A/N: This is the second part and continuation from the infiltration and reveal arc. Despite that it's rather short, it does begin to cover the rising tensions between the royals, and also what happens after Kurapika's big reveal. Also, there is bit of action ahead.
As with the first part, this too is unbeta'd.
Summary: Gon, Killua and the Spiders continue their search for the Kakin treasure vault as they head toward deck two where it's suspected to be. Along the way, Killua is reminded how bad decisions can have adverse consequences. Theta continues to reluctantly train Prince Tserriednich who starts to produce terrifying results, and Kurapika finally begins training the guards sent by the princes and princesses, but something happens that tosses a wrench into the entire plan.
A gentle thrumming echoed throughout the room as its endless reverberation created a nearly unrecognizable lull. Flashes of bluish-white light followed the susurration, each happening at practically the same interval, the two occurring in near succession. With it, the low drone of voices following the ongoing sound as it made the mood feel almost somber.
Tserriednich looked up from the rapidly flowing aura around his hands and arms. The reservoir of power that surged through his body instigated a semblance of unmitigated euphoria. He breathed in deeply as the aura magnified around his fingers, then his palms, the strength and force making him feel strangely empowered.
Despite the galvanizing flow, his attention easily diverted toward the other presence in the room, though his eyes remained cast forward. "Oh, Theta dear." He trilled, the words coming out playful but dark and sarcastic.
His commanding tone caught Theta's immediate attention, and she drew away from her plaguing thoughts of just how fast the prince was grasping Nen. It had only been half a day! "Yes?" She responded while keeping her features neutral.
"We received a call from Princess Woble's guards through Zhang Lei. Apparently, they can teach Nen in just two weeks. What do you think?" Abruptly, the aura around his left hand surged, and Tserriednich reflexively flicked his fingers.
The passive-aggressive comment made Theta flinch slightly, though she recovered with minimal effort. "Well…" She began, but his rapidly darkening mood made her stop short.
"It is quite different from your story." Tserriednich drawled as he continued, his voice now accusatory. "I remember you said that it would take six months at the bare minimum to master the basics." Again the aura around his hand - this time the right - fulgurated as if it exemplified his mood, and Tserriednich pursed his lips while trying to retain patience.
Expecting people to be truthful - even his own guards had been trying, yet the prospect that he was receiving the go around alienated him more than anything.
Since the very existence of Nen was revealed, he had confided in Theta that she would be the one to genuinely guide him through the learning process, but hearing there was a faster method than what she proposed brought that aspect to question.
There was no way he was about to let anyone lead him astray.
Hearing the prince indict her claim had stopped Theta in her tracks as she considered her next choice of words. It became evident that Tserriednich was more than perceptive, and continuing her farce would become difficult, if not impossible, to maintain. The decision was risky, but the idea of the prince acquiring Nen outweighed the potential consequence.
Theta stiffened and resumed her course of action. "Yes. What I told you is accurate. It's the most viable way to learn." She swallowed thickly.
"Are they bluffing then?" Tserriednich quipped, his patience slowly waning.
Immediately Theta's eyes cast downward to the floor, and she clutched both hands behind her back uneasily. "It's possible—"
Without hesitating for another second, Tserriednich interjected before she could finish, his expression darkening. "Hey! Are you asleep?" The man asked coolly. There was a blatant threat to his tone. "What I am asking is, who is lying? Them or you? Got a death wish?"
In the following moments, Theta was lost on exactly how to proceed. The prince was a dangerous and volatile man who made it quite clear that he wasn't someone to be trifled with. Continuing to maneuver the waters that she treaded would need to be done with careful precision and one that had to be done surreptitiously. She kept her eyes downcast out of fear of meeting the man's scrutinizing gaze and to keep him from peering any further into her soul. Tserriednich was evil incarnate.
Vaguely, Theta was aware of the faint clicking sound approaching her, the prince's most recent words whirling in her mind. Delaying Tserriednich in his training would take time and needed to be done with meticulous planning. He was a highly perceptive man, as he had proven himself to be, so getting past that would be tricky.
If Tserriednich suspected any treachery, surely it would be the end of her journey.
Breathing in resolutely, Theta looked up to finally meet the prince's eyes. As she did so, the figure of a massive, gruesome abomination slinked up beside her, its presence forcibly imposing. A low, sickly growl followed soon after, but Theta remained steadfast and unperturbed, her back entirely straight.
No matter what happened, there was no going back. Not not.
She accepted whatever may come. Fate was her guide. "There are fast, and other extremely dangerous ways to learn Nen," Theta began, her voice firm and straightforward. "Or perhaps, they have someone with the capacity to incite the development of abilities in others. Nonetheless," she paused, her brow furrowing, "they won't be using proper methods. I promise that my way is the correct and fastest way."
