Chapter Thirty-Two

Telling Truths

"You are your father's son." Cheadle peers at Beyond.

"I'm not sure that's a compliment," he admits.

"Neither am I." Cheadle shrugs.

"What is the truth?" Hisoka demands. "What do you know about Alluka and Nanika – my sisters-in-law?"

His face warms at the phrase, but it's worth looking like he cares. Because Nanika and Alluka clasp each other's hands in delight. They like him. And Illumi would be happy that he considers them family.

"You caught that, no?" Beyond sighs. "You're insightful after all, clown."

Phinks snorts at after all, and Hisoka sticks out his tongue.

"Mature," Leorio says dryly. He can't resist taking advantage of the fact that Hisoka is definitely not going to kill him here. He just has to tease him. He has to!

Beyond looks at the ceiling. "It began before I was born. My father's trip to the dark continent with Zzigg Zoldyck."

"Great-grandfather?" Kalluto frowns. He never met him, but Killua has described an eccentric man whom Illumi always kept away from his siblings.

"I imagine so. He was a good friend of my father's." Beyond sighs. "Their party came across the Ai once more. They were seeking enlightenment, or so they said."

Ai! Several Ai respond with furor. Ai! Ai!

"They say you were seeking excitement and fights," says Alluka, crossing her arms.

"Most likely." Beyond shrugs. "That would be my father, no? Culture and fights."

Hisoka stares at the floor.

"At any rate, Zzigg made a deal: the Ai would let them leave, and in return, the Zoldycks would assist the Ai with whatever they needed against Pap."

His voice falters as the Ai assert their agreement.

"The Zoldycks didn't keep the deal, did they?" Machi asks flatly.

"No. Though I don't know the specifics."

"I can guess," says Kurapika. "Nanika was their revenge, wasn't she?"

"She a kid," Feitan snaps. "Why sacrifice one of theirs? Why not kill Zoldycks?"

He squirms. How many kids has he slaughtered, again? Why is he upset now, only now that he has Kalluto and Machi and whomever is in Machi's stomach?

"Because…because I'm bad." Nanika's tears spill over. Real, hot tears. Real, salty water. She's human now. Mostly. "Because I ruined the ceremony. We're granted wishes and I wanted to be material."

"So they excommunicated you?" Kurapika knows what it's like to be different from your tribe. To want something different.

Nanika is not alone. He hopes his Scarlet Eyes convey that to her.

There's a sad smile on her face, and he suspects she does understand.

"They sent me to the materials," Nanika says. "But I couldn't…I couldn't do it. All I wanted was love…I saw how everyone patted and kissed Alluka, and I wanted to be her, and she let me in."

"I still would," Alluka says firmly, kissing Nanika's cheek. Her twin hugs her fiercely. And it's true. Alluka feels boring now without Nanika inside her.

"It wasn't so simple," Beyond says.

"No, of course not." Hisoka feels dread building.

"How did she know to seek out the Zoldycks?" Melody asks.

An Ai glides forward. Its mist gestures to and fro.

"They told her to," Alluka says. "Because…the new Zoldycks after Zzigg had stopped helping, they told her to go learn abut the material world and curse the Zoldycks."

"But I just wanted love," Nanika sobs. Killua, Kalluto, and Alluka hold her.

The Ai, at least, lower their vaporous faces. As if they're properly ashamed.

Killua's stomach turns.

"What is it?" Gon watches him.

"Nanika didn't show up until after Great-Grandpa died. I remember." Killua looks at the Ai.

He wants to ask the next question, but words fail him.

So Gon steps in. For his friend. "Ai, did Silva and Kikyo break the deal instead of Zzigg?"

Their response is swift.

"Yes," says Alluka, but the entire room already knows.

"Did they know the consequences?!" Nobunaga can't contain himself.

"I don't know." Beyond sighs.

"They wouldn't have. I'm sure," Kalluto says. "Mother and Father wouldn't. I'm positive."

"No one who states a belief that many times actually believes it," Shizuku observes, as Melody shakes her head.

Killua feels his world fall away. His parents – sacrificed Alluka? They knew? And they still locked her away? Like it was her fault?

"Catch him!" Franklin calls.

Hisoka's bungee gum grabs Killua around his waist to keep the kid from face-planting.

"For my part, it had become apparent the Ai curse existed." Beyond looks at Nanika. His eyes shine with emotion. "You're not a curse, I promise you, but that's what we thought."

She gasps and begins to cry. Kurapika, despite his own grief over Chrollo, sidles up to place a hand on her shoulder. Alluka wraps arms around her twin.

"It was around that time that Zeno came to my father, requesting help." Beyond shrugged. "I was young and naïve and determined to prove myself to my father's impossible standards, so I journeyed here. To find Metallion, the alchemical plant to cure everything. I thought it could save her, but instead, we were cursed with Zobae and the plant died."

