There was a deafening silence.
It bears the desperation that cannot be fathomed, a wound that cannot be healed and a grieving heart that cannot be consoled. Then it was shattered by vague footsteps that moved about, sauntering toward what seemed like a heap of colorful rice sacks mounded together forming a small hill.
The boy, looking totally unaware of himself, toddled silently, carving into his memory the scene before him. He was staring soulfully at the lifeless forms of his Kuruta clan members, their eye sockets hollow.
The rain slowly started to pour, one by one, then joined in the chorus. And yet there he stood unmoved by the fierce downpour of rain. No, he didn't mind being wet at all. He watched as the blood of his family flowed freely, as if crying out to him, demanding justice. The stench of decaying flesh overcame his senses as he stood there paralyzed at the moment. In times where violence escalates daily, justice cannot be done. Tears. Blood. Death. He breathed heavily, his shoulders shaking violently then shut his eyes close, allowing the buildup of tears stream down his cheeks, and blend with the rainfall. He shut his eyes from the light… from the beautiful things in the world… and opened it for the one thing he sees… the sole purpose of his existence… revenge.
"Trash." The scarlet- eyed avenger scornfully spat, drifting back to the present.
"Mm? Talking to yourself?" The obligatory musclebounder's eyes revealed nothing but pure mockery.
"Kuso!" Kurapika lunged at the man bound in his chain, knocking him to the ground with powerful blows.
He was collecting the exact compensation for the damage done. He was giving full vent to the anger that he kept buried for years, the seething lust for revenge. They stole away the lives of his family, his clan, and inhumanly plucked their eyes out just to harbor their selfish desires. Ubo, the white haired Goliath, looked impervious to the attack, though his eyes betrayed his actions. There was no way he could not be hurt. The blows were much heavier now, as if new weight had been added to it- the weight of the lives taken carelessly by the Phantom Brigade. The scarlet-eyed avenger tirelessly slammed his fist into the face, then sent a cracking blow to the neck, and afterwards, the stomach. Blood gushed nearly out of everywhere… his nostrils, the side of his eyes, his chest. Kurapika's face was stony and white, without expression.
Then he grabbed the man by the neck and bashed his head in the ground.
"Do you not feel anything when you kill?" The Kuruta was abruptly paused, his breathing ragged. Then there was another round of blows. "What about the family they might leave behind?" Then he continued his interrogation in between blows. "Are you happy skipping about leaving a pile of bodies everywhere? Are you entertained in seeing people scream for their life and struggle as you hurt them? How many have died by your hands, huh? Why are you doing this? Tell me!" He searched his face, his eyes, but they gave nothing away.
"I don't even remember the Kuruta clan," He jeered, as if casually trying to remember where he left a jar of cookies.
Kurapika raised his hand to his chest, revealing the Jiajimento chien on his finger. "Bakero," He hissed then tightened the chain inside the muscle bounder's heart, "You might want to live longer. Answer me."
Ubo drew out spasms, then coughed out blood, "Kill me…"
And he pulled the chain as Ubo's face contorted in pain, then fell dead.
…………………….
"You all owe me!" came a childish voice followed by manic laughter.
Neon was in high spirits, as always. The cards were all on her side, beaming at her. If only winning meant money. She would've made Bill Gates look shabby in a $100,000 gem- studded, diamond- embroidered tailor suit. Her shoulders shook with uncontrollable laughter, her face crimson red with glee. The maids, who were unconsciously sweating bullets, silently asked for a proof of Kami-sama's existence by quieting the robust, animated, sparkling girl and letting her off for bed. The young lady had insisted on playing poker and refused to go to sleep for some unknown reasons. It was a traumatic experience for the naïve maids, who have not even seen a King spades card. But Neon, being the playful girl she was, laughed, and sniggered then guffawed loudly, probably waking the entire neighborhood. She rolled on the floor, then banged her hand against it, scaring the daylights out of the horror stricken maids who swore that this was the last time they would get humiliated by a spoiled brat who knew nothing about life. At long last, the laughter subsided.
