As I Descend

Chapter Six: Bread Crumbs

"Contrary to Chrollo's belief, I was not cast out from heaven—thrown from paradise. I like to think I fell much like a star: bright, burning, furious…and with no regrets. I can't see why I would have any when all I've ever wanted was to join him in his darkness."

"I'm not doing that."

Azyel settled back into her chair, her tea cup steaming as she held it to her lips, one eyebrow raised, "I'm not asking you to spy on the president. I just want to know…" she paused, chewing on her cheek, "how everything looks."

Kuro rolled his dark lavender eyes, folding his arms together, "You know how it looks."

Azyel glared at him, silently seething that he'd make her say things aloud. "I want you to spy on them, not the house."

He groaned sinking further into his seat. Kuro liked to pretend he was just so grown up but sometimes he could be such a brat, a whiny one who didn't like to do as he was told. Are all preteens such drama queens? Ayzel thought, Will this happen to me when I turn twelve? She thought not.

He blew a strand of dark hair from his pale face, his brow darkening. "Why are you so fascinated by him anyway?"

She clenched her teeth, trying not to growl. "No one is fascinated. We're friends."

"And you need me to spy on this friend?"

It wasn't spying, not really. She just needed to know why Chrollo was back at the Wintermute estate. What about them that had made him return for a second dinner? It would be child's play for Kuro to discover the truth of it and return. He was just being difficult on purpose.

Azyel hated it had to come to this, but, alas, she needed to speak one of the few languages she knew fluently. Sheepishly, she looked up at him, "…not for free."

He glared. "A bribe then?"

"Ugh!" she threw her hands up, "Don't act like you've never been bribed before. I bribe you all the time!"

"And gloat about it too." Her said evenly, lips downturned at the thought.

"You choose an excellent time to be persnickety about it!" she pulled herself to her feet, trying for reasonable and heading right into angry instead. "I never ask you for anything!"

Kuro turned his head, his tea forgotten, which was strange because he loved Oolong tea. "I can't do it anyway."

She snorted in disbelief, derision following soon after. "Why?"

"Because I'm leaving." He said, eyes falling from her face to the floor stretched out between them. "I've already given Master Enova my resignation."

She paused. Silence thumped against her eardrums like a ball hitting a drive. Her eyes narrowed and relaxed, over and over until she decided his words sounded stupid. "What?"

Kuro's hands flew to his armrests and he refused to look up at her as she stared him down. "I—"

"Look at me." She said through her teeth, her breaths raggedly and clumsy. Her heart was clear to hear, on display for all parties involved. She heard it as easily as thunder crackling outside her window. She flinched, her voice softening, "…please."

She watched him swallow, his face warming. Kuro never turned colors. His face never heated from embarrassment or surprise. He could show no emotion unless prompted. She was a very eager prompter. That was their pace, their rhythm. She allowed him his sulking and he allowed her explosions. She'd never considered it before but…they were friends. And he was, what? Not leaving? That couldn't be. He couldn't leave her. He didn't have permission.

"I gave your father my resignation today." He said, eyes wobbling as he stared at her.

Her chest sunk, and she crossed her arms. "I see." She walked toward him, settled in front of him as she leaned against the table. "Make him give it back."

He laughed at that, "Don't be ridiculous."

She nudged his leg with the toe of her shoe, her anger forgotten. This whole few minutes had felt like a dream. "What will you do? Where will you go?"

At that, his gaze brightened, the smug assurance returning, "I'll be taking the Hunter Exam."

She rattled that thought around in her mind, "Once you pass," because of course he would, "what will you do then? Find your family?"

A Hunter license granted a person many privileges, and he needed them all for what lay ahead.

His family had abandoned him when he was four years old in Meteor City. Before then, he'd lived in Yorknew. They were happy…until they left him without explanation, of course. He'd been there four years when he'd been scouted and taken to train in one of her family's training facilities. He was there a year when he'd been given the rank as butler and assigned to her.

Her father wanted him to be close to her age, to give her a sort of comfort she could not get from the greedy, vain individuals in high society. Kuro had given her an escape. In fact, his being there had shaped the way she moved in more ways than she would know. She wished she knew them all, so she could tell him.

Not that she would, her pride would never allow that.

"Yes." He said, and darkness fell across him, enfolded him in its bosom. She could see it. "Azyel?"

Azyel started, finding herself reaching out to him, watching the emotional waves of his aura flow around him. Without further thought, she wrapped her arms around his neck, like she used to, before both of them thought they were way too big for hugs. His long hair felt like silk against her burning skin. His frozen face an icicle against her cheek. He held his head against hers, after a moment, he hugged her back.

She felt his arms constrict around her as the first tears fell from his eyes. Her own joined him moments later, too stubborn to fall first. It's strange, the things she took for granted. He was one of them. She thought she'd have him always. It was as if everyone was determined to prove her wrong.

"I'll come back for you," he said, his voice dark, "And I'll save you from him. From all of it. From everything."

