Thank you so, so, SO much Guest, doudouchinois, ningJA, Sailor Pandabear, Bai-Feng333, pitou77, AtM0sFears, xXSaSuHiNaXx, - C H A N, Guest, Sol, peaceful green and Nyu for the lovely reviews! Really, I was quite (pleasantly) surprise at how many reviews I got for the last chapter and very thrilled at how well it was received. :D LOVE YOU ALL! S2
Rhapsody: term similar to "fantasia" applied to pieces inspired by extroverted romantic notions.
Dizi (sorry, I forgot to put this on the last chapter =.=): a Chinese transverse flute
Music suggestion: The Kill - 30 Seconds to Mars
"Miss Ongaku."
Senritsu raised her eyes from the antique dizi she was examining to the man standing by the room's door. He was tall and muscular, with cold grey eyes and a face that had its whole left side burned. The burnt mark extended to the back of his head, reducing his left ear to nothing more than a deformed and pink stub of flesh and cartilage. His head was perfectly shaved and he wore an impeccable black suit; the perfect look for one of Hei Àn's statuesque serious bodyguards.
"Yes, Mister… Sorry, I didn't catch your name."
"That is because it was not said." The man explained in a dismissive tone. "General Hei Àn wants to know if you would care to join him for dinner."
Not in a million years.
"It would be my pleasure."
"Of course." The man stated simply. "I shall be back to retrieve you in an hour."
As soon as the still anonymous bodyguard closed the door behind him, Senritsu let out a relieved sigh; so far, apart from a couple of maids and butlers, everyone in the household seemed to be cold and battle-hardened Nen-users, whose heartbeats made up for one very nerve-wrecking orchestra. As those thoughts crossed her mind, the Music Hunter scanned the room with tired eyes. She was in a small and traditional Cihanese room, kneeling on a red-cushion as she examined the instrument laying on the small and short table in front of her. A few feet in front of her laid a beautiful dragon statue that she pretended to take her time to examine; there were three cameras on the ceiling and all were staring at her.
Stealing the Sonata of Darkness would not be easy.
Dinner was held in a luxurious Cihanese dining-room and, as expected, was extremely unpleasant and awkward. There was no small talk with the cold-blooded General; Hei Àn inquired relentlessly about Senritsu's observations of his instrument, as if to be sure that she was doing the job she claimed to be there for. Then, he asked about her professional past; when she became a Music Hunter, when Nocturnal started teaching her and about her previous jobs.
Then, he asked about her deformity.
"I was born this way, General." Senritsu lied, tightening her small hands into fists beneath the table. "I'm very sorry if it bothers you."
"It does not." Hei Àn stated in an uninterested voice. "On the contrary, I have always had a deep curiosity in misshapen people such as yourself."
Senritsu had noticed that already. All of Hei Àn's bodyguards had some sort of deformity in their bodies or minds, be it a burnt mark, a missing limb or a tormented heartbeat.
"I find that the deformed have a most interesting view of the world. They can blame it for making them who they are, developing a great hate and vengeance inside themselves. Such strong feelings may take them down two paths: power over their despised world or destruction of themselves. Both delicious."
The General had a far-off look in his eyes as he spoke those cruel words - words that dripped with conviction and a twisted sort of ecstasy. Senritsu's eyes were wide and unbelieving.
"Or they can thank the world for making who they are, claiming that their defects are actually blessings. These misshapen claim the difficulties they faced – the prejudice and the isolation - made them stronger, kinder, wiser… better. Such a pathetic lie." Suddenly, Hei Àn's cold eyes focused on Senritsu's shocked ones with an intensity that made the Music Hunter shudder. "What about you, Miss Ongaku? Do you hate the world? Or do you thank it?"
At that moment, she understood her answer could very well decide if she would leave that dining room alive or not. His heartbeat was expectant and anxious to find out what the answer of "Nocturnal's apprentice" would be, but, most of all, it was ready to put an end to her life if he judged her unworthy of learning with the Music Hunter he so admired.
Senritsu's own heartbeat was uncertain and hesitant as she opened her mouth to answer the coldblooded man kneeling across the short table, some feet in front of her.
"… Neither."
The way the General's heart skipped a beat in surprise was confirmation that Senritsu had begun her answer well enough to capture his attention.
