Hey, it's Yoshida Megumi-chan on charge!

I haven't seen any of you since… November? Erm, sorry for the rewriting of this story, because I'm pretty sure at least someone wanted this fanfic to be updated (yes, my self-esteem has been lifted slightly), but the main reason I updated wasn't because I didn't have the time or because I had to study. In reality, I was reading multiple fanfiction guides and stories so I couldn't make mistakes writing mine.

After more than half a year from the time I 'abandoned' this story, I returned to read it. It was hideous, by my new standards, and now I am going to make it significantly better (I hope, at least). Now, without much delay, I present to you the prologue of 'Chance of Change'! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in Hunter x Hunter or the show itself, unless specifically said so. As you can probably all realize, Anzu, Mana, Lapis and their backgrounds (I am including possible future OCs in this) are mine.

12.12.2015 - Rebooting it again, because I couldn't stand it in First Person POV. I'm not really sure when I'll be posting it, but I hope more of you will find it readable this way (speaking as a person who generally hates First Person POV fics)

26.01.2016 – Okay this was actually supposed to be published with the new chapter but at the pace I was going, who knew when I would have ended chapter 4. Also, there are some warnings to be placed. I ultimately decided that this would be left with a T ranking, at least for now. There are some triggering things at later chapters (at least from my point of view), as well as 'uncomfortable' revelations and discussions of characters' gender and sexual identity. That, and I really like playing with people's heads, which has unfortunately transferred to my story and, consequently, to ALL characters that are even slightly prone to this in canon. In other words, there is going to be some light mind-fucking in the future, if you would excuse my crude language.

And the topic which actually pushed me to publish this chapter: the 'dual personality', as some people would put it. For those of you who read this again, then you know what I am talking about, and for those who are reading for the first time, then if you don't want it to be spoiled, read this chapter and come back to read this.

I read somewhere at a Mary-Sue guide about dual personality and the portrayal of it in fanfics, especially where the OC is cute and just happens to have an over-powered evil side that talks with the OC on a regular basis. I and the author on said article think that this is highly insulting to the people who actually have similar diseases (is it rude to refer their situation as 'disease'? If not, then you all have my sincerest apologizes). I wanted to state that, no matter what all of you might think, this is not such a case. They don't have dual personalities (although you can think of it that way from a certain point of view, now that I think about it) and they don't have an over-powered side (again, this is debatable on some levels, however I assure you they will not be stronger than the canon main characters). It is a very complicated matter that will spoil the story, however, if you want to know about it, just PM me and I will explain it to you to the best of my abilities. I have to warn you, though, that if any of you decide to cross the line and becomes aware of my future plans about this story, I have the full right to ban you from spoiling other readers and to pester you about the portrayal of said situation. Thus, ask at your own risk ;P

Listening while writing: ONE OK ROCK, SCANDAL, Stereopony

Prologue:

Anzu's POV:

The girl's breath was coming out ragged, and it created a white cloud every time she exhaled. Her feet hurt from all the thorns that were in them. She was mentally beating herself up for not being as organized as she should, and forgetting the small fact that she was going to run barefoot through a big forest in the winter. The thing she was trying to do was crazy enough, and it certainly didn't help much that not only she was supposedly beaten half to death, but she had to carry her actually beaten half to death little sister on her very bruised back. And no, the adjective 'little' did not in any sense mean her weight. Sure, she was lighter than normal, but muscles do have mass that's worth considering. And Anzu wasn't strength-based, sadly.

But, back on the current problem. The white-haired girl was running through a thick forest, barefoot, and in this particular forest the wolves didn't ask you where your grandmother lived, they just pounced on you, no matter if you were feeding them for four years. They were not loyal to anyone who wasn't in their pack. And – surprise, surprise – she wasn't in their pack.

Anzu could already see the walls that were surrounding their 'yard' – in other words, the enormous forest that was separating them from freedom. The pursuers were catching up to the two girls, but if there was one thing the older one was grateful for, it was that they were the wolves in the forest. It meant that they couldn't exit the borders of the wall.

Sadly, that didn't apply to the very human being that was with them.

The girl dreaded the moment she would reach the big gate that could finally let both of them out just as much as she anticipated it. Mana and her going through it meant not only freedom. It also meant the death sentence of the one pursuing them.

Anzu was so lost in thought that she almost bumped into said door. The girl sank her heels in the ground so she wouldn't slam into the concrete wall. Her nose barely touched it and she exhaled, relieved.

So far, none of us is dead. That's good. Just two or three near-death experiences and we're not even outside, but it doesn't bother me. At all.

/Yeah, no./

Shut up, voice.

/I heard your command loud and clear and am therefore officially disregarding it./

It seems fate hated Anzu that day, because right then her pursuer showed up, her quiet footsteps echoing around. Anzu knew that for her, to create that much noise by simply stepping would be like stomping on the ground like an elephant for a normal person.

"Anzu" she called the escapee quietly. The white-haired girl didn't turn around. She didn't want to see her face. She could not allow some sisterly bonds get in the way of their freedom. Although it was too late, and they both knew it. Hearing her voice was hard enough. She was going to die, and Anzu was leaving her to rot here. "Are you really going outside? You were barely able to pass thought the house. You are on the brink of exhaustion. There is not, both theoretically and physically, any way to escape."

