Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Are you seriously telling me to go there now?" A female voice gritted through the phone in her hand. The place bustled with printers and workers. Some walked around with tomes of manuscripts, while others enjoyed some leisure coffee in between their work. A third group of people were on their phones and busily talking, mirroring the heroine of today's story.

"I don't have time to argue with you, Aurora." The voice on the other end of the receiver responded with a sigh. "Isn't it interesting? Thrilling even?"

"It is," Aurora immediately responded. "Very much so... But! I don't like your tone."
The person on the other end sighed at her response. He for all that he knew, didn't know why he was tasked with putting up with her all the time.

"Haa..." He sighed. "Hai, hai. My apologies, Aurora-sama. Anyway, please board the plane at -"

"Nope. Not good. I refuse."
Aurora said and ended the call. Standing up from her seat, she looked down at her messy desk and decided to call it a day.

"Screw Ney and his stupid timing. I was close to finishing this, as well." Aurora fumed to herself when she quickly packed her bag. In a matter of seconds she had left behind a spotless desk.

Ring. Ring. Ring.
Aurora hadn't made it far when her phone rang again. She escaped towards the hallway before answering the call without checking the ID.

"Aurora, goddamn. Don't just hang up on m-" Beep. Beep.Beep.
It was Ney.

"Of course it was Ney, again." Aurora thought as she stared at her innocent phone with humor. She turned it off, and left the building without further ado. Although Ney was her superior, Aurora refused to listen to him. After all, she had always been one to follow her own nose.

"Yorknew City... Was it?" Aurora thought. "Hum♪~ I have a good feeling about this!"

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?? Private Apartment.

"Hahaha, I see. So that's what happened." Solomon's voice echoed from the speakers.

"And I've been telling you. That woman is nothing but trouble!" Ney complained to his friend while busily crafting something.

"But Ney," Solomon said. "You are the only one I can entrust with this task."

"Hah?" Ney refuted.

"Besides," Solomon continued with a chuckle. "Knowing her, she's already caught onto it before us."

"That girl?" Ney asked. "You're overestimating her. Even I just only got the news recen-" The screen of his desktop lit up with an incoming call. He switched calls without another word.

"My, my~ Look who's calling." Ney greeted with smug.

"Ew. Don't talk like that! You sound obnoxious." Aurora shot back. Ney felt a teensy hurt at her response but quickly shrugged it off.

"Let me guess, you don't know where to go, right?" Ney asked with feigned smugness. "Very well, I can help you."

As an inbred actor he prided himself in being second to no one when it came to gathering information and getting what he wants. His shoulders were growing wider, inch by inch, from the pride he had in his skills.

"..." The other side was silent.
Taking this as a sign of confirmation, Ney continued his praises.

"Hah! I knew, I was the best in this profession." Ney said while he was striking poses of victory in front of the screen. "Not sure what Solomon sees in you but you can't beat me~." He singsung childishly.

"..." The silence continued.

"..? Oi! Say something, stupid woman!" Ney argued against the unusual quiet that greeted him. "Don't act like you're not there! I know you're there!"

"..." There was no response yet again.

"..."

In the background the soft sound of shuffling and voices could be heard. They each gradually grew louder.

"Hm? Oh, Hey Ney! Sorry, did you say something? I just finished check-in." Aurora apologized in a rush.

"Wha- Hold on! Where are you going?" Ney asked confused.

"Eh?! ...The plane's about to leave.. Already? Hai, arigato! Lucky~!" Aurora said to anyone but him.

"Aurora! Where are you-"

"Sorry, Ney!" Aurora interrupted. "I really gotta lea-!"

"SHUT UP and TELL ME are you going?!" Ney snapped. The sheer volume of his voice caused Aurora to winch and distance herself from her phone.

"Agh! You're so damn noisy!" Aurora complained.
"Where you say... Of course, it's Yorknew City~!" She replied with a shrug and casual smile. Aurora really didn't know why Ney was asking.

"Anyway, expect a report from me soon. Bye ~"

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Ney's soul crumbled into dust as the call ended with the final beep. He slumped onto his desk sullenly when the emptiness kicked in.

"Oh? Welcome back." Ney startled at the sudden interruption. Solomon's voice rang from the speakers again.

"You're... still here ?"

"Hahaha, I thought something interesting might happen if I stay a lil' longer." Solomon responded lightly. "And so? She should be on her way by now."

"... She is. Damn it." Ney cursed under his breath. He had many questions to ask but his pride wouldn't let him.

"Don't worry, your skills ARE and WILL ALWAYS BE irreplaceable to us." Solomon comforted him.

"When it comes to 'hunches' however," he paused meaningfully as if searching for the right words.
"Aurora's just of a different breed alltogether.

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Chapter Text

"This is the Auction Hall in which all the bidings and transfers will progress. The area is still under preparation for tomorrow's event. I'm afraid you can't go any further than this." The auction staff explained to the red-haired woman in front of him.

Aurora wasn't exactly paying attention to what the staff was saying. She was more captivated by the interior and people bustling in and out. Her sharp eyes were trying to take in anything that might prove to be helpful at a later date.

"Did you know?" Aurora inquired and leaned in with a whisper.
"There's an underground auction going on, Sir." Aurora said. "Or so the rumors..."

The staff member blushed and retreated back to distance himself from the assertive redhead.
"That's nonsense, miss." He responded and shook his head in denial. "This auction takes place every few years, and there's nothing to hide. We pride ourselves in the transparency and quality of our work. I assure you. No such underground auction exists." The worker said as he looked Aurora up and down.
She was a woman in her twenties, with soft features and vibrant red hair. There was a nice sweet scent coming from her. It was very subtle and one you wouldn't notice until you paid attention to it. After her initial stunt earlier, he couldn't help but feel interested in her.

"You're right...," Aurora responded with a leveled stare. "I should have known a low-ranked staff member wouldn't know about it. Silly me, hahaha."
Her light, innocent laughter was sweet. Decepting and misleading enough for the staff member to question his hearing, if only for a short second.

"Y-you-!" He replied when he realized that Aurora had just toyed with him. He was stumped when he saw her gone. He looked around, left and right, but that vibrant red-colored hair was nowhere to be seen.

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Aurora strolled through the downtown area of the city. Left and right of her, the buildings squished against each other like slices of cheese. Their height towered high into the sky as if they were battling for dominance up there. It was a cold and grey city in Aurora's eyes. On rainy days this place looked no different than those popular action dramas she knew from movies. She had passed by multiple stores, and took many turns as she wandered around aimlessly. She sighed.

Her talent as a journalist had led her here. And Aurora found herself excited at the big event and scoop she would find here! Nevertheless, the scope of her ability was but a mere hunch. A simple dreamlike scenario with keywords and little scenes if she was lucky... Except for the guaranteed accuracy that something in relation to her keywords will happen, her ability, overall, wasn't much different from an instinct, gut feeling or foresight, whatever you may call it.

Aurora was left to puzzle and fill in the gaps by herself.
In search of information she had decided to visit the venue first. And yet, ...

"The results were a little disappointing," Aurora thought.
"But nothing I can do about th-"
She suddenly paused.
A flash of inspiration struck her when she noticed a store to her side.

This place was located further away from the main street. It was a secluded area with barely any people around. The store itself didn't even look like a store. Its appearance resembled an old and run-down shack. Except for the light that glowed in there and the shield that said "OPEN", Aurora would have thought of it as an abandoned store.

Once she was inside, Aurora saw rows of shelves, books and... dust. The books had to be of extraordinary age, given the way most of the covers were barely holding on. Some were even coverless and just a remain of paperstacks.

"Irasshaimase." A bestacled man greeted her.

"Konnichiwa!" Aurora greeted.

"Are you looking for something special?" He asked. "Finding what you need might be hard here without help." He explained with a sheepish neck rub.

"I thought so." Aurora said and glanced around. The store was rather messy and crowded. She wasn't sure about the back, but she swore she saw a heap of books on the floor. Still... It had an unique charm and appeal to it. Looking towards the back, Aurora saw that the store was quite big. It was much more spacious compared to how it looked on the outside.
Aurora paid a bit more attention and noticed how the floor was neat and well-traversed with barely a layer of dust upon it. Despite the obvious negligance in certain corners, traces of this place being used regularly remained. An air of life and stories breathed in here.

"This place is nice." Aurora concluded.

"... I see. In that case, feel free to have a look around." The bestacled man said. "Most of the books here are for sale, but if you need to scan or print anything there's also a printer in the back."

Aurora nodded after his explanation.
This was a non-profit bookstore that lived off from charity and community work. She had unexpectedly found a rare gem in this metropole city! What a great find!

"Actually," Aurora said. "...Do you have any records of this city?"

"Records of... Yorknew?" The clerk repeated. " You mean history? In that case, would journals suffice? We often have people offer us those since they have no use for them anymore... I'm fairly sure there were some..." He said and started to browse around.

"I'll look around too." Aurora said and disappeared.

"Ah, yes. Of course, sure-" The clerk responded, not noticing that Aurora had already disappeared until he looked up and saw her gone. He looked around, but that flashing red of her hair was nowhere to be seen.

Baffled the clerk concluded that today was just strange.

From the day he inherited this store, barely one customer came a week. Most people didn't even know the store was open with how desolate and rustic it looked. Against all odds, however, it had to be today in which not one, but TWO customers entered this humble abode of his.

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Chapter Text

"The Return of Mary Bell", "MacBeth", "Ancient Logos",... When Aurora looked around, a few book titles caught her eyes. Amongst them were famous ones considered as classics and representatives of their time, to unknown ones that have been long forgotten by their generation. As for the unlabeled ones, they made up the majority of the books present. All kind of genres stacked next to each other in no particular order. She even found an old receipe book! The print had been so bad, that she was barely able to made out the words.

"What was the ancient language... again?" Aurora wondered. In her hand was an open book with unfamiliar words and letters. They were handwritten with pen and ink. The paper had already turned golden from the years that must have gone by. Aurora however found it hard to put this particular piece away.

She gently flipped over a few pages. "Hm... Let's look for a dictionary or transcription!" Aurora dwelved deeper into the back when she felt the presence of another person.

There in the utmost corner of the room, she saw the shadow of a man. He stood in front of the last bookshelf with a book in hand. It was dark. Dark enough to make one wonder how he was able to read anything in there. For a moment, she wasn't sure whether he was truly human and not just a piece of imagination her mind had created.

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Chrollo noticed that he was being stared at. How could he not, when the woman had no intention to hide her presence. He would act normal. This was a public bookstore and today he was out to read. It's not like a little small talk would hinder him from his work.

The woman in front of him had a pair of deep, shining lilac-blue eyes. There was a mysterious pink glitter in them. Her lush redhair fell over her chest effortlessly. Her head was adorned with a cute, stylish, dark coffee-brown beret that had a little red heart charm to it. It matched the vibrant red of her hair well.

Her clothes were simple and still professional enough to fit in with her surroundings - regardless of the occassion. She wore a simple white, high-collared, longsleeved blouse beneath a dark sleeveless vest. The white ribbon of her blouse sticked out neatly.
Her skirt was a simple black with a slit on the side. He assumed it to be cut like that for easier movement. A pair of safety pants and skin tight shorts, similar to the ones Machi wore, along with calf-long socks and a pair of comfortable loafers completed that attire of hers.

She was just looking at him openly, without any intention to approach or speak to him.

"Excuse me," Chrollo said. "Did you need something?"

His voice flowed smoothly like velvet and yet there was something sinister and cold about it.
"Hello, nice to meet you." Aurora said. She looked around the place as if looking for something. And then responded: "No, not at all."

She whipped her head around a little more, before deciding to close in on the mysterious person in front of her.
"I didn't know someone else was here." Aurora said. "What are you reading by the way?"

The woman stopped next to him and tried to have a proper look at the book in his hand.

“Delomelanicon.", Chrollo responded and closed the book, before offering it to her. He had lost his interest in it for now. "...Or rather, I should say another piece claiming to be it."

Aurora took the book he offered her. It was small with a simple leathered surface. It looked plain and not any different from any old, well used notebook.

"Hm..." Aurora said as she continued to assess it without opening. "Invocation of Darkness. Ways to Summon the Devil. ...Written by Lucifer." She hummed to herself before returning it back to Chrollo.

"Though it may be all cooked up, I'm sure it was something the writer deemed possible..." Aurora said. "Within their realm and understanding of realism and fiction of course."

"... Are you not interested?" Chrollo asked. "It's the Devil's work we are talking about.“

"A devil you say... But a former angel in other works." Aurora refuted. "As for scriptures written by angels, there's a great many if you count prophecies and more."

Chrollo smiled at her response, once.
"Indeed," Chrollo said. "Phrasing it like that, it does seem less interesting..."

"Thank you." Aurora said nonchalantly and she pulled out a random book from the shelf. Unaware of the peculiarness of her responses, Aurora focused on the tomb in front of her.
She blew on it once to get rid of the layer of dust on it, and then cleaned the rest of it with the sleeve of her shirt.

"Say... What about you? Were you looking for something?" Aurora asked without looking at him.
Her eyes were focused on the random page that she had flipped open. She trailed the content with one sleek finger.

The corners of his lips relaxed when he watched her.
"Perhaps..." Chrollo responded mysteriously and put 'Delomelanicon' on top of the book Aurora was reading.

"Huh?" She finally looked at him.

"I'm afraid I have to leave now..." Chrollo said, his voice smooth and demanding. "Take this."
He passed her by without another word.

"..." Aurora was too stunned to speak. She quickly snapped out of it when she no longer felt his presence.

"Hey-" Aurora called out and turned around in a fluid motion. She was just in time to see Chrollo round the corner.
How ironic, this time their positions switched. He was in the light, while she was hidden in the corner of a windowless room.

Seeing the man standing in the light, he was truly beautiful. A man with a mystic charm to him.
Deep black raven hair, sharp features and hollow eyes. Along with that pale, flawless skin of his he looked nothing else but surreal and transcendental.

"What's your name?" she asked. "I mean, I'm Aurora. Aurora Amaranth. So what's yours?"

Chrollo stopped for a moment and with a small sidewards glance he said:
"Kuro... Just call me Kuro."

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Chapter Text

"Kuro... He said." Aurora muttered to herself. "What even does 'just call me Kuro' mean?'"

After Chrollo left, the store's clerk had found the journals she had requested. It took her a little bit of cross-searching but at the end of the day, she had furthered her understanding of the city and its political structure. She managed to find a vital clue as well.

"The Underground Auction is led by the Mafia Community." Aurora said as she tried to recall the main events of her research. She started with the facts that she knew. This was one of them.

"The Mafia Community also has ties to Meteor City." Through her research and backtracking, Aurora figured out the long-established connection between Meteor City and the Mafia Community.
In addition to that, Meteor City was not far away from Yorknew City making it quite plausible for them to be reliant on another in some kind of way. With her prior knowledge of history and politics, cases, in which nations have allied with their neighbours, were not a rarity. She only assumed that this referred to the relation between Yorknew and Meteor City as well. This new information helped Aurora understand the situation much better.

"And lastly, ... The last keyword I saw with my ability: a hanging Spider's Thread." Aurora said and slammed the book to a close. She had have a hunch before, but that hunch was now slowly turning into certainty. Following this line of thought, all the clues led to one answer ...

"The Phantom Troupe is coming... But... For what reason?" Aurora asked herself and scribbled it down onto her notebook. Thusfar, considering the reputation that preceded the notorious Phantom Troupe, Aurora could only assume that they came here to do what they did best: To steal.

"Why would they decide to breach the treaty between the Mafia Community and Meteor City, now?"
Aurora put her pen down and closed that notebook of hers. She threw her head back and glanced out of the window. All this thinking and still so many questions? Wouldn't it just be quicker to ask someone.

The Phantom Troupe had been a personal goal of hers for a long time. She knew that she might never get a chance to see them in action again. This was an opportunity that she couldn't afford to miss!

How plausible was this thesis of hers? The more Aurora tried to see holes in it, the more she was assured that it was happening. Logic aside, she could feel her hunch manifest into a proper picture and a proper scene.

"Finally! It's the Spider's turn, heh?" Aurora laughed when she cleaned the table again with a spring in her steps.

"Mister♪" Aurora hummed when she returned back to the front desk with two books in hand. "I'll buy these, please."

The clerk startled in surprise at her obvious good mood. "Ah- yes, Miss!" He said and charged the books without paying much attention to them.

"Did you...uhm... Find what you were looking for?" He asked while Aurora put away the books into her bag.

Aurora's smile widened sweetly after hearing his words. "I did! You were a huge help! Thank you."

The young woman left and the store was silent again. The soft fragrance of cherries still lingered at the spot Aurora had vacated.

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The sun set on the horizon of Yorknew City.
The streets emptied out into a lull one by one.

Now, with a clear goal in mind, Aurora had wasted no time finishing her preparation for tomorrow's day. In case the Phantom Troupe really appeared, Aurora couldn't take any chances and miss them. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity for her!

"I'll definitely get that interview!" Aurora steeled herself.

Interviewing criminals - Aurora, who had a natural talent as a journalist, had a rather famous reputation as a "criminal sympathizer" amongst her peers.

Whilst most journalist pursue justice, truth and equality in their articles, Aurora had an uncanny interest in hearing the "stories of people". It was her main goal and something she thrived in: To hear the stories of people and discern the truth in them. Yes, that's right. Aurora Amaranth was a young woman that believed in the subjectiveness of truth. Everyone had their own unique form of truth that they followed and adhered to in their lives.

"The truth," she would often say, "is shaped by people's stories."
Because of this, the more mysterious a person or story was, the more the assertive woman was interested in it. Before she knew it, she had drifted into interviewing and contacting people of the "darker"/"dangerous" side.

This attitude of hers, not surprisingly, caused her many problems with the publishers she used to work with.
"We can not commend such behavior. We don't support this." Aurora's articles were rejected all the time, and while her skills allowed for her to work at big brand companies and publishers, no one could work with the topics of her research. Young Aurora Amaranth was jobless in the same year, she first got it.

Although disappointed at the result, she refused to change her topic of interest and continued as a freelance journalist. She soon realized the limits of her research. Being unemployed hindered her access towards information and traveling that much more.

Everything changed the day she met Solomon and Ney.
Now, with the possession of a Hunter License, there wasn't much that could stop her from pursuing her passion anymore. Thanks to the lads that taught her about Nen!

"Ah~ I'm tired." Aurora yawned.
With everything done as much as she could in the sparse time she had.
Aurora glanced at her watch, and stretched lightly after the time spent running around and researching.
The young woman wanted nothing more than to check into a hotel and call it a day, and yet there was still the final assignment that she could not miss out on.

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"Welcome, Miss Amaranth."

The door opened and a man in his fourties entered. He was accompanied by two more bulky bodyguards. Aurora stood up from her seat and flashed him a smile.

"It's been awhile," she greeted the connaisseur, "You seem to be doing well." She eyed the interior of the reception room and the view it offered over the metropole city of Yorknew City.

"Ah, yes. Yes!", he replied, "Of course, it's all thanks to your valuable assistance, miss. Please express my gratitude to The Master as well."

"The master, huh?" Aurora shot back, a harsh look in her eyes.
"I have no clue who you're talking about." She ended with a smile that did not quite reach her eyes.
Afraid of angering her, the man immediately apologized. He was double her age, but could not match her in terms of influence and skill.
"A-anyway... Miss Amaranth... You coming here... Is there something wrong?" He trailed off fidgeting. Aurora crossed her arms and trained her eyes on each of his bodyguards. Catching onto that, he quickly dismissed them after some hesitation.

