*Finding Leorio*
by: WhiteGloves
"I'll hunt him till the end of my time!"
Chapter 13: His Time
Kurapika's eyes flickered open. He found himself staring at a white ceiling.
For a few seconds he allowed himself to blink blankly up while trying to recall what he was doing there. His muscles felt heavy, his head felt light. Something inside him was telling him he should stay that way for awhile while another was bugging him to go up and look for someone.
Look for someone?
Kurapika's eyes remained blank for awhile as he pondered on the question in his mind. He couldn't remember why he was so bothered by the question but he could feel that it was something important. He was supposed to go look for someone… but who?
Just then—like a flash of lightning—life started to come back to his eyes that suddenly turned red and the next thing— the blonde boy had jerked himself upward into a sitting position with his hands tightly clutching the blanket that was covering him. A droplet of sweat slid down the side of his good natured face and his breathing became uneven. Images of a dark hall, elevator and his chain striking to its deadly opponent flashed to his mind and the last he knew a voice was speaking inside his head before everything went dark.
Then there was Leorio disappearing again.
Kurapika put his right hand on his face and tried to remember the event that occurred somewhere deep in his memory. He knew it was true—but still he hoped it was all just a dream.
As if it was the case, the blonde boy suddenly looked up and looked around him. He recognized the room and realized he was back inside his hotel suite. He saw Senritsu's book on the chair next to his bed and knew his comrade had been there. He travelled his eyes toward the table and saw at least four pair of eyes in his possession. Was it really just a dream when Leorio told him he had gathered all the Kuruta eyes for him?
In his haste, Kurapika moved to the slide his legs down the floor but then his eyes caught something on top of the side table. Stopping to a heartbeat, Kurapika recognized the card key.
His eyes widened.
The door knob of the room turned and Senritsu came in. She was followed closely by Gon and Killua who both eagerly peered inside the room. That was where they found Kurapika seated on the edge of the bed and staring intently on something in his hands with his head bowed.
"You're awake," Senritsu said as she closed the door behind her.
Gon and Killua exchanged glances before they took steps inside the room.
"Kurapika?" Gon started hesitantly.
The blonde boy slowly looked up with his normal green eyes. When he saw the two boys his eyes visibly softened.
Moments later, the four is seen next sitting in the middle of the living room in front of the television screen. They were watching a newscast that was showing the familiar luxurious building where the underground meeting happened. Police cars were all around and medical personnel were coming in and out together with stretchers carrying bodies.
"The Mafia community made it known worldwide that the Ryodan initiated the attack last night," Senritsu said as she pointed at the lifeless body being carried out with white covers on top of them, "since they were found in the area. Four bodies were found plus the body of Max Gates himself."
As Senritsu pointed at another body, Kurapika's eyes flickered.
"He was killed too?" he asked, sounding surprised.
Senritsu nodded, "After he announced that no one will ever see the Kuruta eyes again, he suddenly shrieked in pain as if his head was about to explode. Then people started panicking and there was a stampede. I immediately came to the aid of Mr. Nostrade to assist him in a safe place which all body guards were doing. When I secured his safety, I quickly went to look for you and found you unconscious together with those Ryodan's bodies…"
Kurapika glanced up at Senritsu and saw that there was a slight crease on her eyebrows.
"I thought you must've fought with them," she continued calmly, "but it disturbed me to see the state of some of their bodies… especially the guy with the blonde hair…"
"Kurapika?" Gon went on, "…was it Leorio who did it?"
In Kurapika's mind's eye, flashes of Leorio's darkness appeared and all he could remember was the lustful smile that lingered on it as it kills its prey. He would not have minded their deaths… if only it wasn't his friend's hands that got stained in the process. The blonde boy remained silent but he gave a short nod.
Gon looked very much saddened.
"In any case," Senritsu went on, "what drives the Mafia community in frenzy is that since Max Gates is dead, they have no way of retrieving the eyes he took from them. All the Kuruta eyes just suddenly disappeared in thin air and they are still considered missing until now."