Seconds following her reply, the temperature in the room seemed to change, turning from a simmering cool to a feverish, icy chill. Tserriednich's eyes slid ever so slightly to the side, just enough that Theta was within his field of vision. The sensation of virulence formed in his gut. "You know what I hate the most?" He questioned. The man's voice was detached, and the words full of venom. "A lying wench." Tserriednich continued impassively. His apathetic nature was undeniable. "Can I trust you?" If there was one thing that would set off his temperament, it was getting lied to.
He really was a heartless viper.
Although Tserriednich's threat was clear but egregious, Theta stood her ground; the undertow of malice and hatred he exuded did not manage to pull her down. "Yes!" She responded without hesitation despite the wicked aura and deathly look from the iniquitous Nen Beast beside her. Several drops of bilious spittle then dropped to the floor, a horrific squelching noise following soon after.
It was difficult to ignore the creature's outward impendence as it also shared Tserriednich's capability for detecting pretense in people. Getting around both factors would be problematic as maintaining a veil of honesty grew hard and harder with each passing day.
In any regard, Theta knew that she couldn't show any signs of weakness or frailty to either, as it would mean that all her hard work would have been for naught.
One way or another, she had to stop Tserriednich. There was no changing that.
Killua carefully but quickly let his eyes dart across the shadows of the long, dimly lit, and nearly quiet corridor as the repetition of shuffling seemed to bounce off the floor and walls. For a while, nothing seemed to happen, as once again, it was oddly silent. A little too silent. From what he had known, they were supposedly nearing the area leading to the entryway of deck two. He figured that by now, they would have run into people from the military, especially if they were as close as he assumed they were.
Not long before, he had caught part of a conversation between Phinks and Nobunaga that apparently they were getting close to the entrance's location. However, because they had yet to come upon it had caused him to wonder.
Even so, he kept trailing behind them at Gon's side. Finding their way onto the next deck was still imperative and vital to completing their mission to not only the Genei Ryodan but to Kurapika and Chrollo as well. Killua glanced toward Nobunaga's back as the tall, lanky Samurai remained in hushed discussion with Feitan while the rest of the Spiders - excluding Phinks - followed behind them.
They had utilized the darkness to their advantage while cautiously traversing the winding hallways towards their target. Only the sound of footfalls was heard aside from moments of hushed communication. Eventually, they had stopped as Nobunaga checked to make sure they were moving in the right direction. Though Killua could have sworn that the group was supposed to meet up with other Ryodan members at some point.
Unless they were supposed to meet the trio along the way?
"Oi! Do any of you know exactly where Machi, Shal, and Kalluto are supposed to rendezvous with us?" Phinks commented and shifted just enough to glance over at his comrades in the back. Yet, his eyes specifically landed on Shizuku.
She carefully pushed up her glasses when he did and folded one arm over her chest. "I remember her saying that she would find us before we could reach the point that lead to the upper deck, or that's what I think she said." Shizuku then placed the tip of one finger to her lip as she tried to recall what Machi had told her.
The lanky woman's abstraction made Phinks sniff as it didn't entirely surprise him that she would forget such vital information. He sighed dramatically. "Oh for fuck's sake." Phinks uttered, blatantly annoyed. "Why did she trust you with relaying that to us? Bono would have been a better choice."
What the hell was Machi thinking? Damn.
"Well, I am pretty sure that is what she said," Shizuku countered, her turning innocent. "I know that Machi was supposed to determine how much security is at the access point." She furthered while trying to prove that she wasn't entirely scatterbrained.
"Still," Phinks commented impatiently, "we need to know that before walking into it!"
He narrowed his eyes and mentally facepalmed at just how unreliable Shizuku was. Granted, she had her strong suits, but remembering information - especially anything important - wasn't one of them.
Nonetheless, they had to develop an ideal plan without running half-cocked into a situation that might cause them more complications than necessary. The vast expanse of the Black Whale was far from any territory they had control of, and raising active cognizance of their presence would only serve to enhance the challenges they already faced. Not that he or the Spider as a whole couldn't handle such problems; they were a notorious, well renowned - or infamous - band of criminals and thieves.
The level of bounties on their heads alone spoke highly of their reputation and strength.
Despite this, Nobunaga took a step forward and absently scratched at the back of his head. "Either way…" he spoke up, interrupting the discourse between Phinks and Shizuku, "standing around here arguing isn't getting us anywhere. I suggest that we either find Machi and see what she knows, or just take our chances with the military at the door. I am sure we can handle it as with anything else."
