Dis Aliter Visum - Chapter 91 - 2,558 words
Note: Life still hitting me hard with my sister under the scalpel this week to remove a lesion 2 tumour. Fun stuff. Not. But I still managed to finish a chapter, so yay for that!
Beta-reader: unbeta'ed, unedited.
Chapter summary: The Jester.
Chapter 91
They didn't get to Sarbenia until noon the next day. They were all glad to finally be out of the car, but Kurapica's young friends seemed particularly eager. They exploded out of the car the very second Kuroro killed the engine. Kurapica followed at a more sedated pace, and Kuroro was soon standing next to him and watching their youngest companions with a bemused look. Hisoka was last out of the car. Kurapica looked at him, then caught Kuroro's gaze, before sliding his eyes to the redhead again. Kuroro followed the silent request and studied the jester. Hisoka was staring at the two young boys, a threatening leer on his face. The Spider Head turned his attention on Kurapica again.
“Tickets,” Kurapica reminded them, obviously hoping to divert Hisoka's attention from his friends. “We should buy them early, to make sure we have enough beds for all of us.”
“Are we sharing?” Hisoka asked, his disconcerting smile now towards Kurapica.
The blond frowned at him.
“You'll get a compartment to yourself,” Kuroro answered in his stead. “The children can share together.”
He didn't specify he would share his with Kurapica, but Hisoka heard it anyway.
“Oh,” he said, drawing out the sound until it was a mocking, taunting sound.
Kurapica clenched his teeth. The Spider Head could see the way that his jaw clenched and his expression darkened. In the end, the Kuruta decided to use his annoyance for something actually productive and stalked towards the train station. He didn't look back to see if the others followed. Kuroro glanced at the youngest members of their group and saw them glance at Kurapica and then go after him, still shoving playfully at each other. Hisoka slid a taunting look his way, then followed after the others. Kuroro was the last to turn towards the building, feeling the need to keep Hisoka in his line of sight. He didn't know if his arrangement with the jester would hold, now that they were actually in the same environment. Hisoka wanted his fight, but he'd accepted to wait. He was fickle, though. Kuroro didn't trust him. He half expected the redhead to turn and attack him at any moment. Funny that he should feel more threatened by one he'd considered part of his team than by the blond who'd sworn to avenge his clan and rid the world of the Spiders.
Kurapica climbed the few steps leading into the building and immediately went for the counter where there was human service, rather than deal with a ticket vending machine. The Spider Head was at his side in seconds, though he leaned sideways against the counter so that he could keep an eye on Hisoka.
“We need sleepers for Kyratin,” Kuroro told the teller. “Five people. Is your first class car available?”
“My apologies,” the man said, “we're sold out on all of our first and business class sleeper compartments. We only have coach, and I'm afraid the cabins are not close together.”
He typed away at his computer for a few minutes and hummed quietly to himself.
“All right,” he said at length, “I can give you two cabins on one car, but they're at opposite ends. The other closest cabin I have is two cars down.”
“How come it's so crowded?” Kurapica wanted to know.
“Next week's a national holiday,” the man explained. “There's a parade and concerts in Kyratin, and then there's a week-long vacation for most workers. Those not headed for the festival are probably going to go sight-seeing and enjoy the weekend. I'm sorry, this is the best I can give you right now.”
“Are trains headed out tomorrow?” the Spider Head asked.
“Yes,” the teller said, “but I'm all sold out.”
“We'll take the cabins,” Kurapica said.
“We're going to be cramped,” Kuroro warned. “Have you ever been on a sleeper train in the coach section?”
“I'm sure I've seen worse,” the blond replied. “I don't want to waste two days here doing nothing.”
Kuroro stared at him for a few seconds, waiting for him to change his mind. When the Kuruta only returned the look and didn't speak up, Kuroro turned back to the teller.
“All right,” he said, “we'll take them.”
They soon had their tickets in hand. The train wouldn't be leaving until four o'clock, so they had a bit of time on their hands. They ended up out on the sidewalk, sort of looking at each other.
“So,” Hisoka singsonged, drawing out the word, “we have a few hours.”
