Chapter Text
Chapter 20: Zoldyck Manor
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Kurapika was confused after the raid on Baranov’s farm. He managed to free the humans, but he wasn’t able to look for clues on the Scarlet Eyes. When he went to kill the vampire he captured, he was gone. The Kurta grit his teeth in annoyance. He should have observed the guards with the scanners more before going in. Instead, he went in half-cocked and left evidence about himself. He needed to lay low for a while. Let the vampires relax their guard again before resuming his search. Kurapika wasn’t sure why, but he returned to Melody’s haven. There was no real reason for it; it was far away and there were closer unmanned havens he could have stayed at.
Yet, Kurapika found himself amongst the derelict ruins heading towards the restaurant.
It was morning, but Kurapika had no doubt that Melody heard his arrival. The restaurant was quiet as he approached. Everyone must have been sleeping or still waking up. As quietly as he could, Kurapika opened the door and entered the building. Melody was cleaning the counter while Zepile was sleeping next to his television, parts scattered around him. Kurapika couldn’t help but smile.
“Welcome back, Kurapika.” Melody greeted, as if she was expecting him. She probably was. “Would you like something to eat?”
“No thank you. I already had some before I arrived.” Kurapika answered. He could feel himself relaxing. This place seemed to have a calming effect on him. “I’m going to go to sleep for now.”
“Okay. Sleep well then.” She told him before going back to what she was doing. Kurapika climbed up the stairs and quietly entered the offices. He could hear the soft breathing of Gon, Killua, and Leorio in the far corner. Kurapika let them be and went to another area. He set up his bedroll and laid down on his side. It took a while for his mind to settle down enough to go to sleep. As he closed his eyes, Kurapika finally remembered why he liked this place.
The next morning, Kurapika then remembered why this place annoyed him.
Even while asleep, Kurapika felt something heading in his direction. Instantly awake, the Kurta knocked aside the pillow that was thrown at him. He sat up to see Gon and Killua’s shocked faces.
“Holy crap…” Killua muttered. They obviously weren’t expecting such a fast reaction. Kurapika groaned and laid back down. He wanted to sleep a little bit longer before dealing with people. The pair didn’t like that as they pelted him with more pillows.
“You left without saying goodbye!” Gon scolded him.
“That’s just rude!” Killua joined in. The tone in his voice said that he was more amused than angry, however. Kurapika withstood the barrage for a few seconds longer before he reached his limit.
“I’m sorry, okay? Will you stop hitting me now?” Kurapika called out from under his blanket.
“That’s all you had to say.” Gon huffed. Kurapika sighed, no point in trying to sleep now. He sat up in time to be hit in the face with the pillow.
“Got him!” Killua crowed with victory. His victory came apart, however, as he was hit in the face with a pillow in retaliation. Satisfied, Kurapika stood up and straightened his sleeping area.
“Alright. Let’s have breakfast.” Kurapika said.
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Kurapika was once again bombarded with questions as they descended the stairs into the dining area. Gon wanted to know all about Kurapika’s mission. Kurapika could barely keep up with the boy. How can he have so much energy so early in the evening? As they turned, he saw Leorio and Melody sitting at the counter. Leorio looked tired as he drank from a cup. Once again, Zepile was behind making breakfast. As he sat down, Leorio finally noticed Kurapika’s presence.
“Woah! Didn’t expect to see you again.” Leorio said.
“Nice to see you too.” Kurapika replied in a tired tone.
Leorio looked sheepish at the statement. “That’s not what I meant! It’s just… I…” Kurapika smiled at Leorio as Zepile handed him a cup. He muttered thanks at Zepile before taking a sip.
“Coffee?” Kurapika asked.
“Not to your liking?” Melody asked.
“I prefer tea, but this will do.” Kurapika replied, taking another sip. It was then he realized Gon had stopped pestering him. He looked to see him looking over Killua’s shoulder as Killua held a device he’d never seen before. “What’s that?”
“It’s a phone.” Killua answered, not looking up from it.
