Hey everyone, hope you're having a great month. I know I'm a little late but I'm not feeling too good and in times like this there's nothing better than curling up in bed with a good read.
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Peeling paint gathered on cracked and torn-up floors, revealing the brick, drafts came through closed windows, the musky smell of rusty iron, worn-out furniture, everything cried of neglect. This was the current situation of the hunter friends.
After their encounter with the Phantom Troupe, it was already too dangerous to take the risk of checking into a hotel when their identities were fully known. Kurapika was especially vulnerable after leaving, as he was met with fatigue and a fever that had him bedridden. It was better to follow the example of the troupe and have their own hideout.
Kurapika suffered a backlash from his abilities and had been bedridden with a fever that wouldn't go down. Sakura examined this as being something different from a regular ailment.
While Kurapika would rest, Sakura, Gon, Killua, and Zepile needed to handle their other objective, Greed Island. They were barely given a day before the auction, but after some painful coaxing from Killua, Gon finally let his friends in on his plan to get the game without needing to earn several billion to pay for it. They were to go to the auction site as planned, however…..
"Killua give me that phone right now or so help me-
"No way!"
"Killua cut it out!"
Leorio yawned, he had been up most of the night with Sakura and Melody watching over Kurapika who was yet to awaken and he had to wake up to noises so loud he thought the building's structure would crumble. Of course, there were only three people he knew capable of this.
"What's going on!" Leorio barely avoided an empty vase, abandoned soil scattering against the wall. "HEY WHAT'S GOING ON!?"
There were Gon and Killua, cleaned up in traditional black tuxedos that did not suit their age, but their cheeky smiles were a certainty for mischief and when he saw Sakura circling in ruby red strap heels in a small glittering red bouffant dress he quickly realized what was happening and holding her clutch purse like a weapon.
"Killua, delete that picture or I'm tossing you and that phone out this window!"
By Sakura's blushed complexion, Leorio understood that she was embarrassed more than angry. While she was the only female of the group, Sakura's manners and overall image didn't lean towards elegance unless she was fighting and her preference curved more towards their own. Perhaps that's one of the reasons they were all friends despite being unique in personality.
So it was surprising to see Sakura in that kind of clothing when they all knew she kept to a more practical and comfortable style. It did make you want to tease her a bit.
"You want this picture, you're gonna have to get it," Killua's cocky grin soon turned downwards as Sakura's anger surged, her knuckles cracked and the walls felt like they were about to crumble before she even made a move.
Gon batted his friend against the back of his head and snatched the phone away, "Killua cut it out already, we're gonna be late," he then looked to the fuming girl, smiling, "Sakura, you look cute, don't be embarrassed,"
Leorio nodded, "Yeah you look good, but seriously you guys keep it down. Kurapika's still sleeping,"
Her face only succeeded in shading further red, "I-I'm not embarrassed! I just wanted to delete that picture of me!"
"You look great, and Killua thinks so too,"
Killua's head shot up from the floor, dust on his face, "I didn't say anything like that!"
"But you were starring when we-
Locking Gon in a powerful chokehold, Killua stomped out of the room, "Come on let's just get going already!"
"Wait for me jerk!"
"Zepile we're going now!"
"Leorio take care of Kurapika,"
Leorio and Melody were a little too relieved to be surrounded by silence, even if the liveliness of the building went with them.
"At the end of the day, they're just kids,"
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There would only be one auction for the game Greed Island. The auction house was filled and still filled with richly dressed individuals. The point of their dress code was to blend in, however, it didn't mask their ages and still attracted eyes, but with Zepile strolling with them it looked like they were being supervised. However, as soon as they got into the auction house, Zepile trailed away to stare at the different exhibits before the auction began.
"Did you see the receptionist's face when you gave her the card Gon?" Sakura giggled.
"It's probably not normal for kids to show up to these things," pointed out Killua.
The auction hall's magnificent space was almost filled to the brim as people moved to their seats, growing with excitement looking at the stage where items would soon be up for bidding and glancing at their watches even with only a few minutes left.
The three descended the stairs searching for seats, but stopped at a full row, meeting the eyes of two terrifyingly familiar individuals. Phinks and Feitan and they obviously weren't expecting them, mirroring surprise.
It took two seconds before Sakura, Killua, and Gon turned on their soles and sprinted out of the hall, disregarding their appearance.
"What the heck are those guys doing here!?" asked Gon, a cold sweat dripping down his forehead.
"How should I know!?"
"Who cares? Just run!" Sakura exclaimed.
It was mere seconds before Phinks appeared in front of them, and Feitan behind when they tried to make a turnaround in the hall.
