HxH Pitou's Humanity Chapter 10

Chapter 10 Calm before

“Wow you’ve been through a lot in this past week.” said Killua as he listened to Pitou’s story.

“Yeah it’s been quite crazy,” she admitted as she looked out the window and saw the sparling landscape move under them. “Has anything like this happened before with Gon? Did he always have an ability like that before?”

“No,” said Killua quickly. “Gon has always been a happy go lucky kid, he’s naive and dumb but he would always be there for his friends. He’s the kind of guy who would help someone without even asking or questioning them. He just never really understood the harsh reality of the world, he never lost anyone really close to him or who meant a great deal to him. Kite saved his life when he was very little and mentored us when we were at NGL. Losing Kite just caused Gon to lose it.”

Pitou was silent as she digested the information, she could feel the guilt inside her, it made her think of the loss she felt when she knew her king was going to die. ‘I never reacted like that when the others died, I guess I really was as close to them as Gon was to Kite. Would I react like that if Jessica died or Mimi.’ she thought and for a moment a feeling of dread filled her body. “I don’t want that.”

“What was that?” asked Killua as he saw her reaction.

“Oh nothing just questioning my feelings, which are a lot more complicated than I thought.”  Killua kept an eye on her but Pitou could tell that the look in his eyes had changed, she knew he was more than ready to kill her at any moment but now it's less. “Hey can I ask a question, what’s with your family?”

Killua raised an eyebrow, “You're going to need to be a bit more specific.”

“Well can all of you use nen, your brother can and you have butlers that can, also what does your family do, exactly? Also is everyone else more like you or more like your brother?” asked Pitou, genuinely curious as her experience with Killua’s family has been mixed.

Killua's face contorted as he thought of the question and the right response. “That’s a little complicated, to start off with no, not everyone in my family is like my brother but I wouldn’t say they’re like me either. You see I come from a family of assassins and we’ve been in business for a long time, to the point we really don’t even hide the fact we’re assassins, my family owns a giant mountain and openly welcomes people to come and try to take us down.”

“You're an assassin?”

“Not anymore.”

“What happened?”

“I ran away from home cause I was tired of listening to them and I heard about the hunters exam and thought it would be fun to become a hunter and then maybe down the line arrest my family.” said Killua as he remembered the exam and the people he met along the way. “Though I kind of changed my goals after I met Gon, before I met him I was more than willing to kill anyone that got in my way but after we became friends things changed, I finally saw the brighterside of the world. A world I now wish to show my sister.” Killua turned to look at his sister.

Pitou couldn’t help but smile. “Huh I guess we do have some similarities.” This caused Killua to look at her. “It may have taken me a bit longer but Gon changed my life as well, I guess in a way he has an ability to show people a better path.”

Killua chuckled and turned back around. “I think you're giving him a little too much credit,” Though for a moment Killua remembered all the people they had met and how much they changed after meeting Gon. “Or maybe you're onto something.” Killua didn’t even need to turn around to know Pitou was giving him a confusing look. “Ever since I met Gon, we met several people who changed, not after meeting me but after meeting Gon, now that I think about it he has impacted every single person's lives that we’ve met. They’ve changed one way or another.”

“Really?”

“Yeah after we fought a serial killer as a form of training, he turned himself in. After we fought a few ants they changed themselves, he even changed my butlers who would have killed him at a drop of a hat.” Said Killua as he realized just how much of an impact Gon has made.

Pitou could tell what Killua was roughly thinking by the amount of shock on his face. “Wow, that kid has touched a lot of people, me included.” Pitou then thought about what would happen when they meet again, would she be able to apologize, would they fight, or would they be able to have a talk with one another. “I won’t know until it happens.”

Killua watched Pitou for a moment before his phone rang. “Goto, update me what’s going on?”

On the other end was Goto arriving at the airport. “Forgive me master Killua but I’m afraid I won’t be much help, I just arrived at the airport after dealing with more of master Illumi’s needle men, he’s made several more and there a lot more powerful than his regular needle men.”

