Oh, look! I took less than a week. Couldn't have done it without my angels~! Thank you for the support!
AND ADVANCED HAPPY NEW YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR! :DDD May none of us lose a finger!
WARNING: 50% Rhythm pair! Huehue. Yinyang pair will be dominating the next chap tho! Sort of. Well, they're there. xD
Disclaimer: I wish I own Hunter x Hunter.
...
CHAPTER 20: Rhythm x Foolishness x Guilt
NOSTRADE MANSION
A powerful burst of nen sent an invisible wave of force across the house. The normal people inside shivered seemingly out-of-nowhere, while the those who could control Nen hurried to its source. They ran to the room, but given that it wasn't hostile, no one stressed themselves out of panic. It was Leorio, who had just woken up a few rooms from the center, who arrived first. Opening the door with abruptness that no longer suited a doctor, he raised his guard. However, he did not expect a beautiful brunette to be sitting next to where his patient was supposed to be.
"W-Who are you? And where's Alluka?" He was stuttering. Damn him and his weakness with beautiful women. She let out a familiar laugh. For a moment there, Leorio had even less an idea of what was happening, and that was something that would've been very disturbing.
Until she stopped laughing and looked at him with calmness very few people had. "It's just me, Leorio."
"S-Senritsu?" Leorio yelled and Senritsu put a finger on her mouth as she nodded, casually telling him not to say a word.
"Hello, Leorio." She smiled and held his arm. "I'll excuse myself to my room now." She said re-assuredly, coaxing that disbelieving look on his face. "I'll have to do a little change of clothing."
He dared not look down at the suddenly very shirt dress she was wearing. "Y-You're in a different form?"
"This was me before I got cursed. I lost my gifts though." She smiled and Leorio was too shocked to see that the softness in her eyes was filled with an odd mix of lament and relief. "But don't worry, Leorio…" She said, raising her head to look at him again.
"It'll just be for a little while."
…
Kurapika arrived in a room with a dumbstruck Leorio. "What happened?" He asked, just in time for Basho to get there. Soon the others arrived and yet Leorio was still composing what he'd say next. "I think Alluka-chan granted someone's wish."
"What?" Kurapika uttered in surprise, his eyebrows furrowed as he looked (or glared) at everyone in the room. They all shook their heads and swore to the gods of their ancestors that it wasn't them. Looking at all of them and deducing no one was lying, his hand moved to his temple to ease an imminent headache. A held-back fear from hearbouring Alluka was finally materializing, and he didn't even know what the wish was. He sighed and looked at the door to Leorio's bedroom in front of him. Alluka was in there, he knew, and everyone would figure it out soon if they hadn't already. But now no one would dare open it, for fear of what she could ask.
"Alluka's in there, isn't she?" Basho said gruffly, pointing his thumb to the door behind him. Kurapika nodded and for a moment after that no one moved, until Kurapika moved his gaze to Leorio who only sighed. Basho and Neon opted to leave the room, then, to give the two some privacy. As curious as they were, it seemed like Leorio was too incoherent and shaken. They knew when either of them truly needed help.
Kurapika watched as the other two left the room before setting on Leorio, perhaps silently trying to pry an answer. When Leorio gestured to speak, his eyes momentarily returned to the smaller less intricate entrance to the room where Alluka was in, when the door behind him creaked.
"I'm back." It was Senritsu, he could tell from her voice. He did note the slight change in footsteps but he didn't think much of it and only turned around by reflex. His eyes widened immediately afterwards, certainly not expecting what he saw. A woman. A woman with flowing brown hair, fair skin, and a kind smile he'd known for a very long time. "Hello to you too, Kurapika."
"Now you know what I was trying to say." Leorio said and judging by the squeak of the couch, he was standing up to stand beside him. Kurapika, meanwhile, remained silent.
Leorio walked past him and to Senritsu, congenially patting her shoulder. "Congratulations, Senritsu!" He grinned, getting the phone from his pocket. "Now we have more good news to tell those kids." He turned his head to Alluka, a soft smile gracing. "Although it's better if she tells them herself."
