Chapter I: Flowers x Poison

I stare up at the drifting clouds as I lean back in my chair, lounging. It was a rather boring day, so no customers and not even one slowing down to examine my many items scattered across my table covered with a velvet cloth. Even though the streets remained busy, clustered, and forever moving, all in a hurry to get to unknown destinations.

Being a vendor on the street meant you got to look at a lot of interesting faces, whether they were foreigners or locals in the area that you see every so often. Especially in the ever so busy city of Yorknew where I decided to make shop while the auctions took place over the timespan of a week or maybe more. Then once the auctions were over, I would be moving again.

A sigh escapes my lips as I think, 'but my items probably don't provoke much interest compared to the other people's table here... Well, people that aren't intelligent enough to know how exactly rare my items were…. Just proves people don't know anything nowadays.' I sit up in my chair, propping my head up in my hand as my elbow hits the table, in boredom as I look at all the flowers, plants, herbs, and silks I was selling.

The silks being on a separate table than the plants. As I think back on the silks, they were just given to me on my last journey as a free gift. The man in one of the villages I was staying at temporarily, kept pushing silks my way telling me to keep them and possibly think about marrying him in the near future. Like hell I would, he was twice my age, and his teeth were decaying. I was probably the only woman that man had seen in the last twenty years and just proves how desperate he was.

I strum my fingers against my face. Well, I did take the gift because it was free but I was a woman who rarely wore silks. So now I was stuck with trying to get rid of them, but I doubt I would be able to by the time this little trip is over. Perhaps if I start giving the silks away for free to whoever buys one of the plants or flowers. Yes...That seems like a good idea.

I was no interesting hunter in the sense of being a blacklist hunter or beast hunter, I was a simple botanical hunter, a plant hunter. So that was what I was selling. Plants, flowers, and the such being my specialty. I traveled a lot for this sort of job and also took a fair share amount of research and logging. I knew very few people who also shared the same interest as me. Mostly women were botanical hunters and very few men were from what I have seen since starting the job.

All the plants on the table I had were unique and rare, gathered from different cities and sometimes countries. Some meant to heal wounds or make you last longer in bed while others were meant to harm or even possibly kill somebody. Though I made sure to tell uneducated people about how deadly some of these plants were. I don't want them to be mistaken by their beauty like most are. I look at the white and black flowers produced by the Slit plant in particular.

Although, its flowers were beautiful, underneath the soil where the roots grew was where the poison grew. The village I acquired the plant from was from a rural area. They grew in clusters, and every villager knew of its dangers and often got rid of them, therefore making them rare. Even the petals of the flowers cause irritation to the skin and would make someone break out into hives. I had to be careful when digging it up from the ground.

As I reminisce about the past of acquiring such plant, I failed to notice a customer had slowed his steps and finally stopped in his tracks. His gray and hollow eyes were examining everything with interest. He startles me because I had failed to notice him making me jump slightly. Usually, I was very aware of my surroundings even if I started daydreaming and it bothered me that I failed to notice his entire presence altogether.

I blink at him, questioning who this man was as I stare at his strange appearance and attire. His black hair is slicked back with gel revealing a cross that was tattooed to his forehead, and he wears a long trench coat with fur lining and a black and white shirt underneath. He is silent as he studies everything and he simply ignores me at first. Though my eyes zone in on the cross, getting reminded of the religious village where people often bore the mark on their forehead with confidence.

Was he from there...no no no. That village was wiped out a few years back for unknown reasons causing my own village to flee from its spot in fear they would be next. Luckily, there was someone with nen who could predict the future...and they were accurate. If we didn't have him in our village, we could have been the next village to be destroyed. Though, I found it wrong for the village people not to warn their clan ahead of time to prepare for the attack. They were probably still angry about that stupid arranged marriage that was supposed to cause an alliance between our two villages that got destroyed because of that boy's unforeseen death. I mean it wasn't his fault...he died.

Finally, I say something, feeling nervous for some reason "Are you looking for something in particular or...are you just browsing?"

His gray orbs that were studying everything lift from the table to look at me. The corner of his lips, curve ever so slightly. He then replies to me with honesty, not bothering to word it any differently "A poison. The best one you have. I was told that you sell them...by a companion of mine."

I am slightly taken aback, but he wasn't the only strange one I had ever since I set up shop a few days ago. I also had a small very unfriendly fellow buying a bunch of poisons and the like. I wonder if that had been the companion he spoke of. He even stole some extras which I didn't bother chasing after him. He too had that aura about him that told me if I did go after him, I would be killed. Just like this man in front of me...he was dangerous.

I straighten my back before smirking but that doesn't ease my nerves, something about his presence made my skin crawl. I reply "Then that would be this here." I tap the side of the Slit plant I was thinking about earlier. I then state trying to get extra money out of him cause I lost some earlier, "Though, it's going to cost you."

