Hey guys. So I had finished the new chapter but I recently received a new laptop and the chapter was deleted before I had a chance to upload so I had to rewrite everything and that wasn't the only story I had to rewrite! Three chapters that had taken months to write of Through the Spy Glass was also deleted. Yup. Sucks for me!
I am so frustrated about losing weeks of writing progress, but it happened and made me so depressed I didn't' want to write after that. I just got out of that slump.
Anyway, coming to you with another chapter, hope you enjoy!
You can't do it.
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You're only concern when you meet someone is whether or not you should kill them,
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You were born to be a killer.
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It was as if the voice was whispering in his ears instead of his thoughts. Illumi's voice certainly had embedded itself into him. He had tried to deny it more times than he could count but it was always there. Tonight was one of the worst experiences. When he had tried to go against his brother's will. It wasn't even real and yet it was enough to stop him from taking any more dangerous steps towards that Phantom Troupe member.
For the past fifteen minutes, Killua could feel eyes burning in the back of his head. He didn't face the cause of it. Even in darkness, emerald illuminated against the moonlight.
"Killua are you awake?"
He didn't answer, even though she didn't need him to.
"Ignore me all you like, I can sit here all night," he heard her shuffling to get more comfortable on the carpet.
"What do you want?"
She didn't hesitate, despite his tone "What happened to you earlier out there? You're not the kind of person to lose perspective and act recklessly,"
The event in reference was also clearly pointed out but Killua didn't care. One voice keeping him up at night was enough and he didn't want another-especially hers. This was the distinction between Sakura and Gon.
Gon didn't linger longer than needed, though it was likely due to his personality; but Sakura had this compulsion to pick apart everything and examine it close, no matter how intrusive or difficult. Killua wondered where that tenacity came from, it was admirable at the same time irritating.
"I don't know what you're talking about,"
"Yes you do," She huffed softly, careful not to wake Leorio and Gon who were snoring close by. "I'm not going to stop pestering you until you tell me,"
Minutes passed again, as he waited for her to surrender and walk back to bed, but he continued to feel her presence. It was like facing his back to a flame, he didn't see it, but he felt its warmth. Right now, he preferred the cold than this smoldering light.
"We've got an early start, go to bed already,"
"Killua,"
"I'm serious Sakura,"
"So am I," She shuffled closer, "I'm worried about you, so could you please tell me what happened back there?"
He should have kept quiet with his back turned from her, keep up his defense until she eventually gave up. Instead, while he kept himself turned away. "I just thought it was the only way at the time. The only way for us to escape,"
"No; it looked like you were trying to prove something," Sakura said, with unknown accuracy.
"Why does it matter? It's not like you and Gon weren't willing to do the same,"
The pinkette didn't stay quiet for very long, although she had been in thought, "We're all reckless sure, but you realized how strong he was and yet you still tried to step forward. What's even stranger, is you…..froze,"
Killua tasted iron after he sunk his canine into his bottom lip, gripping the fabric of his sheets, wanting to tear them apart to vent.
"Killua," He stiffened at the touch he felt on his shoulder, keeping him more aware of her presence, of her stare, of what she wanted him to expose. "You can hate me for this if you want, but just tell me what happened to you back there. Give me a chance to understand and try to help you,"
That was a strong reassurance, even if it shouldn't have been. He couldn't hate her, at least he didn't think he could. Throughout the months they had spent together, banter and head-bashing were common practice in their routine, but he couldn't hate her. It was a ridiculous concept to dwell on, and yet he did and to take his mind away from it, he decided to tell her with the best indifference he could muster.
"I don't know. It's like you said, I froze," he started. "One second I thought I could step forward to help you guys and the next I can't go anywhere but back. I always get this feeling whenever I face someone stronger, my body refuses to move and when I try to fight against this feeling I end up hearing-
He stopped. He knew that he couldn't take back what he said, once it was out there it was out. But she wouldn't stop till he gave her the answer. So despite going against his nature of the judgment, he spoke.
"I hear him," Killua started, "My brother's voice. I hear him telling me to stop, to run away, and…..I get…."
He didn't want to finish that sentence, but Sakura had managed to fill in the blanks, yet she was kind enough not to say it out loud. She didn't make him face what he was. He was still surprised by what she said to him though.
