Episode 58: Confined Liberty

I found myself being hauled up to my feet, roughly by the large hands that seized hold of me.

" Hey! " I protested. " What do you think you're doing? Let go of me, right now! "

I struggled against the colossal giant of a human that had grabbed me, to prove my point, although he looked so much like Frankenstein.

He only grunted as his hold on me, tightened considerably and I winced at the shootings of pain surging from my bruised arms.

" Let me go, you stupid giant! " I yelled now, when he ignored me.

Then, he threw me over his shoulder as though I weigh nothing. He did it so effortlessly that I figured that he might have done this countless times.

This guy seriously has some brawny issues, I think…

" Stop struggling, princess, " Hisoka told me, smiling. " And be gentler with her, Franklin."

I was more than tempted to slap his handsome face in order to wipe that stupid smirk of a smile off.

" Where do you think you're taking me, Hisoka? " I spat out, through gritted teeth.

" What do you think, princess? " he shot back sweetly.

" How in the world do you think that I would know?! " I shouted, balling my fist and shaking it at him.

" We're going to do some self-introduction first before my impressive surprise, created just for you. "

" Huh? " I blinked, looking at him puzzled.

The man stopped and turned to look at me, and gave a small chuckle at my perplexity.

" You should have realised this a long time ago, princess. I've given you lots of clues, haven't I? " he explained. " Why, we're going to introduce you to the members of the Spiders, of course. "

My eyes widened at this startling disclosure.

" W-What do you mean by that, Hisoka? " I demanded, my palms starting to perspire as I began to quake in horror. " You don't mean to take me to them…d-d-do you? "

He was about to answer me but I beat him to it.

" Because you can't, Hisoka. You can't do this to me! "
His eyes narrowed at my plea as they hinted vicious cruelty.

" Do what? I'm only asking you to be friends with them. "

" No, Hisoka! " I screamed. " You just can't! I'm not going to meet them. I don't want to! "

" Well…I'm sorry to hear that but I'm afraid that you have to, my dear. "

I could barely conceal these composite and aggressive emotions that were churning through me, antagonism, anger and panic. I desperately needed to get away from these strange and hostile people. Adrenaline rushed through my body, over coming me with them. My eyes turned scarlet, throwing my vision into only one particular colour.

" Oh no. She's getting restless, Hisoka, " Franklin said.

I glared at them and with a neat and sharp flick of my wrist, Franklin was sent into flying but he was too heavy to be thrown that far of a distance. His massive weight alone, placed such a great strain on my mind. He landed back on his feet, causing a mini earthquake in the process. This worked to my great advantage as I turned my attention fully on Hisoka, the one man that I hated without any interruption.

" Leave me alone, Hisoka! " I screamed.

The psychic wave that I had let loose with my Nen had missed him completely as the jester leapt backwards away from me, as if anticipating my attack.

No…!

Something white flashed past the corner of my eye and hit the wall space beside my cheek, slashing the exposed skin, open as blood spurted out. It was a…card?!

The thing was embedded deep into the wall.

But…

How can a piece of paper be so sharp…?!

" Well now… " Hisoka began, dusting his hands on his skin-tight pants. " That was fun. "

I wiped the blood from my cheek with the back of my hand, breathing heavily while leaning against the wall.

He licked his lips and surveyed me, with a fervent look in his eyes. I gritted my teeth, against the throbbing pain rolling around in my head and flicked my hand in his direction. This time, I succeeded. Almost instantly, the jester was flung backwards and his body collided with the rock wall behind him. The force was so immense that the wall exploded into a cloud of dust.

I had him…!

I pushed myself off from the wall and stumbled towards the closed door, the only egress accessible, out of this room.

Conversely, Hisoka was not done with me. At least, not yet. He had other plans.

As I was about to take a step forward, I tripped over my legs and went tumbling to the ground, in a heap.

I landed on my back, hard. Within that next instant, Hisoka loomed over me. I looked at him, through blank and glassy eyes despite the waves of excruciating pain. His clothes were torn here and there and there was a trail of blood creeping out from his now ruined lips.

" H-Hisoka… " I hissed, somehow I knew that he was behind the cause of my fall.

He smirked as he held up one finger. There was a long and thick white band protruding out of it and the other end was stuck to my calf.

" You…jerk! " I whispered harshly, in between coughs.

He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly as Franklin came over and forced me back to my feet. My arms were held behind my back so that I could not move, not that I wanted to though. I was too drained out. I did not even make eye contact with Hisoka as I left my head hanging like a rag doll's, overwhelmed as the tears fell, from my now reverted blue eyes.