Scarlet Memories
Disclaimer: I do not own HxH
Reminiscence 14 - Reunion
The three-day period of anxiously and excitedly waiting for the appointed reunion of the whole band of the Genei Ryodan finally came to an end.
Sitting on the pile of rocks in their old hideout, Shalnark was busy mussing on himself while looking silently at the other spiders, observing them in whatever activities they are doing. All of them arrived earlier than expected. Machi, Nobunaga, Phinks and Kalluto (Hisoka's replacement) are playing card games while the others are sitting on the other piles of rocks.
How long has it been since the last time they had a meeting with all the members of Genei Ryodan? Two years? Right, the last time they had the opportunity to have the whole band gathering was two years ago when their Danchou decided to make an all-out infiltration to the underground auction.
They encountered some problems at first when they reached the vault where the items for auction are supposed to be kept, empty. In the end, they manage to take all the items with them during the auction as Kortopi copied them one by one and left the fake items to the care of Pakunoda and the others as they continued the auction by themselves.
But that was not the end of their struggle. That was only the beginning. Everything started when a dispute between the Danchou and Nobunaga arose. It was about whether they should stay and confront the one who killed Uvogin or go on their way out of the city before the prediction could happen: the prediction that half of the spiders will die.
Of course, the Danchou gained the upper hand. Many things had happened after that. The confrontation if two kids, which Danchou's group captured and brought with them to Beitacle Hotel. The abduction of their Danchou by none other than the killer of Uvogin, the chain user: Kurapika. Shalnark completely remembers all the memories that Pakunoda had shot into his mind.
While the Danchou is under Kurapika's nen, and that he was prohibited to have any kind of communication with the spiders, Hisoka became the middle man between them.
With the help of their new member, Kalluto, they manage to find a nen exorcist. But according to Hisoka, the exorcist died during the removal of Kurapika's chain. He did not tell anything about Kuroro after that, saying that he lost his interest.
He never thought that the exorcist managed to remove the condition and Shalnark was utterly shocked when his Danchou called him, telling him that the condition was indeed removed, but not the chain. He also ordered him not to tell the others about the matter for a while. Of course, Shalnark respected his Danchou's decision so he just obeyed.
But when called him again to call all the members of the Genei Ryodan for a meeting, Shalnark did have no choice but to tell them everything. He ever received a threat from Phinks, Nobunaga and Feitan that they will kill him if his statement is not true. Shalnark cannot help himself, but sigh upon the memory.
His musings and everyone's activities were distracted by the sound of echoing footfalls as they stopped on whatever activities they are doing and looked at the entrance of the room. The sound the thumping became louder and louder, and as expected, the most awaited member of their small band arrived at the entrance.
The leader of Genei Ryodan, Kuroro Lucifer, entered the room. He was wearing his usual 'Danchou attire' except for his hair that was left hanging down. That is unusual for him especially when they are having a meeting like this. Moreover, he was being followed by a girl who somehow resembles the chain user. Or is that actually the chain user? But the chain user is a boy.
The girl is wearing a white long-sleeved blouse with a blue ribbon as a necktie, a blue, knee length skirt, a pair of white, long socks, keeping her knees out of view and a pair of blue shoes.
Puzzled by the girl's appearance, Phinks and Nobunaga looked at their Danchou then at the girl and back to their Danchou. Shisuku, Bonolenov and Kortopi only blinked as usual. Machi, Shalnark and Franklin looked at the girl intently. Feitan narrowed dangerously his already small eyes. Kalluto, being a new member, contented himself in observed the others actions.
Kuroro turned his head slightly as he glanced at the girl on his right and saw her intensely looking at a certain direction. He also looked at that direction and saw a girl (or was it a boy? Kuroro is not sure about that, but that kid was the one who found the jyonen user for him) sitting on a pile of rocks, observing the others.
"Danchou," a girl's voice broke the long silence that stretched throughout the room.
Kuroro and Kurapika looked at the direction of the voice and saw a blue haired girl jumping from her position to the very floor. "Yes Machi," Kuroro answered.
"That girl, is she the chain user?" Machi asked in a monotonous voice, gesturing at the girl beside their Danchou. And the surroundings become suddenly tensed as everyone looked with different expressions at the subject of the question. Some (Phinks and especially Nobunaga) looked at her just like how Feitan looked (and is still looking dangerously) at her. Others looked at her in utter curiosity.
