The Reason We Fight

Chapter 58. The Offer

Prince Tserriednich. The last obstacle on Kurapika's road. But there's no possible way to reach Kakin royalty - at least, if Shuri is to be believed. More than once, he felt the allure of giving it up, just be happy with what he had, but that... well, that was unthinkable.

The day was uneventful, drifting by like ice floes, until the door opened up and Shuri barged into his office spaces. As promised, she had stayed with him, and for the past month, they had been working on a way to gain access to the prince's extensive collection of Scarlet Eyes. She had proven quite useful in intel gathering; he supposed she had done a lot of it previously with the Red Hands.

"Guess who they made a member of the Zodiacs?", she announced, amused.

Kurapika was deep in thought, not really paying attention to her. "The Zodiacs are really no concern of mine", he said, offhandedly.

"They might be soon enough", she insisted, sitting on his desk and grabbing his letter-opener. She sent it twirling into the air, swinging it in circles. "They snatched Leorio into their ranks. After what he did at the Chairman Election, he might just possibly be the most popular Hunter in the Association right now". She erupted in laughter. "What a crazy world we live in".

He peeked at her from above his paperwork. "I still fail to see what any of this has to do with our goals".

Shuri slammed her palms on the surface of his desk, right on top of his folders, forcing his gaze to lift up to her. "Well, as you no doubt know, there is one more empty spot in the Zodiacs. I had myself a nice chat with Leorio, and..."

"Did you, now", Kurapika said, sardonically.

"Well, turns out, he recommended you to the council", she finished. He sighed deeply. She crossed her arms then, still keeping the letter opener in her hand. "Kurapika, it should come as no surprise to you, but I am no fan of the Hunter Association. The way I see it, it's an exploitative power structure we'd be better off without. Still, now that the Red Hands cut me off... I can't help but wonder, with their resources..."

"I already have all the resources I need at my disposal".

"If that were the case, then you'd already have the last missing Eyes in your hands", she said, curt, making Kurapika twitch. When she spoke again, her voice was tempered and soft. "Look, I can see the toll it's taking on you. Not being able to do anything. Frustration is curling off of you like smoke. As for...", she trailed off, tilting her head, and scowled. Sounds of struggle could be heard above. "Something is going on upstairs. I'll go take a look".

-

A strange man in head-to-toe cow print stood in the middle of the room, with a trio of Nostrade goons immobilized around him. A quick use of Gyo revealed that they were confined in some kind of Nen enclosure. Kakume walked slowly towards him, and sent the letter opener flying to him, stopping it just before it plunged into his eye. She had learned to control her Scarlet Eye power a lot better in the past few weeks, though it still far from perfect.

"I was led to believe that Kurapika was a guy", the man said calmly, not the slightest bit nervous despite the threat of being blinded.

Linssen put himself between them. "Kakume... I told him that the boss wasn't in, but he insisted, as you can see", he said, uncomfortably. Linssen had eventually gotten over the whole bombing thing, and actually never found out that she used his license to look up Vitum online. The man with the cow print studied her. She shifted, ill at ease.

"Interesting", he said pointedly. "There are two of you left, then? Please tell him I have information he'd be interested in".

"Kurapika doesn't like being interrupted when he's working, and you don't want to make him cross. He has no time for the likes of you. Get lost".

He smirked. "I think he would like to hear that one. It's about the Scarlet Eyes", he said.

"Go ahead, then. Do tell", Kurapika said as he walked up the stairs, his voice somber, dangerous. "But just so you know, you thread on thin ice. From this point on, you'd do well to choose your words wisely".

"Mizaistom, Hunter Association. I hear you're looking for the eyes of your murdered friends", he said. Kurapika's eyes glowed red. He was in a foul mood today. Mizaistom flinched in surprise. "We've identified the owner of a large number of them: Tserriednich Hui Guo Rou, Kakin's fourth prince".

"I already know that. This is no news to me".

Kakume glowered at him, exasperated. "There is no way into the Imperial Palace. Guards at the entrance of every room, Nen users, slaves willing to die for their masters. It's also built like a fortress. Just getting access to the palace itself is near impossible", she stated.

He narrowed his eyes, examining her. "You seem to know an awful lot about that place". He hesitated. "You wore the collar, didn't you?"

"You're out of line", Kurapika shouted, his hands tightening into fists. "Tell me what you want or get out".

Mizaistom raised his eyebrows, hiding them behind his hat. "I'm here to make a request. Come to the Dark Continent with us", he said.

The Dark Continent? Kakume thought, shocked. He's part of that expedition... that expedition to retrieve that panacea that could save me... She observed Kurapika, keeping her silence. Of course, he was still not aware of her little problem, and she intended to keep it that way.

Kurapika scrutinized him, puzzled. "What are you implying? That Tserriednich will be part of this expedition?"

"That's right", he declared. "The whole Kakin royalty will... they have plans to colonize the land. Join the Zodiacs, and you will get the chance to spend two months on a ship with him aboard. That... might very well be your only chance to slip through the cracks and reach your goal".

"Then this is really no choice at all".

-

"Let's head to the meeting then. A car is waiting for us", Mizaistom said, then glanced at Shuri. "Excuse me, miss. What did you say your name was?"

She put her hands on her hips and gave him the most defiant of looks. "Kakume Reznikov. Perhaps you've heard of my previous work?". She smiled provocatively, keeping eye contact with the Association man.

His nose wrinkled in distaste. "I've heard of it, alright. You're not coming with us, in any case. It's Zodiacs only".

"She's with me. Non-negotiable", Kurapika said, annoyed. Mizaistom opened his mouth to protest.

"Bugger that", Shuri pronounced.

Kurapika startled. "Shuri...", he started, grabbing her by the shoulders.

"Forget it, Kurapika. You know I love you, but I'm not a pencil-pushing bureaucrat. In a place like this, I might as well be an antelope surrounded by lions. It's just not my element. I've got to do things my own way".

"Don't be like that. You can adapt".

"Adaptation is compromise, and compromise is weakness", she said. That was probably something Tam had taught her, and there was no use in reasoning with the twisted logics he had drilled into her cranium.

"Alright, but please be careful. I don't have to tell you how dangerous this Tserriednich is", he relented.

Shuri nodded and watched him leave.

"Sounds like your girlfriend is about to stir up some trouble", Mizaistom noted. Kurapika shrugged. He was probably right, of course. "Aren't you going to stop her?", he questioned.

Kurapika sighed. "Would if I could", he said, as he entered the car.