Chapter Forty-Two
Life, the Universe, and Everything
Content: Continued discussion of sexual trauma.
The seven queens of Kakin, along with willing princes, have gathered once more in the main hall of the Black Whale. Oito stands before her former sister-wives with Woble in her arms and Phinks by her side. Shizuku, Melody, and Beyond stand behind her.
"So you're saying the accusations against your executed friend were false?" Prince Tubeppa asks.
Oito hesitates.
"No," Phinks says quickly. Danchou would want to keep suspicion off Kurapika. Even if Phinks hates Chrollo's decision, he'll honor it.
"Then it will look like we're meddling if we interfere with Meteor City's justice system," says Queen Swinko-swinko. "Unless there's more to the story you haven't shared."
"There's much more," says Shizuku firmly.
"Isn't there always?" Beyond intones.
"Gyro is a political criminal, for one," says Melody. "It's not interfering if you arrest an international criminal."
"Yet he's protected by his Chimera Ant status," Queen Duazal says softly.
Oito groans.
"Do you have something to say, Oito?"
"I have many things to say. This is a city where children are enslaved for labor, murder, and sex. How can we walk away?" Oito demands.
"We can't very well conquer them. And then what? We leave and the citizens retreat to the same familiar structures they know. A new evil arises. That's how it goes," Queen Unma argues.
"You leave, yes, but we won't," says Shizuku. "Right, Phinks?"
Phinks nods. "The Spiders know Meteor City. Most of us are from here. We can help once Gyro and the mafia's board of elders are removed."
"But the people believe in Gyro," says Queen Seiko. "They will be loyal to what they believe in."
"They also believed in the Spiders," says Phinks. "Until the trial. They can be persuaded."
"We seem to be misunderstanding each other. I'm not suggesting you conquer Meteor City. I'd fight you if you did," says Oito, rubbing Woble's head. "I'm suggestion you each use your power as queens to expose Gyro for who he truly is."
"Why would they care? Most people are murderers and thieves, no?" Unma sips her tea.
"They care about loyalty to the City," Phinks shoots back. "If we expose him as a traitor, the one behind the disappearance of the Chimera Ants who fled here, perspectives will change. I know it. I know this city."
"Why should we trust a murderous thief and a queen who threw her life away to be his paramour?" Queen Katrono asks.
Oito eyes her. "You're still a bitch, I see. I hope you're treating your daughter better."
Unma tries to mask a laugh by choking on her tea. Queen Sevanti claps a hand over her mouth.
"I – look, Your Highness, you can insult me. I probably deserve it." Phinks' face is pink with fury. Christ, Oito won't even sleep with him before they're married to avoid this issue, but people are still assuming.
He's undeserving of her, and he knows that. He doesn't care.
"But I have no intention of allowing you to impugn Queen Oito's honor. She's – compassionate, and kind, and wise, and clever – she's the purest person I know – better than all of you – "
"What Phinks is saying is political alliances aren't always built on individual trust, and frankly, having ties to Meteor City would be to your advantage," Shizuku finishes in a hurry. Before Phinks can get them all arrested, again. She, for one, is tired of jail. "We would help suggest that alliance to whomever replaces the Elders."
"Wouldn't an alliance with the mafia also be an advantage?" Unma asks.
Melody smiles. Queen Unma is not arguing because she disagrees, but because she quite agrees.
"They'd seem it," Oito says. "But you know as well as I that systems built on lust and treason cannot last."
Unma's eyes spark. "What, then, would you have us do?"
The room reeks of liquor, smoke, sweat, and now, fear. Kikyo, despite her fierce face, is terrified, and Illuna caught off guard –the only time a Morow will ever reveal their real feelings.
Illuna purses her lips before bursting into forced laughter. "Well, this is a surprise."
"You had to know. You warned me once." Kikyo holds her breath.
Silva would be so disappointed if she said this aloud, but she's never shaken it.
"You never escape this place." Illuna shook her head at the girl who was doing her best to hide her contractions. Doing her best to pretend she wasn't just escaping with a rich man, just like Illuna.
"I already have." Kikyo smirked. "I wish you the best in life."
