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✦.✦
"What's your plan?"
Yullia looked towards Chrollo, her hand lifted up to meet her lips. She looked at Chrollo curiously. Chrollo had not mentioned any plans regarding what type of fight he expected. She was here as Chrollo had requested. They were currently in the basement of a large building. Outside was a mess, they were now in the middle of the battlefield between Mafia and the Phantom Troupe.
"Just protect me."
Chrollo looked towards Yullia and smiled. As cute as Yullia currently looked; he wasn't in a light situation. As he predicted, Zeno and Silva were both in the building heading their way. He didn't actually have a solid plan against them. He wasn't sure he could survive long enough against Zeno and Silva for Illumi to execute the job. Therefore, Yullia was there.
With that, Zeno and Silva pushed through the two different doors. Stepping in, the door closed behind them immediately.
"Yullia."
"Oto-san, Oji-chan."
Basic greeting was exchanged between the Zolydck before the atmosphere tensed up. Yullia and Chrollo got down from the platform at the end of the big auditorium. They were all slowly walking towards each other. At a certain distance, they all moved. Silva and Zeno, racing to attack, dashed forward. Yullia and Chrollo being on the defensive side moved back quickly.
Being the target of Silva and Zeno, they were both completely focused on killing him. Silva charged. Upkick, side punches were thrown at him. Chrollo dodged them, walking back. Silva got lower, enhancing his hand, he slashed towards Chrollo.
Chrollo jumped backwards to dodge the attack only to be met with Zeno coming towards his direction.
Yullia dashed in between Zeno and Chrollo. Pushing Zeno's arm with the tip of her saya, Yullia pulled Chrollo back.
Silva's kick pushed Yullia away from Chrollo, the force tipped Chrollo over causing him to lose his balance towards the left.
Zeno dashed towards Chrollo, throwing his fist to Chrollo.
Yullia kicked Zeno, Zeno quickly faced Yullia and blocked her attack. He was thrown back.
Silva lowered his body and kicked Yullia back.
Chrollo caught his balance, he pulled out a knife and charged towards Silva.
Silva who was charging towards Chrollo quickly dashed back as Chrollo swinged.
They all paused for a second,
Is it poisoned?
Silva rarely gets slashed, the knife Chrollo had was definitely dangerous. He eyed the knife quickly and pulled out a strand of his hair. He wrapped his hair around his arm tightly.
"Are you okay?"
Zeno walked towards Silva eyeing the knife.
"I'm fine."
Yullia walked herself next to Chrollo and eyed the knife as well. It's a mid-era Ben's Knife, Ben's knife in this shape indicated that it was poisonous. A tenth of a milligram will completely paralyze a whale. Silva, who has a high tolerance to all poisons, was clearly fine.
Yullia couldn't pause time, they were waiting for Illumi to kill the Ten Dons. Him not next to her meant that the needle in her head probably wouldn't disable her nen against him. He was too far to be registered as Yullia.
"No need to be shy, let's see how much stronger you've gotten. You too Yulli."
This wasn't the first time Silva had battled Chrollo, he knew Chrollo was not going all out.
"Okay."
Chrollo unleashed his nen, he took out the book that appeared in front of him and held onto it. Pulling out fun fun cloth he stole, from Owl, a member of the Shadow Beast, he jumped forwards trying to get closer. Yullia drew her bladeless saya out. Forming her nen into the blade she got ready and dashed towards Zeno.
Zeno's nen around him formed into a dragon head. The head moved through precise motions from his hands. The powerful attack aimed straight at Chrollo.
Yullia swinged her sword towards the nen hopping to cut it, Zeno's nen quickly dodged the attack.
Silva appeared behind Yullia and kicked her. Yullia, being quick to react, turned around and crossed her arm in front of her to catch the impact.
Zeno's nen charged towards Chrollo, attacking in many different stances. Zeno knew. Although they had only met for a few seconds, he already analyzed Chrollo's nen ability. Chrollo's ability is the ability he steals, the book allows him to store stolen abilities. He is only allowed to use them one at a time.