"When I was twelve, I was always the weakest of my group," she said, "I didn't have any redeeming abilities and had you met me back then, you probably would've thought the same. I didn't' even acknowledge my own weakness until my friends were almost killed right in front of me. I never felt so helpless before, and I wanted to give up. But when I realized it wasn't just my life on the line, I did whatever I could to protect my friend's," Sakura continued to stare at the boy's back, trying to find any indication of reaction.
"Although to be honest, it wasn't enough and we made it out because help arrived. It still took me a while to figure out how much I was lacking, but when I did I trained and got stronger so I could keep up,"
"It's hard to believe you were ever weak," She gave a dry chuckle at the comment.
"I still am,"
"You're really not," Killua muttered almost angry, "You and Gon can jump into situations without thinking and you'll put your lives on the line for others even if you're going against stronger opponents. It's not good, but I can't do that. I can still hear my brother telling me what to do and I haven't been able to fight against it. Even when he threatened to kill you and Gon if I didn't fight him,"
He hadn't meant to mention that part. Now he was truly worried. Who would want to be friends with someone that didn't want to defend those friend's lives? Who struggled to even step forward and project them? It would cause doubts right? And it wasn't unjustified. Illumi might have said Killua didn't deserve friends, but so far he had just been proving him right. And now Sakura knew it too.
'Is she going to stop being my friend?'
She and Gon didn't care about his background as an assassin, but what about when it came to loyalty? Who would want to be friends with someone that chose their own lives over yours?
But he actually felt pain, at the thought of not being able to stay with them, to not be his friends.
She shuffled closer and pressed her head against the top of his back, he went rigid and didn't want to even breathe. "I can hear the wheels spinning in your head Killua," she chuckled, the vibrations sending chills down his spine,
"I understand what it's like to get gripped by that fear you can't help your friends. However you're stronger than you think Killua, and you were willing to risk your life for ours. But Gon and I wouldn't want you to do that for us. So it's fine if you choose yourself. Besides, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something ever happened to you or Gon, or Kurapika or Leorio.
As for your brother; I can understand that it must be difficult to break from his grip when you were living under it for so long. It's not something that can be fixed overnight. We still trust you,"
"He said I'll betray my friend's,"
"It's fine by me," she answered immediately, "Because I'll still be able to think of you as my friend,"
"How?" Killua sat up on the bed, turning around, he looked down at the pinkette, "How can you know that for sure?"
She glanced at the window, but it was only to let her thoughts escape the present, "Because I've been betrayed by a friend before and I thought of him, even though he didn't think much of me,"
Something twisted inside of Killua, a discomfort he couldn't place.
"But it doesn't matter anymore," She looked back at him, taking his cold hand in her's. "Because I'm here with all of you now. So let's keep going together. If we can do that at the end of everything, then nothing matters right?"
Killua exhaled softly, raising his shoulders and turning his head, "Yeah I guess; but you better not mention this conversation to the others, and quit saying all this embarrassing stuff,"
She giggled softly, "Sure, goodnight Killua,"
Killua turned his back as Sakura went to bed again, starring at the hand she had taken in her own, 'Thanks Sakura,'
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He could see the sun coming through the gray morning skies, and he could feel the way its rays of light touched his skin with warmth, but he did not want to embrace it. He wanted the coldness of the night's air, perhaps that's why he had remained under it previously. Remaining on top of the roof for hours as he contemplated the wall now in front of him.
He wanted a storm, heavy rains that struck you like small bullets powered by the wind. Soaking into your skin through your clothes and clutching you in an icy grasp. He wanted the skies to remain gray, mirroring his own emptiness and mourn its loss of color.
The Phantom Troupe, some of the greatest criminals in the world, have lost more than half its numbers against the Mafia they had attacked. Men bearing in the 2000s. Assassins brought in as well-including Killua's father and grandfather. Kurapika hadn't witnessed anything, what's worse, he didn't have the chance to get his chains around another spider.
One was not enough and now there were none. He saw the leader's body himself. When those lifeless dark eyes looked back at him; he instantly felt the sense to mourn. Everything he had aimed for, was taken away from him in a single night, by those who were far less deserving of the spider's blood. He wanted it on his hands; to replace the blood of the fallen Kurta. For a long time, it was that desire, which gave him a reason to live.
