Witch Of The Stars
KeyOfTheTwilight
Summary:
A young woman wakes up in a world she doesn't recognize with awakened aura nodes and meets a peculiar magician. He suggests she finds a Nen Teacher to help her learn about Nen and how she could control her unusually strong aura.
Throughout her journey, she meets a variety of people due to her unusual circumstances. In time, she gradually uncovers the reasons behind her journey to that world.
From there, she has to learn how to stay connected with others.
Will she be able to keep her comprehension of love?
Notes:
Just wrote this out of the blue. I randomly decided to watch HxH and had a burst of inspiration all of a sudden. I don't know how long that will be. I have no idea what I'm doing. I just want to write for some reason. So I have no plan when writing this.
Chapter 1: Prologue: Fallen Star
Chapter Text
A Strange incident happened to me. A weird phenomenon that forced me out of my own home. My world to another. I wake up in an alleyway. My belongings are thrown around me. I got up slightly and picked up my bag. I collected my things tiredly and inserted them into my bag. I struggled to get up from the ground and staggered out of the alleyway. I held my things close to me as I scanned my surroundings. The streets are bustling, people are going coming and going. The street signs make no sense at all… Are they in another language…?
This place is unfamiliar to me. I walked around in this unfamiliar place. I don't recognize anything at all. Where am I? I now started to feel panic. I picked up the pace and wondered if the people around me could understand me if I talked to them… I went up to a random stranger,
"E-excuse me?"
The stranger turned to me, wondering what I wanted. I honestly couldn't think of what I wanted to say, I just wanted to know if they could understand me or not. I gulped,
"D-do you understand me…?"
The stranger gave me a puzzled look as if I had another head or something,
"...yeah. I do."
I feel extremely relieved,
"Oh, thank goodness! Do you know where I am? What country is this, or what city?"
The stranger hesitated for a moment and answered, "This is the Republic of Padokea…"
I then got incredibly confused,
"Huh…? the Republic of Padokea…? What's that…?"
The stranger scoffed at me,
"Are you serious?"
"W-what part is Republic of Padoeka of…?"
"Hah?" The stranger scrunches their nose at me. I can tell they're getting fed up with me.
"You stupid or something? Whatever! I ain't got time for this!"
"W-wait! I don't know where I am! Where do I find help to get to where I need to be…?" I called the stranger, but they left without a word.
I felt panic brewing, but I remembered my cell phone. I rummaged through my bag and turned it on. I dialed my home phone number in hopes someone would pick up, I waited for the phone to ring, but nothing. I checked and see the service is down.
"What…? Oh, come on!" I put my phone away now determined to look for a pay phone or something around here. I scoured the area until I saw one.
"Huh. A phone booth. I haven't seen these in ages." I entered the booth and took out my purse. I took out a coin and inserted it into the slot. …only for it to spit out my coin. I took the coin and inserted it again then remembered,
"Oh my god, I forgot… I probably need foreign money for this thing. Ugh!" I leave the booth getting more agitated every second.
"Uh… Excuse me, do you have spare change for the phone?" Time pass until I finally got spare change for the damn phone. I frustratedly entered the booth again and inserted the coin. I dialed my home phone number and waited for the phone to ring…
"We're sorry, you have reached a number that has been disconnected or is no longer in service." I look down at the phone in shock.
"What…?" There must be a mistake. There has to be! So the next thing I could think of is to look for an authority figure around these parts, maybe they could help me somehow! I then started looking for that very person and sure enough, I found one.
"Excuse me, sir. Would you help me please?"
—
"No… that can't be…!" I was in complete shock. The officer gave me a map of the world after I explained my situation. The officer didn't believe me at all.
"I'm telling you! What you're saying sounds ridiculous."
"B-but I'm telling the truth! I don't recognize any of this! York New?! What the hell is that?! Shouldn't it be called New York?! This makes no sense!" I started acting hysterical. The officer raised his hand,
"Hey calm down! I'm sure you're just exhausted or have a head injury, we can send you to a doctor-"
"No! I'm FINE! I don't need medical attention! I know what I'm saying! This place is not my home!" I think a panic attack is starting to set in.
"It's okay… You'll be fine, I can find help for you."
"No… No, you're not…!" I left the officer post and ran out of there. I looked around frantically, feeling the fatigue. My breath shortening…I slowed down and walked aimlessly, not knowing where to go, until I found myself in an alleyway again. I crouched down and covered my face with my hands. Tears started falling from my eyes. The panic attack I'm feeling is slowly and gradually amping up. My breaths are getting shorter and my heart starts racing. I try my hardest to calm myself, but I'm having trouble.
Then I started sobbing. I didn't know how long I cried, but I could feel myself start to calm down. Once my panic attack subsided, I heard footsteps approach me.
"What have we here? A damsel in distress?" A voice smooth like honey speaks out of the blue,
I turned my attention to whoever was approaching me and I saw a tall man in a jester-like outfit with makeup on his face, a star on his right cheek, and a teardrop on his left. His hair is a red color that defies gravity. He looks at me with a Cheshire cat smile on his beautiful face. The man is gorgeous. I stared at him with tears still running down my cheeks. He tips his head to the side, examining me,
"It's unbelievable that you are the one with such a strong aura around you. It's so strong that I just want to see how strong you are!" This man didn't make sense to me.
"...Wh-What…?" The man continued to study me now looking puzzled,
"Hmm… However, looking at you, you don't seem to be a fighter given your physique."
"What the heck are you talking about…?" I asked him while wiping my face with the sleeve of my cardigan,
"Hmmm… It seems I have been mistaken. If I fight you now you wouldn't be able to defend yourself despite the strong aura you're giving out. Also, you look exhausted as well. How unfortunate." He says, now sounding more irritating the more he speaks. I already got up from crouching and snapped at him,
"Seriously! What the hell are you talking about?! If you're just here to mock me, fuck you and leave me alone!"
"Such hostility."
"What do you want?! Can't you see I'm not in the mood for… This?!" I tell him as I gestured my hands around.
"And what exactly is 'this' you're talking about~?" He asks me and mimics my movements with a teasing tone. I'm very done with this man.
"I don't have time for this, I'm leaving." I started to go until,
"One moment." The man then appeared in front of me in a flash, I was stunned. I stumbled back a bit staring at him,
"H-how… did you…?"
"Hmmm… Given your reaction, this is the first time you have seen something like this. But I must ask… What do you see around me~?" He asks me still looking at me with such interest. I gave him a puzzled look but looked around him. Around him is some kind of smoke or steam coursing through him. I did notice it earlier when I first saw him, but I didn't know what to make of it at all. I answered him,
"Some kind of steam is coming from you." He smirked at me,
"I find you very amusing."
"Huh..?"
Then out of nowhere, he charged at me, I let out a yelp and instinctively stepped to the side and fell. The man turned to me as I got up from the ground, but before I completely got up from the ground, he pinned me down. I stared up at him, now feeling scared. What is going to happen to me…?
"How unfortunate."
"Let me go!" I struggled under him.
"What are you going to do in this situation, I wonder? Are you going to let me hurt you? Are you going to find a way to escape? Are you going to let me have my way with you? It's very tempting." He tells me as his grip on my wrists tightens. I struggled even harder until I started to scream,
"Let… me… GOO!"
—
The girl's voice has gotten louder, the vibration of her voice caused the man to get off of her and cover his ears. The windows of the buildings around them shattered. He is in awe of what he has witnessed. This girl impressed him greatly. He wants to see more of what she can do.
—
Once I felt the weight on me was gone, my sense of self returned. For what felt like a full 30 minutes, the man just clapped. I stumbled away from this crazy clown,
"Remarkable! Astounding! I didn't expect that at all!" He then stalked towards me as I backed away from him,
"Back off!" I yelled, meekly, waiting on what he was going to do next,
"It appears you aren't aware of what you just did about a few minutes ago?" The man tells me as he gets even closer.
"...What I did…?"
"Yes. You released your voice and almost made me go deaf, not only that, You even broke the windows of the buildings of this area." I quickly looked around and sure enough, what he's pointed out is true. The windows of the buildings weren't broken before. How did that happen? What did I do? The confusion on my face seemed to amuse the man in front of me as he continued to talk once again,
"You have a lot of potential, I like that. You should learn how to use your abilities well. I suggest you find a powerful Nen User to help you learn the basics quickly. I'm dying to know how strong you can be. I just can't wait~! Just thinking about it is getting me so excited~!" As he tells me this he lets out a moan making me uncomfortable,
"Why the hell should I listen to you, you creep?!" He gave me a little chuckle and answered,
"You should. In this world, there are people just like me who have their hand in battles you can't win. Nen Users who like to cause a whole lot of chaos. But, unlike me, they will kill you without a second thought and the reason why I haven't killed you yet is because I am intrigued by what you can do in the future." I just stared at him silently as he told me this. I still don't know what he's talking about. Nen User? What's that?
"What… is a Nen User…?"
"Interesting. You don't know what that is?"
"I don't!" I snapped at him. The more I interact with this man, the more fed up I am with him. The man continues to give me that infuriating Cheshire cat smile of his as he answers my question in a teasing manner,
"A Nen User is someone with the ability to use their aura as a weapon. There are six categories in total. Which category will you fall under, I wonder?"
"That still doesn't make sense to me!"
"That's why I suggest you find a Nen User to help you understand it better." I glared at him,
"How the hell am I gonna find one, then?!" The man just laughed at me. That just made me angrier, He calmed down and looked at me,
"You are very amusing! Well! Best of luck to you, I'll find you when you're ready." He then starts to leave. I didn't understand what he was going on about. Not to mention, that bastard just attacked me, and then he left? The nerve of that guy! But wait! He didn't even introduce himself to me at all and dared to tell me that he knew where to find me?! What is wrong with that man?!
"Hey! Who the hell are you?! You can't just attack me out of nowhere and just leave like that!" The man stops and looks at me, very amused by my outburst.
"Call me Hisoka." He then starts to leave again. That's it?! He's not gonna ask for my name?! What a jerk! I just stared at him in disbelief. He then turns a corner and he's out of my sight. Find a Nen User. How the hell do I find someone like that? I don't even know where to look at all! Then it hit me! A Nen User was right in front of me all along! And he left! He just made me feel incredibly stupid! What with the stupid shit-eating grin he's been wearing all that time. I ran after him,
"Hey wait!" As I turned to where he went, he was gone.
Just great! I pouted when I thought about it more. Actually, why the hell would I even ask him to help me, anyway? The man attacked me out of nowhere for crying out loud! Not to mention, how creepy he has been about it all. I scoffed angrily and started coming up with a plan on how I could find a Nen user other than that man named Hisoka, in the first place.
—
Hisoka watches the young woman leave. He stands on top of a rooftop and chuckles to himself. The girl has potential as well as an interesting one to keep tabs on. After following her since he felt such strong Nen nearby, The girl appears to not belong in this world what with the 'Fish out of Water' act she has with everything. The cautious demeanor, the suspicion, the prickly front she has. Not to mention how she handles him. It's amusing. She didn't appear to be afraid of him at all despite everything he just did to her a few moments ago. Well, she was afraid for a moment when he attacked, but all that fear went away rather quickly. She just wears all of her emotions on her sleeve. It's all amusing indeed. He can't wait to see what she can do later here.
Chapter 2: Chapter 1: Lost and Found
Summary:
The Young woman must navigate her way. She must find a Master but where?
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
It's been two days since I've been in this world. It wasn't easy at all. I had to find a place to sleep and get something to eat. I was incredibly miserable. Before I got here, I had a place to go home to, a warm bed and I didn't have to worry about going hungry at all. This is one of my biggest nightmares. I took shelter in an abandoned building. I hugged myself, lost in thought. I did my best to learn more about the world I'm in. I got a map of the world and sure enough, it's very foreign to me. I didn't understand the words on the paper. I don't know the names, the continents… Nothing. For the past two days, my anxiety has worsened. I couldn't read anything in this world. All I can rely on are just spoken words. But strangely, the numbers are also the only things I can understand.
I got up and headed out of the abandoned building. The place is dreary and sad. I sniffed myself and knew I needed a bath. My stomach grumbled from the lack of food. I now feel a little desperate. I need to find food soon before I pass out. I scan my surroundings. I need to find something I can eat fast. I walked around for a bit until something caught my eye. It's a loaf of bread out in the open sitting on the windowsill at a bakery store. But next to it is the baker, working nearby near the window sill. I am not one to condone stealing at all. I'm completely against it, but… I'm incredibly desperate. I need food.
My plan now starts to form. I need to get the bread from the baker somehow without getting detected. I walked around the target making sure I wasn't spotted. I see something that could distract the person and plan my escape route once I take the bread. I waited until the person turned away from the window sill, I picked up a pebble nearby and threw at something inside the store, then turned towards the noise, and then dashed for the bread, The baker turned and saw me, I cursed,
"Hey!"
I then made a run for it with the bread in my hand feeling how fresh and hot it was,
"CATCH THAT THIEF!"
I dashed as I sensed I was being chased. I turned and saw three men after me, I shrieked and gained speed. I ran made several turns and jumped off some ledges in hopes of losing them. I felt like I'd been chased for a good 1 hour around the city. I ran as fast as I could until I found myself at a dead end. Dread fills me. I turned around to face my would-be assailants. I hugged the bread close to my chest as they went closer to me,
"No, don't…" I managed to say,
"Don't? Why should we listen to you, you damn thief?!"
"You should be taught a lesson for stealing!"
"Give us the bread!" They demanded,
"Wh-what..? It's just bread…! Why do you want to do this…? W-we don't have to make this ugly…" I told them weakly, I didn't want to go through this.
"Shut up!" They yelled. The three of them got even closer as I now got my back pinned to the wall. I closed my eyes and braced myself
"HEY!" A voice rang out, I opened my eyes and saw a woman behind the three men. This woman stands out. She looks like she's physically fit and a lot older than I am. Around her fifties. Her clothes don't exactly stand out. Just a black bandana over her wavy gray hair, a red checkered unbuttoned collared shirt over her off-white top, and a pair of jeans. No, something else about her stands out. She appears incredibly tough, too. The aura she gives off tells me exactly that. She approaches us as the three men turn to her,
"Mind your business!" The lead man yelled at her,
"Can't do that." She tells them.
"What? Are you going to interfere?! This girl stole something!"
The woman walks closer to us,
"Still. Are three men ganging up on just one girl? That doesn't exactly look right."
"You got the wrong idea! We're not gonna do anything to her, we're just giving her a lesson about stealing!"
"Yeah… That sounds even worse."
The leader becomes fed up with her,
"Whatever! I'm done with this shit! Do you want to get your ass kicked first?! Fine by ME!"
The leader threw a fist in her direction. She easily dodges it by simply side-stepping it as if it were no big deal. The leader stumbled forward when she dodged his punch. She kneed him in the stomach. He went down.
Then the second person tried his hand at trying to land a hit on her, but she dodged it as well, but not without sweeping her leg at his feet, leading him to fall to the ground. He hit his head to leave him in a daze.
The third one was hesitant but decided to charge with a scream as he picked up a wooden stick that was lying around and attempted to land a swing. It landed a hit right directly on her head. She turned to him, not looking too pleased with what he did. In fact… She looks ready to kill him.
The man with the stick froze in place and regretted his life choices at that moment in time. She then punched him square in the face, sending him flying. I watched in awe as the man flew over the brick wall. I turned my attention back to the woman, speechless.
"...Amazing."
The woman eyes me,
"You're odd."
"Heh?" I looked at her questioningly. She just looked at me like I was some dumb kid or something… Hey wait a minute,
"You are radiating such strong life energy, yet you don't use it?" She questions me,
"Well… I don't… Um…." I didn't know what to say,
"Do you know Nen?"
"Kind of? But, not really…" I looked at the ground and just fiddled with the bread in my hand not exactly knowing how to answer this woman. She just lets out a sigh at me,
"Wow. That's kinda surprising. And here I thought I have to deal with a very strong Nen User."
I then noticed the leader getting up, he picked up a different piece of wood and aimed at her back. I was about to say something but She only responded by doing a back kick at the man, bringing him back to the ground. I'm still impressed. She continues to look at me and asks,
"What's your name anyway?"
I told her my name. She crosses her arms,
"Hmm… So, have you taken the Hunter Exams yet?"
"Huh…? Hunter Exam…?" I asked her, She raised her brow,
"Hah? So, you haven't?"
"...Yeah."
"Well, you're hopeless."
"EXCUSE ME?!" The nerve of this HAG!
—
We are at an open patio cafe. I'm sitting with the lady that saved me and she offered me some food, so here I am, wolfing down on what I ordered. The woman, who called herself Baran, offered to pay for my food. And you can't deny free food! I continued to wolf down my food as Baran watches me,
"Careful. You don't wanna choke, do ya?"
"Fnmk ynmm tho mssh fhn dnm foob."
"Chew your damn food," Baran tells me sternly.
I chewed and gulped it down with a glass of apple juice.
"Thank you so much for the food! You're a lifesaver!"
Baran just nodded to me in response. I finished everything on my plate. Now I'm stuffed.
"That was delicious!" I said, satisfied.
"So, tell me. What's your story?" Baran speaks still studying me, I could tell she wanted answers so, I answered,
"Well, how do I tell you without sounding like a lunatic?"
"Depends on how you word it."
"Um…. Okay." I took a deep breath, then proceeded to explain my situation,
"So, I'm not from this world and I have no idea how I got here, also… I got attacked by a Killer Clown in an alleyway after being in this world for about a few hours. I found out I could break windows with my voice. That same Killer Clown suggested I find a Nen User… or whatever and ask them to help me control whatever strong aura I'm giving off all because there are people in this world who can fight with powers. He said that in the weirdest, creepiest way possible as if he wants to fuck my corpse or something…. But anyway! After being here for about two days, I realized I can't read anything in this world all because it's in another language I don't understand and it appears there really are no languages I know at all here, so I'm pretty much fucked especially when I have no currency that works in this world which causes me to resort to sleeping in abandoned buildings and just recently, I was about to steal food all because I have no money and no idea how I can navigate around in this world! So, I'm filled with constant uncertainty and anxiety and fear… And… That's it!"
I waited for Baran to say something. Anything,
"Wow. That's a load of crap, huh?"
I knew it! I shouldn't have said anything!
"But it's TRUE!" I yell, standing up and slamming my hands on the table, people around us turned towards us, wondering what's going on,
"I don't belong here!" I rummaged through my things and took out my cell phone,
"Just look!" I turned on my phone and passed it to her. She took my phone skeptically and looked through it. I watched her look through it and her skeptical look turned to a little disbelief,
"I gotta admit, those words do look pretty foreign, but it could be gibberish for all I know."
I glared at her,
"They're not gibberish! I swear this is the language I've grown up learning! And didn't you notice how I struggled to order my food earlier?! Those are genuine! I have no idea what they even have on the damn menu! I don't know anything!"
I then took my phone back and started flipping through my gallery, showing all of my photos of my friends and family,
"This picture I took, was taken at the Sumida Aquarium, Tokyo Japan! I had a vacation there with my family!"
I then flicked to the next photo,
"This one was taken at Times Square, New York in the United States! I went there with some friends on a road trip! And to top it all off!"
I took out my wallet and emptied it to show the change and bills I had on to the table forcibly with anger,
"This is ALL mymoney! You see this?!" I took out my credit card and debit card and showed it all to her. Even my ID card,
"This is all mine! This is my citizenship to where I'm supposed to be! Why the HELL should I even lie about this sort of crap, anyway?!" I yelled, feeling incredibly fed up with everything, fed up with having to resort to stealing some bread, fed up with having to find shelter in a world I don't belong. I sat back down in my chair, holding my face in my hands now feeling tears go down my face,
"I can't take this…! I just want to go home…! I want to see my family again… I want to see my friends again…! This place is wrong. I don't belong here…." I couldn't help but start to sob.
—
Baran looks at the young woman in front of her. She doesn't know how to deal with the information that was given to her. All she wanted to know was why this girl was giving out such a strong aura. She assumed the girl was an incredibly strong Nen User and she wanted to investigate, but as it turns out, this girl is not a Nen user, not really, at least. Then the girl proceeds to dump all of that on her in one sitting. And all of it filled with fear and despair. Baran looked at the girl's form.
Broken.
She feels bad for her.
Baran lets out an exasperated sigh,
"All right, it's time to calm down."
—
I looked up at her, still feeling upset, still sniffling with tears in my eyes. Baran looks at me and gets up from her chair,
"So, you looking for a Nen User?" She asked me. To be honest, I don't know, What is the benefit of finding one anyway? I blinked the tears from my eyes,
"I guess so… But I don't know why I need to, though…" I told her honestly.
Baran closed her eyes as if thinking for a moment. She then opened her eyes again and gestured her to follow with her head.
—
The sky is now graduating to an orange hue, meaning it's now the twilight hours. We are walking down the street. Baran walks in front of me as I follow. I don't exactly know where she's leading me, but I followed her anyway. Everything is silent between us,
"I think it's a smart move to look for a Nen User to help you."
"Is it?"
"Of course. They can give you the resources you need. Also, if you're ever in a bind, you can control the situation with what you've learned from them."
I take in what Baran has said so far. That's true. I do need the help and resources. Baran looks back at me for a moment,
"Listen. I don't usually offer a lot of help to people that often…:
As if saving me, buying me food, and giving me information on what I need to do isn't considered often…
"And working to use Nen is a very tall task to do… So… Why not take you under my wing?"
I stopped in my tracks when she said it. To be honest, I don't know what she's getting at, but at the same time, I didn't exactly know how to respond to what she's proposing,
"I'll be your Nen Master from now on."
I stared at her in awe.
—
Somewhere, a few cities over, a commotion is happening in a huge museum, Many Officers stormed the building. They were just informed that a very precious item for an event had just been stolen and no one knows where it is, They've been informed there was a massacre going on, but when they got there, no one was there.
Off in the distance, grey eyes watch the chaos unfold. A young man in a long dark purple coat stands at the top of the building holding his phone to his ear,
"Everything is complete. It's time to go."
He hangs up and leaves the scene completely.
A young woman stands by as he walks passed her,
"Machi." He gestures to her, and the woman called Machi nods to him and follows behind,
"So, onto the next target?"
"For now, no. We'll be laying low for a while." He tells her,
"Whatever you say, boss."
The two leave the premises.
Notes:
I think I'm cooking something.
Maybe.
Chapter 3: Chapter 2: The Likeness of Space
Summary:
After a few weeks with her Nen Master, she gets a chance to encounter a notorious bandit during her first run to the groceries.
Notes:
Something is definitely cooking. It's getting there somehow.
Chapter Text
It's been a few weeks since Baran decided to take me in as her student. I'm very grateful. So, now I'm staying at her apartment, and she's explained to me how I can calm my aura quickly after. She explained to me About Nen and the six different categories. And apparently, I can fall under one of them if I do a water divination. All is good, but that's not the only thing Baran has been teaching me, she also is trying to teach me the Universal Alphabet of this world, and yeah. It was easy. All I had to do was compare them to the original Alphabet system that I've learned. And the Numbers are the same so, I did not need to learn about that. But the currency is kind of a different story….
"HEY! PAY ATTENTION!" Baran yells at me.
Scary….
"I'm sorry I'm trying! Can't we take a little break? I'm pooped."
Baran sighs, "Seriously, I'm tryin' to teach you a very vital lesson and you're slacking off!"
"I'm not slacking. I'm just bored…" I pouted.
"God, you're like a grown-ass kid."
I pouted even harder at that comment,
"But I'm not. I'm an adult."
Baran glared daggers at me.
Scary….
"Ugh. I'm getting a headache. Fine! But one final lesson you're gonna have to do today."
I stopped my pouting and listened for my next lesson,
"You'll be doing the groceries. We ran out of milk."
"Huh?"
"That's right. You'll be learning how to use the currency in real-time." She crossed her arms,
"Is that even a good idea? What if I get scammed?"
"It's the grocery store. Besides, if you did get scammed, at least you got the food. But I'd just end up thinking you're hopeless if that did happen."
"Seriously, you didn't have to be so mean about that."
—
So, I'm now at the grocery. Living with Baran is very helpful. Now I have a roof over my head and food to eat, She even helps me with getting my phone to work here in this world. I'm pretty thankful for that. I thought I wouldn't be able to use my phone here in this world, but it turns out, the technology here isn't all that different from my world. So far, that is… I noticed the technology here is a little bit outdated compared to my own phone, but my phone managed to function just fine. It's just a little more advanced and I worried they won't have chargers ready for me to use if my out phone charger would ever break in the future. But, I'll keep that thought in the back of my mind for now.
Other than that, of course, it's not all that smooth sailing living with her. In exchange, I need to train on how to use Ten, Ren, and Zetsu every day for me to figure out what category I fall under when I take the water divination test. Also, she did give me some self-defense lessons along with it. I have taken some self-defense as a kid, but it has been a while…
"Thank you very much!" The cashier says after I paid for the groceries. I nodded took the bags and headed my way back to Baran's apartment.
"Man, I hope I was given the right change," I muttered to myself.
—
An orange fell out of the grocery bag and rolled in front of someone's feet. He picked it up and approached the girl in front of him.
—
I was lost in thought until,
"Excuse me."
I stopped in my tracks as I heard a voice from behind me. I see a man in a black suit and a bandana wrapped around his forehead approaching me holding an orange in his hand. I blinked at him. He's pretty handsome. He made it to me and held the orange towards me,
"You dropped this."
"Oh! Thank you!"
He gives me a small smile,
"It's no problem."
I give him a little bow and am about to continue my way back to Baran's apartment when he speaks again,
"I have to say, you seem like a unique individual."
Hmmm? That came out of nowhere. I turned back to him curiously,
"Oh. Uh, thank you."
"Can we speak for a moment?"
I honestly don't know how to respond to that other than,
"Why?"
"I don't know… There's just something about you that makes me want to get to know you better."
Is he flirting with me….?
"O-oh… Um, sorry, but…. I'm not…going to just talk to you instantly like that."
I struggled to say. I'm so flustered I couldn't use my words right.
"B-besides. You're a stranger… Don't talk to random strangers, after all."
The man nodded to me,
"Understandable. Sorry for making you uncomfortable, I just find you cute."
If my face was redder before, it sure is now,
"O-oh? Well…. I still won't follow you to wherever you want me to follow you too!"
"I apologize for not introducing myself." He holds out his hand toward me,
"I'm Chorllo Lucilfer. Nice to meet you."
—
The girl introduced herself to Chrollo in return. A very pretty name. He had to admit, she did catch his eye with her looks, but that's not the only thing that he took an interest in her.
This woman had a very interesting aura going about her, it was very strong and he wanted to know who she was. After all, he does need to recruit more people into the troupe and she could be a good candidate. If he knew her better maybe he might have a good ally. If not, maybe he could take her Nen ability. He turns to the girl and sees she seems to be none the wiser to his plans which makes him wonder about her a little more.
—
Back at Baran's apartment, Baran has heard of the museum incident that happened last night. After going on the Hunter website, she's looking for a case that pays well. And so, the large bounty on them is pretty big, but of course, they're a crafty bunch, they could be anywhere. So, that case is a maybe. Baran turned to look at the time. Her student should be home by now, what could keep her?
Baran sighs, contemplating whether or not she goes out to find her.
She decided to wait for a little bit more til then she's going to search for something else. She was searching until one other thing caught her eye. A case where two people are kidnapped and their whereabouts have been found, but unfortunately, they are still in the hands of their captors. The hostages are in dire need of saving. The reward is 100,000,000 jenny. She reads about it and lets out a hmmm,
"So a sacrificial ritual is going to take place in about two weeks, huh? And those two are going to be the sacrifices… Have to say sounds pretty disgusting. And barbaric."
Baran looks back up at the clock,
"Seriously, where the hell is that girl?"
—
Chrollo and I are at the park resting. I don't know how, but he has convinced me to talk with him for a bit. So, far, he is one of the few people I've met in this world who are friendly,
"So what is it you want to talk about?"
"I just want to know who you are."
"What do you mean?" I tilt my head at him curiously,
"I just noticed something about you that makes you unique."
"Really? So, it's not just me being…. Cute… that caught your interest?"
He lets out a chuckle,
"Well, that, too. But I've noticed something else about you."
I watched him as he didn't speak for a few moments until,
"I've noticed how strong your aura is. Are you a Nen User?"
I didn't know how to answer that properly, but I tried,
"I guess I am, but I'm still fairly new to it. I just started for only a few weeks."
—
As he heard that from this girl, he was a little disappointed that this girl in front of him was still new, but she still gave off a very strong aura. One that feels interestingly unique. He decides to keep an eye on her in the future.
—
"Ah, I see. I have to say, you do have the potential. Your aura speaks volumes."
"Really?" So, it's not just Baran and Hisoka who think so, Chrollo thought so, too. I wonder about that. What is it about my aura that catches people's attention? They said I give out a very strong one, but in what way?
"I'd like to ask, what does my aura give off? And I was taught to contain it a little better, but I still have a lot to learn, I guess? Or am I missing something here?"
Chrollo thought of it for a moment,
"Hmmm, How do I put this? Your aura feels like it could engulf a person whole."
Now that just made me even more confused,
"What do you mean?"
"Let's just say, your aura is like the ocean."
"Really?! I-I didn't mean to make it like that, I'm not trying to drown people in it"
"No, no. Your aura, funnily enough, feels pretty comforting. And I guess, the ocean isn't exactly the right description, It's more like the vast, deep space."
Oh. How very romantic of him. A blush is dusted on my face right now,
"Man, you're such a charmer! If you keep that up, I'm gonna suspect something is going on here!" I told him with a laugh,
Chrollo just smiles at me. Just then, someone's phone rings. Chrollo reaches into his pocket and looks at it,
"It seems time is up."
"Oh, you're going?"
"Yes, unfortunately."
"Oh…. I was hoping to get to ask you some questions." I was disappointed,
"It's okay we can reach each other in the future," Chrollo tells me reassuringly, He then holds his hand out to me. It took me a bit to understand what he was implying until,
"Oh yeah! Here!"
I then took out my phone and gave it to him. He puts his number into my contacts.
I can't believe I managed the get a hot guy's number! I said in my head as I mentally squealed happily, but I concealed my giddiness after he was done and handed my phone back to me,
"I have to say, your phone seems very new, where'd you get it?"
"Oh uhh…"
When he asked that, I didn't know how to answer that question at all! Do I lie to his face and name a random store? Or do I tell him the truth? My mind is now running a mile a minute figuring out how I should answer until,
"HEY!" An angry voice yelled loudly in the distance. The two of us turned to the source of the voice and, sure enough, there was my Nen teacher stalking us very angrily. Crap. I forgot what time it was. She finally made it toward us with a scowl on her face.
Scary….
"There you are! Don't you know what time it is?! You should've been back a few hours ago!"
"...Sorry, Baran…"
"It's 'Sorry, Baran-Sensei' to you! Seriously! I thought something terrible happened to you and had to look for you but yet, here you are, acting like a blushing high school girl with some boy!"
My face went red from that. I jumped up to my feet out of embarrassment,
"WHAT?! NO WAY!"
"Uh-huh, sure you aren't just having some awkward flirting with some pretty boy isn't exactly what's happening here at all."
While this is happening, Chrollo just watches between us.
God, this is embarrassing!
"AARRGGHH! SHUT UP YOU DAMN OLD HAG!"
That comment I threw resulted in a hit to the top of my noggin,
"OW! WHAT THE HELL?!"
"OLD HAG?! GIVE ME SOME RESPECT YOU LITTLE BRAT!"
The two of us kept arguing until Chrollo got up and called to catch our attention,
"Um, excuse me."
The two of us stopped in the middle of our petty arguments where Baran had me in a headlock and me pulling at her hair. We turned to him,
"It's nice to meet you and, I'm sorry for keeping her out for so long, ma'am." He then bowed to her in apology. Baran lets go of me and brightens up,
"Oh, apology accepted! This girl is a handful and naive, so I do worry about her sometimes." She says to him with a smile.
I didn't say anything and looked away, pouting, crossing my arms. Seriously. Why am I blushing so much? Chrollo stood up straight again,
"I must be going. It's nice talking to you."
"Uh, yeah. You too! Nice to meet you." I said to him. He then starts walking and waves to us goodbye. I waved back at him. As I'm doing so, Baran just watches the display in front of her,
"You just met the guy." She says simply,
I stopped waving and narrowed my eyes at her,
"Yeah, so?"
"So? He could've easily been a serial killer or even a human trafficker. Have you ever thought of that?!"
I hate to admit it, but she's right. What I did was extremely stupid. Especially with the fact that I've just been transported into this world about a few weeks ago. And I did get attacked by a hot…. Sexy… Clown man… shortly after I got transported here. He DID want to try and kill me the first time he sensed my aura, so I do need to be very careful in this world. I let out a sigh and turned to Baran,
"Y-you're right. I'm sorry."
"You better be sorry. You need to be more aware next time. Just because a pretty boy decided to randomly give you attention doesn't always mean he wants to ask you on an innocent date, you got that?."
"I got it," I answered sourly. Seriously, she's not my mother…
"Alright! Enough lecturing! Tomorrow! I'll run you to the ground with Nen practice! That'll be your punishment! You'll train so hard, you won't feel your muscles the next day!"
I just let out an annoyed groan.
—
Chrollo didn't exactly go that far from where the girl and her teacher were. He observed her. So after learning a little bit about her, he had come to some conclusions about her. The girl is very naive. Isn't exactly self-aware, but that could change depending on how she can adapt. He even noticed how bright-eyed and innocent she acted, as if everything around her was fairly new to her. Well, the one thing he got from all of that is he definitely will be in contact with her. He did give her his number after all. And so, it's going to be easier to keep track of the potentially strong Nen User. He looks forward to how that will go and what his interaction with her holds in store for them in the future.
Chapter 4: Chapter 3: Before the Night of the Witch
Summary:
The young woman goes on a mission with her teacher to save the hostages. The strange cult members are more than they seem.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
Baran and I are in the living room. I have my hands hovering to the side of a glass full of water. Today is my try at the water divination test to finally see which category I fall under. Baran watches me and instructs me on what I should do,
"It's time for the water divination test. You need to use Ren for it to work."
I followed her instructions to use Ren and watch the water carefully. The leaf floating in the water hasn't changed, the water itself hasn't changed. I wondered if I had done something wrong. Just as I was about to give up on the divination, something started to form in the water. I was in awe when bubbles started to form,
"Looks like you're a conjurer."
I reviewed mentally what a conjurer does again.
"So, I can create things?"
Baran nods her head,
"Yup. For a Conjurer, you need to visualize an object you want to conjure up with your Nen. Whether it be, for example, a pencil or something, you need to touch the object and study it for you to have an accurate depiction to create it perfectly with Nen."
"So I have to figure out what I could use for my Nen ability?"
"Yeah. That's all I can tell you. The rest is up to you."
I guess I understand that. Also, Baran is an Enhancer so, she can tell me the basics of Nen and the training,
"Thanks for everything, Baran," I said,
"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't exactly know what to do with myself."
"Eh, it was nothing."
"No, it's not. If you hadn't found me, I would've probably died in a foreign world."
Baran turned away getting embarrassed,
"Quit the mushy shit and go!"
I gave her a grateful smile and headed towards my room.
I did study a little bit about what conjurers can do and I heard they can even do pocket dimensions. That's pretty neat and extremely useful! I hummed to myself as I looked at my things and figured out what I could use for my conjuring abilities.
—
In one week a sacrifice will be held. Where? People still need to figure that out. The full information about this situation is:
Two teens have been kidnapped, a male and a female. Both are unrelated to each other. They were last seen leaving their schools after school hours to go home, but they never made it home at all. One of the two teens is related to a mafia member and so, he has put out a reward to find the missing teens in search of his child.
Baran has decided to take this case and find the two teens. She decided she could bring her student along, the notorious world traveler herself. And during all that, she hopes to teach her how to use her Nen during combat if they do encounter that kind of danger, she hopes nothing goes wrong.
—
I was told to pack my bags and prepare to go travel with Baran. She told me we'll be going on some mission and we'll be out for a while. After training under her for a while, I realized it's going to officially be one month next week that I've been here in this world. I've learned a lot, and I did make one friend in this world, even though it was brief and we only interacted through text, I still feel like everything is smooth sailing from here. Maybe I can get info about my unique situation.
I was in the middle of packing my things when I stopped and looked at my bag. This bag has been with me for a very long time. It even came with me to this world. After some thinking, I finally know what to do with that whole pocket dimension thing. I've decided, my bag would be the thing that can hold anything and everything I need. Man, I'm a genius! I then continued to pack my things but, with a lot more enthusiasm put into it!
—
Baran and I are at the train station. She gave me the rundown on the mission to save the two teens. To be honest, I wasn't sure about the idea of me being involved with this mission. After all, I don't have Hunter's license to do this, but Baran reassured me that if things get too intense and out of hand, I can leave. Although I couldn't help but worry about what will happen to Baran if I do leave, being the hard ass that she is, Baran tells me she will be fine.
I took out my phone and checked the time. I then decided to send Chrollo a message just in case I wouldn't be able to text him again in the area we were going to. The train finally arrived and I took in a deep breath to ready myself to enter a new area of this world.
We entered the train and the first thing did was start practicing my Hatsu. Baran, observing me as I did so. Our train ride there went smoothly and without incident, but I just couldn't help but feel kind of nervous.
I think I'm gonna throw up…
Baran notices this and tries to calm me down,
"Hey. I know it's gonna be nerve-wracking, but I've taught you everything that can help you in battle."
"Well… Yeah, but I still haven't been in a fight before this, though. How would you know if I can make it out without a scratch?"
Baran didn't say anything for a moment then took in a deep breath,
"I have to be honest with you… I'm not exactly sure what this mission will entail, but… It's a rescue mission, so we will be working with a few other people when we get there, but since we're working with a few others, you will be able to watch what the professionals do."
I'm still unsure of any of this, but I will trust her on this for now. I turned my head to the window and watched the scenery go by.
—
Meanwhile, under a giant tree. A cloaked figure approaches the base of the tree. They looked up at the tree for a moment then turned to two others,
"Any updates on our…. Guests?"
"They're going to arrive here at the right time." The calm one tells them,
"Excellent. How about the precious items?"
"They'll be here before you know it!" The other one says enthusiastically,
The main cloaked figure nods to the other members and turns back to the tree,
"Then, everything is going smoothly."
—
We finally arrived at our destination. It was a pretty long ride. About five days, at least. I let out a huge yawn and a stretch. Being crammed in a room with Baran is not exactly pleasant. It was super hard to sleep at night with her always snoring and kicking me in her sleep. Seriously, what was she even dreaming about making her kick so much… But, other than that, I always did find it hard to sleep in the same room with another person anyway.
I let out a tired sigh as Baran seemed more energized than ever.
Probably with all the kicking gave her a boost or something…
"You ready, Pupil? In two days, we'll be saving two helpless kids."
"Yeah…"
"C'mon! Give it more energy!" She tells me enthusiastically,
I just gave her a tired stare in response.
Just then, Baran's phone rings. She picks it up,
"Hello? Oh hey! Yeah, we just arrived."
She then approaches the entrance. I picked up our bags and went to follow her until, for some reason, I felt a strange sensation climbing up my spine as if someone was watching me. I looked around but saw no one. That feeling kind of unease me so I bolted with our luggage in hand to catch up to Baran.
—
The figure watches the girl leave the train station in a hurry. They just got off the same train as the two women. With them are two others,
"It seems we'll be having extra guests soon." The smallest of the three speaks. They then turned to the other two,
"Shall we inform the madam about this?"
The medium-sized one scoffed at that question,
"Of course, no doubt about it. Why ask that stupid question?"
"Now, now, no need to be in a hurry. We must study those two. The young lady in particular has indeed caught my attention for sure." The last and tallest member tells them,
"You would say that. You'd practically go down for any woman." The Medium one says in disgust,
The small leader tunes out the two members and turns their focus back to the two women again. The young lady does indeed have something unique about them. Could she be…? The smaller one turned back to the other two,
"Let's meet the Madam. We need to inform her about the girl. She will be thrilled to hear about this."
—
Baran has taken us to the hotel we'll be staying at. In front of the hotel are two individuals, an older man, and a young man. Looking over them, The old man is huge and muscular. And in a Hawaiian shirt, his laid-back demeanor kind of reminds me of how Baran holds herself, but less like he's acting tough and more like he doesn't let many things bother him.
While the young man looks to be younger than me, he seems to hold himself in an organized and mature fashion. The guy looks like a student council president with his hair neat with a clean school uniform. He doesn't seem like a hunter to me. Like at all. Baran waves at them,
"Hey!" She calls them. The older man waved back to her. I followed behind her as she and the man spoke to each other,
"Hey, Miro! How's it going?" Baran greets the man enthusiastically,
"You know how an old man like me can be. By the way, this here is my student, Come on, introduce yourself!" The old man, Miro gestures to the young man. The young man beside him bows to Baran and me,
"It's nice to meet you both, I'm Ivo. I've been a Hunter for almost a year now."
"Ivo here is a prodigy. His Nen abilities are pretty good." Miro brags,
"I still have a lot more things to learn. There's no need for comments like that." Ivo seems to try his best to be unfazed by the compliment but it's obvious he looks embarrassed. I now am curious about their abilities,
"So, what category do you fall under?" I asked each of them,
"It's best to discuss that inside," Ivo tells me, I give him a questioning look. Ivo just gave me a disapproving look.
What did I do?
"The best strategy about learning Nen is to never reveal your secrets to the enemy."
"Heh?"
"In other words. Don't be an idiot."
"Well, that's uncalled for!" I yelled angrily at him.
What a little brat! I glared at him,
"Well, Nice to meet you. I'm Baran and this is my student. She's very new. As in, she just started learning Nen just a month ago." Baran tells them while I just give my teacher an angry look.
She just shrugs me off!
Seriously! The nerve of these people!
—
The four of us enter the hotel to plan our mission. We surrounded a map of the dining table, we discussed how it would all go and I still wasn't sure of this plan we had, but unfortunately for me, I'm not the planning type of person at all. I just do a bunch of things on a whim and hope for the best…
"So, you got the plan? Miro and Ivo will be located where the two hostages are being held while you and I will be making a distraction." Baran tells me. I'm still unsure of it.
We finalized our plans and decided I wanted to sleep on the couch. The hotel room we are staying at does have two bedrooms, but we have to share the beds and I know how badly Baran is in her sleep, so couch it is! I lay on the couch and took out my phone to see if I had any reception and sure enough, I saw the text Chrollo sent me,
'Good luck'is what he sent me.
I smiled at the text and sent another text to update him. I hope we get to see each other again after all this someday soon. I put away my phone and went to sleep.
—
In an abandoned building, the mysterious Phantom Troupe has gathered for the next mission. A certain Jester is sitting on a window sill playing with his cards. Chrollo sits upon them. He's just finished giving his plans when his phone made a sound. Hisoka stops what he's doing and turns his attention to the leader. Chrollo didn't say anything and just smiled to himself as he read the text, which made Hisoka very curious. But it's not just Hisoka, the other members that were present took notice of him smiling as well. A serious-looking girl with pink hair, Machi speaks up,
"What's up with the smile, boss?"
"Nothing much. I just got a text." Chrollo simply tells her. That didn't satisfy her curiosity at all especially Hisoka's. The samurai-looking man, Nobunaga asks for the troupe members present,
"Aww, c'mon, boss! We're curious."
Chrollo thinks about it and then decides to share it with his fellow Troupe members,
"It's a young woman I met a week ago."
"Oohh A woman, eh?"
"Yes. Although it's not exactly what you think. This woman… She gave off a very strong aura when I first met her." Chrollo's comment gets Hisoka's interest.
A young woman with a strong aura? The woman Chrollo met might be the same woman Hisoka, himself had encountered almost a month ago. Things are getting even more interesting.
"That woman I mentioned. She might become a powerful Nen User, so I was thinking of recruiting her to the troupe."
After Chrollo says this, the troupe members present get interested. Hisoka turned away from Chrollo and the members and smirked to himself. This is getting even more interesting indeed.
Notes:
This one and the next Chapter has definitely made me think hard about how this story is going to go in the future. It's giving me ideas. And ideas that I know full well would take me ages to do if I ever decided to work on them. But it's neither here nor there and I will not my empty promises to myself I know I would obviously break. So... Enjoy this one!
Chapter 5: Chapter 4: Walpurgisnacht pt.1
Summary:
It's time for the ritual to begin. The young woman must save the hostages before it's too late, yet something is not right.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
I dream of the day before my departure.
I was with a few of my dearest friends before I got forcibly taken from my world. I remembered them well. They were my safety net through a life of uncertainty when growing up. They helped me through thick and thin. They've supported me since I've decided to make my path in life that isn't but unfortunately, my safety net is no longer with me now. I'm now back to being in that uncertainty once again, but this time, I will be having more difficulty in the future.
"See you guys later!" I said to them as I left.
We all just attended a reunion party after being apart from each other for so long. We all said our goodbyes and promised to meet each other again very soon. But, of course, that won't happen any time soon…
I was just walking home when I heard a strange bell sound. It was almost night time and that sound just came out of nowhere. That sound became constant until the memory of that day became a blur to me. It was a blur until I found myself over the edge of a cliff…?
Is that right?
After that, I felt the sensation of falling…
—
I jolted awake. I stared up at the ceiling, still getting my bearings to where I was. I smell breakfast. I got up from the couch I decided to sleep in and finally remembered I was in the living room of the hotel we were staying at. I see Miro just leave the kitchen. I can see he's wearing an apron, indicating he's the one cooking our food. It does smell pretty good so far.
"Oh hey! Good morning!" He greeted me,
"Morning…" I greeted back to him, still rubbing my eyes from sleep.
Ivo is at the table setting it up and turned to me,
"Greetings." He says simply then goes back to what he's doing. I let out a yawn and just gave him a wave as I went to the bathroom and did my business. When I left the bathroom, Miro approached me,
"Hey, can you wake Baran up? It's time for breakfast."
I nodded and knocked on her door,
"Hey, Baran. It's time to wake up." I wait for a few minutes, but I still hear snoring on the other side of the door. I let out a sigh. I opened the door,
"Hey, wake up. It's morning!" I repeated.
Nothing. She's still snoring the day away. I approached the bed and pulled at the covers, but ended up having a tug of war with it,
"Hey! Wake! Up!"
"Five more minutes…" Baran says dozily,
"No. Wake up. Today's the day for the mission!" I tell her as I tugged at the blankets harder. My god! She's ridiculously strong. Whelp. Time to use the little Nen I developed for this little situation. I mean… it's not much, but Baran does do this a lot sometimes. It's a wonder we even function as a student and teachers with how badly our sleep schedules are, yet here we are. I focused some of my aura into my hand and started tickling her side.
She started laughing uncontrollably, causing her to let go of the blanket.
Works like a charm.
"Okay! You win! Stop!"
I pulled the blanket away from her and threw it to the side. She let out a grumble,
"Good. Get dressed, we're gonna go soon." I said with my hands on my hips with a grin,
"Damn brat…" Baran tells me groggily.
I didn't even mind the comment. I just smugly leave the room feeling triumphant. Miro and Ivo just had blank expressions on their faces, hearing the whole commotion. I didn't pay them any mind at all. I just sat down and smiled at them,
"Can I eat now? I'm hungry."
—
We are now at the location where the ritual is taking place. It was hard to get to. The world's oldest tree was at a hard-to-reach place. We had to climb some cliffs and the forest surrounding it had dangerous fauna, Something I'm not versed in at all. Good thing we had Ivo there. He's a big help with that for sure.
It's not just the fauna, there are some creatures in there as well. I couldn't help but find them pretty terrifying, but fortunately, Miro was there to ward them off us. These two know their thing about the wilderness.
Ivo may not look like it, but he does have a huge plethora of knowledge about survival in the wild. But it makes sense, He studies under Miro, and Miro is the one who looks like he knows his way around survival for sure.
And their class of Nen abilities is surprising, to say the least.
I just learned Miro is a Manipulator.
He has abilities that control the situation very well and thanks to that, a lot of the wildlife hasn't harmed us in the least. His demonstrations when he used his Nen abilities are very informative and very helpful, I could pick up some things I could maybe do in the future if I worked hard enough on my own Nen abilities...
Ivo, however, makes a lot of sense. He's a conjurer like me. The boy created many things that were useful during our journey to the tree. I've observed him and yes, I can learn a lot from him for sure. I've asked some questions about the methods of his techniques as a conjurer and they were really good advice.
We were almost there when I stopped to ask Baran some questions about Nen,
"Hey, Baran?"
"Yeah?"
Is it possible to learn for other new Categories that aren't your own?"
"Of course. When you learn about what category you're under, you can understand the neighboring class you can learn along with your main one. From there, you can gradually learn the others, but that will take a lot of dedication and time." She turns to me. I nodded to her. For some reason, Baran just kept looking at me. I wanted to ask if I said something on my face, but she turned back to where she was going.
—
Baran thought of the day she sensed her pupil's aura. The question of whether or not she could learn all the abilities might take time, but this girl thinks she can do that if she does decide to give that dedication to Nen. This girl is full of surprises and Baran thinks that it might be a good idea to do another water divination if her pupil is a specialist instead. But in due time. For now, that's not their focus right now.
—
We've finally made it to the destination and I couldn't help but feel incredibly nervous.
Baran turns to Miro and Ivo,
"We all know the plan. Once you two locate where they hold the hostages, inform us, and then the rest will play out." She recapped. The two of them nodded. Baran turns to me,
"You know what to do."
I nodded to her in return and we went to find a good hiding place while Ivo and Miro went ahead to the site.
I followed Baran to the tops of the trees and used In to conceal my aura.
—
Ivo and Miro have made it to the site. They see a shed and decide to check it. They found spare disguises as they searched the site. Ivo turns to his teacher,
"Sensei…" Ivo whispered and gave me a look of uncertainty. Miro reassures him with a look and takes the cloaks, but not without activating Gyo to see if anything is afoot. Everything's clear. For now. Miro hands one of the cloaks to Ivo and puts his own on.
So far so good. The two of them exited the shed and started looking for the hostages. In front of them, they see a crowd of cloaked figures.
In the distance, unbeknownst to them, they are being watched. The figure leaves the premise.
As Ivo and Miro were about to join the mass, The cloak figures vanished catching them off guard. they get ambushed.
—
I checked my phone to look at the time, and sure enough it's a few minutes till midnight. I put it away and turned to Baran, wondering if we got anything. Baran nods and gestures for us to start moving. It's now time for us to make a distraction.
Baran led me to the base of one of the trees and she started charging her Ren to her right hand. I stood back as she let out a yell. Soon she released her attack and the tree broke in two and made a loud noise.
Baran and I then headed towards the location where the hostages were supposed to be, which led us straight to the ritual alter, but as we got there…
We see the bodies of Miro and Ivo hanging on a tree branch.
I let out a horrified scream. I didn't mean to scream, I just couldn't help it! This is legitimately the first time I've seen dead bodies… But not just any dead bodies, they're bodies of people I just interacted with just a few moments ago!
My body couldn't stop shaking, tears running nonstop from my eyes, my breath becoming short… I was starting to hyperventilate.
—
Baran couldn't believe it. The bodies of her old friend and his student are right in front of their eyes. Mangled and almost unrecognizable… Swinging in the wind. They've been found out. She let out a curse under her breath and turned to her pupil. She notices how affected she is by this scene. She tries to snap her out of it,
"Hey! We need to get out of here! Come on!"
Baran was about to reach out and grab her hand when suddenly, she felt the strike of a blade to her arm. She quickly jumped away and turned to the attacker. She sees a young man on a tree branch looking down at her. Her pupil snapped out of her panic attack and turned her attention to the attacker as well.
The young man looks no younger than 14 years old. He's small and lithely built. His hair is a golden color. His eyes were the color of emeralds. His face didn't look menacing he gave them a serene smile. Baran growled and went into a fighting stance.
—
I snapped out of my panic attack, I struggled to get up when suddenly I got grabbed from behind. I let out a terrified scream and struggled in their grasp,
"Stop struggling, or I would have no choice but to kill you." They simply said. I stopped, too scared to do anything,
"That's a good girl~."
Baran tries to get to me, but gets knocked back by the boy from earlier and gets apprehended by a taller figure. An aggressive-looking young man with red eyes and long black hair tied in a ponytail,
"Do anything, old hag, and her head will be off her shoulders." The aggressive man threatens her. Baran scoffs at him and complies.
I turned to look at my captor and saw the face of a handsome man with white hair and blue eyes looking down at me with an angelic smile as if he was trying to win me with his charms during the most inappropriate time, I am afraid. I want nothing more than to get out of here and as far away from him as possible!
Three more people came out of the forest. The one near the altar must be the leader…
The man holding me captive took me to the leader, and as I was now finally face to face with them, They took off their hood and revealed that the leader was a beautiful woman with long lavender hair she looked at me closely. She examines me and smiles,
"So you're the one we've been waiting for."
"Wh-what…?" I uttered quietly. She didn't elaborate further and turned back to the altar. I was then moved to the side next to Baran.
Looking at the ritual as a whole, I notice it's a very small group, only a handful of them. So our plan really was a dud from the very beginning. They can't blend in with the crowd at all, because there weren't any. There are only eight of them.
The ritual is about to start and I feel helpless… Two other figures approached the alter and conjured a pocket dimension, as they did so, two bodies appeared laying next to each other on top of a large stone slab near the alter.
I let out a small gasp. In the end, we were too late to save them…
The woman opens a large book in front of her and raises her hands,
"Our fellow witches. We are all gathered here today under the beautiful branches of Yggdrasil… Welcome to our special night, brothers and sisters."
—
The ritual is now going according to plan…. The people around them, now revealed to be witches are chanting. The circle under the slab started glowing, and then… the two bodies of the two dead teens started to float. The two corpses then started glowing. When the chanting ends, the two corpses change their appearance and stand upright. The two corpses looked alive as they opened their eyes.
The teen girl no longer looks like the way she was previously. Instead of brown hair, it's now fiery red. And instead of brown eyes, her eyes are now magenta.
The teen boy also took a different appearance, His black hair is now blue while his grey eyes become purple.
Both of their auras suddenly increased in volume as well. It was terrifying.
Baran grits her teeth and mentally curses herself. She didn't think the plan would turn out this bad. She looks around the place looking for an exit. She feels the grip on her arms tighten by the young man holding her prisoner. She turns to her pupil and sees the state she's in. She regrets bringing her to this mission. She's not ready at all. She'll make it up to her by allowing her pupil to escape…. Now it's time for play B to come to fruition.
Baran lets out a small huff and turns to her captor,
"Hey. I'm tired. I want a seat."
"That's too bad." He says without skipping a beat.
Baran turned away and started exaggerating her sighs,
"Ugh! Can't you see how painful my back is little brat? I just want to sit down."
She then pulls all her weight down pulling her captor along with her, catching him off guard. She smirks and releases her Nen. She flips him over and throws him to her pupil's captor.
—
I felt the one holding me captive start to get uncomfortably close to me until I felt him loosen his grip on me as he tumbled down to the ground. I turned and saw Baran's captor on the ground with him, wincing in pain. That caught everyone's attention.
More pained sounds are heard and Baran throws my bag in my direction I, of course, catch it,
"Come on! Let's move it!" She yells and runs into the forest,
I followed her with a lot of speed.
I couldn't believe this whole situation backfired like this, I couldn't believe there were witches in this world, and I couldn't believe I had to deal with death. Tears started to run down my face once again. I controlled a sob from coming out of my mouth as I continued to run for my life.
—
The woman watches the two women run into the forest as well as the others chasing them in. She turns to the recently resurrected. The two of them just watch her. Waiting for her orders. She smiles at them,
"Just wait here. You've just awoken after all."
She then turns to the twins beside her,
"Inform the others to capture the girl alive. The other woman, however… do whatever you want."
The two twins bow to her and leave to catch up to the others.
—
Baran and I have been running nonstop. I don't know how long we've been running, Baran growls and speaks to me,
"Listen. I'll hold them off. You need to get out of here as far away as possible!"
"What?!"
I was shocked at what she was suggesting.
"You heard me!"
"No! You saw what they did to Miro and Ivo! You can't go up against them on your own!"
Baran stays silent then stops in her tracks and turns to the enemy. I stopped as well,
"Baran!"
"Go now! It's the least I could do!"
"You can't!" I pleaded with her,
Baran let out a frustrated growl and knocked me backward,
"JUST GO, YOU DAMN BRAT!"
I froze and couldn't help but comply….
—
Baran watches her leave the premises. She turns to the enemy as they finally approach them.
She gave a small smile.
All's well that ends.
The enemies surround her. She looks at every one of them.
She waits for any movement. The one behind her decides to strike. she turns around and throws her Nen-powered knives at the target.
—
I still ran but stopped. I gritted my teeth and wondered what I was even doing. Am I going to abandon Baran after all she's done for me? I crouched down and tried to calm myself. What was the point of my training? Why even bother? I closed my eyes for a moment and felt myself calming down. I got up and turned back around.
I need to save Baran.
—
Baran gets knocked around. Blood spilled from her mouth. She stands back up and charges at one of them. The three assailants prepare for their next attack. She threw another set of her Nen-powered knives at them and threw a kick at the young boy's face when they were too busy with her knives. The boy jumped away.
She then charges at the white-haired male and throws a Nen-powered punch aiming for his stomach, but he easily blocks it with a barrier that comes out of nowhere. She scowled and dodged a sword that was swung a few meters close to her shoulder and faced the assailant. It was the young man with the black hair. He is watching her, waiting for whatever move she's going to make.
She then gets kicked in the back, sending her flying and landing on her side. She struggles to get back up. The one with the sword readied his stance and was about to strike her down when a dagger flew directly at him. He blocks it and turns to where it came from. The rest did the same and saw the young woman breathing deeply, holding another dagger about ready to throw it as well.
Notes:
Yeah. Had to cut the thing in half. just realized the chapter was getting too long and for some reason, I just needed to make the chapter a certain length for me to fathom what I've just written. Seriously, this chapter and the other half of it got me to think really hard about how this whole thing is actually going to go, I even brought my laptop to Starbucks to work on it even. lol!
Chapter 6: Chapter 5: Walpurgisnacht pt.2
Summary:
The young woman and her teacher must escape, however, the enemies are insistent on capturing her alive because they know more than they let on.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
I examined the situation. Three against two… three surrounding Baran. She looks completely beat up. I hold the dagger close to my chest as I near Baran, watching the enemy very closely. Baran gets up painfully and snapped at me,
"What the hell are you doing…? I told you to run!"
I shake my head at her,
"I'm not leaving you."
"Damn brat…" Baran says quietly.
The guy who held me captive earlier raises his hands,
"Ah. Hello again, love."
I glared at him,
"Don't come closer."
He just holds his hands in front of him,
"Now, now. No need to be so cautious. We just want to talk to you."
I didn't say anything and kept close to Baran. The man gives me a reassuring smile and speaks,
"We want you to come with us."
"As if!" I snapped at him.
"Please, we mean you no harm."
"Oh really?! That's complete bullshit!"
No harm?! NO harm?! Then why did they kill Miro and Ivo?! What about how they were in the middle of almost ending Baran life?! NO harm my ass! I let out an angry growl when I see any movement. The man speaks again,
"The only thing we want is for you to come with us safely."
"And what then? Are you going to sacrifice us, too?"
The man thinks a moment and places his hand on his chest,
"Then I guess, an introduction is in order?"
What the hell is this guy getting at? I watch him suspiciously.
"I'm Laris Sangrey. Nice to meet you."
I give him a confused look. Baran is also confused, but so is the violent one with the sword,
"What the hell are you doing, Laris?"
"I'm just reassuring our Fair Lady we mean her no harm."
"As if that's gonna work!"
The young boy watches the interaction unfold and then places his hand on his chest as well,
"If you wish to feel at ease with us, my lady, my name is Callum Le Doux."
He then gestures to the Violent one and tells me his name,
"This one is Darius Crimson."
"Hey!"
What the hell are they playing at?! Who the hell do they think they are!? I grit my teeth with anger,
"What is this bullshit?!" I yelled angrily,
"Are you expecting me to be friendly with all of you after what you've done?!"
The violent one, who I finally know is called Darius lets out a sigh,
"See. I told you it's not going to work."
"But I thought I had it," Laris said looking dejected.
Their interaction pisses me off!
—
Baran notices her pupil's rage is fueling her aura. It's incredible, but will she make it? She discreetly looks for a way to cause a small distraction just so they can escape, but the more they are forced to interact with the enemy the more she knows she can't get away alive. Knowing they want her pupil alive more than Baran's existence, she knows that what she's about to do might take everything she has. And she'll make sure her pupil will escape this with or without her.
—
My aura flares getting their attention as I ready my attack,
"You…! How dare you…! You have a lot of nerve to treat me this WAY!" I yelled angrily and charged at them with my dagger.
Darius blocks my attack and pushes me back. I took some more daggers out of my bag and threw them at the men. Darius deflects them, Callum jumps out of the way, and Laris blocks them with his barrier. I ran to the side of them and threw more of my daggers. Laris runs to my side and begins to form a chain. I barely anticipated them and struggled to deflect them with my dagger.
Meanwhile, Callum stands to the side and takes in a deep breath. I did keep a close eye on the kid since he was the only one not attacking me right now. The other two noticed what Callum was about to do backed away from me and covered their ears. I didn't understand immediately until Callum released a simple sound. The sound then turned into notes. I didn't understand what was going on until my body stopped moving only then did I finally understand that the song he sang was a Nen ability. One that paralyzes the target.
Damnit! Why didn't I think something was up when the kid didn't do anything major?! I glared at the boy as the three of them approached me. Laris formed his chains again and was about to throw them at me when…
"Hey! Forgot about me?!"
A large boulder was thrown Laris' way. He just barely moved out of the way as in landed between me and the three of them. Baran ran towards me and threw me over her shoulder. She then takes out a strangely shaped, large-looking gun and aims at the boulder. When the three of them went around the boulder, she shot and made a run for it with me still on her shoulder. That was when I lost consciousness.
—
Just then, a seemingly small and unassuming bullet hits the surface of the boulder, the three males don't understand what's happening until Callum yells,
"GET AWAY FROM THE BOULDER, IMMEDIATELY!"
A flash appeared, temporarily blinding everyone Except for Baran. The boulder released a large explosion, causing pieces of rock to fly in every direction. Baran made sure to doge every piece that was flying in her direction, hoping her pupil didn't get hit by any of them. So she decides to pull her pupil from her shoulder and carry her in her arms. When she changes the position of how she carries her pupil, she sees the girl is knocked out cold. Baran gave a small smile and continued to run with the girl in her arms.
—
After the explosion, the three males leave their hiding place. Darius looks around and activates his En in hopes of finding their target,
"Damnit!" Darius cursed.
Laris looks around and lets out a sigh,
"That's disappointing. We should've focused on the other woman as well, but we have underestimated it seems."
"Oh yeah?! Then why didn't you think that the first place?!"
Callum watched the two bicker once again when the two twins from earlier appeared,
"Aww, you didn't capture her?" the lively one said,
"Sorry, we weren't able to," Callum answers her,
"...unfortunate." The monotone one says,
"Boo! What will we tell the Madam, then?!"
"Tell her exactly what happened we'll just have to have to search around for her. Till then." Callum explains it to them.
The twins nodded and left the area. Callum turns to Darius and Laris,
We should hurry. Our Lady needs us. She won't be able to move for another hour."
—
I can feel the wind hit my face and I slowly open my eyes. I see the face of Baran as she looks ahead. I make a slight sound getting Baran's attention. She looks grateful I'm okay. For now. I didn't know how long she had been running, but she was starting to slow down. I took notice,
"Are… we…? Have… we…?" I tried to form sentences but struggled. It's still hard to move, it seems, but I think the paralysis is starting to wear off,
"Yeah. We're almost at our destination… kinda." Baran tried to answer me, I gave her a questioning look since it was still hard for me to speak. Baran continues,
"It's going to be a few more miles, so it's still possible they might still be in the area, but just a little more and we're out of here Scott-free."
Watching her speak now, she looks extremely winded. Not only that, she even looks like she's wincing a bit from pain as well, but of course that's expected since she had to deal with three opponents when it's only one of her.
Without warning, she dropped me and I tumbled to the ground. I feel my muscles ache from the fall, but I finally can see the reason why, Baran is also on the ground with me and she is much worse for wear than I thought. I attempted to move my limbs and tried to speak. Baran struggles to get up herself, but she does so anyway. She then gets to me by dragging herself toward me,
"Sorry about that… Didn't mean to drop you." She then attempts to get up off the ground. This is hard to watch,
"B-bar-r-an…" I tried to speak again.
"I want to tell her to stop, to rest. I notice a gaping wound on her side where blood is seeping down her leg to the ground. She's losing a lot of blood. My breath becomes short from the realization.
Baran couldn't pick me up completely and started to drag me somewhere out of site. She decided to hide behind a large tree. Once we're in she collapses back to the ground. All that time I struggled to move my limbs once again,
"Baran…" I can finally move my arms. I tried to call her name, but Baran barely answered,
"...Hey… Once you can move… Go…"
The minutes just felt like hours as I kept attempting to move and all I could think of was needing to save Baran,
"...Baran… Please…! Stay awake…!" I began to speak again as I now can slowly moved my joints,
"It was great meeting you… I have a great time training you. I just wished… I could teach you more things… My bad…" Baran began to say things that scared me as if she was saying goodbye,
"Stop… Don't talk like that…"
"You have a lot to learn… But I know you are capable of finding a way… to master your abilities…"
I now feel more strength to move, I crawled to her,
"Please… Stop talking like that…! You're going to be okay…!" I finally reached her and sat by her side. Baran looked at me and just smiled at me. I picked her up in my arms,
"Don't… be a sap… Live free…"
Just then… The light in her eyes fades away.
I shook my head. This isn't happening… Tears blurred my vision as I let out a loud sob. This isn't real… There's no way this is happening…! I didn't know how long I'd stayed there in that state. It felt like my heart got ripped out of my chest from this pain. For the first time in my life, someone close to me has died. For a whole month, Baran had begun to be someone I had grown to care for.
She can't…
I continued to sob uncontrollably until I heard multiple footsteps approach me, I forced myself to stop crying when I saw the same three people that were after me. Callum stepped a bit closer,
"My lady. I'm sorry you had to deal with this."
I didn't say anything.
Laris stood a little closer as well and extended his hand to me,
"My lady, seeing you like this makes me sad. Let me help you up."
They are infuriating.
Darius just watches me closely saying I didn't move an inch and tells me clearly,
"We're actually here to keep you safe, you know."
I just stared at the three of them with a look of pure hatred.
Really? Am I really that important to them? Did they already know of my existence before I even got here?
Laris noticed my look and tried to soothe me,
"I know we've done this outside of your self-interest, but we just had to get rid of the unnecessary blocking your way."
Unnecessary…? Is that what Baran is to me…? Unnecessary…?
My fury ignites once again. The three males notice my aura getting bigger as they get ready to capture me again, but I won't let them get me this time. I got up. Callum looks like he's going to attempt the same bullshit he did to me an hour ago. I decided to counter it with my own.
I took in a deep breath and let out a scream that shook everything around us. The three males had to cover their ears as I let out that angry scream. That sound I released echoed for a few minutes, just in time for me to take both me and Baran out of there completely.
—
The echoing of the rage-filled scream stopped. The three males couldn't move for another few minutes. Callum was both impressed and afraid of the capabilities the fair Lady had. Laris and Darius are also in awe.
After experiencing that the three of them couldn't help but anticipate capturing her for good and taking her back with them,
"That was amazing…! Our fair Lady does indeed have the power within her after all!" Laris Said with excitement,
"She's… So strong…" Darius said with astonishment,
"I think it's time to get back to the Madam and inform her of our experience…. She would be very envious of us." Callum tells them with glee.
—
Everything happened in a flash. I carried Baran's corpse to… I think to the hospital, then the people there took her away, then I got questioned, but they didn't detain me or anything, but I was sent back to the hotel Baran and I stayed at with Ivo and Miro. I kept the lights off and just sat on the couch thinking about what transpired just a few hours ago. I ended up crying again just trying to comprehend what I'd just experienced in one night.
I lost too much… I feel I can't go back to the way I was anymore. I feel like I just lost a piece of myself there… I hugged my knees. I continued to cry until I went to sleep.
I slowly wake up by the sound of my phone. Someone was trying to contact me, it seems. I reached into my bag and pulled out my phone. It's a call from Chrollo.
…Chrollo.
I didn't know if I should answer or not… Do I tell him about what happened last night? Do I reach out to him…?
Then I remembered the words Laris said to me,
"Getting rid of Unnecessaries"
My frown deepens. Are they going to look for me now?
I let the phone continue to ring until it stops. I let the call drop. I'm sorry, Chrollo…
But I don't want to involve anybody else in my problems. Especially how ridiculously dangerous it is. I still need to get stronger, I still need to master my Nen abilities! I have a long way to go. But first…
"Have you taken the Hunter Exams?"
The Hunter Exams… I need to get a Hunter's License just so I can move around more easily. I just need to figure out how to sign up. I got on the computer and started looking up how to do that and then, my journey will begin right after.
—
Chrollo looks down at his phone, kind of disappointed that she didn't pick up. In passing, he heard of the hostage situation she was involved in failed. So he wondered, did she survive? He called her number and it sounded like it was still working, but that's still not enough to be sure. He asked Shalnark to scour some information about her and whether she was alive or not, so now. He has to wait and see.
—
Meanwhile, Hisoka hears that the next Hunter Exams are going to start soon. He just took a shower and was resting on his couch when he learned of that. He can finally get his license and while he's there, he can check out more potential opponents among them. He's just getting excited thinking about it.
Notes:
Here is the second half. I just alluded to the Hunter Exam... Ooohhh! I still have no idea what I'm doing.
Chapter 7: Chapter 6: The Hunter's Exam
Summary:
The Young woman has decided to take the Hunter's Exam. She meets new people and a familiar face she wishes she'd never seen again.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
So, I looked up how I could get into the Hunter's Exam and everything and… It was a bitch to deal with. Just because I learned how to read the letters of this world doesn't mean I could read it well. Because of that, I took a bunch of wrong turns and almost got… scammed out of the remaining money I had… But I managed to navigate my way. I know where to find Zaban City, for sure!
Not without there being some annoyance along the way.
…I almost got lost.
But who cares!? I'm finally here! I found the entrance, I had to order some special ramen or something and I finally made it! I'm in some kind of tunnel!
"Hello! Welcome to the Hunter's Exam! Please take this badge and place it on your person where we can see it!" A green bean-like creature said to me as he handed me my badge.
I did as he was told and placed it on my zip-up hoodie jacket. My badge is the number 33. It's nice being one of the few who showed up kind of early. So now I wait for other people to show up. Just as I find a place to sit, I see a man approach me with two drink cans in his hands,
"Hello!" The man says in an overly friendly manner,
"Oh. Hello." I greeted him simply,
"Sorry to bother you, but I'm just here to greet the newcomers!"
"Really? You took this exam before?"
"Yes, I have! This is the 35th time!" The man tells me.
He sure sounds proud of that for some reason,
"I see. Well then, uuhh… Who are you?"
"Ah! Apologies, My name's Tonpa. And you are?"
I tell him my name,
"Well, it's nice to meet you! Well as a welcome gift to the Exam, Here! Have a drink!"
"Oh, uh. Thank you, but… No, thank you." I tell him politely,
"No! I insist!"
"Oh, but I couldn't accept… I don't want to be rude."
"No, no Really! Here!" Tonpa just plops the drink in my hand. I just laugh awkwardly,
"Th-thank you, sir."
"You're welcome."
Then silence.
Is he waiting for me to do something…? I just blink curiously at him. He just stares at me,
"Th-thank you for the drink…?" I repeated my thanks,
"Oh! I just thought a toast is in order is all!" Tonpa tells me,
"Oh! Really…? I'm sorry! But… Ummm. I was thinking of taking this for later, you know…?"
"I see."
"Y-yeah…"
This is getting awkward fast. I gotta think of something before it gets too awkward,
"Well, uh… I'm gonna go now… Thank you for the drink, sir…"
I then grabbed my bag and left.
Holy shit that was so god damn awkward! Seriously! What the hell was up with that guy? I quickly found a new place to sit and all is finally good. No one is bothering, The other applicants are just minding their own business. It's fine… Until I see a figure I hope to never see since I first got dropped into this world.
Hisoka.
Just great! I was hoping to never meet this man again. Yet here he is. In the flesh. Being his creepy psycho-clown self. I pulled my hoodie and made sure to be as invisible as possible. If I moved far away from him, surely he would not know I was here-
"Why, hello there!"
"MOTHERFUCKER!" I screamed,
Everything is silent. Hisoka is just standing there in front of me in a few seconds after I turned away from him looking smug as all hell. Everyone around us is staring at us like an exhibit. I can't take this attention at all! Hisoka continued to smirk at me while my face just turned red in shame and embarrassment.
What a prick.
I pulled my hoodie down and walked passed Hisoka. He simply just follows me. Everyone else just continues to stare at us! Look at something else, god damnit! As soon as I was in a different location and all eyes were finally off of us I quickly turned around to face this bastard,
"What the hell do you want?!"
Hisoka still looks at me amused at my outburst and just says,
"Is it a crime to greet a familiar face?"
"Well, it is for me! Now leave me alone!" I cross my arms and turn away from him trying my best to ignore the man.
—
What luck he has to finally meet the woman with the strong aura again. She has again shown to be more amusing than before. But since it's been a month now, he wonders if she finally found a Nen user and learned a few tricks. Examining her a little closer, he could tell by her aura that she had attempted to conceal it using Zetsu, so now he was intrigued by what else she'd learned.
Just then Hisoka feels someone roughly bump into his shoulder.
How irritating.
—
Just as I was about to tell Hisoka off again, I saw him turn away from me and assault a man. It was a few seconds and I didn't properly process what just happened. In front of me is a man having his arms turn into flower petals while he screams in horror and agony,
"My. How unusual. Seems this poor man's arms have turned into flower petals. Now you see them. Now you don't."
I was shocked by the display. Hisoka just looks down at the man,
"You should be more careful and apologize if you bump into someone."
I took a step back from the shock. Hisoka turns back to me with a smile as if what he just did a few seconds ago was like it's just another Tuesday for him. I glared up at him.
I will not be intimidated by this guy.
A bead of sweat formed down my face.
Once again. People have all gotten all their attention to us, but mainly to him. It's clear Hisoka didn't care about the commotion he's caused and continued to interact with me afterward,
"Well then. Shall we continue, Darling?"
Da… Darling?!
"D-don't call me that!" I snapped at him. Hisoka just chuckles at my response.
God, what a PRICK!
—
She once again amuses him to no end. Despite what happened a few seconds ago, she continues to treat him the same way afterward. A force of will to not be fazed? Most likely. She's too predictable with how she feels and it did seem she's not afraid of him anymore after being exposed to him the first time they met. How disappointing. But her reactions are still extremely funny to him and he wants to poke at her until she bites. Now he's thinking up other names to call her.
Kitten?
Maybe, but something more humiliating would give him an even better reaction. He'll think about it. For now, he'll just do what he's there to do and get his Hunter's license and have fun while he's at it. His little Kitten would give him some of that amusement as well and he tests the other applicants for more of his entertainment.
—
I watch Hisoka closely when he speaks,
"So. How was your Nen training?"
"As if I'd discuss that with you."
"How unfortunate." He simply tells me as a response,
Seriously. I'm being as mean as possible to him and he still acts like that?! He's so god damn frustrating! I growled at him. Hisoka then speaks,
"It's okay if you didn't tell me. I can already tell after observing you."
"Heh?"
"Yes. And I can tell you've mastered the basics well and I can see you're on your way to learn the advanced step." He explained it to me. Yeah. He's right,
"I'm looking forward to seeing you grow strong so someday we can fight~ And that makes me so excited, Darling~."
I cringed at his comment,
"As if. I'm not interested in fighting you, creep."
"Oh? Why not? I've been interested in you since you stepped foot into this world." Hisoka talks as if he's trying to win my heart or something when really, he's talking about trying to kill me in the future.
Disgusting.
I glared at him,
"Because. I'm not as crazy as you are and I have no desire to pick fights for fun. Also… I know you kill after you defeat your victims, so, believe it or not, I value my life."
Hisoka just chuckles at my answer,
"Oh? And do you think you would have a choice if you ever had to face me~?"
He's got a point. I didn't respond to him when something made a beeping sound,
"Well. It's time for me to take this. We'll talk more, Kitten."
I was flabbergasted,
"Ki-KITTEN?! WHY YOU! STOP GIVING ME NICKNAMES, YOU BASTARD! After all I've been through I don't want some ANNOYING, KILLER CLOWN to call me KITTEN OF ALL THINGS-"
—
Hisoka tunes out the woman's rants. She is just so adorable to pick on and it's a shame to cut it short since he has to take an important call.
He then turns his attention to a bald, purple man with pins all over him.
—
I was fuming after being called… Kitten, and found the opportunity to walk away from Hisoka. Well, I stormed off, but STILL! Seriously. KITTEN?! What an asshole!
I didn't see where I was going until I accidentally bumped into someone smaller than me. Oh no! I look to see if they're alright and it's a small child...? Do they let small kids join the Hunter's Exam? Is that even allowed?! The kid turned to me curiously and I immediately apologized,
"Oh my gosh! I am so sorry! I didn't know where I was going!"
"It's okay."
"Still I should've seen where I was going…" I try to explain, but then I see two other people with the boy and that Tonpa guy again,
"Oh! It's you!"
"Yes! It's me!" Tonpa responds in an overly friendly manner. I still feel the awkward air from earlier between us. I do want to leave. I'm starting to feel the fatigue after interacting with people for a while. The little boy then speaks to me,
"Hey miss?"
"Yes?"
"Do you know the man?" He asks me,
"Oh, um… Tonpa, was it? Uh no. We just met a few hours ago." I answered his question. The boy just shook his head at me. Did I get that wrong?
"No. I mean, the one with the number 44 badge."
Oh. He's talking about him. Just thinking about that bastard just boils my blood.
Especially after he called me Kitte-
"Miss…?" The boy called out to me when I didn't say anything. I let out a cough in response and answered him. He seems like a sweet kid,
"No. Not really. I just met him a month before this whole thing…. Unfortunately." The two other people with us gave me a look of pity,
"Anyway. Who are you?" I ask the boy and of course, the people he's with. It's only polite after all,
"My name is Gon Freeces!" The little boy tells me.
The slightly older boy nods to me,
"I'm Kurapika Kurta."
"And I'm Leorio nice to meet you!" the man, Leorio, tells me enthusiastically. Too enthusiastically. if you ask me…
I gave them my name. It's only polite to do so.
"Well! Since it's nice to reunite with you again, how about a toast?" Tonpa suggested,
Really? I did say I'm saving my drink for later, though… And it's only polite…
Tonpa gave each of them drinks and I was about to take out my own when at the corner of my eye, I saw Hisoka about to head my way. I am still mad at him,
"Sorry, it seems I need to go. I don't want a certain weirdo to come over here and bother you guys." I say nicely through gritted teeth. Gon looks a little disappointed,
"Oh, okay."
I gave him a reassuring smile,
"Well, it's nice to meet you all! And… You too, Tonpa."
Really. I have no idea why our interaction is always so god damn awkward. I said farewell to Kurapika and Leorio as well and left to stand somewhere else. As Hisoka proceeds to approach me.
My god! Doesn't he have anything else to do other than bother me?!
—
It's now been an hour until the Hunter's Exam has finally started I didn't know how long I could stand being in Hisoka's presence until a tall man in a suit with an interesting mustache enters in front of the whole crowd
"Welcome Everyone to the Hunter's Exam. I am Satotz, the Examiner of this year's exam. You will begin the 1st Phase by following me."
He then proceeds to turn around and start walking. Everyone then follows the man,
"Are you ready, Darling?"
"Don't. Call me that!" I snapped at him,
"Oh? Do you want me to call you… Kitten~?" He asks me teasingly.
I growled at him in response and just started storming off once again! I can tell the bastard is still following me! Like a fucking weirdo! He starts walking beside me at a calm pace,
"Oh~? Is it okay~?"
"Would you SHUT IT?!"
He and I continued to do this weird banter that just started between us until everybody started running. I didn't know how long we've been running, but I've noticed a lot of applicants started falling behind really quickly. I spot the kid from earlier, and I see he's interacting with another kid with white hair. So, the Hunter's Exams accept kids in this seemingly dangerous exam is what I'm learning now. I have to say, that kind of bothers me a little, but this world is a little more unusual than my own… Then again, it just made me wonder about a bunch of things. Since I've been in this world for a month, I have noticed the many things it shares with my world. Who's to say my world doesn't also have something like this? Only more secret about it or something? I could be thinking too much about it, but then I learned only a small amount of people know about Nen, so what if my world has something similar? Also, I did get sent to this world somehow…
I was thinking about all this when I could feel the eyes of a certain Magician on me. I turn to him and return his stare with a glare. And what's his response? A fucking grin on his face. Seriously, I just want to slap it off of him.
More and more people are left behind until I see Leorio run past us without a shirt on looking extremely winded and Kurapika following behind. I wonder how long we've been running? As soon as I asked that question to myself, I saw the exit just ahead. We just need to climb some stairs to get there. I picked up the pace a little more,
"Are you tired yet?" Hisoka starts talking again. What is he trying to do right now?
"No."
"Oh? Is it because of your training?"
"Why ask that question when you know the answer?"
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's because I want to get to know you more?"
I glared at him,
"Just so you can kill me in the future, right?"
"Oh, Darling, it's not just that."
'Not just that'?! Excuse me?!
"So you do admit! You are planning to kill me after you get more information about me!"
"You know that already. But, before all that, I felt this sexual tension forming between us. I just wonder if you wanted to… act on it later~?"
And then silence.
Why the hell do I continue to interact with this man?! I stare at him my face turning red from what he just said,
"I'm just going to ignore your very existence now…." I said to him and proceeded to speed up and finally went ahead of him.
What the fuck was that?!
—
Hisoka just wanted to laugh at her reaction then and there. He loves messing with her! Her reactions just amuse him to no end. The face she made is just so cute. He watches her go ahead of him. He'll give her a breather from his presence for now. After all, having too much of something wouldn't be good, he wants to savor this interaction with her as long as possible. He wouldn't want to be bored of her just yet.
To the side, he knows someone noticing his interaction with the young woman and would for him to explain to them why he's been bothering her so much during the Exam in the first place.
—
I can't believe he just said all of that so casually! UGH!
That interaction was playing in my head for a while until I finally made it out of that goddamn tunnel! Finally, I was getting sick of that place!
Unfortunately, Hisoka made it out as well… I wish he stayed behind. He's the main reason why being in that tunnel was a huge hassle.
The door to the tunnel closed behind us and I looked at the remaining applicants. I can see the two kids, Gon, and that white-haired boy, then I see Kurapika and Leorio. And Oh. Tonpa's there as well. And of course… There's Hisoka. But, I'm just gonna ignore his existence now. I crossed my arms and looked away from him.
My attention is now on the Examiner, Satotz. He informed us that we hadn't passed the first Phase yet and that we had to follow him through the swamp. He gave us some information that the swap is called the swindler's swamp because anything can fool you into a death trap if you're not careful and we had to cross it to reach the 2nd phase of the exam,
"Now then. Please follow me closely so you won't be deceived."
"Don't fall for it!"
We all turn our attention to an injured man. Everyone just started questioning what was going on. The man comes closer and points to Satotz,
"This Examiner is a fake! I'm the real Examiner! Look here!" He then pulls in a dead-looking creature that has the same features as Satotz! I let out a gasp. Satotz just stays silent through all of this. Is it true? I look between the creature and Satotz, wondering if it's true or not. It's all very sudden! And we just got here! Everyone is now talking to themselves when the injured man speaks,
"Follow me and you will be in the next phase!"
The commotion gets louder when cards fly past me and hit the injured man, killing him instantly, while Satotz catches them between his fingers with no problem. I turn and see Hisoka who threw them,
"There. Problems solved. We know who's the real Examiner here." Hisoka says matter-of-factly,
"Yes, indeed. However, I suggest you don't attack the Examiner again or you'll be disqualified." Satotz tells him.
Hisoka responds with a shrug,
"Fair enough."
Man… this Hunter's Exam will be hard, after all… I can't believe I almost fell for that. I let out a sigh. I feel eyes on me again as see Hisoka giving me his annoying Cheshire cat smile again. I look away from him in annoyance.
I'm ignoring his existence!
After that whole thing went down, we began the next part of the first Phase and followed Satotz into the swamp. I noticed the fog getting thicker again so I tried my best to follow the man and plan on what I needed to do beforehand if I ended up getting separated from the Examiner. I gulped when I noticed applicants falling left and right all around me. I was focused on the people in front of me when I he someone call my name I turned my attention to them and saw Leorio and Kurapika,
"Oh, hey it's you guys," I say a little relieved to see a familiar face,
"And you're the cute girl from earlier," Leorio says out of the blue,
"Heh?" I blushed at the comment,
"This is getting bad, we've lost sight of the Examiner," Kurapika says to us,
"It's fine! As long as we follow the guys in front of us we'll be okay!" Leorio reassured his friend.
That's what I thought, too until I noticed the heads of the people in front of us fell off of their shoulders.
This is indeed very bad.
Just then a monster came out of nowhere and attacked us. I quickly dodged out of the way of its attack. I took out my weapons from my bag and guarded myself. The monsters didn't take notice of me since their focus was all on Leorio and Kurapika. I could easily run past them and find my way back to where I thought the Examiner and the other applicants were, but I just couldn't let those two die. No matter how hard I promised myself to not associate with people in this world anymore in fear of losing them in the future, they don't deserve to die like this.
I then threw a handful of throwing knives to the side of the creature. Its eyes are now on me. I turn to the two of them,
"I'm fending them off, you guys should go!"
"But!" Kurapika started,
"Just go!" I then ran in a direction, hoping the weird creature was following me.
I turn around and see the two leave but with a lot of reluctance from Leorio.
They're so sweet.
When I think it's clear, I turn back to the creature and prepare my next move. I reached into my bag and pulled out a long sword. I've always wanted to hold a sword, so I made one. I held it and pointed it in the direction of the creature,
"Sorry, thing, but you'll be my test subject on my Nen abilities." I then charged at the thing and swung my sword.
—
In the distance, Hisoka could see a blue light flash in the fog, but it left instantly. He turns to where it is, completely interested. But, unfortunately, he can't exactly do anything about it, since he knows there are people following him. He'll have to deal with them, then. And maybe later, he'll figure out where that light came from, but he already has his hunches. He turns to the group that surrounds him. He takes out his card with a smile on his face.
Notes:
This is a chapter that kind of follows the main story. But, really. I'm thinking of my story just following the storyline sometimes. Like little bits and pieces here and there or something. for now, our MC will be following the main storyline with the main four through the exams.
Chapter 8: Chapter 7: Onto Phase 2 of the Hunter's Exams
Summary:
The young woman and her new acquaintances are now ready for Phase 2 of the Exams.
Hisoka has been helping her, however, and she doesn't know why.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
I used En to sense where I'm going through this thick fog, I avoid many dangers ahead and I think I see someone I need to make sure before I do anything else. As I got closer, I saw the aftermath of a fight, and what do you know? It's Hisoka holding someone by the neck almost killing… GON?! EXCUSE ME! I'm not gonna let that happen! That kid is too sweet to die and he's still just a kid! I run over there with my sword in hand ready to use it,
"Hisoka! Drop the child or I'll cut your arm off!"
Hisoka drops Gon to the ground and turns to me,
"Oh, Darling! Are you jealous? Don't worry, you still have a chance with me~."
This prick and his stupid jokes. Hisoka then turns back to Gon and crouches down to his level,
"It seems you pass."
Gon didn't understand what he meant. I don't either but, it seems he's decided to spare him. Hisoka gets up and turns to another person on the ground. It was Leorio. How come I didn't see him there? What happened? Hisoka could sense my confusion and told me,
"If you must know, they've just shown me their potential. So they pass."
Oh. I get it now. All of this is for his entertainment. I glared at him,
"You are a freak."
Hisoka didn't pay any mind to my comment and picked Leorio up and carried him over his shoulder. Gon, still winded from his fight with Hisoka struggled to get up but Hisoka reassured him,
"Don't worry. I'll bring him to the next phase."
Then he leaves with Leorio. I put away my sword and run over to check and see if Gon is alright,
"Hey… Are you okay? Did he hurt you badly?"
Gon just shook his head in response. I let out a sigh of relief,
"I'm sorry you have to go through that."
"I-It's okay I can manage," Gon reassures me. I give the boy a worried look. He is so very young to be here. He reminds me of my younger brother in a way. I just couldn't help but worry. Just looking at him makes me sad… Just then, a voice calls to us. We both turn our attention to the voice and see it's Kurapika running toward us,
"Are you guys alright?"
