So, unlike usual, I'm writing this part hours before I post this. That's because I was sick yesterday, so I'm swamped with makeup work for math that I'm going to have to do after school. Yippee. So I'm not going to have much time to post today. Who knows if I'll even get to it. I'm actually in a Latin class right now. Great class, highly recommend it to anyone wanting to become and author. What's going on now, though, is that we're talking about preserved dead people. Needless to say, we've got an awesome Latin teacher. Unfortunately, I've also got a band of idiots sitting right behind me. If they see me typing this, I really don't care. Although I doubt that they would, maybe they'd clean up their act a bit if they read this. Ah, now we're watching a video.
Somehow I managed to get to it today, so that's worth celebrating I guess. Enjoy the story.
I stretch my arms above my head as I absorb the nostalgia flowing into me. I remember this area, like all the others, because I used to pass through or by it on a daily basis when I lived here. My most notable memory of this specific place, though, is from my seventh birthday. I was hiding here when I overheard my mother crying about Chrollo. If it hadn't been for that moment, I probably would still be living like a doll under my father's rule, set to inherit the company. For that reason, I recall this spot quite fondly.
The window is closed today, but that poses me no threat. After I coat myself in Nen for protection, I jam my elbow into the glass and watch it shatter. Then, nonchalantly, I slip into the room. Everything's the same as I remember, save for the bedspread. Father probably got himself another wife, who didn't like the comforter my mother chose. That's none of my business, though, 'cause I don't care enough to make it my business.
The door creaks when it opens, indicating its age. The young maid revealed behind it doesn't even step into the room, freezing the moment she lays eyes on me. She's new, or at least wasn't here when I left seven years ago. I had memorized the face of every servant in the mansion, as well as many of Father's coworkers and rivals. I was a smart kid.
Before she can run, I grab her by the shoulder and spin her around, sticking my manipulator's pin into the back of her neck. As she goes slack, I cover my tool with her long copper hair.
"Go fetch my father, and make sure you bring him here alone. Tell him his precious little girl's come home to visit. Oh, and I guess you wouldn't know, but my father is Mr. Hale."
When I release her she doesn't show any sign of confirmation, instead calmly turning and walking down the hall. I close the door behind her and hop onto the bed. Across from the the king sized bed is a suitably large mirror, and an antique dresser that must've cost thousands. It's been there ever since I can remember, and probably many years before my memories ever began. This is the closest I've ever actually been to it before, though. Actually, now that I think about it, this might be the first time being inside this room. I've seen it plenty of times from the window, and doorway, but I don't think Father ever allowed me in here.
The creak of the old oak door pulls my attention back to it. This time, a man steps into the room and shuts the door behind him. He looks exactly like I remember him, with the same icy blue gaze and the same shaven face. His hair is the same gray dyed brown, his skin pulled tight to reduce wrinkles.
"Who are you?" It's the same voice, too. I remember it like we never parted.
"How cruel," I mock pout, smirking. "Your daughter missing seven years has come back to see you, and you don't recognize her? It's been too long, Daddy."
"My heir always referred to me as Father."
"I know." I sit up, facing him. Then he finally gets a good look at my face and seems to startle. "But you see, it's been seven years since I last saw you. Isn't Daddy a more intimate way of addressing you, Father? Don't you want to be close to your daughter since you've been dreadfully missing her for seven years? I would suggest we rebond over a board game, or something of the like, but you never taught me how to play any of those."
Although he clearly recognizes me, he still rebukes it. "My daughter was nothing like you. She wasn't rude, and she dressed well, and was a good, quiet girl."
"Oh please," I scoff. "I only did whatever you ordered me to! I thought you'd praise me! You know, now that I look back on it, I think I thought that you loved me back then. You know, even though to you I was only your pawn. I thought long and hard about it, and I honestly think it's your fault I ended up like this. Pawns aren't supposed to feel anything, are they? You trained me well, but it's frustrating, you know? Because of you, I don't seem to act like everyone else. It's seriously annoying!"
"But-"
"Look at my face. You know I'm Corona, don't you? I look too much like Mother to be a fake. If you want even more proof, I know that she didn't die of an aneurysm. I know that someone hired a Zoldyck, of all people, to kill her. I even have my suspicions as to who it might've been, Father."
His face goes white. "What do you want? If it's your inheritance, then you can have it."
"Aw, come on!" I insist. "Your daughter can't come just to drop in for a bit? Well, I guess I did come for something. My connection to you has been causing me a bit of trouble, as of late. You remember that scoundrel Mr. Lemmings? He kidnapped me recently." When Father goes rigid, I know he's heard of his passing. Mr. Lemmings had been unfortunate enough to have been on the premises when Killua came a'slaughterin.
Oh, I realize. This is kinda fun, scaring him like this.
"While I'm here," I go on, speaking slowly as I think of how I could scare him more, "maybe we should catch up a bit before we get down to business. Don't you want to know what your dear little heir has been up to these past seven years?" I remove my coin from my pocket, holding it between my thumb and forefinger. At this point, he finally begins to shift anxiously. The paleness of his face and even the leaking of an unconscious defensive aura gave him away long ago, but now he's beginning to visibly react. Not that a subconscious Nen like that helps at all against anyone who's trained.
