw it up! I fucking warned you, clown! I told you… I told you he's always getting into trouble." Killua fell to his knees, all fight having left his body and he wept. He wept for his friend, for the future they planned together and for everything that could never be.

It took about an hour for Mizaistom to question Hisoka regarding what exactly happened during the mission. Killua listened with tear stained cheeks and watery eyes, occasionally showing anger towards the events that took place until finally nodding his head resolutely when Hisoka told them what he did to Jonah. The zodiac left shortly after, stating he needed to take Remi to a safe place and that Hisoka was free to stay as long as he needed. He said something about a coroner coming in the morning before he left. Killua was asked to follow him as a reinforcement to ensure they made it there safely. The assassin gave Gon's hand one last squeeze before following them.

Silence blanketed over the room and it was kind of nice. Hisoka sat along the floor next to the couch, his head resting on Gon's stomach as he was lost in thought. "Gon" he whispered. "I'm so sorry Gon." He tilted his head so he could see the boy's face, trying not to focus too much on the gaping wound at his chest. He thought more about what happened, the memories stirring within him an insatiable need for vengeance. He sighed and closed his eyes, knowing what he needed to do next. "I'm going to kill them. I will hunt down every last member of that despicable cult and I will kill them all. I know its not what we were supposed to do next. You wanted me to meet Aunt Mito and I wanted to see where you grew up. Maybe one day I'll visit her so she can hate me as intended…" He chuckled to himself at the thought. Hisoka lifted his head to get one last look at that angelic face, cupping his cheek as a single tear slid down his cheek. "Lovely. So lovely" he whispered.

XXXX

Gon looked between Erina and Soma, glaring at their guilty expressions. He remembered everything and for the first time in a long time, he felt like himself again. There were questions burning through his mind that needed answers.

"Where are we? What kind of place is this and if I'm dead why did I lose my memories?"

Erina spoke up, offering what she could. "This is kind of like purgatory. Souls end up here when they die so suddenly and unexpectedly that they can't come to terms with it. That's also why you didn't have your memories. Because you needed to ease your way into that revelation."

"And what about you? Why are you here?" This question was laced with suspicion as he narrowed his eyes at the pretty brunette.

"We died when our restaurant was burnt down. Our assailants tied us to support beams so we couldn't escape. But after we figured everything out, well we decided not to move on. We wanted to stay so we could help others like you." Soma answered that question as he wrapped an arm around his wife.

"Wow, that sounds… that sounds horrible. I'm sorry."

"We've come to terms with it. It sucks but it is what it is, you know?"

"Don't you want to move on?" It seemed illogical to Gon, that they would want to stay.

"We will one day. But this is about you. Now that you remember, you need to accept what happened."

Gon seemed saddened by this before he shook his head and stared resolutely at the couple. "No! I don't wanna. I… I had so much I wanted to do still. And Hisoka… So much I wanted to do with Hisoka. It's not fair!"

"Gon, listen there is no going back from this. You can't get your life back after you're dead. You just need to move on. And besides, time flows differently here so while its only been a few days for you, back at home its been at least a year. I'm not telling you this to hurt you, I'm telling you this to help you realize that life moves on and you should too."

Hot tears flowed down Gon's face. He knew Soma was right, that he needed to accept it. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, thinking about Hisoka.

Hisoka, I miss you so much already it hurts. I can't believe I actually forgot about you and your asshole antics. I promise I wont ever forget about you again. And maybe… maybe one day I'll see you on the other side.

A single tear dripped down Gon's cheek as light shimmered around his form. Erina and Soma watched with sad smiles as Gon began to fade away. He was crossing over, having finally accepted his fate.

Gon felt a strange warmth wash over him, heating his skin as it melted away all the pain he held in his heart. When the warmth dissipated, he slowly opened his eyes, blinking rapidly at first from the bright light of his surroundings. Finally, his eyes landed on that familiar tuft of crimson hair and he smiled as his hazel eyes interlocked with golden depths.

XXXX

A/N: So, I hope you all enjoyed my very first fanfic. I know I enjoyed writing it and while this chapter was bittersweet for me, I feel incredibly accomplished having finally been able to finish it. As a side note, I was considering writing a short story about Hisoka exacting his murderous revenge, but I wasn't sure what kind of interest anyone would have in that. If it's something you would like to read, you can PM me or let me know in the comments. I have a few chapters drafted but again, I don't want to get into it if its not something of interest.

Anyway, thanks for going on this wild ride with me! Happy reading!