"I'm fine," Gon tells him. Kurapika turns to me I give him a reassuring smile. Kurapika sighs in relief,
"I thought Hisoka got you, Gon. And… I thought you got eaten by that thing back there."
"Oh, that? Don't worry I can take care of myself!" I told Kurapika and patted him on the back.
They are super sweet.
Kurapika noticed that Leorio was missing and Gon told him that he was fine and Hisoka was the one that brought him there. So the three of us all followed Gon's nose to where everyone was by tracking the sent of Leorio. He's like a little dog.
We all finally made it. When we got there, we were greeted by that white-haired kid with Gon earlier,
"Ahh! There you are! I thought you didn't make it!" The kid said,
"Nope, we made it!" Gon says.
"Well, I'm glad." The kid gave him a relieved smile and then turned his attention to me. Gon notices and introduces me to him,
"Oh okay. Well, I'm Killua. Killua Zoldyck."
"Nice to meet you, Killua."
After our introductions are over, Gon looks around to where Hisoka and Leorio are. I see Hisoka leaning on a tree and he sees us. He then points to where Leorio is. Gon runs to check up on him. I followed behind to see if he was alright as well. I look back to Hisoka and he just smiles at me.
Oh right. I forgot. I should be ignoring his existence. I let out a huff and continued my way to Leorio and Gon.
—
Hisoka watches his Kitten and the group she decided to associate herself with and chuckles to himself. It seems they've formed a bond based on him. Very amusing. Hisoka takes out the device he uses to contact someone and goes to meet them somewhere.
—
Leorio wakes up and sees everyone in his face. He sees Gon, Kurapika, Killua, and that cute girl from earlier. He is still a little out of it but manages to say a few words,
"Huh…? Wha- happun…? I mean… uh… How did I get here?"
—
Gon told him what happened. Leorio just rubs his head,
"Ah… That makes sense. But now we're gonna have to look out for that Hisoka guy, huh?"
"Most likely," I told him.
"The man is unpredictable, but I have a feeling he won't kill you right now since you impressed him enough."
"Hah? What do you mean by that?" Leorio asks me with confusion,
"Probably to kill you in the future. He just wants you to get stronger, I believe." I tell him with a shrug. I turn my head to where Hisoka stood but he isn't there anymore.
Gon looked deep in thought when I turned back to them. I worried I scared him somehow and apologized,
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you."
"No, it's not that… I was excited back there,"
"Huh?" I didn't expect that answer at all,
"Well… No, I was scared that I wanted to run away, but I couldn't and I just felt excited at the same time…Weird, huh?" Gon explained to us.
I guess that sort of makes sense… Gon is a bright-eyed kid attending the Hunter's Exam for some sort of reason, so he's learning a bunch of new things along the way and his encounter with Hisoka is one of those experiences he gets to learn for the very first time… maybe? It's very strange indeed. And concerning… However, a very unusual one since he's still a kid and all that… No kid should ever experience the brink of death like what Gon has experienced, but unfortunately, I'm not his mother and I have a goal of my own… no matter how sad and worried I feel for this kid, it's clear he's never experienced losing something yet in his life. I look at him sadly.
The other kid, Killua, however… compared to Gon, seems to be more experienced in life. I don't know him much, since I did have just met him a few minutes ago, but I have a feeling he knows more things than Gon has and they both look to be the same age… Which is very worrying.
And Kurapika… He looked like someone who's experienced something no one should experience. I don't know what, but I have a feeling it's something similar to my own experience, only more elevated, and more filled with rage… Has he experienced death?
Have they all experienced death? Leorio may not seem like it, but I can tell the man might have experienced something in his life to be here in the first place. I couldn't help but feel my heart clench from the thought.
That just reminded me I'm in a different world and what I've experienced the past few days is something I shouldn't relate with these people, kids, especially. Death… I still feel that something after my first experience with death, like something got ripped out of me and what's left is just an empty feeling afterward.
—
Killua studies the young woman in front of him, she looks to be as innocent as Gon, yet, the look in her eyes shows that she has recently experienced something she's not used to, yet, she seems to be stronger than him, physically. Then again, she is too easy to read since she keeps putting all of her emotions on her face, making her look extremely vulnerable. What she's thinking now, must've traumatized her.
Killua then stops studying the woman then turns his attention to the others.
Leorio looks to be the more moronic of the bunch, but learning from their conversation, Leorio is spared because he could have the potential, also, you can't judge a book by its cover since he did just learn that Leorio is younger than he looks. Which he still kind of doubts, but it's neither here nor there.
Kurapika seems like a strong person. He seems well-read and well-informed, so there's that, but the thing about him is the seriousness he likes to hold himself, It's like he wouldn't take a break even if you make him. There are other things to him, but he still doesn't really know what, but he honestly doesn't care. People have many motivations and reasons for taking this Exam, but Killua, didn't exactly have a good reason, the exact opposite of Kurapika.
He then turned his attention back to Gon. He's the same age, yet, he keeps surprising him. He genuinely is curious about Gon since he started paying attention to him. He had to admit, it's pretty fun hanging out with Gon so far, so he'll tag along with him through the exam.
—
"Are you okay?" Kurapika asked me, snapping me back from my thoughts, I turned to him,
"Oh! I'm fine! I'm just thinking." I reassured him.
He still looked a little concerned but nodded to my response that he'd believe me for now.
So, a few minutes passed and it's now time for the next phase. Everyone followed Satotz in front of closed doors.
"This is now the 2nd phase. You will meet the next Examiner behind these doors. I'll be off. Farewell." Satotz then leaves.
The doors are then opened which leads us to an area with cooking stations in a row. I wondered what the next phase entailed as a young woman and a huge fat man appeared in front of all of us. The woman greets us,
"Welcome. I will be your Examiner for the 2nd phase. I'm Menchi."
"And I'm Buhara." The large man says in a friendly manner.
"To pass the 2nd phase, all of you will have to cook a meal for us. If your meal is to our liking, you pass."
After explaining that, everyone is confused. They are murmuring to themselves and wondering if it's a joke,
"Hey! You can't be serious! How is cooking the next phase?!"
"Are you pulling our leg?!"
The comments are getting to Menchi since she has a look of annoyance on her face. I mean, to be fair I thought we'd get something more challenging, but at the same time, I am a terrible cook, so even if it's only cooking we need to do, I'd fail instantly anyway… Crap. we are going to be cooking and I'm not gonna pass this for sure! Oh, man! Kurapika notices how stressed I look. He sure catches my bouts of dismay…
"Uuhh…"
"I'm not okay," I tell him instantly, accepting my defeat even before the phase even started,
"Oh…" Kurapika looks at me with concern. What a sweet boy.
Menchi explains to us that she and Buhara are Gourmet Hunters and their phase has something to do with food which of course, got some of these people to laugh,
"What? You gotta be kidding, right? I'm trying to be a Blacklist Hunter, not some Gourmet Chef!" A man yells at her as he looks ready to attack, but Buhara throws a punch so strong it causes the man to go flying. Oh boy. Menchi gets up and stares at us all down,
"Listen. This is the Hunter's Exam and I'm a Hunter as well as the Examiner. There are many types of Hunters out there and I happen to be a Gourmet Hunter, so if you've got a problem with it, then that's too bad. I'm the Examiner here and this is the 2nd phase based on my profession. Am I clear?"
Loud and clear… I couldn't help but let in a gulp as she told us our task. She tells all of us to make a dish around an ingredient we need to get ourselves, which is pork. Seems challenging enough since we need to hunt one ourselves. So, we all went out to the forest to capture our game. We all are looking for our pork and sure enough, we found them, however…. The game we're looking for is a carnivorous pig of some sort.
They are scary as hell and I'm running for my life! HELP!
I try outrunning them, but they are at my tail at full speed. While I was running around with a boar chasing me, I heard Gon calling my name. I turn my head and see Gon pointing at his boar,
"Hit it in the head!"
I nodded to him and turned around to face the boar and land a Nen-powered kick. The Pig falls to its back, dead. I collapse to the ground relieved. Holy crap. I looked at Gon and gave him a thumbs up. The kid rubs his nose and smiles in response.
—
We all brought our game to the cooking stations and started cooking. The worst part. I could've quit earlier, but I need to pass this exam! I must pass at all costs! tried to think of something when I noticed Hisoka approaching me. What does he want now? I glare at him. He just has that Cheshire cat smile of his on his face,
"What do you want?"
"Nothing. Just wondering what kind of dish you will be doing."
"What? So you can steal it?"
"Darling, I'm not that sort of person to steal things."
"I doubt that."
Hisoka, of course, didn't pay any mind and leans closer, I, of course, lean away in response. What does he want? I give him a questioning look. He then pulls something from behind my ear and holds a paper rose in front of me. I couldn't help but blush at the gesture. I think my heart skipped a beat, too… What is with this guy?! I unconsciously took the paper rose from his hand, his grin got bigger as I did so,
"Hey! What are you doing with her?!" A voice yells in our direction.
We look over and see Leorio and Kurapika approach us. Hisoka stood straight and shrugged at them,
"I'm not doing anything."
"Oh yeah? Well then, back off!" Leorio warns him. Hisoka just chuckles at him in response,
"Alright. I'm off then, Darling." He then leaves.
I didn't say anything in response until Leorio and Kurapika finally made it to me,
"What the hell was that about?"
"Are you alright?" Kurapika asks me,
"Oh. Yeah, I'm okay."
He notices the paper rose Hisoka gave me. Leorio also noticed too,
"That guy is bad news, don't fall into his trap, okay?" Leorio warns me,
"W-well of course! I'm not gonna fall for his tricks!" I tell him.
No matter how much he flatters me, I won't fall for it. Kurapika looks at the paper rose closely and asks me,
"That rose… would you unfold it?"
"Hm? Okay." I did I was told and saw it's a recipe for a dish. That surprised me,
"It seems he is actually trying to help you, but why?" Kurapika's got a point. Leorio is just as speechless as I am. He looks at me with a serious look on his face. Well, as seriously as he's trying to hold it. He looks more like he's dismayed,
"Yeah, just watch out for him."
I nod in response and turn my attention to Hisoka who is currently focused on his dish. I couldn't help but blush at the gesture he's done. He's so confusing…
—
With the help of Leorio and Kurapika, we made the dish Hisoka gave me. I'm extremely grateful to them. I told them my dilemma about me not knowing how to cook and Kurapika helped me out with the dish. Gon and Killua came over to see what we were doing and I learned a few things from the kids. Yeah, they're much more competent in the kitchen than I am. And how old are they? 12? And then here I am, a grown adult not learning how to operate an oven… a good thing Kurapika kept watch, or else, I won't have a meal in the end.
Once we were done, I placed the food on the counter. The others have also finished their food to present to the examiners. I have to say, it looked pretty good! I took my meal and waited in line with the other examiners. I stood behind Hisoka. Awkwardly. I still didn't forget his kind gesture after all. Hisoka turns to me and smiles that Cheshire cat smiles again. I just look away awkwardly from him, not knowing how to act,
"Next!" Mechi calls, Killua is up and presents his food. He presents it to her with confidence,
"My dish is made with the pork you want us to use, but I've added my style to it."
The food looks delicious, but….
"THIS IS GROSS!" She then tosses it in the air and Buhara catches it with his mouth. Killua frowned and rested his hands on the back of his head,
"Oh well…" He then leaves,
"Next!" Menchi calls, and then the next person presents their food. I am now really nervous. I feel my knees shake when I notice Hisoka leave the line with his food. I mean, he's not that hard to miss, he was right in front of me. I watch his form as he leaves and heads somewhere else,
"Hmm? Hey, where are you going?" I asked him, but he didn't respond. I blink at him curiously until I'm finally next.
"NO!" She tosses my dish in the air while Buhara catches it with his mouth in delight.
In the end, my dish failed… All that hard work… gone! I wanted to cry from that… It was one of the first dishes I made that turned out okay, but then she rejected it. She didn't even have a taste.
So harsh.
I left the line when I remembered where Hisoka had gone. I wondered where he was. I went in the direction he went to and saw his dish on the ground. It looks exactly like Killua's dish. Then I saw him. He's sitting by the river throwing rocks into it.
…Is he sulking?!
I am at a loss. Hisoka. Sulking. I never thought Hisoka had other emotions other than horny and amused. I'm just gonna leave him alone. And so I did and sulked somewhere else.
—
In the end, everyone failed. No one passed because all of our food sucks. That made everyone pretty angry,
"What the hell?! You can't do that!"
Menchi didn't say anything and just let the people just yell angrily at her. It is unreasonable. She can't just fail everyone! What's the point of this exam when no one even passes?
—
Somewhere on a blimp, an old man is on the phone, the chairman heard of the commotion about the Exam.
"So, she decided to fail everyone? Well, that's not good. Alright. I'll go down there and settle the matter." He hangs up and lets out a hum.
—
Everyone was still arguing with Menchi until out of nowhere something fell in front of us. I didn't know what since there was debris everywhere. Once the debris subsides, an old man is in front of all of us. I was pretty caught off guard by that. I looked up and saw a blimp right in front of us. I know it's not the weirdest thing to realize this old man just jumped from a very high height, but… I can't get used to this. Menchi sees who it is and bows to him,
"Oh, chairman."
"Hello, Menchi. I heard what's going on."
Everyone is pretty speechless by his entrance. What I've learned is this old man in front of us is named, Isaac Netero and Menchi Explains to him what's going on,
"I see. How about this? You are still the Examiner of this phase, but in exchange, you participate in it as well."
That's fair. Menchi thinks up a new challenge for us,
"Chairman. I've thought of a new phase. We'll be boiling eggs. The catch. You have to get the eggs yourself. Chairman? Would you mind flying us there with your blimp?"
I wonder where she's going to bring us? And Boiling Eggs? How hard can that be?
—
So, it turns out… It's going to be very difficult. We're right next to a cliff. Menchi explains what we're supposed to do,
"The egg you will obtain is called Spider Eagle eggs. And these eggs are very hard to obtain." She then shows us where they are. The eggs are all hanging in between the two cliffs on a series of webs. I couldn't help but gulp from the height. I'm no good with heights. She then demonstrated what we were supposed to do. She jumps off into the split cliff and hangs on the web above a bunch of eggs. We watch as she waits for a few moments, she then lets go and takes an egg. Some people let out a gasp, but Menchi came back by riding the wind that flew her up and out of the cliff with egg in hand.
Now it's our turn.
Before we did anything, some applicants had already jumped in to grab the eggs but failed and fell to their deaths. The others are discouraged by this until Gon speaks to us,
"I know what to do. Follow me!"
Kurapika, Leorio and Killua follow his lead. I almost wavered, but followed suit. I don't want to be deterred and left behind. We all jumped off the cliff and grabbed hold of the web. The others followed our lead, so now we're all hanging on the web, waiting for the opportunity to take action.
It's only a few minutes, but some let go too soon, either by missing the web or their hands started clamming up with sweat. I can feel my start to clam up with sweat, I try my best not to let go. I turn to Gon,
"I'll tell you when to let go."
This boy is a genius when it comes to things like this, I realized. He waits patiently despite all the death surrounding him. I wait intently like the others, following their example. Once the time is right,
"Now!" Gon and everyone else let go of the web and grab an egg. I manage to get one and feel the wind blow over my whole body, sending me back to where we once were. But with an egg in hand. I did it! I made it alive! I jumped for joy and ran and hugged the group that helped me through this difficult task!
"Thank, thank you, thank you, thank you!" I said over and over again to Gon, Killua, Leorio, and Kurapika. I am so grateful.
—
Gon smiles at her and hugs her back. He can tell how grateful she is and he is glad to help.
Killua is very thrown off by the sudden hug from this strange girl he just met a few hours ago, yet this hug isn't unwelcome. He's just a little thrown off by it.
Leorio is losing his mind over it. A hug from a cute girl! This is great! Maybe next, she'll kiss him? Maybe~? Just thinking about it makes his face turn red. He even giggled a little.
Kurapika is surprised by the hug, but he's very grateful for the gesture. He hasn't been hugged for a long time. She doesn't have any deceiving bone in her body at all.
The girl pulls away from all of them and gives them a happy smile.
Away from the group, Hisoka watches his Kitten bond with the four boys. They have formed a bond. How sweet, although he feels a little jealous. He wants to spend time with her too. Maybe next time. Beside Hisoka is that same tall, purple man, Gittarackur. He just stares at him,
"What? Can't I at least have a little fun to the side while we're here? After all, she's the one I told you about a month ago. You know the one."
Gittarackur turns his attention to her next. It was slight, but he could tell she does know her way around a fight no matter how early and now she is to it, however, he still has yet to be impressed, so far, she hasn't fit the description Hisoka gave him, as in, she doesn't seem strong at all,
"Just give her time, you'll see what I mean. She did just get here after all."
"Whatever you say. I honestly don't care. She's not my concern anyway." The tall man says to him with a robotic tone in his voice.
—
We boiled the eggs that we got and tasted them. They are delicious! It's even better than the eggs from the supermarket back home! Before I thought it wouldn't taste as good since it came from some unknown creature I'm not used to, especially something that shares the same traits as spiders, but once I tasted it, I loved it! I took another bite,
"Tasty!"
After our little break from that ordeal, the remaining applicants and I went back into the blimp. I still can't get over being on this aircraft, so I'm in awe of the spectacle once again,
"We are now going to the next Phase. But before that will take us about 12 hours from now, so you have time to rest until then."
Oh, That's great! Then I get to explore the place and see everything. Besides me, the two kids are also eager to explore the place as well.
Kurapika and Leorio, however, decided to just rest for the night. Before I pay my attention to the two kids, they're already gone. Understandable. They're more excited to explore than me and they also have a lot of energy in them to contain and I'm sure they don't exactly want to deal with an adult tagging along with them and ruin their fun or something. That's the impression I got from Killua, anyway. But really, I'm fine with that. I like to just take things at my own pace, also, keeping up with two kids just sounds like a hassle.
I walked around the ship and sat in front of the window watching the scenery go by. My eyes twinkle at the scenery. We're flying over a city and the lights from the buildings are shining brightly like the stars from below. I am mesmerized.
I was so mesmerized by the scenery that I didn't realize two men approached me. They stand on either side of me. I noticed them soon after. I look between the two of them, wondering what they want. I don't know them at all,
"Can I… help you?" I ask them. They just chuckle creepily at me. The guy to my left leans closer to me,
"Yeah. Why don't you come with us and get to know us better? We would have a great time."
I feel disgusted by what he's implying. The one to my right also leans in,
"So. what do you say? Huh?" The right one then started getting handsy by trying to grab at my hand. Who the hell does he think I am? I pull my hand away,
"No thanks."
The left one also attempted to grab me. I'm getting annoyed by this display and elbowed him in the face,
"Back off!" I warn them. The right one growled and attempted to attack me and I easily dodged his advances grabbed at his shirt and threw him next to his friend.
"Why you!" The left one recovered after being elbowed in the face and took out a knife. The other one also got up and took out his knife as well.
Are you for real?
I got ready for another attack when two cards flew past my shoulder and embedded themselves into their foreheads, killing them. The two men then drop to the floor with a thud. I turned to where the cards came from and knew exactly who threw those cards. Hisoka steps out of the shadow of the ship and just gives me his Cheshire cat smile. Again, he saved me. What is his angle? I didn't know what to say to him and ended up stumbling on my words. Just my confusion on how to act around him alone leaves me speechless. Throughout this whole exam, this man has been helping me out and I just don't know how to react to it at all. Since my first meeting with him, he has been a danger to my life and still is one as well… He even admits that. In the future, he is planning on killing me! Yet here he is! Helping me every time I needed it.
He notices my confusion and chuckles and approaches me,
"Don't mention it, Darling, ~."
Again with that dumb nickname. I glare at him with my cheeks turning red,
"Don't call me that."
"I have to say, I'm impressed. You've indeed come a long way from how you were since we first met." Hisoka tells me,
"Yeah, I had a great teacher." Why did I tell him that? He continues to smile at me and turns away,
"It's getting late, you should rest."
The two of us then leave the gruesome scene behind. The two of us walk down the hallway until,
"Why…?" I uttered,
"Hmm?"
"Why are you helping me?" I finally ask the question I've always wanted to ask.
Hisoka crosses his arms and looks at me,
"It's because, you intrigue me, of course. You should already know that."
"Well… Yeah, but… Why help me to this length? What for?"
Instead of answering me with words, he pushes me to a wall and traps me between his hands. I look up at him, speechless once again,
"You are so innocent, aren't you?"
I couldn't say anything, my face feeling hot from the proximity of his face to mine. Hisoka licks his lips and speaks once again,
"Tell me, have you ever been kissed before? Or rather…"
He leans closer to my ear,
"Have you experienced a night of passion with someone before~?"
My eyes widened, I couldn't take it and pushed him away from me,
"Get away from me, you creep!" I yelled at him and ran off, away from that man! My face is completely red from all of that and I am so angry with myself! Of course, he would only help me just for that! Of course! I'm such an idiot!
—
Hisoka watches her leave. He loves messing with her. Just by looking at her, he knew she was a virgin at most and her innocence is just so obvious to see. But he did want to ravage her and take her innocence away, she's just a lot harder to get it seems. But that's fine. He loves a challenge! Especially one with a super strong aura like hers. he just can't wait to finally bend her to his will and make her call his name in a night of passion someday, as well as end her life once she becomes strong enough to fight. He just couldn't wait for that beautiful day. He lets out a delightful laugh as he heads to his room.
Notes:
Yeah. Hisoka is being his true prick self in this one. haha.
Chapter 9: Chapter 8: 3rd Phase, Big Pain
Summary:
Onto the 3rd Phase. The young woman shares her past with the two young boys before their next Phase, however, she has to deal with a certain Magician once again.
Meanwhile, the cult is starting to move.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
I got away from Hisoka quickly after that whole… thing happened. I can't believe I thought he might be a good guy underneath all that stupid clown makeup of his. I sat at a nearby window until I saw both Killua and Gon. The two of them also see me. Gon went up to greet me,
"Hi! What are you doing here? Can't sleep?"
I smiled at him and nodded,
"Yeah… Too many things are keeping me awake. How about you two? Shouldn't you kids be asleep?"
Gon sits down beside me while Killua sits next to Gon,
"We got hungry, so we got a snack."
"Aah. That makes sense. What snack did you get."
Gon showed me his snack and I giggled at that. Amusing a child can be entertaining sometimes,
"Can I ask you something?" Gon asks,
"Yes? What is it?"
"Why are you taking the Hunter's Exam?"
I think for a moment. I know there are benefits to having a Hunter's license and there are many ways to get a good job with that, but how do I sum it all up other than the obvious? What is my main goal when I do get it? I thought about Baran, Miro, and Ivo. I then thought about the mission I was on where I witnessed my first death. Then the thought of that crazy cult who did all of that. My face went serious. I didn't answer until I found the right words,
"To tell you the truth, Gon… The reason why I'm taking this Exam in the first place is because I want to look for some answers. Answers that I don't know if you'll understand."
Gon and Killua look at me curiously. Killua then speaks,
"Try us. What is it you want to be answered?"
I contemplate whether or not I should tell them about my situation. It's a very strange problem to have in general, no matter what world I'm from. I let out a sigh. Why not? After all… I won't see these kids again once all of this is over. For some reason, that made me sad… I turn the two of them and tell my story,
"You don't have to believe me or anything. I honestly don't expect you to, but…"
I told them about myself, where I'm really from, and what I've gone through while I was here. I even told them about the mission I was last in the people I've lost and the cult I've encountered. To be honest, I couldn't help but start to cry. That whole mission still stung and thinking about Baran still hurts. I covered my face and wept.
—
Gon looks at the girl sadly. What she said sounded devastating. He can't exactly picture what it would be like to lose someone like that. And this girl looked like she didn't have anything bad going on when he first met her, but he was wrong. Although, he's surprised about another thing she mentioned. She's from a different world? He didn't know that! He thought it was cool to know someone from a different world! He hopes to hang out with each other in the future and learn what that other world is like!
Killua is surprised by this info dump this girl decided to do. Her story sounded plausible, but then she threw in something unexpected. She's from another world? That one is just so hard to swallow. It's just so hard to believe, yet… this girl is the most honest person he's ever met in his life besides Gon! She doesn't have any reason to lie right now at all! Killua thought for a moment. She did ask the weirdest questions regarding the creatures they've encountered. And when they were going to retrieve the Spider Eagle eggs, she asked what those were and Kurapika answered her just fine. And her difficulty reading the words in the recipe was strange. She speaks fluently just fine until it comes to reading. So, her saying she came from another world didn't sound as far-fetched, but he still needed proof to make sure.
—
I calmed down from my crying until I heard Killua speak to me,
"Hey… I know you might be honest with us, but… May I have proof? Proof about you being from a different world…?"
I wiped my tears and nodded to him,
"Okay." I sniffled and took out my cell phone to give to him.
He took it and looked at it for a bit, then looked through my phone. Gon looks over his shoulder to see as well. I watched them look at the photos I had there until Killua returned it to me,
"Thanks," Killua tells me, I give him a nod once I wipe my face clean from my tears and snot.
The three of us are now sitting together watching the scenery go by. I still feel sad, but I don't want to make the kids go through with my mood, so I decided to ask Gon and Killua the same question I was asked by Gon earlier,
"So… What are your reasons to take the exam?"
Gon looks at me and gives me a bright smile,
"I want to be a Hunter just like my dad!"
"Really?" I ask him,
"Yeah! My dad wasn't present in my life growing up, so I want to see why he left me behind for this job."
My eyes widened at the answer I got. What? His dad abandoned him?! Not only that, Gon doesn't even sound upset about it. I couldn't wrap my head around it. Here this boy is, being cute and carefree while taking a dangerous exam so he can be like his father who abandoned him as a baby?! I just stared at the boy, speechless.
Killua then answers my question,
"I honestly don't have a reason."
That got me even more curious,
"Really? No reason?"
Killua shrugged and elaborated his answer,
"Yeah. I just heard how challenging this exam would be, but it ended up being boring, to be honest."
What the fuck kind of mentality do you need to have to find this exam boring?! I just gave Killua a look of bewilderment. He answered the expression on my face,
"I come from a family of assassins."
WHAT?!
"Yeah," he says, simply.
I didn't even say that out loud!
"When I was a kid, they made me go through rigorous training and torture."
HUH?!
While I was completely shocked and appalled by what I'm hearing,
"Woah, really?"
Gon didn't seem as shocked as I am. He's very interested in the different worldview Killua has from his. I guess that makes sense… He is a child after all, children tend to be more curious and are still developing a moral compass of their own… also, they're the same age, so it's a lot easier for them to bond like that…
—
Killua expected the woman's response about his upbringing, but Gon caught him by surprise. Gon looks at him with fascination and that makes Killua laugh,
"Man! You're funny!"
Gon looks at Killua curiously. Killua calmed down and spoke,
"I thought I'd have to witness two of the same facial expressions."
"Really? What face are you making?" Gon asked the girl. She just waves her hands,
"Ah! I didn't mean to offend anyone. I just didn't expect to hear something like that…" She answered sheepishly.
—
Killua just shrugs, showing me that he already expected my reaction in the first place,
"It's an understandable expression to hear about my upbringing. After all, not a lot of people know what it's like to be raised as an assassin, so it's understandable. But with you, Gon. You are always full of surprises."
I watch the kids banter for a while. I'm starting to feel tired,
"I think I'll be heading off to bed now."
"Okay, thanks for sharing with us!" Gon says happily.
What an adorable child! I smile at them,
"Yeah. Thanks for sharing with me as well. Good night you two!"
I got up and waved to them as I headed to where I was going to sleep.
—
It's now morning time. I let out a yawn when I heard the announcement that we've finally made it to the next phase. Everyone has gathered at the entrance. I saw Leorio and Kurapika and greeted them. Killua and Gon, I still have yet to see. Then I see Killua approaching us… alone. That's a surprise. So far, I've always seen those two together like they're attached by the hip or something,
"Hi, Killua. Where's Gon?" I ask him,
"He might be at the little training area I left him last time." He answered,
Training area? Then I see a certain Magician emerge from the hallway. I still remember our last interaction and immediately turn away from him. I don't want to deal with him right now.
Just then, in a flash, Gon is right next to us. Wow. He sure is excited,
"Good morning, Gon." I greet him, amused by his burst of energy,
"Morning!" He replies,
We all got off the blimp and stood in front of that green bean creature that gave us our badges,
" Welcome to the 3rd Phase. This is Trick Tower and you have to go down this tower from the top to the very bottom in 72 hours. That is your time limit!" The green bean explains to us.
And so we are left to our devices. One guy looks at the edge of the tower,
"This is no problem. I can climb down!"
And just as he started climbing down the tower, a really big, scary-looking, flying creature went and scooped him off the wall of the tower. It was very gruesome to see,
"Well… That's a no go…" I mutter to myself. Everyone else thought so too as they started looking for another way to get down the tower. I look around as well. Gon, Killua, Leorio, and Kurapika were gathered at one part of the tower while I was exploring the other part of it. Before I noticed, I felt the tile of the tower move under me as I rested my weight on it by accident. I let out a confused yelp as I fell through,
"Ow! My butt…!" I whined after landing roughly on my back. Good thing my back is saved from the impact. But my ass, however, didn't land on my bag, but on the floor instead.
I rubbed my butt until,
"Ahh, what a delightful coincidence!"
I turn around and see Hisoka looking at me.
Oh for the love of…!
I glare at the man as I get up from the floor. I turn my attention away from him, wondering what this room is. I see a pedestal and read the note above it. It took me a while but I think I got the gist. I took the watch and wrapped it around my wrist. Just then a voice, which I assume is from an intercom speaks,
"Welcome to Trick Tower. I'm Lippo. The wristwatches you have in your possession help you go through the tower by cooperating. The two buttons will be the voting system of whether or not you agree with the other on where to go as you descend to the bottom of the tower, if you do not cooperate, neither of you will be able to go any further."
Great. I have to work with this clown…
I let out a displeased growl,
"There are two of you, so you are now finally able to begin your run. Start!"
The door of the room opens. I head off before Hisoka, not wanting to interact with the man. I walked ahead until there was a fork in the road.
Damn it all…
Hisoka stands beside me as he reads the sign in front of us. I tried to read the sign and didn't understand what it was trying to say to me. It's giving me a riddle, I can tell by the structure of the sentence, but the letters are too confusing to memorize. I let out a sigh,
"What the hell…?"
"Is something wrong, Darling?" Hisoka asks me, clearly seeing me struggle with comprehending the words before me,
"Quiet," I tell him coldly.
I'm still deciphering the letters quietly and attempting to finally get the gist of what the riddle is trying to say until,
"The riddle says:I have a head like a cat and feet like a cat, but I am not a cat. What am I?"
I look at him, not knowing what to say. He turns to me and smiles,
"What a coincidence. Don't you say~? Kitten…?"
My cheeks turn red from that damn nickname,
"Would you drop that stupid nickname ALREADY?!" I yell at him.
He just chuckles at me,
"But that's the riddle, Darling. I just told you the answer."
I glare at him, my cheeks still red. He just smiles at me,
"You don't need to be shy if you are having a hard time reading the letters. I can help, you know?"
"What? So you can seduce me in the future…?" I accuse him.
Hisoka's smile widens and leans closer,
"Is it so bad, Darling~?"
My face is now completely red at that point and shove him away from me,
"Shut UP and take the damn riddle seriously!"
"But I am. That's exactly what it says and the answer is kitten."
I eye him suspiciously. I turn my attention back to the sign, I look at the answers.
One answer is pointing to the right with an 'x' above it, while the other is pointing to the left with an 'o' above it. I deciphered the two answers since they're a lot easier to read and have fewer letters. And sure enough. One of the answers says 'Kitten' and it's the one with the 'o'. I turn my head to glare at Hisoka,
"This better be right," I tell him,
"I'm sure of it."
We both then press the 'o' button.
The gate to the left opens and now we are descending a long staircase.
—
Meanwhile, somewhere in the deep forest, the mysterious cult took refuge in a cabin. Darius is on guard duty when he sees the Madam approach. Darius bows to her,
"Welcome back, Madam." He greets her.
The Madam smiles at him and gestures for him to get up,
"Now, Darius. You must know that you don't have to call me that when it's not a special event, yes?"
"...Right."
"Right, so call me by my name."
"Yes, Oyana."
Oyana Le Doux, the leader of this cult, or more accurately, Coven. She gives him a happy smile and enters the cabin,
"How are they?" She asks him,
"They say our new brother and sister still have yet to function, but from what I gather after interacting with them, they might be able to comprehend where they are in about a few weeks."
"That's great!" Oyana says in a happy tune.
They open a door to the basement and go down the stairs to meet the other members along with the two new ones who are not exactly responsive just yet... Callum is there, as well as Laris and the two twins with the new members all turning their attention to their Madam. Callum turns to Oyana and runs to hug her,
"Big sister!"
Oyana hugs him back,
"Now, now. You're already old enough not to do that."
The boy lets go and Oyana turns to the two twins, to get the report about the two new members and their well-being,
"Estelle, Astrid. Reports on the wellbeing of their bodies?"
"Yeah! Their bodies are not decomposing at all and are ready to be of use to them!" Estelle tells her happily,
"However, it'll take a few more weeks for their consciousness to align with their bodies," Astrid tells her stoically.
So it's almost time. Oyana has finally succeeded in summoning everyone, she smiles at all of them and speaks,
"It's almost time, then. It will be time until our fair lady will reunite with us once again."
—
I decided to sit my ass down from all the running and dodging all the obstacles we had to deal with. That one obstacle got me to use a fourth of my aura to get us through. Also, Hisoka's been a nuisance in some of them. I glare daggers at him thinking about what happened a few minutes ago.
Hisoka and I had to navigate through a dark room. I had to feel the room with where things were,
"Hisoka? Where the heck are you?"
"I don't know~. Where are you~?
"What is with that tone you have?"
Just then, I feel something grab my boob. I let out a shriek and smacked him across what I hoped was his face!
We left that room with me fuming.
What a fucking pervert!
And yes. I did aim right. His right cheek is bright red from my slap. Serves him right!
I continue to glare daggers at him, he just smiles at me as if I didn't even slap him earlier, despite his right cheek still being red. The bastard let me have a hit at him on purpose! What a prick! I let out an annoyed growl,
"Aaww are you tired, Darling?" He asks with such mock sincerity. I just want to slap him again,
"You are so annoying," I muttered, he just continues to smile like an asshole,
"But, you're so cute! I just can't control myself~!"
"That's called sexual harassment, you sicko!" I snap at him, seriously! Why the hell do I have to deal with this man?!
I let out a huff and took out the drink Tonpa gave me. I was about to open it when,
"I wouldn't drink that if I were you."
"Huh?"
"That drink is laced."
As if I believe him! I glare at him,
"Why should I believe you?"
"Have I ever lied to you?"
I didn't say anything. He hasn't so far… But, I know for sure he's capable of doing so by how he is as a person, his overall image doesn't look trustworthy either.
Hisoka chuckles at me,
"You're so cute and gullible, I like that~."
"What?! No, I'm not!" I tell him defensively as I stand up with the can in my hand. He chuckles some more as he leans on the wall behind him,
"I hate to break it to you, but you are."
"Oh yeah!? What makes you think that, huh?!"
"Well, for starters, you interacted with Tonpa. I was aware of his ridiculous antics the last time I took this Exam. He's known for deceiving new applicants."
God, this guy! What if he's lying to me right now?! And he's bad-mouthing Tonpa! Sure, my interaction with the man was extremely awkward, but I'm sure he's a nice guy!
Hisoka just watches me as I quietly have an internal battle with whom I should even trust right now until he steps away from the wall and starts walking to the closed door we have yet to open,
"Well. There's no need to dwell on it right now, we have to focus on getting down to the base of the tower. Let's go and open this door now." He goes up to the door and looks closely at the sign,
"Well, this is perplexing." He says.
"What do you mean?" I ask him. He gestures to the sign to me.
I blinked at him and began to read.
My eyes shot wide open. What?! This can't be right! I turn to Hisoka and he's just looking back at me, still smiling that dumb smile of his,
"There's gotta be a mistake. That can't be right…"
The sign says:
'Kiss me sweetly and lead me out of the dark. Hold me dearly and guide me to the light."
What is this bullshit?! Is this from a song or something?! I turn and glare at him. Surely he's got something to do with this somehow! I narrowed my eyes at him,
"Why are you glaring at me, Darling?" Hisoka asks me daring to look confused when I know he might have something to do with THIS! I point at him accusingly,
"DON'T give me that!" What makes you think I'd fall for this right after we had that talk about me being gullible?!"
Hisoka shrugs and shakes his head,
"But why would you think I did this? That sign was already there even before we got here."
"...Still, you could've easily messed with the sign somehow!"
"And how do you think I did that?" Hisoka asks me with a smile, clearly relaxed. My resolve of him maybe messing with the sign is starting to waver. Is he telling the truth…?
No! He's done something to the sign. I turned to the camera and waved to it,
"Hey! You!"
"What are you trying to do Darling?"
"I'm asking for a third person's opinion, so why not ask the Examiner of this tower?"
Hisoka chuckles at me,
"Alright, then. We do have three days so it's fine."
I glare at him. You won't fool me! Then the intercom noise is heard,
"What seems to be the problem, miss?"
"Yeah, I just want to settle this problem we're having. Did this man alter this sign somehow?"
There is silence for a moment,
"No. I don't believe so."
"Really?"
"Yes. The only way he could change the sign at all is if he could change it right in front of you."
I couldn't think of anything to debunk that at all….
"If that is all, then I suggest you actually solve the puzzle in front of you and do things yourself."
Then he hangs up.
I turn and glare at Hisoka,
"I seriously don't want to kiss you."
"But how do we leave, then?" Hisoka asks, being all cheeky,
"Shut up and do it!"
My cheeks turn red as I face him. We both stood closer, I looked up at him. He looked down at me. This man is so tall. This is too nerve-wracking… this is going to be my first kiss…. But it had to be with this man…? My life sucks so much right now!
Hisoka looks like he's waiting for me as if he's letting me decide what I should do. My heart started beating a lot in my chest from this. Just this one moment is already causing me so much stress. Hisoka just waits for me to move and the look he's giving me says that he could wait all day.
I closed my eyes and breathed in to calm my nerves. I looked back up into his eyes and moved in for the kiss. I closed my eyes once again and felt his lips on mine. I feel him kiss me back. I don't know how long we've had our lips locked, but we parted finally. My face is red from the action and Hisoka just stares at my face. A few seconds pass until Hisoka lets out a big laugh.
I'm so confused,
"What's so funny?"
"Oh dear Kitten, you really are gullible!" Hisoka says as he holds his stomach.
What…? I stare at him, dumbfounded. He calmed down from his laugh and explained to me,
"You were completely right, you know. I did change that sign!"
WHAT?!
"How I change it is just one of my special abilities, I use my nen ability to change that sign right in front of you without you knowing~!" He then lets out another laugh.
I am completely speechless.
What. A fucking… DICK!
—
Meanwhile, behind the intercom, the Examiner watches the whole exchange between badge number 33 and badge number 44. After badge number 33 asked his thoughts on whether or not badge number 44 changed the sign, he wanted to see what was going to happen next, and well… he didn't expect that at all. A kiss just happened between them! So, that's why the girl looked extremely suspicious about the sign! The sign didn't have any kissing in it at all, so that was a surprise! But after the two stopped kissing, badge number 44 started laughing at her, clearly revealing his prank. Wow. And the look on her face after he revealed it. Oh boy! Where is it going to go? Lippo just continues to stuff his face with chips as he continues to watch the drama unfold before his eyes between badge 33 and badge 44. It's like watching a good TV show right now.
—
A kettle starts boiling to the point of whistling as steam starts to come out of it.
A volcano rumbles until it explodes!
I threw the still unopened drink Tonpa gave me directly at Hisoka's face! He easily dodges the drink and it explodes everywhere on impact to the wall. I let out an angry scream,
"You FUCKING ASSHOLE!" I wasn't thinking and just started whacking at his chest with my fists repeatedly. Hisoka just finds my tactless attacks cute and I HATE HIM FOR IT!
"Now, now. Don't fight me just yet~. You still have a lot more training to go until you can handle me in a fight, Kitten~."
AGAIN WITH THAT STUPID NICKNAME! I DON'T CARE IF I'M STILL WEAK! I want to RIP HIM A NEW ASSHOLE!
I continued my angry attacks until I got extremely tired. He holds me in his arms as I attempt to claw out his Goddamn eyes! He just moved away from my hands until I finally stopped. He looks down at me,
"Are you finished~!"
"You are such a fucking bastard…!"
"Yes, yes~. But I love the entertainment, Love~."
Love…? LOVE?! FUCK YOU!
"DON'T. CALL ME. LOVE!"
My energy then came back from that and I finally took out my sword! I am so ready to kill this man! He has done nothing but cause me so much misery! And ANNOYANCE!
—
Hisoka has finally done it. He's finally got her to bite and she biteshard~! She throws a swing in his direction. A blue light flies from her blade, flying directly at him. So, the blue flash of light he saw in the swamp was her Nen ability~? He couldn't help but feel turned on right now~. It just makes him want her to attack more~! Maybe once she tires out, they can finally have a good fuck before they leave~? He wants that for sure~. Tiring his cute little toy out and letting her spend all her energy swinging her sword at him, then play with her once she's calmed down and finally take her virginity as she cries for release~¡! Oooohhhh~!¡! He wants that so bad~!
He jumps out of the way as the blue light fades.
Hisoka licks his lips until…
His dear Kitten just stops.
—
"Why did you stop Darling~? "
I glare daggers at him, my face completely red,
"Why do you have a boner?"
Hisoka just smiles seductively at me in response!
I am SO FUCKING DISGUSTED!
"Agh! You are so GROSS!" I put away my sword and stormed off to the stupid sign! I angrily turned to him and pointed at it,
"Change the fucking sign back. Now!"
—
Meanwhile, behind the intercom, Lippo was in awe. Oh wow! The drama! The TEA!¡! Man, that was so goddamn entertaining!
Only during the Hunter's Exam does he see such entertainment this extreme. He just finished his bag of chips. Whelp! Time for a new one!
—
Finally! We are finally out of that goddamn room! I stomped ahead of Hisoka, tired of being in his presence! We walked for a good while until I finally calmed down. Once I'm now calm I noticed this last room didn't have any obstacles or anything. Have we reached the end?
Just then a man stood right in front of us with his weapon drawn. I look at him questioningly,
"Ummm… are you our next obstacle?"
The man shook his head,
"No, in fact, I'm not one of the Examiners."
Hisoka then stands beside me and asks,
"Oh? What brings someone like you here to greet us~?"
"Oh, I'm not greeting you both. I'm here to greet you personally, Hisoka."
I sense they might have a history. I look between the two of them Hisoka then asks,
"Oh? Are you really?"
"Of course! I can't forget what you did to me last time! So, now I'll be doing you a favor and keep you from passing."
"Oh really? But unfortunately for you, I intend to pass this exam this time."
I look between the two once again and raise my hand,
"Ummm… Excuse me?" I ask the former Examiner,
"What?" He said gruffly at me,
"Does this affect me, too? I just happened to be stuck with this man as my partner, so… do I get to pass since this is personal between you two…?"
The former Examiner thought about it for a bit,
"You know what? Yeah. You can pass. But just you. Not this bastard!"
I love this man. I beamed at him and bowed to him,
"Oh thank you so much!"
Just my luck! I'm so excited! I get to leave Hisoka behind! FINALLY! Hopefully, he dies and I don't have to deal with him anymore. Yay~!
I practically skipped my way to the door as the former Examiner and Hisoka duke it out in the background.
…and that was short-lived.
Hisoka is beside me with two deep cuts on him as we both head to the door. I stared blankly ahead once we finally exited the tower. An announcer speaks through the intercom,
"Number 44 exited the 3rd Phase. Number 33 exited the 3rd Phase. Time elapsed 6 hours and 17 minutes."
Hisoka turns to me with that damn smile of his,
"Darling~? I'm hurt~! Do you want to check my wounds closely, Love~? "
I growl at him,
"Fuck off!" I gave him the middle finger and walked as far away as possible from him then plopped to the floor angrily and didn't dare to look his way. I'm so relieved I didn't have to deal with him like that anymore, but I'm still seething with anger from the fact that I gave my first kiss to that clown.
—
The angry look she gives him is so cute~! He might actually develop some form of infatuation with his Kitten after all of this. Just pushing her buttons alone keeps giving him the right amount of dopamine every time ~! Hisoka decides it's time to give his Kitten a little break. After all, she seems tired from their little fight. Watching her closely, she's already dozed off and ended up lying on the floor hugging her bag like a pillow. How adorable~! He just wants to go over there and cuddle with her~! but if he did, she'd cut his arms off and he still needs his arms for the next phase, after all. So now they wait until the other remaining applicants arrive.
Notes:
Boy did I have fun writing this chapter! lol! And I think my chapters are slowly starting to get longer and longer. oh boy!
Chapter 10: Chapter 9: 4th Phase and a Beautiful Lullaby
Summary:
It's now the 4th Phase. The young woman has developed a new ability.
Hisoka's Obsession with her grows.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
I let out a yawn as I watched the remaining applicants slowly exit the tower. It's almost time for the next phase. So far, I have yet to see Gon and the others. I couldn't help but worry. If they didn't pass, I'd be stuck with… him. I glared from across the room as I felt a certain pair of eyes on me. He just gives me that annoying creepy smile of his. I hug my knees as I think about when I leave this place. How do I even find what I'm looking for anyway?
Time passes by. It's now almost time. I dread the idea of not seeing any familiar face that I bonded with. Only a few seconds now…
Just then a door near me opens.
Three familiar faces exit the door. My eyes brightened. There stands Kurapika, Killua, and Gon. I get up to greet them,
"Gon! Kurapika! Killua! You guys made it!"
Gon sees me and smiles brightly at me,
"Ah! Big Sis, you made it!"
My eyes twinkled at the nickname.
Aww~!'Big Sis'? That's so cute! He sees me as a big sister! I want to cry! Gon must be protected at all costs! I ended up crying,
"Huh? Are you okay?" Gon asks me,
"No, I'm okay. It's just… You called me Big Sis~!"
"Oh yeah, I did! Sorry!"
"Oh! No! It's okay! I'm fine with you calling me that."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I'm just surprised. I had a younger brother back home, you see, and he used to call me Big Sis all the time, so it's okay."
Gon smiles at me,
"Okay, Big Sis!"
Aaww! He's so cute! As I continue to cry at Gon and his cuteness, Kurapika, and Killua greet me as well, but more tired,
"Hey…"
"It's nice to see you again."
I then notice someone is missing,
"Hmm? Where's Leorio?"
Just then, I see Leorio and Tonpa pushing at each other as they exit the tower. They look like they want to kill each other. I just stare at the two they continue to stare each other down. Until Leorio finally notices me,
"Oh! You're okay! What happened to you?!"
I smiled at him and reassured him I was fine. Well. As fine as my sanity can be. After being exposed to Hisoka for a long period, I almost felt like I'd gotten a few of my screws loose because of that Clown. But I'm not gonna make them worry about how my time with Hisoka has been,
"Yeah! I'm fine! Don't worry about anything!"
The kiss didn't happen.
I then turned to Tonpa,
"Hello, Tonpa! It's nice seeing you again!" I greet him. I hope I didn't come off as off-putting because of how the kiss has invaded my mind.
Tonpa didn't greet me back. Like at all. He's glaring at me.
What did I do now?
I look at the others. Well, Gon seems fine. Still happy as a clam, the other three just glare at Tonpa. What happened? I look at him questioningly and he just scoffs at me as if I dare to give him the look I give him,
"You think I didn't notice! I know you're playing dumb so you can ambush me in the future! I know your game, girl! Pretending to be the sweet, innocent, weak victim as you fool everyone around you as you throw them in the dust!"
"Heh?"
"Stop playing dumb already! I already saw through your ruse before the first phase started!"
—
The woman continues to give Tonpa a confused look, while Gon also gives him a confused look Killua looks at him like he's stupid and Kurapika glares at him. Leorio looks incredibly offended,
"HEY! You apologize to her right now! She's got no bad bone in her body!"
"Hell no!"
"Why you?!"
Leorio growls at Tonpa,
"Uuhh. What do you mean about that, Tonpa…?" The Big Sis of the group asks him. He is fed up with her dumb act and elaborates just so the other four would understand who he thinks she is,
"As if you still don't get it! I saw through my plan all along! You knew the drinks I gave everyone is laced so you decided to stay clear of me and then you pretend to be ignorant of my plans to foil your fellow newbies!"
Then silence.
—
Huh. So Hisoka was right after all… I am gullible. I gave him a disappointed look,
"So I was wrong, then…"
"Huh?"
"You really did lace that drink?"
"Of course I did! Now quit your act already!"
I am so disappointed with myself. How could I be a good Hunter if I keep falling for the sketchiest thing in existence?!
I don't know what, but something snapped within me after that.
Leorio then grabs Tonpa by the shirt,
"You bastard! You've done it now!"
"Leorio stop. You don't have to get mad at him on behalf of me. " I tell him.
Leorio lets go of the man. I look at Tonpa coldly,
"Besides… I should be the one offended here."
I got closer to Tonpa and leaned lower to his eye level,
"You are going to pay for fooling me." I threatened him.
I hate being fooled.
Here I was, just trying my best to be kind to others as much as I could, yet some people would dare to take advantage of that. They think just because I'm kind, they think that makes me weak for it. That pisses me off… I make my aura known to people who can sense that I'm serious. I continue to give him a menacing look until he finally knows that I'm not joking or putting on an 'act'. Tonpa began to tremble under my gaze and started stepping a few steps back. I straighten up and turn my attention back to the four people that I have begun to care about. Leorio is stunned by the display, as well as Kurapika. Gon wasn't fazed by my action to threaten a man's life in front of him, but I couldn't help but feel like a bad influence on the kid,
"Hey, Gon?"
"Yeah?"
"Please don't copy what I do."
Gon gives me a questioning look and I just pat him on the head because he is too precious. Gon is the only one who sees Tonpa as a good man now.
I turn to Tonpa and give him a cold look.
I then turned to Killua and I saw he looked pretty shaken, I got kind of worried and went to check up on him,
"Killua? Are you okay?" I ask as I reach to touch his shoulder,
"Huh?" Killua flinches at my touch. His reaction kind of surprised me, actually and I pulled my hand away because of it. Did my threatening Tonpa like that scare him that much…? I give him a sad look. Killua notices and apologizes,
"Sorry… I didn't mean to act like that."
I shook my head and placed my hand on my heart,
"No, I should be sorry. I didn't mean to scare anyone."
Killua didn't say anything and now things are awkward between us.
—
Now it's time to gather outside of the tower. The Examiner of the 3rd Phase, Lippo, is standing in front of everyone with a box beside him,
"Congratulations on passing the 3rd Phase! In the next phase, you all will be sent to Zevel Island, but before you do so, you all must draw a card from this box." Lippo then gestures to the box beside him,
"I will call one person to draw a card by the order from who exited the
Tower first to who exited last. By their badge number."
Everyone then waits,
"Number 44. Please draw out a card."
Hisoka then walks over and takes a card from the box and goes back to where he's standing,
"Number 33."
I step forward and take out a card from the box. I look at it and see a sticker on the card I drew. I figured I'd be told to peel it off later. I walked back to where I stood with the others. I look up and see Gon and everyone giving me a concerned look,
"Hmm? What?" I ask them. Leorio steps closer to me,
"Are you okay? Did you get stuck with… Him?" He then proceeds to discreetly point at Hisoka. I let out a tired laugh,
"Yup! I'm good!" As good as I can be…
Kurapika didn't buy it at all,
"Something did happen…"
"Nope! Nothing! Now please let's not talk about it!" I snap at him. I didn't want to snap at him, but I just am not ready to talk about Hisoka right now! Gon gives me a concerned look but nods to me,
"Okay, we won't pry Big Sis."
Aww! He's such a kind boy! The tense atmosphere then melted away,
"Good~!" I say happily. The other three just laugh nervously at my change of mood. And then, the Examiner calls the remaining four, which are my four acquaintances.
Once everyone has gotten a card, we are told to peel off the sticker. It revealed several,
"The number on your card is the number of your target. In the next Phase, your task is to take the badge of your target on Zevel Island." After he explained what we'd do next, a lot of the applicants decided to take off their badges and hide them.
I just looked at my card, It read'362'.That is my target. I, unfortunately, don't know who that is. A lot of the applicants have already taken off their badges before I even get to see them. I let out a sigh.
—
We are already on a boat to the island. Everyone is tense. I could see my four acquaintances being wary and unsure of whether or not they should trust each other. I know for sure they're not my targets. Gon, especially, looks very nervous. It made me feel bad for the kid so I decided to approach him,
"Hey, Gon what's wrong?"
Gon looks up at me and looks back down at his card. He seems to be looking for what words he can say. Killua came over to us as well,
"Oh hey, Killua." I greeted him. He sees me and looks away from me.
Ah… It seems we're still awkward with each other. He takes a slight glance at me and then at Gon. Gon of course notices him and greets him,
"Hey, Killua."
The two kids are attached by the hip. Do I have to stay to hear what Gon has to say? Or do I let Killua take over? I did just come over here just to see how Gon is doing. In the end, I decided I didn't exactly have a place there and left the two kids alone. After all… my original goal wasn't supposed to make friends or adopt two kids. I'm here to be a Hunter, not a mom.
…
Although… I'll make sure they'll be okay on the side… Man, I'm a mess when it comes to my decisions. I'll focus on figuring out my target for now.
—
We've all finally arrived at the Island. The woman in charge of releasing us into the island speaks,
"Welcome to Zevel Island. I will call each Applicant by number in the order they've exited the tower 2 minutes before one another!" She explains,
"Starting with number 44!"
Hisoka turns to me and smiles. I return his smile with a glare. If we encounter each other, I swear, I will knock his teeth out. He then leaves the boat and into the island. Two minutes have passed,
"Next, number 33!" She calls me. I turn to the others,
"Good luck out there." I tell Leorio, Kurapika, Gon and Killua. Leorio nods to me enthusiastically,
"Yeah! You too!"
I smiled at him and nodded back to him. I then leave the boat and enter the island's forest. I know Hisoka is somewhere on this island, but who knows what he's going to do. I'm going to keep an eye out for him if he ever did decide to go after me. I activate my En as I run in a random direction. It's time for me to be on guard now since it's time to be serious.
—
Hisoka is nearby when he sees his kitten leave the area. She didn't realize how close he'd been or knew that he knew where she was all that time. He does want to play with her right now and take her, but he'll wait. It would be too easy to even do that and she's become something he wants in a toy. Something to raise, something to watch grows… Something to ravish. So, just getting rid of her now would be a complete waste and he would admit that he's taken a liking to her despite her dismay if she learned even if his fixation on her is just for her potential to be one of the strongest Nen users or just her body alone, or maybe both.
What will he do now? His fixation on her is getting very aggressive. Has he become obsessed~? So he's decided… He'll just mess with her for a bit and see where that will go.
—
I found a place to hide in the meantime. I believe I've found my target. My target doesn't seem that interesting but looks can be deceiving. It's only been a few hours since this whole island thing started and I just found him as I see the man take out both his badge and card. The man was just trying to see what his target's number was when he did it, so that was pretty lucky. The only thing now is to get his badge. I could just confront him and take it, but I thought it would be the best time to use a Nen ability I've been practicing. My target is not alone. He's with three others. It's perfect. From what I remember about the rules of the task my target is worth 3 points while the other applicants are worth 1 point, and I need 6 points to pass, so my target having allies with him is just lucky on my part. Also, I get to use my new Nen ability on them and see how it would go. My new Nen ability… Ever since my encounter with the kid, Callum, I recall how he managed to paralyze me with only his voice. So, I've decided to base my newest ability on that. After all, I could use my voice as well, but only during the most stressful of situations. I intend to change that. I'll wait for the right moment, then I'll strike!
—
Hisoka has decided to tag along for the ride to see what his Kitten will do with her target. Looking at her facial expression, it seems she's got something up her sleeve. He watches intently he has a feeling it would be a spectacle to behold.
—
It's now nightfall. My target and his allies decided to set up camp. I feel nighttime is the best time to use my ability. The four people are none the wiser. I took in a deep breath. I hope this will work. I then let out a single note. I watched when some of them took notice ofmy song. I let out more notes until… multiple large jellyfish appeared around the four men,
"What the hell? Where did these come from?!"
"Who's singing…?" Their questions aren't answered. My target, however, seems to realize my ploy,
"Find the one who's singing! It must be them who are doing this…!"
Unfortunately, that was all in vain, just then, they all fell into a deep slumber.
My songends.
I want to give myself a high five! It worked! My new Nen ability worked beautifully! If I work on it more, maybe I can even reach more people with it! I got out of my hiding place and took what I needed.
—
Hisoka is in awe. Watching her use her Nen is a sight to behold! He is now too excited! Just way too excited! A song is used as her ability~! Just beautiful~! Hisoka grins at knowing more about his obsession and leaves his hiding place to encounter his beloved Kitten.
—
As I took the badges, I sensed a strong aura coming my way. I quickly turn to them and see it's Hisoka. Of course, I met him. I get ready to defend myself as he gets closer. He just smiles at me like he always does and I always respond with a glare,
"That's an impressive ability you have there, Darling~!" He tells me.
Damnit! He was tailing me and I didn't notice!
Again!
I need to work on my En so I can tell how far or how close they would be. He gets even closer,
"My Kitten~! You impress me every time ~! I just want to know more about you~! Every single thing~! Is it wrong for me to do so~?"
"It is when you're being this creepy about it! That's called stalking!" I growled at the man. He just chuckles at me. I take out my sword when I feel he's getting way too close now,
"Get any closer and I'll kill you."
"Oh~? Would you really~?"
It's now a standoff between us. I honestly don't know how I can take him down at all. Me threatening him is just a bluff. I need to find a way to escape or else I don't know what he'll do with me. Hisoka hasn't been hiding the fact that he's interested in me sexually and I just can't deal with that at all! Why the hell do I have to attract such a creepy guy?! And why does he have to be so… So…! UGH! I hate to admit it, but he's very attractive! What a goddamn WASTE!
Hisoka smirks at me as my cheeks get red from my recent thought. I do need to get away! I have no time for this! Just then, he disappears. I get caught off guard and focus on my En to predict where he is. He appeared behind me and I jumped away. Hisoka continues to disappear as I keep trying to keep a distance from each other. Just then he appeared in front of me I went in for a strike with my sword. He easily doges and grabs my arm,
"Damnit!"
Hisoka disarms me, twists my hand, and pulls it to my back, causing me to turn around facing away from him. He leans in close and whispers in my ear,
"Nice try, Kitten~. Still, I love our little dance~!"
My other arm was still free so I attempted to elbow him, but he grabbed that arm as well,
"You're adorable~. I just want to eat you up~." He then places a kiss on my neck, I let out a gasp. That came out of nowhere! This is bad! I struggled out of his grasp. I can't let him do this to me! Hisoka chuckles at my poor attempt at escape,
"You're too cute, Darling~! What will you do next~?" He whispered, his voice getting more sultry. I then could feel him hold me closer. My face is getting redder from this sudden intimacy! I hate how embarrassed I'm feeling about this! I hate how easily Hisoka has gotten me in his grasp!
I let out a growl and used my leg to knock him down alongside me! He got caught off guard and fell with me in his arms. I feel him lose his grip on me and we both fall to the ground. I quickly got up and rushed to my sword. Hisoka gets up and charges at me. I held my sword up and gathered my aura into my sword, It took me a few minutes, but I let out a swing that carried my aura aimed at the tree near Hisoka. I waited for him to get closer just so I could cut the tree and drop it on him. He dodged that and I was gone. I run into the forest and lose him.
A first kiss is one thing, but there's no way in hell I'm going to give him my first time! I touched where Hisoka kissed me and blushed madly at the thought! Ugh! Why the hell am I even thinking about all of this!?
—
Hisoka was impressed when she actually got away. He almost got lost in his need to rip her apart and take her right there. He lets out a laugh. He almost ruined his meticulous plan to give him the greatest pleasure in the future with that woman. He'll be careful next time~! But seeing a glimpse of what she will be capable of in the future is so exciting!
Hisoka calms down and decides to let her go. After all, there are others he would like to see that can fulfill his need for entertainment and desire to fight and kill. He's decided she will be the special case where she would be the one to fulfill his need for other things, like pleasure, sex, and more. He feels she'll be a whole packaged deal and he wants that fulfillment met when she's ready.
He then leaves the premises and searches for the other applicants. After all, he still needs to find his target and a few more badges to pass. If he doesn't, he'll have to wait for the next exam to come around and he didn't want that, then he won't get to go around as he pleases and he might even lose track of his dear Kitten and he doesn't want that to happen.
But he still feels incomplete… Bloodlust starts to form within him. Since he couldn't satisfy his sexual desire to engulf his Kitten, he'll go for the next best thing…
—
I felt fatigued after my encounter with Hisoka and decided to find a place to rest. I think I got knocked out for a long time since I woke up and saw the sun had already risen. It's now the next day. I get out of my hiding place and let out a sigh. I'm still thinking about the intimacy between me and Hisoka and it actually confused me a whole lot about it. But I pulled out of that thought when I saw Kurapika, Leorio, and Gon. I feel so relieved to see them,
"Hey!" I call out to them. All three turn my way. Gon and Leorio happily to me while Kurapika gives me a nod in my direction. I finally reach them and Gon, especially, beams up at me,
"Big sis! I'm glad you're okay!"
What a sweet boy. I pat his head,
"So, what have you all been doing?" I also want to ask where Killua is, but I will refrain from it. It just occurred to me, that Killua didn't originally decide to team up with everyone and I just happen to think they all are a packaged deal for some reason. I just can't seem to think of them separately from each other. Kurapika then explained to me what they were up to, they told me they dealt with Tonpa beforehand,
"Aww. That's unfortunate. I want that guy to pay for making me feel like an idiot…" I pouted, Kurapika and Leorio let out a nervous laugh,
"Well… don't worry! I made sure he got it loud and clear!" Leorio comforted me. I smile at him,
"Thanks. You are too nice!"
Gon is still staring at me and I couldn't help but ask him,
"Is there something on my face?"
Gon shakes his head and looks away,
"No… I'm sorry."
"Hmm? Why are you apologizing?" I ask him. His apology is out of the blue after all…
He looks back at me then back at the ground and speaks,
"I saw what Hisoka did…"
My eyes widen. Oh no! I can't believe he had to see all of that! I give Gon a worried look. Gon looks back at me sadly, tears starting to form in his eyes. It broke my heart,
"I'm so sorry! I wasn't able to help you!" Gon cried. I pulled him into a hug,
"No, it's okay! I'm fine now!" I try to reassure him. How and when the heck did this kid grow to care for me like a sister all of a sudden? The boy continued to cry. I ended up crying, too. This boy is too young to be exposed to so much corruption already… Once he calmed down, I let him go and dried his tears. It is like I'm back with my younger brother. I pat Gon's head again and ask him if he got his target's badge. Gon nodded and still is sad,
"I should've jumped in and helped you…"
"I told you I'm okay."
"But! Hisoka was my target and I could've just taken it by helping you!"
My eyes widened yet again. Hisoka was his target?! Was…? I blink at him,
"'Was'...?" I say to him. He nods to me,
"I got it by waiting for the right opportunity…" Gon tells me, still beating himself up. My gaze softened and continued to pat his head,
"Well, I'm glad you did."
Once he's calmed down, we all headed our way to the boat. It has been an eventful few days and I have a feeling we're getting close to the end of the exams.
Notes:
I can feel the Exam is coming closer to the end and I have to admit, following the main story was a little bit helpful to where I want to go with this story, but at the same time, I have no idea where the rest will go from there. XP
Oh yeah! And I put in two songs, but I wasn't sure which one to go with. just assume the MC used one of those songs as her Nen ability
Chapter 11: Chapter 10: The Final Phase is Near
Summary:
The Applicants have collected their badges.
Kurapika decides to share his motive with her.
Netero decides to have an interview with the remaing applicants for the Final Phase.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
We all finally made it to the boat. The rest of the applicants have already made it to the site. Unfortunately, Hisoka is there… For some reason I hoped once Gon took his badge, he wouldn't be able to participate in the next round. But of course that's not the case. I could see only a few applicants left now. Hisoka took notice of me and I looked away from him, completely done with this man and his annoying presence! Gon looks up at me and takes my hand,
"Big sis! Let's go!"
Aawww! I nodded to him and went down to meet the others with Kurapika and Leorio close behind. Killua sees Gon and greets him,
"Gon! Hey!" Gon lets go of my hand and greets Killua. I smile at them as the woman from before stands in front of us,
"Thank you all for gathering! To recite the rules, you must require 6 points to pass. Your target's badge and your own are worth 3 points while others are only worth 1 point."
Oh. Did she say both your target's and your own…? I think I may have overdone it… I feel myself sweating from the four badges I have in my bag… the guilt I feel weighs over me as she asks to show me the badges we have collected. Gon takes out his, as well as Kurapika and Leorio, Killua takes out his and then I see Hisoka and he has more than just his targets. I took out mine. I think in total, I got 9 points. The four look at me all impressed. Maybe.
—
Leorio stares at her in awe. Wow… Cold. He doesn't know whether to be scared or intrigued by her coldness… He guessed Tonpa is sort of right, just… not what he thinks.
Killua stares at her, still remembering the aura she gave off at the Trick Tower when she threatened Tonpa. He should've known to never judge a book by its cover, but when he met her, he actually thought she would always be predictable based on how she wears all of her emotions on her sleeves.
Kurapika looks at the woman, surprised. When he first met her, he thought she'd be a kind, and sweet woman who does no wrong, but here she is with more than she needed. But he decided to look closely at her again and could see… yup. She's misinterpreted the rules… A bead of sweetness formed on his head and couldn't help but feel bad for her at this very moment.
The three of them continue to stare at her as she starts to laugh nervously and rub the back of her head.
—
Okay, guys~! Stop staring at me~! I'm only just a dumbass… Please…
I continued to laugh nervously as they continued to stare at my face red with embarrassment, while Gon didn't act any different as he looked up at me impressed,
"Wow! You got so many badges, Big sis!"
"Ahaha…! Yeah. I do…!" I say with a nervous laugh.
At the corner of my eye, I see Hisoka watching me with that damn smile on his face! I'm just gonna ignore that bastard! I can tell he wants to make fun of me or something for getting this many badges and what I did was overkill or something! And he'll probably be gross about it, too!
Soon after confirming the points we all board a blimp above us. I'm pretty sure that's the same blimp we were on earlier.
—
We are all on the ship to our next destination. I still can't get over being on a blimp, I still find it pretty neat. I went to a window and sat on the bench there when Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio decided to join me. Killua, I don't know where he went. Exploring the ship again maybe? I turn to them with a smile,
"That was something, huh?"
They nodded in agreement as the scenery passed us by. Gon watches the scenery go by. I turn to Gon and the boy gives me a big smile and turns back to the scenery. The three of them talked about what transpired with each other and Leorio was thankful with the two of them,
"So… I want to thank you guys for helping me out with all this… So yeah. Thanks…" Leorio tells them looking shy and embarrassed. I smile at the interaction. I don't exactly know their history with each other at all, yet they accept me into their group as if I belong. It's very heartwarming to feel that.
However…
Looking at Leorio and Kurapika, I realize I haven't asked Kurapika or Leorio why they are taking the exams in the first place. I had many opportunities to ask, but never thought to do so. I wonder if it's the best time now? I leaned my head on one hand as I looked at both of them.
Kurapika notices my sudden quiet,
"Is something the matter?"
I decided it was the right time,
"You know? I've wanted to know… Why are you and Leorio taking the exams? I never thought to ask beforehand… And we have been around each other for a while now during this whole thing…"
I then notice Kurapika's hesitancy,
"Oh, but, umm, it's okay if you don't want to share. I was just curious." I try to comfort him. He seems to still be hesitating until Leorio steps closer,
"Well, my reason why I decided to join the Hunter's Exam is for the money!"
"Oh? That's understandable. Any specific reason why?"
Leorio stands up confidently and elaborates,
"The reason why I want money is so I can be a doctor someday."
I give him give him a soft smile,
"That's a very noble cause."
Leorio blushes and lets out an abashed chuckle,
"Oh! You really think so~?"
"Yeah, I really think so, especially when it comes to something as complicated as Hunters and other things in this field."
Leorio nods to that and walks over to the window looks out into the scenery and continues,
"Yeah. But, I especially want to help others who also can't afford it either. I grew up poor, you see, and… I watched a good friend of mine die from a curable disease."
I stopped smiling and frowned at what he told me. Leorio turns to me and smiles. He then turns to Kurapika,
"Kurapike told me his reasoning, but I'm not sure he would." He then shrugs at me. Just then, an announcement is heard through the intercom of the blimp,
"Attention all applicants. The chairman would wish to have an interview with the remaining applicants. When your number is called, please go to the reception room on the second floor, starting with number 44, Hisoka."
"Hmm? An interview?" I uttered questioningly,
"Whelp! I guess it's time to see what that guy needs, then." Leorio then heads off. Gon moves away from the window and follows Leorio to where they assume the chairman will be.
I get up from my bench and am about to follow when,
"The reason why I'm taking the Hunter's Exam is…" Kurapika starts. I turn around, waiting to hear what he has to say. He is having trouble sharing it with me. I reassure him again,
"You don't have to force yourself. I understand if it's something you just can't bring yourself to share, it's fine."
He shook his head then gave me a sad smile and looked down at the floor as if it was the most interesting thing when he talked to me,
"No… It's the least I could do for your kindness and helpfulness throughout this whole exam. I've forgotten what it's like to feel all that… Actually… I'm thankful to all of you for that. Gon, Leorio, Killua… and you."
When he said that, he looked back up at me. I honestly don't know what I did to make him feel this grateful. What did I do to receive this kind of gratitude? Kurapika looks at me and speaks again,
"You may think you haven't done anything, but you have no idea how long it's been to feel this happy again. Before meeting everyone, I thought I'd forgotten what that's like to feel this way again… to feel like I belong somewhere. I thought there was nothing for me after what I was going to do after this whole exam."
That made me curious. I tilt my head with curiosity when Kurapika continues,
"...The reason why I'm taking this exam is… for revenge."
"...Revenge…?" I repeated the last word. He nods his head,
"Yes. I'm going to be a Blacklist Hunter to retrieve all of my clan members' eyes and take my revenge on a notorious group called the Phantom Troupe. Also known as the Spider…"
What I'm hearing sounds incredibly heavy. I could feel the gravity of the hatred Kurapika was conveying when he said that name. It's like poison rolling down his tongue when he speaks it. I am actually at a loss, but I couldn't help but ask him,
"What… Exactly did they do…?"
Kurapika clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. His anger seeps through his whole body as he explains,
"They've murdered them."
I then noticed his eyes turning red from saying those words. I could feel a shiver go up my spine from the intensity. Kurapika continues explaining to me, but I want him to stop. This whole thing scares me,
"My clan was called the Kurta clan. They were all killed for their red eyes by that group. All during when I was away…! When I came back. Everyone I loved is dead…! All their eyes… gone from their skulls… Everyone… Not just the men… The women, the children… even the elders…! They're all gone! My family… My friends… All because of that Troupe… When I find them, I will make them pay."
I couldn't help but feel my tears fall from my face as he told me all of it. The horror he had to endure… the loss, the pain he had to go through. I covered my mouth from the shock of learning something so vile that could happen to someone. I then thought of the bodies of Ivo and Miro hanging from trees all mangled and barely recognizable, then Baran dying before my eyes… I know his issues are far worse than my own, but I understand yet I don't at the same time… The images of their deaths are still in my mind…
—
Kurapika finally calmed down from his rage when he noticed how quiet she had been. He looks at her and she's breathing rather heavily and covering her face. He looks at her worriedly,
"Hey… I'm… I'm sorry."
She looks back at him and continues to cry. He reached over to her and pulled her into a hug,
"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to…"
He doesn't know how to react. He made her cry. He could feel her struggling to calm down. She wraps her arms around him and cries quietly,
"...No… You shouldn't be sorry at all…"
The two stay like that for a while. He didn't mean to dump his problems on her like that. Once they parted, She was now calm and she smiled at him,
"I guess I'll give you my reason as to why I'm here in exchange. That's the least I could do."
Kurapika nods as the two of them head to where Leorio and Gon went.
—
Netero is sitting at his cozy table getting ready for the interviews. He's excited to see the 7 rookies in this exam, he's seen some glimpses and he's quite impressed with some of them.
Hisoka enters the room,
"Ah! Welcome! Have a seat!" Netero says Hisoka looks at the man,
"Don't tell me this is the Final Phase."
"No. Not the test itself. I just have a few questions to ask to satisfy my curiosity." Netero explains as Hisoka takes a seat on the tatami mat in front of the old man. Netero picks up a piece of paper,
"First off… Why do you want to become a Hunter?" He asks as he writes down his first question. Hisoka grins at him,
"To be frank, I don't. But…"
"Go on."
"A Hunter's License can be incredibly useful."
"Oh? And how so?"
"For example… Hunters can kill without any fear of prosecution." Hisoka looks at Netero with a grin,
"I see. Moving onto the next question… Out of the 9 applicants, which one are you keeping a close eye on?"
Hisoka's grin widens at the question,
"Number 33."
"Oh?"
"Numbers 99 and 405 do also have my eye, and I do want to fight them someday, however… Number 33 has taken my interest the most~." Hisoka chuckles as he thinks of his precious Kitten. Maybe later they can fight properly after all~!
Netero nods,
"Interesting. So last question and we're done… Which of the other applicants are you unwilling to fight?"
Hisoka thinks about it and simply tells him,
"Number 99 and 405. They're simply still too weak. And I could add the same logic to 33 as well since she is also not ready, but…" Hisoka lets out another chuckle,
"She is simply too fun to toy with~! I don't mind facing her in the ring just to play with her a little bit~!"
Netero writes down the answer. Interesting. Hisoka then looks at Netero,
"Although… The one I would most like to fight right now… will have to be you."
Netero didn't seem fazed and brushed off Hisoka's threat,
"Well. that'll be all."
Hisoka leaves the room. He couldn't help but feel like he had the opportunity to take down the chairman during that very moment. But he has to restrain himself. He almost lost it yet again. Oh well… He then hears the intercom,
"Number 33. Please go to the reception room on the second floor."
Oh, what a delight~. He could wait for his Kitten to finish her interview and they could play afterward ~!
—
I am now heading my way to the reception room. I hope to not bump into a certain Magician… I finally made it and entered the room. Netero looks up at me,
"Ah, hello there! Please have a seat!"
I nodded to him and sat down on the tatami mat across from him,
"So, tell me, Why do you want to be a Hunter?"
"The reason why is so I could get a Hunter's License."
"And for what reason?"
"Well… I heard the License is useful for many things and I need one so I can have access to places I can't go."
"Interesting." Netero writes down the answer to the question,
"So, out of the 9 applicants which one are you keeping a close eye on?"
"Positively or negatively?"
"Either one."
"Well… since you say that, positively, I guess you could say, Number 405, 404, 403, and 99. They have been really sweet and I appreciate them very much! In a negative sense, however… I'm keeping a close eye on Number 44…." I couldn't help but growl when saying the number of that man,
"Oh? What about Number 44?" Netero asks,
"He's been a pain in my ass since day one, so you have no idea how much I would love to have nothing to do with him after this," I tell the chairman crossing my arms,
"I see… So this will be the last question and we're done here… out of the 9 applicants, who do you not want to fight the most?"
"I don't want to fight anybody," I tell him simply. That caught Netero's attention. I don't know if he's disappointed or not. He wanted me to explain so I did,
"To tell you the truth, I'm not a fan of fighting, so… I never really thought about doing that in general, but don't get me wrong. I can fight, It's just… I'm not exactly one to look for it."
"Okay. So is that your answer?"
"Yes. …Actually, wait. If Hisoka came in here to say he wants to fight me, I don't want to. I never wanted to fight him." I tell him as I wave my hands subconsciously.
Netero nods,
"Okay. That sums up everything. You can go."
I nodded my head to him and left the room. I have to say, those questions are very strange. I raised my arms as I stretched out my back and walked through the corridor until I felt someone hugging me from behind,
"Hello again, my Love~ !"
Notes:
Almost wrapping up the Hunter's Exam arc, now onto the next one!however that will go, honestly. XP
Chapter 12: Chapter 11: Final Phase! Gon Vs. Hanzo!
Summary:
The final phase is here! Everyone is anticipating what the next Phase will be.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
Hisoka is hugging me from behind. I turn my head to look at him with a glare,
"Get off me," I told him.
He just smiles that dumb smile of his,
"But you feel nice~! "
I couldn't help but blush at that.
No! I can't fall for this bastard's charms! Remember! He's a serial killer clown who only cares about his own needs and nobody else's! Let's also not forget this guy has been annoying throughout this whole Exam and he keeps reminding us about how he'll end my life in the future!
Hisoka continues to embrace me as I struggle with my feelings. I hear him purring against my ear,
"Please, spend the night with me Darling~. I want you~. "
Steam is coming from my ears at this point. NO! I will not! I pull myself out of Hisoka's arms and glare at him,
"No way! I'm not that kind of girl! I don't sleep with just anyone! ESPECIALLY not with Serial Killer CLOWNS!"
Seriously! I can't with this guy!
Hisoka lets out an amused chuckle,
"Oh~? Then what kind of person would you be willing to sleep with~?"
When he said that, my thoughts went to Chrollo. He seems like someone I'd actually like to date. He's pretty normal-looking, charming, and handsome! Also if we are in a relationship and I end up falling in love with him, I wouldn't mind giving my virginity to him….
Hey, wait! My face becomes beet red. Why are we having this conversation?! I growled at him,
"AS IF I TELL YOU!"
"Oh, you wound me, Darling~!" Hisoka says playfully,
"What the hell is up with you?! Why would you even want to sleep with your potential victim anyway?!" I snapped at him,
"Oh, that? You're just simply too cute~! I just want to consume you before you die by my hands~!"
"You're sick! Do you usually do this to all of your victims, you creep?!"
"No~. You're my one and only~! Although there is someone else who almost has gotten my interest similarly, I mostly want the satisfaction of a fight to the death with him more than anything~! Just thinking about it just makes me want to fight him more~! But, seeing you for the first time, I want to know what it's like to ravage you before a fight to the death, my Kitten. You interest me that much in many ways~!" Hisoka lets out a purr as if he's a cat.
I look at him with complete disgust. What a disgusting man! The more I interact with him the more unhinged he speaks about ending my life and how he does it. Why do I have to put up with this?! Before I get to say anything, Hisoka steps into my space leans in closer to me, and gives me a sultry look I take a step back when he takes my chin and lifts my face,
"I love how I make you uncomfortable~ " He then plants a kiss on my lips.
My eye widens, I am stunned by the action. He's kissing me! I don't know what to do. He kissed me a second time and he's the one who did it first. I didn't know how long that kiss was, but for some reason, I noticed how soft his lips were. For what felt like an hour, but only for almost a minute, he broke away and looked at my face looking satisfied with my reaction. My face is as red as a tomato. My mind is going a mile a minute! I think my brain is malfunctioning!
Hisoka chuckles at my reaction,
"I can't get enough of your adorable reactions. They're all so amusing~ "
I feel my heart beat faster as he leans in for another kiss. I snapped out of my stupor and quickly stumbled backward away from him,
"STOP! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"
Hisoka pouts when I moved away from him,
"Aww. Why can't we have a little make-out session, Love~? I crave you~. "
I let out a growl trying to calm down my heart and cool my face! This man is a menace to society! I glare daggers at him,
"No! I don't do one-night stands, so stay away from me!"
After saying all of that, I hear Kurapika's voice,
"Hey, is he bothering you again?" Before I could get a word in, Leorio stood in front of me and gave Hisoka a stare-down,
"Yeah, do you want us to deal with him?"
Hisoka just chuckles at that,
"Do you want a round two?"
I let out a sigh,
"There's no need for that, Leorio, let's all just go."
I look at Kuapika and nod to him that I'm fine and yeah, Hisoka was bothering me, but the two of them showed up so that's enough to finally leave the scene. Kurapika understands,
"Alright, let's go." He then glares at the Magician,
"If you bother her even further, we won't hesitate to throw you off this airship."
Hisoka rests his hand on his hip and watches the three of us leave.
—
Hisoka couldn't help but frown at his failed attempt at seducing his Kitten to sleep with him. Watching her form makes him want her more, he's now too pent up to sleep and unfortunately, no one is around to let him kill them to let out his pent-up frustrations on them, he could just attack the two who interrupted his attempt at getting into his Darling's pants, but he wouldn't want to cause her to hate him even more than she already has for some reason…
The need to fool her into a false security perhaps?
Ah, Yes~! That must be it~! Making her slowly fall for him and lull her into a false sense of safety with him then crush her trust after that would be so delicious~! So many plans to do with her! Taint her innocence, break her heart, and cause her a lot of emotional pain all while dragging it out until she's strong enough to fight sounds very fun~! He couldn't help but think of all the facial expressions she was capable of making through all of it~! He wants to see it all~!
He now has a smirk on his face as he watches her form until she and her two little friends turn a corner.
—
Kurapika, Leorio, and I have made it to my room,
"Thanks again for your help," I told them,
"It's no problem," Kurapika assures me. Leorio nods in agreement,
"Besides! What are friends for?"
I widen my eyes. Do they see me as a friend? I took in what they said and ended up smiling at them,
"I'm glad."
I said good night to the two of them and entered my room. I closed the door and leaned my back onto it as I looked at my feet. Whelp! Mission failed. I did make friends in this Exam… I thought of Chrollo again. Maybe I should reach out to him and apologize for not responding to him after that failed rescue mission after all…? He probably must've been worried. I let out a sigh. I moved away from the door and entered the room fully when I saw something out of place. A folded-up piece of paper… The paper is sitting on the nightstand next to the bed. I went up to it and unfolded it. I read the contents. It puzzled and unnerved me.
Whoever wrote this said that they knew who I was and that they'd be waiting for me once the exam was over. The writer says to not bother looking for them on the airship because they are not on it anyway… Well, I wasn't planning to, but when they wrote that, it just made me confused even more! How did this paper get into my room, then? I stood there for a few moments until I ultimately decided to put my thoughts about the how and the who about this piece of paper and decided to take a shower and go to bed. It is the Final Phase after all and I can't exactly do that tired. I put the paper in my bag for safekeeping and do exactly what I'm planning to do.
—
Meanwhile, in a dark room, a very old woman is muttering to herself. She is at her desk with a bird perched on her arm,
"Well done." She tells the bird and pets it. Just then it fades away. A job well done.
The old woman looks at her stationary and cleans up. Soon, she will meet her future students and soon, everything will fall into place for both of them.
—
We've all finally made it to the Final Phase. Netero stood in front of the remaining applicants. I have some hunches about what our last Phase will be like by the questions he asked, but I wait for him to explain. Netero looks at each of us,
"Well, lady and gentlemen."
Did he really have to single me out like that? I stared at him as I stood there as the only woman in a room full of men and boys. Netero smiles at all of us,
"Is everyone rested up? The Hunter Exam Committee runs this hotel. The place is all yours until the battles have concluded."
A board covered by a large cloth is then rolled in beside him,
"For the Final Phase of the Tournament, you all will be fighting one on one."
He pulls at the cloth and reveals to us a chart. It looks pretty unusual. A Tournament chart usually looks a certain way, but for some reason, this one has a different format on it. Netero sees the confusion on our faces,
"Wait… Only one person can pass the Exam…?" Leorio asks as he looks at the chart,
"No," Netero says,
"You only need one win to pass." He elaborated.
I raise an eyebrow when he says this. The chairman explains fully,
"You see it's the winners who drop away while the loser passes to the next round, which means…" He points at the top of the chart,
"The one at the very top will be the only one who doesn't pass."
That is a very strange explanation. So, technically, everyone gets to pass at the expense of one person…? How odd…
Netero then pulls at the strip that is covering the bottom of the board. It revealed who was going up against whom. When I look closer at who is going up against whom, I see that Gon is going up against that ninja guy, Hanzo, first. Then I see the other round…
"Wha-!"
YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!
The next round will be me against HISOKA?! ARE YOU SERIOUS?! I can feel Hisoka's eyes on me after seeing the result. I glare back at him. I then glare back at the old man who planned this whole thing! This old bastard… I let out a huff, not liking that I had to face the one I REALLY didn't want to face! I continue to glare at the old man as he speaks once again,
"Impressive, yes? As you see, every competitor has two chances to win a round."
"Yeah, but from the way the charts formatted, number 294 and 405 gets five chances to win." someone pointed out,
"Couldn't you have used a more balanced bracket?" Another asked,
"That's a fair question to ask."
Netero then explained to us that it was a well-thought-out bracket based on each of our performances throughout Hunter Exams. For example, whoever ranks highly during the exams gets to have many chances. That's interesting. Still doesn't explain why I have to go up against Hisoka of all people, though.
Killua didn't seem convinced at all,
"Could you explain exactly how you scored our performances?"
He waits for an explanation. I'm waiting for one as well. Netero smiles cheekily and yells,
"No!"
What the hell?!
Netero chuckles,
"I won't tell because that information is classified! I can't tell you your actual scores. However, I can tell you the criteria we used."
I listen intently to what it is they used to rate us. I am pretty interested,
"We start with the basics. There are three categories. The first is physical strength, mental acuity, and lastly, overall impression."
So, the man explains to us how they judge based on how we perform in each category,
"However we are most concerned with your overall impression. This refers to any intangible factors that defy basic categorization."
The man chuckles,
"Think of it as our way of assessing your potential as a Hunter. We round out our assessment by incorporating the opinions of our peers. There you have it."
I let out a little sigh. I have to say. The man might have gotten senile. From the explanation, I could tell Killua seemed bothered. I give the boy a worried look. Killua notices me looking at him and he looks away. Yeah. We're still awkward with each other it seems. Netero then explains the rules to us,
"The rules of the battle are quite simple. Weapons are allowed, cheating is forbidden, and if your opponent admits defeat, you win. However! If you kill your opponent, you will be disqualified in an instant. And if that happens, the Exam ends. And the rest of the applicants pass. Got it?"
Okay, then. those rules are simple enough. I'm glad we don't have to kill each other during this tournament. I glance at Hisoka now feeling relieved, I now know what to do afterward. So, the old man did consider my request. Sorta. But I have a feeling there's some kind of spite hidden beneath there or something and that's why he made the bracket like that in the first place… Maybe. I glance at the chairman and he notices me staring at him and he just smiles at me. I narrowed my eyes at him.
I'm onto you, old man.
—
So the first round is about to start. We all gathered in one place with enough space for a fight. Gon and Hanzo began stretching and getting ready for the round to start. The referee then calls the two of them to the ring. They both stepped in and across from each other. Just then, Hanzo looks at the referee and speaks,
"Hey! It's you! Good to see you again. You were the one who was tailing me around during the 4th Phase."
The referee gets caught off guard,
"Oh. You noticed, have you?"
"Of course! I assume that each of the Examiners was assigned an Examinee to follow. Well, I'm sure I wasn't the only one to notice." Hanzo tells him.
Jokes on you, I didn't! How the hell was I supposed to know I was being tailed when I kept assuming only a certain clown was the only one who's been following me during the 4th Phase?! And I even activated my En as well… I let out a sigh once again. Kurapika turns his head to us,
"I noticed, but didn't think it was worth mentioning."
I give him a blank stare. Leorio looked like he was in the same boat as me. I leaned to him and whispered to make him feel better,
"Don't worry, I didn't know either…" Leorio's shoulders relaxed,
"Yeah…"
Hanzo's personality then turned from happy-go-lucky to serious,
"I have a question for you."
"What is it?"
"We can only win if our opponent surrenders. Correct? Knocking them out doesn't count. No TKOs either?" Hanzo clarifies,
"That's right, those are the rules." The referee says.
After the clarification, now I'm getting worried. How is anybody going to win this? From the look of everyone in this room, no one would admit defeat. In a battle… I then glare daggers at the old man. So this is how he's gonna play it! He's going to assume I would refuse every fight until I would be the only one who doesn't get to pass!
THE NERVE!
The old man notices me glaring at him and all he gave me as a response is that damn happy-go-lucky SMILE OF HIS!
WHY ARE THERE SO MANY EVIL BASTARDS IN THIS LINE OF WORK?!
And so the battle has finally started. Gon gets ready, as well as Hanzo. The referee raises his hand and yells,
"Start!"
