I have become a huge fan of Hunter x Hunter and am totally infatuated with some characters including all the members of the Phantom Troupe.
I want to make some things clear here, I know that the scene with Kalluto in this story doesn't fit to what happens in the manga (I don't want to spoil it), but I just used the anime and developed my own theory.
And I PLEASE do not take the plot too seriously. I just wrote the story for me. It is just for entertainment and should not be taken too seriously.
English is unfortunately not my native language and I don't have a beta.:( I hope there are not too many mistakes in it.
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He felt the staring of several pairs of eyes on his back but did not let this disturb him while reading his book.
The members of the Phantom Troupe all looked lost in thought to their leader.
Finally he was with them again, their loyal, strong and at the same time intelligent boss after a long search, their efforts had finally paid off. And yet ... something was bothering them.
They had not yet thanked him properly for his efforts and sacrifice. Some would say that the greatest thanks were the return of his Nen, but for the spider legs this was not enough, their head had earned so much more than that.
During his absence, every single one of them had realized how important the boss was to him.
His caring and yet distant nature. He didn't show them, but every loss caused him grief. His facade remained upright until he was alone and could not burden anyone with it.
Had they been selfish and ungrateful because they had only realized his true value through Chrollo's absence? None of them were able to answer this question.
A soft, muffled sound woke everyone up from their world for a second. They looked at the person who caused it.
Chrollo rose from the stone he had been sitting on for hours and turned to them with a blank look.
"Well, I'm going to stretch my legs." He immediately felt how the tension in the room changed. His friends secretly did not want him to go alone, but no one dared to say anything, knowing that it would be a sheer insult to his ability.
Chrollo left the hiding place smiling, satisfied that none of them had contradicted him.
Alone again with their thoughts, the remaining members sat around until the most impatient of them could not bear the silence any longer.
"Damn it guys, I can't stand it any more. I'd like to rip out my own guts and offer them to the boss as a sacrifice just to show him how grateful I am," Phinks shouted into the round and jumped up with a clenched fist.
Feitan looked at him from the side and just replied: "Yeah, and you really think that such a piece of shit coming out of your body could please the boss? The others giggled softly, while the blond one turned angry to the other.
"And do you have a better idea? We were all happy about the return of the boss a week ago, but somehow ... I think we should thank him in some other way." The rest just nodded at these words.
Kalluto, who didn't know Chrollo for so long, only watched at the scenario objectively.
He didn't know if he was allowed to interfere and yet he silently agreed with them and understood the situation very well.
Remembering the first meeting with Chrollo, he let his gaze wander around the room.
They all stood expectantly around the unconscious figure. Kalluto was just too curious and step closer to the person his father had always warned him about.
/This boy is said to have almost defeated my father?/ It was hard to believe. This man looked peaceful and even innocent. Not like someone you'd think of as the head of a murderous gang.
Pale skin, slender, muscular build, pitch-black, silky hair and full, red lips.
The next thought turned his face completely red.
/Basically, he looks beautiful./
The others saw their youngest member eyeballing their boss and it was clear to everyone in which direction his thoughts were going and yet for once no one said anything snappish.
Nobody could deny that their leader was handsome.
Kalluto unconsciously backed away and and hid behind Phinks when the eyelids of the lying person started to move slowly.
The older one's body, unlike his, trembled with excitement at the imminent return of his boss.
Chrollo opened his eyes briefly only to close them again to protect them from the sun.
"What..." but before he could finish the sentence, several hands grabbed after his body and pulled him up.
"Chief."
"Boss."
"Leader."
…
Several voices so familiar to him called his title and just as many bodies pressed themselves against him. He had to laugh involuntarily and tried to hug everyone back the same way they did with him, but it was useless.
He felt hands running over his hair and over his back.
It was all very reassuring and familiar at the same time. Only for a second he could forget.
The tension of last year slipped away through the hands that tried to catch him.
Home ... Yes, he had come home again.
Some cried silent tears, which they knew to hide from the others in Chrollo's clothes, but not from their leader, who felt each one on his body.