"I have to agree," Bonolenov supplied, his arms crossed in front of him. "Our current objective is to get onto the next deck and verify the location of the vault. Since we have no idea exactly how much control the military has over the access point, unless we wait for Machi, it's better for us to devise a plan before moving in there. Danchou did stress that we shouldn't draw too much attention." He glanced around the members around him, hoping they'd see his reasoning and agree.
There was a brief moment of silence while everyone mulled over how to proceed, and Killua watched them intently. He wasn't sure if he should be amused or irritated.
Sometimes he wondered if the Genei Ryodan, or just a few of them at very least, was merely simple-minded.
"Right, but this wouldn't even be up for debate if Shizuku had actually remembered what Machi told her!"
Feitan stepped forward while ignoring Phinks's outburst and eyed the man with intense scrutiny. "I say that we wait for Machi." He stated, both eyes peering menacingly from over his mask. "Having information on our enemies makes it easier for us."
The other Spiders fell quite at the stout man's declaration, and although Phinks still appeared to be a thunderhead, he neglected to say anything. The only response he gave Feitan's dictum was a flagrant scowl. He knew that while Chrollo was absent, Feitan was temporarily in charge. It was a decision that Chrollo had made well at the beginning for whenever he wasn't present, whether it was by choice or not.
As the Spiders considered their options, Killua still observed them, both hands now clasped behind his head, posture nonchalant. While he did agree that knowing what they were up against would give them an advantage and better understanding of what they were dealing with before going any further, the longer they tarried, the greater the chances were they would be found out.
It was probably inevitable to happen sooner or later, given how much notoriety the Spiders had, but running headlong into the unknown wasn't a good idea.
Sighing, the young Zoldyck boy closed his head and sighed. "Why don't a few of us go on ahead and try to find your comrade? Or maybe attempt to gather the same intel that she did and investigate the entryway before returning here?" He suggested while absently scratching at the opening in his ear with a pinky finger.
All eyes turned on him afterward, and he shrugged as he could practically hear the unspoken comments between them. Nobunaga seemed curious, while Feitan was neutral. Phinks, on the other hand, was absolutely incredulous. If steam could shoot out from his ears, Killua was sure that it would have.
The man's expression turned even more thunderous. "Yeah, that is such a great idea!" Phinks scoffed, his attention directed pointedly at Killua. "Let's just send someone to scout the military checkpoint so they can relay their findings! Need I remind you what happened the last time we did that?"
Every word hit Killua full force, and Phinks's insinuation caused the heat to rise involuntarily along his neck and cheeks. Although he tried to hide it, ignominy shone on his face, and Killua broke eye contact with the man to avoid outwardly confessing to his earlier screwup.
To make such a rash mistake, especially by someone who was part of the Zoldyck Family, was an utter disgrace. If any of them found out, he would never live it down.
"Even so," Killua retaliated, his voice sharp and indignant, "it's better than just doing nothing! Maybe what I said isn't ideal, but I don't see anyone else offering suggestions."
He stood there, silent and erect, almost like a statue, piercing steel-colored eyes watching them with intense, abiding scrutiny. Then, unconsciously, Killua crammed both hands into his pockets and sniffed as if he was proclaiming there was no chance of him backing down. One way or the other, he would stand by what he said whether they liked it or not.
Such defiance didn't go unnoticed, and Phinks stared down at him in open irritation regardless of his stance. For a moment, the eyebrowless man swept his gaze up and down along Killua's entire frame, taking in the boy's posture and expression and noting that he appeared to be backing up his claim as promised. Yet, before Phinks could chastise the young Zoldyck for harboring such insolence, Nobunaga had stepped in between them, the man's back toward him.
"Right," Nobunaga uttered, his face covered by a mask of nonchalance. "I know that you want to help, but demanding for us to do something that could ultimately cause us more problems isn't the way to go. Phinks is right for once." He paused, mentally hearing the man's teeth grind. "We tried your way, and nothing good came from it."
Instead of lacing vitriol into his words as Phinks had, Nobunaga kept his expression neutral. The tone of his voice was mild and level. While both boys may not have entirely grasped how the Spider operated, they were essentially part of their group now, and snapping at them wasn't going to solve anything.
Plus, infighting was strictly prohibited. Instead, members were to solve disputes by flipping a coin.
Either way, there was no possibility of sending either boy ahead to do any recon. If anything told them about who to trust when it came to info gathering was that if you wanted it done right, you had to do it yourself.
Not to say that either kid wouldn't become valuable assets down the line. They both had equal potential that could easily benefit the Spider overall.
It was an aspect that Nobunaga saw in them from early on.
