Chapter Nine

Fighting the Unseen

Killua rubs sleep out of his eyes to grab his buzzing phone. Alluka, Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio all begrudgingly raise their heads in their overstuffed side cabin. "Huh?"

Leorio mouths a question to Gon. Is your voice saying his name really his ringtone?

Gon shrugs, but a little thrill runs through him. He still matters to Killua.

"Congratulations on your success, brother," says Milluki's voice around some kind of food. A donut, probably.

Killua wants a donut. Curse Milluki. "Do you know what time it is?"

"I do, but I waited until dawn at least. You should thank me." Milluki slurps a liquid. Probably coffee. Damn Milluki.

"No."

"Okay, but really – I thank you. And Alluka, and Kalluto. Pass on my thanks." Milluki sounds sincere, and Killua's not sure how to feel about this.

"You cared?"

"Yeah, I actually do care about my siblings," Milluki snaps.

"Coulda fooled me." Killua dares to tease. "Here I thought it was just about preserving your status not as the eldest son."

"Ha!" Milluki snickers. "You're right about that, too. But I…I'm happy for Illumi."

"Do Mom and Dad know?"

"No, and I'm not dumb enough to tell them their son is married to someone barren," Milluki says. "Don't worry, this is a secure line. I overrode their hacking."

"I don't know if Illumi will forgive us," Killua says.

"Pah. One joy ride with Hisoka later and he'll be thanking you."

"A what?" Alluka asks. Gon scrunches up his face in confusion, and Leorio dives forward to bury his head in Kurapika's blankets.

"Was that Alluka?" Milluki asks.

"Yeah," Killua growls.

"Oh. Then nothing! Nothing! Forget what I just said!" Milluki insists. "But hey, Killua, can I talk to her?"

Killua hesitates. "Alluka, do you want to talk to Milluki?"

"Okay." Alluka holds out her hand. She doesn't hesitate.

She's not like Killua, trapped between loving them and never wanting to be around them.

"Hey, kiddo. How are you?" Milluki's pitch rises. Almost like he feels guilty.

"I'm having adventures. You should come. All us kids should be here." Alluka chews on an end of her hair.

"I'd like to," Milluki says wistfully. "Tell you what. When you survive the Dark Continent, I'll take all of us – even Illumi and Hisoka – for a vacation."

Alluka's eyes shine. "Really?"

"Really."

Killua cringes. He doesn't want to ever, ever take a vacation with his family. But if it makes Alluka happy, he might sacrifice some more of his sanity.


Machi cracks open an eye as the heat of another body in her bed spreads over her back.

Memories hit her, along with the distinct sensation of ice in her belly.

Because she hasn't been this foolish in a long while.

Feitan's despair over Kalluto's treachery. Grabbing Feitan and forcing him to talk to Kalluto. As she expected, the small edgelord was beside himself with stress and emptiness, especially when he realized his "better parents" were disappointed.

He'd then held out his hands for torture.

Machi slowly turns her head to the softly snoring man beside her. His eyes are closed, and in sleep he looks peaceful.

When Machi and Feitan talked Kalluto out of punishment – besides Machi binding his door shut for the night – and left, Feitan had exploded.

"What parent torture their kid?"
"You tortured kids before," Machi reminded him. And they'd all paid, with Uvogin and Pakunoda, but would it ever be enough?

"That was different. I am not their parent," he spat.

"Hey. Wake up." Machi reaches over to shake Feitan.

He bolts upright. For a second they both stare at each other, wide-eyed and a little afraid. Both of their chests are bare and marked with purple bruises. As much as they'd like to pretend nothing happened, that nothing has changed, they've never been ones for living in the past.

Machi then followed Feitan back to his room, where the small thief began punching his pillow.

And then she put her hands on his shoulders, told him it was okay.

Somewhere along the lines he had kissed her. And she had joked about being Kalluto's married Better Parents.

"We didn't break any rules in the Spider," Feitan says finally.

"Is that your concern?" Machi asks with a bite.

They'd been all over each other like drunk teenagers.

Feitan picks at a loose thread on the blanket that covers both of their lower halves. For all their wealth, the Kakin family hasn't exactly stocked their ship generously. "No."

"Do you want me to leave?" she mutters.

Feitan meets her wide blue eyes with his small dark ones. He grabs her wrist. "You stay."

Machi settles back besides Feitan, her heart rushing with relief. "No one can know."

"No one," Feitan agrees.

Machi giggles. "But imagine – we probably had a better night than the newlyweds."