"Forgive me for deserting you, but from what I've heard, you've done very well without me." Chrollo tried to ease the situation, but most of them clung even tighter to him, even Franklin, who was so huge that he protected everyone from the outside world in a big, firm embrace, now pushed harder, so that the core of the group, Chrollo himself, could hardly breathe.
"Don't say that, boss," whispered Kortopi, who was at Chrollo's right leg. An honest laughter filled the place where they stood. At first surprised at her boss's outburst, the others looked at each other questioningly before they could no longer hold it back and joined in the laughter.
Kalluto observed this scenario hidden behind a tree trunk.
But despite the cheerful image that was taking place in front of him, strong currents struck him.
/This aura ... it is so strong. I can hardly breathe. It squeezes my entire throat./ His eyes were wide open and fixed the man who was the cause of this unusually strong force.
/Death ... this lust for hunting, almost bestial./ The boy was aware that it would be easy for the older one to break his neck like a toothpick.
/ What was I thinking? I should have listened to my father ... I should have stayed at home./ His legs were shaking so badly he couldn't even manage to escape, although his mind kept telling him to.
His arms crossed, his hands grabbed his upper arms, his nails cramped into his flesh until bleeding wounds appeared.
/I'm afraid ... I'm terribly afraid./ His teeth began to chatter while he stared apathetically at the ground.
"Come out!"
Any thought stream stopped for a few seconds. His food came in high because of the cold voice
It was an order ... An order you should better obey if you value your life and yet, Kalluto did not manage to move immediately.
Gone was the joyful mood of the reunion after the head of the group had spoken. The members broke away from him and looked in the direction their boss was looking.
"Truly a true leader," Phinks whispered softly to the others who gave their approval by nodding, because Kallutos concealment techniques are masterful.
"I won't say it again, come out... or do you want me to come get you?" The grin that lay on the man's face dripped with malicious joy. Away was the innocence.
He took a big, demonstrative step forward.
Ready for the hunt.
"No, please. The boy gathered all his courage and pride and stepped out of the shade of the tree, only to walk towards the group.
His heart was beating so fast and yet he did not let on. No, on the contrary he looked very professional, all fear was banished from his face.
But he knew that he could only fool the others with it.
Chrollo's gaze pierced him, stripped him and left only the frightened child he was there.
Like a hare coming towards a fox that was too big, Kalluto trotted closer. The robber clearly heard the small muscle in the boy's body beat. Every fiber that made him up screamed to run away from the approaching figure, but he did not.
"Chief, that's..." Chrollo raised his hand to silence Phinks.
"Introduce yourself!" Kalluto raised his gaze.
"My name is Kalluto." Chrollo raised his right brow.
"And, Kalluto, you have a last name and a purpose that you want me to know, don't you?" The person he was talking to twitched slightly, although his counterpart did not have a sharp tone, he found it difficult to remain calm.
Phinks gritted his teeth ... they were murderers, but he felt it was pointless to further frighten an already scared child, had this child not so much potential, he would not have cared, but they all really liked Kalluto and Chrollos Nen was often a torment even for them when he let it out.
"Boss ... he helped us to find the exorcist who helped you. We have decided to accept him as a new member and hope for your approval." Kalluto and also the others were surprised that the blonde interfered. The first one was really happy about the support.
Feitan just giggled. „Do you suddenly have a heart for children."
"Shut up," the blond answered with a bright red head.
Chrollo, whose gaze had been on his team member due to the interruption, looked again at the bundle in front of him.
"Hmm ... is that so?" His fingers lightly touched his chin.
He realized that he had intimidated the boy quite a bit.
/He has potential ... Maybe I should try a different tactic to get more information./
Unexpectedly, Chrollo crouched down in front of the boy and grabbed under the boy's chin with his index finger and thumb and made him look up by applying light pressure.
"So it's true, Kalluto, did you help my team to break the chains?" The pupils of the addressed person widened in astonishment, because the entire charisma of his counterpart had changed. Gone was the cold-blooded aura, it had been replaced by a gentle, almost lulling one.
Also the voice of the tattooed man was now more melodic.
Somehow this manipulative manner reminded him of his oldest brother.
/Does he want me to drop my guard? Is this a test? What if I don't pass? What should I do?/ Kalluto didn't say a word and just nodded instead.