‘That’s bad’ thought Killua now getting a little nervous. ‘If Illumi is using more powerful nen techniques then that means he isn’t taking anymore chances, he’s most likely doing this cause Pitou is here.’ Killua looked at Pitou through the reflection of the window. Pitou looked like she was checking her phone. ‘She is by far a lot stronger than anyone else here. Illumi will have to put out all the stops to stop her, if they do fight, I still don’t know what’s going through her head and I don’t trust her enough to stick her neck out for us. She might run if things go against her. Though I can’t say any of that out loud, she most likely can hear us when we speak.’

“Master Killua.” Goto getting Killua’s attention.

“Sorry Goto, I was just thinking. How quickly can you get here?”

Goto shot a few coins into a wall scaring some guards and taking the keys to a blimp. “I’ve already purchased my own blimp, with favorable weather I should only be two hours behind you.”

“Okay I want you and Canary to organize a few cars, as many as you can. We are going to need several dummies to trick Illumi. Have the cars sent to the locations I sent you earlier on the list.”

“Of course.” said Goto, taking off the blimp. “Good luck master Killua.”

Killua hung up the phone and did nothing for a moment. “You hear all that?”

Pitou put down her phone. “I can handle the people Illumi enslaved.”

“So you're willing to help us?”

Pitou stood up and stretched. “I’ve enslaved people myself before, well there corpses anyway. Nix took my control over my body away, it made me realize how horrifying it feels to not have control of yourself.” Her face turned to anger. “No one deserves that. Anyone who does that to someone else deserves a punch to the face.” As she clenched her fist.

“Even yourself?”

Pitou smiled at Killua. “Oh especially me.”

Killua was a bit surprised by her. ‘There's no doubt she’s changed, but her thinking is still a little off, I don’t know exactly how to put it other than the way my grandfather spoke of the ants. They’re young, still learning about this world. Pitou has learned much now that she has left the royal guard but it has not exactly developed completely yet. She’s above thinking like a soldier dedicated to her master and she’s above thinking everything is black and white, but she takes things a little too extreme or exaggerated. Then again it has been only a week since she’s been truly thinking on her own. So she might learn even more eventually. Maybe introducing her to the other ants might help with that. I can worry about that later, right now I need to check in on Canary.’

Killua dialed Canary’s number. “Master Killua are you alright?” Asked Canary with worry.

“Don’t worry, Canary, I’m doing just fine. Have spoken with Goto?”

“Yes, Master Killua, he’s brought me up to date on the situation and the plan. I’ve already called the cars and there heading to their positions. How’s your guest? I saw her board the blimp, who’s side is she on?”

“Our side, currently.” said Killua “She’s agreed to help us with Illumi’s needle men.”

“Can we trust her?” asked Canary.

‘No don’t ask that Canary, she can hear you.’ thought Killua as he felt Pitou walking behind him. Killua gave Pitou a sideways glance.

Pitou gave Killua a look. “Is that your girlfriend?”

The question hit Killua so hard he accidentally turned the wheel of the blimp tilting it, causing Alluka to be thrown out of her seat and her nap. “AAAHHHH” Killua quickly leveled the blimp. Alluka sat up and looked for the fire. “Wha..wha...what happened!”

Killua made sure the blimp was on course and then looked at Pitou wide eyed. “Out of everything that’s going on right now, THAT’S your question!? SERIOUSLY?”

“Yes.” said Pitou as if it was the natural thing to ask.

Killua turned back to his phone. “Anyway Canary, she's here for now, got anything else for me?”

Canary on the other end had turned bright red. “Um well nothing, oh well there has been some buzz going on with the election. Your friend Leorio is in fourth place and he might be there for awhile.”

“What do you mean?”

“I contacted Seaquant and he said that some of the people running for chairman have sent their forces after master Illumi and Hisoka.”

