"We meet again. Are you here to see Valeria off?" Shion asked, smiling at Valeria, Leorio, and Kurapika. Behind him were Tianyu and Will. There was a tense atmosphere when the six of them were gathered together. Shion was smiling with suspicion towards Leorio and Kurapika, Tianyu squirmed awkwardly under Valeria's unamused stare, and Will gave a hostile glare directed towards Valeria. Leorio felt uncomfortable and glanced at Kurapika, who unfortunately did not share the same emotions as he did. In fact, Kurapika calmly replied:
"No, Valeria invited us to see her hometown and her coming of age ceremony."
Shion blinked in surprise. "Valeria did? Well, we welcome guests though they are course uninvited ones wouldn't be able to return alive but since Valeria invited, enjoy your stay." Enraged, Valeria was ready to snap at him for treating her friends hostiley, but Kurapika respectfully thanked him. Seemingly impressed with Kurapika's strong mental strength, Shion added: "Also, I don't believe you have met but the two behind me are Tianyu and Will." Tianyu bowed respectfully while Will picked his nose and looked away. A gesture that resembled his sister a lot. Leorio and Kurapika respectfully introduced themselves, regardless of Will's attitude and Shion's unwelcoming speech as they were used to having a gorilla by their side.
"Let's get going? Oh wait, but the tickets for our blimp sold out-"
"We bought tickets for the one after yours. If you don't trust me you can check our ticket's flight." Valeria interrupted and offered to show him her ticket. Shion smiled with a raised hand. "No, it's okay. You seem to realize the importance of this ceremony so I know you won't let our clan down."
Will rolled his eyes. "Just let her do what she wants, I've trained to take over the family anyways. What do we need her for?"
"Why that little-" Leorio rolled up his sleeves, but Valeria stopped him. She smiled brightly at her younger brother. "If you want to be the family head so bad, just request another coming of age ceremony and try to take my head. It would be better for you anyways right? Taking down the winner of the last ceremony."
Will looked shocked to see her respond so boldly as he was used to her cowering in guilt or trying to suck up to him. Shion tried to hide his laughter before pulling Will away. "Well, we'll see you in a couple of hours."
Tianyu hesitated, bowing one more time before following Shion. "Please take care of Valeria."
The trio watched the Lavines leave and Valeria dropped her forced smile. When they were far away enough that they couldn't hear her she belted out: "Sick bastard, I'll stick that mouth of yours into the gutter and make Arrabiata pasta out of that red hair of yours and feed it to Lotus bugs and your chopped up *censor* and *censor* *censor* *censor*!"
"Valeria…" Leorio began. "You would've appeared to be much more inspiring and intimidating if you actually said that to his face and not wait for him to leave. That's what cowards do."
"Hey Leorio, look!" Valeria pulled out something from Kurapika's luggage. The three were unpacking and shared a suite with three bedrooms. With their hunter license, it wasn't expensive and Valeria was the member of the Lavine Clan. All airlines owned by the Che'ang empire treated all the members of the empire's warrior clan like VIPs. Valeria had continuously persuaded them that she hated her clan and being linked to it, but they've noticed that she's quite the cheapskate and abused her privileges for these things. "Gotta take advantage of what I can." She had said.
Valeria was already unpacking and was lounging in Kurapika's room, seemingly interested in what a bodyguard's suitcase would have. More specifically, she had one goal in mind ever since seeing Kurapika. Leorio popped his head in and blinked. "What?" Kurapika had also turned his head, curious to see what had drawn the girl's attention. He had let her roam around his luggage freely, not really caring about what she was doing because he didn't think he had anything interesting anyways.
"A bodyguard's uniform. When I first saw Kurapika wear it, I just realized how cool suits looked and how badass Kurapika looked. He seemed as if he could be the head of a mafia!"
Kurapika processed what was going on before chuckling. "I'm flattered but Valeria, Leorio's outfits are all suits I don't think he would-"
"WAIT you too?! Makes me want to own an all-black suit as well."
"Have you ever considered being a bodyguard? You would probably get amazing pay too if you work for bigshots." Valeria looked at the blonde for confirmation and he merely sighed.
"I guess. But Che'ang is relatively far isn't it? For it to be an eight hour trip and we can even unpack some items." Kurapika glanced out of the window. While he was in a daze, Valeria had left the room to change, and reentered with an also changed Leorio. She slammed open the door with her hands clasped together mimicking a gun. The noise made Kurapika flinch and turn around with wariness but he seemed dumbfounded to only see the two dressed in his suits.
"North...West...South...whatever the fuck this direction is… all clear. What about you, partner?Roger."