Chrollo's lips formed a smile.
"Then I thank you." With these words he let go of his chin. He stroked the boy's bangs backwards to reveal his forehead and placed a gentle fatherly kiss there.
Kalluto's heart almost stopped at this tender touch.
Chrollo heard his friends behind him let out the breath they had apparently been holding inside them.
"Now then, Kalluto, I still haven't learned your full name." At these words his counterpart swallowed.
"My name is... Kalluto Zolydck." Now it was the leader who was suprised. His eyes narrowed for a second before he kept saying, "So you're the spawn of Silva Zolydck?"
"Yes, sir," the boy replied obediently.
"Does your father know you're out with my troupe?"
"No, sir." The answer came very softly so that only Chrollo could hear it.
"Then why are you here? "Your father would probably not be pleased. You should go back home." With these words the elder stood up again and walked to his colleagues, but something pulled at his coat and stopped him.
His head turned again to the petite figure and looked at him questioningly.
Without another word the boy fell to his knees and pressed his forehead to the ground in humility, as was customary in Asia, and spoke in a shaky voice: "Please sir, don't refuse me just like that. I assure you that I can be of help to you and the whole troupe. You asked me about my intentions. I want to become stronger, strong enough to get my big brother back and if it takes me years to do so. You defeated my father once, so I want to learn from you and the others." He talked very fast and hoped it would be enough.
"Tz..." Chrollo snorted and then replied, "Let's get one thing straight here, I'm not a teacher." Kallutos insides were warping. It was over.
"...But if you promise to write to your father and let him know that you are well without mentioning that you have become a member of us, then you may stay. And please just call me boss, sir sounds so old." The boy looked up with bright eyes and nodded immediately.
"Of course, i promise. You won't regret your decision... Boss."
A loud "Yay!" was heard from the others who had followed the scenario feverishly. They ran up to Kalluto and joyfully embraced him. Now he was finally an official member of them.
Seldom had the boy felt so welcome.
He had also learned before Chrollo's time that such moments were rare in the Phantom Troupe, but he preferred them to be rare and honest rather than not happening at all like in his real family.
He knew that his still young life could also find an early end with them, but somehow he didn't care. The love he had found here was enough for a thousand lives to follow.
The next day in their hiding place, during a card game, the black haired man approached him again.
"Kalluto." The addressed person looked up from his cards to the older one.
"Yes, Boss?"
"Come with me !" Without another word the chief of the troupe walked in the direction of the exit. The boy immediately put down the cards and jumped up to run after his boss.
"Somebody's in trouble."
"Watch out that you don't get a pat on the bottom," he heard the others behind him gloating. He had to swallow involuntarily, what if he had really done something wrong and hadn't even noticed? Was Chrollo angry with him? Would he send him away after all? His hands cramped up in his kimono from tension.
Outside, he saw his boss a little away from the exit.
"Boss, have I got something..." He couldn't even finish the sentence.
"Attack me!" His heart stopped for a few seconds.
"Excuse me?" Chrollo's expression was hard like stone.
"Are you dense? I told you to attack me." Kalluto could not understand so quickly, there was the elder one already with him.
"If you won't do it, I will." Luckily, due to his parents' survival training, Kalluto automatically managed to evade the fist without hesitation.
He immediately took a safe distance and looked at his counterpart questioningly.
The man just smiled.
"Good, your training starts today, Kalluto." It took the adressed person a few seconds to process what he just heard.
Shock mixed with much fear, but just as much gratitude flooded his mind. Did his leader mean it? Did he really take the time that he could actually use for more important things to train him?
Light tears of joy rose in him, which he skillfully pushed away.
"Thanks, boss." Chrollo heard the pure honesty of this sentence, but did not react to it, instead he let out part of his nen to unsettle his current apprentice.
/If he already got scared of my energy yesterday, it will be hard for him to fight with other opponents, considering that it is only a fraction of what I can actually produce./
It also worked ... Kalluto's body immediately went into a defensive position.
Chrollo's eyes narrowed.
"Attack me!" The boy obeyed immediately. He ran straight for Chrollo.
