Chapter Twenty-Four

The Bells of Hell

"She's waking up," Melody announces.

The eight allies have been escorted past irate onlookers and hoarded into a tiny cell. The cell room remains damp and salty after its near-submergence not two full days ago.

All, excepting the 'harmless' Melody and the unconscious Oito, have been put in Zetsu. Although if Melody had to guess, she's been allowed her ability so that she can keep them all anxious anytime footsteps approach.

Leorio woke up hours ago and was promptly place in Zetsu himself, but Oito has remained unconscious until nearly dawn, though Melody reassured them that her heart was strong.

"Queen," Phinks says softly. Well, as softly as he can manage.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" Leorio leans in front of the blinking lady.

"Mmm? Four." Oito sits up, though her face turns green from the motion. "Where is Woble?!"

"She's okay," Phinks assures as quickly as possible.

"She wasn't captured," says Leorio.

"Kurapika took her." Melody holds Oito's hand as the queen's chest heaves with tears.

"They escaped into the jungle," adds Franklin.

"And the others?"

"They all escaped." Bonolenov sighs, glancing out their cell. The guards glare back at them.

"We could have, too, had Beyond Netero not betrayed us all." Phinks scowls.

"I don't consider it betrayal. For one, he isn't a spider. For two, he likely intended to keep as many people alive as possible. We can't all die before we investigate the Dark Continent," says Shizuku.

"And yet we'll be executed," Nobunaga says.

"Please." Phinks rolls his eyes. "These cells can't hold us."

"No, but a well-armed ship should deter you," Melody replies, pointing to the guards.

"Class A Bounties, a doctor, a bodyguard…we can all be valued as hostages. What of the queen?" Nobunaga snaps.

"Don't say that," Phinks growls.

"I'm well aware of my predicament, gentlemen," Oito says evenly. "It's the predicament of every queen in Kakin."

"It shouldn't be," says Phinks, wondering when he became such an idealist.

Oito half-smiles at him. "It won't be for long, either."

"Oh?"

"I've a plan." Oito knows the laws of Kakin better than anyone here. She, the mere eighth wife, who has always been powerless, might just be able to usurp Tserriednich's plan.

"Before you start that plan, you should incorporate that we've been charged with killing Halkenburg, as well," says Franklin.

Oito claps her hand to her mouth. Tserriednich's only close brother? The brother who would spare Woble if he won the contest? He's gone?!

"I don't mind being charged for killing many people," Phinks agrees, "because it's usually true."

Oito glares at him, and he finds himself avoiding her eyes.

He finds himself…almost wishing that weren't the truth.

Oito seethes. If they killed Halkenburg – if they endangered Woble any further – she'll – she'll –

"But not this one. This time, I swear we didn't do it." Phinks looks through the cell bars.


Dawn comes with a flurry of moths and a hazy mist that slowly roams through the jungle. Chrollo awakens to find Kurapika's fingers combing his hair. He bites the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling. He'd like to lie here in relative peace for a few more minutes.

But Kurapika, that ever-observant bastard, tries to tickle his neck.

"Unfortunately for you, I'm not ticklish," Chrollo says wryly.

"Oh." Kurapika's cheeks turn pink. "Well, I just wanted to say – I'm really glad you came with us. And I'll do everything I can to get your friends back."

"I know," Chrollo says, unable to resist his smile. "You know, you're responsible for engineering our escape."

"Me?"

"Do you recall how you sent Leorio into the hotel lobby to deliver coded speech to Gon and Killua? He made such a ruckus on the phone that Shizuku offered to kill him." Chrollo laughs softly.

"You're stealing my coded techniques now?" Kurapika keeps a straight face, but his jaw twitched.

"And lowering your guard." Chrollo's fingers fly up to Kurapika's neck.

Kurapika shrieks loud enough to awaken their sleeping friends and send Kalluto and Feitan – the current guards – rushing towards them.

Kurapika cowers at the base of a tree, clutching his neck.

"I was not expecting such an obvious weakness," Chrollo says in amazement. "God, all Pakunoda should have done was tickle you."

Kurapika laughs, but there's a shadow that crosses his face. As if he wishes he had not hurt Pakunoda.

Chrollo wants to ask him, and he can tell from Feitan and Machi's sour expressions they feel likewise. But now is not the time.


"Well, well, well." Tserriednich crosses his arms as he leers at the eight bruised people crowded into a cell meant for one. The cell that used to house him. He thought it fitting.

"Is that your stereotypical villain opener?" Phinks asks. Nobunaga jabs a finger into him.

"I don't speak to trash." Tserriednich smirks at Phinks. Most of the people here are brutes who live for killing and theft, without thinking of the consequences. He has no patience for them.

Leorio and the quiet Melody, however, interest him. Not just because Mizaistom has been incessantly insisting that the Boar could not have helped the Troupe. But they seem more intellectual than the dregs of Meteor City.

