Kyandi: Hey, Kyandiacs!
Sinthe: We return bearing a chapter.
Kyandi: A chapter I, personally, love the ending of.
Sinthe: Of course, you do.
Kyandi: I'm sure my readers might enjoy it too.
Sinthe: We shall see, we shall see.
Kyandi: Right, so I'm going to get on with this. I have more chapters to write.
Sinthe: Of course you do.
Kyandi: So, everyone, please, enjoy and review.
Sinthe: Kyandi-sama does not own Hunter X Hunter.
Chapter 6 Parting Ways
All of the other candidates, save Killua and Hisoka, and even Gitarakuru, stood in surprise, staring at Sinthe.
The person they had all just assumed was a male, but really was female, stood just a little below average height for a young girl at five foot, five, making her just a few inches shorter than Kurapika. Her body was modestly curved and thin, but lean and slightly muscled. She obviously had seen her fair share of training and fighting. The pink locks of hair fell in waves to her thin waist, chin length bangs parted in the middle to curl around a face with sharp cheekbones, a straight nose, full lips, and long lashed eyes. Her eyes were half lidded, giving her regal face a somewhat cold, distant, and thoughtful look.
She had clad her body in a black tube top with an open front, sleeveless, cream colored shirt over it that was open from the hallow of her throat, down to her belly button, and tight, low slung and very short, black shorts. She had paired it with a pair of thigh-high, crimson red stockings, knee-high boots, and fingerless gloves that matched the stockings in color. The multi-colored hood turned out to be part of a long and wide, multi-colored scarf that was wrapped around her neck and shoulders and tied in a large bow in the back. None of them had noticed, but bells hung from the trailing ends of the scarf. It was only now that they saw them, that any of them heard the subtle chiming of the bells.
Ruby, tear-drop earrings hung from her ear lobs, two more piercings following suit. She obviously liked the color red, for a small, red bow decorated her hair just over her left ear. She was a pretty, young woman, but all eyes were drawn to two things and two things only.
The first was a brand, burned into the skin just on the left side of her belly button, a spot on the right side of the belly button, patched up with a bandage. The old scar took the shape of a circle with what looked like a heart and an upside down heart inside, the two lines and dot letter symbol for "shi" in the very center. Pretty much everyone in the room knew what the brand stood for.
In their world existed a clan of born and breed monsters; the Joelle Clan. The clan was known to for producing one cold blooded killer after another. Each member of the clan had the touch of the devil in them. They were a bloody, cold and uncaring, would-kill-anyone-at-anytime, kind of people who thrived in inducing as much pain as possible in their prey before killing them.
The second thing they noticed, was her eyes...which were two different colors. The left eye was a very pale, blue-purple in color and stood out greatly when compared to the vivid yellow-gold of her right. It was like she had a gem for a left eye and a piece of melted down gold for the right.
When one added together the brand of the Joelle Clan and the mismatched eyes, they knew exactly who this girl was. Hanzo took a step back from her, sweat forming a shining layer on his forehead. Sinthe locked her eyes on him, making him take another step back from her as the intensity of her gaze locked in on his eyes.
"The Joelle Clan symbol...mismatched eyes...I know who you are. You're Devil Child Joelle! The monster born of the clan of monsters, capable of bring down her own clansmen even when out numbered fifty to one. Named for the sign of evil in the form of her mismatched eyes." Hanzo declared.
Sinthe heaved a sigh as she shook her head. Her hands went to her hips then. She looked a little put out, as if something was causing a headache to form.
"First and foremost, no, I will not deny that I am the one they call Devil Child Joelle, but that is not a name I am fond of. My name is Absinthe Joelle. I prefer Sinthe, thank you." Sinthe said, shifting her arms to fold them over her chest. "Secondly, you know, there are two things wrong with what you just said. For one, it's not like I'm possessed or something, just because my eyes don't match in color. It's a genetic mutation called a Heterochromia. Scientifically proven and explained, as I constantly tell everyone, my clan mates included. I resent the accusation that I am demon possessed because of it." Sinthe said calmly, as if she was simply talking about the weather.
She had a point though. It was no more a demon possession than it was with Kurapika when his eyes turned red. It was just something she had been born with. But it did nothing to make Hanzo feel any less creeped out than he already was. The rumors that proceeded her, were just too much.
"As for the second point...you are wrong in your assumption that the only reason I was dubbed Devil Child Joelle was simply because of my eyes. The reason was that when I was I mere child of four and use to train with or play with the older children of my clan, I had an unfortunate tendency...of being just a tad too rough." Sinthe said, pressing her finger tips together and rocking back onto one foot. "It was not my intention but what is done is done."
Sinthe spread her hands. It had not been her fault, she swore it. She had not known that she was stronger than the children, and when she had hurt them and their parents had turned on her...it had merely been an act of self defense that had led her to lash out. She had apologized, of course, but at six, she had badly hurt the grandson of a clan elder when he had allowed her to play with him and his friends. They had been in their mid-teens, and so sure she couldn't hurt them. Twenty minutes had proved them horribly wrong.
Of course, as she had gotten older, her strength had even out, becoming close to normal. That is, until her brother had taken over her training, but the rumors were already out there.
"You really are of the Joelle Clan if you can write it off so easily." Hanzo remarked.
"My, how prejudiced of you. I never said I wrote it off. My past most certainly plays a part in who I am today, but there is no point in fretting over something that is already over and done with. It isn't like I can change it now. And I paid for my transgressions." Sinthe said simply.
A logical and clear headed view on the world. She was obviously level headed and carefully thought about things. In no rush to form an opinion or make a decision. Perfectly patient in how she approached the world.
She had to be given some of the people her brother called friends.
"That is true." Hanzo admitted. "And we aren't so different, you and I."
Sinthe actually raised her eyes to look at him then, crossing her arms and jutting out one hip.
"There are several differences between ninjas and the "shadow warriors" of the Joelle Clan. I would have thought that a ninja such as you, would know that." Sinthe retorted.
Hanzo grimaced and looked away from her, scratching one cheek. He obviously didn't like being caught in a blunder like that. Sinthe, though, was quick to forget it.