"I don't hate the world for making me like that because, despite everything my deformity put me through, I have a happy life. I'm a successful Music Hunter, student of Nocturnal, and have friends who care deeply about me. However, I don't thank this world either; if I didn't look like this, I'd probably be in almost the same situation I am in today, without the extra-suffering. All I can do is accept what the world did to me and do my best to change it so other people don't have to suffer as I did."
Long moments passed in what would be complete silence, if not for Senritsu's keen hearing allowing her to listen to Hei Àn's slow heartbeat deliberating about her words. Finally, it settled in a pleased anthem. But it was still a chilling song, that didn't lose any of its initial distrust towards her person.
"That-" Hei Àn began, allowing a chilling smile to stretch across his lips. "-is a very interesting point of view, Miss Ongaku. Of course, I did not expect any less of someone like you."
"Someone like me? You mean a… deformed, as you put it?"
"Did I offend you?" The General asked not even trying to pretend to care for her answer.
"Of course not." Senritsu answered truthfully. "I know what I look like, General. Having people point it out stopped bothering me ages ago."
"Good. I cannot stand whining." The man spoke coldly before sipping his green tea. "Answering your question: yes, a deformed. But not only that. You are also a musician – Nocturnal's student nonetheless – and a Hunter; both professions that I hold in very high esteem, seeing as they demand a very proactive personality. The fact that you acquired such status, conciliating them with your deformity, makes you a person worthy of my respect and appreciation, Miss."
The Genreal wasn't lying when he spoke those reassuring words. And yet, his heartbeat showed he remained ready to kill her at the moment's notice; all she needed to do was prove his seeming inherent distrust towards her correct or displease him with an answer, and she was done for. It was amazing how reading Hei Àn's heartbeat didn't make her feel at all more secure in his presence. Instead, it made her more and more nervous, for, despite obviously catching his interest and sympathy, it showed her that there was a thick wall between his feelings and his mind. Unlike Feitan, whose killing instincts came from the sadistic pleasure he felt – needed to feel - and were always directed to his foes, Hei Àn couldn't care less if he found himself killing someone or not, or if they were friend or foe. The man was a true psychopath.
And she had to keep him pleased and interested, no matter what.
"Thank you for saying that, sir." Senritsu spoke, smiling softly at the man. "It's hard to find non-Hunter people that see me like that – a person overcoming her challenges."
"And how do the common people see you?"
"A poor, little person; someone that deserves pitied stares and careful words." Senritsu explained. "Or an attraction; a thing that should be stared at for minutes on a row and whispered about behind its back."
Everything she said was true; no matter where she went, people on the streets always stared at her with pity, shock or disgust. She knew most of them didn't mean anything bad by it, that they had good hearts and just couldn't help themselves, but, on the first couple of months after the curse, it still annoyed her. Sometimes, she thought about raising her sleeves to give them a real freak show. You think my body's shape and height make me weird? She'd think. Wait until you see my skin.
Hei Àn smirked at the almost imperceptible way the small Hunter scowled at her food as memories flooded her mind. He was satisfied with Nocturnal's choice of an apprentice; Miss Ongaku was a strong woman. Hopefully, her stay in his house would go with no incidents so she could walk out of there alive and breathing.
Senritsu noticed the small reluctance in killing her in the General's heartbeat and felt some weight be lifted off her shoulders. She was far from safe, but it was a start.
"It is no harm being an attraction from time to time, if for the right reason." Hei Àn resumed, earning himself a curious stare from the Music Hunter. "Play for me after dinner. You know I am fascinated by music; I just cannot allow Nocturnal's student to visit my home and leave without giving me a private performance. You can go back to examining my dizi afterwards."
Senritsu put a polite smile on her lips. "Of course."
Senritsu shouldn't have used her Emitter's Nen when playing for Hei Àn.
She knew she had to do her best to please the man, but maybe she had gone a little overboard with that. Senritsu knew Hei Àn deeply enjoyed listening to music, but she never thought he'd keep her playing to him for three hours straight. She honestly thought he'd have better things to do with his time.
