The three arrived at a high rise building that overlooked the streets. Judging by the overlay, it suggested that the Ashton's company dealt more with modelling. The question was, why would someone like Vastorie, who strived as being reclusive now, would ever think to get in contact with a model.

Then again… this all could be because of Ashton's dream; Vastorie was just there for the ride.

Killua crossed his arms as he looked from across the street, monitoring the area for any entry points other than the main entrance. There was a group of protestors blocking off the main entrance to the building, stopping anyone from purposely entering the business "This could get problematic…" The boy hummed out loud, taking note of what was being put on display.

It was cliché bigotry.

Daniel sighed, "I guess that's one question to add to the list…"

God hates fags…

You are a man, start acting like one…

The boy sighed tiredly at the situation "How do you want to go about it…?"

"I rather go through the front door, but it looks like security is busy keeping the mob back. Should we call Ashton?" Killua thought out loud, mainly assessing the crowd, "I think it would be best to call her…" Killua flicked open his phone, dialling the woman's number.

Eventually, the call connected.

"This is Ashton speaking…"

"The front is blockaded by a rabid pack of judgmental assholes…"

"Shit…" A deep sigh followed, "Alright. New plan… where are you?"

"Across the street…"

"Gimme a second…"

The boy heard muffled sounds, followed by Ashton's voice and another's. He couldn't make out the muffled voices, but somebody was irritated during the conversation. Eventually, the woman returned "Head to the front. The guards on duty are to let you inside… I suggest you avoid pissing off the crowd. Assholes would be the understatement of the century… I'll see you in the penthouse."

"Right, avoid the pack of rabid hypocrites converging on your entrance like they were a bunch of hungry zombies. Seems doable…" Killua hung up, eyes focused on the crowd swarming the front, "It would've been nice if there was a heads up…"

"We can't change that…" Daniel's eyes scanned over the crowd, spotting a figure holding a megaphone, "But we may be able to change this. Killua, look…" He held out a figure to the crowd, "Woman in the red shirt, holding the megaphone… I believe they're the one inciting the crowd."

Killua eyes switched from figure to figure, "It's possible… but they could just be the main person happening to be talking right now. However, if she is…"

"Could we possibly break up the crowd?"

"I guess… we could also be humiliated or at worst, further incite the crowd, as well as getting them to cement themselves in whatever bullshit they're touting right now."

Daniel crossed his arms, "How should we approach the situation then…?"

"Leave them alone… the security can deal with them, or they can call cops to break them up." The boy took his sister's hand within his own. As much as he'd rather avoid the crowd, not wanting his sister to be close to the crowd who's against her existence, the front door is the only entrance at this point, "Whatever they say, do not listen to them. They're criticizing what they refuse to understand… we're people trying to not only find ourselves but live the life that feels right to us."

"I…" Alluka looked towards the crowd, "I understand."

Killua started walking towards the building, stopping himself from meeting any of their gazes. The closer they got; the clearer their messaging got. They were opposed to Ashton's business practises, what she was promoting… not just LGBT adults promoting themselves as being normal, but the youth that has the strength to speak up, even if they risk losing everything in the process…

Killua shoved his way through the crowd, pulling Alluka up to the front alongside him, hoping that one of the security guards would spot them.

Most of them were engaged, neither one of them taking note of the kids sticking out like sore thumbs amongst the crowd.

Killua turned to Daniel, only to see that he was nowhere to be found. Shit… he got lost in the crowd. He could still feel his partner's presence, Daniel must have gotten stuck, but given his tenacity, he still must be trying to push his way through.

They'll just meet up once they've both gotten past the security.

"Hey…" Killua called out to the nearest guard, only to find himself being ignored. So, he called out louder this time, "Hey!"

As the guard spots him, their eyes connected. Turning he clicked his fingers to one of the guards in the back.

When the guard moved towards him, that's when the boy heard it "These monsters need to be stopped. They will no longer corrupt our children, turning them against the ones who've loved them since the day they were born. These lifestyle choices they've been pushing down our children throats needs to be stopped! These abominations need to be removed from the spotlight!"

