It was finally fight time and Gon was so excited he might just burst! He danced from foot to foot in the elevator on the way down to the 147th floor. Leorio was watching him with a look of exasperation, and Kurapika was gazing over at him with a look of motherly affection. Killua really had hit the nail right on the head with calling out the blonde for being a mom!
Speaking of Killua.
He had been acting a little weird lately. Gon wasn't the smartest, but he was definitely perceptive. Killua seemed slightly withdrawn, and wouldn't exactly look him in the eye whenever they spoke. He was also more reluctant to wrestle around or sling his arm around Gon's shoulders. The assassin had never been the most physically affectionate person, but as of late Gon had grown accustomed to his increasing frequency of touch.
He glanced over at his friend, who was untucking and tucking back in his shirt. Killua had been complaining that morning about not having enough clothes, and how worn out the ones he did have were becoming. Gon thought that his black turtleneck looked fine! Killua hadn't listened of course, and kept fidgeting with the hem, which was apparently slightly ripped and worn.
Gon was wearing his usual green jacket and shorts! It was true that they were the only clothes he had (besides sleep clothes and winter clothes), but even if he did have more clothes he'd still wear the jacket and shorts! They were the best clothes ever!
Fully distracted from his previous train of thought, Gon rocked back and forth on his heels while looking at his reflection in the shiny metal wall of the elevator. The window was super interesting, but the reflections were interesting as well! It made them all look super bent and warped! Watching his friends in the reflections, Gon saw Killua looking at him from under those fluffy white bangs. Gon glanced over at his friend, and the silver haired mercenary averted his gaze. His cheeks were slightly colored. That's weird.
"What's up, Killua?" Gon asked.
The runaway prince startled. "Oh, uh, I was just thinking about your fight."
"What about it?" the hybrid pried, nose on the scent.
"Just about how this is your rookie debut and all."
"And?"
Killua's face reddened. He blew out his cheeks and glared off to the side. "Just be careful and stuff, you idiot. Good luck or whatever."
"Aww! Thanks bestie!" Gon slung his arm across Killua's shoulder. The boy was stiff at first, but then relaxed under the weight of Gon's arm.
"Bestie?" Killua asked with an air of exasperation. His eyes were hidden beneath his hair and Gon could not read his expression. "What's with that all of a sudden?"
"I heard a couple of girls using the word when talking to each other! I thought it had a nice ring so I stole it."
"Idiot."
He's definitely hiding something.
The elevator slid to a halt, and the doors opened with that musical ding. A grin cracked across Gon's face, and he let go of Killua to dart out the doors. "I'm gonna hurry to my waiting room now! I'll look for you in the stands!" He waved over his arm as he skipped backwards into the crowd. Kurapika, Leorio, and Killua all waved back.
I know I left in a big hurry, but we're kinda running late and I'm way too excited to just stand around any longer!
Gon darted through the crowd of people flooding into the stadium. The layout of Heavan's Arena never failed to amaze the hybrid. Every floor was the exact same! Just with different colored carpets and walls. It was impossible to tell you were on a higher floor from sight, but you just knew from the people who were milling about. The higher you climbed the tower, the more menacing the aura that poured off everyone. On the first floor it had just been a bunch of common people. But up here on the 147th floor, Gon could tell that the majority of the inhabitants had a particular skill about them.
That probably meant that this would be a real fight.
Gon was getting excited.
Well, a somewhat real fight. The hybrid smirked a sharptooth smirk to himself.
These people are strong, but I've been traveling long enough to know that they aren't strong enough.
The spiky haired boy turned a corner, leaving the crowd of people behind. He jogged down a ramp, and ended up in a long and dark hallway. There was a metal door midway through, which Gon knew from experience was the check in desk. He turned the cool metal knob and walked inside.
A Goblin female sat behind the desk. She had several piercings lining her bat like ears, and her hair was a shock of hot pink. "Gon Freecs, good to have you." She pressed a button on the screen before her. "I've signaled your arrival. You will walk to the end of that hallway and enter the arena when your name is called, just like before. This time, however, the results of your battle will be released as soon as it is over. In order to receive your results and collect your compensation, you will go to the cash-out desk. It resides on the other side of the stadium near the hall to the residential area. Best of luck to you, rookie."
Gon grinned at her. "Thanks a lot!" With that, he passed through the opposite metal door and walked down the hall with a skip in his step. He arrived at the entrance to the arena, and stood just out of sight from the audience. His veins were buzzing with adrenaline, and he was itching for confrontation.
