simply diminished: a phantom troupe story

everything i touch

Nobunaga sighed and wearily scratched the back of his neck. "I can't make that decision, but I'm asking why. Even if you were skilled enough to match up against our group, why would you waste your life becoming a bandit."

I gulped and smiled sincerely, my eyes twinkling beside the stars.

"That's the thing. I don't have enough of a life to throw away. And even if I were to leave...I wouldn't have anything or anyone to return to. If I don't find a spot here, then I'm just as good as dead."

Nobunaga opened his mouth but was interrupted by a heavy pair of footsteps approaching the door.

"The boss is back!" Called shalnark, walking into view. But when he entered the room his eyebrow lifted in confusion and he started at me curiously. "Where are the boys?"

"They escaped." Growled Nobunaga, grabbing my arm and leading us out of the room. "Now let's go."

Nobunaga and Shalnark escorted me back to the basement; when we arrived, Phinks looked down at me irritatedly. His arms were bare and he glared at his jacket that was swung over my shoulders.

"I'll trade you." I offered, sliding the sleeves off my arm and grinning intuitivly. "My dagger for your jacket."

Instead of responding he looked over to another man who was sitting in a throne-like chair. This man wasn't there before; there's no way I could miss someone so...unusually striking. This had to be the boss.

"Lets not get ahead of ourselves now..." The man cooed, closing a large black book and adjusting on the chair.

I have to admit, I imagined the boss to be old, and wrinkly. To be half-expired with an ugly strained voice and an even uglier attitude. But I was quite wrong.

The man in the chair had sharp, distinguished features. His balmy onyx hair was slicked back neatly, framing his chalky white skin flawlessly. A small but intricate cross was detailed in the middle of his forehead, and his charcoal eyes followed my figure as he motioned for me to come closer.

"Hmm, what a pretty little thing you are. Tell me, why were you following Machi and Nobunaga?"

"To be honest I wasn't."

"Oh?" His lips were pursed assertively and his hand was pressed up against his chin.

"I was following some old friends of mine. But I didn't know I would end up here. I didn't know who the hell you people were until like an hour ago."

"I see."

"Pakunoda, check her. We can't show mercy to a liar." He waved over the taller woman from earlier, she held a smug expression on her face as she grabbed my shoulders. This must be her nen ability. Incredible.

"Pakunoda here can scan all the memories in that little brain of yours, just from one touch."

I smiled and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "I have nothing to hide."

Pakunoda stepped away from me and smiled, closely eyeing Hisoka but soon averting her attention back to me. "We've got quite the little monster here."

Chrollo leaned forward, suddenly intrigued in his new guest. "Tell me more."

"I can do it." I interrupted, causing the attention of the troupe to go back to me. "My life up until I was six was complete shit. I was fed maybe once a week, and was always kept chained up in this closet sized room. All because my family was terrified of me. I was born with an unusual ability."

"Go on."

"I don't know how to explain it." My eyes fluttered over to Hisoka, who was staring right back at me. "Everything I touch without my gloves is...simply diminished."

"Care to show us?" The boss asked avidly.

"Only if Phinks gives me my dagger back." I turned around to Phinks, who was now wearing an enraged expression. Withoughought saying a word he dug into his pocket and threw the dagger on the ground in front of me.

"Perfect." I pulled up the edge of my skirt, making sure not to reveal too much this time, and slipped the dagger back in the thigh garter. "Now, do you have a dead body on you?"

"A dead body-" He began to laugh and covered his mouth politely. "No, I don't believe we do."

"Well you probably dont want me to use a living being. It'd be quite messy."

"Hmm. Phinks. Go arrange something, you heard the girl." Phinks nodded and started out the door before I stopped him.

"And Phinks, while you're out can you pick my stuff up at the hotel? Hotel Beatacile room 329. Thanks." I tilted my head and smiled innocently.

"First name basis already, huh? And I'm not taking orders from you." He growled, causing my grin to grow.

"Phinks, do as the lady says." The boss demanded, showing him out the door with a small waving motion.

Phinks threw his hands up resentfully as he grumbled in complaint.

"Hmm now while we wait, tell me more."

The troupe was just sitting around us, listening into the intriguing conversation.

"I don't remember anything about my family. But they let me out when I was 13. Actually, I almost got saved when I was 6 but thats really not something I want to bring up now. Anyways, it was a butler who let me out. I don't even know what my family looks like. The butler, g-something, just gave me 10 million jenny and a map to the nearest airship station. Pretty harsh, huh?" I laughed and rubbed the back of my neck. "From there, I found a mentor. Their name was Indigo and they trained me in almost everything there is to know about nen. But just like almost everyone else after they find out about my hands, they left." The almost was included for Hisoka. And Hisoka only. "That was only about a year ago. I ended up going to Heavens Arena and that's where I met the boys who I followed here. I was challenged by one of the contestants there, and I needed to craft my own nen ability. The teacher there rejected me even before he learned about my hands. But I reached the 200th floor so I felt like I could leave."

"Nothing was holding you back?" Asked the boss deliberately, almost if he knew about Hisoka. And speaking of knowing about Hisoka, why didn't Pakunoda say anything?

"No, nothing." Even if he didnt know and was just asking, I wouldn't have wanted Hisoka to discover the influence he had on me.

"So I ended up finding a new trainer, one who actually cared for me. I crafted my nen ability, and we separated. She went back to working as an assassin and she recommended I get a job up here during the auction."

Almost as if he was in a trace, the boss blinked and looked towards Pakunoda promptly.

"She's been telling the truth, yes."

"Fascinating." The man inhaled slowly while silence infiltrated the room. "I suppose we've got some time before Phinks gets back. Care to show us your nen ability?