Yet, the castigation didn't seem to phase Killua as the Zoldyck boy was about to rebuke the man when a hand on his shoulder stopped him instantly. Gon's soft but gentle and pleading expression had managed to placate the raging beast that threatened to break free of its cage.
"Maybe we could serve as looks out while one of you guys does the scouting. That way, it lets us help but also prevents any chance of mistakes happening."
There was an innocent but sincere tone in Gon's voice. Nobunaga's frown remained even though his features softened a bit as the determination in the boy's posture compelled him to consider what had been said.
He stroked his chin thoughtfully before settling on what answer he wanted to give them. "While I am tempted to give the benefit of the doubt after what happened earlier, I am not sure if that is such a good idea." Nobunaga hummed, his thumb stroking over the skin of his cheek slowly. "Then again, we have no idea where Machi wanted to meet up, so unless we care to sit around and wait for her to find us, moving ahead is probably our best bet."
The sour look that Phinks had only deepened and continued to appear sullen. First, Shizuku forgets where they were supposed to meet with their comrade. Now the kid who initially drew unwanted attention to them suggested doing the same thing all over again.
Getting to the vault's location was their biggest priority, and here they were essentially fucking around.
"What real choice do we have?!" Phinks demanded, the sensation of a headache building in his temples. "Neither of us know what to do, where to go, or what steps to take next." He groaned audibly and crossed both arms. "Though I will say that obstacles like this had never been a problem for us in the past, so it shouldn't be one now. When has the Spider ever yielded?"
Almost every person around him turned quickly thoughtful, and devious smiles crossed over each of their faces. Feitan narrowed his eyes, but the stout man's posture remained practically unflappable. "You're right." He commented slowly. "We yield to no one and don't stop because of problems." Feitan shoved his hands into the pockets of his ebony robes. "I say let the boys proceed with their suggestion. They have proven themselves and if trouble occurs, we handle it like anything else."
Phinks practically seethed at the declaration that was suddenly handed down. Feitan's command, while legitimate, still boggled him as letting the kids enact again seemed rather foolish. Yet, he knew there was no arguing with Feitan. Once the stout man had made up his mind, there was no changing it. All Phinks could do was cross his arms and scowl. The other Ryodan cast glances in his direction, but he didn't alter his demeanor because of it.
If they were lucky, nothing would go wrong this time. Phinks just hoped that Feitan knew what the hell he was doing.
Regardless, his lack of response was a sign of no further dispute, and Feitan continued with his prior direction. "Since there are no more complaints," he announced, the depth of his voice stern and imposing, "Nobunaga, you go with them and find out how tight the security is. If anything happens, take care of it."
Nobunaga's mood quickly went from jovial to momentous, the brief smile on his face melting away. He slipped both hands into the sleeves of his dark-colored robe and locked his eyes on Feitan. "Right." He answered without hesitation, already prepared for the mission ahead. Although he had his own concerns and was a bit skeptical, one thing he didn't fault Killua for was the fact there was no productivity in sitting around doing nothing.
There was no way of knowing how long it would take for Machi to find them or vice versa, and in the meantime, they were getting nowhere with the task assigned to them. Maybe how they were going about it wasn't exactly ideal, but something had to be done. Nobunaga turned to face Killua and Gon, his attention on them quite firm.
It took a second for Killua to react, but once he noticed that Nobunaga had decided to face them, his lips instantly twisted into a deep-set frown. Killua could see Gon almost do practically the same, though his friend appeared more tenacious than perturbed. "Alright." He said directly to Nobunaga, although Feitan had initiated the order. "Just tell us what needs to be done." Killua sniffed afterward while ignoring the mixed looks of interest and cynicism from the others. Gon also gave his ascent and simply nodded, both evidently ready to keep proving they were useful and would be of value.
Not that Killua readily enjoyed the constant demand to justify themselves, but he and Gon made their promise to Kurapika and would see it through. He sighed in exasperation.
"Will do," Nobunaga responded seconds later and pivoted on his heel in the opposite direction, then gestured with his hand for the boys to follow. "Let's go then. Try to keep up." He added and proceeded to walk without tarrying any further, the gazes of his comrades following him as he did so.
Killua exchanged looks with Gon before catching sight of Nobunaga as he stalked away and instantly darted after the tall, lanky man. Gon mirrored his movements and did the same afterward. An awkward, uneasy silence fell around them once they were far enough away from the rest of the Ryodan, and all Killua could do was shift his attention between his best friend and Nobunaga's back. The lack of communication, especially from their practical 'chaperone,' didn't help the mood or make it any easier.
Still, their immediate priority was to scout the checkpoint between decks three and two and find out what they were up against before strategizing a way to get through the entryway. Making it to the vault was more important than anything else, so he and Gon were prepared to do whatever it took to see that through.