"Yes. I need a favor," she responded with a little shrug, "...Don't look like that. I think it's a fairly simple request. For you atleast."
She straightened up and shot him a smile so innocent and pure that it made him shiver a cold sweat.

"W-w-what... is it?" He asked. Aurora closed her eyes and answered sweetly.

"VIP Status for the Underground Auction ☆~ All days. " Aurora said and put down a memory card on the table. "...See? It's simple enough, isn't it?"

Her sleek finger tapped onto the card a few times.
Aurora's eyes shone a shimmering pink. The man swallowed. He didn't know what the memory card contained, but he knew that his fate lied in whatever was inside of it. Whether to take it or not... The choice was up to him.

But why...? As he looked at that deep-red hair he couldn't tell anymore... Was it the red wine of victory or the flowing blood of his own people that trickled down his sight right now?

"I-.. I will try my best, Miss-" He gulped. Aurora had narrowed her eyes a little and the man saw his life flash in front of his eyes.

"I mean. Yes, of course, madam. I will have it delivered to you by tomorrow evening. Latest, I promise!!" He said in a hurry.

Aurora nodded and stood up.
"Good," she said with an amiable smile and hummed. "Hm~♪I knew you could do it! Besides... The information you requested is stored in there. My partner couldn't come, so I was meant to deliver it to you, instead." Aurora said and brushed the ends of her hair with her hand.

The man was flabbergasted and stared at her. Aurora just shrugged.
"Did you really think I would do anything malicious to you...?"

The man gulped and Aurora sighed.

"You have been doing too much bad if you're worried about that. Furthermore," She grabbed her bag and stood up.

"Unlike you, I don't enjoy dealing in dark business." She said with what a little nag.

"I will take my leave now." With that Aurora quietly left after being escorted out of the esteemed reception room.

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Chapter Text

"Greetings~!" The woman greeted, a camcorder in her hand.

"Reporting live from the Auction Site is me: Aurora Amaranth! You won't guess what just happened..."

She flipped over her camcorder to reveal an empty safe.

"This place was supposed to store the goods for the Underground Auction. But now, it is empty. Completely blan- Hey!"

Aurora paused her recording and glared at the bulky man that had grabbed her arm.

"How rude. Can't you see that I am recording?" she said with a little huff.

"Get lost! We have enough to do already!" The man in a suit yelled at her. Aurora was then flung out of the vault room.

She didn't need to be told twice and left.

"Whatever! If you don't want to know where the merchandise is, just stay stupid then!" She huffed and dashed out of the Auction Building. The whole area was in a state of chaos and mild panic.

By now, the news that the goods had disappeared, spread around like wildfire, and yet worst: The hall that housed all the guests was completely empty. Not a single person or body was to be found. Goods and people alike, everything disappeared into thin air with a poof!

'It's like magic.' Aurora thought.

She was no stranger to the concept of Nen, but it never ceased to amaze her with all that it could do when mastered.

Aurora looked towards the sky with a soft sigh. A familiar melody started to play and she checked her phone.

"Yes, it's me," she greeted when she saw the familiar caller ID.

"... I'm right at the hot spot. Again," she said as she absentmindedly scribbled something down onto her notebook, "I assume you called because of something important, right?"

Her voice carried a sense of urgency. She really didn't want to miss out on the action because of some prolonged call.

Her eyes widened briefly when she heard the news over the phone. And then, Aurora suddenly smiled.

"I see, I see~" Aurora mumbled as she shifted the shoulder that held her phone, "Thank you."

The news had perked her up, and she hummed to herself happily once again. Her eyes went straight ahead, towards the direction in which she felt a stark bloodthirst coming from.

"That way... at this rate...", Aurora said, "To the Gordeau-Desert, it is!"

Cars and people passed by and no one paid attention to her. Everyone was caught in their own business: stopping the Thieves came first.

Aurora didn't mind. Indeed, this situation made it easier for her to work in. The less attention there was on her, the easier she could sneak around.

However, Aurora couldn't afford to miss this chance to witness the Phantom Troupe in action, and so, she stopped the next person that left the building.

"Hey," she said, "you're joining the chase, right? Take me with you."

The person Aurora stopped happened to be a pale looking boy with blond hair and earrings. He seemed young and yet strangely tense. Was the stress getting to him?

The boy looked at her. He opened his mouth about to say something, when suddenly, someone from a car window, called for him.

The boy whipped around. Not wanting to waste this opportunity, Aurora quickly used his brief moment of distraction.

She grabbed him by the arm and took the lead.

"Let's hurry! I know the way." Aurora said and rushed towards the waiting car.

Everyone looked at the girl that had entered their car so naturally.

"Hi, I'm Aurora." Aurora greeted the curious glances with a happy wave. Her red hair swayed a little from the motion. Their gazes went back and forth between Kurapika and Aurora. Melody who was closest to Kurapika leaned over to whisper.

"Who's that?"

Kurapika sighed lightly and ran a hand through the ends of his hair.

"She said she knows where to go," he whispered back. Melody didn't respond and instead looked at Aurora who returned it with a smile.

"We don't have time. Leave now!" Dalzonelle said. He was surprised by Aurora's presence but didn't tell her to leave.

Instead he gave her a solemn nod the moment their eyes met.

Aurora nodded back.

'I don't think I know him...?' she thought.

But he seemed to know her. In the end, things worked out in her favor, so who was she to complain?

Aurora quietly kept her thoughts to herself, and focused on the scenery outside the window.

It didn't take long for Aurora to get bored. The mood was tense and stiffling. Anxiety trickled down like rain. No one inside the stuffy car was able to avoid getting swallowed up by the atmosphere inside.

She turned to talk to the blond teen next to her. He was young, but he seemed to have a good head on his shoulder. Not to mention, the people around him trusted him. This caught her interest.

"You don't look like someone from the mafia community. What's your name?" Aurora asked.

Now that she had a closer look on him, it was hard to tell what gender he was. Judging from the looks alone, it could be either.

Kurapika closed his eyes once and refused to look at her.

"That's none of your concern" he said in a cold voice.

Ah. Not only the looks but his voice as well.

Aurora smiled and laughed it off.

"Haha, I understand..." Her laugh was sweet.

"However, not everyone you meet is your enemy. You're still young. It's such a waste to miss out on proper connections." Aurora said in a motherly tone and sweet smile.

"I refuse." Kurapika said.

"... Don't you know these people?", Aurora said after a bit of thinking, "Those rare friends that you will only meet once in a lifetime. Those that will have your back at all times."

"Bonds like these don't happen often, but YOU don't seem THAT insensible of a guy that would deny them entry."

In her mind, Aurora imagined Ney, the epitome of an insensible guy.

"At least, while you're young, it's a waste to miss out on the opportunities to get to know someone. Life is short after all, and in the end what remains of you are only memories and fragments you leave behind."

Aurora looked at Kurapika who seemed to be in thought.

"Okay, I'll try again," she said.

This time Kurapika looked at her. "I'm Aurora, and you?"

Kurapika sighed. The young woman looked to be around her twenties at most. It was unexpected of her to throw in words of wisdom and lecture him like this.

Kurapika wasn't one to care about ages and formalities, but he also wasn't someone with a bad temper.

"... It's Kurapika," he said.

Aurora grinned. "Nice to meet'ya, Kurapika!"

Aurora was full of confidence.

She believed herself to be a good judge of character. Given that, she was sure of this: Kurapika was a gentle person. A gentle and kind child, and yet his heart was set onto the path of revenge and destruction. She didn't know why or what exactly happened, but for his heart to be tainted this much despite his age...

'Poor him,' she thought, 'He must have went through a lot.'

He was only a few years younger than her, but he looked like a child that needed a few good days of sleep and rest in her eyes.

Aurora opened her mouth to say something, but stopped. There are a few things she can ask but there's a time and place for everything. She could tell that it wasn't appropriate to ask what she wants to know now. Instead she switched topics.

"Who do you work for?" she asked. Remembering the nod Dalzonelle gave her, she assumed to know him from somewhere.

Dalzonelle glanced at her from the frontview mirror as he responded.

"We're bodyguards for the Nostrade Family." He trailed of without saying more.

"Ah~" Aurora said with enthusiasm. "For Neon-chan, I presume? She can be quite a handful but her ability is the real deal. You should have her read your fortune one day."

"...As expected, miss. You are well-informed." Dalzonelle paused and cleared his throat.

'Now this makes sense!' Aurora thought.

She had met Nostrade once prior. Although, she didn't meet Neon due to security reasons. She was aware of her abilities, having received a divination by yours truly.

Thinking back on it, this was one of her first jobs together with Solomon and Ney. A year or two should have passed by since then.

"You can call me Aurora. ... Just Aurora is fine... -" She said with a smile.

Her thoughts trailed off near the end. The silhouette of a man clad in black flashed in her mind. The mysterious encounter that she had only a day ago was vividly replaying in front of her.

Wasn't she speaking similiarly to 'Kuro' now?

'Perhaps...', she concluded, 'He is hiding something, after all.'

Without missing a beat, Aurora resumed the conversation.
"... It's the least I can do. I'm a journalist."

The people who didn't know, glanced at her. Out of all professions available, they didn't expect for the bubbly woman to be a journalist.
And yet, the more they looked at her, the more they saw the possibility.

"Miss Aurora, then." Dalzonelle said and Aurora for some reason cringed a little at that.

'Atta...', she thought. 'Maybe I shouldn't give away my name too early next time.'

"...Right..." she said with a laugh.

Her easy-going mood however quickly disappeared once she felt the air of their surrounding shift. She felt it. She was getting closer to "Them."

The hair on her arms rose as she felt the lingering sense of anticipation and excitement crawl on her.

'Finally," Aurora repeated in her mind. 'Soon we can meet, my dear Spiders.'

Chapter Text

In all of her life, Aurora had done a lot of stupid things. When she was young, she ventured into a lair of poisonous snakes. She heard rumors that the receipe for a panacea lay here. Naturally, she had to confirm it herself.
She ended up severely poisoned and in a coma for a few days after this experience.

A few months after she woke up, Aurora found a dark cave at the beach. She spent the rest of her youth researching this old cave that gave way to a ruined, abandoned underground temple. It had become her own little project and homework, as she called it. One day, her homey cave no longer felt that homey. The stench of blood rafted from the inside, and the path was muddied with a trail of red. Despite the obvious signs of danger, Aurora only felt curiosity towards it. She followed the unknown trail into the dark solitude.

A few years later, during one of her first jobs as a professional journalist, Aurora, now a young woman, had smuggled herself into another country. Said country was a raging warzone with its borders closed off. Aurora only managed to survive through the help of some influential individuals.

Her hunch always led her to the most ridiculous of places, and the list of stupidly reckless deeds she had done had no end in sight.

Today was another event, she could commit to her cognitial book of misdeeds.

Aurora looked at the man in front of her. His unruly hair was grizzled and long. He was tall, scarily tall in comparison to her. He resembled a wild gorilla with the way he glared at her.

Uvogin glared. Aurora smiled at him with a distance of about an arm-lengths apart.
"Uh, hello!", she said, "That was quite a spectacle."

The woman crouched down calmly. Once she finished taking a proper look at him. she then looked towards where the rest of the Troupe were and waved her arm.

"Hello, you over there too!"

If Aurora was scared by them, then she didn't show it. In her mind however, she was going through all the possible dangers, her random behavior could cause her in this situation:

Getting caught and threatened. No problem. Her intention was to talk to them anyway. A close proximity is better for building trust!

Getting scammed and used. Well, Aurora prided herself in her intelligence and negotation skills as a journalist. If she played her cards right, maybe she could get the information she wants... perhaps even more.

Getting killed. ...
Aurora sighed at the worst possibly scenario crossed her mind. Although her actions may beg to differ, Aurora adored life. But not having her curiosity satisfied, was something she could not handle at all. Stuck in this stallmate, Aurora pondered with a frown.

"Listen..." Aurora said. "I really don't want to die and am here of my own interest." She raised her hands up in a non-threatening matter.

DUUUUN.
Enter the awkward silence.

"AHAHAHA," a loud laugh interrupted the quiet, "I feel like I haven't laughed like this in a while. This girl is hilarious!"
One of the Troupe members, later to be revealed as Nobunaga yelled.

Uvogin just stared her down with a dangerous glint in his eyes.
"Then what DO you want?" He asked. His smile growing more and more ferocious with each second. The adrenaline from his earlier fight still filled him. His Nen flared and Aurora used her own one to protect herself from it. He was paralyzed but that didn't mean that his Nen was useless.

'How terrifying," she thought, 'just a second later, and I'd be spitting out blood from the damage on my organs.' Having felt it for herself, she was no longer surprised at the amount of dead bodies that lay on this wasteland.

"GREAT! So you're a Nen-User, too," she heard him say. "I was getting bored of this small fry."

Aurora shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest. She sighed in defeat.

"I don't want to fight. Besides..." she glanced at the wound on his neck and calf. "You should get treated first. If I'm not wrong, these slugs will lay eggs inside of your testines. Then use your body as a fertilizer and soil for their babies. Your organs will split open, the nourishments will be drained from your veins and vessels. The pain shall be enough to kill... even you..."

When she finished, she shrugged. Naturally, she knew a way to cure it. She might have even offered it for free was he a kind person. But this person in front of her, just slaughtered the majority of the people here... and he enjoyed every second of it.

She shook her head. 'I shouldn't condemn him for it. The mafia aren't exactly good people either. But...'

Snaring teeth, shattering skulls. The scene of total power and pleasure. The way Uvogin toyed with life, and squished these lives beneath his heels like they were mere ants, was so utterly cruel.

The ferociousness of his actions left behind a sour taste even for her.

Hearing this, Uvogin's fighting spirit ceased. Instead, he turned towards Shalnark to request his assistance.

Aurora watched quietly as the platinum-blond head jumped down the wall and grabed one of the slugs nearby.

Shalnark comfirmed Aurora's observation. Seeing how he knew this much already, she wasn't surprised that he knew the cure as well. In terms of knowledge and adaptbility he might be just as quick-witted as she is.

'How nice...'
Aurora watched their dynamic with a smile.
She couldn't believe it. Without a doubt this was the Phantom Troupe! The people she had always wanted to meet were right in front of her! She could barely contain her excitement, and was about to ask for an interview when suddenly- !

The tall bulky man was lifted up high into the air. His helpless scream echoed throughout the little canyon. Aurora watched with widened eyes as a subject of her interest disappeared towards the far beyond horizon.

"WAIT-! Where are you go-" Aurora couldn't finish her words as something sharp cut through a strand of her hair and ended at her throat.

She glanced to her side and saw the narrowed eyes of a masked man.

"Don't talk, " he whispered darkly, "Don't move. I will kill you."

Aurora closed her lips and looked at the direction her subject of interest had disappeared to. Her disappoinment was clearly reflected in her lilac-colored eyes.

'Ahh... I wanna cry.' Aurora thought as she stared at the dark night-sky.

· · ─────── · ☾· ─────── · ·

Chapter Text

"I'm telling you for the xx-th time- I have nothing to do with this," Aurora said, "You saw my ID. I'm merely here for business."

Her wrist were bound up tightly by a pair of Nen Strings - curtesy to Machi. Franklin and Feitan were there too. They made sure to keep an eye on her, so that she could not escape. For the past few minutes this odd gathering of people had been in a stallmate. One side accusing, the other, a sole person, defending. Of course, there were a few members calm enough to try and reason with her.

In the eyes of the Troupe, Aurora was their only lead. Even though she claimed to be a third party, with no relation to the mafia, considering her timing, she ought to know a thing or two - This line of logic lurked in the mind of the majority of the members present.

"You said you wanted to meet us. How did you know?" Franklin asked.

"That's..." Aurora tilted her head and thought. She really didn't want to play captive any longer.

But was telling the truth the right decision? It might prove to be just as dangerous.

Then again, this situation might be as bad as it can get. Aurora counted her chances:

She was severely outmatched, currently rendered immobile, and they even had a valid reason to fault her... All things considered, it must be a miracle that she was still alive.

Reaching this conclusion, Aurora confessed.

"It's my ability..." Aurora said and glanced around the circle. Her voice was quiet and it was clear that she didn't want someone to listen in on them.

"Oh? Is it what boss talked about?" Aurora heard Shalnark ask.

'Boss? So their boss, isn't here.' she realized.

"I don't know what he said," she said, "How could I?"

Shalnark laughed at her comment.

"Guess so," the cheerful platinum blond guy said, "Then what can you tell us about your ability."

Aurora sighed and pondered for a little.

"... My ability..." Aurora stated slowly. "...It allows me to sense the next huge event in the world... Like a 'hunch.'"

Shalnark's eyes widened as he heard about this ability of hers. Seeing his interest, Aurora knew that this wasn't good news.

"What I see is fairly random,..." Aurora continued.

"And not very helpful. Except for the fact, that it hints towards something that will certainly happen, I have to pierce the majority of the information together by myself."

This was a weak attempt to downplay her abilities. Of course, Aurora wasn't stupid enough to reveal the full extent of her skills. For the young woman, telling a half-truth was the best in this situation.

She didn't want to be on the radar of these people any longer, nor did she want to boast about her abilities and make herself stand out anymore. She looked around to see their reactions.

'Did I make the correct decision?'

"So that's how it is...," Shalnark said as he rubbed his chin, "Did you hear that, Boss?"

Shalnark said. It was only then, that Aurora noticed that he had been on a call all this time.

"That's cheating!" Aurora complained. She looked towards the phone with what resembled a sullen look. of defeat.

Someone who isn't even here knows about her ability. Meanwhile, she didn't even know how their boss looked like, or even his gender or name.

"How interesting," the voice on the other line responded, "And she said she wants to meet us?"

'Oh, it's a man.' Aurora noted. His voice was dark, deep and smooth. Aurora couldn't help but find it strangely familiar. She was sure she had heard it before, but couldn't really recall it with the distance and phone static.

"Hahaha, more like asking for an interview." Shalnark responded with a playful laugh and turned away, walking. "A funny girl."

"I'm not..." Aurora complained at being belittled. Now that Shalnark had walked away, Aurora couldn't hear the rest of the conversation.

"..." On the other hand, Chrollo's side was quiet. Only the light of the candle that softly flickered illuminated his ghostly, pale face.

"...Asks her where Uvogin is first. If she really has the ability that she claims she does, finding Uvogin shouldn't be difficult. Afterwards, bring her to the hotel."

The call ended with that. Shalnark relayed the command to the team and suddenly Aurora was pushed towards the center of attention even more than previously.

'Oh well, talk about not standing out,' she sighed.

In hindsight, Aurora praised herself for not underestimating the Phantom Troupe. That, and mild uneasiness were the only thoughts on her mind as she looked at the smettered bodies of the Shadow Beasts in front of her.

The sight and smell of blood was strong. Not fond of it, Aurora's stomach turned a little. She turned her head sideways to lessen the impact of the smell.

"Do I need to vacuum them?" Shizuku asked with her Nen-conjured vacuum cleaner in hand. Hers was an ability Aurora never would have guessed. It was truly unique and valuable. It also explained how all the guests had disappeared.

"Don't bother." Feitan returned and happened to catch a glimpse of Aurora. He tsked, when he saw her mildly disturbed and rigid expression.

'The Phantom Troupe's strong.' Aurora clarified in her mind.

The Shadow Beasts were one of the Mafia's hidden and strongest assets. A huge amount of money, training and time was spent into cultivating and raising them. It's terrifying to witness that three Troupe Members was all it took to take down this whole group of Nen-Masters.

