Disclaimer: I do not own anything but my OC.

Warnings: None for this chapter.

CRYING WOLF
by: Riseha

Chapter 2

Nen

Everyone feared Alluka.

Even Alluka's own immediate family. Illu-nii was too busy with whatever his job was, and he simply gave off the aura of he didn't care. Millu-nii made it clear he wanted nothing to do with his youngest sibling, and frankly, neither do I.

Yes, I know I was being unfair, to ignore my own younger sibling because I fear what he might do.

I probably would've just contented myself with sitting by Millu-nii's side, watching as he played our favorite video games. But Killua wouldn't leave me alone.

To be honest, I don't know how I should act around him. Father told us that someday, we would battle to the death (whether it was a sick joke borne of his sick and distorted sense of humor, I have no idea) and being close to someone who'd be your would-be-killer was stupid.

I tried avoiding him but he clearly didn't notice at all.

He dragged me into every activity he did; we did everything together, from eating, sleeping, bathing and even babysitting Alluka. Unlike me, Killua had taken a liking to Alluka and since no maid wanted to take care of him, we three-year-old kids were left with the task.

It was despicable.

My ire towards every adult, everyone who neglected the inhuman Alluka overshadowed my fear of him most of the time. It was a good thing because then, I'd be able to take care of him.

It was terrible of me to imagine him as a doll to practice with whenever I changed his, ugh, mess. To my surprise, Alluka functioned like a normal baby. Ignoring his small size (as small as a kitten), and the eyes and mouth, he was just a baby and I felt overwhelming pity: the main reason why I cared for him.

I mean, I knew from the series that Alluka was shunned even by his own family, all except for Killua who was practically everyone's favorite.

(Okay, I was jealous, but so what?)

Despite having a past life, I didn't know much about taking care of babies. I had to get Millu-nii to do some research, print it out for me and Killua to do it.

It was not without mistakes.

I had dropped Alluka a handful of times—Killua dropped him twice the number of times I did—and I fear that Alluka would be mentally-challenged in the future due to our carelessness.

"We should ask Illu-nii for help," Killua commented one day when he barely managed to stop Alluka's fall. "We suck."

I bristled. "It's not our fault," I mumbled lamely. "Alluka doesn't even look like a real baby, that's why we couldn't take this seriously." Killua met my eyes dubiously and I knew he was thinking the same thing.

The doll-baby shifted, yawning again, squeezing its—uh, his—eyes shut, and shifting. Killua looked fascinated as usual, in contrast to my unease, as our eighteen-months-old baby brother moved in my grasp.

I refrained from cringing in disgust as I placed the baby in the crib (stolen from the storeroom, it was formerly Millu-nii's) and took a hasty step back. Even after a while into this babysitting job, I still find it very hard to not cringe whenever Alluka actually giggled and reached out to me.

I smiled stiffly when Alluka's small fists reached out towards us. "Come on, Killu—Illu-nii says he wants to see us." When Killua lingered, I grabbed his arm and dragged him away.

Yukiji—one of our first cousin once removed—the maid, smiled hesitantly at us. Her brown eyes sparkled kindly and her hime-cut brown hair was tied in a small braid behind her back. She was the picture perfect of innocence, but I knew she was one of the Zoldyck's greatest infiltrating assassin, a spy of sorts.

The only downside was that she was a mute, which limited her a lot and eventually, she was deemed unusable by the family and was now one of the maids.

Yukiji gestured for us to follow her, which we did.

The Zoldyck mansion was huge, and we were forced to go down many different hallways, twisting and turning till I was dizzy and had to grab onto Killua's hand for guidance. He squeezed my hand in reassurance as we came to a stop in front of double metal doors.

I was uneasy, the feeling only intensifying when I saw Yukiji's sympathetic, encouraging smile; I knew she had been in there before and the experience was far from sweet.

I was all for running but before I could pull Killua away, the doors slid open, revealing Illu-nii and Millu-nii. The latter shot me a sympathetic look before he glared at Killua who glared back.