Senritsu nodded in agreement, but she raised a hand to partly touch the phone. "Do let her rest though. At least for a few more hours." Leorio nodded and walked to the door by instinct to check up on his patient, only to half midway. He robotically turned his upper body to look at Senristu. "Er… is it safe?"
She let out her chime-like laugh in amusement. "Don't worry, Leorio. My request is a healing wish, but I've already taken enough chances, I suggest just leaving the phone by her bedside."
Their eyes followed Leorio for a few steps before they ended to each other. Senritsu smiled and he watched her as she walked to him, like she always did, and stood gentle but strong—also as usual—but her new height, even when he was taller by an inch) still felt quite towering. He wasn't going to lie. Senritsu was a very attractive woman.
"Can we go for a walk?" She asked and he nodded, knowing well he'd be hearing a lot from her this time… and not the other way around.
During their mosey—one that already lasted half-an-hour without words—Senritsu explained to him this was her form before becoming curse thus confirming his earlier thoughts. She lost her superhuman hearing, she said, but she admitted to feeling slightly relieved. Kurapika smiled a bit at this in understanding, partly recalling that because of her ability, Kurapika found it too hard to hide his thoughts from her. Although…, a part of him doubted if she needed her ability anymore when it came to him. They were each other's partners for too many years.
"What do you think of me?" Senritsu asked, almost out of the blue. "I want to know them all."
"It isn't like you to be so demanding," he told her as they walked. She smiled in response.
"I know..." she told him. "But I thought I better take advantage of it while I can."
"But you can't tell if I'm lying."
"I still can—I don't need my hearing for that, Kurapika." I know you too well already.
Kurapika looked at her softly and smiled. "Okay, what do you want to know?"
"What was your first impression of me?"
He couldn't say he expected this question, so he took a moment to gather his thoughts. "I'd say you were intriguing, an odd entity with an unusual ability," he said. "But for a time I found you threatening—being able to hear my lies." He then stopped and looked at her so softly that warmth spread in her veins. "But you easily became one of my most trusted friends."
It gave her a bitter-sweet feeling, really, but she was happy. "How good of a friend was I?"
"You were the one who can understand me the best." He said without a hint of hesitation in his voice. "I know you've been watching over me all this time, I can't be any more thankful than that, you know." She stared at him, her rich orbs urging him to continue. "You were one of the few people who kept me sane from the lust for revenge."
"I'm glad to have become an important part of your life, then."
He nodded and, stopping his steps and gently holding her arm to stop her, he looked at her deeply, his eyes almost squinting. "Senritsu," he uttered softly. "What is this about?"
Senritsu looked at him for a while before answering, like she was carefully considering whether she'd answer. "You know I never thought I can be a part of a family again, after what happened—and after what became of my life's goal." She paused as if it was the full explanation to his queries. "But it did happen. I couldn't have asked for more."
Kurapika looked at her, and she knew she did not quite answer his question.
"You could say that I've reached the point where I needed to know," she told him instead. "That perhaps something unreciprocated decided it wanted to be more."
His eyebrows furrowed, something a bit heavier dawning on his chest. "…Senritsu?"
She smiled. "Don't worry." She said, allowing her lips to give a peck on his cheek. "Like I said to Leorio…" she said as she began to turn away again. "This'll only be for a little while."
...
YORK SHIN
It was really a series of kisses—chaste, almost innocent, but none less electrifying. Eventually, of course, they parted, faces redder than ever, and panting simply because they forgot to breathe.
"So…" Gon said, placing her forehead on his. "We really were a couple, huh?"
Killua, all of his giddiness aside, could not help but flinch at that comment. "You knewI?" He yelled, right to her ears. "You knew all along?"
"Well Kurapika told me." She said defensively, albeit not moving away from him at all. "But I didn't have the memory so I can't really act out my feelings, right?"
He raised a mocking brow at that. "The one time I wanted you to act purely on instinct—"
"Well, I almost died at least two dozen times doing that in the Dark Continent," she told him. "All before I turned fourteen, mind you."
Killua faked a frown, and she softly bumped her head with his. "We got back together, memory or none." She said with a grin to counter his frown. "Maybe things are supposed to work out when they're supposed to." "It's all about time."
