Author's Note: I do not own Hunter x Hunter

Chapter 17 - Himiki Family ...

A large piece of land ... .. on which there was a castle. It has been there for years, but still it has been kept well so that the age is barely recognizable until now.

Kaori scowled at the lock.

"I don't even know that look from you." Jinsei giggles playfully. "How do you feel? Anger? Grief? Or even better… ..both? "Without waiting for an answer, he bent down to whisper a word in her ear. "Murderousness."

The blue-haired girl said nothing, she tried not to flinch at the word.

"Man… have you gotten serious. How boring! "He pouted playfully.

Kaori walked in slowly as the gates opened. She just walked straight ahead, her steps echoing down the long corridor.

... ..she arrived at a throne room.

...

"Nice to see you again. Kaori. "A voice spoke, the blue-haired girl looked up to see the person.

"… ..Uncle." She spoke calmly. "You sent Jinsei to send me back here?" She asks monotonously.

In front of the blue-haired girl was a man of normal height, with green hair and purple eyes. He giggled slightly at the girl's words.

"Do you seem irritable? I can't understand that at all. "He walked slowly towards her and looked down at her. "Didn't you miss me at all….? You must know, I missed you very much ... He looks at her again carefully. "... have grown a bit again?" When he got no answer again, he just sighed slightly. "You know ... you are my favorite niece."

"I ... am your only niece. Together with grandfather and me ... you don't have anyone in your family anymore, do you? "She asks sternly.

"Hm ... yes." The man thinks about it for a moment. "I see ... despite all the years you still can't understand that your parents are no longer alive ... I beg you: Get over it!" He simply said and took the girl on the shoulder.

"... ..sad ... get over it?" She looked at her uncle. "And you? My father was your older brother! You are not sad that he is dead ? Why? Why Uncle Yahiko? "She got louder.

Yahiko didn't say anything. "… ..Tse." He walked away from her. "Jinsei, bring her to her room. It takes time to think. With my dear niece, we can finally put our plans into practice, I hope you realize that… ..Kaori? "

"Plans ..." she mumbles. "You want to use me for something cruel?"

Jinsei grins at the words. "How cheeky you have become. It's really time you vented a bit in a room. "He grabbed her arm and dragged her along.

Kaori hardly struggled….

...

...

~ Basement ... ~

...

Jinsei opened a door to a basement room. "Don't worry, we cleaned when you were gone! So no speck of dust will be able to bother you here! "He says with false friendliness.

"Fantastic…." She says sarcastically,… .but sadly.

Jinsei noticed. "Hm ... you really miss this weak boy? I am impressed. What did this boy do to get your attention ... .. did he manage to reach your so-called feelings? "

She looks at him with keen eyes. "That's none of your business!"

"How was it? What did you say?"

The blue-haired girl clenches her fists. "You already understood me correctly… ..Gon … Gon is not weak! He promised me that he would come back to me ... you better dress warm ... because ... he will defeat you! "She says right in the face.

...

"Shut up!" He shouted and slapped her on the face. "Defeat me? Don't imagine that…. No matter how much he should train now … nobody can beat me! And certainly not a kid like this boy! "

...

Kaori was dragged into a corner by Jinsei, where she sat while he chained her hands.

"... chains ..." she says silently. "These chains ... that I can never break ..."

Without exchanging a word, Jinsei left the basement, leaving Kaori alone.

"What is this brat imagining?" He mumbles angrily.

An older man came up to him. "Jinsei?" He asked calmly.

The black-haired man turned around. "Ah, it's you Naizen." He grins slightly. "Your granddaughter is back and she has become very naughty, you have to listen to that."

The older man, with the dark green hair and the purple eyes, looked at him neutrally. "Really? My granddaughter ... naughty? Tse, I really don't believe you. "He simply says.

Jinsei shrugged. "See for yourself. I'll go back to the boss." He throws him a key. "I'll leave the basement to you, see you then!" With that he left the older man behind.

...

The dark green haired man looked at the key in his hands, then at the door to the room where Kaori is. 'She was gone for a long time ... how long ... she can probably still live? He walked into the room with these thoughts.

...

The blue-haired girl looked up briefly, her green eyes looking empty. "Grandfather? Is that you? "She asks monotonously.

"Haven't seen you in a long time, Kaori. You got cheeky? "His voice sounded slightly encouraging.

At first the girl was silent, but then spoke in a sad voice. "Why….? Why are you still here, grandfather? "

He walked slowly up to her and sat down across from his granddaughter. "Are you worried about me?"

"Of course ... .. I don't want you to die too." She has tears in her eyes.

"... please don't cry for me." He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped her tears away with it. "Would you tell me what you've been through in the last two and a half months?" He asks gently.

"It was hell, I just walked straight on monotonously, I never got the feeling of having achieved anything ... ..but ... then something wonderful happened ... .. a month ago I met a boy." She said admiringly.

"Oh? A Boy?"

"You will laugh… .he is the same age as me. Still ... he has already experienced a lot else before he even met me ... ... he told me everything ... "she says. "If you only knew how jealous I was."

