*Finding Leorio*

by: WhiteGloves

"You can die after this job for all I care. "

~Machi to Hisoka

Chapter 16: His Eyes

Kurapika felt his own breath and even heard his own soft moan.

Everything was dark and empty.

Struggling hard to hold on to something, he tried to feel his fingers amidst the darkness he was in. He tried to clutch on something where he was lying and suddenly felt the cold ground he was in.

Then his consciousness came rushing to him—followed by the extreme feeling of pain around his middle and the uncomfortable feeling of emptiness that seemed to linger on his hands. And Kurapika coughed so hard it nearly suffocated him that made him clutch his chest.

"That's right, wake up already," said a woman's snappy voice, "I can't have you sleep and miss out all the fun."

Kurapika's eyes shot open as he recognized Machi's voice. With little difficulty, he tried to raise his head to look at the person standing just above him. He saw her looking down at him as well with her cold eyes telling him she would have ended his life if she got her own way.

And then he felt the searing pain around his middle again as he tried to sit straight from the ground. With a little groaning sound, he clutched on his painful stomach that felt as if he was trampled by thousands of feet. Staring back at Machi, Kurapika suddenly understood what probably happened while he was lying unconscious around this woman.

He tasted blood on his lips but this didn't bother him more than the emptiness he was suddenly feeling. He travelled his eyes around where he was and saw four corners of a cold building that simply existed with boulders of rock inside it. The cracks on the wall and the candles lit around made the atmosphere wickeder than anything, but this was nothing compared to the wickedness surrounding the guy standing amidst the cold place. It terrified Kurapika when he finally noticed the guy standing in the middle of the room whose slick black hair was so familiar to him.

"You…" he whispered softly with eyes rounding as he slightly recalled what occurred at the bar after Leorio left, "Chrollo Lucifer..."

Chrollo inclined his head slightly behind him but before Kurapika could see his eyes his view was suddenly blocked by a passing leg—he wanted his body to move; his instinct actually pestered him to dodge the attack but for some reason there was no response from his body until the expected limb collided with his head and the next thing Kurapika knew he was thrown backwards with his back hitting the wall squarely that robbed him off his breath for a moment. He fell down the ground gasping for breath.

A pair of foot stopped just in front of him while he choked on the ground.

"Such insolence," a woman's voice said with eyes flashing daggers, "don't say his name so casually. It will cost you your life."

Kurapika looked up with great difficulty at his assaulter—a woman with sharp eyes, pink spiky hair and the air of someone who doesn't give a damn about a thing anymore.

"Machi," Chrollo's cold voice floated in the air, "don't kill him yet. We need him for Feitan."

Kurapika visibly paused as he heard this. Machi meanwhile, wore her gloves with a meaningful glint on her eyes as she stared at Kurapika.

"Don't worry, leader," she answered, "I'll hold back till he comes in."

Chrollo stared blankly into a space while Kurapika's mind raced at what little information he heard.

"W-who?" the blonde boy managed to ask in midst of gasps with one hand at his bleeding head and an eye slightly open, "Who are you waiting to come?"

Machi's hand shot out of nowhere and took a fist full of Kurapika's blonde hair. Then with mighty force for a girl, she pulled him a little up that made him moan in pain.

"Ahh..!"

Machi leaned closer to his face with her indifferent expression as cold as her leader.

"You're in no position to ask," the spite in her voice could barely be concealed—Kurapika actually felt her hands itching to break his head open, "but for your little comfort, then I shall tell you— we're waiting for your dark friend who murdered all my comrades and took one along… so behave yourself while you still can because this where you will take your last breath, chain user brat."

She gripped her clutch that made Kurapika grit his teeth in pain but he didn't scream or let out a moan: to do so would give them satisfaction—something he would refuse to give until his supposed last breath.

Machi didn't leave him alone.

"While doing so I'm gonna play with you…" she continued with a meaningful sneer, "so cry on until he hears you. But don't worry… I'm not gonna touch your pretty face. I want that dark creature to see you the way you are. That damn monster. I'll make sure to give him a piece of my mind."

Kurapika's eyes widened slightly as his worst fear was confirmed: they're waiting for Leorio!

With great effort, Kurapika tried looking over at Chrollo and found him looking at them. There was this unexplainable coldness inside the leader's pitch black eyes that Kurapika has never seen before. It was the eyes of a guy lamenting for the dead… and at the same time the eyes of a guy who was ready to kill.

