A/N: Here's another chapter up, just because I can! So I have been thinking about the schedule I mentioned and I thought maybe I could put one up once every two weeks. Today is Sunday so I'll post next, next Sunday. In short, a new chapter'll be out every other Sunday. I would also really love to hear about if you'd want me to make an omake or something to commemorate the number of follows and favorites this story has received. Update me 'kay?
Disclaimer: I do not own Hunter x Hunter.
CHAPTER 25
"Nao?" a voice sang out.
"Nao!" it giggled.
Renée groaned, "5 more minutes, Mehika."
The voice laughed, the sound seemed like a light tinkle to her ears.
"You'll still be asleep, silly aster."
The red-head opened her eyes with great effort, blinking away the grogginess.
She was greeted by a girl with long, pin-straight blonde hair. Her green eyes shone with amusement, her lips curved upwards in a gentle smile.
"It's you." Renée breathed, finally sitting up.
Mehika opened up her arms and the red-head flung herself in her embrace.
"I've been looking everywhere for you. You don't know how long I've been searching. And now you're here!" she almost cried.
"Nao, this is still just a dream. Like the other times were." the blonde hummed.
"Why won't you tell me where you are? I can easily get to you!"
"Then you will leave your friends?"
"If I must, then yes." Renée sat up, facing her.
Mehika shook her head, "That is why I can't. You must not leave their side for they need you too. And they're much more of a family than I am so I won't be able to live with myself if you went away because of me."
The red-head frowned at her explanation, "But you're my sister."
"But you do not know me." the blonde countered.
"That's why I want to see you! So I can remember. I just know that if we're together again, I will remember everything."
"Soon. We will meet soon. Now wake up, your friends need you."
"Wait! Tell me where-" With a jolt, Renée woke up, "-you are."
She looked around and saw herself in a car with Leorio, Kurapika, and Senritsu. A thought suddenly made it's way in her head, "Where's Gon and Killua?"
Senritsu sighed.
-Current Situation-
'Killua knocked me out. I remember now. That bastard.' I thought as I ran towards the entrance of the hotel.
I didn't enter, because the Spiders would see me and I'm sure as hell that they know my face.
I made my way to the back entrance, sneaking past the staff towards the breaker room, still in Zetsu mode. I turned the generator off, then positioned myself in front of the main electricity circuit.
"Alright, I'm in position. Senritsu, be sure to give me a signal." I muttered lowly through the phone.
"Okay. Leorio has already informed the boys that it will happen at 7 sharp."
I looked at my watch and saw that there were only 5 minutes left until then.
"Oh no! The boss asked that Pakunoda woman to check their memories again!" Senritsu suddenly exclaimed.
"Shit. Hang on, maybe I can do something."
I hung up and took a deep breath. 'Alright. I know we aren't exactly friends, but I need you right now.'
"Sakkaku." I whispered.
A strong feeling surged through my chest and I felt power tingle at my fingertips. I focused this newfound energy to forming myself and I imagined that I was next to Gon and Killua.
"Think of me." I whispered, and so did my copy.
I felt the boys flinch as they saw "me".
Pakunoda was unaware of my presence, and asked the question to draw out their memories.
"Quick, think of me!" I urged.
"How are you here, Ren!?" Gon asked me.
I glared as best as I could and told him to shut up. "Close your eyes and think about me. We only have 2 minutes left!"
They both did as they were told and I kept whispering to them. I guess it worked because Pakunoda looked confused when she grabbed them by the necks.
Then all of a sudden, she saw me. "Godfrei."
Killua tensed, cold sweat ran through his back as he turned to me.
"Run away. She'll get you."
I smirked, or rather my mirage did, at the woman's glowering face, "She won't even find me. Now!"
My power faded and I immediately pulled the breaker, making everything turn black in an instant. By only memory, I weaved my way through and out of the basement. I saw the car rev up, and ran for it, jumping on just in time.
Leorio gunned the car and we sped away. I was by the window side, Chrollo in between Kurapika and I.
He was in chains, forced to be in Zetsu mode. "I never thought that the chain-user would be a girl." he suddenly blurted out.
"I never told you I was. Stop talking." the Kurta replied, taking off his wig.
I could feel the tension in the air and sweat rolled down my back. "Where's Killua? Gon?"
"Um... They didn't make it out." Senritsu muttered.
"What!? I bought them time! I clouded their memories and-!"
"So it WAS you." Chrollo interrupted her.
"SHUT UP!"
Kurapika and I yelled at the same time. He tightened the chains and I made a move to strangle him.
