Driving Out The Darkness

A/N: Alas, I have completed the next chapter! I hope you enjoy~

Disclaimer: Hunter X Hunter belongs to Togashi Yoshihiro

'Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.' – Martin Luther King Jr.

Chapter 4: To X Yorknew X City

"Now, show me what you've brought."

Nydia restrained from shuffling nervously as she returned to her spot after placing down her item on the desk of the Nostrade family's head bodyguard - and maybe her soon to be superior - Dalzolenne. Doing so may leave them doubting her credibility, and she didn't want that.

"The arm of an ichthyosis patient," Nydia said. Beside her, Kurapika went forth and placed his item down too.

"The hair of the famous actress, Sara, and a DNA test to validate authenticity."

Next, Basho went up and placed a box down, taking off the lid to reveal his item. "The right arm of an Egyptian mummy, taken directly from a pyramid."

Senritsu stepped forth and placed an item similar to Nydia's, and in her calm, melodic voice said, "The scaly skin of an ichthyosis patient."

Nydia froze as Dalzolenne eyed the her item and Senritsu's with a calculating gleam in his eyes. Oh no, was it because she brought the same item? After a couple seconds, her body relaxed as the tension fled when he hummed and said, "Next." The Nostrade family was probably collecting different types of ichthyosis if he did that, seeing as the one Nydia had brought was a different type to Senritsu's.

"The skull of a one-horned creature," Baise informed as she placed down her case displaying her item.

Dalzolenne gave the items a once-over before looking up with a smirk and said, "Okay, all five are you are hired."

Nydia suppressed the joy building up inside of her and had the gall to look humiliated when Senritsu gave her a side-long glance and amused smile. Senritsu must've heard her heartbeat speeding up.

"I'm Dalzolenne, the head bodyguard, it's a pleasure to meet you," Dalzolenne announced, standing up. Of course, Nydia already knew this, searching up the Nostrade family before applying to be one of their employees.

Nydia stood straighter when the man walked out from behind his desk speaking. "I'll need you to start working immediately."

She blinked. 'What? Already?' But even as she thought that, Nydia followed him as she saw Kurapika walking past her.

"Your mission is to escort the boss to a Yorknew City hotel room," Dalzolenne informed, standing in front of a screen that flashed on to display a map. Nydia eyed it curiously. "A private aircraft will take you to Lingon airport, just outside Yorknew." The man withdrew a retractable stick and pointed at the location of said airport before sliding it over to where the hotel was situated. "The trip between the airport and hotel takes approximately ninety minutes. A special car has been prepared."

Dalzolenne looked up from his explanation. "You five will be providing the outer ring of security. Any questions?"

"Do you know who may be targeting the boss?" Nydia heard Kurapika ask from beside her.

"That question isn't even worth an answer."

"What do you mean?"

"The boss is an important figure in the underworld," Dalzolenne replied, tapping the stick against his shoulder rhythmically. " There are plenty of people with reasons to hold grudges."

Ah, yes that was understandable. During her research, Nydia had found out that the Nostrade family was a minor family that was slowly rising in power and that even the 'Ten Don' sought out their help. She was surprised and puzzled when Kurapika spoke up again.

"Let me rephrase that since you didn't understand the first time," Kurapika said. "Regardless of grudges, do you know anyone who might actually commit to an attack?" The Kurata placed a firm hand down on the surface of the table screen, the chains on his right hand rattling upon impact and creating a clinking noise. "If we can identify a few candidates, we'll know their motives, styles, and circumstances, and we can prepare accordingly. That will facilitate in protecting the boss."

'Woah,' Nydia thought, watching the blonde with wide eyes and in a new light. She broken out of her stupor by Dalzolenne.

"You said that your name is Kurapika?" he asked, pushing the stick in his hands closed and levelling Kurapika with a frightening stare that chilled Nydia to her bones and caused her to tense. 'This is what a true mafioso looks like.' "You are the one who doesn't understand."

Kurapika returned the look head on defiantly, and that took guts.

"Our job is to protect the boss. No matter who, when, where or how they attack. That's all you need to know!

"Don't bother building a mental profile, if anything comes close, it's hostile," Dalzolenne said, crushing the stick in his hands. Silence followed his speech before it was broken.

"I have a question."

Dalzolenne's eyes flickered over to her and she bit her lips to prevent herself from doing anything stupid that might put her in a bad light like Kurapika did, or worse, get her fired. She herself was surprised when she had spoken up, but Nydia had been contemplating what both Kurapika and Dalzolenne had said. Both made a fair argument, she could understand where they were coming from, even if their opinions differed.

"What's the boss like?" she asked. Dalzolenne continued staring, and Nydia took it as a sign to continue speaking.

"What's their personality like? Do they have any specific quirks, habits, anything that we should know? It would be best to know beforehand so we can accommodate them and prevent them from compromising any dangerous situation we would encounter."

The head bodyguard gave her an appraising look before answering. "See for yourself, I'll be introducing you to the boss now. Come with me." As he turned with his hands shoved in his pockets and led the small group to a large oaken door which led to the hall, Nydia let let out a small inconceivable breath she had been holding before gathering herself and following after the group.

The hallway was vast and dimly lit. The walls were mostly bare with only a few paintings decorating them. Tiles covered the ground, causing all the footsteps in the hall to echo. All was silent except for that.

A small inhale of breath penetrated through the silence and caused everyone to halt as Baise said, "Excuse me, what is that?"

Everybody turned to look up to find a grotesque artwork featuring a blonde man trying to escape a dark grey substance framed by an elaborate bronze frame. Nydia shuddered involuntarily at the sight. She had do agree with Basho when he said, "It's a little too realistic."