He, Kurapika, was finally captured by the head of the spider in his remaining thread but was still alive… and that was because the spider was waiting for another catch… probably a bigger catch than him… and he was the bait… Chrollo was waiting for Leorio like he was really expecting him to come… then there was Feitan…

With himself at danger, only one thing registered on his mind.

Leorio's in danger!

Machi suddenly frowned and then released Kurapika before standing straight and looking over at Chrollo. Chrollo caught her eyes and there was a meaningful exchange between the two that needed no words to be conveyed. The leader of the spider then closed his eyes after a few moments.

"I know what's in your mind about Feitan, Machi," he went on, "let's just hope your intuition is wrong this time."

Machi dropped her gaze to Kurapika.

"That's the problem," she whispered as she flexed her fingers, "my intuition's never wrong."

She kicked Kurapika across the body that sent him on the other side of the building. The pain made the blonde boy groan a little for as his body hit the wall with rocks falling after him but like in a slow motion—Machi merely appeared beside him looking bored.

"You're too slow… is this how you are when you're powerless?"

Kurapika's eyes widened again but before he could react once more he felt another surge of attack around his middle and he was hurling yet again—the next of her attack caught him around the back that threatened to take his consciousness as he hit the ground with a mighty force.

Machi appeared beside him looking neither happy nor satisfied. She just stared at him as he lay on the ground with aches all over his beaten body. Then as if annoyed by something, she suddenly kicked him on his left side that caused him to double over and clutch his aching side with forehead pressed on the ground resolutely.

If pain was to be weigh by the victim's cries then Kurapika certainly isn't feeling any. Be it numbness or the blonde boy's own stubbornness—Kurapika remained as silent as ever.

Machi noticed it and didn't like it one bit.

"Let's see how long you could last without crying in pain." She murmured, "just because your ability got stolen doesn't mean I'll go easy on you."

For the second time, Kurapika gave a startled expression.

"W-what?" he looked at her with fear, then the answer came as his eyes fell on Chrollo who was quietly standing in the middle of the room. Then he understood.

Kurapika felt his blood ran cold. He looked down at his shaking hands and tried to summon his strength, but he was only greeted by that empty feeling again.

"No…" he whispered with his voice breaking, his eyes wavering from his normal green to his crimson one as emotion starts to erupt inside him, "no… no…no! NO!"

His voice shook as he cried and the pain in his heart had nothing to do with his aching body. Tears started to flow down his cheeks. His feelings were sincere—he knew losing his ability—his chain—was like losing a brother he both loved and detested at the same time.

Powerlessness overwhelmed him and he was lost in despair.

Machi's lips curled into a wicked smile and then she pounced on him again as she gave him a solid kick around the chest that sent him on another side of the room. Then she walked toward him and stood beside the boy with glinting eyes.

"I would have made it less painful," she muttered tonelessly as needles suddenly appeared in between her fingers, "but not for you."

The next half hour was filled with the sound of Kurapika's anguish cry and groan. Chrollo remained indifferent to the sound and continued watching the doorway without blinking. The only time his eyes flickered was when Hisoka walked in casually. He gave Chrollo a side glance before looking over to the other busy Ryodan.

"Mind the face, Machi-chan," he said coolly as he lightly jumped up a boulder and sat there with hands together, "That boy has such a pretty face."

Machi, looked behind her with Kurapika's collar on her right hand. The blonde boy's head was down and his body was already limp. There were scratches all over his arms, legs and even his clothes were torn with sharp edges. Droplets of blood were seeping out of his wounded scratches and head. He was really worn out and beaten down.

"You care?" she demanded coldly.

Hisoka gave her a chuckle but it was obvious that he does care no matter how uncaring he may look like. Machi sensed him and then hurled Kurapika on a wall and sent two needles as strong as giant pins on either side of his shoulder where it caught his clothes— barely missing his skin-and hung him there.

"Stay still until your role is finished as the bait," she said quietly, her eyes glimmering as she walked toward Chrollo, "then you can watch as I cut your doggy friend from limb to limb later. Not that I expect you to go anywhere anyway."

She walked away. Kurapika barely breathed.

Chrollo then turned to Hisoka with cold eyes.

"Where have you been?"

Hisoka was humming when the question was addressed with two fingers twirling a card.

"Hmm?" he replied with raised eyebrows in mock surprise, "did I not tell you? I said it was nature's call. Or did you think magicians don't even have one?"