The puffy, misty-eyed girl gasped for breath as she composed herself and said, a little too predictably, "I need air."
They all knew what euphemisms were, and what they meant. There were shouts of protests. "Miss Neon! Your father! He-," and "It's past your sleeping time, Miss Neon! If-," and "Your body clock…"
Then, as if knowing that the prophetess was not threatened by any of the above mentioned, someone added, "Kurapika told us not to leave until you are safely tucked to sleep."
There was it. An exception to her rule. If her follow-what-I-say-if-you-don't-want-to-get-hurt bodyguard said that, it was an entirely different subject matter. The maids looked at each other meaningfully. Then the gossip- mongers started their brainstorming.
"He's not yet here, right?"
A nod then, "I heard he's avenging his family…the Phantom Brigade… how's he gonna take them all?"
There was a gasp. Then in low, very low voice "That makes him a murderer!" Several repetitive nods in agreement.
"Yes! Avenger kills murderer! He's putting the law into his own hands!"
The maids, who were starting to obsess on the topic, was so engrossed (gossips are hard to resist) that they never noticed the Prophetess quietly slip past them.
……………….
Neon wandered around the place, creeping from corner to corner, watching out for any sign of her bodyguards and maids. The coast is clear! So that was it. She just discovered her secret formula for freedom divine. Drunken laughter increased by a game of poker with a sure win then start a conversation about her celebrity bodyguard and she's free! But then, she couldn't just leave it hanging. There was a question there. She vaguely remembered one of her maid's words. He's putting the law into his own hands… That makes him a murderer! If there was a criminal under the same roof with her, that imperils her life. But then, her maids are gossipers. Gossips are usually full of deceit, passed from mouth to mouth, always changing in the end. She sighed quietly, then shook her head away from the thoughts. She concentrated on savoring her newfound freedom. She clasped her hands to her back, slightly skipping as she trudged the dimly lit hallway. There was actually nothing she was looking for. Nothing in particular. She just felt something tugging within her; prodding her to a direction she was once afraid of venturing. It was as if she was being pulled by some magnetic force, leading her to trouble, although she admits that her curiosity is surmounting every restraint she felt at the moment.
"Neon- sama,"
Neon actually jumped in surprise.
She turned, astounded and at the same time amazed that she didn't even notice her standing quietly in the shadows behind her.
"Senritsu!" She breathed at last. "You scared me to death!" But the rabbit tooth creature didn't even blink. This signaled a suddenly fidgety Neon to go on. "Ummm… I was going for a stroll. Do you want to come with me?"
"Don't go to him, Neon-sama,"
Neon feigned innocence. "Huh?"
Senritsu looked solemn and grave. She lowered her head in strained acquiescence as if fumbling for the right words.
"Last time I checked, his heartbeat was –," She paused randomly, then heaved a sigh. "His heartbeat sounded grave and disturbingly erratic. I was almost afraid to go near him. He is not in a stable condition right now. I would advice against-,"
The last thing Senritsu saw was a dark form that fled from him, sprinting toward the forbidden course. Neon Nostrad. Stubborn as usual.
And yet Senritsu could not hide the faint smile forming in her lips. She could not deny that she actually wanted it this way, whatever the consequences. Maybe she could soften him a bit………………….
His door was slightly ajar. Neon, being the innocent girl she was, took it as an invitation to go inside- that, without bothering to knock.
She gently pushed the door back, her movements swift but mild. It was oddly cold and eerie. She did not bother to close the door, and proceeded through the dark. She prudently groped for the light switch, gracelessly feeling through the walls.
"Why are you still awake?"
She held back a shriek.
She was utterly, completely, totally flabbergasted.
It was the second time a person caught her unawares and it was disarming. Backing herself against the wall, she held her breath longer than usual. She was so engrossed in looking for the switch she deliberately overlooked the open light. Kurapika rested his hand against the wall, facing an unnaturally wide-eyed and stupefied Neon Nostrad.
