So I've been having lots of fun reading HunterxHunter for the last few weeks and finally finished watching the anime. I fell in love with Hisoka's character. He is so fascinating and fun it was hard not to see what I could come up with for a story. Now originally this was suppose to be a one shot but in light of the recent announcement of another hiatus I'm looking at making it longer. So we will see where it goes from here.

This currently taking place in line with what has happened in the story. I'm trying to keep it canon so hopefully I have all the right information and what not. If not just let me know and I'll see what I can do to fix it.

Anyway! I hope you like it. I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas.

The Mastermind

Chapter 1

Countdown

Adrenaline still coursed furiously through his veins as he made his way to the outskirts of town. The singed red hair and smell of burnt flesh made it clear that he was not someone to be trifled with. Every passerby kept their heads down to make sure not to disturb him, his grim appearance sending chills that quaked down to their very being. Blood slowly fell from his fingertips as made his way, the incident just mere minutes forgone.

A smile slowly creased across Hisokas thin lips as he tried to stifle a small laugh. Today was a whirlwind of excitement, his brain still skimming over each and every detail. So many things had now changed. Chrollo did not fight alone, the other spiders intervened. Each and every leg would have to be plucked off that pesky spider in order for him to get what he wanted. He wasn't interested in fighting all the fodder, but if they weren't going to mind their business then they would have to go. Those needles hadn't just disappeared. In the mere milliseconds he was able to activate Gyo, he was able to see a glint of Nen that trailed from the needle. It wasn't enough to confirm his suspicions during the fight, but Machi's choice of words afterward confirmed it. That didn't change that he still bit off more than he could chew. Chrollo was bound to still have several more trumps up his sleeves and he was still a very special toy he wished to have more time to play with. For now, it would be best to lay low until he figured everything out.

Seeing Machi get that worked up was also unexpected. Maybe it would have been better to off her there when he had her bound, but the thought of saving her for last and taking her apart piece by piece was just as tempting. Besides, he needed her to relay his message. It would be much more fun watching them squirm and glance over their shoulder for him. The Phantom Troupe would surely deal with him internally, although he still had some doubts that Machi wouldn't even relay the message. She just might make it her own vendetta to get him herself. Regardless, if push came to shove, he would have no problem cutting her down. She would put up a good fight, but ultimately she was ordinary outside a situational useful Nen threads.

Walking by a local merchant, he snapped up a pair of pants and shirt off the rack so swiftly and quietly, you wouldn't see it happen even if you were looking straight at him. Technically to the world, he was dead, so a change from his usual attire was required as to not raise suspicions. It also allowed him to move freely without the risk of the Phantom Troupe grouping up to finish him off.

"Tsk" Hisoka said with a click of his tongue, sounding more agitated than annoyed. He caught his reflection in the pane of glass in front of a shop. His jaw looked like it was starting to melt off his face, the corners of the texture surprise on his arm peeling up. He glanced down at his right hand, finding it quivering feverishly. Glancing past his hand, his aura swirled in the background nearly transparent, fading ever so slowly. That wasn't a good sign, although considering the days events it could have been mere exhaustion. He held up his left hand, which was disproportionately long now. If his nen was disappearing this could present another bundle of problems given his current state.

"What a... Mess... hrmm" shaking his head in mock disappointment. Maybe some time to heal would be best before decimating his next victims was warranted. Although he wanted nothing more to shred and destroy every last limb of that spider. His fight with Chrollo was such a tease, ending prematurely due to the intrusion. His bloodlust was already building, just the thought of having his way with the whole lot of them, impatience gnawing at the edge of his subconscious. All the thoughts of plotting, deceiving and killing were starting to get him going, his heart pounding much harder in his chest from the excitement. Next time he would make sure that there was no one that would intrude on his fun.

Overhead, the sun was already disintegrating into the horizon, indicating the day's end. Hisoka made his way into the forest surrounding the city, following his keen senses to a nearby river. Scrubbing the day's death from his skin , he glanced at his pile of tattered clothes on the riverbed. In order to finish the tasks ahead of him, he would shed his previous image he was accustomed to, not that he was never attached to it by any means. Simply put, there wasn't any such thing for him.

Climbing out of the river, he threw on the 'borrowed' clothes consisting of a red tank and sandy colored khakis. Without his iconic face paint and slicked back hair, he now looked like any regular young adult. Albeit with abnormally bright hair and oddly colored eyes. Although this all just added to his fun game of cat and mouse.

Hisoka quietly laughed to himself becoming increasingly louder, there would be no stopping him this time. He would get what he wanted.

A snap of a twig caused him to lazily open one eye to glance at the nearby intrusion. His sleep cut short as two men with fishing poles lumbered along in the early morning about 60 feet away. He could feel an all too familiar hunger boil up inside him. Oh, how he wished he still had his cards, one flick of the wrist is all it would take. He was already itching to bloody his hands once again, the mere excitement of death giving an insatiable rush. It was probably the most natural thing for him if any such thing existed. Up from his vantage point in the tree, the two men shrunk as they continued on their way. It wouldn't be worth the effort, they were trash anyway.

He sighed loudly as he stretched out the tiredness from his joints, his muscles tensing at the strain. Pushing back the unruly singed hairs from his face, he paused to glance at his left hand. His Bungee Gum recovered immensely overnight, in fact, it looked flawless despite being rubber and having all five fingers blown off. He could feel the restlessness of the energy swelling within him, much more active than it was before. The slight changes intriguing him.

Jumping off his perch, he flexed his hand before clenching it into a fist. In one swift, elegant movement he had thrown his weight into a half effort punch. Connecting to the trunk of the tree, it split loudly down the center as if struck by lightning. Leaves scattered into the air and rained down around him in protest of the disturbance. It could have put most enhancers to shame, not that the majority of them weren't weak and pathetic anyway.

His eyes widened from the unexpecting shock before he broke out in a huge grin. He began cackling at first, quickly becoming a booming laugh.

"Nen that becomes stronger after death" Chrollo's words echoing in his head from the previous day.

"Amazing... Absolutely amazing, " he said in astonishment as he admired the aura swirling around him. It was bright and moved almost reflexively without having to put much if any thought into it. His hand and leg felt like they were still his very own flesh, alive and living.

"What happened!?" Came the concerned voice of one of the men he spotted earlier. Although right now he could care less about the two bumbling idiots, he was much more interested in his new found power. When they didn't take the hint and kept rambling in the background he got annoyed. Hisoka caught one of the falling leaves, turning it over in his hand. With a flick of a wrist, the leaf was transformed into a makeshift blade, cutting through the forehead of the first man like butter before lodging itself in the forehead of the second man standing behind him. The men dropped to the ground with a thud, both dead on the spot.

Hisoka didn't bat an eye, merely intoxicated with his new discovery. His nen was certainly more powerful than it was before. His Texture surprise was flawless. Not even he could tell when it ended and began. All the potential for tricks and deceit were endless before him. Oh, how he loved his Bungee Gum, a nen perfectly suited for him. It really was the perfect extension of himself in every way.

Taking off towards the city, he folded his hands behind his head. An oversized smile stretched across his face as he brainstormed all the new possibilities he had before him.

"10 to go" he chimed happily.