Kurapika’s brow furrowed. “A phone?” He had seen phones before. They were big, bulky things attached to a cord.
“That’s what I thought when he told me. Apparently, these are the newer models. There’s a good portion of vampires who flat out refuse to use them, though.” Gon said. It made sense to Kurapika. Which lead to the next question:
“Where did you get one?”
“My dad.” Killua once again answered without really paying attention. Any more questions were stopped as Killua’s blue eyes widened in surprise. “Kurapika. You were caught on camera.”
“What?” Melody and Leorio said at the same time. Kurapika walked over to the two boys. Killua showed his phone. On the screen was a picture of him during his last mission. He was running, which made the image of him blurry, but it was him.
“I destroyed the computers and equipment though…” Kurapika said as he studied the picture. “That’s what I always do.”
“This guy might have backed up the footage onto the cloud.” Killua guessed.
“Clouds?” Gon asked, looking out the window in confusion.
Killua sighed. “I don’t know how to explain the cloud, so I’m not going to try.”
Kurapika sat down in confusion and frustration. “This is a problem.” He thought out loud. While the picture that was leaked may have been useless for identification, the fact that it was there at all meant that Baranov probably had all the footage from the raid. Destroying the computers were no longer effective. Kurapika didn’t understand completely what this ‘cloud’ is, but he guessed that Baranov could also pull up the footage in real time as well. Sneaking in would be impossible now. And if his face was revealed during a mission…
Killua watched Kurapika frown at his phone. He turned to Gon to see what he was doing. Gon looked at Killua with a determined face. It was easy to see what Gon was trying to suggest. Fortunately, Killua was thinking the same thing. Killua clapped his hand on Kurapika’s back. The blond all but jumped out of his skin before turning to Killua in surprise.
“What you need is technical support. Luckily for you, I know just the person.” Killua explained. Before Kurapika could inquire further, Killua had returned to his phone and put it to his ear. It now somewhat resembled the phones Kurapika was familiar with as he heard a voice coming from the device. It was too faint for Kurapika to understand the words, however.
“It’s me, Gotoh.” Killua spoke into the receiver. Gon waved silently at Killua as he continued to talk to whoever is on the other end. “Yes, I’m fine. Gon says ‘hi’… I needed to know if Illumi is out on a mission… Uh huh, and how long do you expect he’s going to be gone? …I see… Yeah, I’m coming over… Of course, Gon is coming. Gonna have one maybe two more people. Hold on.” Killua covered the bottom half of the phone. “Leorio, you want to come? ...Two more people Gotoh… Got it… We’re eating breakfast now. If we leave afterwards, we should be able to make it before dawn barring any unexpected problems… Yeah, see you in a bit.” He touched the screen and pocketed his phone. “Let’s finish eating and prepare to go.”
“Where are we going?” Kurapika asked.
“My home.” Killua said.
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They packed for two days travel. They planned on staying at Killua’s house for the day before returning. Killua has always been evasive about his family. All that Kurapika knew about them was Killua had a rocky relationship with them, and he doesn’t get along at all with his mother and eldest brother. Not one to pry, Kurapika let him have his past. Now that they were going to meet them however, Kurapika wanted to know more.
“We’re going to see my brother. He’s one of the best when it comes to computers. You’ll probably have to barter with him, though. Mostly he’ll ask for computer parts and such.” Killua explained when asked.
“There’s something you’re not telling me.” Kurapika said. Gon looked between the two nervously. Killua only shrugged and started walking towards their destination.
They exited the town and entered the forest. Gon and Killua led with Leorio and Kurapika behind them. The group walked in silence. The only sounds being that of the animals that cried out. Gon looked back at their friend. Kurapika was studying the forest absently. He seemed to be deep in thought. Gon turned back to Killua.
“Why didn’t you tell him?” Gon mouthed.
“Because he’s a vampire hunter.” Killua answered, equally silent.
“So?”
