Chapter Text
“Chrollo Lucifer, along with the rest of this “Phantom Troupe” has been found guilty of the slaughter on the Kurta Clan and will be faced with life in prison.” The judge brought down his gavel and the courtroom immediately started coming undone. Chatter erupted as the troupe was stood up and began to be taken away. Reporters and photographers bustled around me and dragged me closer to Chrollo, speaking miles a minute.
“Mr. Kurapika! Over here!”
“Sir, can we get a picture of you looking at Chrollo and the troupe?”
“Kurapika look this way!”
I felt de-boned. Letting myself be pulled this way and that. Who cares about them anyway? I won. Let them do whatever. Slowly, I brought my eyes up towards the murderers, instantly making contact with their leader. He was already looking at me. Smiling blankly.
A dozen flashes suddenly went off as the chatter somehow got even louder. Reporters and photographers alike trying to get a piece of the infamous trial. The one that had been going on for a decade now. A trial against a child and more than a dozen, murderous thieving adults. Well, I wasn’t a child anymore, but I was when it started. I was when they took my family away from me. When they slaughtered my people in front of me. When I was left the lone survivor of the Kurta clan and was forced to assimilate with people that were not of my own kind that knew nothing of me. Being bounced around from house to house like the charity case I was.
But that is over now. I won. My brethren can rest in peace knowing I avenged them.
So fine, I will look at the stupid camera and answer a few of their stupid questions.
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Even as I opened the courtroom doors and walked outside the reporters didn’t stop.
“Kurapika what will you do now?” Get some sleep.
“Try to focus on school and the rest of my life.”
“How do you feel?” Tired.
“Relieved that my family can rest in peace.”
“Is there anything you want to say to those who have been following and supporting your trial from the very start?” It was a young lady this time, blushing as she pushed the microphone towards me. Hoping for an answer. “myself being one of those followers…” she said bashfully, still looking at me expectantly.
Leave me alone and let me live a normal life.
I stopped and gave her the best, most grateful smile I could muster.
“I want to say thank you, thank you to everyone who has helped me these past years. Thank you for keeping me in your thoughts as I struggled with this. If it wasn’t for you all, I might have given up. Seeing the letters of encouragement kept me going, letting me power through even the hardest of times. The donations many of you sent helped me stay out of poverty, and they helped me sign up for college. So, thank you. Thank you all, for uncovering the steps to living a normal life.”
Rounds of applause thundered as more flashes went off, the young reporter swallowing thickly as she nodded. I made my way down the courthouse steps and smiled and waved to the crowd one last time as I got into my car. Driving away as quickly as I could.
Music played quietly as I stared at the road.
So that’s it huh? I won. My family has been avenged. I can do something other than worry and have nightmares every single night. I can live.
A shiver ran throughout my entire body and my hands shook profusely, tightening around the steering wheel as I grit my teeth.
Stay Calm.
Though of course, easier said than done.
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As I pulled up to my apartment, I noticed a bright red car and an obnoxiously familiar face with hair the same color as his car. He was the top reporter of my case, yet he was the only one not there today.
Stepping out of my car, his eyes followed me, and he slid off the hood of his car, making his way over.
“Hisoka, I didn’t see you today.”
“Yes, that is true.” He said as he stopped in front of me, smiling devilishly down at me. “I guess I wasn’t in the mood to see any old friends. But I think you were fine without me, Hm?” I scoffed.
“Of course, I was. If I were able, I would be fine without you for the rest of my life.”
Hisoka mocked hurt and brought a hand up to his chest. “Now now, don’t be so rude, we helped each other quite a bit haven’t we? What’s all the harshness for?”
It was true. He had helped me. A lot. But that’s exactly the reason I wanted to be rid of him.
“You scratched my back and I scratched yours, right? I thought we had a nice little thing going on.” He continued to look at me with pleading eyes for a moment more, before giving up and shrugging his shoulders. “Oh well I suppose, all’s well that ends well. I became one of the top reporters of the decade and have access to any and every case that strikes my fancy and you..” His eyes narrowed while looking me over. “you won the fight. How amusing.”
All I did was stare blankly. He was a tricky character, only speaking when it would benefit him. So what was he looking for now?
“So, what are your plans now?” He asked with a smile. “Oh, and you don’t have to act all grateful in front of me, we can move past that now. Plus, I don’t have my crew with me.” He was right, there were no more cameras, nor would there ever be. Hopefully anyways. Seeing him alone reminded me of the time he first came to me with a proposal. One that he promised would end with the troupe behind bars. And they did.
All those years ago when I was no more than 14 and my case had just started gaining popularity, he came to me. A young and fresh reporter, thirsty for anything he could sink his teeth into. Anything to let him raise up in rank, and if he was lucky, keep him amused at the same time. Turns out I was the perfect fit.
Our first interaction was after a lawyer, had just publicly announced he would be taking me in pro-bono on the steps of the courthouse after another failed trial. Hisoka was the first one to ask me how I felt and I remember the blood I tasted in my mouth when I bit down to keep myself from saying something rude.
I was young, but not stupid. I knew the lawyer, Tonpa was his name, would gain rank from this little ordeal; I knew he was using my helplessness to his own gain. I knew it. But I just smiled up at him with tears in my eyes as I thanked him. Hisoka was still waiting for an answer, so I gave him one.
“I feel so eternally grateful, maybe now I have a chance at taking the troupe down. Maybe now,” I said while looking back up at Tonpa “maybe I have a chance at happiness now.” Hisokas’ grin grew into something devilish as he peered down at me. Satisfied with the answer. After that, more reporters crowded around Tonpa and I and I lost sight of the red-haired reporter. Many of them congratulating me on scoring such a kind lawyer. And many more wanting to talk to Tonpa and asking to interview him. He, of course, the crook he was, ate it all up.
