Muh's POV
Despite being at a disadvantage, I didn't display a single sign of defeat and instead focused my attention to Alluka who appeared miles away across the room. Fortunately, the butlers did not seem interested in her, so she was not in any danger. She displayed a frightened expression as she tried to pry through the wall of people. The attacker from before, kept running back and forth over and over striking at me each time. I looked around trying to figure out what to use to counter, but all there was were the tea cups... filled with tea. After studying the assailant's attack patterns, right as they were about to strike from my left, I dove underneath their arm and rolled under the table where the teacups laid. A bolt of sharp pain pierced through my chest, however, I shrugged it off and quickly grabbed a cup. The steam from the hot tea shifted as a pair of feet walked in front of the table.
"Ya know, we're only here to detain you and make sure that the young Zoldyck is out of harms way. However..." A young-sounding guy said slyly "They did say to use whatever force that seemed necessary."
"They" huh.. Whom exactly? He sure is talking big for someone who works for a family of professional assassins. I don't know much about their work, but I assumed that if their reputation is highly known, then their staff should be about the same elite level. I caught a glimpse of his handkerchief hanging off the front pocket of his old-fashioned butler outfit. It read: Doulos. Hmm, I do not recognize him nor that name... but I do know its Greek meaning.
"Geez, when they told me that all I had to do was finally get rid of the Atropa Belladonna, I was ecstatic to finally meet you." He kept circling around the table like a shark. And continued, "They even offered to make me an official servant if I achieved the task."
A servant? That doesn't seem like something to brag about. I wonder why it matters so much to him. I've been a servant as far as I could remember, and it's nothing to take pride in. I'm surprised people still call Mai, The Atropa Belladonna. It's a name that people started calling her when rumors of victims dying from poison spread around. Mai had discovered some poisonous berries near the woods by our master's mansion, then created the pills. She made them after a moment in time where she refused to use knives or blades as a weapon, and discovered another way to kill her victims with poison. Although, it wasn't until she found a way to make the paralyze pills that she got creative to force information out of people, slow down victims that were stronger than her, or psych them out with a bluff. Eventually, she came up with the combination of the poison/ paralysis pill which is an extreme item that causes intense symptoms to victims. I wasn't too thrilled about using the pills, but eventually found use for them....
"Enough playing around, I'm ready to end this." As he finished his quote, I saw his fingers curling under the edge of the table ready to throw it off, leaving me defenseless. "I got a score to settle with yo-"
At the first sight of his face, I hurled the tea from the cup, aiming all around his facial area. Doulos howled in pain as he held onto his face. All I intended to do was distract him while I crawled away, but as I made my escape I felt a gooey substance land on my hand. I couldn't help to look back and what I saw astonished me.
"What did you do to me!" He growled, "My face is falling off!"
Blobs of skin slipped through his hands as he tried keeping it together. I've seen scorched faces caused by boiling liquids, but this is a new level of burns. I found the teapot on the floor and looked inside. It was halfway full . When I smelled inside, I immediately recognized the scent that belonged to the berries that Mai uses. The scent was strong meaning that there was a high concentration of the berries. Doulos removed his hands from his face, revealing muscles exposing through the broken skin as he squinted his eyes around.
"You will pay for this!" He yelled angrily while walking about blindly searching for me. "I won't let his death be in vain."
...who's death?
"Listen, I'm not much for words but," I start to ease up on my feet. I knew that he could track my location with my voice. Let's see how far I could go. "I don't know who you are talking about. If it was a family member or friend, boss, whatever. I will not apologize. I was ordered to kill them or I might've killed them in defense." I tried to lower my tone to make it seem as if I was walking away.
Doulos's head was steady as he listened carefully for my steps. My feet were silent while I tiptoed closer to Alluka. I took a quick glance and saw her pouting on the floor still out of harms way. Strangely, the guards were not reacting to our fight nor to Alluka's rebuttals and instead are keeping her like gates. Inching closer and closer, my mouth mumbled a few words involuntarily. I shut it tight before Doulos could hear me. His head flinched and remained motionless. I stood completely frozen in my tracks then planned to fling an item to make a diversion until my lips began to unwind.
"M-Muh where are we?" The words escaped my lips. Mai not now!
"There you are!" Doulos shouted then dashed towards me. I had to think quickly because at this point I was still not at full strength, so I knew outrunning him was pointless. I stared at the teapot in my hand.