Kurapika always considered the burden of emotions, the price for his survival from the massacre. And he accepted to be controlled by them even if they would lead him to his end. It was as simple as that. Until he met them.
"It has everything to do with me because I'm your friend!"
On the one hand, he wanted to forget everything. He wanted to forget his friends, their words, their faces, their hands reaching out for him. But when his reality took this drastic change, and the path he had been walking on was wiped away, the only direction he knew to head in, was the one leading him back to them.
And that's why when Gon messaged him that they would be waiting in the park; Kurapika had consciously searched for them. Despite wanting a storm, he was knowingly heading towards the sun.
They were stronger. He could tell, despite the immature manner he had caught them, literally stuffing food into their mouths, barely taking a breath. As Sakura and Killua's backs faced him, Gon was the first to notice his presence and rushed towards him. Absentmindedly spitting his food in his friend's faces.
"Kurapika!" Gon grinned at the blonde, who was desperately searching for the correct greeting to give his friend but was startled into silence by his next words, "Isn't it great? Now that the Troupe is gone, you can focus on your main goal!"
Main goal? He had to wonder but Gon easily reminded him of what he had forgotten.
"You can find the eyes of your people!"
"Gon…"
The boy nodded, "If there's anything we can do to help-
His sincere words were cut short when Killua snuck up behind and muffled Gon's voice with a pie in his face. The two started chasing each other around the park, tossing their food at one another. Kurapika had to smile at the antics. It had been too long since he was able to witness or indulge in anything like this. With his friend's it was almost a constant spectrum
The pinkette came up to him, smiling, "Been a while, Kurapika,"
"Sakura," As he looked down, he only now realized that she seemed shorter. It was minuscule but he noticed.
Once again he was startled when arms wrapped around his shoulder's, and he heard her softly whisper, "I'm glad you're here,"
He couldn't return the gesture, but he admitted, it wasn't at all unpleasant.
The four met up with Leorio at the hotel, he and Zepile were still handling the auctioning and while Zepile went to check on that and find more items for them to sell, they too the window to open for a long-awaited reunion.
Despite separation for six months and almost no contact with each other, the sense of familiarity was strong that they had no reason for small talk or filtering of any kind.
"I heard you defeated a Troupe member," Leorio said as they stepped onto the elevator, "Having only just learned Nen, how did you manage that?"
"If you're looking for a way to capture the spider's then stop,"
"That's not the only reason," Gon said, "We want to master Nen, because we'll need it in the future,"
Kurapika stared at his hand, "Then you don't want my advice. Because my power can only be used against the Troupe,"
Everyone could hear the skies growing darker with the promise of a storm.
They wanted further elaboration sooner, but having already reached the floor of their room, Gon, Killua, Sakura, Leorio, and Kurapika waited until they were comfortably gathered in the seating area of their hotel room. Kurapika didn't waste any time to ease them into the topic.
"Nen is strongly affected by your mental state. The stronger your resolve the more power you receive," Raising his hand, a mist of Nen emitted and conjured chains. Confirming Kurapika's alias as the chain-user to his friend's. "However you also incure a big risk. In return for Nen power, I vowed only to use it against the spider's,"
"What's the rule?" asked Leorio.
"If I use my chains against anyone who isn't a spider, I will forfeit my life,"
It was difficult for everyone to stay in their seats, but they waited for Kurapika to elaborate further.
"There is a Nen blade pointed at my heart if I break the rule that the blade will pierce my heart,"
Sakura almost slid out of her seat, "Are you completely insane!? Why would you do something like this?"
"This is the rule that shows my resolve. My power is the product of pure hatred," It was easy to detect Sakura's growing tension, her fingers digging into the couch, her posture stiff as a board and it did not improve with Kurapika's nonchalant explanation.
While it had slipped past Sakura, Killua caught the information Kurapika had given them with his own disdain, "Why the hell would you tell us something so important!?"
Kurapika looked down, speaking in a voice void, "I'm not sure. With their leader dead, I must feel relaxed. Also, I trust all of you to keep my secret,"
"It doesn't matter if you trust us or not. One of the surviving members of the Phantom Troupe, Pakunoda has the ability to read memories. If they find out, it'll be impossible for Kurapika to fight them," Killua said,
"But she didn't learn anything last time," Gon reminded them.