Chrollo who realized that Zeno's attack completely stopped him from getting close. He noticed the grandpa in front of him had already figured out his nen.
Yullia dashed towards Zeno only to be stopped by Silva again. Focusing his nen into his fist, he aimed towards Yullia. Yullia dodged towards the left and tried to elbow Silva. Silva rotated his body and added momentum to his attack, aiming towards Yullia on the side. Yullia blocked it with the help of her katana. With the extra momentum added, Yullia was thrown further back.
"Kill me if you have to."
Zeno dashed forward, enhancing his hand as he got closer to Chrollo. Wrapping his nen around his hand he slashed, a wave charged towards Chrollo. Silva got up and started charging his nen. Two nen concentrated into spheres on each hand.
Chrollo dodged Zeno's hand but was pushed back by the wave of nen. He was shoved against the wall. Zeno didn't stop. He was still charging towards Chrollo.
Yullia jumped up, slashed her nen towards Silva. Silva got pushed back by the wave but the explosive orbs were still released.
BAMM.
.
.
.
Beep. Beep.
"Illumi?"
...
"He's Alive."
As the dusk faded away, The floor and wall were completely destroyed, the main impact was slightly towards the left side of Chrollo. Yullia had caused Silva to slightly miss.
"Good grief."
Zeno dusted himself and got up, he was hit from the impact as well. Yullia walked towards Chrollo and helped him up.
"Leaving already?"
Chrollo taunted, he could still continue fighting.
"I'm sure Yullia has told you about how we operate."
"So you knew that I hired Illumi."
"Of course, but that's irrelevant. We simply do the job we're hired for."
"I see."
Zeno and Silva both headed towards the door. Their business here was finished.
"Can I have permission for your daughter's hand."
This didn't only stop Zeno and Silva in track. Yullia, who was next to Chrollo, looked at him. Shocked.
Chrollo had thought about this for a while. If he and Yullia bound, the Phantom Troupe and the Zolydck family both benefit from this. Being ones of the groups of the strongest people in the world, they would be even more fearful if they worked together. As juicy as it sounds, this wasn't the only reason. Yullia was someone he had always looked at. He didn't even notice that he had been slowly drawn to her. He knew she was someone he wanted to keep by his side forever.
...
"I believe she's already engaged."
Came a voice in the distance.
"Oh, really? If I may ask, who are you?"
"Zolydck Maha."
Maha walked out of the shadows. He was Zeno's grandfather making him Yullia's great-great-grandfather. Maha knew who Yullia really is. Her identity before she was left in front of Zoldyck's door. He was also the one that had introduced the idea of Yullia marrying Illumi. He wanted to keep Yullia inside the family.
"Come on Silva, Zeno."
With the oldest living member of the Zolydck's request. They all disappeared leaving Yullia and Chrollo behind.
Yullia was still in shock. Machi had always asked for their relationship repeatedly no matter how Yullia ensures her. Yullia knew Machi's feelings, she didn't want to hurt her. Well, she didn't even like Chrollo that way. Their relationship seemed normal in her eyes. Chrollo himself was a very handsome guy. He could get himself many girls. She never once thought Chrollo had the slightest feeling for her.
"You're engaged?"
Chrollo layed back down, he thought he was going to have their permission or at least something other than the news Maha had just unleashed towards him.
...
"It's a long story."
Before Chrollo could continue to question Yullia, the Phantom Troupe appeared in front of them.
"Looks like you had fun, danchou."
"A little tired."
Chrollo got up holding onto his head.
"You were up against the Zolydck family. I wanted to see the fight."
The Phantom Troupe took a good look at both of the figures sitting. Yullia had her arm held to her side. The punch Silva did had broke a few bones in her body. Chrollo was also completely worn out from the fight, scratches bruises were all over his body. His sleeves were already ruined.
"It wasn't that interesting."
Machi moved towards Yullia's side. Since her damages were the worst, Machi wanted to heal her first.
"I'm fine."
