Life wasn't easy for Valeria Lavine, a petite teenage girl with light brown hair tied in short twintails, and teal eyes. After literally getting thrown off the cliff by her father and crawling back up when two weeks passed, she was tossed onto a boat and was ordered to take the Hunter Exam. But hey, who was she to judge if life was easy or not? Maybe that blondie of the same age on the hammock across from her happened to lose his entire clan to a murderous blacklisted gang. Or maybe that old man who was obviously saying something to her, had some sad childhood. Life is full of thrills and it's Valeria's lifelong motto that you don't expect anything from life.
"...Are you even listening?" The middle aged man pointed at her accusingly. In Valeria's lap was a bottle of pills, meant to cure motion sickness. Unlabelled, it must have looked like she was a drug addict. "Girls this young shouldn't be so addicted to drugs! I don't even know those pills...you might get an overdose!"
"It's fine, old man. If you're one with nature, you know what you're doing." Valeria had meant for that phrase to represent her country's knowledge of medicinal herbs but the old man had taken it differently. Valeria was now a crazy drug addict who wants to return to the earth. And never wake up.
"It's Leorio-san! And you're crazy, you still have a healthy life ahead of you and imagine all of those who are dying for a chance to live! Don't waste your life."
"Thanks for your worry, Leonardo diCaprio,but I am aware."
"My name is Leorio! You know, when someone forgets another person's name, it's because it's too long or complicated. But your mistake seems far more complicated than my name actually is." Leorio shouted but the brown haired girl just brushed off his complaint.
"Yes yes, Luigi...forgive me, but don't get too upset. Everyone makes mistakes and everyone messes up at least one or two people's name. It's not a big deal."She tucked her medications into her white tie-string bag and slung it over her shoulder. She noticed a blonde haired boy who was staring at them before continuing to read. "People confuse my name too, you know? They think my name is Gorilla Girl or Dead Fish. It's a common thing."She jumped down from her hammock and walked over to a vomiting man.
"No...I don't think they mistook your name. It's obvious that they are making fun of you."
"What are you talking about? It's obviously a mistake...they haven't called me that since I broke a limb or two by accident." The strange girl patted a vomiting man's back. What seemed like a light, comforting pat, sent the man flying through the wall. "Tch...men these days are so weak."
"Hey...isn't this girl dangerous?" Leorio watched the girl adjust her white cardigan, which was over a light teal halter top. Stretching out her back and cracking her knuckles, the brown haired girl single handedly pulled the buff man out of the wall, sending him flying back. The blonde boy on the hammock snorted in response and Leorio looked up with horrified eyes. Before Leorio could say anything, the door to the room swung open and the captain came in. Behind him was a boy who was carrying bottles of water and he began to distribute them to all of the men who were sick from the violent waves of the sea. The captain smirked in approval before signalling Valeria, Leorio, the boy, and the blonde to follow him. "You four follow me." He then left and the boy immediately followed him
"You think he's going to ambush us?" Leorio asked, only to receive very discouraging reactions from the others. Kurapika had rolled his eyes and Valeria merely shrugged before the pair walked out. Leorio grumped and also followed, not too far all stepped into a room, where a large concave glass window showed the deck and wide ocean. The captain rested his right hand on the steering wheel while the other gave himself a nice smoke or two. Blowing out puffs of what Valeria calls "dirty air", he pulled his tobacco away from him and began to eye each one of them.
"So, what are your names?" The captain pointed at Valeria, beckoning for the girl to start first. Valeria responded instantly lied with a straight face, cracked the others up, and earned a disapproving sigh from the captain.
"First name Hot, last name Bitch." Valeria examined her nails but when she heard no response, she tilted her head up to see the unamused look she received. Rolling her eyes she properly introduced herself this time. "Valeria."
"Kurapika." The blond boy next to her followed the gesture to introduce himself. He was a bishounen, a type of character that she never would have thought to encounter. Except for her manhwa. The boy noticed her staring and turned to look at her quizzically before Valeria turned away.
"Gon Freecs!" The youngest boy answered eagerly. He looked like he was twelve and there was a sense of innocence and purity that it slightly blinded Valeria's eyes and gave her a wave of the feeling of overprotectiveness.
"Leorio." Leorio stuck his hands into his pocket and sighed. He was obviously reluctant to provide any information to the captain. This was especially true as the man suspiciously pulled them to the side to interrogate them.
"Why did you all choose to be a hunter?" The captain asked, nodding his head at their answers. He glanced at Leorio, expecting the man to begin first but all Leorio did was scoff. "As if we're going to tell you."
Contrary to what Leorio's response was to the captain, Gon eagerly answered. He seemed genuinely excited and a normal person would think that this poor, innocent boy has no idea what the exam will be like. "I'm looking for my dad! I want to know why he abandoned his son to become a hunter!"
"Don't just answer like that!" Immediately, Leorio jumped into the conversation and began to scold Gon. Gon merely scratched his chin and tilted his head in confusion. He squinted his eye momentarily while he thought about what Leorio said before his eyes sparkled in confusion and naivety. "Why?"
"Why?!" Leorio sputtered, as if this was a bizarre question. "Just because! There's no point in giving away information to strangers!"
"I agree with Leorio. I don't think it's right for me to answer personal questions to those who I do not trust." Kurapika added. Leorio silently muttered that it was 'Leorio-san' before he silenced himself.