"That's because we didn't know that Kurapika was the chain user they were after," Sakura countered. "On top of which, if they wanted to figure out Kurapika's weakness now and they happened to get a hold of us again, everything's going to hell,"
Leorio chided quickly trying to lighten the atmosphere after realizing that between, Kurapika, Sakura and Killua, he and Gon were the only ones bound to look at the same situation from a different perspective, the one that didn't include the worse case conclusion.
"Yes, but they don't know that you know Kurapika, they checked you before and thought you had nothing to do with him. So it should be fine right?"
"There's also the other member Nobunaga and he was adamant about recruiting us,"
"Again, they have no idea you're friends with Kurapika, so everything should be fine,"
"If we can avoid them maybe, but still…" Sakura hissed softly. However, if Gon and Killua still wanted to capture them for the bounty then there was still a chance of interaction. "I don't think you should have told us. You'd have been safer if you didn't say anything!"
"Sakura," Kurapika waited for the pinkette to meet his eyes, he gave a reassuring smile, "It's fine. I might not have known about the mind-reading, but I don't regret telling you all the truth about me. You are my friend's and that's why I am confident in trusting the secret of my ability with you,"
For the second time now, Sakura was triggered, reminded that this world wasn't her own, but it was where she was. The reality had been blurred that she chose not to look at it. Out of everyone, Kurapika was the one person she had always drawn parallels with Sasuke; and having witnessed an avenger in her world, she thought that she understood the kind of person Kurapika was or would become.
She had thought herself right a moment ago when he said his power was a product of hatred. Even his eyes, lined with darkness in them. She knew that darkness and yet when he looked at his friends, they instantly changed. He hadn't come to the same conclusions as Sasuke had but he still had the flame of an avenger burning in him, it was only the Phantom Troupe's sudden ending that had turned the flame to low burning embers. Despite this; Kurapika was still here as their friend. He didn't want to turn away from them. And he trusted them with his deepest secrets, even though it put his life in danger what's worse, his commitment for revenge.
The influence of Sakura's decision told her, this was an action she had to take immediately before she chose to pull back. Any delay and she would attempt to close herself off from them without any hope of reopening.
"What about Hisoka?"
Killua, Gon and Leorio chided together, "Hisoka?"
"He's been pretending to be a member of the Troupe so that he could fight the leader. You said you had your own source, it's him isn't it?"
Everyone looked between Sakura and Kurapika, the air was so thick no one drew in breath without ensuring it was soundless.
"Yes," Kurapika admitted, narrowing his eyes, "Hisoka was my informant on the Troupe and I don't know what he will do now that the leader is dead. But I've been in contact with him secretly and I haven't told anyone about my interaction so Sakura….how could you possibly know that?"
Instead of verbally answering, she dug into her bag and tossed an item onto the coffee table, watching it skid across the wood. The gesture felt as if she had said, 'here's your answer,' but they couldn't see it.
"A book?" Gon looked to the pinkette, but she was delayed in explaining.
Killua picked it up when he noticed the Nen scripture snaking all over the book like chains. "This has that Nen writing all over it,"
"I've seen you reading that book during the Hunter exam," said Kurapika.
"Does this have something to do with how you knew about Hisoka?" asked Leorio.
"Yes," she replied with eyes downcast, her heart trying to jump to her throat so it could prevent her words from escaping. "Hisoka, the Hunter exam, you guys,"
No one understood and she realized that, but still she patiently gathered her thoughts, deciding the order in which she would speak. Her nerves haven't been this sensitive since she was a child, always ducking, and having a hard time finding her voice and process her thoughts.
Sakura removed her gloves, feeling her palms sweat. "It started when I went to my village's library…"
Everything was put into view, how she had come across the book and her ending in another world. The way the book illustrated this world's story of all of them and herself. Sakura was particularly cautious when she explained how the book depicted the events of this world. The past, present, and future, especially since it revolved around them. She leads them to the point where the book had sealed itself shut and she was disallowed to read the events of this world anymore.
"A book that sent you to this world and can let you read the future?" Leorio's head was bobbing up and down but there was no belief in the gesture.
"It's the truth,"
"And it just stopped letting you read it?" asked Killua.
"I'm not certain of what happened myself," Sakura admitted, "But it may have something to do with me,"
"What do you mean?" Gon asked.