Kurapica's eyes flew to the jester's face. He studied his expression, a suspicious look on his fair features. Hisoka looked unbothered and only smiled wider. Kuroro fixed his gaze on the dangerous, unpredictable man, too. He narrowed his eyes slightly and took a step closer to the Kuruta. It nearly felt like a tense standoff, Kuroro and Kurapica against Hisoka. Gon and Killua looked between them. The silver haired youth opened his mouth, as if to say something, but Gon beat him to the punch.
“I'm hungry,” he declared, suddenly breaking the tension.
The next few minutes were spent trying to figure out where and what to eat, which was much less stressful than the earlier standoff. They ended up going for pizza, voted by the youngest members of their little group. They quickly found a place that was boisterous and noisy, but so were every other restaurants they had passed. Hisoka claimed the seat directly across the table from Kuroro. He kept his disconcerting yellow eyes fixed on Kuroro, who ignored him. The jester seemed intent on making him uncomfortable, but Kuroro refused to give him the satisfaction of looking bothered.
The younger boys made lunch somehow less awkward. They chatted happily about all kinds of things, forcing the others into joining the conversation then and again. Kuroro was content to let them talk and though he listened to every word said, he also analyzed what he knew of Hisoka and kept an eye on him. After lunch, they let the Spider Head pay - and really, he'd spent more in these few months with Kurapica than the past three years combined. He would need to pull off a major heist to recoup his money, but Kurapica would be worth it. Hopefully.
They found a park to spend the rest of the afternoon, and Kurapica's two young friend immediately started running around and chasing each other. Hisoka wandered away on his own and the Spider Head watched him go with a sort of apprehension growing in the back of his mind. He was pretty sure what Kurapica's plan was, but there was the slightest chance that the blond would come up with a new one, now that Kuroro had shown that he was aware of what was to happen. The blond sat next to him and pulled a small book out of the large front pocket of his hoodie. He noticed Kuroro staring and glanced at him in question, but Kuroro had no answer for him. He turned away.
Hisoka had disappeared into a copse of tall trees. The park was far greener than anything around, and Kuroro could see a gigantic water tower behind the trees, hinting at the city watering the place to keep it lush. This close to one of the largest deserts of the explored world, no doubt that the park provided a welcome respite from the harsh winds that still whistled between the low building of the town every so often.
Kurapica read for some time in silence, but then the Zyaoldyck kid called his name and he set his book down between the Spider Head and himself and got up to walk over to his younger friends. Kuroro watched them talk animatedly for some time, but when he focused his hearing on them, they weren't talking about anything particularly interesting, just some places and people they knew. He half listened for some time, making note of names, but then his attention fell on the book the blond had abandoned and he picked it up, curiosity piqued.
It was a thin book, with large characters inside - a bit like a children's book. It was in a language that Kuroro didn't understand, but there were also notes in the margins, with Kurapica's neat and careful hand translating parts here and there that he had probably not understood at first. It was fascinating to read what he'd struggled with, the words underlined, small arrows pointing to their translations, sometimes in a language Kuroro understood, sometimes in one he didn't. He wanted to know what the book was, what language it was and why the Kuruta wanted to learn it.
As if on cue, his sharp, nen-enhanced hearing picked up Kurapica's voice saying a desperate plea.
“I have no choice!” he said, his tone dragging Kuroro's attention immediately, and the Spider Head lifted his gaze from the pages of the book to watch the three friends.
“No,” Killua categorically denied. “No way. That isn't happening.”
“Killua,” Gon whined softly, obviously trying to appease the disagreement between his friends.
“No!” the young Zyaoldyck kid turned on his friend. “Don't you dare take his side on this! Don't know how insane it is? Even you can see it, I bet.”
“Please,” this was the blond, his voice so soft as to be nearly inaudible. “Killua, don't you see? This is why you have to go. You have to leave once we reach Kyratin.”
“And leave you alone with them?” Killua asked the blond. “No. No way. Gon, talk some sense into him.”
Gon turned to the blond.
“I believe in you. But I want to come with you. Who's going to help you when it's all over?”
“You can't help me,” the blond said, and something in his tone was both hard and fragile. “You can't help me where I'm going - No,” he interrupted a protest before it had time to be said, “you can't follow me this time.”