"Hey, that was cold. There's no need for you to run away,"
Sakura huffed, taking a defensive stance, "Past events say otherwise,"
"Don't worry. We're not going to kill you," Fetain said indifferently and somehow it didn't make them feel any better about being seen by the spiders.
"Because we can't kill the chain user now,"
"What do you mean?" asked Gon, much to Sakura and Killua's gratitude.
"Didn't he use his chains on the boss? That means we can't kill him,"
"Isn't it the other way around"
"Nen doesn't necessarily disappear after death. Nen that is driven by hatred and regret can persist after death and direct itself towards the target of those emotions. Since the boss can no longer use Nen, he could be overwhelmed by that assault,"
Sakura breathed out softly, at least this meant Kurapika wouldn't be pursued by the Phantom Troupe anymore, as well as the rest of her friends. Though the silence that lingered with Phinks made her slightly suspicious, but not enough to probe questions.
"Anyway, we're done with you kids. We just came to enjoy the auction, the other members have already left,"
"Um, what happened to Pakunoda?" Gon asked as Phinks effortlessly walked through their path.
"She died,"
Gon looked down, "Oh,"
Pakunoda had disobeyed Kurapika's conditions and the dagger in her heart killed her. That they didn't need to confirm. This meant that Pakunoda told them about Kurapika, but they were unaware of the degree things were explained.
"Paku….." Phinks trailed until they all met his eyes. "Paku wanted to thank you,"
Silently, Sakura hoped that this would be the last she ever saw of the Phantom Troupe and with their current mission in play, her mind didn't have the privilege to contemplate and peak through the hidden gaps of the explanation Phinks had given them so easily.
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"Do you see him?" Killua asked.
Pointing down into the ground, black suits and evening gowns of various styles and colors cluttered the interior of the room, with the promise of grandeur. While this would have had Gon's eyes darting with amazement, he was focusing on their target. Zepile had pointed him out when he strolled in unlike any other bidder, camera crew and reporters following until the stopping point, asking about the billions spent on the hunter game, Greed Island. Battera, the tycoon.
Once Sakura and Killua heard his plans to get the game, they realized he had grossly underestimated his idea.
"I figure, we don't need to buy the game to play it. We just have to offer to play it for someone else at the auction,"
That's what made this so ingenious. It was going to save their pockets and achieve their goal.
"Our next item is the legendary game, Greed Island," The theatre screen on stage showed the Joystation with the game inserted but without any socket connections.
"Take a look at the mysterious power this game contains," A heavily muscled man stepped on stage, heaving a huge hammer. He swung it with all his force down onto the console, breaking the stand, but the device remained intact without a single chip off its corner. For those who could see it, the aura was visible.
"As you can see the mysterious power protects the console from any damage, so long as someone is playing inside," The screen switched again, showing the picture and identity details of a man with a stern expression. Jeitsari. A player who had been permitted to auction off the game, though he was still inside.
"Jeitsari left behind the following agreement: If we cannot clear the game before the date specified in the contract, seven active players including myself will present seven copies of the game and console to the Southern Piece auction so our talented hunters can clear the game and fulfill our dream. Unfortunately, when we obtained the copies, two already displayed games over screens. That means the player also died in real life. This dangerous game requires you to risk your own life Be prepared before you bid...…Let's start the bidding at 900 million Jenny!"
Sakura nearly fell out of her seat, but many were not swayed by the starting bid and it quickly reached 6 billion in a few short bids, still rising. If someone wanted the game, they would either have to be a hunter intending to play it, for reasons she couldn't understand considering you could lose your life. She was curious, there had to be something special enough about to game to make people want to risk their own lives just to play it. Gon had his motive, but what about the other players?
'And what was Gon's dad intending by making a game like that and revealing it to him?'
They weren't going to find anything out if they couldn't get a hold of the game itself, so this was their best option.
Gon's curiosity quickly peaked as he observed everyone with pockets deep enough to dig into the game. The bids continued to increase, people raising their hands, holding up their thumps, two fingers, and so on.
"So you indicate how much you're bidding with your hand?"
Zepile nodded, "Yeah, the auctioneer is quickly able to discern the highest bid,"
"Batera's going for it," Sakura muttered. He had doubled the previous bid from 6 billion to 12.
"Then what's this?" Gon asked, raising his thumb. Unfortunately, the auctioneer also saw him and assumed he was entering the bidding.
"No 201 doubles it to 24 billion!"
Turning pale, Sakura lowered Gon's hand, exclaiming with Zepile "You idiot!"
"Gon I swear if we have to pay for that, you're paying with a broken finger!" threatened Killua.