"All clear on this side, partner. Roger." Leorio smirked, playing along with the girl.
"...What on earth are you two doing? Well, I'm glad that Valeria is feeling at ease to do this, but what are you two doing?"
"What does it look like, Agent Kurapika? Geez, we got a slacker, Agent Leorio." Valeria shook her head in disappointment, to which Kurapika felt a slight twinge of annoyance. Valeria dropped her act when she noticed she didn't get a response and turned around. "Leorio?"
Both Valeria and Kurapika watched, unamused, as Leorio marvelled at his own looks in the mirror. He combed his hair several times and did finger guns towards himself: "Looking good, !"
"...Hey, Kurapika not to be rude but men suits all look basically the same to me. Am I missing something? I mean I know it looks cool but..."
"No, he doesn't look any different at all." Kurapika affirmed her observation. Valeria sneakily grabbed a pillow, putting her finger to her lips as she signalled Kurapika. The blonde sighed and stepped further back, allowing the violent girl to do what she wanted. She then threw the pillow at Leorio, who managed to dodge at the nick of time. He combed his hair more aggressively while pointing accusingly at the girl.
"I've evolved. I'm no longer taking beatings from you, gor- Valeria." He laughed evilly and grabbed the pillow, pretending to aim at the girl before throwing it at Kurapika. The blonde used a single hand to stop the pillow, a slightly bewildered expression showing on his face.
"Don't just stand around Kurapika. Loosen up!"
"Yeh yeh, don't worry about property damage either I'll just send it to shitty Shion or Papa's tab." Valeria encouraged, grabbing two more pillows and tossing one to Leorio.
"Should we order some caviar and champagne?" Leorio gestured with his hand, pretending to swirl and sip alcohol.
"We're underage." Kurapika exchanged glances with Valeria.
"What a degenerate, trying to get underage kids like us drunk. Have some shame, future doc."
Leorio turned red and raised his arm, ready to throw his pillow at Valeria, only to have it interrupted by Kurapika throwing it instead. Kurapika blinked in surprise then at his own hand in disbelief and worry.
"I-I'm becoming a simple idiot like Valeria and Leorio?"
"HEY KURAPIKA even from you I won't take that insult!" Valeria leapt up and threw her pillow.
"Took you guys long enough- what's with you guys?" Will looked at the trio warily. The trio had disheveled hair and dark circles from their airplane battles.
"Pillows. Where's the dirtbag and Tianyu?" Valeria rolled her neck and cracked her shoulder.
"Brother Shion is busy, since he's the next head. Tianyu went with him. So I had to stay and wait for you guys."
"He doesn't seem busy to me since he's always finding time to mess with me." Valeria tensed up, waiting for Will to shout or to accuse her of whatever she did wrong. She waited but the boy said nothing.
"Will?"
"What do you want?" He glared at her, sending his older sister shrinking backwards. Kurapika and Leorio stood behind her, preventing her from escaping any further. No running away was what it seemed like they were saying.
"N-no I just thought that you would defend him."
"You're not wrong though. Instead of foolishly pursuing someone who abandoned their pride as a Lavine, he should have trained me and accepted me as the next head of the Tiger line." Will shrugged scornfully. Leorio walked up and grabbed him by the collar, surprising Will.
"Hey brat. I'm sure you've heard the phrase 'Respect your elders'. Valeria's your sister and a someone with dignity who doesn't turn her back on those who need her. Sure, she may have screwed up big time but she's changed for the better."
"Leorio…" Valeria was speechless that he would defend her and to hear such words described about her.
"Let go of me!" Will pried Leorio's hands away from him but Leorio simply tossed him onto the ground. Will coughed as he tried to get up, causing Valeria to instinctively to rush towards his side.
"Will, are you okay?"
"Don't touch me." He slapped her hand away. Valeria deflated visibly, and shuffled back. It was a surprise that Valeria was so submissive since she always appeared to have an iron personality, always violently pummeling someone who insulted her while staying unphased. This time, Kurapika intervened. He crouched down, inhaling to calm himself down.
"Don't you think you're going too far?"
"What makes you say that?"
"I noticed something when Valeria told me her story and your interactions with those two. Not once when you accused Valeria of anything did you ever bring up her attempting to kill you. If you did, not even Leorio and I could say anything to justify that. But you never did. And the Lavine is known to communicate more with their actions than their words, but all you've done so far was hurl insults and verbal abuses. Do you even hate your sister?"
"Kurapika what are you saying?" Valeria stared at him with a puzzled look then back at her younger brother, dreading for his words. Will simply did not raise his head to look at any of them, as he clenched his fist.
"Of course not...of course not you idiotic sister."