"I'll take Kil," Millu-nii announced stiffly, glaring even harder when Killua shifted away.

"I thought you like Ria," Illu-nii responded quietly, his tone flat, as if he wasn't opposed to the idea at all.

"Which is why I didn't chose her," My second brother snapped back, irritated as he grabbed a squirming Killua's arm and carried him under one arm, like a football.

I swallowed, glancing back at the very inviting hallway. I glanced back at Illu-nii, at the cold glint in his eyes, and my body decided to make a run for it.

I did not get far as Illu-nii snatched my collar, leaving me dangling in air, my feet kicking uselessly as I started struggling. I would rather be with Millu-nii and I knew Killua would rather be with our eldest brother than the fatty. I would gladly switch but Illu-nii did not care, he hurled me onto a strange machine.

I blinked, dazed from the impact and shocked that my brother would actually hurt me.

Before I could yell at him, I heard Killua screaming, and turned. Millu-nii had chained his arms to something and my blood went cold when I saw the wires, cackling with electricity. I blanched an even whiter shade than before as I pushed myself into a sitting position.

Illu-nii forcefully pushed me back, snapping his fingers as automatic restraints chained me down. This was fairly different from Killua's torture.

I scrambled for information. I knew Killua had high electric and pain resistance, and it originated from torture. It just didn't occur to me that I might be having the same training.

I paled; my mind hopelessly comforting me that it wouldn't hurt... that bad.

I flinched when I heard Killua's screams, how wide his blue eyes were and how his white hair was standing up. I expected to feel the same pain but instead of seeing cackles, I felt...

Heat. Hot, my back was starting to feel uncomfortably warm.

I furrowed my brows, wriggling to see and in a futile attempt to free myself (never mind the metal straps). My blood ran cold when I saw Illu-nii turn up the temperature. I glanced down at the metal restraints. Metal work fine as heat conductors and since it was connected to the rest of the operating table, all made of metal—

I screamed.

Not from pain (not yet), but from fear.

"Already?" Illu-nii cocked a brow, his darned hand not stopping as he increased the velocity of the heat.

I arched my back in a desperate attempt to dislodge myself from the table, to free myself from the pain—I did not stop screaming in all my attempts—and I could see and hear Killua doing the same, tears spilling like crazy from our eyes.

Real, scorching fire licked my skin; the heat was unbearable and I thought I would suffocate when I saw smoke. Or maybe it was just me going to black out anytime soon.

I couldn't describe in detail, how long the torture went on and on—all I know that it lasted for an eternity. Through the haze and cacophony of Killua's screams combined with mine, I faintly made out Millu-nii turning away, clasping his ears and Illu-nii closing his eyes, seeming unaffected but I thought I saw the faint flinch.

My sight blurred from the tears, the pain.

I wondered if this had anything to do with Killua's connection to me, that the pain was being intensified because the both of us were being tortured at the same time.

By then, I was ready to lock myself in a room with no one but Alluka forever.

It was that bad, for me to willingly spend time with no one but my youngest brother with no Killua as help. I wasn't being dramatic, I dare anyone to bathe in boiled water, it wasn't anything compared to what I went through.

Went... through?

I raised my arm to my face, seeing the angry red of my skin, and sobbed in relief. I crawled away from the table, blinded by tears as I stumbled blindly into someone. I barely recognized him as Killua, as I crumpled to the ground, the summer air as soothing as snow on my scorched skin.

I didn't know how my older brothers managed to entangle me from Killua to treat my wounds. I was enraged, the shock and betrayal settling in once I could register anything but pain.

I think I did throw myself at Illumi and hit him with sloppy hits, still crying and crazy from pain. He didn't resist, just held me down until I grew tired and didn't move a muscle.

I could feel him applying something onto my abused skin, some sort of ointment I supposed but I didn't even have the energy to question him, just allowed darkness to claim me.

Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ

Torture did not end at being scorched and electrocuted (we were taking turns), it extended to whippings, beatings and the completely wonderful feeling of having our skin peeled off and many more gruesome tortures my brothers did.