Feitan pulls her closer. He adorns a smirk. Testing if this is all right, testing if they can still work when they're not drunk on brokenhearted sins. "I'm glad you are not Hisoka."

They both laugh, harder than they have in years.


Hisoka, despite what he considers his current foray into the Dark Continent of abstinence, has not slept all night. Illumi kept him up, thinking of other terrible ways to not seduce.

Hisoka's personal favorite was Illumi's legal argument that an unconsummated marriage was grounds for annulment, and then Illumi might have to kill him.

Only if you file for one, Illumi dearest.

He still wants to die by Illumi's hand, though. He will, someday. But not now. Not before he savors every inch of Illumi, he vows as he steps into the wheelhouse. Complete in his Baha uniform.

"Captain Baha," says a filthy voice from behind. A tall man, with shoulder-length hair of a silkiness that rivals Illumi's, hooded eyes, and a pencil-thin mustache that should not exist on HIsoka's ship.

Hisoka notes a foul aura has been added to his presence. This man just keeps getting better, doesn't he?

"Prince Tserriednich." Hisoka spreads his lips into a grin. The prince whose treasure will be wrecked by both Kurapika and the Troupe.

Hisoka should want to fight him. Before he died, he would have wanted to. But now he doesn't care, and he doesn't understand why.

"How goes our voyage?" The prince lifts his eyes, as if his question, or anything he does, for that matter, is innocent.

"It goes." Hisoka pauses. With a wink he adds, "Oh, were you curious for more information? We have about a week left until we're expected to arrive."

"A week…a week for me to win the succession contest," Tserriednich muses.

"And how exactly do you plan that?" Hisoka asks with amusement. His senses tingle. Why is the pricne confiding in him?

"The only way that matters. Death." Tserriednich laughs merrily. "I see that disturbs you."

"Oh, it does, but not as you think. I am allowing it, after all." Hisoka focuses on the wheel.

"All my life I've lived surrounded by treasures. Riches. Luxury. I've never wanted or feared for anything, and yet all I feel is want and fear." Tserreidnich smiles, an ugly smile. "What is life, if not a constant fight for survival? I will make it to the continent, I will triumph over my vapid family, and in that focus on death, I believe I can become truly alive."

Tserreidnich cackles. "You're the same, are you not?"

"I prefer to combine fucking and fighting, but yes." Hisoka grinds his teeth.

Because it's true, and he's never had an affinity for the truth.

"Ah, why choose? Smart man." Tserreidnich pats the captain on the shoulder. "I have a proposition for you."

"I'm not sucking your royal dick."

"So was my father, eight times over, but that wasn't what I was asking." Tserreidnich laughs. "I think you and I could have quite the arrangement. You aid me in the succession, and I send you on some of my best adventures. Once I'm king."

"Shall I assume your dear father shall meet his end here, too?" Hisoka wouldn't object to that. The sweet chaos would be fun to watch.

Still, he finds it empty.

Tserreidnich merely smiles. "Tell me, where are Queen Oito's chambers?"

The captain barks with laughter. Isn't Gon staying there? Like hell would Hisoka endanger Gon. That part of him is constant, even after dying. "If I knew that, the contest would be most unfair."

"I see." Tserreidnich eyes him.

Hisoka smirks. He debates directing the prince to Chrollo, because it's not like yesterday fixed anything, or maybe it did and he's resisting. But the truth is, he'd rather focus on getting Illumi into bed first. "Perhaps we can strike a deal at a later date. Good luck in your endeavors."


Kurapika kisses Woble on her forehead. The child claps her hands and giggles, and for now, it's all he needs to summon a smile.

Queen Oito is preparing for her day in her chambers, so Woble is with Kurapika in the side cabin, and he's loving every minute with this child.

"You have a good heart, Kurapika, even if heavy," Melody says, watching the young man dance around the cabin with the baby.

"Heavy?" Leorio looks up from where he's drawing flowers with Alluka, who is currently determined to decorate Illumi's room with paper wedding bouquets.

"How can it not be?" Kurapika asks.

"It can't. That's how I can tell the traumatized apart from the free." Melody closes her eyes, as she always does when her gift wearies her.

Kurapika speaks slowly. He's not sure why he asks, except maybe he can't find his hate for the head of the spiders anymore, and he's not sure when or why he lost it. "And this Chrollo, where is his heartbeat?"

Melody opens her mouth, but a squawk from Leorio interrupts her. The two bodyguards barely have time to turn around before they see Leorio unconscious on the floor.