Breathing in, Killua steadied himself and mentally prepared for whatever lay ahead. The sooner they reached the vault, the better.
"I welcome everyone here that has been elected to participate in today's lessons. Now gather around and I will start off with a basic explanation of Nen."
The atmosphere inside the common room was somber with a lingering thread of uncertainty. Most of the present guards exhibited signs of wariness, extreme caution, or outright opposition. Kurapika watched quietly as the group of twenty drew closer. The only other weight that could be felt within the room besides the two who could obviously use Nen was the emotional one hanging thickly in the air.
Judging from the varying expressions that greeted him, Kurapika noted there were a few who would possibly cause problems. Not including the upper echelon who already had participants there, but the first and fourth princes made sure to also send a few people. Considering their multiple run-ins with Prince Benjamin, Kurapika wasn't against being too cautious.
From the corner of his vision, he could see Chrollo standing erect and immobile. The man was almost the spitting image of a statue as he observed the crowd with passive interest.
However, beneath his placid façade, Chrollo was a powerfully flowing river. Although he remained there with both hands clasped behind his back, there was an evident trickle of warning within his aura, the span of his own En extending beyond the circumference of the room. And even then, Kurapika couldn't ignore the awareness of the other two. Babimyna, who, fortunately, kept his En subdued - which probably was in part because of Chrollo - and one other that he wasn't quite sure on yet.
Instead of dwelling on it, Kurapika gripped the roll of stark-white masking tape in his hand and bent over to begin using it to draw a line separating the master bedroom from the rest of the quarters. Kurapika rose back up to face those in the room when he finished.
"Before anything," he addressed those standing on the other side, "I state that, for security reasons, no one is to cross the white line. Anyone who does might be asked to leave. Force may be used if the situation becomes out of control, or if at any time we deem it necessary." Kurapika fell silent once his speech was finished and glanced toward Chrollo, who nodded his averment wordlessly before turning back to those gathered in the center of the room.
His small, rosy lips pressed into a thin line as blue eyes scanned over each head. Teaching this lot wasn't going to be easy. He could sense that something was about to go awry; the mercurial energy flowing through the room was enough to indicate as much.
Which practically happened the moment Kurapika looked over to his left. Immediately he noticed that a stocky man with a broad chin and spiked hair had placed his right foot right on top of the line, a smug look on his chubby face.
The act made Kurapika narrow his eyes vehemently. "What is your name and post?" He questioned stiffly. Kurapika could feel Chrollo shifting from just beside him, the older man's attention now diverted in their direction.
He was sure that his lover would ultimately step in if there were any more disruptions.
Following his demand, a broad-shouldered and dark-skinned man standing just a few centimeters away had thumped the other guy on the head, and the man's beady eyes soon met Kurapika's. "Huh? Are you talking to me?" He responded with a fake smile. "It's Myuhan. I'm with the Fourth Prince's guard. Nice to meet you." He concluded in a pompous tone. Myuhan's chubby lips curled even more into a derisive smile.
Such a result caused the steadily growing anger within Kurapika to float to the surface, and he hissed under his breath. "Myuhan, this is your first and final warning. Step behind the white line," Kurapika instructed, his eyes briefly flashing crimson behind his brown contacts.
Thankfully, no one was able to see it.
Noticing the continuously growing disturbance by one of the attendees, Chrollo inched closer, his reflexes ready should the need to intervene present itself. The man Kurapika was dealing with appeared to be one that would cause trouble.
He purposely waited to see how his precious Kurta lover would handle the increasingly problematic situation.
Seconds later, Myuhan jumped back in a feigned attempt to appear surprised and put on a mask of false sincerity. "Oops! My bad, I'm sorry. Though I promise it won't happen again. And I always keep my promises." He sputtered in a derided tone. The amusement on his face never wavered. "However, promises always work with good faith on both sides. At least, that's what I think. And when they are broken, I get pissed off. So, I hope that you will keep your promise and this isn't just to waste our time, right?" He concluded, a smirk forming across his visage.
The ensuing silence seemed to draw out a barrage of whispers as the remaining guards and servants started talking amongst themselves. Myuhan's speech began to sow doubt, which Chrollo had instantly noticed. Yet, he didn't move though his body was tense, and continued to watch the situation unfold with intense scrutiny, ready to react should the need arise.
His eyes shifted to Kurapika, and he could tell the younger man was feeling derided. The look on his face made that clear enough.
"Everyone here will be able to use Nen in two weeks' time!" He blurted out abruptly, his outrage quite blatant. "I stand by what I said at the beginning. Is responding with belligerence your only mode for conversation?" Kurapika denounced, his posture stiff and unwavering. Myuhan was successfully thinning out his patience. "It really shows what kind of person your leader is."