'Would I have a chance?' Aurora gulped. Frankly, she didn't know. 'If I'm smart about it, maybe.'

Aurora bit onto the inside of her cheeks and glanced around, seemingly calm. Without the Troupe knowing, Aurora studied the members and their strength. She doubt that they'd like the idea of a stranger knowing their abilities, - information like this is highly valuable after all - ...but on the hindsight that she managed to live through today and escape... just how much could she trade this information for?

Aurora's mind rattled at the thoughts and opportunities this newfound information could give her. Monetary value aside, it could open a completely new path to secretive information she had been trying to get, but never managed to grasp for a long time.

"Looks like this one has the merchandise." Machi's voice pulled her out of her reverie.

The pink haired woman approached with the Beast called Owl tied up in her strings.

Aurora heard the little voice of Nobunaga from Owl's pocket.

"So? Can you free Nobunaga?" someone asked.

"Wait," Machi interrupted, "do we have to get Nobunaga out. It's crowded."

She hinted at Aurora while doing so. The woman, being as unfazed as always, just smiled.

"I'm sure, you won't have that problem, if you just let me go-" Aurora shot back.

She didn't even finish when she felt something brush her neck.

She glanced down at the black-haired assassin. It was Feitan that had ultimately silenced her once again.

A drop of blood spilled from the cut he opened on her throat.

What happened next was an instinctual reaction of Aurora's.

For a brief moment, a drop of her Nen, along with a tiny bit of murderious intent, spilled. This little spark was enough to get the Troupe into battle mode.

Aurora felt the animosity that came from the Phantom Troupe and sharply inhaled.

Her Nen flow stabilized, and she heaved a heavy sigh. "Haaa..."

'My patience sure is getting tested today.' Aurora thought.

She then looked at Feitan with a sweet, innocent smile.

'You little piece of shit. Just wait until I get you~.'

Chapter Text

"Do tell me... How come you guys listen so well?" Aurora asked from her spot in front of the convenience store.

"You wouldn't even listen to me..." she muttered under her breath.

Compared to how well the members listened to their 'Boss', their treatment towards her was a difference of night and day. The experience of being rendered immobile still haunted her. It was bone-chilling.

"Hm? Is that so...?" Shizuku said. "I just joined and don't know much yet. But Boss has rules. And everyone agrees."

The short black-haired girl with glasses leaned over Aurora's shoulder to take a closer look at the screen of Aurora's laptop. This little laptop was Aurora's trusted device. She always carried it around with her.

From one side, a long cord smoothly looped around mid-air, before it ended inside of the powerstation. Thanks to the circumstances, Aurora was allowed to use her hands freely. She was by far not cleared of surveillance though.

"Do you really think I can escape from you?" She asked the people involved.

From what she had gathered so far, Aurora knew that the group consisted of two forces. The combat force and the support force. She would put Shalnark, Shizuku, Machi and Franklin into the support force, although they were strong enough to be considered as combat force in other organizations.

"Haaa..." she sighed.

Her chances of winning a fight against them was slim. Her Nen specialized in gathering information and intel. Fighting against a group of bandits was far above what her combat ability could handle.

'Their Boss sure is wise,' Aurora thought. 'Maybe even crafty.'

It wasn't unusual for individuals with high intelligence to have a skills that relies on that intelligence. She had seen it in many people before. Even her own abilities are working together with her intelligence and exptertise. After all, Nen abilities are often what works best for ones' personality. Following her line of logic, their leader was bound to have an interesting and unique ability as well.

"Does that mean, you have to follow all of your boss's orders, unconditionally?" Aurora asked in an attempt to pry for some more information.

Shizuku just shrugged. "Who knows?"

"..." She blinked once or twice at Shizuku's response and finally mirrored her gesture.

The dynamic between the Spider's was more complex than she had initially assumed. On one hand, there was a strict integrity. They moved in teams and acted on behalf of the team: Their actions were focused on the team and prioritized the team.

On the other hand, the members seemed to be quite free-spirited, to the point of being careless towards authorities, and even others well-being.

In a sense, they were treating life as a game - a stage play in which everyone just had to fulfill a role. And once that was done, they'd shed away the skins and roles they had been playing. She was sure that the Troupe would be remembered as a group of notorious thieves.

But who would remember the people behind those radiant roles?

The way things are, no one would know about the individuals that make the Troupe who they are. They'd be forgotten without anyone ever knowing the name of the actors and actresses.

'That's...' Aurora thought, 'utterly saddening.' Her heart felt a devastation, like her own. She didn't know where it came from and quickly shook it off.

'I guess, I can only understand them better, once I meet the Boss everyone respects so much.' Aurora concluded.

"So? How much longer," Machi interrupted. "Until you're done."

"Oh," Aurora gasped. "It's done. I was just waiting for everyone to gather."

Machi's eyes widened. She hadn't seen or notice Aurora do anything peculiar, how could she have missed it?

When she looked at her fellow Troupe members, she sensed a similar reaction from them. She wasn't the only one that had been caught off guard.

"Surprised?" Aurora smiled mysteriously. "...I told you I'm a journalist. It's the least I can do."

Chapter Text

It didn't take long for the rest of the Gordeau-Desert participants to gather. Franklin and Shalnark, left the store with the giant carrying a pile of what's presumingly the store's whole storage of beer. Just the sheer amount of it, let Aurora assume it to last for about a whole month.

"You paid for it, didn't you?" she asked the question that should never be asked.

Franklin just raised his eyebrows. "Uh..."

Their conversation ended with that.

She shook her head and adjusted her hat.

"You shouldn't steal and make enemies of people everywhere you go." Aurora chided them in the same manner she had done to Kurapika before.

She heard an annoyed "Tch" coming from the direction Feitan was in.

For the sake of her life, she decided to drop yet another topic of conversation.

A part of her still remembered her earlier confrontation with Feitan. She was starting to feel irked with his edgelord attitude.

Come to think of it, from the start, he was the one that had treated her with the most suspicion and distaste - threatening to kill and torture her and all...

'Just what is rubbing him the wrong way?' Aurora pondered as she looked at the masked man. He was a little smaller than her. Was that maybe why? Maybe she should ask him one day!

Aurora bit down on her inner cheek. She masked down the chuckle that threatened to spill out.

Just imagining his irritation was enough to make her smile.

'Ah. I better reimbuse the damage later...' Aurora suddenly remembered.

She glanced through the store windows behind her. A little smile appeared on her face. Seeing how everyone inside was still alive, Aurora at least knew that the Troupe wasn't psychotic enough to leave behind a needless trail of blood everywhere they went. With this, she hoped to enter talks with them.

"Ahem," Aurora cleared her throat and looked at the pink phone in Shalnark's hand. "Is your Boss listening in again? It's bad manners to eavesdrop."

"..."

The members were mildly disturbed. No one has ever treated them or their boss like this before. Heck, no one ever dared to talk to them like this. Aurora's bluntness made them feel a little bit loss. She was fairly similiar to Shizuku in that regard, but even Shizuku wasn't as... noisy.

Shalnark just settled for a silent smile. He neither denied nor agreed to that statement.

"Get working already." Feitan said. He was obviously annoyed by the delay and her audacity.

"S u r e." Aurora drawled through gritted teeth. If there was one thing she hated more than anything in her life, it was being told what to do.

"But before I tell you the location, you should tell me what will happen to me first." Aurora bargained.

Her gaze was clear. Her eyes reflected the soft yellowish glow of the street lantern above them. She looked straight into the Troupe members' eyes. Her eyes brimmed with an intelligence and shrewdness to them. - It contrasted the well-mannered and petite stature of her appearance. Aurora looked docile... until she started speaking.

What the Troupe didn't know, however, was that Aurora was putting up a front. Whatever it is, Aurora saw her being a captive as too much of a risk to her life. Even if she was safe now, the situation might chance the moment she met their Boss.

At the off-chance that the Troupe decided to throw her away after getting what they want...

She would have no other choice but to fight. No matter how much she sucked at combat, or how slim the chances of survival would be...

All she needed right now, was an answer, and her fraying nerves would settle.

"Hah?" Feitan's cold voice echoed through the night. Aurora flinched a little. Her eyes fixated on him.

"Who do you think you are?" He said in a soft, yet dangerously low whisper.

The energy around him darkened. He didn't like Aurora's demanding attitude and his Nen spiked a little.

Feitan took a step forward and cracked his fingers.

"You're only alive, because boss ordered so. There's no use for you after this." He said and despite his mouth being masked, Aurora could see the cheeky grin from the way his eyes crinkled into cat-like slits.

'He's enjoying this.' she realized.

This jerk was enjoying her predicament! She clenched her jar as she tried not to fall into his provocative attitude. That twerp called Feitan was making it painfully hard for her to stay calm.

'Focus, Aurora. Focus.' she reminded herself mentally.

'Deep breaths. Don't lash out. You need to survive this.'

Her body started to quiver from holding back. To the Troupe it looked no different from a person shivering out of fear.

"Scared?" Feitan asked. He was now right in front of her with his claws stretched out. It amused him seeing her earlier confidence gone.

But.

He didn't know that Aurora wouldn't be Aurora if she did as told.

"You're lying." she said. Her face lifted to stare at him squarely.

Feitan flinched at the suddenness and intensity of her voice and glare.

He stopped in his movement and instead focused onto the stubborness that's shown in her eyes.

"What-" He was cut off by Aurora, who had slapped away his hand from her.

"You. Are. Lying." Aurora said, enunciating every word.

"You can't kill me. The fact that I'm still alive right now proves it." Her eyes narrowed into little slits as she figured out the answer.

"If you'd kill me after this, there would be no meaning in using me in the first place. Saving time?" Aurora asked and looked at Shalnark. "Shalnark could have figured out everything just as quick."

Shalnark rubbed his cheeks in slight embarrassment. Well, she had a point.

"In addition, if you all really cared about your comrade's life THAT much, you wouldn't be this calm. I witnessed his strength myself, so I understand. He's sturdy and won't go down that easily." Aurora nodded to herself as she remember how robust and strong Uvogin was, both his Nen and body.

Then, there was only one conclusion for why she was still alive. Initially, none of them had the intention to use her or her abilities to help locating Uvogin. They even doubted her claim as a journalist until... Chrollo meddled.

"... Your Boss wants something from me." She said. Her eyes lit up in a pink shimmer.

'...Why?' she added in her mind. She couldn't figure out exactly why or what he wanted from her. Her only assumption was her ability.

"Does it mean I will get to meet him after this?"

Her voice was light. Just the thought made her happy. The corner of her lips lifted into a smile. The thought excited her like a little kid receiving candy. She looked around the group with a beam like sunshine. Her eyes shone with excitement.

"..."

"Uh..." Franklin was the first to interrupt Aurora's radiant beam of light.

"It's true that our Boss did ask for you. But even I can not tell what he wants."

Franklin said. There was no use in hiding once the cat got out of the bag. He figured that it was quickest to just hurry and get it over with. The way he saw it, Aurora might end up as their comrade, after all.

The woman nodded. It didn't feel like a lie and she figured that asking any more would be pushing it. Instead she flipped around her laptop and revealed a map.

"He's here." Aurora said and pointed towards a spot on the map. "That's all the information you need, right?"

Chapter Text

Aurora watched with amusement as she saw the Phantom Troupe change their clothes into suits. Some even went as far, as to mask their faces with beards and new hairstyles.

"You are good at this," she said with a laugh and twirled the pen in her hand. She sat on the staircase inside of a fine clothing establishment. Her head lay supported by the palms of her hands. She resembled a flower in a flower vase while doing so. Her notebook lay open on her thighs.

Shizuku, Machi, Shalnark, Nobunaga and Phinks were currently preparing for the rescue of Uvogin. Franklin had left for their hideout, taking Owl with him. As for Aurora, as much as she wanted to follow the giant, she was forced to stay with the rest of the Troupe. She was their leverage, as well as too much of a "suspicious individual" to be taken to base.

No one said this, but it was clear that they kept her at arm's length.

There was a little change, however.

'I don't think they accuse me as much anymore.'

Albeit slightly, the Troupe's suspicion towards her seems to have eased. Just an hour ago, the sight of her moving her hands freely was impossible. After she shared her share of information, the Troupe members lowered their guard around her... just a little.

This little bit, was of great luck to Aurora! Just as she indulged in her joy, a voice cut her off.

"Oi- ", A man in blond suddenly said.

Right, there was a member that joined them in place of Franklin.

He looked towards his Troupe members and then pointed at her. "What's up with that?"

Aurora chuckled and tilted her head. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"I'm not a thing ~ ", she had finally won over a bit of trust and was in a good mood. She didn't need anyone to ruin that now.

"..."

Her response left him blinking. He turned back towards his team once more and repeated his gesture.

"Seriously," he said, "WHAT'S up with THAT?"

His trusted team mates greeted him with a shrug or other lackluster responses. Their blatant disinterest was baffling him. In what world did a hostage run around freely, like that?

It wasn't that the Troupe wasn't taking their job seriously, Aurora was just too much of a white sheet for them to bother. Heck, they were pretty sure that she enjoyed being around them. For her, this was nothing more than a little trip with classmates.

And so, they decided to let her be.

Unaware of that, Aurora sighed.

"I'm Aurora," she introduced herself, "...I just somehow got involved in all of this..."

She tilted her head and her red hair swayed along.

"Aa, sou...," Phinks said.

He had heard about the presence of a third party from Chrollo. And naturally, he was prepared for such a situation.

But when he arrived, the situation was completely different from what he had expected.

He expected for some force and violence, even Feitan torturing the heck out of them.

But the woman in front of him, was nothing like what he expected. She was cordial and even went-along with them. She was at ease around them, and even threw in some comments, remarks, or questions at them.

She approached them with sincerity. No matter, how one looked at it, there was no animosity in her behavior towards them.

'A rarity', Phinks thought.

Her whole attitude supported her claims to be a journalist with genuine interest in the Troupe.

"...Are you not going to introduce yourself?" she asked.

She had noticed him staring at her for a while now. Just from the way he kept a guard around her, she considered him to be one of the more reliable members of the group.

Despite that, he too referred to someone else as their boss. Aurora was growing more and more curious about the rest of the Troupe, and their 'Boss' especially. Just who was this mysterious leader that earned the respect and loyalty of these quirky and powerful individuals?

Phinks didn't reply to her. Instead, he turned away, and rolled his shoulders.

"Do whatever you want. Just don't get in our way."

A tall hotel building resided near the entrance of the West Subway Station, right in the middle of downtown Yorknew City. This was the building in which Uvogin was being held captive, and where Nostrade Bodyguards were gathered as well.

'I didn't know at first,' Aurora thought, 'But Kurapika is... likely involved.'

And so, were the others.

She was half doubtful and worried of her decision, but what other choice was there? Her decision had been made and set from the start. It was already too late to regret now.

'The time has come,' she realized when she saw the Troupe ring the intercom.

Just as she had predicted, Uvogin was held captive at one of the hotels under a chaperone of the Nostrade's. The bulky man was strapped, and tied down onto the metal table. Canisters of muscle relaxants lay stacked onto the corner of the room.

Aurora glanced at it and was surprised to see Uvogin still breathing. The amount was more than enough to take down even a herd of mammoth. It was certainly more than enough to knock a man down.

Your average man, that is.

Uvogin was anything BUT average.

None of the Troupe members she had met so far, could really be considered your average Nen User.

Not even Shalnark, whose abilities she considered as most "easy to find" so far, made up for it with his knowledge and intelligence.

She saw the way, they planned to infitrate the mafia security and building with Shalnark's strategy.

'They make this look like a child's play!' was what she thought back then. It was a bit ridiculous how easy this looked to them. A part of her was filled with jealousy, another part of her - the bigger of them two - was... thrilled.

Despite that, Aurora had her own plans.

After spending the last few hours with the Phantom Troupe, she had not only realized the difference in their abilities and skills, but she had also gathered enough information for her to form a new and better plan.

She needed the information, but even more, she needed the strength to live with it. 'Information was power.'

And -

'With power, comes danger.' Solomon had taught her this.

In some situations it was better to retreat and regroup after a successful haul. It was better to be the hunter and not the hunted.

Right now, Aurora had no powers to protect herself. She couldn't possibly hope to enter negotations if their leader proved to be as powerful and dangerous as she assumpted him to be.

This situation was about the best chance she could get for her impromptu plan:

'Make use of the chaos and escape.'

"l hope to see you again soon," she whispered and focused her Nen onto the tiny slip of paper, that lay hidden beneath her sleeve. "Under more favorable circumstances."

Machi was the first to notice that something was off, and yet she was a tad bit too late.

"Damn," she mumbled. Her senses dulled, and her sight grew cloudy as a wall of dust and mist blinded her.

It was only for a moment. But this temporary moment was enough for her Nen imbued strings to shatter.

Aurora had used the dust, that came from Uvogin's knocked down wall as a curtain to activate her skill.

She summoned a thin veil of mist along with the dust. It was very subtle, but quite efficient as it temporarily diluted the senses of those affected by it.

'I have to hurry,' she said, 'Knowing them it won't last long.'

Swift like the wind, she disappeared from the scene.

She ran without looking back. Her heart palpitated in her chest.

She considered this as her only chance. Her one and only.

There was no way to fix this, if they caught her now.

Aurora breathed out a shaky sigh and diminished her presence nearly instantly. She continued her dash in the shadows of the night like a mad(wo)man.

The hotel she was residing in, was located to the Eastgate of Town. It was a well-visited area with a lively nightlife. That's why, even though it was late, the streets were still filled with people.

Aurora stopped her mad dash once she saw the familiar scenery.

The sight of the nightlife city calmed her. She calmed her breathing and surveyed her surroundings. Nothing was off, everything seemed normal.

'Did I suceed?' she thought.

She waited a little more just to be sure, but when she noticed nothing strange after that, her fear was shed away and instead replaced with joy.

She hummed to herself pleasantly.

"This is only going to be a short goodbye~ " she sang, as she put on her favourite pair of pinkish glasses to hide away the pink shimmer in her lilac-blue eyes.

"Next time, " The pretty redhead said, "I'll go straight for the Head ~"

Chapter Text

Aurora Amaranth. That was her name. Little was Zeno Zoldyck surprised, when he saw the young red-haired that had appeared at the airport. The elderly man merely glanced at her through half-closed eyelids before snorting and turning his gaze away.

Unfazed by his behavior, Aurora's lips turned into a sweet sunny-side egg smile.

"Hello, Gramps!", she said, "It's been awhile."

"Hmpf," Zeno Zoldyck responded. He passed her by with light and soundless footsteps.

Behind him, Silva followed. The cold stare he gave her, got her stumbling in her tracks a little.

'Atta... He thinks of me as a nuisance...' she immediately understood.

"We meet again, kid." Zeno said, opening the conversation.

"Of course~" Aurora said. "Where there's news, there I am."

She glanced at the duo with her notebook and pen in hand.

"Seeing how both of you are here," she said, "the situation must be quite dire."

"Father," Silva started, but Zeno cut him off.

"Yare, yare. So you already know," Zeno replied. He glared at her sharp-eyed and with a raised eyebrow.

"Y-" she said, but was cut off abruptly.

"Let me warn you," Zeno interrupted her with a raised palm, "this job is different from any before."

"I-"

"This mission is barely worth its pay."

"Th-"

"You're courting death, kid."

"..."

Aurora waited for an extra second before she chose to respond.

"...I will ...keep that in mind," she said. A hesitant smile showed on her face.

