Chapter Two
Trespassers
Kurapika marches towards the most common meeting areas. Just to scout.
Maybe he can even make contact with Kalluto first. Let him know there's an ally, of sorts, already aboard the Black Whale.
Maybe he can kill all the other members, excepting Illumi, and then all their problems will be solved.
Kurapika grimaces to himself. He knows he's rationalizing bullshit right now. He'll be lucky if he can kill one member before his friends arrive. But he has to occupy his mind with something lest he explode.
The Spiders are so close, and he had no idea, and the shame consumes him.
The narrow halls open wide to a room filled with tables of people meeting. Probably planning the slaughter of whoever is unfortunate enough to inhabit the Dark Continent.
Kurapika has no intentions of allowing that – or of living past this, but then he'll rejoin his clan. Mom and Dad will embrace him, right?
For someone who pines often for the Kurtas, he doesn't much like thinking about the individual members. His heart hurts too much. That must be why.
He feels someone's eyes following him. A quick glance reveals a bearded man very obviously averting his gaze.
Kurapika doesn't recognize his aura. Maybe the man is just surprised to see someone clad in the robes of a dead tribe.
No spiders here. Kurapika returns, dejected, to his cabin.
"Are we sure this is a good idea?" Leorio asks as he gapes at the Black Whale. The four of them are so waterlogged and salted from Leorio's reckless speed boating, they might as well be sacks of conscious meat.
"No," Killua says flatly. "But it's our only idea."
"It's cute," Alluka says, smiling at the ship.
Gon isn't so sure, but he busies himself buzzing Kurapika's phone.
"Room 420, is it?" Leorio says, pulling alongside the ship.
A chain shoots out of the bare air to wrap around Gon's waist. He has to laugh as he's lifted higher and higher into a room near the top of the ship.
"Kurapika!" He reaches out with his salted hands to grab his friend in a hug as Kurapika sends forth another chain, this time around Alluka.
"Nice to meet you, Kurapika," Alluka says politely as soon as she's wrestled inside the cabin. "Thank you for sneaking us on."
"Don't worry about it," Kurapika says, hoisting Killua in next. "I'm glad to see you, too, Alluka."
Her face turns pink, because Alluka is not used to people smiling at her. Especially not a very pretty boy.
"Save me for last, as always, Kurapika?" teases Leorio when he's finally inside.
"Shh. We're in Queen Oito's chambers, since they have a window. The last thing I need is the queen disturbed, what with the succession contest and all," says Kurapika.
"Of course." Leorio lowers his voice. "Shall we go back to your cabin?"
"Well, we're not staying in the Queen's quarters," Kurapika replies.
"Darn," quips Leorio. "Say, I've heard she's young…"
Kurapika punches him in his stomach. "That's my bodyguard duty at work, Leorio."
"Good, good," rasps Leorio. "I was just testing it."
Alluka frowns as Kurapika hustles them to the cabin directly across from Queen Oito's. "Oh no, we got you all wet."
"It's really fine," says Kurapika, locking his door. He flicks salt off his shoulders. "I'll show you the showers later. They're tiny, but they work well."
"Reminds me of when we first met, eh, Gon, Kurapika?" Leorio nudges the two. "Though this ship is larger."
Gon giggles. "Yes!"
Kurapika is quiet. Because back then he hadn't really known the despairing price of rage. The resignation to his own death at the end of his quest.
He's more bothered, actually, that his death doesn't bother him. That it seems inevitable and he has no will to fight it.
That's why he doesn't really want to see his friends. But there's not much he can do for now.
"Did you go after them?" Killua asks point-blank.
"I merely looked around for their locations before realizing that Kalluto will tell us anyways." Kurapika shrugs.
Gon growls, and Kurapika makes a point to ignore it.
Chrollo Lucilfer flips through the latest book he's stolen. An ancient copy of The Odyssey from one of the slain Kakin family members.
He doesn't really care. Even though the cover is embossed with gold, and the text is ornate and the pages in flawless condition, he finds no joy in it.
He misses Shalnark and Kortopi.
Especially Kortopi. He found them in the dumpsters of Meteor City, after tracking the source of fake ice cream from the children that relied on him for storytelling all the way across the city. Kortopi was making copy after copy of food to give to the kids so they wouldn't feel hungry.
So he convinced Feitan to rob a store to give Kortopi some real food. Not that any food in Meteor City is ever good, or expensive, but to the starving, filthy swarms of people in its ranks, everything edible is expensive and everything edible is good.