It didn't take even a second for the smug expression to drop from Myuhan's face. His eyes seemed to bulge, and the man began to lunge forward when a firm hand grabbed his shoulder. Without hesitation, Kurapika brandished his gun and pointed it right at Myuhan. Though he wasn't alone in his actions.
Chrollo had moved in closer, the gun he also carried in hand. He immediately shifted on one foot to aim the firearm right at Myuhan's head. There was a displeased twist to Chrollo's lips as he watched the stocky man critically. "I wouldn't move if I were you," Chrollo warned in a cold and stoic voice.
Anger boiled deep within Myuhan, and a vivid shade of red began to flush over his skin. Even the veins around his eyes and temples seemed to pop, hinting that he was enraged. The only thing holding him back was the tight grip that Danjin had on his shoulder. He glared viperishly at both men.
"And that you would have been trained to avoid bringing about such a misunderstanding. Do you now understand what I just did there? Perhaps you should wait for people to finish speaking next time," Kurapika stated, entirely quiescent by Myuhan's reaction. If everyone else was just as explosive as Myuhan was, it would be a problem. Not even ten minutes into the lecture and they were already off to a bad start.
It made Kurapika internally groan.
Even Chrollo was no less displeased. He remained firm in his decision, the gun still directed toward Myuhan's forehead. "To be frank," Chrollo stated, his gaze locked on the other man, "it is advice that I would behoove you to consider. Unless you care to find out what happens otherwise?" He added, the question sounding more sarcastic than not.
Again the color on Myuhan's face turned a deeper shade of red, and his eyes narrowed aggressively at Chrollo. Before he could say anything or retaliate, Danjin tightened the hold on his shoulder. "I completely agree." He articulated slowly, his tone low with a deep baritone. "We will be careful next time."
Once Danjin finished speaking, he jerked visually on Myuhan's shoulder to signify for the man to step back. It took every ounce of restraint to keep from lunging forward, but Myuhan reluctantly pulled out of his defensive stance and stood back up. His eyes never left the two men across from him.
Kurapika remained stationary where he was for the longest, attention fixed on Myuhan. Chrollo mirrored him and had done the same. The tension in the air thickened as the other people in attendance shifted their gazes between the two.
Several uneasy minutes passed before Kurapika decided it was acceptable to continue. As he did, Furykov stood just off to the side while judging him and covertly analyzing his abilities.
"Now that is settled," Kurapika announced, "why don't everyone now introduce themselves. Please go clockwise starting from Myuhan."
He watched as those attending began to state who they were and which royal they were associated with. The entire time he kept his eyes focused and wits about him sharp. Kurapika shot a quick glance over his shoulder toward the bed-chamber where Bill and Amar watched Oito while she trained. There was a vague, faint trickle of Nen emanating from inside, and it was pretty evident the woman was attempting to tap into her own innate ability, but it was likely that she would take her time to do so.
Kurapika released a pent-up breath and clasped both hands behind his back. Developing the queen's skills would not be easy, and he wanted it to manifest gradually. The only problem was their circumstances and how dangerous their position had become. So the sooner she learned, the better.
Going slow was a luxury they could not afford.
As the roll call continued, Furykov slipped wordlessly from the front lines, partially bored from listening to the babble of names he mostly knew, and quietly approached Babimyna, who stood closer to the back. The taller man was silent as a statue while observing the events of the class taking place. When he got close enough, Babimyna finally acknowledged him.
"Why did you release your Nen?" Furykov questioned, his wide jaw set despite his neutral appearance.
The stoic expression on Babimyna's face never wavered, and he was stony as ever. "It's none of your business," Babimyna replied tersely. He gave a disapproving frown.
It was a response that Furykov wasn't expecting since both of them were serving under the same royal while carrying out similar orders. Because of that, Babimyna's renitent attitude made him less understanding. "Then how about I make it my business?" He snapped before leaning in close. "I need your preliminary report on the enemy's power, or what you could learn of it." An almost feral grin spread across Furykov's lips. Babimyna wasn't going to avoid him this time.
Maybe the man preferred to work using his own methods and practices, but doing so without any apparent motive and while behind enemy lines definitely called for a lot to be questioned.
However, for Furykov, it seemed that Babimyna didn't want to force his hand and proceeded to give the information anyway.
"From what I've been able to ascertain," Babimyna said, his voice even, "Kurapika is definitely the one who is central to power and strategy. He is either a manipulator or conjurer, and it is likely that he is concealing other abilities aside from forcing confessions."
So, there was more to Fourteenth Queen Oito's guard than what meets the eye. Just as he suspected.
