AN ~ No real note, i just love all of you who read this. LET IT BEGIN!! ^-_-^
Third POV:
Kurapika is in silent awe, and in a new understanding. He and the rest are completely out classed by this individual. The strength of her Aura is immeasurable and it has completely shrowded the entire building. Layla stands there, as if frozen in time, her eyes a glow with the fiery red aura that burns inside her. Down below, chrollo has broken eye contact with her and has turned tail to run with the rest of the Troupe.
"Kurapika, get down here!" Pokkle yells to his friend. Kurapika is still unyieldingly locked at Layla's side. "She is a ticking time-bomb you have to get away from her!" He reluctantly take a step backwards, then turns and leaped down to his comrades.
"I dont know what is happening to her, but we have to stop it!" Kurapika tells the rest.
"What are you talking about?!" Leorio shouts in frustration. "An hour ago you couldnt stand this girl and now you are saying we should save her instead of save our own skins?!"
"Yes that is exactly what i am saying!" He shouts back. "If we leave her here than we are no different that the Troupe!"
Their bantering is interrupted by the sudden gasp for air that Layla lets out sharply. They all look up in horror at the demonic Child. "Unforgivable..." She whispers in a haunting, echoing voice. At first no one would say a word. "Unforgivable..." She says again as tears slip from her burning eyes.
"What is? What is unforgivable?" Kurapika finally asks meekly.
she stares at them all without a sound or a movement. She remained perfectly still and silent for 2 minutes straight. Finally she opens her mouth to speak, "I-I... I am." Is all she says. Kurapika's eyes grow wide.
"Everyone take cover!" He call out in a panic. As all of them kiss the dirt Layla ferociously explodes with Nen power. The deafening roar of her energy is even drowning out her screams of agony! The gang is all pinned to the ground by the shear weight of her Aura. Kurapika struggles to lift his head and take in what is going on. "Layla!" She calls to her
He body begins to disintegrate, that is the only word to describe what her nen is doing to her body. Piece by piece she shrivels and flows away in the breeze, blood dripping from every wound in her flesh.
"No!" Pokkle cries out randomly. all eyes shift to him briefly. "No no not again please!" he begs.
"Pokkle, what are you talking about?" Ponzu shouts to him over the chaos. He winces in pain and grabs his head. Ponzu just keeps watching in confusion. "Pokkle?!"
With shaky hands he pushes himself to his knees and then with all his might he is forced to his feet. Everyone watches him in awe. "Layla..." He calls to her weakly. "Layla!" He shouts again. "Layla, its me! Listen to my voice!" Pokkle continues to call to the young woman who is dying right before his eyes. But why? Why was this destroying him inside? Why was his heart breaking and his stomach turning? All these feelings welling up inside him and he doesnt understand.
In the distance where no one notices, another figure appears in the shadows. 'No, layla... Chrollo what have you done?' the figure asks itself. "Layla.... please, hear my voice. LAYLA!" Pokkle calls again, his voice growing thin with emotion. Suddenly the shadow lurker emerges from her hiding place and she and Pokkle cry out at the same time, "XALAYCO STRON!!!" (AN: pronounced "zah-la'-co'") suddenly it seems that the young girl falls dead to the ground and her Aura immediately disappears. The mystery woman is instantly at Layla's side. The whole gang is baffled and confused.
The strange woman scoops Layla into her arms and leaps down to the rest. "Its alright she is just unconscious." she states.
"Wh-who the heck are you?" Leorio stammers in disbelief at the tall athletic woman who randomly appeared.
"I should be asking you that," She states flatly. "You are the one in my home." she growls. Everyone's guard immediately rises.
"Are you a Spider?" Kurapika asks straight up.
"Good grief." The woman rolls her eyes. "No i am a professional hunter." She off her christened and well worn license.
Gotoh examines it briefly, "It is authentic." He tells the rest.
"Of course it is, im not a liar." She replies in irritation. "My name is Niero, Layla is my little sister."
"Niero" Milly repeats as her and Gon appear from behind them all. "You came back?" She asks in confusion.
"Of course you brat, i had no choice." she replies
"I thought you swore you would never return?"
"Well i had to lead an associate to Meteor City, after all i wouldnt be a very good Guide Hunter ifi kept turning down jobs."
"Guide an associate?" Gon's eyes grow wide. "Was his name Hanzo?"
"Yes actually it was." The somber look on everyone's faces told her all she needed to know "He didnt make it did he?"
"Im afraid not." Gon answers shamefully as he looks at the ground.
"But after everything that happened?" milly begins to ask but she cant find the words.
"It doesnt matter, when i sensed Layla's Aura i knew i had to come here. I'm the only one who can stop her."
"Nie..." Pokkle says slowly. The moment she laid eyes on him, her seemingly unshakable steadiness wavers. She turns pale, as though she could be knocked over by a leaf.
"P-pokkel?... Kel is that you?" Niero asks slowly as she takes a weary step toward him.
