DISCLAIMER : Following the word itself "fanfiction", I do not own anything in this fiction and credits belong to the rightful creators of the manga: TOGASHI YOSHIHIRO, the publisher, the broadcasting companies of the anime both 1999 original version and 2011 remake - Nippon Animation and Madhouse, respectively and etc.

REPLIES TO COMMENTS

Caliope07 : I'm sorry but the women introduced to Illumi here are not really a part of the story so there's nothing more to be mentioned about them and they would never appear within the story nor have a single dialogue. I am not into inserting OC's sooo yep ^^.

Guest : THEORETICALLY, since they are still humans, they still do get sick even if theyre immune to poison, drugs and to certain types and levels of physical pain. Most likely they have their own engineers, chemists and specialists at home who formulate customized materials and equipments for them both for their personal use and for their assassination/training purposes. Of course that includes medicines that are at a certain dosage that would take effect on them (which were of course already in lethal conetrations for normal humans). So yes. Sleeping pills do take effect on them ONLY if they were customized and manufactured by their own personal supplier for their own levels. Who knows, the only alcohol that could get them drunk is a bottle of highly toxic methanol mixed with flavoring xD

Milye06 : It will take long till you figure out a lot of things because the story is set under the point of view and understanding of Killua and Illumi about the situation xD I will still entertain questions, but if its okay if you didnt wanna be spoiled either xDDDD

CHAPTER 7

-SYMPATHY-

He has been like this even before I left for the Time Travel Experiment last month...

And he was not behaving like the usual, in a way it appeared to be actually alarming for someone who knew him very well despite the indifferent behavior he often possesses.

(Last month...)

The sky was dark. The moon shined brightly amidst the clouds as I made my way in between the woods in our estate. I was headed to the gates.

I'm leaving for York Shin to meet with Ging for an experiment for a new installment of a feature for Greed Island. I'm going to see Gon again and hopefully, if time permits them, Leorio and that jerk of a friend, Kurapika too.

SWIIISH!

I overheard some noise as I continued walking.

SWISH SWISH SWISH!

It came from the woods that surrounded the pathway, somewhere around the left side.

I decided to take some time to check it out. I still got some time in my hands anyway as I'm not really in a rush. I followed the sound and headed to where it came from. I actually knew what it was though, but curiosity still got the best of me.

As I finally got closer, I hid behind a tree to check it out.

As I thought, it was Aniki. He was sitting at a stone bench with his chin rested on one hand while the other was throwing needles at some old, tattered dummies, hung from the trees. It was an old training ground for children where we usually practice our accuracy. He appears to be absent-mindedly throwing them despite the impeccable accuracy.

"Kil..." He called me out noticing my presence that I did try to conceal.

As I was called, I walked towards him.

"Going somewhere?" He asked without looking back at me, still throwing needles at the dummies nonchalantly. "It's pretty late."

"I'm going out on a personal mission with my friends." I answered him.

"When are you expected to come back... Aren't you supposed to stay here and protect Alluka from me?"

"I could care less about what you plan to do to her. You won't succeed on it anyway." I talked back defiantly, confident about the fact that he can't do anything to her as this whole situation with Nanika and Alluka is already under my control.

"You sound so sure about it..." He lethargically spoke. "Fair enough. As if I still have enough room for your shenanigans."

He was probably still upset about the mission he roughly did where Alluka almost got hostaged... I admit that part of it was also my negligence as he have actually entrusted me the task of protecting Alluka while he does his business.

However, we both know that it's not his current concern.

"I'm going..." I turned my back and decided to leave in which he did not object and moved on to his business.

I simply can't carry on a long conversation with him. And that dated back since childhood. He had always been too high for me to reach.

To be honest, I somewhat felt hints of sympathy on his current situation. For the first time in my entire life with him as my Nemesis, this was the only time I have seen in his soulless eyes the desire to follow his own will and break free from the rules. He has always been the puppet of this family code. The real shadow puppet of darkness. The one with no ambitons, directions, goals and desires. He have never failed to follow the family code accordingly in which he drags the rest of us with him, confining us to a restriction, specially me who he was forcing to undergo the same fate as he did.

I understand how he felt. I saw myself in him for a little while. I have longed to tell him and shove into his face how it feels like to have something you wanted to do but you can't, how it feels like to yearn to break free. I wanted to give him a pat in the shoulder and say 'it's okay, we're in this together', but he's not the right person to receive such treatment from me anymore and it's not a matter he would want to discuss to someone 12 years younger than him.