“Haven’t you noticed Kurapika is a bit… ignorant about many things?” Killua asked. Gon only stared blankly at him. Of course, he didn’t notice. “You’re hopeless…”
“You’re changing the subject.” Gon pointed at Killua in annoyance.
“I wasn’t sure what his reaction would be.” Killua answered and looked away to end the silent debate. Killua was used to having to explain technology to feral humans Yet, even by feral human standards, there was a lot Kurapika didn’t understand. He hid it well with his intelligence and ability to adapt, but Killua noticed it. He was sure Melody noticed it as well.
The main reason Killua didn’t tell him, however, was fear. Not for his family, but for himself. While Gon and the others were open minded, Killua wasn’t sure about Kurapika. And he wanted to stay friends for as long as possible.
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Half of the night was spent trekking the forest. Gon, Killua, and Leorio navigated it with experienced ease. Once they cleared the forest, the grassland turned into rocky terrain. Kurapika looked up and saw a mountain looming over him. Kurapika had seen smaller mountain ranges, but this is single mountain was different. It easily dwarfed the trees in Lukso.
While Kurapika was stunned by the sight of the mountain, Killua took off his backpack and pulled out the lunches they prepared. It took several attempts to pull Kurapika’s attention away from the mountain. When he turned to the boys, a bag was tossed at him.
“We’ll eat lunch here. Then we’ll start climbing.” Killua instructed.
“Your home is up there?” Kurapika turned back to the mountain in amazement.
“Yeah, at the summit. It’s strenuous, so we always eat lunch before we head out.” Killua answered. Kurapika only nodded before sitting down to eat. Gon started eating immediately, but Killua hesitated before speaking up. “Hey Kurapika?”
“Yeah?”
Again, Killua hesitated. “… You trust me, right?”
“Yes.” Kurapika told him. Killua closed his eyes.
“So, you’ll be my friend no matter what?”
The question took Kurapika off guard. Were they friends? Kurapika never stopped to think about it. The last friends he had was when he was in the reeducation center five years ago. Since then, he hasn’t spent a long enough time to bond with anyone to become friends. He looked at Killua. His usual confidence was replaced with fear. What was he afraid of? Kurapika’s disapproval?
Kurapika smiled. “Of course, we’ll be friends.” Killua beamed at the answer before looking away awkwardly.
“Right… Thanks…” Killua mumbled. He then started to eat faster. He downed the remainder of his thermos before slamming it down. “Okay! Let’s go!”
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The air grew thin as they ascended the mountain.
Kurapika was a fit individual, but this was the first time experiencing such thin air. He practically gasped while walking. Gon, Killua, who experienced this trek multiple times, had no problem and even raced each other to the summit. The sight both amused and annoyed Kurapika as he couldn’t keep up with the pair while Leorio walked with him.
Kurapika knew they reached their destination when he saw the large wall. It was taller than any of the buildings he had seen so far. Standing before them stood a large gate with multiple numbers etched on it. Kurapika felt a wave of culture shock hit him. He thought he had finally gotten used to this world when suddenly, new things were thrown at him. Killua walked up to the gate and placed his hands on it. He grunted at the effort before the first door on the large gate opened.
“How did you do that?” Kurapika asked, impressed.
“It’s a secret. I’ll tell you when we leave.” Killua smirked. He held the door open for Gon and Kurapika to get through. As Kurapika approached, he noticed a carving on the left stone pillar. It was a line with two triangles facing down.
It meant that sympathetic vampires live here.
Kurapika’s blood ran cold. He had heard that there were vampires who didn’t see humans as cattle, but he didn’t really believe it until now. A hand appeared on his shoulder. The blond jumped to see Leorio reassuring him with a smile. Kurapika nodded his thanks before he took a deep breath and walked through the gates. He heard the doors scrape behind him before shutting with a thud.
Behind the gate was a lush forest that seemed out of place from the rocky mountain they had just climbed. Killua lead them down the path until a large manor house. Standing in front was a man with sharp eyes behind glasses and a trimmed goatee. He wore a tidy suit and stood tall and proud.
