Disclaimer: I do not own HunterxHunter, nor do I profit commercially from these writings.
ABC Series
V IS FOR VIGILANTE
Kurapika didn't meddle much with the Genei Ryodan business. In fact, she made a conscious effort to avoid any form of participation to their activities; be it in planning or in execution. Kuroro himself—bless him for his thoughtfulness—had never counselled her about anything related to the Ryodan's criminal activities. Not that she would be helpful, anyway. She'd probably try to sabotage the plan. The only time when she was active was when she blackmailed the Ryodan into doing charity works. Lord knows how she managed to pull that off—even Kuroro himself still wondered sometimes.
However, perhaps it was inevitable that they would eventually influence and rub off on each other.
"Kurapika."
"Hm?"
"I passed Belltown on my way home."
Amusement was thick in Kuroro's voice as he reclined on the sofa and loosened up his shirt collar. No matter what Kurapika said, he liked his businessman attire the most; second only to his Danchou attire. Unfortunately, Kurapika wasn't exactly fond of his Danchou attire for obvious reasons. It brought too many bad memories.
"And?" Kurapika asked, raising an eyebrow as she took the tea from the counter and brought it to the living room.
"Quite the handiwork you did there." Kuroro said, a hint of snicker in his voice.
Kurapika rolled her eyes as she passed the tea mug to Kuroro. She sank to the couch across from Kuroro.
"That jerk deserved it." She grumbled.
"Whatever has the poor soul done to you?" Kuroro inquired, still deeply amused and with a very good reason for it.
It wasn't often that he was treated with the sight of a fully-grown hulk of a man hanging upside down by his ankle from Belltown's famous bell tower; pathetically screaming for forgiveness and repentance, and as naked as the day he was born with only a flimsy piece of rag to protect his modesty—which Kurapika justified with "I did it to spare the townspeople's eyes the pain." A few innocent-sounding questions here and there in town revealed that the man had been an abusive boyfriend with; he quoted from Kurapika's passionate spiel: "excessive testosterone in the system that requires immediate need for purging for the benefit of the world and especially the female gender, pronto."
"A girl gotta do what a girl gotta go." She said with an indignant huff.
Well, Kuroro didn't exactly need the answer. The victim's description as 'abusive boyfriend' was already answer enough. He was the type of 'scums' that Kurapika couldn't stand the most. Kurapika was a feminist through and through; she didn't take shit from any males and, Lord help her, she wasn't going to let any other women get walk all over by the male gender. In fact, he secretly wondered when she would start a castration 'service' when dealing with that kind of men.
"And I now see your sadistic streak. Not the first time, either. Quite villainous, aren't you?" Kuroro said with a grin.
"Your fault."
"Ah, you hurt my feelings, Kurapika. Even after all this time, you still regard me as the villain of villains?" Kuroro said dramatically.
"Damn right. I learn from the best." Kurapika grinned almost evilly.
Kuroro gave her a huge toothy grin.
"You make such a wonderful student, Kurapika."
Similarly and yet on the other hand, Kuroro would never consider himself as a philanthropist—not in any stretch of imagination. He wasn't like Kurapika who would go out of her way to help some poor unfortunate souls—especially women—in distress. He was a self-driven individual, motivated only by the self-interest. Even if there was World War going on, he couldn't care less as long as it didn't affect those whose best interest he took to heart—namely himself, the Genei Ryodan, and his family (which included Lucian, bless that wacky vampire. Life is so much more entertaining with him around.). Other than those, he didn't give a damn.
But maybe, just maybe, Kuroro wasn't as villainous as he made himself to be. That, or he may just have a really twisted sense of humour.
"Kuroro."
"Yes?"
"What's this?"
"It's a piece of newspaper."
Kuroro dodged the flying fork flawlessly.
"Let me reiterate that." Kurapika said with the corner of her mouth twitching irritably. "My question is: what is the meaning of this?"
'This' was the article regarding the misfortune that befell one of the mafia families. The article said that the whole family—including all the bodyguards, the armies, the cronies, you name it—had disappeared without trace. The people weren't the only ones that had seemingly vaporised. Their important documents, the antiquities that they collected, their treasures—they were all gone. The authorities speculated this as a case of robbery and murder but there were no signs of struggle, nor were there signs of the family packing to move away when some suggested it. It was as if they had been simply spirited away or erased from existence.
"I should assume you know what that is." Kuroro said languidly.
"I know you and your minions' handiwork when I see one." Kurapika said while rolling her eyes.