Marriage is not a matter to laugh about. I knew he was against it. I believe he's someone who dislikes commitments and restrictions, and marriage itself is metaphorical to shackles that will impede you from doing the things you normally do as yourself. Marriage is only mutually blissful when love is involved. And love is only an illusion. He is not the type of person who can develop such emotion. He only experiences happiness when he gets to toy around someone's emotions and hold them by the neck, making their lives miserable. Over the time, for sure he can find someone he can marry... someone he chose to put under his clutches who was also willing to submit to his self-serving, egocentric whims, making the whole relationship one-sided with no emotional attachment coming from him.

We can all pray for him not to find that poor woman who will play the role of his ego-stroking slave. But apparently, as how he acts right now, he doesn't have the will to find that person. All I can see behind his impassive demeanor was the strong desire to break free. If there's something he was contemplating upon, it was most likely how to get away neatly from this situation without breaking that certain rule.

On the other hand, I can't blame Dad and Gramps for putting him under extreme pressure. Dad had Aniki when he was only 24 and Gramps had Dad when he was only 19. By now, Aniki is already 27, and since he reached 25, they have constantly reminded him of his obligation in which he stalled for at least 2 years. Considering the fact that I, the heir finally have left and started my own journey and Milluki seemed to hold no future expectations, Aniki was the only one left to be expected to fulfill the said obligation. The main goal is to widen the family tree and add more assassins that will propagate the family business until the next generations. Although it was just normal for him to be the first one to get married as he is the first born, I admit, I was also at fault for failing their expectations as the heir. The burden on him was doubled as I have quit and decided to stray away from our family for something rather self centered.

And that sums up the reasons for his current despondent state. I did not expect that somehow, I left a huge impact in our family...

And after all that I've seen in the past, and the things I have realized, I hate to say it, but it crushes me inside seeing him like that.

The guilt is eating me from the inside.

"Good evening Young Master..." I heard some butlers greet me that made me realize I have been walking nonchalantly, deep into my thoughts in which I have finally reached the mansion.

I walked along the dark hallway surrounded by stone walls. The trip I had from the past never made me feel like missing this place. It always stayed the same over the years. It always gave off the same grim, solitary vibe.

Seeing all of these just reminded me that I put myself further down to the depths of misery. That I did not need to know those things. That If I just stayed here and did not participate in the experiment, I could've saved the present and the future, and that me and Illumi both did not have to suffer this way...

But wait...

THAT'S NOT MY CONCERN HERE!

I did not come back here to repent on the things that I have realized and blame myself for everything that already have happened and were meant to happen regardless!

My sentiments can wait for later, but I have something MUCH MORE IMPORTANT to take care of...

...and that is to look for Palm!

I changed my pace and began hasting as I paced along the hallway to find Alluka. The moment I find Alluka, I'll definitely find Palm as well. I needed to go to her room!

They finally assigned Alluka to a new room they have decorated to exactly look and feel like her former underground refuge. Although it is where she stays now, the underground refuge where she used to be locked up before was still there for future security purposes just in case we might get in trouble. If any peril might occur, Alluka can stay down there while we take care of the mess up here as she's the most vulnerable member of the family and that her safety is a priority.

I pushed the door open to find no one inside...!

I moved about restlessly thinking where to find them before finally busting out of the room, getting back on the dash until I reached a junction of four different paths... I chose to turn right however even before I could do so...

"ONIICHAAAN~!"

I heard Alluka scream from behind, running towards me.

"Alluka...!" I smiled at her as she glomped me, hugging me really tight.

"Oniichan! I'm glad to see you again!"

"Yeah, me too!" I stroke her hair.

"I thought you'll take a little longer? I have learned a lot of new things! I have been training a lot too!"

"Very good! Alluka, I needed to ask you something..." I let go of her, holding on to her shoulders to face me. "Alluka... where is.."

"ONIICHAN! I have a surprise for you!" She interrupted me as she shook my hand off of her shoulder then grabbing it to drag me along with her as she ran off the corridor with me.

END OF CHAPTER 7

NOTE : Considering their ages at the first part of the manga/series,Silva's age is 48 and Zeno is 67. So subtracting 48 from 67, Zeno had Silva at 19. If Illumi is 24, Silva had him at 24 too.