Kurapika clutched the card key in his hands and said in an audible whisper, "They're not missing."
Gon, Senritsu and Killua all shot him a surprised look. Kurapika held his hand to them and showed them the card key and went on explaining calmly,
"Leorio gave it to me last night when I caught up with him."
Gon gasped while Killua threw himself forward. Senritsu kept her eyes on the blonde boy.
"You caught up with Leorio!?" the black haired boy started sounding attentive, "how—what happened? Did you talk to him? Did you convince him to stop his plan?"
"More importantly—" Killua shoved Gon aside, "did he really give you all the eyes? How's that possible? I heard from Senritsu it was Max Gates who instigated the meeting shortly after the death of those four billionaires? How come…"
Killua almost bit his tongue as a sudden comprehension came to his eyes. He gave Kurapika a look as if to confirm his assumption and found the blonde boy nodding at him.
"What?" Gon asked realizing that he was missing something, "what is it? Tell me!"
"It was a well plot plan," Killua turned to the black haired boy with a sweat drop at the side of his face.
"What do you mean?" asked Gon.
"Everything," Kurapika answered, finally straightening on his chair and looking Gon in the eye, "I am not thoroughly sure, but I guess the attack on the four scarlet eyes holder was just part of their plan to intimidate all the collectors. Maybe Rye Shin already has Max Gates under his control when he called for the meeting, thus taking all the Kuruta eyes and putting it in a safe place no one but the key holder can enter… maybe that was their plan."
And Kurapika went on explaining about how he caught Leorio, how he cornered him inside the elevator, their conversation and their fight and finally, the arrival of the Ryodan. He did mention the arrival of Rye Shin with Feitan dangling on his shoulder but he refrained from repeating the man's words.
Gon and Killua gaped at him as he told the story while Senritsu stared at Kurapika intently.
"No way…" Gon whispered after a moment as Killua crossed his arms thoughtfully.
"So let's say they worked hard to give you the scarlet eyes back," the white haired boy started again conversationally, "you're telling me that Rye Shin dude was only all about helping Leorio get the eyes back? That's pointless even for him!"
"I don't think that's the case," Kurapika interrupted suddenly and there was a glint on his eyes as he said quite darkly, "I think he was planning another thing that concerns Leorio… I'm sure about it."
Senritsu stared at the blonde boy fixedly.
"What do we do?" Gon stood up this time to face Kurapika looking worried, "if we don't find Leorio now who knows what will happen? If he's still after those other Ryodan then it means we only have to look for them too! I still can't believe he got rid of those monsters in single blow but I still don't believe Leorio wants to do that! I'm sure there's a reason—there must be!"
"Sit down, Gon," Killua pat his bestfriend's shoulder and encouraged him to take a seat. Gon looked at him with a frown and then slowly followed his friend. The Zoldyck boy then turned to Kurapika and said,
"That cardkey…do you know where it is pointing?"
"Yeah," the blonde boys used his zetsu and saw a silver string of aura enveloped to it and pointing outward somewhere, "It's probably pointing directly towards the safe…"
"Then what do you plan to do?" Killua's gaze didn't leave Kurapika's face.
Kurapika stared at the key and then closed his eyes.
"I'll bring my brothers to peace."
Hisoka stepped into the Ryodan's hideout and easily dodged needles aimed towards his face. The needles struck the opposite wall where they went pass like bullets.
"My… what temper," he said placidly as he stared down at the woman in the middle of the rundown room with plenty of debris around, "is this how you mourn, Machi-chan?"
The woman in the middle of the room with pink hair up into a pony tail glared at him with his eyes seething in cold anger.
"What are you doing here?" she snapped as she straightened from where she was crouching. Hisoka stepped forward and saw candle lights around the center of the room where bodies of the fallen three Ryodan members were lying.
"You took their bodies back?" Hisoka said sounding amused, "Where's Franklin?"
Machi looked down the floor from Nobunaga's body to Phinks.
