*Finding Leorio*

by: WhiteGloves

"Let's Play"

Chapter 9: Hisoka's Smile

"Killua!" Gon shouted as he waved at his friend from a far, "that car's here! Kurapika's car's here!"

"Heh…" Killua said more to himself as he watched Gon go around the car which was parked near an empty lot and deserted warehouses, "Kurapika sure is searching diligently."

"But Kurapika's not here," Gon said with a frown after checking the inside of the car. Killua leaned on one of the windows and then took out his phone.

"He did say he has just finished checking half the place," he muttered looking unconcerned as he dialled Kurapika's number, "maybe he's sulking around somewhere…"

Just as he raised the phone on his ear Killua felt all the desire to listen to it disappear. That was because just at the moment, he felt a familiar cold and menacing aura seep through his very skin. Its malevolence was making his very pores numb and his teeth to chatter. If he wasn't used to that aura he would probably be shaking now, but he was able to keep on his feet. Slowly, he looked at Gon and Senritsu and saw that they were showing the same reaction.

"This feeling…" Gon whispered looking alarmed, "what's it doing here?"

Senritsu wrapped her hands around her shoulders and shook violently.

"Such… menace…"

Killua and Gon came to her aid and turned to each other.

"There's no mistaking it," the Zoldyck boy hissed as he opened the car door, "it's that guy alright! But why's he releasing so much pressure!?"

Gon gulped as he helped Senritsu inside the car, "I don't know… I don't wana know… Senritsu-san, please stay here! We're going to check on Kurapika!"

With a little nod from her unspeaking form, Killua and Gon nodded at each other and dashed to where their senses were warning them never go to. Both had agreed that it was Hisoka's aura, no doubt about that. But the reason for his presence bothered the kids as they hurried their pace. Chances that it was all coincidence were not even something they'd believe for Hisoka was always at the right place at the right time.

It didn't take them long to spot the building where the menacing aura was stronger and immediately rushed to the scene. The moment they stepped in the building, they knew Hisoka has made a move. His aura was sickening. It was choking.

"Kurapika!" Gon shouted at the top of his voice as he and Killua bolted inside the room where they knew they will find him. What their eyes saw made both kids to pause for a moment for there— inside were Kurapika and Hisoka. Kurapika was on a corner with eyes flaming raw red, his hands were clenched for battle. There was also blood on his right cheek that was seeping out from a straight slash like wound made by a sharp object.

Hisoka, on the other hand, was on the attacking mode. He stood a meter from the blonde boy with his body arched into a bow, his body emitting such danger that anyone who saw him would wish nothing but to flee. He was holding five of his cards on his right hand as if itching for the right time to stab it on its object. When Gon and Killua had come, neither Kurapika nor Hisoka glanced in their direction.

"This is bad," Killua muttered with eyes fixed on Hisoka alone, "he's really all out…"

Gon's eyes travelled on the ground and saw Hisoka's card sticking all over the ground. He also noticed a vacuum he thought he had seen somewhere and then to the hairy thing, which he definitely have seen somewhere.

"Killua!" he gasped, his eyes widening. Killua glanced at him and then down to where he was looking.

"What the!" he took in the situation and then shot Kurapika a look, "Kurapika! What's going on here!? Did you kill this guy here!?"

And got Hisoka pissed? He wanted to add but decided against it.

Kurapika didn't take his eyes off Hisoka who was doing the same. With a trickle of sweat sliding down his face the blonde boy answered back,

"No… it was Leorio…"

Gon and Killua both looked stunned. Kurapika continued,

"I saw him with someone and they finished off another Ryodan over there… then Hisoka came and they fled… then he just started attacking me…"

"You're kidding…" the Zoldyck boy muttered as Gon took a force step forward, "Oi— Gon!"

Gon marched toward the fight scene, making even Hisoka turn an eye on him as he stood in front of Kurapika with a determined glare on his big eyes.

"Gon," Kurapika said with his red eyes flickering, "get away!"

But Gon didn't budge as he clenched his fist to the magician and said rather calmly, "You're not really after Kurapika, are you? Then there's no need for you to fight him…"

Killua jogged after Gon with a sweat drop at the side of his head. He was already planning multiple ways of trying to fight off Hisoka without much damage—which was unlikely— to himself and his friends when he felt Hisoka's aura recoiling. With a surprise blink, Killua joined Gon's side and watched as Hisoka straightened up, with his eyes still glinting darkly.