Yesterday had been a nice warm up, but he wanted a real fight. He wanted to feel that danger, that instinctual fear. He wanted to fight an intense battle against a tough opponent, he wanted to be on the brink of losing but fight his damndest anyways.
That was a feeling that he had been hooked on ever since he had stumbled into his first altercation after leaving Whale Island…
The memory still brought a smile to his face.
"Humanoids of all kinds, welcome to our 147th floor arena!"
Gon's heart picked up speed as the announcer began her pre-match speech.
"Our 9 o'clock fight on our 147th level battle royale is between two promising fighters! One is a rookie who's placement fight on Fangrethday landed him all the way up here! He has shown an incredible skill in hand to hand combat, as well as a biological weapon that allows him to paralyze his opponents! Welcome to the arena…" she paused for effect and the entire stadium drummed their feet on the floor. The coliseum-style structure rumbled with the motion of thousands of pairs of feet, and Gon was practically trembling with anticipation. He wanted to hurt, he wanted to bleed! He wanted to stretch his muscles and see how far his strength in battle could reach. This battle couldn't start any sooner! "Gon!"
The audience exploded with cheers, and Gon ran out onto the arena floor. The spotlights shone directly into his eyes, and the yells of viewers made his eardrums rattle. But he loved it. He loved this entire place! It was a culture revolving entirely around battle, around competitions of strength and wit! The hunters and the hunted danced their eternal dance every hour of every day rising thousands of meters into the air. Just thinking about the concept made Gon's heart sing and soul writhe with anticipation.
His battle readiness triggered his biochemical, and a hint of it leaked into his system. It was like a dog salivating over its food or a giddy precum. Gon was itching for a fight, and his body was as well. He felt his horns grow slightly in length, and his gums ticked with the sensation of his teeth becoming sharper. Strength ticked its way into his muscles, and Gon was feeling hyperactive as hell. He wanted to beat the shit out of someone, and he wanted it right now!
Grinning like the psycho he knew he was, he waved at the crowd, gathering cheers and getting him even more hyped up than he already was. Gon hunted the rows and rows of seats for Leorio, Kurapika, and Killua, but there were so many more than the first floor arena; he was unable to locate them. He knew Kurapika and Killua weren't the ones to make a scene and try to get his attention, but Leorio sure was… and even so there were so many audience members making fools of themselves that the goofy Goblin didn't stand out at all.
Well, if I can't find them then I can't find them. I still know they'll be watching me!
Gon faced his opponents entrance in steely eagerness.
"Our second opponent is a tall and brooding martial artist! He's been fighting his way up the battle royale tower for over a year now, and hasn't lost a single match! Will slow and steady indeed win the race or will the face of glittering youth seize the day? Give it up for Sabithay Gwendalia!"
The crowd might as well have been hyperventilating. The screams were borderline psychotic! The thought that he could get people that riled up just by walking onstage one day made Gon shiver with exhilaration. This public morale stuff Kurapika was talking about was for real.
Gon smiled at his opponent. The man was tall and lanky, dressed in a dark cloak with a hood drawn over his eyes. He had muted purple skin, suggesting alien blood, yet he had the red eyes of a zombie. A hybrid? And a sentient zombie hybrid? This will be interesting. Sabithay narrowed his eyes at Gon, not at all returning his friendly gesture.
So it'll be like that then.
Gon's friendly smile changed to a smirk saturated with bloodlust.
After two years of traveling the world and getting into all kinds of fights, Gon knew when a battle would be a serious one. Sabithay took this match seriously, and unless Gon wanted to be put at a disadvantage he needed to do the same. He had learned a long time ago not to hold anything back for the sake of being friendly. Gon was a people person, and loved making friends. However, he also loved fighting. And beating his opponents within an inch of their lives.
Unfortunately he is not strong enough to come anywhere close to beating me.
Gon could tell from his stance alone.
That doesn't mean I can't have a little fun, though. This is my rookie debut, after all.
"Ready… fight!"
The audience roared, and Gon decided to take a page out of Killua's book. He simply walked nonchalantly towards Sabithay. He kept his hands concealed in his pockets, and his face a mask of indifference… well, he wished it could be a look of indifference, but that smirk was still stuck on his face. He was having too much fun to look all expressionless!
Sabithay glared at Gon. "My name is Sabithay Gwendalia, as you are already aware. I have poured my heart and soul into this arena, and you will not prevent me from reaching my goal of fighting a floor master! Save your misplaced swagger for another time and place, for this arena is my turf and mine alone. There is not room for two hybrid fighters in this arena!" The Alien-Zombie tossed his cloak open with a flourish, and pulled a pair of daggers off of a multi-layered belt.