"None of this matters. I need my Hunter's license, so could we please return to the matter at hand. I am sure the others are ready to be done with their fights too." Sinthe said.
"I can't fight a woman!" Hanzo declared.
"Oh, how naive."
Before Hanzo could react, Sinthe was standing just behind him and to the side, as if she had suddenly appeared there. In a fluid and quick motion, Sinthe kicked backwards, taking out Hanzo's knee. Hanzo tumbled backwards and Sinthe reached back, pressing a hand to his face. With a simple little shove from her hand...Sinthe bounced his head off the floor with a loud, resounding crack. It looked almost like she had bounced a bouncy ball off of the floor. Sinthe strolled away from him as he gripped his bleeding head.
"Man or woman, it shouldn't matter in a fight. All that matters is that I am just as capable of hurting you as you are of hurting me." Sinthe told him, turning to look at him. "Then again, if you refuse to fight a girl, then that would mean I am more capable of hurting you than you are of me. That naive way of thinking it exactly why I hid the fact that I am female."
"How'd you move so fast?" Hanzo demanded, getting to one knee.
Sinthe suddenly appeared in front of him, her face just inches from his, her eyes bearing down into his. The next moment, Sinthe kicked him in the gut, knocking him back onto his back, her booted heel stomping down on his gut.
"It's a rather simple technique, you know. I am sure if you bothered actually paying attention, that you could figure it out. That you haven't already, after seeing it twice...you're eyes must not be all that sharp." Sinthe told him.
Hanzo, angry, seized her ankle and toppled her, jumping back to his feet. Appearing unconcerned with the fact that her back was heading for a painful greeting from the floor, Sinthe let herself be knocked over, going with the flow of the fall. One hand went out, fingers pressing into the floor. With an upper body strength that was surprising in a girl of her size, she spun on the spot, sweeping her legs out to snag Hanzo's. While Sinthe flipped back onto her feet, Hanzo crashed back to the floor, completely reversing their positions.
Sinthe backed a few feet from him, shifting from one foot to another as if waiting for any kind of retaliation. Hanzo jumped back to his feet, attacking, but Sinthe glided out of his way easily, swaying as she moved. It almost looked like she was dancing, swaying to a beat they couldn't hear.
"It's like she dancing." Kurapika said in awe.
"Is she not taking this seriously?" Leorio asked.
"I don't think that's the case. The swaying movements make it difficult to guess what her next move will be." Kurapika said, watching her closely.
And he was right. Because of the swaying, it was hard to predict which way she would move next. It was almost like the drunken movements of someone with way too much alcohol in their system. It baffled Hanzo, who had a hard time tracking her movements, while she seemed able to read his very thoughts. With his next lunging attack, Sinthe bent in two, displaying a flexibility that seemed to be easier to obtain for the fairer sex. Hanzo, surprised, didn't see her leg until she wrapped it around his neck. Twisting, taking her hands completely out of the equation, Sinthe swept his legs out from under him, and twisted her body around his, until she had managed to pin him to the ground.
Hanzo hit the floor on his stomach, his arms twisted up in a painful way behind his back and pinned in place by Sinthe's full weight. She braced one foot so he couldn't topple her easily and shifted to make sure she had access to the majority of his lower back. If he twisted and tried to look over his shoulder, he would be greeted with only the view of her back side.
"Since you know so much about the Joelle Clan, can you tell me what they specialize in?" Sinthe questioned.
Hanzo tried to free himself but Sinthe obviously knew what she was doing. He was unable to so much as wiggle his arms free even an inch. When he tried to buck her off, she rode with his movement, and even drove the heel of her free foot, back into his head, pressing his cheek to the floor.
"I'm waiting." Sinthe said in a perfectly patient and calm voice.
"They specialize in the art of interrogation, in the art of torture." Hanzo answered.
"Do you know how?" she asked.
Hanzo didn't say anything, gritting his teeth. He knew, but he didn't want to admit what kind of position he was in right now. If her reputation really did proceed her, then he was in for a word of hurt.
"Fine, hold your tongue if you wish. I'll explain. From the time we are mere toddlers, we of the Joelle Clan are taught to memorize the inner make-up of a person. Where every vital organ is, every main artery and vein, what organs can be damaged or destroyed but not kill you instantly, how to damage a body for the maximum amount of pain while keeping you alive at the same time. We are even trained in techniques for staunching the flow of blood so you won't bleed out before we are done with you. It's actually a rather effective technique because everyone, no matter how much they've trained their bodies, has a pain threshold. It's just a matter of finding it and flirting with that line. I am a very patient person. Heralded as the most patient of my clan, and therefore, the most effective at the job. Shall we find your's?" Sinthe asked.
Hanzo stiffened up and tried to free himself again, but Sinthe wouldn't be budged. She simply sat there, waiting for him to give up and settle back down. When he finally did, she glanced back over her shoulder at him.
"You done? My grandfather is the leader of the Joelle Clan. He taught me this hold himself. You aren't going to budge me. That being said, I will hear your answer now...will you give up? I would rather not have to use the techniques of my clan, but I shall if I have to. As I said...I need this license, and now." Sinthe told him.
"I won't give up." Hanzo replied, making Sinthe heave a sigh.
"Normally, I value persistence in a man, but you are just being stubborn. As you told Gon earlier...it is not as if you could not win the next round, or the round after." Sinthe remarked.
"The same could be said to you." Hanzo replied.
He was starting to get very uncomfortable with the way she had his arms pinned. It was putting an awful lot of strain on his shoulders.
"Yes, you are correct, but what is that quaint little expression...oh, yes. Ladies first."
Hisoka chuckled from where he stood. He was sure that, as a female herself, there was at least one person in the room cheering for Sinthe. A.k.a Menchi. He was also sure that it was something she used against her brother and the male members of the Phantom Troupe. She certainly used it with him.
"And if I was to concede this match to you, that could possibly put me up against Killua. I am rather fond of that boy and would like to avoid friendly fire if I can. I will admit that I would be unable to win against him." Sinthe added.
Killua raised his head to look at her, but she wasn't even glancing in his direction. Hanzo shifted to try to look at her face, but was unable to manage it.
"He too strong for you?" Hanzo said, trying to be mocking.