"Yeah, that is an actual human being," Dalzolenne said casually, as though he was discussing the weather. Her head swivelled around to give him a look of bewilderment along with your new fellow employees. What?

"He was once a fellow bodyguard," he continued. "He ignored my advice and let himself be deceived by false information, placing not only the other bodyguards, but the boss in danger as well, so he was punished." Dalzolenne turned to face the front again. "You guys are replacing him."

She gulped.

"Let's go."

"Boss, I've brought the new bodyguards!"

A large white marble door with golden handles opened up to reveal a young, pretty maiden in a dark purple yukata and violet hair with matching eyes. With one look at Dalzolenne, she opened the door further to allow your small group in with a bow. "Please, enter."

The room inside was overwhelming. A chandelier lit the room and cast shadows upon the rows of lilac curtains drawn to the side and plush red carpet lined with gold embellishments that laid on the marble floor, leading to your destination.

At the other end of the room, another attendant stood placidly beside steps that led to a young blunette girl with cyan eyes sitting on a large soft bed surrounded by an abundance of various toys.

"This is the boss, Neon-sama."

Everybody stopped and gasped. Nydia gazed at the teenage girl who seemed to be around her age, if not slightly older. This was her new boss?! But she was so young! 'And I thought it'd be a guy...'

"Nice to meet you, everyone~" Neon greeted with a wide smile.

"Oh my god, she's so young!" Nydia exclaimed as she stood in front of the door between Baise and Basho. they were all now aboard the airship heading for Lingon Airport. "She's around my age and already a boss!"

Basho nodded in agreement. "I was pretty surprised when we met the boss too."

"No kidding..." Baise murmured. "They call her an important figure in the underworld, so I was expecting someone intimidating. In the end, she turned out to be a cute little girl."

"Ah, you wouldn't want her to hear that," Nydia said mischievously.

Baise raised a brow. "Why's that?"

"That'll hurt her image of being a fearsome mafia boss."

The older woman beside Nydia rolled her eyes and shook her head hopelessly at the brunette's behaviour.

Just as Nydia was about to continue discussing their new boss - no, not gossiping. She would never dare to gossip about her employer - there was a knock on the door behind her. Opening the door into a slight gap cautiously, Nydia peeked out and was greeted by the face of a male flight attendant.

"Yes? How may I help you?" she asked politely.

"The airship will be landing soon," he informed.

"Oh, okay. Thank you." He bowed and left. The door shut with a click behind her.

"Well then, I better inform the Ojou-sama of the situation," Nydia declared, skipping forward to the corner where Senritsu and Kurapika were situated.

"Doing well, my fellow comrades," she greeted, tilting an imaginary hat. Kurapika stared at her, unimpressed. To her other side, Senritsu let out a small giggle and a broad grin lit up on Nydia's face. At least one of these two didn't have a stick up their butt and had a sense of humour. Nydia swore the blonde didn't have a single funny bone in his whole entire body.

Passing the two, Nydia soon reached Ivlenkov and Squala and gave them a nod to which they returned. She raised a hand and knocked on the large brown double door.

"Enter."

Pressing down on the brass handle, Nydia pushed the door open to find an elaborate room filled with plush carpets, seats and pillows. Across from her stood a half-turned Dalzolenne who was watching her and to her left stood another fellow bodyguard by the name of Linssen. Further up to Nydia's left sat Neon who was being attended to by her two personal maids.

"Hmm? Ah, Nydia, what is it?" Neon asked the smaller girl cutely with a tilt of her head after taking a sip of tea from her porcelain teacup. God, Nydia couldn't see this girl as her boss, she just didn't act like one. But then again, appearances can be deceiving.

"We'll be landing soon, boss."

"Oh, is that so? Thank you." With a nod, Nydia took that to be her dismissal.

Five white cars were waiting when the airship landed. Nydia and her fellow bodyguards left the airship first and surrounded the cars, surveying the area for any suspicious activity. There were none. With an affirmative not to everyone which was then relayed to Dalzolenne, Neon descended the stair with led from the airship to the ground with Dalzolenne right behind her and entered the third car which was held open by Linssen. After it was assured that Neon had gotten in safely and there was no danger around, everybody else bundled up into the remaining cars and left the airstrip.

Nydia ended up in a car together with all of the bodyguards hired together with you. All was silent, so of course, Nydia being Nydia, she had to break the silence. The absence of noise didn't sit well with her.

"Ne, ne, I heard that Neon-sama is an incredibly gifted fortune teller," she said, leaning forward and holding the back of the two front seats in an attempt to start up a conversation.

"Yeah, I heard that too," the petite girl heard Basho say from the driver's seat. "Thanks to her father's connections, she has made a lot of clients that hold important positions in the underworld."

"Like the 'Ten Don', right?"

"Yeah."

"No, it's the other way around," Kurapika said, catching all of their attention.

"Other way around?" Basho repeated, glancing at the Kurata from the corner of his eyes.

Without looking back, Kurapika said, "I'd say the father has used his daughter to increase his standing in the underworld. That's why he's afraid of losing her. He's afraid that his enemies might strike back at his daughter."

Nydia stared at Kurapika, feeling that the mood had gotten sour with his words and pouted. He was such a party-pooper. Because of him, the conversation decidedly took a turn for the worst. In retaliation, the girl poked his cheek, earning a twitch and irritated glance from him. She smiled brightly in response.

Sitting back in her seat, there was one goal that Nydia was determined to accomplish during your time in Yorknew City.

She was going to make Kurapika smile.

'Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.' - Brain Littrell