Gon makes his first move, it seems he's trying to get some distance from Hanzo, but unfortunately, Hanzo quickly catches up to him, catching him off guard and hitting him on the back of his neck. I let out a gasp. Hanzo looks down at the boy and then helps him back up by cracking his spine back into place. This is just… I don't know if I can handle watching this. Throughout all of this, Hanzo's been telling Gon to surrender, but Gon refuses. And so, the battle between Gon and Hanzo continued, but the man became even more brutal than before. Gon tries to counter his attacks, but gets beaten up in the end,
"Don't you get it?! You can't measure up to me! So give up already!"
Hanzo kept landing every hit on Gon, it felt like hours. The ring is now getting covered with Gon's blood. My heart clenched in my chest for watching the beating of the child who's been kind to me throughout this whole exam. I couldn't stand it. Leorio then yells out,
"Gon! Just give up! You can't-"
"Stop."
"Kurapika-"
"I know, but Gon wouldn't want to do it, so you need to restrain yourself."
"But…"
I look at Kurapika, wanting to protest, but… Kurapika looks worried as well. I could feel my eyes burn from the tears that threatened to fall as I watched the match go on. I couldn't help but hold my hands to my face as it went on. At the corner of my eye, I see Hisoka looking at me. I look at him fully,
"What?" I said harshly and I glared at him. He didn't say anything to me and turned his attention back to the match. He wasn't smiling at me at that moment. I wonder why…
—
It's been three hours of nothing but Gon getting beaten to a pulp. He's barely moving. Leorio couldn't take it,
"Enough already! I'm going to KILL YOU, you hear me?! Pick on someone your own size!"
Hanzo turns to him coldly,
"If you can't handle it, then you better leave. It's only going to get worse."
"What the hell did you say?!"
Leorio hates what he's hearing and attempts to step into the ring but gets stopped by the men in black suits working for Netero,
"This is a one-on-one match. It is against the interference rules. Stay back. If you try and help him in any way, Gon will be disqualified immediately." The referee tells us. I let out a growl,
"This is BULLSHIT! You can't let this go on!"
"It's okay…" Gon said weakly as he got up,
"Leorio…" He uttered my name as well as he attempted to stand up straight,
"T-this is nothing. Really… I can still fight him."
Tears fall from my eyes when he says that. Gon gives us a pained smile. Just then Hanzo knocks him back to the ground and holds his arm on his back,
"I'll break your arm."
Now that is going too far! Hanzo isn't joking. He's very serious about it,
"Now say it. Say you surrender."
The tension in the air thickens. Moments pass until,
"NEVER!" Gon yells and then the sound of bones breaks. This is too much! My whole body is shaking. I can't bear this at all! This needs to stop! I want so badly to jump in there and stop this whole thing Leorio is tense next to me,
"Don't try to stop me, Kurapika. If that bastard does anything else, Gon will fail the exam. 'Cause I won't be able to stop myself."
"Me…? You think I'll stop you?" Kurapika is seething with anger,
"Don't worry, there's no chance of that."
"I want to help, too. I can't stand this pointlessness to go on!"
Hanzo looks down at Gon,
"I know you can't exactly hear me through your pain but, let me explain why you can't go up against me in a fight."
He then proceeds to tell him, and us in the process that he came from a line of ninjas and he has trained in the art for many years. In doing so, Hanzo demonstrated his discipline by balancing on one hand,
"By the time I was your age, I had already killed."
For some reason, after hearing that, I could feel Killua scoff at the man's statement. Hanzo continues,
"At this point, you have no hope of defeating me in combat. I'm being nice," he tells him until he is balancing on just one finger,
"So just admit defeat-"
Just then, he gets kicked in the face by Gon and off his balance as he did so causing them both to be on the ground. Gon gets up,
"Ugh that hurt but… Between the pain and your babbling, I don't know what cleared my head up more!"
"Hell ya! Now kick him while he's down and he's finished!" Leorio cheers. I also am relieved that Gon still has enough energy to make jokes. I smile and am hyped,
"You can do it, Gon!"
Gon gets back up,
"You're 18, so you're only 6 years older than me. Besides, this isn't a battle between who's stronger, it's a battle on who is willing to throw in the towel first!"
After that, Hanzo gets up from the ground and stood straight with a serious of his face,
"I let you kick me because I wanted to." I stare blankly at him. Yes. It's all planned, alright. I'd take him seriously if only his face wasn't covered in blood from his nose. It's clear he didn't exactly anticipate getting his face kicked in while he was trying to show off,
"You must be confused." He then wipes the blood from his nose,
"That was not a warning that was a direct order. Was that too hard for you to understand? I'm quite happy to break it down for you." Just then, Hanzo pulls out a hidden blade from his wrist as it extends. He then threatens to cut off Gon's limbs,
"So, before we resort to that, I'd say you surrender."
"Well, that's going to be a problem," Gon says. Everyone stares at Gon, puzzled,
"I don't want to have my legs cut off. But, I don't wanna surrender, either. How about we find a different way to fight?"
Aww! He's so goddamn cute! Trying to find another solution to this whole thing even though he's being threatened with a knife right now! Hanzo yells angrily,
"W-what the hell?! Have you not been paying ATTENTION?!"
I couldn't help but laugh at the scene. Not only is Gon being cute, Hanzo's reaction to him is just plain funny. But, it seems I'm not the only one, everyone in the room also found it very funny,
"Are you making demands right now? Are you messin' with me?! I'm seriously about to cut your legs OFF!"
Gon gives him a determined look,
"You do what you want, but I won't give up! Besides, if you cut my legs off, I'll probably just bleed to death."
"What?"
Gon then gets the referee's attention,
"Mister Masta? He'd be disqualified for that, right?"
"Uhhh… Yes."
Gon looks back at Hanzo,
"See? And that'd be bad for both of us. So, let's think of a better way."
Hanzo just growls at the boy. It's very cute and very funny.
Oh, man… What is this match, anyway? I let out another giggle,
"I think Gon is okay. He's got everything in control." Kurapika says,
"He's just so damn stubborn!" Leorio says in disbelief,
"But he's also convincing to Hanzo and the rest of us."
"I'll say… That boy is something." I say, full of relief. I then notice Killua looking at each of us, confused. He looks like he's wondering about something. After that, Hanzo draws his blade at Gon's forehead,
"I see you're still not getting it, so I'll try again. Die and you'll never get another chance. If I kill you right here and now, I only need to come back and take the next Exam next year. We're not on equal footing!"
Everything is now back to tense. Leorio, Kurapika, and I are ready to jump in. If Hanzo is going to kill Gon, I won't forgive him! The two stare at each other, waiting for the next move. Hanzo is now breaking at the seams from the intensity of the boy's stare,
"You can't be serious… Are you really going to throw it all away?! You can take the exam NEXT YEAR!"
But Gon didn't budge,
"I'm gonna go see my dad," he says,
"Your dad?"
"See, my dad, is a Hunter. So, I'm gonna be a Hunter, just like him, and then I'll be able to meet him!" Gon continues to give Hanzo a look of determination,
"I know I'll find him someday. But… If I surrender now. I'm never going to find him. So I won't give up."
Hanzo's resolve is getting weaker. I can tell,
"Surrender… Or die." He then pushed onto the blade, but Gon didn't budge. Wow. He really is that stubborn… Now the battle is at a standstill. The two are at a stalemate and it's clear Gon isn't going to budge at all. Hanzo puts away his blade,
"Fine, you win. I give up, okay?"
Everyone is now surprised by the surrender. I at least could tell his resolve had weakened when Gon decided to stare him down and didn't budge from his determination and stubbornness by never surrendering. His stubbornness is that strong,
"I'm not allowed to kill you. And I can't think of another way to force you to surrender. So, I'll take my chances in the next round."
FINALLY! Holy crap! This round went way too long! I wanted to sigh in relief until,
"Well, I can't accept that. No fair!"
Are you fucking serious…? I stare blankly at the boy, making me want to go over there and drag him by the ear out of the damn ring! Hanzo looked fed up as well,
"We both have to come up with some way so we both get to have a proper match!"
"Why am I not surprised?"
Hanzo turns back to the boy and yells at him,
"You said you wouldn't surrender, so what's the point with that, you IDIOT?!"
"The point is, I don't want to win like this, OKAY?!"
"Then what do you SUGGEST?!"
"Let's figure that out, OKAY?!"
Hanzo straightens up, one eye twitching, looking down at the boy,
"So in other words, I've already given up the match, but you want me to continue fighting and try to beat you again, right? But first, we have to work together to find a way you can win, so you can feel good about your victory. Is that right?"
"Yeah!" Gon says happily.
In response…
"MORON!" Hanzo uppercuts the boy, knocking him unconscious,
"Mr. Referee! I lose, so move on to the next match."
"Understood."
"But first, I'd like to say something. Whenever he wakes up, he'll probably decline his advancement and as we've all seen, he can be incredibly stubborn. Only one person fails this round, right? So, if Gon is disqualified, wouldn't that render our upcoming fights completely meaningless?"
—
After that, Gon is taken somewhere else to recover and get his Hunter's License. I'm glad it ended the way it did. The fight ended up longer than I thought. Now it's onto the next fight, which I'm not exactly looking forward to… I feel Hisoka's gaze on me. I wonder if he'll let me surrender. Based on how the match went, I have a feeling he wouldn't even when I wanted to. Well, this is going to be a pain… Also, what would he even do to me during our match…? I shivered at the thought. I look back at him and see him smiling at me with anticipation… Ugh. It's like he's trying to undress me with his eyes… I blushed. Ugh! Why am I suddenly blushing?! Calm down! I need to surrender as quickly as possible before he does anything WEIRD!
Notes:
I just want to slap myself. I thought I could try and sum up what happens in this chapter, but ended up rewriting episode 19, but with the MC in it and what her reactions will be. So, I guess that'll happen sometimes. lol! It's just sometimes context for things is just kinda needed. especially when it comes to the relationships of the characters, especially how the MC feels about them, but, I don't know. I don't want to rewrite a whole episode to do that... but... Mc does need substance when it comes to her relationship with the characters that is not just Hisoka and Chrollo. XP
Oh, but, I guess my thoughts went, If the MC is with Gon, She will have to experience what he's going through all because he was the main character of hxh. Some times. XD I guess, It would depend on who has the most screen time the Mc will have to experience if she's with that character, the chapter would reflect that. Ooff.
Chapter 13: Chapter 12: The Final Phase Continues
Summary:
A Fight with Hisoka is a pain.
But Killua has to face someone he didn't expect to face.
The Final Phase is about to end.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
So it's now the next match. I had prepared myself. After Gon's match, I've been thinking up a way to say I surrender as fast as I can because I have a feeling Hisoka will try to drag out our fight as long as possible just to toy with me. I look at the man. He just smiles at me as I glare at him in return. Hisoka smooths his hair as he turns away from me. I'm not going to let him have his stupid fun. Whatever that would be! The referee steps into the ring calls our names and asks us to step into the ring.
This is it.
Hisoka made his way to the ring and I was about to follow when Kurapika spoke,
"Good luck out there."
I turn to him and smile,
"Thanks."
"Yeah, take care. Whatever that guy pulls, you got it." Leorio tells me as well. I nodded to him and continued my way to the ring. Hisoka watched me as I stood across from him. The two of us wait for the referee until,
"Start!"
I breathed in some air and was about to quickly speak when suddenly, I couldn't move my mouth! My eyes widened.
What the hell?
Hisoka smirks and disappears in front of me and reappears behind me, I try to react but he has me in his grasp,
"What's wrong, Darling? Cat got your tongue~? "
The way he grabbed hold of me actually is easy to break out of and I did just that. Once I did so, I took my distance from him as far as possible. I attempted to speak again, but for some reason, I could not open them again,
"W-what the hell did you do?!"
Everyone watches us quietly. Hisoka just smiles that infamous smile of his and speaks,
"I won't say~. I'll just keep you guessing, Love~. "
I growled at him,
"Oh yeah?! You know what? I-"
Just then I feel my mouth shut automatically. There it is again! I can't move my mouth! Hisoka grins at me as he starts to lunge at me. I move to the side and attempt to throw in a kick, he catches it. I mentally cursed as he pulled at my leg and swung me to the other side of the ring. I landed on my feet as I balanced myself from the throw.
Leorio growls as he starts to notice something off with how our battles are going and yells,
"Hey, what gives?! What the hell are you doing to her, huh?!"
Kurapika glares at Hisoka,
"What is your goal in doing this?"
Hisoka looks at Leorio and Kurapika with a grin,
"What goal is there other than my want to spend time with my Darling~? "
I could feel that I could move my mouth once again. I pointed at him angrily,
"Y-you bastard! I am not something for you to PLAY with!"
"But, my Love~! This is the only time we get to have this opportunity to do this kind of thing together before you're ready~! "
"SHUT UP!"
Just talking to him is so god damn ANNOYING! I charged at his stupid form at full speed and attempted to land a punch at his STUPID FACE! Hisoka easily dodges all of my attempts all while he continues to grin at me! I let out an angry growl when he grabs me from the front,
"You're so cute when you're angry~. "
"Fuck you."
Out of nowhere, I headbutted the fuck out of his NOSE! The other applicants just watch us speechless. Hisoka let go of me as I finally landed a punch across his face! He stumbled back a few steps. I let out angry huffs when he recovers. He looks at me with delight while his lip is split open from my punch. He licks his lips, lapping up his own blood,
"Ooooh~! You're so good, my Love~! I want more~! "
My anger then disappears and now I feel extreme embarrassment. My face is now red as a tomato I let out a frustrated growl and pointed angrily at him,
"Shut up! Stop acting like that, you gross BASTARD!"
"But, I love it when you put your all into your attacks, my Kitten~. I feel so proud~! "
"What the hell do you mean by that?! You literally have no involvement in my training!"
"We can start now if you want~."
"HELL NO!"
The other applicants continue to watch us in disbelief, wondering what is even going on with this battle until I hear the guy who beat up Gon in the last fight, Hanzo, start to speak,
"Uuuhhh… Can one of you guys surrender already? We don't exactly have all day watching a Lover's Quarrel unfold."
What. Did. He. SAY?
My rage flares and turns my fury towards him. My eyes bore holes into his damn bald HEAD! Hanzo backs away slowly, feeling the fury aimed directly at him. But it's not just me who's pissed, Leorio is as well. He glared daggers directly at the man,
"WE ARE NOT LOVERS!"
"THEY ARE NOT LOVERS!"
Leorio and I yell at the man. Hanzo looked like he regretted saying anything. GOOD! Because he's WRONG! Hanzo lets out a nervous laugh as he makes himself smaller,
"O-okay… I was wrong… Sorry."
—
Hanzo let out a nervous laugh and then thought back about his time on the airship. He was just having a stroll when he saw the two applicants, Hisoka and that angry woman alone together. The two of them were talking the same way they did now and he caught them kissing, so he thought they were dating or something. It's not his fault he assumed they were Lovers!
He can still feel Leorio's glare aimed in his direction. Seriously. He didn't know!
—
I turned back to Hisoka. He just stood there casually as I glared daggers at him,
"Are we done yet?" I ask him angrily.
Hisoka lets out a hum as he acts like he's deep in thought when he really isn't,
"Hmmm… Not yet."
FOR THE LOVE OF-!
Just then, Hisoka disappears then reappears behind me, and pulls my arms behind my back. I couldn't react fast enough and I found myself on the ground as Hisoka pinned me down with his hand pinning my head to the ground.
I hear Leorio screaming angrily at Hisoka,
"WHAT THE HELL, YOU DAMN PERVERT! LET GO OF HER NOW!"
"You're disgusting!" Kurapika says next.
I couldn't help blushing so damn hard when I feel Hisoka lean over me and his lower body pressing closer to mine. Our position is just incredibly embarrassing! He held my arms behind my back with my hips in the air, him leaning from behind me. I could see the look on everyone's faces. A lot of them look very flustered. I feel extremely humiliated…
Hisoka smirks and leans even closer to my ear,
"This is fun~. We should do this again, Darling~." He then places a kiss on my cheek and lets me go. I remained on the ground and covered my face with my hands, refusing to look at anyone in the face. Hisoka walks up to the Referee,
"I surrender." He tells him then leaves the ring and stands alongside the other applicants. Leorio and Kurapika are glaring daggers at the man on my behalf, but honestly, that just makes it even more embarrassing… I take a peek from my fingers and see Killua staring at me curiously then at Hisoka.
Oh god! That's even WORSE! I totally forgot Killua was there! He's only 12!
He had to see the most EMBARRASSING DISPLAY EVER!
I let out a groan. The Referee declared me the winner. My plan to surrender was all for nothing. And instead, I just ended up getting humiliated in the end… That damn Hisoka… I want to KILL HIM!
—
The Final Phase then continues. Kurapika and Leorio had to comfort me after my horribly embarrassing match. Hisoka just continues to stare at me with a smile while I IGNORE HIS VERY EXISTANCE!
The next match is about to start. Honazo went up against, I think the guy named Pokkle, and he got him to surrender the same way he did to Gon, but faster. He threatened to break his arm and Pokkle just surrendered right there.
Then, Hisoka is now up against Kurapika. Kurapika steels himself as Leorio and I wish him luck. He turns to me and nods,
"Thanks."
The two of them are now standing in the ring standing opposite each other. Kurapika stares Hisoka down while the Magician just looks amused. The Referee looks at the two,
"Fight!"
The two of them then started. Kurapika and Hisoka exchange blows. Hisoka easily dodges Kurapika's attacks while Kurapika struggles to dodge his. Hisoka smirks and zips next to him. The two of them stood there. When I looked closely, I noticed Hisoka whispering something to Kurapika and he stood up straight.
Once again. Hisoka surrendered.
What?! He's surrendering twice?!
I watch Hisoka leave the ring when the Referee declares Kurapika as the winner. Kurapika left the ring and stood next to us. He seemed very serious. Whatever Hisoka said really shook him. I give Kurapika a worried look. Leorio looks at him with worry,
"Hey…"
"No." That's all Kurapika has said.
Then, it was Killua's turn. Killua surrendered right off the bat. He said he had no desire to fight Pokkle because he thought a fight with him would be boring. I think Pokkle was offended by that.
Then the Phase continues. Hisoka is going up against someone. To be honest, I don't know what happens next. I actually went to the restroom before it all started mainly because I needed to go and also, I just wanted to miss that jerk's match. When I was done, I saw Hisoka as I left the restroom. I let out a groan,
"What the hell do you want?"
"Don't be like that, I came here to tell you I won my match~."
"So what?" I glared at him,
"So~? That means I get to spend time with you~."
I will not be having that! Hisoka was about to lean into me when I moved out of the way,
"No. I'm going back to see the other matches. Bye!"
I walk quickly to catch the next match. But… of course, Hisoka catches up to me. I let out a growl and stopped,
"You are so goddamn annoying!"
Hisoka just purrs at me,
"It's because I just love your facial expressions when I do, Darling~."
What a piece of… I glare at him when I feel my face blush from his admittance. I scoffed at him and continued my way back. We both made it to the place we were holding the matches and I attempted to slam the door in his face. It didn't work. He just stepped inside before I got to. I stood next to Kurapika and Leorio, ignoring Hisoka as I did.
It seems it's Killua's turn again, but this time it's up against a guy I don't know the name of. Killua and the man stood facing each other,
"Begin!" The Referee yells.
I watch as Killua starts to stalk up to his opponent. His opponent didn't do anything until he suddenly spoke,
"It's been a while, Kil."
Killua stops what he's doing surprised the man knows who he is. The man then proceeds to take all the pins off his face. I am stunned by what I see. The man's face changes form before my eyes. The man's face became younger and prettier, while his hair suddenly grew fuller and changed color to black. The man stares blankly at the boy. I noticed Killua's facial expression changed when the man's appearance changed. It seems he recognizes him. I noticed the tension in the air when the man revealed himself. I then started wondering… Wait. Was that even allowed?! This man was going through this whole exam disguised is that against the rules…? I seriously don't understand what's going on.
Killua stares up at the man in shock and fear,
"Big brother!"
'Big brother'?! That man is his brother?! My mouth went agape when Killua said that. The man looks down at his little brother and greets him,
"Hey."
Killua is sweating bullets. I can feel the tension in the air still present,
"I heard you stabbed Mom and Milluki."
"Guess so."
He did WHAT?! I stare at the two of them. The man tilted his head,
"Mom couldn't stop crying."
I'll say! I would've cried too if my own child decided to stab me like that!
"She was just so happy."
I and Leorio fell backward from the shock! What the FUCK?!
"She was delighted that her son had finally grown up." I get back up from the ground. This is just insane. They act like this is normal… But… Killua did say he came from a family of assassins… but, still! The man continued to tell Killua why he was there,
"But, mom is still concerned so she asked me to check up on you when I get the chance. Lucky me, huh?"
So, is that why he's in disguise in the first place? Just so Killua doesn't detect him and watch his every move…? For some reason, just thinking about that made me feel some kind of dread come to the surface in my heart. As if it's something familiar to me… the feelings in my heart swirl into me as the man continues,
"But still. I had no idea you wanted to be a Hunter. As for me, I'm here to get a license for an upcoming job."
Killua looks down,
"I actually didn't want to be a Hunter… I just thought it would be fun to take the Exam."
"I see. That's a relief. Well, I have some advice for you." Just then, I could feel a strong aura thickening in the room. It feels extremely menacing,
"You're not cut out to be a Hunter."
Killua stares at his older brother in fear,
"You are born with only one purpose: To be an assassin."
The presence the man gave out is suffocating… I now understand why Killua was so awkward with me… Did I give out the same aura as his brother…? I didn't mean to. I'm so sorry, Killua. The man then kept going on,
"You're a puppet of darkness, devoid of passion. There is nothing you desire, nor is there anything you wish for. As one who lives in the shadows, the only pleasure you're capable of is deprived of causing death. Because that's how Dad and I raised you. What do you imagine you'll accomplish by being a Hunter?"
I grit my teeth at his words. Is he serious!? That kind of brother is he?! Killua is deep in thought and answers,
"It's true. I don't really want to be a Hunter, but… Everyone wants something. Even me."
"You don't."
"You're wrong! There is something that I really want!" Killua snaps at him.
His brother is curious about it and asks Killua to elaborate,
"Enlighten me. What is it that you want?"
Killua looks at him, still fearful in his eyes, struggling to answer his brother. As if he didn't want to share it with him. His brother asks again,
"What is it? Or there really nothing for you to want, is there?" Killua answered desperately,
"There is!" His brother waits for Killua to answer him. Killua continues to tremble under his presence until,
"I… want to be… friends with Gon…"
We watch Killua confess his feelings,
"I'm so sick of killing people… I just want to be friends with Gon and just have fun."
Hearing what Killua has to say, made me realize how this boy didn't get to be a kid all his life at all and is forced to grow up and be something his family wants him to be…
"Impossible." His brother says. That frustrates me when he says it. 'Impossible'? Why?! Why can't he get to be a kid for once?! He's only still 12 after all, so why?! I glared at the man who called himself his brother. The man continues,
"You are incapable of friendship. The only thing you can do is discern whether or not you can kill them. That is all you are ever taught. Gon has a radiant personality that you don't know how to classify him. You don't actually desire his friendship."
"No…"
"If you stay with him, one day you'll end up wanting to kill him. You'll wonder if you can and you'll want to find out. Because… you are, by nature, a murderer."
His words boil my blood. This man… He calls himself family…? My memories then flashback to what Laris said to me,
"I know we're doing this out of your self-interest, but… We just have to get rid of the unnecessaries blocking your way."
What Illumi said to Killua pisses me off. Who does he think he is trying to control how Killua gets to live his life…? I glare at him angrily at the man, wanting to get over there and make him pay for saying something like that., but before I get to do anything, Leorio stomps forward and yells angrily instead,
"Killua! I couldn't care less if this guy is your brother, alright?! He's a worthless piece of crap! So don't listen to him! So beat the crap out of him like usual and win! Do you want to become friends with Gon?! Are you kidding me?! You're already friends! How do you not know that?!"
Leorio's right! All the time when they first met, the two boys had been attached to the hip when I saw the two. It's clear they're already friends! I turned to Killua,
"Killua! I can tell you guys are extremely close since the beginning, Also I have a feeling Gon thinks you guys are friends after all of this!"
Killua's brother then turns to the two of us,
"Is that so?"
I glare at him,
"Yeah. Do you have a problem with that?!"
The people of the tournament then came over and attempted to keep us from going any closer to the ring. Killua's brother thinks,
"That's not good. So, the boy has already considered Killua a friend."
Just then. The man turns to the door. What is his deal…?
"Then I'll just kill Gon." He says out loud and takes out pins,
"Assassins have no use for friends. They only get in the way."
WHAT DID HE SAY?! I pushed past the men in black suits and attempted to stomp over to the man,
"HEY! OVER MY DEAD BODY, YOU CREEP! I'm NOT going to let you kill GON!" But just as I said that, I felt my arm getting yanked and I was pulled into Hisoka's arms,
"HEY! LET GO OF ME!"
"Calm down. You need to think clearly before you act, Darling." Hisoka whispers to me as if to calm me down.
Well, it's not HELPING! I struggle in his arms,
"Let go!"
"No can do~."
Killua's brother stares at me after I throw threats and my bouts of hostility aim his way but ultimately ignores me as he heads towards the door. Killua's brother then asks anyone on where to find Gon, The referee attempts to stop his brother but gets pieced by the pins in the process. I watch in horror when the referee's head gets distorted, forcing him to talk,
"Where?"
"He's in the waiting room, right over there…"
The man continued his way to the door when he noticed three people standing in his way. I calmed down when I saw Leorio, Kurapika, and Hanzo standing in front of the door. I sigh in relief. The man then realizes something,
"Oh, what a pain. I need to acquire a Hunter's License right now so I can do my job. But if I kill them, I'll fail, and then Kil will automatically pass." We all watch the man talk to himself out loud,
"Oh no! The same thing will happen if I kill Gon as well. Hmm. Wait! I'll pass the Exam and then kill Gon!" He says as if he has an epiphany! I let out a growl when he said all of this out loud for everyone to hear. The nerve of this man! I look at Hisoka,
"Can you let go of me now?" I ask him angrily. The magician lets go seeing he won't have to restrain me anymore.
Killua's brother and looks at every one of us,
"If I pass the Exam first, I can kill everyone here and still keep my license. Isn't that right?" His question is now aimed at Netero. The chairman answers him,
"Well… Yes, according to the rulebook."
Why is he humoring this man?!
Killua's brother turns his head to Killua,
"Did you hear that, Kil? If you really want to save Gon, you're going to have to beat me."
Killua trembles under his brother's presence once again. His brother stares down at him as he gets extremely close until he's right in front of him,
'Will you beat me? or not, because deep down you are actually concerned whether you can beat me or not. …And you already know the answer."
The man raises his hand above Killua,
"Remember what I've taught you. Never to go up against a superior opponent."
Killua continues to tremble in fear of his brother's presence and almost backs away when,
"Don't move. Move one more inch and I'll assume the fight has begun. The same goes for if our bodies come in contact with each other. There is only one way for you to stop me and you know it. But if you don't fight me, you know what will happen, and your dear Gon with certainly die." The man's hand gets closer to him. Killua trembles in fear until Leorio yells at him,
"Take him out, Killua! We'll protect you! He won't kill you or Gon! We'll do whatever we have to do to stop him! Go on! Let him have it!"
But all his words didn't seem to reach him at all,
"You win, Illumi. I admit defeat."
Everyone watches in shock when Killua surrenders. Soon after the man brightens up,
"Oh? Excellent! So we don't have to fight then!" He then places a hand on his shoulder,
"Also, I lied. I wasn't going to kill Gon. That was only a test to see what you are made of. No, I know for certain." He then proceeds to place his hand on Killua's head and pull him closer,
"You are simply not qualified to make friends. Not that you need any."
I watch this man talk down to his little brother. The feeling of anger never left my heart. But, what do I even do? This whole thing is just way too complicated.
So that was it. The match is over. This match was just mind games and fear. The man, now I know the name of, Illumi is declared the winner. I watch him leave the ring. Killua leaves the ring as well. I give him a worried look,
"Killua…?" I called him, but he didn't answer. He just stood there silently.
—
It's now the next round. The old man Leorio is going up against is now up and ready to fight. Everything was going according to plan until, suddenly…
Killua went behind the old man and killed him on the spot. It took everybody by surprise. I watch in shock when the old man's blood splattered everywhere including onto Killua's face. The boy's face… He looks as if it was nothing. In the end, Killua was disqualified. The old man is dead. I feel so many complicated emotions through all of that. Worry? Sadness? Bewilderment…? It was stressful. Because of what just happened, we all actually passed, but Leorio and Kurapika wanted to revoke Killua's disqualification. Saying, there might be something amiss, but… How are we able to prove Killua's innocence? He just killed someone with his own hands… But, no. I totally agree with them. Something was wrong and I know he did it somehow.
I sat in a room with everyone. I stare down at the man who claims to be Killua's brother. Netero has to talk with Leorio and Kurapika about Killua's disqualifications when the door to the entrance of the room slams open. We all turn to it and see Gon. I'm glad he's awake. The boy walks down the steps,
"Gon!" I called out to him. The boy didn't respond and stopped right in front of Illumi. Gon just stares at Illumi,
"Apologize to Killua." So he heard what happened. Gon continues to have a stare-down with Illumi. Everyone is still silent. Illumi didn't move an inch. He simply just sits there. Gon's anger is still unanswered.
Notes:
Whelp! It's getting to where I shouldn't rely on the show to where the story will go. It's almost time to go apeshit soon after this arc ends... I'm getting nervous XD I still have no idea where this story is even going. XD
Chapter 14: Chapter 13: The Exams are Over
Summary:
She finally has a Hunter's License.
Hisoka Says farewell but not forever.
The boys wish to invite her into their group.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
Gon continues to stare Illumi down as the silence grows in the room where the remaining applicants and the Examiners reside, the atmosphere in the room is very tense,
"Apologize to Killua." Gon tells him. Illumi finally looks at him,
"Apologize? Why would I do that?" Illumi asks him, looking at him with that same blank look in his eyes,
"You're not qualified to be his brother," Gon tells him,
"I didn't know I had to fill a qualify." Illumi still stares blankly at him and answers the boy.
Out of nowhere, Gon flips Illumi out of his seat, but Illumi lands on his feet. Gon glares at him angrily,
"Friends don't have to either, but he gets to choose!" Just then Gon starts crushing Illumi's arm in his grip. Illumi notices the strength the boy has,
"Don't even bother apologizing. Just take me to see Killua." Gon tells him,
"And what will you do?" Illumi asks Gon acting as if the bone-crushing grip on his arm was nothing,
"It's obvious! I'm going to bring him back!" Gon declares.
Illumi stares down at Gon,
"You sound as if I kidnapped Killua, but he has decided to leave on his own accord," Illumi tells him,
"Liar. You made him do it. Killua wouldn't do that on his own! You manipulated him. That's the same thing as kidnapping!"
The tension between the two of them is starting to become tense, so Netero has to step in,
"We were just discussing that very subject, Gon," Netero informed Gon that Kurapika, Leorio, and I made a complaint about the subject matter at hand. Kurapika stands up from his seat,
"You saw it yourself. Both during and since his match with the man called Gittarackur, Killua behaved strangely."
Kurapika explained to the chairman as to why and he believes it was some form of hypnosis in some sort of way. Leorio then stands up from his seat,
"It's worth noting that the attack happened during my match with Bodoro."
Bodoro. That's the name of the old man who was knocked unconscious after his fight with Hisoka and had to delay Leorio's match to fight properly with him, but unfortunately, he gets killed once he gets better. I couldn't help but feel really bad for the poor man. Even though I never knew him at all personally, I still felt kind of sad for him. He didn't get to accomplish what he needed to do. Leorio then continues,
"So it's possible. Killua intended to aid my cause. Which means, if you're going to disqualify anyone, then it should be me!" Leorio tells the chairman pointing to himself.
These two are really good people. They will do anything to help a friend out and it shows. But unfortunately, despite their arguments, Netero made a rebuttal against it. He believes there's no proof of any hypnosis, so their complaints about Killua's disqualification are denied,
"While I do agree something strange was amiss, in the end, while Bodoro certainly had more experience in combat, it was clear Leorio had the definite edge when it came to raw ability in combat. Given that it was a fair fight, there was no need for Killua to interfere."
"But that was why it was strange in the first place!" I yelled standing up, slamming my hands on the desk. Despite my outburst, Pokkle shook his head
"Speaking of strange things happening…" Pokkle points out and turns his head at both Hisoka and Kurapika,
"Why don't we talk about when you fought with Hisoka? Mind telling us what it was he said to you?" He then turns fully to face the two of them,
"Neither of you looks tired. But Hisoka whispered something to you, then surrendered. Weird right? I understand if he whispers something and makes you surrender like Hanzo and me and Bodoro and Hisoka. We were under a lot of pressure. Instead, the opposite happened."
Wait… What is this man getting at? And what about my match with Hisoka when he surrendered during that time as well…? I stare intensely at the man in Pink.
"Which makes me wonder if the two of you struck some sort of bargain. If you want to talk about things that don't make sense… Then your victory would fit the bill perfectly. You don't have anything to hide right? So what did he say? Enlighten us." Pokkle says watching Kurapika suspiciously. Kurapika answers him,
"I have no obligation to speak."
"Maybe you don't but I think you owe it to us."
"Hey." I decided to speak. Pokkle turns to me,
"What is it?"
"If you think Kurapika's match is suspicious, then what did you think about my match where Hisoka threw in the towel then as well?" I ask him.
I had my hunches, although, nothing concrete, but I had a feeling Kurapika didn't want to share whatever Hisoka told him during their match because it might be related to what Kurapika shared with me on the airship, so I decided to turn Pokkle's conversation to me. Pokkle looks at me puzzled but then starts to get kind of flustered when he suddenly remembers my match with Hisoka,
"Well, Uhh… Nothing in particular. Just… You and him are… Close…? So… That's why he decided to throw in the towel all because you guys are dating…?"
I listen intently as he continues,
"Or maybe he has taken a liking to you so he decided you get to win because… that's his way of asking you to be his girlfriend by letting you get a Hunter's License easily…?"
I want to punch this man in the face.
I smiled at him menacingly when he finished explaining what he thought was going on about my match with Hisoka,
"Oh, is that right?" I couldn't help but let out a cutesy laugh laced with malice. Pokkle now regrets speaking up when he feels some sort of threat to his life is brewing behind my smile,
"Come on! Let's just get this over with so we can all go home." Hanzo says now getting fed up with the whole thing. Leorio turns his attention to Hanzo and is about to argue with him until,
"This is all completely pointless!"
We all turn to Gon when he yells,
"Why argue whether somebody should've passed? If you're not satisfied that you made it, you can keep working until you are. If Killua wants to retake the Hunter's Exam, then I know he'll pass. He didn't this time. It is what it is. But still, if you've been forcing Killua to murder people against his will this whole time… I will never forgive you."
Watching Gon being this angry for the first time is actually surprising to me. Sure, I know people can get angry. Anybody is capable of it, but… Seeing Gon's anger is something. Illumi stares at Gon,
"Never forgive me? What will you do, then?" Illumi asks him,
"Nothing. But once I rescue him, I'll never let you see him again." Gon declares. Illumi stares at him silently, then reaches for the boy. Gon notices and jumps away from him. Netero clears his throat to get everyone's attention,
"Alright, everyone, let's continue. Gon's absolutely right. It's up to each of you to decide whether you're worthy of your license. Now, you're all perfectly welcome to complain about the results as much as you like, but our minds are made up. Killua has been disqualified from this year's Hunter Exam, while the rest of you have passed." Netero nods to the green bean person who gave us our badges earlier in the Exam. The bean man stood in front of us,
"Alright then, I'll continue the orientation" The bean then explains to us about the License.
He told us all the benefits of what the license gives us. It could give us access to places we couldn't and the license itself even costs a fortune if we ever decided to sell it. But, apparently, Hunters lose their license within a year, so I know exactly where to put my card. And the Bean person ends his explanation with,
"So, your very first challenge as a licensed Hunter is to protect your card at all costs. From here on out, it's your show. Believe in yourselves, and keep working to make your dreams come true."
So, I've finally made it. This is the end of the Hunter Exam and the beginning of my new life in this world as a Hunter. Netero smiles at all of us,
"Well, then we can certify all 8 applicants present as licensed Hunters."
—
Everybody is now outside of the room. I decided to lean on a wall far away from the room we all were just in wanting time for myself from everyone. I am lost in thought just examining my new license. For some reason, this all feels like a dream. What will I do now from here…? I then remembered the note that I found in my room from the airship. Apparently, someone will be waiting for me after the Exam is finished, but is it today or some other day? And not only that, how will I find what I'm looking for? I was deep in thought when I heard someone approach me. I turn my attention to them.
Oh great. It's that Clown again. I glare at him,
"What do you want now?"
"I just came here to say congratulations, Love~. "
"Seriously, drop your nicknames already. We're not gonna see each other again."
"I beg to differ~. " He tells me,
"Oh yeah? Why's that?" I ask him, crossing my arms.
Hisoka gave me a sultry look and stood in front of me,
"Why~? It's because I know you do want to see me again. I can tell~. "
I let out a growl when I feel my cheeks turn red yet again,
"A-as if! Through all of this, you were nothing but annoying! Why the hell would I even want to see you again!?"
He lets out a chuckle and leans in closer. He places his hand next to my head as he looks deep into my eyes as I glare up at him. The tension between us is unbearable. He leans in closer as I try to turn my head away from his face, but his other hand cradles mine when I do. I couldn't help but be aware of my body temperature rising when I was pinned to the wall. What is happening right now…? Hisoka smiles and places a kiss on my cheek and then on my neck. I let out a gasp as he spoke,
"Don't think I didn't notice your anticipation of my touches, Kitten~. I always knew~. "
This is not fair… My heart is beating a mile a minute. His hands are now exploring my body. I let out a shiver from his touch. I try to hold in any noise threatening to leave my lips when he continues to kiss my neck. He turns my face and plants a kiss on my lips, I let out a small moan as he begins to lick my lips. This is all so new to me… I could feel him deepen the kiss. I could feel my body getting hotter. I wrapped my arms around his neck when I felt his hands on my waist. I could feel his tongue massaging my lips as his hands stroked the sides of my body. I let out a shiver from his touch.
I'm about to get lost in his seduction when I hear my friends calling for me in the distance, snapping me back to reality. I let out a gasp and pushed him off of me. My face flushed and gasped for air. Hisoka looks satisfied with what he did. For me, I couldn't believe I let him do that to me… Hisoka smiles and speaks,
"Until we meet again, my Love~! " He blows a kiss towards me and then LEAVES!
What a fucking JERK!
Is that the main reason he wanted to do that was to make me question what just happened between us with MYSELF?! That BASTARD!
I stomped out of my hiding place, looking for that Pervert when suddenly, I was approached by Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio,
"Big Sis! There you are!" Gon said. I was still in a daze when the three of them stood in front of me,
"Hey, guys." Is all I have to say. I'm still trying to get my bearings after having the make-out session of my life with a… Killer Clown. Now I feel great shame as I look at each of my friends.
—
The three boys all explained to me that they were all planning to go up a Mountain called Kukuroo Mountain to save Killua and they wanted to inform me about it. After their explanation about what they're going to do, they ask if I want to go with them. I'm actually very touched by this and agreed to go with them. After all, I still haven't a clue where I'd meet this mysterious person who owns the note in my bag and I still have no clue how to find clues about my whole dilemma, so why not help the boys out with saving Killua? After all, I still feel like there's still awkwardness between Killua and me and I want to clear that up for sure.
We all are wondering where to find this mountain Illumi mentioned and Kurapika suggests we all should look it up online when Hanzo comes over to greet us,
"Hey!"
"Oh! Hey, Hanzo!" Gon greets him back with a smile. I still find it amazing how Gon can act kindly to a man who beat him to a pulp, broke his arm, and poked a blade into his forehead. This kid is surprisingly forgiving,
"I'm heading home, we went through a lot in such a short time, but I had a lot of fun."
"Me too!" Gon tells him.
I smiled at the man and replied with my thoughts about the Exam,
"I guess so. I have to say, this whole thing is extremely bizarre to me. I have a feeling it won't be the last, though." Hanzo smiles at the four of us,
"If you ever visit my home country, just let me know. I'll give you a real tour, no tourist traps!" He then gives Kurapika 4 pieces of paper in his hand,
"Later!"
"Bye! See ya!" Gon waved to him,
We all look closer at what Hanzo gave him, and… There are business cards…?
"That's one big self-assured Ninja."
"Hey." Just then Pokkle calls to us. We all look in his direction,
"I'm really sorry about getting so worked up back there."
Kurapika waves a hand and reassures him,
"Please, it's alright."
He then turns to me and bows in apology,
"And sorry about misinterpreting your relationship with Hisoka."
"Oh. No harm done!" I told him. After all, the reason why I was so defensive about my feelings for Hisoka at that time is that I couldn't wrap my head around it at all… especially after my make-out session with him.
Pokkle smiles and walks closer to us,
"Well! The only thing is I got my Hunter's License and wonder what to do next! I'm thinking of becoming an Exotic Game Hunter! I'm thinking of traveling the world and discovering new species and learning everything I can."
Gon then notices the laptop in his hand,
"Oh hey! What's that?"
I look at the boy questioningly. He didn't know what a laptop is..? Pokkle looks at his laptop,
"What, this? You use it to find all kinds of information. Is there anything you want to know? I can look it up for you."
Gon thinks for a bit when he speaks,
"Oh, there is! Think you can look up a Hunter named Ging? Ging Freecss?"
Oh right. Gon's father. I also have questions about that man, myself. He abandoned his son, huh? I wonder why? Pokkle did what Gon asked and decided to look up Ging Freecss on his laptop,
"Huh, that's curious… Who is this Ging guy anyway?"
Gon looks at him curiously. Pokkle answers him,
"It's 'cause everything related to him is behind a tight security system. You need a whole bunch of codes to access it."
Oh wow, really? So that means Gon must be related to someone very important. To confirm my beliefs, Pokkle thought so too,
"I think he must have friends on the national level."
That took most of us by surprise,
"Really? Forget it, then." Gon tells Pokkle with a smile,
"Okay. Let me know if anything comes up." He then gives up his e-mail address. See you around!"
"Bye, Pokkle!" Gon waves to him. It's interesting to see people come and go. Speaking of which,
"Oh yeah. We should've asked him to look up Kukuroo Mountain…" Leorio said, just realizing our wasted opportunity. I let out a giggle from that,
"Oh yeah, you're right."
"Well, we are all Hunters now. Chairman Netero made that much clear. And it's probably not the best idea to let other Hunters know what you're doing. Better to look it up ourselves."
"Yeah… That's for the best." I agreed with Kurapika. Leorio and Gon let out sheepish chuckles until I see Satotz approach us,
"Gon."
"Mister Satotz!" The boy then runs to the man. It appears he's asking for the boy's time and Gon turns to us that he'll be back in a minute. We agreed to wait for him in the lobby.
—
Leorio, Kurapika, and I all found the public computer. I know I'm getting better at reading, but still need some help,
"Hey, Kurapika? Can you help me look up some info about something?"
"Yes? Do you need something?"
"While we're waiting for Gon, can you help me find out something about that cult I told you about? You know that one." I told him seriously. Kurapika and understands,
"Okay. I'll help you out with that."
"Thank you. I'm very grateful."
"Don't mention it."
Leorio looks at us curiously,
"What are you guys planning to look up?"
Oh yeah, I haven't filled Leorio in about my situation at all. I turn to him,
"I'm going to have to ask you to sit down on this one. It's going to be a very long explanation…"
I then proceeded to tell him about my situation. Leorio is in awe and confused in the process,
"Wait… So… You're from a different world…,?"
"Yeah, I know it sounds crazy, but it's the truth." I smiled sheepishly,
"...And a cult is after you because you think they're worshiping you for some reason? Wait… Why are they worshiping you?"
When Leorio says it out loud it sounds really crazy to bystanders if they're listening, that is,
"That's exactly what I want to know, actually."
"Wow, that's really bizarre." He muttered as he scratched the back of his head, still wrapping his head around what I just said,
"I'll say… especially the whole weird worshiping thing…"
Kurapika searched up a few things about cults, but not the ones I'm looking for, unfortunately. Not until he found some information about something related to the mission I was in actually. I brighten up from the information. Kurapika opens a page,
"It seems there were several ritual sacrifices before the one you were involved in."
He clicked on a page where it showed pictures of the victims. My eyes widened. On that page were pictures of the faces I'm familiar with. The victims are also the faces of the cult members. Actually, it's starting to make sense, sort of…The only thing different about them is their hair. Why is that…? Kurapika then asks me,
"So, what do you think?"
I think for a moment then give my two cents,
"I think the victims in these pictures are also the cult members I told you about, but… for some reason, all of their hair is a different color than what's in the picture. Not only that, their eyes are a different color as well."
I then thought back about the ritual. The hostages I failed to rescue came to mind,
"Oh yeah! The hostages! When we got there, the hostages were already dead, but when the cultists did the ritual, they came back to life, but their appearance changed slightly!"
Kurapika looks at me and asks,
"Do you think about how they recruit new cult members by putting them under hypnosis of some kind? What if the hostages are actually still alive, but only appear dead?"
I shook my head,
"Sadly, no. The hostages were stripped of their clothing and their skin was deathly pale at that point as if they were refrigerated to keep their bodies fresh. I… knew about that detail about dead bodies because my old Nen teacher taught me some things because she was a Crime Hunter."
I look at each picture and notice something… the cult leader is not in this,
"I just noticed something…"
"What is it?"
"The cult leader… she's not on this," I told them,
"Do you think the Cult Leader may be the one responsible for all of this?" Kurapika asks me,
'It makes sense since she is the Cult Leader and everything, but…"
I begin to think about my homeworld… I tried to think back about if there was something amiss before I got transported here, but…
My eyes widened. I placed my hand on my face. What's going on…? Why can't I remember pieces of my life back on Earth… more importantly… Why can't I remember the faces of my friends and family?! Kurapika noticed my distress,
"Are you okay? What's wrong?"
Leorio took notice as well and placed a hand on my shoulder,
"You okay? Do you want to tell us what's goin' on?"
My memories… Are they fading away…? I grabbed my bag and took out my phone. I went through it. What…? The pictures I took with my friends… My family… They're gone…? How….? Why…? I look at the two of them, completely shocked.
"My memories. I think something is messing with my memories."
—
Somewhere, in the forest, The cult Leader, Oyana, and her members just finished a ritual. She approaches the new members with a smile,
"Welcome to our coven, fellow Witches. This is a momentous night to absorb our Fair Lady's essence~! Her whole being is our blessing! We greet our new brother and sister into our home."
They all gathered in a circle around an empty plate. They all started chanting a prayer. As they chant, strange pieces of red cubes appear on the plate. They look like meat. It's even the exact number for each member.
Oyana instructs the twins to give out the pieces of red cubes to the other members. Every one of them each pops the cube into their mouths. Oyana smiles peacefully,
"Thank you for your blessings, our Fair Lady."
Notes:
It's time.
Chapter 15: Chapter 14: Moonlight Goodbyes
Summary:
Friends say their Good Byes, but it doesn't mean they won't meet again.
Pieces of information about Witches have now been brought to You on a silver platter. But does it say anything about the strange cult?
A date is set. Will She be able to perfect her Hatsu until that time?
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
Kurapika and Leorio comforted me about what just happened to me, to be honest, I was still shaken by it. I look at my phone in shock. How is that possible...? Not only did they do something to my memories, but they also could tamper with my phone as well. I was deep in thought when Gon finally arrived. The boy happily approached us until he saw my state. He wondered what happened,
"What happened?"
I couldn't tell him. This weird thing that's happening to me is too much for me to say Kurapika looks at to me if it's okay to tell him. I hesitated. I feel like… I need to deal with this problem as quickly as possible on my own before I lose even more of myself. But, do I ask for help…? I'm scared. I look at Gon, scanning his worried face. He's done so many things for me, I don't want to do that to him… Also, he's only just a child, I don't want to burden him with something so complicated like this. I closed my eyes and tugged at Kurapika's sleeve. I shook my head. Kurapika understands and turns to Gon,
"Sorry, Gon. She doesn't want to say anything."
"How come?" Gon asks,
I feel terrible, but I couldn't get too into the details. I look at Gon in the eyes sadly,
"I'm sorry. I couldn't share, but… Shouldn't we focus on saving Killua instead?"
Gon still had that curious look, but he decided to go along with my suggestion,
"Okay."
We all then focus on the task at hand. Kurapika looks up Kukuroo Mountain like we planned. It appears where Killua lives is actually a tourist spot, which is very strange. Kurapike read the site to us,
"We could actually get the tickets to the tour, we could get them for either tomorrow or today, what would you like to do?"
"I want to go now! Let's get the tickets today!" Gon tells him,
"Alright, then I'll go ahead and order them!"
I look at the three boys. Despite what just happened earlier, for some reason, their presence comforted me after a moment of distress. I think it's because of Gon's upbeat personality, Kurapika's understanding, and Leorio's caring nature. I would like for this to last but for some reason… Something tells me, I won't get to have that unless I get rid of what's causing me this much pain. But I keep reminding myself… I don't belong here… I should have family and friends back at home… Right? So, I must go back. But, I don't want my time with my new friends to end.
—
In the end, I, unfortunately, decided not to go with them. I told Gon I had something to do. The three of them were disappointed I wouldn't be able to go with them to Kukuroo Mountain, but they understood. I showed them the note I found in my room on the airship to clarify why I needed to stay,
"I'm really sorry." I held Gon's hand.
The boy looks up at me with a puzzled look on his face,
"Why are you apologizing?" Gon asks me,
"I just wish I could help, but… A lot of things have been happening in a short amount of time."
I try to explain to him, but they just sound like excuses to me. Gon shook his head,
"No, it's fine! I understand! It's got something to do with getting answers about how you got into this world, right?"
I give him a relieved smile,
"Yeah, that's right."
"So, I'm sure Killua would understand," Gon assures me. I'm happy that he's trying to make me feel better, but I couldn't exactly let that be. I reached into my bag and took out some candy then handed them to Gon,
"Here. Give these to Killua, would you? I still want to apologize to him properly."
Gon looked at them and nodded,
"Okay, I will!"
I smiled at him and patted his head,
"You're a really good kid, you know that?"
Gon smiles up at me at that compliment. I turn my attention to Leorio and Kurapika,
"Well. This is it."
Leorio shook his head and looked at me,
"Well, we're not gonna be gone forever. Here! Give me your phone."
My eyes brighten when I realize what he wants to do. I gave him my phone. Leorio took out his suitcase and took out his notebook,
"I'm gonna write down your number, so once I get my phone, I'll add your number onto it, K? And with that, we get to keep in touch!"
I'm very touched by Leorio's consideration. I smiled at him and nodded,
"Yeah!"
Leorio finishes writing down my number in his notebook and hands back my phone. Kurapika stepped in front of me and held out his hand. I gave him my phone. He punches in his number and gives it back,
"If you need anything, let me know." He tells me,
"Thanks, I will."
He smiles at me and adds,
"It was nice meeting you. I've learned a lot during our time together."
"Yeah, same here."
Leorio thought a moment then declared something for us,
"Alright! So, how about this? Around early September, we should all meet again in Yorknew City! Will that be a reasonable date?"
I nodded to him,
"Yeah. That sounds like a good idea."
"Yeah!" Gon agrees.
Also, I can finally get to see this Yorknew City I've heard so much about. Gon and Kurapika agreed and so they're now on their way to catch a cab to the airport. I wave the three of them goodbye. They wave back as they leave the scene. I watched them go feeling kind of sad, but they all made it clear that we'll all meet again someday, so I'm looking forward to that.
—
Chrollo is reading one of the rare books he and the Troupe just recently stole when he hears the sound of his phone, taking him out of the book he's reading. He takes it out and is delightfully surprised,
-Hi. I'm sorry I haven't replied. A bunch of stuff happened and I still feel bad for not saying anything. Also, something terrible happened, but I didn't want to say it by text. so, there's a bunch of things to catch up with. We should meet up someday and talk sometime! Again, I'm very sorry!-
It has been a while. The girl with a strong aura finally replied. It seems he doesn't need Shalnark to scour more information about her now. He lets out a smile. This girl is naive but in a charming way. He looks over what she wrote and wonders what exactly happened to make her say 'something terrible happened'. He did learn that her Nen teacher had passed away. Was it something during her mission she called'something terrible'? He's very intrigued. He wants to know. Chrollo then proceeds to type in response to her,
-No harm done. I was a little worried though, but I understand. I heard about what happened and I'm sorry about your Nen teacher, and yes we should meet sometime soon. I want to meet in Yorknew around early September if that's okay.-
Chrollo looks over his text and hits send. He looks forward to seeing her again.
—
I stood in front of the building where the Final phase took place. I hear my phone beep and check it. I let out a smile. Chrollo replied. I'm very relieved. I read the contents and, oh. He heard about Baran's passing. I guess it would be easier to explain what's happening to me. I read some more and let out a giggle. Oh! He wants to meet with me at Yorknew around September! What a coincidence! Now I get to reunite with everybody! I guess I could introduce Chrollo to the boys! It will be a fun time! I put away my phone thinking about what we could do in Yorknew in September together. I'm so excited!
It's now been 50 minutes since the boys left. I've activated my En to make sure I'm not getting ambushed by the strange Cult or anything, but it seems the one who wants to meet me didn't bother to hide their aura, I turn my attention to where the aura is and see an old woman approaching me. She looks to be even older than Baran, she's smaller and seemingly frail. But, after going through the Hunter Exam, I learned looks can be deceiving. The old woman finally made it to me. I wait for her to speak,
"So, You are the one I've seen in my vision."
I blink curiously,
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
"It means exactly what I said." She simply tells me.
So, she's a Specialist, I take it. What I learned about Specialists from Baran is that Specialists are a very interesting class. They can have clairvoyance and Specialists can even learn all six categories if they're dedicated enough, but of course, that's a very rare thing. They're also capable of Exorcizing Nen…? I still don't exactly know what that does, I still need to look up what Nen Exorcists do, but from what I get about Specialists as a whole they seem pretty strong.
The two of us study each other when I finally ask,
"So, what do you want with me?"
The old woman smiles at me,
"You want to know some information about how you came into this world, yes? Then, I have the information you need."
My eyes widened. That's convenient. But it's too convenient. There's no way I should be getting information that easily. Just who is this woman? I then narrowed my eyes suspiciously at her,
"Who are you? Why do you want to give me your so-called information and why should I believe them?"
The old woman nods at me understanding where my suspicions are coming from and explains,
"The reason why is because I also know about the cult that's after you as well and they've done something they shouldn't have."
I now give her a questioning look. The old woman elaborated,
"The one who calls herself Oyana has taken a book from my home village and has taken my grandson's life with her own hands and his own body is now a servant working under her. I want to stop her and whatever plans she has for you and I know you don't want to help her with it at all. I believe that woman is one of the reasons why you're here."
I absorbed what the old woman had said and thought about it. It did align with what I came up with, but that wasn't enough. I study the old woman,
"I still don't know if I should trust you, though."
She nods and holds out her hand,
"Give me your hand."
I hesitantly held out my hand and she took it into hers. Just then images appear in my mind.
I'm training under the old woman as she trains me to strengthen my Nen abilities. The old woman even helped me with physical training as well by conjuring fighting dummies to go up against...
Just then, the vision ends. I study the old woman again. So, she's going to be my new Nen Teacher. She smiles and introduces herself,
"You can call me Freeda."
—
A few days later, Hisoka returns to Heaven's Arena and returns to his suite. He has finished taking a shower after a long trip from the Hunter Exam. He dries his hair as he enters the living room. When he is done drying his hair, his mind drifts to the face of his Kitten and the expression she made when they finally get to have that make-out session he always wanted… He's starting to get turned on from only thinking about that look of her alone. Her disheveled outfit, her half-lidded eyes, her flushed cheeks… Oh, he so badly wants to see her again just to go even further with her and make her look more messed up~!
Just then, he gets a call. He answers it,
"Hello? Oh…? So, we'll be gathering in Yorknew? Alright, then."
He then hangs up. It seems the Phantom Troupe has decided to gather together in Yorknew around early September. Marvelous~! Another thing he needs to plan for~! Soon, he will have the Troupe Leader fight him~! Oh, but He still needs to wait. For the right opportunity.
He looks out the window from Heaven's Arena and basks in the scenery, grinning that he has found so many things to toy with and is excited to play with each of them. And his Kitten, especially. Who knows where she'll show up, but it's a good thing he got her number without her realizing it~!
—
I let out a crazy sneeze. Once my sneeze calmed down, I took out my handkerchief and blew my nose. Man… It's cold out at sea. Freeda says we'll be taking a boat ride to where we'll be training. She says it's also the place where she actually lives. She tells me, that she oversees the village the item Oyana has taken and it's her job to be a shaman of some sort for the villagers, so for a few months, I'll be living among them. Freeda approaches me,
"We're almost there." She tells me,
"So… What should I expect when I train under you?" I ask her. I want to know if her training will be just as physically demanding as Baran's training or if will it be something else entirely. Freeda answers my question,
"I won't lie to you, your training under me will be extremely demanding. You will be using your body to its full potential as well as your mind, your soul, and your Nen. Your aura is seemingly endless, so I'm sure you can handle it just fine. From what I've seen in my visions, you still have yet to experience a lot of physical pain."
When she said that, I suddenly gulped. What does she mean by that? Freeda smiled at me,
"Oh, don't worry, dear! You will get used to the pain in time!"
That sounds very threatening and I feel very threatened right now. I mean… Sure, I haven't experienced that much pain my whole life, but I did have my scraps and bruises… Sure, they were all during my time just training under Baran, but I have! And I did before I got here in this world! … I just… Don't remember them for some reason…
When I remembered that I was losing memories of my past, I couldn't help but frown at the thought. Freeda notices and places her hand on my arm,
"You're thinking about your memories am I right?"
I nodded my head. She thinks about it and lets out a hum. She turns to me,
"I think I might know how to fix that, but that will depend on how strong this power is on you."
I look at her puzzled. She looks at the ocean and speaks,
"Do you know about Nen Exorcism?"
"A little bit, I still need to learn what they do exactly," I admitted to her,
"Well, A Nen Exorcist is someone who can lift a curse that was put upon an individual by another Nen User. And in doing so, the Nen Exorcist has to carry that curse around them until the time is right."
"Really? So, you think this strange thing that's happening to me might be a curse?"
"Maybe. Although, knowing Witches, their powers might be even worse."
That information caused me to frown even more,
"What are witches to people in this world? I mean… I know about witches, but I just thought they'd be no different than Nen Users here since they also can use abilities that I think are easily in the same vein as other Nen users or am I wrong?."
"Yes and no. Unlike Nen users, Witches are beings who don't need to awaken their Aura nodes by gradually working their way to gain such power nor do they need to overcome any force of trauma to gain them. If anything, Witches are naturally born with their aura nodes open. Straight from the womb. Not only that, they rely on a force that is beyond our own plane of existence, they call upon deities that are accessed through rituals and spells that are passed down through many generations of Witches, if you must know, there are many different types. Not just one."
What an info dump. I try to wrap my head around what I just heard,
"Wait… So… Witches are considered unnatural, then?"
"I wouldn't say that. But, to others and society in this world, they think so."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, here in this world, Witches are considered a threat to humanity, so… Witches are hunted down and eradicated immediately if anyone ever gets any word of them."
My eyes widen. So, it's no different from my world in a way. I learned the history of witch hunts and how that time was the more gruesome time to be either a woman or someone being accused of witchcraft just from either hallucinations or even a simple rumor or maybe just for being different from the norm. But here in this world, The Witches do have powers that are frighteningly powerful and people do have good reasons to fear them, but… is eradicating a certain group really a good idea…? No matter how powerful they are? I was deep in thought about it when the captain announced our landing. Freeda turns to me,
"Well then, it's time to meet the residents."
"Okay." I picked up my things and ready myself for the training of a lifetime.
Once we were off the boat, we began trekking through a thick forest. We've been walking for a long time now. I couldn't tell if it was already nighttime or if it was just starting to get dark. Just when I thought the forest was endless, I finally saw an opening and the view in front of me was breathless! What I see is a simple village. People working in the fields, huts scattered around, and children playing along the dirt road. Beyond the village and its villagers, I see a large mountain from afar. It made me think of the boys and wonder if they finally succeeded in saving Killua from his crazy family. I then thought that Illumi guy. Man, he was a weirdo, really, but not as weird as the Killer Clown himself, though. But, it's only because I'm more exposed to Hisoka than that Illumi guy. If I got to know him more, I'd probably think he's weird, too. As my mind is preoccupied with my friends and… I guess I could say, enemies… Freeda and I proceeded to walk down to the village, but while doing so, my mind wandered to a certain Magician…
Great. Now I'm thinking about Hisoka. I wouldn't dare think about what he's doing right now. That man has caused me so many more grievances about myself than I'd like to admit. And it's just for being exposed to him for too long! My mind then wandered to the make-out session I had with said Clown. How dare he steal a bunch of my firsts! First, he stole my first kiss, then he gave me nicknames that are supposed to be between Lovers, and then he stole my second kiss and then started touching me in places I'm sensitive. I'm an extremely ticklish person. So his casual kissing of my neck always takes me by surprise…. Oh! And that MAKE OUT SESSION! That's the first time I've experienced that! And I hate it! Because it's with that DAMN JERK! Why must that man always take all of my firsts?! Why can't it be someone else?! Why can't it be someone like Chrollo?!... Actually, why can't it be with Chrollo? He's charming and cute and normal-looking. I pouted at the thought. If my life in this world hadn't gone the way it did, would I have kept contact with Chrollo? I sulked at the thought. All the what-ifs and the maybes flood my head.
Freeda noticed my puzzled look and turned her head to look at me,
"Are you well, child? You seemed perplexed about something."
I couldn't help but give her a look like I got caught doing something I shouldn't, which is an exaggeration considering I'm only thinking in my head…
"Was I… making faces?"
"Yes, you were. I was wondering what you were thinking about."
"Oh! It's nothing! I was just thinking about friends and everything!" I smile sheepishly. Freeda just stares at me for a few moments, then lets it go. Then continue out to the village,
"We're finally here," Freeda speaks. We stood in front of the entrance of the village. So we're here. Freeda looks at me and smiles,
"Welcome to Moonlit Isles, where the moon shines brightest and reveals our potential to us. Here, I will teach you everything you need to know and what you are destined to do… in the future." Freeda then stops smiling at me and looks at me seriously,
"But I'm here to help you break free of your destiny, child… And that's how I will take revenge on the Witches who disrespected my village and killed my grandson."
After she said that, I've come to realize my life from this point on might take a turn for the worst if I don't choose wisely in the future.
Notes:
:D
Chapter 16: Chapter 15: Welcome to Moonlit Isles
Summary:
Training under a new Nen teacher is an experience.
The date to meet Chrollo changes.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
I dream of school. I was severely bullied. Girls make fun of me for being weird. To them I was annoying, socially awkward, strange… They also like to make fun of my looks. They like to call me ugly and I that I would never get a boyfriend because I'm so ugly… But, I know for certain they were wrong… I already know I'm not ugly. The people who adored me before attending this school always point out how beautiful I am and so… The reason why I've never gotten a significant other is because no one would appreciate my beauty, and anyone who lays their eyes on me would want to take advantage of me and my standing. To some extent, I agree. I see these bullies as nothing more than sad, pathetic beings who are extremely jealous of my beauty and how I'm adored… But at the same time… I'm extremely lonely. I want someone to reach out to me and see me for who I am… regardless of whether they see me as ugly or beautiful… I don't want admirers… I want friends… I want a family who loves me for me…
—
My eyes shoot open. I stare up at the ceiling. I recalled my dream and wondered… Was that my past…? Ever since I tried recalling my memories after the Hunter Exams, I started doubting whether it was true or not, so … For some reason, I feel like those feelings in my dreams feel very real to me, yet not. It's as if I'm looking at someone else's past and I happen to inherit those dreams. I get up from the bed and let out a stretch. I think I should share these dreams with Freeda. Maybe she would know about this dream I'm having. It just feels strange to me.
—
I leave my room and smell food in the air.
It's been the seventh day since I got to this island. Freeda has helped me a ton when it came to my Nen abilities. I've been trying to find a way to improve my Conjured sword and Freeda says she'll help with that today.
I entered the kitchen and saw Freeda cooking, She looked in my direction,
"Ah. Good morning! Have a seat I'm almost done."
I did what she asked and took a seat at the table. Once she's done, she places a bowl of porridge in front of me,
"Thank you," I tell her and dig in. She smiled and we both ate our breakfast. The two of us were enjoying our food when I mentioned my dreams,
"Freeda? Last night, I had a strange dream."
"Oh? What is it about?"
I told her about it and told her that I wasn't sure if it was just a dream or if they were my memories since the dream felt like I'd experienced them before. She is deep in thought and spoke,
"I remember we need to help you with that memory-altering problem you're having."
I stay silent as she explains,
"But, we must wait for a full moon. I can use my Nen Exorcism at any nighttime, but it's not as effective for something like this. with this kind of curse that is put upon you, I feel that using my Nen Exorcism will be much more effective during that time."
"Right. Putting limitations on your Hatsu makes it stronger."
She nods,
"Yes. Today, however, I believe some villagers have asked for your assistance."
I still didn't understand why she wanted me to help out the villagers, but I am currently living under her roof, so I might contribute somehow, but also… I'm starting to understand as I continue to live in this village.
—
Once we finished our breakfast I went straight to working on my Hatsu just like what Freeda recommended. Compared to Baran, Freeda is a very kind woman. Not that Baran wasn't, it's just Freeda is a lot more gentle than Baran was when it comes to her attitude about training, What I mean is… Baran is tough and rough with Freeda is kind and understanding, but the weirdest thing is, their way of training me is… Interesting.
Baran Right off the bat got me to start training and she had trained me physically by making me run laps around large patches of land. She even would fight hand in hand with me, teaching me some self-defense while I also formed my Hatsu once I took the Water Divination test.
Freeda, however, approaches training differently. At first, for only a few days, she only had me do some chores around the village. At first, that confused me because I thought she was delaying training me until I decided to help the villagers with their tasks. Nothing was out of the ordinary until the seventh day…
I was at the river bank, washing clothes for a villager when I sensed something strange nearby. I stopped what I was doing reached into my bag and pulled out my sword. I look around and find that the villager I agreed to help wash their clothes is nowhere to be seen. It was supposed to be the middle of the day until the sky suddenly became dark as if nighttime had I activated my En and walked around. Just then, I sensed an attack from behind me, I quickly jumped out of the way. The attack that was aimed at me hit a tree and it was a smart idea that I dodged it because if I didn't, I would've had a slow and painful death. The tree that was hit by the attack was melting right before my eyes. I turned to the assailant and saw one of those puppets I saw in Freeda's vision. It's one of her puppets. These are made of mud and yet, they can do that kind of damage?
I narrowed my eyes and held my guard up, just as I did so, more of Freeda's puppets surrounded me. They are all seemingly different but for some reason… These puppets all look familiar to me…
My eyes widened at the realization. One of the puppets suddenly charged at me and threw in a strike as I blocked its attack, another threw in a hit and I wasn't able to react fast enough. I felt the slice of the attack at my side, the pain felt hot and searing I let out a cry as I pushed the first one away and attacked the second, I sensed another one coming from behind and I dodged that one coming my way.
I grit my teeth and check how deep the puppet hit me and it was pretty deep. I looked back at the puppets. Is Freeda trying to kill me?! There are four puppets in total. I try to think of a way to get away since I know if I just stayed to try and hold my ground, I wouldn't last long. I looked at my blade and looked at the trees around me, but I threw that plan away. That worked with Hisoka, but that won't work here. There are simply too many of them and my sword could only cut down one tree. Just then, The puppets attack once again. I dodged each one and decided I had no choice but to run for it!
I ran into the forest as the puppets chased after me, This is where I cut down trees left and right to form a distance between me and them as I tried to form a plan in my head. Looking at the puppets themselves, I did notice they are all made of mud, but… What else? I feel blood seeping out of my wound and grit my teeth even tighter. If I don't do something now, I might die! Just then…
Lightning strikes, Right near me!
Not gonna lie, that scared me. It almost hit me, until I had an idea. Looking at the sky I see clouds forming and I wonder if it would work. To be honest, when I think about it more, it seems like the worst Idea I have ever come up with, but, I have no other ideas. I'm not a planner and honestly, I wasn't even a fighter, either. But my life is on the line. I either die by their hands… Or I just die on my own accord. And I choose either one… I'd choose to die how I want to die. It's morbid, but I don't want to get torn to pieces by a bunch of puppets made of mud and straw!
That's it! Mud and straw! I grinned and stopped in my tracks when I finally made it to a clearing. The puppets surround me. I look at each of them. I can feel my body tense as I raise my sword in the sky. Sweat drips down my face as I wait for Lightning to strike my sword,
"Come on… Come on…!" I muttered.
Just then, one of the puppets spat out that same goo in my direction. dodged it. Another lunged at me, but I dodged that as well. The one that sliced me earlier attempted to hit me with its claws but I managed to dodge that as well, but the fourth one got a hit on me. I feel a hit on my back. The pain from that hurt so much that I couldn't let out a scream. Just then, the sound of thunder is heard. I managed to hold out my sword, but barely, when I felt the lightning strike my sword. More pain went through my entire body. I let out an agonizing scream as the electricity coursed from my sword to everything in me. I knew I shouldn't have done this, but I was desperate… I point my sword at the puppets and barely hold up a fighting stance. I feel my Sword take a new shape in my hand. I let out my aura through my blade and finally threw in my first mighty strike. Lightning came out of my blade and struck at the puppets before me and they got electrified and set a blaze from the shock coursing through. Once they're all gone. I let out heavy breaths. That took a lot out of me. I tried to get out of the lightning strikes but collapsed to the ground.
This… Is this the end…? I… feel like, I shouldn't have trusted that old woman when I'm dying like this, but I guess… I'm too trusting after all… I then thought of Hisoka. He's right. I'm gullible. Blood is seeping through me, and I feel like I'm surrounded by warmth when I see the old woman hovering before me. I felt too sluggish to say anything and blacked out.
—
Freeda looks at the young girl before her. Her student is sitting across from her in a deep trance. The young girl thinks she's dying, but she's fine. They're actually in a controlled environment. They're in a closed room concealed from everything. The villagers helped Freeda prepare her student's training by lulling her with the security of mundanity until it was time to take off the veil from her eyes. Their training today was actually to train her mental strength, and well… It worked. Freeda looked at her student's Nen-conjured sword and could see it had changed its appearance. The sword seems to have multiple grooves carved into the hilt of the base of the sword where you can slot a certain kind of bead into it. One of the grooves has been occupied by a single gemstone. The gemstone is a purple color. The girl has managed to somehow conjure something in her mental battle. Freeda picks up the bell next to her and rings it. Her student opens her eyes.
—
As my eyes snapped open, I found myself in a dark room with only a candlelight in the middle. Freeda is sitting in front of me as she watches me. I slowly got my bearings until I finally remembered what just happened,
"How…?"
"You asked if I could help you improve your conjured sword, right?"
"Y-yeah."
"So, tell me. What is your sword called?"
I look at her curiously,
"Uhh… I haven't exactly come up with a name."
Freeda nods and says,
"It would be a shame if you hadn't named it."
"Why..? Is there any benefit to naming my sword?"
"Hmm… Not really."
I fell over by her admittance,
"I just think it's a good idea to name your sword so you can recall it in the future is all."
I gave her a questioning look and asked,
"So, I can summon my sword anywhere if I do call its name…?"
Freeda nods,
"Well, that's one of the ways, yes. But you don't have to take that advice from me."
I considered Freeda's advice. It does sound kind of convenient, but calling it by its name might be hard to do if I'm forced to do some stealth in the future if I ever find myself in that situation, in another aspect, if I don't have my bag with me, I could all for it when I do need it. I look at her and nod my head,
"Alright. I'll take it."
I then started to come up with a name,
"How about… Valkyrie?"
"Oh? Why is that?"
I just shrugged,
"I don't know. I just thought it was a pretty name."
I give her a cheeky smile. Freeda lets out a little chuckle,
"Alright, Let's call it a day. Tomorrow will be the next step to improve your body. You said you get tired easily when you use your Nen abilities despite your large Aura, correct?"
I nodded to her,
"That's right."
She gets up and proceeds to explain to me as we leave the dark room that is one of the huts,
"I believe the reason why is because your aura isn't flowing through your body properly, and an aura as vast as yours your body is having a hard time containing it."
"So that means…"
"It means, if you don't control your aura properly, you might die sooner than later."
That news took me by surprise. I guess I haven't worked on my Ten as well as I thought. Freeda sees my worried look and gives me a reassuring smile,
"It's alright. You just need to meditate some more. Also, since you have a vast amount of aura, it will probably take you a while for you to die."
I let out a nervous laugh,
"Y-yeah… That doesn't exactly make me feel any better."
Freeda smiles up at me,
"It will be fine, dear!"
It is getting dark. We walked through the village and greeted the other villagers until we made it to her home. Although, as I passed, I couldn't help but notice something off around this place, I decided to put that thought in the back of my mind.
—
Hisoka is carrying his severed hand under his arm as he leaves the ring, he sees a pink-haired woman waiting for him. He recognizes her,
"Nice job." The woman tells him. He grins at her. So, she's arrived. The young woman turns to him and tells him coldly,
"Well? Hurry up and show me your injuries."
The woman, known as Machi, is then led to Hisoka's suite. She places both his severed arms on the table in front of them. She looked at the arms and spoke,
"I was never quite sure before but today's match proved it to me."
"Hm?"
"You're an idiot."
Such rude words~. Hisoka just smirked at her words,
"That's quite possible."
Machi then proceeds to scold him for his stupid stunt but ultimately patches him up. Looking at Machi's abilities he always is in awe of the display. Her patchwork is fascinating! Once she's done, Hisoka tries out his newly patched arms,
"I so enjoy getting to see you Nen stitches in action that maybe I injured myself on purpose." He flirts with her.
Machi didn't respond to his flirt whatsoever and held out her palm,
"Whatever. 20 mil for the left one and 50 for the right one. Alright? Fork it over."
Ah, brushed off once again,
"I'll transfer it directly into your account."
"Alright. You can treat the rest of the injuries yourself."
Hisoka then proceeds to do exactly that. Not without telling her about his Nen abilities in the process, Machi didn't care at all.
Such a shame.
Hisoka and Machi had a small talk about his Bungee Gum and Texture Surprise and how they work. When talking about Bungee Gum, he thought back about his time with the cute little spar he had with his Kitten. Her frustrated looks and confusion when he used both his Bungee Gun and Texture Surprise onto her lips when she attempted to cut their playtime short. She is none the wiser to his abilities, especially during Trick Tower. Ah, good times~!
Machi packs up her things and then proceeds to the door,
"Alright. I'm heading off."
"Already?"
"Yeah. What's the point of staying once the job is done? There's only so much the Nen Stitches could do, so don't overdo it."
Once she's at the door she remembered something,
"Oh right… I came here for a reason. The message has been changed. All Troupe members are to be in York New City by noon, August 30th."
What interests him greatly,
"Will the boss be there?"
"Probably," Machi says. Despite being able to see Chrollo in his last meeting, the boss himself was still hard to get to. Maybe he'll get the chance to finally fight him during this new mission. He lets out a smirk. Machi Then opens the door,
"So, if you mess up in the mission, the boss will hunt you down himself."
Hisoka smirks and then speaks,
"Now that is scary. Oh, by the way… Care to join me for dinner tonight-"
Before he got to finish his sentence, Machi already left. What a pity. Oh well. Maybe once he sees his Kitten again, he could ask her out instead? Wherever she is… Oh. That's right! He still has her number! He takes out his phone and gives her a call. He thinks about her reaction when she receives his call. But as he proceeds to call her, unfortunately, there's no signal going through. He lets out a frown. What an even bigger pity. He wonders what she's doing right now. Maybe once he gets Chrollo out of the way, he can focus on having his Kitten under his grasp. For some reason, he wants to do that with her lately.
—
Chrollo types a text to everyone that the date has changed. He is looking forward to doing this heist once everything is in place. He smiles when he thought of the girl with a strong aura. He still needs to find a way to get everyone to meet her somehow. He believes her presence in the Troup would be an interesting addition. He then sent a text to the girl and saw that it was not exactly going through. He wonders if she's somewhere with no service. Well, hopefully, she will see his message in time because he does want to see her again. It's been a while after all.
—
It's now been a month since I awakened my Nen sword's potential. I inhaled slowly as I focused on controlling my Nen. I focused on placing my aura on my blade. From what I learned from Freeda this technique is called Kou. I have to say, learning about Nen is no easy feat… I aimed at several immobile dummies in front of me. I looked at each of them and finally released my strike. Electricity is released from it and comes in contact with the dummies made of straw and mud. It's just like in my mental battle. The attack went the same way. The electricity combusted the straw dummies and set them aflame. I turned to Freeda and smiled,
"Thank you."
Freeda nods to me then gestures to me to go inside the home.
The two of us are sitting at the table eating our dinner when Freeda speaks,
"I believe it's time to finally see if I could help you with your memory-altering problem."
The moon is full. We surround a large bowl full of water the water is placed in front of us reflecting the full moon. Freeda has something in her hand. It's a strangely colored-looking rope. To me, it looked like it was shining under the moonlight. She holds out her hand,
"Give me your wrist."
I give her my wrist. She then ties the rope around her wrist, then her own. She then proceeded to tell me to hold my hand over the bowl of water as she did the same. I stayed quiet as I saw her close her eyes. Everything is quiet. I wait until I feel some kind of weight lift off of my body. The more time passes, the more of that same weight gets lifted off of me, but… I could see Freeda's face contort as if she was getting extremely tired. I want to break her concentration. Whatever this curse put onto me is far stronger than we thought.
As more time passed I finally couldn't bare to let this go on… It looks like this curse is taking a lot from Freeda I call out to her,
"Freeda. I think it's enough, now."
But she didn't respond. I looked on with worry as she didn't respond. Her eye movements are getting more rapid,
"Freeda. Let's stop now…!" My voice then starts to get more frantic, but unfortunately, still no response I turn to the other villagers,
"Hey! Someone, please stop her! She's not responding!" But unfortunately, the villagers aren't responding either. That rendered me extremely confused. Just then, some of the villagers started acting extremely strange. Their bodies twitched and they started to lose shape from being a human to… Mud…? My eyes widened from what I've seen. I looked around and all the villagers had turned into mud and straw right before my eyes. I turned back in fear and decided enough was enough! I untied the rope from my wrist and now moved on to untying the rope off of hers. She then fell backward, but I managed to catch up in time. I look down at Freeda. She looked extremely tired. I became very worried and picked her up and brought her to the house. This is all my fault…
Notes:
Another daring chapter where I want to develop the MC. XP
Yup! I'm just winging a bunch of this all while trying to make sense of what I've got planned, sort of. XP
Chapter 17: Chapter 16: The Pain of Moving Forward
Summary:
Her training has come to an end
The Phantom Troupe is on the move
Hisoka waits
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
I sat at Freeda's bedside as she rested. That whole thing was terrible to watch. This old woman was here to help me with my problems, yet it was still too great. Whatever curse that was placed on me is way too strong and… I haven't gotten it off of me completely. I then proceeded to think about what I can or can't remember… I got my memories of my family and friends back… I feel relieved. But there is something else, I didn't realize I had forgotten… I was adopted… Huh. My little brother isn't related to me and the friends I've made, I've formed right after I got to attend school for the first time. First time… Unfortunately, when I think of why I said I got to attend school for the first time was still lost on me. So I thought of that dream I had last time… The school uniforms are quite different. Also, it looked like a girl's school instead of a co-ed school, so what was that dream, anyway…? I thought of what other memories I got back and… I thought of my adoptive parents. They are so kind to me. They gave me proper love and support throughout my life like I was their actual daughter. I miss them terribly. I miss my little brother… I miss my friends… But… When I try to think back on other memories, I draw a blank. I still don't know who my actual parents are and I still don't recall anything else before I got adopted by a great family. It's all still a mystery.
I let out a sigh and turned my attention back to Freeda. She's still sleeping soundly. I gave her a sad look,
"I'm so sorry."
I got up from the chair and headed to my room.
—
Ever since that Moonlight incident, Freeda has grown significantly weaker. I feel terrible… She says it's alright, but ever since I finally knew the villagers around us were made out of mud and straw… we are all alone on this island. Freeda has been bedridden throughout my time on this island. The only time she finally got to get out of bed was to monitor how my training was going. My heart tightens from the guilt. Well, after her help, the previous month, I managed to grasp some pointers and I got to learn to form a Nen Beast.
Nen Beasts are pretty difficult to master since they need a large amount of aura to maintain their form for a long time. They also can do anything you need it to be. Luckily, my aura is plentiful and I managed to make a Nen Beast of my own… I made her to be a cute little cat. Her ability is to heal injuries and other illnesses that I'm knowledgeable of, unfortunately, I don't know how to heal every injury, so I tried everything I could to find a way to heal Freeda, but… her fatigue is beyond what I know.
Freeda had to sit me down to try and comfort me. It's clear this whole thing has affected me greatly,
"You don't need to hold accountability about all of this, this is not your fault. Far from it."
I still didn't feel any better,
"So, the villagers… They're not actually…?"
"Yes. They're all dead."
When she confirmed what I thought was the case about the villagers turning to mud, it made me feel sad about the whole thing. I look at the old woman,
"How long…?" I asked her. How long has she lived alone on this island like this? Freeda gives me a sad look,
"Since Oyana came into this village to steal the Book of Shadows."
She did mention that… Just then, I've come to realize,
"She… didn't just kill your grandson, did she…?"
She gave me a sad smile and closed her eyes. Regret is written on her face when it comes to that. She looks back up at me,
"She arrived out of the blue. I didn't know how there were no boats or ships that visited that day and… She just walked through the village as if in a trance. I came to see what the commotion was about once I heard the screams. She was only one woman and yet… She took down the whole village all by herself."
It's clear that recalling those memories is very difficult for her,
"My grandson… he was the guardian of the Book of Shadows and he had to face her to protect the book, but she took him down easily despite him already experienced with Nen."
Just then she started breaking down crying in her hands,
"I couldn't do anything… I'm not built for combat and I'm old now, so… When everyone I loved died around me, I didn't know what to do… I should've joined them! I don't know why I'm still alive after living for so long…!"
Her sobs filled the room. I wait for her to finish. I decided to listen instead of speaking. She continues as she calms down from her tears,
"Ever since that day, I couldn't face the reality that everyone is gone in this village, so I… I gave almost my aura to make every villager from mud and straw all because I couldn't face the pain I'd experienced at all. I've been living like this for many years… I believe it's now been 50 years."
That surprised me. 50 years…? Then, how old is Freeda…? She wipes her tears and smiles,
"After that terrible day, I've had a vision that I will meet you someday. I've hoped to train you with everything I know, but… I didn't realize the day I would be bedridden would be that early on in your training."
When she said that, that also took me by surprise.
"What…? You knew?"
Freeda just nodded in response to my question. I thought deeply about everything she said. This Oyana is a force to be reckoned with. Am I really good enough to go up against someone like that…? So far, I wasn't exactly that confident with how a fair in a fight at all… after my mental battle with Freeda's puppets, I don't think I can take that woman on in a fight at all. Besides… It seems she's a whole lot stronger than Hisoka and he's someone I still don't believe I can beat in a fight. If anything… He was only just toying with me and not taking me seriously at all, so if he did take our fight seriously, I'm sure he could take me down with no problem. I look out the window and notice the time, it's getting late. Freeda notices it too,
"I believe it's time for bed." She says to me. I nodded,
"Yeah. Good night."
"Oh, before you go. I believe you have another ability you wish to improve, correct?" Freeda mentions,
"Oh. Yeah. I can sing a song that puts people to sleep." I tell her,
She lets out a hum,
"Have you thought of using your voice for other things?"
"Well… Not really, but I have used my voice for other things, but they were all when I was under a great amount of stress."
Freeda takes in what I said and nods,
"I see. Do you want to know what I recommend?"
I nodded to her and gave her all my attention. She holds her finger up,
"It appears you have a knack at making multiple special Nen abilities, so, I believe you should control that aspect of your voice and implement it to enhance yourself in a fight."
I think I understand what she's saying. It's like amping yourself up. That's a pretty good idea. I smiled and nodded to her,
"Thanks. I'll consider that."
Freeda looks at me and smiles,
"It's nice how you're working so hard. As long as you keep working on your Nen training, you might find yourself to be a Specialist."
"Hm? Is that possible?" I ask her,
"It's quite rare, but it can be possible. There are also records about Nen users who can also have two different categories as well. That is also rare."
That is pretty interesting. But, do I have it in me to even actually become a Specialist in the future? From what I hear about Specialists they're a special case and you could already be in that category from the get-go. The information about working your way to become a Specialist is new information for me. But she did say that it's very rare for people to become one, which is crazy to me, because, from what I've learned about Nen Users is that there are very few Nen Users in this world, so I wonder who those people are who achieved that.
Freeda lets out a yawn. It's time to head to bed. She needed some rest, but when I took another step, she spoke once again,
"It's almost time for you to go to that City to see your friends, am I right?"
I turn to her,
"Yeah. But, don't you think it's time for you to get to bed? You should get some sleep."
"Yes, I know. You're a sweet child. But, please wake me up early would you? I still would like to discuss with you about something." Freeda asks me. I nod to her,
"Okay. I promise."
She smiles and closes her eyes. I finally went to bed.
—
Hisoka counts the days until the Phantom Troupe reunites in York New City. He wonders what kind of items they will be stealing. He has no interest in whatever treasures the Troupe decides to steal. The only reason why he's part of the Troupe is just so he can get closer to the Leader of the Phantom Troupe and get him to fight him one-on-one somehow, but for now, he's only lying in wait until he gets an opportunity. Hisoka then looks at his phone. But as he's waiting for his opportunity, he wants to know how his cute little Kitten is doing. He does miss her dearly~! He wants to play with her once again~! But, unfortunately, the calls and messages are still not going through… He pouts at the lack of contact. But, for some reason, the lack of interaction with her intrigues him more~! He did say they will see each other again. But alas… Another to lie in wait until the opportunity shows itself.
—
I let out a yawn once I see it's time to start a new day. It was early so, I went to Freeda's room. She wants to discuss with me about something, so I need to wake her up. I knocked on the door,
"Freeda. It's time to wake up." I enter the room. There Freeda lay, still asleep. I smiled and went up to her,
"Okay, It's time to wake up. It's morning!" I say and gently shake her shoulder, but nothing. I wait for a moment then shake her shoulder again,
"Hey… Freeda…? It's morning." I tried again. Dread sets in,
"F-Freeda…?" I didn't know what to do, so I summoned my Nen Beast. The little cat appears before me,
"Hey…! You… Please, help her!" The cat I summoned jumped into Freeda's lap and curled itself as if it was sleeping, but it emitted an aura that healed the person,… as I monitored any movement from Freeda, I saw nothing. The cat gets up and gets off the old woman. I didn't know what else to do other than to check her pulse… I did just that. I sat there next to the bed and did nothing. Tears fell from my eyes once I realized that she was gone… No… not again.
I didn't know how long it's been, but I ended up sobbing loudly in that room. I couldn't help but feel this sense of despair within myself. I've lost someone once again…! And someone who seemed like a grandmother to me. She helped me develop my Nen abilities effectively. She was so kind and treated me gently especially when I needed it. I feel so guilty because I couldn't help but think this was my fault. I shouldn't have let her try to Exorcise me, I should've just let it all go, but… She did that just for me. I lost another Nen Teacher once again. Not only have I lost Baran, I also lost Freeda as well.
—
I left the room and sat outside of the house. The familiar I summoned sits on my lap as I stroke its fur. The view before me is the view of the empty village. Sitting here on this island, I couldn't help but feel the loneliness that haunts this place. I feel like I need to get off of this island right now. I want to see Gon, Kurapika, Leorio and Killua again… I feel myself cry once again. Why…? Why is everything going so wrong for me…? I then remembered what Freeda wanted to talk about, but what exactly was it? Just then, a strange bird flew in my direction with something on its leg. I don't know what it is, but it's clear it's a Nen Beast. Is this one Freeda's? I hold out my arm as the bird lands on it. I took the rolled-up piece of paper and read the contents,
-Dear little student,
If you are reading this, I have passed away. I'm sorry it had to be this way, but I have predicted that I wouldn't have long to live. I am sorry. But, what I did want to share with you has something to do with the Book of Shadows. Like the Book of Shadows, there are other sacred items just like it, but unfortunately, they were all either lost, or stolen, but the cult you wanted information for is after those items. They stop at nothing to collect each of them for their biggest ritual yet.