Fortunately for them, Battera raised the amount again, erasing Gon's bid. He didn't stop there and had been in the bidding a little longer with another but when he raised the bid up to 30.5 billion, it closed.
Sakura sighed, cracking her neck to the side, "Looks like we're up,"
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Sakura, Killua, and Gon, easily found Battera after the auction in the lounge area, however, he wasn't alone. There was a man he had been holding a conversation with. There was also the same burly bodyguards shielding him. Though they were little more than a shallow fence compared to their biggest obstacle and that was Greed Island itself.
"We're hunters," Gon said.
"We're willing to help clear Greed Island," Killua told them.
Sakura tried to explain to the boys they likely weren't going to come off as hunter material, but they were on a desperate time crunch and Greed Island was a limited resource.
"Don't joke around. Go, home kid," said one of the bodyguards.
"We're not joking, we're pro-hunters" stated Gon.
"Do you have a license?" asked Battera, coming through the fence of guards.
"I do," Sakura said, taking out her hunter's license from her clutch. That had taken the bodyguards by surprise. Battera watched unbiasedly.
"What about you?"
"Yes!"
Killua wanted to smack his friend, "Gon, it's at the pawnshop,"
"Oh…"
"I can vouch that he is a pro hunter. We took the exam together," stated Sakura.
"Well, the fact that you're here means you're no ordinary kids. However, I can't blindly accept what you say. I am indeed looking for hunters to clear this game, but I cannot hire you at this time. Because there can only be so many players,"
Things didn't seem to be going in the direction they had hoped, but that's what could happen with unforeseen circumstances.
"There can only be so many players?"
"Each memory card only has the capacity to store one player's data. With multitaps, you can have a maximum of eight players per console,"
Gon turned to his friends, "Right; that Greed Island save used up all the memory card blocks,"
Battera took a quick step forward, "How did you know that?!"
"We have a Greed Island save file," Gon answered. Battera wasn't being stingy with his information and considering what they were after, it made sense to be courteous to some degree.
"Have you played the game before?"
"No, we just have the memory card."
Battera didn't lose interest because of this he was peaked further. "If the memory card is real, you would need another item to remove the card from the console,"
There was only one other item with that memory card in the box.
"The ring?" The three friends were talking to each other but in company.
Battera was smiling now, he gestured to the man he had been speaking to before the friends arrived. A man with a face as intimidating as his figure, slick-back hair, a beard, and narrow eyes. Tsezguerra.
"I assume you can use Nen. Show me your Ren,"
For a brief moment, the goal was in sight. Their Ren as Wing had taught them, as they had trained during their time at Heaven's arena. The power that allowed them to dominate on the 200th floor. The aura propelling from their bodies is visible to the other Nen users. Starting from a steady flow and then pouring out.
But Tsezguerra remained stoic and then spoke curtly after Battera asked, "It's hopeless. Letting them play would be a waste of time. They'd run around in circles until they die,"
All were offended, but of course, Gon was the first to vocalize, "How can you say that when we haven't even tried?!"
"He has a point," Sakura said, crossing her arms, "You can't be that certain of what would become of us inside the game can you?"
"I could tell by that demonstration. We don't need players who will drag out the inevitable. As long as a player is alive inside the game, you can't reset or remove the memory card, which means you can't send in new players,"
Battera then spoke, "I've hired around one hundred pro and amateur hunters to play and over half have given up,"
"Given up?" Gon pursed his lips.
"They've given up returning to the real world, choosing to live inside the game. We need people who are strong enough to obtain items for returning to the real world,"
If there were players like that, it would make sense to have a more careful selection process to ensure that they met the necessary criteria. What this said was, Battera was after something, likely inside the game.
"But how can you be certain we're not strong enough just by looking at our Ren?!" Killua pointed accusingly at Tsezguerra.
"Because he is a pro hunter that's played before,"
There was a new air to the man, "Speaking from experience, it's relatively easy to obtain the items to return to the real world. But with your Nen it's hopeless. Once the screening is done, I'm returning to the game,"
"You're screening players?" asked Killua.
"Yes, the screening will be on the auction's final day. If you're interested in participating, you'll need to work on your Nen,"
Gon fumed, "We're going to do that anyway! Sakura, Killua let's go!"
Without further pleasantries, they made their way out, with Gon blatantly refusing to tell Tsezguerra how he had come to obtain the memory card in the first place.
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"Dammit! That guy makes me so mad!"
Sakura and Killua watched their friend disperse his aura outward, like a pot of boiling water overflowing on the stove. Gon had barely contained himself when they left the auction house.
"Well he was right," Killua pointed.
Gon glared at him, "What do you mean?"