In the span of a few weeks, I was ready to die.

I knew I sounded selfish, when I was saved, given a new life after how short my first life was, I demanded death (when I was merely what, four?) from torture.

I could endure anything but this—poverty, slavery, hunger—anything.

(Too bad I knew I could barely handle anything related to sufferings.)

I tried everything I could think of to stave the pain when it came. It extended to tricking myself, playing a sick game with my own mind.

I convinced myself that whatever I felt during those times were pleasure—I didn't know how well it worked, but it was completely embarrassing when I moaned (I knew I was going crazy by then) and my brothers looked at me oddly.

I didn't want them thinking I was a masochist, that would only increase the torture.

I even considered running away but there was Killua and Alluka to think of, and besides, even if I ran, I knew someone would be sent to haul me back and with my mere skills, I was sure I'd lose in a fight with one of the servants.

(I was sure I could kick the ass of a cat or dog, though.)

I laid on my aching back, on the soft plush of the bed (large enough to contain Killua and I). I glanced at my older twin from the corner of my eyes, he had his small arms wrapped around me and for one moment, I could just fool myself into thinking that this world wasn't all that bad.

The ache in my hands, in my back and how my headed pounded, how many bandages wrapped around me that I was practically a mummy, chased that thought away quickly enough.

I couldn't shove away the memories of torture, I saw Millu-nii's pained expression (and I knew he was being forced into this, that I could maybe, just maybe forgive) and Illu-nii's cold face.

That cold mask, that face I hated. I felt like clawing at it many times now, but I knew I had no such ability to defeat him or so much as scratch him with my nails.

Now, the only times I could tolerate him was during training.

Training was fairly normal, and it was within my sphere of expectancy. I could endure running laps till my limbs felt like falling off, I could endure during push-ups, sit-ups and all the other form of exercises that would work me to the bone.

I didn't see how torturing and this sort of training could ever help me. My sparring partner was Killua, and though I bested him in terms of agility and speed, his stamina and strength far surpassed mine. I won five out of ten spars, making us equals but I knew it would only be a matter of time when I'd stand no chance against him.

Father's words echoed in my head: The day will come when you'll fight to the death... Only by devouring the other will one twin reach heights unknown...

I glanced back down at Killua's encircling me, and I imagined how easy it would be for him to sink elongated claws into my jugular, or how easy it'd be for him to snap my neck. I could also imagine how it'd be so easy to kill him now, defenseless and then my existence will be guaranteed.

But if he dies, the series will be altered (not that I care about others, I have my own problems to deal with), and I'd be left to suffer my older brothers' torment all alone.

I hated being alone, especially alone in the depths of hell.

Killua wouldn't be leaving me so soon, I promised myself.

I turned on my side, hoping that it'd staunch the pain and discomfort from my back. I don't think I was getting any better in resisting pain, but I didn't dare tell that to Illumi (no more Illu-nii now, that traitor) lest he tried out something even more horrifying and painful.

(My brother could be quite creative when he wanted to be.)

I scowled when I failed to fall asleep. Maybe I could go for a walk; I gently disentangled myself from Killua's grip and stumble onto my feet, falling onto my knees the moment I tried to stand.

Oh, right. I forgot the reason why I woke up to pain and discomfort was because I had a whole day of running and being whipped senseless today.

By Illumi.

I grounded my teeth together in anger; he was my older brother, he was supposed to protect me from the pain, not inflict it. Cursing and seething, I struggled to stand again but resigned myself to sitting for a while; my anger was making me see red and I better calm myself down before I did something stupid.

I leaned back against the silky comforter, my mind going back to thinking mode, where it'd hopelessly work out a way to endure the pain, how I could evade it or ease it.

All plans of mine were futile so far and Killua's brilliant plant was to just endure it. I closed my eyes, tilting my head back, trying to stop my mind's useless plans. But then I'd just end up thinking about my brothers and how I would be taking revenge on them.

