Itsy Bitsy Spider

60. Where Everything Goes Wrong

Rein woke up with a start, the smell of something burning drifting in the air.

She hurried to the kitchen, under the false impression that maybe Lucky had returned and accidentally set the lodge on fire. But it was only Kalluto and Zushi, working together on pancakes at five in the morning. Gon was on the side, hastily opening the windows to try and do something about the smoke.

She rubbed at her eyes and did her best not to inhale it. "What happened?"

Zushi held the fiery frying pan in confusion as flames and smoke emerged from it. Kalluto dumped a carton of milk on the pan, and the fire was extinguished. "If you don't know how to cook," he swiped the handle from his friend's irresponsible hands, "don't lie about it."

Footsteps came quickly down the hall and Machi burst into the room with her hair hanging loose. "I smelled smoke. Is Lucky...?" She stopped abruptly at the sight. Her look scanned the room quickly, and dimmed when she realized Lucky was still missing. She made no noise as she sat down and started to brush out her hair, silently bringing it to a messy ponytail at the top.

Breakfast was later eaten in an air of dread, concerned about Lucky's disappearance. When Zushi had gone missing, it was only a chance that the organization had been behind it. (Phinks had told them later of his reasons for running away, and things had been tense, but they'd been able to put that aside.) But Lucky was their sole target. If he died, they could get their two jewels and get any wish they wanted. It seemed impossible to think that he was snuggled up safe somewhere when he wasn't even picking up his calls.

As breakfast finished, they all thought of what to do. They had no idea where Lucky had been taken, and whether it was even worth the risk when they didn't know if he was still alive. Machi's phone was placed on the table, on standby just in case, in hopes that he could contact them.

In an unforeseen turn of events, the phone buzzed with Lucky's picture on it. Their looks were bewildered and Rein reached for it, but it was Machi who picked up immediately. "Where are you?" she demanded before putting it on speaker.

"I don't know!" His voice was hoarse and rushed. In the background, they could hear sounds of rustling and faraway shouts, and a few gunshots. "I regained consciousness yesterday afternoon and I've been trying to call, but it just wasn't connecting!"

There was a collective sigh of relief when it seemed Lucky was his normal self. There was no distinct anguish to his words.

"Have they hurt you?" Machi inquired to clarify. "Are you hurt at all?"

"Don't worry, you won't have to bandage me up again." He suddenly hushed, and stayed that way for the next few minutes. Everyone at the lodge knew to keep quiet—most, anyway. Killua was clasping a hand over Gon's mouth—and waited until he started talking again. "At least I hope so. I've been running around this mountain since I escaped, but there's only so many hiding places. They might find me soon."

Machi's face turned into something akin to a frown. "Hide well. Wade through water if they're using dogs, but avoid it if you can. When you were taken, you had bandages in place of a shirt. Don't hide in a river and get hypothermia."

"At ease, my lady," Lucky said like it was nothing. "I, a mere peasant, am an expert in being lowly both like dirt and with dirt, and in dirt I shall lie if it means my life. All to see m'la-"

Rein cleared her throat and raised her hand. She knew Lucky couldn't see her, but it felt appropriate when sticking her nose in whatever this was. "So you'll be fine?" she asked loudly.

A pause, and a breath in. "Pinky, am I on speaker?"

Machi was hanging her head at what he'd just said, pinching the bridge of her nose with both hands. "Yes," she said, the sound sharp. "This entire time."