"Both of you stop it right now! If he's harmed then we might lose our bargaining chip!" Leorio scolded them.
"Bargain chip? I think you are mistaken. I am of no value to anyone as I am. The Spider is the most essential." Chrollo declared.
Kurapika got even more agitated, but I stopped him. I realised the truth in his words, remembering the rules of the Phantom Troupe. "'You don't have to protect me. If I die, anyone can easily replace me. What is important is that the Spider lives.' That's what he said." I recalled.
"It's true. What they both said are all true." Senritsu seconded.
The blonde grit his teeth and cursed.
I looked at him, knowing the hopelessness he felt. How you worked so hard for something and come out empty-handed. "But I'm sure they'll come for him. Pakunoda will come." I blurted out, suddenly sure.
"How do you know?" the Kurta asked harshly.
"Because I've been with them for months. I know what they'll do. Since you told Pakunoda to not say anything, she will clam up not knowing what to do. The rest of the Spiders would fight amongst themselves on whether or not to go after us, but you can do something about that, right?" I explained.
Kurapika looked at me, then he dialled a number on his phone. He spoke for a few seconds and suddenly hung up. Senritsu held back a chuckle.
"What happened?" I asked.
"That guy I spoke to was kidding around." he deadpanned.
"Good to know they still have their heads." I sighed, but on my face was the ghost of a smile.
The blonde's phone rang again and he spoke through it for about 5 minutes. He hung up just in time as we reached the airport.
Chrollo was surprisingly cooperative. He didn't struggle or anything, all he did was annoy the hell out of Kurapika. So much so that the Kurta handed him over to me.
"You did that on purpose." I grumbled, sitting on the floor of his containment unit inside the air ship.
"Your friend is a Kurta survivor."
"Yeah, so you better watch out." I glared at him.
"Oh I am. I already know what makes him tick. His loyalty is his weakness. You are his weakness. If I take you, he will surely come after me and all I have to do is lure him to his death."
"Shut up."
"I also know what makes you tick. You are filled with dedication for the ones you love. Just like that boy Gon."
"Shut up!"
"Just like your sister."
"SHUT UP!"
I unsheathed my sword and pressed the blade against his neck. Blood rushed to my head and I could feel my muscles pulsating. My grip tightened around the hilt, daring Chrollo to say more.
He smirked at my anger.
'This bastard is belittling me.'
"Where is my sister?" I said through gritted teeth.
"I thought you wanted me to shut up."
In one swift motion, I sliced a deep cut on his leg. He didn't cry out but I saw him wince as the blood trickled down his knee.
"Don't make me ask again." I warned him, seething.
"I don't know where she is."
"Liar!" I raised my sword for another cut when Senritsu burst in and knocked the blade out of my hand.
"Stop it! He's telling the truth!"
"Get out of the way! This man is a thief and a murderer, what makes you think lying is so difficult for him!?"
"I just know, okay? Like how I know how confused you are right now, how desperate. I ask you to let him speak then you can assess for yourself." the Musical Hunter pleaded.
She looked at me intensely and I saw a bit of myself in her. Knowing that it was a lost cause, I sighed and picked up my sword to sheath it. "Fine. Speak."
"I didn't ask for your intervention." Chrollo said to Senritsu.
"Don't even bother getting under my skin. Just give her the answers she's looking for." she scolded him.
Senritsu stood by the door, listening in on the conversation for any lies and Chrollo sighed. "Your sister is as unique as you are. You both have a powerful being inside of you that I want. You are able to access it through Nen and I thought I'd steal it. But I couldn't take hers. When I tried to take yours, I failed too. When Mehika found out about my intentions, she ran away. I do not know where she went, but we didn't bother go after her as she was useless to me anyway. You, however, are very useful. I got you to help me in this year's auction. For that, I feel grateful. Maybe I can count on you again next time?"
Tears threatened to escape my eyes at his answer.
He didn't know?
All those months that I slaved in exchange for her location and he never even knew it.
I was disappointed and angry at him.
At myself.
There was this incessant ringing in my ears, filling my body with an annoying buzz.
Anger.
Just pure anger was in my system.
I hate this man.
This liar.
"I HATE YOU!"
I charged at him, my fists ready. Before I could land a punch on his face, Kurapika took me in his arms, carrying me away from him.
"Let me go! I will kill him! Let go!" I squirmed and kicked.
Tired of my squeals, the Kurta plopped me on the sofa and blocked me from escaping.