Just to rub it in a bit more, I slowly pronounce the syllables. "Phan-tom Troupe. That's where your daughter and your ex wife's bastard son have been up till now. Now, I know you do plenty of dirty dealings; you taught many to me of your tactics, after all. But the two of us have been committing atrocities in broad daylight that you wouldn't dare commit in the dark. So what would happen if I came forward as your daughter, and after DNA tests confirm our blood, what if I felt like showing off my tattoo. It's pretty neat, if I do say so myself."
At this point, I've pushed him past fear. He's angry. "I've already told you I'll give you what you want! Just tell me what it is and leave me alone!"
"What? You don't want your heir back?"
"You're not my daughter!"
"Liar!" I accuse, my voice suddenly sharp. He doesn't flinch, used to fiery tempers. "You know full well who I am! And now that we've caught up, I guess we've got to get down to business. Mr. Lemmings threatened you, didn't he? Didn't he use me as a bargaining tool? It's because of you he captured me, but he also captured someone I've taken an interest in. I was beaten, and that person nearly died because of his negligence. Now, as long as I'm related to you, people are gonna wanna use me like he did to get to you. Whether they realize you care or not, our common blood is gonna cause me problems."
"If it's your wish, I'll disown you," he declares.
"Ah, a year ago, I would've left it at that," I shrug, gradually rising off the bed. "Actually, I probably would have left it at that as lately as one month ago. However, now I've got someone who would be troubled if anyone was to come after me. I suppose, unlike you, I've found someone I can actually worry for. The last thing I want to do is cause him any more trouble because I was born to you. As such, I can't have you around any longer."
He edges towards the door, but I'm standing directly before him before he can turn, one hand resting on his diaphragm and the other behind his back, blocking off his retreat route. I purposely allow my bloodlust to ooze.
With his life on the line, his previous confidence drains. "Hey, Corona," his voice shakes, "you shouldn't be so abrasive, dear. Why don't you take a deep breath, so we can talk about this like civilized people?"
So he finally acknowledges me. "I'm long past listening to you." With a single shove, I crush his chest inwards. Only my hand prevents him from flying backwards through the wall. I release him, and he crumples to the floor. Stepping over the dying man, I open the door to find the maid from before standing blankly on the other side. The sight of her boss seizing on the floor doesn't faze her in the slightest while she's under my control.
"Go to the area in the house with the most people and start screaming up a ruckus. Act like you're losing your mind. Tell everyone in the house who'll listen that the boss was killed. Say that you saw that the killer was a young boy with white hair. When you're left alone, go out the front door and wait for me. Now go!"
She scrambles off, already in character, stumbling with haste. After searching the body for anything I might want, and finding nothing of interest, I exit through the window I entered through. As I plunge into the forest, people burst into the room to lay eyes on the deadman.
"After this, you promised no more senseless killing."
I motion for Kurapika to follow me and he does. As we walk, I tell him, "This wasn't senseless. That man's a criminal, you know? Blackmail and illegal deals are his specialty."
"You're a wanted criminal, too," he reminds me.
I smile. "I would be, if the populace knew I existed."
"That doesn't justify it," he sighs. "Are you done? Why are we still here?" We've stopped outside the front of the house.
"To retrieve my pin," I explain. "Since I'm not primarily a manipulator, I can't make my own items to manipulate people with. That pin I got is the only tool I have that allows me to use my Nen like that, so I need to keep it close. It's kinda a pain, but it's what I've got."
I swear he smiles a little despite himself. "You call it a pain, but your range of abilities with Nen is incredibly impressive."
"It's nothing compared to yours," I shake my head. "I wish I could use a transmuter's ability, and an enhancers' ability to heal would really be handy."
"Back to my point," he catches my derailing of the topic, "you will keep you promise, I assume. After this, killing is only done is self defense, correct?"
I cross my heart. "I swear on the Nen sword inside of me."
"You still haven't taken it out?"
"You wouldn't trust me without it, would you?" I reason.
He thinks for a moment. "I might not, but if it's ever necessary... and I mean absolutely necessary, you have my permission to remove it."
I'm silent as his words sink in. Then, I large grin spreads across my face. "I'll remember that!"
"Don't get to cocky," he whacks my head. Then he grabs me, yanking me down to hide. I glance towards the mansion, then laugh.
"Don't worry, I ordered her to come out. You stay hidden," I direct him, standing and emerging from the foliage. The girl doesn't flinch when I approach, her gaze glazed. I don't bother to praise the mindless doll she is, just brushing her hair aside to get my pin. I stare at it for a second, thinking. When I pull out this pin, I'll be done with this house. My business here done, my blood connections severed, I'll have no need to ever return. This house, where I grew up, where I lived out my childhood…. Most people would find doing a thing like this difficult, wouldn't they?
I close my fingers around the pin and pull it out.
This is also being written in Latin, because again, who knows how much time I'll have. Me being dead tired doesn't help, either. So, about this chapter….interesting, isn't it? That's one way of putting it, I suppose. We finally meet her father. How'd you like him? I don't know whether or not to call him a coward, honestly. There's an element of cowardliness there, but his anger seems to get the better of his fear. Well, we obviously won't be seeing him much anymore, since she just killed him. Oh, and, you guys wanted me to tell you when this is ending, right? Well, I hope this isn't too sudden, but the next chapter is the last. Yes, yes, I'm sad too, but I'm pleased with the ending. I sincerely hope you'll love it, too! I have a feeling the afore and after notes of the next chapter will be extensive to say the least. I have so much to say! And so little time and space to say it!
Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!