"He went to meet the head…"
"Chrollo? How nostalgic." He surveyed the dead bodies again, "I suppose it took you some time to kill the people guarding them? Did you take their bodies for proper burial?"
Machi gave him a glowering look. Hisoka inclined his head on one side innocently.
"I did my own autopsy," she said quietly with eyes lingering on them, "it's the same hands as the one who took down Shalnark and Shizuku for Phinks… and surprisingly—the traces of the chain guy's hands are also present here… what do you suppose that means?"
Hisoka mused to himself and didn't say anything. Machi threw him a contemptuous look.
"Where do you think Feitan is?" she asked. The magician didn't even bat an eye as she continued, "I know you know something."
"Hn?" Hisoka raised an eyebrow, "and why would you think that way?"
"…"
"I don't know anything," Hisoka walked up to one of the debris and sat there where he eyed Machi with interest, "about Feitan, or about their deaths…I hope Chrollo would be able to find replacement for them easily since that's his job."
Machi gave him another reproachful glare.
"You're talking too much," she said coldly, "If you keep on talking I might just sew your mouth close."
Hisoka looked as if he was just given a love letter as he smiled appreciatively and gave Machi one of his pleased faces.
"You're too sweet," he placed his chin on top of his clasped hands and eyed the woman with deepest affection as he continued, "I may not know anything about Feitan's whereabouts, but maybe you'll stop sulking if I give you some information about your enemies, what do you say?"
Machi's eyes flickered.
A week passed and that morning found Gon, Killua and Senritsu standing by a black car at the bottom of a mountain. Gon was pacing by the road, his keen eyes searching the trees for something he only knows. Killua was leaning his arms on the card door with a bored look in his eyes while Senritsu stood calmly beside him.
"Gon, stop fidgeting and get back here already. Kurapika won't be back until two hours or so." Killua told his friend in a flat voice. Gon didn't even look at him as he answered,
"I really wanted to go with him... I want to see his village..."
"You know it's not the right time," Killua murmured sensitively as he too gazed toward the mountain, "...let's give Kurapika his space... this is the first time he returned here with his promise complete after all..."
The wind blew gently on Gon's face and the three of them all looked back at the silent mountain.
Kurapika is seen standing by a number of graves inside an unknown place. His surroundings were trees with different circular designs as if it were undiscovered things. The place itself looked untouched by civilization with blossoming beauty hidden inside it.
Kurapika stood in the middle of this environment in front of the graves. He stood there motionless as if lost in a trance. There were a great number of empty vessels on his left side and freshly dug soil in front of at least 36 graves. Kurapika remained quiet for a long time.
Here was the place where his vengeance started. Here was the place his resolved was formed.
He stood there quietly and allowed his time to move. It was time to start anew. It has been a long time since he made the pact to avenge his brothers. Now that it was fulfilled, Kurapika could only let time flow time for vengeance is over. Now was his time to live and move forward—but before anything else, he knew there was still something he needed to recover.
Kurapika bowed down and wondered if he could still get it back.
He lost a friend once… he was damn not gonna lose one again.
I'll hunt him till the end of my time!
It was already noon when the blonde boy decided to emerge from that nostalgic place. He surveyed the area one last time before giving his final bow with a look of resolve on his eyes.
Another hour later, he stepped in the outskirt of the land where he found his three comrades waiting for him patiently.
Their car glided back into the road moments later with the four of them seated opposite each other.
"I really hoped I could come with you there," Gon was telling Kurapika with a sad smile on his lips, "I would have liked to see them too…"
"Idiot, be more sensitive," Killua went on as he nudged the boy, "it's not like you can just barged in there when you want to!"
Kurapika smiled at them with Senritsu sitting next to him.
"So then, Kurapika?" Killua turned a serious glance at the blonde boy and everybody listened "what do you plan to do now? It's already been a week since the event in the underground... what happens next?"
Senritsu and Gon turned to Kurapika who glanced back at Killua with a flicker of resolve in his eyes as he answered, "I'm going after Leorio."
