Midnight Resolve [Kurapika x Kurta!Reader]

[1] Ultramarine Ultimatum

Your mood was sour.

Having spent the last month chasing leads, you were already at a dead end, nearly stomping your foot in irritation. You knew your old mentor was somewhere here in Zaban City, but she had apparently gotten a new phone number, since every time you called her it gave you an annoying dial tone.

After your less-than-friendly departure with Kurapika and leaving the Republic of Padokea, you had come to the conclusion that you first needed to grow stronger. You wanted to seek out your old mentor for her help - she trained you in nen and combat, after all, and you needed all the help you could get.

The problem was, finding her was like finding a needle in a haystack. In other words, it was ridiculously hard.

At your wit's end and with the sun slowly descending, you pulled out your phone again. As if the crowd around you could sense your irritation, everybody skirted around you as you punched in somebody else's phone number, grinding your teeth in agitation.

Immediately, the phone was picked up.

"Oh, [Y/n]! Nice to hear from you again, did you pass the Hunter Exam?"

"Yeah." Your voice was terse, and you wasted no time in speaking up. "Wing, I'm looking for Bisky. I need more training, and..." Your eyes stared straight forward, watching a family of three walk by wistfully, the little kid on what you could safely assume was the dad's shoulders, his other dad holding the first father's hand. "And... I found out about my past."

Seeing the happy family made your heart clench and you forced yourself to turn away. You couldn't lose it, not now.

Wing was quiet for a moment, and when he next spoke his voice was softer. Having trained together, he knew all about your ability and amnesia. "She got a new phone number," Wing said after a moment. "I'll text it to you. [Y/n], are you--?"

You were quick to cut him off. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just send me her number, I've been searching Zaban City for hours trying to find her."

He chuckled, and before he could hang up, you bid goodbye. "And Wing... It was nice to hear from you again. Make sure to tell your son I said 'hi'."

"He's not my--!"

Click.

Hanging up on your old friend and sparring partner, you were pleased to see he had immediately texted you the new phone number. You hastily dialed it right away, only to be sent straight to voicemail. Honestly, with how tight you were now gripping your phone, you were lucky the screen didn't break.

"That damned woman, I swear I'll--"

"You swear you'll what?"

Freezing at both the aura and the recognizable voice, you turned around, immediately laughing sheepishly as your mentor stood in front of you with her arms crossed, unamused.

"You swear you'll what, [Y/n]?"

Danger alarms were going off in your head, and you laughed lightly, hoping that she wouldn't pummel you into the ground.

"I swear I'll give you the biggest hug in my life when I finally see you again?"

It was silent before Bisky chuckled, shaking her head. "It's nice to see you haven't changed too much. Come on."

Sitting in a cheery café as you munched on the sandwich you ordered, you filled Bisky in on everything that had happened since you had last seen her. Hisoka, the hunter exam, Kurapika, your past, your new goal. Nothing was left out, save for your conflicted feelings towards the other Kurta survivor. Bisky most likely picked up on it, but thankfully said nothing, leaning back in her chair as she sipped a strawberry smoothie.

"The Phantom Troupe is not a group to be trifled with," Bisky warned. "Although, the Kurta... It makes sense. I'm surprised I didn't connect the dots sooner." You weren't one to talk and so you just responded with a shrug.

"I have about five months left until I need to be in York New City. I know as I am right now, I'm not strong enough, so I came back for more training."

"I refuse."

You nearly choked on your sandwich, putting the food down. "Why not?"

Bisky's gaze was serious, her pink eyes boring into you. "It's not just physical strength you need. Your mental strength is in shambles."

"H-hey..."

"If you want me to train you, we need to go back to the place where this all started. You need to confront your past." You could feel your face pale, immediately losing your appetite at her words.

Go back to the place where this all started.

Confront your past.

"I wouldn't know how to get there," you protested weakly.

Your mentor shook her head and crossed her arms, her gaze unwavering. "Then figure it out. I'll go with you, but that's my ultimatum if you wish to continue your training."

With that said, you and Bisky bid farewell, agreeing to meet up later as you went to go find a hotel for the night. All the while, Bisky's words were repeating over and over again in your head. You had absolutely no idea how to get to the Kurta compound. You didn't even know if it was on the same continent!

Pulling out your phone, you stared at the single number underneath the 'K' section, debating. If anybody would know, it'd be Kurapika, but... You were extremely aggravated with him and, honestly, wanted nothing to do with him whatsoever right now. You'd be damned if you called him, let alone let him in on your plans.

No, you'd do this yourself.

Resolve coursing through your veins, you pulled out the cheap laptop you had made, getting into the Hunter database with ease. A couple of searches had proved successful. With the Kurta Massacre, things had become more public. The village was rumored to be hidden in the Lukso Province, and you knew without a doubt those rumors were right, a feeling deep within your gut. It made sense - the small town you had been raised in was just outside of the Lukso Province. Not only were you going back to the beginning, but...

Well, meeting up with an old acquaintance was also in order, it seemed. You just hoped he hadn't forgotten about you in a month. Going to the bathroom to get ready for the night, you stared at yourself in the mirror for a moment.

To think it had already been a month since you last saw everybody... You smiled bitterly in the mirror. You hoped they were all doing well. After all, you were all on your own quests now, only to meet up in York New City in September. You hadn't really stayed in touch with any of them since your departure, and you looked at their contact information in your phone wistfully.

They were definitely doing alright.

The next day when you met back up with Bisky, you told her that you were going to go, and she gave you a confident smile.

"The Lukso Province?" Bisky reaffirmed as you nodded. "That's over in Jappon. That's the same country you were raised in."

You nodded once, thoughtful. "It's a bit farther away, but it makes sense that it'd be on the same continent that I was first found on. It's a small archipelago east of here."

Knowing that you had done your research, Bisky nodded, looking out the café window. "I'll get us the tickets," she said decidedly. "I don't trust you to go by yourself." Her voice was wry, and you shook your head ruefully.

"Don't worry, I'm not backing out of this."

Subconsciously, you clutched the pendant you always wore around your next, tracing the ruby jewel in the center. Finally, for the first time in months, you felt like you were getting somewhere, a step closer to uncovering your memories and a way to take down the Phantom Troupe. And honestly...?

You were terrified.

Having the tickets already purchased, Bisky texted you the information and where to meet up tomorrow to leave. You had just enough time to stock up on supplies and pack up in your hotel.

Home... Here I come.