I wanted to post today because it's weekend and I was free finish this, but I'll tell you something, it was horrible to write this chapter, I felt very uninspired. I had an original development in mind, but it was going to be too confusing and I decided to change it, and only then I started to find my writing lighter and more... Myself, y'know?
Medea meets important characters for her future in this chapter (and the next one too), we just gotta know if it's something positive or not.
We will see Illumi (and possibly Hisoka ? ) soon, calm your hearts.
I hope you enjoy the chapter. — Cherry
The butler's apprentice launched herself against Medea, aiming to hit her head with the cane, a natural and extremely fast movement that impressed the woman. The thief, seeing the increasing proximity between the object and her head, raised her armed hands in the form of defense, and when the baton lowered once again the blades stuck on it, making it impossible for the girl to lay her intense blow, and she frowned. Medea turned her arms and took advantage of the recent fissure caused by her weapon, breaking her opponent's cane with a loud noise.
The teenager jumped back to make distance between her and the invader, her face twisted in fury. Medea knew that was her chance to attack and charged towards the young girl, the chakrams shining under the shimmering sunlight and flying towards the girl's head. She deflected from the attack in the last seconds, but the blades were quick enough to cut off two of her bunches before returning to the woman's gloved fingers. Medea smiled as she noticed the incredulous gaze of the apprentice as she stared at the curls on the ground.
"I'm gonna ask you again to let me pass, I don't wish to hurt you." She spoke while placing her weapons on her belt to prove her point.
That only seemed to infuriate the girl even more, and she advanced against the woman with only her strength as her weapon. She punched Medea's stomach, causing her to bow due to her instant shortness of breath, and she waited until the invader was dizzy enough for her to kneel her jaw. Medea felt the taste of blood invading her mouth as her arm touched the tree trunk beside her, while she tried to regulate her unstable, heavy breathing, and focus her somewhat confused vision. Did that brat really punch her jaw? That could have knocked her out for good if she wasn't wearing the mask, considering the strength it had.
She forced herself to swallow the coppery saliva before looking up again. The girl tried to kick her head, but she managed to lower herself when she noticed the threat. She grabbed the outstretched leg tightly, twisting it and throwing the body away from herself. The woman, still slightly dizzy, ran in her opponent's direction and took her brass knuckles from inside the belt compartment, immediately wearing it. She sat on the girl's abdomen and raised her fist, quickly descending it against her face.
The girl raised her arms to defend herself, but Medea continued to attack her, blood dripping from the side of her face and smearing the grass below them. She was about to land a final punch when the girl fainted, her arms falling next to her bruised head. For a moment, she remembered Alluka. She was the same age as that girl and most likely knew her. What if she was someone important to her or Killua? Was it really worth killing her even though she was just following orders? She looked at her bloody gloves and sighed. It wasn't worth it.
She placed the girl in a sitting position against the small wall where they'd met a few minutes ago; it was not much, but that was what she could do at that moment. She had no time to waste, the High Priestess had said something about dragons devouring their prey at night, she couldn't risk her mission's success. Medea stared at the path ahead and took a deep breath to ensure herself about her decision. She began to walk in the trail's direction, her hand pressing the spot hit by the girl on her stomach to try to relieve the pressure.
By the way the shadows of the trees were located and the heat it began to feel, it should've been around midday or one in the afternoon, at most. She had enough time to search for the Tchingsen's scroll and get out of there before Kurapika alerted Killua about where she was. She didn't want or need anyone to be worried about her, she was a grown woman and she knew how to take care of herself.*
Medea climbed a tree to maintain her original plan of not being seen by anyone and, at the same time, to keep an eye on everyone around her. She advanced along the way for almost an hour and a half until she saw two figures from afar. One woman, dressed in fancy clothes and a hat full of flowers, talked – more like held a monologue – with a black"haired child who wore a dark kimono and stared at their own feet as they walked.
The woman approached as close as she could without being noticed and watched the duo with curiosity, taking care not to make the same mistake that had indicated her position earlier. The lady in the puffy dress had a visor over her eyes and waved a delicate lilac fan, calling the girl – or boy, she couldn't tell due to the distance – who turned to her. "Oh Kalluto, I'm so excited for tonight! It'll be a divine moment, won't it?" The woman's voice was shrill and sweet, Medea found it slightly annoying.
"Indeed, mother." Replied the boy without much excitement. "Do you think Killua will come?" Medea frowned, and began to pay even more attention to the conversation that unfolded in front of her, if it involved Killua then she could try to catch important information that would benefit her in the midst of that unknown place. The mother sighed dramatically and shook faster, one hand going to her chest.