"That is not the reason, though I do not doubt Killua's abilities despite his age. I merely value loyalty above all else. It is a priceless commodity in my world. Even an assassin needs absolute loyalty from those they choose to be close to them. Killua has my loyalty, meaning that I would allow certain liberties to him as one I favor. You, on the other hand...I owe nothing to you." Sinthe replied.
Sinthe reached back then, pulling a wickedly sharp knife from her boot that couldn't be anything but a Benz knife. Hanzo's eyes locked on the blade until it vanished from his line of sight. The next second, he felt the sharp tip against his back, moving slowly, the pressure just enough for him to feel the sharp tip through his shirt.
"I do not like to repeat myself, but I shall give you one last chance. Concede." Sinthe told him.
"No." Hanzo said, instantly.
"Very well."
Hanzo barely bit back a cry of pain when he felt the searing pain of the blade piercing his skin. She paused for a moment, as if asking if he gave but Hanzo shook his head fiercely. There was another piercing pain, this time right at his kidneys, wrenching a noise of pain from him. The next two times he denied her, she targeted the most painful spots she could from his back. From where they stood, the other candidates couldn't see what Sinthe was doing, just watched as she idly worked, her chin resting in her free hand.
Hanzo, though, was pretty sure that at this rate, he really could die. While it would disqualify her, she could always come back next year. He would just be dead. He could feel her getting ready for another strike. Mustering what strength he had, he bucked once more, twisting at the same time. Straight faced, but her eyebrows raising in mild surprise at his remaining strength, Sinthe allowed herself to be knocked to the side. Placing a hand on the floor, she flipped herself over and away from him. She slid a few feet before coming to a stop on one knee.
"You're insane!" Hanzo snapped, getting shakily to his feet.
Sinthe raised one eyebrow as she looked over at him. In one hand, she dangled the knife she had removed from her boot...without a single drop of blood on it.
"Why would you say that? I never once cut you." she told him, rocking the knife back and forth.
Hanzo reached back, feeling along his back. There wasn't a single cut to be found, but he was sure he had felt the knife pierce his skin. If it hadn't then how had she dealt the pain he felt? It honestly had felt like he was being stabbed.
"You will have a few, small bruises, but you will live." Sinthe told him, swinging the knife back and forth in her hand.
"How did you do that?" Hanzo asked.
"Trade secret." Sinthe replied, returning the knife to her boot. "Let's just say...I'm good with my hands."
Sinthe held up her hands and wiggled the fingers. Hanzo growled before charging her. Sinthe easily flipped out of his way, her hand flicking in his direction, almost as if she was dismissing him. But that wasn't the case, as he soon found out. Darting around him with her superior speed and reflexes, Hanzo didn't realize what she had done, until she darted in at his back and landed a kick right to his lower back. Hanzo felt his knees buckle before they hit the ground. Then he felt the tightening of wires around his person before she shoved a heeled foot into the middle of his back.
Hanzo was forced to bow his back as the wires he couldn't see, tightened, some tugging just under his chin to make him bend backwards as her foot pressed on his back. He was able to see Sinthe's distant and impassive face in this position as she held the wires wrapped around her left hand. Hanzo could just barely make them out in the light of the room. They were thin, but apparently very strong.
"Breaking arms is effective. The least amount of damage but effective enough to put a person out of a fight for a while. People need their arms, but can survive without them. Now the back, is completely different. And I know exactly how to break a person's back to leave them wheelchair bound but alive." Sinthe told him.
Hanzo's eyes went wide. Her eyes were devoid of emotion, her face impassive. He had the sickening feeling deep in his gut that she would actually do it. She would break his back, ruin his life if he didn't give her what she wanted. And she would do so without any qualms.
"So I will ask...concede." Sinthe ordered.
When he didn't reply instantly she tugged harder on the wires while adding more pressure to his back with her foot. Hanzo couldn't hold back the noise of pain as his spine was forced to bend in a way it never had before.
"I wonder...given your current position, which do you think will be the first to break? Your back or your neck? Should we find out?" Sinthe asked.
"Just what kind of a girl are you!?" Hanzo demanded.
"One that was raised to do what she must to get what she needs. One raised to know exactly what she wants and how to get it and not take no for an answer. I won't ask again." Sinthe replied.
Hanzo knew there was no way out of this. The wires were too strong, holding his arms captive to his sides. His body would give before her persistence did.
"I give." he finally conceded.
"Thank you." Sinthe said in reply, uncurling two fingers so the wires would slip through.
The wires around him loosened and with a tug from her, completely unraveled from around his body. Hanzo caught himself with his hands braced on the floor. Sinthe stepped around him, wrapping the wires up and tucking them inside her glove.
"If you're going to bluff, you should learn the right way to do it. That was the right way." Sinthe told him.
Hanzo's head came up at her words, his eyes going wide. He looked up at her back as she resettled her glove, tugging idly to make sure it was in place.
"Bluff?" he asked.
Sinthe half turned back to look at him over her shoulder. She tugged on her scarf, forming a hood out of it's length once more.
"I know how to break a person's back, and, yes, I can do so, but there's a difference between actually wanting to go through all the effort and just bluffing about doing so." she told him. "Sorry, but I really just want to expand the least amount of energy as possible."
"You were bluffing!?" Hanzo yelled.
Sinthe spread her hands in a "what can you do" kind of gesture and shrugged her shoulders. She didn't seem the least bit upset with the bluff.
"Here's a bit of advice for you...women are deceptive creatures by nature. Joelle women are doubly so and my brother raised me to be triple that. Always assume that at least half of what they do in battle, or life in general, is deception." Sinthe told him before yanking her hood up. "If not all of what they do. You definitely shouldn't trust a Joelle woman."
She returned to her place, then, on the other side of Killua from Leorio and Kurapika and tugged the hood forward to cast her face in shadows once more. She accepted her bag back from Killua with a thanks, hanging it from one shoulder. She was announced the winner of her match and that Hanzo would move on to the next round to fight Pokkuru. Hisoka chuckled, making Sinthe give him a stern look.