/ A frontal attack?/ The spiders' head was surprised at such a headless decision but immediately changed his mind when he saw Kalluto suddenly disappearing in front of him but not without noticing him reaching under his clothes.
"What?"
/He comes from the right / The leader could only just swerve by taking a step back. At the same moment he saw the item Kalluto had attacked him with.
"A fan? So that's what you pulled out?." The angry boy, who had not managed to touch the other one, looked up with a grin.
"It's not just a simple fan." Chrollo raised his right eyebrow expectantly
Chrollo knew better not to underestimate these pieces of paper and again avoided them. Only to watch as they shredded the tree standing behind him into a thousand pieces.
His eyes widened in astonishment.
/Not bad. So he has a manipulation nen./ Kalluto who wanted to use the inattention of his boss to his advantage attacked again. But this time really frontally with the fan pulled out.
He saw the surprised face of his leader.
/Yes, this time I get him!/ A triumphant smile crept up on the lips of the younger one, but just before he reached his goal, the scared face of the other turned into a brutal grimace.
/Damn, it was just a trick./ The realization came too late Kalluto could not stop the attack.
A loud painful scream followed by a crackling sound filled the environment. Birds and other mammals living in the area ran away in horror from the agonizing scream.
"Chief, what's..." Shalnark and the others ran out from the hiding place to identify the source of the whining.
In front of them lay Kalluto with his belly on the ground and his right arm on the back pressed by Chrollo.
The latter one had also lowered his knee into the boy's back and his lips very close to his ear.
"You're too slow, we have to work on that." When no reaction came from the boy's side, the thief pulled the boy's arm tighter, making him sing out loud cries.
"Get it?" Between the painful sounds, the other managed to answer: "Yes, boss, but please..." He didn't need to finish the sentence, because Chrollo already let go and rose from the small body that was still breathing heavily on the ground.
"Don't worry, your arm is not broken. I'm surprised that your father didn't train you better." Chrollo paid no more attention to him and went to the others who stood there like pillars of salt.
"...Oh, or did he never take you seriously because you would never be his heir? "If you want your brother back, you'd better try harder." And with these words he disappeared into the hiding place.
Kalluto who had only stared at the ground at the words gritted his teeth.
Yes, it was true his father never took him seriously. He'd always been the mama's boy. But not this time! Chrollo had given him a chance, and he had failed.
He had to prove to the Elder one that he was worth his time.
/I don't give a damn about my father, Chrollo, because I want you to take me seriously!/ A few hands reached out to help him up, but he beat them off.
"I can do this on my own," he spat with determination and stood up with shaky legs.
"I'll prove to you and the Boss that I'm worthy to be considered as a full member." None of the others replied, knowing that Kalluto had nothing to prove to anyone.
They left the boy alone, who immediately started to improve his techniques.
Chrollo opened his eyes.
/Another strange dream./ He rose from his sleeping place and looked at his members who were all sound asleep.
But he quickly noticed that one person was missing.
/Where is the boy?/ The commander ran out and saw the boy training in the dark. He was bathed in sweat and completely out of breath.
The trees around him were completely destroyed.
/I knew that you had will/, the black-haired man thought proudly and went back inside.
Kalluto had not noticed the other one at all. He was too deep in his thoughts.
Would the boss give him another chance to fight? Or did he think the Zoldyck kid was a lost cause and not worth the effort?
His heart seized up. He was desperate for the thief to keep training him. No matter what pain or breakage he suffered. He'd take it like a man as long as the other guy kept pushing him.
The next day at breakfast he felt the worried looks of his comrades on him.
Holding the spoon for his muesli hurt like hell, but he tried to hide it.
"Kalluto, after you finish your meal, we continue your training," he heard Chrollo say from his usual place.
Pure relief filled the new member.
"Yes, boss." He suddenly started eating faster, shoveling all the muesli into his mouth and swallowing without chewing.
"Boss, don't you think you should give him a break today," called Machi, who could not bear to see the boy's misery any longer.
The respondent did not respond, on the contrary, he simply stood up, took off his coat and ran out into the sun upper body free.
The head of the troupe didn't want to appear disrespectful or even conceited, but the others didn't understand his intention and he didn't want to just let it out loud.
