Chapter Thirty-One

Illumination

"What do you mean 'needs help?'" Phinks, with a surge of fear, hoists Kurapika up by his hair. What has this pretty, bare-chested, bleeding twerp done now?

He ought to have told Oito the entire truth about her bodyguard, instead of kindly declining, instead of allowing Kurapika to decide when to tell her. He shouldn't have trusted Danchou's character assessment.

Tears spill down Kurapika's face.

He's done this. He caused the Troupe to hate him. And now Chrollo might pay if they can't cooperate in his absence.

"He's fucking crying?!" Phinks drops him.

"Phinks." Melody reaches the room, gasping for breath. "I thought you were learning to run a little slower to your destruction, Kurapika."

Kurapika winces.

"What happened?" Phinks demands.

"You're going to need to call Oito and the entire troupe." Melody's voice falls. "Except Illumi."

"What do you mean?" Nobunaga grips his sword. Is Illumi hurt?

"The Zoldycks – Silva and Zeno – attacked. Chrollo's been captured," Kurapika blurts out.

The room goes silent.

"And you, what, ran?" Phinks finally growls.

"Phinks, think. Since when has that been his style?" Nobunaga presses his sword into Kurapika's throat. "Did you orchestrate this?"

Melody scowls at all of these manchildren.

"No," Kurapika snaps. His eyes glow scarlet. "I just want him alive. Why else would I be here?"

"Kurapika was the target," Melody says, laying her hand on Nobunaga's sword. "Your Danchou turned himself in and knocked Kurapika unconscious to save him. Would you really kill the person he sacrificed himself for?"

Nobunaga sputters.

"Speaking of – Kurapika, if you don't use Holy Chain to heal that concussion, you're not going to be able to help the man you love," Melody adds.

Kurapika is unsettled. Loves?

Does he? How can she think that – is it in his heartbeat?

He loves Chrollo?

"It's not your heart; it's how you've changed," Melody says gently.

Nobunaga grimaces. Danchou has changed, too – does that mean they both love each other? Like Phinks and Oito?

"Why wouldn't Danchou just defeat them? We all know he could," says Phinks.

Melody sighs as frantic texts from Kalluto appear on Phinks and Nobunaga's phones. "That concerns Illumi."


A nen-powered motor is a fascinating Hatsu ability. Under different circumstances, to be honest, Chrollo would crave it.

But right now, he can't hope to even borrow such a power. He's been injected with some serum that's erased all aura. He's chained to a wall.

He's been in a situation like this before, when Kurapika captured him. Back then he was utterly calm.

Back then he had Neon's fortune. He no longer has it, because taking her fortune Hatsu led to her death.

Chrollo has the terrible suspicion that all the destruction he's wrought is about to collapse atop him. His dreams with Kurapika are just that, dreams.

Perhaps Kurapika was right, back when they first slept together, even when Kurapika thought he was speaking lies.

Perhaps Chrollo is just a murderer.

Chrollo shivers. He hates this. He hates these thoughts. He hates knowing himself, because it's easier to remain calm when you're ignorant.

He hates that he wants to live, and that he knows he wants in life. Kurapika.

Attachments always were his weakness, weren't they? First his Spiders – no, first was his mother. Then his Spiders, until Tybalt crossed the wrong mafia don, and Silva was dispatched to kill a fifteen-year-old kid, and Chrollo's world burned again because he felt attached to Tybalt.

He hadn't mourned when Omokage was replaced by Hisoka, because the clown's antics were troubling, yet amusing, and because Omokage was still alive.

But then Uvogin had died, and Pakunoda, all because he hadn't found Kurapika first, all because he had trusted Hisoka. Because he'd cared about Hisoka.

Still, Chrollo is glad he didn't find Kurapika first. He's glad he got to love Kurapika. But…Paku and Uvo…deserved better.

But damned if love, damned if attachment to others makes death difficult to accept.

The door to his cramped cabin opens.

Illumi enters with silent footsteps. He holds out a plain white shirt. "Can I trust you to put this on without attacking me?"

"You know I won't run." Chrollo waits as Illumi frees his bonds. He quickly dons the shirt – it's best that as few people as possible see the bruises Kurapika gave him just last night, or the spider tattoo marked 0 over his heart.

Both men's eyes rake each other. Chrollo's seek reassurance, Illumi's trust.

Just before he leaves, Illumi pokes his own chest, right over his heart.

Because he's the second spider with a tattoo over his heart. Marked 11. Uvo's number.

Through the fabric, Chrollo spies that the ink is still there.

Illumi leaves the room as quickly as he can.