"Queen Oito!" Kurapika sees nothing, but this – this must be a targeted assassination. Like Momoze. He tightens his grip on Woble and launches himself to the door connecting their room, but suddenly hands – invisible hands – wrap around his throat.

"Stop it!" Alluka's eyes go black, and Nanika releases a frightenly dark aura. She rushes towards whatever is attacking them, and it's clear that somehow, she can see it.

Kurapika wheezes as the pressure on his throat loosens.

But before he can thank Alluka, Melody is smashed against the wall. Her eyes roll back into her head.

Alluka screams again, and from beyond the door, Kurapika can hear Oito shriek.

"That's it!" Kurapika must save everyone – Alluka, Woble, Oito. He's a bodyguard, after all. "Alluka – Nanika – run."

He shoves open the door, hurls himself into Oito's room. Whatever Guardian Spirit is haunting them follows him and Woble.

Behind him, he's vaguely aware of Alluka fleeing the room.

Kurapika feels something bite into his side. Gagging, he dodges the invisible beast and yells, "Catch!"

Oito grabs Woble, and Kurapika summons his chains to smash the window to her cabin. "Go!"

Oito is yanked back by her hair, but Kurapika knocks her out of the way. She scrambles again for the window, but suddenly, the glass begins to melt around her. Melt back into sand that traps them inside.

Kurapika stops struggling with the invisible Guardian to see Prince Tserriednich clapping in the doorway.

"Don't mind me; tell me, what was your little escape plan once you went out the window?" The Prince steps inside and locks the door behind them. Before Kurapika can say another word, the handles on both exits are melted.

Alluka is crying so hard she can barely see. The guards outside are all unconscious. Nanika, help me.

We have to go back! Nanika wails.

The beast itself was interesting, with a horse's body, high heels like Hisoka, and a pretty woman's face that revealed a second, screaming face beneath.

She knows that's partly why she's scared. What if that beast is like us? One monster inside another.

She's nothing like us! Nanika exclaims.

Nanika, shut up and find Killua! Alluka begs. I know you're not a monster, but I'm scared!

He and Gon are at the other end of the ship, Nanika replies, as close to tears as Nanika has ever gotten. Nanika can't cry, though all she usually feels is sorrow.

Okay. Alluka pauses, well aware that every second she wastes is another second Kurapika could die. That will take too long. What would Killua do?

She snaps her fingrs, like she's seen Illumi do, even though he never really seems to notice how she imitates him. Chrollo! Is Chrollo close?

Let's go, Nanika replies, and Alluka surrenders her body to her friend once more.


Chrollo is hiding on the first deck of the ship, but directly above Kurapika's cabin.

In between supplies and maps, behind barrels of food and wine, directly across from signs pointing to the hidden stairs to the brig, Chrollo spies a guarded, locked room. Doubtless Tserriednich's treasure.

He'll have to keep watch for a few days. Get descriptions of all the guards. Right now there are just two, but surely they are on rotations.

Then, when everyone else is off to their death on the continent, they'll kidnap all the treasure. They might not even have to kill, and that is oddly relieving.

Well, they'll take all the treasure save the Scarlet Eyes. Chrollo will loan them to Kurapika. Maybe. He hasn't decided, he tells himself, even though he probably has.

Besides, the chain user's reaction is sure to be fascinating.

Surely Kurapika is aware of the eyes aboard, but he's only one, and Chrollo is many. He will be able to steal the Prince's Treasure before Kurapika can finish planning.

Though Kurapika has surprised him before, he must acknowledge.

Hmm. And Kurapika could have been one of many, but Chrollo killed them all.

Chrollo curses to himself. Him, developing a conscience? Not at all. A functional relationship with Kurapika is merely useful.

Chrollo hesitates. As he waits, he senses an intense aura soaring up the stairs behind him. The aura of Nanika/Alluka.

Sensing an interesting opportunity, Chrollo retreats into the no-longer-secret stairwell.

"Mr. Lucilfer!" Nanika grabs his hand, and he is once more breathless at the raw nen of this creature. So breathless he forgets they're supposed to be hidden. "They're going to kill them all!"


"Do you mean to frighten us? I've faced worse than a spoiled Prince." Kurapika leaps in front of Oito. He summons his chains. Control your eyes.

"I see." Tserriednich laughs. "What are you? A conjurer? Lucky for you, Chain Boy, and unluckily for Woble, I have no interest in your petty life. Or even Oito's."

Oito sucks in a breath. She holds Woble closer to her. She will die before she lets her stepson hurt Woble.

"You aren't touching the Prince, monster." Kurapika conjures another chain. He swings it towards the prince.

