A/N: More characters. Kikyou hasn't arrived yet. But what of Gon and Killua?
In the Wrong Hands
The drink is a pretty shade of red, with bits of kiwi and a blueberry in it. Despite the mild bit of alchol, Gon is unfazed. Mito-san and grandmother do own a restaurant with an attached bar, after all. Grandmother used to let him try sips of it in the parlor, away from the watchful gaze of Mito-san. If she ever found out, he would be in big trouble. As good as the drink is, that is not the point. They are here to gather information about Ging, even though it's hard to be inconspicuous when they are also two twelve-year-olds sitting idly at a bar. This is one of the few that lacks any age limits. Killua drinks his vodka by the cupful, having been trained to withstand poisons much more potent. This is only a formality for him, a beverage taken more for the sweet taste than its intoxicating effects.
"Another cup please," the Zaoldyck requested. "Make that a double. This will be my last one." He is reluctant to stop enjoying these colorful drinks; however, people were eyeing them warily, not only because of their respectives ages, but because of his unusually high tolerance. "By the way, do many Hunters drink at this bar?"
While shaking up the combination of chemicals for his customer's alcohol, the bartender smiled, "Looking for someone, eh? Since this bar is open to everybody, Hunters ocassionally come here. It becomes a good rendevouz place for people exchanging information. It's the first time I've seen anyone this young walk into a bar though. Who are you looking for?"
Gon looks up from drinking his Fireblood. "Do you know where Ging is?" The bartender seems to raise his eyebrows in surprise. Just who are these kids, anyway? Their alcohol tolerance is not that of a civilian's, and they're asking about a name famous in Hunter circles. Could such young kids be Hunters too? Then again, with nen, one could prevent one's outer appearance from aging very easily. Perhaps they're not really prepubescent boys.
Finishing his mix of drinks, the bartender grabs a cup from behind him and pours the mix into it. "I'm sorry, no one knows where Ging is. Everyone who's a Hunter has heard his name at least once, since it's in all the history books about Hunters and their doings. My guess is that he's constantly moving, dealing with one project after another." The darker boy seems disappointed. "Why do you want to find him, anyway?"
Before Gon can burst out that Ging is
his father, Killua intercepted. "We need his help. Many people do,
probably," he shrugs. His pants-pocket vibrates, giving off a dull,
muffled sound. He answers it. "Hello? This is Killua." Gon looks at him
curiously, wondering who called. The bartender turns away to serve
another customer who just arrived.
"Kurapika? What's wrong? You rarely call us."
"That's.. strange. All right, we'll come right away."
"What was that about?"
"When we meet Leorio and Kurapika, we'll find out." They pay the bartender generously, with the standard fifteen percent tip. Walking out of the bar, Killua leads them toward the train station to buy tickets. Killua carelessly pays for them both.
"Wait, where are we going?"
"Those two need us in Rikka City." While they wait on the benches for the train to pull up to the platform, Killua briefs Gon about Kurapika finding a boy who sounds like Alluka, Killua's brother, near Triumph Bridge, which was bombed yesterday. Alluka mentioned that he was with Hisoka and Illumi, but Kurapika doesn't sense them in the near vicinity. Rikka City is a large, metropolitan place, after all. Now the doctor and the blonde have Alluka in custody, under heavy anesthetics, dulling his nen and hiding him to avoid trouble. Kurapika may be able to take on Hisoka, but definitely not he and Illumi both.
HXH
The doorbell rang. Leorio gets up to see their guests or patients, while Kurapika sits cross-legged on a bed to keep an eye on all the patients. Some of them have mental problems, so sleepwalking can become a problem. He makes sure that they don't hurt themselves or other people. Another trick he learned earlier is to impose friendly, amiable nen onto the patient, which relaxes him greatly.
"It's Killua and Gon!" Leorio tells in a loud whisper. After hushing the two kids, he walks them into the room. "Kurapika, let's talk in the other room. If anything happens, we'll probably hear it, so you don't necessarily need to be in the same room to keep track of them. Come on." They venture into the supply room, where all the bandages and medicine are kept. Going through, they head into another, a back room, with only one patient in it. There, they hold a small, secure meeting, lit only by a candle in the late evening. It was about ten. The patient stirs.
"So is this one of your brothers?" Kurapika points to the pale form on the bed. Leorio stands by, while Gon and Killua hold the candle above the patient and looks closer. "Well?"
"That's him all right." Shifting his weight, Killua thinks quietly, but audibly. "There's no real reason for Alluka to be out of Zaoldyck Mansion. He hasn't been trained because he's physically weaker than the rest of us. Usually, big brother takes care of him, but nowadays, according to Milluki, he doesn't come home often."
"Why do you think Hisoka's with them?" Leorio asks.
"They're buddies," Gon says. "I saw them work together during the Hunter Exam. Or at least they know each other to a certain extent."
"If either of them wants to kill him, he'd be dead already. But according to you, he probably just fell off the bridge." Killua looks at Kurapika expectedly.
"Right. When the bridge was bombed. But didn't you say that Illumi took care of this boy? Could it be possible that he's protecting him from something?" Kurapika suggests.
"Yes... But by that I just meant, feeding and clothing him. I really can't imagine big brother as nurturing. Besides, who would want to kill the baby of the family? Seriously, we Zaoldycks get a lot of enemies, understandably, but they usually go after father or grandfather. And if someone wants to wipe out Alluka, why not keep him in the mansion? The defenses there are extremely hard to get through, what with Mike and stubborn people like Kanaria."
Kurapika's brows furrow in thought. "Your brother doesn't seem to attack unless there's a reason, like money or future hassle. Hisoka may be random, but only for those he's interested in - like you." He nods at Gon. "We should just ask them. As long as Gon is not the one to ask, we should all be okay."
"Yea, why don't you do it?" Killua points out. Kurapika shakes his head, declining.
"That's all right. Hisoka got excited when fighting me during the Hunter Exam. You, however, know at least one of them better than any of us, and Hisoka doesn't really touch you." Killua watches as Gon and Leorio nod in agreement. "Then it's settled," finalized the Kuruta. Yea, make me do the heavy lifting, Killua sighs inwardly. Well, I suppose there's no avoiding it. They're mostly right.
"I'll call big brother after a good night's sleep. We don't know what will happen, so it's best if you all sleep too."
"Actually, I'll go back to watching the patients," says Leorio. Gon, Killua and Kurapika sit on the floor, tranquilizing their nen, and fall asleep rather quickly. Though they were never drunk, Gon and Killua did feel a bit tired. Outside, though it is the city, a few owls hoot. A bat's shadow crosses the face of the moon swiftly.
Though the entire meeting came and went in whispers, Alluka can't help overhearing. Though the medication was strong, it was weak compared to what big brother usually gives him. Killua doesn't seem to know much about big brother's intentions either, he reasons. They all seem wary of big brother and 'that man' Hisoka... He wonders why. Hisoka didn't seem that unfriendly to him. Though its good that the doctor and that Kurapika person turn out to be allies - of Killua, at least, if not of big brother.
Ending Notes: Leorio is a doctor here, but all of this doesn't really fit into the time-frame of the anime itself. Is anyone out of character? Not much fighting in this chapter, but I intend to put some in somewhere. After all, what are special abilities for if you don't fight? Please tell me what you think.