The match between Hanzo and Pokkuru went about the same way as Hanzo's match with Gon, but Pokkuru quickly admitted defeat and they moved on to the next match. Hisoka verses Bodoro. It was obvious from the very start that Bodoro was no match for Hisoka, but he just wouldn't give up. Hisoka laid him out easily before bending to whisper something to the older man. The moment Hisoka straightened up and walked away, Bodoro admitted his defeat.
When the next match was announced, Sinthe knew it would be decided in just a spare minute, and not because one person was stronger than the other. The match pit Pokkuru against Killua. The moment it started, Killua declared that it wouldn't be any fun for him to fight against Pokkuru and he forfeited the match to the other candidate.
The next match was suppose to be Leorio verses Bodoro, but Leorio appealed to the examiners to move on to the next match in order to give Bodoro a chance to rest and see to his wounds. So the match between Killua and Gittarakuru was announced. Sinthe looked down at Killua at her side.
"Best of luck, Killua." she told him.
"Yeah, thanks." Killua replied, heading out to meet the needle covered man.
Sinthe knew Killua would need luck, simply because of who Gittarakuru really was. She didn't think Killua would fair too well when he found out. He never would have believed her if she had told him before hand, either.
The two faced each other and the match was started.
"It's been a long time, Killua." Gittarakuru said.
Killua raised an eyebrow, wondering why Gittarakuru was talking like he had met him before. As far as Killua knew, he had never met this needle riddled menace before. Reaching up, Gittarakuru started removing the needles in his head and face. Before their eyes, his face and head shifted, taking a new shape, and his hair grew out and changed color. Leorio and Kurapika were a little unsettled, watching the change, but Sinthe tilted her head to the side, completely intrigued. She always found it intriguing to watch the change.
Killua's eyes widened, his whole attitude changing when the shifting stopped and revealed Gittarakuru to be his oldest brother, Illumi. A cold sweat broke out over Killua's body as he faced his brother.
"Mum and Milluki told me you've hit them?" Illumi asked.
"You could say it like that." Killua replied.
"Mum was crying." Illumi informed him.
"Obviously! A mother that suffers of this from her own son-"
"I highly doubt that's the case here." Sinthe remarked, cutting off Leorio.
"She was confused. "Succeeding in educating that way gives me such pleasure"." Illumi said, quoting his mother.
Leorio fell over himself in disbelief. Just what kind of family was it that Killua's mother was pleased with having Killua attack her?
"I told you so." Sinthe said.
She shrugged when Leorio looked at her. If he had grown up in a life like the one she had had, he wouldn't be so surprised by the way Killua's family worked.
""But I'm worried to see him leave right now"...After thinking a lot, she called me. It's an unexpected meeting. She feared you'd like to be a Hunter. To tell you the truth, I also wanted an accreditation for my next work." Illumi went on.
"I don't especially want to be a Hunter. I just wanted to try the exam." Killua replied.
"That's reassuring. So I can talk to you openly. You won't become a Hunter. Because your vocation is to be a killer. You're just a dark puppet, passionless. Inside you, you have no passion, nor desire. You feed yourself with shadow, and the only pleasure you can feel comes from the death of people. You're just as we taught you, Father and I." Illumi told Killua.
Sinthe, before Chrollo had take her in, had always been told something similar by her grandfather. The man had taught her, over those first few years, that she would be nothing more than a tool he would use to further the clan's place in the world. Of course, Sinthe no longer believed his words to be true and didn't care about them.
"What were you expecting in becoming a Hunter?" Illumi asked his brother.
"It's not that I wanted to become a Hunter that lead me here. But there's something I'd like to have." Killua answered.
"No, there isn't anything." Illumi retorted.
"Yes, there's something!" Killua snapped.
"Pff! So tell it to me! What would you want?" Illumi asked. "Well?"
Killua didn't answer right away, his gaze focused on the ground. Illumi stared down at him.
"There's nothing, is there?" Illumi asked.
"There is! I want...I want to become friends with Gon. I'm fed up with killing. I just want...to become friends with Gon. I want to have fun, like a normal kid." Killua said.
"That's impossible! You can't make people be your friends. The only judgment you're able to pass on a human is to know if you can kill him or not. Because that's what we taught you. You're amazed by Gon. You're always together, aren't you? This has nothing to do with being friends." Illumi said.
"That's false." Killua insisted.
"If you stay close to him, one day, you'll want to kill him. Because you'll ask yourself if you're able to kill him or not. Because you're a natural born killer." Illumi said.
Leorio, fed up with hearing Illumi say such things to his little brother, spoke up.
"Killua! Even if it's your friends or anyone else, I don't know, but I'm gonna tell you...he's just an idiot, a dumbass that understands nothing at all! Go on! Burst him like you usually do, and pass the exam! You want to become friends with Gon? So don't fall asleep! You get along well, and you are friends, aren't you!? And I'm sure Gon feels the same way!" Leorio yelled.
"Really?" Illumi asked.
"That's obvious! Idiot!" Leorio snapped back.
"That bothers me...if the other one already thinks he's his friend. I know! I'll just have to kill Gon." Illumi said.
Sinthe knew it to be a bluff. She knew Illumi a little better than that. There were several reasons why Illumi couldn't, and wouldn't, kill Gon. Killua, on the other hand, was effected by his brother's words. Especially when Illumi had needles in his hand, and started heading for the door.
"Killers don't need friends. Because they're always in the way. Where is he?" Illumi asked.
One official stepped forward to stop him, since the exam wasn't over, and Illumi flicked his hand, three needles burying themselves in the man's face. The man's features began to, painfully, distort.
"So?" Illumi asked.
"Resting room...two...next..."
Illumi didn't need to hear anymore. He turned away from the man, only to find more officials blocking the door with Leorio, Hanzo, Kurapika, and even Sinthe, blocking the actual door. Sinthe actually liked Gon. The boy was cheerful and honest, and truly seemed to be a great friend to Killua. And Killua was happy with him around. That was reason enough for Sinthe to step in the way.
"Damn it! If only I didn't need this certificate for my next work...If I kill them here, I'll be disqualified and Killua will automatically pass. I was going to make a mistake. Because if I kill Gon, the result will be the same. Yes. I know! I'll start with passing the exam and then I'll kill Gon!" Illumi said, before turning to face Netero. "Doing it this way, even if I kill everyone here, my title can't be taken back, can it?"
