#Kurta's Moving Castle

[duckymcdoorknob]

Imma ask a very important question:

Is there fanart in existence of Kurapika dressed like Howl Pendragon.

This is a very important scientific question.

[notebookpapers]

Good morning lesbians who are in love with Gerard Way good morning lesbians who are in love with Viktor from Arcane good morning lesbians who are in love with Howl Pendragon good morning lesbians who are in love with Kurapika good morning lesbians who are in love with Taika Waititi good morning lesbians who are in love with Andrew Garfield good mor-

[starship-squidlet]

Kurta’s Moving Castle: Chapter 6

Summary: Kurapika gets sick and Leorio is persuaded to stay at the castle.

Word Count:1,580

Disclaimer: Kurta’s Moving Castle Preface

Previous chapter: Chapter 5

Next chapter: Chapter 7

Outside, Leorio stepped into the cold rain. It instantly soaked through his clothes and started to run down his neck and along his spine. The cold seemed to seep deep into his bones, and he felt himself hunch forward, aches and pains setting into his body with a renewed vigor. He made it to the shore of the lake, and stared out over it, allowing the sharp chill to overtake him, numbing him to the well of emotions bubbling up inside of him. Just when you think you’ve found the place you belong, something happens to drive you away from it, he thought bitterly. First the infirmary, now here. Every time I get close to people, I end up having to leave them behind. He didn’t even feel the tears start to leave his eyes as they mingled with the rain running down his face.

Leorio did, however, when the rain stopped soaking him quite so thoroughly. He glanced up and smiled softly. “Thanks, Chickey,” he reached out to scratch the side of the giant bird, who had stretched one of her wings out over his head like an umbrella. “It’s good to have a friend like you.”

Leorio glanced back over his shoulder at the castle. He had no idea how long he’d been standing outside in the rain, but he was completely drenched, and his nose and feet were numb. He had to force his legs to move to take a step, and they burned with a cold fire when he did. “Why didn’t I storm out through the Port Zaban or Swaldani door?” he groaned to himself (and Chickey) as he did his best to get his old body moving again.

“Leorio!” 

He thought he was imagining the sound of his name in the wind swirling around him, but when he heard it a second time, he turned to look for the source. Gon was running towards him through the pouring rain, looking frantic.

“Gon? What’s wrong?” Leorio turned back towards the boy.

Gon caught up to him and grabbed his sleeve, yanking him back towards the castle. “Leorio, come quick, please! It’s Kurapika. He collapsed.”

Leorio took a deep breath, but hurried after the boy. The castle was all the warmer for having been outside for so long, and he shucked his rucksack, scarf, and coat by the fireside before hurrying up after Gon.

“Hurry, Leorio!” Killua called after them, grabbing for the logs nearest to him and pulling them into his flame.

Upstairs, they found Kurapika crumpled on the floor of his room. “Gon, downstairs in my rucksack, get my medical bag,” Leorio instructed the boy as he bent down to scoop Kurapika up into his arms. He laid the wizard--who was somehow even smaller and lighter than he looked--down on the bed and got to work.

.*.*.*.*.*.

“Will Kurapika be alright?”

Leorio glanced up. He hadn’t realized that he had fallen asleep in the chair by his patient’s bedside until Gon had woken him up. He stood up and stretched, wincing at the stabbing pains that accompanied the stiffness acquired by sitting in the chair for so long. “I hope so,” he said, half-surprised to discover that he actually meant that. Despite their argument, he had realized that he was actually starting to care for the wizard. “He has a fever,” Leorio explained, ushering Gon out of the room and closing the door gently behind them so as not to disturb Kurapika. “He’s very weak. I didn’t realize how poorly he’s been taking care of himself. I should’ve been keeping a better eye on him, but I didn’t think it was my place.”

“Killua said he’s weak,” Gon nodded. “But it’s not your fault, Leorio. Kurapika’s stubborn. He has been for as long as I’ve known him. If you’d have tried to make him do something he didn’t want to do, it probably wouldn’t have ended well.”

Leorio smiled. “Thank you, Gon. Now, why don’t you go get some sleep? This might be a long night before his fever breaks.”

.*.*.*.*.*.

Leorio had no idea how true his words would be. Kurapika’s temperature lowered slightly, but he remained fevery, unconscious, and delirious in his few waking moments for the next three days. Leorio and Gon did what they could to keep him comfortable, usually by keeping him heavily bundled in blankets when he started shivering with cold flashes or by draping cool, damp cloths on his forehead when his fever rose. They would drip water onto his lips at least once an hour, trying to keep him somewhat hydrated, although his dry and cracked lips seemed to indicate that these efforts were in vain.

Three days after their fight, Leorio had nodded off in the chair by Kurapika’s bedside again when a soft cough woke him. His head snapped up and he looked around for the source before his eyes landed on Kurapika. Unbidden, a small smile flickered across his lips. “Welcome back.”

Kurapika turned his head towards Leorio, the small movement seeming to take a monument of effort. His blue eyes were droopy with exhaustion, but clear. Leorio reached out and brushed the back of his hand against the wizard’s forehead. It was no longer hot to the touch. Leorio fished his thermometer out of his medical bag. “Open,” he ordered. Kurapika obeyed without protest, allowing Leorio to stick the thermometer under his tongue. Leorio fished one of Kurapika’s arms out from under the pile of blankets and placed two fingers over the pale wrist to take his pulse. Even though he was focusing his attention on his watch, timing the fluttering heartbeats under his fingers, he could feel Kurapika’s eyes boring a hole into his forehead. Satisfied with his reading, he took the thermometer back and nodded at the reading on it. “It’s about time. You’re finally back down to a normal human temperature.”

“Why are you here?” Kurapika’s voice was hoarse, and another cough followed the question.

Leorio sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed. Gently, he pulled the blankets back and helped Kurapika to a sitting position, then lifted a glass of water to his lips to help him drink. A few sips later, he pulled away and laid Kurapika back down. “I didn’t make it very far before Gon came to get me. He told me you’d collapsed. I was studying to be a doctor before… Well, when I was younger. I could never leave someone who needed my help behind.” He stood up and stepped towards the door. “I’m sure you’re hungry. I’ll go heat up some broth. You probably wouldn’t be able to stomach much more than that. Hate me all you want, but I won’t leave someone in your state to fend for themselves, and I won’t leave Gon on his own with you this weak. You couldn’t protect him if he needed it. Once you’re stronger, I’ll leave, if that’s what you want.”

Leorio shut the door behind him and took a moment to lean against it, eyes closed. He sighed. I’ll leave, if that’s what you want. Even if it’s not what I want.

.*.*.*.*.*.

Leorio couldn’t help but be impressed by how quickly Kurapika recovered. He had a sneaking suspicion that most of it was a show, put on for his benefit, but he accepted it nonetheless. There was no better medicine than sheer stubbornness, his mentor, Cheadle, had joked once. Kurapika seemed to be proving her right. He improved in leaps and bounds over the next few days, and was basically back to his old self, albeit a bit more open and kind than he had been before, in under a week. However, Killua informed Leorio that the majority of this was basically bravado on Kurapika’s part.

“Underneath it all, his heart is still very weak,” Killua explained, late one night after Kurapika and Gon were sound asleep in their beds upstairs.

“His heart?” Leorio was confused. “His pulse always seems so strong, but I don’t exactly have the equipment to look for murmurs or defects or diseases, I guess.”

“No, you idiot, not his literal heart,” Killua snapped, shooting a few white sparks at Leorio, who deftly avoided them. “His figurative heart. Or, spiritual, maybe. Whatever. His spirit. His soul. Whatever you want to call it. The place where he gets his power from. I’m the only thing keeping the castle and all of us hidden right now. If the Spiders get wind of us, I won’t be able to keep us safe, at least not for long. I’m just a fire, bound to this fireplace. I can’t fight them off.”

“What do I do?” Leorio asked, frustrated. “I don’t know how to help someone’s spirit. I’m a doctor, not a priest, dammit!”