"Calm down Gon," Sakura soothed, leaning her head back on the couch, "What Killua means is, we've only been practicing the basics of Nen and it's time we should move up,"
"Move up?"
Killua stood up, walking to the open window of the room, "Hatsu, our special abilities. Kurapika started learning Nen around the same time we did, but he was able to fight the Troupe because of his special abilities,"
Gon nodded, "Kurapika obtained powers that basically made him invisible against the Troupe,"
Sakura sighed, "But just the troupe. He had put such a dangerous condition on himself so that he could focus only on them. We can't be like that,"
"Mmm, we have to think of abilities without too much risk and that fit our specialties,"
His chin held in concentration so powerful, Gon's brain was overheating from the strain as he failed to come up with a practical and effective power as Killua had instructed they should.
"Let's see if we can break it down," Killua crouched in front of Gon. "What kind of ability do you want?"
"A really strong one?"
"That's too vague!" scolded Killua, "Think about your category, you're an enhancer. So think of a power that strengthens something. Then ask what part of you, you want to strengthen and how,"
"You should also consider your own strengths and weaknesses. That will help narrow down what you need with your ability," Sakura suggested.
Gon's brain started boiling with no result, just like steam, clear and vanishing in the air. Killua gave him a hard smack to bring him back to stop the vapors.
"That hurt! What about you guys then?"
Killua sighed softly, "I already know what I want,"
"I've got a rough idea of what I'm aiming for," Sakura gave a cheeky smile with sympathy. She and Killua had been considering their abilities from the time they learned about Nen, but Gon wasn't the type to plan far into the future. He lived in the present and only focused on what he wanted at that moment. He had only given thought to obtaining a special ability after his fight with Hisoka, but he had a lot in the present to keep his mind occupied.
"Really? What is it?"
"Secret," Killua grinned, standing up. He made his way out of the room, "I'm going to start practicing. We might be going together for this, but it won't matter if we can't pass the screening individually. Gon, you better think fast, and don't slack Sakura,"
She knew Killua was only doing this to Gon so that he wouldn't become distracted from their goal. It was Killua's, tough love.
The door closed and Gon slunk down, he looked at Sakura pleadingly. It reminded her of the way Naruto came to her for advice when they were training to climb trees.
"Okay, okay. Think about it like this; we each have our own nen categories because we're suited to those categories. The next logical step would be to look at ourselves as I mentioned. For example, Hisoka's ability makes his aura stretchy and sticky; it's versatile and it doesn't have a solid foundation, a lot like him. His mentality and personality are what allow him to use that power so effectively. So you have to look at an ability that would suit you physically and mentally,"
"I understand I guess, but can't you be more specific? I don't really get what you meant by saying look at my strengths and weaknesses,"
Sakura rubbed the back of her neck, "Well, you just have to decide if whatever power you want is going to compliment you and if your body is suited to it, or more specifically your Nen category. You're a straightforward kind of person Gon, so you'd probably be suited to look at an ability that compliments that element of yourself. And it's important to consider your weaknesses so that you know what to try and cover or improve with your ability,"
Gon still appeared lost, and he was trying to keep up with what Sakura had been explaining to him. However, he suffered from information overload. He was grateful that Sakura was patient with him. "How do you mean?"
"My chakra for example. I don't have a large amount of chakra to use super-powerful attacks like some of my friends, instead, I use control because it's what I excel at. That's the secret to my power," She held up her fist, concentrating the chakra allowing it to lightly glow.
"It takes precise chakra control to heal, that's why I can do it. My super strength isn't even super strength, I concentrate my chakra into a part of my body like my fist or legs and then when I make contact with my target, I emit my chakra at that exact moment, which creates the force of power. I can also use it to enhance my body's strength and speed. The reason I focused on these types of abilities was that I didn't have a specific talent with chakra other than control. With healing, I could help my friends and with my strength, I'm able to step onto the front lines even though I'm a medic,"
Gon nodded with diligent eyes. He was finally starting to understand the direction Sakura was trying to face him in, but it was going to be up to him to get through that path to the other side.
"It might help to look back at your fights and what you learned with Nen so far," Sakura suggested, "I looked at what I was always lacking, and figured out a way to overcome that with my ability. When you were put in situations and fights you struggled in, what was it you wanted to be able to do?"
"Win," Gon answered swiftly.
Sakura snickered, "Okay then, you want an ability that will clinch a fight. That would take a lot of power then, and as an enhancer, that's probably right up your alley. So you need an ability that will give you a lot of power in your attack that will allow you to win almost all the time. But it needs to be within your capacity. Just look at what you're able to do now and how that can become the ability you want,"
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Sakura wished she could have left that room with Gon already certain of what he wanted his Hatsu ability to be, but he was still steaming when she closed that door. She told Gon that he should literally review everything he can do right now with Nen because she realized that like Naruto, a lecture wasn't an effective teaching method for him.
