I'm back! Sorry, I know I promised to update more often, but between school and work I haven't really had a lot of time. Just know that I will never let this story become abandoned. I know what it feels like to never know what happens next in a story because the author stopped writing. I will finish this if it's the last thing I do.

We have finally arrived to the chapter with that scene! Honestly, one of the main reasons I even wrote this story was so I could include this scene.

Also, let me know if I'm going too fast, or too slow.

TheTinyMouse: I'm glad you've liked it so far!

Mizuki Shiki: Here you go!

occlts: I'm really happy that you like how I write Hisoka. Not staying in character is a big fear of mine

Guest: Don't worry. There's plenty of Hisoka in this chapter, haha. As for Rin's backstory...that'll be coming up in the next couple of chapters, and I'm all for calling him Dark Rin. There is a reason for it, by the way, which will also be explained in the next couple of chapters. You get a small hint of it again in this one. I hope you enjoy the chapter!

ARandomAuthor14: Thank you! I definitely feel a lot better about this chapter than I did with the last one.

zeyreele: Honestly, your comment made me laugh. I loved it!. This chapter definitely has more Hisoka in it. That should help soothe your addiction. About Rin's foster father...I have actually stated his name in Chapter 9. I wanted to see if anybody would notice/question it. And as much as I love the situation you came up with—Rin being a precious flower child would be adorable—Kite is not his foster father. Sigh, I also really wish there were a lot more stories in this fandom, and I do have to admit, sometimes I walk into a story with that mentality of oc's being bad. After reading so many stories where that is true, it's really hard to keep an open mind about it. You have no idea how happy it made me when you said this pairing is your OTP! I literally squealed out loud when I first read it, much to the confusion of my parents…

Pri-Chan 1410: I'm glad you're enjoying it!

I do not own Hunter x Hunter: it belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi.

Edited 7/5/18: Just some minor grammatical corrections and making the chapter flow better overall. I also added on to a couple of scenes as well. I don't have a beta, so I apologize for any remaining mistakes. Let me know if anyone spots anything in the chapter that I should fix.

Gon, Killua, Bisky, a man named Goreinu, and Rin were all gathered in a small huddle as they tried to figure out who to ask to be on their team in order to defeat the pirates. Because pirates? Seriously? Only they would have to deal with bloody pirates of all things, even in a game. Rin was seriously considering the possibility that there was some deity out there that he didn't know about that was out to get them. He couldn't think of any other reason they would have to deal with such weird situations—and people, his mind helpfully reminded him.

Gon hummed and eventually pointed at a name. "Looking at the names on my list, Chrollo's probably the strongest," he said and shifted the book so they could all peered over his shoulder to look at it.

"But Kurapika said he's definitely a fake," Killua immediately pointed out, frowning as he read the list of names.

Gon looked over at him with his brows furrowed. "Who is it, then?" he asked.

"Probably someone we don't want to deal with," Rin stated immediately, hoping that just this once, they wouldn't want to run straight toward danger. Anyone who knew that name was definitely someone Rin wanted to avoid at all costs.

Killua raised a hand to his chin. "Well, it's probably a member of the Troupe," he said slowly.

"Exactly, so maybe we shouldn't-" Rin tried again.

Gon tilted his head slightly. "Why would a member of the Troupe be here?"

Killua just shrugged. "Maybe to beat the game?" he guessed.

Rin felt his shoulders slump in defeat. I'm being ignored. He saw Bisky glance over at him with a slightly amused glance, which he pouted at. Times like this made Rin feel like he was the only sane person in the group.

He probably was, and wasn't that a scary thought.

"But wouldn't they have used their own names?" Gon asked, confusion written on his face.

"That's true," Killua eventually said and then closed his eyes.

"We can use Sight Vision," Goreinu suddenly offered with a smile.

Rin turned to stare at him blankly. "Huh?" he said, then shot the others an amused look when they all had the same reaction as him.

Goreinu straightened to his full height and raised a finger in the air. "If this person isn't here to beat the game, they won't bother to collect cards," he reasoned.

Gon blinked, then beamed at the man—sparkles, flowers, and all. "Oh, that's right."

Rin gave Goreinu a comforting pat on the shoulder when the man looked visibly taken aback by the force of nature that was Gon.

After pulling it up, Rin gazed at the information with amusement. Why is this guy even here, he wondered.

