Hello my sweet readers, how are you on this fine day? I hope all of you are doing well!
First and foremost, I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's one of the few I barely touched when comparing to the first version of Cataclysm because I truly adore it. I don't think there's much of it I need to change. ALSO, we finally start to use words in Medea's mother tongue! Yay! From now on, whenever I write in Dnihipian, the translation will be on the chapter's final notes.
To my LGBTQ+ readers, I wish you a very happy pride month! Take care of yourselves and have fun, lovelies!
That was it for today. Happy birthday to me, happy Pride and don't forget about HisokaWeek!
See you tomorrow,
—Cherry
Medea did not tell a soul about the messages. Perhaps it was a stupid decision since no one in their right mind would remain silent about a possible stalker, but she could not talk about the situation. Something within herself impelled her to keep the fact secret — a premonition, maybe, and Medea surely believed in a sixth sense. Not acknowledging what her gut told her would be foolish.
In addition, she was very curious to know what that unknown Hunter had sent her. A gift, they had said. Once again, accepting it was most likely a decision only an idiot would make; there was a rather high possibility that it could be a prank or a homicide attempt.
Did Medea care?
Not in the slightest.
She was aware that curiosity was one of her greatest weaknesses, however, it was impossible to control that need to find out what was obscure to her eyes, it was almost unmanageable. That was probably what had mesmerized her so much about the possibility of becoming a Hunter. To discover new things was the reason she loved her job, and it was a small thing, she knew that, but it was the only compass she had through the ups and downs of life.
After all, it was just her and a vast world begging to be explored. No one ever got between them.
The taxi stopped in front of the small hut and as soon as the smell of pines and acacias invaded her nostrils, her worries vanished. She handed the money to the driver and got out of the car with Killua and Alluka behind her, their backpacks in hand.
"Stop pushing me!"
"I didn't do anything!"
"Alluka, stop!" Killua whined. "You'll destroy my Chocorobos!"
She shook her head and rolled her eyes. Sometimes, she forgot that they were only a few years younger than her, their still childish faces and carefree behavior deceived her, leading her to perceive them as little children. It was funny and weird.
Alluka opened the wooden door and the first thing she did was toss her backpack on the table, sighing as she threw herself on the couch and stretched like a lazy cat. Killua rolled his eyes and headed to the bedroom, muttering things about a fight that would soon be broadcasted on television.
Before she got inside as well, Medea stopped. She stared at the iron box a few feet away from her front door. In her chest, the excitement bubbled, and she bit her lip as she headed to it.
The mailbox was large and it was slightly rusty on the sides after so many years of exposure to Lapet's rainy climate. Some doodles made in vibrant, metallic paint were fading due to the action of time — the colorful and bright strokes in flower shapes, sun rays, and clouds seemed to become lighter each time Medea observed them attentively. She crinkled her nose. It would have to be repainted soon. The stainless steel letters M and L were the only still untouched details of the decoration and shone under the morning sun.
Her fingers itched with anticipation.
A gift. There was a gift in there.
Shoving her hand inside, she quickly pulled out all of its content before closing it again. There were mostly letters about some orders she had made and her monthly bills, but it was the box enveloped in a red wrapper that truly caught her eye.
It was small, barely the size of her palm, and squarish, and it almost resembled a birthday present. Too bad the pretty bow was missing. She would have shaken it, but it could be something fragile, like a ceramic (or a grenade, added the voice in her head), so she did not want to destroy it.
Finally, Medea walked into her house, both the letters and the package in her hands, and locked the door. It was not common for her to do so, but in that particular situation, she found it wiser and safer. Though curious, she was not dumb enough to forget their last words.
See you soon.
It was not exactly comforting to someone who was being stalked.
But then again, presents should not be comforting either.
"Dhea, do you still have that orange cereal I like?" Inquired Killua without taking his eyes off of the television.
"Don't you think taking a look at the kitchen cabinet is more efficient than asking someone who just got inside?" She retorted as she walked into her bedroom.
"You're still standing, it wouldn't hurt to take a look!"
"Actually it would because I want to take a shower and stay clean, unlike the two little pigs sitting in my living room." She put her backpack and mail on the bed and opened her wardrobe, picking a comfortable outfit to wear.
"Hey! I showered before traveling!" He shouted back.
"You stayed twelve hours on a plane, Killua, don't try to play dumb with me because it won't work, I can feel you stinking from here."
"Ew, big brother!" Alluka giggled. "You really do stink! You smell like a skunk!"
"Alluka, don't side up with her!"