“That's what you said in York Shin,” Gon kept protesting in spite of Kurapica's best effort, “but we ended up helping you in the end, didn't we?”
“You also ended up captured by the Gen'ei Ryodan,” the blond pointed out. “You both nearly ended up killed over something that was my fault and my own, personal problem.”
“Because that's what friends do!” Gon pressed on.
“Gon,” Kurapica said, so quiet that Kuroro had to strain to hear, “you don't understand... If either of you end up killed because of the path I've chosen for myself and because of the man who is helping me fulfill one of my promises to my fallen comrades, how do you think that would make me feel? Help me if you must, but please, please,” his tone was growing desperate, “do it from a distance, and don't put yourself in harm's way.”
Killua has a movement of impatience, crossed with resignation. He seemed well used to it.
“Bad enough you get this crazy plan, but you're going to let Gon have his way again?” he cried, loud enough that Kurapica cast a glance towards Kuroro.
Kuroro pretended to try to understand the book he was still holding. The damage was done already. When Kurapica spoke again, his voice was far too low for him to hear, even with nen enhanced ears. They talked for a few more seconds, before Kurapica shook his head minutely and turned back towards the Spider Head. He slowly made his way over and Kuroro looked up at his approach. He watched him sit down and handed him the book.
“Is everything all right?” he asked.
“Yes,” the blond lied.
There was a moment, just long enough that Kurapica must be sure that the older man didn't believe him, then Kuroro let it slide.
“What is this book?” he asked. “I don't think I've seen the language before. Are you learning it?”
The Kuruta eyed him for a few seconds, obviously uncertain with this sudden change of topic and Kuroro's obvious pause. His eyes then slid away and he went along with it. Kuroro let him ramble and listened carefully, but his mind was also playing with this new little bit of information. Kurapica was obviously plotting something and the Spider Head had expected it. He wouldn't have been good Spider material, if he'd just given up the moment Kuroro had captured him.
The remaining of the afternoon was relatively uneventful, and they were soon getting onto the train. Hisoka went to the far cabin with a suspicious looking grin but not a protest. This was also worrying for Kuroro. Hisoka was dangerous. Very dangerous. He'd have to keep an eye on him. He nearly changed his mind and demanded he change cabins with the young teenagers, but then he changed his mind. They thought they'd blown smoke in his eyes, let them believe it still. They would slip eventually. Kuroro was a patient man. He could wait.
They passed one cabin and the number matched two of their tickets so Gon and Killua jumped in. They “oooh”ed and “aaah”ed looking at everything with the excitement and wonder of children. Amazing that they could have gone again the Spiders with such innocence. Then again, these children weren't so innocent themselves. Killua himself had killed enough people in his short life so far, at least. Gon was more of a puzzle.
The Kuruta started again down the claustrophobic hallway and Kuroro glanced another time at the blond's young friend before going after him. Their cabin were just a few doors down and Kurapica checked the number against their ticket and opened the door. It looked just as the ones Gon and Killua were in, and though they had expected it, it was still a little disconcerting to have to spend a few days in this.
There were two seats facing each other, meant for only one person, and not a very big one at that. Between them, there was a small table that Kurapica wasted no time lowering so it was against the wall and out of the way. The blond sat without comment. Kuroro followed him in and closed the door behind him. When he sat, his knees were brushing against Kurapica's.
They looked at each other for a moment, then Kurapica averted his eyes. Kuroro observed his beautiful features, trying to read him, to read the tension in his shoulders and the determined frown pulling at his lips. Finally, he let his gaze slide away. The spell broken, Kurapica sucked in a breath and got to his feet.
“I'm going to see that Gon and Killua are settled in,” he said, when Kuroro knew that he was probably going to continue their conversation he'd eave dropped on earlier. “I'll be back soon.”
“All right,” Kuroro agreed, and watched him leave the tight compartment and close the door.
He stared at the door for a long, long time, thinking, planning and trying to piece together what Kurapica intended to do, now that he knew his original plan had been seen through by the Spider Head. Finally, he shrugged and turned his head to look out of the window. The train started pulling out of the station and Kuroro smiled at his vague reflection in the glass.
