The x Other x Kurta

XIV. The Showdown

Once Kurapika caught wind of Chrollo walking through the forest towards the clearing, he got to work and placed Chrollo in his Chain Jail. A shocked Chrollo knelt to the ground without a fight.

"Well, Mika, looks like I'm out of commission. This is your fight," Chrollo said nonchalantly.

An astonished Mika looked down at Chrollo. "What do you mean, Chrollo? Get up! We've got things to do!"

Chrollo smiled. "The Chain User – he's here. He's wrapped me in his nen chains. I can't move."

Mika touched Chrollo and felt the chains. She then used Gyo to see them. "Oh." She sighed a frustrated sigh. "That's not good."

Kurapika smiled. Good!

Once Mika, Feitan, and Phinks were out of site, Kurapika made his way towards Chrollo. "Looks like you're stuck with me until it's over."

Chrollo only nodded.

• Mika •

Mika approached the clearing with Feitan and Phinks. She observed the team Akari and Illumi had put together. The only other person she recognized was Hisoka, but it seemed Phinks recognized the two teenagers.

"And we meet again," Phinks said. "How many more times are you two going to conveniently run into the Phantom Troupe?"

Killua and Gon frowned at the browless man. "However many times we have to," Gon answered.

Mika turned to Phinks. "Do you know their capabilities? I know the other three."

Phinks shrugged. "Well, the white-haired one is a Zoldyck, and the black-and-green-haired one is Ging's kid, I think."

Mika glared at the teenagers. "Huh. I see." So Akari was able to assemble a pretty solid team.

Feitan spoke up. "So who's gonna start?"

"Let's ask." But before Mika could say anything else, Akari lunged at her.

• Akari •

When Akari saw her mother appear with Feitan and Phinks, anger overwhelmed her. How dare that woman pretend like everything was okay? How dare she kill her own husband and then use his name to get rid of his career partner? How dare she sign her own daughter up for death for no reason?

Akari was not going to lose. She was surrounded by capable allies who'd agreed to give everything they had to complete Illumi's mission and save Akari's life. For that, the female Hunter was very grateful.

Then she heard the words that the team had agreed upon as the beginning of the fight. Feitan was to ask who would begin, which would be Akari's cue to attack first.

She ran at her mother with all her strength. Her Kurta characteristics increased the power she already had, which was something Mika could never match up to.

Akari landed a nice punch to the gut, causing her mother to stagger back a few steps. While Mika recovered, Phinks jumped in. He smacked Akari upside the head, throwing off her focus and causing her to fall. Feitan pulled out his sword and pointed it at Akari's throat, pretending to be on Mika's side, but Akari knew he was protecting her so that the other two wouldn't finish her off.

Phinks must've understood it this way because he ran at the two teenagers. Killua transformed his hands into claws, slicing Phinks bad enough so that he crawled away from the center of the fight. To ensure that he was incapacitated for the rest of the time, Killua used his electricity to shock Phinks. Gon punched the man for good measure.

Mika only stared in horror at the site before her. It was clear she had not expected a couple of teenagers to overpower a grown man.

While she wasn't paying attention, Akari kicked Feitan away and quickly surrounded herself with a dome-like structure. Shocked by this ability, Mika began to throw items at the dome but to no avail. Nothing could penetrate it.

"You!" She seethed. As she was busy looking for another sharp object, Akari flickered like TV static before she completely disappeared. Mika blinked and stepped back. "What?"

The next thing she knew, a hard kick collided with her back, knocking Mika to the ground. She desperately inhaled all the air she could get, though the kick had done some damage. "Damn you!"

Akari reappeared in her dome as Mika got back on her feet.

Feitan was next. "Well, well, well. Who's the coward now? Why would you have Chrollo and Phinks fight your battle?" he sneered.

Akari observed Mika's face as realization hit her mother. Feitan wasn't on her side at all. Perhaps trying to appear tough despite the betrayal, she asked, "Why wouldn't I? I'm the boss."

"A boss that's weaker than her underlings never had the right to be a boss in the first place," Hisoka mused.

"Listen, Clown, no one asked for your opinion. Besides, you have no right to speak like that to a nen expert like me," Mika snapped.

"Ahh, but did you forget you're not the only nen expert around? We're currently surrounded by them." Hisoka motioned to the rest of the group. "Prove to me that you really are as advanced as you say. I'll gladly fight you."

Mika huffed. "Fine, but don't go crying to your mother that you were defeated by a woman, that is, if you escape this alive."

"Hmmm?" Hisoka hummed, eyeing his sudden target. He licked his lips.

Mika ran at Hisoka, but the eccentric man wasted no time in attaching his Bungee Gum to the woman and controlling her direction. He proceeded to punch her in the jaw and gut, forcing the older woman to fall to her knees. As discussed with Akari's team, Hisoka quickly wrapped his Bungee Gum around Mika to prevent her from using her nen.

Now kneeling on the ground with a bloodied mouth, Mika looked up at the assassin looming over her. "What?"

Illumi crossed his arms as he looked down at the defenseless woman. "I was hired to assassinate Cliff. However, it appears there was some kind of mistake. The description I was given of Cliff matches Ging, but you are the person behind the name. If this were a less deadly situation, I would've simply laughed at how you played yourself. Unfortunately, I need you to clarify who exactly Cliff is so that I can complete my job." He narrowed his eyes at Mika.

"If you were given the choice to interpret this situation, who would be Cliff for you?"

Illumi smiled darkly as his threatening aura surrounded him. "You, of course."

Mika gulped. "Why me? I hired your family for the job. I'm not supposed to die."

Feitan approached his sister's side. "Mika, you're an idiot. For someone who's always claimed to be so strategic, you've certainly failed." He took this chance to flick his sister in the forehead.

"Fei, you're not gonna allow Illumi to kill me, right?"

"Ugh, quit that! You haven't been loyal to me at all." Feitan looked at his sister in disgust. "First, you disappeared without warning. Then you ordered me to kill a family member. Now you're asking me to save you, despite doing me dirty in more ways then I can remember. Do you really think you'll get out of this alive? If Illumi doesn't kill you..." He narrowed his eyes. "...I will."

Mika shook her head. "I can't believe you're turning on me. Sure, I may not have been the best sister, but I would never-"

"Kill me? Please." Feitan turned his back to her. "You wouldn't even hesitate." He looked over his shoulder to take in the dismal sight of his sister. "You killed your own husband out of jealousy."

"I will forever remember this," Mika hissed.

Illumi smirked. "I guess it's good that your forever won't last much longer." His eyes met Feitan's. "I'm ready to end this. You?"

Feitan nodded. "Go ahead. Finish your job."

Mika reached out towards her brother in desperation. "Feitan!"

Three needles lodged themselves in the back of her skull, and Mika breathed out her final breath.

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