I clenched my fists, unclenching them when I scented blood. I glared at my elongated nails and the veins bulging. This was gained by inducing some sort of drug, I couldn't remember a time without this ability. Apparently, this drug was injected during infancy.

This fact, how to gain killer claws, was neglected in the anime so I was mildly surprised.

I wondered what other information was left out, but then again, there were many things that simply couldn't be explained, such as the confusing shit of Nen and whatever Ten orRen that followed—

Wait.

Against my will, against hope, my mind whirled as it scrambled desperately for more information.

I came to a stop with Ten. I think it's a basic defense technique but one must have their aura nodes opened. There are two ways I know of to learn Nen: one is to have an experienced user "initiate" the student but the idea was shot down because then I'd be gaining questions I have no answer to; the other option is slow meditation.

Grimacing, I crossed my feet, closed my eyes and tried to remain still.

I didn't know how much had passed before I felt someone disrupting me by shaking my shoulders roughly. Irritated, I opened my eyes and turned, the glare I had fixed on lessening when I saw Killua's sleepy and disgruntled features.

"What'cha doing?"

I shrugged, feeling embarrassed; losing sleep over a futile attempt at gaining the ability to use Nen.

"Nothing," I muttered uncomfortably. Killua snorted in disbelief, already poking my cheek for an answer.

"Liar~" he sang, feet kicking the air, as he grinned at my disgruntled expression.

"Baka," I sneered, grabbing a pillow and tackled him; he didn't bother to resist, nor did he wait to retaliate.

Only in the mornings do we indulge ourselves, in our room, separated from the harsh reality of an assassin's family outside.

Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ

It was Friday, which meant electrocution day.

I grimaced in anticipation for what was to come. As Illu-nii—no, Illumi—set about his work, I shifted, my senses tingling like crazy when he came close. I frowned, I never paid much attention to him whenever he set about our torture devices, but today, my senses made me notice him.

I glanced at him, noticing how his body seemed to glow with aura.

He turned the same time I did; his void black gaze met mind as he leaned further forward.

"Did something happened last night?" he asked softly, his calculating and wary as he studied my expression to detect a lie.

I carefully shook my head. It was the truth—just not the whole story—nothing happened, I didn't gain any Nen-related abilities. I stopped, pursing my lips in thought.

Did I achieve Nen? It would only be the reason why Illumi paid so much attention to me today. On normal days, he acted as if I was a burden or we didn't even know one another.

(And I was often left wondering had he ever cared, or when had he stopped caring.)

As the first sparks started, as the pain started infiltrating my body, I bit my lip to keep from screaming. I didn't want to seem weak.

I figured I had probably about ten minutes before I start screaming and begging him to stop.

I squeezed my eyes shut, futilely sending impulses, wishes to every part of me, desperately trying to find the nodes and allowing my aura to flow through my whole body to stop the pain.

The pain increased threefold; the tears started leaking from my eyes as I started struggling. Behind my closed eyelids, I imagined myself, my body shrouded by a barely visible cloak and—

The.

Pain.

Stopped.

My eyes snapped open, unable to believe my incredible luck. My eyes met Illumi's and I saw him fumbling (groping a few wrong buttons with grace) before he grabbed the switch and turned it into a higher velocity. The barrier fluctuated along with my panic and I felt pain invading before I forced myself to calm down and shakily maintain the barrier.

To my right, Killua's screams resounded in my skull, reminding me that he hadn't the same protection as I did and this simply wasn't fair.

Finally, as my barrier crumbled to wisps in the air, as pain forced my sight to pure darkness, the torture stopped. I was freed from the restraints but I found myself face-to-face with Illumi, his empty eyes boring into mine.

"Where did you learn how to use Nen, speak."

I shook my head rapidly.

"Is that a I don't know or a I'm not going to tell?" Illumi's eyes narrowed. "For your sake, I hope it's the former. Get up, I'm bringing you to Mother."

My stomach churned in fear.

Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ

QUESTION: What sort of Nen-type do you think Illyria will have?

REVIEW!

Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