Cherrie's Universal Rule When Reading Her Yaoi Pieces applies here. Read chapter 2 for the whole statement.

Disclaimers: Hunter X Hunter © Yoshihiro Togashi, Shounen Jump Weekly, Shueisha and Nippon Animation. This fanfic is written for entertainment purposes only.

Author's Notes: Okay, so I said that I'll try writing in Illumi's POV, but Hisoka just always hogs the narration for some strange reason. Maybe because I like the way his mind works, plus we get along when it comes to lusting after Illumi. *blinks* Does a minor have the right to say that? Eh, what the hell =P I blame my currently insane tendencies to ff-mistress and her excellent Hisoka x Illumi fanfics lately. I dedicate this chapter to you, girl! You made a swell job making my day! ^____^ Keep them fics coming! ^.~

OF GAMES AND ASSASSINS
by: Cherrie ( kurapikasama@yahoo.com )

Chapter 3 - The Makings of a Rebel

Kikyou Zoldick was furious, and to everyone who greatly knew her, 'Kikyou' and 'fury' never went well together.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'YOU LOST HIM'!?!?!?"

Killua winced, but he was somehow pleased to note that he wasn't the only one. His father, Sillva Zoldick, who also owned the unfortunate shoulder to catch his wife's sobs, seemed to be almost tempted to shudder, but suppressed it just in time to stand stiffer than his usual as the distressed mother allowed herself to fall on his arms, sobbing like there was no tomorrow.

"Oh my baby! Why did he leave mama now that she'll be entertaining her guests soon!?" she asked to no one in particular, taking comfort from the heavy hand trying to comfort her. Her wails subsided after a few minutes, and a servant approached her close enough to hand her a white handkerchief. Kikyou took it without a word of thanks and just dabbed on the tears on her cheeks.

Killua shifted in his place, all too used to this scene to actually be bothered. After all, more than half the time, he was the reason why his mother would cry anyway, and he'd always be on the receiving end of all the blame. He supposed that he's been immune to the pitiful state his mother would always sink in every time she's in one of her hysterical moments.

Oblivious to her third son's thoughts, Kikyou took one final sniffle and turned to the young girl beside Killua. She held out a hand and beckoned the girl to come to her, which the child did after a moment's hesitation. "Karuto dear," Kikyou started in a surprisingly sweet voice. She's well-known for her ability to shift her ear-crushing screeches to the most melodious voice you'd ever hear, and within reason. She could coax anything out of anybody, especially her children, who knew the consequences of denying her anything fully well. "Tell mama what happened exactly."

Karuto bowed her head, refusing to meet her mother's eyes. She's really a quiet child. Not exactly shy, but she's ever so demure. "Well," she said, her pale hands going around behind her so she can play with her fingers. "Killua and I followed Oniisan up to the third nearest town. But once there, he took a booked airship towards a nearby island, so it almost looked like we won't be able to follow him. But Milluki came in riding his balloon and took us to follow the airship. The airship was much faster, but we were able to see where it landed. Oniisan had at least a few minutes to gain distance, but we caught sight of him eventually."

"A booked flight!?!? You mean this was actually a planned escape!?"

Kikyou was just about to burst into hysterics yet again, but Sillva thankfully stopped her by placing his hands on each of her shoulders. He cast his narrow eyes down his daughter. "Go on, Karuto. What happened when you found him?" he asked with his low and heavy voice.

"We tried to chase after him," said the young girl. "Milluki stayed up at his ballon so we won't lose him, but somehow, Oniisan caught sight of Milluki and took up his pace. First, he tried losing Milluki by going through some alleys. By the time we can't see the balloon anymore, Oniisan took his cellphone out and called somebody. He started to look around him, and after leading us in circles, he finally disappeared."

Sillva took a while to take this information in. "And who is this 'somebody'? Did he say a name?"

"He said a name, but I couldn't hear it right," answered Karuto.