“You don’t need to be a priest,” Killua sighed, rolling his eyes. Leorio took a moment to appreciate what an odd idea that was, a fire rolling its eyes--much less, a fire having eyes. “Kurapika’s been broken. More than once, probably. It’s not my place to tell you what happened, and I don’t think I could anyways, based on your contract. But maybe something that would help is getting Kurapika to trust you. Losing people breaks the heart. Maybe finding people he can trust and love again--like you and Gon--will help him.”

Leorio sighed and looked into the embers below Killua’s fire. “How do I get the most mysterious person in the world to trust me?” he mused.

[scarletsunshine404]

Mood Board

[lhuriart]

[realboutfatalfury]

I have no brain power to think of an au so here they are dressing up as howl and sophie :)

[bnhabadass]

I have so many mutuals on this site but I realized I know next to nothing about what other anime they like. So I decided to make a tag game! The rules are to answer the questions about the various anime you’ve watched and then tag five people you would like to get to know better.

Favorite Anime: There are so many that I love but I think my favorite by far is Attack on Titan.

Least Favorite Anime: Hmm... I’ve enjoyed most of the anime I’ve seen, but I was never able to really get into Sword Art Online. The first couple episodes just bored me.

The Last Anime You Watched: Given!!!!

Favorite Anime Film: I grew up on Studio Ghibli films and Howl’s Moving Castle is by far my favorite. But the Given movie is coming to Crunchyroll in February so that might change 🤧

The Anime You Cried the Hardest At: Your Lie in April. If you tell me you didn’t cry when watching this, I’m sorry but you don’t have a soul.

Your Comfort Anime: There are a lot of anime I go back to when I’m having a bad day and need to distract myself, but the one that’s been there for me during the hardest times in quarantine is Gakuen Babysitters.

Just look at those cheeks!!!

Favorite Anime Character: This is a really hard one. I love angsty characters and also determined characters, so some of my favorites are Kyo Souma (Fruits Basket), Bakugou Katsuki (BNHA), Kurapika Kurta (Hunter x Hunter), and Bishamon (Noragami)

Shojo or Shounen: I love both tbh. There are certain tropes in a lot of shojo anime and manga that I try to stay away from, but I love Maid-Sama, Fruits Basket and so many others. And I’m not gonna lie, a lot of fight scenes in shounen anime kind of bore me. Still, I’m more inclined to watch a shounen anime because that’s more of what I hear hyped up on Tumblr and Tiktok.

If You Could Shift Into Any Anime Universe, Which Would it Be: I would love to shift into the Hunter x Hunter universe and master whatever Nen ability I have.

Tags: @kingtamakimurder​ @kingkatsuki​ @combat-wombatus​ @cellotonin​ @dimplesum​

[reikunrei]

i haven’t done a tag game in approximately one million years so every time i see i’ve been tagged in one i am legally obligated to do it

10 fandoms, 10 characters, 10 tags (no particular order)

Tagged by @caffernnn  (ty :3)

1) Rei Ryugazaki (Free!)

2) Kurapika Kurta (Hunter x Hunter)

3) Sara Sidle (CSI)

4) Kurosawa Yuichi (Cherry Magic)

5) Revali (Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild)

6) Spirit (Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron)

7) Sokka (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

8) Haruhi Fujioka (Ouran High School Host Club)

9) Samwise Gamgee (Lord of the Rings)

10) Howl Pendragon (Howl’s Moving Castle)

i tag uuuuh anyone who wants to do it! lmao sorry idk very many people personally on tumblr nowadays ;p

[howwnowbrowncoww]

10 Characters, 10 Fandoms

thanks for the tag @vidramon​! I’m going to refrain from picking Malroth since it’s a total given for me lol and since you already wrote some pretty great stuff about him. These aren’t really in any order and I picked off the top of my head so I’m sure I’m missing a few I’d really be able to chat your ears off about, but this was fun anyway!

Oops, editing this to say anyone can try it out! Not tagging anyone specific this time, but if you want to talk about 10 characters you love, please add on an share or make your own post and tag me because I’d love to see!

1. Bado (Rune Factory 4)

Honestly, I love all the characters from 4, but this loser holds a special place in my heart. His half-hearted passion for getting rich quick but lack of follow through when it comes to negatively impacting people around him with his schemes is oddly endearing. I equally want to wring his neck and be his best friend. I also will die mad that he wasn’t a marriage candidate>:T

2. Tamaki Amajiki (BNHA)

It was a toss up between him and Shinsou, but I picked Tamaki because I can relate more to him. I love seeing him fight with determination and courage despite how much anxiety he has. He works hard despite all his perceived faults, and his supportive friend group makes me so happy for him! I left off mid season 4 of the anime but I want to pick it up again just for him and Shinsou lol

3. Ghirahim (Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword)

Okay, I know, major leap from anxious Tamaki, but Ghirahim is a fave on the complete opposite side of the scale. This guy is obviously an asshole. A total jerk. Dickhead supreme. But he’s a very fun and interesting villain (in the worst way) imo. I’m also a huge fan of WindWaker Ganondorf because of his drive as a villain, but I picked Ghirahim since SS is getting remade soon. Idk, his design is eye-catching, every time I got to meet him in the game, he always had interesting dialouge (putting it lightly), and his personality uh...leaves much to be improved upon, but he HAS ONE! I’m tired of boring villains with lackluster motivations. Okay, his motivations were kinda expectable too, but his overwhelming desire to kill me in an extremely over-the-top dramatic fashion at all times was refreshing.

4. Sophie (Howl’s Moving Castle)

I know a lot of people have a favorite Sophie (either the book or movie version), but I like both equally for really different reasons. I related to movie Sophie a lot as a kid (still kinda do), so I have nostalgia going for me there, but book Sophie is a wild card. I lover her. She’s nuts, she won’t hesitate to throw acid, she can and will do whatever the hell she wants. I really want to be her. 

5. Fenris (Dragon Age 2)

It was SO HARD to pick between him, Bull, and Dorian, because I haven’t played any of the games, but I want to meet them all so damn bad lol. I OWN all the games, I just haven’t played them yet /cries/. Ironically, I took a quiz the other day and it said I’d be Fenris, and I honestly was just more concerned than anything considering his backstory lmao. Anyway, I love an elf who can wield a greatsword and rip people’s hearts from their bodies while avoiding his emotionally traumatic past:>

6. Galo Thymos (Promare)

Look, I absolutely ADORE everyone in this entire movie, but this moron just hits all the best character traits for me. He’s passionate, he’s stupider than all get out, and he’s constantly shirtless while almost dying and saving the day through sheer god-defying luck and a refusal to lay down and die. There’s just something about himbos that gets me, ya know?

7. Kurapika Kurta (Hunter X Hunter)

Kurapika has what Sasuke could NEVER. Literally, Kurapika has such a more satisfying revenge/redemption ark than anything I’ve ever seen. I love his interaction with Melody and the main group, the red eyes thing is so BADASS (again, still cooler than Sasuke’s), the chains are both aesthetic as HELL and insanely, terrifyingly effective. Never seen a cooler anime character in my entire life. I also just really, really want to give him a fucking hug, like wow he really needs one.

8. Apollo Justice (Ace Attorney games)

Apollo is a new love of mine (also from a game I haven’t played yet) as well as another character for me to eventually project onto;) He’s anxious, he yells a lot, he’s oblivious as fuck, but he has the passion I love in all my characters. This boy is in for a world of hurt (from the many spoilers I have run into by browsing the game tags prematurely lol), but I know he’ll pull through! He has his family by his side!;-;

9. Sakura Haruno (Naruto)

Don’t even get me started on Sakura>:O I love her so much. I did not appreciate her near enough as a kid (maybe understandably since she was written for shit). Instead of going back and rewatching the show to face inevitable disappointment, I just read fics that fix all of the crappy things the show did to her:) This girl could crush me like a bug and I am looking respectfully!!