Beyond laughs humorlessly. "My father despised me after, and I ran away instead of trying again."

He meets Nanika and Alluka's eyes. "I am sorry. Separating you two now does not atone for those years."

"Are they sorry?" Hisoka nods to the Ai. "Kicking out a kid because they're different is pretty fucked, if you ask me."

"No one did," Queen Swinko-Swinko says. "This is politics, you idiot."

"No, I agree with Hisoka," Oito says quietly. She kisses Woble's forehead. "Ai? What say you?"

They babble in response.

"They're sorry, too. They are learning," says Alluka. "And they are happy for Nanika now. That her dream has come true."

Nanika gasps again, this time with hope.

Another Ai drifts towards them. "We…change...for you."


Chrollo has always dreamt of invading Kukuroo Mountain. Just to spite Silva.

And now it looms before him, a lush, dormant volcano, perhaps a dead one. A wall surrounding it with only one guard Chrollo can't resist winking towards.

The man scowls at their prisoner, a young man held between Tsubone and Illumi. He looks to be under Lady Kikyo's Zetsu manipulation.

Silva pushes open the towering gate with ease.

A dog the size of a bear appears with a wagging tail, and Silva pats its head. "No food – you're on a diet."

The dog whines in the back of its throat, and Chrollo notices with small delight that the old man, Zeno, has a small bone held behind his back.

"We'll handle this one." The hulking old lady with motorized nen grips Chrollo's arm. Two other servants – or so Chrollo assumes from their neatly pressed suits – hurrying down the path towards them.

Even servants here are rich by Meteor City standards.

"Perhaps one of us ought to stay with him?" Illumi asks.

"Nonsense. Don't you trust us?" Tsubone clucks her tongue.

The younger butlers smirk at each other. One has bronze skin and unruly curls and mischievous eyes; the other is pale, with every hair perfectly in place, eyes afraid of life.

Chrollo wonders how long they've been dating, and if the Zoldycks know. Probably not.

"Illumi, you've been gone for a while. Your mother wishes to see you," says Silva.

"Yes, sir." Illumi meets Chrollo's eyes before heading away. They've never brought a prisoner back before, but surely, without the mafia present yet, he'll be imprisoned in the main compound.

"You should feel honored you were allowed to see this much of the Zoldyck Estate," Tsubone tells Chrollo as the Zoldycks move ahead.

Zeno tosses the dog the bone, and it gobbles it within seconds, before Silva has a chance to protest.

"It's quite nice compared to Meteor City, isn't it?" The dark-skinned girl smiles nervously.

"You know Meteor City?" Chrollo frowns.

"Most Zoldyck servants come from there. Except my granddaughter. Amane was born here." The old woman gestures towards the proper butler.

The Zoldycks hire from Meteor City? Chrollo's mind whirs. Perhaps – some of the missing kids –

The gate opens behind them, and the dark-skinned girl, the girl from Meteor City, blanches.

Chrollo turns his head.

Three men stand there – two are large, brutal, and exactly the sort of idiots Chrollo wouldn't care to know.

The third is small, with shaggy dark hair and a face covered with scars.

"Remember him?" One of the tall men gestures towards the tongueless third man.

Owl.


"How much excitement have I missed amongst my siblings?" Milluki greets Illumi, Silva, and Zeno the second they walk in the door to the Zoldyck Mansion.

"True, you were the only one not there," Illumi says lightly.

Milluki opens his mouth to ask another question – to funnel a message – but Mother steps forward.

"Hello, Mother." Illumi nods to the small woman, who is clad as ever in clothing from the earlier portions of the century as if she can't let go, and indeed she can't.

Kikyo throws her arms around Illumi. He's never been much a hugger, but now that he's an adult she wishes she hadn't hurt him whenever he asked for hugs as a child. It's her one regret – well, at least, her one regret regarding Illumi. "How are the others?"

"Kalluto and Killua are good, if rambunctious. I think they've grown stronger." Illumi leaves out Alluka for now.

"Has Kil softened with that thing?" Kikyo lowers her voice.

"For now," Illumi says. "I'm sure he won't be able to control her eventually, and then he'll harden again."

He's not describing Killua, of course. Illumi is describing himself.

"Master Silva, the mafia thank you for the car," says Tsubone, entering the hall.

"Excellent." Silva nods.

"Chrollo? I thought we were keeping him here." Illumi frowns.

"The mafia appear to have decided to arrive early and take him with them," Kikyo says, brushing back a strand of silky black hair. "Back to that place."

Her voice drips with derision.

Meteor City.

"Is that so?" Illumi keeps his peaceful mask plastered across his face. There must be a way for him to leave soon, to chase after Chrollo. Once he's away from home, he can contact have the Spiders, make it look like a rescue he had nothing to do with.

