I'm back again.
Recap: Gon and Phinks have failed their mission, now they run into more trouble.
Most who came to witness the mass wreckage drove by with no more than a glance at the flaming truck, its trailer crushed and wedged into a cascade of destruction that blocked half the road. Some stopped and gazed in horror, only to conclude there was nothing they could do, and went on their way. And the remainders, rushed among the devastation howling shouts and curses as they searched for survivors.
Gon stood a short distance down the road, shivering from the downpour as he watched the havoc unfold. If he had cried, he hadn't noticed. His eyes trailed on a man prying the door of a burning car, hollering for help. The boy clenched his fist. Not only had he failed his mission but now this. Around him, those looking to avoid the commotion whizzed by one after another. Behind their windshields, eyes gaped at the lone boy standing in the middle of the road. Some squawked at him to get out of the way, but Gon hardly noticed their cries. The least I can do is help. It was strange enough he had hesitated this long. But before he had a chance to step forward, a blue hatchback pulled in towards him. He didn't need to see the driver to know who it was.
"Get in," Phinks said in a grim voice.
Gon neared the driver window. "We have to help them!" he replied, voice shaking.
"No. Get in the car."
Gon shook his head. "No! All of this is your fault...if only you—"
Phinks' brown eyes pierced him. "I told you to secure him. I didn't tell you to lounge on the truck and make the fool crash. What the hell were you staring at him for?!"
"And if we only got him when we had the chance, none of this would've happened."
"I'll have a word with the Boss on that later. For now, do as your told and get in. If those guys come back, this mess will just get worse. The police will be here soon too. We're heading back right now." The Spider's face contorted with further irritation, but it didn't seem all directed at him.
Gon glanced back at the chaos up the road. The commotion had only increased as more people scrammed in to help. Several people carried away bodies from the wreckage. Killua will understand. He had to. Without another word, he circled around and took his seat beside Phinks. They were off.
In a few moments, the disaster flickered away in the distance, and Gon leaned back, letting the warmth of the car clear his mind and lull his regret. Only the second day and first mission with the Troupe, and he had already caused this. What would Chrollo think? If only I hadn't hesitated. He turned to Phinks. The agitated flow of the Spider's aura mirrored his own exasperation. "What about the treasure?" he asked, surprised by the placidity of his own voice.
"Did you see any? It was bait." The ire stood clear in his voice. One that made it clear what kind of conversation he intended to have with the Boss.
"A decoy? Why?"
"I don't know. To catch us. Or maybe check for leaks. It doesn't matter." He looked at him. "You may have messed up back there, but this mission was screwed from the start. So don't think too much of it."
Gon sneered at Phinks. "So, this was your fault. You had us following the wrong person the whole time…you and Feitan were the ones who messed up first."
The Spider gave a fatigued sigh. "You're right." The admission seemed to physically pain him. "But…just shut up for now. We can complain to the Boss wh—what the hell?"
Gon lurched back in his seat as Phinks slammed the breaks. A new presence the churned the air around them. It was a strange feeling. There was no malice, yet the wave of anxiety filling his chest was unmistakable. With a thud, a figure landed in front of them—on the hood of the car. Its blueish aura gave it an ethereal presence in the night. The stranger looked down at them with mossy green eyes, his left hand clasped around a long sword. They both knew what came next. The duo ducked as a wave of blue light followed the arc of the blade, and pulsated above them. Their windshield shattered for the second time that night, and they found themselves back in the mercy of the storm. The car's roof was gone. Cursing, Phinks reeled the car left to shake off the enemy, but the figure had already disappeared. Gon shuddered when the car smashed against the curb.
By the time the boy pulled himself from the wreckage, Phinks had already stepped out. The Spider and their new enemy stood facing each other on the road, like two shimmering ghosts in the darkness. The stranger's aura gave Gon a clear look. He was an older man with long grey hair, clad in a simple white-grey tunic. His green eyes locked Phinks with a deadly glare but softened when he turned to the boy. The sword in his left hand was unlike Gon had ever seen. A dichotomy of black and white, split through the blade's middle, its owner's aura only adding to its inherent brilliance.
"I wasn't aware you took children," the stranger smiled at Phinks.
"Who the hell are you?" the Spider demanded. His aura flowed perfectly, ready to strike and defend at any time. Gon stood back. Even with his newfound strength, it didn't feel right to stand near these two experienced men ready to clash.
"The name's Mato," He replied with a hint of pride. "Ring any bells?" When Phinks did not respond, he produced something from his clothes. A card—the license. "I think you know what this is." He held it up. His aura illuminated the Hunter license and its two stars.
The Hunter association is sending their best, Gon recalled what Shalnark had said. Am I wanted now? He clenched his fist. Will the Hunters be coming after me? Or maybe…this could be another chance.
Mato gave Gon another glance in the corner of his eye. Phinks stood firm, but there was a slight shift in his presence. "A bounty hunter. Tell me, I forget; how much are we supposed to be worth now?" The mockery was clear in the Spider's voice.
"Bounty Hunter? No, not exactly. I only like to think of myself as a...Blacklist Hunter.
"Huh? Aren't they the same?"
The Hunter smiled. "Not to me." He tightened his grip on the strange sword. "Bounty Hunters revel in the reward. A Blacklist Hunter, a true Blacklist Hunter like myself revels in the killing." He fixed his sword on Phinks. "Of scum like you."
"So you're one of those," Phinks said with a sigh. "Stay back kid. This one's tough."
Mato's aura intensified, and Phinks responded in turn. In the night the radiance was enough to urge Gon to cover his eyes. It wasn't just the light though; the sentiment of their aura was enough to set even the most experienced of nen users on edge. Phinks' spoke pure bloodlust, it wasn't as quite malicious as Hisoka's, but Gon had never seen anyone produce this much aura. Mato's was a different sort of chilling. There was no malice, but the boy could still feel a clear desire to kill. The two brilliant men would appear no more than stragglers of an accident to other drivers on the road, but the presence of their aura could be felt by anyone. Perhaps this was why no one stopped to even glance at this strange development. The Hunter raised his sword, and Gon also prepared to fight. But instead of an attack, the blade was thrust into the asphalt, and the road beneath them trembled. The light was blinding.
"It's time to begin our judgment."
They stood in a meadow. A sun-drenched meadow dotted with strange flowers of white and black. Gon's eyes grew wide in disbelief. Had they been transported? What kind of nen was this? On either side of them, loomed strange pillars, each more than twice as tall as Phinks, and at their top, overlooked uncanny faces carved from the stone. Inhuman gazes, that seemed to pierce through Gon. There were eight in total, four on each side. The Hunter Mato, now devoid of his sword, stood between the furthest pillars and watched them with a knowing smile, as if he presented something he took great pride in. Between the duo and the Hunter, lay not the strangest, yet the most arresting feature of this new setting, a pair of swords dug in the grass. On Mato's side, the blade flaunted a pitch umbra that appeared to dim the luster of the summary meadow. The one near Gon and Phinks on the other hand, shimmered with a milky white hue. Both weapons had a hilt to match the color of their steel.
"What happened? Where the hell are we?" Phinks eyed the swords between him and the enemy. His aura grew more tense than ever. The Spider's agitation made Gon's own heart skip a beat. Have we been caught in his trap?
Mato's eyes twinkled. "This is our arena. It is where they dispense justice." He gestured to the stone pillars and narrowed his eyes at Phinks. "And it is where you finally pay for your crimes, Spider."
ScarletEyesChainUser: Thank you for your encouragement.
Guest: I'm glad you are noticing some of the development. :)
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