12-Waltz for the Moon
Chapter 2: Sweet Bitter Memories
By: Yume no Hime (formerly known as Rizzy)
A/N:
[Disclaimers] I DO NOT own HxH and that's that! I only claim what's mine in this story and that's only one character. You are, however, welcome to use her if you please and if you see fit.
Thanks to all those readers who reviewed! Thanks also to those that didn't review but enjoyed it all the same! Well, I couldn't make this longer but I hope you don't already find it somewhat dragging. Anyways, just read it and REVIEW!!! =]
P.S.
I included some stuff that will be in the second OVA. I'll give a hint. Something about Caruto and Ryodan.
***
Leorio sat up as the three people he was expecting strode in. Just as they had, a heavy downpour of rain ensued outside. He sat up from the library desk and approached them.
"Hello! Did you all come to check out what I found???" Leorio said joyfully.
"Yes. You said it was something that will cure my memory?" Kurapika said, massaging his brow slightly for his head had begun to throb, probably a reminiscence of his high fever.
"You okay Kurapika???" Gon piped in, looking over to Kurapika with concern.
"Yeah, just fine."Kurapika replied with a faint smile. "Leorio, are you sure?"
"Aww come on! I was serious! I found this yesterday. Take a look!" He handed them a big book filled with complicated words. They stared.
"What is THAT!?" Killua hollered into the older man's ear.
"Hey! For your information, I worked hard to find this!" Leorio yelled back indignantly.
"Reorio! Do you even understand it?"
"What difference does it make either way!?"
"A lot!!!"
"Oh please..."
"What makes YOU so sure it can help Kurapika???"
"I saw the word amnesia, ok???"
"Ugh!" Kurapika sighed heavily. "I don't think either of you can help me."
"Don't be silly, Kurapika! We'll find another way." Gon said in his usual optimistic manner.
"I seriously doubt it, Gon." Kurapika replied gloomily. Leorio and Killua stopped quarrelling and Leorio jumped to Kurapikas side.
"Ok, I was only joking. I really found something! Here, it's in the computer!" Leorio led them to the result of his work. They stared into the monitor and they found one name written in bold. 'Nirvana'
"So how can this help?" Kurapika inquired.
"This company was a part of the Mafia..." Killua said in a rather hushed voice.
"So? What does it mean?" Gon stared at the white haired boy uncertainly.
"Well, they were broken off by the Mafia people because they had dark dealings...I remember cause my dad took out their founder for the Mafia around 4 years ago, I think." Killua explained, walking in back and fourth.
"No one answered my question yet. How can it help me?" Kurapika asked again impatiently.
"They have dark ways of doing things...Rumor has it they have just recently completed making a machine that can restore lost memories and so on..." Killua went on. "But I'm not sure if the rumors are true..."
Kurapika and the rest of them were silent for a moment. 'A solution...' Kurapika couldn't help thinking to himself. No matter what the risks were, he knew this could be the only chance he got, even if it was unsure.
"What do I do?" Kurapika said, his voice echoing through the emptied walls of the library.
"They are looking for someone who can transfer a package..." Leorio answered, looking into Kurapikas now dark eyes.
"Package?" Repeated the blonde.
"Yeah...but you shouldn't take it! It's too risky! Even if it's only a simple task!" Leorio objected. He sensed there was no way to change Kurapika's mind when he's already made it up.
"He's right! Once you get employed, they'll never let you go! You better be careful, Kurapika. These are dangerous people you're dealing with." Killua commented, but Kurapikas mind was set. His decision made.
"You think I care?" Kurapika steadily responded.
The three other people looked at him in horror as he walked out of the huge front doors.
'At first light of the sun, I will go to Nirvana.'
~~~
"How fast time does fly." The voice said from the armchair facing the window. "How long was it, Kuroro, since we last met?"
A man stood at the other end of the smoothly polished table. He had a drawling look about him and a cross on his pale forehead.
"Doesn't matter." Kuroro said casually, a bit of irritancy showing in his smooth sounding voice. "I just thought I'd pay my respects, grandfather."
The armchair slowly turned, revealing an old tired looking man about the age of 85. He slowly and deliberately strummed his thin fingers on his desk and looked thoughtful.
"Since when did the great Kuroro want to pay homage to anyone other than himself, if I may ask?"
Kuroro stood his ground firmly but as he spoke, his voice had a slight quaver in it. "Since now, of course."
