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I hope you are enjoying the story so far.
The Hunt
There were few remaining candidates after the test of the tower. The stress of the exam was becoming visible.
Kassari was distracted by the wager she had made with Hisoka. She concentrated on returning her focus to the next test, but he kept popping back into her mind at the strangest moments. "Ugh," she thought in frustration. "Now I've done it, set myself up for a challenge that goes beyond my abilities, taming Hisoka."
The next test was explained as a hunt. Candidates were to draw a number and must gain six points worth of number cards. Their own card and the number card of the person they drew were each worth three points; all other cards were worth one point.
Kassari drew #219, she looked around at the other candidates, but most of them had already removed their numbers as soon as the rules had been explained. She went back to the other side of the ship and sorted through her memories; vaguely she recalled a man with short, shaggy, brown hair that carried a bunch of knives. It was the incredible amount of knives he had that made her recall him. Pushing all other thoughts from her mind, she contemplated strategy to get the number card. She did not wish to kill the man unless it proved necessary.
The candidates arrived at the test area in a very short time and disembarked from the sea vessel in the same order in which they had arrived at the base of the tower. It was an island shaped like a bent barbell. Kassari decided to wait for her prey and watch him to learn more about his abilities. Hidden in a tree, she watched as he walked off the boat and looked around nervously while fingering a long dagger. Focusing on him, she sought a way into his mind, trying to discern his thoughts and plans. She was surprised to find that he had drawn her number.
While #219 did know what he was looking for, he wasn't sure what he was dealing with and was seriously underestimating her skills.
Kassari's plan began to take shape as she delved further into his mind. Leaving him in the forest, she moved through the trees searching until she found a quiet pool of water with a small rock wall near it. There was a crevice in the wall just big enough to hide her pack in. Briefly she scanned the area looking for human auras. She determined that there was no one else near.
She withdrew her dress, water her physical shield, a remote control and a small bag. She quickly stripped out of her ninja attire and put it in the pack and changed into her dress. Then pushed the pack into the crevice and set the physical shield keep scavengers out of her food. The remote control for the shield and her number were slipped inside the small bag and the bag was tied to a little loop inside her dress.
Now that Kassari had chosen a base camp, she needed to locate her victim again. She tied knots in her skirt so that it wouldn't drag and get in her way and jumped into a tree. With best possible speed, she went back to the area were she had quit following him. He had been moving in a northerly direction so she scanned for him from the top of the trees.
#219 was trying, unsuccessfully, to camouflage himself. "Is he just relying on blind luck to find me or what? He has no tracking or stalking skills at all and no clue as to my location."
The man answered his cell phone and asked, "Have you located your number? Me either. Yeah, if you see mine give me a buzz. O.K., out."
"Oh, that's your idea, hmm. Teaming up to find your number. Geez! It might work, in a small shopping center or something, but not here. There are too many places to hide."
A few yards from were her prey was standing, there was a small clearing. "Time to put you out of your misery, poor man." Moving to the clearing, she rearranged her skirt to show off her shapely legs. With her telepathy, she linked to his mind, creating a sense of urgency and the illusion of loud noises in the clearing. Then she screamed.
Through her hold on his mind, (he was really easy to manipulate, not having a strong will). She played on his inherent need to protect a female in trouble. #219 broke into the clearing at a run and saw a striking blond lying on the ground about to be killed by a monster bear. He threw several daggers at it and saw the animal crumple to the ground with a knife through its throat and heart. Adrenaline pumping in his veins, he ran the rest of the way to the girl sobbing on the ground.
"Hey, are you alright?" He asked anxiously, squatting on the ground next to her.
Kassari turned and threw herself at him, holding him in a tight embrace. "You saved my life! I was so scared, thank you, thank you." She trembled in his arms and sobbed her words out into his chest.
With no compulsion on her part, he wrapped his arms around her, trying to comfort her. He was so intent on getting her to calm down; he did not notice that her hands were gently frisking him. She located his number card.
"I would have been killed if it weren't for you." She gushed up at him. Kassari looked into his eyes and brought her lips to his in a warm, inviting kiss.
The man responded with fervor to her kiss and never felt the small movements as his card was removed.
Kassari pulled away with a blush, "I'm sorry. I must go. Someone is expecting me." She stared down at her hands and made small nervous gestures, as if embarrassed and worried.
#219 ran a hand in his hair impatiently. Suddenly, he remembered that he had seen her before. . . with Hisoka. "Hey, your Hisoka's girlfriend! He paled and started to back away.
"Yeah, I guess you could say that." She looked away with a sigh. "Well, I have to go. He's waiting."
"Umm, sure, I understand." The young man could face down a full grown bear monster, but apparently feared Hisoka. "I gotta go too. Got to go find someone," he stuttered and took off in another direction.
"For pity's sake, that was too easy." Kassari smiled and tucked the number into her bag.
"Bravo." Hisoka clapped as he entered the clearing. "That performance deserved and award for actress of the year. You do realize that sort of thing would never work on me though." He smirked.
"I wouldn't even attempt that on you, Hisoka. You would probably put me over your knee and spank me." Kassari joked.
Hisoka smiled at her humor. She would definitely be punished, but spanking had not even entered his mind. He found the idea interesting as he considered it.
"I will not tolerate you kissing others when you become mine, Kassari." His expression had turned dark with promise.
"Ah, but I'm not yours yet." Kassari understood he was not bluffing. She turned and walked out of the clearing without a backward glance. Knowing this small bit of defiance would get under his skin.
If she were to win the game they were playing, the real object was to keep his interest. Surrender would cause him to grow bored. Giving him respect, affection or attention willingly would be seen as a victory. A small sign that he was closer to breaking her.
