======== ADVENTURES OF A NINE LEGGED SPIDER
========
by Onkiu!
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*****
Author's Note: Thank you to everyone for your kind reviews! They made me
really happy... I'm serious! When I saw them, I felt happy that people actually
read it... LOL! *tears sparkle in Onkiu's eyes*
So, a big thank you! Sorry for keeping you all waiting on this chapter, but ever
since the holidays did come up, I actually didn't do much writing. In fact, I
probably slept in more =\. Also, this chapter is late because I got a new comp.
My half typed Chapter Two Was left on the old comp, and now, I'm typing this up
from scratch.
This is also originally in txt format, not in HTML, since I didn't have MS Word
or Frontpage on this (yes, I was using Notepad... argh!) Now I have to reedit
it... BLOODY _!
Well, here is the late Chapter Two! Sorry, for the three month wait, my parents
were annoyed and thus I had no internet. I actually finished this yonks ago, and
already have started chapter three.
Legal Stuff: Please refer to Chapter One - I do not own HxH!
*****
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Onkiu presents:
ADVENTURES OF A NINE LEGGED SPIDER
Chapter Two Pt 1: Kurapika x Undercover x Behind Enemy Lines
A game of pretence.
[Original title: The bouncer x angry young man x clashes]
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York Shin really was quite glorious at night. Its famous nightscape, summed up
in one word, was simply: splendid. Bright street nights, neon shop lights, and
soft yellow lights from apartments contributed to the image that made York Shin
one of the most famous night spots in the world. Looking down from the sky, one
really would not know all the dark and shady figures that haunted this beautiful
and enchanting city.
On a bustling, York Shin road full of honking rush hour traffic and an unusual
amount of people, even for a never-sleeping city such as York Shin, chatting as
they walked about, enjoying their night time shopping or whatever social
activities that they were off to on this ungodly hour was a certain little man
whose mouth was covered with a picture of a rather cute looking skull.
He walked alone, silent until he reached Number 13, Railway Parade. The Funky
Cows Club. Feitan heaved the door opened and found his boss waiting inside,
pacing up and down the room nervously. Feitan sighed. Despite its ultra tacky
decor, consisting of leopard prints on the chairs, ugly plastic blue tables,
bright red walls with retro neon lights, and its vile bile coloured, slightly
moulding but somehow clean carpet, it was still better than home, which had NO
decor (tacky or not) at all.
"Ahh! Feitan, you're here!" said he.
"..." said Feitan, in his usual silent greeting. Trying to show at least a
little concern for his employer, he said, "... What's wrong?"
"Well, Feitan, do you know what day it is?" replied the boss. Probably not,
he thought.
"Friday." said Feitan.
"No, no! I mean, it's the York Shin annual Everybody-B-Happy! Festival! It was a
York Shin City Council initiative to reduce crime by making their citizens enjoy
life and interact with each other more."
"So what am I supposed to do about that?"
"Well, its also Friday night, you see. Combined with the festival, it means that
there will be more people than usually expected. Since there are more people,
you might expect some trouble. Be prepared, Feitan, even a little guy like you
may have some trouble.'
Feitan made no answer. Not that he really cared if a Festival was on or not. All
that he needed was the money.
"Here, Feitan. This might be of help should some trouble start."
His boss passed him a baseball bat.
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Seated on a high stool with tacky leather prints, in front of a long queue of
night clubbers sat a very tiny bouncer. In fact, he was the smallest bouncer to
ever grace Railway Parade's nightclubs. All the people staring at the little man
had no idea of the great things that he had done in the past (and will do in the
future.) Feitan stared back impassively at the people staring at him, fingering
his baseball bat absentmindedly and wondering how strong it would be if he tried
to smash these annoying ogling people's heads with it.
The customer is always right! The big surly boss's voice suddenly raced
through his head. Feitan quickly shook that thought of the baseball bat and the
guy that was the first in the queue's head away.
'Gee, look at him… smallest bouncer I've ever seen.'
'Do you think he'll do his job properly?' said a girl worriedly to her
boyfriend. 'I mean, he's so tiny! Even I'm bigger than him!'
'Don't worry,' answered her boyfriend, slapping his chest in what was supposed
to look like a strong gesture, though it looked painfully try hard since he was
not quite that buffed, 'I'll protect you!'
Feitan rolled his little eyes. Idiots. I can take you all down in 0.6 of a
second if I felt like it. This is such a degrading job.
Somewhere behind that couple, along that long line of skankily dressed night
clubbers were three certain off duty bodyguards, who, unlike the fellow night
clubbers, were not so skankily dressed. Maybe with the certain exception of a
hairy man, who felt it rather necessary for his hairy chest to be just slightly
exposed. Basho was bored, and had taken to whistling an annoying tune which
sounded uncanny like some children's song. To pass his time waiting, he was also
checking out all the pretty girls walking down the street in their short skirts
and tight shirts. Senritsu was humming too, but it was a much more melodic tune,
while glancing worriedly every now and then at Kurapika. Kurapika, being the
only one not humming any tune, was leaning against the wall, staring tersely at
all the relaxed people. He was neither relaxed nor skankily clad, and he look
much like an oddity in such a happy atmosphere.