"No. No special rule allows that." Netero replied.
Illumi turned to his brother then, who was visibly sweating by this moment. This was part of the reason why Sinthe was glad her brother wasn't like this. In families like hers and Killua's, having someone, like a sibling, who knew them better than anyone else, was a dangerous thing. Especially when that person would take any chance to use that against them. Chrollo adored his sister too much to manipulate her like Illumi did with Killua.
"Did you hear, Killua? If you don't win against me, you won't be able to save Gon. Will you be able to fight for friendship? No, you can't. The reason is simple: more than the friendship, what matters is if here and now, you can defeat me or not." Illumi said, turning to walk towards Killua, making the younger boy stiffen up in fear. "You already have the answer. "With my strength, I can't beat my brother". "If you feel you can't beat him, don't confront him." I was the one who gave you that advice, do you remember?"
Killua, his eyes wide and obviously scared beyond belief, took a step towards his brother. Scared or not, he would fight for Gon's sake.
"Don't move." Illumi said, bringing Killua to a dead stop. "If you move even a tiny bit, I'll consider it to be the start of the fight. From the moment our bodies touch each other, the fight will begin. There's only one way to stop us. You understand? But...don't forget: if you don't confront me, your precious friend, Gon, will die."
Illumi's hand inched closer and closer to Killua. He felt like his heart was about to hammer it's way out of his chest, or stop altogether. He couldn't tell.
"Go on, Killua! Whatever happens, we won't let anyone get killed, not Gon, not you! Whatever he does, we'll stop him! Do what you want to do!" Leorio yelled to Killua.
Killua, though, didn't hear him. Just looking at Killua's eyes, Sinthe knew that the fight was already lost. He simply just couldn't fight against Illumi.
"Damn...I lost." Killua said.
Silence fell over the room as Killua stared at the floor. Sinthe took a step forward then, bringing attention to her, but she was focused on Illumi.
"He admitted his defeat. Don't you think it's time you stop lying and trying to mess with his head, Illumi? You took it too far." she demanded of Illumi.
Illumi turned to look at her. Though he couldn't see her face due to the shadow cast by the hood, he could hear the confidence in her tone and knew she could tell when he was bluffing. It was an ability he found annoying when she turned it on him. Though it would be simpler to just kill Gon and be done with it, Illumi wasn't going to do so. Sinthe knew this. Clapping his hands together, the air around Illumi changed.
"I do feel better! I'm done with the fights." Illumi said, turning to face Killua and clapping a hand down on his shoulder. "I lied to you, Killua, as she said. I have no intention of killing Gon! I only wanted to test you. Now I have what I wanted. You don't have the qualifications to make any friends. More so, you don't need any. You'll continue listening to what your father and I tell you. You only have to do your work correctly and everything will be okay. If someday it becomes necessary for you to pass this exam, I'll guide you. But now, that's not the case."
Illumi's eyes widened slightly when Sinthe suddenly appeared at his side, injecting herself between him and Killua. She laid a hand on Killua's shoulder, gently squeezing as she turned her head to look up at Illumi. This close to each other, Illumi could see past the shadows cast by the hood. He could make out the sharpness of mismatched eyes lurking in the shadows. Oddly enough, he felt compelled to remain perfectly still under that gaze. He knew her serious look and when Sinthe was serious, things got dark.
Literally.
Illumi watched as Killua allowed Sinthe to shield him from Illumi, Killua even taking an unconscious step closer to her side. In the span of the fourth phase, the two had obviously forged a friendship strong enough for Sinthe to rise to his defense and for Killua to find solace in her presence.
"I do believe that if he wants your guidance, let alone, your opinion, he'll ask for it. As he has not, perhaps you should keep both to yourself." Sinthe said. "And for your information, Illumi, I am his friend, too. Perhaps you should rethink your words before you pick a fight that could end rather badly for you."
The warning was clear in her tone as she turned without another word, and guided Killua away from Illumi and to Kurapika and Leorio. Illumi watched with surprise and interest. Most wouldn't stand up to him that way, and though Sinthe had, once or twice, in the past, normally she was rather laid back whenever her brother had anything to do with Illumi. He hadn't expected her to be ready to get in the middle of something involving two members of the Zoldyck family. Sinthe didn't seem the least bit concerned as long as it was in defense of a friend.
That was a Joelle clansman, alright.
No...that was the little sister of Chrollo Lucilfer.
Sinthe, Kurapika, and Leorio tried their hardest to talk to Killua but it was as if he had closed himself off to everything around him. All they could do was wait for him to want to talk. In the meantime, Leorio's match with Bodoro was to start. Sinthe stood beside Killua, watching as Leorio faced Bodoro. No sooner had the match started, Killua appeared behind Bodoro. Sinthe glanced down at her side and sure enough, the boy was gone. She turned quickly, ready to call out to Killua, but it was too late. The boy stabbed Bodoro right through the heart, instantly killing the old man.
Without a word from Killua, he was disqualified and the exam was ended. Killua didn't even glance at his friends as he turned and left. If it wasn't for the fact that she had to stay for a closing orientation, Sinthe would have gone after him. As it was, those remaining were ushered into a classroom styled hall. Each of them took a seat, Sinthe preferring the far back, as far from Illumi as possible. She still wasn't happy with him. Of course, the first topic of discussion was Killua's disqualification.
Naturally, as his friends, Kurapika and Leorio were against it. Even Sinthe added her two jenny worth to the conversation, even if it was only her agreeing with the two. Gon appeared then, throwing the door wide open. Sinthe, sitting the closest to the door, turned where she was sitting on the desk top, her legs and arms crossed. Gon, his arm bandaged and wrapped in a sling, glanced around the room until his eyes landed on Illumi.
Ignoring everyone else, Gon stormed down to where Illumi sat at the front of the room and stood there, glaring at him. Illumi didn't even acknowledge he stood there.
"Apologize to Killua." Gon demanded.
At this, Illumi finally turned to look at Gon, his expression still blank.
"Apologize? For what?" Illumi asked.