He chuckled in merriment while Machi threw him a look of daggers.

"Disgusting." she muttered, "Maybe I should really make you incapable of it."

Hisoka looked positively delighted.

"How?" he pressed on. Machi was ready to retort back when her leader's hand gently shot upward.

"Leave him be," Chrollo suddenly said as he turned his eyes toward the door, "It won't do to start fighting when he is on his way."

Machi's eyes shot toward the doorway too as if she was expecting their enemy to be there. Hisoka looked toward the door as well, the merriment in his eyes suddenly disappearing.

Silence filled the atmosphere for a few seconds, and then even though it was as light as the passing hurl of the wind, they heard it: impending footsteps.

Machi's eyes sharpened and she stood straight. Chrollo stared at the door with pitch black eyes. Hisoka watched the door with his lips close and eyes waiting.

The dark shadow beyond the door showed no movements. The Ryodan showed no movements but their abilities were working as it extended beyond their eyes' limits. Even Hisoka felt the thrill of having Chrollo maximize his territory.

Then the whole place was covered. Chrollo's eyes glimmered.

"Stay close to me, Machi," he said quietly, "he's near."

Machi eyed the back of her leader.

"Understood."

Hisoka rose from where he was sitting and immediately, Chrollo gave him a look. The two looked at each other for a long time before Chrollo opened his thin lips into a question.

"Are you going with me in this battle…? Or against me?"

Hisoka's eyes sparkled as he replied, "Funny you should ask…you know I won't do anything that might make you not fight me… you know how much I adore you."

Chrollo remained staring at Hisoka, then back at the doorway.

As the minutes passed, Chrollo and the others suddenly realized it too. Someone was indeed coming, but he wasn't alone. Two dark force were coming and it was making Chrollo slightly frown.

"So he has an accomplice after all…" he muttered more to himself.

"D'you supposed it's really those two brats from before?" Machi asked as she prepared herself. Chrollo knew what she meant and the memory of those two boys from ages ago suddenly came to his mind.

"No…" he answered in a very certain tone, "it's not them… these forces are something we have not yet encountered before… or rather—refuse to meet…huh?"

Chrollo paused looking startled.

Hisoka leaned a little on where he was standing with an interested expression. Machi shot her leader a look of surprise as well for it was apparent—one of the forces suddenly disappeared.

"What's the meaning of this?" Machi murmured cautiously, her fingers itching on her needles, "one of them disappeared? Was it a transportation technique?"

Chrollo's eyes narrowed.

"Possibly," he answered with eyes ahead. Machi followed where he was looking and there she found a shadow figure that could be barely distinguished from the doorway's darkness.

"What..?" she murmured in confusion as she saw the creature with its defined darkness and reddish glimmering eyes. Its nasty aura was more than she imagined, especially more than what she felt when Hisoka dealt with him.

"It's the creature," Chrollo whispered.

The creature made a howling sound and then as swift as the wind it pounced on them hungrily with its bare hands cracking and hungry to tear on something.

Chrollo met him head on. There was a clash of force. Machi gritted her teeth and had to raise an arm in order to shield her eyes to see what was happening. On his corner, Hisoka stood straight as if he was lost in a dreamy state.

"Wonderful…" he murmured.

Chrollo had both his arms crossed in front of him as he tried to overpower the dark creature.

"So you're the guy," he said quietly and barely even breaking into sweat as he managed to keep the foul shadow in its place, "reeking such an aura… how ever in the world were you created…?"

The dark creature ignored him and the battle of forces went on with blasts of energy from both terrifying monsters.

Machi stood there and waiting for her turn with eyes as attentive as a hawk. The dark creature was fighting in spar with Chrollo… no, the creature was getting left behind, that's what she notices. Chrollo manages to avoid the creature's fatal attacks with one swift turn of his light foot, he could coolly sway his body out of harm's way as the creature hurl its dangerous hands on his chest.

Once—Chrollo was even able to touch the creatures arm and whisper on his ear—

"You're all brute force."

Then there was a blast.

Chrollo stepped lightly back with not even a scratch.

The dark creature was engulfed by the dust and when the smoke disappeared, it could be seen kneeling on the ground where a large chunk of the floor had disappeared.

Chrollo calmly stared at it with eyes so certain as if taking in everything he was seeing.

"So you're that guy." He said after awhile as the creature stood straight with no sign of pain, "There's no point hiding it now… I know who you are."

