Hello, everyone!
As promised, here's the fourth chapter. I had fixed all the errors on Friday, but decided to post it today. I don't want to overwhelm anyone with too many updates at once lol
A huge thank you to everyone supporting this story through comments, bookmarks and kudos! You guys are the best! I'm really happy so many people are actually invested in this story! If you have any theories, questions or just wanna rant about any character in the comments, feel free to do it. I absolutel talking to you guys, getting to know what you think and etc.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter!
See you soon,
—Cherry
The flight to Glam Gas Land had been exhausting, but, despite the emotional rollercoaster, Medea was finally in the so-called City of Pleasures.
The Association had provided a room for each guest at the hotel where the annual ball would take place in two days, and she quite liked it so far. The event itself would be boring as usual though. It was nothing more than a gathering to announce the future topics of research and to congratulate Hunters who had performed important feats that year. Surprisingly, her recent expedition to capture the Triple-tailed Seahorses had been considered important among the Sea Hunters group.
It was rather ironic, considering she had been deprived of participating on an even more important mission.
Dressed in her usual baby blue blouse and white shorts, she walked out of the bathroom with her mind set on visiting the nearest candy store. She had one of those urgent cravings. After putting on her blue sneakers, Medea made sure her phone was in the bag before she left the room and headed to the elevator.
It was nothing new that Medea Lanfort had a sweet tooth. Anyone who spent at least one day by her side was shocked to learn that she had no caries nor diabetes — a miracle if considering all the sugary crap she usually had.
The candy store was only two blocks away, closer than what she expected, and the multicolored establishment soon emerged in front of her.
Smiling, the woman walked in and couldn't suppress the mesmerized gasp that left her lips as soon as she was greeted by all the colors and smells filling the place. Oh, now she knew why people went crazy in Glam Gas Land.
The aroma of passion fruit and lemon invaded her nostrils and guided her through the corridors, leading her to a part of the store that was mostly composed of sour sweets.
The shimmering packages were so eye-catching that she had a hard time trying to figure out which one she should buy. Orange lollipops or strawberry bubblegum? Both of them? Yeah. Both sounded great.
Suddenly, a flash of colors appeared right beside her and she immediately turned around, very startled.
An ebony-haired girl had run to a heart-shaped box filled with liqueur candies, her big, bright blue eyes shining as she took on the size of the package in front of her. She wore a pink yukata-like outfit with a fluttering olive skirt that matched her amaranth-colored boots beautifully. She seemed delighted by all of the different types of bonbons, which made Medea giggle.
"They have alcohol, you know? They won't sell it to a girl your age." She explained gently.
The teenager turned to her, her head slightly tilted and a pout on her small lips.
"But they're so cute…"
"They are, but believe me, the taste is terrible." She stood on her tiptoes to reach another box on the higher shelves and turned with a golden package in hands. "These are infinitely better and have no liquor! They're made with desert lime, have you ever tried it?"
She shook her head and the long black strands waved with the movement. "Never. What do they taste like?"
Medea put her index on her lips as she thought of an answer.
"Like lemon, but with a hint of cherry."
The girl giggled. "Sounds weird."
"It's great, I promise!"
"Alluka!" A slightly annoyed voice shouted, and both of them turned around to see another teen. He had hair as light as Medea, but his eyes were blue like the brunette on her side. When he approached the girl, still frowning, and held her hand tightly, she simply blinked as he exhaled loudly and said: "You can't disappear like that, I got worried!"
"Sorry big brother, I won't do it again!"
"Yeah, right… Just like all the other times you said you wouldn't, but still did."
"I just wanted to take a look at the cute stuff!" Whining, she crossed her arms.
"But you could've warned me!" Her brother retorted, clicking his tongue, and turned his attention to the woman in front of him. "Who's this?" His voice was cold and haughty.
"This lady was telling me about different candies! She said I should pick another type of bonbons because this one's bad."
"And alcoholic." Medea added.
"See? She knows stuff!" The girl exclaimed, lips curling into a big smile.
He laughed mockingly. "It's chocolate, pick any of them and you're fine."
