Vastorie, Kurapika, and Leorio confront Cheadle; Killua, Alluka and Daniel talk about their plan, including Killua's reveal for why they had so many flights; Gon and Iason, have a short talk.

Tense couldn't even begin to describe the situation, Cheadle forced into an argument she couldn't even begin to take rein of. Vastorie, Kurapika and Leorio, combined as a force to break her issue of command against Victor Tempest's life.

He is a threat, a member of the Pure Paladin Squad gone rogue. He is on par with Netero and is a threat to future Hunters, whether old or young.

"I can't just rescind this contract. Listen to me Vastorie, Kurapika and Leorio… He is a member of the Pure Paladin Squad gone rogue. He is an S-Class Criminal, able to erase all traces of his existence, per second."

"Kurapika found him," Vastorie justified, able to tame his emotions completely.

"Wait, what? How…?"

"Listen, as a concerned father… if you keep going after him, killing him will be the least of your concerns. Leave the entire task to me. He wants me, so he can have me…"

"Vastorie… that is the last outcome I want. Handing you over to him could risk millions of lives… both the future and the past. You read his journal, did you not?"

Kurapika stepped in, "I have read it as well. We're dealing with a mentally unstable mastermind. He wants his son, so the best option is to dangle Vastorie in front of the man, just out of his grasp. He thinks every action made against him so far, has been done by Vastorie's hand…"

Kurapika showed the photos to Cheadle, "He is trying to make a point, nothing is sacred."

"Exactly," Leorio stepped in, "if you can't remove the contract for that guy's head, I will step down from the Boar Zodiac position, and go against your plan to explore the Dark Continent. No one will support you… you said so yourself that you needed my help for this mission. I won't endanger my friends, even if you see him as a threat…"

Cheadle rubbed the bridge of her nose, glasses bopping at the action. This couldn't be happening; Kurapika and Leorio joining Vastorie's side. Leorio was against the man less than a week ago, now his will to work by the man's side, "Alright, how do you propose we capture him at least…? He needs to at least be contained."

"DEATH is your only OPTION Cheadle…" Vastorie stepped in, slamming his fists against the table at his own rage flooding forth. He had to remain calm, or else this whole mission could fail immediately. Taking a deep breath, the man calmed his nerves "His ability works through dreams, he has one to actively put you asleep while you're in range, another to make sure his existence acts like a dreamlike state at all times, and then he can also use his nightmares as a tool to erase all memories. He isn't one to mess around with… His information is locked on The Hunter's website for a reason, you should have access to it…"

Cheadle tapped the table, a finger tracing the newly formed crack. Dangling Vastorie in front of that man is not the best plan on the planet, not while he was like this, "I'm well aware of the information on his locked file… However, why is that you can remain unaffected. He has come into contact with you, has he not…?"

"He has… and I don't know why he personally wants me to remain unaffected. What I do know, however, is he needs me for his plan… And I think I know what it is. He wants the old me… I'm sure you're already aware of my past, including the assassination training…"

"I am…"

"Well, Victor… wants me for some reason to have all my emotions intact, while he wants absolute control over me… It's a weird contradiction…"

Cheadle's eyes widened slightly. She read that in the man's profile, thinking it was a mistake in the file. What has taken over Victor's body may have kept the man's memories intact. If the man is a host for the creature invading his body, the V5 or new V6 will want to keep that man as a live specimen… the only problem is his ability to wipe memories; unless… they have a way to contain the man's Nen…

Then again… the parasites inside his body could be actively rejuvenating his Nen as well. They don't know much about what happened to Victor… "Alright, I will hold off on his capture…"

As Leorio let out a sigh of relief, it was short-lived, "Instead I will give you access to his profile, but I expect the three of you to find a way to capture him… or at least find a way to track his movements."

Kurapika held his gaze with the chairwoman. This was the best they were going to get, even if he didn't like it, it means it's up to the three of them now, meaning: Daniel, Killua and Alluka won't be affected, unless they make a move.