10. Tadashi Hamada (Big Hero 6)

Saving the most underloved one for last;-; Tadashi I miss you. I rewatch this goddamn movie just for you (and sometimes Baymax). I have the only shirt I could ever find with him on it and I also have his hat because once I latch onto a character, I apparently never let go. It’s a shame Disney had to kill him off to further the plot. I was so desperate for more content of this character that I found myself falling down theory spirals about how he may come back as Sunfire (that name may be wrong, it’s been a few years lol). Ultimate big brother, great best friend, everyone loved him and knew he was creating good things for the world, super goofy: literally I think I just aspired to be more like him when I first saw the movie. Mad respect for this dude.

[systemakhaosu]

oh yeah, I learned that Felinx is a war veteran so to speak

we were in co yesterday (new years eve) morning (5pm) and on our way to the coffee shop we heard someone set off some bottle rockets and firecrackers, and hoooooly crap did that trigger poor Felinx. like even though i was like 90% in control of the body, we still dropped to the ground and went reaching for a rifle on our back that wasn’t there, thankfully i was able to calm Felinx down and get us back on our way to coffee, but all through out the night every time there was a bang i would get flashes of memory from Felinx’s past.

So, basically, here’s what i was able to glean from their flashes of memory: 1. They are a /lot/ older than we thought they were. Like, we though they were the equivalent of 25ish human years, but really they’re the equivalent of 50 or 55ish human years

2. They came from a region of their planet that was geographically similar to West Africa (probably closest to Mail)

3. Aesthetically, the clothing and buildings and such that I saw in their memories had an interesting mix of Persian, Berber, Iraqi, Malian, and Rajasthani styles. The clothing was almost the same as Rajasthani clothing in our world, primarily there were lots of folks wearing Kurta / Sherwani

3. The technology (or at least military technology), of their world (or at least the region Felinx is from), appeared similar to early World War 1 technology in this world. They (In he context of this entry, “They” refers to society at large, for Felinx, i will use their name) had single shot and semi automatic breech loading firearms with cartridge ammunition, Similar in look to the Mauser C96, and long guns similar in look to the Berdan II M 1870. They also had full auto/machine guns similar in look to the Lewis Gun, but those were rare, at least in the battles Felinx was in. There were also artillery cannon, and mortar launchers, both having explosive and incendiary shells. I didn’t see any motor vehicles of aircraft, but i do recall large steamships similar to the SS Great Eastern, and warships similar to the Cruiser Aurora, and in general similar to the boats in Howl’s Moving Castle.

4. Felinx lived in a small town next to an oasis in a big desert and was a merchant in the local market. Sadly idk what they sold (The memory i saw was them sitting in a tea house having some iced tea and some kind of savory snack, it was mid day. Suddenly there was the sound of multiple explosions, one right after another (would later learn it was a mortar volley). Most others in the tea house dove for cover, but a few including Felinx took off running. Felinx ran through narrow winding streets as another mortar volley hit and the sound of heavy cannon and emergency bells & horns started coming from the town. Felinx got to the market only to see a bunch of rubble and the stalls and surrounding buildings engulfed in fire. Upon seeing this, Felinx dropped to their knees and screamed/roared and cried.) I am pretty sure their family and/or romantic partner was in the shop Felinx kept (The had a building with a workshop on the ground floor, and living quarters on the floor above, with a sales stall connected to the front of the building. I think they were some kind of smith or woodworker, but idk for sure.

5. Felinx was a sharpshooter/sniper in some kind of resistance and/or guerilla forces. Their rifle was similar to a Berdan II M1870, but ornamented similar to Bedouin or Berber rifles of our world. It was probably handmade by an individual gunsmith, then modified to hold a makeshift scope that was essentially a navel handheld telescope/spyglass. I’m gonna try to draw what it looked like

6. Felinx was hit by an incendiary projectile that struck just under their right pectoral. The projectile didn't pierce them, but it did make an indent and leave a bunch of scarring that their fur doesn’t grow over (Which explains why they never take off their top in headspace). Idk how they managed to survive, but they did, so good on them.

7. Their country lost the war and was conquered, leaving Felinx along with other members of their group that fought against the invading forces, to be considered war criminals. At one point Felinx was captured and tortured, but somehow they managed to escape. They essentially still are a fugitive, which is why they became a wandering film-flam man (or should I say... flim-flam cat, lol)

8. Idk for sure, but they may have faked their death (and like, not for a scam, but to get out of some bad situation. Maybe a forced conscription or something? Idk, it’s unclear)

Those are the major things I learned about Felinx from observing their memories. I’m gonna try to compile/describe/write down the specific memories I saw, as well as other memories/information that they’ve shared with us.

[starfriday]

Ed Sheeran Conquers Mumbai With ÷ Divide Tour

19th November 2017 - On a nippy Sunday evening, a lone ginger-haired singer-songwriter delineated musical enchantment on a stage as he held the arena’s attention with nothing more than a guitar and a loop station. Even disregarding his outstanding lineage, Sheeran had no need for backing singers or dancers — not with an audience this involved.  Sheeran's appeal lies in his mass likability and this showed in the make-up of the crowd which ranged from little kids to middle-aged couples and family groups. The singer-songwriter succeeded in capturing the undivided attention of the emotive crowd of about 10,000 with Ed Sheeran Live in Mumbai Concert brought to India by AEG Presents and PR Worldwide in collaboration with BookMyShow at Jio Gardens, BKC, Mumbai.

Setting the tone for the evening for the India leg of  Ed Sheeran’s Asia ÷ (divide) Tour was 23 year old American artist Lauv who proved to be a worthy opener as he played crowd-friendly singles like “I Like Me Better” and “Easy Love”

Sheerios did not have to wait long to see their favorite redheaded musician. Promptly at 8:30pm, the man of the hour made his super casual entrance, strolling onto the stage sans introduction in a t-shirt and jeans, with the commotion from the crowd beginning immediately as he started to strum the chords to his ode to his hometown, “Castle on the Hill.” The singer from Halifax, United Kingdom ripped through the soaring guitar anthem whose rock band-influenced guitar builds crescendoed to a stadium-filling chorus.

The singer showed that he’s a dominant performer with “Eraser,” with a perceptible attempt expended in the song’s dexterous autobiographical rap, but the architecture of its percussive climax and falsetto harmonies was so efficiently constructed that one might not have noticed Sheeran at labor. Though he appeared and sounded every inch of a pop star, the message of the song seemed sincere as his smile never faded throughout his 17-song set on his 109th tour stop.

The crowd remained committed in emulating Sheeran’s passion, which seemed to peak during “Bloodstream.”. Building from a touch of turbulence to a stormy climax as fireballs and gloomy clouds filled the background screens, this song surely did stand out.

He shifted from “Bloodstream” to mid-set folksy ballad “Happier,” bringing a nice change of pace with its mellower tone and sentimental rendition.

“Perfect” started out quietly and then soared higher with Sheeran layering backing vocals and beats as the crowd sang along, finally ending with one of the most resoundingly passionate climaxes to a ballad you’ll ever hear live.

He performed anthemic songs from each album, but bulk of his setlist came from his latest album, “Divide,” performing 10 songs from that album, five from “Multiply” and two from his debut album “Plus” with songs like “Dive”, “Heart’s Don’t Break Around Here”, “How Would You Feel”, “Thinking Out Loud”, “Photograph”, “I See Fire” getting some of the night’s biggest singalongs. It wasn’t just the ballads that got the fans elated – the up tempo numbers, including “Sing”, “New Man”, “Shape Of You” and “Galway Gal” got them dancing and even rapping along.

The concert didn’t seem like a show put on by one man, but rather an event that relied on the inclusion of an arena-sized group. From the pit to the periphery of the arena, Sheeran urged each member of the audience to sing as loud as they could and dance to whichever move they pleased.

