Open Book [Chrollo Lucilfer x Reader]

ix. plan gone awry

"We're being followed."

The six of you bolting through the rain, you nodded at Chrollo's words. You didn't have time to turn around and see, but it was easy to sense.

"Nobunaga, Kortopi, and [Y/n] — you three go ahead. I want [Y/n] to grab the information."

Nobody had time to protest or say anything. The three of you heeded Chrollo's orders, bursting ahead as Machi, Shizuku, and Chrollo stopped to confront whoever was chasing them. Despite the chain user being in a car, it didn't surpass nen. In only about five minutes had you all caught up with the car and flanked it, you on the driver's side, Nobunaga in front, and Kortopi on the other side. Immediately, you realized what had happened.

"This isn't him," you told them, frowning in thought. "I don't have his information. May I?"

Nobunaga clearly wasn't going to be trusting of you anytime soon, but after a moment he grunted and nodded. You beckoned for the man to get out of the car, and after a moment he did, opening the door. You watched in bemusement as a line of dogs left the car and ran off as well. It certainly was not what you had expected, but you weren't one to talk, especially with your most recent companions.

Summoning your hatsu, you gestured to the book. "Touch this."

With Nobunaga warning the man to not do anything stupid, he hesitantly touched the book. You took it back, opening the book up to the center as you started to read what was on the page.

"Squala?" You said out loud, the guy jolting at his name. "A manipulator, which would fit in with Shalnark's theory about the chain user... But this certainly isn't him," you said, reading the biography. Before he could move, you grabbed Squala's hand, watching as more words filled the page. The longer the contact, the more information you'd get now that he touched your book.

You scanned the page, pursing your lips as nothing too much came up. "You manipulate dogs, and really have no idea what's going on, huh?" According to this, he was just told to take the eyes and go. You also learned the chain user's name — Kurapika. With this knowledge, and your own memory of how he looked, this would be easy. Even more, though, was the fact that Squala had no other information to offer you.

He was a diversion.

Realizing this, you let your book disappear and let go of his hand, stepping back. "He knows nothing. Just let him go."

Nobunaga withdrew his sword, snorting. "Like hell! He works with the chain user--"

You stepped in front of Squala, your face passive and stoic. "We're not going to kill somebody needlessly. He knows nothing. We're letting him go."

Kortopi stood off to the side as you and Nobunaga faced off, nobody making a move. Realizing how long this may take, Kortopi stepped forward.

"[Y/n], you're planning on joining the Phantom Troupe, right?"

You didn't glance over, but nodded, not quite reaching for your daggers yet. Kortopi continued. "We have a tradition among members, requiring them not to fight. Instead, we flip a coin."

He tossed the coin to you, and without tearing your eyes from Nobunaga, you caught the coin. Finally, you glanced down, rolling the strange coin between your fingers. It wasn't currency — it was custom, a spider on one side, a web on the other. You'd assume the spider was heads, and the web was tails. You looked back up towards Nobunaga.

"Heads."

"Tails."

Throwing the coin up, you flipped it expertly before catching it, not hesitating to reveal the side. You relaxed. "Tails." Kortopi peered over to confirm, and Nobunaga 'tsked', putting his sword away.