Medea rolled her eyes. "If you are thinking of common chocolates, like chocorobos or fairy kisses, you are right, but not all chocolates work the same way." She took two of the less tasty bonbons from the shelf and extended them to the siblings on one hand, whereas the other held two from the box she had shown the girl. "Go ahead, try both of them. I want you to tell me if there's a difference in taste or not."
The boy frowned. "We're not going to eat something a stranger offers us, we're not stupid!" He said cautiously, while his sister quickly took one of each and opened the wrappers, eating one followed by the other. "Alluka! Are you crazy?! You can't eat everything people offer you!" His cheeks scarlet-red for being ignored right in front of the stranger.
"AH! I felt it!" The girl exclaimed. "Brother, you have to taste it as well! Don't look at me like that, go on, try it for me, will you?"
"No."
"Pretty please?"
"No, Alluka."
She stared at him with the most empty stare Medea had ever seen. And that meant something. Her entire expression was blank, even her shiny eyes became duller; it was like seeing a dead body. She almost reminded her of someone… But who could it be?
"Stop it." Said the boy, slightly uneasy. When she didn't flinch, he continued: "Alluka, I'm serious, please stop it."
"Why?"
"It's scaring me the fuck out! Stop!"
"Are you going to try the bonbons?"
"Yes! Fine, I will! Just… Go back to normal!"
And like nothing had happened, Alluka clapped her hands cheerfully. "Yay! Thank you, big brother!"
"Whatever. Just don't go Illumi-mode again."
She narrowed her eyes in a cat-like expression, and Medea was sure that, whatever Illumi-mode was, it was definitely going to happen again.
With a defeated sigh, the teen put the first bonbon in his mouth. His eyes carving holes in the woman's head, like it was her who had forced him to eat them, and he frowned while chewing it. Medea had purposefully given them a bonbon with a flavor that resembled rotten oranges at first, and was followed by a disgusting taste of spit when swallowed.
She was sure no one in their right mind would be able to like them.
The second bonbon, however, made his feline blue eyes twinkle with pleasure, a blush spreading across his pale face, and she smiled upon seeing that her choice had been approved by the pair. The way he looked at her again was different, almost as if he was in shock after realizing he was wrong.
"I see you like the Mirage's Pearls." She said triumphantly.
The girl grabbed her left hand.
"Yes! You were right, the taste is indescribable! It's wonderful, isn't it, big brother?"
The young man looked away. "Um, yeah, maybe you're not so wrong about it..." He reluctantly agreed.
"Then why don't you take that box?"
Both of them looked at her in disbelief.
"Are you serious? You don't even know us..." He pointed out suspiciously.
"Consider this a lesson on savoring real sweets." She gave them a wink and the brunette smiled.
"Oh! Thank you very much, miss!"
Medea placed a strand of hair that fell on the delicate little face back to the original position and poked the tiny nose with her index, surprising the girl. Her chest weighed as if made of lead. This little girl reminded her of herself. The good version of herself. Of when she was still innocent and carefree, and life still smiled at her.
"The name's Medea."
"I am Alluka and this is my brother, Killua. He is a very talented Hunter!" She told her, which only made her brother blush.
"Don't talk about me like that, silly!"
"Now, if your little sister said that then she is right. A lady never lies." Killua blushed and crossed his arms. He glared at his sister, but it did not seem to bother her at all, as she nodded and smiled victoriously. "I'm also a Hunter, I've been working as one for… About 9 years now, I guess." Medea said.
Killua smiled cunningly. "I could tell by your aura, it's very strong."
He's the second to tell me that in less than a month , she thought to herself. This wasn't right. It was worrisome. She'd have to contact the High Priestess soon. But she concealed her anxiety with a smile. "Ah, thanks. What is your specialization?"
"I haven't decided which one suits me best yet." He shrugged. "You?"
"Sea Hunter. Are you here for the annual ball?"
He nodded and passed his hand through his thick, silvery hair. "Yes, we'll meet some friends. I suppose you're here for the same reason, right?"
Medea nodded.
Alluka seemed to rejoice even more and clapped, sky-like eyes illuminating the store with their brightness. "Oh, I hope we can meet there! I heard it'll be positively crowded."