"Ummm… I- uh…." The Nostrad princess stammered, leaning so hard against the wall that it hurt her hands, which were fastened firmly to her back. She knew that her bodyguard never liked peeping toms and liars. Not that she was any of those, but then, what would he think if he saw a woman go into his room without permission and tell him she was looking for a light switch?
"I----,"
Kurapika waited, his sapphire blue eyes crashing into Neon's emerald green eyes. And the sad thing was, she couldn't tear herself from those eyes.
"I. Was…" She paused. "I couldn't sleep whenever you're there outside…" She let her words trail. At least it wasn't a lie. It was the truth. "Errr… So you are here now. I could sleep peacefully-," She started for the door. In a single pull, he managed to put her back to the wall, where she belongs. He inched closer. He was staring so intently at her that she thought he read her like an open door, probing, as if searching for the answers.
"I'm ready to listen."
Neon hesitated. Then, looking away, she exhaled softly.
"I overheard the maids. Tell me…did – you hurt someone lately?" She commended herself for being outright frank with him, though she didn't think she rephrased it well. She watched as he moved towards the open window, welcoming the cool night air as it breezed through the room, its chill adding to the tension that hung in the air.
"I killed the man who killed my family." He briefly stated.
"Revenge." She saw him tense. She continued. "They said you murdered him." She offhandedly shrugged. "Defend yourself. Why did you do it?"
He turned to look at her curtly, then let out a sharp intake of breath. "There is nothing to defend. Believe what you have heard." He paused momentarily. "The Phantom Brigade… they are lumps of meat put together to be stupid killing machines... They are thieves…criminals. They massacred my clan and took out their eyes just to satisfy their lust for money and pleasure. They disgust me…I could never forgive them for what they have done…They have to pay… They have to suffer…suffer and die just as my family did...And when that time comes, I shall look down on their corpse and smile…" He felt a hand on his back.
"You are carrying a heavy burden, Kurapika…" She felt him stiffen under her touch. "You have planted hatred in your heart. You cultivate the longing that nurtures it… You water it everyday… salt water doesn't quench thirst…likewise, revenge won't quench your emotions," She felt like a councilor.
He seemed to absorb the facts fast. He chucked quietly then asked, If so, then what is the mineral water that will quench my emotions?" He asked, riding on her illustrative explanation.
Neon slipped her hand on his waist, pulling him into a tight embrace. Kurapika stood rooted to the spot, her body warmth invading his senses. The feeling was still foreign to him. He had not known to desire something other than revenge or hatred. Her warm breath stimulated something in him… something he wasn't ready to understand… something he did not want to do, for fear of the things that might follow.
The prophetess, who was treasuring every moment of it, snuggled in closer to him. Face against his back, she breathed deeply. He smelled wonderful—a mix of sweet laundry soap and something she couldn't quite place: something so inexplicably him. She closed her eyes to savor yet one of those treasured moments in her life, one of those Kodak moments.
"The mineral water that would satisfy your thirst…" She sleepily repeated, resting her head against his back. "It is love, Kurapika…"
The flaxen haired lad stared at the nothingness in front of him… He did not want that kind of emptiness. After all is said and done, what would eventually become of him? Somehow, he found the truth in her words. He glanced at his once bloodied hands and mentally shook his head. She just could not love him, not after all the things he has done. The young lady has so much ahead of her. She was not worth a bloodstained man whose goal in life was to seek vengeance. And yet… He took her snow-white hands in his, and felt the girl nestle a little too closer that he wanted to take her into his arms. For the first time in his life, he felt whole.
A thick blanket of silence descended around them, quiet hung over them like heavy drapes on a window... No one dared speak... It was as if everything was a still silent photograph and the surreal moment would disappear if there were the slightest of disturbances...
Outside the door the prophetess carelessly left open, someone stood watching, happy for her friend.