"The thought of Kurapika's loss troubled me greatly so much so that I didn't stop gossiping in time one day. "If he lost a wife approaching him all come hither could just reopen the wounds. But what if it happened while he was a child then giving him a new family could heal them. What would you do Tink?"
"God! If they inherited half his looks I'd lock myself in a closet with him right now! Imagine being able to wake up to that face every-"
Looking like school children caught passing notes the conversation screeched to a halt as Melody entered the room. The what am I going to do with you look deepened our shame as it crushed any hope she hadn't heard every word. "Trust me, you do not want to startle him! He's extremely dangerous. But to solve your quandary, He lost everyone parents, any siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, it was total genocide. If I remember correctly it was long enough ago he must have been young- a child or teen at most. Please don't do anything… drastic and I'll try to get you better information."
So I was as shocked as anyone that he accompanied Melody during the next day's meditation. It was hard to focus with him in the room I kept sneaking peeks from the corner of my eye. But the bewildered and bemused look never wavered from his considering look. "Ladies when I offered you a job I promised that you'd never have to have sex with anyone not of your choosing. I intend to keep that promise but if your willing to have children for me I will give you a very fair offer. 1supst/sup you will stay at your current pay-scale but will only have light nonhazardous duties for the whole of your pregnancy. 2supnd/sup if you wish to attend college or other traditional training that I will see to your full tuition, books, and housing if you'd like to live on campus, or protective escort and transportation if you remain here. And 3suprd/sup you will have to be totally celibate before you can help raise my clan."
"No s- But how? That's not physically possible?!" I stammered.
"Sorry to confuse!" the embarrassment burned across his face, "I still can comprehend someone wanting somebody as damaged as me? Please come with me, it will take a couple of difficult phone calls, but you will see!" leading us to a place I had never been before he took us into the oddest basement I've ever seen, looking like part church part crypt he stopped in front of the "alter" that's only decorations were extinguished candles and five pairs of eerily glowing red eyes floating in jars. "These are all that remain of Kurta. All my tribe, my entire world! Until I left at 12 years old erased because this scarlet is 'one of the most beautiful colors on earth!'" he spat bitterly. "If you are willing, and if I can find someone skilled enough to do it, would you help me rebuild my tribe?"
"That's barbaric!" I exploded. "Why would? How can anyone see this as beautiful! Especially if they know the price?"
"Growing up I always thought pure joy was scarlet." he wistfully said removing first one then the other contact lens. "Now scarlet is only sorrow and rage." His eyes blazed as bright as the ones in the jars.
"I wasn't imagining things! Your eyes! The do shine red!" I babbled.
"When was this did anyone else see?" was his disconcerted replied "I can't believe I was so careless!"
"When you heard what Light said to Angel, I thought I saw red around your pupils- I don't know if they noticed- but it was so preposterous I thought it was a trick of the light or something so I didn't say anything." I stammered under his scrutiny.
"Oh then I think my secret is still safe!" and like muddy water clearing his eyes changed to a rich mahogany color. "This is my natural color the scarlet only reveals itself under extreme emotions. Positive or negative doesn't matter." turning back to the alter "These shine from the agony of incomprehensible torcher." I don't know how but as we filed out the glow seamed even more sinister.
Kurapika sank into a comfy chair, "This is not going to be pleasant." he remarked to nobody as he dialed a number. I was puzzled that he kept the phone in his lap as the tiny ringing came from it, I didn't even notice Melody moving to the doorway.
"KURAPIKA! THANKS FOR CALLING BACK ASSHOLE! WHAT HAS IT BEEN A YEAR!" my ears rang.
"SHUT UP LEOREO! I called for information, what do you know about genetics and cloning? Who is the best in the field? I can bring them back!"
"Back? Clones? OH MY GOD YOU FOUND ANOTHER PAIR! Wait HAVE YOU FOUND SOMEONE THAT WILL PUT UP WITH YOUR SORRY ASS! I HAVE TO Me- oh it's Melody isn't it! You somehow convinced her to be pregnant for you." disapprove dripped from the sentence.
"No I have others willing to help me by being pregnant." Kurapika snapped.
"OTHERS! YOU HAVE MORE! WHERE ARE YOU? These ladies must have the patience of a SAINT!"
Melody had snuck up behind Kurapika and snatched the phone from him as he bellowed, "I WOULDN'T TRUST A HORNDOG LIKE YOU WITH ANYONE FEMALE! PISS OFF!"
"I'll make some calls and be there ASAP with the info! BYE!" I could barely make out the ring tone as the shouter hung up.
True to his word a week later a lanky man in a suit with round glasses stormed into the lobby yelling "Where is he? MELODY I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME! WHERE IS THAT BLOND BASTARD!"
"Hello. Did you bring what he asked? Mr?"
