Chapter 4: Cornered

"One of your enemies is here?!"

"Unfortunately." Kurapika grumbled as they ran through the rain. He was already well and truly soaked, though it wasn't the time to care about that.

"Exactly how worried should I be?" Allen asked, running next to him. He could see Zenji's estate not too far ahead. "Lavi and Kanda can absolutely handle themselves, but that look you had on your face doesn't exactly inspire confidence."

"I don't doubt that they can defend themselves," the Kurta replied. "but Hisoka is insane. He's a dangerous psychopath, and I'd rather not have anyone fight him who doesn't know how he ticks. He has an insatiable bloodlust."

"And you know him…how?"

Kurapika didn't speak for a moment. "…All I will say is that I met him during the Hunter Exam. And before you ask, I'll explain about Hunters later, we don't have the time right now."

Allen was not at all satisfied with the answer, but he nodded his head. "Alright."

The storm seemed to have finally let up a little; there was still some lightning and thunder, but they were moving further and further away. The ground however, was slick with mud, and the two boys had to be careful where they stepped. Kurapika almost slipped a few times, but Allen managed to slide at least six feet down the path before toppling over in the mud. The Kurta helped him stand before they continued on, right through the gates of Zenji's estate.

xxXXxx

"Who are you?" Kanda growled, Mugen ready. Lavi stood next to him, his hammer activated.

The man smirked, flipping a deck of cards between his hands. His red hair contrasted greatly with his pale skin, giving him the complexion of a corpse bled dry.

"Who? Me?"

"Don't play stupid!" Kanda shouted. "Who else would I be talking to?!"

"Oh I'm not playing." The man said. "But I do like games. How about it? Would you like to play a game with me?"

Lavi blinked in confusion. "What?"

"We don't have time for your stupid games!" Kanda growled. "Now I'll ask you one more time; who the hell are you?!"

"My name is Hisoka, I'm a magician." He said with an evil smile, continuing to flip through the deck of cards. "Now…would you like to see a magic trick? It's quite good, I promise you."

"How many times do I have to say we don't want to play your stupid games?!" Kanda shouted.

"Oh but I know you'll enjoy this one." Hisoka insisted. He held up a joker in his right hand. "Would you like to see just how fast it will take me to kill the both of you? I can take you both out…with just one card."

Lavi tightened his grip on the handle of his Innocence. "You're insane…there's no way you can kill the two of us with a playing card!"

Hisoka smirked, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "Are you sure about that?" Suddenly he became a blur, as he leapt at the two Exorcists. They managed to jump out of the way in time, but the card did slash at Lavi's right arm and left a gash in its wake. Lavi cried out and tried to smash Hisoka in the head with his hammer, but the magician was too fast. In the blink of an eye, he appeared behind Lavi, a card poised at his throat.

"Damn you!" Kanda screeched. He knew if he moved, then Lavi would be dead.

"…H-how?" Lavi asked, failing to keep his voice steady.

Hisoka smirked. "Simple. You're just too slow."

Lavi gripped the handle of his hammer so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"Don't worry, I'll kill you quickly," Hisoka promised. "after all, I promised the Chain Assassin I would play with him too."

"Who the hell-" Lavi choked out.

"HISOKA!"

Suddenly a small, round ball on a thin silver chain came flying from out of the trees to the left. The ball collided with Hisoka's cheek, snapping his head roughly to the side, and allowed Lavi to duck down and escape the magician's grasp.

There was a beat of silence, as the chain flew back to wherever it had come from. Then, Hisoka began to laugh.

He laughed and laughed as two figures ran into view, one of them mostly covered in mud. Hisoka was laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes. Then he looked up, and the smile on his face sent shivers down everyone's spines.

"Oh you're so predictable my darling Kurta."

xxXXxx

Kurapika growled. "What do you want?!"

"So you did get my text!"

"What the hell do you want?!"

Allen looked over at his comrades; he grew worried at the sight of blood on Lavi's arm. "Are you both alright?"

"Don't worry about us Sprout, I think we should be a bit more preoccupied with Pennywise over there." Lavi replied, staring at the magician.

"Haven't you thought of it yet?" Hisoka asked, ignoring the Exorcists. "I want what I always have; to fight Danchou. Unfortunately, I have no idea where he is."

"Find him yourself!" Kurapika shouted. His silver chain twitched around him in mid-air. "I have no idea where he is! I left him on that plateau and I never looked back!"