"We'll see each other again." Illuna waved languidly. "I never say goodbyes."
"That wasn't my wisdom. I just repeated what someone had told me. It's what I've always done." Illuna staggers to her bureau. Instead of clothes, she pulls out a bottle of liquor so strong it wrinkles even Silva's nose.
Illuna gulps the brew down. "Here to murder our tyrannical ant king, I hope?"
"Your paramour?" Kikyo folds her arms. She doesn't believe Chrollo Lucilfer's death for a second, and if Gyro is half as smart as he is diabolical, he wouldn't either.
"Not anymore." Illuna smiles bitterly. She hiccups and sways onto her bed, still clutching the bottle like it's her precious baby. "Not for a long time."
She grins. "On the bright side, that means I'm all yours. Care for a threesome?"
Silva blanches. For once, Kikyo is the one unperturbed. This is typical Illuna Morow.
"Was it worth it? Trading in your comfort for your child?" Kikyo is unsurprised; Illuna was always forward. In fact, Illuna was her first kiss, because Illuna needed practice and Kikyo thought kissing might be a good way to subdue her target before killing them.
"He never gave a shit anyways." Illuna hates these two. She hates their presence. She hates what they remind her of. She hates that they have a family.
"Probably mutual," Silva says, crossing his arms.
"His name was Hisoka, wasn't it?" Kikyo demands.
"Who?" Illuna offers them a toothy grin.
"Don't play dumb. You know I'm talking about your bastard," Kikyo snaps.
"You remember it better than me!" Illuna leans forward to clap her hands. She chortles, and it's so forced and fake, Kikyo want to slit her throat.
"Well, your brat married my son," Kikyo retorts.
"The shorty that barely reaches his chest?" Illuna gasps. "Now that must be a sight."
Blood drains from Kikyo's face. Illumi is tall, like Silva. It's his one saving grace. She – she means –
Silva wraps an arm around his wife's waist. "Whomever you just mentioned is not her son."
"Not yours, you mean." Illuna winks. "Does it bother you? That you can't own that part of her? That she was already broken before you owned her?"
"Marriage isn't ownership," Kikyo recites. "We're partners."
"Uh-huh." Illuna takes another swig of booze.
Silva fumes. Of course he wishes he could have married Kikyo before Gyro attacked her. Of course he would have liked him, only him, to ever enter her. That's his weakness; that's why he made sure his children couldn't suffer the same – well, that and watching the toll assault and unsatisfied vengeance took on Kikyo. Though he did admire her devotion to the assassin's code. He might have killed Gyro, but she did not.
But he's never, ever faulted Kikyo.
"I watched your son grow up. Just in case you ever returned. Just in case you remembered." Illuna's eyes mist over. "He looks just like you, Kikyo, but rumor is he's a sadist like his father."
"I don't care who he is," Kikyo says, tripping over her words.
"Yes, you do." Illuna says. A knowing grin blooms on her face. "You're here, what, to use me as a hostage to break up your son's homosexual marriage? How pitiable. And bigoted."
A hostage? No, she only wanted – to see if Illuna – could break through to her son. Could shame him into saving Illumi! She's not bigoted; it'd be fine if Illumi wasn't a Zoldyck.
"Let me tell you a secret." Illuna beckons Kikyo closer, though she refuses to move from Silva's side.
"My son doesn't care about me. And your children definitely don't care about you."
"Liar," Kikyo says, her voice high.
Illuna laughs madly. "What? You can judge me all you want, but I'm not the one still crying over sex I didn't want. I may be a whore, but I'm not still caught up on one big, powerful man who shoved his cock into me when I was a wittle child."
Kikyo is frozen to the spot. It hurts. It hurts all over. She remembers being lured into his mansion, promised a contract, and she'd worn her best kimono because he was a good customer, and she wanted to impress him. And then when it happened, her training betrayed her. Because she hadn't been asked to kill him. She couldn't defend herself. She just laid there and cried as quietly as she could. So he wouldn't be mad.
And she made her kids suffer the same. They do hate her, don't they?
No, it's not the same. She let them kill their attackers.
"Ha!" Illuna points to the ceiling. "There's something lucky about being a prostitute. You want it all. Want is the key."