“Well they're dead.” said Killua plainly.

Pitou was confused by this. “Wait, if they're trying to become the leader of the hunter association shouldn’t they be strong enough to fight them?”

“No, I don’t even think they’re fighters. The last chairman made it so that after he was gone that anyone can become the next chairman they just need to be a hunter and a good chunk of the people trying to become chairman can’t really fight, they’re more administrative, and big talkers. Not fighters or not good enough to fight Hisoka and Illumi.” Pitou nodded in understanding. Canary then gave Killua the other info about the election and about the destruction Illumi has caused. “Alright thanks for the info Canary.”

“Of course Master Killua, just please stay safe.”

“Will do.” as he hung up and noticed Pitou was staring at him. “Okay, what's with the look?”

“So she is your girlfriend.” Pitou had clearly read the books Jessica had suggested.

Killua decided not to answer. “We're going to be landing here shortly.”

~o~

It didn’t take long for the three to land, when they did a car was waiting for them. Killua, Alluka and Pitou got into the car. “Alright quickly take us to the hospital.”

“Of course master Killua.” The driver soon drove through the woods, before stopping. “We have a situation, there's people on the road.”

Killua looked out and saw normal civilians coming towards them with needles sticking out of their heads. “Those are my brother's needle men.”

Killua looked at Pitou. “I got this,” as she tried the door. “Hey could you please open the door before I break it.”

“No can do.” said the driver.

“Why not?” asked Killua.

The driver turned to them revealing needles were stuck in his head. “Master Illumi didn’t order it.”

“He’s a needle man!”

“How the hell didn’t we notice that?” asked Pitou before she activated her nen. “Freedom String” Her string went and wrapped around the driver removing the needle.

The driver began to take deep breaths, “Oh God thank you, I thought I was going to die.”

Killua reached forward and grabbed the driver. “Where’s Illumi?”

“Right over there.” He said pointing out of the car, they followed where he was pointing as Illumi appeared through the forest walking towards them.

Pitou glared at Illumi. “Unlock the car.” she said to the driver who complied. “Hey Killua, I’ll meet you at the hospital after I give Illumi a good punch to the face, is it alright with you if I punch him really hard?”

Killua knew what she meant and put his hands over Alluka’s ears. “Illumi put a needle in my head that I had to remove and he’s trying to kill my sister, so hit him until he’s eight feet under.”

Pitou nodded and got out of the car building up her nen as she walked towards Illumi, who stopped and looked at Pitou. “Oh so you’re approaching me are you.” As more of his needle men came out of the forest. “You know this has nothing to do with you, this is a family matter so if you leave now, you won’t have to die.”

Pitou chuckled for a moment. “Me? Die? While it's true I have a lot to answer for, you’re not going to be the one I answer to, and even though I ain’t part of the situation here, seeing all of this makes me sick.” as she gestured to the needle men around them.

“So you’re going to risk your life for a bunch of strangers you don’t even know?” Illumi tilted his head. “Now that’s just foolishness. I thought you ain’t were more logical than that, I thought your kind didn’t care about the well being of others. Do you really think you can save them while also trying to fight me?”

“Huh? You really don’t get it. I’m trying to be a better person, so when we first met I was holding back, but now after seeing what you’ve done to all these people,” Pitou Nen became wild and flared up as she released a massive amount of energy. “I ain’t holding back anymore, not to scum like you.”

Illumi saw the massive amount of nen unfazed. “I see, I guess I won't be holding back this time either.” Illumi quickly jabbed his finger into his forehead, which for a moment confused Pitou, but Killua in horror, who was watching from the car, knew what Illumi was doing. Removing the needle. As Illumi ripped a small needle from his forehead a gush of blood poured over his face as he gave a twisted smile. Pitou and everyone else around them could feel a massive amount of Nen pouring from Illumi. “Come, Ant and show me what you can do.”