Vastorie's cross his arms, "Fine, however, I have to be the one to track him… anyone else will just make him lash out. The last thing you would want is the blood of hundreds of Hunters spilled on your watch…"

Cheadle bit her lip at that notation, hating how easily the man could get under her skin when he wanted to; rational or otherwise…

She couldn't risk losing Vastorie… Yet at the same time, losing Leorio would be a huge blow to the plan to explore the Dark Continent, "Alright…"

"~"

There were eyes on the open sky, Killua calmly walking along the empty hallways, people stuffed in their own little rooms. So far, so good. There wasn't a single person acting like he was in the slightest, interesting.

Granted, he did get a couple of glances; most of them seemed to be interested in his hair colour. However, he hadn't spotted anyone who had been on all four of their flights. Killua felt at ease, a hand pressed to single cheek as he turned to the clouds. They were safe for now…

Daniel and Alluka were safe…

A smile twitched upward, a warm expression filling his face. The next step was to find Scarlet, considering she disappeared off the radar, it could mean she has either moved on from the Kakin Kingdom, or she is in hiding.

What she was hiding from, he couldn't exactly pin-point yet. They didn't have all the facts. He'll need to get into contact with Nathaniel; hopefully, he'll have a photo of the woman they can use as a guide to at least find someone resembling her. He couldn't depend on Zaikaria for this; with his expert tracking skills, he was sure he could find a needle in a haystack. He just needed to know who he was looking out for… As for towns, Daniel did get a message from Zaikaria, the town they were looking for Aswaqiya; that was at least a start.

They could instead comb the area, looking for those who have Nen capabilities, but if Scarlet was actively hiding, she may be using either Zetsu or In, masking her Nen flow. Crap… Killua sighed before stuffing his hands in his pockets, returning to their cabin on the airship.

It's time he tells the truth, why he exaggerated their trip for longer than it should have been.

"~"

Daniel held Alluka in his arms, playing with her hair as he held up a book, helping her read certain words if she ever got stuck. It seems the Zoldycks were cruel in a sense, the girl unable to grasp more than simple language.

Here Killua was reading call of Chuthulu at age 7, but Alluka at age 12 would struggle to read that.

He was trying to help out, take away some of the burdens off Killua's mind. He seemed distracted during these last few flights, absently walking through the hallways of the airship whenever he could.

"What's this word, Daniel…?"

Daniel brought his attention to the page, reading the word for Alluka's sake, "Punctilious, pretty much what Killua is doing…"

"Big Brother…?"

"Yeah, it means strict or exact in observance of the formalities or amenities of conduct or actions. Also known as, being an attentive hawk."

"He does seem really worried, as much as he's trying to hide it."

Daniel nodded as he ran his fingers through Alluka's hair, offering the girl a sweet smile, even though she couldn't see it. They each loved Killua in their own way, but they were also equally worried about the boy in question. He's not normally distracted, even the night before, Daniel couldn't help but worry about his boyfriend, so much so, he'd rather have a rain check with Killua, rather than be on the receiving end, with what he had given the boy that afternoon.

He secretly has come to accept that part of himself, unable to worry any longer about whether or not he'll be like his father. He just needs to understand, then, and only then can he finally reach a moment where he can say whether or not his father was right to be angry…

Not that there would never be a moment where the two shouldn't argue. He just finds it from his point of view, he did nothing wrong to incite, his father's regret of having given birth to him… or at least he believes that his father gave birth to him. It was a weird topic to have with a parent…

It's not really a discussion he would like to have with Vastorie. Nathaniel, or maybe even Zaikaria, definitely… not Vastorie; he may have a biased opinion on his father, but he has a long laundry list of moments, Vastorie was joking, more than actually giving facts about certain situations.

He still even remembers the moment his father had the talk with him. IF something on your body rises to the situation, you may start confusing feelings with... Something else...

That, combined with the later talk about lust and love, doesn't help his case at all. He sees his father as a trickster who withholds information, while also being unafraid to talk about other certain scenarios.

What lead Vastorie to act like this, depended entirely on him. BUT, and this was a huge 'but', the road his going to travel will hopefully, help him understand his father. What he really needs to understand, about his father…

Was he always like this…?

Is he like this, only with him…?

