{Traitor}
· · ─────── ·𖤓· ─────── · ·
"I cannot answer."
Hisoka's reply caused a ripple effect.
"What do you mean you cannot answer?"
Someone asked.
Hisoka remained silent. The lids of his eyes lowered. Aurora tensed up noticing the glare he was trying to hide.
She shook her head.
"I might be mistaken. Besides, is it okay to trust the words of an outsider more than your own member...? - A strife... No- a diversion maybe?"
She held a hand in front of her mouth, mumbling the last part to herself.
"!" There was an awkward tension that followed her words. Some Troupe members felt called out. Her bluntness hit the needle on its head!
In truth, for the majority, this was their first time seeing Hisoka. Except for the few that were there when he was recruited and more, Hisoka wasn't any different from a stranger whom they had only met a few days ago.
The same could be said for Aurora as well, and yet, comparing them, when it came to social skills, friendliness and likeability, it was obvious for the lycorice head to win over the favor instead of the haughty magician.
'She's still an outsider.'
Her words served as a dreadful reminder for those members with wavering stances.
"There's precedent."
Chrollo suddenly spoke with clarity.
His voice cleared up the messy situation with a cold and analyzed calculation.
"Aurora-san, you have proven your abilities and accuracy in front of us on multiple occassions already. I believe that no one of my members is one to be fooled by words alone."
His words spoken with such conviction blasted away all sense of doubts in their minds.
Even Aurora, who bit on her inner cheek lightly, did not expect the small surge of pride, at his aid and sudden acknowledgement.
Their eyes met and she nodded once.
"I'd like to get along well with all of you, too!~" She confessed happily.
"..."
Was it possible to be too honest at times?
'Cause this much affection was certainly disturbing. The clean and calm mood, Chrollo had created was cut short again. The woman's sudden confession did that.
Unexpectedly, the Troupe members reacted with humor.
Machi crossed her arms and sighed.
Phinks hid a gasp while his eyes widened into saucers.
Feitan looked sideways, trying not to care.
Franklin snorted once.
Shalnark giggled.
Nobunaga next to him fumbled incoherently with his words. Shalnark was sure he heard some words along the line of "Troublesome woman..." from Nobunaga, which made the cheerful blonde laugh only harder.
Pakunoda raised an eyebrow and lowered her eyes to cradle her arm again.
"..."
Chrollo blinked twice at the atmosphere. It had shifted from the seriousness before. It was... harmonious.
He opened his mouth to say something but a warmth-tinted voice interrupted him.
"Isn't it fine?" Aurora asked sweetly.
"Even if it's fake. Isn't it fine to leave it be? Everyone has one or two things they don't want anyone else to know. I would know best after all!"
She put a hand on her chest, emphasizing her claims.
Aurora then shifted her eyes to Hisoka...
and flashed him a knowing smile.
Hisoka's eyes twitched minisculely. It seems like he had discerned her intentions. The magician lowered his head and animosity with a defeated shrug. He flicked his hand in a simple "Do whatever you want"- Gesture.
'What are you plotting again...' Chrollo thought. His gaze lowered onto the oracle in his hands - Hisoka's oracle.
After a short pause...
"Hisoka. Just one question."
"Hai?"
"Have you betrayed us?"
"!"
Chrollo's cold, expressionless gaze stared at Hisoka blankly. His eyes flicked in a flame of Gyo as he tore of the layer of texture surprise that had been carefully layered upon it.
Clenching the oracle once, Chrollo flung the sheet into the air.
[Bandit Hunter]
Poof. Chrollo's Nen-conjured book appeared out of thin air. The sound of pages ruffling and turning filled the abandoned building.
The members, seeing their leader serious, prepared for battle as well.
"AH- W-Wait everyone!" Aurora suddenly exclaimed and inserted herself between the two heated parties.
She had an eye on the oracle that she snatched mid air.
"Let's talk it out. I think there's an issue we haven't addressed yet."
"Are you stupid? You want us to talk to someone who betrayed us?"
Aurora looked at Feitan who had just spoken up.
"Yes. I am. And us getting emotional over this will not change the outcome nor what had happened. Go and fight. It wouldn't be any different from venting. But know that you've got your priorities wrong if you think that fighting him now, is the correct answer."
After shutting him down, Aurora turned to Chrollo.
"There's . . . a situation we haven't confirmed yet.