Finding out all of Kurapika's abilities was certainly crucial. "Any plans to negate him?" Furykov inquired, obviously intrigued by what he was hearing.
"Not yet," Babimyna breathed and clasped both hands behind his back. "I haven't seen Princess Woble's Nen Beast yet, and Bill and Chrollo's abilities are still unknown. I am not ready to form plans based on that."
Furykov's brows knitted together at the statement. "Okay. When?"
"After the next banquet."
The grin returned to Furykov's visage. Perhaps the situation would soon change for the better. He instinctively placed a hand on Babimyna's shoulder before walking off without further reply. All he needed was the other man's cooperation.
What Furykov didn't see after walking away was how Babimyna responded as the man stiffly brushed off the area that he touched.
Otherwise, it may have added to the already delicate temperament present in the room.
It was easy to slip back to the front of the line unnoticed while the other participants were still announcing their names. The smile instantly dropped from Furykov's lips as the guards beside him spoke aloud. Kurapika continued to stand like a statue upfront with Chrollo at his side. Those dark, penetrating eyes were fixed obstinately over the crowd as if he was a wolf observing his prey. The man was keen and quite perceptive. Fooling him or even attempting to do so would be no easy task, if not impossible as a whole. Furykov spoke his name right after Mushaho finished. He was the last one to respond.
"So," Kurapika spoke, his voice raised enough to be heard, "the sixteen will be learning Nen. Before anything, I want to stress there may be individual differences in speed when learning, but I guarantee that all of you will be able to use Nen by the time two weeks have passed. However," he paused before stiffening his expression, "for the lessons to proceed smoothly, I must ask a question that requires everyone to answer truthfully. If you can already use Nen, raise your hand now." Kurapika licked his lips afterward, then clasped both hands behind his back.
There was an immediate pause as the group exchanged glances, some appearing nervous, others unsure, while a few purposely withheld their veracity to remain hidden. A few minutes later, Furykov and Belerainte rose their hands. No one else had decided to follow suit.
The lull in response made Chrollo raise an eyebrow, as it was one discrepancy that he did not expect. Taking even more than a second to respond made him suspicious. Knowing there were already two among them capable of using Nen made him wonder if there were possibly more but were deciding to stay concealed. And if that was the case, they were quite skilled in using Zetsu.
Chrollo expanded his own field of En, confident that Kurapika had probably felt the subtle change. He hoped it would confirm his suspicions if other Nen users were hiding among them.
It made him wonder if Kurapika thought the same?
"So, just the two of you?" Kurapika asked after another moment passed. He waited to see if anyone else would come forward, but he also noticed that Chrollo had increased the range and strength of his En. Was it possible that his lover suspected something? Kurapika quickly glanced over toward the older man and frowned before facing the crowd again. "No one else?" He questioned again, his eyes now locked on every person in the room.
Perhaps later, he would have to speak with Chrollo to get his input.
With a sigh, Kurapika tightened his grip on both hands as they remained behind his back and let his gaze shift over those standing before him. It was definitely odd that two of them could already use Nen, but they could be helpful with his teaching method.
"What are you planning to do with the two who can already use it?" He heard Chrollo say as his lover had leaned over slightly, those dark eyes watching him. Kurapika breathed out slowly.
If they could assist him in any way, he wasn't about to pass up on the opportunity. "Both Furykov and Belerainte are here to audit. They will be judging my teaching and lessons. I welcome any frank opinion or advice that can aid with the process."
The instant Kurapika finished, a woman's voice rang out, and every head snapped in the direction of a short servant with dark hair and a chubby face as she pointed toward something across the room. Several guards began concentrating on the area she was facing, only to find that it was empty. More than one of the men vocalized they also saw nothing, while Kurapika scanned over the room with intense scrutiny.
He took a few steps forward as Chrollo seemed to mirror him and did the same.
"Any idea what she is talking about?" He inquired after coming up beside the younger man. Kurapika looked stressed judging by his facial features. There were still dark circles beneath his lover's eyes.
That bothered him.
Kurapika maintained his attention on the disarray before him, the ensuing chaos making him feel slightly annoyed. Whatever the servant was focused on, it had managed to cause an uproar. The disruption only served to cause a delay in their teaching, and they had enough problems as is. Yet, before he could attempt to bring order to the ataxia plaguing the room, Kurapika heard the sound of someone collapsing to the ground while choking, along with the other guards calling out the person's name.
Instantly Kurapika noticed that one of the shorter men was kneeling while grasping desperately at something around his neck. The man's face slowly began to wither away, his skin turning from a healthy cream to a sallow and wrinkled grey. Several of the guards gathered around him were shouting, though none of them were unable to help.