I stopped reading for a moment. I couldn't believe what I was reading, so there are items and that strange cult is going to gather them to do an even bigger ritual…? I continued reading the letter,
I know I'm being selfish and asking for too much of you, but… Please… Stop them. Stop them from stealing more of those sacred items and keep them from doing that ritual at all costs.
-In loving memory, Freeda
I gripped that letter tightly. I soak in what Freeda asks of me. How can she say it's selfish to ask anything from me when her goal has become mine as well? This cult… They need to be stopped. They've tormented me for too long! And not only that… They've harmed people and people who could also potentially be close to me! I won't allow that! Freeda wants me to keep the cult from taking those sacred items? Then that's exactly what I'll do! The bird that sent me the letter finds that its job here is done, so it decides to fade away, but before I let it completely fade I turn to it,
"Thank you so much! Thank you for helping me train and strengthen my Nen! I will stop at nothing to keep that cult from succeeding! Please send that message to Freeda!"
The bird looks at me and it appears to give me a grateful look. Then, it disappears.
Now I'm alone once again.
—
I got off of that island after I gave Freeda a proper burial. The sailors that brought me there heard the news and gave me their condolences. It was a grueling time. I still feel the depression set in. The fact that I've lost more people scares me. I don't want to lose anyone else…
I finally got off the boat and I am now on my way to buy a ticket to York New City. Maybe, once I see everyone, I could feel better. I don't want to be alone right now, but… for some reason, I don't want to burden everyone once everyone is together. Just their presence alone is enough for me. I'm still very grateful to those four for including me in their friend group. Without them, I would just be alone in a world that isn't my own. I thought about the boys. Funnily enough, all 4 of them remind me strongly of my dearest friends back home. I include my little brother as a part of that…. I think I was alone until they came into my life. It's just like right now, but this time, it's 4 boys who I've befriended.
My journey to York New is a heavy one, but once I board that Blimp, I hope everything will be alright once I reunite with everyone.
—
Chrollo walks through the streets. Once he's tired of walking, he finds himself in a park. So he takes a seat. He watches the many people pass by. How carefree the people are. He continues watching them. A couple walks past. For some reason, that just reminded him of that girl with the Strong Aura. He takes out his phone and finally hits the call button. He is surprised. The call is going through. He waits to see if the call will just send him to the voice message again, but to his surprise, it is answered,
"Hello…?"
That voice. He hasn't heard that voice in so long. He let out a small smile,
"Hello. It's me, Chrollo."
"Chrollo? Oh! It's been a long time. How are you?"
He couldn't help but hear the sad tone in her voice. He wonders what's going on,
"Is everything okay? You don't sound very happy."
"Oh! Uh… Really? I'm sorry."
"No, there's no need for you to apologize, I was only worried is all…"
"Yeah… I don't want to dump my problems onto you like that."
"No, I understand. You don't want to just talk about something so serious over the phone, is that right?"
"Yeah… You know me so well! I have to say, you have a knack for knowing people just by the sound of their voice."
Chrollo smiles once again,
"People do say that."
"I wish I could do that. To be honest, I'm unfortunately too gullible for my good. That's what someone said to me…"
Now her tone is starting to sound like she's getting better. It's either him talking to her or the person she's mentioning has lifted her spirits. For some reason, that didn't exactly make him happy when it came to the latter,
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. But that's another thing I want to talk to you about when we meet in person."
"I understand."
"Thanks for calling. It's been a while!"
"Likewise."
Just then in the background on her side, he hears the sound of an airport announcement,
"Oh. That's my flight. I need to go."
"Okay, have a good flight."
"Thanks! See you later!"
Then she hangs up.
For some reason, that girl intrigues him. Is it because she reminded him of himself when he was a child? But, their interaction from when they first met to now has become starkly different. He noticed the seriousness in her voice as if she had now gone through some things and was starting to become affected by the experiences she was having on her way to meet each other again. It's sad. Almost like how he's gone through… he wonders if she's losing herself the same way he has. But, honestly, that interests him even more. Having someone to relate to feels strangely comforting, yet… for some reason, he doesn't want to see that happen to her. He has been trying to find himself this whole time after all. But once they meet again, he'll want to know more of what she's learned through her time as a New Nen User.
Chrollo notices the time and gets up. He believes it's time to plan the heist he's looking forward to. He's seen the catalog of that underground auction and he would love to steal a book that has caught his eye. He's read up about it and it is said that the book is called a Grimoire. That sounded very interesting, so he looks forward to stealing it soon.
—
I've made it to York New City. It's a pretty interesting city. I signed into a hotel and went to my room. I lay on the bed and let out a sigh. I stare up at the ceiling and am looking forward to just kicking back and resting the whole month. I'm exhausted. But I know I can't just do that. I thought of what Freda wanted me to do. I got up from bed and decided to leave the suite and visit a public Internet cafe. I need to look up some information about the relics Freeda told me about and make a plan to take them before that cult could.
I left the hotel and found an internet cafe and immediately plopped myself on a free computer. After learning that it's wiser to search for information on a public computer is a lot wiser to do instead of using your devices as a Hunter, I thought it was time to put that knowledge into practice now that I am one. It's time to put my reading skills to work. So far, I'm doing well. I searched for relics and clicked around until I read that a relic was being sold in York New City. I poked around until I finally knew where the relic would be sold. I can feel sweat forming on my body after reading the page. It seems the item will be sold at an underground auction run by the Mafia. Beautiful… That means I have to find a way to get into the auction somehow. Should I fork up the cash right then and there and get the item that way? Or should I just plan a heist…? I bit my lip.
I let out a quiet sigh. This will be very difficult. I took out my notebook from my bag and started writing down the address of the place. The Relic. It's called a Grimoire. A book of some sort. I closed my notebook and left for the Internet cafe. I started planning on how I could gain access to the place as I made my way into the hotel.
—
Hisoka and Illumi are hanging out on the rooftop of a building. Hisoka has bothered Illumi to help him track his Kitten down for him. He's getting impatient when his messages and phone calls haven't gone through. Illumi just stares blankly at him through it all,
"This woman. You want to kill her in the future, right?"
"Why ask me that question, Illumi? Isn't it already obvious?" Hisoka asks him as if he asked him a pretty dumb question. Illumi just continues to stare at him in response. Hisoka just played with his deck of cards waiting for a response but didn't get anything back. He only sees Illumi just staring at him,
"What?"
"Are you sure you just want to kill her?" That is all he asked. As if implying that there is way more to Hisoka's fixation than the standard the magician usually likes to fixate on when it comes to potential opponents.
"Well, if you want to know, I also want to fuck her senselessly, but that's just one of the things I want to do with her," Hisoka tells him with a shrug. Illumi just continues to stare at him until he finally turns away,
"I don't care what you do, but since you kept asking me where she is, she's here in York New City."
Hisoka is surprised by the news. His Kitten is here~! What great luck~! He doesn't have to go out looking for her then~! He lets out an eager smile,
"Do you know where she's residing by any chance~?"
Illumi shares the information about where his Kitten would be staying. Hisoka couldn't help but want to go over there right away~! Illumi then heads to the door to the stairs,
"Since my job here is done, then I do not need to stay."
"Alright." Hisoka then continues to play with his cards. Illumi then stops,
"I have to say. Your recent fixation is different from how you go about your other fixations."
Hisoka stops shuffling his cards,
"How so?"
"It's like you want to keep her to yourself at all costs instead of the usual comparison to 'ripening fruit' you always like to compare your potential victims to."
Illumi's comment puzzled him,
"Is that so…?"
"That's just something that confused me with you and that girl is all." After Illumi says his piece he leaves Hisoka to his own devices. Hisoka lets out a hum. He indeed wants to do something different with his Kitten, but he doesn't think it would be something other than his usual need for battle. Is Illumi trying to imply he's just looking for a love life…? Ridiculous. He hasn't been looking for a romantic partner at all. If anything, he doesn't think he has any interest in something as domestic as that. And when he does feel extremely horny, he'd just sleep with whoever wants to throw themselves at him at any time, so he's got that covered… but for some reason when he thinks of her, he just couldn't help but feel riled up and needy for her in general. Just thinking of her disheveled face has started to turn him on. It's weird. That woman… he just wants to consume her it's just driving him mad~!
So, if Illumi is implying he might be in love with her or something, Hisoka thinks he's wrong in a way. This strong feeling he has… he can't deny his feelings for her is incredibly strong, but he doesn't think it's love. He just thinks he's only very obsessed with her… But Love?
Just thinking about what the word love makes him feel. He decides that contemplating whether he's capable of love is a waste of time. Now that he knows where she is, he's going to have a little visit with his cute little Kitten~!
Notes:
XP
Things are happening. It's time for Chrollo to get his well-deserved screentime.
Chapter 18: Chapter 17: A Taste of Normalcy
Summary:
It's time to take a break.
But of course Hisoka is there, but he's decided to make a surprise offer.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
I dream of the time when I first got adopted. I stood in front of my adopted family for the first time. I was nervous. Mom and Dad greeted me warmly and welcomed me into their family. They introduced me to my new little brother… He welcomed me as well. As a newly adopted daughter, I honestly didn't know how to act around them at all. I never respond to anyone in a proper way. I was way different back then. I was quiet and kept to myself often. In fact… I was mute. It because-
But, my little brother always makes sure to reach out to me. I didn't know why he bothered. It took me a long time to function normally like a human being. My brother is always patient with me, despite being younger than me. At times, he seems like he's the more responsible one out of the two of us. I picture my little brother's smiling face.
—
Just then, I heard my phone ring loudly next to me. I reach out to grab my phone and answer it,
"...Hello…?" I croaked,
"Oh~! Hello Darli-"
I hung up.
Oh. It's nothing important after all. I rolled over and tried to get back to sleep.
My phone rings again. I ignored it.
It rings.
No.
Riiing!
…
Riiiing!
…
Riiiinngg!
I let out an annoyed growl and answered the damn phone,
"What the hell do you WANT?!"
"Aaww poor Darling~. Got up on the wrong side of the bed~?"The voice of a familiar Clown says to me,
"How the hell did you get my number?!"
From the other end of the line, Hisoka lets out a hum,
"Do you remember the time when we last parted~? "
When he said that, my cheeks started getting red,
"W-wh-what about it…?"
"Well~? When we were making out, I managed to get your number during that time~."
My face became as red as a tomato. This man is such a fucking pain in the ASS! I let out a frustrated growl,
"You are such a CREEP!"
And of course, his response is laughing at my outbursts. What a prick! Once he's done laughing he starts to speak once again,
"Oh, how I love your outbursts, Darling ~. They're always so cute~! "
"Seriously, why are you calling me?"
"It's because I miss you my Kitten~! "
"As if! For all I know, you're just flirting with me just to piss me off somehow."
"But you always act like you're mad at me~. "
"For good reason! Don't act like I forgot your actual plan is to kill me in the future!"
"But, I'm not planning to do that right now."
He doesn't see it, but I'm glaring daggers at my phone right now. This man is a menace to society! I let out a huff,
"Well, if that's the only reason why you're calling me, then have an awful day!"
"Oh, but Darl-"
I hung up. I let out an angry sigh. Seriously. What is up with my life? I calmed down and got out of bed. I headed to the bathroom and decided to take a shower. I haven't taken one since leaving the island. Then my mood became somber. It's still too fresh to think about Freeda and turn the shower on. I want to change my mood as best I can.
—
I feel so refreshed~! I wrapped my body in a towel and grabbed an extra one to wrap my hair in to dry. I left the bathroom with a hum and entered my bedroom. I continued to hum as I walked to my closet, but on the way I passed an open window and a random figure leaning on the window sill from the corner of my eye. I stopped. It took me a few seconds to register what I saw. I turned to the figure and saw…
HISOKA?!
The man just smiles at me,
"Hello again Darling~!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"
I QUICKLY WRAP MY BODY!
"GET OUT OF HERE YOU PERVERT!"
—
SLAM*
Hisoka sits on the couch in the living room after being kicked out of the bedroom with a handprint imprinted on his cheek.
He did try to tell her he was visiting.
But oh~! What a beautiful view~!
Hisoka is glad to walk in at the right time~! Seeing his Darling in just a towel~! He almost couldn't control himself~
—
A few minutes later, I threw on some clothes and stormed out of my room, glaring daggers at the man who is sitting on my fucking COUCH! Hisoka turns his head to me. I see that handprint I gave him.
This man. He still has the audacity to be smug as all hell after what he just pulled!
I narrowed my eyes on him. In return, he just gives me that damn irritating SMILE of his! I storm around the couch and face him with my arms crossed, staring him down,
"Explain. Now."
"Oh my, how scary."
I continue to glare at him. Hisoka calmly sits on my couch and explains himself. Yeah right,
"Explain what, Darling~?"
"Quit pulling my leg! How the HELL did you know I was here?!"
"Do you believe in soulmates, my Love~? I just happened to sense you were here~! " Hisoka tells me as if I'd fall for his lies! My eye twitches,
"I don't believe in that crap!"
"Oh~? And you believe in clairvoyance, darling~?" Hisoka asks me the dumbest question,
"You know as well as I am that you're pulling excuses out of your ass! So, answer the damn QUESTION!" I growled at him and grabbed him by the collar,
"HOW DID YOU KNOW I WAS HERE?!"
The damn Clown just let me grab hold of his collar and chuckles at me,
"Fine, since you're being so cute, I had Illumi track you down."
"WHAT THE HELL?!"
"He's so thorough, he even knows which hotel and room you're staying at~ ! Oh! And also, do you know how I managed to get to your room, I climbed up~! "
The last one bewildered me… he climbed up to my suite?! But… but… My room is on the 10th floor! I shook my head. No! Don't get distracted! Don't forget! This man just literally did a crime by breaking and entering! Not only that, he invaded my privacy! So in turn…
I SHOULD FEEL VIOLATED RIGHT NOW!
I am so angry at myself for not feeling angry enough that I pulled him off the couch and wanted to show him the damn DOOR! But NO! This is fucking HISOKA! In response to me pulling him off the couch, he went and started hugging me! I could feel his chest press closely to my hands and I could feel his arms holding me tightly enough to feel… nice? My anger melted away and I could feel myself blush from the hug and attempted to push him off,
"Get off!"
"I have to say, your slap earlier felt stronger than the last one. You must've trained while you were away. No wonder I couldn't reach you that whole time."
"As if I'd tell you anything about where I was."
"I don't need to know," Hisoka whispered into my ear. I could feel my heart race. Hisoka notices and lets out a purr,
"Did you miss this, too, Love~? "
I didn't want to speak. He looked into my eyes and leaned down for a kiss, but I used my hand to cover his mouth as he got closer to my face,
"Nope! I'm not letting you do this!"
I could feel Hisoka pout behind my hand. I… can't help but find that cute. But I'll never admit it to his face! And… as much as I hate that I love being hugged like this, I decided to pull myself out of his arms,
"Seriously. We're not in the Hunter Exams or in that alleyway anymore. If you want to interact with me properly, then interact with me in a normal manner." I then headed to the exit,
"But if you refuse to do even that, I'm going to find a way to revoke your Hunter's License and put you on a restraining order." I then open the exit and face him,
"Now get out." The two of us are now at a standstill. Hisoka stares at me, not smirking at me for once. I still stare him down,
"I'm not playing your games. If you've lost interest in me, either cut me down or leave." We continue to have this one-sided conversation. I have yet to hear anything from him. Just then Hisoka heads to the door. I'm surprised. Is he listening to me? He takes the handle and closes the door himself. I'm still really surprised! So, that's that…
Then I heard a knock on the door.
…
Heh?
The knocking continues.
I still don't understand what Hisoka is even trying to do. I hesitantly open the door. Hisoka stands there acting like it's been a while since we met,
"Oh, hello Darling~! It's been a while! I've decided to visit today because I've missed you~! "
I just stared at Hisoka completely confused. He continues the act,
"I know it's been a while since we've seen each other, so we have much to catch up on!"
For some reason, his acting pleasant,like a normal person, makes me feel incredibly uncomfortable. I continue to stare at him. He continues to act out of character,
"Are you okay? Do you need to rest? Do you need a hug?"
Okay. That last one almost sounds like him. I let out a sigh as I rubbed my forehead,
"...I have to say. I'm speechless."
Hisoka proceeds to act out of character. The more he acts this way, the more off-putting he becomes,
"Can I come in? I'm worried about you."
I narrowed my eyes on him now. Now he's just mocking me. Why is he trying to act normal so unnerving? I look at Hisoka. He's still putting up the act. I let out another sigh,
"Fine. Come in."
He smiles when I let him back in.
Why do I let him do this?
—
Hisoka continued that act for another 30 minutes until I got fed up and told him to drop it. Hisoka just smirked at me,
"You're so hard to please~. "
"Well! You were unnerving!" I snapped at him. He just shrugs at me,
"What you see is what you get~. "
….
He's not wrong. So, we're back to square one. Him sitting on the damn couch, and me glaring at the bastard,
"Fine! You have my attention! What do you want?"
Hisoka's grin widens,
"I was wondering if you want to go on a date with me?"
That threw me off a whole lot. I didn't know how to respond. Really? He's asking me out…? Hisoka looks at my speechless form and smirks at my reaction,
"What's wrong? Should I repeat my question~? "
"...wh-"
I couldn't get myself to speak, so Hisoka retreated the question, but this time… he got up from the couch and approached me, leaning closely and holding my chin,
"Would you like to go on a date with me, Kitten~? "
My face went back to being as red as a tomato. My brain is malfunctioning! Hisoka is enjoying my crisis a little too much. I look up at him,
"Why…?" That is all I asked him. He gives me a smug look,
"Why~? Isn't it already obvious~? It's because I still want you~ ."
My cheeks are still red, but I frowned at his answer,
"In what way? As your future victim? Or as a potential girlfriend? Why not knock me out and have your way with me instead?" My question confused him for a moment, but he quickly recovers and speaks,
"It's because I feel like it. I want a date with you. I just thought, since you barely know this world, why not show you some places I find fun~? A reaction from a foreigner is always interesting, especially one not from this world~! "
For some reason, I was upset by his answer. So, he's just bored…? That's it? Why am I not surprised? I stopped being flustered and walked over to the exit yet again and opened the door,
"Goodbye. If you have no good reason to bother me, leave me alone."
–
Hisoka could tell he upset her. And well. For some reason, he doesn't like that look. He'd rather see her get riled up and yell at him instead of this quiet anger. He'll have to make the date sound appealing to her. Looking at her right now, she seems like she's in a bad mood. Not just because of his presence~! No~! But, he could also tell something else was eating at her even way before he even arrived to visit. Hisoka speaks to her,
"Well, how about taking this date for your benefit, Darling? I can tell you seem down."
She looks at him very surprised by what he said. His plan is working. His Kitten thinks about the offer. She's being so cute.
—
Why is he being so nice to me? I think about his date proposal. I have been stressed out and I haven't taken a break at all since getting my license so… I guess that's alright. And this can get my mind off of the pain in my heart maybe… I look up at Hisoka, he just waits for my response. I couldn't help but feel touched by his action, no matter how selfish it may all have been in the end. He also thought of what benefits me with all of this. Instead of the pain, I'm feeling in my heart, I instead feel like my heart is about to soar. I couldn't help but look away and give him a shy smile,
"Okay."
The look on his face. He looks shocked. That look honestly surprised me as well. Now we're both being weird. I couldn't help but blush from his shocked expression,
"W-what?"
"You said yes."
"Well… Yeah." I say awkwardly,
Hisoka didn't say anything else. I look up at him questioningly. As he looks at me, he finally recovered from his shock and walks up to me,
"So, do you want to go now~? I'm free all day~. "
I bit my lip and nodded.
—
I'm nervous. I've never been on a date before. Hisoka told me to dress up because he was planning to take me to some fancy place, but I didn't have any nice clothes, though. So I told him,
"How unfortunate. Oh well. I guess I'll be buying your dress, then~! I wonder what kind of dress would suit you?"
"Huh?! W-wait! You don't have to buy me anything!" I stammered not believing what I was hearing,
"Don't worry, my Love~! It will be my treat~!" He tells me taking me into his arms. I swear, my heart is about to burst. Why…? I blushed from the intimacy. He's too much! I am not used to this at all! I could feel him chuckle from the vibration of his chest. Why are we suddenly being all lovey-dovey with each other?
We then head out to get me a dress.
—
I am so overwhelmed by the selection. I looked at each of them and saw all the price tags. My eyes became as big as saucers,
"34,000 JENNY!?" I said out loud. And it's not just that price tag, the other dresses even reached 100,000! I turn to Hisoka feeling guilty,
"Hisoka! These dresses are expensive!"
"Yes, they are~!" He says with a smile. I'm incredibly flustered,
"B-but… But this is too much. You shouldn't spend this much money on me…."
He chuckles at how flustered I am,
"So humble~! But don't worry~! I'll be buying an outfit of my own myself~! "
I let out an exasperated sigh,
"Seriously… Just how rich are you?"
Hisoka decided to be cheeky and placed a finger to his lips,
"It's a secret, Love."
After that, we both chose what we were going to wear. I wasn't an expert at dressing myself up this way, so I had some advice from the person who works there and Hisoka himself. Weirdly enough, the man is actually good at dressing himself. Yet, he decides to look like a clown most of the time in casual wear. What a strange person.
I was waiting for him outside of the fitting room until he finally came out.
In front of me, I see Hisoka in a suit looking breathtakingly handsome… another thing about his appearance I never thought I'd see is his hair being down. He looks… Good.
I could feel myself blush. Damn it! Why does he have to look like that?! The man gives me a seductive smile,
"Like what you see~? "
"Quiet…" I tell him not to look him in the eye. He smirks and steps to the side,
"Now it's your turn. I want to see what you look like."
Without another word, I stepped into the fitting room. I struggled a bit and I did ask for some help… From the attendant working there. Hisoka almost went in, but I snapped at him for trying to get into the room and ultimately, I finally got into the dress that was picked for me… I leave the fitting room to face the man. Hisoka purrs at my appearance. That made me feel extremely embarrassed,
"S-stop that…"
He goes up to me and holds my chin up,
"But, you're truly stunning, Darling~. "
He went in for a kiss, but I held my hand up and he kissed my hand instead. Just like the last time. I can feel his mouth frown, but then suddenly he LICKS my HAND!
What the fuck!?
I quickly moved my hand away, disgusted, and smacked him on the shoulder,
"EWW! Hisoka, what the hell?!"
Amused by my response, he smirks at me then quickly, he manages to finally steal a kiss from me. I feel his lips on mine. The attendant sees the display,
"Oh~! You two are such a cute couple~! "
I blushed madly at the comment that I pulled away,
"C-can we go now…?" The more we linger here, the more embarrassed I get. Hisoka agrees and decides to finally pay for our clothes. I still feel guilty about him buying it for me…
—
I blush madly as we pass by. Hisoka got me to wrap my arm around his and I couldn't help but notice the reflection on the windows we passed by. The two of us look really good together… I'm having a mental crisis about this. Hisoka called a taxi and we both were brought to our destination. And sure enough, the place is very fancy. I am in complete awe. The two of us walk into the building. I couldn't help but feel like I was in such an important place that I was not supposed to be there. Hisoka could feel my nervousness,
"Don't worry, Darling. We'll be getting a table away from everyone so you don't have to feel too insecure."
"...Why do you have to say it like that?" I ask him,
He just smiles at me. I know he's up to something when it comes to him in general, but for some reason, he's being even more suspicious than usual. I narrowed my eyes on him. He notices,
"What is it, Love~? "
"What are you up to?" I say, continuing to narrow my eyes at him. The man just continues to act like he's not being suspicious. Of course.
—
We are shown to our table. The table is closed off from everyone else. Hisoka takes a seat. I was about to go to the other side of the table to sit, but he pulled me beside him,
"Wha-!"
"Sit next to me. There's a lot of space." He tells me, pulling me incredibly closely. My cheeks reddened when I felt him wrapping his arm around my shoulder. Once he pulled me close to him, I couldn't help but feel the tension in my shoulders melt away as I enjoyed the warmth of his body. The waitress gave us the menu, I quickly moved away and we ordered our food. When she left, We went back to just enjoying each other's warmth. It's very strange… I look up at him, studying his face. The intimacy we're having. Is it okay to feel this with this man? Does he even want to be in a relationship? What is the point of all this in the end? After agreeing to be on this date with him, I couldn't help but question it all. Then I thought about what I even got from this whole thing… I couldn't help but feel so conflicted by all of this. On one hand, this date really did keep me from grieving, which, I guess, is not very healthy, now that I think about it, but I have no room to do so… on the other hand, when I agreed to be on this date with Hisoka, I couldn't help but feel this deep-seated pain in my heart that will break at any moment every time I have these intimate moments with him.
Hisoka notices how deep in thought I am and speaks,
"What's on your mind, Darling? You look like you're about to cry."
"Huh? Do I?" His question caught me off guard for a moment. He took my hand and kissed it, I blushed at the gesture,
"If you want to speak, you can. After all, I did say, this date will benefit you in some way~. No matter whatever it is you have in mind~. "
"So, you don't mind me talking your ear off about my problems?"
"That depends.~ If you're willing to share it with me~. " Hisoka tells me, rubbing my shoulder as he did so. I thought about it for a moment… I do have a lot of things on my mind… But, I know I can't share everything with Hisoka, he is still untrustworthy after all, but despite his untrustworthiness, I can't help but feel so comforted by him,
"I still want to know…What is your purpose in being this intimate with your future victim, Hisoka? I know your saying 'you just feel like it' isn't exactly your real answer, weirdly enough. I can tell."
He didn't say anything for a moment, but answered anyway,
"How observant of you. Well, if you must know, I guess my answer is, that you drive me crazy~. "
"Crazy how?" I genuinely really do want to know. But once that question left my lips it now sounded like I was challenging him or something. I then started feeling shy…
Hisoka chuckles and cradles my face as he looks me in the eyes,
"You make me crazy to the point I want you locked up, so I can do whatever I want with you~. " He then proceeds to whisper in my ear,
"You make me want to consume everything about you and your very being~ ."
I couldn't help but feel weird in my belly when he said it in a deep voice like that… It's incredibly embarrassing. But my mind is now back to what I'm feeling,
"I feel like I'm making a mistake."
"Oh? How so~? "
"Well. One thing. You're Hisoka. The man who admits that he'll kill me in the future. And second… I still feel strongly about… uh sleeping with the one you love. I don't want to spend that time with someone who doesn't love me back. And… um… I know I'll just get attached to the one I'd choose to give my first time to… so… That's what's been on my mind."
Hisoka lets out a hum,
"You're truly pure~. I just want to corrupt you, my Love~. "
"And I'm not going to let you," I told him. I want to make his mission to be a huge pervert difficult now. Hisoka takes that as a challenge,
"Oh~? Is that a challenge, Darling~? "
"Maybe. But to be honest with you, I just don't think you'll be able to corrupt me. And I'm not talking about what you're thinking about. …Pervert." I tell him with a huff,
"Oh~? What could that be~? "
I decided to be cryptic about it,
"I just have a feeling someone else has already beat you to it…"
Hisoka lets out a possessive growl,
"Oh…? Who is it~? I might want to talk with them. "
I couldn't help but feel smug for making him feel this way. I honestly don't know what's going on with me, but for some reason, hearing Hisoka acting possessively over me makes me feel superior. Why is that? Now I couldn't help but wonder.
Our food finally arrives. It looks fancy. I stare at it, wondering what I just ordered. Hisoka sees me poking at my food,
"Is your food not to your liking?"
"No… Well, I mean… this is all new for me."
"Oh~? Does this have to do with different world comparisons?" Hisoka asks me, now interested. I shook my head,
"Actually, surprisingly enough, my world and this one are very similar."
"Oh~? How so?"
I look at him and see how interested he is. I couldn't help but find that cute,
"Umm… Well, there are cities and different countries like this world, but there are creatures that aren't as ridiculously dangerous as here. Also, as far as I know, I never really thought there would be any secret organizations like the Hunters Association where there are Nen Users or anything of that sort in my world."
"As far as you know?" Hisoka asks me. I look him in the eye on what I've been thinking about for a while,
"Yeah. Lately, I've been thinking about whether or not my world actually does have an alternative version of the Hunters Association and I just had no idea they existed… maybe."
"Ah. So, you're starting to theorize on how you got here?" He asks. I give him a nod,
"My theory is there might be Nen Users in my world, or the equivalent to one, that is. And…"
I look away, trying to find a way to skirt around what I've been dealing with from Hisoka. He can't learn about the Witches. I bet if I told him, he'd get involved somehow. And knowing him, he'd probably want to fight them. That thought made me realize something to my dismay. I can't believe I could read Hisoka like that. The man may act like he's got everything under his thumb, but in reality, his ambitions are too damn simple! All he wants is whatever it is for his benefit. And well… Thinking about that, why not involve him? But at the same time, He might screw me over somehow, or the Cult might use him against me. Somehow. I don't know why, but I just don't want him to get involved. Hisoka notices my silence,
"And…? And what?"
I let out a cough. Yeah, I'm not going to tell him outright, but I'll give him a vague answer about the group that's been on my case. No! That's a terrible idea! He might catch on and do his investigation or whatever he does! He did find out where I stayed after all, with the help of Illumi of all people! But, if he Involves Illumi, then even more people will get involved! But wait! If there would be more people involved, wouldn't that screw the Cult over? Oh crap! Hisoka is calling to me! Gotta think up something quick! I look at him,
"...And… I just think there might be a force in my world that might've done this to me." Hopefully, that's vague enough. Hisoka didn't say anything and just stared at my face. He then gives me a small smile,
"You know, has anyone ever told you how easy you are to read?"
"Heh?"
"Yes~! Right now you're trying to hide something from me. As you may know, I'm actually a good judge of character~! I can read people like a book. And you~? You areveryeasy to read, especially when you keep projecting all of your emotions on your face~!" After Hisoka told me about my habits, I cursed at myself,
"God damnit…"
Hisoka laughs at my reaction,
"And right now, you just want to kick yourself for being that obvious~! Don't worry, I find it very adorable~!"
I look away from him, pouting. When his laughing died down, he went back to looking at me with a smile,
"I take it that whatever you're not telling me is something you don't want me to get involved in?"
I didn't have to say anything for him to confirm that's exactly what I thought. He lets out a hum,
"How unfortunate. But, I'm going to assume that whatever is going on with your situation has something to do with your current sadness?"
"Okay, I get it. You can read me like a book." I couldn't stand hearing my situation out of his mouth. If he continues he would figure things out on his own for sure. I already think it's too late. I look him in the eye. And let out a sigh,
"Recently, I just lost another Nen Teacher."
Hisoka didn't say anything and let me talk,
"She died because she wanted to help me, but in the end…. It backfired."
I look at him again. He continues to stay silent and watches me,
"Since you have a hunch about my situation, I'll tell you. But only for the context of what happened to my Nen Teacher."
Again. Hisoka lets me talk. I'm grateful… I let out a breath and continued to speak,
"There are people who are after me and… they are capable of altering memories. My Nen Teacher, Freeda… She tried to do a Nen Exorcism on me by trying to lift the curse, but it drained her and ruined her aura nodes. That curse… I don't even know how it was put on me in the first place. I tried to heal Freeda, but I couldn't, so… through my time with her, it was a slow, gradual death. She still taught me some things and I did improve, but she passed away five months later. I can't help but think it's my fault. She died because of me…"
Tears start to fall from my eyes. I tried to wipe them away, but they kept falling. Why am I being so vulnerable with Hisoka? That's just asking for being painted as a target for his ridicule. I couldn't help but continue to sob.
The two of us stayed silent. Neither of us makes a move. So, even Hisoka gets awkward in situations like this. My sobbing calms down to sniffles and hiccups. Hisoka just continues to study me then reaches over to place his hand on my cheek. He turns my head as he leans over and gives me kisses to each eye. That gesture confused me,
"What…?"
He didn't stop there, Hisoka pulled away and held his hands up making them into fists. He holds them out to me,
"Pick a hand."
Curiously, I complied and pointed at the right hand. He smiles and blows at his closed hand. Once he did, a paper flower slowly revealed itself to me in between his fingers like it was blooming. That lifted my spirits. Was that his intention? Hisoka then places the paper flower in my hair. I couldn't help but blush. He is going all out on this date. I touched the flower in my hair,
"Thank you."
The interaction I have with Hisoka right now. I wonder if this is what he had in mind when he said this would benefit me. I bet he thought he could swoon me just so he could end the night with sex or something. But it ended up as a downer instead? But, Hisoka's actions right now touched my heart. Without realizing it, I ended up leaning into him and buried my face in his chest. I could hear his heartbeat.
I want… I want…
What do I want? Why am I hugging him like this? I am having a crisis over my relationship with Hisoka right now.
We stayed like that for a while. I enjoyed the comfort of being in the arms of someone after having to go through so much trauma and grief for half a year, I almost forget I'm with Hisoka right now. The man is surprisingly showing me his tender side and I don't know if it's genuine or not. But I can't deny that I still feel comforted all the same,
"Ready to go soon?" He asked me in a whisper. I nodded to him.
—
We both left the restaurant. The food was delicious. I leaned closer to Hisoka, still wanting to enjoy his warmth. It now confirmed that I don't see Hisoka as a nuisance anymore. Unless he decides to become one in the future, then I wouldn't be that surprised. And I also can't deny that Hisoka has become someone I might begin to care about… which is very confusing because I know he still might kill me in the future. Maybe…? Well. Time will tell. I just hope he changes his mind. But, that's wishful thinking on my part.
The two of us are now heading to the hotel I'm staying at. We both stand in front of the hotel. I turn my gaze at Hisoka. He is just so heartbreakingly good-looking. My eyes then started watering once again,
"Still sad are we?" He asked me. I don't want to admit to him it's because I just thought he looked so hot that he made me cry. That would be pathetic! I rubbed my eyes and thanked him instead,
"Th-thank you for today…"
Hisoka smiles at me and kisses my cheek,
"No need for that. I just want you to eat you~! " He then pulls me into a kiss. I could feel the passion from it. The feeling of his lips against mine is just so nice. I feel his tongue pushing between my lips, I open my mouth for him. The kiss deepened and I could feel his arms pull me even closer to his body. I let out a sigh as our tongues slid against each other. His hands begin to roam my body until Hisoka's phone rings. When his phone rang, I could tell he felt pretty frustrated from that. I found that amusing. How the tables have turned. Hisoka took out his phone and looked at the name of the one who was calling him. He turns to me,
"Unfortunately, we're going to have to cut this short, to my dismay."
I just smiled at him,
"Yeah, very unfortunate."
He sees my smile and leans close to my ear,
"I will have you. It's going to be a long time coming, Kitten~. "
I let out a shiver. Our relationship is still a confusing one, but it has indeed changed from when we first met for sure. I watch him leave. My heart ached. That second make-out session was something. If this keeps up, I would give in… I blushed at the thought. I let out a sigh. Have I started to fall for….? No. That's not it... I hate to admit it but… I feel… h-hot right now. My face reddened from the thought. Ugh! Why must he do this to me? So with that, I entered the hotel feeling hot and bothered by what could've been if Hisoka hadn't gotten an important phone call.
—
The Phantom Troupe are now finally reuniting. Machi greets the other members. She sees Pakunoda, Shalnark, Franklin, Kortopi, Shizuku, Nobunaga Phinks and Feitan. So now they're all waiting for The Boss, Uvogin, and Hisoka to show up. Nobunaga had his doubts Hisoka would show up, but a few minutes later, a certain Magician appears. Machi turns to him,
"So, you actually showed up."
"Indeed~. I was having a moment with my date until a certain call pulled me away from the best part. "
That got Nobunaga's attention,
"Wait… you had a date?"
"Yes~! It was such a sweet date~! "
Machi honestly couldn't care less, but she just wondered, who in their right mind would even accept Hisoka's date proposals anyway? Nobunaga then asked him,
"So, what's your date like?"
"Why do you ask~? "
"I dunno. Since you're an odd guy, I just wonder what kind of girl would be into you?" Nobunaga's question sounds like a jab at him. Hisoka just gives him his trademark Cheshire Cat smile,
"Well~. You would be surprised. " he didn't elaborate any further than that. That didn't stop Nobunaga from judging him, though.
Almost everyone is there, now the only one they're waiting for is the boss. Just then,
"This is great. Everyone is finally here." The boss, Chrollo Lucilfer stands over everyone,
"Now let's begin the plan, shall we?"
Notes:
Yyyeeeeeeeaaaaahhhhhh. This chapter went longer than I thought lol! But honestly I thought MC needed a break from the doom and gloom and go on a date! Now she and Hisoka had gotten closer as a result. But how will that change when Chollo gets back in the picture, though? Yeah. No really.
Chapter 19: Chapter 18: The Darkness Within
Summary:
The day to Steal the Grimoire has arrived.
the Troupe is on the move.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
I read up on when the Auction will take place. It seems the Book will be the main attraction. I look at the date. The day will be closed soon, so I have little prep time to find a way to take the Book without being seen. Ugh… the more I think this over, the more I lose confidence in my abilities to do this! But, if I don't steal that book, that Cult will have it instead and I don't want that to happen at all. I look at what I wrote down in my notebook and let out a sigh. Time will tell, then.
Just then, I got a text. I took out my phone and saw it was a text from Chrollo. I read his text and thought his meeting was set at the wrong time. I wanted to confirm and he said that's the time he wanted us to meet. I guess our times clashed. He unfortunately couldn't meet me and my friends in the morning and I couldn't meet him at night. The time he wanted to meet is actually during the Auction and I unfortunately can't accept. I'm so sorry Chrollo. I sent him a text that I, unfortunately, needed to do something at that time. I hope he understands. I placed down my phone and started planning what I should bring during this infiltration.
Just then, I get a phone call, but this time it's from someone I haven't heard from in a while. I let out a smile. It's from Leorio.
—
Chrollo sees the response from the Girl with the Strong Aura. He's disappointed she won't be able to meet him at that time. It would've been the perfect time to introduce her to the Troupe, maybe then, they could finally have a reason to interact more. Oh well. Maybe once they're finished with this heist, he can meet with her when they can. He is now thinking of a place they could meet afterward. He's curious about what she's learned and what she's done.
From the window sill Hisoka sits. He is looking forward to fighting him soon. He sent out a text for someone to meet him. From there, his plan to get Chrollo alone begins. He looks down at Chrollo and notices his fixation on his phone. He smirks. It's only an assumption, but he believes the Woman with the Strong Aura Chrollo was talking about is his beloved Kitten. He wonders what will happen if the Leader of the Spiders does meet his Kitten. Would he be crushed learning that she might have feelings for a certain Magician instead? Or would he do something drastic, like steal her as a whole as if she's treasure? Hisoka knows how the Troupe treats their treasures. They enjoy what they stole until they get bored of them~! Well, since his Kitten is a living person, would she be able to live for very long? As long as she listens to whatever Chrollo says? For some reason, he feels a sense of possession when it comes to the thought of losing his Kitten to the Leader of the Phantom Troupe. She is his precious Toy, not Chrollo's, and he's unwilling to share. Well. All the more reason to fight the Phantom Troupe Leader. His reward will be a delicious one~!
—
Kurapika has gotten his task for the Auction. He learns of the Scarlet Eyes that will be in the Auction. The person he's working for actually is planning to buy those eyes. The idea that people are willing to buy the eyes of his people just fuels his rage even more, but he can't do anything about it. Not yet at least. He then gets a text. It's from Leorio. So. Leorio finally has a phone of his own. Kurapika has yet to get a text from Her. But, nothing so far. He was thinking of sending a text himself, but he just couldn't do it. He has been thinking of not reaching out to his friends for a while, it's not that he doesn't care about his friends, it's the exact opposite. The reason he barely reaches out to them is because he believes the line he has taken is dangerous. Just then, his phone starts to ring. He lets out a sigh.
Leorio… He really likes to spam him.
—
It's the next day, Gon and Killua are at the Marketplace to get a new phone. Gon is in awe of the place. At first, he thought this would be where the Auction for what they were looking for would be, but Killua had to tell him that the Auction would take place someplace else. What the boys are looking for is a game console called the Joystation so they can play a game called Greed Island. Gon believes he can find his dad by getting the game. As the two pass through the Marketplace Killua asks Gon,
"So hey, do you think Kurapika and Leorio are gonna show?"
"They promised they'd meet us here today, so I'm sure they will," Gon tells him. Killua looks at Gon,
"Will she be showing up, too?"
Gon nods,
"Yeah! I'm sure of it! She said she wanted to apologize to you after all."
Killua lets out a hum. Well. It's true she did scare him when she let out that crazy amount of aura, but he knows she didn't mean to cause any harm, so her apologizing to him is pretty pointless. Besides, she gave him some candy, so that made up for it. The boys are now in front of a stand full of phones. Gon wonders which is the best one to have. The shop owner recommended him a very slim phone,
"Don't bother with that one. It's not even waterproof. Also, the only thing it's good for is phone calls." Someone says from behind Gon and Killua. Gon turns around and sees Leorio! The man greeted the boys,
"Hey! How's it going?" Leorio looks at the other phones with the boys and picks out a phone that is shaped like a beetle,
"So, the phone you should pick is this one. The Beetle 07. It's pretty heavy and expensive, but it can translate over 200 Languages from places all around the globe."
"Wait, really? Gon, you should get one. I'll get one too!"
"Yeah okay!"
"Alright, I'll take two of these," Leorio says, offering to pay for the phones for the two boys,
"Yes sir, that'll be 400,000."
"400- THAT'S HIGHWAY ROBBERY!"
But in the end, Leorio ends up paying for those phones. Apparently, Leorio has been applauded for buying those highly expensive new phones for the boys. Despite the price tag, at least it stroked Leorio's ego. Killua still thinks he overdid it, though.
The three of them caught up to what they have been doing lately. They found a place to sit and have lunch. Just as they did so, they heard someone speak to them,
"Sorry, is this seat taken?"
They turn to the owner of the voice and their faces brighten when they see it belongs to them,
"Big Sis!" Gon says happily.
—
"Yo!" I wave to them.
I smile brightly when I see the three boys. It has been a while! I wonder what everyone has been doing when we were all apart. The four of us sat at the table to finally catch up with each other. I turn to Killua now that he's here I still want to apologize,
"Killua…" I started, but the boy raised his hand,
"It's fine. You don't need to apologize, I get it."
"But…"
"Look, it's no big deal. Besides, the reason why I got scared was because it reminded me of my brother but, you're not my brother. You're the exact opposite. So, you didn't need to apologize."
"But, still! I want to make up for what it is that got us to part awkwardly! I want to banish that between us, so, what is it you want us to do?"
Killua blinked at me, wondering what I was TALKING ABOUT!
HE REALLY DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS NOTHING AWKWARD BETWEEN US?!
Was I the only one who felt like we separated on awkward terms?!
I want to cry.
Killua sees my state and tries to comfort me somehow,
"L-look… It was a misunderstanding! So, nothing was awkward between us, so you don't have to worry about anything."
I just let out a sniff,
"Okay then… I'll manage."
Once that was settled, my mood got better, so I went and asked everyone,
"So! What have you guys been up to after a while?"
Gon started first. He says that he and Killua actually went to Heaven's arena to train for a while and met a Nen teacher there to teach them about Nen. I'm in awe,
"Oh wow! Now you two are versed in Nen, too?"
"Yeah! Oh! And while we were at Heaven's Arena, I got to fight Hisoka to give him his badge back."
When Gon said that, he made me spite out my drink I was in the middle of drinking. I accidentally almost aimed at Leorio when I did that,
"Hey!"
Ignoring Leorio's sounds of surprise, I turn to Gon,
"W-wait… What?!" I said in surprise. Gon nodded to me,
"Yeah! And I finally managed to leave a punch to his face! Oh but… I lost that match, though. But at least I completed my goal!"
What a coincidence. That man is just everywhere it seems. And Gon has a very odd way of marking his goals. It's very simple, but sometimes very dangerous. I know I'm not afraid of Hisoka when I should be, but I know how he feels about Hisoka, so when he says he managed to face him in battle was a surprise to me. After that little surprise, Leorio said he also learned Nen, although, he still hasn't memorized the difference between each of them despite that, but at least Leorio got to learn Nen. Gon also shared that he went back to his hometown to visit his aunt. It's very sweet of him,
"So, how about you, Big Sis? What have you done lately?"
That's a big question. A lot has indeed happened,
"Well…. Do you remember the person who sent me that note?"
"Yeah, I remember."
"That was my Nen Teach to be at that time."
Killua noticed the sad look on my face. He just learns to me carefully. I continued,
"Yeah… A lot has happened. My Nen teacher was named Freeda and she passed away after teaching me some things."
"Sorry, that happened." Leorio tried to comfort me. I just shook my head,
"It's fine. She's not the first Nen Teacher I've lost, after all. But… Aside from that, I did learn a lot when I was training under Freeda."
"Oh? What did you learn?" Gon asks,
"I learned you can train your way to be a Specialist or you can potentially be in two Categories. That's pretty neat."
"That is pretty cool! I think Master Wing told us about that too. But, I actually forgot that was a thing."
We talked about other things we've done and Gon said that once he got home, he learned that his father gave him some items that might help him find his father,
"Really? What did you get?"
Gon showed me the items. A memory card for an old game console and a ring,
"The thing is, I don't have the game or a Joystation, so I can't play the game, but… I learned the game is being sold at an Auction."
Huh. What a coincidence. An auction, aye? I hope it's not the same auction I'll be attending tonight. Killua nodded and added,
"The Auction will take place at Southernbees."
Oh, thank goodness! It's a different place! I told them about the info I found about the Cult I still didn't share the memory altering with Gon and Killua, but Leorio might want to ask me if we were alone, I also didn't tell them about the Grimoire that's being auctioned off at the Underground Auction and how I'm going to sneak in there to steal the Book. They don't need to know! Unfortunately, I need to leave early soon. I still need to prepare for the heist. The three of them are planning to hangout at Leorio's hotel Suite, but I couldn't go with them,
"Sorry, I had to make this brief." I apologized to them,
"Hey, it's no problem, just call us when you can okay?" Leorio tells me,
"Oh yeah!" Gon says out of the blue and takes out a beetle device. I look at it curiously,
"Oh? What is that, Gon?"
"It's my new phone! Leorio bought it for me."
"Aww, that's so sweet of him!" I say still fascinated by the phone. Leorio is flattered by my compliment since he's making giggly noises, Gon looks like he's still figuring out how it works. Killua went over to help him out,
"You're trying to find a way to add her number to your phone, right?"
"Yeah, I still don't understand," Gon tells him sheepishly. Killua takes the phone from him,
"Here, I'll help you out. Oh yeah, I also have one too."
"Aww, You guys match!" I tell him. Killua just blushed from the reaction about them having the same phone. It just shows how close they are! Anyway. After that was settled, I gave them my number,
"There you go! So that way, we can all reach each other now."
I said my goodbyes to them,
"See you later at the picnic!"
"Yeah! See you later!"
I then leave the scene. I'm glad they're all doing well. I frown once I read the time on my phone. I have a lot of time. A lot of time full of anxiety and uncertainty. I could've asked the boys to help me out in this mission, but if it turns out the Cult members will show up during the auction, I want the boys to stay clear of them. Especially Leorio. It's not that I don't think Leorio can't fight, I'm sure he could but… I just worry about him, that's all.
Who am I kidding?
The man would be eaten alive. If I or the others wouldn't be there to save him, he might die. So, I've decided to do this myself. But, honestly, if Kurapika was here, he'd probably try to convince me to not go through with this. Speaking of Kurapika, I wonder what he's been doing lately? Leorio told me Kurapika took a job as a bodyguard for one of the Mafia families, I think. I honestly don't know how the Mafia works in general, but I know Kurapika has to work for them now. I wonder if he knows about this auction. It would be awkward if I did bump into him during my heist… I don't want him to get the brunt of the punishment if he knew one of his friends decided to steal something from the Mafia. So, I hope he won't be there. Oh, how I have fallen…
First I stole a loaf of bread from a baker, now I've upgraded to planning to steal an expensive relic from the Mafia. How the hell did I leap from a loaf of bread to something as valuable as a Book that probably costs a bunch of money? And Mafia money at that… I let out a sigh. Life sure likes to throw in curveballs when it feels like it.
—
Hisoka is at the hideout with the Troupe. They are lying in waiting for the right time to move after Shizuku, Franklin, and Feitan come back. He is looking at each of the Troupe, but mainly Chrollo. The need to fight him grows stronger. But unfortunately, the other members are still here to stop him if he does something. How unfortunate. But one thing to look forward to is it's time for his plan to start soon, he just needs Kurapika to respond to his text. He hears The Boss get up from his spot. It seems he's going to be on the move now.
Chrollo has finally gotten about the Grimoire. He learns the Book will be held somewhere else, so he decides to take this task into his own hands, He decides to take Shalnark and Machi with him in this mission.
Hisoka continues to observe the three until they leave the building. Things are getting interesting now.
—
It's now nighttime. The Book will be held someplace for safekeeping. It was kind of hard, but I managed to get the layout of the build and… It's highly guarded. I've looked around the place and the only part of the building that was guarded with the least amount of people is the back. Pretty confident just assign only a small amount of people in the back, so there must be other guards hidden somewhere. I inhaled and exhaled to calm my nerves. Once I calmed down, I activated my In. Slowly, but surely, I carefully surveyed the area. So far so good. I then used Gyo to see any invisible Nen abilities I might potentially activate if I got too close. Luckily, there's nothing like that. Once I think the coast is clear I finally decided to use my Hatsu. I let out a few notes…
My Songbegins.
—
Chrolo and the other two he's with have made it to the building. All is well. The three have the building in view until they hear singing. Chrollo is curious and gets closer. When they have a view of the back of the building and the guards, the song gets louder. Multiple large Jellyfish appear around the guards. The guards are incredibly confused by the appearance of the Jellyfish and attempt to attack them, but they all drop to the floor like they all fell unconscious afterward. Machi and Shalnark are surprised by the display. Chrollo is intrigued. It almost reminded him of his Indoor Fish, but more soothing and non-lethal. Just then.
The Songfinishes.
The three wait for any sudden movements. And sure enough, someone leaves their hiding spot. Chrollo watches the figure closely on what they're going to do and they just leave the unconscious guards alone and approach the building. He assumes they'll leave with whatever they're stealing quickly and leave, but that's not going to happen. He turns to the two others and nods to the two of them. They nodded to him in response and made their move. Chrollo won't let this mysterious stranger leave the premises. He's curious about what kind of person they are after displaying such mercy to crooks so innocently.
—
I finally did it. I took down the guards without spilling any blood. The Hatsu I used is only useful when I'm hidden from view and it can only affect anyone at viewing distance, so, anyone that is behind me or anyone I can't see wouldn't get affected, unfortunately. And another unfortunate thing about this ability is, I have about a few hours until I fall asleep myself…
I kind of discovered that after using that ability during my time on the Island and reflecting on when I first tried it during the Hunter Exams after having to avoid Hisoka that time, I slept almost the whole day because of it. But at least I get to extend that time by a few hours now. That time it was by only a few minutes all because my body couldn't handle the Aura I was giving out. That's the condition of this ability.
I look at each of the guards and they are all sound asleep. I need to get out of this place with the book as quickly as possible. Who knows how long these guards will stay asleep? I saw the lock on the door and took out a bolt cutter from my bag to break it open. I put the bolt cutters away and entered the building. So far, so good.
I looked around the room and saw it was only just the Book. Very strange… I couldn't help but feel wary about this. I have many questions, but once I fully enter the building, I understand why. The Book gives off so much sinister aura that it almost made me want to turn back the way I came, but I have a mission to do… Is this how Killua felt when Illumi and I gave off such a terrifying aura…? I did feel a sense of dread as I stepped closer to the Book. With every step I took, I steeled myself. If I leave now and let the Cult take this, it's all over. I stepped closer and closer to the Book. I used my Ten to bare it until I finally placed my hand on the front cover of the Book. Once I did, the aura it gave off vanished.
Huh.
I look closely at the Book and open to the first page. My eyes widen. This is a surprise. This Book is written in a Language I'm very familiar with! Is this Book from my world…?
Just when I was about to take the Book, I sensed something thrown my way, I quickly dodged whatever it is. I looked closely at the thing that was thrown at me and saw it was a very small needle. I quickly turned around to see two people from behind me. I let out a silent curse. I should've known this would be too easy. I look at the two of them. One is a girl with pink hair. She has a cold look on her face, while the other is a young man holding the same needle that was thrown at me in his hand. He looks a lot more upbeat than the girl,
"Darn, I missed." The young man says, not taking this seriously. I put my guard up. Whoever they are, I have a feeling they're not part of the Mafia or even bodyguards for the Mafia… I then notice the person behind them. He steps closer to them as he speaks,
"I'm impressed with your demonstration back there. You have a beautiful voice."
I keep my guard up as he gets closer. But once he got closer I couldn't believe who was right in front of me,
"...You," I said in a whisper. In front of me is none other than Chrollo. He is dressed differently. His hair is slicked back with no bandana showing that he has a tattoo behind it. Was that why he wore that bandana? To cover his tattoo…? Not only that, he's wearing a fur-trimmed coat over his shirtless, well-defined torso.
Damnit! Why did my brain have to focus on that?! My cheeks flushed at the thought. No! Focus! Why the hell is he here!?
—
This figure. The longer Chrollo examines this mysterious woman, the more she becomes very familiar. As she slightly lowers her guard, that confirms it. She is who he has been eager to see after a long time of being separated for a long time. She has indeed changed a lot since they first met after all. The aura around her is now well controlled and how she holds herself is a lot more guarded than before. He could tell she looked confused by the meeting Chrollo gave her a small smile,
"It's been a while."
Shalnark blinks at Chrollo's interaction with this mystery girl. He turns to Machi if she knows anything. Machi sees the look Shalnark is giving her and she shrugs her shoulders in response to his look.
—
Chrollo greeted me as if this is the right place to meet each other. Why is he here? Who are these two that are with him? I have way too many questions. Chrollo just watches me, waiting for me to respond. I snapped from my stupor and held my guard up once again… For some reason, I couldn't help but feel threatened right now,
"Why are you here? Who are they?" I demanded. He looks directly into my eyes and speaks,
"These two are Shalnark and Machi. They are here with me for a reason. To help me steal that Book."
I look at him surprised. And looked at the Book behind me. What…? They're after the Book…? I look back at them, now suspicious of them,
"Just what reason do you have with this Book?"
Chrollo still stands there, relaxed,
"Easy, we're not here to harm you."
"Really?" The young man, Shalnark says out of the blue. Chrollo shook his head,
"No. I know her. She's the one I told you about, remember?"
Shalnark thought about what he said and remembered,
"Oh yeah! The Girl with the Strong Aura! This is her?"
"Yes. I was worried about her wellbeing when she didn't respond for almost a whole month that I got you to try and look up info for me remember?" Chrollo explains to him,
"Yeah, I remember now." Shalnark remarks. I just listened to their conversation questioningly. He did what…? They are talking so casually as if I'm just being introduced to Chrollo's friends in a normal setting. Don't they know we're in a Mafia-owned building right now? I glared at Chrollo. What is going on here? I kept glaring at him until he finally noticed,
"Why…?" I uttered,
"Why what?"
"Tell me. Why do you want this book….?"
—
Chrollo notices she's not easing into the situation. Well, they are in a very hostile environment. Also, she did get caught red-handed, so of course she's got her guard up. So, Chrollo decides to ease her worries,
"There's no reason. I just found the Book intriguing, so I want to steal it."
"...What…?" She says now with anger in her voice. That's not good. He isn't trying to make her angry. But, he also doesn't know why she's here to steal the book in the first place, so he's walking on eggshells with the lack of knowledge to keep her on his side but it's clear he lost that after he told her the reason why. He thought being honest with her would win her over. Well. There's no going back now. He waits for her next question because it's clear she has more,
"Chrollo… Just who are you…?"
Chrollo could see the serious look on her beautiful face. The carefree and naive attitude he last saw from her is nowhere to be found. He closes his eyes. For some reason, he understands her completely, yet not at all. She's still a mystery to him. He wants to learn more. The darkness within her… feels similar to his somehow. He can tell. Chrollo opens his eyes once again and answers her question,
"I'm Chrollo Lucilfer. Leader of the Phantom Troupe."
Her eyes went blank as if life left her eyes from the reveal. So, she has heard of the Troupe. He wonders if he could salvage their broken friendship that he clearly broke.
Notes:
Whelp. this chapter feels wordier than the other chapters. Also, the more I obsess over this fic the more I just throw in some kind of creative bs into it. I did a Song cover for the song I decided to use for this fic so... Yeah.
So, Chrollo finally gets his screen time. Just... Not in the best way he'd hope to meet his crush again.
Oh yeah. And to end this chapter I was listening to a Phantom Troupe AMV and it kinda fits the end of this fic lol
Chapter 20: Chapter 19: Grimoire
Summary:
The heist has its hiccups.
Chrollo fights The Girl with the Strong Aura.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
Chrollo watches the woman in front of him. She had long lowered her guard and didn't say anything for a long period. They are at a standstill. He decides to speak,
"I'm sure you have a lot of questions, but I believe this isn't the best place to discuss them."
She looks at him for a long period until she speaks,
"So, you have no reason to steal this book?"
Chrollo nods his head,
"I just want it."
"Really now? What part of this book catches your interest?"
Her question is strange, but he answers her,
"I want to see the contents of that book and what it has.:"
The look on her face is a look of disappointment,
"Unfortunately, I don't think you can read this."
"Why not?" Chrollo asks her. She gives him a small smile,
"It's because… You can't read the language of this book."
That piqued his interest,
"Why not?"
"It's because it's out of this world. Literally." She tells him. The way she said that got him to see she was being cheeky yet honest. She still seems like she's hoping something about him isn't true. Hoping their friendship can still be salvaged as he does,
"Really? So, no matter what I do, I won't be able to decipher it?" He decides to play along with her. She smiles at him,
"Well, actually I'm able to read this."
"Oh? Then, do you want to read it together sometime?" Chrollo asks her. It feels like it's only the two of them in that room despite Machi and Shalnark being there. Being in her presence makes Chrollo want to get to know her more. She is still mysterious to him. The knowledge she holds in her hands is intriguing. Taking her appearance in after a long time, she seemingly looks like a normal girl by her clothes, but something about her looks ethereal to him. Is that why she says she could read that language when he can't? Chrollo then speaks again,
"I want you to join the Troupe."
She looks at him curiously,
"Why?"
Chrollo explains to her,
"You'll have a lot of potential there. The Troupe is a tight-knit group that looks out for each other. They can help you reach your potential and…" He smiles at her, wanting her to know he wants her by his side and show he is interested in her as more than just a teammate,
"We can both catch up on what we've been doing the last few months. I want to know more about you."
She looks away and thinks about it. He waits for a response. She didn't say anything for a moment then spoke,
"Tell me…. Have you done genocide? Be honest with me, please."
The look on her face she gave him is the look of hoping those aren't true. Chrollo continues to look directly into her eyes. She may have started to dip her hand in the darkness, but it's clear she's still clinging to a light he lost sight of long ago. Chrollo didn't look away from her and answered her question,
"Yes."
Her hope drops from her face,
"Is it true that you took the eyes of a small village of people and sold them...?"
He wonders how she got that information, but in the end, he decides to answer her,
"You're right. We did."
Her face then became unreadable. He wonders what she is thinking. Just then, she speaks,
"I see… I'm sorry but…"
She looks into his eyes and gives him a sad smile,
"I… Find that incredibly disgusting."
So in the end… Their friendship has completely shattered to pieces. There's no salvaging it now. Chrollo frowns at the result. In the end, he didn't win her over. Strangely, that hurt him somehow. The idea that he got rejected like that by someone who he knows understands his pain, hurts a lot. She takes a sword out of her bag and goes back to being on guard. Machi and Shalnark guard themselves as well. Chrollo closes his eyes, realizing there's no going back now. He opens them again,
"I see. Then, goodbye." He will get that book and she will die by his hands for it… Unless maybe he can capture her and force her to translate that book for him somehow? For some reason, that appeals to him more… Looking at her, it's very unlikely. But, he wants to try. And knowing that she can read that book it's like a set. He'll have the benefit of reading that book while he makes her translate it for him. The more he thinks about it. The more he realizes that this girl is the kind of treasure that no one has discovered yet.
His goals have changed slightly. He decides to capture her alive. He looks at both Machi and Shalnark,
"Machi. Shalnark. Capture her alive."
The two of them look at him, confused,
"I'll explain later." He tells them, so in the end they comply. He turns his attention back to the woman, now determined to turn her into one of his prized possessions.
—
I was surprised by what Chrollo said. 'Capture me alive'…? What for…? Is he really that into knowing the contents of this book that he's willing to force me to translate it? My opinion of him has grown even worse now. And here I thought he'd be better than Hisoka in some aspects… Why is my luck with men so god damn awful? I get ready for whatever move they're going to make until suddenly, they get attacked by a flurry of icicles thrown their way.
Chrollo and the other two jump out of the way of the attack. I was confused by the sudden attack when I turned around to see… Two figures standing in front of the window of the second floor of the warehouse building. The one who shot the attack is the young man with the blue hair. He looks down at the troupe with cold eyes. It took me a while but I finally recognized who they were. It's the two teens I failed to save.
My widened. So I was right… But I didn't expect it would be them that I have to face when I take this Book. The two of them jumped down from the window and bowed to me. It's all very bizarre.
"My Lady." The young woman says to me. The clothes she wore are no longer of a regular teen girl, but one adorned in an elegant knight, a bodyguard-type outfit like the ones in a fairytale. That's the thing that puzzles me. Why does each of them dress like they're in a fairytale that appeals to girls like me? The girl's flaming red hair shines in the moonlight as she looks at me adoringly. The young man with her bows to me as well also dressed in a similar outfit. His blue hair contrasts with the girl's hair. They are like twins but it's clear they aren't.
I jumped back at him, with my guard completely up,
"You…." I muttered, scared of what they were going to do. Chrollo looks at the three of us,
"So… They're your backup?"
I turn to him,
"What..? N-no!"
Just then the girl with the red hair stands next to me,
"Don't worry, my Lady. I will protect you."
I didn't know how to respond to that at all. The young man with the blue hair did so as well,
"Stand back, okay?"
I was speechless as they stood in front of me they then introduced themselves,
"We would also like to introduce ourselves. I'm Rosaline La Temeraire." The girl tells me,
"And I am called, Andre al Silvestre."
It's times like these that make me wonder if I actually am dreaming all of this up and I'm asleep all along. But, no matter how hard I try, I can't wake up. Am I in a coma? I always wonder about that. My sanity is now being tested as the two of my 'saviors' begin to attack the Troupe. Shalnark and Machi take the two as their opponents.
Chrollo manages to avoid their attacks until his attention is turned to me. I put my guard up. He charges at me. The two of the teens see him attack and try to get to him, but Machi has gotten their attention. Shalnarks manages to get the sleeping guards from outside and use them as stand-ins for fighters and use the guards to get in their way.
I cursed when I realized I could've just taken the book and run, but Chrollo was now focused on me. He goes in for an attack. He has no weapons in his hands and aims for my legs, going in for a low kick... I jumped out of the way and swung my sword his way. He dodges and grabs my arm. I let out a surprised yelp as he held my arm behind my back and he made me drop my sword,
"Surrender and call them off." He tells me as he tightens his hold on my arm. I let out a pained wince as I glared at him,
"As if I have the authority to tell them anything."
"Could've fooled me."
"I'm telling you, I don't!" I snapped at him angrily. The girl, Rosaline took down most of the guards and went and headed my way, but Machi, despite her still fighting up against Andre, got her attention instead. I then used my weight and pulled Chrollo down with me the same way I did to Hisoka back in the Hunter exams, he loosened his grip on me and I found the opportunity to break free. I charged to my sword before he did. But once we made it to my sword, I kicked him in the side, throwing him off guard. I sent him a few meters away.
I grabbed my sword and summoned lightning his way. He dodges it and gives me an unreadable look. Just then, he takes out a book. It's not the Grimoire, but once he summoned that book I suddenly, out of nowhere, find myself in front of Chrollo. Before I could react, I felt his fist contact my stomach. I feel like a cannonball came in contact with my guts, knocking the wind out of me. The blow to my stomach hurt, obviously, but that also threw me off completely. I stepped a few feet backward and found myself crouched on the floor. I feel puke come out of my mouth to the floor.
Chrollo walks closely to me. Once I wiped the bile off my face, I shook off the shock of getting hit in the stomach and swung a kick at his legs to knock him over, but he jumped away. I took that opportunity to do the same. I jumped away and glared at him. I'm not going to forgive him for punching me in the stomach like that.
And with that, Chrollo takes something else out. It's a weird-looking knife. I don't know what it does, but I'm going to stay clear of it if it tries to come in contact with me. I held my sword up as he got closer. Just then, that very same ability happened. I find myself closer to him, he swings his blade at me, I block it and I jump backward. He used that same ability again, I blocked his blade.
The two of us did this for a few minutes until I forced my blade and his into a blade lock. The gaps in the blade are caught by my own as I pull the blade out of his hands, but he finds the opportunity to throw a punch across my face.
That rattled my brain and I could taste iron in my mouth, but I threw in a punch of my own. It also came in contact with his face, giving him the same sensation he just gave me a few seconds ago. The two of us are not letting up at all. I refuse to go down. Chrollo refuses to let me go. I don't know how, but Chrollo summoned his blade again and attempted to stab me, but I quickly held my sword against his neck,
"Just let me leave," I tell him cooly. I held the blade closer to his neck. He just gives me the coldest look on his face. He looks at me as if I won't do anything to him,
"No." That is all he says. I contemplated slicing his throat open. I am at the advantage to do that, but when I was in the middle of whether or not I should kill him, that girl, Machi came in and kicked me to the side and managed to get me off of him. She holds out treads from the pin cushion on her wrist. The two teens who came to 'aid' me are preoccupied with the manipulated guards controlled by Shalnark. So, now I have two against me.
Now that I have Machi's attention, I can see she does have the ability to incapacitate me. She threw her thread at me, but I dodged them quite easily as Chrollo uses that damned ability again. When I got closer to him and kicked him in the face. Machi tries and tries to wrap her threads around me again, but this time I sliced them with my sword. Just then, without us knowing, Rosaline came over and attacked Machi, taking her attention from me once again. Chrollo watches Machi fight Rosaline offend speaks,
"Tell me. What is your purpose in stealing the book?"
Really? Does he want to ask me NOW?! I scoff at him,
"Terrible timing to ask me that right now, don't you think?"
"I just want to know." He says in a serious tone. Talking to him now rubs me the wrong way. I glare at him,
"I'm not going to tell you anything… But at least I have all the more reason to steal that book than you do!"
I don't know if I angered him, but he decided to attack me once again. I block his blade once he tries to aim at my sides and I push him back,
"Just let me LEAVE!"
"No. I want you." Chrollo says in a serious tone. When he said that, I couldn't help but blush at the sudden confession,
"E-excuse me?!"
"You heard me. I want you as my treasure." He declares. That unnerved me now. I still feel taken aback at his declaration, but I finally understand what he means when he said he wanted me,
"...I see. Well, I refuse. I'm not some kind of thing for you to display on your shelf, you creep."
Chrollo just smirks at me. I hold my sword closer,
"I have to say, you're cute when you're trying to fight for your life."
I glare at him,
"Are you mocking me right now?"
He shakes his head,
"Far from it. You know, I am not trying to kill you."
"Oh, and you threatening to take my freedom away is any better?"
"I won't hurt you."
"Yeah right! You punched me in the fucking stomach, you bastard! Why the hell should I trust you?!"
"Because you're not going to comply with me. I was only trying to knock you out and bring you to our hideout. That was all, but you're still conscious."
"What about you punching me in the face, huh?! How is that even better?!"
"Again, I was just trying to knock you out." He says in a matter-of-fact tone.
My eye twitched at his frankness of it all. This man… How is he even more irritating than Hisoka? And why the hell am I comparing the two like this anyway?! Just because I had one date with Hisoka doesn't mean he gets a free PASS! These two… They are both AWFUL! Chrollo notices my distraction and attempts to disarm me once again. I try to knock that damn knife out of his hand, but he has a firm grip on it. I growled in frustration,
"I'm not letting you take me!"
"Don't say it like that. I'll treat you well once you stop resisting." Chrollo tells me as he tries to slash at my sides,
"How about you stop being creepy, huh?!" I then swing my sword once again. But once again, he grabs my arm and pulls me to him, holding me close,
"I can't let you go. Not again."
This is the WORST time to get weirdly attached to me! I struggle out of his hold,
"Why the hell are you acting this way?! Let go!"
"I don't know why, but I just know you're the only one who can understand me. I can see that you are capable of helping me find myself." He tells me as he holds me closer to him. He sounds incredibly desperate. He leans closer to my ear and whispers,
"I want you in my possession…"
"What…?" I was at a loss for what he just said. And How he said it sounded so seductive, too… my face heated up from that, but I shook my head. No! This is wrong! In fact… He only wants me around him for his benefit… I glared at him and tried to break free from his grasp. He then pressed my head to his chest. His bare chest… my face gets even hotter, I don't know what's going on with him, but I can't deal with this anymore! Just when I thought Chrollo had forgotten the blade in his hand, he goes and attempted to cut me with it, I finally broke free once I avoided the blade that almost went down on my shoulder,
"Get away from me, just what the hell is wrong with YOU!?"
Hisoka is one thing, but Chrollo, too?! To hell with this! I get ready for any other advances he tries to do with me. He switches the blade to his other hand,
"Nothing is wrong. You just managed to catch my interest, Love."
"OH NO! DON'T YOU DARE START THAT, TOO!" I yell at him as I point angrily at him. He just gives me a confused look. I will NOT elaborate! The two of us went back to attacking each other, we crossed blades once again.
The two of us went closer to the Grimoire. Just then, icicles are shot our way. It went straight toward Chrollo, but I moved in front of him and blocked the attack as best as I could. But unfortunately… The icicles pierced through my shoulders and thighs. It managed to even graze my sides. Andre, the one who shot the attack was speechless. Chrollo was also caught off guard by my action. Rosaline stopped what she was doing,
"My Lady!"
"...Shut… Up. I'm not your Lady." I muttered. I've had enough of this fight… And I've had enough of dealing with these two… My so-called subordinates. It's time for me to have my getaway,
"I don't know who you two think you are to me but… I know for sure didn't ask you to help me out in my fights. I don't even think I should thank you for this… You two have dragged this out for too long…"
I lowered my weapon, still feeling the pain of the wounds on my body. Rosaline,
"But, My Lady! We are here to get rid of all the nuisances your way! We are here to help you get to your Destiny!"
"FUCK DESTINY!" I yelled at her. The anger I give these two flows through me,
"You have no right to do any of this!"
"But, My Lady! We're here to make your life easier! You don't have to deal with the pain of it all, you don't have to deal with the pain of loss, so… please. Come with us and forget to people who are in your way." Andre tells me as if that sounded like paradise,
"How is that living? And who are the nuisance of my life are you talking about, anyway?" I ask them. I do want to know what they even want for me since they are worshipping me for some reason,
"Everyone. You don't need anyone My Fair Lady! You are destined for more than mere human interactions." Rosaline says to me.
What….?
Andre agrees with her and explains to me,
"You may think it's a terrible thing right now, but once you see why, you'll understand why you don't need anyone, My Lady. You are destined to bring us salvation!"
This all sounds too insane. They're all mad. Rosaline steps forward. Shalnark and Machi are both down for the count, too exhausted to move. Chrollo notices as well. He gets ready for any attack. Andre, too steps forward,
"My Lady. If you wish. We can get rid of these three nuisances for you right now to show you our dedication to you." Andre says putting his hand above his heart. I shook my head,
"No. I won't let you…" I muttered to them. The two look at me curiously. When I look at the two of them, their eyes just look dead to me. They are nothing more than puppets. Whatever they say to me is just some crazed rhetoric from some specific people and nothing they say will ever make me like them at all. I look at the two of them coldly,
"I won't let any of you touch anyone. No one… Not my friends… And NOT EVEN MY ENEMIES!"
I took out smoke bombs and threw them to the ground. I ran behind me and grabbed Chrollo's arm. He looks at me confused. I pulled at him as we ran,
"Come on!"
The two of us ran towards the exit and made our getaway. We couldn't get to Shalnark and Machi, but I hope the two made it out alive. Chrollo seems to value them after all…
Thanks to the smoke bombs, we made a clean getaway. The two Cultists didn't know where we went. Once the coast was clear I relaxed. Chrollo just stares at me, I notice,
"What?"
"Why?" He asked me. That is a very good question. I just smile at him,
"You heard what I said back there… They are not allowed to touch anyone I interact with." My face falls,
"But, don't think I changed my mind again about you. You're my enemy now."
Chrollo nods and looks away,
"Fine. Then it's safe to say that I will now only see you as treasure. Nothing more and nothing less. When I catch you next time… I will make you do everything I want you to do."
I glare at him. Chrollo looks back at me,
"And since you know we are both physically attracted to each other, expect me to demand your attention to other things not involved with the Grimoire."
I blushed at his bluntness about his sexual attraction towards me. This man… He's a lot more serious than Hisoka. I glare at him. Yeah… I'm not going to let that happen. He then gets up and takes out the Book and shows it to me. I stare at it in his hand. I glare up at him,
"Thanks for the Book, by the way. I'm going to let you go this time. You did save me after all…" I watch him start walking with the Book under his arm, away from my injured form. He looks back at me,
"Until next time."
Once he's gone, I summoned my Nen Beast, Echo. The black cat climbs on my lap and heals my wounds. I let out a small laugh. The cat on my lap looks at me curiously. My laugh became louder,
"Oh, man! I can't believe that worked!" I then took out The Book and looked at it. The one I have is the original Grimoire,
"He will be so mad when he learns that the one he has is a fake all along! Thank god, I came up with that beforehand! Man!"
Once my injuries healed I went on my way back to my hotel. Mission accomplished!
—
Hisoka is shuffling his cards when He sees Shalnark and Machi enter the building all disheveled and tired. Chrollo came in after with an unreadable look on his face. He wonders what happened since the man seems to have a scary aura around him. He sees that Chrollo has a book and he doesn't exactly treat it like he usually does with other antique books. What happened there?
—
I laughed as I looked through the book, celebrating my victory. This will be glorious to read~! I laughed until I collapsed on the bed. Man, I'm so sleepy… Oh yeah. The Jellyfish Song time limit. I forgot… From there, I fell into a deep sleep.
Notes:
This one is a thing.
I tried to write this as smoothly as I could but I tried XD I hope I wrote Chrollo okay. I feel like I kind of made a dent in it somehow.
Chapter 21: Chapter 20: The Gears of Fate Turns
Summary:
The grimoire is studied and she learns more of the contents it has within it.
Hisoka decides to team up with Kurapika.
Chrollo still longs for Her.
The Cultists hear about the next Relic.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
I let out a yawn as I took a sip of coffee. My muscles are aching from that night. I've never been in a fight like that before. Looking back, I think that was the first time I have gotten physically hurt. The last time was when I had a mental battle with puppets and they did mess me up that time, but that was all in my mind. I think back to my fight with Chrollo and the others. Not only have I experienced a punch to the stomach and a punch to the face, which was an awful feeling in and of itself… Feeling the pain of icicles piercing my skin was even worse.
I don't want to experience that again… But, I know I'm going to have to deal with that kind of pain in my line of work, So, I'm going to have to prepare myself for something just as painful or worse. Hopefully, I don't have to deal with something worse than that. I then thought of the reason why I had to experience that kind of pain… I protected Chrollo without thinking. Why? Didn't I try to slice his throat open before all of that? Well, I guess it makes sense. I've never taken a life before, so that's why I hesitated. Also, I was never really a big fan of fighting in the first place, so of course I'd hesitate to kill someone in a battle.
And yet, Hisoka wants to fight me. Would he change his mind once he did face me in battle like that? He'd finally see how pathetic I am in a fight. Maybe then, he'd see I'm not worth killing in the end? I let out a sigh and took another sip of my coffee. What am I thinking about Hisoka at a time like this? Also, the thought of him killing me hasn't crossed my mind as that scary when I should, weirdly enough. I sometimes wonder if I was always desensitized over things like this. Or does it have to do with that whole memory-altering thing?
My mind then went back to Chrollo… I still feel sad that we are no longer friends anymore. I never thought he'd end up being the Leader of the notorious Phantom Troupe, the one that wiped out Kurapika's clan like that… If I hadn't met him there and I got to introduce him to the boys, what would happen then? Would we all get along…? But, that still didn't change the fact that Chrollo is still part of that Troupe and I have a feeling Kurapika would figure out that Chrollo would be a part of that Troupe later. Would he be hurt that I knew a Troupe member then…? I let out a sigh. I'm just going to drop the subject. Thinking about what-ifs is just that. 'What ifs'.
I took out the Grimoire and opened it. It is written in my language. It's crazy. I haven't read these in months. I turned to each page and they explained to me that some of the passages are spells. Once I try to read them, I realize something. The spells themselves are actually in a different language, ones that are different from this world…. I wonder what language these are? Latin…? Or something else? These are very baffling to me, but the language that I could read explained to me how to pronounce the spells and how they work. It's interesting. Is this Grimoire any different from the Book of Shadows I wonder? I wonder if I should test it out somewhere. Just then, I got a text. It's a text from… Hisoka? My heart skips a beat from seeing his name. For some reason seeing his name lifted my spirits. I let out a sigh. What is up with me…? I look at what he wrote to me,
-Hello, Darling~! I miss you~! ️-
I blush at that. How dare he make me feel this way. Whatever this is… I sent him a text back,
-What are you doing right now?-
-Oh~? Are you curious~? ️-
I blush at the text,
-No I'm not!-
Yes, I am.
-Well, it's a secret, Darling, ~! 3-
I pout at the response. That man… Why do I even bother? And did he just make himself into an emoji? What a dork. I couldn't help but smile at that. Just then, I got a phone call I blinked curiously and answered it,
"Hello?"
"Hello."
"Oh. Kurapika? What a surprise! How are you?"
"I'm doing fine, how about you?"
"I'm doing okay. Just researching about the cult is all."
"Yeah, about that. Did you know about the Grimoire?"
When Kurapika asked that question, It felt like my heart stopped for a second there. Sweat starts to form all over my body. Did… Did he know I stole it? I let in a gulp and spoke,
"Why do you ask?"
"I'm sorry if I'm overstepping, but I just want to help you out with your investigation by looking up information about some things regarding the cult and I've heard that there was a Book that might potentially be tied to your situation and apparently, it was at the auction last night, but…. It was stolen."
"Oh, that's unfortunate. Thank you for trying to help out, Kurapika, you're a real friend!"
"Anytime. Sorry for calling you out of the blue like that."
"No, no! It's nice to hear from you again! I'm really happy!"
"Well, then. It's nice talking to you. Please take care."
"You too! I heard you've gotten a job as a bodyguard for the Mafia. So take extra care, okay?"
"Thank you."
"Well then Later!"
"Goodbye."
And then we hung up. So, he didn't know I was the one who stole the Book. I have a feeling he's going to find out soon. Either I'm going to break it to him soon or he'll figure it out himself somehow.
—
Meanwhile, Kurapika is in front of the abandoned amusement park. He is told to meet a certain someone here. Once he's in he sees Hisoka playing with his cards as he waits. Hisoka speaks,
"Early, aren't you?"
Kurapika didn't trust him and used Gyo to check anything suspicious going on. Turns out, Hisoka isn't using In or anything of the sort. Hisoka eases his worries,
"Don't look so worried. I've no interest in fighting you now."
Kurapika glares at him,
"Then let's get right to the point. The Troupe. Tell me everything you know about them."
"Oh come now, already? I do just adore idle chit-chat." Hisoka says, maybe even asks about how His Kitten and those boys are doing, but alas, Kurapika isn't going to say anything. Oh well. Hisoka gives him a wry chuckle and tells the blonde about the Troupe. He gives him everything he knows. About the number of spiders in total, how they are each identified by the tattoos on their body, how they can be replaced at a moment's notice, and how, however, the Troupe may have stolen and killed, they also have their hand in philanthropy as well, surprisingly enough. Kurapika has already known all that so he speaks,
"That much I know already."
"What you might not know already is that I replaced number 4 two years ago," Hisoka tells him,
"For what purpose?" Kurapika asks,
"I wanted the chance to fight the Boss."
"The Boss? But… Why would you want that?"
Hisoka just smiled and didn't say anything else. Kurapika decides to fill in the gaps,
"You wanted to test your strength? That was your only reason?"
Hisoka smirks at that. Well. There's another reason added to that now. Before, it was a test of strength and that is definitely one of his main reasons, but on the other hand, he also has his Kitten in mind~! The Boss wants to claim her as his possession. He thinks back to that time when The Boss came back from a failed mission.
—
Chrollo sits with a Book in his hand. He had an unreadable look on his face as he stared down at it and tossed it to the ground. The remaining Troupe there could feel the intensity from him. The Troupe leader looks up at all of them,
"There's someone I would like you all to have on your radar."
Everyone pays attention. Chrollo speaks and says a name. Hisoka knows the name very well. Chrollo has no facial expression, but it's clear whatever she did, she did something that either impressed him or irritated him,
"The Woman with the Strong Aura. Remember that. If you see her or sense her, bring her to me alive. Her aura is like nothing you felt before."
Oh, Darling. What did you do~?
His questions are then answered once Chrollo asks Pakunoda to share his memories with everyone present and the others not present will receive it later.
From there he gets to see his Kitten fight seriously for the first time, and… oh~! It was glorious~! She looked beautiful when she gave it her all~! Oh, just looking at her disheveled appearance and the pain and determination on her face turns him on~! He should lure her to Heaven's Arena sometime in the future so he could have a taste of what she has so far~!
Once the memory is over, he feels Chrollo's emotions. Chrollo feels hurt, sad, grateful, and angry yet longs for her despite what transpired previously. Such are the effects of Pakunoda's ability.
—
Hisoka smirks at Kurapika,
"Yes and no~. The thought of fighting against him does turn me on~! But after he declared that he'll be taking my dear Kitten away for himself has made it even more personal~!"
When Hisoka said something about a kitten, Kurapika didn't know what he was talking about until an image of a certain girl came to mind, Kurapika glared at him,
"What do you mean? Why would he want her?"
Hisoka looks at him,
"You've heard of an auction piece being held somewhere else away from the others, correct?"
Kurapika's eyes widened with realization. Hisoka smirks at his reaction and confirms what the boy is thinking,
"Yes. She was there and she is the one who stole the auction piece."
Kurapika couldn't believe what he was hearing. Does she have a death wish?! Stealing from the Mafia like that! And she met the Phantom Troupe's Boss?! What happened?! Is she hurt?! Did something else happen?! Why didn't she tell anybody about this?! Why didn't she ask for help?! The Troupe Boss is now asking for her head. He is so worried and angry right now! Once he reunites with everyone he's going to talk with her!
—
"Heh?"
I was just studying the Book when I suddenly felt a shiver run up my spine… I turn to look back at nothing.
Why do I feel like a storm is coming my way…? And why do I suddenly want to kick Hisoka's ass right now…?
—
Hisoka watches Kurapika go through many emotions until he speaks,
"Regarding Chrollo, I never really get the chance to get him alone. He never lowers his guard. He's at least with two others at all times. And as soon as the job ends, he vanishes… Instantly without a trace."
He crosses his arms and continues,
"So I believe you and I can help each other. Don't you think our goals are too difficult to achieve all by ourselves?"
Kurapika glares at the man,
"What are you saying?"
Hisoka smiles and elaborates on the deal he wants to make with him,
"I can tell you the Troupe members' Abilities. There are seven whose powers I already know about. What do you say… we work together?"
Kurapika thinks about the offer… Hisoka has given him good information about the Troupe. Also, they have decided to go after a friend of his, so it is a pretty urgent one to take, but the way Hisoka talks about her like she's his possession irritates him. The man acts like they're dating or something. What a creep. Kurapika continues to glare at him. Just then, Kurapika's phone rings. The two stood there until Hisoka let the boy answer his phone,
"Hello?"
Once Kurapika answers, he gets the worst news that the large Troupe member they captured escaped with the help of the other Troupe members disguised as the Mafia.
—
Oyana is sitting in a dark room. One candlelight is the only source. The connection she feels with the Fair Lady gets stronger. Callum sits across from her as she begins to stir. He watches intently until she opens her eyes. She smiles at the boy,
"I know where the next relic will be."
Callum smiles back at her and gets up,
"I will inform the others. Who will be the ones to retrieve it?"
Oyana thinks for a moment then speaks,
"I believe I should be the one to retrieve it this time. I have a feeling we'll be meeting our Fair Lady again soon."
The two then leave the dark room after blowing out the single candle. The two walk side by side Callum hums a time as they make it to the others. Laris and Darius see Oyana and nod their head to her. She smiles at them. The twins are hanging around the two teens until they all give their attention to her. They all gathered at the table. Oyana sits at the head of the table. She looks at each other them,
"I'm sure that some of you can meet our Fair Lady, yet the ones remaining have yet to meet her."
The twins nodded in response. Oyana smiles at them all,
"Well, a week from now there will be another auction. And this time the relic will be there. From what I've heard from Rosaline and Andre, our Fair Lady caught wind of our plan. So, I say… I will participate in getting that relic before she does. You all know that we need to go through with this ritual for her benefit… If we don't, she will suffer greatly. So, we must eliminate anything standing her way so she can transcend to the highest plain without issue and grant us what we desire!"
The Cult members listen to her intently. Callum smiles,
"Yes. We must see to it that our Fair Lady doesn't transcend without issue."
The Cultists talk amongst themselves. Oyana looks at each of them. She never had any sense of attachment to either of them. They each play a role in Their Fair Lady after all. The one called Callum is the closest to her, but she never felt anything for the boy. And the boy has instantly become attached to her once he gets the role that was placed on him. They all have. But she knows that the only one she has grown attached to is Her. She knows for certain that once she meets her once again, it will strengthen her connection with her just like they all planned. She closes her eyes and pictures the people she left behind for this world to fulfill her destiny. They have given her the role to see to it that everything falls into place. No more obstacles and no more setbacks. She will meet those requirements, no matter how many lives she will have to take to get their Lady to see that what they're doing for her is for her very own good.
Each member represents something only the Fair Lady knows personally and one day, she will choose what to do with each of them. Oyana hopes once she sees their effort she will smile happily to them and thank them for their services as the Witches of the Equinox.
—
It's now the next day and after I finally got the gist of this Book I've obtained, I could see that some of the pages have songs written on them. They are short songs, so, not exactly long enough to listen to at your leisure. Is it like how I made my Hatsu? But, only shorter and quicker? Now I need to try out these spells when I can. I have a feeling you can use these spells no matter which category you are in Nen or how well you use it. This Book might be a cheat to doing that. I just realized this book could easily make any Nen User into a Specialist!
That is just CRAZY!
Is it the effect of being a part of my world? Or was it the person who made this book? Well, I don't know, but all I know is that this must be what a Witch is to these people. Witch… Are witches just a large group of Specialists with extra steps? I just wonder how they work to even get the Hunters Association to want to get rid of them if they ever know a witch's existence. What Freeda has told me about them is they are a different sort who uses Nen differently, or they are an anomaly when it comes to Nen. I guess so since somehow they can travel different worlds or even pull other people into other worlds. She did say they also open the door to cosmic entities to get their powers from… or something to that extent, but I have yet to know how that's possible.
I think deeply about it, then turn my attention to finding more Relics that hold the same power as that Book. I wonder what power the other Relics have? The Book itself is already ridiculously powerful, what more do the Cultists even want with the other relics? Whelp! Back to going to the internet cafe!
—
I went to the site and started my search for the relics. When I did that auction that happened last night was going to start again despite the whole disaster that the last auction ended up being… I had to make sure, so I went and started looking up the catalog of the thing. And sure enough, yet another relic is going to be one of the auction pieces.
Just great! What an opportunity!
I let out an exasperated sigh… How the hell am I supposed to take that? Surely they finally understood keeping something like that in a single building was asking for it to be stolen so I'm sure they decided to be smarter than before and brought it somewhere else that's even more secure… and maybe even with the other auction pieces? That would be even more inconvenient for me since I don't care for any of these things… I scrolled through the catalog and one of the auction pieces caught my eye… Well… A pair of eyes caught my eye. A pair of eyes in a jar. The name of those eyes is called the Scarlet Eyes. It unnerved me greatly. Kurapika's clan had those eyes, right? And I'm looking at a picture of his dead clan members' eyes in a jar. I wonder how he's holding up? After seeing Chrollo again, it made me realize that taking a life is no joke. When I had my blade on Chrollo's throat, I just couldn't do it. So, is Kruapika going to take a life? A Troupe member's life just like that? Thinking about Kurapika's goal made me wonder if it was the right idea. Revenge… I honestly can't relate at all, but… What I hear about revenge is that it isn't exactly the best thing to go for as a goal and people talk about revenge in a negative light. So, I hope Kurapika's well-being is okay.
