10

Gon, Killua, Leorio and Kurapika sat in the sitting room in Leorio's hotel room after everything went down with the Phantom Troupe.

"I don't know about ya'll but this whole thing has been crazy." Leorio said with a sigh.

"I know, right. I'm glad it's over." Killua said.

Gon frowned as he looked around. "Hey, Leorio. Where's Amira? She was supposed to be here. I expected her to call us by now to meet up."

"It is weird that she is not here. She cares a lot for you two. I expected her to be here from the beginning." Kurapika said while looking at Leorio who had a weird look on his face.

"You all don't know?" he whispered.

"Know what?" Killua asked in confusion leaning forward from where he was sitting by the chair.

Leorio sighed before looking at them. "Amira is…. she's missing."

"WHAT?" the three said in shock.

"What do you mean she's missing? She was supposed to meet with a mentor for training. Did you check with the mentor or talk to her family?" Kurapika said glaring at the man.

"I'm sorry. I thought you all knew and just didn't want to talk about it. You three are closer to her than I am." Leorio shook his head.

"What do you know and how did you find out?" Killua asked with an angry look.

Leorio sighed rubbing his eyes before leaning forward cupping his hands together. "OK. Here is what I know. I found out a week before coming here. I had decided to call her because I wanted to ask if she would want to meet up to go over some medical questions since her father was a doctor and she has had some training. The phone call went straight to voicemail. I waited a couple of days, but she didn't call me back. I called her dad to see if he could tell me when she would be available to talk."

The man rubbed his hands together as he glared at his hands with a frustrated look. "He said she never appeared at her mentor's home. Her mentor contacted the airport, and all records of who checked in to that specific flight has vanished like it didn't exist. All the cameras in the airport and on the air ship malfunctioned so they can't use that to see if she even made the flight."

Dead silence as the other three boys sat there in angry confusion.

"What is being done about searching for her?" Gon said at the wall in anger with his hands clenched by his sides while they were shaking as he tried to control his anger.

"I filed a report to the hunter's association about her missing. Nothing has come up from it. It's like she vanished into thin air." Leorio said.

Gon pulled his phone out of his pocket and called Amira's cell phone number. His eyes widened in shock.

"What is it?" Killua asked.

He called it again and put it on speaker phone.

"We're sorry but the number you called has been disconnected or is no longer in service. Please check your number and redial your party." A mechanical voice said.

A few minutes later, Leorio's phone rang. He put it on the speakerphone.

"Hello?" He said.

"Good evening, my name is Ming Lee. I am calling about your missing person's report for Amira Arphaxad." The female voice said.

"Yes. What have you found out?" Leorio found out.

"I'm sorry for the long wait. Amira Arphaxad's body was found and returned to her family three days ago. Unfortunately, the body was unrecognizable. The only way to identify the body was the smashed phone located by the body. I apologize for your loss. Have a great day." Ming Ling said before hanging up.

Tears ran down Gon's face and cupped his face in his hands.

Killua slammed his hand into a chair which shattered to pieces.

Kurapika squeezed his hands as his eyes flickered from red to brown of his contact lenses.

Leorio clutched his fist together with tears streaming down his face.

Gon suddenly stood with a furious angry look. Nen pulled around him.

"I'm going to find my dad and then I'm going to track down the monsters who killed Amira. They will wish they had never been born." He said angrily.

Killua stood walking over to stand by his friend. He held out his hand and watched his nails grow sharp, "I will show them exactly what my family taught me."

Kurapika rose with his eyes glowing completely red. "They will be praying for death."

Leorio looked at them with a sigh. "As a doctor, one of the oaths is to never do harm."

He suddenly rose and stood by the three. "However, I can make an exception for this."

"We find them, and we destroy them for Amira." Gon said raising a fist.

The other three raised their fists, "For Amira."

Zoldyck Family Mansion, Kukuroo Mountain – 5 minutes earlier

"I apologize for your loss. Have a great day." The female butler said before hanging up the phone.

She turned to the person standing beside her.

"How was that, Head Butler Goto?" the butler asked.