He kinda viewed Kortopi as a little sibling. And, if Chrollo Lucilfer is being entirely honest, which he rarely is, he blames himself for borrowing their powers, rendering them defenseless before Hisoka.
He should have protected them more, instead of reveling in copy-making.
He usually likes the feeling of greed, but not now. Not even with an ancient book in his hand.
He places the book under his pillow – it's a well-kept secret in the Phantom Troupe that he needs a book under his pillow to sleep – and slips outside his cabin.
Chrollo doesn't have to look far to find the man who identified him yesterday.
"You." The man shivers involuntarily. "I haven't seen any more books of value, but I'll let you know as soon as I do."
"I'm not asking about that. Any news on Hisoka?" Chrollo sighs.
"Well, to be honest…" The man hesitates. "There was a lanky young man with a distinctly unpleasant aura asking for descriptions that sounded like your Troupe."
"Oh?"
"He works as a bodyguard for Queen Oito."
Hisoka? A bodyguard? Chrollo tries not to chuckle. "I see."
"I can direct you towards the Queen's chambers if you wish. It may be difficult to gain access without me," says the man, clearly brimming with pride that he's able to assist the renowned Spider.
"Yes, please," Chrollo says, as polite as ever.
A man with an unpleasant aura…Chrollo keeps his footsteps light as he creeps into the showers.
Killing Hisoka in the showers would be most humiliating. And the blood will be washed away, a nice metaphor that Chrollo isn't sure fits for Hisoka, but he'll find a way to say it does.
There's only one shower running. Perfect.
Chrollo raises his Ben's knife. He wants to paralyze Hisoka first, without nen, for one final blow to his pride before killing him.
He doesn't hesitate as soon as he reaches the curtain. After all, he's beaten Hisoka before. And this time, he'll kill him properly. For Shalnark and Kortopi.
Chrollo yanks open the curtain.
"What the –"
For a moment, he and the man with an unpleasant aura gape at each other.
The man who is definitely not Hisoka, the man with scarlet eyes, the man who chained his nen, the man who killed Uvogin and whom Chrollo thought was a girl at first – although now Chrollo knows he's definitely not.
"You!" They each shout.
Kurapika of the Kurta Clan lurches backwards. Chains shoot forward, and Chrollo narrowly dodges.
Of all inconveniences. This brat must be here to hunt them down again. He won't let this happen.
Unless he's working with Hisoka –
"You bastard!" Kurapika swings a chain towards his heart, but Chrollo easily neutralizes it with Fun Fun Cloth.
"If you'd stop fighting I'd offer it to cover yourself," he can't resist mocking.
Kurapika's eyes glow red. They look like radioactive rubies, and for a moment Chrollo's breath is taken away, just like it was the first time he saw the Scarlet Eyes and decided he had to have them.
A bolt of electricity shoots towards Chrollo, who ducks.
"Seriously, in the shower?" Killua Zoldyck's eyes bore into him.
"How did he get in?" Gon's unmistakable voice cuts through the tension.
Kurapika squeaks as his friends pile into the bathing room.
Chrollo sighs. Killing all of them, when they're connected to Hisoka, would just be silly. Again.
The tall one – Leorio, if Chrollo recalls – shoves a towel towards Kurapika.
A little girl clings to Killua. "Why are you trying to hurt Kurapika? He's nice."
"This is a very dangerous, very wicked man," Kurapika says gently. "A devil, of sorts."
"Who are you?" Chrollo asks her. A devil, of sorts. He will take it as a compliment.
"Alluka Zoldyck," she says as Killua snaps, "Don't talk to her!"
"And I'm Nanika!" says the girl again.
Chrollo starts. Her eyes are now completely black, and a strange grin rests on her face.
"We share Alluka's body," says Nanika blissfully.
"Nanika," Killua can't resist adding, "is stronger than you, nen thief."
Chrollo's eyebrows are sliding up his forehead. "I see. None of you seem surprised to see me. Well, excepting the naked Kurapika."
Kurapika clenches his fists, but Gon holds up a hand. For now.
"I got a terrible email from Kalluto." Killua glares at Chrollo. "Just what kind of engagement is my brother involved in?"
"Which brother?" Chrollo can't resist.
"Don't play dumb."
"We are all here to kill Hisoka. I needn't say more." And Chrollo won't say more, because he doesn't want to admit they're down two members.
"Is Hisoka here?" Gon asks.