To her, his words weren't anything unusual. She had lived most of her life, recklessly. It was in a sense a bad habit of hers, and not something that she had any intention of changing now, out of all times.

The world was full of wonders. The Phantom Troupe being one of them.

But seeing how the elderly man showed her a bit of - what she assumed to be - compassion, she felt gratitude.

"Thank you..." These words rolled over her lips uncomfortably. It felt a little bit awkward to be lectured at by an assassin, whom she had met a few times while on business.

She heard him clear his throat. Zeno made a small gesture with his fingers.

She immediately knew what he wanted.

Money.

"Of course, Jii-chan," she said with a vibrant smile, "I've got that covered!"

Unable to mask her joy at his permission, she felt like a huge burden had lifted from her shoulders. With this, she had one less thing to worry about. Who didn't like to be on the side of the World's best assassins?

'Hopefully, this is enough to start on even grounds,' she thought.

Her heart beat inside of her chest, a little nervous, but much more excited. Overall, she had a good feeling about this. Later, she would have to call Ney and give him her thanks for passing on the information.

A day ago, during the chaos of D-Day 1, Ney - with his network - had informed her of the Mafia contacting the Zoldyck's. Once this information was relayed to her, Aurora kept that news in the back of her mind. At the same time, she started her reckless chase after the Troupe.

Frankly, she didn't expect the next series of events that had happened - with Uvogin getting kidnapped, and her being held hostage - but in the end, everything worked out somehow. Aurora won't complain. It was exciting and fun.

"Looks like we aren't the only ones they hired," Silva said, and Aurora's attention went to him.

She noticed him eyeing their surroudings.

"According to what I know..." she said, "Excluding you, an addition of six assassins were hired."

"Kid, you've already snucked in," Zeno said.

'Oh, Jii-san... If only you knew what happened,' Aurora thought.

She masked yesterday's ordeal behind a playful smile.

"I didn't sneak in. I am a legal participant of the Auction." Aurora waved her ID Pass and Ticket in the air.

Neither Zeno nor Silva missed the golden rim on it. It signaled her as the owner of a VIP Ticket.

Aurora cleared her throat and resumed. Now wasn't the time for jokes.

"Moving on, let's see," she continued, "They are a group of freelance assassins. They possess different degrees of Nen mastering, and a variance in strength and experience as well. If I had to pick, I would rate their overall capability like this."

Aurora showed Zeno the little chart she had made, while they exited the airport.

Zeno glanced at it quickly before returning his gaze back to the streets. Silva quietly trailed along from behind. Neither Silva nor Zeno looked impressed.

"... Hm? Your reaction tells me something is missing, " she said, "What are your thoughts on them? Please tell me." She spun the pen in her fingers around, and flipped open a page in her book.

"They have quite a name to themself, actually. Especially this one," Aurora added and pointed towards a grey-haired man in a military / scout wear.

"... I have never encountered any of them," Silva said, "Not on duty at least."

Zeno remained quiet, with a sharp gaze in his eyes.

"Even the strong will fall. This isn't an easy job to earn your pay."

Aurora hummed to herself and scribbled down the words onto her notebook.

'Even the strong will fall... ' It was a fitting line to describe the power of the Phantom Troupe. Aurora had witnessed a bit of it firsthand. They were just that strong.

"Jii-san", Aurora interrupted the assassins as a sudden question popped up in her mind. "What about me? Would I survive an encounter with the Troupe?"

Both Zoldyck's leveled her with a stare. Aurora returned that gaze without wavering. She wouldn't tell them about yesterday, but she still wanted to know how an expert would view them. She needed to test whether her assumption was correct.

"Hmpf," Zeno snorted, "Such a pompous kid. "

"Let's see," he said, grinning, "If you survive today, I'll think about it."

His response baffled her. She wanted to ask more but the famous assassin duo had already begun to move. Their shadows leapt high into the night sky. They gradually became smaller and smaller until not even a trace of their silverblonde hair could be seen.

"Whatever..." she said as she bit on her lip, a little sullen. She by far wasn't done with her questions yet, but seeing how the two had just rushed off, she would have to hurry in order to catch up to them.

"I will get my chance another time."

Chapter Text

· · ─────── ·𖤓· ─────── · ·

Aurora waited with bated breath. In the stillness of the hall, the sound of her heart echoed in her ears like thunder.

A tiny droplet of water rolled down her lips, which she wiped away with her the back of her hand. The cold liquid smoothed her parched throat like droplets in a dessert.

In front of her was a large door. it was one amongst the many doors that connected her to the same room behind it.

Behind these doors, were Zeno and Silva Zoldyck.

Behind these doors, was also the Leader of the Troupe.

Just minutes prior, Aurora had reunited with the assassins again and tagged along with them as they checked out each floor of the building. In the end, she safely arrived her. But the grandpa and his son wouldn't allow for her to enter.

This did not deject her. Of course not. Not. at. all.

In the end, she had no choice but to let go and figure her way out on her own..

'Am I anxious?'

Not quite right.

Though her heart was beating loudly in her chest. Thump- Thump

Her fingers inched with the urge to write, to see, to think and to capture the moment and scenery in front of her. Be it as a picture, a novel, a story or a poem. Aurora felt the urge to imprint her experience onto something for the world to see.

She opened her bag and grabbed her little notebook.

After checking her surroundings, she scuffled towards a corner in the hall at the end of the place was now her little base of operation.

She flipped her notebook and opened up a random page. In it, was a little picture of Zeno Zoldyck.

She closed her eyes and focused her aura.

«Nen Ability "Focal Point" (The Centered Gaze of Knowledge)»

The moment she activated her ability, she felt the scenery around her shift. Her vision grew dim and with it, her body gradually numbed.

Her senses shut down one by one, until she felt herself floating in a state of total darkness. She soon felt a familiar, magnetic tug and pull.

She opened her eyes and found herself standing in a brightly lit room.

'Success!' She thought when she took in the things she could see.

Her breath hitched in her throat when she saw the familiar man in front of her.

He looked a little bit different, but it was that same raven-black hair with the pale skin. His sharp lifeless eyes look like they could swallow her whole. Dressed in a white shirt and black dress pants, he looked like a well-mannered, rich man but something about him frightened her to her core. She couldn't help the little shiver that crawled down her back.

'Is this really... Kuro?' she asked.

His appearance told her without a doubt that it was him.

'But he looks... so cold.' It was as if the person in front of her was nothing more but an empty shell, a mere husk of his former self. An invisible shadow in the shape of a man wrapped over him like a blanket. Was he still human?

A familiar flash flittered through her head and she saw a picture pop up in her mind. It was only for a very brief second, but she saw it clearly.

In a darkened world, there was an event that would only occure once every few years. The brightly lit sun overshadowed by the moon.

'A solar eclipse?' Aurora whispered.

Before she could ponder on it any longer, she was pulled back to 'her' reality.

Both Zeno, Silva and Kuro leapt away so suddenly, she had to focus all of her senses into not losing her grip on her ability. The speed in which they were fighting at, was straining her focus.

She saw the way Kuro went, head first, against the Zoldyck's with a knife in hand. He actually managed to cut Silva with that poison imbued knife.

She heard herself, no grandpa Zeno, check up on him. His own voice resounded in her ears. It was a sensation, she could never get used to no matter how many times she used her ability like this.

She saw Kuro discard the knife as he suddenly conjured a book.

'This must be his ability,' she thought.

"Be careful, father. He can steal your abilities with this," she heard Silva say.

Aurora bit her lip at that.

"What a frightening ability," she mumbled. And yet, what a fitting ability it was. The leader of the Thieves' Nen ability allowed for him to steal other's abilities.

Just as Aurora attempted to figure out the conditions of his ability, she suddenly felt a buzz run through her brain.

'Urgh-', she winched at the pain. Her vision slowly blurred again. From the corners of her eyes, dark spots appeard. She tried to blink them away and focus on the conversation and scenery in front of her, but it was to no avail.

Her ability has reached its limit.

It didn't take long for the familiar darkness to engulf her again. Sound, sight, smell, touch and taste dimmed. Back came the floating, and then another magnetic pull.

"NOOOO," Aurora yelled when she saw the familiar floor and wall in front of her again.

She buried her head in her hands and lamented the forced closure of her ability.

"I was so close too! AHHHHHH, ****!" A colorful vocabulary left her mouth as she sprung up from her sitting position and punched the innocent railing of the stairs once and twice.

In her initial fit of rage, Aurora didn't notice the familiar blondhaired that happened to stand there for his own goal.

Kurapika looked at her. His eyes wide-open as he slowly lowered the phone in his hand, limbly. His mouth stayed frozen openly, the moment their eyes met.

...

...

"Hello~," Aurora greeted him with a smile, "...Kurapika."

She approached him whilst quickly adjusting her hair and expression at the same time.

"...", Kurapika stared at her for a moment and then sighed, "We meet quite often."

"Funny coincidences, right?" she said cheerfully.

"It's truly a relief to see you're okay though," she softly exhaled, "I'm sure you have seen all the corpses on your way here as well."

"..." Kurapika didn't say anything for a moment and merely looked at her.

She knew what that gaze means. He had something to say, but wasn't sure whether to bring it up.

"... You're angry," she stated.

"..." Kurapika's stare penetrated her, until he finally said.

"Dalzonelle is dead."

"Ah...-" she said and looked down, "my condolences."

"Do you... really mean that?" she heard Kurapika's cold voice say. This was followed by the sound of chains rustling.

The air around him suddenly shifted. It was controlled and sharp, like a hand on a hilt, ready to be used at the owner's choice.

He directed his chains at her.

"Just one question," he said, "Are you one of them?"

She felt it.

His wrath.

She saw it in his body language. She heard it in his voice. She knew, that he wouldn't hesitate to attack her if she answered wrong.

But...

She wasn't scared of him. Because, beyond that fury what Aurora saw was compassion.

Kurapika's heart was bursting in a flame of rage... and pain. He felt anger, joy and sorrow like anyone else. Right now, she was sure that his fury and thirst for revenge was driven by the sake for others, as well.

"No," she said.

One word. Followed by nothing but a clear gaze. This was her only response, and the only thing she had to say at this point.

Kurapika gritted his teeth at the overwhelming sense of frustration.

He knew that she wasn't lying. That she isn't wrong. That all of this was merely a coincidence. These weren't the eyes nor words of a liar and neither did the dowsing chain react. His heart and body agreed. He should be relieved, that she wasn't one of them. But... How can he get rid of this frustration and avenge the lives taken?

She saw that he was battling himself, and hoped that the worst was over... for now. She sighed slightly and relaxed a little.

"Damn," she heard him curse.

Kurapika abruptly retracted his chains. They disappared back into his sleeves.

He turned around to slowly descend the stairs.

"Wait a minute-," she stopped him.

Kurapika stilled without turning around.

Now that she had stopped him, she wasn't sure what to say.

"Why..." she said slowly, "Why do you hate them so much?"

The quiet hallway suddenly seemed so loud. It echoed the silence and tension in the air obnoxiously.

"Because there's evil that needs to be chained down," Kurapika said.

She watched the young boy retreat with a dark shadow of death looming behind him.

She had no words to console him with. Someone that has set their eyes on something with a resolve like that, wasn't going to listen to anyone.

'Much less an outsider like me,' she mumbled to herself.

She knew that there wasn't much she could do or say at the moment. And so, she would just bid him goodbye and wish him the best.

Atleast, that's what she intended to do...

"... Hang in there, Kurapika,"

... but this time, she took a chance.

"Don't lose sight of what's truly important to you," she pointed a finger at him as if to challenge him.

Kurapika stopped, speechless at her action. "Uh-.."

"I don't agree with what you've said. So... let's live and see who's right after we have grown a little wiser!~", she said with a smile.

She saw him blinked a few times, before the tiniest helpless smile played with the corner of his lips.

He turned with a shake of his head. Nobody really knew what was going through his mind at the moment.

Seeing him leave, Aurora steeled her resolve as well.

'I need to do the same...' the next step towards her important mission was right before her.

It's time to meet the last boss!

Chapter Text

And so they met again. Whether this was an encounter by choice or fate, Aurora greeted the Leader of the Spider's, once she entered the hall.

Debris and dust flew everywhere. The back of the building had been completely crushed from the destructive force of the fight. Chrollo lay on the floor with his face towards the ceiling.

"It was but a short goodbye~", Aurora approached with a smile.

"... It's you," Chrollo said as he sat up. He crossed his legs with an arm bend over his knee. His eyes focused on the woman with red. "You troubled my team quite a bit."

"Hahaha...," she chuckled shortly, "Sorry, I needed a guarantee. In order to live."

"I'm back now, though," she said. 'And I won't be leaving soon, too.'

"We can't have you running off whenvever you want to. It's troublesome." He said with a light, exasperated sigh. A tiny smile appeared, but his eyes remained cold.

"Why? Were you provoked by it?" She retorted slyly and elegantly brushed aside a strand of her hair. A hint of apology and shrewdness showed in her eyes.

'Interesting,' Chrollo thought.

Her confidence seeped into his bones, making him wonder about the depths of her knowledge and skills.

"You aren't surprised to see me," he said, "which means, you already know who I am. Should I congratulate you?"

She smiled a little when she heard his question. There was a hint of sarcasm and malice hiding behind his polite interior. He was dangerous, like a poisonous viper hiding behind the sweet fruit of an apple tree.

"No. Forget it, " she said.

"You're scared," he countered.

Aurora bit down her inner-check.

"That's ridiculous. I am not! Afraid." She took a step forward with a little huff of her chest, as if to cement herself and her opinion onto the ground.

"If this truly was our first meeting, I wouldn't say this. But it's not! I don't need your charity."

'No...' There she goes again.

That stubborness and refusal that she'd shown him from their first meeting on.

Just like the fierceness of fire, to him, she resembled a blaze. Passionate, fierce, uncontrollable... and yet so devastingly stunning and beautiful. She was out of control. Out of his hands...

Had he ever met such a person before? Certainly. And he had yet to fail taming even one of them.

What was it that made her different from everyone else he had met?

He didn't know. And it fascinated him. Just a little.

'No, is it?' Chrollo thought.

He smiled, a soft chuckle that came from the depth of his throat. He watched the way her eyes narrow slightly in surprise, "You're misunderstanding something, Aurora-san. It wasn't me you met before."

"...What do you mean?" she asked with narrowed eyes, "You're making things confusing."

'Unneccessary so,' she whispered to herself. How bad for him (or for her) that she was the curious type.

Chrollo didn't reply. He took a few steps towards her and closed the gap between them. His steps were slow and steady.

Not wanting to relent, she stubbornly stood her ground and glared at him. Her eyes carefully followed every movement of his. She was by no means small, and yet Chrollo was still a head taller than her.

She shrugged her arms in front of her chest as if that could give her any leverage against being looked down at by him.

'This is infuriating,' she thought.

Chrollo closed in enough for her to feel the echoes of his steps through the floor. What's worst is that it didn't seem like he would stop soon.

"Just what are you doing?", she demanded.

'Just a little bit more and-'

- he would run into her.

She felt uneasy and flared her Nen. Chrollo did the same and easily protected himself against hers. During the whole time, his eyes never gazed away from her, and she did the same.

Chrollo's dark eyes were deep like a swamp. She felt herself drawn to them in a gravital pull that she could not escape from. She sank into them, sank into the darkness, sank into the shallow, the abyss; the depths of Chrollo's being.

It was already too late when she realized the fear.

It had slowly seeped into her heart like venom in her veins. Deep, dark, mysterious. Painful...

He was a frozen lake.

'It's cold.'

'So cold...' Aurora shuddered. Her whole body felt frozen: and a familiar saying she once read flashed in her mind.

If you gaze into the abyss, the abyss too shall gaze back at you.

'No. Snap out of it!'

Slap!

'Ow-' Her cheeks stung from the force she used to slap herself awake. They had become swollen in a red that lightly resembled her hair. But at least with the pain, came back the much needed warmth. She may have lost the battle, but not the war.

Before Aurora could fully enjoy her victory, the inevitable happened and she came face to face with his chest.

He didn't show skin but through the white shirt she could very well see the well-defined muscles. Big chest muscles, toned arms, broad shoulders... guys and girls alike would go crazy for him.

As her thoughts wandered around in a blissful tangent from the eyecandy in front of her, Aurora couldn't help the slight smug smile that appeared on her lips.

'Hm~ He's certainly a ten out of ten!' she mumbled to herself, not noticing the weird look Chrollo was giving her.

'This woman...' he thought. Was she fawning over his body? In this situation...

If her little smile, pondering gaze and with interest shimmering eyes were any indication for that then Chrollo was dealing with a weirdo. Or frankly said: a pervert.

He decided that he did not like that.

With a hand reached out he covered her sight and flicked that forehead of hers. Flick.

"Ow!" Aurora scowled up at him. A little red mark was already showing on her forehead.

She looked back up and saw Chrollo facing her sideways.

'Hm~' she mused at the hint of shyness.

Even as she faced his side, she couldn't help but nod in affirmation to herself. Amongst all the dudes she had met in her life, he was definitely a top scorer! Resisting the urge to take a picture, Aurora resumed the conversation.

"Ahem," she cleared her throat. "What did you mean with-"

Unable to finish her question, the doors opened and the rest of the Troupe members came.

'They sure like to interrupt me.'

She watched as they gathered around Chrollo like a herd of sheep.

"Hm?" A few questioning gazes came her way.

"Hello~" Aurora greeted heartily with a big smile and wave at them.

"Hello, my ass!" The Troupe thought in unison.

Phinks cracked his knuckles and smiled lowly. "So you came here to die, how nice of you."

"Hahaha..." Aurora laughed and slowly retreated behind Chrollo's back.

He watched her from the corner of his eyes.

"So... uhm... listen," she said in a whisper. "We are kinda friends now, aren't we? Acquitances even? I mean look, you even recommended me a book! Doesn't this make us book buddies?"

'You wouldn't kill your book buddy, wouldn't you?' She quietly insinuated as she stared up at him with wide innoccent eyes.

Chrollo looked down at her blankly for a quiet second. It was not like she had the ability to sway him in anyway. If she was useless to the group, he would discard of her right away. But for now..., well, for now she might be useful.

The corner of Chrollo's lips lifted slightly into a miniscule smile. It was not often that he'd would meet someone who was brave enough to challenge him and skillfull enough to do so.

'She did not budge at all.' He remembered.

This little oddball of a woman was challenging him in all of her ways. And he knew, someone as stubborn as her would not stop to pursue them until she got what she wanted.

"She's coming with us. For now."

Hearing his words Aurora threw a mental fist pump into the air.

Yes, score! My interview with the Troupe, I'm coming!~

Unbeknowst to her, a small blissful look was forming on her face when she celebrated her success mentally. She quickly caught herself hoping that no one noticed.

However, she was facing the formidable Troupe. Of course, they saw it.

Chapter Text

A reason for living.

It was an abrupt question Chrollo had never thought about. It rarely occured that someone asked him this with such a sincerity. No one really cared enough to ask him. The people that did, without a doubt, wished for his demise. Asking this was the only way, they could rationalize the cruelty of his actions.

Maybe like this, the pain they endured could find some meaning.

But Chrollo never asked himself that. Not even once.

He glanced down at the calm voice next to him. Her voice was neither low nor high. It was soothing and flowed like clear fountain water on a summer's day. Her lilac-blue eyes looked at him wide open. There was a cat like curiosity and intensity in them.

The stage light that was placed at the other end of the room, reflected a marbel shimmer in her eyes. It was just enough for him to see the soft pink sparkles in them.

Chrollo's mouth parted.