"Was he good to you?"

"He was nice, polite, helpful! He always cheered me on with encouraging words so that I wouldn't give up ... during training ... he was way too good to me! I don't really deserve it! "

"What is the name of this particular boy?"

She smiles slightly. "Gon. Gon Freecss. You know ... he's a hunter. Incredible, isn't it? "

"Do you like him?"

Kaori's green eyes looked straight into her grandfather's purple eyes, there was a brief silence.

To…

"Do I like him?" She asks. "That would be a little ... an understatement ... I have great feelings for him." The blue-haired girl spoke honestly. "But… I don't think he'll ever feel the same way. After all, I lied to him the whole time ... and kept the whole 'Himiki thing' silent." She bows her head.

"... I can understand you." Her grandfather says calmly. "You just wanted to escape ... and have fun. Like a new beginning. "

"But ... this is not a game. If I had never met Gon, then ... Jinsei would never have hurt him like that ... "

"Jinsei is a show-off. I really hope this Gon will come here and defeat him. "Naizen says in a serious voice. "You wish that, right?"

Kaori thought for a moment. "To wish? ... if you ask that ... yes. "

...

...

"What are you thinking about, Kaori?"

"Grandfather. I think Gon is the one who can change everything for good. I want to destroy this monarchy with him ... ... as my father wanted to do back then. "She says in a firm voice.

"Really?" Naizen smiles slightly. "Then I'm on your side."

"… Why don't you run away? Get out of here while you can Grandpa! "The blue-haired girl says something loudly.

"Do you think I can no longer keep up with my fighting skills?"

"No. I just don't want you to be killed. I mean ... a wrong word ... and that could have been it ... "

"Tse, do you mean really… Yahiko would kill his own father because something doesn't suit him? Is that how you think your uncle ticks? "

"Yes I think so! ... .. don't pretend you don't know ... .. his plan ... .. the reason I should come back ... .. something is wrong. I can already guess what he's up to ... "

"Really? Tell me your theory, because as you should perhaps notice, I have no idea what Yahiko's plan is. "He says ironically.

Kaori looked seriously at her grandfather. "I'm not sure if I'm right, so I'll be silent for your own good, grandfather. Because if you say a wrong word, as I said, it could be your last word ... and I don't want that! "She was silent for a moment, but then looked at her grandfather with unusually dark eyes. "A man ... who kills his own brother, his own flesh and blood ... I trust him to do everything!"

….

~ Throne room ~

Yahiko saw Jinsei come back with an annoyed expression on his face. "Has something happened, Jinsei?"

"Your sweet little niece got a big mouth. You can't say more about it. "He cracks his fingers. "I swear ... if she gets like that again, I won't be able to hold back my mind and my punches."

"… .." Yahiko smiles. "Have a little more patience, we still need them. But I understand what you mean ... her rebellious behavior, including the fact that she ran away from here ... she is slowly starting to resemble her father more and more. "The green-haired man nods in agreement. "But ... .. her face ... her whole appearance ..." Yahiko's eyes darkened. "She is her mother's likeness! That normal woman my brother met at the Hunter Exam ... and that he fell in love with. It's hard to believe that father had become so soft back then to have allowed this wedding at all ... ..and he still became king. "

Jinsei crosses his arms and grins. "An unforgivable move, huh? Instead, you've always been the right king. "

"Of course." Yahiko was lost in deep thought for a moment and then turned to Jinsei again. "But there was nothing else unusual? I mean ... she just came with you when you could ask her? "

"There was a little problem. But don't worry ... it was weak. Kaori was accompanied by a boy of the same age. "Jinsei simply says. "Let me think about it…. A guy with a spiky hairstyle ... I think black and green ... he wore green clothes anyway. And his eyes ...? They were brown ... .. yes, they exuded some kind of determination, but nothing that can hold up against me, so weak! "

"A boy, so? He protected Kaori? "

"He tried." Jinsei proudly replies. "When I was about to give him the coup de grace, Kaori stopped me. She said she would voluntarily come with me if I let the boy live. I think her words were ... he saved her life. "

"Huh ... .. what a human gesture to let him live too." Yahiko said sarcastically, but with a slight smile. "... anyway ... he can't be our undoing, can he?"

"No. Rely on it. And if ... "Jinsei cracks his fingers again. "Then I won't spare him the next time ... he should come calmly if he thinks he has become stronger than me after a very short while."

"Then I'll trust your words, as always." Yahiko sighs. "I only need Kaori for the fulfillment of my dreams and plans, but if she finally decides to cooperate on her own, I would even consider keeping her alive."

"Really?"

"Possibly ... she's my niece after all. Even if she is the daughter of my older brother and a normal woman despite everything… ..I still have a heart for my family. "He says slightly dramatically.

Jinsei laughed at the words. "It really looks like you!"

...

Kaori's fate and her life is in the hands of her uncle.

Will Gon be able to find Himiki Castle to save her? But if he wants to achieve that, he has to get past Jinsei.

It all just needs a very good strategy ...

To be continue ...

Neo-Digital: See you in the next chapter!