The Kurumon

Part 09

The Captain laughed heartily as he slapped Reorio on his back. The sun was out again and no dark clouds hung overhead - signifying that the worst was over. "Some help you turned out to be, my friend!" The large and surprisingly cheerful man was saying, embarassing the doctor-in-training more and more with each passing remark.

"If you slap him anymore you'll have a pancake on the floor before we even reach the destination," Kirua bluntly stated, scratching his cheek, "and the Reorio pancake isn't going to be easy to peel off from your planks!"

"Consider that a warning." Kuroro nodded sagely, as the Captain gave Reorio one last, thunderous slap on the back before turning to face the rest of the motley gatecrashers.

"Well," the captain looked at Gon, "we've just passed the borders of Rukuso - the continent where Felalinth resides," he stuck his pipe into his mouth and breathed. Gon immediately perked up.

"Then you'll take us to Felalinth?" The excited boy was beyond himself, hands flailing in all directions as he asked for a confirmation. He was rewarded with a stern glance from the older man instead, who had sobered up and was looking completely different from the jovial back-slapper he had been just now. At sensing the change Gon's mood plunged as well. His actions became subdued and he waited for the Captain's verdict.

A ring of smoke was puffed out. "Why are you so adamant on going there, my boy?" The Captain asked nonchalantly, glancing out at the seas. "I'll have you know that a half-wit answer won't get past me that easily."

Gon immediately stiffened, as if someone had just challenged him. Kirua and Reorio exchanged glances, both knowing what he was going to say.

"My father could be there," Gon began, to nobody's surprise, "and I must go there to find him."

"Father?" The Captain puffed another ring of smoke out into the atmosphere. "Why would your father be in a strange land all by himself?"

"I don't remember what he looks like," Gon had the same grave look he had donned since the beginning of the interrogation, "he left before I understood what was going on around me." There was a pause. "I don't know who my mother is, either."

The Captain had, by this time, blew enough smoke out from the pipe to form a thick mist around his face, veiling it from general view. A silence as thick as the wall of smoke hung for moments, until the Captain himself broke it - first by fanning the wisps around his face for space, and then by his remark, "That is rather brave of you, Gon."

A little surprised, Gon blinked innocently at the plump man.

"To be searching for something you're not sure about," the Captain clarified, taking the pipe out of his mouth and smiling gently at the younger, dark-haired boy, "to believe in something that won't surely be there." He laughed loudly suddenly, surprising more than one of the onlookers. "We need more hot-blooded youths like you on the boat sometimes! How about that?" He winked playfully at the blur Gon, who was still trying to figure out what was going on.

"So that means you'll take us to that place?" Kirua intercepted for Gon, deciding to simplify the situation before it got worse.

"Anywhere you want," the Captain laughed and stuck the pipe back to his mouth, turning on his heels and barking orders at his mates, indicating the end of the conversation. After a while he turned his head slightly and instructed, "Stay on the deck for a while, and we'll assign you cabins once the situation calms. And," he stopped the entourage just as they were about to turn to walk the other way out.

"Welcome aboard the Kaijinmaru, fellow mates."

A while later, only Gon and the Captain stood in the compartment. The boy stared at the Captain with a serious glint in his eye and he waited for attention to be given him.

"Yes, my boy?" The Captain finally asked, turning to eye the boy quizzically.

"Sir," Gon began, "I just wanted to tell you that Jin my father, is not something I'm not sure about!" A large smile dominated his features.

"He's the surest thing on this whole world, and I'll definitely find him."

The Captain laughed. "I have no doubt you will, Gon." He muttered after the receding figure of Gon, who hastened to join his friends on the deck proper.

You have a fine child there, Jin Furikkusu...

"Hmm..." Kuroro was staring at the pitch dark skies, encrusted generously with sparkling white gems known as stars and the single crescented pearl called the moon, "... it's going to be full moon in another 2 days time..." he spoke aloud to nobody in particular, playing with the paws of the sleeping Kurapikachu as he did. Both Kirua and Reorio stared at the little creature on his lap with slight hesitance and disgust, wondering when Kurapika would wake up and start zapping Kuroro upside down again. Only when Kuroro turned innocently to glance in their direction did they pretend to look away, with uneasy expressions on their faces. "Do you know anything about the Full Moon Festival of Felalinth?" The question was directed at Kirua.

The silver-haired boy blinked, staring at the questioner funnily. "How would I know?" His question came out more like a sentence of active denial than passive ignorance, and Kuroro shook his head with amusement.

"Ah-ah, you have to learn to lie better than that," the man was saying, "I know all about you and Felalinth - but don't worry, I won't tell the other boy," he whispered in a conspirational voice, "so tell me all about that Full Moon Festival already, hm?"

"Kirua Reorio Kuroro-saaaan" Much to Kirua's relief, the shrill voice of Gon broke the spell the mystery man had appeared to have over him for that little moment there, and made everybody turn to lay their glances on the approaching boy, bubbling with smiles and energy, as usual.

"Hey, Gon!" Reorio stuck his hand out and ruffled the boy's hair messily. "About time you got your scrawny hide here!"

"Sorry!" Gon laughed. "Was talking with the Captain about something. So," he perked up and scanned around him, "what's going on here?"

Kuroro chuckled, when it appeared that nobody else was going to brief Gon on the happenings, however few. "Just wondering about the Full Moon Festival, Gon, nothing spectacular."

"Oh right," Gon's eyes widened, "I remember the Captain mentioned something about a festival. That's so cool! I wonder if it'll be fun. Ne, Kirua, do you suppose we could play some games there?" The boy took to bothering his friend, who had his hands in his pocket in one of his frequent shows of anti-socialism. The taller boy balked.

"Forget about that, Gon, let's just go explore the ship already!" Kirua bonked Gon unceremoniously on his head and ran off in a random direction, Gon in tow. Reorio watched with only slight amusement, before returning his attention to the one he still regarded as a stranger.

"......." They were silent for a while, crashing waves against the sturdy ship their only interlude. "What are you up to?" Reorio finally turned around and asked the question he had in mind for a long time.

"Hm?" Kuroro quirked an eyebrow questioningly. He continued playing with Kurapika's paws.

"You can't be going to Felalinth just to find a cure," Reorio expounded.

"But I am," was Kuroro's reply. His face remained expressionless.

The doctor-in-training threw his arms into the air and sighed. "All right, all right, I'm sorry for misunderstanding you." He stepped closer. "Just promise me something, okay? Doesn't matter if you're going to pretend not to understand again - just promise me; PROMISE," Reorio's tone grew grave, "that you will never, ever harm Gon in any way at all."

It was at this moment of time that Kuroro wear a decidedly mystified expression on his face. "Now I /really/ don't know what you mean," he began, although his voice wavered a little, "but, you don't have to worry about having Gon around me, that's for sure."

Reorio frowned slightly. "I take that as a 'yes', then." He then stretched, and looked up at the skies. "Thanks."

Kuroro merely shrugged, all the time wondering how the world had become so crazy. Kurapika(chu) stirred in his arms, but he paid him no heed. "Felalinth, Felalinth..." he started to sing. "Will you show me the way? Have you nothing to say? Can I get from you answers? Or is there only silence? Lalalala WHEE!" Kuroro suddenly lifted Kurapika(chu) up in the air and swung the creature about, here and there.

The doctor balled his fists tightly and bowed his head, shaking with exasperation.

Who was the wise guy who said this guy was /dangerous/ again?

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to be continued

28/10/2004

a/n
WOAH! THIS TOOK ME 1 YEARS AND 8 MONTHS TO UPDATE?! WAY TO GO XD!!! -flees!-