"I'd like to say yes, Kalluto, but you know how your brother's been acting..." She smiled, apparently excited. "So cruel and cold towards us, it makes me proud to see the young man he has become, even if he is not here... He will most certainly be the greatest leader of our family!"
Kalluto stared at his mother for a few seconds and frowned lightly, his fists closing tightly around the fan he held before facing his shoes again.
"Does he even know about tonight's event?" He asked.
"Of course! Illumi left an invitation for him during the Hunter Association's Annual Ball." Killua's brother had been around them and she didn't even realize it? Unbelievable. Although he himself should not have noticed, otherwise Alluka would have told her about it... Unless this said brother had left the invitation in their room and simply left without a trace. Yes, that was more plausible.
"I hope he shows up." Muttered the boy as he put some black locks behind his ear. She could see the resemblance between him and the siblings she already knew, they all had the same prominent chin, the same upturned nose and thick eyelashes; their blood ties were undeniable. But this boy, Kalluto, had a sad glow in his rosy eyes that she didn't see in the other siblings, was there something wrong with him?
"Hm? What did you say, darling?"
"That it's almost time we started getting ready to welcome the guests, mom." He lied, his voice serene, causing Medea to smile.
"But already?" She pressed a button next to her display and breathed surprise. She grabbed the child's hand and pulled it. "Oh no! We're almost late! Oh, Father will complain about my lack of punctuality! No, no, no, we have to get there as soon as possible!"
Medea followed them along a path that they seemed to know well, it was narrow and even had a dirt track to guide anyone passing by, although perhaps that was why the region was covered by low bush. At the end of the path there was a thick, completely twisted trunk that rested against the mountain rocks, it was surrounded by other trees and plants so that no one suspected the true purpose of the plant. The mother stuck her delicate hand behind the wood, and the rock, which, in fact, was a door, slid to the side opposite of the tree, allowing their passage.
The thief counted five minutes until she approached the entrance and repeated the action, sticking her right hand into space and groping blindly in search of the button pressed by the woman. Upon finding the rocky surface that distinguished itself from all the others, Medea pressed it lightly and obtained the same result as Mrs. Zoldyck. Passing through the door, she was greeted by an extensive corridor with a staircase at the end, which was likely to lead to the inner part of the mansion.
She followed the poorly lit passage carefully, afraid to step where she shouldn't and end up indicating her position to the family, but upon reaching the top of the ladder she allowed herself to relax once again. On the other side of the iron door, there was the noise of people walking quickly from one side to another. She carefully pressed the button to open the door and was surprised to see the one not exactly inside the mansion, but in a large ballroom full of tables beside the garden.
Sneaking through the pillars' shadows, Medea watched the family employees walk agitated through the space, porcelain plates stacked in rows, crystal glasses being defogged, silver cutlery being polished. Everything there was so full of luxury and wealth, it was impressive, she'd never been to such a beautiful place in her whole life. Why didn't Alluka and Killua live there with the rest of the family? It seemed like a paradise for her, who had grown up in the midst of a brothel and only began to have good things after becoming a Hunter.
To the Northwest, there was the Zoldyck Mansion, imposing and obscure, but as aesthetically rich as its ballroom. Running as fast as possible not to be noticed, Medea managed to reach a door and entered it. She was officially inside the Zoldyck Mansion. The second step was complete, now it was only necessary to locate and steal the Scroll of Tchingsen and get away. The kitchen was well lit and different aromas filled her nostrils, from the most citrus to the sweetest, from bitter to salty; everything seemed delicious to her, especially after not eating for almost... Six, seven hours? Probably.
She took a cherry muffin from the tray and went down the hall, taking care not to draw anyone's attention, entering the cleaning room and locking the door. She lifted the mask enough to be able to shove half of the candy into her mouth and moaned with pleasure as she felt the delicate but intense taste dominate her tongue. She almost didn't chew the dessert, practically devouring it at once until she felt satisfied, and she regretted not stealing another one of them from the tray. She wiped her marshmallow-dirtied lips with her own tongue and lowered the mask again, unlocking the door so as not to raise suspicion.
Medea took advantage of the distraction in the hallway next door – one of the employees had broken some plates and his supervisor vehemently scolded him – to follow the flight of stairs leading upstairs. Logically, people avoided leaving their valuables in areas that could easily be searched by their guests or employees, the probability of the Scroll being on a floor other than the first floor was greater than 90%.
Upon arriving at the second floor, she could see that the corridors were cold and gray, there didn't seem to be much life in there; it was almost like a cooling chamber. It just had more and more empty corridors, no matter where it went, there was no decoration, family portraits, paintings, nothing at all. She couldn't even smell anything in there! Did the Zoldyck family even live there? She began to suspect that no, maybe this was just a summer house or an "important events" only kind of place, since she didn't see anything that made it feel like a home to someone. It looked more like a maze than anything else.