And then there's Oito. His target.

"Where's your brat?"

"Away from you," Oito replies, biting off every word.

"With people who killed her half-brother? My full brother?" Tserriednich snorts.

"Your antipathy to Benjamin is well-known. You know full well Halkenburg wasn't killed by the Spiders," Oito says.

"Do I?" Tserriednich hates to admit it, but he was relieved to hear of Halkenburg's death. He wouldn't much relish killing someone so obviously devoted to morals. The rest of his siblings will be experiences. He'll get to know them through their murder. But he already knew Halkenburg. Everyone did.

"He's strong, but Benjamin's methods are obvious to everyone in this room. Unfortunately for you, Prince Tserriednich, his supporters are now numerous after his daring capture of the infamous Phantom Troupe." Oito cocks her head. "Take care, lest you have an uprising on your hand."

"And I suppose you're volunteering your services for freedom?" Tserriednich leans close to the jail. "Too bad for all of you, I prefer to murder all by myself."

"We'd never help you anyways," Leorio finally fumes.

"You're disappointing me." Tserriednich chuckles. "You don't want to do that."

"You've always been cruel and capricious, but never ignorant, Tserriednich." Oito interrupts with a sly smile.

What does she want?

She wants to know Tserriednich's plan.

Oito hopes her rudimentary nen will be enough. Come on, tell me.

"It's best to put anxious mothers out of their misery," Tserriednich replies sweetly.

There! She's certain she felt something there. Something more than a hunch. She's manipulated him into her plot.

"I see." And she does.

When the prince pads away, Oito spins to face the Troupe. "Anxious mothers. His next target is Sevanti's second child. Prince Marayam. I – I just know it."

She doesn't want to call it nen, lest she be wrong. After all, she's a novice. But – if she could just convince people into telling her their plans – that's all the manipulation she needs.


The two small rabbits caught during the night were not enough for eight people trudging through increasingly muddy and swampy terrain. But, though they are all hungry, they press forward, following Kurapika's dousing chain, praying they aren't too late for Alluka.

"Do you smell that?" Gon pinches his nose.

"Smells like blood." Hisoka glances around the trees.

Machi's stomach heaves again, and she bitterly accepts Feitan's arms around her. Kalluto pats her head, resurrecting a smile from her otherwise miserable body.

A dim, tinkling noise from above is the first sign that something is wrong.

"What's that?" Cheadle asks softly.

Chrollo waves for her to keep quiet.

"Machi!" Feitan shoves her away from the blur hurtling towards them. And Kalluto shouts.

"Kalluto!" Killua gasps at his little brother, who is now wrapped tight by a purple snake as thick as a tree trunk.

"Where did it come from?" Hisoka swears.

Kalluto can't move his arms to use his Serpent's Bite. Illumi and Killua could win, but not him.

"Don't panic," Illumi tells him, his face returned to its emotionless mask.

But panic takes over as the snake sinks its fangs into Kalluto's neck. He gags up blood.

Gon tries to rush forward, but Killua shoves him away.

"There's two tails," Kurapika whispers.

"What does that mean?" Machi demands. Seeing her kid in that monster's grip is killing her. And – if she wasn't pregnant, Feitan would have pushed Kalluto away instead of her. And she would have been fast enough to help Kalluto. No, no, fuck!

"Hell-bell," Cheadle says, tensing.

"The murder snake?" Feitan is going to murder it, thank you very much.

"Machi, can you stitch his wounds quick once we release him?" Chrollo asks, stepping closer to the snake. It's eyes fixate on him, though its jaw remains around Kalluto's neck.

"I will," she vows.

"Hisoka, you fuckhead!" Killua yells as Hisoka uses his bungee gum to send the snake torqueing into the air. "Chrollo had a plan!"

"That's why I did it," Hisoka says with a laugh he doesn't feel, even though that wasn't his idea, even though all he could think of was keeping Illumi from suffering another tragedy.

He really doesn't want to have endangered Illumi's kid brother. He'd like to fuck him again.

Machi snatches Kalluto with her stitches as Feitan presses his fingers over the gaping holes in his neck.

Kalluto sucks in oxygen. He feels like he's choking on his own blood, and he's weak – but he'll show them, he'll kill them all.

"Hang on, kid," Feitan snaps.

Illumi knows Zoldycks are immune to poison, but Dark Continent venom? Venom that will convince his skilled assassin brother to kill those he cares about? He shoves Machi aside. "You need to be careful."

"He wouldn't hurt me," Machi yells back, grabbing for Kalluto's neck.

"I don't know anything," Illumi says, utterly lost. He couldn't protect him. "Feitan, I'm the one strong enough to stop Kalluto if the venom works. I trained him."

But Feitan can't respond.

"Feitan!" Gon screams as the smaller man is knocked back on his feet. The jaws snap shut, scraping his chin but for now, drawing no blood.

