The Reason We Fight

Chapter 23. The Father

Tam held the girl in a cradle carry as he ran, as fast as he could, through the streets of Diguo. By the time they reached the Kakin airport, her eyes had turned back to normal. What was that? What was that power? He put her on the ground. Her skinny face was vacant now, dirt and splashes of blood scattered all over it. How old was she, 10? 11? Not many knew Nen at that age, and fewer less to the extent of killing so many...

He calmed his thoughts, and boarded the airship, showing his Hunter License. How on earth did a Kurta end up in a place like this? They never left their little forest. Well, except for Reira. Surely, this girl isn't...

He looked around furtively, making sure they weren't followed.

-

The events that led him to the Kakin Empire were very simple – he was trying to scam a Prince. Prince Jabatai, to be exact, second in line to the throne. He was succeeding too, up until the moment that girl killed him and all 50+ members of his court. In the business, they call it Salting the Mine. He marked Jabatai as a good target due to his rather varied portfolio as a businessman. As if being a royal wasn't enough. The trick goes this way. He introduced himself as a successful prospector, trying to ensnare him with the alluring land patent of a mine in which he had previously strategically planted gold ore on the surface. Of course, elsewhere in the mine, not a trace of gold would be found. It was a rather safe con, as it is quite difficult to find concrete evidence of foul play. He didn't want to create diplomatic incidents, after all. Or did he? He supposed that also might prove rather funny.

But anyways, here he was, his deal off due to the untimely demise of his mark... a seriously bad investment. He eyed his new investment. She was small and bony, not a pretty child. But that might change once she hit puberty. A whole new world of swindling presented itself before him. That Nen, too. He was sure he could find a use for that powerful Nen, once the girl manages to refine it a bit. Around ten years ago, maybe a bit more, that's when he met that Kurta woman. What a beauty she was, though, unsurprisingly, quite uncultured about the ways of the world. He doesn't recall her having any Nen whatsoever.

"Listen, kid. I think you might be one of mine.", he said to her then. Of course, he believed it entirely possible that he might have more spawn around, but never bothered to stay long enough to find out. "But don't you think for a second that it gives you the right to just lounge around, leeching off of me. You gotta earn your keep around here. Just so happens that I was in need of such an accomplice for future ventures".

She looked at him, a blank look on her face. Is she an idiot? Is she a mute?

"Okay", she responded finally.

-

Shuri blinked. She couldn't remember what had happened that led her to be with this strange man. Yesterday was a bit of a blur. All she knew, is that she felt empty now, drained of something vital. Her emotions were gone too, just like that. She remembered vaguely the hot-tempered, defiant, impulsive girl she had been just the day before, but couldn't channel her. The man introduced himself as Tam, and said he was her father. He asked her a lot of questions about something she did yesterday. She couldn't remember what she did yesterday, though. That seemed to frustrate him.

"You have the collar around your neck. Was Jabatai using you for your Hatsu?"

"What's Hatsu?", Shuri asked.

He looked at her, his face full of disbelief, then burst out laughing. "Did I say something funny?", she continued, her voice flat.

"You are a very unusual specimen. I suppose I'll have to train you in Nen".

"Is Nen what they call the Sorcery outside of Kakin?"

He picked her by the arm and dragged her to a room full of weapons, dummies, and battle equipment. "You have a lot to learn".