Suddenly, contrary to all her expectations, she felt a fragrance that indicated which path to follow. Chrysanthemums and burnt poppies. She was on the right track to complete her mission. She entered the room where the smell came from, that also deprived of any sense of personality, but was still rich and elegant. In the right corner of the room there was a huge suitcase and a purse, all of which were made of dark red leather. She approached the luggage and placed it on the soft mattress to open it.
The suitcase was full of clothes and shoes, while the purse had the most diverse types of makeup and jewelry, but no sign of any Scrolls. She'd finished putting it back on its proper place when the door opened and a woman with hair as golden as the sun walked through, staring at her from top to bottom with curiosity.
"Who are you and what are you doing in my room?" She inquired quietly.
"I came to help you at Mrs. Zoldyck's request." She responded, putting on the "servant ready to take orders" facade.
The blonde nodded and passed her fingers through the curls, arranging them lazily. Brown eyes landed on the chakrams on her belt and the thief tried to keep her posture indifferent. "I suppose you came because of the threat they detected at the Southern entrance, right?" She asked pointing at the weapons. Medea frowned under the mask, uncertain whether the threat supports it was her or not, but limited herself to nod. The woman sighed and walked as far as she was, her footsteps echoing firmly through the room. "Tell me, the other employees haven't put their masks on yet, why are you already wearing yours?"
"I wanted to get ahead of myself so I could focus on helping you, my Lady."
The woman laughed. "You're lying to me, the employees will not wear masks, only the guests." Medea automatically froze in her place and the woman smiled, her slightly sharp teeth shining with the light coming through the window. "Besides, I can see it by your dirty glove and the smell of blood you're emanating. You were the one who tried to kill the young apprentice down there, weren't you?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about!" She lied, nervous about the possibility that all of her progress had meant nothing.
"Oh, I can't wait to see what the Zoldyck family will do to you! It's the first time I'm invited to an event they're hosting and I will already draw their attention!" She turned to the door, ready to shout.
Before she could warn anyone, Medea covered her mouth with her hand, which was promptly bitten as the woman struggled against the arm holding her. Muffling a scream, the white-haired woman hit the side of the other's head against the white wall, marking it with makeup and blood. The blonde stopped resisting due to the impact, which caused her to faint immediately.
Medea couldn't kill her, she wasn't in the mood to create more fuss and attract the unwanted attention of the mansion's owners, so what should she do? She looked at the wooden wardrobe and quickly had an idea. She took a sock from inside the collapsed woman's suitcase and covered her mouth, tying her wrists and ankles with a rope she had on her utility belt before putting her inside the wardrobe. Surprisingly, it was wide enough to hide two or three more people in there. She made a mental note of making offerings to the Great Changeable as soon as she finished this mission, she was being too lucky.
She looked at the clock on the headboard. Half past five in the afternoon. She massaged her nose bridge while weighing her options. One: she could try running around the mansion aimlessly in search of the scroll with the risk of being caught immediately. Two: she could pretend to be a slightly late guest and sneak among the guests to try to find out the information she needed before she stole the scroll. The second was much safer, even more so because she'd be hidden behind another mask in the midst of all those people.
Convinced, she walked to the bathroom and immediately undressed, throwing her clothes and mask to the floor as she entered the shower. Getting rid of sweat was all she needed at that moment, besides eating, of course. She quickly dried up and put on the robe that was available, collecting her dirty clothes and putting them on the bedside table. She'd take care of them later on the way out.
"I'm going to have to wear one of her dresses, let's hope it fits me..." She muttered to herself. She opened her suitcase and began to filter her options, choosing a long blue dress of straight neckline, white gloves and also blue shoes.
The satin dress was slightly tight at the top, her ample breasts being pushed up to look noticeably more prominent than they should, but fortunately not to the point of looking vulgar and catching everyone's attention. She put a pearl necklace on her neck and took the makeup box, hoping not to have an allergic reaction to any of the products there. She opted to use brown eyeshadow on her eyes to stay discreet and applied the mascara on top of the false lashes. On the cheekbones there was the faintest hint of a pink blush, on her lips, cherry lipgloss, nothing too flashy.
She loosened her braid and made a high, flawless bun, before putting on her gloves and taking the black satin and lace mask and attaching it to her face, covering everything above her nose and leaving only her eyes exposed. She took her utility belt and wore it underneath the dress, which was loose enough below her hips to be able hide it. The woman put on her high heels and walked to the dresser, putting his mask inside a cloth bag he would use to carry the parchment and deposited it inside the dressing table drawer. He took the clothes he had left on top of the bedside table and left the room carrying them and trying to memorize the way to the room. Two lefts. She couldn't forget it. Two lefts, four rights. Her mission depended on it. Two lefts, four rights, left, right. That's it! Two lefts, four rights, left, right! She reached the top of the ladder where she had previously climbed and smiled, already knowing how to get rid of the material.