Chrollo ignites his hands, but Gon, naturally, has already followed Hisoka into blind action.

Gon leaps forward, and Hell-Bell turns to him. Killua barely electrifies it in time, and it falls back with a hiss.

Kurapika shakes as he draws out his chains.

"Don't," Chrollo shouts. Instead of lunging for the snake, instead of using his nen to explode it, he lunges for Kurapika.

The snake soars towards him as Kurapika releases his Chain Jail. But he's mistimed it – Chrollo falls in its path instead of Hell-Bell.

Kurapika screams at the top of his lungs. He's trapped Chrollo – because that idiot wouldn't let him sacrifice himself – the jaws of the snake snap towards his lover.

Chrollo is going to become everything Kurapika assumed he was: murderous and boring.

At least, Chrollo tells himself, Kurapika will keep living. Someday he might see a difference between his actions before and after Hell-Bell, and remember him with incomplete hatred.

"No!" Kurapika screams again.

And on Chrollo's face, all he sees is awe at this mesmerizing creature, even in the face of death. The face of one who would not die with regret, despite the pain he's caused.

Ai.

A gaseous cloud suddenly shakes the Hell-Bell. Its entire body sinks to the earth, as if crushed into a million pieces.

"Nanika?!" Killua cries.

"Well shit," Hisoka says, standing before Illumi, who cradles Kalluto in his arms.

Kurapika surveys the forest. Hundreds of gaseous creatures emerge from behind trees, twigs, stones on the ground. The sound of their voice grows beyond what his ears can tolerate.

Ai.

Ai.

Ai.


"You broke your promise." Swinko-Swinko stands before the jail cell. She can't explain what motivated her to confront Oito, but here she is. "I should have expect no better from the eighth wife. You've been nothing but a headache since Nasubi fell for you."

"Hey! Seems to me she's the best mother here of all of you," Phinks replies curtly.

"Swinko-Swinko cares more than she shows," Oito informs him. "Which is why we can trust her."

"You're joking."

"You're joking to yourself if you think Halkenburg was killed by anyone other than Benjamin. He's as dangerous as Tserriednich. Our best chance is to play them off each other, and you know that!" Oito reaches through the cell.

The second her hand contacts Swinko-Swinko, the older woman gasps. She feels exactly why she came here.

Oito, somehow, has learned nen. Now, this could be useful information, regardless of what the fifth queen decides.

"I always did think you were manipulative," Swinko-swinko says at last.

"Marayam is his next target. Convince Sevanti to help us," Oito insists.

"And if she won't listen, Marayam's bodyguards are Biscuit Krueger and Hanzo. I know them. Tell them Leorio Paladinight agrees, if they're hesitant," adds Leorio.

Swinko-swinko ignores the young man and keeps her gaze on Oito. "Why would a proper queen like Sevanti break tradition?"

"For the same reason we both have." Oito's brow wrinkles.

Phinks stiffens. For the same reason Nobunaga, Shizuku, Machi and Paku rescued Danchou. Even though it cost Paku her life.

"Love," Phinks says at the same time as Oito.


When Kurapika awakens, he discovers that and the others have been walking together, though asleep, through the jungle.

Chains of gas wrap around their wrists, and seven of them march in a line. Kalluto is carried, though from the look on his face, he might murder all of them. Kurapika is honestly unsure if his bloodlust is the result of Hell-bell's venom or preteen angst.

A river teeming with rainbowed fish sparkles in the midday sun. And in the forest on the other side, low-lying clouds obscure the trees.

But they're not just clouds. In fact, if Kurapika uses his imagination, he discerns the vague outlines of translucent buildings. The tree limbs wind up each house like stairs, and leafy branches form beds and cushions.

A village of gas.

And in the center, on a fountain that flows earth instead of water, sits a not-quite-human child.

"Alluka!" Killua cries.

The Zoldyck girl's eyes alight at the sight of them. "Killua!"

"I told you I'd find you," Killua says as the Ai escorts shove them further into the city.

The sun disappears behind a cloud, and Gon gasps. They can no longer see the forest surrounding them. Instead, they've been swallowed into the village of gas, where homes of clouds are starkly clear, and the black orbs of Ai watch them with suspicion.

"Ai," says Alluka, transforming into Nanika. She gestures towards Kalluto.

"He's lucky our parents used venom on him." She places her hands against his forehead, and the malice begins to fade from his eyes.

"Can anyone call that lucky?" Hisoka mutters, not forgetting Illumi's confession from last night.

"Alluka – Nanika – what is happening?" Illumi asks as the Ai begin speaking to her. It sounds like they're all saying the same thing – Ai, Ai, Ai.

Nanika opens her mouth, but the largest gas form interrupts.

Ai. Ai.

"Ai," Nanika replies. She hesitates. "I'll explain after dinner, Big Brother."

Nanika claps her hands. "First, they want to know about the big bearded man and his sick friend."