They stared at each other for a while, him with his scown and her with her grin, patiently waiting for the other to give up. Killua lost, because he really didn't feel like frowning for very long, and as a reward he succumbed to touching her face. He could no longer imagine how he manage to keep her a touching distance away.
He pulled her in for another round.
But then his phone rang.
Damn it
And he really was about to push the ignore button when he saw it was Leorio. "Leorio?" The flicker of his voice made Gon freeze and watch the the imminent exchange with her full interest. However, to his surprise, he wasn't met by Leorio's unrefined voice but rather his adorable little sister's.
"Nii-chan?" Alluka asked. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah." He breathed out. "Why do you ask?"
"You sound breathless."
Gon and Killua's eyes met at that, and accepting the fact that they could, in fact, get redder, they ended up grinning to their ears.
"A-Ah," was all he uttered for a couple of seconds, his cerulean orbs meeting Gon's very amused ones. "Gon and I… sparred."
"Ohh. I see, I see! It sounds like you had fun." She spoke a lot slower than usual but at the moment all he thought was how he loved the innocent Alluka. He really did.
But then he heard Leorio's cackle. Is the phone on loud speaker?
"Anyway," He said, pushing himself upward with his elbows to a sitting position. Gon didn't realize until he did so so she didn't move. She ended up sitting on his lap. He was forced to clear his throat, lest he'd sound even more incoherent. "S-Say your thanks and goodbyes to them Alluka. Then teleport here, okay?"
"Hai! Nii-san~" he nodded, until he finally realized that her slow speaking was accompanied by deep breaths. His eyebrows furrowed in worry. "Why do you sound breathless?" he asked and at the question, he could almost hear her chirp. "I healed Senritsu-san!"
"What?"
"She did!" Leorio said. "Your sister has miraculous gift."
"A-Ah…" Killua paused, and looked at Gon who stayed silent and stared back. "Let her rest, then."
"I did. But she woke up just as I opened the door." He said. "She's seriously excited to see you." He nodded. "I'm excited to see her, too," Killua told him. "But make sure she doesn't push herself, okay?" And the line cut, leaving him with a very flushed Gon just dying to comment.
"She can teleport here?" Gon yelled. Apparently her attention stopped there and her imagination went wild from that point on. "That's so cool!"
Killua barely heard that, really. Gon sitting on his lap made him feel even more of a hormonal teenager than before. Thinking about it, he doubted that'll change for a while.
He pulled her closer so their bodies were quite literally flushed together. He was torturing himself, he knew, but he didn't stop himself—he couldn't. It was not helping that Gon was kissing him back with the same fervency. When he thought he could at least get leash of the remaining self-control he had, he licked her lower lips without knowing, coaxing it to open. They did, sensually slow, and he could almost feel something get out of his mental window of decency. Too soon, their kisses turned from chaste to something a little more… desperate.
"Onii-chhaaaan, I'm HERE—ara?" Alluka looked at the two teenagers alternatively. She could've sworn—like, she was really really sure—they were inches (or was that millimetre?) apart when she arrived and now they were at the opposite ends of the clearing—really red—with Gon playing with her skirt and her brother covering his face with a palm.
Older kids were so weird.
"A-Anyway." Killua said, standing up, and dusting himself. Gon did the same but couldn't find the coherency to utter anything. "Let's go meet Zushi."
And oblivious to the relieved sighs that came from the other two, Alluka smiled (albeit it evidently looked tired). "Okay~!" She said and walked to the hospital. Just before passing out.
…
Around the mansion's barely-maintained, but still beautiful, gardens, Senritsu and Kurapika continued their stroll. With Senritsu's guidance, they began speaking of their lives before their grand turning points, something Kurapika was never comfortable in saying, but Senritsu had always made him comfortable enough to speak.
He was looking at where he was going when his peripheral view caught strands of familiar auburn forming waves of curls as they fell. It was Senritsu, and Kurapika reflexively caught her arm and flinched at the coldness. His eyebrows furrowed and he held her face, examining every feature he could within a second. Her skin and her lips were pale—very pale. "Are you alright?" He asked. A stupid question, because of course she wasn't okay, but she smiled in response.
