Let Me Be Your Smile
Volume One: You, My Comrade!
Chapter 5: District IV
"Meteor City, contrary to popular belief does have its own rules and regulations." Yuki looked intently at the board, taking in everything the teacher said "Meteor City is separated into thirteen Districts, each with its own rules and regulation as well as a ruler or a group of rulers. You are currently District III, the only District with a refuge, which is why you are still alive. Other districts simply have a common understanding to protect the children, but of course, you can choose not to follow it. After all, rules only exist to constrain those who are not strong enough. Almost every district has a connection to the mafia except for District III, District IV and District XIII." The man cleared his throat and continued "The other ten districts each have and affiliation with one of the Ten Dons. District III on the other hand has direct relationship with the Zoldyck family. In fact, the previous mistress as well as the current mistress all comes from District III, in fact, the previous mistress is the one who created the refuge and she currently resides in District III. The Zoldyck family also hand picks the best of District III and offers them a position in their house. District IV, another district that does not have mafia affiliations cannot be really called a district in that it does not have a ruler. It is a huge battle ground where no city exist, the strongest of Meteor City all came from District IV. In fact, the twelve other districts had purposely kept the district in its current stat in order to act as an intensive training ground. District IV despite the lack of contact with the outside world still have sufficient food, water and clothing as numerous zeppelins filled with the necessities drop the supplies, all of which is believed to come from previous occupants of this district. District thirteen on the other hand is the most mysterious district. Not much is known about it, but it is believed that this district has close ties with the Hunter Association." The finished his lesson and left the room.
Yuki sat still, his amethyst eyes opened with in shock and terror as he realized that he is still under the clutch of his family. I have to escape he thought to himself as his mind wondered back to this last day on Kukuroo mountain.
-OOO-
It was a beautiful day, or so he remembered, really, it wasn't the kind of day that gave you an ominous feeling. He remembered that he had been returning from a level C mission. He was proud of himself; after all, not even his older brother Illumi has successfully completed one alone. He remembered the long tedious walk up to the mountain and his arrival at the front door of his house. He only opened one door, why was that again… he questioned himself, and then remembered. He was terribly wounded from that mission, and after receiving and order to return home immediately, he had obeyed without stopping by to see his mother, his birth mother of course.
The castle that day was noisy; he remembered entering through the doors to find a rush of servants running around with pails of water. He stopped one of them and was told that the mistress was giving birth. He remembered that he was puzzled over this, after all the mistress wasn't expecting until about two weeks later, which should have given himself a couple of days with his mother. He walked up the stairs as the screams of the mistress traveled down the castle. They weren't screams of pain of course; it seemed to come more from excitement, no, that's not it. He thought as he reached the room. His father and grandfather as well as his brothers Illumi and Milluki, even his great-great-grandfather Zeno was here. He remembered settling himself down in the corner of the hallway, trying to hide in the shadows. He wasn't sure if he should be here. It was not long after that the screaming stopped. His father walked out and brought with him a bundle, a bundle with silver hair. His blood ran cold. He knew why he was brought back to Kukuroo Mountain—it was because of his silver hair. He remembered sweat rolling down his face as he stared intently at his father, grandfather and great-great-grandfather's face. He didn't bother getting ready for the attack, he was far too weak. He remembered clenching his fists, getting ready for the killing blow, but that didn't happen. Instead his great-great-grandfather decided to call a family meeting, of course he wasn't invited.
He remembered waking up in the middle of the night and wandering off, following a voice. A heated argument was brewing over what to do with him. They suggested killing him; after all, he was an illegitimate heir, and they now have a better candidate. Others argued that he should be kept around just in case something was to happen. Besides he was a very talented assassin, just think of him as another one of the servants, they suggested. He remembered listening to all this not so far away, hidden in the shadows, taking care to contain his shock. He left the house that night. He did not want to know the decision they came to. He remembered rushing off in the dead of the night, careful to avoid detection. He remembered bidding farewell to his mother. He remembered the frightful days he had spent evading the servant when finally his father found him…
-OOO-
Yuki curled up in the shaky chair he sat in. He hugged his knees close to his chest and rested is chin on top of his knees. He lifted his right hand to his eyes, staring intently at the silver bracelet that now resides on his thin wrist. He watched as the bracelet dangled, the single charm in the shape of the little crown twirled as it caught the light casting warm rays of sunlight on his face. This bracelet is what reminded him that he was no longer the Yuki he was before. He was Yuki Zoldyck on the outside but not on the inside. This bracelet is the key to his confidence. It was the object that fueled his confidence.
"Yuki"
A voice called out to him. Yuki stood up as he shook his head clear of those pathetic thoughts and he turned towards the door.
"Yuki-chan~~~" the voice called out again. Now he knew for sure who the voice belonged to. It was Hisoka.
"Why are you here, and how did you get in?" Yuki pushed the desk away from him as he walked towards the door.
"Hatsu is very useful is it not?" Hisoka simply questioned me "besides, I miss you~~"
Missed me? Yuki sneered in his head. That was Hisoka's excuse for everything these days. He probably wanted to entice me into another fight. He walked away from his rotting chair and leaned against a table not so far away his original spot. He crossed his hands as he looked up towards Hisoka again. He replied in an annoyed tone "sure, now what are you really here for?"
Hisoka smiled but did not say anything. He walked away from the doorway and slid into the classroom. "Ah~~, this brings back old memories…" He then turned towards Yuki, his grey-blue eyes locked with Yuki's amethyst pupils as he whispered in a soft warm voice "What's wrong?"