Azyel assumed he referred to Illumi; the doll from her nightmares. The doll she was promised to but would not wed. She would rather die. She would rather suffocate here, in his arms, squeezing her close like he believed she belonged to him and not the other way around. He was wrong, of course.

She had her own plans. She hated he would not get to see them. "Okay, but make it fast." Her fingers tightened around the locks of his hair, "I won't wait forever." Or at all.

He nuzzled closer, "I promise."

Azyel held her warm dream egg between her fingers. The dive to get it was well worth the eyes that followed her as she didn't throw herself over the edge like everyone else. She was sure to stay behind the forerunners and simply stepped off the edge. Azyel found herself dangling beside Leorio. Excitement struck a fire his eyes. All the same, he smiled at her like he was welcoming her home.

"Hey! You made it." Leorio said. She believed he would probably give her a thumbs up if he were not hanging on for his dear life.

"I couldn't let you have all the fun," she told him, and her eyes glanced around, apparently panicking, "Um…what now?"

He turned his head down the row to their companions.

"Hey, what are we waiting for?"

You have to admire his outspokenness.

"Hold on. Don't let go yet." Gon said.

Surprise burst from Leorio's voice as he peered over to the boys. "Why? What's wrong?"

Killua looked down with disinterest, "No wind."

"The updrafts don't happen all the time." Kurapika explained. As if to correlate his statement, a scream pierced the air and another examinee fell towards his death.

Now adorably hesitant, Leorio asked, "When do you think the next one comes along?"

With certainty, Gon answered, "Any minute now."

Like dominos falling down a line, examinees turned to the sound of his voice, watching this twelve-year-old boy for the cue. Azyel smiled, glancing past the others' heads to peer at his face. It was cool concentration. A confidence many twice his age did not have. He reminded her a lot of Kuro in that moment. Kuro, determined and willful, him against the world.

He would probably still be like that now, had they not met. He would have grown into whatever amazing creature Gon would most assuredly be.

But, it was too late for that now.

Azyel felt the breeze below stir, felt it coming but she waited, eyes wide as Leorio flashed her a look of encouragement despite being nervous himself.

Gon let go. They all dropped, Azyel reaching for the same bundle as Leorio. They locked eyes as they fell. Down below, black was visible, spotted by flashes of colored cloth as participants who dived too soon fell to their deaths. Screams punctuated the air for barely a moment before the updraft met them, pushing them straight up.

Azyel giggled in delight as her hair whipped through the air and her cloak danced. Gon steadied her as she landed near him, his own eyes ever more bright than ever.

"Thanks, Gon." She said, "And thank you, Leorio, for your encouragement. You're really sweet."

Leorio blushed, scratching his temple, "It's nothing. Anything for a friend."

"We're friends?" she asked with a note of startled surprise, her eyes wide.

Leorio gave her the thumbs up as Gon said, "Of course, Azyel!"

Kurapika reasoned, "You have been with us this whole time."

"Except for when you went into the woods and came back with a boyfriend," Killua said as easily as remarking on the weather.

"Right!" Gon exclaimed as if he'd forgotten, "Otherwise, why wouldn't we be friends?"

She dipped her head, fingers finding her earring, "So…you don't think I'm a hindrance?"

"Nope," Gon reiterated, "And besides, who else is going to make Leorio blush?"

Leorio proceeded to choke on his own air, "Hey!

"Oh, I think Kurapika does that well enough on his own," Azyel said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Leorio turned on her, pushing into her face before he straightened up with a frown. "And to think I was trying to help you out earlier. Well, no more! You're on your own!"

Azyel doubled over. Despite his protests, he still blushed.

"You helped her out, Leorio?" Killua asked, no small note of surprise in his tone, holding hands with indifference, "What could you do?"

Leorio worked himself up into a mood, "A lot more than you, I bet! Besides, I offered her encouragement. That's help!"

Kurapika asked her curious, "What encouragement did he give you?"

"He smiled." Azyel smiled herself, teasing, "To be fair, it was a nice smile."

Immediately catching on, Kurapika shook his head playfully, "Hardly anything to boast about."

"That's encouragement?" Killua whistled, "Doesn't sound like much to me."

"I guess I could see that," Gon added in Leorio's defense, "every little bit helps. You'll do better next time, Leorio."

Leorio smacked a hand against his exasperated face, "What?!"

Azyel was the only one who stood with an uncracked egg. She looked up and offered it to Leorio who lurched back, "What am I supposed to do with that?"

"Could you open it for me?" She held it out like an expectant child, eyes large, and presumptive, "Thanks."

He shot her a look, nose wrinkling, "Jeez, I haven't said yes yet."

"Oh," she pulled I back for a moment and waited for his poked out lip to disappear which—

"Fine. Give it here. And you don't open and egg. You crack it." He handed it back, a slight hint of superiority in his voice, "Shoot, you weren't kidding about the 'no cooking' thing. I mean you can't even crack an egg?"