"This guy's not even trying." Killua glowered down at the book with a scowl. Rin knew that Killua was a big fan of games, so it probably irked the boy that this person wasn't even trying to win. If anything, it seemed like they were just messing around.

"His only cards are for food and water," Gon said. He seemed slightly amazement by it.

Goreinu frowned thoughtfully. "That makes it easier to invite them."

Gon turned to him and nodded. "But if it really is a member of the Troupe, we won't invite them. We'll just ask a few questions."

"Then there's no point in bothering," Killua argued, causing Gon to turn back to him with a huff. "Since it's definitely one of them."

Oh no, Rin thought with dread. He knew a mounting fight when he heard one. He raised a hand, opening his mouth in the hopes of nipping it in the bud, but he was too late.

Gon scowled, hands clenched at his side as he yelled, "Finding out who they are is important, but I'd rather learn why they're here!"

Rin saw the exact moment Killua finally snapped and knew that any hope he had of stopping it was gone.

"Are you an idiot?! You're gonna ask them why they're here? They aren't gonna tell you!" Killua yelled back, taking a step forward as he did.

Gon followed his example. "Yeah, I'm an idiot! I'm an idiot, so I'm still gonna ask!" he shouted. Their faces were inches apart, and Rin could definitely see sparks flying between their eyes.

Killua jerked back and turned away from him, growling, "Then go right ahead!"

Gon crossed his arms. "I sure will!" he shouted.

Even though he knew it was hopeless, Rin still raised a hand in the air and asked, "Did either of you consider the possibility that they'll just attack us before we can do anything?"

Both boys jerked around to glare at him. "Who asked you?!" they shouted in perfect unison.

The hand wilted. "Ah...nevermind."

Goreinu sweatdropped at the heated exchange and glanced over at Bisky and Rin. "Will they be okay?" he asked in concern.

"This is perfectly normal for them," Bisky said cheerfully, beaming at the man.

Rin gave him a tense smile, listening to how the boys were still snarling at each other in the background. "Despite how much I want to disagree...she's right"

Gon suddenly huffed in anger, drawing their attention back to the squabbling boys. "I'm off, then!"

"Knock yourself out." Killua scowled, arms crossed behind his head.

Both growled at each for another moment before Gon finally threw his hand in the air and yelled, "Accompany on! Chrollo Lucilfer."

When the light dispersed, Rin glanced around but could only see fog surrounding them. There was the slight sound of water nearby, but Rin couldn't pinpoint it. Where the heck did it take us?

Once his eyes adjusted to the gloom, he squinted and could just barely make out a figure standing not too far away from them.

Killua leaned forward slightly. "No way…" he mumbled. There was a quiet sort of horror mixed into his voice.

"Hisoka!" Gon called in disbelief.

At the sound of their voices, the figure slowly turned to face them, and Rin could only stare with wide eyes. Is he...He choked.

"Well, well...It seems I have some unexpected visitors," he drawled. At this point, Hisoka was fully facing them. "It's been a while."

Rin could feel his mind grind to a painful halt when it fully took in the fact that Hisoka. Was. Naked.

Rin could feel his face slowly go blank as Hisoka wagged his finger at them and said, "As I thought. You've matured quite a lot." His nen flared dangerously, making the water ripple around him. "It appears that you found an excellent teacher. As I anticipated, you grow more appetizing with every day," he purred. He was definitely leering at them as golden eyes raked over them.

"Wh-Who is this pervy freak?" It was Goreinu's voice that finally woke Rin from his state of shock.

The unfamiliar voice immediately caught the magician's attention, and Hisoka turned to him with cold eyes. "Are you their teacher?" he questioned.

However, he seemed to answer his own question because Hisoka didn't even wait for Goreinu to answer before he turned to look at Bisky—who was openly ogling him!

When she realized she had been caught, she turned away with a blush, squealing in a high pitched voice. "Stop it!"

Rin's hand was twitching at his side as he forced his eyes to only look at Hisoka's face, even as he felt heat creeping up his neck. How is he not embarrassed?!

Hisoka raised a hand to his hip, and Rin's eyes unconsciously followed the movement before he jerked them back up again. His face was on fire, and Rin was desperately trying to ignore the heat pooling in his stomach.

He made the mistake of meeting Hisoka's eyes, and they enveloped him in golden fire. "Like what you see~" he purred, and oh god, that deep voice should definitely be illegal.

The only sound that escaped his throat was a strange mix of a choke and a squeak.