She tried standing up, her hand on his shoulder, but a few steps back inside and she lost the energy to be able to walk on her own. Kurapika leaned down to carry her to her room as he yelled for Leorio along the way. Leorio came soon, even in Doctor's standards, and Kurapika's eyebrows met when he looked startled at most, even at seeing her state. But Kurapika didn't dwell on his friend's lack of surprise further and straightened his stance. "She looks like she's losing a lot of blood. She's not even bleeding."
Leorio and Senritsu's eyes met and both of them had a resigned look that made Kurapika feel nervous. And as if just finishing a conversation with her, Leorio looked at Kurapika, deeply and sadly, and shook his head. "There's nothing I can do."
Kurapika was not expecting that. "…what?"
Then he felt cold hands on his and he whipped his head to her. "It's okay, Kurapika." She said. "Just stay with me, please."
She slowly turned her head looked at Leorio. "Can you call on Neon and the others please?" She said so quietly that it hurt them all. "I want to see them," she told them, breathing increasingly laborous. "One more time."
Leorio nodded and took his leave, leaving Kurapika painfully alone with a dying friend. "What's happening, Senritsu?"
She was silent for a second before sending him a weak smile. "Do you remember when we found two of the Sonata's solos with Cluck-san?" Kurapika nodded. "Well, the first one was of course liberating: My life's goal, finally closing in.
"But you know what?" She asked rhetorically. "The second time didn't make me feel so delighted. My old friends were already dead, and I devoted my life to stop more people from suffering as we did—to rid the world of the devil's scores… and then a huge part of me just… lost truly caring."
It was then that Kurapika fully realized that he didn't really know her as well as she did him. He didn't try hard enough to see. And now he was losing the chance to know more.
"I'm a selfish person, I realize that now." She said, sardonic smile never leaving her face, then looking at the ceiling. He wanted to deny her claim—tell her that was not it—but he had been too absorbed into listening to her words. She deserved that from him. "I wanted to just move on from that goal and care less about other people."
"Perhaps I only want to die remembered by people important to me." Then she tilted her head to face him again. "And soon enough it became a wish for me to see you move on, possibly with my help.
"Silly isn't it? Me wishing that—but I did." He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came and for some reason Senritsu only smiled. "Then… Alluka came and I thoughtlessly made my wish."
Alluka. Kurapika's back straightened at the name. "She can help you."
The brunette kept her smile, but she shook her head. "It doesn't matter if it's produced by Nen or by something supernatural… it is a curse. Not an illness." But instead of smiling back (how could he?) Kurapika shook his head, still not accepting the implications of her motives. That couldn't be it, he mused. But most importantly—
"Senritsu… you knew you would die?" He said as if he just drank something vile. "I don't understand—why?"
She slowly raised her hand to hold his face and, in turn, he held it in place. "Oh, Kurapika…"
"I wanted you to see me like this. Like I was before." "I want to show you how much I changed." "It is stupid, I know. But it is what my heart tells me to do, so I did."
"I wanted to be remembered like this, and I want to die like in this form. Near the people important to me." " She said with that reassuring way of hers. It wasn't fair how she remained to be the one giving them hope when she was the one dying. He shook his head. Denial is a painfully strong conviction.
Senritsu let out her bell-like laugh. "Love sure does make one do foolish things."
Then her head faced up again, eyes widening, and Kurapika shot up. Her eyes were losing luster, her breathing becaming more laborous. "Senritsu."
Then she calmed, looking at him again, but he saw it—her life was draining quickly. But she mustered the strength to look at him with her paradoxically still-expressive eyes.
"Thank you." She said and he shook his head. "Not yet," he told her and she stared at him, not quite understanding what he was trying to say. "You should tell me more about you." He said, knowing how hard it could be for both of them. "Please."
It was time to accept her fate. Kurapika leaned in to kiss her forehead, not bothering to wipe his tears, and she sent him, once more time, the brightest smile she could muster. "Okay."
…
Senritsu died precisely two hours later.
Leorio covered her face with her blanket, to allow Neon and the others the mourn for her for a little while longer. He found Kurapika in their balcony, body slouched against the railing, aura dark but unreadable—the sun's reddish light illuminating him in a morbidly striking way.