"Apologize to my wife," Silva growls. He's rarely, if ever, shocked, but now he is. How dare this bitch be glib about what's tormented Kikyo her entire life?
Illuna ignores them both to prattle on. "That's I told Hisoka, too: want everything, so nothing bad ever happens to you."
"Did you say that as Gyro helped himself to your boy, too?" Kikyo's always hated Illuna, and now she sees why. Because Illuna didn't care about saving her kid. And now Illuna's hurting kid is hurting Kikyo's son. It's all Illuna's fault.
Illuna is past responding directly to Kikyo – too intoxicated by hatred, drugs, and drink. Besides, she never noticed anything wrong with Hisoka. Gyro wanted her, not her son. "How well-adjusted are your children, if you've never recovered after all these years?"
Kikyo stutters.
"I guess your kids didn't save you after all, Kikyo dear." Illuna waves her fingers. "Bye-bye, now."
Silva would like to snap this harlot's neck, or tear out her heart, and not neatly. He'd enjoy spilling blood, torturing her in the slowest manner possible.
But there's no point. He's an assassin. "She's not worth it, Kikyo."
He grabs his wife and hauls her out of that bitch's room before Kikyo can break down. He will spare her such humiliation.
In the closet down the hall, the closet crowded with oily clothes and stolen jewelry, Killua shakes. Gon has clamped his hand over his best friend's mouth, and Alluka looks ill. Kalluto holds Nanika as she silently sobs into his shoulder.
His parents pass by the closet they've infiltrated. Nanika's nen keeps them hidden.
Silva holds Kikyo close to him. He even rubs her back. More affection than he's ever shown to any of his children.
"Mom," Killua whimpers.
Kalluto looks at his phone. Focus on the mission, not your feelings. Illumi told him that once. And Feitan said similar, so he listened. "Franklin's on the trail."
Nanika had used her nen to locate them here, in this horrible place. The kids would rescue the children, starting with those in the brothels. Meanwhile, Franklin, Bonlenov, Nobunaga, Morel, Knov, Shoot, and Knuckle would keep an eye on the Zoldyck parents and restrain them if needed.
"Good," Gon says, releasing Killua, who wants to crumple to the floor, but it's too crowded.
"This is terrible. We should never have come here. Nothing – nothing matters, nothing at all." Killua's tears spill over. If he ever adopts kids with Gon, he'll hurt them too, won't he?
He hates this. He hates that he can't hate his parents. He hates that that horrible woman, Hisoka's mother, is right. Mother never escaped.
Illuna's harsh voice cuts them off.
"I know you don't want to talk to me, but you should know the Zoldycks are here. The parents." Hisoka's mother snaps.
Presumably to a cell phone. Presumably to Gyro.
"No, we should be here, see?" Alluka says quietly. "She's calling Gyro. It's important to know what he knows."
Killua is taken aback.
"What? I didn't learn nothing growing up a Zoldyck," she says, summoning a slight smile.
Illumi tried to teach her once. When they didn't know what she could do, he'd suggested early training to control Nanika. But soon their fear overrode all else, and they lured her into her special room, locked her up.
Alluka wants to hug all the kids here. She knows what it's like to be trapped.
"We should go get the kids. They're in the cellar," says Nanika, sensing her twin's thoughts.
"Wait." Killua begs. "Can we at least – at least face this woman?"
He can't face Kikyo and Silva, but he can face Hisoka's mother.
"Okay," says Gon. "But I'll stop you if needed."
It's too crowded for Killua to wipe the tears off his face, so Gon does. "I know you will."
"I hope your distraction works." Gyro hates Illuna. He hates hearing from this pathetic, chaotic whore, and he usually does, several times a day. She can't handle that she's gotten older. That she's unloved.
Instead of allowing lovelessness to morph her into a noble creature, as he had, she's drowning in it.
Gyro hangs up as quickly as possible. A member of the Phantom Troupe who looks like Kikyo…
Now, he has two of them, to do as he pleases. So long as Pariston doesn't wish to experiment on them yet, and he's still too fascinated by ants and Scarlet Eyes.
Curing the world!
Saving the world!