The woman shrugged and grimaced as she picked up a few more boxes of candy and walked toward the cashier with the two teenagers beside her, arms almost not managing to hold everything at once.
After placing the products on the countertop, the attendant managed to register them with agility, not even looking at Medea while doing her job.
"That's exactly why I avoid it. Dealing with all those unbearable people on the same night is torture. Here, take my credit card, please." She glanced at the siblings again and handed them the small bag with the desert lime bonbon, a heart-warming feeling taking over her when she saw their joyful expressions.
"Thank you very much, miss Medea!" Alluka said and the young woman could see her docile eyes becoming glossy. "You're so kind."
"Alluka, are you crying?!" Inquired Killua with a somewhat frightened look on his face.
"Oh, no, I'm just touched." The girl guaranteed, waving her hands in front of her face to dry the teardrops that tried to escape. "Considering... Well, you know what I mean, big brother."
Medea preferred not to say anything, after all, she had only met them a few minutes ago.
Opening a box of cherry liqueur truffles, the woman shoved two of them at once into her mouth, reminding herself not to offer the sweets to her companions as she usually did — no alcohol for minors. Pointing to the direction of the hotel, she turned to the two and asked:
"Are you going back to your hotel room?"
Killua shook his head, visibly friendlier than a couple of minutes earlier, and indicated the opposite way with his head.
"We'll take a walk around the central square, there's a comic book store that we want to visit."
"Got it. Take care, kiddos."
"See you later, miss Medea!" The girl waved her goodbye and turned on her heels.
Medea nodded and watched them walk down the street with locked arms, a melancholic smile forming on her lips as she returned to the hotel, her steps slow and meek.
Sometimes she would think about what it would be like to have a family, or simply someone who would not disappoint her. Someone she could really count on.
A person whom she could trust.
Not having someone to be your so-called home in the world was lonely, but as time went by that unbearable pain became more and more distant to the point where it was nothing but a slight emotional nuisance.
People got used to it.
She got used to it.
Finally, the big day had arrived and determination bubbled inside Medea. She had spent the days before the event preparing herself for her conversation with the investors, hoping she'd convince them that she was the best option to lead the survey.
She couldn't understand why they had chosen Evie Gargani as her replacement — there were better options than a vulgar drunkard who didn't even knew the difference between board and starboard. A literal shame to their profession. If they had chosen capable people like Madame Thoshe or Morel Mackernasey she would have understood and accepted to be removed from the position, but Evie?
Fucking Evie?
Medea wouldn't accept it even if Hell broke loose.
Putting her silver rhinestones heels on, she stared at the mirror for the last time before leaving the room.
The gray blazer had lemon toned embroidery and contrasted with her golden skin, hugging her curves and making her breasts appear even fuller and perkier than normal. The dark green social pants balanced out the sensuality of the slit on her bust, giving her the seriousness needed for a formal environment.
Her violet eyes were highlighted amid all those dark shades and added richness to the burgundy lipstick on her plump lips, but it was the long white strands in a partial up-do that gave her a divine look. It was as if a long veil of light covered her body.
She didn't go to social events often, but when she did no one could deny that she had the elegance and charm to be the center of attention.
As she walked up to the elevator, Medea put a jade necklace around her neck, arranged her silver earrings to make sure she hadn't lost any of them, and touched the stolen needle in her front pocket. It was always nice to carry a weapon, even if it was one she wasn't used to.
Pressing the button, she immediately got inside.
The ball would be in the hotel's event hall that was below the rooftop — an open space with a small greenhouse and some benches for people to spend time, the perfect place if she needed to escape for a few minutes.
Upon arriving at the ball floor, the first thing she felt was the scent of champagne impregnating her nostrils. She hated champagne. Alcoholic beverages with the taste of cheap beer didn't please her taste buds.
The place was crowded as she expected. The orchestra played calm and catchy melodies in one of the corners and was almost muffled by the amount of people talking to each other. A waiter offered her a glass of the sparkling wine, which she kindly denied, opting to search for a certain group of investors, the reason why she had traveled to Glam Gas Land in the first place.
Suddenly, she felt a hand grab her arm and turned around ready to tell the person to let go when she was surprised by Alluka's blue eyes.