"Whatever you say~" Gon said in a sing-song voice.
Sabithay fumed, and darted forward. Gon continued his slow approach as if he were none the wiser. He hadn't always been this disrespectful towards his enemies. It was something he had picked up from fighting far too many fights and hearing far too many villain monologues. He knew that Sabithay was not a villain, just a fellow Heaven's Arena competitor. However, the mere fact that he was Gon's competitor made him a villain in the boy's eyes.
With a graceful and practiced move, Sabithay swung a blade directly for Gon's exposed neck.
He dives right in. I respect that.
With a wicked grin, Gon ducked out of the way with ease.
But this is far too easy.
"Wow! Incredible, folks! Sabithay Gwendalia is nothing if not a threatening opponent, and Gon is treating this fight as if it is an afternoon tea party!"
Sabithay didn't let up for a second, he immediately spun on his heel to slash at Gon with the other knife, aiming for his knees. Gon simply jumped up and over his swing, hands still shoved in his pockets. Sabithay glared up at him, and Gon couldn't help but snicker.
I hope I look like Killua! I'm taking the hands in pockets thing from him cause he always looks so cool and superior.
Cloak billowing around him like a sheet of black smoke, Sabithay slung several daggers in Gon's direction. Gon twisted out of the way of each in midair, bending around like a fish. His moves were just so predictable! It was clear that he was strong and incredibly skilled, but Gon had seen his ilk all too many times before. Just another multi-knife fighting style.
This is way less interesting than that one fight I had with that girl that only used shuriken.
Gon landed back on the ground, and Sabithay was on top of him in a heartbeat. They exchanged a series of lightning fast blows, Sabithay slashing at Gon with the ferocity of a tiger and Gon simply dodging. I could end it here, or here, or here. Oh, his right side's open. All I'd have to do is sweep the leg- Wow, that'd be a flashy win right there!
Gon's blood was buzzing for release, but Sabithay was nothing more than a fly. It would be like eating a single pea after being starved for a week. I'll just have to make this worth my while. I'll let him lead me into it though~~
Sabithay launched himself into a particularly reckless roundhouse kick, desperately swinging his leg for Gon's head with a "whoosh." The move was messy, and the spiky haired boy needed only to lean back in order for it to miss him.
"Fight me, damn it!" Sabithay roared.
Gon's smirk turned positively evil. "Okay." Biochemical surging in his veins, Gon leapt forward too fast for Sabithay's eyes to follow. He socked him in the face with the force of a charging double horned lizard-bat. Sabithay flew through the air and bounced across the arena floor. The audience shrieked in excitement.
"After exchanging a lightning fast series of attacks, Gon has finally taken a swing!"
Seething, Sabithay lurched to his feet. He spat a mouthful of blood off to the side, and gave Gon the dirtiest glare so far. "Who the fuck do you think you are?"
He gets pissy real easily. He's not as respectable of a guy as I thought, I guess. Gon held his arms out to the sides and shrugged. "I thought you wanted a fight."
"Listen here you little fuck-"
"-But not as much as I do," Gon interrupted with a satanic, sharp toothed grin.
I've had my fun, but this guy is a total buzzkill.
Gon was in front of Sabithay lightning fast, and kicked his legs out from under him from the left while he chopped him in the neck from the right. Sabithay spun around like a pinwheel, and Gon bolley kicked him right in the skull. The lanky man slammed into the arena floor so hard he left a crater, and blood pooled beneath his head. Gon knew how Zombie's were, and this guy would be able to take one hell-of-a beating. He might as well show out a little, the bloodier this got the more points he'd wrack up.
Sabithay began to pick himself up, and Gon knelt beside him. He grabbed the Alien-Zombie's hair and used it as a grip to slam his face back into the cement. He did it again and again until the satisfying crack of his nose rang out across the stadium. Gon lifted his bloodied face up and leaned down to look him in the eye. His face was drenched in thick, blue alien blood, and one eye was swollen shut.
"Had enough?" Gon asked with a taunting smirk.
Sabithay got pissy again, just as Gon had been hoping for. "When hell freezes over," the purple skinned man snarled. He bucked his hips in an effort to get his feet beneath him, and Gon took this chance to pick him up and drop kick him across the arena. A perfect demonstration of his strength, he hoped that got him some points.
As long as the opponent still shows the will to fight, the refs will not stop the battle. No matter how grisely it gets.