Action and practicality would likely offer better results but she couldn't wait around all night to help Gon. She had her own ability to think about creating and that would only be happening after she saw Kurapika.
Leorio and Melody told her that Kurapika had woken up while they were at the auction, but he wasn't in good condition. Still heavy with fever. And when she caught sight of his pale skin, sunken face, and dark circled eyes, she was convinced that power indeed charged a heavy price with interest. He wanted to get up, and while Melody and Leorio didn't have the strength to fight him in that state, she did and told him not to go anywhere until she conducted her check-up while Melody and Leorio left to get them all some dinner.
"I'm fine now, really," The Kurta attempted to sway her again; but stopped when she threatened to tranquilize him if he kept insisting nothing was wrong.
"I'm a trained medic, I can clearly tell when someone feels like crap," Sakura huffed. She proceeded as per usual for an examination. And she had no boundaries as a professional, but Kurapika struggled to fall into the role of the patient with the proximity he had to her. His muscles compressed everywhere she touched, even if it was only the slightest brush.
"Your face is red, are you burning up again?" Sakura touched his neck and Kurapika averted his eyes.
"No, I'm fine,"
"You keep saying that…."
She pressed a damp cloth to his head again, running it along his face. Its cool material is soothing, but not like the warmth of skin that replaced it. Tracing the outlines of the darkness under his eyes, his cheek, jawline, and chin before vanishing.
"Dammit, Kurapika,"
"Sakura?"
With no verbal response, she continued examining him and showed no signs of striking up conversation even knowing Kurapika might not want to initiate a conversation despite wanting to engage in one.
"Are you mad at me?"
With a soft scoff, she sat back on the chair by the bed. "Do you even have to ask? I can't believe the condition your power puts you in. Is there anything else you haven't mentioned to us?"
Kurapika took a little too long to answer, and it was confirmed. "You don't have to worry-
"Don't lie to me. I've gone most of my life with my friends telling me not to worry and that always meant there was a reason to worry" she snapped, running her hand through her hair.
There was, but Kurapika did not want to bring any more grief to his friends than he already had. Nothing could change the outcome but knowing his friends, they would set aside everything to find a way and he didn't want them to do that. Enough had been sacrificed on his behalf.
"This is for the sake of my clan,"
It had to be able to explain enough for her to understand that this wouldn't stop. If the opportunity presented itself again, he would put himself in this condition or worse as many times as he needed.
"So, the Kurta will be forgotten?"
Kurapika's tone was sharp enough to cut through the air, his head shot with his face tightly vice with fury, "What are you implying!?"
But he was evenly matched in glares, "I've had a friend go down this path already Kurapika, exactly like you. He also lost his clan and set on revenge. Guess what, he betrayed his friends, hurt the people who cared about him, and abandoned them. But there was something else he wanted to do for his clan. It was the only aspect of his ideals that glimpsed into the future. He wanted to revive his clan. You should also consider the future a little more. Don't let the Kurta die with you,"
His shoulders went slack, and Kurapika slumped to the back against the headrest, covering his face with his hand. He realized that she didn't say that statement to be cruel or spiteful for everything he had put her through. As usual, she was thinking about him, not just, but his clan as well. He was the last with Kurta's blood. If he allowed himself to die, then the Kurta really would be forgotten with time, because there would be no one to remind them of their existence.
Their memory would fade, as well as the injustice of those whose greed had led his brethren to their demise. But his rage would be what could have led to their extinction.
Kurapika chuckled, but it was pained. "Sakura. I don't even know where I could begin to start to tell you how incredible you have been,"
Sakura leaned back abruptly in surprise, "Kurapika?"
"I never considered it,"
Sakura tilted her head, "You haven't thought about that?"
"I honestly overlooked this, but it makes me realize that I should take your advice more often,"
Her expression softened, as he took his hand in hers. "I don't want to stop you from doing what you want. Especially when you've endured this much, but don't forget that there's a chance and a future if you allow yourself to have one,"
Kurapika remained lax when Sakura placed her head on his shoulder, his fingers twitching involuntarily to move but he kept them still, one hand still interlocked with hers. Even though he continued to remain like this with her, she didn't show any signs of discomfort. She had pushed him not to hide and withdraw himself into solitude and silence, but she somehow knew this wasn't what he was doing at this moment. In fact, it was the opposite. Kurapika was content enough to allow their contact to last.
"If you need anything, just tell me, no matter what,"
He whispered, "Could you stay like this a little longer?"