Killua must have decided to take pity on him, for once, because he suddenly yelled, "Put some clothes on already!"

Hisoka pouted, which only made Rin want to stare at his lips instead, and that was definitely not helping. "Hmm~ You're no fun~" he complained.

Hisoka started to walk to the water's edge, body moving with all the grace of a predator, and for once, there was nothing covering the muscles as they rippled with every movement. Rin felt like he was slowly losing his mind.

His eyes grew even wider and he took a small step back when the magician started heading his way. The action only caused that stupid, familiar smirk to crawl onto his lips. Hisoka didn't stop until they were inches apart, and even then, he leaned forward so that their breaths were mingling.

Gold eyes locked with his, looking like they wanted to devour him, and at that point, part of Rin wanted him to. "Hello~"

Rin opened his mouth, but the only thing that came out was another squeak. If possible, his face grew even hotter than it already was.

Rin vaguely heard Killua yell, "Hisoka!"

The pout was back, though his eyes still danced deviously, and as he pulled back, something shot through Rin's chest that felt like both relief and disappointment. Hisoka stepped around him, arm brushing against Rin's as he did, and walked toward a pile of clothes that none of them had noticed before.

Rin clutched at the arm that was still tingling and refused to turn around, only listening to the sound of rustling clothes.

"So what do you want with me...No, with Chrollo?" Hisoka asked after he had finally put some clothes on like any sane person. Rin paused. Or as sane as he usually was, anyway.

I honestly thought I was going to have a heart attack. He had moved to the treeline so he could lean back against the bark and clutch at his chest, where Rin could still feel the rapid pounding of his heart.

"I have a question." Gon finally said. "Why are you here?"

Hisoka ran a hand through his hair. "I'm looking for Chrollo. There's actually a way to remove Kurapika's nen from him."

The movement of his hair drew Rin's attention, and he stared at it thoughtfully, knowing that there was something different. He let out a quiet "oh". That's what it was. I've never seen him with his hair down before or without his makeup. It looks...nice. The sudden embarrassing thought made Rin slowly turn and smash his head against the tree in the hope of forgetting it ever existed in the first place. He was finally starting to calm down, and thoughts like that were only making the heat come rushing right back. A small portion of his concentration—that wasn't going toward hitting his head—found it amusing that everyone in the clearing was ignoring the fact that Rin was trying to give himself amnesia.

When Rin zoned back into the conversation, Hisoka had just put another hand on his hip. "Now, it's my turn for a question. You didn't come here just to ask that, did you?"

"No, I did," Gon stated easily.

Killua's head fell forward, and Rin almost snorted when even Hisoka seemed shocked by the casual response.

"Um…" Bisky called out. "Actually, we're looking for people who are really strong. Won't you please join us?"

Either I'm hallucinating because my head's spinning, or there are sparkles around her…

Hisoka hummed, then eventually shrugged. "Sure. Why are you looking for strong people?"

However, before she could answer the others formed a semi-circle around her.

"Wait, h-hold on...I'm against this. It's too dangerous!" Goreinu immediately denied.

"Yeah, you don't know who this guy is, Bisky!" Killua attempted to explain.

Rin wanted to facepalm. They do realize he can hear them, right? If anything, the man was watching them as if they were some sort of entertainment.

Biksy tilted her head cutely. "Oh? That's not true. I can sense that he's a kindred spirit."

Rin leaned forward slightly from his position by the tree when he saw Bisky raise her hands. The words, "He's lying," were formed in the air with nen. Well, yeah. Why would he tell us the truth?

Not knowing what just happened—or pretending not to—Hisoka raised both of his arms. "We should head to the City of Love, Aiai, just ahead. It's a great place for new meetings. Perhaps you can find strong people there."

Rin glanced back over to the group and made eye contact with Bisky, who nodded at him.

Killua made the final decision. "Alright, we'll go," he said.

"Excellent~" Hisoka's grin widened, and there was a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Hisoka ran his fingers through his hair, somehow making it stand up in his usual hairstyle. A quick use of gyo revealed Bungee Gum holding it up, and Rin couldn't help the slight frown that formed. He should have kept it down.

The small glance and smirk his way from Hisoka just added on to Rin's theory that he could somehow read minds.

Bisky, Gon, and Killua were walking at the front of the group with Goreinu trailing just behind them. Somehow it had been decided that Rin would walk next to Hisoka at the rear of the group.