Hisoka began playing with the cards again. "Really? I was sure you had gone after him since you left your friends so suddenly."

The thought that Hisoka had been watching him and his friends did occur to Kurapika, and it honestly scared him shitless, but he was focused a bit more on the task at hand. He crossed his arms and scowled. "No. I'm not going after him; it's pointless since I sealed his Nen. If he uses it, he dies."

"Ah yes…now I remember…" Hisoka smiled. "Those were the terms of your Judgement Chain."

"Yes they were, and they still are." The blonde snapped.

Hisoka looked at him with narrowed eyes.

It was a challenge.

Kurapika could feel the bloodlust rolling off Hisoka in waves. The magician wanted a fight, and he wouldn't be leaving without one.

"…Allen, run." Kurapika commanded as his Dowsing Chain twitched again.

"What?!" Allen protested. "But-"

"I said run dammit!" Kurapika shouted. His eyes were flickering between green and scarlet again.

"Allen!" Lavi cried. "Allen we have our own job to do, we should listen to him!"

After a tense moment, Allen nodded his head. "Right…Kurapika, I'll come find you later."

The Kurta only nodded, never taking his eyes off Hisoka.

Then Allen and his fellow Exorcists ran off towards the giant mansion. As he was running, Allen couldn't help but hear Kurapika let loose a war cry, and the sound of a chain bashing against rocks and the trees.

The fight was on, and Allen wanted nothing more than to turn back and help his friend.

xxXXxx

Allen winced slightly as he was slammed against a brick wall.

"What the hell is going on Baka Moyashi?!" Kanda yelled in his face.

"Take it easy Yuu!" Lavi cried, but it seemed Kanda didn't hear him.

He shook Allen twice. "Tell me what this is all about!"

"I don't even know!" Allen argued, trying to pry Kanda's hands off his Exorcist's coat. "I had no idea Kurapika would be here, and I don't know who that other guy is!"

Kanda growled. Then he let Allen go suddenly, causing the white haired boy to fall to the ground. Allen fell rather unceremoniously, and shot a glare at the swordsman. Nothing was said as he stood. He almost went to brush dirt off his uniform, and then remembered that he was already covered in mud, so it wouldn't have made any difference.

"So now what?" Lavi asked. "I feel kinda bad leaving the guy to fight that creep alone…but we still have our mission."

"…Right." Allen replied.

Lavi nodded. "We still don't have any proof that this Zenji guy is a broker for the Earl, and we haven't exactly seen any Akuma either."

Kanda huffed. "Well then I say we leave. This is just a huge waste of time for all of us."

Allen frowned. "You can go, but I'm staying."

"Huh? Why?" Lavi asked.

"Because…" Allen paused. '…I don't want him to leave without saying goodbye again…' he wanted to say that, but thought better of it. "…Because I feel like…it's not over. We still have something to do here."

Kanda rolled his eyes as Allen spoke. "Do whatever you want Moyashi." He snapped. "I'm going."

"…I'll stay with Allen." Lavi announced. "I have to say Yuu, I'm getting the same feeling he is."

Kanda turned away. "Whatever." He said as he walked towards the path through the garden that led to the main road. But suddenly, his path was blocked by two men wearing black shades and black suits.

Kanda snarled. "Move."

The men did not move, nor did they verbally respond. They just stood there, as still as statues. Kanda pointed an unsheathed Mugen at them. "I said move!"

"I'm sorry but they won't listen to you." Came a voice from behind Allen and Lavi. "They listen only to me."

The three Exorcists turned around and saw a short, very pudgy bald man standing behind them. He had no neck, very tiny black shades and a very small mustache. They also noticed that they were suddenly surrounded by more men in black suits.

The small man didn't seem very dangerous, but there was something about him that made the three Exorcists uneasy.

"My name is Aizawa Zenji." The man said. "Please come in and join me for some tea…though do wipe your feet first." He said, aiming a smirk in Allen's direction.

Allen frowned. The Exorcists were about to decline when they saw that the men in suits were holding guns.

"What about a regular gun? With regular bullets?"

Allen didn't want to find out quite like that…

"Come, follow me." Zenji said, walking up to the house.

The Exorcists had no choice but to follow.

xxXXxx

Ooooooooh wonder what's gonna happen~? XD I hope you guys are enjoying this, cause typing it all up is giving me some strong nostalgia.