"So little sense—" he told him, voice oozing with soreness. "It wasn't like her."
"Senritsu rarely did things impulsively. Perhaps that part of her just wanted to let go."
Kurapika barely heard his words. "You knew, didn't you?" he asked without looking. "What will happen."
Leorio didn't answer until he was leaning his back against the railing. "I had a feeling," he paused, and allowed the cool air from the forests below surround them. "Senritsu she… she had that look in her eyes that I, as a doctor, could read." Kurapika looked at him as he continued speaking. "Kurapika…" he began. "She was ready to die."
The Kuruta shook his head in disapproval, disgust, remorse. "She died for me— and I didn't even know her, not until she was dead." He realized that now. He had been to obsessed with his clan's eyes, occasionally his clan's vengeance, to… Gon. "What… was the point of all this?" Truly, did the universe think he didn't have enough sins to feel guilty for? But instead of voicing it out, he told Leorio what he wished. "Senritsu deserved someone so much better."
Silence dominated the air then, and they became painfully aware that one of their friends that shared that very spot for so long would never return. Senritsu would never stand there with them, ever again. Yet somehow they knew her ability to calm them when they were at their worst, the sound of reason of they're losing it, and the kind soul that guarded their paths... wouldn't ever really disappear.
Leorio touched his shoulder firmly, reassuringly. "Live with the guilt. Keep it." He said, looking at the setting sun, and visualizing how Senritsu must've been watching Kurapika all this time. And perhaps how she wanted him to look at her death.
"It will remind you to do better next time."
.
.
END OF CHAPTER 20
Coming Soon:
CHAPTER 21: Distance x Blood x Wake
There are times when there are simply no break from bloodshed.
REPLIES TO ANGELS
LittleChomper – huehuehue. Well I did plan on rhythm pair eventually. Too early to say they're end game tho. Hueheu. And NerysGon fight may happen, just not any time soon. Hope that's fine, and thx for reviewing! :DD
Sweet Love081 – Thank you for reviewing! And yep, I'll do my best to update as soon as I can and hope it'll be worth the wait…! Hueheuheue.
Dolce-tasie – Yes. Yes it was. But at the time what really got to her was Killua's advantages greatly diminished the perception of the consequences. Alas, things aren't that easy tho. xD Thanks for commenting btw!
Slytherin Studios – Thank you for reviewing! Hehe. Glad you're excited for this. Hope I didn't disappoint! And tell me if I did. ;)
KG-Ai – lelelel. Basically I'll be basing on those famous fanarts of her. I couldn't imagine her any other way anymore lol. Glad you liked the spar and the chap, and even gladder I'm helping your relaxation time as well. Thx for reviewing!
Chosanbhir – Killua's the next person, as you can see, and I decided it'll skip over him since I don't think the consequences will go null. xD Anywho, glad you enjoyed the chapter! And thx for reviewing! ;D
Darlingfedz – lololol. I sure do hope not! OMG. This must be called Togashi Syndrome. [insert horrified face here]. Oh and I'm basing on those Senritsu fanarts! They're great. Anyway, soo happy you loved the chap, and thank you for reviewing!
Yuki Candy Heart – Thank you for reviewing! Heheh. Glad the chap's cute again. Hope this one is too! Despite being darker. xD And Senritsu'll be based on that famous fanart of her. That was awesome
Pitou77 – OMG I hope so. At least he'd give us something! And she will! Can't imagine anyone rejecting a kiss from Killua. Lel. Thx for reviewing, btw!
Chins4tw – LOL. IKR. It was one of the reason I got stuck there. But then I was reminded Alluka's requirements are reset after healing wishes. Convenient, I know. xD Thx for commenting btw!