"I see... I never thought about it before... That's..." He said. "An interesting question."

Taken aback at his remark, the gears in Aurora's head turned, and slowly clicked into place - like a clockwork.

A content chuckle escaped her lips.

"What's funny?" Chrollo asked.

"Hahaha, guess." she said.

"Then... I shall pass." He refuted with a blink.

"Hey-" she said with a huff, "here's where you're supposed to say: «Sure, you are such a charming young lady. I can't help thinking 'bout you girl~»"

"..."

"It's a joke!" Aurora jumped up. A tad bit embarrassed at the deadpan look he gave her.

After Aurora rose, she winced. Staring down at her immobile right arm she dreaded the memory that came with it.

The curtain flicked open and Pakunoda entered, a silver cart in front of her.

Aurora glanced through the open curtain. The brilliant stage opened up widely in front of them. It was but a short moment of glamour. Soon the curtains fell back into place, casting a long, depressed silence backtage.

"How many items left?" Pakunoda asked.

Aurora unintentionally flinched and craddled her broken arm and bandaged neck reflexively.

He eyes locked with the mature blond woman in front of her. Pakunoda refuted her blatant stare with another one of her own.

Slowly, ever so slowly Aurora forced the muscles on the corner of her lips to move. She hoped a genuine smile appeared on her face rigt now.

Now it was Pakunoda's turn to freeze. Her gaze wandered for a bit before she replied with a small, stoic nod.

Beneath her friendly facade, Aurora huffed a sigh of relief. For a walking pool of information like her, Pakunoda was seriously bad news. Her natural nemesis so to speak.

Once she assured a safe distance from Pakunoda, she sunk back into her status as an observer and scuffled closer to her little, secure corner. She should have been elated, but the memory of that still haunted her.

· · ─────── ·𖤓· ─────── · ·

Flashback

After Aurora reunited with the Phantom Troupe

"Paku. Check her." Chrollo commanded, seemingly out of nowhere

Aurora didn't have time to understand the meaning behind his words. Too soon did she feel push from behind. She stumbled a few steps forward and turned around, giving her offender, Chrollo, a nasty glare.

Chrollo's gaze remained as impassive as always. It reminded her that there was something more important for her to address.

'Check?'

From the Troupe a woman with short bob-length blonde hair approached. She wore a suit with a cleavage, making Aurora wonder how that attire was even able to cover... those boo- 'I mean bazookas.' Bazookas, indeed. She nodded to herself with a dry chuckle, until she remembered that it was rude to stare and threw Chrollo a wary glance.

'What's the meaning of this?' Her gaze demanded.

Chrollo didn't move an inch. He just...

stood there, watching her throw arrows at him with her subtle, not so subtle glare.. She was really too intense.

'Idiot!' He could the unspoken words crawl up his skin.

She was amusing. He could give her that.

Aurora turned away with a frown, when she realized that he had no intention of helping her. Her senses however were tickling and ringing like a high end fire alarm. This was just her instinct speaking... but as far as she was concerned that woman in front of her was dangerous - a lot.

'Remember Aurora -' She heard Solomon's voice. A scenery from not so long ago played in her mind.

To be exact, it was an event that happened shortly after she had mastered her Nen abilities well enough, for her to be sent on solo missions. Solomon wasn't fickle, unlike Ney, and thus, once he approached her with a serious voice, she had actually paid attention for once.

'...It is better to be the hunter and not the hunted...'

Aurora tilted her head down with a smile. This was something she obviously knew. Wasn't this just common sense?

'Out there, you'll meet many people who desire something from you. Sometimes it's what you have, sometimes it's what you have to acquire... But just like how you are willing to risk your live to attain information, others will do everything in order to protect theirs...'

She tilted her head in confusion. She wasn't sure where this was going.

'I'll be frank... What's the price you'd pay to keep your secret-...?'

The current her, didn't remember her answer anymore.

This well-ingrained memory had become a part of her already.

That's why, when Pakunoda stretched out her hand to touch her, Aurora moved like a well-tuned machine, led by nothing more but simple muscle memory.

Summoning a knife from the strap hidden under her skirt, Aurora pinpointed it towards her target at extraordinary speed.

It was too fast. Or rather too unexpected for Pakunoda to interrupt, and she quickly stepped back to fend of the attack...

But...

"!" Pakunoda gasped.

The knife wasn't directed at her.

'If she touches me, I die. If she touches me, I die. If I spill anything, I die. Crap! This woman is dangerous! Far too dangerous. I... - This is too dangerous... - I have to...-'

'You are a treasure. My most precious piece of art. Only you are not allowed to fall into prey. Live and survive. Live, even as piles of bodies gather beneath your feet. Live, even as your world is dyed in red...' A voice from somewhere afar interrupted her train of thought.

'Where- did it come from? Who is... the one speaking to her?' She didn't remember. Although she didn't remember it felt so familiar and comforting to her...

But none of that mattered. 'If I can't escape... At least I have to make sure to keep my secrets.'

She took a deep hesitant breath and jammed the knife into her throat. She involuntarily shivered from the impact. The sharp metal tore through the last little piece of protection - her skin - , and dived deep enough to tear through the vessels beneath it.

Immediately the taste of blood filled her mouth. The sharp pain hit her like a raging torrent

almost instantly, and with it blood spurted out of her mouth like the fresh hot lava of an errupting volcano.

'Urgh- Shit! This. hurts.'

Her eyes filled with an incredible pain just by staying open. The knife between her fingers trembled.

'I- can't move it...' Aurora flinced. The metal stuck to her flesh started to heat up from the red liquid spilling on it.

Her world turned and came to a sudden halt when she fell against something hard.

"Paku!" Someone screamed. But Aurora wasn't aware of anything else. The mantra repeated in her mind over and over again.

I have to die. I have to kill myself.

Whatever it is, under no circumstances was she allowed to let this woman touch her. The risk was just too huge.

'The price of my secret, huh?' Aurora thought in her haze.

'A pity-...' she thought.

'I was this close...'

She was ready to face death. She had faced it many times. No, she already died once. She was convinced of that.

Still, she was this close from achieving one of her top placed goals.

She had lived her life freely, playing a high risk game, with a high a return. She bargained and nearly succeeded.

It annoyed her that she had missed that goal by only a slight margin, but...

'Ney, Solomon. I'm sorry.' Bidding her mental goodbyes, Aurora faced the imminent darkness with a smile.

'I'll be taking these secrets to my grave.'

Chapter Text

When Aurora woke up, she assumed to have crossed over the river of styx. The last thing she remembered was a numbing pain met with darkness.

This time, instead, she was met with another discomforting pain that resembled that of a burning sensation running through her body. It started from her right nail and fingers and crawled up all the way to her brain.

It was this crippling pain that had startled her conscious to awaken.

"Remove your Nen." A soft but commanding voice said. Her voice was void of any emotions except for a bit of listlessness and exasperation in it.

Either way, Aurora didn't listen. Her eyelids felt too heavy and closed again when suddenly she felt and heard a nasty crunch from her right. Once again pain ran through her body like a shockwave.

"A- iuu- wahh-!" A sharp burning pain jostled her awake, but she was unable to turn her head to the side.

"Feitan! Go easy on her!" Someone said.

Aurora tried to force herself awake and see what was going on, but the sight of green eyes and pink hair stopped her.

"Put away your Nen. I can't treat you like this."

"Ma... chi?" Aurora whispered softly.

Machi paused briefly and sighed.

Seeing her, Aurora listened. Tears welled up in her eyes and she bit down onto her lips to ignore the pain on her right.

"Stay still." Machi said as she leaned over her a Nen thread in hand.

Flashback End

· · ─────── ·𖤓· ─────── · ·

In hindsight, it was all thanks to Machi's generous treatment - she had demanded the bills for it -, that Aurora managed to see another day.

She didn't know the exact reason why... but seeing how they saved her, she figured that they wouldn't do anything to trigger her... as of this moment.

Pakunoda too, kept her distance from her. Although, there was a sense of distrust in her eyes, the woman didn't act onto it.

She glanced at Chrollo next to her.

'I knew it. He holds the power.'

Either way, the danger that was Pakunoda should be, forgone... momentarily.

But just as one left, another one had appeared.

Feitan who had his time to shine - when it was his turn to oh, so graciously keep Aurora conscious - had comitted to his task dutifully... Wonderfully even...

'Maybe he had done just a little bit too much of a good job.' The woman added grimly.

If his sneaky smile and constant mocking voice had any other meaning, but to rile her up, she was sure it was to emphasize his "exhilaration at being the one who saved her"...

It was nothing other than torture though.

"I saw it neccessary to keep you awake." Chrollo had said, but as Aurora glanced down at her broken arms and fingers, secured in a makeshift cast, she couldn't help but wonder about that vehemently. It still hurt and throbbed badly even now. She wasn't sure whether she could bear it without her Nen.

"You know... I like to write... Even more so than I like to read." She stared down at her still functioning left hand and clenched it into a fist.

"Is that so... It doesn't matter. It will heal, and broken bones heal into stronger ones." Chrollo said, with a lack of interest.

"What-? " Aurora said and shook her head with an exasperated sigh. "That only counts if they are broken right. I doubt Feitan had the generosity to break them like that!" she refuted.

'Correct.' Chrollo agreed. 'She has a good grasp of the members already.'

Aurora couldn't help but sulk slightly. Was she supposed to be thankful or get mad here? She didn't know. The one thing she did know, was dutifully commited to her memory:

'Never get close to that Pakunoda woman.'

"So... have you come to an answer?" Aurora said, deciding to switch her topic to something she liked. The interview!

"I agreed to keep you alive but I didn't say anything about taking you seriously."

Her eyes opened wide. 'The audacity of this b-'

"... Aren't you high-maintenance." She mumbled to herself, before facing him again.

"I'm not the type to give up either, you know? I always get what I want. Always. No matter how hard it is to attain. I won't give up."

'I don't know how to give up.'

She saw the tiniest resemblance of a smile on his lips.

But maybe it was just the stage light, shining through the stage curtain's, that were playing a trick on her. Aurora couldn't tell what was hidden beneath that mask of his and the others. She didn't know the reason, she was kept alive after all... And more importantly, she didn't know for how long.

As Aurora nestled her arm closer to her, pondering over her situation, a strange wave of drowsiness overwhelmed her. She couldn't help but realize that she had bitten off much more than she could chew and was now facing the consequences for it.

'Still...Be it. as it is... I won't... give... up...'

With her mind insisting on hanging onto it, Aurora escaped into wonderland.

Chapter Text

{Sleeping Beauty}

· · ─────── ·𖤓· ─────── · ·

When the time to relocate had arrived, the Troupe did not expect to find the lycorice-head slumped against one of the boxes next to the wall.

Her long, wavy hair covered half of her face and did a proper job, acting as a tiny cushioner and pillow for her to rest in.

Her chest heaved up and down slightly, resembling a subtle wave and with it, a strand of hair that had lost its way from the rest, fell from its hold.

It trickled down, flickering like a trail of water.

This was a strangely endearing sight, so serene, even the Troupe was moved... without even knowing why.

So when Phinks had passed her by, on one of the many occasions while he was looking for the last few auction items, he was baffled to see Chrollo, his leader, turning a page from his book after giving a few directions, as if there wasn't a stranger sleeping next to him.

"Is something bothering you, Phinks?"

"Uh... Boss..."

Chrollo looked up wordlessly.

"W-Well..." He glanced at Aurora and fell silent. "Oh- Shalnark found some clues about the chain user."

"Sharlnark did? Great job as always. What is it?"

"..."

"Phinks."

"I can't do this after all. Boss, do you plan to let her join?" Chrollo closed his book and glanced at the girl sleeping next to her.

"It is a possibility. We just lost Uvo and she doesn't seem to be leaving either."

- 'Not until she gets that goddamn interview.' He added. -

"But Nobunaga seems to have taken a liking to those kids, you let escape... I don't need to make any rash decisions. We still have time."

"Well, whatever your decision is, we will follow you, Boss..."

"Is there something you aren't saying, Phinks?" Chrollo pointed out.

"U-uh... it's just... I don't think she belongs to us Spiders. She's... too much of a nice person."

"It's unlike you to think about what's good and bad. Don't you think it's too late now...?" Chrollo said, lowering his head with a light chortle and teasing smirk.

Phinks rubbed his neck swallowing a blush.

Silence fell around the, as heavy as mist. This silenve carried the weight of hundred words. It weighted just as heavy as what was on Chrollo's mind.

"...Technically, no... it shouldn't be possible... However Phinks, maybe you can tell me. Does she remind you of someone we know?"

"Huh?" Phinks pondered for a moment. "Sorry, boss. Never saw her. And never met a person like that either." Chrollo couldn't help but notice the use of pronouns.

"That's fine." Chrollo said. "Your answer is enough."

Seeing his boss returning to his book, Phinks went back to his tasks.

· · ─────── ·𖤓· ─────── · ·

Shortly after Phinks left, Shalnark passed by carrying a pair of red glowing eyes in his arm.

"Yo, Boss! This is the last Auction item according to Kortopi, shall we gather the rest-" He paused with his mouth agape.

"OOOHH-! What's that!" Shalnark asked and leaned in as if he had just found the newest game console on the market.

Only that this time, his gaze wasn't focused onto a game or anything else, like that but a living - and sleeping - person instead.

"So she's still alive, I guess! Must have passed out because of the pain. I don't blame her, Feitan can be pretty nasty with his pranks." He said offhandedly, with a shrug that feigned innocent, but also showing that he did not care.

"Still... That's interesting... She's sleeping quite peacefully for someone who just had a near death experience... But I guess, I should at least expect this much for someone who wants to interview us, hahaha." Shalnark said with a laugh.

"So, Boss? What do we do now. Can we take her with us?" He added.

Chrollo smiled ever so coldly. "Is this your sign of approval, Shal?"

"No way!" Shalnark defended.

"You are keeping her alive, that's why everyone is assuming this. But... it sure is nice huh? To have a cool ability like that. Some people sure have it nice~!" He said playfully as he put a hand on his hip, the remote controller in his hand.

Chrollo nodded.

"You are useful for our Troupe too, Shal. As the Head of the Spider's, I have chosen each and every one of you for a purpose."

"Hahaha! Thanks, Boss! I'm glad to hear that. Although this is just a run-of-the-mill ability, that you can easily replace..." Shalnark finished with a shrug, his playful voice growing more serious towards the end.

"I have no intention of conceding my seat voluntarily ever." Chrollo allowed another burst of air to escape through his lips.

"Yes, thank you."

· · ─────── ·𖤓· ─────── · ·

"Good work, Paku." Chrollo greeted the blonde lady that had just returned to the backstage again after selling off the last of the Auction Items.

Pakunoda looked at him. She didn't want to admit but things had gotten a little awkward between them.

For one thing, whenever she looked at the man, there was a tiny pang of pain in her chest. An unreasonable, insensible, dulling pain that should have been buried and long forgotten by the passage of time.

Remembering, when they were just children, so blissfully innocent and pure.

Despite growing up in the infamous region known as Meteor City, their days were bright.

There was a sun blazing in the hopelessness that lay there. A light that came from no one, but Chrollo himself.

His smile that was as radiant as the sun, his light that shone with kindness and brought joy to all those watching him...

Back then, all that they wanted was to perform... eternally! It was a wish and yearning never granted to them.

The bright stage they were standing on now, was far too dark, for it to hold any resemblance of the little peace of haven they had in the past.

Their dreams of becoming notorious and infamous as a Troupe had been granted.

They fulfilled their wishes and lingering regrets with Chrollo as their leader... but at what cost?

A bud of love that was never meant to bloom. - In the end, that was all that they were.

Pakunoda always found answers by searching the memories of others, and yet, no matter how much she searched her own ones... She never found the answer, that lurked in the depths of her own ocean.

"...Thanks, Boss..."

'That smile is lost now.' Pakunoda thought as she looked at the raven-head.

And now, Chrollo was no longer Chrollo. At some point along the line, he had become just 'Boss' for the majority of them.

A trusted figure,

a loved being,

a respected entity...

And while, none of them would claim that their love nor respect for him had changed in anyway. That they, in the end, still loved and cared for him as much as they did for their own...

As Pakunoda watched the space beside her empty, a shallow whispering thought echoed from within the dried well of her heart...

'When did we change?'

· · ─────── ·𖤓· ─────── · ·

A ceiling of bricks and stars spread across the dark seawater-colored night sky above them.

The slightest shimmer of light flickered from the corner of her eyes. Aurora jolted awake.

"Finally up?" The voice soft and light like feathers falling from a pillow's bursting.

"Urgh..." She winced at the pain in her arm. "...Where am I?"

Her eyes flickered across the room. Stone and bricks lay scattered above each other. The floor she was in, was slightly elevated and it took her a moment to realize that most likely, she was resting on the remains of a second floor of whatever discarded ruined building the Troupe had decided to stay in.

'So this is their hideout?' It was a reasonable assumption, which Aurora did not bother to rectify.

She looked at the familiar raven-head next to her. Only the faint light of a candle flickered in front of him. He was - as usual - holding a book, His Nen Conjured Book, in his hand. Suddenly, Aurora had a very, very bad feeling about this.

She slid her feet off the stone block she had been resting on like a lamb brought to slaughter on an altar.

"Hold on. Who brought me here?" Chrollo snapped his book shut and stood up following her actions.

"... I want to at least say thank you to whoever carried me here before I die..." She took a hesitant step backwards as Chrollo approached her, leaving her to topple over a stray piece of rock and toppling over clumsily.

"Urgh-"

Really, could her day get any worse?

"There are two choices for you... Amaranth-san." She flinched at the polite form, he was using. Biting down on her lower lip, she realized the severity of the situation, stood up and offered him a glare after tidying herself up. He threw her a few pieces of paper, neatly lined up.

"This is... an oracle? I didn't know you were into occult..., on the other hand... nevermind - it does fit."

"So? What about it?" She asked, genuinely curious now.

"Use your ability."

"What?" She asked genuinely confused.

"Feitan-"

"Wait a minute-! Just wait. A minute. I said "What", not that I wouldn't do it. People can get confuse, you know?" She immediately cut him off.

She swore she heard someone sigh with disappointment below.

Her eyes shot up at Chrollo with fury flaming through them. She took the pile of papers from his hands, and...

«Scoop (Sensational News)»

Chrollo's eery gaze that lingered on her, allowed for a tiny droplet of sweat to roll down her back. But she ignored it and chose to focus on enhancing her collection of associations.

The number of oracles, the words, and phrasing, from its structure and metaphors mentioned, she fell into a string of words. Little fragments of heavens appeared on by one. Colors interweaved into a playful mosaic, creating the image of a world built upon stardust. Of the universe built upon fragments and cosmos.

This space was something, they'd later refer to as the "collective consciousness" but for now, this was just the world Aurora saw whenever she delved into "Scoop."

· · ─────── ·𖤓· ─────── · ·

On the outside, unbeknownst to her, a red-pinkish hued aura had begun to wrap itself around her like a blanket.

It wasn't smooth liked the way most seasoned Nen-User, who knew how to control their Nen, controlled it.

Nor was it spiking as when they used Hatsu. No, contrary to everything Chrollo saw before, her Nen was bubbling.

These nen bubbles separated into the tiniest of fragments, splitting, falling and turning to dust like stars did.

These dust - looking like particles surrounded her body, making her figure glow in a hazy, close to transparent, amaranth-colored light.

As Chrollo quietly admired this cosmic display of Nen, Aurora's eyes suddenly flashed open. The pink sparkles in her eyes, moved around like a lost beehive before coming to a calm and finally setting in and disappearing back into their usual dullness. Her solemn, startled gaze flashed through the crowd below them, before they settle onto Chrollo.

