Reikai Tanteis
by ARaZhi
Chapter 2
How could everything have gone so wrong so fast?
Those thoughts raced around and around Leorio's head. Beside Leorio, Gon have buried his face in his hands. And for the first time, Leorio noticed how young Gon really was. Gon is just twelve and by a cruel twist of fate, two of his friends are...
"No!" Leorio whispered harshly to himself. They can't be dead. Not Kurapika! Not Killua! They're too young! Leorio glared up, as though he could see and speak to whoever is up there calling himself god. "Do you hear me?" Leorio hissed, "You have no right to take them away! Not like this! Not right now!"
Leorio bowed his head and clenched his fists. Beside him, tears could be seen leaking out of the hands covering Gon's face.
Leorio placed a hand on Gon's back, trying to console his young friend. "It'll be..." It'll be what? Leorio silently asked himself. It won't be alright. Both of us know that if Killua or Kurapika or worse both dies, it won't be alright. It will *never* be alright.
Leorio closed his eyes and shivered. Everytime he closes his eyes he could still see the fight... all that blood...
Kurapika and Nobunaga attacked at the same time. Nobunaga, Phinx, and Feitan ganged up against Kurapika. Leorio found himself face to face with a guy (or girl?) covered with hair. Gon was having a face off with the girl he fought in arm wresting. Killua was facing Machi and Shalnark.
The fight seemed to last forever, but in reality it was no more than twenty minutes. Kurapika got Nobunaga first. But before Kurapika could finish off his opponent Phinx and Feitan were on to him. Kurapika's body crumpled to the ground. Gon's anger at seeing Kurapika fall down, gave him enough strength to overpower his opponent. Leorio was already on the ground, wheezing in pain. Killua was holding out on his own but things were about to go from bad to worse...
Feitan, satisfied that they knocked down the "chain guy", turned his attention to Gon leaving Phinx to finish off Kurapika.
The terror in Killua's voice will be imprinted in Leorio's mind forever. "NOOOO! Gon! Look out!"
But Gon was caught in the girl's death grip. Leorio couldn't move to help. Gon was entirely at Shizuku and Feitan's mercy.
Not caring about the danger, Killua threw himself over his best friend to block Feitan's attack. Killua fell to the ground. His eyes staring up. Unmoving.
Gon's anguished scream tore through the night before he sent Shizuku and Feitan over the cliff with two powerful punches. The anger in Gon's eyes is something Leorio will not forget either.
Phinx stepped towards Gon, his aura glowing.
"Stop it," Nobunaga choked out from the ground. "Let them go. We got the chain guy. Leave the brat alone."
"Shut up," Feitan hissed, stepping out of the shadows.
"He already lost two of his friends. Leave him alone," Nobunaga slowly and painfully stood up.
"I agree with him," Shalnark said, "Let's get out of here."
Leorio have managed to crawl his way to Killua who was nearest to him. There was no heartbeat. Gon was standing in front of him, his aura glowing, ready to punch anyone who dares to come nearer.
"I vote we go. We'll let the coin decide," Machi said. She threw the coin up, "Tails!"
"Heads!" Feitan said.
"Tails," Machi picked up a large book, "We're leaving."
Gon continued to glare at the Ryodan. Nobunaga moved towards Gon and stopped just out of Gon's reach. "I'm sorry. If you hurry maybe you can still save him." Nobunaga glanced at Killua before following the other spiders. Shizuku stepped out of the shadows and ran after them.
Alone, Gon and Leorio are on a race of time to save their friends... but even with nen enhanced abilities... they were too late.
"It's all my fault," Gon whispered thickly, his voice breaking through Leorio's reverie, "If I had talked to them more maybe they'd listen..."
"I shouldn't have suggested going there," Leorio said, his throat tight. "If I---"
The door beside them opened and a doctor stepped out.
Leorio and Gon stood up, both looking at the doctor expectantly. However, one look at the doctor's saddened eyes and they already know what he's about to say.
"We did everything we can. The blond boy's condition is stable for the moment, but the next twenty-four hours will be very crucial. The other one..." The doctor swallowed hard, "I'm sorry," he shook his head, his eyes downcast before stepping away from them.
Leorio felt like all his bones have turned into jelly. Beside him, Gon stood stock-still, his eyes staring, seemingly unconscious of the tears that continually flow from his eyes. Leorio backed against the wall and sank to the floor. He closed his eyes and for the second time Leorio cried for another lost friend.
