Skeleton Flower | kurokura time travel AU | chrollo x kurapika

Chapter 7

The moment Kurapika catches sight of the Bandit's Secret in Kuroro's hand, the ground drops out from underneath him.

Kurapika crashes into a heap of discarded refuse and metal, the impact hard enough to leave him breathless. Debris clatters down on him as he lies insensible among the rubbish, his head spinning from what he recognizes as Kuroro's teleportation ability—the disorientation familiar from when Kuroro first subjected him to it on the Black Whale. The sudden change in their surroundings is too confusing for him to get his feet under himself.

A shadow blocks out the sun and obscures his view of the sky, belonging to none other than the person responsible for his descent. When Kurapika looks up, his vision wavering before him, Kuroro is standing there with his hand extended in an offer of assistance. He looks out of place against the massive junkyard behind them, his appearance pristine and untouched by filth, when Kurapika is covered in dirt and debris as if he's the one who belongs to Meteor City.

Kurapika shoves himself upright, fighting the accompanying wave of dizziness brought about by the movement. He rises to his feet by himself as if he didn't just fall embarrassingly hard earlier. "Next time, it would be nice if you gave me a warning."

"I'll consider it," Kuroro answers with a small smile, amused that Kurapika caught onto his ability so easily.

He wouldn't be smiling if he knew that Kurapika was capable of emptying his stomach over Kuroro's shoes. He recalls how Kuroro finally stopped messing with him on the ship the last time that happened.

Kuroro moves several steps back, giving him a moment to orient himself with their newfound surroundings. Kurapika takes this opportunity to recover his balance and steady himself on his feet. A hot gust of wind sweeps through the junkyard, stirring the hair from Kurapika's face and billowing the back of his suit jacket.

Instead of standing in the shadows of vast skyscrapers overlooking any other city, they're surrounded by mountains of refuse jutting up into the sky, appearing as if they would come crashing down at any moment, unable to support the weight of the accumulated detritus of Meteor City's inhabitants and the rest of the world. Beneath them, the ground is completely covered in debris, incapable of greenery without a single blade of grass in sight.

This is Kuroro's sanctum and stronghold, so Kurapika needs to stay on guard when he doesn't have the environmental advantage here. Kuroro goes over to the edge of the garbage mound they found themselves on, nodding towards the ground as a gesture for him to follow. He slides down the slope, and Kurapika follows him in his descent.

Kuroro lands on the ground effortlessly. He strides a short distance away and faces him from the opposite end. His Bandit's Secret rests in one hand, the book open to a blank page, and he draws the Benz knife from his hip with his other hand, the handle bound with the turquoise ribbon.

"Both physical weapons and Nen are permissible for this fight," Kuroro tells him, the ribbon in his grasp reminding Kurapika of his objective. He shifts into a more serious stance, making Kurapika materialize his chains in anticipation, but nothing suggests that he plans on making the first move. "Now let's see what you're made of."

For a moment, the only movement between them is the passing wind. They appraise each other with a tentative calm—

And Kurapika goes on the offensive.

He lashes out with his Dowsing Chain with the force of a punishing whip. The chain dislodges a scrap heap that explodes violently into metal fragments when Kuroro evades with remarkable speed, making it clear that his younger age hasn't made him less formidable.