Even after the quake of information, everyone was surprisingly steady-aside from Sakura.
"When I first came here, my only objective was to get back to my world. At first, I thought of this world as ink on a page, but then I got to know all of you and it was my world that was becoming a story," She had to stop to breathe, blurring vision and burning eyes, "What I mean is meeting all of you was the best thing that ever happened to me. Even when things were difficult, no one was ever left behind. The only thing I'm able to do is believe I won't regret the choice I made. And I probably won't because that book has closed itself to me. My gateway home is gone. I have what I have an I am happy. I've lost what I've lost and I'm still happy. Isn't that selfish of me?"
She hadn't registered the tears that gathered under her chin and fell to the ground until she had to choke on a sob, "I have commitments, family, and friends back in that world, but all I want is to stay right here. I want to be here with all of you but I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want me to stay. I deceived you for so long, it would be a valid decision to make me leave after all I'm-ACK!"
Again before she was able to register it, Sakura was forced to her knees hands on top of her head soothing the throbbing sensation of her cranium. Through blurred eyes, she could see two specks of spots of greet on the carpet.
"Gon why did yo-
She was incapable of finishing because she was delivered another heavy package over the head, "What do you mean leave!? Why do you think we would want that!? There's nothing wrong with keeping secrets from friends,"
Her eyes didn't leave the ground, but she had become rigid, almost petrified as if moving would put an end to those words she didn't think she would hear. It must have worked to some degree because Kurapika spoke after Gon.
"Everyone has stories of pain, sadness, mistakes, and memories they don't' want to bring up. But we can still call each other friends without revealing all of that. I can't see any fault in what you did, it was in your best interest. We've all done something in the past we wish we could change, but we can't that's why we have the future. Let's face it together. That's what friends' are for,"
"They're right," nodded Leorio, standing up, "We've all got something going on, but we're all here. There's no reason it should be any different for you,"
Killua cleared his throat and Sakura heard shuffling, "If we can keep going together, then nothing else matters right? So quit being such a crybaby and stand up already,"
When her head raised, she was circled in a formation by the four they hadn't seemed to notice. It was something she had only ever seen on the outside. A type of embrace that only someone like Naruto had experienced. A defense from solitude.
She didn't want to consider herself alone. It was a pain someone like her didn't have the right to acknowledge, and she truly believed that. But when her perspective took this sudden turn and she was in turmoil about the two worlds, she was able to get a better look at herself and see that pieces that were obscured from being near.
When her tears started to gather at the edge of her eyes, Killua quickly called out, "Come on, cut it out already! This isn't something to cry about!"
She did stop, her tears easily dried without a forceful hand to wipe them away. Standing up almost as easy as falling.
"Thanks, I'm okay now,"
"Good, I'm glad you're back to normal,"
"Not that I would've called her normal, to begin with," Killua said offhandedly and purposefully prompting humor. A tone Leorio knew to play along to.
"Yeah, and the other world thing just completes that puzzle,"
"Hey!"
The walls bounced with the sound of their laughter; as Sakura came to understand that the confession that occurred was now in the past and it would not be allowed to bring back any feelings of discontent.
She wished that this moment would freeze so that she could continue to live it with them, however in an instant she was reminded that time waited for no one.
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Barely a minute later, Kurapika's alarm on his phone went off and he checked it. When he saw it was a message from Hisoka, the glass of his screen almost cracked as if he was trying to obscure the words, but it would read all the same no matter how he looked at it. A timing clap of thunder behind, let him and all his friends know that a storm was here.
"Kurapika, what's the matter?" asked Leorio.
He spoke in a whisper to hard to be heard, and they asked him to repeat, he said it as if he was trying to bite the words themselves, "The corpses were fake! The spiders are still alive! It would be possible for a conjurer to accomplish that,"
"The situation's changed, what do you want to do?" asked Killua.
"We're here to help," Gon said with sincere severity and everyone agreed
Kurapika's phone alarmed him again with a call, and he answered immediately. "Hello? Melody, what is it?"
Their eyes stayed looking over Kurapika while he chatted on the phone with his colleague, but the conversation was not for pleasantries, though closely work-related. The conversation was short, and Kurapika didn't withhold any contents of the conversation from his friend's.
