The next morning Kurapika refused to speak a word to Mito unless she addressed him specifically and even then his answers were cold and abruptly short. But Gon thankfully remained unaware of the blonde's actions and happily chatted with both of them as they ate breakfast together. As soon as they had finished eating Gon had pulled Kurapika out the door excitedly to lead him towards some of the dense woods that existed on Whale Island.
"I want you too meet Kon!" Gon told Kurapika when he had asked where they were going. The Kurta looked at the smaller boy with a puzzled expression as they pressed onward into the woods. "He a foxbear! He'll love you I know it!" Kurapika had paled considerably when Gon had said 'FoxBear' but he knew there was no way to back out now. They walked for another good ten minuted until Gon halted in a small clearing somewhere near the middle of the woods.
"Kooooooooon!" Gon shouted loudly and Kurapika had to cover his sensitive ears at the noise. "Where are yooooooooou! There is someone I want you to meet!" It was less then a minute or two before they heard the rumbling noise of an approaching creature of considerable size to echo around them.
"Gon… Are you sure that is such a good idea?" Kurapika whispered to the other boy as he lowered his hands from his ears but Gon just grinned happily.
"Of course! How else would he know I'm here?" The blonde just sighed helplessly at the other boy's logic, Gon was defiantly an odd one. Then Kurapika felt it, the presence of a large, powerful creature as he had expected, but the felt something he did not. The creature didn't feel dangerous, or cruel, it still felt wild but intelligent and much kinder then what he had expected of a foxbear, especially in the presence of humans. He could hear it turning to face him, bringing it's cold wet nose right in front of him.
"Kon this is Kurapika my Onii-san, and Kurapika this is Kon one of my best friends." But Kurapika didn't move a muscle still not sure what to do. And a silence passed for a minute or so, neither beast or boy moving, until Kurapika finally gathered his courage to lift his hand to place it lightly on the muzzle of the supposedly fearsome beast.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, friend of Gon" Kurapika jumped backwards sharply in shock. He didn't know how but somehow he knew that the foxbear, Kon, had spoken to him. And Gon was practically beaming.
"I knew it!" The younger boy crowed excitedly and ran forward to hug the foxbear. And Kurapika remained stock still, his head spinning at what had just happened.
"I-I…h-he…" He stuttered out softly unable to form a sentence.
"Kon talked to you too right?"
"Y-yes"
"See?! Kon only talks to me usually, so he must really like you!" Gone reasoned easily. "Ne, Kurapika… do you want to be a hunter?" He asked suddenly, his voice taking a softer yet more serious tone.
"Yes, I do. Do you want to be one Gon?"
"Yes! I want to meet my dad! I want to become a Hunter! So why do you want to be Hunter?" Kurapika was taken aback at first by this question but quickly regained his composure.
"To give revenge to the Murderers of my clan and to regain the lost Scarlet eye's." He stated both morosely and confidently.
"Scarlet eyes?" Gon asked looking very confused.
"The eyes of the Kurta Clan turn a brilliant hue of red when they experience intense emotions and is considered one of the gorgeous colors in the world. So my people's eyes fetch a very high price on the black market and that is also the reason why they were murdered."
"Well I still think that doesn't sound like a good idea, the revenge I mean. I think getting back your people's eyes seems like a better idea. You should do that!" He told the Kurta brightly and Kurapika simply stared at the smaller boy. Gon's logic was so simple and childish but when he said it, it was like all the rage and hate that had been boiling and festering in his body didn't make sense to him anymore, it seemed so foolish, so unnecessary. The tears spilled from his sightless eyes freely and he made no move to brush them away. Gon began to panic when he saw the torrent of tears. "I'm so sorry Kurapika! I didn't mean to upset you!"
"No, I am okay Gon. Thank you."
"Sure! And that's good!" Gon answered in relief. "You want to go back home now?"
"Sure Gon, let's go home." And so without another word they waved goodbye to Kon and Gon lead them out the woods and back to the house where Mito was waiting for them at the door.
"We're home!" Gon shouted as they grew closer, waving cheerily.
"Welcome home you two, did you have fun?"
"Mmh! Kurapika got to meet Kon! Kon liked him too!"
"Well it sounds like you both had quite the day. Dinner is on the table, but no eating until your both cleaned up." She told them, sending Gon running towards the stairs as he had done just the other day, to clean up first. Kurapika didn't mind waiting a bit, because of the two Gon was defiantly covered in more dirt then Kurapika who had mercifully not gotten nearly as dirty. But all the same, once Gon had finished he went to take a bath as well.
But Kurapika was surprised to find that once he finished there was a neatly folded pile of clothing set out for him. With a shrug he lifted the top piece of clothing to feel it and was shocked to realize is was one of the traditional garments of the Kurta clan, commonly worn for traveling. It was painstaking hand stitched with the patterns of his people. And he quickly grabbed the rest of the clothing in the pile to feel them as well and found that the rest was a plain but practical shirt and pair of pants for under the traditional garment. (Think of the first outfit we see Kurapika wear) Kurapika almost found himself crying again but he held it in as he knelt on the cold bathroom floor, clutching the fabric tightly to his chest, shaking from his unshed tears. Even though he had acted and spoken so cruelly to Mito-san she had still gone out of her way to recreate a outfit of his people for him. And once the shaking had stopped Kurapika dawned the clothing almost reverently and when he came down the stairs he heard Mito gasp at the sight of him and Gon giving him a cheering approval.
"I'm so sorry Mito-san for the way I acted. Thank you, thank you for everything." Kurapika told her with a grateful smile and small bow to her. She just nodded, tears of happiness in her eyes, but then remembered he couldn't actually see her nod.
"Of course Kurapika, there is nothing to apologize for."
"All the same, I am sorry. But I still want to be a Hunter." He could almost feel her heart sinking at his words. "But don't worry. I'm just going so I can watch out for Gon." He assured her but now her eyes went wide in shock.
"WHAT?!" She spun to look at Gon with a sharp glowering look. "Gon…" She growled.
"Don't worry Mito-san, I can't go for another four years and neither can Gon, the youngest age you can apply at is twelve." Kurapika tried in an attempted to sooth her anger, but it only had the opposite affect.
"Twelve!" She shrieked. "No! Neither of you are becoming Hunters! I have already told Gon that! It's much too dangerous! Twelve! Will I never! She seethed. "Eat your dinner and go to bed right away and forget this whole Hunter nonsense! I don't want to speak of it again!" She snapped before she spun on her heel and exited the room with a loud bang as she slammed the front door behind her.
"So you want soup or salad first?" Gon offered with a weak smile and Kurapika just shook his head and sighed. He had only overcome one obstacle only to find another had taken it's place. He should have known that life was never that easy.
"Salad sound good, Gon."
Author's Note- Belloria Rings- Thank you for your very kind review, it was very inspiring for me and so you have brought about this chapter! And I hope you like it! Thank you everyone else and I hope you all enjoy, thanks! Read on! :)