Tserriednich merely laughs. "I am a specialist. Your nen cannot defeat me."

He calmly allows Kurapika's chains to strike him. Though made of nen, they rust and rot until they crumble to putrid dust.

Kurapika's chest tightens. There's a whoosh to his right, and before he can react, the Guardian throws Kurapika backwards. His head cracks into the wall, and for second, he sees nothing but blinding light.

Tserreidnich laughs. "This is fun, is it not?"

Ignoring his blurred vision, Kurapika summons his dousing chain. The Prince isn't lying. He is enjoying their fear.

There's only one option. Well, two, but Kurapika is not ready for the second.

Kurapika glances at Oito and Woble. He hopes she doesn't react poorly to his secret. "Unluckily for you, Prince, I too am a specialist. Under certain circumstances."

He bows his head, sniffs, and raises his eyes once again. They smolder scarlet, and Oito gasps in the background.

Kurapika speaks steadily, as if teaching an infant, as he climbs back to his feet. "You have collected my people's eyes as if they were objects for your amusement. My eyes are the last things you will ever see."

Tserriednich's eyes glitter with greed at the sight of Scarlet Eyes in a living, breathing being.

"I'd leave if I were you." Kurapika activates Stealth Dolphin. He doesn't know what kind of abilities this loathesome cockroach might have, but he knows the prince is too dangerous to keep them.

Tserriednich dodges and touches the Dolphin. Again, it begins to rust, but not before swimming back to Kurapika.

It sinks its teeth into him. Kurapika feels his heart shudder as the dolphin fades, as if he himself is losing part of his life.

He feels himself fall to the floor, without a care, until he strikes the wood. The pain reverberates into his mind, reminding him why he is fighting now.

He can't give up.

He's a bodyguard. This is his duty.

If he – if he uses his Chain Jail on the prince, he will surely save Oito and Woble.

But then he will die. Without achieving his goal.

He meets Oito's wet eyes. Is his goal – the goal of appeasing the dead – worth more than saving the living?

He is not yet that desperate.

Kurapika forces himself up again on shaky legs, only to feel Tserriednich's foot crush his windpipe. He gags and pushes back, but holy hell, this prince is strong.

"I see, I see. I never realized how beautiful Scarlet Eyes were when you are alive." Tserreidnich kneels atop him. His fingers trace Kurapika's eye sockets.

"Do you know when they're the most beautiful? I can guess. I guess they're the most beautiful when they're being carved," whispers the prince.

Kurapika growls, finally able to catch his breath. "Oito, run!"

"Ah," says Tserriednich, "see, that's the problem. Woble is so young, so easy, a plum ripe for picking. My guardian can't attack Woble, but she can hurt those people my little baby sister depends upon. I consider this simply practice for the remainder of the succession."

He snaps his fingers, and the Guardian throws Oito to the ground.

Woble wails, and it's all her mother can do to wrap her falling body around her baby. Please, not like this. Not like this.

"Don't touch her!" Kurapika spits nblood. He feels his eyes burn brighter and brighter, more beautiful in his anguish.

It's true, what Chrollo said. His one weakness is his care for others.

And he can't control himself.

"Oh good, can't have you die too quickly," purrs Tserriednich. "Would you like to watch?"

Kurapika squeezes his eyes shut, to buy as little time as he can. Alluka, where are you? The prince doesn't know about her yet, right?

The prince's fingernails form a circle around Kurapika's eyes. Oito screams as loud as she can, because Kurapika's eyelids begin to rot away.

"Shut up, you whore!" Tserriednich hurls something at her, and Oito feels her mouth melting. Her limbs, too, grow weak, as if decaying from the inside.

Kurapika seethes as his eyelids finally finish melting. He has to laugh at the goo blocking his vision now.

"Can't have that." Tserriednich's soft hands wipe Kurapika's pureed flesh and eyelashes away. "Let's get you all cleaned up."

Kurapika shrinks away, not because he has any hope of escaping, but for time. Time. Anything, everything for time.

He bites Tserriednich's hand, releasing his inner animal. Tserreidnich slaps him, and Kurapika once more feels like he'd enjoy killing someone.

The prince leers at the eyes roaring with bloodlust. "You're a beautiful toy."

Then he forces Kurapika's face foreward, and Oito tenses, because she's going to die and then who will love Woble?

She doesn't hear the cabin door burst open, but she does see Tserriednich flung across the cabin.

"My, oh my. Why on earth does a prince need to break into another cabin?" Chrollo Lucilfer stands there, nen book raised. His eyes smoke, and arrows glow on each of his palms.