The Hunter's Fantasia: A Never-ending Tale By Kumatenshi

VOLUME I: THE BOOK OF PROPHECIES ** Chapter I --- The flower, Memalia **

"Mama, he's awake! Is lunch ready?" Gon merrily asked Mito as he rushed in the direction of the kitchen. Killua followed Gon but at a slower pace as he carefully surveyed the rest of the house. Like the bedroom, the whole house, from ceilings to the floor, demonstrated signs of aging but it was very clean and tidy. It also had a cozy feeling, probably attributable to the heart warming fireplace, along with vases of nicely arranged flowers in almost every single corner of the house. The open-style kitchen was located near the front door. It was tiny and heavily stuffed with cutlery but it was brightly illuminated. It was also the source of a wonderful smell which Killua missed a lot --- the smell of food.

"Just a moment, Gon, it's almost ready!" Mito replied as she busily shifted between the oven and the stove. When she finally turned her back, she saw Killua standing a meter or so away from the kitchen, curiously watching her. "You are awake! And you look so much better now", she said with a smile, "Poor boy, you were in a terrible shape when we found you, weak and pale. Luckily, Leorio was around and gave you some medicine. Oh I'm so sorry I have not even introduced myself. My name is Mito, I am Gon's aunt but he treats me like his mother". "But you are my mother!" Gon insisted. "Alright, alright, Gon, why don't you go and set the table while I bring the food out. Oh, also check if Leorio and Kurapika have come yet. They told me they'd be coming around for lunch earlier this morning". "Yes, I shall go now!" And Gon ran out of the house like a gust of wind. Killua was completely amazed at the conversation that went on between the "mother and son". He was trying to think what his conversation with his mother was like but the harder he thought, the vaguer his past became. Gradually, he began to have a headache. "So, what's your name?" Mito asked.

"Killua," he replied in a soft tone as he took over Gon's role at setting out the table.

"Killua, what a beautiful name but I have never heard of it. I suppose you are not from the neighborhoods nearby. Where are you from?"

"I don't remember where I came from or my family or who I am."

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry but you don't have to worry about it. I'm sure your memory will come back soon. In the meantime, if you like, you can stay here with us! This house is a bit old and small but it should be able to fit in the three of us. Besides, I think Gon will be very happy if you stay because most of his friends at his age were moving out to the city and there weren't many kids left in this village". Mito said with a sigh.

"Why are all the people moving out?" Killua was curious.

"That's because the gigantic monster residing on top of the hill had emerged from his sleep. Exactly what happened I'm not sure but I've heard that about 100 years ago, a monster controlled this place. He was extremely cruel and he slaughtered all those who disobeyed his commands. A young warrior came, defeated the monster, and sealed him with a spell that would make him sleep. Recently, the seal was destroyed and the monster woke. Although he had not done any harm as yet, people were scared and they all fled from the village to the blossoming trade town in the south."

"But why don't you leave the village?" Killua asked.

"Why?" Mito was silent for a second, reflecting on the reason why. She then held onto the pendant around her neck and said, "Because I love this village, this place where I was born and raised. I have plenty of memories here and they are very important to me. Besides, I am waiting for someone to return. I am sure he will be very disappointed if he comes and finds this house empty."

"Is that someone very important to you?" Killua asked as he eyed Mito who has weathered but lovely face began to reveal traces of sorrow.

Mito nodded. "Rather than important, I should say he is very special to me. I am glad I was born into this world and had the opportunity to meet him and be with him, even for just a short period of time."

"I wonder if I am special to anyone", Killua said with a sad voice.

"I am sure you are. You must be precious to your parents and friends. I am sure they must be very worried about you and probably searching high and low for you."

"No, they will not". Killua said with a certain tone.

"Why?" Mito could not help asking.

"I don't know." Killua said and looked a little depressed, "I just have a feeling I am not special to anyone".

Mito put down the plate in her hand and approached Killua. She then wrapped her hands around Killua. Her warm hands and the sweet perfume rendered him a nostalgic feeling, a feeling he found familiar but incapable to remember. She then spoke softly into Killua's ears: "You are special to someone and one day, you will also find someone who will be special to you". She then kissed Killua slightly on the cheek, blinked an eye, and resumed cooking.