It didn’t last long though. He was defeated in the very next trial. Practically murdered by the troupes’ defense. And with that defeat, came ridicule. Which meant his new-found popularity and clients disappeared as quickly as they came.
The very same evening, Hisoka found me sitting at the park next to the courthouse. He came and sat next to me on the bench, crossing his legs before turning his head to look at the night sky. Not saying a word.
After what felt hours, though undoubtedly only a few minutes, I broke the silence.
“What do you want?” I asked, more anger than I intended coming out in the question. He just smiled.
“I want to make a deal. One that will benefit us both.” He turned to look at me, eyes narrowing in on me. “I know a bit about the spiders, in all honesty, it’s a reporters job to learn about what entices the audience you know.” I glared at him and stood up quickly.
“Why would I make a deal with someone like you. You’re obviously just trying to get something out of me?” I shouted, throwing my arms out in front of me.
“Yes, that is true. And it’s because I can help. That’s why. I know about them, their secrets, their habits. What do you know? The color of their hair, their name? so does everyone else in the world. Ultimately, you know nothing. Which means you have no hope of defeating them.” His words stung and brought my anger back up to the surface.
“Shut up.” I spat out, and honestly, he wasn’t wrong. I just didn’t like hearing it. “What does it matter to you, what could you possibly get out of me.” At this his eyes lit up, I had taken the bait.
“So glad you asked.”
After that, we acted together. I would pay attention only to him when there were other reporters around, and I would act however he instructed me too. Whatever I had to in order to get him an audience. He became known in the world of reporters quickly, being the only one who could really “make me talk” and give an interesting story. I, playing alongside his rules, barely even looked at other reporters, clinging to only him and even praising him. He used me, like Tonpa did. He used me to gain popularity. The only difference is that his popularity lasted.
He was the most well-known reporter in all of Yorknew city now. He was there at every scene quicker than anyone else. He had access to things that had not even been made public yet. He had gotten what he wanted.
“What am I going to do now”
“Yes, that was the question, Kurapika.” He said while smiling.
“I'm going to go to college, get an education, I guess. Try to get a good stable job. I don’t know, just try to live a normal life? Not be running after someone all the time. Always one step behind.” I looked down, in all honesty. I didn’t really know what I was really going to do. Go to school yeah, but what else.
“Get some decent sleep for the first time in a decade.”
“How boring.” Hisoka said, eyes losing their gleam.
“Excuse me?” I asked taken aback, how was winning a decade long battle and trying to just, I don’t know, live. Boring? For years it has sounded like the most exciting thing that could ever happen to me. Also, a nearly impossible thing to happen to me.
“I said it sounds boring.” Hisoka moved closer to me and brought a hand up near my face, grabbing a lock of my hair and twiddling it in his fingers. “Kurapika, I have known you for many years, yes?”
I nodded. My hair still in his grasp.
“As a parting gift, I will give you a little knowledge.” He moved his face closer to mine, lips near my ear and he whispered “You won't be satisfied with such mundane things. All your life you’ve had a purpose, an obsession. What you will do now that it is gone?” He let go of my hair as he stepped back and looked at me, the gleam in his eyes had returned. “I know for a fact that you have what, one friend? And No hobbies, no nothing. The closest thing you have to an advisor is me, and while I’m lovely, I doubt I mean much to you. What are you going to do when you need actual help? You’re an adult now, you’re going to have responsibilities, things to take care of. You barely made it through high school because you missed so many days due to court and you can barely take care of yourself. It pains me to say it, but you have nothing.”
It most certainly did not pain him to say that. Any of it.
“I don’t need anything; I have been given the chance to start over Hisoka. I’m going to gratefully accept it.” I said while glaring up at him.
“Kurapika, were more alike than you think. We need to stay entertained. Need something to fill us up. Need something to give us the fuel to keep going, and yours” He said while placing a hand on my shoulder lightly. “just ran out.” I just scoffed at him and turned my head.
I do not need anything.
“But, if you insist that you’re fine, I’ll believe you. But please, try not to go too crazy without me, ok?”
“hu-“ I was cut off as he enveloped me in a hug, squeezing tightly and bringing his lips close to my ear once again.
“Try not to die without anything to live for.”
With that, he pulled away and patted my head, before turning and walking towards his car.
“If you ever need me, or just want to catch up, call me.” Then he got in his car and drove away. Leaving me alone in the parking lot of my apartment complex. Just like that, he was gone. Signifying the end of that long, long chapter in my life.
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By the time I had walked up the stairs to my small apartment and got inside, I nearly fainted from just how tired I was. A decade of bad sleep catching up to me all at once.
I stumbled into my room and lazily took off my suit and climbed in bed. I stared at the suit from where I laid, in a heap on the floor and I scowled. I didn’t want to wear or see a suit ever again. I didn’t want anything to remind me of my life up until now. I wanted everything to be new. No more dreams, no more courtrooms, no more reporters, and no more obsessions.
I didn’t even notice when I started crying, or how long I had been doing it when I noticed the rather large wet spot on my shirt and pillow. But I fell asleep thinking about it.
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When I woke up, it was in a cold sweat with a rapidly beating heart. And suddenly, I realized two things.
1.) Just because I defeated the troupe doesn’t mean the nightmares will go away.
And
2.) There was a hungry feeling aching inside me, the same kind of aching I got when I thought the troupe was going to be convicted by someone other than me.
And that feeling, was emptiness.