Shalnark was shocked by Machi's question as his eyes widened a bit. How can that girl be the chain user? It is true that they have the striking resemblance, but the girl doesn't at all fit the description of the chain user physically based on what he remembers from the memory.
But then, there was that time when Kuroro himself requested him to bring him the pair of scarlet eyes, but the Danchou never told him the reason for his request. Did he give them to the girl? But it the girl is indeed the chain user, why she is acting as if she is not facing her enemies? Or else she's just acting to gain their trust. But then again, the Danchou is with her. Faking her neutrality is futile. Shalnark do not think that she can deceive their Danchou that easily. No, no one can deceive him so easily.
Shalnark averted his gaze to their Danchou and saw a small smile on his lips before answering Machi's question.
"Yes, she is," Kuroro answered, but was immediately countered by the said chain user.
"Formerly," Kurapika emphasized as she crossed her hands and turned her head sideward, eyes closed.
Kuroro glanced at her to see her reaction while the others became even more tensed.
"Kisama!" came a growling voice, which added to the tensed surrounding. *
Kurapika opened her eyes as she turned her head to the members of Genei Ryodan, looking for the owner of the voice and there she found it. She doesn't have to ask for confirmation. It was already obvious. It was a man in a samurai outfit, clutching the hilt of his katana, ready to attack.
Kurapika stared at the man with her indifferent mask, but annoyed deep inside. The other members warned him not to do anything stupid. Kuroro also looked at the samurai and sighed.
"This is not the time for that, Nobunaga," he said.
But then, Kurapika sighed. "Alright," she suddenly spoke which gained everyone's attention. "I know I did something bad to your group. Worst, I killed two of you. Not that I thought you deserved it because you massacred my clan. If anything, I regret it. I do not know if you can forgive me, but, I'm sorry for everything that I have done to you." She bowed.
With that, the tension surrounding them was gone and was replaced by confusion. They never expected that, even Kuroro didn't. For someone like Kurapika doing that, they cannot help but to look at her in bewilderment.
The spiders looked at each other, as if asking each other if they heard the statement correctly and then back to Kurapika. Nobunaga had also removed his hand from his katana when he heard her sorry and rather, made a bewildered expression as the other did while Kuroro's gaze never left Kurapika as curiosity filled his attention.
Kurapika straighten up and looked at them, hoping for their acceptance.
"Well?" she asked.
Machi sighed as she recovered. "You don't have to ask for an apology, you know?" Moreover, she was right about what she said, that they deserve to be punished because of their wrong doings. "We're the one who should ask for it," she said, which gained everyone's attention this time, including Kuroro.
He never expects the usual cold personality of the girl could change so easily and that was all because of Kurapika. That much indicates that Kurapika has such a charisma that can turn enemies into comrades if she so desires.
"Machi!" Nobunaga protested.
The others stayed silent, not wanting to say anything about the matter. But Machi is different. She has a lot to say.
"Let's face it Nobu," she said as she glanced at the samurai and return to Kurapika afterward. "Something is really wrong about the request to annihilate the Kuruta clan." Then, she turned her gaze to Kuroro. "Danchou didn't really leave a message for us about the mission to attack the Kuruta clan. Am I right, Danchou?"
Again, the surrounding tensed at Machi's question. They never thought about that. They never considered the message was a fake.
"I didn't," Kuroro answered.
"But they told us-!" Nobunaga started.
"They deceived us," Franklin cut him. "Do you remember the teleportation guy we had hunted down? He is probably one of them."
"Was that your intuition back then, Machi?" Feitan asked this time.
"Yes," Machi answered, still looking at their Danchou. "But I never said it out," she looked at Feitan. "I don't think you would listen to me even if I did. We're still a new group at that time anyway," she said and looked back at the two people in front of them.
Kurapika and Kuroro looked at each other and the latter nodded to the former and both looked at the blue haired girl.
"Machi is your name, right?" Kurapika asked.
"It is."
"Can you tell me what had really happened that time?"
000
*Kisama - (Japanese of you) the most impolite way of addressing someone
Finally done with chapter 14!
So, what do you think so far? Did I forget anything?
Please review! many thanks!
(•‿•)