I decided to continue scrolling through the catalog and finally found what I was looking for. It's a staff it looks like. I wonder what power that one holds? I took out my notebook and wrote down the name of the relic,
'The Shadow's Song'?
What a strange name for a staff… I think about the Book and come to realize something. Is this staff something that can amplify the songs in this Book? Now I'm even more curious about the songs in that Book and what each of them does. I wonder if the other Book, the Book of Shadows, that the Cultists have also had songs written within it?
Once I wrote down what I needed to know about the auction once again, I began to plan on how to break into a possibly very well-guarded building after the last auction. The Phantom Troupe decided to massacre the people attending the auction and steal almost everything there. When I heard the Troupe massacred the people at the auction it made my opinion about them plummet. I can't believe Chrollo allowed them to kill innocent people like that?!
…Well… Are they innocent..? The people attending were part of the Mafia and or part of anything sketchy and evil in the world. I guess they're not innocent… But still! Taking lives like that is just… I shook my head. Having a morality battle with myself is just so stressful. I feel like taking a life is wrong, yet I contemplated taking Chrollo's life during my battle with him. Do I have the capacity to take a life, too? Yet, Chrollo thinks I couldn't by how he looked at me when I had my blade against his throat.
I was buried deep in my thoughts when I suddenly bumped into a tall and short man,
"Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't know where I was going." I tell them and attempt to walk around them when suddenly I get grabbed by the arm. I turn around and see the tall man with blonde slick back hair staring me down as he held my arm firmly,
"You."
I stare back at him with a confused look on my face. The shorter man in a long black cloak covering the lower half of his face looks me over,
"So. This. Is... Her…"
I look at the two of them wondering what they want with me. It's clear I'm in danger,
"W-what do you want from me."
The two of them continue to stare me down. The tall one tells me,
"If you move an inch I won't hesitate to kill you right here."
"Our. Boss. Wants. To see you." the smaller man tells me. My eyes widened. The Boss…? Is it…
—
Chrollo sits quietly in his hotel room as he reads an antique book they have successfully stolen from the auction. He was enjoying the contents when he got a call from Phinks,
"Hello?"
"Hey, Boss! You won't believe it, but… We found the girl!"
Chrollo's heart skips a beat from the news. So, she's finally going to be his. He now wonders how to keep her tied to him. He of course should take her Nen Abilities from her so she doesn't cause any problems. She will have to sleep where he sleeps, but that will be proven difficult depending on whether or not she will kill him this time. That time, it's clear she's never killed anyone before, and judging by the Nen ability he witnessed from her he could tell the woman has a tender soul who values life. Which he finds interesting. Despite her struggle with the darkness in her heart, she still manages to find a way to stay positive despite witnessing whatever it is that's been trying to drag her deep into the depths of the abyss.
But, alas… That could change at any moment. If he doesn't play his cards right, he will find himself with a blade to his throat once again by the girl he is interested in, so, he'll find a way to make her fall in love with him. But, of course, before all of that, she must be punished for humiliating him by switching the Books without him knowing. His heart races from the thought of her at his mercy. Chrollo tells Phinks and Feitan to meet him with the girl. He is looking forward to meeting her again, but this time, as his precious new toy.
Notes:
Trying to figure out how this whole thing should go is something. I know for sure I'm going to be breaking the timeline little by little.
Chapter 22: Chapter 21: Into The Spiders Web
Summary:
She finds herself in the grasp of the Spiders, but she's not alone.
both Gon and Killua are also held prisoner.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
I glare at the two men. They took me to some abandoned building. There are other Troupe members in it. The other members notices who the blonde and short man brought in. Then, an even bigger man speaks,
"Oh? So, this is the girl?"
"Yeah. she was easy to spot. She didn't even bother disguising herself." The blonde tells the large man. My eye twitched at his comment. I'm not an idiot… Maybe. I look over the members and see a certain clown in the MIX! Hisoka looks away from me. I couldn't help but let out a noise,
"Ah!" The Troupe members looked at me curiously,
"What? Do you recognize someone here?" the blonde man ask me.
Crap. No wonder Hisoka isn't looking at me. He probably wants us to act like we don't know each other! I started sweating. That one guy I met at the auction, Shalnark smiles and speaks,
"Ah, I guess you recognize me, right?"
Thank you, overly optimistic guy for unintentionally helping me out by diverting everyone's attention from figuring out Hisoka and I had history!
"Hi! I'm Shalnark. I know we went on the wrong foot, but since we're gonna see each other a bunch, why not introduce myself again?"
I just give him the cold shoulder. Yeah right I'd be hanging around with these people for that long period of time. Shalnark. He's too upbeat for a group well known for their brutality… But looks can be deceiving… Look at Chrollo for example. He had me duped from the very beginning. I hate being deceived… Just then four other people came into the building. I look at them and recognize two of them instantly. My eyes widened.
Why the hell is Gon and Killua here?!
When Gon looks at me, he made the same sound I did when I saw Hisoka here,
"Ah!"
Crap! I look away from him, acting like I don't know the kid. I sweat profusely. Gon! Pretend you don't know me! I make my face as blank as possible. This situation really did make me very conscious about how I expressed anything on my face. The tall guy with black hair with the boys then asks Gon,
"What? Do you know anyone here?"
I continue to sweat. Nope! He doesn't!
I see Gon realizing he might have messed up somehow. Thankfully, Killua speaks up and points at a girl with glasses,
"Oh hey, Gon! It's that girl!"
The blonde man raised an eyebrow and asks the girl,
"Shizuku. Is it true?"
In response, said girl looks at them confused,
"I don't recall…"
Gon looks at her and speaks up to Killua,
"Yeah! I recognize her! She's the girl I arm-wrestled with!"
The girl still looks confused,
"I did?"
Feitan then points out,
"Oh. I remember now."
The girl then asks,
"Refresh my memory."
The large man then points at them,
"That kid. You lost to him at an arm wrestling contest two days ago."
Really? Why would they do that? The girl looks shocked,
"I did?! He beat me?! That's a lie! I'm not the strongest, but I wouldn't lose to a kid…"
The large man looks at her and explains what happened,
"Well… It's because you were using your right hand."
"I did? But why? I'm left-handed." She says sounding even more confused. Feitan shook his head,
"Don't bother. Once she forgets something. It's gone forever."
I give them the blankest of stares. Are they for real? What is with these people? The more I watch them interact, the more I wonder how they are the notorious Phantom Troupe. Well, that got the tall man with the long black hair to speak,
"Oh, hold on, is it true that you beat Shizuku at an arm wrestling contest?"
When he was asking Gon, I saw that pink-haired girl staring at me. Honestly, a lot of things are going on right now. I was trying to blend into the background as much as possible but, that didn't happen at all,
"So, you found her." The girl I met at the auction, Machi, speaks up. The blonde turns to her and nods,
"Yeah. What are the odds?"
"She… didn't disguise herself." the short man tells her. My eye twitched at that since Machi just gives me a look like I'm stupid or something. I have to unfortunately agree. I am an idiot. And I wish I was more clever about this. The tall man with black hair also finally noticed me,
"Oh yeah! You're that girl the Boss is into! Do you have any idea how down bad he is for you?"
I cringed at how he words about Chrollo's attraction. I couldn't help but speak bitterly,
"By treating me like an object? Oh. I'm aware."
I feel Hisoka's eyes on me. I have so many questions I want to throw at him right now. The tall man with the black hair starts to tie his hair up and turns to the boys,
"I'm still pretty curious about the arm wrestling contest thing. I want to see how strong you are."
The man turns to me and speaks,
"You can go up against him, too. After all, you will be around us a lot soon. I also want to see how strong you are before your abilities will be taken away."
I raise my eyebrow at him. What does he mean by that?
—
So, the tall man with black hair decided to start an arm wrestling match with Gon. I didn't understand why he wanted Gon to go up against them, and me… but… The boy has already gone up against several spiders and Gon's hand is already bleeding. I couldn't stand watching this at all. Everyone is gathered around Gon and the man to watch the arm wrestling between them and I have no choice but to watch amongst them. Killua is right beside me. We both subtly exchange glances with each other, wondering what we're doing here, but of course, we can't openly ask each other anything. Hisoka stood right behind me. I could feel how close he was to my back but, it was clear he couldn't openly touch me like he always tends to want to do, but it's clear he was holding himself back to do so. I look back at him and he just gives me a neutral look. Yup. He really is acting like he doesn't know me. I look back to Gon and that man. The arm wrestling is still going on. I can tell how agitated Killua looks. Just then, the guy arm wrestling Gon speaks,
"So. How do I stack up against the other spiders? Be honest."
Oh right. They're also called spiders. The other members answer his question,
"Probably seventh or eighth, I guess." Said the large one,
"Well you aren't the weakest but not the strongest either." The pinked girl, Machi tells him. Nobunaga has a nostalgic look in his eyes,
"Right. The strongest member of the Troupe is this guy called Uvogin. But it's starting to look like the Chain User killed him."
Killian glares at him and holds his hands out in exasperation,
"We told you! We have no clue who that is!"
Is that why they're here? They're here because the Spiders suspected the boys to know this Chain user who possibly killed a Troupe member. At least I finally understand why the boys are here in the first place. The man slams Gon's hand onto the stone surface and glares at Killua,
"Hey kid. Speak without permission again… and I'll kill you."
The man's threat Scared the boy shut. I couldn't help but feel protective of him. I let out a growl. The man turns his attention back to Gon and tells him to do it one more time. The man speaks again,
"Uvogin was an Enhancer. He was simple-minded, straightforward, and he loved a good fight. And punctual. A real stickler about time. Whenever Franklin or I were late, he'd always start something."
We all listen to his tangent about that Troupe member, Uvogin… Is he grieving the man's loss by sharing his memories to Gon right now? The man continues to speak,
"He beat the crap out of me more than once I can tell ya! I've known him since before the Troupe was founded. I know him better than anyone."
This feeling in my chest… I feel some sort of pity toward the man… This… isn't what I wanted to feel during this situation at all. Especially not towards these people at all… the man still kept talking,
"He would never… I mean never… lose in a fair fight, do you hear me? Not unless he was caught in some dirty trap!"
The man then started to cry. I feel immense pity for the man. I couldn't help but cry myself… I turned away and covered my face, not wanting anyone to see my face at all. I could feel eyes on me as I did so.
Damn it.
I thought they were just killers with no heart. And yet…
The man then declares to Gon,
" I'll make his killer pay! I'll find him, no matter who I have to kill. The Chain user holds some kind of grudge against us- a strong one. The Mafia's Nostrade family hired him recently."
When the man said that, it made me think about Kurapika. Then it completely clicked in my mind. Oh no! The man eyes Gon and speaks again,
"You may not know him personally, but maybe you heard the rumors… So, think hard, all right? You'd better not hold anything back!"
There was silence. No one said a word until Gon finally answers him,
"I don't know him. But even if I did, I would still never give him up to you! I thought you were all a bunch of cold-blooded monsters… but I see you can shed tears for your friends."
That caught the man off guard,
"So you're capable of empathy. But you've killed… you've killed so many people! Why couldn't you feel that for them? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!?" After Gon said that, he finally gets a win. That's what I thought, too… why…? After Gon finally got his win in, the Short man went and slammed Gon onto the stone tablet,
"Careful, you're too cocky."
"Gon!" Killua yells out and is about to run up to him but gets stopped by Hisoka. I also subconsciously try to run up to save him but get stopped by him as well. He held a card to each of our necks. I feel a slight cut from it,
"Move, and I'll cut you both."
Killia freezes with fear. I grimaced from the little sting but looked back at him. I know it's inappropriate to mouth him off by pointing out that he already did cut me, so I refrained from doing so. It's unusual for Hisoka to give me a look that I could easily read, but it looks like he wants me to listen to him, so I did. And being forced to watch Gon get interrogated,
"Answer the question. Do you know who the Chain User is?"
Gon yells angrily at the man holding him down,
"I told you! I'm not telling you anything, so get off me!"
The short man looks at the boy coldly,
"Feitan." The taller man calls him. The short man, Feitan, looks up at him. The man gets up,
"Stop it."
"Stop what?"
"Stop doing what you're just about to do."
"Oh? You think you know what I'm about to do?" Feitan asks, holding Gon's arm tightly.
"You're going to break his arm, aren't you?" The man says. I really can't stand seeing this at all! It's like Gon's fight with Hanzo again! I can't stand seeing Gon get his arm broken again! Feitan then starts describing what he'd do with Gon's arm,
"I'd start with a finger… peel off a nail." I close my eyes at the description. The man just tells him to get off of the boy,
"Doesn't matter. I told you to stop it!"
"You're giving me orders? I don't have to obey."
The man stomps his foot onto the stone tablet to show he's had enough. The two men are now having a stare-off. This has gone on long enough,
"Hey. Quit it, Nobunaga." The large man tells the man, Nobunaga. Machi looks at him and speaks,
"What? Have you already forgotten the rules?"
"There's no physical fighting between the Troupe members," Shizuku explains when Machi left off. Nobunaga lets out a sigh,
"I know, I know. Disputes are decided by a coin toss." He then takes out a coin. It's so strange to see how this Troupe operates. They just feel like a twisted form of found family… we really need to get out of here, fast.
Feitan calls Tails and Nobunaga calls Heads the coin shows heads,
"It's heads. Now let him go."
Once Feitan did, Gon jumped out of his grasp and stood closer to us. I sighed in relief. Shizuku then asks everyone,
"Well? What do we do with them? They haven't told us anything about the Chain User."
"If they don't know anything, just let 'em go. Am I right, Pakunoda?" The large masks as he looks at the woman with the blonde hair. She answers him,
"I checked on the trip here. It's true. They really don't know anything."
Machi asks her,
"You sure?"
"I am. They have no memories of the chain user whatsoever."
I now couldn't help but tense at her admittance. This woman. She can see into people's memories…? Crap! If she asks me if I knew who the Chain User is, I'd actually be screwed! And looking at Killua, it looks like he might know who they're referring to. Nobunaga speaks,
"Looks like your hunch is way off this time."
"That's bizarre. Oh well. If Pakunoda says so, it must be true."
I am still very conscious about the expressions I project on my face. I notice Nobunaga looking at Gon's way. Gon is still really angry. Killua approaches Gon Hisoka and takes me away from the two of them, unfortunately. Everyone is talking amongst themselves. I give him questioning looks. He places something on my wrist. I looked at my wrist and almost made a sound of surprise. There, I see words on it. He gave me a brief explanation of what he was doing there,
-I'm part of the spiders. Play dumb. Don't get caught. And don't interact with the boys. Find the opportunity to escape or you'll lose your Nen Abilities by The Boss. I'll find a way to get to you personally.-
Just then, the words disappear. I still feel whatever it is that's on my wrist, but ignored it. I look back at him and he just leaves my side altogether. Is he really helping me out? I thought he'd find this amusing or something. I look at the boys and they also look at me. How do we get out of this mess? I look at the Spiders. They are still discussing whether or not they should let the boys go. I hope they do let them go. They don't have to deal with this anymore, and the only one they're going to have to deal with is me. I eyed Pakunoda. I'm still wary about how she can read memories. Is that how that blonde man and Feitan know instantly what I look like? Will they start interrogating me next about the Chain User? I hope not. It almost feels like the boys are in the clear until the blonde man disagrees,
"No. We can't be sure they're completely unrelated. It's possible they're being used."
What the hell does that mean?
The blonde man looks at the boys,
"The Chain User is discreet. He usually keeps his chains hidden. If that's the case, maybe they don't realize he's who we're talking about. We shouldn't release them. Not until they tell us who they're working for.
That's still a big reach. Just how would those kids even know who the Chain User even is even if they are completely unrelated to them? Also! He would never use his friends like that! Shalnark speaks up,
"If they are working for someone, then it isn't the Chain User. Because he prefers to operate all by himself."
That does sound like Kurapika alright… even though I rarely saw him alone at the Hunter Exam, he did give off the air that he prefers to do things on his own and help others he cares about greatly by himself… Machi looks at Shalnark,
"So you agree with Nobunaga?"
"We can get whatever information we need from the Nostrade family. We don't really need these kids for that."
That's a very good rebuttal. Shalnark may be the enemy, but he sure is unintentionally being on our side a lot. Shalnark continues,
"After all… we know the Chain User is a member."
"That's right, we do."
Everything is looking up. Just a little more… Shalnark continues to speak,
"Our only target right now is the Chain User, so we can pretty much ignore everybody else."
"There you are lucky." Feitan tells them. Gon sticks out his tongue at them. Seriously. He's way too cute. Still, though. Having a child deal with this sort of situation… I'm still surprised how Gon can still maintain his childish innocence like that. Just when I thought the boy would leave here Scott free, Nobunaga speaks up,
"Not just yet."
Everyone turns to the man,
"I'm not letting the kid go."
When he said that, it's clear he's only talking about Gon. Did he get that attached to him just like that? The man looks directly at the boy,
"You wanna join the Spiders? Team up with me."
Already fed up with this display, I finally snapped at the man,
"Are you serious!? Why the hell would you make a kid join your group!?"
Nobunaga glared at me,
"Shut up. You're not the one I'm talking to."
"Just let the kid go! He has no business being here!" I yell at him angrily. He gives me a cold stare,
"Speak again, I dare you. You're not part of the Spiders so I wouldn't have any problem killing you here and now."
I growled at him. I was about to argue back and I could feel Killua about to intervene when Gon suddenly speaks again,
"No."
Nobunaga turns his attention back to him. Gon looks direction at him,
"I would rather die than team up with you guys! So, it's never gonna happen!"
When Gon said that, Nobunaga found it amusing,
"Man, he really hates us, huh?"
Obviously. You kidnapped him, took him prisoner and arm wrestled him for a long period of time, then started threatening to break his arm, so of course he hates you people! Nobunaga then asks Gon,
"What are you? You're an Enhancer, right?"
"Yeah, and what if I am?"
Nobunaga continues to laugh,
"I'd thought you'd say that!"
The rest of the Spiders continue to watch the banter. Nobunaga looks at the rest of them,
"Hey. We're keeping them here until the Boss gets back. I'm nominating him."
I am flabbergasted by all of this. Gon already refused, so why the hell is this man nominating him to join the Spiders!? And apparently, I'm not the only one. Some of them didn't really agree,
"The Boss will never agree to that," Feitan tells him. Machi just shrugs off the whole thing,
"Fine, whatever. But you'll have to babysit him. It's on you if they escape."
Nobunaga gets up and takes Gon and Killua somewhere else. I worriedly watch them leave. Once they're out of my sight, I'm now alone with them. I turned to the other spiders and kept my guard up. They took away my bag, so I'm completely unarmed. They all turned to me and started talking amongst each other about what they were going to do with me. Shizuku then looks like she remembered something,
"Ah! We didn't get to see the match between her and that boy at all!"
I raised an eyebrow at her. Is she for real? She then thinks about it,
"I wonder how well you fair in an arm wrestling contest."
I scoffed at her,
"What is up with you guys and arm wrestling?"
"It's just a pass time we do sometimes," Shalnark tells me,
"We even got a ranking list on who's the strongest."
"Really? …Why?" I seriously do want to know,
"Oh you know, just for fun." He says with a shrug. I look at him like he has two heads. Seriously, the more I'm stuck with these people the more human they become to me… I don't know if that's a good or bad thing… As Shalnark continues to talk about the list, I think about Kurapika. According to them, he might've killed a member of the Spiders already. Is he alright? This Uvogin... It's obvious how much he means to them and… Kurapika killed him. So, they're going out of their way to find him. I feel very worried. I wish I could help him somehow. But, I know for certain taking on the Spiders isn't the right idea. If anything, It's just going to cause more pain to both parties. Just then, I was snapped out of my thoughts by a note getting shoved in my face I stared at it completely confused,
"See? This is the ranking list about the spiders on who's the strongest in arm wrestling." Shalnark tells me. Oh yeah. We're still talking about the arm wrestling thing.
To humor these people I took the list and took a look at it. The list has cute drawings of the members on it and starting from the top, I see the name of the man the Troupe is having their revenge for, Uvogin, next is Phinks, I guess it's the name of the man who brought me here, then next is Hisoka. I couldn't help but smile at the list. This is actually really cute and heartwarming. I continue to read the list and see where Chrollo ranks. He's #7. And I just noticed that he's basically right in the middle of the list. After him, I can suspect the rest of the members he has beaten in this game. I look up and see the Troupe staring at me. Some were smiling. I blush at the attention,
"W-What?"
"Your smile's really cute. No wonder the Boss has a thing for you." Shalnark points out. My face becomes beat red,
"W-WHAT!? No it's NOT!" I yell covering my face in embarrassment. The Troupe just laughs at my response,
"Stop laughing! It's not that funny!" I said angrily all while still embarrassed. Really, these people are unbelievable!
The laughing dies down,
"You know, you're not half bad. I wouldn't mind you being here in the Troupe." The large man, I'm guessing from the list, is Franklin, says to me. I'm at a loss for how I'm being treated. Just a few moments ago, I was treated like a prisoner. They also threatened me a few times. So, why the change of tune? I looked at them warily, finally realizing I was still clinging to the list. Pakunoda notices my wary demeanor,
"You can be at ease. We won't hurt you."
I scoffed at her attempt at reassurance,
"Yeah right, how should I trust you all with that? You guys even threatened to kill me earlier."
None of them said anything. Feitan then speaks,
"And yet. Despite our threats, you don't seem that afraid or even take them seriously."
"I don't know. I know for sure I will die by your hands with no problem for you, but I just can't seem to stay scared for very long. Maybe I'm still processing that this is not a dream or something." I tell him shrugging. For some reason, Feitan took that as a challenge,
"Oh yeah? You think we can't scare you?"
"Hey. Like I said. I might just still be processing whether this is real or not." I tell him, irritated. Machi watches me and then speaks,
"It's getting late now. We're going to have to keep watch over you since you're the Boss's girl and all."
"I'm not his girl!" I glared at her. She just gives me an unemotional look,
"It sure seems like it."
"No, I'm not!"
"Yes, you are," Machi says, now visibly getting annoyed,
"Am NOT!"
"You are! Quit denying it like a kid!"
"YOU GUYS ARE LITERALLY HOLDING ME PRISONER!" I yell angrily at her. The rest of the Troupe just watch our back and forth like it's a fucking tennis match!
UGH!
These people are so god damn IRRITATING! Both Machi and I have an intense stare-down until that woman, Pakunoda intervenes,
"It really is getting late. We're going to have to bring you to a room now and let you rest there."
I glare at her,
"As if I'll listen to you! I'm not going to let you stuff me into a room until Chrollo gets here!" Just then, in response to my defiance, Feitan appears behind me and pins me to the ground. He had my arms pinned to my back and pushed my face to the rough gravel. I struggled in his grasp. Feitan looks down at me,
"You are too mouthy for your own good. You think you can take us all in a fight?"
I could feel Feitan's grip on one of my arms tightening. Unlike Gon, I actually can't handle the feeling of pain as well as he does, so I froze. So, that's where they are… I think fear is finally kicking in. After my struggling stops, Feitan hums and picks me up from the ground, still holding my hands together. The other Spiders then discussed who should keep watch on me while they get to discuss their plans. Whatever that would be. Probably to find Kurapika and strategize how to get to him.
Feitan still has me in his grasp and remembers something,
"Oh yeah. The Boss says to meet him with the girl later once he's done with his task, so once we're done, Phinks and I will bring her there."
Phinks remembers and nods to him,
"Oh yeah. Can't believe that slipped my mind." Phinks turns to me,
"So, sit tightly. We'll come back for you, so don't do anything you'll regret."
I didn't say anything and let Feitan push me to the room they'll stuff me in for the remainder of the day.
They brought me to a room and chose Machi to keep watch on me. I stare at her as she stood across from me from the other side of the room. Now I'm stuck. I don't know how I can escape from this at all. My mind is still stuck on what Feitan has said to me. He has made me finally realize that I'm not that strong at all and I have no reason to act the way I do, yet, I continue to do so despite everything stacked against me. Why? What's the point of me acting tough in the first place? I'm not Baran or anything. I guess I'm doing it just because I want to hide how weak I really am… Man, I'm pathetic. I looked down at the dirty floor feeling a little shaken from the realization. I let the short man knock some sense into me and I hate it.
—
Hisoka watches his Kitten get taken away. He couldn't deny that seeing the fear on her face enticed him a bit, but he didn't like the fact that it was someone else who invoke such fear from her. But, alas… It would take something for him to get her to fear him, yet in the back of his mind, something keeps him from doing so. Oh well. He pushes away from the wall he's leaning on and announces to the Troupe,
"I'm going to relieve myself if you don't mind."
The other Members nod to him and he goes. Just like that, they let him go. He smirks and heads to where they are holding His beloved Kitten. She's probably beside herself thinking lowly about her capabilities as a Nen User. Oh, Darling~! And it looks like he'll have a time limit as well. That's going to be interesting indeed~! Hisoka casually walks towards the direction to where she is held. Time to convince Machi to get her to switch with him before that time is up~!
Notes:
Enjoy!
Chapter 23: Chapter 22: Time for plan B
Summary:
Hisoka helps her escape.
The boys plan to improve his Nen abilities.
Chrollo has planned something big.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
The Phantom Troupe are discussing how they feel about the boy, Gon Freeces and the young woman Chrollo has taken fancy of. Franklin speaks about the boy,
"That boy. He wears all his emotions on his sleeve. When he's mad, he forgets the consequences. But what's the most like Uvo is he is at his strongest when he's fighting for someone else." The man then reminisces about Uvogin and how he was like alive. He looks back at the troupe,
"He may not have admitted it, but I believe he'd preferred having someone there to protect."
"He was stronger when someone's holding him back?" Shizuku asks. Franklin rubs the back of his head,
"I… guess you could say that."
The Troupe continues to reminisce on how Nobunaga and Uvogin used to argue with each other, but it's clear how close of friends they are by how they interact. They then brought up the Girl,
"That Girl… She has quite the temper on her... It's interesting to me since she also wears all of her emotions on her sleeves. It would be very interesting to have those two in the Spiders. They have that kind of resemblance to Uvo." Franklin tells them. Phinks hums and shrugs,
"I guess so, but you saw how those two are. They both look like they don't want anything to do with us. Just saying."
"The Girl… She's going to be around us a lot. What does the Boss see in her anyway? She's… rude and annoying." Feitan tells them. Pakunoda turns her head to him and responds,
"I can understand why she's acting the way she does. So, please be more patient with her. Maybe once she hangs around us long enough, she will come around. After all… the Boss is taken with her for a reason."
Feitan is still not convinced. That Girl will have to prove her worth in this group despite her not even being a part of the Spiders at all. But so far… What she's shown him through all this is how she's hurt the Boss and how she's acted towards the rest of the Spiders and he doesn't like it at all. She is nothing but a thing now to the Boss and that's all she will be. So, she shouldn't be of importance to the Troupe, yet they are expected to treat her like one of their own? Unlikely. He'll never see her as a part of the Spiders. Ever.
Pakunoda could see Feitan's reluctance to see the Girl as one of their own. That Girl is, of course, not one of them. But, Pakunoda will try to ease that Girl into the group for the sake of Chrollo. She can tell that Girl is doing something positive in Chrollo and she wants that positivity to help him find what he's looking for within himself. They just need to help that Girl be at ease with all of them. They need to not treat her like a prisoner in order for the Girl to stay with Chrollo permanently no matter how painful her heart hurts from it all.
—
I sat quietly in the room with Machi. She doesn't look like she's watching me intently or anything, but it's clear she's taking her job seriously. I did try my best not to look suspicious as I try to look for a way out, but so far I see nothing. Think about my options. Should I take down Machi here and now? I couldn't help feeling nervous about that idea. I had a little glimpse of what she can do, but I just don't know how i fair in a fight with her. I think about the arm-wrestling ranking list it doesn't exactly say much about how I could fair in a fight with the spiders or anything, but from what I remember about the list, Machi is ranked above Chrollo, so, I guess I'm just thinking it could be a 50-50 chance to take her on, but what happens then? Just then, a knock is heard at the door of the room,
"Yeah? What is it?" Machi responds. I turn my attention to the door as well,
"Machi, may I have a word with you?" A familiar voice says. I try my best not to react. Machi rolls her eyes at who that voice belongs to,
"What do you want?"
"Could you help me with something? I happen to have dropped something in a hard-to-reach place and I need your help."
"Why the hell are you asking me? Can't you tell I'm busy guarding right now?"
"But, I know you can help me retrieve it. You have the right hand size to get it for me. My hand isn't small enough to get it without breaking the item any further." Hisoka explains to her,
"You serious? That's all? But I can't leave her unguarded as you can already tell."
"It's okay. I can keep watch on her. I can give you directions where I dropped it."
Machi didn't say anything for a moment and it seems she was thinking about it, but ultimately, she opens the door. I see Hisoka stand there with that Cheshire Cat smile of his. Hisoka enters the room. Machi glares at him,
"Fine. But, don't do anything disgusting with her, or else the Boss will definitely have your head on a pike."
Honestly, just trusting Hisoka to take care of anything, in general, is a huge mistake, But then again… Here I am, trusting Hisoka to help me from the mess I'm in might be a mistake as well,
"My, how scary~! Don't worry, I won't do anything~! " Hisoka says in a teasing tone. Machi just let out a scoff,
"You better not, now tell me where you dropped it."
I listen to their conversation and Machi leaves the room when they're done talking. Now it's only me and Hisoka. The two of us keep silent until Hisoka is certain Machi is finally out of earshot,
"It's nice seeing you again, my Love~. "
I blush at that and looked away from him. He just smiles at me. I let out a sigh,
"I honestly didn't think I'd have to deal with being held captive like this…"
"What can I say? You're a very compelling woman, Darling~! " He tells me with a shrug. I scoffed at that. The only reason why I'm in this mess is that Chrollo decided to be a creep and treat me like an object, but I moved on to the questions I wanted to ask,
"And… What are you even doing here? You're part of the Spiders? For how long? And for what reason?"
"Ah, a lot of questions, so little time~! Unfortunately I can't explain in detail, so they'll have to wait once you leave this place."
I examine Hisoka's face. So, he's really willing to help me. I look into his eyes, he stares back into mine,
"Should I even ask why you're helping me? Or is the answer obvious?" I ask him,
He smiles as he approaches me. I turn my head to face him directly. He brushes his fingers across the shallow cut on my neck he gave me, I feel goosebumps form against my skin as he does so, then he takes my chin into his palm and whispered closely to my ear,
"You're mine, Darling~. No one is allowed to have you but me~. "
I blushed from his confession and the vibration of his voice, I of course don't know if his feelings are genuine or not, so I didn't say anything more. He lets go of my chin and pulls away with a smirk,
"I know you and the Boss have met previously, but… That doesn't change the fact that I got you first~! Once I finally have him alone to fight me, he will learn who you belong to~! "
I give him a blank stare. Ah yes. There it is. His true motive.
"Well then… Let's start your escape, shall we~?" He says with his signature smile.
—
Gon and Killua are sitting in a room with Nobunaga sitting in front of the door across from them with two lit candles on each side of him. Killua is deep in thought while Gon is quietly wincing at the pain he's feeling from his hand. If Killua went any further, he thought Hisoka would've killed him, but She was about to jump in too and almost got her throat sliced open, but then again… Hisoka seems to really like Her though, so would he really kill her along with him? Speaking of Her, he wonders how she even got there, but it's clear she's being held captive like they are. Well, this sucks. Now he has to worry about saving her too along with saving themselves from this mess somehow. Killua is thinking about his own shortcomings… He keeps freezing every time he's faced with a stronger force. If he doesn't get over it now, would he even be able to protect Gon or anyone? Killua is beside himself. He keeps thinking about his brother's words,
"You can't do it, can you? Because deep down inside, you are more worried about whether you can defeat me than anything else."
'You're wrong…'
"Remember the lesson I drilled into you? Never go up against a superior opponent."
"NO, YOU'RE WRONG!"
Both Gon and Nobunaga turned their attention to Killua when he suddenly shot up front of his seat yelling in Nobunaga's direction. The boy's aura became menacing and circled around his body. The look he has on his face is intense. The man thought the kid was talking to him. He gets up and places his hand on his sword,
"Heh. Pretty scary. If looks could kill, huh?"
Nobunaga gets into a stance where he's ready to draw out his sword if Killua decided to approach him,
"I should warn you… Step into range and I'll cut you down."
Killua takes that as a challenge and begins to approach the man. Gon watches him with worry And calls to him,
"Killua!"
But Gon was ignored. Killua continues to approach Nobunaga. He continues to approach until he stops in front of the man. Nobunaga is very ready to draw out his sword, but this snaps Killua back to reality. Sweat runs down his face and turns back around. What is he even doing? Did he really want to die? Gon looks at his friend worriedly. Killua punches the wall behind them out of frustration and sits down. Killua glares at the man. He really thinks he wouldn't stand a chance against him, so, that option is off the table, so, he needs to find a way to escape instead. Killua wipes the sweat off of his face.
Gon looks around the room looking for an escape. He's determined to find a way out. He doesn't know the reason why She's there, but he needs to get to her and help all of them to escape somehow. Just then an explosion is heard somewhere in the building. Gon and Killua turn to each other wondering what that was. Is that the opportunity to escape?
—
The other Phantom Troupe members heard a loud noise and turned to it. Is someone there? Feitan and Phinks turned to each other.
—
Machi hears the noise as she was attempting to fetch the item Hisoka lost. She turns to the noise and realized it's coming from the direction where Hisoka and the Girl is! She curses and decided to leave the item behind and runs back.
—
I let out a yell as I swing my sword at Hisoka. An extreme gust of wind I managed to summon out of my sword and it threw him out of the room, breaking the wall. I glare at him. Hisoka smiles at me as he gets up from the rubble and readies himself for another attack. I point my blade at him.
—
The two of us are in the room. At any moment, Machi will come back. Hisoka smiles at me,
"Let's have a fight, Darling. I'm bored~!"
I raise an eyebrow at him,
"What…? Why?"
The man didn't say anything and placed a hand on his hip. He gives me a look as if I have to read the room. I think I understand what he wants me to do. Cause chaos. I hesitated. Hisoka smirks at me and moves first. He disappears quickly and reappears behind me, I let out a yelp as he grabs hold of me,
"You need to work on guarding your back better, Darling~! Now…"
He then throws me from across the room next to the exit. I get up. Hisoka stands in front of me and looks down at me coldly,
"Fight me."
He then picks me up by my neck. I held his hand as he holds me up against the wall. Slowly he starts to cut out my air circulation. He's seriously going to do that to me…? I struggled for a moment. I couldn't help but feel my heart tighten…
Hisoka…
I started seeing spots in my vision… I… Should've expected this… It's Hisoka… He's just playing with me for his own amusement… Just then, he lets go of my throat. I fell to the floor and started gulping in air. Hisoka looks down at his hands, looking…Puzzled. A few minutes had gone by as I was still busy gasping for air, he suddenly pulls me by the collar and looks at me with a look I've never seen him use before. Is that actual frustration… The real kind…? He didn't say anything to me. I decided to break out of his hold on me and stepped around him I study his features. Why is he looking at me like that? Hisoka studies me as well. No smile on his face whatsoever. Just then, he charges at me. He decides to throw a punch to my gut, but I avoided it, he then swings around and elbows my face.
It lands.
That hit rattles my head, I feel my whole body come in contact with the ground… I really hate this feeling a lot. Hisoka looks down at me and places his foot on my chest,
"Is that all? Where is your training? What have you been doing all that time? Just having a little vacation?" Hisoka says condescendingly. He then starts to press his foot onto my chest,
"Show me… What did you learn?"
I grimaced at the weight of his foot. The pressure almost became unbearable until I hold out my hand and called out,
"VALKYRIE!"
Just then, a sword forms in the air behind him and flies in Hisoka's direction. The man turns to the sword and jumps out of the way. The sword flies into my hand. I get up from where I was pinned. I look directly at Hisoka. I glared angrily at him with tears threatening to leave my eyes,
"You…"I uttered with a hurt tone in my voice. How dare he…? I held my sword, readying my attack. Hisoka now looks at me with complete interest. A smile back on his face. We both stood there at a stalemate. Just then, Hisoka charged at me once again, I let out a swing, and wind blades started to form once I released it. The attack came in contact with Hisoka and it sent him flying through the wall of the room, breaking it down.
—
Hisoka's eyes brighten at my Nen Ability and smiles that stupid smile of his at me,
"What a fascinating ability, Darling~! I can't wait to see more~! "
I growled angrily at him,
"You are such an asshole…"
He only just smiles as he waits for more of my attack. Just then running footsteps are heard. I was about to turn my attention to the sound of footsteps until I noticed Hisoka sitting down and saw the look He is giving me… My eyes widened at the realization. Of course! This is my opening! Once the Spiders' footsteps got closer,
I booked it.
I don't know what Hisoka is going to do, but I finally realized that's Hisoka's way of giving me a way out despite how… rough and brutal it was… I'm kind of thankful, but I'm still extremely mad at him. If he attempts to even try and interact with me again, I'll make sure to ignore the bastard. I have had it with Hisoka and Chrollo and how they treat me! They can go and CHOKE!
I shook my head and finally focused on finding the boys. They must be here somewhere. I ran in whatever direction, hoping to find the boys in this decrepit building.
—
The Spiders all made it to where the commotion is made and see Hisoka sitting in the rubble. He looks completely beat up… The spiders are very confused by the whole thing. Hisoka looks at the Troupe and lets out a knowing smirk. Machi is the first to speak,
"Hey! I thought I told you to keep watch!"
Hisoka shrugs at her. Machi growls angrily at him,
"What the hell did you do?!"
"Nothing, really. I was just watching her, just as you asked, but… She decided to ambush me."
Machi scoffs at him, finding that really hard to believe. Feitan scans the area. The Girl didn't go that far. It's possible she's still in the building. The rest of the Spiders decided to split up and search the place. Machi has to stay behind to check Hisoka's wounds. The man looks scratched up, but fine overall. She glared at him. He notices her glare but just ignores her. Now his Kitten is free. He wonders how she will forgive him. Not that it matters, but he does still want to have that special moment with her when he takes her virginity~! And it seems she's forgotten something important~! So, his job isn't quite done yet.
—
It now has gotten pretty dark. The moon is out and it has gotten a little hard to see. I ran around the building activating my En here and there. Still no sign of them. I let out a curse. I remembered I also need to retrieve my bag somehow. The Troupe members confiscated it and discovered the secret it has, so they made sure to keep it from me really well. But the one thing I'm glad I did before I got captured by the Troupe is I decided to leave the Book back in my hotel room, so they have no way to take it from me.
Just then, I hear a loud sound. It sounded like it was above me. Is that the boys? Did they finally find a way to escape? I ran even further, wondering how I could proceed with this until I feel something come in contact with my whole body. Both me and whatever it is in my arms fell to the floor. My vision adjusted to the darkness and see a familiar face,
"Gon?!"
Gon looks up and sees me,
"Big Sis!" The boy says in a happy tone. I feel tears form and quickly hugged him. I ended up crying,
"Gon… I… I…"
I am so relieved to see he's okay. I couldn't help but start crying from all of this. Gon lets me cry for a little bit and hugged me back, but he taps my back once he feels that's enough. I force myself to stop,
"Sorry…"
Gon shakes his head,
"No. It's okay, we just need to get out of here!" The two of us got up and he took my hand,
"Let's go!"
The two of us then found a way out of the building. I don't know where we are, but we managed to reunite with Killua. Killua sees me running out with Gon,
"Oh! Hey, you're okay, too!" I run to Killua and also hugged him too. The boy stood there shocked and hesitantly hugs back. Gon approached us and smiles at Killua. Killua pulls out of my hug, his face is as red as a tomato. I just smile at him and patted his head. Killua waves my hand away,
"Okay stop… We need to go already!"
I nod to him and the three of us leave the place, not looking back. Once we're far enough away from the Spider's hideout. The boys and I jumped over the fence and headed our way to the city Gon turns to me,
"Hey, Big Sis? Why were you at the hideout with the Spiders?"
I study his face and he is giving me a serious and worried look,
"Well. Uh…. How do I say this…? Their Leader apparently has taken a liking to me and… He's decided to make me one of the treasures he steals…"
"Huh? How come? Why would he want to do that?"
I hesitated on what I had to tell them about what I did beforehand… until Killua speaks,
"Gon. I think we need to get stronger. We only know the basics of Nen, so we need to learn how to form our Hatsu." Killua then turns to me,
"Can you tell us how you formed your Hatsu?"
"Good question, but let's all wait until we find a safe place to discuss that."
Killua nods to me in response. I couldn't help but feel regret about leaving my bag behind. I need to figure out how I can get my bag back from the Phantom Troupe, but nothing has come up. Killua then speaks once again,
"I also think we need to contact Kurapika."
Gon turns his head to Killua once he mentions Kurapika,
"Huh? Why's that?"
I understood why,
"It's because he's the Chain User the Spiders are talking about, correct?"
"What?!" Gon is surprised by the information,
Killua nods at my answer,
"He's the one who defeated their friend and is the reason why we got into this mess. Also, I think it would be even faster when we have the two of you tell us how we can learn our Hatsu."
I see no problem with that. I honestly wonder what kind of Nen User Kurapika is. I do worry about his well-being after hearing about him taking the life of a Spider, so it is indeed a good idea to contact him as soon as possible. But, I still need to prepare for the Auction as well. Thanks to what just happened, It gave me absolutely no time to plan it out at all… What do I do…?
—
Chrollo has finally ready to meet Feitan and Phinks when he gets a call from them. He picks up,
"Hello?"
"H-hey, Boss it's Phinks. Unfortunately got some bad news for you… Uh… The Girl… She escaped."
That really is bad news… She escaped him. Well. He did hear there's going to be a similar item on the Menu of the Auction. The Shadow's Song. A Staff that holds powers beyond human comprehension, apparently. Maybe she'll be there. He hopes so anyway. Chrollo smooths out his suit and leaves the room he's staying at. Thanks to the info Shalnark has gathered about Nostrade's Daughter, Neone, he will get new abilities soon, and after that… He's prepared for anything that is going to be thrown at him. He wonders if he's going to go up against more of those people that are after his little Song Bird. That Cult. They are very strange. He wonders about who they are and what they do since they do cause Her great stress.
—
I told Gon and Killua I need to grab things from my hotel and they agreed. It's been a long day, but I know I can't rest just yet. I'm finally at my hotel room when I sense I noticed someone sitting on my couch. I held my sword up at the intruder. The figure stands up,
"Relax, Darling. It's only me." A familiar voice says. I kept my sword up,
"You know how angry I am at you? You have the nerve to act like I would brush off the unnecessary fight in that room! That actually really hurt me! And I didn't mean physically either!"
Hisoka steps closer and studies my face then just gives me a small smile,
"I apologize."
"I'd believe you if you actually mean it."
Hisoka closes his eyes and holds out my bag,
"I really am sorry, but you already know that we need to get you out of there, correct?"
I continue to frown at that and lower my sword,
"Still… You didn't need to hurt me like that. I told you what happened when I was away. And you just had to say that to me? 'Just having a little vacation.' That actually hurt… "
He stops smiling and approaches me with my bag in his hand. I look away from him feeling absolutely betrayed by him. He finally makes it to me, studying my face and the tears rolling down my cheeks, he reaches his hand out to wipe the tears off my face,
"You're right. I have gone too far, haven't I?" He whispered. I still didn't look at him until he placed a hand on my face and turned my head to face him. His face is very unreadable. I really can't tell if he even cares or not. I just continued to cry. He leans in and kisses both of my eyes. I stopped my sniffing and looked at him with confusion. He smiles at me and kisses my lips.
This should stop… I have no time for this…!
But, I didn't listen to myself and let him deepen the kiss. He drops my bag to the floor and pulls me closer, causing me to drop my sword. I let out a soft moan once I felt his tongue stroking against mine. I feel knots forming in my stomach. His hands start to roam my body while mine slides over his chest. I hear him let out moans of his own. My heart starts racing from the sound he's making. I then feel his hands start to go to the hem of my shirt and I feel him slide slowly underneath it. I let out a gasp and pulled my face away, realizing what we were doing…. My cheeks are already red, but… am I really going to give myself to him…? I looked at Hisoka, getting scared of what was going to transpire. This is new territory for me. What's going to happen…? He sees the look I'm faced giving and looks pleased with my reaction,
"What's this~? Are you scared~? "
I look away from him and nod. There's no point in hiding my inexperience with him. He chuckles and strokes the side of my face,
"Don't worry. I won't hurt you… much." Hisoka then leans in to kiss my neck. I gasp at the feeling. His hand continued to drive up under my shirt until it was above my stomach. I let out little noises feeling everything he's doing with me. I then feel myself pinned to a wall as he continues to grope my body. I let out another gasp. I held my closed hand to my lips, embarrassed at the sounds I'm making. Hisoka looks at me taking in my face he grins,
"Get louder, my Love~! I want to hear your beautiful voice~! " He goes back to attacking my neck. I let out meek sounds, until Hisoka's phone rings. He lets out a frustrated sigh and stops what he's doing, pulling away from me. I slide down the wall and onto the floor, completely dazed. I look up at Hisoka as he looks down at his phone and answers it,
"Hello? Yes. I know. Oh~? So it's time? Alright, no need to threaten me~!" Once he's done speaking on the phone he hangs up. He turns to me with a pout,
"Unfortunately, we really do have to cut this short." He lets out a sigh. I do agree. It's getting frustrating for me too…I get up from the floor when Hisoka instantly places both his hands to the wall, pinning me in between them. He looks at me intensely,
"I am getting impatient you know~? I want to claim you right now but…. It'll have to wait. Again…" He begins to stroke my cheek and whispers into my ear,
"But at least I know you want this about this as much as I do, so until next time… I will claim you, my beloved Kitten~. "
Once he says his piece, he pushes away and approaches the exit. I follow him to the exit. He turns to me,
"Oh yes~. Before I go…" He pulls me into one last kiss before he goes,
"See you soon, Darling~." After that, he leaves my hotel room.
I'm now alone. I closed my eyes and thought about Hisoka's hands all over my body… I feel my face flush from the thought, my body heat rising. I shook my head. No! I need to meet the others! But first… I'm just going to take a bath and refresh myself before I go…
—
Kurapika learns about The Shadow's Song and the properties it holds. He has a feeling She might do something stupid again if he leaves it alone, so he decides to call her. Kurapika takes out his phone and dials Her number. He waits for a few moments until the call is finally picked up,
"H-hello…?"
"Hello, it's me, Kurapika."
"Ah! Kurapika! Hi!"
"I've gotten word that might be related to your situation."
"Really? What is it?"
"There's another item that will be presented at the auction. I believe it's related to Witches somehow."
"Really?"She says sounding surprised. But Kurapika has a hunch that she already knows about it and is about ready to make the decision to take the item. But… If what he believes is correct, the strange Cult that's after her might even show up. So, if that happens, it might become more than just worrying about the Spiders… He thinks for a moment about whether or not he should actually invite her to the auction. Will she be alright…? It sounds like a bad idea, but she would be here either way… Kurapika made up his mind,
"I'm inviting you to attend the auction."
On the other side of the phone he hears the sound of surprise. He's going to break it to her that he knows what she did,
"I know what you did."
The other side went silent.
—
When Kurapika said that I didn't know what to say… Did I hear that right? He knew what I did..? I could feel myself sweat. I know exactly what he's referring to, but to make it, I decided to play dumb! I let out a cheeky laugh,
"Ahaha! What do you mean~!"
"Don't play dumb. I know what you did."
I continued to sweat. How the hell did he know?! I didn't know what to say, but Kurapika continued to speak,
"What the hell were you thinking?! Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to steal from the Mafia?! If you weren't careful, you would've made yourself the enemy! Don't you know that?!"
"Y-yes, but…"
"If you already knew then you should've known the consequence! You should've asked us for help! Or you should've called me!"
I didn't say anything else. It's true I should've reached out to them, but… I just couldn't bring myself to put them in danger like that… I let out a sigh,
"You're right… I'm sorry."
"I'm glad you finally see why. I'm sorry for yelling at you. I'm just really worried. Especially after hearing about what you did."
"Oh? Just where did you hear about what I did anyways?"
Then there's silence from the other side. I wait for Kurapika to speak, but I hear him struggling to answer me I elaborated,
"Kurapika? Where did you hear about this…?"
"Umm… Well…"
I let out a smile and ask him teasingly,
"Oh come on! You can tell me~! It's not from somewhere bad, is it~?"
"Uuhh…"
The silence starts to drag and I continue to ask him in a chipper tone,
"Kurapika~?"
Then my tone changes to threatening,
"It's nowhere bad, right?"
I hear Kurapika let out a sigh and answer,
"I… Heard it from Hisoka."
The two of us are now silent,
"WHAT?! SINCE WHEN?!"
"Oh uh…"
"Kurapika! You should tell us what's going on!"
"Wait… Why are YOU yelling at ME?!"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?! You interacted with Hisoka?! WITHOUT TELLING US?!"
"AS IF YOU ARE ANY BETTER!"
The two of us growl angrily at each other. Then I hear Kurapika sigh,
"Look. I'm sorry I didn't contact you about Hisoka, but I've just heard a word about The Spiders being here in York New City. I just have my hands full right now…"
I calmed down and let out a few sighs of my own,
"Yeah… I guess you're right… But, now that you mentioned the Spiders… A few moments ago, Gon, Killua, and I were taken prisoner by them."
"What?!"
"Yeah… We escaped, thankfully. I'm going to meet the boys again soon and we were also hoping you would meet us there till then. Gon and Killua wanted to discuss something with you."
"... Okay. I'll go and meet you all soon. I just need to give them notice where I'm going."
I smile at the news,
"Okay! See you again real soon! Okay, Kurapika?"
"Yes. See you real Soon. And… I'll pick you up for the Auction, alright? So you don't have to do this alone."
"Yeah… Thank you."
We said our goodbyes to each other and hung up. Kurapika… He really cares about us yet doesn't want help with his problems… Just like me. I just got out of the shower so I'm going to get ready to meet the rest of the boys and talk about what we've all been doing. Kurapika will be there as well to talk about what he's been doing. Also, potentially, now everybody is going to be involved now. I wonder how we're going to plan this. I guess I can't assume the worst just yet…
I got myself dressed and grabbed my bag. I thought of Hisoka… I must thank him for retrieving my bag. How did he manage that without getting caught? Did the Troupe ignore my bag or something and that's how he got it? Who knows? Well. Enough about Hisoka, I'm going to meet the boys. I finally leave the hotel thinking about how my plans to take the relic have changed.
Notes:
Okay~! This is where the timeline becomes a mess! Woo Hoo!
Chapter 24: Chapter 23: Reunion and Getting into positions
Summary:
Kurapika is convinced to reunite with everyone early. And it's time for the biggest heist.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
It's the calm before the storm. Chrollo keeps a lookout for a young girl with blue hair, but so far, nothing. Hearing about what she can do intrigues him. The daughter of the Nostrade Family has the ability to predict the future and because of that people pay the Family to get their futures predicted. And another thing about this girl is… She's not even an official Nen User but has tapped into her Nen Ability without realizing it. It's all very 's met many Nen Users with fascinating Nen Abilities and they all are indeed very useful as well. He thinks about his Little Song Bird. She can use her voice as a weapon. And another thing about her… She decides to use a sword for battles, but what he notices about her using her sword is how she uses it. She's not exactly a swordsman like Nobunaga, but she has the ability to summon elementals through her sword. He wonders about her and her choices to wield something like that when it's very clear she lacks the skills to wield a weapon. She's also not as physically strong either. She seems more capable in other things that aren't made for hand-to-hand combat. Not as well, at least. He can still feel the soreness of his jaw when she punched him. Also… Her values contradict the sword in her possession. What is her reasoning when she thought about using a sword as her weapon of choice? He then thinks about The Song she sang to knock out all the guards surrounding The Book. They were all still alive at that time. She's indeed very pure when it comes to that… She values in taking routes that would lead to the least conflicts. And has the desire for harmony. Is that where the Darkness of her experience has led her to? A Path of Light instead of the Path to Darkness he has taken? She is much more innocent than he thought. He lets out a smirk. The more he thinks about her the more he needs to see her again. Her Light… He wants to experience it. How does she manage to keep in contact with that Light? He wants to know.
Just then, he sees the Daughter of the Nostrade family enter the Mall with two of her maids and two of, what he assumes, are her bodyguards. He watched closely and kept his distance.
—
I've arrived at the hotel the boys are staying at. I see the boys sitting in the lobby. Leorio spots me. He gets up and greets me,
"Hey! How have you been?"
I waved at him and approached the boys. Gon gets up and greets me, too,
"Big Sis!"
"Hey, Gon!" I patted the boy on the head as he approached me eagerly. Killua came over to greet me as well,
"Hey." the boy waves at me calmly. I smile and pat his head as well,
"Hey, Killua!" Killua blushes from the gesture and smack my hand away out of embarrassment,
"Okay, knock it off…" The boy says with a pout. I just laugh it off. The kid is adorable as heck. He's like a little Ki- …Wait a minute. My face then turned sour. Killua looks up at me questioningly,
"What's wrong?"
I shook my head and let out a strained laugh,
"Oh, nothing's wrong Killua! Everything's fine!"
I then turn away from him cursing Hisoka for tainting the word Kitten FOREVER!
—
Hisoka is shuffling his cards when he feels some kind of threat looming over him. He doesn't know why, but he is thinking of his beloved Kitten. He chuckles at her feistiness and temper. He guesses the reason why he's thinking of her right now is maybe she's thinking of him too~! He smiles and continues shuffling his deck.
—
Just then I notice Leorio looking at me with anticipation, as if he's waiting for me to do something. I tilt my head at him questioningly,
"Hmm? Do you need something Leorio?"
The man turns away and places a hand behind his head,
"Oh! No, no, no! There's nothing at all!" He says with a laugh,
"Oh. Okay!" I say then turn my attention back to the boys. Killua looks at Leorio and gives him a cheeky grin which makes Leorio huff angrily at him. I just smile in confusion. Gon is just as confused as I am. Seriously. It's like I'm babysitting instead of hanging out with friends sometimes. Then again… Gon and Killua are literally children. Leorio, however… I eyed him. The man is having a childish banter with Killua. Leorio notices me looking at him,
"Yes?"
"Why are you so easily bothered by what a child says, Leorio? You should be the adult here." I tell him shrugging. The man looks extremely hurt. I froze at the man's pained look,
"Ah… Leorio…?"
"DO I REALLY LOOK THAT OLD?!" He yelled at me out of nowhere,
"Heh?!" I look at him with bewilderment,
"So…. You're not an adult…?"
"NO, I'M NOT! I'M ONLY A TEENAGER!"
"WHAAAAAT?!" I was indeed flabbergasted by the reveal. Killua and Gon didn't seem surprised at all. SO I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO'S SURPRISED BY ALL OF THIS?! And wait… how long have they known this info anyway? Also, I've just realized…
I'M THE ONLY ADULT IN THIS FRIEND GROUP?!
After that shocking reveal, we sat in the lobby as we waited for Kurapika. I've told the boys that Kurapika will be here to meet us today. Leorio is still surprised,
"I'm still surprised you actually got to Kurapika. All this time the jerk never picks up his phone." He grumbles,
"Ah, yeah. Well, I did tell him to lean onto us more when he decided to call me."
"Oh! It was him who reached out to you?!"
"Yeah! I was surprised too!"
I am still hesitant to tell them why Kurapika decided to reach out to me that the reason was because I stole a Book from a Mafia-run Auction, but… I'm just going to wait for Kurapika to get here.
Just then, as we were all hanging out in the Lobby, a certain blonde approached us. I noticed him and waved at him,
"Kurapika!"
The others turned their attention to Kurapika and greeted him. Kurapika smiles at all of us. It's great to see everyone together. We all talked about what we've all been doing since apart with Kurapika, and then we all decided to go to the room where Gon, Killua, and Leorio were staying at. I anticipated Kurapika to mention our plan for the Mafia's auction. I notice him giving me the look. Oh. so, that's how it's gonna be. He wants me to mention it first! I gulped and coughed to get the boys' attention,
"Guys, I want to share something with you and… uh…"
I hesitate for a moment, looking at each other. Gon gives me a curious look, Leorio waits for me to share what I'm going to say. Killua listens intently as he licks his bunny-shaped lollipop. I then turn to Kurapika. He's waiting for me to share what we both know. I let out a sigh,
"So… You guys heard of the Auction that's going to take place later in the day, right?"
Killua nods as well as Leorio. Gon asks me what about it,
"There's an auction that's happening later?"
I nodded to him,
"Yeah. It's run by the Mafia and they have an item I need to get there. They held one previously, but it got canceled because of the incident the Spiders made… and"
I took out the Book I stole from the previous Auction,
"This is an item from the previously held Auction."
Gon and Killua look at the item curiously. Gon looks up at me and asks,
"How did you get this?"
Looking at Gon's innocent eyes makes me feel extremely guilty. It won't just be me admitting my crime, no. For some reason, it will be the weight of revealing my crime to Gon that is getting to me. I look away from Gon, not wanting to meet his eyes as I force myself to say it,
"I… I took it from the previous auction."
I didn't dare look at Gon, but I heard Leorio freak out,
"You did WHAT?!"
I sweat and nodded,
"Yeah. I… Stole it."
I feel the tension when Leorio speaks once again,
"Why didn't you say anything?! And I'm guessing when this took place… You did this right after you met up with us…?"
The hurt and worried sound of his voice made me feel bad for not telling them what I planned to do earlier,
"I know, I'm sorry… It was selfish of me."
"You're damn right it's SELFISH! You've got friends with you! You should've at least reached out to us!" Leorio then turns to Kurapika,
"Same goes for you, by the way! Actually, I wasn't planning to lecture about reaching out to friends to Her and was actually going to lecture about reaching out to friends to only you, Kurapika, but hearing about what SHE did?! Oh! You guys are going to get it!"
"Look, I'm sorry, OKAY?!" I tried to say but Leorio wasn't going to have it and started yelling at me some more,
"No! You listen here! Just because you feel like your problems feel too dangerous doesn't mean you can do anything all by yourself!" He then turns to Kurapika,
"Okay?! You better answer your phone more, you bastard!"
"Look. I understand your worries, Leorio, but I can't always answer my phone."
"That's bullshit and you KNOW IT!"
The two then started arguing back and forth. I see Gon stare at me. God, I still feel extremely guilty. It's like I'm a bad influence!
No..! Don't look at me…! I'm a MONSTER!
"Is that Cult planning to do something with the items you're collecting?" The boy asks me. I calmed down and nodded,
"Yeah. I honestly don't know what, but from the information I've collected so far It's nothing good. Whatever they're planning has something to do with me and… I just want to stop them from achieving their goals, so that's why I've been doing this without telling you guys… Again, I'm very sorry."
Gon shook his head at me,
"No, you don't have to apologize. I get it. You want to prevent anything bad from happening which involves protecting your friends."
My eyes twinkled at Gon's understanding. He is truly a sweet boy and I will protect him with all my heart!
Once Kurapika and Leorio calmed down we went back to discussing our thoughts about the auction,
"Kurapika invited me to the Auction so I don't have to steal the item on my own."
"Actually… I was hoping you wouldn't steal in general."
I turn to him,
"But that isn't an option! I can't let that item fall into anyone's hands! Who knows what will happen to that relic or whoever ends up winning it?!"
"But still…"
"Kurapika. Please… I'm doing this just so no one would get hurt! That's what I was planning to do when I thought of stealing those relics."
Kurapika is deep in thought and looks at me in the eyes,
"I just don't want you to make a mistake."
I give him a reassuring look,
"I won't. Also, I'm not the Spiders. I don't steal without reason. And I don't kill either."
Kurapika let's out a sigh,
"Look… I'm not trying to compare you to them at all, I'm just worried."
"And I get that. What I'm doing is dangerous, but… That's the conclusion I've come up with when it comes to these auctions and the relics…. I promise… When I encounter other relics, I hope to find a different solution, but for now… I have to take these relics out of the Mafia's hands. I'm sorry."
Kurapika stays quiet for a moment and lets out a sigh,
"Alright… But, to make sure you won't get caught by the Mafia, I will get you into the Auction without any detection. You need to wear a disguise. Make sure none of them recognize you. Also! You need to be careful with the Spiders! I've also heard that the Leader is interested in you for whatever strange reason and I want you to steer clear of him… Alright?"
I nod to him,
"Yes."
The other boys listen intently when Leorio speaks,
"You're not expecting us to sit on the sidelines are you?"
"Well…" I say, not really knowing what to say when Leorio glares a us,
"Oh no you don't! We're not gonna let you do this alone!"
Killua raised his hand,
"Hey, question."
"Yes, Killua?" I ask him,
"So, are you going to fill me in on the info you gathered about that weird Cult you've been going on about? I don't think you explained to us why you want to steal these Relics in the first place."
I took in what he was asking,
"Good question… I will share with you guys what I know since you asked so nicely."
I shared with them what I knew. The cult members are all just walking corpses with a Puppet master behind them. I still am figuring out what they're going got do with the relic and I also talked about my time with Freeda and how the Puppet Master arrived in this world,
"The Puppet Master's name is Oyana. And that's it. Unfortunately, that's not really a lot to go by."
Killua hums in thought,
"Interesting."
I turn to Kurapika and see the look he's giving me,
"Is it the right time to share what you've experienced before we parted a few months ago?"
I now know what he meant. The time when I discovered my memories are being altered in real-time… To be honest, I was scared of thinking about my memories. I was scared to think of what's changed if I thought back. The dreams I've been having… are a cross between a girl's past and my own… So, I'm scared to share it,
"There's another thing I need to share…"
Killua and Gon give their full attention. Leorio knows what I'm going to share so I went for it,
"Gon. Killua. My memories are being altered."
Gon gives me a questioning look. Killua waits for me to continue,
"The Cult… I think they've done something to me. I don't know how, but since I've encountered them, I discovered they have the ability to change my memories."
Gon's eyes widen,
"What?"
Gon's shocked face made me feel guilty for some reason,
"Yeah. But to be honest with you, I don't really know when they will alter my memories. They did it without me knowing after all."
I then think of when Freeda tried to Excorsise the curse from me,
"Unfortunately… When I was training with my Nen Teacher, she tried to remove the effect from me but… That cost her life."
Gon stayed silent,
"So, that's how your Nen Teacher died?" Leorio asked me. I nod my head,
"Yeah… I told you she's not the only Nen Teacher, right? Before her was a woman named Baran. She took me on a mission where I encountered that Cult. They took her life and two others…"
The image of their bodies flash through my mind,
"That was the first time I've experienced death… I'll never forget it."
I went silent for a moment then continued,
"I might have the answers in my past, but The Cult is preventing me from accessing them. The only memories of my past I hold is the family I've adopted into and the friends I cherished back home… But, I have no way of contacting them, unfortunately… For now, I have you guys to rely on if I do end up forgetting them…"
I took out printed copies of photos of my family and my friends and gave them to each of them,
"I know it's a little bit excessive and I'm probably being paranoid since carrying photos of people you don't know might be weird but…Please. If I did forget… please show these to me."
—
Kurapika looks at the photo. On it is a happy couple, a woman and a man with an upbeat-looking young boy. All with black hair. With the family next to them, are three people. A young man with brown hair trying to look suave in front of the camera, a young woman with blonde hair who holds herself in a more serious way, but holds a caring air to her, and a young teen with red hair who holds themselves in a mischievous way. His eyes softened. This reminded him of his family, the Clan and the happy days he once had.
He could tell she was serious about this, so he asked her,
"We can keep these photos for you. Can you tell us who they are and what they're like so it would be easier for you?"
She obliges. She begins to explain,
"The couple and the young boy are my adopted family. They took care of me for as long as I am able to remember." She then points at the couple,
"These are my Mom and Dad, their names are Rose and Sora. They are a loving couple who I could rely on if I ever am in trouble. I think… when they first brought me home, they saved me from a terrible place. A place where it had me remain mute most of my time with them."
That's new information. So, she was mute when she was younger. They're going to have to carry that information on them with no way of knowing why. She then points to the boy,
"This one is Luka. He's my little brother."
Gon looks at the picture curiously. It's clear she sees her brother in Gon, Kurapika notices. And Kurapika couldn't lie to himself, he saw the person he cares for in Gon as well. In a way. The boy has been the light to all of them, after all. She then proceeds to point to her friends. She points to the tall man of the group first,
"This is Ethan. He may look like a wannabe playboy, but he's actually a sweet guy. He's actually dating her." She then points to the woman beside him,
"Her name is Niki and she keeps Ethan on his toes. She's seen as the responsible type in the friend group."
She then points to the last person,
"This one is Mira. They had a similar experience, only, their situation was different from mine. At least, I think so, that is… With Mira, they were saved from a pretty bad foster family and finally were able to get adopted into a good home."
She then smiles and continues,
"Mira is younger than me and is actually a lot closer to Luka's age, so the two of them are close friends. They're joined by the hips. Like you two!"
Killua blushes while Gon cheekily rubs the back of his head,
"Really?"
She nods,
"Yeah. Mira always visits and asks to hang out with Luka every time. They pretty much feel like a part of the family."
She looks at the photo with fondness. She looks at the boys,
"I couldn't help but see my friends in you guys, so… I ended up attaching myself quickly with all of you. I hope you understand now. Especially when it came to my friends back at home."
The boys seemingly are touched by the thought until Leorio speaks,
"Hey, wait a minute…. Who did I remind you of…?"
"Heh? Well… You reminded me of Ethan when we first met."
"What?! Are you serious?! From the description you just gave about the guy just sounded like he tries too hard to please the ladies!"
In response to Leorio's comment, She only just gave him a sheepish laugh. He responds despondent,
"Oh, c'mon! Just because I sacrificed 10 Hours just to touch a titty doesn't mean anything!"
"You did what now?" She gives him a look of disappointment and disapproval. Leorio regrets what he just said. Killua remembers that moment clearly Gon remembers that as well, but is more innocent about it. Kurapika just gives Leorio a disappointed look,
"Aww Man! No! Stop thinking about it!"
Three out of four just Judge him over his choices.
—
Once that was concluded and everyone was finally up to date with the Cult, it was now Kurapika's turn to share about the Phantom Troupe and what he was doing there at York New City,
"As you already know, the Phantom Troupe is here. They will attend the Auction. I'm sure of it and… I have a feeling something big is going to happen."
Everyone listens intently as he continues,
"I don't know what's going to transpire there, but if you all are planning on going, I suggest you prepare yourselves…" He then turns to the two boys worriedly,
"However… I suggest you don't come to the auction if it becomes a warzone. Especially if you're not prepared for it."
Killua understands Kurapika's concerns. He thinks about Illumi's words that plague his mind,
"You can't do it, can you?"
"I can do it… I know I can…!"
Gon looks at Killua and then turns his attention to Kurapika,
"Hey, Kurapika? Can you teach us how you formed your Hatsu? Killua and I were meaning to ask you about it."
"Hmm? Sure." Kurapika says to them,
"Oh yeah! I've always wondered… What Category did you fall into, Kurapika? I'm curious." She asks Kurapika,
"Oh. That? Well…"
—
Kurapika explained that when he didn't activate his Scarlet Eyes, He was actually a Conjuror, but when he activated his Scarlet Eyes, he became a Specialist. My eyes twinkle at that,
"Wow! So, Freeda is right! There are people who really can change Categories!"
"It is interesting indeed, but I only could access my Specialist abilities when I activate my eyes," Kurapika explains. Killua then asks,
"So how did you work on your Hatsu?"
It's clear the question was aimed at both of us. I nodded to them and thought of my own answer,
"Well… I'm a Conjuror myself and well, I actually had to study a sword before creating my own, and when training under Freeda I was able to make my sword even better by having transmitter qualities to it... Also, along with that, I turned my bag into a portal bag, so it can carry pretty much anything in there."
"Woah! That's amazing!"
I then thought about how I could use my voice and thought to bring it up anyway. I honestly didn't really know how I ended up using my voice for Nen, but I did… I then speak,
"There's one other thing I could do, but honestly, I don't exactly know where it falls under."
"Oh yeah? What is it?" Gon asks eagerly,
"I can turn my voice into a weapon as well."
"Woah! That's awesome!"
When hearing that explanation Kurapika asks,
"Is it possible you might also fall into a second category too?"
"Maybe? But, I haven't taken the water divination a second time to check."
—
Just as Kurapika suggested, I ended up taking the water divination test again. They all watch as I hover my hands to the side of the glass. We look for anything different and… Nothing. Nothing different from my first result at least. I shrugged,
"Well. It's worth a try."
Kurapika thinks about it and asks,
"I wonder… is there something different about you…?"
I blink at him questioningly,
"What do you mean?"
"When you first arrived in this world, did you notice anything, or maybe through your first few days here, was there anything?"
"Well… When I first got here, I encountered Hisoka.:
After dropping that bomb on everyone they all acted shocked,
"What?!"
"Really? You guys forgot?! I already shared that info with you all!"
"Well, that's news to me… No wonder you guys are into each other." Killua grumbled. My head snapped to face Killua and glared daggers at the boy,
"EXCUSE ME?!"
Killua just shrugged at my response,
"What? It looks like that at least."
"I'M NOT INTO HISOKA! TAKE THAT BACK!" I yell angrily at him with my face as red as a tomato. I ended up chasing the boy around the room.
—
The other three boys watch the spectacle. Leorio is distraught from what Killua has said,
"WHAT?! NO WAY! THAT CAN'T BE TRUE! That Hisoka is a complete PSYCHO! Why would she be into him?!"
Meanwhile, Killua is being really cheeky about it all,
"Eh. I don't know. You should ask Her that question. Her taste is really weird."
"Why you!? MY TASTES ARE GOD DAMN NORMAL! I just have the misfortune to attract WEIRDOS, OKAY?!" She angrily says the last sentence through gritted teeth as she begins to throw pillows at the boy which Killua easily dodges as he laughs, finding this to be like a game.
Gon couldn't help but just chuckle in disbelief. Kurapika turns away from the scene and decides to think about it. So… The first person she meets is Hisoka and what was he even doing there in the first place? From what he knows about Hisoka, he derived in searching for the strongest opponent to fight someday in the future… Did Hisoka see something in Her that piqued his interest which then turned to a hyper fixation? He then comes to the conclusion that it would probably not sit well with Her. He turns to everyone. It's nice to see the scene before him. It's really nice to be in the presence of friends and have a good time together. He just wished it was at a better time. So he decided to cut it short. After all… they still need to plan out what they're all going to do with the auction and share what he's come up with about Her,
"Alright, let's all get back on track. We still have much more to discuss."
—
I paused at throwing a pillow at Killua while Killua stopped what he was doing as he turned his attention to Kurapika. Kurapika motions for everyone to sit back down. Yup. Kurapika is the mom of this group. Even though I'm supposed to be the oldest here. We all gathered back at the table and went back to what we needed to do. Kurapika looked at me seriously,
"I… have some theories about you and I don't know if you might like what I'm going to say. I give him my full attention. The older boy prepares himself and gives me a serious look,
"You might be a witch."
I stay silent. But how…? How am I a witch…? I give him a questioning look. Kurapika continues,
"When arriving in our world, was there something about you Hisoka took interest in?" Mentioning Hisoka caught me off guard. Why mention him? My mouth hung slightly open for a moment until I finally speak,
"Uh… He says my aura I give off a very large amount of aura…" I thought about it for a moment then mentioned some other things,
"And well… He's not the only one that took notice. My old Nen teacher noticed, as well as… The Leader of the Phantom Troupe…" Kurapika's eyes widened from the reveal,
"What do you mean…?"
I look away from Kurapika. I guess it's now time to tell him that I've met Chrollo before any of them,
"I… have something to share. About the Leader of the Spiders."
I prepared myself as I told Kurapika that Chrollo and I had interacted before all of this,
"Chrollo… He was…someone who I thought I would call a friend."
Kurapika's hands gripped tightly,
"Chrollo…?"
I nod to him,
"Yes. His name is Chrollo Lucilfer. But, you have to understand, I didn't know he was the Leader of the Spiders. All that time, I thought he genuinely wanted to get to know me and… I thought we had a connection. I thought I made my first friend in this world. But I was wrong… After you told me about what the Phantom Troupe did to your clan and discovered that Chrollo is the Leader of that Troupe, I couldn't believe it at first… I hoped it wasn't true. But, when I saw him again after not seeing him for a long time, I went to steal this book… I feel kind of betrayed. And I was thinking of you and how it would make you feel if you knew that I actually knew Chrollo before meeting you all. I'm sorry." I gave him a genuine apology. I really did want him to know I was on his side about all of this. Honestly, I'm kind of scared of his reaction… Would he hate me…?
Kurapika went silent. I could see how tightly he was holding his fists. But it's not just his fists… His eyes have turned a faint red like before when he shared his past with me. I watch him closely when he finally speaks,
"That's… Really unexpected."
No one said anything and let this play out as Kurapika looked directly at me. He gives me a serious look. I don't know what he's thinking at all until,
"Don't worry I don't hate you. You didn't know, right? So, you didn't do anything wrong. Well. Not towards me at least."
Well, I'm relieved. Kurapika then made a sound like he's finally connected the dots,
"Ah. So that's why The Troupe Leader wanted to take you. He saw your potential as a Nen User."
"Let me guess… Hisoka told you?" I say with a little poke to the side. Kurapika responded with,
"Uuuhhh…"
Leorio responded with,
"Say WHAT?! That guy AGAIN?! Seriously! What is up with that?!"
Kurapika turns away slightly from Leorio as he is being glared at by him,
"You gonna answer?!"
"That's…"
Defending Kurapika, I speak up,
"Hey now. I don't think it's that big of a surprise, really… Hisoka is an unpredictable man and he just pops up when you least expect it. After all, at this point, the man might have already encountered everybody we know. "
Leorio frowns at the possibility of encountering Hisoka when he is just having a casual stroll or when he's doing something mundane. That would ruin his day. I get that because Hisoka sure likes to mess with me, too, by being a massive pervert and weird… I then thought of Kurapika's match with Hisoka back at the Hunter Exam,
"Besides, I'm guessing Hisoka already knew of your search for the Troupe and shared that info with you back at the Hunter Exam, right?"
Leorio crosses his arms,
"Still, you should've told us what's happening!"
Kurapika just lets out a sigh,
"I will when I can."
It's clear Leorio isn't satisfied with his answer, but he knows he won't get a better answer, so he lets it go. For now. He lets out a huff,
"You're as annoying as ever."
Kurapika checked the time and turned to me,
"We still have enough time to talk about how we can do this heist." He turns his attention to the three of them,
"I still think you guys shouldn't attend this auction. And it really will get dangerous, but…" I look at Gon and let out a sigh,
"Know you guys, you wouldn't really listen to me, so I've devised a plan."
And so, Kurapika has given us his strategy. Gon and Killua will be surveying the area while Leorio is going to be the one to operate outside the auction, so he won't be inside the building at all. Leorio didn't like the decision at first, but he understood that he was needed elsewhere. Kurapika talks to him directly,
"You will be talking to us through this." He gives Leorio a walkie-talkie. Leorio takes it from his hands,
"You will be in contact with someone I work with. She will be the one to help you with reading the layout of the building."
"Someone you're working with?" I ask him. He nods his head,
"Yes. Her name is Melody. She's someone I could trust to help all of you with this."
My eyes widened, realizing how much Kurapika had decided to risk his life for me,
"Kurapika… Wouldn't that be dangerous for you…?"
He just gives me a reassuring smile,
"It's okay. I may not like the idea of you stealing from the mafia, but… I knew you longer, so I'll help you out."
I now feel determined to go through with this plan. I'm extremely grateful,
"Kurapika… You have no idea how extremely grateful I am. So, if you need help with anything, please give me a call so I can return the favor, okay?"
Kurapika seemed hesitant,
"Okay?" I say it again, waiting for a response from him,
"Y-you don't have to do that…" I glared at him and flicked his nose. He rubbed at it after I did so,
"That is nonsense! And you know that! You're risking your life for me and that is not something I would overlook, okay?! So, again! If you need anything, let me return the favor!"
Kurapika was stunned and… do I see a blush…? He looks away,
"Alright…"
I smile at him,
"Good!"
And so, we've decided to begin the operation. The Auction will be starting late at 9 pm to the rest of the night. But, that would all depend on how well the Auction will go, that is… Kurapika turns to me,
"Alright. It's time for you to get ready, we will be heading there soon."
I nodded to him and got dressed. Thankfully, I brought the dress Hisoka bought for me, so I will be using that for the Auction. I know he will be there, too, but I hope he won't get in my way once I get there. Kurapika also provided me a wig to wear to disguise myself better if I do encounter the Phantom Troupe or the Cult. Two groups I really don't want to bump into at all… I applied my makeup fixed the wig to my head and made it look as natural as possible. I'm feeling rather nervous, but I swallow my fears. I need to learn from this… It won't be the last… I leave the bathroom to meet the others. Once I exit the bathroom, I get bombarded by Leorio's compliments,
"Oh wow~! What's this I see~? You look Beautiful~!"
He begins to swoon. I know his angle now and just answered in a normal fashion. I give him a smile,
"Oh! Thank you! I hope the wig doesn't look off. I really did try my best…"
"Nonsense! You look great!"
The two young boys went up to me,
"Big Sis! We'll do our best to help you get that Relic!"
I pat the boy's head,
"Thanks. But, promise this, please… If things do get extremely dangerous you guys might actually be in huge danger. Run."
I notice Killua is bothered by my comment, I look at him questioningly,
"Killua…?"
The white-haired boy just looks away from me,
"It's nothing…" The boy looked conflicted with something and I held my hand to also give him a head pat, but he flinched. I pulled my hand back. Ah… I finally get it,
"It's what Illumi said to you at the Hunter Exams, isn't it?"
The boy didn't say anything, so I leaned over to look at him at eye level,
"Listen… What Illumi says is not something you should listen to, okay? I know you can take care of yourself. You can outsmart any enemies than I ever could. I'm just very worried, that's all, okay? I won't do that to you like Illumi and make you do what you don't want to do… I just want to make sure you and Gon will come out of all of this alive… Alright?" I give the boy a concerned look. Killua finally looks at my face and nods to me,
"Okay…:"
I smiled relieved and stroked his head,
"You're so adorable."
Killua's face turned red and pulled away from my hand and turned his back to me with his arms crossed and a pout on his face,
"Am not!"
I laughed at the boy's reaction.
I stood up straight and approached Kurapika,
"Okay, I'm ready now."
He nods to me and turns his attention to the boys,
"Alright, we're off. Gon. Killua. We'll drop you two off to where you will be surveying. Leorio. I gave you Melody's number, so expect a call from her soon."
Everyone agrees and we're all now off to steal the relic. Chrollo… Eat your heart out. For I will take that relic off your hands once again.
Notes:
Well hello there. This chapter took a while, but I finally did it!
Chapter 25: Chapter 24: Auction Take 2
Summary:
She gets help with the heist and is very grateful for their help.
Chrollo is there to take.
A certain Witch has finally made her appearance.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
We've arrived at the building where the Auction is being held. The Auction itself is going to start in only a few hours. Gon and Killua are dropped off first right nearby to do exactly what they are assigned to do. I took the two boys' hands,
"Good luck out there, okay?"
Gon smiles at me and nods,
"Okay, you too! Good luck at the Auction!" Killua nods in agreement with Gon. The two then leave the car. I turn my attention to Kurapika and give him a nod,
"Okay. I'm ready when you are."
Kurapika nods to me and tells the driver to bring them to the entrance of the building. Checked everything on me and made sure my bag was concealed. After the incident with the Troupe, I've thought of concealing my bag from view to keep it from being stolen, but I still need to figure that out later down the line once I work on my Nen abilities. For now, I'm disguising my bag by stuffing it into another bag… It's not ideal, but it's something. And at least my bag is small enough to fit into another bag just fine.
Kurapika drops me off,
"Thanks again for your help, Kurapika."
"Don't mention it. Just don't get caught, okay?"
I smiled and gave him a thumbs-up,
"You bet!"
I leave the car as the car leaves. I looked at the entrance of the building and made my way, steeling my nerves. This is only step one, so I'm going to have to be as convincing as possible. The Bouncer is intimidating. He looks down at me and stops me as he looks down at the list,
"Name?"
"Keiko Azura."
The Bouncer looks down the list and ultimately lets me through,
"Welcome to the Underground Auction, Miss."
I nod to him and walk past the man. I wanted to let out a big sigh once I finally entered the building, but I controlled myself. But, I am finally in the building. Just as planned!
—
Kurapika is being driven to where he needs to be when, suddenly, he gets a phone call. He takes out his phone and notices he actually has 8 missed calls from Basho. He picks up the phone,
"Hello?"
"Finally you picked up!"
"Apologies, something came up."
"Well, something came up here, too! The Boss is nowhere to be found. She must've snuck off to the Auction!"
When Basho tells him that, Kurapika's eyes widen,
"What?!"
—
I looked around the building, getting familiar with the place. I looked for a place to contact Leorio. I wonder if he contacted Kurapika's coworker.? I walked around the area, making sure not to stand out too much, which was a little bit difficult. I just noticed the lack of women in this building. There's really no use blending into the crowd here. The majority of people in this building are mostly wealthy old men. I walked around until I found myself in a bar. Oops. Well… I guess I am kind of thirsty.
I went up to the bar and ordered just a glass of water.
—
Chrollo has made it to the Auction with the girl. She has been convinced that she is in safe hands, but she is none the wiser at all. The girl has decided to sneak off to the Auction all by herself, away from her caretakers and away from her bodyguards. She walked right into his trap.
He took her to the bar of the Auction to have her meet all the conditions of his Nen Ability to steal Her's. The two walked inside and went past the bar. There, he suddenly recognized a voice he hadn't heard in a long while,
"Can I have a glass of water, please?"
He stopped in his tracks and turned to the bar and there stood a woman in a beautiful dress. He examines her curiously. The young girl with him wondered why he stopped,
"Hmm? Are you okay?" She asked him. Her question got his attention. He turns back to the girl, Neon,
"Oh, just one moment, I'm going to get us a drink. Look for a place to sit why don't you?"
"Oh, okay sure!" She then leaves to find a seat. He momentarily watches the girl find a seat then turns his attention back to the woman at the bar. He begins to head in her direction.
—
As soon as the barkeep poured me a glass of water, I was just going to take it and find a quiet and secluded place to sit when I heard a voice next to me,
"Barkeep, may I ask what you have that is nonalcoholic?"
My eyes widened. That voice… I steal a glance to my left and sure enough… It's Chrollo standing right next to me. This time, Chrollo is wearing a nice suit, different from the suit I first met him in, and he's wearing his hair down with a bandana covering his tattoo. Just the same way I first met him. I quickly looked away, hoping he didn't recognize me. As the barkeep left to make Chrollo's drink I grabbed my glass and was trying to quickly leave the bar when I heard Chrollo speak,
"It's been a while."
I froze in place. Damnit! I've been found out! I slowly turn to him not exactly knowing what expression to give him. I look in his direction. He just smiles at me. Looking at him now, I finally know what to give him. I gave him a glare in return. Chrollo continues to look at me and speaks,
"So, you've actually decided to come to the Auction by the front entrance this time."
"Shut up! Don't say that so loudly!" I hissed angrily at him looking around wondering if anyone overheard us. Chrollo smirks at my reaction. Of course, he does. He continues to look at me and speaks again,
"I have to say, that hair color looks good on you."
I blush and look away,
"Well… It's not real."
"Oh? You've decided to tell me that?"
I glare at him,
"Well, it's clear this disguise failed miserably, so, of course!" Chrollo hums, amused with my annoyance,
"That's true. I can recognize you based on your voice since it's something I've come to know so well. Your voice is very distinct." I couldn't help but get flustered from that! This man! Going for the heart like that! He's a menace to society in a different way! I need to watch out for him! Just then, the barkeep came back and pushed two drinks over to Chrollo,
"Here you go."
I look at the two drinks questioningly,
"Are those only for you?"
"No. I actually have someone with me." Chrollo tells me. When he says that a young girl with blue hair calls out to him,
"I found a seat!" She says and sits at the table at the far end of the room. I turn my attention back to Chrollo, judging him. He notices me giving him a judgmental look,
"What's wrong? Jealous?" He says to me. The nerve! I narrowed my eyes at him,
"Isn't she a little too young for you?" I tell him,
"Don't take it the wrong way, I'm actually here for something else. It has nothing to do with anything as tasteless as that."
"But you're still here to do something terrible, though," I say accusingly at him. He turns to me with a serious look on his face leans closely and whispers in my ear,
"You have no idea."
I move away from him. He smirked at me and took my hand in his,
"Care to see what I have in store my Treasure?"
I glare at him,
"No." I pull my hand away from him. What is his angle right now? Is he just playing with me or something? As he is busy being a creep that girl calls to him again,
"Hello! I'm thirsty! Where's my drink?"
"I'll be there in a second." He calls to her then turns back to me,
"Well, the princess calls. Would you like to sit with us? We're only just having a little small talk."
"You say 'small' talk and I say 'scheming'. Are you going to take advantage of that girl?"
"Why would you accuse me like that?" Chrollo says to me sounding slightly offended. I glared angrily and snapped at him,
"It's because you did that with me! The more I thought about our first meeting the more I realized you didn't really see me as a friend! All you cared about was whether or not the person you've encountered could be of use to you or not! And I'm sure you have that poor girl in your clutches!"
Chrollo stays silent and then speaks,
"I'm impressed. To think you aren't as naive and gullible as I thought, you've proven to be very observant and capable of reading a person well. But, you're wrong with one thing…" Chrollo says to me. I can't believe he thinks I'm gullible, too! I gritted my teeth at him angrily, but Chrollo suddenly lifted my hand and kissed it. My eyes widen at the tender look he's giving me,
"I really did see you as a friend and I really do want us to rekindle our connection somehow."
I look at him stunned. I didn't know how to respond to that at all! Chrollo continues to give me a tender look,
"I really do want us to reconnect again. But this time… I want to be more than friends."
Now I'm staring at him like a gaping fish! What did he say?! I think my brain is short-circuiting… Chrollo sees my response and chuckles,
"You really are cute."
Now my heart is beating way too fast! I think I'm getting a headache! Just as I was busy having a meltdown the girl from earlier got tired of waiting and went over to check up on Chrollo,
"What's taking you so long? It's already been 10 minutes!" She whined pouting,
"Ah. I apologize. I just met an old friend of mine and wanted to catch up with her." Chrollo explains to the girl and gestures to me. She turns to me questioningly,
"Oh? A friend of yours?"
Now I'm taken aback by the attention towards me. I still struggle to find words,
"N-No- I-I mean… Uh- We're-" I couldn't form sentences at all I'm too flustered!
Chrollo just smiles at me and speaks to her,
"Forgive her, she's very shy."
She looked at me curiously and I was too flustered to look at her at all! Just who is this girl? And why is he introducing me to her?! Chrollo places a hand on my back,
"In fact, Neon, she will be my future fiancée."
My head snapped in his direction giving him a surprised look!
WHAT?! FIANCEE?!
I didn't know what to say,
"Wh- I-" I tried to speak again but was then guided by Chrollo to the table he and that girl, Neon would be sitting at. Fiancée?! What the fuck…? Chrollo just smiled at my bewildered reaction and held my hand throughout.
—
The three of us are at the table, with me sitting beside Chrollo, who is holding my hand the whole time, and Neon sitting across from us. She seemed to look a little bit disappointed, but she went and paid attention to the drink in front of her until Chrollo spoke,
"I've heard you're a good Fortune-teller."
"Huh?" the girl, Neon stops sipping her drink, turning her attention to him. Chrollo explains to her,
"Someone told me once. I can't recall who."
Neon then confirms to him,
"I am good. Important people are always coming to me."
I looked at Neon questioningly. She can predict the future? Is she a Nen User? Chrollo hums and asks,
"How accurate are you?" He asks her. Why is Chrollo asking her these questions? He turns to me with a smile. I look at him suspiciously. He just laces his fingers between my own and turns his attention back to Neon who continues to talk to him,
"They say I'm always right."
"'They?' What do you mean? Shouldn't the Fortune Teller know?" Chrollo asks her acting in a way to invest her into telling him. I continued to watch them talk about Neon's ability to predict the future. Chrollo continues to act invested,
"Wow, impressive! Would you tell me ours?" He asks her. I get taken aback at what Chrollo says,
"W-wha- Uh… No! That's too much to ask!" I try to say, but Chrollo smirks at me,
"Oh, but I insist! I want to know the future between us! To see if there will be obstacles to go through together, my Sweet Nightingale."