"Illumi wouldn't. He's not me," Hisoka says coldly. He crosses his arms and glowers at all of them.

"Full offense, but I don't think you and Illumi are experts in communication," Machi says calmly.

Hisoka curses to himself. Illumi, why didn't you make more friends?

"What you think, Kalluto?" Feitan turns towards him.

"I don't know," says Kalluto at last. "He seemed more tense."

"Great, he has a conflicting emotions. That doesn't mean he didn't betray us," Nobunaga says.

"Nobunaga. If Danchou let Illumi take him, he must have had some sort of faith in him," Franklin points out.

"Danchou had faith in Hisoka, too," Nobunaga says.

"Oh, who hurt you so poorly all you can ever see is treason?" Hisoka snaps.

Eight pairs of Spider eyes stare back at him.

Oh. Right.

"Point taken," he murmurs, face paling.

"It wasn't just Hisoka." Kurapika clenches his fists. "Nobunaga, I would have gained the opportunity to kill some of the Spiders regardless. Don't pin Uvogin's death on him."

"Do you regret it?" Nobunaga spits. "Or was this all your plan, with Illumi? Did you hire him?"

Kurapika's eyes widen. He looks sick.

Because it's only natural that Nobunaga would assume so.

"He wouldn't," Leorio says firmly, putting his arm around Kurapika.

"I know him, too." Killua joins Leorio and Kurapika. "Killing the Troupe was completely within his character. Seducing your leader for revenge is not."

"His heart is good," Melody says.

"We didn't need Melody to tell us that," Gon says quietly, and Kurapika fights back tears.

He doesn't deserve their faith.

But he's going to take it, and use it, no matter deserve. Because he's going to save Chrollo.

"Phinks, you've been quiet," Shizuku observes.

"I'm waiting to see what she thinks. She knows the Chain Bastard better than many of us." Phinks nods towards Oito, who smiles at him.

"I believe in Kurapika. And I believe in Illumi. I don't know what their plan is, but it's never as it appears, is it?" Oito shrugs. "Let's rescue Chrollo Lucilfer."

"Well then," says Bonolenov, impressed at the nods in the room, " "this is much more congenial than his last kidnapping."

"Last?" Oito raises her eyebrow. "I beg your pardon?"

Feitan points to Kurapika.

She snorts. "That answers many questions, I suppose."

Kurapika bites his lip, but Oito winks at him. She doesn't think less of him for attempting revenge – though she must wonder what stopped him.

Oito clasps her hands. "Well, the first thing we'll need is to know where they're headed. The second is how to get there."

"I can track their ship," says Nanika, waving her hand. "And get us there."

"We can't just leap aboard a ship with no knowledge," Machi says nervously. She hates, she fucking hates, that she feels unwilling to risk the baby growing inside her.

Kalluto licks his lips. He – he has Paper Dolls – he could – he could listen in – but what will he hear? Will he damn Illumi?

Will he ever believe Illumi is not under duress?

Will he lose Machi and Feitan?

"Good." Killua ruffles Nanika's hair.

Alluka looks lost. "I want to be useful…"

"You're going to help me." Kalluto, desperate for a sibling's love, makes his decision. He holds out his Paper Dolls. "Let's listen to what they're saying."


Silva Zoldyck opens the door to Chrollo's room and huffs at the shirt his wayward son obviously gave his colleague. His wayward son who is so obviously trying to pretend he's not changed. "I'd like you to know: you're the one person whose assassination I would decline."

Chrollo ignores him. He chooses to focus on the floor instead.

His hands are pushing Tybalt's bangs back from his head. You'll be okay, I promise.

I'll save you.

He will never forgive Silva for causing him to break his promise. He will never forgive himself for being so weak.

"But I suspect you'd rather I decline the assassinations of those you care about," Silva continues. "In another life, you could have been a good assassin yourself. If you had ever escaped Meteor City."

Chrollo raises his eyes.

"But that's the thing, isn't it? The inhabitants of Meteor City never escape." Silva looks grim. It's why his family Is falling apart; it's why Killua's chased his rebellion and his eldest, most reliable son might have committed worse. As a precaution, it's even why their butlers are rarely allowed relationships.

"What do you know of squalor and suffering?" Chrollo asks.

"More than you'd think." Silva strengthens his resolve. He focuses on the reason he came in here – it's certainly not to discuss philosophy. "After that brat, I told my children never to take a job against a member of the Phantom Troupe."

Chrollo remains silent. Tybalt was indeed a brat, but he was the best kind of brat. A little brother, almost.