Medea laughed as she entered the bathroom. "Love you, Alluka!"
"Love you, too, Dee!"
"Stop it, you traitor!"
She locked the bathroom door and undressed, removing her black blouse with caution. Her back was still sore, specially around her new tattoo, which made it impossible for her to even put on a bra. Why did it have to take so much space, anyway? She would much rather have a tiny one.
Turning her back to the large mirror in front of the shower, Medea glimpsed at it in an attempt to get a better view of what they had done on her back.
A marveled gasp escaped her lips.
Something similar to a pair of turquoise wings covered the area from her nape to the middle of her back. Several circles, all small and in a darker shade, surrounded certain curvilinear areas. A rhombus had been created between her shoulder blades and connected the two half-moons near her ribs. Crowning everything, however, there was a light-cyan rhombus, which very much resembled an aquamarine in brightness.
The High Priestess was not lying when she said it was beautiful.
She had no words, except: "Wow."
It was a masterpiece.
Blinking, Medea stepped away from the mirror. She got in the shower and prudently washed herself, trying her best not to brush her hair too hard and accidentally touch her back. The warm water always helped her to relax those fatigued muscles and regain her happy demeanor.
Humming a random pop song, Medea donned her cotton panties, followed by her pair of shorts and a loose cobalt-blue blouse. She took her phone and sighed.
"Oh, for fuck's sake! You've got to be motherfucking kidding me!"
The unknown number had sent her a new message.
Hello
No
Cut the bullshit
?
I don't want to talk to you anymore
Why?
You're creepy as fuck
I thought it was a bluff, but you really sent me something
How did you get my address?
It's not a secret
It's literally on your profile page in the Hunter Association database
Oh, fuck no
Are you really stalking me?
Define stalking
WTF?
She stopped and took a deep breath. If this person's goal was to scare her, they would not be able to get the reaction they wanted. She had literally just faced one of her worst fears, a stalker was nowhere near as frightening as that.
You know what?
I see what you're trying to do
Stop it
What am I trying to do?
Scare me
But it won't work
I'm not
I promise
Don't text me anymore
And
Stop. Stalking. Me.
The person started to type, but stopped. Good. Maybe she had knocked some sense into that head.
No
She arched an eyebrow and promptly responded:
Oh?
Fine
I might not know who you are yet
But I will find out
And I'll kick your ass
Don't you want to find out why I decided to text you?
Because you're a sick pervert
No
I am not stalking you
Don't believe you
I know about Lasym
What really happened that night
Medea froze in horror.
Was this true?
That I tried to save him and still failed?
Everybody does
You're not special
No
That you let him die
All because you knew the mission's leadership would still not be yours
Her wide eyes stared at the screen, unblinking.
No. It could not be. There was no way. No one else besides her had been at the crime scene, and this person had only made a rather vague claim, this had to be a bluff — an audacious one, she had to admit, but still a bluff.
As if
I would never let my most important sponsor die
I'm not that petty
What did you say, again?
Oh, yes
A man who needs to lie about his ideals to save his ass is no man
She held her breath.
They knew. They really knew. Her hands were shaking.
I never said that
I don't know what you're talking about
You're a tremendous liar
I'm not
You are
But don't worry
I like that
And I won't say anything I saw to anyone
Medea furrowed her brows, reclining against the bathroom's lilac tiled walls. It was worrisome, but, for now, she would keep quiet; the last thing she wanted was for them to report her to authorities and ruin her career.
What do you want?
Nothing
All I want is to help you
The court hearing on Evanor Lasym's case is approaching, by the way
I have information that might be useful to you
Was it, really? Medea could not remember. The past month was so hectic that she had hardly assimilated the fact that she was going to court soon. She had more important things to focus on than a man she felt such contempt for. He was the only one to blame for his fate, Medea had simply given him a little nudge on that by not standing in Illumi's path. In the end, Lasym had it coming all along.
Talking about this issue with Kurapika was beyond the realm of reason because the last thing she wanted was to drag him to another Zoldyck matter, he did not deserve that. Not even the document she had written for him had been spared; she had made sure to destroy it while they were still in Mimbo. He would never know about what had happened, at least not if she could help it.
There were no remnants of that night except for her own memories.
For all intents and purposes, she was just a scapegoat for business people to show their power.
The problem was that they could buy the jury to arrest her, and they probably would. Politicians, businessmen, and lawyers were the scum of humanity, she expected anything from them.
Why are you doing this?
The reply soon arrived and she arched an eyebrow.