"What's wrong?!"
"I think there is something pale wrapped around his neck!"
"Barrigan! You have to let go!"
"Someone has to get it off of him!"
Seconds later, the man's body completely deteriorated, making it appear mummified as if the blood had been entirely drained away. There was a long pause as everyone stood there utterly flabbergasted, both Kurapika and Chrollo also at a complete loss for words. Finally, one of the guards attempted to reach for the body to assess what happened when something thick and scaly began to move. The man jerked back reflexively just as four hideous snake-like creatures began to glide out from the dead man's clothes. All of them released a long-drawn-out hiss in warning right after.
"Stay back," Chrollo announced, and he proceeded to pull out his Benz knife when Sakata stepped before him and unleashed a barrage of bullets towards the body, making it collapse entirely. Once he had emptied the entire clip, the corpse nearly evaporated.
The sudden but blatant reaction made Chrollo frown. "I was about to handle that." He stated cooly, then lowered his knife. Chrollo then tilted his head, this time almost curious. "I am not incapable."
"I know," Sakata responded as he kept his eyes on the now decimated remains. "But there is a chance that more could be on his body. One cannot be too careful."
Chrollo nodded and gently put the knife back into its usual hiding spot. "Fair point." He stepped back slightly to reposition himself close to Kurapika again. Whatever they were dealing with, it could kill someone in mere seconds. That made it highly dangerous for sure. He shot a look at Kurapika, wondering exactly what his lover was thinking.
Even the other guards were speculating over the details of what happened. Some believed it was the work of a Nen Beast. Chrollo knew they were wrong.
During their rebuttal, Belerainte had left his position nearby and gone to kneel beside the remnants of Barrigan's corpse. He slowly began to examine it when his movement caught Sakata's attention.
"Hey!" He hollered out in surprise and turned to face the towering man. "What the hell are you doing?!"
Belerainte looked up from the gruesome scene and looked Sakata right in the eye. "Oops. He might have still been alive, and you're the one who killed him." There was sarcasm in his voice laced in every word. Evidently, they were dealing with something more than a mere and simple attack.
Disputing that Barrigan wasn't dead before getting shot would only add to the confusion and altered mindset caused by their unfortunate situation. Diverting from that assumption was imperative to avoid any further conflicts. Whoever was responsible, they were somehow moving around undetected. There was no denying the enemy was undoubtedly close by.
Nonetheless, the retort didn't sway Sakata's hand. "It was evident that he was already dead. Contact the royal army and let them take it from here." He proclaimed flatly.
Even as the commotion in the room became more intense with the guards arguing that it was either a killer they were facing or witnessing the outcome of a Nen Beast attack, Kurapika had motioned forward, Chrollo at his heels and gun still raised. The expression on his pale face reflected the frustration that he felt. And despite what happened primarily centered on Barrigan, Kurapika could sense the off and on gazes that he was receiving, especially from Babimyna, as the man's fixation had settled on him for several long moments.
It wasn't until the point when he felt Chrollo brush against him that Kurapika got distracted and turned away from the others. Brown-clad eyes met his steely grey ones. "What do you make of all this?" Chrollo asked and turned to nod at the events unfolding before them.
Listening to the ongoing fracas had left Kurapika at a crossroads of whether they were dealing with the explicable consequences of a Nen Beast attack or someone trying to create tension between the royals to ensue chaos. The latter seemed more likely.
Remaining entirely unscathed would be nearly impossible, even with Gyo . More than one faction was using nine-millimeter lugers, and the possibility that others would be toting forty-five calibers or Heckler and Koch was entirely feasible. If their situation wasn't already convoluted, adding the prospect of a veritable assassin to the mix only made matters far worse.
Kurapika swallowed hard. The saliva in his throat felt like sharp needles penetrating his flesh as it went down. "Aside from the fact that everyone is now in an uproar?" He replied as the guards continued to debate their current position. "There is but one course of action we can take, and that is to find the killer lurking among us."
After Thoughts: Even though it ended up shorter than most of my chapters, this did end on a bit of a cliffhanger. Considering that yes, this entire arc is still loosely following the canon version of the DC and events on the BW, it's expected for certain parts to turn out longer, or shorter than others. Honestly, this entire event as a whole is taking longer than expected as I had initially planned to cover this entire thing in roughly five to six chapters. Guess it isn't happening that way now lol. I do estimate that it should reach the conclusion to this arc in a few more chapters, so I do hope it's still a fun read along the way. How this ends is not only going to be something to look forward to, but I can't wait to write it. What I have planned may surprise everyone. ;)
Though I won't lie, but Kurapika and Chrollo are definitely going to need one hell of a long vacation after all of this is said and done.