The question was like a bomb, causing Yuki's tears to rush out past the crumbled dam that had held them back. Yuki brought his right hand to his mouth as he tried to hold back a sob. Tears rolled down his face, taking it's time, tracing his delicate features as it finally landed on the ground, soundless. Yuki relaxed his tough posture has he slowly allowed himself to slid down the table. He tilted his head up in an attempt to get his tears to roll back to where they belong. Hisoka moved quietly, navigating his way around the desks as he knelt down before Yuki, running his hand down Yuki's sliver strands. A comfortable quietness spread across the room. Yuki has never felt calmer and happier as he cried his heart out. He could feel Hisoka's hands toying around with his hair, but he didn't mind. Hisoka, despite his eccentric behavior was the only one he had now; he gave Yuki a warm, safe feeling. He felt like an older brother Yuki thought as he wiped his tears clean and flopped into Hisoka's arms, causing him to look down.
Hisoka was deep in thought as he toyed around with Yuki's hair. He had been hiding about the classroom, waiting to give Yuki a surprise. He had observed Yuki's break down and now as he patted Yuki's head and twirled his silver strands he wondered why. Slowly, Yuki's sobs died down as the room was surrounded in a comfortable quietness. Hisoka felt something soft land in his arms. He looked down, surprised and found Yuki, looking up at him. He looked into Yuki's Amethyst eyes, washed clear of all sadness. It shone a clear and bright glow, like a real jewel. He could see Yuki's face growing red as he clumsily removed himself from his arms. A strange emptiness filled him as he saw Yuki stood up but quickly threw that thought over his mind as Yuki cleared his throat and said "I need to leave District III."
Hisoka simply raised his eyebrows, he jumped up from the dirt floor of the room, patted his pants clean as he reverted back to his old personality. "So~~ Where does Hime-sama want to go?" He questioned curiously.
Yuki turned around, a light carefree smile danced on his lips as he watched Hisoka's face turn into a mask of disbelief "District IV, we are going to District IV. " He held out his hand, the sliver bracelet caught the sunlight, casting fragments of light across the rooms and on their faces. "Let's go," Yuki smiled "Want to see my nen?" He questioned in a playful tone. Hisoka reached out, grabbing on to Yuki's slender pale hands, entranced by Yuki's smile.
-OOO-
Hisoka was awoken from his trace and realized that they were in the Chaos region. He looked around in disbelief he turned towards Yuki "So, this is your nen?" he questioned.
"No, it's much, much more that just that." Yuki replied with a smile as he jingled his silver bracelet in front of Hisoka's eyes.
"But, I thought you were specialization just like me…" Hisoka questioned, he was somewhat confused. The creation of the bracelet would fall under materialization.
"You'll see," the corners of Yuki's light pink lips pulled up into a smug smile as he turned around to walk into the invisible barrier where he had been stopped by Hisoka. He scrunched up his nose as a repulsive smell reached him. He turned around and saw the dead body of a man, the man that he and Hisoka had fought not so long ago. The carcass was covered by a swarm of flies. Yuki could see the torn pieces of limbs strewn in the vicinity. The corpse had most likely been fed on by other animals. This is what happens to the weak; you become someone's free dinner. He thought as he marched past the boundary and into District IV followed closely by Hisoka who didn't bother sparing the corpse a fragment of his attention.
-OOO-
"What do you mean he is gone!" a piercing voice resounded in a small room located in the refuge. Kikyo slammed her slender hands on the table, shaking the cutlery. She snapped her fan open, fanning herself frantically as the electronic visor she wore turned a bright red. She had arrived in District III only days ago to pick out new servants for the Zoldyck family. This was the whole reason the refuge had been created in District III. It was to round up all the children to make it easier for them to pick out the talented individuals to train and adopt into the family as servants. The refuge is after all required to keep a steady record of every child in the refuge, taking note of their intelligence level as well as their physical ability.
"I'm so sorry, mistress." The man took out a handkerchief, wiping the sweat drops that rolled down his face. He smiled apologitcally as he explained to Kikyo, "You see, we must allow the children to leave the refuge in order to give the more talented individuals more opportunities to become even stronger… I am sorry, but I do not know where that boy is currently."
"Well then, I hope you can find something to glue your head back to where it belongs after I'm done with you." Kikyo answered in a screech, she was not happy with this answer. "He, this, this—thing, is on the blacklist of every Zoldyck." She snapped her fan close, pointing down at the picture of Yuki's sleeping face. "He is a threat to the heir" she stated, regaining control of herself as she sat back down on the chair. "Find him, or else!" She let out a final scream as she quickly disappeared from this room. She could not believe that that stupid—stupid child is still alive. They had made sure that he was dead when they disposed of his carcass in Meteor City. She twisted her fan as she thought of him and what he meant. It was betrayal, betrayal! Her husband had chosen to sleep with a woman from the slums over her! She couldn't contain her anger as the steel-reinforced fan broke in her grasps. She threw the fan on the ground as she trotted out of the city. She needed a way to release her anger, and fast. She killed the first person she encountered outside of the City, feeling the warm blood spill over her face, tainting her gown and the bandages that she wore. She was about to explode as she remembered how she was forced to accept that little bastard, yes finally she said it, simply because of his hair color. She hoisted her gown up as she landed a kick in another man's face, knocking his nose bridge back into his brain, killing him instantly. She stormed on as people quickly moved out of her way, trying to avoid certain death. She remembered how that little mongrel had turned out to be so talented, stronger than her Illumi even. Suddenly, a soft ringing broke her away from her killing spree. She picked up the phone and listened to the news.
"Mistress, it would seem that Yuki, accompanied by another boy has entered District IV"
She let out a high pitched scream as she quickly rushed back into the City. This is the best news she has heard in a very long time. That little thing is never going to come back alive. She entered the room again and sat down, flipping through the detailed account of everyone in the refuge, throwing all thoughts of Yuki to the back of her mind, after all there is no way that he would be able to survive, or is there?