"Mai I don't have time to explain, just do what I tell you." It'll be like the hunter exam all over again. I whispered to myself, knowing that Mai was listening. Just as we switched places I felt a heavy mass pin us down. It's up to her now.
"You won't get away so easy. The reason you're still alive is because the servant we sent to kill you during the exam, failed to do so." He spit out. "I admired him so much at how strong and wise he was, but when I found out he died because of you..."
Okay, so he wants revenge. I've heard it all before... but why would they send someone to kill us. I mean, we've had many bounty hunters try to capture or assassinate us. However, it so happens that an employee from the Zoldyck family sent him, why?
"After earning how weak he ended up being. I must say, I'm embarrassed to have praised him. I am so much stronger than him, so I shall rightfully take his place. And all I gotta do is kill you." Doulos concluded his speech and pulled out a pair of chains with spikes attached to them.
Doulos used his knees to detain our arms against the floor and began wrapping the sharp chains around our neck. The blades left red scratches around our throat as he inched closer to our face. Great. As he readied his arms to tighten the locks, the crook noticed the teapot in our hands and gave a sly look.
"Oh, and before you get any ideas." He swiped the teapot from Mai's hand and proceeded to launch it across the room. "Any last words? Wait, what's that in your mouth-"
Now Mai!
Mai immediately elevated her head until she reached his half melted lips, then spit a mouthful of the poisonous tea straight into his throat. He tried retreating but was too late as the liquid took effect. A gapping hole shriveled within this neck as it grew bigger and bigger. Chunks of skin plopped into his hands while he covered it up. Mai made use of the attack to kick the attack off her.
"You talk too much." Mai said motionlessly. She positioned herself in a defense stance, although there was no need. Our victim fell to the ground gargling up masses of blood and flesh.
Good job Mai, nice to have you back.
~~~~ Mai's POV ~~~
Hey there, it's been awhile. A lot has happened since the last time I was conscious. I'm not sure what has happened to me while I was asleep. Let me try to sum up the things I do know. For starters... I'm alive. Second, I found myself in this room with a little girl who wanted to play. Then, next thing I knew, I had to kiss a guy and make his throat disintegrate. Now he's on the floor in a pool of blood and human mush. Sounds about it.
Hmm. If I'm alive, then that would mean that Muh used the rebirth ability on me. Which also means that some unfortunate soul is bound to me until death do them part. Geez I wonder who Muh threatened to give up their life.. I swear Muh, I can't leave for one minute and we're stuck in this whole mess.
"Who in the world was that guy?" I finally spoke aloud. "Where are we and why did he attack you and how did we end up here, and what is up with those walls of human muscle?"
Are you done asking so many questions...? Muh asked and a seemingly annoyed tone.
"Mai, I know you probably want answers right now, but we have other matters presently." Muh spoked through my lips. Usually she can't do that, although with the rebirth ability she tends to have more control than I do.
"Oh yeah, like what?" I asked turning around, facing the wall of security guards. Wait... who's that behind them.
"Do you see that little girl?" Muh says addressing a small child with her head squeezed between two people. "This is going to sound strange, but she is our way out of this room. And to get out, we have to get to her and give her... a hug."
"A hug?... Muh this is no time for jokes. I didn't even know you had a sense of humor."
"I'm not lying. Stop wasting time and get to her already."
"I never agreed on hugging anyone, don't you remember what happened with Gon-"
We kept arguing back and forth looking like a one-women act. Without realizing, during our debate, we had been surround by the same guards that were keeping the little girl, except now we were being trapped inside. The expressions on their faces were blank and I didn't know whether or not they were a threat or were simply here for show. I'm so lost, I still don't know where we are or who they work for. In all of this confusion, one named crossed my thoughts in a whisper. Killua Zoldyck...
"Killua Zoldyck?" I said aloud.
In an instant, the guards surrounding us reacted by moving one foot backwards then pounced onto me. It was too fast for me to process and before I could think, I was elevated in the air. Every pair of hands gripped onto my legs, arms, waist, and neck. They made it impossible for me too move, leaving me immobilized. Shoot, what's going on? What are they going to do? Muh any ideas....
Great now you decide to stay silent.
"Okay, you all know what to do." A women who presented as the leader began to order. "Start pulling on my count. Kept it slow and steady"
....D..Did she just say pulling?... What exactly are they pulling....
As if by cue, two of the guards pulled on my limbs. One from the arm and the other from leg. OW!
"Not yet!" She scolded. "Commence elimination."
"3"
Muh what do we do?!
"2"
.....
"1"