The Hunt
There were few remaining candidates after the test of the tower. The stress of the exam was becoming visible.
Kassari was distracted by the wager she had made with Hisoka. She concentrated on returning her focus to the next test, but he kept popping back into her mind at the strangest moments. "Ugh," she thought in frustration. "Now I've done it, set myself up for a challenge that goes beyond my abilities, taming Hisoka."
The next test was explained as a hunt. Candidates were to draw a number and must gain six points worth of number cards. Their own card and the number card of the person they drew were each worth three points; all other cards were worth one point.
Kassari drew #219, she looked around at the other candidates, but most of them had already removed their numbers as soon as the rules had been explained. She went back to the other side of the ship and sorted through her memories; vaguely she recalled a man with short, shaggy, brown hair that carried a bunch of knives. It was the incredible amount of knives he had that made her recall him. Pushing all other thoughts from her mind, she contemplated strategy to get the number card. She did not wish to kill the man unless it proved necessary.
The candidates arrived at the test area in a very short time and disembarked from the sea vessel in the same order in which they had arrived at the base of the tower. It was an island shaped like a bent barbell. Kassari decided to wait for her prey and watch him to learn more about his abilities. Hidden in a tree, she watched as he walked off the boat and looked around nervously while fingering a long dagger. Focusing on him, she sought a way into his mind, trying to discern his thoughts and plans. She was surprised to find that he had drawn her number.
While #219 did know what he was looking for, he wasn't sure what he was dealing with and was seriously underestimating her skills.
Kassari's plan began to take shape as she delved further into his mind. Leaving him in the forest, she moved through the trees searching until she found a quiet pool of water with a small rock wall near it. There was a crevice in the wall just big enough to hide her pack in. Briefly she scanned the area looking for human auras. She determined that there was no one else near.
She withdrew her dress, water her physical shield, a remote control and a small bag. She quickly stripped out of her ninja attire and put it in the pack and changed into her dress. Then pushed the pack into the crevice and set the physical shield keep scavengers out of her food. The remote control for the shield and her number were slipped inside the small bag and the bag was tied to a little loop inside her dress.
Now that Kassari had chosen a base camp, she needed to locate her victim again. She tied knots in her skirt so that it wouldn't drag and get in her way and jumped into a tree. With best possible speed, she went back to the area were she had quit following him. He had been moving in a northerly direction so she scanned for him from the top of the trees.
#219 was trying, unsuccessfully, to camouflage himself. "Is he just relying on blind luck to find me or what? He has no tracking or stalking skills at all and no clue as to my location."
The man answered his cell phone and asked, "Have you located your number? Me either. Yeah, if you see mine give me a buzz. O.K., out."
"Oh, that's your idea, hmm. Teaming up to find your number. Geez! It might work, in a small shopping center or something, but not here. There are too many places to hide."
A few yards from were her prey was standing, there was a small clearing. "Time to put you out of your misery, poor man." Moving to the clearing, she rearranged her skirt to show off her shapely legs. With her telepathy, she linked to his mind, creating a sense of urgency and the illusion of loud noises in the clearing. Then she screamed.
Through her hold on his mind, (he was really easy to manipulate, not having a strong will). She played on his inherent need to protect a female in trouble. #219 broke into the clearing at a run and saw a striking blond lying on the ground about to be killed by a monster bear. He threw several daggers at it and saw the animal crumple to the ground with a knife through its throat and heart. Adrenaline pumping in his veins, he ran the rest of the way to the girl sobbing on the ground.
"Hey, are you alright?" He asked anxiously, squatting on the ground next to her.
Kassari turned and threw herself at him, holding him in a tight embrace. "You saved my life! I was so scared, thank you, thank you." She trembled in his arms and sobbed her words out into his chest.
With no compulsion on her part, he wrapped his arms around her, trying to comfort her. He was so intent on getting her to calm down; he did not notice that her hands were gently frisking him. She located his number card.
"I would have been killed if it weren't for you." She gushed up at him. Kassari looked into his eyes and brought her lips to his in a warm, inviting kiss.
The man responded with fervor to her kiss and never felt the small movements as his card was removed.
Kassari pulled away with a blush, "I'm sorry. I must go. Someone is expecting me." She stared down at her hands and made small nervous gestures, as if embarrassed and worried.
#219 ran a hand in his hair impatiently. Suddenly, he remembered that he had seen her before. . . with Hisoka. "Hey, your Hisoka's girlfriend! He paled and started to back away.
"Yeah, I guess you could say that." She looked away with a sigh. "Well, I have to go. He's waiting."
"Umm, sure, I understand." The young man could face down a full grown bear monster, but apparently feared Hisoka. "I gotta go too. Got to go find someone," he stuttered and took off in another direction.
"For pity's sake, that was too easy." Kassari smiled and tucked the number into her bag.
"Bravo." Hisoka clapped as he entered the clearing. "That performance deserved and award for actress of the year. You do realize that sort of thing would never work on me though." He smirked.
"I wouldn't even attempt that on you, Hisoka. You would probably put me over your knee and spank me." Kassari joked.
Hisoka smiled at her humor. She would definitely be punished, but spanking had not even entered his mind. He found the idea interesting as he considered it.
"I will not tolerate you kissing others when you become mine, Kassari." His expression had turned dark with promise.
"Ah, but I'm not yours yet." Kassari understood he was not bluffing. She turned and walked out of the clearing without a backward glance. Knowing this small bit of defiance would get under his skin.
If she were to win the game they were playing, the real object was to keep his interest. Surrender would cause him to grow bored. Giving him respect, affection or attention willingly would be seen as a victory. A small sign that he was closer to breaking her.