Gon nodded while Killua narrowed his eyes.
"That much is clear... but how do we start?"
"It's we, okay?" Gon emphasized the word with a firm look in his eyes.
Kurapika gave him an approving nod before continuing, "It's been a week since I saw him and the longer the time pass the longer it'll be more dangerous. The only thread I can follow is the Ryodan..."
Killua nodded.
"There are still two or three Ryodans out there including their former head," he said in a matter of fact voice, "plus Hisoka… what do you plan about them?"
"As for Chrollo, I don't think he can do anything about what's happening given his condition, but I am much concerned about Hisoka. It seemed like he's really after Rye Shin and Leorio after all. I can guarantee that. The fact that he wasn't at the meeting surprised me but I'm sure he's still on the prowl…"
"What about Feitan?" Gon asked, "didn't you say that Rye Shin took him too? Do you think he'll turn that guy to something like he did to Leorio?"
"That's unlikely," Kurapika answered, "there isn't much to turn after all… but… I am still concerned about why Rye Shin took him… I don't like the idea that Feitan is in the same ground as Leorio…"
Killua's eyes sparkled suddenly that made the blonde boy look at him.
"Do you have anything in mind, Killua?"
"Not really," Killua shot both arms at the back of his head, "I hope I'm wrong though."
Kurapika frowned at the white haired boy and then closed his eyes in understanding.
"I hope we're not thinking of the same possibility."
"Huh?" Gon blinked at the two, "what are you two thinking?"
"I need to contact Hisoka," Kurapika continued with a shake of head at the black haired boy, "he's the only one who knows the Ryodan's whereabouts..."
"And we still resort to Hisoka..." Killua mumbled with a sigh, "it's not like he's gonna help us if he wanted to deal with Leorio and Rye Shin himself."
Kurapika's eyes glinted.
"It's still a good thing he didn't show at the underground meeting, right?" Gon said from his corner, "or do you think he was up to something?"
Nobody answered and for a moment everyone in the vicinity became quiet.
The next day, Kurapika left the Nostrades and said goodbye to Senritsu who said she'll be willing to give them any assistance in the future. He then met up with the two boys and the three formed their group and started the search one more.
Little did they know about their fruitless search and that it would be two months later before they heard something about Leorio again.
Hisoka is seen walking along an empty port. It was a chilly evening but he didn't seem to mind. His pale skin shone because of the moonlight and his aura was full of complacence. He walked along the port with a smile lingering on his face, his right hand twirling a card absentmindedly.
Ahead of him, Machi was walking.
Like him, she was walking as if she meant to be there. She walked with chin up and with eyes ahead, glinting in the moonlight with a cold expression.
They walked and followed each other like that for some time, until the woman seemed to get fed up that she stopped abruptly and threw him one sharp glare.
"So what? You're not planning to follow me the whole night, are you?"
"Hmm? Of course not."
Machi's eyes lingered on the magician for awhile, and then she continued walking.
"I'm here because you said you have information about the man behind my comrade's death. I hope you're not playing with me."
"Why would I even think of such?" Hisoka's eyes glimmered in the light. Just then, he felt his phone vibrate and took it from his pocket. He opened the mail and saw Kurapika's name.
His eyes flickered in interest.
"What are you doing?" Machi shot him a question looking suspicious, "who are you contacting?"
The magician looked up at her and gave her an amused look.
"Are you jealous that much?"
"I'll kill you."
Hisoka chuckled and then looked at his phone again.
"It's nothing important." He murmured and the next thing, he turned off his phone.
"So why did you brought me here?" she asked, finally turning to him with crossed arms and raised eyebrows. "What do you want to tell me?"
"Ah… about that…" Hisoka's eyes darted pass her shoulder and saw two shadows ahead. His eyes danced. "Well… you said you wanted to find the killer… how about he finds you first?"
-To Be Continued-
Hisoka's aiming for a fight in the next chapter:
His Battle
Thanks for Reading!
A/N: so busy but still loved the story~ the end is near everyone!