"Almost certainly." Chrollo smirks at Kurapika. "Though now there are at least two people on this ship with frightening auras."
Kurapika's face pales. He's not like Hisoka. Not at all.
"You look guilty," Chrollo purrs.
"That's rich, coming from you, mass murderer." Kurapika's eyes feel like flamethrowers.
Chrollo's facial expression barely changes. Not even Killua can pick up on any discomfort.
He doesn't like the label, sure, but it is true. And he doesn't hate what's true. It just is. And he doesn't really know why he doesn't like it not change it, but then it's not something that can really ever change, and he's not ready to think more on this subject, thank you very much.
As long as Chrollo can keep conquering, keep dancing on the edges of death with his friends, his family – no, his body, the spider – he wants for nothing in this life.
Except for now. Now he wants Hisoka's head, because he hurt the Troupe and by hurting the troupe, he hurt Chrollo.
"I think he's nice." Alluka reaches out to stroke Chrollo's coat. "It's squishy."
"Alluka's spent most of her life around mass murderers, I suppose," Kurapika muses.
Killua's face pinches, and Chrollo shakes his head. Of all human traits he finds sanctimony most fascinating. And repelling.
Kurapika winces once his words register. "Killua, I didn't mean –"
"I know," Killua says, his voice tired. "That's a discussion for another day."
"For today," says Gon, "we'd rather the two of you not fight."
"Or?" Chrollo prods.
"Or I'll electrocute you," Killua says breezily.
"And if your friend does fight me?"
"We'll electrocute him. More mildly than you, of course, and Leorio will use his medical knowledge to treat him unlike you, but still." Killua crosses his arms.
"But if you leave now, we won't."
"That's all?" Chrollo ponders this. On one hand, the chain user's head would inspire the Spiders. On the other, he doesn't really want to piss off Kalluto and Illumi's brother.
And he wants to know more about this Nanika.
"Don't tell Illumi we're here." Killua swallows. "He'll know soon enough."
"I see." Chrollo deduces that their mission has something to do with turning Illumi into another traitor to the Spiders, but Illumi is more of a manipulator than a trickster at heart. He will not be easily swayed.
"Deal?" Gon holds out his hand.
"One condition. If you hear anything about Hisoka Morow, you tell us." Chrollo waits.
"I … I suppose that's okay," says Killua.
"But they want to kill him!" Leorio bursts out. "How is that okay?"
"We'll pass on enough information to keep the Troupe from being killed by him, and not enough for you to kill him," Killua explains.
"Deal," Chrollo says smoothly, taking Gon's hand.
He frowns. Usually he feels nen in a user's hand. In Gon's, he feels nothing.
Gon pulls his hand back when Chrollo holds it a bit too long, and then Leorio and Killua and Alluka are shaking his hand. Kurapika, naturally, refuses.
He shudders to himself. Chrollo is taking a raw deal for his Troupe, just like Pakunoda did, just as if they were friends and not serial killer rats banded together, writhing for survival. In his mind, Kurapika does not like to lend them even a shadow of humanity.
"Kurapika, please agree," Gon begs. To be honest, he wants Chrollo to live not just to spare Kurapika more pain, but also because Chrollo is someone who lost his nen and regained it. Granted, through differing circumstances, but he wants to talk to Chrollo all the same. Even if Chrollo is a nasty killer – well, Killua was, too. People change. And Gon wants to talk to him.
"You know you aren't in a position to negotiate with the Spiders, and they might be useful," Killua adds.
Kurapika sighs. "I know you are good friends."
"So were mine," Chrollo says quietly.
Kurapika glares at him. He won't think further on this swine's whining.
"One last thing." Kurapika grabs the showerhead and turns it up full blast, spraying freezing water all over Chrollo.
His fluffy coat sinks into his shoulders, but otherwise, Chrollo merely raises his eyebrows again.
"Now it's soggy," Kurapika taunts. His comments and hatred flail about him like a most ineffective weapon. Killua tries not to laugh, but Gon just feels sad.
"I did not expect you to be this petty, Kurapika," Chrollo says dryly. He wipes back his hair to its old slicked position.
"Ugh," Kurapika mutters. "I hate you."
"I hate you too," Chrollo says evenly.
The room is silent.
"Well, then there's only one better places to go from hatred." Alluka claps her hands.
Kurapika's face twists, and Chrollo finds himself almost amused. The Zoldyck child, at least, is entertaining.
And he's going to steal her power.