"And I'm sure that's precisely why Kalluto ran off to join you. And then Illumi."

"Do you blame me for your failures in parenting?" Chrollo can't resist asking.

"I blame Meteor City, not you." Silva shrugs. "I have no desire to kill you. Fortunately, the mafia hasn't requested that."

"And they've rescinded their hit on the Kurta?" Chrollo demands.

"For now." Silva lets the silence fill in the rest.

When this is over – when Chrollo is dead – then they will come for Kurapika again.

And Chrollo will have died for nothing.

Chrollo swallows. He never much cared about dying in vain before; why is now any different?

Illumi will save Kurapika. He knows that much.

"Kalluto may be loyal to you, but he will return. He's a Zoldyck. We remain, while nameless, makeshift families like yours disintegrate. Because we train. We prepare. We don't live for ourselves. We live for our job." Silva tilts his head. "Your thefts are merely for yourselves, aren't they? You have nothing greater in your life."

The Spiders are a family. They might not share a name, but they are. Chrollo scowls.

Silva turns to leave. "Though now, I think, now that Kalluto's been reminded of our family, he will return."

"You're mad," Chrollo says as the door closes.

Silva passes Illumi, who waits with an expectant expression.

"Father! And Grandfather. Did you use Rider's High all this way?" Illumi blinks. Damn, they could have used them a week ago.

"Our ship is anchored a few miles away, undetectable."

"Where are we headed?" Illumi asks lightly. He can tell from the sun's position that they are headed due west, towards home. The mafia headquarters ought to be northwest.

"Dropping off the cargo," Silva says, not revealing the name. Just in case Kalluto is listening. "We should be home in an hour."

A two-month journey, boiled down to a few hours. This is the power of the Zoldyck family.

Illumi realizes the reason for his father's evasion. Best to not to press, best not to bring up that they're undoubtedly headed home. Best to play along with family so that they trust him. "Ah, it will be good to be home afterwards."

"The Kurta?" Illumi's blood runs cold. Killua would hate their family forever. He'd never be able to live happily with Mother, Father, Hisoka and the rest.

"I think that's likely to start a war with the Phantom Troupe," Illumi says next. He holds up his finger. "And upset Killu – Kil."

His mind spins. He has to save Kurapika, and keep Father and Grandfather from finding out about his marriage. Lest Hisoka lose his head.

He has to make them go away.

"What do you suggest, then, Illumi?" Zeno eyes his grandson, with the respect Illumi knows he'd lose should they know he married a man borne amongst the scum of Meteor City.

"Allow me to make a few phone calls." Illumi knows he can do this. He can offer Chrollo instead of Kurapika to mitigate Killua's wrath. Father will never cross paths with Hisoka. And then he can save Chrollo as soon as he kills the mafia who've ordered this hit.

It's murder, not assassination, that Illumi will commit, but it's for his family. For Killua and Kalluto, and Hisoka, and maybe for Chrollo and Kurapika, too.

Maybe he doesn't mind straying from the path of an assassin for friends anymore.


"Can you take us all back to the Zoldyck home?" Oito inquires of the Ai.

The seven queens and several representative Ai have gathered back aboard the Black Whale for an emergency conference. "So that Nanika doesn't use too much nen."

Kalluto's heart pounds. He hopes he's right; he hopes Illumi was hinting.

Ai.

"They say yes," Alluka announces.

"They're not the only ones." Killua enters the room to wave his phone about. "I've called our friend in Yorknew – Zepile agreed to keep an eye on the mafia headquarters. Palm, Ikalgo and Meleoron are headed to Kukoroo Mountain; Kuckle, Shoot, Knov and Morel for Meteor City."

He throws Alluka and Nanika a smile. "You'll like Palm. She's got two natures, like you used to."

Nanika nods with excitement; Alluka looks more hesitant. She feels…un-special now. Her only ability left is translation.

"I'm coming, too. You need more than a medical student," Cheadle declares.

"Hey, appreciate me!" Leorio stomps his foot.

"I do," Cheadle says. "But I'm still coming."

"Oito, are you taking your child?" inquires Unma.

She hesitates. She wasn't counting on danger so soon, and from the Zoldyck family.

"We keep her safe, too," Feitan says. A good chance to practice child-rearing, right?

Oito nods nervously.

"How many are we?" Alluka counts. Nine troupe members, counting Oito, Woble, Hisoka, Melody, Kurapika, Killua, Gon, Leorio, Cheadle…plus her and Nanika.

"You'll have to add one more." The door opens, and Beyond Netero enters. "It's high time I told you the truth."