In an era where people seem to always be occupied by technology, it was a welcome change to see fans ditch their devices to wave both arms in the air and grab their neighbor for a dance during Sheeran’s Irish jig “Nancy Mulligan” inspired by his grandparents’ own love story, and “A Team” - done fully acoustic, with no looping, amid a sea of cellphone flashlights and a mass singalong

It was a high-octane conclusion with the night’s raucous, rap-happy closer “You Need Me, I Don’t Need You,” which seemed to be a true statement for every person in the crowd and provided a quick glimpse at Sheeran’s beatboxing skills. Because without Sheeran’s performance, how would they know what it was like to witness the greatest solo artist of this generation - the 26-year-old is just a joy to watch, with his boundless energy, his crowd-pleasing banter, and of course, those oh-so-singable tunes!  By the time he ended the concert it was safe to say that his Indian fans had truly got their money’s worth.

Ed Sheeran who was wearing  an ocean blue Cama Balpande of BookASmile  kurta stated, “India you are always special and this night is magical.”

Kunal Khambati, Head, Live Events and IP, Bookmyshow added on, “When you attend an Ed Sheeran concert, Ed Sheeran is all you get. We are thrilled by the response we got for his show. BookMyShow is committed to bringing mega live musical events to the country that allow millions of fans to get access to their favorite artists and we are happy to have delivered an outstanding  and a memorable experience to every single attendee tonight. We elevated this once in a life time experience for attendees by presenting a  world class event experience that was logistically successful and operationally efficient.”

Celebrities such as Akash Ambani, Anant Ambani, Aarav Kumar, Ananya Birla, Aftab Shivadasani, Surily Goel, Lopamudra Raut were spotted in The Jio VIP zones.

[adiwrotethis]

Delhi

Haze awakens before the millions lying in their tombs, and the defeated horizon gives way with the tired sigh of a winter wind. The first citizens of the city, winged, grey and worn, raise their heads in unison--mourning the birth of a new day. A muted sun climbs onto the horizon and unfurls its wings with the birds.

There’s madness in these rays, rousing the ambitious to hateful alertness and caressing the careless into a deeper death. They turn over in their tombs, some made of red sandstone and others of peeling cement. Soft in the quiet first hours, the light deceives the first ones up to leave their graves. The citizens are guided on their pilgrimage of the day by a shimmering haze that steals each breath with no intention of giving it back.

Like Charon, rickshaws ferry their passengers across the screaming concrete waters of the city. Their faces are molded into stoic grimaces, and red towels adorn their heads, crowning each of them as the kings of dust and dreams. Their duty is eternal and the dreams of yesterday fuel the dreams of tomorrow, and so they pedal on, in the hopes of one day being able to put their feet on the ground.

The maze-like streets of the city are at their most beautiful now. A million windows, opened to commence bleary attempts at lunch, release the muted sounds of last night's soap operas and reflect the madness below in the strangest of kaleidoscopes. Below this world of mirrors is a surge of ink that fills the streets as the residents leave for lunch. 

The faded red sarees of tired old wives meet the fresh white kurta and cap of the priests. They crash into the black suits of businessmen that have lost all sense of self in this river. The faceless automatons can only walk the same tired path, they remember nothing else. Their faces have long been erased to oblivion by the dusty streets.

This river moves one way during the day, and the other during the evening, all the while unconsciously flowing around the unofficial monuments of the city; the seemingly-permanent stalls of vendors. They keep their eyes on the street and their mouth to the sky with ululating cries that only get louder as the sky darkens, attempting to gather customers in shouts that endear and frighten with equal efficacy.

It’s in this darkness that the extremes of the city become pronounced. The urchins at the Minar gaze in wonder into the prized fashion emporiums, and the designers stare back in confusion. Neither can see the other ever fitting in the clothes that lie behind them, but castles are seldom built by kings, and so they both play their parts in silence. 

The only place where it’s hard to tell these opposites apart is, ironically in the pitch-black depths of the tunnels that run under the city, and sometimes on the tracks that snake high above it. The discriminant here is the card and the token, but the kings and the poor here sit on the same thrones all the same, staring blankly at each other from across the train. This great, turbulent equalizer comes with an unspoken price, more costly than the fee paid to get on it, and it’s paid by the sea of formless workers getting off the trains at the end of their journey. They look at each other in confusion on the escalators, trying to tell the other apart. Business cards are exchanged and yet they all bear the same titles.

They walk home at a timeless pace, already having forgotten the events of the day.

It’s always deep into these desperate nights when identity returns in the embrace of solitude. A woman looks down from her terrace and alone at last she tries to recall a city that was once so familiar; aided by the haze of a half-burnt cigarette and the memory of a song once beloved. She’s joined by many others, on balconies and roofs stacked like jigsaw puzzles that have forgotten how to fit together, and they search for their lost city in a silent symphony. 

Alas, time turns its cruel hand and their songs meet their end. They turn away one by one, having tried their hardest to remember for the night; and all that remains of the city is the spiraling haze of a stubbed cigarette.

[bridesmaiddresses56]

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[starship-squidlet]

Kurta’s Moving Castle: Chapter 4

Chapter Summary: Leorio and Gon work on cleaning up the castle. Leorio gets more of a glimpse into Killua's abilities, and finds out more about his and Kurapika's contract.

Word Count: 2,049

Disclaimer: Kurta’s Moving Castle Preface

A/N: Reading the original A/N on this one was like a slap in the face 😂 remember when we thought quarantine would only be two weeks? Then a few months??? And now it’s been almost a year????? Also, I don’t think I finished any of the stories I was talking about here but I did write lots of others so that has to count for something, right?

Original A/N: Hey, all! So sorry for the long time between updates!!! I had been in "writing mode" for a few months or so, and then Christmas happened... Meaning that from early/mid October until early/mid January, I was busy building, running, and striking the Christmas show at work. I was doing six 12+ hours a day at work, and had no time or energy to write, and even after that ended, January was still busy with touring shows and other events, and I still lacked the energy and, even more importantly, the motivation to write. But! I'm currently laid off until at least May 16th (probably longer, realistically), so I'm trying to push myself to write more, and for more fandoms. I'm pretty sure it's been like a year and a half, if not longer, since I updated some of my fics ^^; so, one of my Quarantine goals is to finish a few in-progress stories, and get lots of stuff posted!!! Hopefully my creative run lasts a while, because I have lots of stuff I want to write and share!!!

Previous chapter: Chapter Three

Next chapter: Chapter Five

Somehow, saying 'we have a lot of work to do today' turned out to be an understatement. Leorio and Gon started by sorting through the piles of junk heaped around the main room. Gon told him what was okay to be thrown out, what needed to be kept, and what really should be in one of the other rooms upstairs. Unsurprisingly, most of the debris turned out to be garbage.

When the real trash had been sorted from the slightly-less-trash, Leorio set about finding homes for everything. He left Gon at the sink with the towering stacks of dirty dishes and an ample supply of soap, and started organizing the books, journals, trinkets, magical charms (according to Gon), spell and potion components (also according to Gon), and food first into piles and then onto shelves and into cabinets and drawers.

Once that was done, they moved on to actual cleaning. They dusted, swept, mopped, and wiped every surface in the room. They also built up a pile of laundry, between dirty rags, curtains, blankets, and other assorted fabrics that they found as they worked. This pile formed in the corner near the door, growing as all the other piles receded.

While they cleaned, Leorio intentionally let the fire die down. Killua was extremely unhappy with this turn of events, and made sure to voice his displeasure.

"Old man!" he squawked, down to a small flicker of blue and white, eyes flashing with fury. "Old man! I'm going out over here! Don't you dare let me burn out!!!"

Leorio sighed and went to the hearth. "Don't worry; you'll be fine," grumbled, using a pair of tongs to scoop what was left of Killua, plus the final log, up and out of the fireplace, depositing him in a nearby bucket. He noticed something heavy, just barely contained by Killua's fire, hanging below the log, but didn't pay much attention to it. He is a demon, after all.

Killua was irate. "Hey! Put me back, you crazy old man. Kurapika! A crazy man with tongs just took me out of the fireplace! Help! Kurapika! Gon!"

Leorio ignored the fire demon and started to scrape the heaps of ashes out of the fireplace. He bundled them up in an old blanket, tied the whole thing together at the top, and took it outside to pile with the rest of the garbage.