Sierra. Steinbrecher – It was! I just hoped I presented it in a more creative way but I was taking way too long. LOL. And the answer to your question is all in this chap! Don't kill me. xD And thx for reviewing~
chiharuSACHI – Thank you for commentinG~! xD And no worries~ She granted a healing wish. Healing wishes are supposed to reset the next requests or something. ;)
Yukiko. Sengu – Oh, oh! That's a cute emoticon. (7O∀O)7 hueheuehue. Anyway, here it is and I dare say it was fast! Lol. Thx for commenting btw~
Digilover23 – A kiss? Your wish is my command. Lololol. And I hope your exams went well! Enjoy this chap and thank you for reviewing~
Angel-Rei-chan1 – Thank you for reviewing! So glad you're loving both stories so far! And I do hope I'm making up for the angst in the earlier chaps. I'll do some T stuff but, knowing hold old most of my readers are, I can't go with M! So sorry
Pri-Chan 1410 – Agreed! You just want to hug her like a stuffed animal. Hueheuheue. And about Senritsu… well, you'll find out this chap. xD Anyway, thanks for reviewing!
xXxRizaHawkeyexXx – I agree! Rhythm pair is just awesome. Unfortunately, I placed the legend there for a reason. xD Don't kill meee. Anyway, so glad you're back and thank you for reviewing! :D
Grapes – BANZAIII for winter break! And I hope the load next sem is, too! Next year will definitely be a killer tho. (Thesis year! ORZ) Thanks for reviewing btw!
Guest [Dec 18 2014] – Aww thank you for the compliment! I do hope I make chapters that will allow me to deserve it. xD Oh, and the MitoIllumi thing will be dwelled on a bit later. Hope that's fine~ xD
xXxRoCkErReAdeRxXx – hahaha. I agree! The older songs usually have more meaning and tend to be nicer to listen to in the long run lol. I'm basing Sen's appearance on some fanart someone made. It was awesome. xD Thx for reviewing btw!
Pinkshoujo aka Dusk – Don't explode! I need you back here. Hahaha. Of course she'll like it! How could anyone not? Heuheue. Thx for reviewing btw!
Starlovers – Yes, yes it had been a while! Super glad you're back! I hope the cliffy is forgiven by my relatively quick update! Lol. And thx for reviewing~
XKilluaX – Haha yay! He'll be waking up next chapter tho! Look forward to that. Then again… xD *wink* thx for commenting, as well~
Kaeberlily – No prob! I just wished I wrote it more creatively tho. Glad you're liking the chapter and yay for YinYang pair! Wohoo. xD thanks for reviewing btw!
Pokefan008 – Here it is! And of course I'll continue. You vocal readers of mine are too awesome to leave behind. xD thx for commenting!
Larrylyn27 – Pairing her with Kura was the initial plan. Well… you'll see in this chap what my end decision was. Hihi. Thx for commenting~
AsukaSaru – (ch15) Yay! Glad you liked that chp and right? Illumi = tree anywhere. Haha. (ch16) BANZAII YINYANG! Would love to see Behind The Scenes YY too btw *wiggles eyebrows* (ch17) yes they are! I apologize for the slowness tho. xD Glad you're loving it so far~ (ch18) Oh then glad you're fine with the pace! I'm relieved, actually. xD (Ch19) Here's the next chap! Hope it isn't less entertaining than the last one. And, finally, thank you for the reviews! :D
DarkKitten95 – Here it iiisss. xD Hope I was quick enough! Gosh I missed these weekly updates. xD thx for commenting btw!
Aeva elementia – Glad you agree with the injuus! They'll still be submitting soon tho. ORZ. Hope you're okay what I decide for Senritsu, but tell me if you're not! I'll be fine. xD And thx for reviewing!
Queen of the Avast seas – It was?! Then OMG that's awesome xD Hope I didn't disappoint, then! And of course, thank you for reviewing~! :D
TECKK - Thank you for reviewing! Glad you liked it! Be warned tho! You're probably not gonna like what I did with Sen. I'm sorry. But I do hope you enjoy, regardless~
Ael fyragh – Awww, I'm glad you're liking this in the end and thx for giving it a chance. :D I will be showing a bit more of them in a few chappies and I'll do my best to make entertaining chaps. Thank you for reviewing and happy holidays to you, too!
Phoenix-Thunder – LOL IKR. Now I can only make Alluka lose consciousness or something to add limitations. xD I wish I kenw more about that girl. Anyway, super glad you found the chapter great and here's the next one~ Enjoy! :D
…
Thanks for reading folks!
More GonKillua on the next chap, but I do hope
you enjoyed this chap!
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