It would be a nuisance for you to be arrested
How caring of you
By the way, did you like the present?
No
Did you at least unwrap the package before answering me?
It doesn't matter
If it didn't, I wouldn't have asked
She grunted and combed her hair with her fingers, counting to ten to calm herself down.
Locking her phone's screen, Medea took the dirty pile of clothes and went to the laundry room, and shoved it in her washing machine before returning to her bedroom, grumbling low enough that none of the siblings heard. She did not want to explain why she was angry.
Will you stop texting me if I take a look at what you sent me?
No
Medea rolled her eyes so hard that she swore that they would get lost inside her head, but she was grateful that they at least had been honest. Sighing, she massaged her temples and reclined on the soft pillows. The phone vibrated once again and she couldn't resist the urge to read whatever she had received, even if reluctantly.
But if you answer my question, I can send you some information about your case, and in addition, I'll partially explain why I sent you that
She considered her options briefly and examined the box, turning it from side to side to try to guess what was inside, but there was nothing easily perceptible besides the red wrapper with silver lines.
Medea clicked her tongue and shrugged, tearing the paper greedily.
She had nothing to lose anyway.
Under the packaging, there was a little black velvet box that she carefully opened. Indigo eyes widened once she looked at its content.
Stored under the padded walls of its container, there was a piece of jewelry. No, jewelry was a term way too simple to describe it.
The chain had a significant width and was split in two strands of pure silver, both twisted in the resemblance of vine branches. The upper one had rubies that curled and hung from the chain, whereas there were rhodolites that clung to the delicate foliage like small drops of dew in the lower one. It was simply majestic.
That was a real chef d'oeuvre in the form of a bracelet.
Medea fastened it around her wrist and raised her arm toward the light coming from the window, sighing dreamily as the stones twinkled. They were as intense as pure lava.
Who the hell would buy such an item for her? No one she knew had the financial condition for such an act, not even herself. And besides, why would they do that?
Why did you give me this?
Do you burn your damn money, by any chance?!
Did you like it or did you not like it?
This is too weird
I can't accept something from someone I don't know
We know each other, Medea
I thought I made that clear the first time I contacted you
Now would you be so kind as to answer my question?
Medea scoffed. Such a fancy choice of words. Still, she stared at the bracelet, admiring the way it made her wrist look; it was like being surrounded by a flaming aura. It was the perfect fit.
Wearing it was like finding a missing puzzle piece, like it was the right thing to do. She could not quite explain what that feeling was, but she could not imagine anything else there.
Was she being materialistic?
Perhaps, but this was something she had been taught back in Proyca, and old habits died hard.
It's beautiful
I'm glad you enjoyed it
I hope you use it often
Consider it my way to thank you.
For what exactly?
For now, you don't have to know, but I'll tell you when the time comes
Which will be…?
When we meet face to face
And who said I'll meet you?
You gave me the bracelet because you wanted to
I didn't ask for anything
Because I will give you the rest of the documents in person
I will send you a few pages, though
You won't have to try to defend yourself with the bare minimum
For a stalker who wants to remain anonymous, you seem too invested in helping me
You're odd
The anonymity is temporary
It will be a two-lane road
Where will you be on May 5th?
Was it safe to agree to meet someone whom she hardly knew just because they knew what she had done and had access to information regarding Lasym's case? Probably not. She sighed. There was a faint migraine spreading through her forehead. She was sure Kurapika would scold her when she finally told him about this, and the worst part was that she knew he would be right, this was an extremely risky and uncertain move.
Would she do it anyway? Absolutely.
With her fingers shaking from excessive adrenaline, Medea started typing:
On Whale Island
Why?
Personal reasons
Alright
When will you leave Lapet?
Tonight
I want to get there as soon as possible
Why?
Meet me at the main port of the island at the end of the 5th
I will contact you again before the agreed date
Alright
But how can I be sure if it's you?
You haven't told me your name yet
You will know it
Don't worry
I have to go now
And don't tell anyone about this
I won't
Good
See you soon, Medea
She looked at the silver bracelet once again.
See you soon
Anonymous pen pal
The journey to Whale Island had been surprisingly calm. Considering that Vilcest had been the one responsible for transporting Medea, Alluka, and Killua there, the Sea Hunter had hoped that at least one fight would happen on deck; she had worked with him a few times, but it always shocked her to see how talented he was in making everyone a nervous wreck.
Fortunately, he had become ill before the trip and had not had the courage to rock the ship and make almost everyone throw up like he loved to do.