Silva and Kikyo exchange glances.

"Truthfully, the Kurta deal was the first time we ever asked the mafia for a job," Silva begins slowly.

Illumi wrinkles his nose. An assassin never seeks out a kill. Father taught him that. "Whatever for?"

"We…heard concerning rumors about the voyage to the Dark Continent," says Kikyo.

"Surely you know Kalluto and I can fend for ourselves. As can Killua, even with that thing," Illumi says. Things, really, and now they're both people, now they're twins, but he swallows the words for now.

"Your brother told us an alarming rumor," says Silva.

Milluki looks crushed. His face flushes with shame.

Illumi can only imagine how Silva threatened his least favorite son, but still, as far as Illumi knows, Milluki's contact with Killua regarded one thing, and one thing only.

Shit.

"You mean the rumors regarding my contract while aboard?" Illumi raises an eyebrow. His heartbeat remains stable. They will never know.

Silva folds his arms across his massive chest. "An engagement to another man."

"A death contract, to be precise, framed as an engagement," Illumi says.

The room goes quiet. Kikyo has tears in her eyes, and Silva's face is frosty. Even Tsubone looks perturbed.

Finally, Silva speaks again. "It's just a job, isn't it?"

"When has Illumi ever not acted the part of an assassin?" Zeno attempts to diffuse the tension with a joke. His eyes shoot daggered warnings at his grandson.

"It is, isn't it?" Silva steps over to his eldest son.

"Yes, sir," says Illumi, as casually as ever. "I would never risk carrying on our family name."

"Good," says Kikyo, sliding besides him. A needle slips into his wrist.

Illumi glances at her, a trace of surprise on his face. It's not often someone bests him in needles.

He feels a fizzing sensation in his brain, as if his defenses and best instincts – everything family has taught him – are melting away.

Milluki looks terrified. I'm sorry, he mouths to Illumi, who by now is only dully aware that he may actually be in danger.

No – he has to rescue Chrollo – kill the mafia who want Kurapika – hide Hisoka – he misses Hisoka –

Zeno sighs, because he knows already.

"You ask. I can't." Kikyo presses a hand over her trembling lips.

Silva nods and looks directly into Illumi's black vortex eyes. The same eyes as Kikyo. The frightening eyes he was so proud of, the ones that are now drugged with compulsion. In fact, their eldest son's control has been suppressed to the point that he is now drooling. "Are you in love with this Hisoka?"

"I think so," Illumi slurs. He doesn't want to – he's not even sure what love is – but something compels him to speak anyways.

Milluki shakes his head violently from behind their parents. Listen to me for once, you fucking idiot, and stop.

Zeno's eyes dart between his grandsons, yet he says nothing.

"Was this engagement made with the intention to marry?"

"I don't know." Illumi's never really expected Hisoka to live as long as he has.

"Did you want to?" Kikyo finally bursts out.

"Yes." Illumi stares straight ahead.

"Are you – do you have romantic feelings for another man, Illumi?"

"I do." Illumi smiles, as if they should have known, as if they should be glad he's found someone to love.

"I knew we should have hired a woman to force him first," Kikyo snaps.

Milluki's face turns redder. "You made a man take me, too, and I'm still only interested in women."

Zeno frowns. A horrific question plants itself in his mind. Enough to shatter his ideas of family. But it's certainly not – not what it sounds like. Silva wouldn't.

But an equally repugnant idea plants itself in Silva's brain. "Are you already married, Illumi?"

"He can't be," Kikyo squawks.

"Killua secured the certificate to help me," Illumi says dreamily.

"No!" Kikyo screams, and Zeno groans.

Silva wraps a hand around his eldest son's throat. He lifts him off the ground.

As he struggles for air, Illumi realizes deep in his brain that he really is in danger, from his own family, and he is entirely helpless.

There is one job an assassin does not take.

Illumi's heart pounds. Why can't he think? Why can't he understand?

An assassin does not kill his family.

Then why are you strangling me?

"You are a disgrace, Illumi. An utter stain upon the Zoldycks," Silva states.

Even in his state, Illumi suddenly looks aghast. "But – wait – he's family now."

Silva hurls Illumi into the wall.

Illumi feels a pop in his shoulder as he slumps to the floor. But that's not – that's not where the pain is – is it his heart? Is his heart hurting? Why? What is happening? What about family?

Tsubone has never much liked Master Illumi, but now, he's groveling in a corner, unable to stand or form a coherent sentence. He looks pathetic and weak, like the child he was never allowed to be, and for what? For love?

Also, what is this about force? Tsubone is never one to judge the Zoldycks, but this frightens her.

This is why she worried for Silva when he lost his heart to Kikyo. Someone with her past could never live normally.