Two, of the many questions, he needs to clarify results with from the remaining eight out of ten on the list.

What he has gathered from Zaikaria was, she seems to think he's split memories resulted in his need to create his own ideal personality, something derived from his views of Avlas. But she didn't stop there, what she sees from Avlas, she also sees in their other father, Nathaniel.

All he has to go with is that Avlas was an assassin, and Killua's Uncle; whereas, Nathaniel was a kind and gentle person who'd rather not let anyone… Daniel stopped his thoughts. No, it couldn't have been that simple. Their similarities were their personalities… specifically, to take on everyone else's troubles.

From what they've gathered so far about their situation had been broadened:

Avlas took the role that was supposed to be Killua's during that timeline…

Nathaniel lied about Victor's survival, to protect Vastorie from some kind of truth. He protected him…

That was what Nathaniel and Avlas shared together, their need to protect their loved ones, or better yet, their family from the cruelness of the future.

That is what Vastorie is trying to do… find a way to protect his family from Victor, but the reasons… the reasons were unknown. Yes, the man could erase their memories, just like Zaikaria can, but he can do it effortlessly… he did it once, but he hasn't come to do it again yet, why?

Both parties were fighting for dominance over the battlefield, and their reasons, were still unknown…

The door opening sparked Daniel's attention, his gaze meeting with Killua's. He was about to smile, but Killua's eyes told them something else. He was worried, and he was about to say so now, "Are we in trouble…?" The boy's arms tightened around Alluka, not enough to hurt her, just to keep her close, protected… just like Killua would want.

The boy smiled at the gesture, before his face became neutral at the tension now surrounding Daniel, "You can relax for now…" Killua sat down in the chair in front of Daniel and his sister, offering the two most special people in his life an apologetic gaze, "I'm sorry for holding the truth back…"

Daniel listened intently, his arms loosening around Killua's sister's body.

"Victor… was following us."

The news made Daniel's eyes widened; Killua's hand grabbing Daniel's before the boy could freak out, "Was…" the boy repeated once more, letting the silence sink in once more. "I checked the Airship, even if Victor attempted to follow us, I would've noticed a similar man on all four flights, regardless of his ability to wipe memories. I made sure to keep the camera on my phone running just in case. No one was here all four flights. So we're safe for now…"

Daniel let out a relieved sigh, even after learning the truth so late; it didn't mean he trusted Killua less. The boy had a reason for doing so, and considering Killua doesn't know what the man looks like, and Daniel hadn't spotted him yet… not that he was actively looking for the man either. That might be why Killua didn't tell him, because he was worried Daniel might give away that he knows what Victor looks like now, "I'm sorry, Killua…"

Killua craned his neck slightly, "What have you got to apologize for… I was the one keeping it a secret…"

"You were worried I'd spot him and freak out."

"Yes… and no. Zaikaria made me promise I wouldn't tell you… or Alluka."

Alluka's eyes widened at the news, Killua nodding, even without the need to hear her question, "Yes, she was worried about you too. Even the queen of bitches has a heart that worries for others…"

"Sorry…" Killua looked down at the floor, worried about how Daniel would perceive him for calling his sister a bitch. He wasn't met with malice; he felt a sense of concern for him through Daniel's wavering aura. It was one of the fair few times Daniel ever let his emotions be felt, those of which were far and few between.

Killua clenched his fist. Why doesn't Daniel get angry with him… ever?

As reading his thoughts, Daniel spoke, "Its ok… I'm not upset with you neither for withholding that information nor for calling my sister names. She did after all make me forget about you, but she had her reasons… no matter how unjustified they were. She sees family first, just like Illumi does… except I'm sure we can both agree; Zaikaria is the lesser of the two evils. Illumi didn't hesitate to make an attempt on my life back then… neither did he hesitate during the mission to save Gon. He possibly sees me as a stunt to your growth."

"Heh…" Killua faked a laugh, he can agree to that. Although, being around Gon and Daniel didn't stunt his growth… in fact, it was Illumi who did so. With the mental barrier erected by his own flesh-and-blood brother, he couldn't see past his own weakness, thinking those who were naturally stronger than him, could never be beaten.