Kurapika felt all the muscles in his body cry in protest as he was able to regain consciousness again. With a gasp and a little shake of his head, he tried to feel his fingers and was glad he could move them. Then he felt his shoulders sting and knew something was sticking to it.

He would have given anything just to have another rest for his body if not for the sudden waves of forces that hit his face so strongly. Opening his eyes with a jolt, he recognized two horrifying auras fighting in front of him.

He shook his head to clear his vision and then stared ahead. That was when he had a clear view of the two most unimaginable creatures lashing bare teeth at each other. What was worst, he recognized them both.

And then Chrollo spoke…

"I know who you are."

"Leorio Paladinknight, a hunter." Chrollo was never mistaken as he continued, "you're an emission type user of nen. You can use blasts of energy… brute force to be exact by manipulating it through your hands… you can finish an army with just your hands and nothing more. You fear no one and care for no one when you are in your lost form… in other words another creature surfaces when you are not you… because you are trained that way… the rare thing about you is your emotion... once stirred it can make your nen go incredibly high… and your lack of emotion in your lost state is an advantage… and you thrill at the sight of any destruction just like a demon… what a terrible creature…"

Leorio attacked but Chrollo merely dodged him smoothly. He appeared next behind Leorio with one hand touching the dark creature's shoulder.

"But something is not quite in its place," he whispered with a little frown, "something is amiss… won't you tell me?"

Leorio went wild and the next thing, Chrollo had stepped away with a little cut across his right cheek.

"Leader!" Machi called as Leorio attacked again but Chrollo used something that made even the creature—in his emotionless form—stop in his tracks. Chrollo raised his right hand and then- chains started appearing on it.

The creature paused, having known this ability that was suddenly used to him by a different person.

And Leorio's consciousness returned as the chains enclosed to him coldly and firmly.

"Kurapika's chains?"

The chains wrapped up securely around his body that sent him kneeling on the ground.

"Leorio!"

Half of Leorio's face has started to return to normal when he heard his friend's voice. He looked behind him and saw Machi, then he looked passed her and saw the blonde boy pinned on the wall, covered in blood. Kurapika's eyes were downright red.

"Kurapika?" Leorio muttered as he turned with wide eyes at Chrollo who was now using Kurapika's chains at his leisure. "No way…"

"You are the dark creature who killed all my members, correct?" Chrollo asked quietly as he stared at Leorio who was still unable to get over his shock, "an emmiter with the ability to transform into this powerful creature…?"

Leorio grit his teeth as he felt the chains tightened around his chest.

"So what if I am?" he said defiantly.

"Where is Feitan?"

Leorio stared at those pitch black eyes that showed no spark in them as if they were actually dead.

"I killed him." He said flatly and without remorse. Kurapika's eyes widened at every word Leorio said after that, "I needed someone as deadly as him to train me…a real assassin to the core… and after I got everything I needed from him I immediately dispatched him."

"You!" Machi cried with gritted teeth but Chrollo merely raised a hand at her with eyes at Leorio.

Leorio stared hard at those black eyes with a smirk on his face.

He was glad to say all those things to the Ryodan's leader.

Chrollo paused for a moment, and then stared ahead of him.

"Hisoka, show me your sincerity," he muttered as he raised his hand where a book suddenly appeared, "go to that red eyed boy and…" With hard lines of hatred etched on his handsome face, Chrollo continued, "take his eyes and give them to me now."

Leorio looked struck for a moment as Hisoka jumped from the sky.

"Gladly," he said and walked toward where Kurapika was pinned. The blonde boy's eyes rounded.

"Kurapika!" Leorio shouted as anger started to engulf him. He used brute strength and was able to successfully break the chain into pieces and then turned to where Kurapika was with a hand raised but then—

Chrollo appeared in front of him with a cold expression.

"It's over," Chrollo muttered, "your power is mine."

And Leorio stared at the book in front of him where his hand was now touching. The book was thick and there was a hand print in front of it…his hand print.

Then Hisoka appeared beside Chrollo and dropped two soaking blood eyes on his palm.

"As you wish," the magician smiled meaningfully with his hands covered in blood.

Leorio felt everything before him shake and crumble as his powers slowly got taken from him. But more than that… was Kurapika's lost eyes…

And Leorio couldn't help crying out in pain—

"NOOO!"

-To Be Continued-

Kurapika's Red Eyes...

See what awaits these two in the LAST and FINAL Chapter:

His World

Thanks for Reading!