"I will find someone who will be special to me?" Killua could not imagine what it will be like to have someone special but judging from Mito's expressions, he felt it could not be a bad thing. A few minutes later, Gon returned, along with two slightly older boys. The first one was slightly taller than Gon, with blonde hair just an inch or so above his shoulders. His complexion was fair and he possessed pale brown eyes as well as excellent manners. The taller man behind him had much shorter, and darker hair that were a bit spiky, but less exaggerated than Gon's hair. He had sharp keen eyes but a little pompous air that did not appeal to Killua.

"Mama, I have brought Kurapika and Leorio!" Gon was saying in his unusually optimistic voice.

"Great, I will carry the food out now. Gon, will you give me a helping hand?" Mito asked while busily transferring the delicious fish to the plate.

"I can help you", Killua volunteered but backed a little when he saw the fish with the head and tail. At the table, Gon tried to introduce his friends to Killua at the same time as he was gulfing down his food. The result naturally was not very productive.

"Gon, you should stop eating when you speak", Mito said disapprovingly.

"I am sorry mama." Putting down his food, Gon then went on, "Killua", he said as he pointed his finger at the teenage boy with blonde hair, "This is Kurapika! He is a scholar and he knows many things, from astronomy to philosophy. He is the genius of the village. Kurapika, this is Killua whom I found yesterday."

"Killua, it is my pleasure to meet you. And Gon," Kurapika replied and slightly embarrassed by the flattering introduction. "I am just a student who just happens to be interested at reading books. I still have a lot to learn."

"You are forever so humble, Kurapika!" Gon said and then turned toward the slightly older man. "And this uncle over here is Leorio, the to-be-doctor."

"Gon, who is the "uncle", I am barely 18! So, your name is Killua, nice to meet you. Actually we have met yesterday but you were sleeping then. It seems like the medicine I prescribed you worked. I am so glad."

"Nice to meet you, Kurapika and Leorio, and thank you for giving me the medicine."

"By the way, Leorio," Gon said in a more serious time. "Killua had am.am."

"Amnesia", Killua helped Gon out once again. Somehow, the poor fisher boy had difficulty with the name of the illness.

"Yes, amnesia, I just can't remember that word". Gon blushed.

"It seems you don't remember a lot aside from the techniques of fishing, do you?" Kurapika teased Gon.

"And you should add eating too, Kurapika, isn't that right, Miss Mito?" Leorio also joined in the teasing. Mito could not help but giggled a little as well. Gon blushed even harder and knowing not how to defend himself, he decided to shift the attention. "Why don't we focus back on Killua. He couldn't remember anything from his past. Where he came from or who his parents were."

Killua dropped his head and the others were quick to notice it was not the time for anymore laughter.

"Killua", Leorio asked seriously, "did you fall or hit your head by any chance?"

Killua shook his head.

"That is really strange. Amnesia usually follows concussion or physical injury to the brain, where tissues in the brain are scarred or damaged so that it's temporarily or permanently impossible for the brain to retrieve information from the long-term memory. The duration of the amnesia depends upon the actual impact of the injury to the brain. If you don't have any physical injury, it's quite unnatural that amnesia can occur". Leorio frowned and started scratching his head. Killua was listening carefully but Gon and Mito were staring at each other, completely confused by what Leorio was just saying.

"Leorio", Kurapika replied in a calm voice "Killua's amnesia is not caused by a concussion in the brain. Look at his right hand, what do you see?" Kurapika pointed to a small petal clung onto the inner lining of Killua's clothes.

"Oh! How could I have overlooked that!" Leorio exclaimed, "Of course, it's Lobelia! What a fool I was!"

"Excuse me, Kurapika and Leorio," Gon did not want to disturb but he did not want to be left out of the conversation any further, "but your language is too technical and we don't have a clue of what is happening. Can you perhaps explain a bit?" Killua also appeared to be very interested at what this Lobelia was.

"Killua, have you seen any flower with violet petals and sharp thorns? They look a little like roses, but is not quite" Leorio asked.

"Yes." Killua nodded. "I was walking by the river when I was tired and I saw those lovely flowers. The fragrance they emitted was fantastic so I thought I could use a little rest near the flowers, and when I woke up, I was here."

"That flower is called Lobelia." Leorio let out a sigh, "It's a dangerous plant because its fragrance is actually a strange poison that will enter the bloodstream and interfere with the retrieval of information from the long-term memory. That part of your body, which came into contact with the poisonous flower, would also become a violet color for approximately 3 days. The strangest characteristic of the poison is that you don't lose all your memory. You only lose those that you psychologically would like to repress. It seems like you don't want to remember your home, your parents, and your past and that's why you're forgetting them".

