Well, here we are ! This story has been so much fun to write, I'm really happy to see you guys enjoyed it as well ! I hope the ending won't be too bittersweet to you, but don' worry, I'm currently working on a sequel that I'd like to finish before the end of the month and before class starts again...
I'll update the story once I'll publish the second part, until then, take care of yourselves and have fun reading this last chapter ! Thank you again for your support !
Part 2
A few moments later, Bayou, Hisoka and Lara had found a nice outside park to rest for a moment. They were seated at a quiet table, soaking in the warm sunlight away from any indiscreet ears. Bayou and Lara had made a quick visit to the clothing store to fetch new clothes for the girl. She had chosen a white shirt and pants but opted for a bright blue jacket that made her look like a sport athlete more than a High Priestess. When Lara realized that many people recognized her immediately, bowing and praising her because of her status, she suggested a large hat to cover her face.
Hisoka had his eyes closed, face turned toward the sun, looking like he was on a holiday. One of his arm was slung across Lara's shoulder, the other one was holding a nice cocktail that Lara had also ordered. The black haired girl had her arms crossed, as always, but her expression was soft as she looked at Bayou, who was slurping slowly on her orange juice. She didn't seem to know how to start the conversation, so Lara gripped the blue-haired girl's free hand, forcing her to look right into her piercing silver eyes.
« I'm sorry for Cassio, I truly am. I always do my best to spare my ennemies, but sometimes they leave me no choice. »
« I know. Cassio was… He was arrogant. And kind, and sweet and all of this, but he had ambitions higher than him. I warned him about Heaven's Arena, but he didn't listen. Once he started gaining a lot of money, he couldn't stop. It's my fault, I should've forced him to quit. »
Bayou then smiled at Lara, « I'm sorry for trying to drown you. »
Lara heard Hisoka chuckle at this and she stabbed him in the ribs with her elbow.
« I deserved it, » Lara replied, and after a second, she finally asked the question that had been torturing her since the beginning, « How do you know Helvar ? »
Bayou took a deep breath, « He was the one who helped all of us after you destroyed the facility. »
« How many survived ? »
« You managed to save five of us. Me, number 06, with Sutern, 07, Pali, 08, Vanessa, 11 and 13 managed to escape. 13 died a few days after, he was too weak to survive outside the building. The rest of us stayed together for about a month, surviving by stealing and killing. Helvar found us and sheltered all of us for a year. He taught us all the basics we needed to survive in society, and soon, each of us left to start our own lives. I know that Sutern is now the best baker on the continent, Pali is slowly becoming one of the most promising actress of our generation and Vanessa is hoping to pass the Hunter exam next year. All of this thanks to you. »
Lara felt the tears welling up in her eyes and barely managed to hold them back. It hadn't been for nothing. All the tears and blood and fire hadn't been for nothing.
« When Helvar understood that there was another one of us who had not only freed us, but escaped the building, he traveled the world until he found you in Meteor City, Lara. I didn't know it was you since he broke off all contacts during the time he trained you. For four years, I heard nothing from him. And then, one day, he asked me to live on Greed Island, to become a High Priestess for those in need. He told me about you then, about an apprentice he had trained for a while, but he never explicitly said you were the one that had saved us… Truly, I don't understand why he didn't tell me sooner, I guess he wanted me to find out on my own… So I asked no questions, we were all so in debt to him that we would've jumped off a cliff in a second if he ordered it. »
« He can be quite persuasive, indeed… » mused Lara, recognizing the man she considered as family, « Where is he now ? »
« Terabath. He told me he'd wait here until someone important found him again. I didn't know who he was talking about back then, but now I see he wanted me to meet you, to show you the way. But… Helvar seemed concerned, Lara. He refused to tell me anything, but I'm fairly certain that it has something to do with the organization. »
« What do you mean ? » asked Lara, suddenly anxious.