Even when Daniel could see he was weaker, he always tried his best to help out, no matter what. Gon was the same too, even when he knew he was weaker, he pushed himself way past his limits just to defeat Pitou. Sure, it was a mistake at the time, but no matter what… he still pushed himself at that time.

Illumi controlled Killua's growth, and failed miserably as a trainer…

"You're right…" The boy let out an exaggerated sigh, "Alright, so as soon as we land in the Kakin Kingdom, let's head for the hotel. Then on the following day, we'll head for Aswaqiya. We'll find a place to stay at, gather information from Nathaniel for whom we're looking for, and then try to find her… Hopefully, she'll sympathize with our circumstance."

"If she doesn't…?"

Killua eyes glanced in Alluka's direction, accepting Daniel's concern wholeheartedly. His fingers found his sister's, dropping to her side, now kneeling before his sister. With a smile, he held a single hand to cup his sister's face, gaze piercing his sister's soul to speak to the one his message is truly intended for, "I know I made you promise not to, but I'll ask, not request… even if I have to resort to begging… that you help me free Daniel from his curse, Nanika…"

There was a brief moment, Alluka's eyes closing before the sudden shift, the change in mood. The boy never let his hand go, accepting Nanika as a part of Alluka, a long-lost sibling he would rather cherish than ask for anything from her.

If he knew of a way to remove Daniel's affliction, he would have done so himself, finding those who can do it, rather than asking Nanika for help. He wouldn't have asked her if he could avoid it…

But rather than going through a long list of people who could remove Nen, he rather he does not waste time going through a laundry list of people, just in case Victor catches wind of their mission. He doesn't exactly know how much the man knows, only that he has followed them for some time, watching them from the shadows.

Who knows what he knows… for all they knew, the man might already be onto their scheme. One day he will come for them, it's just up to Daniel and himself, to make sure their nightmare doesn't repeat itself again…

They have to become stronger… not only physically, but mentally as well…

That man could erase a lifetime of memories without harming the host; he must have some kind of Vow and Limitation in place that stops the person from ever being harmed… even if the backfire is somehow placed onto him. Maybe he has a mental instability, rather than the host losing his memories, Victor instead takes them onto himself.

It might be hard to justify, but it could possibly explain why he's so cruel. So many memories of others crawling in that mind, blocking from thinking logically about what he is actually doing…

Daniel explained how Zaikaria's ability works… how it originally worked. She had no control over whose memories she read, all of them crawling and digging into her head. She had to have snapped at some point… Vastorie was there to help her out, to find a way to control her ability.

Victor has nobody…

He keeps taking away those cherished memories; they must have corrupted him in some way. To what degree… they don't really know.

Killua will have to find a way to deal with the man physically… while Daniel, will have to find a way to counteract the mental part. A manipulator can't take control over another manipulator…

He'll just have to find a way to implement the method to counteract it…

"~"

Gon had a bounce in his step, watchful, hopeful eyes stealing a glance from Iason whenever chance could allow him. He watched the boy rub his shoulders, muscles tense and sore from his lack of ability to stop himself mid-challenge.

Once he's riled up, there is no stopping him…

That was a note in Iason's journal, to never challenge Gon ever again. Sure, it works to deter the boy from staying back at the hotel to keep Sakura entertained, but his body… his body hurts in places he would have never imagined he'll complain about, ever.

Sakura would have definitely gotten an hour, possibly two in. Hopefully, it was enough to help Sakura his Ten, without the need for Iason's guidance… otherwise, it would've been valuable time wasted. Not in a bad way… it's just he failed to be by Sakura's side when he would've needed him most. Iason on the other hand just wants to collapse on a bed and just give up on life. A sanguine wish to enter a coma he wouldn't wake from, UNLESS, his muscles no longer ached.

Knowing his situation, Gon and Sakura wouldn't allow for that…

Gon would definitely drag him into bed with Sakura, hugging them tightly like they were apart of his own giant, plushie teddy bears collection. No matter how embarrassing he would ever consider the thought was; Gon in a heartbeat would do that without a second thought.