I get thrown off even more!
HEH?! Nightingale?! Seriously! What is with these STUPID NICKNAMES?!
I continue to give him a look like he just insulted my whole family tree or something until Neon says,
"Okay, just write down your name, birthday, and blood type, and then I'll take it from there! Oh! And I can only give individual fortune-tellings, so I would need to do two different sets of fortunes."
I wave my hand,
"Oh. You don't need to read mine, so I'm fine just watching."
"Oh? Are you scared of learning the future, my Dear?" He asks me. I turned away from him blushing at the way he said, Dear. Being low and… soothing,
"Well… Yeah. I am. So, I prefer not to have my future predicted and just live life like a surprise. Or… Whatever." I tell him. Chrollo gives me a fascinated look,
"I see. Well, I'm impressed with you more and more."
My heart skipped a beat from that,
"S-stop it! It's not that fascinating!" I say, completely flustered,
"But yet, in the end. I want to know more about you in the future." He tells me with a straight face. I hate how he keeps catching me off guard with his straightforwardness. It's way different than how I have to deal with Hisoka! I just don't know how to deal with this man! He says things that are like they're straight out of some romance novel and I just keep getting tripped up! So, since I've declined the offer to predict my future, Chrollo begins to write down his information and pushes the book to her once he's done,
"Think this will work?"
Neon picks up the book and reads it,
"Let's see. Oh! You're 26 years old?! Wow! You're older than I thought!"
"Do I look it?" Chrollo asks acting charming,
"Not at all! And you're pretty handsome, too!" The girl says to him. I couldn't help but feel kind of annoyed by that for some reason. Why am I annoyed?! Chrollo noticed my mood and gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. I blushed at that. Neon then speaks,
"Your name is really Chrollo Lucifler? What kind of name is that?"
You know? I never really thought about his name before. It does sound like an odd name. It kind of sounds a little sinister. Which it does. Lucilfer… I study his face, curious about the man. He continues to give her the act of an approachable man, which I've just started to notice now. He's acting pretty different than when we were alone or during the time when I was stealing the Grimoire,
"Well, my friends just call me 'Boss'." He says which causes her to giggle like a high school girl with a crush. I narrowed my eyes at Chrollo,
"Boss? Wow! That's even weirder!"
Chrollo seemed to notice my glare at him and gave my hand another squeeze. I blushed harder.. Neon then twirls the pen in her hand and begins to write. A strange creature appeared and holds onto her hand as she writes Chrollo's fortune on paper. I watch in awe as the girl just writes away with a blank expression on her face, seeming to be in a trance. Chrollo watches intently. Once she's done, the girl comes back from the trance and hands the book back to him,
"Here you go."
Chrollo takes the book and reads it. I look at him, curiously. Neon then explains the fortunes she writes,
"My fortunes are kind of strange. They're usually made up of four or five poems. Each one corresponds to a week of that month, so the first one might just be some stuff that happened already."
When she explained that, it did sound pretty intriguing and it did kind of make me want to try it out if it's true, but I refrained from it. For some reason, that kind of fortune-telling really does scare me… Neon notices my curiosity,
"I can still tell your fortune if you want, you know!" I hesitate and let out a defeated sigh,
"Alright. I'll take you on that offer."
After agreeing to get my fortune told, I see tears falling from Chrollo's face after he said,
"A precious moon is lost."
I turn my attention to him fully,
"Chrollo are you okay…?" I asked him worriedly. He wiped the tears off his face. He nods to me and turns his attention to Neon,
"I have to say, your fortune-telling is amazing. It's very accurate. Take this fortune for example…"
"Oh! Don't! Don't! Don't!"
Chrollo and I look at her curiously and she tells us,
"I never read my own prophecies."
"Why not?" Chrollo asks her. She looks at the two of us and explains,
"I just get the feeling they'll be a lot more accurate if I don't get involved."
I look at her curiously. So, is that her condition placed on her Nen ability, then? Chrollo seems to think so,
"Fair enough."
Neon then quickly gets up, flustered,
"I-I'll be right back!" She tells us and rushes to the restroom. I watch her leave and then turn my attention back to Chrollo who went back to reading the poem that was written in the book,
"Chrollo… Was there something in the poem that struck you directly?"
"Yes. In this poem… it mentions 'a precious moon is lost'... I really had lost someone precious very recently." He tells me with a somber tone. I give him a remorseful look,
"I see. It was someone named 'Uvogin', right?"
"So, you know."
"Well, of course. I was taken prisoner by your fellow Spiders before coming here after all." I say with a glare. He turned to me and took my hand in his again,
"I'm sorry about what you've gone through. I'll make sure your time with everyone will be better next time."
"You're sure adamant," I tell him with a frown,
"Of course. I always take what I want, and what I want is you." He then placed his hand on my cheek as he said those words, rendering me speechless once again! I struggled to find my words,
"Y-you…! Where do you get all these damned pickup lines?! You sound like you're from a freaking romance movie or something!"
Chrollo chuckles and leans closer to my face with a wink,
"At least it's working, right?"
My face is now as red as a tomato! I pull away from him and let out a huff,
"Y-you're so god damned cheesy."
"And yet you've been swooned by my cheesy lines~." He says, amused. I couldn't help but pout at that as I crossed my arms feeling embarrassed. Just then, Neon came back, looking like she totally missed out on something as she looked at the two of us, but mainly at Chrollo. I give her a questioning look, and she notices,
"Oh! Don't mind me! Now It's your turn! I can tell your fortune now!"
I was about to comply when I suddenly felt something foreboding coming my way. My eyes begin to widen in fear. What is this feeling…? It feels like someone's aura is about ready to consume me and only me…! Chrollo notices my sudden change in demeanor,
"Are you alright?" He takes my hand. I gave his hand a squeeze. I feel sweat coming down my face. It's coming closer. I shot up from my seat,
"What's wrong?" Chrollo gets up as well and places his hands on my shoulders. I shook my head at him, too shaken up to speak. Just then… I see a woman with purple hair walking towards us. My blood runs cold. Oh no! It's her…! I pulled out of Chrollo's grasp and ran out of the restaurant. Chrollo called for me, but I was gone. Out of that place before she spotted me.
—
Chrollo watches her leave the restaurant. Neon turns to Chrollo, confused,
"What happened?"
He shook his head,
"I'm not sure…"
But it's clear something she considers to be a real threat to her is nearby. Could it be the 'something terrible' that's been tailing her this whole time? He guessed it sort of was the right call to not chain her down with him. So, she's disguised herself for another reason that isn't just him. He then sees a woman from the corner of his eye. He turns his attention to her. It's a beautiful woman with purple hair. She notices him and smiles. The two of them look at each other, examining one another. The mysterious woman then leaves. He watches her, curiously. Strange. Could she be the one? That's actually going to be a hassle. He didn't think he'd have more competition. In both the treasure and his Song Bird. Well then… He believes it's now time to wreak havoc…
—
Gon and Killua are surveying the area as instructed, and sure enough, they've found something out of the norm. The two boys quickly hid and watched closely. It's some of the Cult members. The boys look closely and sure enough, based on the missing posters they got to look at, it's them for sure. Two men, Both bickering with each other,
"I'm telling you, stop flirting with every woman you see and take this seriously!" The black-haired man scolds the man with white hair. All he got in response was a shrug,
"You need to relax, life is short, after all."
While studying these Cult members it looked like they had personalities of their own. Also, they're interacting with one another like they have history… Are they really puppets…? The two men then speak about something else,
"Do you think we can finally get Our Fair Lady to see what we're doing for her?" The tall man with white hair says to the slightly smaller man with black hair beside him,
"I doubt it. She may be our Fair Lady, but she's hard to please."
The boys wonder who this 'Fair Lady' they're talking about and lean closer,
"Then, it's up to the Madam, then. So, do you know where they kept that Staff?"
"I do, so don't get lost and keep close." The black-haired man gestured him to the map in his hands. As the boys watch the two men closely, they feel a blade against their throats, Gon and Killua don't dare move at all. The person from behind them speaks,
"What's this? Two lost children being nosey?" The boys glance from behind them and it's a young man with blue hair.
—
Leorio finally got a hold of Kurapika's coworker, Melody and he's dialing to call Her, but she's not picking up yet. She was supposed to call him right after she entered the building, but she's late and he's getting worried. He dials again until, finally, it gets picked up,
"H-Hello?!"
Finally, she picked up! Leorio sighs in relief,
"Oh! You finally picked up! What happened?! You were supposed to call me an hour ago!"
"I'm sorry. A lot just happened and… I have bad news… I bumped into Chrollo."
"What?! Did he do anything to you?! Are you okay?!"
"I'm fine. He was actually with someone else and was mostly focused on her for some reason."
"Oh, then that's fine, right?"
"No. He already knows I'm here, but… The Cult leader is here as well… I'm pretty sure she knows I'm here, too."
"Dammit! I can't believe everything is falling apart that fast!"
"Did you get any calls from the others yet?"
"No, not yet, but at least I finally got to one of you."
"Then, please tell me the details of what you see on the map. "
—
I've hidden myself from the public view, examining the area in detail. Leorio informed me about the guards near the other treasures. It seems the Shadow's Song has a more tolerable aura for it to be protected with the other items. I went into a room to change from the dress Hisoka bought for me and wore something easier to move in and I could finally take off that uncomfortable wig. I stayed close to the wall, making sure I was out of the view of any cameras. I stayed on the phone with Leorio,
"I'm here near the back of the building."
"Okay, then you're almost there. Just remember to watch your surroundings, okay?"
"I will. Thanks." I look around, seeing if the coast is clear. There's no one, good! I ran to the doors of the warehouse. Then I heara Song.But, this song… It's unfamiliar to me… It sounds like two people are singing. I stop in my tracks looking around in fear. I've been found out…! I finally located the source of the song and saw her. I begin to sweat. The woman steps into the moonlight and smiles at me,
"It's been a while, My Lady." She says.
My eyes widen in fear. There in front of me, is Oyana, herself.
Notes:
Things are getting juicy.
Chapter 26: Chapter 25: Witch
Summary:
They finally meet once again.
Her whole being is under threat.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
I stood in fear as she stood in front of me. Oyana. The one that killed Freeda's whole village, the woman who had Baran and the others with us killed… She took a few steps closer to me as I stepped a few steps back. Her eyes… They're a glowing purple color. And her smile… it doesn't meet her eyes at all. Oyana and I didn't speak for a while until,
"We finally meet again, My Lady." She then did a curtsy my way. I stayed guarded,
"Stop that…" I muttered. She stands up straight, ignoring my distress,
"Let me introduce myself properly this time. I'm Oyana, the High Priestess of the Equinox. I exist to aid you to your true potential, my Fair Lady."
What she said still doesn't make sense to me at all! I continued to step away, but she kept getting closer,
"I-I still don't understand, what do you mean…?"
"Oh, my Lady. I will explain to you to the best of my ability." She kept getting closer I drew out my sword,
"Stay BACK! Don't get any closer! Just tell me… Why?"
Oyana stops walking towards me and holds her hands up in reassurance, But her smile is still off-putting,
"Understood, My Lady."
I glared at her as I continued to widen the gap between us. She continues to give me that dead smile of hers and begins to speak,
"You, my Fair Lady are the reincarnation of the Goddess of Creation and Death! You create the Magic of Song, and you will give us Salvation to our World! You are the most important being of our Universe, My Fair Lady, Aura!"
As she spoke, she just gave me more questions than answers. And how she explains why they're so dedicated to me just sounded too strange and incoherent to comprehend! The crazed look in her eyes as she speaks to me is incredibly unsettling… Shaking my head, I struggle to find my words,
"I-I don't understand… What the hell do you mean?!"
Oyana just gave me that unsettling smile and said,
"In due time. For now… We must start cleansing your body from the impurities that was forced upon you when you were taken from us." After she says that, the twins step out into the moonlight. The two of them look at me in wonder. I ready my sword and stayed on guard. Whatever they're going to… I know for sure it won't be good. I need to get out of here. Now.
—
The Phantom Troupe has already begun their attack. The guards, Mafia members, and officers are all, either being used as puppets or killed on the spot. Hisoka entered the building, killing his share of people along the way. He knows his beloved Kitten is around somewhere, although he wonders where she is. He then continues his search for her just because for the hell of it. Also… He has a feeling something is happening while the Troupe is busy wreaking havoc at the auction. He believes it's time to get himself involved in his Darling's affairs and see how strong these Cult members are~! After all, he can't miss out on having more toys to play with~!
Hisoka smiles at the prospect of fighting the strongest of these members, he feels the excitement coursing through his body. The bloodlust he feels as he yearns for blood and gore~! The thrill of killing runs deep. His grin widens as he sees more Mafia members running his way, going for an attack! The men shot in his direction, Hisoka easily moved away from the direction of the bullets and appeared closely in front of them, catching them off guard. Just as they attempt to aim their pistols in his direction… He easily cuts them down. Blood oozing from their bodies around him, It's not enough… He wants more!
Hisoka then continued down the hallway of the building, hoping to find His Darling and the Cult Members he heard so much about. He licks his lips thinking about all the possibilities he gets to experience if he fights them. And he just can't wait to see his Darling~! Oh, his Darling~! He just wants to take her and Take her now~! He wonders if she's fighting them right now. What state is she in? Is she disheveled and ready to give in…? That won't be fun. But, since these so-called Cult Members worship her, they're just going to go easy on her. That's not fun either.
Once He gets there, maybe it's going to be interesting. At least… He'll make it interesting~! And he just can't wait to see what face his Kitten would make. He always loves her expressions, they're always adorable~! Now he's getting horny~! Maybe, once he fights the Cult Members and maybe with his Darling for a little bit, he could take her and finally fuck her someplace where they won't get interrupted! His grin now widens at his own little plan now eager to find her.
—
Kurapika made it to the Auction right before everything went to chaos. He's now worried sick. Is She okay?! Did she steal the Staff and leave this warzone?! Where's Neon?! Is she okay?! Where is Gon and Killua?! They haven't answered his calls at all! The only one he can contact is Leorio. And speaking of Leorio, he's getting a call from him right now. He picks it up,
"Hello, Leorio! Did you contact any of them?!"
"Yeah, I did, for a little while…"
That answer from Leorio worried him,
"What is it? What happened?!"
"I was on the call with her and… I think she came in contact with the Cult Leader."
That is terrible news. Kurapika clenched his fist and gripped his phone tightly as he gritted his teeth. He knew this was a terrible idea, but he didn't think it would all end up like this! He doesn't really know what he could do to change this outcome at all… Could he have changed her mind somehow? Maybe he should've been firmer with her and told her that it was all a terrible idea and he could try and get that stuff for her instead. And Neon… If he was actually the one there to protect her instead, could he have stopped her from being caught up in all of this…? And he didn't forget about the Spiders. If he found the Leader, he could end them during all of this, right…? And that Cult Leader… If he could somehow kill them both, then they won't terrorize anyone he loves and cares about forever again. But… How…? How can he even do that? He doesn't know and he feels incredibly terrible about it. He was busy beating himself up over the what-ifs and how he could somehow prevent any of this from happening until Leorio spoke up,
"Hey, I can tell you're beating yourself up on the other end. You're not the only one feeling super useless right now you know!"
"Leorio, I-"
"Cut that crap! You're there physically right now, right?! So, you still have a chance to help her out somehow! Just find her and get her out of there! If you don't, I'll go over there and do it myself!"
"Leorio…" Kurapika closes his eyes, taking in what Leorio has said, and sure enough, he feels a little better,
"Thanks. You're right. I still have time."
"That's what I'm talkin' about! I'll tell you where She is!"
—
Gon and Killua once again found themselves being held captive by another set of enemies. The men from earlier are right in front of them. The tall man with white hair examined the two of them asking them in a casual manner,
"So. What business do you have with us?"
The boys didn't say anything until the Black haired man beside him drew out his own weapon,
"Speak or your heads will roll."
Killua is actually terrified. He couldn't believe they were in a difficult situation yet again. Gon just glares at the man and speaks,
"We should be the ones asking you that!"
Killua kind of understands where Gon is going with this even if the boy may just responding, just because, but he decides to roll with it,
"We're actually hired to survey the area by the Mafia and you all look extremely suspicious."
The one holding them and blade point lets out a hum,
"If that's the case, then why hide?"
Killua hated feeling weak and usually would refuse to admit that, but… in this case,
"As you can see we're just kids. So, what else would we do confronting any of you?"
The men with them didn't say anything. Until the Black haired man speaks,
"Then that makes it easier to get rid of you."
Killua's eyes widen in fear. The man is about ready to kill them when the one holding them and blade point stops him,
"Enough, Darius."
The black haired Man, Darius, glares at him,
"Why stop me, Andre?"
"It's because. They're just children." The one named Andre tells him. Darius continues to glare at him,
"Keeping them alive would be a mistake."
Andre continues to stare him down. Killua wonders about them as the two men glare at each other.
Gon watches the three adults and then looks around the area to find an escape. Once he sees an opening, he subtly gets Killua's attention. Andre and Darius have a stare down and Andre speaks,
"I refuse to kill children. And besides… They won't be able to contact anyone because the building is under attack, just like the Madam predicted."
"I still think you're making a huge mistake."
The man with white hair steps in,
"This argument is useless. Look, we'll just take them prisoner and bring them to the Madam and ask her what we do with them."
And just as that was suggested, the boys made tier move. Killua and Gon, in the blink of an eye, ran for it. It took the three men by surprise,
"Damnit! I told you this was a huge mistake!" Darius yelled angrily and chased after them. Gon and Killua decided the next best thing to do was separate. Gon hopes to lose the man tailing him. Andre, was it? He's not going to take any chances of being caught by him at all. Gon finds himself inside the building where the Auction is taking place. It really is being under attack. He makes sure not to get caught in the crossfire as he attempts to lose Andre. And just as he thought he got the upper hand, he finds himself wrapped around in chains. Gon struggles from his bind and falls to the ground. He looks up and sees the White-haired man,
"Where do you think you're going, kid?"
Meanwhile, Killua has Darius tailing him. The man is fast, but Killua is faster. The boy took many turns several attempts to trip the man up and lose him, and it really was working! But, as he was about to jump over a bench, his ankle got caught on something and he fell to the ground with a painful thud. Killua winces in pain and lands in his face and sees that it is a chain that's wrapping around his ankle. He follows the chain and sees the white-haired man with Gon under his arm. Killua mentally cursed.
—
The plan for the Requiem is going accordingly so far, but Chrollo couldn't help thinking that a certain other group has decided to use his Troupe's Requiem for Uvogin as a distraction for their own plans somehow, He finds that kind of insulting, so it's time for him to find that 'something terrible' and show them who is the one in charge of this operation. He also knows there are assassins contracted to take them out, but he wonders if he can lure them into the mix. Chrollo makes his way down to the Auction hall. He believe he will find his precious Treasure there. Maybe once he's there and saves her from the things she feared, she will be grateful to him and run into his arms. Who knows?
Chrollo is in a room staring out a large window as the Nen ability, Indoor Fish is eating an assassin in pieces to insanity as he thinks about her. The Assassin laughs,
"Why…? Why am I still alive? What is happening?"
"This is the Indoor Fish. A Nen fish that can only live in closed spaces. A carnivore that prefers human flesh. You don't bleed or feel pain as you are eaten alive. You can't die until the Nen Fish disappears."
The man laughs after the explanation,
"I won't die?"
These Nen Fish. Such a cruel thing. He thinks of The Nen Jellyfish his Sweet Little Song Bird summoned. A truly different vibe than these. He hums at the stark contrast between the two Nen Creatures. The personality that holds within them. It's truly fascinating. How the two are complete opposites to each other. The more he thinks of the contrast between the two, the more he becomes curious of the duality of humanity itself… After meeting her, he has begun to think about it and how a human works. He's always thought of the darkness in all humans, but now he wonders about the light in humans as well. All interesting things to think about. And all interesting things to see how a human ticks. Is he getting close to finding himself if he decides to go down this path? He will have to see once he reunites with His Treasure.
Just then, Chrollo opens the large windows. The fish swimming around him disappears. The half-eaten man behind him falls to the floor, dead. Chrollo raises his hands and waves them around as if conducting an orchestra as the chaos plays infront of him. His fellow Troupe members killing left and right,
"Forever set, a Precious Moon is lost.
The others mourn him with Ceremony Grand.
Rising up to heaven the Mighty Moon of Frost.
With a Melody from the Mourning Band."
The chaos comes to it's conclusion. Chrollo finishes his little orchestra of Chaos,
"Well, Uvo. Do you hear it? We dedicate this Requiem to you."
He opens his eyes, now feeling it's time for his next move. Encounter that Cult and take what is his.
—
I let out pants as I try to find a way out of this, but these twins… They won't let me go! I let out a yell as I summoned lighting in their direction. The easily dodged it. I charged at them and it's clear they're just trying to tire me out. They have no intention of hurting me… I glared angrily at the three of them.
"Let me go." Oyana shakes her head,
"I'm sorry My Lady, but that is the one task I won't follow."
I could feel anger boiling within me, but I need calm down. They won't get what they want! This is my body! I won't let them do anything to me! I then held out my hand. I summoned the Grimoire. The three of them look at me in wonder. In front of me is the Grimoire floating with the pages open. I inhaled and started to sing a verse in the book. I want to cause them…
"Indignation!"
After yelling the name of that spell, a large ball of lightning is summoned. It aimed at the twins and the Oyana. The Twins dodged the Lightning strikes as Oyana summoned a barrier to protect herself. I believe I've found my opening! I ran for it as they were busy themselves trying not to get stuck, but once I thought I'm free, someone ran at me with a blade in their hand. I quickly jumped out of the way. There, I saw a face I hadn't seen in a while… Darius. But he isn't alone… Laris and Andre are here. My eyes then widen when I see who Laris is carrying… No…
"Gon…! Killua!"
Shit! I shouldn't have said their names…! I backed away from them, feeling incredibly trapped. I could see that Gon and Killua were only out cold, not dead, but I still am wracked with worry. My whole body tenses. I could tell, Darius was not going to let me escape without holding anything back. Laris scolds Darius,
"Hey! Don't hurt the Lady!"
"Shut up! I just want to show her what it would feel like if she ever strayed away from us which does involve pain."
I glared at the men,
"Let them go."
Darius lets out a huff,
"I knew we should've killed them. Laris. Kill 'em now."
When he says that my rage flares,
"DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE!"
Without hesitation, I charged at Laris once he was about to do exactly as he was told. When I go in for a slice. Laris dodges, but that causes him to let the boys go. I grabbed the boys and kept them as far away from them as possible. I gave all of them a threatening look,
"Get any closer and I will kill you."
I then could sense Killua stir awake, the chains on them were gone. I think what I did caused Laris to lose his ability to stay active. The boy slowly takes the moment in. I speak to him,
"Killua… Take Gon and run."
Killua didn't respond right away, but he responded with some resistance,
"But…!"
"Killua, please!" I tell him firmly. They can't go up against them… They're not ready. They really aren't. Killua understood that and took Gon in his arms. He looks up at me with worry. I give him a reassuring look,
"Go. I'll be okay…" I lied. I honestly don't know If I'll be okay after this. These people… They say they serve me and worship me, but… I couldn't help but feel like they would be the ones to destroy me in the end. Kiilua the yells to me,
"Don't worry… I'll call for backup…! I'll call for Kurapika!" He then leaves with Gon. I turn back to Oyana and the other cult members. She just watches me. I stood my ground. She then speaks,
"You need to let them go. They'll only hold you back."
"Shut up. What is me having friends got to do with being a 'goddess', huh?!"
She closes her eyes then looks at me and explains to me,
"What you experience are only human experiences. They don't serve Goddesses, my Lady and it will hinder your decisions in the future if you decide to hold these human feelings for certain humans. You need to have an unbiased look in the world by cleansing yourself from them so you can give all of us the salvation we deserve!"
I shake my head at it all. It all sounds like insanity. I hate it. They want me to strip off my own humanity and identity for this…? No! I won't let them,
"Bullshit… The more you talk about what you want me to do the less likely I want this to ever happen! All of that just sounds too batshit insane! And me getting rid of my emotions and feelings for the people I love and care for…? I would never give them up!"
She stays quiet after hearing my rant. She lets out a sigh,
"Then… unfortunately… you will be forced to be cleansed the hard way."
Once she said that I saw chains and other binds coming my way, I did my best to dodge them, I used my sword to deflect any coming my way. I summoned the Grimoire once again, but this time, I only yelled out a word,
"Inferno!" I point my sword at Darius, who is about ready to charge at me. ? He jumps away from the attack. Oyana watches and speaks,
"You can't run from this forever. This is your destiny."
I let out heavy breaths,
"Fuck Destiny… I don't care! Just leave me ALONE!"
But, as I was going to summon another spell, I heard a familiar song. Suddenly, I feel my body go slack and I tumble to the ground… I struggle to look at the direction of the voice. Callum enters my view as he walks in front of me,
"It has been a while, My Lady."
—
Killua is finally far away from the fray and is dialing up Kurapika directly. Gon is still unconscious and over Killua's shoulder,
"Come on, come on! Pick up!"
Just then, he feels Gon start to stir awake. Killua stops in his tracks,
"Gon."
Gon groggily gets off of Killua's shoulder looking around a little confused,
"What happened…?"
"There's no time to explain! We need to find Kurapika and fast!"
"Huh…? W-why? What happened?" Gon asked Killua, now worried,
"The Cult… They have her!"
Gon's eyes widened.
—
Kurapika is running down the hall following Leorio's instructions on where to go when he sees Gon and Killua on the way. Kurapika looks at the two of them confused and runs towards them. Killua spots him,
"Kurapika!"
"Gon? Killua? What are you two doing here? I thought you two were supposed to survey the area."
Kurapika wanted some answers, but Killua quickly said,
"She's in trouble! We need to get to her. Now!"
Kurapika is shocked by the news. The three of them are now heading their way to her.
Unbeknownst to them, a certain Magician follows them to where the Cult is. For some reason, thinking of his Kitten being at the mercy of this Cult makes him feel extremely irritated and extremely possessive. He follows the boys closely behind.
—
The chains begin to shackle my arms and legs. I was then raised up into the air. I couldn't struggle at all… My voice… I can't use it. I struggle to move my body. Oyana smiles up at me,
"My Fair Lady. I will help you cleanse the impurities."
She then summons the staff I was trying to steal all this time… I was too late.
She holds out her hands,
"My dearest brothers and sisters. Under this beautiful night, our Fair Lady has graced us with her presence here today and now… We will help her progress to the next stage by cleansing the impurities the human race has exposed her of. All the pain of the human experience! The potential to feel the loss of connection, the potential to feel a sense of betrayal… The potential to further expose her to all the darkness the human race has to offer! She must stay pure and free of any corruption!"
I struggle with my restraints once I begin to have feelings in my limbs. Just then I hear my name being called by several voices. Kurapika, Gon, and Killua… I struggle to speak. They need to leave… They can't go up against them! I continue to struggle with my own body, trying to move any of my limbs.
—
The boys made it to the scene. In front of them, they see their friend being suspended in mid-air. Kurapika glared at the Cult members. He looks at each and every one of them. The woman with the purple hair… she must be the one in charge. Oyana,
"Let her go!" He demands. She didn't pay either of the boys any mind and turned her attention to the three fighters of the group. Darius, Rosaline, and Andre,
"Kill them." Kurapika's eyes turn scarlet red. So. This is how it's going to be. He gets ready for a fight. The one that decided to go against him is Darius. He stares him down. Kurapika readies himself as Darius charges at him with his sword.
Killua sweats as he goes up against the same guy who chased him earlier, but at least he knows this one… he refuses to kill children, so, he'll use that to his leverage somehow.
Gon glares at the woman he's facing up against. The woman, Rosaline, approaches the boy with a neutral look on her face. He looks at her rapier as she draws it out. He holds his fists up, willing to put up a fight.
—
I think I'm starting to have feelings in my limbs again. I begin to struggle from my restraints. I need to get out of these. fast! We all need to leave! Just then, Oyana is suddenly at eye level with me. It took me a few moments to realize she was sitting on a broomstick. If I ever had any doubts that she was ever a Witch…
She leans over closely to me and gives me her dead smile,
"How interesting. It seems you can recover from that spell quickly now."
I glare at her. She leans away,
"Let's beginour song."
Just then, Oyana begins to sing the first verse. Callum and the Twins join her soon after. Once they begin their song, I begin to feel like they're trying to pull something right out of my body. I let out a pained scream. This song… I feel like it's tearing me into pieces! I began to struggle with my restraints, screaming painfully as thesong continued.
—
Once Kurapika hears her painful screams, His Scarlet eyes activate to their full potential. His determination to save his friend becomes stronger. He summons his chains. He knows his Nen abilities will be limited, but a friend of his is in danger and he must save her at all cost! Darius swings at him and Kurapika dodges,
"You! All of you will pay!"
Killua dodges every attack Andre is throwing at him. This man. He may look like he's following orders from the Witch, Oyana, but it's clear he's reluctant to strike down a child. Killua wonders about that, but he's not going to do that now! He goes and strikes.
Gon charges at Rosaline and swings a kick, aiming for her head. She easily deflects his attack and thrusts her blade, aiming for his heart, but he dodges her attack. He throws several punches and she elbows Gon in the face, throwing him off. She then uses that opportunity to strike, but Gon barely moves out of the way of her blade.
—
The three boys are trying their hardest to get to her, but to no avail, the Cult Members are not letting up. She continues to let out bloodcurdling screams. Just then cards flew towards Oyana, causing her to stop her song. She easily blocks them with the staff and looks in the direction of the cards. There stood Hisoka, grinning confidently at her,
"My, my. What is this~? May I join you~? This looks like a fun party~! "
Just because Hisoka made the woman to abruptly stop the song, his Kitten slumps tiredly from the pain, now barely conscious. Once he looks over his Darling's exhausted state, his eyes move to the purple-haired woman and give her a threatening look as he gives her one of his signature smiles. The woman stares down at him with no expression on her face. Just then the man with white hair near him then charges at him. Hisoka smirks and readies his attack.
The man he's facing decides to throw daggers his way. Hisoka easily dodges them, catches a few others, and throws them back his way. The man dodges which gives Hisoka the opportunity to throw his cards his way. The man deflects them and now takes out his own set of chains, similar to the one that's holding his Darling up in the air like that. Hisoka's eyes darken in realization. He examines the man in front of him. He uses Gyo to see what he is hiding and sure enough, he sees a connection on the Nen Chains attached to the ones holding his Darling up in the air.
The man holds his guard up on that side of him. It's clear that he could tell that Hisoka had found out how he could pull her down from there.
—
Once everybody else is preoccupied with the fight, Oyana and the remaining members continue the song. The Fair Lady lets out a pained scream. If no one activated their Gyo to their eyes, they wouldn't see a human-shaped aura slowly separate from her.
Chrollo has finally arrived at the scene and what he sees makes his blood boil. The woman he has developed an affection for is being suspended in midair being tortured by the people that are after her. That's why she had fear in her eyes, she knew the danger these people held. The people after her are Witches. He looks at the people fighting, he notices Hisoka is there in the mix. He decides to join the fray. He's going to attack the woman he encountered at the bar. She appears to be the leader, so why not have a little talk? Leader to Leader.
The human-shaped thing that's being separated from their Fair Lady is the essence of what they believe to be their true Goddess. Oyana watches her Lady scream in agony as they continue to sing.
Just then, metal spikes form all around, her, the Twins, and Callum. They all stopped singing when they noticed them, but suddenly, the metal spikes pierced them in several places. Oyana is the only one who dodged them easily. She looks down and sees him. The man from the bar holding a book in his hand. She looks down at him with a neutral expression. He, too looks at her with the same kind of neutral expression, but it's clear behind his calm, blank look, he wants to kill her. She lowers from the broom she is riding on, to meet him at eye level.
Once she's on the ground, The Twins and Callum, despite having multiple spikes pierced through their bodies start to move. They all turn their attention to him. Chrollo didn't pay them any mind at all and just stared Oyana down.
—
Hisoka notices Chrollo as he fights the white-haired man. So, he's finally here to play the hero. He turns his attention back to his opponent. The man throws a kick, aiming for his head, but Hisoka blocks it with his arm. Hisoka lets out a hum. His Opponent is indeed pretty strong. He then looks at the other members that are fighting.
The one fighting Gon is really fast like her Rapier. Her sword work is phenomenal! She leaves many cuts on the boy's body as he tries to go around her attacks as best he can. Gon then found an opening and landed a punch to her face. Bravo!
He then turns his attention to Killua's opponent. The man relies on distance. He notices the Daggers the man wields are made of ice. Fascinating indeed, but he quickly noticed that he was very reluctant to fight and he wondered if it had anything to do with Killua. The boy uses his assassin's skills against the man and has barely a scratch on him at all. It's clear Killua seems pretty annoyed by the treatment.
His own opponent then threw his own daggers in his direction. Hisoka easily dodges them and turns his attention to Kurapika's opponent. A swordsman. Serious and quick, but definitely brutal. Kurapika seems to be keeping him at bay for now, but it's clear he's taken a few beatings from the man. Hisoka hums as Kurapika uses his chains to counterattack.
"Hey! What are you looking at?! Your opponent is me!"
Hisoka looks back at his opponent with a taunting smile. As the man has made himself wide open. Hisoka didn't say anything and took out his cards and threw them. The man deflects them. Hisoka disappears and reappears behind him and easily, he cuts the Nen chains attached to his Darling. Once he did, the chains disappeared. The man turns around in surprise when one of Hisoka's cards embeds itself between his eyes. He falls over to the ground.
—
Chrollo notices the chains disappear and sees his Treasure fall from the sky. He quickly jumps and catches her in his arms. He lands on the ground and examines her face. Her face is full of anguish. Tears, snot, and drool soak her face. It's clear what they did to her must've been unbearable pain. He turns his attention to Oyana and gives her a menacing look. She, too gives him a threatening look,
"Give back our Lady to us." She says to him. Chrollo has no intention to give her to them,
"I will not. She's mine."
—
Kurapika notices Darius halt his attacks. He turns his gaze to the other cult members, noticing they all stopped attacking. He follows their gaze and sees a man carrying his friend in his arms. Realization dawns on him. His eyes widen,
"No. It can't be…"
There, in front of him is the Leader of Phantom Troupe. Chrollo Lucilfer.
Gon stops his attack when his opponent stops paying attention to him. He wonders what's going on when he notices Big Sis isn't suspended in mid-air anymore and is being cradled by a man as he stands up. He wonders who that is when he notices Kurapika's reaction to the man. He looks extremely angry at the sight of the man. Gon looks back at the man, now realizing who that could be.
Gon isn't the only one wondering what's going on. Killua noticed Andre stopped paying attention to him as well.
—
Hisoka frowns as he watches Chrollo hold his Darling close. He feels incredibly irritated… no. Stronger than that. The sight of another man touching what's his makes him want to act in a way that would cost him the two-year plan he's been working on for so long…! This upsetting feeling in him bubbles as he watches Chrollo clean his beloved Kitten's face with a lovesick look in his eyes. As he was busy feeling this unknown feeling in his gut, his opponent got back up with a grunt. That got Hisoka's attention, surprising him for once. How? How did this man live? The man pulls the card out of his brain and glares at him. Hisoka's surprise lasted a good few seconds then hums in interest. He looks at the man and then at the other members who were impaled. They all lived the attacks. How intriguing~! Hisoka still feels that unknown feeling in his gut, but the knowledge that the Cult Members are more than they seem helps the feeling from surfacing any further.
—
As everyone is at a stalemate, Oyana is about ready to summon a spell Chrollo's way when she senses two strong auras coming their way. She gives Chrollo a murderous look and calls to the rest of the members,
"Let's retreat for now. Our Lady will come to us in due time."
The members then all leave. Chrollo looks at the others. Kurapika clenches his hands so hard they start to bleed from the indents of his nails. Chrollo turns to Hisoka,
"Let's go. I've gotten what I've come for."
The two are about to leave when Kurapika speaks,
"Where do you think you're going?!"
Killua notices Kurapika's agitation and decides to step in. He has a feeling he needs to keep Kurapika calm during their interaction with this man. Hell, he needs to keep this man from figuring out that Kurapika is the one who killed his friend at all costs. If what he sensed before the Cult left, then his Dad and Grandfather are on their way right now. Killua steps in,
"Just what are you going to do with her?"
Chrollo didn't answer him and was about to walk away when Gon begins to speak angrily,
"Give her back!"
"Gon!" Killua calls out to him. Gon glares angrily at Chrollo looking ready to fight him head-on. Chrollo just looks at Gon with disinterest,
"I won't."
Gon growls at him,
"Then I'll make you!"
Okay, now this is getting out of hand! Kurapika is usually the one having to calm the situation, but since Kurapika is also about ready to attack Chrollo at any moment, Killua is unfortunately the one to have to take up the mantle. He pulls Gon back,
"No, there's no more need for this!" He turns his gaze back to Chrollo,
"You've sensed the two aura's coming this way, right? I suggest you let her go or else there will be consequences."
Killua continued to give Chrollo a cold stare, but that didn't faze him at all. He just turns around and walks away with their friend in his arms. Gon growls angrily and begins to charge at the man, but surprisingly, Hisoka stops him by knocking the boy out with a punch to the face,
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
Kurapika then rushes to Chrollo, but Hisoka quickly knees Kurapika in the stomach causing him to keel over. Hisoka leans closely and whispers in his ear,
"Don't be stupid now. Fighting him at this moment would only cause more trouble for the both of us. Make a plan first before you strike."
Hisoka leans away as Killua checks on Gon. He glares at Hisoka, but the man just follows Chrollo behind.
Chollo looks down at his newly required Treasure, happy that she is finally in his arms. He will make sure to protect her from that Cult and he will make sure she will feel at home with him and his Troupe. His heart feels light thinking about the many things they can talk about and experience together.
Hisoka just watches Chrollo, feeling that unsettling irritation in his gut. The view in front of him makes him want to kill him right now, and he totally could, but he has his Darling in his arms, so he couldn't do anything to fight him properly at all! How frustrating.
Killua and Kurapika watch their friend get taken away by the two worst men in the Hunter world. Dread filling each of them, Gon slowly becomes conscious and his vision clears. He sees Chrollo and Hisoka leave with Big Sis. He feels awful. This whole plan failed. Now they all need to find a way to save her somehow. Tears begin to fall from his eyes. He wishes he was stronger…
Gon isn't the only one, Killua and Kurapika are as well…
Kurapika grits his teeth, and clenches his fists and slams them to the ground out of frustration,
"Damnit!"
He failed! He should've done something! He should've saved her! Should've killed him! He should've….! Images of her screaming in pain flood his mind as well as the many other images that continue to haunt him in his life. Tears fall from his eyes, Why…?
Killua watches the boys cry. He, too felt extremely useless. He knew they weren't ready, but she needed their help… He shook his head in disappointment.
The boys sat there on the ground until Zeno and Silva came onto the scene. Killua notices them, first,
"Dad… Grandpa."
Notes:
So, things are happening. I finished this chapter and went to bed. XD
Chapter 27: Chapter 26: Rain
Summary:
The Boys blamed themselves for their failures.
Chrollo finally gets to have his treasure.
Hisoka watches his Darling.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
Leorio ran out to meet the boys after contacting Melody. He tried contacting everyone, but kept being sent to voicemail, so he decided to run over there to check and see what happened, and sure enough, once he got there, he saw a disaster in front of him. Police are surrounding the place and he could barely pass through. After unnecessarily arguing with the cops for a good 10 minutes, Leorio finally remembers his Hunter's License and shows it to them, he even mentioned he's a doctor to make it even more convincing to be let through. Once that's done, he runs to the area he last told Kurapika where She would be. Once he gets there, he sees all his friends except for the girl he has grown to be fond of.
Killua takes notice of him,
"Leorio…"
Leorio runs to them wondering what happened,
"Hey! Where is she?"
The boys didn't answer him. When they didn't answer him, Leorio finally understood something bad happened to her,
"Did that Cult take her…?"
Kurapika shook his head and stare into space with menace in his voice,
"No… It was… the Phantom Troupe's Leader…"
It's clear Kurapika is beating himself up over the whole ordeal. All four of them didn't speak for a long period of time until Zeno and Silva went over to them. The old man, Zeno speaks to Killua,
"We still need to discuss what happened here."
Leorio turns to the two, wondering who they are, but Killua answers his question by responding to the old man,
"Yes, Grandpa."
Killua is reluctant to work with his family, but he is convinced somehow to cooperate with them since the Zoldycks have already sensed the presence of the Cult. The Cult is run by Witches and it's one of the Zoldyck family's jobs to get rid of any Witches when they are known to be around. This begs the question for Killua, though… Was it really a good idea…? If he knew his family would get involved somehow, he would've said something about what they could do with them being at the auction. Now he regrets cooperation with his family. Nothing good ever comes when working with them.
—
I feel something stroking my hair. It feels soothing and nice… My body aches, however… I let out a groan as I slowly open my eyes. My vision adjusted from the dimness of the room and I could see a face right in front of me as my eyes adjusted from the blurriness. It's a handsome man with slick-back black hair and a tattoo on his forehead staring down at me…
Who is he…?
He looks at me with a loving look in his eyes,
"Ah. Good, you're awake."
He says to me stroking my hair. I noticed I was laying on his lap. I look at him, still trying to figure out how I got here and who this man is supposed to be… I try to think back in my memories, actually, and… everything is so jumbled. I think I know him, but I'm having such a hard time remembering. He notices my confused look and speaks,
"Don't worry, I saved you from those Witches."
Witches… When he said that, a memory pops up. A memory of a purple-haired woman with a dead smile enters my mind… I groaned again, feeling my head aching. The man eases me up and takes a glass of water next to me. I took it,
"Thank you…"
He studies me as I drink it,
"You're welcome." He says. As I finish the glass I look around the room. It seems… abandoned. I didn't exactly know what to do with my situation. I turned to look at the handsome man holding me and spoke,
"Um… Forgive me if I sound rude, but… Who are you…?"
As I said that, his eyes widened.
—
Chrollo stares at her with surprise. What did those Witches do to her? His expression then turned to sadness. Whatever they did caused her to have amnesia. He thinks about it. When she awoke he did think it was strange how calm she was in this situation. In fact… Chrollo looks back at her. She looks at him with curious and innocent eyes, like she's experiencing things again for the first time… whatever those Witches did, it made her act differently as well. Her demeanor changed. Before, when they last parted, she was bold, temperamental, and tough, but now… She's like a blank slate. That… hit harder for him. Now she, too, didn't know who she was… In some sort of twisted sense. He's glad they now have something in common. He took her hand in his and answered her question,
"I'm Chrollo Lucilfer." He studies her face, seeing if just saying his name would help her recognize him somehow and sure enough, She looks at him with recognition and smiles happily at him,
"Oh! I remember you! You're the guy who wanted to talk to me when I was doing the groceries."
That response surprised him. Is that the only thing she remembers about him? Was it when they first met? He wants to know more and so he asks her,
"Tell me, is there anything else you remember?"
She blinks at him curiously and begins to think. He watches her intently. She blushes,
"I… Think I remember, but… how long was I out? Why do I not remember…?"
He gives her a serious look,
"I might help you out, but for now, let's take it easy."
She glances at him and nods naively,
"I… Remember being at a bar with you and a girl… You said I was your fiancée."
The way she said that made his heart skip a beat. He did say that, but it was just to tease her. However… This gave him the opportunity to have her all to himself. He smiles at her,
"Yes. I did say that."
Her cheeks reddened from the confirmation, then she frowns sadly,
"But… Why can't I remember?"
He tries to comfort her by rubbing her back and pulling her close to him,
"I believe I know why."
He then proceeds to explain what happened to her to the best of his ability. Except… he decided to leave some things out because he didn't think it to be relevant at all.
—
Hisoka is throwing his cards at the wall. They embed themselves as the other Phantom Troupe members preoccupy themselves. He still feels this upsetting feeling in his gut when he thinks of his Darling with someone else. It pisses him off to no end. He threw the next card forcefully to the wall. After leaving the auction and back to the hideout, Chrollo decides to leave with his Kitten to another room. They've been in there for several days. Hisoka's mind was running wild through all of it. His mood became sour and he had no interest in interacting with anyone at all and kept to himself. Sure, he always kept to himself, but in this case, he was in a bad mood. After running out of cards to throw, he gets up and goes over to the wall to pick off his cards from it when two figures emerge to join the rest of the Troupe. It was Chrollo. And right behind him is his Beloved Kitten~!
…But something is different about her. He noticed immediately. Her demeanor has changed. She looked timid and unsure. Drastically different from the woman he knew. For some reason, another new feeling has surfaced. Whatever it is, he hates it. He watches the two of them closely. The rest of the Spiders turn their attention to Chrollo and the girl with him. Chrollo speaks to them,
"Everyone, we all know how you met her last, but I'd like for you all to reintroduce yourselves. Unfortunately, she has lost her memories and I would like for you to go easy on her alright?" Chrollo then looks at Pakunoda. She returns his gaze. Hisoka studies each and every one of them. He knows how apprehensive Feitan is towards his Kitten, so what will he do now?
—
I look around at each of the members of Chrollo's Troupe… He explained to me that he is actually the Leader of a Troupe and he explained to me that they are from Meteor City. A City that apparently is considered to the rest of this world as nonexistent. Which is incredibly sad… So, the Troupe is the kind that will be rough around the edges and he told me that this Troupe is actually a band of criminals… At first, I wasn't too keen on the idea of being with such a group, but after he explained to me that it was for the sake of his home and the people within it, I sort of considered it that way… and I was engaged to Chrollo, so there must be a reason why I'm with him in the first place…
I look at each of the members. Each of them looked at me with varying expressions. Some looked welcoming, while others looked at me with apprehension. The short one in particular didn't seem to like me very much at all… I could tell because he was just glaring at me as I insulted him for existing or something. Then my eyes turned to a man who was dressed like a Magician. He just stares at me with a frown on his beautiful face. At least, I think it is a frown. For some reason, when I looked at him, I couldn't help but feel like I could read him. Do I know him…?
I look away when I feel his stare to be incredibly intense. I didn't know why he was staring at me, so I tried to ignore him and stood closer to Chrollo. He got the rest of the Troupe members to introduce themselves to me while I did the same. The first one is the blonde. He greets me,
"Hi! I'm Shalnark. It's a shame you don't remember us, but we definitely met."
"Oh? It's nice to meet you again, then…" I said shyly. Shalnark smiles,
"Yeah. It's just you're very different now than the last time we met."
That caught my attention so I asked him,
"Really? What was I like before?"
He was about to answer me when Chrollo came over to us with a girl with glasses beside him,
"Shalnark, may I have a word?"
"Hm? Okay." he then leaves with Chrollo and I'm left with the girl with the glasses. Her name is Shizuku. She's peculiar, but she seems decent. I still don't understand why she keeps bringing up Arm wrestling to me a lot…
"We need to test your strength." I look at her curiously,
"...Okay." She then left and I moved on to the next person.
I was then introduced to Pakunoda. She greeted me kindly, but for some reason, she felt very distant, as if that's the only thing she was willing to be at arm's length with each other. She looks into my eyes,
"Please take care of him."
I look at her confused,
"I…"
Her gaze becomes more intense,
"Please."
I lost my words and ended up nodding to her and moved on to the next person. I've met Franklin. He's a seemingly kind man and he does expect a lot of good things from me, which I don't exactly know what that would be.
Then I met Machi. She isn't very friendly and how she talks to me is very rude… But, I try not to take her way of talking to me any mind.
Next, I met Kortopi. He's really quiet and I couldn't really see his face properly with his hair pretty much covering his face.
Then I met Nobunaga. He didn't seem that approachable until he apologized to me,
"Sorry about last time."
"Last time?"
"Yeah. I threatened I'd kill you if you got in the way, so… sorry about that."
I gave him a confused look and hesitantly forgave him,
"It's… okay. I forgive you."
After my interaction with Nobunaga, I encountered Phinks and Feitan. The two aren't the friendliest… Especially Feitan. He glared at me, while Phinks didn't exactly acknowledge my presence,
"I still don't see you as one of us… So, don't expect everyone to accept you…"
"I didn't…" I said to him meekly. He just continued to glare at me,
"Just because you act differently doesn't mean you get a pass on how you were before."
That puzzled me,
"How did I act before…?"
Feitan didn't say anything further and left. I watch him leave.
Next is the one who's been staring at me since I entered the room… When I got closer to him, I couldn't help but feel this painful feeling in my heart. Why…? I look at him with curiosity. He watches me closely… I greeted him,
"H-hello…"
I waited for him to speak. He just looks at me seemingly bothered by the mere presence of me. He didn't say anything to me and walked away… For some reason, that hurt somehow… I look down, not understanding why his reaction to me introducing myself hurt more than my introduction to Feitan.
Once, I introduced myself to everyone… Except for the last one, that is… I went back to Chrollo.
—
Once she introduced herself to him, it was clear that something was wrong. Whatever those Witches did made her forget him. This pain in his chest is incredibly bothersome. He couldn't bear to be in her presence for a second. Hisoka wonders about this pain. He'd never experienced it before in his life. He still doesn't understand. Should he figure out why he feels this way? Or just leave it? He watches her go back to Chrollo, His heart is unbearable to the point he just wants to leave the place.
—
The man I tried to introduce myself to stood up,
"I've got somewhere to be."
Chrollo dismisses him,
"Alright. Same time tomorrow."
The man nods to him and leaves. I watch him go, my heart being ripped in two for reasons unknown. I continue to watch the man leave the building, still trying to figure out why I feel this way for a man I just met. Tears suddenly fell down my face. Chrollo notices,
"Are you alright…?"
I begin to wipe my tears,
"I.. don't know…"
Tears continued to fall as I kept wiping them away. Chrollo takes me in his arms,
"It's okay. You've been through a lot."
What he said was finally what broke me. I really did go through way too much…!The tears won't stop…! I continued to sob in his arms,
"I can't remember anything! Why…? Why is this happening to me…? I just… want to go home…! I didn't want any of this at all!"
—
The Troupe watches Chrollo comfort the girl who's crying uncontrollably. He holds her in his arms tightly. It's the first time to see her cry like this. He didn't exactly know what she went through, but he wants to be the one to comfort her from all this pain. And so, he decided it was time to conclude their meeting for today. He turns to the Troupe,
"Tomorrow, we'll be preparing to find the Chain User, and after that… we'll set our departure back to Meteor City."
Everyone then left the hideout leaving just the two of them alone. He strokes her hair. She calms down and looks up at him with tears still falling down her face. He wipes her tears away from her face and finally gives her a kiss. Just like he always wanted. Once he parts from her lips he looks into her sad eyes and whispers,
"Everything is going to be okay. I'll bring you home."
—
Kurapika paced around the room as Gon sat on the couch quietly, Gon, holding the Bag Big Sis left behind in the Auction. He's determined to give it back to her somehow. Leorio is sitting in front of the hotel's computer searching for anything he could find about the Spiders and where to find them. The three of them are also waiting for any word from Killua and his family, because of the incident of the auction, They told them everything, which also included talking about the Cult and their involvement with their friend. Kurapika couldn't help but feel worried about that. He still suspected that she was a Witch, too, but he didn't want her to be killed because of that theory. And even if she's a Witch, he didn't want her to be killed at all… Thinking about the Witches made him realize how unfair the hunters are with the Witches. They're just people at the end of the day, yet, the hunters believe they're too dangerous to exist in this world. And. sure there was the Cult, but as they learned, it's only one Witch running that Cult while the rest are all just undead corpses. Since the Cult are confirmed Witches, despite them knowing better, they are now set as wanted and are deemed threats. Luckily, the Zoldycks agreed to help them find their friend, but only to some extent.
Just then, Kurapika gets a text. He takes out his phone and sees it's from Hisoka. He reads the text and lets out a sound. The other turned to him, wondering what happened. He turns to the boys with a serious look on his face,
"It seems they're going to look for me now…"
—
It's raining in York New City. Chrollo and I are heading towards the Hotel he's staying at. I walk closely to him under the umbrella. I still am deep in thought. I was thinking about how I lost my memories… The Cult. They did this to me. I remember now, but… there are still gaps. How did I end up losing my memories? But more importantly, when? I still thought deeply under Chrollo spoke to me,
"Don't worry, we're almost there."
"Okay," I said quietly. The two of us just continued in silence when Chrollo spoke again,
"So, I've been meaning to ask you. What did you mean when you said you wanted to go home?"
That question actually caught me by surprise. I look up at him,
"That… Did I ever tell you I lived in another world?"
—
Chrollo stopped in his tracks when she said that. This is the first he's heard of it. She notices him stopping by the feeling of rain hitting her body, She turns around to look at him curiously,
"Chrollo? Oh. Have I not told you before? We are engaged after all."
He snaps from his stupor and walks over to her the cover her from the rain with the umbrella,
"Forgive me. I really didn't know."
"Oh… I wonder why I didn't tell you. I wasn't exactly hiding that fact from anyone, really."
He couldn't help but let out a chuckle. He knows why. If they stayed friends and there had been no hostility between each other in the past, he could've learned that fact from her earlier. But now, he's going to have to weave in that fact with the lie he's decided to play,
"I think you were trying to keep me from figuring out that you were being chased by that strange Cult for a very long time, You didn't want me to get involved in your affairs."
It was half true. Before all of this, he still was a little upset about her ignoring him for a few months all because she didn't want him involved in the whole Cult thing. She looks at him in surprise,
"Oh, is that it…? I'm sorry… I just didn't want you to worry or for the Cult to hurt you in any way. They really are the type to do that."
He smiles at her and holds her closer to him,
"You're incredibly kind. And that's why I love you for it."
She shyly looks up at him and buries her face in his chest. He couldn't get enough of this. So sweet and docile. He finds that very adorable. He enjoys this domestic moment with her and would love this to last for a long time. However… he couldn't help but feel… bad about it. The two then continue their way to the Hotel.
—
Hisoka has informed Kurapika about the Spiders now executing their plan to hunt him down. Illumi is there on the rooftop of a building with him as they sit under the rain. Illumi notices how strange Hisoka is acting and speaks,
"You're acting strange."
Hisoka didn't look at him,
"Am I?"
"Yes."
Hisoka just hums in response. The two then fell into silence. Illumi then speaks again,
"You know, my little brother agreed to cooperate with us, surprisingly enough."
Hisoka just hums. Illumi turns his head and stares at him,
"It had something to do with that woman you're so obsessed with."
When hearing about his Darling his mouth twitched. Illumi noticed,
"That woman is odd, having a band of Witches after her. Do you know why?"
Hisoka now glances at Illumi, noticing his interest in his Darling,
"Why do you suddenly want to know?"
The two are now having a stare-down,
"I believe something disastrous would happen if we don't get rid of the thing those Witches are fixated on." What Illumi suggested made Hisoka look at the Fish-eyed man with malice,
"Don't touch her, she's mine."
Illumi isn't phased by his threat and answered,
"I won't. Since you're planning to kill her yourself, I suggest you do that quickly. But, if you decide to drag it on, I won't hesitate to step in and do the job instead."
The two then fall into silence once again. Hisoka continues to give him a malicious look. Illumi still doesn't back down at what he's saying and continues to add to it,
"So, have you finally fallen in love? Or are you willing to kill her just as you said?" Hisoka didn't say anything to him, his face now expressionless. He turns away from him and stoically looks up at the sky.
—
We made it into Chrollo's hotel room. The room was nice. It has a nice big window with a view of the city. I walk over to look at the view with wonder. Chrollo walks over to me after locking the door. I feel him wrap his arms around me from behind. I continue to stare blankly out the window. The more I spend time with Chrollo the less familiar I feel with him during these intimate moments… Why is that? Should I have been used to this kind of affection…? Chrollo notices how deep in thought I am and asks, me, pulling me out of my thoughts,
"Are you okay? Do you need anything?"
"Hmm? No, I don't need anything… so, may I ask about this Chain User you're looking for?" I just don't want to talk about how unfamiliar I feel with our relationship so decided to change the subject.
Chrollo thinks about it and answers,
"You may or may not remember, but… the Chain User has killed a member of the Troupe recently and we're trying to find them and give them their comeuppance."
I silently listen to him as he continues,
"Uvo was the backbone of the Spiders. He was one of the founders, even. And it was devastating to lose someone like him."
"So, you're going to have your revenge on this Chain User?"
"Yes."
"Why was he killed? What was the reason?"
Chrollo didn't say anything and hugged me tighter,
"I'm not sure, but next meeting we'll be discussing that with everyone. I have something that can help us find them for sure."
I wonder what that something is… the two of us didn't say anything for a long period of time until Chrollo spoke,
"Are you hungry? I'm going to make dinner for us." I nod to him and he lets go as he heads to the kitchen. I watch him go, still feeling unsure of our relationship.
—
The boys are now working on a plan for where to find the Spiders. Kurapika is now determined to get rid of them all. They have caused too much pain, they need to go. Memories of his village flash through his mind, then the tears that were shed by his friend when he shared his past with her. When she cried he realized how someone out there would still care for him if he needed anyone, but then… The Spiders took her away, like how they took his whole village away… Kurapika had already gotten the scarlet eyes that was auctioned off at the underground auction. It's staying at the place where he's currently guarding the man and his daughter… Unfortunately, he learned that Neon's ability to predict the future has disappeared. So, in the end, he might no longer be able to keep guarding them anymore. Their futures are going to be unclear from then on…
Leorio could tell Gon and Kurapika were beating themselves up for what happened, and he understands their pain… He wished he could've done something himself, but what else was there? He frowns and scratches the back of his head. He knows he should be the one to lighten up the mood, but he doesn't really know what, so he'll have to think about it. After all, he also feels terrible for what has happened. He thinks about when they all first met each other. They all just gradually met each other slowly, one by one. He met Gon when he stole some fish because he was starving, then they both went on the boat together, and there, they meet Kurapika who was a huge pain in the ass that the two were about to fight each other during a storm, but Gon went and got them to be friends somehow. Then they meet the other two at the Hunter Exams. When he first saw her, Hisoka made a scene that one time. He thought she was really cute. And when she accidentally bumped into Gon, he got a good look at her, and yes! She was very cute! Oh. and They met Killua along the way. Gon and that kid clicked instantly. In fact, Gon was the reason why they all met in the first place, it seems. He turns to Gon and the boy looks deep in thought, so Leorio decides to talk to the boy and see how he's doing since Killua is out having to talk to his family, which he knows Killua was reluctant to do. And he agrees. Killua didn't have to interact with them again. They should've done all of this themselves, but they couldn't seem to talk their way out of it.
Gon was hugging his knees, deep in thought until Leorio came over to him,
"Hey, how are you holding up?"
Gon looks up at him and looks back down,
"I wish I was stronger…" He muttered,
Leorio nods and sits down next to him on the couch,
"I get it."
Gon clenches his hand and frowns,
"She relied on us."
Leorio hums at that. And Gon continued,
"But we failed…"
Leorio lets out a sigh and turns to Gon,
"You know what I think? I think we shouldn't blame ourselves… Knowing her, if she saw all of us like this right now, she'd cry."
Gon turns to look at Leorio,
"I guess you're right." Gon thinks for a while then gets up, now looking more spirited,
"I've decided. I'll make myself stronger!"
Leorio smiles at Gon and gives him a thumbs up. Gon then leaves the room to train.
Kurapika had just reentered the room and heard of Leorio's talk with Gon. That's right… If she saw them like this now, she would definitely cry. Kurapika smiles a little and enters the room fully. Leorio turns to Kurapika. Kurapika then speaks,
"You're right. She would cry if she saw us now. I'll try not to make her cry again."
Leorio smiles and responds,
"Yeah. Out of all of us, you should know how much of a crybaby she is."
"Now that's not very nice."
"It's the truth."
The two smile at each other. Leorio may not have felt the need to lift their spirits, but he really didn't like seeing them feel down, so he's glad his little pep talk with Gon worked. Now, all they needed to do was wait for Killua to come back and try to come up with Plan B if Plan Zoldyck was actually a terrible idea.
Notes:
Rainy days in the Hunter world.
Chapter 28: Chapter 27: Jumbled Memories
Summary:
The boys plan a way to save their friend.
She gets plucked out of her cage.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
It's a cool morning. Chrollo and I are in bed, cuddling together as he reads a book. I look at his book curiously. He notices me staring at what he's reading,
"You want to know what I'm reading?"
I nod to him. He smiles at me and answers,
"It's a set of poems. This one is written by Edgar Allan Poe."
My face brighten from the familiarity,
"Really?"
Chrollo noticed my recognition,
"Yes. You've heard of him?"
I nodded to him, still really surprised,
"I-I do!"
"You sound so surprised about it, is there something peculiar?" He asks me now curious about my reaction to the name of the author, so I explained to him,
"You already know about me being in another world, right? So, me recognizing an author shouldn't be possible, yet I do somehow. Which begs the question, is this world actually an alternate version of my world? Or vice versa? I've been having these thoughts since I first got here… Since…"
I then thought of the technology of this world which got me to remember my phone…Wait. Where did I put it…? I then snapped to realization and pulled out of his arm,
"Chrollo, w-where's my phone?"
He looks up at me, surprised,
"Your phone?"
I got out of bed and absentmindedly looked around the place when clearly it's nowhere around Chrollo's hotel room at all,
"Yeah! Where is it?! I-i need to find it! It has all my…"
I tried to think about why I needed my phone in the first place but couldn't think of anything. Why do I need my phone…? I stopped at the end of the bed and held my head. Chrollo gets up from the bed and approaches me. He slowly places a hand on my shoulder,
"Hey, relax. I'm sure we'll find your phone."
He tried to reassure me as I looked back up at him, still feeling upset. I leaned into him and he wrapped his arms around me. My memories are too jumbled to sift through… Chrollo slightly pulls away and looks down at me,
"Everything will be okay…"
He leans down and places a kiss on my lips. I still am not used to his lips, despite being engaged to him, but I let him. I thought if he kissed me a second time, maybe memories of me with Chrollo would show up, but nothing… Chrollo looks down at me with a loving look, while I look up at him sadly. He frowns and asks me,
"You're still upset?"
I look down thinking about our relationship,
"Chrollo… I still am not familiar with our relationship…"
When I said that, He went silent. I didn't dare look at his face and wondered if I hurt him with my confession, but instead, I feel him pull me into a hug,
"It's okay… if you can't remember, we can always make new memories."
I didn't speak and just nodded to him quietly.
—
He held her in his arms. He couldn't predict where her thoughts would go. If he left her alone with her thoughts for too long, she might actually figure out the truth between them fairly quickly… Chrollo couldn't help but feel a piercing pain through his heart, but at the same time, he decided to continue along this path. He loves this a lot… he didn't realize how much he longs for something as nice as this. To have someone who can understand him and complete him somehow in some way… He never thought he would ever experience something as simple and domestic as this considering his position in life… like how he has the responsibility to carry the Troupe on his shoulders and his vow to be the Villain no one would ever cross on behalf of his home city. He never thought he would long for a life like this with a woman as beautiful, and as pure hearted as His Song Bird. Yet, here he is… with her in his arms. Did he just discover something about himself just now? He pulls away from her and lifts her chin. He looks at her face and she still looks at him with such curiosity. He leans in for another kiss and begins to deepen it. She responds hesitantly, but slowly opens up to him. He lets out a sigh as he feels her in his arms. How she responds to his touch, cute and cautious…Her hands are slowly grasping at his shirt. He stops and pulls away, looking into her eyes,
"Do you want to go further?" He asks her. She looks away, looking hesitant, so he stops what he's doing,
"I won't force you into something you're not ready for…"
She looks up to him, searching. He emphasized,
"I won't do that to you…" as he said that, he pulled away and heads to the door of the bedroom,
"I'll go make us some breakfast." He leaves her to do just that. He thought of what he just said. He feels very hypocritical saying all of that, but he's already too far into the lie to backpedal to tell her now.
—
Chrollo's expressions are actually hard to read, but I know him telling me that he won't force anything on me sounds very genuine. I appreciated that. I followed him to the kitchen and the two of us enjoy each other's company as we discuss what we'll be doing throughout the day as I watch him make breakfast for the both of us. Once he's done, we both sat at the table eating,
"You just want me to stay here?" I ask him, kind of disappointed,
"I'm sorry. I just feel you need to sit this one out. You are still recovering from your partial memory loss…" He explains to me, reassuring me, why I need to stay.
I just frown at him in response,
"But…" I try to say, but he reaches for my hand and gives it a gentle squeeze,
"It's okay, I'll be back. And while we're done, we'll head to Meteor City and show you everything there."
I study his face. He gives me a nurturing look. I let out a sigh,
"Okay… But please be careful."
Chrollo softly smiles and speaks,
"And you, in return. I suggest you don't leave this room. I have a feeling those Cult members might be looking for you as we speak."
I think about my situation and nods to him,
"Okay."
Satisfied by my answer, he lifts my hand and kisses it,
"Thank you, my Love."
Love…
That word… I heard it uttered to me a lot, but not from Chrollo… suddenly I feel a prick in my heart as I think of the voice who called me Love. I stare blankly until Chrollo calls for me,
"Are you okay?"
I look up at him and nodded,
"Yeah. I'm fine."
Chrollo still checks over me then lets go of the topic and gets up from the table. I followed. He got ready and is dressed in the outfit I saw him in at the hideout. With his fur trimmed jacket and slickback black hair showing his tattoo on his forehead He's just so extremely handsome. He notices me staring at him and I look away blushing. He smirks at my bashfulness and pulls me into his arms,
"Why are you looking away?"
I look up at him then look away again, still bashful from his looks,
"...You're very handsome."
He lets out a hum and leans closer,
"Thank you, Sweetheart." He then kisses my forehead. The gesture was incredibly sweet. Even though I'm still unfamiliar with his affection, I still feel affected by them. If I can't remember my previous feelings, I could build new memories, right? I return his affection by kissing him on the cheek. He, for some reason gave me a surprised look, but that expression quickly changed to adoration as he pulled me into another kiss, the kiss lasted longer and I welcomed his lips this time. No more hesitation. It's clear Chrollo's affections are real, so I want to accept them. I let out a sigh as the kiss became more heated. His hands are now moving up and down my arms until I pull away. The two of us look into each other's eyes,
"Shouldn't you be going now?" I said to him with a light hearted smile Chrollo smiles back at me and reluctantly lets me go then heads to the door,
"I'll be back, Darling." He said to me and closed the door. He didn't see the stunned look I made when he said that nickname to me. I felt many pricks to my heart when he called me 'Darling'. Then a voice different from Chrollo's enters my mind… I suddenly felt guilty and I don't know why. I stood at the door, trying to figure out why I feel this way. I went over to the couch and sat down, buried in my thoughts.
—
Killua spoke to his dad and grandfather about their plan to search for the Cult What to do with them. He hated their plan,
"What the hell?!" The boy snaps at his dad and grandfather. His dad, Silva, didn't approve of Killua's reaction and the boy tensed, feeling his father's intense aura. His grandfather, Zeno, speak to him,
"It is efficient this way. You need to see the greater picture here. If Witches have decided to show themselves after concealing themselves for many years, then it's clear they are up to no good. Besides… It has been our job to hunt Witches since the beginning. Sure, some Hunters have decided to take Witch Hunting as their job, but the Zoldyck family are more well equipped to deal with them effectively."
"But using my friend as bait to draw them out…?! Out of the question!"
Silva's intense gaze pierces through Killua's anger, causing him to tone down his attitude and speaks,
"Your friend is desired by these Witches, correct?"
Killua sweats and nods to him,
"Yes."
"I believe your friend might be a key component to their own plans, so I suggest getting rid of her as well."
Killua's anger flares and snaps at him,
"YOU CAN'T!"
His fear was forgotten when his own father suggested killing one of his dear friends like that. Especially one who's done nothing wrong at all! But knowing them, they will go through with it! He glares at them. Zeno speaks,
"You have deviated from your teachings, I see? This is why you must put the mission before your feelings at all times."
Killua grits his teeth. He regrets ever agreeing to participate with them! They're not going to help him save her at all! But of course! He should already know! They're a family of assassins for crying out loud. Killua then heads over to the door, completely done with them. He turns to them before he leaves,
"I'm not going to let you harm my friend. If you're really going to just kill her and not help her, then our talk is over." The boy then leaves the room. He really felt like he just wasted his time. The only reason why he even bothered to talk to them in the first place is because, admittedly, they were very intimidating, and they couldn't exactly talk their way out of cooperating with them, but also, everybody was getting desperate to try and save their friend, but didn't think of a way how properly. They should've been more careful about this sort of thing. Especially when it came to the Cult and their ties to Witches and all that stuff. If Kurapika's theory about her being a Witch is correct, then she is in even more trouble than she already is… he didn't want that to happen.
Killua returns to the boys and he says the Zoldycks are a no go to help them find their friend. The boys thought up a plan on how to lure out the Troupe. Gon and Killua still remember the hideout and wondered if they had moved since then,
"Since Gon and I still know where their hideout is we could check there."
"But that's too reckless. I suggest lying and waiting."
Just then, Kurapika gets a text. He checks it and it's from Hisoka. The text says the Phantom Troupe are planning to leave the hideout, which gives the boys an idea on what they need to do.
—
I sat on the couch, not really knowing what to do to kill time. I've been left alone with my thoughts until I hear a tap on the window of the balcony. I turned to it questioningly. The tap continues. I get up from the couch and curiously approach the window. I slowly draw back the curtains. The tapping then stops once I fully pull back the curtains… but there was nothing. I pause, wondering if I should check outside or not. Ultimately, I decided to check. I opened the window and stepped out onto the balcony. I looked around and saw nothing. But as I was about to turn around, I was grabbed from behind, startling me,
"Hello, Darling~. "
I froze in shock as my arms were restrained and both my eyes were suddenly covered. I feel the man breathe in my ear,
"Sorry, Darling, but I don't want to ruin the surprise just yet~! But I do miss this... " I try to struggle from the restraints, but I feel the perpetrator embrace me from behind. I stiffen once he breathes on my neck. He rests his head on the nape of my neck. This… I should be scared, yet I don't. This all feels strangely familiar… My body relaxes and the perpetrator took notice,
"So, you do remember~."
I didn't know what to say… Do I remember this person…? When he said that nickname to me, it was so familiar… I'm tied up and blindfolded, yet he didn't gag me… I try to search for words to say and start to speak,
"Do I…? I don't know… But why won't you let me see you?"
The man's hands start roaming around my body. I feel goosebumps form from where he touches me… I couldn't help but react to his touch. My heart pounds from the sensuality of it all. The familiarity of it all… why…? The perpetrator tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear,
"Hmm… I guess I just want to test you. To see what sorts of things would trigger your memories. I just wonder… if you see me now at this very moment after having a taste of what we used to do together would all your memories flood back to you all at once? "
I feel his lips onto my neck. I could feel him biting and suckling on it. My breath hitches, the attention to my neck ignited something within me, my cheeks flushed from the attention and I let out a small moan indicating to him that I like the feeling, but… then I felt a squeeze in my heart. I thought about Chrollo… oh no… what am I doing…? I feel him smirk against my neck. His words then repeat in my head…
'What we used to do'... My body trembles by what he's implying. I feel guilt within me as he continues to make me feel these kinds of things I should be feeling towards my fiancé… He then speaks,
"Well then, my Kitten. I would love to finally claim you here and now but, it's time for you to play your part~."
Once he says that, I feel him press a cloth over my mouth, the smell of chloroform overwhelming me.
—
Once his Darling falls unconscious, Hisoka continues to prop her up and hold her in his arms for a little while. He lets out a blissful sigh as he looks down at her, loving the feeling of her body against his own. Her sleeping face is a sight to behold and it annoys him that Chrollo is the one who got to see that face first. He then picks her up and carries her in his arms like a bride. He smiles as he continues to look down at her face. He leans in and kisses her lips. He pulls away and takes her from the Hotel room.
—
It's another rainy day. The boys, Kurapika and Gon, found Chrollo roaming the city with two other Spiders with him. They decided to keep tabs on them, but unfortunately, it seems the Troupe caught on quickly that they're being followed. The boys quickly tried to hide, but Chrollo and the other Spiders, Machi and Shizuku, turned around to search for them. The two women drew out their weapons and stalked closer to where they're hiding. Kurapika is about ready to attack once they get closer, but it was a terrible idea to do so. Gon decided to reveal himself not wanting Kurapika to do something he'll regret. The boy glared at the Spiders in front of him. Kurapika is shocked of what Gon decided to do. Gon holds up his hands,
"I'm sorry, okay? I'll stop following you. Just forget it!"
As they get closer, Chrollo recognized him,
"You're that boy from the auction."
Gon's body tenses. Chrollo just eyes the boy. Gon drops the innocent act and glares up at him,
"Yeah… I wanna see Big Sis.."
"Another one is here as well." Machi says and turns her attention to where Kurapika is hiding, but instead of Kurapika revealing himself, Killua is the one who walked out. Chrollo observes the boys. He knows they are well acquainted with her quite well. So, they can't hide anything from him,
"What do we do, boss?" Machi asks him,
"Seize them."
Chrollo then turns away and dials up Phinks,
"Phinks, it's me. Come to the Beitacle Hotel." He then hangs up and turns back to face Machi and the boys,
"Shouldn't we get rid of them here?"
"No. I have faith in your instincts. If they're connected to the Chain User somehow, we should keep them alive."
Ever since their talk about what happened at the auction, the Troupe has revealed to him that these boys was at the hideout before the Auction started and they were there with her and acted as if they didn't know each other, meaning, his Song Bird might've known who the Chain User was all along, but he was too caught up by his own personal feelings for her to even considered that…
"Hey. Can I ask you something?" They all turn their attention to Gon. Is he going to ask him where she is? Chrollo waits for the boy to ask his question,
"How can you kill people who have nothing to do with you?"
The boy just looks up at him curiously. That's a puzzling question to come out of the boy, for sure. Chrollo thinks on the question,
"You have a lot of hostility for someone who's just surrendered." Chrollo studies Gon and it's clear where that hostility is coming from. Chrollo looks up at the sky, trying to answer Gon's question, but couldn't come up with a good answer,
"Perhaps, because… they've nothing to do with us? No. On second thought, it's not that simple. My motives are unimportant now. I don't like speaking of them." Chrollo turns away from the boy and started thinking some more about his question,
"But, surprisingly enough, or, as I expected… The reason's the key to understanding myself." The boys didn't exactly understand what he meant by that, but it's fine. Even though he doesn't really understand, but, he feels he's got some help with that, now by the presence of the woman he believes could help him with that, despite the fact, that she is currently dealing with something similar. Chrollo didn't turn to them and speaks,
"Head to the hotel and wait for Phinks and the others. If they try to escape, kill them."
"Understood."
They then leave the scene.
Kurapika watches them leave. He regretted being too impatient, now Gon and Killua have been taken hostage. Melody stood by Kurapika's side as he mentally curses himself,
"Now that they're on high alert, we have to keep our distance. Otherwise, they're bound to notice us. Make sure you're concealing your presence." Melody tells him in a soft tone,
"Damnit!" Kurapika cursed, feeling like he messed up again. Melody noticed how badly he's blaming himself turns to him,
"We just have to be patient."
"I'm aware of that!" He yells at her,
"I don't think you are!" She yells back at him,
"Your reckless pursuit exposed them to needless danger. Do you even know why they allowed themselves to be captured? If you get caught here too, then no one will be there to stop the Troupe!"
After she says her piece, Kurapika calms down. She's right,
"I'm sorry."
Melody smiles once Kurapika relaxes,
"Humans all have to lower their guard sooner or later. You're no different. We must wait."
"You're right."
—
I feel rain hitting my body… I open my eyes staring up at the gray sky.
What happened…? Why am I here…?
I then remembered the intruder, now questioning why he decided to just dump me out here out in the rain like this. I got up from the ground, feeling a little disoriented, and looked around my surroundings. I'm at a place that is very unfamiliar… I think I'm in an alleyway…? I begin to hug myself, feeling cold and wet. Why would he place me here? What was the purpose…?
I leave the alleyway, trying to figure out where I am. My bare feet touch the wet pavement. My clothes are drenched… How long was I out? Cars are passing by, people with umbrellas are passing through. I checked the signs and it seems I'm not that far from the hotel I was staying at with Chrollo. So, why did the intruder just place me just only a few distance away from the place I was staying at? I decided to head back to the hotel. As I walked further down the street, I noticed Chrollo and two of his friends with him. I was about to approach them until I noticed two children with them.
I momentarily stopped in my tracks, wondering why those kids seemed so familiar to me. I continued my way towards them, hugging myself for warmth.
—
Chrollo, Machi, and Shizuku have made it with Gon and Killua to the Hotel where they're going to meet with the rest of the Spiders. They stood under one of the pillars as they looked around as they waited for the rest of the Spiders. The lobby of the hotel is pretty busy, a good place to keep watch on any disturbances and now opportunity for a random attack. As the they all wait, a person across from them yells angrily at his phone,
"Come on! Don't you know what time it is?!" Chrollo and the others turned to the commotion. Gon and Killua's eyes widened with recognition. Leorio slams the newspaper on the desk and yells at his phone some more,
"Idiot! It's the Beitacle Hotel! How many damn times do I have to repeat myself?! Well?!"
The boys are super relieved to see him. Leorio noticed the boys and the Spiders staring at him,
"Hmm? What are you looking at, kid? Huh?!"
Shizuku turns to Chrollo,
"Should I kill him?"
"Ignore him. Look the other way."
Leorio continues to make a scene,
"What? You think this is a show? Scram! Look. With failures like you working for me, my future's about to get real dark. Listen! I'm Gonna close my eyes just this once! One more mistake and you're fired!"
Killua finally catches on that Leorio is actually sending a message. Gon understands as well. The two of them are grateful,
"You better get over to the hotel by 7 o'clock sharp. Do you hear me?" The boys then started putting the plan to work. Killua starts dislocating his arms to get free. The two then plan when to close their eyes. Just then, the radio near Leorio started playing a song for the boys to count the time till 7. Shizuku then sees the rest of the Troupe approach them,
"Everybody made it here."
Nobunaga notices the boys and acted friendly towards them,
"Hey. What's this? You boys got caught again?"
He chuckles at the kids,
"I get it. You changed your mind and decided to join us, right?"
Killua glares at him,
"Look. We don't care about joining you, alright? We just want to see our friend. You guys have her."
Nobunaga just smiles at the kid,
"Well, you can see her if you Join us. The Boss and your friend have hit it off pretty well, after all, so you two could always see her that way."
Gon glares at Nobunaga then looks away and closes his eyes,
"There's no way she'd go with someone like him!"
Killua looks away and closes his eyes as well,
"You guys took her from us, so you guys are definitely lying!"
Chrollo kept his face very neutral, but he couldn't help but feel some sort of irritation by their words. If she never lost her memories, she probably wouldn't accept being in a relationship with him, but since she did lose her memories, he just couldn't let this relationship go… even if it's actually squeeze in his chest starts to form from the thought. He decided to think of something else by studying the boys instead. It's clear they're hiding something, and it has to do with something else.
Nobunaga laughs at their feistiness,
"Oh man. Charming kids, eh, Chrollo? They really remind me of Uvo. What do you think?"
Machi disapproves,
"They're still just little kids. They don't even know enough to be afraid."
She then turns to Pakunoda,
"Anyway. Describe the Chain User to us."
Chrollo turns to the boys,
"First things first. Why don't you check them once again, Paku?"
The boys tensed from Chrollo's suggestion,
"Okay, then. What should I ask?" She asks,
Chrollo studies the boys,
"Ask them,'what are you hiding?'"
Pakunoda listens and reaches out to touch them. The radio announces it'll be 1 minute till 7. Killua finds a way to stall and begins to speak,
"It's no use." Pakunoda stops. Killua continues,
"Your ability… it lets you draw memories out of whoever you touch, doesn't it? Well, we're not hiding anything. And even if–" Pakunoda grabs Killua's jaw and picks him off the floor,
"I'll find out soon enough, so be quiet." She tells him. Gon then speaks,
"Even if we did know something, we'd hide it from you, it's not that hard. We'll think about some-" Pakunoda goes and grabs Gon by the jaw and lifts him up as well. Killua continues to speak despite the difficulty,
"Yeah. That's what I thought."
"You boys seem confused. I extract the purest memories that are beneath your consciousness. I'm not browsing through the surface thoughts you create. My questions are specifically designed to stimulate your memory."
Leorio listens in on Pakunoda's explanation of her power and he really didn't like the sound of that. He's sweating bullets once it's clear that he might get found out if she digs through their memories. Pakunoda looks at the boys coldly,
"Deceiving me is impossible."
As the tension is running high for the boys, a certain girl enters the lobby. She is drenched from the rain and seems incredibly cold. Chrollo took notice of her immediately and Calls her,
"What's going on, what are you doing out?"
Gon and Killua are surprised by the sound of her voice, but keep their eyes closed.
Leorio is relieved to see her, but he continues to put up the act of an unrelated bystander.
She looks at each other them all while shivering,
"S-some man… took me out of the room for some reason…" She shivered. It's clear she's starting to develop pneumonia if nothing is done about it, but before Chrollo got to get over to her the radio then starts again,
"Tune in next week. This is JFN, and it's 7:00 pm."
Just then, the lights are suddenly out. The Spiders are completely caught off guard. Gon and Killua then opened their eyes and attempted to fight their way to escape, but to no avail… they couldn't, but despite not being able to escape, they managed to break Pakunoda's arm and Machi's ribcage and they managed to cause quite a stir for Leorio to grab their sick friend and go, while Kurapika goes and captures the Spiders' Head.
—
Leorio runs out of the area with her over his shoulder. He noticed how confused she's being and struggles in his grasp,
"Hey, don't worry, it's me!"
She continues to struggle in his grasp, clearly getting tired,
"W-who are !? L-let go!"
That caught him by surprise,
"What..? It's me, Leorio!"
She stops struggling and just repeats his name to him,
"Leorio…?"
"Yeah..!" He didn't like the way she said his name. Once they're farther away from the he stops,
"Don't you remember…"
She didn't answer him for a while then she speaks,
"I… don't."
Leorio's eyes widened from her confession,
"...What do you mean you don't?"
But just as he asked that question, he feels her go limp. He panics and gently places her down. He checks up on her well-being and he could tell she's running a high fever. He lets out a curse and dial up Kurapika,
"Kurapika, where are you?"
"I'm at the far end of the street, where are you?!"
"I'm close by and… we need to hurry and get her under warm blankets, fast! She's running a fever!"
"What?! Okay, I'm on my way!"
—
Kurapika managed to pick them up and bundled everyone into the carHeLeorio decides to take the wheel as he places her next to him. He noticed the condition of their friend and looks at her worriedly,
"Leorio! What happened?"
"Everything was going according to plan, but she came to the lobby like this and…" Leorio went quiet, worrying Kurapika,
"What?"
Leorio turns to him seriously,
"She asked who I was and didn't seem to recall when I told her my name."
Chrollo just silently stares at their friend. Kurapika turns to him,
"You…! What the hell did you do to my friend?!"
Chrollo turns his attention to Kurapika and stoically responds,
"What makes you think I did anything?"
Kurapika angrily grabs him by the collar. Leorio yells,
"Hey! Calm down, back there!"
Melody in in the passenger's seat,
"Please stay calm."
Kurapika holds back his rage and lets go of Chrollo. The man just stares at him. Kurapika glares at him,
"What?" He snaps at him,
"Nothing. I just didn't think the Chain User was a woman."
Kurapika glares at him,
"Who said I was?" Kurapika then begins to take off his disguise,
"I thought you knew better than to trust appearances. Regardless, you should watch what you say. Since it may well be the last thing out of your mouth."
Recognition is written all over Chrollo's face. The Chain User was in front of him at the auction all along and he didn't know about it. Chrollo smirks at the thought. His Song Bird really has flooded his mind after all. He smirks at the Chain User,
"You aren't going to kill me. Not after you left your precious friends behind." Chrollo tells him. Kurapika glares at him,
"I may appear calm and composed but I will not ignore your threats!"
"Kurapika! That's enough." Leorio tells him.
Chrollo calmly speaks,
"The girl's fortune failed to mention this. Therefore, this event isn't significant enough to matter, or else I am quite certain it would have come up."
"Bastard!" Kurapika growls at him. Melody tries to calm him down,
"If you kill him, I'll kick your ass, you hear me?!" Leorio tells him. Chrollo just smirks at the boy as Kurapika's rage becomes harder to hold back,
"Need I explain further? This situation is nothing. It's no different than an afternoon coffee break."
Kurapika's rage then flared, causing his eyes to turn scarlet,
"In fact, it's quite peaceful."
—
I hear lots of noise invading my ears. I feel a moment under me as if I'm in a car… I begin to stir. I then hear voices and then suddenly, the sound of a strike. I open my eyes,
"Huh…?"
Once I stirred, I turned to whoever is right beside me. I see a teen with blonde hair looking at me with worry in his Scarlet eyes. I look at him with confusion,
"You're awake, are you okay…?" I try to figure out what's going on, when I see Chrollo tied up in chains with a bruise on his face. I look at him with worry,
"W-what's going on?! What are you doing with Chrollo?!" The teen beside me continues to give me a worried look,
"It's okay. Everything's fine!"
He tried to reassure me, but it didn't look like it at all. I still feel tired and cold… and my head still hurts,
"No…! Don't hurt him…!"
Kurapika looks at me with confusion,
"Why…?"
I didn't understand why he's giving me that look and the question he's asking. I struggle to answer him,
"I… love him." When I said that, it felt unnatural to say… Do I…? I search Chrollo's eyes. He just stares at me with an unreadable expression.
The teen stares at me, bewildered. He then turns to Chrollo with rage,
"You! You really did something to her, didn't you?!" He then proceeds to grab onto his collar,
"Kurapika, Calm down! Nothing's changed! We're on equal footing now."
Chrollo smirks and speaks,
"Equal? I'm afraid you're quite mistaken in that regard. Your assumption is completely wrong. I have no value as a hostage."
I look at Chrollo with confusion,
"What do you mean by that?"
The teen, Kurapika, snaps at him,
"Shut up! If you insist on babbling-"
"It's the truth." The woman in the passenger's seat interrupts Kurapika she turns to him,
"Everything that he's told us so far is sincere."
Chrollo continues to look on with a neutral look on his face. I still don't understand what's going on. He turns to Kurapika,
"There you have it. This is reality. You're the one who's cornered."
Kurapika turns his attention to the woman,
What do you mean by that?"
"I mean his heartbeat is perfectly normal. He's not shaken by any of this. He's not worried or scared, even of death. He's accepted his destiny."
'Destiny'... I barely could react to any of this… but for some reason, that word leaves a bad taste in my mouth,
"I can hear that he walks with death every single day of his life. How can he produce such a sound? Make it stop! I can't take anymore! I don't want to listen to either one of you!"
"Melody…"
"He truly believes that he has no real value as a hostage whatsoever. And yet. The fact remains that he's the leader."
I study the woman in the passenger's seat. Her ability to listen to people's heartbeat is oddly familiar for some reason… I turn to Chrollo not understanding why we're in this mess… my breath becomes heavy. Kurapika notices and speaks to me reassuringly,
"You should rest. We'll deal with this whole thing as soon as possible!"
"Why…? Why are you being so nice to me, yet treat my fiancé like this…?"
Kurapika looks at me, shocked And yelled,
"He's not your fiancé!"
I frown in return, not understanding why he's so upset over all of this. Kurapika turned to Chrollo once again,
"You…! I can't believe you took advantage of her while she's vulnerable!"
I feel lost and confused… my eyes started prickling from the tears forming in my eyes. Why does he look so upset over me? And is he saying I've been lied to all along…? I turned my attention to Chrollo searching his eyes if they're true. He just gives me an unreadable look. Just then, Kurapika pulls out a photo out of his pocket,
"Here… this is a picture of your family… Don't you remember…? You asked us to keep it with us if your memories were altered somehow."
I stare at the photo, having a hard time recalling anything. Kurapika continues by pointing at each of them. Chrollo watches intently,
"You told me about them, remember? These two are your two adopted parents, Rose and Sora. They saved you from a terrible household and accepted you into their home. They have a son named Luka, who you cared about very fondly, right? Gon reminded you of him." Once Kurapika explained the people to me, some memories started to come up.
Chrollo's stoic facade starts to crack. I continue to look at the picture as Kurapika continues,
"You also told us about your friends, you told us how much we remind you of them, remember?"
I then begin to stare at Kurapika, trying to recall everything. My head begins to pound. I grabbed my hand in pain as I let out a scream. Kurapika places his hand on my shoulder. Chrollo speaks,
"Stop, she's clearly getting overwhelmed." Kurapika angrily turns to him,
"Shut up! Don't act like you care for her!"