"You guys are in some pretty dang deep shit."

· · ─────── ·𖤓· ─────── · ·

Chapter Text

{Casting The Dice}

· · ─────── ·𖤓· ─────── · ·

There are times, in which you find yourself coming face to face with unexpected situations. Today's sunshine might turn into a sudden downpour the next day. The road you usually traverse in might suddenly get blocked by a traffic jam. The ATM that always worked might suddenly stop working. There are times in which you are counting for something to work, only to find it broken or amissed, right when you needed it.

Small mishaps like these happened. They were common occurences that greeted us in our every day lives.

Aurora finished her assessment with a sigh. Small mishaps happened. They were common occurences, so, for the love of god, why must the lives of these notorious criminals be so out of the norm? As if a small mishap wasn't worth mentioning, the revelations they received were a huge bomb dropped upon them. Normal people would have experienced a seizure one after the other, living in the skin of the Troupe for even just a day.

"You have two choices..." Aurora said, repeating the words Chrollo had spoken to her before. "Either do or die. As sad as I am to tell you this, the oracles are true... By the way..."

Their eyes met.

"...No... it's fine."

'This is Neon's Lovely Ghostwriter... I'm sure of it.'

Pitying the girl and her loss of ability, Aurora sent a tiny prayer, hoping for nothing bad to befall the quirky mafia princess.

"How much did you see? What else do you know?" Chrollo asked.

Aurora stared at the wide-open night sky above her. The moonlight fell through the broken ceiling. But the moon was out of sight. The stars twinkled, just like the thoughts roaming inside of her mind.

Aurora crossed her arms, absentmindedly craddling her injured one while doing so.
"Well... I could tell you, but what's in there for me?-"

Chrollo opened his mouth-
But Aurora wouldn't allow for him to speak.

"No. I won't hesitate to commit suicide, if you threaten me with violence again... I have more ways to die than you could ever imagine."

Her voice lowered dangerously, showing how serious she was.

Electricity sparked as they engaged in a silent staring battle. It was quiet. Quiet enough that even the sound of a falling needle could be heard loud and clear.

Chrollo sighed.
"Very well. Name your conditions, you must have some... Informant-san."

Her eyes opened a slight margin. Alertness reflected in them. Aurora chose to stay quiet, instead of saying something. She settled for a tiny glare and turned back to the topic.

'Change of mindset~!'

"Ahem..." she cleared her throat.
"First," she lifted up a single index finger, "please refrain from needless violence and bloodshed towards me. I prefer to talk things through. Thank you very much."

'Needless...' Chrollo repeated.

"Second," she flashed a smile, a little wink and raised up her broken arm, "Treat me."

· · ─────── ·𖤓· ─────── · ·

"Argh-!! What's taking them so long? We should hurry and find that god damn chain user."

Nobunaga complained whilst scratching his armpit through the loose sleeves of his hakama.

"Mah... Just wait a lil', Nobunaga. How about you join us?" Shalnark offered, holding up a hand full of cards in his hands.

"Boss will need to think about it seriously," Franklin added.

"Half of us might die after all," Shizuku ended, whilst checking her own hand of cards.

Nobunaga impatiently tapped the floor with his woodened heels. He was irritated and bored to death. Things had been going south for him, ever since they entered Yorknew City. He just did not click with this city.

Suddenly, the sound of shuffling cards from the other end of the room caught his attention...

Hisoka.

'This bastard.'

He could never come to term with that arrogant 'bastard' from the moment he first joined.
He knew Hisoka was strong and Chrollo regarded his abilities highly. But he could never bring himself to even trust the two-faced jester even just a little. His strength was worthy. This is where their loyalty ended and the spot in which Nobunaga drew the line.

Hisoka smiled when he saw Nobunaga's gaze on him.

"Oi- Hisoka. Show me that oracle of yours again." The samurai said.

Hisoka shuffled his stack of cards, singling out a sole card, doubling it, multiplying it before making it all disappear in a fluid hand motion.

"I refuse," he said after pulling out a single card and holding it up to his mouth, "After all, Boss isn't here and you can't force me to show you the details of my future. I don't trust you"

"Hisoka you-!" Nobunaga cursed, moving a hand towards his hilt.

"Oi, Nobunaga." Shalnark called out.

"What a brawl?"

"Is something interesting about to happen?"

Feitan and Phinks joined the incoming action, when they heard the swordsman raise the volume.

Franklin sighed, thinking whether he should intervene or not. He decided that it was not worth it.

"Rule Number 1. Troupe members are not to fight each other. IF there are any disparities, it will be resolved through a coin toss." Kortopi said and tossed over a coin towards Nobunaga.

He caught it with a hmpf.

"Ya fine with that, Hisoka? Let's do this!"

Hisoka just shrugged with a tiny smile. "...Fine."

Nobunaga flipped the coin and caught it.

"Heads, you show me your oracle." He said and revealed the results-

"What are you guys doing? Flipping coins? That looks fun!~" The cheerful voice of a certain lycorice-head stopped him from the reveal.

Aurora approached the rest of the Troupe with light footsteps and a smile. Her arm was freed of its cast and swayed next to her healthily. Chrollo and Machi followed from behind.

"Ha-? As if-!" Nobunaga refuted, tucking the coin back in when Aurora leaned forwards curiously. He turned around mumbling curses.

She titled her head innocently, and glanced around with a questioning gaze.

"Anyone willing to explain?" she asked.

None of the Troupe bothered to do so and Aurora sulked slightly. She heard footsteps stop next to her, followed by a soft sigh. It was Machi.

"They probably fought over something stupid. We have a no fighting each other principle here. You argue, you toss a coin."

"Ooo.. I see. That's quite diplomatic. Good idea!" she lifted up two thumbs of approval.

Machi blinked, unsure of how to respond to the red-head's optimism.

"So? What were you arguing about and with whom?" Aurora asked shulking closer to Nobunaga and following him around like a little tail.

Some member shook their head at the pestering woman, while others seemed to enjoy seeing Nobunaga in distress.
Chrollo unexpectedly belonged to the later category.

After a few attempts of throwing her off and failing, Nobunaga finally relented after receiving some snide remarks and comments from Feitan, Phinks, Kortopi and Shalnark. Pakunoda just quietly observed the chaos while doing her nails.

"Wanted to check Hisoka's oracle. But asshole wouldn't let me."

"That's it?" she inquired, leaning in closer to catch his eyes.

"I-it is! Man, stay away woman!"

"Whaat~? Are you shy? That's cute~!"

"WHO IS SHY! LISTEN YoU BRAT I HAVE SEEN -"

"Hai, Stop. Stop, Nobunaga." Shalnark shut up the swordsman by clamping a hand over his mouth. "That's enough. Keep this PG-friendly."

Aurora chuckled at them. She was thankful for Shalnark's interference. She did not want to hear any of that either.

Remembering something, she mused to herself.

"But why would you bother to check his oracle...?" she asked, crossing her arms behind her back and titling her head to the side lightly. There was an innocent and unbothered smile on her face and the next words escaped her lips,

"...It's all fake anyway."

Her words cause the needle to drop onto the floor with a high-pitched clang. It effectively shattered through their peaceful minds like an avalanche as suddenly, all eyes turned to Hisoka.

"HISOKAA!"

The cat's out of the bag. There was no way back now.

· · ─────── ·𖤓· ─────── · ·

'Uh-oh...' was her first instinctual thought when she felt Hisoka's displeasure.
Despite her earlier words, the magician remained calm - on the outside. But she could feel the bloodthirst quenching towards her.

Had she perhaps just messed with whatever it is that Hisoka had planned? Well, it was a little late to regret now.
She gulped and tried to look at anyone but him.

"Hisoka. Explain." Chrollo stepped in, before the chaos among his group could spread any further.

When Aurora glanced at him, she was met with a cold and frustrated/angry gaze from
him. Displeased at her natural ability to create chaos amongst the Troupe, Chrollo was forced to intervene.
In hindsight, the only advantage, to keeping her alive, was that there always was something new to learn. A walking pool of information like her came with its risks, but it had its uses as well. And for now, those uses outdid the risks.

'Now I know why the Zoldycks' kept her close.'
A belated realization that confirmed his earlier speculation. He had confirmed now that her use was something even veterans like the Zoldycks' acknowledged, now it was his turn to make use of the knowledge she provided him with.

This time with Hisoka as their target.

He had always known that Hisoka sought the thrill for battling. That he was cunning much like the many Transmuters Chrollo had met throughout his life. But as long as they fulfilled their duties and honored the rules of the Phantom Troupe, no matter how hideous and cruel, no matter what sins and misdeeds the person commited in their "freetime" - he would pay it no attention and heed it no mind.

Chrollo didn't care for other people. He didn't care for their personal lives, hobbies or past times. Unless it was for the Troupe - for their grand goal and purpose - , he didn't even care for the emotions and affections of the people. Chrollo was blind to it all. Blind to the fixation Hisoka and the other Troupe members had for him. Blind to the way the world perceived him. And most of all, Chrollo was blind to himself.

· · ─────── ·𖤓· ─────── · ·

Chapter Text

· · ─────── ·𖤓· ─────── · ·

"I cannot answer."
Hisoka's reply caused a ripple effect.

"What do you mean you cannot answer?"
Someone asked.

Hisoka remained silent. The lids of his eyes lowered. Aurora tensed up noticing the glare he was trying to hide.

She shook her head.

"I might be mistaken. Besides, is it okay to trust the words of an outsider more than your own member...? -
- A strife... No- a diversion maybe?"

She held a hand in front of her mouth, mumbling the last part to herself.

"!" There was an awkward tension that followed her words. Some Troupe members felt called out. Her bluntness hit the needle on its head!

In truth, for the majority, this was their first time seeing Hisoka. Except for the few that were there when he was recruited and more, Hisoka wasn't any different from a stranger whom they had only met a few days ago.
The same could be said for Aurora as well, and yet, comparing them, when it came to social skills, friendliness and likeability, it was obvious for the lycorice head would win over the favor instead of the haughty magician.

'She's still an outsider.'

Her words served as a dreaful reminder for those members with wavering stances.

"There's precedent."

Chrollo suddenly spoke with clarity.
His voice cleared up the messy situation with a cold and analyzed calculation.

"Aurora-san, you have proven your abilities and accuracy in front of us on multiple occassions already. I believe that no one of my members is one to be fooled by words alone."

His words spoken with such conviction blasted away all sense of doubts in their minds.

Even Aurora, who bit on her inner cheek lightly, did not expect the small surge of pride, at his aid and sudden acknowledgement.

Their eyes met and she nodded once.

"I'd like to get along well with all of you, too!~" She confessed happily.

"..."

Was it possible to be too honest at times?
'Cause this much affection was certainly disturbing. The clean and calm mood, Chrollo had created was cut short again. The woman's sudden confession did that.

Unexpectedly, the Troupe members reacted with humor.

Machi crossed her arms and sighed.

Phinks hid a gasp while his eyes widened into saucers.

Feitan looked sideways, trying not to care.

Franklin snorted once.

Shalnark giggled.

Nobunaga next to him fumbled incoherently with his words. Shalnark was sure he heard some words along the line of "Troublesome woman..." from Nobunaga, which made the cheerful blonde laugh only harder.

Pakunoda raised an eyebrow and lowered her eyes to cradle her arm again.

"..."

Chrollo blinked twice at the atmosphere. It had shifted from the seriousness before. It was... harmonious.

He opened his mouth to say something but a warmth-tinted voice interrupted him.

"Isn't it fine?" Aurora asked sweetly.

"Even if it's fake. Isn't it fine to leave it be? Everyone has one or two things they don't want anyone else to know. I would know best after all!"
She put a hand on her chest, emphasizing her claims.

Aurora then shifted her eyes to Hisoka...

and flashed him a knowing smile.

Hisoka's eyes twitched minisculely. It seems like he had discerned her intentions. The magician lowered his head and animosity with a defeated shrug. He flicked his hand in a simple "Do whatever you want"- gesture.

'What are you plotting again....' Chrollo thought. His gaze lowered onto the oracle in his hands - Hisoka's oracle.

After a short pause...

"Hisoka. Just one question."

"Hai?"

"Have you betrayed us?"

"!"

Chrollo's cold, expressionless gaze stared at Hisoka blankly. His eyes flicked in a flame of Gyo as he tore of the layer of texture surprise that had been carefully layered upon it.

Clenching the oracle once, Chrollo flung the sheet into the air.

[Bandit Hunter]

Poof. Chrollo's Nen-conjured book appeared out of thin air. The sound of pages ruffling and turning filled the abandoned building.

The members, seeing their leader serious, prepared for battle as well.

"AH- W-Wait everyone!" Aurora suddenly exclaimed and inserted herself between the two heated parties.

She had an eye on the oracle that she snatched mid air.
"Let's talk it out. I think there's an issue we haven't addressed yet."

"Are you stupid? You want us to talk to someone who betrayed us?"

Aurora looked at Feitan who had just spoken up.

"Yes. I am. And us getting emotional over this will not change the outcome nor what had happened. Go and fight. It wouldn't be any different from venting. But know that you've got your priorities wrong if you think that fighting him now, is the correct answer."

After shutting him down, Aurora turned to Chrollo.

"There's . . . a situation we haven't confirmed yet.
A guy with red eyes . . . the one mentioned in the oracle, and the one Hisoka collaborated with. As well as the fact, that according to this, half of the members will be dead. It's likely, that the party Hisoka works with has a personal vendetta against the Troupe. Doesn't this motif sound suspicously familiar?"

"... The Chain User."

Aurora nodded at Shalnark who answered.

She looked at Chrollo who gave her a gaze which was unidentifiable.

With his intellect, she had no doubts about the fact that Chrollo had already figured out the connection to the Chain User from Hisoka's oracle.

'And yet his first reaction was to the persecute the betrayer...' - Aurora snapped out of her thoughts, it was more important to prevent bloodshed.

"Thus, I believe that Hisoka knows the identity of the Chain User, you've been looking for-"

"Shut up! This only means that he killed Uvo. There's no way Uvogin would have died in a fair fight! I can't forgive him for that."

Aurora's lip twitched slightly. "But what if...-you're wrong."

"Ha-?!"

"... Hisoka wasn't involved in Uvo's death." Aurora shot him down.

"Think about it. When you fought at the Gordeau Desert, Uvogin was only taken by the Chain User because:
First, it was assumed that you stole the merchandise.
Second, Uvogin was the only one fighting in the field and thus an easy target for the culprit to take.
Both of these situations serve as circumstancial evidences. Considering the situation, it's impossible to pinpoint Hisoka's involvement in Uvogin's death. Probatio diabolica."

Nobunaga found himself speechless.

Hisoka who had a little smirk on his face, spoke up smoothly.

"Ee. That's right. I did not know about Uvogin's powers at that time."
- 'Although it was easy to guess for a simpleton like him.' -
"It was all by coincidence. Call it bad luck, maybe. I have been falsely accused." Hisoka shrugged with feigned hurt.

"HISOKA!"

Aurora too gasped at the magician's brazenness. She thought she was reckless before, but he gave her a run for her money with how shameless and cunning he was.

'Does this idiot want to die? No, that doesn't make sense...'
Her mind was swirling. Trying to input all these incomplete pieces of information constantly and mid conversation was a brainfry. But most importantly-

"What do you want, Hisoka?"

Chrollo who had regained his cool, dished out the words that had been on the tip of her tongue.

That's right. Figuring out his intentions was the next optimal approach in this situation.

Somehow a wave of relief washed over her upon the realization that they were on the same page again.

Clack. Clack. Clack. The sound of Hisoka's heels clacking on the ground filled the hall.

Aurora saw the members tense up.

Honestly, their composure was amazing. It's commendable how none of them tried to swing at Hisoka yet.
It showed their deep bond, loyalty and trust towards Chrollo and his decisions. In this confusing, uncertain situation, they were all waiting for Chrollo's command.

Aurora didn't realize that she her hands shivered, until she felt her breath hitch in her throat.

Hisoka stopped just right beyond the hole of the ceiling. The moonlight that shone in highlighted his ghostly pale complexion like that of a ceramic doll. Only that it looked strangely dooming.

Hisoka smiled and pointed at Chrollo. His eyes leaked with perversion and bloodlust so much that Aurora had to resist the urge to yell and throw knives at him. She gripped her sleeves tight and readied herself.

Whoosh~ Whoosh~
The soft sound of clothes rustling from next to her pulled her out of her terror.

Chrollo, who stepped up with soundless footsteps, passed her by.

His obsydian eyes settled onto Hisoka. They were calm and unmoving. The calm before a storm.

Aurora felt her tension ebb away.
She reached out a hand and instinctively tucked at his sleeves. Chrollo side-eyed her, without a word.

'I cannot stop him.' Aurora thought as she held on. 'But maybe..'

She lifted her head with a calm nod.

"If you need help, call me. No matter what, I'm on your side."

This was the first promise.

· · ─────── · ☾· ─────── · ·

Chapter Text

· · ─────── ·𖤓· ─────── · ·

"Hisoka, I'll fight you. However,"
Chrollo paused and nodded at Pakunoda.
"Tell us what you know about the Chain User."

Hisoka's bloodlust ceased a bit.
Aurora took the time to observe the pink head. So far, she had managed to avoid a fight from breaking out, but with how horny and fight-obsessed Hisoka was, sooner or later the tension would collapse.

She narrowed her eyes. 'If only he could disappear.'

"... I refuse. You saw it yourself. I have been sentenced to silence. I cannot and dare not tell you anything about the Chain User." Hisoka said.

"But you aren't denying that the Scarlet Eye User mentioned in your oracle and the Chain User are the same person." Aurora noticed. "Rather... you just admitted it."

Hisoka licked his lips and eyed the red-haired woman. She quickly shrunk away from his sight.

When she did so, she happened to use Chrollo's back as a safety cushion.

Later on, she would realize that he was acting as a great, reliable stronghold for her to retreat to.

Chrollo blinked at her wordlessly.
Aurora quite liked Chrollo's attitude of letting things slide.

He turned his attention back to Hisoka.

"I see how it is. You don't want to risk your life revealing the Chain User's secret. A sensible choice...- At the same time, if you do this, I have no reason to engage in a fight with you."

A sense of unease and uprising wandered around the air. The reason for this lay with the Troupe members that were paying attention to the situation.

It was unfathomable for a traitor to not be punished.
And with Chrollo as their leader, this kind of decision was even more unfathomable.

"He means that there's no reason to punish Hisoka NOW." Aurora explained, having felt the tension in the air.

"He, Hisoka, the traitor, was caught in the middle of his act. His plans are foiled. Consequently, as long as you listen to the oracle and leave the city now, no harm shall befall you. With this immediate threat you are facing, letting off Hisoka easy now, might be more beneficient for you."

As Aurora explained, her mind was quickly thinking of another possibility. The unspoken factor and consequent that followed a chain of actions.

Maybe, if the Troupe left now, they would survive this month according to the oracle. But what about the next one? And the one after that? It was impossible to tell, how beneficient their actions would be in the long run.

'Unless Chrollo intends to rely on Neon's Lovely Ghostwriter forever.'
This thought annoyed her. In the end, the thing with oracles and fortune-telling always had one major flaw.
It's meaningless once the parties try to change it.

'That's why I don't believe in oracles, damn!' -

If Neon's Lovely Ghostwriter predicted the future from a past point of view, then the present events - after reading the oracle - would make the prediction in itself useless. The future will once again become unpredictable. It was an endless downward spiral of action and reaction.