Bayou looked around her, nervous, before leaning in and whispering, « Helvar told us that you were the only one who truly became the super-soldier they were trying to create. Even Helvar himself doesn't possess half of your powers. When you destroyed the facility, all the formulas were lost, but… Lara, I think they might have found a way to create more like you. »
Lara's eyes widened in fear. It couldn't be. She killed every last one of them, destroyed all evidences, formulas, records… Could one of them have escaped ? She was sure this facility was the only one that ever existed, it had been created by powerful politicians, but those assholes only wanted the result of the experiments, they never dared to inquire about the monster factory they paid for. It should've taken much longer to actually reproduce Lara's exploit. Was there more scientists than she thought ? If they succeeded… God, Lara could barely imagine the chaos they would wreak on this planet.
« Helvar's waiting for you, but please be careful. He probably decided to leave you on your own just so you could be strong enough when you finally reached him. He's a wise man, but he's also blinded by his obsession for revenge, » warned Bayou, a soft smile on her lips.
Lara didn't answer, too distraught by what she had just learned. She didn't tell her that she was rotten to the core by her need for revenge herself. Maybe more than Helvar was.
« I trust you, Lara. You're the only one of us who can put an end to the organization. We all owe you so much when you decided that we were worth saving back there. I hope we can repay you one day. »
« Consider all your debts payed by the simple fact that you kept on living, » Lara smiled, « What are you going to do now ? »
Bayou leaned back, looking more at peace than ever, « Helvar's prophecy for me mentioned something about a house facing the ocean and great news coming my way. I think it's time for me to go back to my hometown, on my own little island… » she mused, already planning her new life.
Lara smiled, leaning back in the arm of Hisoka, who hadn't said a word during their exchange, even though she was sure he hadn't missed a single word of it.
« On to new adventures, aren't you ? » he purred, pulling her closer to his chest.
Lara raised her head at the clown, realizing that it all meant goodbye.
« It seems I am. You can find your exorcist now, » she added, a bit bittersweet.
« I can, indeed. It was a very pleasant journey, I must say, » he mused, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.
« Define pleasant, » she sneered, a playful smile making its way on her lips.
Hisoka laughed in earnest, a sincere laugh she rarely heard coming from him. Lara laughed as well, all the tension from the last few days finally dissipating for a while.
Bayou departed, waving them goodbye. Hisoka and Lara faced each other, standing at the entrance of the city. Lara was about to leave the game and Hisoka was about to meet the exorcist. They didn't know when they'd meet again. If they'd meet again.
« Good luck with Chrollo, » Lara said, her gaze locked with the jester's. She knew she had to depart, but her feet refused to move. Hisoka made no move to leave either.
« You keep saying this as if it could change my mind. »
« You don't know him, Hisoka. He's ruthless. But if you insist then have fun dying in horrible agony, » she added, sticking her tongue out at him.
Hisoka grasped her chin and Lara gasped audibly. He lowered his face close to hers, his scent of bubblegum filling her senses. « You know you don't mean that. You can't get enough of me, just as I can't wait to… devour you again, Lara, » he purred.
She blushed violently, the heat building up in her lower stomach betraying her confident attitude. Hisoka closed the gap between them with a hungry kiss, one that made Lara moan against his lips. The jester smiled against her skin, savoring with greed the taste of her cherry lips, the taste of her, all of her.
He had trouble pulling back from her, but he managed to step back, memorizing her face once and for all before he departed. Hisoka had walked a few step when Lara called back.
« Hisoka ! »
The tall man turned halfway, curious but not surprised. He saw the gleam in her eyes, something between resolve and mischief. Oh, I will miss that look…
« Yes, my love ? »
« I need a favor. »
Hisoka's eyebrow raised with curiosity. He titled his head, interested. « Tell me. »
« I want you to promise you'll come back to me, one day. Come back to kill me, to kiss me, to fuck me, to break me, I don't care. Promise you'll come back, » she said, her eyes full of determination.
Hisoka's expression turned into a demented look, ready to burst in twisted pleasure as he drank her words. She was exceptional. Not once in his life had he wanted to ravage someone as much as Lara, he wanted to make her feel what he was dying to do to her. She would never escape him, ever.
« Oh Lara… I promise you all of this, and much more. »
She took a sharp intake, both relieved and terrified, but now certain of one thing : this was not the end of them.
The day they'd meet again would be something to behold.