"Leoreo, a pleasure to meet- WHAIT ARE YOU HER? Are you the poor girl he talked into getting knocked up? That blond bastard doesn't deserve you!" he finished at a mutter.
"Krystal, and being pregnant isn't necessarily getting 'knocked up'" was my tart reply.
"1000 pardons MS. Crystal. You could do so much better- really what do you see in him?"
"Hello again Leoreo. Can I get you some refreshments?" Melody interrupted as she and the other girls trooped in.
"I brought champagne Uhmmm, which of you is the unlucky lady. I also didn't expect such a crowd…" we left him hanging in awkward silence broken by Kurapika's entrance.
"Loud and Uncouth as always. You still cant buy Class."
"KURAPIKA! Here's the list, rated top down so please try to be polite when you call." I was amazed at the easy banter between the two. Kurapika had always held himself extremely polite and to see such informality was jarring. We ended up going out to eat with Leoreo insisting it was his treat. The look on his face when the waiter told him no charge was hilariousness and it was all I and the others could do to not burst out laughing at Kurapika having paid for the meal while he was in the restroom. "That was nice how it was on the house for our celebration! But tell me! Which of you very lovely ladies has he wrestled into tieing the knot with!"
"Actually Mr. Leoreo he hasn't married any of us. But we are all very eager to help." I corrected.
"ALL! Some guys get all the luck." his eyes shot daggers at Kurapika.
In the end Leoreo stayed a week and gave us all a physical after Kurapika promised to break every bone in his body if Melody heard him do anything inappropriate. "You seem to know Kurapika well, but you don't seem the type to be friends with each other- would you mind explaining how you became friends?" I timidly inquired when it was my turn.
"We meet during the Hunter exam. Well, actually, we meet on the way to the exam… I had just barely made the last boat to the exam site when it was struck by a terrible storm, everyone was seasick including some of the crew! Everyone but that blond bastard reading coolly in a corner, this goofy kid, and myself who was trying to comfort some of the more seriously ill. Then the Captain came in surveyed the wreckage and ordered the 3 of us to follow him. He then asked us why we wanted to be Hunters. And before he could finish the question the goofball blurted out he was going to be a Hunter like his dad. I couldn't believe he'd tell everyone and their dog why he was taking the exam, but then I refused to answer the Captain, and the blond agreed with me. Then the Captain said the exam had already started and if we didn't answer we'd be disqualified so the blond answered that he was the last Kurta, that he was going to deal with his peoples' murderers and reclaim all the stolen eyes. I responded with Money, money makes the world go round and with it you can get whatever you want. He then said even money cant buy class which totally rubbed me the wrong way but in the course of overcoming the exam challenges we became friends along with goofy Gon and another kid Killua. SO basically shared adversity made us friends."
"Ah! That makes more sense- Melody mentioned a Killua once… wait Melody already knew you so how did that happen?"
"Well once we completed the exam we needed to separate to continue with our divergent quests, but we promised to meet back together at the York New Action. That was a year and a half, maybe 2 years ago do you remember hearing about the York New Auction coming under attack? Yeah we happened to pick THAT one to meet at. I don't know how much was released in the news but it was no armature attack, it was the Phantom Brigade S class criminals, and also the murderers of the Kurta, so of course Kurapika was involved to his eyebrows. The Yakuza had offered a bounty on all the Brigades heads and since we knew about their genocide of the Kurta we were extra motivated to hunt them down. In the process we managed to run into Kurapika who broke his promise to meet back with us- he really doesn't ever answer his phone! We tried to capture the Brigade but they counter ambushed us taking Gon and Killua hostage. Kurapika managed to form a winging it plan to jailbreak them away that went awry becoming kidnapping the Brigades leader and setting up a hostage exchange- their boss for our friends. But before he let him loose Kurapika bound the Brigades leader to never use Nen or talk to any Brigade members again on pain of death. Unfortunately this made Kurapika very sick but Melody laid low with us until he was back to function-able and the last I saw or heard from either of them was them flying back to their jobs for Nostrade. Melody said I didn't have the heartbeat of a killer that I should try becoming a Doctor or a teacher which was probably the sweetest compliment anyone has ever gave me."
"Well my dear your in great shape and perfect health for someone in your line of work! So I have no medical base to bar you from what shenanigans he's planning now. Go ahead and tell the next woman that I'm ready to do her physical."
The parting shot delivered as he swept out of our lives was, "Well without breaking doctor patient confidentiality all of them are healthy as a horse and ready when you find your specialist. But PLEASE PICK UP THE DAMB PHONE!"
AN: Sorry for all the reposts trying to fix this chapter's format, apparently you can only link in 4 characters so I cant add Leoreo to the list. And as a funny, my husband walked in as I was writing and asked if I was reading anything good since he saw Horndog on my screen, I just said yes instead of explaining that I'm trying my hand at writing.