Leorio turns his head and speaks,
"I hate to take his side, but I agree. She clearly needs rest, don't just push her to recall memories in her state!" Kurapika stops showing me the photo and puts it away,
"You're right. I'm sorry. It's just…"
"Look. I'm worried, too." Leorio reassures him. My feelings are in complete disarray… My heart is in agony. I want Chrollo to confirm what Kurapika said is true, but I'm too exhausted to do anything. I still feel cold sweat coat my whole body. I lean back into the car seat. I feel the movement of the car as I slowly drift off to sleep.
—
Chrollo continues to watch her intently. She looked upset and confused, but also in a lot of pain… He wishes to comfort her, but he can't. The Chain User, Kurapika, intentionally sat between them to keep him away from her. Once Kurapika took out the photo and showed it to her, he couldn't believe how much that teenager knew so much about his little Song Bird. It made him realize how little he even knew about her at all… this is the first time he's heard of her past, her family and friends… He wonders if they met differently, could he have formed a natural relationship with her and learned more about her that way? In another life, maybe, but not this one… He continues to stare at her sleeping form as he silently sits in agony.
Melody takes notice of the sound in Chrollo's heart. The sound of regret and longing. Far different from the sounds his heart made earlier. She took notice of Kurapika's friend. She claimed she loved Chrollo, but her heart sounded lost, confused…She also could hear betrayal within her heart once Kurapika tells her that what Chrollo says to her was a lie. She truly feels sorry for her.
Leorio continues to drive to their destination. They need to hurry or else Her condition will get worse. Kurapika watches over her and glares at Chrollo. He still couldn't believe how the man would take advantage of her like that. He turns away from Chrollo, feeling absolutely sick of seeing his face.
Notes:
Hello! Sorry for taking so long! I've actually been figuring out how to tie up this part of the story since it's still firmly tied to the main story of hxh and all. Also, since I changed a bunch of things, I tried my hardest to find a way to make it flow better. Lol. But that's not the only that that's been causing me to take a while. My work schedule decided to get busier, so there's that, but weirdly enough, it surprisingly didn't kill my passion to work on this fiction.
Yet. And yeah!
Chapter 29: Chapter 28: The Exchange
Summary:
Kurapika is determined to save Gon and Killua and keep the rest of his friends safe.
Chrollo Reveals his lie to her.
Hisoka gets to execute his plans.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
A certain woman invades my dreams.She sings a songin my head slowly pulling me in… The sadness, the beauty of her voice is so alluring… But I knew better than to follow. Her song sings loudly in my brain, I try my hardest to block it out.
My dreams then shift to… a familiar memory…? It feels like Deja vu that I already had this dream, but… I was in it this time instead of her. I was in a school uniform. I was isolated from the rest of my classmates. I heard them speak to each other… They talked about how unnatural I was. I listen to their words with no expression on my face. I entered the room and those students stopped talking. They then became hostile. They threw insults at me,
"What are you looking at, you freak?!"
"Yeah, shouldn't you know that eavesdropping is rude?!"
For some reason I just let them talk to me that way. In fact… their words don't hurt me as I thought. I was more curious than anything. This dream… Why does it feel so strange? Why does it feel familiar, yet not…?
Just then, the dream version of me… my face changes to that of the woman who has been after me since all of this for just a few moments… What…? What's happening?
Is that me or not…? It was only just a few seconds of my face changing, but it was enough to scare me… Who am I…? The dream then changes again. I was in a room full of unknown people, I felt nothing. Like I'm just absorbing the moment and the interaction of every human in this room. Like I'm trying to form a being of my own… Is this dream implying something…?
I held my head in distress. Am I just a doll…? Is that it..? Am I not human enough to warrant recognition that I'm just like anybody else…?
I feel tears fall from my eyes as I continue to cradle my head.That songstarted getting louder…the songalmost won, but something held it back, just then, I heard someone calling to me in a frantic tone. Just then, I hear the comforting sound of a flute.
I slowly open my eyes. The lights blind me momentarily. I squinted at the shadow figures in front of me until my eyes finally adjusted. I see that same teen from the car looking down at me, worriedly, and that short woman as well, holding a flute in her hand. Was that the flute I heard in my dreams…?
This young teen, Kurapika, sighs in relief. I noticed I've been wrapped up in many warm blankets. Kurapika… He's the Chain User, right…? And I knew him somehow. I try to search through my memories and I think I'm starting to remember him… Kurapika asks me a question,
"How are you feeling? Are you alright?"
I think about my present state and shook my head,
"I still feel a little sick…"
"That makes sense. It's only been a few hours since we saved you after all."
"'Saved me'..."
Kurapika's expression changed to worry,
"Yes. Before all of this, you were facing off against that witch, Oyana."
Saying that woman's name fills me with dread. She's the only one who I remember completely… The only thing I don't remember is the context of where I've met her… Strangely, she left the memories of my Nen Teachers intact, but everybody else is either a blur, or I just thought I met them during different times, like Chrollo.
Speaking of Chrollo… I sat up from the bench I was lying on and looked around,
"Where are we?" I asked. Kurapika answers me,
"We are in an aircraft right now."
"Why?"
"We're holding Chrollo for ransom in exchange for our friends."
His answer bewilders me,
"W-what…? But… That's…"
Kurapika could see my conflicting feelings and decided to speak about them,
"Tell me, what did Chrollo say about the two of you?"
The question starts to prick at my heart as I think of what I have of him,
"W-we're lovers, aren't we…?"
Kurapika's expression is a serious one. Rage fills his eyes as they turn red… They really are starting to get familiar, but this time… The pain in my heart was even more personal than the last. Kurapika's rage isn't aimed towards me at all, but all the same, he restrains himself,
"That's not true at all… You and him are not together."
I could feel myself having a hard time holding back my tears. My breath feels short. I can't accept that at all… Was I playing a fool all along…? Disbelief set in as I automatically got out of bed. Kurapika looks at me in surprise. He grabs at my hand,
"Wait, where are you going? You still need rest-"
I pull my arm away,
"No! Let me see Chrollo..!"
Kurapika is stunned by my demands, but tries to turn me down to see him,
"I'm sorry, I can't do that."
I ignored him and left the room. He calls out to me.
—
Kurapika is stunned by his friend's behavior. He didn't realize how much that lie Chrollo made about the two would impact her that much. He gets up to go after her when Melody speaks,
"Her heart… It was filled with pain and betrayal… I think she really thought their relationship was true despite not remembering anything. She had so much belief in it because she wanted to feel the same love that Leader feels for her…"
Kurapika turns to her,
"Chrollo is a liar! He couldn't be feeling that way for her!"
"Unfortunately, I beg to differ… I believe the reason why Chrollo decided to lie to her instead of telling the truth is to keep her by his side because he feels strongly for her… Although… I could tell he, too, is confused about what love really is despite his attachment towards her… So, I do understand that what he's doing is wrong."
Kurapika turns back to the entrance and goes after his friend.
—
Chrollo is seated on one of the crates. Leorio is there to watch over him. Just then, the door to the next room burst open. Chrollo and Leorio turn to the woman who walks in. She's still in bad shape, but she looks completely upset. Leorio gets up to speak,
"Hey. shouldn't you be resting?"
"I need to speak to Chrollo…" She tells him,
"But-"
"Alone."
Leorio hesitates for a moment. Her body is incredibly tense, her eyes never leaving Chrollo at all. Leorio gives in,
"Alright… but, if he does anything, call for us, okay…?"
She didn't respond. Chrollo stares back at her with no expression on his face. Leorio finally leaves them alone by entering the room where Kurapika and Melody are.
The two of them are now alone. He could tell how hurt she was by the look she was giving him. He knew this scenario would happen, but not this soon… She approaches him with a pained look on her face,
"Tell me… was it all a lie…?"
"No-"
He feels a sharp sting across his cheek. She slapped him. Tears fell down her face, her expression full of hurt towards him. He didn't know how to respond and looked up at her silently,
"Don't lie to me…!"
She begins to break down in front of him. The state she was in made him speechless. She begins to speak,
"How dare you..! I thought I could trust you, but… You used me."
He didn't know what to say to comfort her. She just continues to cry. There's no reason to make any excuses anymore. Also… She's right. He opens his mouth to speak,
"You're right… I did use you."
She let out pained gasps and fell to her knees,
"I can't believe you! Why would you do that…? So you would feel better?! IS THAT IT?!"
Chrollo watches her broken form and closes his eyes, not wanting to look her straight in the eyes,
"...Yes. I believed you would help me find myself if I let you stay by my side."
"You're unfair…! You're EXPECTING ME to find WHO YOU ARE WHILE I'M ALSO LITERALLY LOSING MYSELF?! All because some crazy cult decided to strip me of my own identity just because I'm not to their liking! Slowly and surely, I'm losing who I am, and I'm SCARED! I thought I could find that comfort in you! I thought I could trust you, and yet…! You lied to me..!"
She continues to sob. Chrollo opens his eyes and sees her huddling in front of him looking completely broken. His heart feels like it's eating itself alive by seeing the display in front of him… He truly does care about her and seeing her like this is really hard to see. It's like seeing his younger self being broken in front of him after discovering the thing that completely broke him back then. He wanted to crouch over to her and bring her into his arms, but couldn't. His arms are tied. She continues to sob at his feet. He stares at her with blank eyes. In the end, he is the one who did this to her. The scene in front of him is hard to watch. His heart feels heavy as he listens to her cry her heart out to him.
Chrollo didn't say anything further as she continued to sob in front of him until Leorio, Kurapika, and Melody entered the room. Kurapika noticed her broken state and ran over to her,
"Are you okay?"
She just shook her head and continued to cry her eyes out. Kurapika turns his attention to Chrollo with a glare of his own,
"I'll never let you hurt her again."
Chrollo didn't say anything as Kurapika pulled her up to her and guided her away from him. A hole begins to form within his heart once again.
Kurapika guides her away from Chrollo. It's almost time…
Kurapika gets a call from Pakunoda and takes Chrollo with him to make the exchange. Chrollo looks over to her, who is just staring at nothing and is lost in her thoughts. He looks at her longingly. Melody notices it but doesn't say anything. Kurapika roughly pulls him along. It's finally time to save their friends.
—
Leorio watches Kurapika Take the Phantom Troupe Leader and turns to check if she's okay,
"Hey, are you alright? Do you need to talk…?"
She didn't respond and hugs her knees closer to her chest. Melody was about to follow Kurapika until she could hear the many feelings Kurapika's friend's heart plays. It's chaotic and sad. But, ultimately, she could sense shame in that girl's heart. She turns around and looks for the right words to say,
"How you're feeling right now is okay. You don't need to feel ashamed."
The girl didn't look at her and moved her head away,
"I feel stupid…"
Leorio shook his head at what she said about herself,
"Hey, don't beat yourself up like that. You're far from stupid!"
"But, I believed him…"
Leorio looks at her worriedly. Melody chimes in,
"I understand why you feel that way, but you must know that he's the Leader of the Spiders for a reason. People like him could sway to their favor with their charisma alone."
"Leorio nods in agreement,
"Yeah! And the guy even has looks on his side, so it's easy to win people over like that!"
It appears their words made her feel even worse. Melody felt bad and tried to comfort her some more,
"I'm not trying to encourage anything, but… Chrollo does have feelings for you, but… the way he did it is not right."
Melody watches her think on her words for a bit, then speaks,
"Still… I'm so gullible. I still should've seen the signs, but I didn't."
Everybody then remains silent for a long period of time until Leorio speaks again,
"Well, I recommend you rest now, you still need to recover from your fever. Also, maybe with a little rest, you'll feel better afterward!"
The girl nods and enters the room she last woke up in. Once the girl leaves, Melody decides to finally join Kurapika.
—
Hisoka hears of the news. It's all finally going according to plan. It's now the best opportunity to finally fight Chrollo. Thanks to Illumi's help, Hisoka gets to roam around the place with no problem since Illumi is in his place disguised as him. He smiles as he goes to the scene where the exchange will take place. He could feel his blood pumping with eagerness. He wonders if he can get over there to see his Darling as well before he gets to fight the Boss, but knowing the boys, they wouldn't let him go near her at all~! But, once he finishes Chrollo off, he'll have her all to himself~! And then…
Hisoka frowns, He wonders why she affects him in such a way that keeps him from doing what he usually loves to do with his other opponents. Why can't he detach himself from the memories of those measly moments with his Darling? What is the difference? Hisoka silently thinks about it, but ultimately decides to focus on his current desires. To finally fight Chrollo.
—
Pakunoda stands before the Chain User and his partner with Chrollo tied up next to them. Kurapika Explains the conditions to both her and Chrollo,
"I'll start the conditions for the Leader. First, I hereby forbid all further use of Nen. Second…" Kurapika pauses as the others listen to what he's going to say. He thought once he gets rid of the Boss, the Spiders will fall apart, but… He remembers the words Chrollo had said on the way to the Airship,
"I have absolutely no value as a hostage."
Kurapika let out a shaky breath, wondering if what he was doing is even the right way… He then thinks about Gon and Killua. After what Chrollo has said, Kurapika now learns of the possibility of the Spider continuing on even without its head. He realizes his personal vendetta against the Spiders might be a never-ending cycle… He wondered if there was any other alternative, but couldn't think of anything at all. So, in the end, he's decided this is the best way to get Gon and Killua back. He's already lost too many people he's loved, he doesn't want to lose anyone else. The sad state of his friend pops into his mind. It happened only moments ago, But all the same… He doesn't want the Spiders to hurt the people he loves anymore! His resolve gets stronger,
"Second, I forbid all contact with all other Troupe members from now on. Those are my conditions. And to make certain you adhere to them, I will stab your Leader with my Judgment Chain: Arbiter Little Finger."
He glares at Pakunoda,
"It's up to you now, Pakunoda. Are these conditions acceptable?"
He waits for her response. She responds,
"Yes, I accept."
Chrollo stares at her with an unreadable look in his eyes. Kurapika then stabs Chrollo in the chest. The chains then proceed to wrap themselves around his heart. Kurapika turns to Pakunoda,
"Pakunoda, you're next."
He then tells her his conditions on what she must do. He tells her to release Gon and Killua uninjured, before midnight and without any deceptions,
"Second. You are also forbidden to reveal anything about me. Accept and I will stab you with the chain as well."
Pakunoda accepts his condition and he proceeds to stab her in the heart with the same chain. Kurapika turns to Melody to ask her to tell if anything is amiss, because… He wondered why Pakunoda decided to come alone and no one else. It confused him for sure.
—
I couldn't bring myself to rest during all of this… The hurt I felt over what Chrollo did had kept me awake. And this situation I'm in… I'm completely safe, I know for sure, but… apparently, I should remember Kurapika and Leorio, but I'm still struggling. Kurapika showed me a photo of people I am starting to recognize… Luka… Images of a young boy play in my head. He smiled happily at me as he pulled me with him to play, and then I thought of another boy, almost the same age, only younger, smiling at me…
"Big sis!"
Gon.
The kid who was held hostage earlier with another boy…
The kid with white hair looks at me curiously.
Killua…
I then thought of Leorio.
"The reason why I want money is so I can be a doctor someday."
Oh yeah… That's what he wanted to be…
I then thought of Kurapika… The one who's doing this hostage situation on my supposed fiancé…
"He's not your fiancé."
His words about Chrollo cut me through the heart.
"I'm going to be a Blacklist Hunter to retrieve my clan members' eyes and take my revenge on a notorious group called the Phantom Troupe…"
Tears started to form as I remembered what he had said… I remember them now… And not only that… I remembered I'd gotten my Hunter's License. I wiped the tears from my eyes and couldn't believe that Chrollo was the same Leader who had caused Kurapika to go down this path… I'm so disappointed in all of this… In him… I thought I could feel something for him, and I think I did, but… All this time it was all a lie.
I still feel tired and cold, but I can't sleep, so I let the time go by until I got up and left the room. Once I did, I saw Kurapika and Melody enter the room with Chrollo behind them with his mouth covered by chains, through the other door. The young teen looked confused and conflicted. I fully entered the room and Kurapika saw me,
"Hey, shouldn't you be resting?"
I shook my head,
"I'll be okay."
I decided to ignore Chrollo's stare and wanted to know how it went with Pakunoda,
"How did it go?" I ask Kurapika. He looks down, not saying anything. Melody speaks for him,
"It's going very smoothly, but we're still wary about it."
We all stay silent. I know why that is… Pakunoda… after waking up with jumbled memories, I remember Pakunoda telling me to take care of Chrollo.
"Please. Promise me."
I stare at the floor sadly. The Spiders may be criminals, but it's clear they care about each other. I turn my attention to Chrollo. He stopped staring at me and was looking out the window. My heart feels heavy as I look at the man who lied to me. I closed my eyes and turned my attention to Kurapika this time,
"...I remember who you are now."
Kurapika widened and looked at me, his eyes starting to water. I could feel my eyes start to tear up as well,
"I'm so sorry…"
Kurapika shook his head in response, but I continued,
"I never wanted to add to more of your problems… to anyone's. I didn't want to cause this much trouble…"
Kurapika continues to shake his head and responds,
"No, you're wrong! It's not your fault. You should know that Cult is the one that caused all of this… you are only a victim."
I nod to him as I wipe the tears off my face. I catch Chrollo looking back at me. I could see the longing look in his eyes. It hurt me so much that I looked away.
—
Pakunoda went back to the base to get the kids. The Spiders are having many disagreements. Phinks didn't like the idea of completely following the Chain User's demands and it almost caused the Spiders to fight each other, but in the end, Pakunoda was about to get them to let her take the kids for the exchange.
Kurapika tells her what to do once they make it to the airport. Kurapika and Leorio see the boys and Pakunoda from the airship. Everything seems to go as planned until they see a certain Magician. Kurapika gets a call from Hisoka,
"Hey."
—
Pakunoda isn't pleased with Hisoka's appearance at all,
"What are you doing here?!"
Kurapika is surprised by his appearance,
"Did you sneak out?"
"No need for concern. I left a double behind."
Hisoka called for Illumi's assistance a while back. He was able to do some… errands since then. He stands in front of Pakunoda and the boys as he stays on the phone with Kurapika,
"What are you up to?!"
"Allow me to board the airship with them. If you refuse, I'll kill Gon and Killua."
"Bastard."
Hisoka is only joking. He would never waste such good toys like that but Kurapika doesn't need to know that at all~!
"My target is only Chrollo and Chrollo alone. And I'll gladly get off the airship as soon as he is released."
Although, that's not all~! If his theory is correct, once he speaks to his Darling directly by saying some keywords as she sees him, it could possibly trigger some memories from her~! And that would add some salt to the wound for Chrollo as they fight~! Ah, how exciting~! Hisoka smiles at the thought and continues to speak to Kurapika,
"All I want is to fight him. Nothing more, I promise."
After Hisoka said his piece, Kurapika agreed,
"Oh. But one more thing… Let me see my beloved Kitten. Just this once."
Kurapika doesn't like that idea at all,
"Why?! What is your reason to ask for that?!"
"Nothing, I promise~! I just miss her and want to see her, that's all~!"
Kurapika lets out an irritated hiss and looks at his clearly sick friend. She really isn't fit to move anywhere,
"I can't. She's not feeling well."
"Oh? Why is that so? Why not ask her for me?"
—
I was sitting in the corner of the room of the airship, still fighting a headache until Kurapika came over to me,
"Are you feeling okay?"
I look up at him and he has a conflicted look on his face. I look up at him curiously
"As okay as I can for the time being… why?"
Kurapika struggled to say what he needed to say, but I waited for him,
"Someone wants to see you once we do the exchange."
I look into Kurapika's eyes and it's clear he didn't want to do this, but he wants me to make the decision to follow that request. I was curious and nodded to him,
"Okay."
Kurapika gave me a worried look and placed his phone against his ear again
"She agreed."
After that was settled, the airship began to fly us to our destination.
The two airships are on a rock formation in the middle of nowhere. We exited the airship to make our exchanges. I see Pakunoda, Gon, and Killua in front of the other airship. I then saw The other Spider member I didn't get the name of at all. I look at him curiously as he looks at me with a smirk. Kurapika examines the scene and then, calls Killua's phone,
"Killua. Place the phone against your heart." Killua curiously follows what he asks. Kurapika gives his phone to Melody to listen. She confirms he's safe. And so,
"Okay! Begin the exchange!"
I watch the chains that were wrapped around Chrollo taken away in a flash. He looked at me for one last time with a somber look but didn't say anything. I refused to meet his eyes, trying to keep my feelings at bay. After looking at me for a long period of time, during that time, Kurapika gets a call from Hisoka,
"What is it?"
"No need to be hostile, I only just want to talk to my Darling, I do miss her voice. "
"Isn't just seeing her enough?" Kurapika hissed in the phone,
"When I said I want to see her, I also meant talking to her as well. "
—
Kurapika turns to glare at the Magician from across the Airship. The man stood in between the two boys. Pakunoda glares at the man,
"Are you jeopardizing the exchange on purpose?!"
Hisoka shakes his head,
"Oh no. We will do the exchange as planned. I only just want to talk to my Darling. Oh. And would you mind putting my call on speaker? "
The girl is clearly confused about what's going on, but ultimately, Kurapika holds the phone to her.
"Here. He wants to talk to you."
—
I look at Kurapika curiously as he presses a button to put the call on speaker,
"Ummm… H-Hello…?" I uttered,
"Hello, Darling~! "
My eyes widened from his voice. That voice… the intruder who kidnapped me. I look directly at the man across from me. He only gives me a Cheshire Cat smile,
"You have no idea how much I've missed you~. Do you miss me~? "
I didn't know what to say. How do I respond? That Nickname… his voice… it's all so familiar. I start to speak,
"W-why do you think that…?"
"Oh, I'm hurt~! Don't you recognize me~? It's me…Hisoka. "
As he said his name, memories flashed through my mind. The alleyway where he first found me, the Hunter Exams, my first kiss, my first date… those intimate moments behind the building and in my hotel room… I stood there, dumbfounded.
Chrollo seemed shocked by the reveal. Hisoka continued,
"Oh, I miss the times we've spent together my Beloved Kitten~! We should go on another date soon~! And the kisses we've exchanged together… How I miss them~!"
I am bewildered by Hisoka's words. My face turned red and couldn't believe he would say all of that for everyone to hear! Leorio let out a disbelieving yell,
"ARE YOU FREAKING SERIOUS?!"
Kurapika pulls the phone away and starts yelling as well,
"YOU BASTARD! How dare you lay your hands on her!"
"Oh, don't be mistaken~! Our relationship is most definitely consensual~! It's true. "
I fell on my knees, speechless, and feeling completely embarrassed… I've only just remembered, yet he decided to announce our relationship like that without telling me…?! Why does this feel like DEJA VU?! I feel my anger rise I clench my fists feeling absolutely humiliated,
"Y-You're TERRIBLE!"
—
Hisoka watches from across from him, seeing how embarrassed she looks after his little announcement about their relationship. He feels happy that he's accomplished this small goal to get his Beloved Kitten to remember him~! He wonders what Chrollo is feeling right now. He turns his attention to Chrollo, and could see the man looking like he's silently eating himself alive on the inside. Excellent. He's going to make sure to rub it in his face~!
The boys stared up at Hisoka. Killua gives Hisoka a disgusted look while Gon is just completely baffled by it all.
Once Hisoka is satisfied, he steps away from the boys and lets the exchange continue.
Chrollo stood there for a moment but ultimately went as the boys did the same. They each made it their respective friends.
Kurapika is still feeling angry about Hisoka's announcement but is ultimately relieved he got the boys back.
—
Chrollo's gaze told me how hurt he felt after hearing everything Hisoka had said. I couldn't help but feel guilty when I really shouldn't… I continue to stare from across from me… my eyes shifting from Chrollo to Hisoka… All this time… I was really in a relationship with Hisoka, but lost my memories and was put into a forced relationship with Chrollo, thinking I had a history with him instead. Did Hisoka feel that slighted…? And yet… I also feel guilty for making Chrollo have that hurt look on his face…! It makes no sense! My heart feels like it's drowning.
As I was drowning in my own emotions, Gon came over to check up on me,
"Big Sis."
I turn to him with tears in my eyes,
"Gon…"
He goes and gives me a hug. I couldn't help but start to cry again… I feel so unstable, I hate being this way… yet, I can't help it. Once my cries subsided, Gon helped me up from the ground and held my hand,
"Let's go, Big Sis."
I sadly nodded to him and he guided me to the Airship.
—
Chrollo watches them go as he feels himself fall into more despair and agony. After Hisoka's reveal about him and his Song bird, he couldn't help but feel his heart squeeze itself tightly, tighter than the Judgement Chains Kurapika placed upon it. He continues to stare at the airship his Beloved is in. He really did want to get to know her some more and spend more time with her. Those sweet moments with her really were nice. He felt his heart was light during all of that instead of the usual caution and despair he always felt when it came to being the leader of the Phantom Troupe… What he would give to have that with her again. But unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be it seems… he thinks about her sweet face. Her smile, gone… her warmth, no longer attainable… his heart squeezes from his thoughts for her.
Chrollo was deep in thought until Hisoka made his presence known,
"I've waited a long time for this moment."
Chrollo turns his attention to him. Hisoka smirks at him,
"Come on. Let's fight."
Hisoka then takes off his shirt. He then reaches from behind him and starts to pull off his Spider Tattoo,
"I won't be needing this anymore." He then tosses his Texture surprise away. Chrollo just watches him. Hisoka… He viewed that man as a part of himself when he was part of the Troupe, and to be honest, he still sees the Magician as a part of himself, but after that stunt, he pulled just a few moments ago, He feels some sort of dark intent within him to want to hurt the Man... Was it because Hisoka has made a move on the girl he is attracted to? Or does he want to hurt Hisoka because he sees another version of himself being able to have that sort of intimate moment with her that the original couldn't? Chrollo continues to watch him.
Hisoka smirks and speaks,
"Now this won't be considered as infighting. So there's no need to hold back."
The man then activates his aura, getting ready to fight. Despite feeling the way he is right now, the only thing holding him back is…. Chrollo just chuckles at him,
"We can talk because you aren't a Troupe member. I can't fight you. Or rather, I'm simply not worth the trouble. Because, you see, he stabbed his Judgement Chain directly into my heart. I can't use Nen anymore."
Hisoka stares blankly at Chrollo. He feels ever so disappointed. The wind blows through them, the anti-climax is present.
—
Hisoka enters the airship, not happy with the result at all,
"It appears that we can leave now."
"I see."
The airship then leaves Chrollo behind. Hisoka tells Pakunoda he has no interest in playing with broken toys, so he leaves Chrollo alive. After that, he informed Illumi to slip out whenever he pleased. Hisoka is still frowning at the outcome. That was incredibly disappointing… In the end, he was duped by Kurapika all along. But… At least he got his Darling to remember him again~! He can't wait to find her and do everything he wants to do with her under the sun~! Many dirty thoughts start entering his mind. From mild to… controversial. He grins at all of them. Since Chrollo is unfortunately not worth pursuing, he guessed it's time to go after his Darling. Might as well. Also, there's that Cult that's after her. They are also worth a look, but, since they're witches, he'll have to find a way to keep Illumi and his family in the dark about them. The Zoldycks are efficient killers… Too efficient. So, it would be wise to not tell them anything about Witches at all.
—
Kurapika is relieved that all of his friends are now safe and sound, but he feels all of this is taking a toll on his body,
"I'm sorry for exposing you to such danger."
Gon Shook his head,
"No need. You used your chains on the Boss didn't you?"
"Yes, but… something tells me it isn't over yet."
The boys all decide to head to the passenger seats until Kurapika suddenly ends up fainting. Leorio quickly caught him before he hit the floor,
"Hey, what's wrong?!" Leorio asked him, but Kurapika was unable to answer him. Leorio checked his temperature and could tell he was developing a fever. Just his luck. Two of his friends are down with a fever. They really need to find a place for both of his friends to properly rest. Quick!"
—
Ever since we got Gon and Killua back, the fever I've been fighting against came back to me tenfold. Everybody brought us to someplace to hide for a while. Kurapika ended up with a high fever as well. We were bedridden for the remainder of the week. Leorio took care of us as we got better. I was grateful… Gon and Killua gave my Bag back to me after being separated from it for a long period of time and… something was off about it. They say they didn't know what, but I was too sick to think about it yet.
—
We've been bedridden for a few more days until we finally got better. I was listless after everything. Leorio came to check up on me,
"How are you feeling?"
I continued to stare blankly out the window and quietly responded,
"I'm not sick anymore…"
He gives me a worried look,
"But something else is wrong."
I look over at him with a somber look,
"I won't lie to you, but I don't feel the same."
"What do you mean?"
I hugged my knees and tried to tell him,
"Ever since I lost my memories, I have felt different. When I was captured by the Phantom Troupe, they told me how different I was and… I couldn't help but agree."
Leorio stayed silent. I study his facial expression,
"You can tell, can't you?" I ask him. He looked at the floor and stayed silent for a moment,
"Yeah. You're a little bit different, but I don't exactly think you've changed that much."
I look at him questioningly,
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you used to get angry easily and you were more intense with your emotions than now. Also, you were more certain of things, than you are now, I can see that."
"Oh. "
"But… aside from that, you're still you."
I look at him curiously. Leorio smiles at me,
"You still are emotional, but in a different way. You're still curious and innocent, and you still cry a lot, too!"
That… was very unnecessary to mention. I scrunch my eyebrows at him. His cheek smile just widens,
"But in the end, you're still really cute!"
That made me blush and I held my cheeks in embarrassment,
"W-wha?!"
"It's true!"
I pout at Leorio as he continues to be embarrassed. Just then, the door opens. Gon and Killua enter the room,
"Big Sis!" I turn to the boys and greet them,
"Oh! Gon, Killua!"
Leorio also greeted them,
"Yo. What brings you guys here?"
Gon gives me a curious look,
"Me and Killua are going to get that Greed Island game we were talking about and are going to say goodbye. For now."
I didn't say anything for a while and let out a hum,
"I see… I hope you can find your father."
Gon nodded and suddenly gave me a sad look,
"Are you going to be okay…?"
That look and that question he gave me caught me by surprise. But I give him a serene smile, hoping to comfort his unease for me,
"Why ask me that?"
Gon still continues to look at me with sad eyes,
"You know why…"
I thought about his question a little more and now could understand. He's worried about me. To be honest, I don't think I will be completely okay. I was basically violated after all… That Cult has done something immeasurable to me that changed me. I could never be the same person the boys have befriended ever again. And after that… Chrollo had lied to me and tried to keep me prisoner by pretending we were a couple. And the reveal that we weren't actually deeply hurt me. But, thanks to these Boys, I at least kept my trust in others, just… not for Chrollo… I remember now… He wasn't someone I shouldn't have trusted from the beginning and yet, I couldn't help but feel like his feelings for me were actually genuine. At least the Troupe were somewhat honest with me and how they felt about me. They even pointed out how different I was. Something Chrollo failed to mention to me when I first woke up.
Thinking back about myself in the past during my early days in this world, I realized how different I have become. I frowned at the thought… It feels like another person has died, except, this time it's me… I turned my attention back to Gon and tried to give him a smile,
"To be honest with you, Gon… I will never be okay."
The boys stayed silent after I said those words. I feel bad for bringing down the mood even further, but it's the truth.
After a long period of silence, I just remembered my bag. Since I've recovered, I went to examine my bag. I remembered what Gon said about it being different in some way. As I examined my bag, I could see it no longer has a dimension inside of it. Just a normal bag… So, if that's the case, where are my things? My wallet isn't in my bag, nor is my phone, and most importantly…. My Hunter's License has also gone missing! I stare at my bag with dread,
"Oh no… Everything's gone…."
The boys didn't know what to do to make me feel better in this situation… It just felt like my life was slowly getting worse and worse as time went on. I feel fatigued pass through my body. I am getting too exhausted dealing with my feelings. I just got better from my illness, yet there's something new to have to worry about now. I just sat at the table with my face in my hands, not saying anything to the boys.
—
Kurapika opens his eyes and stares up at the ceiling. He wonders how he got there. He hears a sound of surprise from Melody and she goes over to him and checks on his well-being,
"You're okay!"
Kurapika is still getting over his fever, but he's at least awake,
"Melody… How long was I out…?"
"You've been asleep for a few days. We took care of you during all that."
Kurapika takes in what she says, then remembers his friends. He shoots up from his bed,
"How are Gon and Killua? Oh! And what about-"
"They're okay." Melody reassures him and he sighs in relief. It really has been really stressful dealing with the Phantom Troupe. He really does feel like it's not going to be the last time he sees them. Kurapika stares into space, still getting his bearings until he finally gets out of bed, Melody looks at him with worry,
"You shouldn't leave your bed, you still need to recover!"
"It's okay. I just need a little bit of a walk."
"But-"
"I want to see everyone… To make sure they're okay with my own two eyes. I'm sorry." Kurapika then leaves the room as Melody looks on with worry. Kurapika's friends are all in the room next door, so thankfully, Kurapika didn't need to go that far. However… She hears the heart of the girl Kurapika worries about the most. She could hear the despair eating away at her. After learning about her situation and what's happened so far, she understands why this girl's heart plays this kind of pain and sadness. She wishes to help her, but knows she doesn't have the answer to that at all… Only the girl herself will have to find a way to get herself out of this. It would have to do with her own resolve to get through this foreboding situation she's forced to be in. It also depends on how strong it will have to be to get through this.
Notes:
Here is another chapter! I don't know how my chapters are getting longer since I've been working a lot lately, so yeah... Here you go. Enjoy and have a great day!
Chapter 30: Chapter 29: Hope in a World of Uncertainty
Summary:
A need for a breather is an order from Leorio.
Kurapika has an offer to share.
Hisoka finds something new in his Darling.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
Kurapika has gone to check on his friends. But when he went to see them, he saw one of them sitting at the table holding her hands to her face silently. He could see the way she just silently sat there with a blank look on her face. He slowly approached,
"What happened?"
Killua tells him with a serious look on his face,
"It's her Nen abilities. She seems to be having a hard time accessing it."
Kurapika's eyes widen and turns his attention back to her. She seems to be lost in her thoughts until he reaches over to her,
"Hey…."
Her eyes turned to him and didn't say anything. He paused and struggled to find the right words to say. But, his friend just gets up and heads towards the bed plops down, and closes her eyes. He could see how tired she looked. He doesn't blame her, after all she's been through it must've been exhausting.
Leorio watches the girl plop down on the bed, he begins to think of a way to help her mental state… In fact, he's thinking of a way to help all of his friends' mental states. They've definitely gone through a lot, especially her and Kurapika. Now is the time for the two to focus on healing not just physically, but mentally as well. Leorio turned to Gon and Killua and went over to them,
"Hey, when is that auction you guys are planning on attending?"
Gon turns his attention to Leorio, looking at him curiously,
"Ummm… In two days. Why?"
"Great! I think one day is enough! I think we should all finally relax for a bit and hang out for a while!"
Kurapika turns to Leorio looking tired,
"Leorio, it's clear the two of us are exhausted."
"That's exactly why! You guys went through a lot. Why not just have a free day and relax for once?"
Gon smiles and nods in agreement,
"Okay, sure!"
Killua hums and agrees as well,
"Sure, why not?"
The boys turn to Kurapika hoping for him to accept. Kurapika gives them a grateful smile,
"Thank you. I accept." He turns to their friend giving her a gentle shake,
"Hey. We'll be spending time tomorrow, is it okay for you to join us?"
The girl opens her eyes and looks at Kurapika and quietly nods to him. He smiles at her then pulls away,
"Great. Rest easy for today and see you tomorrow." Kurapika and the rest of them leave her room."
—
I watch the boys leave. They are so kind. I wish I could've met them in different circumstances. Where there are no witches or weird men fawning after me… I also wished I didn't feel like an imposter to the people I care for… Ever since that Cult started that strange ritual, they jumbled my memories and messed with my personality. Now I could barely recognize myself… I pull the covers over me and close my eyes. I hoped that spending time with the boys would help me feel like I'm a part of them… Looking back on my memories, I wished I could've spent more time with the boys back then, but maybe now, I could make new memories and hopefully, the boys won't be too put off by my new personality…
—
I was in my sleepwear walking through the fog that felt vaguely familiar. I tried to figure out where I was until I saw a figure up ahead. I ran over to them and tried to get their attention,
"Hey!" Once I did, the figure turned to me. But, as I got closer, I got a clear view of the person's face. My eyes widen realizing who I'm looking at. It's me in clothes I wore at the Hunter Exams. She also holds herself in a way that seems more open and less fearful. In fact… I noticed that my past self reminds me of Baran, somewhat…. Did I subconsciously get influenced by her? She gives me a curious look as I give her a surprised one. She tilts her head and speaks,
"Huh? What is it? Do you need anything?" This interaction with myself was quite jarring I didn't exactly know what to say, but I tried to find my words,
"Ummm… No. I'm sorry. I'm just, uh… Here." I say in a quiet tone, looking away from her as I make myself look smaller. The old version of me blinks at me for a moment and turns back around,
"Okay. If you say so." She then runs into the fog. I know I should've told her I'm lost, but for some reason, I couldn't bring myself to. I also should just follow her to know where everything is, but I didn't. I decided to just walk through the fog. I then could see two figures ahead. I made my way over there, wondering who that would be. As I got closer, I saw Leorio and Killua. They turned to me curiously. I wave at them,
"Oh! Leorio, Killua!"
As I approached them, they just looked at me curiously. Killua is the first to speak. He looks at me as if I'm suspicious,
"How do you know our names?"
I stood there, stunned. Leorio also looked at me pretty suspiciously and spoke,
"Yeah, and why do you have our friend's face?"
"W-what? But I'm-." I stepped closer. Killua and Leorio took a few steps back,
"Back off!" Killua cuts me off. I shook my head in response,
"N-no I'm not…!"
The boys didn't stay to hear me out and ran away from me into the fog,
"Wait!" I cried out to them and attempted to follow, but I couldn't see them anywhere. I stood there in shock but decided to go even further into the fog, but as I went further in, I saw Gon and Kurapika…
"Gon… Kurapika…?" I hesitantly approached them and the two also looked at me with judgment in their eyes. I looked at each of them and could feel my heart rip in two. These two feel the closest to me and seeing them look at me that way hurts… I open my mouth to speak, but Gon decides to speak instead,
"Who are you?" I freeze as he asks me that question. I struggled to answer. Kurapika stops me,
"Don't. It's not worth your time to explain to us. We all know who you aren't."
My eyes start to water. I could feel my breath start to go short. As I continued to stand there contemplating myself, Both Gon and Kurapika ended up leaving me in the fog I reached out to them,
"Wait! Please…!" I ended up breaking into tears and fell to my knees. Just then, I hear footsteps approach from behind me. I turn my head and see Hisoka. He didn't seem to pay any mind to me and walked passed. I looked up at him, feeling that hurt again when he walked away back to the Phantom Troupe's Hideout. I grabbed at his hand,
"Hisoka…" I say. He stops in his tracks and turns to me with disinterest on his face. That look cuts my heart like a knife for some strange reason as he finally speaks,
"It seems you've stopped being interesting anymore~! Oh well. Onto the next big fish~!"
I let out a gasp as he pulled away. The Magician then just nonchalantly enters the fog. Memories and thoughts of my previous self surfaced. About how I should be wary of him. Hisoka… He was annoying… A Trickster. Dangerous, even, But yet… Memories of him being tender with me still shine brightly in my mind… I fell love with him… Right? This is too much. I don't want this to happen… I don't want him to go! I shook my head,
"No! Wait please!" I got up and ran for him into the fog. I didn't know how long I ran but I finally saw figures in the fog. I was going to approach until I heard thatforeboding song. Oyana… She's calling me… I stopped in my tracks and covered my ears,
"No…! STOP! SHUT UP!"
I curled into a ball as I tried my hardest to block out that cursed song! But it gets louder…. The figure ahead of me approaches. I look up and see The Members of the Cult reaching out to me… I shook my head. I don't want them to get any closer,
"Stay away!" But they ignored my cries and continued to approach me.
—
Kurapika wakes up to screaming and a strong aura being emitted nearby. Leorio is already out the door to get to the other room while Melody gives Kurapika a worried look. Kurapika throws the covers off of him and rushes over to the other room with Melody close behind. All three made it to the room to see their friend screaming and squirming around with her covers thrown off the bed. Kurapika and Melody witnessed this scene at the airship. She was screaming as if she was being attacked in her sleep. But this time, it was more violent. Her aura engulfed the whole room. The three tried their hardest to plant themselves on the floor as her aura started flying at them like a blizzard. Kurapika turns to Melody,
"Melody!" He calls her name. She looks at the teen and nods to him, understanding what he wants her to do. She took out her flute and played her song to calm the young woman. Leorio watches with worry until he hears the two boys, Gon and Killua enter the room,
"What happened?!"Gon asks as he holds his arms out to protect himself from the constantly flowing aura.
Killua surveys the situation and can see their friend is having a nightmare. But by the looks of it, it's no ordinary nightmare. It appears Melody's Nen ability is starting to work. Leorio and Kurapika approach her as she calms down. Kurapika calls her name.
—
I managed to get away from them. I looked back, to see them getting closer. But as I was looking back, I ended up tripping. I winced and tried to get back up, just then, a hand was held out to me. I look up to who that hand belongs to and see Chrollo holding his hand out to me. I almost reached out but stopped. I remembered what he did. I can't trust him. I didn't take his hand, and sure enough, he turned into Oyana. She smiles that dead smile at me as her members surround me,
"No… Leave me alone…!" I curled myself into a ball as that terrible song got louder. I covered my ears and screamed, wanting everything to go away. As I thought I would get consumed byOyana's Song, the sound of a flute plays. It was so soothing. As it plays, it drowns out Oyana's song and finally, I hear a familiar voice calling me.
—
I snap my eyes open and let out heavy breaths. My name is called again. I turned to the voice and saw Kurapika, right next to me with his hand on my shoulder. I took notice of the others in the room. Leorio is also next to my bed, looking at me worriedly, but he went out to check up on me,
"Hey. You had an intense nightmare, it's going to be okay."
Gon and Killua approached the bed with worry as well. Whatever I did in my sleep, it really scared them. Once I calmed down I spoke,
"W-what happened?"
Everyone in the room seemed lost at what to say until Kurapika spoke,
"You aura… It went wild earlier."
I took in what he said. Did he say what I think he means…? I got out of bed and focused on my Nen. I tried to focus on it really hard and I think I felt… nothing. I opened my eyes and realized something. I turned to Kurapika,
"I don't feel anything…."
Leorio is done checking over me and rubbed the back of his neck,
"Well… You seem healthy enough."
I'm at a loss. Kurapika thinks for a moment then turns to me,
'I… might have an idea why you're having a hard time."
—
I am sitting at the table as Kurapika places a glass of water in front of me. I stare down at the glass, knowing what he wants me to do. He said he had a hunch and here I am, taking the Water Divination test the third time… Kurapika is definitely aware of how different I am compared to when I was last time, so he just needed proof. I let out a sigh and held my hands on either side of the glass… The boys and Melody watch me as I concentrate. It seemed like nothing was happening. Killua dipped his finger into the water and gave it a taste. His face turned to shock. I look at him curiously. The boy turns to me, still shocked,
"You changed the taste of the water.… You're a Transmuter now."
I am at a loss for words. I sat there, completely stunned. Kurapika hums and turns to me with a sad look,
"I guess… My theory is correct after all…"
I am afraid to hear what he thinks even though, I know fully well myself. Kurapika sighs and shares his theory,
"I believe the reason why she's a Transmitter now is because of that strange ritual at the auction. It altered her personality to the point she could no longer use her Conjuring properly anymore, It's like she has to relearn Nen again from scratch."
I closed my eyes not wanting to face any of them… My nightmare is playing in real life… I opened my eyes and looked at each other the boys. I know Leorio told me I'm still the same me, but after taking the Water Divination Test again, I couldn't help but wonder if his thoughts have changed,
"I'm not who I used to be… I'm so sorry…"
I still feel like I took their friend away from them. I still think now they have to deal with a stranger in front of them who's wearing their friend's face… I could feel tears forming in my eyes.
—
The boys didn't know what to do to make her feel better. Leorio, especially, knows why she's crying all of a sudden. They talked about how different she felt last time, so of course she'd feel scared and upset… So, he makes sure to reassure her,
"Hey… Everything will be fine! Sure, your Category has changed, but still doesn't mean everything is completely different! We still are gonna have a relaxing time together, come on! Let's go!" He then heads to the door with a cheery attitude. Gon looks at Leorio curiously and then at Killua. The boy beside him just shrugs his shoulders. Kurapika admires Leorio for brightening up the mood, but he worries he might take too many things on his plate.
Melody understands that this moment is something only for this group of friends, so she decides to make her leave,
"I'll be going now. I think Basho might need some help with some things, see you there, Kurapika. And it's nice to meet all of you."
Gon and Killua said their goodbyes to her and thanked her for helping them. Melody smiles at the girl who has finally calmed down,
"It's also very nice to meet you. You have very good friends here, so I know you're in good hands."
The girl now seems to be at ease with her words. Melody nods to her as the girl dries her tears,
"Thank you." She says to her. Once the girl has calmed down, Melody makes her leave. She hopes everything will get better soon for that girl, it's incredibly hard to listen to that girl's heartbeat for too long.
—
I watch Melody leave the room. It's sweet of them to try and cheer me up. So, I try my best to take their kindness to heart. I dry my tears and went along with Leorio's idea.
And so, we had that picnic. Kurapika says he's feeling well enough to attend the picnic. The park is pretty busy. The boys brought a lot of food to the park and we had a good time together. Gon and Killua decided to have an eating contest. Leorio and Kurapika are having a conversation with each other. I watched the boys and tried my best to take my mind off of my troubles. I was watching Gon and Killua have their little food contest. Just then a man I'd never met before came over to us. Gon seems to recognize him and tries to greet him, but ends up spitting his food on Killua's face. I stood up to greet the man. He waved to all of us as Gon runs up to him with a wave of his own,
"Zepile! Hey!"
"Hey, what's up? Just here for the update about the game you're trying to get." Gon and Killua's attention peaked. I went over to hear about it as well. Zepile notices me and greets me,
"Oh, hello!"
"Hello." I greeted him back. Gon smiled and introduced us,
"Nice to meet you, I'm Zepile."
"It's nice to meet you." I give him a gentle smile. Zepile then gives his attention back to the two boys and tells them what happened,
"Apparently, Greed Island has already been sold to Battera, a multi-billionaire." Hearing about what happened, the boys frowned at the news. I couldn't help but feel like I was responsible for them missing their chance to get what they were after.
Killua seems to be thinking and asks him,
"Who is this Battera guy? Why does he want to buy Greed Island?"
"I've looked up something about him and we'll, apparently, he's actually set up a reward for any hunters to beat the game in general," Zepile tells the boys. Killua lets out a hum and nods,
"I see, so there's still a chance to play the game after all!"
Gon finally understands and is now smiling from ear to ear,
"Awesome! Then all we need to do is to enter!" Killua nods to him,
"Yup! So, for now…" just then, Killua takes out a pie and splats it onto Gon's face. I watch the boys then try to throw food at each other, but Killua manages to get Gon twice. The scene made me feel lighter and I couldn't help but giggle at the scene. The other two boys came over to join us, and another pie flew and landed on Leorio's face. My giggle turned to a laugh as Leorio wiped the food off his face. Kurapika also ended up laughing. It was nice having this. I want to thank Leorio for this for sure.
I watched the boys have fun for a while until Kurapika came over to sit next to me. I smiled at him as we both watched the others interact. Just then Kurapike speaks,
"I've been meaning to ask you, what will you be doing after the picnic?" The question caught me off guard,
"Oh… I don't know, actually."
I know the boys will be going their separate ways soon but for me… I feel lost. I know I have to collect the relics Freeda has asked me to collect, but I feel too vulnerable right now to do anything… I stayed silent until Kurapika spoke,
"I have a suggestion… You can tag along with me and I'll help you with the relics if you like." My eyes widened and I turned to Kurapika,
"What? Oh, you don't have to, I know for sure you have your own goals to pursue, I don't want to be a burden-"
"You're not…" Kurapika cuts me off. He turns to me and gives me a serious look. I stayed silent and waited for anything else he had to say he continued with a blush on his face,
"I know you'll need help with mastering your Nen once again… I wouldn't mind helping you."
I am at a loss for words. Kurapika is a very caring person,
"Thank you, Kurapika."
—
And so, our picnic has come to a close. We packed up our things and made our way back to the hotel. I walked with Leorio and Kurapika as Gon and Killua were both walking ahead of us. I turned to Leorio,
"Thanks for the suggestion, Leorio. You're a very good friend." I give him a grateful smile. Leorio blushes and rubs the back of his head while giving me a sheepish chuckle,
"Ah! It's nothing! We just need a little breather, is all!"
"We still would like to thank you anyway, though," Kurapika tells him. Leorio blushes from the thanks he's getting from the both of us. Leorio and Kurapika are walking ahead of me as I watch the boys from behind. I'm happy they still try their best to include me in things. I thought back on the picnic, Gon talked about his time back at home with Killua, he talked about his Aunt and told me he writes to her often. He talks about his friends and what we've all done, so she is aware of my existence. It's incredibly sweet of him.
And of course, Killua is always with Gon, so I spent time with him, too. While it was only just us, we talked about what his plans are and admittedly, he says he's just tagging along with Gon on his search for Ging, so he doesn't really have anything planned, really. Though, one thing has concerned me, a little…
—
"I think you need to be careful from now on."
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
Killua turns to me with a serious look,
"It's my family. They're now aware of )) the Cult associated with you and…."
I listened to him intently as he thought about the words he was going to say,
"They might plan on killing you off if they decided to categorize you as a Witch. O In order to get rid of the Cult by doing so."
My eyes widened because of the warning. Killua nods to me that what he says is the truth. That just made me question things about his family and the Hunters of this world and their relationship with the Witches even more,
"Is that how Witches came to be? Just someone having the misfortune to be categorized by the stronger group?" I honestly asked him. I'm not angry or anything, I just wanted to know. Learning anything about Witches in this world is still confusing to me. I still don't even know what it means to be a Witch even in this world and why they've been hated. The only thing I could go by was what Freeda had told me about them and how dangerous Witches could be, but… Doesn't that also apply to Nen Users as well? They are just as capable of causing so much destruction as a Witch in this world from what I've learned and remembered, so why are Witches hunted down for that very reason? There must be another reason why… I seemed so lost in thought that I caught Killua's expression towards me. He just gives me a worried look,
"Just be careful."
—
The boys and I were still making our way back to the hotel when I suddenly got pulled into an alleyway out of the blue. I tried to let out a scream, but a hand covered my mouth to silence me. I attempted to struggle from the grasp of my abductor until he suddenly spoke,
"As feisty as ever, Darling~!"
Hisoka. I feel him move his hand from my mouth. I glared up at him from behind me,
"Would you let go?" I tell him firmly. The Magician smirks at me,
"Despite the memory loss, you still retain your discontent with me~. " I pulled away from his grasp and turned to face him fully. This man…. I did maintain my memories of him and they are all incredibly frustrating, but I've decided to respond to him differently. I calmed down and stood straight as I looked directly into his eyes,
"May I ask why you've decided to abduct me instead of just approaching me like a normal person, Hisoka?"
Hisoka seems to study me and shrugs,
"Is it so hard to grasp? I miss you~! "
I frowned at him. I still try to figure out my feelings for this man, especially after regaining my memories. I look away from him, searching into my mind as to what I've felt and… I have no idea. I guess I still have much to remember in detail of what he really means to me. What relationship do we actually have? I look back at Hisoka with an inquisitive look. He, too studied me, his face expression now different. He wears a more serious look on his face, one I've seen before back at the Phantom Troupe's hideout. It still made me sad to see. Despite not really understanding my feelings for him, I still feel hurt by that look. I then remember my dream, where he ignored my pleas. Then a memory of where my old self has first met Hisoka. In an alleyway just like this. I looked at him sadly and asked the question I've been wanting to ask,
"Hisoka… What do you think of me right now? Am I still the woman you've been obsessing over…?"
After I asked that question, silence engulfed the both of us. Hisoka remained silent as I just watched him. The two of us stared at each other until Hisoka cracked a smile, then a laugh. I continued to watch him quietly as he began to turn away from me as his laugh started to die down. Once he's done, he looks back at me,
"Oh, Darling, you have no idea…"
I looked at him curiously, but he didn't elaborate at all. Just then, he suddenly pins me against the wall and looks deep into my eyes with an almost crazed look in his eyes,
"You have no idea at all. The power you have within you to cause this much confusion inside me… It's the first I have to say. But I won't say anymore because you're incredibly different now…"
I look at him with worried eyes. 'Different'… I seem different to him then…? He chuckles at me,
"What's with that look? Why are you worried? Are you worried about me~? Or are you worried for yourself~? "
His words struck me,
"Wh-what…?"
"Oh… Don't pretend I didn't notice. You care about what I think about you, after all… Kitten~. " He traces his fingers down my face and examines the hurt look on my face, looking at me with a playful look on his face. I look away from him, wondering why he's acting like this to me,
"Why do you think that?" I ask him, trying to act stoic. He saw right through it immediately,
"Oh, Darling~! No need to act like this~! After all… We were about to get closer before that auction…" He then frowns takes my chin and forces me to look at him,
"When Chrollo decided to take you after I saved you from that ritual being performed on you, he made the mistake of claiming you as his, when really, you've been mine since we first met, Darling~!" He leaned closer as I looked up at him meekly, I felt lost as I felt his lips touch mine until I heard the boys calling for me. He pulled away and looked at me with a serious look, I couldn't tell if he didn't seem to like how I was now or not,
"I'll be seeing you, Love."
"Wait…" I tried to call him but he left. He didn't let me talk. I frowned. This man… He's still an enigma even with the memories I've obtained about him. Did I really fall for him or was it all just lust? I blushed at the thought. I don't know anymore and just put those thoughts aside when I hear the boys' worried calls and respond to them, wanting to ease their worries.
—
Hisoka watches his Darling leave the alleyway. Their interaction isn't the same as before. He doesn't really know what to make of it. He did claim her as his, but now there's a new dynamic between them. He thinks about it. She's more docile and quieter than she was before. She tried to pull a different personality on him, but failed miserably… She's now struggling to interact with him now. But, he guesses there's some fun in that in some way. He realizes she's a little easier to frighten now, maybe he could mess with her some more. She's less aggressive, unfortunately, but more like a little rabbit or mouse… Potential new nicknames~? Hisoka's mood then brightens a bit from his thoughts. Before, he didn't really know how to interact with her now that her personality had changed, but now he's found a new way to play with her. He realizes that she's given him more ideas to make their interactions more fun~! And since she's a lot more meeker, he could envision what other faces he could draw out from her. He wants to know what kind of face she'll make once he plays with her. Will she have a new scared look on her face once he corners her again one day~? He could've made the situation scary to draw that out just now, but he mainly just wanted to study her and get to know the new personality he was dealing with… He then wants to know how she will act as he decides to explore her body~. Will she be shy and cute~ ? Oh~! The thought just turned him on~! Hisoka grins and leaves the area once his Darling and her little friends leave his sight completely.
Hisoka grins with delight as he takes out his phone to look at the message he receives from Chrollo. Oh~! What another unexpected delight~! Chrollo needs help finding a Nen Exorcist~! If he helps him, he could finally get the fight he's always wanted~! Everything is looking up for him~! He should even invite his Darling to witness such an event as he kills him. He still also wants to lure her into fighting him someday, but the opportunity hasn't presented itself yet. But, he has a feeling that based on her new personality, she's going to be an enigma for him for now, which is intriguing~! So, in the meantime, He'll help Chrollo for now, but along with that, he will also learn more about that Cult as well~! They've also definitely made it to be his potential new toys for sure~! A list of things for Hisoka has formed mentally in his head. All the things that could give him potential pleasures are now present in his mind, and he couldn't wait to explore them all~! The view of his Darling writhing in pleasure beneath him floods his mind. He couldn't wait~! A grin is plastered on his face as his mind goes a mile a minute for what's to come.
Notes:
Hello! It's been a while! Sorry for taking so long, this is where I actually have no idea where I'll be leading this story. Lol! also, Work's been keeping me busy and tired, so, unfortunately, so the chapters will definitely take longer. XP But I still have some passion for this story, so don't worry. Just yet. _
Chapter 31: Chapter 30: Silent Renewal
Summary:
Everyone begins the next chapter of their journey.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
Gon and Killua just came back from meeting Battera. The two are now working on enhancing their Nen abilities like they said they would. They said they need to work on their Hatsu because it's a requirement to play Greed island. Gon is determined to play that game. And so, they ask Kurapika for some pointers on how he managed to form his Hatsu. Since I have to relearn how to use my Nen, I decided to join them. Kurapika sat down on the couch as he explained what he had to do,
"For me to form my chains, I had to do visionary exercises. I had to feel the chains draw them… I even had to taste them as well."
"Really? You did?" I asked him now to think about how chains might taste… they probably taste pretty disgusting, I have to say the least. Kurapika nods to me,
"Yes. You might remember your lessons as a Conjuror in the future but, I'll help remind you how Conjouring works. After all, Transmitter isn't that far from the Conjuror category, so you might be able to wield that ability again soon once you can master your new category."
"Thanks, Kurapika, I'll do my best."
Killua and Gon then went back to working on their Hatsu. For me, I went back to the basics. I returned to my room and started to meditate, feeling my Aura flow through my body. Learning about Nen is still confusing to me, so, having to reset feels like a slap to the face. So, aside from meditating, I also had to memorize what is what with the boys. They've helped me with it. Leorio says it's okay if I still didn't understand since he also struggles with memorizing as well. I'm grateful for that to make me feel better. Leorio smiles,
"Don't mention it. Just returning the favor." I tilt my head in curiosity to what he said. Did I give him that encouragement before?
The two boys practiced until nightfall. The boys ended up falling asleep on the spot. I tucked the boys in and Kurapika came over to me,
"May I have a word with you?"
I wondered what he needed to discuss so I agreed to speak with him. We went to the living room and sat on the couch. Kurapika speaks,
"Early morning we leave."
"Oh? So soon?"
"Yes. Our boss wants to go home so we'll unfortunately have to go with her soon."
"Oh." My face fell a little bit and Kurapika notices reassures me,
"It's okay. We'll see everyone again next time."
I think about it and nod to him,
"Okay." And so, we went to bed early to catch the airship in the morning.
—
Leorio went with us to see us off,
"Are you sure you didn't want Gon and Killua to say goodbye?"
Kurapika shook his head,
"No. The boys have a lot of training to do, I don't want to interrupt that."
Leorio smiles and understands then, our flight is being announced,
"Well, it's time, goodbye." Kurapika then turns towards our flight. I went over to Leorio and gave him a hug,
"Thank you so much for everything."
Leorio blushed and stammered sheepishly,
"O-oh! It's no problem! We're friends, after all!" I pull away and smiled,
"Still. Thank you so much… for everything. I'm serious."
Leorio calms down and nods,
"You're always welcome to reach out to us."
I couldn't help but get emotional,
"Thank you." I let him go and went to follow Kurapika.
—
Leorio watches his two friends leave. It has been a journey with everyone. He hopes the two of them will take care of each other while they're together, but just to make sure... Melody is the only one left and she was about to follow the two until Leorio stops her,
"Hey wait a sec." Melody turns to face him, wondering what he needs. He kneels down to meet her eyes as he clears his throat,
"Keep an eye on them, will ya?"
Melody smiles at him as Leorio tells her,
"Kurapika can act calm, but he can be reckless. He's smart, but doesn't always think things through. I can see he opens up to you, so could you keep him in check? And could you also keep an eye on our friend as well? She's been through a lot and she recently is trying to figure things out about herself since the auction, but… She still has some of her old traits intact, I can tell but she just needed help knowing that she will always have people she could rely on in her corner, so could you please take care of her?"
Melody nods to him,
"Sure. You're very soothing you know?"
Leorio looks at her curiously,
"Of all the heartbeats in this city, yours is the most pleasant. It's uplifting, incredibly uplifting and very warm, too. I think you'd make an excellent teacher, or maybe a doctor, too! I would recommend a career change!"
Leorio chuckles sheepishly,
"Well, I'll think about it." Knowing full well that his goal is to be a doctor all along.
And so, he watches their airship leave. Leorio smiles,
"Time for me to hit the books."
—
I stared out the window. I've been able to partially meet the other bodyguards. I met Basho briefly. He seems nice, I guess. The others, I haven't met yet. So I silently sat quietly in the airship until Kurapika came over to me,
"How are you holding up?"
"Oh I'm doing okay."I told him reassuringly.
Kurapika smiles and nods,
"I spoke to the boss about you and I've managed to get a job for you."
"Really?"
"Yes. You will be the caretaker of Nostrade's daughter, Neon." He explained it to me. For some reason, that name sounded familiar and I don't really know why. I put that thought to the side and smiled to him,
"Thank you, Kurapika. You didn't need to do any of this."
Kurapika blushed and look away,
"N-Nonsense. I just wanted to look out for a friend."
"Still. I'm truly grateful to you."
Kurapika clears his throat,
"Anyway… I'm here to take you to meet the boss."
I nodded to him and got up from my seat to follow him.
—
Kurapika led me to meet the boss. He told me she is still feeling down for losing her ability to tell fortunes, so she might act a certain way, but I must try to be understanding in her situation. He nodded to me and went back to his seat. So there I stood, in front of a young girl. I am shocked to see who is in front of me. I finally remember! A memory popped up. This blue-haired girl… I met her with Chrollo when I snuck into the auction. I suddenly feel guilty… I could've saved her somehow. I have a feeling this is the result of Chrollo's Hatsu. I snapped out of my guilt and bowed to her as I introduced myself,
"It's very nice to meet you."
The girl, Neon, nods to me, dejected,
"It's nice to meet you too."
I stood up straight and examined her. I don't think she recognized me. After meeting Neon, I was told by her secondary Caretaker of what I must do. I have to tend to her needs, prepare almost everything for her, like, for example, start the bath, prepare the clothes she will wear everyday, make her breakfast… Basically, I need to cater to her every need. It sounded a little overwhelming just listening to what I have to do. I leave the room and read the schedule they gave me. I tried to study it as I was led back to where I last sat down.
—
Kurapika is thinking of all the people he's lost after taking this job as a bodyguard… He's lost the man that hired him and the other bodyguards, Dalzollene, he's lost 4 others…. He thinks of what will happen next if the Nostrade family will no longer be around by the looks of things… will he be able to keep the family safe until he gets all the eyes of his clan? He even got her involved somewhat, which he didn't actually want to do, but she is in need of someone to help her relearn Nen once again for a while until she is good enough to control it on her own. Also… It's extremely dangerous to leave her alone with that Cult still after her. In a way, she's kind of on the same boat as him now. Only this time he hopes to get her to retrieve the relics in a different way. He'll even try and convince the Boss to buy the relics hopefully. He was deep in thought until he saw her approach. He greets her,
"How did it go?"
She sat down across from him,
"It went well. I got the schedule so I'll be starting once we land."
Kurapika gives her a small smile and turned his attention out the window until she spoke to him,
"Kurapika, I still am grateful for what you've done for me so far."
"It's really no problem." He tells her with a reassuring smile. She only studied him,
"Kurapika… The reason why you're a Blacklist Hunter is because you want to collect the eyes of your fallen clan, right?"
"Yes." Kurapika wonders what she is going to say as he studies her in return. She looks down at her hands and looks back up to him,
"About Chrollo… You wanted to kill him, right?"
—
"I do. What he and the rest of the Spiders had done to my clan is unforgivable, and if I ever see them again, I won't hesitate to kill them on the spot." Kurapika has been clenching his hands when I mentioned Chrollo and the Spiders, I gave him a somber look. I didn't exactly spend time with them to form any bonds with the Spiders or anything, but I couldn't help thinking that killing them is not a good idea at all. I wonder what it'll take for Kurapika to see that just having vengeance might lead him to a downward spiral if he did begin to pursue them again. I thought of Chrollo's plan to find and kill Kurapika for killing one of his friends. Thinking about it all is a little sad… All Kurapika and the Spiders are doing is just hurting each other with no end unless either of them actually stops this madness. I quietly watch him as the teen calms himself. What I said has probably struck a nerve… Kurapika sees my worry,
"It's okay to be curious." He tells me. I bit my lip and decided to speak,
"Hey, Kurapika? Have you… Um…." I suddenly hesitated. Kurapika gives me a curious look as I then turn my eyes to my hands. I couldn't help feeling nervous on what I wanted to say to him,
"What is it?" Kurapika asks me, wondering what I'm about to say. I look back up at Kurapika and decided to say it,
"Kurapika… I think you shouldn't take your revenge on the Spiders." after I said that, he frowns,
"What do you mean?"
"I just… Don't want you to go down this path anymore." Kurapika stayed silent. I study the teen until he asks me,
"Tell me… Has the Spiders done anything to you while you were with them?" I look at him, confused and shook my head in response,
"No, not really… Other than Chrollo lying to me about our relationship, they didn't do anything…"
"Then you should understand what they've done to my clan!" Kurapika's outburst caught me off guard. Kurapika glares angrily at me as his eyes turn red. My mouth is agape. Kurapika's fists continue to tighten. He speaks again,
"What that Troupe did will never be forgiven! They took my family and friends away! Don't you know how that even feels?! I've already told you why! You should already know that!"
My heart breaks when he says those words to me. I sat there, stunned.
—
Kurapika catches the hurt look on her face and realized what he just said to her,
"Uh…" Before he got to say anything, she gets up from her seat,
"You're right… I should've known all that, huh…? You've probably told me before. It must've slipped my mind… I'm sorry I said that, Kurapika… Excuse me." She then leaves, hugging her things to her chest, as if to comfort herself… Kurapika reaches out to her, but hesitates and plants a hand to his face. He regretted making her feel that way and cursed himself for losing his temper like that… He watches her leave, thinking of the way to make up to her later.
—
Chrollo has been hiding out for a while. His mind is preoccupied by many things. For example: His plan to get his Nen back, a way to reunite with the others, and a certain girl on his mind. Their departure from each other was unfortunate. How she had to learn that they were not together bothered in a way when he shouldn't be. He's deceived many people in his life. A lot of them, women. But, with this one… he couldn't help but find her intriguing. He felt strongly attached once he finally got her in his arms. But now, they're seperated, but that's not all, he actually has competition all along and he didn't know how close he was. If only he knew… But thanks to his situation, he won't be able to do anything. Also, the irony of what he's decided to do to get his Nen back… He thinks of Hisoka and what he has gotten the Magician to do for him…
—
Hisoka smirks as he gets the information on how to find the Nen Exorcist. He's going to meet Chrollo on how to help him. He smirks as he makes it to Chrollo's hideout. He walks up the steps of the ruin in front of him. His goal to fight Chrollo is just around the corner~!
As he enters the ruin he sees Chrollo stand up from where he's sitting. Hisoka examines the area and sees a joy station on a crate in front of Chrollo. He approaches the man as Chrollo just gives him a neutral look, but Hisoka knows the man is thinking of how to kill him later since he is also obsessed with the same woman. He wonders if Chrollo is confused about his feelings for his Darling with 'love'? Hisoka couldn't help but smirk as the two stood face to face. Chrollo eyes him until he speaks,
"You've read what I've sent, yes?"
"Indeed~! You believe the Exorcist is on an island, which, later you learned to be Greed Island, which, to some believe to be a video game, but to access the island, you must have the ability to use Nen, am I correct?" Hisoka reiterates what Chrollo has sent to him. Chrollo nods and turns his attention to the joy station on the crate,
"Good, then you'll already know how to enter Greed Island, then." Hisoka gives him that Cheshire Cat smile of his and went over to the joystation,
"I do~! Sit tight, Boss. I'll find that Nen Exorcist for you, then we'll have that match I've wanted~! " With that being said, Hisoka holds his hands on either side of the joystation. He gathers his Nen like what any Nen user does when they do Water Divination. Chrollo watches Hisoka as his Nen surrounds him. Just then, he gets sucked into the machine in front of him.
—
Chrollo watched Hisoka get transported to the island, so now the only thing left is to wait. He steps away from the game console and walks over to the window. He stares out, wondering if he would look for her in the meantime… After all, it would take a while for Hisoka to find that Exorcist. He thinks on it for a while and ultimately decides against it. After all, she would be reluctant to see him after what happened. But, even so, he still needs his abilities once he sees her anyway. Who knows when or where that cult will appear? That woman leading that cult shouldn't be underestimated after all. Once he gets his Nen back, he'll go and find his love and take her once again… Chrollo smiles at the thought. He wants to show her how much she means to him no matter what and hopefully, she will change her mind.
—
It's now been a few weeks since I became one of Neon's caretakers. It took me a while to get used to memorizing everything, especially when the head caretaker is currently still grieving over the loss of her boyfriend who was killed by one of the Spiders. Hearing about that was unfortunate… The Phantom Troupe has definitely taken a number on the Nostrade family for sure. I thought of Kurapika and how we've barely talked since he snapped at me… The two of us have been avoiding each other for a while, which I feel we shouldn't be doing. After all, I still need to work on practicing my Nen. So, I've been practicing by myself.
I was working on my Nen when I sensed someone nearby. I turned to them and see it's Melody,
"Oh. Hello. Do you need anything?"
"Oh, nothing at all. I'm just here to check up on you." She tells me with her gentle voice. I give her a small smile,
"Thank you. I'm doing fine… I'm just practicing my Nen right now."
Melody nods and sat down,
"Do you mind if I keep you company?"
"Oh, no I don't mind."
Melody smiles at me as I continue my practice. Today, I decided to work on my En. That was how I knew someone was there in the first place. The two of us were silent until Melody speaks,
"Has something happened between you and Kurapika?"
I tensed a little and frowned,
"... I guess so."
"Do you want to discuss it?" Melody asks me. I turned to her for a moment then looked away, feeling shy. I've only talked to Melody only a handful of times, and she has been kind to me… but, I still don't know her that well to share how I feel right now, but it seems Melody could tell how I'm feeling and reassures me,
"It's okay if you don't want to share. I'm just a little worried, that's all."
I stayed silent for a moment then spoke,
"I guess I'm just insecure about myself right now. What Kurapka said to me actually really hurt me…"
"Then you should understand what they've done to my clan!"
"I've already told you why! You should already know that!"
I subconsciously clenched my fist as I thought of those words… He told me his reason… at least, to the me who he was more familiar with. Melody got up and gently placed her hand on my fist. I look at her curiously,
"I'm sure he wants to apologize to you about that." I think about what she said and nod,
"I guess you're right…"
"You just need to be patient." Melody tells me, trying her best to ease my worries and doubts about myself. I smiled softly to her,
"Thank you. I will."
She nods to me and pulls her hands away,
"It's getting late now, we need to rest. Sleep well, okay?"
"You're right. Good night, Melody." Melody nods to me and was about to get when I spoke,
"And thank you."
She nods to me again and finally leaves. I finally took all my things and brought them inside, but just as I placed my bag on the desk, a card fell out onto the floor. I picked it up and could see it's a playing card. Hisoka came to mind. I turned the card to the other side and I saw a message written on it. It said, 'check your bag'. So I did. And when I checked everything inside my bag, I finally found the thing Hisoka wanted me to find. It's a cellphone… How did he know I'm missing one? I took it out and it suddenly began to ring. I answered it,
"Hello?"
"Ah~! Darling~! You finally found my present~! Good~! "
"How did you know I've lost my cellphone?"
"A Magician never reveals his secrets, Darling~!"
I remain silent, wondering what he wanted,
"So, you just bought me a cellphone… why?"
"Why? It's because I miss you, of course~! Why else~? "
"I don't know. That's why I asked."
Hisoka lets out a hum and chuckles,
"I have to say, your new response to me is so interesting~ ! It's like I'm talking to another person~! I'm intrigued~!"
What he said struck a nerve in me. I frowned at his words,
"I don't appreciate you telling me that right now…"
"Ah, I see. I'll remember that, then."
"Is that all you wanted to say?"
"Yes, basically."
"Then, good bye."
"Oh, before you hang up, Darling."
"What?"
"I'll see you real soon once I'm done with my task~! I want to go on a date with you again. Good night~! "
I was stunned by what he said and blushed. Once he hung up I let out an exasperated sigh. That man… How am I supposed to deal with him? Even my old self had trouble figuring out how to deal with him as well. I placed my new phone into the bag and began to prepare for bed. Just because I have a new phone doesn't mean I'm going to forget my old one. After all… It's more than just my old phone I want back… I need to find a way to get my Hunter's License back as well.
Notes:
Hey! This is the next chapter after working on it for half a month! It's slow, but I'm doing my best. I think I've figured out how the story will go, but we'll see.
Chapter 32: Chapter 31: Aquarium
Summary:
Being a Caretaker gives her a new perspective.
Kurapika promised to help his friend with her Nen, but struggles with his feelings.
Chrollo misses his Song Bird.
Neon fears for the future.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
My time in the Nostrade Family was somber at first. The effect the Spiders left on the family has been immense. But, as time went on, It finally started to calm down. I'm still fairly new to the job, but Neon has started to turn to me for things she needs more lately.
I had just set the clothes she wanted to wear that day on a hanger when Neon began to speak with me,
"So, New lady, I've been wondering… Have I seen you somewhere before?"
I froze when she started asking me that question. I don't exactly know how to answer that when, technically, she has, but I could barely remember how I acted towards her that time to warrant any familiarity between us. But I do remember that she offered to read my fortune that time, but I just don't feel like it's something to bond over. Especially when my feelings and my memories feel so disconnected from each other sometimes. Also, I don't want to reveal to her that I was there to steal something from the Mafia! That doesn't sound like a good idea, especially to someone who has ties to them. I began to sweat and turned to her with a sheepish grin,
"Oh! I-I don't believe so, Boss!" I couldn't help but let out a nervous chuckle. Neon thinks about it and believes me,
"I guess you're right. I just thought you looked familiar, that's all."
After that exchange, I guess she decided to interact with me some more for some reason. And now I'm at her beck and call. I begin to wonder how long I'll be with this family… Kurapika and I still avoid each other and it did make me sad. He's been keeping his distance lately and I couldn't help but get worried. That boy… I wish he could turn to his friends and share how he's feeling. Also, he promised to help me with my Nen… When will he keep that promise? I stood next to Neon as she decided to have her tea in the garden as Kurapika stood by. I couldn't help but have a sad look on my face as I looked in his direction. Neon noticed my look and began to ask,
"What's wrong? Are you okay?"
Her question caught me off guard.
"Huh? Oh! I'm fine."
She tilts her head at me and then turns to where I'm looking. I looked away and decided to pour tea into her empty cup. She sees Kurapika and seems to connect the dots,
"Oh! Do you have feelings for Kurapika?" I nearly fell over, almost spilling her tea,
"Wha- NO! I do not!" I told her, completely flabbergasted and scandalized by the accusation. Neon just gave me a curious look as I told her how that assumption was just beyond wrong, all while I waved my hands in front of me,
"Look. That assumption is completely off! Nothing is going on between us! It's just something personal we're going through. And nothing by that nature, okay?! Besides! I only see him as a friend!"
And I wanted to mention that he seems a little too young. I believe he's around the same age as the girl in front of me. Neon hums quizzically at me,
"Okay… I'm just curious, that's all. But I still wonder… Are you seeing anyone?"
Her curious question made me blush. I thought of Hisoka and Chrollo and wanted to groan out loud over that thought. She studies my disgruntled face,
"I'm guessing you do."
I look back at her,
"Why the sudden interest, Boss?"
"I just want to get to know my new caretaker, that's all." She tells me then smiles at me. She then asks me about my life history, which I don't know whether I should be honest about or not,
"Well, to tell you the truth… I don't exactly remember."
"Really?"
I nodded to her,
"Yes. The only thing I remember is my friendship with Kurapika and some others… The rest is a blur." in the end, I've decided to tell her just a small bit of the truth. I feel I don't need to tell her about where I'm really from or what my true goals are. I also decided not to tell her about the Cult… I don't want to dump my problems onto this family like that, especially after they've dealt with a lot.
Also, I don't want the Mafia to get involved, that sounds like a terrible idea.
Neon is surprised by that information,
"What?!"
"It's okay. I can manage." I assured her with a smile. The two of us continued talking until it was time for Neon's scheduled bath. The other caretakers brought her there when it was time for me to take my break. I let out a sigh after having to skirt around her questions. They were all pretty personal, but I guess I understand somewhat. I could see how lonely she seemed, but I just couldn't share everything about me with her. Especially when I don't know myself. I began to realize something… What are my likes and dislikes? Did my old self have those? I can't recall anything like that… I let out a sigh and took out the cell phone Hisoka bought for me. Ever since I discovered it, the man has been texting and calling me every chance he gets, I'm assuming. Aside from Hisoka, I've been thinking about Chrollo… for some reason, I remembered his cellphone number and debated whether it should Which, now that I think about it… Would he even keep the same number? I debated whether or not I should give the number a call… I still was hurt by what he did. But, I still couldn't help but think about him and his well-being, it's just so complicated.
But in all honesty… Thinking about both men is complicated. After knowing what they are like, I just wonder how my situation turned out this way. How did I manage to attract two of the most dangerous men? I didn't understand it at all. I let out a sigh and cleaned up the table once my break was over. I later heard that Neon wants to go out shopping, and she wants me to come along with her since she likes the choice I make as I pick out her clothes each day and she wants my opinions on what she should get during this shopping trip.
—
In a quiet library, among the many books stood a certain man holding a book in his hands by the bookshelves. Chrollo decided to study up on Witches. There are many theories on who they are and where they're really from. One theory is backed with some probable evidence that the Witches all originally came from the Dark Continent. He has got to admit, it's very plausible. Witches seem to know things beyond the average human as well as a human with Nen abilities. When being observed, they have rituals that are passed down from generation to generation. The potential they have is fascinating, as well as an intriguing mystery. He wonders if he can steal a Witch's ability like he could do with a Nen User. Chrollo closed the book he was reading and placed it back on the shelf. He smirks to himself with how obsessive he's being just to impress a girl. But, to be fair, he did still want that Cult leader to pay for using his raid on the auction as some sort of smokescreen to orchestrate their plans. He found it insulting, after all. That day was supposed to be the day to commemorate the memories of Uvogin. He thinks of the woman with the purple hair… something about her puzzles him. The woman is unusual, that's for sure, but something else about her is a mystery. He then thinks of the Cult members, they seem human enough, but when he uses his Hatsu to kill the members, they come back to life. Is it some kind of post-mortem type of ability? Like there are post-mortem Nen abilities? So many questions… He decides to put all those thoughts to the side as he decides it's time to leave. As he leaves the library, it's now almost dawn. Indicating he needs to finally head back to where he's staying.
He's been thinking a lot lately. His Troupe, the Cult, Hisoka, and her… He genuinely did ask himself this question, what was it about her that made him so fixated on her? Was it her beauty? Her incredibly vast and stronger aura? The idea of having an ideal romance he sometimes reads in all the romance books he loves? He doesn't know… Maybe that's it. Before, he thought he saw something in her that reminded him of his past self, but that was further from the truth…
"Slowly and surely, I'm losing who I am, and I'm SCARED! I thought I could find that comfort in you! I thought I could trust you, and yet…! You lied to me..!"
Her words did ring out to him from time to time… he did feel something when she yelled at him. He won't deny, that he did feel bad for using her like that, but that feeling in his chest… he knows he sees her more than something to help him find himself, he's sure of it. He only needs to find a way to show that to her somehow… This hole in his chest is just too unbearable than it was before he met her. But then, that thought just formed another question, would she fit in the Phantom Troupe? He originally thought to recruit her from the beginning, but as time went by, he began to see her differently. After her angry outburst and the exchange, he wondered if he wanted her to put herself in danger for the Troupe. After having her with him for a while, she gave off something he wanted to protect with his life. Her new personality gave him that feeling, at least… She's like a cute rabbit.
Just as Chrollo is about to leave the place, a familiar girl catches his eye. He turns his attention to her and sees it's Nostrade's prized Fortune Teller, Neon. It seems she has just finished shopping and seems to be ready to head home. But, she's of course, not alone. Her bodyguards are with her as well. Which means the chain user is among them. Of course. He decides it's best to steer clear of the family since he can't do anything, also that boy did curse him after all, so there's no point in confronting him in his state at all. So, he was about to leave until he caught a glimpse of a certain young woman following the young girl, He stopped in his tracks as he saw her. He feels his heart begin to clench. After all this time, he managed to find her. And it was all an accident. His desire began to manifest as Neon and his Treasure entered the car. He watched as they left the scene. He begins to plot how to get her to meet him. He's decided, why not meet each other again early?
—
We've returned from the shopping trip. The trip went without any incident, so that was good. The servants prepared the food for Neon and her father as the rest of us did our assigned jobs. I was carrying a basket of clothes to the laundry when I heard a familiar voice call me. I turned around to see Kurapika holding some clothes in his hands,
"You dropped these."
"Oh… Thanks, Kurapika." He placed the two articles of clothing on top of the other clothes in the basket and nodded to me and then left without a word. I stared at the boy sensing he wanted to talk, but didn't. I have to say, I'm a little disappointed, but I need to remember Melody's words. I have to be patient.
—
Kurapika has been trying to build up the courage to speak with her, but couldn't bring himself to do it. He still felt bad for snapping at her and he needed to apologize to her for it, but lately, he's been hearing rumors around the mansion that made him blush. Is it possible she might have feelings for him? The boy isn't one to believe in rumors, so he shouldn't believe them, but if they're true... He shook his head. No. He needs to rationalize. Just a few weeks ago, they saved her from the Spiders and she's currently dealing with her feelings about the Spider's Head, not to mention… Hisoka. So, it's clear she wouldn't have developed feelings for him, but instead…
Kurapika placed a hand over his heart. He's been noticing how choked up he's been whenever he's near her. Despite everything, despite her amnesia… She still became someone valuable to him. He only wished the circumstances were different. He even wished he met the others differently, but he can't back down now. Not when the rage for his clan is still burning in his heart. The Spiders are still out there, and he still needs to collect all the scarlet eyes that were robbed from his clan. But… It's a little difficult to hold onto that rage when someone he cares for is with him on this journey. But, lately, they haven't spoken in a while and he knows it's his fault. He did promise her that he'd help her with her Nen training to regain what she's lost, but thanks to his outburst and the feelings he's finally starting to realize he has, he couldn't help but steer clear from her. He's aware of the age gap between them… If only they met at a certain time, maybe. Or a different timeline where they're both around the same age, but unfortunately not. She's old enough to be his older sister if anything. Heck, he believes Leorio has a better chance with her than him. Wait… What is he thinking?! Leorio and her? As acouple?!Thinking of that made him feel kind of depressed.
Kurapika let out a sigh and was still deep in thought until Melody made her presence known to him,
"Are you okay, Kurapika?"
Kurapika tenses and turns to Melody,
"Oh. Uh… I…" He knew he couldn't hide his feelings from her, she could read him based on the beat of his heart, after all. Melody gave him a caring look and spoke,
"Have you tried to talk to her?"
He turned away from her and sighed,
"I haven't… Not really."
Melody nods at that and gives him some advice,
"Just take your time. If you feel the time is right, you can talk to her again."
After that, she leaves him to his own devices. He thinks about it. So, he just needs time. After his little exchange with Melody, he begins to focus on his work.
—
Neon wanted to go on an outing. She said to her father that she wanted to go to the aquarium. I met her father briefly and he seemed very tired… I'm guessing the auction was that bad of an experience. Kurapika and the other bodyguards are to keep Neon safe, of course, but surprisingly, she wanted me to go along with her as well.
So, instead of my uniform, I was able to wear my clothes, which, I guess, I'm thankful to Neon for letting me buy clothes during her shopping trip. I did have a limited amount of clothes, after all. So, I guess now is as good as any to wear those new clothes. I tied a red ribbon in my hair and checked myself in the mirror. Everything seems to be in place. I smiled and left to meet Neon at the door.
We've arrived at the aquarium. It's a busy place. People are everywhere, it's easy to lose each other in the crowd. Kurapika and the other bodyguards kept close as Neon and I exited the car. Neon excitedly turned to me,
"Let's look at all the exhibits!"
I nod to her as she drags me into the aquarium.
—
Kurapika watches the two girls as he and the other bodyguards with him follow close behind. This time, he will make sure to keep the two of them safe. But unbeknownst to all of them, someone is following their every move.
—
Neon brought us to see the giant fish tank. She looks at it with wonder. I also was in awe of the speckle. Neon smiles at the fish for a moment, until her smile disappears. I took notice,
"Are you okay?" I ask her with worry. Neon shook her head,
"You know the reason why I asked you to only spend time with me and not just take care of me?"
"I think so…" I try to answer her. I get the feeling she felt lonely and wanted a semblance of being with a girl she could see as a friend, maybe. Preferably someone closer to her age. But, I'm still older than her, so she probably might've still wanted to reach out to me because of how relatively new I am to everything about the underworld of the Mafia life, maybe. She hung her head down,
"Thank you for accepting my request…"
"Don't mention it," I told her with a gentle smile. The two of us were silent for a moment until she spoke again,
"I don't know what's going to happen now…"
I give her a quizzical look and she answers without looking at me,
"My powers are gone, what will happen next…?"
I finally understood what she meant and nodded sadly to her. I'm guessing she finally understood what it would mean for her when her powers were gone. She had a lot of time to think about her position and what it meant for her and her father. She turns to me with teary eyes,
"...I'm scared."
I opened my arms and she accepted my hug. She started crying in my arms as I comforted her by patting her back. I look up and see Kurapika watching us. He stood quietly on guard with a solemn look on his face.
Once she calmed down, we continued looking at the exhibits. We walked through the section about deep sea creatures, which is a dark area. Kurapika and the other bodyguards follow closely behind. Neon was talking about how cool the sea creatures looked until I saw something familiar… I stood in front of the huge tank, feeling mesmerized by these luminescent creatures. They look like jellyfish back at home. Just then, a memory was unlocked in my brain… I've manifested Jellyfish with a song. I felt like I just had an epiphany as I remembered how I summoned them. Neon looks at me,
"They're pretty, huh?"
I turned to her and nodded,
"Yeah." The two of us stood there quietly, just watching the Jellyfish of this world swim around in the dark. But suddenly I sensed someone nearby and quickly pulled Neon to me,
"Neon, look out!"
I pulled the two of us down quickly until a loud bang was heard from where I sensed the hostile being. I felt a sting across my shoulder as I held Neon protectively.
—
Kurapika turns to where they are and orders the other bodyguards to protect the Boss and his friend. The crowd heard the sound of a gunshot and started panicking. He scans the area and eyes someone who looks to be hostile and attempts to catch them.
—
I pulled from Neon to check and see if she was hurt,
"Are you okay?"
Melody and Basho ran over to us to check and see if we were okay. Neon was a little shaken and looked down. She lets out a gasp,
"Oh no! You're bleeding!"
I looked down and looked at my arm, and sure enough, it was. I winced as I put pressure on the wound. I summoned my aura to wrap around the wound as well as I could. My training is starting to pay off, it seems. Melody helped me up as Basho made sure to keep Neon safe. The four of us and the other bodyguards with us attempt to make our way out of the aquarium, but as we try to make our way, another attack is attempted. A bullet flew past us, hitting a tank. Neon screamed as Basho tried his best to shield her.
I turned to where the bullet came from and I saw we were surrounded. The bodyguards kept close to us, using their bodies as a wall to shield us from these attackers. Basho let Neon go and went in front of her. He turns to Melody,
"You go and take them to a safer place."
Melody nods to him and turns to the two of us,
"When Basho and the others hold these attackers back, we'll make a run for it. Make sure you stay close to me, I'll be using my ability as a smokescreen of some sort, alright?"
I nod to her with determination. I may just be the caretaker, but it's still my job to take care of Neon. As the attackers went closer to us, Basho yelled,
"LET'S GO!" Then he and the other guards start fighting them off. Melody, Neon, and I took his yell as the queue to get out of there. Melody took out her flute and played a song, preventing the other attackers from reaching us. I took Neon's hand and made a run for it as Melody followed behind. The commotion the attackers caused became extremely chaotic.
—
As the fight between the bodyguards and the assassins continues to go on, a certain Spider follows the three women. He pulled the brim of the hat he was wearing down as he did so, making his presence unassuming.
—
The three of us attempted to leave the aquarium until several of the assailants blocked the way. We stopped in our tracks. Melody went in front of us and spoke,
"Go! Take the Boss somewhere safe!"
"B-but, Melody!" I stuttered, but she stopped me,
"Please, go! I'll stall them!"