Sillva looked at Killua. "Did you hear the name he mentioned?" he asked.

"No. I was a few paces behind Karuto, just in case Aniki takes a different turn," was the young, white-haired boy's answer. Truth to be told, Killua had a small inkling on who his brother called, but since he was the only member of his family who knew about Illumi's strange choice of associates, he decided to keep his mouth closed about the matter. And after all, he wasn't completely sure that he was right. Illumi's always been one to hide his private life, if he ever had one.

Kikyou's sobs were evident now. "What will I say to Reina when she finds out that Illumi won't be here to welcome her and Hime-chan?" she asked, again, to no one in particular. But all her questions all seem to be directed to her husband anyway. He's always the one solving things for her after all.

Two strong fingers reached up to draw easing circles on Sillva's temple. Personally, he didn't want to get himself into these sort of problems, but his wife made a very big issue over her social status. Like most women from the elite group, she valued the way people look at her. She and her sisters would always compete against each other, and being the youngest, Kikyou took pride at the fact that she was the most successful one of them all. It was a custom among families of high status to use their children to gain more respectable points with others and to gain more connections, and Kikyou just won't take no for an answer when it comes to a chance to help her step up the ladder.

The head of the Zoldick house eyed his children intently. "Karuto, you stay here with mama and keep her company. Grandfathers Mahha and Zeno will also stay here, and the three of us will be the ones filling in your assassination assignments for the time being. Milluki, Killua and Alluka, you three go after Illumi and whoever he's currently with."

Milluki groaned, intensely repulsed by the idea that he'll have to get away from his computers. He cast his younger brothers a look of disdain, his awful mood intensified by the thought of having two brats for brothers with him the whole time.

Killua rolled his eyes, not even bothering to give Milluki back the look of distaste. He was too happy to be given a reason to get out of their dark and damp mansion again. After all, he only came back here so he can shove it to Illumi's face that he's marrying his most hated woman in the world. Illumi, being the cold person that he was, hardly ever felt anything for anybody, may it be emotional attachment or spite. But this girl was an exception. Illumi truly hated her guts.

Hannah Schwartz, or more vastly known as Hime-chan due to her spoiled princess act, was the daughter of one his mother's most highly respected friends. Killua didn't really know what her family really did, and it's not like he actually cared. What he did know though was that this marriage would mean a lot to Kikyou, and most especially to the overzealous Hime-chan. He only saw the girl once or twice during his younger years, and though she was pretty enough with fine, dark-brown curls hanging down her petite face, one can't help but wince at the way she dotted on Illumi, almost as if he was the only one in existence every time they're together. The white-haired Zoldick child suspected that she was the reason why his eldest brother chose to grow his hair, probably in hopes to lose a bit of his masculine points.

Killua savored these types of family problems. He believed that they're necessary to bring a bit of life into the whole boring Zoldick thing.

Completely forgetting about Milluki and his cold glare, Killua turned to the pale, raven-haired boy next to him. "Yo, Alluka, you rarin' to go?" he asked.

Alluka's dark eyes reflected the very same mischief his older brother had in his own. For a boy of 10, Alluka was just as stubborn as the boy he went after, and though he liked Illumi as most young boys would respect their older brother, he still couldn't help but draw a sick sort of pleasure from the family's current state. "Ready when you are," he said, returning the grin.

From behind them, Milluki sighed and pulled the two younger boys from their back collars. "Yeah yeah, just get yourselves ready and we'll leave," he said, ushering the boys out of the room.

But the two were not in the least bit daunted. "Poor Illumi," said Killua, resting his head on his clasped hands as they walked. "I mean, it's been a decade since he met his walking nightmare, and now he actually has to live every single day of his life under the same same roof as the royal bubble-head."

Milluki scoffed, voicing his disagreement. "I don't know what the hell's wrong with Aniki. I mean, you don't expect women to have both beauty and brains and still be rich at the same time. Hime-chan is a pretty hot babe, and I'd be more than happy to overlook her slightly childish enthusiasm. I mean, what decent man won't enjoy a woman idolizing him? Besides, you don't need much brains when you're in bed anyway."