A guy with red eyes . . . the one mentioned in the oracle, and the one Hisoka collaborated with. As well as the fact, that according to this, half of the members will be dead. It's likely, that the party Hisoka works with has a personal vendetta against the Troupe. Doesn't this motif sound suspicously familiar?"
"... The Chain User."
Aurora nodded at Shalnark who answered.
She looked at Chrollo who gave her a gaze which was unidentifiable.
With his intellect, she had no doubts about the fact that Chrollo had already figured out the connection to the Chain User from Hisoka's oracle.
'And yet his first reaction was to the persecute the betrayer...' - Aurora snapped out of her thoughts, it was more important to prevent bloodshed.
"Thus, I believe that Hisoka knows the identity of the Chain User, you've been looking for-"
"Shut up! This only means that he killed Uvo. There's no way Uvogin would have died in a fair fight! I can't forgive him for that."
Aurora's lip twitched slightly. "But what if...-you're wrong."
"Ha-?!"
"... Hisoka wasn't involved in Uvo's death." Aurora shot him down.
"Think about it. When you fought at the Gordeau Desert, Uvogin was only taken by the Chain User because:
First, it was assumed that you stole the merchandise.
Second, Uvogin was the only one fighting in the field and thus an easy target for the culprit to take.
Both of these situations serve as circumstancial evidences. Considering the situation, it's impossible to pinpoint Hisoka's involvement in Uvogin's death. Probatio diabolica."
Nobunaga found himself speechless.
Hisoka who had a little smirk on his face, spoke up smoothly.
"Ee. That's right. I did not know about Uvogin's powers at that time."
- 'Although it was easy to guess for a simpleton like him.' -
"It was all by coincidence. Call it bad luck, maybe. I have been falsely accused." Hisoka shrugged with feigned hurt.
"HISOKA!"
Aurora too gasped at the magician's brazenness. She thought she was reckless before, but he gave her a run for her money with how shameless and cunning he was.
'Does this idiot want to die? No, that doesn't make sense...'
Her mind was swirling. Trying to input all these incomplete pieces of information constantly and mid conversation was a brainfry. But most importantly-
"What do you want, Hisoka?"
Chrollo who had regained his cool, dished out the words that had been on the tip of her tongue.
That's right. Figuring out his intentions was the next optimal approach in this situation.
Somehow a wave of relief washed over her upon the realization that they were on the same page again.
Clack. Clack. Clack. The sound of Hisoka's heels clacking on the ground filled the hall.
Aurora saw the members tense up.
Honestly, their composure was amazing. It's commendable how none of them tried to swing at Hisoka yet.
It showed their deep bond, loyalty and trust towards Chrollo and his decisions. In this confusing, uncertain situation, they were all waiting for Chrollo's command.
Aurora didn't realize that she her hands shivered, until she felt her breath hitch in her throat.
Hisoka stopped just right beyond the hole of the ceiling. The moonlight that shone in highlighted his ghostly pale complexion like that of a ceramic doll. Only that it looked strangely dooming.
Hisoka smiled and pointed at Chrollo. His eyes leaked with perversion and bloodlust so much that Aurora had to resist the urge to yell and throw knives at him. She gripped her sleeves tight and readied herself.
Whoosh~ Whoosh~
The soft sound of clothes rustling from next to her pulled her out of her terror.
Chrollo, who stepped up with soundless footsteps, passed her by.
His obsydian eyes settled onto Hisoka. They were calm and unmoving. The calm before a storm.
Aurora felt her tension ebb away.
She reached out a hand and instinctively tucked at his sleeves. Chrollo side-eyed her, without a word.
'I cannot stop him.' Aurora thought as she held on. 'But maybe..'
She lifted her head with a calm nod.
"If you need help, call me. No matter what, I'm on your side."
This was the first promise.
A/N
"And somehow, deep within me, I saw my childish dreams remaining."
- Chrollo, One Sunday Morning.
Hello Lovelies~
Aaaa! How I missed writing Lycoris ~ There's finally an update again. I apologize for the delays T-T
I received some bad news beginning July so my mood was pretty low the first half of it. I wasn't in the right space to write but it's better now~
I wrote the ending of this chapter while listening to Sawano Hiroyuki's «Shikisai». It's truly a fantastic experience! I recommend it.
This story sure is going places, huh?
I planned to write Chrollo's and Hisoka's fight from Aurora's POV but I have never written a fighting scene before... Please be kind~^^
Thank you for reading!
Please continue to love & support Lycoris, Yoshihiro Togashi and HxH for a long time!