When Leorio returned, he found Kurapika holding what was left of Killua in his cupped hands. He blew into the flame, tossed a few logs into the fireplace, and deposited Killua on top of the fresh wood. Without a word, he turned towards the door.

Kurapika looked fresh and clean, and was dressed in new clothes. He'd even cut his hair; instead of the tangled, overgrown fringe Leorio had seen before, there was now an even row of short bangs, just long enough to brush against his eyebrows. He tucked his hair behind his ear, a dangling ruby earring catching the light, and offered a bright smile to Leorio and Gon. "Well, I'm off. I have some business to take care of. Leorio, remember—don't get too carried away with your cleaning!" He turned the knob on the door to the color black and whooshed out with a gust of wind. The door slammed shut behind him, and the dial clicked back over to red.

When Leorio turned back to Gon, he saw the sad look on the boy's face before he wiped it away.

"Hey, old man!" Killua roared from the hearth, full of vigor now that he was licking at several dry logs. "You better watch out! If I die, I take Kurapika with me!"

Leorio winced. "I didn't know that."

"Yeah well, there's a lot of things you don't know about us, grandpa," Killua's face narrowed into a scowl and he settled himself on top of the logs.

Leorio glanced down at a tug on his pant leg. Gon was staring up at him, amber eyes wide and earnest. "It looks really great in here, Leorio! I don't think I've ever seen the castle this clean!"

Leorio grinned proudly. "Thank you, Gon." He rested his hands on his hips, not even realizing that he had been able to almost completely straighten his spine. "You know, seeing how great this place looks has given me a fresh burst of energy! Let's get started on the upstairs!"

Gon ran ahead of him and barred the stairs bravely. "You can't go up there!"

Leorio arched a fluffy grey eyebrow and leaned in close, grinning wickedly. "If there's anything you don't want thrown out, better hide it now."

Gon groaned and hopped from foot to foot, looking back and forth between Leorio and the top of the stairs. "Ugh, fine! Just… do my room last!" He spun and bolted up the stairs, nearly tripping in his haste.

Leorio laughed and fetched the broom, mop, and a bucket of fresh water before following Gon up. The upper story was no cleaner than the room downstairs. Cobwebs and dust clung to the walls so thickly that Leorio wasn't sure what color they were even intended to be, literal piles of dirt and bits of litter lined the baseboards, and discarded shoes, clothing, books, and even the odd toy—where in the world did those come from?—were scattered among the other debris. It was also extremely stuff upstairs, so Leorio headed for a door that looked like it led outside, rather than to another room.

It took some doing to wrench the door open, but, once he did, Leorio was presented with the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen. The scenery flew past them, a whirl of reds and oranges and browns and yellows, and even the odd pink and green, as they trundled along past a huge, sprawling forest. The grass under the castle's feet was still green, but going brown at the tips as the autumn weather grew colder. Above them, the sky was a rich and deep blue, broken only by a few cottony wisps of pure white clouds. Off in the distance, in the same direction the castle seemed to be heading, was a large blue lake, sparkling brilliantly in the sunlight, reflecting the color of the sky almost perfectly.

Leorio ducked back inside. "Hey, Killua! You're the one moving the castle, right?"

"Who else do you think would be doing it?" the fire demon roared back.

"Well, it's amazing! Keep up the good work!"

Unseen by his companions, Killua blushed proudly, his blue and white flames turning beautiful shades of purple and pink. "He thinks I'm amazing!" the fire was literally glowing, far brighter than before, as he began to lick upwards, encouraging the castle to move faster and more steadily.

Upstairs, Leorio leaned against the balcony railing, taking in the gorgeous scenery. A little while later, Gon joined him, cobwebs in his dark hair and dust on his clothes.

"Gon, do you know where we are?"

"Sure! The forest is the edge of the Visca Forest Preserve, which is a protected wildlife and biological area. That lake is part of the Milsy Wetlands."

"I don't think I've ever seen anything so gorgeous," Leorio breathed.

They were interrupted from their reverie by a shriek and a loud squawk, followed by a flurry of white feathers and a thud.

You've gotta be fucking with me.

Leorio glared at the giant bird, which had leapt deftly from the ground, across several points on the castle's side, and finally landed gracefully on the balcony beside them. Gon yelped and ducked behind Leorio. "What's that!?"

Leorio sighed. "She's been following me around since I was in the Wastes. I'd've thought she found something better to do after I left, but apparently not."

Gon quickly overcame his fear and stepped forward, offering his hand out to the bird, who immediately began to pack at it. He laughed. "Can we keep her?"

Leorio arched an eyebrow. "You forget: I'm not in charge around here. Take it up with Kurapika, when he gets back." He sighed as the bird gave him an alarmingly mournful look. "I guess that until he gets back, she can hang around. But not inside! I just cleaned, I don't want her tracking anything on the floors."

"Yay!" Gon cheered. "Hey, you need a name! I'm going to call you Chickey, okay? Nice to meet you Chickey; I'm Gon!"

.*.*.*.*.*.

Killua settled the castle near the lake that Leorio and Gon had spotted earlier, overlooking it and some mountains off in the distance. Once they were settled, Leorio and Gon got to work washing the laundry that had piled up while they cleaned, scrubbing it in the crystal clear water of the lake before hanging it on lines to dry—lines which Chickey was all too happy to stretch out, gripping one end on her beak while the other remained attached to the castle and running around with reckless abandon. They sat down to a late lunch on the bank of the lake, watching the sun as it began to brush against the mountain peaks. Silence fell between them as they listened to birdsong in the distance and the waves lapping against the shore. Leorio felt himself begin to nod off.

"Hey, Leorio?" Gon said finally.

"What is it, Gon?"

"Are you… are you going to stay with us for a while?"

Leorio stared out at the sunset. "You know, I think I just might."

.*.*.*.*.*.

Late that night, after Leorio had made himself as comfortable as possible on a short couch tucked into an alcove in the kitchen, the knob of the door slowly clicked over to the black section of the dial on the wall. In the silence of the night, the door opened almost without a sound, and a great beast stepped into the castle. Its steps were solid, but made little sound. Black fur fluttered weightlessly around its body. Red eyes glowed from its face. It passed through the room without a sound, then finally settled in the same chair Leorio had occupied the night before, propping its feet up on the hearth.

"Welcome back," Killua flickered gently. "You look awful."

Oh-so-slowly, the creature began to transform. The black fur retreated, slowly changing into dirty white, blue, and gold clothes. The hair on the head grew and turned golden. His face and clothes were streaked with dirt and soot. "We won't have to worry about the Spiders for a few days, at least."

"Hm," Killua reached out to grab a log from a pile on the edge of the hearth. "Check it out! Leorio put these here for me."

"Killua," Kurapika said softly. "The Spiders will find us before too much longer."

"Yeah, well, you're going too far with your whole 'vengeance and retribution' thing," Killua snapped. "You'll get yourself killed long before they find us. And where will that leave the rest of us? I'll be dead too, in case you'd forgotten our terms. Gon will be all alone when that happens. And what about Leorio? You said he could stay; that means he's under my protection, whether I like him or not. If we die, what happens to him? You know, the Head Spider put a curse on him. If we die, do you really think Chrollo will just let him go?"

Kurapika sighed and sat up. "Heat up some water, will you? I need a bath." He opened his eyes, revealing red irises that slowly shifted back to blue as he stood and turned for the stairs. He paused to peer into the alcove where Leorio was sleeping. A slight smile played over his lips at the sight of a tall, gangly man crammed onto a far too small sofa, all arms and legs and looking considerably taller and younger than he had that morning. Kurapika let the curtain fall back into place and went to the stairs. "Killua, don't worry," he said softly, foot on the bottom step. "I'll release you from your contract before I die. Just promise me that you'll get the two of them somewhere safe before you go."

"Yeah, yeah," Killua grumbled. "Although I'd really just rather you didn't die in the first place."

Kurapika gave him a small, sad smile. "Some things are inevitable, Killua."