She smiled, "I'm always going to be here,"
But he wouldn't be.
The day his entire clan was massacred, was meant to be the beginning of what was the end of his future, on the road to revenge where there was nothing but a dead end and he was willing to accept that. If it hadn't been for his friends, this would have remained solidified in his soul, but now he was beginning to feel that there was a chance after he had achieved his goals.
And so Kurapika decided that just for as long as he could, he would let himself be selfish enough to keep hold of the girl that had miraculously fallen in his path.
'Thank you, Sakura'
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After explaining to Kurapika what happened at the auction, he had become so flustered and apologized for taking up time with her, even though she was the one who wanted to see his progress. She was confident in Leorio and Melody as well to look after Kurapika, and with his condition improved, there was no reason to fill her mind with sand to weigh her down.
As a Transmuter, Sakura already knew she wanted to convert her aura to take on the properties of something else. After a lot of self-reflection and analysis from what she had learned herself and from other Nen users she encountered, she had come up with a basic idea of what she wanted to achieve with this new power. And she had been able to put her theory into practice only twice but it proved possible.
Removing her gloves, Sakura held her arm out, activating Ten. The translucent flow shrouded her form.
'Bring it in, and focus on one part of the body' Sakura inhaled softly, she could feel her aura creeping under her skin, focusing on where she wanted it to focus. She watched her hand until the aura focused on it. Just as if she had been focusing her chakra. But it only lasted for three seconds before dispersing.
Sakura clicked her tongue, knowing that this short deadline was going to make for a long road of training.
'Least I know where to start,'
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He had to wait for her to fall asleep; by the time she had settled and he no longer sensed the surging aura the sun was starting to rise. Already opening the door, he was second-guessing himself, but unable to stop his quiet movements.
What was this? He wondered, knowing that the only answer he would receive was none. None too elegant but steady breaths filled the room from the girl flung on the mattress. Her defenses gone. The light from the window avoided hitting her entirely from the position her bed had in the corner facing the back.
Still, he could see her even in the darkness and it was the only time she was without care. For everything she now shouldered, this was a moment he did not want to disturb.
Kurapika and Melody needed to depart, and he did not want to interrupt his friend's training; knowing the struggle to obtain Hatsu and the kind of conditions that were ideal and this was not it. Which was all the more reason for him not to disturb, especially in times of recuperation.
'So why am I here?' As he thought this, Kurapika's fingers were already toying with the kunoichi's growing pink locks. It was soft despite appearing sharp and on end. He brushed the bangs away from her forehead, slight creases visible from her constant worrying and concentration.
He didn't speak too loud, for fear she would awaken, but still, he bid goodbye as clearly as he could, without inhibition, "I'm going back now but don't fret anymore. I've been given much to think about thanks to you. I hope you, Killua, and Gon achieve your goals and that we can all meet again in the near future. So please stay safe and don't endanger yourself too much. Even if it's for the sake of others,"
He flattered his hand over her forehead and swept back her hair. Kurapika leaned forward, his lips met the unfamiliar texture of human skin and he felt his heart jump but he still lingered before pulling back.
"Thank you, Sakura,"
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"This line is so long, I can't believe how many hunters showed up for this," Sakura muttered. She leaned to the side, getting a better view of the people snaking into the venue for the screening. To find suitable players for Greed Island it was Gon, Killua, and Sakura's intention to be a part of that group.
Neither friend knew what the abilities of the others were because they had been training separately. With the deadline, it had made departures difficult as well. Kurapika and Melody leave without a word to the three, and Zepile also takes off after retrieving the money Gon needs to buy back his Hunter license.
Kurapika had sent Leorio back with a message from them; that they would meet again, and they were satisfied to hold onto that for now. Especially when they also had their own goals to achieve and it did not coincide with Kurapika's.
Her fingers grazed the necklace chain, 'I'm sure we'll see him soon,'
They were all led to an auditorium that barely held its audience, the stage light shone in the middle and the rules of the screening were explained all too quickly.
"As everyone already knows, you must be able to use Nen for this game. The test will proceed as follows, we need each applicant to demonstrate their Nen. We will then make our decision. The judge will be the hunter Mr. Tsezgerra,"
The room resumed a different air than before when he stepped into the spotlight to take over the introduction. Some emit excitement, others intimidate.
"The test will now begin. One at a time show me your Ren. A shutter and curtain will block any view of the stage. The moment we've chosen thirty-two players the test will end,"
The shutter and curtain had already come down at the end of Tsezgerra's speech and they were all called to start. A few people headed to the front and almost everyone else rushed off to line up on the side.
