Seeing through the Flames (Killua x OC) (Kurapika x OC)

Chapter 13

WARNING: If you are uncomfortable with verbal abuse, please skip the latter part of the chapter or skim through it quickly. Thank you.

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Arla stood silently. The breeze blew against her as she blinked absentmindedly at the different airships around her. "Uh..."

She decided to walk around leisurely. "I should have asked Leorio again before leaving." She then scratched her head in confusion. "Which one was the airship?!"

The former aristocrat stared at her phone. "Maybe I should call Leorio... NO! What if they are in the middle of something important?! I cannot interrupt him." She continued to walk around before finding a nice airship.

"Well... This one looks...fine." Because Arla's standards were so high, due to the environment she was in while growing up, she could not tell what was considered to be normal to commoners. Unfortunately, Lawrence could not teach her everything about the world in only a few months. "I suppose this should be...a reasonable choice." She pumped her fist into the air - totally satisfied with her choice, as she walked up the stairs to enter it.

When the stairs went up with her and the door shut, she found passengers on the seats and an airship attendant who looked confused as to why Arla was there. "Um..." Arla blinked. "Well, this is quite awkward."

"Do you need any help?" The airship attendant asked.

Arla glanced at the window before running towards it. She pressed her nose against the window and gasped. She had found the right airship.

"LET ME OUT OF HERE!" She shook the airship attendant frantically.

"Y-yes... Please give me a minute." The airship attendant finally opened the hatch and let down the stairs. "Here you go."

"Thank you." She curtsied hurriedly at the attendant before dashing off towards the right airship.

The airship attendant sighed to herself. 'What an off day I'm having today.'

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Ai leaned against the wall, barely hearing the voices inside the negotiation room as she exhaled lightly.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

Pakunoda exited the room, and Ai looked at the older woman as her throat tightened up. 'This will probably be the last time I see her,' Ai thought, a grim and saddened feeling attacking her stomach. She knew it. She just knew. It was her instinct, again.

"Pakunoda-san." With a quivery voice and teary eyes, Ai softly stepped towards the woman who now glanced at her without too much thought. "Thank you."

Pakunoda's eyes widened, but she quickly fixed her expression. "Why... Why are you thanking me?"

"It's only because you're like us, because you care for Chrollo, because you treasure your comrade more than killing your enemy, that this deal works." Smiling painfully, Ai continued looking into Pakunoda's eyes. "Thank you for agreeing to this deal and for returning Killua and Gon to us. Thank you for not making Kurapika lose someone again. And finally, thank you for not making Kurapika kill again." Small droplets of tears dripped down her eyes.

Pakunoda's eyes softened. "Little girl..."

"You're not going to call me that horrible nickname?" Ai joked, joining her hands at the back as her smile widened. "I'm sure... If this was a different world, we all could've been friends."