[starship-squidlet]

Kurta’s Moving Castle Chapter 5

Summary: Gon and Leorio have a run-in with the Spiders, and Leorio learns Kurapika’s secret.

Word Count: 3,076

Disclaimer: Kurta’s Moving Castle Preface

Previous chapter: Chapter Four

Next chapter: Chapter Six

In the morning, Leorio woke and found it nearly impossible to move. Every joint in his body seemed to have swollen and stiffened up. That's the last time I sleep on this couch. If I'm going to stick around here, I need a real bed. I'm old, damnit! He eventually managed to haul himself up, popping and creaking like never before, and stumble out into the kitchen.

"Leorio," Killua's voice was grim and soft. "You need to figure out a way to break my and Kurapika's contract. For all our sakes."

Leorio blinked owlishly. "Is… is Kurapika back?"

"Yeah, and not looking too great either," Killua grumbled, snatching another log and pulling it towards himself. "Not to mention he's using up my hot water again!"

.*.*.*.*.*.

Kurapika barely stayed the day before leaving again. Leorio watched him go, trying to keep his concern from showing. It's not like we're friends or anything. Why should I care what happens to him? But, over the next days and weeks, the more he watched Kurapika come and go, the more worried he got when the wizard left.

One morning, when Kurapika stayed in bed later than normal, Leorio and Gon ventured out into the port to go grocery shopping. It was a fine, crisp morning; a little colder than Leorio's elderly body would have preferred, but it was still nice. It was his first time in the port. They tended to get most of their food by gathering and laying traps in the Wastes around the lake where the castle was still parked, and occasionally ventured into Swaldani, but today Leorio was determined to fry some fish for breakfast—and Gon hadn't had any luck catching some in the increasingly sparsely-populated lake the day before—so off to Port Zaban they went. The road outside the castle's magic door, which was set into the wall of a decrepit old brick building, sloped down directly to the sea, leading straight to the harbor itself. Leorio caught his breath as he stood at the top of the hill, looking out over the sea. It stretched out farther than he could see or imagine, speckled with white foam and ship's sails and utterly sparkling in the autumn sunshine.

"Come on, Leorio!" Gon was already halfway down the slope.

"Slow down!" Leorio grumbled, leaning heavily on his staff as he stumbled down the hill. Gon hurried back up and offered Leorio his arm to lean on, helping him traverse the terrain far more easily. "There we are. Thank you, Gon."

Leorio had managed to talk Gon out of wearing his full bearded disguise for the morning, but the boy had insisted on keeping his cape on and hood up. Even as Leorio called him by name, he glanced around suspiciously. "Don't say my name in public like that," he hissed. "The Spiders have spies everywhere. They could be watching us now. We don't want to lead them back to… home."

Leorio arched an eyebrow, wondering how seriously he should take Gon's words. He shrugged it off and headed for the already-bustling market by the wharf. The green-clad boy tagged along closely behind Leorio, who was hunched over his staff and hobbling slightly. The steep hill had taken far more out of him than he wanted to admit. Old age is for the birds, he grumbled to himself, checking out the stalls as they walked. The little market was stuffed to the brim with farmers selling produce, fishermen selling fish, and everything in between and beyond. Leorio stopped at a stall selling, for some reason, only potatoes and root vegetables. Oddly specific set of wares, he thought, picking through a huge basket of potatoes for a few large, good-looking ones.

"Pay up," he instructed Gon, heading off towards a fisherman who had just finished setting up his stand.

Gon handed a few coins to the vendor and hurried after Leorio. "I don't get what you're making all this fuss over anyways," he sighed, yawning and rubbing his eyes. "Kurapika hardly eats anything anyways. He's not likely to eat breakfast, even if he's still there when we get back."

"Well, that just means more for us," Leorio grumped back, picking a fish up by the mouth and examining it closely, hoping that he at least looked like he knew what he was doing.

He was checking out another fish when a commotion began to rise on the pier behind them.

"Look! A ship!" someone cried.

"The battleship is returning!" an excited teenager stopped by the stall, directing his words to the fish-seller before darting into the growing crowd.

"It's back already!?" the fishman yelped. "Sorry, grandpa, I'm closed!" The last was shouted over his shoulder as he squeezed out from behind the table and hurried out onto the pier.

"Leorio, let's go look!" Gon tugged on Leorio's sleeve, craning his neck to see between and around the people in the crowd.

"No, thank you," Leorio said fiercely. "I don't have the stomach for things like that."

Despite his protest, Gon grabbed him by the arm and towed him into the crowd growing on the wharf. They watched in awe as a huge battleship drifted into the bay, flames sprouting from its sides as sailors leapt from the decks. Fishermen returning with their catch brought their boats as close to the flaming ship as they dared to help the sailors onto their own boats. Many of the men and boys on the dock hurried to rowboats and smaller vessels and joined the fishing boats in rescuing the crew of the battleship. Leorio glanced around warily. While he had dismissed Gon’s earlier paranoia about the Spiders, the crowd made even him nervous, although Gon was now completely enraptured by the spectacle in the bay.

They waited through several long moments of bated-breath silence, the gathering on the docks effectively shell-shocked by the war that had so suddenly become real to them. It was only after these minutes that Leorio caught a glimpse of them through the throng around them. A tall man with a large black topknot, carrying a long sword, stood next to a woman with spiky pink hair. Unlike the rest of the people around them, they weren’t focused on the spectacle in the bay, but were instead staring directly at Gon and Leorio.

Leorio gasped and grabbed Gon by the arm, yanking him back behind the shelter of a merchant’s stall.

“Hey!” Gon yelped, snapped out of his reverie. “What was that for?”

“The Spiders,” Leorio hissed. “They’re here.”

“Where?” Gon’s demeanor shifted instantly into something cold that Leorio hadn’t seen before.

“Over there,” Leorio gestured vaguely. “A man with a sword and a pink-haired woman.”

“Nobunaga and Machi,” Gon scowled. “We should go.”

Leorio nodded. They waited until the crowd began to flock to the docks to help the injured sailors off of the rescue boats, and then dashed back the way they had come, towards the hill street that would take them back to the magic door. Leorio didn’t see the man and woman again, but he did catch a glimpse of a big man in a tracksuit next to a small figure in an oversized black coat as they darted through the crowd. Like the first pair, these two were focused on Leorio and Gon instead of the chaos around them. Leorio lost sight of them as a few townspeople got between them, and when he looked again, the two Spiders were gone. He didn’t have much of an opportunity to think about it, however, as several shrill whistles and loud splashes sounded from the bay behind them. Leorio glanced over his shoulder just in time to see the explosions erupt from the water, the shockwaves sending him and Gon staggering into the wall next to them.

“What was that!?” Gon cried out, clutching at Leorio’s sleeve.

“Bombs,” Leorio said grimly. He’d treated enough injuries from explosive weapons in the infirmary to last several lifetimes, but had never actually expected to be anywhere near a bomb when it went off. He suddenly missed his comparably peaceful life back at the infirmary, and wondered suddenly about Melody and Zepile.

“Up there!” a voice cried.

Leorio and Gon looked up. Sure enough, a battleship was floating over the town. As they watched, a hatch in the back opened, and something began to flutter out of it. Leorio didn’t wait to see what it was; he grabbed Gon and began towing him up the hill as fast as he could move, panting as his lungs burned in his chest from the exertion. Gon was, in a rare occurrence, completely silent. The further they got from the port, the quieter everything got. It seemed like the entire town was either down at the wharf or holed up inside their homes--not that Leorio blamed them. And he was glad for the emptiness in the street; while it made the two of them stand out all the more, it should also make it easier to spot any Spiders that were tailing them.

Fortunately, they made it back to the magic door without further incident. Gon opened it, and they both tumbled inside, Leorio only making it up two of the steps before he collapsed, gasping for breath.

“Leorio! What’s wrong?” Gon asked, rushing to his side.

“Water,” Leorio gasped. He dragged himself up the rest of the stairs with Gon’s help and dropped heavily into the chair in front of Killua’s hearth while the boy hurried to get him a glass of water. 