"Miss Medea, it's great to see you!"
"Oh, hi. Alluka, is it? How are you?" She was caught off guard and had no reaction when the girl hugged her waist, the yellow dress flowing with the action.
"I thought I'd never see you again, we didn't meet after the candy store!"
"I had to deal with some work stuff, so I couldn't leave." Her fingers hesitantly ran through the silky black strands, combing them carefully. "Where is your brother? Did you run from him again?"
Alluka giggled mischievously. "Just a little bit. He's talking to his friends so I came to talk to you. Are you enjoying the party?" She let go of the woman and put her hands behind her back as she balanced between her heel and tiptoes in a rhythmic movement.
"I just arrived. I'm looking for some business people, I must talk to them tonight." She explained scanning the hall with her amethyst-like eyes.
"Are you talking about the investors?" Medea raised an eyebrow and nodded, curious about how she knew about it. "I heard a black-haired woman with huge amber eyes say something about them not coming until eleven o'clock in the evening. She looked like a snake, by the way. I didn't think people could resemble animals, but she did. It was cute."
Medea scratched her right temple, sighing.
"Then the information must be correct. Thank you for letting me know, dear." Medea squeezed her plump cheeks, causing her to blush. "Guess I'll be available for a while..." She commented out loud, throwing her long hair over her left shoulder.
"Does this mean you can spend time with me?"
Her eyes sparkled and Medea thought it was the cutest thing in the world. It was as if Alluka treated her like a long-time friend even if they barely knew each other.
It was lovely, but dangerous if someone tried to take advantage of it.
"Of course I do, but don't you think your brother must be looking for you?" She waved one hand as if it did not matter.
"He's very busy gossiping right now, I was just going to feel out of place by myself… But with you by my side I'm sure that I'll have fun!"
"All right, we can spend some time together, but first we'll take you to your brother so he won't be worried when he realizes you're gone, okay?"
Alluka nodded, taking the woman's hands into hers and guiding her through the people and tables.
Medea could smell something sweet. Chocolate, if she was correct. Her mouth watered. A delicious dessert would probably be served soon and she would really need to be sitting down to enjoy it.
Some familiar faces were identified by the young woman, but she only returned from afar the nods she received; she was not in the mood to hear someone comment on her being kicked out of the most important mission in her career. She would tell them to go fuck themselves really quickly.
The table where Alluka led her to was circular like the others, a thin satin fabric covering it from top to bottom, and it had a beautiful centerpiece full of colorful flowers and subtle fragrances.
The brunette cleared her throat, drawing the attention of the group of boys who were sitting there.
Killua only seemed to realize his sister's disappearance then, rolling his eyes and quickly frowning. By his side were a young dark-haired boy with honey-colored eyes, dressed in a simple black suit, and a tall man with brown eyes (and glasses too small for his face, Medea noticed) wearing a blue chalk stripe suit, stared at the girls curiously.
"Since you've bored me to death ," She said, rolling her eyes. "I decided to look for something to entertain myself and ended up finding my friend!"
"Alluka you only met her two days ago, you can't consider her your friend yet." Killua pointed out.
The girl stuck her tongue out at him. "You've got no room to talk since you befriended Gon during the Hunter exam." She retorted and he crossed his arms, a slight blush over his cheeks and nose, but not saying anything else. "Anyway, guys, this is…"
"Medea?" A masculine voice inquired with shock. "What a surprise to see you here!"
Medea turned, violet eyes meeting grayish ones.
"You again?" She was utterly horrified. "Are you stalking me by any chance?"
The amber-eyed boy stared at them with confusion. "Kurapika, do you know each other?"
"Yes, we met on a... Mission of mine." He replied without taking his eyes off her. "And no, I had no idea that you would be here, you didn't tell me your flight's destination."
"I thought you would be staying in York New." She stated.
"You were the one to draw that conclusion."
"Then come and sit with us, any friend of Alluka is our friend as well!" Exclaimed the boy. "I'm Gon and this is Leorio, it's a pleasure to meet you, miss!"
"My name is Medea, it's a pleasure to meet you too."