He was obviously a vampire.
As they approached, he bowed deeply at them. Kurapika’s instincts put him on edge; even though all signs pointed that he would be safe here, he was still in the presence of a predator.
“Welcome home, Master Killua. And it is good to see you as well Master Gon, Master Leorio.” The man said.
“Thanks, Gotoh. This is my new friend, Kurapika.” Killua introduced him. Feeling suddenly on the spot, Kurapika nodded his head at the man. Gotoh bowed again.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Master Kurapika. You are most welcome at Zoldyck manor.” Gotoh explained. “I am sorry to ask this, but no weapons are allowed in the manor. I must ask that any weapons the four of you may have be left here. They shall be returned upon your departure.” He held out a bin for them. Killua took out two yo-yos and placed them in the box while Leorio took out his pocket knife and gave it to Gotoh. Unconsciously, Kurapika brought his right hand to his chest and clutched it with his left. The thought of being defenseless in a house full of vampires… It was too much.
“Kurapika…” Gon started. “It will be fine. I’ve been here dozens of times. They won’t hurt you.”
Everything in Kurapika’s body was telling him to just leave. Once again, Kurapika had to take a deep breath to calm himself down. This was for his clan. Without even looking, Kurapika unhooked his chains and placed them in the box. Gotoh picked up the box.
“I hope you enjoy your stay. Your message has already been delivered to your father and grandfather, Killua.” Gotoh said before walking off. Once he was gone, Kurapika relaxed slightly. He couldn’t be sure how many vampires were in the house.
“What message was he talking about?” Gon asked. Kurapika was glad to have someone who would ask all the questions he wanted.
Killua waved it off. “Family stuff. Come on! I’ve asked Gotoh to prepare chocolate for us!” Gon gasped at the statement and ran after his friend. Leorio perked up as well and followed. Kurapika entered in a less exuberant manner. “What’s chocolate?”
“Chocolate is the best creation ever in the history of this world! It’s not easy to find or make, but it’s totally worth it!” Killua explained excitedly as he led them to the kitchen. The interior of the manor was as impressive as the exterior. It was the cleanest building Kurapika had ever seen. Despite its large size, however, it was surprisingly empty. They did cross paths with several servants, but not many. It was hard to keep up with the two boys as Killua practically skipped to the kitchen.
“As exciting as that sounds, you said you know someone who could help me?” Kurapika urged.
“We’ll get to that! But there are luxuries here you can’t get anywhere else. We should at least –“ Killua stopped before skidding to a halt. The other three followed suit. In front of them was a large man with pale hair. His presence was one of authority. He stood tall and studied them all with a stern face. His purple eyes seemed to pierce Kurapika’s body. This was another vampire, but he wasn’t like any vampire Kurapika has seen before. He was strong. His long life was devoted to killing. Once again, Kurapika tensed up, ready to fight or flee if needed.
Killua immediately straightened himself. “Hello father.”
“Killua.” The man greeted. “You haven’t been drinking blood lately. I can tell.”
Suddenly, everything made sense. It was a common technique for vampire elites; to have a child with a human to raise until they were ready to be turned. These half human, half vampire children were called dhampir. Kurapika never suspected that Killua could be one. He looked and acted human.
“I don’t need blood, father; and I don’t want to hurt my friends without reason.” Killua explained. Killua’s father crossed his arms.
“It’s true that you don’t need blood to survive, but it is good for you as a dhampir to have some blood in your diet. I’ve told the kitchen staff no chocolate until you have blood.”
Killua looked like he wanted to argue, but he didn’t say anything. Killua’s father then turned his attention to Kurapika.
“You must be the vampire hunter. I am Silva.” The vampire introduced himself. Kurapika reacted instantly: He jumped back and took a fighting stance.
“Kurapika calm down!” Leorio started, but a large hand stopped him. The air was tense as Silva stared down Kurapika. Gon, Killua, and Leorio watched them nervously, afraid Kurapika might lash out. Then Silva said something none of them expected:
“Would you like some tea?”