He felt Alluka's grip tighten, the loud screaming crowd being almost silenced in a few mere seconds. It was nothing more than flies in the background buzzing around him. He had half the mind to turn around and tell the person to go fuck themselves.

But pushing back on these kinds of people could lead to escalating the problem further.

Just one damn second is all it would take for Killua to silence the crowd, a mere ripple of dangerous aura to scare them into running with their tails between their legs, piss cascading down their pants like a crumb trail of fear.

But he can control his emotions… he won't fall victim to this crowd of deranged humans. He won't even give in to the bloodlust his family touts as being his true nature, the very thing they not only forced upon him, but forcibly etched into bones.

He won't be the blade that's destined to snuff anyone's life out with a mere swing. He doesn't want to be that kind of person anymore…

He and Alluka were almost through it, just a second away from being out of the crowd. But while he was distracted, he felt his sister being pulled away from him before he could even think to pull her back to his side.

"Big Brother!"

"I got one!" An unknown member of the crowd called out.

The colour in Killua's cheeks drained. The boy quickly scanned the crowd, trying to gauge where his sister's voice was coming from, to try to find her. Had he grabbed her arm and forcibly pulled her closer, he may have hurt her in the process, but at the same time… he wish he had, and not lost her in the crowd of monsters.

He should've sent Daniel ahead, to get the guard's attention first. Then he could have skipped the crowd once his partner called for him. Instead, he lost Daniel in the crowd and now his sister amongst the masses.

"Alluka!"

"A child has been pulled from this deranged cult, from falling victim to a seducer's poisonous words!" The person on the megaphone called out, a line that made Killua twitch with anger. No one had been pulled away from danger; in fact, she was being pulled from a possible safety, into a dangerous crowd that would harm his sister.

If they learned that she was trans like Ashton, she'll be in more danger. She wasn't a victim to a false ideology; she is was the kind of person they wanted to be removed from the spotlight.

To not be accepted for who they are, but rather be pushed to be someone they're not. They weren't casualties because they were being converted into a different lifestyle, they were victims of a false pretence.

Another person grabbed his arm, trying to pull him further from the building, but the act only made him snap, irked from not only having lost Alluka but also, being forcibly pulled away from his current objective "Shut… the FUCK… UP!" He shot the man a glare, the crowd along with the person who grabbed him now moving away due to the intense dangerous presence radiating off the boy.

"Give me back… my sister."

He heard the same voice earlier, this time without the megaphone to elevate their voice, "Listen kid we're trying to save you from going down this path that is destined to destroy you… to remove you from those who want to love you for who you really, are." From out of the crowd an oldish woman emerged. She had to have been in her late forties, maybe to mid-fifties, a red shirt with text that spread her message of hate.

God hates deviant Fags

Killua closed his eyes for a moment, stilling his emotions for a moment. She'd die under his intense rage, "I'm only going to ask you this once, nicely I might add. Return my sister to me… and nobody needs to get hurt."

Some of the people chuckled at the threat, unaware of who was standing before them.

However, the threat didn't deter this woman, she remained resolved to her ideology "You're clearly, too young to be thinking for yourself. Let the adults help-" She was smacked in the face by a flying billboard, the impact leaving not only a red imprint behind, but stunning her in the process "Who?"

Daniel emerged from the crowd after a painful scream, landing his feet perfectly behind one of the guards, Alluka in his arms.

The act made Killua melt, happy to see that his sister was okay. But judging by the screaming in the background, it seems like Daniel had to hurt someone in the process. He didn't feel bad for them, mainly for his partner who tended to fear the thought of having to murder someone in cold blood.