"My, my...how time does fly." The old mans face wrinkled into a harsh smile. "Well, let's just get down to business. What do you want? Money? Wealth? Fame? Power? Spit it out, boy, and stop playing this useless game with me."
"Yes, to the point. I know Nirvana is very...resourceful. I have a problem you see, and I need Nirvanas help." Kuroro replied placidly again.
"What sort of a problem?" The older man said wearily and continued to strum his fingers on the table.
Kuroro hesitated, but after what seemed like much thought, he continued." My nen was stolen by a useless bug."
"And what exactly do you expect me to do about that?" His grandfather inquired again, eyeing him suspiciously.
"You have lots of help now, don't you?" He paused and leaned on the smooth table. "Why not use some of that to help me crush the bug."
"You need help with that? I would have thought..." The old man frowned and looked at his impatient grandson.
"Would have thought what exactly?" Kuroro shot back.
"Nothing, nothing..." The old man replied wearily, raising a hand in defeat.
"Do not worry, old man. You will get your moneys worth...when the time comes." With that, the leader of the almighty Spiders left the old weary man to furrow his eyebrows in deep regret and contempt.
~~~
Kurapika twisted and turned over on his bed. Hard as he tried, he could not get a wink of sleep. Tired and sweaty, he got up and paced around his small apartment bedroom that Leorio had lent him.
He raised a hand to his eyes and sighed. 'I wonder...' He couldn't help thinking, "where would I be now, hadn't I lost my memory?' His hand traveled back to his side as he looked to the sky, the moon clearly visible through the thick clouds.
"A red moon..." He mumbled incoherently. "I must be...dreaming."
He shook his head and got back to his twisting and turning on his bed. 'It's just nerves.' He assured himself. With that, he fell in to a deep sleep, his head filled with visions of faint screams and the splatter of blood.
He found himself standing on a tall snowy peak, staring down through the mist of smoke and clouds.
He also felt being gently lifted down by some unknown force, and then so suddenly dropped down in a not-so-gentle manner.
Through the smoldering wreckage of splintered wood and bricks, he saw a small boy around the age of ten under a huge slab of rock.
He could make out the pained look on his face and realized blood was dripping down his forehead past his eyes that were wide open with fear and anxiety.
Scarlet eyes...
The small boy made a mumbling sound and looked up to Kurapika.
He then saw it was...himself.
Kurapika sat up. That must have been the most senseless dream he ever had. He wasn't sure why he suddenly started having this throbbing in his temple. He run a hand through his hair, but suddenly paused. 'A scar?'
His hand brushed through a small scar barely hidden from sight. 'It can't be...'
He looked up once more to the sky, the red moon still clearly seen through the thin mist.
~~~
Kurapika woke very early the next day. He was ready to face whatever Nirvana would throw at him to attain his memory. He took what little things he owned and dialed the number Leorio had given him.
"Yes? What?" Said a rather grumpy voice on the other line.
"I'm going to apply for the carrier job. I hear you have an opening." Kurapika replied abruptly. Something about that voice was creeping him.
"Oh..." A slight pause before the rough voice continued. " Sorry, there are a lot who are willing to take the job."
Kurapika mentally cursed at his bad luck. He heard a slight chortle from the man on the other line.
"Well, if you're desperate like everyone else here, you can come to this address. Look for a guy named Iori. He'll be able to help you for sure." click. The man had put down the phone leaving Kurapika totally perplexed.
'What address? He didn't give me any--' His thoughts were cut short by the beeping of something in his suitcase. He opened it hastily and took out a cell phone. His cell phone. He saw the message and his jaw would have dropped. It was Nirvana's address.
How could they have known where to send it if even he hadn't known he had a cell? Was it really just nerves that were bugging him or was there something more? This surely heightened his interest about the secret company Nirvana and of his past.
With high sprits, he took his things and marched out the room in much of a hurry.
***
A/N:
So, did you people like it? I did the best I could do to lengthen it, but alas, I could not. Umm...nothing much to say except...I'm half asleep when I finished this. It's like way past my bedtime already...I think I'm starting to see Sadako already...XP Okay! This is freaky!!! So the usual, your comments and helpful criticism are welcome. I actually would rather you criticize helpfully and review rather than you don't review at all!!! I really appreciate all them comments too!!! Thank you and bye!!!