The white fire perked up, peering curiously at them with wide blue eyes. “What happened?”

“There were bombs!” Gon explained excitedly. Now that it was all in the past, he was back to his usual cheerful self. “They fell into the water, and there was a battleship on fire and the sailors were jumping out of it, and”--

“Killua, is Kurapika here?” Leorio interrupted Gon’s chatter.

“Yeah, he’s upstairs,” Killua gestured vaguely with a tendril of white flame.

Leorio nodded and hauled himself to his feet. He left Gon to fill Killua in on the morning’s events and dragged himself up the stairs in search of the wizard himself. On the second floor, the only room that Leorio had never cleaned, or even entered, was Kurapika’s bedroom. It seemed best to leave the wizard’s things alone, to give the odd man his privacy, but Leorio didn’t care about that now. When he came to the door, he lifted a hand, but paused before knocking. What am I afraid of? He berated himself. What’ll he do to me for warning him about the Spiders? It’s not like I’m doing anything wrong. He nodded firmly and gave the door a sharp knock.

No response.

Leorio waited a long minute, and then knocked again, with the same result. After a long pause, he reached out and turned the doorknob. Almost to his surprise, it turned readily. He had half-expected the door to be locked. “Kurapika?” he called softly, opening the door halfway and taking a timid step in. The room was dark, but an eerie red light shone from the wall to his left. Leorio opened the door fully and took another step in. “Kurapika?” he called again. Still no reply. He looked around.

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Leorio found himself drawn towards the glowing red wall. He stepped closer to it, and gasped as he finally realized where the light was coming from. The wall had long shelves built to fill the entirety of it, and the shelves were almost completely filled with jars. That wasn’t the disturbing part, though--what sent a sick, twisting sensation through Leorio’s gut was the contents of the jars. Bobbing in some kind of clear fluid were glowing red eyeballs. Most jars held only one, but a few larger jars held pairs. Leorio took another step closer, rubbing his own eyes to make sure he was seeing what he thought he was seeing. Sure enough, as the red smears left behind when he opened his eyes cleared back up, he was staring at an entire wall of jars full of red eyes.

“What the…” he mumbled, reaching out for one of the nearest jars.

“Get out.”

Leorio nearly jumped out of his skin as the low voice practically growled behind him. “What the hell is this?” he demanded, mouth and throat suddenly bone-dry, of the slight man silhouetted in the doorway.

“Get out,” Kurapika repeated, taking an unsteady step into the room.

“No,” Leorio drew himself up, anger coursing through him. “Not until you explain what all of this is.”

“I don’t have to explain anything to you,” Kurapika snapped. “You’re nothing but a foolish old man, involving yourself in matters that have nothing to do with you.”

Leorio scowled. “I guess you’re right. I am just a foolish old man, and this really doesn’t have anything to do with me. I can leave at any time, and wash my hands of this whole business. And honestly, if it weren’t for that little boy down there I would have left days ago. But Gon deserves something remotely normal in his life, some semblance of a healthy relationship. Whatever all this”--he waved his arm frantically at the wall of eyes behind him--”is, he deserves better.”

Kurapika shook his head and turned his back to Leorio. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“No?” Leorio demanded, striding forward. “You know what I came up here to tell you? That while we were in the market today, we saw some of the Spiders. They were watching us. I’m pretty sure we only got away because an enemy ship dropped bombs into the harbor. I know what the Spiders are. I’d heard of them even before I came here. Gon is a child, and they’re hunting him to get to you. He didn’t even want me to call him by name while we were out, in case they heard. He’s afraid of them. Kids shouldn’t have to be afraid like that. They should be afraid of things like spiders and the dark. Not of mass-murdering super villains trying to hunt them down and kill them.”

“If that’s how you feel, then just leave,” Kurapika mumbled.

“I told you, I’m not leaving Gon”--

“Then take him with you,” Kurapika snapped. He whirled around, and Leorio took an involuntary step back as he found himself staring down into a pair of glowing red eyes, just like the ones on the wall behind him. “Take him and leave. Get out. I don’t need you, I don’t need either of you. I had always planned on fighting this fight alone. That’s how I started it, and that’s how I’ll end it. So take him, and go. I don’t care. Just get out.”

Leorio took a slow step towards the door. “I don’t think you mean that,” he said softly.

“Get out!” Kurapika roared. Leorio heard the sound of chains rattling, although he couldn’t figure out where it was coming from.

“Kurapika…” Leorio started.

“LEAVE!” Kurapika bellowed. Something sharp and metallic hit the wood of the doorframe beside Leorio’s head, and he turned on his heel and ran, bolting down the hallway, and then the steps to the kitchen.

Gon was seated on the floor beside the fireplace, and both the boy and the demon stared at Leorio as he clattered down the stairs. “Gon, get whatever you want to bring along that you can carry. We’re leaving.” Leorio called the order over his shoulder as he ducked into his alcove to gather his own belongings.

“Leaving!?” Killua yelled, bursting upwards into a roaring blaze. “You can’t just leave!”

“It’s what Kurapika wants,” Leorio snapped. He shoved the last of his things into his rucksack, pulled on his jacket, wrapped his long scarf around his neck, and turned around, only to find Gon still sitting on the floor next to the hearth, staring up at Leorio with watery eyes. “Come on, Gon. We should get going. It’s late; we need to leave now if we want to find somewhere safe to stay for the night.”

Gon bit his lip and shook his head. “No,” he whispered, his voice thick.

“Gon, come on,” Leorio set down his rucksack and knelt down beside the boy, resting a hand on his shoulder.

“I’m not leaving,” Gon sniffled, staring down at his hands in his lap.

“Gon, it’s not safe here. We have to go.”

“No!” Gon pulled away. He looked up at Leorio, tears streaming down his face. “I’m not going. I can’t. Kurapika needs me, even if he doesn’t think he does, even if he doesn’t remember… He needs me. He needs you too. He needs both of us, or I’m afraid what might happen.”

“He’s right, you know,” Killua said softly after a beat had passed. “I know more about Kurapika than anyone alive. I can see and feel exactly what he’s doing to himself, because… well, just because. And maybe he doesn’t think he needs you, and he doesn’t really deserve you either, but… If you two leave, it’ll be just me and him, and trust me when I say that that’s definitely not healthy.”

Leorio stood up. “I didn’t come here to take care of a snooty wizard who can’t be bothered to take care of himself. He doesn’t want me here, and I don’t want to be here, so I guess I’m going to go. I wish the two of you the best of luck.” He picked up the rucksack and headed to the door. He turned the knob to open the door to the Wastes. Outside, it was foggy and wet, complete with pouring rain. It was later than he’d realized, almost completely dark outside. He looked back at the warm, inviting room one more time, taking it all in. The weathered table, Gon’s magic cloak on its peg, the curtain over his little alcove. Killua’s hearth. Gon, still sitting hunched forward into himself, his legs drawn up to his chest and his arms wrapped around them, back to Leorio and the door. Killua, on the other hand, stared at Leorio, something not quite readable written in his blue eyes. The fire burned low, mostly blue just barely tipped in white, with little electrical sparks bouncing off of the embers. Leorio lifted a hand in farewell, but Killua only closed his eyes and turned away.

[starship-squidlet]

Kurta’s Moving Castle: Chapter One

Summary: Leorio is a young medical student in the middle of a war. While he studies for his final exams, he works in an infirmary away from the front lines. One day, he is rescued from a brawl by a mysterious stranger. A curse, a giant chicken, and a storm later, he finds himself swept off into a whole new adventure... (Hunter X Hunter and Howl’s Moving Castle fusion)

Word Count: 1,486

Disclaimer: Kurta’s Moving Castle Preface

A/N: Hey, y’all! I’m going through and cleaning up/reformatting all of my older fics, starting with this one (since it’s shorter then the collective mess of i like it when you sleep for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it) so get ready for a slight hxh spam... Do I still have Newsies fics to fix post-URL change? Yes. I’m procrastinating on them for whatever reason. Anyways, I’m also planning to work on finishing some of my older abandoned fics in the near future (starting with this one), so this is also in preparation for that!