"Leorio, then is there any cure for the poison?" Gon asked.

"Yes, there's a flower known as Memalia that has the opposite effect to Lobelia. It will neutralize the poison of Lobelia and restores the memory".

"Great. Then let's go and get Memalia! Where are they?" Gon asked.

"Unfortunately, unlike Lobelia, they grow only in high altitudes and are quite rare. The only place which I have in mind where Memalia can grow is the top of the mountain."

"Okay, Killua, let's go and get Memalia!" Gon decided but Mito shouted in a loud voice, "Gon! You're not going!"

"But mama-"

"I said you're not going. Don't you know the monster on top of the mountain has awakened? You'll get killed if you go up the mountain!"

"But mama, we must help Killua. We can't watch him not being able to remember his parents and friends. Besides, mama, you always say memory is very important. It is because of your precious memories that you wish to remain here. Naturally, you can't sit here and watch Killua being deprived of his memories, can you?"

"I." Mito could not reply. Truly, she treasured her own memories and she knew it would be a pain to live without memories. Besides, she was a bit concerned with the way Killua spoke about him not being special to anyone.

"It's alright, Gon", Killua said smiling. "As Leorio said, I lost my memories because I did not want to remember them in the first place. In that case, you should not risk your life for me."

"But." Gon did not know what to say and neither did the other people in the house. For a minute, the whole house was conquered a veil of gloomy silence. It was Leorio who finally broke the silence by saying, "Miss Mito, don't worry. I'll go along with Gon and Killua and take care of them. You know Gon. If he has decided to do something, he will not give up until it's done. I'll make sure I return him to you, safe and sound".

"Leorio." Mito looked at him gratefully.

"I'll also go because I've seen Memalia before and I know precisely what they look like". Kurapika added.

"Kurapika, Leorio, thank you very much!" Gon said merrily as he turned to Killua. "I'll try my best to help you restore your memory. Even though you may not want to remember, but no one should be deprived of something as precious as memories. Besides, you never know when you want them again". Then, he turned to Mito and said in a low but sweet voice: "Mama, I'm sorry for disobeying you but I really think I should go!"

"Gon, I think there is little I can do to stop you now. Like your father, once you have decided to pursue something, nothing will be able to stop you. So go, my boy, and follow your will but before you leave, I want you to have this". Mito took off the necklace she wore and put it around Gon's neck.

"But you loved this necklace, mama!" Gon was puzzled.

"Gon, this necklace belonged to your father. He gave it to me when he came back with you in his arms. You were then very young. He told me this necklace held a special power that could be wielded by you and him only. He also mentioned something about water and future but cannot remember as I was not paying attention. I was mad at the time when he decided to leave you behind and traveled alone. Now, I truly regret it".

Mito sighed as she stared at the necklace on Gon's neck. It had a simple design with a silver chain and a crystalline pendent in the shape of a fairy. Gon touched the pendant and at that instant, he thought he saw something, in the bowl of water on the table but he might have mistaken.

"When will you be leaving?" Mito asked when lunch was over.

"Tomorrow morning. Is that okay with you Kurapika, Leorio, and Killua?" All three nodded.

That night, Mito could not sleep. She remembered what happened when she was young. There was a fire in the village, a terrible fire. She was asleep in a little room when the fire broke out. She was scared and she cried for her parents but there was no response. She thought she was going to die when Jin came in and lifted her weak body up. It was not easy to fight for their way through the flames but Jin managed to rescue her. However, it left a big scar on his back, a scar in the shape of a butterfly. Her parents were killed in the fire but she survived and stayed with Jin. They had a wonderful time growing up and playing with each other but then Jin left. For five years, he left without even letting her know where he was going. When he came back, she really wanted to slap him, scold him, and then forgive him but she did not even have the time. He just came, left Gon to her care, and set off once again on his journey. She was really angry but at least, she had Gon to turn her attention to. Raising Gon made her forget about the loneliness of a life without Jin. Yet, even Gon was going to leave. He might be away for just a few days but Mito had a feeling that once they parted, it would be a very long time before they would meet again. When Mito thought about this, her heart could not help but ached. She closed her eyes and heard her mother saying in a distant voice, "Mito, that is what love is all about - you get joy, but you also get pain."