"I'm sorry for not telling you earlier, Lily. I'm going to look for him right now." Kuondo's voice came softly through the phone.
Lily wiped her eyes and nodded. "Okay. Oh, and Kuondo?"
"Yeah?"
"Be safe, okay?"
"Of course. Maybe we can meet up again when this is all over."
"Okay. Goodbye, Kuondo."
"Bye." A faint buzzing sound signaled that he had hung up. Lily turned off her phone and ran a hand through her sky-colored hair. She closed her eyes to keep the tears from welling back up. "Please, Pirro," she whispered. "Please be alright."
…
"So, uh, how do you drive this thing again?" Kuondo asked, nervously drumming his fingers on the handlebars.
"You just use the gas to start and the brakes to stop, and you move the handlebars to steer. It's simple!" Pietro answered for the third time.
"Wow, Pietro, how do you know how to drive a motorcycle?" Illuko asked, hopping on behind Kuondo.
Pietro grinned. "It's my secret obsession."
"Awesome!"
"Yosh*, let's go!" Kuondo said. "Oh, here, Pietro." he tossed Pietro his phone. "You call Kurapika and tell him what's up. I'll text you if we need you."
Pietro nodded. "Be careful, Kuondo."
Kuondo grinned. "Of course we'll- WOAH!" He pressed the gas a little too hard and the motorcycle bolted forward.
Illuko groaned behind him "We'll try not to wreck before we get there!" He called over his shoulder.
When Kuondo finally got control of his speed, he gripped the handlebars with determination. We're coming, Pirro!
…..
After about fifteen minutes of driving, Kuondo slowed down as he entered an empty city, much like the one where the Hunter Agency was located. The air was thick with dust that drifted sluggishly on the ground. The sound of the motor bounced off of a multitude of dreary, crumbling buildings.
"Creepy." Illuko muttered behind him.
"Yeah." Kuondo whispered back.
Finally, they drove past a building with distorted graffiti on it, depicting a savage beast. Genkaku's hideout.
Kuondo stopped the motorcycle two buildings over, leaning it against the wall. He motioned for Illuko to follow, and they silently made their way towards the hideout, using Zetsu to hide their presence.
As they slipped in through the entrance, Kuondo's eyes widened in shock. Genkaku was nowhere to be found. Was he using Zetsu too?
But that wasn't the only troubling sight. There was a boy lying lifelessly on his side on the other side of the building, his clothes torn and his skin covered in bruises and dried blood. It was Pirro.
Letting go of his aura in panic, Kuondo raced over to Pirro, collapsing onto his knees next to him. He picked up his friend's upper body in his arms, shaking him slightly. "Pirro! Pirro, please wake up! We're here!" Illuko sat down next to him, his eyes wide.
Pirro winced and opened his eyes slightly. When he looked up at Kuondo, he sighed with relief. "Well, you took your time getting here, didn't you?" he rasped.
Kuondo relaxed, filled with even more relief than Pirro. "Sorry, buddy. We're gonna get you out of here!"
"Ah, so they did come." A voice came behind them. Kuondo and Illuko turned to see a smirking man approaching them. "And they thought they could leave without answering to me first. How rude."
Kuondo glared fiercely, about to give a harsh response when he felt a chilling aura drifting from somewhere nearby. Illuko stared hard at Genkaku, all light vanishing from his shadowed eyes. A strong Bloodlust leaked from him.
"Illuko…" Kuondo began in a warning tone.
"Don't you dare stop me Kuondo." Illuko whispered threateningly. Then, he dashed towards Genkaku without warning.
"Don't!" Pirro called, then winced again.
"Don't strain yourself, Pirro!" Kuondo ordered, reaching for his phone. This could get ugly.
Illuko extended his claws*, lunging at Genkaku, but Genkaku made no effort to dodge. But just as Illuko was upon him, he edged backwards the slightest bit, just enough for Illuko to miss. Then, with a movement almost too quick for Kuondo to see, he grabbed Illuko by the throat.
"Ack!" Illuko immediately began to struggle, trying to pry Genkaku's hand away. But the more Illuko struggled and kicked, the tighter Genkaku's grip became, until Illuko could scarcely breathe.
"No, stop!" Pirro cried, getting into a sitting position and wincing again. "Please, whatever you're doing, do it to me, not him!"
Genkaku smirked, raising his hand slowly and striking Illuko across the face. He struck again, and again, and again, faster and faster. The mantra of fist against flesh continued on and on, until tiny specks of blood stuck to Genkaku's fist.
Tears welled up in Pirro's eyes and streamed down his face as Genkaku ignored his begging. Kuondo stared with darkened eyes, rage building up inside him. He held his phone up to his ear with a shaking hand.
As Illuko stopped kicking and went limp, something snapped inside of Pirro. His vision twisted into a furious red, and he slowly staggered to his feet.
Kuondo snapped out of his trance as he felt another bloodlust, this time from Pirro. Was this what it felt like to Pietro and Illuko when Pirro attacked Tetsuro? No, it couldn't be… this was worse. What Pirro had felt then was anger.
Now it was an utter thirst for blood.
He stifled a flinch as Pirro let out a jagged whisper.
"Didn't I tell you… to stop it…?"
(A.N. Yay, another long chapter! :D Another curious question, out of the main four, who'd be the best singer?)