Daniel's voice was cold and calculated, attention focused only on the woman clearly, egging on the crowd "Listen up God hates deviant Fags, the piece of trash who threatens to take not only my sister-in-law…" He gave the woman an intense crazy smile, "She threatens to take my boyfriend away…"

"You-"

"You, NOTHING! You may think you're in the right with your beliefs, but there's a reason you're losing your children… it isn't because of people like Ashton. It's because of people like you…"

"What would you-"

"You call us fags, freaks, monsters, deviants all our lives, believing that it's going to help us in the long term, when, you're only harming your kids. If only you listened to your child, maybe voices like Ashton wouldn't have converted them. We're all human… no matter who we love or want to be. Our lives should be dictated by our own actions, not be forced onto a path our parents believe is the best…"

"You-"

A loud slow clap resonated amongst the crowd, a tall woman stepping out of the building to now deal with the masses. She was angry, not just because of the crowd, but rather the messaging they were trying to spread.

It's been far too long since the boy had called her and now that she was down there, she could understand why the kids were taking so long. With arms crossed, she spoke in a dismissive tone, "I couldn't have said it better myself; if I tried…"

"Demon succubus finally shows himself."

The three found themselves being drawn to the tall woman. While she had a slightly defined jaw, her figure was more feminine, in nature. Not so much the perfect hourglass, but there was a slight unnoticeable hint of it being there.

She wore a slim fitted pink-glitter dress and high heels that extenuated her figure shape, with pink sharp eyes, like she was constantly looking for something to pick apart. But due to the way she introduced herself, that could be suitable, given her circumstances.

Her hair was clearly, dolled up. Two ponytails lead to medium-length curly, wavy hair. She was dressed like a model about to walk the runway, but the presence she exuded, threatened those who dared to stand in her way.

Ashton was out to get blood, and the megaphone leader was about to be the first victim in this onslaught.

"First, I grow bored of your insults. Second, if I was a he, I'd be an Incubus, not a succubus. Third, Margret McLeod, I didn't convert your child… you merely pushed him away."

"I have no son… Only a daughter."

"And there lies your problem… you act like Leo doesn't exist, but he does… he's trying to reach out to you, to find some acceptance for who he is. But all you are doing is constantly disagreeing with him, and deadnaming him. It's hard for him to find a reason to live when you're telling him to pretend, he's someone he's not."

"I will tell my daughter what she-"

Ashton snapped her fingers, silencing the woman once more "Tell is such an inaccurate term… the word you're looking for… is to beat. I'm sure child protective services would love to have a long talk with you about that." She gave a sincere, cruel smile "So either you take your young, old arse looking tush off this pavement and take a cold hard look at how you're treating your children… The rule applies to every single person here, or I'm going to call the authorities to do their job and investigate exactly how you've been looking after your children. I'm sure they'll find many infractions along the way…"

"It's not over!" The woman then pointed at Killua "You kids are being tempted by demons… trust me."

Killua flashed the woman a smirk, "I sooner follow a demon that accepts me for who I am… Then believe in someone who hates me for being a deviant."

The woman scoffed at the boy, the crowd starting to disperse as Ashton continued to smile, wiggling her fingers in a sarcastic bye-bye manner.

When the crowd was mostly gone, the woman turned to the kids, "My apologies for you having to get involved in this matter. I should've dealt with them sooner."

"It's fine…" Killua dismissed in a quiet tone, now moving towards his sister "Are you okay?"

Alluka trembled in her brother's grip, hugging him tightly as though if she were to let go, she'd lose him like she had earlier.

"Can we get off the streets and head inside?"

"Certainly!" The woman's voice was mellow, eyes softening from the boy comforting what she assumed was their sibling. Turning away, her expression turned stern as she addressed her security guards "If the crowd comes back, call the police immediately. I don't want the crowd lingering any longer. They've tried to hurt guests, which means they won't stop for any reason…"

"Understood, mam." One of the guards retorted.

As the four-headed inside, Ashton once more apologised "I once more, want to apologise for what you went through. You're free to stay here while this ongoing issue is being dealt with."

Killua looked at his partner before shifting his attention back to the older woman "We'll be fine… We… or should I say myself, had a relapse in judgement."

The woman stopped, now looking down at the boy. A relapse in judgment… huh "I see you hold your motives to high esteem, but a mistake is still… only a mistake."