Yullia pushed Machi away, she didn't want to face her right now. She didn't know what expression she was going to make towards Machi. She just needed to get out of here. Standing up slowly, Yullia unstably walked towards the gate and disappeared.
"Isn't she a little cold?"
Everyone knew Machi and Yullia were somewhat considered friends. Machi was trying to heal Yullia while she just pushed her away. As untalkative as Yullia was, they never thought she was this coldhearted.
"Nah, it's my fault. She's just shaken up."
"From the fight?"
"From what I asked."
"You asked her to join the Phantom Troupe? What did she say?"
"Well I kind of asked for her hand in marriage."
.
.
.
"WHAT?"
Everyone was shocked. It was obvious Chrollo had feelings for Yullia. But they never expected him to ask her about marriage during a fight with the Zoldyck family.
"What did she say?"
"She's engaged."
...
"WHAT?"
Machi's scream came first this time. She did not know Yullia was engaged. Chrollo looked at Machi and ruffed up his hair.
Looks like she didn't know either.
"Who is she, danchou?"
"Zolydck Yullia is her full name."
This cleared up a lot of questions the Phantom Troupe had. With her nen outbursting itself earlier at them and her fighting along Chrollo against the Zolydck family she was extremely powerful. She was the rumored daughter of the Zoldyck family. They had wondered why their danchou earlier picked to have this unnecessary fight. It all cleared up for them. He was trying to take the Zoldyck princess of their hands.
Machi was shocked. Chrollo's plan to fight the Zolydck family was to ask the elderlies permission for Yullia's hand. And now she had just learned that Yullia was engaged. Never once had Yullia said anything about that to her.
Is it him?
Machi had asked about the person Yullia had feelings for when they first met. Yullia had told Machi that she had one. Her eyes at the time looked so emotional.
✦.✦
Standing on the roof of the tall building she was once in. Yullia watched the sight under her. Although tiny and blurry, it was clear what was going on. There were sirens everywhere. Mafias cleaning up the mess. The Phantom Troupe had left a fake corpse behind.
Yullia touched the side of her stomach. She winced at the pain. It wasn't that bad, the feeling tingled a little inside her. The high pain tolerance kept her awake. She had overused her nen. Although Chrollo requested her to not use her nen because it would simply ruin Illumi from ending the fight. She had used it the whole time during the fight. She knew she couldn't protect and attack Zeno and Silva at the same time. She had to use nen to get through it. That was also the reason why Silva's perfectly timed nen ability even missed.
"Illu..."
She slightly mumbled his name. The daily word she had once used was now unfamiliar to her ears. Her tongue still gracefully remembered it, Illumi's name came out of Yullia sweetly, gently, filled with love. With that her vision blurred out. Tipping over the edge of the roof. She fell.
.
She closed her eyes and relaxed
.
She hoped to go back
.
To go back to the past. To escape the present.
.
Illumi followed her and jumped. Grabbing her, he pulled her closer. Turning her around on top of him, he braced for impact.
...
It never came. He never hit the floor, into a crowd of Mafias. Hisoka caught the two with his bungee gum not long after they fell. Illumi grabbed Hisoka's bungee gum, stomping his feet towards the building. He jumped himself up with Yullia in his arms.
"Yullia's engaged?"
Hisoka was there at the dramatic scene earlier. He eyed the sleeping female Illumi's holding.
"Where did you hear that?"
Yullia clearly wouldn't be going around saying that to people. The engagement between them wasn't even a hundred percent confirmed.
"Chrollo said it after the fight."
"Hmm..."
"Do you know who?"
Although Hisoka shrugged he wanted to know. If the female in front of him was engaged. That meant all three of them have already lost. Now he just wanted to know the groom. He wanted to know how strong the groom is. To take Yullia's hand off of the Zolydck family.
"Me, I believe"
...
"That's allowed?"
Hisoka did not know Zolydck had that kind of tradition going on. Marrying their siblings.
"She's not my real imouto."
"Ah.. I see."
This cleared it up for Hisoka. While searching for Zolydck family records he couldn't find a loophole in how they ended up with a daughter. This made more sense, she wasn't actually related to the Zolydck family.