Somewhere in the operating room, a nurse could be heard sniffing, "It's so sad... and they're both so young..."
~*~
"Oi! Stop crying you, idiot!" Killua took a swipe at Gon and his arm went right through his friend. "AHH!!!"
"Killua, weren't you listening to the doctor?" Kurapika asked. "Isn't it enough that they couldn't see us?"
"Hell no! I don't believe I'm dead. That spider jerk won't be the end of me! Leorio knows something about healing people right? I'll make him look at me and heal me. Besides, the doctor said you're not dead, so what are you doing here?"
"I don't know. I tried to enter my body but I couldn't. This is all so..."
"Weird?" a girl's voice asked them.
Both turned and found themselves looking at a girl with big purple eyes and sky blue hair. "I'm Botan, I escort dead souls. Pleased to meet you!"
"Weren't you listening? I *said* I'm *not* yet dead," Killua repeated. "And will someone please tell Gon to stop crying!"
Botan sighed, "Looks like I'm going to have a hard time explaining this..."
"How can I hit him? Hm," Killua looked at Botan. "Tell me how to hit him," Killua points at Gon.
"You can't do that..." Botan began to say.
"Of course I can!" Killua turned to Gon, "Listen to me, I'm not *dead*! I'm right here! Stop crying! You're making me feel guilty for dying!" Killua blinked, realizing what he just said and a vein popped on his forehead. "Damn! I'm not making sense. I'm not dead!"
"Well... you are..." Botan interjected.
"Shut up!"
"Hey! Show some respect!"
"Oi! Where are you going?"
Gon had turned away from them and entered the emergency room. Killua, Botan, and Kurapika floated after Gon. The door slammed shut behind Gon while Leorio walked right through Kurapika.
Kurapika sweatdropped, "That is so weird."
"It'll take some getting used to," Botan said.
"I don't want to get used to it," Kurapika remarked.
"Neither do I," Killua said, but nevertheless the three of them walked through the door and found Gon beating up Killua's body.
"You said you were impossible to kill! But what do you do, huh? One hit from that bastard and you die! How dare you! You're stronger than this! Wake up! WAKE UP, KILLUA!!!" Gon slapped his best friend across the face.
"Gon! Stop it!" Leorio said, grabbing Gon by the shoulders and pulling him away from Killua's body.
"Yeah, Gon!" Killua said, standing in front of his friend and shaking his finger in front of Gon's face. Unfortunately, Gon couldn't see him. "Stop beating up my body." Killua sweatdropped, "That doesn't sound right."
"I keep telling you..."
"No!" Killua glared at Botan. "I'm not dead. I refuse to die."
"Wait! Leorio! Look!" Gon shrugged off Leorio and raced back to Killua's side walking right through Killua's spirit in the process. "Do you see it?"
"See what?"
"There!" Gon pointed at a spot on Killua's neck. "Killua has a pulse!"
"He does?" Leorio asked.
Gon and Leorio quickly placed their heads against Killua's chest.
Curious, Killua moved to his body and placed his head on the spot where Gon's head was a moment ago.
"I can hear his heartbeat!" Gon exclaimed, smiling happily.
"Oi! I can hear my heartbeat!" Killua said, grinning, "I told you I'm not dead!"
"If you would just let me finish..."
"They're both alive!" Leorio yelled. "I'd go get the doctor!"
"Tell us how to get back to our bodies," Kurapika said.
"WILL YOU LET ME FINISH FOR ONCE?" Botan demanded, irked.
Killua and Kurapika both jumped away from her in fright.
Botan took a deep breath, "You can't go back to your bodies yet. I'm taking you to Koenma-sama, he wants to talk to you."
"Who?" Killua asked.
"Koenma? Any relation to Enma, King of the Reikai?" Kurapika questioned.
"Wait. Reikai? As in spirit world? Didn't we just prove a while ago that I'm alive? Why do I have to go there? We're wasting time! I want to go back to my body!" Killua said impatiently.
Botan gritted her teeth. "We have to go to Reikai. Koenma wants to talk to you. If we don't go there within the next 24 hours, both of you will die. For real."
Killua and Kurapika looked at each other. Both of them turned to look at Gon who was now standing beside Kurapika's bed, then at Leorio, entering the room with the doctors behind him. Their friends's eyes are filled with concern yet both are obviously happier than they were minutes ago.
"Take us to Reikai."