Episode 65: The Last Showdown
" Kurapica! Hikari! "
The others came soon enough. Hikari and Kurapica broke apart as he gently scooped her up into his arms.
" That's enough from you, Hikari… " he whispered softly in her ear as he went over to Leorio and gave his childhood friend over to the twenty-year-old Hunter.
" Take care of her for me, Leorio. I'm counting on you. "
That was all the younger Hunter said as he turned away from her.
Hikari watched him as she clutched Leorio's arm painfully.
" Kurapica-san… " she murmured. " Please…don't do this anymore. "
It was obvious that he heard her but the boy just refused to listen.
" Hisoka is not who you seem to think he is… " she began, reaching out a hand for Kurapica to take hold of.
" The rest of you…don't interfere, " Kurapica said, in a voice full of quiet venom as he walked away from the group.
" Kurapica-san… " Hikari trailed off, faintly as her body finally slackened and she fell back into the older man's arms.
The Spiders closed in on them, all too soon.
Instantly, Gon, Senritsu and Killua stepped in front of Leorio, their fighting stance maintained.
" Take Hikari and get away from here, " Killua told Leorio, without taking his eyes of their foes.
" You're not going anywhere, " Machi spoke up, blocking Leorio's back. " We're not leaving without her. "
" She's coming with us, " Gon retorted.
" Yeah, we're taking her with us whether you like it or not! " Killua agreed.
" Enough talk! " Nobunaga snarled as he took a step forward threateningly. " We'll just have to take her by force…just like we always do anyway! "
" Well, we won't let you, " Senritsu answered, calmly.
Leorio laid Hikari down on the ground, gently.
" Please don't do this, Leorio-san… " she sobbed quietly.
" I'm sorry, Hikari-chan…but – " he turned his back to her and walked away, leaving the sentence hanging between them.
" N-No… " she stammered as she tried to reach out for her friend, but he was too far out.
Shortly, the clouds let loose, torrents of water onto these Children of Melancholy whose fights would bring the end…of something Hikari could never understand nor does she want to.
All she wanted was for them to stop. She did not want to witness the pain that her friends were going through. It was too agonizing.
The moment the first water droplets touched the earth, the furious battle began, right before her very eyes.
***
" You hurt her, Hisoka… " Kurapica accused the older man as his pupils dilated and reddened.
The depth of the crimson colour reflected his anger. Now, it was such a deep and thick red, like that of the human blood.
His fury was unfathomable.
" And that's unforgivable... " he continued as he advanced forward.
Hisoka's eyes widened and so did his smirk.
This fruit had ripened so much…
He wanted so much to taste it.
Kurapica was sure to let loose his buried anger, Hisoka had no doubts about that.
Hurting the one thing that was more precious to him…
More than his life's worth…
Was the one step to the cancelation…
But it was also a crucial step that was headed for the path of either his or Kurapica's death…
Not that he would be the one to die, of course. That would never happen. The only thing that would happen would be he would be the messenger for that chain assassin. A one way passage to heaven…or hell. That was the only option that Hisoka allowed the young one to monopolise.
Sometimes…
I just think that I'm too nice to my prey…
" Then, should I say I'm sorry? " he asked the young Hunter, sarcastically.
" Damn you! "
Then, the seventeen-year-old released his hold on the chain. Hisoka watched it carefully as it headed straight for him and then leapt at the very last minute to avoid it. This chain was different…this one was normal. He wanted to see the other one…the one which could pierce the heart. Just like the one, Paku died from.
Guess, he's keeping that one for last…
He thought with a cruel smile as he flung his trademark playing cards in the boy's direction.
Kurapica made a wide arc around himself, using that same chain and swung it, knocking the cards away.
This is getting nowhere…
If we keep dodging each other's attacks…
Maybe…
The best defence is the best offense…
That would mean that I have to take some damage first…
Maybe, he would use that chain…
***
I saw it coming.
He is going to use it…
That's what Hisoka was planning…
Right from the start…
He intends to kill him…!
" N-N-No! " I whispered out as I tried to push myself to sit up. " K-Kurapica-san, don't do it! "
Of course, my efforts were all in vain since the seventeen-year-old could not hear me.
I knew that it would happen anytime soon.
I have to stop him…!
Right now…
I looked around me. My friends were all engaged in their own battles.
They are all fighting…
Fighting just for my sake…
And, what in the world am I doing…?
Lying around and doing nothing…?
Unconsciously, I clenched my fists.
Then, what rights have I as a friend…
If I didn't protect them as well…?
I stood up, wobbling unsteadily from the pain and took a baby step forward, flinching at the pain that surged through my mind.
I have to get to Kurapica-san…
I shook my head violently and took another step, almost in defiance to fight against the pain.
I'll surely get there, Kurapica-san…
And, once I do…
I'll end it all…
My own way…
" HIKARI! " Kurapica shouted, the moment the sixteen-year-old girl crumpled…once again to the floor after having released another powerful blast of psychic energy.
The mistake of unawareness, caused the other party to acquire a great deal of damage on their side…Hisoka, more particularly. The rest of them were simply thrown aside or just shaken by it.
In a few seconds, the boy was already at her side.
" Hikari! Hikari! " he called out, tapping her now ashen cheeks gently, trying to make her regain her consciousness.
Her last words before she collapsed were his name, which he heard unmistakably.
" Hikari…Hikari, please don't leave me like this! " the Hunter sobbed, shaking her motionless body like a rag doll. " Wake up, Hikari! You have to! HIKARI! OPEN YOUR EYES. "
" We have to get her to the hospital quick…there's still time, " Senritsu ordered. " Her heartbeat is faint and weak but steady. "
Leorio acted quickly as he pulled out his mobile phone and dialled for the nearest hospital in town.