Although, the boy couldn't deny that some part of him, no matter how minuscule, kind of liked the idea. He couldn't oppose the boy's comforting, tender touches…

Iason's eyes met Gon's for a moment, noticing how the boy gracefully diverted his attention. Gon may have been checking him out, and a part of him liked the idea. He closed his eyes, turning away for a moment before looking back at Gon, hoping that this time, the boy wasn't looking at him. Boy, was his initial thought wrong…

The moment his gaze met Gon's, he saw that bright starry smile, the one that blind-sighted him on the first day of meeting him. It had shocked so much, it took him too long to realise he just accidentally complimented the boy about his cute looks that day.

He felt his cheeks fill with warmth at the attention, those gazing eyes entranced by something he did… he just didn't know what exactly, "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry…"

"For…?" Iason stopped; he was intrigued to know of the reason, as to why Gon was apologizing. It's something about Gon's childlike innocence which sucked you in, holding your attention to unyielding degrees.

"For this…" Gon held out his hand, fingers touching Iason's cheeks.

Within a split second the boy pulled back. It felt like Gon's fingers burned his cheek, but in reality, it was nothing more than the warmth of Gon's hand making his stomach flip.

He was scared, but not in a sense of wanting to get away from Gon, he was scared at his own reaction; how his heart just quickened slightly, from nothing more than a concerned touch.

Gon giggled, once more reaching out to Iason, but rather than touching him like last time, his finger poked the spot, "I'm sorry for pushing you so much. I just get carried away too easily when challenged. It felt like one of my old adventures, seeing someone keeping up with me, forcing me to surpass my limits… I miss that."

"What was it like…?" Iason immediately retracted his statement, Gon's endless gaze pulling him into a whirlpool of emotions. He was unable to turn away, memorised by a smile, and he was afraid to admit it, "Ignore that…"

"No…" Gon shook his head at the notion, watchful gaze now turning to the sky, "I miss my friends… I miss Daniel… Killua… Even Alluka, although I didn't get to talk to her for long… Killua is very protective of his sister."

The boy let out a sincere laugh, one full of sadness, yet Iason couldn't help himself. He felt himself falling into Gon's openness, his willingness to approach the boy full of enough curiosity, he could feed the world ten times over, and there still would be more than enough to feed the next generation, "What were they like, you're friends…?"

"Killua was shy… he couldn't take a compliment like Sakura. But he was extremely intelligent. No matter how disastrous the situation was… trapped we were; Killua would ALWAYS find a way to get us out. He could decipher a situation, a problem so easily, thinking way ahead of the enemies… unlike me…"

Iason shook the situation away, something tugging at his heartstrings, begging him to pull Gon out of that mindset. Maybe this is what Sakura always felt around Gon? The need to help the one he most cares about… loves…

He didn't let that thought linger for long "What about Daniel… Alluka…?"

Gon felt himself crack a smile, "I can't say much about Alluka, but Daniel… He may not have been as intelligent as Killua, but he was smart. Give him the right proposition, and he and Daniel could have an argument that would leave your brain struggling to follow. He was kind, dishing out compliments faster than he could take them. Even when Killua was struggling about his feelings, Daniel stuck by his side and helped him through it…"

The boy's eyes turned back to Iason, a smile full of serenity… sadness… "He cared deeply about Killua… It was hard to watching his heart shatter into tiny pieces, the moment I admitted I've liked Killua as much as Sakura, it seemed as though he was willing to let go of his happiness for his boyfriend's sake." Gon's smile widened further at the thought of the situation, even when he had a feeling he knew what Daniel's answer was going to be at the time back then, "Then I admitted I liked Daniel too, but he didn't shove me aside, not because I'm a boy… although, that would be weird because Killua is also a boy. It's because he loved Killua… so much so, that if Killua wanted to stay by my side, he wouldn't stop him…"

Gon's gaze met Iason's, "I was attracted to Daniel for a reason, and I know why… it's because how deeply he cared for Killua. Even seeing him get along with Alluka would always make my lips tug upward into a smile. When he cares, he is unafraid to show it… he'll scream out to the whole world if he has to. A part of me wanted a slice of that. I'm just sad to hear what Daniel and Killua are going through."