"If you're already engaged, why do you still keep all those women around?"
Hisoka had always thought the resemblance of the girls had with Yullia was his way of feeling close with Yullia. Since they weren't his sister, it was completely legal. But they aren't and they are already engaged. What was his purpose of having them anyways?
"Ahh... It's complicated."
It was complicated. Illumi himself didn't even know the answer to that question. They technically weren't actually engaged, but Hisoka didn't have to know that.
"I still need you to disguise yourself as me."
Hisoka came here to switch with Illumi, he wasn't ready to walk into them falling off together.
Illumi sighed, he put Yullia down and lightly shook her awake. Yullia woke up quickly and rubbed her eyes. She slowly sat up trying not to have her broken bones cause more pain.
"Yulli, wait here. Do you hear me?"
Illumi ordered her. With her nod, Illumi and Hisoka jumped off the roof.
Illumi was actually right behind Yullia when she passed out. He was focused on his phone while she was zoned out. After he heard Yullia mumble he paused for a sec, causing him to miss his catch on Yullia before she fell. He was shocked, that name hasn't come out of Yullia for as long as he remembered. Yullia said it with such a nice ring to it. Her soft voice was still tingling in his ears. Shaking his thoughts away, he had a job to do. This wasn't the time for useless thoughts.
Did she say Illu...?
✦.✦
Yullia sat in the same position she was in. She thought back at Illumi.
.
Drip. Drop.
.
The words coming out of him were as cold as usual. An order. But his eyes were different. There were flashes of emotions, panic, worry, anger, sadness. The minute her eyes locked onto him, she did not know what he said. His words did not register into Yullia. Illumi's younger self layered himself on top of the current one again. Both with the exact same expression. One of the many expressions that used to show up on Illumi's face. Her thoughts raced, images of Illumi's youngerself were all manifesting in front of her. Getting drawn in, she closed her eyes. She felt the rain drop drip on her face. Her thoughts faded into the rain.
Drip. Drop.
.
Boom.
.
Pitter-Patter
.
✦.✦
.
Pitter-Patter
"Yulli? Yulli."
The young Illumi waved his hands in front of Yullia to catch her attention. They were in her room. A mug filled with hot cocoa in front of her.
"Ya?"
"Try it, come on"
The young Yullia picked up the mug in front of her and brought it to her mouth. Taking a tiny sipe she tasted the drink in her mouth a bit more. Living the flavor, she immediately finished the whole thing.
"Illu! It's so good. What was that?"
"Hot cocoa! I made it!"
"I love it. I want more!"
"Of course, I'll make it for you whenever you want."
"I want it allll the time."
The young Yullia extended the last syllable for all expressing how much she loved it.
They laughed and she took another sip from the mug. Finishing her next slip, she looked up at Illumi.
"Ne... Illu..."
.
.
.
✦.✦
Illumi landed on the roof and walked next to Yullia. Her body was soaked from the pouring rain. He had ordered her to stay here but he didn't actually expect it to rain. Illumi thought Yullia had healed herself and went home before him already. Illumi still came just in case she was here. And she was. Passed out on the floor. She didn't heal herself. Illumi did not know she had over used her nen. Since he was far away from her, the needle in her head did not work. He was frozen in time along with everyone else. While her time still continued, it was her own dimension, no one else was there. Illumi picked Yullia up. He looked at her lips, her words still whispering in his ears. The nostalgic feeling emerged.
Beep. Beep
"Is the princess still there?"
"Ya, she's passed out. Your request took too long"
"You said it didn't matter. You were the one declaring that she had already left. Looks like neko-chan waited for you."
"She simply followed my order like how she was supposed to."
"Do you love her?"
.
.
.
"I don't have time for Hisoka jokes."
"You really don't know?"
...
"Think about women you bring around. Do you really not see it?"
...
"Illumi you-"
Illumi had enough with Hisoka's taunt. He closed the call before Hisoka could proceed. Hisoka was just talking nonsense.
Emotions will only get in the way.
✦.✦
.