"Not if a mistake costs everyone's lives…"

Shifting her gaze, she turned back to the elevator, "That is true…"

"~"

Ashton fell back into her chair; a hand offering one of the many sofas in the room for the others to sit in. The three children picked a place to sit, comfortably relaxing into the plush chairs. It was only once everyone was settled, that the woman spoke "So, how can I help the son of the man who helped me build my empire?"

Leaning forward, her attention focused on the boy before her. He looked eerily like Vastorie, although a much younger version of him. But the thing about looking similar vastly changes once the personality is brought into the mix.

Vastorie had this childish aura surrounding him, which tended to cover the much sinister side of him. He has done things for her, that gave her whiplash from just the personality change…

"Actually… we didn't come just for me." Although, I do have questions… "We came for Killua's Sister, Alluka."

"Oh…" Ashton leaned back, now diverting her attention, "Well, Killua did say his sister needed help. But unless she wants a career in modelling, beauty tips or acting advice… I don't see how I could help."

Killua piped up, "We're looking more so for advice, than techniques that could improve one's skillsets in the above categories. You have information that could help Alluka out."

"Oh, do pray how I can help your sister…?"

"Alluka?" Killua gave his sister a soft smile, opening the floor for her to get the much-needed advice.

The young girl pressed her fingers together, trying to recall some of the questions she thought of. But as she looked into the woman's eyes, her throat felt dry "I um…" She paused for a moment, mustering the courage to speak up.

Eventually, she found her voice to ask a simpler question "How… exactly did you find out your trans?"

There was a long pause, the woman blankly staring at the younger girl. Pieces of a puzzle now beginning to form as she came to an internal conclusion. Either Alluka is looking for answers… or expecting validation "That's such a… loaded question."

There was a long silence before she spoke once more "If you're expecting me to label you, I don't do that… If you're expecting me to offer medical advice… I also don't do that. I haven't even gotten my Doctorate in Business, let alone Fashion Design."

She could see the young girl's expression fall, "How about a different kind of question? You answer one of mine… and I'll be a little more receptive to the question." When Alluka gave a nod, the woman broached the topic "Alright, what kind of guidance are you expecting from me?"

"I… I don't know."

"I'll narrow it down then… what kind of validation are you expecting?"

"I…" Alluka bit her lip, "I don't know…"

Killua stepped in, "If I may…"

"You may not…" Ashton interrupted the boy, her attention now being diverted to the brother of the girl, "There's a reason I ask. It's not to put your sister on the spot or to shut down the conversation. I want to hear, mainly in tone what she's expecting from me. I can offer generalised advice or stories, but if you're expecting a clear-cut answer… I can't help you there. My life story isn't something I would give out, especially, if you're expecting to follow in my footsteps… she needs more nuance, not direct answers."

"I don't know…" Alluka once more spoke up, "My brother and I weren't raised with answers to every question. But when I felt a certain way… my brother was the only one to validate my feelings. But I've reached a spot of am I or am I not a certain way. I'm hoping… that something you felt or thought, is something I also felt or thought…"

Ashton sighed, "Even if we both thought A, doesn't mean A is necessarily right, Alluka. I may validate some of your feelings… but I may also make you feel like you don't fit the mould you're hoping to fall in."

"Then… maybe your story can help me cement some of those feelings."

The older woman sighed, "Alright… let's say I believe that my story will help you. Am I the only voice you're going to listen to before making up your mind?"

The girl shook her head.

With that gesture, the woman started to smile, "I guess that's all I can ask for… I'm being hard for a reason. I can't say for certain… and I hope I'm getting this right on the first guess, that you are trans-female… but if you listen carefully, feeling validated with some of your feelings on the matter… I'd say you should see either a doctor, psychologist, or a councillor, about that matter. Will you do that for not only me, but for yourself also?"

"I will!" Alluka spoke up with a huge smile.

At the change of expression, Ashton matched the girl's "That's a good girl. Now… where shall I begin in my story?"