"So what's the problem?" He asked.
Kurapika was perfectly aware that the Genei Ryodan was still active, and she had stopped making a big fuss every time Kuroro went off for one of those missions. She had learned very early that it was just a waste of breath. Her words just went into one ear and out the other ear.
"I also know that you've been snooping around my office." Kurapika deadpanned, but wasn't exactly upset.
There wasn't anything incriminating or confidential in her office or in her Hunter missions, so Kurapika didn't care whether he went through her papers or not—which he did, out of curiosity and something else that Kurapika was about to find out soon enough. She had Kuroro swearing upside-down left-right front-back in the name of Ishtar's blood that his Genei Ryodan would NEVER target tribes like the Kuruta. Any other organizations were fair game, but just not tribes. They didn't spell out the consequences of Kuroro massacring another tribe—especially ones that were under Kurapika's protection—but without any doubts it would probably result in massive bloodshed between the two of them and very possibly a full custody of the children in Kurapika's hands. Which Kuroro DID NOT WANT at all. So Kuroro had willingly dropped 'tribes' from his list of potential victims.
Hilariously, some of the Spiders—you know who—had conceded to the terms readily and wholeheartedly when faced with the prospect of being banned from seeing their favourite 'nephews and nieces'. They'd sooner commit suicide than admitting it, though.
"And?" Kuroro asked again, a smirk on his face.
"You know damn well that this is the mafia family that's been targeting the tribe that's in my current assignment." Kurapika said with a scowl.
"So? I don't see what's to be upset about." Kuroro said with almost a chuckle.
"Because having all my adversaries disappearing and quite possibly deader than dead in all my assignments is so damn suspicious, that's why!" Kurapika yelled in frustration. Seriously! Sometimes this guy was just so dumb!
"Oh ye of little faith." Kuroro sighed dramatically.
"What?!"
"Kurapika, relax." Kuroro patted her cheek. "I have it all planned. You won't be suspected."
To say she was flabbergasted was the understatement of the year. If she had heard him right and interpreted him right—his words, gestures, expressions, and that goddamn mischievous twinkling in his dark eyes—then that meant that Kuroro had purposefully done this for her and not just out of pure convenience or to prank her. Kuroro sometimes did things like this just to annoy the hell out of her, but it was very rare when he got into such mischievous and playful mood—although to be honest his pranks were more diabolic and catastrophic than the children's pranks combined. His definition of prank was on a whole different level and world. It was only because the opponent was Kurapika that there was no substantial collateral damage and Kurapika herself came out generally unscathed. She hadn't spent more than a decade with the man without learning something. Kurapika didn't mind so much this mischievous side of Kuroro; it kept her on her toes. What irked her was when he interfered with her work, dammit!
"Why—" She started.
"It's more fun to target the mafia families. They are more willing to play dirty than the regular organisations." Kuroro said with a rather sadistic smile. "More challenge, more rewarding."
"You and your sadism and masochism." Kurapika rolled her eyes.
"As you know, we do charity works now and then. Consider this a clean-up job." Kuroro said with a wink.
Kurapika pinched the bridge of her nose.
"I wish you can do charity works that don't involve dirty works."
"Well, I am the villain, am I not?" Kuroro grinned.
Kurapika raised an eyebrow at that, and heaved a gusty sigh.
"How do I put up with you again?" She wondered out loud.
"I wonder the same thing." He responded with an amused smile.
"I must be crazy." Kurapika said, but there was fondness in her eyes.
Kuroro gave her a toothy grin.
"As am I."
Author's Note: I hope you understand the reason and dynamic behind Kuroro hunting down the mafia families who're posing problems to Kurapika's Hunter works. For one, her works conveniently provide him with a list of potentially filthy rich organizations that are after those tribes whose unique attributes are prized as treasures; much like the Kuruta's Scarlet Eyes. These organisations by default would have extensive treasures that are ripe for harvest. Second, he likes flustering Kurapika by meddling with her work. Kurapika doesn't like to receive unwanted help from him, especially when it involves the Genei Ryodan and their rather undesirable (in her opinion) modus operandi. Third…he just simply wants to do something for her. Kuroro can be sweet when he wants to be, spoiling her in his own twisted way.
Oh, and the kids definitely inherit their diabolical and destructive taste in pranks from their sire. Woebegone for Kurapika.
And Kuroro would always be Kurapika's favourite villain.
Kuroro with dramatic flair is also fun to write.