"He might actually listen to you," Killua had insisted.

Not likely, he had wanted to argue, but then Gon had looked him with those eyes, and he had stood no chance.

The worried looks Goreinu kept shooting him were not helping, and he tried his best to send reassuring smiles back.

Despite Rin's best efforts to hide it, it was obvious that he was avoiding looking in Hisoka's direction entirely, and the last time he had openly ignored the magician...had not gone well—at least for his cheeks. The man hadn't tried to start a conversation yet, but Rin knew it was only a matter of time until he either got bored or annoyed.

Though, it appeared that he didn't have anything to worry about at the moment because something else clearly had the man's attention. Rin couldn't help the curiosity, so he glanced over at Hisoka from the corner of his eyes and followed his line of sight to see where he was looking, feeling his eyes widen as he did.

However, before he could say anything, Rin saw Killua and Gon suddenly shudder. They both immediately knew who the culprit was and turned to glare at the man.

"Hey, Hisoka! You walk in front!" Killua yelled, then he turned and jabbed a finger at Rin. "You were supposed to keep him out of trouble!"

"Ma, ma~" Hisoka chuckled slightly even as he moved up to the front.

Rin could only sulk dejectedly as he followed, and Goreinu sped up as well so he was still between Hisoka and the others.

"Hmm~ It seems you failed your job~" Hisoka teased, smirking over at him.

Rin turned to look at the passing trees and muttered, "Like I could have stopped you anyway."

"Oh~ What's this?" Rin twitched slightly as he could practically feel Hisoka lean closer. "Is someone jealous?"

"No." Though, the fact that Rin refused to look at him really wasn't helping his case.

Rin briefly caught a pale flash in the corner of his eye before something grabbed his chin. Knowing that trying to fight it was futile, he let it happen and just settled for glowering at him in annoyance.

Gold eyes were filled to the brim with amusement. "It's rude not to look at someone when they're talking," Hisoka informed innocently.

"It's also rude to grab someone's face," Rin countered.

Hisoka leaned even closer, now just a hair's breadth away. "Didn't I tell you before? You are mine."

He heard a choke come from somewhere behind him, though he couldn't tell who it was. Probably Goreinu, he thought absently.

A small blush colored Rin's face when he felt the warm air brush over his lips, but he refused to back down from the impromptu staring contest they had entered. It was a similar position to before, and the sudden image of a naked Hisoka flashing across his mind...did not really help, either.

Something flickered across Hisoka's face, and he leaned back a little.

"Such an interesting little kitten~" he purred and lifted the hand not still holding Rin's chin to tug on a strand of black hair, then he released him and turned to look casually over his shoulder at their audience. "We need nine more members, correct?"

Goreinu looked at Hisoka uncertainly, though there was a slight redness to his cheeks, and the man refused to meet Rin's eyes. "Yeah...We hope to find others like you who aren't interested in cards."

"Isn't everyone else here to beat the game?" Hisoka questioned with mirth. "I can't imagine there are too many eccentrics like myself. By the way, did you use someone's power to warp to me?"

Rin turned to stare blankly at him. Did you seriously come into the game without knowing anything about how to play it? Knowing Hisoka, he most likely did.

Goreinu shook his head. "That was one of the spells in this game," he explained.

Hisoka hummed. "Oh, so that's what it was. You need to buy spells from stores, right?"

"That's right," Gon added helpfully.

"Hmm~" Hisoka didn't say anything else and just continued walking.

The rest of the way was travelled in silence, but for some reason, the tension in Rin's shoulders had eased slightly.

After awhile, Rin happened to look up and deadpanned at the sight before him.

"Uh, guys. I think I see it." The huge, pink heart floating in the sky was a dead giveaway.

Rin shot Hisoka a look that the magician completely ignored. Of course this was the city he would recommend. It was like the cafe all over again.

The closer they got, the more pink Rin could see, and it had him sweatdropping. Just as they entered the city, a girl tripped and fell in front of them.

She had a green dress, and her long brown hair was pulled up into a ponytail. "Where are my glasses?" she asked and felt around the ground frantically.

Hisoka turned to Gon and gestured to her. "Why not give them to her? You might become friends."

However, before any of them could react, another girl suddenly bumped into Goreinu.

"Hey!" She had a pink dress and a spotted vest, and she was currently scowling at them. "Watch where you're going! Be more careful."

Goreinu scratch the back of his head sheepishly and said, "S-Sorry…"

"Ah! I'm gonna be late!" she yelled, then got up and ran.

"You weren't supposed to apologize," Hisoka scolded. "You should have told her to watch where she was going and started a fight."

Rin slowly blinked. Just what is this place? And why does he know all of this?

He faintly heard a shout to the left and was about to turn to it, but felt a small tug on his sleeve. He glanced down and saw a young girl clutching at his arm.

She peered up at him with wide, blue eyes. "Excuse me, can you-"

Whatever she was about to say was cut off by Rin being jerked back into someone's chest. However, before he could object to the rough treatment, he felt his mouth click shut, both from the pressure on top of his head and the nen curling around him.

A voice purred above him. "Sorry, but this kitten already has an owner~" A brief flare of bloodlust had the girl immediately scampering away, her eyes wide with fear.

Rin shivered slightly when he felt the vibrations from the chest behind him as the other talked. He tried to look up at Hisoka to gauge the other's expression, but the chin pressing down on his head prevented it.

He huffed and settled for staring forward. "Was that really necessary?" Rin asked with a frown, ignoring the pleased feeling that shot through him.

The chest rumbled again. "Hmm~ I don't share." Hisoka's voice was light, but Rin could hear a small amount of anger tainting it, and the arms wrapped around him tightened ever so slightly.

He scowled. "I'm not an object." However, despite the grumbling, Rin leaned back into the warmth. He felt bad for the girl, but Rin couldn't help the part of him that was almost gleeful to see Hisoka feeling jealous, even if it was more Hisoka protecting something he claimed as his.

He didn't know how long they stood there, but it was long enough that Rin was beginning to contemplate the chances of being able to take a nap while standing up—if Rin thought Gon was a furnace, he was nothing compared to Hisoka—when Killua's voice came from behind them.

"Hisoka, let's head somewhere else."

The weight lifted. "Oh? But we won't be bored here."

Despite saying that, Hisoka turned to saunter back out the entrance, dragging Rin along with a firm grip on his wrist. It reminded Rin of that day in Yorknew City, and once again, he found himself going along with the other man's whims.

These people are going to give me grey hairs, Rin thought, watching as everyone celebrated their win against Razor. The match itself had tested every hint of self control that he had, and there were multiple times that Rin had almost darted back onto the court. Although, each time he had made to step forward, Gon would shoot him a determined look, and he would freeze.

I still can't believe I was the first one knocked out, he grumbled internally. He might have been... holding a slight grudge.

"Yes! We got Patch of Shore!" Gon yelled and threw a fist in the air.

Killua grinned in excitement and darted closer to Gon. "Let's use Clone to make two copies," he said, pulling out said card.

Rin smiled fondly at them but looked over at the sound of footsteps growing farther away, eyes just barely catching sight of red hair as it disappeared from view.

Gon noticed, too, because he ran over to the steps with Rin trailing slightly behind him. "Hisoka, you really don't want anything?"

Hisoka paused on the steps and looked back over his shoulder at them. "No, it was quite fun~"

Killua walked forward so that he was standing on the other side of Gon. "Why don't you join us?" he offered.

"I'm not interested in collecting cards. Should anything else come up, use Contact to reach me. I'll use Accompany or Magnetic Force to come at once," Hisoka said, meeting Rin's eyes before turning back around and continuing down the steps.

How did he…

Rin stared after him for a few seconds before he said, "I'll be right back." He gave them a small smile and didn't wait for their reply as he ran to catch up.

By the time he reached the bottom of the stairs, Hisoka was already leaning against one of the windowsills with his eyes closed. It almost annoyed him that the man automatically assumed that Rin would come after him. Not that he was wrong, but still.

Rin didn't stop until he was standing right next to Hisoka. Once there, he slowly reached out and brushed his fingers softly against the back of Hisoka's hand, then paused to wait for a protest. When none was given, he gently grabbed the hand, turning it slightly to get a better look at the swollen fingers. They looked even worse than he thought now that he could see them more clearly.

Rin turned worried eyes to him, cradling the hand gently between his. "Do they hurt?" he asked.

Hisoka simply grinned, flexing the fingers still in Rin's grasp. "No."

Doubting that the man would be truthful, Rin carefully examined his face for any sign of discomfort, and his frown deepened even after finding none.

He slowly let go with one hand and reached into his pocket to pull out a roll of bandages. It had been a while since he had to bandage anything, so Rin was a little out of practice. However, once he began, his fingers started moving on their own as muscle memory took over. His father had taught him the best way to wrap fingers so that they were supported but the person could still use them normally.

Rin tied off the bandage and realized that he should probably let go of Hisoka's hand, but he found he didn't really want to. He peeked up at Hisoka, only to find the man watching him with an odd expression. It was almost...fond, in a weird Hisoka sort of way, and it made Rin's chest grow warm.

"You carry bandages?" he asked, and he seemed honestly curious about the answer.

Rin nodded and sheepishly said, "I tend to be accident prone, so I got into the habit."

Hisoka hummed and flexed his fingers, testing to make sure the bandages would stay in place, and Rin saw the smirk right before he felt a pat on his head.

Rin scowled as the hand ruffled his hair, and he could already tell that it made it even messier than it already was before. "I'm not a dog, either," he grumbled and attempted to glare but knew that it came out half-hearted, especially when he saw Hisoka's smirk widen even more.

"Of course not~" Hisoka drawled. He let his hand linger before finally pulling it back. "Anyway, shouldn't you be taking care of your kits?"

The image of two kittens hissing at each other flashed across his mind, and Rin had to use his free hand to cover his mouth, trying to stifle the laughter that was threatening to break free. "Don't let Killua hear you say that. He'll have a fit."

Rin looked up at Hisoka, eyes shining brightly with laughter, and took the chance to study the man. He still had that oddly warm expression on his face, one that both suited the magician and didn't at the same time. It didn't change, even as silver eyes trailed along Hisoka's face, committing it to memory. If anything, it grew warmer as something sparked in the eyes that Rin was beginning to love have focused solely on him. He let his eyes linger on lips that were still curled upward, and his tongue darted out to lick his lips subconscious. The heated gaze followed the movement, causing Rin to shiver as a new emotion began to take over.

Feeling a rush of confidence, Rin tilted his head to the side, exposing the part of his neck where he could practically feel the scar burning beneath his shirt. Hisoka's lips pulled up even more and then he was leaning forward, eyes locking Rin in place. Not that he would, or could, have pulled away at this point.

As soon as their lips met, Rin almost melted into the kiss with a sigh. This one was nothing like the ones before. This one was Hisoka slowly, almost agonizingly slowly, taking time to map out Rin's entire mouth, their tongues dancing around each other as he did, and Rin was simply there to enjoy the ride.

Rin raised his hands automatically and weakly held onto Hisoka's shirt as he tried to follow as best he could, but it was still crystal clear who had more experience, though his lack of experience didn't seem to deter Hisoka in the least. If anything, it felt like Rin was about to be completely devoured at any second, and given who he was kissing, that wouldn't be very surprising. Just the thought itself nearly made his knees buckle as a small whine escaped his throat, and the chuckle Hisoka let out sent pleasant shivers down his spine. In revenge, Rin nipped at Hisoka's bottom lip, gently tugging on it with his teeth and growing more confident as Hisoka growled. Hands came up to grip at him tightly, one on his lower back, tugging him closer, and the other resting against his neck. A finger slipped under his shirt, and the touch had him arching his back into the hard chest in front of him with a moan. Even through the clothes separating them, Rin could still feel the tantalizing warmth that seemed to seep from Hisoka's very being, and it had him pressing even closer, wanting to feel as much of it as he could.

The small part of him that was still coherent was thankful that no one else was around.

When his lungs insisted that they get air, Rin leaned his head back, panting. His face was absolutely burning, and there was a pooling heat in his stomach that was refusing to be ignored. A quick peek revealed that Hisoka's eyes were swirling with barely contained lust, and he had to bite his lip to keep himself from groaning as the heat spiked almost painfully.

Hisoka stared at him for what felt like an eternity, then gave one final pat on his head before he pushed off from the window and walked away, a hand waving casually behind him as he left.

Rin listened to the waves crashing against the sand nearby, the birds chirping nearby. He could taste salt in the back of his throat, and the wind blowing through his hair was cool compared to the heat of the sun. It was peaceful. He glanced between Bisky and Bara. Well, except for the two people standing off in a dual. Why Bisky chose the beach, Rin didn't know. The only reason he was even there at all was because Bisky had told him to stand to the side and watch.

"I don't get it…" Bara put his hands on his hips and glanced around. Ah, I'm not the only one confused. "Why would you two go to all this trouble to be alone with me?"

Bisky slowly tilted her head, a wide smile on her face. The sight sent shivers down Rin's spine.

"One reason." Bisky's voice started out cheerful before turning into something far more menacing. "Because I didn't want to let you cry for help."

Rin took a small step away from her. I almost feel sorry for him.

The man only stared in confusion. "Huh? I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You're such a fool. I'm telling you that I'm stronger." Her voice trailed off as she disappeared and reappeared behind him, kicking him in the head. She followed that up with a solid punch to the back, and the impact created a large crater in the sand.

When the sand eventually cleared, Rin could see the man trying to stand up, his body wavering. "Damned brat!"

Rin winced as Bara was met with another flurry of punches.

Bara grinned, even as blood dripped down his chin, staining the yellow sand beneath him. "Your attacks are too weak! You can't defeat me!"

Bicky charged at him anyway, but this time he managed to backhand her.

Bara brushed some hair out of his face. "I won't hold back, so don't blame me. And once I'm done with you, I'll go after him." He jerked his head in Rin's direction.

Bisky laughed, and Rin blinked when her form almost seemed to ripple. "That's what I was going to say. I was being nice, so I let you hit me once because I can't restrain myself when I revert." Her voice slowly changed as she grew in size. "And I end up killing my opponents!" she yelled and quickly ended the fight by punching Bara so hard he went flying.

Vaguely, Rin recognized that he was shaking as he felt all the blood drain out of his face at the sheer force of the nen pouring off her. This was the person who taught Wing, the one who had earned her right to become a Hunter, the one who's eye had the same gleam that his father's had.

The crunch of sand had Rin focusing back in to where Bisky was slowly walking over to Bara, who was groaning weakly. "Oh, you're alive? I'm impressed."

"Why would you," he barely managed to gasp out, "hide your power"

"Two reasons...The ace up your sleeve should remain hidden, and more than anything, I hate the way I look. Too macho! Don't you agree?" She paused, then reached down and picked Bara up. "He can't hear me anymore? Oh, well." Bisky dropped him and turned so abruptly to face Rin that he jumped.

He shrunk back in fear at the sudden scrutiny, wanting nothing more than to become invisible as Bisky stalked over, only stopping when she was looming over him.

"Do you know why I allowed you to see this form?"

He shook his head, and as time went by, he slowly relaxed when it became apparent that she wasn't about to maim him.

"I knew your foster father. He was a dear friend of mine." She frowned, and he saw pain bleed into her eyes. "I was devastated when I heard he had-" She cut herself off. "I'm sorry you had to go through that again."

Rin felt his gaze grow sadder as he met hers, the ever constant ache in his chest throbbing painfully for a brief moment. "Thank you," he whispered.

"Hmph. If I could trust anyone with this form, it would be the son that man was always bragging about."

Rin was honestly surprised when he felt the corners of his lips twitch up into a small smile. He didn't think he would be able to smile, not in that moment, not when the memories were creeping to the front of his mind, tearing open old scars. "That sounds just like him."

"Now that that's out of the way." Bisky slammed both hands on his shoulders, making him jump. "Tell anyone about this, and I'll give you an experience worse than death." She tilted her head to the side with a bright smile.

"A-Ah." Rin squeaked and stared at her with wide eyes.

Rin drew a sharp breath the second he laid eyes on Gon.

"Oh my god. What happened to your arm?!" Rin's hands could only hover over Gon because there wasn't a single place that wasn't injured. It's gone, it's gone, it's gone, repeated like a mantra inside his head. When I get my hands on who did this...His nen flared dangerously, wanting to attack the man responsible but at the same time, wanting to envelop Gon in a protective cocoon.

Gon winced as he croaked out, "Genthru used his ability to blow it up."

Rin was so tempted to try and shake some sense into him. "Why did you let him get that close?! He could have killed you!" He was mentally counting the number of ways he could kill that man.

Gon hung his head and whispered, "Sorry."

Rin sighed and tried to rain in his bloodlust. He gave a strained smile. "Just, please be more careful. Okay?"

"Okay," Gon agreed, still looking slightly glum.

Nothing else could be said, however, because Genthru—the man responsible for hurting Gon, the one who better pray that I never see him again—shifted slightly.

"Are you awake?" Killua stepped closer to where the three men were tied up. "Summon your binder," he ordered.

"We want to return the cards you stole from the people you backstabbed," Bisky added, placing her hands on her hips as she glowered down at them.

