On the rooftop of a nearby building, Larry, Kurapika, and Melody stood, their eyes fixed on the underground auction venue before them. Kurapika held a pair of binoculars, meticulously monitoring every movement around the area, his vigilance unwavering. Melody, standing beside him, was more concerned with Kurapika's emotional state, knowing how much this mission meant to him.
Larry, on the other hand, wore an expression of quiet anticipation. His thoughts drifted elsewhere. 'What kind of Pokémon would be born in Yorknew City?'
Since arriving yesterday, a new bar had appeared in his mind, steadily progressing toward completion. Given the nature of Yorknew, a city overrun by gangsters and criminals, it only made sense that whatever emerged would belong to the Dark-type category. But what exactly?
Larry shook off the thought for now, refocusing on Melody, who stood beside him. "Melody, do you know about the Dark Sonata?"
The moment he asked, Melody stiffened, her eyes widening in shock. It was as if she had just heard something she never expected to come from Larry's mouth. "Why… Why are you asking about that?" she asked hesitantly, her voice filled with unease.
After a brief pause, she decided to share her experience.
Kurapika listened closely, absorbing every detail. He had long known that strange, cursed objects existed in this world, ones imbued with sinister abilities beyond ordinary comprehension. But what he couldn't understand was why Larry, of all people, would be looking for such a thing.
He glanced sideways at Larry, deep in thought.
For most people, anything like the Dark Sonata was something to avoid at all costs. A cursed artifact that inflicted irreversible changes on those who encountered it, there was no logical reason for someone as powerful as Larry to seek it out. And even if he wanted a power boost, something like this would come at too steep a price.
"You really have no leads, huh…" Larry let out a soft sigh, though he wasn't particularly disappointed. He had expected as much. But what came next was what truly mattered. "Actually," he continued, his voice calm but firm, "I don't want the Dark Sonata for its abilities. I want to remove the Nen curse attached to it."
Melody blinked, momentarily stunned. Then, for a brief second, a flicker of admiration crossed her face. His words aligned with her own beliefs. She had joined a mafia family as a bodyguard for one sole purpose, to find the Dark Sonata and destroy it, ensuring that no one else would ever suffer its effects again.
But after a moment, Melody caught something in Larry's words that didn't quite match her own thoughts. "Wait, you said remove…? Are you saying… Mr. Larry, are you a Nen Exorcist?" Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke, like a startled animal.
Kurapika, who had remained silent up until now, turned his gaze sharply toward Larry. His amber eyes gleamed with a hint of surprise.
Even though he had only been learning about Nen for a short while, he already understood how incredibly rare Exorcists were. Nen users who could remove curses or lingering energy were some of the most valuable and sought-after people in the world.
Was Larry really one of them?
Larry, as always, remained completely unfazed by their reactions. He had seen this kind of response too many times to count. Instead, he got straight to the point. "I want to conduct a small experiment," he said.
He needed Melody's cooperation. If his theory was correct, he might be able to purge the lingering Nen curse that had altered her body. And if that worked… then there was a strong chance he could do the same for the Dark Sonata.
Melody hesitated for only a moment before nodding, her determination unwavering. "If there's even a small chance I can return to my original state, I'll do whatever it takes!"
Larry gave a satisfied nod. Then, under the watchful eyes of Kurapika and Melody, his shadow began to twist unnaturally.
A dark shape slithered from the ground, expanding and contorting until a grinning, ghostly figure emerged from within. "Gengar!"
The Pokémon let out a mischievous cackle as it fully materialized, its wide grin stretching unnaturally. The moment it laid eyes on Melody, its expression shifted, its gaze locking onto something invisible to everyone else.
To the others, she looked normal, at least, as normal as Melody could look.
But to Gengar?
A massive, writhing mass of dark energy was clinging to her body, pulsating like a living entity.
Melody closed her eyes and stood in front of Gengar, her emotions a tangled mess. Excitement, anticipation, and worry swirled inside her, making it hard to stay calm. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. Seeing that she was ready, Larry gave Gengar the signal to begin.
Gengar's wide grin stretched unnaturally in the dim light, his scarlet eyes gleaming ominously as he opened his massive mouth. The sight was enough to make aNeone shudder, and Melody felt fear creeping into her already chaotic emotions. Then, as an invisible force surrounded her, she suddenly felt weightless.
A strange sensation spread through her body. She had grown used to the constant heaviness in her limbs, the feeling of dragging a burden with every step, the exhaustion that never fully faded. But now, that weight, both physical and emotional, was gone. It was as if she had shed a layer of chains she didn't even realize she was carrying.
Larry and Kurapika watched as her appearance changed before their eyes. Her once-short frame stretched taller, like she was going through a second growth spurt. The rodent-like features that had defined her face for so long softened and reformed, revealing delicate, elegant features underneath.
The rotting, shriveled limbs she always kept hidden beneath her robe gradually regained their former shape, returning to smooth, healthy skin. "It actually worked," Larry mused, pleased with the result. "Better than I expected."
Gengar, who had done all the heavy lifting, let out a smug chuckle, clearly satisfied with himself. The process had pushed him past his limits, finally allowing him to step beyond A+ and reach a whole new level.
Kurapika, on the other hand, looked like he had seen a ghost. He had just watched Melody transform before his very eyes, yet he still struggled to believe it was real. If he hadn't seen the gradual changes happening right in front of him, he might've thought Larry had switched her out with someone else entirely.
Melody slowly opened her eyes, and the world seemed... different. The ground felt farther away than before. Was she taller? She blinked in confusion, then noticed Larry holding something out to her, a small, round mirror.
Hesitantly, she took it and stared at her reflection. The face looking back at her was one she had only seen in memories, the one she had longed to see again for so many years. "This... is me?" she murmured, almost afraid that she was imagining things.
After searching endlessly for a way to reverse her transformation, had it really been this simple? Solved within seconds of meeting Larry? It didn't feel real. But then, as she lifted her sleeves and saw her arms, whole, unblemished, human, she knew it was the truth.
She was herself again.