"Oh, I got carried away," he said simply as his eyes fell on Kurapika, "I hope you won't take that against me."

Killua made a face at the sudden change of attitude and wondered what power his best friend has against this formidable enemy. Kurapika wiped the blood on his cheek using the back of his hand, his red eyes still flaming.

When all were subdued, Kurapika, Gon and Killua went over to the hairy Ryodan and checked his condition. The hairy Ryodan was clearly dead with visible physical injury subjected on his thin body.

"Kortopi," Kurapik muttered as he straightened up with hard eyes, "he was stabbed around the middle. That's the cause of his death."

Killua wrinkled his nose. Gon however, leaned down the floor and picked up the vacuum liked material.

"And this?" he said, "I think I've seen this somewhere,"

"That belongs to Shizuku," Kurapika answered with a serious glance toward the top of the giant boxes across the room where now Hisoka was standing, "Leorio got her too."

Gon blinked and then stared toward where Hisoka was standing. The three of them joined him moments later and saw a pool of blood on the floor. In there, swimming in her own blood, was a woman with short hair, black clothing, a huge spectacles and a golden crucifix dangling on her neck. Something dark was lying beside her and Gon's eyes widened.

"It's the megane girl…" he whispered, remembering only too well how he won against her in arm wrestling back when they were captured by the Ginei Ryodan themselves.

"She was had," Killua muttered with a look at the dark object lying across the body, "Leorio really did this?"

Kurapika nodded. He remembered perfectly how Leorio ruthlessly pierced the woman's chest with his bare hands. Or was it his bare hand? Kurapika wished Leorio had been using a different weapon.

"He wasn't alone," Hisoka's voice made everyone look sharply at him. They found him smiling which was eerie. "He wasn't… he was with him. I saw him."

Kurapika's eyes flickered as he remembered Hisoka saying the same thing before. Was the magician referring to Leorio? Or was he referring to the shadow?

"You mean you saw them too?" Gon asked looking eager, "and do you know the guy who was with him?"

"Of course," Hisoka smiled plainly at Gon, "he's the guy who I both want and don't want to play with."

Gon and Killua gulped.

"Rye Shin," Kurapika turned straight to Hisoka, "I know he is also a Black List hunter."

"How they ended up together, I wonder," Hisoka mused with fingers on his face, his eyes glowing dangerously again. "It's really interesting… and how your friend has changed… seeing him kill… is so much fun…"

Kurapika, Gon and Killua all went rigid.

"Do you know anything else about this guy called Rye?" Killua asked nevertheless as he stood his ground and distract the magician on getting carried away once more, "we also want to know more about him from… somebody who seemed to have met him."

Hisoka threw Killua a look of interest, before crossing his arms on his chest. He closed his eyes for a moment, and then spoke in a languid voice,

"If you insist… and let me make it short—he's a guy that cannot be approached so easily, especially of us—powerful ones."

"I heard he's got control over the most powerful nen users," Killua muttered quietly.

"Indeed. He's that monster. He's elusive and very unpredictable. Though combat is not his best side in my opinion, he knows well how to put up a decent fight. His mind control and control over the nen is his trump card. 'Control' is his pact with his nen, and you cannot do anything once you've fallen in his trap. Even simply learning to close your mind is impossible. Rye Shin has total 'control' over everything he wishes to."

"But if his not a skilled fighter," Gon went on, "then why not just attack him by sheer force? Say if you give him someone who doesn't actually have nen, but can kill him then—"

Hisoka only shook a finger.

"Remember his control. It works on anyone… and more so to those like us. Once I fought him with the same thought and I end up dancing in his command."

Gon and Killua blinked. It was kinda hard to imagine Hisoka dancing. The magician glared at the two instantly remove the thought out of their minds.

"And his 'Control over nen'," Hisoka continued with a sweet poison smile, "Something we all should fear. If you put it in other words, he is the god of all nen users. All of us would have succumbed to him if he only tried."

"Still," Kurapika broke the intimidating thought with his own firm voice, "If he's that powerful to the point that it's fearsome, why hasn't he make a move to overpower us all?"

Hisoka eyed the scarlet eyed boy and then answered in the same languid voice, "He does not want to pay attention to anything save himself. He doesn't want to trouble with all other user's nen as long as they don't get in his way. He has his own code, that guy… he believes in creating power but not keeping it. He has always liked wild shows but never his own… I believe you've seen it? The man that prefers to stay in the shadow."

Kurapika didn't say anything but his jaw visibly tightened. Killua, on the other hand, turned to Kurapika with a troubled look.