"Eew, keep your sick thoughts to yourself, Milluki!" Alluka said, inching himself away from the bigger boy. "Not everyone shares the same sentiments!"

"Oh put a sock in it, Alluka. You'll start seeing the opposite sex differently by the time you reach puberty."

"That's disgusting!"

Killua rolled his eyes and shook his head, leaving his two brothers to argue amongst themselves. He briefly wondered where Illumi really was right now. He looked back at Milluki, who was by now clearly man-handling Alluka for even disagreeing with him about something he said about sex. Killua winced. His fat brother may be smart, but he can be pretty shallow and - no pun intended - pig-headed when it comes to more mature topics.

"Yo, Millu," he called, making the older Zoldick look up to regard him. "How do you intend to find Aniki anyway?"

Milluki's face brightened up. Uh-oh, thought Killua. He'll start yapping about his inventions again and explain all the concepts that a kid his age won't even understand. "Oh, that's pretty easy!" said the overweight teen, and Killua considered covering his ears and banging his head on a wall for even asking. Unfortunately, he did neither because Milluki had spoken almost immediately. "You see, all of the cellphones dad gave all of you are made by me. Have I told you that?"

Like, ten times a day, you fat pig, thought Killua.

"Anyway, right below the main memory chip, I placed a sensor with a very powerful antenna that will then connect to one of my computers. It will be presented through some sort of radar..."

* * * * *

"Uh...tell me again why you're throwing your cellphone off the island?"

Hisoka watched as Illumi took a step back before throwing the small machine towards the open waters of the bay. There was a light 'plop' as the cellphone dropped to the surface and dove down the deep waters, visibly moved away by the currents. A small smirk was playing on the pale assassin's lips.

"Let Milluki have a bit of a challenge," he said, his eyes still fixed on the spot where his old cellphone disappeared to. "Intelligent as he is, he is far too proud of himself to keep accomplishments to himself. By telling us over and over again that he was the one who made our cellphones, he all but declared some sort of spying mission father assigned to him. That thing is bound to betray my location."

"You do realize that you're completing your whole rebel image with the thing's you're doing, don't you?" asked the magician with an evident tinge of amusement on his voice. "Who would've thought that goody-goody Illumi would actually go against family orders?"

Illumi let out a deep grunt and turned back from the rickety wooden extension back to concrete ground. He shrugged as Hisoka fell in step with him, and they walked away from the docks. The magician was very much intrigued now. How could someone as obedient as Illumi go so much as run away from home just because of some girl he's supposed to marry? "Ne, Illu," he said, not anymore able to keep himself from asking. "Why do you hate this girl so much anyway? Y'know, marriage is just some superficial connection people engage into so they'd have a material basis regarding whom they live their lives with. I mean, you can still go on as if nothing happened."

Illumi visibly frowned and cast the other a dark look. "She is too dumb to realize that. To her, being married to me would mean that we'll live happily ever after on some enchanted castle far from civilization."

Bad-mouthing, speaking in sentences with more than 10 words, voice rising up from the usual monotone...this was definitely a most intriguing situation if it brought out the worst in the usually soft-spoken assassin. He wondered how far Illumi's temper would bring him. Surely, he won't be so hard on him once his dark motives were revealed. After all, what were all those years of loyal companionship for?

Hisoka shook his head to clear his mind from these thoughts for a while, and just settled on the current situation. Linking his arm with the assassin's own, he pulled him close enough to playfully rest his chin on the other's shoulder. "Ne, I'll buy you a really expensive dinner if you tell me all about your little girlfriend!" he offered generously, tugging on the arm to emphasize his enthusiasm.

"She is not my girlfriend," Illumi said defensively, his firm voice dripping with venom.