Original A/N: Okay, so I wasn't going to post this just yet, until I had a few more chapters finished, but... It's just so fun I couldn't help myself! I make no promises that the next chapter will come particularly soon, but we'll see what happens (aka how work goes for me this week...). Anyways, I hope you all enjoy! I'm really having a lot of fun writing this story, so I hope you all have fun reading it too! Please let me know what you think!!!

Next chapter: Chapter Two

Leorio leaned back in his chair and sighed, slinging his arm over his eyes.

Knock knock.

"Come in!" Leorio called, sitting himself back up.

"Hello, Leorio," Melody's soft voice chimed from the doorway. "The infirmary is closed for the day. You don't have night watch tonight; do you want to come out with the rest of us?"

"No, that's okay," Leorio half-turned to look at her. "I want to get some more studying done tonight."

"Are you sure?" there was a gentle admonishment in Melody's tone. "You can't stay cooped up in here forever."

"It won't be forever," Leorio grinned. "Just until I graduate with my M.D."

Melody laughed. "I suppose that's fair. Well, if you change your mind, the rest of us will be over at Forger’s."

"Okay," Leorio had already turned back to the textbooks spread across his desk. He heard the click of the door settling back into its latch and sighed again. Soon, he promised himself. Soon. Final exams are in a few weeks, and then you'll be able to go out with the others.

.*.*.*.*.*.

Despite his best intentions, Leorio found himself unable to focus. Finally, after being distracted by the whistle of the train outside for the fourth time in an hour, he slammed his book shut and stood up with such force that his chair fell backwards to the floor. "One night won't hurt," he declared to the closed window in front of him. "I'll come back and study tomorrow. Maybe even later tonight!"

With that decided, he grabbed his jacket and was off. He waved at a few of the nurses and field doctors who were still around despite the late hour on his way out the door, but didn't pay much attention to them. He hadn't really taken the time to get to know anyone at the field hospital. Melody he'd known before, and she was the one who introduced him to Zepile, owner and bartender of Forger’s, the best bar in town. They were his only two friends in this lonely place…

Outside, the air was crisp and clear, and smelled of locomotive smoke and fall. The town had really cleaned up for the parade of soldiers passing through. Leorio hadn’t gone to the display that afternoon; he was too busy in the infirmary taking care of the wounded from the war--the true heroes, as far as he was concerned--to laud those who had spent the battles watching from the background. He pushed the war out of his mind. There were no signs of it on a night like tonight, after all. No sense in spoiling a perfectly good evening with something so foul as senseless fighting.

Leorio took the long way to Forger’s. It was nice enough to do so, and he could avoid the parties of visiting soldiers spilling out of just about every bar or restaurant by taking the back streets. Unfortunately, he didn’t actually know the back streets particularly well, and soon found himself lost as the sun dipped below the distant hills.

Leorio was trying to get his bearings when he ran into… someone. He staggered backwards, a rebuke on his lips (despite fully knowing that he was the one at fault) until he saw the bright blue and red uniform on the man in front of him. He immediately swallowed his pride and muttered an apology, attempting to continue on his way.

“Hey!” the blond soldier--he probably would have been attractive in any other situation, uniform or not, Leorio mused--barked, grabbing Leorio’s arm as he tried to brush past. “Watch where you’re going, buddy!”

“I said I was sorry,” Leorio kept his voice meek and his eyes directed at the ground. Maybe if the guy thought he was a coward, he’d let him go. In truth, it was everything Leorio could do not to punch the soldier in his smug, pretty face.

“Mousy little thing, aren’t you?” the blond laughed, shoving Leorio back into the stone wall behind him.

Little? Leorio, who stood head and shoulders over the brawnier soldier, arched an eyebrow.

“What’s going on over here?” an even gruffer voice called from the nearest doorway. Leorio didn’t find it hopeful; the only person who would consider getting involved in a dispute with a soldier was another soldier.

“This little mouse bumped into me and thought he could get away without apologizing,” the first soldier called back.

The man who stepped into view sent Leorio’s heart into his mouth. He was huge; easily as tall as Leorio, and twice as broad. His biceps were thicker than Leorio’s thighs--and Leorio didn’t consider himself a small man. “I, uh… I did apologize, actually. It was just a little… quiet?” Leorio stammered.

He didn’t even see the fist coming.

The blond soldier’s punch hit him square over his left eye and cheekbone, and sent his head slamming back into the stone wall, effectively dazing him.

“Ow,” Leorio mumbled.

“You calling me a liar, pretty boy?” the blond sneered, grabbing Leorio by the jaw.

Oh. That’s what he wants.

The other soldier was already pinning Leorio in from the other side, reaching up to grab his tie. He leaned in close enough for Leorio to feel his bristling mustache and smell his breath--heavy with alcohol--and spoke: “It’s not smart to tell lies to people like us.”

“Hello there.”

Three heads snapped around to find the source of the new voice. Leorio’s heart pounded with terror on behalf of the new arrival. A small, slight blond with shaggy hair and perfectly tailored clothing stood in the dark alleyway a few feet from them, hand on his hip and head cocked to the side.

“What’s going on here, darling?”

Is he talking to me..?

“You with this guy?” the big soldier laughed. “You’re way out of his league.”

“Yeah, you should stick around with us for a little while,” the blond soldier simpered. “We can really show you a good time.”

“Too bad,” the new arrival sighed.

“‘Too bad’?” the blond soldier repeated.

“Too bad you two were just leaving,” the gentleman--because, with clothes like those, despite his haircut, he had to be something more than just a normal townsperson--twirled a finger in the air.

The two soldiers snapped to attention, saluted Leorio, and marched down the alley, past the cute blond, protesting the entire way.

“Wha--uh, what just happened?” Leorio mumbled as the blond appeared at his side--Leorio didn’t even see him move--and slotted himself against Leorio, draping Leorio’s arm over his shoulders.

“Just a little fun,” the blond smiled up at him through his messy golden hair. “They’re harmless, really, they just need to be reminded of that every now and then.” He started walking, pulling Leorio with him.

“‘Harmless’?” Leorio didn’t even try to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

“Where were you heading?”

“Oh, uh… Forger’s. It’s a bar.”

“I know the place,” the blond said. “Just stay close, and act natural. I’m being followed, and by something more dangerous than those two.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Leorio looked around. He thought he saw a shadow in the alley behind them, but couldn’t be sure.

“I said ‘act natural’,” the blond hissed. “I may not know you, but I don’t think that’s natural.”

“Sorry, but I got a little concerned when you said you were being followed by something dangerous,” Leorio grumbled, doing his best to keep his attention on the alley ahead.

“Too late.”

“Wait, what?” Leorio panicked.

“Run.”

And then the blond was pulling him along, racing down the alleyway faster than Leorio thought was humanly possible.

“Hey, you do know this is a dead end, right!?” Leorio yelped. There were definitely moving shadows all around them now.

“Not a problem!” the blond sang out. “Jump!”

They jumped.

They jumped up, and up, and up, and then… they were sailing through the air, over the rooftops of the buildings that had surrounded them moments before.

“Don’t look down!” the wind nearly stole the blond’s voice away, but the warning came just in time, as Leorio had been about to look behind them for the shadows. “They can’t fly like I can. We’ll lose them this way, at least long enough for me to drop you off.”

The flight didn’t last nearly long enough. Before Leorio knew it, they were beginning to descend, and then the blond was slipping out from under his arm and depositing him on the balcony of Forger’s.

“I’ll lead them away, don’t worry,” he smiled, not unkindly, down at Leorio before turning and taking a leap off of the balcony railing.

“Wait!” Leorio shouted, racing to the edge and peering down, half-expecting to see his newfound friend splattered over the cobblestones below. Instead, he saw a huge black bird soaring up from the courtyard and away into the night sky, shadows flitting along the ground behind it. “I didn’t even get your name…” Leorio sighed.