Vowed Vengeance

by GW

Disclaimer: I do not own HxH. Non-HxH characters that are used in this story are products of the author's imagination, any resemblance to other characters or personality is plainly coincidental.

Chapter 6: Journey through Time

A/N: This chapter deals mostly with Kurapika's past, we'll be back on the line of the story next chapter we just need to tackle a bit of this to introduce something. Just read…

flashback>

Kurapika stared at her dead feature. It happened once more, and he can't do anything but watch because of his weakness. Maine lied lifeless on the stones near a river, her belly and chest tore open, exposing her internal organs. But Kurapika knew something's missing. They took her heart…

The whole thing suggests that the group which bears the sign of a twelve-legged spider were cannibals. They took the Kuruta's eyes and now Maine's heart, what next? The kid thought while covering Maine's body with earth on the pit he burrowed. He patted the dust, gently, solemnly – the way the Kurutas pay homage to their dead – before covering it with red petals. And he uttered a prayer for Maine and the rest of LuAmarians, and put together a promise… a vow for vengeance.

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The path is narrow. Dried leaves covered the once dusty trail. He didn't know where to go… maybe he'll have to follow the path where his feet will take him. It was half a day after the incident when he reached a town. It's dusk yet the city seems to be so alive. The kid has seen an industrial city for the first time, other than in books. He had to find a place to spend the night because he felt tired but he knew he needs to pay. But where can he find money?

At the age of 12, Kurapika had to strive for living. Indeed he was underage but he had no choice. He had to work as a fruit vendor for a stall owner, delivery boy, baggage loader, and almost all sorts of blue-collar jobs. He had traveled far, met many people, and learned many things; including the saying he formulated from his experiences which states: "Never to trust anyone because all people were deceitful". But to every rule there is an exemption. He did trust one more person, which is his Sensei

Young Kurapika was delivering a package then. Two men approached him; one of them aimed a knife at his ribcage, slightly perforating his skin, asking him to hand over the parcel he was carrying. Kurapika didn't hand the package, instead he stared coldly at the men and glared at the only witness to the crime the men were doing. He already thought the old man, about 60s with balding white hair and long beard, can't be of help but he had to finish this or he'll lost his job! To his surprise, the old man pulled two sticks from the junk muddled at the corner of the alley and drove them away… using a style Kurapika recognized very well – the Kan, or dual bladed combat.

"Thank you…" Kurapika uttered when the old man passed beside him.

"Son," the man whispered, misting Kurapika with his breathe that smelt of tobacco and wine, "Your tenacity can bring you troubles… Sometimes, you must give up a thing for a better one… learn how to choose."

"Wait!" Kurapika followed the hunching man, "about the technique you used…"

"Kan is widely used. I'm not the only one using the technique either."

"I-I wanted to learn…"

The old man smiled, displaying a set of tarnish teeth, "I am more than willing to accept a tenacious student. If he's going to work for it, that is!"

Kurapika smiled and bowed, saying, "Hai! Sensei…"

From then Kurapika called the old man Sensei, trained Kan in exchange of cleaning his master's dojo and doing all chores that he can handle. Later that year he got a chance to work as a librarian on the town library not far from the dojo. This made it hard for him to manage his time between studying, training, and working.

"Kurapika," Sensei Kai waved to his student when the lad is about to leave for the library, "Do you remember everything I told you?"

"Y-yes" Kurapika answered, curious about the question the man was asking him. "Why is it, sensei?"

"In life, you can't have everything. Sometimes we try to catch two falling stones, you end up grasping just one or even worst – none." The man knew his student very well. He's intelligent but sometimes doesn't try to use his head because of his pride and stubbornness.

Kurapika stood in front of his master's desk. "Master, you know that decisions are hard to make. I think I need enough time."

"I'll give you a hint." Kai smiled. "My sensei told me before that in making decisions always choose what you love and love your choice."

"It's a bit ambiguous, master." The blond lad tried not to scratch his head but succumbed to it later. "As if you are suggesting that I use my heart not my head. But you are the one who told me that the brain is situated higher than the heart because it is superior. Then that indicates that I should use my brain in making decisions and not the heart."

Kai smiled at his clever student once more. "Son, think about it. You're not a little kid now. You should learn things by yourself." The old man left Kurapika with a puzzled look.

/flashback>

Kurapika smiled at the bittersweet memories of his Sensei. He had learned so many things from him yet he hasn't had time to thank him.

flashback>

Later that day he ran from the library up to his master's dojo, carrying basketful of fruits for his sensei's granddaughter and a decision that'd change his entire life.

It wasn't twilight but the dojo was showered in red, blazing like the fire in the young Kuruta's eyes. The dojo was on fire. Instead of dealing with his sentiments, he let the basket of fruits fall from his grip and tried to call for help, but he was hindered by an unknown figure.

"You don't look like you're from LuAmari…" the shadow told him.

"But he's a witness. We should kill him too!" said the other figure shrouded in shadows.

"Let him be." A brown-haired lad, about his age alleged his gang. "I think he's not that dangerous…" then turned to leave.

Unsatisfied with his companion's reason, the bulky person emerged from the shadows and kicked him hardly on the abdomen that made the kid crouch in pain. "That'd teach him… heh…"

The blond kid saw more than a maniacal grin from the man before he lost consciousness – a twelve legged spider.

/flashback>

"Today I am not going to lose a stone, I'm gonna catch them both – Ryodan's head and my tribe's eyes …" Kurapika muttered to himself, trying to hide his crimsoned eyes and devious smile from Alluna.

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Master or teacher

End notes: Next chapter's twists will be of different intensity... Someone from the past is coming back and Ryodan's leader is making his moves... Stay tuned! hehehh :

I almost forgot, Please Review! Thanks!