The girl standing before them was none other than Biscuit Krueger, Larry's old friend, better known to those who really knew her as the deceptively adorable "Muscle Girl."
She should currently be in Greed Island searching for the [Blue Planet] gem, and in the original timeline, she first met Gon and Killua right here in Antokiba.
But wait, wasn't she supposed to come in with them? Why was she already here?
Larry's thoughts raced. After a moment, he landed on the answer.
Because he'd taken out the Phantom Troupe earlier than expected, the timeline had shifted. Biscuit must have entered Greed Island ahead of schedule.
"It really has been a while," Larry said, relaxing his expression. "Last time we met was at the Sky Arena, huh?"
Biscuit hadn't expected to run into Larry here, of all places. It was her first time seeing a familiar face inside the game, and the surprise showed on her face.
"Larry, do you know Biscuit?" Menchi asked, raising an eyebrow. From the way they spoke, it seemed like they already knew each other.
She'd heard of Biscuit before, after all, Biscuit was a veteran of the Hunter Association and a well-known practitioner of Shingen-ryu.
"Yeah, we met back when I challenged her at the Sky Arena," Larry replied casually.
Biscuit gave a small smile. "So you're Menchi? I've heard of you too. Youngest one-star hunter in the association, right?"
Menchi blinked, surprised but flattered. "It's just a title. I've admired you for a long time, Biscuit."
She hadn't expected someone like Biscuit to have even heard of her, let alone greet her so warmly. Truth be told, Menchi had always wanted to meet Biscuit, not just for her reputation, but because of her ability.
Rumor had it that Biscuit's nen ability could alter her appearance, giving her the youthful look she had now. Eternal youth was no small temptation, especially for a woman.
While Larry chatted with Menchi, Biscuit quietly observed the two. Her wine-colored eyes showed a flicker of understanding. She hadn't approached them immediately earlier because she didn't want to intrude.
From one glance, she could tell there was something between them, not necessarily romantic, but certainly not ordinary.
If Larry hadn't spoken up, she might have stayed hidden a while longer.
Biscuit suddenly remembered the call she got from her friend Pyon not long ago. He had been full of praise for Larry. Now that she saw him with her own eyes, she understood why.
Watching the two interact, laughing, talking, leaning closer than necessary, Biscuit's lips curled into a subtle, amused smile. She found herself unconsciously picturing a future scene: two girls fighting over the same guy. Now that would be entertaining.
As someone from the Transmutation type, she had a strange fondness for drama, gossip, and good-looking men. Watching things unfold from the sidelines was one of her guilty pleasures.
"Biscuit? Hey, Biscuit?"
Larry's voice snapped her back to reality.
"Ah, what? What is it?" she asked, clearing her throat and trying to shake off the odd smile that had crept onto her face. She returned to her usual composed expression, though both Larry and Menchi looked at her in confusion.
Even Gardevoir, who had been quietly standing behind Larry, glanced over and shared a mental message with him' She seems interested in some kind of drama.'
'drama? What drama?'
Larry frowned slightly. Biscuit had that same kind of look she'd had when she first saw "Water Glaze", a weird, giddy excitement that didn't quite match the situation. Though this time, it wasn't that exaggerated.
"Anyway, Larry, what brings you to Greed Island this time?" Biscuit asked, brushing it off. "Are you here to clear the game too?"
Her expression turned serious. If Larry was here to beat the game, then that would be bad news for her.
As strong as she was, Biscuit knew where she stood. And Larry? He was in a completely different league. If he were aiming for the game's final rewards, then she could forget about [Blue Planet].
But Larry just laughed and shook his head. "Nah, Menchi and I are just here to explore and eat. Not interested in clearing the game."
He glanced at Menchi as he said it, and Biscuit caught the look.
Relief washed over her face. If Larry wasn't competing, she still had a shot at the gem. Her confidence quickly returned.
But then something else clicked in her mind.
'Traveling with Menchi... Huh. Seems like they've gotten closer than I thought.'
Biscuit frowned briefly, then let it go. That was Pyon's problem to worry about, not hers.
She didn't really care who Larry dated, she was way past that kind of thing. Relationships, love triangles... It was all just fun to watch.
As the sun set, the group found themselves wandering through Antokiba. Unlike most towns on the island, the night here was quiet, almost dull.
The city was mainly known for its bounty board, attracting all kinds of broke Hunters looking to make some quick cash. Larry had even spotted a bounty for a certain "old thief" named Togashi, clearly someone had snuck in an Easter egg.
Since running into Biscuit earlier that day, the three of them had stuck together, exploring the area. The more they traveled, the more Biscuit loosened up around them, feeling like part of the team.
Still, Antokiba wasn't particularly impressive. Aside from its job board, there wasn't much else to see. It was smaller than most cities and lacked the interesting quirks that made other parts of Greed Island stand out.
So, after a brief discussion, Larry and Menchi decided they'd move on to the next city tomorrow. There was no point staying here any longer, not when there was still so much more to taste, see, and maybe, just maybe, experience together.
Biscuit had no plans to join Larry and Menchi on their journey. She still had her own goal, to track down the whereabouts of the [Blue Planet]. Besides, tagging along with a couple didn't exactly appeal to her. She didn't want to be the third wheel.
Sensing the rare opportunity, Menchi finally brought up something she'd been wanting to ask for a while: experiencing Biscuit's massage ability firsthand.
"You ready?" Biscuit asked, looking down at Menchi who was now lying flat on the bed.
Menchi gave a small nod, signaling she was good to go.
With that, Biscuit activated her unique ability, Miss Cookie. A soft pink aura flowed from her body and began to gather into the shape of a woman.
Larry, who stood nearby, couldn't help but smile. The scene stirred up a bit of nostalgia, he remembered this ability well.
Biscuit had brought it up herself. Since her ability was already in use, it didn't make much of a difference whether it was used on one person or two. Might as well enjoy it together.