Gon stalked across the arena, heart pumping with predatory adrenaline. His horns grew a little longer, and his veins buzzed with strength. "Done already?" he called out to the man on the ground. Sabithay lurched to his feet, and Gon made sure to approach slowly to give him the chance to get his bearings. Not coordinated enough for his daggers, Sabithay held his fists in front of him.
"Gon's letting Sabithay get to his feet! What will he do now?"
Gon jumped forward and swung a slow punch at his face. Sabithay blocked with his forearm, just as Gon had been leading him too. After fighting in the streets for a couple of months once he'd turned 17, Gon had picked up on how to lead a losing battle against a far weaker opponent. It was a dirty move, and considered unnecessarily brutal in most arenas, but anything went here. The more skill he could show, the more money he could win.
Sabithay gave a weak uppercut, and Gon took it just for the hell of it. He tensed his neck muscles, and the lanky man was only able to push Gon's chin up a couple of inches. The sharp toothed boy smirked up at his tall opponent. "That all you got?" He let a little aura loose to strengthen the intimidation.
Sabithay's eyes faltered and he gritted his teeth. Gon could see it in his eyes, already half unconscious as he was. He knew he had lost.
Gon ended it with a brutal headbutt. He felt his lengthened horns puncture Sabithay's skull, and blood and cranial fluid sprayed across Gon's face. With that Zombie blood of his, Sabithay would recover without issue. It wasn't every day that Gon got to crack some skulls with his horns without consequence!
Sabithay crumpled to the ground, cloak pooling around him like an ebony lake.
"There you have it! Gon is the winner of this match! That's a rookie debut if I ever saw one!" The audience roared in excitement, and Gon shook the blood off his hands. Still buzzing for a fight, Gon reluctantly withdrew his biochemical. The familiar sting of its release was enough to calm him back down.
He held his bloodied fist up in the air and scanned the rows of seats once more to try and locate his friends. A shock of white hair caught his attention. Killua was standing up and waving his hands around like an idiot. When their eyes met, the Valkyrie cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled: "You're a total psycho, ya know that?" His sapphire eyes shone with mirth, and his fangs were bared in a grin.
Gon barked a laugh, and with a flourish of his hands dipped into a bow.
The audience's applause doubled in volume, and Gon walked through a shower of roses to the victor's tunnel. With a grin on his face and the burn of the biochemical ringing in his veins, Gon strutted into the shadows. A slow clapping tickled his ears.
"Impressive, truly impressive."
Gon froze in his tracks, and looked to his left. Sure enough, there stood none other than Hisoka. The tall man was leaned against the wall and clapping those limber hands of his. Gon furrowed his brow. The slit eyed man gave a musical chuckle.
"Your fighting ability grows just as much as your body does, you never cease to intrigue me."
Maybe it was the buzz of adrenaline still left over in his veins, but Gon decided to indulge in their usual song and dance. "That's good, then. Am I strong enough to fight you yet?"
Hisoka moaned a little and shifted his weight. "Ah, not yet I'm afraid. But soon, very soon indeed. There are still certain… hurdles you have left to cross before you are truly ripened and lush for the picking~"
Gon kept his eyes glued to the eccentric man's face, making a point of not looking at the bulge in his pants. Danger rolled off the magician in waves, and rather than scare Gon off it excited him. He kept casual with Hisoka because he knew that their fight, whenever it arrived, would be intense. It would be life or death, and Gon had to admit that he looked forward to the challenge.
"Cryptic as ever, I see," Gon commented.
I used to just keep tabs on him, but about a year ago I accepted him as somewhat of an acquaintance. Aunt Mito would be appalled to know that I associate with such a freak show, and I know that Kurapika, Killua, and Leorio agree. That day is such a long story…
"Don't look at me like that~~ What's on that mind of yours, Gon dear?"
Gods, he's so weird. "Just remembering the day we became friends."
Hisoka chuckled, eyes twinkling. "Ah, reminiscing about good times, are we?" His tone was sickeningly flirtatious, as usual.
Gon shook his head and continued walking down the hall. "'Good times' is a stretch," he called over his shoulder. "See ya." Hisoka chuckled darkly as Gon retreated around the corner. Another reason why I keep him close, is that I hate to see the day he becomes my enemy. He's dangerous enough as it is, but a snake concealed beneath the grass is much better than a looming dragon sixty feet tall.
AN: god, I hate Hisoka so much. But he's here to be annoying and cause problems~ (I have to admit... he is really fun to write though :') )