He only smiles slightly, and he says "Money isn't a problem…Though I will not bother to buy from somebody who is obviously trying to scam me." There is a glint in his eyes that tell me to not try any funny business or I will regret it. I feel a trickle of sweat run down my cheek, but I try and not let my nerves show.

I stand up from my chair, and I ask "You want just the poison correct? Not the flower..."

He shuts his eyes briefly, clearly relaxed but not all the way. He replies having his hands in his coat pocket "Correct."

I lean down, pulling open a case before taking out a small baggie with the label 'Slit.' I place it on the table in front of him, and I say "A tenth of a milligram will completely paralyze a whale. So be careful how you use it. Though I'm not going to bother to ask why you want it in the first place."

He stares down at the baggy with interest before his eyes drift back up towards me "Is that so…and its smart of you to not ask such questions." He then asks me with a hint of sarcasm "Though you do know it's illegal to be selling such things in the open? Poison like this is equivalent to selling drugs."

I sit back down in the metal seat, and I smirk slightly, though I don't bother to answer his earlier question. Whether or not I knew it was illegal to be selling this type of poison. The answer was, I did know, and I simply didn't care. No one so far has bothered to rat me out, well the ones who do know about the poisons. I didn't tell every pedestrian about the risks of certain plants, just that it causes irritation to the skin and then they wanted nothing to do with it.

"The total is 10,000 jenny," I state not trying to scam him or anything and being fair with my prices.

His eyes remain unwavering from mine, and he stares me down as if thinking something, his eyes chilling. Then finally a soft sigh escapes his lips, and he reaches into his pockets. I wonder what he was thinking just now...His eyes were cold. I purse my lips as I look at the man in front of, my nerves still on edge, and the brief silence felt even eerier.

Not long after he digs into his pockets he drops down a sack full of coins, I can tell by the clattering inside the bag. I smile dragging the sack towards me, and I say being chipper than ever "Pleasure doing business with you sir."

He stares me down, seemingly pissed he had to pay that much money though I was being nice here. I didn't try and up my normal prices. He then reaches out grabbing the poison and pocketing it, and before he gets a chance to leave and turn on his heel, I say "Wait, hold on."

He gives me another cold look as he stops and turns to look at me, craning his neck to do so, his full lips pulling down in a frown. He watches as I stand up from my chair and I grab a black colored silk from the table. I pick it up and hold it out towards him. "Here take this. I promised with every sale I made I would be giving one of these out for free. I'm sure you have a lover or somebody that would appreciate it."

He stares at it with uncertainty before taking it from my grasp and examining it. He is quiet before all he says is "I'm sure I can find a good use for it…" He grins slightly leaving me confused about his words, and that is when he takes his leave, blending in with the crowd. I blink at him before I release a sigh that was being held within me for a while.

'What a strange fellow' I think, but I don't get much time to myself as I see an old woman approach the table and I smile as I focus on the next customer.

…

…

Once night had fallen, I found myself packing up and heading towards my nearby hotel I had been staying at. It was nothing fancy, yet I find myself thoroughly enjoying my stay. Between the breakfasts cooked every morning at 6am-9am in the lobby, the vending machines filled with munchy snacks and sugary drinks, and not to mention the softest and most comfortable beds in the world.

Compared to the rural areas I have been visiting, going to each village to the next, the city and its beds felt amazing. Even I myself grew up in a village and even though I find it boring I still did most of my work in them, that and mountains and forests. I grew up in a small village...a village where everybody knew everybody and if you left you be forever outcasted. That was a given.

So I guess when I left years ago to become a hunter I was forever outcasted by then, I can only imagine what kind of names they called me because I left them but there was nothing there for me anymore. My village would never accept me back in it, that was a fact. Though I normally try and not think about things like that. It was bad for my brain and mental health. I had moved on long ago from that. At least I wasn't stuck in some crappy village.

As I make my way through the city streets, holding on carefully to the tray of assorted plants and flowers I hear footsteps behind me. They were light and barely audible, as if not wanting to be heard. I feel my fingers curling underneath the tray in my arms, and I wonder if it was money they wanted. I glance towards my purse with the sack full of coins that man given me earlier today and what little money that old woman had given me when she bought a few assorted roses.

Obviously, I wouldn't be giving up my money or anything on me. I frown, my eyes narrowing as the footsteps grow closer. Then I turn around to face them, my face growing stern. Once I turn, the figures immediately hide in different places, one behind a dumpster, one in an alley, and the other quickly bounced themselves on top of one of the roofs. Their movements were obviously quick enough for my eyes to barely be following them.

I glare, but I don't say anything, there intent obviously malicious if they forced themselves to hide once I turned around. I then say bravely "What do you want?" Of course, no answer comes from the three of them, and when my eyes dart to the three locations, I find myself backing up.