Alluka sat next to her older brother and indicated a seat next to her for Medea, which was in front of Kurapika and the man in glasses. A waiter offered her a beautiful slice of chocolate pie with strawberries and she immediately accepted, her eyes shining as she came across the beautiful dessert.
She turned to Killua, smiling.
"Did you finish the bonbons? I finished mine once I got to the hotel."
He grinned.
"Alluka and I finished them on the way to the comic book store, we bought another two on our way back."
The man in glasses (Leorio?) laughed as he took a bite of the dessert.
"I didn't know you had a sweet tooth, Killua."
"It's not a sweet tooth, it's practically an addiction." Teased the boy beside him.
"Don't be an idiot, Gon. It's not my fault if I know how to appreciate the good things in life!" He defended himself, sticking his chin up and making his friend laugh.
Leorio turned to Medea, who ate carelessly, his eyes shining with curiosity. "Are you Hunter or are you just escorting someone?"
"I am a Sea Hunter." The man and Gon exclaimed in unison. "My job is to seek and study species and myths related to the ocean, but I also search for lost treasures, whether they're contemporary or from ancient civilizations doesn't really matter."
"How cool! You're like a pirate!" Gon leaned over the table, his mouth ajar in admiration.
She laughed raising a hand to her mouth in an attempt to cover it. "Yes, you could say that."
Alluka still looked at her as if she was a new limited edition doll, completely enchanted. "Have you ever seen a dolphin up close?" She inquired leaning her face on her hands.
"Yes, they are very interesting to study and are excellent friends, did you know that?"
"Seriously?" Medea nodded. "Are they your favorite animals then?"
The woman shook her head.
"No, I prefer peafowls, I love their elegance and colors. But if we're talking about marine animals, I like the electric-starfish, they have a very beautiful fluorescent glow and when they die you can use them as earrings since they're so small."
"Isn't that kind of cruel?" Asked Leorio, slightly frightened.
"They become toxic in contact with the saline water and can cause serious mutations if some animal eats them after their death, so the best option is to remove them from the sea as soon as possible." She ensured.
The others sitting at the table seemed to make that the cue to integrate everyone into the conversation, and soon after that Leorio and Killua were arguing about which of their favorite animals was better while Gon and Alluka laughed at the scene.
Kurapika was quiet, gray eyes lost in deep thoughts, as had occurred when they met. Suddenly he took a glass of wine to his lips, sipping the liquid carefully, and again deposited it over the black satin, circling the edges of the cup with his middle finger, a light touch that made the liquid move in its compartment.
Thanks to the cascade of champagne in the middle of the room, the smell of alcohol became unbearable and made her sick, and the noise pollution wasn't helping either.
With an annoying headache, she excused herself for a moment, got up and walked to the bathroom.
Walking among the people, she opened the first door that showed up in front of her, only realizing that it was the passage leading to the roof when she came across the white marble stairs.
Shrugging it off, she climbed the steps carefully not to stumble, eager to smell the fresh air and hear the sound of the night breeze. She walked up to the ledge of the roof, holding firmly on the metal support and sighing deeply as she absorbed the beauty of Glam Gas Land seen from above.
The height was too much to bear. She felt dizzy.
Something, perhaps her sixth sense, bothered her a bit. It was as if a ball of lead weighed on her heart and wanted to pull her down. An almost freezing cold passed through her, bristling her skin, and she could almost hear a voice whispering phrases in her ear.
Great, now not only she had frequent nightmares but was also becoming paranoid.
Frowning, she moved away from the parapet and tried to go down the stairs as quickly as she could while trying to get rid of her thoughts, failing to realize the weight that the stolen needle exerted in her pocket or the aura that it emanated again.
Can I just say that my favorite headcanon is that smh Alluka can mimic Illumi's empty gaze perfectly? Like, Killua wakes up in the middle of the night and Alluka is on Illumi-mode and it SCARES THE LIVING SHIT OUT OF HIM. Idk bruh, it just makes sense to me. I guess it's a thing that runs in the family? XD
—
Things seem to be finally going well for Medea... But for how long until everything comes crumbling down? And in what is going on with the stolen needle? To find out about these and many other questions, stay tuned for the next chapters of Cataclysm.