"That's it?" Sakura whispered out loud. "They barely told us a thing,"
"Yeah, but others already moved to the front like it was a natural response," said Killua. "I guess they already realized, we have to deduce what we can from that explanation and do our best,"
Dipping her head closer to his, she murmured, "It probably doesn't matter if we're last anyway. Remember what Battera said about selecting players?"
Killua gasped, "This time they aren't choosing thirty-two players!"
A chuckle had them turning their heads to someone two rows back from where they were sitting, a man in a purple suit, with a round face and stubble, "You're sharp kids. It's been over ten years and no one's cleared the game. A new player can't begin if old ones are still alive. This means they have to save a few spots in case an extraordinary player appears. They're probably only choosing around twenty this time. Personally, I say those in line and standing nearby have no shot. Anyone worthwhile got in line at once or figured out the trick and stayed in their seats to focus. Right kid?"
Sakura and Killua turned to Gon, his fist raised, concentrating his aura. They asked if he had realized the truth all along, and as usual, he answered honestly, "It was just a hunch. I thought it was natural that they would want to test everyone,"
The man behind them laughed, "That's right kid, I'm impressed. Not many people can stick to their ideals. The greater the danger, the greater the need for both wit and ignorance to move forward,"
The line eventually shortened, and no one had returned from it, the man who had been talking to them took his leave, "My name is Puhat, nice to meet you,"
Killua spoke to his friends without filter or restraint of sound, "People who act smart usually fail,"
Sakura snickered, hitting her chest, "You can take that from personal experience,"
Still, they probably wouldn't know who passed unless they did as well. And there was a lot of uncertainty, given there were more than two hundred applicants.
When it was clear for the next person to step forward, Killua was the one to take the plunge next.
"Good luck," cheered Gon.
"If you fail, we're leaving you behind," Sakura teased watching as he vanished behind the curtain. "I hope he makes it,"
"It's Killua; he'll pass for sure!"
Sakura smiled, "You're right, we're all going to play this game together,"
…
…
…
Shortly after Killua's screening, Gon followed behind the curtain to demonstrate his power. Gon did not thrive on physical ability and talent alone, his perseverance was one of his greatest strengths as well as his stubborn nature. So when he went in, Sakura didn't feel as nervous as she had for Killua. Her heart did leap when a heavy noise erupted and the entire room shook. It was like experiencing the shock of one of her punches.
'Was that Gon?'
She stepped out of her seat just in case, and someone who had been ushering applicants appeared again, "Next please,"
The hallway she followed was dark but in a straight line to her destination until she met a closed door, opening into a brightly lit room. In waiting was Tsezgerra; but he was not looking at her as she had expected him to. He had observed her, Gon, and Killua with doubtful eyes, but now he seemed more anxious. There was a hole in the wall behind her, and rubble scattered on the floor.
"Can we begin?" Sakura coughed.
Tsezgerra, nodded, "Yes, I'm assuming you're showing me your Hatsu like the other two?"
Sakura removed her gloves, her lips curving up in accord with her feelings "Of course,"
…
…
…
Gon and Killua were eager to meet each other again after passing the screening, they were containing themselves, waiting for Sakura to emerge from that door as they sat and waited in a row of tables.
"I wonder what Sakura's going to do?" Gon asked.
Killua scoffed, "She's going to be fine, with her powers she'll definitely get accepted."
They gripped the ends of the table as vibrations ran through their entire bodies from the tremors and a crashing noise following.
"Sakura went after you right?"
"Yeah…."
"Sounds like she's going overboard," Sighed Killua. With Sakura, she could easily pass just by demonstrating her chakra and passing it off as nen, but she had said she would be demonstrating the hatsu abilities that she had come up with within the last four days. So what exactly did she do?
The kunochi emerged through the doors, overlooking the other seven individuals who were already seated and focused only on the two boys. "I knew you guys would make it,"
"Of course we did. By the way, did you just destroy a wall?" Killua snickered.
Sakura stuck out her tongue, "Secret. But Gon, I'm more curious now about what you did to the wall. I saw the remains, what kind of technique did you use?"
The boy in question rubbed his neck and gave the same sheepish response, "Secret,"
"You're both so stingy!"
"Then what about you?" they asked Killua together but the boy turned his head with a coy smile.
"Se-cr-et"
Pressing each other for answers about their new abilities was a box with a lid on it. It didn't matter because the result was the same.
They were in this together.
..
Twenty-one. The number of players that had passed the screening was twenty-one. Once all of them were gathered Tsezguerra gave them a brief orientation about the terms and conditions for being able to play the game as well as a contract that further explained the details. Their deadline to leave Yorknew was set for 5 pm, so with the few short hours they had left, they decided to at least have a proper send-off with Leorio.