'Should I make a run for it? Or fight them?' I think briefly in my head but when I step back my back collides into a hard chest and immediately that triggers the fight in me. I drop what is in my hand, some of the flower pots breaking upon hitting the pavement and I go to swing at the person behind me as I quickly turn around. Instantly they catch my forearm, having no problem stopping the movement and they apply slight pressure.

'Should I use my nen?' I think next and as I stare into a pair of familiar gray orbs that appear to not have any life or emotion to them. My face crinkles and immediately he says ignoring the fact I almost hit him "So. We meet again, Miss."

"What do you want?" I bark out quickly knowing it was him and his buddies who planned on attacking me, probably from the start. He probably wanted his money back or something. I knew he was strange when I first met him a couple hours ago, now I'm getting dragged into his business by force.

He smirks slightly "I want nothing in particular. Though, I'm interested in one thing that I'm hoping you can explain to me." He reaches out towards me with his free hand, and immediately I flare my ren getting ready to attack, deciding I had no other choice, but as quickly as I do I hear footsteps behind me.

A mellow sounding voice mutters from behind me, "Boss. Shouldn't we just kill her?"

Another one also speaks this time a woman with an elegant sounding voice "Yes. You said if she instigates an attack that we should-"

The man they called their boss then orders, his eyes lifting towards them "Enough. We will not kill her. Plans have changed.." With that order, they quiet down, and he grabs the front of my shirt, his eyes lowering down to me again. I glare at him not knowing what he wanted to know and I'm left in a dilemma if I should really start a fight. I couldn't take the four of them... all at once.

He pulls the front of my shirt down, exposing my collarbone and his eyes fall on the skin exposed to him. He asks, not bothered by my aura in the slightest "This Tattoo. Where did you get it?"

I decide honesty is my best bet here and I reply my eyes glancing downs the s-shaped birthmark, resembling a snake "My village... I was born with it really. It's more like a birthmark rather than a tattoo."

His eyes light up with interest, and he mutters to himself in thought "Your village? And where is it located now?"

I get silent. Pursing my lips as I stare at him. Not going to give up such answers so easily. I mean who would? He's a sketchy guy, and even though my village has its fair share amount of assholes in it, I still didn't want my parents to die if that was his intentions. Since it might be possible he was a survivor of that religious village and wanted to take revenge because we had known the truth and didn't warn any of them ahead of time.

He only signs to this "You're going to be stubborn about this. Aren't you?" My silence answers him, and he lets me go, and he states "Then you leave me no other choice." He begins to walk away, revealing a saint peter's cross on the back of his trench coat.

He then orders, "Capture her and bring her back to the base." With that I decide to fight, I quickly make my moves. I drop to the ground and slam my hands on the pavement, and with the help of my Hatsu, the pavement cracks all the way to the three attackers. They are thrown off balance at first causing their leader to stop in his tracks.

With the now cracked pavement, I grin. And vines wrap around their legs. The two men sneer, while the woman has a look of surprise. With their movements temporarily stopped I make a run for it. Darting down an alley. My movements are quick, but it seems their leader's movements were too.

I hear him running behind me, his movements nearly as fast as mine. When I turn to look behind me, he is no longer there, and my heart drops. That means if he isn't' there that means he's...I quickly whip my head around to stare in front of me and when I do I crash into him terribly.

My nose smashes against his chest, making the blood run down my face but he seems to barely move when I crash into him. My purse slips down my arm before hitting the ground as I go to hold on to my nose but he doesn't take long to restrain me. He immediately takes advantage of my dizzied state, and he pushes me up against an alley wall, holding my arms tightly behind my back.

Not long after, I feel a soft silk-like material brushing against my skin, and he says while binding my wrists "I told you I would find a purpose for this…" As the blood from my nose runs down my face, it also gets into my mouth, and I spit the blood on to one of his boots, turning my head to do so.

He doesn't seem bothered by it, his face unfazed. He only grabs my shoulder and whispers into my ear, his tone sending shivers down my spine "You're my prisoner now. So choose your actions wisely….My patience can be very limited." With the subtle threat, he pushes me forward, and his three followers catch up to us eventually breaking free of the vines I placed around their ankles.

That was a powerful nen binding ability, I can't believe they just broke out of it in less than three minutes. As my confidence downs, all this man orders is "Bring her back to the base. Make sure she doesn't escape. I have questions for her that I want to hear myself. No one is to touch her but me. Are we clear?"

"Yes Dancho." they say not denying his orders, and one of them grabs me, pushing me towards wherever this 'base' was. Leaving me thinking, that I'd rather be working in one of the villages than the city right about now. It was a terrible mistake coming to Yorknew. Though in the end, it might be worth it...

Authors Note: So I wasn't going to upload chapter one so soon but I couldn't help myself. The chapter was kinda shorter than I wanted, but I promise the next few will be longer.

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