"I was kicked out of the house." Valeria replied when she saw that the Captain had rolled his eyes at the two boys before looking at her. He blinked before his brain took in the information. The group stared at her as they squinted, imagining the situation. A DELINQUENT?! Is that what she was? Is she a simple gorilla in her rebellious phase and is actually running away from home? The old man coughed as he placed his arms behind his back.
"The Hunter exam isn't a place for runaways-"
Valeria cut him off with a simple "I know." He stared at the girl, who dug into the pocket of her white shorts and pulled out a piece of gum, with doubt before sighing and moving on. Valeria opened the silver wrapper and took out the gum, chewing it. As for the wrapper, she put it in the small ashtray near the control wheel.
"Is that so? Then the two of you," The old man pointed at Leorio and Kurapika. "Must get off this ship immediately."
"What?!"
"Don't you get it? The hunter qualification has already begun."
The group of teens looked at each other in mild surprise before clearing their throat and silently listened to the pitter patter of the rain. The captain scoffed at their sudden meekness and grunted:"...So answer the damn question."
The two boys hesitated and Kurapika spoke. "I'm a survivor of the Kurta tribe. There's a group of bandits who massacred my tribe four years ago. I want to become a hunter to capture the Phantom Troupe."
"A blacklist hunter applicant, eh? The Phantom Troupe are A-class bounties that even veteran hunters would have difficulties. You will most likely die."
"I don't fear death, I only worry that my rage would dissipate." Kurapika's eyes glistened. Valeria only chewed while listening. Or at least one would think she is. Valeria was thinking about the flavour of her gum. She furrowed her eyebrows and winced. Sour...unknown flavour.
Leorio began to speak about wanting money and luxuries. Kurapika retorted something back and there was a heavy atmosphere around them. The two walked outside, planning a heated battle while the captain was trying to call them back.
"Let them be sir.'To know someone is to know what angers him.' It's one of my favourite sayings that Aunt Mito taught me." Gon sat down.
"Why don't they just openly convey their feelings. What a bunch of troublesome, pubescent boys." Valeria tilted her head, showing her obvious confusion with the boys' actions. Valeria grew up in a straightforward environment and has not be in the presence of "delicacy" and "sensitivity." If someone didn't like someone, they fight to kill. If someone was in love, they would give mating callings and offer their fullest attentions. "By the way, where's the trash can?"
The captain sighed and pointed to a room. "Go that way." Valeria nodded and then looked at Gon with a smile, before entering the room with her bored expression that said she was done with everything. Gon's eyes followed the careless girl and returned his attention to the old man.
"She's an odd but nice miss." Gon commented.
"Really? She seems like a runaway gorilla to me." The captain scratched his beard. A man suddenly ran in, shouting: "Captain! The storm is approaching faster than we expected!" The captain and Gon left, heading for the deck while Valeria got rid of her gum. The girl didn't seem bothered at all when she slid across the room due to the tilting of the ship. She adjusted her shorts and halter top before heading out. She just happened to see Gon leap out to save a man overboard and Leorio and Kurapika catch him. However, Valeria noticed the unstable, wooden railing and ruffled her hair in frustration. She was supposed to be on a vacation- training...and now she has to save a group of idiots?
"Aw curses!" The girl tossed her white cardigan aside, onto a man. "Please hold onto it!" Her teal flats tapped as she ran towards the boys. When Valeria was at the edge of the railing, she lightly tapped the wooden planks underneath her, causing her right heel to sink into it. Valeria quickly grabbed the end of a rope and tied it around her waist. It was connected to the main support beam, making it secure for her. She grabbed hold of Leorio's and Kurapika's hands just after the railing broke.
The crew members attempted to pull her back but the ship rocked violently, not allowing them to do so.
"Stay back!' She ordered the crew members. Almost immediately they stiffened and nodded as they continued to help with the sails. Valeria inhaled sharply as felt drops of rain run down her cheeks and onto her lips. Licking the drop, she crouched and her muscles tensed.
"What are you doing? You'll get pulled down! That rope isn't enough to carry all of our weight!" Kurapika shouted at Valeria. He glanced at the rope that was hugging main support pole of the ship and then stared at the petite, "weak" girl.
"Who said it was carrying your weight?" Valeria looked down at the blonde boy, before rolling her eyes. She then shouted an issue to the males who were hanging literally hanging onto their life, or should I say, Valeria. "Everyone brace themselves for an impact, because whatever happens after, ain't my fault."
Valeria easily pulled everyone back and tossed them onto the other side of ship, to safety. It was as if it was a little grade schooler plucking out a flower and feeling oddly triumphant.
"?!" Everyone seemed to have a stunned expression as the petite girl tossed four males, three who are larger than her, with such ease and showed no signs of effort.
Valeria pulled herself towards the support beam by pulling the rope tied around her waist. Her face seem to sag even further and her eyes seemed tired of life in general, the moment the rope snapped because she pulled on it too hard.
"Curse Papa and his stupid tug of war games." Valeria grumbled before stumbling back. She fell back but this time, Kurapika and Gon reached out for her hands and pulled her back.
Valeria combed back her messy hair and took her white cardigan back from a crew member, who was awestruck. "Thanks." She bowed slightly with an odd pose with her hands. No one quite recognized it and Valeria rushingly changed it as she realized she was bringing out an old habit. But Kurapika recognized the gesture as a symbol of greeting, thanks, and politeness before a brutal bloodbath among the Che'ang Clan.
Also known as the Lavine Clan.