"The reward for the Phantom Troupe has been rescinded,"
"What, why?!" exclaimed Sakura.
"The Troupe comes from Meteor City,"
Kurapika spoke with a finality in his voice that said this was the answer, and Leorio was the first to realize why.
"That explains why their identities are still unknown and why the authorities haven't been able to capture them,"
Gon asked for an explanation of Meteor City, as he was one of two who had no idea how this linked to the reward being canceled.
"As far as society is concerned, it's a city populated with people who don't exist. They are without records. While officially it's unpopulated, it's said that ten million people live there. It started as a dumping ground 1,500 years ago. People lived off of what was dumped there and you could leave anything in that place. From typical garbage to weapons and people. The residents accept everything.
I've heard Meteor City residents share a bond, thinner than that between strangers but thicker than that between family,"
Kurapika then chided in, "There are those who provide Meteor city with weapons and precious gems under the pretext of garbage. That would be the Mafia community and in return, they recruit residents from Meteor City,"
Sakura snapped her fingers, "I get it. So despite that, the Phantom Troupe wiped out so many members of the community, the Mafia want to reserve their symbiotic relationship with Meteor City,"
"Precisely; but it won't change my position," Kurapika stated,
"You intend to go after the spider's?" asked Sakura, to which the Kurta nodded in confirmation.
"This Pakunoda that you mentioned is a threat to me and the rest of the Troupe members are still alive,"
Sakura's eyes hardened, "So you still want revenge?"
There was no need for verification. "You can all take some time to decide what you want to do,"
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"No,"
"But just-
"No,"
"If we-
"No,"
"Oh come on, we've got to-
"Forget it!"
Gon, Killua and Sakura were spending their reprieve from Kurapika to discuss what they wanted to do regarding the situation. While Sakura and Gon were all for helping Kurapika face the Troupe, Killua wanted them to stay clear away from it all.
"It's pointless now. The rewards have been canceled,"
"But Kurapika's still in danger," Sakura stressed, "We can't just leave him,"
"Kurapika's already mastered Nen, while we are still on basics,"
"Yeah, but he's outnumbered," Gon pointed out, "We should help him, and capturing the Troupe would be worth it,"
Killua stomped forward, "Have you both forgotten why we're here?"
"Greed Island," answered Gon.
Sakura shrugged, "Technically that was a happy coincidence since we were going to come here any-
"Doesn't matter! We're supposed to be focusing on earning money for the game, which is up for auction in two days!"
"I already have a plan that could get us the game!" Gon said excitedly.
"What's your plan?"
Gon held his chin, and then grinned back at his friend, "Secret!"
In a second, Killua had him in a chokehold trying to get answer's out of his while Sakura pried them apart.
"Calm down, we don't have time for this!" Sakura turned to Gon, "Do you really have a plan or was that just to pacify Killua so he'll be on board to go after the Troupe again?"
"I do have a plan," he said honestly. "But it's no guarantee,"
"How likely is the success rate?" asked Killua,
Gon thought for a moment and blurted out a number, "Seventy percent?"
"SEVENTY!?"
Feeling a slight pressure, Gon quickly changed his answer "Oh-no more like sixty!"
Though his expression removed another ten percent turning it to an even fifty, it was still better than their odds of raising enough money to bid for the game. It was already a far stretch when they were weeks away from the deadline. At the very least, nothing would be able to happen until the auction. That gave then forty-eight hours to deal with the Phantom Troupe.
"Kurapika, we want to help,"
Kurapika and Leorio were waiting for the three in the quiet hotel lobby. Killua agreed to help with the Troupe but that was on the condition that Kurapika agreed to team up with them. When they told him they wanted to assist, the Kurta didn't give an automatic response, rather prodded to ensure they were certain of their decision.
"The reward was rescinded,"
"We know. We want to stop the Phantom Troupe," said Gon.
"You'll be risking your lives,"
'And they're hooked,' Killua silently sighed. By now he knew Gon and Sakura and their tendencies. There wasn't a single moment of wavering from either, and while Killua envied their wills; he knew it was something that could lead you to an early grave.