Senritsu stopped humming and turned to Kurapika. 'Kurapika, what's wrong? Your
heartbeat tells me that there's something heavy weighing on your mind.'
Kurapika sighed. 'It's nothing. Really.' he added, when Senritsu continued
staring at him, trying to penetrate his train of thoughts.
Senritsu looked back sceptically at him, but none the less, did not pursue it.
She knew it wasn't nothing, but then, trying to get an answer out of Kurapika
was like trying to find a spot on Basho's arms that wasn't covered with
hair.
'Relax, Kurapika, my pal! Look! It's our night off! We finally put that horrible
little girl to sleep (and how they did that, nobody knows), we finally convinced
Elisa that she'll be alright, and we finally got ourselves 5 metres away from
her!' said Basho happily. 'In fact, we were so lucky to have our day off to
coincide with the Everybody-B-Happy Festival! There's so much on this night, and
more people are out! How lively is that, mate?'
'It's not that…'
'Kurapika, be happy! Smile! We're actually not too far behind in the line to the
coolest nightclub in York Shin, even on this night! There are pretty girls
everywhere! What more could you want?'
'Nothing.' Kurapika sighed. No use arguing with Basho.
'Good! Now let's go in!'
Time seemed to have gone by very quickly during that conversation, for they were
at the front of the queue now. Kurapika was about to step inside after the
bodycheck when someone caught his eye.
The bouncer. There was something about him that he didn't like, but he just
couldn't place it.
Maybe it was his unwavering stare, or maybe it was the amber eyes that were
doing the staring. Or maybe Kurapika was being too judgemental, as he usually
was when it came to first impressions. Whatever it was, he just DID NOT like
him.
And it seemed that there was something in Kurapika that the bouncer didn't like
either, because the bouncer was staring at him with that unnerving gaze. In
fact, he wasn't staring at anybody else. Kurapika couldn't tell from the
expression, since the bottom half of his face was covered, but he could tell it
definitely wasn't friendly.
'Kurapika!' cried Senritsu, who had obviously detected something wrong with
Kurapika's heartbeat. 'What are you doing?'
Noticing his gaze at Feitan, she whispered, "Don't worry; you're just as good
looking. Plus, you're taller! He won't be of any threat to you!"
She tugged at his arm, and finally pulled him in.
Basho, Senritsu and Kurapika seated themselves at a tiny, and ugly blue plastic
table. The waitress came and took their orders ('3 pale ales,' said Basho
happily, 'And can I ask you out to dinner?'), and after she left (and rejected
his offer), Senritsu whispered quietly to Kurapika, 'Kurapika, are you alright?
Maybe you shouldn't have come.'
She tried a tact that may pry open his defence slowly. 'You didn't like the long
queues that much? Or are you worried about Neon being looked after only be Elisa
at home?'
Ever since he had to accept her help, Kurapika had learnt to trust her, and
accept her as a confidante. She really need not use those tactics.
'Well, it's just that-' he was whispering when all of a sudden, a fight broke
out near them. Some drunk hobo was snickering and making lame jokes at the small
bouncer, who was staring rather coolly back at the man. The bar had gone silent.
All eyes were on the bouncer and the hobo. Some gamblers were even making bets
on who would win: The big hobo or the little bouncer. The hobo looked ready for
a fight. He picked up a bottle and lunged at the bouncer, who, in a swift and
fluid movement, had caught him behind the back and was twisting his arm in what
looked like a very painful lock.
But it was not the fight that amazed Kurapika. It was the swift movement of the
bouncer. He was sure that no one else in the room, apart from maybe Senritsu,
Basho and himself, had seen the way that the bouncer had suddenly slipped from
one corner of the room to another. It was too fast for a normal, untrained eye
to detect.
"Did you see that!?" whispered Senritsu ferverently, "That was so swift! It's as
though he's a member of the Genei Ryodan or from the Zoldick family! Only people
like them can move so fluidly! He moved like pale ale!"
Genei Ryodan! That's what's been bothering me! That man… is a member of the
Genei Ryodan!
Kurapika felt his temper flare up, his eyes glow red under his contact lens. He
felt like throwing his judgement chain forward recklessly and stab him to death
in front of this crowd. He didn't care. He wanted to show them that this was the
consequence for all those who want to ally themselves to the Ryodan. Senritsu
obviously sensed all that too, for she had grabbed Kurapika's arm, and Basho had
followed suit. They dragged him into the alley, where they threw a bucket of ice
water over him (considering that Senritsu didn't feel it was necessary to bring
a flute on a night out).
"Kurapika! Calm down!"
Flaying and trying to get away from their grip was too much work, while he was
cold, slippery and wet. Basho was strong, and Senritsu stronger than she looked.
Finally he gave up his squirming, and was instead content to stare icily at the
bouncer, standing in the doorway, who was staring just as icily back.
I have to crush the spider…
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Yay. Chapter Two finished. Hehe, thank you for reading... how was it? Did you
enjoy it? Chapter Three coming soon - more Feitan glory!
Originally this chapter (Chapter Two) was 10,000+ words long, but I felt this
was too long and boring to read (considering that most fics WERE 10,000
words long.) So, I've divided this Chapter into a few sections to make for
easier reading =)