Granted, she had to play for longer durations when she was with Feitan in Greed Island, but then she didn't have to pretend study an ancient instrument while using her hearing to memorize guards and employees' moving patterns throughout an enormous mansion. If she wanted to put her hands on the Sonata of Darkness that night, she needed time to plan her theft very well, and she couldn't do it while concentrating on her music.
She was saved by one of Hei Àn's bodyguards opening the music room's door; the unnamed man with a burn mark on his face.
"Excuse me." The bodyguard spoke, head bowed. "I apologize for interrupting your performance, General, but it is already 2300 hours."
"Already?" The General let out in a slow voice, not moving his cold eyes from Senritsu. "Time does fly by when you are enjoying yourself. Nocturnal did a good job teaching you, Miss Ongaku."
"Thank you, sir."
"Well, I think we both should call it for a day. Huo Chieh, escort Miss Ongaku to her bedroom."
"Yes, General."
The Music Hunter's eyes widened at hearing that. "I'm sorry sir, but I still hav-"
"Do not worry. You have my permission to spend one more day here to study my dizi. You had less than an hour to do so before dinner, after all."
Senritsu swallowed her complaints and smiled. "If it's not a bother, I'll accept your kindness, sir."
"Good."
An hour later found Senritsu inside a wide and luxurious guest room; the lights were off and she was lying on her futon with her eyes closed. However, sleep was the furthest thing from her mind. The Music Hunter was focusing herself on her hearing, paying attention to all of the steps that were walking the mansion, understanding the bodyguards' movement patterns, memorizing which corridors would be vacant at each moment and planning the route she would follow to reach the underground facilities Hanzo had extensively told her about.
It was all under control when, suddenly, a new pair of feet started to walk around the mansion followed closely by other two pairs. The new stride was strong and full of purpose and it drew Senritsu's full attention immediately. There was no doubts those were Hei Àn's steps. Her disregard to the other strides proved to be worth it as the General's steps grew fainter by the second. He was going down.
To his secret basement no doubt.
Senritsu imprinted in her memory the route Hei Àn followed from his bedroom to a place on the mansion's lower levels, where he stopped walking and stood still for some moments.
One second, her ears were battling the anxious silence, straining to pick the slightest sound of Hei Àn's next movement. The next, they were assaulted by deafening screams of anger and agony.
The unconventional rhapsody didn't last for more than a couple of seconds, but it was more than enough to make Senritsu shot out of her futon and slap her hands over her ears as cold sweat streaked down her whole body
W-What was that?
Whatever it was, it was undoubtedly happening where the Sonata of Darkness was hidden. She had to get there and find the solo.
And prevent those poor souls of continuing to scream such an agonizing melody.
Nocturnal was inside his dimly lit office, sitting at his desk and holding his phone's microphone to his mouth and keeping the speaker a reasonable distance from his overly sensitive ears.
Since the Music Hunter returned to his villa in the real world's Azian Continent, his office phone was just full of surprising calls. First, it was a strange and talkative Hunter called Hanzo, asking questions about Hei Àn for more than four hours straight. A couple of days later, Senritsu called, asking him to lie in her behalf to none other than Hei Àn himself. Then, there was Hei Àn's call that, though expected, was still very curious; the General's voice seemed colder than he remembered.
And now…
"Why she called you?"
"Your voice… Your Senritsu's friend. Feitan, right?"
"…Just answer question."
"How do you even know Senritsu called me? I mean, it is about her you are talking about, no?"
"Of course I talking about her! Now answer question!"
"…She wanted to ask me a favour."
"What favour?"
Nocturnal sighed. Should he tell him about it? Surely, if Senritsu wanted Feitan to know what she was doing, she would've told him herself… But he is worried. And strong. He may go help her if he finds out about the dangers she is facing right now.
"She asked me to lie in her behalf to a Hei Àn, a Gen-"
"I know who the shit is."
The Music Hunter's black eyes widened behind his ceramic mask for a second before he shook his head and resumed talking.
"Well, she asked me to tell him she is a student of mine. It seems that Hei Àn has a solo of the Sonata of Darkness in his possession. Senritsu is in his home as we speak, pretending to be interested in examining one of the Genral's antique music instruments to look for the solo and steal it."
"Idiot! I said no to go there!"
There were some moments of silence before the Nocturnal continued. "If you truly know who Hei Àn is, then you must know in just how much danger Senritsu is in right now. I think… she is in dire need of your help, Feitan."