I bit my lip and nodded to her. I took Neon's hand and ended up running into the backrooms of the building. I don't know what Melody did, but it gave us plenty of time to escape. As we ran down the hall, I saw a worker on the way. I couldn't see his face, but he seemed like he was gesturing to us to a safe place. I didn't have time to think and decided to just follow the man. Just as we made it to him, he closed the door. Neon and I crouched near the wall as the man stood near the door. He turns to us and places a finger to his lips. I looked at him closely and couldn't help but find him familiar, but his face was obscured by the brim of his hat to have a good look. Just then, I hear the sound of running footsteps and voices as they pass by the room we're in. The three of us stayed quiet. And wait until the coast is clear. Once the sound of footsteps and the voices of the assailants are long gone, I let out a sigh of relief,
"Don't relax just yet." The worker tells me. I look up at him and nod,
"You're right… Thank you."
He smiles softly then turns away, obscuring his face again. I'm starting to have my suspicions until Neon spoke,
"Thank you for saving us."
"Don't thank me yet. We still need to leave. He then starts walking to the opposite side of the room and opens a door to the inside of the rafters of the aquarium,
"Wait… Isn't that just another way inside of the aquarium? Why go back inside?"
"Knowing what those people might be planning, they're probably waiting for you two to leave the building and ambush you both. The best way to escape is somewhere they won't even think to check." He tells us. I eye him suspiciously,
"Why should we trust you? What if you're planning to kill us?" Just as I said that Neon tenses now look nervous. The worker looks at the two of us and speaks,
"I understand your suspicion, so I'll ease them by giving you this." He went up to me and took out a car key. I didn't know what to think as he took my hand and placed the key in my palm,
"I'll show you where to get to the truck for that key." As he said that, he went through the door.
—
Kurapika has finally managed to fight off the assailants and is now on his way to regroup with the others. He gets the message from Melody that the two women he promised to protect are nowhere to be seen. He wanted to yell at Melody for letting that happen, but he knew there was no time for any of that and went to look for them. He finds a map of the aquarium and begins to use his chains to find out where they are.
—
We followed this mysterious man as we made it to the rafters of the large tank. Below the rafters are the many fish we saw earlier. Neon kept close to me. The man offered me his hand, but I refused it,
"There's no need for that, I'm fine."
He didn't speak for a moment and nodded,
"...Alright. Just watch your step. It's unstable."
"Duly noted."
We begin to cross. The worker went in front of us and we followed him. Neon held onto me as we crossed. I could feel the unsteadiness of the rafters, which made me wonder why they made something like this in the first place. It just seems like a hazard which it is as we continue our way across. The worker was the first off the rafter, he stood by the end and held his hand out for one of us to take it. Just as I was about to let Neon go first, a bullet flew past us. Neon screamed as I turned around to see a woman pointing a gun at us,
"You're not going anywhere!"
I urged Neon to go as several others jumped onto the rafters, making it difficult to keep steady,
"Noo!" Neon cries and clings to me. The worker curses and begins to fight one of the assailants. Neon and I cling to each other as we try our hardest to stay on the rafters. Both sides of the rafters are blocked. I looked around my surroundings and began to plan out what I needed to do. I feel sweat start to form, I lean closer to Neon,
"Neon… I want you to prepare yourself."
Neon looks at me questioningly. I took Neon's wrists and smiled,
"Everything will be okay, just stay put and keep safe where you land," I told her. She was about to ask what I meant until I used my aura to tie ribbons around her wrists and quickly lift her in the air. I watch her until she lands somewhere safely away from harm where none of the assailants can reach or find her. I just hope she stays at that spot once everything is solved. I finally can use my newly formed Hatsu at the most trying of times. I turned my attention to the woman with the gun, used my Nen ribbons to wrap around the gun in her hand, and yanked. She yelped and fell onto the rafters. The man from the other side of the rafters charges at me and I wrap my Nen Ribbon around his neck as he gets close enough to me. I sweat and pull. I heard him choke as I ran underneath him, I grit my teeth, feeling terrible for choking a man, nearly killing him. I just let him go after I passed under him. The worker had already beaten the assailant and was trying to run to me, I subconsciously attempted to run to him until suddenly, I felt my leg get snagged, causing me to fall. I turned and saw the man I let go and grabbed hold of my leg as he coughed,
"You bitch…!"The man continues to grab hold of my ankle. The worker tried to run to my aid but was held back by more attackers once they entered the scene. I pulled my Nen Ribbon, knowing they were still tied around his neck, and started to pull. He started choking again,
"Let go or I'll break your neck…" I sounded like I was threatening him when I somewhat was, but I was mostly warning him because I didn't want to do it. It was difficult to fight the man off of me while being on such an unstable platform. The man still isn't letting go and he proceeds to pull me towards him, so I begin to pull. I hear the sound of choking until a crack from his neck is heard. But the man's grip is still held tightly around my ankle so I begin to attempt to pry him off. Once I succeeded, I forgot about the woman with the gun. She's awake and ready to shoot me. I didn't register her shooting at me at all once the bullet came in contact with my side. I could feel it go through. It was a shock. I feel ringing in my ears as I feel my whole body start to fall sideways. I hear the worker calling my name as I fall into the tank, but before I fall in, I finally see the face of the worker as the hat flies off of his head as he attempts to get to me as quickly as he can… It was Chrollo.
—
Kurapika hurried to where Neon and his friend were. Just as he makes it to the rafters, he sees his friend fall into the tank. He calls her name and rushes in. He then sees a woman with a gun and takes her down quickly. One of the workers of the aquarium jumped in to save her. Kurapika was in thought until he hears a voice above him. He looks up and,
"Boss!"
He sees Neon waving to him, scared. She is holding onto dear life crying for him to help her down. Kurapika couldn't help but worry about his friend but ultimately chose to help Neon. He just hoped the worker who dived into the tank could save her.
—
Chrollo swims to save his beloved. Her blood is seeping around them as fish begin to swarm towards them. He swims quickly grabs onto her arm and begins to swim up. He couldn't help but feel useless at this very moment. Before he jumped into the tank, he noticed the chain user enter, so he wondered how this would go. Chrollo decided he'd think about all of that later and just focus on saving his Beloved from dying of blood loss… He swims to the surface and lets in gasps of air. He swims to the side of the tank and begins to bring both of them out of the tank. The chain user is still busy with Nostrade's daughter, good. He drags his love to the floor. He places his hands on her chest and begins CPR,
"Please…. Wake up…"
He places his lips and does the procedure. He did it a few times until she started coughing. He sighs in relief, but that falls short when he remembers the wound on her side. If nothing is done to close that wound, she'll die. The other guards are not there. That short woman he recognized from the car took notice of them and ran to their side. He looks around and finds his hat to the side. He picks it up and wears it before she comes any closer,
"Oh no! What happened?!" She cries with worry. This isn't good. If he stayed there for too long, they're bound to know who he is. He proceeds to be in character,
"She was shot and fell into the tank. I saved her from sinking deeper into the tank, though, but she's still wounded. She needs immediate attention right away." That woman agrees and takes out a first aid kit and begins to work on a quick fix on the wound until they go to a professional to close the wound properly. Chrollo stands up and decides it is time to finally leave before they notice. He looks back at his Beloved songbird and quietly leaves. He wished to stay with her longer, but unfortunately now is not the time… He hopes for the best they meet again, but this time, under better circumstances.
—
Kurapika finally helped Neon down and the other Bodyguards are now all gathered there. He of course remembers the condition of his friend and runs over to check up on her,
"Is she alright?"
Melody turns to him,
"I've stopped the bleeding for now, but we'll need a doctor right away."
Kurapika frowns at the news and nods to her,
"Then we must get out of here right away, then…"
After that, Kurapika and the rest of the bodyguards brought Neon and her bleeding caretaker back to the car and drove back to the mansion. Today was incredibly disastrous. This incident has made it to the news. It has brought the Nostrodes family into the spotlight and now everyone knows about how dire their situation is thanks to the attackers. Thanks to that, Kurapika is now worried sick over his friend whom he regretted for asking to tag along with him on this dangerous journey… He should've let Leorio take care of her instead, but it's too late. She's in the other room getting checked by an underground doctor and he hopes she isn't dying from blood loss. He just leans on the wall, feeling extremely anxious as he waits outside of the room she's in. Just then, the doctor leaves the room. Kurapika pulls away from the wall and turns his attention to the doctor,
"Well?! Is she okay?!" He asks them eagerly. The doctor holds their hand up to calm him,
"Your friend is alright now. I've stitched up the wound closed and all she needs is just some rest and time to heal."
After hearing that news, Kurapika sighs in relief,
"Thank goodness…"
After that, the doctor leaves and now he's free to visit her once she wakes. He was walking down the hall when he saw Neon approach him,
"How is she?" She asks him. Kurapika answers her with professionalism,
"She's fine now, Boss. She only needs some rest and recovery."
Neon takes in what he says and looks at the floor sadly,
"This is all my fault…"
He stiffened when she started blaming herself. He understands where she's coming from, but he knows that this situation wasn't her fault at all… If anything, it was the greed of the people behind the shadows who were to blame for what happened at the aquarium. Kurapika clears his throat,
"You shouldn't blame yourself. The attackers targeting you are the ones to blame."
The girl seems to somewhat be comforted by his words and nods to him,
"Okay… Thank you."
She then leaves the scene as Kurapika stands there in thought. If it weren't for the Spider's Head, this wouldn't have happened at all…
—
I faintly hear asong… It's different from what I've experienced the last time I've heard songs in my dreams, this voice… It sounded like my own… My body feels like it's floating… I vaguely remember falling into water after getting shot, then, I saw a figure swimming towards me as I nearly sank further down… The face of Chrollo flashes across my mind. Thissong, I've never heard it at all before, yet it feels familiar to me… I slowly open my eyes. I could barely see, but it seemed I was in a room in a bed. The time seems to be nighttime because of how dark it is in this room. I sit up and wince once I feel a sting on my side, but at the same time, I feel something covering my wound tightly. It seems my wound has been taken care of while I was out… I decided it's time to get out of bed. ThatsongI heard in my dream… I feel the need to try it out somehow…
—
Kurapika is walking around the property for anything amiss. So far so good. He turned a corner until he heard a voice singing nearby. He quickly pressed his back to the wall, wondering who it was that was singing, and went to check… It's strange to hear someone singing at this time of night, he was ready to take down the potential intruder. He took out his chains and pulled himself from the wall and faced the source of the voice… When he did, he saw his friend standing at the gazebo singing with her eyes closed. He lowers his chains and stares in awe at what he's singing… In front of him is his friend singing her song with her large aura glowing around her. This song sounds soothing… It feels like his energy is being replenished when he is close to her as she sings thissong.
—
I sang thissongthat played in my dream… I feel the pain from my side lessen and the pain from my shoulder my Nen Ribbon covers have disappeared. I finished the song and checked my wounds. They are healed. I then noticed someone standing nearby and I turned to them just to see Kurapika standing there in awe,
"Ah, Kurapika."
Kurapika seemed to snap out of his stupor and spoke,
"What are you doing out of bed? You should be resting."
"I'm alright now," I told him. He walked up to the gazebo and I held my side,
"I think the song I just sang has healed my injuries. To what extent, I need to have a thorough check on it."
Kurapika is surprised by the information,
"Did you come up with this ability yourself?"
I shook my head at him,
"Funnily enough, it came from a dream…"
After having that exchange, the two of us remained silent. Kurapika looked like he had many things to say. I also have some things I wanted to say but didn't know how. He finally spoke first,
"I'm sorry…"
I turned my attention to him as he continued,
"I promised to help you train yet ended up avoiding you instead…" I look me in the eyes and place his hand on his heart,
"So… Is it okay for me to help you this time? To regain your knowledge about Nen and bring your potential as a good Nen user to the forefront?"
I tried to hold in a giggle for his proper proposal and smiled,
"Kurapika, of course it's okay. I've been waiting for you to help me all this time."
The teen nods and blushes,
"Oh. I'm sorry about that."
I shook my head and placed my hand on his shoulder,
"No, I understand, so let's just get past that and start my training once everything is settled, shall we?"
Kurapika looks up at me and nods. I continued to smile at him and pat him on the head. This boy is so sweet. The more I spend time with him, the more he helps me regain my memories of my friend, Niki. But at the same time, he helps me see the differences between the two that they are two very distinct people in their way. The mature, well-read friend of the group who is also seen as the older sibling is all they have in common… in front of me is a boy who pushes people away because he's afraid of putting them in harm's way. He prefers to be alone and independent, while Niki is willing to open herself up and is willing to stick with her friends when they need her while with Kurapika. I feel the need to take care of him like he's a younger sibling despite how well he takes care of himself… I closed my eyes. I believe it's not fair to put everything on this poor boy, so I've decided to finally collect myself and take responsibility for myself and my well-being and not drop them onto my friend who's been good to me for all this time. I look back to Kurapika and smile at him,
"Thank you for everything, Kurapika." Kurapika blushed and looked away,
"There's no need for that…"
"Still… Thank you."
The two of us then went inside the building, now planning how we would approach my training.
—
Kurapika couldn't help but feel dejected once she started patting him on the head. It clears those rumors about her having feelings for him to be wrong… Although, after being able to talk to her again, he feels he might have read his feelings wrong all along. When he sees her, he can't help but see her as an older sister. That might be accurate, but in the end, he's still figuring it all out. But there's one thing he knows for certain about her: he sees her as one of the people he finds precious. She's part of the group of friends he made along the way to be a Hunter and that group has shown everything that could help him heal from the hurt he's felt after experiencing the loss of his clan… If he pulled himself away from any of them completely, he knows what will happen in the end… Will he be ready to say goodbye to her once the time comes? He believes he will. She is too good to be in this line of work anyway.
—
Chrollo has made it back to his hideout. He thought of what happened at the aquarium. It was an interesting experience. He knows the lengths he'll go to for the things he wants, but…. He didn't realize he'd do that with another context to it. He has no Nen, yet he decided to risk his life anyway for a girl he sees as his treasure… He still wonders where she stands on his list of importance. He knows the Troupe is up there as one of them, but where does she hold for him on that list? He continues to be deep in thought about his little Song Bird, but for now, he still does want her in his grasp once again, but this time, he won't use her as a tool to find himself. He just wants her by his side. He likes that feeling he felt when they acted like a couple, it felt nice. He wouldn't mind feeling that again. So, once he has her back with him, he'll make sure to take care of her, shower her with gifts, and give her all the love he believes he can give her.
Notes:
Hello! Here is the Chapter! I don't know how long the next one will be, but if this is the last chapter for this year, then, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Chapter 33: Chapter 32: Healing and Decay
Summary:
Healing from her wounds, she gets nightmares about her first kill.
Hisoka decides to call his Darling.
Kurapika tries to comfort his friend from the trauma.
Chrollo misses her.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)
Chapter Text
I dreamed about walking over the rafters over the large fish tank. I was struggling to walk over it until I got pulled by the leg. I yelped and fell. I looked over and saw the man with a ribbon tied around his neck. I feel my whole body sweating… The man's face starts to contort as the ribbon around his neck tightens. I realize I've been pulling onto it all this time. The scenery changes to me enjoying killing the man, I started laughing as I continued to pull at the ribbon. As the man begs for his life. Weirdly, I didn't react to his pleas, I felt a mix of emptiness and fear. The sound of the man's cries fell on deaf ears as I tugged on the ribbon to finally end his life, and the sound of bone cracking was heard from his neck. After his death, memories of a young man and his mentor flooded my dreams as their bodies, too, descended from the ground as their bodies became mutilated until they were both hung on a tree branch above me. Just then, my two mentors appear in front of me. They both smiled at me as their skin and flesh melted off their bones. I was in complete shock. I went and tried to reach out to them. but…
—
I gasped and shot up from bed in a cold sweat, holding my hand out to reach for… Nothing. For some reason, the memory of the man I've killed has triggered memories of the deaths I've experienced since I came into this world and it has been haunting me since I recovered from my injuries. Was it because he's the first person I've ever killed…? I panted loudly as my heartbeat was in my chest. I didn't realize how impactful that man's death has affected me. It had been a few days when that nightmare started… I just sat there in my bed until my phone began to ring. I knew who exactly that was calling me. Of course, who else other than him? I stared at the phone on my desk and let it ring a few times until I got out of bed and finally answered,
"Hisoka?"
"Darling~! I missed you~! "
I blushed at his opening greeting and tried to keep calm,
"Why are you calling me so late?"
"Is it a crime for me to want to hear the voice of my love~? "
My cheeks are flaring and I let out an annoyed grunt. This man…! Always making sure to poke fun at me every time. I huffed, still blushing,
"No. Why are you calling me?"
Hisoka chuckled and finally answered my question,
"I've been on this secret mission, as you know, and you will be interested in what I've just learned."
"What is it? Does it have something to do with the Cult or…?"
"Indeed~! I've heard a word about sightings of them. It seems they're looking for the other relics, and apparently, they assumed one would be where I am. How exciting~!"
"Hisoka! Don't fight them! You don't know what they're capable of!"
"Oh~? Are you worried about me~? I'm touched~ ."
I blushed and snapped at him,
"Idiot! I'm just warning you! That's all!"
I hear him chuckle,
"Oh, how I long to be there and tease you some more… I do miss the intimate moments we've shared~! "
Is my room getting hot or…?
I blushed madly. No! This is different! I don't even know if I should even feel this way for this man! And I still am not over Chrollo…
Even if it was all a lie…
I mean, how could I even get over what happened between me and him? But now I have to deal with Hisoka as well? Granted, I did encounter him first… and he did make his move on me several times… But I just went through something that somewhat altered me a little bit, so, I'm still trying to get my recently regained memories and old feelings in order…
This whole thing is just so frustrating…
I shook my head. Ugh! I need to focus! Hisoka said there's a possible relic from where he is, but I have no idea where he even is,
"You said there's a possibility of a relic? Could you…. Give me a hint, at least…?"
"Oh? Will you be planning to come here?"
"Of course. If it has something to do with the relics, I must visit the place."
Hisoka hums at my response,
"I wonder how that will go~? So, Love. Have you been able to regain your ability to use your Nen once again?"
"Why do you ask…? Wait! How did you know I was having trouble using my Nen?!"
"It's just simple speculation. From when you first lost your memory to when we last saw each other… I could tell how you've changed based on how you carry yourself, which got me to think that maybe something else has changed. If that is the case, then, I've deduced that you might have to relearn how to use Nen once again. Did I guess right, Darling~? "
I remained silent. Hisoka may act nonchalant and whimsical a lot of the time, but he can solve things like a detective if he wants to. This man is just so strange. I remained silent until he spoke once again,
"Hmm~! I'll take that your silence as a yes."
I sighed, deciding there was nothing to hide anymore,
"Fine. You're right… I'm guessing you also know how that happened, yes?"
"I do~! "
I sighed and filled him in. He hums in interest,
"How interesting~! So, you are now a Transmitter ~! That is indeed very fascinating~! "
"Yes. I can mimic ribbons now."
"You sound so serious, Love."
"And you sound too enthusiastic about my change in category…"
"Oh, Darling. There's no need to be upset~! I'm sure you will regain something back once you relearn once again~! "
"You're oddly supportive."
"You underestimate my capabilities to care, Darling~? "
"Actually, yes," I told him point blank.
Silence followed.
"Oh, you wound me~!"
"To be honest with you, I'm still not sure about you. I still have no idea what we are despite your declaration."
"I see… Do you want me to prove it to you? How romantic~! "
I blush and let out an embarrassed huff,
"Even if you're serious! I still have other feelings to sort out!"
Hisoka lets out another hum,
"Oh, I see… You're still thinking of Chrollo."
My breath hitches when I hear the tone in his voice. I've never heard it sound so menacing before… I mean… from the memories I've regained about Hisoka, he can be menacing, but not the way his tone sounds right now,
"I think I know what to do to help you understand who you belong to, my little rabbit. "
I ended up speechless. The two of us didn't say anything for a moment until Hisoka spoke once again,
"Well, it seems it's time for me to go my Love~! It's time for me to have my bath. Good night~. "
He then hung up. I snapped out of my speechlessness and huffed at that man's audacity. He thinks he owns me. He's going to have to think again!
I let out a huff, and texted an angry message to him,
-I'm not your property!-
-You're still mine~ !️_
-MORON!-
-xoxo️3-
The nerve of that man! After that annoying exchange, I angrily put the phone away where I didn't see it, then got out of bed. I couldn't sleep, so I decided to have a late-night walk.
—
Hisoka chuckles at the texts. He notices something about his little Rabbit as he continues to tease her like he's always done. It seems she still subconsciously remembers how they used to interact~!
What a relief~!
Although, he could push even more… He thinks of the human-shaped aura that was still half hanging out of his Darling the last time he saw her. He wonders if she took notice of it right after relearning her Nen. She never mentioned it at all in any of their conversations, so it's possible she might not be aware of it. Unfortunately, she doesn't trust him completely to say anything.
Oh well.
Once they reunite, he'll be ready to take her and sweep her off her feet~!
But first…
He turns to the lake he found and proceeds to undress. He needs a bath after exploring this forested area for so long. He needs it~!
—
I sat at the Gazebo near the forest of the Nostrade property. I was deep in thought until I heard my name being called. I look up and see Kurapika standing at the entrance of the gazebo,
"Why are you up at this hour?"
"I couldn't sleep," I said, giving him a sheepish smile. He went up the steps of the gazebo and approached me,
"You shouldn't be out this late, it's dangerous."
"Don't worry, I can take care of myself." I tried to assure him, but he remained worried,
"You still are recovering from your injuries."
Kurapika studied my face and could tell something was still bothering me and how tired I looked. He then decided to sit beside me and asked,
"Is there a reason why you're awake?"
My face fell then I looked at the ground,
"To tell you the truth… I've been thinking of the man I killed at the aquarium." I held my hands together, squeezing them tightly. Kurapika remained silent as I continued,
"He has been haunting my dreams since then… I don't know what to do… And along with that, his death triggered the memories of the people I've lost. He made me remember my mentors and two others… Ivo and Miro. Ivo was so young when he lost his life with his mentor… I still remember their bodies hanging from that tree…" I placed my hand to my face when I recalled that memory. Of all the memories I wished to forever forget were the memories of the mutilated bodies of those two souls who didn't deserve to meet their end so early. Kurapika listened to me and then placed a hand on my shoulder,
"I understand… It's difficult to deal with this sort of pain, especially when you've taken a life by your own hands." He gave me a solemn look and continued,
"When I killed one of the Spiders for the first time, it wasn't easy at all. I was disgusted…" I feel his hand tighten his grip on the shoulder of my shirt,
"That man… When I took his life and buried his body in that pit I made for him, I had the hardest time sleeping for a while. I still have a hard time sleeping because of it."
When he talked about the Spider he killed, Chrollo's face popped into my head. The memory of when Chrollo cried then suddenly played in my head.
I remember.
He cried because of the death of a man named Uvogin, the one Kurapika had killed… I looked at Kurapika and I could see he was still bothered by what he did. I placed my hand over the squeezed hand that was on my shoulder. Kurapika snaps from his thoughts and sees me giving him a reassuring smile and returns a smile of his own. The two of us remain silent, just letting the sounds of the night engulf the atmosphere around us.
A few minutes have passed and Kurapika decides to stand up. He turns to me,
"You should head back inside. It's late."
I smile at him and nod,
"I will."
He nodded back to me and was about to head off when I spoke,
"Kurapika… Thank you so much."
He stops in his tracks and turns to me with a smile,
"Anytime." After that, he leaves.
I stood up until I sensed a very faint aura nearby. I stood still, wondering who it was... Just then, I hear a familiar voice,
"It's been a while, my beloved Song Bird." That nickname… There's only one man who calls me by that nickname.
Chrollo.
I turned around to where I sensed him. I see Chrollo standing near the gazebo, watching me. The two of us didn't say a thing until he finally decided to approach the entrance of the gazebo. I watched him intensely until he finally stood in front of me. I kept my face neutral,
"Should I ask why you're here?" I say as I eye him suspiciously. Chrollo only stood there and spoke,
"There's no reason to… you already know why I'm here."
I narrowed my eyes at him,
"Do you have a death wish?"
"I miss you…" He says to me with a sad-sounding tone. And that look he's giving me, like he longs for me makes, me so angry! I ended up snapping at him,
"Stop acting like we used to have a history together! You know damn well that what we had never happened-"
"I want to make it up to you."
I narrowed my eyes on him. He just stood there with a neutral look on his face. I continued to glare at him knowing how much he'd hurt me for that awful lie,
"Why would you think I'd believe you have good intentions after what you did?"
He only gave me an unreadable expression. Is this the true Chrollo? Someone who doesn't react? Who does he think he is? Just then he held out a piece of paper. I look at him questioningly,
"Here's my number. You can decide whether to call me or not." He then placed the paper in the palm of my hand as I stood there, speechless. He looked into my eyes and gave me a look of longing. When he gave me that look, it tugged at my heartstrings. My expression softened for a few seconds, which made Chrollo take my hand in his,
"I know you have feelings for me. You don't need to fight it."
The soft expression I gave then turned to anger. I pulled my hand away and took a few steps back,
"Get out of here! Only I'm the one to be the judge of how I feel!"
I gave him the angriest glare I muster. he hums to himself, deep in thought,
"I see. So I have hurt you that deeply." I continued to glare at him. He looks at me like a feral kitten,
"You did! Do you care, or are you studying me right now to understand yourself again?"
Chrollo stood there for a moment, then reached out to touch me. I stepped away from his reach. I watch him, trying to see any emotion on his face and all I see is the corner of his mouth twitching. I don't know what he's feeling at all… I've been wondering if the emotions he showed me in York New were even real…
Did he feel hurt by my words?
Did he feel betrayed by Hisoka?
I don't know anymore… I look away from him. He then finally spoke,
"I've been thinking of taking you somewhere nice. I know I've lied a lot. Even to myself… But, once we go on a date together, maybe, then, I can be very sure that my feelings for you are not a lie after all."
My eyes widened after his last comment. I look back at him, now stunned. Is he finally starting to understand himself more? He then gave me a small smile,
"I'll be going now. Don't forget, you have the choice to reach out to me or not." He turned away from me and then left. I stood there, quietly, watching him leave. Once he's gone, I let out a sigh. And sat back down. Meeting Chrollo again was unexpected. Just then, I remembered the aquarium worker. I was hit with the realization that that worker was Chrollo all along. I knew there was something suspicious about him. But… I softened my expression. During that moment, he showed me that he intended to help by giving me the keys to the truck for the escape. I got up and decided to head back to bed. I'll consider calling him another time.
—
Chrollo went back into the forest and leaned onto one of the trees once he was farther away enough from the Nostrade property. He thinks about all his actions leading him to his meeting with his Beloved. He learns how love can lead people to do the stupidest things, and he learns it firsthand. He smiles to himself amused with how she has drawn out this side of him he previously thought would be below him to do. He wonders what else she is capable of making him do. He will have to see.
This feeling… this… love.
He wonders how far he would go for her. He will see. He did study about the relics his Beloved had previously been taking and he is thinking of taking one for her sometime. For now, he's just going to have to wait and see if she does decide to reach out to him. If not, he will figure out how they will cross paths again. He knows he won't give her up to his former Troupe member. He chuckled to himself at that moment of his life. He begins to reminisce about his time in York New. He thought about the future that was written for him by the daughter of the Nostrade family, and all the things that have happened until that point. He figured his beloved would fall into his hands during that moment in time, but how it would go wasn't what he was expecting at all. But soon after that, everything fell into place. He doesn't know what's happening with the Troupe. He doesn't know what happened to Pakunoda. But, knowing her, she probably gave the other trope members her memories, thus giving them info about the Chain User which resulted in her losing her own life by now… He silently leaves the Nostrode property. He decides to put that thought aside and continue his way back to the hideout.
—
Oyana has been cooped up in a dark room to look for the next relic. She is sitting in the dark room visualizing a map in her mind as she chants.
Callum stood outside of the room, silently waiting for any news.
Rosaline and Darius are sparring while Laris watches.
The twins are both sitting in the grass making little flower crowns.
Andre is keeping watch for any trespassers.
The Cult are all waiting for Oyana to give them any commands.
Oyana opens her eyes once she finally pinpoints a relic. She gets up and leaves the room.
Callum hears the door of Oyana's room open. He turns to her and waits for the news. She looks at Callum and speaks,
"I have pinpointed the next Relic. Gather everyone. We will be going on a long journey, so we need to pack up and move."
Callum smiles and nods to her,
"On it, Big Sister."
—
In the void, items are floating, scattered near a book. It pulsates, waiting to be used. Next to the book is a phone. The phone seems to be receiving voice messages as the screen blinks into the void. On the screen flashes a name, "Luka", "Niki", "Mira", "Ethan", "Mom (Rose)," and "Dad (Sora)", until the phone itself plays the voice messages. They overlap with each other,
"Big Sis! If you got this message, please come home! It's Luka!"
"Dear, this is mom, where are you? Please be okay…!"
"Hi, it's dad… I'm worried sick! Are you okay? Did they catch you?! I hope you're staying strong… I wish I was there to protect you… I'm so sorry… I'm supposed to be your father…"
"Hey, it's Niki. Something's come up. Please be careful. I don't know what's going on, but I keep spotting strange people. They seem to be plotting something… "
"Hey, it's Ethan! Come on pick up the phone! We're worried about you! Also, these weird people are being spotted lately… I can't help but think they might be the reason you're… Not here. Please pick up so it isn't the case."
"Hello? This is Mira… I'm scared to tell you this, but… They're plotting something regarding you. You need to watch out. I'm telling the others as well, but I don't know how we'll deal with this situation. It's terrifying. I hope you're keeping yourself intact… Don't let them break you."
The voice messages play from recent to previous. From 'Happy Birthdays' to 'Merry Christmas' to 'Congratulations'. Warm messages then stop as the phone finally dies.
Notes:
Here's the first chapter of this year!
This one took a while and, yeah. Sorry about that. Life's been going.
Chapter 34: Chapter 33: Cruel Premonition
Summary:
It has been several days since the Cult was last heard. it was quiet until two members were spotted on Greed Island.
The pot has started to boil over.
Notes:
Hello! This chapter is finally here! Enjoy!
(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)
Chapter Text
It's in the middle of the day on Greed Island. A certain magician senses two unique aura nearby. Hisoka turns his attention to where they are and decides to investigate. If his hunch is right… Then, what a coincidence! He didn't think any member of that Cult would be on this island. When he finally sensed he was getting closer, he made sure to keep his distance and took out a telescope he brought with him. He peered into it and, sure enough, He recognized two of them! He could even recognize one of them. He could see it was that man he went up against! With him is another man with a sword. He'll learn their names soon… It really is a coincidence to predict some cult members to be wandering around on this island, but there they are~! Now, what are they doing? Looking for Relics? He wonders if he should keep a close eye on them. He's pretty sure they didn't come into the Island the regular way. So, who knows what they will do? He's very interested in what the result would be~! But, unfortunately, he's not there to play. He is still looking for that Nen Exorcist… How unfortunate. Oh well. At least he knows they're here on this Island. He's going to pretend he knew about this all along when his Darling will bring it up with him again. He knows she wants to know what he knows about their whereabouts and why they are there on Greed Island.
Hisoka almost reluctantly leaves the area, but he has a goal to reach. And once he's done with his original goal, he'll think up a plan to fight each of the cult members. Especially that Leader~. She looks especially strong~! He smirks and starts fantasizing about how his fight with all of them will go~! Oh~! Now he's getting Excited~! He licks his lips and continues to fantasize and whatever epic battle he wishes to experience with the Cult until he senses a group of strong aura behind him. He recognized their aura and turned to them,
"Hello. It's been a while~! "
Before him are the Phantom Troupe most likely wanting to get some answers about their boss and why he decided to take Chrollo's name as his Alias for this game.
—
Darius and Laris are searching around Greed Island in search of information about their Fair Lady. For some reason, they lost track of her once Oyana's song stopped working. So, it's up to them to find her whereabouts. The reason why they found themselves on this island is because, apparently, there are several people on this island who know where she could be. The problem is, where are they on this island? Laris turns to Darius,
"So, how do you want to go about this?" He asked the man beside him. Darius raised an eyebrow at him,
"What do you mean?"
"You know? Do we just interrogate everyone on this island? Or…"
Darius rolls his eyes and crosses his arms at him,
"You should know that would take too long. We just need to narrow down who Our Lady has acquainted herself with and find those who have made contact with her during her whole journey in this world."
"Unfortunately, I don't remember who they even are." Laris sighed in defeat, which made Darius sigh in annoyance,
"I can't believe you don't remember that one clown guy you fought up against. Didn't you remember how he defeated you that one time?"
Laris frowns at the reminder and turns away from him with a pout,
"Ugh. Don't remind me… That was embarrassing."
"Anyway. There is a possibility that Clown is here somewhere. But it's not just him. There could be those two kids on this island as well." Darius tells him,
"Oh yeah. The two kids Andre refused to kill. I wonder why he refused to do his job?" Larius asked him curiously, but Darius just shrugs,
"I don't know, but it's pretty inconvenient. But, we can't really do anything about it. Not that I know of, at least." The two then start walking through the forest as Darius continues on how they will approach their mission,
"We mainly just need to find the people that know our lady. The clown and the two kids are just examples." Laris groans at that, but Darius continues,
"Luckily for you, I have a good memory of what they look like."
"Wow, such confidence," Laris says to him sarcastically.
"But, we also need to identify their Aura as well. It's not just by their description we only have to rely on."
"Right."
The two continue to discuss what they're talking about and what to do as they unsuspectingly pass two boys who are hiding. Killua crawled out of his hiding place and watched the two dangerous Cult members leave. Gon leaves his hiding spot as well as watches the two men leave until they are out of their sight. They turn to each other and nod to each other that it's safe to get out of there as fast as possible before they are spotted. The boys ran and Gon spoke,
"Should we call Kurapika about them?"
"Of course. It's important to keep them from finding her after all."
"What would we do if those guys ended up finding us on this island?" Gon asks him how they will have to deal with them. Killua thinks about it,
"Hmmm… best case scenario, hopefully, the GMs of Greed Island will learn about them and kick them out before anything happens just because they broke the rules on where they're supposed to enter the game. In fact… We need to find a GM and tell them about those guys ASAP. Worst case scenario… If we end up facing them anyway… We're gonna have to defend ourselves as best we can."
Gon thinks for a moment and turns to Killua,
"We're gonna have to fill Bisky in about this, huh?"
Killua sighs,
"Yup. If we don't, she's gonna have our hide…"
After their talk, they went to look for the one named 'Bisky'. Their time on Greed Island has suddenly turned even more dangerous.
—
I was running through the woods as I looked over my shoulder. I panted loudly as I dodged as many projectiles flying at me. I run and hide behind a tree, trying to catch my breath. I held my right arm in pain when I noticed my wound. I snuck and peeked from the tree I was hiding behind and saw the silhouette of my opponent. I crouched and began thinking up a way to take down my opponent until suddenly, I was ambushed. The attacker came at me from the side. I quickly dodged his attack and summoned my ribbon to catch him in my grasp. The assailant struggled in my ribbons. But just when I thought I was in the clear, another went in for another attack. I gasped and used my left forearm to block, but got knocked back. The one I captured is then set free. I cursed and threw pins their way. They went out of the way, but little did they know that's exactly what I wanted them to do. They fell into my trap. The two assailants gasp in shock as I pull onto my ribbon, tying them both and pulling them over tree branches. I look up at them as they struggle to get out of my web,
"Okay, we can stop there."
I turned to the voice and saw Kurapika approach,
"Wow, you've improved a lot." He praised me. I smiled at him,
"Thanks. But it's not without your help, at least."
He shook his head at me,
"You need to give yourself some more credit. That was a good plan you came up with."
After our exchange, I helped the two bodyguards down from the tree and thanked them for the spar. Kurapika handed me a bottle of water,
"I have to say, you're finally able to grasp your new Nen category pretty well."
I opened the bottle and took a sip,
"Yeah. It's crazy how I managed to grasp it that fast."
"I'm sure you're getting hungry now. The chef probably made something good for us once we got back to the mansion." Kurapika says as he turns towards the mansion. I smile and begin to follow him. The two of us make our way back to the mansion talking about what we will be eating later when Kurapika's phone begins to ring. He takes his phone out of his pocket and sees who is calling him,
"Huh? Killua is calling for some reason."
"Really?" I asked as I watched him answer the call,
"Hello?" Then there is a pause. And then Kurapika spoke again with a smile,
"Killua It's been a while. How've you been?"
Kurapika paused again but his face turned serious. He then turns to look at me as I give him a curious look,
"Killua wants to talk to the two of us."
"Huh..? What do you mean?" I ask him. Kurapika pulled the phone from his ear and turned on the speaker so Killua could be heard,
"She's already here with me, so what is it you want to share?"
"Really?"
"Hi, Killua," I say, letting him know I'm present,
"Hello, it's been a while."
"It has. How have you been?" I ask the boy, happy to hear from him again,
"I'm doing okay. Gon and I have been playing Greed Island for a while."
"So, what is it like?"
"Well, it's something I gotta say. I think it will take a little while to explain… But I'll say this. The game sent us to an island, just so you know where we are and the Greed Island is a real Island, and what I need to tell you right now is pretty urgent."
"Hmm? 'Urgent'?" I repeated, curiously,
"So, what urgent news do you want to tell us?" Kurapika asks Killua, now getting serious. There was a pause until the boy from the other end spoke,
"We've encountered two cult members on Greed Island."
We stood there stunned by the news. I did remember Hisoka telling me he heard something about I recovered quickly and asked to confirm,
"Really…? Why are they there…? Is… There a relic on the island…?"
"No. They're looking for you."
When Killua said that, I couldn't help but get worried. Why would they even think to go to Greed Island to look for me? Calmed my racing mind and asked Killua another question,
"Why do they think to find me on that Island?"
On the other end, I heard a nervous sigh from the boy and he answered,
"From what I heard, they're looking for us to get to you."
The news just keeps getting worse… Kurapika noticed my distress, so he asked for me,
"Did anything else happen when they got there?"
To my relief so far, Killua answers that nothing has happened yet,
"Since they somehow know we're both here on the island, I just thought to warn you since they're going to such lengths to get to you."
I then thought of Leorio and worried for his well-being. If they're looking for my friends like this, then Leorio is in danger of encountering any of the members of the Cult,
"We need to contact Leorio and tell him about this…"
Kurapika understands my worry,
"Then, I'll call Leorio soon."
"Good. Be careful out there."
I nodded subconsciously to his words, but remembered he couldn't see my gesture,
"Thanks, Killua… Please take care of each other as well."
We all said our goodbyes until Killua finally hung up. After that, we called Leorio on what was happening,
"Thanks for the warning. I'll make sure to be careful. Don't worry about anything."
"Okay. Thank you."
Once we warned Leorio, I went silent. I was deep in thought until Kurapika asked,
"What's on your mind?"
I turned to him, feeling uneasy about the news. That Cult... They will never leave me alone. No matter what I do, or where I go, they will not be far behind. They will stop at nothing to get to me and now they really are looking for my friends just to get to me! What should I even do? I can't let this happen any longer… If I keep running from them, all I'll be doing is continue to put my friends in danger again… I could feel my nerves getting the best of me. I stayed silent and thought about what to do next. In the end, all I could think about was to just give myself up. I want nothing more than to just keep everyone I love safe… I turned my gaze to the ground and finally spoke,
"Kurapika… I think it's time for me to go."
"What do you mean?" Kurapika asks me. I looked into his eyes and spoke to him,
"I will get out of your hair now… I think I've overstayed my welcome here. I'm sure I've preoccupied you for too long."
Kurapika is stunned by my words, but his stunned look turned to a glare,
"What…?" Kurapika tried to speak, but I continued,
"You have your own goals and I don't want to distract you from them anymore… So, I should go."
"No, you can-"
"Besides! It's just a hassle to deal with both the Cult and Neon's enemies every time, so I think it's a great idea to get out of here so you can only focus on your job! Besides… This whole thing had nothing to do with you at all. So you won't have to deal with the Cult ever again!" I started rambling feeling myself become hysterical until I felt my shoulders being grabbed,
"ENOUGH!"
Kurapika shouted angrily as I stared into his scarlet-turned eyes. I stopped myself from saying any more as tears started to run down my face. Kurapika calmed down when he saw how scared I was. I broke down in front of him. Sobs escaped me as I cried into my hands,
"I can't take it, Kurapika… I don't want any of you to get hurt because of me…"
He studies me for a while and pulls me into a hug,
"Please, you're one of my valued friends… I can't bear to think of losing any of you either…" I could feel wet patches form on my collarbone. Kurapika is crying. Like me. I hugged him in return, still upset. The two of us stayed silent once again. This whole thing is getting out of hand and I couldn't help but be in despair knowing they won't stop until I finally encounter them myself…
"What am I gonna do…? All I can think of is just to either give myself to them or…"
"...Or what…?" Kurapika asks me quietly as I hesitate to answer. Kurapika understood what I was about to say and pulled away from me,
"I won't let you do that. I promised to keep you safe and I will. I won't let that cult get you or the Troupe or even Hisoka. So, please. Don't you dare think of doing anything like that!"
His words sound incredibly reassuring, and he is capable of taking care of himself for sure but… unfortunately. I know how reckless he can be, and I know how easily consumed with rage he can get. And unfortunately, I know how powerful Oyana really is, and I don't want her to go near him or the others ever again… With tears still in my eyes, I nodded to his words, letting him feel at ease in this moment.
—
Chrollo is sitting patiently in his hideout, reading a book when he gets a text. He picked it up to check, and sure enough. It's time. Hisoka finally found the Nen Exorcist and now it's time to meet with them. He got up from his seat and prepared to meet them. He can now get his abilities back and execute his plan from there.
He thinks about his beloved and thinks of how he can get to her without alerting the chain user, but that will have to wait. He steps out of the hideout into the sun and begins heading to the place where he'll meet the Nen Exorcist.
—
The members of the cult are paired to look for their Lady. Ever since Oyana's tracking spell got severed during her supervision over their dormant goddess, she gets a counter spell cutting her connection off from her entirely. No matter how many times she's sung her song she couldn't connect to her. So now, plan B has been executed. Darius suggests they find the ones who decided to associate themselves with their Lady and interrogate them until they finally find her. Oyana is in thought on how they will go about this as she looks at candid photos of the four boys their Dormant Goddess has grown attached to. It will depend on who any of the members get, really. She knows how attached her dormant goddess is towards the four boys and she knows it will be a lot easier to take either of them as hostage to lure her out of her hiding place, but what she's gathered about the four boys was interesting. The two younger children, especially. What she's gathered about those boys has intrigued her. The more experienced fighter of the two is actually a member of the Zoldyck family, and unfortunately, they need to keep clear of that family as much as possible for their mission to succeed. The other boy, she might be able to capture as a potential hostage, but something about him seems… Off. She doesn't really know what, but for now, he will just be put to the side for potential bait. Now onto the older boy… She can sense power from him so, immediately, he should be avoided. Now for the last one…the oldest of the four. She can tell he could be a great candidate as bait to lure her out. Oyana picks up the photo of the one she believes to be a good capture,
"Callum." She calls the blond into the room. The young boy enters,
"Yes, big sis?" He asks her. Oyana holds the photo out to the boy,
"I want you to find the one in this photo and capture him alive."
He took the photo from her and looked at it,
"Really? What will we do once we capture him?" Callum asks as Oyana sits in a composed manner,
"We will be holding him prisoner and interrogating him for information. And once he gives up the information, we will lure our fair lady out by using him as bait."
"Is that really going to work?" The boy asks her curiously as he still stares at the photo. She nods,
"Yes. After examining her dreams for a while, she holds these boys close to her heart like the ones who took her away from us in the other world."
"So they're tainting her heart the same way those people she calls family did as well…?" Callum says as he finally looks at her,
"Yes." Oyana simply tells him. She watches the boy before her with no expression on her face. Callum stood there silently, seeming to process his thoughts. But, of course, something is wrong. Callum's fingers twitched as he held onto the photo tightly,
"I'll make sure to save her…" he muttered. Oyana continued to watch the boy as he tried to regulate like the living boy he used to be. He turns away from her and leaves the room. Once he's out, she turns back to the other things on her table. She glanced at the other photos the Dormant Goddess had come in contact with. She lifts up the two photos of the Magician and the man who tried to go up against her at the auction.
Those two clearly have their interest in their Fair Lady, but she won't let that come to pass. Their Fair Lady must remain pure for her to finally awaken as the Goddess she will be, and these two men are a threat to her purity so they need to get rid of them, of course. Such was the plan, to begin with, after all. But these men in particular… They are persistent and so single-minded. Much like any man, they have an interest in her womanhood, and that interest always leads to sex, so she needs to get rid of them the most to keep their Dormant Goddess's virginity protected. Oyana then begins to hum a song, as her aura encircles the two photos in her hands. She closes her eyes as she tries to pinpoint their location like how she did with the two young boys. As she attempts to pinpoint their aura, she spots one of them immediately. Perfect. However… one of them is unfortunately difficult to find. How unfortunate. But, it does not matter. He will be found inevitably until then… She will use all her power to send a signal to wherever her Goddess could be. It's finally time to lure her out of her hiding place.
—
Leorio is writing away in his notebook. He stretched out his back feeling it was now time to take a little break from his studies for a bit. But, for some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen… He shrugs and gets up from his chair, deciding it's time to go out and shop for dinner.
—
Kurapika has been keeping a close eye on me ever since Killua called to warn us about the cult. I still couldn't help but feel uneasy about it all. I'm still worried about Gon and Killua, and still worried about Leorio… I wonder if they are okay? I was absentmindedly brushing Neon's hair until I accidentally snagged at the tangles in her hair roughly,
"Oww!" Neon whined,
"Oh no, I'm so sorry, are you okay?!" I gasped at her reaction. Neon pouted at me. I continued to apologize to her until she finally forgave me.
I let out a sigh as I lay in my bed feeling the stress through my body. I want to finally drift off to sleep…
But just as I was about to fall asleep, my phone began to ring, causing me to jolt up from bed. I let out another sigh and went to pick it up,
"Hello…?"
"Oh, someone sounds tired~. "A familiar voice is heard,
"What is it, Hisoka?" I ask him tiredly. On the other end, I hear him chuckle,
"I just wanted to say I'm finished with my mission~! Now I'm free to see you~. "
I hear him flirt. I felt my heart skip a beat a little despite how tired I was, but I composed myself. Al Bait, tiredly…
"Really now?"
"Yes~! And I just can't wait to finally share what I've been up to with you~! "
I still remember the tidbit about what Hisoka shared with me the last time we talked,
"So, you'll finally tell me about your close encounter with the cult?"
"Yes,"he says in a cheeky tone. I can feel my eye twitch.
"Then will you tell me right now from where you are?"
"Hmmm… what's in it for me, Darling~? "
I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed,
"Hisoka, I'm too tired for this. Just tell me what you know."
"Aaww, you're no fun~."
"I'm sorry, but you have no idea how stressed I am right now."
"Oh? What seems to be the matter, Love?"
I felt touched that he actually sounded worried for me… Maybe. I rested my back on my pillow and spoke,
"Where do I even start…?"
I really want a shoulder to lean on right now, but I know Kurapika has been that very shoulder I've been relying on for this long, but I for some reason, wanted a different kind of comfort… I blushed at what that comfort was,
"Start anywhere you feel is right, Darling."
I inhaled, thinking about what transpired. Hisoka is surprisingly respectful and lets me collect my thoughts,
"I got word that the Cult is now on the hunt for me."
"Oh? Why do you say that?"Hisoka asked curiously. I thought of that time when I thought of the song I sang when I healed the wounds I had gotten from the aquarium… It seems that song did more than just heal. It cut off my connection with the cult somehow.
"I believe I severed their connections with me, and now they're trying to find me by hunting down my friends…"
I hear Hisoka let out a humming sound,
"So what will you be doing about this, Love?"
As he asked me that question, I thought about it and thought about my answer. I have been thinking about what I should be doing about this and I do have several,
"I don't know. Probably throw myself off a cliff." I decided to joke. I hear Hisoka let out a giggle,
"That seems morbid~. I thought you were going to look for those relics you've said so much about."
"I'm starting to think It would be quicker if I just get rid of the thing they are so obsessed about…" I told him plainly. For some reason, I could sense Hisoka give me a frown,
"Don't be disappointing me now. What about our plans? I do dislike that kind of talk. I have plans with you after all~. And besides… Have you thought that maybe that is not a good idea to do? What if, say, like a Nen curse, you die but get reincarnated into another being? And since the Cult still exists, they can still find you, but this time, you'll be a different human. So, then, your death was pointless in the end. But, also… if you die right now, I won't get to be able to be with my Darling~! "
I was actually stunned. He made a good point. If I did die, who knows what would happen? The Cult might probably find a way to either summon me back to life or look for my reincarnated body. But seriously. I am confused with this man. Is he trying to cheer me up or is he just doing all that for his own gain? I blushed and decided to ask him,
"Are you worried about me?"
"Of course.~! "
"For some reason, I don't believe you," I tell him with a small smile. Admittedly to myself only, his charms worked on me when he said that,
"Then I'll have to prove that to you once we meet~ ."
For some reason, his answers satisfied me and I let it go. I smiled at that and let out a yawn,
"We'll see about that," I tell him tiredly. I hear him chuckle,
"Yes, we shall~. I'll let you rest, Darling~. Don't let that thought about that cult ruin your mind permanently now~! "
"I'll try. Good night."
"Good night. And sweet dreams~. "
He then hung up. I could feel my heart beat faster from the way he said 'good night' to me. I blushed and placed the phone on my desk. I lay in my bed and closed my eyes. Whatever that will happen in the future, I must prepare. I know for sure I need to do something before anything terrible happens to any of my friends… My eyes went heavy and fell into a deep sleep.
—
Hisoka smiles once he hangs up. Now he is free to do what he likes~! He could go find Chrollo at this very moment, but then he did promise his Darling he'd see her soon… But, then again… The two Cult members are still on the island… He thinks about it for a moment then giggles to himself. It wouldn't hurt to have a little taste of the power those two have~! He then proceeds to search for the two men, excited to face them head-on.
—
I dreamt of being in an alleyway. It felt strange… like I was there real time. I walked through the alley until I saw a familiar figure. I went closer and, sure enough, it was Leorio,
"Huh? Leorio…?"
As if he could hear me, he turned around. It's like he's looking straight at me,
"I know you're there." He said suddenly. I was at a loss for words, thinking he really could see me, but then a voice from behind me spoke,
"Sharp senses for a seemingly weak man."
I turned around to the voice behind me and could see that boy… Callum. He smiles at Leorio and approaches him. Leorio kept his guard up, while I stood in front of him, wanting to protect him from that boy, but unfortunately, Callum went through me. Leorio took out his knife in held his ground, giving the boy a warning,
"Back off!"
Callum looks at Leorio, intrigued,
"Oh? It seems you're already aware of me?"
Leorio didn't answer him and stared him down. Callum chuckled,
"Good, then you do know where she is after all…" Suddenly, The boy charged at Leorio. I tried to run towards Leorio and reached my hand out…
—
"LEORIO!" I screamed, shocked awake. I panted, feeling my heartbeat in my chest, that I could hear it loudly. I was disoriented, looking around my room and grounding myself,
"Is it just a dream…?" I muttered to myself. But the feeling of dread still lingers within me. I got out of bed and stormed out of my room to tell Kurapika.
—
"Kurapika!"
I was knocking on his door loudly, trying to get his attention. The door opens a door Kurapika is there looking confused and disheveled from just waking up,
"What's going on?" He asked me once he saw how distressed I was,
"Kurapika, we need to check up on Leorio!" I tell him with worry,
"What?" He seems at a loss. I tried to explain as best I could, but ended up being frantic instead,
"Leorio could be in trouble right now! We need to hurry! One of the Cult members could've found him already, we need to hurry! Kurapika we need to HURRY!" When I was being frantic, I didn't realize I woke up several people in the manor. Kurapika noticed and placed a hand on my shoulder to calm me down,
"Let's discuss this calmly, okay?" When he said that, I noticed how shaken he was by my words. But that's not all, I see Melody giving me a worried look. I entered Kurapika's room as he gestured to me to come in,
"Have a seat." He says motioning his hand for me to sit on the couch. I sat down as Kurapika followed after me. I still am shaking from my dreams when Kurapika looked my in the eyes and asked,
"You believe Leorio is in trouble…?"
"Yes…" I uttered. The silence that followed was tense. I wondered what was going on with the teen until he asked me another question,
"Did you have a dream about him getting ambushed by one of the Cult members?"
"Yes…" I whispered. Kurapika is deep in thought and simply spoke,
"I see."
"That's it? Surely there's a better reaction than that!" I snapped. He shook his head and replied,
"No, I know… It's just… I had that exact dream last night as well."
When he said that, I ended up stunned,
"What did you say…?" I stuttered out the words. Surely, I heard wrong… I mean it's impossible to have the same dream as someone else, right? But as I study Kurapika, it doesn't seem like he's joking at all if he even is making a joke, which I know for sure he would never make a joke like this at all. I feel myself get even more upset,
"Kurapika…!" I whispered to him. He nodded to me and answered,
"I understand your worry quite well, but we need to call Leorio firsthand before anything else… After all, we don't know if it's just a trick to only lure you out or not, so we need to make sure… Okay?"
I nodded to him silently. Kurapika then takes out his phone and dials Leorio's number. The two of us waited for him to pick up, but he didn't answer. That got me worried, as well as Kurapika. So Kurapika dialed again. We waited, but the same result,
"Maybe he's just waking up…" Kurapika tried to rationalize, but after 10 the tenth ring, we stopped. I look at Kurapika worriedly. He stood up pacing,
"What is happening… Surely they didn't get to him…." He muttered,
"Kurapika, I think it's time we need to check up on him. Let's go to him right now." I tell him hastily, but he shook his head,
"I still don't want to risk your safety."
"Kurapika,please!" I gave him a pleading look. He is deep in thought until he gives in. He lets out a sigh,
"Alright, fine… But we must make a plan if things go awry."
I brightened and nodded to him,
"Yes!" I then rushed out to get my things ready.
—
When she leaves the room, Kurapika thinks about the situation. He wonders if the rest of the house has the same dream as well. He might have to ask everyone in the manor. He then gets up from his seat and approaches the window to look out into the sky. He really was worried for Leorio, so he didn't fight as hard when she begged to check up on him… But, he is determined to keep her safe when they check up on Leorio. He knows this could be a trap somehow so he needs to prepare. He turns away from the window and gets ready himself. He will have to ask permission from the boss to let them check up on Leorio.
Notes:
so, yeah! This one has taken a while. Sorry about that. I've been trying to figure out how this chapter should go, but ended up working on it for a long time instead. lol! But, aside from that, I've been trying to organize the timeline of this fanfic, since I'm starting to forget important parts of the story already, so I've been refreshing my memory by rereading my own fanfic... And honestly... I'm kinda cringing at my own writing. Lol! Maybe someday, I'll improve it. XD We'll see. Also, I recently picked up the 1999 version of HxH and, wow! The vibe in that one is very nice. I did somewhat attempt to implement the 1999 version of the show earlier in the story, but I unfortunately didn't get to implement more of it in this fic. Oh well. Next time, I guess. If I ever decided to do anything else. But for now, I'm just focused on finishing this story which I have some big plans for after a certain chapter.
Other than that, I've also been busy with other things like getting ready for a vacation and trying to save up for class again. And yeah!
Enough of me oversharing, I hope you enjoyed the fic and I want to thank everyone for giving lots of love to this fanfic. I am extremely grateful! Like, wow! I didn't realize there are so many people who loved my writing. This one especially. I'm really thankful! Thank you!
Chapter 35: Chapter 34: Lure Out
Summary:
The cult has executed their plan to lure her out.
Leorio has been kidnapped, and so time is of the essence.
Notes:
Here is a chapter! Hope you like it!
Like a like and subscri- I'm Kidding. XD
(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)
Chapter Text
In a Quiet town, the two cult members, Rosaline and Andre are out looking for information about their Dormant Goddess when a ball rolls to Andre's feet. He turns his attention to the ball as a few kids run up to them. The kids looked at them,
"Hey, mister! Give it here!" the energetic one of the group of kids says happily, gesturing to the ball. Andre picks it up and passes the ball to the children. Rosaline watches the interaction,
"Why do you decide to interact unnecessarily?" She asks him,
"I just merely passed the ball, that's all." He answers her nonchalantly. She sees through his facade,
"I know you have a soft spot for children. You know it would be pointless in the end." She tells him. Andre sighs,
"I know…" After their exchange, the two continue their mission to collect information.
—
Back at the cultists' new hideout, Oyana is bedridden. Her message to the Fair Lady has taken a toll on her, luckily, she is taken care of by the remaining cultists with her, the twins. They sang their magical songs to replenish her energy. Despite her tired state, she seems confident everything is going according to plan. From what she can sense from Callum, she can tell they've caused quite a stir from the people about the premonition she projected into everyone's heads. Now it's up to Callum to lure her out of hiding.
—
Darius and Laris are wandering around the island when they encounter a certain Magician who is casually waiting for them by a tree with his signature deck of cards in his hands, shuffling away. Darius glares at the man. Laris, especially, recognized him,
"So we meet again, huh?"
Hisoka smirked, stopped shuffling and turned his head to look at them,
"Indeed~. " Is all he said to them. Hisoka then sized the two of them up as he pulled himself off the tree and faced the two properly. He likes what he sees. They have a sense of mystery within them, something for him to grasp at once he fights them. Darius then spoke,
"I know you are acquainted with her."
Hisoka's ears perked and then hummed,
"Oh~? You want to talk about my beloved rabbit? I am meaning to see her after this~. "
"Oh, so you do know where she is. So… tell us or else." Laris says with his guard still up. Hisoka just giggled in response,
"And why would I do that~? After all… I'm a rather possessive lover~. '' Hisoka's eyes didn't leave them as he stood there, relaxed with his hand in his hair. That annoyed Darius and he finally lunged at him. Hisoka smirks and moves out of the way quickly. But then Laris appeared from behind him and went for his chest. Luckily, Hisoka is faster and maneuvered away from both of them, only coming out with a slight cut on the chest. Darius swings his sword at him while Laris throws his Chain at him. Hisoka quickly used his Gungee Gum to catch Laris' chains and tugged at them, pulling him towards Darius. But, just as he does so, Laris throws his dagger right at him. Making the Magician step aside from the flying daggers, preventing him from tugging any further. Hisoka then took several steps back and started using his cards. The two men both ready themselves as Hisoka smirks at them. They are strong, indeed~! He wants more~!
The Magician made himself disappear into the trees. Darius and Laris tried to search for him, but just then, cards began to fly in every direction towards them. The two men attempted to deflect as many as possible, but to no avail, several managed to embed themselves into their bodies. Some in their eyes, in their necks, their chests… the two fall over to the ground, lifeless. Hisoka comes out of his hiding spot and waits for any signs of life. Waiting for that spectacle he witnessed at the auction… But instead of the spectacle he was waiting for, he noticed one of them missing. The White-haired man. Just then, to the side, Laris attacks him with his dagger out,
"I won't go down as easily as last time, Clown!"
Hisoka dodges each lash, but a few have managed to get in contact with his skin. Hisoka has gotten several cuts to one side of his face. How rude~!
Hisoka decided to jump away until Laris threw his blade at him. It grazed his side and then went back to its owner. Hisoka is impressed~! The cut to his side is indeed large, but of course, Hisoka is ready for anything that's thrown at him~! He loves it when he's faced with an opponent as entertaining as this~! He smirked and taunted Laris,
"Is that all you've got~? "
Laris glares at the Magician and charges at him. Hisoka stands there, ready for his attack.
—
I look out the window of the airship. I learned that it wasn't just me and Kurapika who had the same vision. It seemed Leorio appeared in a lot of people's dreams. It became large enough to make it into the news. The people outside of us were all curious about it and decided to call it a phenomenon. But, I wonder if anyone was curious enough to find Leorio? But still… no matter how strange the cults' methods of drawing me out were, I was determined to save him. He doesn't deserve to be tangled up in my mess at all! But, here we are…
I think deeply when Kurapika came over to check up on me,
"We'll be there soon. How are you holding up?"
I nodded to him and answered,
"I'm okay."
The two of us went silent when he spoke again,
"Leorio is tougher than you think. I know he can take care of himself."
"I hope so… I know I shouldn't doubt him, but I just can't help but worry. What if…?"
Kurapika places a hand on my shoulder to calm me,
"It's okay. I know… But let's have faith in him, okay?"
I nodded at him and tried my best to do just that.
—
Leorio winces in pain and opens his eyes. He feels an ache across his cheek. His jaw hurts,
"Damn it…" he murmured to himself as his vision starts to clear. He lifts his head and notices he's in a room. He doesn't know where, but he assumes he's in the basement of the place. He then recalls what happened earlier and curses,
"That's right… That kid knocked me out…" He tried to move his arms, but realized they were restrained with rope,
"Ah, just great. Now what?" Leorio thinks to himself when he hears a door open. For just a brief moment, he sees some light. He quickly took more of his surroundings before the light was gone. Once the door is closed, footsteps are heard going down the stairs. Leorio steels his nerves, ready to endure anything thrown at him.
Three silhouettes then stood before him. The kid who knocked him out and two other kids. He glares at them. Callum looked down at him with a smile,
"It's nice of you to finally be awake. We have so many questions for you." Callum says to him. Leorio continued to glare at him and responded,
"Like hell, I'm gonna answer any of your questions. Especially when you kidnapped me and tied me to a chair in your damn basement."
The boy's smile then turned to a frown. As if out of the blue, Leorio feels a blunt pain against his cheek, which causes him to topple over to the floor. He grunts in pain, feeling the ache of his cheek and how the chair pinned onto his arm. Callum stares down at him,
"Tell us where our lady is."
Leorio winces, but doesn't comply,
"...Fuck you."
Leorio cries in pain when Callum suddenly kicks him in the stomach. Callum continued kicking him until a voice called to him,
"That's enough now." The boy stops and turns his attention to the owner of the voice. Leorio winces and opens his eyes to see a new person in the room. It's a woman, so he's guessing this must be the Cult leader he heard so much about… if it were any other circumstance, he would've swooned by how beautiful she is, but now isn't the right time. Also, he feels like his life is in danger.
Oyana steps forward with a blanket over her shoulders. She just got out of bed yet still recovering from the amount of aura she's used during the announcement she studies Leorio,
"So. You are one of our fair lady's 'friends'."
She says as she approaches. Leorio couldn't do anything as he watched her get closer. He feels uneasy but reminds himself not to give in to whatever she is going to do to him. Oyana is now right in front of him. She looms over him until she kneels and touches his face. He is forced to look her in the eyes, which is like a glowing portal to another world, but it has no ending to it. It kind of scares him. She gives him a dead smile,
"I know what you're thinking. 'You won't tell us where she is no matter what we do to you.' But, you won't know how that would be. But it's okay. We will find her before she finds you." What she said confused him,
"What do you mean by that…?" He waits for her to elaborate on what she means and she smiles at him,
"I've sent a message to places I can reach with my power. Hopefully, she has gotten the message that we've captured you. If so, she's now out there looking for you right now."
Leorio is confused about what she said. What does she mean by that? Does that mean they're on their way to save him right now? He needs to find a way to escape right away before they find her, he can't let them have their way! Oyana smiles at him and then stands back up. The two twins then follow her as she limps back upstairs. Callum stays behind to watch over him. Leorio now begins to figure out how to get out of there, especially with someone staying guard over him. Should he ask if he could go to the bathroom? He's not sure, so he decided to speak up,
"Hey. I need to go to the bathroom."
"Then go." The boy simply said to him. Leorio scoffs at him,
"I can't. I'm tied up." Callum crosses his arms,
"I said you can go from where you are." Leorio is appalled by what he said,
"Are you kidding?!"
"I'm not kidding. You're a prisoner, so I won't let you leave my sight." Callum explains to him. Leorio growls at him,
"I'm not gonna piss here!"
"Then, too bad." And that was the end of the discussion. Leorio huffed and ground his teeth angrily, wanting to kill the kid. Like hell, he'd piss where he is! It's bullshit! Since that idea is shot down, he has to think of another way… he looks around the room again, trying to think of something. He then sees a knife sitting on a shelf behind Callum. He has an idea. Of course! This is a great opportunity to work on his nen! Why didn't he think of that? He just gotta make sure not to alert the boy as he tries to use his abilities.
—
Rosaline and Andre have gathered as much information as they could. Some people were even forced to talk, but nothing. So they decided to go elsewhere. But just as they were about to give up, they sensed a familiar aura. It was coming from nearby. From what they remembered it was during their time in York New. Could it be that man? In black? That seeming leader of a group? Rosaline and Andre decided to investigate. They both arrive at the area where they sense the aura, and sure enough, there is a familiar man with another, but he seems unfamiliar. They were intent.
Chrollo can feel the curse lift. The one that helped him brought the curse shaped like a giant worm to wrap itself around his own body. Abengane is his name and he looks at Chrollo with an expectant look Chrollo understands what the Nen Exorcist wants,
"Of course. Here you go."
Chrollo pays the man the sum that was promised. The Nen Exorcist took the money and spoke,
"Thank you. I'll best be on my way." Abengane nods to him and leaves the scene with the strange worm wrapped around him.
Chrollo then checks to see if it worked and, sure enough, he has his Nen back. He summoned the book of thieves, turned to a random page summoned Ben's Knife, and flicked it around in his hand. Perfect. Now he needs to contact the Troupe that the Exorcism succeeded. And soon after that, he can take her ba-
But just before he was able to finish his thoughts, icicles shot his way. He barely dodged them in time. He lands a few feet back and turns his attention to where that attack came from. Two figures stepped out of the trees. He recognized them immediately. Those two are the ones who disrupted his heist for the Grimoire. Not only that, they were at the auction as well, also disrupting that heist by piggybacking His tribute to Uvogin as well as hurting his Beloved with that strange ritual they did. He watches them silently. Rosaline stepped forward and stared him down,
"Greetings. Do you have information about our dormant Goddess? And don't play dumb. We know who you are."
Chrollo remained silent, not interested in engaging with them, but he knew they wouldn't let him leave unless he dealt with them first. Chrollo moves, not leaving his eyes off them. From what he's observed about them is how unpredictable they are. He can tell they are no longer human based on a few factors he witnessed. He can't exactly pinpoint where their leader is, but he can sense the strings attached to them. But he already knows they've been dead a long time ago after impaling them with ith the many Nen-conjured rods back at the auction. He must be careful. Andre observes Chrollo, readying himself for any attack. After all, the man has his book out. So who knows what he will pull out of that book to attack them with…
"Tell us where our goddess is hiding. If you don't, we'll make your life a living hell." Rosaline threatened when Chrollo refused to speak. As if his life wasn't already a living hell. Rosaline draws out her sword and readies her stance,
"Alright, then. We'll force that information out of you."
Andre then shoots his icicles at him as Chrollo dodges to the side. He summons a disk and throws it their way. Rosaline is ready to deflect, but the disk multiplies and begins to make a pattern. Andre reads the attack and quickly jumps in front of Rosaline and forms a barrier of ice. The disks come in contact with his ice barrier and eat it up quickly. The two evaded the attack by jumping out of the way. The area is large enough for them to maneuver each other, so Chrollo is thinking of a way to escape. He knows for sure he's not prepared to take these two down at all, and if he could, he knows they'll just come back up like nothing happened. So, the best plan is to make a run for it.
The two approach him. Chrollo then summons the Nen rods under them, and they dodge each rod their way as they try to get to him. Andre jumps in the air and summons a frosty attack his way. Chrollo jumps to the side and summons Ben's knife once Rosaline closes in. She swings her sword and he catches it in between the gaps of the blade. The two of them stare each other down. Chrollo sees Andre from the corner of his eye. Andre shoots an icicle at him, quickly pulls Rosaline in front of him, and uses her as a human shield, Andre watches with shock,
"ROSALINE!" That intrigues Chrollo. He wonders about these puppets and their extent to their own emotions and autonomy, but before he can observe any more of Andre's distress, Andre turns to him with anger and shoots another set of icicles his way. Now is the best time to make his escape and threw Rosaline at Andre, making him catch her in his arms. Chrollo makes a run for it when the opportunity arrives. And now he is long gone from the scene.
Andre holds onto Rosaline, with worry in his eyes. Flashes of memory go through his mind. Tears fall from his face as he looks down at Rosaline. Her image changes to… someone else. Rosaline's wounds begin to heal. She opens her eyes and sees Andre staring down at her crying,
"Andre… Why are you crying?"
Andre blinked the tears from his eyes and shook his head,
"I don't know…"
Rosaline studies him quietly. Andre thinks about the memories that flashed through his mind. It felt painful and important. He wonders if he should ask Oyoana about what he's just experienced. For some reason, he feels he shouldn't… Once Rosaline got better, they felt now was the best time to get back to the hideout.
After escaping, Chrollo found a good place to hide. He thought about what he just learned after fighting those two. It seems they are looking for her. With that thought in mind, he's going to reunite with the Troupe quickly now and get to her before the Cult gets to her first.
—
We made it to where Leorio was taken. I searched the area, and there I found Leorio's glasses. I picked up the glasses and showed them to Kurapika. He took it off my hands,
"Bring me a map."
I did as he was told and we laid it out on the pavement. Kurapika took out his chains and held one of them over the map. We sat there silently until there was movement from Kurapika's Dowsing Chain. The chain pointed to where Leorio might be I eagerly stood up,
"We finally know where he is, let's go!" I was about to leave when Kurapika spoke,
"Wait." I turn to him and see the serious look on his face. I give him a questioning look,
"What is it? We know where Leorio is!" Kurapika gets up from the pavement,
"I just want to say, from here on out it will be dangerous…We're going in blind, so please…" He took my hands in his. I know what he's asking. He wants me to be safe. I give him a soft smile… I also am not sure what going to happen next so I can't guarantee my safety no matter how much Kurapika asks that of me, but I want to ease his worries,
"Kurapika. I'll be fine. I know it'll be dangerous, but we'll always find a way."
Kurapika stays silent for a while then nods,
"You're right. Let's get going then."
I smiled at him and we went back to the car where Melody and Basho were waiting for us.
—
Hisoka stood over the two bodies, covered in blood. They are in pieces in front of him. They both kept coming back, fighting him. Just then… Their body starts to disappear. It seems they either have been summoned, or he finally killed them both. Time will tell once he encounters them again. Hisoka laughs from the catharsis he's experienced. He loves a great fight~! Now he's even more curious about how strong the puppeteer is. Her meat puppets are exhilarating~! He must know for sure~! But, oh~! He mustn't forget to check up on his Darling~! After all, those men were originally looking for her, so he must tell her all about it~ She would most likely appreciate the heads-up ~! Hisoka picks up his phone to call her,
—
My phone rings. Kurapika turns to me curiously. I give him a sheepish look,
"Hmmm? Is that a new phone?" He asked me. I couldn't help but let out a sheepish laugh,
"Uh…. Yeah… I uh… got it last month…." Kurapika gave me a curious look,
"Huh. Why didn't you say you got a new phone?" I sweat from his question,
"That's uh…" The phone kept ringing. Now Kurapika is getting suspicious,
"Why are you acting weird?" I look away from him,
"W-what do you mean? I'm not acting weird!" He just stares at me. The phone stopped. Then it rang again. Kurapika continued to stare at me and spoke,
"Well? Answer the phone."
I sweat profusely,
"Okay…" I took my phone out of my purse,
"Oh and… Put it on speaker."
I look away sheepishly,
"...Okay."
And so I answered the phone and sure enough, Hisoka's voice was heard,
"Darling, Finally~! You answered~! I missed you so much~! "
Kurapika is at a loss,
"H-Hisoka?!"
"Oh? Have I been found out…?"
"Found ou- How long has this been going on?!" Kurapika took the phone from my hands and yelled at Hisoka,
"My, my. You sound like a very angry parent, Kurapika. She is a grown woman, you know?"
Kurapika gritted his teeth, I tried to calm him down,
"K-Kurapika, please calm down."
"You! Why didn't you say anything?!" He pointed at me angrily. I held my hands up,
"Well… I knew you would react this way…"
"And so you decided not to tell me?!" He said to me sounding hurt. I felt bad,
"I'm sorry…"
Hisoka chuckles and speaks again,
"Now, now, No need to be angry. I was the one who slipped that phone into her bag after all~! And besides~! We're lovers~! It makes sense for us to keep in contact~! "
Kurapika growled in response,
"You two are not lovers!"
"I would like to argue about that later, but I've just called to check up on my sweet little rabbit~! "
I stare blankly at the phone,
"Don't call me that, please."
Kurapika scoffs,
"Is that all? Then goodbye."
"Hold on. I have a feeling there's something bigger happening."
"So? You're not gonna be there, are you? So, it's none of your business."
"Nonsense. I'm sure it's important. After all, it does have something to do with my love~! So, why not help out~? "
"No thanks. After all, you are probably too far to help anyway." Kurapika tells him. I can hear Hisoka pout from where I am,
"Don't be like that. I'm sure you need all the help you can get. This group is dangerous, after all. Now may I speak to my Darling~? I miss her voice. "
"No." Kurapika simply said. And then hung up. I can tell he is not thrilled that I've been keeping contact with Hisoka all this time. The ride in the car is now awkward and tense. I thought of something to ease the tension, but couldn't come up with anything,
"Once we save Leorio we're gonna talk about Hisoka." When he said that, I let out a sheepish laugh,
"Okay…"
—
Hisoka pouts when Kurapika hangs up on him. That was incredibly cold… But, of course, that wouldn't stop him. He will ask Illumi where they are. He's got a feeling this will be the biggest moment yet. He just needs to leave this island and go. He can't wait to see the result of all of this.
Notes:
So yeah! This is the last chapter before my vacation. I'll be gone for a week, so I'm excited! So yeah! I hope you like this one! Thank you and take care!
Chapter 36: Chapter 35: Bait
Summary:
The bait is set. Time to catch.
The pieces are almost in place.
Now it's a race with time on who will catch the girl.
Notes:
Guess whose back. Back again.
(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)
Chapter Text
We finally made it to where Kurapika's Dowsing Chain led us. It's a thick forest area that goes by miles. They could be anywhere in there. The memory of Miro and Ivo flashed through my mind. Then Barans. I turned to Kurapika,
"We need to be careful. Who knows what will happen once we set into the forest…"
"Duly noted." He says, but I grab his shoulder and look deeply into his eyes,
"No, Kurapika. Weneed to be careful. We won't know what they will do to you once we enter the forest." He stares back at me, then places a hand on mine to comfort me,
"I understand. That's why we need a plan."
We got everyone together. Melody and Basho are told how things will go. I gathered the memories I had regarding my first mission with my old mentor. I let out a deep breath as Kurapika explained the plan to them,
"Alright, everyone. We all know a good friend of ours has been kidnapped and it somehow reached the news, right? Well, our opponent is capable of doing many extraordinary things that are considered fantastically rivaling Nen users." The teen then thinks for a moment and then turns to me, like he's given me a nonverbal permission to share about one other thing about the Cult. I nod to him. He turns back to the group,
"I will share this now. It's a very important one. The people we're up against are suspected to be witches, so we need to be careful."
When some bodyguards heard 'witch' they were now feeling a little scared. I could see it in their eyes. They didn't seem sure if they should take on this mission, but they did suspect a witch might've done this, but they didn't think there would be more… So, one of them spoke up to ask,
"Do you know why they decided to take your friend? Did he do something to piss off a witch of all things?"
'Things'? That feels a little unnecessary to call a witch a 'thing'... I frowned a little and Kurapika shook his head,
"We'll discuss that later. For now, we'll focus on saving my friend."
We could feel the other guards' hesitation. Kurapika lets out a sigh,
"I asked beforehand whether or not you'd help me save my friend. I'm gonna say it again, and this will be the last time to turn back… Will you help me save Leorio Paladiknight?" We waited and sure enough, the very fewguards that decided to come with us in the beginning got cold feet. We watch them turn around and leave. The ones who stayed behind were Basho and Melody. Kurapika sighs,
"This is not what I want to happen… But, I guess this will do."
He looked at each of us and spoke,
"Right. Now back to planning… Since there's just the four of us, we need to cover a lot of ground. The ones we will face are, admittedly, far more dangerous than the average threat, but a dear friend of mine is in danger and he needs us."
So now, we are set into pairs. I will, of course, be with Kurapika, while Basho and Melody pair up. Kurapika discussed the plan one more time until everyone finally split up to cover more ground.
—
Oyana stood next to a makeshift pedestal as she summoned Darius and Laris. She summoned them back as she noticed how scattered the aura felt on their end. As she does so, she notices pieces of flesh and bone appear here and there in the room. She didn't respond to the gruesome scene as the pieces now started gravitating to each other. She watches the pieces connect like a grotesque puzzle. Darius is the first one to almost complete his form, but he isn't functioning just yet. Not until his brain and head reconnects does he finally come to life. Darius wakes up and cries in pain as he is still being reformed. His intestines are still in the process of being put back together. after his guts, his legs formed back.
Laris is next, his body is in most pieces. When his head was completely healed, he screamed in pain as the nerves in his body reformed. Oyana watches them heal as the twins cater to her needs since putting them back together is taking a toll on her body. She may not be that affected by the pain, but the task in front of her is causing some internal bleeding and fatigue. Blood is leaking from her nose and eyes as the two men continue to scream painfully. Once their bodies are fully back together, Oyana catches herself from toppling over. The twins are also by her side to catch her if that happens.
She waits for them to gain consciousness. When they finally did, they got up, confused for a moment. Laris turned to her and spoke,
"What happened?" After Laris asks that question, Darius looks at his body and checks every limb to see if each of them works. She straightens up and fixes her disheveled self,
"The both of you were in pieces when you got here. What happened?"
Laris's face hardened when he remembered the fight with the clown. Darius also went serious as well,
"We encountered one of the men after our Goddess's heart. He was ridiculously strong." Darius spoke to her as he got up from the ground. The two are both naked, their clothes in pieces and unusable. The twins went over to them with folded clothes in their hands for them to wear. The news about their fight intrigued her,
"The one you've encountered… Was it the man that tried to kill me with a book?" She asked one of them. Laris shook his head as he dressed himself up,
"No. It was that clown. He was the one that we fought."
Oyana now understands. She has seen a glimpse of him in their fair lady's dreams. He does seem to be a strong opponent, but she didn't think he would be that much of a problem. So, she's going to have to get rid of him herself when she gets the chance, then,
"We'll deal with him later. Right now… we have another thing I want you both to do." She then leads them out of the room once they're finished dressing up. She then continues as they are heading to the main floor of their hideout,
"Our Lady will be looking for us. We have taken one of her distractions as bait for her to look for us, so I want you to take out the ones tagging along with her to get to him." The two men are surprised by the news. So, they'll reunite with their Lady soon! The eagerness wells up within them. Soon! They will see her soon!
Once Oyana sits down on a chair, she senses Leorio's glasses get closer to their hideout. She smiles her dead smile and nods to them,
"They're near. Please… greet them."
The two men then leave the hideout.
—
In a separate hideout, Chrollo has learned that his Treasure has left the mansion in search of one of her friends from Shalnark through the phone,
"So, you figured this out after watching the news?" He asked him,
"Yes! But you know what's even crazier? So many people were dreaming of the guy getting kidnapped and that phenomenon was how it made it to the news, so it must be some sort of ability that makes anyone witness the act through their dreams. I think that dream was meant for your girl, Boss!"
That sounds about right… so, she could be heading there right now. He wonders how to get to her quickly. He has a feeling she will need a lot of help she could get, but he's too far away. He had been waiting for her to call him all this time, but nothing… he felt a little hurt that she hadn't called yet, but he didn't give up hope. He wants her to reach out to him when she needs him. He'll just have to wait…
For now, he needs to find a way to where she is,
"Shalnark. Could you gather information about where she is?"
"Huh? Why? What will you do? Don't tell me you're thinking of helping her save her friend."
"I am."
"You do realize The Chain User would most likely be with her, right?"
"I'm aware."
"Then, don't you think that's dangerous?"
"That's why I'm thinking of doing this alone…"
Just then, some noise in the background is heard as if the phone is being taken from Shalnark with Shalnark yelling,
"Hey!"in the distance and now Phinks's voice is heard,
"Boss! You can't be serious! You just got your Nen back!"
Chrollo remained silent as he heard the other members as well,
"Is this girl really that important to you to put yourself in danger for? She was nothing but a pain, boss! She's even associated with the Chain User! You know? The guy who killed Uvo and Paku! The one who fuckin' cursed you?! Do you want to go after that girl?! You've got to be kidding me, Boss!"
Chrollo knew how they felt about her, but he couldn't help feeling this way for her… they just needed to get to know her. That's all they got to do… He wished Paku was still around to convince them, but now it's up to him to get the Troupe to warm up to the one that has captured his heart. After all, he remembers the remorse on her face when he talked about Uvo's death with her. And it was after knowing what they'd done to the Chain User's clan. He knows she's able to look past the mask he's put on himself as the Leader of the Phantom Troupe and see the real him, help him reconnect with that version of him he thought was long dead…. That was what he needed. He just can't let her go after experiencing something like that. All that warmth and the potential love… He won't let her go,
"I still want her in the Troupe."
"You've gotta be kidding me."
"I understand how you all feel about her, but I'm still not changing my mind."
On the other end, he hears Phinks let out a frustrated sigh. He could hear two others, but he didn't know which ones made those two other sighs. After that argument, Phinks speaks up,
"Fine… You're the Boss. It's your call."
Chrollo is now satisfied by that answer,
"But Boss. We're still not lettin' you go over there by yourself."
"I see."
And so, Chrollo has to discuss where they will all reunite. Chrollo tells them he'll meet them at the location where his Treasure will be.
—
Leorio is waiting for the best opportunity to activate his Nen. He just needs to plan how this will go… That kid, Callum. Is still making it hard for him to perform it. He keeps looking around and guarding him. It's difficult to do anything. It's making him nervous. He needs something to distract that kid for a few moments before he gets to use his ability.
He's wondering what it will take to catch that kid's attention long enough. He wonders if Kurapika and them are close by.
—
Hisoka is on an airship to the destination where his Darling is. From the information he got from Illumi, it was Leorio, a potential toy who got taken as a prisoner. And how he was used to lure out his Darling has intrigued him. But… since he informed Illumi about the cult, the Zoldyck family is now involved. He's suspecting they'll be there soon. Now he just wishes the airship could go faster. He doesn't want to miss out on something as entertaining as a fight between the Zoldycks and that cult; it would be a shame to do so. Hisoka lets out a hum and rests his head on his hand while looking out the window. It's going to take a bit. He's not sure how long it'll take him, but he hopes he won't miss anything when he gets there.
Besides, he misses seeing his Darling in person again. It's been so long, he wonders if she misses him too~? He just wants to swoop in and take her already. They did have plans to go on a second date after all. And hopefully, they can finally go even further than just kissing~. His breath started growing shorter. His cheeks grow pink in arousal… The thought of what he can do to her during those moments makes his mind run wild~! Great… Now he really can't wait! He needs to wrap all of it up as he can take her already~!
Hisoka crosses his legs as he thinks about what they will do together. Really. Something about his little Kitten always makes him want her in more ways than one~! He wants her as an opponent, a lover, and other things he is not sure of just yet… he's still figuring that out. Maybe a trophy. Who knows?
The airship needs to hurry already. He's getting impatient. The idea of finally having her under him after this recent ordeal has now become his goal. He lets out an aroused hum as he licks his lips, planning his dinner date with his Darling, making it special once they're finished saving Toy #2463. He chuckled at his little joke. Leorio. The young man who wants to be a doctor. He did show potential. So, he will help his Beloved save him.
—
The forest is thick. Kurapika and I have been walking for a good hour. I followed behind Kurapika while he was using his Dowsing Chain to detect where Leorio could be. Kurapika always made sure I was okay which I appreciated, but now was not the time for my well-being,
"Kurapika, I appreciate you looking out for me, but we need to focus on where Leorio is…"
"I know. I'm just making sure you're okay."
"Thank you." We then continue our trek through uneven ground following Kurapika's chain when suddenly, we hear rustling nearby. We quickly hid somewhere and waited for whoever it was that made that noise. After a few minutes, we see the two people I recognize. It was those deceased teens I failed to save. The ones who showed up during my heist for the grimoire. They are heading to where Kurapika's chain was leading. It confirmed that we are heading the right way. We both decided to wait for them to leave completely and follow them when-
"What are we looking at?"
Kurapika and I quickly turned around from behind us in shock when we saw who it was. It's the blue-haired young man, Andre. The two of us jump back when the other one, Rosaline ambushes Kurapika from behind,
"Kuapika!" I was about to jump in to save him when Andre jumped me by shooting icicles at me. He shook his head at me. I glare at him, ready to square up with him. His eyes follow my every move. For some reason, I sense a different aura from him compared to the others. It feels faint, but I do sense it. I studied him a little more, then made my move. I summoned my Nen ribbon and attacked him with them from behind. He was caught off guard but managed to get away on time. I control my ribbons in an attempt to capture him. He dodged them easily. I let out a frustrated yell and charged at him, drawing out my daggers. He reacts by dodging my strikes and thrusts at him. Suddenly, he blinded me as he kicked me away, making me drop my daggers. I grimaced and picked myself up, but suddenly, I was encased in ice. I got caught off guard. I banged at the ice barrier,
"Let me out, you bastard!" I yelled angrily,
"Sorry, but I won't do that. We need you alive." Andre responded. I cursed and started trying to find a way to escape this barrier.
—
Kurapika noticed what happened and called her name, but his opponent prevented him from running to help her. Instead, he has to deflect Rosaline's sword as much as possible with his knife. Kurapika parries and aims at each opening only to get deflected in exchange. He studies her moves so he can immobilize her somehow and get to the ice barrier. Just then, icicles are shot his way. He dodged out of the way. Andre came to Rosaline's side, getting another attack ready. Now he's forced to fight two of them at once.
—
Basho and Melody are searching the area for Leorio until they encounter Laris and Darius. The two men are focused. They see them and immediately attack. Basho quickly picks up Melody and dodges their united attack. Basho places her down and glares at them. Basho gestures to Melody to run. They both know Melody's greatest strength is in the background, so she listens. The men notice her trying to escape, but Basho stops them, effectively getting her to escape.
Melody now has the upper hand to nerf the two men. But, what they both don't know is that they can't take them down for long. Something else is in store and they are nothing but time killers. Darius and Laris smile at Basho which makes the man suspicious.
Melody is terrified. She can't hear any heartbeat from them at all. They are just corpses on strings.
—
I cursed as I attempted to break the barrier with one of my daggers. It was no use,
"This isn't going anywhere!" I yelled in frustration. I paced back and forth until I remembered my first encounter with Hisoka. That encounter with him reminded me of what I could do with my voice. The glass shards scatter around us… That's right. I need to tap into that again! I closed my eyes and inhaled. I started searching within myself and envisioned my aura in my throat. I let out a note. It gradually gets louder until finally…
I let out an ear-piercing scream. The ice started to crack as I continued. I held on as my voice built inside this ice prison, until finally… The barrier breaks all around me.
—
Leorio is still waiting for the right opportunity. Callum was cautious but not towards him. So far so good… just then, a scream was heard in the distance. The scream vibrated the area nearby. Callum's attention then turned to the voice,
"It's that…?"
Leorio quickly activated his Nen ability and he punched the floor behind his back and took the knife on the shelf. Callum sensed Leorio's aura near the shelf and turned to check, but then got ambushed by Leorio as he set himself free. The boy got so taken aback by the ambush that it took him a bit to realize what just happened. Leorio is already running up the stairs. Callum struggled to get up fast enough and went for the chase.
Leorio made it up the stairs and burst out of the exit of the hideout. He was relieved he didn't bump into the leader while he escaped, he then headed for the woods.
Little did he know Oyana was watching him. She decided it was time to meet their Dormant Goddess and have her in their grasp once and for all.
—
Kurapika grunts as he falls to the ground. The two cult members surround him. He picks himself up from the ground. Andre and Rosaline are about to take a few more steps when they hear a scream from the ice barrier. The barrier broke and there she stood, free. Kurapika and the two members stare at her in awe.
For how long Kurapika has known her, he still is taken by surprise by her power every time.
—
I panted loudly. That scream almost took the consciousness out of me. But I'm ready to take them down…
"Kurapika… I'm here." I glared at the two and held my blades up. Andre watches me as Rosaline gives me a look of admiration… I make my way towards Kurapika. He asked me if I was okay,
"I'm fine, Kurapika. Are you?" I ask him. He nods to me,
"Yes… But, I believe we need to get out of here. We can't take them down like this." I agree with him. Just as they approached me, we decided to split up and head into the trees. I panted as I hoped both of them were after me and not Kurapika.
After all, I am the one they want…
Notes: