I think I'm updating too fast...maybe because I'm at home now and had no worries about anything...
But, I'll be going back to studying on Monday! So, it'll be slow again...

Part 14: Learning Nen

Mana and Gon waited for Killua at the entrance of the arena. She waited anxiously for him as she could guess what he did to the three men. Once Killua's figure could be seen, she rushed up to him. Killua was a bit stunned when Mana threw herself to him. Gon rushed up to them.

"Don't ever do that, ever again!" she hid her face, holding onto his shirt.

"I did it so that Gon won't worry about you too much…" Killua muttered.

"Whatever the reason is…don't do it ever again! I've told you that once!" she sobbed, gazing into his eyes with her teary ones.

Killua stared blankly at her before he faintly blushed. He gave a small nod and put his hand on her head. She continued to cry and sob. The boy turned to Gon and all he did was smile to him. Gon told him that Mana had been worried ever since he made the attempt to escape with her, leaving Killua behind. She wanted to go back but he held her hand. In the end, she already knew that Killua was going to kill the three before Gon could even say anything to cover it up.

"You knew all along…" Killua mumbled, patting her head as he gazed at her small and frail figure.

Once she had calmed down, Killua told the two his change of plan: to reach the 200th floor. Mana and Gon nodded to him. Then, they started it – an endless fight in order to reach the aimed floor. Mana took her time and went on slower than Killua and Gon as sometimes she lost and was forced to go down 10 floors below. Fortunately, she struggled hard enough for her to catch up with them on the 200th floor. In fact, they were actually waiting for her. They headed for the lobby once she got there.

"W-Wait…" Mana half mumbled.

Gon and Killua gasped when they felt the intense wind. They felt threatened, as if someone was trying to kill them. Killua acted calm and made the two follow him. Gon didn't want to move forward as he was a bit afraid of the murderous intent. Mana backed away, wishing that she was not doing it.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" Killua demanded.

A woman with purple hair and blue eyes, wearing the familiar pink attire made an appearance – the receptionist.

"Killua-sama, Gon-sama and Mana-sama, correct?" she asked.

Gesturing her left hand to the side, she said, "The receptionist's desk is over here, so please register today. You won't be able to register after midnight, so be careful."

"It can't be her…" Mana whispered.

"I can't tell either…" Killua replied to Mana and Gon.

The receptionist explained about the 200th floor before a familiar red haired guy appeared behind her. Gon and Killua sweat dropped when they saw him while Mana backed away, speechless. Hisoka explained that he had keeping track on them for quite some time.

"It's still too early for you boys to step on this floor," he warned, giving out the murderous feeling yet again.

He sat down and kept on releasing the aura.

"I won't let you pass," he calmly said.

"Gon, Killua…back away…" Mana whispered.

Gon kept on stepping forward, struggling hard just as Killua was. Mana backed away, hoping for someone to stop them.

"Don't be too reckless!" a familiar voice said.

Wing appeared behind them. Mana stared at him, glad that he was right on time.

"You have no defense against his Nen," Wing stated.

"Nen?" Gon was confused.

"Right now, you are like someone standing naked in the blizzard, wondering why it is cold. If you continue to strain your body, you may die," Wing explained.

"This is Nen?! He can stop us from moving forward with his willpower?! Don't lie!" Killua demanded answers.

"Yes, I was lying," Wing answered calmly.

"So…it was true…" Mana muttered.

Wing turned to her and nodded. She turned away, ignoring his stern look on her.

"I will teach you the truth about Nen. So, retreat for now," Wing negotiated.

"Hey, receptionist lady? What happens if we don't register today?" Gon asked.

"Umm…Gon-sama and Mana-sama will be back to the 1st floor. However, Killua-sama once refused to register already, so if doesn't register this time, his commitment will be questioned and he will be banned from participating," the receptionist explained.

"Hey, Wing-san…If we back away now, will we be able to return here by midnight?" Killua asked Wing.

"That depends on you," Wing replied.

Gon and Killua decided to follow Wing and Mana would of course, tag along as always. She knew that Hisoka knew about her past from Illumi but the guy simply refrained from telling them.

Once they arrived at Wing's house, Wing started his explanation about Nen, the real one. Mana widened her eyes as she remembered the time she had learned Nen.

"Now, Mana…let's start improving your Ten," the mother said to her four-year-old child.

"Mommy…it's tiring…" Mana complained.

The woman smiled at her daughter. She went to her and picked her up. Then, she headed to a bench under a tree behind their house. She sat on it and let her daughter sit on her lap. She played with her daughter's long and silky hair.

"Then, wanna learn something else?" her mother asked.

"Mommy…why did you learn Nen? It isn't for fighting…is it?" the girl asked.

"I…want to help people. When I knew that Grandma was a great healer despite the traditions of the ninjas whereby we had to kill people…I wanted to be like her…" the mother replied, resting her chin on Mana's forehead.

The girl was finding it hard to understand. She didn't know anything about the ninja's traditions or about her Grandma being a healer, whatever that is.

"Mommy…what's a hee-ler?" the girl asked.

"It's healer, silly girl. Healers cure people…help them with pain, bruises, or injuries…" the mother explained.

"I see…then, I want to be a hee-ler too!" the girl said, grinning and showing her teeth that was merging out of the gums.

"Then, let's train your Nen!" the mother said, beaming.

Mana snapped when she heard the two boys half screamed with their eyes wide open. She saw Wing directing his Nen into the two to awaken their micropyles. Once they were, they could see their own aura, flowing out of their bodies. Then, Wing told them how to control and calm the aura down so that they wouldn't be too tired out of letting it to rapidly flow out.

"Don't you need to do this too, Mana?" Gon asked the girl.

"If I have to take of my clothes, I'm not letting Wing-san do it!" Mana half screamed, wrapping her arms around her body and blushing furiously.

Wing only smiled, Gon and Zushi blushed while Killua acted like he didn't hear her.

"Then, it'll take you months," Killua said to the girl.

"Actually…" she pondered around, putting her right index finger on her chin as a sign she was trying to make a decision.

Then, she took a deep breath and calmed herself down. She brought her hands up to her chest. Wing noticed the faint aura she let out. Mana stopped and looked down.

"You knew that already?" Gon asked, surprised that she was far stronger than she looked to him.

"Not that I remember any of the lessons I had. Mother used to tell me that it's essential for me to learn Nen…" Mana explained, feeling a little bit guilty that she didn't tell them.

"I'm sorry for not telling...it's because it was really vague- the memories of training to improve my Nen…" the girl apologized.

"Isn't that great? She already knew Nen! Right, Killua?" Gon turned to Killua with a smile.

"Hmph…it's better than having her tag along and depend on us all the time," Killua replied, bringing his hand behind his head.

Mana smiled to them and nodded in agreement with Gon's statement. But, she didn't want to use her Nen to fight at all.

"I…don't prefer to use Nen to fight…" She mumbled but no one heard her.

Wing continued teaching the two. He brought his left hand in front of him.

"Now, I will use hostile Nen against you!" he said as he released a murderous aura.

Gon and Killua sweat dropped. Wing only aimed at them as he knew from the start that Mana had learned Nen once before.

"Previously, it would have been painful for you to stand within this," Wing explained.

"Yeah, I understand your blizzard analogy now," Killua replied, giving a nod.

"If you can fend off my Nen, you'll be able to break through his barrier!" Wing stated.

He unleashed a powerful aura towards the two as they tried to fend it off with their Ten. Mana watched in horror as they did. She had never trained the forceful way before. Her mother was a good teacher and she didn't have the feeling of 'to quickly finish something'. Mana underwent a smooth, slow and steady pace of learning when she learned her Nen.

"I guess they really are determined…" Mana muttered.

"Umm…Mana-san?" Zushi suddenly called

"Yes?" Mana turned to him.

"Why didn't you tell them actually? It can't be that bad of a memory…learning Nen…" he asked the girl.

"Umm…let's just say I need to do that for now…" she replied, winking.

Zushi nodded even though he didn't get what she said. She watched as Killua and Gon blocked Wing's Nen with their Ten and hope that they would succeed before midnight.

"Don't you want to join us, Mana?" Gon suddenly asked, stunning Mana.

"Huh? I might get in your way…" she replied, bringing her hands up, signing that she refused.

"Aww…you're no fun, Mana…" Gon mumbled.

They continued their training for a few more hours. Mana watched them, amazed that they were able to master Ten in no time at all.