The Reason We Fight

Chapter 56. The Gift

"Hisoka", Tam said distrustfully, his eyes narrowed. "I sure as hell didn't expect to see you round these parts".

With panache, Hisoka circled around him. "I've always wondered, Tam. Which one would win, if we ever were to fight". Kakume watched him nervously, her heart hammering in her chest. So did he come here to fight Tam, or me? Maybe both? she thought anxiously.

"Now is not the time to find out", he remarked. "I'm in the middle of something, in case you didn't notice".

The magician cast an exaggerated glance at the scene and smiled wide. "Now is exactly the right time".

Tam frowned, then abruptly set a dark cloud of beetles on him, encircling the area. Hisoka twirled his deck of Nen-infused, razor-sharp cards between his fingers, and adeptly cut through the swarm, a sinister grin etched on his face. Using the smoke screen of his beetles to press on, Tam lunged at him with a precise strike. Hisoka diffused it with a sudden burst of speed.

Kakume observed the two men fight in awe for a moment... Tam's calculated cunning meeting Hisoka's unpredictable flair, then fixed her gaze to Kurapika, who was drifting in and out of consciousness on the floor. Leorio was tending to him, his face revealing the guilt he felt about the whole thing, and himself looking worse for wear. She ran to meet them, and gently took Kurapika's face into her hands. It was all black and blue, with a line of dried blood trailing from his mouth. His eyes opened up slowly.

"Shuri", he said, faintly.

She swallowed hard, a mixture of worry and anger overtaking her features. "Look at you..." She paused. "He's really done a number on you... that ogre", she said, an edge creeping into her voice. Her voice was acerbic to start, and grew more tart as she spoke. She watched Tam battle Hisoka, and her eyes turned scarlet. "How could he..." She was riling herself up, her hands trembling in fury.

Kakume could have chosen to let go of it, that anger, at that moment. She could have chosen to help Kurapika up with Leorio's help, and fled the scene, leaving Tam in Hisoka's capable hands. But instead, she chose to keep it close to her chest like a burning coal. "All those horrible things that he's done, just because he could. I cannot forgive him. I will not forgive him". Kurapika was right. I can control it. I can control this power. I only needed the right motivation. She stood, resolute.

Leorio screwed up his face. "Where the hell are you going?"

"I'm going to finish this", she threatened, her voice dark, dangerous.

He grabbed her wrist, annoyed. "Don't be stupid! Just let Hisoka take care of it! Let's bail".

Kakume shrugged his hand off brusquely. "No. There is only one way this can end".

-

With a jerk, Kurapika sat up, and immediately groaned and clutched his head, swaying. His head spun and everything he looked at lurched. He was befuddled, snatches of thought spinning by too fast to grasp. He watched as Shuri walked determinedly towards the two fighting men.

"Take it easy, Kurapika", Leorio said to him. "I think I might have given you a small concussion".

Tam kicked Hisoka, who landed on his feet close to Shuri, giving her a sly smirk. With her eyes still fixed firmly on Tam, she raised her hand towards Hisoka and slammed him to the wall, using the iron in his body to keep him pinned up to it. For the first time since Kurapika had met him at the Hunter Exam, almost two years ago, genuine surprise registered on Hisoka's face.

"This is not your fight. Get out, or I'll kill you too", Shuri spat at him condescendingly. She released her grip. Hisoka's face flushed, his lip quivering. "Oh... how you've blossomed, Wraith". He turned his back to her, walking toward the exit. "The mere thought of our next encounter fills me with such... excitement. Assuming you survive this one. I'll have to take a rain check on that", he said over his shoulder, then disappeared.