Raising the dead!
Uniting the species!
Make the world glitter and glow! Okay, maybe Pariston has never precisely said that one.
Gyro hates all of it. He hates the idea of saving anyone or anything. No one saved him from his own useless drunk of a father, and that was the best thing to ever happen to him.
He glides down the wide, cracked taeonite stairwell directly below the Hall of Elders. A stairwell meant for sacrifices to some Meteor God half a millenia ago, when their founder envisioned a city to dominate the world.
We're not going to dominate; we're going to change! Pariston likes to say.
Gyro doesn't want to dominate, either. He just wants their city to destroy the world.
He hurries past the room of experiments, past the moans and tears of stupid people who don't deserve to keep on living, and prays to himself that Pariston doesn't notice him.
The dank cell smells of rusted iron. And indeed, there's rust on the ceiling, but also twinkles of green gems and black specks as smooth as the night sky.
Is this a meteorite? Feitan wonders as his memories and vision slowly return, ebbing to and from his mind and eyes.
Danchou would like this place. This isn't where he was held; he would have mentioned it. This must be where the ants are.
Machi would like this place, too; he'd like to steal a green stone for her and one for their baby girl. Feitan has decided it's going to be a girl.
"Hi there," stutters a girl before him dripping water onto Feitan's sore forehead.
Someone must have knocked him out. They must have been very strong.
And Machi – she was hurt – Feitan's panic returns.
"Where Machi?" Feitan's grammar is always worse when he's stressed. He jerks away from the chipped cup of water she offers him.
This girl looks no older than Gon or Killua. She has tangled golden hair and anxious brown eyes that are beginning to tear. "P – please drink. If you don't, you'll die sooner, and he'll take me to the experiment room for not keeping you alive!"
She stomps her foot.
How childish. Like a kid.
Kids.
Feitan – the last thing he remembers is Machi clutching her stomach. He must ask again. "Where is Machi?"
But he finds himself sipping the water anyways. Almost unconsciously. So he doesn't hurt her. As if by helping her, he'll redeem all the children he's killed so that fate doesn't take Machi's child.
The girl is visibly relieved. Feitan clings to that.
"I don't know who that is; I'm only brought here to serve and then I'm sent back into my cell." Her voice cracks.
Feitan hates emotions, because he's spent so much time repressing his own. Because when he was doctored in the art of torture, they beat the rest of the emotions out of him – the fear and anger. The rest of those emotions had been beaten out by the orphanage before the mafia took him.
"What your name?" he tries a roundabout method. Sometimes that works in interrogations. Feigning empathy.
"I'm Hina. I'm a Chimera Ant, and I hate people." She angrily brushes away the tears that spill over her cheeks
The ants. So Machi's instincts were correct. "Where Ikalgo and Meleoron?"
"I don't know anyone! I was only sent to this room where I saw you!" She stomps her foot again. "Only you; why is this so hard?!"
The sound of someone sliding the latch of from the door draws a gasp from Hina. She begins to shake.
"Calm," Feitan tries to tell her. How can he make her calm down? How can he talk to children besides Kalluto? And Kalluto has already been trained beyond his years.
He's doomed to hurt his little girl, isn't he?
Feitan glares at the door as it slowly opens.
"Gon stole Hisoka's badge somewhere on the island. I wish I could have seen it," Illumi says. "But exposing myself further would have been an unnecessary risk."
"He then promptly got himself captured. I rescued him, for the record. And returned both his badge and my own, but he followed me around determined that he hadn't earned it. He wanted to punch me." Hisoka grins. "Good old days."
These are past days he rather enjoyed. He can discuss these, at least, as a distraction from his own despair. And Chrollo is fascinated, while Kurapika and Illumi provide interesting perspectives of their own.
Kurapika snorts. "I was waiting for you to kill us all the entire exam."
"I would have spared Illumi and Gon."
Illumi glares at him. "And Killua. Also, you couldn't kill me."
"Wait, I think I almost killed you, Kura," Hisoka says, ignoring Illumi's challenge despite the delighted smile on his face. He turns to Kurapika. "Was this in the marshes?"
"Yes. I remember," Kurapika says.