"Pokkle, who is she?" Ponzu whispers to him defensively.
Niero snickers, "Pokkle... thats the best you came up with Pokkel?" She teased him.
"Hey at least i tried, you didnt do anything." He replies so naturally arrogant.
"Pokkle!" Ponzu now demands with a hurt tear in her eye. Pokkle sympathetically reaches out to caress her face, but she backs away.
"Ponzu, please let me explain." He pleads.
"Ok fine, im listening!" she replies shortly, as she tries to stop the stinging tears in her eyes.
"Ponzu," Pokkle says with a gently warm smile. "This is my twin sister, Niero. Niero this is my fiance, Ponzu." Both of the women's jaws go slack and stare at him in shock.
"You have a sister?"
"You are getting married?"
Ponzu's eyes now fill with tears of joy, "Why did you never tell me... you had a sister?" She asks him.
"Dont blame him, we parted ways years ago. And we both swore to never see each other or speak of each other again." Niero answers with a small chuckle. "Besides... he actually has 2 sisters." She gazes fondly down at the sleeping Layla. Pokkle kneels down next to her and gently brushes his fingers through her hair.
"What happened to her?" Kurapika asks.
"That was her Specialist Nen ability." Niero explains "It would take too much t explain, basically Chrollo was trying to use her as a bomb to take all of you out in one attack."
"Come on she couldnt have killed all of us." Killua says doubtingly
"Ha ha ha!" She laughs sarcastically, "you would have all been nothing but dust."
'She is telling the truth.' Kurapika thinks to himself. 'She is powerful beyond what we can even imagine. And that is exactly why Chrollo used her.' "Ok Niero, then tell us, what do we do now?"
"Well there is no doubt that the Troupe has realized that we stopped Layla and they wil be coming back to finish the job. We need to get the heck outa here."
"No we cant, we cant leave without Mito." Killua voices.
"Oh you mean your dear Aunty..." Chrollo's sinister voice chills the air. Everyone turns on guard to face the entire Troupe now in its glory. Machi's Nen strings looped and knotted around Mito's body as she is suspended grotesquely in the air. She looks every bit as horrible as Killua remembers.
"A-aunt Mito?..." Gon says in slow painful disbelief. "Aunt Mito?!" There is nearly nothing left of the woman who raised him, she was completely unrecognizable. Anger, pain, guilt, and a lust for blood and revenge courses through his veins.
"Gon, please dont..." Killua tries to reason with him.
Explosive anger bursts from every Node in his body! His Aura seems to have changed completely! "CHROLLO!!!!" He roars at the top of his lungs!
"Canary!" Milly Signals. In a flash Canary knocks Gon out with one hit to the back of the neck. He falls limply to the ground. Everyone is startled by this reaction. "Gotoh, grab him." The butler swoops in and grab the boys body. The three of them act like a well oiled machine. Milly had this outcome planned out.
"That was a good decision i think, "Chrollo tells her smugly. "The poor lad would have only gotten himself killed if he flew off the handle."
"Shut up!" Milly yells at him. "We want Mito, thats all. Then we will leave." her voice commanding his attention.
"You are much more bold and out spoken Milly dear." He toys with her. His gaze shifts the the changed young woman he used to know. "Niero, i should have known you were here. No one else could have known how to stop Layla."
"Chrollo, you know i will always be here when she needs me. I made that promise before i left." She responds seeming unafraid. "I should have taken her away from here, and one day i will."
"Until that day comes she is MINE!" His booming voice triumphs. "So... if you want you dear Aunty back, then Niero pick up Layla and bring her here."
"No we are not going to make a trade with you, you sick spider!" Kurapika intervenes.
"Silence!" Chrollo commands, Kurapika's eyes begin to glow red hidden behind his contacts. "Now Niero, bring her to me and i will relinquish the woman to them."
Niero locks eyes with the devilish man for a brief moment, and then concedes. "Fine, but first you bring the woman here and then Layla and i will come across."
"Fine." He replies shortly. "Machi, release her." He commands. Machi sends Mito's torn body over and lays her on the ground in front of Milly.
"Alluka i need you now!" Killua calls to his baby sister. He and the rest all surround Mito's body.
"Now, Niero. Bring her over." Chrollo demands
"Of course..." She replies solemnly. She takes Layla into her arms and then walks stoically toward the troupe. She looks back briefly to make eye contact with Kurapika but returns to her course.
"Alluka, alluka." Killua says with slight panic in his voice. "Please, dont be scared. But I need Nanika. I need her to save Aunt Mito." He pleads wit her.
"but, Onii-chan... Nanika gets tired when she works like this." Alluka protests.
"Yes sweetie, i know. But this is the only way to save Mito's life." Milly tells her gently.
"But, Nanika doesnt know Mito, and neither do i." She pouts again.