The hollow voice she used made the conscious twin hate herself more for leaving her. She, at least, was used to the concept 'emotions' because she had to interact with people to get her job done. Her pursuer just needed to find her target and kill it without a sound and fuss. All of this just reminded Anzu of all the other people she was leaving behind.

"Lapis…"

Anzu made the mistake to turn around and look at her. She looked just like she always had, and this unnerved her. Unchanging, unemotional, unfriendly… Her dark, ink blue hair was split in half and up to her knees. She was in her light blue sleeping gown, she was barefoot like them. But her left eye, the not bandaged one, never showed pain. Lapis just stared at the girls with blank look, the light sky blue Anzu always said was full with emotion, was now as blank as she was.

"I'm sorry." The twin whispered softly. The bluehead just continued to stare at her. "I'm sorry for leaving you. But it has to be done. I won't be able to see you for some time. But I'll definitely become stronger, so I can protect you. I promise, someday you'll be out from this house. Trust me, Lapis nee-chan." The girl did not stop staring at her, not showing any kind of reaction. Anzu tensed, ready for an attack. Instead, Lapis turned her back to both of them.

"Promises are incredibly stupid and irrational things. However, I will take your word now. I pray you won't forget what you promised." There was a flash of something in her eyes, which was ridiculous because they were as blank as always. Yet something was eating her away. Something was amiss. Before she could try to puzzle it out, the blunette turned around almost determinately, which, in itself, was, again, strange. However, the older twin did not ask, and Lapis slowly walked back into the forest, shoulders squared and chin held high. This time her footsteps were not heard.

Anzu turned to the door in front of her. It was similar to the one Zoldycks, an old assassin family they had (supposedly) copied things from, had. That's what the servants said to her with hushed voices, at least. Her dad once had mentioned that the first gate weighted 2 tons, but she didn't remember if it was the weight of the Neonville's door or the Zoldycks'. Maybe he didn't know himself.

Anzu shook her head, she had no time to ponder on useless things. Repositioning Mana on her back, the awake twin placed her palms on the hard stone and pressed with all her strength, including the little Nen knowledge she had. Six out of the seven doors opened almost immediately and Anzu was moderately satisfied, if a little winded. And yet, again, something didn't add up.

Yeah, amazing, I can move all that and stuff. It didn't feel like the 128 tons it was supposed to be, though. It was far too light to reach the triple digits dad had bragged about so much. It was more like 12, if you ask me.

/Hn, that old man was probably deceived. Doesn't surprise me, he never really did things like they were supposed to be./

Yes, yes, our old man can't do things correctly, let's leave it at that. But, more importantly, if my assumption is correct, I can move 12 tons without problem.

/WE can move 12 tons without problem, you mean./

Yes, yes, stop boasting, it's my body, my ability. Now, what should we do?

/How about we try the Hunter Exams? It sounds fun, it's dangerous, we can maybe find a friend or two, a place and a job for us and Mana, and a way to test our power./

And return our memories, maybe.

The voice didn't reply, but Anzu was sure it was pursing its voice-ly lips. They both knew that the memories Anzu was searching for were a touchy subject.

Mana and Anzu knew they were born and raised here, as assassins, poor copies of the Zoldycks' genius mastery of the arts of killing. However both knew something was missing, even if they remembered only bits and pieces of something else. They just didn't have the resolve to try to remember, as the voices always talked them out of it.

But not now. Now that Anzu made the big step, now that she escaped this, no one was going to stop her from finding out the truth the voices were so desperately trying to cover, and no one was even going to try to think about stopping her from making a future for Mana. She wasn't sad or scared that they were running away from the place they had called their home since they remembered being born.

The twin walked forward with confident steps, ignoring the desperate want of her entire body to start shivering from fright. She wasn't going to be afraid of the world she so desperately wanted to live in. That would be such a waste of life.

Anzu was pretty sure the voice just shook its imaginary voicy head in exasperation, but didn't comment. It was a mutual agreement not to consider questioning each other's motives seriously. They were, after all, one and the same. It would be bad if they didn't agree on something.

The girl heard the heavy doors slam heavily behind her. It sounded like they were no longer welcome there. She sighed in relief, shoulders sagging. Somehow, however (she heavily suspected the voice), a memory popped in her head.

'We are assassins and you know it very well; to us, the target is our life. If you leave the house without a clear goal, without a target whose life to end, then there is no point of being outside at all.', echoed Mana and Anzu's mentor's words. At that time, they were six, and both of them nearly idolized the old man. When he had said that particular line, they took it nearly as God's word, not searching for any purpose in life other than killing. The voice, which had appeared far more irregularly and not nearly as often as now, had snorted and called it an old fart's delusional ideals. Anzu had, as always, ignored it, thinking it to be just a crude pop-up thought that had no meaning. Ironically, that quote was the main reason they stayed with their father – these were the words that had formed their simple world. However, now it didn't matter. Now they had a purpose beyond the walls that had always caged them, and damn Anzu's soul if she wasn't making her life worthy now that she was free.

She looked around and felt her gut wrench when she fully realized that she was running away, finally seeing the world both of them had never seen before. Her footsteps were raising dust from the ground every time they hit it, but she didn't care. Mana and Anzu were free, finally. And the older twin wasn't going to leave this freedom get away from them. But first things first…

"Now," She said aloud to the voice, smirking slightly and finally managing to calm her shaking hands and legs, "Just how difficult to take is the famous Hunter Exam, I wonder?"