Goto smiled, "Very good, Apprentice Butler Xena. It would be best if Master Killua does not find out about his friend being here just yet. Come, the young mistress will be done with her lessons soon and Master Illumi wants more butlers to guard his fiancé."

The young butler followed behind through the mansion and up three flights of stairs. Two butlers stood at the end of the hall for the third left corridor.

Goto walked past without looking at them. Zena followed without glancing at them.

The two entered the room and Xena laid her eyes on those in the room.

"Very good, Miss. Amira. You have done well on hosting your first tea service." A strict woman said. The woman had to be in her 70s or 80s. Her hair was pulled up in a tight bun and her face looked like someone who had sucked on a lemon.

At the table were two female butlers sitting across from each other with a third standing a few feet away watching. Xena had already met Tessa, Canary and the other female guard, Arabella. The last figure is someone who she had never met.

The girl was in a royal blue dress that went from her neck to her ankles with the sleeves stopping at her wrists. Around her neck was a choker with the Zoldyck crest on it. Her blond hair was pulled back into ringlets and her eyes make the assistant butler want to stare in awe at. They were beautiful. The girl could have been an angel or a fairy.

Goto cleared his throat.

The teacher glanced at him and frowned. "I believe that will be all for today so I will take my leave. I will see you tomorrow."

The woman walked out with a glance at Goto but did not say anything.

Goto walked over and stood by the blond's chair. "mistress Amira, I have a new butler in training for your guard. This is assistant butler in training, Xena."

Xena stepped forward and stared at the girl. She was beautiful on the outside but, once you looked into her eyes, Xena could see that there was something wrong with the girl.

"It's so nice to meet you." The girl said with a blank look and a quiet voice.

Xena bowed. "Nice to meet you too, mistress."

The apprentice stared in confusion as this girl was nothing like the other Zoldyck members she had met. She was meek and mild. A strong gust of wind looked like it would knock her over. She didn't look like she could even hurt a fly.

Goto held out a hand to the girl. "You are looking a bit pale. I believe lunch in the special garden Master Illumi made for you would do you some good."

All the butlers saw the look of hesitation on the mistress's face.

"Master Illumi would approve of it since you have worked so hard to learn your lessons while he has been gone. He want's what's best for you and the fresh air will be good for you, mistress." Butler Tessa said with a look at Goto.

Goto nodded his head. "She's right, young mistress."

Amira allowed the head butler to help her rise, "Yes. Illumi would be ok with me going out as long as it's in my private garden. I think I will spend the afternoon out there reading. It's so nice outside. I would love to feel the breeze on my face."

Canary moved forward. "Please follow me, ma'am. I will lead you."

"Thank you, Canary." Amira said and followed the younger girl with the other two falling back behind her. She did not speak to Xena or Goto.

Xena waited until the girl was gone before turning to Goto.

"What is wrong with her?" Xena asked confused.

Goto sighed. "Master Illumi has broken her through harsh punishments and lessons. Over 5 months in solitary confinement with no human contact to begin with followed with followed by manipulative lessons and punishments. They ranged from no meals for a week to ice baths and being locked in a metal shed in the hot sun for hours. Only once has Master Illumi used a physical punishment. I believe that punishment was what finally broker her."

"Broke her?" Xena asked confused.

He sighed before continuing, "Before this, she had a fiery spirit that also protected those she loved dearly. She spoke her mind and fought for what was right to her. Young mistress was a friend of Master Killua, the middle son, and she came to fight to see him when the boy came home after being disqualified for the hunter's exam. Young Mistress Amira has a hunter's license. She was independent until Master Illumi decided she would be his. She is now exactly how he wants her to be. A glass doll who listens to everything he says, does not fight back with him, and is solely dependent on him. Her world revolves around his wants and needs. Nothing else matters and no one else matters, not even her own wants and dreams. The two will be married next year. It will be a grand event."

The man moved toward the door. "Come. I will lead you to the dojo where you will begin training."

Xena followed him down a hallway however movement caught her eye. Looking out, she could see the young mistress walking down the sidewalk. She could not help but think after meeting the girl.

Xena: 'what did I get myself into by agreeing to work for this family?'