"You don't even understand this? You don't have the qualifications to be an older brother." Gon told him.
"You need qualities for this?" Illumi asked, turning back to face the front.
Gon, starting to lose his temper, reached out then, grabbing Illumi by the right wrist. His grip tightened and with a tug, he yanked Illumi out of his seat, swinging the larger male over his head until Illumi landed on his feet beside Gon, mildly surprised. Gon still didn't release his wrist, though. A low, impressed whistle sounded from the back of the room, but when the others glanced back at Sinthe, she didn't even let off the impression that she had made a sound.
"To be the friend of somebody, I don't require anything!" Gon snapped at Illumi.
His grip tightened even more until Illumi felt the bone in his wrist snap. Despite the broken bone, Illumi's expression didn't change in the slightest.
"Let's go find Killua. I don't care if you want to apologize to him or not. Just tell me where he is, that will be enough." Gon said.
"And after, what will you do?" Illumi asked.
"I'll bring him back." Gon replied, as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.
"Hearing you, you'd think I'd kidnapped someone. He left by himself." Illumi said calmly.
"But that's not what he wanted to do. You manipulated him so much that we can talk about kidnapping." Gon replied.
"That's precisely the point I was about to debate on, Gon." Netero called out then.
Gon turned to look at the old man, still gripping Illumi's wrist tight.
"An identical request has been brought up by Leorio and Kurapika. And it seems that Sinthe is in agreement with them. Killua's disqualification and the injustice it represents are being examined now." Netero told Gon.
"The attitude of Killua during the fight with the one called Gittarakuru and his attitude after the fight weren't natural. This allows us to think that during the fight, he was under influence and acted under this hold. Generally, even if we use a powerful hypnotism, it's impossible to ask someone to assassinate someone. But for Killua, killing is a daily act, and moral limits don't work. His actions can be explained." Kurapika said, jumping right into the topic.
"The problem comes from this happening during my fight against Bodoro. If we pay close attention, we could say Killua came to help me. In that case, the disqualified one isn't him, but me." Leorio added.
"Whatever, at this moment, Killua couldn't act on his own. His disqualification isn't justified." Kurapika insisted.
"But these are only hypotheses. We don't have any proof. Nothing can prove to us that he was asked to kill someone. Nor that he had been hypnotized before hand." Netero said.
"Something of this sort is difficult to prove, but considering the familiar link between the two, it is far from impossible."
The sudden comment had everyone turning to Sinthe. She sat on the desk top, legs crossed and hands folded over the top knee.
"Meaning?" Netero asked her.
"I've seen the technique used within my own clan. He even said himself that he has had a big hand in raising Killua to be who he is. It is not a far stretch in the least to think that he has done something to manipulate Killua and can do so without any visible evidence. And unless someone catches a person in the process of hypnotizing someone, it is rather difficult to prove it has been done. Personally, though, I know for a fact that that wasn't Killua." Sinthe said lowly.
"How do you know?" Netero asked.
"There's a saying that says that "eyes are windows to the soul". Believe it or not, but before my eyes, those windows are forever wide open. I could see it in both of their eyes. As for Killua's interference in Leorio and Bodoro's match...Leorio is a companion and friend of Killua's. Had he, somehow, lost, he would have ended up fighting Killua. Of course Killua wouldn't have wanted that." Sinthe replied.
Her insight into Killua's reasons aside, the idea of Sinthe being able to divulge a person's every secret simply by looking them in the eye, was creepy to say the least. Though it did explain the probing, creepy feeling one got looking into her eyes.
"It is not hard to believe in the least, but that is still no proof. Concerning what happened after the match between Leorio and Bodoro, I don't think there are any problems. The strength of each one was nearly the same at this time, but counting experience, Bodoro had an advantage. If we only count the fighting skills, I think Leorio was more effective. I can only say the situation didn't need Killua's help." Netero replied.
From here, Pokkuru spoke up, bringing up how Kurapika won his match, saying that that was the topic of disqualification they should be covering. He basically demanded that Kurapika tell them what Hisoka whispered to him. Of course, Kurapika denied him. It took Gon speaking up to stop the arguments that started flying around the room.
"This isn't any of my business. Qualification isn't something we have to talk about. The ones who are not okay with their success can go through training until they are. Concerning Killua, if he takes the exam again, it's obvious he'll pass, and obtain his title of Hunter. It's a pity he failed but we can't do anything about it. On the other hand...if he had been under constraint until now, to kill people not by his own choice...I won't forgive you." Gon said, glaring at Illumi.
"You won't forgive me, so what?" Illumi asked.
"I won't do anything for you. I'll take Killua back. And I'll do everything I can to make sure you'll never meet again." Gon threatened.
Sinthe shifted in her seat, ready to pounce as Illumi reached for Gon with his free hand. Gon instantly released Illumi and jumped back from him. Before anything else could possibly happen, Netero brought the topic of conversation to an end, saying that Killua's disqualification would stick. With that decided, the orientation was wrapped up with the explanation about their licenses and how valuable they were, as well as the rules of their society.
When it was all said and done and they each had their licenses in hand, they were free to leave and go about their new lives as Hunters. Sinthe remained where she was sitting, watching as Gon demanded to know where Killua went. Illumi was pretty sure that Gon would never reach Killua, even if he knew where he was, so he simply told Gon that Killua had gone home to their family residence on Kukuru Mountain. After that, everyone begin splitting up.
Hisoka and Illumi stood together, watching as Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio walked off down the hall, already discussing their plans.
"Will it be okay? A killer that tells the place of his lair." Hisoka remarked.
"Yes. It's not even hidden, plus, it's famous. When they arrive there, they'll understand the difference between the world they live in and mine." Illumi told him.
Hisoka's eyes fell to Illumi's wrist then. Already, it was bruising a deep blue and purple, his wrist swelling up to twice it's size. Seeing what Hisoka was looking at, Illumi raised his arm to look at it.
"This? Yes...it's broken." Illumi confirmed. "Quite an interesting thing. I understand why you said you wanted to keep an eye on him."
"Isn't he." Hisoka replied proudly.