"Alluka..." Killua begins slowly. "Let me tell you about her. Her name is Mito Freecs, but we all call her aunt Mito. She is the one who raised Gon. You know, my friend over there." He gestures toward Gon's unconscious body. "He is my very best friend... And we stuck together through thick and thin. We have found our way out of impossible situation. Onii-chan probably wouldn still be here without him... And without Mito, i never would have met him, and without him i would have never met Mito." He pauses to look with sentimental fondness, thinking of the woman he came to know and love in Mito. "She is an incredible woman. She taught us all many things over the years. She has cared for us, scolded us, listened with her ears and healed us with her heart. She never had an obligation to care for anyone, because no one cared for her. But she carried so much love in her heart, that she couldnt keep it to herself. She could even love a cold hearted assassin like me. Showing me the value of life, the gift that living is and the wonders it offers." Tears now spills from his eyes though he tries to hold them back. He pauses to clean his face with his tattered sleeve. "So that, Alluka, that who this woman is... She my Mom..."
Alluka stares at her brother in total amazment. Then she looks down wonderingly at Mito, dreaming of the woman she is and how much she wants to meet her. "Ok, Onii-chan..." Alluka closes her eyes and concentrates deeply. soon Nanika emerges. "Killua, i am ready."
"Thank you Nanika." He smiles kindly at the strange creature. "Now please, heal Mito. Make her the woman she was."
"Aye." Nanika streches out her arms to touch Mito's ravaged body. There is a powerful blinding ray of Aura that washes over the room, and in an instant Mito is restored fully to her original self, though she remained unconscious. Nanika falls gingerly into Killua's arms totally exhausted. And she quickly falls asleep.
Tears of joy well in everyone's eyes as they all look on at the perfect Aunt Mito that now lay in front of them. The glorious feeling of victory and relief to have saved everyone fills the air.
Niero briefly looks back at the tearful celebrators, and a smile touches her lips. Finally she has reached the Troupe and she hands Layla over into the hands of Phinks. "Perfect." Chrollo's twisted grin creeps onto his face. "Do you also have the item i requested?"
"Ya its right here." She replies disdainfully as she hands him the small syringe full of poison. "Im done smuggling your junk in and out of here."
"Thats fine, this is the last delivery i will ask you to make." Without warning he knocks her out before she even has time to react. his attention turns toward the occupied group of hunters. Layla regains consciousness at just the right moment, Chrollo is launching that mysterious poison directly at the sleeping Gon as he lay unattended behind the group.
"Killua! Stop him!" She screams without a moment to spare.
Without a hesitation or a second thought, Killua dives in front of the projectile and feels i plunge deep in his skin. The rest are barely able to process what had happened. As killua's body falls to the ground his time seems to freeze and play back his history. You know it is just like they say, you see your life flash before your eyes as you die...
"No Killua!!" Milly screams in horror.
"NOO!!" Layla cries out as she is grabbed from behind and vanishes with the rest of the Troupe.
"No killua! You cant do this!" Milly Pleads.
Kalluto also kneels next to his brother's body, "Alluka! Alluka we need you!" He calls, but his sister stills lays asleep as Nanika regains strength.
"No no no NO! Killua please..." Milly looks down at the syringe in her shaking hand. the label reads 'Poush'.
"No... there is... nothing we can do." Kurapika says in utter disbelief as he falls to his knees in dispair. "He will be dead in less than two minutes" tears rolls down his face. 'this whole mission... i set aside my revenge in order to save my friend... and even at that i failed...'
Gon suddenly shoots upright. He looks around in confusion and catches sight of Canary. "Hey you knocked me out!" He shouts at her angrily, then he realizes everyone is in tears and he sees Killua's body on the ground. "Killua... Killua!" He crawls desperately to his friends side.
"Gon... Its the Poush poison... there is nothing we can do." Leorio tells him as pain and tears choke even his voice.
"Shut up! Dont even say that!" He shouts. "Killua no this isnt fair! I cant.. I CANT LOSE YOU AGAIN!!" Killua's eyes slowly open.
"Gon... Hi" His famous Bratty smile crosses his face. Gon dont be angry, this is my fault. I chose this."
"Stop! Dont say that! You are strong, i know you can..."
"Gon no, i dont have time to argue. Please just listen..." His voice grows weaker by the second. "Gon, my name is Killua Zoldyck, i am the son of an assassin, and heir to the family business. I have a twin sister, Milly, she means the world to me and she is going to need someone to take care of her. Over there on the ground, that Aunt Mito... You and i, thats our Mother. She is going to need you too." He pauses to catch his breath.
Everyone is captivated ny Killua and doesnt notice Mito beginning to stir and regain consciousness.
"You know, when i first met you i thought you were annoying and unbearably naive. Little did i know you would be the one who saves me. You and me, we have had such amazing adventures. Enough for a life time and i cant thank you enough for showing me that. You are the first person i ever opened up to, the first i came to trust, and the only one... who found my humanity. Gon... You are my brother, and you are... and *always* will be... my friend." Killua's head falls limply to the side as he exhales his last breath. His eyes forever open as if his sights are set on the future....
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~ Luv2All!! <3 ReaderWriter_18