"On one condition," Genthru rasped. "Use Archangel to heal Bara. We have a Clone card."

Rin felt his glare lessen ever so slightly. At least the man isn't completely heartless, but I will still never forgive him.

"Don't worry," Killua said and glared down at him. "That was always part of the plan."

"We brought six copies of Clone," Bisky informed.

The man's eye widened in surprise, then he closed them in defeat and said, "Book…"

Bisky went over and took the cards they were looking for, then she walked a few feet from them and yelled, "Gain!"

There was a bright light before a beautiful woman appeared. She was glowing softly, and she slowly turned kind eyes on them. "What is your wish?" she asked quietly.

Killua pointed over at Gon. "We need you to heal his hands and throat. Actually, can you just heal all his injuries?"

"Easily done. Then, I shall heal his body." She blew out aquamarine colored smoke onto Gon.

Rin couldn't help but twitch with the urge to blow it away, but the wariness turned to awe as Gon glowed, his injuries healing right before Rin's eyes.

Gon beamed and threw his hands in the air. "I'm healed! All right!" he exclaimed, jumping up and down in joy.

Rin smiled and waited until the boy had calmed down before he called out, "Gon."

Gon turned to him, a huge smile still painted across his face as he tilted his head. "Yeah?"

Rin's hands flew forward and yanked harshly on his cheeks.

Gon yelped. "Ow, ow, ow! Rin! Let go!" He waved his hands frantically in the air.

Rin could hear Killua snickering in the background but ignored him.

"Now you know what it feels like," Killua muttered quietly, which earned him an annoyed glance from Gon.

Rin released his grip, cutting off any more protests with a stern look. "Be grateful that's all I'm doing. Imagine if Mito-san was here."

Gon's rapidly paling face was answer enough, and he jumped forward to hug Rin, begging him not to say anything to her. He let the boy wallow in it for a few more seconds before hugging him back and promising to get keep it a secret.

Over spiky, black hair, he met Bisky's amused stare and rolled his eyes.

"Eh! What do you mean you're not coming?!" Gon and Killua shouted at the same time.

Rin winced, knowing that he probably should have said something sooner, but he knew that this was the reaction both boys would have.

Rin raised both hands placatingly. "I figured it was time I go back home. At least for a little bit."

This did nothing to appease them as Gon's shoulders somehow slumped down even further and Killua just continued to scowl.

Rin smiled at them in exasperation, though there was no hiding the fondness lingering in his eyes. "You both have my number, so if you need anything you can just call me. I'll even make sure to keep it charged."

"Tch. You better!" Killua japped him in the side angrily.

Rin rubbed at it helplessly, trying to ease away the pain, and scowled. "It's always the same spot too," he mumbled quietly.

"As amusing as this is, I should probably stop you two before anything else happens." Bisky grinned at them.

Gon laughed nervously, eyeing the two of them. He looked a second away from jumping between them. "Yeah…"

"Well, then. This is it." Bisky eventually said, her warm gaze taking them all in one at a time.

Rin leapt forward, wrapping his arms tightly around Gon and somehow managing to snag Killua in the embrace, as well. He had a feeling the white haired boy let himself get caught. "Good luck, Gon, Killua," Rin said, trying to put as much emotion as he could into that one, little sentence.

Gon squeezed him back just as tightly, if not more. "Thanks!"

Killua merely grunted, but Rin definitely felt thin arms wrap around him for a second before letting go. Rin pulled back unwillingly, ruffling Gon's hair as he did. The boy scowled playfully at him and batted at his hand.

Gon backed away and held up the card, smiling as he yelled, "Accompany on!" A flash of light, then they were gone.

Rin stared at where they had just been standing for a few seconds before Bisky broke the silence.

"So, where exactly are you headed?" she asked quietly. She didn't seem to want to break the calm atmosphere just as much as Rin didn't.

Rin turned and looked up at the sky. It was slowly turning orange as the sun set, casting the ground below in a sea of fire. He turned to her and gave a smile. "Forwen City," he said out loud.

Home, his mind whispered.

Okay, guys, this is where I'll be branching off entirely from the anime, at least until after the Chimera Ant Arc.

I don't know what it was about this chapter, but I was on a roll. Though, I did almost keep writing "Kufufufu" for Hisoka...Imagine if the two of them met. Absolute chaos.

Anyone else love Hisoka's theme music? It doesn't really seem like him and yet it works somehow.