Sure, he knew that the boy needed rest at times, but if he refused to train him today, he would equate this with an offence. And he first wanted to strengthen his self-confidence, which his family had apparently buried completely
Kalluto took a quick step outside and looked expectantly at his master. "Let us begin... The man's bestial grin could not mean anything good.
Some time passed until Machi, out of curiosity, made his way outside and watched Chrollo giving orders and instructions to Kalluto. Which he obeyed with great effort of his powers.
/They have been training for five hours now and it is clear that the boy is slowly reaching his limits./ Worriedly, her eyes wandered to her boss who looked motionless at the boy who was trying to impress him at all costs.
"Keep your En upright!" Chrollo commanded, disinterested by the boy's already weakened condition.
The new member only managed a nod and tried to follow the words.
/Oh, God, I can't go on any longer./ Beads of sweat dripped down his face. His mind and his petite body screamed after a short break.
He had only been holding his en upright for 5 minutes and only at the minimum distance of 2 meters.
A soft giggle on his ear made him flinch briefly.
"So your grandfather manages to extend his en to a radius of 300 meters." Kalluto squinted to the side, to the grey eyes of his boss.
/How did he get so close to me without me noticing?/ Cold sweat ran down the younger one's back.
"I expect more from you than that." Kalluto swallowed.
"Yes, Fat... Chief." His face turned fiery red at his slight slip. /Oh, no, I hope he didn't notice. I hope he didn't notice. Damn, this is embarrassing!/
He wasn't looking at the older man. When there was no response from his side, the boy swayed back to safety.
/Maybe he didn't even hear it/, he told himself.
But Chrollo had heard it very well, but preferred to remain silent. He didn't really care what he was called.
Another hour passed. Now the other members of the Phantom Troupe had joined them outside and watched their new member train.
Chrollo had gone over to reading a book while Kalluto was busy maintaining his ens.
After another half hour, the mood changed as everyone realized that Kalluto's strength was waning.
/I am so damn tired. My en breaks every 10 minutes./ He noticed how all his strength left his body and he began to stagger.
/No, please don't. I have to prove it to him. I have to .../ The sentence got lost in his mind when everything around him went black. He expected the painful bang that did not come, but instead he was caught.
"That was good. I am very proud of you. Now, get some rest." This was the last he heard before he fell into a relieved sleep.
Chrollo, who had noticed the change in the powers of his protégé, looked up from his book and had been by his side as quickly as the blink of an eye to catch the little body.
His comrades who had been watching the scenario had been far too slow compared to him.
"Good reflexes, Boss," Shalnark praised him, looking up at the sleeping figure in his arms.
"Thanks. I'll bring the whirlwind in. Can you bring me my book later, which I left there? "
"Sure chief," everyone shouted like in the choir, saluting childishly.
The black-haired man only shook his head, but could not help but smile.
Since then, Kalluto knew what the spiders liked about their boss.
He was a protector, listener and leader.
"How about we just spoil him for two long days?" Shalnark suggested as he bit his thumbnail.
"But what do you mean by spoiling him?" Phinks asked with a bright red head. Apparently he could think of many ways to spoil him.
There was pure silence for a few seconds.
"You don' t mean...on a sexual level?" Shizuku shouted in horror. She had never been the fastest thinker, everyone thought.
Now it was Shalnark who blushed.
"Well, I didn' t mean that... I was going to suggest an onsen visit, but if you want to pamper him in other ways, I'd be willing to sacrifice myself.
"Huh why you?", it burst out of Phinks, who was then looked at crookedly by the others. Clearing his throat, he whispered, "Well, I think we should think about our boss's taste."
"Oh, and you think your looks will suit his taste?" Feitan simply could not hold back his side blows.
"The boss doesn't really favour any of us. You all know that yourself," Machi explained. All the others silently agreed with her.
Each of them had once dared to flirt with the boss.
Chrollo had always been gentlemanly enough not to put anyone above anyone else and had been equally open with everyone.
Jealousy or even resentment, none of them felt at these things.
„Why don't we just wait and see," Franklin finally advised, whereupon they began to forge a plan.