Upon arriving in the kitchen and encountering the large stove that burned like a thousand suns, she took advantage of the fact that she was alone and threw the clothes inside, wiping her hands with animation while they burned. She stared at the clock again. Seven o'clock. She lifted her dress up enough to be able to run and headed to the ballroom's entrance.
The place looked even more stunning at night, the way the huge crystal chandelier lit up the glass walls seemed to turn it all into a kind of fairy tale castle. When she was little, before being bought by Araeso and being trained as a courtesan, Medea used to fantasize about the day she would walk into such a bright and beautiful place. She imagined that as soon as she got there, she'd be greeted by a handsome prince – who would fall in love with her at first sight, obviously – and they would dance so much that when the party was over, he'd propose to her. And maybe, just maybe, he'd steal a kiss from her! How bold, right? But unfortunately, fairy tales didn't exist, just as there was no possibility of her forgetting her past altogether.
She arranged her posture and greeted the two butlers who stood at the entrance, following inside with the as graceful as a swan. No, not a swan. As graceful as a white peacock. When she had passed by earlier, she hadn't even had time to absorb how fine that atmosphere was, it was a real party of rich people and she was infiltrated there to steal from its hosts. How ironic. Seeing that most of the women there seemed to carry some kind of accessory with them, she felt a little dislocated. Maybe she should have carried the fan with her, but it was too late, she couldn't go back to that room without raising suspicion. Therefore, she raised her chin and did what she did best: she marveled strangers with her mere presence, after all, a prostitute had a single basic rule that was to remain confident regardless of the situation.
She was Medea Lanfort. If there was anyone who could steal that scroll right under the pompous noses of that family, it was her.
A man offered her an orange drink, which she distinguished as liquor, and she accepted it, thanking him with a smile. The drink was strong, it burned her throat and her eyes got watery, but she tried her best not to show the discomfort, and turned the whole glass at once; it was better to swallow something with bad at once than to be suffering while sipping it. She placed the crystal goblet on the tray of the nearest butler and approached a pillar as she watched the couples dance, all too serious and meticulous to call it a party. She rolled her eyes. Rich people were so boring. No wonder Alluka and Killua got away.
A young woman with black hair and large grayish-green eyes offered her strawberry cupcakes and she almost cried when she saw the size of the whipped cream topping. Taking one in her hands carefully, she thanked the young woman, who tried to hide a smile at seeing someone show any type of reaction amid that sea of inexpressive people and just nodded before leaving her alone again. She closed her lips around the dessert and sighed as she felt the typical bursts of desire-raspberry in her mouth coupled with the acidity of the strawberry, it was even better than the cherry muffin!
"Heavens, that's so good~!" She muttered to herself as she attacked the candy again.
Next to her, a male voice laughed. "Be careful, desire raspberries can make your mouth numb so you can't talk if you eat too much." Alerted a white-haired old-man.
He had prominent cheekbones that highlighted his upturned nose, and thick eyebrows that framed his mischievous gray eyes. Medea knew the glow those eyes had, she saw them every morning on Killua's ever since the siblings started living with her. That man should be his grandfather. She finished chewing and swallowed the last piece of the cupcake before smiling.
"Thank you for alerting me, being addicted to candy sometimes takes away the focus of what is safe or not." She said with a polite laugh.
"Don't mention it, this ball is too important to have one of our guests unable to speak, right?"
"Of course sir, you're correct." 'What the fuck is he talking about?' The young woman thought to herself. "Did you lose your mask?"
He shook his hand, not giving the detail any mind. "Once you reach my age, it's not important to keep your masks." He replied philosophically. "Tell me, has anyone asked you to dance since you arrived?"
"Unfortunately not, but it doesn't matter." She replied. "Sometimes the best moments are those you spend with yourself, fighting the inner darkness of your own self." Quote the woman.
"Oh, I fully agree, Dwain Dale was especially wise in writing such words." He rose a white eyebrow and smiled. "You have a good repertoire, it is not always that a young woman of your age quotes such an important author."
She gave him half a curtsy, holding the sides of her dress as she gently lowered herself.
"I appreciate your compliments, Mr. Zoldyck."
"In that case, would like to dance with me?" Inquired the man, no hint of malice or desire in his voice, only pure civility. That was enough to make her feel safe, even if it wasn't that big of a deal.
"It would be an honor, sir."
What's the reason for the Ball? Where's the Tchingsen's Scroll? Will Medea manage to steal it and escape alive? To find out these and other questions, stay tuned for the next chapters~