"My goodness... Why didn't I realize sooner." Aurora muttered in a rushed voice.

Next to her, Chrollo was facing another predicament.

He was torn. Having come this far, he didn't expect to find a traitor here.
Now, what decision will he make?
Which one will lead to the best outcome for the Troupe?

Usually during a situation like this, Chrollo always chooses the option with the minimum damage. The road with the less casualties for the team.

He knew that even if the whole Troupe were to engage in a fight against Hisoka, at least one or two of the ircurrent members would be taken down by the magician. Not to mention, the Troupe would lose half of its limbs staying. With no clear time indication, he couldn't waste time here.

In conclusion, he arrived at one answer: Handle Hisoka later and leave now.

If the Troupe worked together under his command, it was possible to distract Hisoka enough for everyone to escape. Maneuvers like that weren't difficult for the Spiders.

He did not like it.
There was a vengeful voice ringing within him, urging him to kill the traitor once and for all...

It was a voice full of egoism talking to him.

But as the Leader of the Troupe and as a man with a mission, he decided against it.
The Troupe came first. His own desires after.

With his mind made up, Chrollo knew what to do.

· · ─────── · ☾· ─────── · ·

'This is probably the last time I can use my abilities this week.' Aurora groaned as she held a hand in front of her eyes.
Her gaze dulled with black spots. Her head throbbed like she had been hit with an iron pipe.

'I. Need. Sleep.' A few days of good, well-rested sleep once this whole ordeal was over.
The thought alone cheered her up, and she steadied herself.

Her right arm reflexively reached for the black, thick material of Chrollo's coat. She pulled onto the surprisingly elastic fabric once, and stepped up, quietly telling him with her actions to trust her.

"Hisoka, how about we do this. You don't have to die. You will get your fight... and we won't have any losses." Aurora spoke calmly and lifted up a hand.

She continued without waiting for him to respond.

"You want to fight Chrollo? Very well. You will get it... BUT NOT NOW." She took a deep breath and continued.
"Isn't your thrilling match worth a much bigger stage than this one?"

Hisoka raised his eyebrows with an belittling smirk. "Hoh...? What do you suggest, then."

Aurora puffed out her chest confidently. "I've got just the right stage for you."

Her palm stretched out, pointing at him.

"A Battle Royale at the Heaven's Arena. The pinnacle of battle. Broadcasted for the whole world to see. Isn't this a far more befitting stage than anything else?"

"Hm~" Hisoka pondered over it. There was a complacent smile on his face. "Then next w-"

"You can start setting the date in a month's time." Aurora cut him off.

"... What guarantees you that he will come?" Having been cut off, Hisoka neither agreed nor disagreed.

"He will come." Aurora said, and quickly added. "He wouldn't want his Troupe members to die."

Die by Hisoka's hands, that is. Aurora sneakily added in her mind.

"Ha. Hahaha. Oh dear, I wouldn't~." Hisoka burst out laughing and smirked creepily.
The smile did not quite reach his eyes and bloodlust was oozing in waves, rushing out like a storm from him again. It was clear for everyone present that Hisoka didn't mean his words. He WOULD, even when saying he WOULDN'T.

Hisoka straightened up with a maniacal expression on his face.

The urge to scream bubbled within her, but with her breath caught in her throat, she only stared at the wall behind him.
'I think I'm gonna have nightmares from now on.'

After a prolonged silence, Aurora's hard work was rewarded.

"Very well." Hisoka said. "I accept."

The lycorice-haired cheered triumphantly, until she turned back to Hisoka and saw him pointing at her.

Hisoka ignored everything and smirked.
"The girl stays though."

'Oh fuck -' Aurora muttered her famous last words.

· · ─────── · ☾· ─────── · ·

Chapter Text

· · ─────── ·𖤓· ─────── · ·

Throughout her years of work, Aurora had met many people. She didn't need to be an expert in human psychology to tell that the man in front of her was...

A) a maniac
B) a creep
C) a perverted battlefreak
D) a crazy bastard
E) just plain old Hisoka. (Hisoka-ish? She thinks he's deserving of his own adjective by now.)

For your info, Aurora prefered to call him by the crazy bastard that he is. So option D it was.

She gnawled onto her lower lips, watching as the Troupe gathered around Chrollo like a wolf pack.

Next to her, Hisoka stood with his arms shrugged in front of his chest. A little smile was on his face and although he was facing her, his gaze was only on one person: Chrollo.

Aurora bit her lower lip harder. She didn't like the way Hisoka was looking at him.
Feeling a sense of jealousy bubble from within her, she decided to get her revenge later.

Chrollo was handsome, good-looking and hot enough to have her seal of permission. She didn't know about Hisoka's tastes nor did she want to know, but if he tried any weird moves on Chrollo at all.
'Hell. There will be hell to pay.'

Done glaring at Hisoka, she turned back to the eye-candy in front of her. It might be the last time, she would ever see him. Naturally she tried to take in as much of his face as she could.

A flashback of her facing with those delicious chest muscles popped up in her mind.
'Oh, how good it would feel to touch them just once...'

She stopped here, before pervy Aurora was allowed to reign. Thinking back of a rather embarrassing entry she wrote after meeting Chrollo...

«For all of his darkness, I condemn Sir Emo Muscle Man (Chrollo) as droolworthy.»

- Aurora in "Observation Log of The Spider's"

She only hoped that no one will ever read that entry of hers. Otherwise, she would die of embarrassment...

Or she'd just risk it all and shoot her shot.

Aurora shook her head with a sigh. She was feeling delirious.

Giving Hisoka, one last glare, Aurora approached the Troupe.

"I didn't get to interview you fully after all." The woman spoke with a smile.

But the slight forlorness carried in her voice, told them of her true feelings.

She heard sighs coming from the Troupe as well as words like "pestering woman."
At this point though, she knew that some people just didn't know how to respond to affection.

"Don't say that! I'm really sad here that you're leaving..." she paused. "Leaving me behind like this..."

Aurora playfully wiped a tear away from the corner of her eyes.

"It was so much fun as well..." She mumbled. Her dramatic tendencies were both amusing and ruffling.

"But with me here, I will make sure Hisoka will uphold the end of his deal!" She slammed her chest proudly.

The Troupe members were amazed at her brazeness. At the same time was a sense of... worry.

Though they barely know each other, it was hard to completely dislike and resent the girl. Not to mention, she was stuck with Hisoka of all people. The Hisoka.
At least, this bit of pity was allowed.

Chrollo who didn't say anything, finally looked at her.

"Will you be fine?" He asked.

"...Huh? Uh-" Caught by surprise at his words, Aurora responded slower than usual.

"Oh, well... Are you... worried about me, hahaha..." She chuckled, but her chuckle faded into something akin to shyness at the end.
She intertwined her hands behind her back and leaned forward slightly.

"Please don't worry~ I'll be fine... I have always been fine!"

"And it won't be my first time either. See? I was caught by ya'll and Voilà! Here I am!"

"But... Thank you for worrying..."

And with a carefree smile she added...

"Ku~ro~kun~!"

...his name with fondness.

Or well, a rather lovely and abriged version of his name.

She laughed at the minimal display of shock, surprise and then humor that colored his facial features briefly.

Chrollo's arm moved a little. He suddenly stopped as it reaches the height of Aurora's backbone and dropped it down again.

'There's no way a grown-up woman like her would like to be patted.' Chrollo thought.

No, it was weird of him to pat her in the first place.

He calmed himself and looked down at the palm of his hand, with a weird sensation in his chest. He didn't quite had a name for it. It was a sense akin to trust and kinship. But it was also more...
It was a feeling, sweet and bitter. The taste remined him of the sweet-bitterness of cherries on a Sachertorte, he once tried.

Thankfully, there was also no time for him to think about it any longer. From the corner of his eyes, he could see the lycorice-head fumble with her bag.

Her eyes were looking for him and locked with his.
He caught her unspoken question with a simple nod.

"Can we talk for a bit?"

"Yes."

And so, the two shuffled away from the prying eyes and ears.

· · ─────── · ☾· ─────── · ·

Chapter Text

{Shared Connections}

· · ─────── ·𖤓· ─────── · ·

Her gaze followed the retreating backs of what was once family. A short-lived, adventurous encounter and meeting.
The group departed Yorknew City at the break of dawn. No casualities occured on that day.
"Do you think they will come back?" Aurora exhaled with a sigh. The words she muttered to herself were caught by Hisoka who posed next to her. A hand on his hip in the usual Hisoka fashion.

He smiled. "My~ If not. You better amuse me." His tongue slid across his lip as he kissed the card in his hand.

Aurora shivered.
"How about... I find you a better toy?" She suggested, spinning around on her heel and leaving the premise.

"... You're the prey. Why are you moving around?"

"Who would willingly wait for their death? It's because I'm prey that I'm moving around." Aurora said.

She walked away with her confident steps propelling her forwards like a swift fox.
Hisoke was left bemused and annoyed at the girls audacity that rivals his in some sense.

He shrugged his arm and prepared to flick a card at her when Aurora suddenly stopped and whipped around.

"Hey! What are you doing standing still? Hurry up." Aurora called for him.

Her lively red hair swayed in motion with her impatient tapping.
A string of curses popped up in Hisoka's head.
He thought he had the upperhand by keeping the girl Chrollo seems to value at his side. That was before he knew that he had choosen a temperamental little Diva as his prey. Was it too late to regret now?

Well, for all that this was worth, Aurora who deeply despised staying with Hisoka, had every intent to be as much of a menace as possible during her time with him.

'Taking me as a hostage? Forget it!'
She was going to make him pay.

They had barely taken a step towards the city, when another silhouette popped up from the horizon.

"Huh?" Aurora wondered what that strangely familiar appearance was. She tried to focus her eyes but failed in doing so.
A heavy wave of nausea hit her. Her world began to sway in vertigo. The dizziness was uncontrollable.
And then...
Thud!
Aurora collapsed.

· · ─────── ·𖤓· ─────── · ·

Ten years ago, in a city called Florcza.

In a peaceful town located at the coast of Shellfish Island, a girl with flamboyant red hair freely hurried through the busy paverned streets.
The townspeople clad in corsettes and neat clothes ventured into the ruins of the bay once again. Not heeding any of the advice and warning the townspeople offered her, the young girl couldn't help herself. Her curiosity was such a force to be reckoned with. The teenager couldn't sit still knowing that an ancient piece of relic and history lay waiting for her... right beyond the mountain.

"Today, once again, a cloud filled sky is greeting us. I hope it doesn't rain." A teenage Aurora said. The small lamp built into the camcorder in her hand blinked red. "Alright! Here's to Day 43 of Aurora's mystery adventure blog!"

Grabbing her flashlight from her backpack, Aurora shifted apart the wall of bushes.

"Last time," Aurora recalled. "We stopped by the waterway and fountain. This time I'd like to go a little further. There were some chamber rooms to the left if I remember correctl-"

Aurora stopped abruptly when she noticed something abnormal on the floor. There, on the spot her flashlight was focused on a little trail of red sullied the dirty stone path. This wasn't here before!

"Hmhm..." Aurora said. "This looks like... Blood." She said after taking a closer look at it. She leaned in and took a sniff. "It smells... Is it fresh? Did an animal pass by? Or perhaps-" She gasped dramatically. "Are we about to witness a murder event??"
Despite the situation, Aurora continued to record. If danger was a force to be reckoned with, it lost all of its advantages against heer. The teen girl had decided to continue her adventure against all odds.

"What? Are you worried? Don't worry ~ ! I have my gun here just in case..." She mumbled and carefully eyed her surroundings.

"Can you feel it? I'm having a good feeling about this today!"

In a situation in which she should fear, a strange sense of excitement and joy filled her. Her senses tingled. She felt like today was the day in which all of her previous effort would pay off. Naturally, this kept her going.
During her forty days of exploring this abandoned ruin that she mistook for a cave at first, Aurora had gotten quite familiar with this place. She knew the structure of it inside out by now!

The ruins were built like a maze. The entrance was spacious, but one did not need to walk for long, for it to gradually narrow. It was small enough for only two people of average size to get through one at a time. The path would split left and right, leading those who trespassed onto a different hallway. These hallways had multiple smaller cabins.
Aurora concluded those smaller cabins to be rooms of what most likely resembled an abandoned monastry or dorm from its old age.

Most of the inner part had been blocked off by dusk and debris.
Hundreds of years ago a tsunami cause by a heavy earthquake prior, had caused the collapse of a whole city. At least that's what Aurora had gathered from the historical records she had acquired so painfully from the central library of their city: Florcza.

Florcza - a city known for it's flourishing and extravagant publishing culture. Although it was located on the remote west coasts, the city was steadily growing into a home for wandering journalists and photographs. With its long line of history and prevelation of historical records, the long forgotten past has come to resurface. A majority of historians, journalists and artists, came swarming into the city in hopes of doing their sacriligious research of a long forgotten time period.

New discoveries came to light one by one which caused the people's population to grow steadily. It wasn't long until this city would become the new gem of knowledge and trade of the West Coast.

But for now... None of that had happened yet. Most people lived a mundane life covered in books and history. The thought of publishing them had never come into their mind. They much preferred their simple, idyllic lifestyle in the outskirts of town. ...Not Aurora though!

When the little girl had come her as an orphan at the tender age of 4. She soon made her name known as a troublemaker that she was. Strong, clever, willful - little Aurora was always seen running around town at her own devices. Her boisterous appearance was but a facade to hide her loneliness in tough times. Some knew, better than the rest.

· · ─────── ·𖤓· ─────── · ·

Illumi PoV

From the horizon, the Zoldyck assassin with long hair witnessed the particular sight of a Valentine-themed duo standing in front of an abandoned, run-down building.
It was an odd combination to see in this monochrome, industrial side of the town with nothing much left but empty plains and streets as far as the road would carry.

The duo in front of him seems to be arguing, as the bright red dot he saw from the horizon, suddenly turned around and disappeared into the shadows of the buildings.
The clown like man, looked at his direction. Undoubtedly smirking at his presence.
Of course, Hisoka knew that he would be coming. Afterall, it was him that called him over.

Well, not like there was much work to do, Illumi noted, noticing that he no longer felt the presence of the Troupe around.
So why was Illumi here?
Of course, it was to demand money from Hisoka. He earned him at least the pay for the trouble of geting here.

Still red hair... Illumi mused a bit remembering bits and pieces of an encounter that occured during one of his training missions years ago.
Knowing that crazy, outgoing girl, he was sure that she was still alive somewhere living her life to her very best.

· · ─────── · ☾· ─────── · ·

Chapter Text

{Night Of Relaxation}

· · ─────── ·𖤓· ─────── ·

Aurora jolted awake with a violent rupture.

"What the- Did Hisoka hit me with an axe? Why is my head feeling like it was struck by metal." Aurora mumbled. Her hand massaged her sleeves while her other swiped the tangled hair strands back. Aurora suddenly realized how grossed she felt. Sweaty, tired, exhausted and-

'I need a bath.'

Shortly after she said these words, she recognized the sound of a shower running. She looked around the fully furnished room, realizing that yet once again, she had been transfered to a place that was inconceivable to her.
Or, phrasing it another way: It SHOULD have been inconceivable to her.

Aurora looked around, realizing a strange familiarity in the way the furniture looked and was set up. Her eyes flashed around and stopped on the back of the couch, she was able to see through the open door.

On the couch was the familiar appearance of a person with long, silky black hair.
That kind of long, silky, black hair was something Aurora recognized right away.
Shuffling out of her bed, she slipped into a pair of familiar slippers. This confirmed it! Aurora now knew where she was: This was her hotel room.

But that didn't matter much compared to her new priority.

"Illumi!" Aurora shouted and half-ran, half wobbled to him.

Illumi who sat on the couch watching TV and munching on popcorn listlessly, twisted his head backwards in a horror like motion.

"'Sup." Illumi greeted, without a care in the world.

Aurora scoffed lightly. She shuffled closer with an exhausted sigh and wrapped her arms around his neck. Half plopping onto the back of couch, half leaning into Illumi's immovable stature.

"What are you doing here? Not that I'm not happy to see you." She mumbled softly.

Illumi offered her a single piece of popcorn with one hand and patted her arm with the other. Aurora opened her mouth and let him feed her. Some sugar might help her feel better.

"Hisoka called me. But that mission went through. I'm just hanging around now."

Aurora chuckled at his pun. Considering how she was the one hanging onto him... It was such an Illumi like sense of humor that she hadn't heard in awhile.

"That means... You're free!" Aurora said with a little slyness in her voice.

Illumi didn't react and just fed her another piece of popcorn. She munched onto it with a little more vigor compared to before.

Thinkin of something, Aurora suddenly smiled and leaned in closer. She was now positively hanging in front of his face with wide doe-like eyes.

"'Lumi~" Aurora asked sweetly.

Illumi felt a shiver crawl down his back. He knew her long and good enough to know that whenever Aurora was "acting cute" and "sweet" like this...

"Between Hisoka and me, who's your closer friend?"

... There would be hell to pay.

"You-" Illumi said but was interrupted when the door to the bathroom opened.

Aurora straightened from her hold on Illumi and visibly frowned at Hisoka with discontentment. The magician left the bathroom with a cloud of steam trailing after him. His body was wrapped up with nothing else but a towel around his lower half.

Aurora swallowed trying not to stare and fawn over him. She quickly shook her head, trying to distract herself and then memories of Chrollo's abs showing through his shirt flashed through her mind and her cheeks turned a tad bit redder than wanted.

Illumi quickly noticed what was going on - unaware that he was misunderstanding the situation - and after whipping his pupilless eyes back and forth between them, he then decided to block off Aurora's sight with his hand.

"..." The room fell weirdly silent.

"Illumi," Aurora softly said.

"Hm?" Illumi asked in his usual innocent ways.

"Don't block my sight. Tell him to get some clothes." She encouraged him and pulled away the hand he had used to cover her sight.

"My, my~ What an awful closeness you have." Hisoka said.
His voice was laced with a serpent-like mysteriousness.
Aurora tensed. The image of a little hissing cat popped up in a bubble above of their heads.

Hisoka just smiled and confidently strode to the other side of the couch, in which he had prepared a set of fresh clothes. When and how he prepared this, will remain unknown for all.

Aurora watched him warily, when suddenly the soft air of warm steam and the fresh scent of vanilla cherry hit her nose. The door to the bathroom door was left wide open. The glowing lights inside of it, shone warmly and inviting like a halo. Aurora instinctively knew beyond that heaven awaited her.

A nice cleaning shower, followed by a hot bath - She allowed a little sigh to escape her lips at the thought of it.

Probably having noticed her longing, Hisoka smirked.
"Go ahead~" He said, now fully clad.
He confidently stepped behind the kitchen counter and opened the little fridge that the hotel room provided, grabbing himself something to drink.

"You don't need to tell me." Aurora shot back before hurrying back to her room. She grabbed a fresh set of clothes and returned to the living room in no time.

As she passed by Illumi, Aurora lowered her head next to his ear.

"'Lumi? Can I hire you not to leave me alone with him?" She whispered.

Illumi twitched and tilted his head in a thinking gesture.

"Hm... Can you not just hire me to kill him?" Illumi said out aloud, unaware of the concept of whispering.

Hisoka raised an eyebrow at that. But both Illumi and Aurora just ignored him for now.

"No. That won't do. Killing is not an option." She explained patiently.