Things were getting very interesting.
Beta-reader: unbeta'ed, unedited.
Chapter summary: The Jester.
Chapter 91
They didn't get to Sarbenia until noon the next day. They were all glad to finally be out of the car, but Kurapica's young friends seemed particularly eager. They exploded out of the car the very second Kuroro killed the engine. Kurapica followed at a more sedated pace, and Kuroro was soon standing next to him and watching their youngest companions with a bemused look. Hisoka was last out of the car. Kurapica looked at him, then caught Kuroro's gaze, before sliding his eyes to the redhead again. Kuroro followed the silent request and studied the jester. Hisoka was staring at the two young boys, a threatening leer on his face. The Spider Head turned his attention on Kurapica again.
“Tickets,” Kurapica reminded them, obviously hoping to divert Hisoka's attention from his friends. “We should buy them early, to make sure we have enough beds for all of us.”
“Are we sharing?” Hisoka asked, his disconcerting smile now towards Kurapica.
The blond frowned at him.
“You'll get a compartment to yourself,” Kuroro answered in his stead. “The children can share together.”
He didn't specify he would share his with Kurapica, but Hisoka heard it anyway.
“Oh,” he said, drawing out the sound until it was a mocking, taunting sound.
Kurapica clenched his teeth. The Spider Head could see the way that his jaw clenched and his expression darkened. In the end, the Kuruta decided to use his annoyance for something actually productive and stalked towards the train station. He didn't look back to see if the others followed. Kuroro glanced at the youngest members of their group and saw them glance at Kurapica and then go after him, still shoving playfully at each other. Hisoka slid a taunting look his way, then followed after the others. Kuroro was the last to turn towards the building, feeling the need to keep Hisoka in his line of sight. He didn't know if his arrangement with the jester would hold, now that they were actually in the same environment. Hisoka wanted his fight, but he'd accepted to wait. He was fickle, though. Kuroro didn't trust him. He half expected the redhead to turn and attack him at any moment. Funny that he should feel more threatened by one he'd considered part of his team than by the blond who'd sworn to avenge his clan and rid the world of the Spiders.
Kurapica climbed the few steps leading into the building and immediately went for the counter where there was human service, rather than deal with a ticket vending machine. The Spider Head was at his side in seconds, though he leaned sideways against the counter so that he could keep an eye on Hisoka.
“We need sleepers for Kyratin,” Kuroro told the teller. “Five people. Is your first class car available?”
“My apologies,” the man said, “we're sold out on all of our first and business class sleeper compartments. We only have coach, and I'm afraid the cabins are not close together.”
He typed away at his computer for a few minutes and hummed quietly to himself.
“All right,” he said at length, “I can give you two cabins on one car, but they're at opposite ends. The other closest cabin I have is two cars down.”
“How come it's so crowded?” Kurapica wanted to know.
“Next week's a national holiday,” the man explained. “There's a parade and concerts in Kyratin, and then there's a week-long vacation for most workers. Those not headed for the festival are probably going to go sight-seeing and enjoy the weekend. I'm sorry, this is the best I can give you right now.”
“Are trains headed out tomorrow?” the Spider Head asked.
“Yes,” the teller said, “but I'm all sold out.”
“We'll take the cabins,” Kurapica said.
“We're going to be cramped,” Kuroro warned. “Have you ever been on a sleeper train in the coach section?”
“I'm sure I've seen worse,” the blond replied. “I don't want to waste two days here doing nothing.”
Kuroro stared at him for a few seconds, waiting for him to change his mind. When the Kuruta only returned the look and didn't speak up, Kuroro turned back to the teller.
“All right,” he said, “we'll take them.”
They soon had their tickets in hand. The train wouldn't be leaving until four o'clock, so they had a bit of time on their hands. They ended up out on the sidewalk, sort of looking at each other.
“So,” Hisoka singsonged, drawing out the word, “we have a few hours.”