"Am I allowed to call you Kura, or is that Chrollo's special sugar name for you?"
"We all know you'll call me that no matter how I answer," Kurapika mutters, reddening. He straightens.
"But whatever Chrollo calls you will always be special, because it's from the man you love," Illumi says. Is this how reassurance works? Maybe?
Chrollo exchanges a smile with a ruffled Kurapika.
"Ooh! I almost forgot! We were set up to face each other during the final exam, too, Kura!" Hisoka claps his hands. "That was fun."
"It set us both on a path of destruction," Kurapika exclaims.
"Pshhh," responds Hisoka.
"This sounds interesting." Chrollo leans forward. He, personally, would love to see Hisoka and Kurapika fight. But not to the death.
"It was boring," Illumi says flatly.
"The only action was whispering in Kurapika's ear everything he wanted to hear, and he agreed to accept my surrender," Hisoka says with a snigger.
"Wait – Kurapika – Hisoka surrendered to you?" Chrollo whistles. "Did I mention I find you incredibly sexy, Kurapika?"
"He whispered your location so I could hunt you all in Yorknew," Kurapika confesses, clapping his hands over his cheeks.
Chrollo's face falls. "You planned on selling us out that early, Hisoka?"
"I mean, it wasn't a betrayal for the sake of betrayal, or anything personal. I planned from Day One to fight you, so, selling you out was kinda just a given?" Hisoka clucks his tongue. "By the way, I enjoy how you blame me and not your bedmate."
"He died for Kurapika yesterday. Why would he get mad at him now?" Illumi remarks.
Kurapika's face burns. He stutters.
"He's cute like all embarrassed like that," Hisoka says.
"Very." Chrollo smiles at Kurapika. "Potently tempting."
"Lucky I have Illumi."
"Excuse me?" Both Illumi and Kurapika shout in unison.
"I'm joking." Hisoka rolls his eyes.
Chrollo can't resist teasing Kura further. He reaches over to wrap Kurapika in his arms, to position his head directly over Kurapika's heart. "I'm lucky to know him."
Kurapika smiles now, a bit sadly.
"Aw, Chrollo, your fiancé's misdeed still trouble him," Hisoka says.
"Fiancé?" Kurapika chokes out. There's no way –
"…Am I wrong? Illumi told me that kissing in public is considered engagement by the Kurta clan." Hisoka offers Kurapika a cheeky grin. "Though I recall you were already caught doing more."
"You –" Kurapika gasps.
Chrollo stiffens. His lips part as he draws back to regard Kurapika, who looks all too exposed.
He really… Chrollo feels as though he is detached from his body once again. His voice is low. "Is it? Kura?"
"It isn't – I – I mean, it is – but – how did Illumi – I just wanted to kiss you – none of you are Kurtas – it's meaningless," Kurapika insists.
"Not to me." Chrollo fumbles to take Kurapika's hands in his. He positions himself kneeling in front of Kurapika.
His eyes meet Kurapika, somber grey eyes to frightened scarlet. "Would you – I mean – do you intend to be my husband?"
The word husband warms his tongue, a word he never thought he would say, and now Chrollo's eyes are frightened, too.
Kurapika wants to scream and run. Now is hardly the time or place – in front of Hisoka and Illumi, of all people?
He wants this too much. He doesn't deserve to have this.
But they're in a city where no one get what they deserve, good or bad. Maybe there's a lesson in there, somewhere, a lesson not just for Meteor City, but for life, the universe, and everything.
"Yes," Kurapika reveals, trembling. "If you will have me."
"Forever," Chrollo promises. Kurapika's words have hardly finished when the vow leaves his mouth. He reaches over to capture Kurapika's lips once more.
Illumi claps, before scowling at Hisoka, who very obviously has his phone on record. "You're incorrigible."
"That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said about me," Hisoka replies. "Wait, they're still kissing."
Chrollo's phone buzzes, interrupting them. But at least he can glare at Hisoka while Kurapika fishes his phone from his pocket.
"Sounds like our plan is working." Kurapika swallows as he reads Machi's texts. "Well, it's Machi from Feitan's phone. Sounds like they broke hers. Either way, it's time to move."
