The Ninth || Chrollo x Reader

XI. The Headquarters

    "Hey, (y/n)!" A voice calls from behind me. I halt my steps, and glance over my shoulder to see Shalnark waving at me. He smiles innocently, and I find a similar smile appear on my face.

    Beneath the sunlight, his blonde hair shines, and his outfit of pastels easily mask his sinister role and give him the appearance of an ordinary Hunter. He lightly jogs to me, his sneakers tap against the concrete sidewalk as I wait.

    We are on our way back to the parking area, as I had left the field hours ago. The sun has began to set, hues of orange painting the sky. Turning to Shalnark, I ask,

    "What do you guys usually do when you have free time?" It wasn't exactly a question in order to gain leverage, but just one that I asked out of curiosity.

    Shalnark replied, "Everyone does their own thing, but we usually just walk around and do whatever. Sometimes we get food, and then sometimes we just take small stuff that we want. Nothing too big that will interfere with our task."

    I wasn't exactly surprised by that answer by now. It was clear who I was with, a Spider. I couldn't exactly expect chivalry from the Phantom Troupe.

    I smile in response and say, "Oh, that's nice." My eyes flicker about, and I'm unsure if there's anything else I should say, however Shalnark quickly fills in the silence as we walk to the hideout.

    "What did you do, (y/n)?" I see his focus turn towards me.

    "I just got some food, and then talked a little to Chrollo. There wasn't really much to do." I shrug, and Shalnark adds,

    "We're gonna team up later to get into the Hunter Association Headquarters, so it would be nice if we could get to know each other a little. You're a Hunter, right?"

    My fingers slip into an inner pocket of my coat, and I whisk my Hunter's License out between two fingers. The card is still pristine, and free of any damage. Shalnark smiles at it, and in return, pulls out his from a pocket.

    Though I had already known that the Hunter Assocation is unwary of any Hunters, so long as they pass the Hunter Exam, I am still tense with the many criminals that have Hunter Licenses.

    We reach the entrance of the abandoned parking lot, and make our way in. My nose crinckles at the stench, and I wave a hand before it to adjust my sense of smell. The other Spiders have arrived beforehand, positioned around Chrollo, who's gaze is drawn to us.

    He smiles in our approach, and waves a hand to gesture us to come. The other Spiders glance at us briefly, before turning back to Chrollo.

    His eyes are drawn to a hole in the roof, through which we can see the sky darken. Clouds have begun to drift over us, and stars twinkle, faded against the sky.

    "We leave tonight," Chrollo begins, and the rest of the Spiders listen intently. "(y/n) and Shalnark will enter the Hunter Association Headquarters through their Hunter License accesses. They will then cause a distraction, and allow the rest of us in."

    I raise a hand, and ask, "Do you have any specifics for the distraction, or a preferred signal in mind?"

    Chrollo turns to Kortopi, a small figure dressed in a blue tunic, and a shade lighter of pants. His hair tone matches that of his pants, and his skin is purple. Behind his shaggy, long hair, a large eye is all that is visible of his face. Beside him, laying on the cold floor, is a detonator.

    "When you enter Headquarters, make sure you have one of these." Chrollo's fingers grasp the silver detonator, taking up most of his hand. "You should be able to set it off, which will explode the entrance and the bulk of the Hunters who watch the building. If this is the right model, it should also blow up some of the flooring, and a passage that leads to the underground vaults will open."

    Phinks says, "It's the right model," and Machi side-eyes him, though she doesn't say anything.

    I realize that Chrollo never specified how Shalnark and I would avoid the explosion, and through that I realize his confidence in this group. The Phantom Troupe must have been through worse, and through that have developed an intense bond of trust. The Zodiacs paled in comparison through that aspect.

    "Get in, kill, steal, and get out." Chrollo says simply. Pale moonlight shines on his skin, and his eyes are drawn to the moon that glistens above him. A small smile grows, and he says, "It's time."

    The Spiders stand, stepping away from walls and rising from the floor. Phinks throws two detonators towards me and Shalnark. I catch the device in my hand, and examine it. It is a metal orb, in the shape of a light bulb, with a large cap and a bit of twine. I look over to Shalnark, who has one too, and my suspicions of Kortopi's Nen ability is confirmed. He is a Conjurer, able to create replicas of any object that is given to him.

    I walk alongside the Phantom Troupe, our feet clicking against the ground. Together, we leave the parking lot.

    ***
    The street that leads up to the Hunter Association Headquarters are lined in trimmed, green bushes. The pavement is made of stone tile, and leads up to an arch at the entrance. Dim streetlights hang over Shalnark and I, as we walk towards the towering building.

    Light shines through certain squared windows, others dark, and others covered by blinds. The sounds of cars driving past us, their tires screeching and drivers honking are unable to keep me from my thoughts.

    As we walk, two men dressed in black tuxedo outfits approach us. I hold up my license, and as does Shalnark. They nod, and back up from us in a few steps.

    Stepping up the stairs, we arrive at the familiar glass doors I used to enter. I smile at the irony, as Shalnark and I step through the sliding doors. My fingers quickly tug at the twine, and I throw the detonator into the building, and sparks grow from the device.

    I had once been the Snake entering this building, and now I've returned as a Spider.

Author's note: Hi! Thanks again for reading this chapter, please vote if you enjoyed it! And thank you for your support if you've been adding my story to your lists, voting, commenting, or just reading :)) Again, please feel free to send me feedback, as we are finally at the main heist of the Phantom Troupe! See you soon!
~Amorevolous