"You think I no know that?! I-…"
Nocturnal could hear the anger and frustration in the short man's voice and hear as he took in a deep breath, ready to say something else.
Then the line went dead.
The tall man let out a tired sigh as he removed his mask and rubbed his eyes in frustration. It seemed the amazing teamwork those two showed in Greed Island didn't follow them in the real world.
Senritsu… Why did you have to do this alone?
Slowly, the Music Hunter raised his eyes, setting them in the large, crystal globe standing a few feet in front of him, by one of the window's drawn red curtains. The globe been a present from none other than Hei Àn himself.
Without thinking, Nocturnal walked to the globe and rotated it until the Azian Continent came to sight. His home was about 6 hours away from Hei Àn's, something to make it easier for the Music Hunter to give the General his beloved private performances.
Jaw clenched, the cursed man marched up to his desk and called his secretary.
"What can I do for you, sir?"
"Anna, cancel my interview with the Treble Clef Magazine for tomorrow and any other appointments I may have for the day." Nocturnal spoke as he put his mask back on. "Something urgent came up. Hunter matters."
"It's done, sir."
"Thank you."
"And sir…"
"Yes?"
"Come back safe."
Nocturnal swallowed.
"I will do my best."
It honestly wasn't that hard for Senritsu to get down to the basement unnoticed. Thank's to her hearing, she was able to find out which way to go and know if any guards were coming her way so it was easy for her to avoid them. Also, the hallways were in absolute darkness, so it wasn't too hard for the small and short woman to avoid being spotted by the surveillance cameras.
Hence she managed to arrive to the spot where that horrendous screams had come from and where Hei Àn's heartbeat had disappeared with no problems. It was a black and large soundproof door, kept locked by two thick metal bars; the bars formed a cross in front of the door, with its ends disappearing into the walls. The door was at the down-end of a spiral flight of stairs and, close to the it, on the wall, there was a small panel with numbered buttons. A numerical code was needed to open the door.
As she stood in front of the door, Senritsu couldn't help but clench her hand around her flute. Naturally, she didn't expect Hei Àn's secret chambers to be left unguarded and open to anyone who came across them, but she was hoping to come across a lock that she could bypass. She was no technology wizard to hack into Hei Àn's security system and find out the code to open the soundproof door.
There must be a way for me to get in. Maybe if I-
Before the Music Hunter could finish her thoughts, something clicked in the door and the metal bars that held it locked began to move inwards on the door. A second later found the door open and Senritsu hidden by the darkness, crouched behind the stairs. For the first time in her life, the cursed woman found herself thanking her unnaturally short body, which kept her from the immediate line of sight of taller people, such as the arm-missing bodyguard that was walking through the door.
Resisting the urge to cover her ears and clench her eyes shut at the horrible sounds assaulting her ears, Senritsu stared with attentive eyes as the man let a shudder pass through his body and punched the numeric code on the door's panel, relocking it.
Senritsu waited until the bodyguard's footsteps were at a safe distance before standing up from her hiding place and walking to the door's panel. On her tiptoes and using her flute as an extension of her arm, she typed the security code.
0-1-1-2-3-5-8. The first seven numbers of the Fibonacci sequence.
The Music Hunter knew she was putting herself at grand risk as she waited for the door to open. For all she knew, it could take her right to the middle of a bright room, where she would be easily identified and surrounded by enemies.
But there was no going back now. The door was already opened.
And, standing tall right in front of her, was a surprised Hei Àn, with his right arm raised, as if ready to type the code on his side of the door. Behind him, there was Huo Chieh.
"Miss Ongaku." The General began, in a chilling voice that managed to overpower to agonizing screams and heartbeats coming from inside the basement. "You have some explanation to do."
Senritsu swallowed hard and nodded once before listening to the bodyguard's lightning-fast steps.
The small woman heard a dry 'thump' sound and felt a pain on the back of her head
Then, she heard nothing else.
I really think Hei Àn is the craziest OC I've created so far. Really, Altus' issues don't hold a candle to the General. XD
Pratically nothing from Feitan this chapter (T.T), but this will change on the next one. ;)
I hope you all enjoyed this! :D
Kisses,
RedVoid