Illumi thought about it some more. Usually, this request was an absolute No-Go for any Zoldyck. He was an assassin, not a protector or guardian of some sorts. However, as he looked at Aurora's soft and sincere eyes - the eyes of a friend whom had stood by his side for a decade - Illumi uninevitably softened.

"...Sure." Illumi said.

Whatever the reason, he knew his family would understand. Afterall, repeating the words of his grandfather: She was a valuable friend and he had to make sure to treat his friends right.

"Thanks 'Lumi." Aurora said.

She engulfed the sitting assassin into another tight hug before skipping to the bathroom with a happy hum. The door to the bathroom closed and Illumi resumed his TV session, ignoring the funny looks Hisoka gave him from the kitchen.

From the bathroom the sound of the shower was heard, and Hisoka decided that this was the right time to break the silence.

"So-" Hisoka plopped onto the couch next to Illumi with the intention to start a conversation.

Before he even got to his second word, Illumi jabbed the side of his ribs with a single, precise powerful and well practiced strike. It was strong enough to inflict pain but restrained enough to not injure or kill him.

"Don't ask." Illumi said.

Hisoka who rubbed that part of his side with a pale face, suddenly felt like he had been wronged. Was it even wrong to ask now? He too was on friendly terms with Illumi. Wasn't his reaction to him all too different? In all the years since he met Illumi, he had never seen the usually aloof, family-oriented oldest amongst the new generation of Zoldyck's, let anyone else this close to him before.

As if an invisible switch had been flicked, a light bulb suddenly lit up.
"You sis-con..." Hisoka mumbled.

"We are the same age. Neither are we siblings. Your words make no sense." Illumi responded without a single shred emotionality or ounce of intonation in his voice.

"Ha," Hisoka let out an amused laugh and part scoff, "... Her potential is frightening. Maybe I should-"
He paused and side eyed Illumi, who had a dark shadow hanging in front of his head.

Hisoka held back his amusement and continued.

"- Kill h-" Without being able to finish his words, the deadly aura Illumi emitted from next to him cause Hisoka to sweatdrop.

"Yeah- Just kidding of course." Hisoka said with a goofy smile.

Then in a more serious voice, "As of now, she's also useful to me."

Illumi didn't respond to that. He had already dropped his killing intent after hearing Hisoka's jokester attitude. Or to be more exact, Illumi dropped his Killing Intent when realized his mistake.
The bathroom door clicked open.

"What was THAT?! Is everyone alright?"
Of course, Illumi's Nen was powerful enough for even Aurora to have felt it from the bathroom.

She glanced between Illumi and Hisoka with a mixture of suspicion, fear and concern in her eyes. Unaware of her rather... unfortunate state.

"Fweet~" Hisoka whistled, which immediatele earned him a violent punch from Illumi.

Strangling the magician into a headlock, Illumi cooly looked at anywhere but Aurora.

"It's nothing... How about you put some clothes on."

OH- It suddenly dawned onto her.
She looked down at herself and realized that in her hurry to rush out, her towel hadn't been tied properly, leaving it half undone, hanging from the side... and well revealing a side of hers.

"...Right." Aurora mumbled once she checked that everything was fine.
She then turned around and closed the bathroom door shut.
The sound was soon followed by another clicking sound. The familiar sound of a lock being put into place.

The moment the door was locked, Illumi let go of Hisoka. He of course didn't forget to do so by giving him one last smack in the face.

Hovering above him with a dangerous expression on his face, Illumi said:
"Hi-so-ka..."

Hisoka gulped and smiled widely.
"Haha, what can I say. I didn't expect that. Her clothes cover-" Hisoka said.

"HISOKA!" Illumi raised his voice and swung at the magician. His eyes flowed like a ferocious beast and his hair frackled in all kind of directions.
Hisoka dodged Illumi's attack, leaving the floor beneath them to be broken into smithereens. Their game of cat and mouse continued for awhile.

While the guys were wrecking havoc in Aurora's rented hotel room, the sole female was enjoying her long-awaited and much needed bath of blissful relaxation.

"I'm a little worried but I'm sure they can handle~" Aurora sighed softly to herself, ignoring the noises and little turbulences around her. She chuckled when she thought back of their reactions earlier.

"I've never seen that expression on them before. They are unexpectedly innocent, aren't they?" She said and lightly tapped the rubber duck on its beak.

Today was finally a long night of relaxation and as her mind began to relax, she couldn't help but wonder... How was the Phantom Troupe doing?

· · ─────── · ☾· ─────── · ·

Chapter Text

{A Night with the Troupe}

· · ─────── ·𖤓· ─────── ·

In an old memory of distant heat-haze days, the scenery of Meteor City resurfaces from the horizon. The notorious place, also known as the world's garbage dumpster, was filled with trash of all kinds of places. The streets were narrow and barely allowed for people to pass through. Some roads were even completely blocked by giant dumps. If one wishes to traverse through all of Meteor City - not that there was much to see, - one would have to climb up the pile of trash that seem to lay here ever wasting.

Despite the city already being crowded as it is, it was much like any other giant city: filled with people. The numbers amount to millions of unregistered people. Million of lives and existences - unrecorded, undocumented, and in the eyes of the public: nonexistent.

This place was all that Chrollo knew since as child. It was a home of luck and misery. A breeding ground for desire and dreams to fester. It never struck him as such a dire place to be in, after all he had all the books he needed, he had all the mysteries and riddles gathered in one place. All the unknown, undiscovered and unneeded by the world. He had all the pieces of the world gathered in this sole, single place.
You might have heard before: What's trash for others, might be a treasure for someone else. And so, Chrollo got used to desiring these treasures. And if by that off-chance, if already someone's trash was this valuable to him... How much more? Oh just how much greater, would owing someone's treasure feel like?
Chrollo was by no means a vain person. But he couldn't deny, that it interested him. That it thrilled him to know what it would feel like to touch and have something that's not trash for once. Would he feel more human then...?

Moving on, young Chrollo was a smart child. Through the many things unknown, he quickly learned and made it his own. His brain was able to quickly input new information together. His intelligence allowed him to adapt. Becoming any person he wanted to be, fulfilling any role and duty he needed to. That was how he survived amongst the city of ghosts.
He led the people around him with a delighted, cheerful and slightly childish ambition and it came to fruition fairly well as soon his gang of Troupe Members were performing on the streets of Meteor City bringing laughter and joy to the forgotten inhabitants.

· · ─────── · ☾· ─────── · ·

The lights flickered and Chrollo opened his eyes from the rattling sound that came with it.

Staring out at the passing by scenery, Chrollo lowered his hand onto the arm rest of his seat.
The Troupe had left Yorknew City and were on their way to the nearest international airport before splitting ways.

'A dream, hm...' Chrollo thought.

How strange it was. Occasionally, he would dream and reminiscent about his past. He saw the same scene over and over again. It was of the day, when he found a book called «Bandit Hunter». The same title that his Nen-conjured book had.

As silly as he and his friends were, they did not know of the value it held and were happy just fooling around whilst chasing each other atop of the pile of trashes.
It was always this same scene Chrollo dreamed of. The same old memory replaying like a tape stuck on rewind.

That memory had become far overused to the point that Chrollo had lost any sense of lingering affection, feeling or emotionality to it. Seeing the same thing over and over again was bound to get redundant. Besides, he no longer considered himself a child that could afford or desired to frolick around like that.

His dream however... This dream was different.
A different dream, a new dream of the same old past. And of a past, he had long forgotten about.

'That was when the troupe started...' Chrollo remembered.

His memory of these days were fuzzy. It wasn't no memory he liked to think of much, but why was he so aversive towards it?
Instead of remembering, an overwhelming sense of grief and sorrow filled him.

'Right, those were the days when everything went wrong.'

Perhaps saying it went wrong was a wrong description. The world had always been wrong from the start.

'We just didn't see it.' Chrollo concluded, staring out of the window with empty eyes.
A deep sense of sorrow grasped him, pulling him into the mud. Chrollo didn't like it but he remained indifferent to it anyway. The darkness did not scare him, so why not let it claim him. For all that he cared, he'd rather not face the despair after all.

As he gazed at the scenery outside. From afar, a red flicker caught his eye.
On the outside terrain of a barren land, a flickering, red-hued campfire illuminated the dark spot.
Travelers who were setting up for night, had decided to camp out here.
The tiny flame, coming from the campfire, flickered in a stark contrast to the dark night around them. It stood out with its inherent radiance and ember, reminding himself of a certain, reckless, lycorice-haired woman that had popped into their life.

He mused in soft wonder and awe.

'She's with Hisoka now...' Chrollo said as his thoughts trailed off mysteriously.

· · ─────── · ☾· ─────── · ·

Machi and Pakunoda who had just returned from the dining room stopped in their tracks. In front of their compartment, the familiar silhouettes of the other Troupe Members blocked their way.

"What are you doing?" Machi asked, a hint of frustration in her voice.

"Pssh-" Phinks replied, without turning around.

Feitan and he were leading the front, gaping through the door gap and observing their leader, Chrollo, who was sitting in the next compartment all alone, seemingly listless.

Hearing this Shalnark shrugged and turned around to the girls.
"They're spying on Boss. Something about him acting weird."

He was smiling as usual, obviously enjoying the drama whilst questioning their stupidity.

"How can that be." Pakunoda said.

She approached Feitan and Phinks, and lightly tapped their shoulders. The two guys immediately gave way to her, allowing her through.

She peeked through the door gap and shrugged her arms under her chest.

"And?" Machi asked.

"Nothing unusual." Pakunoda said. "Boss is just keeping guard."

"See? I told them the same, but they wouldn't listen." Shalnark said.

The other members nodded in agreement.

"Oi, Paku. You talk to him." Phinks said out of nowhere.

He was still convinced of the fact, that their boss was acting weird.

"That's enough, Phinks. You've been acting weird since the auction." Franklin interrupted, stating his suspicion.

Phinks raised an eyebrow and glared at him. "What did you say?"

"Whatever I said." Franklin repeated not relenting.

The animosity between them grew until Nobunaga intervened.
"Hey, hey! Stop it. How long are we going to stand here? I want to go and sit already!"

The samurai impatiently tapped his feet whilst scratching his chin and yawning widely.

"I too agree. If you have any questions, you should ask boss directly. Us, troupe members, shouldn't pick a fight with each other." Kortopi being the voice of reason, finally said something that was of use to the situation.

The more sensible members nodded in agreement. This stalling was getting ridiculous.

Just as the group was about to move along, Pakunoda spoke up.

"Wait." she said.
Her eyes focused on their leader. It was a simple, nonsensical thing but Pakunoda noticed a change in the mood surrounding their leader's air.

"What is it now?" Nobunaga asked, a little more annoyed.

No one answered him, instead Machi shoved the guys aside and stopped next to Pakunoda.

"Paku... don't tell me you too?" she said.

"... I think Phinks isn't wrong..." Pakunoda said.

"What? What did you see?"

The Troupe members began to crowd around the blonde woman, trying to perceive a change in their leader.

Only issue was... none of them could tell anything.
And so, as people tend to do when in doubt, they began to make random suggestions, accusations and observations about what could be unusual or weird about their leader.

While the Troupe was busy, Machi pulled Pakunoda aside.

"What did you see?" She whispered.

Pakunoda hesitated for a moment.

"I think... boss was thinking of something." Pakunoda answered vaguely.

Machi threw her a look that spelled 'uh duh'. Their boss thinking of something was by far nothing unusual. She shrugged her arms in front of her chests, showing her frustration.

"I think... I think boss is thinking of someone." Pakunoda said in a rattled voice.

"Huh?" Machi asked, mirroring Pakunoda's surprise.

Though both of them understood the meaning of each word. The whole sentence in connection with Chrollo absolutely made no sense to them.

"You mean... thinking of the Troupe, right?" Machi asked to clarify.

"Not the Troupe... Someone." Pakunoda said.

"... SOmeone... of the Troupe?" The word someone strangely rolled off Machi's lips.

"..." Pakunoda remained silent, unable to utter an answer. Her eyes were focused onto the floor and trembling slightly.

The two women let the silence passed by for a little longer.

It was Machi who regained her bearings first.
She snatched Pakunoda by her arm and pulled her away before any of the other troupe members could notice the weird air around them.

"Where are you going?" Feitan asked in a low whisper.

Machi froze for less then a second before thinking of the next best excuse in her mind.

"Bathroom break." she said and passed him by.

"Hm~" Feitan said.
A sly smirk formed beneath his mask without anyone noticing.

Thankfully, except for Feitan, the rest of the members paid them no mind. Those that noticed didn't care and those that did care, did not notice as soon, another fight broke out between the ever squabbling members.

On the outside, it may looked like the Troupe was split into groups for efficiency, but the real reason was much more banal. It all led up to a matter of convenience.
In a group of 13 people differences and conflicts arise at an usual pace. Since handling them all would be a pain in the ass, Chrollo split the members into teams. It not only avoided unnecessary mettle and strive but also assured his own peace and quiet.

Of course, it was only by coincidence that his group happened to house the least troublesome members. Pure coincidence.

· · ─────── · ☾· ─────── · ·

Chapter Text

Chrollo watched listlessly as the night continues.
It was strange, for even with a book in his hand, his attention lay somewhere else completely.

Every time, he tried to move away, that warm, uplifting voice would play in his mind.

'I won't give up.'
'I will attain what I want.'

These words weren't any different from his, but were they the same?

That thought amused him.
'I can not be anymore wrong.'

No. Aurora was the complete opposite of him.
Vigorous, righteous, someone who knows what she lived for and why - his stomach felt heavy as it tingled with a sensation he rarely felt, envy.

A part of him thought about obtaining her. More than her skills, he wanted her. For she radiated a light, soul and rawness he could not obtain on his own.

But egoism is a company's biggest enemy. Chrollo was used to doing as his whims told for quite some time already. Whatever it is that he wanted to do, people would follow along. He had hands, ears and feet willing to comply without questioning him.

But he could not control someone outside of his realm. Just like what happened with Hisoka, betrayal was always an option.

'I see,' Chrollo turned over a page.

Everything leading up to this was hinting him on how to improve.
In order to grow, what he needed to do was...

'... I need to win over people's heart.'

The vision of Aurora easily slipping into their closed-knit company, evoke a greedy grin from him.

That strange licorice-haired girl, where had he seen her before? With a voice and eyes that were so strangely familiar, how could he have forgotten her?

Chrollo knew, he had overlooked something.
And now, that gnawing doubt came back to bite at him.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Boss," It was Machi who entered with a straight face.

"Machi, what is it?" Chrollo acknowledged.

It was rare for her to approach him like this. Despite for how long they have known each other, sometimes it felt like most of his friends only approached him when he ordered so.

He didn't mind it before, nor was it something he even bothered to notice, but this strange realization unsettled him ever so slightly. It was a complete difference from the overly eager and curious girl that forced her way in to stay by his side so badly.

'Aurora...' Chrollo thought. He swallowed the chuckle that threatened to emerge.

"Have you seen Shal somewhere? None of us can find him." Machi said.

"Shal?"

That was a strange question. As far as Chrollo knew, the blonde manipulator loved being around people - and the Troupe members especially. They were all like family after all. Not that Chrollo ever really knew what family is or was.
Most of the time, Shalnark was moving about with at least one of them.

"That's unusual. Has Shal really left in his own?" Chrollo said, slowly closing the book in his hand without making a sound.

Machi nodded. "We haven't seen him for the last few hours."

"Hm." Chrollo acknowledged, once again looking out the window.

The world outside the train was dark, except for the faint lights of the night sky outside, only his reflection in the window was visible.

'What a strange night...'

It seems that ever since Aurora barged into their lives, nothing had been the same anymore.
Remembering something, Chrollo stood up.

"That's fine. I'll go look for him."

"You? In person?" Machi asked, dumbstruck.

"Yes. I was starting to get bored too. Besides," Chrollo paused as he passed her, his gaze focused on something else and not her. "I had something to ask him too."

Somewhere, on top of the speeding train, sat Shalnark. His pearl-blonde hair tousled from the wind but the cheerful smile on him remained as ever.

Recently, there was something that kept him occupied. Perhaps, it was the big elephant lying in the room that no one dared to approach, or perhaps it was something Shalnark had been forced to realize with the current state of events.

But,
'I need to improve.'

At some point, the troupe members had stopped seeking for improvement. They had become too notorious and strong and the world feared them.
No matter what happened, they were able to win nearly effortlessly.
Shalnark believed that under Chrollo's leadership nothing could ever go wrong.
That things will work out as long as they are together working as one whole - The Spider.

Although, his Troupe Members seemed unaffected by the recent events, Shalnark felt frustrated.

'That was a defeat.' Shalnark thought. 'We lost against Hisoka.'

Left to his own devices, the blonde scowled.
His mind went to Aurora. A part of him was convinced that she would have made a fine member of the troupe. Weird as she was, it felt like a refreshing wind blew around her.

Honest, passionate, strong and caring.

Those were all attributes, he could describe her with. Normally, she wouldn't fit in with misfits like them at all... But there was a kind of fascination and beauty in her resolve and interest that was free of preconceptions.

She was so pure.

It was a purity that Shalnark couldn't help but marvel at. This was a sensation similar to finding a precious gem stone in the midst of a pile of trash. Though covered in dirt, its glow underneath filled them with warmth.

And now, they had lost her to Hisoka.

Shalnark knew that his thoughts didn't make any sense. He, as a spider, shouldn't be feeling or thinking like this. He wasn't sure about how the rest were feeling but for him, this was a personal defeat.

He sighed, as he sprawled onto the metallic roof of the train. The noisy rustle, mixed with the cold night wind felt just perfect on his skin. The dark night without a hint of warmth in it, seemed to wrap up his thoughts. As long as he was in this void, his thoughts could roam freely into the abyss.
And by the time he came back, he would be the same usual Shalnark as usual.

A strange thought hit him. 'We're all wearing masks.'

"Huh?" Shalnark sat up and held his chin with his hands. "That's weird. Where have I heard them before?"

The blonde mumbled, deep in thought at this creeping sense of familiarity.

"Heard what before?"

"AH! Boss!!" Shalnark whipped around.

"You found quite a nice place to be at, Shal." Chrollo commented.

His hands were tucked in his pockets, as he stood on the roof enjoying the breeze.

Shalnark stood up and smiled.

"The train's running on a new engine. We should be able to see the airport soon." Shalnark said.

A pause.

"... So, what's been keeping you occupied."

"Ah-huh?" Shalnark drawled.

"Out of all of us, you are the one who seeks reclusion the least, Shal." Chrollo said, as he sat down on the rooftop, head leaned back and his eyes closed for a moment.

"If you have anything to say, I want you to say it." Chrollo continued.

His voice was adamant but not authoritative. This didn't feel like an order, but more of a request.

Shalnark sat down as well.

Neither of them were in a hurry to speak. They just continued to sit there watching the faint sky lit up.
And before they had noticed it, morning had come.

"Boss," Shalnark said, his eyes wide not from the daybreak but from what he saw.

Chrollo turned his head at being called.

"I remember now," Shalnark said, "I remember where we saw that girl before!"

"Hold on. That girl, you mean Aurora?" Chrollo asked, calmly.

"Yes. I'm sure of it! It's this!" Shalnark said and pulled out his Hunter License.

Chrollo's eyes seemed to be glowing as he looked at the license in Shalnark's hands. He turned his face back to the front.

"I see... That makes sense. Yes, you're right... a girl like her must have taken the Hunter Exam in order to get this far."

The wheels in Chrollo's mind turned, as flashbacks of the 283rd Hunter Exam entered his mind.

Aurora Amaranth. I'll find out all there is about you.