"Fine then, let's come up with a plan,"
They crammed into a booth, Leorio, and Kurapika on one side, with Sakura, Gon, and Killua on the other. Kurapika wasted no time in detailing what he required from everyone. First was someone to collect information and watch the base of the spider's. Killua immediately volunteered. Leorio was assigned as the driver to accompany Kurapika-which had a chance to equate to a much more dangerous position if they were going to track the Troupe.
And for Gon and Sakura, Kurapika assigned them as the decoy's but Killua was skeptical.
"Isn't that dangerous?"
Sakura jabbed him with her elbow, "What do you think we can't handle it?"
"You both already ticked those guys off the last time. You don't know the meaning of pushing your luck!"
"I only need them to delay the Troupe for half a second so that I can capture Pakunoda and escape by car," Kurapika explained. "With two it should increase our chances for success on top of which, Sakura has the agility if things get out of hand,"
"I don't know, I was shot the last time I tried to run from those guys," Shrugged the pinkette.
"You probably would've gotten away if that hadn't happened," admitted Killua. "But this plan isn't exactly rock-solid,"
"That's because there are too many uncertainties. Anything can happen,"
There were six hours before the auction began; Kurapika saw the time before as the likely window of opportunity if the spiders chose to attack again.
"Hey, why are you accepting our help now?" Killua asked after a short debate.
"Because the risk I'm taking has increased. I have to eliminate Pakunoda as soon as possible. No matter the cost,"
When meeting Kurapika's eyes at that moment, even if he wasn't looking directly, he would make one freeze, captured by the determination and resolve that shone in them. It was that which made Sakura decide to tell Kurapika what had been dwelling in her thoughts since she read about him.
"Kurapika, I want to tell you a story about a friend from my world. His name is Sasuke Uchiha. He was my teammate and friend. His entire clan was massacred when he was seven and from that time he had sworn to avenge them. It was his main goal. And he didn't care what he had to give up to attain it,"
Leorio looked shocked, "Someone like Kurapika?"
"What are the odds of that?" asked Killua.
Sakura shook her head, "I've drawn parallels between you both, but I've come to realize that you're not the same. Sasuke had become obsessed with obtaining power, he abandoned everything to attain it. He didn't care what it would take. " She had to stop, just recalling the memory was unpleasant, too much to hide it.
"When everything you have has been stolen from you, sometimes all you have left is revenge." Kurapika didn't understand why he would say this, but he was compelled with a momentary instinct of kinship to this person Sakura was speaking about.
"But he gave up everything. Our village, our friendship, he even nearly killed his best friend-my friend Naruto. He turned to a criminal for power and I've only seen him once after he left, and that resulted in a fight almost turned lethal. He had stopped looking to the future. And he chained those who cared about him to the past. Hatred robbed him of his freedom,"
"So that's why you get so upset when Kurapika talks about revenge," said Killua, though his voice was softer than he wanted.
"Sasuke believed that solitude was a source of power; I don't want you to come to that conclusion. You've both suffered the same loss and you know what it feels like to be alone. But I need you to realize that you're not because you have all of us. We're your friends, not your burdens. Sasuke's refusal to stop living in the past prevented him from seeing what was right in front of him. I want you to do what he hasn't and look at what's right in front of you and realize that as long as you have people who care about you; you haven't lost everything,"
Kurapika stood up and slid out of the booth, he walked around, setting his hand on the pinkette's shoulder. "Sakura…..thank you for telling me about your friend. But even if my resolve is stronger; I have not seen any of you as burdens and I'm counting on your help because I believe in all of you,"
She rested her hand over his, staring up at him. "You have no idea, how much that means to me,"
Leorio and Killua watched them quietly trying to remind the two that there were still others within proximity but it was Gon who broke their trance with an incredible method of callousness that Killua and Leorio couldn't even be grateful for it.
"Kurapika, stab me with your Nen blade!"
"Where did that come from!?" exclaimed Killua.
"You people are going to give me whiplash," Leorio said, almost sliding off the seat. "Weren't you listening Gon? If Kurapika attacks someone who isn't a member of the Troupe he'll die!"
Kurapika swiftly shushed Leorio when he went an octave too high in the pubic area.
"Then how is there a Nen blade pointed at Kurapika's heart? Kurapika isn't a member of the Troupe,"
Everyone stilled to ponder what Gon had just made vivid. What he said had validity for further investigation and Kurapika was the one to explain but not without warning.