Hisoka grinned. "Oh yeah, you're with me right now, aren't you? We wouldn't want you two-timing me, would we?" he mocked, playfully curling two fingers on Illumi's fine silk tresses. The midnight-colored locks sensually ran through his touch, then went on cascading down back to their owner's slender shoulders. The magician found himself staring at the sheer beauty of it. He briefly wondered how much time Illumi spends on his hair to make it look and move like that.

For Illumi's part, Hisoka was pleased to note that the young assassin didn't even flinch at his touch. He was glaring, but not because of Hisoka's touching his hair. "You find a really sick pleasure from my pains, don't you?" he accused, taunting the magician in his own way by not being bothered by their proximity.

There was a really suggestive sexual innuendo on Illumi's last statement, though whether or not he actually noticed, Hisoka wasn't sure. But he really didn't know if it mattered, and his amusement with the remark was betrayed by the manic smile on his face. "Would it surprise you if I do, Illumi?" he asked, his voice overflowing with milk and honey. Which, even Illumi knew, never meant anything good.

The assassin scoffed and rolled his eyes, briefly stepping away to push the other's hand off him. "That's enough of your sadistic fetishes, Hisoka" he said. Okay, so Hisoka had to admit, Illumi's not as clueless as he thought. Maybe he really did read those magazines his brothers owned. At least he's picking some things up. The magician wondered if the other thought that he really was just playing around, and whether or not that was such a bad thing.

Illumi, still oblivious to the other's turn of thoughts, glared at the magician sharply for a moment, which only earned him an innocent grin. Resisting the urge to roll his eyes again, he just went on walking.

Hisoka stayed where he was for a while, smirking as he watched Illumi's moving form. Yes, he was clearly enjoying himself. Illumi was always the one to get rid of his life's boring roads. He was certainly welcome whenever the magician had nothing to do, and it was always fun taunting him. Probably because he was the only who wouldn't run away screaming like mad once Hisoka got into his creepy tendencies. He could even say that Illumi knew him well, and he was pleased with that thought.

His thoughts were immediately cut off when he sensed a cold spark come up his back, causing the hairs on his nape to stand. He looked up and sure enough, there Illumi was, glaring daggers at him. Something in that look urged him to move. To many people, Illumi's eyes would convey nothing, but that was because Illumi meant it to be that way. But Hisoka certainly knew a glare when he sees one.

"Coming~!" he sang, mainly to further annoy his companion. He ignored the exasperated look on the other's face and just proceeded on linking their arms together again.

"Must you do that?" Illumi asked, fixing a pointed stare at their linked arms.

"But of course!" replied the magician, tightening his hold. "We'll never know. What if your family gets lucky and finds us almost immediately, right?" He gave Illumi his sweetest smile. Of course, both of them knew that he was more likely to move a mountain a mile off with that smile than to actually affect Illumi with it.

"Really," drawled the younger man, giving the magician a look of pure sarcasm. "Whatever, Hisoka. As long as it's not me latching all over you, I'm fine with anything," he said, sighing.

Hisoka grinned. Watch your words, he all but sang in his head, a warning directly for the assassin beside him. But he voiced nothing out, and just continued to walk beside the other, reminding himself to keep a tally of Illumi's words. One may never know when he'll be able to use them against him.

End of Chapter 3

A/N: Karuto called Illumi 'oniisan' while she called Milluki, Killua and Alluka by their designated names. Just for this fanfic alone, I would like to clear up that the terms 'oniisan' and 'aniki' will be given solely for Illumi because it might cause confusion to have them all called that. There are four boys, y'know XP

Yay! I'm writing faster than my usual pace! ^.^ If I get lucky, I'll reach up to chapter 6 or 7 before school starts =P I'm currently reading the required novel for our book report (stupid bookstores only had the new stocks now *grumbles*), so I might get delayed sometimes, but I'll try really hard to keep on writing. Please send me feedbacks! Knowing what you people want may inspire me and give me new ideas, and kind words are always the best tools to urge me on ^.^