The smell of the sea was intoxicating and not even the taste of the chocolate she liked the most could compare to that. Being near the sea renewed her strength, cleared her mind and took the weight off her shoulders. Her life's goal was to sail, she simply knew it. She was born to be among the oceans, that was the greatest pleasure of her life.
The island was not as big as she had hoped, but it was friendly.
It was busy, several people shouted through the streets offering imported and even unusual items, and Medea had to lock hands with Alluka so that the crowd of visitors and merchants did not pull them apart. Killua went ahead to guide the way, moving between alleys and stalls naturally. The fact that the directions were etched in his mind with such accuracy was frightening.
Climbing a small hill, Killua hastened them again, assuring that they were already very close to Gon's house.
Medea found the way the boy had been acting since they boarded the ship truly adorable. Killua had a glow in his eyes that she had only seen a few times, like when he ate a Chocorobo or when his sister ended up falling asleep on his shoulder at night — a softness that was rarely there. His bond with Gon was strong. Even if she interacted way more with him than with the other boy, she could notice their personalities' nuances; it was as if they were opposite and complementary halves of a whole person.
Medea wondered if she would ever find someone who would make her feel that way.
But, even if she did, would she be open to it? To being vulnerable again? And what was the guarantee that they would stay if she actually did it?
Because she doubted they would.
"We're here!" Announced Killua, sighing deeply.
She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. He was holding back, she could see it by the way he bit his lip and toyed with the hem of his pockets. He was nervous.
The house was simple but very beautiful, and much larger than Medea's hut. She estimated that there were at least four rooms in that place, not to mention the attic and basement. It was the kind of home she would have liked to have had as a child. Surely her life would've been very different if she had lived in such a place, even more so if she had a family of her own.
A tiny crease formed between her eyebrows. Sometimes she would catch herself trying to remember her life in Drires, her motherland, but she had been a toddler at that time and only very few blurry memories came to mind.
The smell of burning wood. Colorful pebbles. A wooden bed. Soft humming and warm blankets. An ugly-looking doll, too old and ruined to belong to someone rich. Snow, lots of it, all the time. A distant and cold voice, one that she could barely recall any details of, except that it was a female's.
Don't run around. Stay near. Good malyenshka.
She had forgotten every detail about her voice, her appearance, and her touch, but she would never forget those three sentences, perhaps because they had been used too many times during her early years. Nor that perfect native-spoken Dnihipian of hers. It was so natural, so flawlessly enunciated, so pure. So different from Medea's broken one.
Thinking about her aunt Dawna and how her life had been influenced by a single choice that woman had made enraged her to no end.
Medea hoped she was burning in hell.
Alluka let go of her hand and ran to her brother, knocking on the door with child-like excitement. She could not help but notice how quickly the door opened, and a shadow pounced at the siblings, hugging them tightly. Not a shadow, Gon.
"Gon, you're choking me!" Complained Killua in his typical bossy tone, but the young woman noticed that he reciprocated the gesture with equal intensity.
"You really came! I can't believe it! Aunt Mito, look who's here!" Yelled the boy.
"Oh, Killua!" A woman slightly older than Medea appeared. She had ginger hair that reminded her of autumn leaves and the same honey-colored eyes Gon had, but definitely tamer. She smiled fondly as she stroked Killua's hair. "It's very good to see you again!"
"You could say that again!"
"Oh, so you're the little lady I haven't met yet, Alluka, right?" The girl nodded and smiled as the woman embraced her. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you! I've heard a lot of good things about you! Make yourself at home, okay?"
"Okay, thank you very much!" She said, hugging the woman back.
Finally, Mito looked in her direction and arched an eyebrow, confused to see another person there, especially an adult woman.
Medea smiled sweetly at her and giggled when Gon embraced her like he always did, as if he had known her for years. "How are you doing?"
"I'm doing great!"
"Excited about your birthday?"
"Yes! I know it'll still take a week, but still…" He confessed once he let her go. "Even more so now that you've arrived! Killua said you'd be busy and couldn't come, I really thought you guys would stay in Lapet."
Medea glared at the teen, who just rolled his eyes and turned his face. "A birthday has to have surprises, otherwise it's not fun."
"Don't be mean to Gon, big brother!" Complained Alluka, poking him in the arm.
As they continued to bicker and entered the house, not caring about anything else but themselves, Mito chuckled and turned to Medea an outstretched hand. "I'm Mito Freecs, it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Zoldyck." She shook the white-haired woman's hand and smiled.