Kurapica's eyes flew to the jester's face. He studied his expression, a suspicious look on his fair features. Hisoka looked unbothered and only smiled wider. Kuroro fixed his gaze on the dangerous, unpredictable man, too. He narrowed his eyes slightly and took a step closer to the Kuruta. It nearly felt like a tense standoff, Kuroro and Kurapica against Hisoka. Gon and Killua looked between them. The silver haired youth opened his mouth, as if to say something, but Gon beat him to the punch.
“I'm hungry,” he declared, suddenly breaking the tension.
The next few minutes were spent trying to figure out where and what to eat, which was much less stressful than the earlier standoff. They ended up going for pizza, voted by the youngest members of their little group. They quickly found a place that was boisterous and noisy, but so were every other restaurants they had passed. Hisoka claimed the seat directly across the table from Kuroro. He kept his disconcerting yellow eyes fixed on Kuroro, who ignored him. The jester seemed intent on making him uncomfortable, but Kuroro refused to give him the satisfaction of looking bothered.
The younger boys made lunch somehow less awkward. They chatted happily about all kinds of things, forcing the others into joining the conversation then and again. Kuroro was content to let them talk and though he listened to every word said, he also analyzed what he knew of Hisoka and kept an eye on him. After lunch, they let the Spider Head pay - and really, he'd spent more in these few months with Kurapica than the past three years combined. He would need to pull off a major heist to recoup his money, but Kurapica would be worth it. Hopefully.
They found a park to spend the rest of the afternoon, and Kurapica's two young friend immediately started running around and chasing each other. Hisoka wandered away on his own and the Spider Head watched him go with a sort of apprehension growing in the back of his mind. He was pretty sure what Kurapica's plan was, but there was the slightest chance that the blond would come up with a new one, now that Kuroro had shown that he was aware of what was to happen. The blond sat next to him and pulled a small book out of the large front pocket of his hoodie. He noticed Kuroro staring and glanced at him in question, but Kuroro had no answer for him. He turned away.
Hisoka had disappeared into a copse of tall trees. The park was far greener than anything around, and Kuroro could see a gigantic water tower behind the trees, hinting at the city watering the place to keep it lush. This close to one of the largest deserts of the explored world, no doubt that the park provided a welcome respite from the harsh winds that still whistled between the low building of the town every so often.
Kurapica read for some time in silence, but then the Zyaoldyck kid called his name and he set his book down between the Spider Head and himself and got up to walk over to his younger friends. Kuroro watched them talk animatedly for some time, but when he focused his hearing on them, they weren't talking about anything particularly interesting, just some places and people they knew. He half listened for some time, making note of names, but then his attention fell on the book the blond had abandoned and he picked it up, curiosity piqued.
It was a thin book, with large characters inside - a bit like a children's book. It was in a language that Kuroro didn't understand, but there were also notes in the margins, with Kurapica's neat and careful hand translating parts here and there that he had probably not understood at first. It was fascinating to read what he'd struggled with, the words underlined, small arrows pointing to their translations, sometimes in a language Kuroro understood, sometimes in one he didn't. He wanted to know what the book was, what language it was and why the Kuruta wanted to learn it.
As if on cue, his sharp, nen-enhanced hearing picked up Kurapica's voice saying a desperate plea.
“I have no choice!” he said, his tone dragging Kuroro's attention immediately, and the Spider Head lifted his gaze from the pages of the book to watch the three friends.
“No,” Killua categorically denied. “No way. That isn't happening.”
“Killua,” Gon whined softly, obviously trying to appease the disagreement between his friends.
“No!” the young Zyaoldyck kid turned on his friend. “Don't you dare take his side on this! Don't know how insane it is? Even you can see it, I bet.”
“Please,” this was the blond, his voice so soft as to be nearly inaudible. “Killua, don't you see? This is why you have to go. You have to leave once we reach Kyratin.”
“And leave you alone with them?” Killua asked the blond. “No. No way. Gon, talk some sense into him.”
Gon turned to the blond.
“I believe in you. But I want to come with you. Who's going to help you when it's all over?”
“You can't help me,” the blond said, and something in his tone was both hard and fragile. “You can't help me where I'm going - No,” he interrupted a protest before it had time to be said, “you can't follow me this time.”