"That explains why he can control Leorio now," the white haired boy said with a frown, "so even if the old man's not that powerful he can still control his mind."

"I don't think that's the case," Hisoka cut in before Kurapika could respond, "I believe your friend was doing that on his own accord—his free will."

"That's not true!" Gon said rather heatedly that made Hisoka look at him, "Leorio would never want to kill anyone! He won't! He wants to save people!"

"Naïve, Gon," Hisoka smartly smiled, "and I was even thinking he begged Rye to give him that power."

"Power?" Kurapika interjected as he looked up sharply at the magician, "Rye Shin can give power!?"

"Hold on a moment—that's too much!" Killua blurted out looking panic stricken, "even him should have a limit to his powers too! Giving out power—that's ridiculous!"

"My, my, we're having a little misunderstanding," Hisoka sighed but willing to continue anyways, "The power of 'nen' can never be given to anyone. It cannot be lessened or added, however with a little tingling on the mind—indeed it can be manipulated, even heightened. He cannot control the emotion of people, but he can control their mind. What I am telling you is that your friend must have convincedRye Shin that he wants his mind controlled to act accordingly to something he cannot be if he was his old self."

Gon shot Killua a look that says I'm confused! while Kurapika clenched his fists.

"I don't buy that cock and bull," Killua said with a frown, "that's something Leorio wouldn't do."

"Suit yourselves," Hisoka moved on one side and took out his phone, "I'm merely telling you something that likely took place between the two. Then again, I'm not at all disappointed. I'm curious at this new creature Rye has made…"

"What do you mean?" Kurapika's eyes hardened as it bore on Hisoka's head. The magician turned an eye at him and then smiled from ear to ear.

"It just means I have a new playmate."

He talked on his phone after a moment and the three turned to one another.

"What do you think about that?" Killua asked Kurapika seriously, "d'you really think Hisoka's right? That Leorio willingly lost his mind by asking that guy to manipulate his head? That what? To make him think that he was a killing machine?"

"I don't know," Kurapika whispered with eyes glinting in confusion, "It sounds true coming out of Hisoka… and I did see Leorio back then… he looks a complete different person to me… and how he actually killed that person… what confuses me is his motivation to do so… and this Rye Shin, I still don't trust him."

The three stared at each other.

"You all should better run," Hisoka said suddenly as he hung up from his phone that made them look in his direction, "they are coming."

By they, Kurapika's eyes turned bright scarlet. He knew what Hisoka meant… the Ginei Ryodan.

"Eh?" Gon yelped, looking at Hisoka in surprise, "you called them here!?"

"Why yes," Hisoka smiled innocently, "why not? I cannot really keep my tracks from them."He pointed at all the cards stabbing the floor then continued, "and besides they already know that someone else is hunting them. Someone aside from our red eyed friend."

He smiled at Kurapika who closed his eyes to calm himself. When he opened them they were their normal green, but they were still as sharp as ever.

"I understand," he said quietly, "Are you going to tell them everything?"

Hisoka's eyes glinted.

"Well… who knows?"

Kurapika stared at Hisoka and then turned to Gon and Killua.

"Let's go."

The two nodded and started heading toward the door. Kurapika on the other hand, stayed and gave the magician another piercing look. Hisoka noticed his intent eyes and had to smile again.

"Say," the magician started, "it seems your friend is as elusive as his master. He never told you his plan that's why you are so worked up. That is unlike you… why not just let him run free to finish the job you started?."

He gave another smile. Kurapika shook his head.

"Let me ask you another question," Kurapika found himself saying, "what made you so sure your theory is correct? That Rye Shin has only rigged Leorio's mind and not control him?"

Hisoka slowly put his phone in his pocket before giving Kurapika another glance.

"I know Rye like the back of my hand. And don't you know? People like me can smell our own kind. When I saw your friend, I imagine myself from years ago… Rye Shin did the most splendid job."

Kurapika's mouth fell open slowly as comprehension came to his mind.

"D-don't tell me…" he whispered in a voice so soft that it was almost impossible to hear, "…you…?"

And Hisoka faced him whole, with his eyes showing a dark shadow lingering in his glinting eyes as if possessed by a monster.

"Why?" the magician asked sweetly it sounded almost a threat. He then pointed on his head using his index finger and continued, "who do you think is inside this?"

-To Be Continued-

Kurapika's next hunt in the next chapter:

His Enemies

Thanks for Reading!