"Stop it! If you kill him nothing will change! Gon and Killua will never be able to come back and your sister will remain lost! I know your pain, trust me I do, but now is not the time. Pakunoda is here now. I want you to observe the negotiation and alert me for any foul play. Got it?"
"...Got it." I sniffled.
-After Negotiations-
"Was there anything?" Kurapika asked me as we watched Pakunoda leave.
"None. No lies, no bugs or tricks. Not even a tracking devise or speaker." I replied, calm.
"That's good. Senritsu also said so."
I hummed my agreement and a pregnant silence settled between us. That seems to happen a lot recently when I'm with Kurapika.
"Renée about earlier, I know you've been trying to get ahold of your past. Chrollo Lucifer is useless if he is your informant."
I scoffed, "Yeah no kidding."
"I would like to take his place."
It took a few moments before that registered in my head and I looked at him in disbelief. "What? I can't let you do that. You're already so busy, I couldn't ask you to help me find Mehika."
"But I want to. I am also so curious as to what he referred to as 'beings'." he shrugged.
Suddenly, his legs buckled beneath him and I caught him, barely able to stand myself.
I whispered to Senritsu to call Leorio, so as not to attract unwanted attention, and in a few minutes, the two came running.
Kurapika sat down, saying he felt better after a glass of water. Senritsu stayed with him as I headed over to the containment unit to watch over our "guest".
Before entering the room, I pulled out my phone and dialled a number.
"Hello?" a woman's voice asked shakily.
"Paku, I want you to bring with you the Scarlet Eyes."
"Godfrei? Is this some sort of joke?"
"I don't do jokes. Bring it or I throw Chrollo out the window and the only thing you'll be claiming would be a corpse and my blade through your head." I said with a sense of finality.
Hanging up, I entered the room of a monster disguised as a calm, smiling man.
"I heard a commotion, is everything alright?"
"Don't get tricky with me." I warned him, sitting down on my usual spot far across from him.
After a few moments of silence, the Spider cleared his throat to get my attention.
My eyes flicked towards him questionably.
"Are you not curious about the being inside of you? About that one in your sister's?"
"I can figure that out myself. When I find her, we will be able to figure it out together."
Chrollo observed me for a second before he broke into a grin, "I can tell you the place where we were when she ran away. For a price, of course."
"What's the catch?" I asked, sitting straighter.
"I will call for you once more someday and you will help me with whatever I ask."
I looked into his eyes, seeing the devil. He looked innocent with that baby face and nonchalant grin, but I knew he was anything but. He is the epitome of villainy. Doing things on a whim, not caring who gets tangled in.
I looked away, afraid that I might get sucked into his world again and, at the calmest voice I can muster, I answered him, "No. I can find her myself."
Chrollo frowned at my answer. Seemingly disappointed, he just nodded off to sleep.
A few hours had passed before Senritsu told me that they were approaching. I woke the Spider up and brought him to Kurapika for the exchange.
I could feel the excitement bubbling inside me as I saw Gon and Killua.
Hisoka was also there but no one really seemed to care.
I knew why he was there, and if he is Kurapika's informant then I'm sure he knows too.
All I ever saw was Gon and Killua.
Killua still looked anxious but when he saw me, I saw a small smile form on his lips.
Gon was holding something hidden in a cloth and Chrollo looked at it before walking off to Pakunoda.
I couldn't help it, I ran to meet them.
Gon immediately met my hug and I pulled Killua in as well.
"You boys are so reckless. Always leaving it to me to clean your mess."
"We missed you too, Ren." Gon grinned wolfishly.
"I guess." the silver-head murmured, turning away from me.
We walked up the ramp to get on the airship and Gon went up to Kurapika, holding out the item he was carrying.
"What's this?" the blonde asked.
"Just take it and see." my brother smiled.
The Kurta took off the cloth and his eyes glowed red in surprise. "This is... The Scarlet Eyes. It's the one from the auction? I already acquired one of this." he breathed.
"That was a fake. Kortopi made fake copies of the auction treasures and the Spiders kept the originals. The fake eyes are probably already gone by now as they don't last forever." I explained to him.
He looked at each of us gratefully.
Suddenly, he felt his knees give way. Leorio caught him and Senritsu caught the Scarlet Eyes.
The older male touched Kurapika's forehead and exclaimed, "He's burning up! Quick we need to get back to the hotel!"
It was another moment of pandemonium.
END OF 25.
A/N: Again, I'm sorry for the lame update. I'm still trying my hand at point-of-view writing. Thanks for putting up with me! Just review for any questions and omake ideas! Review okay?