Whether or not Hisoka found Gon fascinating, Illumi could see the real threat behind letting Gon live. He was even wondering about if he should go ahead and kill Gon, when he noticed Hisoka glaring at him. He turned to look at the other man.
"Gon is mine. If you touch him, you're taking a great risk." Hisoka told him.
"I know. We haven't known each other for a long time, but I understand your tastes." Illumi told him.
"And I understand that you're a jerk."
Illumi and Hisoka turned, finding Sinthe, her hood down, standing behind them. Sinthe didn't look happy. The easy smile that she usually sported, was missing as she glared at Illumi.
"Me?" Illumi asked, pointing to himself.
"Yes, you. Just how cruel can you be? He's your brother!" Sinthe told him.
"Killua is fine." Illumi replied.
"Is he really? You messing with his head with your nen isn't really helping him, you know. You're only hampering him."
Illumi raised his eyebrows when Sinthe said this. He didn't know that she had known about that. Hisoka, quietly, stood by and watched, enjoying watching Sinthe lay into Illumi.
"You know about that." Illumi stated.
"Of course I do. You've known my brother, how long now? I know you better than you'd like. I'm warning you, Illumi. You're going to push Killua too far, one of these days, and you aren't going to like the outcome." Sinthe told him, leaning forward to jab a finger into his chest, her other hand on her hip. "I, for one, will be watching in laughter when he finally decides to lay you out. And I will cheer afterward because you've only brought it on yourself, you insensitive jerk."
With that, Sinthe stormed past the two of them, heading off down the hall. Illumi and Hisoka watched her go, Hisoka chuckling lowly while Illumi merely blinked.
"I think she likes me." Illumi said finally.
"I doubt that's the case." Hisoka replied.
But hey, stranger things had happened.
-0-0-0-0-
"Gon. Kurapika, Leorio."
Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio came to a stop, the three turning when they heard their names being called. Coming towards them from down the hall, was Sinthe, her hood down to reveal her smiling face.
"Oh, hey Sinthe!" Gon greeted.
"Did you need something?" Kurapika asked.
They had just been discussing where to find out information on Kukuru Mountain. It was a no brainer that they were going to go after Killua. Sinthe had interrupted the conversation.
"Not really. I just wanted to congratulate all of you on passing." Sinthe said. "I assume the three of you are going to go find Killua?"
"Yes!" Gon said, nodding. "Do you want to come with?"
"Sorry. Killua is my friend, don't get me wrong. I promised him I would be a friend he could rely on, but every time I go near the Zoldyck estates, Killua's mother always tries to set me up with one of Killua's older brothers. I will avoid that like the plague. Not to mention that my brother doesn't like me going there without him." Sinthe replied.
"Then what are you going to do?" Gon asked.
"I was going to go home, to my brother, but he's off chasing yet another treasure." Sinthe said, her tone speaking of affection even as she rolled her eyes. "I'll probably stick with Hisoka for a while."
The look the three shared was enough for Sinthe to know that they kind of feared for her well being if she remained with Hisoka. It put a soft smile on her face and made her laugh lightly, her laugh sounding like one of the tiny bells hanging from her scarf.
"You don't have to worry. Hisoka's not always that bad. Besides, he wants something from my brother and it's not likely he'll get it if he lets anything happen to me. My brother is a pleasant enough person, normally, but he's not too happy when someone so much as scratches me, which is why he would only let me take the exam if I went with Hisoka." Sinthe explained.
"Sounds like he loves you a lot." Gon said with a smile.
"Yes, well...he did raise me. I care a lot about him, too." Sinthe said, her expression softening at the thought of her brother. "He's even saved my life before. He's about the only family I'm willing to claim, though his friends have been like family too."
It was obvious that Sinthe loved her brother. It made Kurapika wish he had a brother that could put a big smile on his face like the mere thought of her brother did for Sinthe. Sinthe, feeling his eyes intent on her, turned to look at him, smiling when her eyes met his.
"Hey, Sinthe."
Sinthe turned her eyes to Gon when he called her name.
"Yeah?" she asked.
"Are your eyes the reason you hid your face?" Gon asked bluntly.
Leorio hit him over the head, telling him to be more sensitive. Sinthe just laughed, raising one hand to cover her mouth. She flapped the other in the air.
"It's alright." she told Leorio, turning her attention to Gon. "Part of it. You saw how Hanzo acted. A lot of people act that way towards my eyes. I'm more secure about my eyes now than I was when I was younger, but it's still easier to just hide them."
They couldn't help but nod their heads in understanding. Kurapika and Leorio had never thought to meet a Joelle who was insecure about anything. Pretty much every member of the clan had enough self confidence for twenty people. It was part of what made them seem crazy to the rest of the world since they never seemed to fear or worry about anything. Sinthe didn't seem to be like her clansmen. Kurapika decided to be the first to speak up. Besides, who better would understand the fear of someone else knowing about their eyes than him? He gave Sinthe a smile.
"You have nothing to fear with us. I, for one, find your eyes to be perfect fascinating, Absinthe." Kurapika told her, using her full first name.
Sinthe's eyes turned to him with a snap, her eyes blinking in surprise. From the way her mouth opened and then closed and twisted, as well as from the way she shifted, Kurapika was sure she was embarrassed. He could even see a little color rise in her cheeks.
"Could you please call me Sinthe?" she asked, her normally low voice, even lower.
"Why? I think Absinthe is a beautiful name." Kurapika told her.
Her cheeks turned red then, the blush adorable on her as she looked away from him. He really couldn't see the Devil Child people called her when she acted like this.
"I, uh...umm...alright..."
That was all Sinthe was able to get out, making the three smile and chuckle slightly at her embarrassment. She was saved any further embarrassment by the approaching figure of Hanzo, who called out to them with a loud, "Yo!". All four turned and looked at him.
"I'm returning to my country. It was concise, even if it seemed like an eternity, but it was amusing." Hanzo said, rather happily at that. "If someday you come to my country, contact me. I can show you the best tourist spots."
With this, Hanzo handed all four of them a card. Sinthe looked at the thing before tucking it into the back pocket of her shorts. She then turned to look up at Hanzo.
"About earlier...I apologize." Sinthe told him.