They met up with him at a restaurant to talk about their screening, and the contract and have one last meal with their friend.
"The reward for clearing the game is 50billion?" Leorio gulped down his drink as if to make swallowing the information easier. "I wonder what Battera is thinking?"
"Well there is this clause here," Sakura pointed to the contract, "That mentions Battera can claim anything you bring out of the game,"
"That's one of the three main points, the first being liable for yourself in cases of injury or death and the third is that there is a fifty-billion reward for clearing the game,"
Sakura stuffed her mouth with nearly an entire slice of pizza, "I had to sign something like this before. You actually get ticked when you realize you can't complain. At least here they offer a reward,"
"I've been wondering about the second point too," Killua said, "Anything that you bring out of the game. That's why he's paying big bucks,"
"I wonder what he wants exactly," Sakura put her finger on her chin thoughtfully.
"I'll hand it over. "I'm not looking for items. I just want to get closer to Ging!"
When his friends looked at him; Gon's eyes were shining like embers burning in the excitement that warmed you. A look that made you want to go along with everything he wanted, just so he would keep that light in his eyes.
..
..
The glowing sunset was a fitting close for the reunion at Yorknew. Leorio, Sakura, Killua, and Gon prepared to bid their goodbyes. Part of knowing that it would likely be a long while before circumstances would have them meet again.
"Well, you guys be careful,"
"The next time we see you, you'll be a doctor,"
Leorio gaped, "You mean we're not going to see each other for four years?"
Killua shrugged, "We plan to clear the game much more quickly,"
"I don't intend to fall behind either,"
"You better not, or I'm dealing with you," Sakura warned.
"Now that's motivation," Leorio held out his fist and it was quickly met with his three friends similar to how they had departed previously.
Despite having to depart almost as quickly as they had reunited and the circumstances that had brought them to that point, all of the friends were satisfied. Because there was no sense of ending just yet and they could keep going thanks to that feeling sitting in them.
..
..
The journey by train was quick, not due to distance but the exhaustion that had caught up to the three friends which had them sleeping throughout the trip, all leaning against one another. Ignorant of the other passengers. They arrived at a mansion and Tsezgerra was waiting to greet them. He brought the twenty-one individuals to the lowest level of the dwelling, into a room that was lined with monitors and the Joystation connected and ready.
"Before we begin, let me explain a few things. The individual game copies are not independent. It doesn't matter which console you start from, you'll end up in the same place. Consider it a virtual area accessible from any spot on the planet. I will now hand out the memory cards. You will head immediately into the game, but first, we need to decide the order. Only one may enter the game area at a time,"
Puhat offered a solution, "Then let's play rock-paper-scissors. The loser is the winner,"
Gon was quick to jump in agreement and it was easy to understand why when he ended up first out of the twenty-one people. Sakura was thirteen and Killua was seventeen.
He was allowed to use his memory card to enter the game, and Tsezguerra assured him that it wouldn't matter if he used it because they would all still start from the same spot. He put on the ring and stood in front of the monitor putting in the memory card.
"Gon, once you're at the starting point wait for us," Killua reminded him.
"Okay,"
Emitting his aura, Gon placed his hand near the Joystation, and in nearly an instant, he had vanished. Although it was mentioned that this would happen when entering the game, everything became reality seeing it for themselves.
"Hope he stays out of trouble before we get there," Sakura murmured.
"I'm sure he'll do his best," Killua could only say half-heartedly.
"Once the words, 'Now playing' appear, the next person may start," instructed Tsezgerra.
Sakura and Killua almost lost patience as they watched those in front of them enter the game one at a time. Several minutes would pass before the next person could enter, according to Tsezguerra, this was because new players would receive an explanation of how to play the game.
Finally, it was Sakura's turn to step forward and enter. Tsezguerra handed her a ring and a memory card to insert. She put her hands in front of her and projected her aura.
It felt as if someone was pushing her forward from all directions and then it grew more powerful and she was falling with a straight body. Her eyes burned behind her eyelids from the brightness it met, almost completely white except for a glowing doorway that led her into another space. Patterns of light lined across the dark walls and in the center was a woman with cat-like eyes and white hair covered mostly by an odd helmet.
"Welcome to Greed Island. I will now explain how the game works, would you care to listen?"
Sakura clenched her fists, grinning "Sure,"
THAT'S ALL MY LOVELIES! Hope you enjoyed this chapter and remember to stay strong and keep reading!
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- (Bleach crossover) Kunoichi amongst Reapers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
-Commission: Demon slayer x My hero academia (PART 1 & 2)
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