Kurapika moved back to his seat"What I'm about to say will increase my risk further,"
"I'm not afraid of giving my life if it will help someone important to me. So even if it means you have to put a Nen blade in me, as long as you realize that you can trust us, it's fine with me,"
Killua sighed, throwing his hands behind his head, "Geez, guess it makes sense for all of us to do it. If we get caught we're probably going to die anyway,"
Leorio nodded casually, "After tonight, we all officially know too much about each other to back out now. I mean if we turned Sakura in, she'd probably end up in a lab-although if we got a reward-
"Gee thanks, I hope Kurapika stabs you first,"
"Very well," Kurapika held out his hand, a mist of nen briefly covered before revealing his chains, linked with rings on each of his fingers. "Two of the chains are for attacking spiders. The first in Chain-jail, it binds the target and forces them into a state of Zetsu. This is for capturing spiders," Kurapika pulled on a small silver stake at the end of the chain connected to his pinky finger, "This is my Judgement Chain, I point the blade at my targets heart and state rules they must follow. If a rule is broken, they die.
As you've figured, I have a Nen blade pointed at my own heart. At first, I devised the rule that I would die if I attacked anyone who wasn't a spider, but then I realized that the rule could apply to me as well. So I adjusted the rule; I can only use Chain Jail against the spiders. Meaning I can use Judgement Chain on those who aren't spiders but only when a condition is met,"
"What condition?" asked Sakura.
Kurapika's eyes began to glow that familiar scarlet, captivating and dangerous. "This chain can only be used when my eyes turn scarlet,"
Killua leaned back, "Whoah! You can control that?"
"It took practice before I could turn them scarlet of my own volition. I mastered the power in my middle finger by vowing to never release this chain, and always risk death. The power in my pinky was resolved by my unique nature. When my eyes turn scarlet I become a specialist. And I can use any ability I've learned at full strength,"
Sakura rested her hand over her mouth, "That's…." she wanted to say incredible but felt that it wouldn't be appropriate given the circumstance of the context.
"So you can use your nen blade on us right?" asked Gon,
"Yes,"
Gon pointed to his chest easily, without blinking "Then go ahead. You can choose the rule to set,"
"I'm ready as well," said Sakura.
"We all are," added Killua.
"You can just rescind the rule once the mission is over," said Leorio.
"I accept your resolve, however…" Kurapika lowered his hand, his chains vanishing off his hand. "I never had any intention of using my chains on you guys,"
"Then why would you endanger yourself by telling us your secret?" asked Gon.
"Because I wanted to thank all of you for your resolve," Kurapika then smiled, "If one of you ends up revealing my secret, I'd have no regrets. I have good friends…."
Sakura exhaled softly, covering her face with her hands to hide her smile. This puts more pressure on them, testing their strength and bond with their loyalty rather than setting it through with a do or die rule. Yet, she couldn't think of anything better.
She decided that now was the time before their mission together began. Sakura dug into her bag, "I have something for all of you,"
"It's not another dimension traveling item right?" Leorio asked, half-serious.
"No, I got this before we left Heaven's arena," Sakura pulled out a box, "I wanted to open it when we all got together again,"
"Oh yeah, I remember trying to steal that out of your bag," Killua said casually.
"You better remember that giant bump on your head after I caught you snooping as well,"
"You might have knocked that memory out of me," Killua muttered touching the top of his head, listening to his friend's snicker. She opened the box. Thin silver chains, an intricate but simple compass point and running along from between West and North moving clockwise was engraving.
"Different directions. Always side by side,"
"It made me think about us, and at the time I didn't know how much longer I was going to be in this world so I wanted a reminder, but since I already bought it…."
Killua shrugged, "Might as well. Though I can't believe I got punched because of jewelry,"
"It's not bad," said Leorio. "I could pull this off,"
"Thanks, Sakura,"
"Thank you,"
Everyone picked up one of the metal works, slipping it over their heads. Killua tucked his under his top, "Alright, I'm heading out,"
With that, they prepared to face the storm head-on, uncertain of what they were stepping into but prepared to do so together.
I wanted to finish the Yorknew arc before posting the chapters, but after all my recent works got deleted I didn't want to wait. My exams are finished and vacations started, so I hope to get as many chapters posted, though it takes time to write, so please be patient, thank you.
Don't forget to review!