Eagerly, she accepted the egg back, staring down at its smooth top, "I try not to cook if I can avoid it…I guess that includes opening eggs." She shrugged tasting—

"It's cracking an egg not—oh, nevermind." He sighed as she nibbled at her egg, smiling. Definitely worth the dive. "Where are you from anyway? Oh, Wait…Uriel, Uriel," his eyes snapped open, "you're—"

Azyel pressed her palm against his mouth so suddenly it drew their friends back to them.

Leorio's eyes were wide as a king-sized bed when she pulled away and he whispered, "You're that heiress." He stumbled, "the one who's family…." He trailed off, shame twisting his mouth.

"Were killed?" she offered instead, a numbness threatening to pull her smile right off her face. She fought against it. She was in this far too deep to let it slip, "the very same."

His eyes shut, swirling with apology, "Azyel, I didn't—"

"I know, Leorio. Don't apologize," Azyel brushed her fingers against his cheek to soothe him, "You couldn't hurt a fly, not on purpose."

Still, he shook his head, "Wow, you know I thought that name sounded familiar." Leorio pursed his lips, "I can't imagine what you may have gone through."

She didn't really want to have this conversation, it was one of her least favorite topics, "There are worse things than a couple of rich people dying, isn't there?"

"No." Leorio's voice was stern, taking no objections, "Murder, no matter the person is wrong. Especially if they didn't deserve it and your family was really into philanthropy: hospitals…orphanages. They did everything."

It sounded nice when he laid it out that way. Azyel played with her earring, smile not quite there. "I suppose no good deed goes unpunished."

"I heard it was the Phantom Troupe." Kurapika cut in, his voice hard, no hint of the play from before. But that wasn't a question. Her right hand, still busy with her earring, twitched almost yanking the gold free.

"You knew who I was?" She asked, now genuinely surprised, no need to playact.

"I took a guess and speaking with you confirmed it. I'd heard your last name in a report while conducting research," Kurapika said, methodical and set. "It was a coincidence that I'd found it at all. Your name was listed as the sole survivor."

So skilled she was at darting in and out of conversations, she was confused as to why now it didn't seem to be operating. "It was. Luckily…the media had their facts wrong. Someone else survived."

"The person you're looking for." Gon supplied, his eyes slightly narrowed in empathy.

"My little sister," Azyel nodded, her eyes darting between Gon and Killua, falling back to Gon once she found Killua staring hard at her for some reason. "She should be almost your age now or a year younger. It's a little hard for me to remember things from back then." She spoke quietly, trying to imagine her life and finding it shadowed. Golden eyes and nothing else more. To be frank, nothing else mattered, not really. She'd had enough years as it was to satiate her vices. Finding her sister was her last and only goal left. She had nothing else. Only a greed she could not explain. "It almost feels like my life actually started after—"

She cut herself off, "Anyway," she moved several longer strands of hair behind her ear, ignoring all stares, "we should eat up…before it our eggs get cold?" she glanced around, hoping for someone to agree.

"I agree," Kurapika answered as if he'd just read her mind, and bit into his egg, getting it all over his mouth. The white and yellow dripping down.

Azyel giggled, her thoughts warming to the present. With a handkerchief she pulled from her small bag, she wiped the mess away, "Nice, Kurapika." She laughed again as he scowled, she spoke quietly, "No really…thank you."

He accepted the handkerchief when offered, diverting his eyes to it instead, "AU+CL?" he read, fingers flitting over the gold stitching, eyes pulling up to hers, "What's that stand for?"

"Oh, my friend gave me that—thought he was being funny. I meant to throw it away, but I swear it has a mind of its own." She didn't dare touch it, "You can keep it, if you want…or burn it. I have a healthy appreciation for burning things."

"Why?"

For a brief moment, his question threw her. Azyel idled between telling the truth and dodging it completely. They would either not notice, or Kurapika would count it as her being careful. She'd set that excuse up for that reason. She could dodge. It would be easy.

But no. It was too late now. They had sewn her into their sleeves. They would not be put off from her so easily. A slight peek into her soul would not make them hesitate. They were not those kinds of people. These were the people who were born for broken hearts. They courted disappointment the way she coveted all things wicked and lovely. It was inevitable and utterly inescapable. "It's like cauterizing a wound," she said, eyes beaming, voice soft, she didn't have to try hard to make the words come, "painful and yet…helpful. And you become all the more beautiful because of it."

Author's Note: For the long wait, I apologize. Originally, had intended for this chapter to stretch on, but this chapter's theme would not tie in with the next part. I cut it here for that reason. Next, we'll be try to get to the end of the Hunter's Exam before we hop back in time again. To be honest, I hadn't planned to keep hoping back and forth like this. I was going to hop back every three chapters. I just really like little Azyel. She's a spicy little brat and I love it! Our current Azyel is a different kind of spicy.

Anyway, I appreciate all follows and favorites. Love the reviews even if it's a short phrase, that stuff is insanely encouraging.