“That's what you said in York Shin,” Gon kept protesting in spite of Kurapica's best effort, “but we ended up helping you in the end, didn't we?”
“You also ended up captured by the Gen'ei Ryodan,” the blond pointed out. “You both nearly ended up killed over something that was my fault and my own, personal problem.”
“Because that's what friends do!” Gon pressed on.
“Gon,” Kurapica said, so quiet that Kuroro had to strain to hear, “you don't understand... If either of you end up killed because of the path I've chosen for myself and because of the man who is helping me fulfill one of my promises to my fallen comrades, how do you think that would make me feel? Help me if you must, but please, please,” his tone was growing desperate, “do it from a distance, and don't put yourself in harm's way.”
Killua has a movement of impatience, crossed with resignation. He seemed well used to it.
“Bad enough you get this crazy plan, but you're going to let Gon have his way again?” he cried, loud enough that Kurapica cast a glance towards Kuroro.
Kuroro pretended to try to understand the book he was still holding. The damage was done already. When Kurapica spoke again, his voice was far too low for him to hear, even with nen enhanced ears. They talked for a few more seconds, before Kurapica shook his head minutely and turned back towards the Spider Head. He slowly made his way over and Kuroro looked up at his approach. He watched him sit down and handed him the book.
“Is everything all right?” he asked.
“Yes,” the blond lied.
There was a moment, just long enough that Kurapica must be sure that the older man didn't believe him, then Kuroro let it slide.
“What is this book?” he asked. “I don't think I've seen the language before. Are you learning it?”
The Kuruta eyed him for a few seconds, obviously uncertain with this sudden change of topic and Kuroro's obvious pause. His eyes then slid away and he went along with it. Kuroro let him ramble and listened carefully, but his mind was also playing with this new little bit of information. Kurapica was obviously plotting something and the Spider Head had expected it. He wouldn't have been good Spider material, if he'd just given up the moment Kuroro had captured him.
The remaining of the afternoon was relatively uneventful, and they were soon getting onto the train. Hisoka went to the far cabin with a suspicious looking grin but not a protest. This was also worrying for Kuroro. Hisoka was dangerous. Very dangerous. He'd have to keep an eye on him. He nearly changed his mind and demanded he change cabins with the young teenagers, but then he changed his mind. They thought they'd blown smoke in his eyes, let them believe it still. They would slip eventually. Kuroro was a patient man. He could wait.
They passed one cabin and the number matched two of their tickets so Gon and Killua jumped in. They “oooh”ed and “aaah”ed looking at everything with the excitement and wonder of children. Amazing that they could have gone again the Spiders with such innocence. Then again, these children weren't so innocent themselves. Killua himself had killed enough people in his short life so far, at least. Gon was more of a puzzle.
The Kuruta started again down the claustrophobic hallway and Kuroro glanced another time at the blond's young friend before going after him. Their cabin were just a few doors down and Kurapica checked the number against their ticket and opened the door. It looked just as the ones Gon and Killua were in, and though they had expected it, it was still a little disconcerting to have to spend a few days in this.
There were two seats facing each other, meant for only one person, and not a very big one at that. Between them, there was a small table that Kurapica wasted no time lowering so it was against the wall and out of the way. The blond sat without comment. Kuroro followed him in and closed the door behind him. When he sat, his knees were brushing against Kurapica's.
They looked at each other for a moment, then Kurapica averted his eyes. Kuroro observed his beautiful features, trying to read him, to read the tension in his shoulders and the determined frown pulling at his lips. Finally, he let his gaze slide away. The spell broken, Kurapica sucked in a breath and got to his feet.
“I'm going to see that Gon and Killua are settled in,” he said, when Kuroro knew that he was probably going to continue their conversation he'd eave dropped on earlier. “I'll be back soon.”
“All right,” Kuroro agreed, and watched him leave the tight compartment and close the door.
He stared at the door for a long, long time, thinking, planning and trying to piece together what Kurapica intended to do, now that he knew his original plan had been seen through by the Spider Head. Finally, he shrugged and turned his head to look out of the window. The train started pulling out of the station and Kuroro smiled at his vague reflection in the glass.
Things were getting very interesting.