Itsy Bitsy Spider

23. Inkling Of Hope

If she didn't see the resemblance to the Chain User at the moment and the Chain User back then, she could definitely see it now as he stood with the newfound knowledge that the Phantom Troupe lived. The resemblance of the Chain User ad Gon's friends and the one who had killed Uvo was striking now, even without those scarlet eyes and mid-drying blood splattered on his skin, because that was rage fueling him, the burning need for revenge.

If Rein wasn't trying to hide it, she wondered if she would look exactly like him.

Her hand slipped into her pocket. He was distracted, and still thought she was on his side. Still, but fury emanated off of him, clouding his face, thoughts, and vision. He was about to hunt down the rest of the Troupe, her Troupe. She could act now. One flick of the wrist and it would be done. Killing him now—

"Hey, Kurapika." Leorio popped out from the room. "Are you sure you're okay? How do you know?" Gon and Killua came out from behind him, mirroring the worried look in his eyes.

That was right. Rein drew her hand out of her pocket and let it hang by her side limply. Skilled or not, they were all Nen users who wouldn't hesitate to jump to the aid of the Chain User. One second they could buy for him meant he could attack her instead, which now put her life at risk instead of his. She couldn't go up against these three and the Chain User while they were all watching. She had to wait. Why was it so hard?

The Chain User gave his phone to Leorio, who peered at the displayed image curiously. Gon pulled down his arm, straining to look, and Leorio after a few more seconds handed the phone to the boy. He looked up slowly. "Hisoka sent you that?"

Hisoka.

"Yes," said the Chain User.

Number 4?

"I said so before, but I've been in contact with him. We have a solid agreement—" He went on, but it all flew past her ears.

The magician. The red-haired, golden-eyed magician with peculiar clothing that Phinks held a resentment for. Hisoka. He'd been in contact with the enemy? One of the Troupe? One of them. A Judas in the twelve, to put it in the words from Uvogin she heard the night of the auction attack. A traitor.

She almost laughed, and remembered her own words from in that hot air balloon. Traitor to family, right, Feitan?

"We'll help you, Kurapika," Gon piped up. "When we were captured, the Spider with the sword who captured us started talking. He started to cry when he thought about the one who died. He called him his friend and said he would do anything to get revenge. Getting all selfish when they've already killed so many people." He pinched the cloth of his shorts. "That made me mad, you know? Really mad." His smile didn't vanish, but instead widened. "Kurapika, we want to stop them too. Can we help?"

Stars.

Rein hadn't thought about how Uvo's death might have impacted others. She was too deep in her own mourning and the others showed so little emotion that it never crossed her mind. Stars, she was so dumb.

Nobunaga cried? Stoic, perpetually annoyed, pun-hating, loud, easily angered Nobunaga... he'd cried. He'd been the closest to Uvogin, together since they were only eight. He may not have shown it much, but he deeply cared for Uvo. A lot. She knew that. She must have known that. Still, she didn't think, she hadn't thought that he would ever... He wasn't one to cry. Crying didn't look good on him. It just wasn't his character to... break like that. Nobunaga didn't cry!

She tried to calm herself but an uneasy feeling kept bubbling in her middle, catching in her throat. Stars, why was she hearing of this from Gon, of all people? She should have thought of it herself.