The Reason We Fight

Chapter 43. The Line

Kurapika waited in The Oracleum for him to show up. According to his sources, Galbanks had started going back again, figuring that Kurapika had gotten everything he wanted from him.

He entered the club and started mingling with the patrons. When he noticed him, he darted for the exit, but Kurapika blocked his way and seized him by the collar.

"Not so fast", he threatened.

The oracle, Destiny, grabbed him by the wrist. "No violence in here. Take it outside". Kurapika shrugged her off. The woman curled her lip, giving him a queer look. "You just keep on getting darker and darker, don't you? Beware of where that darkness leads you, boy".

He ignored her, but let go of him all the same. "Your leader is a con man, you know that?", he said.

"His miracles are real enough".

"They stopped working for you for a while though, haven't they?". His expression revealed that he hit the nail on the head. Kurapika reflected on that. So, his power works well enough on newer members... enough to ensnare them into his game. But it doesn't fare so well over time... why is that?

Fosco shifted uncomfortably. "It started well enough", he disclosed. "I got a promotion at my job, and the woman of my dreams landed into my arms. Opportunities opened up for me left and right, it was a true marvel". He hesitated. "For a couple of months, though, things have been falling apart. My fiancé left me and I got fired. All I could really do is hope that Dante would bless me once more".

Ah, I understand now, Kurapika surmised. It's just as I suspected. The leader has a Nen that allows a person's lifetime luck to suddenly shift forward. The accumulated luck of their lifetimes is all bunched up into the present, making the person seem "blessed", not knowing that as a result of the debt, they will be unlucky for the rest of their lives. Galbanks has reached the limit of Dante's power, but is now too invested to back down.

"Dante swindled you into his get-lucky-fast scheme, and I feel sorry that you fell victim to it", he began, sympathetic. "You do realize that you will never recover what he's taken from you, right?"

If appeared that Galbanks suspected as much. "What are you saying..? That I scratch your back, you scratch..."

"I'm not scratching your anything", Kurapika said, firm. "You'll do as I tell you, and that way, you'll get your revenge. That is what I'm offering you".

-

The formation proved the right strategy. They took small dark alleys and underground tunnels to reach their destination and avoid conflict as much as they could. But they had encountered several pursuers nevertheless, some on wheels, some camouflaged. They each did their part to ensure the safety of the children. Kai even got one with his bow. Finally, they reached the underground parking lot. A dozen or more police cars were stationed there, as well as onlookers and the children's families. They jumped into their parents' arms, relieved that they would be safe. Lumiere's aunt, the vice president of Rokario, was also present. That bitch... Kakume thought, bitter. She was relieved, however.

She approached the two boys. "Hey... I didn't get the chance to thank you. You barely know me, yet... well, I don't know if I would have succeeded without you. Anyways, what are you doing here?"

They both looked rather forlorn. "It's... complicated", said Gon. "Any news of Kurapika?"

Kakume blushed, stupidly, thinking of the last time she was here in Doli City with him. "Yes, I've um... seen him rather recently". She looked to the side. "He's retrieved many of the Scarlet Eyes by now. He's..."

"So why are you not helping him?", Gon interrupted her. Kakume seemed surprised. Why, indeed.

She would have answered, but she was distracted by the police officers who were shooting her glances and whispering. Kakume was about to make a run for it.

"You!", one of them called out, pointing his gun at her. "Hands in the air!"

She executed the command. Killua ran between her and the police officer. "What are you doing?", he asked, outraged. "Are you an idiot? She just rescued the damn kids!" Noticing that the officer was pointedly ignoring him, he sharpened his claws.

Kakume intervened, giving him a dangerous look. "You wouldn't be stupid enough to assault an officer, would you boy?" She let herself be handcuffed roughly.

She brushed the officer off, annoyed. "Hey, stop manhandling me, would ya? I'm not resisting. Bet you wish I did though, ain't that right?"

"You have the right to remain silent. I suggest you use it", he said, indifferent. Kakume tsked at him.

What seemed to be a detective or commissioner approached her, arms crossed. "What you did... it was a noble sacrifice. I'm sure they will take it into consideration during your trial".

She looked at him and nodded, her face showing nothing. Kai stepped in, in a voice full of authority. "Trial? She saved our lives!"

"That may be so, but she is still a wanted fugitive. That here is Kakume Reznikov. She is wanted for murder, terrorism, destruction of property, forgery... shall I go on?"

"No, that's quite alright", Kakume said.

A crowd had gathered in the meantime, engrossed by the action. In the back of it, Kakume located Arlan. His expression was dark, barely holding it together. Kakume held his gaze and gave him a mocking grin as she entered the police car.

-

It all went wrong, Kurapika thought, as he headed back to his hideout. I never meant for this to happen.

But things never go as planned, do they? It went all wrong in Yorkshin too. He wished he didn't have to kill Dante, but that's what happened all the same. It was an ambush. It was self-defense.

Dante was bad but he wasn't evil. Not the way the Phantom Troupe was. The line is getting too blurry...

Kurapika got the handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped the blood out of his face before he entered. "Boss, someone is there to see you", one of his employees said. His ears were ringing, and he could barely hear. He lifted his eyes. It was that fortune teller from the bar. "Assist her out", he uttered simply. The three pairs of Scarlet Eyes were getting heavier in his arms.

"Wait!", she said. "I think you're going to want to hear this".

Kurapika stopped. Destiny sighed audibly. "I don't know why I bother telling you but here it is. That girl I saw when I read you... death is coming for her. I read her about five years ago, just before she shot me in the damn abdomen. Took months to heal, by the way. Well, she's going to get killed by her father. Soon. So, you better go see her before it's too late".

"What about that whole happiness thing?"

She squirmed uneasily. "I'm not sure. I'm usually never wrong... Anyways, that's all I had to say." She approached him and placed her hand on his forehead. "Here, see for yourself".

Bright flashes of Shuri's death scrolled before his eyes, vague words, hazy images. Kurapika said nothing. He went downstairs and placed the three pairs of Scarlet Eyes in the chapel he's constructed for his brethren. He felt an empty gap where his heart was supposed to be. Every day, I stray further from the light... Shuri, why won't you help me out of this torment?

His phone was buzzing. He had half a mind to ignore it, but decided against his intuition to answer. "Kurapika..." It was Gon. "It's about Kakume..."

His heart skipped a beat.