That took her by surprise and Medea felt her body freeze. Immediately, she shook her head and laughed, a blush atop of her cheeks. "Oh, no, no, I'm just a friend. I'm a Lanfort, not a Zoldyck!"
"Oh, I'm sorry!" Mito seemed more embarrassed than she was by the faux pas. "I thought that because of the hair and the eyes… Oh heavens, please forgive me!"
"It's alright! The name's Medea, by the way. It's a pleasure to meet you!"
"I'm so terribly sorry!"
"It's okay, don't worry." Medea ensured, chuckling. "I should be the one apologizing, I had no idea Killua had hidden our early arrival from Gon. I hope we aren't a nuisance to you and your family."
The woman waved her hands and shook her head. "As if! Any friend of Gon's is welcome. Come on, I'll take you to your room so you can settle in!"
Mito guided her through the stairs and corridors until they reached a dark wooden door. The redhead opened it without much ceremony and followed to the bedroom window, opening her curtains immediately so that more lighting came in. She quickly dusted off a mirror that was near the old bed and turned to the guest.
"I forgot to clean that damn mirror." She told her. "You know how it is, when you have important events your head is completely bewildered."
The woman took the bag from Medea's hands and put it in the closet as the Hunter chuckled. "Tell me about it! It's such a rush that sometimes you end up doing the same thing more than once just by inattention!" Medea agreed.
"Ugh, definitely true!" She sighed. "Do you know when your other friends will arrive?"
"Well, Leorio said he'd be leaving college in three or four days so he can meet with Kurapika at the port, so… Maybe in five or six days?" Medea calculated. "Yeah, six days at max."
"Oh, I had no idea they were so distant from Whale Island!"
"Leorio is just a day or two from here, the problem is actually Kura." She told her. "He's in a country far from here…"
"Kura?"
"Ah, yes, hm, Kurapika."
Mito chuckled. "You two…?"
"No." She stopped to ponder. "Wait, maybe? I don't know, it's a bit unclear. For now, we're just enjoying each other's companies."
"Should I prepare a bedroom for you to share?"
Medea's eyes widened and she blushed, chuckling nervously and shaking her head. "No, no, no! There's no need for that!"
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, no need to worry!"
"There are some couple appropriate establishments downtown," Mito told her in a hushed tone, glancing at the door briefly, "and if you guys need it, I can cover it up for you for some hours. You know, just in case things get… Um, intense."
"Ah!"
"And there's also a drugstore nearby, so don't forget to buy protection." She added.
"W-Well, thank you… I'll keep that in mind." She replied, looking away. "Is there, um, anything I can do for you? I imagine you're a little overwhelmed with the upcoming party and your day-to-day chores." Medea smiled, trying to change the subject.
"Oh don't be silly, you're a guest! Guests shouldn't need to assist their hosts!"
Medea arched an eyebrow. "Are you sure you don't want me to help with anything at all?" She insisted. "Seriously, I won't be offended at all, quite the contrary, I'll be happy to be useful."
Mito stopped for a second at the end of the stairs and scratched the back of the head. "Well, grandma and I could use a little help in the kitchen…" She said in a shy tone. "But if you can't cook, it's okay, no problem!"
"I'll be happy to help you."
"Great, thank you so much! Come on, the kitchen's this way."
Laughter echoed as they walked through the corridors, and it grew louder once they reached the living room.
Around the couch were Killua and Gon, facing each other on opposite armchairs, and Alluka, who showed an unknown person the electric-starfish earrings she had bought in Ileack.
They had their back turned on Medea and Mito, but seemed to be about the same age as Alluka, due to their height. Maybe it was another of Gon's friends. She would not be surprised if that was the case, he was such a lively and friendly boy. Besides, he was paying so much attention to what the other teen was saying that it was obvious it was someone important to him.
The platinum-haired woman walked up to them and giggled when Killua suddenly sneezed, blushing furiously afterward.
Gon laughed and as soon as he saw her, smiled with joy. "Oh, you finally came down!" He turned to the person he was talking to and pointed at her. "That's the friend we were talking to you about. Her name is…"
Violet eyes stared into violet eyes.
The teenage girl had a certain air of neutrality that made something inside her churn uncomfortably. How familiar. Her long blood-red locks fell on her shoulders and over her face like a fiery curtain, highlighting the small freckles dotted along her cheeks and nose. She merely stared her for long seconds, which made Medea slightly uneasy.
"Hello," She greeted, "Medea."
DNIHIPIAN TRANSLATION:
Malyenshka - Girl