Gon looked down at his hands, clenching his fists tightly into his palms, knuckles whitening, "I just wanna punch the person who made Daniel forget about Killua! Killua doesn't deserve that… he deserves the happiness he found, whether I'm a part of that or not…" Gon looked up at Iason to shake away the possible thoughts, "I'm not sad at that… just seeing their interactions did help me discover my feelings for others. Daniel played a big chunk of that revelation; Killua just guided me the rest of the way. He explained how I was Polyamorous, and then everything made sense after that…"

"They accepted me, without pushing me away. I just wish I didn't do the same when we were at war with the Chimera Ants back when we were in East Gorteau."

"A war in East Gorteau…?" The boy immediately shut his mouth, afraid that he may have given away too much from his shock.

Gon's eyes scanned his, completely aware of the boy's own curiosity. He pretended to ignore, considering how fast Iason shut his mouth as soon as he said it, "Yeah, he fought these really powerful Chimera Ants… now known as Magical Beasts. It's how I lost my Nen… Killua saved me, even after I pushed him away. I screamed at him, telling him that he'd never care for anyone, but himself. I was blinded by my own rage, wishing that the enemy before me stop pretending as though it cared for a fellow human. I thought it was trying to hurt a little girl… but they were trying to save her."

The words made Iason bite back his own tongue, stopping himself from pursuing more information. There was a time where Gon acted completely selfish… where he wasn't perfect… where the boy's smiles faded into non-existence. H wouldn't have imagined it, not after seeing how the boy could smile.

Iason just wished he could continue to bury his past, but eventually, he will crack if he continues like this. He brought his eyes to look at Gon, the boy's own radiant eyes looking back at his. It felt like he could ask anything within the moment, and Gon wouldn't judge him, "What happened to the people in East Gorteau…?"

Gon help Iason's gaze the question, not full of questions, a sense of childlike curiosity; a desire to find out more about him, "If you don't mind me asking, why are you curious about what happened there?"

"I…" The boy shut his own mouth before he could say anything. He hadn't said anything to Leorio, and yet, here he was about to spill his own guts out to Gon, a boy he just met a few weeks ago. What is it about this boy that pulls people in so easily? Making them feel they were safe to tell him their secrets.

Gon offered a sincere smile, his hand reaching out to touch the boy's hand, "Its ok… you don't have to tell me… or Sakura."

Just seeing Gon in his almost broken state, he could see why Sakura wanted to make sure the boy was always smiling…

When the boy smiled, the whole world just seemed to glow, showered in a radiant glow of happiness alongside with him.

The words made the boy's mouth open slightly, eyes widening at the news. He was truly thankful, now understanding the extent of why Leorio trusted them so much when it came to his little brother, "I'm just not ready…"

Gon nod in understanding, reaching around the boy who guarded his secrets, his fears. It was at this point everything seemed to slow down for Iason.

His mind freaked out after seeing Gon come closer, mouth parted slightly.

Gon is about to kiss me, and my body isn't trying to avoid it, why? He closed his eyes as the boy was inches away, expecting lips on his own. But they never came; he felt their noses mushed together, the boy's eyes opening at the touch before Gon completely wrapped his arms around him, holding him tightly in his arms.

They felt so warm… welcoming. His mind just refused to push Gon away accepting the gesture before the boy had completely buried his head with Iason's neck, "When you feel ready, you can come to Sakura or me… we're here to listen and help you…"

"Okay, I will…"

"The people of East Goreinu, are ok… we weren't able to save everyone, five-thousand were turned into Chimera Ants, we found a few small empty villages, all the residents killed, but we saved millions before they could be harmed… If Killua didn't put his plan into action, many more might have died… he helped us delay their goal… to turn everyone into Chimera Ants… or use them as a source for food."

Iason felt prickling at the tips of his eyes. He was expecting a kiss from the boy, and he won't be able to live it down. A part of him wanted it… His hands encircled Gon's back, holding the boy as close as humanly possible, "thank you…"

A/N: As I said the last chapter, this will be the last chapter of the year. I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I'll return on the 7th of January.