Hanzo waved it off. Now that he had a moment to cool down and had his license in hand, he had no harsh feelings towards Sinthe's approach for winning her match.
"No, if anyone needs to apologize, it's me. If anyone should know that most things aren't what they seem, it should be me as a ninja. I was prejudiced against you, so sorry." Hanzo told her.
"Yes, well...to be fair, there are some pretty awful rumors that proceed me." Sinthe admitted. "My grandfather is a real jerk."
"Bygones?" Hanzo asked, holding out a hand to her.
"Sounds like a wonderful idea." Sinthe accepted, taking his hand.
Hanzo grinned and gave them a wave before turning to leave. No sooner had he left, Pokkuru approached them to apologize to Kurapika for jumping on his case about whatever it was that Hisoka whispered to him.
"I lost my wits a while ago, I'm sorry." Pokkuru told him.
"No. I'm the one who should apologize." Kurapika replied.
"You know, it's because you were right that I didn't know what to do. I never imagined that I would pass this exam in such an unsatisfying way. I want to get rid of any misunderstandings from that moment. Anyways, nothing will change from now on. We pushed ourselves hard to pass this exam, so let's profit from the advantages the title gives us. The real problem is knowing what we'll do now." Pokkuru said, before jabbing a thumb at his own chest. "I'm gonna travel all over the world looking for living species whose existence must still be proven. In other words, I'm gonna become a Hunter of ghostly species! If you need any information, we can look for it together. What do you think?"
"Yes, thank you. I'd like to know some more information on a Hunter named Jin. I'd like to know what is said about him." Gon said.
"Jin? Do you have a picture?" Pokkuru asked.
"No."
Pokkuru pulled out his portable computer, typing something in before turning to Leorio and Kurapika.
"And you?" he asked.
"Not particularly." Kurapika told him.
Pokkuru nodded and turned to Sinthe while Leorio looked down at Kurapika.
"What about you?" Pokkuru asked.
"No, thank you. I'm good." Sinthe told him.
Pokkuru nodded as he tucked away his little computer. He then handed them all a card holding his "home code".
"As you wish. If you ever need any help, please call me. This is my "home code"." Pokkuru told them.
"Good idea, I'll give you mine." Kurapika said.
"So will I." Leorio agreed.
"As will I." Sinthe added.
Gon, who didn't know what a home code was, watched the four in confusion. Once the information was exchanged, Pokkuru turned to look at him.
"Give me yours too, Gon! Or I won't be able to contact you." Pokkuru said.
"Err, in fact...what's a "home code"?" Gon asked.
"Why am I not surprised that he doesn't know?" Sinthe asked.
"I forgot: he came here knowing nothing about anything!" Leorio said.
"A "home code" is a special phone for when you're gone. Because Hunters are almost always travelling around the world negotiating, an answering machine is indispensable so that they can collect a lot of information. Wherever you are in the world, thanks to your cell phone, you can listen to all the important info without interrupting your movement. Even in the remote place where I live, some people rely upon it." Sinthe said.
"Of course, to counter hacking and other phone bugs, we don't connect directly. We choose a secret access code, and we use encrypting. We collect information directly as much as possible." Leorio said.
This, of course, lead Gon to question what Kurapika had meant before Sinthe had joined them when he had mentioned "surfing". Leorio and Kurapika had to explain about the internet, with Pokkuru adding in a comment now and then.
"That's true, with the Hunter's card, we can surf. More so, with the Hunter's card, you can surf freely. Why don't we use it now?" Kurapika asked.
"Aargh! No, I'd rather not! I've decided not to use it now." Gon replied.
"You're really stubborn." Leorio remarked.
"It's not that important! We'll use mine." Kurapika offered.
"Then, when you have a home code, call me." Pokkuru told Gon, giving him the contact information.
With that, Pokkuru parted ways with the four. When he was gone, Sinthe turned towards the three, pulling a small note pad out of her bag to write something down. Done, she ripped the paper out and handed it to Kurapika as she replaced the notepad and pen.
"This is my cell phone number and home code. I can't go with you, but please pass it on to Killua, too. If the four of you ever need anything, just call. Sometimes, a friendly Joelle is a great ally to have. Even if we are a rare breed." Sinthe told them.
"Thanks, Sinthe!" Gon told her.
"We'll keep in touch." Kurapika promised.
"I hope so. I'm always willing to help a friend, so call any time." Sinthe told them.
With that, she turned, waving to the four before heading off to where Hisoka was waiting for her. Hisoka peered past her to Gon, a grin curling his lips. Sinthe, though, merely gave the back of his shirt a hard enough tug to get Hisoka moving and force him to turn away from Gon. Only when they were completely out of sight of Gon did Hisoka fully focus on her.
"Going home, now?" he asked.
"No. Chrollo isn't home right now. I figure I would stick with you for a while. Can't be any more boring than sitting at home, alone." Sinthe replied, joking.
Hisoka chuckled. He had no problem with her tagging along with him. She always seemed to entertain him, so he liked having her around.
"So where are we going?" Sinthe asked.
Hisoka knew just the place to take her and the bonus was that he was sure, sooner or later, that Gon would show up too.
"I have the perfect place in mind." he remarked.
"When you say it like that, I have a bad feeling." Sinthe replied, casting a glance his way.
Hisoka merely smiled at her. What could he say? She was a suspicious sort when it came to him and he couldn't really blame her for that.
"You'll just have to wait and see." he told her.
Though Sinthe was concerned on what kind of place would be classified as perfect in Hisoka's mind, she was also curious. Which could be a dangerous thing. Curiosity killed the cat and all that mumbo-gumbo. But it could also be a good thing. She would just have to wait and see.
Hopefully, it was the latter.
END
Kyandi: I would be a little wary if Hisoka wanted to take me somewhere.
Sinthe: I am. You can never be too cautious around Hisoka.
Kyandi: Aside from that...I would love to tell off Illumi.
Sinthe: You mean you would love to have that kind of back bone.
Kyandi: That too.
Sinthe: He's not all that scary unless he's been hired to kill you.
Kyandi: Yeah...sure. Anyway, everyone, enjoy and review.
Sinthe: We will return as soon as possible.
Kyandi: Bye-bye!